Chapter 46: The passage of ten years, a century, a millennium.
Before I could grasp the meaning behind the Wolf King's words, I witnessed the hulking figure suddenly reach out and seize Romi, who was resting. He bellowed, "Snooker, you must need these three women to accomplish your mission of locating the treasure map, right? I will kill them all and plunge you into utter despair!"
Lily's face drained of color, and just as she was about to speak, I placed my hand on her back and whispered softly, "Do not resist; I will not harm you!"
Miranda, startled by the sudden turn of events, instinctively drew her Gurkha knife, but Hachii was quicker, delivering a swift kick to the back of the European woman.
Jack's low voice interjected, "Make another move, and you'll lose your life!"
In perfect sync with Hachii, he held his scalpel to Miranda's throat effortlessly. The Wolf King, without glancing at Miranda, who had fought alongside him for so long, growled ominously, "I will count to three. With each number, I will take a life. Snooker, reveal yourself before it's too late! After all, these women are of no use to us."
"One!" The Wolf King's voice rang out, only to be interrupted by a cold command, "Stop!"
From the shadows, Snooker and Bullet emerged quietly. The ground where they stood appeared to be ordinary, and no matter how hard I concentrated, I could not discern how these two large men had concealed themselves.
These men were indeed formidable; both Snooker and Bullet surely possessed the experience of special forces, making their concealment impeccable!
I placed my hand on Lily's shoulder and whispered, "Snooker, you have two choices: tell the truth or face death!"
Snooker sneered, ready to respond, but I swiftly hurled the silver spear, driving it into the ground with a dull thud, and spoke in a flat tone, "Last time, I failed to grasp its use, which allowed you to escape. However, this time I will wield it to kill you, ensuring you will never have the chance to resurrect!"
As the silver spear glimmered in harmony with my platinum glory, a pure white holy flame erupted from its tip, appearing as beautiful and dazzling as fireworks in the New Year's sky. The sight filled Snooker with uncertainty, erasing his earlier arrogance.
We had not lied!
Regrettably, your lack of trustworthiness does not instill enough confidence in me! If you insist on claiming innocence, then let battle commence!
My almost unreasonable assertion furrowed the Wolf King's brow; he indeed wished to resolve the Snooker dilemma. Yet, the intel gathered from Hachii had made him aware that creatures born from dark magic were not so easily dealt with.
Thus, negotiation was the wisest course of action. His intent to resolve the matter did not truly signify a declaration of war. As I extended my hand, the silver spear fell into my grasp, and my presence shifted to one of sharp intensity. I was genuinely prepared to kill.
Having Snooker, a relentless foe, trailing behind was perilously dangerous. To eradicate him thoroughly was preferable to adopting methods fraught with consequences. Over the course of our skirmishes, I had grown increasingly familiar with various combat techniques, instilling in me confidence in my ability to defeat Snooker.
"Wait! Very well, I will speak! Our true objective is indeed the fruit of wishes; however, I concealed the purpose for which we intended to use it. Yet, that matter is of no concern to you; it pertains solely to our organization as we prepare for war against another faction."
"Warfare?"
The Wolf King fell into contemplation, as if grasping a vital realization. He abruptly cast Romi to the ground and declared, "So, you were eager to return?"
Snooker replied resignedly, "Indeed, I do not wish to linger on Demon Island; otherwise, by the time I emerge, the war may already be over. As remnants of the defeated, we, too, would be hunted down by assassins dispatched by our enemies, even if we sought refuge here."
Hachii and Jack, realizing that further restraint of Miranda was futile, joined the Wolf King's side, having evidently heard murmurs of the war Snooker mentioned. However, the dark power struggles of the underground world held no allure for me.
What a pity this opportunity has slipped away; had I eliminated Snooker, no one would have known of my possession of the treasure map.
Casually retrieving the silver spear, I raised my hands in a gesture of resignation. Snooker calmly stepped forward to stand among us, proclaiming loudly, "I still propose we continue our original collaboration. Each of you may wish for a single desire upon obtaining the fruit of wishes; I am willing to grant you four!"
Hachii shook his head, stating, "Although the fruit of wishes is precious, it has yet to reach a life-defying status. On Demon Island, it is not the most cost-effective treasure; I refuse to take such risks."
Jack smiled slightly, his demeanor amiable as he remarked, "My answer remains unchanged; I prefer to remain a spectator."
It seemed that Jack and Hachii were harboring more secrets than they let on! They undoubtedly possessed greater knowledge of Demon Island. From Lily's words, I had already discerned the true purpose of the fruit of wishes and felt a twinge of desire.
However, Hachii and Jack's refusals indicated that they were aware of some secrets. Snooker glanced at me, lost in thought, before resolutely stating, "I lied to Wang Lin; those twelve fruits of wishes are actually rainbow fruits."
At this revelation, Hachii and Jack were visibly shaken. The Wolf King, mirroring my confusion, wore a perplexed expression. Snooker explained, "The fruit of wishes comes from the wish tree on Wish Island, classified by the years of its ripening, which determines the magnitude of the wish power contained within. Only fruits that have ripened for over a thousand years exhibit a rainbow hue.
Those with the greatest wish power are the most potent."
"A fruit aged over ten years can grant you a wish for perfect love, the health of loved ones, immense wealth. A fruit aged a century can even extend your lifespan… Of course, if you harbor nefarious intentions, you might wish for a city to quake or for buildings and bridges to collapse.
A millennium-old fruit allows you to fulfill your every desire, holding infinite mysteries."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
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