Mutagen-Chapter 1193: To South Korea, The Next Journey and The Events of Two Days
Day 381 - 8:11 AM - Hakata Bay, Fukuoka Coastal Area, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan
Since the apocalypse began, the situation caused by the arrival of [Mutagen] on Earth continued to worsen. Fukuoka was among the earliest prefectures in Japan to fall into the hands of the [Infected] in its entirety. The fact that Fukuoka International Airport was located at the center of the human-inhabited areas helped in its fall into the hands of the [Infected], with several airplanes crashing in the surrounding cities, causing several [Infected Nests] to appear early on. It did not help the people that it had the Kitakyushu Airport at its northeast and the Saga International Airport near the prefecture’s southwestern border.
Due to its early fall, Fukuoka Prefecture quickly emerged as one of the deadliest places in Japan since the beginning of the apocalypse.
Despite this grim history, the focus this time was not on the current situation of the prefecture.
It was the gigantic cube currently traversing the sky of Fukui.
Of course, that unidentified flying object was no other than [The Cube], used as transportation by the members of Evernight. Since there was no way for Spera to open a [Portal] straight to their destination, they could only start at the closest location they could, which was the southern coast of Miyazaki Prefecture, which they passed by the first time they went to Japan.
"Rest, you hear me?"
Mei’s rather annoyed voice echoed inside the cube as she made Mark lie on her lap with a frown.
Of course, Mark could only sigh in resignation as he followed her words.
Well, it was not like Mei had no reason to be annoyed. Since they arrived home from Indonesia two days ago, Mark had yet to have a proper sleep and only took around two hours of rest within that time span. Mark may be a powerful person in various ways, but days without rest would still harm him, especially since the effects of previous battles on him had yet to vanish.
Mei put up with his recklessness since he had to prepare and do many things before they set off to Korea, but now that they had some free time while travelling, she would not let him continue like this.
Mark, accepting Mei’s reprimand, lay down and was immediately swarmed by his daughters.
They sat and leaned on his body. It seemed that they would not let him escape this forced resting time.
In any case, Mark had no reason to escape. He would not deny that he was also feeling tired now. As such, while mulling over the previous two days, he fell asleep.
***
Back at the Mountain Base, Felicity’s birth became a huge thing. With its small population of around three hundred people, everyone was aware of Aimee’s circumstances. When she still looked like a monster, she only stayed in her dwelling while guarding the strange stone.
When she gained a more human body and often went outside, she carried the stone most of the time. The curious ones inquired about the stone, and there they learned what was happening. Some showed encouragement while others showed pity. But now that the stone actually turned into the child she sought so dearly, everyone was happy for her.
It was clear that Felicity was not a human. Everyone who laid their eyes on her immediately thought so. It was not because her mother was a monstrous being, but because Felicity exuded an angelic aura that even mere mortals could feel. It was not wrong to say that while many people find newborns cute, many also find them ugly, although they would not say it aloud most of the time. However, no one could say or feel the latter towards Felicity.
As such, Felicity immediately became a celebrity in the Mountain Base.
This occasion certainly warranted a celebration for various reasons. However, that celebration was put on hold. At the moment, not every member of the base was present. Some went back to the Infanta Settlement while the [Elementals] were at the domain of Diwata Danaya. All of them went to help with the preparations for the next incoming catastrophe. Everyone was busy too, as they also had to prepare for the event, especially since they had yet to know how the catastrophe would affect the Mountain Base.
Mark spent the rest of the time making equipment for himself and Mei. With Mei’s primary weapon broken, he had to make a new one with the items he had available. Although he managed to make a sniper rifle that could transform into a sword, it was inferior compared to the previous one that had a cultivator’s sword as its base material. Mark thought he would need to make another one for Mei after he gathered better materials.
As for the armor, Mark decided to make the same ones as before, but with a few tweaks here and there. It was something he was already familiar with and something he could create quickly. After all, they were pressed for time.
Feng Zhiruo would not be joining the next journey. She was still in her deep meditation while bathing in magical flames from the formation Mark created. It seemed that it would take some time before she awoke from her cultivation.
Amaterasu’s sudden appearance left less of an impact than it would normally have. After all, she was not the first Goddess to appear in the Mountain Base. Furthermore, like Magwayen, she could only appear on Earth as an apparition with the help of the artifact Sayuri held. Her beauty might have captivated those who saw her, but the natural aura she had as a Goddess prevented most mortals from attempting to approach and talk to her.
In any case, Amaterasu could only appear near the artifact Sayuri carried, just like how Magwayen could only appear around Mark and the artifact of the[Tamawos] now held by Edzel.
Val’Flora also visited yesterday. The clothes ordered from Chris, the owner of the Moonstone Boutique, were done, and she delivered the items. With the clothes having better quality than expected, Mark could not help but give a bonus to both Chris and Val’Flora. Unfortunately, Val’Flora returned as soon as the delivery was done. From her words, something was happening within the CNC, and most agents were being called back. It might have something to do with the incoming catastrophe, but Val’Flora had no idea either.
Thirteenth stayed around Mark after she arrived during Felicity’s birth. She was observing Mark thoroughly, which was strange at first, considering she spent more time around Luna lately. But it seemed that rather than observation, it was more to keep an eye on Mark due to his recent attempts to play with death.
Mark’s new ability sure was growing faster than his previous ones. The ability to see a person’s impending death. Unfortunately for the [Observer] and the [Eyes], Mark was intelligent enough to take advantage of this ability. As one not bound by fate, Mark had the ability to influence the fate of others. His severe actions could lead people to their immediate deaths. And now, he could see which ones would. Thus, it allowed him to change his choices ahead of time and tweak his actions to change fate.
Due to this ability, the array Feng Zhiruo was currently using was created. A person with a low fate was now born anew with an array that never existed since the history of mankind began. It also prevented a catastrophe that could have happened in the Mountain Base if they decided to conduct Felicity’s birth there.
However, also due to this ability, Earth’s fate began to repeatedly twist and change on a large scale in a short period of time. It prompted the [Observer] to order Thirteenth to keep an eye on Mark and prevent any more large-scale twists of fate. Fortunately, apart from a few activities, Mark stayed within his workshop after Felicity’s birth, not making any drastic waves in and out of the base.
Who would have thought that the [Observer] and the [Eyes] had to worry like this all of a sudden? As if the current state of the world were not worrying enough.
Of course, Mark, the perpetrator, had no idea about their worries.
***
"I can’t help but feel jealous looking at this."
Meanwhile, inside the cube, Sayuri said with a sigh while looking at Mark and his family.
With Mark fallen asleep, Mei caressed his hair with a sweet smile, as if she were taking care of her most precious treasure. As for the daughters, they had already fallen asleep, cuddling and leaning on Mark, basking in the warmth of his body. At some point, Amihan joined them, and Azra also came out, mimicking Abbygale and Miracle. Even Crimson and Oracle, the [Blood Children], came out to join. Elise was also there, although this time, she was sitting beside Mei, talking to her.
The others present, Spera, Emika, Hannah, Annica, and Illia, could only watch such a nice scene with a shrug.
Chimetrice was also there, but he did not care much about it. It was typical of him to do so.
"It’s not surprising you feel jealous," Illia, the [Elder Succubus], spoke after Sayuri’s words. "Many blood-related families can’t even keep themselves from quarrelling with each other. Some also interact with the members of their families only out of responsibility. Yet, we see a tightly knit family here, although none of them are related by blood."
"They are technically related by blood now, though," Spera chimed in. "All of them there are [Blood Demons]."
"I guess that’s true."
Illia and the rest could only nod at Spera’s retort.
Yes, the group there, Mark’s family, were now all [Blood Demons]. Just yesterday, Elise and Amihan received Mark’s baptism as one of his race. But as the main trait of [Blood Demons], Elise and Amihan pretty much remained the same. Elise was still [Human], and Amihan was still a [Sylph], but at the same time, they belonged to the [Blood Demons] and gained the abilities of one.
Amihan also became contracted to Mark. It was rather unfair since she was actually the first [Spirit] beside Mark, yet the only one of the three, along with Azra - the [Spirit of Death] and Chiyo - the Night Everred Pure Spirit Tree, not contracted to him.
But contrary to what one would expect, the contract ritual between Mark and Amihan was rather uneventful. Mark was a [God Candidate] and Amihan was a fragment of the [Goddess of the Wind]. It was not wrong to expect some world-shaking event. Yet, nothing of the sort happened. Even the two involved were surprised, considering the backlash Mark received when they tried a joint magic attack back in Indonesia.
It was Thirteenth, who was present at the scene, who cleared the confusion. It was because Amihan was already a [Blood Demon] when they made the contract. With both of them being members of the same race, the incompatibility practically became nonexistent. It was even more so because Mark was the one who turned Amihan into one. Amihan’s body and energy practically became tuned to be compatible with Mark when she became a [Blood Demon] using his blood.
As for Azra, she was already a [Blood Demon] the moment she entered Mark’s body. She even took control of it before. As such, she received his blood even in her ethereal form.
It might be slow, but the number of [Blood Demons] on Earth was growing.
"Don’t you all want to become one of them?"
Illia asked the rest of the group.
"I doubt my Mom would want that."
Emika, the youngest of the non-[Blood Demons], answered first.
"My Dad is the same."
Annica answered second.
"I’ll do it after Aunty becomes one."
Hannah followed while mentioning her Aunt, Odelina.
"Maybe in the future."
Spera also answered. While she was close to Mei and Mark like a sister, she was not ready to leave her humanity.
"I want to, but I’m a newcomer, so..."
Sayuri definitely wanted to become a [Blood Demon], but as she had said, she was new to the group. Maybe she could become one after she gained enough of their trust.
"What about you, Miss Illia?"
Sayuri turned to Illia and asked.
"No, I don’t need that," Illia smiled as her eyes turned to Chimetrice. "I’m already good as long as I’m with Master."
The rest of the girls sighed with a slight embarrassment as they saw that. Illia was a [Succubus]. What could they expect? As if the two’s daily routines were not known enough at the base. Since the two spend most of the time hidden together, there was no need to ask what a [Succubus] and her man would be doing.
With that nice atmosphere on one side and awkwardness at the other, they traversed the Sea of Japan for the next several hours. Although they encountered a few attacks from [Infected Birds and Insects] from Tsushima Island and the [Spatial Rift] on Japan’s border was far more chaotic than normal, the journey went as smoothly as possible.
Soon enough, the next country was in sight. If they followed the map correctly, the land they were seeing in the northwest should be the coasts of Busan.
