Chapter 27: Assassination Mission

In the roughly four years that passed since Zax first met his today Martial brother and sisters, every one of them also had his and her own progression in the Martial path. Currently, other than his big sister, Zetsa, only Shulip had not yet broken through the Core Master realm.

A hour ago, Zax's Master, Kartius, announced that soon he will head out to his first household mission, together with Mes, the Thousand Meters Viper, and Hagen, the Martial sister he had yet met.

The gathering place was at the peak of a mountain, which was part of the mountains ridge were the blue tower of Grandmaster Kartion was situated, and the secluded habitation of Hagen.

Several tens of meters below the peak was a cavern, sealed by a giant boulder. A tremor engendered from within the sealed cavern and fluctuation of violent mist energy sipped through the notches between the boulder and the cavern's entrance.

Short time later, the fluctuation dissipated and calm return to the mountain.

"Big sister Hagen is one step closer toward the third level of the second realm". A fairly young man, who appeared to be in his early twenties, remarked with a smile.

Beside the young man were Zax and Kartius in his humanoid form.

"Big brother Mes", Zax turned to the young man who wore a bodysuit made out of purple scales, his purple long hair was combed and tied behind his back and his eyes were gleaming in golden spender.

After his breakthrough to the second realm, much like Tularg, as a Zhìhuì type beast Mes could now change into the third, human form, which flaunted in some of his animalistic features. Also, with a human head, tongue and vocal cords Mes no longer had speech impediments.

"Sensing those mist fluctuation with my Soul Sense, big sister Hagen has reached the Advanced phase of the second level of the Core Master realm. She still needs to reach the Peak phase in order to be a step closer to the third level". Zax said.

"Ha! Freak Zax, you brat, what do you know? The Peak phase is merely half a step to the next level, the additional half step is just a little more difficult so others occasionally confuse the one into two". Mes said, sure of his facts.

"You two be quiet. Martial niece Hagen consolidates her mist energy and will be out of her closed door training in a few minutes. If you two will keep disturbing her ... Martial son, though you still did not meet your eldest Martial sister, don't seek your Martial father's back when she'll get here incensed. Martial nephew Mes, since you should know better, Martial niece Hagen will punish you more severely". Kartius both reprimanded and warned.

Seeing how Mes hastened to listen to his Master, and the slight change in his complexion, Zax decided to follow suit and avoid from infuriating his strongest Martial sister in the first impression she would have of him.

"Creeh!"

A loud bird cry resonated, carrying the sound wave for kilometers.

On the mountain peak, a flashy figure ascended to the cave's sky, leading the heads of the three to look up.

An about two meters tall bird type beast, with silvery wings, gray feathered body, a hawk head and a beast's humanoid form physique flew above Zax, Mes and Kartius, circling the summit of the mountain before landing.

"Big sister Hagen, congratulation!" Mes hurriedly stepped forward to welcome the bird type beast in her humanoid form, Hagen.

'This is Martial sister Hagen... ' Zax refrained from impolitely inspecting her with his Soul Sense, but still could tell the disparity in strength between them. 'Formidable!'

"Greetings, senior Martial sister Hagen, this one is Zax Zel, nice to meet you!" Zax paid Hagen the same respect he showed his other Martial brothers and sisters.

The double pupils hawk eyes of Hagen shifted from the welcoming Mes to the teenage human.

Being watched by those yellow double pupils ran shivers down Zax's back. 'Did I say something offending?' Externally Zax did not show any signs of retreat, but inwardly he felt those double pupils penetrating his skin.

Catching the quick blink in Hagen eyes, the intrusive sensation abruptly vanished.

'Good, little brother Zax, you are as strong and fast growing as the abnormal little Zetsa'. A pleasant to the ears voice of nice aunty echoed in Zax's head.

"Big sister Hagen?" Zax was taken aback.

Also hearing Zax's response, Kartius understood the misunderstanding of his Martial son and took upon himself to explain.

"Martial niece Hagen, similarly to Martial niece Shulip whom you already know, as a bird type beast, Double Pupils hawk, cannot produce human sounds with her vocal cords. However, Martial niece Hagen had managed to learn the Silverhorned tribe's technique of sound transmission from Martial nephew Raroen. Therefore, as long as you don't intentionally barricade your sea of consciousness, her thoughts can resound in your mind".

'That's right, little brother Zax'. Hagen confirmed.

"Hagen, little sister passed you the massage about this time mission".

'Indeed, Martial uncle'. Hagen voice resounded not just in Kartius's head, but in Mes's and Zax's, too. 'But not in great details'.

Kartius nodded. "The mission is assassination mission. Mes, your Reptilian tribe provided the information. Update the three of us once more".

The Reptilian tribe, Zax heard from Mes in the past, is a sub tribe of the Silverhorned tribe. It used to be a dominate tribe in the outer territory of Valgarel and after the Silverhorned tribe's rise to prominence in the inner territory, it also had become a decent tribe in the inner territory.

Today, the Reptilian tribe is a silent ally of Grandmaster Kartion and its members scout the movement of the Black Horns tribe and the three other tribes in its service against the household.

Mes's easygoing expression was replaced with a solemn one. "The scouts of the Reptilian tribe gathered information about the leader of the Yellowtailed tribe, Ginlin. Apparently, the tribe leader reached the bottleneck to the third realm and headed to the Savage Caves with a few tribesmen to make his breakthrough".

'Ginlin finally decided to surpass the peak of the Core Master realm?' Though Hagen sounded calm as she asked, a hint of exclamation could be seen in her double pupils.

"Hagen, Mes, Zax, Ginlin is one of the four great nemesis of our household. Even though he is a Shenghuo, is strength at the peak of the third level should not be taken lightly. Now more than ever if he is willing to make his breakthrough". Kartius stressed.

"The information about Ginlin arrived this morning. By now he probably made it to the first Savage Cave, but his destination should be the second one and his allusive target, a fiery attribute liquid. To get the fiery attribute liquid will take him a week worth of time or so, and to consume it safely he would have to return to the first Savage Cave. Your orders are as such, head out to the entrance of the second Savage Cave. If you make it before Ginlin returns, destroy his escort and ambush Ginlin".