-----
-----
The ones still alive were definitely the stronger ones among the group. But blinded by fury, the outcome was obvious. With no way to dodge or fight properly in the air, they were easily slaughtered by Riku—like chickens at the butcher.
"Was planning to head to the beastman stronghold anyway... Didn't think I'd get into a fight so soon. Guess now I've got a rough idea of their level."Riku looked around at the beastman corpses littered across the mountaintop and let out a small sigh.
The average beastman soldier wasn't too tough—about on par with low-tier demonkin. The slightly stronger ones were a bit of a hassle, but nothing too crazy.
But beastmen like Dora, the ones who could use Bloodburst, now those were seriously dangerous. Taking them down took actual effort and planning.
Breaking through physical limits really was no joke.
Which meant—on this trip to the beastman stronghold—he'd have to be especially careful of those who could use Bloodburst.
And the biggest threat of all? That so-called "princess" Dora mentioned. The one who supposedly swallowed seven strange fruits and had power that rivaled the Skywing race. That one sounded like a real monster.
Riku didn't waste time—he began collecting the bodies of all the beastmen on the mountain top.
Fifteen beastmen total. The basic ones were worth 100 exchange points each. The stronger ones—200. As for Dora? A full 1000 points.
"Man, that guy really was in a whole different league."Riku muttered as he calculated his gains.
That brought him to 2800 points. Add the two demonkin he'd killed earlier, and he was sitting on 3000 exchange points.
"Yep, killing really is the fastest way to make money. Hey system, are you trying to turn me into a genocidal maniac?"Riku joked casually.
The system, as usual, said nothing. Not even a beep.
"Figures. Lame AI."He shook his head in annoyance. Other people got cute little system fairies or some kind of goddess-type assistant. His? Just a useless lump.
Then he pulled Dora's backpack out of his storage space.
Ding!Celine Crystals detected. Value: 3000 exchange points. Recycle now?
Ding!Blood Essence Fruit detected. Value: 10,000 exchange points. Recycle now?
For once, the system actually made a sound—two beeps in a row.
Riku's eyes lit up, the corner of his mouth lifting in a grin.
"Heh. Robbing people really is the way to get rich. That fruit's worth 10,000? Damn, that's huge."He was thrilled. After all, even a discarded goblin warship was only worth 5,000 points.
"So these are Celine Crystals? What do they even do?"Riku looked inside the pack at the pale blue stones stacked neatly and asked curiously.
"Celine Crystals are rare materials used for building large energy cannons and defensive barriers," the system answered.
"Oh. Useless for me then. Recycle them."Riku waved a hand, already bored.
Ding! Recycle complete. You've gained 3000 exchange points.
"What about the Blood Essence Fruit? Is it useful for me?"Riku asked, nodding in satisfaction. He had a rough idea of what the fruit did, but wanted the details before deciding whether to eat it or cash it in.
After all, you gotta know the real value before making that kind of call.
"Blood Essence Fruit: a special fruit aligned with beastman bloodlines. Greatly enhances their physical capabilities and bloodline power. Allows them to use Bloodburst without any side effects."The system's familiar cold voice answered.
"Also effective for the host. Analysis shows it will allow you to surpass physical limits if consumed."
"Oh damn… yeah, this fruit's the real deal. Totally worth the 10,000 points."Riku's golden eyes lit up, heart pounding.
He'd seen what power beyond physical limits could do—it was insane. If he could gain that kind of strength too, it'd open up a whole new level of growth for him.
And just thinking about that beastman princess again… if she'd eaten seven of these? Her normal state must be way above the average Bloodburst user.
"Huh… smells a bit like apples."Still, Riku wasn't the type to hesitate. Calmly, he picked up the Blood Essence Fruit and took a bite. He even chewed thoughtfully as he commented on the flavor.
But a second later—he regretted everything.
It felt like a fire had exploded inside his body. He burned from the inside out, his skin flushed and steaming.
To make it worse, black gunk started seeping out of his pores. It was like the fruit was purging all the impurities from his body.
The smell was godawful.
"Holy sh*t!"With his heightened senses, Riku almost passed out from the stench. Panicking, he activated Shangri-La and teleported to one of his marked locations.
Thankfully, there was a big river right in front of him.
Without hesitation, he stripped down and dove in, scrubbing himself clean.
"....."