RB Chapter 18 Growth

(Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaassssssss.....!!!)

The scream which evolved into a hiss caused Elec to tremble uncontrollably! The sheer rage and other emotions contained could be felt.

He had gotten quieter from the moment they left Leah in the beast's clutches.

Both boys were each silent as Eric led the way, but if you saw how Eric was slashing the undergrowth blocking the way, you would know that his thoughts too were in turmoil.

He was tightly holding the blade and practising handling its drawing speed. He was gripping it too tight and his teeth were gritted.

If Elec wasn't his master, he would have butchered him!

That scream had caused a chill to creep up his back. That girl was going to remember this!

Both were in a gloomy mood so no conversation was carried out as they proceeded around Leah's location.

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The rabbit monster jumped out of the way, but not before being grazed by a fang. Its shoulder was smoking, a sign that a trace of poison had infiltrated.

But snake Leah didn't let up!

She followed wherever the rabbit retreated to...burn marks were left on the tree trunks and branches due to the friction created by the snake moving at high speeds.

The rabbit jumped from tree to tree...the snake launched itself from tree to tree...the chase continued in such a manner but, the green snake never managed to once again land an attack!

The rabbit monster was simply too fast, but due to inheriting Leah's previous emotional state, it continued its pursuit relentlessly!

The rabbit monster made sure to never stray too far from the clearing, instead opting to lead the venomous snake in circles...clearly toying with it!

But the snake nevertheless followed relentlessly. Leah had opted to go out fighting, so her snake form never ceased to let up on the rabbit's heels!

After some time...maybe a few minutes, the rabbit got tired and once again landed in the clearing.

The green snake took the bait and launched itself from the tree it had been on towards the rabbit...its mouth wide open!

The rabbit monster, moved a step to the left, dodging the snake and turned to bite the neck, effectively separating the head from the rest of the body!

It had been so fast!...much faster than when the it had been evading the snake!

Its mouth had widened to a width surpassing that of the snake's width in order to be able to cut through its entirety.

The torso writhed on the ground a few times before stopping and turning into green particles which spread in the surrounding.

The rabbit had hurriedly swallowed the head to prevent the same thing from happening to it.

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Elec...currently his thoughts were a mess! He was divided between what to do.

'Should I apologise when I meet her or should I explain myself?'

Such a pointless argument was going through his mind that he didn't even have the spare capacity to inspect his surrounding! His body was just mechanically following after Eric, not registering any change in course.

'She might want to kill me! Should I simply ignore her?...but she's my only friend apart from that hanger-on!'

That was true! Elec had zero friends apart from Mordred and Leah! It was made that way when he continuously lost to the lion cubs!

A bright light made him squint his eyes rousing him from his conteplation. For some reason, they were outside the forest overlooking the city walls! The bright sunlight had been too dazzling for him, who had just come out from a gloomy forest.

"Hah?! How come I didn't know that we were turning back? Eric?!" He asked as he moved his gaze rapidly between the forest and the city walls.

"Master! Our minds aren't in any way in shape to continue with the hunt! We will simply be going to our deaths! Let's go back to the city and log out. We will come back another day." Eric suggested.

A look of fatigue was in his eyes. He had been juggling being vigilant with the dark thoughts in his mind about how to kill Elec!

His master had simply disgraced him and now he was also wondering whether Elec would send him to his death in a real life situation. It was something which was torturing him.

"Okay, let's go!" Even Elec had to agree.

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"Ah! Haaaaaah!" The person who was letting out a deep breath was Leah. She had just risen from the pod.

Her entire body was trembling and she was sweating profusely.

Her clothes were sticking to her curves.

'Did I just completely become a serpent?' Her heart was beating rapidly.

She remembered everything the snake did, when it was chasing after the rabbit, but it was like she had been disconnected...like watching a thrilling movie or something. But it had still been horrific enough to leave her in her current state!

'Elec! I will remember this!' She gritted her teeth hatefully.

"My mother was right! Nothing good will ever come out of befriending him!" She mumbled as she rose out of the pod.

She unzipped the dress and let it slide down her body. Her curvy body and medium sized peaks appeared in full view.

She directly headed for the bath.

"That rabbit monster was terrifying! I learnt my lesson! Never let your guard down!" She was mumbling her thoughts.

Leah was a very clever person, she was currently simulating the two battles with the monsters and finding the flaws which she had made.

As she leaned in the tab, she closed her eyes and started analysing her mistakes.

'I shouldn't have let my guard down after killing the first monster...I shouldn't have put my faith in someone else...yes, I need to rely on only myself more if I want to surpass Elena, that bitch!'

"I should probably cut my ties with that piece of trash Elec!" She mumbled as she leaned back in the bath tub.

The warm water on her skin made her feel comfortable.

'...but then, whom should I befriend? The other scions are a bunch of idiots who are only after sex!'

'Eric...mmmmm...too bad he is just on temporary living and he will be the sacrifice...he is a good person with a decent head on his shoulders.' She sighed for him.

'Elec Elec Elec...that guy should be wondering what to do to explain himself, but this time he went too far...I should no longer think about it.'

That betrayal...or you could call it a fracture of trust had led to Leah maturing, even if just a little.

'I should ask mother...haaa!...I don't like the disgusting thing I saw that woman doing but, I need her help! If only there was a shortcut to reach her level of strength in a short period of time?'

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'How I wish I was free from him!'

Eric lamented as he pretended to sleep.

It was currently 5:00pm. They had left the virtual world and were currently each laid on his bed lost in their thoughts.

The door to the room opened after a knock.

Eric looked towards it to see that it was Lisa.

"Do you boys need some snacks?" She asked.

"Go away, mother!" Elec said without even opening his eyes.

"Don't talk to me like that! Or else..."

"Or else...what? Hah? If you had been strict with me since young and not wallowing in your despair like I always saw you, I wouldn't have turned out like this! I finally figured out why I hate you, and that's the reason!" He shouted as he jumped from his bed.

He had shocked both Lisa and Eric. Eric hadn't been reading his thoughts, so he hadn't known what had been in Elec's head.

Lisa's eyes widened and then realisation finally set in.

'He's right! I have been blaming him, yet, what was I doing? Instead of raising my son the right way, I have been simply monotonously going on with my life and not caring about him!'

She collapsed on her knees as tears rolled down her eyes.

Since she had covered them, Eric couldn't see what expression she was making.

"Did you know?...I used to see other children being hugged by their mothers when it was time for picking them up in middle school! At that time I thought,'what's the big deal?' but, I felt a prickly feeling in my heart! Now look at what I turned out as?...a cowardly person who would leave their only friend to die!" He panted after finishing with tears rolling down his eyes.

Eric had long been blindsided.

He never knew his master had such issues!

He didn't know how it was eating away at his master that he had left his friend out to die.

"Die!...wha-what are you talking about?" Lisa hurriedly stood up and appeared in front of her son with a look of inquiry.

"I left Leah to die in the virtual wilderness because I was cowardly and feared for my life!" He confided while turning his face to the side. He didn't want Lisa to see his tears but it was pointless.

"I am so sorry!" She apologised as she hugged him.

'Mother's hug is warm?! Nonono...she abandoned me! She can't be forgiven that fast, but...just a little longer.'

Eric read his master's thoughts, who was hugging Lisa tightly.

'He is still a kid!' He thought.

"I don't think I can forgive you that fast. I hope you change from now on!" Elec said after both of them had calmed down and let go of each other.