85 Bonus chapter Leaving for a Mission 2

'Master!"

Lukros was blocked as he tried to embrace Lucas. However, before he could, Lucas had already taken the action of stopping him.

Lucas is strict towards his familiars. Even in this world, he is obliged to be strict with them since they bring unbalance if they cause much trouble in the environment. 

However, thinking about the different power standards people have in this world, should he still act in this way?

"Let me ask you a question. What did you do here? Why isn't there one person here?" Lucas asked.

Lukros pouted and crossed his arms.

"I just did my job as a Soul Dragon. I collected tainted souls. That's what I did."

Lukros didn't reply for a brief moment and pondered how he should assess it. He looked at Lukros's clueless eyes and diverted them as he ponder once more.

"You didn't kill an innocent person this time? They were all tainted, right?" Lucas asked again.

"Yes, Master. Why would I absorb those who are innocent." He said, but as he uttered the words, he remembered something. "I even discovered something! The amount of energy I had raised means I don't have to think about conserving my mana. This world is strange, though."

Lucas snickered, then smiled after it. He said, "That's right, this world is strange, and from what you mentioned, I think I know what happened." 

Lucas removed the barrier and walked slowly towards Lukros, who was silent after answering him.

"Welcome to this strange world of cultivation Lukros," Lucas said while he smiled.

"Master!" Lukros pounced on him with an embrace and a delighted expression on his face.

Lucas could only chuckle while looking at Lukros's expression.

"Hey... Calm down for a moment. You look very elated." Lucas uttered as he accepted Lukros's warmful embrace. Lukros could only smile widely as he felt Lucas's youthful embrace.

"Master, why do you look younger? Did something happen?" Lukros asked.

Lucas could only scratch his nape as he explains things to Lukros. And Lukros was intently listening to him, not missing a word of his explanation.

"That legendary sword might have activated some of your abilities. You didn't know, even you Master was confused by your complex core structure."

Lucas nodded as Lukros reasoned some of his speculations. It was true that Lucas was also confused about himself as cores can't handle much pressure, which means, every core has limitations when absorbing a passive ability or even just an ability.

When this topic was raised, when they disconnected from their embrace, Lucas started enlighting the topic.

"This world is quite weird, to be said. Or maybe it's just us who are weird. However, as I lived longer here, I noticed that this world was affecting my soul, and even the unexplainable three energy pools I have."

"Let's just talk about this later. How come a reunion like this would be just a talk about my core." Lucas uttered as he pats Lukros's head.

Of course, Lucas was not that overjoyed. Because he was responsible for Lukros, he was aware that he had some personality issues and that his naivety was exceptional.

Lucas could only wonder how long Lukros had arrived here, but when he noticed that there was cultivation established on Lukros, his eyebrows met.

"Lukros, how long have you been here?" he asked.

"Uhm... maybe 4 months? I am not sure, but I think I arrived in this world 4 months ago." Lukros answered.

And as Lucas was getting near to his worry, he raised a question.

"Alchemy, you didn't tell anyone about the alchemy circle, right? This world has a different set of rules for alchemy, so I am worried if you ever told anyone about it."

Lukros was just silent, and that was what worried Lucas, as his face was starting to be painted with reluctance.

"Don't tell me..."

"Huh? There were some elders that asked about it, Master. They knew you, so I didn't bother thinking about it. I was just amazed that you've made friends in the afterlife, unlike in our world where you were busy searching for the legendary sword."

As soon as he heard it, Lucas slapped his palm on his forehead. His worries started to emerge as he also cursed Lukros's stupidity. How could this happen? Sometimes, Lukros is like a normal person, but in fact, when socializing, he can't keep any secrets.

"Lukros, what you have just done was stupid. I don't have any friends like what you said, and 4 months ago, I wasn't even that much socializing with the people in this world."

Lukros's face was painted with worry, and as he observed Lucas, his index finger touched his lips.

"Master, was that really bad? I really didn't think that they were not your friends. And you told me right not to be a liar when in front of you and your friends?"

Lucas sighed. "Lukros, forget about it, you know. Let's just forget about it."

Lucas's frustration rose once again, and as he gazed at Lukros, he felt three presences nearby that seemed too wary of them. Lucas looked at his surroundings using the abilities of his eye to see through. It was radiant in yellow colors and it was noticed by Lukros.

Lukros pondered, then inspected the surroundings as well. And as he realized it, he flinched.

"Master, those three elders are here!" Lukros announced.

Lucas took a pause and nodded. "It seems like they've been following you. Let's just don't mind them. I am on my way to get some ingredients. It's important now that you're with me."

'After all, Lukros is impulsive without me. It's better to be safe before he kills everyone who he sees as tainted.'

It also made Lucas worried. How could Lukros see plenty of tainted souls? After all, tainted souls' requirements are that in their whole lifetime, they've been drenched in blood and wars. And as Lucas thinks of it, were cultivators used in wars?

Well, they do kill anyone who seems to be their enemies. Unlike in his previous world, the government was dominant even in organizations, making modern authorities hold the grounds of the people before they could commit a crime.

That was just the era where Lukros was born, and after that, Lucas didn't know anything since Lukros was the first soul dragon he groomed.

"Let's go. Follow me."

Lucas started flying, followed by Lukros, who also just didn't mind the three elders just like what Lucas said. And as they left the ghost town-like place, the three elders showed themselves. They were all wearing the same style of robes, tattered and light grey, that reached their knees.

"Kukukuku, they didn't see us right?" Duha asked his siblings.

"That was his master, right? That Young Master-looking bastard? Right? That's the weirdo's master?" Usa uttered.

Tulo just sighed on his stand as he observed things once more, he concluded.

"That was his master. However, we are not sure if they really didn't notice us." he said, then continued, "I feel something strange with his master. He does feel strangely like that weirdo who had weird alchemy abilities."

"Well, he did show us his alchemy abilities where he created a metal from dirt. That one was superb." Usa commented.

Duha couldn't help but nod in annoyance. "Indeed, however, I still don't like how he didn't meet us after what he just did. He used the energy he collected to give to us." 

"So let's have a plan. Those two are dangerous for us, not just because they might point out where we are, but because their presence was annoying." Duha added.

On the other hand, Tulo was just silent. He couldn't say anything about Duha's comment as it was directly to the point. They wanted to ascend, but they couldn't supplement their deficiencies if those people existed.

"Then, before midnight, let's kill them." Tulo said.

As both of his siblings heard it, they leaped in joy. 

"You said, it!"

Tulo just nodded at them in accordance with their expressions.

***

As Lucas and Lukros ventured the skies, Lucas was endlessly eyeing the three elders below. He just noticed that they were hiding using some technique to hide their presence, and as they revealed themselves when they left, he commented.

"What did you feel when they talked to you?" Lucas asked Lukros.

"Uhm... When I appeared in this world, they were inside of a cave, so, when I went there, I asked them about you. They said they knew you so they asked after it, what can I do for them to help me. So, since my talent is alchemy, I mentioned it to them."

Lucas sighed. "Then, you also said that you could use alchemy to gather energy?"

Lukros nodded.

"Why?" Lucas asked.

"It's because I felt their presence was somewhat lacking. And since they said that they are your friends, I let them know that I could help them by supplying them with the energy they lack." Lukros answered

"And after it, you showed them more what you can do?"

Lukros nodded, and as he relayed it, Lucas asked once more. "Did you feel any else? Like, did you see if their souls were tainted?"

Lukros shook his head in accordance with the question. "They didn't have tainted souls, so I believed that they were your friends." 

Lucas was left in deep thoughts. 'Might be, they were keeping their souls untainted without killing anyone or they were hiding it with some unique technique. I've noticed that my magic can affect this world, so it does theoretically means that their technique can affect our abilities as well.'

"Okay, let's just observe them. If they try to do anything not so funny, let's kill them. Just stay by my side." Lucas said and then came up with a thought. 'After all, you are too naive without me. Your soul is still unstable without me.'