Intense spirit attracted swarms of insects to approach light comparable to a treasure trove. Humans didn't feel spirit's value as much as wild beasts. Jinyo didn't know at all that accelerating Immortal Rice growth would bring problems. The difficulty of protecting the Garden of the Sword increased exponentially. Both monster strength and numbers to deal with.
The stench of carrion floated, mingling to destroy beautiful scenery. Changed natural art into bloody scenes of two siblings in white swinging axes and hoes to destroy every life that came intending to destroy agricultural produce comparable to their lives.
[Damage Garden of the Sword received 83%, Time remaining 1 hour 11 minutes]
"Almost there, Naho. Last hour already. Fight on." Jinyo turned to raise his hand to give his younger sister strength to continue fighting. Naho glared at her inhumane brother. Using his sister's labor harder than using buffalo to plow fields a hundred times over. As for the children's mother and the other two children, seeing that Jinyo could probably handle it without problems, went back to rest at the mansion. Because the Garden of the Sword area only had slaughter sounds until couldn't read books.
"Why does Brother still look fresh and clear? You secretly rested when I was fighting, didn't you?"
"If I really rested, where did that pile Naho didn't touch come from? Right now I've killed more monsters than Naho." Jinyo pointed at one mountain pile of monsters by the fertilizer mixing pond. He pointed at a short mountain pile at the garden edge. When comparing, there were some differences. Both body size and quantity. Jinyo who at first was left behind by Naho now overtook his younger sister.
"Hmph. I'm not like you. Fighting this long, people get exhausted too. Anyway, it's the last hour already. Brother guard the garden alone then. I'm tired. If don't want to be alone, go tell that woman to come help fight instead." Naho grabbed the hoe and copper axe, striding out of the Garden of the Sword. Only one hour left, true. But she only slept and rested for 4 hours. Both exhausted and injured in many places. She wasn't like Jinyo who dodged all attacks plus wasn't tired either.
Her brother was gradually drifting further from being human. He dug hundreds of kilograms of Exploding Potatoes from soil. Cut into strips to coat with honey and sun-dry. When absorbing sunlight and wind until dry, took to roast over low fire, became delicious emergency rations. When thinking Jinyo was exhausted until out of strength, just swallowing Exploding Potatoes into his stomach returned with vigor. Plus became even stronger like a sailor eating spinach until having superhuman power.
"Wait, Naho. Just one more hour. When work's done, let's have a potato party together. Get to eat potato buffet unlimited until stomach bulges." Jinyo shouted to call his younger sister. She who was walking out of the garden suddenly stopped moving abruptly. Turned her face sharply like an owl rotating neck to the back. Her eyes glowed like light bulbs, making her look very scary.
"Said it, can't take it back!"
"Underground has tons to dig and eat. Even if Naho's stomach grew ten times bigger, still couldn't stuff it all."
"Ooh! I never thought before that Brother would give me such a good day. Oh, Mother in heaven. Finally, your daughter's brother can take care of her. The dream of being a little sister who clings to brother to eat until old age is getting closer to reality." Naho clasped hands, praying to her late mother. Clear tears dropped from under her eyes. The brother couldn't say even one word hearing her words. Especially the last sentence. As a brother, he wasn't at ease at all. Because his younger sister was reverse evolving from human to become a leech.
"Will take care anyway. But about clinging to eat until old age, better not. At least leave a shred of dignity."
"Just joking. Just saying. But if Brother ever agrees to let me cling and mooch, tell me. I can finally stop being diligent. Want to retire and scroll on phone all day so badly."
"Too early to stop being diligent by 200 years. If wanting to help me revive the family, still lots of work to do. And this is just the beginning." Jinyo narrowed his eyes at his younger sister planning retirement while still carrying a huge debt burden. Bygone days having to skip meals, working odd jobs exchanging for money enough for daily living expenses. Jinyo had to thank Naho who had better work than him, helping shoulder household expenses well. Successfully growing Exploding Potatoes would bring much income. But if both their goal was reviving the family to prosperity again, one business wasn't enough.
"Yes sir. For my brother and little niece and nephew, I swear to heaven to be diligent 1% more per year. If breaking this oath, may heaven punish me."
CRACK!
Lightning flashed on black clouds in the sky. Cool wind blew past along with Naho's sheepish expression. She stood stiff frozen like a statue, not daring to move recklessly. Afraid that if hiding under a tree, would be punished by lightning from heaven for real and life would end badly. Even if she was superhuman, but if power hadn't reached General level, don't try getting struck by lightning. Unless you want to board a tour bus to the afterlife with no return ticket.
"Thinking about it, I'll retract my oath."
"Naho—"
"Stop. Don't speak. I know what you'll say. Think about it. If I become 1% more diligent per year, after ten years I'll be 10% more diligent. It's a very great oath."
"Didn't mean about that." Jinyo's eyes narrowed. The gentle, relaxed gaze changed to sharp. Fierce and harsh. Naho had seen her brother whose atmosphere changed like a different person many times. Naho fell silent. All frivolous thoughts were swept away in a split second. Replaced by intense feelings wanting to protect. Two hands donned copper axe and hoe, advancing.
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Phantom Night Forest fell into silent stillness without sound waves. Pitch darkness covered throughout the valley but didn't even hear cricket sounds calling for mates. Something frightening was slowly creeping toward the Garden of the Sword comparable to both people's lives. Crimson red eyes glowing amid darkness. The stench of curses and rotting blood drifted on hesitant wind currents.
When clouds drifted past, moonlight shone upon the flesh body of a creature with misshapen organs. A body composed of many muscle bundles sewn with wire. Black nails and black embedded needles. Standing on two legs like humans. Bowed wide legs. Red fangs bathed in blood with fresh meat pieces stuck between tooth gaps.
In hands were long claws like swords growing between fingers. Crimson eyes grown until almost bulging, shaped like circles resembling reptiles. It stood firmly on two legs with strangely shaped legs. Straight back not arched to the side like humans. Eyelids didn't blink for a second. It stared past Naho and Jinyo toward something beyond perception.
"Brother Yo, this thing isn't ordinary."
"I know. See clearly with both eyes." Eye of the Sage displayed the enemy's name. It was different from all monsters so far. Its name was silver-colored and Bloodline Deduction couldn't probe its information either. First time Jinyo faced an enemy with such powerful aura. But what made him even more frightened was the description inserted at the very bottom.
[Chimera Wolf, Level 40(?)]
[Detected enemy from Heaven. Upon successful slaying will receive special bonus and random box]
Enemy... from Heaven?
Since Jinyo got power from the system, he questioned all along what exactly Heaven was. Since ancient times, cultivators sought the path ascending to Heaven. It was said to be an ideal world. No pain, no illness. No aging. Exquisite food and liquor to drink endlessly. There were many stories about Heaven.
In modern people's view, Heaven was a delusion ancient people embellished from imagination. Heaven didn't truly exist. But the system's existence overturned Jinyo's understanding of what was called Heaven. If it truly existed, what kind of place was it? And why must he be adversaries with what was called Heaven?
Now what was called an enemy from Heaven stood before Jinyo.
"!!!" Mysterious waves interfered with Jinyo's brain waves. Jinyo felt like his brain was shattering into pieces. He couldn't stop his hands from trembling. Someone or something was burrowing into his brain. Dissecting consciousness and awareness. He raised his hand to squeeze nerves around his throbbing brain.
"My... my head."
"Why is there still a Heaven demon here?" One voice echoed in Jinyo's head. Jinyo looked at the Chimera Wolf whose mouth didn't move but felt the sound came from there.
"Heaven demon?"
"Brother Yo, what are you saying?" Naho turned to look at her brother with strange eyes.
"Naho didn't hear it speak? Just now it said Heaven demon."
"Heaven demon? I didn't hear anything. Can you not joke? I'm scared." Naho didn't hear? Or was that a voice only Jinyo heard? He stood pondering but had no more time.
"Must eliminate Heaven demon completely..." Chimera Wolf raised its face to the sky. Power currents invisible to the naked eye but could feel truly existed. Released from the brain, sent upward. But in the blink of an eye when mental power touched the invisible ceiling, it immediately dissipated.
"Cannot connect..." Chimera Wolf froze. Confusion shook its ice-cold heart into turmoil. It had never been blocked from connecting before. Its feeling now was being trapped in a goldfish bowl perfectly blocking all signal types. Incomprehension and anger transformed into killing intent.
"So that's it... it's you." Venomous gaze locked onto Jinyo raising his hand to squeeze his temples. Tension comparable to a noose strangling the brain until tiny blood vessels in eyes burst. Three-colored planar waves overflowed from its body. Every hair stood on end. Claws growing between arms enhanced with Sword Spirit power. Swayed low in preparation to lunge attack. But if saying it was like a wolf, its stance was like a snake hiding under bushes. Waiting to ambush prey it sentenced to death in advance to journey to death.
"Must kill right now." The gray-furred demon lunged close to the weakened Jinyo. The young man's eyes widened trembling, watching claws stab aiming at his chest. Jinyo couldn't respond to its superhuman speed. In the second about to have his chest pierced, Naho moved to block. Its claws stabbed through skin. Cut muscles and tendons easily like slicing tofu.
"Na... ho." Jinyo looked at his younger sister who began bleeding from wounds. Naho spread both arms to the fullest, embracing the Chimera Wolf, not letting it budge. Chimera Wolf thrashed its body but to no avail. This woman's legs almost submerged as one with the ground. The tight embrace from those delicate arms, who knew where they hid power. Claws that stabbed through skin were squeezed by muscles until couldn't pull out.
Chimera Wolf couldn't understand the human female body before it at all. It was completely beyond normal common sense.
"Brother Yo! I'm dying!"
"!" Jinyo changed the wooden sword to hold in his left hand. Intense sharp pink planar covered the blade. The wooden sword stabbed in a straight line aiming at Chimera Wolf's face. But for Chimera Wolf, Jinyo's attack was almost slow-motion. A slight neck twist dodged it.
Peach Blossom Dance
Peach blossom petals swirled. Jinyo lunged around Naho's body, relentlessly striking aiming at vital points. Chimera Wolf expanded muscle mass until its form suddenly grew larger. So large Naho's arms couldn't embrace it anymore. It jerked arms, pulling claws back. Kicked Naho flying into the sky with several drops of red liquid splashing from the wound. In just seconds, it controlled claws extended like blades clashing with the swinging wooden sword.
Jinyo struck continuously 16 times with Chimera Wolf that only moved arms a few times in split seconds. The sharpness felt from claw blades attached to fingertips was Sword Spirit power, no mistake. It was a basic technique every swordsman must learn first.
This monster... could use human techniques.
"Naho, go call Rina right now!" Jinyo turned to shout at his younger sister. But the image he saw was Naho clutching the wound at her shoulder. Blood flowing nonstop, plus not bright red. But black blood. Her lips pale white. Body trembling with chills. Blood flowing from mouth corners and nose. Naho who had no strength sent voice force, sent legs to stand up. Before she collapsed.
Naho didn't feel balance at all. Sensory nerves completely numb. Until even hearing was dull, no different from deaf people.
"Brother Yo... I'm... totally screwed."
Jinyo's brain went completely blank. The word "huh" sprouted like mushrooms.
Poison... so that's it.
Something like this, just physical strength and speed could already tear him into pieces. Still had exotic tricks like hiding poison in claws. Judging from metal parts and stitching marks on its body, no matter which point you looked at, it wasn't a naturally occurring monster. It was a living weapon crafted from high-level science combining monster and human power. Rage blocked interfering waves flowing into the brain. Making Jinyo release a crazed aura.
"Brother Yo... run away."
"No." Jinyo answered firmly.
In the blink of an eye when Jinyo abandoned this Garden of the Sword, he would return to being worthless trash who couldn't cultivate. Losing the power to change the children's and family members' future.
No chance to flee or hide.
This was the enemy Heaven sent to punish sinners who dared peek at Heaven's secrets. A fate from which this battle couldn't be avoided.

