Chapter 36: Snakes Chapter 36: Snakes The next day. Leo, Lily, and James stood in front of the Beast Hall, waiting for the rest to arrive. None of them carried much — only their essentials. Their weapons were already in place: Leo’s twin daggers hung at his waist, Lily’s sword — the same one Arnold had dropped — rested diagonally across her back, and James wore his iron gauntlets, faint scratches marking the surface. All three were clad in light armour, fitted tight enough to guard their vitals without slowing their movements. The morning air was crisp, carrying the earthy scent of dew-soaked soil. As they discussed the upcoming hunt and the dangers of the treants, the steady rhythm of approaching footsteps reached them. "Jaaames," a voice drawled, stretched with mockery. A man stepped into view, his smug grin barely hiding the arrogance behind his half-lidded eyes. Two others followed close behind, swords clinking lightly at their waists. The pair’s gazes lingered on Lily — longer than decency allowed — their eyes dragging down her frame before exchanging crooked smirks. They whispered among themselves, their words not quiet enough to miss. "Looks like we’ll get something extra outta this hunt, kehe," snickered Ish — a thin man with black spots on his face, his voice as oily as his grin. Leo’s eyes flicked toward them, but the men didn’t even acknowledge his presence, as if he were invisible. Then the first man — Jerom — spoke again, his grin stretching wider. "How’s the injury, James? Healed up for today’s battle, I hope? Don’t worry," he said, the words dripping with fake concern, "I’ll make sure to watch your back." James’s face darkened, his jaw tightening. Jerom had been there during the last mission — the one where James was ambushed and nearly crippled. Back then, Jerom had conveniently vanished at the first sign of danger. And now, here he was — smiling like a snake that knew its prey still remembered the bite. Suddenly, Leo spoke. "Sir James, I think we’re better off alone. I’d rather not have weaklings watching our backs." His tone was calm, but his words cut clean. He’d already made up his mind — bringing them along would be more dangerous than facing the treants alone. "What did you just say?!" Jerom snarled, the smirk on his face twisting into anger. James immediately understood what Leo was doing — trying to drive them away under the guise of calling them weak. But Jerom and his team weren’t exactly pushovers. The two behind him were peak 1-stars, and Jerom himself was a low 2-star, all with uncommon-ranked souls. Leo didn’t flinch. "Are you deaf? I said you’re weak. You’ll only hold us back. So shut your crap and get the fuck out of here." That was the final spark. Ish stepped forward, veins bulging on his forehead. "You think you’re tough just ’cause your girl’s watching? Come on then—let me show you your place!" But before he could take another step, the third man lunged without warning, fist cocked back. "No one insults us, fool!" he shouted, his punch whistling toward Leo’s face. Lily moved on instinct, her hand flashing toward her sword—but she stopped midway. She didn’t need to. A dull thud echoed. The man lay sprawled on the ground, unconscious, his jaw twisted at an odd angle. "Heh. See? Weak," Leo said, flexing his hand and rubbing the knuckles he’d struck with. The entire exchange had lasted less than two seconds. With his heightened agility, Leo had clearly seen the incoming blow, sidestepped just enough, and deflected the strike with a sharp swipe of his arm. Then, guided by Shyra’s racial ability to pinpoint vital spots, he landed a perfect jaw-shattering counterpunch. A small crowd had gathered, whispering among themselves. "Did you see that? So fast!" one murmured to his friend, eyes wide. "YOU!!" Jerom barked, fury twisting his face as he yanked his sword free with a metallic scrape. James instantly moved, lowering his stance to defend—but he never got the chance. Leo vanished. Jerom’s eyes widened, his pupils contracting as he tried to track the blur. A faint distortion shimmered in front of him—then Leo reappeared, fist faintly glowing with bluish light. Before Jerom could react, Leo drove his palm into his chest. Boom! The impact sounded like a thunderclap. Jerom’s body lifted clean off the ground and flew several meters back, crashing hard into the dirt. A thick cloud of dust erupted, rolling across the square. Blood spilled from the corner of his mouth as he gasped for air, his sword clattering uselessly beside him. Leo exhaled quietly, his eyes calm. He had held back. With Shyra’s skill, [Critical Strike], his blow carried five times his normal power—strong enough to reach the threshold of a Peak 2-star strike. If he hadn’t restrained himself, Jerom’s chest would’ve caved in entirely. "I don’t want to waste time," he muttered under his breath. Ish, frozen for a second by shock, suddenly panicked. "You—You bastard!" he stammered, reaching for his soul space to summon. But before he could even channel his mana, a sharp thwack rang out. Lily’s leg shot up in a graceful arc, her kick connecting with the side of his head. Ish’s eyes rolled back as his body went limp, collapsing beside his teammates with a dull thud. Silence followed—broken only by the distant whispers of onlookers and the rustle of dust settling around Leo and Lily. James stared at Leo, stunned. He hadn’t expected that punch to completely flatten a 2-star Beast Master. The faint glow around Leo’s fist—it had to be a skill. And not just any skill, but a powerful one. Still, praise could wait. He stepped toward the fallen Jerom, his boots crunching over the dirt. "Looks like Leo was right," James said coldly. "Pathetic weaklings. Losing to someone who awakened barely half a month ago... truly pathetic." He turned his back on them and walked toward Leo and Lily. Together, the trio began to leave. Jerom, gasping for breath, froze mid-cough when the words sank in. Half a month ago?His eyes went wide, disbelief painted across his bloodied face. The bystanders who’d gathered around had also heard James’s words—and the next moment, laughter erupted. "Hahaha! A newly awakened took down all three? And it was three against one! Have some shame, rascals!" "Bet that kid’s got a high-ranked soul. No way a normal tamer could do that." "Who cares? That was damn satisfying to watch!" another chuckled. "Hahaha!" Jerom’s face turned crimson, veins bulging at his temple. Humiliation burned through him. With a snarl, he kicked at the two men sprawled on the ground, their groans faint as they stirred awake. "Get up," he hissed, his voice trembling with rage. "We’re going to the Baron’s estate." --- A/N: Weekly Challenge 25 Power Stones = +1 Chapter 25 Golden Tickets = +2 Chapter Chapters will be released by the end of the week!