Shadow stood facing the beast, his breathing calm despite the overwhelming pressure bearing down on him.
The creature before him was no ordinary monster.
This was a High Rank Beast, already at the Dominant Stage, and worse, its mana stone pulsed with a dark yellow glow streaked faintly with crimson.
Almost King Rank… Shadow realized.
Slowly, Shadow activated his technique.
The shadows around him bent unnaturally, melting into his presence as his aura vanished almost completely.
Elemental Dark Ascension Cycle — Camouflage Technique.
Compared to before, the technique was now sharper, denser, more refined. His presence faded as if swallowed by the night itself.
Yet even so, Shadow knew the truth.
This won't be enough.
With only Tier 1 elemental cultivation, facing a High Rank Dominant Stage Beast, one that stood on the brink of becoming a King Rank, was nothing short of suicidal.
Shadow tightened his grip on his sword.
"I need to buy time until reinforcements arrive," he muttered under his breath."Cris… I hope you reach here soon."
In the next instant, Shadow vanished.
He reappeared behind the beast in a flash, sword already drawn.
Flames erupted along the blade.
With a single, decisive slash coated in Elemental Fire, Shadow struck.
But....
The beast vanished.
Shadow's eyes widened.
"What....?!"
Before he could react, a massive presence appeared directly behind him.
So fast…Its speed far surpasses the beasts I defeated before.
Shadow barely managed to twist his body aside.
If speed is the issue… then I'll surpass it.
Lightning crackled violently around his body.
Elemental Lightning activated.
Electric arcs wrapped around his limbs as his speed increased explosively, ten times faster than before.
In a blink, Shadow disappeared from the beast's vision.
He reappeared mid-air, sword blazing with a fusion of Fire and Lightning, and brought it down with devastating force.
The strike detonated.
Flames exploded outward, lightning tearing through the battlefield as the ground shattered beneath the impact.
Trees were uprooted. Earth collapsed. Fire raged.
Smoke and debris engulfed the area.
Shadow landed lightly, breathing heavily as he stared into the cloud of destruction.
Then....
A deep, thunderous voice echoed from within the smoke.
"YOU WEAK CHILD…DO YOU THINK THIS LEVEL OF POWER CAN KILL ME?"
Shadow's blood ran cold.
It… spoke?
His mind raced.
According to ancient records… beasts capable of human speech only exist at King Rank and above. However… there are rare cases, extremely rare, where a beast that evolves rapidly gains intelligence early.
Such beasts adapt faster… and grow at terrifying speeds.
Shadow clenched his teeth.
Why are you inside this territory?What exactly are you after?
Before he could voice his thoughts, the beast roared again.
"I ONLY DESIRE POWER…ROOOAAARRR!"
Shadow raised his head, eyes burning with resolve.
"Then I'll destroy you before you ever obtain it."
Behind him, four elemental symbols manifested simultaneously.
Fire.
Water.
Wind.
Lightning.
Shadow activated them all at once.
"I can only control four elements simultaneously," Shadow said coldly."This consumes enormous mana and stamina… and my focus will break if I delay."
"I have… one minute."
Lightning coated his body, boosting his movement speed to its limit.
Fire and Water gathered around his fists, compressing violently—multiplying their destructive force tenfold.
Wind converged at his feet, pressure building until the ground beneath him began to crack.
Then....
BOOM.
The earth exploded.
Shadow launched forward, propelled by compressed wind, lightning accelerating him to extreme velocity.
In a fraction of a second, he appeared before the beast.
Two punches flew forward simultaneously.
Fire Fist.
Water Fist.
They collided with the beast's massive tail.
The impact shook the battlefield.
But instead of tearing through....
The beast sneered.
"WEAK."
Its tail absorbed the force.
Then power surged through it.
Shadow's eyes widened in shock.
It blocked it… with just its tail?!
The beast swung.
The impact struck Shadow's arms and chest directly.
CRACK.
His body was sent flying through the forest like a broken doll, smashing through trees before crashing violently into the ground.
Shadow coughed violently.
Blood spilled from his lips.
His vision blurred.
Both arms shattered. His chest fractured. A massive burn-like mark carved across his torso from the tail strike.
"Ah… I… miscalculated…" Shadow whispered weakly.
Its strength…This is nothing like the High Rank beasts I fought before.
Before Shadow could move....
The beast appeared above him.
Its claws descended.
Just as death loomed....
CLANG!
A blade intercepted the attack.
Sparks exploded.
The beast was forced back.
"Young Master, hold on!" a voice shouted.
Cris stood before Shadow, his breathing heavy, sword trembling in his grasp.
But the blade, Artifact Rank Silver, Class 3 was cracked.
Cris grit his teeth.
"I'll drive it back!"
"Lava Strike!"
Magma surged as Cris unleashed his attack.
Cris — Elite of Clan Verdic
One of Bolan's top three elite guards.
Cultivation:
Elemental Lava — Ascension Cycle (One Step From Tier Three)
Elemental Ice — Foundation Cycle (One step From Convergence Cycle)
The lava attack smashed into the beast, forcing it back several meters.
Cris stared in disbelief.
"This… this is a High Rank Beast. My attack should have obliterated a Mid Rank Dominant Stage Beast instantly."
His gaze shifted to the mana stone.
Dark yellow.
Dominant Stage.
"…Damn it."
Then he noticed something else.
Faint red color.
Cold sweat dripped down his back.
"This isn't just High Rank…"
"…It's nearly King Rank."
Cris swallowed hard.
Even Master Bolan must go all-out against a King Rank Awakening Stage Beast.
I can't handle this alone.
He raised his fist, channeling lava energy skyward.
The energy exploded high above, forming the Elite Symbol of Clan Verdic.
A distress signal.
But the moment the signal activated....
The beast struck.
Its charge slammed into Cris, denting his armor and forcing blood from his mouth.
Cris skidded backward.
He immediately activated his ice element, freezing the surrounding area.
But the beast shattered the ice effortlessly.
Its tail whipped out.
Cris raised his sword to block.
The impact sent him crashing sideways into a massive boulder.
The beast lunged, claws ready to tear him apart.
Cris coughed blood.
"I have no choice…"
"ELEMENTAL FUSION."
Elemental Fusion: Lava + Ice
Fusion Vessel Technique—The body becomes the vessel.—Elemental output maximized from within.
"Elemental Frost Fire."
Cris's body ignited.
His right side burned with molten heat.
His left side froze with absolute zero.
Fire and Water symbols rotated behind him like a blazing wheel.
He struck.
One punch.
The beast was blasted away violently, its arm obliterated.
The beast roared in fury.
"ROOOAAARR!WORTHLESS HUMAN! I WILL DESTROY YOUR BODY TO NOTHING!"
Its flesh regenerated rapidly.
Cris planted his feet, blood dripping from his lips.
"I'll be the one to erase you first… until not even ashes remain."
The battlefield trembled.
From where he lay broken against the shattered earth, Shadow watched the battle unfold.
What he saw made his heart tremble.
He never imagined that Cris, the elite guard assigned to protect him had already reached a level where he could activate an Ultimate Form for elemental users.
Elemental Fusion Vessel… Shadow thought weakly.
That was a power only those who had reached Elemental Tier 2 or above could attempt to use and even then, learning it was extraordinarily difficult. Some cultivators could only grasp it after stepping into Tier 3.
Unlike external elemental fusion, where different elements were combined outside the body through precise control. Elemental Fusion Vessel forced the body itself to become the vessel.
The elemental output was unleashed from within.
The user's body was forcibly adapted to withstand the raging elemental flow.
The cost was terrifying.
Mana and stamina were consumed at an absurd rate.
Most users couldn't last even one minute before collapsing unconscious. Some never woke up at the same time.
But in exchange....
The destructive output was several times greater than any external fusion technique.
Shadow watched as Cris launched attack after attack.
Each strike was devastating enough to obliterate a High Rank Dominant Beast.
Yet no matter how many times Cris shattered the beast's body....
Its flesh regenerated.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Cris grit his teeth.
"If this drags on any longer…" he muttered, blood trickling down his chin,"I won't be able to kill this thing. My limit is only one minute."
"I have to finish this....now."
Moments later, a figure rushed into the battlefield.
Vista.
Her eyes widened in shock when she saw Shadow's condition.
Blood soaked his clothes.
His body was twisted unnaturally.
Bones clearly broken.
"Y-Young Master Shadow…?" Vista whispered, rushing to his side.
She knelt down immediately, checking his breathing, her hands trembling.
Behind her, Cris shouted without turning back.
"Hey, you! Lady Mey's guard!"
Vista looked up sharply.
"Can you take the young master Shadow away and request Lady Floryn to treat him immediately?" Cris said urgently."His condition is critical. I'll finish things here as fast as I can."
Vista froze.
Her eyes widened as she finally noticed something terrifying.
Cris's body.
The raging elements.
The rotating symbols behind him.
"…Elemental Fusion Vessel…?" she murmured.
That technique was only used when there was no other way left.
Her gaze shifted to the beast.
Her blood ran cold.
"T-This… this is a High Rank Beast—Dominant Stage…"
She swallowed hard.
"No… it's almost evolved into a King Rank."
Her legs nearly gave out.
"This thing… this is a nightmare for Tier 2 elemental users."
The scene shifted.
After ordering Vista to follow Shadow, Mey had rushed back to her family's palace.
Her heart pounded violently as she ran through the corridors.
Shadow… please be safe.
She searched desperately for her mother.
For Floryn.
For her grandfather, Elder Suyun.
Finally, she found them at the training grounds where she usually trained with her mother.
They all turned in surprise at her hurried arrival.
"Mey?" Mervis asked."What's wrong? Why are you in such a hurry?"
Mey's voice trembled.
"When Shadow and I were at the lake, we were attacked by a beast. Shadow defeated it."
"But afterward, Shadow went to investigate how a beast could enter Ordix territory. He headed toward the end of the lake, the area connecting Beast Territory and Clan Ordix."
Mervis frowned deeply.
"That makes no sense. Every passage connecting Ordix territory to other regions is heavily guarded."
Elder Suyun stroked his beard slowly.
"We should dispatch several squads to investigate."
He looked at Mey calmly.
"Shadow has already gone ahead, but do not worry, Mey. The guards stationed there are far more numerous and stricter than those along the Ordix–Lightning Clan border."
Floryn exhaled quietly.
"I was worried about Shadow… but hearing Elder Suyun's explanation puts my heart at ease."
Mey nodded anxiously.
"I already ordered Vista to follow Shadow. Shadow also said he wouldn't go alone."
Floryn smiled faintly.
"If Shadow said that, then you don't need to worry. Bolan has already ordered Cris to protect him."
"Cris is a cultivator at the peak of Tier 2. He's also one of the top three elites in the Verdic Clan."
Suddenly....
A brilliant light exploded across the sky.
Almost the entire Ordix territory could see it.
A symbol.
Floryn's face turned pale instantly.
"T-That is… that is a signal from the Verdic Clan Elite."
Her body stiffened.
"That symbol means a request for immediate assistance. It is only used when all other methods have failed."
Mervis's expression darkened.
"The direction… that's the lake region between Clan Ordix and Beast Territory."
Mey's breath hitched.
All of them spoke at once.
"Shadow…"
At the Defensive Wall Construction Site
Meanwhile....
At the border where Clan Ordix's defensive fortifications were under construction, Bolan and Gel were inspecting the progress.
"Bolan," Gel said,"I received information from my subordinates. Our plan can be accelerated if we secure sufficient funds within the next six months."
"I've already dispatched squads to hunt beasts and sell their mana stones."
Bolan nodded.
"Thank you. The sooner this construction is completed, the better."
He frowned slightly.
"I have a bad feeling… something terrible will happen soon."
At that moment....
A red beam shot into the sky.
Bolan's eyes widened.
"That… that's one of my Elite units."
His face turned grim.
"That symbol… it's the Verdic Clan emblem."
"Wait—"
His heart sank.
"That's Cris!"
Only three elites were allowed to choose their own distress signal color.
Blue was standard.
Red—
Red meant life or death.
"Shadow…!"
Bolan clenched his fists.
"Is he with Shadow right now?!"
He turned sharply toward Gel.
"I must go there immediately. Cris has activated Elemental Fusion Vessel."
"He only has one minute."
Gel nodded without hesitation.
"I'm coming with you. That's the border between Ordix Territory and Beast Territory."
"I know the fastest route."
The two leaders vanished in a blur.
Wave after wave of devastating attacks were unleashed by Cris, each one more violent than the last, yet none of them delivered the decisive blow he desperately sought.
It was not because his attacks lacked power.
It was because the beast's regeneration was monstrously troublesome.
Chunks of flesh were blasted apart by lava-infused fists. Frozen fractures spread across its massive body from ice-enhanced impacts. Bones shattered, muscles were torn apart, and its torso was repeatedly blown open.
Yet again and again, the beast regenerated.
Its wounds knitted together. Its flesh reformed. Its aura stabilized.
Cris gritted his teeth.
However… something felt different.
"…The regeneration…" Cris narrowed his eyes, breathing heavily as molten steam and frost vapor swirled around his body."…It's weakening."
He could see it now.
The time it took for the beast to recover was increasing. The pulses of mana repairing its body were slower, more unstable.
His gaze sharpened.
"The regeneration speed is dropping. The recovery delay is increasing."
A sharp realization struck him.
I can break it.
Cris clenched his fists.
"I need to keep attacking. Non-stop.""And on the final strike… I'll use my last remaining move."
He surged forward.
Fists wrapped in lava and ice slammed into the beast relentlessly. Each punch detonated with terrifying force, generating shockwaves that tore through the forest. Trees were uprooted. The ground shattered. The land screamed beneath their clash.
Each impact distorted the air itself.
The battlefield was reduced to ruin.
Cris counted silently.
Thirty seconds.
That was all he had left.
Once the Elemental Fusion Vessel time limit ended… he didn't know if he would even remain conscious, let alone alive.
Not far away, Vista hesitated.
He wanted to help.
But when he looked at Shadow's condition, his body soaked in blood, barely breathing, his heart clenched painfully.
He couldn't move.
Cris noticed his hesitation.
"Don't hesitate!" Cris shouted without turning back."Go now!""The young master's life is more important!"
His voice trembled, but not from fear.
"This is my mission," Cris continued."I beg you, save the young master. Take him to Lady Floryn!"
Suddenly.
Cris's body convulsed.
His mana circulation faltered violently.
"Ugh—!"
Blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.
"…Damn it," he muttered hoarsely."My mana… it's almost at the limit."
He glanced inward, feeling the violent backlash tearing through his meridians.
Eighteen seconds left…
And yet my mana is already depleted.
"This is because my punches are consuming too much mana…"
He exhaled sharply, blood dripping down his chin.
But then....
He looked at the beast again.
Its regeneration had slowed even further.
Cris's eyes hardened.
"…Good."
No hesitation remained.
"Then I'll go all out."
"I won't give you any chance to regenerate."
He planted his feet.
All remaining Lava and Ice elemental energy surged violently into his arms. The fusion intensified, compressing until it reached an unstable threshold.
His muscles swelled painfully.
Veins glowed with molten-red and icy-blue light.
"Destruction Fist."
He released it.
The moment his fist connected....
A catastrophic explosion erupted.
The attack compressed into a concentrated beam of destructive force, like a laser cannon, piercing straight through the beast's chest.
The impact obliterated everything in its path.
The ground collapsed inward, forming a large crater that resembled the bottom of a dry lake. The ground melted, froze, then shattered all at once.
Silence followed.
Cris stood there, panting.
He lifted his head.
The beast was still standing.
But....
Its chest was completely blown open.
A massive hole pierced through its body.
Its form trembled violently as it roared in agony.
"YOU WILL DIE, HUMANNNN!!!"
A terrifying surge of energy erupted from the beast.
Before Cris or Vista could react..
Two High Rank Awakening Stage beasts rushed into the battlefield, charging toward Cris, Vista, and the unconscious Shadow.
But in the next instant....
Their heads were severed cleanly.
Two blurred flashes passed through the air.
Blood sprayed as their bodies collapsed.
Cris and Vista froze.
"…What?"
They turned.
The beast Cris had been fighting had attacked its own kind.
The High Rank beast reached down, ripped the mana stones from the fallen beasts' heads...
And devoured them.
The moment it swallowed the stones....
Its aura exploded.
A crushing pressure descended upon the battlefield.
Cris and Vista began sweating coldly as the oppressive force crushed down on them.
They watched in horror.
The mana stone that once rested on the beast's head disappeared...
And reformed inside its chest.
"…No…" Vista whispered.
The mana stone's color began to change.
Dark yellow.
Then streaks of red appeared.
Cris's voice trembled.
"I—It's… King Rank Awakening Stage…"
"Its power… is comparable to an Elemental Tier 3 Convergence Cycle."
Suddenly—
BOOM.
The pressure multiplied explosively.
The mana stone's color shifted again.
From pale red—
To bright crimson red.
Vista collapsed onto the ground.
"…King Rank Stability Stage."
His voice shook violently.
"Elemental Tier 3 Ascension Early Stage users… would be instantly killed by this beast."
"We're… in an extremely bad situation."
The pressure suffocated them.
Cris clenched his fists, but his body no longer responded.
"Vista…" he said hoarsely."Take the young master and leave… now…"
Blood poured from his mouth.
The Elemental Fusion Vessel ended.
Cris dropped to one knee.
His vision blurred.
Lord Bolan…
I'm sorry…
I failed to carry out your order.
The beast lunged forward, its massive claws descending toward Cris.
Suddenly....
Its movement stopped.
Someone had blocked it.
A woman stood there.
Crimson-red armor gleamed under the distorted light. Her silver hair fluttered violently, and her silver pupils glowed with lethal intensity.
It was Glenda.
One of Bolan's Second-Tier Elite Members.
Her aura surged.
Elemental Plasma Foundation Cycle.Elemental Cyclone Ascension Cycle.
She slammed her hand forward.
"Plasma Area Shock."
A violent burst of plasma energy detonated, forcibly halting the beast.
The beast laughed.
"HAHAHAHA! GOOD! MORE PREY TO DESTROY!"
In the blink of an eye, it appeared directly before Glenda.
Its mouth opened....
A devastating energy beam fired out like a laser.
Glenda instantly raised a plasma barrier.
The beam struck.
The barrier shattered partially.
The impact blasted through her defenses.
Her armor cracked violently.
"Tch…" Glenda hissed."So this is the power of a King Rank…"
Before the beast could follow up...
A massive blow struck its side.
A tornado-infused punch slammed into its body.
Willson.
First-Tier Elite Member of Bolan.
Wearing a Gold-Crimson Armor, Long Black hair , his yellow pupils Sharp toward the beast.
Elemental Tornado Ascension Early Stage.Elemental Lava Ascension Cycle.
"Glenda!" Willson shouted."Take the young master and retreat!"
"I've already informed the others, they'll arrive soon!"
"I'll buy time...."
Before he could finish,
The beast vanished.
It reappeared behind Willson instantly.
Its tail swung.
Willson reacted at the last moment.
"Barrier....!"
A powerful tornado barrier activated just before impact.
The tail smashed into it.
Willson was blasted backward violently.
"…Its speed and power are terrifying," he muttered."I never expected to face a King Rank beast."
Time passed.
Glenda carried Shadow.
Vista supported Cris, whose consciousness was fading.
Suddenly....
A thunderous crash echoed.
Willson was sent flying toward them.
Glenda's eyes widened.
Even Willson couldn't hold it back…
If it had come to this....
They had no choice but to go all out.
Just as Glenda prepared to activate her Elemental Fusion Vessel....
A crushing aura descended.
"Black Hole."
A massive black hole, over fifty meters wide, engulfed the beast's area.
The air warped violently.
It was Bolan Verdic.
Beside him stood Gel Ordix.
"Willson," Bolan asked calmly, maintaining the black hole's pressure."Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, my lord," Willson replied."Just a few cracked bones."
"Good," Bolan said."Go with Glenda. Take Cris and the young master to the Ordix mansion. Lady Floryn will treat your injuries."
"Yes, my lord," Willson replied."…Will you be alright?"
Bolan smiled faintly.
"Don't worry."
"I'm with Gel."
"We'll eliminate this beast."
Cris, half-conscious, forced out weak words.
"M…My lord… be careful…"
"This beast… it can evolve rapidly after absorbing mana stones…"
Bolan and Gel froze.
"…King Rank Stability Stage," Gel muttered."Troublesome… but the two of us can handle it."
"We must kill it quickly, before it evolves again."
Bolan removed his mantle.
"I agree."
"We end this now."
Their auras erupted.
Bolan — Elemental Voidshade Ascension Mid Stage.Gel — Elemental Plasma Ascension Mid Stage.
The battlefield trembled.
The King Rank beast roared.
The decisive battle....
Had only just begun.