SSS-Ranked Evolution: Worlds Unbound-Chapter 94: don’t buy

Luna’s snort brought him back from his headspace, noting he was too far behind, he picked up the pace. For hours, they walked till it was time to rest under a tree and find something to eat. Luna was pretty good at that as she had brought numerous small animals for him and her to share. She only gave him one while she ate the remaining. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Ren’s life had changed since he awakened beast taming. Who would have thought that the small town boy could be something great? Who would have thought he would be risking his life for beasts? For a hot minute, Irina’s eyes flashed in his mind, her smile, and guilt struck him like lightning struck the earth. He could still hear her voice, telling him not to look back, telling him to run.

From inside his tunic, he exhumed the golden card she had given him. He had no idea what it did, but he was sure it was so precious, yet she made the choice to give it to him. And he allowed the empire to get her. With a sigh, he pushed himself to his feet, it was afternoon, it was best to cover any distance before nightfall.

Soon evening arrived, and it was soon time to camp as it would be too dark to continue in the forest, but just as he was picking a good spot, Luna’s barking alerted him, and he ran to her to see what she was sniffing. Laid in front of them was a trap, "people..." Ren examined it carefully. He had seen this trap before, it was one of the good ones used for catching really big animals and wolves. It was good Luna had not stepped on it, or it could have as well taken her leg off. But if the trap was there, it meant there was a settlement close by.

Ditching the idea of camping for the night, he pressed on until night, heavily relying on the small torch he carried and Luna’s nose and instinct. And just as he had expected, he reached the gates of a settlement. The large signboard greeted him as he crossed the border. Eblan, was the name that was written on the wooden board, but it was quiet.

Too quiet.

The crunching of the sand beneath his soles could be heard, as he moved deeper into the town. Buildings were still standing and one looked recently painted, Luna had shifted to his side, her nose constantly twitching, taking in all the scents around. Instinctively, he heard movements that were not his own. He froze in his tracks, and suddenly, Luna did the same.

His eyes lifted to higher altitude, on the rooftops of the buildings, many archers stood with their bows drawn at them, waiting for the command of their leader. Ren rolled his eyes and knew he had walked into a death trap.

"State your business kid!" The commander, who had the biggest arrow in the firing squad, gave Ren a chance to explain who he was before at least a hundred arrows were cemented into his body.

"A traveller. I come seeking rest!" with his hands in the air, he went down on his knees, signifying he wasn’t a treat and didn’t have any business being one to them. Luna, understanding what was going on, also laid down beside Ren in submission but they both knew that if they made the mistake of hurting either, there would be a mass bloodshed. It took a few seconds and murmurs before the commander lowered his bow, making everyone follow suit.

"Lead yourself and your partner to the main centre, the chief will meet you there." and with that, the archers slowly disappeared from view, one by one. Ren got up from his position and so did Luna and with a bold step, moved to the town square. It wasn’t hard to find, most towns built by the Tzen empire had intricate cobblestone roads that indicated that they were on the right way to the centre of the town.

When they reached there, people were murmuring from corners, gazing at the duo in fear. They asked so many questions, one of the many was audible to re, "what is he doing with that beast?" it came from the life beaten woman who held a worn expression, mixed with a feeling of pity for Ren, believing that Luna would eat him.

Ren instantly deduced that people were not really afraid of him but of Luna. He looked down at Luna, she did look a little fierce, but Ren thought she was just a huge goof ball that acted tough from time to time. Or maybe they have had bad experiences?

His train of thoughts was broken when a new energy Joined him at the town square. The figure was dressed in an old robe and her grey hair hung gorgeously off her shoulders, stopping at the middle of her back. Wrinkles decorated her face as a sign of old age and though her skin had faded, she was still beautiful for an old woman. She wore a simple necklace adorned with jade stones, signifying she held the most importance in the town.

She was Eblan’s chief.

as soon as possible. I believe we have begun?"

"Yes my queen, we have opened the tunnels and—" Rami was cut short when the tune of the horn registered into their brain cells. It was followed by heavy trooping and soon the place was in a disarray, "an attack?!"

"Intruders should not be allowed to live!" Th her of something.

Someone.

"You are strong, but I never lose." That was the whisper she heard, in the wind and when she turned, White Rose was just about to cut her head off with a clean swipe. Her pupils constricted as the blade neared her throat. It was so fast.

It would be disrespectful to him to go down that route, we should let him go and pray that he comes back victorious." it hurt her to say that, but Ren has not given her the choice to say something better, "we take care of here and plan for evacuation as soon as possible. I believe we have begun?"

"Yes my queen, we have opened the tunnels and—" Rami was cut short when the tune of the horn registered into their brain cells. It was followed by heavy trooping and soon the place was in a disarray, "an attack?!"

"Intruders should not be allowed to live!" The queen in her sprung forward and immediately, Rami was behind her. As they ran to the place their people had trooped to, the temperature fell and the chill in the air made them shiver but they didnt stop running. The faster they moved, the more the frozen figures of their people came to view, "what in the heavens?" Reina was disoriented, but disorientation cleared when a wave of ice dagger was thrown at them.

It forced them to separate, Rami rolling to evade some while Reina flipped over her batch. When they both landed, Reina had her claws out ready to fight and Rami had brought out a short sword. What they met in front of them was a woman who was as white as snow. She wore garbs and a mask to cover her face, her hair was white, and her blue eyes were menacing. She stood beside a frozen tiger and broke his head off, admiring it as a gift to give to her master.

"Intruder! Who are you? And what are you seeking?!" Rami drew a defensive, coming in front of Reina but the emotion in the woman’s eyes was that of boredom, she took her time to speak, she never rushed after all.

"I have come for the queen, give her to me and I will let you live. Refuse, and you will end up like the others." out of her hand, she materialized a blade of ice, and when it shattered, it revealed an intricately carved dagger, but that didn’t phase Rami. The woman had a dark chill to her voice and soon her expression became unreadable, "the empire has needs of her."

"Death it is." Rami charged for the assassin, White Rose.

In a blur of movement, Rami charged, her short sword aimed for White Rose’s chest. But in an instant, White Rose vanished, leaving a trail of icy mist in her wake. The assassin reappeared behind Rami with a whisper of frost in the air, her dagger aimed for Rami’s back.

Rami reacted just in time, twirling gracefully and meeting the ice dagger with the edge of her blade. The clash sent a sharp shockwave through the clearing, both combatants skidding back from the impact.

Rami smirked, "You have to do more than that to get me down."

White Rose’s expression remained cold and unreadable. Without warning, she disappeared again.

Rami’s instincts kicked in, and she glanced upward just in time to see White Rose descending from above, dagger poised for a deadly strike. With a sharp intake of h turn, tasting the blood e