The Stranger's Preposition

Jael, still recovering from the ordeal, hesitated, fear warring with relief in his eyes. He knew giving up the information might put Atrixus and his mother in danger, but the immediate threat to his own life left him with little choice.

"Divine mark..."

With a resigned sigh, he divulged the name of the hospital, each word a betrayal he rationalized as necessary for his survival.

The tattooed System Bearer nodded, a plan forming in his mind.

"Stay out of trouble, Jael. And don't leave town. We might need you again."

With that, he turned on his heel, signalling for his companions to follow as they disappeared into the shadows of the slum's labyrinthine alleys, leaving Jael alone on the rooftop, shaking and relieved, yet burdened by guilt.

Jael lay there for a long while, staring up at the sky as it transitioned from dusk to darkness, the stars a cold, indifferent audience to the drama that had unfolded.

As for the tattooed System Bearer, the information about Atrixus's hospitalized mother was a lead too valuable to ignore.

■■■

After a trek that tested both his resolve and endurance, Atrixus Timothy finally arrived at his destination within the surreal expanse of Shunri Paradise.

The landscape that greeted him was unlike anything he had encountered before—a vast, undulating expanse of red sands that shimmered under the alien sun like countless diamonds scattered across the ground.

The sea of sparkling red stretched far and wide, culminating in a series of gentle hills that promised mystery and danger in equal measure.

One hill, in particular, caught Atrixus's attention. Its slopes rose gracefully from the surrounding sands, cradling a small opening at its base, reminiscent of a mouth about to swallow the unwary.

From the opening flowed a stream of green, transparent water, a stark contrast to the arid, crimson landscape. It was towards that anomaly that Atrixus made his way, driven by the information he had painstakingly gathered before his journey.

As he approached, the sight that unfolded before him brought a surge of anticipation. Common Turil Frogs, the very creatures he had come to hunt, hopped about the area, their bodies roughly the size of a human head.

Their skin, a vibrant display of red and green, allowed them to blend seamlessly into their surroundings, a natural camouflage that made them part of the landscape itself.

Yet, for all their beauty, Atrixus knew that these creatures were not formidable adversaries. Their value lay not in the challenge they posed but in the reward their bodies would bring.

With cautious steps, Atrixus crept closer, his eyes fixed on his quarry. The first catch was almost too easy; the frog, unaware of the danger, became the first casualty of his hunt.

« Activating Assimilated Transformation: Fiery Drill »

As Atrixus's arm transformed into the fiery drill, he executed a swift, precise strike at the Evo's head, ensuring the body remained intact for the buyers.

« You Have Killed A Common Turil Evo Frog »

<([ Consume Common Turil Frog Flesh To Gain Evo Points ])>

'Not this time...' Atrixus ignored the system's instructions since he knew precisely what he was there for.

The tranquil croaking that had initially filled the air ceased abruptly, replaced by a tense silence as the remaining frogs sensed the threat among them.

In a display of their survival instincts, they vanished from sight, their bodies blending into the invisible spectrum. To any ordinary hunter, the task would have become exponentially more difficult.

But Atrixus was no ordinary hunter.

Above each hidden frog floated a health bar, visible only to him—a gift of his System Bearer's microchip that turned the hunt into something akin to a video game.

With the positions of his prey revealed by the floating indicators, Atrixus launched into action, dispatching the invisible frogs with the same efficiency and precision that had marked his first kill.

Thirty minutes and over thirty frogs later, Atrixus stood amidst the red sands, surrounded by the fruits of his labour.

The satisfaction of the hunt was tempered by the realization of the challenge that lay ahead: storing and transporting the corpses back to the access point.

"Didn't really think this through, did I?" Atrixus muttered to himself, surveying the collection of bodies.

The shimmering sands around him, once a breathtaking sight, now served as a stark reminder of his isolation and the practicalities of his mission.

"Guess I'll need to improvise."

The surroundings, with their ethereal beauty and harsh realities, were a constant source of wonder and caution. The red sands beneath his feet, the green waters that flowed with an almost mystical clarity, and the hills that whispered secrets of ancient times—Shunri Paradise was a world of contradictions, of danger masked by allure.

As Atrixus began the task of gathering the frogs, his mind raced with possible solutions.

"Maybe I can fashion some sort of makeshift carrier from the vegetation around the water source," he pondered aloud, his gaze scanning the area for suitable materials.

"Has to be something that can hold all these without breaking halfway through."

As Atrixus stood amidst the red sands of Shunri Paradise, contemplating his next move with the freshly acquired Tunril frog corpses, a voice unexpectedly broke the silence, startling him into action.

Instinctively, he activated his Fiery Drill, spinning around to face the unknown threat. The sight that greeted him was not of an aggressor, but a lone figure clad in a cloak-like outfit, his demeanour calm and non-threatening.

"There's no need for alarm," the stranger spoke, a hint of amusement in his tone as he observed Atrixus's defensive stance.

"I'm not here to cause trouble or claim your spoils."

Despite the reassurance, Atrixus's instincts screamed caution. The desolation of their surroundings and the value of his haul made trust a luxury he could ill afford. His gaze remained fixed on the stranger with the Fiery Drill still active just in case he needed to defend himself and his hard-earned bounty.

The man, undeterred by Atrixus's suspicion, introduced himself with a confidence that suggested he was accustomed to being heard and respected.

"I've been watching you since you started your hunt," he revealed, sparking a flicker of realization in Atrixus's mind. Only a System Bearer of considerable strength could have observed him undetected.

The stranger's interest, it seemed, was piqued by Atrixus's unusual method of tracking the invisible frogs.

"I noticed you could locate them despite their invisibility," he remarked, curiosity lacing his words.

Atrixus, though wary, couldn't mask his surprise.

"It's not hard to spot them with their health bars floating above their head..."

He explained that he hadn't seen the frogs per se but had been guided by the health bars.

His revelation drew a look of astonishment from the man.

"Can't you... See that?" Atrixus questioned.

"Without the assimilated transformed eyes of the rare Heaven Eagle, no, that would be impossible," the stranger answered.

'Rare heaven what now?' It became clear to Atrixus that his ability was not common among System Bearers, a fact that seemed to intrigue his unexpected companion even further.

The conversation took an unexpected turn when the stranger proposed a deal. He spoke of an elusive Evo, one that had evaded him by vanishing whenever they were in a heated battle.

"I can overpower it but you see... Whenever it starts losing, it vanishes and flees to lick its wound. By the time I find it again, it will be fully healed and the whole process will be repeated."

The man's problem, it appeared, was precisely the kind that Atrixus's unique ability could solve.

"With your skill to see health bars, you could pinpoint its exact location, aiding me in my hunt," he explained, laying out the terms of his proposal.

Atrixus, intrigued but cautious, weighed his options. The offer was tempting but he had learnt to not give out his services for free.

"And what's in it for me?" he inquired, his tone guarded yet curious.

The man's response was immediate and promising.

"I have preservatives and a storage unit that could help you transport all the corpses you've gathered back to the access point," he offered, effectively addressing Atrixus's most pressing concern.

The proposition set Atrixus's mind racing. The chance to not only secure a means of transporting his current haul but also to engage in an endeavour that promised further rewards was a turning point.

The stranger's offer represented an opportunity, a serendipitous alignment of needs that could benefit both parties.

It was a collaboration born out of necessity, mutual benefit, and the unspoken understanding that, in the vast, unpredictable expanse of Shunri Paradise, strength often lay in numbers—or, in their case, in the unique abilities each could bring to the table.

With a cautious nod, Atrixus accepted the stranger's offer, the decision marking the beginning of an unforeseen partnership.