As he looked at the details on the paper, he realized that he may have taken more that he bargained for, especially with a high level dreadbeast that is has an unkown strength of at least true gold and an unidentifiable look, with only reports of fleeting looks like some type of red lizard, or as the one auspicious report had said. However, although the paper was slightly sketchy the offer was a hefty sum of 1,000 gold and 10 pure madra spirit coins, and although the coins may be not useful for his path, he could still use them in soul smithing… or just outright sell them for more money.’ \___\ ‘<(^o^ He wandered out of the small families organization and into the bustling roads, he made sure that his remaining money was safe on him and not in jeopardy of being stolen. He then made his way through the street towards the exit gate, but not before asking a few questions about the area he was going to finding it bereft of workers because of the recent attacks and murders by the mysterious dreadbeast. So, after making it out of the city, and into the field where he fought and defeated the bandit, he quickly scanned his surroundings with his madra sense and finding nothing of note, he decided to head to the only living witness of the mysterious dread beasts/ remnants ( let's refer to it as the monster from now on to make this easier). … hours later, he was on the opposite side of the city from before, and approaching the current residence of the monster witness’s. He arrived a couple minutes later in a hilly region looking up at a lone tavern like cottage, a strange sight for around these parts as most houses were usually small and had a courtyard or pagoda. The misplaced bricks thrown here and there proved to him that there used to be a path and that the current run down tavern may have once been popular. However, although it looked deserted he could faintly see a lantern glowing through the windows and smoke slowly drifting out of the quaint chimney. He walked up to the door, and finding no handel he pushed it with a loud creak. He was met with a less than inviting sight of an uncleaned area with a few people crowded around a table talking and betting, and a few others eating around a breaking down oven. He was unaware why the people would even be eating and crowding around the oven as their cultivation should be enough to keep them warm and fed with ambient madra for months. However, based on the aura he felt around them, he realized that they were only at the jade realm. Strange, for people so low to be living alone. As he stepped through the entry-way all eyes darted to him before backing reverting to their own affairs. He noticed however that there was a man in the corner who had avoided his sense and realized it was another true gold, however one that must have walked some type of shadow path or cycled a technique to hide his madra from people who weren’t close to him. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work! Julius walked up and sat down in front of the man, pulling out a spirit coin and slamming it on the table. “ I got a couple questions for you about this mysterious monster that destroyed your home?” The man glanced around and inconspicuously waved his hand across the table picking up the coin of madra. “ Well’er it be lik dis, -‘ spits into empty beer can’- I be doin my nurmal charge, ordrin them mortals (those below gold) round fur da boss ‘nd ll’rva sudden it goes reeeeaaallll quite, all dem tuwnsfulk frum the wilds were gone, den fire flashed nd sum red scaled abum’nation came out uf nowhere flashing teeth and tearing up them overseers round me. I run all I culd till I reached this here broken building.” The man said Well shit, Julius thought. He had next to nothing to gone on except for the monster being some type of fire path user and it was definitely no remnant, but a dread beast. Based on the scales it was probably some type of drake, however he wasn’t sure of its power level, and he knew he would stand no chance if he didnt break into underlord soon, witch with the baptism of holy fire to help his body, could take anywhere from one day to a couple months. With next to no information on the monster with the exception of a questionable location and strength. He moved on hoping that he wouldn’t have to track the monster with his sub-par tracking skills. What a pain he thought wincing at the likely future. As he ran down the path, trying to get to the sight of the attack as fast as he could hoping for the monster to still be there, he kept heading into the hills, until tens of miles later, he found he saw a decimated cluster of buildings and streets giving off an eerie glow in the setting sun. He decided to cycle for the night, hoping that this monster ws no nocturnal hunter, as those were usually the most dangerous. Spreading out his sense he took a pill and began cycling his madra trying to regain some of his lost strength from the long journey over, and further solidify his foundation towards underlord. … In the morning he awoke from his trance like state double checking his madra sense reavling nothing nearby but a couple remnants, he moved toward the smouldering ruins. As he arrived he realized the destruction was more than he imagined. Cringing at the hardship that the tribal townsfolk would have to do if they ever wanted to come back. He started searching for the monster finding a set a hooved and cloud tracks with all different sizes… ‘Stange’, he thought. O well, he kept following them and realizing that they were new, he deducted that it moved at night making it nocturnal. Damb, if only I had been here last night instead of cycling, screw the luck of the monarchs. He thought. He ended up just starting to track the beast, hoping that it had fallen into a slumber by now, and he could ambush it in its sleep. Tracking its footprints, and slowly catching up to it, he left the town far behind and begin trudging through now sparse trees and hills. Cresting the top of one of the hills he jumped in joy as he used his advanced eyes to see a cave in the distance and the remaining footprints leading him towards it. He shivered, he wasn't sure what it was out of, however he ignored that trained battle sense that his master had taught him in his new freedom and the pile of money that would be his when he killed the dreadbeast. … “FOOLISH HUMAN”, it clacked. As the branches shook in the wind and crows cawed as it kept its eyes forward on the glowing figure in the distant sea of grays. It shook its massive body moving forwards. (Have Yet to edit this for grammar sorry, comment if you like.)