The combatants quickly absorbed the blood from their monster’s allocated quota, not letting it go to waste. Edward was able to absorb the power faster than the others, but with seven bodies to absorb from instead of two, he was the last one to finish.

They have more blood essence than Murlocs, but seven monsters are not giving me enough blood. I need moooore. When is Osoris going to give the order to continue the chase?

Edward paused, eyes widening, as he realized how much he was craving blood.

This is crazy, it’s starting to affect my thinking. Even right now his hands were shaking lightly from desire. I feel as if it is even more intense than when I breached the awaken level. I am really close to the next level now. But I need to be careful, it is difficult to think straight with such a potent craze.

I understand now, that the increasing requirements in blood essence to reach the next level is only half the reason why there are so few predators. Right now, I feel like I must pursue the stragglers in the forest even if I have to go alone. I know it is dangerous but I’m not able to care. This craze state must have led many adventurers to their demise. God, I just need more blood so much.

Edward shook his head and took a long breath to clear his mind.

I feel as if I’m a drug addict. This state is making me insane.

Edward didn’t have to deliberate any longer, Osoris indeed gave the order to pursue the stragglers.

“We have wiped out our first group of Lusus naturae but we can’t stop there. Those monsters are overflowing, if we go back now, I guarantee they will be back in less than a month. We need to find where they are coming from. They may be monsters but they must come from somewhere. I want to find their nursery and raze it to the ground. With the numbers we have killed there shouldn’t be many monsters left to keep guard on their home. Now is the best time to investigate the forest,” he declared loudly.

For the first time since he absorbed the blood from the fallen beasts, Edward thought about something else than obtaining more blood essence.

Where are the monsters actually coming from? The Bloodmaws don’t count as they are artificial monsters. But I don’t remember seeing any young Teleportcrows or Murlocs. I only encountered warriors. However, as a specie they must have a way of reproducing, they can’t simply appear out of thin air. And there is this cycle of increasing activity too. Why do the monsters grow regularly in numbers, all at the same time? It makes no sense. Their number should be regulated by the abundance of food. I can understand one specie growing more numerous due to favorable conditions, but not all at the same time.

While Edward was pondering those questions the group got ready and entered the forest. Under the shades of the dignified trees, the conversation died down. They should have killed most of the monsters, but they were in enemy territory now, it would be too easy for a hidden monster to kill a careless adventurer, so everybody stayed on guard.

They progressed slowly through the forest, stepping over sinuous roots and parting the ferns apart. There wasn’t any road or path in this area. Only trails left by either animals or monsters were visible, the plants slightly pushed over by their usual passage. Osoris was asserting the different trails to pick the ones left by the Lusus naturae. The group continued onward, deeper into the forest, leaving the meadow behind them. As they were advancing the trails were multiplying, and faint noises could also be heard in the distance. “We are getting close,” Osoris whispered.

They advanced carefully, avoiding any dried leaves and branches that could reveal their presence. The trees were growing spare and showing a clearing, numerous Lusus naturae were roaming in the area but they looked smaller than the ones they had confronted. If such a beast was on average a good two heads taller than a human, those ones were only human-size. The adventurers stopped shy of the opening space, some of the beasts were already turning toward them and sniffing the air.

Osoris bounced from the tree he was hiding behind. “We have found their younglings, everyone attack!” His muscles were bulging with power, just like Caspian when he was on the offensive. He cleanly cut a monster in two, and the adventurers followed after him and brought devastation onto the bemused monsters. The monsters used their acceleration power but couldn’t maintain it for as long as their older congeners. Lacking experience and surprised by the ambush they provided little resistance.

On the other side of the clearing, several tunnels lead underground. Compared to the one Edward used to chase the Murlocs, those were a lot more spacious. They had obviously been dug by the beasts and had to be big enough to accommodate them, which meant a human could stand upright inside them without a problem.

Osoris didn’t give them any respite. “We have to exterminate the problem while it’s still in the cradle. Follow me to the tunnels.”

Said tunnels, were made of compressed dirt with the occasional root piercing through, the slope getting down deeper under the earth. The visibility decreased quickly with no source of light. “Rely on your aura from now on!” Osoris advised. With all the noise they had made above fighting the young Lusus naturae, there was no need to stay discreet anymore. If something was down there, it must have already heard them coming.

Being able to sense one’s surroundings without needing torches is quite useful. In such an environment, torches would have only provided us with a small circle of light, making us more visible to enemies. I bet Lusus naturae have night vision and would have been able to see us from far away.

Without light, everything was pitch black, Edward kept his eyes open but it would have made no difference if he had to close them. It was dark enough that he wasn’t able to see his hand even when positioning it in front of his face. However, in his aura senses, he was able to perceive his surroundings in shapes of grey. The exceptions to this colorless world were his fellow adventurers walking next to him. Each of them had his/her own aura, with its specific color.

Red, violet, green…at this point we have all the colors of the rainbow.

As they were walking deeper, the smell grew acrid and moist. Their tunnel was joined by another one, growing larger, and then by two more before they reached an opened area.

Going down is easy, having to follow only one tunnel, but we will have to be careful not to get lost while going back up. We have no idea if those tunnels are leading to the area we came from.

The bigger area was dotted with regular columns of dirt, the room having not been excavated entirely to prevent its collapse. However, this wasn’t where Edward’s attention was focused. In his aura, he could sense reddish blotches pulsating all over the place. The blotches had their own aura which signified they were alive. They varied in size, from the smaller ones the size of a chicken, and the biggest ones the size of a full-grown man. Edward could perceive them throbbing.

“We have reached their nursery. Razed it to the ground!” Osoris shouted angrily.

Edward cringed. It’s disgusting. I thought Lusus naturae were mammals. What are those? Are they growing out of those weird fleshy eggs?

As the expedition destroyed the eggs one by one, the acrid smell worsened until it was irritating the throat. Edward had to suppress a gag. Amniotic fluid was leaking from the pierced eggs and spreading on the ground. He frowned in disgust as the liquid reached his ankle.

An adventurer produced a yelp next to Edward as a figure emerged from the cut egg and jump on him. The inopportune assailant was killed without difficulty, it wasn’t a threat but it gave the bemused adventurer quite a fright. The beast’s aura had been dissimulated by the one of the egg. Edward focused his aura on the monster’s corpse.

As expected, this is a Lusus naturae. They really do grow out of those eggs. Barely born and already fully functional and ready to kill. It’s not surprising that I haven’t seen any Lusus naturae children. I wonder how much time it takes for those eggs to reach maturity.

Only the largest eggs had monsters able to survive their destruction, the specimen in the smaller ones died with the eggs. The expedition had already destroyed the majority of the eggs and was on its way to completing its mission without difficulty. That’s when a howl resonated through the tunnels. Edward looked around by habit although he couldn’t see anything within the darkness. He had to rely on his aura, but with the size of the area, many tunnels were leading to it, and it was hard to discern from which one the howl was coming.

“Everybody fall back. Our mission could already be considered as accomplished,” Osoris wisely ordered.

The adventurers regroup and were retreating toward the tunnel they came from when a huge from barreled out of one of the tunnels. It was massive, on all four it was already the size of a grown-up Lusus naturae. It was too big to stand up in this underground space, but judging from the speed it entered the room, being on all four didn’t hinder it. That wasn’t all, outside of its physical shape, its aura was also huge. It was the biggest Lusus naturae they had ever seen.

I want it. Need to kill it and absorb its essence, was Edward’s first thought. However, he stopped himself immediately. Get a grip. I can’t rush head-on, this thing will kill me in one hit. At least it’s not yet to the level of Quintus’ aura, it shouldn’t have reached the predator level yet, we still have a chance.

The monster noticed them, the intruders who had destroyed all of its children. She howled in rage and charged at the group activating its acceleration ability. Before they were able to understand what was going on, one adventurer was laying on the floor bisected in two. Everything turned messy, the friends of the deceased screamed and charged at the beast in revenge. Long-range awakens sent blades of water and wind at the huge figure, its size providing an easy target.

Edward didn’t participate in the assault and instead moved to the beast’s side to avoid being in front of it. My priority is to maintain my safety. I can only fight it if I’m alive. He focused his attention on the adventurer’s remains. He was wearing armor and yet it was cut cleanly without providing any resistance. I didn’t even see the beast’s attack.

The adventurers’ attacks came to a lull but the monster was only displaying surface injuries. It had been cut, but compared to its size it was comparable to small paper cuts.

Edward narrowed his eyes as he sensed the monster’s aura focus on its claws. The latter swiped its claws and cut both through the weapon and the adventurer carrying it.

It can use its aura to enhance its attacks. Edward realized dreadfully.