Yuta's admission regarding the reason for his return was consistent with what he had stated previously—even though this very admission could potentially be used against him, as anyone attempting to uncover the truth would surely find his actions suspicious.
However, the time and place were entirely unsuitable for a heated confrontation; the five Beast Rulers were lying in wait, and an attack could come at any moment.
Moreover, Yuta was one of the few fighters capable of challenging the Goblin Ruler—standing alongside the likes of Gia Guilford, Gother McIntyre, Tom Fragelson, and Beatrice Azwasen.
Jian Yi remained silent for several seconds before bowing respectfully. Yuta had been his mentor throughout his time at the academy and was the reason he had managed to attain the rank of Holy Ruler in such a remarkably short period.
"I apologize, Master Yuta. I showed you a lack of respect. Please, accept my apologies."
Yuta gazed at him for a few moments, then gently stroked his pink hair.
"It is quite alright; everyone makes mistakes. Given that we are facing the Beast Rulers—who have managed to bypass our soldiers yet remain some distance from the city of Yuspeakers—it is only natural to suspect that someone might be orchestrating things from behind the scenes. My absence, followed by my sudden appearance just as events began to unfold, naturally cast suspicion upon me. So, there is no need for concern."
As he listened to Yuta's words, a look of remorse crossed Jian Yi's face. He spoke again, his tone tinged with regret:
"Thank you for your understanding, Master." Yuta and his companions continued on their way, their faces etched with shock and disbelief, leaving the other students completely speechless—stunned into total silence.
Jian Yi—grandson of the leader of the Mount Hua Sect, the third most powerful sect in his world—had actually addressed Yuta Caseral as "Master"!
Given Jian Yi's immense pride, the students could never have imagined—even in their darkest nightmares—that they would one day witness someone like him begging for forgiveness, expressing deep remorse, and bowing in respect to another.
Watching the unfolding events on the battlefield, Yuta snapped his fingers; his expression remained calm, a faint smile playing upon his lips.
Down below, near the fortress, twenty portals appeared, each with a radius of thirty-four meters.
"Rise!"
As soon as Yuta's calm, confident voice rang out, swarms of powerful beasts emerged from the portals.
Yuta watched them, a mischievous grin spreading across his face as he recalled his very first moments in this body.
Flashback
"So, I've arrived... Hmm, absolutely fascinating."
Yuta's tone was composed as he looked around, taking in his surroundings. The furniture was plain, old, and worn—even by the standards of this world's nobility—suggesting that the person who once inhabited this body had been an outcast, persecuted by his own family.
Yuta wandered through the bedroom with a steady gaze, examining every inch of the space, before reaching into his own chest and pulling out his heart. He reached into his own chest, pulled out his heart, and tore away a piece bearing a black tattoo—a control mechanism designed to keep him under the thumb of the Black and White Scorpions.
"What an amusing fellow! He planted a tool of enslavement right inside my heart—*my* heart, Yuta Caseral's! And yet, he also wishes for my death."
As Yuta dressed himself, the system interface flickered into view.
{How are you, Yuta? Where have you been? You vanished for several minutes—I was worried something might have happened to you.}
Yuta gazed at the system screen with a faint smile, his peripheral vision catching the charred remains of a heart lying on the ground.
"Hyun, you worry too much. As for where I've been—I met the Great Outcast himself. It was rather comical, though; he even tried to claim he was *you*. I'm not entirely sure what his intentions are, or why he assigned me these tasks..."
[Important: Ruler's Path Quests
Objective 1: Assist the rightful guardian of the Tree of Existence, Ji Yao Li.
Quest Difficulty: ?????
Reward: Ruler's Robe.
Objective 2: Not yet revealed.
Objective 3: Not yet revealed.
Objective 4: Not yet revealed.
Objective 5: Not yet revealed.
Quest Duration: Permanent.]
Yuta stared at the system interface for a few moments before continuing:
"On top of that, he granted me the power of the 'Eternal Tome.' I thought he was joking when he bestowed the ability of another faction upon me—that's a direct violation of a law that exists within..."
"He is so incredibly powerful that the very laws he established don't even apply to him." {You're right.} "But it's strange that he met with you. Doesn't he live in isolation within his own world—in a palace that contains everything? Why did he decide to speak to you, after having prevented you from breaking through, just as he did with the other Path Masters?"
Yuta closed his eyes, trying to make sense of what had transpired, but found himself unable to fathom what the Great Outcast was planning.
"Honestly, I don't know. But there is a game being played across the world, and we are a part of it."
Yuta let out a deep sigh, gazing up at the ceiling—ignoring Cruzin—before shifting his focus back to her.
"I can't use my power at the moment; my essence hasn't fully synchronized with this body yet."
His tone remained calm as he clenched his fist.
"So, what are the capabilities of this body? It's impossible for a hybrid of a demon, a dragon, an angel, and a Scion—or whatever it may be—to lack significant power. Am I right?"
A few seconds passed before the system interface appeared. Yuta had previously been unable to control this body or discern its inherent abilities and skills—a feat that had been impossible for him until now.
[Healing Ability: XXX
Master of Elements: XXX
Beast Tamer: XXX
Master of Sins: ????
Sword Emperor: ????
Berserker: XXX
Devourer: XXX
Master of All: XXX
Weapon Saint: XXXX]
A look of satisfaction crossed Yuta's face as he surveyed the abilities of the body's original owner. Ultimately, this body was a composite, possessing the finest genes from the most powerful entities of every race; thus, its capabilities seemed entirely natural from his perspective.
It did strike him as odd, however, that the body lacked any abilities capable of manipulating concepts or fundamental laws. Yet, he gave it little thought, knowing that he would soon be able to wield both his own power and that of the body's original owner with complete freedom.
As Yuta gathered his belongings, he sensed a dark energy—an aura of destruction—permeating the entire palace, emanating from a room nearby.
Unsure of the reason behind this ominous energy, he remarked in a calm tone:
"That is the power of the sealed High Blood Sovereign. What is an entity of rank ORR-05 doing here?"
"Can you tell me about the source of this energy, Hyun?"
[Very well. The owner of this energy is Siri Caseral—the youngest daughter of the original body's owner—and she is ten years old. As for her origins or any other details, they remain unknown. All I know is that she is ten, and that she has been... a 'Nasi' from birth until this very day.] [But discussing all of this right from the start is a bit much. After all, this is only the first chapter.]
A mischievous smile spread across Yuta's face as he read the system message, followed by a loud burst of laughter.
"Hahahahahaha! I shall make them read only what I want them to read—or perhaps, one day, they might discover the truth, but that will happen solely on my terms!" [As you wish, Yuto. I must head over to your other half now; he might be a bit confused. Hahaha—farewell!]
End of Flashback
"Yuta's life has been full of fascinating twists. It seems the reader finally uncovered the truth after more than a hundred chapters. Quite entertaining, isn't it? Don't worry, though—there are plenty more tricks and schemes in store. Hahahaha!"
Yuta muttered to himself, his tone chillingly detached.
He then directed the monsters he had contracted—those he'd acquired within the 'Dungeon of the Rulers' back when he was in the city of Berhais, long before he joined the Versalkin Academy.
The students stood in utter shock, watching as over three million monsters clashed with the minions of the Beast Rulers.
Because Yuta possessed a mental capacity that transcended human comprehension, controlling such a vast number of monsters was as effortless for him as drinking a glass of water.
Yet, for beings like him, things are a bit different... As for students, soldiers, or anyone with a normal mental capacity, attempting to exert control over such a vast number would be impossible—it would likely result in their immediate death, as their brains would literally explode within their skulls.
Any power that one cannot govern or master inevitably becomes a curse. This is precisely why Yuta refrained from using his "Ability Crafting," the "Holy Scripture," or his "Wing" unless absolutely necessary.
In this instance, he had only one use of "Ability Crafting" remaining—a fact the world watched unfold, second by agonizing second.
Yuta was no exception to the rule; every gain required a corresponding sacrifice. Power and authority never come without a price—nothing is ever attained without giving something up.
"He's incredibly powerful! His monsters are slaughtering the minions of the Beast Rulers with such ease!"
"Yuta commands such a massive number of monsters! I've heard that those who follow the 'Path of Enslavement' possess a mental capacity millions of times greater than that of an ordinary human!"
"Yuta is truly amazing—handsome and powerful, too! He'd be the perfect partner. It's just a shame he's already dating Beatrice."
As the girl spoke, eyes turned toward Lucy and Previka, both of whom shot her a look of pure, seething indignation.
The girl held their gaze for a few moments before turning her attention back to Yuta.
Upon reaching him, she grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer.
"Yuta, could you tie my hair for me? Lucy refuses to do it, and I can't manage it on my own."
Beatrice's tone was calm as she held out a red hair tie. Yuta looked at her for a few seconds before reaching for her hair tie.
"Alright, turn around. I'll tie your hair up, you spoiled little thing."
Lucy, Prefica, Inyusha, Christian, Nicholas, Kazuhiro, Leon, and Gowther all looked on in shock as Yuta gathered Beatrice's hair into a ponytail.
Yet, none of them said a word; they assumed Yuta must have had something in mind.
Beatrice hadn't been part of their plans—she wasn't supposed to appear at this moment. Or, to put it more accurately, she was yet another setback in a long series of complications they had already faced.
But Yuta saw her as the only "treasure" among all those previous setbacks—a perspective that left the others feeling rather bewildered.
Lucy and Prefica, however, felt differently; they were seething, convinced that Beatrice's behavior had been calculated and insincere from the very start.
"The little wretch! How can someone who sleeps like a stray cat be so cunning?"
Lucy muttered, her voice laced with annoyance as she shot a threatening glare at Beatrice.
As for Prefica, a faint aura of killing intent began to radiate from her. She let out an irritated sigh and walked away without a word—the situation was hardly the right time for a fight.
Unlike Lucy, Prefica was more than prepared to resort to combat to claim what she believed was rightfully hers. She viewed Yuta as her life partner, so fighting for his sake was a given for her.
On the battlefield, Yuta's monsters fought the minions of the Beast Rulers fiercely, all while skillfully avoiding any serious injuries.
For Yuta, sacrificing them in a situation like this was out of the question—not to mention that he would need them in the future.
As for the Beast Rulers, they were taken aback by the strength of these creatures; their eyes narrowed, then widened in sheer shock.
"Aren't these the monsters from the 'Graveyard of Rulers'? They come from that place humans call a dungeon or a cavern!"
"These are terrifying entities that have fed on the corpses of Beast Rulers and dragons for millions of years—ever since the Supreme Ruler of Death, Fredrika—known as Athena—cast those rulers out."
The Lion Ruler spoke, his voice laced with shock; being the eldest among them, he was the most knowledgeable about both the past and the present.
"Are you serious? Minions of the Ruler of Death, Athena? How is that even possible?"
The Goblin Ruler exclaimed, equally stunned by the Lion Ruler's revelation.
The Serpent Ruler followed, tossing several nearby combatants meters away and leaving them as mangled corpses.
"Our opponent is incredibly powerful! Damn that wretched human!"
"We must fight and then escape. We've sustained many injuries—none are fatal, perhaps, but continuing this battle will eventually drain us completely." The Orc ruler spoke sharply, all the while struggling immensely to fend off an assault from one of the commanders of the beasts under Yuta's command.
These creatures were the subordinates of a higher-ranking master, and their strength was undoubtedly far superior to their own.
"You're right, my companion. We must rest for now. My master's full power has yet to arrive, and our subordinates are buying us enough time to recover—we should make the best possible use of this time."
The Wolf ruler's tone was brimming with confidence.As the fighting between Yuta's followers and the followers of the Beast Rulers continued, neither side showed any intention of pausing, even for a moment.
The tide, however, was turning in Yuta's favor; his followers hailed from the land of the Rulers' Graveyard and were well-accustomed to battling Rulers.
To them, the followers of the Beast Rulers appeared as nothing more than insignificant insects, incapable of achieving anything on their own.
Inside the command center's operations room, Reinhardt, Soliver, and his deputy, Carter, watched a 3D projection of the battlefield and the city of Yuspeakers, their faces lit with expressions of amusement.
The number of the Beast Rulers' followers was dwindling rapidly—a development that bought time for reinforcements to arrive and spared them from having to engage every enemy simultaneously.
The same held true for the students; their turn to fight had not yet come, yet they would still receive their rewards regardless of whether they participated in the combat.
"Student Yuta Caseral—from the class I oversee—is the one commanding the monsters currently battling the Beast Rulers' followers," Yoshika Kiyotowa remarked, her pride subtly veiled.
Yusopra and Catherine, who were also among his instructors, felt a similar sense of pride; their student was making such a significant contribution in such a short span of time—a remarkable achievement, indeed.
Yet, at the same time, they noticed a subtle shift in the expressions of Soliver and Reinhardt, both of whom now appeared visibly troubled. It would have made sense coming from professors competing to prove their department was the best, but it seemed highly suspicious coming from a Duke—the head of the Versalkin Academy, the most prestigious academy for humans in the world.
Yet, no one said a word; no one wished to incur their enmity, regardless of the underlying reasons or motives.
Several seconds of silence passed before Reinhardt broke it, his tone confident:
"Professor Yoshika Kiyotowa is correct. Student Yuta Kaseral, from the elite class, has achieved something truly commendable—but now is absolutely not the time to celebrate it."
Soliver fixed his gaze upon him for a few moments before nodding in agreement, though he clearly did so with reluctance.
As the head of the world's premier and most venerable academy for humans, he was compelled to remain reserved and impartial toward those who excelled; a single misstep could spread across all five continents in a matter of seconds.
Reinhardt continued to study the three-dimensional model of the battlefield and the city of Yusbikers with a calm, steady gaze.
The colors displayed on the model indicated the positions and status of various groups.
Standard red marked the residents of Yusbikers who were unable to fight.
A lighter shade of red identified those residents—individuals with physical or mental impairments—who had taken complete shelter within the city. Wine-red represented those who had visited the city of Yusbekers—individuals capable of combat, including mercenaries, adventurers, and travelers from other cities.
Blood-red signified the soldiers tasked with defending Yusbekers, who had gathered outside its walls. Their numbers had dwindled drastically, decimated by the Beast Rulers and their minions.
Standard black denoted the remaining students from the regular class of the Versalkin Academy.
Dark black represented the survivors of the elite class, while coal-black was reserved for the students of the legendary class, who stood atop the walls, awaiting orders.
Blue represented the Beast Rulers, who had halted ten kilometers from Yusbekers and were now advancing at an alarmingly rapid pace.
Light blue stood for the minions of the Beast Rulers—a force being rapidly depleted by those marked in dark, blood-tinged red.
Reinhart closed his eyes and tilted his head toward the ceiling. He remained in that position for a long moment, ignoring the voices around him, before finally opening his eyes once more.
He then turned to leave, saying almost nothing, before speaking in a cold, detached tone:
"The war is about to begin. Everyone, head to the front lines. My opponent shall be the Lion Ruler."
It was the declaration of a true war—a clash between the elite of humanity and the elite of the beasts.
Reinforcements were on the verge of arrival, and a true monster was preparing to confront these "human monsters."
In the end, only one side would emerge victorious. But the real question is: who will remain alive until the end of the war?