Chapter 53: The Aftermath

The Aftermath

"Sister-in-law levels up so fast."

On the path, Mike Walton looked at his cousin’s beast-girl with undisguised envy.

"Not bad, not bad. Your father said yesterday he’s hiring a twenty-man mercenary squad to power-level you too," Liam Walton replied with a smile.

"Your level will catch up soon enough."

"By the way, bro... when Sister-in-law broke through, what difficulty did she choose?

I want to use it as a reference." Mike suddenly remembered something and asked quickly.

"3-Star for the Level 20 breakthrough. I tried 4-Star at Level 40 but failed—thankfully there was a second chance. Passed it on 3-Star."

"Damn, I was thinking of going straight for 4-Star. Didn’t expect even you couldn’t clear it, bro."

"Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Stick with 3-Star difficulty."

"There are two attempts, sure—but you never know what could go wrong! I barely made it through myself!!"

Liam’s expression turned serious.

*He’s too arrogant,* Liam thought.

*He thinks he’s invincible.*

*But the wilds don’t care about arrogance.*

*They’ll chew you up and spit you out.*

*I need to protect him.*

*Even if he doesn’t want to be protected.*

Suddenly—

A familiar energy ripple cut through the air.

Mike’s face went pale.

His eyes widened in horror.

As if he’d sensed something utterly terrifying.

Gasping sounds escaped his throat.

"I-It’s happening again... again!!"

"B- Bro... th-there!" Mike pointed a trembling finger at the sky ahead.

*No,* Mike thought.

*No, no, no.*

*Not again.*

*Not that power.*

*I can’t face it again.*

*It’s going to destroy me.*

*Like before.*

*I’ll be broken.*

*I’ll be nothing.*

Liam followed his gaze.

In the distance, brilliant light was gathering in the heavens.

Waves of intense energy radiated through the air.

Thick and suffocating.

Then—the sky seemed to tear open.

Countless blazing, gaseous meteors streaked across the firmament.

Crashing down with devastating force.

Light and shadow intertwined.

The entire area ahead was bathed in blinding radiance.

Countless blazing, gaseous meteors streaked across the firmament.

As if like a daylight had descended upon the earth.

The ground shook violently under the meteor impacts.

Like an earthquake rattling the very foundations of the world.

It was hard to stay standing.

Explosions thundered, deafening and relentless.

Even the air itself seemed to tear.

Screaming with a sharp, piercing wail.

A powerful shockwave erupted from the impact zone.

Sweeping outward.

Trees bent and swayed.

Rocks and sand flew like projectiles.

"Im... impossible! Such a powerful beast-soul skill?! At least a Level 50 powerhouse would be needed to pull that off!"

Liam nearly shrieked.

His heart filled with fear and confusion.

*This is insane,* Liam thought.

*This power is beyond anything I’ve ever seen.*

*Beyond anything I’ve ever heard of.*

*Who is doing this?*

*What kind of monster is capable of this?*

*I need to get Mike out of here.*

Mike was in even worse shape.

His face was ashen.

His lips bloodless.

This overwhelming power had shattered his psychological defenses.

For the second time.

Last time, near Killer Valley, they had encountered that mysterious, terrifying beast-soul skill.

It had nearly broken his will.

And now—was he about to face that same enigmatic powerhouse again?!

*I can’t take this,* Mike thought.

*I can’t do this again.*

*I was so confident before.*

*I thought I was strong.*

*I thought I was special.*

*But this...*

*This is a different level entirely.*

*I’m nothing.*

*I’m less than nothing.*

*Compared to whoever is doing this, I’m an ant.*

*An insect.*

*A joke.*

Liam’s expression grew heavy.

Now he understood why his cousin looked like that.

Mike had always been proud.

Arrogant even.

Feeling the full force of such a terrifying attack up close—twice now—was more than anyone could bear.

*Hiss.*

Only now did Liam realize his own legs were trembling uncontrollably.

*This presence...*

*It was like a god casting divine judgment!*

*Absolutely insane!*

*What kind of ancient monster was this?*

*Was it fun to come to a Level 30 zone and bully the weaker players?!*

Liam cursed inwardly.

*This is ridiculous.*

*Completely ridiculous.*

*No one should have this kind of power.*

*No one.*

---

Not far from the Ancient Tree Labyrinth.

Several Level 60 powerhouses and their beast-girls slowly rose into the air.

Their expressions grave.

"What kind of beast-soul skill is this? It’s terrifying!" a burly man exclaimed.

His eyes filled with doubt and shock.

"Judging by the power, it’s at least an S-rank beast-girl releasing that skill!" an elderly man in ornate robes said gravely.

A glint of wisdom in his eyes.

"Old man... you’re sure it’s above S-rank?"

Nearby, a beast-girl with flowing hair wreathed in flames furrowed her brow.

*She’s powerful,* the flame-wreathed beast-girl thought.

*I can feel her from here.*

*Her energy is immense.*

*Unstoppable.*

*Who is she?*

*And whose side is she on?*

"There was one near Aurelia City last time. I was far away then."

"This time is different. I can tell for certain it’s a beast-soul skill—and the power is incredibly concentrated!"

"No doubt about it!"

Several others beside the old man exchanged looks of shock.

"S-rank... maybe even an SS-rank beast-girl’s skill!"

One of them muttered.

His voice trembling with excitement.

His fingernails dug deep into his palms.

But he didn’t seem to notice.

"Truly astonishing!"

Another young man’s eyes were wide.

The image of that cataclysmic scene seared into his mind.

Words couldn’t capture the shock he felt.

"If it’s an S-rank beast-girl... then her master must be..."

The flame-wreathed beast-girl’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

She seemed to have reached a conclusion.

But stopped herself before saying it aloud.

By that logic, to command such a powerful beast-girl, her master would have to be an SS-rank or even SSS-rank beast-soul master.

Throughout the Great Dawn Dynasty, SS-rank beast-soul masters could be counted on one hand.

Without exception, they were heirs to great powers.

Monsters forged by pouring in astronomical resources.

Only such a powerful beast-soul master could make a beast-girl of this caliber submit willingly.

"So what do we do now?" one of them frowned.