Chapter 28: Black lynx

2 days before Ian and Andressa found Karl's location.

Karl opens his eyes in a tent. A single bed, a small table in the corner and lantern on top for light. Something itches on his neck. 'Huh?'

Karl notices a collar on his neck.

"Took you long enough." Serena lifts the curtain and walks in. There is blood on her hands.

"What is this?"

"This is an artifact to keep you in check, until I find that three horned ape."

Karl takes a deep breath. 'Yes, there is mana.' He makes a serious face while thinking of ways to escape.

"Don't make such face. I will release you once I find that ape. Until then, behave."

Karl notices a sadistic expression on her face. 'Wait. Her face certainly didn't move in the library. Am I missing something here?'

"Come out!" Serena orders.

Karl tries stand but he feels a spike of pain in his leg. There is a bandage rolled around his leg. Karl doesn't complain and walks outside.

Infront of him, there is small mountain of dead two horned monkeys. There is a foul smell coming from them.

'Even if they are easy to kill. She killed so many in alone?'

No corpse is fully intact. Majority of them are missing their head while the remaining have their entire limbs missing.

"Here." Serena throws a small knife towards Karl. Karl catches it.

"Collect one tooth from each corpse and if they are missing their heads collect claws or anything that will suffice."

'Serena the blessed. She seems strong. I am not at my best right now, not to mention this thing.' Karl grabs his collar. 'I can't escape. For now.' 

Serena turns around and yawns. "Also keep on eye for any lurking beasts. I hunted them yesterday so scent of blood is spread all around the camp."

With this Serena goes back inside the tent. Karl turns towards the corpses.

"And don't think of running away." Serena peeks from the tent. Karl waves back as he is dragging a corpse.

Surprised, Serena comes back. "I didn't think that you would agree this easily." She pauses for Karl's reply which doesn't come.

"Am I that pretty? You fell for me?"

Karl makes an annoyed expression and turns back. "As long as this thing is on my neck I can't escape and even if I did, I can't get out of this forest much less survive in the desert."

Serena smirks. "You are smart boy. I like smart boys."

"Also, you are average."

SNAP!

Serena her fingers. Karl's neck chokes itself. He kneels on the ground as he struggles to breath.

"Watch your tongue, you peasant!" She snaps her fingers again and the collar stops choking Karl.

"You should be grateful that you are breathing in the same air as me." Tears comes out of Karl's as he gasps loudly.

"Hmph!" Serena goes back into the tent.

'How insecure one person can be?' Karl wonders as wipes his tears off.

He picks his knife up and drags a corpse of two horned monkey. It is missing half of his body, only one arm and head are intact. Karl opens its mouth and stabs the knife into its gum. He twists the knife around, trying to get the tooth out. Blood is sprayed almost everywhere on Karl. He twists his once more and tooth pops out.

"That's one done out of-" Karl glances at the mountain of the corpses. "A lot."

Almost four hour passes by and Karl is still picking out teeth from the corpses. This was his 6922th tooth. The mountain of corpses is almost over now. With this Karl moves towards one of the last remaining corpses.

He notices that there is no head. So, he grabs the corpse's arm and cuts one claw off. The curtain opens again revealing Serena in a modest nightgown. Karl doesn't bother to look back and continues his work.

"You are still not done?" He looks back and he finds her standing at the entrance of the tent. She takes a long step and walks closer to Karl.

'Why does she walk like that?'

"Ha. You done enough. Take the lantern from the inside and burn the remaining corpses. We should start the search for the ape." Karl nods and goes towards the tent.

At the entrance Karl slows down as something flashes in his view. A thin line of wire is tied at the entrance. Karl crouches down. 'Did she lay traps all over the camp area?'

"Hey! No slacking, hurry up." Serena scolds.

Karl gets up and opens the curtain. Inside, he sees Serena's armour on the bed. He observes the armour. It is rather big than he expected, especially around the chest area. He grabs the lantern; the curtain opens again. This time Serena walks in. "Knife."

She opens her hand. Karl hands her the knife and comes outside. He drags the remaining corpses on top of each other and grabs a piece of meat. He ignites it and throws it in the corpses. It catches fire. Karl watches the corpses burn.

SLANG!

Something snaps loudly. Following in an instant comes a roar. It was close. Karl looks up. A huge black shadow is between trees. The shadow jumps at Karl. Karl tries to move but his body couldn't react faster due to his injured leg. In instinct he covers his face, he sees a pair of large fangs that are going to kill him.

Just then, something stops the big cat and it bounces back like a string. Karl quickly recognizes the leopard from yesterday.

"Stop day dreaming and fight that lynx." Serena yells.

Karl glances at her, she is wearing her armour and there is a greyish magic circle formed at her hands. The big cat lands on his all four. It growls at Serena. Karl tries to breath mana in but notices the pain. He clicks his tongue and yells.

"MY SWORD!"

Karl extends his hand. Serena moves her hand back and a metal wire comes out of the magic circle. She pulls her hand back while struggling. Karl's sword comes flying at him, it cuts through the curtains and lands just besides Karl.

The leopard runs towards Serena. In hurry she summons another metal wire and pulls it. Bunch of bear traps and pit hole opens in the path of the leopard. But the leopard dodges all and keeps moving towards Serena. Scared, she moves her hands in a hurry.

Karl notices the opportunity and runs at the leopard. He intercepts the path of the leopard. This catches the big cat off guard as its eyes are locked at Serena. Karl swings his sword which cuts through leopard's shoulder bladder. Losing its pace, one bear trap hits leopard leg. It loses balance, a pit opens just below it. The leopard is mid-air, about to fall into pit which has spikes at the bottom.

But something strange happens, three black crystal like claws extends from the leopard's paw. It strikes the ground, trying to not fall in. The leopard somehow stops itself from falling and it jumps straight out of the pit using its rear legs. Karl gets ready to defend as he is too close to the leopard.

Surprisingly, the leopard ignores Karl and runs towards trees where it disappears. Serena sighs as the big cat disappears between trees.

"That black lynx saw us. We must move. NOW!" Serena calls Karl inside the tent.

There she packs all of her stuff in span of 2 minutes. "Here, lift this."

She points a huge bag that is twice the size of herself. Karl looks at the bag and lifts it with no complains. 'Why is he so obedient?' Serena wonders.

'This should be a good muscle training that can allow me grow.' Karl is in his own world.

They step outside. "Leave the tent. That lynx is bound to strike again, this will buy us some time." Karl nods in a awkward way as he is struggling to lift the bag.

"Follow me!" Serena walks in a faster pace. Karl tries his best to match her pace.

Few hours have been passed since they left their tent. Karl is covered in sweat. His arms and legs aching. Serena is walking a little forward, constantly looking at her watch.

Suddenly she stops. "This far should be fine. Now tell me where is that ape?"

"First of all, what was that thing earlier?"

"A black lynx, they are lone predators who mainly target two horned monkeys. Usually, they are found in the outskirts of the forest but this one was too was deep in the forest. This means that something must have happened to the three horned ape, the protector of this forest."

"Will he follow us?"

"Probably, black lynxes are known for always finishing their prey. Enough about that, where is the ape?" Karl puts the bag down.

"What do you want with that ape?"

SNAP! AUGH!

Karl grabs the collar as it is choking him.

"Don't be cheeky now just because I saved you once." Karl looks at her in a pained expression.

"Don't worry about that." He actively breathes mana and spreads it around his neck.

Serena's eyes go wide open as the collar falls on the ground.