Birth of the Demonic Sword

Noah felt at a loss of what to do. Those Rats had outsmarted him. They had been more prepared and organized than his group. He was utterly powerless about that situation.

Jordan and the others reached him one instant after his flames laid waste to the army. They had been only one step behind him during his chase, so they had seen what had happened.

The same confusion that filled Noah's mind appeared on their faces, and coldness soon filled their expressions. Their situation was clear. The pack in the Land of the Fallen was already aware of their arrival.

"You are the expert," King Elbas said to Noah.

The scenes of that short battle reappeared in Noah's vision, and the Divine Deduction technique improved his analysis. Noah quickly grasped every important feature of those creatures, and he didn't hesitate to explain them to his companions.

"They are fast, but only during the initial phase of their sprint," Noah explained. "Any of us can reach them in a long chase. They have innate hiding abilities, and they are organized."

Snore came out of his chest and opened its mouth. Two hairy bodies came out of the Blood Companion, but a cold expression appeared on Noah's face when he saw their state.

The Rats that he had previously captured had bitten each other's neck while Noah was busy with the chase. That was his mistake. He had the chance to separate them with his dark matter, but he didn't expect them to commit suicide.

"They are selfless," Noah continued. "They would rather die than fall in enemy hands. We shouldn't consider them as a simple pack. They are a full-fledged army carrying an incredible determination."

The trio fell silent at his words. They had initially believed that the Land of the Fallen would have been easy to explore as long as they avoided its central areas. Still, it seemed that the new ruler of that area was far more troublesome than they expected.

"They are still quite weak, right?" Don asked. "You must have killed two hundred of them just now. The main pack must feel this loss."

Jordan and King Elbas glanced at Noah, and an ugly expression appeared on their faces when they saw him shaking his head.

"Weakness in the cultivation world indicates a higher fertility," Noah explained. "In this case, it might very well be the strongest feature of this species."

Noah had never seen a pack made of so many divine beasts. He didn't face any upper tier creature either, so he felt sure that his opponents had been nothing more than a minor pack, a force meant only to die if anything terrible happened.

"They were scouts," Noah concluded, "And they have completed their mission."

His words stated how serious the situation was. Usually, Noah and the others would have nothing to fear from magical beasts, even if they featured multiple specimens in the upper tier. However, their opponent was a rank 8 creature at that time, and it was now aware of their arrival.

An obvious doubt appeared in their minds after that realization. The four of them wondered whether it was wiser to turn back and avoid the Land of the Fallen.

The giant Crab was probably looking for them, but that creature didn't have the Rats' threatening hiding abilities. The group would sense it from far away, and they would have the time to change direction accordingly.

However, they had nowhere else to go. The magical beasts' field was still vast and hid countless regions that they had yet to explore, but the group wanted to grow now.

It was pointless to have an immense world at their disposal if the experts could only explore its tip. Their power needed to increase if they wanted to make the best out of their journey, and only the Land of the Fallen could provide quick improvements.

Noah was the first to break the silence that had fallen among the group. His knowledge of the magical beasts' field had allowed him to assess the nature of the threat faster than the others. He could also evaluate their situation better, so he felt the need to speak before the others made personal decisions.

"They only know our faces and level of power," Noah said. "They are unaware of our abilities. On the other hand, we know their species as well as their innate skills. We are at a disadvantage now that they are aware of our arrival, but our situation remains almost the same."

Noah's reasoning was on point, but he ignored that the Crystal City had begun to search him. The picture drawn on the leaf wouldn't help the Rat King. It was for the hunting team.

"Escaping shouldn't be a problem either," Jordan added. "They can't fly, and any of us can launch attacks powerful enough to open a path among their corpses. Also, they can't control every corner of the Land of the Fallen."

"He said that because being in a group increases his chances to survive the exploration," King Elbas replied. "Those beasts are dangerous only if they can swarm us, which is far more difficult if we are together."

Noah revealed a cold smile toward King Elbas, but he didn't deny his claim. The Royal was right. He would never march toward the Land of the Fallen if he were on his own.

"This is the meaning of a team," Don said. "We aren't admirable characters either. His reasons apply to all of us."

"Only if we decide to join the exploration," King Elbas replied.

"This side of the Land of the Fallen features inheritances that the human side can't normally visit," Noah said. "Imagine multiple Hellish Landscapes waiting for us to arrive. Our power is off the chart, so we stand a good chance to obtain something."

"You bastard," King Elbas whispered as his curiosity intensified.

Noah had only needed to describe the details of the Land of the Fallen to trigger King Elbas' curiosity. The Royal had no choice but to visit that place now. His individuality forced him to explore that place.

"You would have come anyway," Noah said. "I'm simply avoiding useless conversations. We might enter an inheritance before the rank 8 leader learns about our existence. If we hurry."

"Defying Demon is right," Jordan added. "We are faster than those creatures. Setting off now might prevent them from warning the main pack."

Don struggled his shoulders. He had already decided to continue the exploration. The sole fact that the Land of the Fallen featured so many magical beasts was too appealing for him.

Jordan felt the same. The Rats were weak, but they were divine beasts. Even if they didn't provide the same amount of energy as other creatures, their numbers could make up for that features.

The inheritances were only a bonus for the three hybrids. Having the chance to kill hundreds of divine beasts was already enough for them. The power of their bodies would skyrocket if they could kill thousands of Rats every day.

"It's decided then," King Elbas said before turning in the direction of the Land of the Fallen. "We better hurry."

The three hybrids imitated him and prepared for a long sprint, but King Elbas added something before setting off. "The matter of the Bloodline Inheritances is also over. We won't divide the crystals since someone has already finished his part."