CHAPTER 544: YOU LOOK DIFFERENT

"You’ve seen others like me—outsiders?" Ethan asked, narrowing his eyes.

The lead Toxari slithered forward through the muck, its slimy body glistening under the toxic mist. "Information comes at a price," it rasped. "You can give me a drop of your blood... or enough wealth to satisfy me... or you can purge the poison from my body."

Ethan blinked, caught off guard. These things didn’t seem hostile—more like opportunistic toll trolls than actual threats.

He quickly ran through the options in his head.

Wealth? That was vague as hell. No telling how much they’d demand—or if they’d just keep asking for more. And purging the poison? Not a chance. Even with his power, there was no way he could cleanse a creature saturated with thousands of different toxins.

That left the blood.

One drop. Easy.

With a quick flick of his finger, he sliced his skin and flicked a crimson bead through the air.

"You’re a generous guest! I like you!" the lead Toxari cackled, leaping forward and slurping the blood into its mouth. Its body immediately pulsed, swelling slightly, and its aura surged with new strength.

So that’s how it worked—this thing fed on blood to grow stronger.

Once it finished absorbing the drop, it turned back to Ethan, its eyes gleaming with a strange, almost reverent light.

"The two you’re looking for passed through here not long ago," it said. "But one of them—a young girl—was... let’s say, a bit too aggressive. She pissed off quite a few locals. Now the lords of the Veilmarsh are meeting to decide how to deal with her."

Ethan’s expression darkened.

The lords of the Veilmarsh? Anyone strong enough to rule in a place like this wasn’t someone to take lightly. If they were planning to gang up on Elira and Seraphina, even they might not be able to hold out for long.

"Can you tell me which direction they went?"

The Toxari’s eyes gleamed with greed. It waved a webbed hand lazily in the air. "I could... but you know how this works. No freebies. One hand washes the other, right?"

It wanted another drop of blood.

"Fine, fine. Take it," Ethan muttered, slicing his finger again and flicking another drop toward the creature.

"Ahahaha!" The Toxari was practically vibrating with excitement as it gulped down the second drop. "So many have come to me for answers, but none were willing to give me even a single drop. You? You’ve given me two! If you give me just one more... I’ll personally guide you through the jungle to find them."

Ethan’s jaw tightened.

This thing was definitely pushing its luck now. But he didn’t have time to argue. If Elira and Seraphina were in danger, he needed to move—fast.

"Fine. Take it. But this is the last one."

He flicked the third drop of blood.

The moment it hit the Toxari’s tongue, something changed.

A blinding light burst from its body, and it began to levitate, rising slowly into the air. Its grotesque, kappa-like form started to shift, warping and reshaping in a swirl of pink mist and shimmering energy.

Ethan took a step back, eyes wide.

When the light faded, standing before him was a stunning young woman—curvaceous, draped in sheer veils, her entire body wrapped in a soft, rose-colored mist. Her eyes sparkled with mischief and power.

"...What the hell?" Ethan muttered, stunned.

The woman smiled coyly. "You’re the only one in this world who’s ever given me three drops of blood. From this moment on, a contract binds us. You are now my master."

Ethan stood there, completely dumbfounded.

He hadn’t expected this.

He hadn’t expected it—just like that, he’d gained a new follower.

Ding!

"Congratulations, player Valkarion. You have successfully recruited the Toxari tribe leader, Feylora!"

Ethan’s face lit up with excitement. This fog-drenched swamp was completely unfamiliar territory, but with Feylora guiding him, things were about to get a whole lot easier.

"Perfect. Then take me to them—now."

Feylora didn’t waste a second. She raised her hand and gestured to her kin. Instantly, the other Toxari slipped back into the swamp, vanishing beneath the surface without a sound.

But Ethan knew exactly what they were doing.

They were heading deeper into the jungle to scout for Cicero’s trail.

"My Lord, this way, please," Feylora said, her voice soft but commanding.

Vmmm— A shimmering barrier of toxic mist bloomed around Ethan, wrapping him in a protective cocoon. The poison in the air couldn’t touch him now.

With Feylora leading the way, they glided swiftly across the swamp’s surface, moving like shadows through the Veilmarsh.

It wasn’t long before they reached a particularly grim stretch of the marsh—twisted rivers, black as ink, snaked through the land. The air was thick with a choking stench, and the trees had long since rotted away, leaving only skeletal husks floating eerily in the mist.

Hissss...

Glurp... glurp...

The toxins here were far more concentrated than anything they’d encountered before. Strange creatures slithered through the black water, occasionally leaping out with a splash before vanishing again.

"My Lord," Feylora said, slowing down, "the two you’re looking for should be just ahead—in that cave near the cliffside. But the area is crawling with marsh lords. They’ve surrounded the place."

"We can’t just charge in. Not yet."

But Ethan wasn’t having it.

He didn’t care how many lords were out there—he wasn’t about to leave Elira and Seraphina surrounded.

"Keep moving," he ordered, his voice low and firm.

Feylora hesitated for only a second before nodding and pressing forward.

When they finally reached the cave, the sight that greeted them was intense.

The entire area was locked down—completely surrounded. Dozens of bizarre, monstrous figures prowled the perimeter, each one radiating immense power. The air was thick with tension and venom.

And among them...

There was one whose aura stood out above the rest.

SSS-rank.

The moment Ethan and Feylora arrived, the creatures turned. They’d been noticed.

"Huh? You’re the Toxari leader?" one of them sneered, its face twisted and grotesque, skin a sickly green. "Wait... no. You look different."

Feylora let out a soft, dismissive hum. "Anyone who gives me three drops of blood can form a contract with me—and in doing so, lift the curse that bound me. This is my true form."

"What?!" the green-skinned brute’s eyes widened in disbelief—and regret.

Back when he’d first entered the Veilmarsh, Feylora had stopped him too. If he’d just handed over three drops of blood back then... she might’ve been his now.

Shff... shff... shff...

All around them, the other marsh lords turned their attention to Feylora.

...