A deep gush of red could be seen on Maximo's hind legs. The cut was above his knee.

Maximo's hoof wobbled, his wild trashing stopped all of a sudden. Ellie got up from sliding off and stared at Maximo playfully. She retreated a few steps to keep a distance from Maximo. "Hehehe... Don't worry, you'll ultimately die, just slowly, okay?"

Ellie waved the dagger elegantly in the air as she strolled closer towards Maximo. While walking, she maintained her grin. She looked terrifying, especially her face and arms that were full of violet bruises.

There was a reason why Ellie returned to retrieve this dagger. According to the story of Bruno's gang members, the blade was obtained from the claw of a human-sized bat. They said the battle was a complete struggle and chaos. Their number of evolved humans had even dwindled because of that fight. They said that the bat was only killed because of Bruno's luck.

The bat was a Last Stage Level One° animal. The gang had tried it, and they could confirm the sharpness of the bat's claw. It could slice off metals like it was cutting a piece of paper.

It was also the reason why Bruno was very fond of the two daggers. Aside from being a trophy, they were a terrifying weapon, in his opinion.

Ellie had also personally witnessed it, that's why she didn't want to let go of the dagger. However, she knew that even with the strongest dagger, if she were not strong enough, she would not be able to contend with the likes of Nile and Bruno. She could only escape with her tail behind her back.

But now, the two were fighting outside. No one would stop Ellie from retrieving the dagger. The carabao was the only one hindering her, or it was because she chose to be hindered by the carabao, instead. Even though she could escape already, she chooses not to. At least, not until her enjoyment runs out for killing the carabao.

As Ellie moved closer, Maximo was also retreating while whipping the blood that streams from his eyes. Maximo's butt then bumped the wall behind him. He was stuck in the room's corner. He had nowhere to retreat.

Ellie stared down at Maximo as she kept on getting closer. Maximo trembled. He could already see his demise.

However, Maximo did not give up. Using all his courage, Maximo firmly held the sledgehammer on his tail, his eyes that were full of determination stared at the approaching Ellie. Maximo already knew he would die. All he wanted to do right now was to take Ellie along with him.

Maximo's could no longer see clearly. He thought that his vision was only covered with blood, denying him from seeing clearly.

When Ellie's body was already close enough, Maximo produced a snort as his body moved at a terrifying speed towards Ellie.

Ellie was surprised by the speed exhibited by Maximo. It was faster than before. She then realized that the carabao's tail was no longer holding a sledgehammer.

The next moment, Ellie bulged her eyes out as an impact, comparable to being hit with a truck, struck her stomach. Her body flew for a few meters before it got smashed on the wall.

Smokes and dust rose in the air. A deep crater could be seen on the room's wall. Below it, Ellie was coughing out a massive amount of blood. Holding the dagger, she struggled to get up from the ground.

Her left hand was fractured. It was hanging on her shoulder, limply. While coughing blood, Ellie said mockingly. "Ihehehe, I almost died there bitch."

Maximo weakly slumped to the ground. He had already done his best. He was hoping to kill Ellie with that attack; unfortunately, Ellie didn't die. She could still move.

Maximo's energy had already been depleted. He could only watch Ellie's figure get closer while breathing heavily.

Ellie dragged her body towards where Maximo was. Her lips were leaking blood as she kept on producing a devil's grin. She wanted to finish the carabao already then escape after that.

She thought how good it would be if she could taste the carabao's meat. However, she knew that she no longer had the time. Her energy was already running low. If Nile or Bruno noticed her at this moment, all they needed to do was to kick her lightly, and she knew she would die immediately.

Ellie raised the sharp dagger high in the air. Her eyes coldly look at the exhausted carabao.

"Dieeeeee!"

Maximo helplessly stared at the incoming dagger aimed below his neck. It was the area that was not covered by his hard carapace.

In Maximo's vision, the dagger moved at a very slow speed. However, as slow as it was, he knew that he could no longer move. Helplessly, he closed his eyes as he waited for the dagger to end his life.

Maximo then recalled the memories he experienced after mutating.

He was in the middle of the sugar cane plantation at that time. The farmer raised him along with his brethren. They were kept inside a huge fence. The farmer would return at a fixed time to feed them.

However, they didn't know why, but the farmer no longer returned to feed them again. After a couple of days, they finally saw the farmer at the fence's gate.

As usual, they gathered at that location to receive the farmer and the grass he usually brought to raise them. However, Maximo noticed that the farmer was a little different this time. He keeps on banging the gate of the fence as if trying to break it open.

As smart as he was, Maximo could not interpret what was happening. Along with his brethren, they expectantly waited for the farmer to open the gate and feed them already.

They competed for the first spot. The first spot would receive a rub from the farmer as well as the privilege to eat first.

After a few hours of striking, the gate finally collapsed to the ground. The carabaos were startled as they retreated for a few steps. The farmer also collapsed to the ground along with the gate.

After a few breaths, seeing there's no movement from the farmer, they closed in again in curiosity. Of course, the one who obtained the first spot earlier was the one that approached the farmer first.

However, that carabao was not able to close into the farmer's body as the farmer himself had suddenly pounced on the carabao's neck, biting off a chunk of meat from it. The carabao retreated immediately; it was frightened. It kept on running around the fence before it ultimately collapsed to the ground convulsing.

Maximo curiously stared at the farmer again. This time, the farmer had already bitten two more of his brethren. Maximo was able to tell that something was off, but some of his friends did not. They continued to stare at the farmer's action as more and more of them got bitten.

Realizing the danger they were in, Maximo 'mooed' loudly to warn his friends. After hearing him, his friends ran in hysteria while some of them turned and attacked the farmer that raised them.

Using the broken gate, some of them had already escaped, while Maximo himself stared at the ongoing event flabbergasted. Je wanted to reach out to the farmer but was afraid. It was then when one of the carabao's horns successfully impaled the farmer's head.

All of them stopped to watch the lifeless body of the farmer fall to the ground. The carabao that had landed the attack 'mooed' loudly as if claiming victory. It keeps on jumping around while mooing when suddenly, the carabao who got bitten first pounced and bit its neck.

After a few minutes, the carabao claiming the victory dropped to the ground and convulsed wildly. Maximo stared at the scene dumbfoundedly. He then looked around himself and realized that it was happening all around him.

One carabao wanted to bite Maximo's neck, but he was able to dodge it easily. Maximo didn't know what was going on, but he knew that he should escape. Using the broken fence, Maximo dashed and fled the scene as fast as possible.

He ran and ran until he no longer knew where he was currently at. All he knew was that at this moment, his brethren inside the fence were already finished. Maximo felt bitter for abandoning them, but he knew that he wouldn't be able to do anything even if he went back.

A few weeks had passed, and Maximo was traveling without direction. He would stop and eat some grass to satiate his hunger. Maximo would avoid other animals if he saw any. Especially people who acted just like the farmer during that day.

One time, Maximo was strolling in the vast sugarcane field when a figure pounced on him. After eating different kinds of grasses and fruits, Maximo unknowingly strengthened himself until Early Stage Level One°.

Maximo realized that the figure who pounced on him was a person, just like the farmer who raised them. Maximo could tell that the person was not trying to bite his neck. Instead, it was aiming to kill him.

Maximo got startled as he tried to defend himself. However, he soon realized that the person was stronger than him. It was at this moment that he saw another person on the corner of his eyes.

However, unlike the person trying to kill him, the newly arrived person only looked at them as if he was watching a good show. The newly arrived person even started to eat while watching them fight.

Maximo then realized that the newly arrived person's action was different from the farmer and the person trying to kill him.

Maximo was already on the verge of dying, as the person kept on punching him. Maximo stared at the newly arrived person expectantly, asking for help.

And then it happened, the newly arrived person easily defeated and killed the person who wanted to kill him. The newly arrived person also helps him to recover by materializing water out of thin air.

It was the start of Maximo's fun and happy memory.

However, it was unfortunate that it would end now. A dagger was trying to end Maximo's life.

Maximo thought that he should have gone for the head earlier with his last attack. Sigh*!

Maximo keeps on recalling the happy moments and his regret as he waits for his death.

However, Maximo got confused as he heard a woman's ear-piercing scream.

He opened his remaining eye, and what he saw made his body shudder in ecstasy.