Mech: Shattering of the Galaxy Chapter 1588 - 104: Sea of Stone Beasts (Part 3)

Each plunge into the abyss lasted about 5 to 10 minutes, with rest intervals extending beyond 20 minutes.

It was evident that such prolonged breath-holding dives placed a considerable strain on Bloer's physique.

During the subsequent two dives, Bloer managed to secure merely five fingernail-sized fragments of black meteorite gold.

At this juncture, Mu Fan understood that the task of gathering was far from simple, and their initial success was purely a stroke of luck.

"Alright, Bloer, detach the ropes. Our haul is sufficient for today."

This time, Bloer offered no argument. Upon resurfacing, he collapsed onto the barren earth, gasping for air and nodding slowly with difficulty.

His endurance had also reached its absolute limit.

"Rest well. Upon our return, the tribe will provide your family with six months' worth of provisions."

Alva placed a hand on Bloer's shoulder. The moment Bloer heard this, his face instantly brightened with sheer joy. He was so overwhelmed that he intended to protest that it was too much, but Alva firmly restrained him.

"It is not excessive; it is what you have earned with your very life. The warriors of the White Armor Tribe acknowledge your significant contribution."

Alva's smile widened to its fullest, and he nodded robustly, rendered speechless by his elation.

Typically, a single collection yielded but a month's rations, yet this time, the White Armor Tribe bestowed upon his family supplies for a full six months.

This meant that for the entirety of the next six months, his family could live free from concerns about sustenance and attire.

In this desolate grassland, survival itself represented the ultimate aspiration.

"Brother Mu, I had never imagined our yield would be so substantial this time," Alva exclaimed excitedly. The fist-sized piece of meteorite gold was ample for forging two formidable weapons like his own war axe.

The day's harvest was, without question, a miraculous feat.

"After a brief respite, I shall guide you to our next destination—the [Burial Ground]."

"Only the bones of the Beast King found there possess the ability to fuse with this meteorite gold."

After Bloer finished draining the last drop of raspberry flower juice from the earthenware jar, another ten minutes elapsed before he finally regained his depleted strength.

The meteorite gold had already been carefully stowed by Alva within a rather antique-looking wooden coffer.

The contingent gathered their equipment, making preparations to proceed towards their next objective.

Alva scaled a large, exposed stone and scanned the horizon. His commanding voice boomed, "No signs of an approaching sandstorm; let us make haste."

The group exchanged brief glances and nodded almost imperceptibly, recommencing their arduous trek.

However, as they descended from a rocky ledge, during the landing sequence, Mu Fan's attention was suddenly captured by a nearby boulder that shifted with an unsettling irregularity.

Then, a pair of crimson eyes and menacing fangs emerged from beneath the dislodged "rock"!

Mu Fan distinctly observed saliva glistening on those sharp fangs.

It was unmistakably a creature disguised as stone, resembling a colossal terrestrial turtle.

Furthermore, under the flickering torchlight, it had remained entirely concealed until this very moment.

This was clearly a malevolent and ferocious beast!

"Hiss!"

A soft, sibilant sound pierced the silence, sounding unnervingly stark against the desolate terrain.

Ahead, Alva, Bloer, and the others halted abruptly, their bodies stiffening as they turned back in unison.

In that critical instant, Mu Fan moved with the blinding speed of lightning!

The verdant gleam emanating from his left hand's Curved Light Scythe Blade flashed through the air.

With a dull thud!

A heavy staff struck true, impaling the rock-like creature from above.

The monstrous beast, mimicking a land turtle, had only managed to part its jaws when it received the fatal blow.

"A ferocious beast lurks here," Mu Fan stated, as all eyes swiveled towards him.

As the others directed their torch beams towards the creature, Bloer, positioned at the front, saw his pupils contract to mere specks.

"It's a female stone beast in its mating season; its true head is concealed at the rear! Do not allow it to vocalize..."

Squeak! ---------

A shrill, grating cry abruptly erupted from the posterior section of the turtle-like body.

The afflicted beast, its initial "head" pierced, staggered upright in agony, and a second head emerged from what appeared to be its coiled tail end.

With a resounding boom!

An axe imbued with immense power descended swiftly from the side.

Implementing a solid thud!

The sharp, piercing screech ceased instantaneously.

Alva's axe had severed the true head, cleaving through the stone-hard carapace!

A geyser of dark-brown ichor erupted from the gaping wound.

"A female stone beast in heat has been slain... this action will undoubtedly incite the entire stone beast species into a frenzy..."

Bloer stared, transfixed in disbelief at the gruesome spectacle, and uttered these words in a hushed tone.

The female stone beast had already issued its desperate call.

At that very moment, an indescribable, eerie rustling sound suddenly emanated from the distant expanse, rapidly approaching with the resonating waves of sound...

Everyone snapped their heads around in alarm.

A terrifying tableau unfurled before their eyes.

An overwhelming tide comprised of dense, black shadows had inexplicably surged forth from the previously barren ground in the distance.

Numerous pairs of scarlet, vertical pupils ignited across the desolate night prairie.

Even Mu Fan felt an involuntary dryness grip his throat.

Were there tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands, of these stone beasts descending upon them?

All because he had casually dispatched that single ferocious creature?

"Why are you standing there like statues? Run!"

It would be difficult to believe such words originated from someone as divine as Alva if one had not witnessed it firsthand.

Alva surged forward, gripping Mu Fan’s shoulder, and they dashed away. The group, which had been moving at a relaxed pace moments before, suddenly broke into a frantic sprint, as if an adrenaline surge had coursed through them.

Even Mu Fan had no desire to be overwhelmed by this incessant swarm of beasts. How could this desolate rocky terrain conceal such a multitude of ferocious creatures? And all for the casual dispatch of a single Star Beast, why did it escalate to this point!?

"What's happening..." Mu Fan yelled towards the front while running. As resilient as he was, he had no intention of confronting such a vast number of stone beasts.

"It's the mating season for the female stone beasts. Once provoked, they emit screams, and the male stone beasts, already in an agitated state, will fly into a frenzy upon hearing them. In their minds, it signifies a threat to the entire species' propagation," Alva explained, his long strides eating up the ground as they fled.

"No worries, fortunately, their speed isn't overwhelming. These stone beasts possess a volatile temperament, and their carapaces are exceptionally robust, but we can certainly outpace them." Mu Fan's reflexes were incredibly sharp, affording him no time for a warning. In all his years of hunting, this was genuinely the first occasion he'd found himself pursued by a deluge of stone beasts. This calamitous experience would be etched in his memory forever!

Observing Alva's complex and even vexed expression, Mu Fan was overcome with a sense of guilt. It appeared he had inadvertently led them into peril. And yet, they were the ones who had to turn and offer him solace. This genuinely filled Mu Fan with deep shame.

The sound of a tsunami-like impact echoed from behind as the crazed stone beasts relentlessly pursued, either leaping down ravines or forming living ladders with their bodies.

"Hahaha, Alva, this is my very first time being hunted by a horde of stone beasts. These dim-witted creatures, they are truly simple-minded and predictable." Laughter suddenly pierced the air above the fleeing group.

As they continued their desperate run, the atmosphere began to grow palpably colder. The terrain underfoot was no longer exclusively barren black stones. Amidst the rocky ground, sparse, enormous footprints started to become visible.

"The Burial Ground lies ahead."