34 The Truth Behind the Danger Zones

For a moment, Krune seriously considered if he should just leave the team and look for another one himself. It couldn't be that hard to find one with his Four Star Badge, right?

"You did that on purpose, right?" Krune asked, to which Yusa replied, "Of course, this is the best name we could have. It'll help us become more recognized, after all."

Krune looked even more depressed after hearing that, lamenting, "But you know I hate attracting attention!"

Yusa kept smiling even though Krune seemed to be experiencing hell. "Of course I do. This is just my revenge for the sex shop event." After saying that, she could not help but let out a chortle. Krune, on the other hand, became incensed.

"You said you would let it pass!" he exclaimed in anger.

Yusa didn't care, though. "And I did, but I didn't say I wouldn't take revenge. Anyways, this isn't a bad thing. If people can recognize that you're on this team, maybe we can get even better opportunities! Even if our position isn't that high, we need more ranking points in the future, right? This is the way to go if you want that."

Krune had no choice but to begrudgingly accept that reason after that. To him, there was no point thinking about it anymore. Since it was already done, then he would let it be. After that, Ao Sulian tried to lighten the mood, telling the two of them, "Alright then. Since we've decided on that, let's go with it. Let's meet at the mission hall in an hour. We can choose a mission or two there to get the points we need."

Krune and Yusa nodded in agreement with Ao, but before Krune finished the call, he asked Yusa, "If we're only entering the ranking system right now, wouldn't we be too far behind? Those who have already been there for a long time should already have an outrageous amount of points, no?"

Yusa then replied straight away, "There's no need to worry. The ranking system is reset every six months, and the last reset just happened to be done three weeks ago. In short, everyone in the ranking at the moment don't have that many points. Besides, what we need are the points, not the ranking position itself. So, even if we were at the end of the six-month cycle, we could still earn the points to buy what we need."

Krune understood after Yusa explained how it worked, thinking to himself that humans really had very practical systems. An hour later, Krune, Yusa, and Ao met in the mission hall. Yusa then opened the channel with the missions available for them.

"There are quite a few missions available. Ao needs 650 points for his stuff. How about you, Krune? How many do you need?" Yusa asked. In response, Krune replied, "I need 1200 points."

Yusa nodded as she could not help but say, "That's quite a lot. Fortunately, the points we would receive are equal. As long as we get 1200 points, it will be enough. As far as we can see, the missions capable of giving us that amount and are safe at the same time will take too long to complete. However, if we go for something more challenging, then we should be able to that much in three to five days."

After that, they looked at each other, the answer already obvious in their gazes. Since they entered the ranking system, they might as well put in the effort.

"The challenging ones it is then! The point system rewards according to the mission level and the difference in cultivation between the recommended cultivation realm and the cultivation of the highest realm member in the group. Our member with the highest cultivation level is currently at the 3rd Stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm. So, if we get a mission that's made for someone one stage higher and complete it, we'll get a 15% bonus. If we take one two stages higher, it's a 30% bonus. And if it's three stages higher, 50%. This is the limit. The guild won't allow mercenaries to take missions that are too out of their scope," Yusa started to explain. After that, they went through the list.

"The majority of the missions are inside danger zones. That is to be expected, though. Mission outside danger zones are pretty safe, so there isn't much that needs mercenaries," Ao could not help but say.

"Oh! I found one. It's in Kaliu Zone, and the employer is an alchemist from Rore City's Alchemist Guild, which is the closest one to Kaliu. He needs the blood of a Blazing Alligator at 5th Stage Foundation Establishment or higher. The guild is offering 900 ranking points for the mission," Krune said after finding a mission that seemed to suit them.

As they continued to look at the mission, Ao could not help but notice that something was off. "That doesn't make sense. This mission shouldn't be able to give this many points. Try and check if there's something wrong with Blazing Alligators."

Yusa then did a quick search through the guild system, immediately finding what they needed to know. "Found it! The reason they're offering this much is that Blazing Alligators live very deep in the zone. Though, because they live close to the lava and form large groups, other high-level beasts don't bother them. The problem is how we can enter and leave the place in one piece. If we accept this one, we'll need to reach the alligators without attracting the attention of the other high-level beasts in the area."

Krune didn't have experience with those issues, so he asked, "All demon beasts at the Foundation Establishment Realm have already gained sentience. With that, isn't it possible to just talk it out with them in case we stumble on some?"

Yusa shook her head as she explained, "Although it's possible, you're mistaken. A demon beast that can take on human form can indeed leave the danger zones and even live a normal life in the cities. But they are, after all, demon beasts, and the danger zones are their natural habitat. Even if some race is at odds with another race, when it comes to hunting demon beast materials, all demon beasts at the Foundation Establishment Realm and higher are pretty much of the same mind. Kill all those who try."

She then continued, "Think about it. If you could just talk to them to let you pass, then thousands of mercenaries, even those who are also demon beasts, will find all kinds of excuses to achieve their objectives. Like this, the demon beasts in the danger zones will be wiped out sooner or later."

Yusa then concluded, "Not to mention, the government also doesn't want that to happen. Although it's not written on paper, danger zones are considered the places where talents can be tempered. If the danger zones disappear, soon there will be no more places to train the rookies in life and death situations. The country will then lose power and suffer the risk of being attacked by other countries. That's something they don't want to happen."

Krune understood what she was trying to say, but then he thought about something. "But what happens if, for example, a team made of only demon beasts was made to go after other demon beasts necessary for a mission?"

Yusa could not help but laugh after hearing the question, responding soon after, "If a team like that really tries, then they would be courting death. Do you really think that the areas where demon beasts can be hunted have no one overseeing them? Too naive! The high-level demon beasts like those at the Divine Soul Realm will always keep an eye open for this kind of team trying to take advantage of the fact that they're not humans." 

She continued, "They won't intervene if normal groups were to try and attack the demon beasts, even if those groups have demon beasts in the middle. That's because they can't conceal the fact that they're together. But let's say if a group of demon beasts never seen before appears in their zones and suddenly attacks another group of demon beasts to take away their blood or other materials. Only an idiot wouldn't understand what's happening. Such a group is fated to be wiped out unless they're extremely lucky."

Krune then asked, "In that case, couldn't those high-level demon beasts wipe out any group that enters deep into the danger zones straight away? Wouldn't that prevent them from causing any damage to the beasts who live there?"

This time, it was Ao who shook his head, explaining to Krune, "They can't do that! If they really do that, then they would have problems nurturing their own races. It's not only humans who seek demon beast materials. The demon beasts can also kill the humans instead and take away their dantians or the items in their spatial rings, for example. Do you think that only demon cores can be used for cultivation? The only difference between a demon core and a dantian is the properties of their spiritual energy. As for the rest, they're pretty much the same, and both are full of spiritual energy! Since humans can use demon cores for cultivation, why wouldn't demon beasts use dantians for the same purpose?"

Krune nodded as he understood. It indeed made a lot of sense. Ao then continued, "In the eyes of the high-level cultivators, be it humans or demon beasts, danger zones are the best place to train their forces and nurture their talents. I've heard that the Divine Soul Realm humans and demon beasts even have some agreements regarding this issue."

Krune had been a wisp at the Qi Condensation Realm for a greater part of his life, so he had never been told about those agreements. But after thinking about it for a bit, it was indeed the best solution for both sides. Today, his eyes have been opened. The relationship between humans and demon beasts wasn't as simple as he always thought.

With Krune's doubts clarified, Yusa went back to the main topic, saying, "Alright, let's go back to the main issue. How should we approach the Blazing Alligators without alarming the other demon beasts?"

Krune then raised his hand, telling the two, "Although my cultivation realm is still at the 2nd Stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm, my Divine Sense is different. I can spread it over 6 kilometers, so unless a demon beast with Divine Sense as powerful as mine appears, we should be fine. Because of the power of my Divine Sense, I don't believe any demon beast at the 7th Stage or below would even notice it. Those above the 7th Stage might notice my Divine Sense. Still, the range of their own Divine Sense shouldn't be as big as mine, so they wouldn't be able to tell where it came from. Demon beasts have smaller Divine Sense coverage in general, after all."

Yusa and Ao were surprised to hear that. Ao then commented, "I knew that your Divine Sense was strong, but I didn't think it was this outrageous! How did you do that? My own Divine Sense can barely surpass 1700 meters."

Yusa also nodded in agreement with Ao's words, saying, "I'm a little better since I put some effort into the soul while cultivating, so my Divine Sense can reach 2000 meters, but it's still a far cry from yours."

Krune then smiled after that and let out his sure-kill excuse. "It turned out like this after I built my universe foundation."

Hearing that answer only made Ao and Yusa depressed. This damned universe foundation again! They even mulled over the idea of crippling their cultivation and starting again so that they could try and build one themselves, but they soon gave up the idea. Let alone having to cultivate from the start again, could they even succeed in creating a universe foundation? Yusa and Ao simply stopped thinking about it after that.

"Then it's decided, Blazing Alligator blood it is!"

The three nodded in agreement before applying for the job. The time limit was two weeks. Although the mission itself would only take a few days, the travel from Rore City to the danger zone's inner parts and back would take a lot longer.

After applying for the mission, Yusa told the two of them, "Usually, we would need to use the teleportation formation of the Mercenary Guild. But since we now have the Solie Clan, we might as well use theirs. Best of all, it'll be free!"

Krune and Ao looked at each other after that. Even Ao came to understand what type of woman Yusa was by now. They simply shook their heads and didn't say anything else. They could only pity Zu Solie at this moment.

Back at Solie Clan, Zu Solie sneezed as he muttered to himself, "Is someone thinking about me?"

---

After teleporting to Rore City, they went to the Alchemist Guild to talk with their employer. His name was Zuve Lie, a Two Star Alchemist. When he saw Krune and his group, he couldn't help but shake his head. He thought that their cultivation level was too low. Nevertheless, since they accepted the mission, he still gave them the necessary information.

The Mercenary Guild didn't stop several teams from taking the same job. It would only give the next team a notice that a group was already in the middle of the task. If they didn't mind, they could take the job as well, but the reward would only be given to those who finish the mission first. Zuve only had to wait for the next one to come, and he didn't care if they were courting death or not. Besides, if they could really get what he wanted, then that'll be for the better.

After signing the agreement at the city gate, the three of them pressed forward. They had two weeks to finish the job, or their point reward would be reduced.

It would take some time before Krune's group arrived at the deep parts of the danger zone, so Krune didn't need to use his Divine Sense at the moment. He spent his days training a new water skill, and it was none other than the Solie Clan's Myriad Water Dragons. 

Yusa, who also practiced the Water Element as her main element, couldn't help but envy Krune's talent. On the third day, Krune could already perform that attack at the same level as the Solie Clan guy from before, and his proficiency was only increasing ever higher after that! By the time they arrived at the Blazing Alligators' nest, Krune would have a powerful card up his sleeves against fire-type demon beasts like them.

Ao was also impressed with Krune, but that wasn't because of his ever-increasing proficiency with Myriad Water Dragons. Instead, it was because of his Wind Movement. Ao was a Wind Element user, after all. Although Ao could keep up with Krune, that was because Krune was holding himself back so that Yusa could keep up the pace. 

Ao wasn't a prideful person, so on the very first day, he started to discuss with Krune how to use his Wind Element better. He was impressed with Krune's view of the Wind Element, and it helped his own control over the Wind Element to improve by leaps and bounds. Ao was confident that when they returned back to Kaley City, he would definitely become a Two Star Mercenary!

Yusa was even more straightforward, and she was quite a shameless woman to start with. She directly asked Krune how she could improve her control over the Water Element, and Krune, of course, did his best to help both parties. The stronger they were, the safer his group would be.

While he was teaching them, he then noticed something, thinking to himself, 'Their control over the Water and Wind Element has gotten a lot better after I gave them pointers. It seems like the Myriad Energies Technique isn't only beneficial in helping me control elements, it's just as beneficial in helping me comprehend their properties. It makes it quite easy for me to see the flaws in their element control. I believe I can use my own comprehension to teach others about their shortcomings in element manipulation now.'

Krune was right. His technique helped him understand the elements much better than others. As long as he wanted to, he could teach them to improve their skills much faster.

And just like that, four days passed. With their cultivation level and speed, they were already inside the inner parts of Kaliu Zone. Noticing that, Yusa turned to look at Krune and Ao and said, "Alright, Krune. We're now counting on you to guide the way, and I'll check the map while we move. Ao, you will scout about 500 meters ahead since Krune can't keep his Divine Sense active 100% of the time. He'll need to use it once every few minutes so that he can keep his Spiritual Energy at the optimum condition in case of emergencies. Also, keep an eye in case some demon beast comes close during the times he isn't using it."

Krune and Ao nodded after that. The danger zones might not have the signal for long-distance communication. Still, if they were close by, then they could reach each other through their communicators.

"Let's go!"