Global Lord in the Apocalypse: I Begin with a Greenhouse

Chapter 18 - Hidden Power

“Sure, its body is enormous. But doesn’t that also make its movements slower?”

Muttering to himself, Adrian didn’t blink for even a second, keeping his eyes fixed on the gigantic monster. At the same time, he gulped down the green liquid he was holding.

It was a physical enhancement elixir. Although its effects were only temporary, it could triple a person’s physical strength. Adrian had purchased the potion the previous day when he decided to go hunting in the wilderness.

“But no matter what, I should still be able to escape your pursuit!”

Convinced that Darla should have run far enough away by now, he planned to head in a different direction, draw the monster’s attention toward himself, and then run as fast as he could.

“Hey, you idiot! Come here! Chase me!”

Adrian didn’t hesitate to turn around and run. He was certain the monster would soon give chase.

“Growl!”

Another powerful gust of wind and a thunderous roar rang out as the bear opened its mouth wide.

“Just as I thought! This creature…”

Muttering to himself, Adrian ran as fast as he could.

Slash!

However, he had taken only a few steps when a hard, sharp object struck his back, tearing through it with unbearable pain and a searing heat. At the same time, his body was hurled forward.

“Damn it!”

After crashing into the ground, Adrian immediately rolled over. His heart pounded wildly when he saw the monster standing right in front of him, less than a meter away.

I underestimated it! Its speed is incredible!

When Adrian had shouted at the monster earlier, he remembered that there had still been a distance of twenty to thirty meters between them. With his physical strength enhanced, he had been confident that he would have enough time to escape.

But after what had just happened, he knew he had been terribly wrong.

“Growl!”

Roaring again, the bear raised both its arms, preparing to slam them into Adrian’s chest. If that happened, there would be no doubt about the outcome. The man’s chest wouldn’t merely be pierced. It would be crushed to pieces.

Death seemed to be looming over him.

“Stop!”

At that very moment, a thunderous shout rang through the forest.

Stretching both arms forward, Darla stared intently at the bear. Her face was tense.

“Grrr… grrrr… grrr…”

The bear froze instantly. Its arms remained suspended in the air. As it stared at the woman, the creature seemed to be struggling against an immense pressure invading its mind.

“Back off! I order you to retreat!”

“Grrr!”

Its face twisted with barely contained fury. Yet, strangely, the bear seemed unable to resist the command. It struggled desperately against its own legs as they slowly began moving backward.

A short while earlier, when Adrian’s Legendary Touch had enhanced her abilities, Darla had sensed something strange within herself.

When she looked toward the Abominations out there, she could not only see the Stones contained within their bodies. She also discovered that another power had emerged within her.

Divine Eye.

“Is this real? I can see their thoughts?”

Since she already possessed a legendary ability of her own, the stimulation provided by Adrian’s Legendary Touch had awakened another unique power within her.

“Then does that mean I can control their minds, too?”

However, before she could try it on the monsters, Adrian had summoned Yemima to deal with them.

Now, seeing Adrian in danger, she didn’t hesitate to use this ability. She was even willing to push it beyond its limits.

“Retreat!”

Darla shouted again. But the moment she did, her body began trembling violently, and thick, red fluid started trickling from her nostrils.

Darla might indeed be capable of controlling monsters’ minds. But that didn’t mean her power was limitless. Bronze-tier and Silver-tier monsters might not pose much of a problem. But Gold-tier monsters? They were an entirely different matter.

And as she watched a drop of blood fall onto the grass beneath her shoes, it was clear that she had pushed her power far beyond what her body could endure.

“Darla!”

Ignoring the pain in his back, Adrian rushed toward the woman.

The moment he reached her side, she suddenly let her arms fall as though all her strength had left her. A moment later, her body went limp.

“Darla! Hang in there!”

Adrian managed to catch her in his arms. But before he could do anything else, the bear was already standing right in front of them.

“Growl!”