Chapter 152: Schemes in the Desert Night

He was searching for the fish all this time only to be slapped on the face that Seraphina had one all along!

Seraphina sat as well, surprised at Ryu's reaction. "Well, it's one of the best-tasting fish in the entire realm and also one of my favorite. It even ripped my heart and put a tear into my eyes when I placed it in the storage."

Ryu was the first to offer his food, while Seraphina was the last. He didn't get the chance to see what she gave since he was not really interested in those kinds of stuff. And now, he thoroughly regretted it.

"Do you want it?" 

Ryu nodded his head so fast it blurred. "Yes. I'm actually looking for one."

"They're hard to acquire since most don't appear unless the moons are glowing brighter than normal. And they're extremely hard to catch."

Ryu wasn't the least bit disheartened. "Where can I find one?" 

"It's mostly in the Elven Realm, but they are also scattered throughout the realms, but you need a good amount of luck to spot one at night when the moon glowed its brightest on the ocean."

".. ." 

Sensing that Ryu really wanted the Horned Queens Mackerel, she said, "You can have mine if you want. We'll tell Marcus about it later when morning comes."

Ryu stared at Seraphina in disbelief. "Are you sure? Do you want to trade something for it?"

Seraphina waved her hand. "It's fine. Consider it as my gift to you at us becoming official siblings."

Ryu stared at Seraphina before his brows knitted together. "But. .. I don't have anything to gift you."

He then thought for a second and said, "How about Ursula's bottle?"

"I don't want something that dangerous!" Seraphina almost went out of her skin before she calmed down and sighed. "Really. Don't think too much about it. It's just a fish. Though it's really delicious, I can acquire it in the ocean again if I wanted to."

"Is that so. .. but if you really want something in the future, just tell me. I'll get it for you."

Seraphina laughed a little. "Alright. Will do."

Ryu didn't press the matter anymore, but he would definitely pay her back one of these days.

----

Meanwhile, Althord was walking alone towards the Right Oasis's gate in the barren desert where the night was cold. He was going to meet Clyde since he was summoned to report to him.

The reason why Althord was confident and arrogant in the Left Oasis was because he knew that the Right Oasis would take him in. He was working as a spy for Clyde and, most often, stole water and food from the Left Oasis to offer to him.

"Clyde is waiting for you in his tent," a guard said before he escorted Althord inside Clyde's hut.

"Althord, what news have you brought me?" Clyde was looking at the map on his table. It was pieces of the map outside the protective zone that the hunters made. So far, all within hundreds of kilometers outside the protective zone was barren, and no exit nor even caves were spotted.

"It's about the new recruits that you wanted to be investigated."

"What about them?" Clyde didn't spare Althord a glance as he was occupied with the map. He bit his thumb and thought, was the exit near Tiamat's lair then? If so, things were looking ugly.

"Seraphina is a water mage, and I also hear that she could control plants though I don't know what that means. She's also a healer, while Ryu is a servant halfbreed. They're second-level adventurers, and their first Islet is a Leviathan's lair."

Clyde finally pulled his focus away from the map and looked at Althord. "I heard about the Leviathan's, and we have second-level adventurers that also successfully passed through its lair. What I want to know is. .. that plant ability of hers. What does it do? Are they useful?"

Althord gave a lazy shrugged. "I asked more, but none also knew what this plant ability of hers is. I think it is some kind of a unique affinity."

"Are they strong?" If so, Clyde wanted to pull them into his group. A water mage that knew healing spells was undoubtedly valuable.

"Maybe? They did pass the first Islet. Though I don't know about the halfbreed the water mage will certainly be useful." Since Althord couldn't do anything with Seraphina now that Marcus decided to create another scavenger group and strip him of half his power. He'd rather bargain with Clyde to give him the woman in exchange for his service. 

Surely Clyde would grant his request since the man offered his best fighters food, water, women, and power.

Clyde was silent for a moment. The beasts lurking within hundreds of kilometers outside the protective zone were depleting all thanks to their wantonly hunting that every day seemed to be a festivity. It was too late to notice that the number of beasts outside was limited, and the deeper they ventured, the more powerful they were.

Clyde thought that maybe it was designed that way. Then. .. sooner or later, they had to venture deeper into the lair of Tiamat if they wanted to hunt beast to fill their empty belly. 

A deep wrinkled appeared on Clyde's forehead. It was earlier than expected, but they couldn't afford to stay in the Right Oasis any longer. He had to hasten the hunters' team to find the exit, and the best way to do that was to make multiple groups search for the exit. Seraphina's magic would undoubtedly come in handy by then.

Clyde stared at Althord. "I'll visit the Left Oasis tomorrow to recruit all their abled fighters to join us. Before our food supply ran out, we must find the exit."

Althord grinned. "Also another thing. .. you might be interested to know. As we speak, the halfbreeds and slaves in the Left Oasis are raiding their food storage. They seemed to be planning to steal their supply and ventured outside the protective zones to search the exit themselves."

Clyde's eyes twinkled in malice, and his lips twisted in a grin. "Now that won't do." He then motioned at the guard in his room.

"Tell the hunters that we've spotted beasts near the Left Oasis and are preparing to enter the danger zone." Clyde prompted his hands on the table, hiding a devious smile behind his interlocking fingers. "Make sure that they kill them all and secure all their loot."

----

A/N

I'm planning to take a break tomorrow. My eyes and migraine is bugging me lately.

T o T

Who has a good heart to donate me gifts so I can finally have my eyes check?

^^