Chapter 874: I am not delicious, alright!
Kyle exited the clan gate, adorned with jewels and towering over the space. He already knew he wouldn’t be able to pass through the walls surrounding the clan, so he didn’t even try and simply used the gate. The people standing guard in front of the gate noticed him and gave him a nod.
One of the women with bird-like wings approached him with a polite smile.
"Where are you going?"
Kyle turned to her.
"To kill some corrupted beasts."
She nodded and left him alone. The clan didn’t keep their members tied down. They were allowed to go anywhere. They just had to report to the guards before leaving.
Although, only if they were going to return.
If not, there was no need for even that.
Kyle disappeared into the sky. Soon, he crossed the energy barrier that enclosed the floating mass of earth he was on.
He inhaled a lungful of air.
The natural energy outside the barrier he had flown out from was twice as potent.
"This place is full of natural energy."
He looked up. The sky outside the floating mass of earth was a breathtaking expanse of azure and white, dotted with many other massive structures, enclosed in barriers.
Then he looked down, and far, far below, a sprawling land of emerald green. The real land of the Celestial realm, stretching out as far as the eye could see.
Kyle’s ears twitched. The moment he emerged from the barrier, he had noticed that someone had appeared behind him.
He did not turn, however, waiting for the other person to make a move first because he did not sense any hostility from them.
Finally, a cough sounded behind him.
He swivelled back, meeting the eyes of an old woman with white hair braided into two braids on either side of her shoulders. She wore a set of gray armor with dark patterns that clung to her body like clothing.
The woman didn’t smile nor did she greet him; instead, she went straight to the point.
"From the clan? A new member?"
He nodded, and she continued.
"Here to kill the corrupted beasts?"
He nodded again, and she took out a steel brush and bracelet from her mind space.
"Name?"
"Kyle."
With practiced ease, the woman inscribed his name on the front of the bracelet. Then, she tossed it toward him with a quick nod.
"Wear it. It will record your contributions as you kill the corrupted. That way I will know how much to pay you when you are done."
She paused, watching him put on the bracelet on his wrist before leaving.
"Follow me."
She made sure to keep her pace equal to what a 2nd stage Celestial could follow.
Skyler followed behind her. He wanted to change his clothes to fresh ones since he hadn’t done that in so long. Yet, he couldn’t now that he had to follow someone else. A sigh escaped his lips, along with a feeling of irritation at himself for being so messy.
"Coming to the Celestial realm was so hectic I have neglected my comfort."
His nose wrinkled a minute later when he sensed an acidic, pungent smell in the air.
As Kyle heard the sounds of battle, metal striking against flesh, and looked ahead, he understood where the disgusting smell was coming from. In the space in front of him, countless individuals were fighting dark beasts made of impure natural energy.
The monsters’ bodies were uneven and grotesque, their forms twisted in multiple angles. His stomach churned violently as he realized he had to fight those things.
He would be damned if he even let those ugly monsters touch him or let their dark, murky, foul blood stain his clothes.
The old woman, hovering on his left side, noticed his discomfort. Not surprised. She had seen new Celestials react worse than him when they first encountered corrupted beasts. His reaction was far more normal. She coughed, drawing his attention.
"My name is Zami. Your superior in this place. You can find me if you need help."
She pointed at the monsters.
"These things come out from the cracks that formed in nature around. They can’t be allowed to live since they attack the barrier around the clan territory and grow stronger with time, eventually becoming powerful enough to consume even a Celestial."
Kyle nodded absentmindedly. He had read about the corrupted monsters and already knew just how dangerous they were. His question was something different.
"How many of these corrupted beasts do I need to kill to fulfill my duty to the clan?"
Zami looked at him and sighed.
"As long as you assist the clan clear out some, that’s enough. The clan rules aren’t strict. Members come here to earn natural crystals, awarded by the clan for killing the beasts, or to get stronger. Because when a corrupted beast is killed, its body turns into natural energy, benefiting those nearby."
Kyle unclenched and clenched his hands, then took out his spear. He would stay far away from a fist fight. The monsters were too grotesque for him to touch.
"Alright, I understand."
Before he left, he heard the old woman speak again one last time behind him.
"Be careful when fighting them."
Surprised by the sudden warning to be careful, he nodded and vanished. The old woman didn’t linger, turning to her tasks.
The monsters were gathered in one place, held back by an array she had to maintain. She was responsible for everything in this sector. The area outside the clan territory was divided into three sections, and Kyle had simply entered hers when he arrived.
Moreover, sometimes the beasts around the other clans would travel towards them, and she had to keep an eye on that to make sure the shield protecting her clan wouldn’t be breached while she wasn’t looking.
Kyle entered the battlefield. The space thrummed faintly, and his eyes widened in surprise. For some reason, the moment he entered the vicinity of the monsters, they all paused and fixed their countless moving eyes on him as if he were a treat.
"Damn it, I am not delicious, alright!"