Treasure-hunting: Into the Unknown

At the very next instant, Zachary and the Blazing Roc collided with each other in a violent clash. With its incredible, staggering strength, the roc was able to pull him all the way backwards. With his feet making two deep grooves into the ground as he skidded backwards, he was immediately on the defense. Now, its whole body was covered with surging, roaring flames, reducing his clothes to ashes. He felt as though he were completely engulfed in scorching, blistering heat. He thought he might be burned to death if not for the Holy Bone Bracer that had already absorbed so much of its strength.

"Aargh!" Zachary screamed out. The shout precluded a blaze of light erupting from the Holy Bone Bracer on Zachary's wrist, and the energy it had absorbed now exploded outward. He reached out and grabbed at the only part of Blazing Roc's neck not covered in fire. He effectively blocked its impact and hurled the beast to the ground with all his might.

The Blazing Roc never expected that Zachary was able to keep his vicious attacks at bay and even counterattack with speed. Even though he had thrown it with full strength, however, it wasn't nearly as injured as he might have hoped. After all, a martial beast with such rough, thick skin had incredible endurance and wouldn't be so easily injured.

And then the beast seemed to be right back up at the next instant. The Blazing Roc had every intention of taking Zachary down to death if it had to. But by the time it had recovered from his previous attack, Zachary was already fired up from fighting spirit without any concern about potential danger. He then activated his Shadow Pace and jumped onto its neck.

But the moment Zachary landed on the beast's back, his clothes disintegrated into ashes. Not even the martial energy could defend him from the fierce flames, and it wasn't long before his skin began to scorch. Pain rippled over his body, but he ground his teeth and never made a sound. Drawing out his Ice Needle, which was prepared for just this moment, he brought it straight into the Energy-gathering Acupoint in its head.

As the Ice Needle struck into the Blazing Roc's body, the scorching flames that protected it were extinguished almost instantly. After doing that, Zachary was able to breathe a sigh of relief.

It didn't take long for the Blazing Roc to realize that the burning flames on its body had been effectively neutralized by Zachary's little stunt, and now it could do no further harm to the latter who was still clinging for dear life onto its body. In a single bound, it launched itself into the air above them for over a hundred meters, frantically trying to shake him off and force him

soothe the great, frightened roc.

Realizing that Zachary no longer presented any signs of hostility, the Blazing Roc cautiously and carefully consumed the fourth-grade green therapeutic pill.

Having finished that, Zachary carefully and painfully collapsed into a sitting position beside the Blazing Roc, fighting to catch his breath as he himself tried to rest.

It took two days for Zachary's wounds to almost fully heal, and by that time the Blazing Roc had regained some movements as well. However, since he had broken one of its wings, and its Energy-gathering Acupoint was sealed, it could no longer pose as a danger to him.

"If you allow me, I'd like to take that fire in you. I swear that I won't treat you unfairly. If you let me do this, I'll serve you well in the future, care for you, feed and water you, and consider you a friend of mine. Should anyone try to bring harm on you, I will protect and avenge you, with the expectation that you'll return the favor for me, of course," Zachary said with utmost sincerity. He stood there, arms over his chest, imploring the Blazing Roc, who was lying on the ground at rest.

While the Blazing Roc didn't entirely understand what Zachary had said, it inherently understood his meaning. It was an instinctive ability that allowed a treasure beast to understand what humans were trying to say, and it seemed to know what he was asking from it. Like any human might, a beast also had the right to make the choice to survive. Although the Blazing Roc was a martial beast at the Heaven Level, it was still trapped here through Zachary's maneuvers. The beast knew that it wouldn't be able to get out of there easily. And in a way, it understood it had no choice. Though still somewhat unwilling, it seemed to accept its fate.