Hellbents
Chapter 40: Limit

Ava's existence itself was a bug of [System] causing several errors, the most obvious being her level that could not go up. I don't know because of what.

But this damage also results in a buildup of status points that magically affect body function. Ava did not feel any difference from her muscles, but her strength and speed increased if the status points in the [System] window she raised. Ava is also suddenly sensitive to all the stimuli that hit her five senses. Whereas, intelligence, this concept is too abstract for Ava to feel the difference, points for her intelligence that she understands only affect the increase in the class of observation skills.

And Ava believes, these drastic changes in her body are not always good effects.

The proof is that he is now more tired since his strength and speed rose, although Ava boasts the stamina that he built for years, in already panting if running for 20 minutes. Whereas previously he could run up to 1 hour without problems even though the distance that Ava traveled was shorter than now.

He also often felt dizzy, his head was hot if his skill was used several times in a short period of time. Then at this moment, Ava cursed her five vulnerable senses. His eyes throbbed stinging until they were watery. He gasped every time the night wind blew, feeling his skin frozen in ice. Ava is also overwhelmed to taste her own saliva. The smell of sweat, moss, and rancid triggers his vomit reflex, nausea. Rain spots and sea waves also do not help Ava's eardrum which seems to be pierced every second.

The girl was clearly overwhelmed.

Fortunately she knew one tool that could help, but Ava disliked the implications that followed.

The item was a slave seal.

Choker-shaped artifacts were developed to forcefully limit the abilities of individuals so that they would not defy the orders of the masters they served.

Slave ....

Ava hates that word.

When she just hit the blood from the lips she unconsciously bit, Ava can feel Ako pulling the tip of her pants with her teeth, directing the girl to the right aisle, and then to the right side, heading to the boat restaurant he visited for dinner last night. As the cat that River summons, Ako can sense the presence of her master.

"Come, we're through here." Ava ran first. Ib who had no time to refute, could only follow from behind.

Their objectives are both different, Ava wants to find River while Ib protects her sponsor, though if drawn the outline they both look for missing people.

Despite being blocked by another banderhobbs who fortunately leveled much lower than the previous one, 32, Ava was finally able to see a gray wolf whose fur was wet with red blood, especially the snout that annexed the neck of a frog corpse.

"Rina!"

Jeez, Ava knew that River was just relieved to see it, but she would appreciate the man's reaction if River had a slightly lower volume.

"Well, I thought you were devoured by a frog! Long time!" Dom is aggravating. Ava wondered if her eardrum was really torn or was it just her feelings?

"Bas a coward" Dom replied sharply, though now he whispered.

Ava can see two other bodies from the corner of her eyes, the state of River and Dom who was bored and scratched here and there signifies a fierce fight. Lorah on the other hand was hiding under the table, the bottle-yellow ears of the daughter were vertical when Ava's gaze met her. Good news, they're all alive.

"Oh, you're with the sycophant grandpa." Maybe Dom has a curse that causes itching if he doesn't insinuate someone. At least, a sycophant's name is better than a slave's. Ib's face was instantly sour, but he did not refute, seemingly self-conscious.

"Wear this," Ava breaks the silence that begins to creep, the girl feeding Dom, River, and Lorah each with a mask that she keeps in the inventory. River was familiar with this pattern, so he wore it without much talk. Contrasting with Dom, Ava's mask was covered with fingertips by the arm-tattooed man, "What is this? Why do we have to wear ugly masks like this?"

"Silent," Ava prioritizes functioning, but she can still be upset when her aesthetics are lowered, "Return it then." But when Ava's hand tries to snatch the "ug mask" Dom keeps her out of the girl's reach, eventually putting on Ava's mask without further refutation.

Since Ava had found River, it was time to follow Ib to find the man's sponsor. "Do you know where the others are?"

"I saw a frog take someone to the deck of the ship, to it!" despite whispering and her tiny body still trembling in fear, Lorah spoke up excitedly, wanting to help. Actually that cute girl why can have an older brother like Dom?

They also crawled the hallway to the base deck. The rain had completely stopped, but the marks left behind were still clearly there. The wet hardwood floor was cold, partly covered in slimy traces and dark red stains under the moon's blue light. Right, their target was here with the victim.

That's when I'd have sickened Ava to sound at the last turn before the deck of the ship. Ib who was leading in front immediately turned around, putting an index finger on his lips, telling Ava and the comrades to be quiet. The man also carefully peeked.

Sreth! Sreth!

The frog monster was clearly dragging something heavy, most likely.

But from Ib's reaction that was immediately stiffened, his teeth were grinding, whatever he saw exceeded their expectations.

And when the salty sea breeze blew away carrying with it the smell of blood, Ava almost threw up with a rancor that made her tremble in disgust. Lig and Ako who were quietly following from behind also growled low, interrupted by the scent of death that invaded their noses. Lorah's tremor was also getting worse, the girl almost whining behind her brother's back.

As Ib slowly crawled out of the hiding wall, those who followed were instantly dim-faced, deathly pale. Dozens of immobile bodies lay crowded the deck of the ship, not all of them were intact, whether they were simply unconscious or dead.

Wrebek!

A banderhobbs lifts a lump of loose body, but before Ava and the others properly digest what is happening, the frog swallows the body, then jumps high, the mist swims into the ocean.

One of the famous banderhobbs uniqueness, kidnap. In another sense, there were no corpses as evidence.