When Ricky woke up and saw a little girl around five years old with them inside the carriage, he was shocked beyond belief.
When he introduced the little as one of his beast, Ricky almost fainted. He even believed that he will not be shocked by anything his brother will do but this... It was too shocking for him.
Cole told him afterwards that Celia was just one of those special beast.
Beast in the stage 7 or Tier 7, they were called Demonic Beast. In this stage, beast can morph and transform to like a human. Celia was just a special case as she can transform while she was still at the Tier 2 Stage.
Ricky just nod with it all and accept. He had no choice. If he can't accept things now, he don't know if he can last that long.
This time, Cole didn't let Ricky battle. He just broke through Eighth Level just a day ago. If he level up again, he don't know what will happen to the people of the caravan. They'll get suspicious and may want his secret for themselves.
Cole was not afraid of the Carmelo Family now that he had Celia. However, there were heaven beyond heaven. He may overpower the Carmelo Family but he can't overpower the entire world. Trouble may come after him and he don't want that.
The Carmelo Family Caravan now arrived at the middle of the Shadow Forest and they were all tense.
There were a bandit group who was well known in this forest, they were the Shadow Walkers.
The Shadow Forest was named because inside the forest were always like nighttime. The towering tree's wide canopy was actually so dense that sunlight was hard to enter inside the forest.
And the Shadow Walkers were all well known as they walk in this forest as if they were the shadow themselves. The Shadow Walkers thrive in this forest that was why they know the terrain and adapted well from the darkness. As a passerby of the Shadow Forest, they were all at mercy of the group of bandits.
Last time, the Carmelo Family passed the Shadow Forest safely as they don't encounter the Shadow Walkers.
Fortunately, the Shadow Walkers won't hurt anyone of you for no reason and if you pay the toll-fee, of course.
Unfortunately, it seems like they were in bad luck today as they encounter the Shadow Walkers. They were ready to pay the said toll fee but it seems like the Shadow Walkers woke up by the wrong side of the bed as they all look irritated.
"Bring out all your money and all the woman and leave them here and we'll think if we'll let the other go!" One of the Shadow Walkers shouted.
The face of all the people of the Carmelo Family Caravan paled, specially the woman. There were no good outcome if you were a woman and at a mercy of group of bandits.
"We are from Carmelo Family of Stone Forest Town! Let us go and the family will pay you handsomely!" One of the scared Mana Gathering Stage disciple managed to said his piece.
The group of bandits laugh at themselves.
"So what if you're from Carmelo Family? You're in the middle of Shadow Forest and you may be attacked from different Wild Beast here." The one who shouted before replied. "Besides, we are nothing but we are good at cleaning a mess and hide our tracts... Do you think your Carmelo Family will know?" He continued.
The face of the Carmelo Family loss their hope. They may do nothing to you if you pay their set toll-fee but that was just if.
There were different members of family's from different powerhouse who died in this forest and it were all reported as killed by the forest' Wild Beast. But they know more.
It most likely that the Shadow Walkers were the one who killed those different family's but can't be charged as they can't find a evidence. Added to their reputation that they will do nothing to you if you pay the toll, they can't be annihilated.
And add the fact that they may have the backing of the city lord of the Stone Forest Town. This was just a rumor but there were no smoke if there wasn't a fire. This may just be a rumor but it has a base. They already terrorizing the Shadow Forest for so long that it was a miracle that they were still operating, but was it really a miracle? Or they just have a great backing behind them?
The expert of the family let out his aura of Seventh Stage of Mana Gathering Stage. The faces of the Carmelo Family disciples lit up when they felt the force.
Right! They have their expert of the family who have a cultivation of Seventh Stage of Mana Gathering Stage! They still have hope!
The Shadow Walkers let out a snort and let his aura unleashed. An aura of Ninth Level Mana Gathering Stage cultivator was let out.
The hopeful face of Carmelo Family disciples paled face before paled even more.
However, there was one who have a better complexion, he was Nick. He was nervous, yes, but he know that they have an expert of Peak of Mana Gathering Stage with them, he was Cole.
Nick look at him and he just nod. He was ready to act when a voice rang out.
"All of you. Go with them!" The guy who ridicule Cole before spoke to all the woman in the caravan. They all look at him with fierce gaze and if gaze can kill that guy would be dead beyond belief.
Most of the woman started to cry harder while some look at their front like an idiot. They lost their hope.
Cole give the guy a contempt gaze. Ready to offer others life so that you can keep yours. You're just shameless!
Cole came out of his carriage.
The eyes of the others bandit lit up when they saw Cole. If he was just a guy they will also eliminate him but he wasn't just a guy, he was a beautiful guy! He was more beautiful than most of the woman here and for those who have that kind of taste, he was just irresistible! Some of the bandits eye were filled with lustful gaze as they look at him. His smooth skin better than most of the girls, his small figure better than the body of the girls, and his long and beautiful black hair was better than all the hairs of the girls here.
They must have him!
"What is your name boy?" The bandit who let out the most powerful aura ask. He was the most lustful who look at Cole at the moment.
"Cole." He answered.
The bandit let out a satisfied sound as if he like the sound of his name.
"We can give him to you!" The guy from the Carmelo Family who ridicule Cole before shouted. "Just let us go, and we'll give him to you." He continued
Cole can't help but look at the guy sharp. You really have a bad, rotten soul!
"That's a good trade." The bandit replied. The guy's face lit up. "But we don't want trouble to come. You'll have to stay here forever."
The guy's face darkened.
The bandits started to make their move.
Cole face harden specially if he remember that the guy sell him off.
"Summon, Groot, Bell." Cole chanted.
Both Grooth and Bell appear at the scene and all the movement ceased.
The faces of the bandits darken while the entire Carmelo Family Caravan lit up.
"Peak Tier 2 Beast?" The strongest bandit said in disbelief. It was alright if there were only one since he can fight it while the others do the side job. However, there were two Peak Tier 2 Wild Beast and one of them was even Wood-Tree type Wild Beast who was known for their ability to kill multiple targets with one strike. While the other were a Peak Elemental Creature who had a green glow which signifies its affinity with wood and in the middle of Shadow Forest where Wood Mana was dense, this creature will be like a fish in a water. "You're a Beast Tamer?" He asked.
"I am." Cole replied. "Bell, used full powered Mental Shout to all of them. Groot, used Wood Spikes and kill all of them." Cole commanded.
Hearing what Cole was commanding, they tried to appear and kill him. Beast Tamers were well known as they battle using Beast and the tamer was known for being weak. It must be because they focused on strengthening their tamed beast that they have no time to strengthen themselves. And when fighting a Beast Tamer, the tamer was actually the key. Just kill the tamer and the beasts will be back to being mindless, instinctual beast.
The Tamer actually act as the brain and the beast was their weapon. The beast was easy to kill since they don't have the intelligence with them while the human can do anything as they formulate a plan and used their brain. If the beast had a human-like intelligence, they will be like a tiger who grown a wings.
Unfortunately for them, before they can manage to appear near Cole, they all just heard a very loud noise in their brain that they felt like exploding, seconds later, their soul collapsed and their world black out.
Bell's Mental Shout!
The other who managed to resist the attack, clutched their head. They were the cultivator from Eighth to Peak of Mana Gathering Stage. Although they managed to survived, they were not well off either.
They managed to resist the attack but their soul was damaged. Soul was hard to heal and was expensived.
However, moments later, many numbers of roots punctured throughout their body. They don't managed to see it and don't managed to sense it since their soul was damaged and thus, they were all killed.
Groot's Wood Spikes!
All the member's of the Carmelo Family had their mouth agape.
They were killed just like that? The guy who was with them the whole time was actually this strong?
The whole family was so quite as they was still processing what just happen. The hopeless situation was actually solved just like that?
"Ahhh!!!"
In their quiet manner, that shout was was like a nuclear bomb in their ear and when they look at the one who shout, they can't help shuddered.
The guy who tried to sell them out was now full of roots. Throughout his body, numbers of roots holed his body but his heart and head was untouched. It was a critical injury that will make him sure dead but still can linger for a seconds or even minute and it that state, it will sure be like hell.
All of them felt dread. Although he was rotten to the core, he was still a family member and know him. Seeing him like that was just awful. However, they can't blame Cole. He just tried to sell the guy, even all the girls, so that he can live.
The girls sigh as if a huge problem passed them and felt relief. If Cole didn't do that to him, they will.
"Woooooo!!!" A loud cry of fox rang out throughout the forest.
"Run!" Cole suddenly shouted to the whole Carmelo Family Caravan. "Go! Go!"
Seeing Cole's hurried and worried face, they know that something or someone powerful will appear.
The people of the caravan look at him while some wanted to help him but don't come down as they know that they will not be able to help and just be a problem if they stay.
Cole felt reassure when he saw that the caravan was now out of sight.
He don't felt reassured when they were gone and safe, he felt reassured when they where gone and nowhere insight. He just don't want them to saw what his secrets are.
The aura of someone who was nearing to him was actually more powerful than the strongest bandit and also much more powerful than him, it was most likely a Core Formation Stage expert!
"Gate!" He chanted and a portal appear.
"Go inside. I'll fetch you when all of this were finished." Cole said to Ricky.
Ricky nod and enter the portal. Although he don't know where the portal will lead to, he still trust his Big Brother.
He didn't know that he entered the Inner World.