readytorunbook Chapter 186 Strange Creatures
Chapter 186 Strange Creatures
Chapter 186 Strange Creatures
It is said that beneath the surface, there are always things lurking quietly.
This is also why Maya liked to delve deeper into what lies beneath the surface of things. That's just the kind of person she was, always consistent.
The moment the team disbanded, Maya and her friend Emilia began to wander around the city.
“It’s so kind of Mr. Jones to invite us,” Emilia asked, looking around at the city. Although she had her own reasons for joining the club, she didn’t dislike exploring new things. Especially as a curious student, she enjoyed experiencing things beyond the norm.
Siuks is such a unique place, where everything exudes a fresh and new atmosphere.
“Yes, yes.” Maya replied happily, thinking to herself that although she got this opportunity through her father’s connections, she was also grateful for Mr. Jones’s favor.
Maya and Emilia strolled through the bustling streets, sharing their day's experiences and recording them with their newly purchased smartwatch. This latest model used magical brainwaves and could be operated without even touching the screen. Although the technology wasn't quite mature yet, they were diligently adapting.
The city's unique ancient atmosphere and the differences between the awakened ones became the focus of their discussion. As second-year students, they were more sensitive to magic than the average person, especially Maya, who was a sorceress.
'But what is this strange feeling?'
This feeling had been bothering her for some time. Something about the city felt off; something unusual was happening in this city steeped in nostalgia.
"Maya, Maya!"
Just then, her friend's voice pulled her back to reality.
"Why did you suddenly drift off into thought?" Emilia asked.
Maya shook off that inexplicable feeling and refocused her attention. It was impolite not to listen attentively to what others were saying, and she didn't want to upset Emilia.
"Sorry, Emilia, I was just spacing out. What did you say?"
Emilia smiled and waved gently, softly patting Maya's head as if comforting a child. At least that's how Maya felt, though Emilia didn't mean it that way.
“I said, look over there. Something seems to have happened at that shop.” Emilia pointed to a local shop where Maya saw an elderly woman crying, and another person comforting her.
'I don't know what happened.'
Her curiosity and desire to help others grew within her.
Without hesitation, Maya approached the elderly woman with a gentle smile: "Excuse me, madam, are you alright? Is there anything we can do to help?"
The woman continued to cry without responding. Her friend approached and said gratefully, “Thank you for your kindness. Her daughter hasn’t come home for three days, and we can’t reach her either. We are very worried, and the authorities haven’t offered much help.”
“Ah…” Maya gasped, her expression full of sympathy. She exchanged a glance with Emilia, then nodded. “We are very sorry to hear this. If you don’t mind, could you tell us more? We are students at the Arcadia Hunter Academy.”
The older woman's eyes widened, a complex expression of surprise mixed with a glimmer of hope on her face: "Arcadia Hunter Academy? Really?" After all, it was the best academy in the Human Federation, renowned far and wide; even the elderly had heard of it.
Maya nodded, her expression sincere: "Yes, we might be able to help. Please tell us more about your daughter and what happened."
The woman sighed, her voice trembling with worry: “I don’t know what happened. One night, my daughter Millie went out with her friends and never came back. We tried to contact her, but her watch isn’t responding. There are rumors of kidnappings all over town, and we’re worried something terrible might have happened to her.”
"Did you report this to the local security bureau?"
"I reported it, but they said they need to wait for the investigation results."
“I…I understand…” After hearing this, Maya couldn’t help but feel conflicted. Although she was a powerful mage, the situation before her seemed different from what she had encountered before, and power alone could not solve the problem.
She paused for a moment, thinking about what she could do, or whether she had overlooked something.
Just then, Maya suddenly felt a chill run down her spine, and an eerie feeling enveloped her. With her trained and keen senses, Maya realized that something otherworldly seemed to be hidden in a nearby alley, and she had found a way in.
She instinctively gripped the sleeve of her coat and quickly glanced in that direction.
With her unique talent, Maya clearly saw that nature was rejecting that energy, an energy she was very familiar with.
“Demonic energy,” she murmured, her body trembling slightly as a flood of memories washed over her. Although the intensity of that energy might vary, its core essence remained the same.
She felt nauseous. The presence of that energy, and the things she had heard about it, made her uncomfortable.
Emilia looked at Maya, bewildered; her sudden change caught her off guard. "Maya, what's wrong? Why are you...?"
Before Emilia could finish speaking, Maya swiftly channeled her magic, creating a gust of wind beneath her feet. In an instant, she leaped into the air, rapidly traversing the cityscape.
Whoosh!
Her movements were swift and decisive; she rushed toward the alleyway emanating demonic energy and left the spot.
......
"I need more, more, more..."
It was pitch black all around. For him, for someone who had been asleep for so long, darkness had long been a habit.
But even this comfortable darkness could not satisfy the deepest desire in his heart.
That was an uncontrollable thirst.
"I'm thirsty, I'm thirsty, I'm thirsty..."
So he stepped out of that comfortable darkness to satisfy his endless desires.
An eerie silence hung in the air as he crept into the shadows. Moonlight spilled across the deserted streets, casting an ethereal glow. His eyes, long since accustomed to the darkness, searched for something entirely different.
In the quiet alley, he found his target: those unsuspecting souls in the stillness of the night. His predatory instincts grew stronger as he approached, as silent as a ghost in the darkness. His fangs lengthened, and hunger throbbed in his veins.
A low, guttural whisper filled the air: "I need more, more, more..."
The first encounter was swift and silent, with only shadows and stillness. The prey was completely unaware of the approaching darkness, only feeling a chill run down its spine. Before they realized the danger, he had already struck, his fangs piercing the warm neck.
Crimson blood flowed into his mouth, and the forbidden elixir awakened his ecstasy. His thirst was temporarily satisfied, but the insatiable desire still lingered in his heart, troubling his every step.
As he moved from one victim to the next, the city became his hunting ground. Low footsteps and suppressed pleas echoed through the streets. Each encounter was shrouded in eerie silence, a dance of predator and prey in the still shadows of the night.
"I need more, more, more..." It was a curse; the more he drank, the less satisfied he became.
An insatiable hunger was destroying his reason. None of his prey could satisfy him, and he grew increasingly lost.
However, today, he felt something different. In this place filled with a strange atmosphere, he sensed a familiar feeling.
That was an energy he hadn't felt in a long time.
"Ah...this is..."
It was like a long-lost kindred spirit. He sensed this energy and immediately began searching for its source. As he drew closer, the energy became increasingly evident. Although this time it was no longer the familiar darkness, he still took a step forward.
That familiar energy led him to a place where the air seemed to resonate uniquely. As he drew near, he realized this encounter was more than just a reunion of kindred spirits. The energy was surrounded by an invisible barrier, which, though unseen, could be felt.
He could sense that it was a barrier constructed of powerful energy, protecting something precious. This intrigued him; it was unlike any other way he had ever seen energy manipulation before, and an irrepressible thirst drove him to investigate further.
With a predator's savage grin, he reached out and felt the resistance of the energy barrier, the energy crackling in his palm.
"I need more, more, more..." The words echoed in his mind. He focused his mind and mobilized his strength. The barrier resisted, but the hunger in his heart was an unstoppable force.
He bared his fangs, biting at the invisible barrier, wanting to devour its essence. Energy surged within him, igniting his instincts.
A moment later, all the energy was absorbed into his body.
"what……"
His body trembled with ecstasy; for the first time in a long time, his hunger had been satisfied for a moment.
But that's not enough.
This feeling quickly faded, leaving only loneliness and emptiness.
Just then, his keen nose detected a different scent.
A scent wafted through the air, unlike the familiar smell of blood. It was a scent that awakened his ancient instincts, resonating with the most primal nature deep within him.
The scent grew stronger, delicate yet intense, stimulating his senses. He instinctively recognized it—an aura beyond that of ordinary bloodlines.
This is not just blood, but something special that he has always longed for.
His scarlet eyes widened, his pupils dilating as the scent drew near.
The scent led him to a pool of blood, a small pool containing the essence of celestial beings.
"The Moon's Kin."
He realized what it was.
My heart raced, and without hesitation I rushed toward the pool of blood, like a madman, driven by a desire that only this very essence could quell.
Just as he finished drinking the pool of blood, a rustling sound suddenly came from the air, which alerted him.
Before he could react, his instincts told him that something was approaching.
In the past, such a situation might have posed a threat, but the blood of the Moon Familia flowed through his body, awakening the dormant power within him.
His senses became exceptionally sharp, and a newfound power surged through his limbs.
boom!
His claws easily shattered the cone, which was a combination of ice and earth elements and imbued with wind.
"Hehehe...this girl is delicious too..."
Then, without hesitation, he charged toward the attacker, his lips parting in a wide grin for the first time. His crimson eyes could see the immense energy within the purple-haired girl, and those eyes, gleaming with extraordinary light, filled him with anticipation.