Atlas: Seekers Of Strength

Bang!

Landing feet first I step off the ladder, feeling the aura of several Astrals getting closer to the entrance I turn around begin running down the tunnel.

While running with light foot steps I take a chance to look at the walls at both sides of the tunnel, the walls are made of a synthetic metal that's not been maintained for a long time.

Its started to degrade and lose its strength, in some places terrifying claw marks can be seen etched across the tunnel.

A fierce fight certainly happened here, not dwelling on the thought further I begin going deeper into the tunnel.

Meanwhile outside the tunnel, several forms gather as they stare at the dead bodies strewn across the landscape.

"He doesn't have the item the lord wants? " Bending down and checking a dead bandit, Doctor Guda frowns and raises his voice to the surroundings.

"Who? who's concealing the Lords treasure? hand it over and I'll forgive your life!" Dr. Guda roars as his hawk like eyes dart from bandit to bandit, none dare to look at him straight ahead.

Although he has no cultivation base, this Mr. Guda is a trusted subordinate of their Astral lord, you wont have a good ending if you offend him.

Seeing no one answer, Dr. Guda gets even angrier.

Seeing him, one of the bandits who is the leader of this operation at the Origin Astral realm coughs before trying to calm him.

"Mr. Guda" stepping foward he treats Mr.Guda with respect but doesnt submit to him, experts have their own pride afterall.

"Tony Hornsby, I dont understand how your so calm in this situation? do you understand what the failure of this operation means?" Mr. Guda questions this bandit leader.

"Do you want to undergo the Lords wrath?"

With a set of Silver, oily hair tied in a ponytail, Tony Hornsby reveals a calm look as he ponders the situation. With hooded brown eyes, set buried within their sockets, he watchs vigilantly over the surroundings, careful not to miss a single detail.

A scar reaches from the bottom of his right cheekbone , first running towards thin lips and ending on his left cheek leaves an aching burden of battles past.

This is the face of Tony Hornsby a true bandit to the core, he stands big among others bandits due to his calm nature and analysis of his oponets strengths.

"The operation is not over yet, just a slight mishap" with a finger on his chin, Tony begins explains.

"Slight mishap? the treasure is nowhere to be found after checking the entire town, bandits are bandits and who knows if they've tried to pocket it for their own" With a threatening tone, Mr Guda has lost his reasoning.

"Calm down Mr. Guda , allow me to explain the situation"

"This failure could actually be on you" The bandit leader threatens Mr. Guda

"What do you mean?" Calming down, he can feel the bandit leader isn't joking.

"You were the one to explain the towns strength and all their experts, but it seems your missing one"

"Do you see there's four sets of different foot prints here? that's one extra from the bodies laying around here" he points in a direction.

Looking at the foot prints, Mr. Guda cant really tell the difference because he doesn't train in this profession, but looking closer it does look a little different.

"This foot print is light and seems to stumble as he walks, it should belong to a youth around 15-17 years of age with damaged vision" frowning, he then bends down to check the severed head of his subordinate.

"Although it seems like this townsman died together with our expert by burning his Astral foundation, but that's not the case"

"Not the case? then..." startled, Mr. Guda jumps up.

He recognizes this dead man as someone from the Flynn family, if he didn't kill the bandit then doesn't that mean there's one more expert that's at the elemental Astral realm that he's missed?

Was there really such a hidden expert?

"look closely at the marks on his severed neck"

"The force used wasn't strong, infact the actual killing strike happened when he was unable to avoid, this takes an extreme understanding of battles to be capable of predicting movements in advance"

Shaking his head, he pretty much understands what had happened here, Tony grins at Mr. Guda but that scar makes him look hideous.

"Theres two options to consider here" Tony holds out his hand while he brings 1 finger forward.

"The first

There is an expert capable of controlling his own strength so much so that he's capable of killing an elementary Astral cultivator with just the strength of an ascended realm cultivator, with no wasted energy"

Pausing for a second, he raises a brow before putting up a second finger.

"The second, he was killed by an actual ascended realm cultivator" he gives a meaningful glance at Mr. Guda, the glance tells everything Mr. Guda needs to know.

The meaning is they didnt have any information about this expert, the information provider was supposed to be his job! realising this he gets frightened, he cant undergo the wrath of his Lord.

"Bring the mayor" Mr. Guda shouts in all directions.

"Quickly"

Soon the mayor is brought in front of Mr. Guda.

"Koby has seen sirs" Cupping his hands, the mayor bows.

The mayor no longer has the air of a town ruler, he's thoroughly submitted to these bandits as a lackey.

"Koby, you will tell me the truth and if you dare lie I'll have you eat a Soul Prickling fruit" Mr. Guda gets straight to the point while threatening the mayor, how could the mayor dare lie? he even traded his entire town in return for his life.

"yes Sir, This little one wont dare" the mayor frightened hurries to agree.

"Tell me , does this town have any hidden experts in secret?"

"Was your submitting only a farce to let that expert secretly bring the treasure away?" Narrowing his eyes, he shouts at the former mayor with eyes that shows he would kill him without slight hestitation if he were to lie!

"No, no absolutely not, I swear on my anscestors" The mayor hurriedly denies it.

Tony watches from the sidelands without intervening, he carefully observes the mayors expression and realises the mayor is actually hiding something.

Clapping his hands he steps forward.

"Mr. Guda, Its better to just feed him the soul prickling fruit, hes hiding something" sneering, Tony exposes the mayor on the spot.

Hearing this, Mr. Guda is startled, his eyes glare at the mayor like a lion would its food.

"You..You?" he cant believe it, this mayor has such big guts to actually hide something from him?

"Wait, no wait its" yelling, the mayor stumbles back and knows he's finished, he regrets not telling them about the ancient tunnels underground.

He wanted to secretly explore the tunnels himself after these bandits had left, theres a stone door thats impossible to open with even a Tier 1 Array master helpless infront of it.

Its most likely a treasurehouse which would propel him to great heights, how could he give it up?

He regrets being greedy while cursing the person who stole the Astral cultivation technique, he as the mayor has the status to know what the treasure is.

Its an Earth Astrals Epic Tier battle skill.

The unfortuanate thing is, its only the contents of the technique itself and doesnt have the aura needed to cultivate it. Only by finding the matching Astral aura can the technique be cultivated.

Astral cultivation techniques without the aura is useless, but would the bandits believe it? they think its a complete Epic tier inheritance.

Being held down he tries to struggle but its useless, hes forced to eat the soul prickling fruit and the pain it induces makes death seem like a luxury.

"Koby, I gave you two chances yet you repeatedly tried to hide things from me? with this I'll force all the secrets from within you" with an unsightly look, Mr. Gudas expression twists as he begins interrogating the former mayor.

A Half hour passes and all of the mayors secrets are exposed as he begs for death, granting his wish they behead him without mercy.

Pulling out a cigar, Tony puffs a smoke circle as he finds it amusing.

"So the treasure we are looking for is an incomplete inheritence of an epic tier technique?" smirking, he thinks out loud for everyone to hear.

"Tony, Dont question the Lords wishes" with an unsightly look Mr.Guda scolds Tony.

"haha, Mr.Guda, do you think the Lord would go through this much trouble simply for an Epic Tier Astral technique?" he looks mysteriously at Mr. Guda.

"Although rare, its not too difficult to find one with his status, remember that" With a mysterious smile he leaves Mr Guda to think.

Mr Guda doesnt cultivate so he doesnt know too much about Astrals Cultivation.

He had managed to find a rare herb while looking for medicine to refill his clinics stock, this herb was something the Lord had been searching for.

Knowing this he presented it to the Lord and managed to get into his good books, thus from then on he started serving under him.

"Well never mind, there really isnt any expert so that means it was an ascended cultivator that had killed my underling" in thought he looks at Mr Guda.

"Can you recognize anyone? faulty eyesight, around 16 years of age"

Recalling the towns people, he mumbles before his eyes widen, he fiercely shakes his head but Tony catches his action.

"Well, care to share" seemingly interested at his response, Tony inquires.

"No, its just" pausing for a second.

"There was one kid whos 16 years old who was born blind, he is also that mans son but" hesitating, he continues.

"But what? is there anyone else with faulty eye sight, who's a kid and was at the scene?" Tony asks.

shaking his head, Guda cant recall anyone else.

"If thats the case, then thats our culprit, why deny it?"

"The kid was born with half a spirit, he wont be able to break through into ascended realm for a lifetime" Mr. Guda explains all the kids achievements.

Stumbling, theres a rare trace of shock on Tony Hornsby's face, he quickly composes himself. Although Mr. Guda might not understand what the kids achievements mean but he does.

Consolidated realm but both a Tier 1 Array master, and Tier 1 Forge Master at the age 16? thats a monster that doesnt exist even within those sects.

Hearing how the kids born blind and cant cultivate, he feels regretful even if he is an enemy.

"Well, Its simple" Tony replies.

"Such a genius, it wouldnt be impossible to break through into the ascended realm as any miracle could happen" Tony isnt suprised.

Miracles all so often happen in the Astral world, hes seen many miracles before so cultivating with half a spirit couldnt even said to be surprising, plenty of people have managed it.

"But his eyes" in thought, he knows repairing defects are difficult.

"If it was a birth defect thats related to genetic defects, then they wont be healed easily"

"It isnt as bad as I imagined, we're looking for a blind kid with green eyes, brown hair and a firm stature?" confirming, Tony orders his subordinates to enter the underground tunnels.

"Mmm, it cant be blamed on you Mr. Guda so dont worry, its just an ascended realm cultivator and we'll bring him back in no time" laughing, Tony jumps down into the underground tunnels.

"But, was the strike that killed his lackey a coincidence or..." Frowning he disapears into the manhole, entering the depths of darkness.

Mr. Guda stands above the manhole helpless, he cant help in this operation as even that kid could slay him.

But that mayor sure hides deep, to think he would try to keep this ancient tunnel all to himself, and it would of succeeded too if the treasure hadnt gone missing.

Thinking back to that cripple he had treated 16 years ago, who would think that he would be the one to ruin his plan? He can only hope the treasure will be retrieved quickly.