Chapter 247 - Zombats, Echo Hearing
When it comes to detecting enemies or prey, there are no other Beasts available on the list other than the Zombats.
Zombats, although only Normal Grade Beasts, and have a Rank of X-Mortal to F-Apprentice are hard to deal with due to their Echo Hearing Skill which allows them to hear very clearly. They use this Skill to target their prey or to avoid their enemy at all cost.
They were specially listed on the list given by Mr. Nian due to the fact that they are hard to kill. The list also mentioned that one should not even bother killing Zombats as their parts could not be sold handsomely as well. Added with the fact that they smell like a rotting corpse, Zombats really should just be left alone as long as they don't bother anyone.
However, Ban was different. He didn't want to kill Zombats for their parts but for their one and only Skill, the Echo Hearing.
His success of getting the Skill was also 100% as the Zombats don't have any other Skill other than the Echo Hearing.
However, if he did gain this Skill, he needs to utilize it perfectly to avoid nullifying the Sound Shut Skill which and vice versa.
His sense of hearing will be heightened with the Echo Hearing while his sense of hearing will be shut off with the Sound Shut.
He was not sure if it would still be possible so he asked the System for advice. Fortunately, it seems that the System was in the mood right now as it answered him almost instantly.
Ban smiled after seeing its affirmation. The System said that it was possible. The System was always the one who kept on utilizing the Sound Shut anyways. And it would only use it when it detects a sound that contains a Skill. Such examples of this skill with sounds are Emilia's Skill as well as the Enraged Crocodile Roar.
"Alright, I choose you, Zombat!"
After setting his target, Ban took the map to determine the location of his target and how far away it was from their current location.
Using Tria's normal speed, he estimated that they should arrive at the Zombat's territory in less than 10 minutes, given they won't be held by something along the way.
Ban looked at his set of Skills and their various cooldowns. After realizing that they would all go into cooldown along the way, he decided to set off towards the Zombats immediately.
He stored Eva inside the Beast Tattoo so that she could rest for the meantime. He also offered her another Beast Core but she just shook her head, as if saying that she didn't want to cultivate for now.
Though, Eva still chose to rest inside the Beast Tattoo as the effects inside there were truly wondrous. Ban also wanted to let Tria rest there but he needs her to bring him to the Zombats territory so he told her that he will store her after they arrive there.
After settling everything, Ban and Tria finally set off towards the Zombats territory.
As she hasn't rested enough yet, Ban ordered her not to use that burst mode and just settle for her normal speed. After all, that burst mode consumes the user's stamina like crazy. A shiver went down his spine thinking about how his world started spinning just less than 5 seconds of using that mode ignorantly.
Along the way, Ban spotted a lot of low leveled Beast. They are all Normal Rank ones and are at X-Mortal and F-Apprentice Rank. Ban did not want to waste time on them so as usual, he let them be as long as there wasn't anything special around.
He would consider something special, if anything around the level of Purmi Fruit was around. If there wasn't, then he'll just let them be, they aren't worth much anyways.
Ban no longer put X-Mortal to F-Apprentice Rank Normal Grade on his sights at all. It wasn't arrogance but his confidence in himself. Even without the use of any Skills, he was confident of defeating any of them. Skills aren't the only thing that he could rely on. There were still his various items, his raw strength as well as the knowledge contained inside the All About Them Book of Techniques.
He would only use his Skills if he was not confident in defeating his opponents. As for the Zombats, they are only tricky to hunt, but not hard and dangerous to kill. As long as he could spot one first before the Zombat managed to spot him, then it would be considered his win already.
As they were moving, Ban made sure to observe his surroundings carefully to search for special fruits or items just like the Purmi Fruit. Alas, how can something as rare be spotted easily? They aren't garbage that can be found anywhere, they are fruits with special properties. Anything that could be seen would have already been consumed by other Beasts or harvested by other Adventurers or Humans. He was just lucky about the Purmi Fruit, and right now, he was also just trying to test his luck.
Unfortunately, such things didn't appear along the way, to his disappointment.
After almost 10 minutes, they finally arrived near the Zombats territory.
A hundred meters away from their territory, Ban decided to let Tria descend first. The Zombats had a good sense of hearing so flying towards there with Tria's buzzing noise would only scare all of them away prematurely.
Just as promised, he stored Tria inside the Beast Tattoo so that she could rest properly.
He won't need any of them just for killing a Zombat anyway. And besides, doing this task with another one around would be a lot harder than doing it alone, as even the slightest noise can scare the Zombats away.
Ban prepared himself first. He put all of his items away, and just settled for his normal set of clothes and attire.
It was because his items are heavy and they might make some unnecessary noise that can scare the Zombats away. The Noble Moth Cloak and the Ant Mask weren't suitable as well as their effects are pronounced the weaker the enemy around him was. He was afraid that their aura might scare the Zombats away so it was better safe than sorry.
He then took the dagger and tied it along with the scabbard at his lower back tightly. He made sure that it wasn't awkward drawing it out before he set his eyes ahead of him.
In the territory of the Zombats.