CHAPTER 2
THE GHOST ISLES
Hans found it frustrating when he was met with questions instead of answers, just like anyone else. He was trying to wrap his head around how a sheathed sword could be considered the strongest, and his silence brought a sense of relief to Rudolf, though not for long. Soon, another thought crossed Hans's mind, and he couldn't help but ask why his elders were so determined to stay in a place like Ghost Isles, which was considered the most dangerous area in the world.
Hans had read over every bit of information available on the mapped lands, and from what he could tell, this place was inhospitable to human life. While it boasted an abundance of mana, enough to become a decent attraction to mages, it was also teeming with beasts who considered themselves kings of their domains and had no interest in sharing. It was a place where danger lurked around every corner.
No one besides this family of three dared to call this place home. Even nature itself was unwelcoming to visitors, with the entire archipelago situated amid a massive whirlpool that defied the raging torrents around it.
Sailing to this place was impossible because spells didn't work in these waters. However, intrepid explorers had found other ways to reach the islands. One was to tame a strong aerial beast capable of withstanding the horde of creatures flying around the isles. The other was to open a SpaceDoor, a space portal, but neither option was easy. Capturing and taming a beast required a lot of effort while opening a portal here was akin to throwing money down the drain. The Unstable mana of this place demanded a lot of mana stones to keep the portal open, making it a daunting task.
The reason why his family had chosen to live in this treacherous place always fascinated Hans. However, even if someone did manage to make it to Ghost Isles, they would be disappointed if not attacked by the ferocious beasts that roamed the land. The place lacked any financial gain, and while a higher-class beast found in Genas could yield a lot of valuable materials like mana hearts, the ones found here were stronger and didn't have the mana hearts, the most sought-after resource in the world. Unstable mana prevented the beasts from creating a mana heart, the organ needed to use mana. Additionally, the volatile mana in the area also hindered the formation of mana gems and stones, making the place even more challenging.
Hans resided with his family on the largest of the visible islands, There were many, each of which was ruled by a different type of beast. Compared to the sprawling cities of the continent of GENAS, the islands in the Ghost Isles were tiny. Yesterday, Hans read a book that claimed every beast must possess a mana heart to use Origin power. However, this fact seemed to contradict the reality of life in the Ghost Isles. Curious, he turned to his grandfather, Rudolf, and asked him,"Hey gramps, how come the beasts here don't have mana hearts but can still use Origin power?"
"You're right, there's no record of that," Rudolf, in turn, responded, "But someone once told me that the beasts here can borrow mana from nature and use it as they see fit. They don't need to keep it in their heart, so there's no need to create a mana heart." Pausing, Rudolf remembered his tough days and started ranting, "These bastards never run out of mana, which makes them a real pain to deal with. We can't measure their mana heart, so any little thing here could become a deadly threat. That's why we call them classless."
"Then why are we living here? Isn't it dangerous for a child like me to roam around?" Hans asked.
"Don't worry, I'm still strong enough to protect you."Rudolf replied sternly, "And don't think I don't know what you're up to. We're not leaving this place, period,"
Hans had hoped to glean more information from his grandfather, but Rudolf was wise to his schemes. Disappointed, Hans gave up and instead enjoyed the ride on Rudolf's broad shoulders as they both descended the mountain at a rapid pace. As they trekked, Hans suddenly noticed a large reptilian creature, around ten meters long, clinging to the steep slope of a cliff. He recognised it immediately as a Dapple Lizard, one of the rare reptiles in the Ghost Isles that was not poisonous. Its yellow slit eyes and the horns above them made it easily identifiable. Despite its attempts to hide, its white-spotted ebony body was unable to conceal it entirely. The reptilian, stalking its prey, was unaware that it already become someone else's target.
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Excitement ran through Hans's veins as he whispered his findings to Rudolf. "Gramps, it's a Lizzy, a Lizzy, a Dapple lizard," he said, barely able to contain his enthusiasm. Despite the absence of poison, the Dapple lizard had evolved great senses to survive in the dangerous Ghost Isles. Rudolf attempted to sneak up on the creature, but it had already sensed his presence. The lizard realized that it was now the one being hunted. It was a situation it was used to - in these islands, only the fittest survived. However, what terrified the Dapple lizard this time was the identity of its hunter.
Only a few of the strongest beasts could take him on, and this lizard was clearly not one of them. Unknowingly, Rudolf saved the herbivore as the dapple lizard abandoned its stalking and raced for its life along the steep cliff's edge. This was a life-and-death situation, and the beast was not crazy enough to wait around for Rudolf's greetings. As the lizard fled, Rudolf flung his aura-imbued broadsword at it. The released aura travelled at breakneck speed, exploding upon impact. A dust cloud formed at the location, but the beast's shrieks assured him of a successful hit.
Fortunately for the lizard, it was able to employ autotomy and sever its tail upon impact. To further deceive Rudolf, it let out a fake scream to make it seem as if it was gravely injured. Using its Camouflage skill, it fled from the scene and eluded Rudolf's pursuing eyes. Although if Rudolf was really interested in hunting it down, the poor creature would have had no choice but to meet its demise. But, the whole act was to cheer up his young lad, so he decided to let the beast go. "Gramps! Gramps!" Hans exclaimed, pointing at the beast, "It's running away, hurry!"
Rudolf responded with a serious tone, "Killing without cause will lead you astray."
Hans made a pouting face and said, "Okay, I'll remember it."Rudolf was pleased that Hans didn't complain this time, but he was unsure of what Hans meant by "I'll remember it." The real reason why Rudolf was hesitant to pursue the Dapple lizard was that he detested reptilian meat.
The setting sun painted the sky with hues of orange and red. Rudolf gathered their belongings, and they began their journey back home. In their short trek, they encountered many other beasts, but none dared to approach them as they all knew crossing paths with this man was a surefire way to meet a miserable end. The only thing that placated their nerves was the fact that he didn't hunt very often.
The duo finally arrived at their modest dwelling, a small two-story house that looked frail but had stood up to the harsh weather. While repairs were needed from time to time, it was not a concern for Hans but for the elders. As soon as they entered, Hans ran inside, towards a pretty middle-aged woman, his grandmother, and burst into tears while showing her his beat-up hands. He rolled his eyes at Rudolf and complained about being beaten up by him, and his grandmother stared at her husband, Rudolf in annoyance.
Sierra shouted at him, questioning his sanity and his behaviour towards their grandson. Rudolf regretted not killing the lizard to please Hans and muttered to himself about who would save his life now that the lizard had saved its own. He then told Hans, "Men do not snitch," to which Hans innocently replied, "I'm just a child, You said so while practising, remember?".
Rudolf was clenching his fist and wanted to deliver a knuckle to the child’s head, but Sierra was furiously glaring at him. She got enraged after seeing Hans’ hands and was ready to burn Rudolf instead of the piece of meat in her hand. He could only say he was preparing Hans for the dangers ahead, which fanned the flames further.
She was already in a bad mood because of the news she received when the men of the house were away. She shouted at him, "I thought we agreed upon not leaving this place, so what dangers are ahead?..." Her nagging continued, and Hans failed to understand much of their conversation. He only felt better seeing Rudolf getting chewed out because She was fiercely protective of him, as he was the last memento of her deceased son. So even a scratch on him made her furious and lash out at Rudolf who would have been the usual perpetrator most of the time.
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