Chapter 223

As the celebration continued new guests were escorted to the hall. John looked up from the table seeing Ari with a group of Maori around him, and new guests entering the hall. Once his gaze met Ana's he got up from the table as she ran up to embrace him.

"I'm glad you're okay. When I heard you battled an oni I was worried you got injured."Ana said while carefully examining him.

"Thanks to the leader here I will make a full recovery," John replied.

"Which table is he at?" Ari asked while glancing around.

"The one towards the front of the hall," John replied while shaking Ari's hand.

Watching from the table was Taylor's group, and after the spectacle earlier they were reminded of how dangerous the world could be. After the display from Zack, they knew this was the ideal place for them to work from. The group watched the new arrivals slowly fill the hall while Miguel watched his comrade.

"Looks like John left out a few stories," Miguel said with a lecherous smirk.

"It's called having respect for your partner," Taylor told Miguel.

"Isn't that the girl from your picture?" Brian asked Marc.

Marc glanced where Brian was pointing seeing Ling walking behind a dragon with a large group at her side. The group was a variety of species with the bulk being hinezumi, jiangshi, kakuen, and ren xiongmao. They were all residents of Ling's community that lived alongside humans. With the protection of the Long family, they lived peacefully along the mountain.

During yesterday's defense against the slavers they aided the team in the jungle and were invited when they crossed paths with Sun. Hearing of another like-minded community and most of their human males being spoken for they were eager to visit. Ling was coming here to celebrate but never expected to see the strange human again.

"She's waving so go say something." Wesley encouraged Marc.

'We can finally talk now.' Marc smiled quickly getting up from the table.

"It's nice to see you again," Marc said as he approached.

Being able to understand Marc put a smile on Ling's face.

"Why did you leave? I was worried when I couldn't find you and even sent a friend looking for you." Ling asked.

"When we saw the dragon we panicked, but we know now that was a mistake," Marc replied.

"All that matters is you made it out safely. I would've brought you to my village, but it was hard to communicate." Ling said while waving at some of the villagers.

"Do you wanna meet some of my friends?" Ling asked with a smile.

"Y-yeah" Marc replied nervously seeing all the new faces staring his way.

While the two walked off to greet her friends they talked about their time in the jungle. Ling was curious to hear more music, but Wesley's solar charger was damaged by the slavers. Marc was walking towards the villagers when he overheard them discussing who did better in battle. Seeing Ling approach three women walked up greeting her.

Walking down the center is a kakuen named Fu wearing a skimpy red loincloth, and wrap around her chest. With the lack of clothing, it was easy to see her athletic build and seductive curves. Her orange eyes were gazing at Marc with a strong look of lust as she tied up her spikey brown hair for preparation.

On the right of Fu is a woman with long black hair braided down her back. Her skin is smooth, and delicate resembling a porcelain doll. the alluring thick thighs and long delicate legs could be seen through the side of her qipao as she walked.

Seeing all the humans around she was stretching her stiff muscles, and it almost caused her busty frame to slip out of the top. Her sky blue eyes observed the candidates around carefully as a faint glow radiated from them. The woman's name is Min, and she is the leader of the jiangshi residing in the jade jungle.

The woman on the left is a hinezumi named Meilin, and she is wearing a short white qipao with a flower pattern trailing down to her thighs. She has a pixie cut that's a lovely rose color, and two round ears that twitched slightly from all the noise. Her ruby eyes are glaring at Min with such intensity as they walked. Swaying with her little hips was a thin tail with fur at the tip. At the base of her wrist, and ankles is a fluffy coat of fur matching her hair.

"Tell her how many I soloed yesterday, "Meilin said while resting her right hand on her hip while pointing at Min with the other.

"Even if there were eight of them I still had more overall," Min replied with a smirk.

"Assists don't count! Have you been starving lately? How else could you be this dumb." Meilin stomped her feet.

"I could be a step away from feral, and still be smarter than you," Min said while hugging Ling.

"Why argue when I was the declared winner?" Fu teased.

"I would be careful making a scene in here. There was a big display before you showed up, and they got punished for it." Marc warned.

"Is that why those men were being dragged off?" Ling asked.

"Yeah, it seems a prince was being grabby with a woman and started a fight," Marc replied.

"If they will drag royalty out you better be careful," Min told Meilin while walking away.

"You say that 'cause you never visited before. So long as we don't fight outside the arena we are fine. I've already won three duels so they know me around here." Meilin bragged.

"Who is this by the way?" Meilin asked while sizing up Marc.

'So short.'Marc smiled down at Meilin politely.

"He's the man with the strange trinket I told you about," Ling replied.

"Next time you wanna spend the time with him be sure to invite me," Fu smirked at Marc.

"Sorry for the loud ones. They lack manners but are still good people. It's nice to meet a friend of Ling's." Min told Marc politely.

While getting familiar with Ling's friends Marc was walking back to his table. Meanwhile, John was introducing Ari to Zack.

"Thanks again for the rescue," Ari told Zack.

"Not a problem. There's plenty of food around if you wanna join us." Zack replied while motioning to some open seats.

"Are you sure that's okay?" Ari asked sensing the powerful leaders present at the table.

"There are no reserved seats here so you can all dine where you please," Zack replied.

"Who are you?" Samuel asked John.

"He's one of the people I mentioned," Zack said while taking a drink of his cup.

"Do you mind if I test something?" Samuel requested while giving John a serious look.

"S-sure," John replied.

Samuel got up face to face with John and plunged his hand within him. John winced as an empty look swept his eyes, and a dim light dwelled within his pupil. The others panicked when they realized Samuel's arm in John's stomach for only a few were capable of seeing the attack.

Zack could sense something odd, and felt no malicious intent. There wasn't even a trickle of blood present, and because of this Zack calmed the others allowing Samuel to continue. Samuel retrieved his hand as John's eyes returned to normal.

"What kind of test are you gonna do?" John investigated.

"You didn't feel that?" Ari asked.

John had a confused look on his face and wasn't sure how to respond.

"That was a little excessive for a test." Lilith scolded.

Samuel couldn't believe a human-like this stood before him. All the mortals who were righteous ascended to heaven long ago. Those left on the earth were considered damned and were no longer granted entrance to paradise.

Purgatory is filled with souls who've passed since, but John was still capable of going to heaven proving he comes from a different world. The thing that puzzled Samuel was the method of creation was identical to the humans here. Feeling the light within John he was certain it was the same creator.

'If he lost faith in us, and started again I wouldn't be surprised.'

"Sorry for being so forward I had to know," Samuel told John.

"What did you discover?" Zack asked.

"I can only tell you so much without breaking my oath. If you really want answers you have to come with us to the pit, but it will be a dangerous environment for someone like you," Samuel told Zack.

"The others might stand down if he's with us, but Lucifer wouldn't," Lilith said while glaring at Samuel.

"I said it would be a dangerous environment. If you really want answers about Malachi, and these people meeting Lucifer is the only way," Samuel replied.

"When are you going?" Zack asked.

"Next month but if you're going you have to be ready to fight. Having defeated Modestus in battle there will be many seeing that as a way to test their skills. You can hide your aura well so we might be able to avoid detection, but you need to be prepared for the worst." Samuel told Zack.