[Chapter 16. A new Target]

  As steam curled along the tiled ceiling, the sound of running water filling the room, Searanox finally broke the silence left behind by the earlier cold rejection.

  "We'd need four-hundred-thousand animals just to reach level ten," he said, his voice steady but strained beneath the surface. "There isn't a single farm with numbers like that. This one was among the largest in all of Germany. Needing at least two more of the same size is put bluntly insane."

  He turned his head toward her, water streaming down his face as his expression hardened. His mind was already racing ahead, mapping consequences, dead ends, and narrowing options.

  "The diminishing returns are the real problem," he added. "A big one."

  Iris nodded slowly, her wolf ears twitching as she absorbed the weight of his words.

  "It makes sense," she said. "The System rewards overcoming adversity. Slaughtering creatures vastly weaker than you offers minimal benefit. If we want meaningful progress, we need stronger prey."

  She reached out and shut off the water. The sudden silence felt intrusive, almost violent in its abruptness.

  "We need to level faster," Iris continued, her tone calm but edged with urgency. "That means hunting more dangerous beasts. But those won't exist in sufficient numbers until the Mana Infusion. We're racing against time and the finish line keeps moving farther away the closer we get."

  Searanox grabbed a towel and dried himself off, the rough fabric scraping against his skin as if to anchor him in the moment. He glanced toward Iris. Her fur was still damp, clinging to her form, her silhouette stark beneath the harsh fluorescent lights of the changing room.

  "There is another option," she said after a pause. "We could... hunt humans."

  The words hung in the air, heavy and ugly.

  "The System classified the workers we killed as Adult Human Lv.0," he continued, more clinically. "They gave some experience."

  He stopped himself, jaw tightening.

  "Never mind. We still have a few days. Let's focus on farms ones with around a hundred-thousand animals. Another issue is that young animals don't count."

  He exhaled slowly.

  "If we hit all the major poultry farms in the the vicinity, we should barely scrape together what we need. The problem is visibility. After the second one, maybe even sooner, they'll start watching the rest. Authorities won't see this as coincidence."

  His gaze hardened.

  "They will call it a terrorist attack at best. That means the first one and maybe the second after this will be similar to this one. The other... will be with way more casualties on the human side."

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  He walked toward the lockers, pulled out someone's clean cloths, and tossed the clothes towards her.

  "We will do it like this, we hit the next two over night, there will be no rest today Iris. the last one we just dunk in the morning, in hopes that they don't watch them by then. It won't be pretty nor will it be easy, but that's what adversity is, in this plan. Its not a high level beast, but a tight time window and skill."

  Iris eyes flickered as she looked at the cloths, a slight look of distaste before she looked at her old discarded clothes, his clothes.

  "I send my drones in and drop all humans inside in under a minute, at the same time we jump the fence and start butchering. if you have anything to make it faster I would appreciate it."

  Whit the shirt on and bottoms still in hand she holds up the Voucher that materialized in her hand.

  "I got this, with the right weapon I could cleave even more in a single strike. Its likely best if I focus on one building with the highest concentration of chickens, you on the other, while the drones take out the third one."

  She nodded, and the black iron voucher in her hand dissolved into motes of golden light. A massive, Two-Hander materialized in a flash of ethereal energy. Its hilt was long enough for a two-handed grip, wrapped in dark, supple leather. The blade was a masterwork in itself, almost as tall as her, made of a black, gleaming metal that seemed to ripple with an inner turquoise light. It had no ornate carvings or jewels, just a single, blade designed for one purpose only, to cut through flesh and bone with devastating efficiency.

  "It is an Eldritch Zweih?nder." she said, her voice a low, steady purr, her amber eyes fixed on the weapon. "It is... perfectly balanced for me."

  Without another word she slung the massive weapon that was almost taller then her, over her shoulder, the movement effortless and natural. They walked out of the changing room, the silence of the farm a stark contrast to the carnage they had left behind. The car was a welcome sight, a small bubble of normalcy in this chaotic world. He got in, the engine a familiar roar, and Iris followed, her new weapon taking up most of the backseat.

  He pulled out of the farm, the taillights disappearing into the darkness, a ghost in the night, leaving behind a scene of unspeakable horror. The drive was tense, the air thick with unspoken words. He could feel the anticipation building within him, a dark, hungry excitement for the coming slaughter. He was a predator, and this was his hunting ground. The farm was just a few kilometers away, a large, sprawling complex of buildings and pens, a perfect target for their blitzkrieg.

  He parked the car a short distance away, the engine falling silent, the only sound the faint, almost inaudible hum of the city.

  "This is it, Iris." he said, his voice a low, steady rumble. "Remember the plan. We hit hard, we hit fast, and we don't stop until every last one of them is dead."

  He summoned his drones, their silent arrival a familiar comfort.

  He sent them towards the largest building, their blue lenses glowing with an unholy light. He then looked at Iris, her amber eyes fixed on the target, her new weapon resting on her shoulder.