Black Phoenix Heir

Chapter 96: Chapter 96 — Trapped Together

Chapter 96 — Trapped Together

Victor sat beside the fire, watching several enormous chunks of meat roast over the flames.

A faint smile rested on his face as he hummed to himself.

If anyone had been listening closely, they might have recognized the tune.

It was the Scooby-Doo theme.

Victor’s humming was horribly out of tune, but he didn’t care. Nobody was around to hear him.

After nearly three weeks of nothing but vegetables, he was finally eating meat again.

Life was good.

Victor used a stick to shift a few of the coals around, bringing the heat closer to the meat. Fat sizzled as it dripped into the fire, sending a delicious aroma throughout the cave.

He glanced over his shoulder.

The Shadow Fox was still lying where he had left her.

Unconscious.

Victor turned back toward the fire.

Something nagged at him.

His instincts were telling him something wasn’t right.

He paused.

"I already know you’re awake."

Silence.

Victor waited.

Nothing happened.

He shrugged and returned his attention to the fire.

A few moments passed.

Then he heard movement behind him.

Victor smiled.

When he looked back, the Shadow Fox had opened her eyes.

Her gaze immediately began scanning the cave.

More specifically, she was looking for her weapons.

Victor chuckled.

"If you’re looking for your knives, you’re not going to find them."

Her purple eyes narrowed.

"I already hid them away so you wouldn’t try to stab me in the back."

"That’s fine."

Her voice was weak, but there was still an unmistakable edge to it.

"I won’t need my knives to kill you."

Victor stared at her for a moment.

Then he smiled.

"Is this how you treat people who save your life?"

The Shadow Fox didn’t answer.

Instead, she looked down at her wounds.

Her expression remained suspicious, almost as if she still didn’t believe Victor had actually helped her.

She planted one hand against the ground and tried to stand.

Her legs immediately trembled.

She stumbled.

Victor raised an eyebrow.

"I wouldn’t do that if I were you."

The Shadow Fox glared at him.

"You’re going to reopen your wounds."

"Shut up, human."

She pushed herself upward again.

Victor sighed and turned back toward his food.

The Shadow Fox slowly managed to stand.

She leaned against the cave wall and began making her way toward the entrance.

Every step was unsteady.

Victor glanced over his shoulder.

"The Barganchula is still out there."

She stopped.

"If I were you, I wouldn’t go outside."

The Shadow Fox slowly turned her head toward him.

The look she gave him could have killed him if looks actually possessed killing intent.

She was clearly annoyed.

She turned away from him and continued toward the entrance.

She made it only a few more steps.

Her legs gave out.

She collapsed onto the ground.

Victor sighed.

"See?"

The Shadow Fox winced as pain shot through her body.

A small cry escaped her lips.

Victor immediately stood.

He walked over and reached down to help her.

She slapped his hand away.

"Don’t touch me."

Victor stopped.

The Shadow Fox slowly dragged herself back toward the spot where she had been lying.

Victor watched her for a moment before deciding not to argue.

He returned to the fire.

Neither of them spoke.

The cave became quiet again.

Only the crackling flames and occasional sounds from outside broke the silence.

Ten minutes passed.

Then another five.

Eventually, the meat was ready.

Victor reached over and grabbed one of the roasted thighs.

Steam rose from it.

He took a bite.

His eyes widened.

Perfect.

After swallowing, he looked toward the Shadow Fox.

"Do you want some?"

She glanced at him.

"No."

Victor shrugged.

A few seconds passed.

Grrrrowl.

Victor looked at her.

The Shadow Fox’s expression remained completely serious.

Victor tried not to smile.

Her stomach growled again.

Victor laughed.

The Shadow Fox looked away.

Victor tore off another large piece of meat and walked over.

He held it out toward her.

"Here."

She looked at the meat.

Then at him.

"I said I don’t want any."

Victor shrugged.

"Okay."

He placed it beside her anyway.

Then he returned to the fire.

After a moment, the Shadow Fox reluctantly picked it up.

She took a bite.

Victor didn’t comment.

He simply continued eating.

For the first time since waking up, the cave became relatively peaceful.

Once Victor finished his meal, he moved away from the fire and sat down.

He raised his hand.

A small Black Flame appeared above his palm.

Victor began practicing.

Bigger.

Smaller.

Bigger.

Smaller.

He focused entirely on his soul control.

He didn’t pay much attention to the Shadow Fox.

There wasn’t much point.

Every time he spoke to her, she seemed to become more irritated.

So Victor decided it was better to simply leave her alone.

A few hours passed.

Eventually, Victor stood.

He looked toward the cave entrance.

The Shadow Fox noticed.

"Where are you going?"

Victor glanced back at her.

"I’m going to check if there’s any sign of the Barganchula."

He paused before continuing.

"I want to see if it’s still nearby and whether the area is clear enough for us to leave."

Before she could respond, Victor disappeared into the darkness.

The Shadow Fox stared after him.

For several moments, she remained still.

Then she slowly pushed herself upright.

She looked toward the cave entrance.

The human was gone.

She took a slow breath.

Her body still hurt terribly.

She knew the truth.

In her current condition, she couldn’t leave this cave.

Even if she somehow managed to escape the forest, another creature could find her.

And if the Barganchula was still nearby...

She wouldn’t survive another encounter.

She hated the situation.

She hated being injured.

And she especially hated being forced to rely on a human.

But there was nothing she could do.

The Shadow Fox slowly crossed her legs.

She closed her eyes.

Then began cultivating.

Spiritual Energy slowly gathered around her body.

She focused on directing it toward her injuries, using her cultivation to accelerate her recovery.

Time passed.

Eventually, footsteps echoed through the cave.

The Shadow Fox opened her eyes.

Victor returned.

His expression wasn’t particularly encouraging.

"The Barganchula is still around."

The Shadow Fox’s eyes narrowed.

"I found fresh tracks outside. It hasn’t given up searching for us."

Victor walked back toward the fire.

"So we’re probably stuck here for the night."

She remained silent.

Victor glanced at her.

"We’ll just have to wait until it leaves."

The Shadow Fox said nothing.

Victor looked around the cave.

Then at her.

Then back toward the entrance.

There was no way he was going to sleep.

Not with an assassin Shadow Fox sitting five feet away from him.

He had already been attacked by her once.

He wasn’t interested in waking up with a knife in his throat.

Victor sat down.

He crossed his legs.

Then closed his eyes.

If he couldn’t sleep, he could at least cultivate.

Spiritual Energy began flowing toward him.

The Black Flame inside his body stirred as Victor entered his cultivation state.

Across the cave, the Shadow Fox remained silent.

Two enemies.

Trapped together.

With a monster waiting outside.

And neither of them knew what tomorrow would bring.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!