Chapter 177 - Green Hair
"Argh..." groaned a boy who was lying on the back of a huge animal.
His eyes twitched, slowly opened, and then saw the light of the sky that he was hoping to see again.
"I lived," he muttered, but was alarmed when he felt the fluffy texture and softness of the material he was on.
"The hell... Haaa!!!"
He was taken aback and quickly climbed down the material on which he was laying.
"Gwah!" To his surprise, he was lying on the back of a Broaxen the entire time. What's more, it was huge, abnormal for its common size.
He also started palpitating, panting, and gasping for air.
The animal felt that the boy left his back, because of it, he slowly looked at his back to see the boy.
"Groooh?..."
"Please don't eat me!" Cules was bothered by the boy's words, therefore, he slowly approached it.
"Please don't eat me!" cried the boy once again, covering his face while quivering in fear.
"That won't eat you unless you attack me."
The boy became frozen, then felt time passing by without the broaxen he was scared of didn't eat him.
When he was finally sure that he wasn't dead, he slowly removed his hand then saw a person with a weird mask and dark gears.
The person had an intimidating aura, the reason why the kid swallowed a mouthful of saliva in agitation.
"Who... are you...?"
Ellena was the one who saved her, as well as Aaron who was supporting him while she healed the boy. However, Ellena was feeling something about the boy, as if a dreadful entity was inside of his body.
"Are you a cursed child?" Ellena asked and tried to know what she was feeling.
The boy quickly nodded and moved backward again, while Cules was confused about what they were doing.
"What happened to you? Were you attacked?" Ellena asked.
"Uhm... yes." the boy answered reluctantly.
"Who? Your neighbors drove you away?" she asked.
The boy was surprised that Ellena guessed it precisely.
"How did you know?"
"Uh... it's obvious. You are just a kid. What are you doing here?"
Ellena's words made the boy speechless, dispirited just after remembering something inside his memory.
Ellena noticed it, and just as she thought, it was a sign that she must help the kid.
Right, Aaron already foresaw this. And just as Ellena's eyes told him to assist the kid, he sighed.
"Because the villagers in the village felt that all of their misfortune was because of me, they wanted to dispose of me by throwing me into the deep forest."
Though it was vague and unclear, Ellena understood that the boy's mind was still a mess because of what happened.
Just looking at him, Ellena felt pity and saw herself half a year ago.
'Still, he's just 8 years old or above.' Ellena thought.
"What are you going to do with your life now? You did not die, so what're your thoughts?"
"It's better for me to die. I don't have anything and anyone anyway."
Ellena became stiff after hearing it. How could a kid think of himself being dead? It's such a heavy matter to think about, and also, children should have the most dreams in their life. However, just seeing him right now made her feel that it was futile.
"Don't bother it. Even if you are a cursed child, you can still live."
"How did you know I am a cursed child?!"
"Silly. Your hair is black so I know what people called you. But for me, that hair isn't cursed. Come here, I will help you to survive. Even though you are still a kid, I must say that you are smart since you can keep up a conversation with me." Ellena said.
"You think so?..."
As soon as the kid approached Ellena, after putting her hand on his head, his hair started changing its colors to green, surprising him and making him speechless.
His hair is long that reached his eyebrows, so he can see his hair well. And just seeing this, he couldn't say any word for it.
"Good. If you die, I will feel bad since I want a better world where scumbags don't exist and only happiness will exist. Come with me, I will help you have the ability to survive." Ellena said and just because of it, Aaron slapped his forehead.
***
Capital of Phobious, Balutte City.
In a castle-like mansion, inside a room with a window that shows the scenery of the whole city's picture, a man is standing with both hands at his back.
He has a dominating aura. Just a normal glance at him could wake up your sleeping soul, remove it from your body. His eyes were as if glaring, and his beard was well-trimmed as well as his thin mustache.
He was Ricardo Phobious, the landlord of Phobious Territory. Also, a caliber of Titanium ranker if the adventurers' standard will be used to measure his strength.
"Hm... I feel like there's someone who likes playing rats. But too bad, he got killed in an instance. What a shame." he mumbled then turned his back to the window.
Just after he turned around, the door of his room opened, entering a butler in a black suit and bowtie.
"Master, there was a new individual who raised her rank in society. A strong person who made her organization shine in just a month." Although it was vague, Ricardo understood it as if they had their own set of structures to have a conversation.
"Right, I was correct in what I felt. Then, where is she right now? Do you think we can take her into our ranks?" Ricardo asked, intrigued by the person that his butler mentioned.
Of course, he hasn't seen a report of the person, nor any picture or proof to assess her skills. However, he was complacent, enough to say that he trusts every word his butler says.
"I don't think so. The Murphey family had her back, even though she was more powerful than their heir, " the butler added.
"Hm... If you say so, then let's take her by force. You know the routine; use the outlaws as the bait just to be sure that we won't lose any men in case she resist." Ricardo said with his domineering aura filled with his words, confidence was all him.
"Yes, Master. I shall use the outlaws."
And before even a blink could be done, the butler disappeared because of his fast movements. It was as if a wind has just passed, could be considered that it was just an imagination wind that passed by.
"Hah... I shall improve my people before they attack. That dreadful Sin of Greed." he mumbled, clenching his fist in irritation.
Seconds later, he calmed down, returning to his static, yet domineering aura.
"Party shall start. That bastard dared to offend me, the leader of my own territory."