Super Gene

Han Sen had gauged the power possessed by Manager Qu and his followers. They were not far from the strength of a super creature, but the strength they had was not stable. It wasn’t pure.

When they became blood-horn shura, their abilities were akin to that of a celestial being. They could unleash elemental projectiles, yes, but they were not even able to defeat Han Sen, whose fitness was around two hundred and sixty. Their purity and stability were too low, which led to their inability to compete.

Another thing was their lack of experience with the powers that had been bestowed upon them. Whether it was because of a lack of practice with such strength, or the inability of the power to be wielded with finesse due to the fact that it came from medicine, Han Sen was unsure.

”It looks like I overestimated the power of this shura-liquid-thing. It doesn’t seem to work all that well, after all.” Han Sen threw the Flaming Rex Spike at Manager Qu like a boomerang, and it knocked him over. Then, Han Sen pointed at his head and said, ”Answer my questions and I’ll set you free.”

”Pah! Save your breath; I won’t tell you anything.” Manager Qu’s face changed when he spoke. His body began to inflate and expand like a balloon.

Boom!

Han Sen jumped away as Manager Qu’s body exploded like a pinata, scattering bits and pieces of his person across the area in a sudden red haze. The giblets of Manager Qu then quickly began to rot and fade away into nothing.

Han Sen’s face changed, unable to believe a person could so completely disregard the importance of their own life. No one willingly wanted to die, but Manager Qu’s behavior made him frown.

”It looks like someone might have done something to them. If not, how did that happen?” Han Sen frowned and looked at where his angel and the queen had gone.

A while later they came back empty-handed, which disappointed Han Sen. The same thing had happened to them; they had attempted to capture the ones that fled, but they willing gave themselves up to a sudden, grizzly end.

”Who are these people?” Han Sen frowned. He couldn’t find anything out about their identities, as they were all carrying the same gear. Obviously, someone had distributed their wares to them. Finding anything out about them seemed hopeless.

But Han Sen did manage to get his mitts on a few unused vials of the shura liquid. When he returned, he planned to have others research its content for him.

Han Sen put the vials into his pack and went towards the Empty Vine. Roaring and sounds of impact were audible as a big fight ensued.

Han Sen kept a low profile, as he returned his little angel and queen. Sneakily, he ventured out towards the peak. There, he witnessed the black phoenix casting gusts composed of black fire as it flapped its wings towards the vine.

But the flames did not travel far, as a green elephant raised its trunk and blew out lime-colored water to douse them.

Around the peak, another eight super creatures stood guard. They prevented the approach of any and all other creatures.

On the peak, a man with long, sharp ears stood tall. His eyes were red, and he was dressed in a black robe. He stood right beside the four Empty Fruit, patiently waiting for them to finish ripening.

The Empty Fruit were purplish, and at the same time luminous. Their pleasant fragrances wafted far and wide, covering the lands in a wondrous scent for dozens of miles. Anyone who smelled it would become intoxicated. Their hearts would jump with a sudden zest and vibrancy, and they’d be a lot livelier.

”It looks like the Empty Fruit is going to become ripe any second now.” Han Sen’s heart was stricken with excitement.

The situation was better than he feared it might be. He was worried that the Devil-Blood King might only make a move and release himself once the fruit had ripened.

Now, he had already conquered the top, and was guarded by a slew of super creatures that followed his commands. That was what Han Sen wanted, for it benefitted him the most.

Seeing the Empty Fruit not yet ripe, Han Sen did not rush. Patiently, he watched the fight unfold.

There were nine super creatures running up the slopes now, with the Empty Fruit as their target. Han Sen had seen many of them before.

The black-flame phoenix and green kirin were there. The black-tiger, armored phantom, black skeleton, and big white goose were also there. The other three approached together, and he had not seen them before. From what he could see, though, they looked frightening.

Aside from the black phoenix and the green kirin, both of whom attacked the lime-green elephant, the others fought with the rest one-on-one. As the battle raged, none triumphed over each other, however. Overall, they seemed to be locked in a stalemate.

Han Sen did not know where the Devil-Blood King had earned his eight super creatures, but they were all incredibly powerful, and they did not look likely to lose.

Although the armored phantom, black skeleton, black-flamed phoenix, and green kirin were strong enough to restrict their opponents, it was too difficult for them to ascend and reach the peak. They most certainly wouldn’t be getting it done in any short amount of time.

The four Empty Fruit were close to maturing now, as well. It looked as if the attacking super creatures were not going to reach their destination in time.

Han Sen continued to hide on the nearby mountainside, and then he summoned Moment Queen. Quietly, he asked her, ”Moment, how long left until it matures?”

Moment Queen looked at the Empty Fruit and frowned. She said, ”There seems to be a problem with the Empty Fruit.”

Han Sen looked puzzled. When he observed the fruit, he didn’t notice anything out of place. So, he asked, ”What problem?”

Moment Queen took a second to contemplate her response, and then said, ”I have seen the Empty Fruit before, and I know that there should be only one. Although that was over a hundred years ago, in no way should there be an additional three. It would take another thousand years for something like that to occur, so I am unable to understand why it has an extra three all of a sudden.”

”Are you saying three of those Empty Fruits are fake?” Han Sen looked surprised by this sudden revelation.

”I don’t know, but they do seem real enough,” Moment Queen answered, after spending a long time gazing at the fruit.

”Hehe.” Han Sen was going to ask something else, but all of a sudden, he heard that strange laugh again. It unnerved him, and he looked around to find where it was coming from. Again, there was no one there; all he could see were the creatures fighting on the mountainside.

”Strange. What is this peculiar phenomenon?” Han Sen was rather spooked. He was aware now that someone had to be following him, yet he couldn’t discover who it was.

”No, that’s not right,” Moment Queen said with a frown. Her eyes were locked upon the Empty Fruit with visible confusion.

”What’s not right?” Han Sen asked.

”It’s not just the number that is incorrect; the fruit itself is not right, either,” Moment Queen said.

”Why? What’s not right with it?” Han Sen did not hurry Moment Queen for an answer. He just looked at her, as an uneasy feeling came over him.

”Although I have never seen a mature Empty Fruit, and these do seem as if they’re about to mature very soon, there is something different about them,” Moment Queen said, as she pointed towards the vine.

Just as Moment Queen was about to elucidate the reason why, the four fruits suddenly began to shine. The pleasant smell became a fog, like the holy fruit when it first matured.