Chapter 235
The Indelible Mark of Fire!_2 We can’t let Sunset Country outdo us!
“We need to make contact with the Flames, but at the same time, we must send out our strongest from Wavemist Nation, to show the Flames the power of our nation!”
“Only by displaying the true strength of Wavemist Nation can we catch the eye of the Flames, making any future collaborative negotiations much easier.”
“Now is a rare opportunity.”
A two-fold opportunity!
…
In the central southern part of Wavemist Nation, before the sprawling mountain ranges.
Members of the Ultra Combat Unit from headquarters and various regions converged here.
The overall commander of this battle was Deputy Minister Katrina, and Anderson had also sent his loyal subordinate—the well-known powerhouse of the Ultra Combat Unit, ‘Skull Crusher’ Arthur!
This was a man towering over two and a half meters tall, his arms covered in a grey keratin layer that had become part of his flesh.
Although this was a physical mutation, a side effect of Awakening, it also granted Skull Crusher formidable defensive strength and hardness.
His body was extremely hard, especially his arms.
His power was even more immense; he had smashed the skulls of numerous members of the Heretical Cult by hand, earning him the nickname ‘Skull Crusher.’
Skull Crusher Arthur increasingly enjoyed striking the heads of his enemies; even the skulls of large Mysterious Evils had been crushed into mush by his blows.
Katrina looked at Skull Crusher Arthur with some trepidation.
This big man’s strength was too frightening; she didn’t dare to take him on. If it weren’t for the fact that the fellow was too straightforward and lacked backing, he might have had a seat as a deputy minister.
But the thought that he was both straightforward and rash, and still a teammate, made Katrina feel much more at ease.
As she inspected the action team, Awakeners from the Ultra Combat Unit across the nation also sneaked glances at Katrina.
The deputy minister was seductively curvaceous but like a thorny rose; many had heard of her beauty, but even more had heard of her ferocity.
Very fierce!
When Katrina’s gaze swept over them, they involuntarily lowered their heads, not daring to meet her eyes.
And their thoughts were restless again.
Soon, a variety of specialized potions were distributed.
Energy Recovery Potions, Stamina Potions, Strength Potions, Healing Potions.
Among them, Energy Recovery Potions were the most abundant; the Ultra Combat Unit was really sparing no expense this time.
“Hey~ Are these potions really that miraculous?”
An Awakener from headquarters who had been fortunate enough to try them nodded proudly, “Brother, be bold. Let your imagination run wild with possibilities. These potions are even more miraculous than described. See this Energy Recovery Potion? Just a little vial can fill you up, even to the point of overflowing.”
“Could this also be the latest product from the Research Department?”
“That’s not right, our Research Department hasn’t been able to develop a single potion for the past few months; how come there are so many all of a sudden?”
“I don’t know about that.”
They didn’t have a chance to continue the conversation because the squad started moving.
Step by step, they entered the deep mountains; the environment gradually became chilly and bleak as they saw more withered trees around them and encountered more Mysterious Evils.
Occasionally, they appeared in groups of three or two, six or four.
Growling.
The shrill, grating sound like grinding teeth never stopped ringing in their ears.
Just that babbling, that rational assault, would be enough to give the weaker Awakeners a tough time.
But fortunately, this time they were equipped with ‘Calming Potions’; they drank a small mouthful at regular intervals, about one-tenth of the content, which was very effective in restoring sanity.
No more headaches; their spines straightened, their entire demeanor became fiercer in combat.
But what caught the most attention was still the seductively curvaceous Katrina… and her strength.
In her hand, she held a brown whip studded with sharp spikes, a mysterious object with strong side effects that she could counter with her Awakened Ability, allowing Katrina to wield it for a long time.
She swung it, and the brown whip extended inch by inch, coiling like a snake around a large Mysterious Evil.
Bright red blood spikes emerged from the whip, instantly turning the Mysterious Evil into a hedgehog-like shape; in just two or three seconds, a large Mysterious Evil was dead.
And she remained still, without moving a step from her spot.
“No wonder our minister is called the ‘Blood Queen’; my goodness, this is terrifying!”
“Katrina has already killed more than ten large Mysterious Evils; from today on, I am Katrina’s dog!”
“Is this what the strength of top-tier powerhouses looks like?!”
Many members of the Ultra Combat Unit from various regions marveled, this was indeed an eye-opening experience.
Some turned their gaze in another direction.
A towering brawny man was punching again and again, crushing the head of a large Mysterious Evil to pieces with his fists.
“Skull Crusher is also terrifying, I always feel he’s more like a Mysterious Evil than the Mysterious Evils themselves!”
“With these two in command, this operation is bound to succeed!”
When Katrina and Skull Crusher worked together with ease to slay a particularly large Mysterious Evil, the cheers from the Ultra Combat Unit members reached a peak.
Even a Mysterious Evil symbolizing destructive disaster couldn’t stop their advance.
This battle was secure!
Katrina also felt the same, the whole process was smoother than she had expected. It wasn’t that the Mysterious Evils were too weak, but rather that this time many Awakeners were armed with standardized weapons purchased from the Flames, greatly increasing their combat effectiveness.
She herself, with Energy Recovery Potions making the fight even more invigorating by several orders of magnitude.
“Let’s keep going; it’s possible that just by the power of my Ultra Combat Unit alone, we could clear all the Mysterious Evils from this mountainous area.”
Of course, that would be too exhausting.
This battle also served the purpose of showcasing our strength before the Flames.
Katrina slowed the pace of advancement a bit, waiting for the Flames reinforcements to arrive.