Thugs or helpers?

[Updated] [Rewritten]

____ _ __

Huan's POV:

"Technique: An Arrow Sword Strike!"

I lifted my sword and waited for the beast to attack me. It was a huge python with scales as hard as steel. I had no chance of escaping from it.

As it coiled its body and prepared to strike, I also tightened my grip on my sword.

I tried to imitate as if my hand was the string that was firing an arrow.

This was very important.

"This attack will decide my fate," I thought to myself.

As it lunged at me with its fangs bared, I swung my sword with all of my might.

I aimed for its head, hoping to pierce its brain.

~Swish

Oh no!

It dodged my attack. I am doomed.

~Swish

Huh? What just happened?

It is shrieking… in pain? But why?

~Swish

Huh? Did my attack reach the python?

~Hiss ~hiss

It did...

I saw a thin line of blood on its neck, where my sword had grazed it. It was enough to injure it fatally. I think it is dying and is in extreme pain.

~Thud

"Huh?"

"What happened?"

Did I kill it? I can't believe it.

~Blur

Everything is starting to blur...

Huh? Who is that?

Is it an angel?

She has long brown hair and blue eyes. She is wearing a white dress and holding a sword

She is looking at me with concern.

"What is your name?" She asked me softly. Is she asking me my name?

"My name..."

is Huan.

"Angel..."

Thank you for rescuing

"Me!"

Oh no, I couldn't say it properly. Everything is blurring again...

Why?

Oh, yes. I used all of my spirit power. And I am drained and exhausted. I am losing consciousness…

What will happen to me…

And, is she really an angel...

But, I am happy those thugs didn't find me. They were chasing me for stealing their food.

Or else I would be truly….

Finished…

~Thud

Huan fell to the ground and lost consciousness.

________________________________

In the forest.

Three figures, one woman and two men, could be seen running at a high speed. 

After a few moments, one of them started to talk.

"Hey, where is that brat?" He had a scar on his face and a sneer on his lips.

"I haven't seen him yet..." The other man replied. He had a bald head and a big belly. "But, he sure ran fast" He added, panting.

"Yes, you are right..." The woman said. She had long brown hair and a cold expression. She was the leader of this group.

"His cultivation is much lower than ours and he will be out of spirit power if he uses it non-stop." She continued, scanning the surroundings with her sharp eyes.

"Ooh, do you know where he is?" The handsome man asked eagerly.

"Of course not, idiot. But I know that if he is smart, he will probably try to hide somewhere" She replied.

"Yes, sister you are correct!" The scarred man agreed quickly.

"Try to find or guess where one can hide and that place must be hard to notice. Ok?"She ordered.

"Ok, sister." Both of the men replied obediently.

These people were the thugs who were chasing after Huan.

And the woman was the boss of this little group, it seems.

"What if he hid behind a tree?" The scarred man suggested, pointing at a thick trunk.

"Or up on the tree?" The handsome man added, looking at the branches.

"You? You guys are idiots." The woman scoffed.

"Wait, no! Did you guys hear anything?"

She suddenly said, holding her hand to her ear.

~H..S

~.i..s

"Oh, I am hearing something..." The handsome man said, nodding his head. "It sounds like something's voice."

"It is… Its name is on the tip of my tongue." The scarred man said, scratching his chin.

Both males said simultaneously:

"It's a rabbit's voice!"

The woman who was near them facepalmed and muttered: "What am I gonna do with you guys?"

She sighed and said. "No, it's not a rabbit. It's a snake." She corrected them impatiently.

"We don't have all the time in the world." She reminded them sternly. "Let's get out of here."

"Why don't we see what it is?" The scarred man asked, hesitantly.

"Why bother? We must find the kid!" She snapped back.

"I am just saying... If you don't want to… We can ..." The scarred man answered awkwardly.

Hearing what him saying, the woman looked at him for a bit. She seemed to have a soft spot for him.

"Ok, we will check it out." She relented.

"Huh, what did you say?" He asked, surprised.

"I said we will check it out." She repeated.

"Thanks…" He said gratefully.

"…" She said nothing but rolled her eyes.

Then they headed straight to the side where the voice came from. 

They walked for a minute.

"Shhh. Be quiet!" The scarred man whispered.

"I saw it." He said, pointing at something.

"Where?" The other two asked.

"There," The scarred man pointed to a giant snake moving with something in its mouth.

"Is that a boar?" The handsome man asked, squinting his eyes.

He was the one with a 9th-level Spirit Body Stage cultivation, the highest among the three. The scarred man was at the 8th level and the woman was at the 7th level of the same stage.

"It is a Long-Eared Fat Boar, more precisely." The scarred man corrected. He seemed to know a lot about wild beasts.

"And that snake is?" The woman asked.

She was the leader of this group, but she didn't have much knowledge about the forest.

"It is an Underground Blue Python." The scarred man answered. "It seems it's taking its food to its home."

The woman said, observing the snake's movements.

"It's a fifth-grade wild beast. In addition, it may be a little stronger than me." She added, estimating its strength.

"Oh, it's even stronger than you?" The handsome man asked, surprised. 

"Yes, but all three of us can kill it easily." She said confidently.

"Its beast core is useful for cultivation. You can use it for your cultivation, sister." The scarred man said, trying to please her.

He had a crush on her, but she didn't seem to notice or care.

"…Right." The handsome man said, feeling jealous.

He also liked the woman, but he didn't dare to show it.

"…Ok, first we need to kill it." The woman said, ignoring their feelings.

"Let's wait until it got to its home and ate its food and then kill it." She suggested.

"Yes," They agreed.

Then they started to walk after the Underground Blue Python.

They followed it until it stopped near a tree.

"Why did it stop?" The handsome man asked, curiously.

"Don't you know? The Underground Blue Pythons usually live underground, and this beast must have built its nest under that tree." The scarred man said with an 'isn't it obvious' look.

The other two looked at him weirdly.

"How do you know about that?" The woman asked.

"… Well... I know... I heard it from the others… Right… haahaa." He stammered nervously.

"How can an idiot like me know that?" He tried to act dumb.

"Yes…"

They answered sarcastically.

They didn't believe him, but they didn't press him further.

"Hey, don't lose focus.. Look at the Python... It let go of the Boar." He said, changing the topic quickly.

"Huh, yes."

They said, looking at the snake again. It had dropped the boar near the tree and was slithering into a hole in the ground.

"It's entering the nest. Let's go near it."

The woman said, motioning them to follow her.

They went near the nest and hid behind some bushes. They could see the python's tail sticking out of the hole. It was moving slightly as if it was struggling with something inside.

~Swish

~Hiss

"What is happening in there?"

The handsome man asked, puzzled.

"Fight." The woman and the scarred man answered at the same time. They had sharp ears and could hear some noises coming from the nest. They sounded like metal clashing and flesh tearing. They also heard some faint screams and roars. They realized what was going on in an instant. 

They looked at each other and nodded their heads. They had the same thought in their minds: "We found the boy!"

The scarred man said excitedly. He was happy that they had finally caught up with their target.

"He wanted to hide from us. But can he save himself from the snake?"

"Won't we help…" The handsome man asked hesitantly. 

"Yes, we will. After all, we need him alive." The woman said, cutting him off. 

"Look at the kid. He is fighting with the Underground Blue Python."

Scarface man said and pointed his hand to the boy after he lay down near the Python's tail that was out of the nest. The two sat down near him and started to watch the fight between the boy and the Python.