Chapter 7 - Deception

Running away from his pursuers, Ryuu tried to get rid of the tail and understand how they were tracking him so accurately.

He led them in circles, because running with them on their tail to Esdes was a truly stupid idea.

"There is not much time, Esdes will soon finish hunting and return. According to the canon, the invaders will already be far away from the destroyed village, but my intervention will most likely change that, and they will stay here for a while. We need to intercept her before the soldiers do it."

For another five minutes, Ryuu danced around the forest, trying to throw off his tail, but to no avail. A handful of soldiers with the same archer were unceremoniously tracking him down.

"Something's not right here... Maybe Teigu?" – Ryuu thought and looking back, he saw behind him, in the sky, a small bird similar to an eagle – "Very interesting... This is not found in these lands."

For a few more minutes, he led his pursuers through the forest while the mysterious bird also followed him on his heels.

– «...It looks like the problem has been found. I don't know how they are related to this bird, teigu or xingu, but the bird's eyesight is definitely good. In any case, it's time to say goodbye to you guys." – Ryuu said to himself and ran in the footsteps of one dangerous beast

Unsuspectingly, the soldiers followed Ryuu, who abruptly changed direction.

"He's changed direction again, Captain. – said a pale soldier with black hair. A medallion with a small blue core of a dangerous beast rattled on his chest.

The soldier's right eye also glowed with a mystical light and was unfocused.

– He wants to throw us off the tail again, what a stubborn boy. This one definitely can't be left alive.

Meanwhile, Ryuu found what he was looking for.

The tracks led him to the lair of a dangerous animal.

It was a huge bear, whose black fur shone like steel.

Ten meters at the withers, huge thick paws under which even such a frozen ground was squeezed by several centimeters, which also spoke of the huge weight of the bear.

A huge horn on his head, spikes all over his body, long claws, but most importantly, there were two newborn offspring in the cave behind him. This will force the bear to fight fiercely and without the slightest thought of escape.

– "Excellent." – thought Ryuu, turning sharply, snatching a bow and pulling the penultimate arrow.

A moment later, the arrow flew into the sky, and a second later killed the annoying bird.

– Him... The asshole killed my bird. I've lost him, Captain. The soldier said angrily. His right eye became normal again, and the core of the beast in the medallion cracked.

– Where did you last see him? – the captain frowned

– Two hundred, two hundred-fifty meters to the southwest.

– Okay, put all your strength into your legs, if he leaves now, it will be bad.

- yes!

Ryuu himself, meanwhile, hid not far from the bears' den and waited.

In general, he would have run away from here right away, but he decided to help the beast and the soldiers a little in organizing the meeting.

A few seconds later, soldiers ran out into the clearing. They didn't sneak, but moved as fast as possible, so the bear noticed them very quickly.

The captain frowned heavily at the sight of the bear – An infection... We were outsmarted by a kid.

– It's a Steel Bear! – loudly, almost shouting, the soldier whispered, sucking in air – We can't cope with him!

The huge bear cautiously stood up on his hind legs and landed with all his strength on his front paws, shaking the ground.

By itself, this animal is relatively neutral, and now, when newborn cubs are lying behind him, he has even less desire to attack some muddy people. He wasn't afraid for himself, but he was afraid for the cubs.

– I know. The captain nodded, backing away – Slowly from...

Before he had finished speaking, Ryuu's last arrow whistled through the eye of one bear cub, killing him at a time.

- "Now you can do the legs." – concluded Ryuu and ran unnoticed towards the hunting grounds of Esdes.

He ran almost noiselessly with his experience and skills, and with the help of technology he left no smell. As a result, all the rage of the bear fell on the soldiers.

– Retreat! The little bastard set us up!

To say that the bear was enraged by the death of his child is not to say anything. He looked with bloodshot eyes, from rage and anger, at the soldiers and without hesitation rushed at them roaring loudly – Rraaaaar!

The bear's roar was deafening and terrifying. The captain and the soldiers tried to retreat, but where there. The bear moved extremely fast, despite its size.

He knocked down their group with his carcass, like bowling pins. The captain tried to escape and he succeeded, but the bear managed to take his right hand away at the end.

Mishka would have finished him off if he had run after him, but there was still one live bear cub, so he couldn't do it.

...

Ryuu was moving to a certain area and after twenty minutes, he reached it.

– "Esdes hunting grounds, it remains only to find her." – Ryuu thought, healing the muscles damaged from using techniques. He also needed to turn off Arbitrary Meditation in order to return to the usual way of thinking and emotions.

He turned off the ability reluctantly, but what to do...

Emotions returned and Ryuu felt the weight of his act on his heart. I felt the weight of loss. It had been a long time since he had felt like this.

It is worth noting that all he experienced was longing. He wasn't worried about Yuko's death itself, he was worried that he would probably never be able to chat with her again. Finding her reincarnation will be extremely difficult, and why would it be? She really was just a casual traveling companion in his life.

After sitting like that for two minutes, Ryuu shook his head, grinned at himself and started searching for Esdes.

He climbed a tall tree and began to look out, with the help of the Emperor's Eyes, for his little sister.

After thirty seconds of searching, he found her.

A blue-haired seven-year-old girl with a sweet smile was butchering a dangerous animal that was still alive, which was tightly bound.

Apparently, she was also humming a cute tune while the beast was moaning pitifully.

"And here's my little sister," Ryuu chuckled.

Having descended to the ground, he quickly ran towards Esdes. He no longer hid his steps, so his footsteps could be heard from afar.

Esdes abruptly stood up, pulled out a knife and looked in the direction of the trampling – "What strange steps... What kind of animal is this? It's like he walks on two legs... It's interesting, but you have to be careful."

The girl was used to dangerous animals often attacking her during the butchering, yet the smell of blood attracted some hungry animals.

Esdes hid in a ravine and was very surprised when she saw her brother – "Ryuu?! What is he doing here?"

– Sister! Ryuu shouted, trying his best to show the child who had just experienced a shock – The tribe was attacked! Mom and Dad are dead! Everyone is dead!

– What? – the girl was surprised, as if not quite understanding what her brother had just said – What are you saying, Ryuu.

"They're all dead!" The northern tribes united and attacked us! I miraculously survived! – he was saying loudly when he ran up and hugged Esdes

Ryuu raised his head and saw that Esdes' eyes were wide open. She was shocked, but not as much as he had hoped. – That's how... - she answered calmly, thinking about something – The main thing is that you escaped, Ryuu. – hugging her brother tighter in response, she said

– Sister... What are we going to do? I was chased by soldiers, whom I was able to kill with the help of cunning and a dangerous beast, but the invaders will not leave it just like that. They'll be looking for me, we need to get out of here.

After breaking the embrace, Esdes returned to the bound beast, which unfortunately was still breathing, and began to gut it further in search of the kernel – We will leave here, Ryuu. We will go further north into the forest and hunt there. We will become stronger and survive, or we will become food for strong beasts.

Esdes...

– Do you mind? – she said sternly, looking up at her brother - Now I am responsible for our lives, brother, since I am stronger. You must obey, Ryuu.

– No, I don't mind, Sister. – Ryuu shook his head that he expected such an outcome – I wanted to tell you to stop torturing this beast. You know how much I don't like it when you do that...

– It's all your sensitive heart, brother. You know that the quality of a dangerous beast's core is much higher if you get it from a still-living beast. Besides, this is a training that our father gave us. Training of the heart and spirit. We have to get stronger, Ryuu. Stronger in body and spirit. There should be no pity in us for our prey and enemies. This is the way of the strong, who always survives.

– Okay, how much more time do you need?

"Give me a minute and we'll move out." Esdes nodded and, under the piteous moans of the beast, began to dig inside him. The girl was obviously deliberately slowing down the process in order to deliver as much torment to the victim as possible.

Ryuu sat down next to him and mentally said, "Status."

───────•••───────

The User's Level Has Been Upgraded!

Level 10 → 11

The User's Level Has Been Upgraded!

Level 11 → 12

The User's Level Has Been Upgraded!

Level 12 → 13

The User's Level Has Been Upgraded!

Level 13 → 14

Shooting - [Level 1→ 2]

Status

Name: Ryuu

Level - 14

Free Points - 20

Specifications

Strength - 45 [69] 23.51.21

Agility - 38

Perception - 60

Endurance - 37 [61] 23.51.21

Mind - 65

Skills

Energy Control - [Level 6]

Mythical Masseur - [Level 5]

Magic Voice - [Level 5]

Resistance Phys. Damage - [Level 5]

Cold Resistance - [Level 4]

Irenjutsu - [Level 5]

Regeneration - [Level 5]

Legendary Chef - [Level 4]

Stealth - [Level 4]

Detoxification - [Level 2]

Heat Resistance - [Level 3]

Crafting - [Level 1]

Observation - [Level 2]

Shooting - [Level 2]

Abilities

The Gamer's Body

The Player's Mind

The Emperor's Eyes

The Imperial Zone

Orgasm Scale

Arbitrary Meditation

Thunderstorm of the Undead

Overwhelming Undead Field

Shikotsumyaku

The Great Power of Youth

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- "Not bad. At least I shot four levels on these reptiles... Jarvis, distribute all twenty free stat points into agility. Let everything be relatively uniform."

- "I'm doing it."