NOVEL NEXT Chapter 134: Go home
Damien didn't dodge.
He flickered forward, skipping through space like a phantom, and struck. His death-infused fist drove through ribs like paper, splintering bone with terrifying ease, slamming the beast into the ground in a smoking crater.
The third gorilla roared, unleashing a tidal wave of mana. Trees splintered, the wind screamed, the air boiled.
But Damien was already there. He met the charge head-on, death energy swirling like a storm around him. He moved through the barrage like a specter, dodging each strike with eerie grace, countering with brutal simplicity.
He struck joints, broke stances, crushed breath. The S-rank beast, proud and powerful, could only flail and howl as Damien carved it apart one piece at a time—an execution without emotion.
The fox watched in horror, the melancholy replaced entirely by fear. Her elegant body trembled, realizing too late the depth of the mistake she'd made in targeting this seemingly ordinary human.
"Too late," Damien whispered softly, appearing instantly before her, hand extended calmly toward her trembling form. The fox attempted to retreat, but death energy wrapped around her, holding her firmly, silencing her desperate mental assault.
Damien stared into the fox's eyes, his gaze calm yet unyielding.
"I'm sorry," he murmured quietly. "But you've chosen the wrong enemy."
"Wait! Do not kill me!" A clear voice rang out in Damien's mind. "I can be your… Your pet!"
"Pet?" Damien smiled at the little fox. "Why would I want a devious little fox who could and would kill me at any chance by my side?"
"Because… Because you can make this little fox couldn't and wouldn't kill you!" It shouted desperately. "Here! Take my soul blood. You can impose your will upon me, try it! Take it!"
A small drop of ethereal, glowing blood slowly flew out of the little fox's forehead.
[Mid Tier Soul blood detected]
[Absorb to enslave target]
The system instantly reacted to the drop of blood, proving the little fox's words to be true.
"Hmmm." Damien slowly nodded.
If he could control this powerful fox which could charm his enemies, it would probably prove to be extremely useful down the line, especially against powerful S-rankers who were not merely only slightly stronger than Top A rankers like the miserable gorillas.
"Fine." Damien agreed and proceeded to touch the little drop of blood.
It entered his forehead.
A sense of absolute control over the little fox appeared in his mindspace. At the same time, he could feel the little fox's feelings towards him purifying.
Gone were her malice and cunning, replaced by pure adoration.
It was to the point where it would gladly die if Damien ordered her to.
"Master." The little fox bowed down subserviently.
Damien gazed at the little fox as he studied it carefully.
It was surprisingly only at A rank.
But its charm was so powerful that even a tribe of apes with three S ranked leaders and thousands of members were under its complete control.
No wonder his teammates didn't have a chance.
"Release my friends and disappear until I call." Damien ordered.
"Yes, master." The little fox disappeared into the undergrowth.
Instantly, the mental charm holding his teammates shattered. They blinked, confused and shaken, watching in stunned awe as the battlefield slowly fell silent.
The undead creatures dissolved quietly, Damien letting them rest once more.
Captain Lin Zhong, panting heavily, stared at Damien with eyes filled with newfound reverence and uncertainty. "What… what happened?"
Damien merely smiled faintly, eyes softening slightly, his power now carefully concealed once more.
The remainder of the mission passed surprisingly quickly and quietly.
With the little fox's charm broken, the beasts in the region scattered into smaller, disorganized groups that no longer posed a real threat to the battle-hardened team.
Hour by hour, their kills accumulated swiftly.
Damien continued to strike precisely, careful not to reveal his true power more than necessary, while his teammates fought fiercely, emboldened by the unexpected ease of their encounters.
By the end of a grueling eighteen-hour marathon of continuous fighting, they finally reached their staggering goal—6,490 A-ranked beasts slain.
"Objective complete," Captain Lin Zhong announced heavily, a weary but satisfied look on his face. "Everyone, fall back to the extraction point. We're done here."
As the team moved quickly toward the extraction zone, Damien felt a mental connection suddenly flare up.
"Master! Wait! Don't leave me here! Take me with you!"
Damien hesitated, frowning slightly.
"I can't exactly bring a fox back with me, can I? Besides, everyone knows you're dangerous."
"I can transform into a human! I promise I'll be discreet. Please, Master!" Her voice was pleading. "I'm very close. Just say yes, and I'll handle the rest."
Damien let out a resigned sigh. "Fine. But create some noise, a scream or something. And have a good story prepared."
"Right away, Master!"
Seconds later, a shrill, terrified scream pierced the quiet forest. Everyone stopped dead in their tracks.
Captain Lin Zhong spun around, suddenly alert. "That sounded human! Move quickly!"
The team raced toward the source, weapons at the ready, pushing through the thick underbrush. They burst into a small clearing and froze in complete shock.
Standing in the middle of the clearing, wide-eyed, trembling, and completely naked, was an extraordinarily beautiful young girl, appearing about fifteen years old. Her vibrant, fiery-orange hair cascaded down her slender frame, covering only enough to maintain a shred of decency.
She stood perfectly still, blushing furiously.
"Oh heavens!" Lieutenant Rong Hai cried immediately, dramatically turning away with exaggerated gallantry. "Someone cover her up! How indecent yet so tragically lovely!"
Lieutenant Wu Kai quickly followed suit, putting on a solemn facade. "Yes, we must protect her innocence at once!"
Lieutenant Chen Liru, rolling her eyes at their theatrics, quickly stepped forward and wrapped her cloak gently around the girl's shoulders. "There, there, you're safe now," she said softly, her maternal instincts flaring to life.
Jiang Xiao Yu and Xu Meilin hurriedly stood by the girl, shielding her protectively from the openly gawking men.
"Are you hurt? How did you end up here alone in this terrible place?" Jiang Xiao Yu asked gently, glaring pointedly at the soldiers still sneaking curious glances.
The fox-girl hesitated dramatically, then suddenly spotted Damien and brightened immediately.
"Master!" she squealed happily, eyes sparkling with delight as she darted forward and flung herself into his arms, hugging him tightly.
Everyone froze. Damien stood rigidly, arms slightly raised, unsure how to respond.
Silence fell over the group.
Captain Lin Zhong cleared his throat awkwardly. "Ahem... 'Master?' Care to explain, Cadet Damien?"
Damien grimaced, patting the girl's head awkwardly as he sighed again.
"It's… complicated."
The fox-girl snuggled even closer, completely ignoring the stunned audience. "Master saved me from terrible monsters earlier today!"
Damien's eye twitched slightly.
The soldiers stared at Damien with expressions ranging from disbelief to envy.
"That was, uh… while you guys were out cold," Damien muttered, trying to salvage the situation. "The damn fox caught her and was about to… well, eat her."
"Eat her?" Zhao Tianlei frowned in confusion. "Foxes don't eat human beings."
"This one does." Damien replied firmly. "It is an evil mutated mana awakened demon fox."
"Hmmm!" The fox-girl nodded vigorously. "Master is the best! I will be with you forever!"
"Forever, huh? You move fast, cadet," Lieutenant Rong Hai muttered, raising a teasing eyebrow.
Lieutenant Zhou Feng chuckled knowingly. "Youth these days… truly impressive."
Damien glared helplessly at the little fox-girl clinging happily to him, silently vowing to have a very, very serious conversation with his new 'pet' as soon as they were alone.
But for now, he could only sigh deeply again and accept the amused stares from his teammates as he gently pried the fox-girl away.
"Let's just… go home."