Chapter 9 - Black Mud Marsh

It has been a month since Reid ventured into the Dreadful Cavern. And in the month that passed, he had already hunted 3,000 Silver Level beasts, 20,000 Bronze Level Beasts, and 10 Gold Level Beasts that could be exchanged for 50,000 DP. As for the Beast Cores he obtained, they were all exchanged for Dimensional Points as he has no other uses for them anyway.

At first, Reid continued hunting Bronze Level until his physique broke through the threshold. Then, he started with Silver Level when he felt that he could be able to kill a Silver Level at one-hit using his Destruction Force and Gravity Mastery.

Due to this, Reid found out that mastering and understanding the Destruction Fore could increase the purity of his bloodline. He managed to increase the purity of his bloodline to 5% and directly multiplied his strength by another hundred times, increased the multiplication power of Destruction Force to 200x.

Looking at his harvest, Reid felt that great.

Name: Reid Aurus

Age: 21 | Gender: Male

Dimensional Point(s): 45,675,000

Race: Human

Bloodline: Eternal Titan(5%)

Bloodline Ability(s): Destruction Force

Title(s): Son of Luck | Masochist Sadist

Physique: 374,500

Spirit: 530,000

Luck: 0(+99)

Talent(s): Complete Mastery

Skill(s): Mental Imaging

Ability(s): Isolation Field | Flawless Regeneration | Water Mastery | Gravity Mastery

While on the hunt, Reid encountered other people as well, but he did not bother them even if the other party was on the verge of death. He would only help if it was a beautiful lady, but most hunters he encountered were men. Thus, he just watched them be eaten by beasts and collect the things they have left behind.

During his hunt, Reid felt the restlessness in the air. The beasts were frantic and seemingly afraid of something. The Dreadful Cavern was vast and beasts were numerous, but encountering beasts was not that easy. Yet, he encountered thousands of them on his trip around the periphery of Dreadful Cavern. At first, Reid thought it was merely a coincidence, but as the day passed, he found it abnormal. Although he did not know what was happening, as long as it does not affect him it has nothing to do with him.

As for Zephira, she remained asleep throughout the whole month as her master did not need her help.

Looking at the distance, Reid glanced around and searched for a rock formation.

Apart from sand dunes, rock formations could also be found, as well as some soil with vegetations. Although the Dreadful Cavern was like a vast night desert illuminated by the starry sky, time remained at midnight without the concept of dawn, all creatures` biological concept of time still existed. Hunters identified time through their clocks, while beasts slept when they were full or tired.

Standing on the ridge of sand, Reid was able to see several large rock formations from afar, along with large bones buried in the sand, huge beasts, and Hunters running away. Looking from afar, something caught his attention. A massive cloud made of sands and stones, rolling toward his direction, eating everything on its path.

A sandstorm! It is not a normal sandstorm, but a deadly one. While it could bury anything on its path, the sharp wind it carried was the one that must be noted as it could shred things into pieces! And perhaps it was one of the reasons why the Dreadful Cavern became a desert...

Seeing the devastating sandstorm, Reid finally knew why the beasts on Dreadful Cavern became so active recently, while hunters became fewer in numbers.

Waking up Zephiza, Reid jumped on her back and ordered. "Fly, Zephira."

With a low growl, Zephira flapped her wings and flew up, away from the range of the sandstorm. Overlooking everything from high above, Reid watched as the sandstorm shroud the vast land of Dreadful Cavern. He saw how those few unfortunate Hunters and Beasts alike were swallowed the sandstorm. They were thorn piece by piece, slowly and painfully. It was torturous. Until only bones were left on them.

Ordering Zephira to flew back, Reid decided to change place. The Sandstorm within the Dreadful Cavern was a well-known fact, but the time when it would happen was not known. Thus, it was considered a Red Zone. And this vicious wind would continue its destruction for a month. Staying would not do anything well. He could stay and continue his hunt though, but all beasts have already burrowed underground, and finding them was like searching for a needle in a sea of hays.

Heading north of Dreadful Cavern, a river could be seen. This river stopped the sandstorm from inflicting the other areas around the Black Mud Marsh, Icy Grotto, Poisonous Lime Cave, Boiling Fiery Spring, Molten River, Sky-blue Underground Lake, Dreadful Cavern. At the same time, this river was one of the anabranches of Sky-Blue Underground River which was created by the Great Sky-Blue Waterfalls. With a depth of fewer than 30,000 meters, many bloodthirsty beasts lived in it. Anything that fell into the river would be eaten by them.

The Red Zone near the Dreadful Cavern was the Black Mud Marsh where water and soil met, covered in trees and bushes. A very dangerous place where the adversary was not only beasts and people but also nature itself. A place tattered by quicksands that would swallow whatever was caught in their mouth. Moreover, it was where the Giant Earth Worm lived. It was their favorite territory.

Zephira flew through the triangular-shaped northern passage, near the starry night like cave ceiling, dodging some falling stalactites. Due to Zephira`s domineering size, no flying beasts dared to block her path, which made the travel quite peaceful as though Reid was merely sightseeing.

As they descend on the peripheral area of Black Mud Marsh, all beasts below scurried away as fast as lightning, while some Hunters were attracted and went to the landing site to investigate despite the oppressive aura Zephira exuded.

Jumping off from Zephira, Reid landed on a 2m thick tree branch, while Zephira shrunk in size and coiled around his neck. Looking for a comfortable position, she closed her eyes and slept. Shrouding himself in Isolation Field, Reid felt several incoming presences. Knowing that these people had seen Zephira and were greedy for her, Reid decided to see if they have the strength.

Several groups of people appeared around the place where Zephira landed and looked around with puzzled expressions as the giant winged serpent that they saw suddenly disappeared.

"Did you see it?" Traine, leader of the group of guys from Garrette Guild, asked after seeing nothing.

The man next to him shook his head. "No. I did not. But such a huge thing would not be able to hide." He doubtfully looked at Traine and asked. "Or is it only a mirage?"

Traine frowned. "I do not know." He nodded and ordered. "Since we cannot find it, then let it go. It might be something we cannot touch. It would only bring disaster to us."

After regrouping, the group from Garrette Guild left decisively but was blocked by another group wearing an Ox head crest.

"Haha! Are you leaving already? Why don`t we look for it together?" A bearded-man with a bearlike stature said.

"Red Bull Guild..." Traine frowned upon seeing the man, while his companions held their weapons, ready to strike back at any moment if attacked.

Not far away, another group gathered, looking for traces of the giant winged serpent. Then, they saw two groups of people seemingly in conflict.

Not wanting to be dragged in troubled water, they left. Since the giant winged serpent could be found, staying would only waste their time. They did not know that their decision has saved them from doom.

Garrette Guild and Red Bull Guild were Hunter Guild came from the same origin. They were the two factions within the former Marchriste Guild, controlled by the Royal Family of the Kingdom of Marchriste. Because the two leaders of the Marchriste Guild followed two different princes, the guild was dissolved and become the Garrette Guild and Red Bull Guild.

Looking intently at the bearded bearlike man, Traine spoke indifferently. "You can continue to search for the thing if you want, Arbock. But our team will not participate. If you keep blocking our way, then we can only use force."

Arbock grinned and laughed along with his group. "Force? I like using force the most!" He grabbed the battle axe behind him and stepped towards Traine. "Old friend. Why don`t we solve our grievances right here, right now?"

Traine`s expression darkened after hearing Arbock, his eyes stared at the enemy fiercely. While he was not afraid of Arbock, he was worried that their battle would attract some beasts. They were standing on a Red Zone after all.

Pouncing on Traine, Arbock hacked down with the battle-ax on his hand. The latter quickly defended by attacking as well.

Clangk!!!

Traine skillfully swung his greatsword upward and intercepted the ax. Their collision produced a clanging shockwave and sparks, pushing the weaker people several meters away. Such a strong collision was reasonable. They were both at Gold Rank with more than 800 tons of power, and their physique was thousands of times that of an average human.

Stepping back several steps, Arbock grinned and laughed. "Looks like this will be here for now."

Traine snorted and glanced above their heads, and saw hundreds of insect beasts that lived in a colony. They have sickle-like arms, sharp mandibles, stood on four with the head of an ant and wings. They were called Black Ants and lived on the large trees of Black Mud Marsh were food was most abundant.

Seeing the Black Ants crawling towards them, Traine immediately issued an order of retreat. While they have strength, they were too few which was their disadvantage. Thus, a retreat was their best choice. However, they moved too late as they were already surrounded. Their escape route had been blocked by the Black Ants.

"F!@#!!! We`re surrounded!" One of Traine`s companion cursed.

"Prepare for the attack! We`re going to break through the encirclement!" Traine shouted and gave a series of orders.

Staying in obscurity, Reid watched as the two groups fought their way out of the encirclement of Black Ants that he attracted through special means. He only wanted to see how strong they were after seeing their interest in finding Zephira.

After seeing them used their abilities one by one, Reid estimated their strength. As he lost interest in them, he decided to leave and let them fend off the reinforcement of the Black Ants.

Looking over his right shoulder, Red saw another swarm of Black Ants coming. Then, he glanced back at the two opposing groups who were defending themselves.

"It seems, there is no need for me to shoot. If they survive here, then I'll let them off the next time I see them. " Reid muttered as he ran off, heading deeper into the Black Mud Marsh to look for his targets, which were beasts with a strength no less than Diamond level.