Although slightly disappointed that he couldn't slay the monster with his hands, Alex mustered the determination to investigate the corpse lying before him. Despite his mental exhaustion, he approached the body with a calm resolve.
The first corpse he encountered was that of the monster itself, and the other one belonged to a human.
Alex quickly realised that the corpse of the human had an uncanny resemblance with the elder of the thousand-headed serpent tribe.
"Did the snake kill him?" Alex's curiosity was piqued as he pondered the fate of the fallen. The tier 5 beast, the giant snake, appeared to be hunting down members of the evil organisation. He recalled how it had aided him in defeating the first elder of the ice phoenix tribe who transformed into a similar monster.
And this was not the first time Alex was seeing the gigantic white snake. He first witnessed it in the ice-covered mountains of the north. It emerged from a deep sleep from within the mountain creating a miniature earthquake that felt around the region.
'Was the myth about the tier 5 beast real? Could they truly sense life-threatening danger?'
The appearance of the black-robed men signalled an impending change in the world. Moreover, divination had foretold a tumultuous future, which aligned with the awakening of tier 5 beasts from their deep slumber.
'It seemed that the beast had detected the encroaching threat looming over the central continent.'
Ordinarily, these creatures did not aid humans, but this time, circumstances might have compelled them to intervene. From Alex'sperspective, this was a favourable development. Whether they were tier 5 beasts or humans, having allies of such power was invaluable in the current situation.
While Alex was scrutinising the corpses, the other warriors recovered from the shock of witnessing a tier 5 beast appear before them. With a slight delay, they began to walk towards the corpses. They wanted to see the remains of the monsters.
They have never seen a similar foe before. So, they were curious to find out the inner workings of the monsters, even if it is by observing a lump of mangle flesh and bones.
However, just as the other warriors were about to approach the corpses, Alex, the white-robed man poked the corpse of the elder with a stick and swiftly retrieved something from the ground, leaving them bewildered.
"Rest in pieces." He said before vanishing into thin air, leaving the onlookers curious and speculating about the mysterious object he held in his hands.
—--------------
Within seconds, Alex swiftly made his way back to his house situated on the outskirts of the city. As he reached the safety of his home, he wasted no time in tending to his wounds. He applied a soothing healing paste over the injuries and carefully wrapped them with bandages, ensuring their protection and recovery.
Overwhelmed by mental exhaustion, sleep quickly overtook him. Drained of all his energy, Alex succumbed to slumber.
Two days later, Alex woke up smelling a stench that drilled into his nose.
'What is it?' He thought while struggling to lift his head from the bed. The stench was killing him. It smelled worse than a decaying corpse.
'Is there a zombie sleeping with me? Am I in a sewer?' Alex paused to look at his surroundings.
He didn't see anything noteworthy in his surrounding. The room looked just the way he remembered it. This thought was a prelude to an awful realisation.
Alex lifted his arms and sniffed himself.
"Fuck!" Now he knew where the horrible stench was coming from.
He was the dead, decaying thing he was smelling. The mixture of sweat, blood and medicine that was covering him seemed to have turned into a thing far more dangerous than any chemical weapon he knew off.
Alex regained his footing and approached the windows, his mind wandered as he mused, 'I can kill a skunk with this stench. Might even poison a lake if I took a bath in it. Should I take a bath and bottle up the bathwater to be sold later as chemical weapons?' Jokes aside, he felt like taking a bath right now.
Without hesitation, he opened the windows, allowing a refreshing breeze to permeate his room. Instantly, a sense of relief washed over Alex, providing immediate relief from the stagnant air.
To his surprise, he noticed that he could now move his hands with ease. The pain that should have accompanied his previous exhaustion combined with his wounds seemed to have vanished. In his current state, he felt remarkably well.
Although a noticeable scar remained, resembling three long, twenty-centimetre scratches on his back, Alex felt content seeing that his wounds had healed perfectly.
"Although it has a rather unpleasant odour, the medicine served its purpose well," Alex reflected. "If I intend to execute similar stunts in the future, I should stock up on more." After all, he had plans to propagate the legend of the white-robed man far and wide. Determined to leave a lasting impression, he resolved to make thorough preparations for his upcoming endeavours.
Alex cleaned his room and put the dirty clothes in the inventory. After that, he calmly stepped out of his room.
However, as Alex stepped into the corridor, he was greeted by two small figures standing just outside his door. Engrossed in their conversation, they seemed oblivious to his presence.
"Ammu, there is something rotten inside that room. I am sure of it," the tiny figure on the left remarked, pinching her sister's nose in response to the foul odour.
"Hm..." The figure on the right nodded, assisting her sister in covering her nose. She too agreed that there was an unpleasant scent emanating from behind the door.
Malu, the more daring of the twins, pondered, "Should we take a look?"
"But Brother told us not to enter the room," Ammu responded, her head drooping with a sense of caution.
The two figures were none other than Arav's sisters, Malu on the left and Ammu on the right. Now, standing in front of Alex's room, they contemplated what lay behind the closed door.
They could distinctly smell the strong stench seeping through the gaps, and with Alex's absence for two days, their curiosity grew, leading them to speculate about possible scenarios. They were ready to investigate the room now that their brother had gone to the city for some errand.
"Hello…" Seeing their antics, Alex called out to them.
"Kya... Kya..." Alex's voice unintentionally startled the children, causing them to squeal and jump back in surprise. They swiftly fled to the end of the corridor before mustering the courage to turn around and glance back.
Malu cautiously peered from behind the wall, attempting to identify the source of the voice. Her gaze swiftly fell upon Alex, who was smiling warmly. Ammu joined her sister, peeking out to confirm the familiar face. With the realisation that it was Alex, the tension in the children's nerves finally eased.
As the shy children hurriedly scampered off, Alex watched them with understanding. He could empathise with their reaction, for he knew that if he were in their shoes, he would have done the same.
The stench he was giving off was unbearable.
Feeling the need for refreshment, Alex promptly made his way to the bathroom to take a thorough bath. Using warm water, he diligently cleansed his body, taking his time to ensure every trace of the previous stench was eradicated. It took him a full hour to rinse off and rejuvenate himself.
Returning to his room, Alex was relieved to find that the air had cleared and the foul odour had dissipated. Finally, he could relax in a more pleasant environment.
Despite his seemingly lighthearted attitude towards the dangers that surrounded him, Alex was acutely aware of the immense pressure they imposed upon him. Reflecting on the gravity of the situation, he realised that even more daunting challenges awaited him in the future.
Nonetheless, he persevered, retrieving the object he had obtained from the elder's corpse. It appeared to be a simple ring, inconspicuous and small. However, Alex's mana vision revealed its true nature—a spatial ring. Recognising its significance, he swiftly seized it, knowing that if the elder possessed any secrets, they were likely stored within this artefact. The snake's assistance in delivering this valuable information was truly valuable.
To his surprise, Alex discovered a multitude of ledgers within the spatial ring, containing valuable information about various organisations and individuals who had been associated with the elder. This newfound lead excited him, as he now had a clear direction to pursue and new targets to focus on.
However, the ledgers were not the only contents of the spatial ring. Alex also came across peculiar purple lumps of flesh, seemingly preserved and almost lifelike, stored in jars. Additionally, there were mana stones boasting significant mana density, as well as various herbs. Recognising the potential value of these items, Alex carefully stored them in his inventory, intending to examine them more closely at a later time.
As his stomach growled in protest, demanding sustenance, Alex acknowledged the need to attend to his hunger first before delving further into his discoveries. Prioritising his basic needs, he decided to address his appetite before embarking on further investigations.
Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freew𝒆bnov𝒆l.c(o)m