Chapter 847: Taming the little rat
Without a moment's hesitation, Max released the aura of his Black Dragon Chaotic Bloodline. A dark, suffocating pressure descended over the entire section of the lake. The water trembled slightly, as if the world itself recoiled.
The rat froze mid-bite. It looked up in terror, its golden fur standing on end, its tiny claws trembling. For a moment, it thought a great predator—perhaps a king of beasts or an ancient being—had come for its life.
But when the little creature turned around and saw the source of the pressure… it blinked. A human?
The rat let out a small squeak as if annoyed and puffed up its furry chest in defiance. It glared at Max as if to say, "You scared me for that?" Its defiance was adorable—but also dangerous.
Max held back a chuckle, maintaining a calm, friendly demeanor. "Little guy," he said in a warm tone, trying to coax the creature closer, "do you want to see a magical world where your strength keeps rising without you even needing to eat?"
He spoke gently, with no trace of hostility. After all, this rat was already at the 3rd level of Legend Rank. That kind of innate strength in a beast that small was terrifying. Max made sure not to show any aggression, but his heart was racing. The possibilities were endless.
Yet the rat remained stubborn. It glared at him again, took a step back, and puffed its cheeks like a child refusing to be bribed. Clearly, it didn't understand his words—or perhaps, it just didn't trust him.
Then suddenly, a familiar voice rang in Max's head, startling him. "Oh, a Treasure Seeking Rat?"
Max blinked. "Blob?" he called mentally.
His mind was still half-focused on the rat, but he couldn't stop himself from asking, "What happened to you all this time? You've been sleeping like the dead. Every time I checked on you, you were curled up, snoring. I was starting to think you'd never wake up again."
"I wasn't sleeping," Blob said proudly, his tone filled with a sense of ancient pride. "I was in a state called metamorphosis. In this state, we spirits awaken our inheritances, memories, and many other things that lie dormant within us."
Max blinked, stunned. For a long second, he just stared into space, digesting the revelation. Metamorphosis? He'd been fighting tooth and nail, risking his life at every step, cultivating under crushing pressure, and scraping together every scrap of resource he could get his hands on.
Meanwhile, Blob and other spirits like him just… slept their way into enlightenment and inheritance? He couldn't help but feel a stab of jealousy. If this isn't blatant favoritism by the heavens, I don't know what is.
Just then, Blob floated out of the Dimension of Spirit and hovered silently beside Max. His round, squishy form shimmered softly in the daylight, exuding an ancient and mystical aura that wasn't there before. The Treasure Seeking Rat instantly froze. It had been casually chomping away and eyeing Max with distrust, but the moment it laid eyes on Blob, its attitude changed completely.
It stared in awe. Its golden fur even seemed to ripple slightly, as if reacting to a higher being's presence. A strange calmness washed over its previously jittery demeanor. Then, to Max's utter confusion, Blob began to speak—not in human language, but in something incomprehensible.
"Kagfk jlhadfha haliofha ahilfhal," Blob muttered in a melodic tone.
Max's brows shot up. He turned from Blob to the rat and back again, dumbfounded. And then… the rat squeaked back.
Not just a squeak, but an actual attempt at communication—in the same strange language.
'Wait… are they talking to each other?' Max's thoughts were swirling. For over a full minute, the two exchanged what sounded like rhythmic gibberish to his ears. It was like hearing an ancient ritual, like forgotten tongues of the beast world meeting divine language. The rat was no longer just a clever creature—it was holding a full-blown conversation with a spirit.
Finally, Blob turned back to Max, his face—or rather, his blob-like form—glowing with satisfaction. "It has agreed to follow you," Blob said. "But on one condition: you must take care of it and feed it regularly. No skipping meals."
Max's mouth twitched. "Seriously?" But after a second, he nodded. "Fine, fine. I can do that. I'll make sure it eats better than me if it keeps finding treasures like before."
"Good," Blob nodded. "Then you may now issue your first command."
Max didn't hesitate. "Have him find the Realm Breaking Moon Flower."
Blob didn't even need to translate this time. The little rat squeaked in response, spinning in circles as if in agreement, before suddenly darting off in a direction with incredible speed. Max's eyes widened and without missing a beat, he rushed after it.
Blob gave a lazy spin and slipped back into the Dimension of Spirit, his job for now complete.
Soon, they reached another portion of Mirror Moon Lake, quieter and shrouded in dense trees. Without warning, the rat dove straight into the water, leaving a trail of bubbles behind. It seemed… excited. Maybe even joyful, as though playing in the water for the first time in its life.
Max stood by the shore and watched, his lips curving upward in a soft smile. The little guy swam around clumsily at first, splashing and spinning like a child seeing a pond for the first time.
Yet even in its playful flurry, its sharp eyes scanned every rock and plant beneath the surface, and its twitching nose sniffed at the water as if the scent of treasure could be detected through the ripples.
And soon enough, that excitement sharpened.
The rat abruptly stopped playing and stared toward a specific part of the lake, then took off with determination, swimming toward a cluster of water plants floating at the far edge.
Max's heart raced slightly. 'Looks like it found something already.'
Without hesitation, he followed closely behind.
As Max moved silently through the lake, trailing behind the golden rat, he encountered several aquatic monsters that tried to block his path—giant fish with fanged mouths, shrimps the size of large dogs, and even massive crabs with shells tougher than iron. But none of them were a match for him.
With a single swing of his Blue Dragon Sword, he sliced through them all effortlessly, leaving behind only ripples and floating corpses. His mastery over the sword and the pressure from his aura kept most of the monsters at bay, ensuring the path remained clear—until the little rat suddenly stopped in its tracks and dove straight into his arms, shivering.