Chapter 30: Unbound

SPLASH!

Bones fragments, hot red blood and chunks of minced meat splattered all over Darvajka. His pupil contracted, his breath haggard, his gaze fixed on the spot next to him, where for a fraction of a second he sensed sinister pressure manifesting around Cattelin before crushing her from all sides.

“Eh? No!” Darvajka shouted as his eyes met the distanced, nonchalant Zax’s and the same pressure manifested again, confining and closing in on him.

BOOM!

He released his aura and mist explosively, barely managing to resist the heavy, dark attribute energy originated, weight.

Catching his breath, Darvajka swiftly averted his gaze to Colonel Rijok, to plead for his help, but his voice got stuck in his throat. A two meters tall figure emerged behind his back.

SMASH!

Zax slapped, solely relying on physical strength. Completely disregarding a first level Martial Mortal’s protective mist guard, he casually smacked Darvajka’s bluish head, like hitting a fly and obliterating it.

“Martial Mortals sure are strong...” Zax self remarked earnestly.

Failing to kill Darvajka by his dark attribute domain, he learnt that below the third realm, he probably does not need to make the slightest move to kill an opponent. Against Martial Mortals, though, unless he would combine it with his physique or soul energy, dark attribute energy would only be useful as deterrence.

“How can this be possible... !” Helev Hetra exclaimed in bewilderment.

Following Zax’s outburst, she, Boolian and Colonel Rijok regained their senses only after Darvajka’s headless body fell, twitching, on the ground.

“So fast! Striking a Martial Mortal down in one attack!” Boolian commented, the look on his reptilian mien, as well as on the other two second level Martial Mortals, conveyed panic and rising fear. Especially since he and Helev Hetra could only keep up with Zax’s silhouette.

Colonel Rijok, more so than the other two, stood there, utterly stumped. Although those were his subordinates who perished, one of which belonged to the same power as him and was a promising recruit from no less than one of the three most powerful families in the reclusive New Earth, although he would have some explaining to do for their deaths and loss of the perfect dark attribute’s essence and although Zax’s resurgence and display of strength were staggering, none of these mattered to him.

“He ... He ... in one fell swoop he actually obtained enlightenment to the domain of the dark attribute, scratching the surfaces of the natural elemental forces!” His solemn words stirred turmoil in Boolian’s and Helev Hetra’s hearts.

What sort of concept was an understanding of the natural elemental forces? All they knew was that below Immortals, only scarce amount of fifth level Martial Mortals and the most exceptional Ascended Elites were close to possess these advanced insights through the seven attributes and even they were divided by levels of Low, Medium and High.

His Young Eminence, for example, has a near Medium understanding of the light attribute and its worldly energy. Zax, on the other hand, seemed to have an even higher level of understanding regarding the dark attribute and its energy, all thanks to the magnificent perfect dark attribute’s essence and probably the fact that he integrated with a dark attribute which originated from the extraordinary Black Core.

Zax vanished and reappeared beside the unconscious Fengar. With a pensive look he examined his condition. “Fortunately he is more exhausted than wounded”. Zax mused.

Utilizing his dark attribute domain, he lifted Fengar off the ground and moved with him, in a flash, in front of Gong Vreil. “Take care of him and your debt will be settled”. He said, his eyes emanating killing intent as a warning.

Lurvar, Hereb Lish and the three first level Martial Mortals stood silently, slightly shifting their postures away. Witnessing the death scenes of Cattelin and Darvajka they were all horror stricken. Even the proud and headstrong Murreta paled when Zax’s speed was no different than teleportation for his eyes.

Now that Zax also mentioned the word “debt” and posed a chance to write off Gong Vreil’s, all five dreadfully realized that, at the moment, the cloud of death is hovering above their heads.

“I- I- I’ll take care of him! Definitely take good care of him! Here, I have some effective medicinal pills; I can help him consume them!” Hereb Lish hurriedly offered in a loud, petrified voice and the other four, Murreta, Lady Zhuah, Kitobara and Lurvar sullenly cursed his quick wittedness and cowardliness.

Zax laid Fengar, ignoring Hereb Lish, stood up and turned to meet the lingering looks of Boolian, Helev Hetra and Colonel Rijok.

Confronting these overbearing three who formerly sought to abuse, kill and steal from him, brought forth a belligerent smile, blooming on Zax face.

Being glared at so imposingly had undermined Helev Hetra’s firmness to handle Zax alone. Moreover, killing a first level Martial Mortal in one blow ... Yes, she can replicate the feat, but to do it so casually, when the enemy alert and focused ... the answer was obvious.

‘What should we do, Rijok? Can we beat him?!’ She sent apprehensively, struggling to comprehend how Zax survived the corrosiveness of the unrefined dark attribute’s essence and grudgingly digesting the sudden predicament.

‘Don’t be unruffled; we are still high ranking members of the five powers’. Colonel Rijok chided Boolian and Helev Hetra and opened. “Congratulation! Withstanding the virulent effect of the unrefined dark attribute’s essence, you certainly earned it. The five powers are also very appreciative when relating to the birth of a new expert, much to the point of overlooking old enmities. In this respect, having taken the lives of my subordinates, all hatreds between us should be resolved”.

Hearing his little speech, Boolian and Helev Hetra were astonished to discover that even the prominent Colonel Rijok was trying to avoid a fight. It is important to note, that aside of his profound insights to the dark attribute, their opponent still was just a newly promoted second realm bodily cultivator.