NOVEL NEXT Chapter 218: 218
A few days passed. Adam spent most of his time away from the house, sitting in the quiet meadow where he and his father had fought.
Seeing this profound change in his son, the distance that seemed to grow with each passing day, Ricky made a decision. He found his wife, Rachel, mending clothes by the hearth.
"I have decided," he said, his voice firm. "I will take Adam with me to the jungle for the hunt."
Rachel looked up, her eyes wide with a mixture of surprise and fear. "Is that safe for him, Ricky?"
Ricky's expression was grim but resolute. "I think this is the perfect job for Adam. He has already been deep into the jungle on his own. That shows he is more than capable."
Rachel was not convinced. The thought of her son in the dangerous depths of the forest filled her with dread. "But I don't think he should go."
Ricky let out a long sigh. "We don't have a choice, Rachel. The way he is acting… it is quite clear he is not happy here at all. Perhaps the hunt will give him a purpose."
Rachel said nothing more. She just looked down at the table, her heart heavy with a mother's worry.
The next morning, as Adam was leaving the house, Anastasia stepped in front of him, blocking his path. She gently took his hand. He looked back at her, a flicker of surprise in his cold eyes. Just then, Ricky came out of the house.
"Adam," he said, his voice a calm invitation. "Will you come with us?"
Adam was surprised by the offer, but he considered it. At least I will get away from this boring village for a while, he thought. He gave a single, curt nod.
A brilliant smile lit up Anastasia's face. She was genuinely happy. Now she would have a chance to show Adam how strong she had become, to finally earn his respect.
Adam walked outside with his father and sister. All the hunters of the village were gathered, their axes and spears ready. Among them, he was surprised to see Andrew.
A mischievous idea sparked in Adam's mind. A slow, wicked smile spread across his face. This will be fun, he thought.
One by one, Adam's herd of Demon Horses descended from the sky. The hunters who had been on the original search party each had their own mount.
But those who had stayed behind, including Andrew and his friends, did not. Adam watched as they climbed onto the backs of the other hunters' horses, two to a beast, so they would not have to walk.
Since Adam had brought these horses to the village, their lives had changed. Hunting was easier, travel was faster. They had even begun using the horses to haul lumber and clear land, and the village was beginning to prosper in new ways.
Ricky and Anastasia mounted their horses. Andrew stood nearby, glaring at Adam. Anastasia held out a hand to her brother. "Come, ride with me."
Adam smiled and, ignoring her hand, put two fingers to his lips and let out a sharp, clear whistle. Immediately, a streak of black and white shot down from the sky.
It was Alpha.
The horse was much larger than the others, its coat a mesmerizing pattern of white, tattoo-like stripes on a black background. Andrew had heard the stories, that Adam had somehow tamed these beasts, but he had dismissed it as an exaggeration. Now, seeing Alpha, a horse so magnificent and powerful, his surprise quickly curdled into a renewed, burning jealousy.
Adam sat on Alpha and looked at Anastasia. "There is no need," he said calmly. "I have my own partner."
With that, the entire hunting party took to the skies, flying towards the deep jungle. Edward flew his horse up next to Adam. He was still a bit sore about their previous encounter. "Old man," Adam said, his voice flat. "What do you want?"
Edward was shocked by the disrespect. A flash of anger crossed his face. "Adam, if you call me 'old man' one more time, I will forget you are my nephew and I will strike you down right here in the air."
Adam just smiled and placed a hand on Alpha's neck. The great beast turned its head and looked at Edward. Its red eyes glowed with an intelligent, menacing light. Edward felt a chill run down his spine. He immediately stopped himself. Alpha opened its mouth, and a swirling ball of blue, magical fire began to form inside. Edward knew Adam was about to attack. He placed a hand on his own horse. "Easy now," he said, but his horse was already trembling. It knew Alpha was the leader of the herd. It would not dare to defy him. It also knew that if its master angered the leader's master, it would be punished as well.
"Adam, we don't have time for this!" Ricky's voice boomed from nearby.
Adam heard his father and patted Alpha's neck again. The blue fire in the horse's mouth vanished. Edward was about to say something more, but he closed his mouth. He knew that in this situation, in the air, Adam was the most powerful among them. He had the fastest, strongest mount. Edward just took a deep breath. Just wait until we are on the ground, he thought. Then I will teach you a lesson.
From behind, Andrew watched the entire exchange. He turned to the hunter whose horse he was riding. "Will you take me to my friends?" he asked.
The hunter was surprised. "Andrew, you know that time is very precious when we are flying."
"Take us there, quickly," Andrew insisted.
Annoyed, the hunter signaled his horse to move to the side, next to another horse that was carrying two of Andrew's friends. "I have an idea," Andrew said to his friends. "Come with me." They nodded, and followed him as he directed his borrowed mount.
A short time later, Ricky led the hunters down to the ground. Adam was surprised to see that they had landed in the same clearing where he had fought the giant crocodiles. For Adam, it was not a big deal. But for the village hunters, this was a revelation. From now on, they could explore parts of the jungle they had never even dreamed of reaching.
Adam got down from his horse. He placed a hand on Alpha's chest. "Keep a watch on the surroundings," he commanded. "If any danger comes, send a signal."
Alpha nodded its head and shot back up into the sky, circling high above. The other hunters were amazed. They had never thought to use the horses in such a way. In the past few days, they had been taking their horses with them on the hunt, and many of the beasts had been injured. Adam had been secretly healing them with his own magical abilities. The hunters just thought the horses had an incredible ability to heal themselves. Now, seeing Adam use Alpha as a scout, a new world of possibilities opened up to them.
Anastasia stood next to Adam, her eyes shining with excitement. She couldn't wait to show him her skills.
"Our target today," Ricky announced, his voice grave, "is the River King Croc."
The hunters were shocked. One of them stepped forward. "Leader," he said, his voice filled with a respectful fear. "I agree that we have extra attacking power now, but this does not mean we should blindly go after the River King. You know how dangerous it is."
Ricky raised his hand. "There is no need to worry. The Crocs have already been taken care of."
The hunters were confused. They had no memory of fighting the River King. Ricky understood their confusion. He pointed at Adam. "My son has already removed them."
Everyone turned to stare at Adam. Adam, listening to Ricky, thought to himself, So that's what they were called. Crocs. He had defeated them on his way to this resting spot, before his family had found him. Ricky had seen the charred remains. He looked at his men. "This is an area where not many will come now. It is a good, safe place to hunt." He then turned to Adam. "Now it is your turn. You tell us what to do."
Adam took a deep breath. "If you want to hunt, then hurry up," he said, his voice impatient. "I don't have time for this."
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We are so grateful to each and every one of you for joining the adventure! Your assistance is greatly appreciated. I appreciate each and every one of your Power Stones, which are like mana potions that keep me writing if you are enjoying the story.
Let us have some fun now! I want YOU in this world. The new signature technique is about to be named by our hero. What ought it to be called?
Leave your most inventive suggestions in the comments section! I will choose my favorite, and it will be included in the story's canon with a special mention for you.
I am eager to read your insightful recommendations!
Alphaboss
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