Ch. 7 Zero's lost

( Zero Pov )

" Gah!" I slashed the chest of the man that tried to ambush me from the tall grass before kicking him off my blade.

" Fuck off!" I'm now in a bad mood because I'm hungry.

I wiped my sword off with a peice of cloth I took from a dead body.

" Hm?" I saw a large monster slowly walking by.

It didn't seemed hostile and I didn't feel any threat from it. And from looking at its many eyes. It looks sleepy.

The monster passed by me.

' Maybe I should follow it.' I thought as I walked towards its direction.

From the distance I saw a familiar face.

" Bam. I wouldn't swing that weapon if I were you." I spoke catching his attention.

" Hes right. Besides with that posture I'm sure you wouldn't hurt a baby rabbit." A white haired main with a blue streak walked toward us with a briefcase.

I didn't understand the guys but I seemed he also warned Bam.

" ...oh... phew. Thank you for stopping me."

" No problem." The white haired man replied.

" Hm." I nodded as I sat down and put the sword on my lap.

The two started conversing and I could understand from Bam's replies.

" And you? Where did you come from?" The white-haired man turned towards me.

" Uhm, he's saying where you come from..." Bam translated for me.

' Now this man knows I can't understand him now.' I thought as I looked at him.

" I'm a foreigner." I replied.

" Uhm... he says he's a foreigner." Bam spoke to the white-haired man.

The man cupped his chin before standing up and waving us goodbye.

I saw what looked to be a crocodile walking towards us.

The white haired man pointed at him as he looked at Bam.

" A big... crocodile is here."

" I'm not a crocodile. I'm the hunter. Rak Wraithraiser!"

' Rak... wraithraiser? Is that his name?' From listening to others conversations I'm beginning to understand their languages but there were so many languages being used.

' I see now... that why those marble balls are so important is because many different species that use different languages climb this tower. And without communication there's a less chance to establish alliances.'

" Wow. A talking Crocodile. How much did he cost?" The white haired man spoke before the crocod... Rak started shouting.

" I'm not a crocodile!! You wussy little turtle!!"

" And I got no business with you! All I'm interested in is that black turtle and Silver turtle! So you just bug off!"

' Silver? Black? Does he mean me and Bam?' I frowned as I stood up next to Bam.

The white haired man and Rak started arguing.

' Hunt... prey...' I managed to make out these words.

It seemed they finished as the white-haired man started walking off.

I expected that as the crocodile stood in front of us.

" W..wait!! Wait! Please! Wait! Um... m..Mr. Rak? Why do you want to hunt me? I don't have much meat and I'm not that tasty either..." Bam spoke before Rak pointed at Bams Weapon.

' It seems he wants the weapon... but what does that have to do with me?' I thought as I saw the white-haired man walking behind Rak.

I used the butt of the sword to hit the crocodiles nose before the white haired man slashed him.

" Let's go Bam!" I shouted as the white haired man shouted.

" Run!!"

Before I could follow them, the crocodile hit me with his spear.

I flew across the field.

" Zero!!" I heard Bam shout as I clenched my teeth.

" Fucking reptile." I cursed as I heard the reptiles footsteps coming closer.

It started speaking, but I didn't bother to listen.

[ - 23HP ]

His strength is higher than mine.

I activated [ Sharingan ] and studied the reptiles movement.

I grabbed my sword and readied myself for battle.

And it seemed the reptile understood as he too took a stance.

Facing this monster was suicide.

[ Adaptability: Grant's the user a 15% boost in speed and strength when outnumbered or outmatched.]

And it seemed the system knew this as well.

I can't face this monster with strength but with speed.

I stabbed my sword into the ground before taking out the two daggers from my previous attackers.

The reptile looked confused but remained its focus on me.

I lowered my posture before dashing towards the monster.

" Raaaahhh!!!" The reptile roared as he swung his spear.

I jumped over his spear and stabbed one of the knives into his shoulder.

But his hide prived to bee too thick.

" Tsk." The blade was broken as slashes his other shoulder before jumping off and ducking under his spear again.

I felt the wind brush my head as I dashed towards his legs.

Using telekinesis to help lift him to the air before slamming him to the ground.

He roared as he waved his claws at me.

I dodged them before punching his snout and tried tonreach for my sword only for the monster to swipe me off.

I flew into the field again.

[ -35hp ]

" Kuak!" I coughed up some blood before wiping my mouth.

I heard the reptile shouting as he grabbed his spear.

I looked at my chest plate to see a large scratch.

" I...just got this." I stood again as I lifted my fist up.

[Language comprehension ]

[ Level 1 -> 2 ]

[ + 10 -> 20% speed in learning a language. ]

" Shut up, you fucking dinosaur." I replied as I punched his side again and jumped on his back and started putting him into a chokehold.

" Grakk!!" He started moving frantically.

And he managed to get a lucky hit as I felt his claw cutting the left side of my neck.

[ - 32hp ]

Feeling the pain kicking in, I know it's going to be a large cut.

We both fell to the ground as I released him, too tired to continue.

Rak started coughing as I tried to stop the bleeding.

In a desperate attempt I focused all my mana on the wound.

[ Mana Manipulation]

[ Lvl 3 -> 4 ]

[ + 50% for every lvl up, -15% -> -20% mana wasting.]

[ Ding! Mana healing has been learned ]

[ Mana Healing lvl 1 ]

[ +5hp per 15 mp for 10sec ]

[ +5hp ]

I only had less than 10hp left before I started healing.

I was lucky to get this skill in the last second.

' Maybe I could learn new skills if I could create them...' I thought as I waited for my neck to heal.

I felt the crocodile trying to get up to its feet.

I tried to speak, but blood only came out.

" Bleh."

He grabbed his spear from the floor and before he could take another step towards my direction the box in the sky started speaking again.

From its instructions, it seemed there would be a second test.

' Teammates...' I managed to understand those words as I looked at the reptile.

' And a team of three at that...'

( Khun' Pov )

' A Tema of three...' I looked at the crocodilenin distance who stood over the bleeding friend of Bam.

If I had tonshoose it would've been Bam's friend but seeing him critically injured.

' He'll be a liability and he wouldn't last long anyways... sigh, I guess the crocodile will have to do.'

I looked at Bam.

" Bam... what should we do? Should we Tema up with crocodile?"

Bam turned his attention toward me.

" What...? Um... Don't you think we should help Zero? And besides... if we choose him. It would be hard to escape from him and find someone else..." Bam replied.

" Well... you're right. But there's no choice but to team up with crocodile." I replied.

" H..huh?"

" Hey!!! Crocodile!!" I caught his attention as he turned his gaze towards us.

( Zero Pov )

I heard the white haired man speaking to Rak.

" Hunters never team up with prey!! I'm the hunter Rak Wraithraiser!!" Rak shouted.

I started feeling a little better as Bam came out and spoke to Rak about hunting him.

Time was running out as it seemed the crocodile started to fight with Bam and the white-haired man.

In the middle of their fight Bam stood still as Rak's spear came straight toward him.

I grabbed m sword and rushed towards Bam.

[ Counter strike ]

Using the swords arm gaurd to deselect the spear and counter with a strike to Raks arm.

I grabbed Bam and threw him at Raknas the white haired man touched the crocodile.

I kneeled onto the ground as I felt the wound reopening.

" What? Aahhhhhh!!! You damn turtles!!!" Rak shouted as they all disappeared.

" Well... it's seems you're left behind." I heard a voice behind me as i looked to see a tall woman with a flame on her forehead.

I sighed as I could barely make out what she said.

" Hm? Not talking? Or is it that you can't understand me?" The woman tapped her chin.

Since five minutes had passed and the wound reopening it took a mintue for the wound to heal.

" Im...I'm fine." I replied.

Although I couldn't understand them, that doesn't mean they can't understand me.

After all they had those orbs.

" Why don't I give you another test."

" Test?" I asked.

The woman nodded.

I nodded as I stood up from the ground.

" We fight."

I didn't understand her words, but the system showed me a panel.

[ Fight EvanKhell.]

[ Rewards: passage to the next floor. ]

I nodded.

" Fine." I replied as the woman grinned.