1096: Huh?

Huh?

As soon as he stepped into the ruins, Eldrin prepared to immediately blast forward towards the inner mountains. There was probably nothing worth it in the outer areas so he did not want to waste his time.2

Also, the people who were probably searching for him to finish him off would wander in the outer areas considering he hadn't revealed his strength. Throwing sand in their eyes, Eldrin dashed ahead, flying as fast as he could.

The gravity in the area was different so his movement was slightly sluggish. Nevertheless, he was making good time. But suddenly he came to a screeching halt as he sensed something abnormal.

He could feel the fluctuations of something powerful in the vicinity. The perception that he had honed through countless battles told him that there were high-level beasts in the area. Their presence wasn't too jarring so he could tell what beast it probably was.

Jackpot! 

Eldrin's eyes gleamed with a chilling glint. He knew that finding high-level beasts in the ruins could lead to either great rewards or perilous dangers. But he was willing to take the risk. After all, he was already prepared for it.

Slowing down his pace, Eldrin skillfully maneuvered through the terrain, blending with the shadows as he approached the source of the powerful presence. He had learned from experience that drawing unnecessary attention in the ruins could be lethal.

As he neared, he spotted a massive cavern entrance concealed by thick vegetation. He could sense the beast's aura emanating from within. He dove down into the cavern, and in the depths was the creature that he came looking for.

A soul blood beast!

Eldrin licked his lips and hurriedly sent forth two massive frost swirls and another burst of blue flames. But he did not stop with that. 

The massive beast was a tough opponent for anyone. It was a beast born from festering in years and years of soul essence and blood essence. Instead of life force, these beasts were somehow running on these two essences and this ruins was full of soul blood beasts.

More importantly, there was a chance for each beast to release a small amount of blood essence on death. Absorbing this essence could provide a tremendous boost to one's power, directly helping them to step over their threshold.

Eldrin fought with the vicious soul blood beast with everything he had. There were a bunch of elves standing on the side and shaking but he did not care about them. From the looks of it, they did not have the capability to be standing here.

Eldrin continued throwing attack after attack at the soul blood beast, his movements fluid and calculated. He unleashed a relentless barrage of elemental attacks, weaving between ice swirls, searing flames, and gusts of wind. 

Each strike was aimed at the beast's vital points, trying to weaken it before going for the kill, but that was a difficult thing to do considering that the soul blood beasts had a high magical defense and also high physical defense. 

Only mental attacks worked like a charm on the fuckers but Eldrin was fresh out of those. So instead he used his abundant mana to beat it down again and again repeatedly.

The cavern echoed with the sounds of their intense battle—a symphony of roars, hisses, and the crackling of elemental energy. Eldrin's eyes were fixed on the beast, his focus unwavering.

The soul blood beast fought back ferociously, its crimson eyes gleaming with fury. It lashed out with its razor-sharp claws, but Eldrin's agile movements allowed him to dodge and counter with precision.

Blood slash. Blood whip. Blood rapture.

No matter what attack the beast threw at him, he was deftly dodging them. To Eldrin's surprise, all of a sudden something else happened. Unexpectedly, one of the elves standing on the sidelines tossed an attack over to him.

"Motherfuckers." Eldrin grimaced. Just as he was finishing off the soul blood beast, these elves were stirring the pot.

"What are you idiots doing?" Eldrin shouted, irritation evident in his voice. "Stay out of this!"

The other elves exchanged glances but continued to attack him. It seemed that they were hell bent on finishing him and going for the kill.

However, Eldrin only loudly snorted. With a snap of his finger, an ice storm assaulted the bunch of them, arresting them in place. 

Eldrin sneered in contempt. He then turned to finish off the damned cockroach that was just refusing to let go and die. He had no idea what a soul blood beast was doing this far in the outskirts of the ruins, but hey, this was a free kill and he was going to take it.

He raised his hand, commanding the thick mana in the air to cast the last attack that would finally drain its health when suddenly another attack launched at him.

And this time, it was a blood swipe.

Eldrin immediately stiffened up. A bad feeling welled up inside him as one after another several pairs of crimson eyes silently appeared in the cavern. The damned soul blood beast was not alone!

He was fucking completely surrounded!

Oh shit! I am super dead!

Eldrin couldn't help but wear a rueful smile. He had thought of everything and planned everything to survive in these ruins, but little did he imagine that he would actually run into a lucky encounter but die because of it!

What the heck were these many soul blood beasts even doing in this place? Just what the hell was happening?

One attack after another fell on him as he desperately tried to erect thick mana barriers and get the hell out of the blasted cavern. However, this was easier said than done.

It appeared that some of the soul blood beasts had wings on their back, indicating that they were evolved beasts. These assholes were stronger, more powerful, and smarter and they wanted him dead.

They flew up, blocking his path. This was it. He was done for.

Eldrin did not know how long he could last. He closed his eyes and continued erecting barrier after barrier as his whole life flashed in front of him.

He had lived and died a nobody. How pathetic.

Seconds ticked by as he waited for the sweet release of death amidst the chaotic roar of the dozens and dozens of soul blood beasts. 

If only he had the proper backing of his family and the kingdom, he could have used this opportunity as a stepping stone and become a force to reckon with, perhaps even more powerful than that ancestor of his. 

However, he had neither of them. So now his story was over. What a goddamn waste!

Eldrin took a deep breath, feeling the pungent miasma entering him as he prepared for his last moment, except that… it never came.

Huh? He flashed his eyes open in confusion, only to find someone with long white hair floating in the middle of the cavern. 

The numerous soul blood beasts that were gearing up to rip him apart were no longer paying any attention to him. Instead, they all seemed to be transfixed on that strange person, a human being?

pqdm.com