I Need Wives For My Gacha System
Chapter 80: Victory ( - -80)

Chapter 80: Victory (Chapter-80)

Not letting up, Rex followed with another Flaming Arc, twisting its trajectory mid-air to strike both enemies at once. One collapsed, twitching violently as the damage over time took hold of him constantly making it collapse again once it tried to get up. The second, though wounded, let out a final desperate lunge. It was the final one because Rex spun his spear, coated it in a layer of black-golden flames, and stabbed forward.

The tip of the weapon pierced directly through the Hayenadon’s skull, flames erupting from its eyes and mouth. The beast let out a last, strangled howl before collapsing.

Victory.

Rex exhaled heavily, wiping blood from his chin as he surveyed the battlefield. Rex used at least a dozen Flaming Arcs in that fight but his mana was able to handle it. Despite him only being at Essence Absorption Realm 2nd stage, due to his constitution and his better cultivation talent which he had before, his mana pool was larger than what should be at his stage.

He turned his gaze to the Verdant Stags.

Despite the overwhelming number of Hayenadons at the beginning of the fight, these majestic, creatures had managed to stand their ground. Their coordination and sheer numbers had allowed them to work together and overpower one of the Grade 3 Hayenadons despite it being a higher grade than them, all of them Verdant Stags inside the pack being of Grade 2 or lower as the younglings still had to grow up to become stronger. Even now, the corpse of the slain beast lay nearby, pierced through by countless antlers, its body torn apart by the relentless charge of the herd.

For a moment, there was silence and then a low, agitated growl echoed through the battlefield.

The remaining two Grade 3 Hayenadons, who had been fighting with the pack of Verdant Stags, waiting for an opportunity, finally realized that the battle was not tipping in their favour. Their glowing red eyes darted from Rex to the Verdant Stags, then to the body of their fallen kin.

Then, without hesitation, they howled.

A deep, resonant sound filled with frustration and resignation rippled through the air. It was neither a call for aid nor a threat. It was a signal of retreat.

The remaining two spun on their heels, kicking up dirt as they bolted away, disappearing into the dense foliage. The Verdant Stags didn’t pursue. Instead, the tension that had filled the battlefield slowly faded.

Then, the Stags began their victory display.

They stamped their hooves, letting out deep, elk-like bugling calls, their cries reverberating through the trees. A few bowed their heads, rubbing antlers together in some kind of silent acknowledgement of the battle’s outcome. Others reared up, kicking their front hooves in the air in triumphant display.

Rex watched, slightly amused. He never expected beasts to have their own victory rituals, but it made sense since they had just survived a death of live crisis.

He turned his gaze towards Zoe.

She was seated on a large rock, frowning as she pulled out a first aid box from her storage ring. Her face was tense, her body slightly trembling. He saw her struggle to apply antiseptic the wound on her keg, hissing in pain as the sting burned through her skin.

Rex shook his head.

’This girl...’

It was clear she wasn’t used to this kind of pain. High maintenance, indeed. Without a word, Rex stepped forward, closing the distance between them. Before she could protest, he took the cloth and antiseptic from her hands.

"Let me do it"

Zoe opened her mouth, probably to argue, but then closed it as Rex gently grabbed her leg**.** The moment the antiseptic touched her wound, she flinched violently.

"It hurts," she hissed through gritted teeth, her fingers clutching the edge of her skirt. It was gonna be a bit difficult to continue, if she continued to move like this.

Rex ignored her complaints, deciding to distract her instead.

"Look, there is a small Verdant Stag walking towards us" he said as if surprised, tilting his head towards the Verdant Stags,

Zoe turned slightly, her attention shifting for just a moment just enough for Rex to quickly press the cloth against her wound and wrap it with bandages.

The sharp sting made her body tense up. Her shoulders shook slightly, and before she could stop herself, tears welled up in her eyes. A few spilled over, trailing down her cheeks.

Rex exhaled, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Aren’t you a bit too old to cry over something like this?" he muttered.

Zoe sniffed, glaring at him.

"Shut up"

A high-maintenance girl like her had probably never suffered even the slightest injury since childhood. Well similar to his cousins but that was aside the point.

He finished tying the bandage and let go of her leg.

"Done," he said simply, stepping back.

Zoe wiped her tears away, looking at her wrapped leg with a small pout. She had winced and flinched throughout the process, her face still damp with the lingering traces of tears, but at least the wound was properly treated now.

Without saying anything, he reached into his storage ring, pulling out a small jade bottle. He opened it and retrieved a few round pills that emitted a faint herbal fragrance.

"Here," he said, holding them out.

"These will help you recover your wounds, your energy, and your mana."

Zoe pouted, her teary eyes still carrying traces of indignation, wanting to ignore him for a moment more because of his previous actions. But after a brief hesitation, she sighed and took the pills from his hand.

With a small gulp, she swallowed them down, her throat bobbing slightly. The warmth of the medicinal energy began to spread through her body, easing the pain and soothing her fatigue.

Just as she was about to say something, the pack of Verdant Stags began to move. Their bugling victory cries had faded, and now they started trekking deeper into the lush forest.

But then, something small and delicate approached them.

A young Verdant Stag, its fur brighter and softer than the rest, trotted closer to where Zoe sat. Its large, curious emerald eyes blinked up at her, unafraid.

Zoe’s lips parted slightly in surprise.

Then, unable to resist, she slowly reached out and placed a gentle hand on its head, patting the small stag’s fur. Its body was warm and sturdy, and it glunked softly, rubbing against her palm as if seeking more affection.

A soft smile spread across Zoe’s face as she became immersed in its cuteness.

However, a deeper glunk sounded from a short distance away.

The mother Verdant Stag stood nearby, calling its child back. The young stag hesitated, then let out a few repeated glunks, turning its head between Zoe and its mother.

The mother stared at them, glunking repeatedly as if it was waiting for something.

Rex narrowed his eyes.

"...I think they want us to follow," he said, watching the adult Verdant Stag glance in their direction before stepping further into the forest.

Zoe, still reluctant to let go of the adorable baby Verdant Stag, nodded slightly.

Rex turned back to her.

"Can you stand?"

"I can..."

She tried to push herself up from the rock, her legs shaking slightly. But the moment she put weight on her injured leg, her balance wavered, and she almost fell forward.

Rex reacted, catching her before she could hit the ground.

For a moment, their faces were close, her breath hitching as she clung to his arms.

Zoe’s face reddened instantly, a deep blush spreading across her cheeks as she quickly looked away.

Rex steadied her, making sure she wouldn’t collapse again before letting go.

"...Looks like you can’t," he said flatly, sighing as he knelt down in front of her, turning his back towards her.

"Get on."

Zoe blinked.

"...Huh?"

Rex didn’t look back.

"You can’t walk properly, and we can’t wait here all day before your injury gets healed, get on."

Her fingers lightly clenching the fabric of her skirt. A trace of memory sparked inside her mind but the person who was in this was not the same person and it felt... odd.

But after a few seconds, she exhaled softly and muttered,

"Thanks."

Her voice was so small, barely audible. But Rex heard it.

Without a word, he lifted her onto his back, adjusting her weight slightly before standing up with ease.

Zoe kept her arms lightly wrapped around his shoulders, her face still flushed, but she didn’t say anything else.

Together, they followed the Verdant Stags into the depths of the forest, disappearing into the vibrant greenery.

Rex and Zoe followed the Verdant Stags as they continued deeper into the forest, the path winding through dense greenery. Despite the unfamiliar terrain, Rex noticed that the journey remained remarkably safe, not a single hostile beast appeared along the way.

Perhaps it was due to the Verdant Stags’ presence. After all, they were a pack of grade 2 beasts, strong enough to deter lesser creatures. Or maybe it was simply that they instinctively knew the safest paths through the forest. Either way, Rex wasn’t going to complain about hitching a safe ride through the forest.