Devil

"Why is the second team not here yet ?" a cultivator asked the other five people standing there, all of them wearing the same black color masquerade mask.

"Number one, I think they encountered a high-level monster." one of them replied. The one that had asked a question earlier was the leader of this search party.

After thinking for a while the leader replied with optimism-"That's not possible, there aren't high-level monsters here, and even if they did number two has a cultivation of warrior-3 and his skill specializes in escaping. I am sure he would have evaded even a monster with warrior-5 cultivation." he then further continued while holding a small object with two antennas, and a small screen with signals. It was a device used to catch the frequency which was radiated from the energy stone. "Have any of your devices caught the energy stone's frequency ?"

"We have found the location but it seems to be in a cave, filled with dozens of snake monsters." one of them replied

"What is the level of those snake monsters ?" the leader asked.

"The strongest monster was at warrior-6, and the average cultivation level of the rest is around warrior-1."

"Hmmmm..... It won't be much of a problem for the extraction team. Good job team four. It has already been 5 months since we started searching the forest, inner disciple Darvin must be getting restless." the leader then further continued giving order- "My team will go re-check the location of the energy stone, once I have confirmed we will return and inform the extraction team camping near the Abus village. Team three and four, you four people go lookout for team two. This very location we are at now will be our rendezvous point, see you in two days." Number one said and left with number eight in the direction where the other team had caught the stone's frequency.

Darvin had sent a party of eight cultivators for searching the energy stone in the forest. A warrior rank-4 cultivator was the leader of that party. The whole party worked under an alias, where the strongest (party leader) was called number one and the number was given according to their strength, so the strongest was one and the weakest was eight.

Warrior-4 worked under an alias one, Warrior-3 was two, warrior-2 was three, warrior-1 was four,human-9 was five,human-8 was six,human-7 was seven,human-6 was eight.

On reaching the forest, the leader of the party(number one) had divided the team further into four groups to save time, two in each team. The strongest was teamed with the weakest in the group, the name of the team was given according to the name of the stronger member of the team. Every team would search a location for a week and then meet up at a location to give insight about their searches. Finally after 5 months one of the team was able to locate the frequency of the energy stone.

(A few days earlier)

Inside their hideout, Darren and Nile were both cultivating soundlessly. In these past 5 months, Nile had increased his cultivation level by 3 levels reaching human rank 7. Even though he had initially planned to just focus on his cultivation but Darren had suggested Nile not to neglect his skill. So he decided to spend 2 days of a week learning his skill. Darren was still at warrior-7 cultivation.

All of a sudden Darren opened his eyes and spoke with a surprised tone- "Nile there are two cultivators a mile away from here." It was rare for cultivators to travel in this forest, and especially someone with a warrior rank or human rank cultivation.

Nile slowly opened his eyes and asked calmly- " Can you sense their cultivation level?"

"Yes, one is warrior-2 and the other one is human-7. They are moving towards us, soon the warrior-ranked cultivator would be able to sense your cultivation." Darren replied in a rushed tone.

"Don't worry, I have already taken precautions." Nile said taking out a small dead insect.

"What is the use of this dead cicada ?" Darren asked scratching his head in confusion.

"It will help my cultivation remain hidden from any warrior rank or lower cultivators or monsters." Nile answered. When he saw Darren was not yet satisfied by his answer he further continued-"When you infuse a particular amount of energy into a dead body of this insect, it releases a scent which can mask your cultivation aura from a warrior rank cultivators or below. Each dead cicada can mask your presence for a month." Nile paused and looked inside his pouch and spoke- "I have four more of these." he said smiling.

"Oh that sounds useful." Darren replied casually. Darren was now used to Nile and his geniuses, so this was not something out of his expectations.

"Let's check what they are upto" Nile said getting up. Soon they both left the cave.

They both soon reached the two masked cultivators.

"Who are you ?" one of the masked cultivators asked with a puzzled tone when Nile and Darren were in their sight. He was surprised to see an intimidating giant with a small noble looking boy who was at ease around the giant.

"We are just passing by." Darren replied. While looking suspiciously at the masks of the two cultivators. Not only their presence was suspicious but also the mask they were wearing.

Noticing Darren's suspicious gaze number two nodded his head and started leaving followed by his partner number seven.

"You both stop." Darren said in a commanding tone. Darren's suspicion grew seeing them trying to run.

Hearing Darren they both stopped in their position, they could tell from Darren's aura that he was much stronger than them, but still, they could not afford to be captured amidst a mission. They both looked at each other and smiled.

"What is with that suspicious mas-" Darren was just mid sentence when number two dashed towards him, holding dual daggers. Seeing the masked cultivator attack, Darren stomped his feet on the ground and a vertical wall emerged from the ground stopping the enemy in his mid-dash.

"Stop big man, or I will sever your young-masters head." said number seven who held a knife at Nile's neck. They had guessed that Nile was a young Noble who was being escorted by a bodyguard.

"Hmmmm....." Darren looked at Nile with a puzzled expression thinking why Nile had not protected himself.

Ignoring the masked cultivator holding a knife on his neck, Nile pointed towards another cultivator and spoke casually- "Darren kill the warrior ranked cultivator, we can interrogate this one later."

"Hmmmm.... are you stup-.... AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" number seven screamed in pain and his scream was followed by the blood falling on the ground drop by drop.

Number two's eyes widened seeing such a turn of events. He saw Nile with a puzzled expression, he could not believe what was happening. An icicle had emerged from the young boy's neck, and had pierced through the hand of his teammate.

"HOWWWWWWWWWW" number two shouted in distress after he realized what had just happened.

"HAHHAHAHAHAH...Aren't you a sly one." Darren burst into laughter. He realized Nile had purposely let his opponent close in, so he could not escape.

By seven's movement speed, Nile had already determined that his opponent specialized in speed, so there were chances that he could run if Nile had attacked earlier. He was waiting for the right moment to attack his opponent.

Seeing everything turned against their favor number two shouted- "RUNNNNNNNN".

Somehow ignoring the pain number seven quickly slid his hand off the sharp icicle and was about run, when a severe pain ran through his lower body much worse compared to the pain he felt earlier.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" Seven screamed in pain.

Like a porcupine, dozens of knife-shaped ice had popped out from Nile's back and pierced seven all over his legs. The crystal clear ice had turned dark red, as blood flowed over them before falling to the ground. Nile retracted the ice. Seven's punctured legs could not support his body's weight and he fell to the ground with a 'thud'.

Nile then turned around and said with a grin- "Don't try to move much, or else you will die due to excess loss of blood." Nile made sure to take away his storage pouch before turning towards another masked cultivator.

"De...villl" came a stuttering voice from a distance of few meter.