Genetic Ascension

Chapter 767: TongueʼHead

The creature roared, its breath slamming into Sylas and almost sending him a step back.

A sharpness came from Sylasʼ eyes, but it only appeared for a moment before he calmed, a cool indifference exuding from him.

He looked up and past the open maw before him, his gaze landing on the oddly pill-shaped pupils of the creature before him. The snap and crackle of ice danced in the air, his hair kicking up in its winds as a dangerous momentum gathered within him.

But even then, he didnʼt move.

It took Sylas not more than a moment to understand what was happening here. He had randomly been teleported to the center of what looked like a packed bazaar. And yet, the moment he did, there was someone, or something, trying to intimidate him.

A pre-Summoning Sylas wouldnʼt understand what was happening and might attack out of instinct. But this Sylas was more adapted to reading intentions and scrying Wills. Because of that, he could tell one thing quite clearly...

This creature that looked like it was plucked straight out of some sort of childʼs nightmare or horror film was...

Playing a prank on him.

The roarʼs echo was quickly drowned out by the hustle and bustle. Several had been looking over with amused expressions, but seeing that Sylas didnʼt give them the reaction they wanted, they quickly got bored and went about their day.

The creature retracted its tongue, snapping back due to the chilliness. It did something that almost looked like a pout, patting at the frosted ice on its tongue and sending foul spittle flying everywhere.

Without its face right up against his, Sylas could finally see the creatureʼs full body, but that didnʼt make its form make any more sense. If anything, Sylas didnʼt quite know what to make of it.

The creature had an enormous head that formed half its body length. It had the body of what might have been barely a pre-teen, if that, and yet it stood taller than Sylas just off the sheer size of its noggin.

Its skin was as black as night, so dark that Sylas had never seen this sort of color on a humanoid before. It looked more like it had painted itself in blank ink rather than a natural effect of evolution.

In line with that, it didnʼt even look like it was wearing any clothing at all, but it didnʼt have any genitals hanging out either. The only thing that somewhat covered its body was the bone mask that covered its enormous head.

However, after observing for a while, Sylas realized that this bone mask wasnʼt a mask at all. It was a part of this creatureʼs body. The way the jaws of the ”mask” snapped open and close could have only been done if it was infused into the creatureʼs very being.

”Youʼre not fun at all, traveler!”

The voice came out in a different language, but Sylasʼ mind seemed to easily translate it into Ancient Ithkuil, picking up the creatureʼs intentions through its Will.

It was a bit clunky at first, but Sylas quickly got the hang of it by the end of the sentence.

Seeing that Sylas didnʼt respond, the creature cleared its throat.

”Hello, you can call me Tongueʼ Head. Iʼm here to be your escort today. Please hand me your ticket. If you need translation, I will take you to a store to trade your Hero Points in. But please be warned, it will be expensive. If you can manage without it, that will be in your best interest.”

”Oh, heʼs here on a ticket,” a voice came from one of the many conversations going on in the surroundings.

”You think heʼs from a Summoning world? Thatʼs interesting. He probably wonʼt be able to buy much, though.”

”He looks human. You think he is?”

”Probably not. Though itʼs always hard to tell. He could be wearing a masking Treasure.”

The conversations faded in and out of Sylasʼ psyche as he listened.

Sylas opened his mouth to reply in Ancient Ithkuil, but then he thought better of it. Since these people all had translation Treasures like TongueʼHead seemed to imply, then leave the translation up to them.

”Thereʼs no need.” Sylas replied.

”Ah!” TongueʼHead blinked. ”This is a language I have never heard before. But you will likely find problems with it, dear traveler. Your Treasure seems to be a one-way device, and that will make some others unhappy. The prices you will get will be steeper unless you can prove yourself.”

”Steeper?” Sylas asked.

”Yes, traveler. This the Skai Galaxy Bazaar. Haggling of all forms is accepted, but without strength and respect, you will end up tiring long before youʼve gotten what you want. Either that, or you will end up paying exorbitant prices.”

BANG!

TongueʼHead had only just finished speaking when a woman was sent flying out of a raggedy tent. The crowd parted out of the way with a practiced ease as though they were very much used to it.

”Come with money next time, slut!”

A shout came from inside of the stained tent before it oddly vanished with a close of its flap. TongueʼHead cleared his throat. ”As you can see, things can get very dangerous.”

Sylas was a bit confused because though it was embarrassing, there didnʼt seem to be much dangerous about it at all...

Until the woman suddenly shuddered and keeled over. Then, all at once, she stopped moving. The sound of a squad of shoulders quietened the atmosphere somewhat. They all wielded spears and silver-gold helmets adorned their heads, revealing nothing more than their eyes. However, they were shirtless and wore beast skin skirts along with Roman-like sandals.

It was an odd combination to be sure.

They rushed for the dead woman, picked her up, and then jogged away as though nothing at all had happened.

Sylasʼ gaze flickered. ʼ... If it was so dangerous, why did the shopkeeper speak about a ”next

time”?”

”Is there anything else I should know about this bazaar?”