Chapter 32 – New Quest
"Haah~" Jhin wiped the sweat on his forehead after confirming that the woman finally disappeared.
He entered the house and rushed towards the child.
"Fortunately, she didn't take the child away." Jhin sighed in relief as he looked at the unconscious girl on the floor. The woman had attempted to take the child away earlier. However, when she about to grab the child, her expression suddenly paled, and she rushed out of the window.
Jhin doesn't know the exact reason, but the fact that she left without taking the child make him happy inside. He bent down and put his hand on the child's neck, trying to feel her pulse.
"Good thing she's still breathing. But she's in a critical condition."
Jhin looked at the wounds and the swelling on her body. He fell in a deep thought. He was considering bringing her to the black tower and ask a healer.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, an unpleasant feeling started growing inside him. He felt nauseous! He furrowed his brows and looked at the dead bodies around him.
The pungent smell of blood and their insides made him want to vomit. He only realized now that he was still in a gory place.
He suppressed his urge to puke.
"Killing through your own will is totally different."
Although he had massacred the orc army back then, it wasn't his will. Thus, he was indifferent of the entire event. Add to the fact that he was dizzy at that time, he hadn't personalized the feeling. However now, he was the one who ordered the ink soldiers to kill the two. It was his own will, as will as his first time killing a humanoid creature!
"It can't be helped, they triggered my killing intent." He murmured as he allowed his memories back on Earth to emerge.
Five months before his death, his parent's had given birth to her little sister. But, as he was busy with his business, he didn't get the chance to return home. Thus, he died without seeing his new sibling even once in person. And it was one of his regrets.
"This is just the start!" Taking a deep breath, a firm determination appeared on his eyes.
Then, his expression softened. He lifted his hand and swipe the child's green hair to the side, revealing her oval face which was painted by her blood.
While inspecting her, Jhin saw a pair of fluffy ears on her head.
"Is she of the same race as that woman?" He mumbled before looking at her back. And indeed, he saw a long green tail.
'They seem to be of the same race, yet the woman was bullying her to this degree.'
Jhin was puzzled but in the end, he could only shake his head. He bent down and prepares to carry her. But before he could do so, the black cat jumped off his shoulder and landed atop the child.
It lifted the gourd and poured its content on the child's body.
Suddenly, a meter-wide magic circle appeared on the air. It released a dark glow as it started cascading starry light. While it did so, changes occurred on the ground.
The liquid from the gourd rose while the corpses started disintegrating. Meanwhile, as it absorbs the liquid, globs of light filled the air and entered the child.
Every time it enters, her complexion would improve a little. Slowly, huge changes started occurring on her body.
Her skinny arms and legs increased in size. It was as though new flesh had grown inside her. Her dirty skin started peeling off, it was replaced by a new creamy white skin.
"Ah!"
While watching, a sharp pain was felt from his finger. He looked down only to see the black cat stealing some of his blood and sending it into the magic circle.
When it did so, the magic circle released a blinding glow. Causing the corpses to completely disappear.
Then, the magic circle started shrinking. From the size of a meter, it tuned into half a meter. And with each passing second, it continues to shrink in half until eventually, it turned into a size of grain. To be exact, its appearance was now similar to a rune.
The rune fell and imprinted on the child's forehead.
Suddenly, glowing inscriptions emerged from her skin. It encompassed her entire body. Then, as these inscriptions glows, her entire features changes.
Her green ears, tails, and hair turned white. Her dusty skin peeled off, leaving behind a milky-white skin without a hint of blemishes. Her two-feet height reached three feet.
She transformed!
From a dirty and skinny child, she was now healthy. Her wounds and bruises had disappeared, leaving behind a cute and fluffy little girl.
Still unconscious, the child floated before landing on Jhin's embrace.
The series of events left Jhin tongue-tied. He couldn't help but look at the crescent moon rune at the center of her brows.
The rune had stopped glowing. And from the original dreamy white glow, it turned dark.
"What was that?" He muttered under his breath. He looked at cat that had jumped on his shoulder in awe. "She's getting more and more mysterious."
However, before Jhin could rejoice at the child's recovery, a notification rang inside his head.
[Ding! A new quest has been issued.]
Quest Name: Save the Kids
Quest Description: You have discovered a kidnapping incident. In order to weaken the future generation of the humans of the shelter, an unknown race violated the Edicts of Death. You must save the rest of the children within the given time.
Reward: Devil King's Bow
Punishment: All the child will die, and you'll be haunted by their ghost
Time Limit: 5 hours
"There it goes again!" Jhin clicked his tongue. "Another compulsory quest… Damn it!"
With a defeated expression, Jhin started reading the quest. He analyzed the content and started looking for clues.
From the quest description, it was clear that the preparator was the race where the rat woman belongs. Moreover, if his judgement was right, then the base was within the shelter. Given the fact that the child was able to escape from it.
"I have to depend on you little guy." Jhin patted the child before exiting the house. He started heading north, to the direction of the Tower of Death.
If the strength of a member was already something he couldn't defeat, then entering the base would surely spell his doom. If he wanted to succeed in the rescue mission, the only thing he can do is to rely on the army.
"Sigh~ I don't want to meet her yet, but I guess I no longer have the choice."