Mutation

“Clang!”

Barend moved so fast he practically slammed open the doors of the Adventurer’s Guild.

Most of the adventurers in the hall were drawn by the noise Barend made, but Jiwa remained behind the counter, silently organizing documents.

Ignoring the gazes around him, Barend walked straight toward the counter.

Hearing the rapid approach of footsteps and heavy breathing, Jiwa looked up.

“Jiwa!”

Barend rushed to the counter, slamming both hands onto the surface, his eyes bloodshot from a hangover.

His voice was urgent. “Check! The Nightshade team, led by the cat-kin Kami—what commissions did they take these past two days? Where did they go?”

Jiwa was startled by his desperate appearance but quickly regained her professional demeanor.

She turned to retrieve the commission log and flipped through it rapidly.

The paper rustled loudly.

Barend leaned over the counter anxiously, his eyes following her every move.

After finishing the log, Jiwa cross-referenced it with the team registration brief.

She looked up and shook her head. “The Nightshade team has no record of taking any commissions in the last two days. Their status is listed as idle.”

“What?!”

Barend’s voice rose. “Impossible! They should have left town early this morning! There was a newcomer with them, a Healer named Bai Xuan! Check him!”

Jiwa frowned slightly; she remembered Bai Xuan.

She opened the personal register to look him up and shook her head again. “Mr. Bai Xuan registered yesterday as a Paper Rank. He also has no record of any missions.”

Barend stood there, stunned.

“No records... they didn't take any?” he muttered, a chill creeping up his spine.

It was a private operation.

Recalling those fragmented rumors, Barend’s face turned grim.

“Damn it...!”

He slammed a fist onto the oak counter.

He felt like a fool; he had drunk himself into a stupor last night, and now he didn't even know where the boy had been taken.

“Mr. Barend,” Jiwa said cautiously, “if this involves an adventurer potentially facing danger or a violation of rules, you can submit a formal report, and the guild will investigate...”

But she knew that a suspicion without evidence would be difficult to prioritize immediately.

Barend ran his hands through his hair and beard in frustration, taking one last look at the register as if trying to find a clue.

The trail had gone cold.

He turned around and strode out of the guild, filled with a mixture of rage and helplessness.

The area outside town was vast—forests, mines, old trails... Kami could have taken Bai Xuan anywhere.

He stood on the steps, gazing at the silhouette of the forest outside town; he couldn't just let it go.

At the very least... he would go back to the tavern to ask around, or find some other well-informed person...

He wiped his face hard and headed toward the center of town.

...

In the cavern, the scent of blood was thick.

Kami suddenly crouched low, her limbs tensed.

She spun her two daggers between her fingers, holding one forward and the other reversed against her wrist.

“You certainly hid it well.”

Her voice carried a coldness she couldn't hide. “Too bad it’s useless. You’re just at the Awakened Rank, and we have the numbers. My offer still stands: hand over the items, and I’ll spare your life.”

Bai Xuan didn't speak.

This was the first time he had faced humans with tactical coordination. He couldn't help but feel nervous, but he forced himself to stay calm.

He held the thick iron rod across his chest, his center of gravity slowly lowering into a defensive stance.

His gaze swept across the four people opposite him, finally locking onto the leader, Kami.

Logan attacked first, a low growl rolling in his throat as he held his heavy shield before him, charging toward Bai Xuan with heavy steps.

As Logan moved, Quentin darted out from the flank, his longsword unsheathed and flashing with a cold light as he aimed for Bai Xuan’s ribs with a cunning and vicious strike.

Tessa’s figure flickered as she lightly circled to the other side, intending to launch a sneak attack from the rear, forming a three-sided encirclement.

Facing the simultaneous pincer attack of the three, Bai Xuan didn't retreat. Instead, he pushed off with his feet, charging straight toward Logan’s shield.

The moment the shield was about to hit him, Bai Xuan twisted his waist, stepping to the side. The iron rod in his hand swung upward diagonally, striking the edge of the shield.

A heavy force traveled through the iron rod. Logan felt his arms go numb and his blood boil; his original momentum was instantly diverted, and he stumbled to the side.

Seizing this fleeting opening, Bai Xuan lowered his center of gravity, and the iron rod traced an arc along the ground, sweeping toward Quentin’s lower body.

Quentin’s expression changed, and he was forced to retreat two steps in haste. His originally fluid sword stance was completely broken, and he missed the best opportunity to attack.

But just as he forced Quentin back, Tessa’s dagger had already silently lunged forward, aimed directly at Bai Xuan’s lower back.

Feeling the sharp threat behind him, Bai Xuan flipped his wrist, and the iron rod swung backward with a whistling wind.

Tessa let out a cry of surprise and leaped away clumsily, her sneak attack failing.

Throughout this, Kami stood still, her golden vertical pupils locked onto Bai Xuan’s every move, capturing his combat patterns and weaknesses.

After the brief exchange, both sides pulled back, falling into a standoff.

The tension in the air became even more palpable.

Logan leaned on his shield, panting heavily, his shield-bearing arm still trembling uncontrollably. The force of that diagonal strike just now was far more terrifying than he had imagined.

Quentin’s eyes grew even more somber as he stared intently at the iron rod in Bai Xuan’s hand.

This guy’s reaction speed and power, along with that steady combat posture—how was he a frail Healer? He was clearly a powerful warrior!

“Don't give him a chance to breathe! Encircle him with everything we've got!” Quentin barked, his voice carrying an unquestionable tone of command.

As soon as he finished speaking, the three lunged forward again. Their assault was even more dense than before, with the flashes of blades, shadows of swords, and the sound of shield impacts intertwining, sealing off all of Bai Xuan’s paths of retreat.

Logan used his shield to continuously suppress and bash, Quentin frequently thrust his sword under the cover of the shield, and Tessa maneuvered through the gaps, harassing him from time to time while looking for a fatal opportunity.

Bai Xuan swung the iron rod, the wind from the rod whistling as it blocked most of the three’s attacks.

However, two fists were no match for four hands, especially when the opponents coordinated so perfectly with orderly offense and defense. Bai Xuan soon felt the pressure.

He had to end this quickly!

Another round of fierce attacks came. Logan’s shield slammed toward his chest, while Quentin’s longsword lunged directly at his face. The assault was vicious and unavoidable.

Just when everyone thought Bai Xuan could only endure this hit, he suddenly changed his posture.

Gripping the iron rod with both hands, he no longer blocked but slammed the iron rod hard into the ground!

“Thud—!”

A dull, massive sound erupted, and pale golden shockwaves spread outward with the iron rod as the center. With a low hum, the ground vibrated slightly.

Logan and Quentin, who were at the front, hit an invisible barrier. Their bodies stalled, and they stumbled back several steps.

Tessa, who was slightly further away, had her footsteps scattered by the shockwave, her face turning pale.

This momentary opening was exactly what Bai Xuan wanted!

He pushed off the ground and charged forward rapidly, his target aimed directly at Logan, who had just steadied himself and hadn't yet raised his shield again.

He swung the iron rod, and the power of 【Redemption Strike】 exploded without reservation. The golden light on the rod’s body suddenly intensified, and with the sound of breaking air, it slammed violently toward Logan!

Logan was scared out of his wits and could only hastily raise his shield to barely block.

“Clang—!”

The explosive sound of metal clashing was deafening, sending sparks flying.

The shield didn't break, but that terrifying force penetrated the shield and slammed into Logan.

The bones in his entire arm made an overburdened sound. His wrist went numb, the shield flew out of his hand, and he fell backward onto the ground.

Bai Xuan gave no one else a chance to breathe, following through by swinging the iron rod downward, slamming it heavily onto Logan’s hastily raised left shoulder.

A clear sound of bone cracking echoed—crack.

Logan let out a heart-wrenching scream. A section of his left shoulder instantly collapsed, and his entire arm hung limp. He had clearly lost all combat capability.

A cold light flashed in Bai Xuan’s eyes. Without the slightest hesitation, he raised the iron rod again, aiming it at Logan’s head to strike.

At the critical moment between life and death, a black shadow moved faster than the falling iron rod, pouncing forward in an instant!

Kami, who had been holding back, finally made her move!

Her body blurred for a moment—【Absolute Shadow Flash】!

When she reappeared, she was at Bai Xuan’s side, her two daggers lunging straight for his rod-holding wrist, forcing him to pull back and defend himself.

Bai Xuan frowned and was forced to pull back the iron rod that was about to fall, holding it across his side to block.

“Cling!” The daggers collided with the iron rod, sending out a shower of fine sparks.

“You are strong.”

Kami spoke, her voice no longer having the previous sweetness, leaving only gravity. “I underestimated you.”

“What, do you want to settle this now?”

A cold sneer curled at the corner of Bai Xuan’s mouth, but his eyes were fixed on Kami. At the same time, he remained alert to Quentin and Tessa, who were encircling him again, not daring to relax in the slightest.

Tessa seized the gap while Bai Xuan was speaking, a flash of ruthlessness in her eyes as she launched another sneak attack from the other side.

Bai Xuan was prepared. He twisted his waist and easily avoided the strike, while the iron rod swept toward Tessa’s abdomen, forcing her to retreat repeatedly.

In that flash of an instant, a murderous glint suddenly crossed Kami’s eyes. She had clearly given up on the idea of persuasion.

【Absolute Shadow Flash】 activated again!

This time, she was even faster and more abrupt, exceeding the limits of what the naked eye could capture.

Her figure pulled out faint afterimages as she bypassed Bai Xuan’s range of alertness and appeared in his blind spot behind him.

The daggers were no longer meant to force him back; carrying lethal intent, they lunged straight for the back of his neck—she was going for the kill!

In the moment of life and death, a strong sense of crisis and the instinct for survival made him dive forward desperately while twisting his body.

The dagger failed to strike the lethal back of his neck, but it still stabbed deeply into his right back near the shoulder blade.

The cold blade pierced through flesh, bringing intense pain.

Even more terrifyingly, a bone-chilling cold spread from the wound as the poison on the blade flooded into his body.

Bai Xuan let out a muffled groan and forced himself to charge forward a few steps, creating distance from Kami.

Blood gushed from the wound on his back, dripping onto the ground beneath his feet.

Eerily, the dark ground seemed to possess life, quickly absorbing the dripping blood until it vanished.

Kami flicked the droplets of blood from her dagger, her gaze falling on Bai Xuan’s staggering back, a hint of an emotion different from the coldness from before in her eyes.

She had noticed the ground absorbing the blood.

The poison spread quickly, and a strong sense of dizziness and numbness hit him again.

Without hesitation, he activated 【Purifying Severance】 and 【Holy Light Catalyst】 once more.

Warmth flooded toward the wound, fighting and dissolving the icy poison invading his body.

The wound on his back healed, and the intense pain eased slightly.

He had to end this battle as quickly as possible!

Seeing Bai Xuan wounded and poisoned, Quentin and Tessa’s spirits were lifted, and they lunged forward with roars.

The killing intent in Bai Xuan’s eyes completely solidified, no longer wavering.

He no longer defended passively, but proactively charged toward Quentin with an assault as sharp as a blade.

The iron rod collided with the longsword. This time, Bai Xuan exploded with all his strength.

The rod strike, bolstered by 【Sacred Martial Radiance】, was so heavy that Quentin’s palm went numb and his wrist split open, blood flowing freely as the longsword nearly flew from his hand.

Bai Xuan seized the opportunity and slammed a vicious elbow strike into Quentin’s chest.

Quentin groaned and stumbled back several steps, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

Tessa shrieked, swinging her dagger from the side.

Bai Xuan swung the rod back, and with a crack, the dagger flew from her hand. Tessa clutched her swollen wrist, her expression pained.

Having dealt with the immediate threats, Bai Xuan turned around, his gaze falling on Logan, who was still struggling on the ground.

Looking at Bai Xuan as he approached step by step, Logan’s eyes were filled with terror. He dragged his injured body and crawled away desperately, trying to escape.

Bai Xuan stepped forward quickly, the iron rod in his hand raised. The rod’s body was still trembling slightly, carrying the residual force of the battle.

Just as the iron rod was about to fall, the desperate will to survive in Logan’s eyes caused Bai Xuan’s movement to pause for a moment.

He suddenly realized that this wasn't a digital character in a game, but a living person with real fear and a desire to live.

But that hesitation only lasted for a second.

Quentin’s roar, the sound of Kami moving again, the throbbing pain from the wound on his back...

Everything compressed into a single thought in an instant:

The iron rod fell without hesitation.

“Squelch—” A dull impact sounded, and the sensation of a skull shattering was clearly transmitted to Bai Xuan’s hand through the rod.

Warm liquid splashed onto his hands and face, the sensation startlingly clear.

Logan’s struggling stopped instantly, his body slumped on the ground, lifeless.

Bai Xuan froze in place, his hands stained with warm blood and fine bone fragments, the pungent scent of iron constantly flooding his nose.

There was no nausea as he had expected, nor was there any fear; there was only a strange feeling, as if the person who had just killed wasn't himself.

All distracting thoughts were instantly stripped away, and his mind became colder and clearer than ever before, leaving only an obsession with survival.

“Logan—!”

Seeing Logan’s corpse, Tessa let out a shrill, piercing scream.

Quentin’s eyes instantly turned blood-red, and he let out a beast-like roar. Ignoring the injury to his chest, he grabbed the longsword that had fallen to the ground and charged at Bai Xuan like a madman.

Tessa picked up her dagger, her face covered in tears and her eyes vicious as she lunged forward recklessly.

Even Kami, who had always remained calm, pursed her lips, the cold light in her eyes intensifying.

Bai Xuan suppressed all emotions in his heart, once again holding the rod across his front in a defensive posture.

The mana in his body had been significantly depleted, but Bai Xuan could feel that his state of mind seemed to have broken through something the moment that rod fell.

Right then.

The cloth bag at Tessa’s waist, which contained the Spirit Soul Crystal, suddenly erupted with an intense red light!

The bag was torn open, and the egg-sized black crystal floated into the air.

Dark red and pitch black churned inside like a boiling liquid, emitting a low hum.

The entire cavern began to shake violently!

Rocks of various sizes fell from the ceiling like rain, crashing onto the ground and the corpses, kicking up dust.

The dark areas of the ground that had absorbed the blood lit up with dark red, vein-like patterns, the light flickering erratically.

In the shadows, tentacle-like things condensed, emerging from the cracks and waving aimlessly.