My SSS-Rank Skill and System is too OP in Modern Cultivation world-Chapter 138: The Reunion of the Lost
—
Read latest chapters at freёweɓnovel.com Only.
A lingering hush settled across the cracked stone and hollowed-out columns of the Ruin Core as Nexus Yang Li’s voice still echoed in the dusty air.
The smell of scorched minerals and the tang of spent spiritual energy clung to everything like a damp fog, an ever-present reminder of how fiercely this battle had raged only moments before.
Kent exhaled, half in relief and half in exhaustion. He steadied himself with his soul Slasher dagger in one hand. Its dark edge pulsating faintly and turned to Yang Li, whose praise still resonated in the hush.
Kent flashed the older cultivator a roguish grin. "Glad to be of service, old man," he joked, trying to keep his tone light despite the weight of fatigue pressing on his shoulders.
Indeed, a tenuous alliance had been forged amid the chaos of swords, spiritual blasts, and comedic heroics. Yang Li wasn’t simply tolerating him, he had found a small measure of respect for Kent’s bizarre brand of courage.
Yang Li responded with a curt nod. His breathing was labored, the chest of his battle-worn robes rising and falling unevenly. "Kid, I’m not sure how you soared to Level‑C so fast, but I won’t question it," he said in a voice that crackled with residual adrenaline. The corners of his mouth twitched, hinting at a reluctant smile. "We needed that boost. Let’s hope you saved some energy for what comes next."
Before Kent could respond, a distant commotion stole his attention. From across the labyrinthine ruins came a rapid stampede of feet and the echoes of raised voices. It sounded like another wave of foes was about to descend but the tone was all wrong.
This was not the steady rhythm of an organized army. Instead, it was a flurry of breathless yells and frantic exclamations, as if a group of people, or perhaps even beasts, were on the move in a haphazard hurry.
Heart lurching, Kent felt a wave of foreboding. He looked at Yang Li, who furrowed his brow. The old warrior stepped forward, raising his sword in a defensive stance. "We may have more trouble inbound," he warned quietly.
But then came a voice… a voice Kent knew all too well, brimming with anger, exasperation, and something akin to frantic relief: "Kent! Kent, you promise breaking big brother! Where are you?" The words reverberated off the stone walls like a thousand echoes.
It was impossible to miss that fervor. Kent froze for a heartbeat, every muscle tense with both anticipation and dread. He’d been preparing mentally for this reunion, imagining how he’d breezily greet her with a joke about "Little sisters always worrying too much," but the actual confrontation would be far messier. She was furious. He could practically taste the wrath in her cry.
Yang Li, perceiving the change in Kent’s expression, arched an eyebrow. "Friends of yours?" he asked dryly, though the undertone of amusement in his voice suggested that he’d picked up on the familial accent in that shout.
Kent couldn’t quite hide his uneasy smile. "My sister," he muttered, sliding the dagger back into its makeshift holster. "Probably here to scold me for disappearing." The swirl of lingering spiritual energy in the air and the numerous pop-up SP notifications had temporarily blinded it all came from Nima. Now, with the immediate threat receding, that purpose roared back to life.
He squared his shoulders, ignoring the twinge of soreness in his arms, and gestured for Yang Li to remain on guard. "I’ll handle this," Kent murmured. "Don’t worry if you hear yelling. That’s just how she says ’hi.’" There was humor in his words, but an undercurrent of genuine apprehension belied them. If Nima was as upset as she sounded, he was in for quite the scolding.
In the gloom beyond the broken archways, a cluster of shadows coalesced into a ragged search party. Leading them was a petite figure whose voice rang out like a clarion call: "Kent! Where are you? I swear, if he’s run off again, I’ll personally—" She cut herself off mid-threat as she stepped into the battered clearing. Dust motes swirled in the faint sunlight that poured through cracks in the domed ceiling, illuminating the moment like a stage spotlight.
"Kent," she hissed, her voice vibrating with fury. "You absolute, no-good dummy!" She advanced, an entourage of stunned, exhausted underlings trailing behind her. At her side fluttered Auri, whose small wings beat in anxious spurts, as if the bird creature was caught between longing relief and residual fear.
Kent swallowed, then forced a grin. "Well, fancy meeting you here, Nima," he said, injecting as much lightheartedness as he could muster into his tone. The tension in the air was thick. Nima’s eyes burned like molten steel, her fists clenched so tightly that her knuckles glowed white. She was out for blood or, at the very least, a thorough berating.
"You disappeared," she spat, each syllable bristling with anger. "I was searching for hours and days, and dealing with all sorts of rogues who wanted to rob me. You vanish, leveling up to who-knows-where, while I’m left defending everything on my own…"
Before she could finish her tirade, Auri swooped in front of Kent, chirping frantically. The tiny bird’s left wing was wrapped in a makeshift bandage, and it tried to nestle itself against Kent’s chest.
"Chip, chip! Bad people robbed me… almost robbed me, and I got my wing hurt. Why didn’t you come?!" The words came in short, frantic chirps, but Kent had spent enough time with Auri to sense the heartbreak and complaint behind them.
A pang of guilt stabbed Kent’s chest. All the comedic bravado about leveling up and collecting SP from trees felt hollow in the face of his sister’s fury and Auri’s wounded pride. He reached out, gently stroking the bandaged wing. "I’m so sorry, buddy," he murmured, voice low and thick. "I didn’t… I got caught up in my own stuff, leveling up to help, but I never stop looking for you guys."
Nima let out a short, derisive laugh. "Caught up in your own stuff, huh?" Her gaze flicked to the swirling notifications that still occasionally blinked around Kent. The evidence of his comedic fighting style was plain to see. "Sure, you can clown around with your illusions and comedic stunts. Meanwhile, I’ve been forming alliances and recruiting beasts to keep my new underling’s safe from real threats."
At that, she snapped her fingers. The air filled with the sound of deep growls and snorts as no fewer than fifty beasts roared, some large, some scaly, and some reptilian, others lithe and predatory, emerging from behind the stone columns. Their collective presence was a sight to behold: a menagerie of creatures sporting luminous eyes, spikes, feathers, or thick pelts, each standing at attention as if awaiting Nima’s next command.
Kent’s jaw dropped. "You… you tamed all these?" he asked incredulously, taking in the sheer variety of creatures. The thought of a single person controlling such a formidable bestiary was mind-boggling.
Nima raised her chin defiantly. "All of them are my new underlings. Fifty of them." Pride bled into her voice, her eyes still fierce with leftover anger. "They follow one and only big boss Nima. We’re forming an empire, my empire, once we leave these ruins. No petty criminal stooge is going to tell me otherwise."
"Empire?" Kent echoed, torn between admiration and horror. "Nima, that’s insane. The government would never allow a kid to roam around with an entire army of beasts. You’ll be labeled as a threat or worse, you might be locked up for causing chaos in the city." He paused, swallowing the knot in his throat. "Are you sure this is the path you want?"
Nima’s eyes flared, but instead of retorting, she waved her hand in an imperious gesture. A colossal, horned wolf slunk forward, baring its fangs at Kent in a silent, menacing gesture. "They all owe me a debt," Nima said firmly, "and they’re loyal to me now. If the government has a problem with it, let them come and see me. I’ll show them what it means to mess with big boss Nima."
Yang Li, who had watched the sibling drama from a respectful distance, finally broke his silence. He cleared his throat, a sardonic half-smirk curving his lips. "If you two are quite finished with this heartfelt reunion, we have more pressing matters," he said, gesturing to the battered remnants of the dark alliance fighters scattered around the perimeter. "Kid, you do recall that we’re still in the middle of a warzone, yes?"
"And you Nima, If you become my disciples you can bring all the beast with you. What do you think? Do you want me as your master?"
Kent blinked, momentarily flustered. He’d been so wrapped up in Nima’s arrival and her formidable beast retinue that he’d nearly forgotten the immediate threat. "Right, right," he muttered. "We need to secure the area. If there are more dark alliance troops heading this way, we’re in trouble."
