Chapter 9: An Unexpected Encounter
When Gin and Astro reached the battle spot, the fight has already ended between Jose's team and the Rank-7 fiery serpent.
It was a bloody display as tons of serpent's lifeblood plastered all over the area. The huge serpent laid lifelessly on the ground with immense wounds.
Jose and shog had multiple bruises and injuries covering their body but none are life-threatening while Cotton and Karina looked better with some minor injuries.
The team saw Gin and Astro as soon as they approached. Captain Jose came forward and praised, "Looks like both of you successfully completed your task!"
"Cotton, treat Astro's injuries", Jose called Cotton when he noticed Astro injuries.
"Gin, I'm amazed! I truly underestimated your strength, you are not bad for a newbie." Jose patted Gin's shoulder. Soon, everyone on the team came and congratulated Gin and Astro.
"Shog, acquire the source blood of the advanced rank serpent. The source blood will attract the other high ranked beasts, we should quickly leave this area." Jose commanded.
"Sister Karina, what is the 'source blood'?" Gin asked Karina.
"You don't know what's source blood? It's the life essence of the wild beast located in its heart. It has a high demand in the black market as it was very useful for making strengthing elixirs." Karina explained.
Gin was surprised. He knows pretty well about elixirs as it's a top-grade product only rich people can afford. It is used in many fields like healing, enhancing one's strength, improving physique, etc.
'Doesn't it mean there's source blood in the serpent I killed? Wait, could it be the red mass of energy I absorbed is source blood.' Gin pondered and decided to ask Karina again.
"You don't need to guess, there's no source blood in the serpent you killed. Only advanced class wild beast possesses source blood." Seeing through Gin's thoughts, Karina spoke.
Gin embarrassedly smiled and was even more confused in his heart about the red mass of energy he absorbed from the serpent. He decided to research about it once he returns home.
Shog took a small cartridge and collected the two drops of source blood from the dead serpent.
Soon, everyone on the team departed from the place and traveled back towards the safety wall.
On the way back, Jose and Shog cautiously observed the surrounding for any possible danger.
"Wait!" Gin suddenly spoke.
"What happened?" Jose asked and everyone in the team looked at Gin, questioningly.
"Something is coming towards our direction and its very fast." Gin said.
Since his perceptions were increased by another level, he was able to hear the noise which is happening at the distance.
Even though he wasn't able to discern the source of the commotion, he was sure, the noise is gradually nearing them.
Even though Jose was skeptical about Gin's words; it's better to be careful than sorry.
Under Jose's command, everyone on the team soundlessly hid behind a giant boulder size of a large building.
"What did you hear?" Shog urged, uneasy.
Even before Gin could answer, a huge silhouette surfaced in the distance. Within a few seconds, everyone was able to discern what the huge creature is?
It's a gigantic monster, similar to that of a dragon but it looked more like the serpent they fought, though.
The serpent is huge, dual legged, horned and had steamy nostrils.
It looked 18 meters long, and its entire body is covered in a greenish-white crystalline scale, akin to that of ice armor.
It had huge claws, strong enough to lacerate even the sturdiest metals. The serpent is nothing like the beast Jose's team fought, just looking at the creature brought terror and fear to their firm hearts.
Afraid of attracting its attention, everyone on the Jose team stood frozen, like statues, by holding their breath.
Suddenly, the serpent stopped in its track and roared at the direction it came from. The roar reverberated through the entire region like that of thunderclaps; savage and majestic.
In the next second, like a ghost, a human figure appeared before the majestic serpent and stood fearlessly before it. Surprisingly, it's a young man around 18 or 19 years of age.
He looked tall, lean-built, and had shoulder-length light blue hair. He looked handsome and wore a white jacket over his black shirt and grey pants.
Noticing the human figure, the serpent's eyes revealed hatred and fear. It swiftly attacked the young man, by brandishing its mighty tail towards him.
The young man smirked, and to the horror of everyone on Jose's team, the young man stopped the majestic serpent's attack with nothing but his bare hands.
Gin was also surprised and awestruck by the strength displayed by the young man, who looked just slightly older than him.
Perceiving the physical attacks are not working, the serpent opened his huge mouth filled with sharp teeth and fangs, blew a purple gas.
The young man's face slightly changed, he swiftly retreated to the distance and waved his hand.
A glowing aura surrounded his hand and when he waved it, a strong gust swept the entire surrounding, clearing the purple gas released by the serpent.
Even Gin who was some distance from the commotion clearly felt a kind of airwave travel past him.
Only then the young man noticed the serpent has already been disappeared from its original spot and fled.
"You damn reptile, you dare trick me and run using these pathetic attacks." The young man roared in anger.
"Insects, who are covering behind the boulder, get out of here before I change my mind to squash you all." The young man abruptly turned his head towards the direction where the Jose team is hiding and said.
His tone was arrogant while disdain is evident in his eyes. A formless pressure descended upon Gin and others, making them hard to breathe and cold sweats began to form upon their foreheads.
The pressure was like a huge mountain pressing over them, making them drop to their knees, expect Gin, who is forcibly trying to resist the pressure.
The symbol in his chest shook a little and the invisible pressure disappeared like a puff of wind.
Unlike him, other members of the team weren't able to withstand the pressure so they coughed a mouthful of blood.
Witnessing this scene, the blood inside Gin's body began to boil and the arrogant young man's display of power caused anger and fury to rise in his heart.
Gin quickly suppressed his soaring anger and calmed his mind. He knows, he is just an ant in front of that terrifying youth but he won't be always an ant.
'There will come a day, I will squash him like an insect.'
Since Gin and Jose's team was behind the boulder, the young man couldn't see their faces and most likely, he didn't care about them.
Before their mind could process what's happening? The invisible pressure suddenly disappeared and the young man was also nowhere to be seen.
He is most likely continuing his pursuit of the escaped serpent.
"Let's get out of here!" Captian Jose gravely stated; Everyone on the team agreed and promptly left the place with their fastest speed.
Only when they crossed the safety wall of the silver mist region, they let out a sigh of relief. Even so, they didn't rest like last night and continued their travel towards district 13.
--
"Ok, guys, you can relax. We are far away from the northern wasteland so you don't have to worry about encountering the young man again." Captain Jose laughingly said.
He knows, he is the pillar supporting the entire team so he has to remain confident and reassure his teammates.
"Haha, even though it's our bad luck for encountering such a dangerous young man, it also broadened our vision of the world."
"Due to that invisible pressure, I broke through to advanced class!" Shog, who always remained indifferent, smilingly announced.
"Shog, are you telling the truth?" Captain Jose asked while everyone on the team becomes joyful.
"Yes!"
"Haha, Indeed, after bad luck comes good fortune."
"We will rest here for some time and replenish our energy before setting out." Captain Jose said.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone