With the death of this beast, calm once again spread across the area, as if all the monsters in this forest had suddenly vanished. This phenomenon was puzzling—had the duo fallen into the trap of another monster, or what exactly had happened?
However, despite all this, they still had to push deeper and continue pursuing their friend.
Ryan: Let's move. There isn't much time before nightfall.
Yeah, I know.
Based on that, they resumed their journey, but this time they were moving much faster—far faster than before.
This time, they had to find their companion before the next morning, and that speed was anything but ordinary. They activated their transformation abilities to enhance their physical capabilities, both reaching the third rank—one at its peak and the other newly advanced. Yet, in terms of speed and endurance, they were very close to one another as they carved their way through the dark undergrowth.
Elsewhere in the forest, the sounds of impacts and explosions echoed everywhere, as if a fierce war were taking place.
The corpses of monsters were being flung in all directions, the ground splitting beneath their feet, and a green mist covered the area—everything was chaotic beyond measure.
Amid those heaps of corpses, a single figure stood atop them. Opposite him, an army of ferocious monsters roared, baring their fangs in open hostility.
They soon charged toward that person, yet what was most bizarre was his complete lack of reaction—not even the slightest movement. Instead, thousands of massive spikes erupted from the earth, piercing through the monster horde.
But that was not the end of the scene. The spikes that impaled the monsters began absorbing their power, as if feeding on their remaining life force and channeling it toward a single individual standing before them.
The aura overflowing with energy around him grew stronger and stronger.
From within the monster ranks, a single loud voice—distinct from the rest—rang out:
"Everyone, get out of my way! Who dares to commit such an act?!"
The monster horde quickly parted to the left and right, revealing a path at its center. Through it advanced a being whose body overflowed with absolute power, his eyes blazing with enthusiasm and determination.
He quickly spoke, addressing the warrior who had slaughtered his kin without mercy:
"Who sent you? What do you want? Do you know who you've gotten yourself involved with?"
In contrast, the warrior remained utterly calm, as if an insect were speaking before him. Yet the response he gave was shocking and incomprehensible to the monsters:
"I came to purge you. You are failed experiments. There is no need for you to remain alive."
Those words struck like a thunderbolt.
"Oh? 'Purge us,' you say? It seems you've greatly overestimated yourself. I'll show you hell, you bastard!"
The monster launched forward at incredible speed toward the warrior, and it was not alone—its kin surged alongside it like a raging flood.
Yet this did not deter the warrior in the slightest; rather, it fueled his excitement, and he charged toward them as well.
The collision between them was terrifying.
Monsters unlike anything seen before—without a doubt, they were Chimeras, like the ones the team had encountered in their previous mission. However, their presence in such numbers within this forest was truly horrifying.
Did the Kingdom of Arcadia know that so many of these creatures existed within its territory? Did humanity even know that such monsters still roamed their continent at all?
They were beasts classified by humans as living disasters—creatures that had arrived from the Black Continent a thousand years ago to invade humanity. It was believed that after the war, humanity had exterminated all remaining monsters, especially those labeled as global calamities.
Soon, the same scene repeated itself as the warrior began slaughtering the monsters. He tore through their ranks while spikes erupted from the ground, impaling their bodies.
Yet within that chaos, a single monster carved its own path forward, charging toward the warrior with fearless resolve.
A violent clash erupted between the two—one that did not end with a single exchange, but intensified with every passing second.
The remaining Chimeras could no longer keep up and could only watch intently.
The spikes and bizarre formations erupting from the earth surrounded the Chimera, obstructing its movements—it was a living nightmare. Yet the warrior's strength was in no way inferior.
In an attempt to turn the tide, the Chimera's skin hardened rapidly, becoming like steel. Even the spikes aimed at it shattered instantly upon contact.
"Hahaha! Did you really think such a trick would work on me?"
As the Chimera boasted, it suddenly noticed that the warrior had vanished from its sight. In the next instant, the warrior appeared behind it and delivered a decisive punch.
His energy-coated fist unleashed a devastating shockwave that shattered the Chimera's steel-like hide.
"Gaaahhh! Damn it! How is this possible?! His movements are becoming lighter and faster than before!
I'm certain the one fighting us now is different from the one we faced earlier!"
Terror spread across the Chimera's face as it was sent flying through the air. In that moment, the warrior vanished once more.
By the time the Chimera realized what was happening, the warrior had already reappeared before it, delivering another punch.
This time, it was not a single blow, but a relentless barrage of punches. The Chimera's defenses completely collapsed, and it began coughing up blood.
Finally, it crashed to the ground, utterly defeated—helpless before the terrifying warrior standing over it.
At that precise moment, the Chimera realized the warrior's identity and the true nature of his power.
"Y-you bastard… how did you manage to nullify that cursed one's control over you?!"
The warrior refused to answer, responding only with a dreadful silence and a gaze capable of crushing all enemies.
The wounded monster continued speaking:
"I won't ask how you freed yourself, but I must warn you—this power you possess is no ordinary thing. Don't expect them to leave you alone. You must survive, no matter what."
Those were the monster's final words. Yet its tone was unlike that of other monsters.
Was it truly a monster? If not for its appearance, one might have sworn it was human.
As death approached, thoughts raced through its mind. The most prominent among them was deep admiration for the warrior.
If only I had possessed such power, I wouldn't have ended like this. A power that grows amid battle—the ability to turn your enemies' lives into fuel for your own fight… if only I had possessed it.
As it exhaled its final breath and left this world, the warrior turned toward the remaining monsters.
They were terrified by what they had witnessed, yet fear alone did not stop them from fighting. The battle resumed—
a one-sided war, a massacre unseen before.
Hundreds of corpses piled atop one another, while screams of pain and suffering echoed throughout the region.
At the center stood a single being, resembling a nexus of absolute evil, feeding upon those screams.
This was the power that turned the lives of enemies into fuel—this was the warrior's true strength, as if he were a weapon designed for mass slaughter and the annihilation of entire peoples.
When the final cries of despair faded, the victor sat atop the bodies of his enemies, declaring a crushing victory.
Yet the battle had clearly exhausted him—it had not been easy.
He staggered left and right, on the verge of collapse.
On the other side, the team finally arrived at the scene. Shock was etched across their faces at the sight before them.
"Hey, Carlos… what the hell happened here? Are you seeing what I'm seeing?"
"Tch… damn it. What happened here? These Chimeras… how did they end up like this?"
As they struggled to comprehend the devastation, Ryan noticed someone in the area.
"Ah—look, there's someone over there."
"Where? Is it a monster, or what?"
Both of them raised their guard. Their transformation traits were clearly visible, as if they were in the midst of battle.
Preparedness for any sudden threat was the highest priority at that moment.
Carlos dispersed the smoke and gas with his wind, revealing the entire battlefield.
The sight became even more horrifying—massive spikes embedded in hundreds of corpses, piles of bodies scattered everywhere.
But most importantly, their friend was there, collapsing from exhaustion until he finally fell to the ground.
Ryan rushed to him and caught him. He was unconscious, so Ryan immediately administered healing doses.
Yet one question echoed in their minds upon witnessing the scene:
Was Raven truly responsible for all of this?
It was terrifying.
"Hey, Carlos… look at these monsters. I'm almost certain they're no weaker than the ones we faced in those damned mountains."
"Yeah, that's true. But the real problem is their sheer number.
The Chimera… they're the catastrophe that came to this continent a thousand years ago. If not for the intervention of one of the Nine Lords, hundreds of thousands of humans would have been wiped out."
According to ancient texts, they were monsters that came from the Black Continent and caused a horrific massacre in the past.
The books also state that humanity exterminated those who remained after the war.
So why are they appearing in such numbers now?
Ryan: "I don't know. But what we need to do now is hide their corpses.
If adventurers find this place and see this scene, the royal forces will immediately launch an investigation.
We can't afford to leave any evidence that leads back to us."
"Take care of Raven. I'll burn the bodies and reduce them to ashes."
End of Chapter