Chapter 27: After 2 years, part 2

As the arrow forsook his bow for the snake, Kiel felt a little dizzy. But he focused back,  knowing that he couldn't lose focus here. So he cooped up and hid himself in the tree branches, and waited for the poison to show its effect, relaxing his tensed nerves a little in the process.

But the snake only grew angrier by the second, as more and more blood dripped down from its neck. It still couldn't find what hurt it so bad, and that made it even angrier. It green eyes seemed to glow as it's anger reached its peak.

 Kiel, didn't dare to peek at the snake now, in fear that it would sense him. So he took out a small mirror to look out at the snake without alarming it. Through the mirror he saw the snake continue its slithering around, even destroying things in anger to find it's attacker. 

Kiel thought that he was now safe for a while as the snake grew angrier by the second. But this time he had underestimated the snake as the moment he relaxed a little, the snake abruptly turned towards his direction.

'Crap did it notice me' Kiel's heart jumped a little as the snake turned towards him. But the beast turned around again. However, this time Kiel entered his Tranquil State again, without letting his guard down.

But not even a second had passed, when the green reptile suddenly retraced itself and jumped up towards him at its maximum speed.

Seeing the sudden change, Kiel was startled for a moment, but this time he was in his focused state, so what his vision actually record was a green eyed angry snake jumping towards him sluggishly with an arrow in its neck, like in some slow motion films.

Perceiving this, Kiel felt a little surprised as he didn't think his tranquil state would even do this. However, he couldn't even think properly about it, when suddenly he was hit with another pang of dizziness. Understanding that he was reaching his limits soon, Kiel focused back on the danger in front of him and jumped back to another branch. Not even a moment pass, when the snake suddenly stabbed itself in the branch. But having missed it's target, the snake seemed even more angry now. It hissed and rattled its tail even more loudly. Its green eyes seemed to glow with anger, as it looked at him like a prey. Kiel could feel the pressure, but the arrow on its neck, proved that it was injured.

Seeing the menacing appearance of the snake in front of him, Kiel became a little scared and the two years trauma appeared in his mind for a moment.

'Fuck… was the poison ineffective?? And it can even set a trap to make me lose my guard… Looks like I underestimated a little. Now I can only do it the hard way.'

Kiel could still see the snake in slow motion but he knew he couldn't keep this up for long as the sense of dizziness increased. But he was waiting for a chance, as he knew recklessly charging at it was just foolish behavior. 

And the chance came soon enough, as the snake lost its patience and again sprung towards the prey in front of it. However, this time, Kiel didn't dodge and even had a wide grin on his emotionless face.

If the snake could read his emotion, it would realize that it had very likely fallen for some kind of trap. However, sadly the snake had no such abilities. Although it was intelligent and could even set up feints, but it was still a beast at the end of the day.

Seeing the prey in front of it stay still even now, the green eyed snake thought that it's prey had become petrified due to its might. It became even more excited, as it inched itself forward at an even faster rate.

But the moment it felt the prey was within its grasp, suddenly four arrows from four directions drew forwards and pierced through his neck in four directions. The snake sensed a danger suddenly, but it didn't even get any time when suddenly it found itself strangled by the arrows and the ropes on it.

Sensing its state, the snake realised the folly it had done by letting its guard down. It even hissed loudly at its prey who didn't know its bound. It should have just let it devour him as compensation for injuring it. So it tried to struggle violently to break free and jump at its prey. But how could it match Kiel's heightened state.

Getting his chance, why would Kiel slack off now. He quickly unsheathed his Stinger and stabbed it at the snake's head. The snake wanted to struggle but didn't even get any time as it slumped down with it's now lifeless eyes.

Gazing at the lump snake, Kiel felt a sudden excitement.

"Haha… finally did it. A month of planning and finally I got my target. Not like those Protagonists with their cheat skills but with my own ideas. Hehe…"

But his joy didn't last long when he again felt the dizziness hit him, now with an even stronger sensation than before; which now even started to blur his vision.

'Looks like I overloaded myself'

Taking out an herbal concoction Kiel gobbled it. He couldn't drink any potions now, but taking some herbal concoctions wouldn't affect his mana nodes prematurely. After finishing his pills, he bandaged himself where he was scratched.

Kiel didn't start skinning the snake, as he knew he was in a secluded spot. So he first steadied himself by taking deep breaths and a little meditation. Then he went to fetch his backpack, took out the required tools and slowly started to skin the snake. The scales seemed to shine in the summer rays. But Kiel didn't seem tk care about it. He first cut its head and body into two parts and then started to remove it's skin slowly. After that, he slowly started to gut it, as he had been practicing previously. Kiel had become experienced in this now. So it went on smoothly. He even took out the snake's gallbladder and stored it in a small bottle. Atlast he even cut open the head to check out if it had any core. But seeing it had none, he was not disappointed, as he expected it. Kiel didn't want to waste anything this precious treasure, so he did everything carefully.

Although it was a level 1 creature, which people were warned to stay away from, Kiel found it very easy to defeat it.

"I wonder if it was too easy a target… on and that seemed to be the Tranquil State. But it was different than before. And it came to me so naturally too." Kiel planned to look into it later on.

After handling everything, he took in any unused arrows he had installed beforehand, and then started walking out of the forest to exchange his haul. 

"Hello uncle Bashua. I've come to sell my hunt"

"Oh it is little Kiel. Did you have a good haul today? You seem a little lively today!"

But instead of a reply all he got was the stashing of shiny green scales near his display on the ground.

"Oh, it seems that you had your fill today. Not bad not bad little one. Lets see what you got. But don't expect me to give you extra."

Accustomed with the little kid, he didn't mind. He knew the little kid was a little eccentric, and also knew what happened to his family. So he just gave the little kid something extra whenever he could.

"Old man hurry up. I don't have all day to hear your rantings. Just gimme a price already."

"Fine fine youngsters these days! Be a little patient."

The old vendor took the lustrous scales and began analysing it. But as soon as he unfolded the scales, he was stunned. He had such snake scales before.

"This don't tell me they are from the level 1 green eyed snake!!"

As the words left the old man's mouth, all the vendors around started looking at him with strange eyes.

Feeling the odd gazes around him, KIel felt a little uneasy.

"Yup! Listen old man I don't have enough time. Can you please hurry up?"

"..."

As Kiel was near his house, the odd and dumbfounded gazes around him still lingered in his vision. Kiel was a little amused, but he was also happy that no one asked him about how he killed a creature above his level. He got his payment of 1 silver coin for both the gallbladder and the scales. Although, he was asked if he could sell the flesh, he didn't agree to it.  The earning now was enough to help his family survive for a few months, so he could go to the province without any problems bugging him from behind now.

(A/N note: If you all forgot, 10 silver is the average villagers annual income. So this amount was enough to work out a few months for them)

Glazing at the big house, all Kiel saw was an emptiness which haunted its interior, rather than its glossy exterior. Although the house looked the same as it was two years ago, but the lives of the people living inside had changed a lot. Kiel felt the heavy burdens on his shoulders even more, as he neared his home. 

"Momma , Big sister Amber, Big sister Fawn I'm back."

Just then a voice came from inside.

"Welcome home brother"

And soon a girl in her teens appeared, with a big smile on her face. The girl although was fair with yellow eyes, looked very thin; a far cry from her previous healthy appearance. This showed that the family was not in a very good condition like before. She was Amber. The bigger of the twins. 

Looking at the smiling face, all of Kiel's worry went to the drain. He felt a happy feeling filling him up and even felt a little mischievous.

Seeing that Agatha had not come back yet, Kiel thought to tease her a little.

"Big Sister.. that's not how I taught you to welcome me right!"

As soon as those words left his mouth, a deep blush appeared on the little girl's face.

Getting no reply,Kiel urged again.

"Bis sister Amber"

"Fine I'll say it…. Welcome home Da… da...dar...ling" 

Saying those words, the blush spread even to her entire neck. But when she looked up, her vision was filled with Kiel's mischievous grin.

"YOU meaaanie" Amber shouted and ran off.

Seeing his big sister act like that, even Kiel had a smile on his face. But don't misunderstand Kiel. He was not into his mother, sisters or something like that. He even had no romantic feelings about anyone in his previous experienced life, let alone this one. He just liked to tease his sisters as it would lighten his mood. 

Kiel even sometimes wondered how he was so attached to his family, especially his mother and sisters. In his previous life, he was a calm and collected person guided by his logic. He never allowed himself to feel any emotions. Although he sometimes acted as a lunatic if he was immersed into something that attracted him, but he never had any emotions or attachment to anything. Yet in this life, it seemed to be somewhat different. He was drawn to his family, like a bee to the nectar.

 Kiel could only attribute this to the influence of hormones and his little body on his soul. But it was not like it felt bad. He could feel a familiar bond connecting him to his family. And Kiel a warmth feeling up his previous cold heart. He swore to protect this warmth with his best. He would never give up on his family, no matter what happens.