Mutagen

Day 237 - 12:15 PM - Secret Realm, Mount Madia-as, Panay Mountain Range, Province of Aklan

The flames blazed, spreading fast across the forest.

Growls and gargled moans entered everyone's ears as the [Infected] marched, invading the magical land they found.

Sounds of battle echoed as the inhabitants of the Secret Realm tried their best to fend their land against the [Infected].

All these things happened in the background as Mark's group raised their heads and stared at the enemy before them.

Hovering in the air, it was a handsome man that could make anyone envious. He had hair that reached a little below his shoulder while wearing a tribal cloth bandana on his forehead. His top was half-naked with only some sort of animal leather draped on his body. It showed his finely chiseled body and pale-white skin tone. The right part of the man's face, right arm, and torso had a large tribal tattoo covering it. Below, he was wearing what seemed to be a tribal loincloth adorned with fangs and bones of predatory animals on his belt.

The strange, handsome man held a spear made of bone, with a spiky tip made of crystal.

With the presence of Mark's group, the enemy sure was curious. He was looking at the group in arrogance while also seemingly angry.

"I was denied entry to this place while Demons and humans were allowed inside. Talk about double standards."

The man realized what composed Mark's group and complained in anger while staring at Silim, who now stood up from her fall.

Silim's fall was not a soft one. The ground around her was heavily dented, even causing cracks in the large rocks of the mountain. Being a powerful person, Silim was not harmed. However, she was clearly weakened after the encounter.

"It is not about race," Silim argued, not reverting her attention away from the handsome man. "There is no way I will let an incarnation of evil like you into our home."

The reply from Silim made the handsome man tilt his head.

"Demons who are not evil, you say?" The handsome man scanned Mark's group. "Well, those freaks do exist."

Demons were evil creatures. It was not only humans who shared such ideals. Though, in truth, Demons were just like any other race. There were good and evil amidst their ranks.

However, as Demons were evil in general, with most being the manifestation of distorted emotions and desires, good ones were considered freaks among the Demon race.

As the handsome man panned his eyes on the group of Demons before him, his eyes caught the sight of a woman wearing a veil to cover her face. Somehow, he became curious about the Demon woman.

"You, take off your veil."

The handsome man said to the Demon woman in a commanding tone.

That command did not only make Mark's group frown but also made Silim stare at the inconceivable attitude of that man. They were in the middle of battle, yet, he had the audacity to focus his attention on something else.

Silim was not defeated yet. Even so, the man seemed to think that he had won already. He also behaved as if the group of Demons was beneath him.

"I did not think to see such audacity."

The handsome man was interrupted by a woman's voice. It was only then he realized the figure of a black-dressed woman that appeared beside Silim.

Surely, the man was surprised that he never noticed the woman at all.

"Mother."

Silim greeted as she regained her footing.

Magwayen did not reply, however. Her attention was fully on the intruder.

Still, hearing Silim call the woman as her mother made the man extremely shocked beyond disbelief.

"How... All gods should have disappeared from this world already. Why is someone like you still here?!"

It seemed that the man was aware that Silim was Magwayen's daughter in the first place.

At first, the man thought that he did not detect Magwayen because she was a God and the difference in their strength. But immediately, he noticed. Magwayen was not exuding the Godly aura that she was supposed to have as a God.

"No, you're not the real body. Damn, that scared me."

The man surely feared that Magwayen was still here. But a simple projection that Magwayen had in this place would not be able to do anything.

Even so, this man behaved differently from most. He did not pay respect to a God in front of him. It was even though he was the same as Silim. A [Spirit of Nature].

The handsome man was not an [Infected] nor a Demon.

[Diwatas] had another term they were called with among the residents of this country. Spirit races such as Elementals and even some Demons were locally called "Encantos." From there, the highest among the Encantos were the [Diwatas], which also referred to as [Encantadas].

And although not have a different name, the male counterpart of the [Encantadas], the [Encantados]. They were the rare kind of Spirits of Nature, as the more powerful Spirits were mostly born as females.

However, different from the [Diwata's] good alignment, the [Encantados] were known as vile beings. They were known to trick humans using various methods. And worse, killing the victims in the process.

[Encantados] always had fun at the cost of others' torment. It made it even questionable if they were Demons in disguise, but their origins were far different from Demons as they were born in a similar way to [Diwatas].

And that was while they both came from the same origins, being [Spirits of Nature], [Diwatas] and [Encantados] were known to be mortal enemies.

Well, in this case, it was different. Silim was a [Diwata] created by Magwayen with Bathala's help. She was not a normal [Spirit of Nature]. Even so, Silim shared the same sentiment as others towards [Encantados].

[Encantados] were enemies. They were the culmination of nature's hate while the [Diwatas] were the representation of nature's love.

It was what was being portrayed here, as the [Enkantado] in front of them led a horde of [Infected] into the Secret Realm to attack it.

"Do not think that you already won."

Silim said with a slight growl. She intended to continue fighting.

"Do not force yourself." The [Encantado] arrogantly smiled at the [Diwata]. "I don't know why you're weakened, but you are no match for me in your current state. I rather not kill you since I want you as one of my wives."

There, the [Encantado's] true goal was revealed. He was not only aiming to seize this place as his own. He was also aiming to turn Silim into his wife. Well, as he said, one of his wives.

Suddenly, the [Encantado] turned to the Demon woman wearing the veil on her face.

"Why not join Silim? Become my wife and I might think of sparing the others."

Mark stared at the enemy with a frown. It seemed that the [Encantado] was drawn unto Mei's beauty, even though she was already covering her face to avoid attention.

"Oi," Mark called out to the [Encantado]. "Bold of you to court someone else's wife in front of her husband."

The [Encantado] was arrogant, and Mark spoke with the same arrogant tone.

Finally, the [Encantado] turned to Mark for the first time. Yes, he did not acknowledge Mark's presence at all. Only when Mark said the words that implied that he was the Demon woman's husband that the [Encantado] put Mark in his eyes.

"So, she already had a husband?" The [Encantado] smirked. "You think I would care? A lowly Demon as ugly as you would not be able to keep her."

"You sure?" Mark said, not minding being called ugly, and turned to Mei. "Mei'er, you tell him."

Mei was surprised, but she was clearly pissed at how the enemy was ridiculing Mark. Although she could barely understand Spirit Language, she could piece out the words that the enemy spouted.

And with her limited vocabulary of the Spirit Language, Mei, who was always afraid of men, yelled out.

"SHUT UP! YOU UGLY!"

Mei yelled with momentary courage before running behind Mark and hiding.

"Y-Y-YOU!!!"

The enemy was stunned, speechless. To be called ugly with his heavenly appearance was a first for him.

Silim, on the other hand, became nervous.

"Watch out!"

Silim yelled as the figure of the [Encantado] blurred.

The [Encantado] had an extreme complex for his appearance. Yes, this man was a narcissist, and to an absolute degree.

And those that thought otherwise were immediately crushed under his overwhelming strength.

BOOM!

A shockwave enveloped the place, with Mark's group at the center.

But outside Silim's expectations, the [Encantado] was blown back to the sky, shocked and disheveled as he stared at the leader of the group of the Demons.

"Who said that you can touch my wife with your filthy hands?"

Mark said in irritation. His eyes had both the red and dark-violet glow, with his fist in front of him, with veins glowing bright red.

As the battle finally started, Mark issued orders.

"Mei'er, Zhiruo, go with everyone and deal with the [Infected]. Leave this ugly bastard to me."

Mei and Feng Zhiruo nodded as they brought the little girls and Amihan to run in a different direction. Mark also took out the remaining two golems to go with the group.

"Y-Y-Y-Y..."

The [Encantado] shivered as he floated in the sky. He did not care whether the rest of the Demons were running away. His attention was on his handsome face as he frantically felt it with his hands.

He immediately felt something wet as he touched his nose. It was a drop of red blood with a sheen of gold.

The [Encantado] was extremely furious. His eyes were now focused on Mark in extreme rage.

It was because out of all places, Mark, without hesitation, punched the [Encantado's] face when he defended from the latter's attack.

The handsome face that a narcissist valued the most...

Even Silim was reluctant to do that as it would throw the [Encantado] berserk.

But Mark did not care for that. Before the [Encantado] could react, Mark opened his wings and began to transform.

The transformation of a [Pure-Blood Blood Demon]. It was the first time Mark did this after the Fusion of Dimensions. Of course, it was the first time for Magwayen to witness it either.

Mark's black hair grew longer, having the reddish tint and sheen. His fangs grew, and the nails on his hands turned to claws. The veins on his entire body glowed red as a powerful aura exuded from his body unto the surroundings.

But then... Mark noticed some differences that he had never seen before.

Mark had three pairs of wings, with the third and lowest pair being smoke-like and ethereal. But now, the ethereal wings materialized. Not only that, but his wings grew larger, with each having the span of almost a meter.

Furthermore, and the most noticeable thing... The markings on his body had actually turned golden. And it was exuding an aura both familiar and unfamiliar to Mark.

But Magwayen immediately noticed that aura. It was the aura of the protection that those that passed the [Trial of Regrets] acquired. But when Mark transformed, the aura became concentrated on the markings on Mark's body, turning the black markings gold.

At Mark's transformation, the enemy sure was taken aback. The person he thought to be a lowly Demon was actually a Pure-blood, not to mention the possibility of being a monarch among his race.

Even, so, the [Encantado] was not feeling fear. In his mind, he was still superior to Mark, being someone at the level of Silim, who was a Deity.

Putting the unexpected changes aside, Mark concentrated his attention on the enemy. This guy was strong. Although Mark managed to counterattack just now, it was due to the enemy underestimating him and his group. Now, even though the enemy was still looking arrogant, he already had his guard up.

If Mark did not transform and unleash all his strength, he would not be an opponent to this [Enkantado] at all.

After all, with the exception of [The Great One] and Sinogo, this [Encantado] was the strongest enemy he had met so far.