I Dare You To Take A Step Forward
[In The Sky.]
Advika turned her head to Christopher's side profile and called out:
"Chris."
"Hmm."
Christopher turned his head toward her, waiting for her to continue.
Advika thought for a few seconds and asked: "About the Golden Organization, won't they attack our family? If they're after me, they'll surely know about my life."
Christopher turned his head to the horizon before them.
"Of course, they always do their homework, but you don't have to worry; your family is safe."
Sylvia felt Lazarus's scales with her hand and turned to Christopher.
"Christopher, how did you get this beast? He looks familiar, but I can't remember where I've seen him."
"Yes, this is a divine-stage beast with a Level 10 combat strength; it's technically one of the strongest beasts out there," Advika added.
"Well... I was lucky, you know, this guy wanted to have my head when we met, but after some battle, I defeated him."
"Wow!!"
Sylvia exclaimed, her eyes glowing with amazement and awe. But Advika was skeptical.
"Hmm... I don't believe you; even a supreme tamer will have a hard time taking down a divine-stage beast, let alone one with a Level 10 combat strength... I don't believe you," she added.
"I could win because this guy was too arrogant; that's how I won."
Christopher explained the first time he fought Lazarus and even tamed him... He explained everything but left out the fact that Lazarus was just an elite-stage dragon.
Advika still wasn't buying it, so she asked:
"What about the tiger? How did you get her?"
"Lucas? The same way I got Lazarus," Christopher answered.
Advika stared at him with disappointment; she scoffed and turned to the side.
"Uh?" Christopher was dumbfounded.
Sylvia stared at Advika and turned to Christopher:
"Don't mind her. I believe you."
Christopher scratched his head in confusion but still nodded at Sylvia... He stared at Advika for a few seconds and looked ahead.
Although they were flying in the red zone, no enraged or wild beast tried to attack the group, maybe because of the two divine-stage beasts and the two legendary-stage beasts flying beside them.
Christopher looked down at the forest, seeing countless enraged beasts below.
'I just hope no monster will attack Cordelia, not after I have Grim... I need to start planning ways to get the scythe,' he thought and looked ahead, seeing the city miles away.
"Lazarus, the moment we reach the yellow zone, land."
Lazarus nodded, while Christopher rubbed his ring, summoning back the two 5-meter-big red eagles inside.
"Don't want to draw unwanted attention," he said, while the girls nodded.
After half an hour of flying at a steady pace, they finally reached the yellow zone, and Lazarus dove, calmly landing on the ground.
"Come on, girls, we walk from here," Christopher said, jumping down Lazarus.
"I heard the yellow zone is also dangerous, filled with monsters and beasts," Sylvia said, getting down, with Advika helping her.
"I thought you two hunted in the yellow zone? Why are you scared?"
Sylvia looked around the field they landed in and turned to Christopher:
"It wasn't this deep in the zone; at least we hunted close to the town."
Christopher just nodded his head and walked away... Lazarus and Lucas took their second appearance and followed behind him.
"Come on, Sylvia," Advika smiled, grabbed Sylvia's wrist, and pulled her, following Christopher.
"Hmm... Chris, where exactly did you keep our parents?" Advika asked.
"You'll know soon enough."
"STOP!!!!"
The group came to a stop; they looked at the man sitting on a log before them, engraving some scratch marks on it with his dagger.
Christopher frowned and slowly moved his gaze around, seeing more men walking out from the bushes and behind some trees.
"Bandits!!" Sylvia shrieked.
BAM!
The man before them plunged the dagger into the log, driving it more than two centimeters deep... He slowly turned his head to the group and their two beasts... His blue eyes scanned them with disdain.
"How dare you call us bandits?! Do we look like bandits to you?!" He lowered his leg from the log, placing it on the ground.
The men, numbering 20, quickly surrounded the group, staring at them with sinister smirks.
"If you aren't bandits, who are you?" Christopher asked.
The man gripped the handle of the dagger and pulled it out.
"Who am I?" The man moved his gaze over his men and fixed it on Christopher.
"You don't need to know that information; all you need to know is, hand over the girls and all your belongings and run out... This is us being merciful," he said.
Christopher's eyes narrowed:
"What's the difference between you and bandits then?"
"I say we aren't bandits!!" The man yelled, releasing his pressure on the group.
"If you aren't bandits, then you're beggars... Or maybe homeless fools who'd rather choose not to look for jobs but hide in the yellow zone robbing people," Advika said with disdain.
"You!! Just follow our orders, or you'll regret it!!"
"Regret what?! I dare you to take a step forward."
Hearing Christopher, the 21 men looked at one another and burst out laughing.
"You, man, you're just a novice tamer; how dare you act arrogant here?!"
"Boss, leave this one to me. He might look pretty, but after a few punches, he'll learn to behave."
A man with green hair walked forward; he plunged his sword into the ground and walked toward Christopher, cracking his knuckles.
"This will be exciting," he added.
"Yeah, I don't need him anyway; just kill the bastard; the girls will fetch a good price," the boss said, sitting back on the log.
"Don't worry, boss; this will be quick."
The man, who was clearly more muscular and taller than Christopher, stood in front of him, his shadow blocking the sun...
"This isn't personal, kid... Just business," he said with a grin, cracking his knuckles again.
"Are your knuckles hurting you?"
"Huh?" He was puzzled by Christopher's question.
"You've been pressing them for a while now, that's why I'm asking."
"You!! Shut up!!"
The man yelled and sent a punch at Christopher's face.
Whoosh!!
BAM!!!
Everyone froze in shock, even the girls were dumbfounded.
"Uh?!!!"