Chapter 37
Chapter 37
Toney wondered, Who the hell did this?”
Toney’s face contorted with rage as he touched down from his sword and marched ahead. But the farther he pushed into the valley, the more a hollow despair gnawed at him.
Everything was gone. Not a trace left.
Except for scattered weeds, every worthwhile Mystic Silver–Leaf had been ripped out, roots, dirt, the works, leaving the ground pristine.
Just freshly turned soil remained. Toss in some seeds now, and in fifty years, maybe it’d grow back into a proper Apothecary Garden.
For now, though? Total wasteland. Well, except for those weeds.
Marietta’s face had drained of color too. The dense mist hanging high overhead hid the truth below, creating an illusion of lush plenty. No one’d have thought that stepping inside would reveal… nothing.
They might as well have stuck to the ram’s belly area.
“Toney…” Marietta’s voice came out small and hesitant. “Did we arrive too late?”
No matter how furious she felt inside, she didn’t dare show it around Toney.
He offered reassurance. “Don’t fret. This valley’s massive. Whoever pulled this off couldn’t have cleared out every single thing. They lacked the time and the strength for it.”
Marietta considered that and nodded. Yeah, that tracked.
Ram–Head Valley pulsed with rich mana, overflowing with endless Mystic Silver–Leaves and exotic beasts. Sure, the Sovereign Pips were the star attraction, but the other rare plants were just as plentiful.
Maxwell Kaufman was an Apothecary, and Marietta had hoped to gather a haul of Mystic Silver–Leaves for him, maybe trade them for some Spirit–Mending Bolus to steady her essence and feed her spirit.
Returning with zilch? That’d make the entire outing a bust.
The duo rallied and pressed on deeper.
But everywhere they looked was desolation. Forget prizes like Raven Sloes or Sanguine Swifts. Even the most basic first- grade herbs were nowhere to be found.
The valley had been stripped bare.
When they hit the spot on the map marked for Dusk–Tart Orchards and gaped at the empty pits where they’d been dug up, Toney’s anger erupted, impossible to contain. Even Marietta kept her mouth shut.
Toney said, “They uprooted the whole goddamn trees. Who the fuck does something like that?”
Toney itched to smash a tree in frustration, but there weren’t any around to take it out on, just barren emptiness, nothing.
Then, sounds stirred up ahead. Toney’s head jerked up. Someone was out there.
He moved instantly. “Come on.”
Marietta stuck close behind.
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As they closed in, voices cut through the thick mist. “Snag that thing, don’t let it get away! That’s a Sovereign Pip
Twin bursts of sword energy echoed, like they were pinning something down.
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Toney didn’t hesitate. He yanked out his blade and sent it flying transforming into a beam of light that sliced through the fog and struck inside.
Clangs rang out.
The opponents countered, deflecting the blow. The sword bounced back into Toney’s hand amid an outraged yell
“Who’s ambushing us?”
Toney let out a cold laugh as he barreled in. “Ambush? You’re the scum who deserve to drop dead.”
He thought, Yanking treasures and destroying their roots, leaving jack shit for the rest of us! Utterly shameless! They need to
die!‘
In the choking mist, neither group could see the other clearly, but they’d already clashed multiple times. Toney poured out every ounce of his pent–up rage.
Marietta stayed glued to his flank, not budging an inch, casting spells purely to bog down the foes. “Toney, there are three of them.”
“No wonder they worked so fast!” Toney snarled through gritted teeth. “Fine, now we’ll force ‘em to spit it all back out!”
The words only fueled the Nimbus Bastion students‘ fury. “Treasure snatchers!”
They’d tailed that Alchemical Arbor for a solid day and night, finally cornering it in the Enchantment’s heart, seconds from claiming it. But at the pivotal moment, these vultures swoop in to steal the prize.
Like hell the trio would let that slide.
“Take their lives.” They exchanged glances, eyes brimming with killing intent.
Especially Mario Roman, the Foundation Phase guy. This Sovereign Pip was his ticket. One bite, and he’d surge to Gilded
Phase.
He discreetly fished the relic from his robes: a Thunder Orb, Gradle–3 Relic with the wallop of a mid–Condensation of the Primal Core powerhouse’s all–out strike.
Spotting an opening in the melee, he flung it right at Toney.
Thunder crackled and boomed as the bolt shot straight at Toney and Marietta. Toney darted in front of her, flashing through hand seals with one swift motion. “Earth spirit, rise!”
Walls of dirt erupted in front of them, stacking into layered barriers.
But the lightning arced over the high walls, crashing down on Toney before they could seal shut. Half his body went numb from the jolt, but in that split–second, he sank into the ground.
Mario lunged after him.
Alfredo Davis cut him off. “Focus on the Alchemical Arbor first. This clown won’t get far. We’ll track him later. You hang back and pick the fruits.”
Mario bit back his anger. “Alfredo, no survivors.”
“Understood.”
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Chapter 37.
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If news got out that they’d snagged a Alchemical Arbor brimming with Sovereign Pips, Nimbus Bastion would be in deep shit. This was an entire goddamn Core Orchard, after all. Alfredo was itching to rack up major points for the sect
“Stay with Mario.”
“Got it.”
Alfredo took off in pursuit by himself.
But as he followed the trail, there was no sign of Toney or Marieta. “This isn’t right. I was right on the earth escape tracks. How the hell did they just… disappear?”
The ground markings ended cold halfway.
Alfredo scowled, poring over the spot for what felt like forever, his pulse racing faster. He jerked his head up, eyeing the area, and blurted, “Hold on, this valley…
“Why’s it so empty?”
“Wait, that’s not the point.” Alfredo spun on his heel in a heartbeat. “We’ve been played.”
He bolted back, thanking his stars he’d left backup with Mario, but he still got there too late.
By then, Toney had already rammed his sword through one guy’s chest, shattering his Gilded Core in the process, leaving just the Foundation Phase–level Mario.
Mario gawked at the downed guy, his voice shrill. “You dare kill me?”
Toney smirked coldly. “Survival of the fittest. Shut your trap.” He swung his arm, slashing right at Mario for the finishing blow.
But Mario wasn’t out of aces yet. In a flash, he unleashed another Thunder Orb.
Toney’s face tightened, but at the critical moment, a column of water burst up to meet the lightning, diverting the orb’s energy sideways.
It hammered into the ground with a massive explosion.
The strain left Marietta looking ghostly pale, though.
Toney’s expression turned stormy. “You bastard, hurting Marietta?”
Mario whirled and ran for it, but he wasn’t fast enough. Toney’s blade punched through his heart. Eyes wide in shock, he crumpled to the dirt.
In his dying gaze, locked on the swirling mist ahead, a vague shadow flickered in the fog’s reflection.
But Toney, already pivoting to Marietta, didn’t catch it.
“Marietta, you okay?” Toney asked, worry creasing his brow.
Marietta panted. “I… I’m fine.”
Toney pressed a Fortifying Bolus into her hand. “Take this and absorb it fully.”
“Okay.” Marietta popped the first–grade Bolus and started drawing in its energy right away.
Once her color returned, Toney supported her as they headed toward the Alchemical Arbor, caught in the Enchantment’s grip. “These clowns had some skills, I’ll give ‘em that.”
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The Enchantment holding the Alchemical Arbor was third–grade stuff. Usually, only folks from big sects dabbled in first–or second–grade Enchantments, while third–grade was reserved for inner students and elders.
As Coleman’s own apprentice, Toney knew his way around Enchantments, but it wasn’t his strong suit. He mostly topped out at second–grade day–to–day.
This one was a real pain in the ass.
“Wish Maxwell was here,” Toney mused inwardly.
Marietta piped up, “Toney, can you crack it?”
No way Toney would say no in front of her. “Just needs a bit of time.”
Marietta got to her feet. “I’ll watch your back, Toney.”
She zipped through seals. “Water spirits, assemble.”
In seconds, droplets of water rushed in from everywhere, swirling around Toney and Marietta to create a seamless watery shield.
The mist up front thickened, billowing into an extra layer of fog that hid them completely. When Alfredo showed up, he’d be fumbling around blind in the haze.
“Appreciate it, Marietta,” Toney said gently.
“Toney, let’s get cracking, no time to lose.”
Toney gave a nod.
As he set to work unraveling the Enchantment, Marietta let her ambition show, no more hiding it. Her eyes burned with hunger as they locked onto the branches laden with Sovereign Pips.
And right at the top, one that looked perfectly ripe… an Astral Sovereign Form Pip.
