CHAPTER 47: THE DESERT WANDERERS

’How about we run?’

Sure, his constitution was Transcendent, but he was merely Tier 2. Even if his constitution could handle it, his energy would never be enough.

Only because of his 108 dantians did he have the energy to fight this continuously. If it was a monster or two, he could continue fighting for as long as he could.

But this was hundreds of monsters. If it were anyone else in his position, they would have been overwhelmed by now.

After a few hours of constant fighting, Rhys started to feel tired. The intense, dry heat of the desert was draining his stamina faster than usual.

His movements became a little slower. His arms ached from shattering the endless waves of glass monsters.

Despite his flawless regeneration healing every injury he sustained, a few scratches started to form all over his body, as the energy required for healing increased and his body could not supply enough to meet the need.

He felt his body reacting to the new, extreme environment. He was under constant pressure from the scorching heat and the physical stress of the long battle.

His Void-Tempered Immortal Body was adapting once again. A notification from the System appeared in his mind.

[Host is under sustained environmental pressure (extreme heat) and physical exhaustion.]

[The Void-Tempered Immortal Body is adapting to regulate its core temperature more efficiently.]

[A new lifeskill is being formed...]

[Lifeskill [Heat Acclimation] has been acquired.]

[About: Allows the user’s body to regulate its core temperature more efficiently, greatly reducing the negative effects of extreme heat and slowing the rate of stamina loss in hot environments.]

Rhys felt a subtle change inside him. The oppressive heat of the desert seemed to lessen. His body felt lighter, and the feeling of exhaustion began to fade.

The new skill was already working, helping him endure the harsh conditions. But it was not enough.

A Glass Scuttler managed to get past his guard. Its sharp pincer entered his chest, narrowly grazing his heart.

The pain was intense. For the first time in his new life, he could not hold back a pained cry.

"Aarh!"

[Host is advised to obtain a new lifeskill for pain control.]

’How?’

[Of course, by constantly experiencing it.]

’By making me a masochist?’

Rhys made a mental note to do that. Pain was salvation after all. He urged back the intent of his body to go another bloodthirsty mode.

The cut was shallow, and his regeneration healed it instantly, but it was a clear warning. He was getting overwhelmed. He looked at Yuki.

She was also showing signs of strain. Her beautiful face was pale. The black ice spikes she created were smaller now, and they shattered more easily against the glass bodies of the Scuttlers.

She was using too much of her energy.

He stared down. Her legs... they had become skeletal.

"We can’t keep this up!" Rhys shouted over the noise of the battle as he moved closer to Yuki.

"There are too many of them!" Yuki accepted his support as she absorbed his life energy, rejuvenating her legs. She looked tired.

Eggy started to throw more of a tantrum in his mind.

’What now?’

[Eggy is saying she is acting. And has called her a coquettish bitch.]

Rhys was taken aback. Who taught such dirty words to Eggy?

’Eggy, a child can’t speak like this. Who did you learn that from?’

[...]

’Don’t tell me it was you. You are corrupting Eggy!’

[Technically, the System knows nothing on its own. It always analyses and decodes data it obtains and learns from new data. So, a source material is always needed. Of course, except for a few things...]

’Are you saying you learned that from me?’

[It is what it is.]

Eggy defended himself in his mind, threatening to eat the System and so on. Rhys was finally glad there was someone with him to bully the System.

He asked Eggy to always pester the System as he looked around, his mind racing to find a plan to escape.

They were completely surrounded. There was no clear path out.

"I have a plan," he said to Yuki.

"I’ll use a big attack to clear a path. When I do, we run. Don’t stop for anything."

Gathering all his leftover energy, he prepared to use a fully powered Spark Fist.

Despite him mastering it to perfection, he had only used it one time. At that time, he only had one dantian. But now it was 108.

Although his energy was heavily depleted, it was still more than five times the amount from that initial time. So he could not wait to use the strongest attacking skill in his inventory.

He was sure using it would create a huge explosion, which would potentially kill hundreds of Scuttlers and give them the opening they needed to escape.

But it would also attract more monsters in the vicinity.

’Whatever, better just think about the current problems for now.’

Just as he was about to unleash the attack, a new sound cut through the chaos. It was a loud horn. A deep sound resonated through the air, like a giant seashell being blown.

It was not hurting to the ears or threatening to the soul; rather, it was a command. A command to bow down. The effect on the Glass Scuttlers was immediate and absolute.

They stopped attacking. They let out a collective chitter of pure, primal fear. They turned away from him and Yuki. In a panic, they began to burrow back into the sand.

In less than ten seconds, the entire swarm was gone. The chaotic battlefield, which had been filled with the sounds of battle and scraping glass, was suddenly completely silent.

Rhys and Yuki were left standing alone in the empty desert. They were surrounded by the broken bodies of the monsters they had killed.

They were both breathing heavily, tired from the long fight. Rhys lowered his hand, the Spark Fist he had been preparing fizzling out into nothing.

He looked around at the now-empty desert. He was confused.

’System, what the hell was that?’

[Analysing sound source...]

[Sand-Striker’s Resonating Horn.]

[Origin: Harvested from the remnants of an Elite Sand Striker, an extinct natural predator of the Glass Scuttlers.]

[Effect: The sound triggers a deep, instinctual fear response in the Glass Scuttlers, causing them to immediately cease all aggression and burrow into the sand to hide from their apex predator.]

[Status: The object is non-magical. It is simply a tool crafted from a monster’s bone. Its effectiveness is based on biology.]

"We have new company," Yuki said.

She now stood without the exhaustion she had shown before. Eggy was still calling her names, which Rhys did not want the world to know he had taught an unborn child.

As both of them were lost in different thoughts, a group of people emerged over the top of a large sand dune. They were riding strange, bug-like animals.

The creatures were like giant, flat beetles, and they moved smoothly over the sand. As they got closer, the creatures dived under the sand and then re-emerged right in front of them, showing they could travel underground.

The leader of the group was a burly, middle-aged man. He had a thick, brown beard and a weathered face.

He wore simple, sand-coloured leather armour. He looked strong and serious. Rhys immediately asked the System to analyse them.

[Analysing new group...]

[The Desert Wanderers.]

[Species: Human.]

[Status: Deceased.]

Rhys was not surprised that they were dead. Everything in this Labyrinth seemed to be a memory. But the System’s next analysis stunned him.

[Unique Cultivation Method detected: Monster Bonding.]

’Monster Bonding?’ Rhys thought.

’Is it what I think it is?’