C6 The Man in the Mission

On the outskirts of Phoenix Nest Mountain, within the dimly lit forest, a blood-soaked man clung to a large tree, gasping for air with great difficulty, his entire body shaking.

His condition was rather pitiful; his black trench coat had been shredded, exposing the continuously bleeding flesh beneath. Half of his body was drenched in blood.

He donned a menacing demon mask, complete with green eyes and sharp fangs, seemingly to conceal his identity from anyone who might see him.

Above, a creature was carried swiftly through the sky by a stream of air, bringing with it a terrifying presence that instantly terrified the hunting wild animals and even the Low-grade Demonic Beasts. The trees below swayed wildly in the strange wind, their leaves rustling loudly against one another.

The man's heart raced, yet he remained composed, lying still on the tree branch, fighting against his fatigue and trembling body, holding his breath as if he were a corpse.

It wasn't until the aura had passed and clearly moved on that he allowed himself to collapse from the tree, sitting unsteadily on the ground. With a wave of his hand, he summoned a collection of bottles and jars, frantically searching for something to stem the bleeding. His search was in vain, however, as he realized he had exhausted all his healing potions.

He knew he had to change direction and lose his pursuers before they could react; otherwise, with all his Demonic Pets too weak to fight, his fate was sealed.

Just then, a massive snake-type Demonic Beast zeroed in on his scent, slithering down from the tree behind him and cautiously approaching the man.

The man's aura was already incredibly weak, and he was on the verge of losing consciousness, his eyes nearly closed.

But as the Giant Snake lunged forward with sudden speed, he sensed the movement and reflexively swung out with a powerful punch!

Bang!

The attacking Snake-demon was sent flying by the force of his fist!

The action, however, caused the man's freshly bandaged wound to tear open once more, blood gushing from his waist and draining the color from his face, leaving him ashen.

This was no ordinary adversary; it was an Iron-tailed Poisonous Snake of Bronze Grade 4, not one to die from a simple blow. It quickly righted itself and, rearing up, sprayed venom at the man.

The venom of the Iron-tailed Poisonous Snake was highly corrosive; just a touch could cause the skin to split and flesh to burst open!

Yet, the man could only gaze at the Iron-tailed Poisonous Snake with a mix of despair and self-mockery. It seemed he was ridiculing himself for surviving pursuits by many powerful creatures, only to be bested by such a feeble Low-grade Demonic Beast.

As the man closed his eyes, bracing for death, a whooshing sound pierced the air. Dozens of dagger-like feathers rained down mercilessly on the Iron-tailed Poisonous Snake, disrupting its skill and slicing its body with numerous fine cuts, from which blood gushed. The snake panicked and hastily dodged, its sharp gaze locking onto the massive Iron-feather Eagle circling in the treetops, hissing angrily with its tongue flicking out.

Blood Rain ignored it, using its aerial advantage to circle with poise, awaiting its master's command.

[Creature]: Iron-tailed Poisonous Snake

[Attributes]: Beast, Poison

[Type]: Unevolved

[Skills]: Steel Snake Body, Deadly Fangs, Mighty Coiling

[Potential]: High-grade Bronze

[Bloodline]: None

[Level]: Bronze Grade 4

[Status]: Hungry

"Blood Rain, launch another Feather Arrow!" Chen Wu commanded from a distance. After half a day of deliberately seeking out battles with Demonic Beasts to train, the synergy between him and his Demonic Pet had greatly improved.

A barrage of Iron-feathers descended like a torrential downpour upon the Iron-tailed Poisonous Snake. Enraged yet helpless against the wide-ranging attack, the snake was pierced with numerous bloody holes, though they were not life-threatening.

Realizing the Iron-feather Eagle was a formidable opponent, the Iron-tailed Poisonous Snake made a swift getaway without a second thought.

Blood Rain was about to give chase when Chen Wu intervened, "That's a Grade 4 Demonic Beast, beyond what you and I can handle."

Blood Rain, being only a Grade 2 Demonic Beast, could be barely managed by a Grade 3 Demonic Beast with the advantage of flight, provided that the opponent's potential didn't surpass Blood Rain's. The greater the potential of a Demonic Pet, the stronger its combat abilities. And considering it was two tiers above Blood Rain, a hit would likely be fatal or cause serious injury. Since Blood Rain had already been frightened off, there was no point for Chen Wu to take such a risk.

Chen Wu gazed at the man lying under a distant tree with utter astonishment. He must be the target of the system's mission.

Approaching cautiously, Chen Wu reached the base of the tree. Suddenly, the man's eyes beneath the mask sharpened, and in a hoarse, indifferent voice, he demanded, "Who are you!"

"Don't get me wrong," Chen Wu quickly responded. "I saw you were injured and came over to check on you. Do you need help?"

"No need!" The man rejected the offer coldly, yet as he struggled to rise, he was clearly devoid of strength.

Chen Wu felt helpless. The system had tasked him with saving a Demonic Pet Master, but how could he do so under these circumstances?

"Ah, the High-grade Healing Pill!" Chen Wu remembered the reward he had received. The High-grade Healing Pill could heal any Demonic Beast below Silver Level. Considering the man's condition, he was likely being pursued, his Demonic Pet injured, forcing him to flee alone. It might be wiser to let him fend for himself rather than risk drawing his pursuers to Chen Wu, potentially causing even greater problems.

Indeed, the reward was significant, but not as precious as his own life.

With resolve, Chen Wu took out the bottle of High-grade Healing Pill. It pained him to part with it, but sacrifices must be made for greater rewards from the system. Giving up the yet-to-be-warmed Healing Pill seemed a fair trade.

"Here, take this. It might be of use to you!" Chen Wu said, with a hint of reluctance, as he placed the High-grade Healing Pill in front of the masked man.

The masked man glanced at the Healing Pill encased in the Jade Box on the ground. He seemed puzzled as to why this youngster, who had just bonded with a Bronze Demonic Pet, would offer his assistance.

Chen Wu offered no explanation as he turned and walked away. He wouldn't put himself in danger; he had done what he could to help. Whether or not the brat could complete the System Mission would depend on his will to survive.

"Wait up, kid. I, Di Rong, never owe anyone anything, not even a little brat like you!"

The masked man chuckled. He didn't know what the kid had given him, but he was fortunate to receive help in his dire situation.

Struggling, he retrieved a jade cylinder from his ring and casually tossed it to Chen Wu, saying, "This is for you."

Chen Wu quickly caught the jade cylinder, his mind racing. The person he was meant to help, as per the system, was surely no Everyman. Could this be considered a stroke of luck?

Despite his excitement, Chen Wu maintained a composed exterior, bowing slightly in thanks before walking away without looking back.

Once Chen Wu was gone, the man opened the Jade Box he had received. To his surprise and delight, it contained a High-grade Healing Pill.

"That kid..."

He gazed at the spot where Chen Wu had vanished, his emotions a complex mix.

The High-grade Healing Pill wasn't exceedingly rare; most experts at or above Silver-ring Level kept a stock for treating their Demonic Pets in emergencies. But for the masked man at that moment, the pill was a godsend.

It couldn't heal his Silver Level Zodiac Demonic Pet, but it could certainly restore a Vice Pet's fighting strength.

"Come forth, Fiery Scarlet Sun Bird!"

A massive bird, a Giant Beast over ten meters long, materialized before him. As it appeared, numerous Demonic Beasts in the forest fled in terror.

This Demonic Pet was at Bronze Grade 9, a Vice Pet not yet at Silver Level. The High-grade Healing Pill was most effective on Demonic Pets below that level. Rather than using it on his primary Demonic Pet, it made more sense to use it on the Fiery Scarlet Sun Bird.

Soon after, a triumphant cry echoed through the forest as a fiery giant bird swiftly vanished into the sky.