"Alright, go ahead and hit me. After you're done, send me to the hospital. I'll lie there for a few days, and by the time I'm out, those guys will probably still be recovering in the medical pods. That way, I'll have two extra days of activity over them."
Victor had completely given up. He sat there with a resigned and lazy expression, ready to endure a beating without any resistance.
"If you had made a real effort to hide and I caught you, of course, I'd rough you up a bit. But with this attitude, I don't even feel like hitting you," Muria said as he crouched down, grabbed Victor by the shoulder with one hand, and lifted him effortlessly.
"What are you planning to do to me now?" Victor tilted his head, remaining in his non-violent, non-resistant stance. If Muria wanted to hit him, so be it. He wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of putting up a fight.
"Victor, do you really think I brought you here just to change the venue for beating you up?" Muria's lips curled into a mysterious smile.
"Isn't that the case?" Victor replied, convinced that the only reason they were in the jungle was for Muria to find new ways to torment them. After all, the area had already been cleared of significant threats.
"This forest has indeed been cleansed of anything that could seriously endanger your lives by the family's Star Armor warriors. However, plenty of mid-level native creatures remain. If you're careless, they could still kill you.
"For the next three days, you'll not only have to deal with me hunting you but also contend with the anger of this forest's inhabitants."
"Why are you telling me this? Just go ahead and hit me, then send me to the hospital," Victor replied impatiently.
"I already told you—I don't feel like hitting you." Muria raised an eyebrow as he reached for Victor's other arm.
"What are you doing to me?" Victor exclaimed in a mix of shock and anger as he realized his arm had been dislocated by Muria within moments.
"Relax. Didn't you say you wouldn't resist? Just stay put," Muria said nonchalantly as he methodically dismantled Victor's joints. When the Star Armor blocked his efforts, he simply snapped pieces of it apart.
The Star Armor, a complex system made of hundreds of interlocking metal plates bonded by the Star Mastery ability, was something no ordinary person could wear or operate.
Victor hesitated briefly, but in that moment of indecision, Muria had already folded him back into a ball.
"When I first did this, I wanted to kick you, but your parents were watching. I couldn't do it then. Now, I finally get the chance."
Muria held the balled-up Victor in his hands, smiling mischievously. Despite being nearly a thousand years old, he indulged in this childish prank. Since no one familiar with him was around, he decided to let loose a little.
"Wait, wait, Jeros! Put me down!" Victor shouted, fully aware of what Muria was about to do. He tried to activate his Star Armor in defiance.
"Save your Star Armor; you'll need it to survive the next three days," Muria advised, giving Victor no time to act. He stepped back, then launched a powerful kick at Victor's balled-up form.
"Off you go!"
With that mighty kick, Victor shot into the air like a black shadow. The force sent him crashing through branches and trees along his path.
…
A massive green-scaled python lounged on a tree, basking in the golden sunlight. The rays glinted faintly on its scales, giving it an imposing and majestic aura.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, the sound of an object slicing through the air reached the python's ears. A black shadow streaked past, stirring a gale that broke the tree branch the python had been resting on.
What was that?
The startled python snapped out of its lazy state and coiled its massive body in a defensive posture. Its intelligent eyes scanned its surroundings.
It glanced at the broken branch, then looked up at the sky before lowering its gaze to the forest floor. A trace of confusion flickered in its eyes.
Something fast just flew by, right?
The python, possessing intelligence rivaling that of a human, deduced that an object had fallen from the sky and crashed below. It slithered gracefully down the tree, following the trail of destruction.
…
"Jeros, you're such a bastard!"
Having been kicked like a ball and sent flying an unknown distance, Victor now lay sprawled on the forest floor, dazed and groaning.
"Now I have to reset my bones!" he muttered, cursing under his breath. His limbs felt weak, but he managed to activate his Star Armor to assist in realigning his dislocated joints.
Over time, Victor had picked up some basic techniques from Muria, including how to set his own bones. However, his skills were rudimentary, and the process was excruciatingly slow.
But in the wild jungle, time was not a luxury he had.
Hiss…
The unmistakable sound of a serpent's hiss reached Victor's ears. He froze, then slowly turned his head. A massive green-scaled python was slithering toward him, its eyes filled with curiosity.
"Damn it!" For the first time, Victor felt genuine fear, a stark contrast to his earlier indifference. The threat of death loomed over him.
While Muria's training was brutal, Victor had always known it was under the family's supervision. No matter how much he suffered, he was never in real danger.
This time was different. The python before him was no family-controlled creature. It was a wild beast, and Victor was certain of it.
"You better not come any closer, or I won't hold back!" Victor shouted, deploying his external weapons and unleashing a barrage of firepower on the python.
Hiss!
The serpent roared in defiance. Its scales gleamed with a faint light, repelling most of the projectiles. Only a few shots managed to graze its body, producing metallic clinks before falling harmlessly to the ground.
"Why is it so tough?" Victor muttered, dumbfounded as his relentless assault failed to do significant damage.
Despite his valiant effort, Victor's performance was pathetic. His "fierce" moves were ultimately futile.
Worse, his attack had only enraged the python. With a thunderous hiss, it lunged at him, its massive body crashing through the forest.
…
"Jeros, there's been an incident," came a stern voice over Muria's communicator just as he began to stroll away from where he'd kicked Victor.
"What happened? Did someone stumble upon one of the six-star native creatures left behind?" Muria asked curiously. At his suggestion, the family had left a few high-level creatures in the jungle to add a layer of challenge.
"Yes. Victor has entered the territory of one of those creatures at an alarming speed. His signal now overlaps with the creature's, but his life readings are still active."
"Overlapping? What does that mean?" Muria smirked wryly. "Did my kick send him flying into its nest? Or is he just that unlucky?"
"Two possibilities. One: Victor is in direct contact with the creature—he might have been swallowed."
"So, Victor's situation is grim, right? The family wants me to rescue him," Muria guessed, rubbing his chin.
"Exactly."
"Fine, I'll go," Muria agreed.
"No need for you to intervene directly. One of your domesticated creatures is closer. Command it to assist him."
"Understood," Muria replied. He had included his own "pets" in the training for added difficulty, and now it seemed they would serve another purpose.
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