"By something, did you mean this one?" said Angus while taking out a monster core.
Looking at the monster, Anna starts to drool with sparkly eyes, "Yes, give me. Give me." said Anna excitedly.
Then, Angus threw the monster core to Anna, which she immediately caught with her mouth. She immediately bites the core like it is a piece of candy.
Normally, monster cores couldn't be consumed directly and need few alchemical processes. Otherwise, the miasma inside the core could spread into the consumer body. Since Anna uses miasma and mana she could consume this monster core directly.
"Angus, more… Give me more." said Anna while she enjoyed the taste of the monster core inside her mouth.
Hearing this, Angus gives Anna a pouch of the monster's core. She received the pouch happily, but she also looked at the combatant corpse intently.
"Angus, could I also eat their core?" asked Anna.
Hearing this, Angus frowns before thinking of something.
After thinking for a while, "You know that using or eating their core is taboo, right?" asked Angus.
Anna didn't reply but only nodded her head with pleading eyes.
"*Sigh* Do as you like. However, make sure you don't be found by the others except me." said Angus helplessly.
Hearing this, Anna immediately collects all the core from the survivor's corpses. After collecting the core, both of them leave the place without giving any trace.
In Firuman, using a combatant's core is an unethical and taboo act. Many people disdain this kind of thing. However, the main reason for this is not making people kill each other just for their core. It is also to reduce the usage of the combatant's core.
As an alchemist, Angus knows that the combatant's core is similar to the beast's since they contain mana. For him, there is no difference between using a beast core or a combatant core.
Moreover, he also realized that the underground world often uses a combatant's core without worry. In Firuman, the beast is quite rare, unlike in the Endless Battlefield dimension.
Because of this, the regulation of using combatant's cores in Firuman is more strict to avoid killing each other.
For Angus, as long as Anna didn't deliberately perform a mass killing just to harvest their core, Angus didn't truly care about this norm. This kind of activity is nothing compared to the deed of the underworld on earth in his previous life.
Using the core of the deceased one, it's almost the same as stealing organs from the deceased one in his previous life. This kind of thing is very common, especially in the underworld business.
After leaving the battlefield, Angus reports his battle to his uncle while skipping the news about Anna. The matter pertaining to Anna is very sensitive, and Angus decides to tell his uncle directly.
Moreover, he still observes Anna if she can stay with him or not. He wants to try to lecture her about a few things, at least. After reporting, Angus found that Isvel, Elder Fosa, and Elder Moi would also gather some men to harass the enemy camp.
They will assault any people that will come out of the camp as long as they are not too strong. Village leader Jade decides to use hit and run tactics to make the lives of the enemy camp more miserable.
Soon, a few days passed. During this time, Angus and Anna managed to kill many hunting groups to fend off the monster. Until finally, the other villages decided to use a fifth-grade combatant to accompany the hunting group.
Angus didn't dare to fight any group that consisted of fifth-grade combatants and few fourth-grade combatants. He only participates in a fight when there is Isvel's team or the village elder's team.
Fortunately, Anna becomes obedient to Angus and doesn't charge madly like before. Now, she could hold back a little bit and know how to use a sneak attack. Still, he didn't let her participate in the fight against the fifth-grade combatant.
The reason she could survive against the group combatant before is that they were heavily injured. Moreover, Angus still didn't want the others to know about Anna.
Angus found that Anna's intelligence did not low. She is the same as other people, even more cunning because of her beastly instinct. However, Angus found her fighting style to be too crude and reckless.
Still, this didn't matter for her since her recovery rate was insane. Not only is her recovery of stamina excellent, but her recovery rate at miasma and mana is also almost on par with Angus. Her healing factor and body resilience are also not to be underestimated.
Angus estimates by the time she upgrades her cores to grade two, her body will be as hard as those monsters. Now, he is pondering whether to let her stay with him or not. He knows there will be a lot of headaches when he allows her to stay with him.
'It seems she doesn't care about anything and likes acting childish.' thought Angus while looking at Anna playing with bubble soap.
"Anna, Do you have a dream?" asked Angus seriously.
"Dream??" asked Anna confusedly.
"Yeah, do you want to become something or something that interests you?" asked Angus.
After thinking for a while, Anna pointed out to Angus, "I want to stay with Angus." Anna said innocently.
"Haa.. as expected, she will answer that." Angus could only sigh hearing Anna's answer.
"Emm… Is there something wrong?" asked Anna back.
"Actually, I still don't know if you could stay with me or not. I am not someone from this dimension and will soon go back to my place. In there, you will face many prejudices and even could be killed on the spot. Did you still want to stay with me?" asked Angus.
"Truthfully, with my current capability, it will be hard for me to protect you back in my world." added Angus.
Hearing Angus's explanation, Anna becomes silent. She tries to reply to Angus, but no answer comes out.
"I don't like this. Why can't I stay with you? I promise I will be a good girl." replied Anna while starting to tear up.
"Why? Why? Why?" as miasma starts to loosen up from Anna.
Angus didn't stop her from going crazy and replied with a pitying tone, "You know exactly why?" said Angus.
"I.. I just want to survive and stay with Angus. Why?? I hate this world!!" Yelled Anna while releasing a burst of miasma nearby.
Looking at Anna's condition, Angus finds a familiar feeling from her.
'I hate this world!!' thought Angus as he got a little bit of flashback from his previous life.
Finally, he couldn't stand looking at Anna's cries. Angus hugged Anna. Being embraced by Angus, Anna begins to calm down a little bit.
"Before I became like this, I too also hated this world. But, there are so many beautiful things in this world. So many things yet to explore and find." said Angus.
"I know whatever I say, you will still hate the world, but I promise when you are with me, I will let you see the beauty of the world." added Angus.
"Does this mean I could stay with Angus?" asked Anna.
"Yes, you could stay with me." said Angus.
"B-But, what if they try to hurt me or hurt you?" asked Anna.
"Then, I will fight. I will fight for you." said Angus.
'As my master did in the past. I will fight for you.' thought Angus.
"Pro.. Promise?" said Anna.
"Yes, I promise." said Angus.
"Pinky promise?" said Anna while showing her pinky,
"Yep, pinky promise." said Angus while entangling his pinky with Anna.
At this moment, both of them suddenly hear a thunderous roaring sound. *BOOORRR* The sound is so loud that it even trembles the entire ground. Angus immediately uses [Great Mana Echolocation] to check the surroundings.
"What's that?" exclaimed Angus as he got feedback from his skill.
"They.. They called me." said Anna.
"Did you mean that humongous monster is calling you?" asked Angus.
"Yeah, I could feel their call from the previous roar." replied Anna while looking at the roaring sound direction.
Meanwhile, far away in the Surya desert, a gigantic mammoth with an active volcano on its back is walking towards Anna's direction. The size of the mammoth is so huge, comparable with Surya village's sand turtle.
*Bam* *Bam* Each step it makes will create an earthquake along with blazing temperature towards the surrounding. While it is walking towards Anna's direction, countless flying bat-like monsters come out from its volcano's back.
The bat monster spread towards the surrounding area, searching for any prey. In the meantime, the other village camp also hears the trembling roar of the mammoth monster.
"T-This is a monster overlord!!" exclaimed Estar, leader of the Sky Wing village.
"Damn it, why did the monster begin bothering us more at this time?" said Datun.
'Monster Overlord?!! Just as I send a reinforcement?!!' thought Farkas solemnly.
On the other side of the desert, Isvel and a few village elders heard the roaring sound.
"What's that?" asked Isvel while closing his ear from the loud sound.
"Elder Moi." asked Elder Fosa.
"Yes, there is no mistake. A gigantic monster overlord is approaching." replied Elder Moi.