I look at him dumbly as he ran away, I thought his lust for Totem artifact was too great that he will fight till last but who would have thought that he still has some intelligence hidden behind that greed. He must have thought it would be impossible for him to take this totem artifact from me and he might even lose his like in next attack despite having a defense of Mid-level shield. Sigh. I would have been able to kill him even if he was running away but I was too surprised to see him running away that I forgot to attack. There is no use mulling over a mistake, I thought then suddenly came to mind that two gazes I was feeling on me had also disappeared. They finally left! I thought the other two would also launch an attack in a bid for the sword but look like they lost a will seeing how mid-level Master stage tucked his tail and ran away after taking an attack from me. Piercing through Mid-level knight grade shield is a really big thing especially as it is wielded by the Master stage evolver. Seeing nobody is following me, I resumed running while still being vigilant as there are many people who are expert in hiding their presence, I didn’t want to let my guard down and get killed. The boy in black was really powerful, despite having a difference of two stages, he had beaten his opponent before he could even take a step. The most amazing thing I found about him is his control over his weapons. He had carved tens of lines of blood across his opponent before he could even react and those lines on blood were not threatening as Martin seemed fine except for being utterly shocked being defeated in a single move. To be able to have such control over his blades to carve such non-threatening like before opponent could react, he must have worked very hard. Compared to his weapon mastery, mine looked like a boy who just swings a sword without technique or skill. Hearing their conversation, I understood one that the boys who were wearing aqua blue suits are from the very powerful organization and Martin’s organization is a subsidiary of that organization called Wisdom Tower. After an hour of running, I deactivate my knight grade defense type skill, having three skills activated continuously for an hour is very stressful even if I have unlimited mana, the mental energy needs to maintain three skills is row is immense. I would last for another hour if not for me, controlling the Monster core and its berserk energy in my body which I had to constantly keep covered that monster core with my mental energy as It would not melt quickly if I did not do that then I will have more berserk energy that I need, making havoc in my body. When I entered the Region 9, I had my strengthening and defense type activated, so is my knight grade mask that made my face difficult to see, especially those who are far away from me, that is also one of the reasons that I didn’t follow my attacker earlier. Even if they spread the news that I got Totem artifact of people from the central continent, there will be not much effect to me as they didn’t saw my face. As for the Red Totem artifact, there are many in the country, so, as long as I didn’t brandish openly before I have enough strength, then I will be fine. Two more hours passed and in this two more hours, the strongest monster I have come across is Initial level master stage, I was hoping to fight against mid or peak level Master stage monster but I didn’t come across any. Normally on the journey to the boundary, I come across many mid and peak level Master stage monster but now when I need for a fight, it’s like they had suddenly disappeared. My journey had nearly finished, within an hour I will reach the entrance of awakening ground. Another body! I said in my mind, this is the 14th body I had seen in Region 9, most of them died by monsters hands but some of them died by humans. Of the fourteen bodies I had seen, only two of them were not robbed but in those bodies, I did not find storage. I even checked the twelve already robbed bodies in case they had forgotten to check it but no such luck. I hope this one has storage with him, I thought as I stopped near the body and started to take out all the artifacts on the body. After taking out all the artifact, I move my hands toward the pockets, really hoping to find storage. Yes! I shouted in my mind as I found the storage in bodies left pocket, I had first checked the right pocket of body and finding it empty I got a little disappointed and did not have much hope to find in the left pocket. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞 As most of the people use their right pocket to keep the storage but luckily this one kept his storage in his left pocket. This second storage I got from the dead body, the first one was from the buffy looking guy that I killed. I wanted to take a look at what is in storage but stopped myself, this is not the place. I will see what’s in them after I reached a safe place, I thought as I burned the body to ashes and resumed my journey. It was just five minutes after I looted the body when I come across the peak Master stage monster and seeing me It ran toward me speedily with its stinger pointed at me. It is Ice Venom Scorpion, I had read about these monsters, this monster is quite dangerous, just simple touch of its stinger could kill the Master stage evolver. The reason It called Ice venom scorpion because the venom its freezes the person from inside and it took just a few seconds for the venom to act, so I have to steer clear of its venom while fighting otherwise I will freeze before I could do anything. "Screech!" It came toward me with a loud screech, seeing that I waited for it to came close enough. Fire strike! Fire strike! Fire strike! I launched three special bolts of the fire at the scorpion, all three bolts are aiming at monsters heard. ’Puchi Puchi Puch!’ Seeing the fire bolts coming toward it, it stopped on its track and just when the fire bolts were about to strike its head, it moved its head at last minute avoiding all three bolts, the bolts completely missed its head and pierced toward its shoulder. My bolt did not feel any obstruction as they pierced through the heard skin of Peak Master stage monster. If I had launched this attack with my Knight grade sword, It would have just made a scratch on it but with the enhancement of Totem artifact, it was easily able to pierce through it. So, killing it is not a problem as long as I was able to hit its head. Then this time I will launch so many fire bolts that I will be in no condition to dodge my attacks. "Screech!" It screeched loudly as It comes toward me with fury in its eyes, I had been completely prepared for its incoming attack. ’Furfur’ Sky steps! I had ignited the fire jets under my feet and jumped high after that I activated sky steps and took another jump, so, even if it jumped with its huge body it won’t be able to reach near me. Fire strike! Fire strike! Fire strike!........ Before it could do anything, I released the shower of fire bolts at it, by the time I finished, I am feeling quite tired mentally and also exhausted the Monster core inside my body. "Puchi Puchi Puchi......." It got quite successful dodging some of the firebolts by moving its neck agility but there were too many of them as one firebolt finally hit its head and next second his head two more firebolts. "Thud!" When I landed near the monster, I found the white liquid mixed with blood dripping from its head. I look at the monster in marvel, I had launched about 16 firebolts but this monster was able to dodge eight of them with its agility before it got hit by my the first firebolt, if it had been a little bit faster, it would have surely able to dodge all the firebolts that were aiming at its neck. I really can’t underestimate these peak level Master stage monster, even If I have totem artifact, they can kill me if I am not vigilant enough.