CHAPTER 44: EXHAUSTED, BUT SATISFIED

His fist kept hammering relentlessly against the Lamboda Beast’s skull, with each impact sending enough shockwaves through its head that it did its job perfectly.

The beast’s thrashing eventually started to grow weaker, its movements becoming sluggish as oxygen deprivation settled in.

Its molten claws scraped uselessly against Nick’s armoured torso, not even able to pierce through the tough Radiant Beast Armour at all, only leaving some thin scrapes.

The Beast’s struggles became desperate, then erratic. Its hot waxen skin rippled faintly and started to gather towards the spear lodged in its throat, as if trying in a desperate attempt to melt the spear in order to free its airways.

But it could do nothing against the toughness and power of the scaled spear, not even leaving a single scratch, let alone any scorch marks.

Nick held firm, tightly keeping his legs locked around its torso like a vice.

His own breath came and went in ragged gasps as this was just as taxing on his body to keep up, with sweat mixing in with the wax seeping through the joints in his armour.

The burns stung, but the pain was the last thing on his mind at the moment.

Then—

A shudder.

A final, weak twitch.

The Lamboda Beast went still.

Nick didn’t let up just yet though.

He kept punching and punching, even as the beast’s limbs slumped, even as its wax gradually began to cool down and harden beneath him.

Only when the familiar voice of the Beast Domain entered his ears did he finally stop.

[Mutant Beast Lamboda Beast killed.]

[No Beast Armament of the Mutant Lamboda Beast not acquired.]

[Consume the beast core to gain up to 50 Soul Seeds.]

Finally feeling relieved, Nick collapsed onto his back, deactivating his speed augmentation that instant.

His armour and spear lay still, remaining summoned as Nick wouldn’t take any chances with dismissing them.

He dislodged his spear though, leaving behind a gaping, waxy wound.

His hands trembled — dismissing the small area of his hands that were covered with armour to look at the damage done.

His knuckles were split, blood was pooling around his fingers, and his wrists ached intensely.

But the sensation would soon be gone.

Vitaldrain had already kicked into action, sapping the life force of the Lamboda Beast away and absorbed it before beginning to heal Nicks injuries.

Every muscle in his body ached.

But he’d won.

He’d won his first battle against a Mutant Beast, and solo!

’Barely though...’

He forced himself onto his elbows, grimacing as the movement tugged at his still healing burns.

The wax on the beast’s skin was already starting to harden and thicken, so he hastened his pace and quickly stabbed its chest area with the tip of his spear, opening up another wound.

Nick reached in, ignoring all the heat and pain from the residual wax sticking to his arm, and pulled out the Lamboda’s Beast core.

"Damn thing better be worth all that hard work." He muttered, wiping it clean on his pants.

He exhaled sharply in relief and satisfaction though, leaning back up against a nearby tree, closing his eyes for just a moment.

The chances of him being ambushed in his most vulnerable state were low, considering there were only 9 other Lamboda Beasts in the surrounding hundreds of kilometres at beast, but Nick knew it was better to trust his instincts.

When he felt his tension had dissipated, he tossed the beast core straight into his mouth, feeling it already starting to dissolve into energy as it passed down his throat.

[Mutant Lamboda Beast core consumed. 49 Mutant Soul Seeds gained.]

’...’

If it were any other moment except this one, Nick would have jumped up in joy and let out all his shouts and ’yippee!’s’, but he was too exhausted for even that.

Instead he tilted his head back, letting the gentle wind caress his skin.

***

"What? Someone from Terminus has been asking for information around War Beast Sanctuary?"

A bemused and surprised voice echoed out in an empty bathhouse, as Beast Slayer, the owner of the voice, relaxed in the indoor hot spring, still recovering from his injuries incurred against the Radiant Wind Mantis the day before.

’That’s odd, I wasn’t expecting to find anyone else from this planet in War Beast Sanctuary.’ He thought to himself.

"That’s right. You know I can’t divulge the private information of the person asking for such information though. Unless you’re willing to pay the sum for it..." Vexa’s voice spoke evenly on the other end of the call.

"Tsk, slimy woman. I know I asked you to inform me if anyone asks about War Beast Sanctuary in any of your deals, but your asking price for their personal information is just too absurd! 1,000,o00 credits?? I’ll consider it if you give me 50% off." Beast Slayer responded to her in annoyance.

There was no way in hell he would pay that woman such a huge sum just for some information like that, not when he could obtain it himself rather easily.

’She said they asked about Mutant Beast territories...’ He thought, mulling over all the different territories that he knew of in the areas surrounding War Beast Sanctuary.

Unfortunately, she didn’t even tell him which one the client had paid for, so he was left to figure out just which territory it was himself!

He wasn’t that desperate, since he only wanted to know who it was since he could use it as leverage if they ever crossed him in the Beast Domain — but more importantly if they were a member of Dido’s gang...

’You know what, I’ll just post up one of the boys near the entrance over the next week to document each person who comes in with a Mutant Beast corpse in tow.’ He noted after reminding himself that the person he’s looking for could be a member of the War Beasts.

He’d even considered just paying the outrageous fee straight up when he remembered this crucial detail, but still decided against it.

It was simply too much money for such a hit or miss answer.