《Another World Mall》


 Chapter 1 Prologue

    "NO!"


    "How can this be?"


    The screams of unwillingness echoed inside the grand hall, pulling in the attention of the people within.


    The hall was spacious, hosting more than a hundred people. However, there was one person who was unaffected by the screams.


    His focus remained on the receptionist before him. Placing an ID card on the table, he said, "Clovis. I am ready for the awakening."


    The receptionist scanned the ID card before taking out a small plastic bag from the box next to her. It was a fresh bag that was still sealed.


    Clovis could clearly see an injection needle with a small vial of yellowish-green liquid. The receptionist showed the entire kit to make sure it was still sealed before taking out the vial and placing the needle on top of it.


    Clovis extended his right arm as the receptionist injected the liquid into his palm.


    As soon as all the liquid had been injected, a white-colored screen appeared in his vision.


    Name: Clovis Hacfield


    Tier: 0


    Evolution Rate: 15%


    Brain: 0%


    Heart: 0%


    Blood: 0%


    Muscle: 0%


    Bones: 0%


    When Clovis saw the number on the evolution rate, he couldn''t help but furrow his eyebrows. His expression darkened like he was disappointed in himself.


    Yet, his reaction wasn''t as big as the reaction of the people next to him as though he had accepted his fate.@@@@


    "Please place your hands here." The receptionist asked while pointing at the blue screen on her left.


    The device scanned Clovis'' biological data. Even the screen he saw in his vision appeared on the receptionist''s computer.


    As soon as the receptionist saw the number on his evolution rate, she simply said, "I believe that you are not suitable to be a Subterranean Explorer (SE) with your evolution rate."


    Clovis could hear the sneer coming from his back.


    "What? Another one who is not qualified?"


    "Just leave right away. We want to test ourselves too."


    When Clovis was about to turn around, he heard a commotion from the counter next to him.


    "What?! An evolution rate of 76%? C-congratulations, sir. You''v¡ª" The receptionist couldn''t even complete her sentences before another person came to him. He wore a formal suit and immediately handed him a name card. "I am from the Aether¡ªMmf!?"


    He was stopped by another person, who seemed to be trying to recruit him.


    Clovis couldn''t help but shake his head helplessly.


    "If he can''t overcome them, he is not worthy of the Hacfield name."


    ...


    Whether it was the proof of what these two men were talking about, the first thing Clovis did after he returned home was pick up the two blades on the table.


    Even though his parents and grandfather were no longer on his side, they were still quite powerful people. Their wealth was enormous. Even though he had to flee to this unknown city, his parents still had a house here.


    It was perfect for a small family and it was even equipped with a training area.


    However, with him being young, he couldn''t find work anywhere. In the end, he used all the money that they left him. The water and electricity had been cut off as well.


    He once thought about moving to a smaller house and selling this one, but this house was perfect for him to train as an SE. So, he barely managed to keep himself by selling some furniture.


    There were three weapons on the tables. The first one was a long 1.2-meter sword. Its color was black as though it were made of different materials. The humans managed to make weapons from the beast''s scales or even materials underneath the ground in the subterranean world.


    The second one was a short sword, slightly longer than a dagger, but the blade length was less than his lower arm. On the tip of the handle was attached a chain that formed a bracelet. If thrown, it could reach as far as ten meters.


    The last one was a pistol. That was right. Even though humanity didn''t really use nuclear weapons to avoid strengthening their enemies further, they still used the most convenient weapon, guns.


    While the beast''s hide was hard to penetrate with a normal bullet, they used the same materials as his blade as a bullet. That was why guns were mostly for the rich, who could afford special materials for their bullets.


    Clovis grabbed the two swords and came out to the backyard. The rain started pouring as if it were reflecting the sadness and disappointment in his heart.


    However, Clovis didn''t care. He just wanted to swing his blades until he was too tired to even think about his evolution rate.


    His swings were sharp and precise, showing the amount of effort he had put in. While his technique was above average, it didn''t mean much if his evolution rate was low. After all, those people could put in a lot more time to practice their technique while Clovis was still hunting the beasts.


    ''Untalented people like me can still progress to the very top. We just have to work much harder than those geniuses who have a high evolution rate.'' Clovis thought as his blade slashed a water droplet. He looked determined to get stronger even if he had to become a monster by massacring thousands if not millions of beasts.


    The memory from the past couldn''t help but resurface. Back then, he was sitting with his grandfather, looking at the bright sky.


    "Clovis. Most people become SEs for survival, wealth, or fame. However, they are forgetting something. The reason we''re called ''Explorer'' is because we''re trying to find the unknown. Why would those beasts appear out of nowhere? Were the world leaders aware of this fact before anyone else?


    Is this world truly just a simulation? What are we? I become an explorer to find the truth about everything."


    "Really? So cool!" Clovis''s eyes glistened as his expression was filled with admiration. "I want to be one too and help Grandfather!"


    Unfortunately, this seemingly happy memory didn''t last long. It even affected his current mental state as the reality had just struck him deeply.


    Even if he was prepared to kill countless beasts to get stronger, he still couldn''t get over the fact that he didn''t have the talent to do it.


    "Why?!" Clovis gritted his teeth. "Why? Why? Why?!"


    The more he asked the same question, the faster his swords became. But eventually, he tripped to the ground and became too tired to stand back up. He wanted to cry but was fully aware that it wouldn''t help him.


    "If only..." Clovis closed his eyes for a moment, imagining the scene where he saw his status at the same time. Instead of 15%, he would get at least an 80% evolution rate. But in the end, it was just his wishful thinking.


    However, everything changed the moment he opened his eyes. Even if it was raining earlier, it shouldn''t be this dark.


    "Huh?!" Clovis couldn''t help but rise from the ground. "What happens? Where am I?"


    On his left, he could see a shadow of a small room filled with items he didn''t know. The darkness allowed him to only see the contour of the items, not what they truly were.


    He turned to the front and saw an expanding space, filled with a lot of rooms like the one he saw on the left.


    Clovis''s right eye was disturbed by the brightness that hit the corner of his pupil. When he turned around, he could see a spacious area filled with shelves. Seeing the entrance and the cashier area reminded him of a grocery store. "Where the heck am I?"

 Chapter 2 Another World Mall

    "Where the heck am I?" Clovis squinted his eyes, looking at the only room that was lit up. The arrangement of the shelves, the food items within the shelves, and the cashier area reminded him of a grocery store.


    Another screen appeared before him. Instead of a white screen, the one before him was blue, indicating that it was different from the nano-implant in his brain.


    [Welcome to Another World Mall.]


    [Generating Status...]


    [Name: Clovis Hacfield.]


    [Membership: None]


    [Money: 17 Otherworldly Coins.]


    [Item Limit: 1/Visit]


    [Visit: 0(1)/Day]


    "Another World Mall?" Clovis furrowed his eyebrows. He looked at the entire area that had been darkened. With just the shadow of those stores, it did resemble a mall.


    Still, he didn''t know where he was currently or how he arrived at this place, so he grabbed his sword, which didn''t seem to be brought together with him. Even the chain attached to his left arm had disappeared.


    Since he didn''t have a weapon with him, the first thing Clovis did was step to the side, trying to check the other areas.


    However, his hand suddenly touched an invisible wall, startling Clovis. Even after applying a bit more strength, he didn''t feel it was going to budge.


    "It seems that I can only go to this one place." Clovis muttered as he approached the store carefully.


    While walking, Clovis saw the screen again and noticed a peculiar thing.


    "17 Otherworldly Coins? Isn''t it..." Clovis tried to grab the wallet in his pocket, but just like his swords, the wallet disappeared. "It''s the same amount of money that is within my wallet."


    There were a lot of questions in Clovis''s head, but he surely had one big question in his mind. Could he actually return to where he was?


    While thinking about it, Clovis walked inside the grocery store. Now that he was stuck in it, he had to explore this area. He still maintained his awareness around him, making sure that he didn''t fall into an ambush.


    Once inside, he was greeted by a basket that contained three types of vegetables.


    The moment his eyes were locked onto them, each vegetable showed its description.


    Name: Elven Carrot (Tier 0)


    Description: Cultivated by the Wooden Elf Race.


    Effect: Brain +0.5%@@@@


    Price: 5 Otherworldly Coins


    Name: Elven Radish (Tier 0)


    Description: Cultivated by the Wooden Elf Race.


    Effect: Bone +0.5%


    Price: 5 Otherworldly Coins


    Name: Elven Onion (Tier 0)


    Description: Cultivated by the Wooden Elf Race.


    [Buy the registered items?]


    [Yes/No]


    Clovis carefully tapped the ''Yes,'' and the computer let out another *beep* sound, startling him. The computer screen was reset, and the onion disappeared.


    The screen was updated with a display of onions. There were a few empty slots, which might be for other items in the future.


    And at the bottom of the screen, he saw a ''Return'' button. Once he tapped on it, the scenery before his eyes began to disappear. The darkness filled his vision for a second before the rain poured on him once again.


    "Woah?!" Clovis''s heart skipped a beat. "Was that another dimension? I have to visit that place every day and take advantage of all the items there to get stronger. But I might be so busy in the Subterranean World that I couldn''t go there. No, what if someone saw me disappear?


    "This mall is a double-edged sword. I have to be careful using it, and it''s clear that I can''t group up with people. Well, that''s not a problem. I do still want to have a group, but no one wants to party with a useless person who only has a 15% evolution rate. I should question them if they have hidden intentions if they invite me."


    Clovis sighed while grabbing the two swords on the ground. He took out his phone and ordered takeout. "Well, we''re talking about onions. Since I can''t afford cooking oil, I should just eat it raw with a noodle dish."


    His demeanor seemed to have calmed down.


    While waiting for the takeout, Clovis was changing his clothes while testing a few things about this mysterious power.


    "How do I take out the onion? System? Hello? Bonjour?!" Clovis tilted his head in confusion. "How do I enter that mall¡ª!"


    When he mentioned the word ''mall,'' the screen flashed before his eyes.


    [Another World Mall.]


    [Inventory: Onion x1]


    [Enter]


    "Oh? That word is the trigger." Clovis was quite curious about it, so he touched the ''Enter'' button, but nothing happened. "It seems that I can''t enter the mall. Ah, I almost forgot!"


    Clovis hurriedly checked out his wallet and noticed that his money was still there.


    "Hmm, the money remains. If I return with this amount of money... I don''t think it''s going to show 17 coins again. So, the same money might not be able to be used again. What about credit cards? Debit? I can only test it one at a time," Clovis sighed, trying to list a lot of things to explore in the mall.


    Of course, he also cut up the onion and put it on the noodle.


    As soon as he ate everything, Clovis hurriedly opened the system, which ended up putting a smile on his face.


    Name: Clovis Hacfield


    Tier: 0


    Evolution Rate: 15%


    Brain: 0%


    Heart: 0%


    Blood: 0%


    Muscle: 0.5%


    Bones: 0%


    "The effect is more amazing because it bypasses the evolution rate. In other words, the effect that I read in the description would reflect the actual change instead of being converted by the evolution rate."


    Clovis pumped his fist. "In that case, let''s get some money and visit the Subterranean World within three days."

 Chapter 4 Saber-toothed Tiger

    ''So, this is the subterranean world,'' said Clovis in amusement while looking around. This city had been built after humans invaded back as a base to protect the people on the surface.


    When he looked back, he realized that there was a giant stone pillar leading to the sky. Its diameter seemed to be more than a hundred meters, far bigger than the tunnel. It was probably to make the beast or the human destroy this pillar.


    In fact, the humans had dropped a hydrogen bomb to cut the connection, but destroying the tunnel was similar to destroying a meteorite. The materials were also so hard that they couldn''t even mine them.


    This base had been built with this pillar as the center. Clovis could see a tall steel wall on the horizon with a lot of weaponry at the top.


    There were a lot of explorer groups establishing their headquarters here. The base was also filled with a lot of utility buildings and shops just like in a normal city.


    Once stepping out of the elevator, their identities were checked to ensure the safety of the base. Only after everyone was checked were they allowed to leave. The people who wanted to return to the surface would be the ones to go next.


    While walking down the street, Clovis thought, ''Now that I''ve arrived here, where should I go? Checking the map to find a good place to hunt should be the first thing, so...''


    Clovis looked around and entered a public toilet. He took out a hand-sized device and inserted his ID card from the bottom. The device was activated and showed multiple tabs.


    The purpose of having the ID card as the basis of everything was so that anyone who found a person''s corpse outside the base could bring it back and report it to the military so that it was easier to change the status of the people. A lot of people never did it, whether it was due to annoyance or simply because they murdered them.


    As expected of the Gold Class Map, as soon as he accessed it, the map immediately expanded. The humans in this base had explored about one hundred kilometers in all directions. While it looked small compared to the world, the exploration was hard since there were beasts looming around.


    It also contained the information about those beasts that had been neatly compiled.


    Unknown areas meant they wouldn''t know if those beasts were strong or not.


    ''I think I can go to the west of this base. There are a lot of Tier 0 Beasts in this area.'' Clovis muttered inwardly.@@@@


    Without hesitation, he stored everything in the weapon''s bag and started heading west. Once again, the military confirmed the explorer''s identification before allowing Clovis to leave the city.


    "The process is quite smooth," Clovis murmured while taking out the weapon from his case. He put on the gun holster for his pistol, wore the bracelet that was connected to his short sword, and held the long sword on his other hand.


    With this, he was ready to go. He looked foolish at first glance, but the reason why Clovis went alone was because he didn''t think he would find any group that would take in a 15% explorer like him. Even if they did, he would be looked down on, and his share wouldn''t be good.


    So, rather than wasting his time, he chose to go alone, even if it was more dangerous.


    After walking for two kilometers, Clovis finally entered the dangerous zone. He raised both weapons, focusing on both his eyes and ears to pick up any movement.


    Because he had just awakened, he didn''t dare to go too far from the base. This area was covered with trees and wild grass. However, the trees had been thinned a bit, so people had an easier time spotting a beast.


    The tiger''s blood splashed to the side, dyeing the ground red.


    "Hu..." Clovis let out a breath of relief. While swinging his blade to splash the blood on the blades, Clovis thought excitedly, ''I can defeat a Tier 0 beast. While it''s hard at first, once I get more comfortable with life-and-death combat, I can swiftly kill a Tier 0 beast.''


    The path that was blurry at first suddenly lit up, showing the possibility.


    He took out a syringe from his bag, inserted a small tube, and stabbed the tiger''s body. The syringe let out a beeping sound before it began extracting a reddish green liquid from the tiger''s body.


    "I don''t know how much I can get from a single beast, but I should sell this first and get enough money to buy the mall''s membership. Those items aren''t affected by my evolution rate after all."


    After a minute, the green light on the syringe turned red. It looked like he managed to get 10 ml of essence from this tiger alone. After wiping the needle with a small towel, he put everything back into his bag.


    "Alright. Each tube can contain 50 ml of essence. My aim for today should be ten tubes. This should be enough to fund everything I need for the next two days." Clovis looked to the front, ready to hunt another beast.


    *Roar!*


    *Roar!*


    The groans of a dying tiger continuously rang in the forest, giving Clovis more and more confidence. He pushed through the woods with his brute force alone.


    ...


    In the opposite direction of the base, a brown-haired guy quietly waved his saber, killing one beast after another.


    "Tsk. Those people are useless. They can''t even handle these beasts and run away?!" The guy let out a long sigh. "I guess I should have just gone alone in the first place. It''s not like there''s anyone that can match me."


    As someone who was born into a good family, he had been showered with all kinds of training and talent that normal people wouldn''t have.


    However, living with that kind of family was also suffocating. The people''s gazes were filled with expectations, wanting him to be a great person in the future.


    Once he saw a talented person, their greed was bound to come out and it felt like his life wasn''t his anymore.


    In the end, he ran away from home. Even if he was bound to become someone strong in the future, he wanted to do it in a way he enjoyed.


    Unfortunately, after entering the hunting area, his party couldn''t keep up. Even a Tier 0 beast was too much for them to handle. On the other hand, he could kill a beast in less than thirty seconds.


    To avoid being taken advantage of by those people, he decided to speed up the hunts, causing those people to be exhausted and forcing them to retire. This way, he could haul everything he hunted for himself.


    Unbeknownst to him, his action led to an encounter that could only be described as fate.

 Chapter 5 Selling Essence

    "Huu... It seems that I have done enough for today." Clovis panted a few times, looking back. He had killed more than thirty tigers despite the fact that he had just awakened not long ago.


    "I have gathered about 300 ml of essence. The beasts will definitely take over this area soon and devour the remains, so I have to retreat soon before this area is filled with them."


    While it was true that he could still continue, he wasn''t someone who would just disregard his safety.


    Roar!


    Roar!


    He had been hearing a loud noise in the forest as well, so Clovis immediately ran back to the base.


    He had two destinations in mind. The first place would be none other than a cheap hotel to get some rest. The second place was Essence Bank. It was the best place if he wanted to sell or buy essence. While he would get less than selling essence in the black market, he didn''t need to worry about thieves or scammers.


    He asked the town''s guard for a place to stay for the night before making his way to the Essence Bank.


    "So, this is the building.'' Clovis muttered while raising his head. It was a ten-story building near the elevator. A lot of people were coming and leaving.


    However, there was something that piqued his interest. One group, in particular, seemed to be in an argument.


    "We were not trying to take advantage of you."


    "That''s right. We weren''t scared earlier. We just planned a safe retreat before ambushing the beasts."


    All of them seemed to be apologizing to a man the same age as Clovis. The man himself looked pissed as though he had made his point clear and wanted to leave, while the rest of the group tried to buy more time until he forgave them.


    Then again, the subterranean world was brutal. If they weren''t careful, one might lose their life in one way or another. The worst-case scenario would be a betrayal of the group, and this seemed to be the case for that group.


    If not for the fact that he was strong, he might have died outside the base. So, it wasn''t wrong for him to get angry. This was also the reason why Clovis had to be careful when choosing his future teammates. He wanted a strong group that grew together with him, not only to make the trip safer, but also to protect the people he loved when he wasn''t around.


    ''I should just mind my own business.'' Clovis shook his head and started walking toward the building.@@@@


    At the same time, the young man seemed to notice Clovis''s gaze earlier and couldn''t help but glance at him. Just like what happened to him earlier, Clovis seemed to be someone who preferred going solo.


    And more importantly, they seemed to be of the same age. The fact that Clovis went to the Essence Bank meant he wanted to sell or buy essence. If it were the former, Clovis should possess a considerable amount of skill.


    While he wanted to follow him to confirm his theory, he had to ditch these people first.


    "Welcome to the Essence Bank. Is there anything I can help you with?" A receptionist asked.


    "I want to sell Tier 0 Saber-toothed Tiger''s essence. What is the price here?" Clovis asked.


    "For Saber-toothed Tiger, the price is 1 union dollar for one ml of essence. But if you have a mixed essence, we can only pay you 60 cents for the fee of separating them."


    ''A very cheap price after risking my life. Then again, it''s only a Tier 0 beast. I can kill a lot of them and profit from everything by going solo. I guess I should be satisfied with this price.'' Clovis muttered inwardly.


    The only question on his mind was: how much essence should he sell? On the one hand, he had to think about the membership and the item from the ''Another World Mall.'' On the other hand, he had to consider using the essence for himself. While his evolution rate was low, it wasn''t like he could depend on the Another World Mall for everything.


    "I want to sell 200 ml. They are pure." Clovis took out four tubes of essence and handed them to the receptionist.


    "Please allow me to check it first." The receptionist politely bowed before bringing the tubes into the machines. Because each beast only produced a little bit of essence, even a single drop was precious. That was why they had their specialized equipment to ensure that not a single drop remained.


    "But Grandpa..." Clovis looked down, hesitant to say what was on his mind. "...moving like this is pretty nice. Besides, I want to get stronger too! Even if I can''t awaken yet, I want to have as much fighting skill as possible."


    His grandfather made a wry smile. While he didn''t really mind, Clovis was still a kid, so sleeping actually provided better development for his body, especially since it was about midnight soon.


    "In any case, you should sleep instead of moving your body around. Your muscles are crying in pain right now. If you want to train, then I can give you a method that allows you to train."


    "Really? But Grandpa might be lying to me and just want me to sleep."


    "How can you suspect me? There''s no way Grandpa will lie to my precious grandson. It''s simple, so you should learn it easily, but promise me you''re going to bed after knowing it."


    "Alright."


    "Close your eyes."


    Once Clovis closed his eyes, his grandfather began instructing him.


    "Now imagine me standing in front of you, and you''re going to defeat me. What do you think you will do?"


    "Grandpa is always calm and definitely won''t come after me, so I have to approach you first and swing my blade."


    "In that case, once you swing your blade, what will I do?"


    "Grandpa..." Clovis paused for a moment. In his imagination, his grandfather actually raised his sword and struck him from above.


    "You are going to hit my head, so..." Clovis pictured himself raising his sword to block his attack. But then, his imagination went wild as his grandfather actually became a bit faster. His sword moved like a snake and avoided contact before hitting him on the waist. "...ugh!"


    Instead of continuing, Clovis actually covered his waist with his hand.


    "It seems that you can imagine it perfectly. This is the training method. I want you to continue imagining our battle. What I can do is only limited to your imagination, but I will also provide you with some basic moves tomorrow so that you can have more vivid images. Instead of fighting me, you can also think of me as a beast.


    What they will do, how they''re going to respond to your movement, and how you''re going to kill them."


    "Oh?!" Clovis nodded profusely, thinking he had just learned something. His grandfather had always been his idol after all, so Clovis believed everything that his grandfather told him.


    "You can also use this to train your basics. Instead of imagining one amazing swing, you should do a hundred normal swings. Get used to that feeling. This is the basics of image training."


    "Amazing!" Clovis''s eyes brightened.


    "Hehe. Now, you have to fulfill your promise. Let''s go to bed."


    "Un!" Clovis nodded furiously.


    ...


    "Huu..." Clovis let out a long breath, feeling a bit tired. Making a vivid image took a toll on his mind, but this training allowed him to create a lot of possibilities on how to defeat the tiger if he hunted them again tomorrow.


    Once it was midnight, he hurriedly called, "Mall!"


    The screen panel appeared once again as he could finally purchase the membership.


    He didn''t know that he would get a good surprise from the ''Another World Mall.''

 Chapter 6 New Items

    Clovis closed his eyes for a second as the scenery changed. When he reached the mall, he hurriedly checked the amount of money he had.


    [Name: Clovis Hacfield.]


    [Membership: None]


    [Money: 260 Otherworldly Coins.]


    [Item Limit: 1/Visit]


    [Visit: 0(1)/Day]


    "Hmm?" Clovis couldn''t help but furrow his eyebrows. He previously had 107 otherworldly coins, and the number increased to 260 otherworldly coins.


    "This number... I''ve got 200 union dollars today and used 40 of them for the room. Then, another 7 dollars for food. However, the food money comes from the remaining money I have previously, not the ones I received today. That''s how it reaches this number, I guess."@@@@


    Clovis thought that he miscalculated the number, but no, it was correct.


    Before heading to the grocery store, Clovis tapped ''Membership,'' opening the panel for the membership upgrade.


    Membership: None


    Upgrade Membership: 100 Otherworld Coins/Month.


    Benefit: +1 Item Limit, +1 Shelf


    As planned, Clovis pressed the upgrade button, and he could see golden particles dispersing in the direction of an aisle behind the three items.


    Without hesitation, Clovis rushed to this aisle, wondering what new items he could purchase.


    The aisle wasn''t long and only the right shelf seemed to be open. The items on the left shelf were still hidden from him.


    At first glance, it looked like he didn''t win that much. A part of the shelf actually contained water bottles. He thought it was useless since he could get his own water if he wanted, but Clovis suddenly fell silent the moment he got the information about the water.


    Name: Water Spirit Fountain Water (Tier 0)


    Description: Water blessed by the spirits.


    Description: Milk coming from the Minotaur Race.


    Effect: Bones +2% per bottle.


    Price: 15 Otherworldly Coin


    Clovis widened his eyes in shock. "These items are amazing. There are various combinations I can try. Depending on the amount of progress I have in each attribute due to the essence, I can buy different things. No, wait. Can I just sell all the essences I have in order to raise as much money as possible to upgrade membership and buy items from here?"


    Clovis couldn''t answer this question just yet. After all, he hadn''t tried absorbing the essence he got earlier.


    "My focus hasn''t changed right now. I need Muscle to increase my physical strength to make it easier to kill those beasts, so..." Clovis hurriedly grabbed two bags of potato chips and headed straight to the cashier.


    As soon as he paid for the stuff, he got the option to leave the mall once again. However, there was one more thing he wanted to confirm.


    The moment he pressed ''Membership,'' the panel showed him the next upgrade requirement.


    Membership: Level 1 (Newbie)


    Upgrade Membership: 500 Otherworld Coins/Month.


    Benefit: +2 Item Limit, +3 Shelves.


    "This..." Clovis gasped. The spike in the price was quite high for him. But it also allowed him to get two more items and an additional three shelves. If he thought about it, the variety of items meant another way to arrange his progress. There was also a doubling of the purchase limit.


    "Still, do I need to pay a whole 500 coins or do I only need to upgrade it with 400 coins? It seems that I have to experiment with it again. And I need at least 700 or 800 coins before purchasing the membership. Who knows if the item prices will spike too?"


    The more he explored this place, the more he was amazed by its potential. Since this place was called a mall, he could think of several must-have stores in a mall like a clothing store. He wondered if those clothes would have a good effect or even rival that of armor.


    What about other stores? Exploring this mall somehow excited him more than it should.


    "Is this what my grandfather felt when exploring the subterranean world?" Clovis couldn''t help but make a big smile.


    There was also one thing that bothered him. There were actually a number of visits on the screen, making him wonder if he could somehow increase the number of his visits in the future. That would definitely help a lot in one way or another. In fact, he could use the second visit during the night, allowing him to feel safer by sleeping in this mall.


    "If I want to have more items, I need more money. To make more money, I need to get stronger. And to get stronger, I need more items. This shall be the cycle of my growth."


    He was satisfied with this visit, so after confirming his purchase, he left the mall.

 Chapter 7 Competition

    "Hu..." Clovis let out a sigh of excitement after getting what he wanted from the mall. The desire to get more money became stronger in his heart.


    Even though he wanted to eat the chips right away, he had to test the essence he got from the Saber-toothed Tiger.


    Looking at the two bottles of essence, Clovis muttered, "How much progress can I get from these two bottles? There are more than a hundred, so I should expect something, right?"@@@@


    With this thought in mind, Clovis stabbed his left arm and started injecting the essence into his blood.


    In that instant, his body began to warm up as though he had a fever. This was a normal symptom since his body was assimilating the essence.


    It took Clovis an entire hour for his body to return to normal. After that, he opened the system to check on his progress.


    Name: Clovis Hacfield


    Tier: 0


    Evolution Rate: 15%


    Brain: 0%


    Heart: 0.3%


    Blood: 0.3%


    Muscle: 1.4%


    Bones: 0.6%


    "Seriously?" Clovis exclaimed in shock. "100 ml is equal to 1.6% progress? But I need about 500% for each of them. So, I need more than three hundred times that. So, 30,000 union dollars to become a Tier 1? If it''s a talented person, they only need 5,000¨C8,000 dollars to become Tier 1.


    "It''s said that after Tier 1, the progress will become even harder. A few hundred thousand might only be the start; what about the next tier? A few million? Then, a billion?"


    Clovis let out a long sigh. The rich could definitely nurture a lot of people, but if they didn''t make their money back, it would be useless. It was no wonder why people wanted talented people.


    In exchange, Clovis looked at the Another World Mall in a new light. He could make more progress than the essence with far less cost.


    He could focus on getting real money and use the otherworldly coin to nurture other people or pay for equipment.


    It seemed that he had gotten on his own path.


    "There''s no helping. Let''s just use these chips for breakfast, then hunt more tomorrow. I need to at least get 500 union dollars in tomorrow''s hunt so that I can upgrade the membership the day after." Clovis smiled, finding his path.


    ...


    The next day.


    Clovis headed straight to the gate. This time, he changed his target from the tiger to another animal called Dire Wolf. According to the information, it was a large and powerful carnivorous mammal that lived during the Pleistocene epoch.


    They had strong jaws and sharp teeth, making them formidable predators. They likely hunted in packs, collaborating to take down large prey.


    This was quite ambitious for Clovis, but he still had his pistol if he got cornered by this beast. And in this place, their number should have been thinned out, meaning only a few of them would appear at a time.


    Clovis rushed toward the southeast. According to the map, this area had a lot of dire wolves.


    "Each beast has a different value for the attributes. According to the information, this beast will give a boost to Brain, Blood and Bones. Since I have the chips for Heart and Muscle, the beasts should be perfect to balance my progress."


    Like previously, he would sell the majority of the essence and absorb the rest.


    ''Wait a minute. This guy doesn''t have a companion anymore. He seems to be talented and strong. Should I make him my companion? If his evolution rate is low, I can simply boost his progress with the items in my mall, right? Of course, only after I can completely trust him.'' Clovis squinted his eyes, examining Jay.


    ''This guy should have been selling a lot of essence yesterday. His martial prowess doesn''t seem to be lower than mine. Looking at how fearless he is by hunting alone, shouldn''t it be good if he becomes my subordinate? If I return to the family with talented subordinates...'' Jay smirked, excited to see people''s faces when they knew about his achievement.


    Both of them suddenly looked into each other''s eyes and asked, "Hey, you! Do you want to be my comrade (subordinate)?"


    "Huh?!" Clovis and Jay''s eyebrows twitched.


    "If you''re going to join me, then I should be the leader!" Jay argued while raising his tone.


    "No way! I''m going to become the greatest explorer, so I am the leader!" Clovis gritted his teeth.


    "Then, what is your evolution rate?! My evolution rate is 95%. If your evolution rate is higher than mine, I will follow you." Jay harrumphed.


    "Is that even relevant? Why do you care about the evolution rate when it''s just a number? What matters is strength, right?!"


    "It seems that you don''t have confidence in your evolution rate." Jay had a smug smile on his face.


    "My evolution rate is 15%," Clovis stated with a determined expression.


    "Hah?!" Jay thought that Clovis was lying. "You want to become the strongest explorer with only a 15% evolution rate?"


    "It''s because I only have a 15% evolution rate!" Clovis corrected his words.


    "!!!" Jay''s body shook. Just for an instant, he saw Clovis''s future figure which somehow left him in awe. Clovis was serious about aiming to become the greatest explorer. "Do you even understand what that number even means?"


    "I know it very well. All I have to do is kill seven times more beasts than you." Clovis harrumphed.


    Clovis''s seriousness somehow moved him, but it also made him look silly. There was no one as insane as Clovis, but it didn''t seem that Clovis was bluffing.


    When he glanced down, he noticed the swords on Clovis''s hands.


    ''Wait a minute. What are those swords? What materials are used to create those swords? Now that I think about it, those swords can slice even the fox''s fangs. Those swords should be better than my swords. He might not be an ordinary person.


    If that person thinks that this man will become a great figure, then I...'' Jay''s expression turned serious.


    He pointed to the side. "How about we make a bet?"


    "A bet?" Clovis frowned.


    "Yes. It''s just a little competition. How about we find a big pack of dire wolves and kill them? Whoever kills more will be the leader." Jay smirked.


    "You are insane. That competition is simply throwing your life away! But..." Clovis fell silent before smiling excitedly. "...we both know that to make us drop the idea of becoming a leader, we have to put our lives on the line."


    "That''s right. If you don''t dare to accept the bet, you don''t even have the right to rule over me. At the same time, if I''m not brave and strong enough to challenge those beasts, I am not fit to make you put down your ambition. How''s that?"


    "That''s a fair agreement. We both are insane to even agree to this kind of competition."


    "True. But none of us are going to back down, right?"


    "Alright. I agree to the bet. Let''s have a competition. I''ll definitely make you my subordinate. Having a 95% evolution rate subordinate sounds amazing, right?" Clovis grinned.


    "You said it earlier. It''s just a number. That insane mind of yours is what piques my interest. Get ready to call me, Sir Jay!"


    "We''ll see if you''re capable of that or not!" Clovis harrumphed. "In that case, we have to find and decide which pack of wolves we''re going to hunt."


    "Let''s go then."

 Chapter 8 A Big Wolf

    Clovis and Jay stood on top of a small hill a bit further away from their original location. They had found several packs and even killed more than ten wolves on the way, but because they were not big enough packs for the competition, they continued on their way.


    During the whole trip, both of them assessed each other''s abilities. Clovis was quite impressed by Jay''s blade. It focused on slicing the beast''s neck and he swiftly killed one beast after another.


    The same applied to Jay. He never thought that Clovis would be able to keep up with him. Despite the fact that his evolution rate was only 15%, it was hard for him to believe that Clovis was able to come here, let alone compete with him.


    However, Clovis had shown a high level of martial prowess. As Clovis said, the evolution rate was just a number. With that kind of terrifying prowess, he could easily kill a lot of beasts.


    And his biggest concern was the backer behind Clovis. The weapons he had were beyond what a normal person could have.


    Even if they ended up recalling the bet later, he didn''t mind becoming his friend.


    "What do you think of those wolves?!" Clovis pointed at the pack to the northwest of their location.


    "I''m not sure how many of them are there. But I don''t think it''s more than twenty, right?"


    "But it''s going to be hard to find more than that, unless we merge one group with another." Clovis sighed, wondering if there were any other packs that could be led to that big group. This way, they would have enough wolves for their competition.


    "Hmm?!" Suddenly, Jay squinted his eyes as though he were finding something.


    "!!!" Clovis raised his eyebrows and turned to the right, hearing a gunshot.


    "Gunshot?" Both of them exchanged looks. They knew what the gunshot sound meant. The beasts around the area would either come to take a look or become protective of their area.


    Looking at the bigger group they spotted earlier, it seemed to be the former.


    "They are going to lure those wolves away?" Jay gritted his teeth, annoyed. But soon, the gunshot continued; this time, it didn''t sound like a pistol. "A machine gun?"


    "Who is so rich to waste all those bullets?"


    "Probably not the special bullets."


    "Only suppressing guns, huh? If that''s the case, why would they use it here when they haven''t secured the perimeter?"


    Both Clovis and Jay fell silent. There was only one possible reason. They were running away from something.


    "Should we save them?" Clovis looked annoyed.


    "Let''s not. Saving unknown people might lead us into another trouble. We should just focus on our competition." Jay abruptly stopped. Since they were on top of a small hill, he could clearly see the people who were being chased by a lot of dire wolves.


    It was a group of four. Two of them were bringing automatic rifles, while the other two had a shield and a long sword.


    "What''s wrong?" Clovis asked.


    Jay''s gaze was fixated on the woman who used the rifle. "That''s..."@@@@


    "You know them?"


    "I only know one of them. Kanaria Renvolt."


    "Renvolt? That famous family in the city? The one with a high ranking explorer?"


    "Yeah. That one. I don''t know how she is in this situation, but I think I have to postpone our competition."


    "So, are you going to save her?"


    "Yeah. Our houses are quite close, so I can''t just let her die like that."


    "As expected, you are a son of a good family."


    "My name is Jay Havenson."


    "Yo, Kanaria. It seems that you are in trouble!" Jay smirked.


    "Jay?" Kanaria never thought that he would be the one to save her, but she also noticed Clovis, who was actually fighting at the same level as Jay.


    "You can save your reunion for later. We''ll take care of this side, so suppress the other two sides, will you?!" Clovis raised his voice, reminding them of their situation.


    Kanaria was quite surprised that Clovis would dare say such a thing, but he was right. So, Kanaria moved on and ordered her subordinate. "Xavier and Sup will take care of our rear. I will help Susan stop the beasts on our front."


    "Got it!" They hurriedly positioned themselves.


    "Hoh?" Clovis was quite surprised that she understood her role and quickly adjusted her position.


    "Sorry for failing your expectations as a spoiled brat of a rich family!" Jay grinned while striking another wolf on his right.


    "I''m not thinking about that!" Clovis snorted while tossing the short sword to another wolf.


    While suppressing the wolves, Kanaria was amused. Clovis was extremely strong, and his technique was profound. It didn''t look like he was just a random guy.


    The fact that he was with Jay made him think that he was also an heir of a famous family. And there was one more thing that caught her eye. It was his choice of weapon. This was the first time she saw someone with a long sword, a short sword, and a gun.


    In the past, she had never seen someone as talented as Jay. In a huge battle, the guns might be able to overwhelm a lot of enemies, but that didn''t change the fact that they would bring a lot more beasts in their direction.


    Jay and Clovis gradually cleared up the beasts. Just from this side alone, they had killed a total of eight beasts. Fortunately, they reduced the number by ambushing them at the beginning, or their situation would be like that of Susan.


    Susan had been moving from one place to another, barely parrying the dire wolves'' attacks. The dire wolves even attacked her from three different directions and ended up biting her left arm. If not for Kanaria''s cover fire, she might have died.


    Once they were done with this side, Clovis and Jay exchanged looks. They had a tacit understanding of which side they should clear up first.


    Without hesitation, they ran past Kanaria.


    "Peel off the beasts on the sides," said Clovis while moving to the right.


    Jay moved to the side and slashed the wolf while saying, "Miss. I know you''re injured, but do you mind taking care of the middle?"


    "Got it." Susan nodded with a serious expression, knowing her assignment.


    The situation looked extremely good, and if this continued, they should be able to kill all the wolves within fifteen minutes.


    Kanaria couldn''t help but smile, ready to support these three. However, it seemed that the group that was coming to them brought another surprise.


    There was a dire wolf, far bigger than the rest of the wolves. Its color was red, as though its fur had been dyed by the blood of its prey.


    And this wolf appeared out of nowhere and charged at Jay.


    "Oi. What the fuck is that?" Jay made a wry smile while kicking the wolf before him to intercept this big wolf.


    "Jay!" Kanaria widened her eyes in shock as she hurriedly aimed at the wolf.


    Unfortunately, it was too late. The wolf had reached Jay and swept its paw.


    Jay struck the wolf''s paw, but he finally felt the immense gap between their strength. In the end, the wolf launched him to the side until he crashed into a tree.


    "Kh." Jay spat some acid from his stomach before coughing.


    The wolf thought it would be better to kill them one by one, so this dire wolf moved toward Jay to finish him off.


    When looking at the wolf, Jay couldn''t help but smile while saying, "Took you long enough!"


    Suddenly, Clovis landed on top of the wolf''s back and impaled the wolf''s neck. "Do you think you can get away after hurting my subordinate?"


    "Since when did I become your subordinate? The competition is not over yet."

 Chapter 9 Synergy

    "Since when did I become your subordinate? The competition is not over yet."


    "Well..." Clovis clenched his sword tightly as the wolf began to shake its body, trying to throw him off.


    Kanaria aimed at the wolf but hesitated to shoot because Clovis might get hit. On the other hand, Jay took this chance to stand up.


    Clovis had a hard time staying on top of the wolf.


    "This wolf..." Clovis muttered while observing the wolf.


    "Yeah. There''s no doubt about it." Jay nodded with a serious expression. There was only one explanation for a dire wolf of this size having this kind of speed.


    "Tier 1 Dire Wolf..." Clovis''s expression turned dark. He had read the information from the Gold Class Map. While most of the beasts in the area near the base were Tier 0 beasts, they might find Tier 1 beasts if they were lucky.


    Considering their situation, however, no one would think they were lucky except for two people.


    With a grin on his face, Clovis shouted, "How about we add this wolf to our competition? Who kills it, wins?!"


    "Should we?" Jay smirked. Despite facing such an enormous creature, both of them didn''t show any sign of fear.


    Sadly, their communication was cut short. Since the wolf was unable to shake Clovis off its body, it let out a howl to the rest of the wolves.


    Three wolves suddenly turned around and jumped toward Clovis.


    Since she couldn''t target the Tier 1 dire wolf due to Clovis, Kanaria didn''t hesitate to shift her aim to the side, raining these three wolves with numerous bullets.


    "Nice assist." Jay smirked. Even though he wasn''t the one she saved, it didn''t change the fact that Kanaria''s aim and timing were perfect.


    As soon as the Tier 1 wolf noticed that no one could push Clovis off, it immediately sat down to hit Clovis with its foot.


    Jay took this opportunity to approach the dire wolf.


    "You''re too focused on him." Jay raised his sword as though he were about to cut the wolf''s foot.


    The dire wolf raised its paw and swept Jay from the right. Jay once again tried to strike this paw, the sight of him was like an ant trying to push the hand of a human. It was obvious that he would be blown away.


    However, Jay surprised everyone by squatting. The moment the saber clashed with the paw, it was being pushed back, causing Jay''s upper body to twist to the ground.


    His strong lower body actually maintained a firm grip on the ground, allowing his upper body to twist almost ninety degrees and let the paw pass above him.


    "!!!" Even the wolf didn''t expect Jay to be able to do it. Now that its paw was no longer in its way, Jay leaped toward the wolf''s body and cut it.


    "Aoooo!" The wolf howled in pain.


    Sadly, it was too shallow. The bleeding was quite big, but it was not enough for the wolf. At the same time, the wolf hurriedly swung back the paw to push him away.


    ''I won''t make it.'' Jay thought while throwing himself forward. He couldn''t squad at that timing and the paw was even lower to make sure Jay couldn''t replicate what he had just done.


    Unfortunately for him, he almost got away if not for him retracting his legs a bit too late. As a result, the wolf''s back paw hit his legs and knocked him to the side.


    "Kh." Jay rolled a few times before standing back up, but his feet felt a bit numb. If not for his equipment, the right bone might have cracked.


    At the same time, Clovis had pierced the wolf with his short sword to widen the injury.


    "Aooo!" The wolf seemed to not like the pain that it suddenly leaped into the air and rotated its body so that Clovis would be crushed by its body.


    "Kh!" Jay clicked his tongue.


    At the same time, because of the sudden movement, Clovis was dragged toward the wolf. The wolf slammed down its paw to take down Clovis, but because the latter had destroyed its eye, it missed Clovis.


    He hurriedly pulled out the short sword and stood up. Although the head would be a sure way to kill this creature, it would be hard to kill it right away. After all, this wolf was still a Tier 1 beast. Its physical strength was greater than that of any beast they had faced so far.


    In addition, its wisdom was quite high as it was able to ambush Jay in the beginning and order the other wolves to help. So, he had to weaken it further if he wanted to kill this wolf.


    The wolf was three meters high, so his sword was barely able to reach the wolf''s body. He made a shallow stab before sliding his sword on the wolf''s body, cutting it apart.


    "Aooo!" The wolf looked like it was trying to crush Clovis by throwing its body to the side, but that was a feint.


    Clovis, who was trying to avoid the body, ended up focusing on the body too much. The real attack was coming from the side.


    "!!!" Clovis noticed it a bit too late as the tail had almost reached him. There was no way he had enough time to avoid it. His only choice was to put both swords in front of him to absorb most of the impact.


    Still, the wolf was extremely powerful. A single sweep of its tail actually knocked him away. Clovis ended up rolling to the wolf''s head, making him a perfect target for the wolf.


    Clovis hurriedly tossed the short sword to escape, but the wolf actually stomped the chain, preventing him from leaving.


    "Tsk." Clovis clicked his tongue. He slightly twisted his wrist and the chain suddenly detached from the armband. While rolling on the ground, he grabbed the pistol on his back.


    But it didn''t seem like the right time to use this pistol yet. Jay had been waiting for this chance.


    Now that the wolf was too focused on Clovis, he had the opportunity to attack it.


    He jumped as high as possible, trying to slice the wolf''s head, specifically its brain area.


    "Aoo!" A few smaller wolves howled while leaping toward Jay.


    Jay only glanced back as he saw the wolves being shot down to the ground before they could reach him. Fortunately, he was a bit higher, so Kanaria didn''t hesitate to shoot them down, or it would be more troublesome.


    However, that howl warned the Tier 1 dire wolf about Jay''s position. It turned its head and hurriedly lowered its body to avoid this attack. It even tripped itself so that Jay missed his swing.


    ''No. I can''t miss!'' Jay thought. In that split second, he was trying to find a new target he could slice.


    Although it was a shame that he had to miss, he ended up cutting a part of the wolf''s nose.


    The wolf was wailing in pain, but it also learned how to roll from Jay and Clovis. It actually rolled its body and used that momentum to swing its paw.


    Jay wouldn''t be able to avoid this attack since he was in the air.


    "!!!" Jay couldn''t even rotate his body. The only thing he could do was place the saber on the way to lessen the impact.


    Meanwhile, Clovis stood up, picked up his short sword, and re-attached the chain to his armband within two seconds.


    The paw ended up hitting Jay and knocking him to the ground.


    "Gah!" Jay spat a mouthful of blood after crashing to the ground.


    As expected of a Tier 1 wolf, it was able to fight this much even with that kind of injury. The wolf glared at him, forgetting about Clovis.


    ''Ah, shit. Here we go again!'' Jay realized that he would be heavily injured even if he could stop this next attack. He felt that one of his ribs had just cracked from the impact, so he didn''t know to what extent the damage would be.


    At the same time, the wolf had forgotten Clovis, which allowed him to deliver a killing blow from the wolf''s blind spot.


    ''I guess I''ve lost.'' Jay smiled, not because of his defeat but because he had acknowledged Clovis''s strength and accepted the competition.

 Chapter 10 Captain

    ''I guess I''ve lost.''


    Jay had accepted that he had lost the competition. And a man like him wouldn''t back down from the bet.


    In the end, he still underestimated the wolf.


    Yet, when that thought appeared, Clovis actually did the unthinkable. If he simply wanted to win the competition, he would do the same thing as what Jay had in mind. But this was not a mere competition.


    Instead of taking this opportunity, Clovis actually grabbed him from the side and jumped.


    The wolf ended up hitting the tree not far behind Jay, but both of them managed to survive without much injury.


    "Hah? Why?" Jay was completely bewildered, not expecting Clovis to help him.


    Clovis didn''t even bother to answer him as he hurriedly stood back up and charged at the wolf, giving Jay some time to catch his breath and assess his injury.


    The wolf increased its speed once again to surprise Clovis. But he had been watching his charge a couple of times from the side.


    He already knew this pattern, but Jay was behind him. If he avoided this charge, Jay would become the next target.


    Clovis tossed his short sword to the side, hitting the tree not far from Jay. After that, he took a step to the side and jumped as high as possible.


    As Clovis expected, the wolf continued forward as he simply changed his target from him to Jay. Hence, Clovis rotated the blade and impaled the wolf''s cheek. This way, Clovis''s back would be the one touching the wolf''s head. His feet made sure that the wolf wouldn''t bite him after opening its mouth.


    After that, Clovis pulled the chain as hard as he could. Because of the short sword''s location, the chain ended up wrapping the wolf''s neck. Clovis used his body as a nail to stop the wolf''s momentum.


    However, it felt like his left hand was being torn apart by the momentum.


    "Arghhh!" Clovis gnashed his teeth, barely enduring the pain. Even his right hand, which attached him to the wolf, was bleeding due to how strongly he gripped it.


    As a result, the wolf ended up getting choked by the chain and tripping to the ground.


    Clovis felt like his hands were about to give up soon.


    On the other hand, Jay was facing a dilemma. On the one hand, he was spared from all kinds of heavy injuries because of his competitor, Clovis. On the other hand, if he missed this chance, they might need to undergo a gruesome battle against the dire wolf before finding another chance.@@@@


    Jay gnashed his teeth. There was no other choice.


    He hurriedly rushed toward the wolf. The latter tried to stomp him down, but Jay swiftly avoided it and went to the left side of the wolf. Since its eyes had been destroyed earlier, the wolf couldn''t tell where he was.


    Even though Jay wanted to be the leader himself, it seemed that he lost to Clovis in terms of resolve. He realized that he wasn''t ready to be a captain.


    "Tsk." Jay clicked his tongue as he was disappointed in himself. Jay extended his hand and asked, "Can you stand up, Captain?"


    "Huh?!" Clovis was baffled. He lost the competition, so why would Jay call him with that title?


    "I''m telling you that I''m not ready to be a captain. You can be the leader for now, but if... in the future you are too weak and unfit as a captain due to your evolution rate, I will immediately take your spot." Jay smirked.


    It wasn''t that he had given up that position. He simply let the ones who befitted it take that position for the time being.


    Clovis was quite surprised that Jay would be the one to drop his pride. Accepting this position might be the biggest respect he could give to Jay.


    "Alright. I will be the captain. If you think you are better than me, feel free to fight for that position with me. But take care, Jay... It''s going to be a long journey."


    "Sure it will." Jay pulled Clovis up.


    "Let me introduce myself again. I am Clovis Hacfield."


    "Hacfield?!" Jay dropped his jaw. That name rang like thunder reverberating in his ears. "Hacfield... That Hacfield? You... What is your relationship with Michael Hacfield?"


    "He is my grandfather. But he is missing right now, so you can say that the family is already ruined. So, it''s nothing to be proud of." Clovis shook his head. "And don''t forget to keep my name a secret."


    Jay never thought that he would be able to see someone from the Hacfield family. It was no wonder why Clovis wanted to hide his family name. In fact, this name also explained why Clovis had this level of weapon.


    "Hahahaha!" Jay chuckled. Losing to a Hacfield was not something to feel ashamed of. Even if Clovis only had a low evolution rate, he was still a Hacfield after all.


    Unfortunately for them, their time seemed to be disturbed by Kanaria''s distressed and annoyed voice.


    "Oi, you boys. Sorry for disturbing you, but don''t you think you should help us now?"


    "Ah!" Clovis and Jay turned their heads around, finding Kanaria''s group being suppressed by the wolves.


    "Can you still fight?" Clovis asked.


    "One of my ribs is cracked, but I should be able to finish them. Give the orders, Captain!"


    Clovis smiled and grabbed his sword. "We''ll peel off the enemies starting from the right."


    "Got it."

 Chapter 11 Libation Fiesta

    "Ha... I''m tired." Clovis fell to the ground as his hands had just given up on holding the swords. He truly pushed his arms too hard this time.


    "Are you alright?" Jay asked. Clovis''s injury was due to him, so he felt responsible since Clovis was his captain.


    "Yeah. It''s numb, but I don''t think there is a problem with my current state."


    Jay looked at Clovis''s expression. His smile looked like he was assuring Jay not to mind about it, but it was clear that he was hiding his real condition.


    Meanwhile, Kanaria walked toward them. "Jay!"


    "Oh? It seems that you are alright." Jay nodded with a smile.


    "I have to thank you and your friend. If not for both of you, we would have lost another person."


    "Even without our help, your group can still run away. I know that you still have several grenades and other fancy stuff that you haven''t unleashed yet." Jay shrugged.


    "No, seriously. This time, I was really in a bind. You asked me earlier what happened, right? To put it simply, I was betrayed by those people and almost died. I exhausted all my weapons to get away from them, leaving only this big boy." Kanaria pointed at the rifle hanging on her waist.


    "That sounds bad." Jay nodded, not asking more questions because knowing too much would just become another problem. Unless Kanaria reveals it herself, she should be able to take care of the problems.


    Now that she had seen Jay, Kanaria couldn''t help but take a glance at Clovis. This was the first time he saw him. If it was a famous, talented heir, she would definitely remember him. But it didn''t seem to be the case.


    Jay also looked like he was happy together with him. The way they fought was similar to that of comrades who had fought together for years.


    "May I know who he is?" Kanaria asked with a curious expression.


    "Clovis. He is my captain." Jay introduced Clovis as well as made it clear the result of the competition.


    "Huh?! Your...captain?! As in the captain of your exploration group?!" Kanaria dropped her jaw in disbelief. Jay was famous for being talented not only in his technique but also in his evolution rate. Yet, that same person actually acknowledged another person as his superior; it was simply unbelievable.


    "Is there something wrong with it?" Jay tilted his head innocently. In fact, he was slightly annoyed when Kanaria doubted Clovis.


    "N-no." Kanaria shook her head. He must also have his circumstances, so she shouldn''t ask about them. "Does your family know about it?"


    "Please help me keep it a secret for the time being. I don''t think they will have any objections to my choice in the future."


    "I can do that much. And since you''ve saved us, we''ll give you all these beasts, including the ones my group has killed. Consider this as thanks for saving us."


    Jay thought for a moment. They did indeed need a lot of beasts if he wanted Clovis to maintain his progress. It would be quite annoying if Clovis ended up falling behind simply because of his evolution rate.


    Kanaria walked to Clovis while extending her hand. "Hello, my name is Kanaria Renvolt. Thank you for helping us today. I will remember this favor."


    "Hello. You should thank Jay since he was the one wanting to rescue you." Clovis shook his hand.


    "That''s right." Jay suddenly thought of a brilliant idea. He pointed his finger at Kanaria while saying, "Clovis. Why don''t we have Kanaria join our group?"


    "Huh?!" Both Clovis and Kanaria looked at Jay in shock. How could they not be taken aback? Jay was an oddball, but Kanaria didn''t seem to fit in their group.


    "I''m serious. She is a long-range fighter and very good at logistics. If we have someone like her in our group, I don''t think we will have any big problems in our explorations."


    Clovis shook his head. "I think personal choice is better in this matter."


    "Really?"


    Tier: 0


    Evolution Rate: 95%


    Brain: 38.85%


    Heart: 59.30%


    Blood: 40%


    Muscle: 48.24%


    Bones: 61.10%


    "That''s high." Clovis nodded in agreement.


    "How about you, Captain? What are your stats? You don''t mind showing it to me, right?"


    Clovis took his own device and showed it to him. His stats dumbstruck Jay.


    "What the actual..." Jay blinked his eyes a few times, rubbed his eyes, and even slapped his cheeks as if he couldn''t believe what he saw. "Did you beat me with only this kind of lousy stats?"


    "Yesterday was literally my first hunt. I was awakened only a few days ago." Clovis shook his head helplessly.


    Jay''s body trembled. He never thought that Clovis was this strong when his stats were that horrible. It made his progress look like child play.


    At the same time, Jay couldn''t help but smile. The fact that Clovis was this strong already meant that the competition would become fiercer.


    "Hahaha. You''re truly interesting. I guess it''s no wonder you''re a Hacfield."


    "Well, I''m unsure of what you mean, but I''m a bit uncomfortable when you keep mentioning Hacfield over and over again."


    "Oh, sorry. I didn''t mean that way. I was talking about how you were stronger than your stats implied. But if that made you uncomfortable, I would stop mentioning it." Jay smirked. "I think we should take a rest today and tend to our injuries. Since we''re now a group, we can make a camp out here to hunt for a few days without going back."


    "Yeah. Should we meet somewhere later?"


    "There is a good but cheap restaurant. I am running away from my family, so I don''t bring a lot of money with me."


    "Sounds good to me. Just tell me about its location later." Clovis thought for a moment. "That''s right. How about you register our names in the Exploration Association? It doesn''t require our full names, right?"


    "Yes." Jay was surprised that Clovis entrusted him with this matter. If it was anyone else, they could actually exchange their names and make themselves the captain. But this also showed how Clovis planned to trust Jay from now on. It would be bad to betray that trust. "Though, we have to decide a name."


    "Libation Fiesta. What do you think?" Clovis asked.


    "Libation Fiesta? What does libation mean again?"


    "A drink poured as an offering to a deity. Fiesta means festival. I want to become the strongest explorer and know the truth about the meaning of simulation. I want to reach that so-called deity."


    "So, we will have a celebration (fiesta) at the end of our journey?"


    "Yep. As I said earlier, it''s going to be a long journey, Jay."


    "Haha. I like this name. Then, we''ll have this name as our group name. Libation Fiesta."

 Chapter 12 Kanaria

    Before returning to the city, they continued getting all the essence from the wolves. Eventually, they reached Tier 1 Wolf.


    When Clovis stabbed the wolf, he noticed something strange. The liquid poured into the essence bottle was slightly different from what he usually saw.


    "This is..." Clovis furrowed his eyebrows, observing the change. A bubble was formed within the liquid and actually consolidated inside the tube.


    "Are you kidding me?" Jay gasped. "Isn''t this a beast soul?"


    "Beast Soul?" Clovis recalled what Beast Soul meant while Jay continued with his explanation. "Beast Soul is the beast''s special ability. If a human absorbs it, they will gain this special ability and be able to use it. Once you become a higher tier, you can even do something so mystical that it''s beyond a mortal limit."


    "You should have this beast soul, Jay." Clovis pointed at the syringe.


    "Huh?! Do you understand what you''re saying right now? Beast Soul is far more precious than essence. They have a special ability that can surpass human limits. Even with all the essence you can get from these wolves, it won''t be enough to pay for this essence. It''s even from a Tier 1 dire wolf."@@@@


    "I know that. The wolf seemed to have a weird change of pace, so it must be related to this beast soul. Since your fighting style is related to speed, I don''t think it''s a bad idea to have this beast soul," Clovis explained with a nonchalant expression.


    "As I said earlier, the beast soul is..." Jay wanted to convince Clovis that he should be the one taking this and not him. But Clovis was dead set on having Jay absorb this essence.


    "There is no limit to the beast soul, right? I think this will fit you quite well." Clovis thought for a moment. "If you don''t want it, I will simply sell this beast soul."


    Jay opened his mouth, but the words stuck in his throat.


    For Clovis, he thought he could get enough money to upgrade the membership two times with this beast soul. But when he looked at his group, he knew that he had to prioritize the group over his personal gain.


    Besides, this essence should be enough to upgrade his membership once.


    Seeing how Clovis didn''t hesitate to give such a precious thing to him caused Jay to become even more determined. No matter what happened, he would stand beside this man. Even if they put the group aside, Jay thought Clovis was an extremely good friend, one that should be kept no matter what.


    "I understand. Even though I want to pay you for this beast soul, I don''t have a lot of money right now. Then, I won''t receive the share of the essence for a bit until it''s enough to pay for the beast soul."


    "You don''t have to do that. If you still feel like owing me something, just put the money in the group''s fund. We will use it to buy all kinds of items for the group."


    Jay sighed. "Alright. Let''s do it your way." No matter how hard he persuaded Clovis, it didn''t seem that he would be changing his mind.


    Jay didn''t realize that the reason he wanted to make it a group fund was because he would be the one taking care of their group fund. It would be weird if he kept selling all the essence without using it himself. So, by using the group fund as an excuse, he could get more money for the Another World Mall.


    After sucking up all the essence, they began walking back to the city.


    Clovis was quite satisfied with their haul. After all, in addition to the essence they had gotten before helping Kanaria, they had a total of 1,120 ml of essence as well as 60 ml of Tier 1 Dire Wolf''s essence.


    He wanted to go back to the mall as soon as possible. Then again, by the time they reached the base, it was still 1 p.m. He still needed another eleven hours before he could enter the mall.


    "You could see that?"


    "Somehow."


    Kanaria sighed. "I don''t know what to say anymore. That red head has been waiting for an opportunity like this to take over the group. She doesn''t know that the group will crumble sooner or later."


    "What do you mean?"


    "It''s going to be a long story."


    "Are you sure you want to share it with a stranger like me?"


    "Jay believes you, so it doesn''t really matter. Jay might look like a weird guy, but his eyes are exceptional. He knows what kind of person he can trust and which one he shouldn''t. Besides, I''m feeling bad right now. I have told you to come to me if you need something, but right now, I''m homeless."


    "If you don''t mind going to Essence Bank, then sure."


    Kanaria smiled. "Have you heard this saying? Amateurs do tactics, experts do logistics."


    "Yeah."


    "I was the one who handled all that stuff. Now that they had driven me off, they had to find someone capable of replacing me. At the very least, they need about three people if they want to replace me. In the end, they won''t be able to explore for a while, and if they continue with their rash action, the group will crumble soon."


    "Really?" Clovis looked surprised. When she put it that way, he could see why Kanaria didn''t look troubled at all.


    "By the way, since Jay invited me earlier... is that offer still valid?" Kanaria smiled sweetly, offering herself.


    "..." Clovis blinked a few times, not knowing how to answer.


    "It seems that you''re unsure about my ability. In that case, how about I help you with the preparation to see if I am a good addition to the group?"


    "We can do that." Clovis nodded. He didn''t know how much logistics impacted the team, so he was quite curious about this offer. At the same time, he had seen Kanaria''s fighting prowess earlier, which qualified her to be a member of the team.


    "Then, please take care of me, Captain." Kanaria smirked, treating herself as a member of the group already.


    "By the way, I have a question. Are you sure it''s fine to join my group? Aren''t you from a famous family?"


    "It''s fine for now. Jay is in the group as well, so I have an excuse for the time being. Besides, I want to see the man who Jay acknowledges."


    "If you say so." Clovis nodded. He didn''t know whether this was the correct choice or not, but he could still decide it later after seeing Kanaria''s ability.


    However, he never thought that Kanaria would instantly decide to join his group. Today alone, he managed to get Jay and Kanaria, which was something he never expected.

 Chapter 13 Discussion

    "The price for the Dire Wolf is 0.9 dollars."


    "In that case, I want to sell a thousand ml as well as this Tier 1 Dire Wolf''s essence." Clovis took out the bottles.


    "A Tier 1?" The receptionist looked surprised.


    Sadly, they couldn''t absorb Tier 1 essence because they hadn''t reached that level yet. Then again, this would fetch a good amount of money.


    "The price for Tier 1 Dire Wolf''s essence is 13 dollars. Are you sure you want to sell this?"


    "Yes. I have about 60 ml with me. Please check it out."


    The receptionist hurriedly checked all the essence with the machine and said, "There is 61 ml of Tier 1 essence. Would you like to sell all of it?"


    "Yes."


    "In addition to one liter of Tier 0 essence, the sum will be 1,693 dollars."


    "Can you give me a thousand dollars and send the rest to my account?" Clovis asked.


    "Certainly." The receptionist nodded and hurriedly processed it. "The transaction is complete. Thank you very much."


    Clovis nodded. With this amount of money, he could purchase the membership. He even specifically asked to separate the money because he wanted to test whether the money in his account would be counted or not.


    Meanwhile, Kanaria was quite shocked that Clovis would sell so much essence. "Are you sure about this? Aren''t you supposed to sell only some of it and absorb the rest?"


    "I have my own idea. Don''t worry." Clovis waved his hand nonchalantly. He had Another World Mall, which was more important than this essence. So, how could he waste the essence? Besides, if he ended up making a mistake, he could simply sell the essence, register the money in the Another World Mall, and buy the essence back. This way, he got both the money and the essence.


    Though, this initial fund was for something else.


    "If you have made your decision, then I won''t say anything about it. By the way, what are we going to do next? I mean, for the hunt. Do you have any equipment you can use, like radio or radar?"


    "Nope. In fact, there is something that I have to ask first. Since you''re the only female in this group, are you fine with traveling with us?" Clovis asked.@@@@


    That was right. She must feel uncomfortable sleeping with two dudes. So, he had to consider her needs as well.


    "Not really. I''m not really that picky. Besides, Jay won''t attack me because of our relationship. As for you..." Kanaria thought for a moment. "I feel like you have something more important. Either way, I can''t see myself getting attacked by both of you, so it''s fine."


    "If you have no problem, then it''s fine." Clovis fell into deep thought. "You asked about equipment earlier, what kind of equipment were you talking about?"


    "Because of the weird physics in this subterranean world, normal radar wouldn''t work. So, I was talking about the Special Z-Radar. It costs about three thousand though."


    "Don''t have the money."


    "I figure. How about the radio? Just a small one is fine."


    "Is that going to be useful?"


    "Of course. I can show it to you during our hunt."


    "How expensive are they?"


    "It''s only three of us, so about six hundred? I know a place that sells cheap but good-quality items."


    Clovis had two choices. He could give some money to her right away, but this meant he wouldn''t get the Otherworldly Coin.


    After thinking about this problem, Clovis said, "In that case, we''ll visit that place in the morning before heading outside. We''ll also need a tent and other things."


    The first thing he checked was definitely the money.


    [Name: Clovis Hacfield.]


    [Membership: None]


    [Money: 1,823 Otherworldly Coins.]


    [Item Limit: 2/Visit]


    [Visit: 0(1)/Day]


    "!!!" A smile appeared on his face as his experiment succeeded. "Yes. The money can indeed be recorded even if it''s through my account. This will solve a lot of problems since the amount of money will continue to rise from now on. And cash is troublesome."


    Now that he had confirmed his suspicion, he hurriedly upgraded the membership.


    Membership: Level 2 (Better Newbie)


    Upgrade Membership: 1,000 Otherworld Coins/Month.


    Benefit: +2 Item Limit, Daily Item Section (4 shelves)


    "Daily Item Section? Is it stuff like toilet paper?" Clovis furrowed his eyebrows. "The price is affordable. But if I buy the membership, I will only have three hundred coins left. It won''t be enough to buy the items for the next three or four days, right?"


    There was only one place to test his theory. Without hesitation, Clovis moved toward this section to see the items.


    He couldn''t help but gasp as though he had never expected this kind of item would be sold next.


    Name: Canned Orc Meat (Tier 0)


    Description: Orc meat that has been processed to last for six months.


    Effect: Muscle +4%.


    Price: 50 Otherworldly Coin


    Name: Super Bread (Tier 0)


    Description: Bread made of special wheat that the elves cultivate.


    Effect: Blood +4%


    Price: 50 Otherworldly Coin


    When he saw all these items, he couldn''t help but think of something else. If he bought all this, wouldn''t he be quite full? Should he split these meals? Then again, it would be suspicious if he had a different menu.


    "There is one thing clear. Because I''m going to leave for four days, I''m going to spend two hundred coins each day on these items. There''s no way I can upgrade the membership right now."


    He looked around the remaining shelves and the items were pretty similar. They were either canned meats or bread wrapped in plastic. The only difference would be their origin and the effect.


    So, Clovis had another idea. He could buy this stuff and eat it during the morning or when he guarded their camp during the night. This way, no one would find him other things.


    This would be the most reasonable plan for him. When he returned from this trip, he would have a few thousand dollars to upgrade and buy more items.


    After feeling satisfied, Clovis hurriedly bought everything he wanted and checked out to get a good rest.


    However, Clovis had one miscalculation. It was Kanaria.

 Chapter 14 Efficiency

    "Clovis. Three beasts at your twelve." Kanaria''s voice echoed through the small transmitter hanging on his right ear.


    Without hesitation, Clovis stepped forward and found the incoming beasts as he slashed them one by one.


    "Jay. Cover Clovis''s right. There are four beasts coming at him!"


    "Got it." Jay stationed himself not far from Clovis and noticed the incoming beasts. But before Jay engaged them in frontal combat, one of the beasts got shot down. The bullet was powerful enough to pierce through its body, killing it.


    "!!!"


    Jay knew that Kanaria was the one killing this beast. After all, they were at the foot of a small hill.


    Jay and Clovis were killing all these beasts in a very effective manner. That was because Kanaria was watching their movement from the top of the hill. She even aimed her sniper rifle and took down one or two beasts to lessen the burden on them.


    Clovis couldn''t help but glance at Kanaria, remembering what happened earlier in the morning.


    ...


    Two hours ago.


    "I have brought my equipment with me. So, we''ll only buy some stuff and head outside." Kanaria pointed at the long bag behind her. It didn''t seem that her bag only contained one type of gun.


    "Eh? We need this one even if it''s expensive."


    "We also need this."


    "This..."


    "And this..."


    Kanaria bought a lot of items from basic survival items like spices and small tools to expensive items such as radios and binoculars.


    Back then, Clovis couldn''t help but ask, "Sorry, but are you sure your friend is good at her job? Can she spend our money wisely?"


    "Mhmm... I don''t know about her spending habits." Jay shook his head. Even though he had known Kanaria, they weren''t that close.


    After joining the group, Kanaria spent a lot of money to make sure Clovis and Jay were well equipped. Unfortunately, they couldn''t buy expensive clothes that were made of a powerful beast''s hide.


    In the end, they spent almost 1,500 dollars. Clovis didn''t mind it that much because he had registered the money, but seeing this side of her made him convinced that he should register the money first before giving it to Kanaria.


    ...


    When he recalled what happened earlier, he felt a bit apologetic toward Kanaria. They had just begun hunting twenty minutes ago, but they had killed 12 beasts. The effectiveness increased by at least four hundred percent compared to when there were only two of them.


    If they continued at this pace, let alone ten thousand, they might be able to earn fifty thousand in one exploration.


    "If that''s the case, don''t you think we should head to the west after that? If I''m not wrong, there is an exploration camp near this place. Usually, you can exchange some information or do raids together. Maybe we can use this place to join some higher ranking group to hunt Tier 1 beasts." Kanaria suggested.


    "That''s not a bad idea. Though, if it will just end up slowing down our progress, I don''t mind not going to the Tier 1 beast''s territory." Clovis agreed with her but still set up a condition.


    "That''s settled then. We''ll return on the fourth day while killing all the beasts we can find." Jay smirked while glancing at Kanaria. "In that case, why don''t you take a rest first?"


    "Yeah. You two can take a rest first. I will be standing by." Clovis nodded in agreement.


    "Nah. You should rest first, Clovis." Jay shrugged. "Each rotation will be three hours. What do you think?"


    "I don''t have a problem. Besides, you should go first since I want to do something." Clovis stood up. Since it hadn''t been that late yet, he grabbed his swords.


    "Oi, oi! Are you trying to train here?" Jay widened his eyes in shock.


    "Why not? If I slack because of the exploration, you''re going to easily surpass me. So, you, genius, can rest first." Clovis shrugged.


    "After seeing you like this, there''s no way I can sit still. I will be your sparring partner. What do you think?" Jay smirked while pulling out his blade.


    It was true that image training wouldn''t be as effective as real-life practice. So, he took on that offer. "Fine by me."


    "..." Kanaria was watching them with a dumbfounded expression. They had been moving a lot the whole day, yet they still wanted to train.


    However, Clovis''s action made her remember what he told her this morning.


    "By the way, I only have a 15% evolution rate, just to let you know." Clovis raised his hand and spoke nonchalantly.


    "Huh?!" Kanaria blinked a few times, not being able to process what she had just heard. "What do you mean?"


    "As he said, his evolution rate is only 15%. In fact, that number is too low to be even qualified as an explorer." Jay pointed at Clovis with a smug smile. He had seen his status after all.


    "You are joking, right?" Kanaria looked at Clovis as though she didn''t want to believe it. In fact, this was a normal reaction if people knew about his evolution rate. People like Jay were the abnormal ones.


    "I''m not joking. He has seen it." Clovis confirmed Jay''s words. "But... this doesn''t mean I''m going to let anyone have the captain position. I''m going to fight with my dear life to get stronger even with this limitation. That includes you."


    Kanaria was speechless. This was simply too shocking. Yesterday, he managed to fight better than Jay. So, there was no way Clovis would have a low evolution rate.


    "By the way, Kanaria''s evolution rate is 92%. It''s slightly lower than mine, but not that much. If I''m not wrong, you have been focusing on your senses, right?" Jay revealed Kanaria''s information without any thought.


    "Y-yes." Kanaria didn''t know how to react at that time.


    But now that she had hunted with them and watched them like this, Kanaria couldn''t help but watch Clovis.


    "15% evolution rate, huh? Normal people would have given up. Some would be foolish enough to challenge the beasts and die so easily. But..." Kanaria finally understood why Jay respected Clovis that much. She looked at Clovis gently, imagining the time when Clovis managed to overcome his limitations and become a great explorer. "...you are different, right?


    I hope you are different, Clovis."


    They didn''t know at that time, but the area they were planning to go to would be undergoing a huge change.

 Chapter 15 One Miscalculation

    *Bam!*


    *Bam!*


    *Bam!*


    "What is happening?" A middle-aged man came out of his small hut and saw the people running around.


    "Help me!"


    "Don''t!"


    "We need to run!"


    The people ran frantically, not knowing where to go. The middle-aged man was completely confused by what happened. They were in Base 01, which was located right outside the Tier 1 beasts'' territory.


    It was a stable base. While some beasts decided to attack it from time to time, they pretty much repelled all the attacks.


    However, there seemed to be something different from the commotion this time. Normally, the people would join hands and fight back. Yet, the only thing he could see was them running away.


    "What is happening?" He gritted his teeth. Fortunately, there was a person running in his direction. Without hesitation, he grabbed the man''s arm and asked out loud, "What happened?"


    "Co-Commander Nak! We''ve been attacked by a horde of Tier 1 beasts! They are about to come to this base."


    "What? A horde?" Commander Nak gasped. "We can still fight. All of you need to stop running and join hands with the military."


    "Are you serious? I don''t want to die. There are about three hundred Tier 1 beasts coming from that direction! In fact, where is the siren to tell everyone about the danger?!" The guy was angrier than the commander, thinking that the commander hid this fact.


    The commander gasped and let him go as the man continued running away. His face became pale as he rushed toward the small container where they monitored the defense.


    When he opened the base, he saw two of his subordinates inside¡ªone lying on the ground lifelessly while the other was sleeping on the table. However, as soon as he checked it, he noticed a red mark on the soldier''s neck, as though they had been stabbed by a big needle.


    "..." Commander Nak couldn''t help but look around, wondering if the threat remained in the room. "What''s going on?"


    Without hesitation, he pressed the big red button on the table. The button caused the alarm to ring, informing everyone that danger was coming. At the same time, it would also alert the main base about this danger.


    He grabbed one of the microphones and sent his message. "HQ, this is Colonel Nak. We don''t know the situation yet, but please send reinforcement. It seems that Tier 1 beasts are coming to strike this base. There''s a possibility that we''ll evacuate this base."


    After sending the message, he rushed back outside and looked at the north, finding a huge cloud of dust coming toward him.


    "This is not looking good." He clenched his fists. "The people are abandoning the beasts, so the scale should be quite big. We might have to evacuate this base, but..."


    On the one hand, evacuating the base would be better. While this place was a camp, there was no heavy weaponry. The defense came from the soldiers and the help of other explorers.


    Since the latter had scattered, the soldiers alone wouldn''t be enough to deal with so many beasts, especially Tier 1 beasts.


    "Bring me all the officers that are currently available. Give me a report of the current status and the number of enemies." He ordered one of the soldiers, who was scared by the cloud of dust and his death.


    "Y-yes!" The soldier hurriedly rushed to call the officers under the colonel''s command.


    While descending the hill, Kanaria noticed some movement coming from the north. She hurriedly said, "I can''t say for sure, but something is coming for you guys. Maybe two or three bears. Get ready!"


    "Roger." Clovis and Jay exchanged looks before they hid behind a tree, ready to ambush the bear.


    However, Kanaria soon was unable to see the incoming beasts anymore after reaching the foot of the hill.


    That was why they never realized that the one coming for them was not a normal bear.


    "!!!" Clovis and Jay widened their eyes when they saw a giant shadow coming in their direction.


    ''What is that?'' Clovis gulped down. The shadow had a wingspan of three meters. And it looked like it was crawling on all fours instead of running on two feet.


    The closer the shadow, the clearer the shadow. It was a bear. Its appearance was similar to that of the short-faced bear, but its size was far bigger.


    *Grrr...*


    The bear gnashed its sharp teeth when it arrived as though showing its anguish and anger to the bear corpse on the ground.


    It suddenly stood up, revealing its true height.


    Clovis and Jay couldn''t help but gasp. The bear was five meters tall. Even if they jumped, they might only hurt the bear''s lower body.


    ''Is this really a bear?'' Clovis''s heart skipped a beat. He never thought that Kanaria would miss this.


    On the other hand, Jay whispered, "Kanaria. Don''t come here."


    "!!!" The bear suddenly lowered its head as though it heard the whisper. It raised its paw as though it were about to crush Jay as well as the tree that covered him.


    Seeing Jay too focused on the transmission, Clovis couldn''t help but come out while shouting, "Jay!"


    Jay and the bear were startled. Jay realized that he had made a blunder and Clovis had to attract the bear to protect him. The bear, on the other hand, changed its target to Clovis.


    The bear sent its giant paw to crush him. Clovis didn''t run. Instead, he tossed the short sword to the top of the tree and pulled him up before the bear could smash him.


    After that, he landed on the back of the bear''s paw and started climbing its giant arm. "Ooohhh!" Clovis roared to gather the bear''s attention.


    The question remained. Why would Kanaria miss this bear? There was one thing that he could think of. The bear was sleeping earlier, and it woke up due to them killing one of the bears.


    Because the trees were pretty tall, Kanaria couldn''t determine this bear from above, especially when the bear was walking on four feet.


    Ultimately, Clovis believed that this was his mistake. If he wasn''t so rushed in calling Kanaria here, she would have spotted this bear.


    Clovis shouted, "I''m going to distract it. Jay! Regroup with Kanaria and find an opportunity to strike back!"


    Of course, even if the bear was terrifying, Clovis still believed that their group could defeat it.


    ''Tier 1 short-faced bear, huh? It''s going to be interesting.'' Clovis smiled.


    These three were still unaware of the danger they were currently in.

 Chapter 16 Escaping

    Jay gritted his teeth. He obviously didn''t like the idea of abandoning his captain, but it was clear that Kanaria had to go back to the hill so that she could support them.


    "Kanaria. Do you hear me?!" Jay asked. To his surprise, Kanaria didn''t reply.


    Soon, he heard rapid gunshots resounding across the area. It was definitely Kanaria using her gun.


    Even Clovis could predict what was going on. "Jay!"


    "I know!" Jay rushed to the south, following the sound of the gunshot. Kanaria was probably too occupied to press the button to transmit her voice. It also meant that she was being cornered.


    When he arrived, he found three bears attacking her. The bears were even more clever than the wolves. The first bear charged from the front, while the other two flanked her from both sides.


    Kanaria also noticed Jay''s figure in the distance as she heard, "Come to me,'' through the radio.


    Without hesitation, Kanaria aimed forward and shot the bear in front of her with all the bullets she had.


    The bear was covering its head and body with its strong arms. Its skin could actually block normal bullets.


    The other two bears had to shift their direction a bit and chase after her, but that was when they saw Jay.


    When he was about to arrive, Kanaria stopped shooting, allowing Jay to finally approach the bear and slice its neck from the back.


    "Oo¡ª" The two bears looked quite shocked when they saw one of them dying. The shock turned into anger as the bears sped up.


    It didn''t matter anymore. Kanaria rushed past the bear and regrouped with Jay, but instead of stopping these two bears, Jay started running as if he wanted Kanaria to follow him.


    "We have to help Clovis. He is fighting a Tier 1 bear by himself."


    "What? A Tier 1? How did I miss it?" Kanaria''s heart skipped a beat. It was her role to make sure that the group knew where they would be attacked.


    But then again, she didn''t notice these three bears before, even though she had looked at the area with binoculars.


    "Sleeping? No, hibernating? But..." Kanaria had no time to think about it. They had to help Clovis, but at the same time, they couldn''t outrun these two bears.


    "You help Clovis. I will kill these two bears first."


    Kanaria hesitated for a second before nodding her head. She ran toward Clovis''s position before she found him slashing the bear''s nose.


    "!!!" Kanaria dropped her jaw to the ground. The bear was so tall, but Clovis was actually able to reach its nose. Then, she noticed the short sword that made it possible.


    *Roar!*


    The bear tried to catch Clovis, but the latter was swinging around its neck. The short sword always came out before the bear could catch it. This kind of timing was only possible because Clovis was frustrated when the dire wolf bit his chain and prevented him from utilizing it. He refined his movement a bit more and allowed him to fight the Tier 1 bear to this extent.


    On the one hand, Kanaria could go around to hit the bear from behind, which was its weak point. On the other hand, the foot was right in front of her.


    Kanaria didn''t hesitate to drop her rifle, letting it hang on her body, and pull out the high-caliber sniper rifle. She approached the right foot quietly and aimed at its knee.


    *Cezz!*


    The sound was suppressed, but it was still quite loud for both the bear and Clovis. At the same time, the bullet pierced through the bear''s knee. Its power was so strong that some of the flesh came out of the hole like an explosion.


    "Don''t worry about that. I am not so weak that I can''t handle this. Though, it''s going to be easier if you can help me pin the bears down. I will kill them in one shot."


    Clovis nodded in agreement.


    It only took them a minute to find Jay. It looked like he had injured both of them while maintaining his peak condition. Jay didn''t want to use too much energy because he had to help Clovis after this.


    However, the plan had changed.


    Clovis and Kanaria suddenly emerged from the trees behind him. Clovis struck the bear on the right with all his momentum and strength. He tried to cut down the bear, but the bear ended up overpowering him. Luckily, the sword was sharp enough to cut down the paw, but it still lost all its momentum and failed to cut down the bear.


    When the bear was too shocked by Clovis, Kanaria pointed her sniper rifle right at the bear''s head.


    *Bang!*


    The shot exploded the bear''s head, killing it immediately.


    The other bear was shocked, but it was clashing with Jay.


    Seeing this opportunity, Clovis looped around and struck the bear''s back from behind, killing it.


    Now that the two bears were down, Clovis turned to Kanaria. "Lead the way. We''re escaping."


    Kanaria nodded with a serious expression as she began running to the left. Jay didn''t understand what was going on, but it was clear that he should follow them.


    ''Escaping? Why do we need to escape?'' Jay couldn''t help but look at the Tier 1 bear''s location, thinking something must have gone wrong.


    "There will be two bears coming from our front," warned Kanaria while recalling the positions of the bears before she descended the hill.


    Before engaging the bears, Clovis asked, "Kanaria. Do you know any path where we can get one minute, and that''s not the main path to escape?"


    "Huh? Do you understand what you''re asking? Do you know how precious one minute is in our situation?" Kanaria frowned.


    "We need it to escape." Clovis''s expression was serious as though this was the essential step if they really wanted to be safe.


    Kanaria gritted her teeth, recalling every single piece of information before saying, "To the left. We can go there for one minute, but we still need to kill the two bears in front of us."


    "Got it." Clovis sped up and tossed the short swords at the bottom of the trunks before hiding behind another tree. When the bears came, he pulled the chain, tripping the bears. Still, it was quite painful due to the bear''s momentum. "Kill them!"


    Jay hurriedly slashed the falling bear while Kanaria shot its head.


    After that, Clovis moved to the left according to Kanaria''s instructions.


    "Every five seconds, you''re going to shoot." Clovis suddenly gave a weird command, which actually made Kanaria understand his real intention.


    He wanted to trick the bears into thinking that they were going in this direction. After a few shots, they would change direction while the bears focused on this direction.


    ''He has sharp eyes, a brilliant mind, and calmness in this situation. His fighting prowess is extremely high as well. Who is this man called Clovis? I can''t recall any information about the heirs of a famous family called Clovis. Is he a secret weapon?'' Kanaria was baffled by Clovis''s ability because it was not at the level that a random explorer would possess at this level.


    He must have been trained by an expert explorer to reach this level.


    Unfortunately, this was not the time to do that. While it was true that they managed to fool the bears by using this method, they didn''t realize that their trouble had just begun as their current destination was actually an even more dangerous place.

 Chapter 17 Choice

    *Ding!*


    *Ding!*


    *Ding!*


    The sound of an alarm echoed inside the base as the soldiers frantically went back and forth.


    A man in his forties walked down the hallway as another man approached him.


    "What is the situation?"


    "We have a report that Base 01 is under attack and has the possibility of evacuation. It seems that the scale of the attack is extremely big this time."


    "Any movements from other bases?"


    "No. Only Base 01 is under attack. We assume that a territorial beast is getting poked by an explorer and unleashing its army."


    "The investigation can be done later. First, I want information about Base 01."


    "Certainly. Please follow me to the control room."


    He nodded. While walking, the middle-aged man couldn''t help but ask, "Have we sent any scouts?"


    "We have sent two teams to scout the base. Because of the lack of information from Base 01, we have to assume that the beasts will attack our city."


    "Send two more teams to search for explorers and soldiers. Get every piece of information they can before sending it to the city. And tell all soldiers to standby."


    "Understood."


    They had reached the control room where they could see all angles from the walls. Base 01 was located only five kilometers from the base, so if they were attacked, they should be able to see the incoming beasts through their camera.


    "Commander!" One of the staff members saluted as soon as he noticed these two people.


    "What is your report?"


    "We have seen a sign of an attack. Judging from the scale, it''s at least double the size of what Base 01 is capable of stopping. Full-scale evacuation has been initiated."


    "In that case, inform the explorer association about the incoming beasts and hold an urgent mission. Do we have data about the people in Base 01?"


    "No, Sir. We receive no signal from them, so it''s safe to assume that the facility has been destroyed."


    "In that case, I want all the information about all the explorers and soldiers outside the city, especially the ones leaving through the north gate."


    "Let me send you the data."


    *Beep!*


    Suddenly, the tab on the commander''s hand let out a sound as people''s information was shown.


    "There are a total of 649 explorers and soldiers. 128 of them left through the north gate." The commander furrowed his eyebrows while looking at their faces and names. He had to make sure that there were no special explorers they should take care of due to the politics or influence of powerful explorers.


    "Kill it right now!" Kanaria shouted.


    Jay and Clovis swiftly approached a beast from two sides. Even when the beast blocked Clovis''s attack, Jay took this opportunity to swiftly cut it before the beast could inform its friends.


    Clovis couldn''t help but ask, "Don''t you think that the area becomes more active?"


    "That''s true." Kanaria agreed without hesitation. "Even though we''ve encountered a Tier 1 bear, I don''t think it will be this active. There are beasts roaming everywhere."


    "Should we retreat to the city instead?"


    "The city is 5 km away from here, while the base is only 1 km away. I think we should go to the base," Kanaria explained.


    "But the base is near Tier 1 territory. If we run to the base, the enemy''s level should go down, right?" Jay asked.


    Clovis also thought about that option, but he couldn''t be sure which one was the correct choice. Should they go to a closer place but with a higher risk? Or should they return to a safer place that is far away?


    "I think we should go to the base. While it''s more dangerous, it''s closer to us, meaning there are fewer variables." Clovis looked back. "We have to keep moving or the bear might find us again."


    "Got it." Since the captain had made a decision, Jay and Kanaria dropped their argument and followed his decision.


    However, it seemed that the decision was more dangerous than they originally thought. All of a sudden, a boar came in their direction.


    "Huh?!" All three of them froze for a moment. The boar was quite big¡ªthree meters tall with a wingspan greater than two meters. It had a robust and powerful build with sharp, slicing teeth. They felt like a single charge from this creature would be enough to break some of their bones.


    "Entelodon?!" Kanaria gasped. "Get away!"


    Clovis seemed to be the one targeted, so he hurriedly tossed the short sword into the tree branch and leaped into the air, barely jumping over the boar.


    The boar''s speed was lower than that of a Tier 0 dire wolf, but its tremendous strength smashed the trees on its way. They should never get hit by this boar.


    "What is Entelodon?" Jay asked.


    "A type of pig, often called ''killer pig'' because... of what it''d just shown earlier." Kanaria explained as simply as possible before the pig turned around.


    At the same time, he heard the roar of the bear as the destruction gave away their locations.


    "Are you serious?" Clovis looked back, worrying about the bear. On the one hand, they had to run away from this pig, which looked impossible. On the other hand, they had to escape from the colony of short-faced bears.


    They only had two choices¡ªeither run for their dear lives or fight these beasts.


    "Clovis!" Jay shouted with a serious expression. He wanted to remind him what kind of situation they were in, as they had little time to think. Even the Entelodon had turned around, ready to charge again.


    ''The captain''s role is to protect the teammates.'' Clovis took a deep breath. "Jay, can you stop this Entelodon by yourself?"


    "Leave it to me." Jay smirked while glaring at the boar as if trying to grab its attention.


    "Kanaria. This is going to be a hard task, but we will be killing the bears. If you take a look at the boar, it''s clear that the Tier 1 beast is moving toward the city''s direction, so there''s a chance that they''re launching an attack there and we''re currently in their path. If we run to the city, we''re bound to meet other beasts. So, we''ll kill them here and make our way to the base."


    Kanaria couldn''t deny the possibility. It seemed that they had no choice but to make loud noises if they wanted to survive.


    Clovis also attached the short sword to the magnet on the bracelet before grabbing the pistol on his back. His grandfather told him that he shouldn''t use the pistol easily, but they were currently in a life-and-death situation, so he had no other choice.

 Chapter 18 Special Bullets

    This was the first time Kanaria saw Clovis holding that pistol. She also had a pistol loaded with special bullets.


    It seemed that they had no choice but to brute-force their way out. Even though they might not be able to use this trick again, they had no other choice but to survive.


    "I''m going to back you up. If the situation becomes hard, I will also help you with my special bullets."


    Clovis nodded with a grim expression. As he expected, the bears began to appear in the corner of his eyes.


    This would be an all-out war against the entire bear colony.


    "Start from the left. They are the closest before making your way to the right," Kanaria gave an instruction, judging from the distance.


    Before leaving, Clovis bit the sword''s handle and took out the magazine from his pistol. There was a blue stripe on the pistol, so he ended up changing it with a different magazine that had a black stripe.


    Now that he was ready, Clovis moved to the left, approaching the incoming three bears. These short-faced bears hurriedly spread themselves, trying to attack him from three different directions.


    Unfortunately for them, it wouldn''t work this time. As soon as they were far enough from each other, Clovis jumped forward, facing the bear in front.


    "!!!" The other two bears were startled because people would normally remain in their positions. However, they hurriedly shifted their directions and tried to stop Clovis.


    The bear in the middle also swept its paw at Clovis as swiftly as possible.


    Clovis stopped for a second, avoiding the paw. After that, he raised his left hand, pointing his gun at the bear''s head.


    *Bang!*


    The bullet pierced through the head and killed the bear in an instant.


    "!!!" The other two bears increased their pace when they saw one of them die. At the same time, the gunshot alarmed the other bears in the area, including the Tier 1 short-faced bear.


    They could hear a loud howl coming from the Tier 1 bear, but luckily, they were far away. It was clear that the bear couldn''t chase after them with that injury.


    Hence, Clovis could focus on these Tier 0 bears. He moved to the right bear and pointed his gun again.


    As if learning from what happened earlier, the bear covered its head with both arms. These were the same arms that blocked Kanaria''s bullets.


    There was no way Clovis''s pistol would be able to penetrate it.


    However, this was what Clovis actually wanted. By covering its head with its arms, the bear wouldn''t be able to see him.


    *Bang!*


    *Bang!*


    Multiple gunshots echoed across the woods as the bear population kept falling drastically. In just two minutes, Clovis had killed more than fifteen bears.


    He ended up using nine bullets though.


    While looking around, he saw a few more bears in the distance.


    ''This does not look good. I only have two special magazines, with each one containing twelve special bullets. I have to conserve the other magazine, and these three bullets need to be used against the Tier 1 beasts. I''m sure they''re going to arrive by any time.''


    Clovis faced a dilemma. If he had to fight these bears without a bullet, he might not have any energy left to face the Tier 1 beasts. He glanced back and remembered that Kanaria also had a special pistol.


    Without hesitation, Clovis moved back while asking, "Kanaria. Lend me your special pistol and bullets."


    "Huh? Is there something wrong?" Kanaria was startled by the request. Although she had prepared to use it, she thought Clovis was able to control the situation with only his pistol.


    "I have to conserve the bullets for the Tier 1 beasts."


    Kanaria hesitated for a few seconds before giving him the pistol. "My bullets are not as powerful as yours though. It might be able to penetrate its arm, but it won''t go beyond that."


    "It''s enough." Clovis nodded. "I should be able to handle these bears by myself. You should help Jay right now."


    Kanaria glanced back, seeing Jay in distress. He couldn''t land a single attack on the boar as he had to keep running away from its charge.


    If the situation persisted, he might lose. Hence, Kanaria nodded her head, agreeing with the new arrangement. "Alright. I will leave the bears to you. If it''s getting hard for you, immediately shout for help. I''ll immediately return to your side."


    "Got it." Clovis nodded his head with a smile. It was rather easy when he had amazing subordinates. They understood their assignments without further instructions.


    But this also meant that he had to protect them even more.


    While looking at the bears, Clovis couldn''t help but think about the mall.


    ''Now that I think about it, does the mall have a gun shop? If that''s the case, what kind of gun do they have? The elves in another world use bows, right? What about dwarves? Do they make guns? If I upgrade the membership once more, I can open a new section.


    Maybe I can find a useful item for the current situation.''


    Clovis took a deep breath, ready for the second battle. It seemed that he had to fight with all his strength to crush these beasts before the Tier 1 beasts came.

 Chapter 19 Kill

    "Kh!" Jay gritted his teeth. "Even though I was trying to be cool by stopping this beast, I don''t think I can last for a long time. To think it would be this hard to fight a Tier 1 beast by myself."


    The Entelodon was making its way toward him, so Jay was ready to deflect his head before avoiding the charge.


    To his surprise, a few gunshots echoed from his right. It looked like Kanaria and Clovis were fighting hard, but the bullets had actually hit Entelodon''s body, showing that Jay had been losing his focus.


    "!!!" Jay remembered that the bullets were faster than the speed of sound, so the fact that he heard the sound first meant he didn''t see the bullets at all. "What?!"


    Both the boar and Jay glanced to the side, finding Kanaria shooting her rifle. The boar hurriedly changed its direction and tried to crush Kanaria, but because of the bullets, it had to move in zig-zag patterns to avoid the bullets hitting its head or eyes.


    That movement was the one that woke him up. He had to stop the boar to protect Kanaria.


    "NO!" Jay roared, regaining his composure while running to the boar. Seeing the incoming Jay, Kanaria stopped shooting and ended up confusing the boar.


    It halted its movement for a moment, trying to change its direction to go straight to Kanaria. However, Jay had arrived and slashed the boar from behind.


    *Rooo!* The boar was startled. It didn''t hear Jay''s shout earlier, which was weird. But Jay soon noticed the right ear being destroyed by a bullet. It was no wonder Kanaria managed to draw its attention.


    Jay took advantage of it and slashed the boar from behind, cutting apart its back. The beast tried to kick Jay, but its legs were too short.


    It hurriedly turned around, but Jay actually ducked down as if hiding his body behind the boar. At the same time, Kanaria began raining the boar with the bullets.


    The boar couldn''t move. If it went to Kanaria, the bullets might hit its vitals again like the ear. If it attacked Jay, Kanaria would injure him from behind. The dilemma was proven by how easily Jay cut its back.


    The boar knew that there was only one solution. It actually stomped on the ground, creating a small crater.


    "!!!" Kanaria felt the vibrating ground and missed a few shots. At the same time, the boar tilted its body to the right to strike Jay.


    Jay took a deep breath. Stopping the boar would be impossible, but he still had one trump card.


    The floating time was only a second, so Jay used that one second to regain his composure and activate his beast soul.


    The muscles on his feet contracted profusely. When the boar turned around and tried to impale him with its tusks, Jay suddenly disappeared from its vision as though he had just teleported.


    "!!!" The boar was shocked, trying to find Jay.


    He had to thank Clovis for this since this beast soul suited him the most. Not only did his movement speed increase, but his swinging speed also got affected by the beast soul.


    With a swift and precise swing, he cut the back of the boar, connecting it to the previous cut earlier. It was so precise that it completely cut this lump of flesh as the latter slid down due to the boar''s movement.


    *Rooo!* The boar wailed in pain, but Jay had once again used the beast soul to get away.


    This big wound was what Kanaria needed. Without hesitation, she shot this part multiple times, destroying the boar''s muscle and flesh.@@@@


    Still, using the beast soul would require his vitality. He felt that his stamina was draining every time he used this ability.


    *Bang!*


    *Bang!*


    *Bang!*


    The megistotherium turned around. Despite two bullets landing on it and penetrating its hide, the beast endured the pain completely. It rushed toward him again.


    It extended its left paw to pin Clovis to the ground. Surprisingly, Clovis actually received the paw with his sword. He didn''t strike hard enough for a clash. Instead, he let the paw push him to the ground.


    After that, the megistotherium used its other paw and the sharp teeth to crush Clovis. This was the time Clovis shot the creature from point blank range. He aimed it at the creature''s belly since it was impossible for its paw to cover that area. His other hand waved his sword to stop the beast from biting him. But as a result, the other''s paw ended up hitting his shoulder.


    "Kh!"


    *Roar!*


    Both of them were crying in pain. Clovis didn''t think that it managed to dislocated his shoulder, but the pain felt like the muscle was ripped apart. The bone was also vibrating due to the impact.


    *Bang!*


    *Bang!*


    Clovis kept shooting at the beast while saying, "Die. Die. Die!"


    The beast''s eyes started losing its focus. That moment of weakness was what Clovis had been waiting for.


    He hurriedly kicked the beast to the side and stood up. The megistotherium tried to stretch its paw to knock Clovis away, while Clovis swung his blade, only to find that he couldn''t grip his sword. It seemed that the injury to his shoulder was much more significant than he originally thought. It even affected his upper arm.


    Ultimately, the beast hit the sword and knocked it away.


    Clovis had no other choice. He tossed Kanaria''s pistol to the beast''s head, causing it to push it away. But this one second distraction allowed Clovis to take out his special pistol and shot the beast''s head.


    *Bang!*


    The beast shuddered for a second before everything went limp. It only took a shot to kill the Tier 1 beast.


    "Ha..." Clovis panted a few times. He hurriedly went for his sword, but as expected, he couldn''t grip it well. His entire hand was numb as though there was a static electricity continuously flowed on his palm.


    So, he put back his gun and held the sword with his left hand. He also returned to grab Kanaria''s pistol. But due to his condition, he ended up biting the pistol.


    The price was quite high, but he still eliminated a Tier 1 beast within a minute. Though, it was only possible because the beast wasn''t as big. If it was bigger than this megistotherium, his ribs would have been broken from the weight alone.


    Clovis turned to the side and saw both of his teammates still engaging the megistotherium. At the same time, he noticed the incoming bear as the fallen trees gave away the bear''s location.


    "It can''t be helped. Let''s kill this bear first by myself."

 Chapter 20 Who Are You?

    *Vroom!*


    The roaring sound of the engine echoed as two Jeeps came out of the base.


    The front jeep had five people. One of them couldn''t help but ask, "So, what is our task this time?"


    "Rescue the VIPs," said the driver.


    "Oh, this annoying mission. But why would they even send the other group? No, they should be the only ones going."


    "It can''t be helped. We don''t have much information about these VIPs other than their pictures and their names."


    "But isn''t there one person who doesn''t have a name?"


    "It means that this person is more special than the others."


    "Oh, I have seen these two. They have an extremely high evolution rate."


    "So, what kind of person is this last one?"


    "Don''t ask. We only need to bail them out. Considering their strength, they shouldn''t have gone too far, but the problem is that they are in the path of those beasts.


    "They are still Tier 0, right? Maybe they have died."


    "Hush, don''t say it. We have to find them alive."


    "But look!" One of them pointed to the front. Beasts started coming out of the woods.


    "We will break through them and continue on the main road before searching for them."


    "Alright. It''s my turn then." A girl stood up and moved to the top of the engine''s cap while pulling the big axe on her back. "Do the usual."


    "Got it." The driver nodded. The others were also preparing their weapons.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Clovis was currently engaging the Tier 1 short-faced bear.


    "What''s wrong? You can''t entertain me anymore?" Clovis grinned, taunting the bear. The bear''s mobility was drastically reduced due to its injury. On the other hand, Clovis was unable to kill the bear due to its size and his injury. If he could still use both of his hands, he could climb the bear with his short sword.


    Unfortunately, he still couldn''t get a feel for his right hand.


    The bear tried to crush him with its size, but Clovis simply ran outside the bear''s attack range.


    There were only two ways to kill this bear. First, he regained his right hand and climbed the bear to kill it with either a pistol or a blade. The second way was to buy enough time to get help from Kanaria and Jay.


    Still, it seemed that they required a lot more time to kill the megistotherium.


    ''What should I do now?'' Clovis looked around, wondering if he could use anything to gain an advantage over the bear.


    Clovis also had another thought about these beasts. Since they came from Tier 1 territory, why would only three Tier 1 beasts appear? When he thought about it, he thought about the possibility of this place not being the center of the attack.


    He could only think of one place that might be related to this monster wave. It was the base.


    *Roar!* The beast was jolted by the excruciating pain on its body, causing it to tilt its body to the side. Jay took this one chance to utilize his beast soul one more time to behead the megistotherium.


    "Haa... ha...!" Jay panted. His face was pale and his legs went limp, causing him to drop his knees and use his saber to support his body. "We''re finally done."


    "Good work." Clovis came to him with a smile.


    "What good work?" Jay clicked his tongue while looking at Clovis''s deed. He killed so many Tier 0 bears and even killed two Tier 1 beasts faster than them by himself. "If you used that pistol, you would have won easily in our competition."


    "Do you think I can convince you that way? It''s not fair." Clovis shook his head helplessly.


    "Fair enough." Jay sighed. "So, what are we going to do next? Go to the base?"


    "No. We have a change in our plans. For now, we should gather the essence of these beasts and head to the opposite directions."


    "Huh?" Jay looked confused. They were in great danger, so they didn''t have time to get their essence.


    However, Clovis carefully explained, "Listen to me first. If you look at these beasts, you should notice something is off."


    Kanaria nodded. "That''s true. These megistotheriums shouldn''t have appeared here."


    "Exactly. If we look at their number, shouldn''t you be able to know what is currently happening?" Clovis asked.


    "Beast wave?" Kanaria widened her eyes in shock.


    "Yeah. We happen to be on the beast wave''s way, but since there are no other beasts coming here, it''s clear that the beast wave has passed. So, where do you think the center of this beast wave is?"


    "The base, huh?" Jay finally understood why he wanted to go in the opposite direction.


    "Yeah. Since we won''t encounter any other enemies, we should gather the essence and head east. We have to camp there until the siege is over before returning to the base. Although I have to admit it, I don''t think I can use my shoulder anymore."


    "Got it, but let me catch my breath for a few minutes. It''s hard to use the beast soul multiple times." Jay waved his hand, signaling to them that they could gather the essence first.


    "Alright." Clovis nodded and headed to his bag to grab the syringe. They got four Tier 1 essences this time. More importantly, the bear would definitely have a lot of essence considering its size.


    Meanwhile, Kanaria picked up a few things from her bag before walking to Clovis. "How is your injury? Let me check."


    "You know about this?"


    "Not much, but I should be more knowledgeable than you." Kanaria shrugged.


    "Okay." Clovis pointed at his right shoulder.


    Kanaria tried moving the right arm while asking, "How is it? Do you feel any pain?"


    "Ugh." Clovis''s reaction alone was enough for an answer. After a minute, Kanaria gave him a white pill. "It doesn''t look bad. Here''s the aspirin. It should relieve your pain."


    "You even brought this?" Clovis didn''t expect that Kanaria really brought everything with her. She was like someone with a magic bag that had all kinds of items the group needed.


    It seemed that he underestimated the importance of logistics.


    Instead of smiling, Kanaria actually became serious as she couldn''t help but ask, "Clovis. Seriously, who are you? Are you a Tier 1 Explorer? Even if you are not, you are pretty close to it, right? Your resources, your strength... don''t really make sense. I can''t even think of any names related to you.


    So, who exactly are you?"

 Chapter 21 Return

    "So, who are you exactly?"


    Kanaria''s expression was solemn and her gaze was filled with determination. It seemed that she definitely wanted to get the answer in one way or another.


    Clovis shook his head helplessly. "I should be asking you first. Are you seriously going to stay in this group? I have to remind you that this kind of experience is nothing compared to what I have in mind. In the future, the group will engage in a far more dangerous exploration, to the point that we might lose our lives."


    "Are you going to change the subject?" Kanaria bit her lips.


    "Not at all. I''m simply telling you that I don''t want a huge group that can do a lot of raids. Instead, I want a super-elite group that can do the impossible. That''s why I''m going to warn you that it''s better to give up early and leave the group. After all, I don''t have any reason to share my personal information about someone outside the group.


    If you can answer that question, not simply because you want to know my identity, then I will consider giving you my name."


    "..." Kanaria was not a fool. His name? That was the most important clue in his words. It seemed that his identity was so sensitive that knowing it might bring her harm.


    That was why Clovis warned her that it took a lot of determination if she wanted to be a part of the group.


    It didn''t seem like Clovis was joking.


    After recalling his weapons and the way he fought, Clovis might really be someone important. She didn''t know about his circumstances, but she might have to consider this matter carefully.


    If she knew too much, she might not be able to leave the group.


    Because of Clovis''s reply, Kanaria became doubtful whether she wanted to stay in the group or not. But this was the first time that someone was trying to be mysterious around her. Normally, boys around her age would be boasting about their identities in order to impress her.


    On the other hand, Clovis felt like he wanted to push her away. It wasn''t that he thought she was useless. He simply sought out a comrade that he could rely on.


    Kanaria turned around, not being able to answer that question. She had to consider this carefully.


    Clovis shrugged and continued collecting the essence. Since there were no more enemies, they took their time to recover while collecting the essence.


    After fifteen minutes, they finally finished collecting the essence. Clovis couldn''t help but mutter, ''We got quite a big haul today, even though it''s not as big as yesterday. We got 1,849 ml of Tier 0 short-faced bear, 255 ml of Tier 1 megistotherium, 163 ml of Tier 1 Entelodon, and a whopping 651 ml of Tier 1 short-faced bear. The Tier 1 beasts from Tier 1 territory are too amazing.''


    He remembered how they didn''t get a lot of essence from Tier 1 Dire Wolf. So, when he saw this much essence collected from a single body, he realized that there was a reason why these beasts resided in Tier 1 territory instead of ruling the Tier 0 beasts. As for the short-faced bear, it was just an anomaly.


    Clovis knew that they could buy a lot of things after this. Then again, he didn''t know when the next exploration would commence, considering they had to stop after this.


    Even after a while, the sensation of his arm still hadn''t returned. They really couldn''t continue with their expedition.


    As planned, after collecting the essence, the group moved east. They had to get as far as possible from the base.


    However, there were still some beasts lingering around the area beyond the short-faced bear. Clovis could fight them, but Jay and Kanaria were the main combatants this time because they were not as injured as him.


    Because of their action, they never met up with the rescue team, who assumed that the group had gone to the base to get protection, which also made the commander of the base panic.


    Clovis didn''t look foolish enough to make her think that he was not capable of realizing that thought. So, it seemed that his identity was pretty important.


    ''Can I imagine myself still with the group ten years from now? The family might be angry at me because I leave the group, but I don''t think they will pursue this matter. However, if they know that I join a random party... While it''s true that Jay is here, they will definitely focus their gaze on Clovis.''


    ''Then again, it doesn''t seem that he is lying about his ambition. The only problem would be his evolution rate.''


    Kanaria couldn''t stop thinking about Clovis''s identity. Without her realizing it, half an hour had passed and the group finally exited the woods.


    "Finally!" Clovis smiled as he looked in the distance. "It doesn''t look like the siege is still going on. Have they defeated all those beasts?"


    "Let me check." Kanaria used her binoculars to check on the situation. She saw multiple people dissecting the corpses, so it seemed that the beast wave had ended. "I think we can return now."


    "That''s good. Let''s go back!" Clovis smiled. Although he didn''t meet his target this time, he got to experience fighting a lot of Tier 1 beasts. Compared to them, Tier 0 beasts were lacking.


    Once they registered their return, the rescue team would be recalled back to the base.


    Unbeknownst to them, there were two people standing on top of the wall. After seeing their group return to the base, they couldn''t help but frown.


    "They survived..."


    "Even multiple Tier 1 beasts weren''t enough to kill them."


    They exchanged looks, both having a confused expression.


    "Are those two the ones helping him?"


    "I don''t think so. I have seen their track record, but I don''t think they are competent enough to defeat multiple Tier 1 beasts."


    "So, it''s really him."


    "Most likely."


    "Then, should we just assassinate him with our own hands?"


    "Boss''s order. We can''t do that. We have to use other methods so that it doesn''t look like our work."


    "Annoying."


    "We don''t have a choice. Unless that madman is confirmed to have died, killing his grandson directly will make him berserk. You should know what it means to let the top ten explorers go berserk, right?"


    "Not only our organization, but also the entire city will be leveled, huh? Well, what should we do now?"


    "I have an idea."

 Chapter 22 Officially Joining

    "I am fine taking only 700 ml of Tier 0 short-faced bear essence for this exploration. I feel like I haven''t done anything noteworthy, especially after those four Tier 1 beasts," said Jay with a long sigh.


    "True. I will also take only 700 ml of essence. Ehm, Tier 0 Amphicyon." Kanaria agreed with Jay. She was useful on the first day, but she didn''t do much on the second day.


    "What? I have told you that we will divide it into four." Clovis gritted his teeth as if he didn''t want to take it despite the fact that getting this share would definitely benefit him. He didn''t want to take advantage of his comrades after all.


    "You should have just accepted this arrangement!" Jay became annoyed because Clovis wanted to force him to take a portion that he didn''t work for.


    "What did you say? I am a man of integrity!" Clovis slammed the table while glaring at Jay.


    Jay grabbed his collar and asked, "So, I am not a man of integrity in your eyes?"


    "That''s not what I''m trying to say."


    "Then, do you think that my life is not worth that much? You were clearly the ones saving us! So, just accept it."


    "No! We have to follow the agreement!"


    "What did you say?!"


    Both of them glared at each other, annoyed that both of them didn''t take their portion. Even Kanaria was completely speechless at this sight. Clovis and Jay were pretty friendly most of the time, but they really argued over petty things.


    Kanaria sighed and opened her mouth to stop both of them. "Come on, both of you. Clovis, if you don''t like the arrangement, you can just take your portion and sell the rest for our group''s fund. Isn''t that fine?"


    "Well..." Clovis couldn''t deny it even though he was annoyed that they didn''t accept it.


    "Shouldn''t he absorb it?" Jay was still adamant about it. It wasn''t about fairness. Jay simply knew that Clovis had a low evolution rate. If he didn''t have enough essence, he would be left too far behind. There was no way he could accept the man he acknowledged getting rid of by the harsh evolution rate.


    "What did you say?" Clovis obviously didn''t like Jay''s opinion.


    "You should just absorb it. I don''t want to win because you lose, I want to win because I defeat you fair and square."


    Kanaria facepalmed. "If you don''t like the arrangement, you can buy the essence with your money, Clovis. That should be fine, right?"


    "..." Clovis clicked his tongue. "Fine. I shall accept it."


    "That''s good." Kanaria nodded, satisfied.


    "Alright. Let''s split up first and meet up tomorrow to think about our next destination." Jay had a plan for his training, so he was quite eager to end the conversation and try his new training method.


    "I don''t mind." Clovis glanced at Kanaria, who shrugged her shoulders.


    "Bye!" Jay hurriedly stood up and waved his hand, not wasting any second to get back to his accommodation.


    Even Clovis was quite speechless about his action.


    Kanaria asked, "So, how is your shoulder?"


    "First of all, from the way you say it, it seems that joining your group will make me stay for a long period of time. Instead of knowing about the rules or anything, I think the most important thing is to know the group''s goal. You said back then that you wanted a group of elites to do the impossible... Could you elaborate on it?"


    "There is nothing to elaborate on. What do you think the explorers haven''t done?"


    Kanaria tilted her head in confusion. "I don''t know. Unknown region? Retaking our lands?"


    "It''s to know the secret about the voice fifty years ago! What kind of simulation are we currently in? I want to know the truth! The truth of this world!" Clovis answered without a single doubt in his eyes.


    The reply overwhelmed Kanaria. It wasn''t just a few years, this commitment might last for her entire life. However, there was one problem. "Are you sure you want to find it with your evolution rate? Do you think it''s possible?"


    "Nay. You shouldn''t think that way. Instead, it''s because I only have this evolution rate that I want to know the truth. If someone with a high evolution rate is able to find the truth, then it''s possible because he is the hero of humanity. But because I only have this evolution rate, I will be able to surpass that and become the greatest explorer in the world."


    His reply sent chills down her spine. Somehow, his words resonated with her heart. Excitement and worries were mixed in her heart.


    "T-then, my second question..." Kanaria took a deep breath to calm her heart down. She had to be rational about her future. "Suppose I were to join your group, would I be replaceable?"


    "Even I am replaceable. If you have the ability, you can challenge me to get the leader position. However, I''m not planning to give you the seat without a fight. And I still believe that I can protect my seat for the rest of my life. To answer your question, as long as you are not tired of exploring the unknown, I won''t replace you with anyone."


    Kanaria nodded. She had heard that Jay was fighting for the captain''s position with him, so she kind of expected this answer.


    "Last question." Kanaria''s expression turned grim. "If I join your group, there''s a chance that my family might attack you to retrieve me. What will you do?"


    "That depends on your will. If you don''t want to stay in this group anymore, then I won''t do anything. However, if you still want to stay with us, let alone your family, I will fight the entire world."


    "That sounds like a man trying to woo me, you know. Talk big without the ability to back it up." Kanaria chuckled. It wasn''t that she looked down on Clovis, but he simply didn''t have the ability to back up his claim.


    "Right? But I''m serious about it. If I am afraid of your family or even the world, then I don''t have the chance to become the greatest explorer in the world. No, in fact, I can''t even surpass my own grandfather."


    "Your grandfather?"


    "Aye. You want to know my name, right? Then, I''ll formally introduce myself. My name is Clovis Hacfield." Clovis made a gentle smile, showing both his sincere feelings and his determination.


    Kanaria dropped her jaw, not expecting to hear that name. It was no wonder that Clovis talked big. It turned out he was related to Michael Hacfield, whose name resounded across the world.


    It also made his words feel a bit more realistic. No one sane would challenge the world with only a 15% evolution rate.


    Clovis extended his hand. Her expression gave him an indication that he had managed to convince her to join his group. Hence, as the leader, he had to extend his welcome. "Once again, would you like to join my Libation Fiesta, Kanaria?"


    "I..." Kanaria grabbed his hand. Clovis smiled because, after this, Kanaria would accept his invitation and officially join his group. But what he didn''t expect were the words that her mouth uttered next.


    "I want to be your wife instead."


    "..."


    "..."


    "Huh?!"

 Chapter 23 Story

    "Haa... Ha..." Jay was panting, his body was covered in sweat. He was still holding his blade, but on his wrist were threads connected to a dumbbell. At the same time, there was a weight circling his blade.


    After experiencing how heavy Clovis''s blade was, he thought about this training to increase both his raw strength and his swing speed.


    Amidst the training, Jay couldn''t help but remember. "Now that I think about it, my knowledge about Hacfield comes from Kanaria''s family. I wonder how she will react when she knows Clovis is from that family. Well, I should ask about it tomorrow."


    ...


    Clovis''s Room.


    "Huh?!" Clovis''s mind went blank. He couldn''t comprehend what Kanaria had just said. In fact, he didn''t even know what was on her mind when she uttered those words. "What did you say?"


    Kanaria pinched the bridge of her nose, awkward and embarrassed. She opened her mouth, but the words stuck in her throat.


    Looking at her troubled expression, Clovis faced a dilemma. If he rejected this, would that mean Kanaria would leave the party? If he accepted this, didn''t it mean a life commitment?


    "Sorry, please forget about it." Kanaria shook her head furiously before grabbing Clovis''s pillow and just burying her face.


    Clovis looked unconvinced, but it seemed that it was better to drop this matter. But the silence made the room extremely awkward.


    It took Kanaria a few minutes before she regained a bit of her composure. She explained, "I think it''s better to solve the misunderstanding to make the group less awkward."


    "If you don''t mind." Clovis nodded in agreement.


    "But before that, I have to apologize first. I was rude. Sorry."


    "No. I don''t mind, but I wish to know what''s in your mind before reaching that conclusion."


    "Well..." Kanaria rubbed her cheek before asking, "How much do you know about your grandfather?"


    "My grandfather? I know that he is very strong and influential, but personally, I see him as a carefree grandfather who does things as he pleases. Even the family can''t really restrict his desire to explore the unknown."


    Kanaria felt a bit more ashamed after hearing it. She said, "Do you know that your grandfather once saved a city on the surface?"


    "I seem to have heard about it from my grandfather. He said it was a big city that was almost destroyed after being attacked by a large swarm of beasts. He ended up saving the city since he wasn''t far away. But the most amusing thing he encountered there was not the cause of the swarm or the fight against the beasts, it was a strange woman.


    According to him, he saved that woman from numerous beasts, but when they were fighting, the woman proposed to him."


    Clovis recalled everything about the story his grandfather told him. In fact, his story was the reason why Clovis really wanted to become an explorer. "But my grandfather was already quite old, and my father was already a few years old at that time, so he rejected the proposal."


    Clovis abruptly stopped after seeing her embarrassed expression. "Don''t tell me, that woman was you... no, wait. It was a story from a long time ago.


    "It was my mother." Kanaria shook her head helplessly.


    "No. I''m still thinking about what the group should do after a proper rest."


    Kanaria took out a paper from her pocket. It turned out to be a poster. "I heard something interesting on the way here."


    "What is this?" Clovis read the poster while furrowing his eyebrows. "A joint exploration? Why a competition?"


    "To raise the level of the explorers in this city, the military is planning to hold a special competition, calling every Tier 0 and Tier 1 explorer. They will divide the competition, but basically, the military holds a competition to kill beasts. I bet, after the recent beast wave, they''re trying to gather the explorers to thin out the number of beasts around the city."


    "That''s understandable." Clovis knew how scary a beast wave was. While the base might be able to destroy them, it would be dangerous for normal explorers just like what happened to them earlier. "What''s the prize?"


    "For Tier 0 Explorers, the first place will get 2 beast souls, 6 super injections, and 25,000 cash prizes."


    "Super injections? As in that super injection?" Clovis widened his eyes in surprise.


    "Yes. The government program: Super Injection. The government will provide essence that would allow an explorer to raise all five attributes by 20%, no matter their evolution rate. This is one of the government programs to raise the strength of people with a lower evolution rate."


    "That''s interesting."


    "According to them, we can also keep the essence we procured during the competition. For every Tier 0 beast, the group will be rewarded by ten points and the Tier 1 beast will be rewarded by a hundred points."


    Clovis thought for a moment. "How many people per group?"


    "Six. But there''s no minimum. Do you want to search for three other people?"


    "Is that even a question?"


    Kanaria smiled, expecting this reply. If they couldn''t even take the first spotthem in this competition with only these members, they would definitely have a hard time in the future. So, this was a challenge for themselves.


    "I have one condition. No matter what happens, I''m not going to take the portion like earlier again. If we get the first place, I want all three of us to receive two super injections."


    "But..." Kanaria frowned. Clovis was the focus of the super injection, so it would be a waste to not use this opportunity to boost Clovis.


    However, Clovis shook his head. "This is my condition. If you can''t accept, I''d rather not participate at all. I''m sure that Jay will agree with me. I''m here not to be pitied by others after all."


    Clovis''s expression and determination made her respect him a bit more. He was truly a Hacfield.


    "I understand. We''ll talk about it tomorrow with Jay."


    "Alright."


    "Then, good night, Clovis." Kanaria waved her hand."


    "Good night, Kanaria."

 Chapter 24 Novice Membership

    "It''s midnight. I can finally go to the mall." Clovis smiled and hurriedly teleported to the mysterious mall.


    At the same time, he couldn''t help but say, "Still, to think that my grandfather is related to Kanaria''s family. He even got a maiden heart when he was saving the city. I heard from my father that my grandfather was a natural charmer. His rizz was so powerful that a lot of women cried when he married my grandmother.


    It was quite surprising since he chose to stay with my grandmother when no one would say anything if he had some mistresses."


    Clovis chuckled when recalling his memory. He opened the system to check his money.


    [Name: Clovis Hacfield.]


    [Membership: Level 2 (Better Newbie)]


    [Money: 17,457 Otherworldly Coins.]


    [Item Limit: 4/Visit]


    [Visit: 0(1)/Day]


    "Oh, wow. This is the first time I see so many coins." Clovis felt a bit excited because he might be able to upgrade two times. "Purchase the membership!"


    Membership: Level 3 (Better Newbie)


    Upgrade Membership: 5,000 Otherworld Coins/Month.


    Benefit: Membership (Novice)


    "Huh?" Clovis widened his eyes. "The benefit... is a new level? What can this novice membership give me? Wait a minute."


    Clovis glanced around, thinking there might be a special place in the grocery store. However, he almost forgot that this was a mall, not a grocery store.


    "Don''t tell me..." Rushing outside, his eyes were glued to the store that had been covered with this thin layer of black screen. "The benefit is a new store?!"


    On the one hand, his finger was itching to press the upgrade. On the other hand, everything was just his speculation. It might be a special place in the grocery store.


    "What should I do? If it''s a new shop, I don''t think it will be very friendly to my wallet. I only have eleven thousand left after purchasing the new membership. The competition lasts for three days, so that means I need four to five days worth of money to buy the necessary items. I wish Kanaria were here. She should be good with this kind of thing."


    Clovis let out a long sigh. He was facing a dilemma. In front of him was the unknown. He might gain a lot or lose everything. On the other side was the reliable grocery store, which provided him with a lot of progress.


    This was just like what normal explorers felt when venturing into unknown territory. They might intrude on more dangerous territory filled with weird creatures or even unknown danger. But if they didn''t continue, no one would know what was inside.


    Clovis gulped down. He was sure that his grandfather had faced this problem multiple times, but he still chose to advance.


    "That''s right. If I am scared of the unknown, how could I surpass my grandfather?" Clovis smiled, steeling his resolve before pressing the upgrade.


    [Ding!]


    [Membership Upgrade: Rank Novice.]


    [Name: Clovis Hacfield.]


    [Membership: Level 4 (Novice)]


    [Money: 11,457 Otherworldly Coins.]


    [Item Limit: 6/Visit]


    [Visit: 0(1)/Day]


    Description: This t-shirt is made from a spring worm. When worn, the shirt grants the wearer an elasticity like rubber that can enhance one''s momentum like that of a spring. The spring can even absorb a portion of the impact the wearer receives.


    Effect: Momentum and Damage Reduction +3


    Price: 4,099 Otherworldly Coins


    "..." Clovis sucked a cold breath. "This is extremely useful. Even more useful than the blouse for me. But the price is very expensive. But... I still have eleven thousand. I haven''t checked the Daily Item Section as well."


    Clovis gritted his teeth. He really wanted this shirt. Not only was the effect amazing, but the shirt''s color and pattern suited his preference.


    "Ugh..." Clovis gritted his teeth while grabbing this shirt. He was still in a dilemma because he might use up all his money.


    Eventually, the effect bought him. He ended up bringing the clothes to the cashier, which was still empty. "As expected, this is also a self-checkout."


    *Beep!*


    With that sound, Clovis had just lost over four thousand coins. He wanted to cry but had no tears. This was necessary. After putting the item in his inventory, he returned to the grocery store to check the daily section. He was quite curious about it after all.


    While it was true that he had lost a lot of money today, this might be the luckiest day of his life.


    The daily section also brought another surprise for him¡ªthings that had a lot of temptation for Clovis''s current situation.


    Name: Magic Bandage


    Description: A bandage containing the holy power of angels.


    Effect: Wound Recovery + 50%


    Price: 200 Otherworldly Coins


    Name: Druid Tent


    Description: A simple tent made of the druid race''s Relywood. Sleeping inside will help you recover from fatigue faster.


    Effect: Fatigue Recovery +50%


    Price: 500 Otherworldly Coins


    "This..." Clovis dropped his jaw to the ground. The items were essential for camping and exploration. He also saw a few household items like brushes and mugs.


    Name: Dwarven Mug


    Description: This mug was made of cold iron. It could keep the liquid cool.


    Effect: Cooling Effect and Purification Effect


    Price: 70 Otherworldly Coins


    Clovis was completely speechless. There were a lot of things he wanted to buy, but he felt that he would regret it if he spent too much money today buying all these things.


    "Kh. I should remember all these items first and buy the usual items for today. After going out, I will write everything down, including their price, before calculating it. I still have one more day to buy these items, so..."


    Clovis gulped down. Although his heart was heavy to part with all these amazing items, he had no other choices. His current progress would be much more important.


    At the same time, he thought about something. "Now that I think about it, I can buy these products for my comrades as well, right? That blouse is useful for Kanaria. I still haven''t found anything for Jay, but there will be one for sure.


    "Then again, I can''t reveal this mall yet. Maybe I should act weird and make them think there is a special technique passed down by my grandfather? I have to carefully plan for the future. I want to power up my people with items from Another World Mall, but without revealing too much unless I can completely trust them."


    Clovis sighed, proceeding to the cashier.

 Chapter 25 A Rival?

    "So, what do you think?" Kanaria asked Jay.


    "I don''t see a problem. But would it be fine for you, Clovis? How is your shoulder?"


    "Yeah. I''ve got the feeling back. It should be fine during the competition." Clovis assured him that he would be fine.


    "In that case, let''s register our group." Kanaria pumped her fists, getting excited.


    "By the way, how much money do you need to prepare for the competition, Kanaria?"


    "Well, I''m thinking about resupplying my special bullets. Do you want it as well, Clovis?" Kanaria asked. She thought that it would be impossible to buy Clovis''s special bullets with their current fund, but her bullets were less expensive, so she thought about buying them for him as well since Clovis used them a lot previously.


    "Will our budget be enough? I don''t have a lot to buy, so I can contribute about fifteen thousand. Is it enough?"@@@@


    "More than enough. But aren''t you..." Kanaria frowned, feeling something weird. It looked like Clovis wanted a lot of money, but in the end, he actually gave most of his money to her for their supply. She thought Clovis wanted to get all the money and save it for something else, but it seemed that she had misunderstood him.


    "That''s good then." Clovis smiled and asked her to show her chip so that he could transfer the money. "We should go to register now and spend the rest of the day preparing ourselves."


    "Sounds good." Jay didn''t think much about Clovis''s willingness to invest all his money back into the group.


    But if he were like Kanaria, he would have noticed that Clovis simply had sold so much essence that there might not be enough essence for him to use.


    Then again, Clovis looked confident that he could catch up to them. It was weird.


    ''Seriously, this guy... Where does his confidence come from?'' Kanaria was purely concerned because Clovis had to increase his pace to catch up with their progress since both she and Jay''s evolution progress was already quite high before meeting him.


    The group went to the military camp where they held the competition. As expected, there were a lot of explorers who signed up for the competition.


    "Hurry up!"


    "Have you finished the registration?"


    "Here is the badge."


    The people were going back and forth around the area. When Clovis''s group entered, the people''s focus instantly shifted, not because of Kanaria or Jay, but because of the people behind them.


    "Oi! Isn''t that..." One of them noticed, alerting the others while pointing his finger.


    "You''re right! Are they also participating in this competition?"


    "No way! Then, the first place is already taken."


    Clovis and the others couldn''t help but furrow their eyebrows, wondering who they were talking about.


    They found a group of four people: one male and three females. The young man had short brown hair and an innocent but confident face. He had a bright atmosphere around him, and it was even brighter with the women around him.


    The one on his right had long red hair tied into pigtails. She was wearing a big smile, but it didn''t seem that genuine.


    The one on his left was a little more mature, but her age didn''t seem to be that much different. Compared to others, she felt more seductive and manipulative.


    "If I''m weird, you''re insane." Jay snorted.


    Clovis noticed that they ended up ganging up on Kanaria, especially the one with the pigtails.


    "It seems that you are the same as always, Kanaria. I heard that the group that your family created pushed you away. I pity you." She had a sad expression, but her words were as sharp as a knife.


    Clovis glanced at Jay, wondering why she was that mean.


    "Her name is Lovelia Rusth. Her family has been opposing Kanaria''s family, so when Kanaria doesn''t take the chance, her family sends her. It seems that she has fallen for him for real.


    "The mature beauty is quite talented as well and from the same group as him. She is probably the one monitoring this guy and reporting back to their Drake Group. Her name is Elina Woo.


    "The last one, Vina, is pretty strong. It''s said that she can fully block a Tier 1 beast with her shield."


    "Hmm..." Clovis observed them but didn''t feel any spark from them. It wasn''t because they had joined another group, but because they felt a bit empty.


    In his group, each of them had their own desire. Jay might be an oddball, but his desire to improve his strength was unparalleled. Kanaria might not look like she had a big ambition, but there was no way someone who was adept in both combat and logistics only did it without any interest. She simply hadn''t told them about her goal.


    "I think we should stop them now." Jay was ready to step up to help Kanaria.


    To his surprise, Clovis waved his hand, stopping him. Instead of walking to Kanaria, Clovis slipped away into the crowd as if he had another plan.


    When Jay saw the place he was going, he almost laughed.


    "If you only want to invite me, then please leave. I have come with my own group." Kanaria shook her head, politely refusing them.


    "What?" The man was shocked and saw Kanaria turning her head to the side as if trying to show her teammates, only to find Jay standing alone.


    Even Kanaria was surprised. Her gaze was questioning Jay about Clovis''s whereabouts.


    "Haha! It''s only Jay?" Lovelia laughed as if she were mocking them.


    Kanaria thought that Clovis was able to solve the issue pretty easily as their captain, but he was gone.


    "If there is only him, then I don''t mind letting both of you join my group." The guy smiled, insistent on recruiting Kanaria.


    Kanaria asked Jay about Clovis with only the movement of her mouth. Jay simply shrugged while pointing his finger to the side.


    "Huh?" Kanaria followed the direction and saw a metal tag flying toward her. The one who tossed it was none other than Clovis.


    Vina couldn''t help but hold her shield on the back as if she were about to draw it while turning around. She didn''t realize that Clovis was already behind her.


    Clovis glanced at her for a second before smiling at Kanaria. "Thanks to you guys grabbing these people''s attention, we don''t have to line up to register our group. Group 24th. We''ll have to go to the west gate before 7 tomorrow. Let''s go back and buy some stuff."


    "Pfft." Jay couldn''t contain his laughter anymore.


    Kanaria swiftly took advantage of it while showing the metallic tag. "There you have it, I already have my group."


    The guy was completely speechless as Kanaria was already walking away with Clovis. Even Jay had a nonchalant attitude as if everything was just an amusement for him.

 Chapter 26 Aim

    The group could only watch how Clovis shocked them and left without even a single word from them.


    "That bitch." Lovelia gritted her teeth, glaring at Kanaria.


    Vina was clenching her shield, never thinking that she would be too focused on the problem and forget their original objective. She did notice the two men near Kanaria, but she didn''t realize Clovis left earlier. It seemed that Clovis was not an ordinary man.


    "Hmm..." Elina observed the group carefully. While she knew Kanaria and Jay, she had never seen Clovis. ''It doesn''t seem like they are being forced. I can see the respect in their eyes, so the boy is good enough to become the captain of their group? It seems that I have to report this matter. Now, what should I do with Ivan?''


    The guy, Ivan, clenched his fists for a moment before making a big smile. "Since she has joined a group, there''s no helping it. Let''s go and register our group."


    The girls looked a bit perplexed and surprised, but they couldn''t say anything after hearing his command.


    Meanwhile, Jay kept laughing while saying, "Clovis, you''re too good."@@@@


    "Ha..." Kanaria covered her forehead, feeling troubled. "I originally thought that just telling him off was enough. Then, Clovis came up with this brilliant idea, allowing us to leave right away."


    "I think I''ve told you that you should just make that guy your enemy so that he doesn''t bother you anymore. You''re too conservative."


    "My plan is Plan A! Yours is Plan B, and my family has told me that even if I don''t like him, don''t make him my enemy."


    "So, Clovis''s plan is Plan C? Yes, C for Clovis! Pfft... hahahaha!"


    Kanaria shook her head helplessly.


    Clovis listened to their conversation and said it with a solemn expression. "Do whatever you want. If they piss you off, just hit them. I will be responsible for your actions and protect you guys. That''s my duty as a captain, and I know that you guys will also help me bring our group''s name up there."


    "Does that mean I can ask you to be my boyfriend to push him away, Clovis?" Kanaria grinned, teasing Clovis.


    "Should I kiss you now to make it more believable?" Clovis replied with an emotionless face.


    Kanaria was tongue-tied.


    "Hahaha. It''s rare to see Kanaria get checkmated like this." Jay laughed while glancing at the registration area. "Still, they''re going to aim for us tomorrow, you know that?"


    "Of course. Nevertheless, their group is funnier than us." Clovis shrugged.


    "Funnier? Their group?" Jay was confused for a few seconds before looking at the tag they had. It was ''24th.'' It took him an instant to understand what Clovis was talking about. "Pfffttt! Hahahaha! You''re the best, Clovis."


    "Huh, what?" Kanaria tilted her head in confusion.


    "So, you understand the reference?" Clovis shrugged.


    "I don''t watch that freaking one century old show. The cartoon was temporary, but memes are eternal." Jay pointed to the side. "By the way, since we''re done here, I will leave and prepare myself for tomorrow. You both can do the shopping yourself, right?"


    Clovis thought for a moment. "So, which one do you think we should kill?"


    "I am thinking about Quagga first. Since it''s the first day and everyone starts at the same time, their population should still be quite high. On the second day, we will go to the Glyptodon. While it''s true that their defense is quite powerful, our attack is more powerful. Then, we''ll do our best to fight Thylacine on the last day."


    Clovis shook his head, refusing the proposal. "I don''t think we should do that. I agree with the first part, which is thinning the number of Quagga, but we''ll only hunt here for a few hours."


    "Huh? I thought about camping here since it''s relatively safe."


    "Yeah, but if you look at the number of the squad, you will know that their population will be drastically reduced after a few hours. So, we''ll go straight to Elasmotherium''s territory and camp there."


    "While they are not as dangerous, they are still beasts, you know."


    "That''s exactly why. Think about other people as well. They will most likely do the same thing as you, so we''ll be doing things half-step ahead and reducing their number. When people begin to come to Elasmotherium''s territory, we''ll head to the next territory, which is Thylacine. Glyptodon is a good target, but their defense is quite high.


    Even with our strength, our killing speed will decrease tremendously."


    Kanaria frowned. "So, we''ll risk our lives to kill Thylacines?"


    "Are they more dangerous than the four Tier 1 beasts we fought?"


    "..." Kanaria came to a realization and furiously shook her head.


    "Right? We''ll go here. After that, we''ll challenge this apex predator. If it''s possible, it''s good. But I don''t want to be overconfident, so if it looks dangerous, we''ll fall back right away."


    "I see." Kanaria contemplated for a moment. The plan looked reckless at first, but this way, they could take more kills than anyone else. "That''s settled then."


    "By the way, how do you find out about the kill?"


    "They have a special syringe that has been programmed to only take one ml of essence from each beast. Just like humans, none of the beasts are exactly the same. So, each one ml of essence will carry a different DNA. They calculate it from there."


    "Oh? That''s pretty interesting. So, we can''t really cheat, huh?"


    "Yeah. They have surrounded the area with soldiers as well, so no experts can help with the competition. However..." Kanaria raised a finger as her face became cold. "...there are times people cheat by making an alliance. There is also a chance that you kill other competitors."


    "That''s quite dangerous. But can you steal their syringe?"


    "No. Well, it''s more like a grudge. While you can''t get their points, they still die, reducing the number of competitors."


    "I understand. This might be more dangerous than I originally thought. In any case, I will leave the command to you tomorrow."


    "I will definitely guide you and Jay to the best of my ability. Well, personally, I want to beat them overwhelmingly."


    "You''ll have the chance. I''ll make sure you get that chance."

 Chapter 27 Bet

    Clovis, Jay, and Kanaria stood at the west gate, where they saw a few trucks lining up.


    There were about one hundred and fifty people at this gate. They were waiting for the event to start, specifically for someone to explain more about the competition.


    Ivan''s group was also standing in the opposite direction. They were glaring at Clovis''s group for one reason or another.


    Unlike them, Clovis didn''t have any intention of giving them the attention they wanted. He simply wanted to start this competition and began eliminating their target.


    He had even worn the new t-shirt he bought from Another World Mall.


    Finally, a man climbed the platform and stood in front of everyone. The man looked at these participants with an observant gaze as though he were able to see through their strength.


    "As you already know, we will be holding a hunting competition. I don''t plan to prolong this with my boring talk, so I only want to tell you three things." The man raised three fingers.


    "First, during the competition, we will surround the competition area. If you meet any soldiers, you have to go back immediately. If they end up helping you, you''ll be disqualified.


    "Second, during the competition, you are allowed to use everything other than high-level weaponry with overwhelming destructive power like missiles. Other than that, you are allowed to use anything.


    "Third, this is a competition. We have prepared everything to monitor and ensure the competition is fair. For example..." The man grabbed a syringe and showed it to them. "Each group will receive this item.


    "This syringe is a special item developed by the military, allowing you to absorb only one ml of essence for every beast you kill. We can find out if you put the essence from the same beast, so you won''t be able to cheat us with this item. As for the rest of the essence, you are free to absorb it as you want. We won''t do anything to you.


    "This syringe has been programmed to suit only your group. So, even if you take the other group''s syringe, you won''t get any point for it.


    "Each Tier 0 beast will give you 10 points, and each Tier 1 beast will give you 100 points. That''s all. You all should have known about the reward, so I will end my speech here. Is there any question?"


    None of them raised their hands, so the man extended his hand to the trucks. "If there''s no question, please board the truck. You should be able to see the number of your group on the truck."


    Clovis led his group to enter the truck. But because Ivan''s group registered right after Clovis, they ended up sitting on the same truck.


    As expected, they ended up glaring at each other. Kanaria obviously faced Lovelia, whom she hated due to their family condition. Jay''s eyes were focused on the Drake Group''s eyes, Elina. It seemed that he was trying to pressure Elina to not think anything about Clovis as though he knew how the Drake Group operated.


    Meanwhile, Vina and Ivan were glaring at Clovis, the leader of the group. Vina remembered Clovis''s action previously, making her wary of him. On the other hand, Ivan was glaring at him because of Kanaria, who was sitting next to him.


    "Heh. To think that you are getting a random person to be your captain... I''m shocked. It seems that your standard has decreased, Kanaria." Lovelia harrumphed, looking at Clovis with contempt.


    "This is why you are always below me. Your eyes simply can''t differentiate the gems before you. No matter what you do, I will simply beat you again and again." Kanaria harrumphed.


    "Oh my, I wonder what kind of thing you see from your captain?" Elina asked, trying to probe some information from the two angry girls.


    "You should be asking whether your captain is a gem or not." Jay snorted.@@@@


    "Because you have one more person in your group, if you lose, Lovelia has to leave the group and be forbidden to re-enter." Kanaria then looked at Vina and said, "And she has to join our group as a baggage carrier for two weeks."


    "!!!" Ivan widened his eyes in shock. "Do you understand what you''re saying? Are you going to treat her like a slave?"


    "You''re contradicting yourself, eh, Mr. genius?" Kanaria snorted. "When you proposed the bet, you treated me as an object you could simply steal from this group. But when I made my condition, you disliked it? What a hypocrite."


    "..." Ivan gritted his teeth.


    There were a few reasons why Kanaria proposed that condition. First of all, she believed that their group could win. Second, by forcing Lovelia to leave, it meant that her rival family wouldn''t be able to take advantage of this guy. Last but not least, Vina was the most useful among them.


    Not only was she great as their vanguard, but she could also bring a lot of benefits to the group. Two weeks should be enough for Kanaria and Jay to become Tier 1 explorers. So, they would have no use for her anymore.


    "You..." Ivan wasn''t the only one pissed. Lovelia didn''t expect that she would be Kanaria''s goal. If she couldn''t fulfill the task from her family, she didn''t know what her family would do to her.


    When Elina heard this proposal, she calmly assessed the bet and understood Kanaria''s aim. It seemed that she was also confident in their strength.


    In addition, losing this bet would cripple this group for a while. But the biggest problem was actually Ivan''s judgment.


    Elina wanted to see how good Ivan''s judgment was here. She thought, ''A hero would definitely be accompanied by many beauties, whether it''s for politics or love. Kanaria might be useful, but she is not worthy of the destruction of the group. Then again, he has provoked them so much that it''s impossible for him not to accept this. It seems that the president has to reassess him.''


    As expected, Ivan accepted the bet. "Fine. We''ll be the ones to win."


    "I-Ivan?!" Lovelia was shocked. It was clear that Kanaria was worth more than her in Ivan''s eyes. It felt like she was just something he could throw away even after giving him a lot of things.


    On the other hand, Vina''s eyes never left Clovis at any moment. She noticed that Clovis trusted Kanaria''s judgment. However, it also pissed him that she accepted the bet since he didn''t want his people to bet over their own lives.


    Other people inside this truck couldn''t help but look at these kids'' arguments and shake their heads. They were simply too young and hot-headed, making them unable to assess the situation correctly.


    When they reached their destination, the two groups went in a different direction.


    Jay, who had been silent until now, couldn''t help but ask, "Are you sure about this, Kanaria? You shouldn''t have bet on your life like that."


    "I''m sorry, Jay, Clovis." Kanaria gave a wry smile. "I know that you might not like it, but this is the only way to solve the issue. Clovis, I know that someone like you will definitely become a bigshot in the future. So, if we were to lose, I hope that you won''t question my decision."


    "!!!" Jay widened his eyes in shock. "Are you insane?"


    Jay fully understood what she wanted. It seemed that she had resolved herself to die if they ever lost, meaning that she didn''t have to join their group.


    Clovis let out a long sigh and patted Jay''s and Kanaria''s shoulders. "You both are making this so complicated. All we need to do is win, right? That''s all. It''s going to be tough, but I''m going to work both of you to the bone so that we can win. Be prepared."


    The two of them were stunned for a moment, seeing how calm Clovis was. They couldn''t help but smile, believing that they had taken this a bit too seriously and forgotten about their main priority.

 Chapter 28 Another Trouble

    Ten years ago.


    Clovis was sitting with his grandfather on the balcony. While licking his ice, Clovis couldn''t help but ask, "Grandpa. Why do you always explore everything alone? The more, the merrier, right?"


    "Hahaha." His grandfather laughed after hearing the question. "It''s because I am not a good leader."


    "You''re not a good leader? But grandpa is strong, right?"


    "Strength is not the only thing a leader needs. If you want to be a leader, you have to make sure that you don''t look lost. Otherwise, your group will catch that feeling and won''t know what to do. I can''t do that because I always panic or go crazy for the unknown, so I am not fit to be a leader."


    Clovis looked at his grandfather with a confused face.


    But remembering it now, he finally understood what he meant. If he was acting like he was swept away by the situation, the group would definitely head in a different direction. That was why he remained calm throughout the whole situation and told them that everything was simple. That was right, they just had to kill as many beasts as possible. Their goal hadn''t changed.


    They simply wanted to get first place.


    Clovis, standing with his group, looked at the man in front of them. He was looking at the clock before blowing the whistle. "Start!"


    In that instant, all groups rushed into the woods, entering Dodo''s territory. Some of the groups immediately changed directions to Quagga''s territory.


    Ivan''s group seemed to remain in this territory, while Clovis followed the other groups to Quagga''s territory.


    "They are going that way!" Vina informed the group.


    "It doesn''t matter. We just have to stick to our plan to win. I see a shadow in the distance!" Lovelia reported while pointing at their front.


    Ivan sped up and finally encountered the first bird. The bird looked harmless at first, but when it saw a human, it immediately charged, planning to impale the human with its sharp beak.


    However, Ivan bent his knees and sliced the bird''s neck from beneath it, killing the beast in a single strike.


    "Congratulations, Ivan. You''re the first to kill a beast in this competition." Elina smiled.


    "That''s right. As long as we have Ivan, there''s no way we can lose." Lovelia harrumphed, thinking they were invincible.


    Meanwhile, Clovis asked while killing a bird on the way to Quagga''s territory. "So, Kanaria. Are you going to move together with us or stay on top of an elevated platform to guide us? This is your competition, so I want to know whether you want to participate directly or act as usual."


    Kanaria was a bit surprised by the question. They had decided that she would support them yesterday, but Clovis respected Kanaria''s decision since she was the one accepting the competition.


    Out of respect, Kanaria bowed. "What do you think I should do, Captain?"


    She had overstepped her bounds earlier, so it was only right that Clovis took back the command.


    "In that case, you are to remain as our support. We will head southwest from here. There should be a small ridge in that direction, which you can use. There should be a lot of Quagga in that area as well."


    "Understood." Kanaria received the instruction.


    After making sure Lovelia was far away, Elina couldn''t help but ask, "Are you sure about this, Ivan? You should know that Lovelia and Kanaria''s families are enemies, right?"


    "In that case, it''s my job to help both families. I will be the middleman so that they don''t need to fight anymore." Ivan pumped his chest proudly.


    "..." Elina looked at him for a moment before taking out her device. She opened the map and showed the difference between their map and hers. "If that''s the case, I will give this to you."


    "What is this?" Ivan frowned. The map looked more detailed than the one they had used so far.


    "This is the Gold Class Map. The president has given me an account for the Gold Class Map. It''s the reason why I''m always recommending a place to hunt."


    "What? Elina... you..." Ivan couldn''t believe what she had just said.


    It was nothing weird for Elina to possess the Gold Class map since the president of the Drake Group would definitely invest heavily in Ivan.


    Instead of talking about the reason why she had hidden this for so long, Elina said, "Please think about this carefully, Ivan. You are currently in the competition. If you lose, the group will be crippled. Will you prioritize your ego, or will you accept this map and win?"


    Ivan gritted his teeth. What Elina said wasn''t wrong.


    "Ivan!" Elina was a bit annoyed that Ivan took so long to decide. She even used another card to persuade him. "I''ve heard that Jay is running away from his family, so he mustn''t have a lot of money. Kanaria has been expelled from her original group, so she doesn''t have anything either. And that Clovis? I haven''t heard anything about him, so he must be a poor boy.


    I don''t know how he bewitched her, but they surely don''t have a Gold Class map. You have to take advantage of this and save Kanaria from that man''s hand."


    Gulping down, Ivan contemplated. Kanaria didn''t even accept him, so what exactly did Clovis do to get Kanaria? He couldn''t think of any reason other than blackmail. It was the only way for an unknown man like Clovis to get a hold of her.


    That was right. He should free Kanaria from his grasp. This was his responsibility.


    Ivan grabbed the device before handing it back to Elina. "I''m going to use the map, but in our group, you''re the most suitable to read the map and direct us. Elina, I will trust you. Help the group to win so that I can free Kanaria from him."


    "Understood." Elina smiled.


    However, there was one miscalculation in both Clovis and Elina''s plans. It was the fact that this competition was rigged from the outside.


    The two mysterious men that had been watching Clovis had arrived at the area north of the dimetrodon''s territory.


    "Do you think Dimetrodon is enough to kill him?"


    "I''m not very sure. He is the grandson of that man, so I don''t think it will be that easy."


    "What are you planning to do then? Create another beast wave?"


    "No. There is something that I want to try. I don''t know if it will work, but his group shouldn''t have the ability to escape from it."


    "Don''t tell me. You are insane, you know that?"


    "I won''t even bother the grandson of the top ten explorers if I''m sane."

 Chapter 29 Incident

    "Clovis. Handle the two Quaggas on your right. Jay will be intercepting the incoming Quaggas."


    "Got it." Clovis stepped forward, seeing the Quaggas rushing toward him. He jumped to the left so that these two beasts would follow him. When they were about to reach him, Clovis threw the short sword, letting it circle around a trunk so that he could slide and loop around.


    The two beasts hurriedly followed him, but their form was unstable because of their speed. Clovis took this chance to slice their necks, only to fail to kill both of them at the same time.


    He managed to cleanly cut the one near him, but it seemed that after knowing it would die, this Quagga slammed its friend''s body to push it away. As a result, his blade only scratched the second Quagga''s neck.


    The beast charged forward in a rage over the death of its friend. Clovis actually used its friend''s body as a shield, causing the Quagga to hesitate. He then looped around and struck this Quagga, killing it.


    After killing them, Clovis checked on Jay in the distance. As expected, Kanaria helped him, so Jay finished the beasts at the same time as him.


    "Are there any other beasts around, Kanaria?" Jay asked.


    "The radar doesn''t see anything within a fifty-meter radius. We should continue north to find more." Clovis asked.


    "I also don''t see any sign of life around here. If you want, I can sense some on the other side of the hill. Do you want to climb the hill?"


    "No. It will take too long. We''ll just follow the hill from down here," Clovis replied before asking, "By the way, have you seen anyone need help?"@@@@


    "Huh?" Kanaria frowned. There was no reason why they should help their rivals in this situation. So, she didn''t understand why Clovis was asking for it.


    "It''s nothing. If you find one, please tell me." Clovis chuckled before turning to Jay, who looked a bit exhausted. He tossed a water bottle to him, which was actually the recovery water bottle.


    At the same time, Jay also stabbed the demons with their syringe, trying to get their essence.


    "How many have we killed?" Clovis asked.


    "Including these five beasts, we have killed 73 beasts within these past few hours. The sun is about to set soon, so why don''t we set up a tent here?" Kanaria replied.


    "Nah. We''re not exhausted yet." Clovis looked at Jay, who nodded his head. He didn''t know why, but he felt that his condition was even better than usual.


    "Alright. In that case, let''s move to the north. We should be able to reach the next destination before dark." Kanaria stood up and started running on the ridge. Her position looked exposed, but the hill didn''t have a lot of trees, so Clovis and Jay could easily find out if there was a beast chasing after her.


    Since she was safe, the group proceeded with their current plan. They had killed so many beasts on the first day, so it wouldn''t be weird if the population of the beasts here would be gone by tomorrow morning.


    After some consideration, they decided to stay right at the edge of the Elasmotherium''s territory. This way, they could start hunting these beasts when morning arrived.


    Clovis was in charge of setting up the tent, Kanaria was heating up their food, and Jay was searching for water nearby.


    Kanaria noticed the change in the tent. "Hmm? Is it a new tent? I think the one we purchased a few days ago wasn''t like this."


    "Yeah. It''s a new tent. I bought it with my money, so it''s fine, right?" Clovis didn''t tell her about the real use of the tent, but he was proud of it. After all, if the effect registered in Another World Mall was true, then four hours of sleep would feel like six hours.


    "Then, have you actually explored the subterranean world before this?"


    "Nope. My birthday was only a few days ago, and I immediately awakened to become an explorer." Clovis shook his head.


    "Then..." Kanaria looked at the progress with a doubtful expression. She wanted to say that this information was fake, but Clovis actually smiled at her.


    "Is it hard to believe? In that case, let me give you a single hint." Clovis playfully raised his finger. "What is my name again?"


    "Clovis...Hac..." Kanaria stopped abruptly before falling into deep thought. In that instant, she realized that the progress was related to the Hacfield Family''s secret.


    If this data was not wrong, then the Hacfield Family should have another way to fill up these numbers. And there was no way she could know about it.


    Such a wonderful way would be sought after by many.


    Kanaria politely bowed her head. "I''m sorry, Clovis. I was rude earlier."


    Clovis waved his hand, implying it was not a big deal. Little did he know, this was Clovis''s plan.


    If he wanted to introduce the Another World Mall to everyone, it would bring more trouble than benefits. At the same time, he had to introduce its products so that he could make them even more powerful.


    Hence, there was only one thing he could do. It was to instill the mysterious Hacfield Family in their minds.


    As long as they misunderstood it as the Hacfield Family''s secrets, they should be able to understand. In the end, his grandfather was one of the top explorers in the world. The Hacfield Family had also been destroyed.


    As the only successor, it wouldn''t be weird if Clovis knew or carried the secret of the family.


    Although he felt bad for fooling her, he had to do this for now. At the very least, until he had the courage to tell them about Another World Mall.


    ''Once Jay and Kanaria grow accustomed to this idea, I can buy them special clothes from the mall without surprising them too much.'' Clovis thought with a smile. While it was not urgent, he still wanted a chef who could cook the ingredients from Another World Mall. This way, the entire group would benefit.


    However, the peaceful moment abruptly stopped when Jay returned to the camp.


    He was running, but even after seeing them, Jay remained quiet. He even placed his finger on his lips, gesturing them to not say anything.


    They were bewildered at first, but Jay explained everything after gathering together.


    "I saw two groups fighting and killing each other."


    "!!!" Kanaria widened her eyes in shock, while Clovis actually remembered what the military personnel said before the competition.


    "Second, during the competition, you are allowed to use everything other than high-level weaponry with overwhelming destructive power like missiles. Other than that, you are allowed to use anything."


    He even repeated it to make sure that the participants understood what he meant.

 Chapter 30 Egg

    "Second, during the competition, you are allowed to use everything other than high-level weaponry with overwhelming destructive power like missiles. Other than that, you are allowed to use anything."


    Clovis frowned. ''As expected, I didn''t hear it wrong. We could use anything other than high-level weaponry.''


    "Clovis? What should we do? Should we run a bit deeper into the Elasmotherium''s territory? It will be safer this way." Kanaria asked in a low voice.


    Shaking his head, Clovis explained, "Do you remember what the military guy said back then?"


    "Huh?" Both of them were confused, so Clovis reminded them and asked, "Do you understand what ''anything'' means?"


    Kanaria and Jay exchanged looks before shaking their heads. They thought it was only a weapon.


    That was why Clovis sighed. "Anything you can find, whether it''s another person''s weapon or that person himself."


    "!!!" Kanaria and Jay widened their eyes in disbelief.


    By killing other people, they could use their weapons or even ransack their belongings. In fact, they might even be able to acquire the essence they hadn''t absorbed. In other words, they could actually wait for people to get exhausted before ambushing them. Not a single group would stop for a moment to take the essence of the beast they killed when there was another beast nearby.


    That was why it was a perfect plan to just wait and reap all the benefits while retaining their strength.


    Morally, it was wrong. However, no one cared. This subterranean world adopted the law of the jungle. Hence, it didn''t really matter if they killed one another for their own benefit.


    Kanaria asked, "So, what are we going to do, Clovis? The spot where Jay saw the incident shouldn''t be that far from here."


    "We should go deeper to avoid danger. Even if it means fighting in the dark, we have to secure a new place to ensure our safety," Jay suggested without hesitation.


    Clovis sighed. On the one hand, they could ambush those people. On the other hand, it didn''t seem that they were very fond of the idea since the first thing that came into their mind was running away.


    In fact, Clovis didn''t have any experience killing humans. He wondered if it would be different from killing a beast, considering they were the same kin.


    "For now, let''s go deeper. I believe there is an area without a lot of Elasmotherium near the border, so we''ll use that place to avoid direct conflict."


    Both of them nodded without hesitation.


    They hurriedly dismantled everything and packed up their luggage within ten minutes before departing for the Elasmotherium''s territory.


    The sky had turned dark, so it was hard to navigate through the area. In addition, they wouldn''t be able to see anything far away.


    While relying on his other senses, Clovis pointed at a small plain among the trees. "We should use this place as our camp for tonight. Remember, it will be cold because we can''t light up any fire to avoid any attacks from both beasts and humans."


    "Jay. You should remain here with the luggage. We''ll scout the area around." Kanaria grabbed the radar. Although it didn''t show any signal, they couldn''t be sure until they checked it for themselves.


    Without wasting any more time, they erected their tent. Clovis also told Jay the plan, which the latter accepted.


    Fortunately, the group didn''t encounter any mishaps during the night. Even the killers weren''t brave enough to enter this territory.


    ...


    In the city, a young man walked toward the commander of the city defense, informing him of the result of the first day.


    "Sir. We have checked the area briefly. It seems that the plan has succeeded. There won''t be any threat in this area anymore, so there won''t be any risk of a beast wave coming from the west."


    "How about the south, where we hold the competition for Tier 1?"


    "There is nothing wrong with their progress. However, their result is slower than our expectations. Or it might be because the competition in the west is so intense that their progress looks lackluster."


    "I see. Those beasts are dangerous, so we can''t say a lot of things about their progress." The commander thought for a moment. "Is there something wrong with the competition for Tier 0 explorers?"


    "What do you mean, sir?" The young man tilted his head in confusion.


    "I''m talking about a weird movement from the beasts, not only the ones in the competition area but also the ones around it."


    "That''s..." The young man looked down for a moment. "We haven''t found anything yet. It looks normal."


    "In that case, I want you to monitor that competition closely. If there is any sign, inform me immediately."


    "Yes, sir." The young man didn''t know why the commander wanted him to pay close attention to this competition. After all, the dangerous one would be the other competition. Tier 2 beasts were extremely hard to hunt. So, they should focus on it.


    What the young man didn''t know was the identity of Clovis.


    The commander couldn''t help but furrow his eyebrows, thinking, ''There is indeed something strange with the competition. The higher-ups also approved this matter easily. Who is their target? That rumored genius? Or the Hacfield boy?''


    As the commander expected, the two guys who had been observing the competition had begun to move.


    They were moving toward Tier 1 territory as if they were looking for something.


    "Remember. You''re going to distract those soldiers while I bring the beast in."


    "Got it."


    What they were aiming for was actually not another beast wave. Instead, they were actually bringing an egg.


    Clovis, Jay, and Kanaria didn''t realize at the time that the danger they would face in the competition far surpassed anything in their imagination.@@@@

 Chapter 31 Elasmotherium

    *Yawn!*


    Jay came out of the tent while stretching his hand. "It''s morning already? I feel like I have slept more than I should have."


    "Good morning." Kanaria greeted him, still staring at the canned food she was heating. "Wash your face over there and get ready. This will be a very long day."


    "Where is Clovis, by the way?" Jay asked.


    "Clovis is already scouting the area."


    "For real? Does he not know that he should get some more rest?" Jay shook his head.


    "You tell him. He is always the last one to stop training and the first one to do everything. I''m concerned about his well-being." Kanaria sighed.


    As if knowing when to eat, Clovis suddenly returned while saying, "Don''t worry. I know when to rest. If I''m sick, I will end up wasting too much time on recovering instead of training after all."


    Kanaria shook her head. "Is there only training in your mind? Come here and eat."


    "Thanks." Clovis grabbed the can before reporting. "By the way, I have found several nests. There should be at least fifty of them. Looking at the situation, it seems that most groups are still occupied with the weaker beasts."@@@@


    "In that case, we have to be fast and sweep this entire area."


    "Yeah."


    The group hurriedly ate before packing up their luggage.


    In just thirty minutes, they had completed their preparation and headed out.


    Unfortunately, there was no hill in this area, so Kanaria had to climb on top of a slightly higher tree. Meanwhile, Jay and Clovis approached the beasts carefully.


    Due to the nature of the elasmotherium, the territory was filled with grassland. Hence, Kanaria couldn''t be picky about the tree she climbed. At the same time, there was nothing that would block her vision from up there.


    The elasmotherium was gigantic. They came from the rhinoceros family. Their height reached up to four meters with a big hump on their back. There was a horn on its head, reaching up to two meters long. If one took the full brunt of this animal, it would feel like getting hit by a truck.


    However, it didn''t really matter for Jay and Clovis. They were confident in their attack power. Even if they looked tiny compared to this animal, they were more flexible than it.


    The nest Clovis found was actually a small puddle of water in this grassland. There were a total of seventeen elasmotheriums around the water, drinking.


    "How is it, Kanaria?" Clovis asked.


    "I could see them from here. But I feel like this tree would be crushed by one of them." Kanaria observed their movement with the binoculars.


    "We''ll kill them before reaching here. And in case they are coming, run away."


    "Are you going to use your pistol?" Kanaria thought that since they had the ammunition, they would definitely have an easier time if Clovis used the pistol.


    "Nah. The bullets are too precious. We''ll use it against the thylacines."


    "Got it. In that case, I will kill several of them on the side. You two can focus on the center."


    Even then, Clovis wasn''t scared. He took back the short sword before tossing it to another rhino, marking the start of their battle.


    A few rhinos attacked Clovis, but their size also became their biggest weakness. They tried to attack him with their horns, but they ended up hitting other horns on the way.


    Clovis took advantage of this situation and struck them one by one.


    On the other hand, Jay successfully caught up to them and slashed one of them from behind. He aimed at their feet, so they couldn''t move anymore. There was no way two feet were enough to support their weight.


    Kanaria also shot the enemies on the side, reducing their number.


    Still, there were simply too many beasts coming. Even with both of their efforts, two elasmotheriums still reached the tree.


    Unfortunately for them, Kanaria remained calm. Before those giant horns hit the tree, Kanaria jumped off the tree.


    The beasts were confused, but when they raised their heads, the only thing they could see was the barrel of her sniper rifle.


    *Bam!*


    One of them died after being shot at point blank range. The other tried to change its direction, but Jay had caught up and slashed it from behind.


    Kanaria pulled the bolt, taking out the used shell and filling the barrel with a new one. She shot the second beast, ultimately eliminating both of them herself.


    "Oh! Somehow, you''re scarier than the person you used to be." Jay smirked. He still remembered the time that Kanaria was chased by beasts. Back then, she needed help, but this time, even though she still needed his assistance, she still effectively eliminated the threats.


    Kanaria smiled. "Of course, I can''t lose to him, can''t I?"


    "We can''t lose to him." Jay turned around, looking at the injured beasts. He had to eliminate them and help Clovis.


    However, once again, Clovis surpassed their expectations. By the time they killed all the beasts on their side, there was only one beast remaining on Clovis''s side. And he actually killed them without the help of his gun.


    "What? How could he..." Kanaria gasped. She didn''t expect that Clovis was this strong.


    They thought they had witnessed everything Clovis could offer previously, but it turned out that he was much stronger than they thought.


    What they didn''t know was that Clovis simply became stronger at a rate they could never imagine. Last night, he actually bought another six items from the mall, allowing him to increase 24% of his evolution traits.


    Before they could even help him, Clovis killed the last one with a single swift strike to the head.


    "Oh! You guys are done?" Clovis didn''t know what they were thinking. All he knew was that the enemies had been eliminated.


    "..." Jay made a wry smile. He had to know Clovis''s limit first before attempting to surpass him. At the same time, he was actually happy that Clovis was this strong. This meant their rivalry would be legendary.


    On the other hand, Kanaria couldn''t help but wonder if this was actually something related to Hacfield. While her family had produced a lot of high ranking explorers, including her father and grandfather, they still couldn''t be compared to Clovis''s grandfather.


    ''It seems that I have to work even harder if I don''t want to be left behind.'' Kanaria sighed.


    They continued to hunt the elasmotheriums until their hunts were abruptly stopped by a scream.


    "HELP!"

 Chapter 32 A Deal

    "HELP!"


    "!!!" Clovis raised his head while Kanaria asked, "Is that someone who needs help? Or is it a trap?"


    Kanaria''s concern was not without a reason. There were people desperate enough to trick other groups. Once they were saved, they tricked them and poisoned them. On another occasion, there was a group that chased after a woman while lying in ambush. Once a group came to help her, they were ambushed.


    There was even a story about how they used a child to invoke people''s pity. This dark side of humans was what actually made people have a hard time trusting other humans. In fact, because of them, a lot of victims who truly needed help didn''t get what they needed and died.


    Even so, Clovis still said, "Kanaria. Find a position to support me. Jay will hide not far from me."


    "Are we going to save her?" Kanaria asked.


    "Yeah. I told you earlier that I want to help people, right?"


    "I know that, but..."@@@@


    "I''m not a saint. There is another reason I want to help her, and from the noises, it doesn''t seem that she is alone."


    "Understood." Kanaria and Jay nodded, hearing some clicking sounds.


    While waiting for them to get into position, Clovis approached the voice to get a look at the people they needed to help.


    It turned out to be a group of four being chased down by a lot of elasmotheriums. They had been venturing into this territory for more than seven hours, so it wouldn''t be weird to see some brave people come to this territory.


    But it was surprising that they got into trouble like this.


    Two of them were holding a big shield, trying to stop or deflect the beasts'' horns. One was using a spear to stab them from behind.


    The last one must be the woman who asked for help. She was using a dagger, and her speed was rather quick. It appeared that she was looping around to kill the beasts by using her speed, but the enemies were simply too big, so she had a hard time moving around, especially with that number.


    If this continued, the two vanguards would have their arms broken from taking their attacks, and the group would be overwhelmed sooner or later.


    Hence, Clovis said in the transmission, "Jay. Don''t show yourself for a moment, and get ready to help if they attack me. Don''t forget to look at our surroundings to see if there are any groups that are trying to kill us. Kanaria will find a spot and support me. We''ll attack them from behind."


    "Roger." They acknowledged the order, not knowing what Clovis actually wanted to gain from helping them. Kanaria had heard about Clovis''s plan to defeat Ivan''s group, but she still couldn''t see the connection between the two.


    Nevertheless, Clovis ran toward the beasts silently. The distressed group didn''t realize his arrival due to the size of the beast.


    However, it didn''t matter.


    *Bam!*


    They heard a gunshot coming from the side, killing one of the beasts. At the same time, Clovis moved in and struck another beast.


    Several beasts near them ended up realizing Clovis''s presence. And the people noticed the gunshot earlier.


    "Are you sure about this? If we take it, doesn''t that mean you won''t be able to use it?" Jack asked.


    Clovis shook his head. "Of course, we can still use it to increase our kill counts."


    "Huh?" Jack and the others were confused. "Didn''t they say that they had a technology that could analyze the gene and find the same gene?"


    "They indeed said that, but it seems that you have forgotten one thing." Clovis smirked. "They only told us that we couldn''t use our syringe to cheat since that item only scanned one syringe at a time. They didn''t tell us that the beast couldn''t be used two times by two different groups."


    "!!!" Jack widened his eyes in shock. When he thought about it, he couldn''t really refute Clovis''s words.


    "Hence, you guys can take one ml first from all these beasts before I drain them. And I have a question for you guys."


    "What is it?"


    "Are you planning to leave after this?"


    "No. We''re thankful for your help, but we''re thinking about taking a rest somewhere around here before continuing our hunt."


    "In that case, how about making a deal with me?"


    "A deal?" Jack was surprised.


    Clovis approached them carefully and explained everything about the deal. Jack was completely shocked, but he didn''t think it was impossible.


    If they followed Clovis''s deal, they might still get a shot in this tournament.


    After explaining all the details, Clovis asked, "So, how is it? This plan should allow us to rise together."


    "There is something that I can''t understand." Jack raised a finger. "I have seen the cruelty of another group. They don''t hesitate to kill people to satisfy their group. However, why would you propose a deal that actually benefits another party?"


    "While it''s beneficial to other parties, I still intend to win." Clovis smiled. "Besides, if you take a look around you, what do you see? Enemies? Allies? No. They are your kin."


    Jack felt like he understood Clovis a bit. He was trying to imply that they had a common enemy. Before they were a part of their own group, before they were explorers, they were humans. Yes, as humans, they considered the beast their common enemy. So, why would they fight with each other when there was an enemy right before their eyes?


    "Since we have a common enemy, why would we fight one another? Even I don''t want to kill other people unless it''s necessary. If, in the past, our grandparents'' generations didn''t unite, would they be able to protect the countries? No, the beasts would have destroyed humanity. That''s why I hope that you can agree to the deal."


    Jack smiled. "To be honest, I admire you. Your deal doesn''t seem like something that will make me and my group suffer."


    "Of course. You are free to aim for the second spot since I''m going for the first place."


    "Hahaha. I will accept your deal." Jack extended his hand.


    "In that case, we''ll meet again later at the promised place."


    "Yes. It''s my pleasure to work with you."

 Chapter 33 Attack

    Kanaria couldn''t help but cross her arms after listening to their conversation.


    ''Is he serious about this? But when I think about it...'' Kanaria''s expression turned serious. It seemed that this plan was worth it. As long as she could destroy Ivan''s group, especially the rival of her family, it was worth it.


    It seemed that Clovis truly wanted to help her get what she wanted.


    "Seriously, what a reliable captain." Kanaria smiled, feeling grateful.


    After reaching an agreement, Clovis started moving in a random direction before curving back to Jay and Kanaria once he couldn''t see those people anymore.


    "Do you understand what I''m trying to do?" Clovis smirked. Jay and Kanaria nodded with a solemn face. "Alright. On to the next one."


    Clovis led the group to rescue the people and propose the same deal. After feeling pressured by the beasts, the group realized that they actually had no shot at the ranking.


    That was why Clovis''s proposal looked like a gold mine. While they might not be able to reach the highest rank, they would still win the battle or at least reach the top ten groups.


    Although there were some arguments, most of the people they encountered actually looked at the idea positively.


    They thought that it might be a competition, but in the end, the real purpose of this competition was to thin out the number of beasts in the area. So they didn''t break any rules by working together.


    Clovis had set up one net after another, creating a connection between a lot of people.


    However, not all of them were fond of their ideas, especially the people who attacked other people to get their loot.


    Clovis and Jay had just killed more than ten elasmotheriums. After moving for so long, they were pretty exhausted.


    Clovis simply gave the recovery water so that they could keep going.


    "By the way, Clovis. While we don''t break the rules, do you think that the military will accept this method? What will you do if they actually back up other groups by punishing us?" Jay asked.


    "That is also a possibility." Clovis nodded in understanding. If they somehow lost, they would definitely suffer greatly. "How many Tier 1 beasts have we encountered so far?"


    "Three Tier 1 beasts. It''s kind of hard to find a Tier 1 beast in this territory, especially since thylacine territory is much closer to the border of Tier 1 territory."


    Clovis thought for a moment before saying, "In that case, do you want a radical solution?"


    "A radical solution?"


    "Yeah. We just have to cut them up." Clovis smiled evilly.


    *Thud!* Jay''s heart sank. What Clovis said wasn''t false. If they eliminated Ivan and the others, they would be able to win. Even if they couldn''t win against them in close quarter combat yet, they had Kanaria. She could hit him from afar.


    However, it also depended on the terrain. A good group like them would choose difficult terrain for a sniper to strike. If they came too close, the radar would pick up their presence, alerting the entire group.


    So, unless they had a good spot to kill them, it would be hard to eliminate Ivan''s group.


    Then again, Clovis had his pistol, which would be extremely useful in close-quarter combat.


    Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, there was no gunshot resounding across the area. They didn''t know if the sniper was not there or wasn''t fast enough to shoot Clovis. Nevertheless, it gave Clovis an advantage.


    He hurriedly swung his blade toward the guy with the radar. The latter tried to block it with his dagger, but Clovis overwhelmed him with his strength and the weight of his blade before slashing the guy''s body.


    The blade hit his heart, so Clovis hurriedly turned around and took out his pistol. The one with the shield was in plain sight.


    "He''s here!" The guy with the shield hurriedly turned around, trying to cover his entire body with the shield.


    *Bang!*


    *Clank!*


    The bullet hit the shield. When he thought that the shield was able to repel it, he was completely stunned when he noticed a hole in it.


    "Eh?!" The guy looked down, noticing blood on his body. "Aaahhhh!"


    His voice alerted the others, but Jay quickly came out from his hiding spot and ambushed one of the sword users with a single swing.


    The guy didn''t even realize that he had died as it was a swift and clean hit.


    Clovis also didn''t hesitate to go straight to the shield user to end him, but when he was about to strike him, another sword appeared from the side, blocking his swing.


    "!!!" Clovis hurriedly moved back when another guy stepped in, ready to use his pistol again to eliminate them. However, the other guy also had a pistol on his other hand. Without hesitation, both of them aimed at each other while moving away to take some cover.


    *Bang!*


    *Bang!*


    A few shots were launched as they both reached a safe place.


    "Kh." Clovis clicked his tongue while looking at the bullet hole in his left arm. He still managed to endure the excruciating pain, but he had to defeat his opponent in this condition.


    The opponent wasn''t in good condition either. The shield user was bleeding profusely from his wound. It appeared that Clovis managed to hit one of his vital areas. Meanwhile, the other guy had a few wounds on his body.


    While they were focused on engaging the enemies, all of them didn''t realize that Jay had actually disappeared once again before ambushing the spear user.


    He kicked the spear user''s stomach, knocking him out of the corner of the corpses, causing him to be a bit more exposed.


    But to his surprise, there was a gunshot coming from afar, hitting this guy''s body. It didn''t seem that it killed this person, but the shot still splattered a huge amount of blood on the grass.


    In that instant, Kanaria came out of her hiding and followed the direction of the sound, finding her target.


    *Bang!*


    Another gunshot resounded across the field as a report came in.


    "The sixth guy is down. Go all out. I will watch your rear," said Kanaria while jumping off the tree.

 Chapter 34 Snake

    "Go all out. I''ll watch your rear."


    Clovis and Jay smiled. Jay stabbed the dying guy to ensure his death before moving toward the other two.


    Clovis also moved accordingly, causing the enemies to be flanked from two directions.


    It started with a few shots from Clovis.


    *Bang!*


    *Bang!*


    *Bang!*


    The bullets pierced through the beast''s body, almost hitting them. Both of them couldn''t help but panic, realizing that the bullets in that pistol were not normal.


    When they were occupied by Clovis, Jay made a swift turn and launched a sneak attack.


    "!!!'' The one with the pistol noticed Jay and pointed his gun at him. Knowing that it was the most dangerous weapon to them, Jay waved his blade, cutting his hand. The enemy waved his sword while the shield user looped around to help.


    However, Clovis appeared from behind them and cut down the shield user. Jay stomped the ground to gain more strength from his lower body to pin the sword user down. The sword user had no other option.


    On one side, there was a giant corpse that acted as a wall. On the other side was the dying shield user who was trying to help him earlier. In addition, Jay stopped him in the front, leaving only one escape path.


    And that escape path was where Clovis was. Without wasting a single second, Clovis slashed the last person, killing him.


    "Ha... Ha..." Clovis panted a few times. While there weren''t a lot of movements, this ambush took a toll on his body. Although he had known this, this incident just reinforced the idea that humans were sometimes more dangerous than beasts.


    "Are you alright, Clovis?" Jay asked, looking at the wound.


    "Yeah. I was lucky that it was only my arm." Clovis sighed before asking through the radio. "Kanaria. How is the situation on your side?"


    "I am retreating right now. Hurry up and extract the essence from those beasts. While you''re at it, find anything useful from those corpses. After that, head straight to the west. The terrain over there is safer for snipers, and I''m currently moving toward it to secure the area."


    Clovis and Jay looked at each other in amusement. Both of them were thinking the same thing. What a reliable teammate she was. Not only did she manage to take down the hidden danger, but she was also moving toward the next step without waiting for Clovis''s command.


    "Got it. Inform us if something happens." Clovis and Jay nodded, knowing that they had to be fast.


    However, Clovis suddenly dropped to the ground, his body was shaking.


    "Clovis?" Jay was startled, wondering if there was a hidden wound.


    "I am fine. Let me catch some breath." Clovis looked at his shaking hands. "Although I have prepared myself for this, I guess what I have in mind and what actually happens are vastly different."


    Clovis had maintained his composure the whole time, but killing humans was different from killing beasts. After all, they were his kin.


    "Huh?" Clovis and Jay widened their eyes in shock. Clovis took another look at the egg and remembered what was inside. "It wasn''t a tadpole. It was a snake."


    "Don''t tell me..."


    "Where is the snake? How big is it? Is it a Tier 1 snake?" Clovis asked Kanaria for confirmation. While he was indeed injured, it wouldn''t lower his performance. So, they should be able to kill this snake.


    But Kanaria kept shouting, "Hurry up and leave. Do you want to die? Just believe me and run for your lives!"


    This was the first time that Kanaria spoke this way. Even Clovis and Jay couldn''t deny it any longer and had to follow what Kanaria said. Although they didn''t know what she was talking about, they should regroup with Kanaria first before questioning anything.


    Jay and Clovis hurriedly grabbed their bags and simply ran toward Kanaria''s direction.


    At the same time, Clovis checked the radar he dropped earlier, wondering what Kanaria was talking about.


    He couldn''t help but blink a few times, not believing what he found on the radar. Instead of a normal dot, he actually found a giant line that took up a large portion of the screen.


    "Oi, Jay. Look¡ª!" Clovis tried to show Jay, but the latter was already shocked when looking at the real thing. Even Clovis had to raise his head, finding a giant snake head rising to the sky.


    "What..." Jay and Clovis couldn''t believe what they were seeing. With just a glance, it was clear that the snake had a length of at least fifteen meters. The size of its head was more than three meters. Even without stretching the head, it looked like the snake could swallow the elasmotheriums easily.


    ''Tier 0 Snake? No, I don''t think it''s that simple. Then Tier 1 Snake? What kind of Tier 1 snake has this size? Even the short-faced bear can''t be compared to this. Then, Tier 2 snake?


    But if that''s the case, how is it even entering this place? Shouldn''t the soldiers protect this area from outside beasts?''


    Clovis tried to think of a few possibilities, but he simply couldn''t imagine what kind of event could actually lead to having this snake here.


    "Run!" Clovis and Jay sped up to the limit.


    It seemed that the snake noticed them and started following them.


    Clovis pointed his pistol at the snake and shot it in the face.


    *Bang!*


    Instead of blood, what Clovis got was a clicking sound of metal as his pistol failed to penetrate its skin.


    Because of that shot, the snake sped up.


    "Oi, Clovis. What the heck are you doing? It''s completely angry at us now!"


    "I know, but we have to try this." Clovis gritted his teeth. He had one more special bullet that he had conserved this whole time, but he wondered if this was the correct time to use it.


    Kanaria was already aiming for the snake with her high-caliber sniper rifle. She aimed at the giant head. If Clovis failed, she might be able to do something with her sniper rifle.


    *Bang!*

 Chapter 35 A Plan

    "What the hell is this?" A soldier gasped, looking at the impossible occurrence before him. There was actually a long trail leading to Tier 1 territory. It appeared that a beast coming from Tier 1 territory actually entered the competition area.


    The trail was three meters wide. Everything that it crossed was actually flattened, indicating its weight. More importantly, the trail was actually continuous as if the beast didn''t leave the ground.


    He had been supervising the area, yet he never thought that there would be a beast this powerful coming in.


    "This is not good." A soldier picked up the radio and reported, "This is Gerry from Delta-01, I''ve found a trail coming from Tier 1 Territory. The trail is quite unique as if it''s a snake. I need a backup to investigate this trail."


    "Got it. We''ll send you someone."


    It didn''t take too long before another person arrived at the scene, dumbfounded by the trail.


    "This is..." The man gasped as if knowing what this trail was.


    "Is there something wrong?"


    "You idiot. Just look at the trail. There aren''t many animals that can produce this kind of trail. Most likely, the one coming to the competition area is a snake or something similar."


    "A Tier 1 snake?" The guy understood it but he didn''t think this was a big problem. In the end, the participants were expected to have the strength to go against Tier 1 monsters. After all, they were bound to find Tier 1 beasts in the competition area.


    So, having one snake sneak in shouldn''t be much of a problem.


    However, his superior actually shouted, "Do you not understand what this means? Just take a look around you and ask yourself if there is snake territory around this place."


    "A snake territory?" The guy fell silent for a moment. There was no Tier 1 snake territory around here, but if he actually explored a bit further, there was actually one. "Don''t tell me..."


    His superior immediately contacted the supervisor. "We are suspecting a Tier 2 snake, Yurlunggur, to invade the competition area. We need backup and a full investigation. We also need an elite squad to take down the snake while preparing for an evacuation."


    No one couldn''t believe it. However, this was the only possibility. There was actually a Tier 2 snake intruding on the competition area. No participant had enough power to actually defeat this monster. There was a possibility that several participants had fallen as the snake''s prey.


    ...


    *Bang!*


    What if the ones coming for him were his family''s enemies? But if this were the case, couldn''t they just kill them with their extraordinary strength instead of using these beasts?


    Clovis''s expression turned grim. On the one hand, he felt bad that this was happening because of him. On the other hand, he figured out the problem early on, allowing him to actually utilize this chance.


    He should apologize later and solve this snake.


    "Kanaria. Get ready to leave. It''s going to be hard to maneuver around the wood, so you should go first," said Clovis while grabbing his pistol. Instead of the bullets he bought with Kanaria, he used the remaining special bullets he had. This was his last trump card and if this failed, he wouldn''t have anything left to fight these snakes.


    "Got it." Kanaria jumped off the tree and began moving in the same direction as them.


    "Are we going to fight a Tier 2 beast?" Jay asked with a serious expression. He simply didn''t know how to defeat this beast.


    "We don''t have a choice. If we keep running like this, sooner or later, the snake will catch up to us." Clovis sighed. They had been avoiding several toxin shots while running. Every time they dodged, the snake closed the gap. If this continued for a bit more, the snake would definitely catch up to them. So, their only chance was to fight back.


    Jay couldn''t deny it, but he couldn''t picture how to even penetrate the snake''s skin.


    Even Clovis was not confident that they could defeat the Tier 2 snake. At the same time, they would be in trouble if they actually had to give up because of this and lose Kanaria.


    "No, wait a minute." Clovis suddenly thought about something when the thought of losing this competition appeared in his mind. "Kanaria. Where do you think those four people are currently?"


    "Huh? Since they''re going for the dodo, I''m assuming that they''re currently in the Glyptodon Territory by now." Kanaria didn''t understand the question. Even though their lives were at risk, Clovis was actually concerned about these four.


    However, he soon asked Jay. "Can we hold back the snake long enough to reach that territory? It should be only one kilometer from here, right?"


    Jay instantly understood what Clovis actually wanted. "Are you serious?"


    "Even if we''re going to lose, we''ll drag our competitor down." Clovis smirked. "At least, nobody wins."


    "If that''s the case, I''m going to give it all." Jay smirked, feeling excited. Although it was going to be close to impossible, they had no choice but to try.


    "Kanaria. Move ahead and give us your location. If possible, find our competitors. We''ll be giving this snake to them."


    Kanaria certainly didn''t expect this to be the plan. But it seemed that this was the best way to end the competition. Even if they were angry later, they could still use this snake to call off the competition. The worst case scenario was that there was no winner.


    "Understood." Kanaria immediately put the sniper rifle on her back so that she could increase her speed. The only weapon she needed was her pistol. While scouting ahead, she had to ensure that the path was clear so that the beasts wouldn''t hinder Clovis and Jay.

 Chapter 36 Lucky

    *Bam!*


    *Bam!*


    *Bam!*


    A series of trees fell to the ground. Clovis looked back while sweating. The snake had been closer than ever. If this continued, he would have been devoured before finding the perfect sacrifice.


    On the other hand, Jay used his beast soul to go first because he had to clear up the area in front of him.


    In other words, Clovis was left alone to take care of this snake.


    Since the pistol didn''t work, he had a limited option to halt the snake. The trees around here were a bit too small to stop this snake.


    In fact, he had been going left and right to confuse the snake, but it was impossible to trick the snake. His short sword couldn''t make a dent either.


    Because nothing worked, the snake could finally reach him before they even arrived at Glyptodon''s territory.


    "Tsk." Clovis clicked his tongue when the snake lowered its head as if it were ready to launch its head at him.@@@@


    The moment the snake''s head moved forward, Clovis hurriedly turned around and jumped toward the head, striking the head before the snake could even open its mouth.


    *Cling!*


    Clovis gritted his teeth because his sword couldn''t even scratch this snake''s skin. He wanted to utilize the springiness of his clothes, but he simply didn''t have the time.


    Clovis also positioned himself as high as possible so that the moment he stopped, he could see the snake''s eye.


    He pointed at the eye and shot once, only to find the snake had reacted fast enough to use the eyelid to cover it. At the same time, the snake also launched him back with a little nudge, causing Clovis to fly in the air for a moment before rolling a few times on the ground.


    Instead of looking back, Clovis continued running without caring about the snake. At least, he gained a bit of distance.


    Realizing that it had been tricked, the snake continued, not letting Clovis escape.


    This time, the snake opened its mouth first so that Clovis couldn''t trick it anymore.


    Unfortunately for the snake, Clovis actually jumped behind the tree, forcing the snake to actually bite the tree instead.


    In just a second, the snake actually crushed the trunk with its jaws and continued moving.


    If he could injure the snake with his special bullet, it could spread some poison that would at least weaken the snake. This would give him more time to fight this beast.


    "It seems that I have no other choice. If I want to stop this snake for a bit, I have to make some sacrifices." Clovis had a plan in his mind, but he didn''t know whether he could succeed or not.


    He surprisingly slowed down his speed as if he were getting exhausted.


    The snake lowered its head again, ready to shoot it. The moment the distance was right, the snake moved its head forward.


    This was also the time Clovis sped up so that the snake''s head couldn''t reach him.


    Seeing that it was only two meters away from him, the snake suddenly shot out its long tongue. The tongue was extremely big for a human and it would surely cause some damage if Clovis got hit by it.


    But to the snake''s surprise, Clovis actually turned around, jumped into the air, and struck the tongue with all his might.


    "!!!" The snake was startled, but it couldn''t retract its tongue at this point. In the end, the sword and the tongue clashed.


    To Clovis''s surprise, his plan actually worked. The blade was able to cut the softer tongue, but it was still extremely hard as the cut was only half a meter deep. On the other hand, the momentum of the tongue couldn''t be stopped and it pushed back Clovis and overwhelmed his sword.


    Ultimately, the tongue actually hit Clovis''s body. The impact was so strong that it actually felt like he was being hit by a bike.


    "Gah." Clovis gritted his teeth. Fortunately for him, the impact had been absorbed by the clothes he bought in the Another World Mall. If not, several of his ribs might crack from the impact.


    Still, Clovis hurriedly regained his composure and balance before pointing his pistol at the tongue.


    *Bang!*


    That one shot finally the snake''s tongue and pierced through, leaving the second wound on the snake.


    The snake opened its mouth, wailing in pain. The red tongue actually turned black at a rate visible to the naked eye. Even Clovis didn''t expect that the poison on the bullet was actually this potent. Then again, seeing how the snake''s poison was able to melt the ground, he knew that it wasn''t as great as the snake''s poison.


    It was only as good as a Tier 1 bullet, which was powerful against a Tier 1 beast, but not that potent to kill a Tier 2 beast.


    The snake''s tongue gradually withered, causing the snake to back up a little bit while wailing in pain.


    Clovis had two thoughts after seeing this. On the one hand, this might be a way to kill the snake. He still had seven bullets left, so they might still have a chance to kill this giant snake. On the other hand, it also meant that he had to shoot the inside of the snake. The only exposed area was the snake''s mouth, so he didn''t know if he could create an opening to destroy the other parts of the snake.


    That was why, even though the chance was in front of him, he hesitated to take it.


    Suddenly, he got the news he was waiting for.


    "Clovis. I''ve reached Glyptodon territory. It seems that we''re pretty lucky since their party seems to be trying to get out of that territory and head to the easier elasmotherium territory."

 Chapter 37 Changing the Aggro

    "Ha... Ha... Go forward!" Ivan shouted in frustration while striking at the Glyptodon. Glyptodon was a large, herbivorous armadillo that lived around 3.2 million years ago.


    It had a bony shell covering its body. Despite striking it at full power, Ivan only managed to graze its surface. The others produced a similar result, so they had to attack this glyptodon in its weak spot.


    However, the glyptodon mostly rolled around, hiding behind its hard shell. So, they had a hard time hunting this beast.


    They had killed several glyptodons, but they were nowhere near the speed when they hunted the dodo birds. That was why they were quite desperate to leave this territory.


    "This is not looking good. Hurry up and leave this place," said Elina with a serious expression.


    "We can''t afford to lose to those people." Vina nodded in agreement.


    "This is because you all are overestimating your attack power. See? We couldn''t even do anything to the glyptodons." Lovelia snarled.


    "Don''t talk about it for now. We have to leave this territory as fast as possible and kill as many beasts as possible. Only after we are done with this competition will we reflect on our choices." Ivan calmed them down so that they didn''t argue in the middle of the battle.


    Unbeknownst to them, Kanaria was actually watching them from afar.


    "I have spotted them. They seem to be struggling against the glyptodons. Do you need me to stop them?"


    "Buy me one minute. I will bring the snake to them. Also, make sure that they don''t shoot me or anything, Kanaria."


    "Got it." Kanaria smirked while aiming at the beast not far from them.


    *Bang!*


    Without the glyptodons realizing it, a bullet hit one of them before they could even roll around.


    "!!!" The glyptodons and Ivan''s group were alarmed, not knowing what happened. The glyptodons obviously noticed Ivan and his girls, who were closer to them. But Ivan couldn''t help but raise his head, noticing Kanaria standing not far from them.


    "Kanaria?!" Ivan''s eyes brightened, thinking that Kanaria had finally accepted his love and wanted to help them.


    However, the other three were not so kind to Kanaria''s action. She could actually snipe them from there.


    With them having a fight with her, they couldn''t help but say, "She is not an ally, Ivan."


    "Don''t be fooled."


    "She might be trying to harm us."


    Ivan wanted to say something, but the glyptodons that Kanaria alerted earlier ended up moving toward them since they were the closer targets.


    "Not good!"


    "So, that''s her aim."


    Ivan didn''t say anything but still gritted his teeth. There must be a misunderstanding between them. If only Kanaria could understand them a bit better, they would definitely become good friends.


    Unfortunately for him, it was not possible. When he was fighting the glyptodons, Clovis had finally reached Kanaria''s position.


    A huge snake suddenly appeared in the corner of their vision.


    *Shaaa!* The snake abruptly stopped, noticing the sharp pain in its body. The wound that Ivan inflicted was not high, but it didn''t change the fact that it was the first attack that penetrated its skin.


    The snake''s attention immediately shifted from Clovis to Ivan.


    "!!!" Both Clovis and Kanaria widened their eyes, noticing the change.


    "Did I succeed?" Clovis looked back.


    "Clovis. Are you going to retreat now?"


    Clovis couldn''t help but furrow his eyebrows. On the one hand, this problem might be related to him, so he didn''t really want to kill anyone else. On the other hand, these people were his competitors and might do something to him in the future.


    In fact, the conflict between them wasn''t that big. It only started with this Ivan acting all mighty just to get Kanaria. Then again, Kanaria was preparing to die in this competition.


    "Jay. Where are you?"


    "Finishing the last two beasts before going on my way to catch up with you guys."


    "Kanaria. Get ready to switch things up. We will kill this snake."


    "Are you going to help them?" Kanaria couldn''t help but frown. She was quite happy to see Lovelia injured, so she thought that this would be the end of them. Then again, she also thought about her family as a whole, which would definitely be affected by their deaths.


    "No. They won''t be able to kill the snake, but we can. We''ll use it to kill this snake, so I want you to remain in your position."


    "This will definitely create a rift between our group and theirs, you know." Kanaria knew that if these people were alive after this ordeal, they would definitely report this matter and do whatever they needed to do to eliminate Clovis. Jay and Kanaria might be able to escape with their family power, but not Clovis.


    On the other hand, if they died, this matter would be investigated and traced back to them in one way or another. So, either way, the moment they chose to do this, their relationship would be irreconcilable.


    However, this was actually what Clovis wanted. At first, he wanted to create a rift between them so that there was enough reason for them not to uphold the bet.


    And with this grudge, even Ivan wouldn''t think much about Kanaria anymore. All that was left was how they should solve this issue.


    If they died, the people behind them would send powerful people to kill them. However, if they were still alive, Ivan would definitely take his revenge by himself.


    With this, the only thing Clovis needed to do was stall for time until he was strong enough to fight the people behind them.


    Of course, this wouldn''t have happened if there was no Tier 2 snake and they just competed fairly. Still, it wouldn''t change the fact that they would be targeted after that.


    Hence, Clovis believed that the snake would be a good excuse to harm them. He could say that they were also surprised that they stumbled upon their group when they were running away from the snake.


    And they were indeed pretty lucky since Ivan was also planning to head to the elasmotherium territory.


    With this thought in mind, Clovis moved back carefully, avoiding angering the snake again until Jay returned. He was pretty sure that Ivan would also run away from this snake sooner or later.


    But for the time being, Ivan went berserk.


    "You bastard!" He kept shouting the same thing while waving his blade, giving one superficial wound after another.


    As one would expect from the so-called number one genius in the city, he indeed had the strength to back up that claim.


    Instead of focusing on the snake, Clovis moved toward the glyptodons while thinking, ''They have to die first so that nothing can intervene when I want to kill the snake.''

 Chapter 38 Killing a Tier 2 Snake

    "Kyaaa!" Lovelia screamed. Her face was pale as she couldn''t get up, staring at this snake.


    Lovelia had a hard time regaining her composure after she was hit earlier. It seemed that her injury was also quite heavy.


    After getting hit by Ivan, the snake realized that these people were more dangerous than the ones he had chased the whole time. Hence, the snake was searching for the weak link of the party, which was none other than Lovelia.


    It was staring at Lovelia, wanting to kill her.


    "No!" Ivan roared and struck the snake once again, cutting the snake''s flesh.


    "Ivan!" Lovelia cried.


    "You bastard. I won''t let you hurt the girls." Ivan shouted in anger as he continuously struck the snake, leaving one shallow wound after another.


    Elina hurriedly grabbed Lovelia, dragging her away. "Hurry up. We have to leave."@@@@


    "I will be helping Ivan stop the snake. We can''t fight a Tier 2 snake." Vina stomped her shield on the ground as if trying to get the snake''s attention.


    "Hurry up and go!" Ivan ordered out loud, knowing that they were a burden in this fight.


    Vina gritted her teeth and pointed at the forest. "We should go there. If we continue like this, we will just be a burden."


    "But..." Lovelia, who was injured, was the one wanting to help him. However, Elina hurriedly dragged her away.


    As soon as they were far enough, Ivan jumped back, activating his beast soul. He jumped forward, closing their distance in a single leap.


    This meant that he had more distance than Clovis, who was trying to hide behind the glyptodon''s corpse.


    Unbeknownst to him, everything was going according to Clovis''s plan.


    In fact, Kanaria was looking at their party pitifully, specifically Lovelia.


    ''Ivan, huh? I don''t have a grudge against you, but I don''t want to be a part of your group. You are indeed the number one genius and your reputation is well-deserved. However, being a part of your group means that I''m going to be dumber in the name of love, not being able to see that I''m just a burden while trying to help. In the end, it will just cause more problems.


    In the end, this group suits me more. I have my independence, I have an amazing captain, and I have a vision that this group will be an extremely powerful group.''


    Kanaria thought while shaking her head helplessly. She hurriedly turned to the snake, asking, "Clovis? Do you need a hand?"


    "Help me until Jay is here. We''ll be taking down this snake."


    "Got it." Kanaria released the first shot.


    *Bang!*


    It still failed to penetrate the snake''s skin, but the bullet was actually close to the wound that Ivan created earlier.


    Even the snake realized what her aim was. Even though the wound was small and hard to hit, it would be a problem if she managed to hit the exposed flesh.


    The snake hurriedly turned around, trying to stop her. This was when Clovis came out of his hiding spot and jumped on top of the snake''s body, shooting the wound with his poisonous bullet.


    Kanaria also shot another bullet but missed because of the snake''s movement.


    The snake pushed away the glyptodon''s corpses so that it could find Clovis. However, Clovis skillfully looped around the corpses so that the glyptodon''s corpse blocked the snake''s vision, allowing him to reach the snake''s body.


    He pointed his gun at point blank range and shot it.


    *Shaa!* The snake realized that the end part of its body couldn''t move anymore. The poison had spread so far that it sensed a deep crisis in fighting these three people.


    It even stopped chasing after Clovis and tried to escape.


    "Do you think you can escape?" Clovis smirked, knowing this was his chance. He climbed on top of the snake''s body and ran toward the next wound.


    *Bang!*


    The snake had his middle body paralyzed. Its head was already enduring the pain and the right eye had become blind due to the poison.


    Clovis''s last target was the wound near the snake''s head that Ivan created earlier when trying to protect Lovelia. Without hesitation, he rushed forth, taking this chance.


    Jay also looped around with the beast soul, waiting for a perfect chance to help Clovis.


    Kanaria released another shot toward the snake, hitting another wound. However, that part of the body had been paralyzed by the poison, so the snake didn''t react as much.


    On the other hand, Clovis tossed the short sword, letting it pierce his next target. The short sword penetrated the flesh and Clovis began to climb the snake''s body to launch the last attack.


    "This is finally over." Clovis smirked, pointing his gun at the last wound. But to his shock, Jay''s voice echoed in his ears.


    "CLOVIS!"


    Clovis was startled and noticed that they had stopped moving. When Clovis raised his head, he saw the snake''s head right in front of him.


    Clovis shot the head in desperation before detaching himself from the short sword.


    The snake''s head hit his body. Luckily, Clovis was fast enough to drop the short sword and raise his long sword. Both of his hands held the sword at the edge as the snake knocked Clovis to the ground.


    The impact was so massive that it created a small crater underneath Clovis.


    "Gah!" Clovis spat a mouthful of blood. In fact, his body felt like it was being flattened, causing some of the blood to flow out of his nose and eyes. The snake kept pushing Clovis to break his arms, but luckily, the bones on his arms didn''t break immediately, allowing the ground to support his body to withstand this attack.


    "Clovis!" Jay shouted. On the one hand, he wanted to be surprised that the sword actually didn''t snap after being hit that way. On the other hand, he had a job to do. "Oi, you bastard snake. That''s my captain over there!"


    Jay struck one of the wounds near the head to widen it.


    *Shaaa!* The snake''s head retreated due to the pain and Kanaria even shot another bullet, which caused the snake to flinch.


    Seeing Jay''s position, Clovis gritted his teeth and grabbed the pistol he dropped earlier, tossing it to Jay.


    "Jay!" Clovis shouted at the top of his lungs.


    "!!!" Jay was startled, but when he noticed the gun, he hurriedly caught it and saw the chain hanging on the snake''s wound. He didn''t hesitate to climb the snake''s body and release Clovis''s last bullet. "Die, motherfucker."


    *Bang!*

 Chapter 39 Misunderstanding

    *Bang!*


    *Shaa!* The snake let out the last wail before its head fell to the ground. From the looks of it, the snake didn''t die immediately as the poison only killed a part of the snake. But now that the poison had spread into the snake''s body, the snake couldn''t do anything other than accept its fate.


    "Ha... Ha..." Clovis panted a few times before he laughed. "Hahaha...hahahahaha! We did it!"


    Jay was also exhausted because he had been continuously exerting his beast soul. If the battle continued a bit longer, he might not even be able to stand up.


    Kanaria couldn''t help but smile, feeling proud that their group could actually kill a Tier 2 snake. And because she was the least exhausted, she immediately surveyed the area, making sure that not a single person dared to steal their part.


    "Jay!" Clovis pointed at the side, specifically at the glyptodon''s corpse. "I hid my bag over there. Immediately get all the snake''s essence and retreat from here. Although I want to bring the materials this snake has like its venom or something else, I don''t think we have that kind of leeway."


    "Understood." Jay nodded with a serious expression. That was right. While they had killed the snake, it didn''t mean that they were safe yet.


    Clovis couldn''t really get up, so he could only let Jay do the rest by himself.


    "Kanaria."


    "Don''t worry. The area is secured for now."


    Clovis smiled. "I hope that this is enough to make them stop pursuing you. Though, I think that there will be some conflicts in the near future."


    "This is better. At the very least, I believe that this group can get stronger and stronger, unlike their group. I bet that the three girls will be left behind sooner or later."


    "I''m glad. In that case, continue monitoring the situation."


    "Okay. But are you alright? Do you need some medicine?"


    "It''s fine. I don''t think my bones are broken. But let me lay down here for a bit." Clovis sighed. He never thought that he would be saved by the shirt he bought from Another World Mall.


    At the same time, this was also proof that Another World Mall had that much potential.


    Jay, on the other hand, grabbed all the essence, including the glyptodons.


    However, they got another surprise when Jay extracted the snake''s essence.


    "Eh?" Jay found a small purple cube. "Isn''t this a beast soul?"


    "What?" Both Kanaria and Clovis widened their eyes as if they couldn''t believe their luck. "Are you serious?"


    "Yeah. This must be the beast soul. I don''t know what kind of beast soul it is, but it should be something powerful. We have to identify it at the base."


    "Alright. Even if we have that, I don''t think any of us is strong enough to absorb the essence." Clovis sighed.


    The commander frowned. On the one hand, stopping the competition would probably be what he should do. On the other hand, this kind of thing was bound to happen sooner or later in everyone''s life. If they couldn''t overcome such a thing, they would die in one way or another.


    In the end, the commander came to a decision. "No. We won''t stop the competition. Just find the snake and kill it if it''s still alive."


    "Under¡ª" The report stopped as the investigator had reached the field where the battle transpired. He could see the giant corpse from afar, making him realize that the snake had actually died.


    "What''s wrong?" The commander felt weird since the report ended so abruptly.


    The investigator gulped down before confirming, "The snake is dead."


    "What?" The commander sucked a cold breath. "Did you say the snake is dead? Who killed it?"


    "We are not sure. I can''t imagine that the participants, who are only Tier 0 explorers, could actually achieve this." The investigator squinted his eyes as if he saw a few shadows moving around the snake''s corpse. "Wait a second. I think I see a few people."


    "The participants? Or are there any intruders? If they are intruders, you have my permission to engage." The commander panicked. There was someone daring enough to bring the snake into the competition area, so it wouldn''t be weird if there was a group of people that dared to enter their competition area.


    "They are..." The investigator used the binoculars to check them from afar. He was shocked when he recognized these people. "They are Ivan Reagen and his team."


    "Ivan Reagen? That genius child who has a 99% evolution rate?"


    "Yes, sir. I shouldn''t mistake his appearance. The three people should be the women in his party." The investigator opened his device and checked their identities and appearances. "I have confirmed that they are Elina Woo, Lovelia Rusth, and Vina."


    The commander sucked a cold breath. "I see. So, that genius even managed to kill a Tier 2 snake."


    "I saw a lot of sword wounds, so yeah, I believed he was the only one who had the strength to injure the snake."


    "Got it. Don''t leave yet. Observe them from a distance for another fifteen minutes, making sure that they don''t die. They should be quite exhausted after the fight. If they have any signs of giving up on the competition, make sure you escort them to safety. We can''t allow such brilliant potential to die."


    "Yes, sir."


    ...


    While they focused on Ivan, Clovis''s scheme had begun to take place. Once the sun was about to set, Clovis came to the designated place.


    This time, he found not only the people he saved earlier but two more groups. It seemed that they were enticed by the potential of the trade.


    Clovis was happy because his plan to defeat Ivan''s group overwhelmingly could come to fruition. Even Kanaria was feeling excited as if she wanted to see the face Ivan and Lovelia made when they lost.


    Clovis waved his hand with a smile.


    "Hello everyone. Thank you for coming and believing me. I won''t bore you with any speech, so I will just tell you two things. First, we will conduct everything fairly. If you are cheating us, we will stop the trade. Second, with everyone''s agreement, we can do another trade right before the competition ends.


    If no one has objections, let us begin."

 Chapter 40 Result

    Drake Group.


    On the top floor of the Drake Group''s office, a middle-aged man was leading a meeting attended by more than twenty people.


    "Sir!" Suddenly, a young secretary came to the room.


    "What? Can''t you see that I''m in a meeting right now?" The middle-aged man looked annoyed.


    "But I believe you should take this, sir. The call comes from the commander of the underground city."


    "Mmhm?" The middle-aged man squinted his eyes. The people in the room were also quite curious why such a person would contact them. He ended up tapping his device a few times, projecting a screen that identified the commander.


    "Mr. Eric. I am the commander of Rizben Underground City, Steiner. I apologize for disturbing you all of a sudden, but I think you''d like to listen to this."


    The commander briefly explained the situation and ended it with, "And from what we saw, your group was present when our team investigated it."


    Eric couldn''t believe what he had just heard. "Are you sure it''s Ivan? There might be someone else who killed them."


    Although he knew Ivan was extremely talented, he still didn''t think he was able to kill such a powerful beast.


    "We could only confirm it when the competition ended. However, judging from the time we found out about the snake and their appearance..." The commander didn''t continue, but the message was pretty clear.


    "I see. Thank you for bringing this matter to my attention, Commander Steiner. If you have some free time, let me invite you for a drink."


    "It''s not a problem." The commander hung up.


    Eric looked astounded for a moment while the others couldn''t help but stand up.


    "Congratulations, Mr. Eric."


    "Congratulations for getting an extremely talented individual, Mr. Eric."


    "Haha... Haha... Thank you, thank you!" Eric couldn''t contain his smile. Although the commander had specifically said that they couldn''t confirm it until the competition ended, he didn''t think there was anyone else that could harm a Tier 2 beast other than Ivan in the competition.


    He was overwhelmed by the news that he didn''t care about the blunder the military had made and simply thought this was actually an opportunity for their Drake Group.


    Little did they know, what truly happened couldn''t be any more different.


    ...


    The third day.


    The commander stood at the west gate personally because he wanted to see the hero who managed to take down the Tier 2 snake.


    He was looking at the scoreboard that had been updated by the examiners.


    1. Flying Guard (7#) - 870 points.


    2. Severity (12#) - 850 points.


    3. Undying (39#) - 840 points.


    "Hoho... There is still one hour left before the competition ends, but these people have submitted their results." An old man smiled, looking at the scoreboard. "Isn''t it good, Commander Steiner?"


    "Well, each of the top teams has killed one or two Tier 1 beasts. Meaning that they manage to kill twenty to thirty beasts every day. And seeing that all of them manage to return, the result is indeed pretty good."


    "Still, the top scorers usually use as much time as they can, no?" The old man smiled.


    "Indeed. It seems that you are pretty interested in this, Mr. Rusth." The commander glanced at the old man.


    "Hehehe. Of course, I am quite excited. I want to see the result of my grandson-in-law." The old man looked excited, obviously looking forward to seeing a score higher than any other competitor because of the news about the Tier 2 snake. "This is why you''re so shortsighted."


    The old man turned his head to the side, looking at a woman in her late thirties sitting on the sofa.


    She had long brown hair gently resting on her back. Her bang covered her right eye and her small eyes made her face look cold and distant.


    "Lovelia." The old man nodded and came to her, wondering about the essence. At the same time, he was staring at this Ivan.


    "Hello, sir." Ivan politely greeted him.


    "Mhmm. A promising young man." The old man smiled. "Please take care of Lovelia."


    "Yes, sir. I will definitely protect her."


    The old man then whispered to her, asking, "Lovelia. Where is¡ª"


    Before he finished his words, another wave of cheers erupted in the camp."


    "Oi. Look at that! The first place changes again!"


    "What?!" The old man raised his head, gasping in disbelief.


    1. Xovereign (#4) - 2130 points.


    "How? How did they..." The old man couldn''t believe what he saw. "Who are they? How could they achieve such a place?"


    He couldn''t believe that the number one position was actually taken by a nameless group. However, it didn''t stop there.


    More and more groups shocked the camp.


    "2170 points!"


    "Hey. It''s 2200 points!"


    "How in the world do they get 2300 points?!"


    Every single group couldn''t contain their shock because the people in these four groups were not really famous. In fact, their evolution rates weren''t that high.


    Yet, they could actually defeat the most promising group in the competition.


    "What is this? Where is the group you''re proud of?" The woman grinned, finding enjoyment in the result.


    "You..." The old man gritted his teeth and turned to the commander. "Where is the Tier 2 essence?"


    The commander was looking at the screen, wondering the same thing. Did he make a mistake? Was it someone else who killed the Tier 2 snake? But the time frame was so small that it shouldn''t be possible.


    "Tier 2 essence?"


    "What the hell is he talking about?"


    The people were confused, never hearing anything about Tier 2. However, Ivan and the others became tense as if they knew something.


    It was at this time that Kanaria''s voice echoed in everyone''s ears.


    "Are you talking about this, old man?"


    "!!!" They all couldn''t help but turn around, seeing Kanaria walking with her group. Since this was a competition Kanaria had to win, both Jay and Clovis allowed Kanaria to take the spotlight.


    In that instant, the cold woman suddenly appeared in front of Kanaria, looking at her.


    "Eh? Mom?!" Kanaria blinked a few times. "What are you doing here?"


    "I am worried about you." The woman shook her head helplessly. "It seems that you are fine."


    "Yes, of course, I''m fine." Kanaria tilted her head in confusion. "Is there something wrong?"


    "Did you mention Tier 2 essence earlier?"


    "If you''re talking about the snake, then I have it with me." Kanaria nodded with a serious expression.


    The woman couldn''t help but make a satisfied smile. She immediately dragged Kanaria to the examiner and asked, "Where is the tube? Let''s register your result."

 Chapter 41 Argument

    "Where is the tube? Let''s register your result."


    "Here." Kanaria handed the tube carefully, not knowing why her mother was this excited. She wondered what had actually happened in the last three days.


    She hurriedly handed the tube to the examiner and said, "Check it right away!"


    "Y-yes!" The examiner was a bit overwhelmed. Not only was his superior here, but these important people were urging him to do his job.


    He hurriedly scanned everything and couldn''t help but gasp. "This is... a total of 13 Tier 1 beasts, 230 Tier 0 beasts, and one... one Tier 2 beast."


    "!!!" Everyone''s eyes turned to the examiner as if trying to confirm what they had just heard. However, the examiner rushed to upgrade the scoreboard.


    1. Libation Fiesta (#24) - 3600X points.


    2. Red Hawk (#9) - 2300 points.


    3. Fiery Wings (#11) - 2200 points.


    4. Not Mohawk (#26) - 2170 points.


    5. Xovereign (#4) - 2130 points.


    6. True Thorn (#25) - 2120 points.


    Everyone''s heart sank when they saw such a high score.


    "This is..." They were shocked by the Tier 2 Essence, but the fact that the first place overwhelmed them without the Tier 2 beast alone was enough to show them the current gap.


    As for Ivan''s group, let alone placing second, they actually failed to get to the top 5.


    "Impossible." Ivan gasped. "How could this be possible? How in the world are they able to get those points?"@@@@


    Even Lovelia couldn''t explain this situation. They thought that their score was already crazy high, so there was no way other groups could actually defeat them. And more importantly, these groups didn''t seem to be famous and had powerful individuals.


    Elina hurriedly asked, "There must be something going on. We ask the examiners to investigate the points."


    The commander couldn''t help but furrow his eyebrows. He raised his hand, saying, "I''m sorry, everyone. There is one thing that everyone should know first. If you take a look at the score, you will notice that we added a character instead of a number for the Tier 2 beast.


    "In the other competition, Tier 2 was worth ten times that of Tier 1. However, this is because the participants are Tier 1 Explorers. When a Tier 0 explorer fights against Tier 2 beasts, their only option is to run away since even preserving their lives is hard.


    "That''s why instead of using the normal measurement, we are giving a special character as no amount of Tier 0 or Tier 1 beasts can amount to the difficulty of challenging a Tier 2 beast as a Tier 0 explorer.


    "With that out of the way, I do feel suspicion about the score. While I''d like to praise everyone who has done a great job, I''d like to know the method that you use to acquire such a high score."


    "What is this? Are you pressing these guys?" Kanaria''s mother squinted her eyes.


    "It''s not like that, Madam." The commander gave a wry smile. "I know that I am being shameless for asking their secret. While I can say that this is for the greater good, the military will pay the compensation they deserve."


    The commander looked at the examiners and asked, "How is it?"


    "We have confirmed that there are same genes on their tubes." The examiner confirmed Kanaria''s claim.


    Lovelia''s grandfather gritted his teeth. He never thought that his granddaughter''s team would lose like this. If it was only the second place, he might be able to understand it. But they couldn''t even reach the top five due to this scheme.


    He was trying to hold his anger the whole time, but it erupted the moment Kanaria said, "With this, Lovelia has to leave her group and be unable to join anymore."


    "Huh?" Her grandfather widened his eyes as if he couldn''t believe what he had just heard. He looked at his granddaughter, whose face was already pale. "What is the meaning of this, Lovelia?"


    Lovelia couldn''t say anything. It was Ivan''s fault for accepting that bet.


    Kanaria was delighted when she saw Lovelia''s expression. She stated, "Their group has come to us with a bet to see which one of us has a higher ranking. In the event that my group loses, I am forced to leave my group and join theirs.


    However, because my group only has three people, we demand more, which is to have Lovelia leave the group and can''t rejoin as well as Vina become a part of our group for two weeks."


    Lovelia was gasping for air. Her grandfather was going to severely punish her even though it was Ivan who proposed the bet.


    Ivan gritted his teeth. He wanted to deny it, but he didn''t know how to do it in the correct way. If he said one wrong word, he would definitely become the joke of the community.


    "Child. There is no proof of that bet. Besides, it''s not an official bet."


    "If you want proof, I believe there are a few groups who can confirm it." Kanaria looked around, finding several familiar faces. These people were on the same truck as them, so they should have heard about the bets.


    However, they looked frightened when she looked at them. It wasn''t because of her. Instead, Lovelia''s grandfather was warning them with a glare that if they dared to speak up, they would get the consequences.


    "See? There is no proof."


    Kanaria looked at them while shaking her head helplessly. It seemed that they didn''t dare to come out, but she could understand their fear since the opponent was a Tier 5 explorer.


    "Besides, after listening to your little scheme for cooperating with each other, I do think that you might actually buy them beforehand. Do you think their words will be credible?"


    Kanaria''s expression became cold. She couldn''t help but sigh. "As expected of someone who has led the Rusth Family for over thirty years, you are rather shameless."


    "Is this how you speak to your elder? It seems that your parents don''t teach you manners."


    "Mom. He is talking about you, you know." Kanaria rolled her eyes, wondering why her mother didn''t back her up this whole time. It turned out she was currently fixated on her device, typing a bunch of stuff.


    "Well, it doesn''t really matter. All I know is that I always teach you one thing, right?" She smiled while extending her hand.


    Kanaria chuckled before handing over her device. "Yeah."


    Her mother typed a few more things, connected Kanaria''s device, and tapped the ''play'' button in just a few seconds. In that instant, the broadcasting system got activated and started playing the recording.


    Ivan''s voice began to echo in everyone''s ears.


    "Let''s have a bet."

 Chapter 42 Vania Renvolt

    The moment he heard that voice, especially the mention of the bet, he rushed to Kanaria while waving his hand, trying to grab the device.


    However, her mother actually took a step forward, matching his speed. She slapped his hand away while asking, "What do you think you are doing, Raymond?"


    "You..." The old man gritted his teeth as the recording continued to play.


    "This..."


    The people exchanged looks, listening to the recording. If the content was true, it was clear that Ivan was the one in the wrong. Kanaria''s group never wanted to bet.


    Kanaria smirked. "The first thing that my mother teaches me is that the law and the government might be above the people, but in the end, the people in the Skynet are stronger. Get proof, spread it, and let the people judge it."


    "Madam..." The commander rubbed his cheek.


    "I think this is fair compensation, commander. Well, hacking the military system is hard, but if it''s only the broadcast system, I can easily do it. This should be enough for your blunder to allow a Tier 2 snake to enter the competition area, right?"


    The commander couldn''t say anything. It was true that this was the military''s mistake. And he couldn''t help but look at the familiar face on the side. While these Renvolt and Rusth families were extraordinary, he was more concerned with the Hacfield.


    It was better to step away from this matter.


    "To think that these people are so shameless."


    "Yeah. They forced others who clearly didn''t want to bet into this."


    "And when they lost, they actually tried to suppress them."


    "These people..."


    Raymond was thoroughly angered. Ivan''s face was pale, while Lovelia was about to cry. Vina was helpless because she ended up in this way because she didn''t stop Ivan, but luckily, she didn''t receive that harsh of treatment like Lovelia. Only Elina had an extremely dark face.


    The Drake Group''s reputation would be affected because of this. While Kanaria had been taking the spotlight the whole time, they all knew that the main reason was Clovis.


    Yes, she remembered that Clovis was the one luring the snake to them.


    In desperation, Lovelia screamed, "They lured the snake toward us. Even after telling the people how humans should cooperate with each other, they wanted to kill us."


    Kanaria couldn''t help but smile when she heard this. She instantly used it to her advantage by saying, "What are you talking about? We were simply running away from that snake while trying to find an opportunity to defeat it.


    "Just remember, we didn''t run away after meeting you. We wanted to cooperate with you, thinking that we could share this glory. Unfortunately, you actually ran away." Kanaria shook her head helplessly.


    "Seriously?"


    "Their group didn''t take that chance."


    "I would have done it."


    On the other hand, Lovelia''s face was white like a ghost. Tears were streaming down her eyes as if she knew that she would be finished once she returned home. She couldn''t imagine what kind of punishment she would receive from her grandfather.


    Vina was the one who remained calm the whole time. While she knew her mistake, it didn''t change the fact that she had to join them for two weeks. She was steeling her heart to all kinds of tortures she would go through in the next two weeks.


    However, Elina was the most concerning. Unlike the other three, her face was natural. It was clear she was thinking something, but no one could really read her expression. There was no telling what she wanted to do after witnessing all this. One thing was for sure, the Drake Group would know about this. Their lives would definitely be in danger.


    Still, Clovis could see a big smile on Kanaria''s face. It was clear that the competition truly had a lot of impact on her life. "Are you satisfied?"


    "Very satisfied. Thank you very much, Clovis." Kanaria lowered her head. She knew that everything wouldn''t be possible without him.


    "In that case, I''m glad." Clovis smiled.


    Kanaria felt moved. Clovis should have known that there would be a huge conflict after this, yet he didn''t say anything or blame her.


    He truly would shoulder all the responsibility as the captain and protect her. All that was left was for her to work hard for the group.


    She swore herself to make this group even bigger to the point where no one could go against them.


    And she didn''t know why, but Clovis looked kind of cool when he just remained silent and stayed mysterious. It was as if everything was according to his plan.


    They were walking to a building not far from the camp.


    Clovis, Jay, and Kanaria were sitting next to each other.


    "First of all, I''d like to thank you for helping my daughter. I know that my daughter is the one responsible for this." She lowered her head to express her gratitude. "Let me properly introduce myself. I am Kanaria''s mother, Vania Renvolt. It''s a pleasure to meet you."


    "It''s not a problem. We are simply protecting each other." Clovis smiled. "I am Clovis, the captain of Libation Fiesta, the group that your daughter is currently in. I know that this is late, but I formally ask for your permission to have your daughter in my group."


    "I am Jay... Well, Auntie should know me already. As he said, he is the captain of the group and I believe he is capable of that role. I, too, ask Auntie''s permission to allow Kanaria to join this group."


    Kanaria panicked as he looked at their actions. She also bowed to her mother, asking her to be allowed to remain in this group.


    "It doesn''t matter. I have heard about the incident where she ends up getting exiled from the group I personally created. I can see her improvement when she is in your group, so I personally don''t mind it.


    "However, you do know that you need strength if you want to protect your little group, right? The Drake Group, the Rusth Family... those two are large influences in the city. And that child, Vina... might not be from a big group, but she is also connected to a lot of things. This incident will definitely direct their anger toward this little group.


    "Well, I don''t think they will kill Kanaria since it would become a declaration of war with my Renvolt. Jay will be the same since your father will definitely go insane if you die.


    "But it''s different for you, little guy." Vania put her hand on the table while leaning forward to take a closer look at Clovis. "There is one way to protect you from all this. In fact, this is the simplest solution to stop the madness. Do you want to hear it?"


    "If there is such a method, then I''d definitely like to hear it. Getting another option is not bad after all." Clovis remained calm even though Vania''s stare was intense.


    And this was when Vania dropped a bomb.


    "You just need to... marry me... Wait, I mean, my daughter!"@@@@

 Chapter 43 Warning

    "You just need to... marry me... Wait, I mean, my daughter!"@@@@


    "Hah?" Clovis dropped his jaw, not understanding her words or probably not wanting to understand them.


    *Cough!* She coughed lightly to restart the conversation and said, "Ah. My apologies. It was a bad habit."


    Kanaria couldn''t help but make a wry smile, not knowing what to say in this situation. She had been so influenced by her mother''s stories that the first time she learned about his identity, she was also like this.


    "With all due respect, Ma''am, I believe that something like this can''t be forced. Marriage without love or just because of intercourses won''t last long. Every marriage should be based on love, so¡ª"


    To his surprise, she actually said the same thing as him.


    "The relationship has to be built first before talking about marriage."


    "Eh?" Clovis blinked his eyes a few times in disbelief. Kanaria and Jay also couldn''t believe that she would say the same thing as Clovis, like she knew what Clovis wanted to say.


    Vania continued with a smile. "As expected, you are his grandson. I thought only your appearances were similar, but I guess your characters were the same as those of your grandfather. I simply recited what your grandfather said to me."


    "..." Clovis was speechless.


    "It seems that my daughter has told you something about me and your grandfather." Vania chuckled. "Anyway, I just want to tell you three things. First of all, I''m not joking about earlier. Second, you don''t have to worry about the Drake Group or the Rusth family for the time being because I will take care of them. Last but not least, I don''t have any problems with Kanaria joining your group.


    So, please take care of her."


    Clovis was a bit overwhelmed. Vania brushed it off like nothing, but it seemed that she was still idolizing his grandfather.


    "Mom!" Kanaria, on the other hand, felt embarrassed when her mother put it that way.


    "Don''t worry. I have put that thought away after marrying your father." Vania shook her head, assuring her.


    Clovis gave a wry smile as he chose to ignore the embarrassment and say, "As the leader, I will definitely protect my group even if it costs me my life. I am thankful for your help with the Drake Group and the Rusth family.


    "Although I can talk big like this, I still don''t have enough strength to fight against them yet. So, I am thankful that you are going to help us."


    "Of course, this is going to be hard for us as well. So, I can only stop them for one year. If you don''t want to be attacked by these people, you have to find another Tier 5 explorer as your backer. Or you need to at least become a Tier 3... no, Tier 2 Explorer within a year. Can you do it?"


    "I can''t say for sure, but I believe they are doable." Clovis nodded with a solemn expression.


    "Alright then." Vania looked satisfied. "Also, you might want to be wary of that Ivan''s guy. While he is considered the most talented and has bright potential, his personality is slightly questionable."


    "I am aware of it and will be careful of him. As much as I want to get rid of him right away, I think that the Drake Group will spare no effort in killing us the moment I do that."


    However, she seemed to remember something. "By the way, Clovis. Do you know that there is another facility underneath your house?"


    "Huh?" Clovis tilted his head in confusion.


    "Well, if you don''t know it, that''s fine. I just found out about it when I was stalk... walking around the city. It seemed that there was another facility that was running for twenty four hours a day underneath your house."


    ''She just admitted she was stalking, didn''t she?'' Kanaria''s eyebrows twitched.


    Clovis looked down, remembering what Gregory had said to him previously. There were people eyeing his house. It seemed that they were looking for a way to get their hands on this facility, but didn''t dare to enter.


    They might even wait for him to sell this house so that they could buy it.


    "I understand. Thank you for the information, Ma''am." Clovis nodded. "I will check it when I go back to the surface."


    "No need to be so polite. Call me mom if you want."


    Clovis just ignored it, knowing why his grandfather avoided her.


    "By the way, you should stay in this room for a bit longer. I''m sure the commander is going to look for you in a bit to discuss the reward."


    "Yes."


    Vania waved her hand with a gentle smile before exiting the room. Her face soon turned cold again as if she didn''t have any emotion.


    As soon as the door was closed, Clovis couldn''t help but look at Kanaria, saying, "Your mother... how do I say this..."


    "No, no, no. Don''t say it!" Kanaria clutched her head as if she didn''t want to hear it. No, she refused to believe her mother''s actions.


    "Pfft." Jay laughed out loud. "Your chastity is in danger, captain."


    "..." Clovis''s eyebrows twitched. He let out a long sigh before saying, "We''re still too young. It''s not the time for that."


    "Other people of the same age usually have a partner or two. Unlike your grandfather''s generation, which is still sticking to the old morals, it''s better if the younger generations have a wife or two to repopulate the world... or at least, make sure the population doesn''t go into decline after a lot of people die to the beasts."


    "How about you? Just go matchmaking right now." Clovis snorted.


    "Me? As the heir of a big family, I have to search for my spouse carefully." Jay smiled while Kanaria rolled her eyes, saying, "Your father told my mother that he is questioning your ability, thinking that the lineage will end in you."


    "What?!" Jay was taken aback.


    However, their little chat soon stopped because the door was opened again and the commander came in.

 Chapter 44 Agreement

    "So, we have confirmed your result and you are truly the victor this time." The commander presented a few documents as well as a card. "This is the card for the cash prize, while these documents are for the super injections. There are a total of seven documents that will act as a voucher for you guys. You just have to go to Essence Bank to exchange for the super injection."


    "Thank you, Commander." Clovis politely nodded his head.


    "Also, this is the compensation for the snake." The commander took out a small glass cylinder.


    They noticed a small crystal inside the cylinder. "Isn''t this a Beast Soul?"


    "This is Tier 1 Beast Soul coming from Thylacine Species. You have to wait until you are Tier 1 to utilize it properly, but once you reach Tier 1, you will unleash an extraordinary grip strength that could actually tear apart your opponent. I hope that this is enough to compensate you guys for the snake.


    After all, I have to admit that the snake''s appearance is because of the military''s blunder for failing to protect the competition arena."


    Clovis also lost the remaining special bullets that his grandfather left behind, meaning that he wouldn''t be able to do anything if he encountered another problem like this.


    Still, Clovis smiled at him and received it. "I understand. Let''s not talk about the snake anymore."


    "Thank you." The commander nodded, satisfied. "Since it''s already dark, I believe you guys should go to Essence Bank and make an appointment for tomorrow. After that, condition yourself for the injection. It''s going to be hard for you guys after all."


    "There is something that I''d like to ask before we close this matter for good." Clovis raised his hand. "I''m sure that the snake''s appearance is not a natural one, right? Is it related to the military?"


    The commander shook his head. "I can understand that you suspect us, but I can assure you that this is not related to the military. We believe that the egg of this snake was the cause, but we couldn''t find more. We suspect that there is a great power or powerful group that is trying to mess with the competition.@@@@


    "I think I can tell you this... The competition was urged by the higher-ups. That was why we couldn''t make a perfect rule to avoid your kind of way of ''cheating,'' since we didn''t have a lot of time. Unfortunately, it wasn''t my jurisdiction to know everything behind the scenes, so I could only say, ''Please be careful.''"


    Clovis let out a sigh. It seemed that his suspicion was correct. The snake was coming for him, and this competition was a bait.


    For one reason or another, it didn''t seem that these people took action personally. After all, if they sent an assassin to him, there was no way he could do anything.


    So, from the looks of it, there must be a reason why they had to kill him by using beasts.


    "I understand. Thank you for the information, Commander." Clovis nodded with a smile.


    The commander stood up and said, "Congratulations for winning the competition." Without wasting any more time, the commander left the room.


    His behavior looked a bit suspicious, considering it would be more normal if he actually chatted about some useless stuff before leaving.


    Clovis said, "I guess we''re done here."


    "Yeah. We will get 2 super injections each, but you have to get 3 injections, Clovis. You surely won''t reject, right?" Kanaria stared at him as if she didn''t want to receive a ''no'' for an answer.


    Remembering that conversation, Jay looked at Kanaria as if reminding her about the agreement.


    Kanaria gave an ''OK'' hand sign to Jay while saying, "Right? Let''s go to Essence Bank. By the way, please sell all the essence for our share, Clovis."


    "Huh? All of them?" Clovis frowned.


    Kanaria panicked, thinking Clovis was misunderstanding her intention. "After two super injections, our evolution progress will be close to the maximum. So, instead of absorbing these random essences, we are thinking about using the money to buy essences that will increase the attributes we need."


    "Oh!" Clovis nodded in understanding. "That''s not a problem. Let''s go to Essence Bank then."


    The group hurriedly left the room. While walking, Kanaria sent a message to Jay. "Oi. After making the appointment, we''re going to leave right away and ask for the money tomorrow. If we stay with him when he sells the essence, it will make it awkward for him."


    "OK," Jay replied.


    Clovis didn''t realize their scheme. Then again, it actually put him in a better position since he could get the money first and register it in his Another World Mall.


    It seemed that the reason why Kanaria''s mother left first was because she knew that there might be danger on the road. They knew that these three people had won the super injections after all. So, there was a chance to steal it or threaten them to direct the appointment.


    That was why Vania eliminated all the threats while watching these three from afar. She couldn''t help but smile, muttering, "I hope that you become a great man, Clovis Hacfield, just like your grandfather. Whether you want it or not, the people who want your grandfather''s life will come to you sooner or later. And some of them are already in this town."


    Once she saw the group almost reach Essence Bank, Vania disappeared.


    To their surprise, Vina was actually waiting for them at the entrance of Essence Bank. As soon as she saw them coming, Vina hurriedly stopped them.


    "Ehm?" Clovis remembered about the bet while Kanaria said, "Clovis. She is ours for the next two weeks. We can get someone to bring our luggage. Her strength is also quite good, at least better than the other two girls."


    Vina lowered her head. "I will be in your care. Do whatever you want to me."


    Clovis was quite amused by her action. She didn''t know when they would come to Essence Bank, yet she still waited for them. And because she wasn''t the one who decided to make the bet, she could back away. Even Vania didn''t mess with her as much as Lovelia because of her mysterious background.


    So, if Vina wanted to get away from this bet, it shouldn''t be a problem. Yet she actually waited for them here so that she could say all this.


    Clovis let out a long sigh before saying, "If that''s the case, as a member of our party, your role is simple. Just stay in this city and don''t participate in any raids or activities with your previous group for two weeks. This should be simple enough, right?"


    "!!!" Both Kanaria and Vina couldn''t help but raise their eyebrows, not expecting this kind of order. It was the same as him nullifying the agreement.


    "Why? Do you think that I''m not strong enough to be in your party?" Vina asked while clenching her fists.


    "No. You are strong. From your reaction alone, I know that you have the ability to keep up with us. However, being strong doesn''t mean that you suit our group. It''s as simple as that," Clovis explained before walking past her without any expression.

 Chapter 45 Jay and Kanaria

    "Alright. Seven super injections in total: three for Mr. Clovis and two for Mr. Jay and Miss Kanaria. We will prepare for the super injections tomorrow morning at nine. Please come thirty minutes before that."


    "Thank you." Clovis nodded with a serious expression.


    The manager who handled the super injections gave him seven digital certificates and sent them to Clovis. "Once you arrive tomorrow, you can immediately head to this room and just show these certificates. They will guide you to the room for the super injections."


    "Understood."


    Clovis and the manager shook their hands as the manager led Clovis out.


    When they reached the main lobby, Kanaria couldn''t help but say, "By the way, Clovis. We have something to do after this. Can you sell all our portions? Just send the money tomorrow. We''ll be evolving to Tier 1 Explorer soon, so we will buy the essence that will be required for our evolution."


    "Alright." Clovis nodded in understanding. "I will also check about the beast soul."


    "Yep. We''ll be off then. See you tomorrow." Kanaria waved her hand before dragging Jay out.


    Clovis tilted his head in confusion, not knowing what they were planning to do.


    Since they were done, he immediately went to the receptionist to handle the essence.


    Clovis looked at his evolution progress before making his decision.


    Name: Clovis Hacfield


    Tier: 0


    Evolution Rate: 15%


    Brain: 17.1%


    Heart: 16.9%


    Blood: 19.3%


    Muscle: 30.4%


    Bones: 18.2%


    ''With three super injections, all of these attributes will increase by 60%, with the highest being my muscle with over 90% evolution progress.


    ''Since Kanaria and Jay handed over their portion for me to sell, I could probably register the money in the Another World Mall first. If that''s the case, I might not need to sell as much as I originally intended.


    ''This way, I could reach a certain level with my muscle progress, which should be close to 100%. The rest should also be above 80% after this. Tonight, I can also increase another 24% through the Another World Mall. No, with all that money, I could probably increase the purchase limit.


    ''In that case, should I just be satisfied with only sixty thousand... No, I will just sell everything up to seventy thousand. This should be enough to last for a while. And with this, I should be able to evolve to Tier 1 Explorer the day after tomorrow, hopefully.''


    "Hmm..." Jay thought for a moment. "I am not sure. It''s just that whenever he talks about his evolution rate, he doesn''t seem to care. It''s not that he doesn''t know what a low evolution rate means. It''s like he seems to have a way to get stronger fast."


    "What do you mean?"


    "During the competition, I could finally see him from afar, observing his improvement. And I could see that he had gotten stronger much faster than I originally thought. You said that he often sold a lot of his essence, right?"


    "Yeah." Kanaria nodded while furrowing her eyebrows.


    "In that case, how is he able to become that strong? The progress is simply too much, to the point that I believe his evolution attributes are much higher than what I originally saw."


    "Do you mean he has a way to hide his evolution attributes?"


    "Probably." Jay closed his eyes for a moment. "Or maybe his evolution is much higher than what we know."


    "Huh? Are you serious? Then again, if that''s true, how high is his evolution rate? But the evolution rate is controlled by the chip." Kanaria fell into deep thought, remembering one thing. "His family?"


    "I believe they are related to this. His grandfather is one of the top explorers in the world. Even his parents are quite strong... stronger than our parents."


    "That''s..." Kanaria couldn''t deny it.


    "Well, I won''t think much about it. If he is going to reveal it to us, then it''s good. If it''s not, I won''t talk about it. We all have a secret that we don''t want others to know, so I can understand it. However, I still don''t have any intention of losing to him. I will still be aiming for the captain position."


    Kanaria nodded with a serious expression. It seemed that Clovis was a greater man than she originally thought. If that was the case, she might have to make another plan for the group.


    "By the way, how many people do you think our group will have?" Jay asked.


    "I am not sure. He wants an elite group, so six? But I don''t think that''s enough." Kanaria doubled that number to create two groups. "How about twelve?"


    "Twelve, huh? That sounds good enough. Even if I can''t become a captain, as a vice captain, I will be leading the second group." Jay smiled. "Though, what do you think we need the most right now?"


    "Do you mean a member?"


    "Yeah."


    "Hmm... If it''s my group, I will definitely need three types of people. A cook, an operator, and a scout. While I am acting as an operator and a scout right now, I can''t unleash their true potential. In fact, I''m more like a sniper or support."


    "An operator and a cook, huh? It''s true that it will be much better if we have a cook in our party since we don''t need to endure canned food. An operator sounds more reasonable to me, but what do you think about a doctor?"


    "A doctor? Now that I think about it, Clovis is injured a lot because of the way he fights. If we have a doctor, we can be more assured if we want to handle a bigger exploration."


    Jay nodded in agreement. "Yeah. I''m thinking about suggesting this to Clovis. Well, how he wants to recruit them will depend on him though."


    "Fair enough. You can leave this to me. I''ll give him some proposals regarding this matter."


    "Sounds good. In that case, see you tomorrow."


    "Yep, see you tomorrow."

 Chapter 46 Killing Clovis?

    On the other side of the city, Lovelia''s grandfather, Wellen Rusth, was sitting on his chair while glaring down at Lovelia. She was kneeling on the floor while trembling, scared of the punishment that her grandfather would give her.


    "Do you know your mistake?"


    "Y-Yes." Lovelia answered hurriedly, her voice was coarse.


    "What do you think I should do to you? Not only did you fail to stop the bet, but you also made the situation worse with your remark. The Drake Group has heard about this matter as well, and it''s going to spread even further on the Skynet. Do you know what is going to happen?"


    Lovelia couldn''t answer that question, but she could imagine. With the bad image of their Rusth family being portrayed on the Skynet, she could clearly see how the reputation of their family would go down.


    Of course, this would implicate several people, especially their allies. When they saw such a horrible reputation, their allies would be a bit more skeptical about making a deal with them, thinking they would be dragged into this bad reputation and lose the trust of people.


    Their enemies might use this to turn this flame into a blaze to burn down their family. Last but not least, they would lose the connection to Ivan and the Drake Group.


    That was why, for a big family, saving one''s face was not a simple matter. Each of them was like a celebrity, where one wrong word could cause a lot of damage to their image.


    Wellen pinched the bridge of his nose before raising his head and asking, "How much do I need to pay to kill someone?"


    Suddenly, two people emerged from the ceiling.


    "!!!" Lovelia couldn''t help but tremble. She didn''t recognize these two guys, but from the way her father spoke, she could guess their identity.


    ''The Dark Emerald Organization? The one who is said to have a lot of assassins operating under a great power in the south?''


    Lovelia didn''t say a single word because she was afraid that her grandfather would be angrier and end up killing her as well.


    "May we ask the target?"


    Wellen took out his device and showed the picture of Clovis. "I want you guys to kill him tonight. How much is it?"


    "..." The two assassins fell silent for a moment before they suddenly pulled out their blades, placing them right in front of Wellen''s neck.


    Wellen''s expression darkened as he asked, "What do you think you two are doing?"


    "We refuse this mission. And if you are going to kill him yourself or send another assassin, we will inform the headquarters about your action. So, be prepared for the extinction of your family."@@@@


    "Hoh? Your words are not light, you know?" Wellen glared at them as if he wanted to kill them.


    "Obviously, the two of us won''t be enough to fight you. However, if we can suggest one thing, you should learn about your target first before asking us. We are also planning to kill him without your request, but the headquarters have specified that we can''t kill him with a human''s hand, only beasts. If violated, there won''t be any Dark Emerald Organization anymore in this world.


    Putting Jay aside, Kanaria was similar to his granddaughter. He put Lovelia by Ivan''s side so that Ivan would fall in love with her and eventually marry her, forming that connection.


    But after knowing that Kanaria was on Clovis''s side, he felt like he wanted to spat a mouthful of blood.


    Why did he even bother with Ivan? If he knew that Clovis was connected to Hacfield, he would have pushed Lovelia toward her. And now it was too late. There was no way Kanaria would allow Lovelia to get close.


    Just thinking of the victory smile that Kanaria''s mother had because of this was pissing him off.


    "Does the Drake Group know this?" Wellen asked.


    "They should be doing the same thing as you. And our supervisor is probably the one taking care of that side. If you want to join us and adhere to this method, we''ll welcome you. But if you are going to personally kill him, you have to face us first."


    Wellen looked at Lovelia coldly. He wanted to punish her so badly, but this was not the time. Because of her action, the chance of reconciliation was thin, especially since Kanaria was with Clovis.


    Hence, there was only one thing to do.


    "Lovelia. According to the agreement, that Vina should be following him, right?"


    "Y-yes!" Lovelia answered weakly.


    "Then, get close to her. Even if you can''t join that lowly bastard Ivan anymore, make sure that you are close to her. Find everything you can regarding Clovis and his group''s movement. Don''t ever get caught. Even if reconciliation is not possible, don''t make it look even worse. If you can do this, I will forget about today''s matter and not give you any punishment.


    But if you make another mistake, forget about the ''Rusth'' in your name."


    Lovelia, while shaking, politely bowed her head. "Yes, Grandfather."


    Of course, there was no way Wellen would sit still just because of this. There was only one way to ensure the prosperity of his family, which was to kill Clovis. This way, Kanaria''s status wouldn''t rise because of her connection to Hacfield.


    However, Lovelia didn''t need to know it because she might make another blunder and tell Clovis about it.


    As the assassins said, the Drake Group''s president was also facing the Dark Emerald Group. He was warned about his intention of killing Clovis.


    Obviously, he was not having it. Unfortunately for him, no matter how angry he was, the Dark Emerald Group didn''t plan to listen to him. In the end, he could only swallow his anger for the time being.


    The one who could smile because of all this was none other than Vania Renvolt. She never thought that Clovis was in this town. Her daughter was even in the same group as her.


    These two alone were already enough for her to protect him.


    As for Clovis, while he wasn''t completely clueless, he still didn''t understand the depth of the problem that centered around him. All he could do was get stronger as quickly as possible.

 Chapter 47 Shopping

    ''I am rich.'' Clovis thought while looking at the money in his account. ''Or not... this is the group''s money. I think I can register them first in Another World Mall before giving them the money the next day.''


    However, his thoughts were cut short by the receptionist.


    "Are you sure you want to keep this, sir? Do you not wish to sell it?" The receptionist asked while looking at the beast soul.


    "Yeah. I will keep it." Clovis nodded with a serious expression. With this, he had two beast souls at the moment.


    "This is the information about the beast soul." The receptionist handed a piece of paper to Clovis.


    Beast Soul Information.@@@@


    Name: Venom of Yurlunggur


    Tier: 2


    Description: Allow the user to release a potent poison from their mouth.


    Clovis couldn''t help but furrow his eyebrows. On the one hand, it looked extremely useful for short-range combat. On the other hand, he didn''t plan to use it and even if he gave it to Jay, the latter wouldn''t accept it.


    ''I don''t know the reason why Grandfather told me that if I wanted to become an explorer, I shouldn''t merge with a beast soul... but I guess I should follow his instructions. In the end, my grandfather is much more powerful and experienced in this matter.''


    "Alright. Thank you very much." Clovis politely nodded to the receptionist.


    "Thank you for using our service." The receptionist politely bowed to him.


    Without hesitation, Clovis immediately headed back to his inn, preparing to enter the Another World Mall.


    "I sold only a little of my portion since I got a lot of money from Jay and Kanaria''s portions. In addition to the cash prize, I think I will have about 85 thousand in my otherworldly balance. This is a big amount of money. Clovis fell silent for a moment. "Now that I think about it, shouldn''t I check the thing in my house?


    "No, wait. What if I use this opportunity to reveal the mysterious power of the Hacfield family? I could tell them that my evolution to Tier 1 Explorer is because of this mysterious method, right?


    "I could use this as an excuse to slowly introduce them to the items from Another World Mall. Ah, that''s right. I should also find a cook. With this, I can buy a lot of things from the Another World Mall. If I can share the vegetables with the others, we can get stronger together.


    "With this amount of money, I think I can increase the purchase limit. And after a while of hunting Tier 1 and Tier 2 beasts after the evolution, I can increase the visit limit.


    "Also, I need to balance it with the membership upgrade. Still, should I give them the clothes to protect them?


    "For now, I think I will use this to upgrade the purchase limit as well as the membership. Depending on the cost, I might even upgrade it twice."


    Clovis pumped his fists. His progress was extremely fast at the moment, but he knew that once he became stronger, it would become much harder to progress. That was why he had to plan his move early.


    Clovis continued thinking about his current plan until midnight arrived. Without hesitation, Clovis teleported to the Another World Mall.


    As soon as he reached the mall, he opened the screen panel to check his status.


    [Name: Clovis Hacfield.]


    [Membership: Level 4 (Novice)]


    [Money: 87,330 Otherworldly Coins.]


    [Item Limit: 6/Visit]


    [Visit: 0(1)/Day]


    Effect: Energized Effect and Agility +3


    Price: 6,500 Otherworldly Coins.


    Name: Minotaur Jeans


    Description: Jeans made with the minotaur in mind. It can be used by others as the material can stretch so far. It can even hold a lot of things inside as big as the minotaur''s legs.


    Effect: Small Storage


    Price: 5,800 Otherworldly Coins.


    "These two... I don''t think I need the jeans right now. But the sweatpants are quite interesting. Should I get a pair for me and Jay? Nah, let me see the other things first."


    Clovis moved to the female section to see if there was another item he could buy for Kanaria.


    But what he found couldn''t help but make him bewildered.


    Name: Elf Shorts


    Description: Perfect for moving around in the forest, tailored for the elves.


    Effect: Agility +5 and Camouflage +1


    Price: 7,200 Otherworldly Coins.


    Name: Magical Skirt


    Description: A magical skirt that is imbued with gentle magical energy.


    Effect: Charm +3 and Cooling Effect


    Price: 5,200 Otherworldly Coins.


    "What the hell with this boutique? The shorts for elves? A magical skirt? But both of them barely cover anything. Do they make it sexy but impractical? But the effect is so freaking useful." Clovis clutched his head.


    The shorts looked like they would benefit Kanaria, but at the same time, she would definitely think of him as a pervert.


    "Kh. Who has this Another World Mall? The guy who creates this mall must be a pervert." Clovis shook his head helplessly. However, his eyes were still glued to the shorts because of how useful they were.


    However, he noticed one more thing.


    Name: Mysterious Silk Jacket


    Description: A jacket made of special thread that is very durable. It can act as a small pillow, reducing the impact.


    Effect: Defense +7


    Price: 8,800 Otherworldly Coins.


    "..." Clovis fell silent for a moment. On the one hand, this jacket was extremely useful for him. If he wore it on top of his shirt, it would definitely improve his defense by a lot. The attack from the Tier 2 snake might not injure him that severely anymore. On the other hand, it didn''t seem that the others would find use of it, even though this jacket was the most normal one.


    "Should I?" Clovis thought for a moment. "Maybe I should buy this jacket for me, the sweatpants for Jay, and the shorts for Kanaria. Well, I am going to introduce it sooner or later, so this might be a perfect chance like maybe for a celebration. We don''t have a cook, so I can''t introduce the food right now. These items will be perfect substitutes."


    Clovis pondered this matter carefully and decided to buy them, which totaled 22,500 Otherworldly Coins. In addition to the membership upgrade, he had spent more than fifty thousand coins.


    He still had about thirty five thousand, which he planned to spend for the item limit upgrade and saved the rest for later.

 Chapter 48 Operator

    "Item limit!" Clovis pressed the upgrade button on the purchase limit. It seemed that the cost would be much more than he originally expected.


    After he increased the item limit, the coins he needed to upgrade it one more time increased.


    [Upgrade.]


    [+1 Item Limit for 10,000 coins.]


    [+1 Visit for 100,000 coins.]


    "Hmm..." Clovis looked at his remaining coins.


    [Name: Clovis Hacfield.]


    [Membership: Level 4 (Novice)]


    [Money: 29,830 Otherworldly Coins.]


    [Item Limit: 7/Visit]


    [Visit: 0(1)/Day]


    "Hmm... I only have less than thirty thousand. If I press another upgrade, it will be less than twenty thousand. I can still sell a bit of the essence, which should give me about five to ten thousand, but it won''t impact my financial status that much."


    Clovis was wondering if he should take the risk, but with the super injections, he was close to the evolution. And he planned to invite Jay and Kanaria to his house after this.


    So, it wouldn''t be wise if he spent all the essence without leaving some for the last bit of progress.


    After some contemplation, Clovis decided to stop for the time being. Although thirty thousand was a lot of money, in a blink of an eye, he had actually spent close to sixty thousand coins. So, it was better to stop and use the remaining slots for the food.


    Since his Muscle was about to reach a hundred percent, he bought the other four attributes each an item. This should be enough for the time being.


    "Alright. I''m done with the preparation. After the super injection, I will invite them to my house. With Jay and Kanaria around, the people who are eyeing my house shouldn''t dare to come. In exchange, I will gift them these clothes."


    With this plan in mind, Clovis finally left the Another World Mall to sleep. It was a very tiring day.


    Clovis didn''t pay attention to it, but he was actually about to evolve into a Tier 1 explorer in less than two weeks since he awakened. It was extremely fast, considering Clovis got all this chance with his own hard work. Of course, he had to thank the Another World Mall for giving him items that improved his evolution attributes and didn''t affect his low evolution rate.


    While Clovis was retiring for the night, Jay was actually still working on. He was holding his blade and swinging it again and again. However, his wrists were attached to a big dumbbell, and his sword also had a weight on it.


    "There are a lot of camping operators, but not a lot of mobile operators. So, I think finding them is hard, but very rewarding."


    Clovis listened to Kanaria''s explanation and couldn''t help but agree. If an operator handled all that, it would be extremely beneficial to add them to the party. However, it would be hard to find them.


    "What should I do..." Clovis pondered for a moment. On the one hand, recruiting them would be the priority. On the other hand, he wondered what kind of thing could entice them. Would it be money? Would it be fame?


    Clovis had to carefully consider their needs because of their important roles.


    "I will think about it for now. If we happen to find them, then yes, I will try to recruit them. But if we can''t find one that suits our party, I will hire a camping one for a while."


    "That sounds good."


    On the way, Clovis kept thinking about an operator. But no matter how hard he thought about it, he couldn''t find a single person.


    In the end, they reached Essence Bank. When they showed the certificates, the staff led them to a room in the back of the building.


    Inside this room, Clovis could see a few giant tanks filled with liquid.


    The manager smiled at them as he said, "Welcome. You three will receive the super injections. If you take a look at the capsules on that side..." The manager pointed at six capsules stationed in the corner of the room. "You just have to enter the capsule, and we will do the rest."


    "What is inside the capsule?" Clovis asked.


    "Oh. That''s the freezing liquid. You may have noticed it, but whenever you inject your body with essence, you will feel a bit sluggish or even heat up. That''s because it''s a reaction from the essence, trying to reject the fusion of the cell. Your body continues to force the fusion until everything is done. The liquid is to suppress that side effect, allowing you to continue much faster."


    "It''s not filled with essence." Clovis raised his eyebrows.


    "No. The essence is from this..." The manager pointed at the large tube in the center of the room. "The liquid in front of you is mixed with a lot of essence. Our system can precisely calculate your need and match it with your evolution rate so that the progress will be the same as it''s stated."


    "I see." Clovis nodded with a serious expression. Essence Bank shouldn''t do anything weird to them since Kanaria and Jay were famous locally. So, this should be a safe method.


    In the end, the manager asked them to change their clothes to special clothing for the injection. It looked similar to a patient''s clothes in a hospital, but Clovis didn''t think much about it.


    When they were about to enter, the staff stabbed their veins with a needle. It seemed to be connected to the liquid tank, so they didn''t mind it.


    They put on an oxygen mask before submerging into the liquid. After everything had been set up properly, they finally began the injection.


    Clovis was quite curious about this super injection. Since he would take a lot more essence compared to the other two, he wondered what kind of side effects he would have. Then again, the staff should have calculated it since they already knew about his evolution rate.


    ''Let''s experience this.'' Clovis thought as he closed his eyes.

 Chapter 49 Absurd

    When the super injection began, Clovis didn''t feel anything yet. He couldn''t help but remember the feeling he experienced every time he injected the essence into his body.


    At first, there wouldn''t be any other sensation. But when more and more essence was injected, Clovis felt the heat building up in him as though his body was trying to neutralize the unknown object in his body.


    Because of his low evolution rate, there was more essence that he needed to absorb, so it made the situation for him trickier.


    If they injected too much, they would replace the liquid in Clovis''s body too much, which might harm him or even kill him. That was why they were more careful with Clovis than the others.


    Clovis gradually felt the heat in his body as his immune system was neutralizing the essence and tried to assimilate with it.


    On the left hand, where the liquid came from, there was no sensation as if it had become extremely numb. However, the real effect came from all five evolution attributes.


    The first to react was his heart. The pumping rate increased significantly as though he had been sprinting for several minutes.


    After that, his muscles started crying like when he practiced heavily after not doing it for a long time. But the pain wasn''t that unbearable compared to the one coming from his bones.


    It was a sharp pain that spread to all his bones as if he were being nailed from all sides.


    Clovis gritted his teeth, but he still continued, enduring this pain. After the bones, the blood started convulsing.


    Due to the influx of essence coming into the veins, the rate at which blood was flowing became less and less. Clovis''s face gradually turned pale. Still, all these couldn''t be compared to what he felt from the last one, his brain.


    At first, his brain felt like there were thousands of ants crawling around it. However, his ears soon started ringing so loudly that it hurt, his eyes were as though they were going to jump out of their sockets, and his noses plugged up, forcing Clovis to gasp for air.


    "How is the situation?" The manager asked.


    "We have injected a total of one liter of essence into their bodies." The scientist, who was maintaining the injection rate, carefully reported.


    "One liter..." The manager glanced at the three, noticing the difference.


    Kanaria and Jay were shivering as if their bodies were screaming to stop so that they could digest them first. But Clovis was still calm. He looked like he was in pain, but he still endured it.


    "He is the one with the 15% evolution rate, right?" The manager muttered with a solemn expression. "I don''t know how he can even come down here with that evolution rate, but it''s clear that this boy is extraordinary. His endurance is much higher than that of the others. But even with this endurance, the other two can complete it six times faster.


    Well, it can also be said that this guy will suffer six times more than them."


    No one had ever heard about this before. How could Clovis kill those beasts when he couldn''t do anything?


    "Store the data for later." The manager ordered while looking at Clovis solemnly. This was the agreement between Essence Bank and the government. By agreeing to support this project, they could collect data on how the essence behaved on people''s bodies.


    And obviously, Clovis''s case was something they had never seen before.


    "Understood. Should we increase the dosage again?" The scientist asked.


    The manager felt his hands were itchy as if he wanted to increase the dosage. However, destroying a weird talent like this was something he didn''t want to do.


    In the end, he continued with his initial decision. "No. Maintain the current rate. In the end, he still needs a longer time to absorb the essence compared to the other two. So, we still get plenty of data. I believe that the kid will appear again in the future for a Tier 1 super injection.


    Only then would we discuss it with him."


    "Understood." The scientist nodded in agreement.


    The manager looked at Clovis, wondering who the hell he was. The name registered was the same one written on the competition, so he didn''t know about Clovis''s last name.


    Meanwhile, Clovis was currently in his immersion.


    "Kill! Kill!" Clovis roared while trying to slash these beasts.


    At first, he couldn''t move at all, but after getting used to it, he remembered a certain piece of advice from his grandfather. It was related to his image training.


    He didn''t know why but the image planted in his mind became much more vivid. For example, he imagined himself moving his right hand, which caused his right hand in this bottomless ocean to move.


    "I don''t know what''s going on, but this is the first time I feel this way. Is it because this place is so dark and serene that my imagination becomes more vivid?" Clovis looked down, contemplating. "I''m not sure, but there are three things that my grandfather always urged me to do. The first was image training and the second was to never take any beast soul. I wonder why?"


    Even Clovis didn''t understand why he could actually do this. There was even Another World Mall appearing in his thoughts, thinking his Another World Mall had something special other than selling items.


    Unfortunately, Clovis couldn''t find the answer no matter how hard he thought and decided to just kill the incoming beasts that appeared in his mind.


    As calculated, Jay was the first to come out. He managed to fully absorb two super injections within two hours, which was a normal time for someone with his evolution rate. Kanaria finished half an hour later.


    Unbeknownst to them, Clovis was actually doing something amazing. Because the manager didn''t react much after the initial shock, they didn''t realize it.

 Chapter 50 Done

    "Congratulations. You''ve completed the super injections." The manager''s voice echoed in Kanaria''s ears as the capsule was opened from the outside.


    Kanaria looked left and right, feeling a bit weird because of the absorption earlier. Her memory was a bit fuzzy, but she soon found Jay in the corner of the room, waiting for them.


    "Hmm?" Kanaria opened her data.


    Name: Kanaria Renvolt


    Tier: 0@@@@


    Evolution Rate: 92%


    Brain: 96.1%


    Heart: 100%


    Blood: 100%


    Muscle: 92.09%


    Bones: 98.05%


    Kanaria nodded her head, confirming that the super injection was done. She only needed to inject a bit more essence to fill up the remaining progress before evolving into Tier 1 Explorer.


    "Thank you."


    "Please." The manager extended his hand before helping her up. Kanaria was guided by another staff to the changing room so that she could take a shower before changing back into her original clothes.


    After she was done, she came to Jay so that they could wait together.


    "Jay. How is Clovis?" Kanaria asked.


    "There is nothing wrong for the time being. In fact, it''s progressing so well that I''m about to doze off right now." Jay assured Kanaria.


    "Is that so?" Kanaria felt relieved. At the same time, she remembered that Clovis''s evolution rate required him to take at least six times longer than them.


    "Should I go first? Maybe bring us something to eat?" Jay asked.


    Kanaria thought for a moment. On the one hand, they had promised to leave together. On the other hand, it would still take a few more hours for Clovis, so Kanaria nodded her head.


    "Sure." Kanaria actually agreed with the arrangement.


    But to their surprise, the manager actually stopped them.


    "Ah. You don''t have to worry about that. It seems that your friend won''t take too long." The manager approached them while asking, "Do you know who your friend is?"


    Clovis didn''t continue, but that was enough for the manager. He let out a long sigh before saying, "Alright. Please take a shower to rinse off the liquid from your body."


    "Thank you." Clovis smiled politely before standing up.


    It didn''t take too long for Clovis to change back and the group immediately left the room.


    The manager might personally see them off, but he immediately called out someone once they were gone.


    "Manager of Rizben Underground City Branch, Lornd. I have encountered an interesting case that I''d like to report to the main branch. Am I speaking to Mr. Frey?"


    "Indeed. An interesting case? I will see the report later. There is no need for you to use the special line to inform me. I''m currently in a meeting."


    "No, Sir. I think you need to hear this first. It appears that there is someone with a fusion rate four times higher than normal."


    "..." The other end seemed to be silent for a moment before asking for confirmation. "Are you sure? The exact rate aside, who is that person? Is he Tier 3 or Tier 4?"


    "No, sir. I''m talking about a new explorer. In other words, a Tier 0 explorer."


    "Tier 0..." It seemed that the matter was so shocking that he couldn''t believe it.


    "A talented Tier 3 or Tier 4 Explorer should be able to increase their fusion rate, but Tier 2 or below shouldn''t have awakened the power, right? Do you know who he is?"


    "I''m afraid not, sir. The only thing I have is ''Clovis.'' That''s all."


    "Alright. I will try to inquire about that name later. Make sure you keep a close eye on him. Also, I''m sure that he has sold his essence to the bank, so track his record. If he shows an abnormal exchange rate, inform me again."


    "Yes, Sir."


    The manager hung up, but the intention was already clear. Clovis didn''t know yet that his name had been registered as a special individual at Essence Bank.


    On the other hand, Clovis, Jay, and Kanaria happily entered a restaurant to celebrate their victory, not realizing the damage they had done.


    While waiting for their food, Clovis couldn''t help but ask, "By the way, do you want to come to my house? I am thinking about going back to the surface soon."


    "Are you talking about the facility that my mother told us about?" Kanaria asked.


    "Yeah. I''m a bit curious about it." Clovis didn''t deny it. "Well, we''re planning to join a raid in one month, right? I''m wondering if we should go up right now and roam on the surface to familiarize ourselves with the battle on the surface. Unlike the underground world, there are a lot of buildings humans made on the surface."


    Kanaria and Jay exchanged looks. It didn''t seem to be a bad idea, considering the battle would be a bit different from what they had experienced so far.


    "I don''t see a problem." Jay shook his head. "It''s been almost two months since I left home. Since your mother saw me here, I believe she talked it out with my parents. Though, I might have to stay in your house, Clovis. I don''t want to get reprimanded by my parents."


    "If you don''t mind my humble home, then sure."


    "That''s settled then."

 Chapter 51 Thanks

    Kanaria looked at the money and roughly calculated their shares. It seemed that her plan worked. Clovis really didn''t sell that much after seeing that much money.


    ''It seems that this can work. With this, he will have enough essence to get stronger. But I''m concerned about the next person that will join us.'' Kanaria thought for a moment.


    On the other hand, Jay was more concerned about another thing. "What''s wrong, Clovis?"


    "It''s nothing. I''m just wondering if it''s alright to increase our strength like this. I mean, a few super injections will transform you into a different person. It feels like everything can be bought with money." Clovis looked at his arms. He was still having a hard time adjusting to his current strength.


    Jay shook his head. "I think it''s fine for the time being. There isn''t much difference between Tier 0 and Tier 1. As you said, strength can be bought with money. However, I believe that money can''t completely buy strength.


    "While you can increase your physical abilities with the essence, you still need experience. Basically, a lot of big families are strengthening their members through this method, but most of them are lacking in experience. When there is a fight, they won''t be able to defeat the opponent on the same level.


    "That''s why I don''t think it matters that much. They just have a head start, but in the end, we are much faster and will surpass them soon.


    "Even my father told me to gain as much experience as I could while getting stronger. It would definitely improve my overall abilities and wouldn''t make me an empty shell."


    Clovis could agree to Jay''s explanation. It was probably the reason why he was never introduced to the greatness of the Hacfield family in the past. His grandfather should know that this was just an empty strength, and he wanted Clovis to survive numerous life-and-death battles to hone his skills.


    At the same time, he knew that even though it was just raw strength, it was still a much more effective way to get stronger. What if they reached Tier 2 first before experiencing the fights? Wouldn''t it be much safer?


    Then again, the Tier 2 beast would be much more powerful and aggressive. If someone who didn''t have any experience fought them, the result would be horrendous.


    In the end, Clovis decided to drop this topic. He had already decided his path after all.


    "In any case, when are you free to visit my house?" Clovis asked.


    "I''m thinking about going back to my room and immediately preparing for the evolution to Tier 1. So, I should be free tomorrow."


    Kanaria thought for a moment. "Yeah. I''m free as well. I mean, there isn''t much I can do here. Even if I buy all our stuff, we will have to transport it to the surface. In that case, it''s better to buy everything on the surface."


    "Then, that''s decided. We will be meeting in front of the elevator tomorrow."


    "Yep." Jay waved his hand as he was the first to leave.


    Kanaria glanced at him before saying, "Just to remind you that I will be buying everything for our exploration."


    "I know. Do you need my help? Jay will probably find another excuse to train."


    "I will let you know later. I''m also quite curious about your home."


    "You are not going to become like your mother, right?"


    "Huh?" Mr. Frey was confused, but the other party had hung up the call. Mr. Frey couldn''t help but look down, contemplating.


    "Sir..."


    Mr. Frey said, "Cancel the investigation. For now, we will wait for more information from our branch. If possible, inquire aboutof his name or his affiliation without alarming him or the people around him. Instead of him, we will investigate the people around him, his allies or his enemies. That should give us a picture about his identity."


    "Understood."


    Mr. Frey leaned back on his chair, looking troubled. "Who is he actually? Even the government is warning me... It seems that their backer is so powerful that his influence can even change the name in the registration. No, did he say grandfather earlier? Who is this grandfather he is talking about?"


    ...


    In the distant land.


    A bald old man was laughing out loud after being smashed into the ground.


    "Hahaha. That''s a nice fist you''ve got there!" He looked at the giant gorilla in front of him before jumping forward.


    "!!!" The gorilla felt something in his fist and hurriedly dodged it, causing the old man to punch the cliff behind him.


    The punch didn''t look anything special, but all of a sudden, a crack formed on the cliff and expanded to the entire cliff. It was a twenty meters cliff, but it actually started to crumble with a single punch.


    "Oh no..." The old man gave a wry smile while looking at the falling rocks. Suddenly, a beast with a very long neck smacked all the rubble to the side, protecting the old man. If one took another look, it seemed similar to that of the brontosaurus.


    The dinosaur looked at the old man as if he were telling him something.


    "Alright, alright. I''m done with the sparring." The old man let out a long sigh. "You kill my mood... Can''t you just let me be happy for a bit more?"


    "..." The dinosaur didn''t say anything. It only lowered his head, asking the old man to hop onto its head.


    While jumping, the old man said, "My grandson has become an explorer, you know. And I''m sure that he will come sooner or later."


    The dinosaur looked concerned, forcing the old man to say, "He is not like me. He definitely won''t change the terrain alright? Come on, the last time was an accident. I didn''t intend to remove that mountain from the map. Ah, I almost forgot. Since they took care of that matter, I will solve the Tier 7 beast not far from their city as thanks.


    Let''s go to the east!"


    *Roar!* The gorilla pumped its chest before letting out a thunderous roar that caused the land to tremble.


    The old man smiled. "How long will it take him to reach me? As much as I want to meet him again, those meddlesome people will not look at it that simply. Ah, I hate politics."


    While taking out a fruit from his pocket, he said, "I am waiting for you here, Clovis. You are an explorer now, so explore the unknown territory if you want to meet me again."

 Chapter 52 Tier 1

    "Kh." Jay gritted his teeth as he felt his body burning. He had just consumed the last bit of essence required to push all the remaining evolution attributes to one hundred percent. "I have heard about this before.


    "When evolving to a Tier 1 Explorer, the human body will be torn down and made anew. After all, the only difference between Tier 0 and Tier 1 is physical strength. If I want to surpass a normal human''s limit, I have to endure this."


    Jay''s body was covered in sweat. The pain was much more durable than the one he experienced in the essence bank. At the same time, the excitement he got from a Tier 1 prospect made him ignore a little bit of the pain.


    *Crackle!*


    *Crackle!*


    Jay felt like he was hallucinating because he actually heard his bones cracking earlier.


    Kanaria was experiencing the same thing. But unlike Jay, she was moving around on her bed while clutching her body. "Kh. Come on. Just evolve already."


    Both Jay and Kanaria suddenly noticed something. When they evolved to Tier 1, their eyes went blurry for a minute. During that time, they could actually see a few lines in the air, swimming around like an eel.


    They didn''t know anything about these lines and soon forgot about them due to the fact that this was the last part. After that one minute, the pain gradually subsided.


    Their bodies were releasing a lot of sweat, to the point that it looked like someone poured the bed or the floor with a bucket of water. Yet, to their surprise, they didn''t feel thirsty. Instead, they felt refreshed as if they had just gotten a good night''s sleep.


    "Huh?" Jay looked down, specifically at his sword. "Have I become a Tier 1 human?"


    Curious, Jay picked up his sword, which, surprisingly, became extremely light. Even when he added the usual weight, he realized that it was nowhere near his limit.


    It might be because of the super injections as well, but it felt like his strength had increased by at least three times.


    "This is..." Jay understood why a Tier 1 Explorer still had the ability to fight against a Tier 2 beast. Not only his strength, but also his speed, had been enhanced. If he had this strength previously, he didn''t need to fear a Tier 2 snake. In fact, he could slice the snake after several hits.


    "I wonder how high Ivan''s evolution attributes were. Was he close to Tier 1? No, I shouldn''t think like this. Everything I should know is that Ivan was stronger than me back then, so I shouldn''t find any reasons to think otherwise. It would just dampen my mood to get stronger."


    Jay let out a long sigh.@@@@


    Tier: 0


    Evolution Rate: 15%


    Brain: 92.1%


    Heart: 89.5%


    Blood: 88.6%


    Muscle: 100.0%


    Bones: 88.8%


    ''I should have enough food to boost everything to one hundred percent. So, I can definitely attempt my evolution once I go back to my house. The problem is that... Do those people ransack my house when I''m gone?''


    Clovis couldn''t help but feel a bit troubled. He could only wait until they arrived at his house to know the answer.


    Jay and Kanaria had been waiting for him next to the elevator. Clovis could faintly notice the difference that Jay and Kanaria had, albeit he couldn''t describe it.


    "Congratulations, both of you." Clovis smiled.


    "Thank you." Kanaria smiled while Jay teased Clovis, "I will be challenging you once you become Tier 1."


    "Hahaha. I''m looking forward to it." Clovis smiled. "Anyway, let''s go."


    "Sure." Kanaria extended her hand, asking for their IDs so that she could register them together.


    It had been a while since there was another person in his house. After the beast wave that destroyed his city, he never had anyone''s company anymore. Even his living condition grew worse every single day.


    So, it was kind of exciting to have his friends come home with him. Still, he was kind of curious what they would think when they saw his empty house. He had sold most of its furniture after all.


    "Alright. Let''s go, boys." Kanaria returned in just a minute before asking them to follow her.

 Chapter 53 Hidden Door

    "So, this is your home." Jay looked at the house before him. It was quite a big house for a normal family.


    It was a two-story house with a small garden and training hall on the back. There were only three bedrooms and three bathrooms inside, which was enough for Clovis''s small family.


    The appearance was quite similar to the houses in the neighborhood, and the security didn''t seem to be that good for someone who bore the name Hacfield.


    "Yeah. Let''s go inside." Clovis nodded with a smile. "I hope you don''t mind my humble home. No one is taking care of it, so I guess there''s going to be a lot of dust."


    "Sure." Jay was quite excited to see what kind of facility was hidden underneath Clovis''s home. Meanwhile, Kanaria had her focus elsewhere.@@@@


    Because of her new heightened senses, she could faintly see people''s gazes ever since they entered this neighborhood. It felt like they were waiting for Clovis to come back.


    However, she didn''t say anything yet until she deemed it fine to say it to Clovis.


    Still, the moment they entered the house, they couldn''t help but get startled to find a lot of things missing from the house.


    The living room was completely empty. There was no couch or any electronics. If they took a look at the kitchen, there was only a place to cook, not a place to eat.


    It was clear that Clovis sold his furniture not long ago.


    "You''re living in a place like this?" Jay asked with a wry smile. "I have never thought that your family doesn''t mind living in a place like this. Knowing your grandfather, I thought that it would be a mansion."


    "Well, I didn''t have money after my city was destroyed. Selling the furniture was the only way for me to sustain myself for a while. Besides, I couldn''t really go look for a job because I wanted to focus on becoming an explorer."


    "That''s true." Jay nodded in agreement. "Still, I truly didn''t expect this."


    "So, Clovis... did you notice that your neighborhood... Kanaria interjected but paused for a moment, wondering if this was the perfect time to talk about it.


    "It''s fine." Clovis nodded in understanding. He was aware of them after Gregory told him.


    "I see." Kanaria felt a bit relieved. At the very least, they wouldn''t really cause a problem for the time being.


    "Do you mind if I explore your house a bit? I am kinda curious where the hidden door leading to the facility underneath your house is." Jay asked.


    "In that case, I am going to cook for us. The stove is working, right?"


    "I should have paid the bill until next month, so it should be working." Clovis nodded.


    Clovis and Jay raised their heads. They were ready to give up at this time, but Kanaria abruptly stopped when she asked, "Clovis. Did you notice that?"


    "What?" Clovis furrowed his eyebrows. Notice what? He had been living here, so he never really noticed anything.


    "The small beeping sound." Kanaria raised her finger before pointing it in the direction of the noise. She actually moved to the left wall, especially toward one of the holes Clovis made back in the day. "There. I heard a beeping sound and pointed at the hole. There seemed to be a button inside the hole."


    "Button, sound, what?" Clovis was completely bewildered. He tried to check the hole, but the hole was quite deep and small. Light couldn''t really enter this hole. He used the flashlight to see what was inside and he noticed another small space inside. However, he couldn''t find the button.


    "Are you sure there is a button?" Jay asked. He was the same as Clovis.


    "Yeah. I could see it. Maybe it''s because my Tier 1 evolution sharpened my senses to a new level that I can see it, but yeah, there should be a button there. The question is how we can reach that button."


    The question had a rather simple solution. The hole was made of his short sword, so Clovis immediately grabbed his short sword and handed it to Kanaria. "I can''t see the button, so you can try to reach it with this."


    Kanaria nodded, noticing the trust Clovis had. Even though she was the only one who could see it, Clovis could simply do it himself in a few tries, so they didn''t know much about the secret.


    So, Kanaria felt a bit of responsibility on her shoulder as she carefully stuck the blade into the hole and slightly twisted it to the right.


    *Clack!*


    They could hear a sound coming from inside the wall. In that instant, the beeping sound became a bit louder, allowing Clovis and Jay to hear it.


    There seemed to be a gear sound coming from behind the wall that gradually stopped after a minute. After that, the wall suddenly detached from the rest of the wall and moved backward.


    "This is..." Clovis gulped down and pushed the door carefully, not knowing what was hidden behind the wall.


    And it turned out to be a metal door. There seemed to be some lock mechanism that required a fingerprint, but the only ones who could actually open the door might only be those who were related to Hacfield. Yes, it was only Clovis.


    However, there was something else he noticed. On the corner of the door, there was actually a small piece of paper. Clovis approached it carefully and read what was written inside as his expression couldn''t help but change.


    "What''s wrong, Clovis?" Jay asked while Kanaria stopped him, implying that they shouldn''t try to find out about the Hacfield family''s secret unless the rightful heir deemed it alright for them to see it.


    Clovis let out a long sigh before handing the paper to them.


    ''If you manage to find this hidden passage, it means that you are either lucky to find it and hit the button during your training or that girl, Vania, is with you... or probably her daughter.


    ''However, opening the door will definitely change your perspective on strength. So, if you find this button like in the first scenario, the password is ''629.'' If it''s the latter and you think that your teammates are trustworthy, the password is ''912.'' So, make your decision before you enter the password. It will destroy the other one.''

 Chapter 54 Message

    While they were reading, Clovis had already returned to the door as if he had already made a decision. It was spontaneous.


    Clovis created his group in order to become stronger together. Hence, there was no need to choose.


    He inputted the password ''912'' and immediately put his thumb on the scanning screen, which immediately produced a beeping sound as if it had confirmed Clovis''s identity.


    The door without the handle suddenly opened, inviting them in. "I think we should go inside."@@@@


    Jay and Kanaria were a bit stunned that Clovis had already invited them in before they finished reading the note.


    "..." Jay and Kanaria didn''t know what to do. On the one hand, they were curious about the content. On the other hand, they didn''t think they should know about this secret. They had just known Clovis two weeks ago after all. It was rather inappropriate to immediately know his secret.


    However, Clovis immediately returned to them and grabbed their hands. "What are you guys doing? Let''s go inside. The door might be closed soon."


    "But can we really know about this?" Jay was a bit unsure. Kanaria also agreed with him. "It''s not that we''re trying to deny our relationship, but..."


    Clovis chuckled. "So, you''re thinking about that? Then I''m going to tell you that you''re underestimating me. Do you know why I said that Vina is incompatible with us? It''s not because of her strength or her fighting style. It''s because I know that even if she is with us, she won''t be with us for too long.


    You guys are different. I recruit you guys with that thought in mind."


    Jay and Kanaria felt so moved by those words that they didn''t realize that Clovis had dragged them inside.


    And it turned out that the door was leading to stairs with a plain white room at the bottom.


    Clovis didn''t know where this place led to, but he immediately dragged the two.


    The secret facility that Kanaria''s mother told them about was actually just a plain white room. There was nothing special about it other than a small television and a chip on the ground.


    "Hmm?" Clovis frowned, looking at the chip. "How do we use this?"


    "I think you should insert it there. The television should have a slot for it," Kanaria replied.


    "Oh!" Clovis picked up the chip and found the slot on the right side.


    When he inserted it, the television turned on, showing a woman with a mask. She dressed in a glamorous red dress, which made people think she was in the middle of a party.


    However, the mysterious atmosphere immediately changed as she asked the question playfully. "Guess who I am? Lady Death, Maiden in Love, or H-yaa¡ª! What are you doing, dear?"


    "Of course, normally, you need to wait until you are Tier 3 before you can harness this power. Even the great power will need to wait for their descendants to reach this level before teaching them this.


    "However, what I''m about to tell you is a bit different. It''s a specialized training method that will allow you to harness this power before reaching Tier 3. So, when you are Tier 3, you can utilize this power much better than anyone else.


    "This method is called the Star Method. If you are here, it means Clovis has decided to trust you, so you may use this information as you see fit.


    "As you know, humans have five evolution attributes: Brain, Heart, Blood, Muscle, and Bones. Each human has an affinity for at least one attribute. You will usually find it out when you evolve to Tier 1.


    "If you have affinity with the Brain, your senses will become much more powerful, the Heart will allow you to have extraordinary regenerative ability, the Blood will give you a boost in utilizing your power, the Muscle will drastically improve your strength, and the Bones will allow you to have a powerful defensive ability.


    "This Star Method will allow you to harness that power early on, so listen to this simple lesson."


    Clovis''s father, Gerald, began narrating about the method to utilize a human''s latent ability briefly. There was no note whatsoever to make sure there was no record that could be found about the method.


    Kanaria and Jay were completely astounded by the sudden influx of information. At the same time, they also came to the realization that what they experienced was related to that affinity.


    On the one hand, they were quite surprised that they could get this kind of information. On the other hand, Clovis didn''t seem to mind them listening to it.


    This was indeed the Hacfield family''s secret, since this would cause a huge uproar if it were known by people worldwide. And it might be the reason why the Hacfield family was targeted by a lot of people.


    The most concerning thing was the fact that his father actually didn''t push away anyone here as if he completely trusted his son''s judgment in choosing the people for his group.


    Jay felt excited. He was indeed overwhelmed with this favor from Clovis. At the same time, he had never intended to leave the group in the first place. Even if he managed to get the captain position in the group, he would still consider Clovis one of his best friends. He was sure that Clovis would do his best to take the captain position from him again.


    So, knowing this ability made him realize that their rivalry would be something legendary. And both of them would bring Libation Fiesta to the very top.


    On the other hand, Kanaria had a wry smile. She indeed thought that Clovis was a great leader and she had also officially joined the group. However, her relationship with Clovis was rather awkward.


    Her mother might push her, but it felt so forced. She also didn''t want a forced relationship, even though her admiration for Hacfield was high.


    At the same time, she didn''t think that she would leave this group. The memory of her celebrating with them or hunting with them just made her feel at ease like she was at home.


    Clovis was slightly different from her. He had been vocal about how he wanted to have a group of his own that could rise together with him.


    The real reason why his father gave this method to not only him but also his group was that he approved his goal and wanted to support him. Although he wasn''t with him physically, he was still near him.


    Clovis promised once again that he would become strong together with his group, showing his parents that he would be their pride and joy.

 Chapter 55 Private Message

    "There you have it. I have given you a simple lesson on how to utilize the Star Method. I hope that you can work hard and become strong enough to protect yourself."


    Once Clovis''s father was done with the explanation, his mother immediately interjected. "Alright. Since you''ve received the knowledge, I hope that you can vacate the room as we have important news for our child. I will give you a minute to leave."


    Jay and Kanaria understood the assignment. Even if Clovis wanted them to stay, they should leave. His parents had given them enough that they shouldn''t be too greedy.


    Clovis didn''t even look at them as if he were respecting their choices.


    Kanaria tugged Jay''s sleeve, implying that they should get out. Without hesitation, both of them walked back to the training hall as the door closed on its own after a minute.


    After one minute, Aisha finally opened her mouth. "Alright. I assume that everyone has vacated the room. So, I am not going to beat around the bush anymore. Clovis, I don''t know if you have realized it or not, but the beast wave that destroyed our home was not natural."@@@@


    Clovis''s expression darkened. He remembered what Kanaria''s mother said regarding the unnatural movement of the beasts.


    "As you might already know, your grandfather is one of the top ten explorers in the world. The real reason why your grandfather is currently missing is because it involves other top explorers as well. You could say that he is distracting them right now.


    "Do you know why the top explorers are respected? It''s because of the power they have. If a single of them wants it, they can destroy a few bases in a country and the latter can''t do anything about it. That''s the power they have.


    "And if the top explorers fight each other, it will be extremely hard for them to kill each other. Even if they manage to do so, the winner will definitely suffer severe injuries. The other top explorers might take this opportunity to swallow them.


    "Your grandfather is missing to make them think about the potential of him appearing out of nowhere and killing them in an ambush or just causing enough injuries so that they will be destroyed by others.


    "I know that you are fond of your grandfather, but I don''t suggest you search for your grandfather right now. You simply don''t have the strength to do it and even right now, we''re being targeted.


    "Your father and I are moving around so that they will chase us instead of you. All you can do right now is bid your time and get stronger as quickly as possible."


    After reaching that part, his father, Gerald, suddenly stopped Aisha. "That''s enough. I know that you are curious about it, but even if you say that you are not interested in it, your actions will subconsciously move toward it. And being reckless and getting yourself killed are things that we don''t want to happen.


    "So, we won''t tell you any more clues about it. If you wish to know about it, just find it yourself. You are an explorer, right?"


    While it looked like it was better to tell him everything, Gerald chose to let Clovis discover everything by himself. It was impossible to stop Clovis, so it was better to do this. After all, finding the truth would take time and that time was what Clovis needed to get stronger. In other words, Gerald was just trying to delay the time so that Clovis could grow stronger.


    "Actually, there is one more thing that you need to know about this Star Method. Even though each tip of the star represents one evolution attribute, there is one thing that I don''t tell anyone. It''s about the sixth attribute."


    "The sixth attribute?" Clovis widened his eyes in shock. He had never heard about this.


    "Well, the sixth attribute itself can''t be described. It''s like the sixth sense of a human. It''s said that one can predict the future, or in another case, there is a human who can see a ghost. It''s that kind of stuff.


    "I don''t understand it myself because I don''t have it. However, your grandfather has it. And I don''t know if it''s true or not, but according to your grandfather, you have it too. Unfortunately, he doesn''t tell me anything about it.


    "Instead, he tells me one thing. Explore your unknown power and find out the truth yourself. That''s what an explorer does, right?"


    Clovis looked down, falling into deep thought. He wondered if this sixth attribute was the one that allowed someone to become a Tier 9 Explorer. If that was true, then it was possible that the Another World Mall was his sixth attribute.


    Still, this theory didn''t make sense. Another World Mall wasn''t that related to the evolution attributes, and every item looked fictional.


    "Hoh?" Clovis smiled since he finally filled up everything.


    It seemed that his body began to mutate once he ate the last piece of his food. The bones started to crack and the muscles seemed to be torn apart.


    The excruciating pain was endurable for Clovis. He had experienced worse during the special injections.


    Just like the others, he endured this pain for a while.


    After about twenty minutes, the pain started to subside as Clovis gradually opened his eyes, checking his body''s condition.


    Name: Clovis Hacfield


    Tier: 1


    Evolution Rate: 15%


    Brain: 0%


    Heart: 0%


    Blood: 0%


    Muscle: 0%


    Bones: 0%


    The Tier had been updated, and the evolution progress had been reset.


    Clovis wondered what his affinity was. He tried to clench his fists but felt not much different.


    "It seems that Muscle is not my affinity. How about Bones?" Clovis tried to hit himself to check if he experienced the same pain or not.


    It felt slightly different, but not worthy enough to take note of.


    So Clovis moved on to the next experiment, which was the Brain. Unlike Kanaria''s supersenses, his senses were enhanced, but not that much different from what he felt earlier.


    There was something a bit extreme that he wanted to try. After some consideration, he pulled out his blade and cut a bit of his thumb to see if there was a change in the regenerative ability.


    In the end, he bled like normal. It didn''t seem that there was any sign of it stopping, causing Clovis to suck his thumb to stop the bleeding.


    "Ugh. If these four are not my affinity, then my affinity must be with Blood. I don''t know how to test this, but this is the only explanation. I guess I have to wait until I have the chance to test it."


    "I wonder how the affinity can boost my ability to utilize my power. I should ask Kanaria and Jay about it. Also, I have to think of a way to give them a present."


    Clovis thought for a moment while taking out the shorts for Kanaria and the sweatpants for Jay. After sorting the words in his mind, Clovis headed back up and opened the door, finding Kanaria and Jay waiting for him. It seemed that they hadn''t eaten anything yet.

 Chapter 56 Gifts

    Kanaria and Jay were looking at him curiously as if they had something to say.


    "What''s wrong? Have you guys eaten yet?" Clovis asked with a smile.


    "Not yet..." Jay answered but soon stopped as if he were surprised by the sudden change in Clovis.@@@@


    Even Kanaria had to blink her eyes a few times to confirm whether what she felt from Clovis was right or not.


    She was the first to be unable to contain her curiosity and asked, "Clovis. You don''t have to answer this, but... Are you a Tier 1 right now?"


    "Oh. That''s what you''re talking about. Do you notice something?"


    "Well, it certainly feels different. I can''t describe it, but you just know." Kanaria scratched the back of her head. She didn''t know how to react right now.


    On the one hand, it was surprising that Clovis managed to become a Tier 1 human like them. On the other hand, how did Clovis do it? His evolution rate was much lower than theirs. Even though he got one more super injection compared to them, it didn''t change the fact that their gap should be extremely big.


    Yet Clovis managed to overcome that difference and become a Tier 1 human.


    This changed everything for them. If Clovis could shorten the gaps between them, it meant that his progression speed was much faster than theirs, despite his evolution rate. In addition, now that their progress had reached the same level, with Clovis''s faster progression, they would be left behind sooner or later.


    This gave them a sense of urgency as well as mystery. How in the world did Clovis do it?


    Clovis could understand their concern and simply said, "I''m using my grandfather''s secret to boost my progress. There should be no side effect, so you don''t have to worry about me."


    Kanaria gave a wry smile. At first, she wanted to lessen Clovis''s burden by donating her funds to the group so that Clovis would have enough essence to progress a little bit. But she was wrong.


    Clovis actually used this secret technique to boost his progress. The fact that he sold almost all his essence and donated the money was because he had confidence he could catch up to them.


    When Jay and Kanaria realized this, it seemed that they shouldn''t underestimate Clovis anymore. If they didn''t use all their resources, Clovis might shoot past them before they realized it.


    "Actually, I have something I want to give you guys... It''s special clothing that has been enhanced through my family''s technique." Clovis took out the two pieces of clothing he hid behind him. "I hope you don''t mind the design."


    "This is..." Jay didn''t know whether to accept this or not. He had received a lot from his father, and now Clovis gave him another thing.


    Clovis shoved the sweatpants into his hands, so Jay could only stare at them.


    "These sweatpants should be perfect for you, Jay. I can assure you that you will be energized during your training." Clovis smiled.


    "For real?" Jay couldn''t believe what he heard. This was simply too absurd at this point. However, when he thought about the Hacfield family and the fact that his grandfather was a Tier 9 Explorer, it seemed possible for them to be able to do something like this.


    "No. It doesn''t really matter to be honest." Kanaria pointed at the shorts. "If there is such magical clothing, I can simply change the other parts to suit them. Stockings might not be an option, but I can probably wear high boots or something. Besides, this is actually going to allow me to be a better sniper."


    "Huh? Isn''t a sniper usually hiding in one place and taking down their enemy?" Jay asked.


    Kanaria shook her head. "That''s the basic thing, but the current battlefield is different. Because of the amplified physical strength coming from evolution, snipers can afford to change their locations after a single shot. This way, the people won''t know about our locations. We can then take out another enemy from a different position."


    "Oh!" Jay nodded in understanding.


    "That''s going to be pretty useful." Clovis agreed with her. If that could be done, Kanaria would definitely become even more terrifying on the battlefield.


    On the other hand, Kanaria felt a bit scared of Clovis. She never thought that Clovis could do something like this.


    If this kind of clothing were ever to spread on the market, it would definitely be expensive, even if it were only useful for Tier 1 humans. The effect didn''t seem to be limited to speed, so it meant that there might be things that could boost their strength.


    And everything came from the Hacfield family.


    Her mother was a Tier 5 Explorer. And she had been regarded highly in this city. Only her grandfather, who was a Tier 6 explorer, could be regarded as one of the most powerful explorers in the city, along with other Tier 6 explorers.


    However, the Hacfield family was different. Clovis''s grandfather was one of a few Tier 9 Explorers in the world. Even his father was much more powerful compared to her grandfather. If she included the Star Method as well as this clothing, it was no wonder that the Hacfield family was extremely powerful and mysterious.


    With this strength, they could arm a lot of powerful people and gain their support.


    Kanaria might be the one who understood the implications of this power the most. And if the others knew about this, they would be in trouble.


    ''The Drake Group and the Rusth Family. These two shouldn''t know about this thing. Knowing that old man from the Rusth family, he is probably trying to either get Clovis by his side or kill him. Meanwhile, the Drake Group should be biding their time to eliminate Clovis. If they know about this thing, they will spare no efforts in killing Clovis.'' Kanaria wondered if she should talk about this or not.


    In the end, Clovis was the one who had all this.


    After some consideration, Kanaria said, "Clovis. While I am thankful for all this, I think I should warn you not to disclose this secret easily. There will be a lot of people that will target you."


    Clovis smiled. "Of course, I know. In fact, I don''t have any intention of showing it to others. Only the members of Libation Fiesta will receive something like this. And it''s not like I have the strength to produce a lot of them, so you don''t have to worry about it. While I''m clueless about my family''s real strength, I am not so ignorant that I don''t know my life is in danger."


    "If that''s the case, I can feel assured." Kanaria nodded, feeling a bit relieved. "I believe that you can recruit people who will be loyal to the group and won''t cause any trouble with this kind of thing."


    "I will do my best. So, I hope that you don''t reveal anything to a new member until I deem it safe to disclose that information."


    "Don''t worry. My lips are sealed." Kanaria glanced at Jay. "You too, Jay. Don''t tell anyone."


    "I''m just going to train. Nothing else." Jay shrugged.


    "But before that..." Kanaria thought there was something they should do to thank Clovis. "This house hasn''t been properly cleaned for a while. Let me help you clean this place up."

 Chapter 57 Training Imaginery

    Kanaria was standing in the living room with her eyes completely shut. She remembered the lesson about the Star Method, especially everything related to the Brain attribute.


    "The Brain attribute''s strength lies in the hyper senses one can have. Once you reach Tier 3, you will definitely be able to sense everything around you as if you''re watching things from the third person''s point of view.


    "This is called Sensory Imaginary. Basically, you''re looking at things with all your other senses instead of your eyes.


    "In order to do that, you will have to familiarize yourself with every single item you can find.


    "Try to grab an item and close your eyes. Use your senses to perceive this thing. How does the touch feel for you? What is the shape? What is its toughness?"


    Kanaria grabbed a cup, which she rubbed from one place to another until she could get a clear picture of the cup''s shape.


    "After that, try to feel the air around you. Once your senses are sharpened, you will be able to feel pain or even the slightest touch on your skin. A Tier 1 human should be able to sense it as long as they are focused enough."


    Kanaria followed the instruction and was completely immersed in the sensation.


    Although the air was pretty much still in this place, she noticed that there was some sort of movement in the air. It was the same when she was moving her hands. It felt like she was playing with water.


    "Once you have reached this step, you can finally use the movement of that wind to feel the shape of an object."


    Kanaria furrowed her eyebrows. She noticed that because the air movement was disrupted by the object, she could actually picture the kind of object that disrupted the air flow. However, the image wasn''t vivid yet since this was her first time.


    However, she finally understood the essence of Sensory Imaginary. They were using the air to sense the objects around them. Once the senses sharpened even further, they would get a better image in their minds. But the moment she got the hang of it, this kind of power would definitely change everything for her.


    What if she could actually see the entire building and all the living beings hiding in it with just her senses? No one could actually escape her. If she changed her weapons or bullets, she might be able to shoot through the walls and kill the enemies before they could do anything to her.@@@@


    Kanaria muttered in a low voice, "Imagine the movement of the air to determine the shape of the object. Use the smell carried by the air to figure out their materials... And use the sounds to check their movements.


    "Once I get a good grasp of the movement around me, a new world will be opened." Kanaria gradually opened her eyes. She looked at the cup in front of her. There were a total of five items that she had picked for this training.


    After cleaning up Clovis''s house, Clovis told her it would be fine to use any rooms she wanted to test his father''s Star Method.


    And the practice method was a bit abstract like tossing the ball to get used to the movement, sound, and air flow. Hitting a few objects or even carrying them around.


    It seemed that the Star Method was focusing on getting the user to grow accustomed to this power. While it would be hard since their senses couldn''t be compared to a Tier 3 or even a Tier 4, it would definitely improve their senses gradually. Once it became stronger, their omniscient view would just become even bigger.


    Kanaria crossed her arms. "This method might not look like much, but there are a lot of times to get used to it. And the practice method is a bit too random so I''m not sure if it''ll be effective. Then again, what is Clovis''s father''s Tier again? Tier 7 or is it Tier 8? Such a person shouldn''t lie about this method.


    It was his dream to cut not only the building, but an entire mountain in half.


    Jay took a deep breath, recalling the lesson.


    "To control your strength, you need a precise feel of your muscle. Stretch your arm and clutch your hands."


    Jay followed that instruction carefully.


    "Then, try to hold something but with the same grip strength."


    Jay grabbed his sword, which wasn''t hard to do. However, the difficulty spiked after this point.


    "Use all your strength to crush the object you''re holding."


    Jay still did it, fully knowing that it was impossible to destroy it. But after that, Gerald said, "Use the same strength to crush an egg. Apply the same amount of force without breaking the egg. You have to spread the force evenly and distribute it to the surrounding area instead of the egg so that it won''t be destroyed.


    "A lot of people can''t master this technique because they can''t control their muscles perfectly, causing them to lose more than half of their strength potential.


    "Once you are able to not crush the egg, you can use other objects from soft to hard before moving to the entire body."


    Jay let out a long sigh. It was hard to demonstrate because even if Gerald held an egg with the same amount of strength in the video, it wouldn''t look that way.


    That was why Jay was a bit stuck on this matter.


    "First of all, imagine yourself applying the same force but not destroying the object in your hand. There is a reason why this power is called Imaginary. Everything begins with your imagination. If you can''t picture yourself doing it, then you won''t be able to."


    Jay finally understood why Clovis''s grandfather asked Clovis to imagine everything, including the fight. It was to train his imagination so that when he reached Tier 1, he could bring out his talent to the fullest.


    "I will cut everything in this world. I don''t want to be like my father who stops after reaching Tier 6. I will be going straight to Tier 7, Tier 8, or even Tier 9 until there is nothing I can''t cut!"


    Jay raised his blade and held it with both hands, trying to crush the handle. There were a few objects around him like leaves and eggs he bought from the nearest convenience store.


    If his father only reached Tier 6 because he mastered this kind of power too late, then he would start now and become much stronger than him when he became a Tier 6 human.


    He had to thank Clovis and his father for providing this opportunity. And he would show the world that even if no one dared to stand with Clovis in the future, he would definitely be there as his best friend. And he would cut everything, including Clovis''s enemies.


    "Just you wait, Clovis. While I am thankful for this opportunity, I will still get stronger than you." Jay smirked as he applied more force to his grip.

 Chapter 58 Kanaria

    Just like the other two, he was training with the Star Method. Although the sixth attribute piqued his interest, he knew that he wouldn''t be able to find it no matter how hard he thought. So, he just let nature take its course.


    In the meantime, he was going to focus on the Blood attribute.


    "According to my father, the Blood attribute allows me to utilize my power better. However, what kind of power is he talking about?"


    Clovis muttered while recalling the lesson.


    "Blood is the most versatile. What do you think the blood carries? If you think it''s only oxygen and nutrients, think again.


    "What the blood carries is actually the essence. While your body assimilates with the essence, it never turns into something else.


    "If you inject the essence into your body, the essence will enter your blood vessel. That is not wrong, but not entirely correct.


    "The blood carries oxygen to your brain and other parts, allowing you to use your body. What if you speed up the blood flow? The world that you see will slow down. This is just a simple example. As to what effect you feel when you are able to reach that point, you will feel something indescribable.


    "This is what people know as Blood Limit. Of course, staying in this state for a prolonged time will definitely destroy your body. That''s why you have to understand how it works and how to control it.


    "First, try to feel the flow of blood in your body. Press the vein on your wrist and try to feel it. It feels easier if you have an affinity with the Brain, but the ability to control blood is only unique to those with Blood affinity. Even if the Brain can somehow use it, the effect won''t be able to reach the same level."


    Clovis took a deep breath. Before he started his training, he couldn''t help but look at the star diagram he had just drawn.


    The Brain was at the top tip, while on the left and right sides were Blood and Muscle. Underneath Blood was Heart while the last one was Bones.


    "According to my father, we can utilize a hundred percent of the latent ability of our affinity. And while we can practice other attributes, it will lose about 40%.


    "For example, I can only harness 60% of Brain and 60% of Heart potential. But if I move once again to Muscle and Bones which are on the opposite side, I can only harness 20% of their potential.


    "Kanaria is the same. She is able to control 100% of her Brain but only 60% of her Blood and Muscle attributes. The rest are only 20%.


    "The Star Method is used to train the attributes according to this percentage."


    Clovis muttered before falling into deep thought.


    He tried to feel his blood, wondering if he could sense it or not. Like Kanaria, who could probably sense the blood flow, he should be able to do it if he focused on it.


    However, Tier 1 truly made it hard for him to sense it.


    It took him a few hours to get a vague feeling about the flow. He might need more time to even understand the feeling.


    ...


    Five hours later.


    Clovis came out of his room, completely tired. His task wasn''t that demanding, but it was truly taxing for his mind.


    However, it seemed that Jay was still immersed in his training while Kanaria was setting up the table.


    "Kanaria?" Clovis was quite surprised that she ended her training early to do all this for them. Not only did she clean the most, but she had even cooked some food.


    "It''s just a simple meal. I hope you can enjoy it." Kanaria smiled.


    "You''re not trying the Star Method?"


    "..." Kanaria''s eyebrows twitched as she remained silent.


    "Wait. Don''t tell me. I''m right?"


    "Kh." Kanaria let out a long sigh. "Yeah. I''m going to stay for the night. I''m calling you to ask for permission."


    "There is no need to ask for my permission. It''s fine if you stay there from now on."


    "Are you driving your daughter away?" Kanaria gritted her teeth. It was truly a bad idea to call her mother. "I''m going back tomorrow. I need to buy a few things as well, so I''ll go back home tomorrow and head back for an exploration the day after."


    "On a mission?"


    "Yeah. Since I''m about to introduce the power of an operator to Clovis, I''m going to hire an operator... a camping operator because we don''t have a budget."


    "Oh. You want my recommendation?"


    "Yes. Do you know an operator who can work on a Tier 1 group and doesn''t care about a high level mission like hunting a Tier 2 beast? We still have the prize money, so the price is in that range."


    "Mommy can do it for free."


    "No. Don''t ever come here!"


    "Fine. I''m just joking. No need to be that serious. I can give you a list of recommendations later. There should be two or three names, which you can consider. Is there anything else?"


    Kanaria thought for a moment. "Not really. We''ll just hunt like usual."


    "No need for transportation?"


    "I might need one. But I can''t drive. I don''t think Clovis has learned how to drive as well." Kanaria looked at the house''s condition, believing that Clovis couldn''t afford transportation.


    "Jay knows how to drive, so you can make him the driver. As for the transportation, I can send you one. You don''t have to pay for it."


    "But..." Kanaria frowned. This was their group, so they wanted to be independent.


    "It''s just a basic car, not a modified one for a raid. So, you don''t have to think much about it. If you feel bad about it, you can send me a few hundred dollars for the rent."


    "Alright then." Kanaria sighed. "That''s all, Mom. Thank you."


    "Before you hang up, I have a question."


    "Sure."


    "Where are you going to sleep? The living room?"


    "No. Clovis tells me to sleep in his room."


    "With him?"


    "Alone!" Kanaria''s frustration increased the more she talked to her mother.


    "Oh. In that case, go explore his room and search for everything he hides under his bed. You can learn his preferen¡ªBeep!*


    "..." She hung up.

 Chapter 59 Recommendations

    "Fuu..." Kanaria let out a long breath while burying her face on the pillow. "What a crazy day."


    She thought that visiting Clovis''s place wouldn''t bring a lot of shock. But she had never thought that she would receive this Star Method and even precious shorts from Clovis.


    "The Star Method is amazing. There will definitely be a lot of people eyeing this method because they can train their fighters from a young age. However, the magical shorts are even more amazing. If this goes on the market, it will definitely fetch a good price.


    "Clovis should be able to live comfortably if he sold this kind of thing, but I guess this is the reason why the Hacfield family is mysterious. No matter what happens, I can''t let these shorts go to another hand."


    Kanaria looked at the ceiling, wondering what she should do now. She couldn''t help but remember what her mother said earlier and complained, "Why can''t she be serious whenever she is talking about Clovis or the Hacfield family?"


    Kanaria let out a long sigh. But there was an awkward silence after that, making her think about it again and again.


    Her eyes started wandering around the room. She thought she wouldn''t be this conscious about the room, but she couldn''t help but look around.


    "This is Clovis''s room, huh? Now that I think about it, I rarely care about sleeping in another place. Even if I have to share a tent, as long as they are someone I can trust, it''s going to be fine.


    "But in the tent, there is nothing to be seen. This room is different." Kanaria fell silent for a moment before standing back up and walking around the room.


    There was one thing that piqued her interest the most. It was the picture on the table. Clovis must have used this table to research a lot of things and this picture would always remind him of his family, making him less lonely.@@@@


    It was a family portrait. Clovis looked like he was only ten years old. On his side were his parents. Their appearances were exactly the same as what she saw during the recording as if they hadn''t aged at all.


    She noticed that his grandfather was sitting peacefully in the background while looking at the sky.


    However, she noticed that his grandmother wasn''t here.


    "Now that I think about it, Clovis rarely mentioned his grandmother. There isn''t any news about her as well... Besides, if I''m not mistaken, the one carrying Hacfield''s bloodline is his father. How about his mother?"


    Kanaria tried recalling the information regarding Clovis''s mother. "My mother seemed to have told me something about her coming from a ruined family. But there wasn''t much detail about it."


    Kanaria fell silent for a moment. "This Hacfield family is much more mysterious than I originally thought. Has their background been erased in one way or another? With the authority of a Tier 9 explorer, it''s possible, right?"


    "But..." Kanaria couldn''t completely disregard her mother''s opinion. She might know something that other people didn''t know. At the same time, this person was actually a Tier 2 human. It was clear that she was much stronger than the other two.


    At the same time, she couldn''t overlook the fact that she was lazy and even had the audacity to put all this in her bio.


    It was so ridiculous that Kanaria had no choice but to call her mother.


    "Mom! Why are you recommending the last one? The rating is only two stars." Kanaria complained.


    "Don''t you know my character already? Do you think I will recommend someone useless to you? Her character is rather questionable, but she is a good operator. That''s all I can tell you."


    "..." Kanaria gritted her teeth before sighing. "Still, she doesn''t look that promising."


    "Well, I personally recommend her the most. When I was walking around the association, I was listening to their conversation about this girl. Most parties didn''t suit her well, but they were rather satisfied with her performances. Besides, because of her rating, her price became quite low. It was rare to be able to hire a Tier 2 human with that amount."


    "I can''t deny that, but..." Kanaria sighed. "I will bring it up with Clovis then. I''m going to send some questions to her."


    "Sure."


    Kanaria had to make sure that this person was someone with an ability. So, she sent out a few questions such as her intake about their current mission, the date, and her performances in the field.


    But Kanaria almost threw her device away after seeing the response.


    "I''m good!"


    That was the only answer to all her questions. Well, Kanaria couldn''t deny that this could be considered an answer as well. After all, she didn''t mind about the current mission or the date. And her performance could be summarized by that confidence.


    In other words, she was entitled to use that answer. At the same time, she understood why this person called herself lazy. She didn''t even bother to ask for the details or write an appropriate or formal response.


    "I don''t know if this person is good or not, but I will just ask Clovis for his opinion. In the end, he is the one who will decide. I will also ask some questions to the other two."


    Kanaria spent the rest of the night getting as much information as possible.

 Chapter 60 Tier 1 Upgrade

    While Kanaria was busy with her work, Clovis was fixated on his Another World Mall.


    That was right. He had just become a Tier 1 human, so he was kind of wondering what kind of change Another World Mall would have.


    As soon as Clovis reached Another World Mall, his eyes were fixated on the two stores that had been opened.


    "So, which one should I check first?" Clovis thought that since the grocery store was bigger, he should check the items in the boutique store first.


    However, the boutique didn''t seem to offer something new. "The effect is the same even though I am a Tier 1 human now. Does that mean the grocery store is the same? But unlike the boutique, I have seen the items'' names marked as Tier 0."


    Clovis slowly approached the grocery store to see if there was anything new. On the one hand, he wanted the items to become Tier 1. On the other hand, he wanted these Tier 1 items to be placed in a different place.


    "Hmm..." Clovis looked at the usual basket where he would find the Tier 0 vegetables. But to his surprise, the vegetables remained the same.


    "It''s still Tier 0. Then, is there any change?" Clovis looked around, feeling a bit weird. He checked on the upgrade to see if he needed to spend more money to upgrade the item to Tier 1.


    But there was nothing he could find.


    "What should I do? Is the Another World Mall not updating?"


    While thinking, Clovis walked around to see if there was any change or not. However, he abruptly stopped when he saw that a new section had been opened. This new section was located on the back of the left aisle, so his vision was blocked earlier.


    When he approached this place, he noticed that the items had been updated. In fact, there was a long open refrigerator where they usually stored all the frozen food.


    Without hesitation, Clovis checked on the items.


    "Of course, I''m going to calculate how much I can spend to avoid a lot of suspicion. If the people know that I have this kind of ability, they will raise me to Tier 9 and provide the money so that they can reach Tier 10... a tier that no one has ever seen before."


    Clovis thought for a moment. "Still, the effect has been reduced. I can somehow understand this. If I have the same speed as a Tier 1 or even a Tier 7, I can easily reach the next tier.


    "I believe the higher the tier, the lower its effect. At the same time, won''t it be good to utilize the fresh ingredients and share them with others? And at that stage, my item limit should have increased by a lot to the point that I can hold a banquet with all these items."


    Clovis thought for a moment.


    "The nuggets and the ice cream... Can''t I buy them and make it look like it comes from a convenience store?"


    Clovis couldn''t help but smirk, thinking this was a possibility. They rarely checked their status since most people waited until they injected the essence into their bodies. So, there was no way the two would realize it.


    This way, he could grow stronger together with his friends.


    This would probably be the best scenario.


    "Alright. I''m not sure about the taste, but this is a perfect opportunity to test my theory. Let me buy three ice creams and the race will be... nuggets? We need other things so that Kanaria doesn''t complain. Well, I will find other items in the real convenient store I guess."


    "Unfortunately, I can''t upgrade the item limit right now. The item is extremely expensive. I might have to worry about my spending in the next few days or I might not have any coins left to buy these items."


    Clovis let out a long sigh. To think that even after earning a lot of money, he still felt so poor that he had to think a lot about money.


    "I''m really going to become the best explorer in the world, where I don''t have to worry about money anymo..." Clovis abruptly fell silent, almost forgetting about the fact that the items would become more and more expensive as he raised his tier. In the end, he would definitely become poor again.


    In fact, there would be a lot of other stores to the point that keeping his money would be impossible.


    "Oh shit. Do I want to start a company instead? No, how about a sponsorship? Maybe I should just find a sugar mommy?" Clovis shook his head helplessly. "Finding a good partner who is adept in business is probably the best option."

 Chapter 61 Cloviss Choice

    "Here you go." Clovis brought a huge plate with the cockatrice nuggets. Early in the morning, he went to the convenience stores to buy all kinds of things to accompany the nuggets and ice cream.


    Since he had seven item limits, he bought four cockatrice nuggets and three minotaur ice creams. He wanted to test whether they would notice it or not, since he had prepared several excuses to fool them for the time being.


    While waiting, Kanaria was compiling their files and missions. Before they started eating, she showed the recommendations to Clovis.


    "By the way, what do you think about this person? I asked my mother yesterday, but she said that while her character was questionable, her skill was pretty high." Kanaria asked, showing the information.@@@@


    "Hmm?" Just like Kanaria, when he saw the recommendations of the other two people, it was quite impressive. But when he reached the third one, he couldn''t help but furrow his eyebrows.


    "Well, you''re going to choose our operator. So, you can take your time. At least, we have to give an answer before twelve."


    Clovis thought for a moment. "Can you ask her this question? If she is lazy, doesn''t that mean she is useless? If she answers with ''No,'' accept her. If her reply comes in the form of an explanation, I''m going to pick the other two. Anyway, you can talk to her for now.


    I''m going to the convenience store to buy some stuff."


    Kanaria tilted her head in confusion. She didn''t expect that Clovis had another opinion about this person.


    Then again, Clovis had made a decision, so it would be better to test it.


    This was the first time he ate something that needed to be cooked. Before, all the canned food from Another World Mall tasted quite the same. But considering this was Tier 1, he expected that it would be either better or worse.


    That was why he was the first one to grab the nugget to taste it. But the moment he bit it, Clovis couldn''t help but widen his eyes.


    "Still, I can''t understand why you want to hire her if that''s her answer. Is there a catch here?"


    "If she is truly lazy, then she won''t bother to explain it. In other words, her ability should be like what your mother vouched for. If she is going to explain her laziness, it''s fake laziness.


    "That''s why I asked whether she was useless or not. If she is not useless, she must have done the bare minimum of the jobs. So, the rest of the consideration is about her tier. Tier 2 humans should be able to protect themselves."


    "Oh!" Kanaria nodded in understanding. "But the bare minimum, huh... Shouldn''t we take the proactive one?"


    "Not really. More often than not, the proactive ones are bound to mess up in one way or another. After all, they might do something they are not confident in." Clovis shook his head.


    "Oh!" Kanaria thought for a moment. "Meanwhile, the lazy one doesn''t do anything they are not confident in. And when needed, they might do things one step further since it''s still within their capability. In the end, they only complete the bare minimums."


    "Yup. That''s the reason why I want to get her."


    Kanaria nodded in understanding. "I have sent the request to her. We should be able to get a response soon. I''ll also ask her about the devices that we need for the next exploration."


    "In that case, I''m going back now. I have to undergo numerous scoldings after this." Jay sighed.


    "Hahaha." Clovis chuckled. "Sure. If you need anything, you can call me. I will do my best to help you."


    Kanaria also stood up while saying, "I''m going to send all the mission''s details later. Since this is the first time we''re fighting on the surface, I hope that everyone can go through the details."


    "Got it." Clovis nodded and walked with them outside. It was only for a day, but the loneliness he had suffered in the last year had been erased. There would be more opportunities like this anyway. "Good luck."


    "See you tomorrow, Clovis."

 Chapter 62 Havenson and Renvolt Families

    Havenson Family.


    Jay was standing outside, a little bit hesitant to come over. However, the door was actually opened from the inside.


    And the one who opened it was a middle-aged man. He had a big, muscular body. He had a big scar on his left eye that made it blind. His spiky, short hair and wrinkles increased the intensity of his gaze.


    "Geh. Old man." Jay took a step back in panic. He never thought that his father would be the one to open the door.


    "So, you know how to come home." The middle-aged man squinted his eyes.


    "Well, you said you''d come if I didn''t go back." Jay harrumphed while looking away.


    "Come in." The middle-aged man opened the door wide and took a step back so that he didn''t block the way.


    Having no choice, Jay entered his house nonchalantly. But before he could step inside the house, the middle-aged man suddenly stopped while raising his voice. "Oi!"


    "What?!" Jay frowned.


    "Take off your shoes and put on the slippers. It''s bad manners! Did you do this at your friend''s house as well?"


    "I cleaned it later..." Jay looked away.


    "It was because you were too strict that he ran away from home." A feminine voice echoed from behind the man.


    "Mother." Jay politely nodded her head.


    "Vania had told me about your group. Your dad and I have talked it out and decided to allow you to do whatever you want."


    Yes, these two were Jay''s parents: Nick and Laura. Jay scratched the back of his head. "Mhmm... But you should have heard about what happened during the competition, right?"


    "Indeed. You don''t have to think much about it. We have shown our stance to the Drake Group and the Rusth Family. For the time being, you should be pretty safe. But if they''re going to make a move, it''s probably during the raid next month."


    "That''s enough. You shouldn''t ask him too much. He should be very tired. It''s better to let him take a bath first or rest or it will make him tense." Nick tried to stop her, but Laura simply replied, "It''s your face that makes him tense."


    "..." Nick fell silent while Jay gave a wry smile.


    "Well, it''s not like your father is in the wrong. So, get some rest first."


    Although it was slightly different, they were still his parents. There was no way they wouldn''t show any care for their son.


    ...


    Renvolt Family.


    Unlike Jay, Kanaria was busy with all the work.


    "This and that. We also need these things." Kanaria was ordering a lot of stuff by herself. After a warm welcome from her mother, she instantly returned to her work mode.


    In the past, Kanaria had been helping the group with all this stuff, but she rarely worked this hard. Even when she returned home, she would just throw away her tab to get a good rest.


    Yet, with this new group, she became a workaholic. How could she not? When she was with the group, Jay continued training as if he were being possessed. Clovis might not be the same, but it didn''t change the fact that he still utilized that time to come up with a good plan for the group.


    It was she who usually had the least work among the three. That was why whenever it was preparation time, she always worked this hard.


    At the same time, this also showed her desire for the group.


    Vania could only smile from afar, watching her daughter like this.


    "What do you think?" Vania asked a man similar to her age.


    "If that''s her choice, then so be it. The only problem will be the elders of the family. I will try to find a way to shut them up without disclosing that kid''s identity. As for outside matters like the Drake Group and the Rusth Family, you should be able to handle them, right?"


    "Of course. It''s time for the young bird to fly, so I won''t let anything happen to her and her group." Vania smiled.


    Finally, after a full rest day, the group could explore the ruined city on the surface.

 Chapter 63 A New Operator

    "Have you got a good night''s sleep, Jay? It''s going to be a tough few days." Clovis waved his hand, watching Jay drive the car toward him.


    The car was normal. It wasn''t modified in a way to fit more people or contain a lot of weapons. It looked like a Jeep, which was quite useful in hard terrain. Considering there would be a lot of ruins, this car should be enough to push some midsize rubble and cross over rocky areas.


    The only modification that the car had was probably the engine. No matter how cool it was to have a roaring engine, they were going to hunt, so a loud engine was just going to attract those beasts.


    It seemed that they had also packed up all the equipment they needed for this exploration.


    "Yup! I''m pumped up for this." Jay peeked out the window while waving his hand. After resolving the matter with his family, it seemed that Jay became a bit more cheerful.


    Kanaria was sitting in the front seat since she was the one doing the navigation. Meanwhile, they had to wait for their operator to arrive.


    But to their surprise, the operator had yet to come even though the time was approaching.


    "Have you told the operator that we are going at eight?" Jay asked Kanaria while furrowing his eyebrows.


    "Yeah. I''ve told her about the time. Kh. Don''t tell me, she is going to be late." Kanaria gritted her teeth.


    "Well, well... It''s going to be fine." Clovis waved his hands, treating it as nothing bigbiting.


    "You can''t be too lenient toward her, Clovis. If you don''t force her, she will definitely slack off during our exploration." Kanaria sighed.


    "It''s going to be fine." Clovis smiled. "She should be on the way.''


    As they waited, they kept wondering when this person would come. Kanaria was biting her lips. The group had never been late. In fact, they usually came thirty minutes earlier.@@@@


    When Kanaria was about to blow out, they soon noticed a car coming in their direction.


    Both Clovis and Melody actually said the same thing.


    "I (She) did not."


    "..." Kanaria raised her eyebrows when she heard Clovis was protecting her. Meanwhile, Melody was looking at Clovis in shock.


    "Clovis?"


    "Well, she technically wasn''t late. Or you could say, she was about thirty seconds early." Clovis gave a wry smile, trying to stop the conflict.


    "Mhmm." Melody nodded her head in agreement. To think that she would meet someone who understood her. Melody looked at Clovis with a new impression before Clovis smiled back.


    At first glance, it looked like Clovis was just being gentle with her and helping her avoid unnecessary arguments. However, Clovis actually used this chance to give out a warning.


    His expression turned dark and his smile felt like he was about to murder someone. He said it with a playful tone. "I don''t mind if you want to slack off or anything. In fact, you can do it openly and I will reprimand everyone who is getting bothered by that."


    "Clovis?!" Kanaria widened her eyes, not believing what she had just heard. Jay was focused on the road, but he was listening carefully. It didn''t seem that Clovis was playing around this time.


    "It''s just... when everyone is tired, I''m going to make you work for what I have paid for." Clovis''s message was simple. He didn''t restrict her or reprimand her, but he would definitely get the service he paid for.


    Melody didn''t know why, but she felt chills down her spine. She had handled people like Kanaria, who would pick a fight with her every time, or people like Jay, who didn''t look bothered but would get annoyed sooner or later.


    However, this was the first time that she had met someone like Clovis. He looked like he was someone who understood her. No, it might be because of that very reason that he knew how to handle her.


    "Laziness is not a problem as long as you are useful. I hope you don''t think that you can do anything you want simply because you are a Tier 2 human." Clovis sighed. In the end, he had to act tough because the other party could look down on them as a higher-tier human.


    It seemed that his message was pretty effective, as Melody said, "Don''t worry. I will work for my pay."

 Chapter 64 A Deal

    The road from the previous civilization was still intact, even though most of the infrastructure, like freeways, had been destroyed. They had also done a lot of work pushing away all the remaining cars and other scraps off the road.@@@@


    In fact, a lot of them had been taken back to the city to be recycled into another item.


    So, there wasn''t much left to plunder on the road.


    Of course, they often heard about bandits that had been hiding in the ruined cities, raising explorers. However, the city had done a lot of work in eradicating all the bandits near their base.


    As a result, the bandits usually only appeared far away from the city.


    Clovis couldn''t help but look at this desolate road in reminiscence.


    ...


    A year ago.


    "Evacuation!"


    "Send the truck away."


    "Mama!"


    "Don''t leave me."


    "No!"


    The situation was chaotic as the city was overrun by the beasts. There were a lot of evacuation buses and trucks, but a lot of them were attacked by the beasts.


    Clovis was in one of the evacuation trucks, hiding his face while trying to hold back his tears.


    "Open up the way!"


    "Oh!"


    It was the voice of his parents. That was right. The moment the city gates were destroyed, his parents immediately began the evacuation.


    They were doing their best to escape from the city. Unfortunately, it was impossible.


    Suddenly, Melody tugged on Clovis''s arm while showing him a projecting device. As soon as she activated it, a 3D model of the fallen city appeared.


    "This is..." Clovis sucked a cold breath while Kanaria took a peek at what was going on.


    "This is the model that I got after collecting all the data I have regarding the city. If I''m not wrong, you are planning to hunt other beasts as well, right?"


    "Yes."


    "Do you want to have a trade? If I give you information about other beasts, especially ones related to missions from the association, give me more commissions."


    Clovis looked a bit surprised and asked, "Kanaria. Let me see the mission post again."


    "Here you go." Kanaria projected the mission post so that everyone could see it.


    Mission: Mutated Thylacoleo


    Description: Hunt the Tier 2 Mutated Thylacoleo in the Tier 3 Fallen City, Severend. The beast has distinct purple horns as a result of the mutation. The requester also has the priority to buy the essence and beast soul.


    Reward: 20,000 Union Dollars.


    The mission itself didn''t generate a lot of reward, but if they actually sold the essence as well, it could reach fifty thousand, let alone if there was a beast soul.


    "Hmm..." Clovis took a look at the mission before asking, "Why do you propose this trade? Aren''t we just Tier 1 explorers?"


    "You should include the troublemaker accident where a group of three defeated a Tier 2 snake while they were only Tier 0 explorers. From the looks of it, all of you have become Tier 1, so there should be no problem in killing a few Tier 2 beasts."


    Clovis thought for a moment. "10% of the reward?"


    "It''s too little. I need at least 40% since I have put everything into my database, especially the missions. You can exchange it once we return."


    "15%. 40% is simply too much since we''re the ones doing the fighting. Besides, the hiring contract is per day, so we might stumble upon them in one way or another."


    "30%. With my help, you can get more money than you can imagine. Earning a hundred thousand shouldn''t be that easy with my help. In fact, my estimate is that your group can earn two hundred thousand. So, giving me 30% of the mission reward shouldn''t be a problem, right?"


    Clovis thought for a moment. "Fine. 30%. However, we are the ones getting the essence and any beast soul may drop."


    "Deal."

 Chapter 65 Testing the Operator

    "We are about to arrive in a few minutes. I think you should be able to see the city soon," said Kanaria while looking at their GPS.


    "What radar do you have?" Melody asked.


    "The standard type with a 100-meter range," replied Kanaria while glancing at Melody''s expression. She was still a bit frustrated by her character.


    "Other equipment like the skyglasses?"


    "We have the skyglasses, radars, infrared sensors, and trackers."


    Melody searched for something in her bag before opening the window. It was a dome-shaped item that looked like a transmitter. She placed it on top of their vehicle.


    "Where are the items? I''m going to fine-tune them now and match them with my device."


    "Now? Not when we arrive?" Kanaria furrowed her eyebrows.


    "Normally, there would be some beasts hiding around the gate. So, I''m going to synchronize your equipment first so that we''re ready for combat at any time."


    Kanaria looked at Clovis, unsure whether she should do it or not. But with a nod from Clovis, Kanaria said, "It''s in the blue bag on the back of your seat."


    Clovis immediately grabbed the bag and opened it, showing all the electronic equipment to Melody.


    Melody, who had been sleeping the whole time, instantly worked on everything.


    "Two radars, three sky glasses, dozens of infrared sensors, and a few trackers, huh?" She thought for a moment. "I don''t need the trackers. So, I will just adjust the others with mine."


    Without hesitation, she threw away all the trackers to Clovis and immediately picked up the rest. She tapped on her device, projecting multiple screens.


    A part of the wall on the left had crumbled and the beasts should be able to come back and forth through that wall.


    "I have one last thing to say." Melody raised a finger. "You guys have enough fuel, right? I am going to stay inside the vehicle the whole time and if you need to move, you have to bring this vehicle along with me. I''m not planning to waste my energy running."


    "..." Kanaria''s eyebrows twitched, but Clovis immediately stopped her by saying, "Of course. It''s great that you make it clear right now. While we will try to protect you, there is a chance that a beast can pass through..."


    "If that''s the case, I will do my best to defeat them even though I don''t want to. Besides, it will be troublesome for me if the car is destroyed." Melody nodded her head.


    "Alright. That''s enough. As the captain here, you have my permission." Clovis nodded with a serious expression.


    "Then, I will update the information on your glasses." Melody typed a few things on her device before suddenly a few light pillars appeared in their vision.


    "This is...." Clovis raised his head, looking at these pillars. According to Melody''s explanation earlier, they were supposed to be beasts. "Six beasts? Two groups of three. They are probably the same species."


    Kanaria took out the binoculars and said, "I have found the first group. Hmm... Are they hyaenodons?"


    "Jay, slow down the car. I will go forward. Kanaria, back me up."


    "Roger." Kanaria and Jay acknowledged the order. Kanaria rolled down the window and went to the top of the car while bringing her bag. She hurriedly assembled her weapon while Clovis grabbed his weapon before jumping off the vehicle.


    Since it was going extremely slowly, Clovis sped up and ran much faster than the car.


    Before Clovis reached the enemies, Kanaria had finished assembling her sniper rifle and aimed at them.


    "On position," Kanaria reported.


    "Shoot them right away. I will take care of the rest." Clovis smiled. This was the first time he fought with an operator, so he wanted to see the magic of an operator like the others said.

 Chapter 66 The Power of an Operator

    The hyaenodons were munching on the small animal they had found not long ago when a bullet suddenly hit one of them.


    *Haooo?!* The one that got hit was wailing in pain, but due to the distance, she couldn''t really aim at the head since it was small.


    Meanwhile, the other two hyaenodons turned around and charged at them, finding Clovis in the process. The other hyaenodons seemed to be alarmed as well and tried to check what was going on.


    As soon as Clovis could see the beasts, three panels appeared above the hyaenodons, showing the same thing.


    [Tier 0 Hyaenodon]


    "Is this the skyglasses or you, Melody?" Clovis asked.


    "Me. Look at your right," Melody replied while updating their information.


    Clovis saw the same panels in the distance. They seemed to be moving toward him.


    "I see." It took only an instant for him to understand what was going on. This little thing made their hunt more efficient.


    After calculating the distance, he should have enough time to take care of the beasts in front of him.


    The two hyaenodons ran forward while the other one was still wailing in pain.


    There seemed to be something different with his vision. He didn''t know why, but it felt like these hyaenodons weren''t that fast.


    When they were about to reach him, Clovis took a step to the left. The movement was at the last second, causing the hyaenodons to be unable to change their directions.


    With a single and sharp swing, Clovis smashed the hyaenodon''s teeth before slicing the body horizontally. Seeing the dying hyaenodon, the other froze for a bit. Clovis threw his short sword at it, killing the hyaenodon.


    He never thought that killing a Tier 0 would be this easy.


    After gathering the essence, Clovis remained outside to escort them.


    Fortunately, there were no other beasts around the city gate, so they entered carefully. The city was similar to the one they were living in.


    However, the glasses were shattered, the roads were cracked all over, and the building had become desolate. If they thought about it, the beasts shouldn''t have a problem using one of the buildings as their hiding spot.


    It was no wonder why the fights on the surface and in the underworld were different.


    Looking at the radar, Clovis called, "Melody!"


    "On it. I''ll update the route and the beast''s positions." As she replied, a light appeared in their vision. This light created a path that asked them to move forward and turn left two blocks from their position.


    There were also several pillars of light that indicated the presence of the beasts. The buildings made it hard to see, but it was quite good that they were updated in real time. In fact, he could see two of the pillars moving.


    ''So, this is an operator. If we had this kind of help during the competition, we could easily find beasts. Then again, we have to find an operator who doesn''t mind walking or running with us. Or maybe we should get a specialized car or minibus?''


    Clovis had a lot of plans in his mind. Considering this was just the beginning of his exploration road, he felt excited about what was to come.


    In that case, he had to hunt a lot of beasts here.


    Without hesitation, Clovis moved to the left to chase after the pillar of light. However, Clovis didn''t immediately make his appearance when he was close to the light since it might be a Tier 2 beast.


    When he leaped over the wall, he noticed another hyaenodon in front of him. But this time, it was alone.


    The name immediately popped out.


    [Tier 1 Hyaenodon]


    Clovis smirked as he leaped over after making sure there weren''t any beasts around.

 Chapter 67 First Time Fighting in City (1)

    [Tier 1 Hyaenodon]


    Clovis smirked as he leaped over after making sure there weren''t any beasts around. There were no other pillars, so it looked like it was safe to make his move.


    Without hesitation, he jumped off the wall and rushed to the Hyaenodon. This Tier 1 beast had faster speed and a more robust body.


    However, Clovis still felt the difference between being a Tier 1 human. The movement of this beast seemed much slower than he originally expected.


    When the beast was about to reach him, Clovis stepped to the side, trying to slice the beast like he did to the Tier 0 hyaenodons.


    As one would expect from the beast, its reaction speed was much faster. It actually managed to catch his sword with its teeth while trying to take it away.


    Clovis waved his short sword, but the beast managed to sweep it with its claws, pushing it away. Clovis ended up kicking the beast from below.


    *Aoo?* The hyaenodon was wailing in pain, but it also meant that the teeth-grip on his sword loosened a little bit. Clovis took advantage of this to complete his slash, cutting the beast''s upper jaw.


    The beast was completely frozen after that slash, allowing Clovis to impale its head with the short sword to end its misery.


    "To think that a Tier 1 can be this easy..." Clovis muttered. Before, they needed some effort to kill one. In fact, Jay or Kanaria had to help him during the fight.


    But after becoming a Tier 1 human, he managed to eliminate a Tier 1 beast in just a few clashes.@@@@


    He didn''t realize how absurd Clovis was. Because Kanaria and Jay were his companions who had never worked together with a Tier 1 human, they didn''t realize how abnormal Clovis was.


    ''Is this really a Tier 1 explorer?'' Melody squinted her eyes. ''I have worked a lot with Tier 1 explorers, but they are much weaker than him. In fact, the other two are also a little bit abnormal, even though they can''t be compared to him.''


    On the one hand, she was curious about Clovis, who could produce this level of power. On the other hand, she was too lazy to handle the consequences in case Clovis was someone important.


    ''Either way...'' Melody typed a few things.


    The beast was quite heavy, considering its size was slightly bigger than his body. Still, it didn''t mean that he was hopeless in this situation.


    He hurriedly kicked the beast and launched it up.


    *Roar!* The beast let out a small groan but still landed on the ground safely. It didn''t wait for Clovis to get up to charge again.


    Clovis threw the short sword toward the beast, which was easily avoided by the beast. But this was just a distraction because that split second allowed Clovis to roll his body and stand on one knee.


    The beast was also Tier 1 like the previous hyaenodon, but this was much stronger and faster.


    Clovis swung his sword horizontally, causing the beast to leap over the sword. After that, it tried to push Clovis back to the ground.


    Unfortunately for the beast, Clovis had predicted this and threw himself to the side. It could be said that Clovis had actually lured the beast to take such an action.


    After he was on his feet again, Clovis switched to the offensive. He rushed straight to this beast, swinging his sword from below.


    The beast seemed to have learned its lesson because it chose to go to the side instead of jumping into the air to follow the sword''s movement. It specifically chose Clovis''s right side since he would have a hard time throwing his other sword.


    Melody suddenly said, "Enter the store. The other beasts heard the commotions and went straight at you."


    "Do you know their tier?"


    "We don''t have the specialized radar, so no. You have to enter the room and kill them one by one."


    "Got it." Clovis knew that this was the best choice. So, he immediately charged at the beast, trying to attack it.


    The moment the beast was baited to dodge his attack, Clovis hurriedly entered the building, which turned out to be a nightclub.


    He could see a lot of bottles and shattered glasses on the ground. However, instead of a grand dance floor, it seemed to be similar to a hostess club with a lot of couches. He could definitely use them.


    "Alright. Time to dance with this beast." Clovis smirked.

 Chapter 68 First Time Fighting in City (2)

    There was something that changed the moment they fought inside the building. First of all, there was a restriction on space, meaning that Clovis had to make sure that he didn''t reach the corner, which put him at a disadvantage.


    However, this also brought some advantages to him.


    Clovis rushed to one of the couches, which caused the beast to chase after him.


    With a smile, Clovis grabbed the table and flipped it toward the beast.


    *Roar?!* The beast was startled and smacked the table, but this was just a distraction.


    Clovis wanted to cover the beast''s vision for a second as he slashed the table and the beast from above.


    *Ro¡ª!* The beast couldn''t even react as its vision split into two.


    Still, the beast''s momentum hadn''t stopped and it ended up crashing into Clovis.


    "Gah!" Clovis coughed a few times as he fell to the floor. He wanted to avoid it earlier, but the shattered bottles and couches restricted his movement.


    He slid on the floor for a bit. Fortunately, his shirt was special, allowing him to not suffer any injuries.


    "I have to get accustomed to fighting inside a building for now. There is also a chance that they will destroy the building. Clovis hurriedly pushed the beast away from him before stabbing it with his syringe.


    While waiting, Clovis looked left and right, finding a better position to take on the other beasts.


    The first beast came into the store to check what was going on. However, it couldn''t find any sign of Clovis. The only suspicious thing in the store was the corpse of the beast Clovis killed earlier.@@@@


    As soon as it saw the corpse, it suddenly heard a clicking sound as if another bottle had just shattered.


    After that, Clovis immediately climbed back to the second floor. The clicking sound of the chain gave his location away, so the beast hurriedly turned back to the second floor, finding Clovis, who had yet to leap over the railing.


    The beast charged at Clovis, ready to pounce on him from the second floor and use him as a cushion to land on the first floor. Even if Clovis was a Tier 1, he would definitely be injured from this, let alone the floor filled with shattered glasses.


    That was why, instead of leaping over the railing, he actually released his short sword and tossed it into the ceiling.


    When the beast pounced on him, he ended up swinging upward while the beast fell to the first floor.


    *Roar!* The beast was wailing in pain as numerous glass pieces stuck to its body.


    Clovis climbed down gradually before pulling out the short sword. He then delivered the killing blow to the injured beast, which ultimately ended the fight.


    "Huu..." Feeling a bit relieved, Clovis muttered, "So, this is how you fight in a building... It''s going to be troublesome because of the limited space, but there are a lot of ways to hide or fool the beasts. It''s extremely different from the wild since there is almost nothing I can use to distract the beast."


    Clovis hurriedly grabbed the syringe. He had cleaned up the area, so there should be no problem for the group to come here.


    However, it seemed that the city was so enclosed that it was much easier to encounter an enemy.


    Right after he finished his battle, Melody immediately warned him. "Clovis. Return to the car. We''re getting attacked."


    Clovis raised his eyebrows. Because he had gone to the left, he didn''t check the right side. He even leaped over the wall that separated the two blocks instead of turning right at the junction. It was no wonder why their vehicle would catch the beasts'' attention.


    Without even bothering to get back the syringe, he rushed outside while replying, "Give me the route."


    The path was projected into his skyglasses, allowing him to run at full speed. He could get back the syringe later, but it would be troublesome if the car was damaged.


    So, when he reached the main road where the vehicle was, he became infuriated when he saw Jay fighting two beasts. Kanaria wanted to shoot, but it would cause too much noise and they were still not prepared to fight a large number of beasts.


    There were even more beasts approaching. Clovis clicked his tongue, realizing the mistake on his part.

 Chapter 69 Setting Up!

    A moment ago.


    "There seem to be some beasts noticing us," said Melody while looking at the screen. "You might have to protect this car, saber guy."


    "..." Jay furrowed his eyebrows, saying in an unsure tone. "Kanaria can''t do it?"


    "Her weapon will alarm the others. If that''s the method you want to use to lure out other beasts, feel free to do it. But not right now. We have to find a place to do that first." Melody pointed to the right. "Anyway, you should go out now if you don''t want them to attack this car, but don''t get too far. I''ll inform your captain to return."


    "Alright." Jay nodded and came out of the vehicle. Kanaria seemed to have waited for him as she immediately pointed at the beasts fifty meters away from them. "Jay. Take care of them. I will use my pistol if they come too close, but I hope it''s not needed."


    "I know." Jay looked at the incoming four beasts. Without hesitation, Jay ran toward the beasts to grab all their attention.


    The four beasts split into three. Two of them came from the front, while the other two flanked him from both sides.


    Jay waved his blade horizontally, trying to reach the left one. After that, he took a step to the right to shift his center of gravity and make a complete swing to reach the other three.


    The four beasts suddenly jumped back to avoid the blades. Even though they were quite close to each other, there was still at least one or two meters of gap between them. It was surprising that Jay managed to reach all of them.@@@@


    The four beasts realized that challenging Jay would be a tall hurdle. They were Tier 0 beasts, so they didn''t have to fight him.


    The two beasts in the front approached Jay. Meanwhile, the other two faked their actions by flanking him first and changing their directions to run past him.


    "!!!" Jay hurriedly turned around and chased after them. Since he was able to utilize his muscles better, he didn''t only gain strength but also speed. In addition, Clovis''s special sweatpants also boosted his speed to another level. That was why he was able to catch up to them.


    ''Still...'' Kanaria took a deep breath. It seemed that she was a bit too tense, as she only heard Clovis''s footsteps when he was already close to the car. With her sense, she should have sensed him at least a few seconds before that.


    With both of them saving the car, there should be no more threats.


    "How is the situation?" Clovis asked Melody in the transmission.


    "We''re good for now," replied Melody before adding, "We have secured a place for me. And after gathering their essence, we should begin the hunt. I have located a spot that we can use to lure a large number of beasts."


    "Good." Clovis then turned to Kanaria. "You can go with me now. Jay will take the car to the safe area with Melody. Since you need to climb the building, you need to go first."


    "Got it." Kanaria nodded her head. She grabbed a few things from the car and walked alongside the car.


    Meanwhile, Clovis returned to the nightclub to gather the essence while Jay took care of the beasts near the car.


    It seemed that the place Melody assumed to be safe was a small alley between two establishments. The right one looked like a boutique, but everything had been ransacked and destroyed. The left one was a family restaurant.


    Jay sneaked the car into this small alley. If necessary, Melody could escape to both buildings through the back entrance.


    But in the meantime, Melody remained inside the car. Her reasoning was that she sweated easily and wanted to cool her body inside the car.


    Kanaria was infuriated as usual, but she couldn''t do anything as Clovis allowed it as long as Melody did her job.


    It was at that time that Melody introduced a place for them to lure the beast. It was located fifty meters from the car, so it wasn''t so far away that Clovis and Jay couldn''t return to save Melody.

 Chapter 70 Tier 2 Again

    The place they were using to hunt was actually a parking lot. The parking lot had a lot of space. While they couldn''t hide, they should have no trouble getting help from Kanaria.


    After all, Kanaria was stationed in the building diagonal from the parking lot. It was a five-story building, which should give her a height advantage.


    "How many beasts are around us?" Clovis asked.


    "From the radar, there should be about 24 beasts. One of you should go to the building to set up an ambush on the building while the other remains in that parking lot to split up their number."


    Kanaria looked at them from the top floor of the building. "I have visuals for a lot of them. There are even some beasts a bit further away that might join the battle. So, expect about thirty or forty beasts."


    "In that case, Clovis, you should hide." Jay pointed at the building with a smirk.


    "What? No, no. I should be the bait." Clovis shook his head.


    "While I''m not foolish, I don''t like using my brain. Hiding and ambushing the enemies requires a lot of timing and precision, so you''re more suitable." Jay shrugged.


    Clovis''s eyebrows twitched when he heard the desperation in that first part. He sighed, "Fine. You can take this place. But beware... While the majority in this place are Tier 0 beasts, the number of Tier 1 beasts is much higher than anything we have seen."@@@@


    "I know. This is a Tier 2 territory while the center of the city is Tier 3. So, you don''t have to worry about that."


    Clovis nodded with a serious expression. There was another reason why he chose to agree with this arrangement. The building was much closer to Melody, so he could react in case something unexpected happened.


    He remembered the case of the Tier 2 snake after all. If there was indeed someone who was targeting him, he thought they would send multiple Tier 2 beasts to them in one way or another. In fact, Tier 3 might be possible.


    When Clovis entered the building, he could see multiple infrared sensors that had been set up in the building. He was hiding on the second floor and was ready to ambush them.


    Kanaria aimed her weapon at one of the beasts while Jay unsheathed his saber.


    "Clovis. Your call," said Kanaria while observing the entire area.


    "Let''s hunt."


    "Got it." As soon as Kanaria acknowledged his order, she aimed at another Tier 0 beast and pulled the trigger.


    *Bam!*


    The beast didn''t know what happened until it was too late. The Tier 1 and Tier 2 beasts seemed to notice the bullet and hurriedly raised their heads, knowing where they were supposed to go.


    However, when the beasts were approaching, Jay smacked his weapon to the light pole, causing a ringing sound that took away most beasts'' attention.


    They abruptly stopped for a split second and turned around to check on Jay. Since they could easily see Jay, they changed their target to him.


    But during the time they stopped, Kanaria hurriedly shot multiple beasts in rapid succession.


    Jay smirked, looking at the incoming beasts.


    "Haaaa!" Jay started running toward them. Since most of them were Tier 0, there should be nothing that could stop his blade.


    Meanwhile, some beasts still entered the building as if choosing Kanaria as their priority.


    The infrared sensors immediately found them and Melody simply created a projection from Clovis for their locations. He now finally understood why she arranged the sensors in that way.


    Currently, he saw five beasts entering the building. One of them was already climbing up, so when it reached the second floor, Clovis immediately came out behind the wall and stabbed the beast in the head. The other beast noticed the commotion and went to the stairs.


    However, Clovis simply kicked the corpse toward this beast, causing it to be unable to move. After that, Clovis jumped and struck the beast with his sword.


    "Clovis. The Tier 2 beast seems to be coming at you," Melody warned him.


    "Okay." Clovis acknowledged it while trying to look through the stairs'' railing. He expected the beast to come through the door, but he didn''t know that the beast was actually bigger than the double door.


    "No. Hurry up and go to the second floor!" Melody warned him in a panicked tone, bewildering Clovis.


    However, it seemed that there wasn''t enough time. The wall suddenly crumbled to the ground, revealing the giant deer outside. Now, he finally understood why Melody panicked.


    "Oh... this... He''s going to tear down the stairs."

 Chapter 71 Killing Tier 2

    "Oh... this... He''s going to tear down the stairs." Clovis thought as the giant deer charged at him. "Oh no."


    Clovis tossed the short sword to the ceiling and pulled himself up.


    *Bam!*


    The giant deer destroyed the concrete stairs in a single charge, making Clovis panic.


    "Lure that beast away, if you don''t want the building to be destroyed." Melody warned Clovis.


    It wasn''t hard to imagine the deer destroying all the pillars that created this building. If he had destroyed enough, Kanaria would definitely be in danger.


    Without hesitation, Clovis ran through the second floor and broke the window on the second floor to get out of the building.


    Before falling, Clovis stabbed the wall with his short sword and safely landed on the ground.@@@@


    The giant deer seemed to have noticed him and turned around, informing the other beasts to kill him.


    "It seems that I have underestimated Tier 2 beasts." Clovis put the short sword on his armband and took out the pistol.


    "Huu..." Clovis took a small breath to calm him down. Everything became slow again in his vision.


    This was probably a sign of what his father was talking about. The Blood Limit would allow him to see the world in slow motion.


    Even though it hadn''t reached that stage yet, it still impacted Clovis''s vision.


    Clovis calmly pointed his pistol toward these beasts. Since he could see them more slowly, he took this opportunity to shoot them in the head.


    *Bang!*


    *Bang!*


    *Bang!*


    Each shot was actually a headshot. Even Clovis was surprised at how easy it was to aim for the target.


    The beasts fell down one by one, leaving the giant deer startled. Since he was Tier 2, he was like an overseer to these beasts.


    That was why Clovis actually pointed at the giant deer before shooting another beast as if he were showing an example of what Clovis planned to do to him.


    That sort of provocation angered the giant deer as it started charging at Clovis.


    However, this was what Clovis wanted since he didn''t want the building to collapse.


    "I will lead away the Tier 2 beast and somehow defeat it. Kanaria will keep shooting down those Tier 0 beasts and try to find a way to protect yourself. Melody will assist her in moving around."


    "Got it," Kanaria replied while searching for the next target.


    "You only have about four minutes before you need to evacuate." Melody informed Kanaria based on the information she got from the sensors.


    *Rumble!*


    *Rumble!*


    Clovis looked at the destroyed part and immediately said, "Give me the path to destroy only the right part of the building."


    "Got it." Melody was assuming that this giant deer would act like a bull. Since the first charge had destroyed the middle part, they only had to destroy all the supporting pillars on the right side.


    Clovis positioned himself near the toilet on the corner. As soon as the giant deer emerged from the rubble, it charged at Clovis again.


    He skillfully avoided it this time, allowing the deer to destroy it.


    After that, Clovis hurriedly ran away from this place on a straight path. This time, he didn''t stop and just shattered the window to get out and go as far as possible.


    The giant deer didn''t know what Clovis was planning to do. It simply ran straight at him.


    However, because he caused all the destruction and even destroyed the main pillars, the building had a hard time supporting its weight anymore and started to crumble.


    "!!!" The giant deer raised its head and saw the concrete ceiling crack and fall apart.


    It happened in an instant, so the deer could only raise its antlers to protect his body as much as possible.


    Unfortunately, it was impossible to protect every part as the rubble started burying him.


    Luckily, Clovis had gone out of the way. He even had enough distance that he could protect himself from any rubble that was launched in his way.


    He could see that only a part of the right side collapsed, but it didn''t matter. He took advantage of the cloud of dust to approach the giant deer that couldn''t move anymore.


    The deer''s injury was not as heavy as he originally thought. But its body couldn''t push away all these rubbles, allowing Clovis to loop around and shoot the deer from behind.


    *Bang!*


    *Bang!*


    *Bang!*


    The deer tried to stop Clovis, but what could it do? It couldn''t twist its neck to stop the bullets, so it ended up dying from Clovis''s bullet.


    "Tier 2 is rather easy to kill now." Clovis muttered.


    "However, I don''t suggest using this method. It''s simply too dangerous because one miscalculation can cause you to be buried along with the deer." Melody warned him. Even she was a bit panicked when she saw the building collapse.


    "I know. I''m just trying to see how I can kill Tier 2 beasts. For the future Tier 2, I will just use the normal method, which is to use my weapons even if the battle lasts longer."


    "That''s fine, but because of the commotion you have made..." Melody didn''t continue, but the radar on the skyglasses was glowing.


    In the radar, he noticed multiple dots coming in their directions. It seemed that the loud crumbling sound alerted another wave of beasts.


    "I know. I''ll stop them here until Jay and Kanaria finish their sides. I won''t be too reckless next time." Clovis sighed.

 Chapter 72 Disappointed

    Jay clicked his tongue while looking around. There were nothing but corpses around him.


    Even though he had killed more than thirty beasts by himself, his thirst for battle hadn''t been quenched.


    "Kanaria. Are you alright?" Jay asked while looking at the building. He soon noticed Kanaria on the building''s roof, attaching herself to a rope as she leaped down the building like a trained soldier.


    "Yeah. If you have any time to chat, you better go to Clovis''s side. There are a lot of beasts approaching from that side, so we have to help him. I will take care of the beasts chasing after me," Kanaria replied while looking left where Clovis was fighting all those beasts by himself.


    "What? There are more?" Jay widened his eyes in shock. "Melody. You should have told me about it."


    "I was planning to tell you once you cleared up the area." Melody responded with a slightly monotonous tone as though she wanted to say she was lazy.


    Kanaria couldn''t help but furrow her eyebrows. She wanted to comment on her reply, but she chose to let it go for the time being.


    They had other tasks to do after all.


    "I''m going." Jay immediately rushed to Clovis''s side, finding those beasts. It seemed that Clovis was also taking a beating.


    Even though he was a Tier 1 human, there were more beasts in that wave than the beasts Jay killed in the parking lot. And he didn''t have Kanaria''s support, so it was hard for him to handle all those beasts by himself.


    "Huu..." Clovis took a deep breath while slashing one beast after another. However, one of the beasts suddenly emerged from the opposite side and struck him.


    Although he wanted to block it, he wasn''t fast enough to do it. Even when he shot the beast, the momentum caused the body to crash into him.


    Clovis hurriedly stood up and continued the fight.


    Fortunately, the reinforcement he had been waiting for had finally arrived.


    On the other hand, Lovelia had fallen too deep. She gritted her teeth, unable to answer Vina''s question.


    Vina looked at Lovelia before shaking her head helplessly. "Lovelia. I will just remind you of this. At the end of the day, you are just a substitute. No, we, including Elina, might be the substitutes. His eyes never looked at us.


    "Just look at our names and compare them to Kanaria. That''s right. Vina, Elina, or you, Lovelia... If they are combined, it rings similar to that of Kanaria. This is my advice, as someone who has been in the same party as you, don''t fall too deep."


    "What do you know?!" Lovelia grabbed her collar, looking frustrated. She had a lot going on.


    At the same time, it didn''t change the fact that Ivan saved her... even though it was the trouble he brought himself. However, Lovelia only saw the first part while Vina was calm enough to see the second part.


    Vina grabbed her hands and shoved them away. "Well, the bet should do you good in one way or another. Since you are not at the party anymore, you don''t have to be in danger. If your only purpose is to marry him, then you can approach him in another way. This way, you won''t break any rules and maintain your integrity.


    "But if you think you can''t do it, then I have nothing more to tell you. After all, I will still remain in the city... or maybe return to the surface while waiting for the ban. I still have to maintain my integrity for my teacher after all. If you understand that, I hope you can leave."


    Vina extended her hand toward the door, implying that she wasn''t invited here anymore.


    Lovelia couldn''t refute her words at all. If she still came to Ivan, she would definitely be judged and the reputation of their Rusth Family would be hit once more. At that time, her grandfather would definitely disown her.


    Lovelia had no choice but to walk away.


    When she left the room, she looked at her device as Elina replied to her message.


    Elina: Sorry, I believe it''s better if you don''t contact me anymore. The current situation is rather perilous and the president is angry.


    Elina had chosen to cut contact with her, most likely due to the pressure from above. There was also a chance that she had known the matter from her grandfather.


    Lovelia bit her lips as her eyes were filled with extreme anger.

 Chapter 73 Processing

    "I want you to do it," said Lovelia, looking at the middle-aged man before him.@@@@


    "I can probably do that." The middle-aged man nodded with confidence.


    "Then go. I will pay you accordingly," Lovelia said in frustration.


    "..." The middle-aged man frowned. Instead of leaving, he actually said, "I need an advance payment."


    Lovelia glared at him. She tried to pay him, but only half of it. "This is the payment. Once you''re done, I will transfer the rest."


    "..." The middle-aged man looked at the money before leaving the room. It seemed that the deal had been reached.


    Unbeknownst to them, two people had been watching over the deal in the darkness.


    "What do you think? Should we kill her?" One of them asked.


    The other shook his head. "No. I think this is good. That kid is rather clever as a little villain. The rule is that no human should kill him. That old monster doesn''t say we can''t use other things to cause the beasts to kill his grandson."


    "So, we should let her plan succeed?"


    "Yeah. If it can work, it''s good. There is a lot of jamming equipment, so if that can hinder them, the chance of them dying is pretty high. In fact, I heard in the black market that there is a device that produces a sound at a certain frequency that can trigger the beasts. We might be able to use it to lure a horde of beasts."


    "But... will this be enough? Even Tier 2 beasts weren''t enough to kill them during the competition. Should we add the cannibals to Zeven Fallen City? Cannibals have been treated as not human, right?"


    "That''s rather vague. We have to consult the master first if we want to do that. Even bandits are still questionable methods."


    "So, for now, we should assist that lass?"


    "Yeah. From our information, that kid is going out of town soon. It seems that they are thinking about hiring an operator."


    "There is nothing on the radar. All the beasts have been eliminated."


    "Kanaria?"


    "Nothing is moving around us. I don''t think there are any other beasts around here. We can proceed to the next location if we want." Kanaria looked around with her binoculars.


    "Alright." Clovis nodded his head. "We have to leave this area because the blood smell will attract the beasts."


    Clovis stood up even though he was exhausted. "I''m going to get their essence. Kanaria remains in your position to make sure no beasts approach us."


    "Melody should have been the one gathering their essence. You should get some rest, Clovis," said Kanaria while furrowing her eyebrows. Since she had to remain here, Melody should be the one helping them.


    Melody ignored Kanaria''s comments completely, while Clovis chuckled. "It''s fine. I was the one giving permission."


    "But in a fallen territory, we should be cooperating with each other." Kanaria complained, thinking that Melody was just getting their money without doing any hard work.


    Although she was satisfied with her work, she also understood why she had bad ratings. In fact, other people''s reactions should be similar to hers, causing them to hate Melody.


    However, Clovis didn''t mind all this. As long as he could still move, he would be the one to take care of the situation.


    He might not know much about an operator, but he felt that Melody had done a good job as an operator to the point where he wondered if he should recruit her to the group. After all, whenever there was a challenge, the skyglasses would show something new.


    In fact, there were a lot of times where the skyglasses showed a different color in the beast''s body, indicating its weak spot.


    What they didn''t realize was that, in the car, Melody was drenched in sweat. She had even taken her top off to cool down and covered herself with a towel to wipe the sweat.


    "Hu..." Melody let out a long sigh. "I really hate processing things. It took too much brain power."


    On top of her body''s condition, she was also similar to a person who could sweat by only thinking about things. She simply thought and processed a lot of things simultaneously, allowing her to provide any kinds of instructions or changes in the skyglasses right at the moment the enemies appeared.


    "Still..." Melody looked at the screen, specifically Clovis. "This guy is rather interesting."

 Chapter 74 Worry

    "How is our catch?" Clovis asked.


    "Not bad for the first day." Kanaria looked. All of them had become Tier 1, so they expected much more than what they usually got as Tier 0 explorers.


    "Not bad? Do you know that your accomplishments are much greater than those of other Tier 1 explorers?" Melody''s eyebrows twitched. She had become the operator for a lot of parties, so she knew a lot of their output.


    And she had never seen a party as ridiculous as these three. She pointed at the loot and said, "You got about three times the usual Tier 1 party. And I have to tell you that they are usually a six-man party."


    "..." Clovis looked at Kanaria, saying, "It''s not that bad, right?"


    "Yeah. We should have no problem getting three hundred thousand at this rate, four hundred with the mission reward and other stuff. And since we don''t have a lot to split among a lot of members, we can get about a hundred thousand each." Kanaria explained. "Of course, I have removed the portion of pay for Melody."


    "That''s good." Clovis nodded, satisfied. Although he had to split them later, he would be the one selling all this. So, he could use this money to increase the number of visits or even unlock a new store.


    That was why he became a bit excited. There would be a lot of things to do once they returned.


    "..." Melody was completely speechless. On the one hand, she was tired because of their hunting speed which ended up causing more beasts to be killed. On the other hand, it also meant that she got a lot from this exploration.


    Normally, she would only get about fifteen to twenty-five thousand for an exploration, which allowed her to be comfortable for a while. But with this group, she could get triple that number with the reward alone. If only she got a portion of the essence share, that number would increase tremendously.


    Melody shook her head helplessly. It seemed that her greed was taking over her briefly, making her forget that she just wanted to laze around in her house and live comfortably instead of hunting so hard like them.


    "By the way, what is our objective for tomorrow? Do we have any Tier 2 that can be turned in?" Clovis asked.


    Melody observed Clovis''s movement. She had been interested in this weird man, who actually allowed her to do everything she wanted.


    Unfortunately, it would be weird if she was asking him why he treated her this way, so she kept that curiosity in her heart, thinking that she would probably not meet them again after this.


    "Alright. You can get some rest first." Clovis waved his hand, treating it as nothing big.


    Because they had a car, they could bring two tents, so the boys and the girls didn''t have to share anymore.


    Melody didn''t hesitate to accept that offer, leaving Kanaria and Clovis alone.


    Since it wasn''t time yet, Clovis chose to leave. "Sorry. I''m going up for now."


    They were using an empty building for the night, so he wanted to get some fresh air on the rooftop.


    "Do you mind if I accompany you?" Kanaria asked with an unsure tone.


    "Sure." Clovis didn''t reject it. Kanaria was concerned about the change in Clovis''s expression earlier, so this should be a good time to ask.


    However, her mind was distracted a bit when Clovis opened the door leading to the rooftop.


    The sky was actually filled with a lot of stars like shining gems. In the city, she couldn''t see any stars because of the light, but a fallen city like this had no running electricity, allowing them to actually see the real dark sky.


    "Hahaha. No matter how many times I see this, it''s truly beautiful. Unlike the subterranean world, we can see the stars from here." Clovis looked at the sky like a kid. It was just pure admiration.


    But this was also the reason why Kanaria decided to ask, "Clovis... Are you worried about something that might happen during this exploration?"

 Chapter 75 Kanarias Dream

    "Are you worried about something that might happen during this exploration?"


    "..." Clovis glanced at her. Seeing her serious expression made Clovis feel a bit embarrassed. He scratched the back of his head while saying, "I guess I can''t hide it from you."


    "Is it concerning your family? No, it''s more like the incident in the competition." Kanaria had been thinking about this. Since the incident was intentional, it was clear that someone was trying to harm Clovis. He might be afraid of talking about it because they would be scared to accompany him on this journey.


    Clovis looked down, his expression looked a bit sad.


    Kanaria moved closer to Clovis and said, "I haven''t told you about my dream, right?"


    "Mhmm?" Clovis was confused as to why Kanaria suddenly talked about this.


    "Do you know why I learn logistics?" Kanaria smiled before pointing at the city. "This is my dream."


    "The ruined city? No..." Clovis fell silent as if he were realizing something, but the word didn''t appear in his mind.


    Kanaria chuckled. "My dream is to rebuild the fallen cities. After the incident fifty years ago, the world was never the same again. Humanity turned a city into a giant base and people had to live protected like turtles.


    "However, my grandfather told me that people in the past could travel to anyone they wanted... visit any country in the world, travel to many cities, and experience their delicacies.


    "I am hoping for something like that too. I wish to rebuild these cities and travel anywhere I want. Each city will flourish and create a new culture. And to rebuild them, you will need a lot of materials and management. That''s why I learn logistics."


    Clovis widened his eyes in amusement. "Even if you have the money or strength, you won''t be able to rebuild the city without having someone take care of the logistics. There is also a chance for multiple corruptions in the process."


    "That''s right. I am going to become the best in this area. Don''t you think this aligns with your dream?" Kanaria made a genuine smile. "If the group becomes strong, I will have the influence to rebuild cities. And I will be the one taking care of all of it."


    "That''s what I''m worried about. Considering they can lure a Tier 2 snake, I believe that they are strong, at least Tier 3. Right now, we don''t have the strength to fight them." Clovis raised a finger. "I''m thinking about using the advantage that they don''t touch us personally."


    "Well, if they do it personally, they can easily eliminate our groups." Kanaria nodded.


    "That''s right. If something truly happens in this exploration, I''m thinking about catching the culprits. If they run away, I''m pretty sure that they are the culprits in the snake incident. If they fight us, they are a third party related to the Rusth family and the Drake group."


    "What if it''s the latter?" Kanaria asked with a solemn look. The Rusth family had been a thorn to her family after all.


    "I will eliminate them." Clovis didn''t hesitate to answer. "While I dislike killing my own kin, I also have my own patience. If they attack me once, I will simply defeat them. But if they attack me twice, I will kill them so that they don''t do it for the third time."


    "Why don''t you just kill them after the first attempt?"


    "Depending on the context, everyone deserves a second chance, is what I want to believe. After all, humanity is already pushed to the brink of extinction by those beasts, I don''t want to reduce its population even more unless necessary." Clovis shrugged.


    "But can''t you just contribute to society by having children?" Kanaria smirked.


    "What? Our relationship is not at the level where we can talk about this." Clovis''s eyebrows twitched.


    "I didn''t say it was me." Kanaria''s smile became even bigger as she began teasing him. "Oh my, does our Clovis have that kind of thought about me?"


    "Wha¡ª! You tricked me." Clovis gasped.


    "Hehehe." Kanaria suddenly took a step back and said, "You are so serious, so I''m just trying to loosen you up. And don''t worry. I will help you locate the enemies this time."


    "Kanaria..." Clovis took a deep breath before his eyes looked annoyed again as he continued, "...don''t change the topic."

 Chapter 76 Losing Connection

    "Kanaria, in position."


    "Jay, in position."


    "Clovis, in position. It''s your call, Kanaria," said Clovis while looking at the map.


    Kanaria was looking at a Tier 2 lizard called Megalania. This lizard was considered one of the largest lizards to have ever existed. Its length was close to seven meters. It had a robust build, powerful limbs, and a long tail.


    Their target this time was this lizard.


    ...


    A moment ago.


    While watching the beasts from the top of the building, Kanaria noticed a giant lizard moving to a building. On the way, Melody immediately showed them the lizard''s picture while saying, "This lizard seems to be in one of the requests."


    "Really?" Clovis frowned. "What is the mission?"


    "Wait a bit. I''ll show you about it." Melody took a few seconds before showing the post about the mission.


    Mission: Megalania Subjugation.


    Description: Kill a Tier 2 Megalania and obtain its essence and blood.


    "Blood? Do we have a container for that?" Clovis frowned.


    "We can probably do it somehow. There is a small freezer on the car, so we can use it to preserve the blood sample. But it means that no one can enjoy a cool drink, and the car has to be active all the time." Kanaria explained.


    "Will there be a problem?"


    "Other than those two inconveniences, no."


    Clovis nodded. "Alright. We shall subjugate the Tier 2 Megalania. Kanaria will go to the building on the north side, while Jay and I will protect the building. We will make the beasts come to the building before taking care of them as a team."


    "Got it."


    "There are about seven beasts around that building. You have to kill them first." Kanaria warned them while stepping back before running to her new spot.


    Kanaria frowned. "Hello? Clovis? Jay? Melody? Anyone can hear me?"


    There was no response. Kanaria instantly felt something weird as she immediately backed down and hid behind the wall. She checked her equipment to see if it was broken or not.


    However, the skyglasses still looked normal. It was just that she couldn''t say anything on the radio, which was weird.


    "Mhmm?" Kanaria looked down, contemplating. It was then that she remembered Clovis''s words last night. "Don''t tell me..."


    Without hesitation, Kanaria rushed to the stairs. In fact, she simply leaped over the railing and proceeded to go down the stairs. She even stayed outside the windows so that even her shadow wasn''t seen.


    ''Aren''t they moving too fast?'' Kanaria furrowed her eyebrows. Even though there was a high possibility that they weren''t going to get killed by a sniper, it didn''t change the fact that she should be out of their sight in case it wasn''t like what they thought.


    Kanaria hurriedly climbed down the building and broke the window to exit the building so that she could use the alley to hide her position.


    This way, the enemy wouldn''t know her position and would constantly look for her.


    Jay continued killing the beasts one by one, but Clovis noticed the gunshot had stopped.


    "Kanaria?" Clovis called her name with a confused tone. "Melody?"


    If Kanaria was taken out, Melody would definitely respond. After all, she was hidden from plain sight. In that case, it seemed that his transmission wasn''t working, and coupled with the fact that Kanaria had stopped shooting, Clovis realized it was an enemy''s attack.


    "Jay!"


    "Huh?" Jay glanced at Clovis while slashing the beast in front of him.


    "Get into the building. Don''t show yourself outside." Clovis ran toward the building on the right without hesitation. He didn''t even bother to reply to Jay''s question.


    His action was enough to show Jay the severity of their situation, so he immediately used the building on the left as a cover. At the same time, the beasts were split into two groups.


    On the other hand, Clovis kept trying to contact Melody. "Melody? Can you hear me?"


    Since he had no way of knowing their situation, Clovis ended up with a dilemma. On the one hand, he had to check Kanaria''s situation. On the other hand, Melody''s fate was also unknown.


    His heart was telling him to find Kanaria, but his brain asked him to go to Melody instead. After all that conversation last night, he had to believe in Kanaria.


    "Huu..." Clovis bit his lips before cutting all the beasts in front of him, making his way toward Melody.

 Chapter 77 Finding the Enemies

    "Are you sure about this?" A young man asked while looking at Clovis''s group with his binoculars. "If I''m not wrong, their members are from Havenson and Renvolt, right?"


    The middle-aged man next to him said, "It''s already common knowledge that the Renvolt and Rusth families are fighting. The Havenson family is currently backing up the Renvolt family, but because of the recent incident, the Drake Group joined hands.


    "However, I''ve heard that there is another force involved in this situation. I am not sure about it, but according to our intel, they are much stronger than the Renvolt and Havenson families."


    "What?" The young man gasped. "Are we picking a side now?"


    "Not really. We are just a small explorer group that doesn''t have any backing. We are lacking a lot of funds, so we don''t have any choice."


    "Is the pay that good?"


    "Yeah. A hundred thousand per head, three hundred thousand for that girl." The man nodded.


    "Well..." The young man couldn''t really reply back after he said that. At the same time, a loud *bang* echoed inside the city, alarming both of them. "They are moving!"


    "I will activate the jamming device." The man hurriedly went down and activated a device with a stick-shaped head. Once activated, the jamming device disrupted telecommunications in a large area.@@@@


    "..." The young man kept observing their movements. "Damn. Those two guys are strong. The information said they are only Tier 1, but are we really picking a fight with them? Then again, the Drake Group also has a genius that is said to be the most talented in the city."


    The young man was so occupied with Clovis and Jay''s movements that he didn''t realize that Kanaria had gone.


    "How is the situation?" The middle-aged man returned.


    "They are still in their place. By the way, if we want to kill them, can we just snipe them from here?"


    "Inside the building? But I have to get a bit closer if I want to find it." Kanaria''s expression turned solemn. On the one hand, she wanted to find the culprit and destroy the device. On the other hand, she was worried about Clovis and Jay.


    While she was thinking, Clovis actually crashed into the wall.


    "Kh." Clovis gritted his teeth, glaring at the Tier 2 megalania. "This damn lizard."


    He was simply trying to go to Melody to protect her, but the Tier 2 lizard actually came to him.


    Despite its giant body, the lizard was extremely fast.


    After Clovis crashed into the wall, the lizard instantly closed the gap between them and waved its tail to pin him onto the wall.


    Clovis ducked, avoiding the tail. However, two of the beasts surrounded him from two sides. Clovis shot the one on the left while striking down the other one with his sword. But this also meant that Clovis didn''t have anything to block the attack from the lizard.


    Without hesitation, the lizard flapped its tail and struck Clovis from his left.


    Clovis raised his left arm to block it, but the impact knocked him down. Fortunately, the shirt was made of special material or his arm might be torn off. In addition, he was wearing the jacket he bought from the Another World Mall, the one that gave him ''Defense +7,'' which allowed him to completely block the lizard tail as if wearing an iron gauntlet.


    Clovis hurriedly shot the lizard multiple times, but the lizard skillfully twisted its body so that only a non-vital area got hit.


    The other beasts were also approaching, so Clovis had no choice but to go up. It was at this time that a screen appeared in front of him. It was a rather large screen, but on the side to avoid blocking Clovis''s sight.


    There were only a few words on it.


    "I''m safe. Kill them all."

 Chapter 78 Killing the Tier 2 Megalania

    "I''m safe. Kill them all."


    "!!!" Clovis instantly understood whose message this was. Since Melody was alright, it seemed that he could fully focus on this beast.


    Clovis saw the incoming beasts. He took a step back at the last moment, causing the beasts to collide with each other. After that, he stepped on the beast''s back and jumped over as the Tier 2 megalania smacked the beasts with its tail.


    Fortunately, Clovis was faster than him or the two beasts would end up crashing into him and ultimately pinning him to the wall.


    *Bang!*


    *Bang!*


    *Bang!*


    Clovis shot the beasts multiple times, but the lizard actually raised its upper body to avoid the bullets. At the same time, it raised its arms to block any bullets trying to hit its head.@@@@


    It seemed that the beast was much more concerned about its head than its body.


    Now that he knew where to aim, Clovis put his pistol back and tossed the short sword toward the beast''s arm.


    Out of reflex, the beast raised its arm to stop it, but this time, the short sword was the one impaling its arm instead of a bullet.


    *Raa!* The lizard was wailing in pain, realizing that the pain was at a whole different level. Clovis had just tricked him, especially with the fact that his eyes were covered by its arms.


    The other beasts entered the building to overwhelm Clovis, but Clovis had regained his composure and looked at the world at a slower rate than before.


    He skillfully moved to the gap between two beasts and let them pass him. Of course, he slashed the one on the right while he was at it. After that, he kicked the best on the left as he made his way toward another beast in front.


    The lizard and the two beasts from earlier turned around, chasing after Clovis.


    Unfortunately, he couldn''t leave this building yet, as the threat was still there. He tossed the short sword, sticking it on the pillar. After that, he jumped and broke the window to exit the building.


    In that instant, Clovis stomped the ground with his other foot to gain a surge of strength from his lower body.


    Moving would cause his body''s stability to be weak, so he tricked the lizard to do the same while he immediately raised his stance and solidified his form.


    When the lizard noticed it, it was too late.


    Clovis slashed the lizard from below.


    The lizard lifted up its upper body to avoid it. The hands were trying to grab the sword, but Clovis released all his strength in one go, slicing a few fingers and the lizard''s body.


    Sadly, the fingers deflected the sword a little bit, causing his sword to only leave a shallow wound.


    At the same time, the lizard immediately pushed forward its upper body to propel the entire body forward while opening its mouth.


    If Clovis used his pistol, it wouldn''t stop the lizard''s momentum. So, he only had one choice.


    Clovis raised his left arm as if taunting the lizard to bite it.


    The moment the lizard closed its jaws, it was stuck because of the short sword. This was Clovis''s aim.


    However, the peaceful one-versus-one fight had stopped because the other beasts had begun to come to the second floor.


    "Tsk." Clovis had no other choice. He threw himself back, specifically toward the window. The lizard didn''t want to let him go, so it ended up jumping off the building with Clovis.


    Clovis hurriedly spun his body and positioned the lizard below him, using the lizard as a cushion.


    *Bam!*


    The impact caused the lizard to open its mouth. Now that his left arm was free, Clovis pulled out the pistol. There were still a lot of beasts around, so he didn''t have a lot of time.


    He used the pistol to stop the beasts in his surroundings while waving his long sword to slice the lizard''s neck. This time, the lizard didn''t have the time to react and ended up dying from that slash.


    At the same time, Clovis had to return to the building since their enemies were still observing him from a distance.

 Chapter 79 Another Beast Wave

    "Sir. I can''t find the sniper."


    "You still can''t find her?" The middle-aged man frowned while maintaining the jamming device. "Hurry up and find her. She is the most dangerous one among them because of her weapon."


    "I understand." The young man kept looking around behind the window.


    The middle-aged man couldn''t help but become concerned. The device itself was not very big. However, they still needed to be exposed and faced toward Clovis''s group or the concrete would block the signal.


    They positioned themselves at the limit of the device, so they truly couldn''t afford to get their signal disturbed by the concrete.@@@@


    But this was also the reason why they were in danger.


    It had been several minutes since Kanaria disappeared.


    The middle-aged man had two choices. First, he should retreat even if it meant he had failed. Although he agreed to this mission, he didn''t want his face to be seen or they would find out about him. As for the second option, they remained in this place, believing that Kanaria couldn''t find this place.


    It seemed that the middle-aged man believed that a few more minutes would be fine.


    Unbeknownst to him, his opponent, Kanaria, was a tougher opponent than he originally thought.


    As soon as Kanaria got the enemies'' position, she immediately leaped out of the building, specifically toward the rooftop of the building in front of her. There was only one floor difference, so she didn''t hesitate to jump.


    After getting the general location of their enemies, Kanaria made sure to jump outside their line of sight.


    She even landed easily and rolled on the ground to reduce the impact. If it wasn''t for Clovis''s gift that increased her speed, she wouldn''t be able to cover the distance.


    Now that she had reached this building, she gradually made her way toward the next building. Unfortunately, the next building wasn''t that tall.


    Kanaria had to go down one floor first before she made another jump. The rest of the building only had two floors on average, which allowed her to make her way toward the enemies.


    After crossing five buildings, Kanaria jumped off the two-story building straight to the ground. She slid down the pole and landed on the ground safely.


    "How does she know our location? There are still at least a few tall buildings around us." The middle-aged man gasped while looking at the young man. He put down the device in the open area so that the jamming would still work.


    In the meantime, he ripped his sleeve and covered the young man''s wound.


    "Take a deep breath." The middle-aged man gritted his teeth. It seemed that they had no choice but to retreat this time. "We''re going to escape right now."


    "En." The young man nodded with teary eyes. He had a hard time enduring the pain.


    He grabbed the jamming device before lifting up the young man. Yet, before they moved, the situation took an unpredictable turn.


    *Roar!*


    *Roar!*


    *Roar!*


    A series of roars caused the city to become lively again. However, the roars were actually closing in on Clovis''s position.


    Clovis, Jay, and Kanaria couldn''t help but raise their heads, realizing that something had gone wrong. It was clear that this was a planned attack.


    The middle-aged man observed the noises and said, "What? The beasts are coming toward them? Don''t tell me... there are other parties trying to kill them."


    Because Lovelia requested their group block their connections, the middle-aged man misunderstood her, thinking that Lovelia also prepared another party to do the execution.


    However, there was one person who took this beast wave much more seriously. It was Melody.


    "Damn. Such a coincidence... or not. Are they being targeted by someone? Is it related to that incident?" Melody looked at the radar as well as the sound of those roars. "The beasts are closing in. There should be a few hundred beasts coming here.


    I don''t know the reason, but they are in danger."


    Melody looked at the screen carefully before making her decision. "Tsk. They should pay me much higher after this. It can''t be helped, I guess I will tire myself out today by becoming a mobile operator."

 Chapter 80 Mobile Operator

    Two mysterious guys were standing next to a giant machine. They had been hiding in this city for a while.


    "The communication has been cut off," said one of them while checking his device. "Should we begin?"


    "..." The other guy maintained his silence while looking at the radar. "How far is the range of this machine again?"


    "About ten kilometers. It should be enough to reach the center of the city. Even though it is weak, there is still a chance that the Tier 3 beast will also get disturbed by the sound."


    The man frowned. "That lass from the Renvolt family is moving. It seems that she is trying to stop the jamming device."


    "What? This soon? Does she know where they are?"


    "I''m not sure. If I''m not wrong, they have a new operator, right? Who is it?"


    "I don''t know. I have been trying to find the information, but other than the fact that there is a new operator, I can''t get anything else."


    "Is it erased?" The guy frowned.


    "I don''t know."


    "..."


    There was an awkward silence that lasted for a whole minute. On the one hand, they weren''t that afraid of fighting them. On the other hand, this new operator piqued their interest.


    Someone who could hide their tracks from them must be extremely talented.


    "If there is indeed such a talented operator, we have to activate the machine as soon as possible. If they manage to restore their connection before the beasts arrive, they can easily regroup and defeat these beasts."


    Without hesitation, the guy immediately turned on the machine while the other one was controlling it.


    "Did you see the operator? Did that person join the front line?"


    "No. I think the operator is a camping operator."


    "That''s good then. We will distract them and the operator will be useless."


    Kanaria took a few seconds to think before retreating back to the inside. When she climbed down the building, she could see Melody waiting for her on the first floor.


    Her left hand was holding a pistol, while her right hand was typing.


    "Let''s go. I have created a route for us to retreat." Melody pointed outside.


    Kanaria felt weird, but she didn''t have any choice but to follow her. It was quite surprising that Melody was moving like this. After all, she perfectly understood what it meant for an operator leading in the front. Was Melody a mobile operator? She thought.


    They were moving toward Clovis and Jay while maintaining a certain distance from the building next to them. They had to be covered perfectly after all.


    It only took one minute before they could see the places where Clovis and Jay were besieged. A lot of beasts had died, but it didn''t really matter.


    As soon as they were in range, Melody activated her device and spoke, "Clovis, Jay. Do you copy?"


    "Melody?!" Both of them replied at the same time.


    "The communication hasn''t been restored and this place is going to be run over by the beasts. So, we will regroup and retreat according to my route."


    "Got it." Clovis answered without hesitation before he noticed Kanaria and Melody in the corner of his eyes. "I found you two."


    All of a sudden, the skyglasses colored a few beasts red.


    "I''ll take care of the red ones. You kill the rest before heading to Jay," said Melody while raising her pistol.


    Clovis couldn''t help but smile as he slashed the beast in front of him. As soon as the beast died, he kicked the body toward another beast to hinder its movement before impaling it with his short sword.


    There was a ''red'' beast coming from the right, but before it could leap into the air, Melody shot its body, causing the beast to fall down. Then she shot it another two times to kill it completely.


    Clovis spun his body to fight the one coming from the opposite side, but Kanaria actually shot this beast before it could even approach him.


    "..." Clovis only smiled because these two were truly reliable. But it was obvious that Kanaria did it because she didn''t want to lose to Melody.


    Since that was the case, he headed straight to Jay''s location at fast speed while saying, "We''ll discuss compensation and other things after we''re safe, okay?"


    "Sure," Melody replied while shooting another beast.@@@@

 Chapter 81 Worst-Case Scenario

    Jay was slashing one beast after another before Clovis suddenly appeared, cutting a few heads from behind. "Yo, Jay. You good?"


    "They prevented me from having a bout with that Tier 2." Jay snorted. He was still thinking about their competition even though most beasts came his way.


    "Hahaha. We can talk later. We''ll kill all these beasts within thirty seconds." Clovis chuckled as his eyes flashed.


    "You got it." Jay''s expression turned solemn.


    Both of them jumped in the opposite directions, killing more than ten beasts in just twenty seconds.


    The beasts couldn''t do anything to them.


    "Melody!"


    "Updating." Melody tapped a few things on her device as a mini map appeared on the corner of the screen, showing an arrow that they should follow.


    Clovis and Jay exchanged nods as they left the building and regrouped with them before following the route.


    "What''s the report?" Clovis asked.


    "There are a lot of beasts... Several hundred at the very least," said Melody while looking at the map.


    "Even if we go to the northeast, there will be a small wave stopping us. But their number shouldn''t be higher than the one behind us, so we''ll break through. Sadly, I don''t bring my rifle here," Kanaria added as she had observed the situation from above earlier.


    "Breaking through, huh?" Clovis glanced at Jay. The latter nodded in agreement as he said, "We''ll be the vanguards. Please assist us."


    "Got it."


    "I can''t show you the same details as earlier, but determining their names and tiers should be possible. We''ll break through their weakest link." Melody raised her head, finding the beasts coming toward them. She looked at the map and added, "There are a total of 70 beasts in front of us."


    Clovis looked at their names and Tier. Melody made it easy to spot them by marking them with a different color.


    Was she hiding that fact? If she was hiding her identity as a mobile operator, she definitely got them good. However, Melody could get a lot more money if she advertised herself as a mobile operator.


    When Kanaria thought about it, Clovis''s words echoed in her mind.


    ''I don''t mind if you want to slack off or anything. But when everyone is tired, I''m going to make you work for what I have paid for.''


    She couldn''t help but think that Clovis had figured out that Melody was a mobile operator.


    After seeing Melody''s performance, they should have no problem getting away from this beast horde. She also had to apologize to Melody for insulting her before.


    However, that thought was cut short when the situation took a turn for the worse.


    "We''re about to go¡ª" Melody wanted to inform them that they almost broke through the enemy''s line but all of a sudden, her instincts warned her. She raised her head and saw a monkey in the air. It was actually aiming for Clovis. "Clovis!"


    "!!!" Clovis also saw the monkey. He hurriedly raised both his swords to block the punch of this proconsul. Clovis couldn''t help but remember what Kanaria said before the mission. There was a Tier 3 proconsul ruling this fallen territory. And he didn''t expect that this monkey would be its ruler.


    *Bang!*


    The fist felt like metal, as the punch was actually strong enough to launch Clovis into the building on the right.


    "Kh." Clovis gritted his teeth. He was completely stopped, meaning that the others had to help him.


    And the first one to act was not Kanaria or Jay. It was Melody.


    She tossed two grenades in rapid succession, one to the proconsul and the other to the beasts behind them.


    "Get down!"


    *Boom!*


    *Boom!*

 Chapter 82 Realization

    "Get down!"


    "!!!" Kanaria and Jay hurriedly ducked as the grenades exploded.


    *Boom!*


    *Boom!*


    The Tier 3 proconsul was blown to the side, but with only a light injury. The beasts behind them were injured, especially the low level ones. Two of them even died.


    Unfortunately, they didn''t have a lot of time. Without hesitation, Melody moved toward Clovis while extending her hand. "Come on!"


    Clovis gritted his teeth while taking her hand. They needed to go before getting swarmed by these beasts.


    However, he doubted that they would have enough speed to outrun all these beasts. Unlike the Tier 2 snake, they were pretty fast.


    Kanaria and Jay had also recovered and continued moving in the same direction, slipping past the monkey.


    "Hurry!"


    The monkey let out a cry that ordered all the beasts to chase after them. It didn''t seem to be planning to leave them alive.


    "Tsk." Melody clicked her tongue and shot a few beasts without looking.


    "Have we gone out of the jamming range?" Clovis asked.


    "In another thirty meters. Do you have any ideas?"@@@@


    "It''s impossible to escape from them, especially if we consider the beasts that came from the opposite side ofwere our original location. So, we have no choice but to kill all these beasts here before they come." Clovis''s expression turned solemn as though he was serious about killing a Tier 3 beast with his current strength.


    He should have felt the difference in their strength. The monkey was simply too fast and powerful.


    As he said those words, the monkey recovered and chased after them. It closed the distance in just a few seconds.


    Melody actually misunderstood Clovis. It was precisely because he had felt the difference in their power that Clovis knew this was the best decision.


    That was the opening that Jay needed. Jay increased his pace for a second and waved his sword.


    *Ro¡ª!*


    *Roar!*


    The beasts were sent flying by his swing. Jay even roared like a beast as he made a big swing, carrying all the strength he could muster.


    "Ora! You motherfuckers!" Jay unleashed all his strength and blew away all the beasts to create a large path for Clovis.


    As someone who ran behind him, Jay''s back looked big and reliable. And he couldn''t betray this trust.


    The moment Jay swung for the fourth time, Clovis could see the path that led to the monkey. In that instant, he sped up and slipped through the crowd of beasts, making his way toward the monkey.


    Seeing Clovis close in, the proconsul sent forth his fist to knock Clovis down. This time, it wouldn''t be fooled by Clovis''s fake anymore.


    However, Clovis didn''t have any intention to avoid this clash.


    There was one thing that he learned after his father''s lesson. The Star Method incorporated the image training he''d always done.


    And after fighting the Tier 2 snake, he came to a realization as his grandfather''s voice echoed in his mind.


    "If you don''t believe you can cut your opponent, you won''t be able to defeat them."


    That was right. The key to the Star Method was believing it. Still, it wasn''t logical if that was the only thing he had to do.


    What his grandfather meant by believing was to create a clear image of him cutting down his opponent. After that, he had to imagine how his muscles worked so that he could make a perfect swing. Then he had to unleash all that power in a single slash.


    It might not be possible if he was only a Tier 0 human, but now that the world looked slower, he had more time to see that image.


    Right before the fist landed on his face, Clovis waved his blade, striking the fist.


    There was no waste movement because Clovis''s movement looked so fast. In just a split second, Clovis had passed the monkey.


    *Aooo!* The monkey wailed in pain as blood splattered from his fist.


    "My grandfather''s fist is far scarier."

 Chapter 83 Fighting Tier 3 Proconsul

    *Aoooo!* The monkey wailed in pain while clutching his fist.@@@@


    "What?!" Melody dropped her jaw. She simply couldn''t believe it.


    The first time Clovis clashed with that monkey, he couldn''t even block that fist. Yet, in his third attempt, even that hard fist was slashed.


    ''Still... What is that movement? How can he be so fast? What''s that technique?'' Melody had a lot of questions in her mind, but those could wait. The most important thing was that Clovis managed to injure the beast.


    Kanaria felt chills down her spine. She was looking at Clovis from the second floor. ''Somehow, Clovis looks different.''


    There was a weird aura around him. His temperament became much colder.


    No matter how hard they thought about it, they couldn''t find the answer. After all, even the person himself didn''t know what was going on.


    ''What is this?'' Clovis muttered inwardly. ''I feel like my body has become a bit stronger. My senses are sharpened. I can see the details of that monkey with my eyes. The world also becomes a bit slower than usual.''


    Clovis didn''t understand what was going on with him. There were only two speculations in his mind. ''Is this what you call the zone in sports? Or is this the hidden thing inside my body that my grandfather talked about?''


    While he was interested in the answer, there was a much more important thing before him. He had to kill the monkey before this feeling disappeared.


    The monkey was angry and sent another fist to stop him, but Clovis remained calm. In fact, in his mind, his grandfather was actually the one standing in front of him instead of the monkey.


    The pressure coming from his grandfather''s fist was much stronger, making this monkey''s fist look like a baby.


    Clovis stomped the ground and struck the fist from the side. The fist didn''t get knocked away by the sword, but this was what Clovis was aiming for.


    The sword hit hard enough to penetrate the skin, but not enough to cut the entire arm. Then he slid down, cutting the bottom part of the arm, and continued to the other side before making a few cuts on the entire arm.


    Before passing the monkey, Clovis impaled the monkey''s side with his short sword.


    However, the moment he passed the monkey, he noticed something. ''It stuck?''


    Yes, he tried to pull out the short sword, but to no avail. The monkey actually hardened its muscles to stop the short sword.


    Clovis hurriedly reached for the armband to detach it, but he was too late.


    On the other hand, Clovis''s arms felt numb. The monkey''s strikes were so powerful that he had a hard time blocking them. If this continued, he might lose his grip completely before he was able to cut the monkey''s arms.


    It seemed that he only had one choice left.


    Clovis and the monkey moved toward each other.


    When they were about to clash, Clovis swung both his swords toward the same target.


    "!!!" The monkey was stunned because Clovis actually aimed for its right arm. He concentrated all that power to deepen the cut wound he left behind before. And to the monkey''s surprise, Clovis actually severed his right arm.


    *Aoo!* The monkey roared in pain while punching Clovis''s side.


    Clovis felt that punch and couldn''t help but spat a mouthful of blood.


    "Gah!" Clovis was launched into the air before rolling a few times on the ground. ''Crack? No, I think my ribs almost cracked.''


    Clovis hurriedly stood up while shouting, "Aaaahhh. I''m not done!"


    He was breathing heavily while gnashing his teeth just to endure the pain. His grips grew weaker due to his injury, but the monkey should be in a similar position.


    With one of its arms gone, its attack was limited.


    Clovis believed that he could kill the monkey with this condition. Sadly for him, the monkey didn''t plan to fight him that fairly.


    Since he had a lot of beasts, he immediately roared while pointing at Clovis, ordering the beasts to attack him. This way, Clovis would die from the remaining beasts or at least create a big opening for the monkey to finish him off personally.


    But to the monkey surprise, none of the beasts actually turned around.


    "!!!" The monkey widened its eyes and turned around, seeing a horrifying scene.


    Jay was standing in the middle of the corpses, fully covered in blood. He was panting heavily and his body was trembling. A single push was all it took to make him collapse.


    He truly used his everything in the last five minutes. With the help of Kanaria and Melody, he actually managed to eliminate all those beasts.


    "That''s my captain over there, you fucking monkey. Don''t tarnish the duel."

 Chapter 84 Jays Hard Work

    A moment ago.


    Kanaria reached the second floor and checked on Clovis, noticing something different.


    Although she was a bit curious about it, her role was to keep all the beasts away. Fortunately, the beasts were still focused on Jay, allowing them to thin out their numbers pretty quickly.@@@@


    *Bang!*


    *Bang!*


    *Bang!*


    She shot in rapid succession, as every shot killed one Tier 0 beast. She made sure that the beasts that died were near Jay so that the latter didn''t get overwhelmed by the sheer number.


    Obviously, this caused her to ignore the beasts coming toward the building.


    As much as she hated to admit it, no one was more reliable than Melody in blocking the entrance.


    Melody shot multiple beasts while maintaining the operation. She even updated the information for Jay and Kanaria, showing them the targets they should focus on.


    Even though her work was assisted by the AI she created, it didn''t change the fact that Melody was indeed a mobile operator. She was even better than a mobile operator that Kanaria knew of.


    It was no wonder that Vania suggested her, despite the bad ratings.


    There were two beasts coming from the left and five going head-on.


    Melody turned to the left and shot one of the beasts in the head multiple times. Instead of killing the second beast, she actually allowed the beast to come toward her.


    When the beast jumped into the air to pounce on her, Melody took out her grenade and pulled its safety pin. Once it was activated, she grabbed the beast''s head and put the grenade inside the beast''s mouth.


    The beast actually spun in the air after getting knocked away by Jay''s sword. Even the paw was almost cut completely.


    The Tier 2 beast widened its eyes in shock as if it couldn''t believe the strength the human possessed.


    Of course, the Tier 2 beast was a threat. As soon as she saw the beast, Kanaria took this opportunity to hit the beast on the head, albeit the beast was still fast enough to tweak its body.


    As a result, the bullet only hit the beast''s body.


    Sadly for the beast, Jay appeared before him after slashing a few beasts between them.


    "Raaa!" Jay shouted while slashing downward.


    The Tier 2 beast tried to stop Jay with both paws. Sadly, it was impossible. His blade cut the beast''s paws, leaving the beast without anything to protect itself.


    Then, Jay struck the beast''s head with one swift swing, killing the Tier 2 beast.


    When Melody saw this, she couldn''t help but suck a cold breath. "No wonder Jay wants to fight Tier 2 beasts this whole time. He overpowered the Tier 2 beast and killed it in three strikes. Although Kanaria''s bullet helped, it didn''t change the fact that Jay overpowered that beast."


    Of course, this didn''t happen solely because of his training. The Star Method was also contributing to his current strength.


    Although he had just learned the Star Method a few days ago, Jay understood how to utilize his muscles a bit better than before.


    It allowed him to unleash a bit more strength compared to a normal Tier 1 human. The Tier 2 beast also underestimated him earlier, which cost its life.


    After killing the Tier 2 beast, Jay continued killing the rest of the beasts. His fighting prowess was so good that the rest of the beasts focused on him instead of Kanaria and Melody.


    Five minutes into the battle, every single beast had lied down lifelessly on the ground. The blood had created a small pond with Jay in the center.


    And it was at that time that the monkey tried to call the other beasts as reinforcement, only to find Jay glaring with bloodshot eyes.

 Chapter 85 Killing Tier 3 Beast

    The proconsul was dumbstruck, finding that the three humans managed to kill all those beasts in a short period of time.


    Its brain was processing what had happened as the monkey realized it was in danger.


    This group was not normal. If it continued fighting them, there was a high chance that it would lose its life.


    Without hesitation, the monkey turned around, preparing to leap into one of the buildings to escape.


    However, Kanaria shot the monkey before it could escape, causing the monkey to stop. The bullet hit the monkey''s arm. The tough skin was able to stop a portion of the bullet''s momentum, but the bullet was still strong enough to pierce through and remain on the body instead of penetrating the arm.


    At the same time, Clovis rushed toward the monkey. His arms were shaking because of his injury, but it didn''t matter. It was about time he eliminated this monkey.


    Clovis swung both blades at the same time, trying to hit the monkey in two different spots.@@@@


    The monkey had to choose which sword to block.


    Because of the position, the monkey could only choose the short sword as it was the closest and easiest one to knock away.


    So, without hesitation, the monkey punched the short sword.


    Clovis didn''t blink even for a second as he changed the trajectory of his sword at the last moment. His aim wasn''t the entire fist, but the fingers.


    His short sword struck them, cutting three out of five fingers before the impact of the fist knocked the sword away.


    At the same time, Clovis swung the blade toward the monkey''s neck.


    The monkey tried to spin its body to create momentum so that his fist could catch up to the blade, but it was too late. The blade reached its neck, but because of Clovis''s state, the power was much weaker than his normal swing.


    He cut two times, one horizontal slash from one side to another and one diagonal side that ran from the right shoulder to the left side.


    Just like earlier, he was too weak to slash the monkey completely. If this continued, he might lose all his strength before the monkey died.


    Clovis gritted his teeth. He wanted to leave another wound, but the monkey had turned around and slammed the sword to the ground.


    Instead of stopping the fist, Clovis actually allowed the monkey to punch the sword down. However, the moment it touched the ground, Clovis kicked the monkey''s fist and slid his sword onto the ground as he spun his body.


    Clovis used the centrifugal force to make one complete swing toward the monkey''s neck, this time seriously trying to cut it fully.


    However, even with that force, Clovis only managed to penetrate one centimeter further, still not enough to kill the monkey.


    The monkey was trying to grab the sword so that Clovis didn''t cut even further. But it soon got the shock of its life.


    Clovis had been wielding the sword with one hand since he was a dual wielder. But at this moment, he actually held the sword with both hands.


    ''If one isn''t enough, I will use two.'' Out of desperation, this was the only thought in Clovis''s head as he compensated for the loss of his strength with quantity.


    "Aaaahhh!" Clovis roared as he put more strength into both hands and completed his swing, sending the monkey''s head flying.


    Jay stood there silently as if he had expected this result. Meanwhile, Melody and Kanaria dropped their jaws to the ground.


    Kanaria had seen Clovis''s battles, but she couldn''t imagine that Clovis was able to defeat a Tier 3 beast by himself. And what was more shocking was that this proconsul was the territory lord of this city. Without their leader, it would be easy for the explorers to take down the rest of the beasts. And the one who made it possible was Clovis.


    Meanwhile, Melody didn''t believe it because she never knew Clovis''s true identity. Her shock came in the form of doubt as she had never heard of someone this talented hiding in this city.


    Nevertheless, the man who just defeated the Tier 3 beast was none other than their current captain, Clovis.

 Chapter 86 Join?

    "He really did it." Melody sucked a cold breath. "A Tier 1 human defeating a Tier 3 beast, huh? The proconsul underestimated him at first, but it didn''t change the fact that he managed to kill that beast. And what was that atmosphere earlier... It felt like he changed for a while."


    Melody let out a sigh. No matter how curious she was, she was too lazy to find out the truth.


    "Clovis!" Suddenly, Kanaria''s voice echoed in everyone''s ears.


    Clovis actually fell to his knees as his hands were shaking uncontrollably. While panting, Clovis said, "Get the essence of the Tier 2 and Tier 3 beasts before getting away from here. We don''t have a lot of time before the rest of the beasts catch up."


    "But you..." Kanaria was worried about him, while Melody grabbed his hand and lifted him up on her shoulder. "I will take care of him."


    Kanaria wanted to say something, but considering Melody was the one finding the route, it was better if she left with Clovis first. Kanaria glanced at Jay and said, "You should go too, Jay. I''ll take care of the rest."


    Jay nodded. However, he didn''t walk away completely. He followed Melody for a while and stopped so that he wasn''t too far away to help Kanaria in case of an emergency.@@@@


    They actually entered the building and broke the window to move to the other side, using these buildings as a wall to hide from the beasts.


    Meanwhile, Kanaria gathered the essence of the Tier 2 and Tier 3 beasts. There were only two beasts in total, so it didn''t take too long.


    While waiting for the essence to be filled, Kanaria was looking around. She could hear the series of roars that the beast wave produced, but it was still far enough from her.


    But she felt something weird happening on the horizon.


    "Hmm? Are my eyes playing with me?" Kanaria squinted her eyes. She could see a stick, probably an antenna or something, moving from its spot.


    "!!!" The moment she realized what happened, she hurriedly picked up her sniper rifle, aiming at this stick.


    Unfortunately, the scope wasn''t big enough to see this person''s face, but she was sure that this stick was actually a human.


    She had two options. First, she took a look with binoculars, hoping that it was enough to see this person''s face. Or the second option was to shoot right away even if the probability of missing was high due to the distance.


    And Melody was watching their every movement through the radar.


    "It seems that they are pretty confused right now. The Tier 3 beast''s essence should fetch pretty high. There is also a mission to kill that proconsul, so we can also get the reward from the city itself," said Melody with a calm expression.


    Jay and Kanaria were looking at Melody dumbfoundedly, while Clovis asked, "Are you not going to ask about it?"


    Melody shrugged. "A mission is always full of dangers. It''s as simple as that. Though, I have to increase my rate accordingly."


    There was one reason why Kanaria sounded so confident. Even though she had joined them, she had erased all kinds of information that would lead to them. The only thing others knew would be them bringing a certain ''operator'' with them and returning safely. There would be no mention of her.


    If Melody revealed this card, Clovis and the others could use it to their advantage to threaten her.


    On the other hand, Clovis offered, "15,000 per day. Along with the initial agreement regarding the reward of the mission, including the mission to kill the overlord of the Severend City. What do you think?"


    With this alone, she should have no problem earning a hundred thousand. After some contemplation, she asked a question before agreeing to this arrangement. "Are you still planning to kill the initial target?"


    "Yes."


    "In your condition?"


    "I''m just tired. I can still wield my weapon even with this injury. Besides, Jay will become the main vanguard this time. Because of what happened earlier, I''m thinking about completing the mission as soon as possible and retreating to avoid any further conflicts."


    Melody nodded her head. "Alright. You''ve got a deal. I''ll assist you guys as a mobile operator if you want to kill the initial target quickly."


    Clovis looked at Melody with a solemn expression as though he were thinking about something.


    Melody furrowed her eyebrows, feeling a bit uncomfortable with that stare. "What?"


    "Melody. Do you want to join our group?"

 Chapter 87 Cloviss Opinion

    "Melody. Do you want to join our group?"


    "..." Melody didn''t answer immediately, but her expression showed everything. Her eyes rolled, and she bit her lips as if she smelled something disgusting.


    "You look annoyed." Clovis gave a wry smile. Even though he had expected this answer, he was still surprised that Melody''s expression could be that descriptive.


    "I don''t mind going into danger because it''s my job, but I don''t want to be a part of a group that will be constantly on the run. It''s just too troublesome." Melody shook her head.


    Because Clovis had been carried by her, he perfectly understood the reason. Her body was completely drenched by her own sweat. Even he or Jay, who were facing the most brutal fight, didn''t sweat that much.@@@@


    It seemed that she was sweating far too much. Even her lips were dry. If this continued, she would be the first to fall from dehydration.


    It was no wonder why she wanted to be a camping operator and remained inside the car the whole time. If not for the special situation, she wouldn''t even bother.


    However, most operators would simply leave them alone and have nothing to do with them when the beast wave occurred. Only someone like Melody would be insane enough to actually help them despite knowing that this beast wave was artificially created just to kill them.


    This was the reason why Clovis actually tried to recruit her.


    "What if I give up half of my portion of money and add it to your portion?" Clovis asked.


    "..." Melody''s eyebrows twitched, but she soon shook her head. "No. It''s too much for me. While I can see that you guys are strong, much stronger than the usual Tier 1 humans, you will attract too much trouble, which I don''t want to be a part of."


    "Alright then." Clovis let out a long sigh. "I thought that it would be fun to do some explorations together. See Kanaria? She became more active because of you."


    "What?" Kanaria raised her voice but soon stopped because she felt a bit apologetic for accusing her. "Well, I have to apologize first. I was too harsh earlier."


    "Even though we are weak right now, we can still fight." Clovis waved his hand, assuring her that everything was going to be alright.


    As soon as they left, Jay couldn''t help but ask, "Are you sure about it?"


    "About what?" Clovis tilted his head in confusion.


    "Inviting Melody to the group."


    Clovis thought for a moment before asking, "Do you have the same opinion as Kanaria about her laziness?"


    "Well..." Jay didn''t say it, but as someone who worked as hard as he did, he felt a bit uncomfortable when seeing Melody''s character.


    "Do you believe what Melody said earlier? About her being a burden."


    "Yeah. If she doesn''t intend to improve, then we shouldn''t really force her. Besides, it will be good for both parties to just walk their own paths." Jay nodded without hesitation.


    "Yet, Melody actually stepped out of her comfort zone and turned into a mobile operator. And from the looks of it, she was extremely adept at it. Although it was true that the AI helped her, couldn''t you think that she worked hard to make her life more comfortable?


    "In my eyes, Melody is not lazy. She works hard to pursue a comfortable life, which enables her to laze around. If push comes to shove, she will do everything in her power to do it... in fact, she might work harder than any of us here." Clovis smiled confidently.


    Jay looked at Clovis for a moment. After those words, he realized that while he could work harder than Clovis, he still couldn''t be compared to his eyes for people.


    ''I guess this is his unique trait. He doesn''t have a high evolution rate, but he has sharp eyes for people. If Melody is that good, then I don''t really mind.'' Jay sighed before saying, "You shouldn''t force her though."


    "I know. I will try a little bit, but if she still refuses, then I will give up." Clovis nodded.

 Chapter 88 Incoming Beast Wave?

    *Bang!*


    Kanaria seemed to have begun with their plan. As expected, the beasts turned around and started running back.@@@@


    After that shot, Kanaria escaped through the route Melody had prepared, allowing her to return to the group without being found out by the beasts.


    However, she was still concerned about the hidden enemies. Those humans would definitely not take this matter lightly, considering they were here to kill Clovis.


    Meanwhile, Melody was observing the beasts with her camera to capture the beasts that came to them earlier. Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, the beast was not among them.


    Hence, Melody came out of her hiding spot and started gathering the essence after the beasts left the area.


    It took them quite a while, but they managed to retrieve everything they had hunted for.


    ...


    Main City.


    "Sir." A young woman entered an office. Inside was a muscular man who once helped Clovis get his explorer identification, Gregory.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "The situation seems to be unstable right now." The woman showed him a paper. "Please take a look at this."


    Gregory furrowed his eyebrows.


    "Hmm?" Gregory''s expression turned solemn the moment he read the information. "Are you sure about this?"


    "Yes."


    Gregory let out a long sigh. "Alright, I understand. You can leave the room first."


    The assistant politely bowed before leaving the room. Gregory, on the other hand, covered his face with both hands.


    The paper contained two pieces of news that seemed directly printed by the news media.


    The first one had a title, "Commercialization Battleship." The image contained a giant boat that flew into the sky. However, it had a few engines that let it fly. And it also showed a lot of weapons that would be used to attack the beasts.


    "Teacher?" Vina hurriedly picked up the call. "Is there anything I can do to help you?"


    "I''ve heard about it." The voice looked playful as though he didn''t mind what happened not long ago.


    "I apologize for causing trouble for you, Teacher."


    "It''s alright. In fact, this Clovis piqued my interest. To think that he would be capable of defeating a Tier 2 beast..."


    "Actually..." Vina told him about everything she could figure out from the corpse of the snake.


    "So, you''re saying that it was due to Ivan leaving a few wounds on the snake that allowed them to plant poison inside the beast?"


    "According to what I saw, yes." Vina thought that this information would make her teacher less excited.


    On the contrary, it seemed that he was becoming more interested in this guy called Clovis.


    "Interesting. No matter what everyone says, it doesn''t change the fact that Ivan is the loser now. I never thought that there would be another interesting guy in this city."


    Vina fell silent for a moment. "Teacher. Why did you send me to Ivan?"


    "What''s wrong? You don''t like it? He''s helped you, hasn''t he?"


    "I do admit that he has helped me, but most of the time, he is the cause of the trouble." Vina wanted to say Ivan was foolish, but without actually saying the words.


    "In that case, you may go back to the surface. There is no need to follow that kid anymore. I''m sure that the current situation is going to change."


    "Alright. Since I''ve got your permission, I''ll return to the surface immediately."


    "You don''t really need my permission. Why are you so stiff? You should be more flexible."


    Vina sighed. "I''m hanging up."


    "Wait, wait. There is one more thing."


    Vina paused, waiting for him to tell her about it.


    "Before completely cutting off from Ivan, you should tell him about the raid that will be happening in a few weeks. He will definitely go there to restore his reputation."


    Vina didn''t understand the last request, but she still said, "Alright. I''ll try."

 Chapter 89 Killing Melody?

    "What do you think?" The mysterious guy asked his partner.


    "To think that she was able to spot me and almost hit me... it seems that the Renvolt is not lacking any successor. Still, we have tested the machine. Since it works, we can prepare for the next plan. We now know that Tier 3 Beast is not enough to kill him."


    "Well, the Drake Group and the Rusth are supporting us. We can definitely have a blast next time. It''s just..."


    "Are you concerned about the operator?"


    "Yeah. That operator is pretty talented. Erasing the data and removing herself from the equation while still helping them."


    "In that case, let''s eliminate her."


    "I agree. Killing her is not related to the warning of that old madman, so it should be fine if we target her. However, the problem is that... there is a chance that killing her won''t change anything."


    "Are you saying that they don''t have that relationship?"


    "Yeah. That''s why I have a suggestion. We will eliminate her while involving him. In fact, we can even pull that genius Ivan to mess with him. This way, he won''t have a lot of time to hunt."@@@@


    "Oh?! Wait a minute. Isn''t that brat a charmer? Why doesn''t he make that operator his girlfriend or something? We can see their reaction to measure how much he wants that operator."


    "That''s a good idea. It''ll definitely annoy him. And if the conflict between them rises even further, there will be a huge chance that they are going to kill each other."


    "We have to stop that, right?"


    "Yeah, but after they cut his limbs. Then, we just feed him to the beasts. Technically, the beasts are the killers."


    "This is going to be interesting." The guy smiled. He remembered the conflict between Clovis and Ivan. With just a little spark, the immature Ivan would definitely take the bait and provoke Clovis.


    Melody suddenly projected a 3D image of their previous location. There were two red dots that were releasing waves. The first one was the suspected jamming device while the second one was the device Melody was talking about.


    "Hmm." Clovis contemplated. "To think that you would be able to do all this. Why do you even get that bad rating?"


    Melody pointed at Kanaria, which was enough for an answer.


    "I''m sorry for being too harsh." Kanaria sighed.


    "It doesn''t really matter." Melody shrugged. "Anyway, I will change my location so that if your enemies are still coming, I can find them first and prevent us from being surrounded like before. Then again, without the Tier 3 beasts, I don''t think the rest will be a threat to us."


    "Mhmm. I don''t have any problem with the arrangement, just make sure you don''t underestimate any beasts. There is also a chance that the jamming device will mess with us again. So, don''t go too far."


    As soon as they reached the area, Jay and Clovis began to look around the area. They didn''t engage the beasts for the time being, avoiding any ruckuses.


    The area looked like a shopping district. There were a lot of shops around the area, but the beasts were nowhere to be found.


    Eventually, they reached a shopping mall that had been abandoned. Clovis wanted to look around this shopping mall since this might be a reference for future updates of his Another World Mall.


    However, his time was cut short.


    "I spot our target." Kanaria looked at the beast through her scope.


    In that instant, Melody sent the data to Clovis and Jay before creating a route for them.


    "I will be stopping the beast. Jay will take it down. This will be our last battle, so do your best." Clovis held his swords with half of his original strength, rushing toward his spot.


    "Let''s see whether this mutated beast is stronger or not than the Tier 3 beast." Jay smiled, excitedly.

 Chapter 90 Easily Killing Their Target

    As Kanaria described, the Tier 2 Thylacoleo was a large predator with powerful jaws and large, retractable thumb claws. The color of its fur was quite dark, adapting to the mall''s environment, which had no light.


    Because of the mall''s structure, it was hard to see the beast if they didn''t focus.


    "Melody?" Clovis frowned. Fortunately, there was some light outside, but the sun was about to set soon, so they didn''t have a lot of time.


    "The AI will assist you in identifying the beast," Melody replied as she remained on the third floor.


    Kanaria was standing on the fourth floor while Jay and Clovis remained on the first floor, ready to engage the beast.


    "There are no beasts around us, so you are free to get wild."@@@@


    "Roger." Clovis and Jay exchanged nods.


    Now that they had gotten the confirmation, they went to the section where they found the Thylacoleo.


    As expected of the marsupial lion, its instinct was pretty sharp. Before Clovis and Jay could ambush him, the lion turned around and pounced on Clovis.


    Clovis wouldn''t be able to stop the lion in his current condition. However, it didn''t mean that he would be useless.


    Instead of hitting the lion with the sword, Clovis actually jumped to the side as if he were struggling.


    The lion immediately rotated its body so that it could land feet first while facing Clovis.


    Clovis tossed the short sword to the Tier 2 lion, albeit the latter skillfully dodged it. Seeing that the beast was about to make another leap, Clovis ran to the giant opening where there was a void leading to the floors above them. Kanaria was waiting over there.


    Seeing how Jay was approaching him from the other side, the lion had no choice but to chase after Clovis, planning to kill him first before Jay could catch up.


    Clovis retracted his short sword before pulling out his gun, aiming at the beast.


    Out of reflex, the beast leaped to the side to avoid the bullets, but it turned out Clovis was playing with him. The pistol was just a fake to create a bigger gap between them, allowing him to reach the mall''s entertainment zone.


    This Tier 2 Thylacoleo tried to growl, but Kanaria released another shot on its stomach.


    Without hesitation, Jay closed the gap once again and swiftly severed the beast''s head.


    This was a Tier 2 mutated beast, yet Clovis and the others hunted it easily.


    Although Jay wanted to fight this beast by himself, he knew that the situation was a bit urgent and they had to leave the city as soon as possible before another beast wave happened.


    After killing this Tier 2 beast, Melody came down and extracted the essence, while Jay walked to Clovis and extended his hand.


    "How is it? Getting pushed down by a beast instead of a woman?"


    Clovis chuckled while taking his hand. "If you want to know the answer, try it yourself."


    "There is no sign of disruption in the area. I see no beasts on the radar, so I believe that we have accomplished our mission." Melody explained. "We also have completed two other missions: one related to the Tier 3 overlord, and the other is another Tier 2 beast. I will provide pictures of them as well to make it easier to claim the reward."


    "Got it. Thank you, Melody." Clovis nodded.


    "Then, are we going back now? Or do we camp for the night?"


    "If we leave right now, we should make it in time. Though, Jay has to drive it a bit faster. Travelling in the dark is dangerous after all," Kanaria replied while going down the stairs.


    "In that case, let''s go back immediately. I take it that you are not too tired to drive, Jay?"


    "Sure." Jay nodded. "But I''m not dealing with everything after we reach the city."


    "Of course. You can even stay in my house today and I will bring out the chicken nuggets again." Clovis gave him a thumbs up.


    "I''m in." Jay smirked while Kanaria said, "You better not forget about me."


    Clovis chuckled. "Still, everyone, thank you for your hard work."

 Chapter 91 Money

    A few hours later.


    "We''re finally back." Kanaria stretched her hands up. They had fought so hard today.


    "Melody. Do you want to join us for some good food?" Clovis asked.


    "Nah, I''m good. You guys can have fun." Melody shook her head. "Just don''t forget about my payment."


    "Since the contract lasts until tomorrow, I will send you the money tomorrow." Clovis winked his right eye. If they stopped today, it meant they only had to pay Melody for two days. But Clovis chose to end it tomorrow as compensation for her help this time.


    "Mhmm. Thank you. If you need anything, you can contact me. As long as it can increase my reward, then I will gladly help you. And I hope you don''t give me a rating."@@@@


    "Are you sure?" Clovis furrowed his eyebrows.


    "Yeah." Melody nodded. It wasn''t that she cared about the rating. She simply didn''t want to attract more trouble from those trying to kill Clovis.


    "I don''t really mind if you''re alright with it." Clovis agreed with her.


    Now that they were done with the mission, Melody left the car, ready to take a taxi to go back home.


    But before closing the door, Melody added, "Well, the hunt was fun. If you still need me, I don''t mind if you hire me again. But I might have to raise my rate since I have to bother with your unknown enemies."


    Clovis gave a wry smile, not being able to refute her words. This was the reason why Melody didn''t want to join them after all.


    "So, we''re going to Clovis''s home now?" Jay asked. "Kanaria, are you going too?"


    "Yeah. I still have some clean clothes I can use, so I''m going to celebrate with you guys together." Kanaria nodded. Now that Melody was gone, Kanaria positioned herself on the backseat with Clovis, leaving Jay alone in the front.


    Kanaria calculated the essence they had. "If we''re following the market price, we should get about 150,000 union dollars from the essence. So, close to 300,000 overall. That''s only the money. The rest of the essence can still be sold for another fifty thousand. Unfortunately, we have to cut short our trip or we would get another hundred thousand."


    "It''s not bad." Clovis nodded with a serious expression. He was going to register all the money at Another World Mall first before distributing their portions.


    "It''s not bad? If Melody were here, she would be saying that we''re freaks. Normal parties would only bring back about a hundred thousand union dollars. And if they cut out the cost of the bullets and other things, each person only gets about ten thousand. That is, if they sell all their essence and are not using some for themselves.


    And if you are affiliated with a company or organization, you will get less than that. In fact, most Tier 1 explorers only get about a thousand to two thousand per expedition. Although the number adds up if you keep going on an exploration for a month, it''s barely enough for a decent life in the base, let alone purchasing a good house or equipment." Kanaria sighed.


    "Well..." Clovis gave a wry smile. Because of the uniqueness of his group, his sense of money was already distorted. "Anyway, let''s have some celebration tonight, and we will submit the rewards and sell the essence after that. Then, wire the money to Melody tomorrow, which ends the contract."


    "Sure." Kanaria nodded.


    Still, Clovis felt a bit excited but, at the same time, faced a dilemma. On the one hand, he could rank up the membership and open a new store. On the other hand, he might not have enough left to increase the visit limit. He had to sacrifice one of them this time.


    "Either way, I am going to tell my mother first that we''re already back, and I''ll go back tomorrow." Kanaria sighed while searching for her mother''s number.


    But at this time, she received a message from her mother.


    Mom: It seems that you''re back already. What? Going to stay at Clovis''s home? I think I should pack up your luggage soon so that you can permanently stay there. By the way, I have noticed that a backdoor has been set up on your device. You must haven''t paid that girl.


    She is probably using that to make sure the payment reaches her. Anyway, have fun.


    ''How the hell did she know about all this?'' Kanaria was screaming inside.


    "What''s wrong?" Clovis looked worried since Kanaria only stared at the screen without calling her mother.


    "Nothing. It seems that my mother already knows about it."

 Chapter 92 Cloviss Choice

    "The total will be 167,355 union dollars. Please check." The receptionist showed the list of items as well as their price.


    Clovis remained silent while Kanaria carefully examined the list. It was a huge transaction, so they should be a bit more careful.


    "Indeed. Everything is correct." Kanaria nodded with a serious expression. "Please proceed with the transaction."


    "In that case, where would you like to receive the money?"


    Kanaria grabbed Clovis''s ID card and handed it to her.


    "And it''s done. Please check the money." The receptionist took a moment to send the money before giving the ID card back.


    As soon as Clovis saw the figure on his account, he gave a nod to Kanaria, concluding the transaction.


    "Thank you for choosing Essence Bank. Please come again next time." The receptionist politely bowed to them.


    Clovis and Kanaria hurriedly left the bank. There were a few things they planned to do, especially regarding the next exploration.


    "So, I guess we get more than we initially calculated. To think we would get more than three hundred thousand in this exploration." Clovis smiled, feeling happy because he could buy a lot of things at Another World Mall.


    "Yep. But before that, we need to resupply."


    Normally, Clovis would give the money to her, but he was curious about something.


    "Say... what do you think about going around the city tomorrow? I''m a bit curious about our equipment and ammunition. Where do you usually buy it?" Clovis asked.


    "Mhmm?" Kanaria raised her eyebrows as if she didn''t expect this invitation. She asked inwardly, ''Did he just invite me to a date? The curiosity is just a disguise, right?''


    It might look that way if it was anyone else. But while Clovis was clever in seeing through things, he was still similar to Jay, very straightforward.


    As Clovis said, he was truly curious about all the items.


    Kanaria let out a long sigh.


    Still, this new store actually piqued his interest. All the stores in Another World Mall were amazing. So, he wondered if he would get another useful store once he upgraded the membership.


    The other option was to remain at this level for a few more days and get his membership renewed at this price before upgrading the membership.


    "Well, saving all the money is probably a safer choice. But if I get a new store and the items are useful enough to increase the money we can get from an exploration..." Clovis fell into deep thought.


    The reason he got all this money was because they killed the Tier 3 proconsul. So he shouldn''t feel too complacent.


    "There is also a chance that I won''t have this Another World Mall for my entire life. If it gets taken away from me, what should I do? I should make a decision that can optimize my growth, believing that tomorrow I might not be able to access this mall anymore. If I add the number of visits, the amount of money I have to spend is doubled, but I can progress twice as fast.


    "But if I choose a new store, I can probably upgrade it once more? No, wait." Clovis suddenly thought of an idea. "If I purchase the membership and increase the item limit, I will only use half of the money. While it''s true that my spending will be doubled, that doesn''t necessarily mean I have to make purchases, right?


    "Having another visit can allow me to actually lure the enemy in my direction to save my teammates before vanishing (going to the mall). So, the first visit will be used to purchase things. The second visit will be reserved in case an emergency happens.


    If there''s no emergency, I can simply buy some cheap items like recovery water or something instead of the food that will increase my evolution attributes."


    Clovis put another thought in this matter. It might look a bit reckless to spend half of the money right away, but he thought this was probably the best thing he could get with his current money.


    "In that case, I shouldn''t heintotate. Upgrade the membership and purchase the visit limit."


    [Name: Clovis Hacfield.]


    [Membership: Level 7 (Beginner)]


    [Money: 158,505 Otherworldly Coins.]


    [Item Limit: 7/Visit]


    [Visit: 1(2)/Day]


    Like the previous one, he could see that the store next to the boutique shop was glowing. He wondered what kind of store Another World Mall had prepared for him.


    Sadly for Clovis, the moment the light vanished and he could see the store, he dropped his jaw to the ground and started regretting his choice.

 Chapter 93 New Store

    "This is..." Clovis walked toward the store with a horrified expression.@@@@


    He could see a lot of glistening items inside. The store itself was similar to the boutique, but it didn''t have any hangers in the middle of the store. Instead, there were multiple glass boxes with some shiny items inside.


    Ring, earring, necklace, watch, or even sunglasses. The next store turned out to be an accessory store.


    "How can this be..." Clovis panicked as he dropped to his knees. "An accessory store? Isn''t this the most useless thing in a mall? Why would you bother with accessories? They are very restrictive, especially during a fight. What if you wear an earring and the enemy just rips your ears apart by pulling that earring?


    "Ring? It''s going to be hard to hold weapons properly with it, especially those shiny rings with big gems." Clovis''s expression turned grim as there was one more reason why he hated accessory stores. "And this store... is usually very expensive."


    The biggest reason was none other than money. He had been living as a poor man after losing his parents, so he simply didn''t have money to spend.


    Clovis was just tricking himself to hate the store and forget that he didn''t have the money to buy those accessories.


    "No, no. This is Another World Mall. There might be something good inside." Clovis''s expression turned grim as he entered the store.


    The first thing he saw in this store was a ring. It was a simple golden ring, but there seemed to be a shiny blue jewel on top of it.


    Name: Ocean Ring.


    Description: A golden ring with a pearl that comes from the bottom of the ocean. It is the specialty of the mermaids.


    Effect: Cooling Effect and Purifying Water Effect


    Price: 20,500 Otherworldly Coins.


    Instead of the effect, Clovis''s eyes were glued to the price. "Twenty thousand for a ring? What? Are you serious?"


    He was completely speechless, but when he turned to the side, he saw a beautiful necklace with green jade.


    Name: Elven Necklace.


    "That''s right. Everything can be calculated. However, I can say that my opponent at that time didn''t calculate the one that saved him."


    "So, he is lucky?" Clovis tilted his head.


    "No. The variable was already there, but he simply didn''t know and put it into his calculation. What I''m saying is... if you can see all the variables, you will be able to calculate everything. Luck is something that I have never believed in. If there is something that can change someone''s fortune, then I''d surely love to have that."


    ...


    When Clovis recalled this memory, he couldn''t help but look at the necklace again. "Luck? It''s an item that can increase luck?"


    Clovis looked at the item carefully. He wanted to buy it, but when he looked at the price, he panicked.


    "Twenty five thousand? But Luck..." Clovis''s expression turned grim. "What should I do... Should I buy this one? If yes, should I use it on myself? Kanaria is the one who purchases a lot of things... If she gets lucky, will she get a discount or win a prize?


    "Maybe when she shoots the enemy, the wind will suddenly change direction and hit another enemy that she needs to kill more?"


    There were a lot of assumptions appearing in his mind, but he confirmed one thing. He might truly need to buy this necklace.


    Before grabbing this necklace, Clovis couldn''t help but look around to find other items.


    "Wait a minute... Now that I think about it, Melody sweats a lot, right? What if I buy the ring with a cooling effect? Can I lure her through this? With this, she won''t need to stay inside the car to remain cool, right?"


    Clovis''s expression turned grim. The price was ridiculous, but the rate of paying a mobile operator was much higher. It could be said that this ring might be enough to make her join the group.


    Clovis was seriously contemplating his choice. He also couldn''t buy a lot of things, since all these items were expensive.


    In the end, he only bought the necklace and the ring from this store. If they made another few hundred thousand, he would definitely buy an accessory for Jay and Kanaria.


    "Sorry, Jay, Kanaria. Just bear with me for a bit." Clovis muttered while paying for the two items. In exchange, he bought more chicken nuggets for them.


    Now that he was done shopping, Clovis opened the system again. "I have spent too much money in the accessory store. I have to prepare for the next exploration fast... ah, I wonder if there is a sugar mo... I mean, a sponsor that can allow me to buy all this stuff."

 Chapter 94 Melodys Investigation

    "Hu..." Clovis returned from Another World Mall with the ring and necklace. He immediately took out the necklace and wore it. Because it would look weird for a necklace to appear, he made sure that he hid this necklace underneath his shirt.


    Meanwhile, Clovis also noticed another thing at the Another World Mall.


    "As I expected, the Another World Mall has another yet realistic concept." Clovis recalled what happened after buying the items. "In the supermarket, the items will be restored after some time. Meanwhile, the ones in the boutique store aren''t replaced after some time.


    "I think that each store has their own way to get their supply. And there is a possibility that the item in the boutique store won''t appear again. Or they might be replaced by something else."


    Clovis thought that this system was a bit annoying, but also relatable. If they got restored anytime they wanted, he could buy a lot of the luck necklace and stack the luck for himself.


    "Either way, tomorrow is going to be interesting." Clovis smiled.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Melody couldn''t help but look at the screen with Clovis''s profile on it.


    "Even after putting in a lot of effort, this is the only thing I can get..." Melody muttered. "His name is only Clovis as if his last name has been erased. He was born in Starfall City. However, his childhood seemed to be far from that city..."


    This was just the basic information she could get from Skynet. There were a few childhood pictures posted on Skynet that seemed to be coming from his parents.


    "Starfall City is a Tier 8 city, right? If I''m not wrong, they are located in the neighboring country and are guarded by three Tier 8 explorers. It''s a really prosperous city and a very safe place.


    "It''s a dream base for a lot of people. However, for some reason, his parents left this city with him. Why? Was it because they didn''t have enough money to stay there?


    "Either way, he was last spotted in the neighboring city that fell from a beast wave. He gradually reached this place as a refugee.


    It was unlike her to be this diligent to find out about someone''s information.


    ...


    The next day.


    Clovis, Jay, and Kanaria were already outside the house. Jay was going home since it wouldn''t be appropriate for him to stay in Clovis''s house by himself even if Clovis didn''t mind.


    On the other hand, Kanaria had listed all the items she needed to buy today. And she also planned to introduce Clovis to a good store for the bullets.


    Clovis was just tagging along, thinking of buying a few things. He wondered how he should convince Melody to join with the help of the ring. It was probably the only thing that could solve Melody''s physical problem.


    In the end, Jay drove them to the first store.


    "Make sure you drop my luggage at my house, Jay. I''ll be going home after buying a few things." Kanaria waved her hand.


    "Sure, sure. Have fun with your little date. I''m not going to be a third party here." Jay nodded nonchalantly.


    Both Kanaria and Clovis raised their eyebrows, not expecting Jay to say it. But the latter immediately drove off after saying those words, leaving the two dumbfounded.


    Little did they know, in Jay''s Skylink, there was a message from Vania Renvolt.


    Kanaria''s Mother: I bet they are having fun. Drop Kanaria''s stuff in our house and exchange it for some fresh clothes. Don''t forget to drop it again at Clovis''s house. Thank you.


    Jay: You''re welcome. Just helping my childhood friend.

 Chapter 95 Equipment

    "Well, what are we going to buy here?" Clovis asked, looking at the store. It wasn''t a big store. In fact, it was located in a small alley that barely fit a single car.


    Jay dropped them off outside the alley, so they had to walk in for quite a bit.


    "I usually buy electronic equipment here. I am thinking about customizing our skyglasses in this store. Since we still have some time before meeting Melody, how about going in?" Kanaria extended her hand.


    "Sure." Clovis nodded with a smile.


    As soon as Kanaria opened the store, they were greeted by a warm welcome.


    A short middle-aged man politely bowed to them. "Welcome to the Bull Electronic."


    Even the store was furnished with a lot of wooden materials to make it much warmer compared to the dark and cold alley.


    In the center of the store, Clovis could see several shelves. There were skyglasses, radio communications, and even trackers. The big items were placed on the right corner, while the opposite side only had a long table. It seemed that was where they usually handled the maintenance.


    "Oh my. What a familiar face! Welcome, Miss Kanaria." The middle-aged man immediately corrected his words and noticed the man next to her. "It''s rare to find you with a gentleman. Are you perhaps on a date?"


    "Don''t tease me." Kanaria pouted, hiding her embarrassment.


    "I apologize." The middle-aged man smiled as if he were satisfied with her reaction.


    "Anyway, is the master there?"


    "Of course."


    "I''d like to customize the skyglasses and buy some stuff here." Kanaria took off the device and projected a screen that contained the list of items.


    The middle-aged man looked at the list for a bit and said, "We do have everything here. It''s just that we don''t have enough supply for two items here."


    "Which ones?"


    "The infrared sensors and the connectors."


    "Oh?" Kanaria looked down, contemplating.


    "I know, I know." The bald man walked toward the table on the side. "Come here. Let''s customize the skyglasses. What do you want?"


    Kanaria and Clovis followed the man. Kanaria explained, "Can you stop the communication from being jammed?"


    "Mhmm..." The bald man thought for a moment. "It''s not possible, but I have an alternative. If we can add a force field, you should be able to communicate within a certain area. It will block the jamming."


    "A force field?"


    "Well, I''m just making it simple for you to understand. Or do you want a lesson about it during your date?"


    "..." Kanaria wanted to say something, but ended up shaking her head. "I will look into it later. So, this will produce some sort of magnetic field that will block the jamming... Will the item be heavy?"


    "No. But it will need a lot of energy. So, at best, you can only use it for ten minutes."


    "The range?"


    "5 meters in radius. You can overlap it to get a longer reach."


    "Then, we''ll take that." Kanaria agreed without hesitation.


    "It seems that you fought a rather annoying opponent..." The bald man smiled.


    "Ahahaha..." Kanaria rubbed her cheek. "That''s right. I also want to integrate a Gold Class map later. So, can you adjust it?"


    "Oh, a Gold Class? If I''m not wrong, your parents aren''t going to pay for this one, right? It seems that your group has become good enough for a Gold Class map."


    "Hehe." Kanaria smiled, but Clovis suddenly handed over his device. "If you want a Gold Class map, you can use mine. I still have over a month."


    "Eh?" Kanaria blinked a few times while the bald man dropped his tools. Kanaria asked, "You have a Gold Class map?"


    "I got it. Consider it a freebie for newbies." Clovis had been using the map for himself, but after a while, he knew he could trust them. At first, he wanted to reveal it before the last exploration, since they already had items from Another World Mall as well as the teachings of his parents.


    But giving them too much would just make them think that Clovis had done all this while they didn''t contribute much. So, he postponed it.


    Since Kanaria wanted to have one, he finally revealed it so as not to waste their money.

 Chapter 96 Misunderstandings

    "Alright. I have integrated everything. Please try it." The bald man handed back the skyglasses.


    Kanaria gave Clovis so that he could try the difference.


    When he activated the skyglasses, the first thing he saw was the option to open and turn on the map. Considering they could actually share their screen, it was no wonder that there was an option like this.


    However, most of the adjustments were on the hardware, so he couldn''t test them. He just made sure that he was able to turn it on.


    "I think everything is good enough." Clovis nodded and turned off the skyglasses.


    "In that case, I will do the fine-tuning. You can pick them up tonight. For this little missy, I will finish it right away." The bald man winked playfully.


    Kanaria smiled wryly. "Then, I will take the rest of the items tonight as well."


    "Sure." The bald man looked at these two, who were about to leave the store. He couldn''t help but say, "By the way, beware of the mule."


    "Mule?" Kanaria stopped on her track.


    "Is there something wrong?" Clovis asked.


    "There is a rumor among people like us that the mule is in this city. It appears that he is bringing a lot of banned goods, so people are wary of the chance that those banned goods are misused."


    "What are the banned goods?" Kanaria asked.


    "I don''t know. There are a lot of rumors, to the point that I don''t know which ones are real or not. But from what I see in the black market, there are three things I recognize. They are hacked devices, monster controllers, and essence poison."


    "Monster controllers?" Clovis frowned. "What did they do?"


    "It appears that they''re producing a sound at a certain frequency that only beasts can hear. Those are good devices for military use because they can direct the beasts to those devices."


    "..." Suddenly, both Kanaria and Clovis''s expressions darkened.@@@@


    The bald man instantly realized that both of them had experienced it. He said, "It seems that the situation is that bad. I will try to report to the military that one of them has fallen into bad hands. Also, don''t buy suspicious things even if they are cheap, they might be the hacked devices spread by the mule. Just go to a good establishment to buy stuff."


    "Understood. Thank you." Kanaria properly bowed to him. She dragged Clovis, who was still in deep thought.


    As soon as they reached the store, one of the staff approached them with the best smile she could offer.


    "Welcome."


    "I am looking for a necklace and a ring. Do you mind leading me to their section?" Clovis didn''t hesitate to tell her simply because she didn''t have enough time.


    The staff misunderstood him, thinking that he wanted to buy them for his girlfriend.


    However, Clovis didn''t realize yet that his ''Lucky Necklace'' had begun its magic. The moment the staff led them to their destination, Clovis instantly found a necklace with a green jewel on it.


    "I want that." Clovis pointed at the necklace without checking the price.


    "Mhmm?" This was the third lucky thing he encountered. While he wasn''t lucky enough in the shop Kanaria first introduced, he was sure lucky enough in this shop. After all, the moment Kanaria and the staff saw the price of the necklace, they couldn''t help but widen their eyes in shock.


    "What''s wrong?" Clovis tilted his head in confusion.


    "It''s nothing. I will take it out immediately." The staff''s smile became bigger while saying to Kanaria, "Miss, you''re very blessed."


    Clovis didn''t hear them as he had already headed to the ring section and once again found the item he was searching for. While they weren''t the exact same, they were similar enough to him. "By the way, take this out for me as well..."


    "Y-yes." The staff was, of course, happy since she could earn some commissions if she managed to sell a lot.


    Meanwhile, Kanaria couldn''t help but fall into a deeper misunderstanding.


    ''Wait a minute. I don''t think I''m ready for this. A ring?'' Kanaria turned around, not wanting Clovis to see her expression. ''Clovis is actually buying a necklace and a ring? I can understand the necklace, but the ring... Is he actually serious about our relationship? But we haven''t confirmed our relationship yet...


    ''Don''t tell me, Clovis is actually thinking about skipping that process and going straight to propose to me? I thought that my mother was the only one who wanted the relationship to move forward as quickly as possible, but to think Clovis too...''


    Clovis didn''t know what she was thinking because he immediately proceeded to the cashier to complete the transactions. Kanaria didn''t realize at that time that the things he bought weren''t for her.


    And whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, in her misunderstanding, she actually spotted Melody walking past the jewelry store. Their eyes ended up meeting each other.


    "Melody?"


    "Kanaria?"

 Chapter 97 An Unexpected Person?

    Now that they had met each other, all three of them immediately went to the food court.


    "This is the money. According to the agreement, 30% of the reward money goes to you, which is 40,500 dollars. And as a mobile operator with a rate of 15,000 per day, the total will be 85,500 dollars." Kanaria transferred the money through Clovis''s account.


    "Mhmm... I have received the money." Melody nodded. It was rare to get this much with only two days of exploration. Even as a Tier 2 mobile operator, she usually got about thirty thousand for a week of explorations.


    Compared to the usual groups, she was definitely lucky to go with them.


    However, Melody couldn''t help but recall the investigation about Clovis. Even after doing so much, she still didn''t have a clue regarding Clovis''s identity.


    "What''s wrong?" Clovis tilted his head.


    Melody hesitated at the last moment. "It''s nothing."


    "Oh. I thought you wanted to join our group."


    "..." Melody didn''t immediately deny it as if she were still in a dilemma about whether to accept the invitation or not. The money was indeed tempting, but safety was a concern.


    "Well, you can think about it for now." Clovis understood her hesitation, considering the danger that came from just being together with him.


    Melody nodded. "Alright."


    "Then, we''ll excuse ourselves." Clovis smiled, satisfied. At the very least, there was a chance for Melody to accept his invitation. Although she hid it with her laziness, she must have a pretty high goal herself, which was something he wanted from a person in his group.


    "Mhmm..." Melody waved her hand while thinking, ''Now that I''ve got the money, I think I can buy the new console.''


    Meanwhile, Clovis and Kanaria went toward one of the stores in this mall. In fact, this was Kanaria''s original destination when choosing this mall.


    "Here we are." Kanaria pointed at the name of the chains. "Overpowered. This is the best chain regarding equipment. This is also where I usually buy our bullets."


    "Welcome." A male staff suddenly approached them with a big smile on his face.


    Clovis raised his head, feeling familiar with the voice. It was there that he met the woman from Ivan''s group, Vina. She was the person that Clovis asked not to go on any explorations for two weeks.


    "You are the girl from back then. Vina, was it?"


    "Yes. It''s surprising to see you here. If I''m not wrong, you are called Clovis."


    "Mhmm. What are you doing here?" Clovis asked with an innocent face.


    "I am still following the agreement. I haven''t done any explorations, especially with Ivan." Vina hurriedly replied as if she didn''t want Clovis to misunderstand.


    "Well, I don''t really care much about the agreement. It seems that you are alone too..."


    "I am on the verge of getting kicked out. It seems that the Drake Group has made a drastic change since that bet. Even I don''t know much about it." Vina smiled wryly. "I''m not blaming you or anything. Ivan was so proud that I sometimes hoped that he got humbled and changed for the better."


    "I''m just doing my part for my group."


    As he said those words, Kanaria''s voice rang from the gun section, calling for him. "Clovis!"


    "I have to go. Hope you have a good day." Clovis waved his hand. He never had a grudge against her, so he acted pretty friendly.


    "You too." Vina seemed not to mind about the agreement as well. In the end, Clovis didn''t get the answer to his question.


    He just restocked their ammunition in this store before leaving. And Clovis didn''t mention anything about Vina since it was better for Kanaria not to meet her. It seemed that his action was wrong this time.


    "Thank you very much." The man smiled brightly before bowing to Kanaria and Clovis as they left the store.


    At the same time, Vina was walking toward the man who had just served them earlier.


    "Welcome..." the man greeted her with the best smile, but Vina''s reaction was the opposite of his.


    Her eyebrows were twitching as she couldn''t help but ask, "I have been searching for you this whole time. How in the world did you end up being a salesman in this store... Master? What are you plotting this time?"

 Chapter 98 Peaceful...or Not!

    "Are you ready?" A middle-aged man was sitting on an emergency exit while putting out his smoke.


    "Yes, sir." Several people were standing in front of him, fully armed.


    "What we will do today will be condemned, but our target remains the same. According to our information, the mule is inside the mall today. Find that bastard and kill him before the police arrive."


    ...


    Meanwhile, Kanaria and Clovis were enjoying themselves inside the mall.


    They had been hopping from one store to another. At first, it was about restocking their supplies for the next exploration, but it soon changed to normal shopping.


    "What do you think?" Kanaria was trying new clothes: a light brown sweatshirt and plaid skirt. She tried on a lot of clothes that suited her.


    Kanaria wanted to know Clovis''s reaction to the clothes. At the same time, she also started dragging Clovis to a clothing store for men.


    The reason she bought some clothes for herself was so that Clovis didn''t feel bad buying some clothes for himself.


    However, she surely didn''t hesitate to feast her eyes. Clovis''s face was above average, but he looked plain because he didn''t have a lot of clothes that suited him.@@@@


    When Kanaria bought him some clothes, his aura changed. His new shirt barely covered his muscles. His muscles might not be that big, but it still made him more pleasant to the eyes.


    After what felt like hours, they finally stopped and took some rest.


    "Ha... I think we have bought everything here..." Clovis sat down while putting down everything they had bought so far. Both of them were holding the same amount, yet Kanaria still looked pretty energetic.


    "We still need a few more items and supplies. Also, we have to rent another car. I want to buy a car for our group, but I think it''s better to wait until we have secured a bit more funds. After all, it''s better to customize the car for exploration," said Kanaria while handing him a bubble tea.


    "How do you have all that energy to buy all this stuff?" Clovis sighed.


    "What''s wrong? As a Tier 1 human, you shouldn''t feel exhausted after all that, right?"


    "No, but I''m mentally tired." Clovis shook his head. When he was going to Another World Mall, he was mentally tired because of the expensive price. But in this mall, he was tired because Kanaria kept asking him to change from one outfit to another.


    In the Another World Mall, he didn''t bother to choose after all. As long as the effect was good, he would buy it. But the real world was different.


    "Shopping is a guilty pleasure." Kanaria shrugged.


    "Hmm..." Clovis looked around once again. He couldn''t help but have a lot of thoughts regarding the future stores that would come to Another World Mall. In fact, this was the reason why he accompanied Kanaria; he wanted to see all kinds of stores this mall could offer.


    He muttered inwardly, ''Now that I think about it, there was supposed to be a bookstore in this mall. But because most of the stuff is now digital, the book store is gone. What about the Another World Mall?


    ''If it has a bookstore, won''t it show a lot of weird books? Wait a minute, there are elves and the like, right? Will I be able to learn magic from those books? But... I think that this magic will bring me a lot of trouble and I don''t know if I have the aptitude or not. Instead, martial arts are probably better.


    However, the terror in front of his eyes had just gone one step further.


    The building suddenly collapsed.


    "!!!" Clovis hurriedly grabbed Kanaria and pushed her down. "Get down!"


    Clovis even flipped the bench to protect themselves from rubble. Some of the smaller ones ended up flying toward them. A few people got hit and their status was unknown.


    Clovis gritted his teeth while saying, "A gas explosion? It doesn''t seem like it. Is the mall under attack?"


    "A terrorist attack?" Kanaria turned her head but couldn''t see anything due to the bench.


    "I don''t know. However, if this is true, then this entire mall will soon become a battlefield." Clovis''s expression turned grim. He didn''t have his weapon or special clothes with him. The only thing that accompanied him today was the lucky necklace. He hadn''t even bought anything related to recovery from Another World Mall.


    There was one more thing he was concerned about. It was Melody. He didn''t know whether Melody was still in this mall or not. If she ended up dying in that explosion, it would be a great loss to his group.


    "What are we going to do, Clovis?" Kanaria asked.


    "We have to join hands with others and save as many people as we can. We''ll have to evacuate the people, but I don''t know where to go. The other side of the building must have been compromised as well. The best way to go is..."


    "Should we find a cafe or a store that has windows to the outside?"


    "Yes. However, we have to be careful. There is a chance that the enemy is lurking inside this mall as well." Clovis looked at Kanaria with a solemn face. "Promise me. Don''t do anything too reckless. If there is a chance not to stand out, make sure you use it and assess whether there is a hidden terrorist or not."


    "Got it. What about you?"


    "I''m going to look around. There will probably be a lot of people trapped here, so I will be looking for Melody. She might be the only one who can locate all those people." Clovis thought for a moment. Although it was a shame, he immediately took off the necklace and put it on her hand. "I hope this necklace can keep you safe."


    "This is..." Kanaria was stunned as this was the necklace that Clovis bought earlier. But she didn''t remember that Clovis did something to the necklace.


    Still, it didn''t matter. Clovis entrusted the necklace to her. Although she didn''t know what the necklace could do, she trusted Clovis.


    What both of them didn''t know was that the necklace had once again been working at full power. The explosion this time had actually angered several people.


    "Are you serious?" Melody gritted her teeth while looking at the empty cashier. "I haven''t paid for my game yet... And I''m not a thief. Who in the world ruins my chance to buy this game?"


    "What''s going on?" Vina gasped while her master, who had been disguising himself as a store employee, couldn''t help but look at the situation with a cold face. "To think that something like this would happen while I''m inside this place."


    There were two more people annoyed by this explosion. They were the two assassins that were assigned to monitor Clovis and eliminate him if it was possible.


    "Oi, oi. You bastards. What the hell are you doing here? If you''re gonna kill someone, we will be the ones getting eliminated."


    "I don''t care what the terrorists do, but how dare they do it when that Hacfield bastard is inside?"


    Both of them looked like they were raring to kill some people.

 Chapter 99 Rescue

    Clovis opened the device and checked the signal. Seeing that he still got some signal, he couldn''t help but call Melody to check whether she was still inside the mall or not.


    Kanaria, on the other hand, looked around to see where the terrorists were. This kind of explosion shouldn''t come from a gas leak, after all.


    "Melody?" The call was connected.


    "You guys are still in the building?" Melody asked.


    "You too?"


    "Yeah. I''m not that far from the explosion. The people are going in the opposite direction, but I''m staying in the store for a moment. It doesn''t seem like this is an accident."


    "Do you want to regroup with us? It''s going to be much safer that way."


    Melody paused for a moment while looking at the situation around her. She didn''t seem to find another person in the area. There were some crying sounds in the rubble, but she couldn''t dig them up.


    "In a time like this, you should help each other out. I think it''s better to come to this area. If this is a planned attack, they won''t be near the destruction since it might also bury them."


    "Got it." Clovis nodded and turned to Kanaria. "Let''s go to Melody."


    "Yeah." Kanaria agreed. They could grab a weapon first, but there would be a problem if they were considered terrorists. So, for the time being, they should regroup with Melody first before positioning themselves near the weapon shop.


    As soon as they reached an agreement, they moved pretty swiftly.


    "You go up. I will remain on the ground floor." Clovis pointed up. "Melody is on the third floor."@@@@


    "Got it."


    When they were moving, they heard gunshots coming from the opposite direction.


    "!!!" Both of them raised their heads, trying to look at what was going on.


    "Do you have any idea how to do this without making it crumble?" Clovis asked. It was horrible.


    The left side was destroyed to the point where he could see the sky from the ceiling. The right side hadn''t completely collapsed, but it looked brittle enough.


    "Better go to the right side and move fast. There is a chance for it to collapse as well, so be careful not to destroy anything." Melody instructed.


    "Got it." Clovis nodded with a serious expression as he immediately moved to the right side, specifically the half-ruined store.


    "Are you alright? Is there anyone here?" Clovis shouted while listening carefully.


    "I am on my way there. My senses are sharper than those of normal people, so I should be able to find them. Do your best in the meantime."


    "Got it." Clovis looked around the empty store. He checked the rubble, especially the big ones, to see if there was anyone underneath them.


    "He...lp..." Suddenly, he heard a faint voice coming from behind the rubble.


    "Hello? Where are you?" Clovis tried to follow the voice while looking around the rubble. There was a big piece of concrete slab that covered a part of the store, so he took a look underneath it.


    He found the first victim. It was a little kid who was leaning on the wall. Her eyes had lost focus and her body was bleeding.


    There was a woman next to her, lying on her stomach. It looked like she was her mother.


    Without hesitation, Clovis sneaked inside the gap and checked their conditions. Fortunately, they didn''t get squashed by the rubble, so he should have no problem dragging them out.


    "Stay with me." Clovis looked at the kid and gently grabbed her. Although he was strong enough to push away this big rubble, he was afraid that the rubble would break apart and a small piece would fly in their direction and hurt them. So, he gently dragged them outside.


    While he was at it, Melody had reached the second floor and simply jumped off as though the fall wouldn''t hurt her. She saw Clovis finding two people and was prepared to help.


    All of a sudden, Kanaria''s voice came out of the device.


    "Clovis. We''ve got a situation here."

 Chapter 100 A Different Course of Action

    A moment ago.


    "Don''t kill us!"


    "Mama..."


    "Nooo!"


    The people had been gathered by the terrorists in the entertainment zone. Some had escaped, but there were still about seventy people in this place.


    There were five people with guns watching the hostage. The other terrorists were preparing their weapons to find the rest.


    "The mule is not among them, sir."


    "How is the situation outside?"


    "A few of our members on the outside have said that the mule is not among the people who manage to run away."


    "In that case, continue to monitor the situation. Team A and B will go with me to search the entire mall. We can''t let the mule escape."


    "Got it."


    They started moving in an organized manner, which was much different from what people expected from a terrorist group.


    The first team was searching for every store on the left side, while the second team took care of the right side. However, they remained on the first floor, probably trying to search the second floor after they reached the end of the first floor.


    ...


    On the opposite side, Vina was hiding inside the store, asking, "What should we do, Master? At a time like this, we have to help each other."


    "Oh? It''s rather surprising for those words to come out of your mouth. Normally, you are only thinking about your own safety."


    "..." Vina couldn''t answer him. She still remembered the excuse Clovis gave to defeat them in the competition. And she couldn''t really refute that claim either.@@@@


    "..." Ran frowned. "Correction. We need an immediate response. I have spotted someone who is at least Tier 3... No, he might be a Tier 4."


    "Sorry, say again?"


    "I repeat. I found a Tier 4 terrorist. We don''t really have any options... We might need to retaliate." Ran then turned to Jacksie, saying, "What''s your affinity?"


    "Muscle."


    "Tsk. In that case, I will be the bait since I can avoid their bullets. Once I lure them enough, you eliminate them as quickly as possible. Be careful of Tier 4."


    Jacksie couldn''t see that far away, but Ran seemed to have Brain Affinity, which sharpened his senses. It was no wonder he could spot them.


    Still, this action looked reckless. "But... won''t the hostages be harmed? I think it''s better to retreat from here."


    "They are searching one store after another. It''s clear that they are trying to find someone. If we retreat to the opposite side, they will get more people and there is a higher chance that they will eliminate those people. Although this sounds ruthless, it''s better to abandon the captured people and prioritize the safety of the people who haven''t gotten caught yet.


    If we wait for the police, it will be too late. From their movement, the terrorists are elites."


    Jacksie fell silent. If there were fifty hostages and fifty more that had yet to be found, Ran wanted to sacrifice the first fifty hostages to save the other fifty. Jacksie''s original plan was to retreat and let them take all one hundred people. And if the terrorist really killed the hostages, Ran''s plan was much better than his.


    Jacksie took a deep breath to gather his resolve. "What should I do?"


    "Hide there." Jacksie pointed at the first floor''s store. "I will be the bait and let them chase me. If possible, take care of the right side. Once you show yourself, I will take care of the left side. Do you have any armor?"


    "I didn''t bring it with me."


    "Let''s go to the store. There should be armor that can withstand Tier 2 bullets in the shop."


    "Got it."


    While they were talking, the person behind the call changed. His voice was deep and heavy, saying, "This is from the SWD anti-terrorism. We have sent our finest to your side. You have to wait for them."


    "We will lure them to the opposite side. Your squad can ambush from the opposite side where they gather the hostages. We can''t let them take any more hostages," Ran replied while rushing to the shop. It seemed that the clash was imminent.

 Chapter 101 Fighting the Terrorists

    "No. Please don''t kill us!" A man was pleading for the people behind him, who seemed to be his wife and son.


    "Shut up!" The terrorist punched him while dragging him out. "Hurry up and join the others!"


    "Mama..." The boy was crying while the wife was too scared to speak. She just hugged the young boy so that he didn''t see much.


    In the end, the entire family was dragged outside until they reached the group of people the terrorists had gathered.


    However, everything changed the moment they joined together with the rest of the hostages.


    Suddenly, a man''s voice echoed from the second floor. "Stop! Do you know that what you are doing is wrong, terrorists?"


    "!!!" The Tier 4 captain raised his head, looking at Ran on the second floor''s bridge.


    All the other terrorists had also raised their weapons, aiming at him. All of them were ready to shoot.


    However, the terrorist captain felt that this wannabe hero was another Tier 4 human like him. In other words, this battle would definitely become tricky.


    Still, one thing made the terrorists think they could win this. Even though Ran was a Tier 4 human, it didn''t appear he was a smart one.


    After all, he should have known that ambushing the enemies would be much better than just showing up like this. At least he could eliminate a few people first.


    "To think there is a Tier 4 human in this place..." The terrorist captain smirked while pointing his finger at him. "Don''t be afraid. As long as we have enough people, we can kill him."


    All the terrorists had a resolute expression and started moving forward.


    "Then, you shall fight me here." Ran harrumphed.


    "This is why I hate the justice bastard. You all are idiots." The terrorist captain laughed while sending his people forth.


    *Bang!*


    To Ran''s surprise, the big sword actually bent the spear.


    "A Tier 3 spear can''t stop it?" Ran muttered before he tried to kick the captain from the right.


    However, the terrorist captain immediately changed his stance and completed his swing, smashing his sword to the ground.


    Ran abruptly stopped his kick or that sword would have cut his foot. More importantly, the swing was so strong that it actually left a small crater on the floor. If this continued, the bridge might collapse after a few swings.


    Ran skillfully grabbed the bent spear and made a couple of thrusts.


    The terrorist''s captain easily blocked them, but Ran never intended to fight the captain head on.


    With a single blink of an eye, Ran''s vision suddenly changed. It felt like the world had become a simulation, and he could see the world from an omniscient point of view.


    Even though his vision was blocked by the floor, he could actually see Jacksie being suppressed by all those bullets from the terrorists. If this continued, the bullets might pierce through that coat.


    Ran suddenly grabbed a grenade from his back as though he wanted to blast the terrorist captain with this one. Even if a Tier 4 human could survive the blast, it would still hurt him.


    Seeing this grenade, the captain took a step back but soon realized that he had fallen into his trick.


    Ran tossed the grenade to the first floor, specifically in the middle of the terrorists.


    "!!!" Jacksie definitely saw that grenade and immediately jumped back. Meanwhile, the terrorists were still confused as to what happened.


    "Get down!" The Tier 2 humans had higher reaction speed, so they shouted while throwing themselves away.


    *Boom!*


    The grenade hit seven people, of whom two died on the spot while the other five sustained quite a lot of injuries.


    Seeing this opening made Jacksie feel delighted. This was the sign of their counterattack.

 Chapter 102 Decision

    While they were fighting, they didn''t realize that Kanaria was observing them, especially Ran.


    ''What? How is he able to throw that grenade? Is he using prediction and speculation? But the placement of that grenade is so perfect...'' Kanaria gasped, not understanding what had happened.


    However, she couldn''t help but remember what her mother once said.


    "Your mother can see or you could say simulate everything around me in my brain. In fact, I can see all our servants in this mansion right now thanks to my senses."


    "Is that true? Then, is there a maid in that room?" Kanaria just chose a random room.


    "There is one." Vania nodded, confirming it.


    Not believing her mother, she couldn''t help but open the door quietly and take a peek at the room, finding a butler inside.


    Kanaria opened her mouth in surprise. "You are right. There is a person inside... How do you know? No, wait. You are wrong. It''s not a maid, but a butler!"


    Vania gave her a wry smile. "Even though I can see them, it doesn''t mean I know all the details, like the contour of their bodies. But I definitely know they are there. If I had that kind of ability, I would have gone to someone''s house and... never mind. What the hell am I teaching you?"


    "Don''t tell me, you''re going to that person you always talk about?" Kanaria looked impressed by her dedication.


    "Well, this is the power of a high level explorer. I don''t know what power you have, but it''s said that someone with my power can actually sense everything within a one kilometer radius."


    "Wow..."


    Kanaria was impressed at that time, but when she saw how accurately Ran threw his grenade, she realized that he was able to see those terrorists.


    It was clear that, by sharpening her senses even further, she would be able to do something like this. And Jacksie could easily be singled out among those people, so it wasn''t that hard to actually find which one was him.


    "Four Tier 3 humans and two Tier 4 humans are the rescue group due to the fact that the enemy has Tier 4 humans as well."


    It looked like they would have no problem rescuing the hostage, but if they helped rescue the hostage, those people could immediately help defeat the Tier 4 terrorist.


    "Can Vina use guns?" Clovis asked.


    Kanaria looked at Vina, who later shook her head and said, "I can''t. If I have to fight, the only thing I can do is hold the shield and become the bait. There are plenty of shields in this place that can block their bullets."


    "Got it." Clovis thought for a moment. "In that case, you two can grab the weapons to engage with the terrorists and stand by near the hostages. Once the rescue squad is about to arrive, we will go to your position and get ready."


    "So, we''ll cooperate with their squad?"


    "Yes. For now, observe them as much as possible. But don''t get too close."


    "Got it." Kanaria nodded with a serious expression. Their course of action had been decided.


    Although rescuing the people was their priority, dealing with these terrorists would save more people.


    Kanaria and Vina immediately worked together. Vina finally realized why Kanaria''s group was able to defeat theirs. Clovis made a much more rational decision than Ivan. If this were Ivan, his priority would be to engage the enemies without waiting for the rescue squad to arrive.


    Clovis knew that terrorists were much more dangerous than beasts because of guns. This was pretty much true for low level explorers like them. Once they reached the level of Ran or the terrorist captain, bullets were pretty much useless unless there were special type guns.


    And Vina had no reason to object to Clovis''s decision.


    Meanwhile, Clovis turned to Melody while saying, "We are going to rescue as many people here as possible. Once we get the word, we will immediately head back to help with the hostages."


    "Got it. I have told them about it, and I can act as the operator on site."


    "Good. For now, we have to focus on this job." Clovis nodded with a serious face. They had rescued the mother and daughter pair along with two more people, so Clovis wanted to get at least ten more people before leaving.

 Chapter 103 Temptation

    "By the way, do you want to join my group?" Clovis asked while carrying an unconscious person.


    "You are asking it at a time like this?" Melody looked at Clovis in disbelief. She had never thought Clovis would still have the audacity to ask her in this situation.


    However, there was a reason why Clovis chose this timing. Melody had worked extremely hard today and because the electricity turned off after the explosion, it was pretty hot inside.@@@@


    So Melody''s t-shirt was drenched in sweat.


    And this was why Clovis took out the ring he had prepared. He had grabbed this ring from the mall''s inventory before all this happened and hid it in his pocket.


    The moment she saw the ring, Melody''s expression became disgusted. "Are you kidding me? In this situation?"


    There was only one instance where a man usually gave a ring to a woman. And Melody was disgusted by the thought alone. It seemed that she had judged Clovis wrongly.


    "It seems that you misunderstand me. If you join me, I''m planning to give you this ring. This ring is special as it can only be created by my family. You will understand the effect once you wear it." Clovis sighed. "If you still want to misunderstand me after that, feel free."


    Melody wanted to say a lot of things, but they were in no position to quarrel. So, Melody thought she would do it if this was just a trick from Clovis.


    When she grabbed it, she didn''t notice any change. However, the ring had to be put on a finger, so she just chose her right index finger as a test.


    In that instant, her opinions about Clovis changed.


    "This is..." Melody gasped. She could feel the chilling breeze that shrouded her entire body instead of blowing like a wind. It was as if she were in a room with the AC turned on.


    "Is this a rejection?" Clovis asked again, wanting to confirm her intention.


    Melody let out a long sigh, saying, "I''m not sure myself. Maybe if you have some time tomorrow, I want to bring you to a certain place. That''s probably where I can decide whether I will join your group or not.


    Clovis''s expression turned solemn. "In that case, you can use this ring first. We still have a lot of work right now. You can return it to me after we''re done."


    Melody felt a bit embarrassed by how she needed to take the ring back, but since Clovis extended his hand as if shoving that ring to her, she hurriedly took it.


    "Thank you." Melody nodded. Now that she felt cool, it was time to get serious.


    Both of them had been moving around to rescue all the survivors they could find. They found twenty people in the span of five minutes.


    Melody had done some basic treatment, but they needed to be brought to the hospital soon.


    The search and rescue operation most likely wouldn''t start unless they eliminated the threat, so both of them were waiting for the call.


    "Clovis." Melody raised her eyebrows, getting something from her transmitter. "We have to go."


    Clovis took a deep breath before smiling at the survivors. "I''m sorry, but we have to go to defeat the bad guys right now. Please wait for a moment as the rescue squads will come soon. And don''t go too far from this place or those bad guys will find you."


    The survivors were grateful to Clovis, but they also didn''t want him to leave. Unfortunately, Clovis could only ignore them and immediately climbed to the third floor and headed to the hostages.


    They had to move fast since the anti-terrorism squad was about to arrive.

 Chapter 104 Volunteer

    "Alright. What''s your report?" A middle-aged man asked. This middle-aged man had brought five other people, all very strong.


    They followed Melody''s instructions and entered the mall from the top floor so that they could meet up with the group of new explorers to handle the situation.


    Melody took out the device and showed them the position they could find from this place. "There are approximately eleven people guarding the hostages. We don''t know about their strength."


    The middle-aged man thought for a moment. "Alright. We''ll take over from here."


    His voice was strict as if he didn''t take a ''no'' for an answer. Most importantly, Melody and the others were civilians, so they shouldn''t participate in this risky mission.


    However, Clovis raised his hand and said, "I believe that you have to split your force into two."


    "Oi..." One of the men stepped forward, glaring at Clovis.


    Clovis remained expressionless as if he had expected this rejection, but he still wished for his opinion to be heard.


    It seemed that the government had placed the right person in the right position. He waved his hand, asking his subordinate to calm down. "What do you mean?"


    "Currently, there are Tier 4 and Tier 3 explorers grabbing the enemy''s attention. And you should be able to hear them from here..." Clovis pointed to the side, specifically the source of the gunshots.


    "Continue."


    "As you might already know, the enemy is Tier 4, so to capture or even prevent a lot of damage to the building, I believe that the Tier 4 people here should eliminate those threats and leave the hostages to the rest of the people here."


    "Hoh?" The middle-aged man looked at Clovis in amusement. His words weren''t necessarily wrong.


    "Captain¡ª" His team wanted to protest, but the middle-aged man stopped him again. "So, what do you propose?"


    "I believe that we, weaklings, should be the bait."


    Clovis nodded. "I understand."


    "Good." The captain smiled and said, "If you want to stop being an explorer, you can join my team."


    "Wha¡ª" The guy wanted to continue, but his friend covered his mouth and dragged him to the side. "We need to be quiet. Come on."


    "I''m thankful for your invitation, but I am still too young to give up being an explorer."


    "Sure." The middle-aged man smiled before turning to his team. "We will split our team into two. Me and Johan will be ambushing their best people. The rest of you will take care of the hostages."


    "Yes, sir."


    All of them immediately prepared, leaving Clovis and the others alone. Although they allowed them to participate, the captain obviously planned to eliminate the terrorists without their help.


    Clovis immediately came to Kanaria to get his temporary equipment. Meanwhile, Melody was asking them for their device so that they could link them and update the status of the terrorists.


    Vina held a shield almost as big as her entire body, ready to block all kinds of bullets.


    Kanaria, on the other hand, noticed Clovis''s eagerness and couldn''t help but ask, "Is the reason why you want to defeat those terrorists..." However, she actually stopped.


    The reason was obvious. Clovis thought that the mall was attacked because of him, so Clovis wanted to set this straight personally.


    Hence, Kanaria said, "I think this one is not your fault, Clovis. The patterns of their attacks are different."


    If the terrorists had come for him, they would have encountered a lot of terrorists. So, Kanaria thought that the terrorists were planning to find someone else.


    "Hu..." Clovis took a deep breath. It seemed that he had made Kanaria worry. "Mhmm... Let''s go, shall we?"


    "Yep." Kanaria smiled.

 Chapter 105 Hidden Tier

    "Oi! Move!" One of the terrorists kicked a kid who was dragged by the other terrorists.


    "Mommy!" The kid was crying as he fell to the ground. The people wanted to say something, but they were too scared of the terrorists. They could only look at them with a pale face.


    The terrorists didn''t say much after the kid joined the other hostages. They didn''t seem to be that bothered by the crying as if they had gotten used to it.


    Meanwhile, all the Tier 3 personnel had reached their positions. Kanaria and Melody were next to each other, observing the enemies from the top floor. Vina was standing by on the ground floor, ready to head out once her help was needed. Clovis, on the other hand, remained on the first floor not too far from the hostages. With a single leap, he should be able to reach the terrorists.


    Since Melody had tuned the equipment, she could finally speak through the transmitter.


    "Get ready. We''ll begin the operation in three... two... one..."@@@@


    Each of the members of the anti-terrorism squad had their own skyglasses that marked their targets. Melody had assigned them four targets they had to defeat within a few seconds before the terrorists could harm them. At the same time, they couldn''t do it that brutally or it would cause trauma for the civilians.


    Hence, all of them were expected to unleash all their abilities in order to complete the tasks.


    "Zero!" The moment they heard the last count, all four members leaped out.


    "Huh?!" The terrorists widened their eyes.


    "Enemies!"


    "Kill them!"


    They panicked and aimed their guns at them, not realizing that they should have just used the hostages.


    Clovis was observing these four carefully, wanting to know the secret of their strength.


    Obviously, the one he watched closely was the man who looked down on him earlier.


    Even though his words were harsh, he wasn''t wrong. And it seemed that he also had the skill to back up his attitude.


    Amidst the reactions from the common people, Clovis remained silent, but his face was ghastly pale. He never thought that there would be someone defeating the Tier 3 agents from the government.


    Fortunately, it seemed that the guy managed to twist his body in the last second, causing the dagger to miss the vital area. He jumped away to avoid dying.


    But for Clovis, this was a huge blunder. He never thought that the terrorist could reach that level of speed.


    "Rain!" Another agent shouted in panic and looped around to help him, but another hidden terrorist had appeared and slashed him.


    "Gah!" The armor absorbed much of the impact, but the cut was still pretty deep. More importantly, this hidden terrorist was much faster than reported. "Are these guys really Tier 0?"


    "Not good!" Another one wanted to help, but this time, the same trick didn''t work. The moment the third hidden terrorist appeared, the agent had expected something like this and blocked the attack, albeit barely. "What? This strength... is equal to a Tier 3 human!"


    Clovis was dumbstruck. He had just made a blunder. If these people were actually Tier 3, he shouldn''t have sent the two Tier 4 humans to defeat their captain.


    At the same time, he finally realized why Melody only mentioned Tier 0 to Tier 2 terrorists. Their captain was Tier 4, so they should have expected a few Tier 3.


    His only miscalculation was the fact that the terrorists could hide their Tier.


    "What in the world..." Clovis sucked a cold breath. The last remaining agent hurriedly approached their friend, who had been slashed earlier, and stopped this terrorist from killing his friend. Still, there was one more Tier 3, who was about to kill the rude agent.


    Clovis might slightly feel annoyed by that rude guy, but if they lost a precious Tier 3 agent just because of a little grudge, humanity would have gone extinct.


    That was why Clovis had no choice but to act. He had fought against a Tier 3 beast before, so he should be able to manage to fight this terrorist.


    Without hesitation, Clovis leaped toward this Tier 3 terrorist and swung his new blade.


    However, this fight seemed to be different. He didn''t sense the surge of strength like back then and his speed was much slower, allowing the terrorist to avoid his swing before punching his cheek.


    His body flew to the side before crashing into the wall.


    The battle didn''t seem to be promising.

 Chapter 106 Another Ambush

    "Kh." Clovis gritted his teeth as Melody and Kanaria''s voices kept ringing in his ears.


    "Clovis!"


    "Oi, are you alright?!"


    Clovis couldn''t respond to them. He was glaring at the terrorist.


    "What is this? To think there would be a weak boy daring to fight me." The terrorist snorted. Clovis''s existence was like an ant to him, so it wouldn''t really matter. He simply had to focus on killing the injured Tier 3 agent and the rest wouldn''t really matter.


    "You can hide your tier? Impossible." The injured guy was enduring the pain while pressing his wound.


    "Your city should have handed over the mule and this wouldn''t have happened." The terrorist snorted while walking toward the injured guy.


    ''The mule?'' Clovis widened his eyes in shock. He had heard about this mule from the shopkeeper. He never thought that the terrorists were daring enough to do all this for the mule.


    Then again, he heard that the mule had a lot of banned goods.


    The question in his mind was answered the moment the agent spoke up.


    "You are using a banned good to hide your tier."


    Everything instantly clicked in his mind. The reason why the terrorists wanted the mule was because they wanted this person to smuggle all the banned goods for them, especially this item that could hide their Tier.


    When that happened, the terrorists would have gotten another advantage.


    Although he knew that the mule was a bad guy, the terrorists definitely couldn''t get this mule.


    Clovis saw that the other two were focused on fighting the two other Tier 3 terrorists. In other words, it was up to him to defeat or at least buy some time from this Tier 3 human before him.


    It might be because of the terrorist being the chatter box or the injured guy trying to probe information even in that situation, but Clovis got everything he needed.


    Clovis took a deep breath. If he couldn''t calm down, it would be impossible to defeat this terrorist.


    Both Clovis and the terrorist raised their heads. It seemed that they thought the same thing but from different perspectives.


    On the top floor, Melody was shielding Kanaria with the coat they grabbed from the store. There were five people shooting them, which made the situation increasingly dangerous for all of them.


    "Me and Melody will manage. You have to defeat him, Clovis." Kanaria was frustrated. She wanted to help Clovis, but these guys prevented her from doing so.


    Melody said, "We''ll retreat and reorganize ourselves. You are the only one who can handle that Tier 3 terrorist. We will make sure that these guys can''t rain down their bullets on you or the hostages."


    Clovis never thought that they would be pushed this much. The terrorists had set up trap after trap, so he shouldn''t feel surprised by just an ambush.


    Clovis finally knew the difference in fighting style between the beasts and humans.


    On the one hand, Clovis knew that he had to rely on that mysterious feeling to fight a Tier 3 human. On the other hand, he didn''t plan to wait for it.


    "Huu..." Clovis''s expression turned serious, looking at this terrorist.


    "You can''t fight him. Run!" The Tier 3 agent shouted. Although he didn''t say it, Clovis had shown enough to warrant his respect. So, he had to run. "They don''t have a lot of time."


    The terrorists knew that there would be another team sweeping in to rescue the hostages. So, they indeed didn''t have a lot of time left if they wanted to retreat successfully.


    However, this Tier 3 terrorist ran toward Clovis, thinking that he could kill this kid swiftly before ending the agent''s life.


    Clovis raised his sword once again.


    ''I have to see much slower than before.'' Clovis took a deep breath.


    The terrorist swung his dagger multiple times, changing from stab to slash and vice versa. In just a few seconds, he had delivered more than twelve attacks.


    Meanwhile, multiple clicking sounds echoed in everyone''s ears. Clovis was slower than him, which caused the dagger to hit him twice on his arms and once on his shoulder.


    However, the terrorist suddenly jumped back when he felt a sharp pain coming from his left shoulder.


    Clovis actually managed to injure him when he was only a Tier 1 human.@@@@

 Chapter 107 Defeating the Terrorist

    "!!!" The terrorist widened his eyes in shock. "Impossible."


    Even the government''s agent couldn''t believe his eyes. To think that a Tier 1 human like Clovis could actually injure a Tier 3 human, it was simply too ridiculous.


    The terrorist was much faster and stronger than him.


    However, this was what Clovis had done. Clovis simply remembered the fight he had with the Tier 3 proconsul.


    The Tier 3 human might be more troublesome, but the beast''s physical strength was better. So, Clovis grew accustomed to the terrorist''s movement on the last second and counterattack.


    "A mere Tier 1... a mere Tier 1..." The terrorist roared while charging at Clovis.


    His attacks were much stronger than before, but his movement was clouded with anger. To think that the terrorists would have this much pride, Clovis was simply speechless.


    Nevertheless, this was an opportunity. Clovis took on the attacks carefully, this time, without any injuries on his side. After what felt like thirty seconds, Clovis sharply swung his blade diagonally, cutting the terrorist''s right shoulder.


    "Oi!" The other Tier 3 terrorists shouted in disbelief, reminding him that they still had a mission.


    Clovis noticed the change and immediately stepped forward, applying more pressure.


    "You..." The terrorist''s eyes flashed as he swung his blade as hard as possible. It was so powerful that Clovis was pushed back for several meters.


    Clovis remained calm even in this situation. As he expected, the enemy didn''t charge after him.


    ''It seems that they know that the mule is going to attack them. And they''ve prepared three Tier 3 humans to take him down. In other words, the mule they mentioned earlier should have that kind of strength. And it''s possible that they want to catch him alive.''


    Clovis took a deep breath. No matter what it took, Clovis had to injure one of them so much that they couldn''t participate in the next battle.


    More importantly, the battle would change so much the moment the two Tier 4 agents defeated their captain.


    So, he had to buy enough time until they were done.


    "NO!" Clovis never thought he would be this useless.


    When the terrorist reached the injured agent, he swung his blade, planning to split him in half. This brutal death would definitely affect his teammates.


    All of a sudden, a shadow appeared between them.


    It was Vina. She actually stepped in and put the shield between the terrorist and the agent.


    If they took another look at the battlefield, the Tier 0 terrorists had been taken down. It was clear that Vina was doing all that work silently.


    And at the last moment, she came out to protect the powerful agent.


    However, there was a huge gap between Tier 0 and Tier 3.


    The moment she received the attack, her arm almost got dislocated as the terrorist blew her away to the side. If not for the sturdy shield she got from the store, the entire shield might either be bent or cut.


    She ended up crashing into the wall and coughing up some blood.


    Looking at her unwilling expression, Clovis bit his lips.


    He didn''t realize that his speed had increased.


    The terrorist waved his blade to finally cut the agent, but the next thing he realized, his blade actually flew to the ground and stabbed the agent''s thigh. Still, it was much better than getting split into two.


    "You..." The terrorist turned around, trying to grab Clovis. He realized that he had lost his right arm, so at least he had to stop Clovis from swinging his sword.


    Unfortunately for him, Clovis showed unprecedented speed and swung his blade once more.


    The slash sent the terrorist''s head flying as Clovis couldn''t help but shout, "Close your damn eyes!"


    Obviously, those words were directed at the hostages. They were screaming and crying, but more importantly, they had to cover the children''s eyes.


    Still, it didn''t change the fact that Clovis had just killed a Tier 3 human.

 Chapter 108 Miscalculation

    "Where are you going?" The terrorist captain roared while smashing his blade to the ground.


    Ran jumped away, noticing the damage on the bridge. The terrorist captain obviously couldn''t allow him to escape. Before he could go away, he struck the bridge once more and actually smashed it.


    "!!!" Ran lost his footing, causing him to fall down together with the terrorist captain.


    The other terrorists split up into two groups. The first group would suppress Jacksie while the other group would attack Ran.


    Ran looked at them for a split second. His affinity was Brain and his senses were much sharper. That was why he could see where they pointed their guns, when they pulled the triggers, and the flash of the bullets.


    Ran ran to the side, avoiding the bullets skillfully. However, his movement had to be stopped abruptly when two terrorists predicted his movement and shot at the place where he was about to go.


    It forced Ran to jump into the air, avoiding those bullets. This was the time their captain appeared and struck down Ran.


    *Bam!*


    "Tsk." Ran clicked his tongue. He was simply no match against a Tier 4 human with Muscle Affinity. However, his senses were much sharper than his, so he could see what was coming. "Took them long enough."


    "!!!" The captain turned around and saw two people coming toward his subordinates. "Watch out!"


    His subordinates couldn''t react.


    "Go!" The middle-aged man who discussed the plan with Clovis earlier shouted.


    The other Tier 4 agent sped up and jumped into the air.


    When the terrorists turned around to intercept them, their visions suddenly turned upside down as their heads got severed in a split second.


    "Kh." The terrorist captain bit his lips and charged at them to save his comrades.


    "You are not getting away." The commander roared.


    Suddenly, the terrorist captain took out a small device and pressed its button.


    *Boom!*


    An explosion occurred in the area where they fought earlier.


    "What? Is he trying to destroy the entire mall?" The commander panicked, but there was nothing he could do. If the terrorist captain reached the hostage area, it would turn into a massacre. All he could do was believe in his teammate and those two explorers.


    He didn''t realize that the terrorists had been fighting with a bomb in their bodies. He used the commotion earlier to take out that bomb and drop it on the floor.


    It was meant to distract these people, but to think that the commander would lock on to him like this.


    He might be the biggest miscalculation in his plan. Nevertheless, his main plan was never to fight against the government or those explorers. It was to lure out the mule. As long as they lured out the mule and captured him, the mission would be considered a success.


    Hence, his remaining job was just to retrieve his subordinates along with the mule before making their escape.


    However, the moment the terrorist captain returned to the hostage area, he was greeted by a sight that he could never forget.


    He could see that his plan was a success. There were two Tier 3 agents who were heavily injured. Since he had hidden three Tier 3 terrorists among them, they should be able to suppress the remaining two.


    Yet, when he returned and thought about retreating together with them, he actually saw a young man standing in front of the hostages along with the remaining two Tier 3 agents as if they were planning to stop him.


    As for his teammates, they had been defeated. He didn''t know how they managed to defeat his teammates, but it was clear that his plan was foiled completely.


    "..." The terrorist captain sucked a cold breath.


    "You''re not going to escape." The voice of the commander echoed, causing the terrorist captain to return to the smoke area and make his escape. The commander might not be his biggest miscalculation. Instead, it was Clovis. He could never predict that a Tier 1 human could defeat one of his Tier 3 subordinates and even help in defeating the other two.

 Chapter 109 Luck

    "Tsk." The commander gritted his teeth.


    "Sir?" The Tier 4 agent frowned. "Did they escape?"


    "Yeah." The commander looked at the hole in the floor. "The hole itself looked fresh, so there should be people who were stationed outside the mall. I wanted to chase after them, but the situation didn''t look so good for us."@@@@


    "Why is that? We can just send out our team. With their current strength, we can overwhelm them."


    "That''s the problem."


    "Sir?" The agent frowned, looking at the concerned expression of his commander.


    "Two of us have been struck down and required medical attention. I don''t know what has happened, but there might be some strong, hidden members. If we pursue them here, we might end up falling into their traps."


    "What?" The Tier 4 agent sucked a cold breath. "Are they alright?"


    "Probably. For now, we should go back. Inform them that the enemies have escaped and ask the police to track them down. We''ll have to reassemble the squad before we can move again."


    "Understood."


    Both of them returned to the hostage area, where they saw their injured comrades.


    However, the commander didn''t find Clovis among them.


    "Sir!" One of the agents came to him.


    "What''s going on? Report everything to me in detail. If I''m not wrong, the cheeky little guy should have been here..."


    "Yes, sir." The agent started telling him about the entire scheme, especially how a Tier 1 human could defeat a Tier 3 terrorist.


    ...


    A moment ago.


    After seeing the terrorist captain leave, the Tier 3 agents felt relieved that they didn''t have to fight him.


    However, the moment they saw the commander appearing, Clovis immediately said, "I''ll go up to check on my friends. Please take care of this area."


    "Eh? What exactly happened?" Clovis tilted his head in confusion.


    "Did you really not know?" Kanaria bit her lips. She couldn''t help but recall what happened earlier.


    They had to hide themselves inside a store and fight back. One of the terrorists reached a good spot and shot at them, but it ended up hitting the glasses, causing its trajectory to change slightly.


    Still, the glasses hadn''t completely shattered. Out of reflex, Kanaria shot back, which ended up breaking the glasses completely. Her bullet''s trajectory should have changed, but the bullet miraculously hit another person who had just arrived.


    The coincidence was so unbelievable that she thought it was impossible. Yet, it happened again.


    In that instant, the only thing that came to her mind was the necklace that Clovis gave her.


    Just like the shorts that he gave at that time, the necklace should have a special ability. And it might be related to the coincidences that happened during the battle.


    "Mhmm..." Clovis scratched the back of his head. "Well, that can wait for later, right?"


    "Ah!" Kanaria almost forgot that Melody was here. Melody wasn''t supposed to know about the special item, but she soon noticed the ring on Melody''s finger. It was the exact ring that Clovis bought with the necklace. She couldn''t help but look at her finger closely while muttering, "This ring..."


    Clovis gave a wry smile. "Mhmm... The situation is a bit special, so I have no choice."


    "..." Kanaria fell silent. It turned out she was misunderstanding Clovis''s intention earlier. She thought that Clovis was rushing into their relationship and planning to propose to her right away.


    "Now that the battle is over, don''t you think we should go back? As much as I want to evacuate people here, we can just let the police do the rest." Clovis sighed. His body was quite hurt.


    Melody thought for a moment. "I think this is also a coincidence. Since you are injured, they will probably bring you to the hospital. I''m planning to show you something there."


    "Mhmm? Oh! Do you mean the reason why you kept rejecting my invitation?"


    "Yeah." Melody nodded.


    "Alright. In that way, let''s go back to the ground floor to see what they''re planning to do next. Also, we need to place this back..." Clovis pointed at the sword in his hand.


    "True. But it''s better to hand it to the police as evidence for now. They can do the rest."


    "Okay."


    It was truly a messy day for them. And everything was to capture this mule. He couldn''t help but wonder who the mule was.

 Chapter 110 Mule

    *Tap!*


    *Tap!*


    *Cak!*


    Footsteps echoed inside an underground tunnel.


    It was coming from the Tier 4 terrorist captain, who had escaped along with a few surviving subordinates.


    "Tsk. To think that our plan would fail this badly. What in the world actually happened? How could our ambush squad be defeated like that?" The captain was gritting his teeth.


    "What should we do now, Captain? With our current strength, we wouldn''t be able to do anything for the time being. Should we retreat?"


    "Yeah. We should regroup with the second team. They should have been waiting for us at the end of this tunnel."


    The group continued running across the tunnel. It was there that they saw two shadows looming in the darkness.


    They thought that the other members had been waiting for them and were about to pick them up. But this dimly lit tunnel made it hard for them to see what was actually happening.


    Once they came closer, they finally noticed the blood smell coming from the group along with a few bodies lying on the ground.


    "Wait!" The captain instantly noticed something was wrong while raising his sword. "Who?!"


    The two shadows turned their heads toward them. Their gazes were filled with killing intent, freezing their bodies.


    In that instant, the two people disappeared.


    "!!!" The captain swung his sword horizontally, but he noticed that he was still a step too late. Both of them had passed him and reached his subordinates.


    "Ahhh!"


    "Ahhh!"


    A series of screams echoed, but it only lasted for a brief moment as all the people had died, leaving only the captain alive.


    "Oh my? You don''t have to be that shocked. I wonder who actually provided you with misinformation."


    "..." The captain finally realized that everything was going according to his plan.


    "I''ve heard of the famous smuggler who is able to bring a lot of banned goods from outside. But it seems that banned goods aren''t the only thing you provide..." One of the assassins furrowed his eyebrows.


    "Are you perhaps one of my customers?" The mule smiled. "No matter what time we are in, the strongest weapon will always be information."


    The mule had just indirectly implied that he was the one ''smuggling'' the wrong information. His aim was pretty simple. It was to lure them out and defeat them.


    Though, there were a few things he miscalculated, especially the two assassins before him.


    "I believe that you have to take responsibility for what happened." One of the assassins locked on to him.


    "Are you perhaps talking about the Hacfield family''s sole successor?" The mule smirked.


    "Since you know, you better follow us."


    "Even though you guys are assassins, why do you look like his guardians?" The mule snorted. "Don''t you know that you are only getting taken advantage of? Killing him indirectly... It''s basically the same as forcing you to eliminate all threats that can kill him directly. Just like this foolish terrorist."


    In that instant, one assassin disappeared as his blade suddenly reached the mule''s neck.


    "If I were you, I wouldn''t do this, Red Dagger."


    "Do you think we''re afraid of you?"


    "Of course not. But I''m sure that the Red Dagger doesn''t want to get into trouble with a bunch of mercenaries, right?"


    "You bastard..." It seemed that they understood who the mule was talking about.


    "That''s enough. We''re leaving." The other assassin harrumphed. He looked pretty annoyed when he disappeared into the darkness.


    The other assassin also disappeared, leaving the mule alone. Yes, alone. The mule couldn''t help but look down, seeing the terrorist captain already dead.


    Even he didn''t know when they killed this person as there was no sound whatsoever.


    He scratched the back of his head while muttering, "What a troublesome bunch."

 Chapter 111 Reason

    "Thank you very much." A father lowered his head to Clovis while holding his daughter on his arm. The father gently tugged at his daughter. "Come on, Hilda."


    "Thank you, Big Brother." The daughter was still small, so she clumsily thanked him.


    "You''re welcome. I''m glad that both of you are alright." Clovis gave a gentle smile. They were among the people he saved earlier.


    After the terrorists were repelled, the rest of the people began to enter the mall and rescue the rest of the people.


    Kanaria and Melody were staying with him while Vina was about to be brought to the hospital.


    In the end, Vina went to the hospital together with her master, while Clovis still had to get a checkup in the hospital after some basic treatment.


    Nevertheless, it was a hectic day.@@@@


    As expected, the commander came to them.


    "Hello. We met again." The commander smiled. "I think I haven''t introduced myself earlier. I am Lohan from the anti-terrorism squad. I''d like to thank you for saving my subordinates. If not for you standing up against a Tier 3 terrorist, it would have been a disaster."


    "It''s fine. In fact, it felt like I was the one responsible for that danger. Had I not suggested you defeat the Tier 4 terrorist captain, all this wouldn''t have happened."


    "It wasn''t your fault. It was our fault for trusting our equipment a little too much." The commander paused for a moment. "And the most important reason for me being here was because I wanted to pass on his message.


    "It was from the guy that kept interrupting you earlier. He wanted to apologize for his behavior and thank you for saving his life."


    Clovis shook his head. "It''s fine. There is a huge gap between Tier 1 and Tier 3. Besides, I am also a civilian, so I can understand."


    "Thanks. In that case, let me bring you to the hospital. You surely wouldn''t like to get surrounded by all those reporters and content creators, so I will bring you out of here. However, I can''t do anything if the police want to record your statement. What do you think?"


    Once inside, Clovis was dragged by the nurse as he said, "You guys don''t have to wait for me."


    Melody hesitated for a moment before replying, "Come to room 474 later."


    "Alright." Clovis nodded as he entered the emergency unit.


    "474?" Kanaria glanced at Melody.


    "Do you want to come?" Melody''s expression looked a bit sad. It seemed that she wanted to reveal something important.


    After some thought, Kanaria nodded her head. "Alright."


    Melody and Kanaria immediately headed to the elevator. Melody moved like she knew this hospital like her own house.


    And finally, they reached the hospital room.


    There was only a single bed inside. Kanaria could see a man lying on the bed. The man was extremely thin and frail, but she noticed the slight resemblance between him and Melody. His face looked older, making her think this person was Melody''s sweetheart or something.


    Melody took out a brochure about a certain game instead of the game itself since she didn''t manage to buy it earlier.


    "Dante... I''ve come again. Look at what I''ve brought... This is the newest game console that is about to be released soon. We can play together soon." Melody was doing her best to smile, even though her heart was always wrenched in pain whenever she visited him. "Also, today, your sister brings friends here.


    "Let me introduce you to her." Melody smiled. Her temperament was very different from what she had shown this whole time. "She is Kanaria. There is one more person with her. He is called Clovis. How about we go and play together with them?


    We can beat them in the game."


    After that, she turned to Melody and finally introduced the sleeping man. "This is my little brother, Dante. He might look older, but he is only a year older than you."


    "!!!" Kanaria widened her eyes in disbelief.

 Chapter 112 Request

    10 years ago.


    "Wait, Sister! Why are you going so fast?" Dante panted a few times, doing his best to chase after his sister.


    "I''m not fast. This is normal. You are just too slow." Melody harrumphed. "You should blame your father for naming you Dante. He likes music, so he named me Melody and you Dante from Adante, which is usually used to describe slow tempo."


    Dante smiled wryly. "Hahaha. But I like this name. We should go slow when living in this world and take our time to enjoy the scenery around us."


    Melody shook her head helplessly. "This positive kid."


    "Hehehe."


    ...


    9 years ago.


    "Sister. You don''t have to worry about me. Now that our parents are gone, we have to rely on each other. I might not be able to help you much, but I will definitely not become your burden."


    "You..." Melody didn''t expect these words to come from an 8-year-old kid. She felt grateful.


    Because of their current situation, she has been working hard at all kinds of jobs. There weren''t a lot of jobs that would take underage girls like her, so whenever she got one, it would be dangerous or a low paying job.


    She was already stressed enough, so these words made her feel relieved.


    ...


    8 years ago.


    "Look, Dante. I have gotten my ID card and this is my explorer identification! I am going to be an explorer. I''ll bring back a lot of money!"


    "Thank you, Sister!" Dante smiled. Knowing how dangerous it was, Dante didn''t want her to worry about him. Whenever she came back home, he would have prepared a warm meal, set up the game they loved to play, and cleaned the apartment. This was the only thing he could do.


    In the meantime, he started taking lessons from Skynet.


    ...


    With Dante out of the way, the man took out the second knife.


    Melody was fast enough to slap the man''s wrist and bend his arm so that he would stab himself.


    When he weakened his grip, Melody grabbed the knife and killed this guy.


    After that, Melody hurriedly checked on Dante. "Oi, Dante! Are you alright? I''ll call the ambulance!"


    Dante didn''t want to make her worry. Even with the sharp pain all over his body, he still endured it and gave his best smile. He lightly said, "Ah, sorry... Big Sister. I don''t want to be yours, but I guess... I''m still too slow."


    For the first time in his life, Dante might have regretted having that name. If he was a bit faster, this would have never happened.


    But for Melody, everything happened because of her. "Dante... Dante..."


    Melody could only look helplessly at her brother, who gradually fell unconscious. "Dante. Stay with me. Dante!"


    This was the time Melody gave up as an explorer.


    ...


    "That''s what happened." Melody looked at Kanaria, saying, "It''s not that I don''t want to join you. I have someone to take care of. If I join another group, the past might repeat itself."


    Kanaria remained silent for a moment. "Do you not want revenge?"


    "I don''t care about revenge. As long as Dante can recover, I don''t need anything else." Melody had been burdened by her own mistake this whole time. And it had become the chain that stopped her from continuing her path.


    In fact, in the past five years, she has never taken a single essence. All the money she earned went straight for her brother''s treatment.


    "According to the doctor, if we can go to a Tier 8 city and receive treatment there, he can recover. However, I soon learn that it''s not the Tier 8 city that can help him. It''s the Tier 8 doctor. Even if I save up my money, it doesn''t guarantee that I will be able to get the treatment from a Tier 8 doctor.


    "If you think I''m useless, I''ll reintroduce myself. I went by the name of Peach during my exploration time. A Tier 2 mobile operator with a 94% evolution rate." Melody looked at Kanaria, or more like the wall behind Kanaria as if there was another person there. "If you can help Dante recover, then I, Melody, will dedicate my life for you, Clovis. "


    Yes, Clovis had already reached the room. The treatment wasn''t that long to begin with, considering he had gotten the basic treatment from the medic stationed outside the mall.


    So, he had been listening to the story the whole time.

 Chapter 113 4th Member

    After hearing it, Clovis remained silent. In fact, this request put him in a dilemma. On the one hand, the fact that Melody would do anything as long as her brother was saved was a great offer. On the other hand, what would she do next after that?


    Melody might work hard at first, but the moment her brother recovered, she would be making the hardest choice of her life. To avoid her brother getting injured like this again, she might end up quitting the group and retiring. Or she would truly dedicate her life to the group.


    After listening to Melody''s story, Clovis believed that she would choose the former. After all, she had been accompanying her brother for years no matter how hard it was.


    If he rejected her like this, he wondered if he could find another talented mobile operator like her in this city. Eventually, he had to go out of this city and broaden his horizons. But it would still take a long time.


    And the reason why Melody asked him like this was because of his mother. She rarely showed herself, but his mother was a Tier 7 doctor. If she couldn''t cure Melody''s brother, his father or even grandfather still had enough influence to bring a doctor who could do it.


    Meanwhile, Kanaria got the shock of her life.@@@@


    ''What?'' Kanaria took a step back, recalling all the information about Melody''s other name. ''Peach? Isn''t that the genius mobile operator whose name once shocked the entire city? It was said that she was smart and powerful. At the same time, her processing speed was much faster than even a Tier 3 mobile operator.


    ''Her talent was wanted by many. However, her name soon disappeared as if she had never existed. If the story was correct, Peach was not killed but retired. So, the lazy operator that we had all this time was the legendary mobile operator?''


    Kanaria sucked a cold breath. She finally understood why her mother recommended her. It wasn''t because of her ability or her cheap rate. It was due to her former identity.


    However, Kanaria couldn''t accept or reject her request. The one who had the ability to recruit her was Clovis.


    Clovis fell into deep thought. He had to be careful because Melody might quit halfway.


    ''I don''t need a lot of people in my group. At most, I will only have a total of twelve people, which can be divided into two groups. And a mobile operator...''


    He had a mixed opinion between his sympathy and rationality. The longer Clovis took to answer her, the more awkward the atmosphere became.


    Melody could only look down, thinking that Clovis truly couldn''t help her. She looked at the ring on her finger, thinking this was the time for them to part ways.


    When Melody saw his evolution rate, she couldn''t help but drop her jaw to the ground. There was no way she could believe that Clovis only had this much. She had seen Clovis''s birthday, so it had only been a month since he awakened.


    "The reason for me to be able to reach Tier 1 is because I''m lucky enough to receive the help of the super injection. Without them, I am not capable of doing anything."


    Melody didn''t expect this revelation. He thought Clovis would have a high evolution rate. Even if he weren''t as high as his father or grandfather, he would still at least get 70%.


    Kanaria understood what Clovis was trying to let her know. She added, "After the second generation of explorers is born, the world finally knows that your parents'' evolution rate corresponds to their children''s evolution rate.


    "Of course, I''m sure that there are several exceptions like you, Melody. And Clovis happens to be one of the exceptions as well."


    Kanaria sighed. This was probably the biggest reason why most high-tier humans had multiple partners. Her father might only have had one wife, but her uncle had three wives. There was even talk about her brother''s potential second wife.


    Although there were some exceptions, people still chose the easier path. And Clovis wanted to let her know that he wouldn''t be able to help her.


    His family? It had been cut off. His potential? What could someone of his caliber do?


    Clovis used reverse psychology to show that she had misplaced her trust.


    But to his surprise, Melody held Clovis''s hands and even rubbed his palms as if she were trying to feel the rough hand and the callouses the training had left behind.


    "So... despite having only a 15% evolution rate, you still work this hard? I know for sure how much despair someone with a low evolution rate has. If you still haven''t given up, then I also won''t give up. That''s why... Please, allow me to join your group."


    Clovis took a deep breath. It seemed that he got his answer.


    "Alright. Please keep the ring, but you have to remember, this time you are joining us as a mobile operator."


    "Yes. I''m prepared to work to the bone. If you think I''m still too lazy, you can just slap or whip me. Besides, the real reason for my laziness has been solved by you." Melody raised her hand, showing him the ring he gave her. "Pleasure to work with you, Captain."

 Chapter 114 Warning

    "Pleasure to work with you, Captain."


    Clovis smiled. He was truly defeated by her. "That''s how it is, Kanaria. It seems that we have a new addition. You should tell her about the usual arrangement and the split."


    "Sure." Kanaria nodded. After knowing Melody was Peach and that she planned to become a mobile operator, Kanaria didn''t have any more objections.


    Suddenly, someone knocked on the door, startling everyone.


    "Mhmm?" Melody didn''t think there would be another person visiting them. And even if there was one, they would be contacting her.


    As if understanding the severity of the situation, the other side introduced himself behind the door. "I am with the police. Gregory is the name."


    "This voice..." Clovis raised his head, remembering the name and the voice. Without hesitation, he opened the door, finding the muscular man who once helped him. "As expected... it''s you, Mr. Gregory."


    "Hahaha. To think we would meet again. I initially didn''t want us to meet again, but when I heard you were helping us this time, I volunteered myself to be the one asking you a few questions about the incident." Gregory extended his hand.


    "Mr. Gregory?!" Kanaria and Melody widened their eyes in shock, but for a different reason.


    "Oh? Isn''t this the young lady of the Renvolt family? I guess you are in his group." Gregory smiled before recognizing Melody. "Aren''t you the one I tried to recruit a few years ago... Peach, was it?"


    Kanaria felt a bit overwhelmed. She never thought that the head of the police department, Gregory, would be coming in person. And it seemed that Clovis knew him.


    Melody, on the other hand, was embarrassed because she had rejected him in the past.


    "I see." Gregory took another look and finally understood why they gathered here. "Anyway, since you are here, it''s perfect to ask a few questions. First of all, the government wants you to keep quiet about the incident."


    "Are they planning to take credits?" Kanaria frowned.@@@@


    Melody never thought that Clovis would put her brother''s safety as a priority even though she had just joined the group.


    Melody clenched her hands into fists, swearing that she would work hard for the group.


    Clovis, on the other hand, glanced at Kanaria and Melody to see if they had a problem with the condition or not.


    After seeing them shake their heads, Clovis asked, "Alright. What''s next?"


    "It''s nothing but formality. I''ll just ask some basic questions and be done with it."


    Gregory interviewed them one by one. It was just a brief interview as he didn''t take more than five minutes for each person.


    Now that he had finished his work, Gregory immediately headed to the door. To their surprise, Gregory stopped for a second before saying, "You guys are going to participate in the raid next month, right?"


    "Yes. How did you know?"


    "I have seen your name in the register. This is just a piece of advice from me. It seems that you are being targeted in this raid. Originally, this was only a Tier 3 fallen territory, but there are some rumors saying that this place has become a Tier 4 fallen city."


    Clovis became serious. The enemies should have known about him defeating a Tier 3 proconsul by himself, so they might bring in the Tier 4 beasts to kill him this time.


    Still, Clovis remembered that Vania had given them a key to a secret laboratory. Even though they shouldn''t join, they might have to take this risk.


    Besides, people like Ivan would be there as well.


    "Thank you for the warning, but we will still go."


    "Alright. If that''s your decision after knowing the danger, who am I to stop you? I wish you luck and I hope that we don''t have to meet again." Gregory waved his hand before exiting the room.

 Chapter 115 An Unexpected Visitor

    Now that Melody had officially joined their group, Clovis extended his hand. "Welcome to the group, Melody."


    "Thank you." Melody smiled, feeling a bit relieved.


    In the end, Melody talked a bit about Dante. Since he needed to rest, Clovis had no choice but to return.


    But before going back, Clovis couldn''t help but explain what they were planning to do next.


    "I think you''ve heard it from Mr. Gregory, but we''ll be joining the raid soon."


    "Of course, I''m ready. A raid like this is very beneficial for a new group because there are a lot of benefits."


    "So, before the raid, we''re planning to go around to several fallen cities or the wilderness to hunt for beasts. Our objective is to get as strong as possible." Clovis thought reaching Tier 2, even with his Another World Mall, might not be possible. If it was him alone, he could get a shot at it.


    Then again, he wanted to get stronger with his group. In addition, because he caught up to Jay and Kanaria, they didn''t sell a lot of essence anymore. So, his income would be a bit small in the next few weeks.


    "In the meantime, we would like you to get stronger as well. While I don''t mind you leaving some money for your brother, I hope that you can still pursue a higher tier." Clovis raised a finger. "If not, you might be left behind."


    "..." Melody closed her eyes. She had expected this before she joined the group.


    Clovis didn''t force her to do it to see her reaction. If she ended up getting left behind because of her brother, Clovis had no choice but to expel her from the group at that time.


    And Melody knew that this position wasn''t permanent. She couldn''t take Clovis''s kindness for granted.


    "I''m prepared to do it. Since my brother''s protection has been assured, I can focus on getting stronger again."


    "Mhmm." Clovis nodded, satisfied. This was enough for the time being. "For now, you can ask Kanaria about the equipment you''d like to have in the group. We still have some money for equipment."


    "No way. If they are coming for us, then we''ll fight back. Besides, I''m not planning to stay in this town alone." Clovis thought for a moment. "But well, I think it will be nice if we can get at least six people before leaving this city. I still want to have a full group before going on more explorations."


    "That sounds like you. But we don''t know if there are enough geniuses or not in this city. And most of them should have affiliated with a certain group, so it''s going to be hard."


    "That''s true." Clovis nodded. "Well, we can worry about that later. If we can meet those geniuses, it means we''re fated. If not, then who cares? There are still a lot of people in the world."


    "Agreed."


    "Hehe." Clovis gave a thumbs up.


    "And there is one thing I want to ask..." Suddenly, Kanaria halted her step as she spoke with a hesitant tone.


    "What''s wrong?" Her worried expression made him think this was an important matter, so he planned to take her words seriously.


    However, it seemed that he was wrong. "Why does she get a ring?"


    The moment she opened her mouth, Clovis felt chills down his spine. Kanaria''s expression was dark, making the atmosphere awkward.


    She wondered how he should respond. Could he say that was because the necklace was much better than the ring? But the difference between a ring and a necklace was like the sky and the ground.


    ''Is she jealous?'' Clovis gulped down.


    ...


    A few minutes after they went back, a figure approached the hospital.


    Melody, who had returned to the room, couldn''t help but notice this person. "Isn''t that... Ivan Levister, the one rumored to be the most talented guy in this base?"

 Chapter 116 Moving In

    *Clack!*


    Clovis closed the door while letting out a sigh. "Today is very exhausting. To think that I would have to visit all those shops, and more importantly, how does Kanaria have that much energy? She doesn''t look exhausted at all. Anyway, I will have a few days to rest. I''m going to polish my Star Method and try to enter that state again.


    Without it, it''s impossible to defeat a Tier 3 beast after all. And I will wait for Melody to familiarize herself with the group for a bit before telling her about the Star Method."


    Clovis just dropped to his knees as he just wanted a warm bath and sleep after all this. His injury wasn''t that bad, so he could still practice tomorrow.


    That was what he thought before he noticed a giant bag on the floor.


    "Huh? What is this?" Clovis furrowed his eyebrows. There wasn''t supposed to be a bag inside his house, so Clovis was alarmed the moment he saw one. "Is this a bomb? But there is a note on top of it..."


    The writing was different from Kanaria as it was pretty neat to the point where he could easily read it from his current position.


    Clovis instantly picked up the letter the moment he saw the first line.


    "Kanaria has been kicked out of the house. Her father doesn''t want her to join another group and the argument turns into a big fight. Out of anger, her father kicks her out to make her rethink her decision.


    "So, right now, she doesn''t have anywhere to go. I have asked Jay about this, but it seems that there is only one place she can stay. I hope you can take care of my daughter for the time being until her father calms down.


    "Sorry for all this trouble


    "From your beloved auntie, Vania. With Love."


    "..." Clovis''s expression darkened. "A big fight? Kick off? How could she lie like that? Aren''t you just making excuses so that you can push your daughter onto me? I can finally understand why my grandfather leaves... Even without you doing all this, I''m not going to push her away.


    I can understand your desperation, but you need to chill... Then again, she is not here."


    That was what he thought before someone knocked on the door. When he peeked outside, it turned out to be Kanaria, her face was bright red.


    Clovis opened the door for her and finally remembered that Kanaria''s senses were much sharper.


    Just recalling it made her face a bit red.


    Clovis scratched the back of his head. "Well, you can stay in my house as long as you like. I don''t really mind. I mean, having someone else in the house makes it not lonely. In addition, it''s nice to have someone since I can share the chore. And it''ll be easier to discuss our plan.


    We are the ones usually coming up with the trip plan anyway."


    "Mhmm..." Kanaria knew that Clovis was just saying whatever was on his mind to escape this embarrassing moment. But he was right. "Then... do you mind if I bring my clothes..."


    "Ah, yeah. While we''re at it, let me bring out all my clothes as well. You can use my room, I will stay in my parents'' room. Even if we meet them in the future, I bet it''s not going to be in this city. So, feel free to treat this as your own." Clovis nodded.


    Kanaria nodded as they made their way toward Clovis''s room.


    Clovis didn''t take too long to clear up the entire room before leaving Kanaria to unpack her luggage. From the size of the bag, Clovis knew that it had everything from daily clothes to extra clothes for exploration.


    This also meant that Kanaria would start living with him.


    After Clovis left the room, Kanaria couldn''t help but text her mother. "Mom. This is too much. Do you know that Clovis will hate me if you do this?"


    Mom: "I am doing whatever I can to make sure that you don''t have the same regret. Don''t worry."


    "Still, don''t you think it''s too much? How could you be so shameless and invite yourself in?"


    Mom: "So, have you moved in?"


    The reply came right after as if she was expecting her message.


    Kanaria was completely speechless, but she didn''t lie in her reply.


    "Yes."


    And that marked the end of the argument as Kanaria lost again to her mother.

 Chapter 117 20 Days

    Now that they had a mobile operator, the group''s exploration became much smoother. Still, even though they managed to kill Tier 3 beasts previously, the group didn''t want to take a risk and challenge another Tier 3 beast anymore.


    After considering the fact that there would be people who tried to sabotage their exploration, Clovis and Kanaria made a plan to ensure they had enough time to avoid all the potential danger.


    They had upgraded their skyglasses to be immune from the jamming devices. A few of the items had been installed in their tracks, preventing the beasts or humans from ambushing them.


    Surprisingly, there weren''t any incidents in their exploration. It was as if the people who tried to kill Clovis had gone.


    That was why Clovis took advantage of this moment to increase his combat power as much as possible.


    In the next 20 days, Clovis went on three different explorations, each lasting at least four days.


    Unfortunately, because they didn''t aim for Tier 3 beasts, they didn''t bring as much money as their first exploration together.


    However, their exploration lasted twice as long, so the amount of money they got wasn''t that much different.


    In those twenty days, Clovis managed to get a total of six hundred thousand union dollars. In the end, a lot of essence had to be put away for personal use. Because Melody had become a part of the group, they gave her the Tier 2 essence, forcing her to get stronger.


    The raid was only three days away.


    "Mhmmm..." Clovis looked at the statistics.


    "What''s wrong?" Kanaria asked.


    It had also been twenty days since Kanaria began living with Clovis. She had completely adjusted to her new life.


    "Okay." Kanaria didn''t say much because her original motive was to switch the topic so that Clovis wasn''t gloomy anymore. "By the way, have you seen the list of the current teams for the raid?"


    "Yeah." Clovis nodded. "They are very sneaky."


    "Agreed." Kanaria nodded. "Ivan has become Tier 1 and leads a group of five, all women except him. And it appears that Vina is still with him, along with Elina. On the other hand, Lovelia is in another group, but looking at the composition of that group, it''s clear that they''re planning to join those two groups.


    "This way, Lovelia doesn''t really break the promise. Still, exploiting a loophole like this is quite annoying." Kanaria clicked her tongue.


    "That''s fine either way. From what I can see, these two groups are planning to kill a Tier 3 beast. Seeing a bunch of Tier 1 people beat a Tier 3 beast will definitely raise their reputation after all." Clovis smiled. "We don''t need to compete with them."


    "I know. We can just do whatever we can. Who cares about other people''s opinions?" Kanaria shrugged.


    "No. I mean... we haven''t had any accidents in the past three weeks, right? Doesn''t that mean those people are bringing dozens of strong beasts for the raid?"


    "Ah!" Kanaria looked away, understanding what he meant. It was clear that they would have numerous strong opponents. And they could simply choose these beasts as their targets and their reputation would soar even higher than that of Ivan and his group.


    "I''ve gotten a bit more comfortable with the Star Method. Killing a Tier 3 beast should be possible without luck."


    "That''s good. My senses have become much sharper as well. You taught Melody the Star Method a week ago, so she should be adjusting herself to it. And Jay is progressing by leaps and bounds. We can even be compared to a Tier 2 team right now."


    "Definitely." Clovis agreed. Before the raid, he wanted three things. The first was to confirm the information about this secret laboratory. If they had the chance to go, they would definitely visit this laboratory.


    Secondly, Clovis had to think about his spending plans, especially things from the Another World Mall. He had been powering up his teammates. Because Kanaria was with him the most, her progress was also the highest. He believed Kanaria had completed half of her evolutionary progress.


    Last but not least, he planned to make some adjustments to the progress of Another World Mall.


    So, after finishing his discussion with Kanaria, Clovis immediately returned to his room and visited the mall.

 Chapter 118 New Items

    "So..." Clovis muttered. After arriving at the mall, the first thing that he looked at was none other than his status.


    [Name: Clovis Hacfield.]


    [Membership: Level 9 (Better Novice)]


    [Money: 210,005 Otherworldly Coins.]


    [Item Limit: 8/Visit]@@@@


    [Visit: 0(2)/Day]


    Clovis had upgraded his membership twice, with the next upgrade being a new store.


    "Mhmm... I wonder what I should do after this. Currently, I don''t have the money to upgrade the membership and open the new store." Clovis sighed, looking at the amount he needed for the new membership.


    Membership: Level 9 (Better Novice)


    Upgrade Membership: 250,000 Otherworld Coins/Month.


    Benefit: Store +1, Mall Assistant.


    "The previous two level ups needed 100,000 and 150,000, respectively. And judging from the number, I bet we will need a million to get the next store after this one." Clovis sighed. "Even as a Tier 2 group, it will be hard to earn a million since I still use the money daily."


    However, there was one thing that piqued his interest.


    "Mall Assistant? What is this? Is that what I''m thinking?" Clovis imagined there would be another person here to take care of the stores. He didn''t have to do the check out personally as this person would help him. "If that''s the case, it will become much more convenient."


    "Unfortunately, I don''t have the money to upgrade the membership right now. In exchange, I will earn enough in this raid for the upgrade." Clovis smiled.


    Now that he knew what to do with his Another World Mall, Clovis could finally visit the jewelry store.


    "I still have some money, but I don''t think I plan to spend on anything else other than the foods to increase the evolutionary traits for now. During the raid, I have to earn at least half a million. I will use half of it to upgrade the membership and the other half to buy items from the new store."


    With a satisfied smile, Clovis brought some food and finally left Another World Mall.


    ...


    Clovis gradually opened his eyes after returning to his room. "There will definitely be something big happening in the raid. I don''t know what they have prepared so far, but I should expect a Tier 4 beast. There''s no way we can fight them yet, but we should be able to run away from them. In that case, I will be looking forward to what they have prepared."


    Although Clovis was annoyed and worried about his teammates, it didn''t mean he was backing down from the challenge. Since the other party wanted to kill him, he would just have to survive again and again. In the end, what didn''t kill him would make him stronger.


    Eventually, his fangs would reach them. That was the time to put an end to everything.


    As Clovis predicted, everyone began to make preparations. Clovis knew that Ivan, Elina, and Lovelia were holding a grudge against him. So, they must be planning to do something on this trip.


    Fortunately, Vina was neutral toward him, especially after fighting together in the mall''s incident.


    All that was left were the new members of Ivan''s group and the helpers that Lovelia had gathered.


    Clovis didn''t plan to fight them, but if they truly wanted to crush his group, his revenge wouldn''t stop until their reputation hit rock bottom.


    ...


    Three days later.


    "I guess I''m not lazy anymore." Melody smiled. Normally, she would arrive the latest, but after joining the group, she became a bit more diligent. That was the only way for her brother to be cured after all.


    And in this raid, she ended up being the first one to arrive. She looked left and right, watching the people going back and forth in the raid camp.


    "There are about sixty people in this raid. If I''m not wrong, they have made a last minute decision by asking a Tier 4 explorer to take charge. Three Tier 3 explorers will be his deputy, in charge of their own division. This time, we are under the Sword Division, the vanguard of the exploration team. So, this will be exciting." Melody muttered before turning right after sensing people coming.


    She originally thought it was Clovis and the others, but it turned out to be Ivan and his group.


    Ivan, who wasn''t supposed to know Melody, actually stopped before her with a serious expression as if he had something to say.

 Chapter 119 Provocation

    Melody couldn''t help but furrow her eyebrows. She had obviously heard about the conflict between Clovis and Ivan. It might be related to Kanaria, but the conflict escalated to the point where there was going to be a bloodbath between Clovis and Ivan.


    More importantly, this person was the genius that the city was proud of. For Clovis, who only had a 15% evolution rate, he couldn''t be compared to him at all.


    Still, the secret of the Hacfield family easily ignores Ivan''s advantage. At the very least, Clovis should have no problem reaching Tier 6 or Tier 7.@@@@


    But once he reached that stage, he would face the true geniuses, who were equipped with a high evolution rate and talent for combat. In fact, other Tier 9 human''s descendants would be more talented than Clovis.


    Still, it didn''t change the fact that Ivan was nothing but a frog in a well. She didn''t have to be afraid of him.


    On the other hand, Ivan looked at Kanaria with a solemn expression.


    Ivan stopped right before her while saying, "Do you want to join my group?"


    Melody had expected this. His group consisted of four women and one guy. There was one spot left for a certain someone. It was either for Kanaria or Lovelia. But the latter had that agreement, which made it impossible to directly join Ivan''s group.


    It seemed that Ivan had prepared to recruit her just to annoy Clovis.


    "What is this?" The people started turning their heads around, wondering what happened.


    "Who is she?"


    "Is that Harem Lord going to get another woman?"


    "But look at her tag, she already has a group."


    "Don''t you know that two of the women in his group left their previous groups just to follow him?"


    "Seriously?"


    "Is she going to be the third one?"


    The people whispered to each other but didn''t dare to step up. In the end, their talent couldn''t be compared to Ivan''s.


    The slapping sound Melody produced earlier actually came from Clovis''s hand. That was right. Clovis''s hand stopped Melody''s slap and made it look like a high-five instead.


    "Yeay. Sorry for the wait. I hope you haven''t been here for long." Clovis chuckled as if he were trying to shift the topic and let Melody calm down.


    "It seems that my choice in joining this group is correct. I don''t have to deal with a jerk who likes to bully people." Kanaria sighed in disappointment.


    Clovis and his group had finally appeared.


    "!!!" Elina didn''t expect them to pass her without feeling their presence. In just a short few weeks, Clovis''s group had turned into a terrifying group, whose strength was much higher than theirs.


    What he didn''t know was Clovis using the new necklace to increase his speed, Jay activating the Beast Soul to speed up, and Kanaria getting the shorts''s camouflage power.


    Because they had lowered their guards, they could make such a grand entrance.


    "That''s her group?"


    "Isn''t that the group that embarrassed Ivan''s group last time?"


    "The one that was broadcast by the military?"


    "Pfft. He was picking on them because of that."


    "Still, bullying a single person is just so low."


    "Hey. I brought chips, want some?"


    "Why are you getting comfortable? Then again, the drama is interesting."


    The people were laughing while watching the conflict between Clovis and Ivan.


    However, Clovis had no intention of falling for the trick. There was one reason why Ivan provoked Melody. If she truly slapped her, the Drake Group could easily find justification to eliminate them or force them to retire since it would just cause internal conflict. That was why he stopped her.


    As for the one who forced him to do this, he had some guesses.

 Chapter 120 Scheme

    "Ah!" Melody snapped back from her anger.@@@@


    "I can guess what has happened, but for now, let''s move away for a bit," Clovis whispered.


    "Yes... and sorry."


    "You don''t have to apologize." Clovis then grabbed her wrist and pulled her out of the crowd. Kanaria and Jay followed with a smug smile as if looking down on them.


    Ivan gritted his teeth. Even Elina had a sour face as if her plan had failed.


    ''How in the world... No, that''s not important. They are much stronger than our prediction. We have to find a way to eliminate them.'' Elina''s expression turned serious. ''We have prepared a few arrangements for the exploration, so I guess we can wait for the time being.''


    As soon as Clovis got away, he couldn''t help but say, "It seems that they have changed their approach."


    "Yeah." Kanaria nodded in agreement. "After that failure, he must be pressured to do it or their reputation will become much worse."


    Melody sighed. "To think I would be targeted like this... Maybe I should find a way to cut them."


    "This is a problem." Jay sighed. "Unlike Clovis, I don''t cut women."


    "I don''t cut them too." Clovis glared at Jay but he soon added, "I shoot them!"


    "..." Kanaria and Melody looked at him as if they were judging him before rolling their eyes.


    It seemed they didn''t have a lot of time to discuss things as they heard someone speaking through the microphone.


    "I welcome everyone to the raid. Approximately thirty minutes from now, we are going to depart from him. But before that, I will give you a little briefing about our raid this time. First, I''ll introduce myself. I will be the commander of this raid. You can call me Orlan.


    A Tier 4 Explorer under Star Exploration Group."


    He then extended his hand as if pointing to the three people under the stage. "These three will be my deputies in this raid. All of them are Tier 3. The one in charge of the Sword Team is Eliot, the one in the middle is Nek who takes care of the Shield Team, and last but not least is Wolf, who will be in charge of the reserve team."


    "!!!" Clovis gritted his teeth as if he couldn''t deny it. "That''s because the Tier 3 agents helped me."


    "All you need to do is buy me some time. And the other groups are strong enough to swiftly sweep the entire battlefield, so this shouldn''t be a big task."


    ''It seems that their group pissed off a lot of people.''


    ''This is clearly an act against them.''


    ''They are planning to crush this Libation Fiesta group, huh?'' The people from the other groups couldn''t help but think negatively about this decision while pitying Clovis and the others.


    "If you have a problem, you are free to leave the raid. But I will make sure to write it down in your track record."


    Clovis clenched his hands into fists before saying, "Fine. Libation Fiesta accepts the task."


    "Then..." Eliot continued talking about their position for another five minutes before sending them back.


    Ivan''s group was placed near Clovis''s group. It was clear that it was arranged so that Ivan could kill the Tier 3 beast after Clovis failed to stop it.


    After that meeting, Elina visited Eliot while saying, "Thank you for the help, Uncle."


    "It''s fine. I''m merely doing this for the sake of family." Eliot shook his head. "You guys should get ready. The moment the opportunity comes, you are to sweep in and defeat the Tier 3 beast. If you portray yourself helping the people that once embarrassed you, your reputation would soar and their reputation would hit rock bottom."


    "Yes, we''ll take advantage of the situation." Elina nodded with a serious expression.


    Meanwhile, Clovis returned tot heir car with a furious expression.


    "Clovis. Calm down." Kanaria looked like she was trying to calm him down, making people worry about their groups.


    "He is simply targeting us." Clovis raised his voice.


    "..." Kanaria rolled her eyes but still played along. At the same time, she couldn''t help but scream inwardly, ''Yeah. But if you''re angry, close that damn smile first.''

 Chapter 121 Challenge

    "Kh!" Clovis gritted his teeth while walking away. Kanaria looked concerned but couldn''t say anything. Melody and Jay had gone back to the car first.


    Seeing such an opportunity, Ivan walked to Kanaria and Clovis, stopping them.


    "Mhmm?" Kanaria raised her head, finding at least eight people surrounding her and Clovis. Her expression turned dark and her tone became cold. "What do you want?"


    Ivan said, "My offer still stands. Join me. It''s clear that your group is being targeted. It''s better to avoid the red flag early or you will regret it."


    Kanaria chuckled. "My group is being targeted? Hahaha. Isn''t it you who targets my group?"


    Ivan furrowed his eyebrows. "I haven''t done anything. Besides, this is for your own good."


    "My own good? You''ve become rather shameless." Kanaria looked at the women around her. "Just look at these girls... How cute? And that Lovelia? She is simply exploiting a loophole. All of you are shameless.


    Your skin is so thick that you don''t need armor to protect you."


    "Kanaria Renvolt. Watch your mouth." One of them raised their voice, unable to endure her remark.


    "What? Am I wrong?" Kanaria shrugged.


    "Our group killed a Tier 3 beast not long ago. This is my last offer. Join us. This will also benefit your Renvolt family." Ivan bit his lips.


    Clovis, who was watching the entire conversation, couldn''t help but scratch the back of his head. The conversation was pointless and it felt like Ivan didn''t have anything to say back and just kept throwing the invitation again and again.


    Before Kanaria replied to him, Clovis whispered to Kanaria. "Let''s just go. This is pointless."


    "Yeah." Kanaria nodded in agreement.


    "Aren''t you a man? Are you going to run?" Ivan stepped forward as if he were challenging Clovis.


    "Your job is to keep provoking Ivan and make sure that he will keep taunting or bullying their group. They will definitely be forced to show a little bit of their hidden cards."


    Just like the president said, Elina could see what Clovis had on his sleeve. It was a perfect utilization of his affinity.


    ''I''ve heard that people with Blood Affinity can see the world a little bit slower than the rest. And it will become slower and slower as they progress.


    ''He waited for the opportunity when Ivan''s lower body was at its weakest before applying the pressure. Even someone with Muscle Affinity like Ivan couldn''t handle it.


    ''Still, Ivan''s strength had tripled after the evolution. To think that wasn''t enough... It seems that we have to come up with another plan. There is a chance that a single Tier 3 beast along with a lot of other beasts won''t be enough to stop them.


    ''We are positioned next to them because we can take advantage of the moment they lower their guards to help and kill the Tier 3 beast. At the same time, we have to isolate them from the rest of the group and let the beasts attack them from behind.


    ''It seems that these won''t be enough. We have to come up with another plan to ensure that they are either defeated or killed during this raid.''


    Elina''s expression turned cold before she glared at Ivan, who was helped by the others to stand up.


    In Elina''s eyes, Ivan was just a mere puppet. He had lost most of his usefulness the moment he lost to Clovis back then.


    Then again, a lot of people were still flocking around him.


    Elina shook her head helplessly, thinking that similar people flocked together.


    On the other hand, Clovis was completely freed from the headache.


    "I don''t want to deal with this anymore. Can he grow up just a little bit?" Clovis let out a long sigh.


    "Sorry, it''s because of me." Kanaria smiled wryly.


    "Nah, it''s fine. He is still useful to us. My grandfather always said that you don''t necessarily need to kill your enemies because, rather than having an unknown enemy that will replace the one you''ve just killed, it''s better to let them live so that you know the pattern of their attack. Something like that... I just want him to remain as their weapon, which makes it easier than an unknown threat."


    "I guess your grandfather is a Tier 9 human for a reason." Kanaria chuckled.

 Chapter 122 Plan

    *Clack!*


    Clovis closed the door while smiling.


    "It seems that we have got what we want." Melody turned to Clovis from the front seat.@@@@


    "Yeah." Clovis nodded in agreement.


    "What''s this all about?" Jay asked. He didn''t really want to think about plans, so he was usually left behind in every discussion. It was clear that the leader forced them into a disadvantageous position.


    "This is the map." Melody projected the map for all of them to see. She had copied the map from earlier, but there was one more mark on this map. She pointed at the crosshair mark, asking, "What do you think about this place, Jay?"


    "Mhmm?" Jay squinted his eyes. The mark was pointing at a certain building behind the Tier 4 beast. He soon remembered that they were supposed to visit a facility in this city. "Ah! Is it the target that Kanaria''s mother told us to visit? Something related to the new utilization of the beast soul?"


    "Indeed. Right now, we still have two beast souls that we haven''t used yet, the thylacine and the yurlunggur. Right now, we don''t have anyone that can use them, so I hope that someone will be more compatible with the new utilization." Clovis nodded, confirming Jay''s words.


    "From my mother''s information, it seems that one of them is related to Elina and the Drake Group. The other two Tier 3 captains are somewhat neutral. The Tier 4 is from the military, so I think they won''t be messing with us. That''s why we know that they''ll be scheming something in this raid," Kanaria explained.


    "That''s why we believe that they''re planning to do something that will force us to flee for our lives. And Ivan, who is stationed near us, will come and defeat them. Our reputation will be pummeled after that while they are going to get back the face they lost previously." Clovis added.


    "We both have thought about this. We''re planning to let them achieve their goal," Kanaria continued.


    "Wait. Does that mean our reputation will be crushed after this? I don''t really care, but I''m afraid that it will affect our two houses..." Jay frowned.


    "Not for long. We''re only letting them achieve their goal so that we can go to this facility before restoring our reputation. There''s no guarantee that it will work, but this is the best plan we''ve come up with so far." Kanaria shook her head. Obviously, she had considered their families'' reputations as well. There was no way she wanted to smear their names.


    "I see. Well, as I already said, I don''t like using my brain. I get the general idea, but you just need to order me the details. I''ll definitely do it." Jay shrugged.


    "Agreed."


    The two smiled before a voice echoed from behind.


    "He has managed to overcome trouble after trouble this whole time, so what makes you think he will fail this time?"


    Both of them turned around at the same time, glaring at this middle-aged man.


    "A smuggler like you doesn''t understand. It''s better if you stay quiet in the city or we''ll kill you."


    "Fucking Mule."


    The mule chuckled. "I don''t care what you''re planning to do. But if things go in a way that I don''t like, I''ll have to intervene."


    "Are you going to challenge us, the Red Dagger?"


    "No way. As I said earlier, I''m not planning to stop you from cutting off the Hacfield bloodline. But at the same time, you better give me some respect and not piss me off."


    "What can a smuggler like you even do?" The assassin snorted.


    "Just like you said earlier, I''m just a smuggler. But if you piss me off, I don''t mind breaking my neutrality and side with the Hacfield, you know." The mule smirked.


    "!!!" The first assassin thought it was an empty threat, but the second assassin knew what the mule actually meant. He wanted to smuggle goods to Clovis''s grandfather or their affiliation so that they could use them to crush the Red Dagger.


    The second assassin raised his hand, stopping his friend while saying, "Hmph. You better pray that you won''t be the next target of our Red Dagger."


    "Oh, scary." The mule shrugged before leaving the building. His expression turned very cold. At the same time, the assassins couldn''t rest easy either, knowing what the mule was capable of doing.


    It seemed that things wouldn''t go exactly as planned.

 Chapter 123 Trouble at the Start

    "We''re about to arrive. All teams, you can park your car right after getting inside. We''ll immediately set up our camp and make our way to the center of the city. We''ll kill a few hundred beasts during the first day and crush the beasts on the second day."


    The commander''s voice echoed on the radio. It had been transmitted to everyone, so all of them had heard the command.


    Obviously, the vanguard team would focus on killing those beasts. The reserve team would set up the camp and the defense team would protect them.


    The problem would be the fact that thirty of them would have to kill a few hundred within a few hours.


    Clovis and his team were obviously ready for the task.


    "We''ll stick to the original plan," said Clovis while looking at the front. The city was already in sight, so they prepared their weapons.


    Melody said, "There aren''t any beasts around the gate. It''s better to hide the car in a safe place even if it means being a bit farther away from them. There is a building for that."


    "Got it. I will engage the enemies. Kanaria gets into a sniping position. Melody will help us with the car and protect it if necessary. Only after that will we regroup with the rest of the vanguards."


    All of them nodded their heads.


    As they got closer and closer to the fallen base, the sound became more quiet as if they were not trying to alarm the beasts.


    It seemed that Ivan''s group was raring to go, as Ivan actually came out of the car and climbed to the top as if he had prepared himself for any ambush.


    "Vanguard teams. Get ready. We will immediately make our move as soon as we reach the city. Prioritize regrouping as I''ll be giving you a task."


    Eliot''s voice echoed from the radio. As all of them expected, he was going to manipulate them again.


    Fortunately, they managed to reach the city without a single fight.


    The moment they regrouped, they were greeted by a sour gaze from a lot of people.


    "You''re late." Ivan snorted.


    "We''re merely doing as we ordered. Park the car and regroup with the rest." Clovis shook his head helplessly, wondering why they decided to pick on every single thing. Even if they tried to be petty, they should choose their reasons carefully or they would just be seen as foolish.


    "..." Eliot looked annoyed as though he had some problems with Clovis. He took a deep breath before saying, "Anyway, you''re going to be stationed on the right like the original formation. Eliminate all the beasts you can find."


    Clovis furrowed his eyebrows as if he didn''t like the order. But Eliot asked again, "What''s wrong? Are you scared? If you don''t have the ability to do the task, I can replace you with someone else."


    ''So, that''s how it is,'' Clovis thought before saying, "I understand. I will fulfill the task."


    The other teams couldn''t help but feel suspicious. All of them had a radar with them, so they obviously saw the numerous dots on the right side.@@@@


    ''The captain is targeting these kids. What did they actually do?'' They couldn''t help but whisper to each other, revealing their suspicion.


    However, Eliot glared at them, which caused them to stop talking. It was just an abuse of authority in everyone''s eyes to the point that they pitied Clovis.


    "Huh?" Clovis frowned. The sound came not far from them, so there was only one person who would cause all this. It was Ivan''s group.


    That shot completely broke the silence in the city, alerting all the beasts.


    *Roar!*


    *Roar!*


    *Roar!*


    A series of roars fully woke up the city. And the one who got the most trouble was none other than Clovis.


    "Get ready." Clovis clicked his tongue. Jay unsheathed his sword while Melody positioned herself not far from Kanaria to protect her in case Clovis and Jay missed a beast.


    "So, that''s what they''re planning to do. They are using that shot to bring all the beasts to us." Kanaria sucked a cold breath.


    As she said, the beasts suddenly woke up from their slumbers and started running.


    "Clovis. They''re splitting up." Melody said while opening the map. "Jay has to go to the other block. If not, around thirty of them will pass us and head to the rest of the group."


    "Got it." Jay immediately rushed to the other blocks through the narrow alley. According to the skyglasses, the beasts were about to pass him.


    So, Jay slowed himself on purpose for a few seconds before suddenly appearing before them. With a big slash, he severed three heads while shouting, "Hahaha. I''m going to be your opponent!"


    He turned around, looking at the startled beasts.


    Meanwhile, Clovis saw the approaching beasts. They broke the window and jumped off the building. Some came out of other blocks and gathered in a single spot.


    "This is going to be tricky..." Clovis muttered. The number was a bit too much for him to handle alone.


    Kanaria was observing the entire area first with her own eyes, making sure that the situation was alright for them to engage or they might end up getting cut off from the rest of the teams.


    It seemed that while Ivan''s group was doing their job of alerting the beasts, they didn''t take into account the possibility of more beasts coming from a different direction.


    The radar was limited by its range, so they didn''t know how many beasts were beyond that point.


    And Kanaria couldn''t help but see a huge cloud of dust coming from two sides, the front and the left.


    "Oh wow? There are more beasts coming from two directions. I''m afraid that they''re going to reach this place soon." Kanaria frowned. He didn''t know whether those groups could handle a few hundred beasts coming toward them.


    Suddenly, the radio received a lot of messages.


    "This is Team Blossom. We''ve got a problem here. A lot of beasts are coming toward us, we suspect their number to be more than two hundred."


    "This is Silver Star. We have also spotted more than two hundred beasts coming toward us from the north. We suspect that they were alerted by the gunshot earlier."

 Chapter 124 Help?

    A moment ago.


    Elina couldn''t help but look at Clovis''s group with a cold expression.


    "There is nothing here."


    "This place is clear."


    The people in Ivan''s group were trying to locate the enemies before they heard a gunshot coming from the outside.


    *Bang!*


    All of them couldn''t help but look up, trying to find the source of the sound. It might be an emergency. At the very least, Ivan''s group knew that they shouldn''t release a shot so early.


    "What happened?" Ivan asked out loud while coming out of the building. However, he didn''t find anyone.


    "Is there something wrong?" Elina''s head popped out of the window on the second floor.


    "Did you hear the gunshot earlier? I feel like the sound comes from the outside..." Ivan asked while furrowing his eyebrows.


    "I''m not sure." Elina shook her head helplessly. "Did the other party use it? I heard it came from a lower elevation..."


    "I did too." Ivan furrowed his eyebrows, contemplating. "The situation might not be good after this gunshot."


    "Well, I can''t really say anything. Our group doesn''t have any gunners, so it''s probably from the other party."


    "Let''s regroup first. The situation will definitely change after this."@@@@


    "Yeah. We should check on everyone''s status. I''ll go down." Elina nodded and went back in. What Ivan didn''t know was that there was a gun producing a thin smoke from its muzzle. The gun had been thrown to the side as if it had been abandoned.


    Elina simply walked away from the room and closed the door so that no one would bother to come.


    As expected, Ivan immediately faced a dilemma after regrouping with his group. On the one hand, he was supposed to go right and help Clovis. On the other hand, he hated this option and just wanted to go to the other side.


    Ivan clicked his tongue, especially when he saw numerous beasts coming in their direction.


    "We don''t have to help them," said Elina with a cold tone.


    "That''s right. They are annoying. We should just let them die." Another girl snorted.


    Ivan bit his lips as if he were trying to make a difficult decision. In the end, he said, "We will help them. If they get overrun here, the entire situation will crumble. Besides, this is the exact reason why we''re stationed here."


    Most of them looked like they didn''t want to do it. Only Vina didn''t mind helping them, considering she had witnessed Clovis''s prowess personally. However, none of them knew about it since, just like Clovis, the government had asked her to stay quiet.


    "Let''s go!" Ivan shouted while rushing to Clovis, noticing that only Clovis was standing in the middle of the road. Melody was protecting the building on the side and Kanaria must be inside that building. Jay, on the other hand, was completely gone.


    At the same time, they heard multiple roars coming from the other block, making them realize that Jay was taking care of them by himself.


    Clovis couldn''t help but turn around. Since the beasts hadn''t reached his position yet, he immediately shouted, "Oi! Your group should reinforce the two teams on the left side."


    "Who are you to order me? Do you think you are so great that you can handle all these beasts?" Ivan gritted his teeth.


    Clovis had expected this kind of reaction, so he didn''t bother with them anymore. He turned back and charged at the beasts.


    "Is he going to fight all those beasts by himself?" One of them couldn''t help but gasp, not believing what they saw.


    Elina''s expression turned grim, observing Clovis''s strength.


    Melody was processing everything through her device, creating the route for Clovis and warning him in case a beast passed him.


    Clovis took a deep breath when he was about to reach the beasts. The world immediately slowed down, making him able to grasp everyone''s movements.


    Clovis waved his blade from below, slashed the beast before him, and took a step to the right to avoid the body''s momentum. After that, he leaped to the left and sliced the beast''s head. Then, he threw his short sword, impaled another beast''s head, and pulled it toward him, causing another beast to trip. In that instant, Clovis took the chance to behead the fourth beast.


    His movement was so smooth that before they realized it, Clovis had actually killed four beasts.

 Chapter 125 Shocked

    "What is that movement?"


    "It feels kind of slow... No, does the beast move that slowly?"


    "It''s not the beasts that are slow. He can see all those beasts perfectly and kill them in a single swift movement."


    "Is that even possible?"


    The girls in Ivan''s group chattered, forgetting that they were still in a perilous situation. However, it didn''t really matter for Clovis, who planned to take down all these beasts by himself.


    Still, Clovis only took down four. There were still a lot of beasts coming toward them. Clovis tossed the short sword and suddenly spun his body, using the centrifugal force to use the short sword to smash the beasts'' heads.


    *Roar!*


    *Roar!*


    *Roar!*


    The beasts jumped into the air to avoid the blade while some beasts tried to grab them with either paws or their jaws.


    Unfortunately for them, Clovis pulled the short sword a little bit, causing them to miss. After that, he released it again and made one full swing, smashing three beasts at the same time.


    After that, Clovis pulled the short sword, only to have its chain entangled in one of the beasts that had jumped earlier.


    Clovis hurriedly moved forward and slashed this beast. Two other beasts that managed to escape the chain immediately pounced on him.


    With a single glance, Clovis could see what they were planning to do.


    He just made a few small steps to avoid both of them. After that, he slashed both of them since they had entered his attack range.


    Now that he was free, he immediately detached the short sword from the chain.


    But when he was about to grab the short sword, there was a very fast beast coming toward them.


    "Watch out!"


    "What is that speed? Tier 1?"


    The Tier 2 beast managed to twist its body to the side and only got another arm cut, but the Tier 1 beast in front of Clovis was split into two.


    Clovis abruptly stopped and elbowed the Tier 2 beast behind him, taking advantage of his clothes'' defense stats to withstand the impact.


    "Ooo!" The Tier 2 beast coughed, but that was when Clovis made another swing, cleaving the Tier 2 beast diagonally.


    "Did he... just kill a Tier 2 beast?"


    "He is this strong?"


    Ivan''s group couldn''t believe what they had just witnessed.


    It was no wonder why Clovis told them he would take care of this side by himself. He had the ability to do so. Even Ivan might not be able to achieve this feat.


    At the same time, there was one more trigger that could force Ivan to leave.


    "Clovis! I am here!" Kanaria shouted.


    Clovis didn''t have to turn around to know who it was and where she was. He simply replied out loud while charging at the other Tier 1 beast. "Go to the left side and assist them. Two hundred beasts will be too much for them. Jay and I are enough for these beasts, Melody is also here."


    "Got it!" Kanaria didn''t argue with Clovis, unlike Ivan. She didn''t hesitate to rush to the left side, carrying that big sniper rifle.


    Ivan''s focus was obviously on Kanaria. Seeing Kanaria leaving this area and Clovis stopping all of them here, Ivan gritted his teeth and said, "We will head to the left side and reinforce them."


    "What?" They were surprised that Ivan''s opinion changed so fast. The girls had heard about Lovelia as well as Ivan''s affection for Kanaria. After personally experiencing it, they realized that they could easily be replaced by Kanaria.


    However, they couldn''t do anything. They had to follow him.


    To their surprise, Vina suddenly raised her voice. "Ivan. I''ll stay here."


    "Huh?!" Ivan halted his step in disbelief.


    "If we all go that way, it can be said that we''re leaving our post. But if I remain here, we can still say that we''re moving strategically." Vina''s expression was serious.


    Her words were easy to understand. Ivan couldn''t really raise an objection and simply said, "Fine. I will leave this side to you."


    "Yes." Vina nodded with a poker face even though she intended to stay here for a different reason.


    While moving away, Elina couldn''t help but glance at Vina as if she were thinking about something.

 Chapter 126 Reinforcement

    "Hey. This is too much!"


    A few people were taking down multiple beasts at once, but more and more beasts kept coming, gradually pushing them back.


    "I will take care of this side." One of them roared while unleashing all the bullets in his rifle. His movement was fast, but his bullets were normal, not Tier 1 bullets like Kanaria''s bullets.


    So, the Tier 1 beasts managed to withstand those bullets and came toward him.


    One of the Tier 1 beasts pounced on him before it suddenly got sniped from a different direction.


    "Nice, Yas." He shouted, reloaded, and started firing again.


    Just like Clovis''s group, the Blossom had a sniper in their team.


    "Yep. Just keep going. We have to endure it for a little bit more," the guy replied while searching for a new target.


    However, he was startled when he heard footsteps followed by a shout. "Is there someone here? I am here to help."


    "I am Yasin from the Blossom." He turned around, finding Kanaria climbing to his floor.


    "I am Kanaria from Libation Fiesta. I am here to help." Kanaria rushed toward him while taking a look at the situation.


    "Thank you. But aren''t you supposed to handle the beasts from the right?" Yasin asked.


    "Don''t worry, everything is taken care of. My captain asked me to help this side instead." Kanaria smiled.


    "But wasn''t the gunshot from your side earlier?"


    "No." Kanaria shook her head. "Do you want to check my guns if you can''t believe me?"


    "That''s fine. It''s better if we focus on eliminating all these beasts first." Yasin pointed at the beasts on the ground.


    Eliot rampaged on the battlefield, killing more than fifty beasts by himself.


    When he noticed that the beasts were retreating, Eliot said through the radio, "The beasts are retreating here. What''s the status of each side?"


    "The right side is clear. All beasts have died." Clovis''s voice echoed from the radio.


    Eliot couldn''t help but furrow his eyebrows, since he didn''t like Clovis. However, he thought that Clovis was able to achieve it because Ivan''s group helped them.


    So, he let him go without a single word this time.


    "The beasts on the left side are also retreating. We are planning to regroup with the other teams."


    "We''ll regroup in the center, but keep your vigilance. The essence and materials can wait for later."


    "Got it."


    Now that the situation had been under their control, they could finally move back. However, Eliot was definitely not ready for what was to come.


    Eliot walked together with the two teams positioned in the middle. He couldn''t help but think, ''Luckily, we manage to repel those beasts... or else the others will look down on me. The right side, which is my concern, seems to have been taken care of.


    ''I guess that Ivan guy is as good as the rumors. This should be enough to gain some reputation. I just have to find a way to make people think badly about the Libation Fiesta team.''


    Eliot thought his idea was brilliant. Unfortunately for him, he miscalculated two things.


    When he was about to reach the meeting point, he couldn''t help but drop his jaw in disbelief. Clovis was actually walking toward the meeting point with only four people. Instead of Kanaria, he had Vina.


    On the opposite side, he saw Ivan and the rest of his group walking together with the original two groups stationed on their left.


    And the captain of the Blossom team seemed to be furious. The captain of the other team was actually berating Ivan for some reason.


    Just from their positions alone, Eliot could imagine what had just happened. That realization made his heart sink.


    *Thud-!*

 Chapter 127 Embarrassment

    The captain of the Blossom team shouted in anger. "Captain Eliot. How the hell did you choose this team to be the vanguard team?"


    Eliot''s body shuddered. He didn''t have anything in his mind, so he tried to buy some time by asking, "What do you mean?"


    The captain pointed at Ivan. "This freaking kid actually came to reinforce the left side. Did you know that he almost caused our formation to collapse by abandoning his post? Did you know what he said? He left behind a single person!@@@@


    "Do you know what that means? The other party has to take on all those beasts by themselves with the help of a single person. If you want to send reinforcements, it''s only natural that you only send one or two people from your group to the other party, not most members!


    "I know that the Libation Fiesta team is very capable, but this is too much." The captain clenched his hands into fists as if he wanted to punch Eliot.


    If the Libation Fiesta wasn''t strong enough, the right side would collapse, and these beasts would attack them from behind.


    The moment they were pincered from both sides, it wouldn''t be strange for a few people to die. In the worst case scenario, half of the vanguards would die, and this raid would result in failure.


    Kanaria couldn''t help but smile when hearing about this complaint. There was one major flaw that Ivan''s group possessed. They might be talented, but most of them were actually young ladies from big families.


    They were simply too pampered. That was why they didn''t have a lot of knowledge and experience in fighting as a team.


    Clovis baited them by telling them to go on their way. Experienced explorers would refuse his request, no matter how capable he was, and only send at most two people to reinforce the other parties.


    But he was actually delighted to know that they were that naive. Even Elina, who was a schemer, emphasized her scheme so much that she didn''t know this knowledge. In fact, she was too comfortable using Ivan''s extraordinary might to clear up all the problems.


    Kanaria became the last push. After seeing Kanaria leave, Ivan rushed to leave.


    All the eyes turned toward Clovis and Ivan, wondering what happened.


    "Is there something wrong?" Clovis tilted his head in confusion. "I told you that because I thought you knew that you only needed to send one or two people from your team to help, not your entire team."


    "You..." Ivan gritted his teeth before shouting, "You must be the one who shot the first time and alerted those beasts! You set me up!"


    Yasin turned to Clovis and asked, "Your weapons..."


    Clovis took out the pistol and handed it to Yasin. "Do you want to check? I haven''t fired a single bullet. Besides, my main weapons are my two swords. Only when I''m in a pinch do I start using my pistol."


    "No need." Yasin then raised his head and looked at Jay and Melody. "The guy only had a single saber on him. The woman... Are you perhaps Melody?"


    "Yes. I have worked together with Blossom in the past... Not a pleasant memory though."


    "Hahaha." Yasin laughed while pointing at Melody. "Our team has worked with her before. She was an operator... a lazy one at that. She never fought together..."


    "I had to do this to avoid someone complaining about me being lazy... not from my group of course." Melody took out her pistol. "Do you want to check my weapon too? I only guided my team earlier, not fought on the front line."


    Yasin took a look at the weapon and noticed that it hadn''t fired a single bullet. "I was with Kanaria earlier as well. Her rifle was clear and there was no sign of her using the pistol. From my perspective, they weren''t the ones who released the shot."


    "Impossible. They must have¡ª" Ivan wanted to retort him, but enough was enough.


    "You, shut up!" Eliot roared while glaring at Ivan, as if telling him not to embarrass both of them anymore. He thought that the plan went well, but the result was exactly the opposite.

 Chapter 128 De-escalating the Situation

    "You, shut up!"


    "!!!" Ivan''s body shook as if he didn''t expect that he would be the one reprimanded. It was clear that Clovis was the one scheming the whole thing, so why would no one believe him?


    Eliot pinched the bridge of his nose. It didn''t really matter if Clovis was tricking him or not. Ivan was simply an ignorant person, who was borderline an idiot. He realized that the reason why Ivan''s group lost to Clovis was because of this very reason.


    The other groups couldn''t help but look at Ivan while furrowing their eyebrows. They had heard everything about it, so it was easy to see which one was wrong. No matter how Ivan said it, he was still irresponsible enough to abandon his post.


    The look on Ivan was priceless. It felt like he was being betrayed by the whole world. Kanaria was the one who enjoyed it the most.


    Eliot thought for a moment and said, "In any case, we''re done here. It''s better if we clean up the corpses first. I will call the reserve teams to handle our defense. After this, you can take some rest before we continue.


    "As for their group, I will change their position to the front. The Silver Star team will replace them. I''ll personally watch them so that they don''t mess it up anymore."


    They couldn''t help but furrow their eyebrows. On the one hand, the Silver Star Team didn''t like the fact that they had to exchange places. On the other hand, they would be paired up with Libation Fiesta.


    They were pretty curious about this team, which managed to take down a hundred beasts by themselves. So, at the very least, they were satisfied with the fact that the Libation Fiesta team was much more capable than Ivan''s group.


    Clovis nodded in agreement. With this, they couldn''t sabotage them anymore. He believed that the one releasing the first shot was someone from Ivan''s group.


    And given her scheming nature, Elina was probably the one who did it. As for the gun, she probably threw it away. It would be hard to find it, so he had no choice but to abandon this thought.


    In the end, they had no choice but to agree with this arrangement.


    "Alright." Clovis nodded and turned to the Silver Star Team before politely nodding his head. "Please take care of us."


    "We''re looking forward to working together with your team." The captain of the Silver Star Team extended his hand.


    After the handshake, the teams dispersed to their spots and started extracting the essence. If there were some special beasts, they would definitely peel their skin and flesh to get the parts that could be of value.


    However, the moment they reached the two blocks where Clovis and Jay butchered a hundred beasts, the Silver Star Team couldn''t believe what they had just seen.


    "Is this... really the power of your team?" The captain sucked a cold breath. "I noticed at least two Tier 2 beasts here and one more on the other block. There were also at least ten Tier 1 beasts."


    "Vina from the other party also helped too, so it wasn''t our effort alone." Clovis shook his head.


    "Hahaha." The captain laughed out loud. "This makes me look forward to our cooperation."


    "I''m fine. Thanks to your ring, I didn''t sweat that much anymore."


    "That''s good then. Just like usual, you girls will get some rest first and be on the lookout later."


    "Got it." Melody couldn''t help but look at the crowd while saying, "They were not going to lay low after this, right?"


    "Yes. I''m not sure what they have prepared, but it''s going to be big. They have understood our ability after all." Clovis nodded. "That''s why you''re going to prepare a new route for us once that happens."


    "It''s not a problem for me." Melody waved her hand before pointing at Kanaria. "Are you sure you''re not going to talk to her? She has been smiling nonstop to the point where people might call her crazy."


    "I think I should stop her soon." Clovis chuckled. As soon as he reached Kanaria, he said, "I know you''re happy about this, but if you''re going to show it openly like this, the other party will realize our intention."


    "I can''t help it. This is the first time I have seen him so frustrated. In the previous competition, he was just mad after all." Kanaria smiled. "I am happy that he finally understands how frustrated I was whenever he bothered me."


    "You''ve suffered."


    "By the way, I need you to talk about the next day." Clovis sighed. "I''m not sure if it''s possible or not, but not all of us might be able to enter the laboratory. Some of us have to stay outside to fight the beasts."


    "Jay must be the fighter. So, you need one more, huh?" Kanaria thought for a moment. Melody would definitely enter the laboratory. At the very least, she was the one who understood computers the most. That meant they had to be separated this time.


    Clovis said, "I''m not sure what''s going to happen tomorrow. But from what I can think of, there are three possible things they can do. They can bring the second Tier 4 beast toward us. If that happens, our trip to the laboratory won''t be possible.


    "Or they can bring another Tier 3 beast. Jay and I will take care of those two, so you and Melody will enter the lab. However, if they bring numerous beasts instead, we will split our group instantly. I and Melody will head to the lab while you and Jay take care of the Tier 3 beast."


    Kanaria didn''t find any problems with the arrangement. But the fact that Clovis talked about it meant he was worried that she was jealous.


    Kanaria couldn''t help but scratch the back of her head while saying, "Do you perhaps think that I will be jealous? Was it because of how I acted when you gave Melody a ring? I guess I have to apologize for that.


    "I was indeed jealous back then, but after staying together with you, I realized that I shouldn''t have worried about it."


    Clovis didn''t say anything, but it was clear that she hit the mark.


    "Anyway, I just wanted to tell you about the arrangement. Jay doesn''t like to think about this, so I can only discuss it with you." Clovis shrugged and walked away.


    "Sure thing." Kanaria waved her hand with a smile on her face.


    Unbeknownst to them, Ivan was looking at them from a distance. After Clovis was gone, Ivan stood up and walked away as if he had a place to go.

 Chapter 129 Fighting Another Tier 3

    "Is everyone ready?" The commander asked, looking at all the raid members.


    They all stared back with a serious expression to show their resolve. The captain of each group had also reported on the team''s status.


    After getting the confirmation, the commander waved down his hand while saying, "Let''s move out!"


    In that instant, all the members of the raid team moved toward the north, planning to challenge the Tier 4 beast.


    Because of yesterday''s incident, Clovis''s group has now partnered up with the Silver Star Team.


    Their advance was swift and deadly, killing the beasts before they could inform the others. Eventually, the vanguard team reached their position.


    "Kanaria." Clovis called Kanaria, who was stationed on the third floor of a building.


    "I found our target. The Tier 3 Andrewsarchus. We have to be careful about this one. Andrewsarchus is known to be one of the largest terrestrial mammals to have ever existed." Kanaria reported while looking at this beast through her scope.


    The beast was colossal. Its height alone reached five meters. If Clovis wasn''t careful, he would easily get heavily injured by a single attack.


    "How about the others?"


    "I can''t see the other Tier 3 beast, but the Tier 4 beast is in my sight. It''s not that far from the Tier 3 beast, so you have to be careful."


    "Got it." Clovis turned to the Silver Star team, saying, "We''ll take care of the Tier 3 beast. Please help us deal with the other beasts."


    "Are you sure you''re going to be fine?" The captain of the Silver Star team looked worried. Clovis was considered to be extremely talented, so it would be a shame if he died here.


    "Yes. If it''s only one, then we can manage." Clovis nodded.


    "Alright." He agreed with Clovis''s arrangement.


    Eliot finally reported, "The vanguard teams are ready."


    The vanguard teams had divided themselves into three. The right one focused on stopping the right Tier 3 beast, while Eliot and the groups located in the middle would crush the other Tier 3 beast. The remaining groups would open a path for the commander to challenge the Tier 4 beast.


    However, both Kanaria and Melody released their bullets at the same time. Their bullets packed so much force that they knocked the beast to the side.


    Melody smiled. "Our job is only to make sure that these two can go all out."


    "So, that''s how it is." The captain of the Silver Star team looked at his teammates. "We can''t lose to them, can''t we?"


    "Of course."


    "We will make sure that no beasts come near them."


    Their team immediately moved forward and started fighting against the beasts to create a path for Clovis and Jay.


    After seeing the two''s performance, the Silver Star team was fired up. They stopped the beasts and created a gap between them. It wasn''t a narrow path either.


    As soon as they noticed the gap, Clovis and Jay ran through it. It seemed that the andrewsarchus was also intelligent enough to know that it would be dangerous to let these two people near him.


    So, he ordered more beasts to come.


    However, Clovis and Jay''s advances were like lightning speed. Before reinforcements could come, they killed all the beasts in their path and finally broke through the enemy''s ranks.


    There was nothing left between them and the andrewsarchus.


    The andrewsarchus roared and ran toward them.


    Clovis and Jay sped up once more as they swung their weapons at the same time.


    The beast tried to stop them with its paw, but the moment it hit their swords, the beast noticed the two distinct strengths coming from both of them.


    Jay''s swing was so powerful that it could actually neutralize the beast''s momentum. Clovis, on the other hand, slightly tweaked his sword to avoid the paw and focus on the beast''s neck instead.


    The beast used Jay''s swing as a foothold and pushed himself up, knocking Clovis''s sword from below.


    At the same time, Jay couldn''t push this giant beast''s back.


    As a result, all three of them had to jump back to regain some distance, allowing them to reassess their enemies.

 Chapter 130 Problems

    The andrewsarchus was the first one to move. It charged toward Jay, whose attack pattern was much simpler than Clovis.


    Jay smiled as if he wasn''t scared of this five-meter beast. He swung his sword with all his strength. The muscles in his arms bulged for a split second.


    *Bang!*


    The clash sounded like a gunshot, producing a weak shock wave in the area.


    The beast was quite surprised that Jay was able to withstand the attack that carried the beast''s weight and momentum, considering he was much smaller than it.


    However, that shock was cut short as Clovis took advantage of this opportunity to attack the beast from the right side.


    The andrewsarchus stomped Jay, which resulted in the latter jumping back to avoid it. After that, it turned around, sweeping its paw to the right.


    Clovis took a glance at the paw''s movement. When Clovis tried to duck, he noticed that the beast was fast enough to actually lower the trajectory of the sweep.


    Unfortunately for the beast, Clovis''s Blood Affinity had been trained by the Star Method, allowing him to see through it. In the last three weeks, Clovis has been training his body so that he can react to this sudden change.


    And this time, Clovis changed his action from ducking to jumping at the last moment, causing the beast to be unable to change its trajectory anymore.


    After that, Clovis threw the short sword to the beast''s rear, forcing the beast to move forward.


    In a battle of reaction speed, Clovis would be the winner. That was why he wanted both of them to accelerate to the highest degree.


    Clovis saw the other paw trying to stop him. His eyes flashed as he took one more step, striking and passing the beast in a single motion.


    However, Clovis couldn''t help but click his tongue. His swing was still not fast enough even after getting boosted by the necklace.


    The beast actually managed to block it with its claws at the last moment.


    Fortunately, Jay had returned and was about to reach the beast.


    When the beast began to twist its body, Clovis actually took out his pistol and shot the beast''s face, trying to aim for his eyes.


    Fortunately, the Silver Star Team managed to stop them with the help of Kanaria and Melody.


    There weren''t any beasts coming toward them.


    Clovis raised his sword, ready to take on the beast once again. But before he could run forward, another threat appeared on their battlefield.


    "Guys. I have bad news. I can see some beasts coming from the north. It seems that they are the reinforcement that the andrewsarchus is waiting for. There are around thirty beasts. Two of them look strong, either Tier 1 or Tier 2 beasts," Kanaria reported.


    "Thirty, huh?" Melody thought for a moment.


    "Clovis. You go!" Jay shouted, planning to stop this beast by himself.


    However, Melody actually said, "No. You both will stop the Tier 3 andrewsarchus. In this raid, we want to lower the chance of getting injured since the battle won''t be over anytime soon. I will take care of those beasts myself!"


    Melody didn''t wait for Clovis''s agreement as she had charged forward, looping around the andrewsarchus.


    As if noticing what Melody planned to do, the beast tried to stop her, but Clovis and Jay immediately struck it from both sides.


    "You''re not going anywhere!" Clovis gritted his teeth. He had no choice but to rely on Melody right now.


    As soon as she passed them, she closed her eyes for a few seconds.


    "It''s been a long time since I''ve been in this situation... I wonder if I still have what it takes..." Melody muttered while opening her eyes. Her vision became wider. It wasn''t at the point where she could see everything from a third person''s perspective, but it was wide enough to see everything at a 180-degree angle.


    However, these thirty beasts weren''t their only concern.


    Suddenly, they heard news that they didn''t want to hear the most from the radio. It was the voice of the captain in charge of the shield teams.


    "Emergency!"


    "Emergency!"


    "All the reserve squads are to move toward the shield squad. The second Tier 4 beast is coming toward us. We need to stop it for as long as possible."

 Chapter 131 Melodys Strength

    "All the reserve squads are to move toward the shield squad. The second Tier 4 beast is coming toward us. We need to stop it for as long as possible."


    "!!!" Melody was a bit shocked by the sudden request and immediately transmitted it to everyone.


    Kanaria and Clovis were startled while Jay continued fighting the Tier 3 beast.


    However, all of them knew that the people behind the scenes had begun to make their move.


    They must have brought the Tier 4 beast so that all the people in the reserve squad would have to support the shield squad to stop the Tier 4 beast.


    The situation didn''t look very good for Clovis and the others, considering they were situated not far from those people.


    The moment the beasts broke through, they would be the first ones to encounter them.


    "Oi! Clovis!" The captain of the Silver Star team looked concerned.


    Instead of replying to him, Clovis actually gave an order to his group first. "Kanaria. Kill as many beasts as you can while monitoring the situation from up there. Melody will take down all those beasts as quickly as possible. Jay and I will try to heavily injure this beast before something else happens."


    "Roger (Got it)!" They acknowledged the order without hesitation.


    Clovis then turned to the other team while saying, "We have to deal with all these beasts as quickly as possible. If something happens, we''ll be the first ones they find."


    The captain of the Silver Star team nodded his head, agreeing with his assessment. They really had no choice but to unleash everything they had just to clear up this area. As soon as they were done, they could kill this Tier 3 beast together.


    Clovis nodded his head, satisfied. His eyes soon turned back to the Tier 3 andrewsarchus. Even though Clovis looked desperate, he didn''t plan to kill this andrewsarchus. After all, he needed it for their real goal.


    On the other hand, Melody was completely serious. After receiving the order, she regained her focus and stared at these beasts.


    She only had a single pistol in her hand. While it had special bullets, it wasn''t enough to kill all these beasts.


    Yet, Melody didn''t hesitate to run forth, charging at the beasts.


    Unfortunately for them, she had been planning for this. She simply tossed the second grenade back so that all the beasts that wanted to kill her were blown away by the explosion.


    *Roar!*


    *Roar!*


    *Roar!*


    The beasts were wailing in pain as they were struggling to get up. They were confused about whether they should fight Melody first or just rescue the andrewsarchus.


    Once again, Melody took advantage of their confusion to kill several beasts.


    The beasts split up into two. The first group had to stop Melody while the other group would slip past her.


    When the beast near her pounced on her, Melody took a step back, avoiding it. After that, she grabbed the beast''s ear and pulled it toward her before pointing at its head from point-blank range.


    *Bang!*


    A single shot was all it took for her to take the beast down. Then, she spun her body to get enough centrifugal force to toss this beast to those who wanted to pass her.


    The body ended up crashing into them, stopping them for a few seconds. That was where she shot them down.


    Noticing that she had run out of bullets, Melody hurriedly reloaded her gun. Obviously, there was no way the beast didn''t take advantage of this golden opportunity.


    Two of them sped up and targeted her pistol. However, Melody raised her left foot and kicked the left beast''s paw, knocking the entire body.


    The right beast lost its balance because the other beast crashed into him. When they fell to the ground, Melody finished reloading her pistol and shot them.


    The Silver Star team obviously witnessed all this. They never expected that all the members of the Libation Fiesta had such insane fighting prowess.


    In just a few breaths, Melody had actually killed half of the thirty beasts that were supposed to help the andrewsarchus.


    While she was indeed a Tier 2 human, it didn''t change the fact that her role was as an operator. They had never seen a Tier 2 mobile operator this powerful.

 Chapter 132 Sacrifice

    Clovis and the others remained focused, as if they had complete trust that Melody would take care of those beasts. Even if one or two managed to pass her, Kanaria would definitely help.


    "Oi, oi, oi. We''re both Tier 2, but how could a mobile operator be stronger than a fighter like me?" The captain of the Silver Star team clicked his tongue, feeling a bit frustrated. At the same time, he admired this group.


    "We can''t lose to them." Another member smiled helplessly. From the start, they only needed to handle sixty to seventy beasts. There were two Tier 2 beasts, but it was clear that they still needed about five more minutes to kill the remaining beasts.


    If it was Clovis''s group that took care of these beasts, they would have done it by now. If not for Eliot''s command, they would like to give the chance to Clovis''s group.


    "Get fired up, you guys. Don''t let these newbies take all the spotlight."


    "Oh!" They shouted, ready to unleash everything they had.


    Meanwhile, Clovis and Jay kept fighting against this andrewsarchus.


    Jay struck the andrewsarchus''s claws, stopping its momentum. After that, Clovis shot the andrewsarchus''s head.


    The skin was hard enough to deflect the bullet, but that was enough to force the andrewsarchus to close its eyelid to protect its eyes. Now that the andrewsarchus couldn''t see him anymore. He sneaked in and slashed the beast''s legs and body, leaving several wounds on the body.


    *Roar!* The andrewsarchus hurriedly opened its eyes and searched for Clovis.


    While it was getting distracted by Clovis, Jay spun his body, looping around the andrewsarchus''s paw before slashing its body.


    Jay and Clovis continued with this strategy for a few minutes, leaving numerous wounds on the andrewsarchus''s body.


    Although most of them were just shallow cuts, the number was enough to cause enough blood loss to impact the beast''s movement.


    Without hesitation, he reported the situation on the radio. "This is Silver Star. We need a hand here. It takes everything we have to handle the Tier 3 andrewsarchus, but there is another Tier 3 beast coming toward us. What''s going on here?!"


    "The reserve army has been deployed fully to the right side. It''s impossible to send the reinforcement."


    "It takes all of us to stop this Tier 4 beast. We can''t send anyone to your position."


    Both the shield and reserve teams responded immediately, their tones looked distressed. Even those who only heard their words could imagine the battle they experienced.


    However, this dire situation would definitely come to them. That was why the Silver Star team had to find a solution to fight two Tier 3 beasts and the other lower tier beasts.


    "Jay. Buy me some time." Clovis took a step back to assess the situation.


    Jay released all his strength in order to stop the Tier 3 andrewsarchus, buying Clovis a precious few seconds.


    Clovis suddenly turned to the Silver Star team, saying, "Our group will lure these two Tier 3 beasts away. However, we might have to abandon our position because of this task. I hope you guys can stop all the other beasts... in order to increase our survival rate."


    "What?" The captain widened his eyes in shock, not believing what he had just heard. "Wait. We should be able to handle the Tier 3 beast ourselves. You can focus on the andrewsarchus and the remaining beasts."


    "No. It''s not that I belittle your group, but the Tier 3 beasts are easier to lure, especially by us lower level explorers. They will be confident, thinking they can crush us like a bug. And the task of stopping the Tier 3 andrewsarchus is on us, so we might as well grab another Tier 3. It''s just... we might not be able to handle the other beasts."


    "Are you really going to sacrifice yourself?" The captain clenched his hands into fists. It was clear that Clovis was more talented than him. To think such a talented person would sacrifice himself for others.


    Looking at the determination in Clovis''s eyes, the captain gritted his teeth and said, "All members of the Silver Star team. Heed my commands. Make sure that the Libation Fiesta team can lure the two Tier 3 beasts without any interference from a single lower level beast."


    All the members of the Silver Star team became serious, understanding their roles. If even a single beast passed them and headed to Clovis, it would bring shame to their name.

 Chapter 133 Luring the Tier 3 Beasts Away

    Before moving, Clovis used the remaining bit of their time to transmit his plan to the radio. "This is Libation Fiesta. We have to abandon our post to lure two Tier 3 beasts away. The Silver Star will take our position and hold back the remaining beasts.


    "We will loop around the Tier 4 beast and head north to avoid any of these beasts coming from behind."


    Clovis''s message was simple but rather courageous.


    Even if Clovis could fight a Tier 3 beast, it should be their limit. No one would ever think that Clovis would dare to lure two Tier 3 beasts away from them.


    "That''s suicidal."


    Clovis remembered this voice as the man who helped them previously when clearing up their name. It was Yasin.


    "We don''t have any choice. If we let them pass here, the raid might end in failure. If it''s only stalling them, we should be able to manage."


    Clovis was determined.


    "We don''t have any time left. The Silver Star Team can explain the situation later," said Clovis before ending the transmission.@@@@


    The Silver Star Team nodded their heads, making sure that their sacrifice didn''t go to waste.


    At the same time, there were three things they noticed about this plan. First of all, Clovis''s group was powerful and bold, not hesitating when they chose to sacrifice themselves. No matter how selfish they were, they could commend Clovis''s group for their action.


    Second, they were pretty clever. Normally, they would lure the enemies by retreating. However, in a raid like this, retreating meant allowing the beasts to turn around and hit the other teams from behind. So, Clovis suggested that they would go to the north instead and loop around the Tier 4 beast.


    Even if Clovis couldn''t handle these Tier 3 beasts, those beasts would still have to attack them from the front. And the teams on the left side might be able to help them.


    The last one was a distraction for the lower level beasts. They tended to follow a stronger beast, so they would definitely chase after the Tier 3 beast. Once the Silver Star team was done with the beasts here, they could patch up the hole that the shield team had, making sure the same thing wouldn''t happen again.


    Clovis smirked. Instead of going to the side, he actually tossed the short sword to the third floor and pulled himself up.


    *Bam!*


    *Bam!*


    The rhino rammed the building with its giant body, destroying everything on its path to the point that the rhino managed to create a hole directly connected to the next block.


    Noticing that it had been fooled, the rhino ran back, destroying another part of the building to go back. It raised its head, trying to find Clovis, who had actually landed on the ground.


    Clovis smirked while saying, "Thanks for the help."


    The beast obviously didn''t understand it, but it still sensed the intention behind those words. In addition, Clovis actually ran through the hole that the rhino made, reaching the other block easily.


    Enraged, the rhino chased after Clovis, not caring about anyone else.


    "Nice." Melody smiled, passing through the hole after both of them. But before she entered the building, she couldn''t help but shout out loud, "Jay. What are you doing? That beast is so weak. We should challenge this new one, who can destroy a building."


    The voice was directed toward Jay and the andrewsarchus. As if responding to her words, Jay''s expression became indifferent as he simply turned around, wanting to fight against the rhino instead.


    The andrewsarchus didn''t expect Jay to be that uninterested in the fight. Andrewsarchus was an apex land predator of its time, so the beast didn''t expect that Jay would be looking down on him.


    Without hesitation, the beast chased after Jay. Due to its size, the entire building collapsed, even though it wasn''t enough to bury it alive.


    However, the first phase was completed. They had lured these two beasts away and it was time to leave this place.


    "Geez. They should be a bit gentler to the abandoned city since it''s going to be hard to rebuild the city." Kanaria shook her head, speaking in a way related to her goal.

 Chapter 134 A Glimpse of Strength

    The previous night, Ivan left the camp to meet someone.


    "Yes. I want you to kill him. You''re able to do it, right?" Ivan''s expression was cold.


    "If it''s a frontal fight, I can probably do that. But it''s going to be hard in the current situation... The least I can do is let the beast escape toward him."


    "Then, at least bring a Tier 3 beast toward him. I want him dead!" Ivan gritted his teeth. He wanted to make sure Clovis died in this place.


    "Alright." The man nodded, agreeing with him.@@@@


    ...


    Ivan couldn''t help but remember this conversation after listening to the report on the radio. Even if Clovis were quite strong, it would be impossible for him to fight against two Tier 3 beasts.


    If these two beasts were still not enough, he would be so tired that he couldn''t fight anymore.


    Ivan''s expression was cold as he thought, ''You''ve been in my way this whole time. If not for you, I don''t have to endure all the humiliation and Kanaria would have been by my side.''


    "What''s wrong, Ivan?" Vina couldn''t help but ask, noticing a change in his expression.


    "Nothing." Ivan snorted, feeling that Vina had been quite different after that defeat. It looked like she was leaning more toward Clovis than him, especially during the previous day when she helped Clovis.


    Elina obviously noticed the scheme that Ivan had, but she couldn''t help but think, ''As expected, all his talent goes to his evolution rate instead of his brain. Either way, this is going perfectly for us as well. If we can kill him, the Drake Group will definitely become much more powerful.


    ''Even if this little bastard has star syndrome, he is easy to manipulate. No one can challenge the Drake Group in the future when he manages to grow.'' Elina snorted, not saying anything to Ivan.


    Meanwhile, Clovis and the others were luring the two Tier 3 beasts carefully.


    In addition, the Tier 4 commander leaped into the air to chase after the beast.


    The commander swung his big sword while the beast parried it with its claws, their exchange produced a powerful shock wave that shattered the window near them.


    The Tier 4 commander easily leaped to the roof of another building while the Tier 4 beast landed on the ground. They then once again clashed with each other, showing their own strength.


    Even though it was only for a brief moment, Clovis could see the strength of a Tier 4 human and beast.


    ''They are strong.'' Clovis''s expression turned serious. He had noticed this, but there seemed to be a big gap between Tier 3 and Tier 4.


    Considering his father told them that the Star Method could be developed after Tier 3, it seemed that this was the reason.


    Clovis realized how lucky he was to be able to develop that power from Tier 1. When he reached Tier 4, he would be able to become much stronger than them.


    ''A Tier 4 human can leap more than ten meters. The commander probably has Muscle Affinity, so his swing is much more powerful... But from the looks of it, that swing of his could easily destroy a building after a few strikes.


    ''Kanaria told me about the power of Tier 4 with Brain Affinity, which allowed them to see everything around them without even using their eyes. So, what about the Heart, Blood, and Bones affinities?''


    Clovis was extremely curious about the future. Unfortunately, he couldn''t do anything but wait until he himself was able to reach that stage.


    ''I have to become Tier 2 as soon as possible.'' Clovis''s expression turned serious, knowing what he had to do in order to go against the people who wanted his life. It was no wonder why his father wanted him to reach Tier 5 first before their reunion. At that stage, he should have some means to preserve his life even if their true enemies tried to kill them directly.


    Clovis couldn''t help but smile. The Another World Mall would allow him to achieve this and he planned to advance as fast as possible, thinking that the Another World Mall would disappear tomorrow.


    And to reach his goal, he first had to eliminate the two Tier 3 beasts before them.


    Suddenly, Melody passed him as if she noticed something. From the radar, it looked like there were still some beasts that lingered in the area, so she probably wanted to eliminate them before they regrouped with the Tier 3 beasts.


    However, Kanaria soon reported, "Clovis. We''re about five minutes away from the lab. Get ready to turn left soon," to show that they had gone far enough.

 Chapter 135 Jays Ability

    "Clovis, we''re about five minutes away from the lab. Get ready to turn left soon."


    After hearing the report, Clovis immediately ordered, "You and Melody can speed up and pass us. We will stop at the junction so that these beasts won''t attack the laboratory."


    "Alright." Kanaria and Melody acknowledged it and immediately increased their speed. Melody easily passed the rhino. Fortunately, Clovis kept shooting the rhino so that its focus remained on him.


    Meanwhile, Kanaria had to wait until the right time since the andrewsarchus was actually bigger than the rhino. She had to sneak past it or the andrewsarchus would cause trouble before Kanaria could pass the rhino.


    Seeing Kanaria waiting, Jay activated his beast soul to increase his speed, closing the gap between him and the andrewsarchus in an instant before hitting the beast with all his might.


    The beast managed to stop him, but Jay managed to push the head to the side, preventing it from seeing Kanaria, who passed him from the other side.


    After that, Jay stopped for a second to widen that distance. Until he thought it was enough for the beast not to care for Kanaria anymore, he began to run again.


    Clovis repeated the same thing as when Melody passed the rhino. With both of them passing them, they had fulfilled their roles.


    Kanaria and Melody exchanged looks before they turned to the left.


    "Alright. We''re stopping here." Clovis stopped and leaped toward the rhino.


    "!!!" The rhino was slightly startled that Clovis, who had been on the defensive this whole time, suddenly tried to be on the offensive.


    However, Clovis''s size and strength couldn''t be compared to hers. So, the rhino didn''t hesitate to run straight to Clovis.


    When the rhino was about to reach him, Clovis took advantage of the speed he got from the necklace and his blood affinity to make the last moment movement.


    He barely avoided the charge and swung his sword. Surprisingly, the rhino''s skin was actually much softer than that of the andrewsarchus.


    In that slash, he actually created a long but shallow wound on the beast''s head. It wasn''t significant, but if he kept inflicting this kind of damage, the rhino might die faster than the andrewsarchus.


    *Roar!* The rhino was angered by the sudden pain and tried to push Clovis away with its head.


    Clovis raised his eyebrows as if he didn''t expect this question.


    "I might be too lazy to use my brain, but I''m not a fool, Clovis. Besides, the others should have some suspicion as well." Jay sighed before saying, "I won''t say anything about this, but I just want to make sure of something. You are not harming your life to produce all this stuff, right?"


    Clovis couldn''t help but smile. Instead of keeping the secret, Jay only worried about his well-being. He shook his head. "You don''t have to worry about that. Other than risking my life if these items are found by others, I''m not harming my life."


    "That''s good then." Jay nodded, feeling relieved.


    "I hope that in the future, I can talk to you about it. Besides, I don''t understand everything right now."


    "Sure thing. If you want to let me know about your secret, that''s fine. If you don''t want me to know, I still trust you. Don''t bear everything by yourself just because you are the captain." Jay patted Clovis''s shoulder.


    Clovis extended his hand, shoving the bracelet in front of him. "Thank you, but you have to survive first."


    Jay knew that Clovis was talking about the hidden threat that had been trying to kill them. If they were not strong enough, there was no way Clovis could let them know the heavy responsibility he had on his shoulders.


    Jay grabbed the bracelet and said, "Don''t worry. I''ll become strong enough to even surpass you. So, you shouldn''t die before me."


    Clovis chuckled.


    When he remembered that conversation, Jay looked at the andrewsarchus and said, "I have been hiding this one, but it''s time to unleash it."


    The muscle on his arms suddenly bulged, making it look slightly bigger. After receiving the bracelet, Jay noticed that a small change occurred in his muscles.


    In addition, the star method actually allowed him to control his muscles. After almost a month, Jay finally got a bit of control over his muscles and pushed them to a higher limit this time.


    The andrewsarchus charged toward Jay. Since the mouth couldn''t do it, the beast slammed its paw from above as if it were about to squash an ant.


    Jay''s muscles bulged once more as he jumped as high as possible. At the last moment, he twisted his body to avoid the sharp claws and struck the skin between the claws. This time, his sword actually penetrated the beast''s flesh as blood splattered in the air.


    "!!!" The andrewsarchus was stunned before screaming in pain.


    Jay landed on the ground while saying, "Sorry, but this friend of mine is such a worrywart that he thinks I''m not strong enough. I guess I will have to kill you to prove my strength to him."

 Chapter 136 Going Inside

    "So, this is the building." Kanaria raised her head, looking at a rather small building. Since it was a special laboratory, she originally thought that the building would be a skyscraper, but this one only had three floors.


    Melody, on the other hand, said, "I''m afraid that this building is not that simple."@@@@


    "What do you mean?"


    "I notice some radiation coming from the underground. If there is no protective suit, we might have to go out as quickly as possible. I''m running the calculation right now." Melody''s expression turned grim.


    "Radiation?" Kanaria suddenly fell silent. If that was the case, then this building was definitely dangerous. "But aren''t those materials banned? The radiation can mutate the beasts. There are a few places with high radiation, which causes a Tier 6 beast to be as strong as a Tier 8 beast."


    "We don''t know anything about it, but we might have to investigate it properly. You said your mother is the one sending you here, she must want you to acquire it as her movement would be monitored and under some suspicion. Either way, we don''t have a lot of time. Clovis and Jay still need our help."


    "Indeed." Kanaria nodded in agreement. They could think about the reasons later. Retrieving the information was more important.


    "Let''s go inside." Melody took a deep breath. "According to my calculation, we only have thirty minutes inside unless we have a protective suit."


    The building itself was mostly covered with concrete. There weren''t many windows as if to contain the radiation from spreading outside.


    When Kanaria and Melody entered the building, they were greeted by a messy hall. Everything seemed to have been toppled down. There were a lot of trails on the floor.


    "This is..." Kanaria''s expression turned serious.


    Melody, on the other hand, took out the ground radar and placed it on the floor. In that instant, she got a reading. "Kanaria."


    Kanaria instantly frowned when seeing the radar. "So many?"


    "Do you think that we''re actually the ones getting the short straw?" Melody smiled wryly.


    "I guess the beasts are attracted to the radiation. In fact, all those beasts might be mutated beasts... It''s going to be a hard battle."


    "You''re still planning to go?" Melody looked surprised that Kanaria didn''t have any fear of these many beasts.


    Still, Kanaria and Melody didn''t panic. They simply aimed at the second target and shot them when they were still waking up.


    *Bang!*


    With the second shot from both of them, there was only one beast left on this floor. Kanaria immediately aimed her pistol at this last one while Melody listened to the surrounding noises.


    *Shriek!*


    *Qieek!*


    There were a lot of sounds coming from the lower floor. And all of them seemed to be climbing up.


    *Bang!*


    Kanaria killed the last beast on the floor as Melody said, "They are coming toward us."


    Kanaria nodded her head and grabbed the rifle back. Since they were going to defend this position, it was better to have a bigger gun.


    Melody, on the other hand, calculated the movement of the beasts and predicted the door leading to the second floor.


    "There it is!" Melody marked the door on the skyglasses.


    "!!!" Kanaria immediately adjusted her aim toward this door. Even she could hear the screeching sound from the beasts. From Melody''s marker, it looked like the beasts were mostly rats that had mutated to be as big as a human''s child.


    And those rats started climbing up together.


    ''Here they come.'' Kanaria squinted her eyes. The moment the mark Melody put on them reached the same level, Kanaria pulled the trigger.


    *Bang!*


    The rat died instantly, but the other beasts stepped over its dead body and started coming out in rapid succession.


    *Scree!*

 Chapter 137 Mutated Beast

    *Scree!*@@@@


    Both Kanaria and Melody furrowed their eyebrows as the pace of these rats coming out was much faster than their original expectations.


    When Kanaria shot it, one beast might die, but three or even four would have passed that door.


    As a result, she only managed to kill three rats before the remaining seven came out. She was lucky that she managed to hit the last rat.


    However, the situation didn''t look that bright. There were seven rats, moving at lightning speed toward them.


    More importantly, the rats were moving at high speed toward them. And without the light, they couldn''t see their tier or gather more information like their body or strength.


    Kanaria hurriedly changed into her pistol again and shot the incoming rats multiple times. To her surprise, these rats were actually more agile than the rats that stayed on this floor.


    None of her bullets actually hit. Melody also did the same, but the result was similar to Kanaria. She managed only one hit, which wasn''t fatal.


    Her left hand reached for the grenade in her bag, but she soon stopped, realizing that this place was important. If the grenade ended up destroying the basement, their purpose of coming here would be gone.


    Noticing their situation, Kanaria shouted, "We are going up."


    "Yeah." Melody nodded in agreement as they climbed back to the ground floor. She remained facing the bottom of the stairs and kept shooting even if there were no rats. They should be aware that charging into her line of sight would kill them, so the two managed to reach the ground floor without any injuries.


    However, the rats began to emerge one after another.


    Their shape looked like that of a rodent, but their skin was white. There were a few green spots on their fur and their heads seemed to be bloated. It seemed that the radiation had mutated them to a certain degree.


    The fact that they managed to avoid their shots earlier meant that the radiation also boosted their reaction speed.


    "This is Gobiconodontidae. Similar to the modern rodent..." Melody recognized it through the AI.


    "If I''m not wrong, they were supposed to live alongside dinosaurs." Kanaria''s expression turned grim.


    However, the one that caught their attention the most would be the slightly bigger rodent. Its eyes were bloodshot and the claws were long as though they were blades.


    Kanaria ran to the side, avoiding it. When she turned around, she saw the claws actually slice a wooden chair cleanly.


    It was also fast since the leader closed the gap between them in just a second, not letting Kanaria shoot him.


    Kanaria was forced to grab her rifle and use it like a shield.


    *Clink!*


    Kanaria frowned. The impact of that attack was quite powerful. Fortunately, this rifle was made of high quality materials, so she didn''t have to worry about it being destroyed.


    ''This attack power surpasses that of a normal Tier 2 beast,'' Kanaria muttered. However, she didn''t think that this rat would be comparable to the Tier 3 beasts that Jay and Clovis fought.


    ''I guess I should call this mutated beast... a Tier 2.5 or something.'' Kanaria chuckled inwardly as she received another attack from the claw.


    When the rodent wiped its tail, Kanaria took a big step to the back and rotated her rifle, aiming it toward the beast. With this range, there was no need for her to look at the scope anymore.


    *Bang!*


    The rodent tried to avoid it, but Kanaria pointed it at the center of its body. So, even if it managed to twist its body, the bullet still hit the edge.


    *Scree!*


    The rodent looked like he was in pain. But he had learned enough from Kanaria.


    Suddenly, he reached out for the chair he had slashed earlier and threw it toward Kanaria.


    "!!!" Kanaria was startled, thinking that the rodent was supposed to attack her more straightforwardly.


    When she got distracted by the chair, the rodent closed the gap between them.


    Kanaria had to jump to avoid the chair, so by the time the rodent reached her, she was still in mid-air. She hurriedly put the rifle in front of her like a shield, but the rodent ended up slapping her to the ground, causing her to roll a few times.


    "Mhmm..." Kanaria bit her lips.

 Chapter 138 Kanarias Progress

    "Mhmm..." Kanaria bit her lips.


    ''Tsk. Clovis and Jay have been fighting monsters like this the whole time?'' Kanaria couldn''t help but think. Her body was already hurting when it hit the ground. But she still had to maintain the position of her gun so that it wouldn''t bend or hurt her.


    Clovis and Jay were often getting blown away, so their situation was much more dangerous than hers.


    The rodent wouldn''t allow Kanaria to recover, but before he could reach her, Kanaria shot with her pistol to force the rodent to dodge it, giving her precious time to stand back up.


    The beast approached her from her left, so Kanaria ran in the opposite direction. Her brain was processing all the information about all the mess around her, but there was nothing she could use to help her.@@@@


    When fighting inside a building, they could throw things at the beasts to distract them. But there wasn''t anything big enough or hard enough for this beast. So, Kanaria had no choice but to fight it fully with her gun.


    Kanaria raised her pistol again, but the rodent had pounced on her.


    "Hiii!" Kanaria hurriedly ducked down as the claws passed over her and left a huge mark on the concrete pillar. Kanaria wanted to attack the rodent once again, but she saw the tail coming at her face.


    Because of her position, it was impossible to block it with her rifle, so she raised her arm.


    "Kh." Kanaria gritted her teeth, enduring the pain. Kanaria rarely got hurt because of her position, but even if she was only a sniper, it didn''t mean she wouldn''t get hurt for the rest of her life.


    There would be a time when she had to fight in close range for one reason or another.


    This pain alone reminded her of how much Clovis endured this whole time.


    When she thought about Clovis, it also reminded her of a certain conversation.


    It was ten days ago. Back then, she was watching him train with his sword.


    *Bang!*


    *Bang!*


    A series of shots were released, but the rodent managed to avoid all of them by looping around Kanaria.


    Kanaria kept chasing after the rodent without thinking about the bullet.


    After twelve shots, there was a clicking sound that marked the start of the rodent''s counterattack.


    Without hesitation, the rodent turned around and went straight at her. That big gun of hers might be powerful but hard to use, so the rodent was convinced that it could avoid it later.


    That was why he closed the gap in an instant. Instead of changing her weapon, Kanaria actually tossed the pistol at the rodent''s head.


    "!!!" The rodent was surprised and stopped for a moment while covering its head.


    As soon as it opened its eyes, the rodent saw Kanaria trying to kick its head. That was why the rodent jumped over her.


    Surprisingly, Kanaria''s kick actually reached a 180 degree angle from her other leg, showing incredible elasticity. This was her advantage. With her body''s stability, she tilted her upper body to the back.


    Now that her body was parallel to the floor, Kanaria could clearly see the rodent''s body. She used this slight gap to aim at the rodent''s head.


    "!!!" The rodent lowered its head, only to find the gun muzzle facing right back at him.


    "Checkmate," said Kanaria with a tired expression as she pulled the trigger, shooting the rodent on the head. Kanaria couldn''t help but say, "I don''t want to get carried by those two the whole time..."


    However, because of her position, the recoil caused her head to hit the ground.


    "Ou... It hurts."

 Chapter 139 Password

    "Are you alright?"


    Kanaria saw Melody standing next to her, as if she had been waiting for her to kill that beast.


    Considering her opponents were only Tier 0 beasts, it was understandable. Even if they were mutated, they were still not Melody''s opponents.


    Kanaria smiled wryly, taking the hand Melody extended to stand up. "Yeah. Anyway, let''s hurry. We have to find the research as soon as possible."


    "Yeah. Clovis and Jay are still fighting out there, so if we''re not in a hurry, there might be some beasts coming toward them." Melody nodded in agreement.


    Both of them hurried inside. As soon as they didn''t sense any beasts around, they immediately proceeded to the floor below.


    "Is this the place?" Melody asked while taking out the flashlight. She couldn''t help but feel surprised about this room. If the first floor was filled mostly with desks and papers, these floors contained several shelves and giant tubes.


    "Mhmm?" Kanaria frowned, feeling something was weird. "This tube hasn''t been crushed yet... There is a liquid inside."


    Melody immediately turned around. "Is there anything inside other than the liquid?"


    "No." Kanaria shook her head while furrowing her eyebrows. The other tubes had been destroyed, so the liquid had flowed out and probably evaporated.


    On the other hand, this tube had a liquid without anything in it, looking very suspicious.


    "Maybe they don''t manufacture anything here?"@@@@


    "I''m not sure." Kanaria fell into deep thought. "Maybe there is another place that we haven''t found? My mother has given me an access card, so there should be something else here that requires the access card."


    Melody immediately illuminated the area around them, finding a door on the corner. "Is that..."


    Kanaria nodded with a serious face. "Yes. That might be it."


    There was still a dim green light illuminating the room. Although barely visible, she could see the giant tube located in the center of the room. This time, there seemed to be a huge skeleton inside that tube.


    At the same time, she could see the walls on the left, right, and in front. The left side had been covered with smaller tubes similar to the one in the middle. The right one seemed to be a glass wall as if there was an even deeper place inside. But she couldn''t imagine the use of the big screen on the wall opposite her.


    "Mhmm? We don''t have much time, Kanaria. It''s shocking, but we have to move." Melody gulped down while entering the room.


    "Y-yeah!"


    When they entered, they were greeted by the computer that handled the giant tube. To their surprise, it was still active, asking for a six-digit password.


    Kanaria looked at the screen as if she were thinking about something. On the other hand, Melody went around the room.


    "This glass wall is connected to the room on the other side. It seems that they are testing something inside that room. There seems to be a human''s remains inside... I don''t want to say this, but are they conducting human experiments?"


    Melody muttered. It was hard to see with this dim light, so she couldn''t come to a conclusion.


    She then walked to the screen and found nothing. "Why did they put a big screen inside? Maybe those people were bored and wanted to watch movies together here?"


    In confusion, Melody came to the left side, which probably contained the most information. "There are tubes with the same liquid. And it seems that each tube contains a beast''s remains. They aren''t recognizable anymore, so I can''t really say anything."


    Melody thought for a moment. "Kanaria. What are we supposed to find here? We don''t have enough time to hack the system, you know. We have to¡ª"


    *Beep!*


    Melody stopped the moment she heard that sound. Following that sound, the light inside the room turned on, brightening the room.


    "What the hell did you do? Did you get the password as well? Or was the password 123456 or 111111 or your birthday?" Melody asked in shock as she returned to Kanaria, confused by the shocked face on Kanaria''s face.


    Kanaria blinked a few times as if she couldn''t believe it actually worked. She said with a disbelief tone, "No. It''s the combination of two passwords that Clovis''s parents gave him."

 Chapter 140 Research

    "The combination of the passwords that Clovis''s parents gave him?" Melody wasn''t present back then, so she was oblivious to the number.


    The passwords Kanaria mentioned earlier were none other than the passwords leading to the secret basement at Clovis''s house.


    Both passwords had three-digit numbers, so she thought it would work if she combined both of them.@@@@


    And it actually worked.


    "Clovis is related to this place? No, wait. Maybe it''s the Hacfield family?" Melody furrowed her eyebrows. Considering the mysterious identity of the Hacfield family, she thought it was possible that they conducted experiments like this.


    However, her thought was cut short because the moment the lamps were turned on, the screen followed suit, showing a video of an old man.


    The old man had a thin frame and a tired face as though he hadn''t slept for a few days. He was staring at the screen with a face devoid of any expressions.


    "If you happen to find this recording, you should be related to that family. In that case, I only have three things to say to you."


    The old man took a step back and raised his left hand as a screen was projected next to him. It was the image of a human''s anatomy.


    "Our experiment is successful. We have proved that humanity has two basic paths for them. The first path is something everyone is aware of, which is the combination between a human and a beast. I''m talking about the beast soul, not the fusion of genes.


    "However, by taking the beast soul into your body, you will still mutate in a rather subtle way. For example, your body might become stronger or faster. Your senses become sharper or something along the lines. And this change will be passed on to your descendants.


    "While this looks quite good, this change will also have a negative impact... not on the current generations but on a few generations afterward. The beasts might have stronger skin, faster speed, or stronger strength, but the humans have high adaptability.


    "This is the same beast soul, but one is taken orally as usual while the other one is injected. By swallowing the beast soul, it will allow you to have the same ability as the beast. But if it''s injected, you can manipulate the gene to form the organ that produces it. In other words, you don''t have to be a close-range fighter to find this beast soul useful.


    "And there is one more way to utilize it... or you can say, a different way to manipulate the gene." The professor showed the next video.


    The third man produced the claw as well, but this time, there was only one claw and its length was similar to a short sword.


    "Because we''re manipulating the gene, we are able to change how it is being utilized. And the area is not limited to your hand... You can inject it on your back to make you look like a shark or use it underneath your feet to use it as a surprise attack.


    "This is a very versatile way to use the beast soul. Since humans will lose their versatility over time, it''s better to invent new ways to utilize it.


    "Anyway, it''s better to copy my research and the way to utilize it. Just plug in your device into the slot on the right and it will automatically copy my research."


    Melody dropped to her knees as she couldn''t help but say, "This research... It might actually change the world."


    Kanaria remained silent, but it was clear that she was shocked by her fingers which were currently shivering. Still, she had to copy this research to her device and give it to Clovis later. Although she failed to insert it multiple times, she managed to do it ultimately.


    The moment it was plugged in, Professor Waod continued, "Last but not least, I just want to warn you that evolution is unavoidable. If little Clovis doesn''t take any beast souls, there will soon be a lot of women flocking around him. After all, versatility is not the only one that humanity will lose during evolution... they''ll also lose their fertility. The birth rate should have decreased by now.


    "To get to the peak without using a beast soul... It''s a hard path, but a more desirable one for various reasons.


    "That''s all I want to say. Well, maybe one more thing. I just want to thank Teacher Aisha for helping me with this research. I have finally fulfilled my long cherished dream and have no regrets anymore. Goodbye."


    Professor Waod smiled for the first time, showing a very gentle face. At the same time, the moment the video ended, the data transfer had also finished.

 Chapter 141 Perspective

    Melody couldn''t believe what she had just heard. "This information... if it''s leaked to the world, it''s going to shock them. But at the same time, it''s also going to make us targeted by a lot of organizations..."


    "Yeah." Kanaria fell silent for a moment. "Clovis''s grandfather told him not to take on any beast souls probably because he wants Clovis to remain a pure human. As a Tier 9 explorer, there should be another reason why he wants it that way, so this information might not be as simple as we think."


    "That''s kind of true. We don''t know the depth of the Hacfield family. But all the Tier 9 humans known so far have understanding and strength beyond what we can imagine." Melody nodded in agreement. "But don''t you think the other path is not that bad as well?"


    "Indeed. While humans will lose their versatility, they will still gain the strength of the beasts. If that happens, we might be able to get stronger from radiation like how these beasts mutate... But I don''t dare draw any conclusions about it. All I can say is that this path also holds a lot of potential." Kanaria looked down, falling into deep thought.


    "Still, the most shocking part is definitely the second part. The research of genetic mutations" Melody frowned.


    "Indeed. We currently have two beast souls with us. Thylacine''s beast soul is similar to the one that Professor Waod showed earlier, while Yurlunggur''s beast soul could produce poison.


    The former could become a hidden sword, while the latter will allow us to produce toxins from other parts of our body instead of the mouth, like how the original beast soul intended." Kanaria explained based on the understanding she had.


    "Indeed. In fact, people like us can take advantage of the Thylacine''s beast soul as protection. If you had that kind of claw or short sword coming out of your hands, wouldn''t the battle against the beast earlier become easier?"


    "Definitely. And in fact, I could even use the latter for myself. I could coat my bullet with poison. While I do need to modify my rifle a bit to withstand the corrosive power of the poison, it''s still going to be extremely powerful. I might be able to kill even a Tier 3 beast myself."


    "Still, the biggest problem lies in the fact that we have to find someone who can do the injection." Melody frowned. If they had to share this with another person, there was a risk of it being leaked. They would definitely be targeted soon.


    But if they spread this information, they couldn''t reap the benefits. So, Melody didn''t know what they should do.


    "No. The essence of polygamy in the past was different. It wasn''t about lust. It was about families'' connections. For example, what if a person marries a medical expert, a businesswoman, and a logistic expert?"


    "Are you implying that the medical expert could help the health problem or probably the business if it''s related to the medical field? And the logistic expert can help with the business and the supply for the medical expert. And the businesswoman can make more money thanks to her husband, who marries the other two women?"


    "That''s right. I will be lying if I''m not jealous about him having multiple wives in the future, but I''m not going to stop him. Instead of being a selfish little prick, I might as well allow it. I might even become a bit closer to my goal that way." Kanaria sighed.


    "Aren''t you just finding excuses for yourself?"


    "Yes and no. I''m just telling you that I don''t want it to be similar to Ivan. At the very least, I want people that have the same bottom line... where if something goes awry, everyone doesn''t hesitate to use all their resources to help the big family instead of running away."


    Melody couldn''t help but look at Kanaria with a dumbfounded face.


    "What?"


    Melody rubbed her cheek while saying, "Nothing. I just realized you''re stronger than I expected."


    "Strong? I''m simply acknowledging that I''m too weak to monopolize him. If I can do everything, there won''t be talk like this. Then again, why does our talk escalate from your teasing?" Kanaria shook her head helplessly, not knowing why she responded to her teasing this seriously.


    "That''s true. Clovis and Jay should be waiting for us. Since we''ve got what we''re coming for, we should help them and return to our position."


    "Yeah. Let''s go."

 Chapter 142 Plan Ahead

    When they came out of the building, they couldn''t hear any destruction coming from Clovis and Jay''s directions. The only thing they could hear was the battle between the commander and the Tier 4 beast.


    "Are they..." Melody turned to Kanaria, her face was filled with worries.


    Both of them hurriedly ran toward the junction and tried to find Clovis.


    Their hearts skipped a beat when they were greeted by the corpses of low tier beasts that they didn''t remember they had killed.


    In other words, the ones who killed these beasts were Clovis and Jay. But that made them worry since there were already two Tier 3 beasts. If they added these beasts, Jay and Clovis might not be able to handle them.


    However, they soon found the two giant beasts in the background. They seemed to have died, so Kanaria and Melody rushed toward these corpses, finding Clovis and Jay.


    Clovis''s condition was bad. He had a lot of wounds on his body, his weapons other than the sword on his hand were scattered on the ground, and his clothes were dyed red.


    Still, Jay was in an even worse state than him. His left shoulder was actually dislocated, and he seemed to have lost his consciousness.


    "Clovis, Jay!" Kanaria gasped, not believing what had happened to them.


    Clovis pointed at Jay with a tired smile on his face. "You should take care of him. No, Melody, you go to the Silver Star team and request reinforcement from them. If I use the radio, our condition might be exposed and it will become a good time to kill us.@@@@


    "Kanaria can stay here and tell me about what happens. Also, we have to get their essence so that no one dares to steal it from us." Clovis let out a sigh of relief now that the two had returned.


    The last part was the one that hit her the most. She didn''t expect that Clovis was still thinking about her and her dream.


    She couldn''t help but tease him, "Maybe that businessman will marry his daughter to you? Don''t you always want a sugar mommy?"


    "That was a joke obviously." Clovis shook his head helplessly.


    Kanaria chuckled. "I''m just teasing you. But how do we find a company of that scale?"


    "We probably have to leave the city. Don''t you remember that your mother told us that we only have a year? A month is about to pass. But looking at our progress, we should be able to reach Tier 2 within two months. And reaching Tier 3 shouldn''t be impossible before the time limit is up.


    "After settling all the business here, I''m planning to travel to another place to find a different opportunity and talent."


    Kanaria thought for a moment. "That sounds good. A year, huh? It''s going to be a long time for us... Then again, will the beast soul still be relevant for us after one year? Well, even if it''s not, it still gives us a good amount of money, so it''s fine I guess."


    "Yeah."


    "I will try to find a way to use it in less than a year. I don''t know if it''s possible or not though." Kanaria shrugged. "In the worst case scenario, we can get a doctor or scientist to do it for us before killing him to keep him silent."


    Clovis smiled wryly. Sometimes, he was a bit surprised by Kanaria''s ruthlessness. "We''ll just save things up for the time being. Besides, we have my items right now, so we don''t have to force it."


    Clovis also planned to open a new store too, so he wasn''t that worried about the beast soul.


    "Yep." Kanaria nodded with a gentle smile as if her ruthless plan earlier never came out of her mouth.

 Chapter 143 Request

    A moment ago.


    Clovis and Jay were fighting against the Tier 3 beasts.


    "Oi, oi! You''ve hidden something incredible!" Clovis commented after Jay showed his hidden technique.


    "What I pursue is absolute strength. If I don''t have enough strength, I will just get more of it." Jay smirked. "You, too, are a dishonest guy, you know that?"


    Clovis smiled. "I guess I can''t really hide it from you."


    The rhino was charging toward him as Clovis took a deep breath. The Star Method had been increasing the flow of his blood.


    In fact, Clovis had taken advantage of the Star Method and the fact that he had 60% potential in the Brain and Heart.


    The Heart pumped more blood, which allowed more energy and more oxygen to circulate inside his body.


    When the beast closed in, Clovis took a step to the right, barely avoiding the rhino''s charge. At the same time, he waved his two swords, spun his body, and maintained the same distance to the rhino.


    As the rhino passed him, Clovis had cut the beast more than twenty times. In sports or martial arts, the supply of oxygen would be the most important. That was why they developed a breathing technique or pattern.


    However, due to the Star Method, Clovis was actually able to circulate the blood more effectively, allowing him to produce more energy and last longer with the same single breath.


    That was why Clovis was able to unleash all his strength for a second, unleashing twenty strikes in rapid succession. However, that wasn''t all.


    While he was still holding his breath, Clovis looped around the rhino''s body, striking it for more than a hundred times in just five seconds.@@@@


    Even Jay wouldn''t be able to compete in speed with Clovis no matter how his muscle developed to increase his agility.


    With their backs facing each other, Clovis was thinking, ''What should I do? Shoot them? The rhino will definitely block my trajectory. Call for help? They are still in the middle of a fight and will definitely be too late. Ask Kanaria and Melody to return?


    But they are exploring the laboratory...''


    Jay, on the other hand, let out a sigh. "Clovis... No, Captain."


    "!!!" Clovis''s body shivered when Jay called him ''captain'' instead of his name. It showed how serious he was about whatever he was going to say.


    "Please leave these two Tier 3 beasts to me. You go kill those beasts."


    "Are you insane?" Clovis couldn''t believe what he had just heard. Even Clovis didn''t have the confidence to hold off the two Tier 3 beasts. But this was still the responsibility of the captain. "If someone is going to hold them back¡ª"


    Before he finished his words, Jay continued, "Your skill is much more efficient in killing those beasts. If there is anyone who can deal with them faster, it will be you. So, go kill them as quickly as possible and help me here, will you?"


    Clovis gritted his teeth. He couldn''t deny that was the more effective plan, but what would happen to Jay?


    Yet, when he heard this rarely determined voice of his, Clovis couldn''t really dismiss his plan.


    Although he didn''t really want to do it, Clovis ran toward the rhino while saying, "I''ll leave them to you."


    "!!!" The moment they saw Clovis moving, the two beasts charged forward to stop him.


    Suddenly, Clovis decreased his pace for a bit, allowing Jay to appear from behind and grab the rhino''s horn.


    "Haaaaaa!" He shouted at the top of his lungs while releasing every ounce of his strength to just change the trajectory of the charge.


    When Clovis saw that opening, he passed the rhino in an instant and headed straight to the beasts that were currently approaching. Both his hands were clenching the swords tightly as he only had one thought in his mind, ''I will end this instantly.''

 Chapter 144 Duty

    "Haaa!" Jay actually managed to stop the gigantic rhino for a second, allowing Clovis to slip away.


    However, the andrewsarchus definitely wanted to kill Jay with this opportunity. It approached Jay and swung its paw from the opposite direction.


    The rhino, on the other hand, stomped the ground and started pushing Jay so that he couldn''t get away.


    Jay gnashed his teeth as he raised his arm, blocking the sweep with his entire body.


    "Kh." While his strength was the same as the andrewsarchus, he had to take this attack without a proper stance because he stopped the rhino. As a result, both of his arms became numb in an instant.


    As soon as the rhino was freed from Jay''s grip, it tried to turn around as if it was planning to catch up to Clovis.


    But Jay suddenly waved his blade, striking the rhino''s head.


    "!!!" The rhino was surprised because that slash ran from the jaw to the head, almost hitting its eye. If not for the numb hand, he would have slashed that eye.


    The andrewsarchus hurriedly struck Jay with its claws.


    "Gah!" Jay endured the pain as the claws actually grazed his back. Jay turned around and struck the second paw, but the rhino was pissed off and struck him from the back.@@@@


    Jay tried to stop it, but the rhino''s horn was far too hard, dislocating his shoulder.


    Despite the injuries, Jay still fought back. He blocked a few attacks, but also received some attacks, heavily injuring him. Even then, he never wavered. His eyes were brimming with hope.


    As long as he stopped them here, Clovis would definitely come back and turn the tide. All he had to do was to endure them. This was his duty.


    On the other hand, Clovis''s situation wasn''t that much better either. Clovis was definitely able to defeat these beasts by himself without a single injury, but the purpose of this battle was different. He had to do it as quickly as possible.


    ''I need more power... more...'' Clovis''s breath quickened as he felt his body responding to his will by giving a surge of strength.


    Jay seemed to have noticed Clovis, so he couldn''t help but smile. The two beasts tried to kill him this time, but Jay turned around and struck the andrewsarchus while blocking its view so that it couldn''t warn the rhino about Clovis.


    The rhino thought that this would be it, but all of a sudden, he felt a sharp pain spreading all over his body.


    "!!!" The rhino tried to see what was happening but found nothing.


    Clovis actually struck the rhino from behind. In just one second, he actually struck the rhino thirty times instead of twenty times. The strength of each strike was also much stronger than before.


    Then, he moved below the rhino and started tearing the abdomen apart before moving to the right side.


    It caused the rhino to turn its head to the right to find out what was going on, but that was when Clovis returned to the bottom of the rhino. He planned to switch to the left to confuse the rhino as he moved closer to the head.


    When the rhino turned its head around and shook its body, Clovis had reached his head.


    "!!!" The rhino didn''t expect Clovis to appear before him, even though he was surrounded by a lot of beasts just a moment ago. And that was the last thing he saw because Clovis stabbed its eye.


    *Roar!* The rhino raised its head in pain, but Clovis had actually moved to the side and pointed his pistol at the other head.


    *Bang!*


    The rhino couldn''t even react and lost its vision completely in just a moment.


    Once it couldn''t see anymore, Clovis began cutting its body apart, ultimately killing the rhino.


    After that, Clovis moved toward the andrewsarchus while saying with a grim tone, "Leave the rest to me."


    "Tsk. I always know how strong you are..." Jay clicked his tongue. He was proud that his captain was this strong but frustrated that he still couldn''t catch up to him. Still, he had no choice but to agree because his body was already giving up. "He''s all yours, Captain."

 Chapter 145 Post Battle

    "Ha... Ha... Ha..." Clovis was panting as his body was shaking. Before him was the dying andrewsarchus. It was glaring at Clovis even at its death door, but Clovis had finally cut it down.


    Still, this wouldn''t be possible without Jay''s sacrifice.


    "You''ve truly killed this beast..." Jay was standing beside him, staring at the andrewsarchus in admiration. However, he soon sat down while leaning on the andrewsarchus''s boy. "This is very tiring."


    "Are you alright, Jay?" Clovis looked at him with a worried expression.


    "Other than this shoulder of mine, everything is fine. There are a lot of wounds, but none of them are fatal, so rest assured. I''m just a bit tired." Jay paused for a moment before saying, "You should worry about your own body."


    Clovis coughed a few times, with blood coming out of the last one. He smiled wryly and walked back to the rhino to make sure it had died. After that, he leaned on the rhino before his feet eventually gave up.


    But when he raised his head, he noticed that Jay had actually closed his eyes.


    "Oi. Jay?!" Clovis''s expression turned grim. However, he soon stopped when he saw Jay''s diaphragm''s movement, which was quite stable. It seemed that he had just passed out. Still, he had to be treated as quickly as possible.


    Clovis finally let out a long sigh, feeling a bit relieved. His body was heavy as if all the tension had left.


    Clovis couldn''t help but look up, muttering inwardly, ''Seriously, what was that feeling? Just for a moment, I felt like my body was surging with strength. Everything also looked much slower. The pain in my body... wait a second...''


    He lifted his left arm to see the spot that had been bitten by a beast earlier. To his surprise, the wound had almost closed.


    ''Seriously, what is going on with my body? Does Grandfather know about this? No, even my parents might know something. From time to time, I could enter a state that boosted my ability significantly... pushing my body above its limit.


    "Thank you." Clovis felt relieved to know Jay was fine. He could finally ask Kanaria, "Can you gather their essence, especially these two Tier 3 beasts?"


    "Sure." Kanaria nodded.


    "Please." The captain of the Silver Star team also asked the other subordinate to help Kanaria. After that, he moved closer to Clovis as if he wanted to say something.


    Noticing that the atmosphere had become a bit awkward, Clovis couldn''t help but ask, "Is the situation stable on our side? Should we change our position?"


    "Are you still planning to fight in that state?" The captain''s eyebrows twitched.


    "I can still move or lead my team even if I can''t fight anymore." Clovis shrugged. "Besides, the situation is still dire even if we manage to take down these two beasts."


    The captain thought for a moment. "You are correct. However, we don''t have to report it right now. If we report that we have taken down the Tier 3 beasts, they will assign us a new spot. I''m not sure what''s going on, but it''s clear that they''re trying to push you to your death. So, listen to my advice, don''t say anything."


    "..." Clovis obviously wanted to do that, but he was worried that if they didn''t do anything, the people in the shadows would come out to make the situation even worse.


    That was why he thought it was better to look like he was rushing to his death so that they didn''t use any of the plans they had stored for him.


    However, Clovis couldn''t really ignore his words. After some consideration, Clovis decided, "Alright. We won''t be saying anything."


    "Good." The captain nodded, satisfied.


    Unbeknownst to them, Clovis''s worry would actually come true.


    Outside the city, specifically in the woods next to the city, the Tier 4 beasts actually woke up from their slumber, finding a figure before them.

 Chapter 146 Emergency

    A moment ago.


    "Huh? This doesn''t make any sense. They can actually kill the two Tier 3 beasts."


    "When they killed their first Tier 3 beast, I thought it was just pure luck. During the mall''s incident, while he was able to kill them, he purely relied on his opponents lowering their guards."


    "But this time, it was different. They killed two Tier 3 beasts alongside so many low level beasts. Even that boy, Jay, was it? He could even stop two Tier 3 beasts for a few minutes."


    "Could you do it when you were a Tier 1 human?"


    "I could only kill Tier 2 beasts, and people thought I was awesome." He couldn''t help but look at his partner. "If we let him grow further, wouldn''t he become a threat to us? What if he became a Tier 3 human? We might not be able to do anything to him anymore."


    "No. As long as he doesn''t reach Tier 4, he can''t fight us. You should know that the higher the tier, the bigger the gap between each tier. Even if he is able to fight enemies two tiers above him, he won''t be able to do it when he reaches Tier 3."


    "Still, aren''t you worried? If he ends up surviving, he will definitely become a threat to us."


    "I know. It seems that we have to unleash everything we have prepared if we want to kill him. The rest of the people will end up getting buried alongside them."


    "Yeah."


    Both of them suddenly disappeared.


    ...


    On the other side, Eliot was fighting against the Tier 3 beast.


    "This Tier 3 beast is annoying." Eliot shouted while waving his mace, launching the Tier 3 beast into the sky. As expected of a Tier 3 human, he managed to injure the beast with only one superficial wound.


    While he was fighting this beast, he couldn''t help but think, ''They haven''t sent any reinforcement requests yet. Are the beasts so slow in killing them?''


    It didn''t seem that the beasts had broken through yet, so it was clear that they were still fighting against them.


    *Roar!*


    *Roar!*


    *Roar!*


    "We are picking a large number of beasts moving outside the beasts. They are probably planning to enter the city from the north and south gates. There are some beasts coming from the west. We don''t have the manpower to check whether the Tier 4 beasts in the woods have moved or not, but judging from the roars, there are about 600 beasts coming from those three directions to surround us."


    The emergency message was broadcast on all radios, alerting even the commander who was fighting the Tier 4 beast.


    Eliot raised his eyebrows. "What? Are you serious?"


    "This doesn''t look good."


    "How? We haven''t provoked them."


    The people were complaining on the radio, knowing how dangerous the situation had become. This wasn''t what they agreed to before.


    This raid was focused on the beasts inside, so the fact that the beasts outside the city suddenly entered the picture meant the end of the raid. They didn''t have the manpower to handle all those beasts.


    The number alone indicated the presence of Tier 3 or even Tier 4 beasts leading them. So, there was only one thing to do, which was to retreat.


    However, all the people in the vanguard teams knew that the area between them and the other two teams still had two Tier 3 beasts. If they wanted to escape, they would have to fight them first.


    In other words, there would be a lot of casualties just to escape. And there was no guarantee that the rest could actually outrun the beasts due to their speed.


    Even the commander didn''t say anything yet because of this fact.


    Yet, amidst the danger, Clovis''s voice echoed on the radio, giving people hope.


    "This is Clovis from Libation Fiesta. We have killed the two Tier 3 beasts. Our group and the Silver Star team are abandoning our post and heading back to get the vehicles. Please advise our rendezvous point."

 Chapter 147 Retreating

    "This is Clovis from Libation Fiesta. We have killed the two Tier 3 beasts. Our group and the Silver Star team are abandoning our post and heading back to get the vehicles. Please advise our rendezvous point."


    "!!!" Everyone couldn''t help but raise their eyebrows, noticing this announcement.


    The shield and reserve teams were occupied by the Tier 3 beast and Tier 4 beast. The vanguard team had faced the same opponent, but Clovis''s group had to take on two Tier 3 beasts.


    This announcement made it clear that they managed to kill those two Tier 3 beasts. In addition, they were the first to react and handle the situation.


    When things were bound to get worse from this, Clovis came and offered them a solution.


    The Tier 4 commander immediately announced, "Liza, you''ll handle all the details, including the rendezvous point. The shield team and reserve team will continue holding back the enemies. The vanguard team will disengage and sweep in from the right."


    Now that the official order had been given, they had no choice but to comply.


    Ivan couldn''t help but grit his teeth, realizing that Clovis had just taken the spotlight again. He never thought that all these beasts were not enough to kill Clovis.@@@@


    On the other hand, Clovis was running with the Silver Star Team. Jay was carried by one of the members of the Silver Star team.


    "Is this going to work?" The captain asked.


    "Yes. How many people in your group can drive?" Clovis asked.


    "Including me, we have four people."


    "In that case, we only have one, considering the other one is unconscious." Clovis thought for a moment. On the one hand, he wanted to recover his car, which had been put in a different location. On the other hand, the best choice would be to bring the biggest vehicles among all of them.


    It seemed that he had no choice but to abandon their car here.


    All of them immediately stepped on the gas, heading to the rendezvous point that had been updated by the commander''s assistant.


    The location was actually right near the battle area of the shield team and the reserve team. Once they reached there, they wouldn''t have a lot of time to get in since these beasts would definitely come after them.


    Still, the vanguard team had disengaged and started coming toward this spot while the Tier 4 and Tier 3 beasts were chasing after them. In this situation, if they weren''t fast enough, they would be pincered from two sides or, even worse, completely surrounded.


    The commander''s assistant was clever enough to use a four way junction to ensure that they would at least have one or two ways to escape or break through.


    The closer they went to the battlefield, the more chaotic it became. They heard loud explosions and gunshots filling the area. The roars of the beasts were so intense that they could feel their ferocity from far away.


    Once they reached the rendezvous point, Clovis could see beasts in two directions. Without hesitation, Clovis announced it through the radio. "This is Libation Fiesta. We are in position."


    Some people turned around to check whether the vehicles were there or not. The commander''s assistant immediately said, "Starting from Tier 0 humans, board the vehicles. Make sure to fill up the bus first. The rest will provide some covers."


    Without hesitation, a lot of people disengaged and headed to the vehicles, finding the bus.


    "Hmm." Clovis observed the battle for a bit before asking, "Melody. How many beasts are there?"


    "Approximately four hundred beasts. But there should be about six hundred beasts at the beginning. They couldn''t really kill a lot of beasts when they focused too much on the Tier 4 beast."


    "Fair enough." Clovis nodded. "Should I help them?"


    "No. While helping them is good, they might end up adjusting their movement because of your sudden act. It''s better to remain here and provide cover fire."


    Even though he wanted to help, it didn''t seem that the beasts were coming here. At the same time, he noticed a few people coming from the opposite direction, indicating that they were the vanguard teams. As he expected, Ivan and the others were there.


    Clovis and Ivan couldn''t help but look at each other, harboring their own thoughts.

 Chapter 148 Betrayal

    Ivan could see all the wounds Clovis had on his body. It was clear that the battle was intense, but Clovis actually managed to defeat those beasts. He simply couldn''t believe it.


    On the other hand, Elina was observing Clovis coldly, wondering if the Silver Star team had helped them or not. If they managed to do it alone, she had to report this to the president, informing him that Clovis and his group were much stronger than they originally expected. And no small trick would be enough to eliminate them.


    Like how they saw his condition, Clovis also observed their state. They weren''t sweating, their clothes weren''t wrinkled from all the movements, and they didn''t have any blood on their clothes or bodies.@@@@


    It was pretty clear that they didn''t participate in the battle.


    ''So that''s how it is. They are waiting for my reinforcement request before taking all our credits.'' Clovis instantly understood the arrangement. The one who orchestrated all this should be Eliot.


    Clovis couldn''t help but say in a condescending voice, "Well, well... You guys are so strong. I can''t be compared to you guys, who are able to fight without breaking a sweat or getting hurt. If only I''m strong enough, I don''t have to endure all this pain."


    "Kh." Ivan looked like he was about to blow up, if not for Elina''s hand which stopped him.


    "Let''s go! It''s better to go inside the bus, or we will only be reprimanded again. Ignore him for now!"


    Kanaria should feel delighted to see their frustrated faces when entering the bus.


    Meanwhile, the rest of the vanguard team looped around and hit the beasts that the shield and reserve teams handled from the left.


    *Bam!*


    "Kill them!"


    "Hurry!"


    The commander had jumped into the air and hit the Tier 4 beast, knocking it down. This slight gap allowed the people to reorganize their ranks before retreating.


    "Go!"


    "Let''s go!"


    More and more people rushed back to the bus, not wanting to delay the retreat for a second longer.


    They easily hopped on the back of the truck. Five people, including the two captains of the shield and the reserve teams, took Clovis''s truck while the commander, Eliot, and the rest took the other truck.


    "Go, go, go!" The commander shouted when all of them had hopped on.


    Melody hurriedly drove the truck, chasing after everyone.


    Clovis and three more people who used guns hurriedly shot at the beasts to slow them down.


    The beasts became even more ferocious as if they realized that the humans were about to get away.


    If they managed to escape this situation, Clovis''s group would be without a doubt the biggest contributor to this raid. No other group could come close to this.


    Two Tier 3 beasts, hundreds of lower level beasts, and the escape should be enough for Clovis to earn at least five hundred thousand from this raid. If they didn''t even give him this much, it meant that their lives weren''t worth that number.


    Clovis let out a long sigh when they started moving. With this speed, the beasts might still be able to catch up, but those fast beasts usually don''t have a high defense. The bullets should be enough to stop them from chasing.


    They still had the commander to take care of the Tier 4 beast. So, they should be able to escape with this.


    *Bang!*


    *Bang!*


    *Bang!*


    Clovis kept shooting at the beasts, stopping them.


    ''So, this is what a big group can do... If we focus our firepower like this, we can easily wipe out all these beasts...'' Clovis finally understood what concentrated firepower could do. In addition, there were some occasional explosions, which slowed down the beasts severely.


    He noticed that the Tier 4 beast couldn''t move directly due to the traffic before him. With this, they only needed to escape the city through the east gate and head back directly to their base.


    That was what he thought until he felt someone''s palm on his back, pushing him off the car.


    "Eh?" Clovis widened his eyes in disbelief as his vision was already close to the ground.

 Chapter 149 The Culprit

    "Eh?" In just a moment, Clovis felt like the road was so close to his face. His reflex kicked in, causing him to roll on the ground multiple times to soften the impact.


    "Eh?" The people were confused as to what Clovis was doing there. Did he trip? But no one should be that foolish. There was no way he would kill himself like this.


    "Who is that?" Unlike Ivan, Clovis wasn''t that well known. So, most of them didn''t recognize him.


    Still, one of the Tier 2 humans that came from the Blossom team couldn''t help but say, "Isn''t that Clovis from the Libation Fiesta?"


    "Eh? The young man who contributed a lot to this raid?"


    "Did someone push him?"


    "Who?"@@@@


    The people were confused. From his achievement, there was no way Clovis would make such a simple mistake. Yet, everyone was so focused on the beast before that they didn''t realize it.


    However, the Tier 2 human on the same truck as him couldn''t help but notice Clovis''s previous position. Since he was suppressing the beasts with his gun, he positioned himself on the edge. On the other hand, the people who didn''t have guns immediately moved to the opposite''s corner so as not to mess with them.


    That was why everything looked pretty clear as there was actually one person who didn''t have the guns but stood in the middle of the compartment.


    "Captain Nek... you..."


    His voice couldn''t help but echo in everyone''s ears as they all looked at one single person.


    ...


    Last night.


    After seeing Clovis flirting with Kanaria, Ivan walked away from the group to meet a person.


    "I want you to kill him."


    She hurriedly stepped on the brake, causing the momentum to make all the people on the truck fall.


    "What?!"


    All of them panicked as Melody hurriedly came out of the vehicle.


    "Oi, what are you doing?" The people sitting next to Melody were confused, but Melody simply shouted, "Are you insane? I''m not going to leave my captain behind!"


    The same applies to the commander. As a Tier 4 commander, he had to take responsibility. He didn''t know why it all happened, but if he let Clovis, the biggest contributor to this raid, die just like that, he couldn''t imagine the damage.


    He jumped off and said, "All of you can go. I will try to bring him out. It''s easier for me to go alone!"


    Clovis gritted his teeth while slashing the beasts on both sides. The other beasts approached him at a much faster speed, smacking his back and head.


    "Kh!" Clovis endured the pain and rolled on the ground before standing back up. After that, he shot a few times while trying to make his escape.


    When he heard Melody''s voice, he hurriedly said, "Go, Melody. I will be fine."


    "What''s going on?" Kanaria''s voice immediately echoed.


    "Watch out!" Melody didn''t respond to his words. Instead, she was warning him about what she saw.


    Clovis raised his head as the beast that was about to hit him got stomped by the same beast that the commander fought earlier. In other words, the Tier 4 beast was right before him.


    "Oh shit." Clovis raised both swords, trying to block the beast''s sweep.


    However, it was so powerful that the sweep launched him into the wall of the building on the side. Clovis never had a chance against a Tier 4 beast like this.


    "You!" The commander roared while jumping into the air, kicking the beast away.


    "Clovis! Respond to me!" Melody panicked. She didn''t want Clovis to die.


    "This is Clovis. Leave without me. Bring my teammates away if it means you have to knock them out!" Clovis made the announcement on the radio.

 Chapter 150 Screwed

    "Clovis!" The Blossom team''s member jumped off the truck and held Melody before she chased after Clovis.


    "Oi. Let''s go! Your captain is the one telling you to go!"


    The others seemed to help him restrain Melody before someone else drove the truck.


    "What is happening over there?!" Kanaria roared inside the bus while the people were holding her back, not knowing what happened. At the very least, they couldn''t stop the bus.


    It looked heartless, but this was the most reasonable choice. Instead of killing themselves by charging at these beasts, it was better to only let Clovis die. Even Clovis told them to abandon him.


    In addition to the commander''s words, they hurriedly drove away, leaving the two behind.


    "Oi. Are you alright?" The commander asked out loud.


    Clovis slashed a few beasts while running inside the building. He shouted, "If the commander can bring some of them away from me, I can find a way to escape. No need to do that much for me, Commander."


    "Are you sure?" The commander couldn''t believe what he heard.


    "Of course. Didn''t you hear it on the radio? I killed a Tier 3 beast." Clovis nodded.


    If that was indeed true, it meant that Clovis''s strength was great enough to find a way to escape this place. In that case, the least he could do was lead this Tier 4 away.


    Clovis had reached the third floor, so he was probably trying to escape through the roof. The commander, on the other hand, chose to believe Clovis. This way, he didn''t have to sacrifice his life as well.@@@@


    He kicked the Tier 4 beast with all his strength, getting its attention. After that, he allowed the Tier 4 beast to slap him and destroy the building on the opposite side.


    The commander escaped through this building as the Tier 4 and a lot of beasts were chasing after him. Still, he was a Tier 4 human, so it wouldn''t be hard for him to escape from here.


    Once Clovis reached the rooftop, he jumped to another roof behind this building. Instead of using the stairs, Clovis simply leaped off the building before turning around and tossing his short sword.


    He used the chain to stop him from falling. Once he realized he had reached the second floor, he pulled out the short sword and landed on the ground safely.


    Some of the beasts jumped straight at him, while others searched for the stairs.


    Clovis hurriedly found another way to get to another block. There was a tall wall separating the two blocks, but it didn''t matter. He just jumped on the wall two times to reach the top.


    After that, he pulled himself up and jumped off.


    Unfortunately for him, the moment he reached this block, he heard roars coming.


    Since they didn''t want to kill him, he wanted to know what they would do once they thought he had died. If they immediately retreated from the city, it meant that he could escape their surveillance. But if they didn''t, he would have to handle them in one way or another.


    What Clovis didn''t know was that the ones who panicked the most when Clovis was pushed off the truck were them.


    "Where is he?"


    "Oi. This is not the plan. Why did that person push him off?"


    The two assassins couldn''t believe what they had just witnessed. Both of them were ready to go all out in order to save Clovis.


    It was true that they wanted to kill Clovis, but that was by allowing the beasts to kill him. Meanwhile, what actually happened here was an attempted murder.


    And there might be a connection between that person''s intention and the beasts they brought to this city. After all, they wouldn''t retreat or become this desperate if they didn''t bring in this beast.


    If Clovis''s grandfather heard about this, their organization would definitely be destroyed.


    Without hesitation, they chased after Clovis. No matter what, they had to save Clovis. That attempted murder simply made all their plans useless. Today, Clovis couldn''t die.


    However, when they caught up to Clovis, he was nowhere to be found. Only some blood traces remained on the floor.


    "It stops here..."


    "What? The beast swallowed him?"


    "This... Is this considered killing him directly or indirectly?"


    "We''re screwed the moment that bastard pushed him off the truck!"


    "Then... what should we do?"


    "No. Don''t panic yet. He might manage to get away from here. We should get the blood sample to confirm if it''s his blood or the beasts''. And let''s go around to search for him."


    "Should we just kill all those people before they can reach the city?"


    "It''s impossible to do that. They can easily send all the information back to the city unless we can kill them all simultaneously."


    "So..." The guy''s face became pale.


    "Yeah. We''re screwed."

 Chapter 151 Reality

    "What the heck did you do?!" Kanaria shouted while holding her pistol as if she wanted to kill the person before her. However, several people were holding her, preventing her from doing such a thing.


    Melody was also angry, but she had to stay by Jay''s side. In the meantime, she kept trying to contact Clovis but never got connected. Melody''s face became pale as though she thought this was the end of Clovis.


    All of them could feel their anger. How could they not? Clovis had done everything he could to contribute to the raid. Without him, they might not even survive.


    But Nek, the captain of the shield team, simply walked away as if he didn''t care about it.


    The commander hadn''t gone back yet since he had to return by foot after saving Clovis. Still, unlike Clovis, who couldn''t be reached by any means, the commander had informed them through the radio that he would return.


    There was a sign of disappointment when he knew that Clovis didn''t have any response. He had no choice but to believe in Clovis at that time. But he must have miscalculated the condition of his body. He was still heavily injured from the fight against Tier 3 beasts, so it wouldn''t be weird if Clovis ended up succumbing to his wounds.


    While the majority of the people were sad after hearing the news, some were happy. The happiest one was none other than Ivan. There was only one thought in his mind. Now that Clovis has died, no one will be able to stop him anymore.


    Nek simply left them. No matter what he did, his reputation would be destroyed. But it didn''t really matter. He got the money he needed. A hundred thousand union dollars for killing a mere Tier 1 human was a huge sum of money.


    When Kanaria saw his car moving away, she was gritting her teeth. The people felt that she didn''t react as much, so some tried to move away.@@@@


    Her body was shaking. Now that she couldn''t release her anger, the tears started to come out of the corner of her eyes.


    Once people saw those tears, they couldn''t help but let her go. Kanaria simply dropped to her knees.


    "This..." They didn''t know what to say at this point. Everything was simply unfortunate. Even though they managed to survive, they didn''t feel that good.


    Kanaria couldn''t help but cry. All the memories she had with Clovis flashed through her mind.


    "Kanaria."


    Melody''s voice soon echoed in Kanaria''s ears as the latter raised her head, finding Melody carrying Jay on her shoulder. "Let''s go to the hospital."


    Melody was indirectly implying that we shouldn''t be too weak, we still had one more person to take care of.


    Kanaria clenched her fists tight, her nails almost pierced the skin of her palm. But a word still escaped her mouth.


    "Yes."


    ...


    In another city.


    An old man was standing in front of a building. He looked thin and frail. Even passersby thought that he was harmless even though he suspiciously remained still in the middle of the night.


    The building before him was a five-story building located in the middle of the city. While it was built no different than the buildings around it, its identity was a bit special. It was the branch of the assassin group that had been trying to kill Clovis this whole time, the Red Dagger.


    The old man let out a long sigh.


    "I have given you the warning, but it seems that you don''t heed it." The old man placed his hand on the wall gently as if he didn''t have any strength at all. He closed his eyes for a moment before muttering, "While I don''t believe that my grandson will die so easily, you really need a punishment."


    He opened his eyes and pressed his hands against the wall.


    *Bam!*


    In an instant, the building trembled as cracks appeared all over the building and showed a sign of crumbling.

 Chapter 152 Angry

    *Bam!*


    A crack spread all over the building, making it look like it was about to collapse at any moment. Yet, there wasn''t a single window that actually shattered as if the old man was able to control his strength to an absolute degree.


    All of a sudden, a man came out of the window. He had a sword on his hand while shouting, "Who are you?!"


    "I am just a simple old man," he replied with a face devoid of emotion.


    "If you''re not going to talk, then I''ll make you talk!" The man disappeared into thin air.


    The old man slowly raised his other hand, where the man suddenly appeared before him, the old man''s hand capturing his head.


    "!!!" The man widened his eyes in shock. "What? I''m a Tier 7 human, but..."@@@@


    As a Tier 7 human, he had obviously fought against a Tier 8 human just to test his strength. However, a Tier 8 human was never this strong in his memory. In other words, the old man before him was beyond that.


    There was only one man in his mind who would do such a thing. "You... You are... Michael Hac¡ª!"


    Before he finished his words, he felt a sharp pain in his head as the old man was trying to crush his skull. He drew his sword, trying to cut him. But the next thing he realized, his hand was actually flying into the air with the sword.


    The man was shocked as he opened his mouth once again, trying to say something. Sadly, he didn''t get a chance to even utter a single word before his head exploded, splashing blood everywhere.


    "This is the first... You better pray that my grandson manages to survive, or I will destroy all of you." The old man lowered his body while placing his hand on the ground.


    *Boom!*


    There was a huge explosive sound across the city, alerting all the people inside. The ground even trembled as though there was an earthquake.


    The high tier humans in the city couldn''t help but realize that this was not an ordinary earthquake.


    There was no other word that could describe this situation.


    The boss pinched the bridge of his nose while saying, "Find out the person who pushed his grandson and use it to try appeasing his anger. I will try to find another solution in the meantime."


    The atmosphere turned so awkward that his assistant chose to leave instead of staying inside.


    ...


    They were not the only ones who actually made a move.


    In another country, someone was actually smiling after hearing this news. "So, that madman is not far from us... Send all our scouts and try to tail him."


    "Should we kill him?"


    "No. Just find his location and give away that information. I bet there are some who would like to come for his life."


    "Since he is far away, shouldn''t we target his son and daughter-in-law?"


    "That''s where you''re wrong. We shouldn''t corner that madman so much. Even if three out of ten Tier 9 humans besieged him, he could still drag one down with him while heavily injuring the other two. And those two would be killed by other Tier 9 humans who want to take advantage of that weakness.


    He is a man who values family more than his life, so we won''t target his family since they are the ones making him weak."


    "Understood."


    People all over the world started making their moves. This was the reason why Clovis''s grandfather chose to hide instead of actively protecting his family.


    He knew that he would just bring more danger to the family. Once he made a move or was even injured, there would be more people that came after him.


    And this time, he came out once again after knowing someone had broken the rule.

 Chapter 153 Message

    That night, Kanaria returned to her house. Her complexion was pale, her eyes had a big black socket underneath them, and her head was hanging low.


    Her mother, Vania, stood outside the house to welcome her. Sadly, there were no words she could say to fix something like this.


    Revenge? They would do it. However, revenge wouldn''t bring back the deceased. So, it would be impossible to say anything to her.


    The only thing she could do was take care of her, making sure that Kanaria didn''t do anything dangerous.@@@@


    Vania was also hit deeply by this news. Still, she did her best to comfort her daughter.


    ...


    In another corner of the city, specifically inside Nek''s house, the sight that greeted Nek when he came home was nothing but terrifying.


    "What is this?" Nek shouted in horror. He had just gone back from getting the money Ivan promised. His wife and his daughter were on their knees, their hands were tied behind their backs, and their mouths were gagged. Behind them was a man whose eyes were emanating killing intent.


    "Who are you?" Nek gritted his teeth. He wanted to help his family right away, but he was afraid that the other party would do something to them.


    "You don''t need to know who I am. You only need to know that you have made a grave mistake," said the man with a cold tone.


    "Mhmmmf!" The daughter tried to say something, but the man was annoyed by the sound she made, so he kicked the back of her head.


    Her body tilted forward and her head hit the ground, instantly knocking herself out.


    "You!" Nek roared and jumped toward him...or so what was supposed to happen. All of a sudden, he fell to the ground, not because he lost his balance, but because he couldn''t feel his feet anymore.


    "!!!" Nek raised his head and turned around. It turned out there was another man behind him. He had never felt his presence. And the moment he lowered his head, seeing that his legs were cut on the knees, he felt the sharp pain spreading all over his body.


    "Aaaaaarrrgggghhh!" Nek screamed in pain, tears were coming out of his body. If an explorer lost their legs, it was basically the end of their career. However, that was the least of his worries.


    Both of them seemed to have reached an agreement before disappearing into thin air.


    ...


    Unlike them, who were trying to clean up the mess, there was a person who couldn''t do anything.


    Kanaria just sat on her bed while covering her face with her knees. Her gaze was empty as though she didn''t have any more will to survive.


    For her, the world had turned gray and time had stopped. She was supposed to know that being an explorer carried a very high risk. It wouldn''t be weird for them to die suddenly.


    However, this was not what she had in mind. Even if they ended up dying, it would be after fighting against numerous beasts, not a betrayal like this.


    The journey of the Libation Fiesta was over. Even if Jay recovered and took the captain''s position, it wouldn''t be the same anymore.


    Although Jay had never admitted it, the reason they all gathered under the banner of the Libation Fiesta was Clovis. Now that he was gone, no one could replace him.


    ''Why do you have to go like this?'' Kanaria bit her lips while holding the necklace. ''A lucky necklace? If you''re that lucky, then please... allow Clovis to survive. I don''t care whether it''s a miracle or not...''


    Kanaria felt like she wasn''t lucky at all.


    As if the necklace was trying to respond to her, her device suddenly rang.


    "Huh?" Kanaria raised her eyebrows. She didn''t have any mood to pick up her device if not for the fact that it was ringing in a special ringtone. This melody only came if the one sending the message was Clovis.


    How? That was the only thing on her mind. However, Kanaria still reached for her device, clinging to the sliver of hope that the lucky necklace had actually granted her wish.


    And that was where she found her answer.


    Clovis: It took me a while to send you a message, but I want to tell you that I''m alright. There is no need to send reinforcements or anything, since I want to see how the people targeting me react about my supposed ''death.'' Please wait for another one or two days. I''ll definitely return.

 Chapter 154 News

    Clovis woke up, feeling a bit sluggish. His body was hurt, but his wounds had been either covered in bandages or recovered.


    As soon as he entered the mall, the first thing he did was to get all the recovery items and treat his wounds.


    It was quite effective. However, the thing that shocked him the most was the fact that he could stay at Another World Mall.


    "This is truly amazing." Clovis looked at the system and noticed that the visit hadn''t reset. "The fact that I can stay here for a long time is huge. I can escape from my enemy easily and make them think I''m not there. Unfortunately, the visit and the item limits haven''t been reset.


    "Then again, if that happens, I would be able to stay here forever. But if we consider the item limit and visit as the price for saving my life, it''s a cheap price to pay.


    "Still, to be able to test this pretty early is a good thing for me. Unfortunately, there is no connection here, so I can''t really tell anyone about my condition. They must be very sad right now.


    "Then again, it''s better to let those people who are trying to kill me believe I have died first. It''s going to be impossible to hide the news that I''m still alive, but it''s enough to see what kind of things will happen if I die. If something big happens, I''m sure that my grandfather knows about my news as well."


    Clovis thought about it for a moment before grabbing his weapons again. "I can''t stay here forever. Let''s go out and inform them that I''m safe."


    Clovis exited the mall and immediately raised his guard, searching for the beasts around him. Since there was more blood than what he saw before coming here, he knew that the assassins must have come here.


    Fortunately, there were no other beasts. He took out his radar and found the scattered dots around him.


    "It seems I''m safe for the time being." Clovis took out his device with a smile on his face. He hurriedly sent a message to Kanaria and turned it off again so that the latter didn''t call and ended up producing a sound that alerted the beasts.


    ''What should I do next?'' Clovis took a look at the window while holding both swords. ''It''s been a while since I last hunted by myself. I guess I should take my time here. I have plenty of time after all.''


    Melody agreed with the explanation.


    On the other hand, Kanaria thought for a moment before asking, "I''m thinking about getting the reward for the raid while waiting for Clovis to return. By doing so, we will be judged as people who love money more than our team captain. However, I don''t care about that and will treat it as my punishment.


    "And I think this can respect his wish for staying low. What do you think?" Kanaria''s tone was hesitant since he didn''t want to implicate them.


    "Go for it." Jay nodded with a serious expression. "I should be able to move soon, so I might be able to come with you."


    "No. You can rest here. I and Kanaria will go." Melody thought that she should also get punished for not believing in their captain.


    Besides, the reward this time would be extremely big. They had killed two Tier 3 beasts and helped them escape after all. In addition, Clovis was considered a ''casualty'' in this raid. So they would definitely try to compensate for what happened.


    "By the way, Kanaria. Have you seen the news?" Melody asked.


    "What news?" Kanaria tilted her head in confusion. Because of what happened to Clovis, she wasn''t in the mood to read the news.


    "The one that pushed Clovis off the truck died along with his family. It was an arson, they said, but a Tier 3 human would certainly not die from house fire... So, I''m assuming that he was murdered."


    "..." Kanaria paused for a moment before saying, "I haven''t retaliated yet. The murderers are not among us."


    "Then, it might be those suspicious people." Melody sighed.


    "If that''s the case, it will also confirm that no one can kill Clovis directly."


    "Yeah."

 Chapter 155 Monetary Reward

    "So, have you made your decision?" The Tier 4 raid commander looked at the two women before him.


    "Yes." Kanaria''s expression was solemn, while Melody''s was devoid of emotion.


    The commander fell silent for a moment. Obviously, he heard about the incident with Nek after this whole thing. He suspected that this was a retaliation, but this wasn''t his place to meddle.@@@@


    Since the situation had reached this point, he should have stayed out of it.


    "Alright." The commander let out a long sigh before saying, "Your contribution is the highest among all of the other groups. You had killed two Tier 3 beasts and ensured that they didn''t mess with the rest of the team.


    "In addition, your group was the first to react to the sudden attack of the beasts outside the city. Even the Silver Star Team testified regarding your ability and performances, so as the commander, I have nothing but praise.


    "Regarding the essence, you can get it from the room on the right. Meanwhile, for your participation, you get the base reward of twenty thousand union dollars. As a thank you for killing two Tier 3 beasts, the group has decided to reward you with two hundred fifty thousand dollars.


    "By becoming the top group in the raid, you are eligible for the grand prize of a hundred thousand.


    "And thanks to your effort so that our team can retreat safely, we have decided to award you with another one hundred thousand.


    "Last but not least, as compensation for that accident, even after contributing that much, I hope that you don''t mind if I add an additional one hundred thousand.


    "In total, you are eligible for a reward of five hundred seventy thousand union dollars along with the essence you''re entitled to."


    Kanaria looked down for a moment, contemplating. The raid group was huge, so it would be hard to monopolize all the rewards, no matter how good their performance was. In fact, the commander had actually stretched the reward a little bit due to Clovis''s accident.


    More importantly, they awarded this amount of money to a Tier 1 group. It was an unimaginable amount of money for a normal Tier 1 group. And it definitely exceeded Clovis''s expectations.


    They still had the Tier 3 essence as well as other lower level essences. Even if they chose to sell a portion of them, they should get close to seven hundred thousand. This was definitely a reward that couldn''t be ignored for a Tier 2 group or even a Tier 3 group.


    Lovelia gritted her teeth and shouted, "If not for you... How dare you..."


    Kanaria simply couldn''t understand what she was talking about. She hadn''t done anything. Even her family had yet to send experts to deal with those people.


    Lovelia was fuming in anger. On the other hand, Vina tried to stop her while asking, "You''re not the one doing it, right?"


    "Doing what?" Kanaria was bewildered while Melody said, "We haven''t done anything since we''re still devastated. If you''re going to do something to us, don''t expect that we''ll be on the receiving end. We''ll fight back."


    "It''s nothing." Vina shook her head helplessly before turning to Lovelia. "They might not be the ones behind this."


    "Why are you trusting their words just like that? If not for them, Ivan... Ivan..." Lovelia''s body was convulsing. It looked like she was about to explode and do the unthinkable.


    That was why Vina said, "We''re not here to pick a fight. You guys should go."


    Kanaria didn''t know what was going on, but this wasn''t the time to fight with them. So, she grabbed Melody''s hand and walked away, feeling something was amiss.


    As soon as they got away, Kanaria messaged her mother.


    Kanaria: Mom. Did something happen to Ivan?


    Mom: Are you worried about him?


    Kanaria: Heck no. It''s just that I met those girls from his group not long ago. Their expressions were as if something had happened to him.


    Mom: Sent a picture.


    Kanaria and Melody couldn''t help but widen their eyes when they saw the pictures, not believing it was actually possible.

 Chapter 156 Coming Back

    Kanaria and Melody gasped in shock. They exchanged looks before Melody said, "Is this a real image?"


    "I don''t think my mother would send a Photoshopped picture." Kanaria shook her head.


    What Vania sent was actually a picture of Ivan. His face was full of stitches. It looked like there were at least seven sword wounds on his face, deforming it with all those stitches.


    While Ivan couldn''t be said to be the most handsome, he was still above average. So, all these stitches definitely ruined his face.


    They simply couldn''t believe that such a thing would ever happen, especially under the Drake Group''s watch.


    "This... Is this Clovis''s influence?" Melody sucked a cold breath. "Wait a minute. Why did he suffer something like this?"


    Kanaria hurriedly replied to her mother.


    Kanaria: What happened, Mom? You didn''t send people to ruin his face, right?


    Mom: No. I''m not sure about the validity of the rumor as well, but it appears that Nek and him are connected. You can guess the rest.


    "!!!" Kanaria''s body shook as she couldn''t help but say, "Nek... The one who died after pushing Clovis off the truck?"


    "The people that had been targeting Clovis decided to kill him. And the fact that he was connected to Ivan meant the one asking him to kill Clovis was Ivan."


    Kanaria nodded. "Yes. If we take a look at their method, you will realize that those hidden people are trying to kill Clovis indirectly. On the other hand, Nek and Ivan did it directly."


    "So, that''s how it is... No wonder Clovis asked us to hide the news about him because he wanted to see the reaction of those people in the shadows."


    "Yes. This confirms their intention. The hidden danger will only come for the kill when there are enough beasts. This is not a problem for us because Jay and Clovis are strong enough to kill Tier 3 beasts and it''s not like we''re going anywhere near Tier 4 unless it''s a raid or something."@@@@


    Melody pondered. "But Ivan and the Drake Group will be dangerous. The repercussions only came after doing the deeds, so it meant that if we pushed them to a corner, they would just kill us and get destroyed after that."


    "Yes. I''ll discuss this matter with Clovis after he returns." Kanaria nodded.


    "In his house? Well, I guess you can since you two have been living together." Melody shrugged.


    Kanaria only offered a wry smile as both of them started going to their respective destinations.


    Melody immediately went back to the hospital, while Kanaria decided to take care of the house until Clovis returned.


    In the meantime, Clovis was slashing one beast after another.


    "Ha... Ha... This is quite hard." Clovis panted a few times while looking at his surroundings. "To think that I would be this tired from killing only seventy beasts."


    Although there were a lot of Tier 1 beasts, it wasn''t at the level at which they could threaten Clovis. Then again, he was always helped by the radar and Melody''s instructions, so having to watch out for his surroundings took a toll on his mind.


    This experience just reinforced the reason why he desired a group that could grow together.


    Because no one would judge him like this, he had the chance to test the limits of himself as well as the mall. He had been utilizing all kinds of items to recover his stamina or injury, but it started getting rough after seven hours.


    So, Clovis decided to call it a day. His first destination was actually the car they left behind.


    He never thought that the car they had abandoned would be useful for him. Since they had hidden it well unlike the rest of the group, the car was still intact.


    Then again, he didn''t have any experience driving. So, he used the next five hours to actually learn how to drive.


    All the lessons were in the Skynet anyway and there wasn''t anything around him. So, he just moved slowly but surely, getting accustomed to driving. If he failed to bring this car back, he could simply use the retreat as an excuse. If he managed to bring it back in one piece, he could save some money to buy a few things.


    Due to his Blood Affinity, he managed to react much faster. While the sudden brake or gas was uncomfortable, he managed to reach the gate without hitting a single thing.


    With a big smile on his face, he could finally return. "Alright. It''s time to go home!"


    Or that was what he thought until he returned to the base, only to find himself stopped by the city''s police at the gate.


    "You don''t have a driving license? Even though you are an explorer and driving outside the city, you can''t break the laws, you know. Who is your guardian? I''ll have to give you a ticket."


    "..."

 Chapter 157 Report

    "Hahahaha!" Kanaria laughed out loud while listening to Clovis''s story. Originally, she was panicking when Clovis called her, thinking that he wouldn''t be back soon.


    However, the next thing he said, she realized that Clovis was being stopped at the gate for a dumb reason.


    She simply couldn''t comprehend how he even got into that situation. All the tears were simply swept away by this funny news.


    Clovis rolled his eyes as he ended up having the car towed. Then again, this was much better than crying.


    "I''m sorry for making you worry." Clovis sighed. "I had to hide myself in a tight space and not make any sound. I needed to even smear my body with their blood."


    Kanaria smiled wryly. She thought she had lost him forever. "As long as you''re back, it''s all good."


    "I guess everything can wait for tomorrow. I''m going to take a bath and a good night''s sleep first before doing anything." Clovis thought that even if he did it today, it wasn''t like he could visit the mall. The visit hadn''t reset after all.


    "Yup."


    Since he returned with their car, all the luggage inside the car could be brought back, so they wouldn''t need to pay more to restock their equipment.


    During the dinner, Kanaria reported everything regarding the group. Clovis had no qualms about Jay''s treatment, and this much money could be used for a lot of things.


    Still, he was a bit surprised by what happened to Nek and Ivan. Nek''s fate might have been sealed the moment he tried to harm him directly. But it seemed that he had underestimated his grandfather''s influence.


    If Ivan, who was the mastermind behind it, faced this type of consequence, it meant that the condition placed on him by his grandfather was much more severe.


    "We currently don''t have a goal. I mean the short-term goal. For example, last month, we were aiming for a raid. What about now? We do still need to get stronger, but we don''t have a target. While it''s true that we should aim for the best, it''s better to have a goal so that the training will be much more effective."


    "Ah!" Clovis agreed with her. Even his grandfather told him to have short-term goals from time to time, and his progress has been smooth because of them. The goal had to be realistic, but not too easy either. "Do you have an idea?"


    "Nope." Kanaria shook her head helplessly. She thought about asking her mother, but she didn''t want to be overly reliant on her. So, it was better for the group to find their new goal.


    Clovis thought for a moment and asked, "Is there a raid or something? It doesn''t need to be a raid. Things like competition can be used as a goal too."


    "Let me search." Kanaria hurriedly searched it on the Skynet, only to find nothing. "Nope. There isn''t anything right now. No raid, no tournament, whatsoever."


    "I see. This is concerning." Clovis sighed. "Anyway, it will still take a while before Jay''s injury recovers, so maybe there will be one in a few days."


    "Alright." Kanaria nodded. "One more thing. Because of this incident, Ivan''s approach might be more direct as he won''t care about anything other than your death."


    "I''m not worried about that. What I''m worried about is actually you, Jay, and Melody. What if they aim for the three of you instead of me?"


    "That''s true." Kanaria fell into deep thought.


    "Anyway, we can worry about it later. I''m sure that you''re tired too, so let''s continue the discussion tomorrow." Clovis looked at Kanaria''s face. Although her complexion had gotten better, she still looked tired since she didn''t have a good sleep yesterday and had to do all the work today.


    Of course, he was also excited for the new store in Another World Mall, which he could unlock tomorrow after getting all the money. He would have to find a chance to actually enter Another World Mall.


    However, he couldn''t deny the fact that tomorrow would be an exciting day. He wondered what kind of store would open this time, considering the reward was slightly different this time.

 Chapter 158 Assistant

    The next morning, the first thing they did was go to the bank to get their money before heading to Essence Bank to sell some of the essence. They had shown the list to Jay and Melody, so they knew which ones they could sell.


    In total, the group got a little over seven hundred thousand, which made Clovis smile brightly. It was a good amount since he could definitely splurge it in Another World Mall.


    After getting all the money, Clovis and Kanaria headed to the hospital to visit Jay and finish the payment for the treatment.


    But before that, they visited Jay''s room first. Of course, this was Clovis''s request.


    And after talking for a bit, Clovis finally excused himself. "Sorry, guys. I''m going to the toilet for a bit."


    Yes, he ran away with all the money. After locking the door and ensuring that no one was here, Clovis hurriedly entered Another World Mall.


    Clovis opened the system.


    [Name: Clovis Hacfield.]


    [Membership: Level 9 (Better Novice)]


    [Money: 793,040 Otherworldly Coins.]


    [Item Limit: 8/Visit]


    [Visit: 1(2)/Day]


    "Yep. I still have five hundred thousand even after paying for the membership. This should be enough for a while since we have to wait for a week until Jay recovers before going on another exploration."


    Without hesitation, Clovis opened the membership tab and pressed upgrade.


    Membership: Level 10 (Small Elite)


    Upgrade Membership: 500,000 Otherworld Coins/Month.


    Benefit: An additional branch for a few stores.


    The Another World Mall upgraded his status right away.


    [I can assist you in buying items, Master. I can both bring your luggage and even register it in the cashier.]


    "Oh? Can you help me with that task?"


    [Yes. The data since you arrived here has been transferred into my database. I believe that helping you in that area will improve a lot of convenience for you.]


    "That''s quite good. Anything else?"


    [If you order me, I can make a purchase for you without the need to go here. For example, you just have to authorize me to use your funds to buy a few things. Of course, the visit and item limit will be used up accordingly.]


    "This is rather tempting." Clovis had been buying everything personally, so if he could order him around like that, he might not need to visit the Another World Mall daily. What if the item limit or visit time increased even further? Wouldn''t he have to visit the mall again and again? It would definitely become tedious in the future.


    If he could authorize the assistant to do all that, he would have time for other things. "Is there more?"


    [Yes. I can answer a few questions at your membership level. For example, I can describe the items for you like who made them or what they used. In addition, I could also give you suggestions on what to buy if you allowed me to.]


    Normally, people tend to focus on the suggestion since it would look like an ad. However, Clovis thought differently. "Suggestions? Could you actually see my Evolution Progress and suggest which items to buy? Maybe, like... computing which items will be good to consume next?"


    [I can''t see your Evolution Progress. But I can store all the information you''ve told me. As long as you provide me with enough information about how you''d like to progress, which traits you want to focus on, and to what level do you want to get first before maxing them, I can give you the suggestion to optimize your purchase.]


    "Interesting." Clovis smirked. "Does that include my teammates? What if I ask you to include my teammates?"


    [It won''t be a problem.]


    Clovis thought this was a good feature. Still, it would be a bit hard to ask for their information since it might raise suspicion if they got too fixated on their evolution traits, considering he had been feeding them items from this mall.


    "How about this?" Clovis pointed at the membership''s reward. "It''s said that the next reward will be an additional brand for a few stores. What does it mean?"


    Clovis had understood the gist of it, but it was better to ask it for confirmation.


    [It means that you will have a few new stores of the same type as what you currently have.]


    Clovis smiled wryly, expecting this answer. He believed that the accessory shop and the boutique would get an additional store brand that sold something slightly different from them.


    He got a good understanding of what the assistant could do. So, he gave his last question before going to the new store.


    "Then... What do you think about this Another World Mall? Why do they have products that don''t belong in my world?"

 Chapter 159 New Store

    "Then... What do you think about this Another World Mall? Why do they have products that don''t belong in my world?"


    [You''re not qualified to know the answer.]


    The robot replied instantly, giving him an idea of what was currently happening.


    Clovis asked another question. "In that case, do elves, dwarves, and other creatures from another world exist?"


    [You''re not qualified to know the answer.]


    It repeated the same answer, which confirmed his suspicion.


    Clovis looked down, falling into deep thought. ''As expected, this might be the situation. Fifty years ago, the world experienced an apocalypse, where the doors to the subterranean world opened. However, there was a message that everyone heard at that time, and it has become public knowledge ever since.


    ''The same words rang in everyone''s mind at that time. It said, "The world has matured. Commencing the simulation." This world that we know of is nothing but a simulation, and if this is the case, it means that there are more worlds that are currently being simulated.


    ''If we take a few examples in a rather common world, we have a fantasy world where demons and demihumans exist. There might be a world that has a zombie apocalypse.


    ''This Another World Mall might get their items from those simulated worlds. This is just speculation, but this Another World Mall is a variable that the owner gives me so that it can turn into an unknown variable that can affect this world.


    ''In the end, it''s a simulated world. Unfortunately, I don''t have any facts to prove it.


    ''Still, my grandfather has been chasing after the truth the whole time. So, he might have been aware of this. It seems that there are more things that I can''t possibly imagine hidden in this world.


    ''And this Another World Mall might be the key to actually finding the truth of this simulation world as well as the connection between other simulated worlds.''


    Clovis''s expression turned grim. He seemed to understand the Another World Mall a bit, but he couldn''t help but feel pissed.


    Even if he wanted to chase after his dream to become the greatest explorer who managed to find the truth, it would still be an opportunity given to him through this mall.


    ''Even so, I still have to move forward. Since I have gotten this key, I should take advantage of it to the fullest and reach my goal.''


    Clovis pumped his fists, steeling his resolve. Even though the mall couldn''t show him all the clues he needed, he might be able to find something if he continued upgrading his membership.


    Still, there was something he wanted to try before heading to this new store.


    "Blue. You''re a robot, right?"


    [Yes.]


    "Then, can you turn into a humanoid robot?"


    [It''s possible, but Master hasn''t gotten the perks yet.]


    "Interesting." Clovis fell into deep thought after listening to Blue''s words. He also took a look at other menus.


    Name: Super Fried Rice.


    Effect: Increase strength by 10% for six hours.


    Price: 1,000 Otherworldly Coins.


    Name: Juicy Pork Chops.


    Effect: Increase Essence Absorption by 10% for ten minutes.


    Price: 750 Otherworldly Coins.


    "What? You have something that can increase the essence absorption? Doesn''t this mean if I eat this, my Evolution Rate can become 25% for ten minutes?"


    [No. It''s 10% of your total evolution rate. So, your evolution rate will only become 16.5% instead of 25%. However, if you can upgrade your strength, the meat you can consume will become more potent. It won''t be wrong to say that it can boost your evolution rate by at least 100%.]


    Clovis looked hopeful. However, he couldn''t help but imagine what would happen if Jay and the others ate it.


    "Can the evolution rate increase above a hundred percent?"


    [There is no prior data.]


    "Oh?! I guess it''s not that omnipotent. No, should I say that this is more like a simulation? They don''t know and want to test it... That''s why they created this simulation." Clovis sighed. "I guess I have to try it myself. Then again, it''s not like I can suggest this to them right away.


    "I have to wait a bit more while introducing more and more items from this mall to them. After they get used to it and our relationship reaches a point where I can openly share the items from Another World Mall, I might be able to test the effect."


    [Besides, this restaurant doesn''t offer high quality ingredients. Instead, it offers a variety of food like the next menu.]


    "Huh?" Clovis was confused at first but when he lowered his eyes, he couldn''t help but cough a few times out of shock.


    *Cough!*


    *Cough!*


    "What the actual hell?!"


    Name: Enhancer King Oysters.


    Effect: Boosting Libido and Stamina by 20% for three hours.


    Price: 4,000 Otherworldly Coins.

 Chapter 160 Privileges

    Clovis pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to act as if he hadn''t seen anything. He reacted a bit too loudly, but he couldn''t help but imagine what would happen after he ate this. No, it might be even more terrifying if Kanaria actually found out about this food.


    Clovis coughed a few more times to regain his composure and said, "I guess I can''t really eat anything from the restaurant right now. That''s right. A menu is equal to an item, right?"


    [Yes.]


    "I see. Is there any limitation? I mean, can I stack them?" It would be great if he could eat a few portions and somehow increase his strength by a hundred percent.


    Unfortunately, it seemed that they had seen through such a possibility.


    [You''re able to consume all you want, but you will only get the effect of the last thing you eat. If you eat another food while the effect is still active, it will be replaced by the new effect.]


    "I see. That''s a shame. I have to raise my tier even further." Clovis nodded with a serious expression. "If that''s the case, I don''t think I can eat anything from here for the time being. Oh, wait... Can I ask for a takeout?"


    [It is possible if you desire it. However, you have to bring the container in.]


    "Hmm? I can actually bring an item into this mall?"


    [Affirmative. Like your clothes, you''re able to bring items into this mall.]


    "But... Every time I''m here... I couldn''t bring my wallet... No, wait!" Clovis suddenly fell silent as if noticing something. He reached out for his pocket and noticed that the wallet was actually inside his pocket. "Now that I think about it..."


    Clovis gasped. He almost forgot that the first time he entered this mall, he couldn''t bring anything other than his clothes. Whether it was his wallet or his swords, he simply left them behind.


    However, he couldn''t remember when he actually forgot about this. He didn''t care anymore about his wallet or swords. In fact, after the last entry to escape from those beasts, he actually entered this place with his swords.@@@@


    "Don''t tell me... the membership..." Clovis looked at Blue with his jaw wide open.


    [As you expected, Master, the more you upgrade the membership, the more privileges you open. They are not included in the reward because it''s not the main reward. However, opening the boutique shop allows you to bring your wallet in. The accessory shop brings in everything attached to your body like weapons or bags.]


    [After opening the restaurant, you''re eligible to bring in a small object.]


    Blood: 30.1%


    Muscle: 36.5%


    Bones: 42.2%


    "With this information and my current money, what item do I need to purchase from the mall? Take into account that I won''t be able to get any money within the next ten days at the very least and I don''t plan to upgrade the membership soon."


    [I suggest that you focus on improving your evolution rate by purchasing the products in grocery stores, depending on what stats you plan to increase. However, you might want to purchase the Dark Gloves.]


    "Dark Gloves?"


    [Yes. It''s a pair of gloves made by the Dark Elves. They are thin, but very durable. They are suitable for Master, who requires high dexterity on the fingers. This will reduce skin contact and eliminate the potential for blisters. It''ll allow Master to hold your sword longer and more efficiently.]


    Clovis raised his eyes, surprised by the assessment. Not only could it accurately know his fighting style, but he also gave him information that he didn''t know.


    He obviously had seen these gloves, but the description wasn''t that detailed. In fact, he didn''t notice the gloves were thin and durable.


    It seemed that the greatest reward from this membership was not the restaurant but Blue.


    Clovis hurriedly went to the store and bought the gloves. Their performance astonished even him. Blue''s assessment was correct and he might be able to rely on him in the future.


    Still, this assessment opened up a few possibilities.


    If only he had the time, the first thing Clovis did after buying the gloves was to give some information about Jay, Kanaria, and Melody, even though he was just speculating their numbers. Then, he would ask Blue about the items that suited them.


    After that, he would continue to look at every single item and want all the detailed explanations from Blue, believing that he might have missed a lot of details from the products they currently had.


    Unfortunately, he had to leave the mall for the time being. He had spent more than twenty minutes, so they might be suspicious and started searching for him.


    He would definitely continue his exploration tonight.

 Chapter 161 Ideas

    "Alright. It''s done. We''ll transfer the patient to the recovery tube this afternoon." The staff smiled and politely bowed to Clovis and Kanaria.


    "Okay." Clovis nodded with a serious expression. Now that he had settled with Jay''s recovery, they could spend the rest of the money for their equipment.


    Obviously, Clovis simply handed the card to Kanaria. "Take the money and buy everything we need."


    "Are you going to come with me this time?" Kanaria asked.


    Unfortunately, Clovis shook his head and said, "There is something that I''m planning to do this time."


    Knowing that the enemies were going to become much fiercer in targeting their group, Clovis was aware that his current strength wasn''t enough to protect his team.


    So, Clovis thought about focusing on his training for a moment.


    "Alright." Kanaria understood his concern since he must have wanted to do a lot of things after realizing that he was that close to death.


    Clovis, on the other hand, wondered what kind of place they would visit next, especially their current goal.


    While Kanaria went back to Jay''s room, Clovis couldn''t help but walk out of the hospital to get some fresh hair.


    During his short walk, Clovis couldn''t help but mutter, "Is there a place that I can use to actually strengthen the group? There are currently no raids or expeditions and I don''t know if there will be one shortly.


    "In the worst case scenario, I have to prepare for the big exploration myself." Clovis looked up, imagining his grandfather. He was always an inspiration to Clovis, so Clovis couldn''t help but wonder what he would do in this situation.


    In the past, Clovis once said, "Grandfather. How did you explore all those areas?"


    "I just went there." Michael tilted his head in confusion.


    "Oh. I worded it wrongly. I meant how did you find all those interesting areas?"


    "If that''s your question, then I can say there are three ways. You can get it from other people. It can be in the form of a raid or exploration... or it can be a rumor or a folktale. Because the subterranean world is still an unknown place to us, we might stumble upon such interesting places in one way or another.


    "If you don''t have anyone to inform you about it, then I think your best shot will be from your target. For example, if you want to find a beast or a local herb, you have to explore all kinds of areas where you might find them.


    "Or the last way is to ignore the warning and just venture into unknown territory. Because I''m the first generation of explorers, I have to go with the third way most of the time. The unknown scares me but also makes me excited. But with you, there will be a lot of tales already...


    "This is just advice from me. Before all this happens, exploration is to satisfy your curiosity and have fun. Sometimes, don''t think about anything and just go wherever you want."


    When Clovis remembered it, he couldn''t help but think, ''That''s so selfish...''


    There was no way he could do that, especially with his current life being targeted. If he died, the group would crumble as well. So, he had to choose his destination carefully.


    All of a sudden, a flash of understanding seemed to appear in his mind.


    However, Clovis shook his head. "No. Let''s find the places by ourselves first. We''ll only ask your mother if we''re stuck."


    "Alright."


    "We have a week to prepare, so take your time to find the destination and buy things we need for the journey. Once Jay recovers, we''ll go."


    They had reached an agreement. Clovis and the others accompanied Jay until he was brought to the special room for the recovery capsule treatment.


    After that, Melody returned to her brother while Clovis and Kanaria headed back to their house.


    Still, Clovis focused on his training once they were back. During the previous battle, he had experienced the same feeling that boosted his strength tremendously. He tried to figure out the secret to activate that hidden power.


    At the same time, he was following Blue''s recommendations and brought things they needed. This trip would be quite special since it was fulfilling their wish instead of their needs.


    Of course, Clovis did his best to find this unique place so that they would have a good time.


    It took them a full three days to actually find a place that fit their requirement. And Kanaria immediately ordered the items for such a journey, since this would be much different than anything they had done so far.


    Finally, after a whole week, the group gathered in the explorer association. Yes, their destination was actually located in the Subterranean World and only through the association could they go back to that world.


    What they didn''t know was that the moment they headed to the subterranean world, the city was actually getting a visitor from afar.


    Above the city was a giant ark floating in the sky due to the engines hanging on the ship''s back. They gradually lowered their altitude and actually landed on a giant field inside the city.


    It seemed that the officials had been waiting for them, including several important people.


    While the ship was opening its hangar, there were two people already standing behind it along with several guards.


    "Is this really the place where Michael Hacfield got his information, which caused him to go berserk?"


    "There is no doubt it''s this place."


    "To think that he leaves behind his bloodline in this faraway place. I wonder what he is planning to do in such a remote place."


    "Isn''t that what you''re trying to find out even though your father has stopped you?"


    "Hahaha. If we can get the Hacfield family''s cooperation, don''t you think it will be amazing for our company?"


    "..."


    "Anyway, let''s go!"


    Clovis didn''t know at the time that the impact of Clovis''s fake death was much greater than he could imagine.

 Chapter 162 Hana Skylark

    A few days ago.


    "What? Miss Hana from OpenSky Company is planning to visit this base?"


    "Are you talking about the heir of the Skylark Conglomerate?"


    "This is..."


    The people inside the room fell silent as they didn''t know what to say. The news was simply too shocking. Why would such a person actually come to this place?


    "What is the purpose of that trip? Is she planning to invest in this city?"


    "No. Why would she even leave her Tier 8 city to go all the way to our city?"


    They all looked at a single person, who happened to be the city''s mayor. He had been the one taking care of this city, but even he couldn''t expect this. However, there were two people who seemed to have understood this kind of move.


    They were the two people who observed Clovis when he first awakened. Yes, the first was Gregory. The second was the other person, who was indebted but didn''t want to get involved.


    Both of them had the same thought. There could only be one reason why such an important person would go all the way to this city. It was definitely related to Hacfield.


    They didn''t know how the matter had been spread, but it seemed that because of the previous incident, Clovis''s identity had been leaked out. No, it would be fair to say that his whereabouts had been determined.@@@@


    This was why they didn''t really want to get involved with the Hacfield family or Clovis. Something like this was bound to happen.


    And there was no way they could reveal Clovis''s identity. In other words, they could only let these people speculate.


    The mayor looked at the documents and said, "In the official document, it appears that she is trying to test the flight ability of the new battleship."


    No one believed that they only came for the test. It was pretty clear that they were here for something.


    However, they weren''t in a position where they could reject this kind of person.


    "It seems that we have no choice but to accept them." The mayor let out a long sigh.


    "Yes, sir." The others also agreed with him. They had to take care of this person as well as possible. If this person was happy and decided to invest in their city, they might get a good investment.


    "What about the landing spot?" One of the members asked.


    The mayor thought for a moment before the president of the Drake Group raised his hand. "If you want one, I have it. There is currently an open field not far from the city center. Since we haven''t started the construction, we can lend you this open space for the battleship."


    "This..." The mayor obviously didn''t want to let the private company take advantage, but because the city couldn''t be expanded easily due to the wall, there wasn''t a lot of space left. It wasn''t like they could tell them to park the battleship outside. "Alright. We''ll allow the Drake Group to take care of it if no one has problems."


    The others were unwilling, but they didn''t have an open space that big. So, they reluctantly agreed.


    "Yes. Since we''re planning to benefit both parties, how about we only allow people under the age of 20? And we''ll be ensuring their lives, so I think it''ll be fine if we pick a slightly harder target. What do you think?"


    The mayor thought for a moment. The proposal wasn''t a bad idea. And training the young people would definitely have a big impact in the future, especially when their safety was guaranteed.


    "I don''t have any problems. It''s just... when are you planning to do this expedition?"


    "Let''s see. We''ll begin in four days. As for the duration, it''ll depend on the target and difficulty."


    "In that case, I''ll do my best to fulfill your request." The mayor nodded before turning to Ivan and his guardian. "I believe that Mr. Thomas will allow Ivan to participate?"


    "Oh?" Hana raised her head as though she were surprised before turning to Ivan.


    "You might not know, but he is the most talented person in this city. He has a 99% evolution rate and a very good talent for learning all kinds of techniques. He and his group are able to take down a Tier 3 beast while all of them are only Tier 1 explorers."


    "That''s amazing." Hana nodded.


    "We''re nothing compared to Miss Hana," President Thomas humbly replied before glancing at Ivan. "Come. Introduce yourself."


    "I am Ivan Anderson. Please give me any task and I will definitely not fail you."


    "Nice to meet you." Hana was still able to smile because Ivan covered the upper part of his head with a mask, not allowing her to see his disfigured face.


    Once they reached an agreement, there weren''t a lot of things to talk about anymore. Hana immediately retired to her room the moment they reached the hotel.


    She stood before the window while looking at the city. She remembered what her butler said earlier.


    "There are a few people watching us right now. With this kind of technique, I believe they''re related to assassination organizations. And there is someone rather special since he managed to escape from my senses earlier."


    "Hoh?" Hana''s expression remained unchanged. She simply said, "I guess this is the right city. Are those assassins belonging to the Red Dagger?"


    "I don''t think they are that skilled. It should be their branch called Dark Emerald. They''re the ones around this area."


    "What about the other one?"


    "I couldn''t find anything about him unfortunately."


    Hana thought for a moment and said, "Either way, our plan is to locate the Hacfield family''s bloodline. I have thrown the bait, so we''ll see if he is going to participate or not. And who is that again? The most talented person in this city?"


    "From what I can see, that young man has a disfigured face. Considering the cruelty and patterns, I think it''s related to those assassins."


    "In that case, he must have met our target." Hana smiled. "Investigate this person and find our target. Look at every remarkable rumor and story... There''s no way someone related to Hacfield won''t be talented."


    "Understood." The butler received the order with a nod before disappearing from the room.


    Hana sighed. "Now I wonder if he is a person that can be bought with money or not. I have prepared a few things, but if we can get him, we will be able to gain the cooperation of the entire Hacfield family. At that time, who will be able to stop us?"

 Chapter 163 Information

    "This doesn''t look good for us." The two assassins narrowed their eyes.


    "Yeah. That old man must have sensed us. He is sending killing intent directly to us so that we don''t do anything to their group."


    "The only reason why their group actually comes here..."


    "Yeah. It''s probably trying to find that guy. I was surprised that he was still alive after all that, but it was clear that we might not have the chance to do anything in the next few weeks. If we mess with them, that old butler is going to kill us."


    "How is his strength?"@@@@


    "I''m not sure. As far as I know, he should be at least Tier 7."


    "We can''t do anything then. This sucks. What if that guy uses this chance to repel us?"


    "It seems that we have to inform the headquarters about it."


    As soon as they reached an agreement, both of them disappeared into thin air.


    The ones who observed Hana were not only them. Even the mole couldn''t help but watch the situation.


    However, he was the first one to leave when he was about to get found out.


    "Well, this is going to be interesting." He smirked as if he had an interesting idea.


    ...


    While they were focused on Hana and her OpenSky group, Clovis was already in the subterranean world.


    They had split up. Jay and Melody had gone to buy a few other things and set up their devices for the exploration. On the other hand, Clovis and Kanaria were going to a bar.


    As soon as they entered the bar, they looked around and noticed a middle-aged man sitting on the corner, waving toward them.


    Clovis''s expression turned grim. He had heard that this mountain was dangerous, but hearing it personally sounded scarier. Still, this was what he called a challenge.


    "What is your reason for going there? Dipping yourself into that natural hot spring? Exploring the ruin? Or just climbing to the very top of the mountain?"


    "The hot spring?" Kanaria looked surprised.


    "Oh? You don''t know about it? If you want to know more about the hot spring, you need to pay me an additional three thousand. But I heard that the hot spring is rich in minerals and can actually strengthen your body or even make your skin smooth." The middle-aged man smirked.


    Kanaria looked like she was about to say something, but Clovis raised his hand, stopping her.


    "Enough. Tell me more about the ruin," Clovis changed the topic back to their original destination.


    "So, you guys want to visit the ruin. Well, it''s not that hard to find the ruin. Mount Kelbia was a former volcano and that ruin was actually a former vent. The ruin faced north and was about halfway to the top. Unfortunately, I didn''t enter that place, but I expected there were a lot of beasts that used it as their nest."


    Clovis took a deep breath before standing up. "That''s enough. Thank you for the information. Let''s go."


    Kanaria panicked and hurriedly chased after Clovis.


    "What a boring boyfriend you have there, Miss! He should have paid for the hot spring for your beauty," said the man with a mocking tone.


    Clovis simply acted as if he didn''t hear it and left the bar. Kanaria''s head was hanging low as if it were a sad thing that they didn''t know about the hot spring.


    But when they came out of the building, a smile appeared on their faces. They had a high-five with both their hands and feet before giving a thumbs up to each other.


    "Nice acting there!" Clovis smirked.


    "He wasn''t aware that we already knew about the hot spring and didn''t realize there was a ruin on that mountain. By acting that way, we didn''t have to pay for the information." Kanaria winked playfully. While they didn''t mind paying another three thousand for the information, that didn''t mean they should.


    To think that the man would actually ask them to pay a total of five thousand just for that information. He tried to rip them off.


    "Let''s go then. Jay and Melody should be waiting for us."

 Chapter 164 Mount Kelbian

    "Let''s go. We have got the information." Kanaria waved her hand to Melody and Jay, who were waiting for them next to the south gate.


    "Yup."


    What they didn''t know was that three hours after Kanaria and Clovis left, there was another person actually inquiring about the same mountain.@@@@


    Meanwhile, the group had headed directly to the mountain. Kanaria briefed them about the mountain and the information they had just received.


    "So, the beasts are going to be stronger, huh? And there are flying beasts right now, which is much harder to deal with. That sounds interesting. I guess Kanaria will be the main offensive against those flying beasts." Melody gave her assessment.


    "There is the ruin too. I''m getting excited right now." Jay smirked, definitely feeling fired up to know that there was a beast nest where he could fight to the fullest.


    "Still, we''re talking about a ruin. I mean, I have heard about ruins appearing in the subterranean world, symbolizing the human ancestors. But there isn''t much information about the ruins since they aren''t that advanced when passing their knowledge. Besides, all of them have been wiped out.


    So, we can''t expect anything from this ruin," said Kanaria, indirectly implying that Jay would definitely have his fill on this trip.


    "We''ve got several missions as well, so let''s take down those beasts. Most of them are Tier 2 beasts, but we have one mission to kill a Tier 3 beast. So, make sure that we complete our priority first before searching for the ruin and the hot spring."


    "It''s not going to be a very tall one, right? I mean, the ceiling above us is only about three hundred meters. It''s going to be a quick climb." Jay shrugged. Three hundred meters might look tall for a normal person, but it was certainly very small for a mountain. "I wonder why they don''t call it a hill since it is only 280 meters above the ground."


    "Nevertheless, we shouldn''t underestimate all the terrain here." Clovis saw that they were about to enter the forest filled with beasts, so he gave his order. "We''ll focus on our destination, so there''s no need to find a perfect place to assist us. Only when we reach our destination can you find places to snipe."


    "Got it."


    There were many narrow paths, but it would be hard to cross all of them, especially when they were being attacked by beasts.


    Still, some small flat plains were visible from the foot of the mountain. There were also some smokes rising into the air, so it was pretty clear that those areas were where the hot springs were. He just had to find the most comfortable ones according to the information they had.


    The problem would be climbing this rocky mountain. If they fell, they would definitely be heavily injured or even die. So, this was going to be a challenge.


    Some flying beasts were spotted flying around the mountain as if searching for their prey. In fact, due to the angle of the climb, they could see pretty clearly some of the beasts from this place.


    "The best plan will be to alert those beasts and force them to go down. Only after we kill those threats can we start climbing." Melody looked concerned since this kind of challenge was much more dangerous when there was a brawl maniac that just wanted to kill these beasts.


    "Does that mean we''re going to camp here first?" Jay asked.


    "Is that even a question? Do you know how dangerous it is to fight on that steep climb or even rest there?" Melody''s eyebrows twitched.


    "I mean, shouldn''t we find the ruin and use it as our camp?" Jay corrected his words.


    Melody suddenly fell silent, realizing that what he said made some sense.


    Clovis looked at the mountain carefully, calculating the danger they would face here. Even he didn''t expect that the mountain was this steep. It was no wonder why that middle-aged man suggested they not visit the mountain just for experience.


    Clovis took a deep breath before saying, "Alright. Here is the plan. We still have three hours before dark, so we will¡ª"


    "Guys!" Kanaria''s voice suddenly echoed in their ears, interjecting Clovis.


    All of them turned around, wondering why she called. Kanaria seemed to be pointing at something behind a tree with a worried face. "I think you need to see this."

 Chapter 165 Suspicion

    "I think you need to see this."


    "What''s wrong?" Clovis furrowed his eyebrows. When he took a peek at the thing behind the tree, he was quite surprised to see a beast''s corpse lying on the ground. "Huh?!"


    Jay remained silent, but he also felt something was wrong. Melody hurriedly kneeled down and inspected the wound. "This doesn''t seem to be from the beasts."


    "Yeah. It''s definitely not a beast hunting another beast for food. Looking at the blood, it shouldn''t be that long." Kanaria''s expression turned serious. If this was indeed a wound that a human inflicted, it meant that there were people around this area.


    "This is quite troubling," Clovis muttered.


    "Should we continue? It''s not like that we''ll have to fight if we meet another person, right?" Kanaria shrugged.@@@@


    Clovis thought about it, but he couldn''t dismiss the possibility that someone was targeting them.


    "Alright. We will go around the mountain to locate the ruin first. Since the mountain is this steep, we should be able to find the entrance from the bottom. We''ll also continue monitoring the radar and making sure that we''re not getting ambushed." Clovis pointed up.


    He was talking about the potential of a sniper. At the same time, there was a chance that people were hiding nearby. That was why Clovis wanted them to go around first.


    "If we take a look at it, don''t you think it''s pretty easy to find the way they climb?" Kanaria pointed forward. There were at least three more corpses or blood traces, showing that whoever came here actually climbed the mountain.


    "Is there something weird on the radar?" Clovis asked.


    "I can''t really find anything. There are some dots around the mountain, but that''s all I can say." Melody crossed her arms, wondering if she could take a different approach to finding the enemies.


    Kanaria was also observing the mountain, wondering if she could find any ambushers or not.


    Because the terrain was horrible, the assassins might have brought the beasts to the top of the mountain and tried to send them down or do something to cause a landslide. Either way, it would be fatal for them.


    After that, the beast in front of him rammed its body into Jay, knocking him back.


    The crisp sound of pebbles echoed in everyone''s ears. They all turned their heads around, shocked to find Jay on the ground.


    "Wha¡ª!" Kanaria grabbed the pistol out of reflex, but before she could provide any help, Jay had punched the beast, knocking its paws away from his sword. After that, he stabbed the beast''s head.


    The other two came toward him, but they all got blocked by Jay''s saber and scabbard. With a single spin, Jay cut down the second Tier 1 beast before overwhelming the third beast.


    Still, they were pretty shocked to find Jay getting overwhelmed like that.


    "I''m fine." Jay said, glaring at them as if indirectly implying that they shouldn''t say anything.


    Jay wasn''t the person to underestimate his opponent even if he didn''t go all out. So, this only confirms the informant''s words regarding the beasts being stronger than the normal ones they had faced so far.


    With this additional information, climbing the mountain had become even more dangerous.


    "Change of plan." Clovis sighed. "We''ll locate the entrance of the ruin and make sure it''s the right one. After that, we''ll try to camp inside the ruin if we find no beasts. If there are a lot of beasts, we''ll immediately go down and set up the camp here. Let''s do it before the sun sets."


    Jay looked unwilling, thinking that he had just underestimated them a little bit. But Clovis didn''t take no for an answer this time


    The entire group hurriedly looped around. Kanaria and Melody had to focus on the mountain to locate the entrance. Meanwhile, Clovis experienced the rumored strength of the beasts here.


    As said earlier, they were indeed stronger. It was a bit more troublesome to take them down one by one, especially if they were on that mountain.


    This made Clovis even more careful with the exploration which possessed a different kind of challenge.


    Fortunately, Kanaria and Melody seemed to be able to locate the entrance of the ruin. While it wasn''t fully visible, it was pretty easy to spot the entrance.


    Without wasting another second, Clovis chose to climb the mountain right away.

 Chapter 166 Inexperienced

    "Clovis! Look!" Melody pointed at the mountain and even marked it so that they could see the same thing. Kanaria squinted her eyes to check.


    "That''s..." Clovis''s expression turned serious the moment he thought this was going to be the ruin.


    "I think that is the entrance. I can see the gap between those vines!" Kanaria nodded.


    The spot that Melody chose was like that of a cave. The entrance wasn''t that big and it had been covered with boulders and vines. However, once spotted, it was easy to determine that there was actually a room inside that entrance.


    Without hesitation, Clovis ordered, "We''ll climb right away."


    "Safety first!" Kanaria stopped them and asked them to put on the harness they had brought. This way, they could somehow attach themselves to the wall. Even if they somehow slipped, they wouldn''t fall too far.


    They exchanged looks. Clovis was the first one to put it on so that the others did the same.


    The preparation was brief. However, they didn''t attach themselves to each other with ropes this time.


    After all of them were ready, they started running toward the mountain. Melody had prepared the path, so they only had to follow it.


    As expected, the moment they began climbing, their position became exposed since there were no trees covering them.


    There were roars and howls filling the air.


    Clovis turned his head around, finding more than ten beasts coming straight at them.


    "Tsk." He clicked his tongue. The current terrain only had a narrow path, so it would be hard to fend them off. Looking at the beasts'' movements, it was clear that these beasts planned to climb the steep wall as if they didn''t care about such terrain.


    The assistant AI had identified them and given them the information on the screen.


    The beasts turned out to be Chalicotherium, a large herbivorous mammal with a unique body structure that lived around twenty million years ago. It had a long neck, a robust body, and long forelimbs with large, claw-like hooves. These adaptations allowed them to navigate through various landscapes, including steep and rocky terrain.


    Its size was also enormous. Each of them had a height of more than two meters. It would be easy for these beasts to grab humans and fall together.


    *Bang!*


    *Bang!*


    *Bang!*


    The bullets all hit their thick arms, unable to actually pierce their flesh.


    It seemed that the beasts managed to learn how to protect themselves after just two kills.


    Clovis couldn''t help but wonder if the beast''s stronger ability originated from the harsh terrain or because it was close to unknown territory.


    Unfortunately, he didn''t have the time to analyze the situation. He just overwhelmed the beasts with all the bullets. A few beasts sneaked around and climbed the mountain through the same narrow path as Clovis''s group.


    Jay immediately moved to the rear and slashed them with all his strength. However, such power required a good surge of strength from his lower body, meaning that he had to step on the ground a bit harder.


    When he did it, the rocks on the edge slid down, destabilizing his stance. As a result, his strength was only a third of what he released, which was easily blocked by even a Tier 0 beast.


    This showed how inexperienced they were on this type of terrain. Yet, their misfortune hadn''t ended yet.


    All of a sudden, they heard a series of cries coming from the air. A single glance was all they needed to see giant birds flying toward them.


    That wasn''t all. There were a lot of roars coming from the opposite side of the Chalicoteriums.


    The cave where they were supposed to go suddenly released one beast after another. It only took them a moment to realize what was going on before they began to go down to reach Clovis''s group.


    "What?" Clovis was stunned. He didn''t expect that the ruin would have so many beasts. Still, this caused them to be pincered in three different directions. Clovis hurriedly said, "We''re going down! Jay is to open the path, Kanaria and Melody will assist him, and I will protect our rear!"


    "Got it!" They nodded after hearing his order.


    Clovis gritted his teeth, looking annoyed. To think that the first climb would be so disastrous.

 Chapter 167 Disastrous Retreat

    Jay moved down quickly, facing the incoming beasts from below. Unlike Clovis, who relied on techniques, Jay focused on his strength. He simply struck the beast from above.


    The beast tried to protect its head by raising its two giant arms, but it was futile. Jay applied every ounce of his strength and sliced through the arms, splitting the beast into two.


    At the same time, Jay did his best to watch his step so that he didn''t slip again. The battle was very tricky for him because he had to refine his normal movements.


    Meanwhile, Melody shot the beasts from above, suppressing them so that they didn''t climb anymore. There were a series of cries from the flying beasts, but Kanaria was there to stop them.


    Unlike the ground beasts, they didn''t have a powerful defense since they focused on their mobility. And at their level, it was practically impossible to outrun the bullets.


    *Bang!*


    A single shot was all it took for Kanaria to kill one flying beast. However, these beasts started to fly around so that it would be hard for them to be shot. In addition, Kanaria had to continue moving down or the group couldn''t proceed.


    Still, Clovis definitely took the hardest job. The beasts that came from above seemed to have gotten used to traveling on this narrow and steep path.


    They ran so fast that the first beast managed to reach him in just ten seconds after Clovis gave his order.


    "Tsk." Clovis clicked his tongue while waving his blade, trying to push the beast. However, due to its momentum and the high ground, Clovis found himself unable to throw this beast off the path.


    He attached the short sword to the wall and grabbed the beast with his now free left hand. Without hesitation, he jumped to the side, dragging this beast down. But Clovis skillfully pulled himself back up and took out the pistol, blasting all these incoming beasts.


    Even his Tier 1 bullet actually had no big effect on these beasts. In addition, he noticed that there were more Tier 1 beasts than he imagined.


    Normally, a Tier 3 territory would have 80% of their population be Tier 0 beasts and 15% of them be Tier 1. The rest were Tier 2 and Tier 3 beasts.


    The same couldn''t be said of Clovis. He began to get overwhelmed after getting pincered from two sides. Normally, he would have no problem even if he got surrounded. But on this mountain, everything changed.


    He realized that he had become complacent in his abilities just because he had killed a Tier 3 beast. If there was another Tier 3 beast that was stronger than a normal one, he was sure that he might not be able to beat it, even with Jay''s help.


    That was why, once he saw Melody and Jay had gone far enough, Clovis put back his pistol and pulled out the short sword. He put his long sword in his mouth and used his right hand to grab Kanaria''s waist before impaling the rock with his short sword.


    "Wha¡ª!" Kanaria was startled, but there was no time to react.


    Clovis jumped off this 80 degree cliff while using his left hand so that they didn''t fall directly to the rocks.


    However, the beasts seemed to have expected it. Those beasts that had been waiting to jump finally took off. They either aimed at Clovis or his sword, trying to push him down.


    "!!!" Clovis gritted his teeth, knowing that he had no choice. He took a glance at the terrain below him before swinging to the wall and using it to jump away. He didn''t forget to pull out the short sword.


    The beasts missed them, but Clovis also had to fall to the ground. That was why he took a glance earlier and saw a boulder.


    He jumped in that boulder''s direction to break his fall. However, there was no way he could allow Kanaria to get hurt.


    He pulled her into his embrace and spun his body, using his back to land on the boulder.


    *Bam!*


    "Gah!" Clovis felt a sharp pain on the back, but thankfully, the jacket increased his defense, which prevented the bones from breaking. But the fall still made her entire left arm numb.


    "Clovis, are you alright?" Kanaria asked. It seemed that the lucky necklace had protected her this time since even her feet were hanging down instead of hitting the boulders.


    "Y-yeah! Let''s go down! We have to use the trees as cover from those flying beasts."

 Chapter 168 Trust

    "Yeah! Let''s go down!" Clovis endured the pain. Fortunately, he was still able to use his left hand somehow. He did his best to retract his short sword and grab his long sword with his right hand. Since they were already at the foot of the mountain, the angle wasn''t that steep anymore. Hence, Clovis and Kanaria hurriedly ran to the woods.


    Obviously, the beasts chased after them. They would never let their prey get away.


    While running away, Clovis glanced to the side. Thankfully, Jay and Melody had gotten down as well and seemed to be running into the forest.


    Still, they had to handle at least sixty strong beasts even if the flying beasts didn''t interfere. It would be hard, especially since they hadn''t regrouped or gotten into position.


    Clovis kept asking himself how to regroup in this situation. He had to come up with a plan fast before regrouping became impossible.


    When the woods covered his eyes for a split second, he realized something.


    "Jay! Come toward me and trust me! Melody, create a trajectory!" Clovis thought of something and informed the two. After that, he pointed forward while saying, "Move a bit further from this spot and get into the sniping position."


    ''Are you alright?'' was what she wanted to say, but when looking at the beasts and understanding the severity of the situation, she knew she shouldn''t ask such a useless question. She nodded. "Okay."


    Clovis halted his steps and turned around as if he were ready to fight the beasts.


    When the beasts were about to reach him, Clovis smirked and ran to the left.


    The beasts were confused as they split up, with the majority following Clovis. There were only less than ten beasts that chased after Kanaria.


    Still, the most important problem would be Jay and Melody. If they didn''t play their parts, the plan would have crumbled.


    However, there was no sliver of doubt in Clovis''s heart. In fact, before Melody could even react, Jay had already turned diagonally, heading straight to Clovis.


    Meanwhile, Clovis took a more elegant approach. He dodged the beasts at the last second while slashing his blades multiple times as he passed them, injuring them and even killing three of them. Their advances were so quick that the beasts couldn''t do anything.


    Once Clovis broke through, he said, "Melody, help Kanaria and bail out Jay!"


    Melody looked in the direction where Clovis was going and immediately turned around, showing her back toward the beasts that chased after her. However, it didn''t matter. Clovis had arrived from the side and plunged into the beast''s rank, wreaking havoc.


    Melody took this time to reach Kanaria''s position and started shooting and throwing grenades, suppressing the several beasts that chased Kanaria.


    "!!!" Kanaria stopped in her track and used the momentum to actually step on the trunk so that she could pull herself up.


    As soon as she landed on the tree''s branch, she pointed her rifle at the beasts around Jay and started peeling them off one by one, allowing Jay to pick up the pace.


    Although the situation was still quite bad, they had indeed escaped the worst.


    Clovis continued killing one beast after another with his swift and precise movement, killing more than ten beasts in just two minutes.


    Some of the beasts did everything they could to harm Clovis, which resulted in him getting some light injuries all over his body. Still, Clovis looked like a demon as he continued swinging his weapons as if there were no injuries.


    The moment Kanaria bailed Jay out, Clovis had arrived next to the two girls, regrouping with Jay.


    Now that they had gotten into positions, nothing could stop them anymore. Clovis and Jay handled the front with their brute force, Kanaria supported them, and Melody took care of the small details.


    When they thought the battle would be concluded soon, they heard a roar coming from the enemy''s rear.


    *Roar!*


    "!!!" Clovis raised his vision, seeing an ape that was more muscular than the Tier 3 proconsul he fought on the surface.

 Chapter 169 Unprecedented Strength

    The roar startled even Clovis. While he didn''t mind fighting against the Tier 2 beast, there were several problems. First of all, he was injured. And the second problem was that the beasts here were much stronger than normal beasts.


    He had to assume that fighting this Tier 2 beast would be the same as fighting against a normal Tier 3 beast.


    Jay didn''t care about this. He didn''t hesitate to advance, planning to kill the Tier 2 beast by himself.@@@@


    However, Clovis shouted, "Jay. Together!"


    "..." Jay didn''t reply to him, but he dropped his pace, allowing Clovis to catch up.


    After that, they increased their speed together, killing one beast after another while approaching the ape on the back.


    The ape didn''t seem to be pleased with their actions. Before the two could cut down all the beasts around here, the ape rushed forth and appeared before Jay.


    Jay stomped the ground and swung his sword. To his surprise, the ape did the same. It stomped the ground and even cracked it before punching the sword with the entire strength of its upper body.


    *Bam!* Their clash actually resulted in Jay''s defeat. He even had to use both of his hands to barely stop the punch.


    "!!!" Jay was quite surprised. Even though he didn''t push his muscles to the limit, his strength should still be enough to fight against a colossal Tier 3 beast. Yet, this beast actually fought like a human and knew what to do to get a surge of strength like him.


    The ape shocked him once again when the other hand swept in the opposite direction. Jay had to change his stance and block this fist with the blade''s body.


    However, due to that little shift, his lower body wasn''t solid enough, causing him to be blown to the side.


    At the same time, Clovis appeared behind the ape and struck its back multiple times, leaving as many wounds as he could.


    *Roar!*


    The ape looked angry, but Clovis hurriedly attacked his right arm in order to stop him from doing anything to Jay. It also provided Jay a good opportunity to close in and strike the ape in the chest, leaving a big and deep wound.


    The other beasts turned around, trying to save the ape. Unfortunately for them, they only became prey to Kanaria and Melody''s bullets.


    Clovis only took a glance at them to ensure everything was going well. After stopping the right arm, he approached him from that direction and took advantage of the eye he blinded earlier to stab the short sword near the ape''s head.


    Unfortunately, he missed the target and hit his jaw instead.


    The ape struggled for one last time, shaking everything on its body. And it was lucky enough to actually hit Clovis in the process, blowing him away.


    Still, it didn''t change its fate. Once the ape calmed down, Jay came from the opposite side and severed his head.


    The ape eye was glaring at Jay before the head dropped to the ground.


    The ape was indeed abnormal to possess such strength while being a Tier 2 beast. Sadly, they didn''t have time to analyze the ape''s strength as both of them had to eliminate the remaining beast that Kanaria and Melody struggled with.


    It only took another five minutes before they killed the remaining beasts. Clovis immediately dropped on his butt after killing all the beasts, saying, "What the hell are these beasts? No, should we just call them monsters at this point?"


    Kanaria rolled her eyes. "You look monstrous enough for other humans, you know."


    "..." Clovis smiled wryly. He knew that he wasn''t one to talk, considering he was a Tier 1 fighter who could kill a Tier 3 beast.


    "Can you guys gather the essence? I''m going to check my injury for a bit." Clovis pointed at the corpses. "We''ll just camp here for today before trying to climb it again tomorrow."

 Chapter 170 Another Method

    Clovis was leaning on the tree while looking at the bright night sky, his gaze didn''t have its focus as though he were deep in thought.


    "To think it would be a disaster like this." Kanaria shook her head helplessly.


    "We could still do it if we pushed forward," said Jay while shaking his finger, gesturing that she was wrong. "I believe that we have retreated far too fast."


    "But the strength of the beasts was much higher than anything we''d faced so far." Melody didn''t agree with his opinion. If they had made a rash decision earlier, someone might actually have died.


    "Still, don''t you think that we could still fight against those beasts a bit longer? Maybe we''d find another way to break through." Jay furrowed his eyebrows.


    Suddenly, Clovis opened his mouth. "No. Retreating was the best option. The beast''s unprecedented strength might play a role, but the biggest reason we lost today was because we underestimated the terrain. Weren''t your swings not as powerful as usual?"


    "That was because I misstepped."


    "That''s exactly what I mean by underestimating the terrain. If you could swing like you were on the ground, you would be fine. If the path wasn''t so narrow, I could increase my speed. Kanaria was in an awkward position and couldn''t see the overall situation like usual and Melody had a hard time supporting us because she had to watch her step."


    Kanaria and Melody lowered their heads, knowing that their performance was only half of their best.


    Jay gritted his teeth, unable to deny those facts.


    "Still, the biggest mistake would be that I underestimated the terrain and didn''t make a thorough plan that allowed everyone to do their best." Clovis shook his head helplessly. As the leader, he was to blame.@@@@


    That just pissed Jay off even further. But if he was just taking his anger out on him, what was the difference between him and a baby? Even a baby could cry if they didn''t like something. It was his job to think about the solution.


    Unlike usual, Jay bit his lips and took a deep breath, thinking about this matter over and over again.


    ...


    The next day.


    Clovis looked at the steep wall and tossed his short sword as high as possible. His short sword had an incredible sharpness that could easily penetrate the rock. In addition, the armband allowed him to change the short sword''s mode and make it stick.


    After that, he pulled himself up, climbing almost ten meters in less than four seconds. After that, he stabbed the wall with his other sword before pulling the short sword and tossing it up again.


    He repeated this process three more times and reached the height of their previous climb in just fifteen seconds.


    He had some climbing equipment and lots of ropes on his back. So, when he reached the narrow path where they could stand, he screwed the bolts into the walls and tossed the rope.


    This way, Jay and the others could climb.


    Instead of waiting for them, Clovis continued climbing the wall at a high speed. In just three minutes, he managed to climb for more than a hundred meters while preparing the ropes for the other three.


    This was the method that Jay was talking about yesterday. He took this challenge as a trip, so he thought about climbing it together instead of using the most effective method.


    In the previous attempt, the beasts noticed them after four minutes, so they would definitely alert the others at any time by now.


    Even though they had killed all the beasts in the area before climbing, there was no guarantee that the other beasts would just sit down in their original location.


    That was why Clovis moved as quickly as possible. Finally, five minutes into the climb, he reached the level where the ruin was located.


    He hurriedly screwed the bolts into the rock and tossed the ropes again before hearing a howl from the west, alerting the beasts in the area.


    *Aoooo!*

 Chapter 171 Unexpected Finding

    *Aoooo!*


    "!!!" All of them turned their heads to the source of the howl, realizing that they didn''t have a lot of time left. There were even multiple roars coming from the woods.


    Jay and the others climbed as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, Clovis went straight to the ruin to stop any beasts from coming out. The first thing he did once standing at the entrance was activate the flashlight.


    Even though there was some light near the entrance, it would be hard to find anything much further inside.


    So, he tried to make sure there were no beasts near the entrance. He also pulled out his blade, ready to take them on until the rest of the group managed to enter this ruin.


    Just like on the outside, the beasts inside the ruin seemed to be responding to the call. Even though a lot of them had been killed, it seemed that there were still a lot of them inside judging from the sounds.


    Clovis took a deep breath. It would be troublesome fighting all those beasts with only one blade, so he took a few steps back and planned to use his reflex and slow motion vision to cut down all the beasts that became visible.


    The beasts charged forward. The tunnel wasn''t too big. Two beasts should have no problem walking side by side, but that was the limit.


    Clovis could see the glowing eyes staring at him from the darkness, approaching him at lightning speed.


    The first beast came out, getting illuminated by the sunlight near the entrance. Clovis took a step forward while waving his blade to the right. The beast stepped on the wall and leaped to the other side, but Clovis reacted right away and used the short sword to stab him.


    The beast smacked the short sword down. Clovis held it hard, but that smack ended up knocking his hand down.


    A second beast then became visible, so Clovis hurriedly swung his other sword. The beast planned to knock it away as well, but Clovis twisted his wrist a little bit, changing the trajectory of the sword for a second and avoiding the paw. After that, Clovis turned it back and slashed the beast''s head.


    Clovis kicked the beast''s head at the second beast that was about to arrive, causing this beast to flinch. Clovis took advantage of that opportunity to close in and strike the second beast.


    "On it!" Jay turned around as soon as Melody lowered the flashlight. When Jay had passed Melody, she pointed the flashlight to the entrance.


    On the other hand, Kanaria raised her rifle while Clovis turned on his weaker flashlight.


    "Go!" Clovis shouted while moving forward.


    He cut down one beast after another while staying on the right, allowing Kanaria to shoot from the left. She shot all the beasts ten or even twenty meters away from them, allowing Clovis to actually take a breath.


    He killed all the beasts that were close to him and immediately charged forward to those suppressed beasts. That was when he noticed something unexpected.


    "Huh?" Clovis suddenly stopped on his tracks when he noticed something on the wall. Clovis was a bit too distracted so he actually pointed his flashlight at the wall.


    How could he not be distracted? There were actually markings on the wall. It was so detailed that the beasts shouldn''t be able to create it.


    The markings had no drawing or something easier to recognize. There were only weird patterns or symbols that didn''t make any sense.


    Clovis widened his eyes in shock as he couldn''t believe what he just saw. This place was a magma vent originally, so no humans should have been here to create these markings. The only reason he wanted to visit this place was because he knew this ruin would be filled with beasts.


    But he never thought that he would find all these markings.


    However, Kanaria''s voice soon startled him.


    "Clovis! The light!"


    That was right. He was still in the middle of a fight. Although it was only for two seconds, the beasts managed to close in, to the point that when he turned the flashlight back to the front, a beast was already in front of him, pouncing on him.


    *Roar!*@@@@

 Chapter 172 Shock

    *Roar!*


    Clovis gritted his teeth and raised his sword, blocking the beast''s teeth. However, the momentum still pushed him down.


    He hurriedly kicked the beast up in the air. Kanaria didn''t miss a beat and shot this beast while Clovis rolled to the side.


    That was right. He was still in the middle of a battle. While the markings were unexpected and piqued his interest greatly, he better end this fight first.


    ''I guess I inherited my grandfather''s curiosity.'' Clovis thought while standing back up. He couldn''t help but recall the time when his grandfather found something new and interesting. He would spend hours if not days just thinking about it.


    But he indeed had endangered himself because of it and didn''t plan to waste this lesson.


    As soon as he regained his composure, he charged at the beasts once again, killing every single beast that came toward them. There were multiple Tier 2 beasts, but luckily, they didn''t come at the same time.


    In total, Clovis killed more than a hundred beasts nonstop, not counting the beasts that Kanaria defeated.


    On the entrance, Jay killed a similar amount. There were simply too many corpses at the entrance that Jay had no choice but to toss them outside just to make some space. Melody was the one supporting him, telling him the timing and other things.


    The fight lasted for thirty minutes before they killed all these beasts.


    Even Jay and Clovis were exhausted after fighting so many beasts because the beasts were much stronger than normal.


    However, Jay took a rest after Melody declared all the beasts had been killed, while Clovis actually ignored his fatigue and went straight to the wall where he found the markings earlier.


    "Clovis? Did you find something? It wasn''t like you to be distracted earlier." Kanaria asked while crossing her arms, reminding him that one mistake might kill him.


    Clovis didn''t reply to him as his focus remained on the markings. He even grabbed his device and took a photo of the markings.@@@@


    "This is..." Kanaria came to him and found the symbols. "What are these?"


    "Alright." Melody followed the instruction and tried to use her AI to scan the markings. After a minute, she couldn''t help but shake her head. "Unfortunately, I couldn''t find anything in the database."


    "I guess it''s useless." Kanaria looked down. "What if the informant made this so that he could get more money by selling this piece of information?"


    "That is indeed possible. That''s also the reason why this place is not even famous." Melody nodded. If this place contained the information about the civilization that once existed in this place, the military would have swept in.


    Kanaria let out a long sigh before saying, "I guess it''s useless..."


    All of a sudden, Clovis''s voice echoed. "Guys. Take a look at this."


    Both of them raised their heads, not knowing what Clovis wanted them to see.


    They walked to Clovis, wondering what he had found.


    Clovis somehow turned his flashlight off and stopped them. "Melody. Let me borrow your flashlight."


    "Here you go."


    Clovis pointed the flashlight downward before turning it on.


    They couldn''t help but lower their vision and suddenly open their eyes wide. They originally thought that this was a magma vent, but there was actually a big cave located at the end of the tunnel.


    The cave was located about fifty meters beneath the tunnel. A natural cave alone wasn''t enough to surprise them. It was what was inside the natural cave that dumbfounded them.


    There were actually a few huts inside made of wood and grass. Most of them had been ruined by the beasts, but two of them were still intact.


    It appeared that all the beasts that fought against them came from this place. They could even see the steep staircases that led them down.


    "What the hell is this?" Kanaria gasped.

 Chapter 173 Tricked

    "What the hell is this?" Kanaria gasped.


    Melody hurriedly checked the radar, finding no sign of life. "No one is there."


    "..." Clovis''s expression turned grim. Was there really a civilization in the past? Or was this place built only recently?@@@@


    "I will be going down. Melody will follow me and Kanaria is to observe from this place and call Jay here."


    "Alright." Kanaria nodded. Although she wanted to go down as well, Melody was much better assistant than her in this scenario.


    So, only Clovis and Melody climbed down the stairs. Clovis''s sword remained on his hand in case he found something unexpected.


    "There are still no sign of life here," said Melody while maintaining a close look at the radar.


    Once they reached the bottom, Clovis pointed the flashlight to the village and turned it on, illuminating the entire village.


    Looking at the huts, Melody said, "Their appearance doesn''t look that brittle. It doesn''t seem that they have been left behind for too long. Years or probably decades, sure. But I don''t think it''s more than a hundred years, let alone a thousand years. It''s definitely something new compared to the geological time scale."


    Clovis didn''t reply to her, but he indeed agreed with this opinion. If they had been left behind for that long, the wooden logs would have been so brittle that they would have collapsed. And there was no way the beasts would just let them be.


    They must have been built recently.


    "Does that mean there are survivors from previous civilizations?" Clovis asked before noticing something from the flashlight. "This thing is getting hot."


    "That''s obvious. It''s producing a hundred thousand lumens. This one is better since we have been using it for more than thirty minutes." Melody shrugged. "It''s better to take a look at the huts that are still standing with your flashlight."


    "Alright." Clovis turned it off and handed it back to Melody. After that, he approached one of the huts. Before opening its door, Clovis glanced at Melody.


    "Nothing inside." She confirmed it after looking at the radar and checking the sound inside with her sharp senses.


    Clovis opened the door with his sword in front of him. To his surprise, the inside had blood splattered all around the hut. Whether it was the ceiling, floor, or even the wall, they all had marks.


    "So, we leave this place and treat it as if we haven''t gone here?"


    "On the one hand, I feel like we should report this place at the very least. On the other hand, I''m afraid that whoever''s responsible for this place will find out. No, I think I''m more suspicious of the informant."


    "!!!" Melody twitched. Clovis was actually right. The informant told them about this ruin, so he must have gone to this place previously.


    Had he reported this place to the authorities? If he had, wouldn''t the military have acted? What if the one who created this place was much more important than they originally thought? They should have the power to stop the news from spreading.


    But if that were the case, they would definitely have found the informant and eliminated him.


    So, Melody couldn''t help but wonder who was actually the informant?


    Clovis gulped down. "Shit. We''ve been had."


    "What''s wrong?"


    Clovis explained what happened when the informant gave them the option to pay for more information about the hot spring but they acted as if they knew about the ruin.


    Clovis ended his explanation with a question. "What if the cave was a secret and the informant knew we wouldn''t have known about it? He acted as if he fell for our bluff and gave the information regarding this place."


    Melody crossed her arms, finally understanding the actual problem. "Who was actually that man?"


    "I don''t know. I think it''s not good for us to stay here any longer."


    "So, we''ll retreat right away?"


    "No. I don''t know if we''re being observed or not right now. I think it''s best to follow the actual plan and act as if we haven''t found this place and go back according to the schedule."


    "Making it look like nothing goes wrong?"


    "Yes." Clovis might be curious, but this one made him remember the idiom, ''Curiosity kills the car.'' Hence, he had no choice but to leave even though he felt that the moment he fell for the informant''s trick, he had fucked up.

 Chapter 174 A Visitor

    As soon as Clovis climbed back up, he told them what they had found and warned them about the dangers.@@@@


    "That was my fault. I should have figured it out in the beginning." Kanaria bit her lips.


    "No. It wasn''t your mistake alone. I was with you during the negotiation." Clovis shook his head.


    "No. If I want to be a master of logistics, I should have been better at negotiation." Kanaria clenched her fists, realizing that her carelessness had actually endangered the group.


    "Ivan looks like he wants to kill us. Those mysterious people are also aiming for our lives through the beasts. This is just another one, so who really cares to be honest?" Jay shrugged.


    "..." Clovis was taken aback by Jay''s words, but he soon chuckled and patted Jay''s shoulder a few times. "Hahaha. Right? This is just another one."


    Jay just wanted to play it down, but Clovis took advantage of it so that Kanaria didn''t take all the blame.


    "As Jay said, the one who made all this probably came from the same city. The highest explorer in our city is Tier 6, which Jay and Kanaria''s families have. So, I don''t think it''s going to be that much of a problem."


    "Mhmm... I''ll probably tell my mother about it. She might be able to get some clues. Knowing her personality, she might even use it to blackmail the person behind this." Kanaria nodded, feeling a bit relieved.


    "Anyway, let''s not talk about this for now and just continue our exploration. Gather all the essence first and head straight to the top of the mountain. Let''s get into the hot spring."


    "But isn''t it too early?" Melody put her hand on her chin. "It''s best to dip in during the night."


    "Is that so? I don''t know if there is any difference." Clovis shook his head.


    "I mean, the temperature will go down during the night. The breeze from the chilling wind makes your body cold, and that''s a perfect time to dip in, feeling the warmth of the hot spring. Do you not know the bliss of being cold and hot at the same time?


    Unfortunately, after checking their temperature, only two of them were low enough to dip in. They didn''t have the proper equipment to lower the temperature.


    Hence, Clovis just picked one spot near the camp.


    Jay and Melody finished their job two hours before dusk. Melody had assured them that there was no sign of life in the area aside from them, so they should be fine now.


    After dinner, they discussed who would go first since there was no way they would go in together.


    "We''ll definitely take longer, so you guys use it first." Kanaria waved her hand, sending the two boys off. She and Melody were busy cleaning up the plates.


    "Oh!" Clovis waved his hand while walking to the edge. They carefully walked on the narrow path and reached the small plain where the hot spring was located.


    The hot spring produced more mist during the night, but Clovis and Jay weren''t the ones who would care about it.


    They just took off their clothes and immediately dipped into the hot spring.


    "Ah... this is nice." Clovis muttered. The warm temperature relaxed his body. Even Jay, who didn''t say a lot, had his expression melt.


    "Something like this is nice once in a while," said Jay while leaning on the rock.


    "Yeah. This feels relaxing. The view is amazing." Clovis absolutely agreed. Just as he leaned back, he heard a woman''s voice echoing from the side.


    "I''ll also join you two."


    "Oh!" Clovis agreed as though it wasn''t a big deal, thinking it was Kanaria or Melody. But one second later, he realized that he didn''t even feel her presence or recognize her voice.


    "!!!" Clovis stood up with his hands on his waist as if trying to pull his sword even though they weren''t there. He raised his head and saw a woman sitting not far from them. "Who?"

 Chapter 175 Introduction

    "Who?" Clovis was the first to react, followed by Jay right after. They all looked at the woman, who suddenly appeared out of nowhere. None of them felt her presence the whole time.


    Before them was a woman sitting with a relaxed expression. She had long blond hair, tied into a bun on the back to avoid her hair getting wet. She covered her body with a towel, but they could see the blue string attached to the back of her neck, clearly wearing something underneath.


    Her face looked like a pure girl, but her gaze felt like they were able to strip everyone naked.


    She covered her face with both hands while saying, "If you stare at me that intensely, I''ll be embarrassed."


    Clovis''s expression turned grim, asking the same question. "Who are you?"


    He was ready to leap out of the pond and grab his weapon.@@@@


    She looked surprised before pointing at herself. "Are you sure you don''t know me? I thought I was famous enough. I guess I''m no different from a normal person if someone doesn''t care much. Before I introduce myself, I will have to say this, I''m not your enemy. In fact, if I were your enemy, you two would have already died."


    "..." Clovis waved his hand to Jay, signaling him to back off. He didn''t say anything wrong. "Still, you don''t expect me to trust that, right?"


    "Well..." She paused for a moment. "In that case, are you familiar with the name Skylark?"


    "Skylark?" Clovis furrowed his eyebrows.


    "I guess only someone from the Hacfield family wouldn''t know about us." She chuckled.


    "!!!" Clovis''s expression turned grim the moment he mentioned his family.


    At the same time, Jay put his hand on his chin while muttering, "I think Kanaria has mentioned this name once. If I''m not wrong, they are a conglomerate from a Tier 8 city. They are from the neighboring country and can be said to be the richest company in that country."


    "Oh?!" She smiled and placed her hand on top of her chest while politely introducing herself. "It''s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Hana Skylark."


    Clovis pondered for a moment before asking, "So, what is the reason for such an important person to come all the way here?"


    "..." Kanaria and Melody exchanged looks and decided to join. However, they stood on the side instead of entering the hot spring.


    "I guess that''s fine too." Hana smiled before turning to Clovis. "I will make it simple. I want you, Clovis Hacfield."


    "Huh?" Clovis looked confused, while Kanaria instantly became hostile. Only Melody was calm enough to actually ask, "Do you mean his family?"


    "That was my original intention, but after seeing your performance in the last two days, I changed my mind." She smirked.


    "In the last two days?" Clovis squinted his eyes before remembering the corpse they found. "You were the one who left behind that corpse?"


    "I was trying to clean it up, but you actually showed up much faster than I originally thought. Since I didn''t have time, I just hid at the top and watched your team." Hana shrugged.


    "Don''t you think you should have helped on the first day?" Clovis asked.


    "You will just become much more suspicious of me. You know it, I know it."


    Clovis couldn''t deny that fact. The fact she appeared here alone was already suspicious, and with how she came all the way here from another country, there was no way Clovis would believe her.


    "Kanaria? Do you know her?" Clovis asked while glancing to the side.


    "Yeah. She came from the top ten wealthiest family in the world and the parent company, Sky, was listed as the fifth biggest company.


    "She created a new company with the help of her grandparents with the name OpenSky, mainly dived into aviation business. She managed to create a battleship that could fly, which looked like a fortress in the sky and planned to commercialize it soon. When that happened, her company''s evaluation would skyrocket.


    "Yet, despite focusing on her business, her talent was no joke either. Right now, she is only 18 years old, but she has already become a Tier 4 human. Thus, making her one of the most influential people under twenty."


    Clovis and the others looked shocked from everything Kanaria listed.


    Hana, on the other hand, chuckled and said playfully, "Oh my. It was thanks to my grandfather. I wasn''t that great."

 Chapter 176 Invitation

    All of them were just staring at her as though there was nothing they could believe coming from her mouth.@@@@


    "Okay, Okay. Don''t give me that look." Hana scratched the back of her head.


    Even though her character was rather questionable, it seemed that her talent was a real deal. She managed to do both business and exploration simultaneously.


    Even Clovis didn''t expect that she was a Tier 4 human when she was only two years older than them.


    Hana knew Clovis was curious about the reasons, so she decided to reveal them before he got annoyed.


    "The reason I changed my decision was because of your performance. From what I could see, you are much stronger than what your tier represents. With your performance, you shouldn''t have any problem defeating Tier 2, and you can probably fight against Tier 3 toe-to-toe. It''s just that I''m not sure whether you''re able to defeat them or not."


    Melody frowned since Clovis and Jay had defeated Tier 3 beasts. However, Clovis hurriedly waved his hand as if knowing what she wanted to say. Clovis actually agreed with her words.


    If this was a normal Tier 3 beast, he would say that he had the ability to defeat it. However, if their levels were the same as the beasts in this place, it would be impossible to kill the Tier 3 beasts.


    Since she had only seen their performance here, her opinion was valid.


    "I''m complimenting you right now. Even I don''t have the ability to kill a beast one tier above me." Hana shook her head. "Of course, we''re talking about the real beasts, not those weaklings."


    "Those weaklings?" Clovis frowned.


    "You should have sensed the difference in strength between the beasts near your base and the ones in this place, right?"


    Clovis didn''t say anything, but the answer was pretty obvious.


    "Do you know the difference between the beasts in this place and the ones near the base?" Hana smirked.


    They didn''t think they had heard this kind of information before, so they were curious about the answer.


    This city might be considered a Tier 6 city, but it is nowhere near the real Tier 6 city because of the lack of education and facilities. If we''re talking about the real Tier 6 city... it should be Starlight City."


    "!!!" Clovis raised his eyebrows. The Starlight City was the city he resided in, but that city had been destroyed by the beasts and he had to escape to the current city.


    However, he could see the difference in quality between the two cities but simply pushed the matter aside since he was in no position to care about it.


    "If you want to go to a major city, I don''t mind bringing you there." Hana smirked.


    "What is your purpose in approaching me? No. Before that, how did you find me?" Clovis asked.


    Hana grabbed her drone and projected a video in the air so that all of them could watch it together. It was news about the sudden appearance of a sinkhole.


    Hana pointed at the screen and said, "Your grandfather did that. The reason I know it is because that place is a branch of the Red Dagger Assassination Guild. You should be stalked by some people, right? They are related to them.


    "Since your grandfather had hidden himself the whole time, this action caused a lot of uproar. I investigated it and tried to find the reason which led me to your accident. That is how I got here."


    "You should know that your actions will also lead others to me, right?" Clovis''s expression turned cold.


    "Definitely. That''s why my grandfather forbade me to come here. However, you may call it a reckless decision or whatever, but I believe meeting you is more important." Hana explained.


    Clovis fell silent. If she was known to be that talented, she should have at least some common sense. It seemed that it was also a hard decision on her part. Whatever her purpose here, it should be something important.


    It was Hana''s turn to ask a question. "You''ve heard what I wanted to ask earlier. I want you. Will you please be mine?"


    "..."


    "..."


    "No."

 Chapter 177 Reasons

    "Will you please be mine?"


    Clovis looked at her for a few seconds before raising his head as though he considered it seriously before saying, "No."


    "Wait, wait! While I appreciate the fact that you consider it seriously, please hear me out a bit." Hana raised three fingers. "There are three reasons. You should know the first one, since yes, I want your family''s power.


    "While my family is wealthy and has two Tier 8 powerhouses, it still can''t be compared to a single Tier 9 human. In this current era, strength reigns supreme. Even if you have all the wealth in the world, if you don''t have a Tier 9 human, you''re basically not big enough.


    "After all, if a Tier 9 human ambushes you and your family, you won''t be able to fight back. Even if the people scrutinize the Tier 9 humans, the latter can just ignore them. That''s the kind of strength they possess.


    "The second reason is because the Hacfield is the smallest yet strongest family. There won''t be a lot of headaches doing so.@@@@


    "The last reason is your grandfather''s personality." Hana waved her hand while correcting Clovis. "Besides, it doesn''t necessarily mean that way. You can become my subordinate or something. As long as you become my person, I can publicize that fact without angering your grandfather."


    Clovis closed his eyes before asking, "Suppose I were to refuse?"


    "Couldn''t I kill all the people here except you?" Hana smirked, which made Clovis and the others frown. She hurriedly added, "I''m just kidding. Once you have an influence as big as mine, you can easily find out that your parents are still alive. Even if your grandfather is not going to do anything to me, your parents are definitely gonna pay me a visit.


    I''m not crazy enough to make the Hacfield family my enemy."


    Clovis thought for a moment and said, "You can simply join my group, you know?"


    "Of course not. You have shown me how you and your group manage to defeat all those beasts that I think you''re not capable of defeating. In addition, I can see that each of you possesses good qualities as an explorer.


    "Still, if I have to say, there are also many geniuses that are able to fight a beast one tier above them in major cities. However, I have noticed something. Your movement is refined, but it has the trace of hard work instead of talent. I''m not saying that hard work is not important, but there is a distinct difference between the talented and the hard working.


    "I''m assuming that your evolution rate is low, which is what actually impresses me. You manage to reach this level in just a couple of months."


    Clovis took a deep breath, never expecting her to be able to observe that much from the fight alone. It seemed that he had underestimated her.


    "Why me? Or should I say... why the Hacfield family? It''s true that we''re the smallest family, but we''re also the most eccentric. In fact, if you want to gain the help of Tier 9 humans, you can use your money to ask for their help or even search for their successors like me."


    "That''s where you''re wrong." Hana waved her hand. "Built, not bought. Earned, not given. No matter how hard I do it, I won''t escape the stigma that I''ve got all this because my family is freaking wealthy. I can''t deny and won''t deny that fact. It''s true that I''m able to achieve all this and build my empire this early because of my family''s influence.


    "The business partners think of me positively because of my family''s reputation. They give me investments because I have wealthy parents, and so on. The same applies to those people... except for you.


    "When people think about you, they don''t think you''ve got the strength, the money, or anything. The only stigma you have is the craziness of your family, which is not related to all this. And I want that."


    "But if you want strength, can''t you just pour all those resources to boost you to Tier 9? Isn''t it easy?"


    Hana shook her head. "Everyone around me told me that I would never become Tier 9. My parents couldn''t, my grandparents couldn''t. They didn''t give me the reason. Even if I investigated it, there weren''t any results."


    "Huh?" This answer actually raised a big question in everyone''s mind.

 Chapter 178 Evaluation

    "Huh? Unable to become a Tier 9?"


    Hana shrugged. "I don''t know the reason. I don''t believe it either, but when you think about it, there are a lot of people that have the potential to become Tier 9. Yet, why are there only ten Tier 9 humans in this world?"


    They couldn''t say anything, thinking about the possibility.


    "Fifty years ago, people knew this world was just a simulation. So, it might be related to that... which sucks. But I will continue striving forward."@@@@


    Hana waved her hand and turned back to Clovis. "It''s my turn now. Do you have any desire to move to a different city? At the very least, do you want to come with me? You can even bring your group."


    "I''m going to remain in this city for a few more months." Clovis shook his head. This had been decided before.


    "I won''t force you, but I hope that you can join the raid that I''m organizing in this city. Well, the raid was supposed to be an event to measure your ability, but I had seen it here. I don''t really care anymore."


    "What kind of raid do you have in mind?" Clovis looked a bit interested in this raid. In fact, he had been looking for one this whole time to motivate them.


    "I''m not sure, but we''ll go to a harder place that is far from any cities since they each have their own ''field'' that weakens the beasts. Of course, my group will protect the people here, so I believe this is a good opportunity for you."


    Clovis''s vision turned to his teammates.


    "I don''t mind about the raid." Jay shrugged. "As long as I can fight, I''m satisfied. Even if they are not strong, I will just find the strongest one."


    "You are the captain, you make the decision, and we''ll follow." Melody nodded her head.


    Kanaria looked at Hana for a moment before closing her eyes. "This will serve as motivation."


    "Eh?" Hana looked startled, never expecting that Clovis would ask about this. She thought he was uninterested in it.


    But Clovis hurriedly solved the misunderstanding by adding, "I mean as a person not related to the Hacfield family. Or all these guys? If you can choose whether to hire us or not, will you hire us as an individual? And what kind of investment are you planning to give us?"


    Hana didn''t answer immediately. On the one hand, she felt it would be rude to answer truthfully. Even her business side was screaming at her since if they wanted to cooperate with each other, there was no way they could talk badly about them. On the other hand, Clovis''s serious expression told her that he wanted to know the truth.


    After considering her options, Hana said, "If I can be honest, I will not hire you, Clovis."


    "The reason?"


    "You don''t have a high evolution rate. I can see the hard work you put in, but it will definitely bring a bad image and there''s a chance that you will not grow much in the future. Even if I have to invest in you, it won''t be that much. The only interesting thing about you right now is that you can fight a beast one rank above you, which is a big plus right now.


    But as you grow stronger and stronger, the gap between each rank will become wider and wider. So, it feels like a gamble.


    "But this gentleman here is different. I can see the confidence in his eyes and the refined strength in his talent. He will definitely go high, at least Tier 6 or Tier 7. I have to observe him a bit more to make an accurate assessment, so I''ll probably make a contract that only lasts for a few years and will be extended if his performance is satisfactory.


    "As for the operator lady, she is probably the highest. It''s hard to find a good operator, let alone a mobile operator that can act together. Her fighting skills can be refined later, but there will be a lot of people wanting her on their teams.


    "Last but not least, the sniper lady does have a very interesting talent. However, that is not enough... In fact, I will put her below this gentleman unless she has other special skills that I don''t know of. So, it''s hard to make an accurate judgment."


    The one who reacted to this assessment wasn''t Clovis who got the harshest assessment. It was Melody who had the best evaluation.


    Melody couldn''t help but widen her eyes, realizing why Clovis actually asked this question.


    She thought, ''Did he want to try whether it''s possible for me to be valued that highly to the point where they would go all the way to invite a good doctor to treat my brother?''

 Chapter 179 Business Partner

    "I hope you''re not offended by my honest assessment."


    Clovis shook his head. "Of course not. In fact, I''m glad that I can hear your honest thoughts."


    When Melody looked at him, instead of happiness, she felt empty. It was true that her goal was to treat her brother. However, she couldn''t help but remember all the time they had spent together.@@@@


    After hiding herself for so long and enduring the hardship, she regained the warmth, excitement, fun, and bond that she had lost over the years.


    At the same time, she wanted her brother to recover. That was why Melody faced a dilemma.


    Would she sacrifice this bond just for her brother? It was Clovis and the others who pulled her from that darkness.


    When her brother woke up and knew that she abandoned them even though they helped her so much, would he still thank her?


    Melody clenched her hands into fists as she heard Clovis ask, "By the way. If you have that kind of opinion about my teammates..."


    "Clovis!" Melody shouted, stopping him.


    "??" Hana tilted her head in confusion, while Clovis looked at her face and saw her answer.


    Clovis scratched the back of his head and said, "Never mind. Actually, let''s move on to the next question. Suppose I say, instead of a boss-employee relationship or any other kind, what do you think about business partners instead? One that is equal."


    "!!!" Hana raised her eyebrows as if she couldn''t believe what Clovis said. She had told him earlier that Clovis wasn''t that interesting as an individual. The only thing she could see in him was his family.


    So, she couldn''t help but ask, "Are you sure you''re asking that question?"


    "As an individual." Clovis answered before she could even finish.


    Of course, this was also a gamble for him. While he could do all that, it would be extremely troublesome. In fact, he could be considered foolish.


    Even though he said it was as an individual, the other party still had to consider his family.


    As Hana said, in the end, they couldn''t escape the stigma of family.


    Some would think of him as foolish, but he definitely considered this decision carefully. That was why he extended his hand as if asking for her device.


    Kanaria looked reluctant, but she didn''t forget that this professor was his mother''s student. In addition, she had gotten all the benefits from the Star Method.


    So, Kanaria opened her device and showed the information before handing it to Clovis.


    "Please take a look at this." Clovis passed it to Hana.


    Hana looked confused, wondering what kind of thing could shock her. It was actually a research paper.


    The best thing would be to scan all the documents and understand their potential. However, since the other party was still here, she could only look at the abstract to understand what kind of research this was.


    It took her only two minutes before she dropped her jaws to the ground. "Are you serious?"


    "How is it? This thing will be extremely beneficial for you, right?"


    "It''s easy to set up a new company for this. And the potential of this research is actually beyond imagination... I believe that it can even surpass my current company. Are you sure you want to collaborate with me? Do you understand its value?"


    "Yes. I do have several conditions though."


    "As long as it''s not harsh to the point where I can''t even make a living, I don''t mind."

 Chapter 180 Agreement

    Clovis smiled. "Don''t worry. It''s not that harsh. There are three conditions. First, the research should have been finished, so you can immediately test and even produce it. However, I wish that you would wait for me first.


    "I''m planning to leave this city one year after my awakening, so there are still about nine to ten months. I want you to wait until that time before announcing it. Of course, I would like my members to get it first."


    "It''s easy. We still need to test it, which will take a few months. Because the price of beast souls will skyrocket, it''s better if we stock as many beast souls as possible before launching it. Let alone a year, I can even wait for three years."


    Clovis shook his head. "A year is enough. The second condition is that you have to hide our name. We don''t want to get into trouble with this information. You can claim that it''s yours, but respect the name of the author. Give him the credit he deserves."


    "Are you sure about this? If you are known because of this, there will be a lot of fame and money opportunity."


    "Yeah. The trouble that will follow is simply not worth all that." Clovis sighed. He certainly had a headache just thinking about the mess he had to clean up, especially since he had a group.


    "Alright. I can fulfill the second condition. What is the last condition?"


    "We want a priority for it. I mean, do you think we won''t use it?"


    "If that''s your condition, it''s easy. In fact, you deserve shares or a portion of revenue just by providing the information alone."@@@@


    Clovis pointed at Kanaria. "As for the details of the contract and shares, she will handle it."


    "Okay." Hana agreed without hesitation. She never thought that the conditions were easy to fulfill.


    This made Clovis look generous or even foolish. But she felt things weren''t so simple. With how easily he revealed this information, he might have something even more terrifying on his sleeve.


    However, Hana simply waved her hand, gesturing that she had misunderstood her. "Don''t worry. I''m not going to steal him from you. First of all, I''m too greedy. I don''t think I will do something that makes me potentially lose money... for example, divorce.


    "And even if I marry someone, I''m going to be a horrible wife and mother. I won''t have time to do much for my significant other since I''m going to bury myself either in business or exploration. The same applies to the child. Instead of being irresponsible, I will just not do it.


    I''d rather use that money to make a foundation for homeless children and train them so that they can change their future... if I can be so kind.


    "So, don''t worry, Miss." Hana winked her right eye.


    "..." Kanaria remained silent for a minute, making the atmosphere awkward.


    "Mhmm... If you''re not going to say anything, I will leave... I have soaked for too long."


    Kanaria finally opened her mouth. "My goal is city reconstruction, taking the world back from the beasts. It definitely requires a lot of money."


    Hana raised her eyebrows, starting to understand the meaning of that agreement. It seemed that Clovis cared for her dearly.


    "While I''m good at logistics, I''m not someone who can generate a stable cash flow. That''s why he answered it that way and even brought up this collaboration.


    "He has sacrificed a lot of things and planned to do more in the future. I feel like I''m unable to repay him no matter how hard I try.


    "Hence, the least I can do is to sacrifice a part of myself... Though, I''m not even sure why I even tell you about this." Kanaria let out a long sigh as she walked to the edge of the hot spring while extending her hand. "Let''s discuss the agreement later."


    Hana looked astonished for a moment before taking her hand. "I might have underestimated you a little bit. The reason why I came here was purely business, so you don''t have to worry for now. I''ve told you earlier, right? Money will always be my priority."

 Chapter 181 Test

    "This is how I fight." Hana raised the bag that contained multiple drones. The moment she activated it, all these drones started soaring into the air and moving in all kinds of formation.


    The smaller drones had a few holes in them, while the bigger drones were much easier to spot but also had a bigger gun.


    "So, by combining the drones and using them in a certain formation, you''re able to surround them." Clovis frowned. This was the first time he had seen such a fighting style.


    It was definitely deadly. Even he didn''t know how to defeat this formation. With the number of drones, it was clear that he had to move as quickly as possible, avoiding all the bullets. But the moment his movement was interrupted, the drones would get into the position and surround him.@@@@


    The other way would be to destroy the drones with his short sword or pistol. But the drones had an advanced AI that could read attack patterns.


    Without enough speed, he would have a hard time destroying them.


    "So, we can do this..." Melody tried typing a few things, testing the drones herself. The drones began to move in an unpredictable way.


    "Do you want to try it on someone? Of course, no shoot." Hana smirked. Considering Melody was an operator, she should be exceptional in this field. She wanted to see whether she was good or not with the drones she used for the first time.


    "Ehm..." Melody looked hesitant because she didn''t have the money to replace the drones if they crashed into each other.


    "It''s fine. The information alone makes me not mind even if you destroy all these drones." Hana chuckled.


    "Why don''t you try it?" Clovis nodded. Since the owner had said so, it would be a waste if they didn''t take the opportunity.


    "Clovis. Do you mind?" Melody nodded. Clovis had the best reaction speed, so he would be the hardest to trick.


    "Sure." Clovis waved his fingers. "I will stand here and see if I can destroy all the drones or not."


    Melody nodded her head. "Yes. The biggest advantage of these drones is their number. By manipulating each drone''s speed, you can create the illusion that you are one step ahead of the drones, while in reality, you''ve been trapped."


    Hana rubbed her cheek multiple times as her gaze lost its focus as though she had fallen into deep thought.


    As soon as she finished her thought, she couldn''t help but say, "That''s an interesting way to play with the drones."


    "Well, it''s only possible because the AI is very advanced. If I can create several models, it can create different combinations of attack patterns."


    "My engineers said the same thing." Hana nodded in agreement. "It seems that I''ve underestimated you."


    "Well, I can only do this because of my good senses."


    Clovis clicked his tongue. After hearing those words, Clovis couldn''t help but look down. The ground was uneven, so he subconsciously lowered his speed as well. This made the drones look much faster.


    "Well, my affinity is not the Brain, so I don''t have those good senses." Hana shook her head helplessly. "But your control over the drones is interesting, especially with the fact that this is your first time operating them. If he disbands the group, you can work under me."


    Melody smiled. Even though she was happy that Hana valued her that highly, she had made her decision to remain in the Libation Fiesta. "As an operator, I''m thankful for your assessment, but I''ll have to reject it."


    Hana shrugged. "Do you want to buy the drones? I''m sure that you can put it to good use."


    "As much as I would like to have them, I don''t think I have the money to buy one. In addition, I don''t think this city has the ability to restock the parts the drones use." Melody shook her head.


    "The first problem is easy. I can just use the money from future sales to buy the drones. Then again, they are indeed expensive. The smaller ones cost about two million dollars. As for the second one... yeah, you can probably visit my city after this. You''re going to leave the city in a few months, right?" Hana turned to Clovis.


    "Come to my city, okay?"


    "We''ll see." Clovis shrugged. Now that they had reached an agreement, Hana began to use all opportunities to invite them.

 Chapter 182 Leaving

    Hana did everything she had to do with Clovis. She first read the research to make sure the potential was indeed limitless.


    After that, she negotiated the terms with Kanaria. While Kanaria wasn''t at her level, she was the best one to take care of the negotiations in the team.


    At the same time, Hana had to be extra careful when dealing with Clovis, especially with the Hacfield family behind him. If she ended up angering the Hacfield family, she would be in trouble. Her family would punish her instead.


    This was what Hana meant by saying that everything was useless unless they had a Tier 9 human.


    Hence, during the negotiation, Hana offered an extremely generous contract for Clovis''s group.


    She couldn''t help but imagine that if her family had the backing of a Tier 9, they wouldn''t have to worry about Michael Hacfield. Even during the negotiation, they could be more proactive and get as much as possible.


    The negotiation lasted for the whole night. Clovis was there only to observe and didn''t say anything during the negotiation. But his presence alone was enough to pressure Hana.


    After reaching an agreement, Hana promised to draft the contract as quickly as possible and sign the contract before she returned to her country.


    Meanwhile, Clovis was satisfied since, one year from now, they would definitely get a lot of money.


    Then again, he believed that the group would be able to reach Tier 2 or even close to Tier 3. At that time, they should be able to get a few millions for every expedition that lasts for two or three days. The money that Hana promised might not be that much to them anymore.


    Still, for Clovis, money was money. And it would definitely help his Another World Mall.


    In the morning, Hana was ready to leave. Her backpack only contained some basic necessities as most of them were her drones.


    "It''s probably because of her affinity. She is most likely to have a Heart or Bones affinity. Heart boosts her regenerative power, while the Bones increase the toughness of her body. Either of them will be perfect for those jumps. In addition, she is already a Tier 4 human, so I think we''ll be able to do that as well once we reach Tier 4." Clovis shrugged.


    "That''s true. Then again, that suits her fighting style very well. With her controlling the drones, it''s much easier to target her instead of the drones. However, she should be able to withstand her enemies'' attacks with those skills while her drones shoot them." Kanaria assessed her ability.


    "That''s true. Still, what should we do with the ruins?" Melody glanced at Clovis, believing they should prioritize this problem.


    "For now, we should lay low and act as if we have never gone to this place. I don''t know if the informant is related to whoever created those huts or not. Either way, we''ll just have to prepare for trouble." Clovis sighed.


    "Can''t you just tell her to deal with it? Or at least, investigate it? They won''t dare touch her, right?" Jay asked nonchalantly.


    "..." Clovis raised his eyebrows as if he didn''t think of that possibility or more like he was so focused on the deal that he forgot about the ruin for a moment. "I don''t want us to owe her that much. We''ll be taken advantage of if we owe people too much."


    "Like how you''re showing the Star Method and all these items?"


    "I''m trying to make an excuse." Clovis clicked his tongue, knowing that he would never take advantage of them and that Jay was just teasing him. "Anyway, let''s go. We don''t have a lot of time."


    The group chuckled before continuing their trip. They searched for all the beasts near the mountain during the morning and headed back after lunch.


    The return trip only took three hours, so they still had plenty of time to prepare for tomorrow''s expedition.


    As usual, Jay returned straight away while Melody visited her brother and told him about the hot spring. Clovis and Kanaria restocked their supplies before reviewing the next raid.


    Obviously, they found out that Ivan also participated in this raid, but considering Hana was the one who made it, he doubted the Drake Group would do something. Even those assassins would probably refrain from getting involved in this expedition.


    Or... that was what Clovis and Kanaria hoped when reviewing the mission.

 Chapter 183 Angry

    Drake Group.


    "Sir!" A man entered the office, finding the president of the Drake Group, who was talking to Ivan and his team.


    "What?"


    "We have just received the news from the expedition team. His name has appeared."


    "!!!" The president stood up in shock. "Are you sure?"


    "Yes. We have just received the updated information."


    "But the expedition team should have been filled, right?"


    "That''s..." The man rubbed his cheek, not knowing what to say. There was only one way to add another party to the expedition team.


    And President Thomas obviously knew it. He slammed his fist onto the table. "Shit! How did they get the favor of Hana Skylark?"


    He was originally happy that Clovis''s group didn''t participate in this expedition. He had done everything he could to fill up the quota as quickly as possible by using the favor.


    But to think that Hana Skylark would add them into the expedition team all of a sudden.


    "Wait. Isn''t she supposed to be staying in the hotel..." Thomas raised his head, noticing something was off. "Don''t tell me, her actual aim is him?"@@@@


    "!!!" The people were stunned. If that was the case, they could finally understand why Clovis''s team could join the raid at the last second. Even if the mayor asked her about it, she could simply dismiss it, considering she was the one organizing the raid.


    Ivan clenched his fists. Every single time, Clovis humiliated him. Even when it was his time to shine, Clovis would appear once again.


    He had heard from Lovelia that Vina had been pretty distant since the first competition. There was a chance that Vina was actually siding with Clovis.


    On the other hand, Elina wondered what she should do at this point. While it had become easy to manipulate Ivan through that intense hatred, Ivan had also turned into a double-edged sword. If they made a mistake, the entire Drake Group could be dragged down together.


    Unfortunately, the president only ordered her to observe him for the time being.


    No one uttered a single word as they exited the building.


    It was far different from President Thomas.


    He was calling someone and even shouting at them. "Why are you letting the Libation Fiesta enter the expedition team?"


    "We are sorry, Mr. Thomas. We don''t have much authority to refuse when the host is putting their name in it."


    "This is unfair to the other groups who did their best to enter the raid team, don''t you think?"


    "I''m sorry, Mr. Thomas. While I favor your opinion, the risk is too high."


    "You bastard. Are you chickening now?" He gritted his teeth. When the other party hung up the call, he threw his device to the floor before stomping it. "Coward bastard."


    Thomas knew that the relationship between the Drake Group and Clovis was already doomed. So, he had to eliminate Clovis at all costs.


    "If you''re not going to do it, then I''ll do it myself." Thomas went back to his computer, steering everything so that Clovis couldn''t join this expedition. As long as he remained hidden, Hana wouldn''t be able to find him.


    In addition, she also had to make sure to avoid having her reputation ruined. If there were enough pressure, she would have no choice but to comply.


    Thomas used all his connections to find all the information about Clovis. Little did he know, he would find something that even he never expected. "This is... I might be able to use this."

 Chapter 184 Visitors

    Clovis''s group had finally arrived at the meeting place. It seemed that they were planning to use the battleship instead of normal cars.


    It was a good plan, considering the battleship could pass on any terrain and was much more efficient. They even had defensive systems.


    "So, this is the rumored battleship," Clovis muttered.


    "Yeah. I''m quite surprised that such a thing can exist. I mean, the airplane should suffice, but they are prone to attacks from flying beasts. It''s said that this battleship is used for the new generation of airplanes."


    Clovis pointed at the airship. "Can''t they just put those big guns from the walls into this battleship?"


    "I think they''ve done that." Kanaria shrugged. "I don''t know much about the battleship though."


    Melody was simply staring at the battleship as if she were mesmerized by it. "Why a battleship... I want a robot. It will be cool to fight inside a robot."


    "Do you think our technology has reached that point? Even this battleship is known to be using the most cutting edge technology." Kanaria shook her head helplessly.


    "Maybe we should have one in the future. Not the big one... Just a small one for our group." Clovis looked at the battleship, imagining himself traveling with his friends on that ship.


    "That sounds nice. But it''s not nice for our wallet. I''m sure that it will cost at least tens of billions of dollars."


    "Yeah. I''m talking about the future, not now." Clovis shrugged. When he got even stronger, he might have started selling the items from Another World Mall, which would have given him an unimaginable amount of money.


    So, it might not be impossible.


    "Still, there are a lot of people here." Clovis looked around, not finding a single person he knew.


    Most of them were Tier 1 humans and the rest were just Tier 0. Since they had never publicized themselves, Clovis''s group wasn''t known by a lot of people, which was actually convenient since he didn''t have to deal with their stares.


    "Sadly, Melody can''t go with us since it''s only under 20." Kanaria sighed.


    "Don''t worry. This will be like my day off. I''ll be watching you guys fly into the sky." Melody waved her hand.


    That was right. Hana could put them inside the expedition team, but she couldn''t change the rule she had set. So, Melody couldn''t participate in this expedition.


    "This is going to be interesting."


    The people were talking about Ivan and Clovis as if they were eager to see what kind of conflict would arise in this expedition. While it was true that it would create danger, they simply wanted Ivan to get knocked down.


    It might be out of pettiness, but Ivan had it all. He had multiple women by his side, unparalleled talent, and even a handsome face.


    However, ever since meeting Clovis, his face was ruined, his talent didn''t look that much, and the women that flocked him previously began to disappear.


    On the other hand, they had heard rumors about Clovis. From one source, it was said that Clovis had done a much better job than Ivan''s group. They were humble and put the credit where it''s due.


    There was simply not much information about them. If there was one, it was most likely to be positive.


    It might be because of the lack of information that Clovis became even more mysterious. People wanted to cheer for the underdog.


    Some people even went all the way to say that Ivan looked good because the Drake Group portrayed him that way in the media. It was just a facade because they needed to hide his bad behavior.


    Ivan was annoyed when he listened to their nonsense. But they heard that the president had prepared something to mess with Clovis, so they should just stay out and not do anything to make it worse.


    It only took a minute after Ivan appeared before the mood changed once again as new visitors arrived.


    "Hey. Isn''t that the police?"


    "Why are the police here?"


    "What is going on?"


    The people began to whisper as they saw multiple policemen coming into the scene. All of them had a stern face and walked straight to their target.


    Clovis turned his head around because he felt a lot of people were staring at him, wondering what was going on.


    At that time, the police were already in front of him while projecting a screen of his identity that showed his evolution rate.


    "Mr. Clovis. You''re under arrest for bribing the Exploration Association to get your explorer identification. Please follow us to the station."

 Chapter 185 Trouble?

    "Mr. Clovis. You''re under arrest for bribing the Exploration Association to get your explorer identification. Please follow us to the station."


    "Huh?"


    The people were dumbfounded when they heard what the police said. They simply couldn''t believe it.


    Even Melody and Kanaria didn''t expect this. They knew that Clovis had a low evolution rate, but once he got the identification, people wouldn''t usually bother him anymore.


    In addition, he was already Tier 1, showing his talent. There were some examples of people with low evolution rates who became successful because they were desperate enough to get it.


    When it was found, the people actually helped them, demanding the police release them. After all, this also showed the potential of humanity.


    The same should apply to Clovis. Both of them believed that once he became Tier 1 within a year of his awakening, even the police couldn''t arrest them. It wasn''t that they couldn''t, it was that they wouldn''t. Arresting him would bring a bad reputation to the police after all.


    That was why it was too shocking that the police would make a move now.


    "Is there something wrong? Do you even have the warrant to arrest him?" Kanaria tried to stop them.


    However, the police stopped her and even took out the scanner.


    "In that case, we''d like for Mr. Clovis to show his evolution rate. According to the database, Mr. Clovis only has a 15% evolution rate and has bribed an official to get his license. We''d like to bring you to the station for some questioning."


    "What do you mean, 15%?" Kanaria acted as if she didn''t know any of this. She even added, "He has become a Tier 1 within a month of his awakening. How could he have 15% evolution rate?"


    When the people saw this exchange, they began to whisper to each other once again. As expected, the happiest one was Ivan as he could see Clovis suffer.@@@@


    Clovis maintained his poker face, making people think that he was silently admitting his deed.


    "Is that true? Did he bribe the staff in the exploration association?"


    "But when you think about it, isn''t it fine? I mean, he has become Tier 1, which is enough to show his talent. There are a lot of people out there who can do something like that."


    "Mr. Clovis is suspected to have bribed the official from the Explorer Association for forging his explorer identification because his evolution rate is below the minimum stated in the law. We''d like to bring him back to the station so that we can ask a couple of questions."


    The police explained it carefully and politely, trying to calm Hana down.


    Hana, on the other hand, looked dumbfounded. She didn''t expect that Clovis''s evolution rate was that low. Then again, his achievement was so outstanding that she believed Clovis''s evolution rate should be similar to that of his parents or grandfather.


    This made Clovis even more amazing in her eyes.


    At the same time, Hana pinched the bridge of her nose. She could see the aim of the police and someone was definitely instigating this.


    Instead of feeling troubled, Hana was actually annoyed. She muttered in her own language, "(These fools...)"


    "Pardon?" The police didn''t understand what Hana was saying.


    Seeing the gadget on their hand, Hana glanced at Clovis and nonchalantly said, "How about showing me your evolution rate? I won''t allow them to bring you away if they''re lying. I might have to sue them as well."


    Clovis thought this was just an attempt to buy time as it was useless. Still, he was willing to do it and placed his finger on the gadget so that they could scan his fingerprints and show his information.


    At that time, Clovis wasn''t aware of the full extent of what a Tier 9 human could do in this world and he was about to learn it.


    ...


    *Ririiing!*


    *Ririiing!*


    There was a call in the other part of the world. The man looked at his screen and saw the caller.


    International Explorer Association.


    The man picked up the call, saying, "This is Michael speaking."

 Chapter 186 Influence

    "Good morning, good afternoon, or good evening, Mr. Michael. I''m from the International Explorer Association (IAE). I''d like to inform you that someone seems to be investigating your grandson''s information. May I ask you to confirm whether your grandson, Clovis Hacfield, has a 15% evolution rate?"


    "Those pathetic fools... Give me a minute." Michael clicked his tongue and logged into his account. As he said, it only took him a minute before he asked, "Can you repeat your question?"


    "I apologize, I may have misspoke. May I ask you to confirm your grandson, Clovis Hacfield, has a 40% evolution rate?"


    "Yes," Michael answered nonchalantly.


    "Thank you for your confirmation. We''ll proceed according to our rule. May I ask if you have any further requests, Mr. Michael?"


    "No. I don''t want to be bothered with this insignificant problem. Only fools will think that everything depends on evolution rates."


    "I understand. Thank you for accepting my call, Mr. Michael. Have a good day."


    Michael hung up while snorting.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Clovis had already placed his thumb on the scanner and the device began to show his information.


    Name: Clovis


    Gender: Male


    Age: 16


    Evolution Rate: 40%


    Clovis widened his eyes in shock as if he couldn''t believe the information before him. Even the police dropped their jaws. They had seen the data and it showed them 15% evolution rate.


    Yet, when Clovis tried to prove it, the number had changed. As if it were trying to slap them in the face, the evolution rate was actually set into the minimum amount to register in the association.


    Kanaria and Melody couldn''t believe it as well. They thought they were hallucinating, considering the data was stored at the international organization. All the explorer associations around the world were just their branches to regulate the explorers.


    Ivan dropped his jaw to the ground. With this number, they couldn''t arrest Clovis. But President Thomas should have done it carefully, meaning that he had enough confidence that this trick would work.


    Yet, the reality was different.


    "What 15%? It was freaking 40%."


    "In the first place, the police weren''t supposed to reveal his personal identity even if it was fake."


    "Yes. Now they should sue the police for defamation and disclosing personal information."


    "Serve them right. Those policemen must be the bad ones."


    "Yeah. The police should have done their job earnestly and not involved themselves in the politics."


    "Still, don''t you think it''s insane for him to reach Tier 1 within a month with that evolution rate?"


    "It''s amazing. He is much better than Ivan. I feel like I should work even harder."


    "Agreed. Looking at his achievement, I feel like I haven''t worked hard enough."


    "We need to beat Ivan ourselves."


    They all looked even more excited. Instead of Clovis, Ivan had become their target. A single mistake from Ivan would be a disaster for him.


    Ivan wanted to say something, but Elina was holding his hand, preventing him from doing something that would make the situation worse. She also never imagined that the president''s scheme would end this way. This looked like a dumb move from Thomas.


    Clovis simply shrugged his shoulders when he returned to his group as though nothing had happened.


    Melody was impressed. This was a way of showing her that his family indeed had the ability to help her brother.


    Jay didn''t really care about the problem, believing Clovis would be able to solve it.


    As for Kanaria, Clovis had to rub her forehead to snap her back to reality.


    "Ah!" Kanaria looked at Clovis, demanding an explanation.


    "Anyway, let''s go first, shall we?" Clovis pointed at the battleship.


    "Yeah, sorry." Kanaria nodded helplessly.


    "Have fun, guys!" Melody regained her composure and hurriedly waved her hands.


    "We''re off!" The three of them nodded and walked toward the ship like the others as the battleship took off into the sky.

 Chapter 187 Jay

    "This is beautiful." Kanaria muttered while looking at the scenery. Since the battleship wasn''t going at very high speed, they were permitted to actually come out to the ship''s deck.


    While enjoying the breeze of the wind, Clovis also stepped to the edge and put his hand on the railing. "Indeed."


    This was something they had never experienced before. Even if one flew in an airplane, they could only see the outside through a small window. Looking at it directly was not possible before.


    There was a different feeling when looking from this battleship and the skyscraper.


    "We''ll just have to continue taking one step at a time and keep upgrading our lives. This kind of thing might not be impossible to have in the future." Clovis smiled.


    "Mhmm..." Kanaria nodded while smiling.


    Jay didn''t have any interest in looking at the scenery. He was actually sitting on the lower deck while reviewing the information about the mission.


    Because Melody wasn''t here, he thought he should do a bit more.@@@@


    Expedition.


    Target: All Tier 3 in Revolution Forest.


    The details provided all the names and their pictures. There were a total of seven beasts they needed to kill.


    While Clovis and he might be able to take them down together, seven was a bit too much. In addition, these beasts were much stronger as their location was far away from the subterranean world tunnel.


    He could see that the Tier 2 explorers would definitely shine in this raid. If he were one or two years older, he might actually surpass them and reach Tier 3, considering most of the Tier 2 humans in this raid were at least 19 years old.


    From what he could see, they were planning to let the beasts beat these people up so that they knew the true terror of the beasts. After that, their own team would come forth and show them their true strength.


    Jay looked around the cabin. The cabin looked spacious and there were a lot of seats in it. In fact, this looked like a cafe instead of a battleship cabin.


    Because they opened the deck, the majority of people headed there, leaving only less than ten people inside the cabin.


    However, he noticed something about these people. They seemed to be whispering to each other while glancing at him as though they were talking about him.


    Jay didn''t believe he had done something that would garner their attention. However, their group might have done that.


    "Hmmm?" Jay''s expression turned serious. He didn''t say anything, but he seemed to be bothered. It didn''t really matter if they wanted to talk badly about him, but not his group. That was why he tried to listen to their conversation.


    It was hard since he didn''t have an affinity for that, but he still managed to pick someone''s voice not far from his spot.


    "Hey. You know... Libation Fiesta... 21st group."


    "Don''t worry. No one is here. I''ve asked everyone to vacate this hallway, but we don''t have a lot of time." The butler raised three fingers. "First, they might use this chance to actually isolate you from the rest of the group.


    "Second, while we couldn''t care less about their opinions, it would be better not to crush their morale before the expedition. We''d destroy their pride in the raid itself.


    "Third, please take this." The butler took out a small metal ball. "I''m not sure if you know about this, but it''s a jamming device."


    "Do you want me to mess with their communication?"


    "No. This is not a communication jamming device. Instead, it''s a device that can interfere with the radar signal, allowing you to hide yourself from the radar."


    "!!!" Jay remembered that Melody had scanned the area after climbing the mountain. Yet she actually missed Hana, who seemed to have been waiting for them the whole time.


    "It might become handy for your group. The miss wants to give this to your group."


    "I will pass it to Clovis, but I can''t guarantee he''ll accept it."


    "Of course." The butler smiled. "I''ve passed all the messages from the young lady. In that case, let me give you a little advice. Treat it as a payment for passing this message in my stead.


    "Your current footwork emphasizes the surge of strength coming from the lower body. It gives you good explosive strength, but it takes too long to charge that energy. Instead of focusing on your legs to stomp the ground, why don''t you try moving your entire body down for one or two centimeters? You have an extremely sturdy lower body, so you should be able to do it."


    After the explanation, the butler politely bowed his head and said, "I bid you a pleasant time," before disappearing into thin air.


    "..." Jay raised his eyebrows because he couldn''t sense the butler anymore.


    Still, his focus returned to the previous matter regarding the rumor. While walking, he was staring at the sphere and decided to put it in his pocket.


    At the same time, he was curious about the advice from that butler. It was clear that the butler was extremely strong, so that advice might be based on his experience.


    While walking, instead of stomping the ground, he actually shifted the center of his gravity down as though his upper body was following the momentum and applied pressure to the lower body.


    In an instant, he felt a surge of strength moving toward his ankles before bouncing back to the upper body.


    The process was actually at least five times shorter than his usual stomp even though the energy had to bounce.


    ''This...'' Jay couldn''t believe what he had found. Clovis''s fighting style relied a lot on speed and dexterity, while his focused on overwhelming strength. But with this trick, he might be able to close the gap between his speed and Clovis''s.


    ''Still, to shift my center of gravity down, it will cause a problem for my martial arts. But if I can refine this method a bit further, I might be able to become stronger than Clovis.''


    Jay clenched his hands into fists, feeling a bit fired up. He remembered that the Star Method for Muscle Affinity focused on the muscle''s utilization. However, he seemed to have misunderstood it. What Clovis''s father meant by muscle was actually every single muscle in their body, not just the ones in their arms and legs.


    With a smile on his face, Jay rushed to the upper deck so that he could pass the message and try this new trick, only to be shocked by what he saw.


    On the deck, everyone seemed to be looking at Clovis and Kanaria as if they were holding a grudge.

 Chapter 188 Doubt

    While looking at the scenery, Clovis and Kanaria suddenly noticed something.


    "Hey. Are they really the ones?"


    "Yeah. I heard that they were actually added at the last second. Unlike us, who had to undergo a screening, he used a back door and put his name on the list."


    "What? But isn''t he a genius?"


    "What genius? He only has a 40% evolution rate."


    "That''s true. While he can still continue progressing quickly, his speed will drop significantly when he reaches a higher tier."


    "This is rather unfair."


    "Yeah. He can get the resources from the wealthy families behind his subordinates."


    "Then he must be using that connection to force his way here."


    "If he follows the screening, he won''t be able to join this raid."


    The people began whispering about a ''scandal'' after they had gotten their fill on the scenery.


    The first one to notice this was Kanaria with her sharp senses. She couldn''t help but turn around.


    The people stopped talking for a second, but it was clear that a lot of people were talking about them.


    They all gazed at them as though they were cheating. However, they didn''t dare to say another word because they were afraid of the families backing Kanaria and Jay.


    Kanaria noticed that it would be bad if she suppressed this kind of rumor with force, so she turned around and said, "Clovis... People are talking badly about us."


    "There is a reason why they held a screening to choose the people for this raid. You will understand it after fighting against the beasts. And I believe that you will think using connection is the same as sending yourself to death.


    "If you still think that I''m in the wrong at that point, I''ll take full responsibility for your unproven claim. That''s all. I hope that all of you are able to survive so that you can change your opinion." Clovis smiled.


    His opinions didn''t pack so much power or persuasion. However, it instilled doubts in their hearts.


    Was the raid really that deep? A normal expedition is a rather simple and straightforward activity. They believed they would be able to do a lot of things in this raid and gain the recognition of the OpenSky company.


    It seemed that they had to see what Clovis meant by fighting against those beasts.


    After planting that seed of doubt, Clovis stepped away from the upper deck and headed back to the cabin.


    To his surprise, Jay was actually standing not far from the stairs as if he had been watching the whole thing.


    "It seems that you''ve seen all of it." Clovis patted Jay''s shoulder. "Our job is going to be much harder now."


    Jay scratched the back of his head. He thought that he could warn Clovis about the rumor, but the other party had worked even faster. In fact, they might have been working since yesterday.


    "Anyway, I have gotten a few messages for you."


    Jay explained everything to Clovis starting with his observation, speculation, and the message from the butler.


    As the butler said, they had been isolated. Clovis never intended to crush their morale since the seed of doubt was enough.


    However, he was definitely shocked when Jay handed over the sphere that could jam the radar.


    "This is..." Clovis gasped.


    "Is there something wrong? This is an amazing device, but is it that useful? I mean, our enemies are the beasts, right?" Kanaria asked.


    Clovis shook his head. "This is a very useful item for our current situation. I see... it seems that she is able to see through the situation. I guess there''s a reason why she is able to become a respectable businesswoman. I''ll show you how to turn around the situation with this device."

 Chapter 189 Starting the Raid

    Five minutes before they reached the destination, all the participants had been assembled in the cabin, including the explorers under the OpenSky Company.


    There was a 19-year-old man giving them the briefing for this raid.


    "As you already know, we''ll be targeting the seven Tier 3 beasts in this place. Our teams will also be participating and we will do our best to keep you from getting into danger.


    "Next is this..." The man raised a flare gun. "Shoot the flare to the sky if you want to get rescued or notice something wrong. We''ll immediately send our team there.


    "While we do our best to help you, it''ll be hard to keep track of all the people. Hence, I''ll set up perimeters. Anyone who crosses this line can consider themselves eliminated. If there is any beast coming over to you, we won''t be able to come to you right away." The man drew two straight lines parallel to each other.


    "Last but not least, I want to tell you to be extra careful. Don''t be too complacent about your current achievements. That might get you killed on this expedition. That''s all."


    The man paused for a moment. "If you still have any dissatisfaction, you can settle it after the expedition. Anyone who is trying to disrupt the raid will be treated harshly by us, understand?"


    The people''s hearts skipped a beat after that warning. They all knew what the man was talking about.


    It was clear that Clovis''s identity was special and indirectly implied that he entered through a connection.


    However, it didn''t really matter for Clovis as he had another plan to solve the problem.


    "If there is no question, we shall head out." The man waved his hand. "Follow me."


    The man led them to the door. He didn''t know the reason why Hana came to this place.


    However, Clovis''s group was chosen personally by their president. There should be a reason for it. It would be wrong if he didn''t feel jealous or anything, but he was in no position to question her superior''s decision unless it was proven that they were useless.


    He had seen all the people hiding their true abilities because it would put them in danger. They were the same as people who revealed their abilities so that big companies would pick them.


    So he believed that was the reason for Hana to choose Clovis''s group. For the time being, he had just to warn them and watch for the result. The ability to make a calm decision was also the reason why Hana hired him.


    "I see." The man closed his eyes for a moment. "I''m also curious about your strength. For Miss Hana to personally register a group, you should be rather special. However, I will have to warn you that I''m planning to treat you the same as others. Coming outside the zone will make it hard for us to rescue you in case something goes wrong."


    "That''s fine. Thank you for answering my question." Clovis nodded before gesturing to Jay and Kanaria that they would be going in soon.


    The man watched their backs until they disappeared into the woods.


    As if expecting it, screams started echoing inside the forest.


    "Aaaahhh!"


    "NO!"


    "Whaaaatttt!"


    A lot of people looked confused, so the guy looked at all the explorers from the company. "It''s time for us to move out as well!"


    They nodded their heads, knowing that this would happen to the country bumpkin who didn''t understand the true terror of the beasts.


    ...


    In the forest.


    "Gaaaah!" A young man crashed into a tree. He looked at the beast in front of him while gritting his teeth. "What is going on? I am a Tier 1 human and the opponent is the same. I should have been able to fight against two or three Tier 1 beasts at the same time, but I''m actually being overpowered by one?"


    "Help!" Another young man shouted while avoiding all the attacks from the beast, but he was soon out of breath and got slammed to the side.


    "Axel!"


    "What is going on? The report told us that these beasts would be extraordinary, but this is not just a mere 30% or 40% increase. It''s as if they''re twice as strong."

 Chapter 190 Helping People

    "Captain!" The group was in distress even though they only fought against two Tier 1 beasts and six Tier 0 beasts. If they were near a city, they would be able to defeat these beasts. In fact, they had confidence that they could defeat all of them even if they were mutant beasts.


    However, they never expected that the beasts inside this forest would be this strong.


    They were not the only group that had trouble with the beasts. There were several other groups that were trying their best to get out of the current situation. A few groups even tried to escape.


    The captain gritted his teeth while holding the Tier 1 beast back. He shouted, "Search a gap and the people around this area. We''ll go to their place and reform our position."


    "Haaa!" One of them roared and used every ounce of his strength just to repel the beast in front of him. He took out the radar and shouted, "There are a lot of people and beasts to our left."


    "Let''s go to the¡ª" The captain was about to give an order when a shadow appeared on the corner of his eyes.


    In addition, one of the beasts that were trying to kill his teammates got shot from the side.


    The shadow turned into two as both of them moved swiftly from the right. Because of what happened inside the battleship, they recognized Clovis and Jay.


    *Roar!* The Tier 1 beast noticed them and smacked the person before it. After that, it turned around and slapped Clovis. The latter struck the beast''s paw with both swords and knocked it up.


    When the beast tried to use the other paw, Clovis kicked his arm and stopped his momentum. Then, Clovis spun his body and cut the knocked paw earlier.


    While screaming in pain, the beast stomped the ground and used the other paw to stop Clovis. Sadly for the beast, Clovis had closed in. Now that he was beside that arm, he slashed it down.


    The beast was unable to do anything else with both arms gone. So, Clovis took this chance to send the beast''s head flying, ultimately killing the Tier 1 beast.


    Normally, it would take Clovis only a single strike to actually kill a Tier 1 beast, but that didn''t matter. This was the true strength of the beast.


    Jay did the same, but because his opponent was only a Tier 0 beast, he overpowered the beast and cut it down in a single slash. He then headed to the second Tier 1 beast that fought the captain.


    "Yes."


    The group moved as quickly as possible.


    Meanwhile, Clovis led his group through the forest and helped one group after another. Every time they appeared, the people would be shocked. Clovis was like a ghost and a guardian who came when they needed him and left after saving them.


    That was what Clovis was trying to do. The seed of doubt he planted earlier began to bloom. The fertilizer was none other than the device that Hana gave.


    By hiding from the radar, it was as if they appeared out of nowhere and acted like heroes while rousing their spirits.


    It was easy to sway people''s opinions, considering there was only a misunderstanding between them.


    With one group helping another group, the two groups would be able to help another two.


    In an instant, Clovis managed to actually unite the groups while solving the rumors.


    "This..." When the people from the OpenSky corporation came to help these people, there were nothing but beasts left behind. Even if they found the participants, they had actually worked together and defeated the beasts.


    "What is actually happening? They''re actually working together? Do they know it''s impossible to defeat the beasts by themselves and start working together? No, there wasn''t any unity between them earlier..."


    Suddenly, Hana''s voice echoed from the receiver in his right ear. "There''s no need for us to make a move yet."


    "Miss?" He was surprised and raised his head, finding a drone hovering in the sky. It seemed that Hana had been monitoring them the whole time.


    She was smiling behind the screen while her butler asked, "Is this what you had in mind when giving that device?"


    "No. This is beyond my imagination." Hana smiled.

 Chapter 191 Surprise

    "What is going on?!" Ivan gritted his teeth.


    "Kh!" Vina blocked a Tier 1 beast with all her strength, but it still pushed her back by one meter. She was normally able to stop even a Tier 2 beast, so it was quite surprising.


    Ivan fought against these beasts one by one, but his teammates ended up struggling against the other beasts.


    "There they are!" A voice soon came from the side.


    "!!!" Ivan raised his head and saw the reinforcement.


    "Peel the enemies from the right!" Their leader waved his hand down, ordering the rest of the group.


    Now that they had more numbers than the beasts, the fight shifted in their favor. Ivan skillfully killed one beast after another, astonishing the people. However, it didn''t change the fact that he could only do this because of the reinforcement.


    Hence, once it was over, Ivan gathered his group and politely thanked them. "Because of your help, our group manages to take these beasts down. Thank you."


    The leader scratched the back of his head. "You end up being the one who kills most of them, so there is no need to thank us. Besides, the Libation Fiesta is the one making us realize what we should do in this situation."


    "!!!" Ivan couldn''t help but widen his eyes. In the end, everything led to Clovis. He didn''t know what Clovis did, but he actually managed to change people''s opinions even after all the rumors they had spread.


    "Is there something wrong?" The leader asked innocently.@@@@


    Ivan clenched his hands into fists as though he wanted to explode. But Elina tapped his back, reminding him not to take any action.


    Ivan took a deep breath and shook his head. "It''s nothing. We''re thankful for your help, so we''ll get going soon."


    "We understand. These beasts are much stronger than normal, so if you don''t mind, we can join hands in this expedition. In the end, we''re representing our city and nation so that we won''t be looked down upon by the OpenSky company."


    Obviously, Ivan had no grudge against them. However, because Clovis was the one giving the idea, there was no way he would accept the invitation.


    "Yeah. We don''t know what kind of creatures are inside the swamp, so we''ll have to be careful." Clovis nodded.


    "Still, Beelzebufo, huh? Why not call it Beelzebub? Wait. Beelzebub is a fly, right?" Jay tilted his head in confusion.


    "What are you thinking?" Clovis shook his head helplessly. "Anyway, frog meat is supposed to be a delicacy, right?"


    "Yep. I think they''re good..." Kanaria nodded and pointed at the screen in her Skyglasses. "Look, even Melody is searching for the recipe online."


    They chuckled. Clovis waved his hand and said, "Alright. Let''s begin the hunt. I wonder how many Tier 3 beasts we can hunt in this place."


    Kanaria nodded and jumped into the tree, taking her position. Jay stood up while unsheathing his blade.


    Clovis and Jay immediately came out of the bushes and ran toward the swamp. There was a five-meter gap that separated them from the frog.


    Without hesitation, Jay leaped into the air after strengthening the muscles on his thighs. With his extraordinary muscle, covering ten meters was easy. He could even reach the third floor with a single leap.


    On the other hand, Clovis tossed his short sword to the branch on the other side and swung like a Tarzan.


    However, he soon noticed a popping bubble on the water''s surface. A pair of eyes actually emerged, finding Clovis.


    He witnessed it in slow motion, allowing him to move his sword to the front.


    Right after he passed this pair of eyes, a huge crocodile leaped into the air, trying to bite him.


    *Roar!*


    "!!!" Clovis waved his sword while spinning his body, trying to avoid it. However, the beast was so violent and strong that it slammed Clovis with its own body.


    *Bam!*

 Chapter 192 Recovering

    *Bam!*


    Clovis was slammed to the ground, causing him to roll a few times. The frog leaped into the air, planning to crush Clovis with its giant body.


    As soon as Jay landed on the ground, he rushed to Clovis''s side and swung his saber as hard as possible.


    To his surprise, his blade couldn''t penetrate the frog''s skin because of a sticky liquid that coated the entire body. It even made his swing slide down the frog''s body.


    In the end, Jay used his entire body weight to deflect the frog''s trajectory, barely avoiding Clovis.


    Kanaria was pointing her rifle at these beasts, but she hadn''t shot yet, not wanting to reveal her location. In addition, due to the commotion earlier, the beasts around the area had woken up.


    "..." Kanaria''s expression turned serious as she heard Melody''s voice through the receiver in her right ear.


    "Sorry. It''s my mistake. I''ve miscalculated the beasts in the area, especially in the water." Melody was watching the live footage while searching for information about that crocodile. "You should end this fight as quickly as possible if you don''t want to die."@@@@


    "What do you mean?"


    "That crocodile is Sarcosuchus. It lived in the early Cretaceous period and was known as a giant crocodilian. In its adult phase, it can easily reach twelve meters. It looks like this crocodile is only 7 meters long, but it''s only a Tier 2 beast. There are a lot of beasts coming to the location as well."


    Kanaria''s expression turned grim. She checked the radar to make sure there were no beasts around her. After that, she pointed her rifle at one of the incoming beasts. "You heard her, guys."


    Clovis had stood up and looked at the crocodile. "Jay."


    Jay clenched his sword, thinking that he would be fighting the crocodile instead of the frog. This was what usually happens, after all. Clovis would fight against the higher-tier beast.


    However, Clovis asked, "You can take care of a mere frog while I defeat this crocodile, right?"


    "Foolish question." Jay smiled, feeling fired up. When they were about to move, the frog''s cheek bloated for a second before it shot out its tongue.


    The tongue was extremely long, reaching as far as five meters.


    ''Three minutes...'' Clovis muttered inwardly, assessing their current situation. He remembered what the frog could actually do, so he hurriedly tossed the short sword into the frog''s eye.


    The frog closed its eyelid, causing the short sword to slide away.


    "!!!" Jay didn''t expect that Clovis would interfere in this fight, but the frog''s next action explained everything.


    The frog''s cheek bloated once again, so Jay wanted to deflect it for him. However, Clovis shouted, "Don''t!"


    Jay''s pupils moved to the corner, finding Clovis standing on top of the raging crocodile.


    When the frog shot its tongue, Clovis stepped to the side and placed the long sword on the crocodile''s skin.


    The tongue hammered the long sword like a nail, shattering the hard skin.


    *Roar!* The crocodile was wailing in pain, not understanding why the human''s attack was able to penetrate his skin.


    Noticing his blunder, the frog hurriedly retracted its tongue, but Jay actually got an idea after seeing Clovis.


    While it was true that the frog''s skin was slippery, there were a few parts with the thinnest layer of skin.


    He ran to a tree and used it to jump straight to the frog''s eye. He positioned his saber in front of him so that he looked like an arrow.


    His aim was the frog''s eye. The frog closed its eyes while rolling the tongue, but it was futile. He acted like a nail being hammered so that even if it was slippery, it would move past the slippery layer and pierced through the skin.


    *Heeee!*


    The frog screamed as Jay''s plan worked. His saber pierced through the eyelid, but it was still unable to completely defeat the slippery liquid, which caused the trajectory to change.


    The saber only pierced two centimeters into the eyelid before sliding to the side.


    Jay used this chance to slash the eye instead.


    *Heee!*

 Chapter 193 Killing the Crocodile

    Clovis smiled, seeing that Jay was able to do the same. He couldn''t lose to him.


    Now that his blade had impaled the crocodile''s body, he shifted his grip a little bit and ripped apart the hard skin like a crowbar.


    The crocodile hurriedly escaped and shook its body so that Clovis couldn''t do any more damage.


    After that, he turned around and leaped into the air.


    Clovis wanted to avoid it, but he immediately changed his plan when seeing the soft skin on the front part. He blocked the crocodile''s jaws and allowed the crocodile to push him down. At the same time, he tossed his short sword to the side.


    When he was about to go down, Clovis pulled himself to the side with the chain attached to his short sword so that he didn''t have to bear the entire weight of this crocodile.@@@@


    In addition, he made sure his right hand maintained the position of his long sword.


    When the crocodile started to fall, the long sword pierced through the softer skin, allowing the crocodile''s weight to make the wound deeper until it pierced through the other side.


    *Bam!*


    The crocodile fell to the ground, shocked by the excruciating pain. Clovis tilted his body toward the crocodile while taking out his short sword.


    He stabbed the cracked skin from earlier and broke it apart. The crocodile shook its body and ended up pushing him away.


    Clovis managed to stop his momentum by holding on to the chain. Now that both sides had been wounded, Clovis hurriedly pulled out his pistol.


    His focus was on the injured part so that he could deepen the wound.


    *Bang!*


    *Bang!*


    *Bang!*


    The frog tried to stop him, but Clovis shot the frog with all his bullets. When Jay arrived, he rotated his sword and hit Clovis''s sword''s handle with the back of his sword, hammering it back deep. This time, the sword also impaled the ground, which made it even harder to pull out. In fact, it looked like the crocodile ended up getting stuck on his back.


    *Clack!*


    *Clack!*


    The magazine was empty, so Clovis was unable to suppress the frog anymore. However, it didn''t matter. Jay had finished his job in assisting Clovis and already turned back.


    Still, the first attack the frog used was its tongue. Because Clovis was right behind him, he had to block this tongue.


    The tongue hit him hard as though he was hit by a car.


    Jay gritted his teeth, enduring some pain on his left wrist. His left hand became a bit numb, but it was still usable.


    After blocking this tongue, he looped around the tongue and approached the frog from the right. He even moved closer to the tree, making the frog think he would do the same trick as the one he used to slash its eye.


    Meanwhile, Clovis reloaded his pistol before shooting the crocodile again and again while his short sword slit the crocodile''s belly.


    *Arrr!* The crocodile struggled, trying to pull out from the sword.


    Unfortunately for the crocodile, it was one step too late. When it managed to break free, there were simply too many wounds on in its body. Its consciousness had become fuzzy.


    Clovis stabbed the crocodile''s back multiple times, worsening its injuries. After another ten strikes, the crocodile finally succumbed to its wound.


    "Ha..." Clovis let out a long breath. While he wasn''t injured, killing the crocodile took a lot of stamina.


    In addition, he had to take on the frog next.


    Before heading to the frog, Clovis took a look at his surroundings, making sure that no beast came close. After that, he moved toward the frog, which only had three injuries, one in the eye and the other two on its body.


    Clovis pulled out the long sword from the crocodile''s body. After that, he approached the frog from the left as Melody informed Jay about Clovis''s arrival as he positioned himself to receive him. Although he didn''t want to admit it, stopping the frog was the only thing he could do now. To kill this frog, they needed to work together.

 Chapter 194 Difficulty

    Clovis was approaching from the left, taking advantage of the injured eye to avoid being sent.


    Jay positioned himself slightly to the right so that Clovis could close in safely.


    However, the frog suddenly jumped into the air for no reason, alarming both Jay and Clovis.


    ''Huh? Did it sense me?'' Clovis thought with a serious expression.


    Jay jumped away as the frog landed on his original position, carrying that massive weight. Its fall caused the ground to vibrate, alarming all the beasts in the area.


    Clovis noticed that the number of beasts around had surpassed the limit that Kanaria could handle. It seemed that they had to fight the frog while repelling the beasts around them.


    Still, before these beasts reach them, they should injure the frog as much as possible.


    "It''s going to be impossible for Kanaria to stop all of them by herself. Melody, you have to keep a close eye on the radar," said Clovis while running toward the frog.


    Jay jumped into the air and slashed the frog''s head from above. The frog raised its leg to block it, causing Jay''s swing to slide down the entire body without piercing through the skin.


    Clovis, on the other hand, slashed the frog''s side multiple times. However, the moment it landed on the frog''s skin, the blade ended up rotating slightly, causing the dull body to clash with the skin instead of the sharp edge.


    No matter if it was the long sword or the short sword, he was unable to cut the frog.


    Clovis still didn''t believe that the frog was able to block every single attack, so he started going around the body and striking every part.


    However, they didn''t have a lot of time left.


    After a few seconds, Clovis became even more desperate as he still couldn''t find any weak spots.


    All of a sudden, Melody warned him, "On your left."


    Clovis had to jump away to avoid both of them. He tossed the short sword mid-air, hitting the Tier 1 beast''s head and ultimately killing it.


    "Tsk." Clovis clicked his tongue because Melody warned him of yet another beast.


    The moment he landed, he spun his body and struck the beast behind him. After that, he jumped into the air to avoid the frog''s swipe before the other beast pounced on him.


    *Bam!*


    Clovis fell and was pinned to the ground by this beast. He hurriedly kicked the beast away and found the beast he struck earlier had recovered and was about to crush his head.


    Clovis hurriedly rolled to the side. Instead of standing up, he remained on his knees, barely avoiding the frog''s leg that would have hit his upper body had he stood up.


    Still, the two beasts chased after him. He struck the first one, but the second one managed to hit his left shoulder.


    Clovis tossed the short sword at this beast, which disrupted its movement before slashing its neck.


    Instead of picking the short sword, he pulled out the pistol and shot the other beast while making his way toward the frog.


    The beast chased after him, but when the former was close enough to the frog, Clovis looped around and kicked the beast to the frog.


    The frog tried to smash him, but Clovis simply shot the frog''s eye multiple times to stop him. He stabbed the beast with his long sword, piercing its body and directly hitting the frog.


    "!!!" The frog''s body shuddered, realizing that the sword had finally reached the frog.


    Clovis actually used the beast''s flesh to stop the movement of his sword when hitting something so slippery.


    However, it was surprising that he had to do all this just to actually injure a Tier 3 beast.


    Clovis glared at the frog, thinking all this frustration could only be vented by turning the frog into their dinner tonight.

 Chapter 195 Killing the Frog

    Enraged, the frog turned around and kicked Clovis with the back leg while pushing away the beast with another leg.


    Clovis easily avoided the kick, but he couldn''t stop the frog from pushing the beast away.


    It seemed that the frog was extremely intelligent and was capable of understanding him. As usual, he had to ask, "Melody. Send what happened earlier to Jay."


    "Alright."


    Melody immediately used the recording to show Jay the way to kill the frog.


    As soon as he saw it, Jay came up with an idea.


    He slashed the beast in front of him and cut two of its legs before kicking it to the frog.


    The frog thought it wasn''t a big deal and stood there, allowing the beast to hit his slippery skin.


    However, it didn''t realize the reason why Jay kicked that beast. Jay''s eyes lingered not on the frog but on Clovis, who looped around the frog.


    When the beast hit the frog''s body, Clovis appeared from the side, pierced through the beast''s body, and eventually reached the frog''s flesh.


    "!!!" The frog widened its eyes in shock, feeling the sharp pain once again.


    However, he didn''t stop there. Clovis positioned himself on the side of his sword, giving Jay a clear view of his sword. The latter ran to the frog as quickly as possible. He rotated his sword and hit the back of the handle of Clovis''s sword.


    *Bang!*


    His strike was like a hammer, causing the sword to pierce through the flesh even further.


    *Bloab!* The frog''s body tilted to the side as if it were unable to endure the pain. However, Clovis actually used the other sword to widen the wound. He precisely hit the injured part and ripped it apart with both swords.


    As soon as Jay rushed to him, Clovis shouted, "Not me!"


    "!!!" Jay raised his eyebrows before turning around, finding Kanaria being chased by several beasts. It was no wonder there were suddenly a lot of beasts here, it turned out the beasts managed to distract Kanaria.


    Without hesitation, he swung to the other side with the vine and rushed to Kanaria.


    The first thing he did was send a beast''s head flying.


    "Jay." Kanaria took a step back and expanded her range of vision, trying to get a good grasp on the entire situation. Seeing how the beasts were approaching Clovis, she decided to return to her original job. "Take care of this side."


    Jay''s response came in the form of action as he began killing these lower tier beasts. This way, Kanaria could focus on peeling the beasts that were about to reach Clovis.


    While they managed to kill the Tier 3 frog, they still had to deal with more than a hundred beasts in the area, including four Tier 2 beasts among them.


    However, Clovis and Jay were more than capable of handling the Tier 2 beasts. They killed one beast after another.


    After a full twenty minutes, they finally cleaned up the battlefield.


    Clovis simply dropped to his butt while shouting, "This is tiring."


    Kanaria was using an eye drop after focusing a bit too much during the entire fight, while Jay leaned on the tree to hide his fatigue.


    ...


    Fifty meters from their location, the man from the OpenSky company couldn''t help but suck a cold breath after watching the fight with his binoculars.


    "To think that three Tier 1 humans can actually kill a Tier 3 beast along with one hundred other beasts."


    The drone was hovering above him, recording the entire fight. Hana was smiling behind the screen when watching this. She had never seen Clovis''s group fighting against a Tier 3 beast, but this was enough proof of their ability.

 Chapter 196 Camp

    "Ha... Ha... We''re finally here." A few people had come to the camp that was set up by the participants, as well as a few people from the OpenSky company.


    There were already more than half the participants gathering in this safe area.


    Even Ivan chose to take a rest in this place because he didn''t want anyone''s help.


    There were only two more hours before the sunset, so the people were preparing for their tents and meals.


    Hana was already standing outside the camp as she couldn''t help but ask, "What is the situation over there? There is no one planning to bother us, right?"


    "Yes. I haven''t sensed any troublesome people like those assassins or that unique individual." The butler replied.


    "Alright." Hana nodded with a serious expression.


    Now that she had confirmed their safety, she came out of her hiding spot and walked toward the camp.


    "Is that..."


    "Yeah. She is the one holding this expedition."


    The people were staring at her, finally able to see her up close. Despite being an heir from one of the biggest companies in the world, she looked more adept in battle than they originally thought.


    They had seen the news about her and thought she was more graceful in the news than here. Then again, they were in the middle of nowhere. She couldn''t really show that side of her in this place.


    Hana smiled while waving her hand to them. Once she reached the center, she clapped to gain their attention and said, "I''m sure that you have finally understood the strength of the beasts around us. They are at a level that you''ve never seen before, right?"


    The people looked down. If not for Clovis, they wouldn''t have cooperated with each other. In fact, they might have retired already.


    "What? Did they kill a Tier 3 beast?"


    "Weren''t they only Tier 1 explorers?"


    The people were shocked, especially Ivan. Even he had trouble facing a Tier 2 beast. There was no way his group could even hunt a Tier 3 beast.


    Yet they all seemed to have heard another clue from his words.


    "Four Tier 3 beasts? Wait. Did they hunt three Tier 3 beasts?"


    "What?"


    The people gasped, looking at Clovis''s group dumbfoundedly.


    "Oh my." Hana raised her eyebrows even though she was already aware of their achievements.


    Clovis and Jay were in tatters after fighting so many Tier 3 beasts. Kanaria was in better shape, but she looked extremely tired.


    "Does your group really kill three Tier 3 beasts?"


    "If you don''t believe it, you can take a look at the essence and the recording later." Clovis harrumphed.


    "Is that so? I will certainly do so. It''s a surprise that a group is able to hunt three Tier 3 beasts. Even the people in my city can only hunt Tier 2 beasts. It''s quite amazing." Hana smiled.


    "The only difference we have is how used we are to these beasts. Once you get used to it, the great explorers will make an even more powerful technique and the overall strength of the entire city will leap to a whole new level." Clovis shook his head. "I believe that the people in this city won''t be losing to the people in the major cities at that time."technique,


    When they heard Clovis''s words, they were stunned. Normally, the first thing they would do was feel proud of themselves after hearing such praise. Yet Clovis prioritized praising their city and ensuring that they wouldn''t lose to those in the major cities.


    They couldn''t help but remember what happened on that deck and realize they had made a mistake. Clovis might have been secretly put in by the government so that their city didn''t lose any face. It wasn''t like the rumor at all.

 Chapter 197 Information

    Hana got the recording from Clovis and acted as if she wasn''t the one dealing with such a thing. After that, she spread the video to others so that everyone who doubted him would find out that Clovis managed to do it without her help.


    "Is this for real?"


    "They are truly able to kill all these Tier 3 beasts by themselves."@@@@


    "There isn''t any support in this recording. And it doesn''t look like it has been edited heavily."


    Of course, the video had gone through the editing process, which was Melody''s job. She had to make sure that they didn''t show too much information about their group and fighting style.


    After all, this video would be spread widely, not just to them but also to other people in the city.


    While they were focused on the video, Clovis and his group actually asked for the help of the people from the OpenSky company, not for fighting the Tier 3 beast but for cooking the frog.


    "Woah, this looks delicious." Hana sat down next to them. Her subordinates gave her a few skewers so that she could enjoy. They also shared it with other participants, making sure they had their bellies full with some good meat today.


    "What are you doing here? Aren''t you supposed to be elegant and graceful young lady?" Clovis glanced at her. The only one who could talk casually to her was probably Clovis


    "Isn''t that fine? If I''m here with you guys, the tension will drop." Hana shrugged. "Besides, I originally wanted to hunt this frog first since the meat is so amazing. Unfortunately, we don''t have a good chef here."


    "Indeed." Clovis nodded. "Having delicious food is a part of a good adventure."


    Hana looked at him for a moment before saying, "You''re misinterpreting my words though."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Alright. That''s all. Take it as a payment for the frog." Hana stood up and brought a bag of skewers for herself.


    Clovis''s experience turned serious as he was thinking about their future. Meanwhile, Kanaria came to him after Hana left.


    She whispered, "We might have to be careful. Ivan doesn''t seem like he is going to swallow his pride in this raid. Or maybe this is your plan? You provoke Ivan by killing three Tier 3 beasts. This way, the people will acknowledge our strength.


    "Then Ivan will get jealous and try to replicate our achievement. He will end up dying or at least his teammates will suffer because of his reckless decision. If he dies, we don''t need to watch out for him anymore."


    Clovis shook his head helplessly. What Kanaria said was true. One of his objectives was to rile up Ivan. However, he didn''t plan to kill him.


    He whispered, "I think I''ve told you this, but I have no intention of killing him. It''s not because I''m too soft, it''s because I want him to still be used as our enemy instead of an unknown enemy appearing out of nowhere. With him, we''re able to at least predict what he''s going to do. So, if he is in danger during the expedition, we will help him."


    Kanaria fell silent. She couldn''t deny the fact that Ivan was easy to manipulate.


    And if they actually helped him, with his ego, he would definitely flare up and do something bad, tarnishing the Drake Group''s reputation.


    With this, the advantage that the Drake Group got from preparing land for the OpenSky company to land would have gone to waste.


    Kanaria nodded in understanding. "Alright. If that''s what you''re planning..."


    "Yep." Clovis waved his hand, assuring her that everything was going to be alright. If he wanted to handle all those powerful enemies, he needed to manipulate an easier target like Ivan.


    "Go get some rest. We''ll start our hunt early in the morning."


    "You too." Kanaria stood up before walking back to their tent.


    Clovis looked at the sky for a moment before observing everyone''s expression as if trying to understand their intention. He felt tomorrow''s hunt would be much more dangerous than he originally thought.

 Chapter 198 Ivan

    ''Why? Why? Why? Why?'' Ivan bit his lips when he saw Clovis bringing the frog back to this camp.


    For as long as he remembered, he was the one in the center of attention.


    "You''re very good, Ivan! How do you even learn that technique?"


    "Can you teach me your technique?"


    "Ivan, I love you. Will you go out with me?"


    The people had been flocking around him before he even awakened. He had learned a lot of techniques, which impressed people.@@@@


    Eventually, he reached sixteen years old and officially awakened.


    "What? 99% evolution rate?"


    "Impossible."


    He still remembered the shocked faces of all the people present during his awakening. He already had a genius reputation since he managed to learn all kinds of techniques. So, when people knew the true value of his evolution rate, his reputation turned to a whole new level.


    There were some people who had evolution rates close to his, like Jay. However, they couldn''t surpass the rising star, especially an orphan like him.


    People could relate to him and use him as an inspiration.


    He had gotten used to people flocking around him, but during his first exploration, he met Kanaria.


    His first exploration was a mess because he lacked experience. The supplies, the route, and other things were not prepared.


    However, in the second exploration, he met her. Kanaria single-handedly took care of everything and became the key to the success of the exploration.


    Unlike the others, Kanaria had never bothered with him. In her eyes, he looked like a normal stranger, not related to him.


    Even people like Lovelia would lower themselves to him, so this kind of equal relationship struck his heart.


    The people started looking at him in disgust or disdain. They never thought that the greatest genius of the city would be reduced to something like this.


    Even if he managed to gain new members, they were just trying to get a ride before dumping him once they got what they wanted. More importantly, those people were also interested in Clovis but chose to settle on him.


    His pride couldn''t take it anymore.


    That was when Hana appeared.


    Such a beautiful, rich, and graceful lady blessed the city with her presence. He thought this might be his next chance to shine.


    He was happy when Clovis wasn''t included in the list. Yet Clovis somehow managed to enter the expedition team.


    Even President Thomas was frustrated of his existence. He tried to stop him from going by using the police, but to no avail. For some reasons, his evolution rate changed.


    Hence, they resorted to the backup plabyby spreading the rumor about him. At first, it looked like the rumor succeeded as the people were suspicious of Clovis.


    However, it all changed the moment he dragged the Tier 3 Beelzebufo into the camp. In addition, he even shared the meat and the video, changing everyone''s opinion.


    Clovis even roused the spirits of the participants by helping them.


    Because of these, they began to suspect the rumor. Obviously, their first target was him, who had a grudge against Clovis.


    "He might be the one who did it since he had a grudge."


    "Yeah. What a shame. To think that the genius has fallen this low."


    "Unlike him, Clovis is actually a good person who is strong and generous. He is able to see the bigger picture and doesn''t care about the rift between us."


    He kept hearing all those praises and comparisons.


    When he saw Clovis''s nonchalant expression, it was like a slap on his face. It was the same as others. Those expressions were implying that he didn''t care about him like a significant ant.


    Ivan couldn''t help but clench his fists.


    ''Just you all wait. I will show you all tomorrow...'' Ivan''s eyes were filled with bloodlust as he was planning to hunt these Tier 3 beasts no matter the cost.

 Chapter 199 Earthquake

    "Haa... I''m tired." Clovis looked at the tent''s ceiling while muttering in a low voice. He didn''t sleep that much because of the Tier 3 beasts. He came out of the tent while yawning.


    Kanaria couldn''t help but notice him while bringing some equipment to Jay. "What''s wrong with Clovis? He looks more exhausted than yesterday."


    Jay glanced at Clovis and said, "He probably didn''t get enough sleep."


    "Huh? Wasn''t he the first one to sleep?"


    "Not really. He was probably training all night."


    "What do you mean?" Kanaria tilted her head in confusion.


    "Our training methods are the exact opposite. I am training my muscles by swinging my blade. Meanwhile, he practices with his imagination."


    "Imagination?" Kanaria raised her eyebrows, thinking that usually people would go with Jay''s method.


    "Yeah. Clovis once said that his method was simply recreating an enemy in his mind and simulating the battle. That was what probably kept him all night."


    "Can you even get stronger like that?"


    "He can. It''s just that instead of focusing on strength or muscles, he is sharpening his intuition and fighting intent. He is probably swinging his sword thousands of times in his own imagination, getting the perfect feeling. That''s why his slashes are always so precise. That''s why his training is taking a toll on his mind instead of his body. I can''t do something like that." Jay shrugged.


    "Is that so?" Kanaria rubbed her cheek, not knowing what to do.


    "Just let him be. He should know that he needs to take care of his own health. Besides, he will probably ask you if he needs anything."


    "Alright." Kanaria nodded. Since Clovis didn''t need any help, she turned around, observing all the people inside the camp.


    Most of them had just woken up and started preparing themselves. However, one group was already ahead of the rest.


    It was Ivan. He forced his group to get up early so that they could start right after the sun was up.


    Vina and Elina looked a bit distressed as if they knew what they would do and had a bad premonition about what would happen. The other girl didn''t know anything yet.


    "Miss. An earthquake has occurred. According to the news, the scale is lower six and the epicenter is not that far from here. What do you want to do?"


    "What do you think we should do in this situation based on your experience?"


    "Organizing an immediate retreat. The beasts will definitely get enraged because of this."


    "Do you think it''s possible?"


    "The scale of the expedition is too big. And I believe that the first place they will go is your location. In that case, would you like me to go over there?"


    Hana thought for a moment before shaking her head. "Not yet. I think this is also a perfect chance to test these people. I want you to remain there and protect our battleship for now."


    "Understood." The butler nodded. Although the beasts would go frenzy, it didn''t change the fact that she was a Tier 4 human. Killing several Tier 3 beasts shouldn''t be that much of a problem.


    When the shaking stopped, Hana hurriedly shouted, "Richard, Reyes. Protect our left and right. I will be the one taking care of this side. Also, inform Libation Fiesta to take care of the opposite side. Prepare for incoming beasts, especially Tier 3 beasts. We, four, will be responsible for killing them."


    "Yes, Ma''am!" The people began to position themselves accordingly.


    "Saul. Spread your men and scout the area around us. The rest will form a square formation to prepare for all incoming beasts."


    "Ha!"


    When they were about to lead their people, including the participants of the expedition, Ivan suddenly came to them and said, "Wait a minute."


    "Huh?" Hana looked annoyed.


    "Please leave one of the Tier 3 beasts to us. We promise we''ll kill that Tier 3 beast."


    Hana didn''t understand where his obsession with killing a Tier 3 beast came from. However, it shouldn''t affect the result too much even if she gives it a chance.


    So, she said, "Richard. Change with them. Get ready to step up if something is about to happen."


    "Yes." Richard nodded without hesitation, but he also looked annoyed that his job had been taken away. He was glaring at Ivan''s group.

 Chapter 200 Encouragement

    Clovis hurriedly went back to the tent to grab his weapons. The same applied to all people in the camp. They all prepared for a big fight.


    "Is this going to be fine?"


    "We have so much trouble with lower tier beasts."


    "What will happen to us?"


    The roars of the beasts made them anxious, which caused them to tense up. If this continued, they wouldn''t be able to fight at their full power.


    When Clovis was this, he might need to do something. Although it was extremely embarrassing and felt out of character, Clovis shouted to all of them. "Goddammit. Shut up!"


    "!!!" The people raised their eyebrows and turned their heads around. Even Ivan looked shocked. Hana was actually smiling as if she thought this entire thing was amusing.


    "Think for yourself. Are you going to fight for survival or for glory?"


    Clovis''s words echoed in everyone''s ears. It was a vague message, so the people couldn''t help but ask each other.


    "Is there any difference?"


    "I think what he means by fighting for glory is how we fought when we first came here."


    "Doesn''t that mean fighting for survival is by banding together?"


    "That''s true. If that''s the case, we might still have a chance for survival. Or at least, our chance of survival will be significantly higher."


    "But shouldn''t the OpenSky company guarantee our survival?"


    "Then again, no one could predict an earthquake."


    "That''s true." They looked at each other, realizing that the circumstances had reached a point where the OpenSky company couldn''t guarantee their survival.


    When they looked at how Hana got worked up in assembling her subordinates, it looked like they had to protect each other''s backs.


    "I think I''m going to trust you with my back. Since we''re also together with those people from OpenSky, we should stand a chance," said one of them.


    Because of what happened yesterday and the video, they knew that Clovis would be aiming for them, so they were more straightforward.


    "Is that so? We''re planning for a speedy advance. If you can just peel off several beasts from our left, we can focus a bit more."


    "Yes. We''ll do that!" The guy nodded furiously, feeling excited.


    "But are you sure you''re alright alone? Killing a Tier 3 beast because of someone''s sacrifice doesn''t feel good."


    "Don''t worry. We are working together with another group. After hearing your speech, I feel the need to repay your group for encouraging us."


    "In that case, I''ll leave our left to you." Clovis smiled while extending his hand.


    "Yes." The guy shook Clovis firmly before returning with a big smile on his face.


    If Hana were here, she would definitely think, ''This is the reason why people pay so much money for PR.''


    Kanaria raised her head when she heard some roars around the area. Even Hana got the report and announced out loud, "They''re coming! Get ready!"


    The people raised their weapons and faced the woods.


    *Roar!*


    *Roar!*


    *Roar!*


    The enraged beasts came out of the woods, charging at them.


    Jay stepped forward and headed to a Tier 1 beast. The latter pounced on him, but Jay simply cut its legs and sent this beast to Clovis.


    Clovis pulled out his swords and slashed the Tier 1 beasts ten times before they reached the ground, completely crushing this beast. The first kill was the most important after all.


    When the people saw how easily Jay and Clovis defeated a Tier 1 beast, they felt fired up.


    "Attack!"

 Chapter 201 Incoming Tier 3 Beasts

    They started fighting against the numerous beasts coming into the camp like Clovis and Jay.


    When there was a beast coming, they would overwhelm it with two or three people at once, killing the beast as quickly as possible.


    It could be said that they were so efficient that they surpassed Hana''s imagination.


    The people from the OpenSky company wanted to help, but they ended up stopping because the beasts were already dead.


    "This is easier than I expected." One of them couldn''t help but shout, feeling fired up after consecutive kills that weren''t supposed to be possible before.


    "That''s right. If we do it together, we might be able to do this." Another person nodded in agreement while slashing another beast.


    "Keep killing them!" The people started pushing back the beasts.


    Noticing this, Hana couldn''t help but shout, "Oi, you guys. Don''t move too far! It will be hard to cover your back!"


    The people from the OpenSky company hurriedly relayed that message, which caused the aforementioned people to be taken aback.


    As she predicted, the beasts tried to overwhelm them. Fortunately, Hana''s subordinates had been conserving their strength thanks to these people performing much better than their expectations. They immediately bailed them out and brought them back.


    They hurriedly apologized and the entire camp had become a bit more stable, not wanting to replicate the same mistake.


    Meanwhile, some people noticed what was happening on Clovis''s side. There were a lot of beasts on their side, but only several people from the OpenSky company as a reinforcement. It looked like Hana believed in them very much.


    There were only a total of twenty people, including Clovis''s group, in that position, while the rest had about thirty people each.


    Yet they didn''t need to worry.


    Clovis and Jay cut down the beasts one by one at lightning speed.


    In fact, due to them, the rest of the people in that area had an easier time facing the remaining beasts.


    "Amazing."


    Without hesitation, the people started pushing back the beasts, creating a path for Reyes. Noticing the narrow path, Reyes rushed to the turtle and jumped into the air.


    The turtle opened its mouth, trying to swallow him.


    However, Reyes skillfully spun his body and kicked the turtle''s head.


    "You''re too small if you want to swallow me alive." Reyes smiled. Even though he said the turtle was small, the one before him was over two meters. If it raised its head high, it could even reach three meters. So, it was by no means small.


    Still, the kick was so powerful that it almost knocked over the turtle. The latter managed to stabilize its posture before stomping on the ground.


    "Woah!" The stomp caused the soil to vibrate, making people lose their balance.


    Reyes hurriedly moved to the side, kicking one of the beasts so that it would crash into another beast, which would save a person fighting it.


    However, the turtle took this chance to bite him, causing Reyes to turn his body around and kick the head instead.


    It was clear that the turtle''s motive was causing trouble for the others while stopping this Reyes.


    "I guess I will kill you first." Reyes''s expression turned serious.


    Just like Reyes, Hana also found her match. It was a big lizard that was observing her from a tree. It suddenly released its long tongue to her.


    "!!!" Hana instinctively raised her palm and caught the tongue with her bare hand, showing a strength that was unexpected coming from her thin and frail frame.


    "There you are!" Hana smiled while releasing her drones.


    Not only Hana, but Clovis''s side had also encountered their Tier 3 beast. It was an ape.


    When they spotted this ape, the people that wanted to help Clovis step forward, looking at Clovis. The latter said with a smile, "Let''s go, shall we?!"


    "Ooh!"


    The three sides had found their matches. Yes, all sides except for Ivan''s side, making them feel a bit left out.

 Chapter 202 Monke

    Clovis and the group moved out. Hana''s subordinates stood on the right, giving a thumbs up to Clovis as though they were saying to leave everything to them. They seemed to be confident in building a wall that wouldn''t be crushed by these beasts.


    Clovis nodded and made their advance.


    The two raid groups also didn''t want to lose. They roared while advancing with Clovis, stopping all the beasts that stood in their way.


    Seeing the development, Clovis didn''t move yet as he was waiting for the ape to come a bit closer to them. As Hana said earlier, advancing too far would put them in danger after all.


    Kanaria was shooting at the ape, provoking him.


    *Roar!* The ape glared at Kanaria, annoyed that he had to avoid these bullets.


    Although it wouldn''t kill him, the wounds from the bullets would definitely slow him down during the battle, so it would be best not to get hit for the time being.


    But Kanaria''s aim was accurate, causing the ape to even grab one of the beasts just to shield himself.


    After feeling pressured, the ape finally let out another roar as he charged toward them in order to stop Kanaria.


    Clovis and Jay exchanged nods as they headed out.


    The two advanced like a bullet. Whenever there was a beast in front of them, they would cut them down in an instant, not allowing the latter to stop their movement even for a moment.


    It only took two seconds to actually catch up with the groups on the left.


    "Keep up the good work!" Clovis even had some leeway to cheer them up.


    "What the heck?" They gasped. When they witnessed Jay and Clovis cutting down the enemies with brute force, they couldn''t help but think the same thing, ''Did they even need us?''


    Noticing the incoming Jay and Clovis, the ape tossed the beast toward them.


    Clovis was the first to react with his slow-motion vision, avoiding the beast. Jay, on the other hand, ducked and used his strong lower body to propel himself back up.


    The cry was deafening as Melody noticed something through the camera attached to Kanaria''s Skyglasses.


    "Clovis. Behind you!"


    Clovis hurriedly turned around and saw a monkey punching him. If this was Jay, he wouldn''t have reacted fast enough to parry the block. But Clovis emphasized his speed, allowing him to put the sword in the punch''s way.


    After that block, Clovis slashed the monkey into two.


    In addition, Clovis was able to see numerous pairs of bloodshot eyes on top of the trees.


    "They are..." Clovis saw more than twenty monkeys gathering on top of the trees. Most of them were Tier 0, but he saw four Tier 1 monkeys and even one Tier 2 monkey.


    Not only that, Melody was even warning him of the punch coming from behind.


    "Clovis. Behind you!"


    Yes, the moment these monkeys took Clovis''s attention, the ape turned around and planned to take Clovis down.


    "Tsk!" Clovis clicked his tongue and raised his left arm, blocking this punch, albeit he was still blown away.


    After rolling a few times, he hurriedly stood up and saw all the monkeys rushing down to kill him. He slashed the nearest one and made his way back to regroup with Jay, who took advantage of the previous opportunity to strike the ape''s calves.


    *Roar!*


    "What is this? Isn''t this similar to ''reject humanity, return to monke'' situation?" Clovis couldn''t help but mutter while running away from the monkeys.


    "It seems that you''re fine enough to even have the heart to joke in this situation." Jay smiled, feeling a bit more fired up.


    People were worried that Clovis was taken down so easily, but it seemed that the situation wasn''t as bad as they originally thought.


    Still, there was one group that actually felt happy when Clovis got punched by the ape. It was Ivan''s group.


    Ivan and Elina were secretly hoping that these beasts could kill her or at least injure him enough to the point where he couldn''t become an explorer anymore.

 Chapter 203 Blinded by Hatred

    *Roar!* The ape slammed both fists on Clovis, which the latter barely avoided. The other monkeys approached him from behind, led directly by the Tier 2 monkey.


    Clovis spun his body and struck the monkey behind him. The Tier 2 monkey stepped forward and stopped this attack, allowing the other monkeys to approach him from the other side.


    Three monkeys came simultaneously.


    *Bang!*


    Kanaria shot down one of the monkeys. Clovis used his other sword to block another monkey, but the last one managed to sneak up on him and punch him in the face.


    Clovis''s stance was destabilized for a second, allowing the two monkeys he blocked earlier to loop around him.


    "Watch out!" The people from the other groups looked concerned and wanted to help him. "We have to bail him out!"


    They wanted to do something, but it was hard to take down the beasts in front of them. Some monkeys even came to help, messing up the battlefield.


    When people worried about him, Clovis only smiled.


    He threw himself to the side and rolled on the ground to avoid their attacks. However, the Tier 3 ape once again came striking down.@@@@


    Clovis barely avoided it by rolling on the ground.


    "We will open the path for you. Save him," one of the people from the OpenSky company said to Kanaria.


    "You''re underestimating him a little too much." Kanaria shook her head. "What is our goal this time? Protecting the camp? Survival? No. Our target is to kill that Tier 3 beast."


    There was one thing they miscalculated. Because of Clovis''s position, they focused on him a bit too much. They forgot the fact that to defeat Clovis, those monkeys weren''t enough. The Tier 3 ape had to join the fight.


    The more he attacked Clovis, the more opportunities came for Jay to injure the Tier 3 ape.


    And the time to harvest their efforts was about to come.


    *Bam!*


    The blood gushing out of the wound was amazing. However, their attack had yet to end.


    Clovis jumped forward and slashed the ape''s other leg multiple times in the span of one second.


    "!!!" The ape was shocked as it suddenly lost the feeling of the remaining leg, causing it to fall on both knees.


    "What?!"


    "They turned around the battle in just a moment?"


    "It all started with that swordsman taking down one of its legs and causing the ape to get enraged."


    "No. It should have started with their captain who chose to position himself between the ape and the rest of the monkeys. It caused the ape to expose its back to that swordsman."


    The people had witnessed how they fought, confirming the videos were real. This group indeed killed three Tier 3 beasts with their own strength.


    "Not yet. Don''t lose your focus yet!" Clovis shouted as he jumped away. Right after that, the ape swung his arms uncontrollably, trying to push away everything around him.


    Everyone knew that while the ape was still alive, it would only be a matter of time before it succumbed to its wound.


    Still, the one who was shocked the most by this sudden development was Ivan. At one moment, Clovis looked in trouble and would die soon. In just a moment, he almost killed the Tier 3 beast.


    Meanwhile, they had yet to find their Tier 3 beast.


    If Clovis managed to kill the Tier 3 beast so soon, it wouldn''t be weird for Hana to accept his request if Clovis asked to hunt another Tier 3 beast. It could be said that Clovis might be targeting his Tier 3 beast that has yet to come.


    The moment he realized Clovis''s plan, he couldn''t help but look at the other two Tier 3 beasts.


    The one fighting Hana was also injured. It might take a bit longer, but Hana should be more than capable of taking down a Tier 3 beast.


    However, the beast that fought Reyes was still in top condition. Ivan had the thought that instead of letting Clovis steal his Tier 3 beast, he should kill one first so that he could make some contributions during this raid.


    Ivan clenched his grip as if he had made his decision.


    "NO!"

 Chapter 204 Drama

    "NO!"


    Elina had been skeptical about the current situation. As soon as Clovis turned the situation around, she got a bad premonition.


    When she noticed Ivan''s gaze, she realized that Ivan might do something foolish. Before Ivan could leave, Elina grabbed his wrist. "No!"


    Ivan glared at her as if telling her the implication if they didn''t make their move here.


    Elina still remembered what happened when they left their position. It seemed that Ivan''s anger had fully taken care of his rationality. At this rate, he wouldn''t be useful to them anymore pretty soon.


    Ivan forcefully broke free from her grip, but Vina stood in his way all of a sudden.


    "You..." Ivan had been suspicious of her.


    "Vina?" Elina looked surprised that Vina, who had always been passive this whole time, took action.


    "I will stop you if you still plan to make this whole mess even more chaotic."


    "You really..." Ivan gritted his teeth.


    "You need not waste your breath on pointless questions. It''s just as you imagine." Vina''s eyes started releasing her killing intent as if she were planning to stop him even if it meant cutting him down. "I thank you for all the hospitality you have shown me these past months."


    "!!!" Elina gasped. Vina actually left this group in such a fashion.


    "What is this?"


    "Are we having a drama?"


    "What drama? If you want drama, just fight these beasts. It will be a good fucking action drama!"@@@@


    A lot of people were frustrated, including Richard, the Tier 3 explorer in charge of this side.


    Clovis actually frowned when he saw their actions. He seemed to have changed his thoughts and said, "Kill this ape, Jay."


    "Got it!" Jay slashed the ape''s back, leaving yet another big wound.


    Clovis took out his pistol and shot the ape''s face, causing the ape to be unable to spin his upper body as his arms were protecting his face.


    *Clink!*


    Reyes clicked his tongue when the turtle hid inside its shell once again.


    Because the other beasts began swarming his side, Reyes had to move back again. Seeing this, the turtle came out once again.


    It was an annoying fight where Reyes couldn''t get an advantage because of the beast''s tactic.


    As soon as the Tier 3 turtle took a step forward, multiple roars suddenly echoed from the side. However, those roars were filled with shock and terror. Some even came from the air.


    When the turtle turned its head to the side, it saw Jay approaching at bullet speed. It hurriedly went back inside, but Jay was one step faster and grazed the turtle''s mouth.


    Even though the turtle was able to hide again, blood started flowing out of the hole in its shell.


    Still, Jay didn''t want to waste too much stamina dealing with lower tier beasts. He hurriedly joined Reyes on the back.


    "You are from that group..." Reyes frowned.


    "We''ve taken care of the Tier 3 beast over there and Clovis... Ahem, my captain is enough to hold the fort over there. We should kill this turtle as quickly as possible since there are a lot of ''unpredictable'' variables."


    "!!!" Reyes noticed the use of ''unpredictable'' instead of ''unknown.'' Instead of the Tier 3 beast or hidden danger they didn''t know yet, Jay was indirectly implying Ivan as the variable.


    It was true. If Ivan made a mess, it would be hard to fight these beasts. This was an outskirt anyway, so it was better to prioritize Hana''s safety than their glory.


    "I see. It''s indeed going to be safer if we manage to kill this Tier 3 beast before the fourth one comes, since there are a lot of things we can do at that point. It seems that your group''s reputation is well-deserved."


    "My captain told me to assist you. You''re free to take the kill." Jay shrugged.


    "What is your name?" Reyes asked.


    "Jay."


    "Haha. I should thank your captain after this then. In that case, help me take down this Tier 3, Jay."


    "Alright."


    Both of them looked at the turtle. They both were able to see several paths that opened by simply joining hands.

 Chapter 205 Fighting the Tier 3 Turtle

    Now that Reyes had finally found an assistant, the attack pattern changed.


    Jay approached the turtle, which triggered the turtle to hide inside its shell. After that, Reyes approached the turtle and extended his blade as long as possible, trying to reach the head within the shell.


    There was one reason why he didn''t step inside the shell directly. He was afraid that the turtle could actually use it to his advantage and somehow trap him inside. Because of its body structure, he might get squashed.


    When he didn''t feel any flesh in his thrust, he couldn''t help but raise his eyebrows. This wasn''t supposed to happen if his opponent was a normal turtle.


    He glanced at the side, finding Jay already positioned himself to stop the beasts coming toward them.


    "Tsk." Reyes thought for a moment. He could throw the grenade inside the shell, but no one in his team used one.


    "Our operator would like to share something. Can we get permission to synchronize with your device?"


    "!!!" Reyes was taken aback by the question but immediately replied, "Reyes210490."


    "Thanks."


    In an instant, Melody linked her device with him and sent a picture.


    "This is..." Reyes widened his eyes in surprise. His expression turned serious as he asked, "Are you sure you want to do this?"


    "I believe this is the fastest way."


    "In that case, I''ll be selfish for this raid and ask for your cooperation."


    Jay nodded. As soon as they reached an agreement, Jay and Reyes turned around and moved toward each other.


    Reyes struck the beasts that chased after Jay. On the other hand, Jay struck the shell that protected the turtle''s body.


    *Clink!*


    *Clink!*


    *Clink!*


    He released a series of attacks that contained every bit of his strength. The turtle looked confused, and Reyes was wondering if the plan would work.


    However, after ten strikes, something unbelievable happened.


    The boar charged at him, but Reyes grabbed its tusks and stopped the charge with all his strength. He buried his right foot with a stomp and stopped the boar after getting pushed back for two meters.


    Still, it was enough. Reyes waved his hands, changing the direction of the charge. As a result, the boar was actually going straight to the hole.


    "!!!" The boar wanted to stop, but he was moving too fast. The sharp, big tusks stabbed the foot.


    The turtle let out another cry, not being able to withstand the pain. It even kicked the boar out of the hole like a cannonball.


    Reyes was already waiting right at the entrance. He struck the turtle''s foot right after the boar was launched, injuring the turtle even more.


    ''Luckily, I didn''t send any grenades inside. If I do that, the grenades would be launched back to our side and cause tremendous impact.'' Reyes thought.


    While he was feeling relieved, his condition was still quite worse. The feet on the other side emerged and kicked the ground, propelling the giant body to Reyes.


    The latter barely escaped by jumping above the shell.


    However, this meant his position would be exposed. A lot of beasts hurriedly leaped onto the beast''s shell and ran to Reyes.


    Sadly for the turtle, Jay''s focus remained unchanged. While the turtle focused on Reyes, he kept striking the shell to widen the damage on the shell.


    Finally, after his one hundredth strike, the shell snapped.


    "!!!" The turtle felt its outer part break apart. It didn''t expect that a Tier 1 human was capable of achieving such a feat.


    But with this, Jay could actually walk into the shell without being worried about getting squashed by the turtle''s body inside.


    The turtle emerged again with full force, using the speed to launch Jay away.


    That was when Reyes appeared. Since he was already on top of the shell, he moved to the front part.


    Right before Jay was launched away, Reyes stabbed the turtle from above. "I got you!"


    The turtle abruptly stopped in shock.


    However, it seemed that they had slightly failed their mission.


    Jay took a tad too long to destroy the shell as another series of roars shook the battlefield.


    "!!!" Reyes raised his head, looking at the opposite side. The last Tier 3 beast finally made his appearance.

 Chapter 206 Victory

    "!!!" Reyes was startled. Their original aim was to kill this turtle before the last Tier 3 appeared. If this continued, they would still need a few minutes before they were able to kill the turtle.


    Even though Jay said he would be assisting him, it seemed that Reyes had to make a decision.


    After seeing how much Jay supported him, Reyes didn''t have any hesitation to say, "Cut it down, Jay!"


    Jay raised his eyebrows, surprised. Reyes suddenly spun his sword so that the back of the sword faced the tip of the turtle''s head.


    This way, it wouldn''t cut the head anymore. Even if the turtle tried to return inside, it would be stopped by his sword. He had even used the upper part of the turtle shell to act as a fulcrum.


    "You''re not going anywhere." Reyes smirked. The other beasts were approaching him. If Jay hesitated, Reyes had to take some damage from these beasts.@@@@


    However, this was Jay he was talking about. Without missing a beat, Jay stepped forward and slashed the turtle''s head multiple times.


    The head tried to open its mouth to widen the target, but it didn''t matter to Jay. He used his full strength to cut this head into multiple pieces.


    It only took one second before Reyes didn''t feel any more resistance from the turtle''s head.


    Before the beasts reached his position, Reyes jumped off the shell while saying, "Nice!"


    "We are still not done here though." Jay looked around. Enraged, the beasts were trying to surround them.


    Still, both of them smiled. They didn''t bother to exchange another word as they simply charged ahead and cut down all the beasts in front of them before ultimately regrouping with the rest.


    "Ha..." Jay panted a few times. Destroying the shell took a lot of stamina, so he might not be able to assist another person.


    "What are you going to do now? Since there are no more Tier 3 beasts here, you can assist the young lady. I will need to manage the area."


    Jay stopped for a moment. It seemed that Melody had told Clovis that the turtle had died. So Clovis told him his new order.


    Richard ended up helping him with an annoyed face. As greedy as Ivan, he definitely took the chance to deliver the killing blow so that he could boast about the kill.


    He didn''t realize that it was all within Clovis''s plan. This way, Ivan would be known as one of the people who killed a Tier 3 beast in this expedition. The Drake Group couldn''t kick out a guy like that.


    After a battle that lasted for almost two hours, the beasts were completely wiped out.


    Out of a total of 158 people from the participants and the support teams from the OpenSky company, 87 of them had light injuries and 7 had heavy injuries, but there was no death.


    When the people saw no more living beasts in front of their eyes, they couldn''t help but look around as if they couldn''t believe it. They actually survived.


    They killed more than six hundred beasts, including four Tier 3 beasts.


    "Did we..."


    "Yes..."


    "To think this is possible."


    Their expressions brightened. For a moment, they forgot their injuries and just hugged the person closest to them.


    "Uooohhh!"


    They were crying out loud, sharing their excitement.


    Hana took the liberty to stand on top of the Tier 3 corpse and announced out loud, "Everyone! While there are some who sustain heavy injuries, they are still able to recover and return as an explorer. More importantly, no one is dead during this battle."


    She paused for a moment to create a suspense before raising her fist. "So I declare... this battle is our... Victory!"


    "Uoohh!"

 Chapter 207 Assessment

    "So, what are your assessments?" Hana asked Richard and Reyes.


    The first one to step forward was Reyes. He said, "To be honest, I''m quite shocked. First of all, they were able to kill a Tier 3 ape so quickly. While I could say their method was rather dangerous, it was pretty effective.


    "By sacrificing themselves, they managed to put those beasts in a position where their fate was sealed. It seemed that they had gotten used to such a tactic... probably they were quite confident in their skill or defense.


    "Then, it was more amazing that they managed to get a careful plan and execute it perfectly. Their field of vision was quite large, which allowed them to see the conditions of the people in the area.


    "In conclusion, their performance leaves nothing to be desired. Their fighting skills alone are rare, even among major cities. They are still Tier 1 right now, so I''m sure that once they have a higher tier, they won''t be able to fight a beast two tiers above them, but there''s a possibility of skipping a rank.


    "More importantly, there are two of them capable of achieving such a feat. If they continue at this pace, it won''t be weird if they become famous after this."


    Hana nodded, satisfied with the assessment. "How about you, Richard?"


    "I have the same opinion as Reyes. However, if I have to say something, I''d like to tell you about how they manage to unite the people."


    "Hoh?"@@@@


    Richard was the man standing beside Clovis when the raid had just begun. So he had gotten some grasp on Clovis''s train of thought.


    "I didn''t see the method, but they managed to unite those people from the very start. Without that, it would be impossible to unite them after the earthquake."


    Hana closed her eyes for a moment before asking, "Then, what about the other group? The one who took your kill?"


    Richard shook his head helplessly. "I apologize for shaming the name of the OpenSky, young lady."


    "It''s nothing to apologize for. Instead, I''d like to hear your opinions about them."


    "Understood." Richard paused for a moment. "To put it simply, they are the worst. The leader is disgusting, and one of the women seems to be manipulative. While the shield bearer has made a decision, it''s already a mistake to join that group. Leaving the group at that time might be a good decision, but the timing can''t be any worse. Such a thing can break the unity of the overall group."


    "I see. What about his strength?"


    "I do admit that with his strength, he is able to kill a Tier 2 beast, but he is still a little bit lacking compared to the two guys from the Libation Fiesta. He is also unable to give appropriate commands to the group and even work together with his teammates."


    ''I have also witnessed the true ability of Clovis Hacfield and his friends. A few more months for them to leave the city, huh? It seems that I have to prepare a lot of things.


    ''Just you wait, Clovis Hacfield. I''ll give you an offer you can''t refuse next time we meet.''


    Hana let out a long sigh. She still had a lot of things to do. It was at that time, Hana received a call.


    When she saw who it was, her heart skipped a beat.


    Grandma.


    Her hands instantly got covered in cold sweat. She was holding her device with a shaking hand as she accepted the call. "Hello... Grandma..."


    A soft, gentle voice echoed. The words were also polite. But those were the exact reasons why Hana was so scared.


    "I''ve heard that your raid is done."


    "Y-yes."


    "After that, you''re going to return home, right? I''ll cook your favorite food."


    Hana gulped down, becoming even more scarred.


    "It seems that you are already aware of the implications that your decision."


    "Yes." Hana lowered her head.


    "So, I will just say this... doing your best and being reckless are two different things. Know that your decision doesn''t affect only you, no matter how you explain it. It will affect your family, your subordinates, your employees, and your company. You might be able to get all the money in the world, but know that you will lose your freedom because of it."


    Hana fully understood the message. After becoming famous, she lost the freedom to act freely to avoid the public saying anything bad about her. However, she wished that her grandma would reprimand her.


    Her grandmother always put on a gentle smile, took care of her safety, and never got angry. That was why her words always felt far more painful than those of anyone in her family.


    Hana just fell to her knees and said, "I''m sorry, Grandma."

 Chapter 208 If

    The atmosphere in the cabin was the exact opposite. They were celebrating their victory and how they managed to perform much better than they originally expected.


    Once they saw Clovis entering the cabin to get some rest, they immediately pointed at him.


    "Woah! He is here!"


    "Uoh! Congratulations, Libation Fiesta."


    "I''m sorry for doubting you yesterday!"@@@@


    The people gathered around Clovis''s group.


    Clovis gave a wry smile while saying, "It''s nothing much. Instead of me, you should praise yourself. I believe that all of you have the ability to do it. If you can perform at your best, I''m sure that we can win. I''m simply reminding you to do that instead of getting fixated on the enemy''s strength. You have built your strength from the beginning, so you should trust yourself more."


    "Gah. What is this? Are you a saint?"


    "I''m not sure, but he looks so handsome just now."


    "Shut up. Don''t you see the woman next to him? How can you compare yourself to her, gorilla?"


    "What did you say?"


    The people were commenting on each other in high spirits. No one cried since there were no deaths or injuries leading to retirement.


    "My man, you are too humble for your own good. If you keep doing this, people will just tell you that it''s an insult." One of them at the very front shook his head helplessly.


    "Hahaha. I''ll take your word to heart." Clovis chuckled before his body swayed to the right.


    "Oop?" Kanaria caught him with a dumbfounded expression. "Are you okay?"


    One of them suddenly remembered that Clovis was also injured pretty heavily. He hurriedly said, "Oi. Let him go and get some rest. He is also one of the heavily injured people."


    "Who are you talking about?"


    "You know who I''m talking about. The one with the Hacfield family''s bloodline."


    "..." Hana looked hesitant for a moment and said, "I''m not sure. He is an enigma, even for myself. His strength is extraordinary, his judgment is excellent, and his character is pretty calculative, but in a good way. It''s just... I was a bit confused when Uncle Ran told me he wasn''t serious yet. It was as if he was hiding it intentionally."


    "Mhmm?" Her grandma looked confused. It took her a moment to reply to that statement. "Does that mean Clovis Hacfield will become the second Tier 9 explorer in the Hacfield family?"


    "Huh? What do you mean?"


    "I''ve told you back then that Tier 9 explorers have something special in them, right? It''s not about hard work or numbers. It''s as if they are granted an ability directly from the ''Gods'' who run this ''simulation.'' I can''t help but wonder if the old mad man told him not to use it or something. I don''t have any proof though."


    "..." Hana fell silent. She didn''t think of this. Now that she thought about it, Clovis was extremely strong. If he wanted to protect his identity, he should have gone by himself instead of creating a group.


    However, Clovis decided to do the latter and his teammates were extremely powerful. She admitted that Jay and Kanaria were extremely talented and backed by their own ''big'' families. But they weren''t supposed to be at the level they were currently at.


    Why would Clovis create a group?


    ''Is his ''unique ability'' related to his group? Something like enhancing the whole group?'' Hana misunderstood all the reasons, but somehow still suspected the ''Another World Mall.''


    "Well, this is just my suspicion. It''s better to observe him a bit more. Besides, we shouldn''t be too proactive with people from the Hacfield family. If you are done over there, come back home quickly, okay?"


    "Yes."


    ...


    Because of that conversation, Hana immediately tried to seek Clovis and heard his voice in the hallway. She stopped, waiting for Clovis while overhearing their conversation.


    When they met, Clovis asked, "What''s wrong?"


    Hana looked down for a moment before clenching her hands into fists. Her face looked embarrassed or ashamed. She opened her mouth. "What will you do if I decide to join your group?"

 Chapter 209 Reward

    "What will you do if I decide to join your group?"


    Clovis widened his eyes in shock. He never thought that Hana would come all the way to ask this question.


    "Is that supposed to be a joke?" Clovis asked with a serious expression.


    Hana didn''t answer him immediately. In fact, she acted on impulse this time. If Clovis indeed had a special ability related to his group, joining his group would be the easiest way to prove it.


    She realized that she had made it difficult for both of them.


    "Ah..." Hana let out a long sigh. "I apologize. It seems that I have done something without thinking thoroughly. Please forget about it."


    "..." Clovis didn''t say anything, and his expression remained unchanged. However, his heart actually skipped a beat. He couldn''t help but mutter inwardly, ''What the hell? Why does she suddenly ask this out-of-character question?


    ''Is she suspicious of me? Is it because not only me but my entire group is strong that it looks weird as if I have something extremely special?''


    Clovis had two things he wanted to keep a secret. The first was obviously his Another World Mall. This was the greatest boost for his team. The second thing was the mysterious sensation that boosted his strength out of nowhere.


    The latter was more personal, so he thought Hana was actually suspicious of his mall this time.


    Clovis never thought that she would be able to do that just by looking at his performance. If this was true, then there was a chance that people would deduct it sooner or later.


    The problem would be that his teammates would be the targets to lure him.


    Clovis let out a long sigh before saying, "Alright. I''ll just think of it as you being drunk."


    Judging from her reaction, she should have realized it as well. What Hana was talking about were the items that Clovis had given them from this ''secret method'' of the Hacfield family.


    "You''re not going to say anything?" Clovis asked.


    "What do you mean? All I know is that these items are related to the secret of your Hacfield family." Kanaria shrugged.


    A small smile formed on his face. He couldn''t help but say, "Sorry, could you wait for me?"


    "In fact, if you are telling me right now or even before this, I would be disappointed. I would have considered you someone with a loose mouth, a person who you can''t trust with a secret." Kanaria shook her head. "I am currently your teammate and closer than a friend. But I''m not your girlfriend or even your family."


    Clovis closed his eyes for a moment. "Don''t you think you''re too sensitive to that type of stuff?"


    "I''m just respecting identities and boundaries. But if you are going to tell me in the future, I''ll surely lend you my ears."


    "You''re truly..." Clovis was speechless. He was lucky to have someone so considerate by his side.


    Kanaria smiled. "I what? You have to complete your words, Clovis. I don''t know what you''re going to say. Am I scary? Am I ugly?


    Or maybe I''m truly a chatterbox."


    Clovis coughed a few times, getting pressed by Kanaria. "You''re smart enough to understand the meaning in Hana''s words, so you should be able to figure out what I want to say as well."


    He just covered his eyes with his arm as though he were going to take a nap.


    "Ah. He escapes." Kanaria chuckled, amused by his reaction. Clovis must have been so focused on exploration in the past that he was a bit awkward in this area. It made him look cute in her eyes.


    ''Don''t worry. I know how dangerous that secret is. Still, I wish you knew that I wouldn''t leave your side no matter what,'' Kanaria thought while moving to the window with a smile on her face.

 Chapter 210 Return

    "They''re back!"


    The people had been waiting for the raid group''s arrival right outside the landing area.


    Even Kanaria''s mother was there to watch the show.


    "Welcome back, Miss Hana." The mayor politely greeted her.


    "The raid is a success, Mayor. Although an incident occurred and we had to return faster than the original schedule, I can proudly say that there''s no death and all seven targets have been eliminated." Hana smiled.


    The mayor smiled, not knowing the difference in strength between normal beasts and the beasts in that forest. He thought the people just did their jobs as expected.


    "Is that so? I''m just glad that you managed to come back, and everyone is safe."


    Hana nodded. "I will take my time today to review the result... maybe picking a few people to experience the world."


    "!!!" The mayor''s eyes lit up. It seemed that there were some people who managed to pique her interest.


    He would definitely find them and reward them appropriately. This way, they would have an attachment to this city and return once they got all the skills from the OpenSky company.


    "Please take your time." The mayor extended his hand, asking Hana to come with him to the car.


    After Hana, all the people began to come down the battleship, meeting their respective groups.


    Clovis''s group came out the latest. Without warning, Kanaria''s mother leaped toward them as if she were glad everyone was fine.


    Clovis just avoided her as his eyes saw Vina walking out of this place by herself. It seemed that she was leaving Ivan''s group.


    Kanaria shook her head. "You should give them a reward... or maybe a celebratory feast. Without them, I won''t be able to join the Libation Fiesta."


    "That''s true. I love that sarcasm." Vania gave a thumbs up with a playful look as if she were saying, ''That''s my daughter.''


    "If possible, can you delay it for one day?"


    "I can, but why?" Vania tilted her head.


    "I mean, I''m going to sell some essence and buy some stuff. I don''t want journalists to stop me from doing all that. It''s annoying."


    "Oh! You can leave it to me." Vania thought his request was reasonable and agreed without hesitation. "In fact, you can hire a company to do all that. Kanaria has used their service, right?"


    "Well, our team consists of only four people. If it''s getting bigger, then I''ll probably use it. But since we are still a small group right now, I can handle it personally." Kanaria glared at her mother.


    Vania almost forgot that Clovis usually accompanied Kanaria shopping. It was a date for them. The fact that she, who was obsessed with it, would forget about this important matter meant she was a failure.


    "Alright. I''ll do just that," Vania replied with a dejected face.


    Clovis only gave a wry smile, while thinking, ''I wonder how much I can get from this trip. Five Tier 3 beasts should give about three hundred to four hundred thousand. No one needs Tier 3 beast essence right now, so we can sell all of them. As for the remaining beasts, we can sell about 20% to 30% of them.


    ''Getting another hundred thousand shouldn''t be a problem. In addition to the essence that OpenSky has as well as the reward, we can probably get a total of eight hundred... no, it might reach nine hundred thousand at this point.''


    Clovis became slightly greedy. He couldn''t help but imagine what kind of things he could buy with this much money. There was also some essence they hadn''t sold from the trip to the hot spring.


    Clovis pumped his fists. It seemed that Tier 2 was just around the corner.


    As expected, once they returned, the news instantly spread. A lot of people recounted their experience during the raid and as the greatest contributor, Clovis''s name was mentioned a lot of times.


    Finally, big news appeared.

 Chapter 211 Shopping

    "Oh!" Clovis looked at the number on the group''s account. His eyes were shining.


    Name: Libation Fiesta


    Amount: $1,122,249.95@@@@


    He had sold everything that could be sold. In addition to the reward, he got about nine hundred and ninety thousand. With the addition of the previous trip to the hot spring, he got almost a million and a hundred thousand.


    Clovis was thrilled.


    ''Money, money, money. With this, I should be able to upgrade the membership once,'' Clovis thought.


    Kanaria chuckled while saying playfully, "You know. You are kind of weird sometimes. You are very generous in terms of donating your share to the group. At the same time, you look like you are very greedy about money."


    "Is that so? Am I that weird?" Clovis''s heart skipped a beat. The reason he was greedy was because he wanted to convert all that money into otherworldly coins. After that, he didn''t care much about the money.


    "Just saying." Kanaria shrugged. "Let''s go home right away. I''m afraid that the news has been spreading."


    Clovis smirked. "Oh. You''re considering my house your home already?"


    Kanaria froze. She had lived in Clovis''s house for so long that it naturally came out of her mouth. And she just boldly claimed that she respected their identities and boundaries.


    "I''m just kidding." Clovis laughed.


    Kanaria was taken aback but soon pouted. She pinched his arm a little bit, which obviously didn''t affect him at all.


    After reaching home, Clovis immediately went back to his room and entered Another World Mall.


    [Welcome back, Master.]


    The robot was already waiting for him in front of him.


    "Oh, Blue!" Clovis paused for a moment and checked the number of otherworldly coins he currently possessed.


    [Name: Clovis Hacfield.]


    [Membership: Level 10 (Small Elite)]


    [Money: 1,405,980 Otherworldly Coins.]


    [Item Limit: 8/Visit]


    [Visit: 0(2)/Day]


    "Oh, wow. So many coins?" The amount still surprised him even though he just added more than a million into the account. He muttered, "Still, I don''t think I have enough coins to upgrade the membership twice. Even if it''s enough, I still need some coins to purchase daily items."


    Clovis pondered for a moment. "Blue. Upgrade the membership."


    Description: A necklace made of the cyclops'' eye.


    Effect: Eye Sensitivity +20%


    Price: 50,000 Otherworldly Coins.


    Just like the boutique, he also got about twenty items. Half of them were Tier 0 items, so he just skimmed their description before moving on. As expected, his interest would be placed on the Tier 1 items.


    Clovis pondered for a moment. "Do you have a suggestion, Blue?"


    [After taking into account your information, I can recommend you buy the Arachnid''s Silk Shirt. Your companion, Jay, will be very good with the Lizard Skin Coat. You can buy the Eye Fusion for either Kanaria or Melody. For fairness, you can get the Flow Like the Wind for Kanaria if you decide to give the necklace to Melody.]


    Clovis thought for a moment. "What if I buy the Lizard Skin Coat and Flow Like the Wind for myself?"


    [You are able to purchase them for yourself. It will put a strain on your wallet. In addition, you will have to use the jacket and coat at the same time.]


    Clovis fell silent for a moment. "That''s true. It''s going to be annoying to move with thick clothes. Meanwhile, the shirt is good since it has an impact reduction. It should be like shock absorption, right?"


    [Yes. The springiness of the silk will lessen the impact.]


    Clovis contemplated for a moment. It seemed that following Blue''s suggestion would be the best option. However, he couldn''t help but wonder if the other three would accept these gifts since he had just given them one not long ago.


    "Do you have any suggestions if I choose to focus on myself this time?"


    [Yes. Buying for yourself is deemed to be the best option for personal growth.]


    "What?" Clovis was slightly taken aback by the response this time. Blue was actually giving him advice to abandon his friends. "You''re wrong, Blue. First of all, if I go alone, I won''t get as much money as this."


    [It''s possible to hire explorers.]


    "But there won''t be any trust built. I have to be constantly wary of them."


    [There''s no need to build trust. Once Master reaches a very high level, you can build a new group consisting of high-level people. It''s suggested to build trust at that time.]


    "That''s indeed a good suggestion, but the trust will be different. The one built from the very beginning will have a bigger and deeper bond than the one built at that level."


    [A new information has been registered. Adjusting the answers with the new information.]


    [Master. Please upgrade the item limit to ten instead of buying the Lizard Skin Coat for Jay. Please give him Arachnid''s Silk Shirt instead.]


    "If I give him that shirt, what will I get?"


    [Flow Like the Wind.]


    Clovis thoughts for a moment. He considered upgrading the item limits seriously and finally understood the reason behind that suggestion.


    "I see. That''s indeed a better plan. Please buy them."

 Chapter 212 Interview

    While Clovis was busy with the Another World Mall, the entire city was filled with news about the people invited by the OpenSky corporation.


    There were a total of five names picked on the list. Ivan''s name wasn''t there.


    As soon as the mayor received the list, he was shocked, but he immediately went to each of them to bring this joyous news.


    It only took an instant for the media to find out their identities as well.


    The people were watching the interview with one of the five people on the list.


    "Congratulations, Mr. Rayhan. How do you feel about the invitation?"


    "I''m just honored. I never thought I would be picked by them... especially when there were a lot of people more amazing than me during the raid."


    "Indeed. From the list, Mr. Ivan from the Drake Group isn''t chosen."


    "That guy?" Rayhan shook his head helplessly. "I do admit that my strength is nothing compared to his, but there is an even more amazing person than him. His group killed five Tier 3 beasts and became the biggest contributor to the raid. Not only that, but he also went all the way to encourage all of us and unite us. If not for him, I might perform much worse than this.


    No, I might not even get picked up by them. When I received the invitation, I couldn''t help but wonder why they were not picked this time."


    "Hoho? This is a rather interesting topic. Why do you think, Mr. Rayhan?"


    "Well, I don''t want to give any false information. I will just tell you about two things that I''ve witnessed directly. First, before we departed from the city, their group was stopped by the police for seemingly false information. And the second time is the start of a weird rumor about them using a back door to enter the raid."


    "A back door? Do you mean they''re using their name to enter the raid without passing the selection?"


    "Yes. However, they are so competent that if they have gone to the screening test, they could easily get their name there. So why do they have to do that?"


    "Isn''t this interesting?" Vania asked Jay''s father.


    "Indeed. I have heard the news from my son." He nodded with a calm expression. "Are you planning to do something?"


    "Of course. But I have promised the kids to only do something tomorrow." Vania smirked. "As much as that bastard, Thomas, would like to erase them, that was how much I also wanted to spread this news."


    "You should be aware that the Rusth family is also trying to meddle in this matter, right?"


    "Even though they have gradually moved away from Ivan?"


    "You already know how deep the conflict is between you and their family. Since Kanaria has become closer and closer to Clovis, there''s no way they will let them be. If the Renvolt family gets stronger, they''re the first one to be suppressed after all."


    "I''ll talk to my father, I guess." Vania sighed. "I''m just afraid that they become so desperate that they don''t care about anything else, including us."


    "Indeed. So you shouldn''t push them to the corner as well."


    "I know." Vania shrugged.


    The news took the city by storm. People were suspecting scandals involving the Drake Group.


    It wasn''t hard to dig up the conflict between them previously, making people believe that the Drake Group didn''t include Clovis''s group because of pettiness.


    Whether it was the police or the rumor, they were all pointed at the Drake Group.


    Their stock would definitely plummet the moment they were open for trading tomorrow. And Thomas needed to focus on that matter first before dealing with Clovis.


    As for the person who caused all the trouble, he was lying down on his bed with a satisfied face.


    "Ah... I''ve spent a lot of money today. It''s nice to have money."

 Chapter 213 Invitation

    "The scandal within the raid group?"


    "The Drake Group''s manipulative method."


    "Ivan''s performance is not as good as rumored?"


    There was a lot of news coming out the next day. It shocked almost everyone in the city. It turned out there was a group that was much better than the one Ivan led.


    The Drake Group was under fire. People were trying to expose their corruption.


    President Thomas was doing all he could to ensure the stability of the group. However, their image had been tarnished by misinformation.


    A shady deal to keep the Libation Fiesta out of the raid party? No, the Libation Fiesta never registered for the screening test.


    But even if they claimed they had nothing to do with it, would the people believe them? No, they thought the Drake Group removed their trace as well.


    They didn''t find out who actually put Clovis into the expedition group. The influences behind Clovis''s teammates didn''t speak up. The mayor also had no involvement in this matter.


    Hence, they were trying to figure out who actually put their name on the list at the last moment.@@@@


    The reporters were on fire. They tried to seek out Clovis''s home in order to get an exclusive interview with him. The Renvolt and Havenson families also got a lot of requests from them.


    They utilized every connection they had in order to make it successful.


    The one who had the most fun was actually Vania.


    She was holing inside her dark room, looking at her computer.


    She was logging in to her social media account.


    BlueScreen01: The Drake Group is too much. I used to like them, but it turned out they were as corrupt as others.


    Clovis closed the door immediately, not letting his personal life be bothered by these reporters.


    "Mhmm? Mayor." As expected, Kanaria immediately recognized him.


    "You are..." The mayor raised his eyebrows. "Ah, you are the granddaughter of Mr. Haivan."


    "Yes, my name is Kanaria. It''s an honor to have the mayor remember me." Kanaria politely greeted him.


    The mayor paused for a moment, realizing that these two actually lived together. If that were the case, the relationship between Clovis and the Renvolt family was already very close.


    "Please come in." Kanaria skillfully led the mayor into the living room.


    The mayor was a bit surprised that the house wasn''t fully furnished. No, it was furnished, but there was a lot of missing furniture. To think that a talented man like Clovis or even a young lady from a big family like Kanaria would live in a house like this.


    "Please forgive us for this humble home," Kanaria said, noticing his change of expression and his lingering gaze on the missing furniture. She had suggested it to Clovis previously, but because they rarely came home, he didn''t think it was necessary.


    So, she had been postponing it the whole time.


    "I will make some tea." Kanaria waved her hand and quickly moved to the kitchen. Meanwhile, the mayor and Clovis sat down in front of each other.


    "I''m quite surprised that the talented young man of our city lives in a place like this. If you''d like to¡ª" The mayor opened the conversation with a generous offer, but he was immediately stopped by Clovis.


    Clovis raised his hand and said with a flat tone, "I''m thankful for the offer, but I''ll remain in this home. This is what my family has left me. Of course, that includes renovation."


    The mayor looked surprised, thinking that Clovis was so filial that he didn''t want to make any changes to the house his family gave him.


    "Please." Kanaria returned pretty quickly and put down the tea for all of them before sitting next to Clovis. "May I know the reason for your visit this time, Mayor?"


    "Ehm..." The mayor scratched the back of his head. This was the first time he heard about them. However, after digging up a few things, they had indeed performed brilliantly a few times, which made his visit look like he was forcing his kindness on them.


    That was why he shouldn''t start by offering them his support. Instead, he made an excited smile and asked, "What do you think about representing the city in the Stellar City''s Explorer Combat Competition?"

 Chapter 214 New Challenge

    "What do you think about representing the city in the Stellar City''s Explorer Combat Competition?"


    "Stellar City''s Explorer Combat Competition?" Clovis and Kanaria exchanged looks. None of them had heard about it.


    "You know the Stellar City, right?"


    Kanaria pondered for a moment. "If I''m not wrong, Stellar City is located in the south of this city. They are a Tier 6 city, which is one tier higher than this city."


    "Yes. I''m not sure if you already know about this, but all the bases in the west and north have been destroyed. The bases on the east are being attacked right now. To combat this, Stellar City is trying to hold a competition for explorers to raise the people''s morale.


    "They want people to think that the explorers in the city have excellent explorers to resist those beasts. Of course, the participants are only the younger generations.


    "The competition is divided into three categories based on age. All people under 20 years old will be joining the Young Stellar Competition. Above them is the Rising Star Competition, which has an upper limit of 25 years old. Lastly, the Shining Star Competition, which adds another five years to the upper limit."


    "So, you want us to fight in the Young Stellar Competition?" Kanaria asked for confirmation.


    "Yes. We''d like you to represent the city in this competition."


    Kanaria glanced at Clovis, who actually shook his head.


    Seeing that gesture, the mayor hurriedly added, "I apologize for not noticing your group sooner. If¡ª"


    Kanaria stopped him. "It''s not about that problem, Mayor. We have another member, Melody. We don''t want to leave her because of her age, so even if we enter this competition, we will be joining the Rising Star Competition."


    "But..." The mayor looked pale. "In the Shining Star Competition, most of the participants are Tier 2 and Tier 3 explorers. I''ve heard that there are some who have reached Tier 4."


    "Yes. We''re thankful for your information, but that''s our stance." Kanaria nodded with a serious expression. However, she added one more thing. "And we still have one more month to prepare."@@@@


    Kanaria tugged Clovis''s sleeve as if implying that she should take over the negotiation. She understood the mayor''s concern after all.


    "There is one thing I''d like to add, Mayor. Even though we''ll be participating independently, how about you support us by giving us resources? You can claim that because of our current Tier, you are in a dilemma. Hence, you give us a test to reach Tier 2 within a month or something like that."


    "!!!" The mayor''s eyes lit up. "That''s it. Still, to sponsor you right away will be hard."


    "We know about that. How about splitting it into three parts, depending on our performance?"


    "What do you mean?"


    Kanaria raised three fingers. "First, you can sponsor us right now, which is also a part of the reason for your arrival here. Second, we''ll meet in Stellar City one month later. If we reach Tier 2 and Melody is able to become a Tier 3 human, you will give us another resource. Then, once we fight in the competition, depending on our result, you can give us another reward. What do you think?"


    "That sounds plausible." The mayor nodded. "But are you sure you want it that way?"


    "Yes.


    The mayor pondered for a minute before asking, "What do you need from me?"


    Clovis whispered to Kanaria a few things. After some consideration, Kanaria replied, "We''re used to buying everything ourselves. If possible, how about giving us some money for the first and second parts? The third part can be money as well, but if you want to add something else because you''re satisfied with our result, then we won''t reject it."


    The mayor looked at Kanaria for a moment. "I''ve heard that Mr. Haivan''s granddaughter is an expert in logistics. I guess that''s not an empty claim."


    Kanaria smiled, even though he misunderstood.


    "Alright." The mayor stood up and extended his hand. "I''m looking forward to seeing your performance."


    "We won''t disappoint you." Clovis shook his head firmly.

 Chapter 215 Persuading

    Clovis and Kanaria saw the mayor off personally before retreating inside, preventing the reporters from surrounding them.


    Both of them exchanged looks. A smile appeared on their faces as they gave a thumbs up to each other.


    "Good work." Clovis felt relieved that they were able to get more money.


    "Still, one month to become a Tier 2, huh? Right now, my evolution progress is already close to 80%, so it will only take another two weeks to become Tier 2."


    "Don''t worry. My progress is already two-thirds, so it should be fine... probably."


    "Is that so?" Kanaria was once again shocked by Clovis''s progress. She thought she had consumed a similar amount of essence as Clovis. Yet Clovis, whose evolution rate was only a fifth of hers, managed to keep up with her.


    "Anyway, we should tell Jay and Melody about this... especially Melody."


    "Melody?" Kanaria thought for a moment before her face became pale. "Don''t tell me..."


    Clovis nodded. "Yes. We''re going to Stellar City right away!"


    "Do you think Melody will agree to that idea? If we go there right now and go back one month later, she will be whining that she can''t visit her younger brother, you know." Kanaria facepalmed.


    "I''ll leave it to you." Clovis patted Kanaria''s shoulder and walked away, escaping from her.


    Kanaria''s eyebrows twitched as she suddenly grabbed Clovis''s arm while staring at him with a darkened expression. "You won''t escape, right?"


    "..." Clovis gave a wry smile. "How about I give you something in exchange?"


    Clovis had prepared an item for her from Another World Mall, so this would be a perfect chance to give it to her.


    However, Kanaria shook her head. "Just promise me to do something later."@@@@


    "That''s..." Clovis scratched the back of his head. "Fine. As long as I can do it."


    "I mean, you''re going to be away for a much longer time. It''s time for the baby bird to spread their wings and soar into the sky. I believe that all of you are able to reach the highest sky, so I''m not going to chain you down. Just go for it! If you need any help, just ask me."


    Kanaria felt embarrassed. It was rare for Vania to behave like a mature mother, but when she did, she always moved the heart of her daughter. "Thank you, Mom. If it''s not too much trouble for you, can you help us leave this city without getting caught by the reporters? It includes our luggage and transportation."


    "It''s not a big problem. I''ll just call a few friends. South Gate, is it?"


    "Yes."


    "Alright." Vania hung up.


    Kanaria let out a breath of relief before turning to Clovis. "So, what''s the unique system this city has?"


    Clovis handed the document while explaining, "The city might have a similar explorer association system, but the association in this place is giving a mission differently. Normally, the requester is an individual, and we''ll only receive a reward, right?"


    "In this city, there is the option of exchanging items or points. It must be because it is a bigger city, but it has a lot of explorers and a long lineage of explorer families. Instead of spending money, they are able to give an item for a reward."


    "But we are trying to get more money, right?" Kanaria frowned. "So, this system is kind of useless."


    "Not necessarily so."


    "What do you mean?"


    "This city might not need them, but can you say the same for the people in this city?"


    "Ah!" Kanaria''s eyes lit up. "Are you saying we''re going to gather a lot of those items and sell them here?"


    "Yes. During the break, we can go back to this city. I mean, the trip only takes about two to three hours by car. And Melody can go back to visit her brother, maybe once a week."


    Kanaria looked annoyed as she spoke with an angry tone. "I hope you told me earlier before persuading Melody."


    "My bad." Clovis gave a wry smile before changing the topic. "Anyway, there is one more interesting thing. This one."


    Clovis pointed at the specific point of the document, which made Kanaria frown.

 Chapter 216 Going to Stellar City

    "This is..." Kanaria fell into deep thought. "Are you sure about this?"@@@@


    "Yep." Clovis nodded with a serious expression. "This city is a bit far from any other holes leading to the Subterranean World. In other words, we can fight a lot of powerful beasts."


    "But if we do this, our killing rate will drop significantly. We might not have enough to reach the next tier. I mean, you are the problem!" Kanaria didn''t hold back anymore when talking about Clovis''s evolution rate.


    Clovis shook his head. "Don''t worry. It should be fine."


    There were two reasons why Clovis could assure her. First of all, they would get some money from the mayor, which allowed him to increase the item limit.


    In addition, they would still be hunting a lot of beasts, which would give them a sum of money.


    Once they had reached Tier 2, he planned to focus on all the items for his own improvement. It should work out somehow.


    Kanaria thought for a moment. "If the leader has decided, then I have no choice but to follow it. However, I''m going to confirm this one thing. Are your decisions considered a calculated risk or reckless plan?"


    Clovis gulped down. Kanaria''s mood was especially bad today, but he could understand her since he had put her under a lot of stress today. His expression turned serious. "It''s a calculated risk. If you think it''s the latter and I end up becoming similar to Ivan, feel free to punch me in the face."


    Kanaria fell silent for a moment before sighing. "Alright."


    "Thank you. Well, the reason I want to do this is because we''ll be fighting against those strong people. If we get used to the weakened beasts, we won''t be able to fight against them."


    "That''s true. Our opponents will be either Tier 2 or Tier 3. According to the mayor, there are some participants who are Tier 4. If we can''t defeat them, we won''t be able to produce any result." Kanaria nodded in understanding. "Well, you and Jay are probably the only ones who can go against them. But the problem with this competition is that the maximum limit of people in one group is six."


    "Indeed." Clovis nodded. "Because of this number, we will be at a disadvantage since we only have four people. However, this is a challenge for us as well. I''m planning to build an elite group where each person can go against a hundred. If we can''t do this, then we have to know our weakness as quickly as possible."


    "Don''t tell me, this is your main reason?" Kanaria squinted her eyes.


    "Hahaha." Vania only laughed it off while helping their group load their luggage into the vehicle. "Do you need money?"


    "Nah. We''ve just got a lot of money recently, so we''ll be spending it for comfort in that city... or someone is going to bite me." Kanaria had a troubled face while glancing at Melody. "Anyway, we have to go."


    "Take care." Vania waved her hand while seeing them off.


    Fortunately, the journey was rather peaceful. While they encountered some beasts on the way, there was no horde, allowing them to reach the Stellar City pretty swiftly.


    ...


    Three hours later.


    "Your ID please." The soldier extended his hand, stopping them at the city gate.


    Jay gave the four IDs to the soldier.


    "Mhmm?" The soldier frowned when looking at their data. "You''re not from here?"


    "Yes."


    "Purpose?" The soldier asked.


    "The competition is one month from now."


    The soldier registered them right away and handed them back their IDs. "Alright. You are free to go. Welcome to the city."


    "Thank you." Jay rolled up the window before stepping on the gas. Clovis and Melody, who were in the back seat, couldn''t help but take a peek, seeing the city for the first time.


    "So... this is the Stellar City." Clovis''s eyes turned into stars, feeling the excitement to explore this new city.

 Chapter 217 New City

    The first place they visited was none other than the hotel. Kanaria took out the group''s card and said, "One double room and two single rooms please."


    "Huh?" Melody glared at Kanaria with disdain, knowing what Kanaria planned to do. "We still have a lot of money in the group''s fund, right? Why don''t you just get the suite for our group? There are only four people anyway!"


    "What are you talking about?" Kanaria gave a wry smile.


    "I don''t mind your usual behavior, but this is not your honeymoon!" Melody harrumphed.


    "You''re still holding a grudge for making you come here?" Kanaria scratched the back of her head. She glanced at Clovis, asking for his help.


    However, Clovis only shrugged his shoulders, telling her to do as Melody said. It was unfair for Melody after all.


    "Tsk." Kanaria clicked her tongue and changed her plan. "Ruby Suite please. For 35 days."


    Melody harrumphed. She couldn''t help but remember the other reason for their arrival here.


    Once they entered their room, they ordered some food. This was another reason why they chose to take a suite. Their safety and privacy would be guaranteed and they would be taken care of pretty quickly.


    "I kind of understand that we''re here to find a new member." Melody put down the chopsticks before saying, "But do you understand how hard it is to find that talented person here? And even if we find one, do you think they will agree to join us?"


    "I know." Clovis nodded.


    "That''s why we come up with several plans such as creating a situation like yours," added Kanaria.


    "..." Melody shook her head helplessly. There was no way another person would just come like that.


    "I don''t care about the new members as long as they are not annoying." Jay shrugged. "I don''t mind them being smart and hard to control, but I dislike people who are trying to manipulate the entire group. Being greedy is not a big offense; the method to achieve it is."


    "I know." Clovis chuckled. "I will be careful when choosing the people."


    "For now, we can get some rest. Use today to get used to the city''s atmosphere. If you want, you can go around as well," explained Kanaria. She had to confirm the course of their expedition, which would start tomorrow after all.


    Clovis nodded in agreement.


    "In that case, I will do what you want me to do. Get all the mission catalogs of this city and store their information to see how many missions we can solve in the next couple of days." Melody waved her hand and entered her room.


    "I will look around the city and see if there are places to move my body around here." Jay stood up. Since they would be here for a long time, there was no way he would be trapped in this hotel room the whole time.


    "I will make some plans for our expeditions and check all the stores in this city." Kanaria raised her hand. Her role was crucial, considering she had to ensure the group''s logistics. If they couldn''t resupply their bullets, it would be fatal.


    "I''ll also go out and look around." Clovis nodded, feeling Kanaria''s pleading gaze. When she heard his answer, Kanaria couldn''t help but smile.


    "I will be going this way." Jay pointed to the left.


    "We''ll go this way." Kanaria pointed in the opposite direction.


    "You are useless. You can block all those beasts, but you are too weak to even hold your ground. If you were a bit better, we would have killed all those beasts. Fuck. I''m starting to regret taking you in."


    "D-don''t expel me." The man panicked, his face became pale.


    "Just shut up!" The middle-aged man gritted his teeth, feeling stressed.


    The others were also glaring at the man in disdain.


    "I guess there are a lot of good groups in this town, even if they are older," Kanaria muttered with a serious expression. "The competition one month from now might be harder than we originally thought."


    "Yeah, but can you keep an eye on them? I mean, try to find their information if possible."


    "Them? Are you interested in them? I understand that their group is high level, but our group won''t lose to them one month from now."


    "No, I''m not talking about that." Clovis looked at the reprimanded guy while saying, "Take a look at his condition."


    "Condition?" Kanaria furrowed her eyebrows. She could only see his clothes and arms, but Kanaria soon understood what Clovis meant. "Don''t tell me..."


    "It seems that you''ve noticed it too. You should hear what they said earlier. That guy was their guardian and took the hit from the group. Yet they blamed him for being incapable. If he didn''t have enough ability, could he actually escape uninjured? No, could he even block all those attacks in the first place?"


    "..." Kanaria fell into deep thought. As Clovis said, Kanaria didn''t notice any scratch on the guy''s body.


    If what the middle-aged man said was true, it meant that he was a rather capable guardian. The only problem would be his stature. His height might be the main reason why he didn''t manage to hold his ground against the beasts.


    Even so, this guy still managed to become a Tier 2 human. In addition to his voice, Kanaria could deduce what Clovis had in mind.


    "Is he..."


    "Probably. He does seem to be more capable than he looks right now. I don''t know much about him though."


    "I''ll try to take a look, but there''s no guarantee since I''m new to this city. Besides, are you sure about this?"


    "Depending on his age." Clovis shrugged.


    "Alright." Melody nodded. "But it might just be a bad day for them."


    "Indeed. I''m just keeping an eye on people. Who knows, he might be someone without a clear goal or something."


    "That''s true. I guess we''ll be going separate ways for the time being."


    "I''m counting on you." Clovis nodded while waving his hand.


    "Mhmm." Maya nodded and started walking among the crowd, following that group.


    Clovis''s expression turned serious when he saw their backs. Depending on that person''s characteristics and age, he might have found his fifth member.

 Chapter 218 New Friend

    "Hu... Hu..." Jay panted a few times while running on a treadmill. It was already night and he had to go back soon.


    The only thing he did when going out was find this place and just work out.


    There was one thing that piqued his mind. A young man had joined him in his workout for the last couple of hours.


    His technique and stamina were good, but his muscle was somehow much weaker than he expected. He looked like someone who had done this for years, so it was quite surprising to find his muscles hadn''t developed.


    The man looked like he was around twenty years old, but the problem was that he was petite, and his face was actually cute like a girl.


    If he wore a dress, he might be mistaken as a woman.


    More importantly, Jay noticed that this man looked troubled.


    When Jay finished with his workout and sent a message to others that he would be returning soon, the guy suddenly approached him while extending his hand. "Hello."


    Jay was confused and looked at this guy. "Can I help you?"


    "I just want to say that I am amazed. You must have started working out hours before me, yet your stamina can still keep up with those intense workouts. I can''t do that... So I wonder if you have any tricks or tips. I''m just asking casually, so if you don''t want to answer, it''s perfectly fine." The man smiled.


    Jay tilted his head in confusion. He actually answered it with another question. "I''m more confused about you. Your technique looks like someone who has been working out for years, but somehow your muscles aren''t developed according to that effort. It''s not like your training is light and from those eyes, I realize that you are someone who trains every day."


    "Ah? Is that so? It''s amazing that you are able to figure that out." He scratched the back of his head. "Well, it''s a kind of body''s condition of mine that doesn''t allow me to develop my muscles."


    "Sorry." Jay apologized, knowing how hard it was to have such a deficiency.


    "Ah, you don''t have to worry. It''s just a body''s condition, not a disability or sufficiency. I do get something out of it as well."


    "Mhmm." Jay nodded and finally answered his questions. "I don''t understand your body''s condition, so I can''t really give you tips. From the looks of it, you''re very determined. You don''t seem to be weak as well... No, maybe you are stronger than me."


    "I am Tier 2, yes. It''s embarrassing, but I''m not that strong as a Tier 2 human. In my previous group, I did little to nothing and kept messing up. If we fight, I might not be able to defeat you... My instinct is telling me that you''re stronger than me."


    Seeing Jay standing up, Ragna led him to the staff and borrowed their room. He thought that this was just a normal gym, but when Ragna showed his membership, the staff immediately led him to the third floor.


    There seemed to be two rooms that took up the entire floor. Each room was spacious enough for sparring.


    "This is a sparring room. You''re able to rent it for a cheap price." Ragna opened the room.


    It was just a simple room. There was some equipment from a sword to armor. In this place, he could swing his sword to his heart''s content or even spar with Clovis.


    When Jay entered the room to take a look, he couldn''t help but pick up a saber. It was wood, but it was heavier than he imagined.


    Jay was fired up, wanting to test it.


    "It looks like you want to move a bit more. How about having me as your sparring partner? I''ll pay for the room."


    "Really? But if it''s for the room, I will pay for it! You''re already kind enough to show me around."


    "It''s fine. Besides, the only way to rent this room is to get the membership."


    "Ah." Jay scratched the back of his head. "In that case, let us grab some food after this. I''ll pay."


    "Sure." Ragna smiled and hurriedly paid for the room.


    Jay was already swinging his saber around, getting used to the sensation.


    Meanwhile, Ragna grabbed a spear and a huge shield. When he turned around, he found Jay''s shocked face. "Is there something wrong?"


    Jay looked at this petite man holding a shield as big as his body. It was rather surprising. "Sorry, I didn''t expect you to be a guardian."


    "Ahahaha." Ragna let out a hollow laugh. "Let''s test it out, shall we?"


    "Thank you very much."

 Chapter 219 Sparring

    Jay was holding the saber with both hands, pointing it at Ragna''s neck.


    He stomped the ground and took a big leap toward Ragna.


    ''He is fast,'' Ragna thought while holding his shield tight.


    Jay lowered his stance to get all the strength he had before striking the shield from below, planning to launch it into the ceiling and end the spar right away.


    As if noticing his movement, Ragna skillfully tilted his shield and let the blade hit the tip of the shield.


    "!!!" Jay was taken aback. Ragna''s shield positioning caused him to be unable to knock the shield up. In fact, he was forced to let the sword slide on the shield''s surface if he didn''t want to lose his balance.


    In addition, Ragna took a step forward, slamming the shield at Jay.


    Jay felt the impact, but once again, he realized that, despite such a great technique, Ragna didn''t have the strength to actually push him back.


    Knowing the same thing, Ragna thrust his spear at Jay''s chest.


    Because Ragna didn''t have enough strength, Jay took a step back and actually kicked the shield.


    Ragna tried to tilt the shield again, but Jay had predicted it and turned the kick into a stomp, pushing Ragna to the ground.


    Ragna bit his lips, not being able to even withstand Jay''s raw strength.


    He ended up leaping back to regain some distance.


    Jay chased after him and swung his blade with every ounce of his strength.


    Ragna once again skillfully wielded his shield to block it, letting the shield deflect Jay''s extraordinary swing.


    ''His only weakness is strength. That''s probably why he wants to gain some muscle. If he has enough strength, I might actually lose this sparring. He is a perfect guardian other than that weakness... people might not be able to help him, but Clovis can do it like how he manages to power us up with these weird clothes or accessories.'' Jay faced a dilemma.


    There was no way he could ask Clovis for a person he barely knew. He wasn''t that ungrateful.


    Jay couldn''t help but say, "I won because I took advantage of your weakness."


    "Ahahaha." Ragna shook his head helplessly. "Still, if I persist for a few more months, I should be able to get enough essence to reach Tier 3. I''ve heard that there is a qualitative leap after Tier 3. Maybe it can somehow boost my strength and fix this weakness."


    "What? You are near Tier 3?" Jay gasped. He seemed to have underestimated Ragna''s evolution rate.


    "Do I not look like it? Well, I have a 98% evolution rate. People have scouted me in the past, but all of them have given up because of my condition. And I will continue to be a guardian, so they kind of disdain me for wasting my talent... Then again, I can only be a guardian. I told you that my body''s condition gave me some advantages too?"


    Ragna grabbed his spear and hit his arm as hard as possible.


    "What are you doing?!" Jay''s heart skipped a beat.


    Ragna remained calm. He simply showed his arm to Jay. His arm became red and turned normal within ten seconds.


    "This is..."


    Ragna nodded. "This is my affinity, Heart. I can''t develop my muscles, but my heart is actually stronger than normal. My regenerative power is much more powerful than anyone with the same affinity."


    Jay fell into deep thought. This was the first time he had seen such a condition. However, there was one problem. He wasn''t the captain.


    "To be honest, if I were the captain, I would have recruited you to my group."


    "Someone as strong as you are under another person?" Ragna looked shocked.


    "I am strong, huh? I hate to admit it, but my captain is much stronger than me. I can only win two times out of ten fights." Jay shook his head helplessly. "Anyway, if you don''t mind, I''d like to call my captain first. He said that he is coming here to find a new member anyway, so he might be interested."

 Chapter 220 Call

    "Hahaha." Clovis laughed while talking with Kanaria and Melody in their room before his Skyphone rang.


    "Mhmm?" Clovis couldn''t help but furrow his eyebrows.


    "What''s wrong? Who calls you?" It was rare for Clovis to get a call, so these two couldn''t help but get curious.


    "It''s Jay," Clovis answered while accepting the call. "What''s up, Jay?"


    "You''re trying to find a new member in this city, right? What do you think about a guardian?"


    "Yes, that''s one of the professions I''m currently seeking. It''s rare for you to suddenly talk about this."


    "Actually, I''ve found one with great quality. There are some problems, but I''ve fought him once... You can say that his talent is ridiculous."


    "Ridiculous? Is there such a person?" Clovis became more interested, not expecting Jay to find a potential member.


    Jay glanced at Ragna for a bit and walked a little further. "Indeed. According to him, he has a 98% Evolution Rate and Heart Affinity. It''s just that his body has a condition where he can''t develop his muscles, which causes him to become less of a guardian.


    "However, his technique is so polished that I think I will lose if he manages to fix that weakness of his. In addition, his body''s condition gives him extraordinary regenerative ability."


    Clovis fell silent for a moment. He had turned on the speaker so that everyone could hear it as well.


    Melody and Kanaria were staring at Clovis, wondering what his decision was.


    "What is his name, age, and strength?"


    Jay thought for a moment. "His name is Ragna, I don''t know his full name. He is only 19 years old but already reaches Tier 2, close to Tier 3 I think. From my perspective, if he can reach that despite that weakness, his high evolution rate might be true. After all, if he keeps messing up, his share will be low. Yet he still manages to reach that level."


    Clovis fell into deep thought. On the one hand, it was indeed amazing to have such a person. On the other hand, he felt that this person was simply too good to be true.@@@@


    However, he noticed the meaning of the weakness. It seemed that Jay was implying that his items would be a great help for this person.


    ...


    A few hours ago.


    "Ragna, you''re expelled from the group."


    Ragna widened his eyes in shock, staring at the captain of the group. "I... I can still help the group. I''m sorry for the previous exploration."


    The captain shook his head. "We''ve decided to expel you from the group. We have already gotten a more reliable guardian than you."


    "What?" Ragna widened his eyes in shock. He could accept it if the group expelled him all of a sudden, but the fact that they had prepared his replacement meant they were already planning this long ago.


    "You''re useless. Piss off." The captain didn''t even bother to explain his decision. He simply expelled him.


    "But I have also contributed a lot of other things for the group."


    "Shut up! If you''re going to continue talking, I''m going to beat you up and drag you out of this place personally."


    Ragna opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but the words stuck in his throat. He looked down as he had no choice but to leave.


    "Hahahaha. We are finally free from that little prick. He is useless and only takes our resources for granted."


    "Serve him right."


    The people were laughing when they saw Ragna leaving the tavern with a dejected face. They continued mocking him even after he was gone.


    ...


    After listening to his story, Clovis couldn''t help but furrow his eyebrows. "Well, I don''t personally care about what people say about your abilities. However, they don''t mention anything about your personality, so I think that''s a plus. Still, I have no choice but to test you myself since I don''t plan to bring an incompetent into the group."


    Clovis said it pretty bluntly, but Ragna could understand his stance since if he was competent, he would still be exploring with his previous group.


    "I know. Please test me however you want."

 Chapter 221 Test

    Clovis nodded. "Alright. I will be your opponent. You are Tier 2, right? I am only a Tier 1 human. I believe that my evolution progress is also the lowest in the group."


    "I understand." Ragna nodded with a serious expression. He grabbed the wooden shield and spear again.


    Clovis''s aim in saying those words was to make Ragna lower his guard. If he actually underestimated him, especially his future boss, there was no need to get him into the group.@@@@


    And Clovis turned around and whispered something to Jay and Melody before asking Kanaria to fully observe the battle from the side.


    After arranging the situation, Clovis grabbed a long sword and a short sword from the shelves.


    "Alright. Since you''re a guardian, pretend that behind you is the target you have to protect, while I''m trying to get past you and kill that target. Are you ready?" Clovis asked.


    "Please." Ragna nodded while putting the shield in front of him.


    Clovis leaped forth, making the same movement as Jay.


    Knowing how powerful Jay was despite being Tier 1, Ragna thought he should be cautious against Clovis.


    Clovis didn''t know that Jay had told Ragna that his captain was much stronger than him, so the trick he prepared wouldn''t work.


    Clovis began with a low speed, striking Ragna like a normal beast. However, he still used all his strength in each swing. Even though it was unable to produce a swing similar to Jay''s, it still packed a punch.


    *Bang!*


    *Bang!*


    Ragna shifted his shield skillfully and matched Clovis''s strikes, completely blocking the swings.


    "!!!" Ragna noticed something. The speed and strength Clovis used actually couldn''t be compared to Jay, causing him to think, ''Is he not using all his strength?''


    He lost his grip on the spear and saw Clovis''s blade coming from above.


    Before he hit Ragna, Clovis stopped his swing, looking very amused. After all, Ragna''s hand immediately tried to catch his sword after losing that spear. Even at the last moment, Ragna would do everything just to protect the person behind him instead of dodging the swing and endangering the target.


    "Incredible." Clovis smiled, marking the end of the test.


    He was indeed a guardian. At the same time, he understood why Jay said his weakness was troublesome. Yet once he fixed that weakness, he might become impenetrable.


    In addition, Jay claimed that this guy had insane regenerative ability. When that happened, he would really become a moving fortress.


    "Thank you. I''m sorry that I end up losing my spear." Ragna gave a wry smile, understanding his weakness too well. He was still surprised that Clovis was this strong when he was only a Tier 1.


    In fact, he might be able to go toe-to-toe against his previous captain who was already a Tier 3.


    "Ah! You''re that person!" Suddenly, Kanaria screamed while pointing at Ragna.


    All of them, including Clovis, were bewildered.


    "Clovis. It''s him! The one we saw this afternoon! But... his face looks feminine... are you a guy or a girl by the way?"


    "Ah. You are talking about that? Because I can''t develop my muscles, people often underestimate me and even mistake me for a girl. But I''m a boy. The beard and mustache are fake because they make me more manly. Well, I''m a little cringe since, without it, people often say, ''When there''s a hole, there''s a way,'' which is pretty disgusting for me." Ragna scratched the back of his head.


    Clovis pondered for a few seconds. "In that case, are you planning to take your revenge against your previous group? Or are you just planning to get stronger without any aim whatsoever?"


    "I can understand why expel me, but I will be lying if I say I''m not disappointed. But I''m not planning to get my revenge against them, I will just keep getting stronger and show them that I can do much more. Well, I''m an orphan, but according to the orphanage''s manager, my parents are still alive. I just want to get stronger and see the world, trying to find my parents."


    Clovis remained silent for a while, considering his words carefully.


    Ragna lowered his head. "I know that I''m unworthy, but I''ll definitely work hard. I will act as the guardian and I can also do daily chores as well as basic maintenance."


    After several minutes, Clovis opened his mouth. "I..."

 Chapter 222 A Condition

    "I have a condition." Clovis raised one finger.


    The others were quite surprised by this decision. The entire atmosphere felt like Clovis was about to accept him, but surprisingly, Clovis wanted to add something first.


    "What is that?" Ragna gulped down, feeling the pressure.


    "First of all, we are not from this city, so we don''t know anything about you, especially your reputation. What we know comes from what you''ve claimed. I''m not saying if you''re lying or something, but there''s still a need to prove yourself first, don''t you think?"


    "That''s..." Ragna thought for a moment. "...understandable."


    "And the reason why we''re here is to prepare ourselves for the Shining Star Competition."


    "Shining Star? The competition for under 25 years old? If I''m not wrong, you guys are..."


    "Our age is more suitable for the lower one, but Melody can''t participate if that''s the case. There is a chance that we will register your name as well. And after that, we''re planning to return to our own city. So I want you to make a decision with that thought in mind."


    Ragna nodded in understanding. "I personally don''t care much about this city. While I was raised in the orphanage, it wasn''t in this city and that orphanage was destroyed along with the city a few years ago. That''s why... are you planning to visit other cities as well?"


    Considering Ragna''s aim was to find his parents while exploring the world, Clovis said, "Of course. That''s our original intention. I can''t say the details, but I can say for sure it will happen within a year. And I''m sure you understand what this means, right?"


    Ragna''s expression turned grim. With such talented people, it wouldn''t be weird if these people could actually get to Tier 2 or even Tier 3 before twenty years old. If Ragna couldn''t keep up with them, he might be left behind.


    Hence, Ragna said, "Please state your condition. I will definitely do my best."


    Clovis nodded. "In that case, my only condition is that we''ll get to know you first. You can say that we''ll hire you through the usual hiring method like a mercenary. What''s the rate of Tier 2 guardian again?"@@@@


    Melody checked the association and said, "It''s 25,000 union dollars per day."


    "In that case, we''ll pay you 25,000 per day as well as 20% of the Tier 2 essence we''ve got during the expedition," Clovis explained his plan.


    Jay might have lost to Clovis that day and failed to become the captain of the group. While he might not have put much effort into the group, his desire to make the group successful was the same as Clovis.


    Clovis smiled. "I''m lucky to have you."


    Jay smiled, gratified. Both of them soon noticed Kanaria watching them closely.


    "What?" Clovis turned his head around.


    "You know, you look like brothers. Your way of thinking is the same even though you are different..." Kanaria shook her head helplessly.


    "Isn''t that good?"


    "In real life, yes. Imagine you go to the Skynet, people will call you something else." Kanaria shrugged. "There''s no brotherhood in Skynet."


    "And why are you talking about this?" Clovis''s eyebrows twitched.


    "I''m just thinking... if our group has become even more successful, we will need someone to handle the PR. Both of you are handsome, so...Heh." Kanaria chuckled while looking away.


    "Are you seriously saying that?" Clovis wanted to vomit blood, not expecting Kanaria to bring such a topic.


    "Of course not. It''s just... you have never proved otherwise." Kanaria shrugged.


    "What are you? Thirsty?" Clovis shook his head helplessly.


    "Hahahaha. Imagine losing to a man, Kanaria," said Jay with a sly grin.


    "..." Kanaria tried to elbow him, but Jay skillfully avoided it. Both of them stared at each other before Jay ran away while Kanaria chased after him.


    Clovis only chuckled, thinking that these two were indeed childhood friends.

 Chapter 223 Plans

    "No! Don''t go to this place." Ragna shouted while looking at Clovis with a face full of concern.


    Clovis was surprised by such a reaction. He never thought that the peaceful meeting would be disturbed.


    ...


    A few minutes ago.


    "So we''ll be visiting these three places during the next expedition. It will be a long seven-day trip." Melody opened the map. "We''ve gotten several missions, but I guess there are a total of five targets that we have to kill no matter what.


    "The first two are located in this forest. This forest is located not far from the city, and it''s one of the most famous hunting zones for explorers. The targets are Tier 3 Gastornia and Tier 3 Megaloceros.


    "Clovis and Jay will be killing one each without any help. Gastornia is known to be a ''terror bird.'' A kind of flightless bird with a robust build, long legs, and a powerful beak. The Megaloceros is known to be a Giant Deer. It has long, branching antlers that can span up to 5 meters in width."@@@@


    Ragna noticed something and couldn''t help but ask, "They are going to kill Tier 3 beasts without help?"


    "Yes." Melody nodded without hesitation as if it were the normal thing to do.


    "Ah, if you''re not aware of it, they''re more than capable of defeating a Tier 3 beast by themselves. As we said previously, we''re preparing ourselves for the competition. Hence, this will give them good training."


    "That''s... true." Ragna looked worried, but when he recalled their strength, they might indeed have the prowess of a Tier 3 human despite being a Tier 1 human.


    Melody continued, "The second place will be this freshwater lake. If I''m not wrong, there is a Tier 4 Madtsoiidae in this place."


    "What?!" Ragna dropped his jaw to the ground. "Are you serious?"


    "But those beasts are..." Ragna bit his lips.


    "Stronger than normal beasts? Maybe twice as strong as the ones you can find near this city?"


    "!!!" Ragna raised his eyebrows, stunned. "How do you know..."


    "We have gone to a similar place. Well, there are some explanations about that kind of place, but that''s not really important." Clovis glanced at Melody to continue.


    "We have picked another two Tier 3 beasts as the target. If the first destination is to give Clovis and Jay''s good experiences and the second destination is to test the harmony of the team, this third place is to test our abilities. We''re aiming to kill these two Tier 3 beasts as quickly as possible without sustaining any injuries. If someone gets an injury, they will be punished."


    Ragna was dumbfounded. He never thought that these people would be so confident. Even his previous captain, a Tier 3 human, had a hard time. So, it was quite surprising that a bunch of Tier 1 explorers would dare to take up the challenge.


    "Don''t worry. If you mess up here, we won''t terminate the agreement right away. This is just a challenge, and we''ll retreat if it starts becoming dangerous," Clovis added, assuring Ragna.


    Ragna still looked concerned, not knowing that this third destination was actually a challenge for Ragna, not for the team. If he was indeed capable, the only thing they had to check was his loyalty to the group.


    Only after that would Clovis give him the items. In fact, Clovis had thought of several items that Ragna could use, like items that boost his ''Strength'' or ''Muscle.''


    And that wasn''t everything. Clovis also planned to give a copy of the Star Method that his father devised for Bones Affinity.


    If the group managed to overcome all the challenges for the next month, they believed they could take on the Rising Star Competition.


    Ragna contemplated for a few minutes before saying with a serious expression, "I understand. I shall prepare for the expedition."


    "Mhmm. We will give you the details through Skychat." Clovis nodded and extended his hand. "I look forward to seeing your performance."


    Ragna shook his head, feeling the pressure from this group. He wanted to see whether their confidence was fake or not.

 Chapter 224 Starting

    The next day, they met up in front of the gate, ready to take on the new challenge. For this journey, Clovis brought a vehicle.


    It was just a cheap car they could easily abandon. Because their destinations were far from any cities, Clovis planned to hide this car on the road. If it was stolen, he didn''t care much. If it wasn''t, they would bring it back to the city. They had some spare money, especially when the mayor gave them two hundred thousand union dollars in the first part.


    As usual, Jay was the one driving it. Clovis had taken some driving classes during his free time, but he wasn''t reliable yet.


    Once they were near their destination, Jay went off the road and hid the car behind an abandoned gas station. It was a building made before the ''simulation'' after all.


    Once they were done hiding it, Clovis brought all their equipment with them and abandoned the car.


    The first destination was a forest where Tier 3 Gastornia and Megaloceros resided.


    According to Ragna, there were several Tier 3 beasts in this forest. However, Clovis only wanted to take down the beasts that lived in the southern part and leave. This place wasn''t their main destination after all.


    The forest was located 10 kilometers from the city.


    As the group reached the entrance of the forest, they gazed out at the towering trees that stretched as far as their eyes could see. The humidity was quite high as Clovis and the others could smell the rich earthy scent.


    "So we will be hunting in this place?" Jay smirked, feeling a bit excited. He could hear several roars echoing inside the forest.


    "Yes. We''ll take it easy on the first day to get used to this new party. The next day, we''ll kill as many beasts as possible as per usual and head to the next destination before dark." Kanaria nodded with a serious expression.


    "What if we meet the Tier 3 beasts?" Jay asked.


    "Is that so?" Clovis nodded. "Alright. Let''s head out."


    The group agreed and immediately entered the forest. It didn''t take too long for them to find a few beasts.


    "Let''s go with the usual," said Clovis while taking off. Jay nodded and ran a bit slowly.


    "Huh?" Ragna noticed their speed and couldn''t help but squint his eyes. "Aren''t they¡ª"


    Before he finished his words, the beasts noticed Clovis and Jay first and let out a roar, alerting the beasts nearby.


    The beasts responded to the roar with another and started heading toward them.


    "There are a lot of beasts... Are they perhaps..." Ragna frowned. Normally, they should take down their opponents as swiftly as possible so that they can''t bring out reinforcements. However, Clovis and Jay actually did the opposite.


    Faced with a lot of incoming beasts, Clovis and Jay smiled and finally sped up.


    The six beasts in front of them were mostly Tier 0.


    The moment they clashed, Clovis waved both swords swiftly, cutting down one beast after another. On the other hand, Jay swung his saber and cut the beasts into half cleanly.


    "!!!" Ragna dropped his jaws to the ground. Even though the beasts were only Tier 0, Tier 1 humans still needed a few slashes to take them down. Clovis indeed hit each beast multiple times, but the execution time was so fast that it felt like he just swung once.


    After killing the six beasts, Clovis and Jay looked around. Both of them headed in the opposite direction.


    There were 12 beasts on the left and 23 beasts on the right. Considering their number, Melody created a path for Clovis to take down all those twelve beasts while Kanaria started aiming at the beasts on the right. "This is how we usually operate. Get ready, they''re coming!"

 Chapter 225 Shocked

    *Bang!*


    *Bang!*


    *Bang!*


    Kanaria released multiple shots, taking down a beast.


    One beast seemed to manage to get close to them. When the beast was about to pounce on the girls, Ragna stepped forwardto and put his shield in front.


    The beast''s entire body pushed him back, but he had calculated the power, allowing him to stop one meter in front of Kanaria.


    Kanaria could use this gap to comfortably loop around him and shoot this falling beast. He even stabbed the beast to stop its movement.


    *Bang!*


    Kanaria killed it with a shot on the head. However, both of them noticed a howl coming from behind Kanaria.


    Ragna swiftly spun his body and positioned his shield, but before the beast could even reach him, Melody shot the beast''s body multiple times, causing it to fall down. After that, she finished it off with two shots.


    Ragna widened his eyes in surprise. When he glanced at Melody, her eyes actually remained on the screen. He thought Melody was a normal operator, so the fact that she could aim so accurately despite being focused on the screen blew his mind.


    When he turned back to assist Kanaria, she had actually suppressed the incoming beasts. There was one more beast that approached her, but Kanaria didn''t even flinch. She kicked the beast lightly, deflecting the beast''s trajectory, which caused the beast to actually hit Ragna''s shield. After that, she ended it with a bullet in the head.


    Ragna couldn''t understand how Kanaria could actually react as though she knew Ragna was on her left. Despite being so focused on the scope, she actually retained a huge field of vision.


    "Yes. Please conserve your energy. I''m used to this kind of work as well." Ragna considered their overall condition, so it was only right for him to collect the essence. Kanaria would be on the lookout while Melody monitored the radar.


    When Ragna was gone, Clovis glanced at Kanaria and asked, "So what do you think?"


    "He is good. He understands his weakness well and adjusts his fighting style. And his awareness of the overall condition is high." Kanaria nodded. "I think we can stop the test and focus on our mission this time?"


    "In that case, let''s go in that direction. There are more than fifty beasts in that direction." Melody pointed to the northeast.


    "Alright. We can give him more tasks then and check his limit next." Clovis agreed.


    Once Ragna finished collecting the essence, the group continued. Clovis and Jay could finally unleash their full strength and become a bit more selfish, increasing their hunting speed tremendously.


    Meanwhile, Ragna showed his prowess as a guardian. He kept standing in the beasts'' ways, blocking them and creating an opportunity for Melody and Kanaria to kill the beasts.


    The more he got used to the group''s fighting style, the higher his efficiency. Even Clovis had no qualms about his ability as a guardian, despite his glaring weakness.


    The group hunted the beasts for another three hours. Ragna was shocked by the number of beasts they hunted in just a few hours. It would take a whole day for a normal Tier 1 party to kill all these beasts, yet they managed to do it before lunch.


    When they were about to stop for lunch, Kanaria couldn''t help but notice a 3 meter tall deer standing between the trees.


    "Clovis, Jay! The deer!" Kanaria shouted while pointing at the deer.


    "!!!" Both of them hurriedly stepped forward, seeing about thirty beasts in their way. There were even more beasts on the radar.


    A smile appeared on their faces.


    "I will take the front. Don''t worry about anything else, just take on the deer!" Clovis smiled before charging forward.

 Chapter 226 Strength

    Clovis didn''t hesitate to take the front, getting the beasts'' attention.


    "Wait! We have to regroup first!" Ragna tried to stop him, thinking this was too reckless. If Clovis went too far from them, the rear would be in danger.@@@@


    However, Jay simply ignored his words and chased after Clovis. He lowered his blade as if he didn''t plan to swing his sword even once before reaching the deer.


    Clovis was soon surrounded by five beasts. The Tier 3 Megaloceros sneered at Clovis, thinking that this would slow him down. And after that, the other beasts would catch up and overwhelm them.


    Even Ragna thought the same thing.


    In addition, some beasts looped around and headed to Kanaria and Melody.


    Clovis took in a light breath, slowing down his vision.


    ''There are five beasts coming... Two of them are closer than the others. Then...'' Clovis stepped to the right.


    Seeing this movement, the two beasts on the right sped up and leaped into the air, trying to pounce on him and pin him to the ground.


    Clovis waved his right sword right toward the beast''s head. The latter tried to stop it with its claw, but Clovis''s blade suddenly shifted its direction and cut down the beast''s foot instead.


    "!!!" The beast was surprised, but the second sword had come from the opposite direction, cutting its head from below.


    The second beast thought it could take advantage of the momentum, but Clovis actually threw himself at the beast, messing with his momentum.


    The beast hit Clovis''s body, but surprisingly, it didn''t seem to do anything. In addition, Clovis spun his body and elbowed its head, knocking it down.


    He used the momentum to slice the falling beast''s neck, killing the second beast. After that, he glanced at the remaining three beasts that had arrived during the two seconds Clovis used to take down the two beasts.


    Clovis tossed the short sword to the closest beast. The latter reacted by grabbing the sword with its teeth, but it didn''t prepare for the gun Clovis pulled out after that.


    *Bang!*


    And the reason they could leave Melody and Kanaria here was because they had confirmed his ability.


    Hence, Ragna couldn''t betray their trust.


    Kanaria understood it fully as she said, "Don''t get distracted. The beasts are coming at us. This is how we usually operate. The two fight to their heart content while we cover them."


    "Understood." Ragna''s expression turned grim. He had messed up multiple times. It was frustrating, but he couldn''t do anything because of his weakness. However, just for this trip, he wanted to produce a result.


    Even if it meant he had to go to the hospital, he planned to act as the best guardian and get acknowledged by Clovis and Jay.


    *Cling!*


    *Cling!*


    *Cling!*


    Jay and the deer clashed multiple times, but no one managed to gain an advantage. The deer was fully aware that Jay was wary of its antler. As long as it put its antler in front, Jay wouldn''t be able to reach the main body.


    As long as it persisted for a bit more, the beasts would definitely create an opportunity.


    Meanwhile, Clovis had been moving from one position to another, killing all the beasts that came near Jay. Even Kanaria gave some assistance.


    However, he began to get overwhelmed by their numbers. Melody said previously that there were more than two hundred beasts in the area.


    Even though he had killed dozens of them, it didn''t change the fact that there were still a lot of them gathering in this spot.


    "Tsk." Clovis clicked his tongue, seeing one beast move past him. "Jay. On your left!"


    Jay glanced to the left, which also grabbed the deer''s attention. He hurriedly killed the beast in one hit, but that slight gap allowed the deer to charge at him.


    The deer''s eyes turned bloodshot as it rammed Jay, crushing the tree in its path.


    *Bam!*

 Chapter 227 Another Threat

    *Bam!*


    The deer snapped the tree''s trunk with a single charge. Jay hurriedly leaped back, avoiding it.


    Unfortunately for him, the deer continued onward, bulldozing all the trees in its path.


    "..." Jay needed at least one second to gather his strength so that he could stop this charge, but the deer didn''t plan to give it to him. It planned to chase after Jay until the latter didn''t have the stamina to run away anymore.


    In addition, if one of the beasts hindered Jay even just for a second, the antlers would hit Jay and smash him to the ground.


    Clovis could help him by shooting the deer from behind, but this would just break the promise to Jay.


    They both had to take down their respective enemies without getting any help.


    Jay couldn''t help but recall what Hana''s butler said to him back then.


    "Your current footwork emphasizes the surge of strength coming from the lower body. While it gives you good explosive strength, it takes too long to charge that energy. Instead of focusing on your legs to stomp the ground, why don''t you try moving your entire body down for one or two centimeters?"


    After that advice, Jay had been doing it by shifting his center of gravity down. It was indeed faster, but his original footwork remained the foundation. In addition, after shifting the center of gravity, it would push the weight to his feet and give him a surge of strength.


    However, the butler''s advice actually wanted him to break free from that footwork. No, it could be said that he wanted to make his footwork into something more refined.


    Jay couldn''t help but glance at Ragna, remembering their sparring.


    Back then, Ragna managed to stop him for a while. Normally, a smaller person would have less strength. In addition, Jay was also boosted by his Muscle affinity.


    Normally, he should have blasted him away in a single swing. So why could Ragna manage to block him multiple times?


    There was only one answer.


    Jay turned around and extended his sword, trying to hit the antlers. The deer adjusted its head slightly to block it, but Jay skillfully moved the sword underneath the antlers.


    After that, Jay leaped back to match the deer''s speed before swinging his blade up. Because he jumped, there was no strength supporting this swing, which resulted in him actually pushing himself down to the ground.@@@@


    Yes, Jay actually used his opponent''s weight to push himself down. That butler said, ''moving your entire body down'' instead of lowering his center of gravity. So, it was his misinterpretation.


    When he glanced, he saw that Kanaria and Melody were the ones killing these beasts. Both of them had a resolute expression on their faces, saying the same thing.


    Clovis couldn''t help but smile. Back then, Jay had to fight two Tier 3 beasts by himself in order to give him time to kill the incoming beast wave.


    However, they had grown a lot stronger than at that time. They had even fought against the true Tier 3 beasts.


    Because it was his first time with the group, Ragna was the only one expressing his emotion as if asking Clovis to retreat.


    But he soon got his answer when Clovis smiled.


    "I''m going."


    Both Kanaria and Melody smiled as they rushed to Jay''s position. They would be replacing Clovis''s role in protecting Jay from all these beasts.


    "Leave it to us!" Kanaria raised her rifle, ready for mid or close range combat in order to kill all the beasts around Jay.


    "Hey, new guy. Keep up with us!" Melody smirked, staring at Ragna with a confident expression.


    "We should retreat. There are simply too many beasts. He is going to fight a Tier 3 beast along with a hundred beasts, you know!" Ragna shouted.


    "You''re underestimating our captain too much." Kanaria snorted while Melody added, "We all have our specializations, like Jay''s strength, my shooting skill, or Melody''s guidance... But in this group, Clovis is known as the killing machine."


    Clovis sped up even more and cut down the beasts, advancing much faster than when he carried Jay. In fact, all of them knew that Clovis slowed himself down to match their pace. Now that they didn''t have to worry about his team, Clovis could finally unleash his true power.


    *Roar!*


    *Ro¡ª!*


    *Arrr¡ª!*


    The beasts couldn''t even finish their roars as they had been cut down by Clovis.


    In just five seconds, he cut down more than ten beasts and finally arrived in front of the terror bird.


    Ragna, who witnessed everything, couldn''t help but drop his jaw to the ground.

 Chapter 228 Playing Around

    ''Fast? How can he be so fast?'' Ragna gasped, never thinking that such a thing would be possible. Clovis was exhibiting a speed faster than even a Tier 3 human. And they even said Clovis''s evolution progress was actually the lowest in the group.


    However, there was one question that appeared in his mind. Since Clovis was so strong, why didn''t he just go as a mercenary or even train solo? With this, he could be able to get a lot of money for himself instead of giving money to his teammates and investing in the group.


    In addition, with how fast he was, he could easily escape from the beasts without worrying about others. Even if he wanted to get someone''s help, an operator was all he needed. It didn''t have to be a mobile operator.


    Clovis paid no attention to his shock. Now that he didn''t have to protect Kanaria and Melody, he could go all out.


    Once he reached the terror bird, the latter spread its wings and waved them toward him, creating a powerful gale.


    Clovis hurriedly leaped to the side and cut down two beasts in his way before looping around the bird.


    Shocked, the bird chased after him and extended its head.


    Clovis waved his blade in the opposite direction, trying to slash the bird''s neck.


    However, the bird only needed to tilt its head to the sides in rapid succession, knocking the two swords away.


    "!!!" Clovis raised his eyebrows, not expecting the bird to have this kind of strength just by moving its beak. In addition, there were three beasts approaching him from behind.


    Clovis had no choice but to spin his body and use the momentum to strike these beasts.


    The terror bird saw this as an opportunity and rammed its beak at Clovis''s back.


    As if knowing what the bird was doing, Clovis slightly tilted his body, causing the beak to actually hit the metallic armband connected to his short sword.


    Using the inspiration Ragna showed him last night, Clovis allowed the beak to slide off the armband, missing him completely.


    Still, it was pretty hurt and because of the attack, he had a hard time stabilizing his posture, which resulted in him being unable to attack the bird even though there was a big opportunity in front of him.


    The beasts also did the same, but because the terror bird could absolutely not allow Clovis to leave, it just pushed away all the beasts in front of him and reached Clovis.


    It spread its wings, trying to capture him.


    Clovis couldn''t help but smile and shift his direction back to the bird. He closed the gap between them and struck the bird''s body multiple times.


    *Reeeee!* The bird was wailing in pain, but the wings still moved toward each other to capture Clovis.


    Clovis swiftly hit the body, especially the joint connecting to its wings.


    *Reee!*


    The bird was screaming in pain, but the wings didn''t show any sign of stopping.


    ''Too shallow, huh?'' Clovis muttered. He wanted to thrust the chest, but he didn''t know which one would be fatal to this bird. He could aim for the neck, which would be an easier target, but the beak was long and sturdy, so it would be parried.


    Clovis had no other choice but to toss the short sword into the air. Fortunately, they were fighting in the forest. The short sword circled around the branch as Clovis jumped into the air before he got captured.


    The bird would have been able to capture him if it had hands instead of wings.


    Still, the other beasts leaped into the air and tried to chase after him, but Clovis managed to kick every single one of them away due to his vision.


    He pulled himself up and stood on the branch while staring at the entire situation. Fortunately, the beasts were fully focused on him, so he didn''t have to worry about them going to Kanaria and the others.


    In that case, there was only one thing to do.


    Since the beasts had gathered around him, the only thing he needed to do was reduce their number. Hence, he leaped to the top of the biggest beast among them.


    As he expected, the other beasts immediately tried to climb this beast, putting a smile on his face.

 Chapter 229 Killing the Tier 3 Beasts

    *Roar!*


    *Roar!*


    All the other beasts were rushing to climb this humongous beast. They knocked their competitors away and didn''t mind impaling their claws into the beast''s skin so that they could climb up.


    The enormous beast screamed in pain. The moment its legs gave up, Clovis judged the beast as dying. Hence, he leaped onto another beast, which resulted in the same thing.


    The entire time, the smaller beasts chased after him. They ended up injuring themselves or their kin just to reach Clovis.


    More importantly, the Tier 3 bird didn''t know what it should do now that it had reached this point. The bird wanted to climb as well, but the conditions didn''t allow him. In addition, Clovis had injured him.


    While the bird was thinking, Clovis simply jumped from one beast after another, injuring more than thirty beasts and killing five beasts in the process.


    Once he was done, he leaped outside the encirclement, which caused the beasts to get even more fired up. They rushed to Clovis, but the latter simply used the trees as covers.


    Some smaller beasts didn''t have the strength to destroy a tree and it wasn''t like they had enough space to avoid it. As a result, multiple beasts ended up crashing into the trees before getting squeezed by the rest.


    Clovis had changed his approach the moment he saw his slashes weren''t enough against the Tier 3 bird.


    Now that his plan had started working, he began cutting down the beasts on the outside, decreasing their number.


    Clovis was so fully absorbed by the task that he didn''t realize that the other battlefield had undergone tremendous change.


    ...


    *Hieeee!* The deer let out a shriek when Jay''s sword finally crushed its antler.


    The left side of its antlers fell down, which caused a slight imbalance on the deer''s head.@@@@


    Still, the most impressive thing would be the fact that Jay managed to hit the same spot over and over again. While it wasn''t too accurate, he still managed to crush it after several minutes.


    "You''re simply getting used to a higher level." Kanaria shook her head helplessly.


    Ragna remained silent, but his expression was telling him, ''No Tier 1 humans can do it like you.''


    Melody asked, "Anyway, should we clean up the rest first or do we help Clovis?"


    Jay raised his head and saw Clovis''s position. "He has kept the lower tier beasts away from me during the fight. So I''ll go over there and help him. You guys can clean up here first before catching up."


    "That sounds good." Kanaria agreed.


    "Got it." Melody nodded.


    Since they had reached an agreement, Jay hurried to Clovis''s side.


    *Raaa!*


    A series of roars echoed from the rear, causing Clovis to raise his head. He noticed that Melody was updating their position. In other words, the blue dot behind these beasts was Jay.


    The terror bird abruptly stopped when it noticed Jay was on a killing spree in the rear. Jay''s prowess was so high that he killed multiple beasts in just two slashes. It kept advancing toward him, so the terror bird had no choice but to let out another cry, ordering half of the beasts to turn around and stop Jay.


    Unfortunately, this was the last thing the bird should have done. Since there were fewer enemies keeping Clovis at bay, he could begin advancing again.


    He rushed forward and struck down multiple beasts swiftly, making his way toward the bird.


    Not scared, the terror bird thrust forward with its head like that of a spear. If it were Jay, he would have blocked it.


    But this was Clovis. The movement of the bird looked so slow in his eyes, so he slightly tilted his body, barely avoiding the beak. With this, the bird''s neck was finally right before his eyes.


    Clovis swung his sword.


    *Zab!*

 Chapter 230 Cleaning Up

    *Clank!*


    The bird somehow managed to twist its head and use that beak to barely block this attack. However, with such an uncomfortable position, Clovis managed to push it a bit further and slice its neck a bit.


    It wasn''t fatal, but a lot of blood was gushing out of the wound.


    The bird tried to hit Clovis with its head, but the latter skillfully took a step back while waving his blades a few times, both to the front and behind him.


    *Roar!*


    The beasts were angry because their sneak attacks failed.


    Still, Clovis had the upper hand. With the beak holding the sword back, Clovis kicked the head from below.


    "!!!" The bird shuddered as it lost its consciousness for just a split second. The blood seemed to spurt a bit more because of that kick.


    The bird hurriedly retracted its head as the beasts began to swarm the area. It was apparent that the bird wanted to escape before the wounds became fatal.


    Unfortunately for the bird, Clovis took this chance to strike the wings of the bird which had no choice but to receive the attack if it wanted to survive.


    After that, several beasts pounced on him, forcing Clovis to shift his attention to them. The bird took this chance to move back, fleeing.


    The bird underestimated Clovis too much.


    With several of them coming, Clovis simply sped up and attacked these beasts a few times each within two seconds, freeing himself.


    Before the bird left the beast horde, Clovis chased after it. Several more beasts stood in his way, but Clovis simply overwhelmed them with swift yet deadly strikes, catching up to the bird in no time.@@@@


    To prevent it from escaping, Clovis tossed the short sword at the bird. The latter jumped to the side, avoiding it. However, it didn''t have much room to move because all these beasts were around.


    It only took him several minutes to kill the rest of the beasts, which resulted in him completing their objective. He managed to kill the Tier 3 beasts without getting any injuries.


    Although the Tier 3 beast was weakened because they weren''t too far from the city, it was an amazing feat, considering they had to deal with other beasts as well.


    Jay had also completed the same task and dealt with the rest of the beasts together with Clovis.


    Just looking at the number alone, Clovis couldn''t help but smile.


    "How many beasts are there?" Clovis let out a breath of amusement.


    "According to the number, there are about 250 beasts." Melody answered while looking at the corpses. Kanaria gave a thumbs up while approaching Clovis, "Good work. It''s good that you don''t suffer any injuries."


    "Mhmm." Clovis nodded. "How''s Jay?"


    "He''s good too."


    "In that case, we should clean up soon," said Clovis while checking the radar.


    "I will gather their essence!" Ragna hurriedly raised his hand. He should have gone to the front line and blocked the beasts'' attacks, which would give an opportunity for Clovis and Jay to attack.


    But because he hadn''t done anything in this place, he needed to volunteer to gather the essence. It would be bad if Clovis and Jay chose to throw him away.


    "You and Jay should get some rest. Even Ragna will have trouble gathering essence from all these monsters by himself, so I and Melody will help." Kanaria waved her hand.


    "Alright." Clovis nodded with a smile. He also wanted to think about the next destination in their expedition.


    He looked down and contemplated, ''Alright. Today and tomorrow, we will focus on killing a lot of beasts. Before dusk, we will have to leave for our second destination and reach that place before dark. We''ll see if we can find the Tier 4 Madtsoiiidae or not.''


    Although Clovis didn''t say it, he really wanted to test his might against a Tier 4 beast.

 Chapter 231 Rough Calculation

    "Attack!" Clovis shouted while slashing a few beasts in front of him. However, one of the beasts actually managed to catch his sword, forcing Clovis to change his attack pattern and kill this beast first. In addition, he stepped back and moved away slightly because he had to consider the beasts'' strength.@@@@


    After killing the two Tier 3 beasts, Clovis and the group began their killing spree, eliminating more than a thousand beasts in just two days.


    Ragna was obviously shocked by their efficiency. This one trip alone was already equal to what his previous group did in seven days.


    In addition, they didn''t waste a lot of resources because the main attackers were Jay and Clovis.


    They first agreed with his rate per day, but looking at this amount, paying that amount was actually just a pocket change.


    Still, Ragna wasn''t an ungrateful person. He didn''t say anything about his rate, considering he hadn''t done much for the group.


    It was true that once he got used to the group''s fighting style, he began to move to the front line more often, helping Clovis and Jay directly.


    However, his effort still couldn''t be compared to that of Jay and Clovis. Kanaria and Melody even did more than him by becoming their eyes.


    After the long fight, the group finally marched toward their next destination.


    Like earlier, Clovis and Jay stood in the front and started cutting down the beasts.


    But there was something different about this place. Clovis and Jay noticed it and immediately shifted their positions to be more careful.


    They still managed to cut twenty beasts easily, but Clovis was frowning the whole time.


    Before them was a forest and a hill that separated them from the freshwater lake, their original destination.


    Clovis squinted his eyes as if imagining the beasts that they would have to fight to reach their destination.


    "50 km," Melody answered with a serious expression.


    "Ah!" Kanaria came to a realization and thought, ''So that''s how it is. We don''t know if the strength increase will be linear or not. However, one thing is clear: 20 km from the base means that the suppression of the ''tunnel'' is reduced by 50%. And there won''t be any suppression around 20-50 km.''


    Although Hana didn''t give them the exact details, they could roughly calculate the distance they needed to travel if they wanted to fight the beasts without any suppression.


    With this, they could easily choose one place or another to specifically target them as a challenge.


    "Anyway, let''s clean up first and retreat from this place." Clovis waved his hand, giving his order.


    "Ah! I''ll gather the essence." Ragna hurriedly moved to the corpses.


    Clovis mysteriously looked at Ragna''s back. With the beasts becoming this strong, even Clovis would sustain some injuries if he wanted to challenge the Tier 3 beast one-on-one. He couldn''t really risk everything.


    In fact, taking on a Tier 4 beast might be a bit foolish.


    It seemed that he had to make more preparation than he originally thought. But for the time being, the group retreated and formulated a new plan.


    Clovis had reminded them that he planned to abandon any thoughts about the Tier 4 snake. Instead, they would focus on killing the Tier 3 Paraceratherium and use this place as a warm up for the third destination.


    Jay also agreed. With their current strength, they wouldn''t be able to challenge the Tier 4 beast. In fact, the only thing they could do was probably run away just like they ran away from the Tier 2 Yurlunggur when they were only Tier 0 humans.


    Now that they had agreed with the new arrangement, Clovis hurriedly excused himself from the team. Since there was such a risk, he had to be much more careful, especially with the fact that Hana wasn''t here to stop the assassins from doing something again.


    Hence, Clovis searched for a secluded place covered in darkness before going back to the Another World Mall. He even double-checked with the radar since he didn''t want the assassins to know about his Another World Mall.


    Unbeknownst to them, the exploration this time might be much more difficult than they originally thought.

 Chapter 232 Visit

    Gilimani Country.


    "Hah... To think that my grandfather would call me back to the house. He must be planning to reprimand me because I did something reckless." Hana let out a long sigh while taking off her robe.


    "Miss. Your grandfather is waiting for you in the dining room." The butler extended his hand, urging him to go.


    "Yeah." Hana nodded nonchalantly, completely missing the slight change in the butler''s tone.


    Since her grandfather had been waiting for her, it would be bad if she let him wait for too long. She hurried to the dining room, which was guarded by another old butler. His strength was the same as her own personal butler.


    "Mhmm? Raka, you''re here? Not inside?" Hana tilted her head in confusion. "You''re my grandfather''s personal butler, right? Aren''t you supposed to serve him inside?"


    "Welcome back, Miss. Please enter." The old butler didn''t answer her not because he looked down on her but because there was no need to answer. After all, the moment he opened the door, Hana would get her answer.


    Inside the dining room, the table seemed to have been changed from the usual long tables to a small table for only six people.


    Her grandfather was sitting on one side, while another old man sat on the opposite side. To her surprise, her grandmother was the one pouring the tea for both when normally it was either the butler or the maid who would do it.


    The old man had a rather thin frame, but it was brimming with youthful energy. More importantly, she noticed that the old man seemed to be muscular. The muscles weren''t big but appeared very refined.


    Seeing how her grandmother was the one serving them, it seemed that this old man was much more important than she thought.


    Hence, Hana entered the room and walked gracefully to her grandfather. "Grandfather. I''m sorry for making you wait."


    Michael stopped and sat back down before saying, "When you do something wrong, you should be punished. That''s how I have been teaching my son and grandson. And I have administered the punishment. With this, I won''t hold any grudges against you or blame you any further."


    Hana obviously understood what he meant. She just never thought that Michael Hacfield would visit her family personally.


    "Th-Thank you very much, Master Michael. I''d like to apologize for my reckless action." Hana''s voice was still shaking, but she seemed to have regained a bit of her composure. She acknowledged that she was wrong after all.


    "Well, because of you, the situation will become much more volatile after this." Michael looked at Hana before extending his hand. "Please take a seat first."


    "Y-yes." Hana hurried to her grandfather''s side and sat next to him.


    "So, have you gotten anything from him?" Michael asked with a serious expression.


    Hana''s body tensed up, wondering if she should tell the truth or not. After all, this was a top secret. Then again, Clovis and Michael''s relationship was extremely good, so she thought it would be alright.


    "Yes." Hana nodded weakly.


    Michael fell silent for a moment. "Is that so? Is it related to the Beast Soul?"


    "!!!" Hana raised her eyebrows, surprised that Michael knew about it. Did he have the information already? Or was it his research?


    "You don''t have to think much about it. The ones conducting that research were my daughter-in-law and her student, so of course, I know about it." Michael glanced at Hana''s grandfather. "Here is the deal, Jeremy Skylark."


    He raised his head with a grim expression. "Yes?"


    "Because of your granddaughter''s reckless action, those people have begun to move. Hence, I''ll distract them personally. In exchange, I want you to do two things for me." Michael raised two fingers. "It seems that my grandson has deemed your granddaughter to be worthy of an ally. I won''t say anything about it, but please don''t do anything reckless for the time being. And the second thing is..."

 Chapter 233 Call

    "It seems that my grandson has deemed your granddaughter to be worthy of an ally. I won''t say anything about it, but please don''t do anything reckless for the time being."


    "Yes! I''ll lay low for now. I''m sorry for the inconvenience I''ve brought you," Hana hurriedly replied.


    "The second thing is..." Michael paused for a moment. "I want you to give Clovis something. It''ll be an inconvenience if I''m the one sending the message, so send him this."


    Michael gave a chip to them.


    "I understand." Hana nodded furiously. She had Clovis''s contact, so it shouldn''t be a hard thing to do. Still, she might need her grandfather''s cooperation to secure the connection.


    "In that case, there''s no need to talk about it anymore." Michael looked up as if he remembered something. "What was its name again? Resurrection Mercenary?"


    "!!!" Michael widened his eyes in shock. "Sir... you..."


    "While I''m at it, I''ll eradicate them for you." Michael shrugged. "Consider it a gift since you are my grandson''s ally."


    "T-thank you very much!" Jeremy politely bowed to him.


    ''Resurrection? Isn''t that the mercenary group that has been attacking us recently?'' Hana didn''t expect that Michael would actually remove this group for them.


    "Oh. I almost forgot this one..." Michael raised one finger. "I''m not going to dictate what you''re going to do to my grandson as long as it doesn''t lead to his death. Harm is inevitable in the pursuit of strength after all.


    "However, I''m sure that he is doing one thing. He might be hiding his identity, but he is not going to hide his achievement. You won''t get anything if you hide your achievement after all. But I don''t want you to make it bigger than it is, unless he is the one asking you to spread it."


    "Yes. We understand." Jeremy nodded furiously. "But are you sure it''s fine?"


    "What? My grandson will surpass me sooner or later. If he can''t handle this low level problem, I will be disappointed. Don''t help him excessively just because he is my grandson. I believe that he can build a connection and influence surpassing what is mine with his own strength." Michael waved his hand. "So do you have any questions?"


    Jeremy didn''t say anything, thinking that he shouldn''t question him any further since it might end up annoying him.


    [I will give you the best answer according to all the data you input.]


    Clovis looked down for a moment, choosing his words. "Alright. Let''s test it out. First of all..."


    Clovis gave all the information he had so that Blue could process it. It took a while for Clovis to finish explaining everything since he had to ensure that all the information had been taken into consideration.


    "What do you think about it?"


    [I am a robot that assists you in managing this mall. I''m unable to give you a definite answer regarding your problem, but I can give you a list of items you need to buy.]


    Blue immediately gave him the list of items based on his information. Considering it was a robot, he thought the AI wouldn''t be that much different from what Melody had.


    Hence, he had expected this kind of answer. Instead of getting fixated on his desired answer, he should understand why Blue gave him such a list.


    Clovis took a look at the list and contemplated. "Is this the list for a worst-case scenario?"


    [I apologize. If you want to prepare for the worst case scenario, this will be the list.]


    The list changed slightly. There were a few accessories that piqued Clovis''s interest.


    ''Looking at these items, it seems that Blue has considered the Tier 4 beast as a threat. The problem would be whether they''re trying to kill my friends or not,'' Clovis thought before coming up with a plan.


    He decided to buy several items, increase the membership''s level once, and even upgrade the item limit. He had to thank the mayor for giving him the money. Once he reached Tier 2, the mayor would give them more money. So, he could be a bit bold in his approach.


    Clovis finished his purchase and hurried back since he didn''t want his friends to be suspicious.


    To his surprise, when he came back, his Skyphone actually vibrated. He couldn''t help but glance at the caller''s name.


    Hana Skylark.

 Chapter 234 Message

    Clovis couldn''t help but furrow his eyebrows. He didn''t expect that Hana would be calling him so suddenly. He thought there was nothing more to be discussed, but it seemed he was wrong.


    Clovis picked up while walking back to the camp.


    "Hello?"


    Hana''s voice echoed, having a mix of anxiety and excitement.


    "Is there something wrong?" Clovis frowned, thinking a problem had occurred in their partnership. The most worrying thing would be the leak of the research.


    However, he had prepared for it. There were a lot of people who wanted the Hacfield family and their secret after all. It wouldn''t be weird if there were some greedy people who wanted the research.


    To his surprise, the situation didn''t turn out the way he had predicted.


    "Clovis. This is Hana. I''d like to inform you that your grandfather just visited my household a few hours ago."


    "My grandfather?" Clovis raised his head. It was hard to pin down his grandfather in a single place. It had been years since he last saw him. So, it was quite surprising that his grandfather would go all the way to visit Hana.


    Then again, this showed that Michael still cared about Clovis. Even when he was hidden, he still followed his news. It made Clovis happy.


    "Yes. I can''t talk for a long time on the phone, so I''ll just give you the summary. Your grandfather knows about the research and doesn''t seem to mind about our partnership. And you don''t have to worry about outside influences that might come to you because of me for now."


    "That''s good." Clovis nodded with a serious expression. This way, the only ones he had to worry about were the assassins and the Drake Group.


    "And your grandfather would like to convey something to you," said Hana while looking at the screen. The chip only contained a single file. In fact, it didn''t have a lot of words in it to the point where she wondered if his grandfather should have just written it down instead of putting it inside the chip.


    Clovis''s expression turned grim. He had learned a lot from his grandfather, so if he told him something, it was better to listen to it.


    "Have you ever felt that you were becoming stronger all of a sudden?"


    Noticing his trouble, Kanaria couldn''t help but ask, "Is there something wrong?"


    "Well, there is something." Clovis scratched the back of his head. He didn''t immediately share it with Kanaria, wondering if he should ask or not so that she could help with the riddle.


    Seeing Clovis''s expression, Kanaria decided not to continue.


    Melody was focused on her screen as well, reviewing the information they had. She only took a glance and thought that it would be fine to leave them alone.


    Clovis just kept looking down, trying to figure out the riddle. He even drew a star to help her think about it. Even if Kanaria saw it, he could simply say it was his habit or something.


    Instead of Kanaria, Melody was the one who actually noticed it first. "Hmm? Clovis..."


    "Yes?" Clovis raised his head as he was about to explain the misunderstanding.


    However, Melody asked an unexpected question. "Are you going to teach it right away?"


    "Teach?" Clovis tilted his head in confusion, not understanding what she was talking about.


    "You''re drawing a star, right?" Melody asked while pointing at the symbol Clovis drew with a stick.


    "Ah?!" Kanaria came to a realization, finally seeing through the problem in Clovis''s mind, even though it was just a misunderstanding.


    Seeing Clovis was still confused about it, Melody said, "I''m talking about the technique you''ve taught me."


    "Technique?" Clovis still didn''t understand what she was talking about for a minute before remembering that one technique. "Technique?!"


    Clovis looked down, thinking, ''Yes. Technique... There is one technique that I have related to the word ''star,'' the Star Method. There are five points: brain, heart, blood, muscle, and bone. Wait. Aren''t those points the tips of a star? Why does my grandfather refer to each of them as a star?


    Do I actually understand the Star method correctly?''

 Chapter 235 Realization

    ''Do I actually understand the Star method correctly?'' Clovis''s expression turned grim.


    ''This is the technique my parents created. If I trust my grandfather''s words about them being born for me, that means my parents created this method for me, specifically for those special circumstances of mine.


    ''Now that I think about it, I do feel much stronger whenever that mysterious strength appears. While I still don''t know the details, it''s clear that this strength is actually something I have.@@@@


    ''If this is what my grandfather means about the stars... then the chronology will be like this...''


    Clovis imagined himself born with these special circumstances. His parents and grandfather knew about it. His parents finally created this technique for him and hid it in that house. The one who predicted the place and the time would definitely be his grandfather.


    ''If that''s the case, then does that mean I''m able to actually harness the power of five evolutionary traits? But if I''m too greedy, won''t I have a rough time in the future? All the experts always say that it''s better to master one thing than becoming a jack of all trade.


    ''But my parents created this technique for me. Back then, they made me choose whether to go alone or with my friends into that room. Even if I got there alone, they would definitely still give me the Star Method.


    ''No. Because I entered with Kanaria and Jay, they couldn''t really say it directly. What if sharing was just meant to conceal these special circumstances of mine?


    ''Considering it came from my parents, it wouldn''t be weird if I learned the other traits as well. After all, I had to ''teach'' the technique to my friends.''


    Clovis''s body shook, finally understanding the bigger picture. It turned out everything had been planned carefully.


    Still, he realized that this Another World Mall was actually much more mysterious than he originally thought. Discovering the truth of Another World Mall might also become the second goal he would like to achieve next.


    A smile appeared on Clovis''s face. In the past, his goal as the greatest explorer of all time might just have been a superficial one without concrete vision.


    But with this new thought, he could finally visualize the path and the goal. It wasn''t just a dream anymore. It was a goal.


    Clovis clenched his hands into fists. When he raised his head, he said, "Thank you, Melody."


    "Mhmm?" Melody didn''t understand why Clovis thanked him since she was assuming that Clovis was wondering whether to teach Ragna the Star Method or not.


    Clovis chuckled, brushing off that confusion. Instead, he asked, "If it''s not too much for both of you, would you be so kind as to tell me about your experience with your affinity?"


    Clovis opened a note on his Skyphone, making sure he didn''t leave any important information behind.


    Of course, he would ask Jay about the muscle trait later.


    Considering the most noticeable thing whenever he entered that special state was the increase in his raw strength, Clovis planned to learn the Blood and Muscle traits first. Only after he got a good grasp or mastery of those two would he begin to learn another trait.


    They had no objection since they received the Star Method from Clovis. Hence, Melody and Kanaria began recounting all their experiences. Melody retired first, while Kanaria helped him check the content of his note so that there wasn''t any misunderstanding.


    But because they were too focused on it, they ended up being too tired that night and just fell asleep after entering the tent, causing a bit of ruckus in their sleep.

 Chapter 236 Ragna

    As soon as the morning came, Clovis''s group packed up and hurried into the woods. After all, they had to cross the woods before climbing over a small hill to reach their destination.@@@@


    As expected, the beasts were much stronger than what they had faced so far. It took them three times longer to cross just a hundred meters compared to the previous location.


    Clovis and Jay had no trouble dealing with them. Kanaria also had some experience, but it was a bit hard for Melody and Ragna.


    Melody might have experienced much stronger beasts when they went around the hot spring, but she didn''t get to fight the beasts during the expedition Hana formed. She could only see the data from the cameras attached to Clovis and the others.


    Hence, it took her some time to get used to it.


    Still, the biggest problem was actually Ragna.


    He barely managed to block a Tier 1 beast and got pushed back by a Tier 2 beast. Even without a shield, Jay wouldn''t lose against such a beast.


    At the same time, it was understandable since Ragna didn''t learn the Star Method or wear the special items from Clovis.


    Hence, they slowed down their pace even more to create another pattern that wouldn''t be much of a burden to Ragna. If Ragna couldn''t perform perfectly, Jay and Clovis would be worried after all.


    After several hours, the group decided to rest for a while before climbing the hill not far from them.


    "Hu..." Clovis let out a long sigh, adjusting the plan in his mind.


    "Here you go." Ragna suddenly came to him with a wry smile. His hand was holding a water bottle.


    "Thanks." Clovis grabbed the bottle with a nod before seeing Ragna walk away to give the rest of the group some water.


    That was when Clovis actually found another fact from Ragna.


    ''Hmm... Even though he is staying in the back, the intensity shouldn''t be that much different. The fact that he can still do all this means he''s got some stamina there.'' Clovis fell silent. ''Now that I think about it, whenever we stop, Ragna always comes to me, either offering me something or asking me if he could do something.''


    Clovis realized that Ragna was doing his best to help the group.


    The guardian''s eyebrows twitched. "What the hell are you doing? Did you maintain your weapon at all?"


    "But Ragna..." The captain suddenly fell silent, noticing something.


    "What are we going to do now, Captain?!" Another member shouted while looking around.


    "We..." The captain couldn''t answer that question. Ragna was the one who always pointed in the direction they needed to go, telling them the safe place whenever they had to run away.


    "What the hell are you doing? Do you come all the way here without a single plan?" The guardian roared in disbelief. He didn''t expect that these veteran explorers couldn''t do a single thing.


    The captain was completely speechless. He had realized something. His group used to do all the things by themselves, but when Ragna appeared, they stopped doing them.


    After all, they could simply give all the boring tasks to Ragna. The result was also amazing.


    Because of Ragna''s weakness, they would feel superior and not think much about giving him tasks.


    They had developed a bad habit before realizing it. It became normal to them to think, ''Ragna is there. Ragna will do it. They can just leave it to Ragna.''


    However, they had become too comfortable to think, ''What if Ragna isn''t there?''


    The captain felt the maintenance and even the planning become too much of a chore. He didn''t know how much time he had to develop the habit again.


    He never thought that his group would receive this much damage just by expelling Ragna.


    The fact that he never thought about it baffled him.


    "We... We need to go to the safe area first. For now, just keep moving forward." The captain gave an order, but his voice was filled with hesitation. He didn''t know whether it was a safe place or not.


    This setback just made him even angrier at Ragna.


    "Kh..." He was gnashing his teeth while wondering what he needed to do.

 Chapter 237 Looming Danger

    Drake Group.


    "Kh." President Thomas gritted his teeth, looking at the participants'' names for the competition in Stellar City.


    Clovis''s name wasn''t on it. However, he couldn''t underestimate him, considering there was a chance that his name would magically appear once again.


    More importantly, he was concerned because the situation had been grim for his company. The Drake Group had taken a big hit after the previous scandal that he was no part of and lost a lot of money.


    In addition, there were some investors who had backed away because they didn''t want to get dragged into this troublesome fight between Clovis and the Drake Group.


    Still, the mayor had no choice but to recommend Ivan for this competition. No matter how bad his current reputation was, it didn''t change the fact that Ivan could be considered the stronger Tier 1 group aside from Clovis''s Libation Fiesta.


    He glanced at Ivan with a serious expression. "I have talked to the mayor. He has promised that he won''t put Clovis''s name like last time. In other words, you have the chance to show your strength.


    "However, if you''re going to mess up again after this, consider it over for you." Thomas glared at Ivan with killing intent. This was the last warning Ivan would receive.


    Ivan gritted his teeth. His hatred for Clovis was also rising. His life had become a mess after Clovis appeared.


    "Yes," Ivan answered with a weak voice. The competition itself didn''t hold much importance for him.


    In fact, he wanted Clovis to be at the tournament so that he could kill him personally no matter what price he had to pay.


    Sadly, it didn''t seem that he could fulfill his wish.


    Ivan walked away while clenching his fists. Either way, the competition would be good for him, especially if he wanted to keep doing this and eventually kill Clovis. He had to be patient for now.


    On the other hand, the two assassins had started working again. They had been waiting for Clovis as if they had a plan that would definitely kill him.


    "The preparation is ready," one of them said.


    The other smiled. "In that case, come, Clovis Hacfield. The moment you climb that mountain, it will be your death. This time, we won''t fail anymore."


    ...


    Clovis stood up after getting enough rest. His group''s condition was ideal for a long and hard fight.


    He also felt that this was the perfect opportunity to get rid of him. That was why Clovis said, "Kill the beasts, but make sure you don''t overdo it. I want you to conserve your stamina as much as possible."


    Ragna was confused, but Jay and the others nodded their heads as if they had already known what was waiting for them.


    Clovis didn''t plan to say anything to Ragna for the time being. It was unfair to him, but the information was rather sensitive.


    "Let''s go!" Clovis waved his hand, leading his team to the top of the hill.


    The climb wasn''t as hard as the previous climb because the path was big enough to fight comfortably.


    As soon as they reached the top of the hill, they found a big monster standing next to the lake.


    It looked like a giraffe, but it was much more robust. The skin was gray like that of an elephant. Its height reached as high as 8 meters and its weight might be more than they could see from the top of the hill. After all, Kanaria and Melody could actually see the footprint that this beast left behind.


    When Clovis saw this beast, he said, "Let''s go. We''ll kill this Tier 3 Paraceratherium."

 Chapter 238 Approaching

    Looking at the towering beast at the foot of the hill, Clovis waved his hand to his group. "Let''s kill this beast."


    The group had to move extremely fast so that this beast wouldn''t gather other beasts in the area.


    However, Clovis seemed to have underestimated this beast. With that height, the beast''s head was over the tree.


    Like how Clovis could easily find the beast from afar, it could also see things from a much higher position. The beast could easily see something going on the slope of the hill from the bottom.


    "!!!" Clovis widened his eyes in shock, looking at the Tier 3 paraceratherium that was opening its mouth.


    *Ooooohhh!*


    The loud cry shook the area. Its voice was very deep like a heavy bell that was hit by a blunt stick.


    "Tsk." Clovis clicked his tongue. They had just covered half of the distance, but it seemed that they had to brute force their way to this monster.


    "I will be opening the path from here on." Jay moved to the front while slashing the two beasts in their way.


    "Jay?" Clovis furrowed his eyebrows. They had previously agreed that they would share the burden so that both of them had enough energy to take this beast down.


    "That what? The elephant giraffe beast is covered in thick skin. It will be hard for us to penetrate its armor. However, it doesn''t seem to be fast. You will have to work harder when we reach that beast, Clovis. So just take it easy for the time being," Jay explained with a nonchalant expression.


    Clovis couldn''t deny it. It seemed that he had to adjust his plan a little bit, especially with the fact that they had been discovered.


    To show his agreement, Clovis slowed down and started giving a new order. "Kanaria. Change your position a little bit. It''s better to stick close because the beasts are going to surround us the moment we reach that monster."


    "Got it." Kanaria nodded with a serious expression.


    The group continued going down the hill while Jay took down all the beasts standing in their way. Kanaria also shot the beasts coming from the side.


    "What? How heavy is this guy? To be able to cause the ground to shake with just a single step." Kanaria looked concerned, while Ragna wondered if he could block this beast.


    On the other hand, Jay focused on the fact that Clovis came forward because he wanted to taunt this beast.


    Now that there wasn''t much distance between them, Clovis sped up. There were several beasts standing before him, but it didn''t matter anymore.


    Clovis jumped into the crowd and swung his swords multiple times, skillfully cutting down all the beasts.


    Without any more beasts standing between them, Clovis took out his pistol and aimed at the Tier 3 beast''s head, specifically its eyes.


    *Bang!*


    *Bang!*


    *Bang!*


    The beast closed its eyes and lowered its head, protecting itself from the bullets.


    Clovis took advantage of this opportunity to close in, but the beast was smart enough to stomp the ground.


    It produced a large tremor that actually caused the soil to bounce Clovis up a little. Due to Clovis''s speed, even the slightest change could cause him to slip.


    Fortunately, Clovis chose to slide on the ground, avoiding the fall. He noticed that in front of him, the soil that the monster stomped on earlier actually deepened for a few centimeters.


    It would be over the moment he got crushed under all that weight. So Clovis approached it from the side.


    The beast turned its body around, but because of that body, its speed was extremely slow.


    Clovis hurriedly jumped into the air and slashed the side of his body.


    "Take this."@@@@

 Chapter 239 Reinforcement

    *Clink!*


    Clovis heard a clicking sound while he felt the hardness of the skin of this beast. This beast was supposed to be at a higher tier in his opinion.


    The beast had strength and weight. Its size was colossal and the skin was tough. Other than speed, the beast didn''t lack anything.


    Clovis glanced to the side. Jay was making his way toward him while Kanaria led the group to a tall tree in the area. She climbed the tree while Melody and Ragna were stationed below it to protect her.


    When Clovis was about to say something, he noticed that the sun was actually covered by something. He raised his head out of reflex and saw the giant beast turning around.


    Without hesitation, Clovis moved back to regain some distance, but to his surprise, the beast actually lowered its head and circled around him. With such a size, Clovis would be swallowed alive.@@@@


    He spun his body and struck the beast''s head. The latter didn''t feel hurt at all. However, Clovis''s aim was not to hurt the beast but to propel himself up, avoiding the beast''s mouth.


    Clovis landed on top of the Tier 3 beast''s head and tried to strike its eyes, but the beast swiftly closed its eyes and started swaying its head left and right to shake him off.


    Clovis wrapped the neck with the chain of his short sword as he stuck to this beast.


    Annoyed, the beast lifted up its head as though it were about to slam its own head to the ground as long as Clovis could get crushed along with it. It wasn''t like its hard head would be injured or something.


    However, the beast focused on Clovis a little bit too much as it didn''t see Jay approaching.


    Clovis pointed to the right, so Jay immediately looped around the beast from the right. Instead of the body, Jay jumped higher than Clovis and struck its neck instead.


    *Oooohhh!*


    The beast growled as Jay actually managed to pierce through its skin. Even so, it was only the surface. Other than the skin, the flesh was also tough. Even Jay''s sword could only penetrate one centimeter deep. It was nothing compared to the beast''s size.


    "Don''t underestimate Melody. While she is our operator, she is still a Tier 2 mobile operator. In terms of close combat, she is actually better than me." Kanaria smiled while shooting yet another beast.


    Melody didn''t bother to answer him. She just went to the west while taking out her grenade.


    She only traveled for a bit before finding the incoming beast wave. Before engaging them, Melody tossed one of the devices to the ground. This was a radar that had been connected to her. Not only in this place, but she also wanted to drop this device in a few other spots, widening their search area. This way, they could react before the beasts could come.


    This was Melody''s answer when Kanaria told her that the subjugation took too long.


    Now that the radars were in place, Kanaria headed out to meet these beasts.


    *Roar!* One of them noticed her and alerted the others, causing all of them to turn around.


    Melody wasn''t afraid of them and charged ahead as if she were planning to deal with them in close combat.


    But when there were only ten meters left, Melody extended her hand and grabbed the trunk on her left to forcefully stop her momentum. In addition, she tossed the grenade with her right hand.


    The beasts, full of momentum, were unable to stop or change direction.


    *Boom!*


    The grenade blasted several beasts away while Melody took cover from the tree. After their charge was disrupted, Melody started shooting them, fully grasping their attention.


    The enraged beasts had no thought other than shredding Melody apart. They didn''t respond to the Tier 3 beast''s call anymore.


    Seeing her plan succeed, Melody turned around and ran away. She was ready to throw a grenade or shoot them, but for the time being, she just wanted to go around to drop some radars while bringing these beasts away.


    ''I''ve got you several minutes...'' Melody thought while glancing at Clovis and Jay.


    Unbeknownst to her, this action actually led to a more shocking discovery.

 Chapter 240 Surrounded

    "This is pretty successful," Melody muttered while looking at her back, seeing all those beasts. As long as she could keep this up, the Tier 3 beast should be injured heavily by the time she returned.


    ''I have dropped five radars. According to Clovis''s prediction, those assassins will be trying to attack us at this time. We don''t know what they''re planning to do, but I need to prepare our escape route.


    ''Still, it would be better if Clovis is able to take down that Tier 3 beast. While it''s strong, we have faced stronger foes.'' Melody furrowed her eyebrows. ''The only problem will be how long we have left.@@@@


    ''Our current position is not looking good. In the north, there is a vast freshwater lake. In the west and south, there are hills. If we want to escape, it will be through the east. We don''t have to climb the hill, which will increase our pace tremendously.


    ''The problem is... the enemies might have considered that too. That''s why I have to set up all this so that we will know them earlier and Clovis will have more time to think about our next move.''


    Melody fell silent while looking at the map. ''If those assassins are planning to attack, they will be leading the Tier 4 beast to this place. Even though our strength can defeat a Tier 3 beast, I don''t think we''re on the level where we can kill a Tier 4 beast. That''s why the moment the Tier 4 beast appears, we''ll retreat.''


    Melody was convinced that the enemies would only bring Tier 4 beasts and a lot of beasts to surround them.


    After making a tour for ten minutes, Melody finally finished onsetting up her equipment. With this, she could go back and check the progress. Fortunately, there was no problem in the other battlefields.


    And due to the previous jamming experience, they were forced to say something on the radio to make sure that they were not jammed.


    When Melody returned to the group, she was still chased by a lot of beasts. However, it didn''t really matter anymore. Kanaria started peeling those enemies off of her. T


    Melody could even start killing them one after another. After confirming the area was safe, Ragna also stepped forward and became an additional force to kill these beasts.


    During the whole fight, Melody kept glancing at the Tier 3 beast, checking its condition.


    It seemed that Clovis and Jay had made big progress. There were numerous wounds on the beast''s body. Some were wide, some were small.


    The bleeding was quite intense, but the beast''s movement had yet to become sluggish. Still, it was just a matter of time.


    If this continues, they should be able to kill this beast in another ten minutes.


    The battle was longer than any Tier 3 beast so far, but this beast''s quality was close to that of a Tier 4, except for that speed.


    *Roar!*


    A series of roars echoed, alerting the Tier 3 beast and Clovis''s group.


    Kanaria raised her head while Melody checked the map.


    "They''re coming." Kanaria muttered, seeing the beasts going down the hill. Melody confirmed it by stating, "Around forty beasts."


    However, another series of roars startled them, this time coming from east.


    Melody took a glance at both the map and the direction, finding something big in the distance.


    "Isn''t that..." Melody''s expression turned grim. There was a big snake bulldozing all the trees before him. The snake was four meters tall and the length couldn''t be determined yet. "The Tier 4 snake we''re waiting for?"


    "Don''t panic. We have prepared a plan for this snake," Kanaria hurriedly said with a serious expression.


    "Right?" Melody nodded before hearing yet another roar, but this time it came from the opposite direction.


    "What? That''s..." Kanaria sucked a cold breath. The beast wasn''t as tall, but its ferocity surpassed any beasts around it. "Another Tier 3 beast?"


    The surprise didn''t end here.


    *Scree!*


    A loud shriek shook the battlefield as a giant dragonfly appeared on top of a hill.


    "What the hell is that? A three meters tall insect? No, is it the insect from the Carboniferous period where the giant insect ruled?" Kanaria shuddered.


    Melody looked at the map and saw more than four hundred beasts coming in their direction. And there were two Tier 3 beasts and one Tier 4 beast coming to this place.


    She thought that only Tier 4 would be coming, but it seemed that she had underestimated what those assassins could do.


    "We are... surrounded." Kanaria gulped down.

 Chapter 241 Outplayed

    The two assassins were standing behind the hill while smiling.


    "With this, you won''t be able to escape anymore. Do you think we will only send a single Tier 4 beast and let you escape?" The assassin smiled.


    The other assassin chuckled. "Of course not. We are lucky that you are aiming for this place. It''s such a hassle to lure those beasts without alerting the others. In addition, they have to appear at the same time."


    The two assassins had a high-five, feeling proud. There was one more catch in their plan.


    The only escape path was actually the water. There was no beast inside the water. However, they wouldn''t be able to swim fast enough. There was the Tier 3 paraceratherium that was so tall that it could easily cross the lake or the dragonfly that could easily capture them from the sky when they emerged from the water.


    If they wanted to escape, their only choice was to go on land.


    However, they had been surrounded. Even if they were fast, they wouldn''t be able to push or slip past hundreds of beasts in an instant.


    In addition, there was one more problem. They came from the east, south, and west respectively. In other words, there was a gap in the southeast and southwest for Clovis to push through.


    However, this was a trap they had devised.


    The beasts would definitely not allow them to escape. If Clovis chose to pass through that narrow gap, he would be pincered from two directions. Even Clovis''s group wouldn''t be strong enough to stop them.


    That was why this was the perfect plan they had devised in order to kill Clovis. The biggest reason they could trap Clovis was due to the existence of the lake. Without it, they needed at least one or two more Tier 3 beasts, along with hundreds of beasts. Even they wouldn''t be able to achieve it with only two of them.


    Hence, Clovis had fallen into their traps the moment he engaged the Tier 3 beast near the lake.


    "Hehehe. It''s time to fall, Clovis Hacfield. That cursed bloodline will vanish from this world."


    ...


    Originally, he had prepared to fight against Tier 4 and hundreds of beasts. Clovis wanted to test his might against a Tier 4 while escaping. However, he miscalculated the existence of Tier 3 beasts and the fact that they would appear at the same time.


    It could be said that the assassins had outplayed him in this one.


    Still, as a captain, he should focus on the group''s survival.


    ''Grandfather should have experienced something like this as well. These beasts are intelligent, but they''re not smart enough to talk about tactics. In that case, what will he do if he''s the one in this situation?''


    Clovis''s expression turned grim. Ragna panicked, while Kanaria and Melody became more worried as the beasts were closing in.


    There was one thing that happened in his mind, but it was so reckless that a single mistake would be fatal.


    "Melody, throw your grenades in those three directions. Kanaira, you go hit them and probe their weak points. Ragna, you will be supporting Melody and escorting her back."


    Kanaria and the others raised their heads. What shook them was not his order, but rather his voice.


    Having been checkmated by the enemies, they thought it would be impossible to escape from this place. Even if they could, it would come with a cost.


    Kanaria and Melody had absolute trust in Clovis, but Ragna was an outsider. If someone had to be sacrificed, it would be him.


    However, his voice was still filled with hope. It was at that time that Ragna understood that Clovis had no intention of losing a single person.


    Jay couldn''t help but smile as if saying, ''That''s my captain over there.''


    Clovis still remembered that there was one piece of advice that his grandfather had once given him. It was ridiculous in the past, but he actually saw a ray of hope from that advice.


    "If you are in a pinch, just remember that I''m called a madman and our family is known for our craziness. So don''t think too much about other things... There is nothing that our family does not dare to do."


    Clovis couldn''t help but smile after recalling that advice. The fire of hope had yet to be extinguished. If it were to protect his teammates, he wouldn''t mind being called the next generation of madmen.

 Chapter 242 Plan

    *Boom!*


    *Boom!*


    *Boom!*


    A series of explosions occurred as Melody threw the grenades as fast as possible, managing to reach the beasts before exploding.


    Several beasts were blasted by the explosions and died. The ones that were safe stepped forth and led the higher tier beasts behind them.


    However, there was one thing that caught Clovis''s attention. It was what happened to the beasts after the explosion. Although it was only for a moment, he knew that if he wanted to escape, it would be through the west.


    Clovis took a deep breath and said, "Kanaria, Melody, go near the water, make sure you''re the furthest from the beasts. Ragna, I want you to protect them because their position would be vulnerable. Jay, on my signal, I want you to break through to the west. I will be covering our rear."


    Kanaria and Melody didn''t understand what Clovis was planning to do, but it seemed that he had a plan. It wasn''t like they had time to discuss their plan as the beasts were approaching.@@@@


    Ragna hurriedly positioned himself in front of Kanaria and Melody, ready to receive the attacks from all directions.


    Jay didn''t understand what Clovis wanted, but it was clear that he and Clovis had the most dangerous roles. He steeled his resolve so that he could properly lead the group to safety.


    "Melody. Do you bring a flashbang?"


    "Yeah." Melody hurriedly took out the flashbang and threw it at him. "Here you go."


    After catching the flashbang, Clovis took a deep breath and checked his surroundings.


    50 meters...


    40 meters...


    30 meters...


    The beasts kept coming closer and closer. Clovis''s expression turned darker as time passed.


    The Tier 4 snake became even more menacing as it advanced behind the other beasts. The Tier 3 dragonfly stopped not far away from them, not attacking first as though it were observing what these humans were planning to do. Meanwhile, the Tier 3 bear looked at them with murderous intent.


    This way, Clovis would be surrounded by two Tier 3 beasts and one Tier 4 beast.


    In the face of imminent death, a smile actually appeared on his face.


    He was pretty lucky that his teammates trusted him so much that they didn''t turn their heads around and call for his name with a worried expression. It would just weaken his resolve.


    And since they were focused on the front, they wouldn''t create unnecessary openings because of those feelings.


    These three high tier beasts were closing in. The other beasts also surrounded him so that he couldn''t escape while the higher tier beasts fought him.


    However, that wasn''t necessary.


    When the snake was about to arrive, Clovis knew that the snake had two options. First, the snake could loop around, but it would push the lower tier beasts away due to its size. The second possibility was to go under this paraceratherium. This colossal monster had a huge gap beneath its body, so the Tier 4 snake should be able to reach Clovis in an instant by passing that gap.


    The dragonfly approached him from the outside, waiting for Clovis to actually move away from these two.


    However, Clovis betrayed the dragonfly''s expectations. Instead of moving away, Clovis actually positioned himself right at the bottom of the paraceratherium''s foot.


    ''If you can''t make a decision, I''ll give you the decision. Come!'' Clovis thought with a smile.


    The paraceratherium obviously got triggered, considering Clovis was right underneath him. With a single stop, he would die.


    The snake was the same. If it swiftly moved underneath the paraceratherium, it could deal a killing blow to Clovis. When crossing the Tier 3 paraceratherium, the snake would let out a sound so that the paraceratherium wouldn''t hurt him.


    However, when it was about to open its mouth, Clovis pulled the pin and tossed the flashbang into the air.


    "!!!" The paraceratherium, who was trying to crush him, got hit by this flashbang at point blank range. The flash blinded the beast for a bit, making the beast''s posture unstable.


    In addition, the ringing sound struck the dragonfly, causing it to fly back.


    The Tier 4 snake that was about to say something abruptly lowered its mouth due to the same ringing sound, meaning the paraceratherium didn''t know the snake was crossing underneath it.


    To stabilize its posture, the paraceratherium had no choice but to lower the foot that was supposed to crush Clovis. And that foot landed on the snake''s head.


    *Bam!*

 Chapter 243 No Choice

    *Bam!*


    *Shaaa!* The snake almost got crushed. The scale on its head cracked, and blood even came out. Even a Tier 4 beast would have a hard time blocking that kind of weight.


    The paraceratherium was startled by the sudden feeling of stepping on something. The snake was big, so it wasn''t the same as stomping a small beast or even Clovis. T


    The paraceratherium wanted to move, but it was unable to do anything due to the blindness.


    On the other hand, the Tier 4 snake was angry because the paraceratherium wasn''t supposed to hit him. It was the norm for a lower tier beast to obey a higher tier one.


    The snake ended up attacking the paraceratherium while trying to shove him away. But because of its weight and size, it was hard to actually move this colossal beast. The snake had to wrap its body around the paraceratherium and pull him to the side.


    *Bam!*


    The paraceratherium panicked because it fell down and struggled while trying to recover its eyesight. The paraceratherium thought he had been betrayed and shook its entire body violently, crushing the snake underneath it.


    *Shaa!* The snake was trying to get away, its tail was wagging around to adjust its body position, resulting in it sweeping a lot of beasts.


    The clash between the snake and the paraceratherium caused a huge opening for Clovis. The Tier 3 dragonfly was also in the middle of recovering its eyesight.


    Now that these beasts had been taken care of, Clovis turned around and started moving to the west.


    There was a reason why Clovis asked Melody to throw a grenade at all sides and determined that the west was where they should escape.


    The beasts that wanted to chase after Jay and the others had to turn around. But it all changed because of the ruckus. They were trying to see what was going on, wondering if they should help.


    However, the first thing they found was not a beast but a human.


    Clovis was running behind them. The beasts tried to turn around, but they were a tad too late as Clovis began swinging his swords, cutting one beast after another and making his way toward Jay and the others.


    Yes, the reason he chose this direction was because he noticed that the reaction time from the beasts in the west was slower than in the other directions.


    The dragonfly swung its tail down, taking advantage of the flying ability and the altitude''s advantage to slam Jay to the ground.


    Fortunately, Jay was able to push the dragonfly up so that it couldn''t attack his teammates soon.


    Still, he shouldn''t feel relieved yet. Because of that distraction, the bear charged forward, approaching the others.


    Jay rushed back to his position, but he was one step too late.


    ''Tsk. I''m not going to make it.'' Jay gritted his teeth. He barely reached the front, but he didn''t have enough time to stabilize his posture.


    Without that surge of strength, Jay couldn''t stop the bear''s swipe and was launched away.


    "!!!" Kanaria widened her eyes as Jay actually crashed into her. "Gah!"


    The Tier 3 dragonfly flew back, so Melody tossed the grenade into the air, trying to distract the dragonfly.


    But it also meant that the bear could hit her.


    Ragna moved in front of Melody out of reflex, but he was gritting his teeth, wondering if he could actually stop this attack. In the worst case scenario, the bear would blow him away and Melody.


    Seeing that his teammate was in trouble, Clovis just threw away all the future risks and chose the option where his teammate wouldn''t die.


    Clovis took out the ring and necklace he bought from Another World Mall.


    "Ragna, catch!"


    "!!!" Ragna glanced at the two items. Even though he didn''t understand why Clovis threw these items, he dropped his spear and caught the two items.


    At the same time, the bear''s paw hit his shield with full force.


    *Bam!*

 Chapter 244 The Power of Magical Items

    Seeing the incoming bear''s paw, Jay shouted, "No! It''s too strong!"


    He knew Ragna''s limit and believed that he wouldn''t be capable of stopping it. In the worst case scenario, both of them were blown away.


    Melody only furrowed her eyebrows as if already accepting her situation. The only thing she could think of was what would happen after that. She had to get up first after being blown away.


    However, that was the time they heard Clovis''s voice. "Ragna, catch!"


    Ragna was surprised, but he dropped his spear and caught the ring and necklace as his other hand blocked the bear''s swipe.


    *Bang!*


    The bear pushed him back for two meters, but he actually stopped right before Melody. He positioned himself a bit further so that he might be able to change his trajectory or Melody could avoid the crash.


    But to his surprise, he managed to block the bear''s attack. It was a Tier 3 bear and its strength was much stronger than the normal beasts he had encountered so far.


    ''I blocked it? How?'' Ragna''s body reacted spontaneously, but his mind kept revolving crazily. The only answer that came to his mind was the ring and the necklace Clovis tossed earlier.


    Now that he thought about it, he felt a surge of strength spreading all over his body the moment he caught these two items.


    Ragna opened his palm and looked at these miraculous items. No one could see it, but these were the best items Clovis could give to Ragna.


    Name: Ring of Strength


    Description: A ring that is blessed by the mother of all golems.


    Effect: Durability +10


    Name: Minotaur Heart


    Description: A necklace that has been embedded with the precious core of the minotaur.


    Effect: Strength +10


    Ragna didn''t understand what was going on, but the bear was about to attack him again.


    "!!!" Jay and the others were startled.


    They almost forgot that Ragna wasn''t the only one who dropped his weapon. To toss those items, Clovis had to drop his sword while being surrounded by these beasts.


    However, Clovis didn''t betray their expectations. When those three turned their heads around, several beasts were suddenly sent flying.


    *Roar!*


    The beasts looked panicked, but it was useless. Four more beasts were cut into pieces. Their bodies fell to the ground, revealing Clovis.


    Clovis was covered in injuries, most likely because of the attacks he failed to block after tossing the items.


    However, everyone noticed the different aura around him. It was as if Clovis had changed into a different person.


    Still, his teammates thought about one thing. Whenever Clovis was in this state, he would release a god-like prowess and things were bound to be alright.


    "What are you doing? Move!" Clovis shouted in anger.


    "!!!" They hurriedly returned to their tasks and broke through the enemy''s ranks.


    Meanwhile, Kanaria grabbed a grenade and tossed it in Clovis''s direction first.


    As if realizing what was happening, Clovis moved past the grenade, letting it explode behind him.


    A screeching sound echoed in his ears as the dragonfly was wailing in pain, getting hit by the grenade.


    But the bear made his decision. Ragna, Jay, and Kanaria might have broken through, but he could still stop Melody and Clovis.


    Hence, his next target was Melody.


    The bear thought it had enough time to actually kill Melody before Clovis arrived.


    But to its surprise, Clovis sped up and closed the distance between them in an instant.


    Clovis was glaring at the bear as if saying, ''Your opponent is me.''

 Chapter 245 Unexpected Encounter

    Panicked, the bear switched his target to Clovis. The latter also swung both blades forward as if wanting to hit the bear''s body.


    The bear thought he would hit Clovis first before those swords reached his body. However, Clovis surprised him once more by tilting his body to the side, changing the trajectory of his strike.


    Clovis struck the bear''s arm with unprecedented strength, cutting the bear''s tough skin.


    The bear took a step back out of surprise that both of his arms were gone. But before he realized it, Clovis''s two swords were already in front of its neck.


    The bear widened its eyes in shock, unwilling to accept its death. Sadly, there was nothing it could do anymore.@@@@


    Clovis sent the bear''s head flying and kicked the bear''s body down.


    "Let''s go. Escape from this hell!" said Clovis while glancing at Melody with a face devoid of emotion.


    Melody smiled as she followed him. "Yes."


    The beasts that hadn''t died in Jay''s hands tried to stop Clovis, but in this state, Clovis simply struck them down in rapid succession, breaking through much easier than Jay.


    Finally, all five of them managed to escape from the encirclement. However, none of them stopped. They hurriedly climbed the hill, getting as much distance from the beasts as possible.


    The Tier 4 snake and the paraceratherium had stopped fighting, realizing that both of them had let go of these five humans. They hurriedly chased after them with the remaining beasts.


    When there was enough distance, Kanaria stopped for a few seconds and unleashed all her bullets on them. Melody also threw all the grenades she currently had, hindering the beasts from catching up.


    While running, Clovis could finally gather his thoughts.


    He raised his hand and felt the change in his body.


    According to what he had found so far, his strength increased tremendously. It reflected the muscle affinity he wasn''t supposed to have. Because he had read a bit regarding muscle affinity training, he knew that he could control his muscles a little bit.


    Other people wouldn''t be so bold. Only the Hacfields were bold enough to do anything for their survival. And the same applied to his grandfather. If those top people pushed Clovis''s grandfather to the corner, they should prepare themselves to be devastated.


    Clovis didn''t know what was in Melody''s mind. He focused on another thing. "Kanaria, Jay!"


    "I''m fine. No injury." Kanaria assured him right away.


    "I can still fight. There is no problem even for the next destination." Jay did the same.


    "Ragna, I''m sure you''re confused right now. But let''s escape from this damned place first before talking about it, okay?"


    "Understood." Ragna nodded.


    Finally, they reached the top of the hill and hurriedly went down, wanting to use the woods to lose the beasts.


    However, when they were low enough to see the bottom of the hill, the people who had Brain affinity, like Kanaria and Melody or the awakened Clovis, could actually see two shadows at the bottom of the hill.


    "They are..." Kanaria frowned.


    "There are two people!" Melody sucked a cold breath, looking at the radar. "Clovis, they are..."


    "Huh? People?" Clovis looked surprised, focusing on the two men, who seemed to be taken aback by their arrival. If there was another group here, they would have come to help them. Or at the very least, they would run away after seeing their number.


    The fact that they didn''t run away could only mean one thing in this situation. They were the culprits who tried to kill them.


    Jay''s position was the closest to them, so without hesitation, Clovis shouted, "Jay! Kill them!"


    Jay''s eyes turned bloodshot as he held his saber with both hands. His target was standing behind a tree, but it didn''t really matter.


    "Haaa!" He would simply cut him down along with the tree.

 Chapter 246 Fighting the Two Assassins

    The two assassins were just waiting for the beasts to kill Clovis and the others.


    "Oh, oh! There is so much ruckus over there," said one of the assassins while relaxingly leaning on the tree.


    "It''s going to be impossible to escape from that. Thanks to the sudden visit of Skylark''s princess, we were unable to do anything to him for a while. However, we have to thank the mayor for chasing them away."


    "Well, he''s not chasing them away."


    "He is simply too ignorant. He doesn''t know that if he wants to protect them, he should have kept them close. Now that they are in a different city, they won''t have anyone to help them. In addition, the shield bearer that they have recruited..."


    "According to the investigation, that guardian is a leech, whose strength is subpar. He might be good enough to protect the people on the back, but he will become a burden in an emergency situation like this."@@@@


    "Yes. And we''ve prepared everything we can in order to create a situation where they are completely surrounded. I have seen the video of them fighting the Tier 3 beast during the expedition with that Skylark''s princess. While the beasts here are not as strong, it''ll be impossible for them to kill the Tier 3 beasts in an instant."


    "So one Tier 3 beast stops them and the rest will kill them. There is even a Tier 4 beast in the mix... and a flying beast."


    "Yes. No matter how abnormal they are, they won''t be able to escape."


    "What if they are able to escape?"


    "It''s impossible, but if they are able to do it..." The assassin fell silent for a moment. "We might have to inform the headquarter about it."


    "We are going to retreat?"


    "The opponent is that madman''s grandson, you know."


    "...I see."


    ''I applaud your courage. While I can''t kill Clovis Hacfield directly, it doesn''t mean I can''t kill you here. To think you would be able to use Muscle Augmentation while being a Tier 1 human... You are not a genius anymore, you''re basically a monster for being able to use something that only a Tier 3 or even a Tier 4 human can barely use.


    But if I let you get stronger, you will be a threat to our plan in killing Clovis,'' the assassin muttered inwardly.


    He tilted his hand, ready to impale Jay''s head.


    However, that was when Clovis suddenly appeared in front of Jay, sacrificing his own body. It wasn''t a foolish move. He perfectly knew that the assassins wouldn''t dare kill him. In fact, this might be what he was going to do if the assassins tried to attack them.


    The assassin snapped back. He gritted his teeth while using the last bit of his strength to slightly change the trajectory of his dagger.


    Although barely, the dagger missed Clovis. However, forcefully changing the trajectory required a lot of movement internally, causing some internal injuries to the assassin''s body.


    The other assassin tried to help his friend, but Kanaria and Melody shot at him again. Now that he knew about them, the assassin skillfully avoided the bullet while making his way to Clovis.


    But this time, Ragna appeared in his way.


    He couldn''t help but remember the result of the investigation into Ragna. Without hesitation, he swung his hand as if trying to push Ragna away.


    *Bam!*


    The hit was quite powerful, but the assassin was surprised because Ragna wasn''t blown away. He only managed to push Ragna one meter back.


    "Wha¡ª!" His eyes were filled with disbelief. However, to reach his friend, he had to blow away Ragna. He didn''t have time to think about why Ragna was different from their investigation. He hit Ragna''s shield with all his strength this time.


    As expected of a Tier 5 human, even Ragna couldn''t withstand the second blow and was launched into a tree.


    However, he managed to buy Clovis and the others two precious seconds.


    After all, in those two seconds, Jay spun his body, looped around Clovis, and struck the assassin''s side.

 Chapter 247 Secret

    ''Not good!'' The assassin thought. Because he had to avoid hitting Clovis, he directed the dagger to the left. In other words, he had just exposed his rights.


    Jay took this chance to loop around and strike him from his right.


    The assassin tried his best to retract the dagger, but Clovis struck the dagger, stopping the dagger.


    "!!!" The assassin was completely out of options. The only way to escape from this was to use his left hand, but the biggest problem was that Jay''s strike was too powerful.


    Still, as a Tier 5 human, he was much more experienced in battles.


    He extended his left hand, trying to stop the weapon.


    Jay had expected this and used all his strength so that he could cut both his hand and body in one go.


    But to his surprise, the assassin caught the blade at the last moment.


    Jay didn''t care. He pushed through and saw the initial success as the blade actually cut the gap between his fingers all the way to the base of his wrist. The side also got hit, but it wasn''t deep enough to reach the organ.


    With one more push, he should die.


    However, he didn''t realize that the real intention of the assassin''s action was to use the force behind that swing to give the last push to throw his body to the side.


    It was effective. His body fell down before Jay inflicted a fatal injury.


    Seeing that injury, the other assassin couldn''t help but shout, "Retreat!"


    "!!!" The injured assassin didn''t expect that they would have to run away from a bunch of kids. Then again, the fact that they were able to push them back to this extent was already an undeniable proof of their extraordinary strength.


    The hardest job would be Clovis. He actually risked his life to create an opportunity for the team to escape.


    In that situation, the only way to survive was to stop the snake. The dragonfly and the bear wouldn''t make such a simple mistake. Hence, he used the colossal beast to sow discord among them. It also sealed up the beasts that came with the snake.


    There was an unexpected situation, and Clovis had no choice but to give the items to Ragna ahead of time. Now that Ragna knew about this, Clovis only had two options: trust him or kill him.


    He still hadn''t fully trusted Ragna, considering this was their first trip.


    On the contrary, Ragna was completely astounded. He dropped his spear because he had to catch the items and end up abandoning them due to the others rushing forward, but his mind was still occupied with the items.


    Once they set up the tents for raising, the rest just wanted to relax. Ragna was sitting near them as if he were trying to tell them that he wouldn''t leave the group all of a sudden because of these items. In fact, he had given back the items to Clovis without saying anything, fully aware that no excuses would make Clovis trust him.


    Still, his head hung low.


    Ragna couldn''t help but think, ''Those items... I have never heard anything about an item that can boost someone. If it''s something that can be injected into one''s body, then I can understand. But I just hold it, not even wearing it.


    ''What kind of item is that? How can they have such a magical power? Now that I think about it, I notice that they are wearing some accessories. While I understand if the girls are using it, what about the men? Well, it''s not my place to say anything about their preference, but I''m afraid that those accessories also have that kind of effect.


    ''Is this the secret why this group is so strong? In that case, the one who provides all these accessories... must be the captain, Clovis. How could he even have so many magical things? I can''t understand.''


    While Ragna was in deep thought, Clovis''s voice echoed right next to his ears.


    "The answer lies in my name."


    "!!!" Ragna was taken aback and saw Clovis sneaking up from the back. "C-captain?! Your name?"


    "I am Clovis, Clovis Hacfield."


    *Thud!*@@@@

 Chapter 248 Choices

    *Thud!*


    Ragna''s heart sank the moment he heard that name. "Hacfield? Which Hacfield are you talking about? Are you talking about THE HACFIELD?"


    Ragna suddenly fell silent, noticing that it was a foolish question. It was pretty much clear from Clovis''s strength and talent that he was not ordinary. In addition, he was accompanied by great people like this and had such a mysterious thing.


    It should be pretty obvious that Clovis was telling the truth about his name.


    Ragna was blown away. He had never thought that the heir of one of the Tier 9 humans was actually standing next to him this whole time.


    "You can consider this a threat, so I won''t bear around the bushes. You have two options." Clovis raised two fingers. "You either join our group or promise not to tell anyone about my identity."


    Ragna was surprised for the second time. A threat? What kind of threat was this? Being able to join the group of someone related to a Tier 9 human was a very rare opportunity that most people could only dream of.


    In addition, it was clear that joining his group would also mean he could get those items. He could solve his problems and become a great guardian.


    Ragna had been doing anything he could think of to solve his weakness, but none of it was effective. The ability he got after reaching Tier 3 or Tier 4 might be able to solve that problem, but there was no guarantee since he only heard about the rumor.


    Compared to the items that had been proven to be effective, it was simply an offer instead of a threat.


    On the other hand, what about the second option? He seemed to be able to walk away as long as he promised not to say anything about it.


    Why would Clovis even allow such a thing? There was a high chance that this was just a trap. If he chose the second option, he might have to eliminate him. An item that could boost one''s strength was basically unheard of in this world. Once it was revealed, it would definitely shock the whole world.


    "I can''t understand." Clovis''s voice was deep and filled with confusion. "Trying to search for your parents, was it? By serving me, you won''t be able to do it, you know? Is your dream so easy to give up?"


    Ragna shook his head. "From my perspective, my choice will lead to a higher possibility of me being able to find my parents."


    "You can do it in another way instead of selling yourself to servitude." Clovis''s expression turned grim.


    Ragna gulped down. "Servitude, huh? I have two simple stories that I''d like you to listen to. In the first story, an honest man works hard his entire life but is unable to overcome his limit and eventually becomes an embarrassment. In the second story, the man sells his soul to the devil.


    He can only live for a few years, but he is able to achieve much more than the honest man in his entire life and even give back to the people. I believe that the second man is wiser."


    Clovis fell silent for a moment.


    Ragna closed his eyes before saying helplessly, "Besides, this weakness has been plaguing me for a long time. I don''t know what kind of things can solve my weakness. If I can solve it as quickly as possible, I will gladly do anything."


    "You''re acting as if you''re able to kill me as long as you can get that solution," said Clovis with a cold tone.


    "I am nothing but a Guardian. My power is to protect, not to kill."


    "You''re merely making an excuse. Didn''t you say that you were thinking that becoming a Tier 3 would solve that problem? Why don''t you just wait? You might not need my help in the end."


    "YOU DON''T UNDERSTAND!" Ragna shouted, his hands clenching his chest and his face distorted.


    Clovis didn''t expect Ragna to show such a reaction. But it seemed that there was something more than what he originally knew. It must also be the reason why Ragna chose this option.

 Chapter 249 Ragnas Past

    10 years ago.


    Ragna was nine years old. He was still under the care of an orphanage.


    However, unlike other children, where they could have some fun, Ragna was actually being beaten up by a few kids in a small alley.


    "Gah!" Ragna coughed up blood. His body was full of bruises, and his consciousness had become fuzzy.


    "Hahaha. This is interesting. Look at this..." one of the guys grabbed Ragna''s arm. "I hit this spot earlier and it was supposed to turn blue. But it''s already gone!"


    "It''s true. Then we don''t have to worry!"


    "He is such a good dummy for practice."


    "A living dummy!"


    They just laughed and kept beating him. They hit him with a wooden sword, stabbed him with a wooden spear, or even slammed him with a wooden shield.


    Ragna didn''t say anything to them.


    It was only after two hours that these guys started getting exhausted. With one of his eyes closed due to injury, Ragna weakly extended his hand and said, "Pay..."


    "Huh?! You bastard! We''re not done yet!" The guy roared while stomping his body.


    "Pay..." Ragna kept saying the same thing.


    They looked pretty disturbed and disgusted.


    "Pay right? Take it! Ruining our mood!" The guy tossed some money and walked away with an annoyed face.


    The others could only follow him.


    Ragna glanced at the money and said, "This is not the amount we agreed..."


    Ragna''s voice didn''t reach them as those people had walked away. It wasn''t like he could catch up to them. Even if he managed to do it, he didn''t have the ability to fight back.


    These people might get their money back out of pettiness.


    However, that never happened. The orphanage didn''t need money anymore, not because they had secured a huge fund but because it was destroyed.


    There was a monster wave that struck their cities. The people were running around the street, trying to go to the gate, where they opened up the path for evacuation.


    "Run! Run!" Ragna shouted, leading the people from the orphanage.


    Buildings began to collapse because of the destruction the beasts brought. People were eaten left and right.


    *Bam!*


    All of a sudden, a beast emerged from a wall.


    "Watch out!" Ragna hurriedly jumped toward the beast, trying to use himself as bait.


    The beast simply knocked him away with a single wave of its tail.


    "Gah!" Ragna crashed onto a pillar with a force that knocked him out for a few seconds.


    When he regained his consciousness, Ragna had to witness something he never expected in his life.


    The children were completely gone. He wanted to believe that they just used the chance he provided, but no, he could see severed limbs that weren''t eaten away.


    He recognized all of them.


    "Big Brother... I''m glad... you''re alright..." Lilia''s voice echoed weakly from the side.


    "!!!" Ragna widened his eyes and hurriedly checked on Lilia. Her ribs must be broken and there were some superficial wounds.


    "Don''t talk. I will help you. We will¡ª" Ragna abruptly stopped because Lilia said, "Don''t... Big Brother... You should... escape..."


    "Don''t say anything. You''re going to be fine." Ragna bit his lips. He believed it was going to be alright because he had suffered a much worse injury compared to this.


    However, his thoughts had been distorted because of his special constitution.


    "Ah. If only... I am... like big brother... I won''t... make you... cry..." Lilia looked unwilling but those were the last words she uttered before succumbing to her wound.


    "Lilia... Lilia!" Ragna turned pale. If Lilia had this body instead of him, she would have survived. People might think this body was a blessing, but Ragna thought it was a curse. He was just a person who could only witness people''s deaths but was unable to follow them.


    What he didn''t know at that time was that this was not the end of the misfortune that his special constitution brought.

 Chapter 250 Cloviss Answer

    Bam!


    A guy slammed the table hard while glaring at Ragna.


    "What the heck did you do earlier? How could a guardian be so weak?"@@@@


    "I''m sorry, I will do better next time." Ragna lowered his head, his face was already pale.


    "There''s no next time. Go away!" The guy kicked Ragna. "Hmph. You almost killed one of our members! You freaking sissy."


    Ragna didn''t say anything. He didn''t have the experience to become a guardian. However, the only thing he knew was that his constitution allowed him to take a beating, so he chose to become one.


    He had lost everything in his former city. When he wanted to take his own life out of misery, he remembered the kindness he had experienced in that orphanage.


    There was no way he could choose the easiest path of all.


    Hence, Ragna did all kinds of jobs in order to survive. He let people beat him and once he was old enough, he became an explorer.


    Obviously, his evolution rate shocked a lot of people. However, his condition remained the same.


    Even he had a high evolution rate, he was bound to be weaker than even someone a Tier below him. So why would they bother to invest so much in him?


    Ragna couldn''t deny what was happening in his body and decided to distance himself from the group. Eventually, he resigned from the group.


    Hence, Ragna had gotten his answer. "No. I won''t be a robot. I am a guardian. If there is a better plan to protect everything, I won''t hesitate to do it. You can punish me after that."


    Clovis saw that resolute face on Ragna before saying, "In that case, you are going to have hard objectives from now on.


    "Firstly, you have to reach Tier 3 before the Rising Star Competition. Secondly, your role will become much more aggressive from now on. I''ll be testing your performance... For example, a single injury to this girl means you''ve failed.


    Thirdly, your condition shall remain the same until you join the group, meaning that you won''t get anything other than the fixed amount we''ve agreed upon until you officially join this group."


    Ragna gulped down before saying, "I understand. I''ll definitely do my best."


    He knew it would be hard to accomplish all these, but he knew how powerful this group was compared to other groups. If he let this chance go, he might not get a second chance.


    "Take these." Clovis tossed the ring and the necklace back to him.


    "!!!" Ragna looked surprised. He expected Clovis would give him these items later. "Are you sure about this?"


    "What? Are you going to run away with those two items? Well, it''s not like those items can get you so far. Besides, if you do that, the one hunting you down won''t be me, it will be my parents or grandfather." Clovis shrugged.


    He acted as if it were not a big deal, but Ragna felt all the pressure on him. He knew the reputation of the Hacfield family after all.


    "I don''t think I have to tell you this, but make sure you don''t say anything about those items to others even if they''re your best friend or trusted relative. If you manage to do all that and join the group, I will give you something else."


    "Yes!"

 Chapter 251 Explanation

    Clovis didn''t immediately agree to let him in. But at the same time, he didn''t push him too far as well. He had even attached several links to ensure that he remained loyal to this group.


    They were planning to fight a lot of people, so it would be wise if he got used to it first.


    Clovis continued, "And you are probably wondering what those two powerful men did earlier?"


    Ragna nodded his head furiously. He didn''t expect that there were two such men waiting on the bottom of the hill. If they were normal people, they would probably try to help since it wouldn''t be too much for them.


    So, they might have some special identities.


    "I don''t know much about them either. The only thing I know is that they''re here to kill me indirectly. I''m sure you''ve gotten a grasp of the situation as well."


    "They can''t kill you directly..." Ragna muttered, remembering the time the assassin was forced to change the trajectory of his dagger to avoid Clovis. However, there was one more thing he remembered. "Wait a minute. Were they the ones who set up the ambush?"


    Clovis confirmed it with a nod. "Most likely. I was outplayed by them. To think that they would be able to move all those beasts at the same time. We were supposed to die there, but they didn''t put two variables." Clovis pointed at Ragna and continued, "You and those items."


    Ragna widened his eyes. He understood why Clovis said it this way. He wanted to use him and the magical abilities of these two items to be something that those guys couldn''t predict.@@@@


    This way, Clovis would be able to escape again and again. Once they became strong enough, they would take them down.


    In fact, their group should be able to take down two Tier 3 beasts at the same time. What if all of them increased one tier? They might be able to take down Tier 4 beasts.


    That was why this was just a matter of time. As long as they played it carefully, their group could survive.


    While they were in danger, Clovis calculated the risk and did all this. It could be said he had failed and succeeded as a captain at the same time. He failed because he endangered the group with his existence. He succeeded in making the group stronger much faster because of the pressure from the outside.


    Kanaria''s expression turned grim. "In that case, I''ll tell my mother about it. The Drake Group and the Rusth family are going to be annoying because of it."


    "Yes. Please make some preparations." Clovis nodded before turning back to Ragna. "You can ask Melody the current problems that the group is facing right now."


    "Eh. You''re going to give that annoying task to me?" Melody looked annoyed.


    "Ahahaha. Please."


    "After this expedition, we are having three days off, not just two." Melody pouted after making her demands.


    "Sure. I and Kanaria will go back as well. Jay and Ragna..."


    "I''ll remain in the city for now. It won''t be good if I go with you guys all of a sudden," Ragna hurriedly answered.


    "I''ll remain as well. It''s not like I have a lot of things to do back home." Jay shrugged. "So, we''re still going to continue to the third destination after this? How is our supply?"


    Kanaria shrugged. "It''s enough if we use them sparingly. Killing two Tier 3 beasts should be easy enough, especially since Ragna is strong enough to act as a true guardian."


    "Yes. I''ll definitely not let them touch you. No, I will even provide you a chance to finish them." Ragna nodded furiously.


    "Good. We''ve gone through a lot today. Although we can''t retrieve the corpses that we''ve killed today, let''s work hard at the third destination. Please get some rest today, and we''ll head to our next destination tomorrow morning."


    The group agreed with the arrangement.


    As Clovis predicted, the assassins chose to retreat completely. There were a lot of other things they needed to do other than try to kill them.


    Clovis took advantage of this peaceful period to kill as many beasts as possible, increasing the entire group''s strength and money.

 Chapter 252 One Month

    "What did you say? Did he use Muscle Augmentation?" A middle-aged man looked shocked.


    The two assassins were standing in front of the screen, looking at the figure of a middle-aged man that had been blacked.


    The first assassin couldn''t say anything since he didn''t experience it firsthand. However, the second assassin got one of his arms severed, so he understood full well what kind of strength they needed to do it.


    The second assassin said, "Yes. I couldn''t believe it at first, but after thinking about it again, I''m sure that his strength came from Muscle Augmentation?"


    "Are you sure it''s not just footwork or breathing technique?"


    "No, sir. It''s Muscle Augmentation."


    "You should know how ridiculous you sound, right?"


    "Yes."


    The man fell silent for a moment. "Muscle Augmentation. This is an ability that a Tier 3 or Tier 4 human received and learned. This is the biggest difference between low tier humans and mid tier humans.


    "Just like Brain''s Sensory Imaginary or Blood''s Flow Control, they are the secrets of the mid tier human. To think a Tier 1 human could actually learn it... this is not a matter where a genius can simply learn it.


    "You have to acquire it first! So how did he acquire it?" The man gritted his teeth, annoyed. This was the first time he heard anything about it.


    If Jay was a Tier 2 human at the very least, he might still be able to say that he was already close to Tier 3, so it wasn''t weird to have that ability.


    But Jay was a Tier 1. There was simply no excuse. If Jay was able to acquire it as a Tier 1 human, his value would skyrocket.


    The two assassins remained silent. They were also confused about this fact. They were here to kill Clovis after all.


    When they thought about it, they couldn''t help but think of one possibility.


    "Is it Clovis Hacfield?"


    "!!!" The man raised his eyebrows. "What did you say?"


    "Clovis Hacfield. What if the Hacfield family has found the way to achieve such a feat?"


    "Are you saying that kid is capable of achieving such a thing? He doesn''t even know anything about this power yet."


    "What about his parents or grandfather? What if they are the ones who discover it? They pass the method to the kid, and that kid gives it to everyone in the group."


    The other assassin widened his eyes. "Are you saying that the entire group knows how to use their respective evolutionary powers?"


    "Don''t you think it explains why they''re much stronger than a group of the same level? If they are able to harness that kind of power, killing a Tier 3 beast doesn''t sound that weird."


    Silence engulfed the room for a minute. On the one hand, this information would definitely cause a huge uproar. On the other hand, they had no choice but to acknowledge this possibility.


    "What should we do next?"


    But two days after that, Ragna reached Tier 3. As he expected, even though he became a Tier 3, he didn''t get the qualitative leap he was looking for.


    Without the help of Clovis''s magical items, he would still remain a useless guardian.


    Ragna had also become closer and closer to the group. He helped with a lot of other things such as chores and miscellaneous stuff. However, Clovis ensured that it didn''t become excessive. He didn''t want the other members to become lazy and end up getting into trouble if Ragna suddenly disappeared.


    However, having everyone become much stronger in a short period of time was definitely amazing. Everyone was fired up, wanting to challenge the people in that competition.


    In the remaining days before the competition, Clovis only held a short exploration and immediately isolated himself in his room, telling the others that he would come out once he became a Tier 2 human.


    The people thought that Clovis had bought a lot of essence and would focus on absorbing all of it, considering there would be some reaction if they ingested a lot of essence at once.


    That was why Clovis isolated himself, which wasn''t abnormal in people''s eyes.


    While Clovis focused on his own task, the rest of the group chose to make their own preparation.


    ...


    Three days before the competition''s registration was closed, Kanaria gathered everyone in their room.


    "By the way, I''ve heard from my mother that the mayor is going to reach this city tomorrow. He will bring all the participants," Kanaria explained while giving them a form.


    "What is this?" Jay asked immediately, not bothering to understand what it was.


    "The form for the competition''s registration. I''ve filled up mine and Clovis. I want you to fill that up as soon as possible."


    "This is surprising. I thought we would get an e-form instead of a physical form." Melody sighed, annoyed because she was used to typing instead of writing.


    Kanaria only shrugged. "Just fill it up. It won''t take five minutes. It''s not only for the competition, but also for the mayor. We have agreed to get the sponsorship in three parts. The second part is once we reach Tier 2, so yeah..."


    Jay shrugged, not caring about it. "Are we going to snatch someone''s participation ticket?"


    "No. We''ll join the competition independently, but we will probably need to wear something to show our affiliation with that sponsorship."


    Ragna pointed at himself. "But are you sure it''s fine for me to participate? I''m from this city. Although I''ll be coming with you guys after this competition, I''m still registered in this city."


    "It''s fine. We aren''t representing our city in any case, it''s just a sponsorship." Kanaria shrugged. "Besides, there are two things that I want to tell you. First of all, Clovis said that it''s time to remove someone, so we''ll be humiliating him with the result. Our goal this time is the championship... if possible."


    Ragna didn''t deny that possibility after knowing the strength of these people. They were not ordinary. If they played their cards carefully, they might be able to take down a Tier 4 human.


    "Who is this person that you want to remove?" Ragna asked.


    "His name is Ivan. He is probably joining the first competition, so he won''t be competing with us. As long as we get a result, that''s fine."


    Ragna nodded in understanding. Talent gave birth to jealousy, so he just nodded his head.


    "The second matter is regarding the aftermath. If we have a good result, we''ll be targeted even more. Hence, we have to be prepared."

 Chapter 253 Participants

    "So this is the Stellar City," said a young man after getting off the bus.


    A middle-aged man came to them while saying, "Come out now. Because this is a new city for you guys, we''ll try to get you used to it. This Stellar City is stronger than our city, so there are a lot of things you need to learn."


    "Yes." The young man nodded as more and more people came out of the bus.


    And one of them was actually Ivan.


    Yes, they were the participants in the competition that would be held in a few days.


    "Mayor Revan." The middle-aged man moved to the car on the back. "Where are these so-called geniuses you claim to be able to make their name in this competition? I''ve heard that you''ve sponsored them without putting their name on our city''s starting roster."


    "Well, I''ll be visiting them pretty soon. But it''s better not to say anything about it for our participants, lest they become unpredictable."


    The middle-aged man understood what he was trying to imply. "I understand. Are they really going to participate in the second competition? Their age should be pretty young, right?"


    "Yes. Unfortunately, one of them is already quite old because of some circumstances. So they choose to participate as a team."


    "Stubborn." The middle-aged man frowned.


    "They call it confidence." Mayor Revan smiled. "Settle down our group first."@@@@


    "Understood."


    While the middle-aged man brought the group away, the mayor couldn''t help but look at the sky, wondering how the kids were doing. They had promised that they would produce some results, so he couldn''t help but feel anxious.


    He didn''t want them to be too reckless just for the sake of reward since survival was always a matter of priority.


    However, they were not the only people coming into this town. There were some other towns that came to participate. Of course, the people behind them also came to cheer.


    Even Kanaria''s mother chose to come so that she could see her daughter''s progress.


    "It''s not nice to peek at a gentleman taking a bath."


    "Yes, but you''ve already been in the bathroom for almost two hours. Just get the fuck out of there. I want to wash myself as well!"


    ...


    In another hotel.


    A woman crossed her arms while listening to her teammates.


    "With Miss Aileen, we should be able to win this competition. However, I''m a bit concerned because we have some famous names among the young generations."


    "Can they beat Miss Aileen though? Our Bloody Rose will win. After all, Miss Aileen is a Tier 4 human."


    "But if I''m not wrong, she is not the only Tier 4 human in this competition."


    The woman with long light blue hair simply said, "Let''s not talk about such an uncertain thing. The winner will be the stronger one at that time. However, Tier is not the only way to determine one''s strength. So continue researching our opponents and checking on anyone interesting. If possible, we can recruit them and bring them back to our city."


    "Yes."


    ...


    Like they said, she wasn''t the only Tier 4 human that would participate in this competition.


    There was already an overlord among the younger generation in this city.


    He was staring at the commander of the city, who was supposed to be his father. He politely lowered his head while saying in a cold tone, "Don''t worry. I won''t disappoint you, Father."


    "You better be. This is not a mere competition. We want to show our citizens that our people are stronger than those from other cities. Of course, we don''t want the other cities to get the reward. For that, I have assembled the strongest squad for you. Win, Rafael."


    "Understood. I''ll do my best."

 Chapter 254 Meeting

    Meanwhile, Kanaria had requested a meeting in a family restaurant. It was just going to be a normal meet-up, so it would be better not to go to a fancy one.


    Everyone except for Clovis was going.


    On the rectangular table, Kanaria was sitting next to her mother. Jay, Melody, and Ragna sat next to each other on one side. The mayor and another person sat on the other side.


    The mayor looked quite impressed after seeing Jay and Melody. The aura in their bodies had changed from the last time he''d seen them. Kanaria was having a playful smile because she was with her mother, but she, too, had become much stronger.


    The one that made him concerned was the new person in their group.


    "Is this... Clovis?" The mayor asked with a wry smile, wondering if Clovis had changed so much that he didn''t recognize him anymore.


    "Please allow me to introduce you. He is our new member, Ragna. He is registered in this city, but he will participate with our group."@@@@


    "I am Ragna. It''s an honor to meet you." Ragna politely nodded.


    "Is that so? How old are you this year? I''m not much of a fighter myself, so I can''t measure your strength accurately."


    "I am turning 20 years old in three months. I''m currently a Tier 3 human."


    "What? You are only 19 years old and you''re already a Tier 3?" The mayor looked surprised, especially given the fact that Ragna came from this city. It was no wonder why this city was bigger and stronger than their city, even a genius like him was so easy to find.


    Then again, Jay and Kanaria were still 16 years old, but they had become Tier 2 humans. By the time they reach 19 years old, they should be able to reach Tier 3 or even Tier 4.


    However, these people were foolish and arrogant enough to use this competition as a ''challenge.''


    Looking at them like this just reinforced his opinion that they should focus on winning first place in the first competition.


    Kanaria noticed the meaning behind his expression and simply said, "I don''t know what kind of opinion you have about us. However, this is our group. We''d like to choose our own path even if it''s meant to fail."


    "..." Mr. Qazzie just stared at her before closing his eyes, displeased.


    Vania couldn''t help but furrow her eyebrows. She knew Clovis. While it looked reckless, he wasn''t someone who would do something meaningless. So she supported their decision.


    It wasn''t like they took the city''s quota. At the same time, the easiest way to shut him up would be to prove their strength by fighting him or any other group on their roster. Then again, there was no obligation for them to do it.


    Noticing the tension in the air, the mayor hurriedly changed the topic. "Anyway, have you seen the participants this time? It seems that the competition has garnered more attention than they originally expected. So you might be able to find a lot of strong opponents in the competition. I want you to be careful."


    "Yes, Melody has been trying to get their information along with their background." Kanaria nodded.


    "In that case, I don''t need to say anything else. I just wish you luck. Don''t forget about our agreement."


    "Speaking about agreement, aren''t you forgetting something?" Kanaria smirked while rubbing her thumb and index finger against each other as if reminding him about money.


    "Hahaha." The mayor chuckled. "Don''t worry. I will send it to you soon. You can use it to buy better equipment or something."


    "Thank you very much." Kanaria smiled, not knowing how important this money would be for Clovis.

 Chapter 255 Unexpected Encounter

    Clovis gradually opened his eyes. He had been sitting on his bed for a while.


    Instead of ingesting the essence, he had been eating a lot of stuff from Another World Mall, using it to push him to Tier 2.


    And during that time, he thought about a lot of things, especially regarding the matter of his mysterious strength.


    The mysterious strength came without any reason and somehow powered him up greatly. According to her grandfather''s clue, it seemed that this mysterious strength allowed him to wield the power of all five evolutionary traits.


    However, he still needed to know the trigger of this condition.@@@@


    ''There have been a few instances when the mysterious power gets activated. The first time was against the Tier 3 proconsul. It was my first time against a Tier 3 beast, so I was desperate to fight it and protect my whole team.


    ''The second time was when we were besieged by two Tier 3 beasts and a lot of lower tier beasts. It was a tough battle, and Jay almost lost his life.


    ''The last time was during our escape. From those three instances, I could see several similarities.


    ''First of all, I was desperate and needed to do everything I could. That was what I believed from the bottom of my heart.


    ''The second similarity would be the fact that our lives were in danger. Was it because I wanted to protect my people? I mean, I could understand the feeling... but is this going to be some bullshit like the power of friendship? Well, I''ll still take the power even though it feels a bit cringe.


    ''The third similarity was that...my life was in danger. I had been in a life-and-death situation multiple times, but those three instances would probably be the closest ones... No, shouldn''t I add that time when I was pushed off the car and surrounded by the beasts?''


    ''Ah, right? I should see the items in Another World Mall later. There might be some new items that will be useful for me and the team.''


    Clovis smiled, feeling pretty excited. There were still two days to register, so they could go tomorrow morning.


    "Now that I think about it, where is everyone?" Clovis frowned and walked out of his room, finding no one in there. He checked on his Skyphone but found no message, so he called Kanaria.


    Kanaria told him about the meeting. Apparently, they were still in the restaurant.


    Clovis thought it would be good to meet the mayor, so he told her that he would be there in a moment. The mayor would definitely love to meet him, the captain of their team.


    Clovis hurriedly grabbed his coat and headed straight to the restaurant. To his surprise, by the time he came out of the hotel, he would encounter someone he didn''t expect to find.


    No, it wasn''t that he thought this person wouldn''t be here. Instead, he believed that the mayor would be pushing these people away so that they didn''t have to meet, considering the bad record between their two groups.


    Yes, Clovis actually met Ivan''s group when he had just left the hotel. It seemed that they were going in the same direction, probably because their hotel was that way.


    However, both Clovis and Ivan frowned in an instant. Ivan was accompanied by four women and one man. He could see that Ivan had progressed by leaps and bounds, but it still couldn''t be compared to the progress the Another World Mall gave him.


    In addition, he recognized Elina, the mastermind of the group, and Lovelia, Kanaria''s rival.


    Ivan gritted his teeth while glaring at him. "Why are you here?!"

 Chapter 256 Confidence

    "Why are you here?" Ivan glared at Clovis as if he were his nemesis.


    Clovis remained calm, glancing at the people in Ivan''s group. Elina had already taken a cautious stance while Lovelia was hostile but still remained careful. The other three people were confused. They had heard some rumors about the hostile relationship of their group with the Libation Fiesta, but they never knew the true extent.


    In addition, Libation Fiesta''s name wasn''t registered on the roster. So why would they be here?


    "Why am I here? I should be the one asking you. Why can''t I be here?" Clovis coldly replied with a condescending tone. It wasn''t that he looked down on Ivan, but this was the best time to trigger him.


    Because of the encounter with the assassins, he realized that Ivan would become irrelevant soon. So it would be best to crush him completely.


    "You aren''t included in the teams!" Ivan shouted.


    "Yeah. And?" Clovis sneered at him. "Does that mean I can''t participate in the competition?"


    "You?" Ivan gritted his teeth.


    "!!!" Elina noticed the meaning behind his words. She thought, ''Participating in the competition? Don''t tell me... is he going to participate as an independent team? If that''s the case, it doesn''t really matter if he''s on the list or not.@@@@


    ''No, this is actually not good for us. The people will judge our Drake Group even more. They can claim that we''ve pushed them away, but they still participate independently because they won''t be crushed by our pressure or something. It''s false, but people will just believe what makes sense.


    ''We have to somehow stop him. But how? Should we kill him right here? This is a different city, so it will be hard to trace it. But because of the competition, the security has been tightened... What are we supposed to do?''


    Elina gritted her teeth, trying her best to find a way.


    However, Ivan stepped forward and shouted, "Do you think you can do whatever you want? It''s going to be impossible for you to register for the competition. Or are you going to abandon your team members? Who was it again? Melody, was it? That woman is just a burden to your team."


    The blond-haired man chose not to dwell on this pathetic man and just walked away.


    Meanwhile, Clovis had gone to the restaurant to meet the mayor. He also noticed the middle-aged man next to the mayor and Vania.


    "Hello, sir." Clovis politely greeted him. "I apologize for making you wait."


    "It''s fine, it''s fine. Have you become Tier 2?"


    "Yes, sir." Clovis nodded with a smile. "Kanaria has briefed me about the discussion."


    "Mhmm. I''d like to hear your opinion. There will be a lot of strong opponents in this competition. Do you think you can defeat them?"


    "I don''t know." Clovis shook his head.


    "Isn''t this the time when you should assure me?"


    "I don''t like to make an empty promise. However, we have two Tier 3 people in our group. Although I shouldn''t boast like this, I don''t think I will lose against them."


    "Come on, Captain. You shouldn''t make us look bad." Melody pouted.


    "Sorry." Clovis scratched the back of his head. "But you are strong, you know. Your strength is abnormal even among other Tier 3 humans."


    Melody harrumphed. "I guess that''s fine." She knew that she was stronger than normal Tier 3 humans because of the items Clovis provided her and the Star Method.


    Clovis turned to the mayor. "I don''t know about Tier 4. However, if it''s a Tier 3 group, I believe I have a 70% chance of winning. Realistically speaking, I just hope we don''t have to face seeded opponents so that I can bring some results. Once we''re up there, I hope that the mayor doesn''t mind if I get a bit selfish and challenge those strong opponents."


    "Alright. That sounds good enough to me. As we agreed before, produce the result, I wouldn''t be stingy. After meeting you, I can rest assured." The mayor stood up as if he were about to leave. "I wish you luck."

 Chapter 257 Register

    "And now, it''s time to register." Clovis smirked, looking at the registration office.


    With such a reward, the competition was surely packed to the brim. There were a lot of people who would like to participate in this competition.


    However, if they just allowed anyone to enter, the arena would be too full and it would take a long time to advance to the main matches.


    So they had to be tested first.


    Jay glanced to the sides. He saw a few machines that were used to test the participants.


    "No! One more time please!"


    "I definitely can do better!"@@@@


    "You have failed. No retake. Your entire group can''t participate in the competition," the examiner stated firmly, not caring about their plea.


    Melody said, "Apparently, the test is quite hard. We can''t drop our guard down."


    "Mhmm... It should be fine." Jay nodded with a serious expression. "I believe this team can do it."


    "Yes." Ragna agreed. Even he, the weakest link, believed that they could do it.


    The bystanders didn''t bother to look at them, thinking they were just kids who wanted to test their strength. They might not even pass the test.


    However, there were two people who actually took particular interest in them. One of them was the blond-haired guy that Clovis saw in the street last night, and the other person was his friend.


    "Why do you want us to be here? I thought we had already passed the test."


    "Then I shall teach you something. Although it''s just a coincidence, there is an interesting guy out there."


    "An interesting guy? For someone who is so full of himself to praise this guy... is he that special?"


    "That is correct." Clovis nodded.


    "This..." The staff looked troubled. They were so young and talented, so they shouldn''t be too reckless and join the first competition. However, the young man was staring at him with a resolute face as if telling him that his answer would remain the same no matter what he said.


    The staff could only process their registration before saying, "I still need to take your blood and scan your arm to check your age and tier. After that, your team will be tested. If one of you fails the test, the entire group will be eliminated.


    "Unless you change your team, you won''t be able to retake the test." The staff was indirectly implying that if they failed, they should just ditch Melody and retake the test for the first competition instead of being stubborn.


    "Thank you." Clovis smiled, not caring about his words. They could just prove it with a result.


    The staff then pointed at the machine next to him. "Please put your hand inside the machine."


    Clovis inserted his hand and felt a sting on the tip of his finger.


    The machine determined that he was indeed 16 years old and had reached Tier 2. "No falsehood. The rest of your team, please."


    After the staff confirmed that there was no falsehood in their age and tier, he then proceeded to bring the document to the tester, which was located on the corner of the hall.


    Clovis followed the staff. It seemed that the staff was so concerned about them that he was willing to say a few things about them.


    While waiting for the staff to finish, Kanaria and Melody couldn''t help but turn their heads around as they found two unfamiliar people approaching them.


    "Can I help you?" Melody frowned, stopping the two of them.


    "..." Clovis couldn''t help but furrow his eyebrows, recognizing the blond man.


    "It''s nothing. I''m just here to wish you good luck. To think that we would be participating in the same competition..." The blond man smiled, his eyes staring to Clovis.


    "Do you know him?" Kanaria couldn''t help but feel curious.


    Before Clovis could answer, the examiner had actually called them.


    "Clovis. Move forward."

 Chapter 258 Test

    Clovis glanced at this blond man for a second as the latter simply placed his hand on his chest while lowering his head slightly like a gentleman. He indirectly told him that he shouldn''t pay him any mind.


    Clovis furrowed his eyebrows. This was a miscalculation on his part. The advantage of participating independently was that they wouldn''t be known by their enemies, giving them an element of surprise.


    Yet, one person had recognized him. He didn''t think the man knew about his true identity, so it was fine for now. But the competition had just become a bit harder since someone was there to investigate his strength.


    Clovis could only sigh inwardly as he headed to the examiner.


    There was a training dummy in front of him. The examiner simply said, "You can choose one thing you excel at the most. If you manage to pass a certain threshold that has been set, you pass. Your teammates will do the same, and if one of you fails, the group will fail. Understood?"


    "Yes."


    "In that case, choose your test."


    Clovis looked at the list of tests and simply said, "In that case, speed, please."


    "Alright." The examiner nodded with a serious expression, remembering what the staff told him. "The limit is set to be 7 strikes in two seconds. As long as you hit the dummy more than seven times, you pass. There''s no need to hit it too hard and end up losing your speed."


    Clovis nodded. The examiner even gave him some advice, probably because of the registration staff.


    When he was a Tier 1, his limit was 13 strikes in two seconds. He couldn''t help but wonder how strong he had become after becoming a Tier 2 human.


    Still, even for Tier 2 humans, getting 7 strikes wouldn''t be easy. Only top-notch Tier 2 explorers were able to do that.


    That was why most of the participants in this competition would be Tier 3 humans.


    Clovis took a deep breath and said, "I''m ready."


    "You may go at anytime."


    Clovis''s eyes flashed for a split second as he struck the training dummy multiple times.


    As soon as two seconds had passed, the examiner shouted, "Stop!"


    149 hits.


    She even almost doubled her number.


    However, the only person who didn''t shock the others was actually Ragna. He was known to be weak, so if he suddenly showed an amazing result, he couldn''t become their trump card anymore.


    Hence, Ragna only showed enough blocking strength to pass the test, which actually gave him a mysterious feeling for those who didn''t know him.


    After all, four of them had produced a shocking result. There was no way the fifth member would be normal.


    Clovis had told them to restrain themselves a bit, considering they were wearing the items from Another World Mall.


    They should produce quite a big result, but not too big since what truly mattered was the competition.


    When they finished their test, the blond-haired man actually stood in their way while extending his hand.


    "Erwin. I''m looking forward to competing with you."


    "..." Clovis frowned. He didn''t know who this guy was and was pretty annoyed by him being a busybody. However, it didn''t seem that he was a bad guy, especially with how shocked his friend was. His friend simply couldn''t believe that the man who only thought for himself would actually lower his pride just to know this person.


    Clovis said, "Do you like what you saw?"


    "I love it. I sincerely wish to compete with you and have no hard feelings after that."


    Clovis paused for a moment before shaking his hand. "Clovis."


    Erwin smiled and walked away. As if trying to repay him for the annoyance he caused, he gave one message. "There are four Tier 4 humans participating in this competition. Make sure you prepare yourself."


    "!!!" Clovis frowned. Four? According to Melody, there were only three Tier 4 humans. He couldn''t help but think, ''He is not including himself, right?''


    "By the way, Clovis. I have just given the message to the mayor about our participation and results. And in exchange, the fund has just entered our group''s account." Kanaria showed her Skyphone to show him the message from the mayor regarding the amount.


    "Mhmm?" Clovis glanced at the amount dumbfoundedly. ''Wait a moment. This amount... can''t I upgrade my membership and open a new shop with this?''@@@@

 Chapter 259 New Store

    When they went back, Clovis''s mind was filled with the potential of opening the new store. He had calculated that if he got another five hundred thousand, he would be able to upgrade his membership.


    However, the mayor actually surpassed his imagination. Whether it was due to the result or because of his name, the mayor actually sent twice the amount.


    Yes, the mayor sent a million just for a Tier 2 group. It was an unimaginable amount. Even a Tier 3 group would have a hard time getting this amount of money.


    So Clovis was shocked when the mayor was willing to spend so much for his group. Then again, his group managed to easily get that amount, considering they were capable of killing dozens of Tier 3 groups in the last few weeks.@@@@


    Clovis looked at the membership.


    Membership: Level 14 (Big Elite)


    Upgrade Membership: 2,500,000 Otherworld Coins/Month.


    Clovis pinched the bridge of his nose. He knew that money was fleeting, but he had no other choice but to do this.


    Clovis looked at his status first with a grunted expression.


    [Name: Clovis Hacfield.]


    [Membership: Level 14 (Big Elite)]


    [Money: 3,910,450 Otherworldly Coins.]


    [Item Limit: 14/Visit]


    [Visit: 0(2)/Day]


    "This is definitely going to cost me a lot." Clovis bit his lips as he pressed the upgrade button. "Goodbye, my dear money."


    [Upgrade Complete.]


    Membership: Level 15 (Super Elite)


    Upgrade Membership: 5,000,000 Otherworld Coins/Month.


    "Guh!" Clovis placed his hand on his chest, looking at the amount of coins that got doubled in just one level. He didn''t know how many months he needed to level up another three levels.


    "..." Clovis looked baffled, wondering why they were even here. Then again, Melody might go to the Gaming category if she somehow came here.


    "Tabloid, huh? Is it the usual tabloid?" Clovis muttered and checked the aisle, finding several tabloids. The first one had an elf wearing a bikini on the cover.


    "Yeah. That''s definitely it." Clovis sighed. When he raised his head, he saw a section that was different from the rest. It was isolated.


    "What is that?" Clovis asked while walking toward the area. But to his surprise, when he was about to reach this section, he hit an invisible wall.


    *Bang!*


    "Wha¡ª!" Clovis ended up falling on his butt while holding his forehead. "What the heck? Is it like the grocery store where I need to upgrade a bit more to open this section?"


    [No.]


    Surprisingly, Blue answered him while standing in front of him as if trying to stop him from going.


    "Then what? Why can''t I enter?"


    [Because this section is for the R-18 section. And you are still 16 years old.]


    "..." There was an awkward silence for a moment before Clovis grabbed one of the books that was displayed on the shelf next to him as though he wanted to throw it to this section. "Then, why the hell is it there?"


    [So that you can wait until you''re an adult and do adult stuff.]


    "Then what about the tabloids? No, do you know that, from where I come from, 16 years old is already considered an adult? And..." Clovid didn''t even finish his words as Blue rejected him entirely.


    [Jailbreaking me is useless.]


    "I''m going to throw you next." Clovis remarked before pinching the bridge of his nose. He had never thought that he would be this triggered by a simple book store. "This is ridiculous. Just bring me to the technique section. I want to see if the technique can be used or not."


    Clovis could see some books that others could use.


    On one side, there were books called ''Elf''s Sniping Guide'' and ''Dark Elf''s Way of Shadow.'' On the other side, there were books for Jay such as ''Minotaur''s Muscle Swing.''


    Apparently, he could see the book''s introduction. It only consisted of one page, but it gave him an idea of what the book was all about, which should make him purchase the right thing.


    Still, it would take too long if he read them one by one.


    "Blue. Do you have some recommendations for me?" Hence, he relied on Blue, which made things simpler.

 Chapter 260 Choices

    "Blue. Do you have some recommendations for me?" Hence, he relied on Blue, which made things simpler.


    Blue picked up several books and presented them to Clovis.


    [These are the books that I believe are currently suitable for Master''s current strength.]


    "Mhmm?" Clovis looked at the title of the books: Werewolf''s Basic Footwork, Centaur''s Dual Wielding, Dark Elf''s Throwing Technique, Demon Dog''s Speed Star, and Knight''s Basic Swordsmanship.


    "These are rather unique titles. I have my current footwork, but I wonder if this one is good. The Werewolf is known for their speed, right?@@@@


    "How about this Centaur''s Dual Wielding? They are a rather strong race, but I''m also using two swords.


    "This throwing technique must be implying my short sword. I throw it a lot. Normally, I just use it for mobility. But if I can use it for dealing damage to the beasts or even killing them, won''t it be good?


    "What about this Knight''s Basic Swordsmanship? Well, it''s a fantasy world, so it must be a kind of sword and magic world. I guess a knight is a huge deal there.


    "The thing that confuses me the most is this Demon Dog''s Speed Star. What is this?"


    Out of the five titles, he had to read the introduction to the Demon Dog''s Speed Star to understand what this technique was all about.


    Demon Dog''s Speed Star.


    A single hit is deadly. If the enemy is quick enough to block our attack, we just have to get even faster so that we can hit the enemy.


    "Mhmmm?" Clovis tilted his head in confusion. "I still don''t understand what it''s talking about. From what I can see, this one emphasizes swinging speed. Is it using a powerful blade that can easily cut down the enemy''s? If that''s the case, it''s going to be good for me.


    "However, do I have enough money?" Clovis glanced at the book''s price.


    Name: Demon Dog''s Speed Star.


    Price: 100,000 Otherworldly Coins.


    "It''s so expensive... And I have to take into account my spending for Tier 2 items from the grocery store." Clovis looked down, falling into deep thought.


    Blue projected a document with a lot of words on it.


    "Ugh. Why does it look so annoying to read? Basically, it''s similar to the law of my world, right?"


    [Yes.]


    "I think I get the gist of it." Clovis let out a long sigh. "It seems that I have no other choice but to buy another book."


    Clovis decided to buy the Eagle Vision and the Ogre''s Leadership books.


    Melody would benefit a lot from the latter while she shared the Eagle Vision with Kanaria.


    "It''s hard to be a leader. You have to be careful so that the members don''t feel left out or annoyed. My poor wallets." Clovis let out a long sigh. He would need to be careful not to have any surprise purchases after this.


    Blue helped him take the books to the cashier. After paying for everything, Clovis couldn''t help but ask, "Blue. Do you mind if I actually stay here and practice a bit? The mall is spacious, right?"


    [Yes.]


    "Will I get a punishment or something if I end up breaking things in this place?"


    [If it''s items that are for sale, it will be considered as buying them. If it''s an item not for sale such as a glass window or wall, you will have to pay for it.]


    "Pay, huh?"


    [Yes. The coins will be deducted directly from your wallet.]


    "..." Clovis let out a long sigh. "Alright. I will just practice in a proper space. There are still a few days to get ready, so I might gain some insight. The problem will be how I can persuade my teammates. Can I change the title?"


    [You can but it will be unethical.]


    "How about you give me some reasons to convince them, Blue?"


    [In that case, how about...]

 Chapter 261 Shifting the Blame

    "Now that we''re done with the registration, I think we need to come up with a concrete plan for the competition. Like... should we utilize all our strength at once, or should we hide Ragna, who is known to be weak, as our trump card?


    "Considering we have three Tier 2 explorers and two Tier 3 explorers in our group, it can be said that people will look down on us. Then again, if I''m not wrong, there is a bid for the winner of this tournament. Should we bet on ourselves?


    "At the very least, we know that there are going to be a few difficult opponents. I''m expecting us to reach the semifinals at the very least."


    Kanaria explained their problems, wanting to know about the people''s decision, specifically Clovis''s.


    Jay and the others also knew that it would be Clovis who would be giving his opinion on the plan. Their gazes immediately shifted to him after Kanaria was done with her explanation.


    To their surprise, Clovis was tapping the table continuously while staring at the table with an empty gaze as if something had troubled him.


    "Clovis?" Kanaria frowned.


    "Yeah?" Clovis raised his head.


    "Did you listen to my explanation earlier?"


    "Yes. I mean, you all can start discussing it." Clovis extended his hand, gesturing to them to start giving out plans.


    Kanaria looked concerned. It wasn''t like Clovis to act this way. Even if he didn''t have a concrete plan, he would usually lead the discussion by asking people''s opinions.


    However, it seemed that Clovis was distracted with something. Kanaria couldn''t help but ask, "It''s not like you to act like this. Is there something wrong?"@@@@


    "No, no. It''s fine. How about we hear Jay''s opinion first?" Clovis asked while looking away. His expression showed how distracted he was.


    "Clovis... Is it something that you can''t share with us?" Kanaria decided to confirm it first. If it was supposed to be a secret, they would just move on.


    Kanaria, on the other hand, understood why Clovis looked concerned since she had been living with Clovis. He wasn''t the type of person who loved to use this kind of term, so the books made him look a bit edgier.


    "I see. Let me confirm it first. Your grandfather sent these books, but you could only open them after becoming a Tier 2 human. The fact that you never looked troubled meant you didn''t know they were actually books before this. And once you opened it, you understood what they were and their connection to us. But the names complicated things up.


    Is that correct?" Kanaria asked.


    "Something like that." Clovis nodded.


    "I don''t really care about the name. But are you sure you are able to share this with us? This is a technique that a Tier 9 human picked personally for us, right? I don''t think this is ordinary," Jay asked.


    "Well, there''s no way I can learn everything. Then again, I''d appreciate it if you could give the books back to me after you learn them since they shouldn''t be spread." Clovis nodded.


    "Alright." Jay grabbed his book, fully knowing that this minotaur book was for him.


    Ragna also agreed with him. As long as it could get him stronger, who really cared about the titles?


    What they didn''t know was that if Clovis showed them these books without shifting the blame to his grandfather, they would be more concerned about the titles. In addition, they would hesitate to take it because they had gotten so much from him.


    However, his grandfather''s name cleared it up a bit as if saying, ''I personally chose it for you, so you will take it, right?'' with a rather authoritative tone.


    "If that''s the case, I''ll take it." Ragna nodded. "I will definitely learn this technique along with the Star Method. I''ll not disappoint this group during the tournament."


    Kanaria looked at the three books and glanced at Melody. "It seems that we can share this Eagle Vision, Melody."


    "Yeah. I think so too." Melody nodded.


    Looking at how they accepted it so easily, Clovis couldn''t help but mutter inwardly, ''Thank you, Blue, for suggesting this idea. And I''m sorry, Grandfather. I put the blame in your name.''

 Chapter 262 Rules

    Due to these new techniques, the group realized that their plans might differ after they understood a bit of them.


    Jay learned a better way of utilizing the muscles on his arms, which improved his swing''s strength significantly. He never thought that the Minotaur''s Swing would be that effective.


    The same applied to Ragna. He had been training with Jay, getting used to blocking a very powerful attack like what Jay used. The Dwarven''s shielding technique increased his blocking strength drastically. He could become bolder in his role with this kind of technique.


    Kanaria and Melody were the same. As their pathmaker, Melody should understand the way they conducted the battle. That was why the leadership book was very important. It was similar to a strategy game for her, but it also took a lot of trial and error to understand the battlefield, which caused Kanaria to get the Eagle Vision.


    Yes, Kanaria had learned a bit from the sniping position and technique. It even taught her about movement techniques she could use as a sniper. Kanaria had more leisure time because the book resonated with her more than she imagined.


    She was the fastest to comprehend the technique assigned to her. And she took that opportunity to learn about the Eagle Vision, which changed her perspective on how she viewed the battlefield. And it even gave her the correct way to increase the sharpness of her vision.


    Meanwhile, the slowest one was Clovis. After all, he''d picked up three techniques at the same time.


    The basic swordsmanship was extremely beneficial for him. This whole time, his grandfather never taught him swordsmanship. He just kept sparring with Clovis, allowing him to refine his movement bit by bit. It was a technique that focused on survival.


    However, with this book as the foundation, Clovis''s swordsmanship became even more refined. His footwork received a similar result.


    Unfortunately, he only had five days to prepare. Hence, Clovis focused on something that he could learn in a short period of time. It was the Demon Dog''s technique.


    Clovis felt like he was flying. The speed of his swing increased as the flow between each swing became connected and actually acted as the foundation for the next swing.


    Clovis''s swing speed, which was already deadly to beasts or humans, became even more terrifying.@@@@


    "Hello, everyone! We are about to start the second competition, the Shining Star Competition! I will be with you for this tournament. Allow me to introduce myself, I''m Shion." The commentator was a woman in her late twenties. She had long brown hair and a cheerful personality that made her look younger than her actual age.


    The people cheered for her like an idol. "I''m a Tier 3 explorer, so I''ll make sure to cover everything with my experience. Please take care of me.


    "Allow me to explain the rules for this Shining Star Competition. There are a total of 46 teams that will be participating in this competition. During the preliminary stage, this number will be cut to only 16 groups.


    "These 16 groups will be competing in the main stage, which I will explain tomorrow. For the preliminary stage, the groups will be sent to the Little Star Forest to hunt beasts.


    "A Tier 0 beast will give the team 1 point, a Tier 1 beast will give them 5 points, a Tier 2 beast will give them 20 points, and a Tier 3 beast will give them 100 points. This Little Star Forest is only a Tier 3 area, so there won''t be any Tier 4 beasts.


    "Of course, the team can steal points from other teams as well. However, killing or intentionally delivering permanent damage is forbidden. If they are caught, they will be disqualified and punished severely according to city law. We are here to compete, not kill each other after all.


    "The 16 teams with the highest points will advance to the main competition. Let''s wish all the competitors the best as well as the fairness of the competition!


    "We have more than a thousand drones spread around the area so that we will be able to monitor them. We have an advanced team that is helping with advanced AI to maintain the fairness of this round.


    "Once again, welcome, all competitors, to the Shining Star Competition!"


    "Uoohh!" The spectators cheered, supporting their own teams.


    Mayor Revan was clapping his hands while staring at the four teams that represented his city.


    At the same time, the competitors on the ground were already facing off against each other, meeting their respective rivals.


    Clovis was the same as he was standing in front of the blond-haired man he met yesterday, Erwin.

 Chapter 263 Starting

    "Uoooh!" The people cheered for the participants more than the people from the first competition. They knew that this competition would be the most interesting because the first competition was for budding sprouts, while the third competition was for late bloomers.


    The second competition was for people at their peak. Obviously, they had proven their strength and they would show what they could become in the future.


    That was why people actually paid more attention to this competition.


    Obviously, the participants were also staring at each other. The fact that they had ''proven'' their power meant they were quite famous.


    On one side, Erwin was actually standing in front of a woman with light blue hair.


    "Hmph. You are one step ahead of me, Aileen. However, don''t think you are superior to me yet." Erwin snorted.


    "It doesn''t really matter. I''ve defeated you multiple times, one more time is not a problem."


    "Say that after you win against me. Just look at you... it seems that your evolution has caused more mutations... your black hair has turned light blue." Erwin snorted. "Besides, you are not my only target in this competition."


    "..." Aileen furrowed her eyebrows. She couldn''t help but glance to the side. Her gaze focused on two people.


    The first one was a man with a white uniform, the Stellar City''s scion, Tier 4 Rafael. The second person is a woman with a red martial uniform, the Martial Master, Tier 4 Rika.


    Aileen thought that these two were the people in his mouth. However, she was surprised when Erwin suddenly walked away, heading for a rather young man.


    "!!!" Aileen couldn''t help but furrow her eyebrows, thinking, ''A young man? Is he the one Erwin mentioned? Is he... still under 20 years old? No, I don''t think he''s even 18. But his strength is already Tier 2. Still, Erwin might look dumb, but his eyes for talent are exceptional.


    Does that mean this young man is actually stronger than he seems and is participating in this competition with the intention to win? Is he serious?''


    Erwin walked toward Clovis while smiling. "You''ve truly come for the competition. I''ll be looking forward to our duel in the main competition."


    "..." Clovis was speechless. It was precisely because of this man that he had to change his strategy a little bit. Clovis could feel several gazes on them, not only curiosity but also hatred.


    Most of the teams here definitely thought they were weak and would become a perfect target.


    When they boarded the aircraft, there was a staff member from the military asking them to put on a blindfold.


    After that, they took off to the sky, heading to their battlefield.


    Apparently, each team had its own spot, and the helicopters would drop off one group after another.


    To avoid other groups from finding them, they were blindfolded until it was their time to board off.


    This way, all groups were able to be dispersed within a short period of time without knowing each other''s location to ensure the fairness of the competition.


    Clovis''s group was taken into a small plain within the forest. There was nothing remarkable, so they could simply go around once the competition started.


    It only took them thirty minutes to drop all the participants.


    "A battle royale, huh?" Melody smirked. "I play this kind of game a lot. We have the zone and the timing. It seems that we''ll be fighting here for two hours or until there are only 16 groups left. The zone will remain the same, so the sixteen groups with the highest points will advance to the next round."


    "Do you have any plans for this, Melody?" Kanaria asked.


    "Camping." Jay surprisingly gave the answer. "Conserve our strength and let them take out each other first along with the beasts. After they are tired, we''ll hunt them down."


    "Yep." Melody pointed at Jay, implying that he took those words out of her mouth.


    "Will you do it, Jay?" Clovis smirked.


    "Not really. This is a perfect time to test my new strength. However, it''s not like we can show off all our strength, right? In that case, how about letting me take care of them? Let them focus on me."


    "I think that''s good too. If necessary, Melody will take part." Clovis nodded. "I and Kanaria will focus on taking down the demons and Ragna will become the buffer between us."


    "I think we''ve got a plan." Jay pumped his fists, getting excited.


    After a moment, they finally got the signal, symbolizing the start of the competition.

 Chapter 264 First Encounter

    "Each participant has taken their position. The preliminary match is about to start. Let''s count together, everyone!" Shion raised three fingers. "3!"


    The audience also participated in the countdown as they looked at the numerous live videos coming from the drones.


    "2!"


    "1!"


    "Start!"


    ...


    In the forest, Clovis looked up, finding countless drones that were hovering in the air. Once the countdown was over, they shot a firework into the sky.


    The loud bang symbolized the start of the competition.


    "Let''s go! This is the only competition for today, so it''s fine to overwork a little." Clovis waved his hand.


    Clovis''s group headed north according to Melody''s instructions. The area itself was quite spacious. Tier 2 and Tier 3 humans could easily cover the distance from one corner to another, so it didn''t really matter for them.


    The beasts were still roaming around.


    In fact, the first thing that most groups, including Clovis''s group, encountered was a pack of beasts.


    They started killing the beasts to get the initial points. Because of the drone shots, there was no need for them to get their essence as proof.


    All of them were monitored and calculated by a group of experts and AI.


    Hence, after the beasts died, Clovis led his group to the next destination.


    ...


    In the stadium, Shion slammed the table and shouted enthusiastically. "Uooh! We''ve got our first battle. It''s the Bloody Rose against the Red Ant!"


    "But..." Shion paused for a moment as the battle lasted only an instant. "Bloody Rose obliterated them!"


    "Oh! What is this? There is a group that has already encountered the Tier 3 beast? They are..." Shion paused for a moment before saying, "Li...ba...tion Fiesta! I apologize if I pronounce it wrong. Still, is this luck?


    Will they still have enough strength left to fight against other beasts after dealing with this Tier 3 beast?"


    ...


    As announced, Clovis actually found a Tier 3 beast. It looked like a lizard and had a very long tongue.


    Clovis only glanced at them and said, "Ragna."


    "Yes?"


    "Are you okay?"


    "Of course. We are here to win."


    "Hahaha!" Suddenly, they laughed. "Did you hear that? They come here to win? With only them?"


    "Jay, Melody."


    "There are only four of them. All of them are here. Don''t worry." Melody assured him, looking at these four, who seemed to be using melee weapons.


    "Should I take care of them?" Jay asked with a cold tone, disliking the fact that they dared to insult their teammates.


    "Will that be a problem?" Clovis smiled.


    "No. Take your time with the lizard." Jay leaped toward them. Melody was the same, but from the outside.


    "They''re coming?!"


    "Fools!"


    Those four people looked down on Jay, who was only Tier 2. They focused more on Melody, ready to intercept her if she came closer.


    Meanwhile, Clovis immediately took over Jay''s position and played with the lizard.


    On the other hand, Jay had closed the gap between them.


    "I''ll take care of this brat. You two go for the woman. Rain, you watch out for the others."


    Jay sped up, seeing the one who was commanding the group swing his sword. "Little brat. I''m going to teach you the strength of a Tier 3 human! It''s not something that can be compared to a¡ª!"


    Jay struck his sword before he could even finish, blowing him away.


    Bam!


    The guy crashed into a tree with such force that it dented the tree.


    The enemies couldn''t help but drop their jaws to the ground.


    "Too much chit chat."

 Chapter 265 Destroying the Enemies

    "Too much chit chat." Jay harrumphed.@@@@


    "!!!" The two comrades that were supposed to stop Melody got distracted, not believing that their captain was actually defeated in a single swing.


    Melody smiled, using this distraction to swiftly loop around.


    "Not good!" One of them noticed and turned around, trying to stop Melody.


    However, Jay abruptly rushed toward them.


    "He''s coming!" Both of them were forced to stop. After their captain was blown away just like that, it was obvious that they couldn''t stop Jay''s attack alone. They needed to work together.


    Still, there was still the fourth person standing in Melody''s path. He was supposed to stop Clovis and the others, but because Melody was aiming for their captain, he had to stop him.


    However, both Melody and Jay abruptly came to a halt, their hands covering their ears and their heads turning away.


    "!!!" Their opponents didn''t understand what was happening, thinking this was their chance.


    But the next instant, the flash grenade exploded.


    *Bang!*


    The explosion occurred for a split second, but it instantly caused the three fighters to scream out of pain.


    "Aarrgh!" They were clutching their heads, feeling the painful ringing in their ears.


    "First of all, let''s calm down and check what has just happened. In the first exchange, it seems that the captain of White Bird said a few things. I''m not good at reading lips, but the Libation Fiesta clearly didn''t like it.


    "Jay from Libation Fiesta chose this time to attack him. The captain of White Bird underestimated him because of the difference in Tier, which caused him not to use 100% of his power.


    "However, the gap between tiers was not that easy to overcome. Even if he didn''t use his full power, unless there was a big gap in their strength, it was impossible for his opponent to blow him away in that manner.


    "In other words, despite being a Tier 2, Jay Havenson was able to overwhelm him. I couldn''t really believe it, but his strength was unprecedented, even among Tier 3. Just imagine if he were a Tier 3 or a bit older so that he could develop his muscles more. That was unbelievable.


    "Still, the one who held the key to the victory was actually their operator. She looped around to distract the opponents before shifting their focus back to Jay. That distraction allowed her to toss a flash grenade without anyone noticing.


    "As a mobile operator, she was also expected to inform her teammates about it, so you could see here that she typed a few things on her device while moving.


    "After that, she took down her opponent before securing their captain. Now that she has dealt the finishing blows to all these squads, White Bird is now officially eliminated.


    "From my perspective, the biggest reason for their loss was that they underestimated Libation Fiesta. If I were to be their opponent, I wouldn''t underestimate them. They might become the biggest dark horse in this competition.


    "Still..." Shion paused for a moment. "While we were too focused on their battle, we actually missed what happened on the other side.


    "Their captain, Clovis, was able to eliminate the Tier 3 beast so swiftly. Unlike the humans, the beast wasn''t careless at all.


    "We actually needed to slow down the video to actually see his swings. One... two... three... WHAT?! 12 swings in one second?! A normal Tier 2 could only do 4 to 5 swings in one second. What''s the deal with this group? How could they be so strong?


    "He actually slashed the beast multiple times, hiding his real attack, which aimed for the beast''s eye. He did it twice and gradually cut down the beast from its mouth. After realizing that he couldn''t penetrate the outer skin, he began from the inside. Amazing, strong! I can''t describe their performance... No, I don''t even know whether I can win against them or not!


    "Clovis and Jay Havenson, we will definitely hear more of them after this competition. And two of them still hadn''t made their moves... the other Tier 2 human, their sniper, Kanaria Renvolt and the Tier 3 guardian, Ragna... Ragna?!"

 Chapter 266 Shocking

    "Ragna?" Shion gasped. "Is he the infamous Ragna? I think the people in this city have heard the rumor about him. His evolution rate is very high, but he has a certain body''s constitution that makes him unable to fully utilize his power as a guardian. He is in this group?"


    "Well, there might be a change. With their strength and potential, I don''t think they will just recruit anyone into their team, so we might be able to see his change. I''m looking forward to it." Shion laughed, neither completely dissing him nor praising him. She had to remain neutral after all.


    "Wow!"


    "Uoooh!"


    "How can these people be that strong when they are so young?"


    The people were flabbergasted. It was simply too hard to believe that someone could reach this level of skill at that age.


    Some people were actually scouts for big companies. They began investigating the Libation Fiesta, wanting to know their affiliation and the possibility of recruiting them.


    On the other hand, Mayor Revan simply clapped his hands nonstop as he excitedly asked the trainer next to him. "Did you see that? They are really strong! Is it true that their strength surpasses their current tier? No, it surpasses even the strength of the people above their tier."


    The guy was completely speechless. He thought about the meeting a few days ago and how he hated Clovis for wasting his chance because he couldn''t abandon Melody.


    However, it seemed that he was the foolish one. If Clovis participated in the first competition, he would be able to claim the first spot. However, it wouldn''t give them any challenges that could force them to grow even further. In addition, the impact of their victory in the first competition was much lower compared to the second competition.


    If they managed to produce a good result, they would definitely become famous.@@@@


    He had completely misunderstood them. "Yes. The commentator''s assessment was pretty accurate. I have to apologize to them after this."


    "Is that so?" Mayor Revan didn''t think it was necessary, considering he just voiced his concern. But that was because he wasn''t an explorer himself.


    However, there was one more person who was shocked to the core after witnessing Libation Fiesta''s performance.


    It was a middle-aged man wearing a military uniform. He was the one holding the highest military power in this base. He came here to show his support for both the competition and his son, one of the three Tier 4 participants, Rafael.


    Now that they had a new plan, they continued to their original destination while accumulating as many points as possible.


    Clovis and Jay cut down one beast after another, accumulating a pretty high point by itself.


    It was a rather peaceful period since they didn''t meet another group during this time.


    However, it didn''t mean that other groups didn''t encounter one another.


    During the first hour, there were a lot of clashes among the participants.


    Some managed to take down the whole group, while others failed and let a few members escape, which caused them to be unable to steal their points.


    In total, ten groups had been eliminated. Another eight groups had lost at least one of their teammates, significantly reducing the number of people on this battlefield.


    Just like Libation Fiesta, there were a few other groups that dominated the battlefield, especially the three groups under the leadership of a Tier 4 human and Erwin''s group.


    They knew their points, but they didn''t know others'' points, which gave them a sense of urgency to take down other groups or beasts to get more points.


    However, some groups were content with their current points and chose to hide, believing that their points were enough to be among the 16 groups that would advance to the next round.


    Still, there were a few groups that became desperate because they didn''t encounter a lot of beasts or people, and they ended up with only a few points.


    These people were roaming around, trying to either find a human or a beast.


    And Clovis had to actually meet one of those groups.


    Clovis raised his head, looking at the group consisting of three Tier 2 humans and three Tier 3 humans.


    Unbeknownst to them, they would actually fight a battle they had never encountered before. The battle was against desperate people who would do anything to win.

 Chapter 267 Desperate

    "There are only thirty minutes left." Kanaria glanced at Clovis. "Should we stop here or continue to aim for the top spot?"


    "We''ll continue." Clovis''s expression turned serious.


    "Alright." Kanaria nodded. "Though I don''t really like the fact that we''re giving them more information... I mean, they are going to review our performance, right?"


    "Yes. However, it''s not like we''re giving them the correct information. We''re still holding back to a certain degree."


    "So you want them to think that our strength is only limited to this level? And the rest will be just speculation?"


    Clovis answered it with a nod.


    "Alright, then."


    "Wait, guys." Melody suddenly frowned. "I seem to find people coming from that direction."


    Clovis glanced in the direction Melody was pointing. Kanaria did the same and noticed the shadow approaching. They were still a bit too far, so they got some time to react.


    "Jay, Melody."


    "Leave them to us!" Jay stepped forward with Melody. Melody hid behind a tree while Kanaria climbed a tree. The people weren''t much of a problem, but they had to be cautious against beasts. Kanaria was there just to ensure that no beasts approached them, considering they hadn''t cleared this area.


    "There are a total of four people coming toward us. I will be giving you the route, Jay." Melody started picking up the route among the trees.@@@@


    "Roger." Jay immediately followed the directions. His gaze met two pairs of eyes in the distance.


    Now that they were spotted, there was no need to sneak around anymore.


    The two guys rushed toward Jay, holding their weapons.


    Kanaria looked at their positioning and said, "I found one gunner. They''re probably trying to lure you before taking you out, Jay."


    But he couldn''t recover from his position, and it would only take an instant for these two guys to kill him. Even Jay couldn''t defeat his opponents in this position.


    "Die!" The two guys approached him and swung their blades, planning to just hit Jay.


    However, they soon heard a gunshot from the side. The next thing they realized, one of them had already been shot in the head. The momentum of the bullet knocked him to the side as the paint spread all over his hair.


    At the same time, a short sword suddenly flew from the side and appeared between them, almost hitting the other guy''s blade.


    "!!!" Even though the short sword missed, the person was already stunned, instinctively taking a step back to avoid whatever was coming.


    He glanced to the side, finding Clovis approaching them.


    Clovis took out his pistol and shot the guy and the big one in rapid succession, eliminating them.


    All three of them were shocked that they were eliminated all of a sudden. The remaining guy emerged from his hiding spot, wanting to do the same thing. He planned to shoot Clovis and Jay in rapid succession.


    However, when he came out of his hiding spot, Melody did the same, shooting him first from behind.


    "Gah!" Their gunner was pushed down by the force of the bullet and glanced at the shooter, realizing that he was also already defeated.


    Jay simply couldn''t believe that they would resort to such a thing. In a real battle, they would have died before attempting such a thing.


    At the same time, he couldn''t find any rules that they broke. The rules merely stated that they couldn''t kill, so as long as they weren''t ''killed,'' they could still do something.


    "NO! We''re still able to fight!" One of them roared, standing up again and marching toward Jay, planning to cut him down. They didn''t want to lose the preliminary match.


    Jay hurriedly pushed away the big guy that restrained him and tried to get back up. ''Tsk. It''s too late.''


    Unfortunately for that guy, Clovis appeared at a timely manner, kicking him on the cheek and blowing him away.


    "Tsk. I really hate this type of fight." Clovis sighed after landing.

 Chapter 268 Retreat

    "Tsk. I really hate this type of fight." Clovis sighed after landing.


    Clovis hurriedly pulled Jay up so that they could get away from these people. With distance, they shouldn''t do anything reckless like earlier.


    "Sorry." Jay extended his hand.


    "No problem." Clovis slapped Jay''s hand quite hard as if telling him to be careful.


    Jay could only give him a wry smile, knowing that he had done something bad. "Now you know why I don''t really want to kill my enemies, right?"


    "I guess."


    "To kill the enemies, we have to corner them first. However, the cornered enemies will fight back since they''re going to die anyway, trying to drag us together. Even with such an overwhelming gap, the enemy can simply throw a grenade and explode together or something.


    "The fact that we can''t kill them in this competition eliminates our only option, which is going for a swift kill."


    Jay''s expression turned grim since he had just experienced it.


    "Anyway, it''s good that you''re alright." Clovis waved his hand to Kanaria, thanking her for the assist.


    Jay looked down, falling into deep thought.


    "Also, I should be thankful that you can experience such a thing early on. I''m afraid that the same thing will happen to Ivan pretty soon."


    "!!!" Jay widened his eyes. Now that he thought about it, Clovis indeed wanted to eliminate Ivan from the competition by showing the enormous gap and the Drake Group''s corrupt method.


    When that happened, Ivan might likely be coming in the same manner. However, Ivan shouldn''t be foolish enough to face them head-on. With such a hidden danger, they should be on guard all the time.


    "I understand. I''ll take this experience to heart." Jay nodded with a serious expression.


    Clovis smiled, satisfied. He simply chose to regroup first before getting his short sword back. After all, he wanted these people to calm down first.


    But to his surprise, right after Clovis and Jay returned to their original spot, Melody and Ragna suddenly reacted.


    Ragna stepped to the side and raised his shield while Melody warned them, "Another incoming group!"@@@@


    "!!!" Clovis and Jay raised their heads, seeing multiple people between the trees.


    Meanwhile, Aileen was thinking a similar thing.


    "Miss Aileen. Why do we have to retreat? We can crush those groups! They only have three Tier 2 and two Tier 3 explorers. They are too insignificant compared to us." Her teammate complained.


    The other teammates were staring at Aileen, wanting to know her answer.


    "That was the best choice." Aileen shook her head.


    "Why?"


    "At least explain the reason to us. Your decision didn''t make sense earlier."


    "Weren''t they the group that you asked me to investigate?" Her friend, Lana, asked.


    "!!!" The other teammates raised their eyebrows. It was unexpected for that kind of group to get Aileen''s attention.


    "Are they strong?" Lana frowned.


    "I don''t know," Aileen replied without a change of expression.


    "What?"


    "If you don''t know..."


    "They might not be that strong."


    Aileen shook her head and said, "Well, you want me to tell you the one thing I do know?"


    "Very much so." Lana nodded furiously. The others also fell silent, looking at her with a curious expression.


    "I''ve never really talked about it, but me and Erwin do go pretty far back... ever since we both studied in the academy as rivals. It''s true that Erwin''s combat talents are inferior when compared to mine. However, I have never seen someone else that can compare when it comes to his eyes for people. If that''s the man that Erwin has acknowledged, then he might not be ordinary.


    If we clashed with them, we would probably suffer a huge loss as well."


    All her teammates dropped their jaws to the ground as they couldn''t believe what she had just said.


    Only Lana, who was her best friend, looked at her dumbfoundedly as she couldn''t help but think, ''Is the comparison for combat talent necessary?''

 Chapter 269 Rank

    "What''s this? What''s this? Libation Fiesta has just encountered Bloody Rose?!" Shion stood up, announcing it with so much excitement.


    "Uooh!" The audience cheered as though they were expecting something. The battle between the two groups would definitely spark a lot of excitement.


    Mayor Revan turned pale when he saw their encounter. "No! Not good! If they fight..."


    Mayor Revan might have some confidence in Clovis and the others, but he didn''t believe that Clovis''s group was able to fight against Bloody Rose.


    He thought, with some luck, they would be able to get into the top eight, if not the top four, as long as they didn''t encounter a team with a Tier 4 explorer in their team.


    However, he never thought that they would encounter one so soon. "Run away! Don''t fight with them. Focus on achieving a high rank first before doing the challenge!"


    Mayor Revan panickedly waved his hand, hoping that Clovis would retreat.


    But the battlefield was even more unpredictable.


    "What? Bloody Rose is actually leaving?!" Shion shouted with a dumbfounded expression.


    Some people were left disappointed, thinking that they had just missed an important match.


    "Why are they leaving? Are they aware of Libation Fiesta''s strength? Are they thinking that this battle is not worth the effort? However, they have crushed all the teams that challenged them. Is Bloody Rose so resourceful that they manage to actually find the Dark Horse of the competition?!" Shion kept asking a lot of questions, making the audience think instead of getting disappointed.


    They couldn''t deny the possibility. After witnessing their strength, they knew that Libation Fiesta definitely had the chance to rank very high in this competition.


    Everyone was dying to get an answer.@@@@


    However, Shion hurriedly directed their focus by saying, "It''s unfortunate that we can''t watch such a match. However, we''re very sure that we''ll see them a lot in the main tournament. There isn''t a lot of time left. Who will actually get first place in the preliminary match?"


    The participants continued moving according to their strategy. A lot of people had gone into hiding, playing it safely so as to avoid getting ambushed.


    However, some desperate people also ran around like crazy, searching for other competitors.


    After Clovis ran into one more desperate group, he decided to play it safe and stay hidden for the rest of the time. Still, the second desperate group was more manageable, considering Jay didn''t underestimate his enemies and took some measures to get rid of their desperate attack.


    When the time was up, there was a signal flare released into the sky.


    Erwin looked up while smiling. "Let''s see... How are our competitors doing?"


    Rafael was sitting on a small boulder while placing his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands with a grim expression. He was on the edge because this was a matter of protecting the city''s pride.


    If people saw that the group that represented their city wasn''t on top, they would lose trust.


    The same applied to the third Tier 4, Martial Master Rika. She crossed her arms while leaning on a tree, waiting for the points to be calculated.


    Aileen just closed her eyes as if she were satisfied with the answer.


    ...


    Imemine.


    "This... We are fourth? Who is this Libation Fiesta?" The people in this group were confused, believing that they would get at least the top three in the ranking after working so hard.


    But what was even more shocking was that Erwin, the most conceited guy in the team, was actually smiling.


    "You sounded like you were having fun." His friend rolled his eyes.


    "Hahahaha! It''s been a while since I''ve had a rival."


    "I don''t think he acknowledges you as his rival... just like Aileen."


    "Hahahaha! This is just a preliminary match. We''ll be taking them down in the main competition!"


    "You are not even listening." His friend sighed, knowing Erwin''s personality.


    "I''m looking forward to our duel, Clovis." Erwin grinned.


    ...


    Dragon Fist.


    "Fifth... Libation Fiesta." Rika of the Dragon Fist muttered before raising her head as though she had just acknowledged yet another competitor.


    ...


    Unlike them, Clovis''s team was in celebration.


    "We are third!" Melody pumped her fist while cheering.


    "This is unbelievable, especially with Clovis, Kanaria, and me holding back most of our power." Ragna gasped. Even though he had known this group for a month, it was still shocking to see the comparison with other groups.


    Still, they were pretty lucky since they managed to encounter three groups and steal their points... even though the first one didn''t have much because the competition had just started.


    Kanaria smiled. "This should be enough to satisfy Mayor Revan. I''m going to negotiate more rewards from him."


    Jay yawned as if he were not interested in the result.


    Meanwhile, Clovis scratched the back of his head, thinking that he should aim a bit higher. "Well, whatever. The main competition is the place anyway."

 Chapter 270 Response

    The helicopters then picked up the participants.@@@@


    Clovis didn''t know whether he was lucky or unlucky. After all, the two groups that were being picked up together with him were Imemine and Bloody Rose.


    "Wahahaha! You''re good, Clovis. To think that you are able to surpass my group! It seems that I need to get more serious." Erwin grinned.


    Clovis just looked away while covering his ears. Erwin simply talked too much, and his voice was so loud that it began ringing in his head. The worst part was his sky high self-esteem.


    Surprisingly, Aileen was staring at him with mixed expressions. On the one hand, she sympathized with him for catching Erwin''s attention. She fully knew how annoying it was. On the other hand, she couldn''t believe that one wrong move would actually allow this group to surpass them.


    And the most amazing thing was that three of them were Tier 2 humans. Even in her group, all her party members were Tier 3, while she was a Tier 4 human. If they could actually bring forth a strength that surpassed their tiers, this might stir up the competition a bit.


    Kanaria glared at her as if trying to tell her not to get any funny ideas.


    Clovis just rolled his eyes, wanting to reach the city as quickly as possible.


    When they came back, the cheers erupted as Shion announced, "Here it is, everyone! These are the top 16 groups that are going to advance to the main tournament! Let''s welcome them with a big applause!"


    The stadium shook from the cheers.


    "Uoohh!" Mayor Revan was applauding so hard that his tears were leaking out of the corner of his eyes. He was just too happy. There were two groups from his city that managed to reach the main tournament, even though the other group was ranked 14th.


    At the very least, they managed to do it, even though their city was one tier below this city or any other city.


    This was a huge achievement.


    With such outstanding people, it wouldn''t be easy to offend the people behind them. The Renvolt and Havenson families would reap a lot of benefits from it.


    Unfortunately for her, before she finished her question, Clovis caught Kanaria, who was about to leave the stadium, placing her in front of the camera. "If you have another question, you can ask her. She is the most reliable person in our group. She''ll definitely answer you to the best of her abilities."


    "Yo, wha¡ª!" Kanaria was dumbfounded, but Clovis had already slipped away, escaping from them.


    Kanaria''s eyebrows twitched. If she also left, the group''s reputation would definitely take a hit. She could only give them a polite smile while saying, "I''ll take over for him."


    The other groups were also caught by some reporters about the result. However, each of them was asked the same question.


    What do they think about the dark horse, Libation Fiesta?


    Their reactions varied.


    As one would expect from Erwin, he actually answered them with, "I found him before he registered. This must be fate. I considered him my rival and would like to fight him in the main competition! Of course, I''ll definitely win. Hahahaha!"


    Unlike him, Aileen was a bit cornered because she had encountered Clovis''s group and decided to pull back. So she had to change her wording a little bit in order to avoid her group being looked down upon.


    "We will defeat everyone in the competition when the time comes. Besides, it would be unfair if we attacked them after they fought against another group." She escaped with that answer.


    Rafael maintained his pride by simply stating, "We''ll take the champion, no matter who our opponents are, including Libation Fiesta."


    The people had mixed reactions, but all of them knew one thing. They didn''t have a lot of information about Libation Fiesta for two reasons.


    It had only been a few months since they had been created, so there was not a lot to dig. The second reason was that it was a group that came from a lower tier city.


    The most they could study was the preliminary match''s footage.


    But they would soon notice the trap Clovis had set up inside that footage.

 Chapter 271 Reactions

    The story about Libation Fiesta immediately spread over the Skynet. The people were quite surprised that there was such a strong group consisting of three Tier 2 explorers.


    Obviously, they began investigating the entire group.


    It didn''t take too long for them to find out about Jay and Kanaria due to the nature of their backgrounds.


    On the other hand, it was a bit hard for them to figure out Clovis and Melody''s identities. Melody had been erasing all her traces from years ago, so no one would find out about her and harm her younger brother. Meanwhile, Clovis''s identity was completely empty. It looked like he was an orphan who managed to achieve recent success. He inherited his house from his parents. But that was about it.


    Because he had just become an explorer, there wasn''t much they could dig up about him.


    Hence, their eyes were focused on Ragna. People were familiar with him due to his infamous constitution. A lot of companies had abandoned him, while Clovis actually picked him up.


    Some people thought his existence would drag down this team. Some believed he had transformed into a big contender.


    Unfortunately, there was no proof. The only thing they could do was wait until they fought in the main competition.


    As for the footage of the preliminary matches, all the groups noticed one peculiar thing.


    Imemine.


    "Hoho! It seems that they haven''t gone all out yet. Then again, no one is going all out in the preliminary matches. I wonder how much strength they''ve been hiding this whole time." Erwin grinned.


    "We have gotten the bracket for the main tournament." His friend came into his room while projecting the bracket.


    "This is... interesting." Erwin smirked.


    ...


    Bloody Rose.


    Aileen''s expression turned a bit grim while watching the footage.@@@@


    Lana approached her while asking, "Do you find anything?"


    His father paused for a moment before saying, "Don''t ask too much. The only thing I can tell you is that their captain''s identity is rather sensitive. If you want to fight him, do it fairly. If you don''t... this entire city might be wiped out from the map."


    "Huh?" Rafael had never seen his father act this weak. He was the commander of the city, a Tier 7 human. To think that he would be scared of this person.


    Still, his father had indirectly implied that he shouldn''t learn about Clovis''s true identity. Because he was raised as a soldier, his father''s words were like a command. He had some curiosity but didn''t have the intention to disobey him by investigating Clovis on his own.


    Rafael politely nodded his head. "I understand, Father. I''ll do my best."


    "Go." His father simply waved his hand.


    When he left the room, Rafael''s expression turned grim. He muttered, "Whoever it is, I''ll just crush them with my strength."


    ...


    Libation Fiesta Group.


    "Hahaha. This is insane. To think that we would be facing him this quickly..." Kanaria chuckled.


    Melody furrowed her eyebrows. "There are a total of four groups in the bracket. Each group will contain one seeded group. In our group, there is Imemine. But looking at this situation... we''ll be facing Imemine in the quarterfinal, Eight Swords in the semifinal, and Bloody Rose or Dragon Fist in the final."


    "It''s to be expected. We''re nobody, so they will definitely do it like this." Jay shrugged. "Besides, we will be able to fight three out of four seeded groups. Shouldn''t we be thankful to them for giving us this opportunity?"


    Jay looked raring to go.


    Clovis agreed with his opinion. The bracket shouldn''t be rigged, especially since they paired them with Imemine, which ranked fourth among the seeded groups.


    "However, don''t forget one thing, Jay. Tomorrow, we will be fighting twice, so don''t forget to conserve your strength for the second match against Imemine. The semifinal and final will be held the day after. It''s going to be extremely exhausting, but I hope that you all will fight with that in mind," said Clovis with a serious expression.


    "Fiuh! So we''re fighting with the assumption of going to the final? As expected of you, Clovis, very optimistic." Ragna smirked.


    Clovis just ignored that remark and glanced at Melody, asking, "That''s right. Do we get any information about the main tournament''s concept and rules?"


    "That''s..."

 Chapter 272 Introduction

    The next day.


    Shion shouted excitedly, "I welcome everyone to the main tournament of the Rising Star Competition! I''m sure that everybody is hyped for this competition, I''m the same. I have had a hard time containing my excitement since last night.


    "Today, we''ll proceed to the main competition! During the preliminary matches, everyone can definitely see that the beasts are not the only ones we have to fight.


    "Yes! I''m sure that everyone has been waiting for it. In the main competition, it will be a direct clash between each group. We''ll be able to see which group is stronger.


    "This is the bracket of the main tournament." Shion raised her hand, projecting the bracket for everyone to see.


    "The match will be split into two: individual and group matches. As the name implies, the individual match will be a clash between personal might, while the group match would include all the members in this group.


    "First, let me explain the layout for the group match. I''m sure that everyone is curious about the size of the stadium, since the field is 200 meters long and 100 meters wide. That is for a reason!" Shion lifted up her hand. "Rise!"


    Suddenly, the field trembled as people heard a lot of gear sounds coming from underneath the area.


    All of a sudden, a lot of pillars appeared from the ground.


    "Hologram!" Shion clapped her hands with a cheerful expression.


    Those pillars turned into trees. Even a part of the barren field had been covered with grass.


    "Uoohh!" The people became excited, never thinking that they would find something this cool.


    "Hehe. Everyone can''t contain their excitement like me." Shion chuckled. "But this is it! This is the reason! This is the arena for the group battle. Please take a look at the elevated ground on the two opposite corners.


    "These are the bases for each team. There will be a flag there later. The team will get 3 points if they manage to get the other team''s flag, and it will mark the end of the battle. However, during the battle, you will be rewarded by one point every person you defeat.


    The audience cheered. Due to the number of fights during the first day, they had no choice but to immediately start the match.


    The competition started from Group A.


    Due to the gap between the two teams, Bloody Rose dominated the entire match, as they ended up crushing their opponent with 9-0 scores.. The Bloody Rose advanced to the next round right away.


    The second and third matches took a bit longer since they had to compete in the individual competitions. While they were not as famous as Bloody Rose, a lot of people still knew them. There were a lot of cheers from the audience.


    As expected, the seeded groups were the main attraction. Still, there was one more variable they didn''t take into account. It was Clovis''s group.


    Due to the sudden appearance of a dark horse, the crowd became even more excited as time went on.


    That was the reason why Clovis''s group was placed last in the schedule. It was so that people didn''t leave the stadium.


    In the end, this was a competition that required a lot of money. The organizers obviously tried to get as much money as possible by making the competition exciting.


    The Dragon Fist and Eight Swords managed to destroy their opponents like Bloody Rose.


    However, Imemine actually lost one point to their opponent during the group match. Even though they managed to win, it didn''t change the fact that this one point made them different from the rest of the seeded group.


    Still, the reason for that one point was due to the number of members. Just like the Libation Fiesta, Imemine had five people instead of six in their group. One person was defeated after getting ganged up by three people at once.


    Finally, the last match for the first round had arrived.


    "Clovis. It''s time to go up!" Kanaria pointed to the stage.


    "Yeah." Clovis nodded with a serious expression.

 Chapter 273 Clovis

    "And this person..." Kanaria abruptly stopped her explanation regarding the enemy. "Is there something wrong, Clovis?"


    Clovis seemed to be in the middle of deep thought as if there was a big problem in their plan.


    Clovis remained silent for a minute before saying, "I''m thinking about ending the first battle by myself."


    "By yourself?" Kanaria furrowed her eyebrows. "Are you serious?"


    "Yes." Clovis nodded.


    "If you do it that way, it means that the rest of us will remain on the base, protecting the flag. But if we do it that way, you will be targeted by our opponents. More importantly, you have to show your power..."@@@@


    "I know. I''ve got some plans in mind. And I want to ask you all to trust me."


    Kanaria furrowed her eyebrows and glanced at the others. "Well, I don''t really mind. Even if your plans are not perfect, you always think carefully about all of them."


    "Are you going to have all the fun for yourself?" Jay clicked her tongue.


    Clovis shook his head. "This is to win... especially against that Erwin. I don''t think he is a mere Tier 3. In exchange, how about I let you fight against the Eight Swords'' captain tomorrow?"


    Jay''s expression brightened. He wanted to fight against the other team''s captains. The fact that Clovis gave him the chance to test his strength against a Tier 4 opponent meant he was planning to advance to the final since Rafael was the first Tier 4 they would encounter in this tournament.


    "Fine." Jay harrumphed. "I''ll let you do whatever you want. I will become the bait so that you can conserve your energy in the third round and face that Tier 4 woman in the final."


    Clovis smiled. As expected, Jay fully understood what he wanted just from those hints alone.


    "I don''t really mind." Ragna nodded. "All I want to do is win. As long as it can help us defeat our opponent, I don''t really mind."


    "In that case, I will support you from the back, giving their locations and paths." Melody shrugged. She cared more about reaching the high tier and getting a doctor for her brother than glory anyway.


    Clovis smiled.


    Remembering the agreement, everyone from Libation Fiesta except for Clovis remained on the base. Only Clovis stood several meters in front of them, waiting for the signal to begin.


    "!!!" Everyone in the stadium couldn''t help but widen their eyes, seeing that confident look from Clovis.


    "Is he..." Rafael furrowed his eyebrows.


    "I will intercept him together with those two. You guys move toward us and block any potential attack from their base. And don''t go too far in case they are trying to lure us and let their quickest fighters slip past us from the edge."


    "Understood."


    They immediately positioned themselves accordingly.


    "They''re good!" Aileen muttered. "They consider possibilities and calmly adjust their strategy. But..."


    Aileen looked at Clovis, who was about to encounter the two members of the Raging Bull. The captain would need a few more seconds to reach their positions.


    "Here he comes!" One member using a sword shouted. He sped up while saying, "I''ll stop him!"


    "I will support you from behind." The other member who used a spear nodded.


    "It''s Clovis!" The sword user recognized Clovis in an instant, warning everyone.


    "Their captain is here. Let''s defeat him right away!"


    They were moving toward Clovis, planning to take him on.


    "Even if my speed is not fast enough, I can still withstand all your attacks." The sword user shouted as he stepped forward, swinging his sword.


    This battle was a disadvantage for Clovis. It wasn''t because of the number, it was due to the fact that he couldn''t injure them too heavily. If he could, he would have cut them down, or at least their limbs, first to get an opening.


    Hence, Clovis moved from below.


    "Haaaa!" The sword user swung his sword downward, planning to overwhelm Clovis.


    Sadly for him, Clovis''s speed was beyond what he had seen in the video.


    Clovis sped up one whole level and struck his opponent''s sword before the guy could even apply his weight to his attack.


    Cling!


    "!!!" The guy widened his eyes in shock, almost getting knocked back due to the momentum.


    The people couldn''t help but rise from their seats, not believing the speed Clovis had just shown.

 Chapter 274 Shocked

    Cling!@@@@


    "Wha¡ª!" The guy gritted his teeth, trying to pull his center gravity down so that he didn''t get blown away. He had to do it fast before Clovis could unleash his next attack.


    As if not letting Clovis do whatever he wanted, the spear user looped around and thrust his spear, buying some time for his friend.


    Yet once again, Clovis surpassed their expectations. He actually managed to swiftly redirect the momentum of his sword and strike down the spear with both swords.


    "Kh!" The spear user gritted his teeth, trying not to let go of his spear.


    Clovis''s eyes turned to those of a beast.


    A series of clicking sounds echoed in rapid succession, only having a split second interval. Even normal people could only pick up two clicking sounds on each weapon.


    However, those strikes actually knocked away both the sword and the spear from their users.


    Without their weapons, Clovis slowed down a little bit and spun his blades, using the flat surfaces to hit the two guys.


    "Hit!" The referee suddenly came into the arena like a ghost and grabbed the collars of these two guys, dragging them back. This showed that both of them had been considered dead. But his expression was the same as that of others, as though he couldn''t believe what had just happened.


    Erwin couldn''t help but stand up, his body shivering in excitement. "Are you serious?"


    "Erwin..." His friend looked at Clovis with a grim expression.


    "Did you see it?"


    "I''m not sure. Fourteen hits in one second?"


    "No. It''s seventeen hits in one second." Erwin shook his head.


    "What?" His friend understood what it meant. "A normal Tier 3 is impossible to produce that kind of attack. Only the best of the best among Tier 3 is able to produce those many attacks in one second."


    Erwin smirked excitedly.


    Aileen and Rafael, on the other hand, clenched their hands into fists, as if understanding why Clovis was a threat in this competition.


    Clovis turned around, finding the captain of the Raging Bull.


    "!!!" The two didn''t know where he was, believing that he had stopped behind one of the trees.


    The mobile operator hurriedly checked his position while thinking this was a good opportunity to reach their base before Clovis.


    "Watch out!" His teammate warned him, who was too focused on the radar.


    "Eh?!" The mobile operator reacted too late and stumbled to the ground. He felt something tug at his feet. "Chains?"


    Yes, Clovis actually tossed his short sword very low and used the chains to trip them.


    After that, Clovis emerged from his hiding spot and kicked the mobile operator in the stomach, blowing him away.


    "Gah!" The mobile operator spat some acid from his stomach as he was launched into a tree.


    The other guy raised his spear to fight Clovis, but it was impossible to do anything. Clovis struck him sixteen times.


    "Kh!" The spear user suddenly froze on the spot as his spear fell from his hands. "Aaaarrgghh!"


    His hands were convulsing. Because he struck it so many times, the spear vibrated uncontrollably, making his hands numb. And each attack also packed some power.


    Clovis hit his head before doing the same to their mobile operator, who had yet to recover from the previous kick.


    After that, Clovis continued toward their base camp, emerging from the forest.


    ''What am I supposed to do here? Can I actually stop someone who has just defeated five people stronger than me without breaking a sweat?'' The last guardian placed his shield in front. "Haaaa!"


    He just charged out of desperation. However, Clovis struck him multiple times and eventually struck him to the ground before taking the flag.


    The guy wanted to cry but had no tears. He only said in his mind, ''Sorry, guys. I did my best.''


    The match ended since Clovis had taken their flag.


    The score was 9-0.


    Clovis never planned to win with only seven points after all.


    However, his performance caused everyone in the stadium to drop their jaws and left them speechless. It might be the quietest moment during the entire competition.

 Chapter 275 Reaction

    As soon as the match ended, Shion''s voice was immediately broadcast to the entire stadium.@@@@


    "W-what had just happened? Did Libation Fiesta just send their captain and let him single-handedly defeat their opponent?


    "How could this happen? From what I had seen, he had the top speed of fifteen hits per second..." Shion paused for a moment as if she had gotten new information. "I''m sorry. Correction, it was 17 hits per second.


    "He struck their weapons multiple times and defeated them in a rather swift manner. No, I had never seen someone be able to defeat their opponents this quickly. Even the three Tier 4 opponents weren''t this fast.


    "How could this happen? In the first clash, he targeted the two guys on the left side, which caused the captain and the other two members to adjust their position, assuming that their two people would be able to stop Clovis.


    "It was what supposed to happen considering one Tier 2 was fighting against two Tier 3 humans.


    "However, the reality was different. Clovis showed unprecedented speed, even among Tier 3, achieving 17 hits was impossible. Unless there was a peak Tier 3, close to Tier 4, that had been training all his life to increase his speed...


    "Yet Captain Clovis had just shown them that he meant business. He showed something everyone here had never seen before, which surprised the enemies.


    "He took those two down and had a full blown clash against the enemy''s captain. Their battle lasted for more than a hundred rounds, which eventually led to Captain Clovis''s victory.


    "Then he continued to their flag, which would make the remaining two attackers return as quickly as possible. After seeing such strength, I don''t think there are any Tier 2 humans who could actually compete against him. I don''t even have the confidence to be able to beat him.


    "In that desperate time, he threw his short sword, which seemed to be linked to a chain on his armband. He tripped them, gained a huge advantage, and defeated them.


    "Last but not least, he defeated their guardian and took their flag, resulting in Libation Fiesta''s victory.


    "Strong! Very strong!" Shion explained everything she had seen so that all the people could understand what was actually going on. "The battle actually lasted for only 2 minutes and 54 seconds. The second quickest match was Bloody Rose vs. Juls Explorers, which lasted for 4 minutes and 31 seconds."


    Aileen remained silent.


    "Can you defeat him?"


    "I''m not sure. Our fighting style is vastly different. Besides, we will be able to measure his true power in the second match. We''ll see who will become a threat, Imemine or Libation Fiesta." Aileen nodded. "Continue to investigate him. See if it''s possible to bring him back to our city."


    "The others are already on the move though." Hana looked at the scouts mixed in the crowd. They seemed to be busy calling their superiors.


    On the other side of the arena, Erwin was grinning nonstop.


    "Erwin?" His friend frowned.


    "Don''t worry. This is just getting interesting. If that''s the case, we''ll settle this in the arena, my rival. As expected of the person I recognize... Sometimes, I fear my own vision."


    "Still too proud of yourself even during this time?" His friend shook his head helplessly. "Anyway, we''ll be fighting against their team after this... about three hours from now. It will become the¡ª"


    Before he finished, Erwin said, "...the most important match. I know. All eyes will definitely be locked on our match. But that doesn''t really matter... we''ll do our best. No matter who wins or loses, there won''t be any hard feelings. Of course, I''ll definitely win, so I will console him by buying him a drink later."


    "..." His friend was speechless and just left him alone. Even he didn''t expect that there would be someone this strong among the opponents. More importantly, that guy was only 16 years old.


    His progress and strength were far beyond his age, so it was obvious that there would be a lot of people getting excited to know him.


    Mayor Revan was already clapping his hands while crying. He kept shaking the guy he brought as a trainer out of joy.


    To think that the youngest team would actually fight that well and become the pride of the city. He was sure that the people had been watching this battle closely.

 Chapter 276 Imemines Members

    As expected, Elina, who was among the audience, ended up turning pale after seeing such a performance. There was no way for their group to compete against Libation Fiesta anymore.


    The most talented person in the city? Ivan''s progress couldn''t hold a candle against Clovis, Jay, or Kanaria.


    When she glanced to the side, she saw Ivan with a murderous look. Ranked second in the first place was good, but when they compared it to what Clovis had just done, their achievement could easily be forgotten.


    As long as Clovis put up a good fight in the second round, even if he lost, everyone would still hold a better opinion compared to their group.


    Just like Ivan, the president of the Drake Group was also watching the fight on his screen.


    After seeing the result, he couldn''t help but flip his table and kick his screen.


    "Bastard!"


    He was angry because he knew Clovis could actually use this against them once more.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Clovis had returned to his team and escaped to the inner area for the participants before they were stormed by the reporters.


    "Is this your plan?" Kanaria asked. "You''re still holding back, right? 17 hits... There''s no way your progress is that small after becoming a Tier 2. After all, your fastest record as a Tier 1 human is 15 hits."


    Clovis shrugged. "You''ll see it later. And now, I think it''ll be better to think about our plan against Imemine."


    "Indeed." Kanaria nodded and projected the information about Imemine. "They are the same as us, only having five members in their team. All of them are Tier 3, but they''re also abnormal.


    "The person we have to watch out for the most is Erwin Tyska. His weapon of choice is actually extremely unique, giving him a new way of fighting. He is 22 years old and a Tier 3 human. I''m sure he''s pretty close to Tier 4. Clovis wants to defeat him, right?"


    Jay clenched his saber tighter as if feeling challenged.


    "Shall I cut him down?"


    Kanaria shrugged. "I''ll ignore that one and continue. The third person is a mobile operator. Unlike Melody, who uses a spear, he is actually the second strongest person in the group. Well, he''s rather unique. His build is muscular, his height is more than two meters, and his weapon of choice is a glaive.


    His name is Gilza."


    "Hmm?" Jay furrowed his eyebrows. This group was actually more unique than he originally thought.


    "The fourth person is the one that got defeated in the previous round due to being surrounded by three people at once. An all rounder called Robert. His defense is quite high, so I''m assuming that they will actually position him at the base to protect their flag. If we manage to take him down, it will create a big hole in their lineup.


    "Last but not least, Clara. She is one of their gunners. From the footage, she is a very aggressive gunner, often running at the very front. I don''t think we can underestimate her." Kanaria glanced at Ragna. "Besides... it''s most likely that they will send her to grab our flag."


    "Don''t worry. I won''t let anyone get past me." Ragna nodded with a serious expression.


    "In that case, we have established our plan. What we need is victory." Clovis''s expression turned grim.


    "We don''t know what they''re planning to do. But after seeing their record, I''m sure they''re going to stick to their aggressive fighting style. There''s a chance that they will do whatever they need to break through our ranks and grab our flag.


    "And their captain, Erwin, is still holding back this whole time. The key of this battle is whether Clovis can defeat Erwin or not," Kanaria explained.


    Clovis thought for a moment. "If possible, I want Jay to get some good rest for today. His time to shine is tomorrow... but I can''t really underestimate our opponent."


    What Clovis didn''t know was that Imemine was actually a much scarier opponent than he originally thought.


    He would only find out of their true terror in their match.

 Chapter 277 Excitement

    Clovis and his group stood in front of Erwin and his teammates. They were glaring at each other as if they had picked out their targets.


    The tension was rising, but this was still inside the lobby. It wasn''t the place for them to solve their doubts.


    "To think that we would have the opportunity to test our might so quickly... I don''t know whether to thank the competition or not." Erwin harrumphed.


    Clovis also didn''t know what to say. After all, whoever won this match would fight in the semifinal. Even if they lost, they still had a chance for third place.


    On the other hand, the loser would definitely lose everything. Top 8? No one really cared about the top 8 since it only represented a single match in the main competition.


    Clovis said, "Well, you should thank them. You might lose before we meet if not for this arrangement."


    "!!!" The people in Erwin''s group reacted. Two of them stepped forward as if they didn''t like that statement, while another one only frowned.


    "Hahaha! You have a big mouth, just like mine." Erwin laughed.


    Tarkan, his best friend, rolled his eyes while thinking, ''So you know that, self-conceited bastard?''


    Erwin shook his head helplessly and said, "Even if I defeat you in this match, how about setting up a small party in a restaurant? I''ll pay for it."


    Jay only rolled his eyes as if he didn''t care about it. The others remained calm as though they had gotten used to hearing such a thing. And the result would be the same. They would claim yet another victory here.


    "That''s good. But it would be better to move it after the competition is over so as to focus on the semifinals and final. Besides, I''m generous enough to give you one day to let out all the tears you''re going to shed after losing to me." Clovis shrugged.


    Erwin and Clovis looked at each other before laughing.@@@@


    "Hahahahaha! This is the first time that I have found someone with the same humor as me." Erwin laughed out loud. After a while, he calmed down and extended his hand. "I''m truly glad to meet you in this competition. Let''s settle this in the arena and there won''t be any hard feelings no matter the result."


    If this was anyone else, Clovis would never take their hand. For example, if Aileen was the one who offered this handshake, Clovis knew that Aileen had multiple hidden intentions.


    First of all, the invitation to a party was just her way of forming a good relationship and potentially inviting him back to their city.


    However, it was different for Erwin. This self-conceited man was saying it out of his pride.


    It was because of that pure intention that Clovis shook his hand firmly.


    "No hard feelings." Clovis nodded.


    "Me!"


    "And Mine!"


    "Uoohh, Imemine!"


    With both Imemine and Bloody Rose coming from the same city, it was no wonder they got a lot of supporters.


    However, the excitement didn''t die down, even when Shion shifted their attention to the opposite side.


    "And on the east side, here comes our challenger! The dark horse of the competition..." Shion pumped her fist while shouting, "The challenger, Libation Fiesta!"


    The cheers actually erupted even bigger. Everyone loved to see a dark horse upset the competition. More importantly, the dark horse consisted of extremely young talents.


    There was no way they wouldn''t get excited.


    "Libation Fiesta!"


    "I don''t know what that means, but hooray!"


    "Clovis!"


    "Jay!"


    They instantly became celebrities after the last match, especially the two people who had shown their strength, Clovis and Jay.


    Clovis and his team took the stage like their opponents.


    The arena began to transform as multiple pillars emerged from the ground, gradually turning into trees.


    Their vision was finally blocked by all the obstacles.


    Clovis and Erwin turned serious, fully aware of the importance of this match.


    They all had their own plans ready, and this battle would become the battle of both wits and strength.


    "Will Imemine win the match and show us the strength of the seeded group? Or will Libation Fiesta upset the match by defeating their opponents? Let''s not wait anymore! Countdown!"

 Chapter 278 First Clash

    "3!"


    Aileen crossed her arms while watching the two teams.@@@@


    "2!"


    Rafael clenched his fists, fully aware that whoever won this match would become his next opponent.


    "1!"


    Mayor Revan was already praying on his knees, hoping for the best.


    "0! Match, start!" Shion excitedly announced before turning the broadcast off so that she didn''t give away any information to the participants.


    The first one to make the move was Clovis.


    "What is this? Clovis is moving into the woods. Is he going to replicate the first round? Wait, no! His team is following him while Ragna is guarding the flag." Shion gasped, announcing it to the people who watched the match outside the stadium. "As for Imemine... they haven''t taken any steps yet.


    No, their captain, Erwin, is making his move!"


    "Hmm?" Clovis furrowed his eyebrows.


    "Clovis... This is..." Melody frowned. She could see everything in the radar. "Did he go alone to replicate what you did in the previous round?"


    "No! He must be up to something... Either way, we will continue our approach." Clovis''s expression turned grim. He didn''t know what Erwin was planning to do, but he knew Erwin wasn''t a fool.


    When they were about to reach the halfway mark, Imemine finally made their move.


    "They''re coming!" Melody abruptly stopped when she noticed something was weird. "This is..."


    Shion slammed the table while gasping. "This is... insanity! All four members are actually going forward, leaving their flag exposed."


    Clovis came to a halt while widening his eyes. "Are they insane? This is beyond aggressive."


    Erwin only smirked as he muttered, "Well, Clovis. I wonder how you''re going to face me like this."


    "..." Clovis glanced down. The thread was so durable that it didn''t actually snap even under such pressure.


    However, two pillars suddenly swung down.


    It was a trap. Fortunately, for Clovis, it was just child play. He simply took a single step back, letting the two pillars hit each other.


    Bang!


    The pillars cracked, but suddenly, Melody warned him. "Watch out!"


    "!!!" Clovis raised his eyebrows and jumped back. The pillars were actually a trap to cover his vision. In the radar, Erwin was actually closing in.


    With a single wave of his hand, he threw several wires. Surprisingly, each of the wires was actually so durable that the moment Erwin made a gripping motion, the wires that had enveloped the rock actually shattered it.


    "Where do you think you''re going? Aren''t you going for my flag?" Erwin grinned while waving both hands.


    Seeing the wires that were surrounding him from two sides, Clovis decided to move closer to Erwin.


    Erwin sped up and tried to catch him before Clovis reached him, but the latter actually ducked at the last moment, causing the wires to capture a tree instead.


    "Kh!" Erwin made another gripping motion, which actually shattered the tree.


    Unfortunately for him, Clovis had closed the gap between them. Without hesitation, Clovis waved his swords seventeen times, trying to cut Erwin down at this opportunity.


    While retracting his wires, Erwin actually met Clovis''s swings head-on. He extended both hands forward as though he were trying to grab them.


    "!!!" Clovis widened his eyes in shock. Even though he completed his swing, the impact didn''t feel right. ''What is that?''


    Clovis''s eyes barely caught it. For other people, it might look like Erwin blocking the swords with his palm. However, Clovis could actually see the threads between his fingers.


    With just a movement of his finger, Erwin directed the sword to those threads. It was durable enough to actually block his swords... no, all his swings.


    "Wha¡ª" Clovis looked shocked. This was the first time he met someone so daring. This kind of fighting style was much different from what he had seen so far.


    "What''s wrong? My hands couldn''t catch up to your speed, but my fingers are different. And it''s my turn to attack again!" Erwin waved both hands, sending forth another wave of threads.

 Chapter 279 Two Sides

    "They''re coming!" Melody''s expression turned serious as she pointed her gun at the one in the front, Roberto.


    Bang!


    Bang!


    Several gunshots instantly echoed inside the arena. Roberto simply blocked her with his shield and continued onward.


    Both Kanaria and Imemine''s gunner, Clara, were approaching, but they couldn''t be too reckless. A single mistake would definitely let one of those bullets hit their vital area, which would eliminate them from this competition.


    The first one to make the move was Kanaria. She came out of her hiding spot, aiming for Roberto''s side.


    "Tsk." Roberto moved back and used the tree to cover himself, causing the bullets to hit the tree.


    Melody pressed on, trying to use this opportunity to somehow destroy Roberto. She also maintained a portion of her attention on the radar, watching out for Clara.


    "!!!" Instead of stopping Kanaria''s barrage, Clara actually looped around and aimed at her. Melody clicked her tongue and hurriedly looped around the tree, hiding from her. She grabbed the soil underneath his foot while taking out a small paper wrap from her pocket.


    Then she tossed this lump of soil toward Roberto.


    Roberto panicked and hurriedly moved back with his shield in front. At the same time, Clara hid behind a tree, wondering what kind of grenade it was.


    However, this was just a trick. Now that both of them had retreated, it was time for Kanaria and Melody to push on.


    While Libation Fiesta had the upper hand on the left side, it was a bit different on the right side.


    Jay saw Gilza coming with his glaive. This muscular man was like a bull, charging straight ahead until it hit its target.


    "There you are! Jay Havenson! I am Gilza, the strongest man! I''ll defeat you!" Gilza shouted, taunting Jay. He stomped the ground while waving his glaive, planning to crush Jay in a single swing.


    "Then you better train for another decade." Jay harrumphed and swung his sword downward.


    But Tarkan showed a different type of strength.


    He was wearing a glove that had some metal plates scattered around the surface of his gloves. He lowered his stance and hit Jay''s sword with the back of his palm.


    Jay thought he could overpower him, but Tarkan''s hand actually followed the movement of his blade while applying his own force to the side, shifting the sword''s trajectory a little bit.


    "!!!" Jay''s blade ended up missing both Tarkan and Gilza and striking the ground. He hurriedly pulled out his blade, but Tarkan had changed his stance, planning to hit Jay''s chest.


    "Tsk!" Jay clicked his tongue and used his left arm to block it instead, with most of that force getting absorbed by the clothes provided by Another World Mall.


    Bam!


    Jay was launched several meters away as his momentum was stopped by a tree.


    "Thanks." Gilza breathed out of relief.


    "Don''t underestimate him," said Tarkan while moving forward, not letting Jay recover. At the same time, he activated his beast soul. ''Arctodus Simus.''


    Even Jay felt the danger from Tarkan''s right fist and hurriedly moved to the side as Tarkan missed Jay at the last moment and struck the tree.


    Bam!


    The tree, or more like the pillar, got crushed with a single punch.


    Not wanting to lose or continuously get dragged around, Jay spun his body and struck Tarkan on the head, using his own beast soul to speed up.


    Tarkan tried to block it the same way by putting his arm between his head and Jay''s sword.


    Unfortunately for him, Jay''s swing actually struck so hard that he ended up spinning like a wheel. But he was more prepared, unlike Gilza, which allowed him to stabilize himself by pushing himself off the ground and landing safely on his feet.


    Jay''s expression turned grim. It seemed that it wouldn''t be that easy to defeat these two as well.

 Chapter 280 Unexpected Plan?

    "What is this match? This is too intense!" Shion banged the table while shouting, "The battle on the left side might be interesting, but on the right side, Jay is fighting against Tarkan and Gilza. All three of them take pride in their strength.


    "Apparently, Jay''s strength is higher than them. This is my first time seeing a Tier 2 human with that level of strength. I don''t think I can win against him to be honest.


    "Meanwhile, Gilza has yet to fully utilize all his power. He has been overwhelmed during the first class, but it also gives them a general measurement of Jay''s strength. Tarkan shows it by deflecting Jay''s attack perfectly.


    "This battle might end up deciding the winner. If Jay is defeated, Gilza and Tarkan can move toward Ragna and steal the flag. This is probably the reason why they chose this extremely aggressive strategy.@@@@


    "On the other hand, if Jay is able to defeat both of them, he can regroup with his captain and take down the opposite team''s captain. In fact, they might be able to eliminate the remaining two first and take the enemy''s flag after getting all those points, which would result in their immediate victory.


    "Unfortunately, it doesn''t seem that it''s possible for Gilza or Tarkan to stop Jay alone while the other moves toward the flag. After all, Jay can overwhelm them and they still have Ragna guarding the flag.


    "Still... the most exciting match is in the center. What''s with this battle? I have failed as a commentator as I have a hard time finding words to describe this battle!"


    As Shion said, the battle between Clovis and Erwin simply surpassed their tiers.


    Clovis swung his swords, trying to take Erwin down. Yet despite the difference in their speed, Erwin could actually take on all of Clovis''s attacks.


    "Haa... Ha..." Clovis had a hard time adjusting his pace as no matter how he struck him, Erwin managed to stop his attack.


    He couldn''t help but furrow his eyebrows, thinking, ''As expected, this guy is insanely strong. He knows that there is a big gap between our speed, considering he has Muscle Affinity.


    ''However, he is taking on all my attacks a few centimeters from his body. Due to his close posture, he doesn''t need to move too much, which bridge the gap between our speeds.


    ''But having blades a few centimeters away from your body is scary... one wrong mistake can end up being fatal.''


    "Come on. I don''t want to be a copycat. Call me, Erwin!"


    "...That''s just your name." Clovis''s eyebrows twitched. Even though he looked like he was wasting his time, Clovis actually used this time to come up with another plan.


    It was clear that going pass him would be hard. In addition, the fact that Erwin had moved around from one side to another meant he had blocked the entire area with his wires. Even if Jay or the others managed to break through, they would still have to be wary of the wires.


    ''What should I do? With the fact that he has just shown me another type of wire, it''s clear that his trick doesn''t stop here. There might be another type of wire that I don''t know about... like an invisible wire or something. Fighting him in his territory would be bad, should I lure him away?''


    Clovis had just gotten an idea. Since it would be hard to defeat Erwin, he should change his target while luring Erwin out.


    Once Clovis got this new plan, he immediately turned around and ran away.


    "What?! Are you running away? You coward! I misjudged you!" Erwin shouted.


    "What coward? This is a tactical retreat!" Clovis snorted.


    Upon hearing those words, Erwin actually smiled. "Because it''s tactical that it can be predicted!"


    In that moment, all Imemine''s members actually turned around. Roberto covered the rear while chasing after Clara, who was already retreating.


    At the same time, Gilza and Tarkan leaped back as though they were trying to gain some distance. But that was just a trick because they instantly ran back.


    Only two people from Libation Fiesta realized what was actually happening. It was Melody and Clovis.


    Shion dropped her jaw and shouted, "W-What? All Imemine''s members are turning around and retreating... And their direction is... toward Clovis!"

 Chapter 281 Trapped

    Clovis''s expression turned serious.


    Because of the U-shaped web that Erwin made to trap him, he only had to go back first before being able to loop around. This might also be why Erwin was doing his best to contain him here.


    Even Clovis wouldn''t be able to go against them by himself unless he activated his unique state. However, no matter how hard Clovis tried to trigger it, he still had no control over that state. So Clovis had no chance of defeating them. At the same time, Clovis also didn''t like to rely too much on the power that he couldn''t control since it would cloud his judgment.


    After looking at the situation, Clovis took a deep breath. Should he go to the side and break through the web formation? But doing so would pose a lethal threat, as there might be another hidden trick that Erwin had placed in there.


    In other words, the safest place was to continue ahead, even if it meant being surrounded by those five.


    Of course, it was possible for Erwin''s group to injure him as much as possible without defeating him, which would give them a very big advantage during the individual match. However, he doubted Erwin''s character would do something that low.


    In other words, they were aiming for his life.@@@@


    ''In that case, I will have to use both my new footwork and swift swings...'' Clovis''s expression turned serious as he was ready to receive all of them. He also paid some attention to Erwin, who was chasing after him as though he were waiting for the chance to eliminate him.


    "Kh!" Kanaria gritted her teeth and kept shooting at them, trying to take them down after knowing their intention from Melody.


    Unfortunately, Roberto continued blocking all the bullets as they continued moving toward Clovis.


    The same applied to Jay. He used his Beast Soul to catch up to them, but Tarkan easily deflected his attacks without stopping.


    Clovis believed that it would be better to let his teammates continue to raise their flag. Even if they were slowed down, he should be able to withstand all five of them until his team grabbed the flag.


    But when he was about to open his mouth, Erwin seemed to notice it and gave another signal to his group.


    Clovis could explain it carefully, but they simply had no time.


    "What''s wrong, Clovis? You''re panicking right now..." Erwin grinned.


    Clovis clicked his tongue, realizing what Erwin had done. "You bastard. This is your plan, huh?!"


    "Indeed." Erwin had a smug smile on his face as though he had just won.


    Jay was rushing directly to the flag before suddenly hearing Melody''s warning.


    "Jay, stop right now! If you don''t believe me, swing your sword vertically right now!"


    Jay abruptly came to a halt. Unlike Clovis''s order, this warning was much more concrete and could easily be proven.


    Without hesitation, Jay swung his sword downward.


    And he actually found something resisting his swing, which eventually crushed two trees next to him.


    Bam!


    The trees crumbled and returned to their pillar form, making Jay realize the situation he was currently in.


    This was a trap. From the beginning, Erwin had reassurance that he had the ability to stop Clovis and Jay until his teammates grabbed the flag.


    Aileen, who was watching the entire match from her seat, couldn''t help but say, "They are trapped in his web."

 Chapter 282 Not Easy to Beat

    "They are trapped in his web."


    Lana couldn''t help but hear her remark and glance at her. "Aileen? You know something?"@@@@


    "I told you before that I had never seen anyone whose eyes for people were better than Erwin, right?" Aileen asked.


    "Yeah." Lana nodded with a serious expression.


    "I meant Erwin could actually see not only people''s talents but their characters."


    "Characters... Don''t tell me..." Lana looked at the match again, noticing the difference of their decision.


    "Yes. He knew that Jay would hesitate and aim for their flag, which was why he reinforced that side with more webs. He also knew that those two girls would follow his teammates. But I wasn''t sure whether defeating Jay with that invisible threat was a part of his plan or not. But they had been checked..." Aileen pointed at the match. "Look at their current positioning... Six points."


    "!!!" Lana felt chills down her spine after realizing the real trap that Erwin had made.


    While Shion didn''t know Erwin that much, she could see clearly that Libation Fiesta had fallen to their trap.


    "What is this? Is this a trap? Look at the positioning, everyone. Assuming that Erwin has the confidence to stop both Jay and Clovis, they''re able to do something amazing.


    "Tarkan and Gilza are approaching their two teammates. There''s a high chance that they will work together and outnumber the two girls from Libation Fiesta, which would give them two points.


    "After that, they would continue onward and defeat Ragna before taking their flag, which would give them another four points. In other words, they will be able to win this first round with a six-point lead.


    "Even if Libation Fiesta is able to win all individual matches, it will still be a draw with a score of 6-6. And their match will go to an additional match to determine the winner."


    "..." Lana gulped down, realizing what Aileen was talking about. "He predicted all this?"


    "Yes. Libation Fiesta''s operator might have surpassed his prediction by being able to stop Jay and see that invisible thread. At the same time, Erwin''s troublesome character makes him want to fight Clovis again in the individual match. That''s why I''m unsure whether it''s a part of his plan or not."


    Roberto knew this and charged at them. Once he was close enough, he rammed his shield toward them.


    Melody took a deep breath and focused on her senses, looking at the enemies'' movements as well as the environment.


    Even in this situation, she managed to find their escape route. She took out her grenade and tossed it into a tree.


    "Huh?" Roberto glanced to the side, realizing that the grenade had actually bounced back after hitting the tree trunk. In that place, it would definitely take down both him and the person behind him. In this situation, it would be Tarkan.


    "Stop!" Roberto shouted while moving to the side, using his shield to block the explosion.


    In their plan, they were supposed to come out of Roberto''s back and take down the two girls.


    However, due to that grenade, Tarkan had to stop, hiding his body behind Roberto.


    Bam!


    Roberto took the blast head-on and managed to hang on, but that grenade had sealed their movements.


    "Tsk." Tarkan clicked his tongue, realizing that this operator was actually beyond their prediction. "Gilza!"


    That was right. There was still Gilza, who could somehow turn the situation around. They still needed to take down at least one of them in this situation.


    But Libation Fiesta once again surpassed their imagination.


    When Gilza was about to arrive, Kanaria tossed her gun toward Melody.


    "!!!" Gilza''s eyes couldn''t help but follow that gun. Soon his vision returned to Kanaria, but the other party actually chose to come at him.


    She grabbed the glaive''s handle with both hands and skillfully swung herself up, positioning herself above the glaive. Then she kicked Gilza, who didn''t expect her movement, on the head, knocking him to the ground.


    Kanaria couldn''t help but smirk, thinking, ''Don''t treat me like other gunners or snipers. I have learned some martial arts under Clovis''s tutelage.''

 Chapter 283 Analytic Skill

    "Kh!" Gilza gritted his teeth while falling to the ground.


    On the other hand, Melody had tossed Kanaria''s weapon back. Kanaria planned to use this opportunity to deal a finishing blow to Gilza.


    However, Roberto appeared in her way, blocking all the bullets.


    "Let''s go! This one is not good!" Tarkan shouted. While they could still eliminate them, taking too long would mean Jay would be able to catch up to them. There was a chance that they couldn''t defeat Kanaria or Melody during that time, and they definitely lost the chance to grab their flag.


    Hence, it would be better to get their flag right away.


    Tarkan could only glare at them while thinking, ''No way. They''re actually able to surpass Erwin''s analytic skill...''


    He couldn''t help but remember what happened during the meeting yesterday.


    ...


    As usual, they gathered in a single room, talking about the planning.


    "It seems that it''s time for me to show off my skill." Erwin made a smug smile while taking out a notebook. "I will be explaining everything I can see from their group. First of all, it would be their captain, Clovis.


    "He is an exceptional fighter who is equipped with brawl and brain. He should be able to swing about 22 hits per second."


    "22 hits?" Tarkan gasped. "Are you sure about this?"


    The others couldn''t help but furrow their eyebrows. After all, this number meant one thing.


    "You''re not joking, right? Above 20 hits is already in the realm of Tier 4, you know." Tarkan gulped down, finally understanding why Libation Fiesta looked so relaxed during the preliminary match.


    "Clovis will go in the middle. Jay will take one side while Kanaria and Melody take the other. You just have to bait them and deal with them in one swift movement. Overpower them with your strength.


    "Last but not least, Ragna. His eyes have gained a lot of confidence, so we can throw away all the bad rumors about him. It''s clear that he is a very different person right now... or maybe he has already become the perfect guardian for the team."


    The group remained silent, fully aware of the strength of their opponents. Erwin was rarely wrong, so Tarkan started thinking, "If that''s the case... I think I have a plan to separate them... But that depends on what you want, Erwin..."


    Erwin smirked.


    ...


    Tarkan never thought that Kanaria and Melody''s individual abilities surpassed their predictions.


    This stopped them from getting enough points. There was a chance that Ragna, who was waiting for them at their base, would be the same.


    "Run!" Tarkan shouted as they headed straight toward Libation Fiesta''s base.


    Roberto continued blocking all the bullets Kanaria and Melody shot. Meanwhile, Jay was also approaching them with his beast soul.


    While running, Tarkan said, "I''ve got to change the plan."


    The others listened to him with a solemn expression.


    And that was when they reached the conclusion of the match.


    "Jay is spotted!" Clara shouted, alerting everyone in the group.


    "No. That''s fine. Because..." Tarkan saw the end of the forest and ran past it. He raised his head, finding Libation Fiesta''s base with Ragna guarding it. "...We have arrived."

 Chapter 284 Result

    "We have arrived." Tarkan smirked. "Roberto, Clara!"


    "Oh!" Clara suddenly used the tree to cover herself with her back facing Libation Fiesta''s base. She aimed her gun at Jay, shooting at him to buy some time.


    "Moo!" Roberto grunted as he ran toward Melody and Kanaria and rammed his shield against them.


    Kanaria jumped into the air, trying to kick him. Roberto skillfully blocked it, but he wasn''t her aim.


    Melody took that chance to throw the flash grenade toward Clara.


    "!!!" Clara panicked and hurriedly covered her ears while using the tree to block the explosion.


    Ding!


    "Kh." Clara gritted her teeth as the ringing sound echoed in her head. Still, she hurried back out because she had to buy time for her teammates.


    But that grenade was all Jay needed to close the gap between him and Roberto. He hurriedly caught up to Roberto while swinging his blade.


    "!!!" Roberto raised his eyebrows and hurriedly placed his shield on his side, trying to block Jay.


    "Move out of the way!" Jay roared and swung with all his strength, striking the upper part of the shield.


    "This is..." Roberto gritted his teeth, trying to hold on. But this strength was beyond what he could handle.


    The swing ended up knocking his shield up and causing his body to tilt disorderly.


    Kanaria saw this gap and shot him, eliminating him from this match.


    Clara wanted to shoot Jay, but Melody had locked onto her, providing cover fire for Jay.


    "Tsk." Clara clicked her tongue as she had no choice but to hide behind a tree.


    Jay used that opportunity to close the distance. Since the tree was just a stone pillar that was covered in holograms, the back of his sword was enough.


    Jay spun his blade and struck the tree with the back of his sword, crushing the pillar in an instant.


    Bang!


    Tarkan grabbed the flag as paint splashed on his clothes.


    "End of the match... No, pause the match!" Shion suddenly shouted. Tarkan pulled the flag and the bullet hit him at almost the same time, so they didn''t know which one was first.


    "This is..."


    "Wow..."


    The audience had mixed reactions. Some of them were confused with the result. Some were amazed by such an intense battle. Imemine had shown a clever way of fighting, while Libation Fiesta had revealed their strong individual might.


    The three referees gathered while Clovis and Erwin were standing in front of each other with a serious expression. After all, this would determine the result of the match.


    "You''re the only one with Brain Affinity among us, Miss Lifa. Which team is faster?" One of them asked.


    All the people looked at her with a curious expression.


    Lifa gulped down and said, "I don''t think I''m fast enough to see it. Even if it happens, the difference is only around a few microseconds... We still have the high speed camera, right?"


    "Yes." He nodded and immediately rolled his hand, gesturing to Shion to use the high speed camera.


    "Oh!" Shion hurriedly opened the record and showed it on the screen.


    The people gulped down as Lifa watched the record carefully. She even played it at a lower speed to make sure she didn''t miss it.


    The longer she took, the more curious the people became. The suspense was unbearable for both the audience and the participants.


    Finally, Lifa closed the recording and took a deep breath, as if she were amazed with the result.


    She raised her hand and shouted, "Safe. Imemine successfully grabbed the flag earlier!"


    In that instant, the result was clear. Cheers shook the entire stadium like a volcanic explosion.


    After such an intense match, the conclusion had been reached.


    "Uooohh!"@@@@

 Chapter 285 Fault

    "Uooohhh!"


    "The entire stadium is trembling. After an intense match that lasted for 12 minutes and 47 seconds, the conclusion has been reached. Imemine gets three points from the flag, while Libation Fiesta also gets three points from taking down three people." Shion shouted. Her entire body was shaking due to the excitement.


    "This match is too intense."


    "Yeah. This is too good!"


    "Libation Fiesta!"


    "Imemine!"


    "I just got a goosebump. This is insane."


    "What will happen in the next round? The individual match!"


    The people were shouting out loud. The best match of the day was definitely a befitting title for this match.


    The reactions varied. The people that supported Imemine couldn''t help but gasp in shock, never thinking that Libation Fiesta could fight the group they supported this much.


    "Impossible. How can they defeat three of our own so swiftly?"


    "It must be a surprise attack!"


    "Are they going to lose the individual match?"


    On the other hand, the people who wanted the Dark Horse to win were cheering joyfully. This was a chance like no other. If they managed to overwhelm them individually, there was a chance that they could stand a chance against groups with Tier 4 people.


    They expected a lot from them. Obviously, Mayor Revan was one of those people. He had been dancing nonstop because he couldn''t contain his excitement.


    He thought that his group would be eliminated in the preliminary match, but he was wrong. The youngest as well as the ''weakest'' group actually managed to show such might. This would definitely boost the morale of his base.


    Meanwhile, the other groups couldn''t help but furrow their eyebrows.


    "Who knows?" Clovis shrugged.


    "If that wasn''t the case, you would have crushed me when everyone was gone." Erwin snorted. "It seems that we can only settle this in the individual match. Now that the score is tied, two wins are all it takes for us to advance to the next round."


    "Indeed." Clovis nodded while sheathing his swords. "In that case, I''ll give you a reward for showing me my weakness."


    "Reward?"


    "Yeah. I will send Ragna in the first match and fight personally in the second match. I will win those two matches and advance to the next round." Clovis smirked.


    "Oi, oi. Are you trying to mess with my mind right now?"


    "You can treat it however you like." Clovis paused for a moment. "If you don''t like it, how about we bet on something?"


    "A bet, huh?"


    "Yeah. If I win against you, you will join my group. Let''s travel together." Clovis smirked.


    "Is that supposed to be an invitation? As someone from a larger city, I was supposed to be the one extending my invitation, you know..." Erwin chuckled. "But as a fighter myself, I appreciate knowing you think highly of me. However, I don''t like that kind of bet."


    "Is that so? That''s a shame." Clovis chuckled.


    "You should fight Aileen first before extending that invitation to me. Not that it''s possible since you''re going to lose against me."


    "Interesting." Clovis turned around. "In that case, we shall see who comes on top in the individual match."


    "Yeah. This time, I won''t make another miscalculation."


    Clovis smiled. In the Another World Mall, there was a restaurant option. Its food could boost his group''s performance.


    However, this was a competition. He didn''t really want to cheat in such a fair competition unless his opponent was a jerk.


    That was why he didn''t plan to use his Another World Mall for this match.

 Chapter 286 Next Match

    "..." Tarkan let out a sigh of relief. The situation was actually worse than they expected. They were almost defeated by the unexpected strength of Libation Fiesta.


    He couldn''t help but take another look at their opponents, thinking, ''The situation is very bad for us right now. According to Erwin, they will send out Clovis, Jay, and Ragna for the individual matches.@@@@


    ''Meanwhile, Erwin, Gilza, and I will be representing our group. If we play our cards right, we might be able to win against them. At the very least, we have to win against Clovis and Ragna while not getting trapped by Jay.''


    Tarkan waved his hand to his teammates, gesturing them to regroup with Erwin and discuss their next plan. They only had ten minutes after all.


    When they were about to go back, they saw Clovis emerging from the forest. His face remained calm as though he hadn''t unleashed his all.


    Tarkan couldn''t help but furrow his eyebrows. Clovis was indeed the most dangerous one among them. The only person who could defeat him was Erwin.


    In the end, they let Clovis pass them before going back to Erwin.


    ...


    Clovis gathered his group in the waiting room.


    Jay''s expression turned grim as he couldn''t help but stand up before lowering his head.


    "I''m sorry, everyone. Everything was my fault." Jay closed his eyes, recalling the match earlier. If he wasn''t distracted, his group could actually win this match.


    In fact, if not for Melody stopping him, he would have been defeated by the hidden string. After that, they would eliminate everyone except for Clovis before getting the flag. It would be over for their group.


    Clovis snorted. "That was my fault! If I hadn''t underestimated them, we would have won by getting the flag instead of having ours stolen."


    "What? Are you serious, Clovis?" Jay gritted his teeth, glaring at Clovis. It was clear that he was the one at fault, but Clovis made up some excuses to make him look bad.


    "He must be lying. This is just a mind battle." Tarkan bit his lips.


    "I originally thought that, but after facing him, I know that Clovis is planning to be the champion. When you take that into consideration, I''m sure that they will use Jay against the Eight Swords. In other words, Jay will have to rest."


    "That''s..." Tarkan couldn''t deny it. "What if they want you to think that way?"


    "He doesn''t seem to be the person who will scheme against me... at least not in this match. He makes the assumption that he will be able to defeat me and Ragna is able to win against any person in our group. That''s why we have to surpass his imagination." Erwin looked at Tarkan with a serious expression. "You and me. As long as we can win these two matches, we''ll be able to advance to the next round."


    Tarkan bit his lips. Erwin was very sure that he would meet Ragna in the individual match.


    "Besides, even if you end up meeting Jay, you will still have to defeat him if we want to win. That''s why it doesn''t really matter."


    "..." Tarkan remained silent for a moment before nodding his head. "Alright. I will defeat Ragna. Make sure you beat Clovis."


    "Of course."


    Tarkan harrumphed and started walking back to the arena.


    The arena had changed. Instead of the forest arena, there was only a barren field this time. Several pillars had been erected as an obstacle.


    Shion began talking. "I''m sure that everyone is still excited about the individual matches. Without further ado, we will begin to call the representatives of each team."


    Shion looked at the screen as they updated the name.


    "Oh?! We''ve just got the information. Then, I shall announce it to everyone. The person who represents Imemine is... Tarkan Ravelli. The person who will fight him is none other than Ragna Book.


    "This is a rather unique match. A Martial Artist vs. A Guardian."

 Chapter 287 Ragna vs Tarkan (1)

    Ragna and Tarkan entered the stage at the same time, their eyes locked on each other.


    The people thought Libation Fiesta was throwing the first match as the result was clear.


    "As expected, Libation Fiesta is trying to bait Imemine by sending their vice captain. This way, they will lose the first match while their captain, Clovis, will defeat the opponent''s captain. After that, Jay will easily defeat his opponent."


    "Ragna, huh? He is a very weak guy among guardians. In fact, even if he is a Tier 3 guardian, his actual strength is only Tier 2."


    "Right? He is such an unreliable guardian."


    "Why does Libation Fiesta even recruit him?"


    "Right? Even during that last stand, he was being pushed by Gilza. If he managed to stand on his ground, he would be able to stop Tarkan just for a second, which would result in Kanaria shooting Tarkan down.


    The people were looking down on him. They didn''t think Ragna could win against Tarkan. Even if he managed to get stronger and become a decent guardian, he would still be a level below Tarkan.


    Ragna''s face remained calm and collected. He had expected this kind of reaction, but since it was irrelevant to the current him, he just ignored it.


    It was true that if he stopped Tarkan even just for a second, it would change the winner of this match.


    However, there was one thing they didn''t calculate.


    Gilza''s action was like a suicide. It wasn''t what a normal person was supposed to do. In fact, if this was a life-and-death fight, Gilza would have died alongside Tarkan.


    However, they took advantage of the rules'' loophole just to ensure they managed to win.


    Tarkan playfully said, "It seems that people from this town don''t like you very much. What do you think?"


    "It can''t be helped. How can I deny them when it''s true?" Ragna smiled.


    Tarkan knew that it wasn''t true anymore. But Ragna was able to calmly reply to them without any trace of frustration. It would mean that he couldn''t shake his heart off by using people''s words.


    Tarkan sighed, asking, "Is that why you join Libation Fiesta even if it means leaving this city?"


    Ragna was actually blown away by the punch.


    "Kh." Ragna gritted his teeth as he barely managed to maintain his stable posture.


    ''His eyes were sharp enough to follow my movements when I originally wanted to confuse him by using those pillars. However, his strength is as rumored. In that case...'' Tarkan immediately chased after Ragna. The latter was sliding on the ground, trying to stop his momentum.


    However, Tarkan actually managed to cover the gap between them before Ragna stopped.


    With a smile, Tarkan punched forward, only to get a little surprise from Ragna.


    Ragna suddenly opened up his shield a bit, allowing his spear to move.


    "!!!" Tarkan''s instinct was screaming as his body tilted to the side. "Kh!"


    The spear''s movement was swift and deadly. If not for his quick reaction, that thrust would have pierced his throat. Even the referees were on high alert.


    ''This bastard. He was lying.'' Tarkan gritted his teeth. Despite his tilted body, he actually managed to stomp the ground and use it to make his foundation stable. After that, he struck Ragna''s shield, planning to launch him away like earlier.


    Bam!


    This time, Ragna was pushed back by two meters, but he still managed to hold on.


    Tarkan thought he would be able to gain some distance with that punch, but he was wrong. ''He is actually able to withstand that punch. I might not have momentum anymore, but that punch should have been enough to blow him away. As expected, he is hiding his strength... He might still be hiding a portion of his strength to catch me off guard.''


    Ragna was the one moving forward this time, thrusting his spear at Tarkan''s chest.


    On the other hand, Tarkan raised his stance and received the thrust like he did with Jay''s swing.


    He let the spear hit the back of his hand before knocking it to the side with a flick of his hand.


    The thrust momentum would pull Ragna in, allowing him to punch Ragna''s shield once again.


    ''How about this?'' Tarkan punched the shield with his other hand, but Ragna actually slammed his shield against Tarkan''s body before that punching motion.


    "!!!" Tarkan widened his eyes in shock as the shield hit both his head and body before pushing it back by three meters. "Wha¡ª"

 Chapter 288 Ragna vs Tarkan (2)

    "This..." The audience became silent.


    "Isn''t Ragna fighting better than expected?"


    "But didn''t Tarkan manage to blow him away earlier?"


    "But Ragna counter-attacked and almost hit his throat..."


    The people were sucking a cold breath. They thought that the battle would become one-sided.


    "No, no. This is just the beginning. There''s no way Tarkan has unleashed all his abilities."


    "Y-yeah. The battle will progress soon and..."


    The people suddenly fell silent. There were a lot of noises in the arena. However, the situation was actually the opposite of what they had in mind.


    "Kh." Tarkan kept blocking Ragna''s attacks from his spear while maintaining a certain distance so that Ragna didn''t attack him with his shield.


    Instead of Tarkan gradually getting the upper hand, Ragna was actually suppressing Tarkan.


    Ragna''s thrusts were swift and precise, causing Tarkan to have a hard time blocking them.


    Tarkan couldn''t help but think, ''As expected, he is like those abnormal people. I didn''t notice it earlier, but when I first launched him away, he actually jumped slightly so that it was possible. He even positioned himself so that, while flying, he wouldn''t hit a pillar. This Ragna is much stronger than Erwin''s analysis.''


    Tarkan deflected another thrust and punched forward.


    Surprisingly, Tarkan did the same thing with his shield, causing the clash to actually neutralize each other''s force.


    "What rumors? You''re this strong?" Tarkan grinned in frustration. Their strength was actually equal. Even though he focused more on his technique unlike Gilza, it didn''t change the fact that he had Muscle Affinity.


    On the other hand, Ragna had a Bones Affinity, which boosted his defensive power. He should be stronger than Ragna.


    But the reality couldn''t be any more different.


    He threw the rocks toward Ragna.


    "Kh!" Ragna gritted his teeth and tried to block most of them with his shield midair.


    As soon as Ragna landed, Tarkan ran toward him at full speed and jumped into the air while extending his foot forward.


    Ragna knew how much momentum he had and the force he would produce in such a situation, so he chose to dodge.


    At the same time, Ragna turned around and thrust his spear, trying to get Tarkan.


    However, Tarkan simply crushed the pillar and escaped from the spear''s reach. He landed right after and grabbed the stones, throwing them again at Ragna.


    With a more stable position, Ragna easily blocked all those rocks without taking a single step.


    But Tarkan used that chance to close the distance between them and did the same thing.


    Seeing the momentum wasn''t as fast as the previous kick, Ragna stomped the ground and moved forward, smashing his shield on the foot.


    Bam!


    The ground underneath them cracked and Tarkan''s momentum was completely stopped.


    ''This is it.'' Ragna stepped to the side, trying to stab Tarkan the moment he landed on the ground.


    To his surprise, Tarkan actually raised the other leg and stomped on the upper''s part of the shield, which actually anchored his position on top of the shield.


    "!!!" Ragna raised his head, finding Tarkan tilting his body down and ready to punch him.


    "Kh!" Ragna hurriedly let go of his spear so that he could retract his arm, protecting his head.


    Tarkan ended up hitting his arm. This should be enough to push back the arm and injure the head, but Ragna actually lowered his body even further, following the momentum of that punch so that the arm didn''t touch his head at all.


    ''He''s too good.'' Tarkan gritted his teeth. Even in such an advantageous position and taking Ragna by surprise, he still couldn''t injure him.

 Chapter 289 Ragna vs Tarkan (3)

    "This..." The people couldn''t help but gasp.


    "Isn''t Ragna kind of fighting pretty well?"


    "Y-yeah. Maybe he is not as weak as we think he is?"@@@@


    "No. He should have been worse. Did he join Libation Fiesta because they managed to transform him into this strong?"


    The people were confused by the fight since his improvement was so big that it was hard to believe.


    However, the situation in the arena was actually better than what was visible for Libation Fiesta.


    Their injuries had caused Tarkan to slow down for a bit.


    At the same time, Ragna''s condition wasn''t that different. He bit his lips. His arm was hit pretty badly, to the point where it was hard to actually hold his spear. Still, this was nothing compared to a Tier 4 beast''s attack.


    Ragna hurriedly waved his other hand, shaking Tarkan off his shield.


    Tarkan jumped back while observing Ragna''s condition. ''Are you serious? The injury on his forehead has closed up. I don''t know about his stamina, but if I go for mutual destruction, I''ll lose. In that case...''


    Tarkan moved forward as Ragna did the same.


    He used his Beast Soul and punched Ragna''s shield as the latter bashed him with all his strength.


    Bam!


    The impact caused a loud sound and produced a small shock wave. However, they were actually equal.


    Ragna didn''t get pushed back.


    Tarkan gritted his teeth. "You''re finally showing your true power, huh?"


    "I will accompany you until you can''t move your hands anymore." Ragna smirked, his confidence starting to build up.


    Seven years ago.


    Erwin was walking down the corridor of the explorer school he attended. That was when he heard a series of banging sounds, which piqued his interest.


    "Mhmm?" When Erwin took a look, he saw a young man punching a sandbag. Each strike contained a power that caused the sand bag to move back for a meter.


    That was why Erwin actually approached him.


    "Haa... Ha..." Tarkan was panting heavily after doing his training for more than two hours before he suddenly heard Erwin''s voice from the side. "Why are you wasting your potential like that?"


    "Huh?" Tarkan turned his head around, glaring at Erwin. "Aren''t you Erwin? The one who has the SS rank potential as an Explorer? What are you doing here? Are you trying to look down on me who only has B rank potential?"


    Tarkan misunderstood his words as an insult.


    However, Erwin simply made a grunted expression. "SS Rank potential, huh? It''s high, but how dare they not give me SSS rank potential? Screw them."


    "Huh?" Tarkan''s eyebrows twitched. To think that he would actually dislike his potential. "Are you trying to show off in front of me? The only one who has higher rank is only that Ail¡ª"


    Before he finished, Erwin snorted. "Yeah, yeah. I am the second. Second place is the first loser, I know!"


    "What the hell?" Tarkan''s annoyance turned into confusion.


    "Anyway, you''re wasting your potential. Since I''m the second, I want you to be the third. This way, you''re going to be the second loser."


    "What are you talking about? Are you insulting me?" Tarkan glared at him.


    Erwin simply moved closer and started grabbing Tarkan''s legs, feeling them.


    "What? Are you gay?" Tarkan tried to pull back, but Erwin simply said, "As expected... Despite getting trained, your muscles stay flexible. Why are you fixated so much with those punches when you have such treasures..."


    "Treasures?" Tarkan didn''t understand what he was talking about.


    "Tarkan. Be grateful that I will choose you as my friend. Come with me, I''ll show you the sight of the second loser."


    Tarkan was annoyed at that time as he had never seen anyone have such high self-esteem. But at the same time, he was actually interested in this self-conceited man.

 Chapter 290 Ragna vs Tarkan (4)

    Bam!


    Tarkan kicked the sandbag, which actually destroyed it.


    "This is..." The teacher who assessed his kick couldn''t help but gasp. "His foot is so flexible that his kick travels like a whip, producing strength beyond what the leg was capable of. Tarkan, SS Rank!"


    After one year following Erwin, he finally got his SS rank assessment. Just like Erwin said, he actually ranked third in the school.


    "Good work, Tarkan." Erwin grinned.


    Tarkan paused for a moment before smiling. "You''re really too much, self-conceited bastard."


    "Call me Erwin next time." Erwin harrumphed. "By the way, now that you have become the loser after me, how about learning strategy?"


    "Huh?" Tarkan was confused at that time, but he still ended up following his command and succeeding.


    Remembering those moments, Erwin couldn''t help but smile, believing 100% in Tarkan''s victory.


    Unfortunately for Erwin, because Tarkan learned strategy and strengthened his leg, he realized that the battle had yet to end.


    If that kick was lethal, the referee would have stopped him.


    But all those referees saw the same thing.


    Right before the kick arrived at Ragna''s head, Ragna actually followed his kick and stood on his tiptoes, causing his body to slightly raise.


    With a kick coming from such a low angle, the slight rise ended up causing that kick to hit his shoulder instead of his head.


    That was what the referees saw.


    "!!!" Tarkan widened his eyes in shock when Ragna was still able to stand. His right shoulder was actually dislocated, but his eyes remained sharp as though he could still continue.


    In fact, Ragna actually grabbed his dislocated shoulder and fixed it himself without a single sound escaping his mouth.


    He just continued to glare at Tarkan as though he was ready for any attacks if he decided to come.


    Tarkan couldn''t believe what he saw. Ragna did everything as though he had gotten used to it.


    Tarkan, on the other hand, had closed the gap between them and made another side kick.


    Because he was in no position to block it, Ragna ducked, avoiding that kick by a hair''s breadth. However, the kick still hit the pillar right behind him, causing the shattered rocks to fall on top of him.


    Ragna actually ignored it and charged at Tarkan with his shield in front. Tarkan was standing on one leg, so this would be the best chance to topple him down.


    Unfortunately for Ragna, Tarkan moved his leg like a whip. His leg''s trajectory instantly curved up and slammed it down.


    "Kh!" Ragna gritted his teeth as he almost dropped his shield. Even then, his head was now open for Tarkan.


    Tarkan twisted his body and jumped into the air, spinning a few times before extending that leg to perform a hook kick right at Ragna''s head.


    Ragna gritted his teeth and hurriedly tilted his head a bit, using the hardest part of his head, which was the forehead or frontal bones, to block this kick.


    Bang!


    The kick launched Ragna into a pillar ten meters away from them.


    "!!!" The referees shifted their positions as if they were trying to take a look at Ragna''s condition.


    To their surprise, Ragna was still able to move. He hadn''t let go of his shield and spear. Instead, he used his spear to lift his body up.


    His forehead was bleeding because of that spin that produced the friction, but Ragna knew that his skull was still intact and there shouldn''t be any injuries.


    "Ha... Ha..." Ragna panted a few times, his eyes still focusing on Ragna. "I can''t lose as well."


    Tarkan looked shocked. Ragna kept coming back up, no matter how hard he beat him as though he were immortal. Tarkan couldn''t help but smile, "So strong... I thought I would be fighting Jay, but I should apologize to you for underestimating you. I''m glad that I can fight you."


    To repay him, Tarkan planned to defeat him with all his strength.


    He jumped into the air again. Since Ragna''s shield remained in front of him, he would get around him with a hook kick.


    But this was when Ragna made an unexpected move.


    He actually let go of his spear before raising his arm, using the arm that was supposed to be broken to block this kick.


    "!!!"

 Chapter 291 Ragna vs Tarkan (5)

    "!!!" Tarkan widened his eyes in shock. Even the referees were ready to help Ragna.


    For the second time of the day, Ragna surpassed their imagination again by not moving.


    ''No. I can''t move?'' Tarkan panicked, realizing something was wrong. ''There is something hard... No, is his bone so hard that this kick is not enough to break it? No way, Bone Hardening?''


    Ragna''s expression turned dark as he couldn''t help but remember all his past memories.


    "Aaahhh!" Ragna was blown away by the beast as the rest of the team members actually left him behind. They were running away because the beasts were too strong and as a guardian he was supposed to protect their rear.


    But because of his useless constitution, he ended up getting overwhelmed. And no one even bothered to help him.@@@@


    However, Ragna managed to survive that as he came back with blood drenching his shirt. It was his own blood. Due to his body, he ended up surviving again.


    In another group, they ended up expelling him again. "Sorry. We can''t bring you anymore. You''re simply too weak as a guardian."


    Another group gave him a different experience. They were more brutal as they actually beat him up.


    He could still remember the person who beat him black and blue with a huge grin on his face. "Hahaha. You can really recover from this? Instead of being a guardian, I think you''re more suitable to be our punching bag."


    Eventually, his manager from the agency that recruited him after knowing his evolution rate apologized to him. With his head hanging low, he said, "I''m sorry, Ragna. I''ve done my best, but I can''t keep you here anymore due to the lack of results."


    Everyone abandoned him. They did everything they wanted to him. Yet his body refused to die.


    It was painful, but every single time, he remembered the promise he made when he was a child. He had to live on, not just for his sake.


    Despite being beaten up... despite bleeding all over the body, he just returned another day.


    ''I''m sick of this. I''m tired. Why do I have to experience all this? Even I don''t want this body... I want to be a capable guardian. Why?'' Ragna was breaking down from time to time.


    He always asked why he had to suffer and thought about ending it all, yet his body refused to die. He didn''t know how many times he stopped himself from committing suicide.


    "Still..." Clovis raised his head, looking at the night sky. "I want to surpass my grandfather and become the greatest explorer."


    "With that evolution rate?"


    "Because of this evolution rate... I will surpass anyone''s imagination and break the custom. But that''s not the limit. Even as a Tier 9 explorer, my grandfather still fails to be with me and I have to fight against all odds just to survive. If I want to surpass him, I will need a group.


    A group that can protect my family, defeat my enemy, and grow together with me so that even if I''m not there, I won''t have to worry about anything."


    Ragna didn''t know why, but those words resonated in his heart. It felt like the fire in his heart that had stopped burning and kept giving up had been reignited.


    "That''s why..." Clovis extended his hand to Ragna. "I''ll need you as my shield, Ragna. I''ll give you the strength you desire, but in exchange, follow me as a member of my group. It''s going to be a long journey, Ragna."


    Ragna was stunned because Clovis worded it like it was already a done deal. But Ragna had a change of vision. After everything he had seen so far, Ragna had a feeling. If it were this person, he might be able to do it.


    Taking his hand meant he would bind himself to this guy. But surprisingly, he didn''t hesitate when making his decision.


    "I haven''t found the reason for me to love this group from all my heart, but I might find it pretty soon with such a captain. Fine with me. I''ll become your shield... I shall protect everyone here, your family, as well as the group''s honor." Ragna took Clovis''s hand as he saw him smiling.


    When Ragna remembered it, he couldn''t help but smile as he blocked the kick with his arm.


    ''Yeah, yeah. It hurts... I already know that. However, he has asked me to win and that''s what I will do. I''ve gotten sick in getting beaten and I might never escape from this fate. But this time, I''m also going to fight back.


    ''As long as my body refuses to die, I''ll continue to fight on. I''ll keep coming back up and become that person''s shield.'' Ragna gritted his teeth as his body started leaning forward.


    "!!!" Tarkan gasped, not expecting that Ragna still had the power to move after blocking that kick. More importantly, since when did Ragna''s right arm recover?


    In that confusion, Ragna roared like a beast as though he were declaring his supremacy. He broke free from that kick and moved forward, punching Tarkan in the face. "Raaaaggghh!"


    Tarkan felt much more than just a punch. It was powerful enough to break his nose. But more importantly, it was heavy... with responsibility. The punch blew him away, causing his body to bounce several times on the ground until he crashed into a pillar.


    Ragna panted a few times as he looked at Tarkan, muttering inwardly, ''You must have your reason to suddenly fight with your legs. But I, too, have a reason to win. After all, I love this group so much.''

 Chapter 292 Ragna vs Tarkan (6)

    "Ha... Ha..." Ragna looked at Tarkan, who was still lying down on the floor. He hurriedly picked up his spear, planning to deal a finishing blow.


    On the other hand, Tarkan clenched his fists, having trouble lifting up his body. He raised his head to see Ragna''s position, revealing his broken nose with blood streaming down.


    Ragna was approaching him fast, so Tarkan did his best to stand up.


    The moment Ragna arrived, he hurriedly swung his shield. Tarkan caught it with one hand while punching Ragna with the other hand.


    To his surprise, Ragna didn''t even bother to protect himself with his other hand. He just let that punch hit his chest.


    "Kh!" Ragna saw that Tarkan could use his elbow to smack his spear if he decided to make another thrust.


    That was why Ragna did the unthinkable. He extended his hand instead, so that when Tarkan hit him with his elbow, only his arm got away.


    Ragna simply twisted his wrist and hit Tarkan''s head with the handle of his spear.


    "Gah!" Tarkan gritted his teeth, trying to grab the spear with his left hand. At the same time, he let go of the spear and punched Ragna''s cheek.


    However, Ragna was like a berserker who didn''t care about his injury anymore. He simply banged Tarkan''s body with his shield.


    ''Is he taking advantage of his body for mutual destruction?'' Tarkan gritted his teeth. Even if he could win against him, Tarkan would definitely be injured heavily. On the other hand, Ragna could easily recover from this injury.


    Still, could he win against Ragna in this state?


    His head was already ringing due to the hit from the spear.


    Tarkan hurriedly kicked Ragna''s leg, causing him to fall on one knee. But Ragna immediately stood up again and hit Tarkan''s chin with his head.


    "Kh!" Tarkan took a step back as his consciousness became fuzzy. He tried to kick Ragna, but he had a hard time focusing.


    Ragna gradually raised his head while shouting, "Raaaaaggghh!"


    That roar became a trigger for the astounded people to snap back. The cheers erupted, celebrating the victory with him.


    "This is it, everyone. This is Ragna Book... the new Ragna Book! He is not the same person as we know anymore! He has become a strong guardian... an immortal guardian!" Shion felt goosebumps.


    "Are you alright?" One of the referees asked Ragna while the other referees were signing for the medical team to come with a stretcher for Tarkan.


    "I''m fine. I can go to the medical room by myself." Ragna nodded. He took a last glance at Tarkan as his victory still felt surreal. This was the turning point of his life. From now on, he would fight back and claim more victories.


    After taking a deep breath, Ragna staggered to the gate. There, he saw Clovis waiting for him. He made his way toward him before collapsing.


    Clovis grabbed his arms and supported his body.


    "I win, Clovis. I''ve protected the honor of this group. With this, we''ll be able to win against Imemine, right?"


    "Yeah. Thank you, Ragna."


    "I should be the one thanking you, Clovis. If not for you, I might still get dragged around while struggling to survive... Thank you for giving me hope."


    "Why do you sound like this is the end? This is just the beginning."


    "Right?" Ragna smiled. "I''m sorry, but I have to rest."


    "Yes. Take your time to recover. It is my responsibility to bring this match to a close." Clovis brought him back to the waiting room so that his teammates could bring him to the medical room.


    After that, Clovis returned to the gate and stepped onto the arena.


    Standing in front of him was Erwin. This was a battle between captains as well as the deciding match of today.

 Chapter 293 Clovis vs Erwin (1)

    "What a match, Tarkan vs. Ragna. We have seen the determination from both teams." Shion clenched her hand to calm down her excitement. "Now that Libation Fiesta has gotten the first win, Imemine will definitely not allow it to continue.@@@@


    "And that''s why... for the second battle, the person who represents Imemine is none other than their captain, Erwin!"


    "Uoohhh!"


    It was supposed to be a transition from the first match to the second match. But Erwin actually used that announcement to make his stage.


    Yes, the reason people cheered after Shion said those words was because Erwin stepped on the arena.


    "W-What? Erwin himself has made his appearance!" Shion was shocked. He was supposed to come out later. Shion was speechless for a second before saying, "I don''t know what to say. It seems that Captain Erwin is taking the result of the first match seriously and is eager to pay Libation Fiesta back!


    "However, the arena is currently being fixed. In the meantime, we sha¡ª" Once again, Shion''s words were being interrupted by a cheer.


    Just like Erwin, Clovis actually made his way to the arena.


    Shion simply couldn''t believe it. Her eyebrows twitched out of annoyance, wondering why they liked to interrupt her. They couldn''t fight until the arena was fixed anyway.


    But when the two men met each other in the center of the arena, they simply ignored the workers who repaired the arena.


    "I see. So that''s why you''re so confident that you will be able to win against my group." Erwin smirked.


    "I believe that my teammates are strong enough to win. That''s all. And as their captain, it''s time for me to properly close the match."


    Erwin couldn''t really refute those words. The first match determined the outcome of the entire individual match. Even if he won against Clovis, the third match would be against that Jay. Even though he hated to admit it, Roberto and Gilza couldn''t win against Jay.


    That was why the result of this match didn''t really matter. Still, for someone as self-conceited as him, this match was everything. He needed to regain a bit of glory for his group as well as avenge Tarkan.


    If he lost, it would be all over for his group. They couldn''t even get anything from this match and had to be satisfied with the top eight position, which didn''t mean anything.


    "Agreed. If you underestimate me, you''re going to pay a heavy price." Erwin smirked.


    "Shouldn''t I be the one saying that? I''m Tier 2, while you are Tier 3."


    Erwin and Clovis just looked at each other for a few seconds before laughing.


    The workers had started to go back one by one as the holes and rubble left behind from the first match had been cleaned up.


    "The arena is finally fixed. It seems that the two captains are already raring to go! I''m sure that everyone is also excited about this match. If Captain Clovis wins, Libation Fiesta will immediately advance to the semifinals. If Captain Erwin wins, Imemine will have another chance for the semifinal.


    "The referees have taken their spots as well. And let''s call upon the obstacles in the arena." Shion pressed the button.


    Numerous pillars appeared in a position different from the last match. These pillars put Erwin on equal ground with Clovis.


    "This shall be the battlefield. Two captains, please take your position."


    Clovis and Erwin smiled as they took a few steps back until there was enough distance between them.


    The referees were watching this battle more closely because these two''s abilities were much higher than Tarkan and Ragna''s.


    Once they had gotten into position, the countdown began as everyone chanted.


    "3."


    "2."


    "1."


    "Start!"

 Chapter 294 Clovis vs Erwin (2)

    "Start!"


    The moment they heard the signal, both captains made their respective moves.


    Clovis headed straight at Erwin, while the latter stepped back while dispensing out small cylinders from his gloves.


    The small cylinders were actually wires that had been designed to expand the moment they were out. The wires pierced the pillars at both ends, creating a web for Erwin.


    This was how Erwin made his base safe in the group battle.


    Erwin even tossed several of them to the sides, expanding his web.


    Clovis'' expression turned serious. He wouldn''t get any support from Melody in this duel.


    In other words, he had to be extra careful against these wires, especially those invisible wires. Even Clovis couldn''t approach Erwin carelessly.


    That was why the first thing he did was cut down some wires.


    There should be a limit to how many wires Erwin could release.


    As if knowing Clovis'' plan, Erwin actually punched the pillars next to him and shattered it. He attached his wires to the small rocks and launched them like a slingshot.


    "..." Clovis squinted his eyes. His slow vision allowed him to capture those rocks'' trajectories. He skillfully struck all the rocks that were supposed to hit him before moving forward.


    Seeing that Clovis didn''t give up, Erwin decided to jump on top of the wire and use it to launch himself into the air with its springiness.


    Clovis held the short sword with his teeth before taking out his pistol.


    When Clovis was about to shoot him, Erwin suddenly flicked his fingers.


    All of a sudden, a rock hit Clovis'' hand, knocking it to the side.


    Bang!


    The rocks just became an even more terrifying weapon because all those wires bounced all those rocks back toward Clovis. Even Clovis couldn''t see the rocks behind him, which meant he had to choose whether to ignore them or try stopping them.


    Erwin smirked, thinking, ''I will be disappointed if you can''t handle this kind of attack.''


    Sadly for Erwin, Clovis''s vision had slowed down so much that he could see the movement of those rocks while they were flying around him. He knew how many rocks would be coming from behind.


    And that was zero.


    Clovis waved his swords, striking all the rocks from three directions as though he abandoned his back.


    "..." Erwin squinted his eyes, noticing that Clovis knew that there was nothing behind him. It showed enough about his eyes'' sharpness.


    Clovis went toward Erwin while swinging his sword, trying to slash the wires he stood on.


    Erwin bounced back into the air.


    The moment Clovis put his short sword between his teeth, Erwin shot out his wires, not toward Clovis but toward the remaining part of the broken pillar.


    "Huh?" Clovis didn''t think Erwin would be playing around, so there might be a use for that broken pillar.


    Erwin surprised him once again when he actually pulled the pillar out of the ground, leaving behind a hole that was supposed to hold the pillar together.


    "!!!" Clovis instantly understood what Erwin wanted. The pillar wasn''t a problem, but that hole would definitely restrict his movement. There was even a chance of him getting tripped because of that hole.


    "T-This...!" The one who was shocked the most was Shion. She desperately looked at the rule book while saying, "I don''t think there is any rule about this, so this is legal. The referees are also not stopping the match."


    Erwin, on the other hand, had placed it in front of the wire, pulling it like an arrow before shooting it at Clovis. "Take this."


    "Both you and Tarkan do love destroying those pillars, huh?" Clovis took a deep breath. Instead of grabbing back his short sword, his left hand remained empty. He raised his left hand and actually caught the pillar without breaking it.


    Erwin couldn''t help but furrow his eyebrows. While the pillar wasn''t that big and half-destroyed, it still weighed more than fifty kilograms. Clovis actually stopped the momentum of such a thing with only his left hand.


    "Are you thinking that this one is enough to defeat me?" Clovis threw the pillar to Erwin.

 Chapter 295 Clovis vs Erwin (3)

    "Are you thinking that this one is enough to defeat me?" Clovis threw the pillar to Erwin.


    Erwin smirked and placed his hands horizontally with a gap between the palms. He moved forward as if planning to stop the pillar, but the pillar ended up passing through the gap between his palms.


    Then he planted the wires and stopped the pillar''s momentum with his own before swinging the pillar.


    "Of course not!"


    Clovis furrowed his eyebrows. Even he would have a hard time stopping the pillar with this much force. So Clovis chose to jump, avoiding the pillar.


    The pillars ended up hitting another pillar and breaking each other apart.


    "What? You''re running away, Clovis?!" Erwin grinned and pulled himself to one of the pillars. Before his feet touched the ground, Erwin grabbed one of his wires and pulled himself back up. He jumped from one wire to another like a monkey.


    "Aren''t you the one running away?" Clovis harrumphed and ran toward Erwin. As expected, to defeat Erwin, he had to destroy most of his wires. Hence, that was what he was planning to do for the time being.


    "Nope!" Erwin jumped off his wire and charged at Clovis.@@@@


    Clovis waved his swords at full speed, this time leaving 20 strikes in one second.


    "!!!" Erwin smiled excitedly as he had been waiting for this. Even if it wasn''t Clovis''s limit, he knew that Clovis had no choice but to fight him seriously.


    Erwin stretched his fingers and started moving his arms, blocking Clovis''s strikes just a few centimeters from his body. "Raaaa! Come on!"


    Even after releasing twenty strikes, he still didn''t manage to break through Erwin''s defense.


    On the other hand, that action actually shocked the people who watched the match.


    There was something wrong with these wires. Instead of coming from right and left, the wires actually came from above.


    "!!!" Clovis had no choice but to jump back, avoiding the wires.


    But the wires ended up sticking into the soil. Then, Erwin lifted up both hands, cracking the ground and actually lifting it up.


    Clovis was dumbfounded, not expecting that Erwin would actually smash the ground at him. It didn''t have a symmetric form like ground tiles, but it certainly had enough power and weight to crush him.


    He wanted to destroy it, but it would just tire him out. Hence, Clovis moved to the side, trying to escape. That was when he felt a sharp pain in his cheek.


    "!!!" Clovis hurriedly tilted his body to the side while swinging his blade, cutting down an invisible wire that almost defeated Jay in the group match.


    Erwin smirked and took that opportunity to swing the giant platform to Clovis.


    "Tsk." Clovis clicked his tongue and struck the platform with both swords. This wasn''t enough to stop the platform, but Clovis managed to tilt it toward the wire area. After that, he spun his body to avoid the platform before cutting the wires attached to it, letting the platform fall and crush the wires.


    Bam!


    The platform shattered into pieces, kicking up the dust on the ground.


    ''He has changed the color of his wires to match the bright terrain. I have expected this, but it''s truly hard to see those very thin, sharp wires.'' Clovis bit his lips. ''Even so, I still have some cards to use. In that case, I will reveal them one by one and see to what level Erwin could¡ª''


    Clovis'' thought abruptly stopped. That platform wasn''t the only attack Erwin released. There was one more thing that he released aside from that boulder and the moment the shattered platform kicked up the dust, it became a very effective smokescreen to mask Erwin''s hidden attack.


    "That''s..." Shion dropped her jaw while looking at the screen that was focused on Clovis''s back.


    Clovis couldn''t help but grit his teeth as if he were in pain.


    After all, on his back, there was a small throwing knife planted out of nowhere.

 Chapter 296 Clovis vs Erwin (4)

    Yes, Erwin actually released a small throwing knife. Due to its size, he could easily carry the throwing knife without showing any signs of it. That was why the sneak attack succeeded.


    Clovis had expected this to a certain extent, but Erwin''s brilliance was beyond his imagination. He actually pushed him to the very limit so that he wouldn''t think about it. That was when he launched a sneak attack.


    It could be said that Erwin read him accurately.


    ''Poison? Nevertheless, I can''t go like this. I have to defeat him before he could do something unthinkable.'' Clovis decided to move toward Erwin, ignoring the knife planted on his back.


    Erwin was ready to receive him as though he wanted to find another opportunity to launch a sneak attack.


    But this time, Clovis decided to stop holding back.


    ''I''ll show you the full strength that you''ve expected!'' Clovis thought and unleashed all his swings.


    ''This is it. It''s coming!'' Erwin grinned excitedly as he extended his wires, ready to block all 22 strikes.


    Their clashes were brief but intense. Each swing was enough to cut the pillar, but Erwin skillfully blocked every single slash.


    "What?! 22 Slashes?!" Shion stood up. "Don''t tell me. Captain Clovis has yet to actually release his full power. With this, we can''t help but accept that his strength is equal to that of all Tier 4 participants in this competition. However, even the youngest among them is still 22 years old, while Mr.


    Clovis is 16 years old. I have never seen this kind of talent."


    The others were also standing up, expressing their shocks. Even Aileen and Rafael felt threatened by Clovis''s strength.


    ''His skills are better than I expected. You''re strong, Clovis. But I can still follow your movement.'' Erwin grinned, blocking all those 22 slashes.


    It changed to him walking next to them after those 22 strikes. But with this new milestone, they realized one thing. Clovis might actually be walking in front of them.


    Even the referees were shocked.


    ''We have expected Flow Control, but this is too much. Too much talent can also become poison... There are going to be greedy people who want him after this tournament... or there might even be people who will do their best to eliminate him.'' The referees couldn''t help but look beyond the competition.


    However, Clovis wasn''t the only one who was holding back this whole time. Erwin actually smiled. He knew that Clovis had no choice but to use his full ability because of that knife. He should know that it would be troublesome if that knife was laced with poison.


    That was why Clovis wanted to defeat him as quickly as possible.


    ''Ah. This is so good. Just like me, you are also a monster. With this, the potential of me defeating you has decreased to 40%. Shit, just when good things come, why do I sound so negative with that probability... I don''t want this fight to end,'' Erwin muttered inwardly.


    After regaining his breath, Erwin waved his right hand upward. His wires were planted on the ground, but instead of picking up the rock like earlier, the wires actually slashed through the ground.


    "!!!" Clovis swung his blade this time, trying to cut these wires. But just like joining sticks together made it stronger, the wires did the same.


    The wires tilted a bit due to the powerful swing, but they didn''t get cut because Clovis ended up hitting all the wires together.


    Clovis had to tilt his body to the side to avoid these wires.


    But they were just a distraction.


    Right after Clovis avoided them, Erwin smashed another three pillars. However, the shattered rocks were not the only ones that would become his bullets, there were at least ten small throwing knives that had been spread in all directions.


    "Time to beat you, Clovis!" Erwin smiled and snapped his finger, shooting all those rocks and knives at the same time.

 Chapter 297 Clovis vs Erwin (5)

    Clovis took a deep breath. The most dangerous ones would be the knives, but he wasn''t Ragna. He couldn''t receive all those rocks with his body.


    Most people would go back and handle all those attacks coming from behind since there were fewer rocks and knives Ragna could send over there.


    However, Clovis surprised everyone once again when he actually moved forward.


    In front of him, there was also a gap known as Erwin. Erwin couldn''t really shoot himself after all, so that gap was quite big for Clovis.


    He rushed toward Erwin at full speed while swinging his blades at full speed. He struck everything that came near him.


    Sadly, the number of incoming objects was simply too much for Clovis to handle. One of the throwing knives ended up stabbing his left shoulder, two rocks hit his body, and one rock hit the side of his head.


    Even so, Clovis continued to move on.


    ''In that case...'' Erwin was amused by his courage and choice, but he didn''t plan to lose. He sent forth his wires both to Clovis and the falling throwing knives. He even released more throwing knives from his pockets.


    Clovis repelled all of them except for one that hit his thigh. Clovis endured the pain and continued, finally reaching the web area Erwin was currently in.


    He struck down all the strings he could see while making his way toward Erwin while under a barrage of attacks.


    Clovis'' advance was like a bullet. In just an instant, he actually reached Erwin''s position.


    Erwin raised both hands, blocking Clovis'' swings with his strings while moving back skillfully as though he knew the locations of his wires without looking. In addition, since Clovis wasted a few swings to cut down the wires between them, it meant Erwin could send a few wires to pick up the throwing knives on the ground to attack Erwin.


    Those spare swings reached Erwin, causing him to be covered in injuries. The bleeding continued as it gradually dyed his clothes red.


    The people felt goosebumps. Just like in the first match, both of them used everything they had in order to take their opponent down. Even if they were injured, they continued moving.


    Erwin''s strength decreased due to the blood loss. Clovis'' condition wasn''t that good either. From 25 hits, he could only unleash 19 hits in his current condition.


    Still, that was enough, the bleeding Erwin suffered was much more severe than him. He should go down after another four slashes.


    When he had seen his path to victory, Clovis pushed his body to the very limit, using both the Knight''s basic swordsmanship and the Demon Dog''s swing to slash Erwin on the shoulder and cheek.


    ''Two more...'' Clovis muttered inwardly as he allowed three knives to stab him in multiple spots so that he could take another step forward, reaching Erwin.


    He struck Erwin on the left chest, causing Erwin''s body to convulse once.


    ''One more time. I will win.'' Clovis leaped.


    As if acting out of desperation, Erwin sent forth another wave of wires.


    Clovis tried to avoid it by taking a step to the right, but Erwin''s wires suddenly curved down as though they were alive. The wires actually wrapped Clovis'' short sword, capturing it.


    ''You''ve become a bit too greedy, Clovis. This is my target. Without this sword, you won''t be able to fully unleash all your potential.'' Erwin smirked. He believed that, with his strength, he could steal this sword from him. He had been waiting for the opportunity when Clovis paid less attention to his sword due to the injury.


    Unfortunately for him, Clovis had expected this as well. Clovis actually smiled as if the door to victory had been opened.


    Clovis would surprise Erwin for one last time during this match with a move that could only be used by him due to his special identity.

 Chapter 298 Clovis vs Erwin (6)

    ''I got him. This is my win.'' Erwin smiled. As soon as he stole this short sword from Clovis'' hand, the match would be decided.


    However, this was just the start of Erwin''s nightmare. As if he had been expecting this kind of attack, Clovis actually lifted up his sword. That action was kind of giving up his weapon.


    Yet, right before Erwin could pull that sword off his hand, Clovis used his other long sword to hit the wires.


    ''It''s useless.'' Erwin knew that with the wire''s durability, Clovis'' swing would just push the wire until it reached the second wire and ended up becoming more durable. That process would repeat a few times until all those wires stack on top of each other, making impossible for Clovis to cut them down.


    This was when Clovis surprised him. This swing was different from anything he had seen in this match.


    The swing was smooth but swift. It actually cut down the first swing without any restriction, despite its durability. The swing continued cutting down one wire after another, freeing his short sword.


    ''What?'' Erwin couldn''t believe what he saw. During the whole match, Clovis always failed to block this type of wire. How could this one be different?


    Unfortunately, he couldn''t get that answer because Clovis swung his short sword to cut the two wires between them while raising the long sword.


    Now that there was nothing left between them, Clovis could finally deliver the last strike.


    He slashed him from the right shoulder to his left chest, creating a huge wound that caused the blood to spurt.


    "Kh." Erwin''s body was shivering as his face turned pale. The wounds on his body had become too much for him to handle.


    "I won," said Clovis as he abruptly ceased all his action, watching Erwin''s body start falling down.


    Erwin couldn''t help but smile. While closing his eyes, he said, "It seems so..."


    Erwin fell to the ground, fully exhausted.


    "Stop!" The referees immediately came toward them. They each got one referee to check their condition, while the third referee announced the result of the match.


    "End of the match! Winner, Clovis!"@@@@


    "What is this? Are you going to mock me for losing against you?" Erwin chuckled.


    "Not at all. I''m just simply fulfilling my promise." Clovis grabbed Erwin''s palm.


    "I don''t remember you promising me this way... I''m straight, by the way."


    "..." Clovis sighed and just wrote down a few numbers on his palm. Of course, the palm was pointed down so that no one could see it.


    "Oh?!" Erwin understood what he was talking about. He promised him his contact information after all.


    "You should remember that, right?"


    "Of course. Who do you think you''re talking to?" Erwin smiled. "I''ll probably sleep in the recovery pod for a while, but I''ll contact you after I recover a bit."


    "I''m looking forward to it." Clovis smiled back, feeling satisfied with this match.


    "By the way, can you humor me with this one question? I''m still unable to understand that last swing... the one that cut down my wires."


    "That''s..." Clovis paused for a moment. "Others might not be able to do it, but unfortunately, your opponent was me. You were not the only wire user I had encountered... I learned that trick from my mother."


    Yes, Clovis'' mother, Aisha, was a doctor. Of course, she was also a surgeon. Her weapons were actually wires and needles.


    Erwin would have won if his opponent was anyone else. Unfortunately, Clovis was already familiar with such a unique weapon.


    "Your mother..." Erwin fell into deep thought before smiling. "So that''s why... This match is my loss. No, it''s your complete victory. Congratulations, Clovis. And make sure you become the champions!"


    "Yeah." Clovis nodded and stood up, watching Erwin get carried on the stretcher.


    "Immediately go to the medical room. Don''t remove those weapons carelessly as you might die because of the blood loss." The referee warned him.


    "Yes. Thank you very much." Clovis nodded his head as he dragged his body back.

 Chapter 299 Arrangement

    "Yeah. That''s what happened. Yes, President. Yes. I understand." Elina let out a long sigh while hanging up the call. She couldn''t help but look at the empty space as if staring at that person''s back.


    In the end, Clovis and his group had become something much bigger than anything they could imagine.


    The mayor had also begun to move, so President Thomas could only cut his losses.


    On the other hand, Mayor Revan visited Clovis and his team in the medical room.


    "How are you?" Mayor Revan asked with a worried expression.


    "Mhmm... The wounds have been closed, and my blood has been replenished. There is still some pain, but this is just the slow recovery part of the recovery pod." Clovis nodded as the doctor checked his condition.


    "Is that so?" The mayor fell silent for a moment.


    Seeing his expression, Clovis simply said, "I''d like to thank you for helping us, Mayor Revan."


    "I didn''t do anything." The mayor shook his head. Even though he gave them some money, there were a lot of things that couldn''t be bought with money, like a special trainer or connection.


    For Clovis, money was everything. He could buy a lot of items from Another World Mall after all.


    "In any case, thank you." Clovis nodded.


    The mayor liked Clovis more and more. Despite having such prowess, he remained humble. Even though some doubted him, he didn''t take it to heart and just showed them the proof.


    Mayor Revan said, "I''ll cheer for you again tomorrow. For now, please get some rest. If you need anything, I''ll do my best to support you."


    "Understood. Thank you very much."


    "What? Am I a child that can''t protect myself?" Kanaria sighed. "Are you going to use the same excuse to joke around today?"


    "Hahaha!" Clovis chuckled. "See you later."


    Jay just carried him a bit faster to shut Clovis up. Of course, Melody followed them since she didn''t want to be bothered by the interview as well.


    While Jay and the others used the back exit, Kanaria and Ragna headed to the main entrance, where the reporters gathered.


    Surprisingly, they were stopped by Kanaria''s mother, Vania.


    "Mom?" Kanaria frowned.


    Vania looked at them. "So only the two of you..."


    "Yeah. Is there something wrong? Usually, you would be waiting in the hotel or just texting me." Kanaria felt something was wrong. Now that she thought about it, Clovis request for Ragna to protect her might have some meanings.


    Vania nodded. "Well, it''s not like this is an immediate problem. However, your performance was so amazing that it would bring some problems since the people in our city would be watching as well."


    "Problems? Such as?"


    Vania raised three problems. "I intercepted one of the calls. The Drake Group planned to cut off Ivan and clear up their name. Thomas isn''t someone who would just swallow this humiliation, so he might do something.


    "And Ivan himself might do something. I don''t know if he can do anything to you or not, but don''t underestimate the person who has been cornered.


    "The second problem would be our family''s enemy, the Rusth family. They should understand that they have lost by choosing Ivan. You are already with Clovis, meaning that there''s no place for the Rusth family. And if they leave us alone, we''ll become too powerful due to that connection. They might create an even bigger problem just to stop us from rising or at least eliminate you.


    "Last but not least, there would be a lot of people wanting to get your group, especially Clovis. They might do something against you. I think this is a reason why Clovis made some connection with Erwin. He is probably planning to use that connection to stop those people from getting too greedy."

 Chapter 300 Problems

    When she heard the three problems, Kanaria couldn''t help but furrow her eyebrows. "I will ignore the first one for the time being. As long as we''re in this city, he can''t do anything.


    "As for the second problem, you''re probably going to handle it, right, Mom?"


    "That''s true." Vania scratched the back of her head. "That''s why I might be busy for the next two days to keep those people in check."


    "As for the third problem, when did Clovis become friends with Erwin? I know that they have mutual respect for each other, but that''s about it." Kanaria shook her head.


    "You should tell Clovis to be a bit careful. While it''s true that he has done a lot to prevent anyone from deciphering his message, he shouldn''t give his number in front of everyone. Well, I''m probably the only one who can understand it since I know him, but just don''t forget to warn him about it later."@@@@


    "Is that so?" Kanaria fell silent for a moment. "Is he going to recruit him or is he just merely using him as a shield..."


    Vania shrugged. "You can discuss it with him later. I just want to tell you those things."


    "I understand. Thank you very much, Mom."


    "See ya." Vania waved her hand and walked away.


    Kanaria looked down, falling into deep thought. She remembered that Clovis mentioned a guest.


    ''Don''t tell me, the guest is Erwin?'' Kanaria had a wry smile, not knowing how to react.


    "Kanaria."


    "Huh?" Kanaria turned her head to Ragna.


    "I want to confirm one thing. Are you using Clovis or something? From your interaction with Clovis, I thought you were his girlfriend. But from the interaction with your mother, I felt like it was the will of your family..." Ragna frowned. "It''s not my place to ask this, but..."


    Kanaria shook her head. "Well, your guess contains some truth. I''m not Clovis'' girlfriend... yet, but we have been living together for a while. It''s true that my family has something to do with it, but my feeling is genuine.


    "What''s this? You suddenly being humble creeps me out." Tarkan looked at him with a disgusted expression. The others surprisingly nodded their heads, showing their agreement.


    Erwin couldn''t help but chuckle. "Hahaha!"


    "I''m sorry for interrupting your discussion..." The doctor came closer to Erwin.


    "Ah. Is there something wrong with my body, Doctor?" Erwin scratched the back of his head.


    "Most of the wounds have been closed, but there are still some deep wounds that the recovery pod can''t heal like the one in your chest."


    Erwin looked down, noticing that he had bandaged the wound. "Is this going to leave a scar, Doc?"


    "What''s wrong? An explorer is afraid to have a scar on your body."


    "Not at all. I''m just afraid that I have suddenly become even more charming to the ladies."


    "Huh?" The doctor looked confused, while the others seemed to have gotten used to it and were happy that Erwin had cheered up.


    "Just imagine this... If a lady sees my perfect body with a lot of scars, I''ll just have to make a mysterious expression so that she will wonder what kind of things I''ve experienced in life. They will become attracted to these scars and want to know more about me.


    "It puts me into trouble. I am a gentleman, so I don''t want to break a lady''s heart. That''s why, if possible, I don''t want to have scars on my body so that they don''t get too attracted to me."


    The doctor''s eyebrows were twitching. "Did your head hit the recovery pod so hard that it turned you this way?"


    "Ahahaha!" Tarkan laughed. "Don''t worry. He''s a self-conceited bastard. He''s like this usually."


    "Oh!" The doctor nodded. "Well, those deeper wounds are mostly closed. They just need more time for natural recovery, so they won''t leave any scars. The pain should be gone in three days. If you still feel some pain, it''s better to go to the hospital for a thorough checkup."


    "Alright." Erwin nodded before the door to the medical room was opened. The one standing behind the door was Aileen. "Well, well, well... Who do we have here? Sometimes, my popularity scares me."

 Chapter 301 A Guest

    "Haaa!" Kanaria let out a long sigh with a tired expression. She slammed the door open after a long, stressful interview. "I''m finally done!"


    Ragna smiled wryly. Even he had a hard time earlier.


    "Thanks for your hard work." Clovis took a peek from the living room while saying, "The food is almost ready. Come in."


    "O-oh!" Kanaria nodded. "These are things that you want me to buy. Some desert and snacks."


    "Yup. Just bring it to the table." Clovis nodded while going back to the kitchen.


    Ragna scratched the back of his head, feeling a bit embarrassed. Normally, the ones who prepared the food were either him or Kanaria. But Clovis could also cook some basic stuff.


    Jay and Melody were completely hopeless, so they never really asked for their help.


    Still, having someone prepare everything after a long, exhausting day just warmed his heart.


    Unfortunately, they didn''t have a lot of time. Right after dinner, Clovis got a call from Erwin, saying that he was outside their room. Hence, Clovis just went straight to invite him inside.


    "Yo! It seems that everyone is waiting for my great presence." Erwin smirked.


    "..." Clovis and the others stared at him for a while before saying the same thing. "No."


    "Oi! Why are you all answering? Isn''t Jay supposed to have no interest in something like this? Besides, Clovis, you should handle this kind of thing better! And what''s with the weird pause? It makes you look like you''re thinking about it seriously!" Erwin pointed at the group.@@@@


    Of course, Clovis was just playing a little bit with this new ''friend'' of his by involving the others.


    "Hahaha." Clovis laughed out loud as if he had gotten some satisfaction.


    "Huh? I understand the first part, but the second..." Kanaria frowned.


    "That''s important too, Miss Kanaria." Erwin stopped for a moment before opening the page about Kanaria. "For example, what if I say that you have become a bit fatter? Maybe about 2 kg?"


    Kanaria''s body shook as if she recognized it. Still, she couldn''t help but grab her gun and say, "You should know that it''s a very sensitive topic, right?"


    "I know that you have gained some weight because you haven''t done any expeditions for a while. Of course, normal training is the same. It must be because of the competition. I''m sure that you will gradually lose it again after this competition ends." Erwin smiled.


    Kanaria was completely speechless.


    "See? I can manipulate your emotions a little bit just by showcasing some information."


    "..." Kanaria scratched the back of her head before glancing at Clovis as if she were trying to explain.


    "Don''t worry, Miss Kanaria. I have no intention of shaming you. From the looks of it, Clovis himself doesn''t really care about those few kilograms. But I''m sure he wants you to maintain a good body, not only for himself but also for your safety during the expedition.


    If he were to reply, it should be something like... ''People call having standards as body shaming nowadays, but striving to be a better person for someone you like is called effort. I respect that effort.'' Or something along the lines."


    Clovis pinched the bridge of his nose. "It seems that you are extremely accurate in assessing people."


    Erwin shrugged as if it wasn''t a big deal for him.


    "For now, let''s listen to what he has to say. All kinds of information are necessary. You should have seen the effect of that information in the group match." Clovis waved down, gesturing for Kanaria to sit down.


    "Yeah, sorry." Kanaria nodded. Erwin had proved himself with just a few sentences.


    "In that case, I will continue." Erwin returned to the page about Rafael. "Moving on to his strength..."

 Chapter 302 Erwins Analytical Ability

    "Moving on to his strength... Rafael is quite strong. His overall raw strength is similar to Jay''s, but his profession is that of a Guardian like Ragna. His weapon of choice is a sword and a shield.


    "While it''s true that he is a guardian, his swordsmanship won''t be losing to an extremely good swordsman. If he abandons that shield, his sword will become stronger... since he basically ignores his defense.


    "As a Tier 4, he has Muscle Augmentation as well. In terms of raw strength, I can say that Jay is still slightly above him, but in overall evaluation, I have to say that Jay will lose unless you have something you haven''t shown me this far. For example, a hidden strength beyond my analytic skills.


    "Anyway, he has a calm and collected attitude, but this competition weighs a lot on his shoulders, so that''s something you can take advantage of." Erwin stopped, allowing them to think about it.


    "Having a bad relationship with the family... Is that abuse or expectation?" Clovis asked.


    "!!!" The rest of his teammates couldn''t help but raise their eyebrows.


    "As expected of you, Clovis, it seems that you''ve seen through it." Erwin smirked. In addition, Erwin had been mentioning Jay this whole time as if he knew that Jay would be the one handling Rafael.


    "I see." Clovis understood what it meant to have a lot of expectations from the family, considering he also came from a very powerful one. And his was just a bit too extreme compared to Rafael''s family.


    "I believe that Rafael will choose to guard the flag, allowing your team to take the initiative to attack. This way, they will have a terrain advantage. If I say more than this, I will just cause more confusion. Hence, I''ll continue with the second person first, the vice captain." Erwin flipped the page.


    At the same time, Melody changed the picture to a woman.


    Clovis squinted his eyes as if he noticed something else from that information. However, he still said, "Continue."


    "The fifth person is rather interesting. He has Blood Affinity, but his weapon of choice is a spear. His specialty is thrust. His thrust is quite deadly. For example, he might be able to keep you at a certain distance with swift and deadly thrusts, Clovis."


    "Hoh?" Clovis''s expression turned serious. "That''s rather interesting to see."


    "He has a daddy''s issue due to him being a drunkard. You might be able to use that to trigger him, but if you do that..."


    "I know. It will look scummy. Then again, I don''t really care. For me, the most important thing to consider is the fact that I can''t use the same trash talk with my next opponent." Clovis smiled.


    "That''s right. I''m helping you guys right now because I want you to face Bloody Rose. So there is no need to feel indebted to me. It''s as simple as my own selfishness." Erwin shrugged. "As for the last person, Melvin... He is strong but dumb, similar to our Gilza.


    "To be honest, there aren''t a lot of things I should say regarding the last four people. Rafael has gotten their absolute obedience, so things like Jay won''t happen to them.


    "And they''re just... not interesting like you guys. When I discussed your group with my teammates, I had to talk for a whole two hours so that they knew about all the details and took advantage of them. Unfortunately, you guys just surpassed even my analytic skills. Feel free to be proud." Erwin shrugged.


    "Mhmm... So what do you think will happen in tomorrow''s match?" Clovis asked another question.


    "I''m not really good at tactics, so I can''t really say for sure. I will just say what Tarkan told me beforehand. If your plan is to win the championship, you will definitely need to let Clovis rest as much as possible during the fight against the Eight Swords. In other words, Jay will become the focus.


    "In other words, you will have to win the group match with at least a three-point gap. This way, you can send Jay in for the first match. Of course, your opponent will definitely be Rafael himself. You have to win, Jay. That''s the only way if you want to become the champion."

 Chapter 303 Provoking Two Teams

    "See you tomorrow! I''m waiting for the party. You better not escape!" Erwin waved his hand while walking out of the hotel.


    "I know." Clovis nodded.


    While looking at Erwin''s back, Kanaria couldn''t help but ask, "Clovis... What do you think about tomorrow''s match? Is it really going to be as he said?"


    Clovis glanced at her.


    A moment ago.


    "You need to win with at least a three-point gap. Jay will defeat Rafael in the first match and you can fight the Bloody Rose in a rather better position."


    Clovis squinted his eyes. "You sound like the Blood Rose will defeat their opponent. Their opponent has a Tier 4 explorer as well, you know."


    "You don''t have to worry about that. The gap between the two groups is not small. The Bloody Rose will definitely win even without my help," said Erwin with a serious expression.


    Clovis remained silent for a while before saying, "Well, if we use the information you provide, we might be able to win against the Eight Swords pretty easily. But you haven''t calculated one thing..."


    "Just beat them like that. This way, my group will look better. I can last for two matches in the individual match, while they can only fight one match." Erwin snorted.


    Clovis shook his head helplessly. "I''m talking about this city. If we beat them that hard, you should know that they will end up getting hate from the citizens. In addition, we might end up getting hit by the rioting citizens."


    "You''re thinking too much. They can still get third place anyway." Erwin shrugged.


    Clovis sighed. It was impossible to convince him. While they could ignore such a thing, they might end up getting the wrath of the citizens.


    Then again, if he made it to be like a close match, Clovis would be exhausted before fighting the Bloody Rose.


    "Well, I''m thankful for your help, but I have to consider the plan myself." Clovis waved his hand.


    "Huh? What do you mean?" Aileen frowned.


    "I won''t help you, but I don''t mind warning you about one thing. Clovis hasn''t shown his full strength yet."


    "!!!" Aileen raised her eyebrows as though she couldn''t believe that a Tier 2 human who had shown unprecedented strength actually had something up in his sleeve.


    ''Shocking, right? That was my thought during the battle.'' Erwin muttered inwardly while recalling the fight. ''I didn''t know why but his face always showed me that there was one more card that he could use to easily defeat me.


    ''However, he looked like he didn''t really want to rely on that, either because there was a side effect or it was an unreliable skill.''


    But all that doubt was answered right after the match, specifically when Clovis said, "I learned that trick from my mother."


    At that time, Erwin simply couldn''t believe what Clovis said. Everything instantly clicked in his mind. Why would Jay and Kanaria become that strong? Why would Ragna manage to overcome his weakness?


    That was the answer.


    ''His mother, huh? Wires are such unique weapons that only a glimmer of people use them, let alone at a high level. The fact that his name is removed means he has a very high level mother. In that case, there''s only one person who matches the description, Aisha Hacfield.


    ''I can''t contain my laugh. To think that I would end up fighting my idol''s son... To think that the person before me is a Hacfield... That explains everything, especially that ridiculous strength.


    ''This match is really my complete defeat.''


    Erwin knew that the trump card Clovis was hiding must be a very special one. That was why he didn''t want to rely on it, especially in front of the crowd.


    Erwin said, "Don''t worry. Libation Fiesta will defeat the Eight Swords. I just want to see which one of you will emerge on top... Don''t disappoint me, Aileen. If you still can''t defeat an exhausted group, it means you''re trash."


    Aileen frowned, looking at Erwin''s return to the medical room. She couldn''t help but clench her hands into fists before walking away. It seemed that she didn''t have enough preparation for tomorrow''s matches.


    ...


    The next day, as usual, Shion raised the people''s excitement. "We have finally reached the Shining Star Competition''s Final Day! There will be a total of four matches! After such an exciting battle yesterday, I''m sure everyone can''t wait for the competition to begin..."

 Chapter 304 Semifinals

    Despite such an exciting atmosphere, there was silence inside the stadium.


    Everyone dropped their jaws to the ground as they couldn''t help but look at the result in the arena.


    Aileen was standing in the middle of the arena while the Tier 4 Martial Artist representing the Dragon Fist was lying down on the ground, her body covered in blood.


    Aileen''s expression remained cold, as if such a sight didn''t disturb her. On the other hand, the people couldn''t help but gasp. There wasn''t a single wound on Aileen''s body, while the same couldn''t be said for the other party. This was simply the gap between their strengths.


    Even Clovis slightly understood why Erwin wanted him to fight her.


    "Hey, are you alright?!" The three referees suddenly came to Rika''s side, checking her condition. They had asked the medical team to enter.


    Aileen glanced at them for a moment before saying, "She should be fine. She just passes out after losing too much blood."


    "!!!" The referees couldn''t help but check the wounds again.@@@@


    "This is..."


    "There are a lot of wounds but every single one of them is actually missing vital areas. Blood transfusion and recovery pod should be what she needs to make a full recovery..."


    The referees looked at Aileen again as if they couldn''t believe what had just happened. They never thought they would actually be fooled by her exceptional skills.


    Erwin simply smiled as if he knew this was what would happen after the cheap provocation he did yesterday.


    Meanwhile, Clovis took this as a challenge. This was a clear message from Aileen as if saying, ''If you want to defeat me, better use all your strength.''


    Clovis crossed his arms while smiling. "You are truly a jerk, Erwin."


    Clovis knew that Erwin must be the reason for her showing such a thing. And it also sealed Clovis'' choice. If he truly wanted to fight the Bloody Rose on equal ground, he really needed to defeat the Eight Swords swiftly.


    "Clovis." Kanaria placed her hand on his shoulder. "I think you already know this. I, too, want to fight against the Bloody Rose. But those who can''t see the opponent in front of them can''t defeat the opponent beyond that."


    Clovis'' expression mellowed down. "Indeed."


    "The team that will be the challenger today is definitely Libation Fiesta. After defeating Imemine, they''re carrying their momentum.


    "However, their opponent this time is none other than our beloved team, the Eight Swords, who shall represent this city."


    The cheers erupted once Shion mentioned the Eight Swords.


    "Eight Swords!"


    "Eight Swords will win! Destroy the Libation Fiesta!"


    "Our Eight Swords is the strongest!"


    Even though they cheered for the dark horse yesterday, it would be different for this match. After all, people didn''t really want their city to be humiliated.


    The people screamed at the top of their lungs, creating an atmosphere that would put a lot of pressure on Libation Fiesta so that they couldn''t win.


    They were chanting the whole time before cheering once again when Rafael and the others took the stage.


    It was different when Clovis and his teammates entered the arena.


    They were actually booing them as if yesterday''s cheers were just a lie.


    "Boo!"


    "Go back, Libation Fiesta!"


    "Just lose. We''ll cheer you on for the third position!"


    Melody had a wry smile, saying, "Uah, look at them. They really want us to lose. I guess it will feel nice to crush the Eight Swords to shut them up."


    "Don''t say it that way unless you want their rage to turn against us." Kanaria shook her head helplessly.


    "We''ll just do our best as usual, and the result will follow." Ragna shrugged.


    Since the two groups had made their appearance, Shion finally continued, "Look at the atmosphere inside the stadium; I believe there is no need for me to say anything. Now that each group has taken their position, without further ado, let''s begin the match!"

 Chapter 305 Arrogance?

    "Erwin. What do you think he will do?" Tarkan asked while looking at Clovis'' team.


    Erwin shrugged. "I don''t know. He is a jerk, but he is trying not to be a jerk. Even though he is planning to defeat them, he doesn''t want to get a complete victory. The only thing I know is that he has no choice but to get ahead by three points in the group match."


    Tarkan furrowed his eyebrows. "In that case, he might end up mobilizing his entire team right away, causing confusion for the enemy. But Rafael is not an opponent who will fall for that bait easily.


    "Start!"


    Clovis smiled as soon as he saw the hologram on top of the arena.


    "Oh! The Eight Swords have chosen to fortify their base." Shion looked at one side, finding the people from Eight Swords to adjust their position but remain around the base. However, her expression changed the moment she turned to the other side. "W-What?! What is going on? Clovis is going alone?!"


    That was right. Clovis actually entered the forest alone while his teammates remained in the back.


    "Huh?" Tarkan raised his eyebrows.


    "Is he going to ride the momentum of yesterday''s battle and defeat the Eight Swords like their first match in the first competition?" Shion gasped.


    "Are you kidding with us?"


    "How dare you underestimate the Eight Swords?"


    "Just beat him up and drag him back to the ground!"


    "Destroy that proud idiot!"


    The people were shouting angrily, thinking that Clovis had decided to insult the Eight Swords.@@@@


    However, there was no change in their strategy. Clovis continued marching ahead by himself and eventually reached the other side of the forest.


    "Oh! They''re truly here." Clovis smirked, looking at their formation on the base.


    Clovis raised his short sword, parrying the thrust.


    "!!!" Clovis noticed something from this thrust alone. The thrust wasn''t weak, but it wasn''t strong either. It was as if Farhan didn''t pay any attention to actually defeating him.


    Farhan even positioned himself at a distance where he could easily react in case Clovis decided to defeat him.


    "So that''s how it is." Clovis frowned while glancing to the side.


    There was one dot coming toward him from behind, while the other dot was approaching within his vision.


    It was Melvin and Grace.


    "You don''t think about going, right?" Farhan roared as he sped up his thrust.


    A series of clicking sounds echoed as Clovis kept parrying his spear. While he could still move even after all these thrusts, Farhan would definitely stick to him like his shadow, trying to open up a path for his teammates.


    Still, Clovis couldn''t move from his spot. After all, Aran was still waiting to fire at him the moment Clovis came out of behind the tree.


    "Hahahaha! Here I come!" Melvin approached Clovis with his two-handed greatsword.


    Grace landed on top of the branch behind Clovis, waiting for the opening before moving in.


    However, right before they attacked, there was a sudden movement from Libation Fiesta.


    "Watch out! They have finally made their move!" Aran suddenly warned them while looking at the radar. The attack this time was actually similar to what they performed in the last match.


    Clovis was in the center, luring these four people. Meanwhile, one person came from the right side, while two people made their way from the left side.


    Seeing their positioning, Rafael couldn''t help but mutter, "So that''s how it is... It seems that you''re using the same tactic in order to split us up. If you think that we''re that easy to defeat, then you''re wrong! Jane, plan D."


    "Understood." Jane nodded and finally entered the battlefield.

 Chapter 306 Outsmarting

    Jane was heading straight to the left side, where she only had to fight against one person. She couldn''t help but remember what Rafael said yesterday.


    "Jane. I''m sure that they will leave Ragna behind and attack with the same formation."


    "In that case..." Jane stepped forward while placing her hand on her chest to show her eagerness.


    "Yeah. I want you to stop Jay, who will most likely come alone. Melody and Kanaria are good fighters, but they''re not as extraordinary as Jay. That''s why I want you to stop Jay."


    "I understand. I''ll definitely stop Jay, even if it costs me everything!" Jane nodded with a serious expression.


    "No. It''s going to be impossible for you to stop him." Rafael shook his head helplessly.


    "But¡ª" She wanted to protest, but Rafael continued, "That''s why... if we want to stop him, we will..."


    Jane widened her eyes in shock.


    When recalling that order, Jane''s expression turned serious.


    She clenched her weapons while looking at the dot that was approaching her head-on. She still didn''t manage to catch a glimpse of his figure, but he would definitely come in less than twenty seconds.


    In the center, Farhan continued keeping Clovis at bay. "No matter what you''re planning to do, you won''t be able to escape from us. We''ll definitely stop you here."@@@@


    "Escape? Do you think I need to leave this place?" Clovis smirked while glancing at Melvin approaching from his left.


    Melvin swung his sword horizontally, trying to defeat Clovis while he was distracted by Farhan.


    Unfortunately for both of them, Clovis simply sped up, striking Melvin''s two-handed greatsword multiple times and ultimately stopping it.


    "Kh." Melvin gritted his teeth. The vibration from the clash did indeed make his hands numb.


    Unexpectedly, instead of running toward Clovis, Melvin turned around and rushed to the side, confronting the two people who wanted to sneak past them. "Kanaria and Melody, huh? I can beat those two women by myself!"


    At the same time, Aran also turned around, moving toward the opposite direction. In other words, he wanted to join hands with Jane to defeat this one opponent.


    Jane was approaching at the same pace, so she and Aran would be confronting Jay at the same time. Melvin smiled excitedly, knowing that he had the opportunity to defeat two opponents by himself.


    All of them couldn''t help but remember the continuation of Rafael''s plan. "That''s why... if we want to stop him, we will... need a sacrifice."


    "A sacrifice?" His teammates couldn''t help but frown.


    "Yeah. Jane will be confronting Jay, but since it''s impossible to stop him by herself, Aran will position himself on the left side while stopping Clovis. On the other hand, Melvin will take on the two ladies on the opposite side."


    "Hoh?!" Aran smiled. He glanced at Jane, knowing that if both of them joined hands, even if they couldn''t defeat Jay, they would definitely be able to stop him.


    Melvin shouted excitedly, "Alright. I will defeat those two girls. Tarkan and Gilza couldn''t defeat them because they underestimated those girls. But I won''t make the same mistake!"


    While those three were excited, Farhan and Grace couldn''t help but ask, "But... can we actually stop Clovis by ourselves?"


    "Of course not. That''s why I told you that we needed a sacrifice." Rafael''s eyes were locked on Farhan.


    "I see. So we let Clovis pass... but to make him think that he does it with her own power, I need to be defeated." Farhan sighed.


    "Yeah. After that, I will be the one to stop him. Grace will be stationed between me and Melvin. Find the gap and take out Clovis or those two ladies. Removing either of them would allow us to win!"


    Grace nodded with a solemn look, understanding the importance of her role.


    After recalling this plan, Melvin smiled when he saw a shadow in the distance. ''There''s no need to wait for Grace. I will defeat these two women in an instant!'' or so he thought before his body suddenly got flipped around.


    "Huh?"

 Chapter 307 Swift Plan

    "Huh?" Melvin widened his eyes in confusion. His vision was actually getting flipped around, and it didn''t seem that he was on the ground. "I''m flying?"


    Melvin didn''t understand what was actually going on.


    Unlike him, Jane and Aran saw the bigger picture, the ''trap'' that Clovis had set up.


    After all, when they were approaching the incoming Jay, the latter actually moved back as if he were scared.


    Obviously, they had to chase after him to avoid Jay coming from an unexpected direction.


    But what actually shocked them the most were the gunshots coming from the person they were chasing.


    "Watch out!" Aran shouted while hiding behind a tree, avoiding the gunshots. His face became pale, not because he almost got hit by the bullet, but because of one question in his mind. ''Did Jay use a gun?''


    The moment he saw through that, he couldn''t help but shout, "Not good. It''s a trap! Melvin, get away!"


    Jane was confused and took a peek, finding a woman figure standing in their way. In other words, the person they had been chasing this whole time was not Jay.


    "You..." Jane gasped.


    "Yo! To think that you would actually get baited." Kanaria grinned as if everything went according to plan.


    ''If she is here, then...'' Jane looked toward the opposite direction, realizing why Aran was giving that warning.


    Unfortunately, it was too late. Melvin couldn''t believe what he saw. Yes, the first person he found was Melody. Just like in the previous battle, Melody took the lead.


    However, the person behind her was none other than Jay. He used the beast soul to increase his speed, approaching Melvin so fast that he wouldn''t have time to react. In fact, there was no way he could react, considering he was expecting a gunner instead of a close combat fighter.


    But that was his fault. Jay simply punched Melvin so hard that his body spun upside down.


    Melody stopped for a moment. As soon as Jay managed to pass him, she shot Melvin, taking him out of this match.


    Clovis said, "We''ll have to defeat them that way, but I''m not planning to take advantage of Rafael''s family issue or Jane''s feelings or body. Instead, I''m going to use that absolute obedience."


    "!!!" Erwin widened his eyes. The choice was actually quite unique. In their battle, he almost lost the group match because Jay didn''t follow his order.


    However, Clovis actually wanted to show that absolute obedience was actually something wrong and he had never blamed Jay for disobeying his order.


    And this was the result.


    Clovis glanced at Jay as both of them were running toward Rafael. Clovis muttered inwardly, ''Yeah. I know. A powerful guardian versus a speedy fighter, Rafael must want to tire me in the group match so that I''ll lose in the individual match because I don''t have any stamina left.


    ''That''s why he will let me pass even if it means sacrificing his subordinate to make it look real. Absolute obedience? I don''t want robots, I want teammates. We can argue, we can have different opinions. It''s because each of us has our own thought that we''ll become strong.


    ''By crippling their plans at the same time, Rafael wouldn''t be able to give any order, which would cause his subordinates to follow the original orders. In other words, this loss is caused by the fact that people can''t make individual decisions even if they are mistakes!''


    Rafael raised his sword and shield, planning to fight both Clovis and Jay at the same time.


    At the same time, Grace had leaped out of the forest and chased after Clovis.


    "You''re not getting away!" Melody shot her, but Grace sped up, showing a speed at least double that of Jay when he was using his beast soul. "What is this speed?"


    Not a single bullet actually hit Grace.


    This was a chance for Rafael. If Grace distracted Clovis just a bit, he could somehow push Jay back.


    Unfortunately for him, this was the second miscalculation.


    Clovis used the strategy that caused him his flag in the previous round against Rafael. Instead of worrying about Grace, Clovis struck Rafael at full speed, leaving more than twenty strikes.


    "Kh!" Rafael gritted his teeth. He wanted to use his sword to stop Jay, but Clovis also struck it too, rendering it useless.


    Grace reached Clovis'' position and stabbed his head with the back of her dagger as a sign that she had taken him out.


    Unfortunately for the Eight Swords, Jay was completely free. He slipped past Rafael and grabbed the flag, marking Libation Fiesta''s victory.

 Chapter 308 Reactions

    *Hiss!*


    The people were completely speechless when they saw Jay grabbing the flag.


    "Match ends. Libation Fiesta wins!" The referee had even announced the result.


    The Eight Swords were supposed to be an extremely powerful group. However, Libation Fiesta actually defeated them this quickly.


    "Why?"


    "How did the Eight Swords lose?"


    "What actually happened? Why did it end so quickly?"


    The audience was stunned. They wanted to react, but they didn''t understand what was happening either. How could Jay and Clovis somehow reach the base?


    "This is..." Shion had a hard time saying something. The match went from 0 to 100 in an instant. The next thing she realized, the Eight Swords had lost. "W-What is this? The Eight Swords have just lost...


    "Libation Fiesta managed to take down Melvin and Farhan while the Eight Swords defeated Clovis and Kanaria. However, because Libation Fiesta has stolen the flag, they receive three additional points, resulting in a score 5-2 in their favor.


    "Let us assess this more calmly. First of all, the Eight Swords used the same strategy, which was to protect their base. Libation Fiesta also attacked in the same position, but with Clovis going first.


    "As such, four people were lured away from the base. Even Clovis would be defeated sooner or later if he faced four of them alone.


    "Are you talking about the fact that I haven''t done much during this battle other than grab the flag? You don''t have to worry about that. Consider this an apology for my mistake in the previous match. And it''s better this way. I can fight against him when we both are at our peak." Jay shrugged. "You should comfort Kanaria.


    While it''s tactical and this is just a competition, not a life-and-death battle, you still..."


    "I know." Clovis nodded. If this was a life-and-death battle, Kanaria would have lost her life. That was also why he was one of the two people that got taken down by the opponent in this match. Clovis patted Jay''s shoulder, saying, "I''ll leave the rest of the match on your shoulder."


    Clovis didn''t tell him to win or to be careful. He trusted him to win, so there was nothing to discuss between them.


    "Yeah." Jay clenched his hands into fists, feeling the weight of the responsibility. If he ended up losing and Clovis had no choice but to fight, they wouldn''t be in the condition to fight Bloody Rose.


    That was why his desire to win was the same as that of their opponents.


    The group just retreated back inside their waiting room. The audience was screaming, not liking the result.


    Even Mayor Revan was looking at them with a wry smile, wondering how to react.


    Erwin smiled as if everything had gone according to plan. He couldn''t help but mutter, "How is it, Tarkan?"


    Tarkan gulped down. "I''m impressed. I''ve never thought about their obedience as a weakness. If they were to follow my plan, they would definitely receive a lot more anger from the crowd... to the point where the stadium would be like hell during the individual match."


    "I see." Erwin closed his eyes, satisfied with the result.


    On the other side of the stadium, Aileen bit her lips. "Erwin was so nosy. How could he have the heart to actually help his opponent right after he lost to them? Wasn''t he supposed to be a prideful guy?"


    Lana, who saw her reaction, couldn''t help but chuckle as if she had found amusement between Erwin and Aileen.@@@@

 Chapter 309 Decision

    Tak!


    Tak!


    The clicking sound from the hell of their boots echoed inside the corridor, despite the loud screams of the people outside.


    Jane bit her lips. After gaining some courage, she raised her head and said, "I apologize, sir Rafael. If I¡ª"


    Jane couldn''t complete her words because Rafael replied with a cold tone, "Shut up for a moment, Jane."


    Jane was tongue-tied, her body shivering because of that cold voice. Aran bit his lips, remembering what happened earlier.


    ...


    A moment ago.


    "We have to defeat her, Aran. Right now, while we still have time!" Jane shouted while moving forward, using the tree to block Kanaria''s bullets.


    "Huh?" Aran was confused at that time, but because Jane''s authority was second highest, he ended up following her instructions. There was no order from Rafael as well, so he simply had no choice.


    Kanaria fought back by unleashing all the bullets she had. But the moment she stopped to reload her magazine, Jane and Aran moved forward, closing the gap between them.


    Kanaria only took less than a second to reload her magazine and start shooting Jane, the closest one to her. However, Aran came from the side and shot her multiple times, resulting in her defeat.


    "!!!" Aran suddenly noticed something was amiss, especially with how Kanaria didn''t even bother to react to his shots. If this was a normal fight, she would have noticed him with those sharp senses, but she didn''t.


    Because of it, he realized why Jane became desperate to take her down.@@@@


    And three seconds after they took down Kanaria, the match''s result was announced.


    It was as if Kanaria had known that it would be time for her to stop fighting back and give them the point.


    This was a strategic point they gave to the Eight Swords to lower the crowd''s anger.


    If Rafael didn''t come out in the first match and let Libation Fiesta win, this would simply look like a surrender.


    But if Rafael came out first and won, how about the second and third matches? They would definitely send Ragna and Clovis.


    Farhan and Melvin had the chance to fight against Ragna, but even Jane wouldn''t have any chance to defeat Clovis. The only one capable of defeating Clovis was Rafael.


    But Rafael had no choice but to make his move right away, or they would be humiliated by the citizens due to such a disgraceful defeat.


    That was why Rafael''s expression had been grim this whole time. Rafael had to choose whether to send Jane to fight Jay, hoping that she would somehow win, or would he do it personally?


    The tension remained for the entire break time.


    After ten minutes, the arena had become lively again, especially because of the condition.


    Shion had no choice but to tone down her excitement so that there wouldn''t be any chaos in the stadium.


    "Now that the break is over, let''s call the participants for the first individual match. From Libation Fiesta, we have Jay Havenson!"


    Jay walked into the arena as the entire crowd was booing him.


    "Get lost, Jay!"


    "You''re going to be defeated!"


    "Eight Swords is the strongest!''


    "They won''t lose to you!"


    Jay remained calm. This was the first time he felt such pressure coming from the people. It was no wonder some people had a mental breakdown when the people on the Skynet insulted them or even sent death threats. Even if they tried not to listen to them, they would still be affected. Only the ones with strong hearts survived.


    Jay took a deep breath and stood in the arena. This was the reason he was here. No matter what, he would win.


    Now that Jay was ready, Shion called the second participant. "The one who will represent the Eight Swords this time is... Captain Rafael!"

 Chapter 310 Testing Each Others Strength

    Kanaria was staring at the screen intensely while standing next to Clovis.


    "Will Jay be able to do it?" Kanaria couldn''t help but ask with a worried face. Jay was her childhood friend. She had witnessed his growth, so of course, she was concerned about him. There was one thing that she remembered. It was what Erwin said regarding Jay''s trump card.


    "Who knows?" Clovis closed his eyes. "Muscle Augmentation, Minotaur''s Swing, and Star Method. He has shown everything."


    "!!!" Kanaria widened her eyes. "Then, are you saying Jay will lose?"


    "I''m not saying that." Clovis shook his head. His eyes contained absolute trust. "All I know is that ever since he became a part of Libation Fiesta, he has swung his blade the longest and the hardest."


    Kanaria raised her eyebrows as a scene of Jay swinging his blade appeared in her mind. During the rain, Jay kept swinging his blade. During the intense heat, he continued swinging his blade. Even after a very tiring expedition, he would still find some time to swing his blade.


    That was all that mattered. Kanaria clenched her hands into fists, knowing that she had to place her trust in Jay as well.


    ...


    In the arena, Jay and Rafael were staring at each other. None of them was speaking as though they were carrying a huge burden on their shoulders.


    For Rafael, a single loss would mean humiliation not only for the team but for this city. For Jay, this battle was a way to apologize to Clovis. If he lost this battle, he might as well give up his position as the vice captain.


    "Are both combatants ready?" The referee asked while looking at their faces.


    Rafael raised his shield and sword, making a stance that could receive any kind of attack from Jay.


    Jay wasn''t that different. He raised his blade to the point where the tip was pointed at Rafael''s neck, but he soon lowered his blade as though he was trying to receive an attack as well.


    "!!!" Rafael squinted his eyes. Jay''s fighting style was extremely aggressive, so it was unlike him to use this kind of stance.


    Nevertheless, it didn''t change what he needed to do.


    He skillfully twisted his right wrist and swung the sword from above diagonally so that it would hit Jay while passing over his shield, which would restart his stance.


    Jay took a step back to avoid the sword''s attack range.


    Rafael didn''t allow Jay to escape. He immediately chased after him while swinging his sword horizontally.


    Jay put his blade in its way, blocking the sword without taking a step. However, that was just a trick.


    Rafael used that gap to move past Jay''s defense and slammed his shield at Jay''s body.


    "Raaa!" Rafael swung as hard as possible, trying to launch him into the pillar.


    Jay took another step back, but the shield still hit his arms. While the jacket from Clovis had absorbed the damage, the impact still pushed him back for three meters.


    Jay hurriedly stabilized his posture as Rafael came again.


    This time, he was also closing in, finally becoming a bit more aggressive.


    In the first few clashes, he was actually trying to understand Rafael''s strength. It was very different for him.


    In those swings, Jay could feel the destruction that Rafael possessed. On the other hand, his sword was meant to slash.


    Jay raised his saber and struck Rafael diagonally. Rafael did the same and their blades ended up sliding off each other.


    Jay''s blade actually hit the pillar next to them, cutting the pillar cleanly unlike how Rafael shattered the pillar in his first strike.


    Both of them stomped the ground, trying to make another swing.


    "!!!" Rafael noticed that Jay was actually one step faster in gathering his strength. As a result, he ended up abandoning his slash and switching his stance, choosing to receive the swing with his shield instead.


    "Raaa!" Jay groaned and finally knocked Rafael back for three meters as if this were payback for earlier.

 Chapter 311 Serious

    Rafael also managed to land with a stable posture. However, his expression turned grim because this made it look like they were equal.


    He was still a Tier 4 human, while his opponent was Tier 2. How could he actually accept this?


    Both of them stared at each other. The crowd was cheering, but both of them were fully absorbed in the match.


    There was only a battle between two men; the others were irrelevant.


    Rafael and Jay came at each other again.


    They first struck each other''s blades. Jay used his speed to make the second swing faster, but this time, Rafael managed to block it completely.


    After that, both of them swung their swords again. Jay tried to push forward, but the man before him was like a huge boulder standing in his way.


    Their positions gradually shifted as Rafael began to dodge Jay''s attack in order to find a gap.


    On the other hand, Jay started moving one step after another, adjusting his position so that he would remain faster in the clash.


    At one point, Jay positioned himself next to a pillar as if planning to reduce Rafael''s strike with that pillar.


    However, Rafael simply swung his sword without hesitation, crushing the pillar. Unfortunately for him, Jay had taken a step back, causing the falling pillar to stand between them.


    That was when Jay swung his sword, cutting through the pillar, only to be blocked by Rafael''s shield.


    Rafael pushed forward with his shield, causing Jay to step to the side to avoid his charge.@@@@


    After that, he spun his body and used the momentum to strike Rafael''s back.


    However, both of them knew that this method was the most boring. In the end, they would decide this battle according to their stamina.


    If Rafael continued this way, he would be ridiculed after they let Libation Fiesta advance to the finals. After all, it would make him look like a coward. If he wanted to avoid the backlash from the crowd, he had to either overpower Jay or win heroically. During the exchanges, he realized that the former was impossible.


    That was why he had no other choice but to do that.


    Rafael exhaled a long breath before dropping his shield. He had gathered his resolve.


    The people were confused by that action, but Jay actually smiled as if he had been waiting for it the entire time.


    "Your Libation Fiesta is strong. You, too, are strong, Jay Havenson. However, I have to win this match no matter what. It''s not about competition or pride. I have to fulfill my duty as the protector of the future generation of this city." Rafael held his sword with both hands.


    "I know that. But I also have a reason to win... If I can''t defeat you, I don''t think I will be able to chase that person anymore." Jay raised his blade, his eyes containing a reminiscence of a person''s back... his best friend''s back.


    "In that case, there''s nothing to say anymore. We don''t need the boring fight anymore." Rafael''s expression turned grim.


    "Yeah. Let our blades speak for us... Let''s settle this." Jay nodded.


    The audience sucked a cold breath, growing impatient.


    Both of them once again rushed forward and struck each other.


    The clicking sound echoed much louder than anything they had produced in the entire match.


    All three referees knew by instinct. It was coming. The two contestants had finally gotten serious.


    At the same time, Jay and Rafael passed each other as if nothing had happened. But a second later, a wound appeared on Jay''s right forehead and Rafael''s left shoulder at the same time as though both of their swords finally managed to reach each other.

 Chapter 312 All Out

    "What? Rafael has just dropped his shield?!" Shion explained, "Normally, he drops his shield whenever he believes that his opponent is equal to him. Does this mean Rafael has acknowledged Jay as one of his contenders? Doesn''t this mean Libation Fiesta has two people who have the power of Tier 4? This is mind blowing. I''ve never seen a group as abnormal as them.@@@@


    "Oh! Rafael and Jay have just clashed. They inflict injury on each other. Is this an equal exchange?" Shion squinted her eyes. It was hard to determine the details of her current location.


    Jay and Rafael turned around, glaring at each other as if understanding what that clash meant.


    Both of them charged at each other again, this time releasing everything they had.


    Clink!


    A loud clicking sound shook the stadium. Jay''s blade ended up hitting a pillar after clashing with Rafael, cutting the pillar down. Rafael, on the other hand, hit the ground and shattered the floor.


    Both of them squinted their eyes and swung their blades again.


    This time, Jay''s blade was the one hitting the ground. Instead of shattering it, his blade cut through it and Jay could easily pull it out before swinging it at Rafael again.


    The two exchanged more than fifteen powerful blows, each bringing destruction to their surroundings.


    Before long, there were multiple sword marks and shattered pillars on the ground.


    Jay and Rafael began to move to the side, trying to use their footwork to confuse the opposite party.


    Jay managed to keep up just fine. In fact, he saw an opportunity to use his beast soul to increase his speed.


    He outran Rafael and stopped in front of him. Rafael might still have momentum, but Jay never planned to overpower him in this clash.


    Rafael put his sword in front of him while Jay struck horizontally, letting Rafael''s sword slide on his blade. Ultimately, Jay''s blade was free and he could move it closer to Rafael''s body, slicing his side.


    He managed to overpower Jay and slightly changed the direction of his swing, hitting the top of Jay''s shoulder. However, Jay managed to lift it up and let it slide to the side.


    After that, Jay waved his saber skillfully, trying to take Rafael''s arm.


    Rafael threw his upper body to the side to avoid the blade, but Jay managed to cut the upper arm a little bit.


    Rafael spun his body and jumped in the air, swinging while jumping to get a boost of strength. He even used the Tier 4 beast soul he had.


    Jay knew that if he received this attack like earlier, he would be in trouble. So he chose to confront it head-on. He targeted the sword itself.


    "!!!" Rafael was quite surprised by his choice, but he managed to get a little advantage by targeting his sword. Unfortunately, there was still a gap in their strength due to the Tier 4 beast soul.


    Rafael overpowered him and launched him ten meters away.


    Bam!


    Jay''s back hit a pillar. Rafael rushed forward, trying to take him down before Jay could recover.


    Jay fell on his butt, avoiding the blades.


    After that, he held the sword with both hands as Rafael struck him from above. It was quite powerful, as the ground underneath him started to crack. If this continued, he might not be able to sit for a while after this match.


    Jay used his current position to kick Rafael in the stomach, blowing him away.


    "Haa..." Jay started panting. It started getting hard to follow Rafael''s movement now that he began using his beast soul again and again.


    Rafael''s condition wasn''t any better. His nose was filled with a pungent smell, making him realize that the kick almost made him vomit. He just swallowed it back so that he didn''t look weak.


    Jay stood up while Rafael stabilized his stance before they jumped at each other again. This battle had just begun.

 Chapter 313 Surpassing Ones Limit

    "This..."


    "The battle..."


    The people were made speechless by this battle. They first thought that Jay should lose and Libation Fiesta should concede.


    However, Jay and Rafael had just shown that each of them had the will to win. This wasn''t just a matter of competition for them.


    "Please win, Rafael!"


    "Eight Swords!"


    Still, they were the citizens of this city. They needed to cheer for their group. However, they didn''t say bad things to Libation Fiesta anymore.


    After all, in the arena, Jay shed as much blood as Rafael. He continued to persist no matter how much he got overpowered by Rafael''s beast soul and continued inflicting damage on Rafael''s body.


    Both fighters had crashed into the pillars, destroyed them, or even used them as additional weapons. Their swings didn''t become weaker as time passed. Instead, their will to win continued to increase.


    There was only one thing on their mind. It wasn''t how to win against their opponent. It was how they should remain standing the longest.


    Although it wasn''t visible from afar, the screen was zoomed enough to let them see their bodies shaking due to the injuries.


    "From a contest of wits to a full brawl! Libation Fiesta has shown their determination and strength. Jay Havenson is also carrying the torch that his teammates pass onto him.@@@@


    "On the other hand, Captain Rafael has a reason they can''t afford to lose. Even I am able to feel his determination from here. He is fighting not only for the sake of his team but also for this city.


    "Both fighters have been covered in injuries that would normally take people down. Yet, they haven''t let out a single cry of pain.


    "This is a clash between two individuals, carrying the weight on their shoulders."


    Clovis was growing stronger at a much faster rate than him. He knew that it was impossible to gain the captain''s position. However, he would never give up.


    ''I know that compared to him, I''m more talented. He has nothing but a stubborn heart that refuses to accept his fate. That''s why I''ll continue swinging my sword. If I can''t beat him in one swing, I''ll do it in two. No matter how many swings I need, I''ll stand back up and swing my sword!'' Jay charged forward while roaring. "Rafaeeel!"


    ''Just get down already!'' Rafael was screaming in his mind as he swung his sword downward, planning to knock Jay''s sword off his hand. This was a perfect chance as Jay once again came with a horizontal swing.


    But in that instance, Jay instinctively changed his approach in using the beast soul, especially after getting that knowledge of the new utilization of beast soul.


    Normally, he would use the beast soul on his arms, increasing the speed of his swing.


    This time, however, he used it on his arms at first, gradually moving it toward the tips of his fingers and causing the momentum to move from his arm to his fingers. Of course, it also meant that the momentum continued moving to the very tip, specifically his blade''s tip.


    That change actually increased the momentum of his sword by twofold.


    "!!!" Rafael was shocked by the burst of power that actually overwhelmed his Tier 3 beast soul.


    It launched Rafael more than twenty meters as his body crashed into not one but two pillars in rapid succession.


    Jay coughed up blood a few times after that. He didn''t know what happened earlier since his instinct took over.


    He gritted his teeth as his head started ringing.


    Rafael spat a mouthful of blood. He didn''t understand what was happening, but he immediately stood up even though his legs were already shaking, barely supporting his body.


    To his surprise, he actually saw Jay stand on his feet once again. His face looked pale and his eyes seemed to have lost his focus. But Rafael could see the desire to win emitting from his body.


    Rafael felt goosebumps. Without him noticing, his own spirit felt fired up, acknowledging his opponent.


    ''So strong.''

 Chapter 314 Stubbornness

    "Ha... Ha..." Jay panted heavily. He had a hard time regaining his focus. His vision had deteriorated so much that he couldn''t even see Rafael''s face anymore.


    ''My vision is already blurry. If he relies on speed, I won''t be able to follow his movement. Still, I have to swing my sword. As long as there is an opponent standing before me, I have to keep swinging my blade. I can''t stop yet!'' Jay muttered inwardly.


    It was already hard to even stand up at this point.


    However, Jay still pointed his sword at Rafael.


    Rafael didn''t realize it yet, but he was actually smiling, acknowledging Jay.@@@@


    Rafael could see that the talent Jay had might not be comparable to Clovis. He had no hidden trump card because he was a rather straightforward guy. He just kept working hard until he could do it.


    But because of that reason, he wanted to settle this match in a straight way. Whoever was knocked out earlier would be the loser.


    He paid respect to that hard work and planned to defeat him in this battle.


    Rafael rushed forth. He only had a few swings left in him, so he better defeat Jay before he runs out of steam.


    Jay remained in his position, looking at the blurry figure. Seeing the sword coming from above, Jay did the same thing as earlier using his beast soul.


    Clink!


    The clicking sound echoed, but the previous strike might just be luck or Rafael had gotten used to it, but Rafael was only pushed back by three meters.


    "Kh!" Jay gritted his teeth. His arms had gone numb. Knowing that the strike was too weak compared to the last one, Jay approached Rafael this time.


    Rafael waved his sword diagonally this time, noticing that Jay''s movement had slowed down. This strike would definitely throw him off balance.


    However, Jay suddenly fell right before the sword could reach him.


    His opponent was the same. Jay showed similar determination. People believed that Clovis was more talented than Jay. People thought that Clovis had more trump cards.


    Yet despite his ''mediocre'' strength, he still chose to fight. People couldn''t help but want to ask, ''Why would you go for such length? You are less talented, so why push yourself so hard? You won''t be able to keep up with your friend.''


    Everyone wanted to believe it was normal for them to lose to people more talented than them.


    However, Jay only showed one thing. It was his stubbornness. Just one swing. If that wasn''t enough, he would swing once more. Then another swing... another swing... He would swing his sword so that he would be one swing closer to his goal.


    Everyone could do it.


    ''Why did I give up back then?''


    ''Could I be in a higher position had I not indulged myself in other things aside from improving myself?''


    ''I should have practiced more...''


    Various thoughts appeared in everyone''s mind. Jay''s action had made them realize it was obvious why they couldn''t compare themselves with the abnormal Jay. They simply didn''t do enough.


    A guy bit his lips before shouting at the top of his lungs. "Win, Jay!"


    The others started cheering because of him.


    Jay could only hear a ringing sound in his head. But it didn''t matter. He only had one job.


    The opponent was still standing.


    "Haaa!" Jay rushed forward, swinging his sword.


    "I won''t lose!" Rafael also roared and leaped forth.

 Chapter 315 Result

    "Haaa!"


    A series of roars and clicking sounds filled the arena as Jay and Rafael exchanged one blow after another.


    Jay struck Rafael''s sword before punching his head.


    Rafael fell to the ground but kicked Jay''s stomach in his position, causing Jay to fall on his butt.


    Both of them stood up again.


    Their blades clashed as Jay was pushing his entire body weight to pressure Rafael.


    Rafael gritted his teeth, releasing all the remaining strength he had to actually knock the sword away.@@@@


    Jay''s body was being pushed back and his sword was already above his head.


    Rafael finally saw the gap he had been waiting for. He desperately swung his sword to end this match, believing that his swing earlier had knocked the saber off Jay''s hand.


    Unfortunately for him, Jay refused to let go of his sword and swung downward with all his might.


    None of them could defend themselves anymore. Rafael''s sword struck Jay''s left chest, running all the way to Jay''s right shoulder. On the other hand, Jay''s saber hit Rafael''s left shoulder and went all the way to his stomach.


    "Gah!" Both of them widened their eyes, realizing that the last strike was actually dangerous.


    Their bodies couldn''t move anymore as they collapsed to the floor at the same time.


    They shocked the stadium again. After all, who won this duel? Would the referee declare it a draw?


    The two referees were already going to the side so that the medical team could move faster. The last referee came to the center of the arena to announce the result. "It''s¡ª"


    Before he could announce it, he heard a small groan coming from one of the participants.


    "!!!" The referee looked shocked and stared at the person who was struggling to get up.


    Even with such a tattered body, that person didn''t allow him to stop this match.


    The referee felt goosebumps, having no choice but to change the word that he was about to speak.


    That was why Clovis chose to do something first as the captain.


    He was messaging someone while walking to his destination. It was still inside the arena, where not a lot of people could enter, but this was the only place he could meet that person.


    In that hall, two people were already waiting for him, considering they were closer to this place.


    "Yo, Clovis! To think that you would ask me to bring this girl with you. Should I leave?"


    "I don''t mind you hearing it since you''ve done me a favor, Erwin." Clovis shook his head.


    Yes, the one he messaged earlier was Erwin. And obviously, the girl he brought was none other than Bloody Rose''s captain, Aileen.


    Aileen understood why Clovis asked Erwin to set up a meeting. With Jay''s condition, Clovis only had four people to participate, while Aileen had six people in her group.


    Aileen said, "I don''t mind sitting out one or two members of my team for this match. It will also look good for my reputation anyway."


    Erwin just looked away, thinking it was what Clovis wanted as well since Jay could be considered more than one person.


    However, Clovis actually raised his hand as if saying she was mistaken.


    "Mhmm?" Aileen frowned.


    "You guys should fight with all six members. That''s the highest respect you can show a fellow competitor. Still, even though I''m ashamed to say this, I do have a request."


    "!!!" The more they heard about Clovis'' request, the more bewildered they became. They never thought that Clovis would ask for such a thing.


    But when they thought about it, his request was actually more reasonable than what they had in mind.


    It didn''t take long for them to agree to his request.


    Clovis thanked them and immediately left. He was worried about Jay''s condition after all.


    But when he walked back to the medical room, he actually encountered another person.


    "Ouch!" That person simply fell on her face. Not many people could access this place, but there were still more people than the waiting area.


    And the one in front of him was wearing a rather formal suit. With a recorder in her hand, it was obvious who the person''s identity was... a reporter.

 Chapter 316 Interview

    "Ouch!"


    Clovis couldn''t help but furrow his eyebrows when he determined the person''s identity. As expected of them, they were truly ''dedicated'' to their job. They even sneaked inside this place the moment they realized he had come here.


    Clovis glanced to the side, noticing the barrier that was supposed to keep the people out. She must have climbed it and tripped.


    The woman was rubbing her nose while standing up.


    "Ugh..." It only took her a moment to switch to work mode as soon as she remembered Clovis was right in front of her. "A-ah! Mr. Clovis. Please wait for a moment."


    "..." Clovis remained silent, but he already knew what she probably wanted.


    "I am Rina from Welsen. If you don''t mind, could I interview you for a little bit?" She asked.


    "Your way of speaking is rather civilized..." Clovis glanced to the side, specifically the barrier that blocked the path. "If I accept, it feels like I''m rewarding a person who breaks the rule..."


    "Ahahaha." Rina scratched the back of her head. "I''m desperate. If I can''t get anything, I won''t be able to feed myself next month."


    "..." Clovis furrowed his eyebrows as if contemplating whether he should accept it or not. Then again, this might be the only chance to talk about this battle, considering the final would definitely stir up another wave of questions.


    Besides, Jay had worked extremely hard this time. He raised three fingers. "Only three questions. I have to go back to check on my team''s condition after all."


    "That''s the problem. For us, Tier 2 humans still have the probability of defeating Tier 4 humans. It might only be 10%, 1%, or even less than 1%. But it''s never 0%. The only time it reaches that point is when people give up before even fighting.


    "Just one more step... Just one more swing... Just do one more thing. And the result might be different. Not a lot of people have the courage to do such an obvious thing, but I believe that this message has been transmitted to everyone. Jay has done a great job in that regard." Clovis smiled.


    She paused for a moment, amused by his answer. "My last question. If you have another chance, will you change your plan to defeat the Eight Swords, such as not sending Jay?"


    "I''ll answer that question with a simple analogy. There are two types of scenarios. In the first one, the city is under attack and normal people have no choice but to take up arms in order to survive. In the second one, your group is currently exploring a new area and getting ambushed by the beasts. You can choose to fight or escape, which might lead to a different outcome. Jay is the former."


    "Are you saying that there are battles that you can''t escape? The only thing you can do is have the courage to face such a challenge."


    "Yeah. It might be foolish, but if you are not going to do it, then who will? There are times where we have limited choices, so instead of lamenting about it, we should think about how to succeed and make it a reality."


    She fell silent. The answer was exceptionally good, but it was too good.


    "Since I''ve answered three questions, it''s time for me to go back." Clovis nodded and walked away. At the very least, Jay''s fight would be glorified even further after this. This was the only reason he accepted those three questions.


    Looking at Clovis'' back, she couldn''t help but ask, "Are you a hero?"


    "What hero? I''m nothing but another human just like you all. I''m just slightly more stubborn... not wanting fate to dictate to me. Just a bit of luck is needed to achieve it. That''s all." Clovis waved his hand.


    The answer took her breath away. Clovis'' last answer immediately brought other answers back, making him look more down to earth. She clenched her recorder tightly, knowing what to do with the recording.

 Chapter 317 Father and Son

    Clovis returned to the medical room. Fortunately, nothing happened to Jay. After closing his wounds, the doctor sent him to the hospital for more intensive care. He couldn''t do anything for one week, but Clovis planned to give him some stuff from Another World Mall. So he would probably be back in three days or even faster.


    Rafael ended up suffering the same fate. He was sent to the hospital, causing him to be unable to fight in the next match to decide third place.


    In other words, the Eight Swords had to deal with the Tier 4 fighter from the Dragon Fist group. While she was injured pretty heavily in the last match against Aileen, she was still able to participate.


    The Eight Swords showed their determination. The people cheered at the top of their lungs, supporting the Eight Swords so that they didn''t lose.


    Unfortunately, losing Rafael had settled the match before it began. Still, the Eight Swords did everything they could. In fact, they showed an even stronger strength than what people knew from them.@@@@


    They managed to gain a tie during the group match as Jane did everything she could to stop the Tier 4 martial artist.


    It took her everything, so when the individual match came, Jane was defeated by another person.


    Melvin was in a berserk state, still believing that they lost to Libation Fiesta due to his mistake. That was why, no matter what state he was in, he was determined to win the match.


    After a bloody battle, he managed to defeat his opponent. Unfortunately, Farhan had to fight against their captain, which ultimately resulted in the Dragon Fist''s victory.


    The Eight Swords ended up losing the honor of third place despite being the hosts.


    But after that match, the audience was applauding their determination instead of booing them. They thanked them for doing everything they could for the city.


    Obviously, the one responsible for this result was none other than their captain, Rafael.


    He had already woken up from his injuries, staring at the window with blank eyes as though his soul had been sucked away.


    Nothing but humiliation awaited them from now on.


    The first person to visit Rafael was none other than his father, the commander of the base. The person who had ordered him to win.


    "Captain Rafael has lost, but I''ll forever become his fan. He has inspired me to do what I''m supposed to do."


    "I''m glad that I''m able to watch the battle between Rafael and Jay. I learn a lot from them."


    "Who cares about the threat of a beast wave? Since there''s no place to run, I will fight those beasts. I''m weak, but I hope to make a difference."


    Not only the comments, but the interviews also showed similar responses.


    They were thankful for Jay and Rafael.


    Seeing all of these caused Rafael''s body to shake. He had lost, but the citizens were actually this kind to him.


    His father''s voice echoed from the side. "It''s true that we need to win the competition. However, what is the original purpose of the competition? It''s to inspire the people so that we can protect this base. I don''t think anyone has inspired more people than you in all three competitions.


    "I have been harsh to you, not because I hate you or something. I simply want you to understand the weight you currently carry. These people... are the weight you have to shoulder if you are still trying to chase after me."


    Rafael''s body was trembling. His tears were swelling in the corners of his eyes.


    "Besides, you have fulfilled my request by fighting them fair and square. If you still wish to know everything, climb to my position. But for now, I think you already know what I''m going to say. Respect your rivals and cheer for them now that they have defeated you. However, continue moving forward so that you will be the one winning next time." His father patted his shoulder again.


    While walking out, he said, "Rafael. Good work."


    Rafael bit his lips as he was unable to contain his tears. He thought he shouldn''t cry because it would be seen as a weakness.


    But when he finally understood his father and saw all these comments, he couldn''t contain them anymore.


    "I will... I will protect them." Rafael held the tab in his embrace as if it were something important. He had been chasing after his father this whole time without knowing how to do it. But today, he learned the meaning of responsibility...the burden his father had shouldered this whole time.


    When he thought about it, he began treating him harshly the moment he told his father that he wanted to become a commander like him. He finally knew what his goal truly meant.

 Chapter 318 Final

    The match to determine third place had finished. The only match remaining was the main dish, the match that would determine the champions.


    Obviously, the people were excited to see this match, especially Libation Fiesta. On the one hand, the Libation Fiesta had defeated their team. On the other hand, after gaining things from the match, they chose to cheer for Libation Fiesta.


    Mayor Revan glanced at the trainer. "What do you think? Will they be able to win again this time?"


    "I don''t think it''s possible. I don''t look down on them anymore, but currently, they only have four members. Madam Vania is taking care of Jay right now, so unless the Bloody Rose is benching one or two of their members, I don''t think they have the opportunity to win. And their captain, Aileen, is very strong... probably the strongest among all Tier 4 participants."


    "Is that so?" Mayor Revan paused for a moment. It seemed that he was too greedy. He had never thought that Libation Fiesta could go this far. ''I should just feel happy about it.''


    He couldn''t help but listen to the discussions of the people around him.


    "I hope Libation Fiesta wins the championship. They have done so well this whole time, so they might as well go all the way. They have defeated the Eight Swords as well."


    "Yeah. They conserved their captain in the last match, so he should be at full strength for this match."


    "But won''t the Bloody Rose match their number?"


    "I don''t know. I personally want to have them go all out. That''s the best respect they can give to the Libation Fiesta after all."


    "I just want to see an exciting match."


    "Well, we''ll see what they''ll do then."


    The people were looking forward to this fight even though Jay couldn''t participate in it.


    Since the time had arrived, Shion sent out her hologram on top of the match.


    "Welcome, ladies and gentlemen. I''m sure that you are looking forward to this fight... the fight between Libation Fiesta and Bloody Rose.


    "Due to the result of the previous battle, one person from Libation Fiesta can''t participate in this match. On the other hand, the Bloody Rose is sending all their members for the group match.


    "Captain Clovis has been showing unbelievable results, so I believe that we will see yet another unexpected result.


    "On the other hand, Captain Aileen has shown how strong she is the whole time. I''m actually looking forward to the battle between the two captains.


    "Can Captain Clovis overcome the biggest wall of this tournament and claim the victory? Or will the Bloody Rose prevail? Without further ado, let''s call all the participants to the arena."


    Before the count reached zero, he couldn''t help but raise his head. It was a clear day, so the woods would be quite dark. Even he would be taken out in an instant if he were careless. After all, his opponent this time was an assassin who Erwin claimed to be the best in her generation.


    That was why he made a plan.


    It seemed that Bloody Rose also had some sort of plan. After all, five of them positioned themselves in the middle, leaving only one to guard the flag in case something went wrong.


    Even Aileen looked eager to come. Her expression turned extremely cold as if she were going for the kill.


    She couldn''t help but remember what Clovis said to her a few hours ago.


    "No matter what kind of plan you have, it won''t work. The result will go according to what I have in mind. And you will have no choice but to dance in my palm. This will be the result." Clovis took out a piece of paper.


    "Huh?" Aileen frowned. "You have already stated a ridiculous request, and now you''re actually saying such a thing?"


    "I''m serious."


    Aileen paused for a moment. It didn''t look like Clovis was lying either. She said, "You need to pay me for that favor first."


    "What do you want?"


    "You''re about to have a party after this match with this guy, right? I will also attend it." Aileen pointed at Erwin.


    Erwin looked baffled while Clovis nodded his head. "Sure."


    "Oi." Erwin didn''t expect it to be that easy to make Clovis agree when it was supposed to be a party for only Imemine and Libation Fiesta.


    "And if you are able to achieve such a thing with me going all out, then I don''t mind giving you one of the rewards for the first place. But if you aren''t able to do it, you''re going to follow us to our city after this competition."


    "Oi, oi. Are you trying to kidnap me or something?"


    "It''s just an invitation."


    Clovis sighed. "Fine. Let''s do it that way."


    After recalling that agreement, Aileen definitely wanted to make Clovis fail so that she could bring him back to her city.


    Hence, as soon as the count reached zero, she immediately rushed forward.

 Chapter 319 Swift Kills

    In this match, Clovis decided to attack from two sides. The right side would be him alone, while the left side consisted of Kanaria and Melody.


    Clovis used his fastest speed to reach the other side.


    As expected, the Bloody Rose''s members were marching forward together. Their plan must be to stick together.


    "There is one person coming so fast. Kanaria and Melody have never shown such a speed, only Clovis."


    "In that case, we''ll change our plan accordingly!"


    In that instant, the person they had left behind earlier actually came forward. She was helped by another person.


    This way, Kanaria and Melody would fight against two people.


    Meanwhile, the rest of the team went to the other side, ready to stop Clovis.


    Clovis was moving extremely fast so that he could open up.


    Of course, it was for Melody''s sake. She warned him, "Clovis. You have to be careful. There are only five dots. I''m assuming that one of their members is staying behind to avoid any unexpected occurrences. So you have to be careful... One of those dots must be Aileen."


    "Alright. You guys should move in as well!"


    "Yes." Melody and Kanaria sped up, confronting the two dots. If Aileen was among them, they swore to stop her for a while until Clovis took his opponents down.


    However, the moment Clovis made contact with the opponents, he only saw two figures even though there were three dots among them.


    The one stopping him was none other than Lana, Aileen''s best friend and a muscular woman.


    With this, the third dot should be Aileen, waiting for her chance to eliminate Clovis.


    "Oh! It seems that I''m pretty popular." Clovis smiled, stopping in his tracks.


    "Clovis!" Melody warned him while shooting a few rounds on the enemy. She was already engaging the two people that the Bloody Rose had sent and Aileen wasn''t among them. It was certain that the last dot was Aileen. Even if Aileen was good, she wouldn''t be able to escape from radar unless she had some equipment. But that was banned in this competition.


    Even if that person wasn''t Aileen, they could easily see if Aileen chose to come.


    The moment he heard Melody''s voice, Clovis struck the spear and sword, knocking them back, before turning around to face Aileen.


    However, the person who came toward him was not Aileen, but the sixth member of Bloody Rose.


    Clovis instantly parried all three of them while Melody gasped. "What? Aileen is not there?"


    Kanaria nodded. "In that case, everything becomes even more simple. We will deal with them and make our way to their base. Make sure that you pay attention to the radar, Melody."


    "Of cour¡ª" Before Melody could finish her words, she and even Kanaria sensed something coming from above.


    In that instant, another dot appeared out of nowhere in the radar.


    Both Kanaria and Melody gritted their teeth while turning around, trying to stop whatever was coming.


    Sadly, they were too late. In an instant, both of them were hit on the head, knocking them out of the competition.


    "Aaah!" Kanaria and Melody fell to the ground and were immediately restrained by the referees.


    The one appearing out of nowhere was actually Aileen.


    "What?" Melody gasped in terror. "What is going on? How is it even possible for her to appear out of nowhere like a ghost?"


    Aileen didn''t even bother with them and went straight to Libation Fiesta''s base. On the other hand, the two people who stopped Kanaria and Melody turned around and headed to Clovis.


    With this, Ragna had to deal with Aileen while Clovis was under siege from five people.


    "Don''t tell me..." Kanaria clenched her fists. "Did she already arrive in this place and hide herself with the help of the referees? There weren''t any rules regarding that, and it was not like the referees would move since we were already close to them. That''s why we weren''t able to see her sign on the radar..."


    "Did we underestimate Aileen too much?"

 Chapter 320 Unexpected Victory

    "Did we underestimate Aileen too much?"


    As they expected, Aileen was simply moving as quickly as possible for an ambush. It didn''t really matter if she was going to face Clovis or the two girls. She would definitely defeat them.


    Aileen had erased her presence, lowered her heartbeat, and done other things in order to make herself disappear. By using the referee, he managed to escape the radar.


    After that, the team called the sixth member, who was supposed to protect the flag. This way, they would look like they had left Aileen behind.


    This was Aileen''s plan. The rest was just a matter of positioning.


    Aileen was running to Libation Fiesta''s base.


    She muttered inwardly, ''With the current situation, I have two options. I can defeat Clovis first and then Ragna before taking the flag or I can defeat Ragna and get the flag.


    ''If I go with the first scenario, I can definitely win right away. However, it will also cause a lot of hate from the people. The reward is simply not worth the hate.@@@@


    ''On the other hand, the second scenario will allow me to win with 6-point gap. All five of them will definitely tire Clovis out. This way, I will defeat him during the first individual match. Or even in the worst-case scenario, they will simply tie the score. There''s no way they can win the extra round.


    ''That''s why even if I go with this scenario, I will still win, no matter how Clovis is trying to manipulate it.''


    She still remembered the paper. She hadn''t taken a look at the result that Clovis predicted, thinking it would only be fair to open it after she won the tournament.


    ''One minute should be enough to wear him out. If I use this trick for too long, people will definitely think of me having no sportsmanship or something.'' Aileen had slowed down her pace.


    It didn''t take her too long to reach the other side.


    While looking at Ragna, she thought, ''I can exchange a few blows with him. Since this is a head-on clash, no one is going to say anything if it lasts for a minute or two. He is a good defender after all.''


    She had found the strategy to win.


    Without hesitation, she exited the forest, heading straight at Ragna. The latter put his shield in front of him. Ragna looked determined to protect that flag.


    ''We won. And Clovis will visit our city. We can recruit him during that time.'' Aileen smiled inwardly.


    ...


    ''Grenade? Is he trying to kill both of us? No, is that flash¡ª'' Aileen hurriedly covered her eyes.


    Ragna hit the grenade with his shield a little bit, raising the grenade to their eye level. He had also closed his eyes.


    Bang!


    The grenade exploded. Both of them gritted their teeth, enduring the pain. Their heads were ringing like crazy and they couldn''t open their eyes.


    As a guardian, Ragna was the first one to recover and make his move. He swung his spear from the side.


    Aileen might not have Brain Affinity, but she had the instincts of a veteran. She could feel the approaching spear even if she couldn''t see or hear it.


    She used her dagger to block the spear. To her surprise, that block caused Ragna to drop his spear. It seemed that the damage to his body had weakened his grip.


    ''I''m lucky. I need to reco¡ª'' Aileen wanted to jump away, but Ragna''s action was simply a method to locate her.


    Now that he had found her, the only thing to do was make one more move that would seal the battle.


    Suddenly, Aileen felt something coming into her embrace. Aileen was confused since she was supposed to have knocked the spear away.


    In addition, her other hand had to block the shield since Ragna chose to ram her with his shield.


    "Kh!" Aileen endured it and fell on her back. Still, both of them were blinded. There was no way Ragna could defeat her during this time.


    However, that was enough, since the plan had succeeded.


    "Match ends! Winner: Bloody Rose! The score is 5-0!"


    "!!!" Aileen''s body shook when she heard the announcement. What was happening? Did they win? But they hadn''t taken the flag.


    In that instant, Aileen remembered the thing that came into her embrace. It wasn''t dangerous, so she ignored it at first and focused on Ragna''s shield.


    But upon that realization, Aileen tried her hardest to open her eyes, confirming her guess.


    The one she held was actually the flag.

 Chapter 321 Clovis Tactic

    "This..." Aileen''s expression started to get distorted. The more she realized it, the more terrified she became. "You... never tried to win this group match. Conserving strength for the individual matches!"


    Ragna simply shrugged. He already knew Clovis'' plan for this match and how he planned to end it.


    Clovis had told them that no matter what she planned to do, she would end up playing in Clovis'' palm. She finally understood what it meant.


    However, the most amazing thing was the fact that Ragna could actually deliver.


    ''He positioned himself right in front of the flag to the point where his spear was only a few centimeters away from the flag. He used that shield to cover the flash grenade. If I were not blinded by it, I would throw myself away to avoid getting that flag.


    ''To win, one needed to get the flag. Even though I didn''t hold the flag, the flag was still in my embrace. The rule stated that the flag must remain in the base, but the base area was bigger than just a single flag.


    ''That was why Ragna threw that flag to me, ending this match with this score. And this score means...''


    Aileen bit her lips, realizing Clovis'' actual plan.


    Since the match had ended, Shion broadcast her voice to the entire stadium. "This is a rather unique situation. Did Libation Fiesta just throw the match? I don''t think so.


    "The score is 5-0. If they manage to win all three individual matches, they would be able to get 6 points, which would result in their victory.


    "On the other hand, by ending the battle this early, Libation Fiesta manages to conserve their strength. When the Bloody Rose could get one or two more points, Ragna actually stopped them by ending the match early, leaving the possibility of winning open.


    "As all of you already know, Libation Fiesta has never lost in individual matches. Most likely, this is their plan to win. Considering they have lost one person in the group match, they don''t want to make the situation worse by using this tactic. It''s a rather intriguing tactic."


    As Shion said, Aileen had fallen into Clovis'' trap. No, she should have realized this if she thought about the request Clovis made more.


    "I''d like to request one thing. During the individual match, I hope that you can fight me in the first match. As for the rest, you can do it as you like."


    That was Clovis'' request. It wasn''t that big of a deal for her, so she accepted. She wanted this favor to be paid by allowing her to join the party, which wasn''t that hard of a choice for Clovis as well.


    The more she thought about it, the more she realized she had been dancing in Clovis'' palm.


    The people were also stunned after listening to Shion''s explanation. They thought Clovis really threw the match, but it turned out to be his well-thought-out plan.


    "I don''t really care about the result personally, so why not? Besides, you guys are still too young. I''m afraid that the neighboring cities are not the only ones paying attention to you. Even the capital city might catch wind of this in one way or another. So getting too much attention will definitely make it harder if you plan to visit Hana later on," Melody explained.


    "I don''t know much about the future plan, but I have also proved myself enough in this tournament. So I''ll follow the captain''s decision." Ragna nodded.


    Kanaria couldn''t say anything after these two expressed their feelings. Clovis nodded. "Thank you for letting me be selfish for a bit."


    "But you gotta win, you know," Kanaria added.


    "I''ll do my best."


    Meanwhile, Aileen was discussing the plan in a heavy atmosphere.


    "Clovis must come first. After that, it will be Ragna. As for the third one, Kanaria might participate. Since Captain Aileen is going to take care of Clovis, we should be able to win."


    "But in the worst case scenario, we should send Lana in the last match. We have some information about Ragna''s individual prowess, but we don''t know much about Kanaria."


    "Are you saying that Captain Aileen will lose?"


    "Worst-case scenario!"


    "If Captain Aileen can defeat Clovis, the match will be set."


    "Can? She will defeat him!"


    "Instead of that, we should ask her what she thinks. Captain Aileen. You can defeat Clovis, right?"


    They suddenly stopped talking and stared at Aileen. The latter crossed her arms, contemplating seriously.


    But Erwin had said that Clovis hadn''t gone all out yet, so she replied, "I don''t know."


    "!!!" The answer was surprising for all of them, including Lana. It was rare for Aileen to have such low confidence.


    Aileen said, "You guys can take care of the details for the second and third matches. I''ll head out first."

 Chapter 322 Clovis vs Aileen (1)

    Clovis and Aileen were standing in the arena. They ignored the deafening cheers around them.


    Instead, they focused on the opponent in front of them.


    "Is this situation going according to your plan? To think that you had no hesitation to allow yourself to lose in the group match."


    "I thought you had already read it." Clovis closed his eyes.


    "You thought?" Aileen squinted her eyes. She harrumphed, "Shouldn''t you say, ''You knew I wouldn''t read it until the match is over?'' or something?"


    "No way. I''m not a prophet." Clovis chuckled.


    "I''m wondering... do you predict yourself winning this battle?" Aileen asked.


    "What do you think?" Clovis smiled.


    Aileen squinted her eyes. Even though Clovis didn''t answer her question, his confident smile was enough for her. She said, "In that case, we will see whether you have the ability or not. I''m not going to hold back."


    Clovis nodded.


    After saying their pieces, both of them took a few steps back before nodding to the referee, showing that they were ready.


    The referee signaled Shion to start the battle.


    Shion excitedly announced, "The two participants are ready! I''m sure that all of you can''t wait anymore. Without further ado, let''s start the battle and witness the greatest battle in this competition. The dark horse, Clovis, vs the cold beauty, Aileen. Countdown!"


    Clovis looked at Aileen with a solemn look. He was aware of what Aileen was capable of. He had seen her fight, but even he hadn''t seen her true ability.


    Her weapons were also quite unique. She was also wielding two weapons. On her right hand was a short sword, the length was similar to Clovis'' short sword. On her left hand was a dagger. Considering the dagger was quite short, the sword must be there as a necessary weapon to reach a beast''s organ or something.


    In addition, Aileen had Blood Affinity, which was the same as his. This battle would definitely become a battle of speed, but with a different fighting style.


    That was why he couldn''t let his guard down.


    "3."


    "2."


    "1."


    "Match Start!"


    In that moment, Aileen rushed forward as if she were planning to close the distance between them.


    "!!!" However, Clovis abruptly widened his eyes when Aileen''s figure suddenly disappeared. Aileen simply used the pillar to hide her entire body before disappearing into thin air.@@@@


    ''You''re not the only one thinking about this strategy.'' Aileen thought while approaching Clovis from the side.


    When Clovis was about to strike the pillar, she approached him. Clovis would be too busy swinging at the pillar when she attacked him.


    However, there was something different in this strike.


    "Haaa!" Clovis shouted, releasing everything he had in this slash.


    He crushed the pillar easily, but his sword didn''t stop yet. The swing continued on its trajectory.


    It was Aileen''s turn to be shocked this time. The sword would definitely hit her, but it didn''t change the fact that most of the power behind that swing had been absorbed by the pillar.


    Hence, she struck the sword multiple times. In the end, she was quite confident with her speed as well, so she tried to knock the sword back.


    But that was actually a trick Clovis had in store.


    The moment she was focused on the sword, Clovis spun even faster so that his short sword could reach her.


    Clink!


    Aileen was the one knocked back by all that power. This was what Clovis had been waiting for.


    Now that he had located her, Clovis immediately rushed forth and swung his blade as fast as possible. He still believed that the number of his strikes was higher than hers. This way, he could overwhelm her even if he couldn''t see her clearly.


    As he expected, a few clicking sounds echoed in the arena as Aileen was doing her best to parry all those strikes.


    But those sounds abruptly stopped as they were followed by two strikes on his right arm and one strike on his chest.


    "!!!" Clovis bit his lips, enduring the pain. Still, he was smiling. There was actually blood on both of his swords, meaning that he also managed to cut her.


    When he turned around, he saw blood stains on the ground, leading to a pillar. On the one hand, he wanted to chase after her right away. On the other hand, an assassin like her would definitely be able to cover her tracks right after and not just foolishly stay behind that pillar.


    In fact, she might be waiting for him to lower his guard by aiming for that pillar.


    Clovis'' speculation was actually true. If he struck that pillar, he would have a few more injuries as Aileen was actually waiting for him in the pillar next to his target.


    ''She is different. She is not like the assassin from Eight Swords. I can finally understand why Erwin holds her in high regard. She might haven''t gone all out in the group match. No, should I say she underestimated Ragna? If she didn''t, she might be able to defeat Ragna in one go.''


    ''In terms of assassin, I feel like she is more talented than those two Tier 5 people that are trying to kill me.''


    On the other hand, Aileen''s body trembled as she was a bit frustrated.


    ''Why didn''t you chase after me? Did he realize it?'' Aileen bit her lips. There were now a few wounds on her body as well. The more wounds she had, the more ineffective her technique became. ''As expected, he is not an ordinary man. However, what trump card does he still have in his sleeve?''


    She was afraid that the trump card would take her down if she was not careful. So there was only one choice. She had to force Clovis reveal that trump card.


    Both of them formulated a new battle plan in their minds after knowing a bit more about their enemy. The battle had just begun.

 Chapter 323 Clovis vs Aileen (2)

    "What is this? I''m having a hard time keeping track of Aileen from up here." Shion gasped. "When did she hit Clovis?"


    Shion checked the recording. As expected, the recording could actually follow her movement since her presence didn''t really matter to the camera.


    However, her movement wasn''t as quick as she imagined it to be. Nonetheless, whatever she was doing was actually effective against Clovis.


    "How can someone erase their presence to this degree? Is this Aileen''s true power? Clovis is having a hard time against her, but it can''t be helped. There is a trick to hide one''s presence, and I have encountered someone good at it. You will have a hard time seeing that person even if that person is in front of you. I believe that Clovis is experiencing something even worse."


    As Shion explained, Clovis had finally turned aggressive. "Oh?! I saw injuries on Aileen as well. It seems that he is able to sense her."


    ...


    "Ha... Ha..." Clovis panted while raising both swords. While he had a lot of injuries on his body, but he started getting used to sensing her presence.


    This time, Aileen came from the front. He squinted his eyes, seeing Aileen a bit more clearly. He struck her multiple times, trying his best to follow all of her strikes this time.


    Aileen blocked him a few times, but she soon tossed her dagger into the air.


    "!!!" Clovis'' body became stiff for a split second as he got distracted. "Tsk."


    His focus returned to Aileen, but it was too late. Aileen had passed him, cutting his arm from the lower arm to the upper arm. This might be the worst injury he got from this match.


    ''She diminished her already low presence by misdirecting my focus to the dagger? The fact she did it meant she had some assurance left. Another trump card? No, another level of distraction?'' Clovis glanced to the side where she threw her dagger earlier.


    As expected, the dagger was already gone. Aileen must have retrieved it, Clovis thought.@@@@


    Just when he got used to her presence, she pulled something like this. She really planned to reveal one trick at a time so that he wouldn''t get used to her presence.


    "I can finally understand why Erwin wants me to fight you." Clovis smiled, feeling even more excited.


    Aileen, who was hiding behind a pillar, couldn''t help but furrow her eyebrows. He didn''t talk much during the previous battles. "If you think you can locate me by distracting me with your words, you''re wrong."


    After all, he suddenly had a cut on his calf.


    "Kh!" Clovis barely avoided it. He looked stunned because the battle had just returned to the previous state, where Clovis could barely sense her again.


    Even the Tier 6 referees couldn''t help but furrow their eyebrows. The two referees actually lost her for a split second. Probably the only one who could see her clearly right now was the referee with Brain Affinity.


    It was clear that Aileen had just become even stronger. Or she might have just chosen to use her full power.


    After the shock ended, Clovis couldn''t help but smile.


    "This is it..." Clovis became even more excited. He lowered both of his sword.


    Aileen noticed something wrong with Clovis'' stance. It was different, but more importantly, she could feel the sharpness of a beast''s eye. In fact, it looked like Clovis was using his instinct like that of a beast.


    To test her theory, Aileen approached him from behind with the same technique.


    When she was three meters away from Clovis, the latter suddenly turned around and opened his legs. By shifting his center of gravity back, he would look like he was getting away, increasing the distance between him and her.


    This would allow Clovis more time to react. However, Aileen felt Clovis'' gaze had changed. It was as if she were being preyed upon by a wolf.


    Clink!


    Clink!


    Clink!


    A series of clicking sounds echoed, but the winner of that clash was clear.


    Blood spurted from Aileen''s body as a sword wound appeared from her shoulder all the way to her lower arm.


    Aileen''s eyes couldn''t go any wider when she passed Clovis. Not only did she fail to hit Clovis, but Clovis actually managed to injure her this much.

 Chapter 324 Clovis vs Aileen (3)

    Aileen hid behind another pillar, thinking, ''What is that? His stance smells like a beast. It''s as if he is a wolf. And the way he created distance earlier... did he change his footwork?''


    Aileen shuddered. She couldn''t help but wonder if this was Clovis'' trump card. In the battle against Erwin, Clovis had shown the technique that increased the speed of his swing, so having a new footwork wasn''t that weird.


    ''To think that he would hide it this much.'' Aileen took a deep breath. There were already many injuries on her body. Having a few more wounds would definitely give away her presence.


    ''Am I really allowed to use my full power? Are you sure you''re not going to fall right away?'' Aileen clenched her weapons tightly. In her empty heart, there was another ray of hope. While it was small, it was there. She could feel it.


    Aileen took a deep breath and emerged once again.


    Clovis was staring at her, but it looked like he hadn''t noticed her yet. This time, only when she was only one meter away from him did he begin to move. It wasn''t that he did it out of his plan. He simply couldn''t feel her at all.


    Clink!


    Clink!


    Clink!


    Their blades clashed a few times, but none of them managed to leave behind an injury. Clovis looked shocked because Aileen was like an air. He could only feel that gust when it touched him directly.


    If not for his werewolf footwork, he wouldn''t be able to sense her at all, let alone stop her attacks.


    Clovis wasn''t the only one surprised. Aileen also didn''t expect that Clovis would still be able to react even when she used all her power. It seemed that it wasn''t an empty claim. Clovis might be able to pose a challenge to her.


    More importantly, this person was still a Tier 2 human. If he became even stronger, he would definitely be able to do more.


    "So her overwhelming victory against Rika was not a mistake? No, doesn''t this mean Rika failed to make her use all her power?"


    "No, no. Instead of her, why don''t you take a look at Clovis? He is too monstrous as a Tier 2 human."


    In the eyes of people who wanted to scout Clovis, his worth had just increased tremendously. They might have to reconsider what kind of offer they were planning to make.


    Shion started explaining, "I don''t have any words to describe this battle. It might be hard to understand how high the level of this match is. Right now, I can''t see Aileen at all without using the camera. On the other hand, Clovis has managed to block all her attacks this whole time.


    "Aileen has practically become a ghost. And Clovis seems to be able to track her, albeit barely. Understanding the intensity of this battle can only be experienced by the people in this stadium. I''m honored to witness a battle of this level with my own eyes."


    Mayor Revan, on the other hand, couldn''t help but think, ''Genius? Ivan is a genius? Compared to him, he is trash. How could I be blinded by the Drake Group? It seems that I also need a new program so that I can allow hidden geniuses to participate instead of being buried by other influences.''


    While the audience had their own thoughts regarding this match, Clovis and Aileen were the ones who enjoyed this match the most.


    Both of them continued exchanging one blow after another.


    This was actually a precious chance for Clovis to refine his footwork even further. However, he might have underestimated Aileen.


    Even though she was six years older than him, she was hailed as the greatest genius, not only in this town but in the whole province.


    Just like how Clovis grew during the match, Aileen also matched his growth. No, she might actually be a bit faster. All the potential she had hidden this whole time so that she could feel a challenge from others burst in this moment.


    And the stalemate was finally broken. Aileen once again gained the upper hand when she managed to slit Clovis'' shoulder.


    "!!!" Clovis looked surprised because he was actually moving one step too late.

 Chapter 325 Clovis vs Aileen (4)

    That slash shocked not only Clovis but all the people who witnessed it. After all, it was a sign that the stalemate had been broken.


    "Aileen has come out on top?"


    "But she is two tiers above him. It''s normal, right?"


    "Indeed. In fact, Clovis has already done enough this whole time. If he is one or two years older, he might easily defeat her."


    The people whispered to each other. Although it was disappointing, it was understandable.


    Still, when people thought Clovis had lost, the person himself hadn''t let his guard down even for a moment.


    Aileen was doing the same. She knew that Clovis wouldn''t go down easily. In fact, there was a possibility that the strike earlier was just lucky.


    That was why Aileen approached him again with the same pattern.


    Clovis reacted like earlier, so this exchange should reach the same conclusion.


    ''In that case, I will disable your left arm.''


    To her surprise, when she was about to reach him, he leaned forward, causing her blade to hit his shoulder instead of his arm.


    "!!!" Aileen was surprised, but he actually rammed his own body against her, causing Aileen to be unable to move for a split second.


    She tried her best to stabilize her body, but Clovis'' swords actually reached her before that.


    He struck her shoulder and stabbed her right leg with his long sword.


    Unfortunately, she managed to recover quickly and move away before Clovis could worsen the wound.


    Aileen was taken aback. Not only did Clovis not dodge, but he also went all the way to approach her.


    Her presence got weaker again, making Clovis locate her. He even sensed her blades coming.


    Without hesitation, Clovis twisted his body and raised his swords, blocking her weapons.


    However, there was a reason why Clovis could sense her. It wasn''t because he had been struck by her and she stopped next to him, it was because she had manipulated her own presence.


    Bam!


    Clovis suddenly felt his head being hit by something. The force was actually powerful enough to launch him away.


    "Gah." Clovis spat a mouthful of blood as he crashed into a pillar. His back slid down the pillar as he fell on his butt.


    Clovis gritted his teeth. When he looked at Aileen, he finally understood what was happening. It was a kick.


    ''Is she for real? This is not simply the realm of erasing your presence anymore. She is actually manipulating her presence. By giving me more presence on her blades, she erased her leg so that I would focus on the blades instead of the kick, making me think there wasn''t a kick until it was too late.


    ''Is this how much she actually progressed? To think there would be someone that genius...'' Clovis smiled weakly as though he had accepted his fate.


    On the other hand, after that kick, Aileen''s eyes were shaking, her mouth went agape, and her face turned aghast. Everyone who saw her face could feel the despair coming from the bottom of her heart.


    Her expression soon turned dark as she gritted her teeth. Just like usual, she once again defeated her opponent. She thought Clovis might be able to defeat her. She thought it would be alright to let go of everything for once.


    However, her talent grew even more. She could even manipulate her presence. But that growth had just proven her point this whole time. She might have to hold back because, at the end of the day, she would overwhelm everyone.


    The dream that appeared in this fight was just fleeting.


    All good things will come to an end.


    Despite all the disappointment and frustration in her heart, she had to conclude this battle.


    ''Once again, I''ve claimed yet another victory.'' Aileen leaped toward Clovis while waving her dagger, ending the competition. ''Thank you, Clovis. Even though it was just for a brief moment, I felt the fire that had long been extinguished. And farewell...''

 Chapter 326 Clovis vs Aileen (5)

    Aileen looked at Clovis with a lot of regret. This was over. Once she surpassed someone, that person would never catch up to her. And the same thing would be repeated again.


    The referee also seemed to have concluded the same thing. She raised her hand, planning to end it as soon as Aileen placed her dagger on his neck. "End of the¡ª"


    However, before she could finish those words, she witnessed something unbelievable.


    "Gah!" Aileen was launched into the air after coughing up blood. She was just as shocked as the referee and everyone else in this stadium.


    ''Ah. I never really wanted to rely on this, but in the end, this mysterious state saved me. Aileen was more talented than I originally thought...'' Clovis stood up.


    Aileen landed on the ground with a shocked expression. She looked at Clovis in disbelief, but she soon noticed something different from his gaze. It felt like he was able to see her completely. This was what she always felt whenever she didn''t erase her presence.


    ''Did he...'' Aileen didn''t have time to think as Clovis had already rushed toward her.


    Aileen jumped back to gather some thoughts. There was a pillar behind her, so she abruptly stopped.


    Seeing Clovis swinging his blade from the left, she tilted her body in the opposite direction, planning to let the pillar reduce the power of his swing a bit before she stopped it with her blades.


    Sadly for her, Clovis smashed the pillar with unprecedented strength and struck her.


    ''Too heavy? What is this?'' Aileen was taken aback as Clovis launched her to the side. Her body bounced several times on the ground, but she managed to stabilize her position and stand back up.


    But Clovis didn''t give her a single second to think as he chased after her.


    ''What?'' Aileen checked her body. ''I''m erasing my presence to the very limit. He is actually looking at me? Only someone with a Brain Affinity has that possibility. And what''s with his swing? That power definitely far surpasses anything he has shown.''


    Clovis reached Aileen, who failed to hide behind a pillar.


    Clovis swung his blades multiple times while Aileen parried it until she found a chance to hide.


    However, two strikes ended up hitting her thighs.


    ''What?'' Aileen became even more shocked. ''His speed is also increasing. What is this? Why does he become a completely different person? Where does he gain all this strength?''


    "The whole stadium is vibrating! Because... the conclusion between the strongest Tier 4 and the biggest dark horse has just been reached. It''s Clovis'' victory!" Shion confirmed it out loud.


    "Uooohhh!"


    "Amazing!"


    "What was actually happening?"


    "I don''t know, but I still feel goosebumps!"


    "Aileen surely had shown her full strength in this match... something that Rika couldn''t bring out. Yet it wasn''t enough."


    "Yeah! It means Clovis is stronger than her!"


    "This is too amazing!"


    "Clovis!"


    "Clovis!"


    "Libation Fiesta!"


    The people excitedly commented and began chanting their names. With Clovis defeating Aileen, Libation Fiesta would definitely be able to make another upset, just like in the previous two rounds.


    They would definitely defeat the Bloody Rose and become the champions. People''s excitement was at its peak.


    The referees were busy checking their conditions.


    Since a referee approached him, Clovis decided to ask for something. Although the referee looked confused, he still gave him a microphone.


    Clovis raised his head, looking at the people filling the stadium. "I''m grateful for everyone''s support, but our Libation Fiesta will concede in this match."


    *Thud¡ª!*

 Chapter 327 Announcement

    *Thud¡ª!*


    "W-What?!" Shion screamed. In fact, the entire stadium was screaming with a confused face.


    "Are you kidding me?"


    "What the hell? You''re supposed to win!"


    "Is this rigged?!"


    "Libation Fiesta should have won! Why are they conceding the match?"


    "What the hell are you doing, Clovis?"


    "You idiot!"


    Their reactions were mixed. Some were questioning Clovis'' decision, while others were condemning him.


    It was already quite hard for them to reach this stage, so the people hoped they would go all the way.


    Even the referee started regretting his decision to hand over the microphone. Why would this happen, especially in the final?


    This was simply ridiculous.


    Shion hurriedly looked into the rule book while saying, "Wait a minute... There is no rule stating that the team can''t surrender during the match. However, this is simply too ridiculous."


    As she said, people saw this as a mockery, not only to them but to the entire competition.


    Clovis simply said, "I understand your concern, but I have to make this hard decision as the captain of the team. It''s not that I don''t trust my teammates, but Kanaria and Melody aren''t specialized in the individual battle.


    "Rather than letting my team get hurt any further, it''s better to become a coward. We originally wanted to continue and claim the victory... but the Eight Swords were simply better than we originally expected.


    "As a result, Jay, who was supposed to be participating in this battle and claiming the last victory for us, couldn''t participate."


    "Yeah." Aileen smiled wryly. "He was extremely strong... like a wall that I could never overcome..."


    "!!!" Lana widened her eyes in shock. This was the first time she heard such praise come out of her mouth. "Is he that good?"


    "His speed surpassed even me, his strength was stronger than Jay, his senses were comparable to his operator, and his schemes were worse than Tarkan''s. He was that capable as a Tier 2 human. What do you think?"


    "What?" Lana gasped. "Is he a human?"


    "Lana..." Aileen looked solemn. "Now that the competition is done, the Bloody Rose will be disbanded, and I''ll have to leave the group."


    "Leave the group... Don''t tell me. Are you going to do that?"


    "Yeah. I want to get stronger..." Aileen sighed. "I''m sorry for being selfish."


    "Jeez. I don''t mind. Go pursue what you want. Don''t hold back anymore, you hear me?"


    "Is that so? Thank you." As if doing what Lana had just told her to do, a smile appeared on her cold face.


    "Also, take this." Aileen took out a piece of paper and handed it to Lana.


    "What is this?"


    "Just open it later." Aileen closed her eyes. It was the piece of paper that contained the result of the match, according to Clovis. Aileen didn''t have to look at it anymore after Clovis chose to concede the match.


    Everything indeed went according to plan. And she accepted her loss.


    Lana ended up stopping for a moment, looking at the medical staff bringing Aileen to the medical room.


    Curious, Lana opened the piece of paper. "This is... the result of the battle?"


    5-2 Lose (Draw).


    Lana couldn''t help but furrow her eyebrows. It stated ''lose,'' so this must be Clovis'' handwriting. In addition, the ''draw'' actually piqued her interest more.


    When she thought about it carefully, she finally understood its meaning. She could only smile wryly. "Is he a madman or something? To think that he would do all kinds of things that a normal person wouldn''t do..."

 Chapter 328 After the Competition

    "Congratulations for being the first loser." Erwin was actually waiting for him outside the medical room, along with Ragna and the others.


    Clovis chuckled. "Indeed."


    "Well, I shouldn''t be here for too long since we will be holding a party for the first loser tonight..." Erwin paused for a moment. His expression turned serious as Erwin actually lowered his head. "Thank you, Clovis."


    "Mhmm?" Clovis looked surprised since he didn''t expect someone as prideful as Erwin to lower his head. "Please raise your head. What is this all about? Is it because of the battle?"


    "No." Erwin shook his head. He had confirmed one thing when he saw Aileen''s expression after losing. "I''m grateful because you have become a wall that Aileen can strive to overcome."


    "Oi, oi. Are you sacrificing me for her?"


    "What are you talking about? It''s for myself. Now that she can become stronger, it means that I can progress much faster chasing after her back. Next time, I will be the one to defeat her. After that, it will be you."


    "Hahaha." Clovis chuckled.


    "Anyway, I''ve said my pieces. It''s time for me to leave. Just don''t collapse before our party." Erwin smirked. "The reporters will definitely love to chat with you."


    "..." Clovis smiled wryly as he watched Erwin leave. He then opened his mouth and said, "Kanaria¡ª!"


    Before he could say what he wanted, someone grabbed his shoulder from behind. Kanaria''s face suddenly poked out over his shoulder. Even though she was smiling, her expression was extremely dark.


    "I''m going to accompany you in the interview, but you have to handle the interview yourself."


    "..." Clovis shuddered. He ended up scratching the back of his head, aware that he was the one making that decision. "Alright..."


    ...


    ...


    "Is he... dead?" Erwin chuckled.


    Kanaria shrugged. "It was his fault for doing that. All the anger was directed at him. One single mistake would have destroyed him."


    "Hahahaha!" Erwin laughed out loud. "Serve you right!"


    Clovis raised his head, showing his tired expression. "So, when are you going to come to my group, Erwin?"


    "!!!" Hana, Tarkan, and the others couldn''t help but frown as if they didn''t believe Clovis actually invited him.


    Even Aileen secretly glanced at Erwin, wanting to know his answer.


    "You truly don''t hold back, don''t you? You drop one bomb after another..." Erwin sighed. "My answer remains the same. Come to my city first before we talk about that."


    "What are you being so secretive about? It''s not like you''re not interested in my group."


    Erwin smiled. "After knowing your true identity, of course, I''d be curious. It would be weird if that didn''t pique my interest."


    "True identity?" Aileen and the others became curious. Now that they thought about it, Clovis didn''t have a family name, which is quite rare in the current generation. In addition, Erwin mentioned that his family name was erased previously.


    It seemed that Erwin had figured out Clovis'' true identity. And it was big enough to pique Erwin''s interest. They would be lying if they weren''t curious about it.


    "Come on. Let''s eat first. We can talk later." Erwin shrugged. "Still, I''m quite curious about that trump card of yours, Clovis. You felt like a different person back then."


    Aileen was also interested in that answer since she lost because of it.


    Clovis stuck out his tongue and said, "Become a part of the Libation Fiesta first, then I''ll tell you."


    "You''re truly persistent. If you want to recruit someone right now..." Erwin pointed at the person next to him. "Why don''t you invite Aileen first?"

 Chapter 329 Knowing Each Other

    "Why don''t you invite Aileen first?"


    Their eyes soon darted to Clovis. That was right. If he had invited Erwin, he should have invited Aileen, since she was more talented than him.


    Clovis simply shook his head while raising one finger. "Well, it''s true that talent matters, but the person I recruit needs something in common."


    "Something in common?" Lana frowned.


    "Yeah. It''s ambition." Clovis nodded. "Erwin is brimming with ambition. He looks like a person who has a lot of goals. But it looks like you''ve changed a little bit." Clovis turned to Aileen.


    "I personally don''t mind joining the group. It seems like I can continue forward, but... I can''t follow you. As you said, I don''t have an ambition... or more like I''ve forgotten about it." Aileen sighed. "Still, I just recovered that feeling again. This time, I''m planning to accept the invitation to the capital city to train under a teacher. This will be good for me to reaffirm my goals.


    And if you still have the heart to invite me, then I''ll definitely join your group."


    "Hoh?" Clovis looked amused. "That sounds interesting. You think you can keep up with us?"


    "Do you think I can''t? I have decided to become stronger with all the methods available to me. At the same time, this also means that I will only serve the strong."


    "I don''t really mind taking you on again." Clovis smirked. "Though, someone might get angry at me when that happens."


    "Why should I get angry?" Erwin narrowed his eyes.


    Aileen, on the other hand, looked at Erwin while saying, "It sounds like joining the Libation Fiesta is only a matter of time for you. In that case, make sure you observe him all the time so that you can tell me his weakness later."


    "..." Clovis just looked at these two and said, "You guys... I never mention a name, you know." Clovis glanced at Lana as if trying to imply that he was supposed to mention her.


    "!!!" Erwin and Aileen widened their eyes in shock, realizing that Clovis had just tricked them.


    Clovis nodded. "I know. Well, I''ve expected it."


    "!!!" Erwin thought for a moment before saying, "Did you forfeit because of that?"


    "It was one of the reasons." Clovis confirmed it.


    "I see." Erwin nodded while sipping his drink.


    "Do you want me to eliminate him?" Aileen asked. "My family is in the assassination business as well, so it doesn''t really matter if I assassinate them. This way, you don''t have to worry about them."


    "No. If you haven''t come here, I might do that since it''ll be impossible for them to find the connection. But it doesn''t matter. This is the problem for our group. We''ll deal with them personally." Clovis shook his head.


    "In any case, you already have my contact. If you need my help, just tell me about it." Aileen nodded, respecting his choice.


    "Still, there is something I''d like to ask you, Clovis." Erwin raised one finger. "After finding out about your true identity, there is something that doesn''t add up. I''ve used my connection to check your evolution rate, do you really have a 40% evolution rate?"


    The others who heard the question couldn''t help but furrow their eyebrows. If that was really the case, they would definitely be speechless.


    "Or else, I won''t be able to become an explorer." Clovis shrugged as if it wasn''t a big deal.


    "!!!" They looked confused because of the weird wording.


    "Huh?" Erwin knew that Clovis'' family might use their connection to change it, but the way Clovis said it, it was as if he had a lower evolution rate.


    "I don''t really conceal it anymore after my grandfather changed the registered data." Clovis took out his phone and showed them the real number.


    "15%?" They dropped their jaws to the ground. There were a lot of thoughts appearing in their heads. The most important question was, how in the world did the grandson of one of the strongest explorers in the world only have a 15% evolution rate?


    Clovis simply chuckled. "It''s not really a big deal. I just have to work hard for it. Instead of discussing such a heavy topic, let''s just drink."

 Chapter 330 Aftermath

    The next day.


    *Ding!*


    *Dong!*


    *Creak!*


    After the bell rang, the door was opened because no one answered it.


    "Aileen. Have you woken up yet?" Lana took a peek at the hotel room, finding no one inside. Hence, she entered while looking around to find Aileen. "Aileen..."


    All the rooms were empty, leaving only the bedroom. She knocked on the door first, but because no one answered, she tried to open it.


    Surprisingly, it wasn''t locked.


    "Huh?" Lana opened the door slightly, not really wanting to disturb Aileen if she was still sleeping. But the only thing she found was a messy bedroom with the bed almost flipped over. And that was exactly the problem.


    Lana facepalmed and closed the door again, hoping that she hadn''t seen that. She couldn''t help but recall what happened yesterday.


    After drinking a lot, they started to get drunk.@@@@


    Aileen gulped down all of the beer and stood up. "I have drunk enough. It''s time to go back."


    "Oh. Alright." Lana nodded as she needed to take care of this best friend of her. Aileen grabbed the back of someone''s collar, but the problem was that it was Erwin''s. "Aileen?"


    "What?" Erwin turned around. "What are you doing?"


    "Since I''ve lost... it doesn''t really matter if I lose one more time." Aileen dragged Erwin away.


    "Oi, oi! What the hell are you doing, insane woman? Are you drunk, Aileen?" Erwin shouted.


    "If I don''t get drunk, it''s impossible to lose to you." Aileen snorted.


    Clovis frowned before glancing at Kanaria.


    Kanaria looked down, contemplating. ''It''s true that liquidation is always the problem. Besides, a Tier 4 beast soul is about five to ten million in our city due to their rarity. In other words, the mayor is planning to give us more than ten million for the third part. If we add the other two parts, he has given us more than twenty million. It''s already too much.''


    Kanaria chose to nod her head, fully aware of how hard it was to get all that cash. Unlike the Essence Bank, which had business in every city, it was hard to get too much cash from the city''s fund.


    Since Kanaria chose to accept it, Clovis nodded his head. "I understand. Thank you for believing in us."


    "Don''t worry. It''s my job as mayor to believe and support my citizens." The mayor smiled. However, Clovis noticed the worry behind that smile.


    Considering he met Erwin and Aileen yesterday, the mayor must be worried that they would join other cities.


    Clovis said, "Don''t worry. While I do plan to visit other cities, I don''t have any plans for a long stay in the next few months."


    "Ah." The mayor scratched the back of his head, forgetting that these people were experts who could easily see through his emotions. "I''m thankful for your consideration. Are you going to return with us?"


    "We still have to wait for Jay." Clovis shook his head.


    "How about going back only with me? I will send the other participants in the bus first."


    Clovis thought it wouldn''t be good to reject him too much. "If you can wait for another two days, then sure."


    Ragna also needed to make preparations to leave this city. All the bad rumors regarding him had disappeared as he became one of the reasons why the Libation Fiesta could go this far.


    "I understand. In that case, I shall not disturb you any further. Please take your time to recover." Mayor Revan chose to leave before he made another request and ended up annoying Clovis.


    After they saw him off, Kanaria couldn''t help but stretch her body while saying, "It''s going to be exhausting when we go back. I''m more concerned about Ivan and the Drake Group than their popularity at this point."


    "Yeah. Don''t worry about that. I have expected it as well, and it''s the perfect time to strike back. I''ve left it to a very reliable person..."


    "A very reliable person that can hit the Drake Group?" Kanaria was confused. "Who?"


    "Who else? The stalk¡ªAhem, I mean, your beloved mother."

 Chapter 331 Drake Group

    The Skynet was in a complete frenzy after the news about Clovis and the Libation Fiesta spread.


    "Damn. Did you see that? Libation Fiesta, who had three youngest participants, managed to get second place."


    "Were they that strong? Or were their opponents that weak?"


    "Weak? That was the last thing you could say. I looked at the video, and those Tier 4 people were definitely not weak."


    "But I saw news regarding Clovis forfeiting in the final because Jay was hospitalized in the previous match."


    "You sure? I somehow thought about the Drake Group."


    "Did they get involved again? But the competition was in a different city. There was no way they were involved in that decision, right?"


    "Who knows? But that Ivan also participated in the first competition."


    "Considering their past conflict, it was possible for them to mess with the Libation Fiesta."


    There were mixed opinions. Some people believed that the Drake Group wouldn''t do anything in another city. Some people still thought that their past feud could possibly lead to such a decision.


    Of course, the one who actually steered the people''s opinions toward the relationship between Clovis and the Drake Group was none other than Vania.


    "Hehehe." Vania had been holing inside her room, looking at the screen with a sly grin.


    One might not be enough, but she had a lot of accounts. If one post was only enough to get a hundred people, she would make ten posts with ten different accounts, roping more people to their side.


    He couldn''t help but consider the offer that those assassins were giving him.


    If he joined them to eliminate Clovis, he could finally take revenge against him. If he didn''t join them, he didn''t need to invest more capital for revenge. The problem was whether Clovis planned to leave them alone or not.


    There was a high chance that Clovis would come back and crush the Drake Group because of their past feud.


    That was why he might not have other choices but to kill Clovis.


    "Tsk. Buy our stock for the time being and maintain our current price. I''ll talk to the investors."


    "Understood." His assistant immediately left, scared that the president would direct his anger at him.


    Thomas simply covered his face. He never thought that the ant he could crush easily at first had forced him to make such an important decision.


    He thought that Ivan could handle it in one way or another. He left it in his hand so that the Drake Group''s reputation would soar. But fate wasn''t on his side.


    All he could do was blame Ivan. If he were not fixated on Kanaria, all of this would never happen.


    If he took a look at the situation, he didn''t think that Kanaria wasn''t that important anymore in Ivan''s heart. All he could think about was probably how he could take revenge on Clovis.


    "What puppy love? Freaking idiot." Thomas gritted his teeth. "I need to set up another press conference to cut off my loss."


    Still, he wasn''t the only one who was frustrated by the result. The two Tier 5 assassins panicked after seeing the news.


    The person they thought they could kill at any moment now had the ability to defeat a Tier 4 human. In addition, this person was an assassin with peerless talent. Launching a sneak attack on Clovis was probably going to be useless. If they didn''t hurry, Clovis might end up growing too strong for them.


    All the parties were ready to make their move as the storm was approaching. And Clovis knew about it.@@@@

 Chapter 332 Captain and Vice Captain

    "Yo. Are you good, Jay?" Clovis waved his hand, storming inside Jay''s room in the hospital. He noticed that there was a new weapon next to his bed.


    "Yeah. Besides, when are you going to handle the documents for my discharge? I''m already sick of staying here. The nurses are annoying... They keep stopping me from swinging my blade." Jay harrumphed.


    "Hahaha. They''re just doing their job." Clovis chuckled. "How is the new weapon though?"


    "It''s good. The quality is impressive, and more importantly, the durability and the weight are perfect for me." Jay nodded in agreement. "It''s a shame, but my sword is only Tier 3. It''s time for me to replace it."


    "That''s good then." Clovis smirked. "I''m expecting a lot from you after this. How is the beast soul?"


    "I have absorbed it. I just need to practice it. Well, the research also inspires me to be flexible. I am trying to do it in my own way so that it will become even better when we visit that place to get the new beast soul."


    "Fair enough. I''ll be looking forward to it." Clovis nodded. "Anyway, I have just handled the paperwork. We can go back now and make sure to pack up your luggage. We''ll be returning tomorrow." Clovis sighed. "A certain person is already complaining that we should get back right away."@@@@


    Jay laughed it off, knowing who he was talking about. "How about Ragna?"


    "He should have finished dealing with all the matters in this city." Clovis shrugged. "Have you seen the news?"


    "Yeah. A lot of them are about Ragna. Well, he comes from this city, so it can''t be helped. I''m sure a lot of people are regretting it. In fact, a lot of people must be inviting him back this time."


    "Indeed. In fact, I already have about thirty offers." Clovis sighed. "Luckily, Mayor Revan is the one handling it. Erwin and Aileen are also working on it so that we don''t get swarmed by those people." Clovis sighed. The interviews were not the only problem. A lot of people appeared out of nowhere to invite him and the rest of the team.


    Besides, he knew that Aileen might be a future member of his Libation Fiesta. In that case, there were only three spots left.


    "Well, I''ll just take my time to find them. The famous ones usually have joined an influence, so we might be lucky again and find someone like Ragna." Clovis shrugged.


    "That''s true. I guess we might get a chance to find someone in another country. While we''re at this topic, are you not going to invite Hana? She is pretty strong, right? And she should fit your description of having ambition."


    "While that is true, Hana won''t join us. Her ambition is different. If she has to prioritize her company or our group, she will definitely choose the latter. But I don''t think it''ll be a problem if she becomes a close ally. Having someone with a lot of money watching our backs is pretty much what my grandfather told me to do."


    "Hahaha. Like that idiom, huh? If violence isn''t solving your problems, that''s because you''re not using enough of it. If money can''t solve your problems, that''s because you don''t have enough of it." Jay laughed.


    "Well, strength and money do indeed open up your choices." Clovis nodded. "Now that I think about it, what is she doing right now? She should have seen our match, right?"


    "Who knows?" Jay shrugged.


    Clovis smiled wryly and put the bag down. "Here''s your change of clothes. I''ll be waiting outside."


    Jay nodded. He understood it perfectly since he could see those people from the window.


    After closing the door, he simply waited by the door while looking at the ceiling, wondering what Hana was thinking about them. This competition should have made it clear to her that Libation Fiesta wasn''t ordinary.


    As he expected, Hana was watching the video in her office. She couldn''t help but smack her lips. "Someone can''t defeat a person one tier above them... Even after saying that, he proceeds to show me that he can defeat someone not only one tier above him, but two whole tiers. It seems that he might come sooner than predicted. I also need to prepare several things so that I can keep him here for a while."

 Chapter 333 Return

    "Grandfather." Hana walked down the hallway, finding an old man sitting in the garden near the window, so she couldn''t help but greet him.


    "Oh, Hana?" Her grandfather turned his head around.


    "How are you doing, Grandfather? Have you seen the video?" Hana asked with a big smile.


    "Indeed. The video is interesting."


    "To think that he would end up defeating a Tier 4 explorer after I told him that it would be hard to even fight someone one tier above him in the future..." Hana sighed. "He made me swallow my words."


    "Hahaha. It can''t be helped. After all, he has the quality to become a Tier 9. And now, I''m fully convinced of what the old master said regarding him."


    "Quality?" Hana raised her eyebrows.


    "What? You didn''t notice it?" He chuckled. "Then again, I can''t blame you. You haven''t seen what it means to have the ''quality'' to become Tier 9 after all."


    "Ha..." Hana tilted her head in confusion.


    "In the last few seconds of the match, you will find out about that quality."


    "Now that I think about it, I feel like he was able to follow his opponent''s movements."


    "Not only that, the strength exceeded what he had shown during the entire competition... and I''m not very sure about it, but the wounds closed on their own. I''m not sure about the speed, but it''s extremely fast."


    "What?" Hana dropped her jaw to the ground. She looked down, falling into deep thought. "The quality of Tier 9, huh?"


    "Yeah. Each Tier 9 has a certain quality unique to them. Some are easily noticeable, while some are hard to find. However, when you fight them, you will suddenly feel the vast difference, as if showing you the gap between Heaven and Earth. Unfortunately, I don''t have such a quality."


    The people shouted at the top of their lungs. Still, Clovis and Jay''s names were called the most due to the fact that they were able to defeat a Tier 4.


    Of course, they also gave Ragna the warmest welcome. As for Melody and Kanaria, they were already treated like idols.


    They also acknowledged the fact that the mayor had done a fantastic job of recognizing talent. It would be troublesome if they were suppressed by a major exploration group like the Drake Group and went to another city.


    The parade continued toward the mayor''s office so that they could handle some paperwork. After that, Vania took this time to drive them to their own destination.


    Clovis and Kanaria had to settle Ragna down first. He needed a place to live after all. Clovis thought it was fine to live in his house, considering he still had some spare rooms. Then again, Kanaria would definitely not like it.


    Hence, they rented a house for Ragna. It was only temporary, so it wasn''t that big. It was close to Clovis'' place as well, so if Ragna needed something, he could easily come over. However, Clovis was a bit worried about the security, especially since Ivan would become desperate soon.


    That was why Clovis had told Jay to watch over Melody while he took care of Kanaria and Ragna.


    Still, he was wondering if Ivan was coming to kill them, would the assassins stop him? This was a threat directly to his life, so if he somehow died, they would receive the repercussions from his grandfather.


    He asked Vania to keep the Drake Group in check and monitor their movements. And with Ivan gone, the Rusth family might be trying to do whatever is needed to remove Clovis so that Kanaria''s family can''t take advantage of it to suppress them.


    The situation had become extremely complicated, as they were simply not his grandfather''s enemies anymore. The Rusth family and the Drake Group were genuinely Clovis'' enemies.


    While he indeed had a lot of thoughts in mind, there was one thing that he needed to do first.


    The competition gave him two million, while the mayor handed him five million. Although seven million wasn''t enough to upgrade his Another World Mall to open up a new store, he could still buy a lot of things.


    That was why, after settling Ragna down, he hurried back to his bedroom to buy some items again.


    Clovis didn''t realize yet that his prediction was actually wrong. Ivan''s desperation was actually much more sinister than he originally thought. And that the assassins didn''t plan to stop him¡ªnot because they weren''t afraid of the consequences but because they wouldn''t be blamed for what was about to happen.

 Chapter 334 Choices

    Clovis finally arrived at Another World Mall, with Blue greeting him.


    [Welcome back, Master.]


    "Oh! I''m back. It''s been a while since I had time to go around the mall." Clovis nodded and opened his system.


    [Name: Clovis Hacfield.]


    [Membership: Level 16 (Small Expert)]


    [Money: 11,210,400 Otherworldly Coins.]


    [Item Limit: 14/Visit]


    [Visit: 0(2)/Day]


    "Still... to think that I''m able to get more than 11 million within a few months after becoming an explorer. In addition, the more I progress, the more money I can earn." Clovis muttered. "The competition is good for testing my skill against my peers, but as expected, the quickest method to earn money is to hunt."


    Clovis thought for a moment before saying, "What do you think I should buy this time, Blue?"


    [If I may suggest, you can increase the number of visits by paying 10 million otherworldly coins. Or you can upgrade the item limit by 3 times, which requires 7 million otherworldly coins.]


    "Hmm..." Clovis looked down, calculating the pros and cons.


    ''If I look at the pattern, the number of evolution points I receive from the food in the grocery store will gradually go down as I become stronger. For example, I can get 3% for one item as a Tier 1, but I will probably only get 2 or 2.5% for one item as a Tier 2.


    ''Upgrading the number of visits will easily allow me to purchase a lot more in a single day. At the same time, I have more teammates with me. Since I''m going to share it with them so that they can progress quickly as well, I can''t really upgrade the visit limit right now.


    ''After all, I will only have one million left to spend for the next several days. Then again, should I upgrade the item limit or should I buy another technique book?''@@@@


    Clovis faced a dilemma. On the one hand, he already had three books to learn. If he needed to stretch it, he also needed to learn the swinging technique that Jay had or the leadership skill Melody studied.


    Name: Basilisk''s Shirt


    Description: This shirt is made from the remnant of the basilisk''s skin. It gets a part of the toughness of the real skin but still maintains its flexibility.


    Effect: Defense +20


    Name: Lizard Scale Pants


    Description: Long pants created from grinding lizardfolk''s scales.


    Effect: Defense +10, Resistance to Heat +5


    Name: Holicorn Pendant.


    Description: A love from a unicorn that willingly offers its magical horn.


    Effect: Natural Regeneration +10%


    Name: Hydra Bracelet.


    Description: A bracelet that contains the blood of six-headed hydras.


    Effect: Natural Regeneration +5%


    These were the four items he chose from Another World Mall. With these items, he could focus on the other three affinities.


    Before leaving, Clovis gave another order. "Blue. With the money I have left, how many times can I upgrade the item limit? Or should I focus on increasing the visit limit?"


    [With the amount of money, Master can upgrade the item limit twice. After seeing your choice, I suggest that Master slow down your evolution progress a little bit, allowing you to have a bit more time to unleash your full potential.]


    Clovis nodded. "Alright. Let''s do that."


    [Processing.]

 Chapter 335 Target

    "Mhmmm..." Clovis opened his eyes while letting out some groans. He finally got some rest after everything related to the competition.


    Still, he couldn''t really let his guard down, knowing that Ivan was biding his time to eliminate him.


    That was why his next job was none other than to predict Ivan''s movement.


    While getting up, Clovis muttered while looking at the inventory that the mall provided. "Huu...I spent a lot of money yesterday. There are only two million left. While it''s enough for now, I might need to hunt a lot of Tier 4 beasts after this."


    He was contemplating while walking down the hallway, heading to the kitchen to prepare for breakfast.


    "Good morning." Kanaria was already there, preparing a sandwich.


    "Oh, good morning." Clovis nodded.


    "My mother told me that the Drake Group has made an official statement that they have no part in holding us back in all kinds of competitions or explorations. They have taken action by disciplining him and forbidding him to take part in any activities for one month. But that one month is already in consideration for his achievement in the competition. Is that good enough?" Kanaria asked.


    Although she understood a bit of Clovis'' plan, she thought that he needed to be punished more severely.


    Clovis nodded. "That''s enough for the time being. Even if Ivan is only being punished that way, he will definitely make his move. After all, there''s no way that Ivan doesn''t know anything about the plan to dismiss him. The Drake Group must have considered that kind of option. And if we look at his hatred against us, it''s pretty clear that he will become reckless."


    "Is that so? Does that mean he will hire people to attack us in this house? If that''s the case, shouldn''t we lure him outside? I mean, I don''t really like that this house is going to be torn down." Kanaria glanced at the condition of the house.


    While it was true that this house had become a bit better after she ordered some fresh furniture, the building itself wasn''t well maintained because Clovis lived in it without money to maintain it.


    If the enemy attacked this place, it would definitely destroy a part of the house.@@@@


    Clovis thought for a moment. "I''m not sure about that. I don''t think they will attack us directly... at least not in this place. There are a lot of reporters that will find out about it. Even if he is reckless and foolish, I don''t think he will do that."


    "But we still need to go outside, right? At the very least, this would lure him out."


    "Not necessarily." Clovis shook his head. "There''s a high chance that he will attack us first, but the purpose is to lure us out."


    "Lure us out?" Kanaria frowned. She couldn''t help but think about one possibility. "Is that the reason why you put Ragna in that place?"


    "Yeah. I''ve told Ragna about it, and he''s agreed."


    "I see." Kanaria closed her eyes. Ragna might not be stronger than Jay or Clovis, but his current strength allowed him to withstand an onslaught the longest.


    In addition, Clovis positioned him not far from this house, so they could support each other.


    Ivan might attack Ragna to lure Clovis out, but it turned out Clovis allowed it that way to lure Ivan out. If Ivan attacked first, there was enough justification to kill him.


    The moment he questioned their movement, one more family came into his mind.


    "Don''t tell me..." Clovis gasped and slammed his hand on the table. "Is he insane?"


    "Clovis?" Kanaria was startled, not expecting such a big reaction.


    "Call Jay right now. Where is he? No. Call his family first. You have their contact, right?"


    "Y-yes!" Kanaria wanted to know the reason, but she should have called them first since it was more urgent. But no one picked up. "Huh? They''re not busy, but no one is picking up."


    "!!!" Clovis gritted his teeth, finally figuring out what happened. "Not good! Call Ragna right now. We''re going to the hospital. Call Jay as well and ask for his location."


    "Yes!" Kanaria hurriedly did what he instructed, as both of them were preparing to move. She still needed some explanations, but it seemed that Ivan was planning something that Clovis didn''t expect.


    And from the looks of it, he had sealed both the Renvolt and Havenson families.


    ...


    Renvolt Family.


    Vania and her husband were sitting together. After all, the former head and the current head of the Rusth family. Yes, Lovelia''s grandfather and father came at the same time.


    If Vania didn''t sit down with her husband, it could be seen as an insult. She didn''t know what those two would do when that happened.


    That was why she didn''t have a lot of time to explain the situation to Kanaria earlier.


    ''These guys... What are they planning to do? Are they trying to stop us? They should know that if the situation has become too big for Kanaria and the others, we will step in. Does that mean they''re planning to do something big? The only one who can handle it is the Havenson family.


    ''No, wait. Have they sealed their movement as well? While Clovis has received the support of the mayor, the mayor hasn''t prepared anything to protect him. That''s why it''s impossible for him to make his move. By the time he has assembled his fighter, Clovis might already die.


    ''This is not good. I should find a way to escape.'' Vania bit her lips. She had never thought that they would make such a bold move. ''What are they planning to do? Who are their targets?''


    There were a lot of questions in her mind, but that was because she didn''t know Clovis enough.


    Clovis, on the other hand, already saw through Ivan''s plan.


    "What? Are you sure about it?"


    "Yes. That''s the only way to harm me without directly killing me. I''ve always told you about the possibility of you guys getting hurt because of me. The enemies haven''t done anything to you guys yet because you''re near me most of the time. But there is someone who is crazy enough to do it. All they need to do is separate us and stop anyone from interfering."


    "Then, their target..." Kanaria gritted her teeth.


    "Yes. It''s not Ragna. Their target is either Jay or Melody."

 Chapter 336 Ambush

    "Hum, hum... I''ll bring these with me today." Melody was humming happily, putting down the bags filled with several video games as well as the recording of the Shining Star Competition. It had been a while since she visited her brother, so she couldn''t help but feel excited about it.


    However, her happiness was short lived because the alarm in her apartment started ringing.


    "!!!" Melody turned her head around, looking at the door. She was trying to use her extraordinary hearing to see the intruders.


    Fortunately, there didn''t seem to be anyone near her door yet. In other words, the bell was alerting her about something still far from her room.


    She hurriedly opened her phone and checked the hidden CCTV she had installed previously.


    Due to her background, she was on a constant run. Obviously, she installed a lot of hidden CCTVs to monitor the apartment.


    The alarm was set up to warn her that there were a ridiculous number of people going in. And the problem was that she actually found these people coming from the back door of the apartment.


    If it were the front door and their ages varied, she would consider them a normal family. However, there were about ten people coming from the back door. While she couldn''t feel their strength from the camera, she could see that their movements were rather disciplined.


    She couldn''t help but remember Clovis'' warning on the way back home.


    "Remember. I have set up a series of traps. Ragna will take the full brunt at first. Melody and I will arrive immediately to eliminate them. Can you do it, Ragna?" Clovis asked.


    "Of course. Although I''m weaker than you and Jay, I can withstand people''s attacks the longest. This is also a chance for me to repay you for giving me this chance." Ragna was holding the ring and necklace from Another World Mall.


    "Thanks." Clovis nodded with a smile. "Ivan will definitely strike us. However, he should have seen the gap between us and him. Hence, he won''t come by himself."


    Ragna nodded seriously, as if he were prepared to handle all of them at once.


    When Melody recalled that warning, she couldn''t help but realize that something was amiss. Ivan either targeted her or attacked multiple people at once.


    She hurriedly grabbed her jacket and hid all her stuff inside the cabinet. After that, she opened up the ceiling, which turned out to be a hidden door. She then climbed on top of the ceiling, using the small gap between her ceiling and the floor above her to crawl to the opposite side of the building.


    Nevertheless, targeting her was the worst mistake Ivan could make. Due to her previous lifestyle, she obviously had secured her escape route.


    At the same time, she was sending messages to Jay because his location was the closest to her.


    Although she wanted to send another message to Clovis, she had to stop because those people had arrived. As she expected, those people were approaching her room.


    ''Four Tier 3 and six Tier 2 humans. I don''t think I can handle them,'' Melody muttered inwardly. She skillfully escaped from the other side of the building and covered her head with a hood.


    She simply acted like a normal person, wanting to go down by using the lift as if she wasn''t aware of ten people trying to storm inside someone''s apartment.


    Meanwhile, those ten people were focusing on Melody''s room. There seemed to be two people with Brain Affinity.


    They were trying to check whether Melody was inside or not since they had received the report that she had entered the building not long ago.


    To their surprise, the two guys couldn''t really find any sign of Melody from the inside.


    Both of them frowned, as if doubting their hearing. "Sound proof?"


    "I don''t know. But isn''t she supposed to be inside?"


    And this sound was approaching her from behind.


    In that instant, she hurriedly turned around, trying to check on the person behind her.


    This was the hardest warfare. She didn''t know her enemies, which allowed the latter to disguise themselves as normal civilians.


    However, it turned out the person behind her was a normal civilian. The clicking sound actually came from his watch hitting the lock of his belt.


    "What?" The man looked confused and dissatisfied since Melody suddenly stopped, as if she were trying to stop him.


    "Ah. I''m sorry." Melody hurriedly apologized. She couldn''t help but think, ''Am I being too paranoid right now? I should have expected this. No, the original plan was to ambush them after they launched a sneak attack on Ragna. Ragna''s location is pretty secluded, so it won''t turn into guerrilla warfare.


    Clovis predicted their movements wrongly.''


    She hurriedly looked around, trying to ensure that no one was staying on the roof. She still remembered that those Tier 5 assassins could watch her from very far away. If they were truly aiming for her life, it would be troublesome.


    Fortunately, there was nothing suspicious. She quietly assured herself, ''It seems that I''m just too paranoid. There''s noth¡ª!"


    Before she finished, she hurriedly turned around as a blade slit her waist.


    "Kh." Melody gritted her teeth while grabbing the person''s arm to move it away.


    The situation turned out to be as she expected. There was indeed an assassin among the civilians.


    Her instinct kicked in as she elbowed this person.


    Once she pushed that person aside, she hurriedly ran, trying to escape as quickly as possible. She didn''t know how many people were hiding among them, so her best option was to go to a field where she could see everyone around her or regroup with Jay.


    She had to make sure that she didn''t get hit by a bullet. She took the corner, using the small alley to reduce her focus.


    "Haa... Ha..." Melody breathed heavily. "Call Jay, Clovis, Kanaria, and Melody in succession!"


    She ordered her AI while running at full speed, her left hand covering her wound. And it seemed that she heard people screaming from where she had come earlier. They had just realized that something had happened.


    The guy was also chasing after her while informing the others.


    With this wound, he would definitely catch up to her. Hence, Melody grabbed the gun from her back and started shooting.


    Bang!


    Bang!


    Bang!


    The guy simply hid in the corner, avoiding those bullets. He didn''t plan to get hit, but at the same time, he maintained a certain distance, making sure that Melody didn''t get away.


    Melody was gritting her teeth.


    Surprisingly, Jay didn''t pick up her call as if showing that he was also being ambushed. Still, the AI continued with the second person, which was Clovis.


    And it was connected.

 Chapter 337 Decision

    "Melody. Where are you?" Clovis inquired while rushing toward Jay and Melody''s general location.


    To his surprise, he actually heard gunshots before he could hear her reply.


    "Are you okay? Where are you?"


    It took Melody a moment to reply, "I''m hurt, but I should be able to get away. I''m planning to go to the hospital. I''ve told Jay to go there, but it seems that he''s attacked there as well."


    Clovis frowned. He never thought that the situation would be this dangerous. It was hard to wound Melody unless they had a lot of strong people or ambushed her.


    After hearing the gunshots, Clovis believed it was the latter. Hence, he explained the situation briefly. "You guys are the only ones attacked. We''re on the way, but it will take some time. Do whatever you can to survive and regroup with Jay. I''ll take responsibility for all your actions from now on."


    Clovis was directly implying that he would take responsibility even if Melody used civilians as shields. At the same time, he didn''t give any detailed instructions so that she could stay flexible. Clovis believed that Melody could lead Jay to gain an upper hand.


    "Got it." Melody acknowledged it with a solemn expression. It had been a while since she last had to run away from people, so she thought about doing it the usual way.


    The gunshots should have alarmed a lot of people in the area. The more chaotic the situation became, the better.


    In the meantime, Clovis was doing whatever he could to reach the hospital. At their current strength, they could easily pass the bustling city faster on foot than by car.


    However, reaching Melody would definitely be harder than he originally thought. After all, the enemies seemed to set up several traps.


    Because Clovis, Kanaria, and Ragna were running at high speed, they were easily visible and distracted a lot of people.


    The people were confused, which was the expected reaction.


    However, there were several people who didn''t look distracted. In fact, their expressions were indirectly implying that they were waiting for them.


    Clovis could see it slowly due to his affinity. While Kanaria''s Brain Affinity allowed her to have a big field of vision, it was Clovis who could observe the details.


    After finding them and seeing these people taking out hidden weapons, Clovis immediately jumped up.


    "!!!" The people were confused. "What? What is happening?"


    The people''s reactions were varied, but there were a lot of people who were foolish enough to not get scared in this situation. Instead, they were actually taking out their phones and starting to record.


    "That''s... Clovis?!"


    "Libation Fiesta?"


    After they were done, the people had a moment to calm down and finally recognize them.


    Clovis gritted his teeth and scanned the area, finding a person who looked calm but was not taking out his camera. He pointed at him, asking, "Call the police! Hurry up! They''re wielding weapons. And immediately evacuate the area."


    Clovis hit the enemies, knocking them out. On the one hand, he wanted to stop these unknown people. On the other hand, he had a more important task.


    He doubted that these people would be lying down forever. Some might wake up soon because there might be people with Heart Affinity among them.


    As if knowing his worries, Kanaria hurriedly said, "Go, Clovis! I will take care of this. You are faster, so you should be able to reach them faster."


    Clovis gritted his teeth. He was worried about them, since there was a chance that they would be attacked. However, he could indeed speed up even more.


    "Ragna, stay with her!" Clovis hurriedly continued toward the hospital.


    "Yes!" Ragna replied out loud. He swore to protect Kanaria, even if it meant risking his life. That was his promise to Clovis when he joined the group after all.


    Clovis couldn''t help but grit his teeth. Just looking at this situation, Clovis realized that their plan was to separate them.


    Yes, they were divided into two groups. Clovis could go to Jay and Melody, but it meant that he would have to leave Kanaria and Ragna behind. He was sure that those two would be attacked as well.


    Knowing Ivan, he would definitely kill Ragna and kidnap Kanaria.


    At the same time, Clovis couldn''t really stay with Kanaria and Ragna. If he abandoned the citizens and exposed them to danger, he would lose some credibility. He couldn''t afford it right now since he needed it to strike at the Drake Group.


    He didn''t think Ivan was the one who thought about this. However, there was one more card he could use to solve this problem.


    He took out his phone, calling a certain number.

 Chapter 338 Hospital

    A moment ago.


    Jay had arrived at the hospital grounds after receiving the message from Melody.


    The hospital didn''t seem to have turned into a battlefield. Hence, Jay walked to one of the benches in the small park in front of the hospital and sat down. Of course, he also checked the rooftop and all the windows that had the potential to host a sniper.


    His childhood friend was a sniper, so he could find a sniper much easier because he had gotten used to it.


    Fortunately, there didn''t seem to be anyone who could kill him all of a sudden. Still, he had chosen a bench that was located a bit far from the people. It was also covered with trees to prevent anyone from ambushing him from far away.


    ''Should I call Clovis? I''m worried about Melody, but calling her right now might give away her position. Besides, Melody should be the one to call me after she determines that she is safe.


    ''Has Clovis been notified? Or should I call for our reinforcement? Maybe I should notify the mayor about this. He should be able to send some reinforcement... at least to protect the hospital and Melody''s brother.


    ''Still, turning this place into a battlefield doesn''t feel good, even though the opposite party might not feel the same.'' Jay was trying to figure out their current situation.


    However, before he realized it, a few people were approaching him. More importantly, there was one person who managed to get close to him after erasing his presence to the limit.


    It wasn''t at the level of Aileen, but he managed to get close enough where he could pull out his knife.


    "!!!" Jay''s instinct was screaming danger. He hurriedly raised his left hand to block whatever was coming.


    The knife ended up striking his phone, which bent it ninety degrees.


    With a single glance, Jay realized that he had been surrounded. He quickly threw the phone to the first attacker.


    "Gah!" The attacker abruptly stopped after getting hit by the phone, giving Jay an opportunity to hit him.


    Jay used his Dire Wolf beast soul to punch the guy in the stomach. He allowed the momentum to move to his fist, which ended up getting transferred completely upon impact.


    "Gah!" The attacker spat a mouthful of blood and acid as he was blown away. Jay skillfully launched him at another person, so he ended up taking them both out at the same time.


    The attackers realized that they had been recognized. Without hesitation, all of them charged toward Jay.


    He observed all of them as well as the position of the building.


    "Aaaahhh!" The Tier 1 guy became desperate, trying to create an opportunity to take Jay down.


    Jay simply hit his right arm, causing it to bend in a weird way. After that, he spun the guy and grabbed the collar of this person from behind before running toward the second guy.


    "!!!" They thought Jay was insane, but he actually used the Tier 1 guy as a meat shield, trying to protect himself from the sniper.


    ''Do you think it''s a movie? You don''t know what a bullet of this caliber can do.'' The sniper aimed carefully and shot at Jay''s body.


    The shot hit the Tier 1 guy.


    "Aaahhh!" He was wailing in pain because the bullet pierced through his body and hit Jay.


    However, Jay also knew about this fact. If not for the clothes from Clovis, he wouldn''t dare to do something like this.


    The jacket alone wasn''t enough to block it, but the meat shield had reduced a portion of its power.


    That was why the jacket managed to block the bullet even though he still felt the impact.


    "Kh." Jay gritted his teeth, enduring the pain. He still had one second before the sniper could shoot again. Hence, he threw the guy in his hand to the Tier 2 guy.


    "Gah!" The Tier 2 guy fell to the ground, but when he was about to get up, Jay was already there, his saber hitting his head, which ultimately knocked him out.


    After that, Jay used this guy as a meat shield again, so the sniper had no choice but to shoot his colleague to kill Jay.


    Once again, the bullet was blocked. However, before the sniper could hit him again, Jay had reached the building.


    Without hesitation, he jumped toward the window and smashed it. His body rolled down as he immediately lowered his body to avoid entering the sniper''s point of view.


    ''There is still one more Tier 2 guy, but it can''t be helped. I will think about their reasons later, but I have to take the sniper out before Melody arrives.''


    The Tier 2 guy was wondering if he should chase after Jay or stay in his position. They had been found out, and the civilians were already scattering because of the fight.


    Meanwhile, Jay took a deep breath and looped around, using the building as a cover as he made his way toward the rooftop.

 Chapter 339 Desperation

    Police Station.


    "What did you say? Several fights broke out in the city?"


    "Yes, Chief." The young officer nodded with a solemn expression, looking at the middle-aged man''s reaction.


    "What is going on? What''s the report?" The chief stood up, his body exuding a terrifying aura like that of a hunter.


    "We''re not very sure right now, but the assailants seem to have weapons." The young policeman then projected a map from his device, showing two locations. "Two places are currently attacked, but the weird thing is that Libation Fiesta''s members are on the scene. Can we safely assume that these people are trying to attack them?"


    The chief couldn''t help but furrow his eyebrows the moment he mentioned Libation Fiesta''s name. It was a name he kept hearing in the last few days. "Injuries?"


    "We are still trying to figure out the number, but there is no report of death."


    "Send all our units out. Capture them all and bring them to jail, including the people from Libation Fiesta."


    "What? If we capture the members of Libation Fiesta..." The police looked stunned. With such popularity, if they didn''t have any justification to arrest them, the people would criticize the police''s action.


    "I''m not talking about capturing them. I only want them to be brought here. If the assailants are truly attacking them for whatever reason, bringing them here will allow us to protect them. I know those kids are strong, but they''re still kids. On the other hand, this place still has several Tier 3 and Tier 4 humans. This place is much safer."


    "Ah, understood!" The police acknowledged the order, knowing that he had misunderstood the order.


    "Still, the fact that they''re wielding weapons... are they terrorists?"


    "We haven''t found any information regarding their identities yet. However, I don''t think they''re a small group. They have at least sent more than ten Tier 1 humans."@@@@


    "Their attack pattern?"


    "We''re not sure. According to some reports, the Libation Fiesta is the one taking action first."


    "!!!" Melody widened her eyes in shock. All of a sudden, she saw a big trash bin being thrown into the sniper.


    As a result, the sniper had no choice but to get away as another person was approaching his location.


    ''I don''t know who that is,, but this is my chance.'' Melody sped up even if her body was about to give up.


    However, her hope soon shattered the moment she saw a group of people suddenly appear outside the alley. No, they were entering the alley as if they were trying to stop her.


    If she took another look, these people were actually the ten guys that were trying to ambush her before.


    ''What?'' Melody gritted her teeth. She clenched her pistol tightly, thinking, ''I might have to kill all of them to push through.''


    Still, she had another option, which was to loop around. To do that, she had to turn back and face the guy who had been chasing her this whole time. That was probably the easiest option, but she was worried about her brother.


    Her heart was telling her to push through, no matter her condition, but her body was screaming that it was impossible to face all those ten guys with her current condition.


    She bit her lips, facing a dilemma. She had always told Clovis that her brother was more important than her life, so she chose to take the risk.


    Melody raised her pistol, but these ten guys seemed to have prepared as well. Two of them were holding shields and took the lead.


    "!!!" Melody hesitated to shoot them since it would be useless. However, it couldn''t be helped. She started shooting, unleashing the rest of her bullets to suppress them for a bit while approaching them. "Aaaahhh!"


    Melody didn''t care anymore. She was going to push through.


    The ten guys were already prepared to receive her attack, but the next thing they realized, there was a scream coming from Melody''s back.


    In that instant, footsteps echoed inside the alley before the person jumped over Melody and kicked the shields, blasting these two people away.


    Melody gasped. "Clovis?!"

 Chapter 340 Clovis Choice

    "Clovis?!"


    Yes. Clovis was able to catch up. She hadn''t synchronized Clovis'' device, so she couldn''t see his position. However, it didn''t mean she couldn''t send her own location to Clovis.


    That was why Clovis used his fastest speed to catch up. He defeated the person who chased after Melody with a single attack and blasted the rest of the guys.


    But before jumping over Melody, he noticed the wound on Melody''s body. And considering the other guy didn''t have any wounds, he confirmed that the blood trail on the ground this whole time was from Melody.


    In that instant, his rage exploded.


    After kicking the shields, he swung his sword at full speed, chopping the first few men into pieces.


    "Wha¡ª" The rest of the people looked shocked and tried to attack Clovis, but the latter had taken another leap and swiftly sliced their necks.


    In that instant, ten people had just died.


    "Clovis. The sniper..." Melody raised her head and didn''t see the sniper anymore.


    "Hop on my back! I''ll carry you to the hospital right away!" Clovis shouted and lowered his body.


    Melody wanted to say something, but that seemed to be the only way. She had no choice but to comply.


    Clovis could just grab her and carry her like a princess, but it also meant that he couldn''t fight anymore during that time.


    Clovis then rushed toward the hospital while saying, "I want you to get treated right away."


    "But..." Melody bit her lips. There was something more important than that. It was the reason she rushed to the hospital.


    "I''ll confirm personally that your brother is safe. I don''t want someone from my group to die. Do you understand?"


    Melody closed her eyes. "I understand."


    "What about Jay?"


    "I couldn''t contact him this whole time, but I saw someone throwing something to the sniper on the rooftop."


    "I''ll check it. If it''s Jay, I will ask him to personally ensure your brother''s safety. After you''re done with the treatment, you can go to your brother."


    "Mhmm." After Clovis did that much, she couldn''t really refuse at this point. She couldn''t help but say with an apologetic tone, "Sorry, Clovis. I caused you a lot of trouble... especially with how you ended up killing those people."


    However, their situation wasn''t that good either. Jay hurriedly said, "Wait. We need to get Melody right now!"


    "What?" Clovis widened his eyes in shock.


    "One Tier 2 guy is still on the run! I couldn''t finish him because I had to take out the sniper first."


    "!!!" Clovis dropped his jaw to the ground.


    In that instant, they heard a gunshot that shattered the hospital''s quiet atmosphere.


    Both of them hurriedly went down. He never thought that the enemy would disguise himself as a doctor.


    Bang!


    Clovis and Jay slammed open the door, seeing Melody pointing her gun at the doctor. Her hand was hurt as there was a bloodied knife on the floor. If they took another look, there was also a syringe that seemed to be half empty.


    Melody was panting heavily as her body was swaying left and right.


    "Ah, the anesthesia..." Melody lost her consciousness.


    Jay caught her before she fell to the floor.


    "Clovis, go! I''ll take care of Melody! She uttered anesthesia to ensure that she just passed out, not drugged something weird!"


    Clovis bit his lips. Everything was his fault. He had miscalculated their plan and even underestimated Ivan.


    Melody was severely injured because of it, and he didn''t know what was going on with Kanaria and Ragna.


    "Hurry up!" Jay shouted.


    Clovis had no choice but to turn around and leave. After that attack, there was no one they could trust for the time being. At the same time, Kanaria needed treatment.


    Clovis actually chose to take out the bandage he bought from Another World Mall and toss it to Jay. "Use this to treat her!"


    "!!!" Jay caught the bandage with a stunned expression. Since when did Clovis pick up a bandage? There was no way he was carrying it around the whole time.


    But Jay didn''t say anything. In fact, his expression soon turned solemn, and he acted like Clovis must have picked it up somewhere without bothering to know about whatever secret Clovis was hiding. That was an act of desperation. In fact, seeing how Clovis revealed his secret just to treat his people gained his respect.


    He simply watched Clovis'' back for another second before using the bandage.

 Chapter 341 Real Target

    Meanwhile, Kanaria and Ragna were still trying to control the situation, especially since the people chose not to evacuate. Kanaria was already cursing them because they were so foolish that they would risk their lives just for clout.


    Kanaria''s expression turned serious when she noticed more and more people gathered in this place. While it didn''t really matter if more civilians came here, the problem was that she could sense some people with high tiers among them.


    ''Where is the police?'' Kanaria couldn''t help but wonder. They should move fast, especially in this emergency.


    Meanwhile, Ragna had positioned himself a bit to the front so that he could shield Kanaria at any moment.


    Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, they could finally hear the police''s siren.


    Kanaria could finally get away from here. While she didn''t mind being attacked here, it would be troublesome if the attackers tried to harm the citizens.


    Besides, fighting them in a secluded place allowed them to be separated from normal civilians.


    "Move! Move!" The two officers made their way through the crowd, finding Kanaria, Ragna, and five people on the ground. They both pointed their guns at Kanaria and Ragna. "Put down your weapons!"


    "!!!" Ragna and Kanaria couldn''t help but furrow their eyebrows. If this was a normal situation, they wouldn''t hesitate to put down their weapons. But some of their enemies were still hiding among them. Once they lowered their weapons, these people wouldn''t hesitate to attack them.


    Kanaria said, "I apologize for not being able to comply. I am Kanaria Renvolt, affiliated with the Libation Fiesta. I''m not planning to put anyone in harm."


    "I''m sorry, but we also have procedures to follow." The officers continued pointing their guns, not caring about Kanaria''s identities.@@@@


    Kanaria said, "I''m afraid that there are still more people who are trying to harm us here, so we can''t drop our weapons."


    "Put your weapons down, or we will be forced to shoot!" The officers didn''t care about it and still insisted that Kanaria and Ragna put their weapons down.


    Ragna glanced at Kanaria, who was frustrated by their stubbornness. While it was true that they had their own rules, they still needed to be flexible.


    That was why Kanaria didn''t seem to have any choice but to go through this in a hard way.


    Of course, they weren''t planning to attack the police officers.


    Kanaria first observed the buildings around them, ensuring that there was no sniper.


    "Put your weapons down!" The officers shouted again, pressuring them. The people started to panic. Some thought Kanaria''s words made some sense, some just wanted Kanaria to put down her weapon and talk about it afterward.


    The moment Ragna blocked the attack with his shield, the third person came from the opposite direction and attacked him.


    "Tsk!" Ragna gritted his teeth. He ended up taking the attack with his arm, utilizing the defensive jacket to block it.


    Unfortunately for him, the jacket wasn''t enough to stop the knife. While it had changed its trajectory a bit, the knife still slashed through and cut his arm quite deep.


    Ragna endured the pain and slammed his body against this third person, pushing him back by several meters.


    Kanaria pointed her pistol at the third person, utilizing the opportunity that Ragna created to kill at least one of them.


    However, she suddenly heard footsteps coming from behind as though that person were running. Her back was supposed to face a store.


    When she thought about it, there was a possibility that the enemy hid inside.


    That was why Kanaria turned around instead of shooting the third person. As she expected, there was a person shattering the window into pieces with his knee.


    After that, he kicked Kanaria''s pistol up.


    "Tsk." Kanaria''s grip obviously couldn''t be compared to Clovis or Jay. Now that she lost her weapon, the guy kicked her from the side. Kanaria could only try to catch it with her hands.


    Unfortunately, the guy seemed to have Muscle Affinity, she was knocked down to the ground.


    "Kanaria!" Ragna tried to help her, but the three attacked him again. Ragna thrust his spear at the fourth person, keeping him away from Kanaria. He then tilted his shield horizontally so that he could block two out of three people.


    However, it exposed his back, which one of them took advantage of.


    "Gah!"


    The guy hit Ragna''s back. He managed to slightly throw his body to avoid it, but the knife still created a long wound, which caused serious bleeding.


    There were still a few more people coming behind them. They all headed to Kanaria as if they were trying to capture her.


    Kanaria was trying to find a way to escape from this place, but that might not be necessary anymore as a person fell right on top of one of the Tier 3 attackers, his feet landing on the guy''s head and knocking him down.


    "You..." Kanaria sucked a cold breath as if she recognized the reinforcement.

 Chapter 342 Reinforcements

    "You..." Kanaria gasped. The reinforcement was a Tier 3 human, but more importantly, she had seen this person. And the fact that this person was here must mean the rest of the group also came.


    "What?" The attackers, on the other hand, looked shocked. Everything was going according to their plan at first, but all of a sudden, there was a person who tried to mess with their plans.


    Unfortunately for them, that wasn''t all.


    Two more people had come at a fast speed. The first person was another Tier 3. He struck one of them, but the latter managed to react at the last second. The second person was actually a Tier 4. He directly came to the person who injured Kanaria. The attacker managed to react, but the gap between their strengths was simply too big.


    The Tier 4 reinforcement simply blasted him to the ground.


    "As expected, it''s you guys." Kanaria smirked. "You''ve come?"


    "I''m just repaying the favor I owe that guy." The Tier 3 reinforcement who came first harrumphed.@@@@


    Meanwhile, the Tier 4 guy simply shouted, "We can talk later. Let''s take them out first. And yes, Clovis was the one who called us. Sherry!"


    "Oh!" A woman''s voice echoed from the distance as she shouted at the top of her lungs. "Attention! Evacuate the area! We''re from the SWD anti-terrorism."


    Yes, the reinforcement that Clovis called was none other than the counter-terrorist squad that they encountered in the mall''s incident.


    The captain was indebted to them for helping them. The Tier 3 guy who was daring enough to launch himself into the sky to reach them faster was the one who almost died but got saved by Clovis, the one with the most temper, Rain.


    Of course, Clovis couldn''t mobilize them as he liked even if they were indebted to him. However, it was a different case if the other party had used weapons, especially guns.


    That was enough reason for the squad to move.


    The two police officers were shocked that the reinforcements were at much higher ranks than them. And the first thing they did was try to disarm Kanaria.


    Hence, they chose this number. And it was perfect. Clovis was separated. The sudden reinforcement freaked them out at first, but there was only one Tier 4 among them.


    With this, the last Tier 4, who had remained hidden the whole time, finally made his appearance.


    Kanaria grabbed the arms of the opponent she currently faced. The other party tried to hurt her arm with the knife, but Kanaria kicked his balls first.


    "Gah." The guy didn''t expect that Kanaria was still calm enough to actually pull such a move in these circumstances.


    Kanaria immediately grabbed the knife from his hands and turned to the incoming Tier 4.


    The Tier 4 human had a dagger in each hand. And it would be impossible for her to stop a Tier 4. Hence, she took a gamble on the condition that the other party wouldn''t take her life.


    She took a step forward, trying to grab his right hand.


    The Tier 4 simply waved his hand in the opposite direction to avoid it. However, that was never Kanaria''s target. Her hand curved and she grabbed his left hand. Then Kanaria''s right hand came with a dagger, stabbing his lower arm.


    Even though Kanaria couldn''t defeat a Tier 4, injuring his hand like this would definitely weaken him quite a bit. And the other party wouldn''t kill her.


    Unfortunately for her, a Tier 4 wasn''t that easy to defeat. He simply let go of the dagger as the momentum caused the dagger to fly to the front, hitting her shoulder.


    He might be ordered not to kill Kanaria, but it didn''t say anything about not injuring her.


    Once she got distracted by the pain, the guy''s right hand came back and punched Kanaria on the cheek.


    Her body was launched more than five meters as she rolled a few times on the asphalt.


    "Kanaria." Ragna''s face turned pale.

 Chapter 343 Surprise Attack

    "Kanaria!" Ragna panicked. He never thought that there was still another Tier 4 hidden among them.


    Without hesitation, he turned around and rushed to Kanaria, not allowing the Tier 4 enemy to grab her.


    "Do you think you can ignore me?" The Tier 3 fighter that stopped him earlier took this opportunity to wave his dagger horizontally, slashing Ragna''s back.


    "Kh." Ragna gritted his teeth and continued onward as if a wound that big didn''t bother him. In fact, this might be the first time he was glad to have this special constitution.


    After all, it allowed him to believe that his body would be able to recover from such a wound.


    And he could finally catch up to the Tier 4 enemy.


    "You''re not going anywhere." Ragna shouted while thrusting his spear.


    "!!!" The Tier 4 enemy was surprised and hurriedly avoided the spear that was aimed at his neck. Still, due to his position, he was a bit late in avoiding this thrust and allowed the spear to graze his neck.


    The Tier 4 enemy abruptly stopped and slammed Ragna''s shield with his arm, trying to use all his strength to blow him away.


    It was painful. Not only was his arm numb, but the wound on his back jolted his entire body.


    Yet Ragna persisted, using the dwarven shielding technique to stop the momentum.


    ''Even if I can''t defeat a Tier 4 like Clovis and Jay, I refuse to be defeated by them.'' Ragna endured all that pain and continued onward. "Raahh!"


    ''What is this guy? How could he move with a wound that big?'' The Tier 4 enemy was stunned. He ended up getting pushed back this time, allowing Ragna to reach Kanaria before anyone else.


    Ragna put his shield in front while glaring at them as if saying, ''Come. I won''t let you take her away.''


    Ragna had also used the same technique during the tournament. He abandoned his spear at the last second and gave it to Kanaria. That was why he kept his stance that way.


    Kanaria smirked, even though her face was a mess. Her nose was broken because of that punch, and blood was smeared on her face, making her look like a ghost. In fact, Kanaria lost her consciousness a second earlier. It was probably due to the lucky necklace that she managed to regain her consciousness right away. She used her senses to understand what was going on and chose this plan.


    ''Even though I''m weaker than Clovis and Jay, it doesn''t mean you can underestimate me.'' Kanaria thought while getting up. She couldn''t help but glance at the wound on Ragna''s back. It was horrible, but it had already started closing.


    Of course, Ragna thought the same. He was shocked that Kanaria was conscious earlier, but Kanaria managed to send a message, which was projected in the Skyglasses, telling him about her condition. She did it in the few seconds that Ragna blocked their view with his shield.


    If allowing Kanaria to kill the enemy would make her safer, of course, he had to cooperate.


    Now that there is only one Tier 4 left, Ragna should be able to handle him alone.


    She hurriedly gave back the spear to Ragna and picked up the Tier 3 guy''s knife. They could fight this Tier 4 enemy together, but it wouldn''t be productive. Hence, Kanaria''s focus shifted to the enemies that the SWD team took care of.


    If he could eliminate them first so that the other Tier 3 could join them, the situation would be overturned in an instant.


    In addition, Clovis should be on the way. Once he returned to this place, they could eliminate or even capture the two Tier 4 enemies before interrogating them.


    The plan had been established in her mind, so she immediately ran toward the enemies on the opposite side. "I leave him to you, Ragna."


    "Yes." Ragna nodded.


    "You''re not getting away!" The Tier 4 guy clicked his tongue and tried to stop her, but Ragna stood in his way. "Move!"


    He hit the shield, but Ragna refused to get pushed back.


    When the situation was about to get better, the emergency alarm resounded across the city. And there was only one reason for this alarm to be activated. It was when there was a beast wave attacking this city.

 Chapter 344 Weird Plan

    The alarm resounded across the city, alerting all the people living in it.


    Even Clovis, who was on the way, couldn''t help but raise his head while running. ''What? A beast wave at a time like this? No, this is simply too much of a coincidence. Is this actually a part of their plan?''


    There were two big questions on Clovis'' mind. The first one was: Who actually thought of this absurd plan? For sure, Ivan wouldn''t be the one thinking about this. The second one was: Who enabled him to do all this?


    In the first place, Ivan wasn''t supposed to have enough influence to muster a lot of people. In addition, they had a lot of high-tier people. Even though he didn''t know that there were two Tier 4 humans among them, the huge number of Tier 3 alone was already shocking.


    And doing this would definitely turn him into a terrorist.


    So, who actually gave all these people to him? No, it looked like they used Ivan as a justification.


    ''What is going on? Are those two assassins the real culprits? But if they''re the real culprits, they should be targeting me. Besides, doing this will cause my grandfather to rampage even more.


    ''In that case, the culprits must be someone else. We can get some information if we interrogate them. The real problem is... Where is Ivan?''


    Clovis'' expression turned solemn.


    ''It seems that someone is deliberately taking advantage. I don''t think my parents or grandfather will do this stupid thing as a way to test me like any other dumb big family. So can I safely assume that my family''s enemies are the culprits? But I have gotten a lot of offers after that competition. There''s also a chance that they''re trying to eliminate me so that I don''t become a threat to them.''


    Clovis frowned. On the one hand, his family name would become the perfect weapon to stop them. On the other hand, it would also invite a lot more trouble.


    "Tsk. I have to speed up. The military can handle the beast wave for the time being. I don''t know their scale, but they should be able to last for a while. I need to defeat the enemies within the city in the meantime."


    It would still take two minutes before he could reach Ragna and Kanaria. During that time, he chose to think about another problem, which turned into another big question.


    His rage invoked the perfect state again, as though it were the true trigger of this mysterious state.


    However, Clovis couldn''t care less about it right now. He wanted to kill these guys first.


    The Tier 4 enemy that fought Ragna noticed a strong presence coming from the side.


    ''Is that Clovis? He''s already back?'' The Tier 4 guy frowned. He had obviously seen the battle between Clovis and Aileen. However, he had been in this tier for more than six years. He didn''t think that he would be losing against him that easily.


    ''We have to retreat... but only after I exchange a few blows against this guy. I need to experience his strength so that I can describe it later.'' The Tier 4 guy used his beast soul and kicked Ragna with all his strength.


    Bam!


    Ragna was being pushed back more than five meters, giving him a precious few seconds to fight Clovis.


    ''Come, you brat. I will show you the difference in our experience.'' The Tier 4 guy waved his daggers.


    Clovis also swung his sword.


    *Cling!*


    The first exchange produced a loud ringing sound. More importantly, the strike actually shocked the Tier 4 guy. ''What? It''s too heavy? Are you sure that his affinity is Bloody, not Muscle? No, I can''t lose!''


    Clovis once again shattered his expectations. He struck the guy four times, which created a small gap in the opponent''s defense. He sent forth his blade and actually changed its trajectory from the chest to the guy''s right hand.


    After cutting one hand, Clovis overwhelmed the other hand with both hands and cut this hand.


    Then, he took a step forward and extended his two swords toward his neck before sending the guy''s head flying.

 Chapter 345 Clovis Order

    Ragna looked surprised. Even though the Tier 4 guy''s arm was severely injured, Clovis simply killed him too easily. Of course, Ragna played a part in exhausting his stamina, but it was simply too unbelievable.


    It could be said that Clovis'' abilities were created to kill.


    And Clovis didn''t plan to stop just with this head, there was still one more Tier 4 guy.


    Without hesitation, Clovis headed straight to him.


    "!!!" The Tier 4 enemy looked alarmed when he sensed Clovis. With a single glance, he could actually see that his friend had died.


    The SWD team''s captain chose to accommodate Clovis, fully aware of his ability.


    "Haaa!" He struck the enemy''s knife from above, pinning the guy down.


    Having no choice, the enemy jumped back, planning to sweep away, but Kanaria had actually grabbed her pistol back and shot him.


    "!!!" The guy got hit twice in the body. She didn''t dare aim at the guy''s head and end up missing in a place like this.


    Still, it was enough to stop him for a moment. During that time, Clovis sped up and ultimately reached his position.


    "Kh!" The guy stomped the ground, using a beast soul.


    Clovis jumped into the air as the stomp actually created a small crater. He waved his swords multiple times, but the guy was actually fast enough to block every single attack.@@@@


    Unfortunately for him, Clovis was just bait this time. The real attack came from the side.


    "They''re thinking about sending one hundred more soldiers."


    "That Tier 4 beast is going to be troublesome." Clovis needed to make a decision. On the one hand, the beast wave was most likely Ivan''s scheme. He didn''t know why they did it, but there should be a catch. If he focused on solving this problem, he might be able to figure out the entire scheme.


    On the other hand, the beast wave was indirectly caused by him, considering it was because of him that the enemies had to resort to a beast wave. He didn''t like the fact that a lot of lives were gone because of him.


    "Tsk." Clovis clicked his tongue. In this situation, he could only choose one thing. "We will reinforce the wall."


    The captain noticed that Clovis was staring at him as if indirectly implying that they were the only ones going. "What do you mean?"


    "Our teams will remain here and take care of the situation inside the base, ensuring that the enemies don''t use this opportunity to erase their tracks. You and I will go to the wall, eliminating the Tier 4 beasts." Clovis explained.


    The captain looked surprised. Even though Ragna and Kanaria were injured when he wasn''t present, he still entrusted his team to do something so that he could kill those beasts for the greater good.


    At the same time, he wasn''t foolish enough to drop everything.


    The captain nodded. "Alright. Let''s go according to your arrangement. Don''t worry. My team will do their best to ensure your team''s safety."


    Clovis then turned to the rest. "Take care of this place. After that, make haste to the hospital. I''m afraid they will also erase their track from there. Jay is also there, so it''ll become much safer."


    Kanaria wanted to say something, but she noticed that Clovis'' expression was slightly different. It seemed that he was still in that mysterious state. In this state, there was no need to worry about him.


    "Alright." Kanaria agreed with Clovis'' decision and turned to the SWD team. They also agreed, since their captain had decided to do it.


    After that, Clovis and the captain exchanged nods before rushing to the east wall.

 Chapter 346 First Time

    It took only a moment for Clovis and the captain to reach the wall. As expected of someone who handled the defense of the city, it seemed that all of them were connected. The first thing the captain did was bring him to the person in charge of the defense on the wall.


    He was a muscular, middle-aged man. His face was stern, showing that he had a lot of experience commanding the troops under his belt. In fact, all the guns above the city had been utilized, as they killed more than three hundred beasts.


    "Vice Commander Vista. I have come to help you. With me here is Clovis from Libation Fiesta, the young man who recently became famous after defeating a Tier 4 human." The captain extended his hand to Clovis, showing the youth.


    It turned out the person before him was the rumored vice commander, the second in command of this city''s military.


    Vista glanced at Clovis for a moment before nodding as if he recognized him. "Thank you. Have you been briefed about the situation?"


    "Only the general information. Did this beast wave come to us so suddenly?"


    "Yes. We couldn''t find any information about the origin of this beast wave. However, there is something weird about this beast wave."


    "Something weird?" The captain frowned.


    "Yes." Vista pointed at the north and south walls. "Surprisingly, they''re not as fast to cover those two walls. And it''s most likely that they won''t be fast enough to reach the west wall."


    "What?" The captain looked down. "That''s indeed suspicious. Normally, a beast wave will spread its force in all directions to surround the beast. And that makes them easier to kill."


    "I''m assuming that the beasts aren''t very quick... I don''t know the reason, but they''re not very diverse." Vista shook his head helplessly.


    Clovis put his hand on his chin as if he were about to figure out something. Unfortunately, Vista didn''t give him the time.


    "You and this youngster should go to the southern wall and eliminate the Tier 4 beast. Me and the other Tier 4 will stop the other two Tier 4 beasts," Vista ordered.


    "So, we''ll be the spear." The captain smirked.


    "Yes." Vista tossed a transmitter. "Send the signal once you''re done. We''ll then send a team to deliver the killing blow."


    "Alright." The captain caught the transmitter. "Let''s go, Clovis."


    "Now that I think about it, you said the killing spear..." Clovis frowned.


    "It is as you imagine. Several elites will wear it and target one high tier beast at the same time. Then they will continue to the next high tier beast. Of course, sometimes they will choose different tactics, but yes, that''s what a killing spear means."


    After putting on these suits, both of them exchanged nods. The person in charge immediately said, "Open slot 31-B in one minute."


    After that, he guided them to the elevator that took them inside the wall. It turned out that there was a small corridor within the wall.


    And they were standing in front of a gate with ''31-B'' written on it.


    As soon as one minute had passed, the gate was opened, revealing a small tunnel that led to the outside.


    "Let''s go!"


    The captain shouted as he ran toward the exit. Clovis followed right behind him, finding out that he was only two meters above the ground. It wasn''t a height that Clovis shouldn''t be concerned about. It was no wonder why the captain said the suits were only for elites.


    Once they reached the ground, they turned around, locking in their enemy.


    "Let''s go!" The captain waved his hand as both of them rushed toward the Tier 4 beast.


    Roar!


    Roar!


    Roar! The beasts noticed the two of them and immediately changed their positions to stop them.


    The captain decided to take the lead this time since this was Clovis'' first time.


    When the beasts came, the captain didn''t even bother to block the beast''s attack, as the suit absorbed all the damage. Instead, he focused completely on his swing, sending more than five beasts flying into the air.


    "Make way, make way. SWD''s emergency killing service is on the way. Hahahaha!"

 Chapter 347 Killing a Tier 4 Beast

    Every time the captain swung his weapon, several beasts were launched into the sky, creating a path toward the Tier 4 beast.


    The Tier 4 beast seemed to have noticed that the beasts couldn''t do anything to these two humans. Hence, he ordered the Tier 3 beasts to take them on.


    One Tier 3 was close, so it immediately stood in their way.


    Suddenly, Clovis sped up, passed the captain, and said, "I''ll take care of it."


    As soon as Clovis was in front, the speed actually increased. Clovis slashed down the beast in rapid succession. His small build allowed him to jump from one corpse to another, so there was no need to waste their time cleaning up the path like he did.


    The captain became even more impressed because it only took him months to reach this level.


    In just ten seconds, Clovis finally reached the Tier 3 beast. The beast looked like a tiger, but because Melody''s support wasn''t here, he couldn''t determine the beast''s species or weakness.


    However, it didn''t really matter.


    The beast hurriedly waved its paws to smash him, but Clovis sped up even further, causing the beast to tilt its body back and change its stance.


    Clovis struck the paws more than twenty times with a force that rivaled a Tier 4 human with muscle affinity.


    Numerous wounds appeared on the beast''s legs, so it tried to take a step back to regain its composure.


    Unfortunately, Clovis matched his movement and swung his swords again. He accurately swung toward the open wounds, deepening them even further. Ultimately, some of the wounds got so deep that the swords ended up slicing through them, cutting the legs into pieces.


    Roar!


    The Tier 3 beast shivered in pain, but it couldn''t escape from Clovis. Now that there was nothing that could stop him, Clovis struck the beast''s body and head. The latter tried to swallow Clovis, but he simply knocked the beast''s head away with his full strength before moving to the body and killing it.@@@@


    There was no way Clovis would let such an opportunity go. He struck the beast''s eye. The latter covered it with the eyelid, but Clovis was still in his perfect state. His strength was enough to slash through the eyelid.


    Roar!


    The beast wailed in pain, but that wasn''t over. Clovis climbed the beast''s head and cut down its ears before he struck the other eye.


    He did it in less than two seconds.


    The beast didn''t even have time to shake its head, especially with the captain stopping him.


    ''Amazing. In that case...'' The captain saw the beast furiously shake its head and body so that Clovis would get hit or something.


    However, the beast couldn''t see anymore. The captain looped around and struck him from the side.


    The beast noticed the captain''s movement by following his scent, but Clovis also struck him from the opposite side. The beast chose to turn its head toward Clovis to stop him, but the captain ended up taking that opportunity to cleave the beast''s body. If not for the size of its body, the beast would have been split in half.


    Nevertheless, the swing had hit several organs. Still, to ensure that the beast had died, the captain went back to the head and severed its neck.


    Only after that would he turn around and slash the beasts on his back. "Let''s move out to the next location!"


    "Got it." Clovis nodded with a serious expression. He regrouped with the captain and saw him moving toward the enemy''s rear. It seemed that the captain intended to go to the other wall by looping behind the enemy''s rear.


    He didn''t intend to pave his way through these numerous beasts. It wasn''t because he didn''t care about these beasts. It was because he knew these beasts would die.


    As soon as they emerged from the enemy''s rear, the gate was opened.


    A roaring engine resounded across the battlefield as three vehicles emerged from inside. The first two were long vehicles with an open back where several people were standing on top of them with their guns. The last vehicle was similar, but there seemed to be a big gun attached on its back.


    Clovis frowned. He wasn''t that familiar with the terms for military vehicles, but he could see their purpose as the captain even confirmed it by saying, "So they''re out now... our extermination squad."

 Chapter 348 Extermination Team

    "Extermination squad?" Clovis muttered while looking at those three vehicles.


    The beasts seemed to have noticed them as well and started turning around. However, these three vehicles actually maintained a ten to fifteen-meter gap between them and the beasts.


    After the signal, those people started releasing their bullets. In addition, the people on top of the wall also began to rain them down with all their bullets.


    The loud gunshots filled the battlefield as the beasts died one by one.


    "I see. Extermination squad, huh?" Clovis frowned.


    "This is how the military operates whenever there are small or medium-sized beast waves. You do know that a normal bullet can only pierce through Tier 0 and Tier 1 beasts, right?"


    "Yes." Clovis nodded.


    "Unlike the people on top of the wall, the extermination team is equipped with Tier 1. Well, we also need to think about the cost, so Tier 1 is the limit. Some elites still use bullets that are stronger than those though."


    "Still, a Tier 1 bullet should only be enough for Tier 2 beasts, right? How about Tier 3 beasts?" Clovis asked.


    "Don''t you see the thing attached on the back of the third vehicle?"


    "Don''t tell me... Anti-tank gun?"


    "Yep. That gun with a Tier 1 bullet is still enough to kill a Tier 3 beast. Of course, there are some Tier 4 beasts that don''t have thick scales or skin."


    "So that''s why the city sends out elites first to eliminate the Tier 4 beasts?"


    In that case, they had to speed up in eliminating the Tier 4 beast.


    With that thought in mind, Clovis turned around, finding the Tier 4 beast that was located slightly toward them.


    When he saw the second beast, Clovis sped up, taking the lead this time.


    "Oi!" The captain wanted to warn him that he would be the one in the front since he was still too young.


    However, Clovis'' speed was like a bullet. He didn''t let the captain pass him as he created a path toward the Tier 4 beast.


    This time, the Tier 4 beast didn''t even have the time to call for Tier 3 beasts to stop Clovis.


    This Tier 4 beast wasn''t too big, but its speed was overwhelming. Sadly, its opponent was Clovis.


    Clovis exchanged a few blows with the beast, his speed rivaling his opponent''s. No, Clovis actually overwhelmed the beast in strength, stopping it from getting away.


    The captain hurriedly reached Clovis and struck the beast''s left side.


    The beast let out a growl as Clovis used the small gap in his defense to cut down an arm. After that, the captain planned to split the beast into two. However, the beast was quicker than him and threw its body to the side, only to find himself being preyed upon by Clovis.


    In an instant, Clovis sliced the beast''s head into pieces.


    It was when the captain noticed why Clovis actually took the lead this time.


    ''Did he... realize that the enemy specialized in speed that he challenged it, knowing that he could win against the beast without using a lot of stamina? He let me get the first one because that beast''s strength is quite high?'' It turned out Clovis was thinking about ending the battle as quickly as possible with the most optimal match-up.


    He couldn''t help but think, ''What a flexible lad... to be able to adjust it so smoothly and swiftly... Who exactly taught him all this?''

 Chapter 349 Questions

    The roaring gunshots resounded across the battlefield. However, the only ones that remained outside the city were the extermination squad.


    Clovis managed to take down two out of three Tier 4 beasts. After killing the last Tier 4 beast, Clovis and the captain made their way back to the city''s gate.


    All the movements were coordinated so that they didn''t have to open the gate longer than necessary.


    Meanwhile, the extermination squad and the soldiers on top of the wall shot all their bullets, killing the rest of the beasts quickly.


    Clovis and the captain hurriedly returned to the wall to check on the condition.


    Inside the elevator, Clovis took a few deep breaths. He wasn''t exhausted. Instead, he had calculated the time for his perfect state. He should be out of his perfect state any time soon.@@@@


    It took him another fifteen seconds before Clovis abruptly lost his extraordinary senses. Even the captain noticed that his aura had become weaker.


    The captain glanced at Clovis while thinking, ''It seems that he is exhausted. After going inside the elevator, he starts to relax, and all the fatigue strikes him at once. Still, we have to thank him. If I fight those Tier 4 beasts with another person, I don''t think it will be more efficient than him. His action and fighting style are specialized for killing.''


    The captain couldn''t help but remember what he said to Clovis back then. He was laughing inwardly because it didn''t seem that Clovis would be ''tired'' of working as an explorer any time soon. He had yet to see his limit.


    Once they reached the top, they were greeted by several soldiers as well as the vice commander.


    "Oh! We''re done!" The captain nonchalantly waved his hand. He helped the military, but he wasn''t a part of the military. So he didn''t bother to salute.


    "In that case, the first question is regarding the movements of the beast wave. You said earlier that the beasts usually spread in all directions."


    "Indeed. This beast wave was weird because it didn''t follow the usual pattern. I''m also confused about the reasons." Vista nodded with a serious expression.


    "Can you think of one or two possible reasons? Just an assumption is fine." Clovis asked.


    Vista didn''t understand why Clovis asked such a useless question, but he thought for a moment and explained, "I can come up with two scenarios. The first one is because the beast wave is not natural. While it''s true that we spot no humans among them, those people can just lure in the beasts of their choice."


    "!!!" The captain suddenly understood why Clovis asked this question, considering his group was attacked. This attack might be related to it.


    "The second scenario is that the beast wave is trying to achieve something. Yes, I still think that this beast wave is not natural. If I were them, attacking with a small beast wave like this would have a certain purpose. And that purpose must be related to the west gate. They have picked the beasts to spread them everywhere except for the west gate after all."


    "!!!" It was Clovis'' turn to be surprised. As expected of the vice commander, his wisdom and experience did provide good insight.


    Clovis fell silent for a moment. "In that case, my second question is... what kind of beast wave can the city handle?"


    The vice commander frowned. "We can handle everything. And I don''t think I can answer that question in detail. However, I can give you a vague answer. Do you know about the five types of beast waves?"


    "Yes. A beast wave is categorized into five categories based on their scale. Type 1 Beast Wave consists of a hundred beasts. Type 2 Beast Wave consists of up to one thousand beasts. The other three have limits up to ten thousand, a hundred thousand, and millions."


    "Indeed. Do you know why they categorized it in numbers instead of tiers? If a Tier 9 beast suddenly comes, we won''t be able to do anything, right?"


    Clovis thought for a moment. "Because numbers change the way they fight? After all, if there are stronger or even stronger beasts, there will only be one pattern. Crushed."

 Chapter 350 Agreement

    Vista smiled. "That''s correct. If there is a strong beast, no matter how we fight, that beast can simply crush our wall and destroy our city by himself. No question asked. On the other hand, the way we fight will be different if there are more beasts. After all, we also need to consider how much food we have in store, how long we can last, and other things, assuming that our power levels are similar."


    Clovis nodded in understanding. Still, the vice commander hadn''t given her answer yet.


    Noticing Clovis'' curious gaze, Vista added, "That''s why, for the current base, we can probably handle Type 3, but we''ll be destroyed by Type 4."


    Clovis fell into deep thought. This information might not be important right now, but it will certainly play a part in the future. "I see."


    "What is your third question?" Vista asked.


    After hearing about the third question, he hesitated to ask the third question. After all, his home was destroyed by a beast wave as well.


    He asked, "What will happen to a beast wave if you attack them from behind? What if the attack consists of powerful elites? What if the attack only consists of numerous normal soldiers?"


    Vista contemplated. "If that''s the case, the enemy will definitely be taken aback. While they do have sharper senses, their reaction time will still be slower than that of humans. After all, the beasts can''t train ''discipline'' like humans.


    "In the first scenario, they can use the same tactics, which is to kill the highest tier beasts, which will slow down their reaction time even further. Depending on the situation, you can actually spread from that position or loop around. Then again, it''s most likely that we go with the first case scenario since we can''t send out an extermination squad.


    The elites might get hit by stray bullets as well.


    "If they''re normal soldiers, it''s better to attack them from afar. Of course, it''s better to not cause any damage to the walls, so the bullets will be quite mild. The beasts will definitely turn around and try to destroy the reinforcement, so there will be a lot more casualties since you don''t have a wall to protect you. That''s why it''s better to go with the first scenario."


    Clovis nodded his head. He had gotten a good grasp of the situation, especially regarding Vania''s warning about the beast wave that would happen in a few months.


    "Thank you for answering my questions." Clovis politely nodded. "As I said earlier, I don''t need any rewards. You don''t even need to recognize my efforts here."


    Who could earn that much money in just a few hours? Of course, Clovis didn''t care about spending this much money since that money had been registered in his Another World Mall.


    It wasn''t like they needed a big upgrade to their equipment. Kanaria wouldn''t really protest if he spent this much money to kill Ivan.


    In addition, the SWD team was extremely powerful. Considering the attack this time could be considered a terrorist attack due to their method and timing, the SWD team would most likely get dispatched to crush Ivan.


    So the captain didn''t hesitate to accept the offer once Clovis offered enough money.


    "With your expertise, when is the best time to strike?"


    "Hmm... Attacking right now will be the most dangerous because they will be on alert because of the failure. But taking too long will also allow them to prepare things.


    "So I think tomorrow will be the best time to attack. We can also divert the police attention toward the investigation inside the city to lower their guards.


    "As for the time... we can go in the morning or once the sun is set to use the darkness as our cover. Then again, if we go in the morning, my team still needs to patrol the area, so I can only bring two or three people with me."


    After a few seconds, Clovis decided. "Let''s strike them during the night. I''m also waiting for Melody to wake up."


    "In the meantime, I will try to investigate the area to find their base."


    "Mhmm... Thank you." Clovis nodded.


    "No worries. I''ll sure to work according to my pay." The captain winked playfully. "Anyway, I''ll regroup with my team and discuss it with them."


    "Alright." Once the captain left, Clovis'' expression turned cold. After seeing the injuries his people suffered, there wouldn''t be any more peace between him and Ivan.

 Chapter 351 Infiltration

    "Kanaria, here. I''m in position. I can spot the enemies." Kanaria was sitting inside a building, staring at the building in front of her. Most of her body remained hidden as she observed the enemies. She had treated her broken nose and came here to finish everything.


    They were inside a fallen city located west of the city. It was quite far, but not far enough to be unreachable.


    On the other hand, Melody was inside the hospital. She was resting in the same room as her brother. Now that a day had passed, the Rusth family couldn''t stop the Renvolt anymore. With them protecting Melody, Clovis could finally rest assured.


    Of course, Melody also participated in the operation. She monitored the situation through the cameras attached to their devices. "All cameras are on and in good condition. You can proceed as planned."


    "Clovis, roger." Clovis glanced to the side as he was together with Jay, Sherry, Rain, and Captain Han. Rain told them directly that he would help because he didn''t want to feel indebted like the straightforward guy he was.


    Clovis looked at Captain Han, saying, "Thank you for doing this."


    "No problem." The captain nodded.


    ...


    A few hours ago.


    The captain visited Clovis to discuss everything he had found. "There are no hidden bases in that area. However, if we go a bit further to the west, we will find a fallen city. Surprisingly, the number of beasts in that city is much lower than in the report. After confirming that no big scale raids have been going on in that city, we believe that this is the place.


    After checking a little bit, we have found out that they are located here."


    Clovis looked at the building that the captain pointed to. "Isn''t it ridiculously tall? Shouldn''t they use something small for their covert operation?"


    "We''re also suspicious about it, so during the operation, we need to move carefully."


    "Alright." Clovis nodded.


    ...


    It was a report from their sniper. He also asked, "Should I hit them?"


    The man immediately grabbed the radio and replied, "Not yet. Let them get closer first. Those bastards will take their time to close in. Make them think that we don''t know about them yet and lure them to the killing zone. Send our people to intercept them."


    "Got it."


    The sniper maintained visual contact with the two vehicles. However, there was a small noise coming from the distance. Without anyone realizing it, the sniper had died.


    After another two seconds, another bullet took out the second sniper.


    "Snipers down." Kanaria reported.


    Clovis nodded to Captain Han as they immediately rushed to the building, sneaking through the window and hiding inside.


    It was time for Melody to notice the movement inside the building. "They seem to be moving... most likely trying to intercept us. Remember, the device can hide you from the radar, but not from a human with brain affinity. On my signal, attack them."


    At the same time, the second team finally moved in.


    Obviously, the enemy would notice their movement.


    The boss got another report, this time from someone who handled all their systems. "Boss. We''ve got incoming enemies. There are only three people, but they''re approaching fast."


    "Snipers, get a visual on them." The boss ordered. However, there was an eerie silence on the radio. "Snipers!"


    He was calling them, but they couldn''t be reached. "Shit. Did they take them out? Those vehicles must be a distraction. Tell our people to prepare for plan C."


    The boss then looked at Ivan and shouted, "Go. It''s time for you to make your move! Become the bait to lure them in!"


    Ivan bit his lips. While he didn''t like being ordered by this guy, he had no choice but to comply. Then again, if he could make Clovis suffer, he would do anything. Without saying anything, Ivan chose to follow the rest of the people to the first floor.

 Chapter 352 Attack

    Sherry looked up and raised three fingers, signaling to them that the enemies had already reached the third floor and that they should get ready.


    The captain nodded while Rain stood up, holding his weapon tightly.


    Clovis and Jay were also ready to move.


    Once they were about to reach the first floor, Sherry gave them a countdown with her fingers.


    3.


    2.


    1.


    Once all fingers were down, Rain immediately opened the door as Captain Han exited the room.


    There were already five people on the first floor.


    The people wanted to shout that the enemies had actually reached the building, but Captain Han sped up and cleaved two of them in a single swing.


    However, the other three immediately shouted, "Enemies!"


    Two of them were holding guns as they immediately aimed at Captain Han, but Rain approached them from the side and cut one of them in an instant.


    Panicked, the other guy tried to kill Rain since he was closer, but Captain Han moved quickly and killed him from behind.


    "Die!" The last one waved his blade but was easily stopped by Captain Han, who was a Tier 4.


    The rest of the people immediately climbed down the stairs with their weapons.


    "Enemies!"


    "Go down!"


    They panicked and tried to gather all their people inside the building to surround them. At the same time, the people also commanded the rest, who were currently patrolling, to go back.


    Two of them were approaching from the left side of the building, planning to go to the entrance to attack them from behind.


    However, Jay suddenly emerged from the window, his body shattering the window.


    Bam!


    "Gaaahhh!" Rain shouted as if he were in pain.


    Once they heard his scream, they hurriedly went down to finish him.


    When they reached the first floor, they saw Rain''s feet escaping to the second room from them. The rest of the room was closed, so they chased after him without hesitation.


    To their surprise, a big blade suddenly slashed through a door and the concrete of the room next to the stairs, cutting one of them and almost killing the second one.


    After that, Sherry opened her own door and aimed at the other guy. She shot him several times, neutralizing the target.


    The captain and Rain also took a peek from their respective rooms. Seeing the captain, Sherry tossed a shield to the captain. The latter had even worn thick Tier 2 armor to block most of the bullets.


    Now that they had eliminated some of them, they could finally launch an all-out attack.


    As soon as he caught the shield, the captain immediately headed to the second floor.


    The gunners that remained on the second floor immediately rained on him with bullets. However, Captain Han simply charged ahead, as the bullets weren''t enough to stop him.


    "We can''t!"


    "Retreat!"


    The terrorists panicked. They immediately scattered across the second floor while reporting to their boss.


    "This is not good. The SWD team is the one attacking the base! Where is the backup?!"


    When the boss heard it, he couldn''t help but furrow his eyebrows. It was true that the SWD team was a counter-terrorism squad. However, with their plan, they should be able to somehow pressure them. After all, they would be pincered from two sides.


    "What?" The boss remembered the question and shouted, "Where are they?"


    The backup was none other than the scattered pairs, who acted like they were patrolling while their actual task was to be their killing stroke.


    However, there was soon another report after those people didn''t say anything. "They... might have died!"


    "!!!" The boss widened his eyes in shock.


    He didn''t realize that all the people outside had been eliminated by only two people. Jay was sheathing his blade while looking down at the two corpses on the ground. At the same time, Kanaria was also observing him and the entire building with her gun released a very thin smoke trail as though she had shot multiple times. She said, "All targets have been neutralized. Go wild."

 Chapter 353 Careful

    The boss gritted his teeth, not expecting that all his people would be taken down without him knowing it.


    "Retreat. Retreat!" The boss ordered, trying to preserve all the remaining strength he had.


    With that order, his subordinates started releasing all their bullets while tossing one grenade after another at Captain Han.


    They certainly knew that it was impossible to stop him, but they could somehow stop him for a bit.


    "Tsk!" Captain Han clicked his tongue and chose to hide behind a pillar. While he could charge ahead like this, he was still worried about Rain and Sherry.


    Once Rain reached his position, the enemies had gone up another floor.


    "Let''s go!" Captain Han waved his hand, signaling Rain and Sherry to keep up. Then he proceeded to climb the stairs. Once he reached the third floor, he hurriedly shouted, "Sherry!"


    "No one remains on the third floor!" Sherry confirmed that everyone had retreated to the upper floor and that they could proceed. Although they had to slow down, they could definitely corner them since the enemies had no choice but to go up.


    At the same time, Jay had also caught up to them and said, "I''ll be going as well!"


    Captain Han nodded as they made their way to the fourth floor.


    But before they reached the staircase on the opposite side of the floor, Sherry suddenly shouted, "Sides!"


    Due to him wrapping himself in thick armor, he couldn''t feel everything around him that well, including the fact that he had just hit a wire.


    "!!!" Captain Han hurriedly threw himself back. His instinct kicked in, and his reaction speed as a Tier 4 human had far surpassed that of a normal human. He managed to take one step back before the explosions.


    Boom!@@@@


    Captain Han was knocked down to the ground as his body rolled a few times on the floor.


    "Kh." Captain Han clicked his tongue. Although he managed to put his shield in front of him at the last second, his other foot retreated too late.


    As a result, the blast caused it to go numb.


    "Captain." Sherry looked worried.


    When they felt relieved, another person reported through the radio. "Our radar picks up a few signs. There is another group consisting of three people approaching our base. In the opposite direction, another person is approaching at high speed."


    "Reinforcement? Are they our reinforcement?" The terrorists couldn''t help but look at Ivan, who escaped with them.


    But because Ivan gave no response, they realized that they were actually the enemy''s reinforcement.


    "Shit."


    "What the heck?!"


    "Where are the reinforcements they have promised us?"


    The terrorists were angry. One of them grabbed Ivan''s collar and lifted him up. While glaring at Ivan, the guy shouted in anger. "Where are they? We do this because of you."


    Ivan only smiled as if mocking him. "I don''t know."


    "You!" The terrorist wanted to throw him, but the boss immediately stopped him out loud. "Stop it! We don''t want to deal with more mess than what we currently have right now."


    His subordinate looked shocked, but he still let Ivan go. Sadly, the situation hadn''t changed.


    The boss gritted his teeth, realizing that they had been cornered. His miscalculation was that these people were good enough to ambush them this way. Even the troops he had scattered outside had been eliminated.


    "I will stop their captain." The boss pointed at himself before turning to his assistant. "Gilbert. You are to kill the rest of their people. We need to be fast so that they won''t have time to react. If you can''t do it within a short amount of time, try to toss them outside. We''ll intercept them on the 8th floor.


    Even they won''t be able to escape unscathed, falling from that height."


    Gilbert, the second Tier 4 of the group, nodded his head.


    After that, the boss turned to his subordinates and said, "Let''s go! You guys will provide support. Kill one of them at a time."


    "Sir!" They nodded with a serious expression.


    Now that they had an order, the people became energized again. Since the morale had been restored, the boss pulled Ivan''s hair while saying, "You are coming too to be our bait!"


    "Nnhhh?!" Ivan''s face was distorted, enduring the pain. He looked like he was struggling, but the boss didn''t care much about him.


    He simply dragged him to the seventh floor to meet their enemies.

 Chapter 354 Surprise

    "Captain! They''re coming again!" Sherry informed him.


    Captain Han, Jay, and Rain immediately raised their stance. "Are they really..."


    The captain couldn''t believe it, considering that they were supposed to be trying to ambush him.


    Captain Han hesitated to move, but he soon heard someone shouting from the floor above him.


    "I know you are about to arrive. I''ve come to negotiate!"


    Captain Han frowned and hurriedly glanced at Sherry. Sherry shook her head, implying that they had stopped. It seemed that they had no choice but to go up to meet them.


    Hence, Captain Han pointed at Jay and Rain before waving his hand down. Then he continued toward the seventh floor.@@@@


    Jay wanted to follow him, but Rain suddenly grabbed his shoulder. Jay turned his head around and saw Rain placing his finger on his lips as if telling him to stay quiet before shaking his head. Their job was to remain on this floor, waiting for the signal to attack.


    There was no way the captain would accept the negotiation, so it was better to wait for the signal so that they could ambush them.


    Jay had no choice but to comply because Clovis was not here.


    Once Captain Han reached the seventh floor, he saw the boss and all his remaining subordinates. There were a total of eleven people.


    Still, the one that caught his attention the most was the guy in the boss''s hand. The boss tossed him to the floor while saying, "This guy is the culprit who hires us. I will let you take him if you let us go. What do you think?"


    Captain Han frowned. "I don''t negotiate with terrorists."


    "Come on. You should know that this place is filled with bombs, right? If you dare to fight us, you won''t escape unscathed. Even if you can somehow beat us, we can still drag your subordinates together with us."


    Captain Han''s expression turned grim. His killing intent was leaking out of his eyes. "Is that a threat?"


    "Oi, oi! I''m trying to negotiate here. You should know this guy, right?" The boss smirked.


    After that, Jay and Rain tossed the tables they carried from the sixth floor, causing as much mess as possible.


    The terrorists panicked and tried to get away from the table. Using this opportunity, Jay and Rain came to the seventh floor, heading to those subordinates first. After all, the guns were annoying.


    But it was at that time that the boss recognized a person. "Jay Havenson?!"


    He shuddered, not because of Jay''s strength but because he knew Jay wouldn''t come here alone.


    ''If Jay is here... Clovis must be here as well. We don''t know about the rest since we only know that Melody is critically injured. The only person that matters right now is Clovis, but he hasn''t shown himself. Is he still on the lower floor? No...'' The boss hurriedly instructed upon the realization. "Sam.


    Hurry and check the radar. Clovis might be in this building!"


    To his surprise, he got a response right away. But the reply might not be what he expected.


    "Aaaaaggghhh!"


    Yes, it was a scream¡ªa scream filled with pain.


    "Do you hear that? Your beloved subordinate is writhing in pain. And you will be next."


    "You... Clovis..." The boss couldn''t think of anyone else who was able to infiltrate this base in this situation. He didn''t know how Clovis did it, but it didn''t change the fact that Clovis was inside the building. It seemed that he had eliminated the person in charge of their devices.


    The boss shuddered in fear. With Clovis, Jay, and Captain Han, it would be possible for them to defeat two Tier 4 humans on their side.


    When he sensed his impending doom, his heart sank.


    Meanwhile, Clovis was inside a room filled with complicated devices. He didn''t bother to touch anything since he had killed the person operating him. While he couldn''t make him in pain longer, he still managed to do it.


    But Melody ended up asking, "Is that even necessary?"


    Clovis paused for a moment, as if he were thinking about it seriously. And the only answer that came out of his mouth was, "No."


    Yes, he just wanted them to feel pain after the injuries his teammates had suffered.

 Chapter 355 Clovis Appearance

    "!!!" The boss was stunned. It turned out Clovis was already inside the building the whole time. Since when did Clovis enter the building? How did he manage to reach a room located on the 11th floor without them noticing?


    The answer was rather simple. Clovis just climbed the building. He used the device Hana gave him to erase himself from the radar. After that, he climbed the building from the outside, positioning himself the farthest from any people with Melody''s guidance.


    When most people were on the second floor, he had already passed them and continued until he reached the rooftops.


    That was why Clovis was able to sneak up on them without anyone noticing.


    The boss gritted his teeth, realizing that he had been checkmated. If he continued fighting here, he would be captured sooner or later.


    His subordinates were also busy with Jay and Rain. If he went up, he could probably fight Clovis, but he didn''t know whether he could defeat Clovis or not.


    He really had no other choice but to make his last stand here.


    "You''re the one who wants this!" The boss roared and rushed toward Captain Han.


    "Tsk!" Jay clicked his tongue and moved to stop him, not allowing Captain Han to get injured. At the very least, he needed to take care of the Tier 4 enemy while he and Clovis dealt with the boss.


    Suddenly, Ivan, who had been hiding after everyone''s attention shifted away from him, suddenly swung his blade at Jay.@@@@


    Jay harrumphed and struck Ivan''s sword, knocking it down. However, Ivan knew that he couldn''t hold it no matter how hard his grip was. That was why he actually let go of his sword at the last second. After that, he punched Jay.


    Jay reacted by kicking his hand, which ended up breaking the bones in his hands. But Ivan had accomplished his objective. He didn''t care whether it was in his hands or not, as long as Clovis'' teammates died.


    The moment he stopped Jay, the boss took advantage of this opportunity to punch Captain Han''s side.


    "Kh!" Captain Han wore thick armor. It was true that the damage from that punch wasn''t significant, but his movement was also restricted due to the thickness. He couldn''t even react to the boss''s attack, causing him to crash into the wall.


    With this, there were only several terrorists on the floor, and Clovis had gone far enough from the remaining terrorists.


    When the terrorists were about to shoot him, Sherry shot one of them.


    "Ah!"


    That one shot alarmed the rest of the terrorists, as they had no choice but to hide from Sherry''s bullets again. Rain also continued to approach the terrorists.


    But it didn''t seem that everything went according to plan. They suddenly heard Captain Han groaning in pain.


    "Gah!" Captain Han spat a mouthful of blood as the axe smashed his chest. Fortunately, it didn''t manage to pierce through his armor.


    Before they could harm him any further, Clovis and Jay hurriedly moved toward the enemies.


    Jay planned to stop the boss while Clovis helped Captain Han.


    But Captain Han was an experienced veteran who had been fighting terrorists for the last fifteen years. As soon as the boss turned around to protect himself, Captain Han hugged the other Tier 4 guy and threw himself to the side, using his body weight to pin him down for a moment. He shouted, "Go for the boss!"


    "!!!" Clovis appeared amused. Even though Captain Han was injured, he still chose to buy time for them instead of worrying about his own health. In addition, taking the boss down was a big achievement. Captain Han chose to let go of that opportunity as long as the mission could continue smoothly.


    Clovis'' expression turned serious. He respected Captain Han''s choice and shifted his target to the boss.


    The boss panicked as he raised both arms like a boxer, wondering how he should fight these two.


    Once Clovis was only three meters away from the boss, a sword suddenly emerged from the pillar.


    "!!!"

 Chapter 356 Bomb

    "!!!" Clovis widened his eyes. He couldn''t see the person behind the pillar, but he could guess.


    Without hesitation, Clovis struck the sword swiftly, changing his stance a little bit. Once the sword was knocked down, Clovis saw the boss already in front of him.


    In addition, Ivan emerged from the wall to hug him as if he wanted to blow up together. Unfortunately for Ivan, Clovis managed to react at the last second, elbowing his chest and breaking one of his ribs.


    "Kah." Ivan fell to his knees while clutching his chest.


    However, Ivan was just a distraction. The boss had reached Clovis, ready to punch him in the chest. If he could break a few ribs with this punch, he should be able to win even if Clovis joined hands with Jay.


    But Jay obviously wouldn''t allow the same thing to happen twice. He tried to cut the boss''s hand. The latter should stop his punch and block Jay''s swing instead.


    To everyone''s surprise, Clovis actually shouted, "Jay, pause!"


    "!!!" Jay instinctively stopped his swing, recalling how he led his group to defeat because he didn''t follow Clovis'' order.


    As a result, Clovis'' got punched in the chest. Jay gritted his teeth and slashed the boss''s arm. Since he didn''t stop the punch, there was no way the boss could avoid this slash.


    "Aaaggh!" The boss endured the excruciating pain and stepped away. Clovis actually sacrificed himself so that Jay could cut his arm.@@@@


    Little did he know there was one big reason why he dared to take that hit head-on. He was already a different person than him in the competition.


    Clovis was pushed several meters back, but he managed to maintain his posture. It still hurt, but the punch didn''t break his ribs. He couldn''t help but smile, as if everything went according to plan. This was the power of Another World Mall.


    [Basillisk''s Shirt]


    [Defense +20]


    [Lizard Scale Pants]


    [Defense +10, Resistance to Heat +5]


    "Huh?" Rain glared at him. "You''re just bluffing. You are here by yourself."


    "Wait a minute. At first, there are two groups approaching the building. The first group consists of several people, and the second group is only a person..."


    "Yeah. You''ve been asking where the reinforcement is, right? That one person is the reinforcement. But it''s not the same reinforcement as what you have in mind. We''ve been buying enough time to plant bombs on the main pillars of this building."


    "Main pillars? You bastard!" The boss looked shocked as he came to a realization. "You''re planning to make the entire building collapse!"


    The boss was shocked. It turned out Ivan had been using them this whole time. This was the precise reason why he wanted them to make the base located in this tall building. They planned to bury all of them here to erase all evidence.


    "!!!" Everyone couldn''t help but raise their eyebrows in shock.


    It was true that if they jumped to the nearest rooftop, they might be able to survive. No, even if they jumped to the ground from the seventh floor, they might still be able to survive. However, if they fell here and got buried by all the rubble above them, they would definitely die.


    That was Ivan''s plan.


    "You..." Captain Han sucked a cold breath. "Don''t be reckless. Let''s negotiate. What do you want?!"


    Clovis gritted his teeth as though he had started falling into despair. After becoming his enemy for so long, Clovis must know that Ivan never intended to negotiate.


    When Ivan saw that face, he grinned widely. This was it. This was what he had been waiting for. He could finally see that kind of face on Clovis'' face.


    "Negotiate, huh?" Ivan had a smug smile on his face. He glared at Clovis and asked, "Why don''t you start kneeling on the ground and begging for your life? Unlike all of you, I have nothing to lose anymore."


    Clovis clenched his hands into fists. He looked unwilling, but when Ivan threatened him with the lives of all the people in this building, he seemed to have no other choice.


    Clovis lowered his head as though he were about to kneel, but all of a sudden, Clovis suddenly leaped forward as if trying to cut Ivan down before he could blow up the building. Ivan would definitely be surprised by this sudden action, and Clovis'' speed was the fastest here.


    But the moment he raised his hand, Ivan was already smiling. "I know you''ll act like this." His hand pressed the button.


    Clack!


    Boom!

 Chapter 357 According to Plan

    "I know you''ll act like this." Ivan grinned evilly. There was no way he could win against Clovis, but at this distance, he would be able to press the button before Clovis'' sword reached him.


    "NO!" Both the boss and Captain Han shouted in panic. They never thought that Clovis would choose something this risky.


    Clack!


    Boom!


    All the bombs exploded at once, shaking the building.


    "I''ll be waiting for you in hell!" Ivan said with a smile, accepting his death. Clovis would definitely kill him with a single slash, but it didn''t matter. Even if he couldn''t see it, the building would collapse, and Clovis would fall like the others.


    However, Clovis actually slashed his arm first.


    "Aaaaggghhhh!" Ivan screamed in pain and fell on his knees, clutching his arm. While the pain was unbearable, there was a question that appeared in his mind. Why did Clovis target his arm instead of his life?


    "What?" Captain Han was stunned, thinking that they had failed. To his surprise, the building didn''t collapse.


    "Eh? The sound earlier..." As a person with brain affinity, Sherry was the first to realize this and said, "Most of them came from outside the building. There are probably only two of them exploding inside."


    "!!!" Captain Han and Rain looked shocked. Even though the building was damaged, it shouldn''t collapse with only two explosions.


    "Huh?" Ivan''s face turned pale as he came to a realization.


    Instead of Clovis'' panicked expression, he actually found a big smile, as though everything had gone according to plan.


    ...


    15 minutes ago.


    While climbing, Clovis abruptly stopped when Melody suddenly said, "Clovis. Enter the building and hide."


    However, Clovis went one step further by rotating his sword and twisting his flesh.


    "Aaaaaggghhhh!" Ivan screamed even louder, tears were streaming down his eyes.


    "I might not be the smartest man, but I''m not a fool. Do you think you can kill me with this simple trick?" Clovis harrumphed. He stabbed Ivan''s thigh and twisted it again.


    "Aaaagggghh!" Ivan''s body was convulsing. Ivan couldn''t even open his eyes because of the pain. "You¡ªAhhhh!"


    "You what?" Clovis asked again while moving his blade a little bit, cutting more of his flesh.


    Ivan gnashed his teeth, but before he could say it, the answer came from behind.


    "You die!"


    Clovis turned his head around, finding that the Tier 4 boss was coming for his life. He almost reached him, so even if Clovis spun his body, he wouldn''t be fast enough to avoid this attack. If he could severely injure him with a punch and blow him out of the building, Clovis would definitely die.


    Both Ivan and the boss had the same expression, implying that Clovis was a fool to focus on an insignificant ant like Ivan.


    Clovis was surely facing his impending doom. Yet, he just smiled.


    "!!!" The boss widened his eyes in shock, feeling chills down his spine. "Shit!"


    Just like Clovis, the boss had also focused so much on Ivan and Clovis that he didn''t see the man who would cut down all of Clovis'' enemies.


    The boss spun his body, but it was too late. Jay was already before his eyes and slashed him, his blade running through from the shoulder all the way to the left waist.


    After that, Jay kicked the boss away, blowing him to the wall.


    Who didn''t see who? The only reason Clovis focused on Ivan was to lure the boss. He believed that Jay would know his actions, and Melody even told him the secret plan. Clovis knew that without his perfect state, it would be hard to kill the boss in a short period of time, even with Jay''s help. And he didn''t really want to rely on the perfect state too much.


    Hence, he chose to use risky tactics to take the boss down.


    The boss clutched his chest before raising his head, finding Jay already pointing his blade at his neck.

 Chapter 358 Conclusion

    Captain Han was amazed by Clovis and Jay. He never thought that the situation was already under their control.


    The first one to realize they were safe was probably Sherry. When Clovis lowered his head, he actually coughed weakly. There was no way someone like Clovis would cough for no reason.


    Once noticing that everything was a scheme, Sherry immediately moved to Rain and gave him an instruction.


    During the confusion, they approached the remaining terrorists and eliminated them, leaving only Ivan and the two Tier 4 terrorists.


    Seeing that there were only a few terrorists left, Captain Han shouted, "Surrender! If you still plan to fight, I don''t mind playing with you a little bit more."


    The Tier 4 terrorist frowned. With a single glance, he noticed that the two Tier 3 Captain Han''s subordinates would plunge themselves at him. In addition, his boss had been taken down by the kids. There was no other way for him to survive.


    Still, he was staring at his boss. Noticing his gaze, the boss bit his lips and said, "We surrender."


    "Aaaahhh!" When the conclusion was about to be reached, a scream shattered the silence.


    "I''ve told you we surrender!" The boss shouted, telling everyone to stop killing one of them.


    However, the scream continued, "Aaaagggh!"


    "You¡ª!" The boss wanted to get angry because Captain Han couldn''t stop his subordinates. But when he turned his head around, the scream turned out to come from Ivan. In that instant, his rage toward Captain Han subsided. He even added, completing his word from earlier. "¡ªplease continue."@@@@


    Ivan was the one who involved them in this mess. In addition, he wanted to kill them by demolishing the building. The only thing that appeared in his mind after seeing that bastard suffer was, ''Who am I to stop him?''


    Besides, Ivan seemed to have broken from the inside after all his plans crumbled. His eyes were already hollow, and he did nothing but scream.


    "Clovis! We can still interrogate him to¡ª" Captain Han wanted to stop Clovis and spare Ivan. The words suddenly stuck in his throat when he saw Clovis cut Ivan''s head, killing him once and for all. "Clovis, you..."


    The terrorist boss couldn''t help but say, "Captain Han. I''ve surrendered. You must protect me."


    For someone like him, he would rather become the boss of the prison than die like an ant.


    Seeing that the boss and the Tier 4 terrorist had no more will to resist, Captain Han shouted, "Call them to bring the special chains!"


    Once Group B arrived and chained them down, Clovis left the building. Still, he noticed that the shackles had some holes in them, as if something would come out.


    "Clovis... You, boy... truly take several years of my life." Captain Han let out a long sigh.


    "There are enemies that must be killed, while there are some that can be used. While my heart is filled with rage, I''m not blinded by it." Clovis shook his head.


    "So those two are the latter, while Ivan needs to die no matter what."


    "Well, you will have one more card to use. Ivan has lost his remaining value since your subordinate has captured another one that is more useful. Besides, his reaction wasn''t amusing, so I ended it right away." Clovis sighed. "Though, I admit that Ivan will have to die no matter what."


    "Oi, oi. You''re talking about killing a person in front of a person like me. Are you planning to get arrested? No, do you need therapy? Don''t become a psychopath."


    "I''m just kidding." Clovis chuckled. "Anyway, will it be fine if I bring my group back now and let you handle the rest?"


    "Of course. We have called more cars, so you can leave with the cars that should have arrived at Point E."


    Clovis nodded and walked away. Before he left, Captain Han suddenly called him out loud. "Clovis!"


    Clovis halted his steps and turned his head around.


    Captain Han smiled. "Thank you for today. On behalf of the counter-terrorism team and the citizens, I thank you for your help in eliminating a big terrorist organization."


    "I only come for my own selfish desire. I''m not someone you need to thank." Clovis turned back and walked away.


    Captain Han''s expression mellowed a bit, feeling touched.

 Chapter 359 Worries

    Clovis immediately led his group back now that everything had been solved.


    "So, we''re done with all the matter in this city? When are we going to go to Erwin''s city?" Kanaria asked.


    Clovis thought for a moment. "Melody is still injured, so we have to postpone it a little bit. However, we will probably depart in less than a week. Besides, the drama that is about to unfold is quite interesting."


    "Ah!" Kanaria nodded in understanding. "Still, they won''t like it. There''s a chance of retaliation."


    "Yep, but it won''t be anytime soon. During that time, we can hunt again and reach Tier 3. At the very least, I want to reach Tier 3 before we''re leaving the city for a long time." Clovis sighed.


    "I''m sure we can do it." She nodded. "Let me call my mother first to check the condition over there."


    "Okay." Clovis fell silent, his eyes moving toward Jay. He couldn''t help but recall what happened after he tossed that bandage.


    Because Jay didn''t say anything, Clovis became curious and chose to ask Jay about it directly.


    "What?"


    "Are you not going to ask me about the bandage?" Clovis asked, his expression turning solemn. If Jay left because of it, he couldn''t blame him.


    "It''s your secret. Everyone has a secret that they don''t want to reveal. I couldn''t care less about that secret since I know that you''re using it to help the group. That''s why I''m not going to ask about it. No, I''ll pretend that I''ve never seen it." Jay shrugged.


    "..." Clovis was speechless after hearing his thoughts. He truly felt blessed to have Jay on his team.


    However, the biggest reason why Jay didn''t care about it was because Clovis chose to reveal that secret to save Melody.


    "I see. I believe that they''ll do that." Clovis nodded. "And they might do it during the beast wave."


    "Ah!" Kanaria nodded. If they wanted to risk everything, they would do it in a battle where they had the most advantages.


    Clovis looked down, falling into deep thought.


    "Is there something wrong?"


    Clovis sighed. "I''m just worried about what my grandfather will do now. You should know about the condition, right?"


    "Yes. Hana told us that your grandfather would crush anyone who tried to kill you directly, but wouldn''t do anything if they didn''t do it directly."


    "During the first terrorist attack, I wasn''t targeted directly."


    "Indeed. Their targets were me and Melody."


    "In that case, my grandfather wouldn''t do anything, right? How about now? If he investigates, my grandfather will probably realize that the terrorists can''t be blamed. The bombs were Ivan''s work."


    "Now that I think about it, Ivan, who was plotting everything, has died. Even the Drake Group, the Rusth family, and those hidden assassins were only stopping my family." Kanaria frowned. "Are you saying that your grandfather won''t do anything?"


    "I don''t know. I have no way of understanding this grandfather of mine." Clovis shook his head. "It''s just... The situation has become more complicated. If my grandfather does something in this city, those who aren''t afraid of him will probably come to me right away. When you think that way, what if the person who is not afraid of my father suddenly kills me?


    "I know that this can be considered my fate as someone who is born into a big family, but I will end up involving you guys." Clovis pinched the bridge of his nose. "We are also going to a higher-tier city after this. The stronger the city, the higher the chance that they will appear."


    "Ah!" Kanaria nodded in understanding. They were planning to visit a Tier 7 city, where a few Tier 7 humans resided. They might still be afraid of him, but there was a higher chance that a Tier 8 or Tier 9 would appear in this city than their current city. "It can''t be helped..."


    Kanaria abruptly stopped when, all of a sudden, Clovis looked at his device as Hana called him.

 Chapter 360 Glitch

    "Hana?" Kanaria frowned. She didn''t understand why Hana would call him at this time.


    Clovis glanced at Kanaria first before accepting the call.


    "Hello, Clovis."


    "Yes? Do you need something? It''s unlike you to call me." Clovis furrowed his eyebrows.


    "Sorry if I interrupt your activity, but there is something you need to know." Hana paused for a moment.


    "From my grandfather?" Clovis asked.


    "No. It seems like we have to launch the product a bit faster than the agreement."


    "What do you mean?" Clovis'' expression turned solemn. "We''ve agreed that you''ll introduce it once I go there..."


    "Yeah. There are some rats sniffing around, especially with your grandfather getting involved in this matter." Hana sighed.


    "Are you blaming my grandfather?"


    "Of course not. How can I be so rude? I''m not blaming your grandfather. I''m just wondering if it''s possible to release it according to the schedule. Of course, I''ll also compensate you once you reach this place."


    "How about the research itself? Have you tested everything?"


    "Yes. According to what we''ve found, there are no weird side effects. The research itself is a major success. In two months, we should be able to produce it right away. Right now, I''m buying beast souls bit by bit."


    "So, when are you going to release it?"


    Hana paused for a moment. "The situation hasn''t gone out of control again, but my prediction is in four to five months."


    "About two hours ahead of the schedule, huh?" Clovis frowned. He wondered if he could reach Tier 3 before that. "If that''s the case, I might need some money to do that."


    "It''s hard to give you the money, especially since we''re in different countries. Those people will most likely find out."


    "I don''t need a lot. How about giving me 20... no, 15 million? This is a small sum, right? You can just give me the rest once I go to your place." Clovis asked.


    Even Jay kept glancing at Clovis in the rear-view mirror.


    She tried to stop Clovis from banging his head. Fortunately, the back of the seat was quite soft, or Clovis'' head would have bled.


    But once she managed to stop Clovis, he suddenly passed out.


    "Clovis?" Kanaria was still in shock. She didn''t know what to do at first, but she hurriedly said with a shaking voice, "Jay. Hurry up! Hospital!"


    Jay also panicked and stepped on the gas.


    ...


    In a spacious underground cave, a man, almost three meters tall, lifted his head while rising from his huge throne. He took out his blindfold for a moment before his expression turned solemn.


    "So another one has appeared. Who is it this time?" The man stared at the cave''s ceiling toward the southwest. "Are you a friend or an enemy? No. This time, it''s still too weak. That person might still not understand what''s going on.


    Besides, it''s too far from here, so it''s impossible to find out that person''s identity.


    "Nevertheless, unravel the truth of this world, for we are the truth seekers." The man''s gaze became even more intense as there was a plus shape in his pupils.


    ...


    On a desolate road, a woman was currently standing on top of more than a thousand beast corpses. She had long black hair, with her bang covering her left eye. Her face and her heart were devoid of emotion.


    She cast her gaze at the sky to the north. "A glitch?"


    After a moment, she looked down on her heart before clutching her chest. "Why does my dead heart feel a connection with that glitch? This is the first time I''ve experienced something like this. What does it mean?"


    She first looked at the west as if she were staring at her next destination. But after a momentary silence, she turned to the north and started climbing down the mountain of corpses.


    Once she reached the ground, there were two beasts approaching her from both sides.


    However, when they were about to reach her, the beasts suddenly disintegrated as if they were sliced into numerous pieces in an instant.


    The woman continued walking toward the north as if nothing had happened.

 Chapter 361 Wake Up

    ''What is this?'' Clovis muttered. ''I feel like I''m inside of water, gradually sinking to the bottom. I can''t move any parts of my body. I can let out a sound.''


    Clovis tried to open his eyes, but to no avail. However, there was one thing that he remembered. ''What was that glitch? No, did the world just glitch? I saw a screen panel similar to the one that displayed my evolution status, the one planted by the government.


    ''Was the government the one responsible for this? But my grandfather would definitely try to stop them. He should have known something like this... or was he? What if my grandfather didn''t know about this?


    ''If that''s the case, am I the only person in this world that is able to see that glitch? There are a lot of questions in my mind, but none of them can be answered right away.


    ''Ah. That screen also conveyed a single message. Mission complete, huh? What kind of mission was it? If I thought about the big things happening, it was either the terrorist organization or Ivan.


    ''No, why would I even get a mission? Was it because the world is nothing but a simulation?''


    Clovis fell into deep thought. The more he thought about what happened, the more questions appeared in his mind.


    More importantly, after that glitch, he also felt an indescribable pain that knocked him out. He didn''t know whether he was still alive or not, considering he was in this state.


    ''Still, the biggest question is... why does the world glitch? If this world is just a simulation, then an error can occur. But if that''s the case, there should be some large glitches, allowing humans to know about them. I...''


    Clovis wanted to explore this possibility, but the pitch-black water suddenly shone brightly as if each water particle were glowing.


    Clovis covered his eyes, but he suddenly felt a cold wind brushing his skin.


    "Mhmmm." Clovis let out a groan. Surprisingly, he could open his eyes this time.


    "Clovis? Clovis?" Kanaria''s voice echoed in his head.


    "Kh." Clovis weakly reached for his ears, as if the sound were ringing in his head.


    Kanaria wanted to call him again but abruptly stopped. Instead, she just pressed the button to call for the nurse.


    "In that case, can you share what you experienced before passing out?"


    Clovis hesitated for a moment. The glitch didn''t seem to be something that he could easily share. Even if he told them about the glitch, they would just think of him as hallucinating or going crazy.


    Hence, Clovis replied, "Hallucination, I think? Something like a nightmare."


    "Hallucination, huh? Can you describe what you saw back then?"


    "Sorry. It was personal. I couldn''t afford to share it, and it was something I didn''t really want to talk about."


    The doctor nodded in understanding, believing that Clovis'' nightmare was related to his family. "I see. There aren''t any problems with your body or brain. If that''s the case, I can make an appointment with a trusted therapist for you."


    "It''s fine for now." Clovis shook his head.


    "I understand. But for now, I''ll share his contact information. If the hallucination gets worse, please immediately make an appointment."


    "Alright." Clovis chose to accept it so that the doctor would leave as quickly as possible.


    After checking several basic things and confirming that there were no hidden symptoms, they left the room.


    Clovis let out a long sigh. "Were there visitors?"


    "Jay, Melody, Ragna, my mother, Captain Han, and Mayor Revan. Mayor Revan was concerned about your well-being because you were the pride of this city. My mother... let''s just skip about her. Melody was in the room next to us, almost fully recovered. Jay and Ragna are taking turns."


    "I see. Thank you, Kanaria. And sorry... it must have been scary back then." Clovis scratched the back of his head.


    "As long as you''re fine." Kanaria shook her head, implying it wasn''t a big deal.


    "Anyway, fill me up with everything that has happened in this one day."


    "Sure. Please take a look at this." Kanaria pressed her tab a few times and projected the screen.

 Chapter 362 Press Conference

    The Drake Group''s president, Thomas, was standing on the podium. There was a question coming from the audience.


    "Mr. Thomas. Was the Drake group involved in the operation of the terrorist group?"


    "No. The Drake group wasn''t involved in anything. The Drake group had done nothing not beneficial for the city," Thomas shook his head.


    "How are you going to explain the involvement of Elina from your Drake group? From the statement released by the government and the body cam, it was clear that she was responsible for placing explosives in that building."


    "We haven''t been able to reach her in the past few days." Thomas denied the claim.


    "How could you not be able to reach her? The Drake group is one of the biggest groups in this city."


    "As you said, we''re a big group. It''s impossible to keep track of every single individual affiliated with our group. However, we promise to increase our efforts so that this incident won''t happen again." Thomas just threw out one of the most basic replies.


    "Still, Elina was one of your best recruits. Not only did she assist Ivan a lot of times, but she was also one of the winners in the Star Competition. Does this mean that the Drake Group does not place any importance on a person who has contributed a lot to the company?"


    Thomas was annoyed, but he still had to reply with all the bullshit he had prepared. "No. It''s our belief that the biggest reward we can give is freedom. Looking at a lot of influence, while you may be able to advance through their support, your action will be limited by the company.


    However, our Drake group is providing you with freedom so that everyone won''t feel as if their necks are chained by us."


    "How could we believe what you said this time, President Thomas? The biggest problem here is not their action but their targets. Clovis was among the targets. Looking at your past history with Clovis and the Libation Fiesta, it was hard to not feel suspicious."


    "It''s hectic. Most of them don''t believe him. Their stock has been decreasing sharply. According to my mother, there is already a fourth of his force leaving the Drake group. The investors are pulling out one by one. We expect that the damage will worsen with time."


    Clovis nodded. "In that case, we''re slowly pushing him into the corner. He might choose to forsake everything once there''s no escape."


    "Yes. We need to be at least Tier 3 if we want to resist him. I know that the gap between Tier 4 and Tier 5 is bigger than the gap between Tier 3 and Tier 4. But we should be able to fight a Tier 5 human as a team."


    Clovis didn''t reply immediately. Instead, he thought about Hana''s condition. "Looking at this condition, I know that we can''t do much to him. However, your mother should be able to push him to the corner, right?"


    "Manipulating the information, huh?"


    "Yes. I''m thinking about cornering him a bit faster." Clovis nodded with a serious expression. "For example, if the beast wave that your mother warned us about is artificial, we can force them to speed up by pushing Thomas into the corner. With Thomas joining them, they will have no choice but to speed up their plan. This way, we can go to Hana ahead of schedule."


    "I see. I''ll ask my mother about it later."


    "Thanks." Clovis raised a finger. "While you''re at it, tell Melody that we''ll depart four days later. It''s time to have Erwin join us."


    "Alright. For now, you also have to get some rest in the hospital for at least a day. If nothing happens, you''ll be discharged. No training for today, okay?" Kanaira looked worried.


    Clovis could only smile. "I know, I know."


    After getting his answer, Kanaria stood up and left the room to handle all those matters.


    As soon as Kanaria left, Clovis leaned on his bed while muttering inwardly, ''Still, a glitch, huh? Should I ask my grandfather about it?''

 Chapter 363 Suspicious

    "We''re finally done with all this." Clovis stretched his arms, feeling a bit tired.


    "Yeah. Go get some rest on the way. Jay and Ragna will drive, while Melody and I will be on the lookout." Kanaria nodded.


    "Okay. I''ll call Erwin first." Clovis waved his hand, telling Kanaria to load the luggage into their car.


    "Sure."@@@@


    However, as soon as Clovis called Erwin, the latter received it with a troubled tone. "You''ve finally called me. Are you going to this place right now?"


    "Yes. It took longer than I expected, but we''re about to leave there."


    "Mhmm. I don''t think you should go to my city."


    "Huh, why?" Clovis crossed his arms.


    "We''re currently facing a big problem right now. Remember that I told you that you should go to my city before trying to recruit me, right?"


    "Yes."


    "The situation has just gone from bad to worse. It''s hard to explain it."


    "In that case, I''ll go there and see the problem."


    "Without your family, you can''t solve this problem. This is not me insulting you, as if you can''t do anything without your family. In fact, you will understand what I mean if you see the situation. Anyway, I still have a lot of things to do right now. If you don''t have anything important to say, I''m going to hang up."


    "Alright. I''ll call you once I reach your city. The journey should take about six hours."


    "Got it. Go through the west gate and mention that you are a guest of Master Genzert."


    Does the problem lie with the company or the city?''


    Kanaria only observed the situation for the time being, but she seemed to understand the city a bit more from the north gate alone.


    Meanwhile, Melody continued guiding them to the west gate. As expected, there was something big happening in this city. Even the west gate was being guarded heavily.


    "What is this? Isn''t the gate normally guarded by only ten people or less? Why does it look like there are more than fifty people? And it seems they are affiliated with the military." Clovis muttered.


    They were stopped by at least four people at once, and a lot of soldiers were staring at their cars.


    "Hello. I apologize for the inconvenience, but have you made an appointment to visit the city?"


    "An appointment?" Ragna raised his eyebrows.


    "It seems that you haven''t heard about it. Our city is in an alert state right now. Unless you have an appointment, it''s suggested that you not come to this city. We can recommend you go to the Serrest City not far from here."


    Clovis hurriedly opened the window and said, "Sorry, sir. We are an explorer group called Libation Fiesta. We come here as guests of Master Genzert."


    "Master Genzert?" The soldier took a step back as though he recognized the name. "Please wait a moment."


    The soldier hurriedly rushed to his comrades, telling them about it. Before long, a middle-aged man came out of the post next to the gate.


    "I am their supervisor, William. Are you sure that you''re invited by Master Genzert?" The middle-aged man asked.


    "Yes."


    The middle-aged man turned solemn as he said, "I understand. We have been notified about guests of Master Genzert as well. We have been instructed to guide you once you arrive." The middle-aged man pointed at the black car not far from them. "Please follow that black car. They''ll escort you to meet Master Genzert."


    "Thank you." Everyone looked happy that the situation had been solved. However, only Kanaria had a rather grim expression as if there was something suspicious.

 Chapter 364 Big Problem

    While Ragna followed the black car, Melody couldn''t help but notice Kanaria''s expression. "What''s wrong, Kanaria?"


    Kanaria replied with a request. "Can you search Master Genzert on Skynet? Who is he?"


    Melody hurriedly searched for the name and said, "Genzert is a master explorer whose work is not in the line of exploration but in the research department. His name is Ryan Genzert. He is a professor in the field of geology. There isn''t much that can be found here. He is a clean guy, so other than basic information, I can''t find anything. But it states here that Erwin Genzert is his adopted son."


    Clovis furrowed his eyebrows. This explained why Erwin told them to mention his name. However, there was something weird about this information.


    "Hmm. When I investigate Erwin, his background is that he actually comes from a big family background. Why would such a person adopt Erwin?" Melody frowned.


    "No. That''s not important right now." Kanaria pinched the bridge of her nose.@@@@


    "What''s wrong?" Melody turned serious, wondering if there was a detail she missed.


    "If you think about it, would the soldier have that much respect for a mere professor? Remember that our world respects strength right now. So his name shouldn''t be that powerful. Is he a Tier 7 or something?" Kanaria asked.


    "No. It''s said that he is a normal person."


    "See? It''s rather suspicious. It feels like he is being highly regarded for no reason. It''s not that I''m trying to insult Erwin, but there must be something wrong in this city, to the point where such a person becomes a highly important person."


    "Aren''t you thinking too much about this?" Jay asked nonchalantly.


    "No. If you take a look at the map, you will realize that the supply route is from Serrest City, which is located to the north. There are no other cities that are still standing that can become their supply line. If you think it that way, the number of supplies that are being transported to the city is much lower than what a city needs."


    "Wait. Are you talking..." Clovis frowned.


    "Oh. That''s great. I''ll be standing outside the building when you arrive."


    "Sounds good."


    Once they got confirmation, the car became silent once again as Kanaria kept observing the city. It took them about ten minutes before they reached the heart of the city.


    They were guided to a tall building not far from the Explorer Association. Erwin was already waiting for them as well.


    "Yo. You''re here." Erwin waved his hand while they were opening their windows. "Just park here."


    "Okay." Clovis and his team exited the car as Kanaria couldn''t contain her curiosity anymore and asked, "Erwin. I''m sorry if this is rude, but is the underground tunnel not accessible right now?"


    "Mhmm?" Erwin raised his eyebrows, looking shocked. "Did someone leak the news?"


    "No. I just reached that conclusion from what I found so far." Kanaria shook her head.


    "I see. I thought we had been hiding it well. I guess it''s fine to show you what''s currently happening in this city, which is why I''m unable to join you right now. Of course, if you can solve that problem, I will join your group right away. Anyway, please follow me." Erwin sighed.


    The atmosphere between them turned serious as soon as they arrived. Erwin guided them toward the Explorer Association.


    There were a lot of soldiers and workers that weren''t supposed to be here filling this building. They all appeared to be rushing something.


    "As I said earlier, the city''s situation has changed from bad to worse. I don''t know how you are able to reach that conclusion, but you''re right. The underground is inaccessible, and there are numerous problems due to it. Anyway, this is what''s currently happening to the underground tunnel." Erwin pointed at the tunnel inside the building, showing the true state of the problem.


    All of them widened their eyes in shock. Clovis gasped. "This is..."

 Chapter 365 Cause

    The underground tunnel was basically a hollow pillar of stone that shot up from the underground world to the surface.


    Their size could reach as far as two hundred meters in radius.


    However, the hole this time was only about forty meters in radius. It was used to create several elevators that could bring a lot of things to the underground world.


    But the truly shocking sight was not the fact that the hole was huge or had majestic equipment. It was the fact that the tunnel was actually being filled with rubble.


    "This is..." Clovis gasped. "The tunnel has collapsed?"@@@@


    "No. It''s impossible for the tunnel to collapse. With all the tunnels in the world, we have no record of them collapsing." Kanaria shook her head.


    Jay raised his eyebrows. "Artificial?"


    Erwin nodded his head with a grim expression. "Exactly so. That''s what we currently believe to be the case."


    "What? Can you just blow this up? I mean, if the tunnel won''t collapse, you can just use explosives." Ragna pointed at the rubble.


    "There are a lot of uncertainties, such as the fact that all these rubbles will fall to the bottom, causing a lot of destruction. And what will happen to the underground city?" An aged voice echoed from behind.


    "!!!" Everyone turned around and saw an old man in his mid-fifties walking toward them. He had a thin frame and didn''t exude any aura that reflected his identity as an explorer.


    When Clovis glanced at Erwin''s face, he immediately extended his hand. "Thank you for inviting us here, Professor."


    "Oh my. I''ve heard that Erwin has made a lot of unique friends. It seems that the rumor is true. To think that my egoistic son will have a lot of friends. It''s like a dream come true." That was right. The person that approached them this time was none other than Erwin''s adoptive father, Professor Genzert.


    "Father. You''re making your son look bad, you know." Erwin sighed.


    "As expected of Erwin''s friend, you''re pretty clever." Professor Genzert nodded in approval. "However, those rubbles are not ordinary rocks."


    "Don''t tell me." Kanaria gasped. When they visited the hot spring, they noticed that there was a rock formation that could block the ''suppression'' that the underground tunnel gave to the surrounding beasts.


    It wouldn''t be weird if there was a rock that could block signals. In fact, a normal rock alone could weaken the signal, so if they had a specific rock, it could create a barrier. And this might be the reason why Professor Genzert became an important person.


    "Indeed. Those rocks are the reason we''re unable to contact the underground city. Still, we haven''t received any reports that showed the underground city being attacked from the outside."


    "From the outside? Are you saying that they have been attacked from the inside? That''s the only explanation for those rubbles." Clovis frowned.


    "Exactly." Professor Genzert nodded.


    Erwin continued his father''s explanation, "There are two ways to attack a city from the inside. First, the flying beasts will approach the base from up high before landing directly on the inside. However, the soldiers have confirmed that there are no flying beasts. It means it''s going with the second scenario, underground!"


    Clovis nodded in agreement. "Indeed. If there are beasts that can dig a tunnel underneath the base, it''s possible. Does that mean the city is fighting right now?"


    "Yes." Professor Genzert answered without hesitation.


    "According to our information, beasts are emerging from a spot near the pillar and spreading in all directions, causing a lot of commotion and deaths. They are still fighting right now, but the situation is a bit dire because the water supply to the underground city has been cut as well.


    In other words, they''re resisting those beasts with a limited amount of supply." Erwin explained the biggest problem.


    Clovis couldn''t help but furrow his eyebrows. "In that case, have you identified the mastermind of this incident? At least, the beast that has commanded them."


    "We are not very sure right now. However, there is something bugging us. It seems that a spider is involved in creating a web to withstand all those rubbles, but the problem is that... the underground city has never found any spiders in all explored areas."


    "!!!"

 Chapter 366 Invitation

    "!!!" Clovis widened his eyes. "A spider?"


    "Yes." Erwin nodded. "While it''s true that the beasts that manage to survive this whole time look random, it''s clear that when they''re the apex predators or have distinctive features, they will most likely survive and become a beast that inhabits the underworld. And according to the remnant of the web we''ve found among those rubbles..."


    Professor Genzert added, "The data is matched with the data that Sdein Country had 10 years ago. The web matches toxicity and all other characteristics, except for the fact that the one we record is stronger than the existing data. In other words, the spider itself is actually stronger than what Sdein Country has."


    "The spider recorded in the Sdein Country is a Tier 5 beast, close to Tier 6. However, the data we have is actually ten times that amount," Erwin continued.


    "Ten times? Are you saying that the spider that causes all this is Tier 6 if not Tier 7?" Clovis widened his eyes in shock.


    Erwin confirmed it with a nod.


    "So is there already a plan?" Ragna asked.


    "We are still discussing the plan, but more importantly, we''ve been trying to locate the spider first so that we can see whether it''s good to use explosives or not."


    "Why is that?" Jay frowned. "Are you afraid that the spiders have created a few layers of webs and you''ll run out of explosives before you can bring down all the rubble?"


    "Indeed." Erwin raised his index finger. "I told you earlier that a beast needed to have a certain distinct feature, right? This time, the spider we''re talking about is from the Carboniferous period, where giant insects lived. And the spider identity is the biggest spider that is recorded in history, Megarachne servinei. And it''s possible that this is the culprit."


    Kanaria sucked a cold breath before crossing her arms. "So we can''t do anything before we locate the spider?"


    "Can''t we check the condition of the underground city through a different city? I mean, we can send reinforcement using another tunnel to at least improve the situation in the underground city. I mean, if the city on the surface is already in such a condition, I can''t imagine the underground city''s location."


    "Mhmm?" Erwin and Professor Genzert raised their eyebrows, not expecting that solution.


    "This..." Professor Genzert hesitated. He didn''t want Clovis and the others to be detained or questioned by the commander.


    "Please don''t worry about it. I just want to have some words with them. How about bringing Erwin there as a guarantee? Besides, there are also a few high-ranking people here, so I can''t really bully them... not that I plan to."


    "I understand. In that case, should I just send them to your location? Do I need to explain a bit more about the city''s situation?"


    "No. I''ll take care of the details."


    "Alright then." Professor Genzert hung up the call before letting out a sigh. He went back to Clovis, saying, "It appears that the commander would like to see you guys."


    "The commander?" Clovis looked surprised. "Why?"


    Professor Genzert shook his head. "It seems that he is interested in the person who suggests the idea."


    While Clovis and the others were confused by the sudden invitation, Erwin received a call from Aileen. It was just a brief call, but enough to cause him to smile apologetically. He turned to Clovis and the others. "It''s true. Aileen seems to be there as well."


    Clovis could only accept the invitation.


    Erwin drove them to the military base. It was a short trip since the military base was never located too far from the underground tunnel.


    They were guided into a meeting room with six people in it. The first one was none other than the commander of the base, a Tier 7 human.


    The second person shared a similar feature, which seemed to be Erwin''s relative. The third and fourth people were also Tier 7 humans, who controlled the city. The last two people were Aileen and an elderly man.


    Considering Aileen was standing behind the elderly man, it seemed that he came from the same family but had a very high rank within the family.


    "So you have come." The commander''s expression turned grim.

 Chapter 367 A Mission

    "So you have come." The commander''s expression turned solemn. "I apologize for suddenly inviting you here after knowing about your arrival."


    The others were staring at the Tier 7 explorers in this room. Meanwhile, Clovis stepped forth. "I am aware of the emergency situation in this city. However, may I know the reason why a commander would invite us, who might be slightly famous but not qualified enough, here?"


    The people in the room looked quite amused by his reply.@@@@


    ''So, this is Clovis. He is spitting some facts but not exaggerating them.'' One of them squinted his eyes.


    ''To think that such a young guy can beat Aileen...'' The elder next to Aileen couldn''t help but sigh inwardly.


    The commander opened his mouth to explain, but he suddenly got interrupted by one of the Tier 7 explorers in the room. "Why don''t you take a guest? You can suggest the idea of sending reinforcement from other cities, right? You should be able to figure it out."


    ''As if!'' The other two Tier 7 explorers and even the commander reacted at the same time, but they didn''t show it in their faces.


    In fact, the commander wanted to stop him so that they didn''t embarrass the little guy, considering they were about to ask him for a favor.


    But once again, the commander was one step too late. Clovis replied as if he had gotten the answer right after entering the room. "A mission... maybe related to Aileen. That''s just my guess. I apologize if I''m wrong."


    "!!!" All of them were startled. There were a lot of possibilities, but Clovis managed to actually figure out their plan so quickly. Even the one who asked him to guess opened his mouth in amazement.


    "How did you figure it out?" The elder next to Aileen asked.


    "Yes. The same applies to Miss Aileen and Mr. Albert. They have their own concealment technique, which allows them to infiltrate the city at their own discretion."


    "Why don''t you explain the situation to the capital city? I mean, it won''t be a big reinforcement, but with enough connection, you can probably get one Tier 8 explorer to help you," Clovis asked while crossing his arm. "Or you can ask them for money."


    "We have done that. The closest one is probably Tier 8 Explorer Liam, who happens to be Aileen''s teacher. However..."


    "She is delaying her study, which causes him to not trust her easily?" Clovis squinted his eyes.


    Aileen could only lower her head, feeling embarrassed.


    As for the second reason, it didn''t seem the commander needed to explain. In fact, this was also the reason why only Aileen and her granduncle were included in this mission. The rest still needed to protect the family.


    They still had to maintain the politics, even in this situation. And they seemed to have used a lot of money to stay afloat during this situation as well.


    "I understand the gist of the situation and the reason you chose us." Clovis nodded in understanding. "What''s about the mission itself? You haven''t talked about the ''danger'' of this mission."


    "Of course." The commander pointed at the map. "We want you to head to our underground city, Svilshare, through this unknown area. The areas surrounding this unknown place are classified as Tier 4 to Tier 5 areas. So there''s a chance that this unknown area is Tier 4 to Tier 6.


    "And among the three unknown areas, we suggest going through this rocky mountain. Since the spider is the cause of all this, there should be no high-tier spiders in this place anymore. In addition, you can get the sample and send it to us so that we can examine it and create a better countermeasure."


    Clovis frowned as if he saw the glaring problem.

 Chapter 368 Officially Joining Libation Fiesta

    Clovis said, "Still, if it''s truly the spider''s nest, then it''s considered to be a Tier 7 area, no?"


    "We are aware of that. Hence, we send you together with Mr. Albert." The commander nodded. "He will take care of the high-ranking spiders, but we believe that all the powerful spiders are already gone. The remaining spiders will most likely be Tier 4 or below.


    "And we have confirmed it through the original two groups." The commander raised his index finger.


    "So they''re not mere scouting groups..."


    "Yes. They scout the area, create an escape path, establish a connection, and investigate the city. Your group''s role is to be their supervisor and ensure that the path is secured. Once that''s done, Mr. Albert will find the Tier 7 spider, and the mission will be considered a success after all of you evacuate."


    "I see. Once we''ve located them, there''s no need to maintain secrecy anymore. Even if it goes viral, you have identified the enemy, and reinforcements will come. Besides, the rescued people will also meet their loved ones, which will bolster their morale and mood. All you need to do is recover economically." Clovis nodded in understanding.


    The commander sucked a cold breath, impressed that he had a clear grasp of the big picture. "Yes."


    Clovis looked down, contemplating. The risk was extremely high, but their group should be capable of dealing with one or two Tier 4 beasts even if they were not suppressed by the stone pillar.


    "To be honest, there''s no need for us to help this city. Even if we don''t do anything, I''m sure that the city will be able to resolve this sooner or later. But I wonder how much the commander is willing to let go to increase the success of this operation."


    "There is no need to beat around the bush. State your requests." The commander was decisive enough to cut it short. He knew Clovis wanted something.


    "I have three conditions, which shouldn''t be that hard for the commander to accept, but the first condition might need to be asked of the person himself." Clovis took a step back and turned his head toward Erwin.@@@@


    "Ah!" Erwin realized his intention. This time, he wanted Erwin to join them on this mission as a part of the team. Without hesitation, Erwin replied, "My first mission with Libation Fiesta is to help my city. This is probably the best mission I could ever ask for. Besides, I''m not really helpful to my father''s research."


    This was the biggest reason why Clovis accepted the mission.


    Now that they had reached an agreement, Clovis led his team outside. Of course, Aileen followed them.


    "Sorry. It seems that I end up accepting a mission far more dangerous than we originally expected." Clovis scratched the back of his head, apologizing to his team.


    "This is nothing new. Besides, having more information, provided by the commander himself, makes it much safer than missions with unknown danger." Kanaria shrugged.


    "I can fight strong beasts." Jay didn''t seem to care as long as he could become stronger.


    "It''s nothing new. Just don''t be too reckless, or you will end up becoming Ivan, whom you hate so much." Melody harrumphed.


    Ragna only nodded, planning to follow him anywhere.


    "Hehe. Nice to meet you guys, a new member here, Erwin!" Erwin playfully waved his hand.


    "Mhmm. I guess we can split up for an hour to do our thing and regroup again to discuss the plan. How''s that?" Clovis asked.


    "Sure. I need to check the bullets." Kanaria was the first to agree. The rest also nodded their heads.


    "In that case, I''ll go with you this time. We have a lot of things to talk about." Erwin patted Clovis'' shoulder with a smug smile on his face. "Let''s go!"


    Clovis smiled wryly. Little did Erwin know, this stroll would end up terrorizing him.

 Chapter 369 Mysterious Woman

    "Hehe. I guess I have officially become a part of Libation Fiesta now." Erwin smirked while patting Clovis'' shoulder.


    "Indeed. I''m going to work you to the bone after this." Clovis nodded.


    "Oh? Do you think I haven''t worked hard this whole time? And do you think that I''m not smart enough to finish my job faster than the expected time? However, I''ll complain if you just assign me another task once I finish mine faster." Erwin harrumphed.


    "Yeah, yeah." Clovis paused for a moment. "So, I''m wondering if you want to have strength on par with a Tier 4?"


    "Huh? What are you talking about?" Erwin tilted his head in confusion.


    "Aren''t you curious about the reason for our abnormal strength?" Clvois smirked.


    Erwin fell silent. Of course, even if the others didn''t notice it, Erwin would definitely think their power was weird. Talents alone weren''t enough to justify that power. In addition, Clovis only had a 15% evolution rate.


    There might be something that no one can figure out. And the only thing that could match the description was the strength of the Hacfield family.


    "External power, huh?" Erwin looked down, his hand brushing his chin. "I don''t really like getting stronger from external help."


    "Is that so? I''m not going to force you, but what''s the difference between external power and good weapons and armor?"


    Erwin raised his eyebrows. "So you''re saying it''s something like that?"@@@@


    On the one hand, external power felt like it was never his to begin with. On the other hand, good weapons and armor were essential. At the end, even the power of his family or connection would play a part in defining him.


    "I thought the external power was like a drug or something."


    "If you are a person who can easily betray your friends, I won''t bother recruiting you, let alone showing this secret." Clovis shook his head.


    Erwin smiled wryly. He couldn''t deny it since he didn''t intend to leave easily either. "If I may ask, how far are you planning to go, Clovis? Are you planning to become a Tier 9 like your grandfather and control the fate of countries? No, if you work together with your grandfather, you might be able to take over the world."


    "No. Who cares about the world? My only goal remains the same. I want to become the greatest explorer by discovering the truth about this world being a mere simulation. Becoming a Tier 9 is just a part of the process." Clovis'' resolve became firm when he saw the glitch in the matrix that showed ''Mission Completed'' to him.


    He couldn''t explain it yet, but as he continued onward, he might be able to discover more about it.


    "I see." Erwin closed his eyes. "It''s going to be an interesting journey. I want to observe all kinds of people, but you are going to be my primary subject of observation. I want to see what you will become in the future."


    Clovis smiled. "Sure. This is going to be a long journey, Erwin."


    "Sure it is." Erwin nodded.


    "In that case, let''s go to the minibus first. I''ll show you the rest of your equipment. With this, let''s kill a lot of beasts and shock everyone, shall we?" Clovis winked playfully.


    "Hehe. It''s going to be amusing to have Aileen''s cold face changed." Erwin smirked. "This way then."


    When they were about to go to the minibus, they suddenly came to a halt as a woman was standing five meters before them. Both of them didn''t feel her presence, as if she were just a ghost.


    They could only see her right eye as the other one was covered with her bang. Her black hair just created a contrast with her crimson pupil as though her eye had been dyed in blood.


    But the most important thing was that when Erwin''s eyes met hers, he suddenly dropped to his knees while screaming in pain.


    "Aaaaggghhhh!"

 Chapter 370 Reason

    Erwin always felt that his eyes were a bit unique compared to those of other humans. He didn''t know whether he was born with them or trained them subconsciously.


    However, his eyes certainly could pick up more details from everything. Even for a human, he could see not only their appearances but also the way they behaved. He studied psychology so that he could fully utilize his eyes.


    But never in his wildest dream would a certain quote appear in his mind.


    ''If you stare into the Abyss long enough, the Abyss stares back at you.''


    For a person who stripped people''s bare with his eyes to learn more about them, the opposite party would also stare at him. But this time, the one who was stripped naked was him.


    No, it didn''t stop there. Erwin could feel that his world had changed into a black room where he could see nothing. Suddenly, a dim red light brightened the room, allowing him to see a dark figure standing before him. Its figure was deformed, but it still looked similar to that of a human.


    Yet the moment that figure cast its gaze upon him, the crimson eyes that were filled with bloodlust pierced through him. Erwin wanted to scream and run, but his body refused to move.


    The dark figure suddenly appeared before him and grabbed his arms before ripping them apart.


    Aaagggghhh! Erwin wanted to scream. This indescribable pain was making him crazy, but he couldn''t wake up from this dream-like world.


    The dark figure simply ripped all his limbs apart before slicing his body into pieces with its long and sharp claws.


    In this world, he was like a mere prey that could only wait for his death.


    "Aaagggghhh!" In a blink of an eye, Erwin noticed that the world had turned back as if everything he saw earlier was nothing but an illusion that appeared due to the intense bloodlust the eyes were exuding.


    He dropped to his knees while covering his eyes. His body was convulsing uncontrollably, but the only thing he could do was scream. "Aaaggghhh!"


    "Erwin?" Clovis panicked, not realizing what had happened. He noticed her bloodlust, but there was no killing intent, as if she never had any intention to harm them.


    "What?" Clovis looked shocked.


    "Your blades are fine after getting hit by my weapon? That color... is it made of Tier 9 Dunkleosteus, which is known to be one of the toughest scales?" The mysterious woman''s expression remained unchanged as she discovered Clovis'' identity. "You should stop. You won''t be able to do anything against me. As I said earlier, I have no intention of harming both of you..."


    "Then why do you attack him?" Clovis gritted his teeth while jumping back, standing in front of Erwin, who seemed to have passed out.


    "He just saw something his heart had yet to be prepared for." She shook her head.


    "Who are you?" Clovis bit his lips, changing the question. Although he didn''t want to admit it, he didn''t feel any killing intent. In addition, if he wanted to harm them, both of them would have died before realizing it. At the same time, he couldn''t drop his guard down and accept his end without any fight.


    "My name? I have forgotten my birth name, but well, people call me Mara."


    "Mara?" Clovis furrowed his eyebrows. There were a lot of questions in his mind, but after asking several questions, he calmed down a little bit.


    He almost forgot about one thing. When both of them clashed, the world once again glitched as if there was an error in its calculation. The screen only appeared for less than half a second, but it was much clearer than the first glitch.


    At the same time, there was a chance that he was the only one who could see it. So he couldn''t reveal that information.


    To his surprise, she was the one who took the initiative this time. "It seems that you are similar to me."


    "Similar? What do you mean?"


    "I''m sure you have seen it as well." She pointed in the direction where the screen appeared earlier. "Error."


    "!!!" Clovis widened his eyes in shock. Even though he thought this might be the reason she came here, it was still shocking to hear it directly from someone else. "Do you know something about it?"


    All of a sudden, she disappeared for a split second and reappeared right before him. She grabbed his collar and pulled him closer so that their faces became extremely close, their eyes only an inch away from each other.


    "That''s what I want to know as well."

 Chapter 371 Identity

    "That''s what I''m planning to find out."


    Their eyes were locked on each other.


    Clovis'' fingers were twitching, as if he wanted to hold his swords tighter before swinging them at the woman in front of him. However, both of his swords had been knocked off his hands, so he couldn''t do anything. In addition, this woman was much more powerful than him.


    Although he didn''t know much about this person''s identity, he knew whatever he was trying to do would be impossible.


    And he was also a bit curious about the glitch that occurred.


    When Mara was staring into his eyes, Clovis felt a strange sensation. On the one hand, it was like she was searching for something. On the other hand, her gaze felt hollow, as if she had no personality.


    "Please... allow me to check my friend''s condition first." Clovis opened his mouth, breaking the silence.


    To his surprise, she casually let him go as if it wasn''t a big deal.


    More importantly, she didn''t threaten him or something. No, she didn''t even say a single word after looking into his eyes.


    Clovis hesitated for a moment before going to Erwin, who seemed to have passed out. Fortunately, Erwin seemed to be fine. The blood that came out of his eyes was more like the body releasing excess blood due to intense pressure. However, he couldn''t see a single injury. He could probably use an item from the grocery store to help him recover from the internal injury.


    Of course, after grabbing Erwin, Clovis thought about escaping, but that thought disappeared almost in an instant. He didn''t want to make this strong woman hostile to him for the time being.


    Hence, Clovis carried him and allowed him to lie down more comfortably on the ground.


    "Sorry for making you wait." Clovis took a deep breath. "I''ll cooperate with what you want, but please leave my friend alone."


    "In that case, follow me." Mara nodded.


    "First of all, I don''t understand this whole situation. What do you mean by the system? If you don''t like to explain, then you can ask me any questions and I''ll just answer them. I hope that you can let me go after this." Clovis explained his intention.


    However, Mara simply said, "I never kidnapped you or anything. This whole time, you were under the impression that you had to follow me."


    Clovis frowned. "Are you saying that if I leave right now, you won''t do anything to me or my friend?"


    "Yes." Mara confirmed it with a nod. "I''m here just to find out more about the system. If you don''t want to talk about it, you can just refuse."


    Clovis looked at her in disbelief. "Are you sure about that?"


    "If you threaten someone from a position of power, you''ll look like a fool." Mara shook her head. "If you don''t have another question, why don''t we continue talking about the system?"


    Clovis contemplated for a moment. If what she said was true, he could leave right away. But it also meant he wouldn''t know more about the system glitches he experienced.


    "In that case, can you tell me more about the system itself? If I know something more, I might be able to explain my experience better."


    Mara took another bite of the hamburger first before saying, "I don''t know much either. I have been seeing it for four years. I guess it started when I evolved into a Tier 8 human. Now that I have become a Tier 9 human, I can sense it a bit more."


    "Tier...What?" Clovis dropped his jaw. "You are... Tier 9?"


    Clovis shuddered. He couldn''t believe that the woman before him was actually a Tier 9 human.


    ''No. Think about it carefully, there are only ten Tier 9 humans in the world. There''s no way someone will be bold enough to impersonate them. But she is so young... How old is she right now? She looks like someone in her prime, maybe in her early thirties...


    ''Wait. Young? If I''m not wrong, there is a Tier 9 human who is said to have become the youngest Tier 9 human in the world. Because she has been wandering alone, no one can really predict her position. There isn''t a lot of information about her as well.


    ''Don''t tell me, she is that person? The one people called Bloody Queen, Mara Leverstrike?''

 Chapter 372 System

    Clovis sucked a cold breath. He had never thought that such a person would be sitting in front of him. And it didn''t seem like she came here because of his grandfather.


    Meanwhile, the other party seemed to notice his shock but ignored it as she continued with her explanation.


    "The first time I saw it was when I killed the mastermind who had created me."


    "Created you?" Clovis frowned.


    "I wouldn''t go into details, but the first thing I saw was the system telling me I had a mission and had completed it.


    "!!!" Clovis shivered. This was what happened to him as well.


    "Judging from your reaction, it seems that you understand what I''m talking about."


    She was the real deal, Clovis thought. Hence, he confirmed, "I''ve seen a similar thing as my first time. Is this a special power or something?"


    "I don''t know."


    "Then, do a lot of people have this system?"


    "I''m not sure. I have only seen four people who have this power. You, me, and two others. One of them is Tier 9, while the other one is a Tier 6 human."


    "Another Tier 9?" Clovis frowned. When presented with this fact, Clovis first questioned his own bloodline. Obviously, the first Tier 9 that appeared in his mind was his grandfather. "Who are they?"


    "Their names...I don''t think I''ve asked for their names." Mara shook her head. "How many times have you seen the system?"


    "Two times. I''m not really sure about my first time, but if it''s as you describe, the trigger must be... either a certain terrorist organization or the person I hate." Clovis crossed his arms. He personally believed that Ivan might be the trigger for it. "Are you searching for the people who have this system?"


    "I wonder." Mara looked out the window as if she were staring at something that didn''t exist. "If this world is a simulation, does that mean our path is predestined? Or is our path a result of calculation?"


    "It''s nothing much. I just hope that you can continue to survive. I get the feeling that we''ll meet again in the future..." Mara turned around while adding, "Besides, Flow Control doesn''t necessarily mean speed. It can be pace, shape, or other things. The blood in one''s body is no different than the water in the river."


    "Blood in the body is not different than water in the river?" Clovis widened his eyes in shock. He didn''t know why, but those words resonated with his heart.


    While Clovis was shocked, Mara had already returned the tray. No, during the whole conversation, she had been finishing her food while waiting for Clovis to get over his reaction.


    Now that she had finished the food, she simply left as if there was nothing else to discuss among them.


    And just like that, Clovis didn''t realize that she had gone.


    "Ah!" Clovis snapped back and hurriedly chased her outside. Sadly, her figure was already gone by the time he exited the building. "This..."


    Clovis scratched the back of his head, not knowing how to react. When he returned, he saw the bag for the last set of burger and soda as if she had bought it for Erwin.


    "There are really a lot of unique people out there." Clovis could only smile wryly.


    ...


    Several minutes later.


    Erwin let out a groan as he gradually opened his eyes. "Kh..."


    Erwin''s mind was still fuzzy, but his body was instinctively shivering as he remembered what he saw before passing out.


    "You''re awake?" Clovis'' voice echoed in his ears.


    "!!!" Erwin turned his head to the right and hurriedly grabbed Clovis. Even though his hands were trembling and his voice was shaking, he still warned him. "Clovis! Hurry up and escape! That person is¡ªMmff!"


    Clovis shoved the burger into his mouth in order to shut him up. "Eat this first and calm down."

 Chapter 373 Calming Down

    "Eat this first and calm down."


    "Bleh!" Erwin spat it down. Fortunately, it was still wrapped nicely, so it didn''t get dirty after touching the ground. He said with a panicked tone, "Why are you so calm? We have to get away immediately. That person is a Tier 9 human!"


    Clovis smiled gently. "Take a look at your surroundings again."


    "..." Erwin raised his head. Now that he thought about it, that person hadn''t done anything when Erwin was panicking like this.


    After taking another look at his surroundings, he realized that the woman was nowhere to be seen. "Huh? That person... Was I hallucinating?"


    "Calm down for a bit and eat this. She bought this for you." Clovis shook his head while waving his hand down a few times, gesturing that he would explain everything once he calmed down.


    "That person bought them for me?" Erwin looked at the burger carefully. On the one hand, he wasn''t in the mood to eat. On the other hand, rejecting her gift would be rude.


    Ultimately, Erwin opened the wrapper and started eating the burger.


    Clovis noticed his shaking hands. It seemed that Erwin had seen something so terrifying that his body was trembling the whole time. He wondered what kind of thing he saw in her.


    Nevertheless, he should calm him down by explaining the situation. "That person came for me."


    "!!!" Erwin was startled at first but soon regained his composure. Considering Clovis'' background, it wasn''t that weird to have a Tier 9 human visit Clovis. "I see. I guess I should have expected that from you."


    "No, no. You misunderstand the situation. While she came for me, the reason wasn''t my family. In fact, she didn''t appear to know me."


    "Not your family? Then why would she come here? It wasn''t normal for a Tier 9 to come to a town in the countryside."


    "I''m sorry, but I don''t think I can answer that question." Clovis let out a long sigh, disappointed in himself. In the end, the system and the glitch weren''t something he could talk about easily, even with his teammates.


    "There you have it." Erwin pinched the bridge of his nose.


    "Still, that person looked harmless. From her behavior to her action, it was fine as long as we didn''t provoke her."


    "Is that so? That''s good news. At least the city wouldn''t face a disaster for now." Erwin let out a breath of relief.


    "Anyway, do you know a beast known as Dunkleosteus?" Clovis asked.


    "Mhmm? Why do you ask?" Erwin tilted his head in confusion. "I can search in the Skynet, no, you can do it yourself."


    "I''m talking about Tier 9 Dunkleosteus." Clovis shook his head. If it was the regular one, he wouldn''t ask about it. But a Tier 9 beast would definitely cause a commotion. And if it was hunted down by his grandfather, Erwin might have heard about it since the person he admired was his mother.


    "Tier 9..." Erwin fell silent for a moment. "I think I have heard about it somewhere... something about a Tier 9 human hunting down a Tier 9 fish."


    "I see." Clovis was able to confirm Mara''s words about his sword. It seemed that his sword was more amazing than he originally thought.


    A Tier 9 fish that was known for having one of the toughest scales was enough for people to covet it. Mara only realized the identity of his swords simply because they didn''t break when she struck them.


    And it didn''t seem that the swords were exuding a special aura or triggering people''s instincts. So he might not need to worry about people finding out about the swords and trying to steal them from him.


    Clovis stood up. "Anyway, after you''re done, let''s go to our original destination. It''ll be good for you to calm down there as well."


    "Yeah." Erwin agreed. He just stuffed everything inside his mouth and started walking. His legs were still weak, so Clovis ended up helping him walk.


    Fortunately, they managed to reach the bus before anyone else. Clovis just gave him all the equipment he promised and told him to sit down to avoid showing his current condition.


    He should be fine after one or two more hours.

 Chapter 374 Last Preparation

    A minibus entered Serrest City.


    On the gate, a soldier stopped the car to check it.


    "Hello. How many people?" The soldier asked while checking the inside of the minibus. "May I see your identification?"


    "Six. Our group''s name is Libation Fiesta. This is our register." Jay showed them a tab.


    "Mhmm..." The soldier checked their profile and matched their faces with the photos.


    "Is there something wrong? I feel like entering a city is not supposed to be this complex." Jay asked in a lighthearted tone.


    "It''s nothing. We are just experiencing a bulk of visitors, so we have to increase our security slightly." The soldier shrugged. After checking everything, he gave the tab back. "You''re good to go."


    "Thank you." Jay nodded and started driving.


    The soldier¡ªno, even the other soldiers¡ªdidn''t realize that there were actually eight people inside the minibus.@@@@


    Aside from Clovis and the others, there were a pair of an elder and a woman sitting quietly in the back of the bus. Even though they were in plain sight, no one actually realized they were there.


    Now that they had entered the city, Clovis couldn''t help but ask, "So what are we going to do now, Sir Albert? Are we going to check the city first?"


    "No. Let''s go to the underground city right away. As planned, you guys should check in to the hotel in the underground city so that it doesn''t look weird for you guys to stay for a while. Aileen and I will go ahead first."


    "In that case, please wear these." Melody handed them skyglasses. "I have tuned them. While I might not be able to fully assist you, you can easily send a message to us. Besides, the skyglasses allow us to track your movement as well."


    "Oh! Such a reliable operator." Albert took the glasses with a smile. "Can you mark the map as well?"


    "Anyway, we have arrived at the hotel, guys." Jay called them while pointing at the front window.


    "Got it." Clovis nodded and hurriedly exited the car. The others followed, but no one noticed Albert and Aileen had come out of the car and gone to the city gate.


    Meanwhile, Kanaria was the one handling the check-in, leaving the others near their vehicle.


    Clovis asked, "Still, Sir Albert aside... Is Aileen going to be okay? Isn''t it a bit too dangerous for her to go alone? I mean, I know that she is Tier 4, but still..."


    "I don''t think you need to worry about it. Even if she can''t kill the beasts, she will be able to escape. It''s true that erasing her presence isn''t that effective against beasts because their animal instincts are stronger compared to those of humans. But she isn''t that weak. You should know that."


    "Well..." Clovis nodded in understanding. However, his focus soon changed when he noticed someone messaged him. There was only one person who would message him.


    [Hana: I''ve transferred the money. Don''t question where that money came from. It was quite hard to send that amount of money without anyone noticing.]


    Clovis smiled wryly. He patted Erwin''s shoulder while saying, "I''m going to call someone first."


    "Alright?" Erwin was a bit confused. He noticed the message but didn''t bother to take a peek. He just watched Clovis as he entered the hotel, thinking that it was Kanaria who told him to come.


    However, instead of going to the receptionist, Clovis walked to the toilet. He locked the door and made sure that no one was inside the toilet before he entered Another World Mall.


    ...


    Estesia City.


    Mara somehow returned to the same fast food restaurant again. While peacefully eating the burger, a screen panel appeared before her eyes.


    [Mission]

 Chapter 375 Super Discount

    As soon as Clovis entered Another World Mall, he immediately opened the status, wondering if the money had been calculated.


    [Name: Clovis Hacfield.]


    [Membership: Level 16 (Small Expert)]


    [Money: 17,325,500 Otherworldly Coins.]@@@@


    [Item Limit: 17/Visit]


    [Visit: 1(2)/Day]


    After looking at the amount of his coins, Clovis immediately said to Blue, who had always been waiting for him at the teleportation point, "Blue. Upgrade the membership!"


    [Processing.]


    [Upgrade Complete.]


    [Membership: Level 17 (Medium Expert)]


    [Upgrade Requirement: 7,500,000 Otherworldly Coins.]


    [Reward: Item Upgrade, One Restaurant.]


    "Mhmm..." Clovis frowned. "Upgrading to this level requires 6 million coins. And another level will require 7.5 million. I don''t think I have enough to reach level 19, which usually means opening a new store. However, it''s fine. I have a lot of free money right now.


    It''s not like I need a lot of coins for things other than upgrading.


    "Increasing the visit limit is a tempting offer, but I think I will upgrade it only after opening a new store." Clovis had already made his plan before coming here, so he immediately continued, "Blue. Upgrade!"


    [Processing.]


    [Upgrade Complete.]


    Clovis let out a long sigh. "Anyway, I also have another problem right now. I need to get enough money to upgrade my mission during this trip. I don''t know if it''s possible or not. But if I fail, the next trip will be a normal trip where I have to get enough money for my membership''s renewal. Seriously, is there no annual option with 10% off or something?"


    [The annual renewal option can be abused because the host can simply choose to pay a few thousand dollars during your first annual renewal and upgrade the membership. You might have a hundred million per renewal by the time you need to renew the membership.]


    "I know that, Blue. I''m just thinking it out loud." Clovis pinched the bridge of his nose. "If I want to do that, I might as well ask Hana to be my sugar mommy or something. Investing a hundred billion dollars at once so that I can get big in an instant.


    "Then again, my life won''t be mine anymore since there will definitely be a lot of strings attached to that kind of money. And I still have my pride." Clovis paused for a moment. "Let''s get to the main objective. I came here for two purposes, upgrading the membership and purchasing some items. Blue, give me the list of items that I can finish in one bite from the two restaurants we have."


    [Processing.]


    [Name: Spring Rolls]


    [Price: 980 coins]


    [Effect: Strength +5% for 10 minutes.]


    ...


    ...


    ...


    [Name: Sweet and Sour Tofu]


    [Price: 1,220 coins]


    [Effect: Speed +15% for 5 minutes.]


    This was his original intention. Yes, he was actually inspired by Mara, who came for the fast food. He couldn''t help but think, ''What if he just bought something he could swallow in one bite?'' This way, he could gain the boost without anyone noticing.


    "This trip is a little bit dangerous, so I guess I will choose these..."


    Clovis began purchasing some food and just stored it inside the mall''s inventory since it wouldn''t rot.


    With this, the preparation was completed.

 Chapter 376 Tier 5?

    After getting everything he needed from the mall, Clovis went back to the car. His face showed an excited expression as if he were planning to hunt all the beasts they encountered.


    "Did something good happen?" Erwin tilted his head in confusion. Clovis never showed this excitement during the trip. While it might also be to hide his excitement from Albert and Aileen, he should be able to see it.


    "It''s nothing. I''m just thinking about how we should kill as many Tier 4 beasts as possible." Clovis smiled.


    Erwin couldn''t help but furrow his eyebrows. Considering their team''s strength, Clovis and Jay could definitely kill a Tier 4 beast by themselves. If they cooperated with Kanaria, Melody, and Ragna, they could even fight three to four Tier 4 beasts at once.


    In addition, he had joined the team, which boosted the group''s power even more.


    Erwin could see that Clovis was actually considering not only a Tier 4 beast but a Tier 5 beast. On the one hand, none of them could handle a Tier 5 beast. The strength gap was simply too much. On the other hand, the potential was there.


    If Ragna could somehow withstand the beast''s attack or at least distract the beast for a while, the others could release a barrage of attacks to kill it. It looked feasible in his mind, but he didn''t know whether the Tier 5 beast would be that easy to kill or not, let alone that they normally wouldn''t be alone.


    "I''m just going to say this. Don''t be too reckless." Erwin patted Clovis'' shoulder.


    Clovis smiled wryly. It seemed that he had figured out his plan. At the same time, he couldn''t help but think about it.


    In the end, he chose to escape to the minibus while opening his status. There was a reason why he wanted to fight a Tier 5 beast.


    Name: Clovis Hacfield


    Tier: 2


    Evolution Rate: 15%


    Brain: 21.1%


    "I will protect our left flank." Erwin''s head popped out. "I can drive, but I''ll just let Ragna and Jay drive for now. As a new member, it''s only right for me to start contributing to show you that recruiting me is not a mistake. Besides, the terrain is also pretty suitable for my fighting style."


    Jay''s eyebrows twitched. He had been driving this whole time so that he could switch with Ragna in the underground world. To think that Erwin would actually steal his job.


    However, Jay didn''t say anything yet because the mountain would be the main battlefield.


    "So any orders from Sir Albert yet?"


    "Nope. Sir Albert has reached the mountain and continued toward the city. Meanwhile, Aileen is going around the mountain. Hence, our objective remains the same. Kill the beasts on the mountain and secure a path for evacuation."


    Clovis thought for a moment. "Tell Aileen that it''s fine if she just scouts the area ahead. Mark the spot with the beast type and its number. She doesn''t need to take action to conserve her energy. After all, there is still a long road to the city. The mountain is the main checkpoint."


    "Sure." Melody didn''t bother to argue, fully knowing that Clovis always wanted to kill as many beasts as possible.


    "Also, if you have a chance, try to create a 3D map to show the state of the mountain from the evacuation route and add the data Aileen supplied."


    "Well, it''s going to be a lot of work, but I guess it can''t be helped. We don''t want the beasts to mess with the evacuation route. The huge number of beasts or big battles can cause a landslide after all." Melody let out a long sigh.


    "Yes."


    "What about the two groups that are led by Tier 6 explorers?"


    "They are at the second and third checkpoints respectively. Once we clear the mountain and turn it into a checkpoint, they will begin the evacuation."


    "Got it." Clovis nodded. "Thank you."


    It took Kanaria another five minutes before she finally returned. "I''m back! Let''s head out!"@@@@

 Chapter 377 Test

    "Clovis. There are ten incoming beasts." Melody informed.


    "Got it." Clovis checked the direction and immediately rushed over once he stabbed the corpses around him with the essence collector.


    As usual, Clovis continued his outstanding performance, killing a lot of beasts easily.


    Meanwhile, Melody couldn''t help but raise her voice when it came to Erwin. "Erwin. There are four more beasts coming!"


    "I know. Give me a sec! I''m not as fast as Clovis!" Erwin had a hard time keeping up, even with the equipment from Another World Mall.


    ''Kh. How in the world am I supposed to keep up with this? They''re moving too fast. After engaging with these new four beasts, I have to go back to the other spot to gather the essence collectors.'' Erwin complained inwardly.


    However, Melody simply said, "Just cut their head and be done with it."


    "It''s easy for you to say that!" Erwin clicked his tongue. He waved his hand, releasing his wires toward a beast. The beast sensed the danger from the wires and tried to avoid it, but the wires suddenly dropped and circled around its neck.


    After that, with a single pulling motion, the neck was sliced apart by the wires.


    Now that all the beasts had died, Erwin planted the essence collectors before attaching a wire to two trees, turning the wire into a slingshot.


    He launched himself into the air, closing the gap between him and the four incomming beasts in a single leap.


    Before the beasts could get close to the vehicle, Erwin had fallen on top of them. He killed two beasts in the same manner.


    Still, he needed to launch back to grab the essence collectors while keeping up with the minibus.


    On the one hand, he was overwhelmed by the task. On the other hand, he finally understood why Libation Fiesta was considered to be the most aggressive team during the competition.


    How could she test them? There was one way to do it.


    ...


    "Hmm?" Melody couldn''t help but furrow her eyebrows. "Guys. There is a wave of beasts coming from the mountain. It''s climbing down the mountain at high speed. There are about twenty of them."


    "!!!" Kanaria hurriedly opened the door and took a peek at the mountain. "We have a problem. A Tier 4 spider is spotted."


    "That spider matches the picture Aileen took half an hour ago."


    "There seem to be two Tier 2 and the rest are lower than that. I don''t spot any Tier 3 spiders." Kanaria squinted her eyes. "But it''s a bit hard to see them when they''re hidden in the trees."


    "We''ll go with our original plan. Get ready for full combat!" Clovis immediately took over the command. "Erwin. Finish all the beasts in your direction and kill the weak spiders. Ragna, Jay, and Kanaria will take down the Tier 4 beast."


    "Roger."


    Jay and Ragna immediately exited the car. Meanwhile, Kanaria grabbed some equipment before coming out. She first tossed Ragna''s shield before climbing to the top of the minibus.


    Ragna nodded to Jay before taking the lead. His role was simple. It was to stop the enemy''s attack and create an opportunity for Jay.


    Meanwhile, Clovis had cut through the enemy and approached the enemy from the right.


    Erwin still needed some time, but he could easily catch up just by leaping toward it.


    Aileen felt amazed by their reaction time. "To think that they can get ready so quickly... not only the operators, but all of them are already aware of their roles. Still, can they defeat a Tier 4 spider with several other beas¡ª! What''s that?" Aileen gasped when she saw Kanaria on top of the vehicle. It wasn''t her position that shocked her, but her weapon.


    "Hehehe. Thanks to the minibus, I can finally carry multiple weapons with me. For this unlucky spider, I guess I''ll test this one." Kanaria smirked while setting up her sniper. "Get ready to be blasted with my Eclipse-X50. I guess a Tier 2 bullet is enough to pierce through the spider''s body."

 Chapter 378 Easily Killing a Tier 4 Beast

    "Incoming." Ragna shouted, signaling Jay to get ready. Some of the beasts had no choice but to change their direction to stop Clovis.


    Although it wasn''t all of them leaving, Ragna still positioned himself to the right, avoiding being surrounded by the beasts from the left.


    When the spiders were about to arrive, Ragna sped up. The change of pace immediately caught the spider''s attention, causing them to target him.


    The Tier 4 spider leaned its body forward, striking Ragna with swift but deadly bites. However, the latter managed to put his shield in front, which blocked the spider''s attack.


    Still, the other spiders took advantage of this chance to slip past Ragna''s defense.


    Ragna simply stepped to the left and slammed his spear on the spiders before they could reach him. Meanwhile, Jay moved to the right and cut down the spiders on this side before approaching the Tier 4 spider in the same manner as these smaller spiders.


    The Tier 4 spider itself was looking majestic. With a three-meter-tall body, it was trying to overwhelm Ragna and pin him to the ground.


    The Tier 4 spider was trying to avoid Jay, but all of a sudden, they heard a screeching sound from the right as multiple spiders were sent flying with their bodies chopped into pieces.


    There wouldn''t be any more spiders coming from the right, which allowed Jay to attack the spider''s left legs.


    When the spider was about to retreat, as if not planning to lose to Clovis or anyone else in the Libation Fiesta, Erwin launched himself into the air.


    The spider managed to get away for a meter before multiple strings suddenly wrapped his body from above. The spider''s body was lifted up a centimeter. It wasn''t much, but it was enough to throw the spider off balance.


    Jay hurriedly struck the spider''s legs with all his strength. He even used his beast soul and launched the momentum to increase his power.


    While Kanaria was explaining, the battle still had to continue. The remaining spiders went berserk. In addition, the Tier 4 spider had yet to die.


    Its collapsing body was still pointing its spineret at Jay. If it died, it would still drag one enemy down together.


    However, Ragna suddenly appeared in front of Jay. The spider, gradually dying, had no choice but to shoot out the last bit of energy it had.


    The webs hit Ragna''s shield. But because of this, Ragna couldn''t avoid the attacks from the normal spiders coming from his left.


    Erwin was about to send forth his own threads to help him, but Jay had actually come to the left and killed several spiders. There was a Tier 2 spider that was trying to buy some time for Jay and let the others attack Ragna.


    Sadly, Erwin caught three spiders with his wires and crushed them. In addition, Clovis had finally reached them. He first cut the webs that stuck on the shield, freeing Ragna. They both then rushed to the left, killing the remaining spiders while leaving the Tier 4 spider behind.


    Of course, Kanaria took this opportunity to shoot the Tier 4 spider one more time, finally killing it.


    Aileen opened her mouth in shock. "This... I know Clovis is a monster like me, but his stamina is so high. He is able to do all that in his exhausted state. Even Erwin can hardly keep up.


    "However, Kanaria''s firepower is extraordinary. I guess guns, especially sniper rifles, are still quite good even in the middle tier. She might still be able to pierce through the skin of a Tier 5 beast with higher tier bullets. But that advantage will gradually disappear as they reach higher tiers.


    "It doesn''t matter. Right now, I''ve confirmed that they''re able to take care of all the beasts on this mountain." Aileen shook her head and started heading toward the next checkpoint.


    Little did she know, the most important role in this battle was actually Melody. The reason they could do such a complex maneuver without talking to each other was because Melody guided them and even showed them an arrow as a guide.


    Yet, amidst their celebration, Clovis couldn''t help but say, "I know you''re happy, but Kanaria, that gun is too loud."


    Clovis raised his head, hearing a lot of screeching sounds coming down the mountain. "A lot of beasts are coming now."

 Chapter 379 The Citys Condition

    "Ha... Ha..." Clovis was panting heavily while looking at the numerous corpses in front of him. "How many beasts did we just kill?"


    "I don''t know. Maybe about 400 beasts?" Melody replied while monitoring the situation on the screen. While Melody was inside the minibus, feeling the chilling air from the air conditioner, her clothes were drenched in sweat.


    In the end, the one who worked the hardest was her. She had been helping five of them while monitoring the entire field the whole time.


    "I''m tired." Melody let out a long sigh while leaning back. "And Clovis wants a total of two teams? Can I even keep up with all of them?"@@@@


    On the other hand, Clovis had sheathed his blade while checking the others, especially Erwin, who was lying down on the ground. He had a hard time keeping up with the insane pace.


    "Oi. Are you alive?" Clovis jokingly called Erwin from a distance.


    Erwin raised his head a bit while saying, "Your group is too much."


    "Don''t worry. You will get used to it sooner or later." Clovis stuck out his tongue.


    Erwin chuckled. He couldn''t deny it, considering Clovis had given him the items and other things, such as the Star Method and a technique from the bookstore.


    Erwin knew that all of them were extraordinary, especially after revealing the fact that the Star Method came from his father while the technique originated from his grandfather.


    If he managed to master all of them, he might be able to defeat Aileen, even if she was one tier above him.


    Meanwhile, Jay and Ragna were collecting the essence from the corpses, while Kanaria remained on the lookout.


    Clovis asked, "How is the situation in front?"


    Melody looked at the map before reporting. "We have approximately killed about thirty percent of the beasts looming around the mountain. We will probably need another three hours to clean up the rest. And if we want to play it safe, we will take another hour just to make sure about it.


    "Aileen has reached the second checkpoint and remained there for the time being. Sir Albert has left the third checkpoint and is now making his way to the city."


    "Have you told them about our status?" Clovis contemplated. "What are their thoughts about it?"


    "Yes. Aileen will be coordinating with us and sending reinforcement from the second checkpoint. This way, after we clear this mountain, the reinforcements will turn it into a safe checkpoint. Meanwhile, we will go toward the city."


    Clovis rubbed his chin before asking, "What about the third checkpoint?"


    "The previous command center was raided by the enemy. The commander was there and died in battle."


    "But he was a Tier 6 human. How could he die just like that?" Albert abruptly stopped, realizing the culprit. "Don''t tell me, the news about the Tier 7 beast is true..."


    "Yes, sir." He nodded. "I will lead you to the vice commander."


    "No. Just point out the direction. I''ll go by myself. You''ll remain here to stop the beasts."


    "There. The three-story building with a black roof."


    "Alright." Albert didn''t immediately go. He noticed the gazes of the bystanders. He raised his voice and shouted with dignity. "People. I am a Tier 7 explorer, Albert Risevan. I''m here to help with the evacuation process.


    However, I''ll need you to lend me a hand. Please stop the beasts for a bit more."


    The people who heard him couldn''t help but widen their eyes.


    "Albert Risevan?"


    "The Shadow Killer?"


    "I saw his face ten years ago on Skynet."


    "We can finally go home."


    "Fight! It''s time to fight back and go home. Just hang on a bit more!"


    "Ooh!"


    The people became a bit more energetic.


    Albert then jumped off the wall while looking at the city''s state. Thirty percent of the buildings inside the city had been destroyed. He could see barricades here and there. But all of them were located near the center of the city.


    As expected, the beasts came from underground and took control of the stone pillar and its nearby area. The Tier 7 beast should also be hiding in there.


    "Still, it''s awful."

 Chapter 380 Evacuation

    "Sir!" The vice commander greeted Albert. He was rather young, but the fact that he was a Tier 5 human was enough to give him the position. And he had been defending this area after the commander''s death, so his ability seemed reliable.


    Albert nodded. "We are planning to evacuate the city. How is the situation?"


    "Please take a look at this, sir." The vice commander pointed to the map. The city was split into two. The first one was a small red circle in the middle, and the second was a green circle that covered the rest. "Currently, the beasts are occupying the stone pillar as well as all the buildings around it, including the military area and the essence bank.


    We are currently setting up a blockade on the third block."


    "What about our casualties?"


    "We can''t find the exact number right now, especially because there are about two to three hundred people leaving the city in panic. Their fate is currently unknown. Meanwhile, there should be 400 casualties inside the city. Because they are coming from the middle, most of the casualties are coming from the soldiers. They have bought us precious time to evacuate the citizens to the outer circle."


    "Are they scattered in all areas?"


    "Yes."


    "In that case, I need you to gather at the south gate. I also need another team to secure food and water for the evacuation because we don''t bring much. The evacuation route should be secured in three to four hours. Before that, we''ll have to complete the preparation for evacuation."


    "Understood." The vice commander nodded furiously. "Ravi. Set up two teams. Go door-to-door if necessary. Mobilize all the troops and ask for the cooperation of the citizens if necessary. In this situation, even if you are a normal citizen, you''re expected to contribute."


    "Sir!" A young soldier saluted before heading out.


    "What about the Tier 7 beast?" Albert asked.


    "Please take a look at this." The vice commander typed a few things, showing a video. "This is a record before we lost contact with the commander."


    "!!!" Albert widened his eyes.


    The video showed an ambush in the control room. All the beasts crawling inside were spiders. They immediately secured the room, including destroying the security camera.


    They were swarming the car in panic.


    "Don''t worry. Tier 7 Explorer Albert Risevan is helping us with the evacuation."


    Those who heard it were delighted. They had heard Albert Risevan''s name, so they hurriedly turned around while running.


    But before they could go too far, the soldier also said, "All adult males are to help with the evacuation and go door to door if necessary. Please help us to get as many people out as possible. All adult females should secure food and water supplies. The faster we prepare, the faster the evacuation will be. Please."


    When the people heard of this announcement, some of them felt called out but chose to ignore it. They simply continued running toward the south gate, focusing on their safety.


    However, some of them chose to help with the evacuation. At the end of the day, they needed to work together if they wanted to survive.


    At least, almost half of them turned around and actually helped the soldiers.


    "Go back!"


    "We need to help the soldiers."


    "That''s right. If we can do it fast, we can get out of this city faster."


    Some people felt moved by their reactions and chose to help as well. In fact, not only adults, but elderly people and children also wanted to help.


    It was a shame that a lot of people were selfish and chose to ignore the plea, but there were still a lot more that tried to help.


    They ransacked the supplies from stores. In fact, some store owners ordered their employees to bring out all their entire stock and donate it for the evacuation.


    While there was chaos here and there, it didn''t change the fact that the flow was going toward the south gate.


    As for Albert, the one in charge of the evacuation, he was standing on top of a tall building, looking at the stone pillar.


    His expression was solemn as he muttered, "Now then... What should I do? Should I poke them right now and find the Tier 7 beast, or should I wait a few more hours before accomplishing my mission? With all the ruckuses going on, I''m afraid that the beasts will notice them and try to attack us."

 Chapter 381 Arriving

    After several hours, Clovis had gone to the next checkpoint, meeting with the representative of the second checkpoint.


    Clovis extended his hand while saying, "I''m Clovis from Libation Fiesta. Our team has killed most of the beasts on the mountain."


    The Tier 6 middle-aged woman shook his hand. "I''ve heard about you from Mr. Albert."


    On the one hand, the Tier 6 woman couldn''t believe that Clovis had killed so many beasts. On the other hand, Clovis was currently a direct subordinate of Albert. If she ended up antagonizing him, it would be troublesome if Albert ended up harassing her later.


    As if he could see through her worry, Clovis added, "We have killed about one and a half thousand beasts. It seems that most of them have gone to the underground base. However, the problem is that we don''t have enough manpower to search every nook and cranny."


    "..." The woman fell silent. When Clovis mentioned the number, it made his words a bit more credible. Either way, she would press a complaint if Clovis hadn''t killed a lot of beasts. "I understand. My team will completely secure the mountain."


    Clovis nodded. "On another note, have you found the tunnel leading to the base?"


    "Not yet. We suspect that it''s on the mountain. My team is about to secure it and seal it completely. We have prepared plenty of explosives."


    "Understood. In that case, my team will continue to the base."


    The woman nodded.


    They immediately went their separate ways. Little did she know, she would get the shock of her life after seeing how a single team could kill so many beasts within a few hours.


    Although she had seen the exhausted faces of everyone in the group, it didn''t change the fact that this feat was impossible for any Tier 3 or Tier 4 group, let alone a group with half of the members only Tier 2.


    Nevertheless, Clovis didn''t plan to meet her again. Even though they were exhausted, they still needed to go to the city.


    And the situation was actually worse than they imagined. When the base was in sight, they could see a lot of beasts surrounding the base from all directions. The people on the wall were quite exhausted from holding them back.


    In addition, the smoke inside the base had spread so widely that it appeared as if half of the city was engulfed in fire.


    "This is awful." Kanaria clicked her tongue. "They won''t be able to last for another two hours."


    "Are we going to fight all those beasts in this state?" Erwin frowned. "I mean, we can still fight, but I don''t think we''re in a condition to kill another thousand beasts."


    Clovis frowned before turning to Melody. The latter connected him to Albert.


    "Sir Albert. This is Clovis. We have the base in sight, but there doesn''t seem to be any entrance here."


    It was only a matter of time before the city was breached.


    "Clovis! Go!" Albert finally gave a signal.


    "Kanaria. You''ll be alone this time," said Clovis.


    "Don''t worry. I''m using my usual weapon, so I can take care of myself." Kanaria waved her hand. "You should worry about yourself."


    Clovis nodded. "Let''s begin!"


    Clovis and the others started advancing toward the corner of the wall.


    Roar!


    Roar!


    Roar!


    The beasts noticed him as expected. A lot of them turned around to eliminate them.


    However, Clovis and Jay sped up.


    Clovis waved his swords multiple times while Jay swung his sword with both hands.


    "Raaa!" The beasts suddenly flew into the air, either getting sliced multiple times or split into two.


    Ragna positioned himself to the left. As Clovis and Jay pierced through the enemy''s ranks, Ragna blocked all the beasts coming from the west wall.


    Kanaria was unleashing all her bullets on the west wall, giving Ragna an easier time.


    Meanwhile, the enemy at the south gate was handled by Erwin and Melody.


    But before they could begin, a person had already jumped off the wall right above them.


    "Focus on the enemies coming from the west walls, little friends. I''ll eliminate all the enemies from the south gate." The familiar voice echoed in their ears. "Annihilation."


    When that person landed on the ground, all of a sudden, numerous beasts were going down as if they had been slashed from behind.

 Chapter 382 Appearance

    A minute ago.


    Albert saw Clovis'' group approaching at high speed. Even though he didn''t want to admit it, compared to a Tier 6 human, Clovis'' group was less reliable. If he were to wipe out all the enemies at the south gate, he had to start from this corner.


    However, when they first clashed with the beasts, Albert couldn''t help but widen his eyes in shock. "They are... Tier 2?"


    Both Clovis and Jay were much more monstrous than the beasts themselves, killing their way through in just a moment.


    In addition, he could see a lot of beasts going down from bullets. In the end, Ragna was only a person, so Kanaria shot all the beasts that were out of his reach.


    That left them with Erwin and Melody. Because of the plan, he couldn''t see them perform as he jumped off the wall.


    "Go to the west, little friends. I''ll take care of this side." Albert was holding a short sword in each hand. "Annihilation."


    As soon as he landed on the ground, his figure disappeared, moving as fast as a bullet.


    Without anyone noticing it, he had actually killed more than thirty beasts.


    "Rauu!" The beasts let out some groans, but ended up falling to the ground.


    "Sir..." Erwin widened his eyes in shock.


    Albert pointed to the side, not wanting to repeat his words.


    Erwin and Melody gulped down before hurrying to Ragna''s side. They never thought they would catch a glimpse of the power of a Tier 7 human.


    Albert then moved toward the second wall while taking down all the beasts in his way.


    His killing speed was much faster than the entire Libation Fiesta.


    As he approached the gate that was located in the middle, a group of people suddenly emerged from the woods outside the base.


    "Please do it in a casual manner. We can''t afford to make the people even more panicked."


    "Got it." Clovis waved his hand. "Disengage. We''re entering the city and joining the rear."


    Without hesitation, all of them stepped back, letting these people take over. Kanaria seemed to have noticed the movement from her position and immediately ran toward them.


    As soon as Kanaria reached them, Clovis led his group toward the south gate. While running, he asked, "How is the situation inside?"


    The one who replied to him this time was Aileen. "Some beasts have noticed our movements, but everything is still under control."


    It was supposed to be good news. But right after she said those words, suddenly, a few loud howls resounded across the city.


    A few buildings suddenly got taken down, as if all the slumbering beasts had woken up. Roars from each beast soon followed right after.


    "!!!" Clovis raised his head. Even the people started panicking as they whispered to each other while looking back. They were urging the people in front of them to go faster.


    "What is going on?" Kanaria asked.


    Melody''s expression turned serious. She was looking at the camera on Aileen''s skyglasses. "The situation has just gotten much worse. The beasts are all coming. The north gate seems to have been breached. The beasts from there must be the ones informing the rest of the beasts that are staying in the middle of the city."


    Even Albert and the Tier 6 explorer couldn''t help but exchange looks.


    "I''ll check. You take care of the rest." Albert didn''t finish killing all the beasts at the south gate. Fortunately, the reinforcement had come, so the Tier 6 explorer could take care of the rest.


    When Albert reached the top of the wall, he couldn''t help but widen his eyes. A big spider had just emerged from the stone pillar. "Is that the Tier 7 spider?"


    The spider was standing still for a few seconds, as if she were assessing the situation. When she realized what was happening, she let out a screeching sound.


    "Reee!"


    All the beasts inside the city suddenly moved in unison.


    "Oh shit."

 Chapter 383 Common Enemy

    "Oh shit!" Albert''s expression turned dark. "Is that really the Tier 7 spider? I''ve confirmed its presence and location, but this..."


    Albert was facing a dilemma. On the one hand, he could probably fight this spider and stop it from reaching the refugees. On the other hand, he wouldn''t escape unscathed.


    ''This is not good... really not good.'' Albert bit his lips. ''I''m an assassin. My skill is useful for killing, but not fighting. If I go by myself, the spider will definitely stop me and turn it into normal fighting.''


    The beasts were in a frenzy when the Tier 7 spider gave them an order. They were bulldozing all the buildings before them as they made their way toward the south.


    But that spider wasn''t the only thing he needed to be concerned about.


    All of a sudden, a huge beast emerged from the ground, destroying the entire building above him.


    "What is that? This strength... It''s a Tier 6. But that size..." Albert gasped. The beast that just emerged reached twenty meters tall. It also had a big body, allowing it to swallow a building easily.


    "Is that the beast that drilled the hole for all the beasts here? Looking at its size, this is the only explanation that allows a spider of that size to reach this city."


    "!!!" Albert glanced to the side. "Friday boy."


    The one who appeared next to him was the Tier 6 guy. He had killed the remaining beasts and decided to take a look. "Is that Diictodon?"


    "Dick dinosaur?"


    "Diictodon! Your hearing has become worse, old fox. That beast is more related to mammals than to reptiles. We have heard about the rumor of its existence, but we have never spotted it to hunt it down. Those chisel-like front teeth and robust forelimbs are suitable for digging.


    "They''re living in burrow they dug themselves, likely to escape extreme weather and predators. That''s why it''s hard to find that guy. I''ll take care of that big guy by myself. You better stop the spider."


    Albert fell silent. Even though they had an even number, it didn''t change the fact that this would be a difficult battle.


    "What are you thinking so hard, old fox? It''s a basic courtesy for us to make a peace treaty for two years to recuperate from all this. I hate you, but we are both humans. And in front of us are beasts!"


    Albert smiled wryly. "To think that the young brat I met ten years ago would be lecturing me right now."


    "I am not a brat anymore!"


    "Then, three-minute boy."


    However, they still hadn''t gotten any new orders from Albert.


    After killing another group of beasts, Aileen couldn''t help but shout, "Granduncle. Granduncle. Do you hear me?"


    She had been calling her granduncle but to no avail.


    Bam!


    Suddenly, a beast emerged from an abandoned building, about to pounce on one of their members.


    The guy panicked, but several figures appeared from all sides, stabbing the beast in unison. Aileen was among them.


    "We need to get away from here, Miss."


    "We might not be good at fighting, but we are still able to hold them back for some time." Aileen refused.


    However, her assistant simply said, "That''s not it. The scout has spotted two Tier 5 beasts coming toward us! I can somehow stop one of them, but no one can fight a Tier 5 other than me."


    "This..." Aileen''s body shook. On the one hand, she had an order. On the other hand, the situation was truly unfavorable to them.


    Bam!


    Bam!


    The buildings were destroyed as another wave of beasts came. And two of them were none other than the Tier 5 beasts they were talking about.


    Seeing the intensity of this group, Aileen couldn''t help but grit his teeth, having no other choice.


    "We will ret¡ª" Aileen wanted to give an order, but all of a sudden, two figures fell from above. The first one cut down the beast into multiple pieces, while the second one crushed the beast''s entire body with a punch. "Granduncle?!"


    "There''s no need to retreat." Albert stood on top of the corpse while taking another look at the enemy''s formation.


    Friday stomped the corpse and shouted, "Attention to all elites from my Wishe family. By my name, Friday, I order all of you to unleash all your strength and cooperate with those motherfuckers from the Shadow Units. If you fail to protect them, you''ll be punished according to family law."


    Albert smiled while saying to the radio. "This is Shadow Instructor Albert. All elites from the Shadow Division, release all your limits and kill as many beasts as possible. Don''t let a single beast live and tarnish our family name. Our target is that Tier 7 bastard on the back!"@@@@

 Chapter 384 Reinforcement

    "!!!" Aileen looked shocked. No, it wasn''t just her. All the people from the two families were stunned.


    They had a feud against each other for the last twenty years, so they didn''t expect that the two leaders would actually order them to fight alongside the others.


    The people from the Wishe family rushed toward the left side, where the Shadow Divisions were located. However, they didn''t know what they were supposed to do. In fact, some of them were looking at the people from the Shadow Divisions with hostility.


    However, the two leaders had only killed the Tier 5 beasts. In other words, the rest of the beasts continued onward.


    Roar!


    Roar!


    Roar!


    They panicked. Although a bit awkward, they ended up charging forward.


    "Attack!"


    "Just attack them first!"


    These people were stopping the beasts'' momentum, but this time, it was the Shadow Units'' turn to be surprised.


    It was at this time that Aileen and the Tier 5 assistant appeared out of thin air, stabbing two beasts that were stopped by the Wishe family.


    "!!!" They were shocked.


    Because they hadn''t moved, Aileen couldn''t help but shout, "What are you doing, Shadow Divisions? Have you not heard what the supreme instructor has ordered us?!"


    "Y-Yes!" One after another snapped as they immediately disappeared, either erasing their presence or hiding inside a building. When an opportunity appeared, they emerged from their hiding spot and struck the beasts.


    On one side, after killing a beast, another beast suddenly came out from the corner.


    "Raaa!" It didn''t hesitate to open its mouth, trying to kill the assassin.


    However, an explorer from the Wishe family suddenly jumped into the air and kicked the beast''s head from the side, knocking it down.


    On the other side, there was a guy from the Wishe family who was about to be attacked by two beasts. However, an assassin appeared from above, killing one of the beasts. He could finally focus on only one of them.


    Although their cooperation started in an awkward way, it could be said that these two families cooperated as if they had known each other for a long time.


    "Who are you?"


    "Unrelated personnel are not to come closer to this area."


    A few soldiers stopped her, but the latter simply walked past them as if no one was before her.


    "Hey!" One of the soldiers grasped her shoulder, trying to stop her.


    However, the next thing he realized, he was suddenly knocked into the air. No, it wasn''t just him. The other soldiers around him were the same.


    They didn''t even know how they were suddenly floating. It was only when they reached the ground that they finally realized what was going on.


    "Not good!"


    "Stop her!"


    "An intruder!"


    They started alarming the people around them, requesting reinforcement. They were pointing their guns at her while shouting, "Stop! Or we are going to shoot you!"


    Even with that threat, she continued walking as if it weren''t her business.


    The soldiers gritted their teeth. After exchanging nods, they had no other choice. They pulled the triggers.


    Bang!


    Bang!


    Bang!


    More than twenty shots were released, but to their surprise, they heard a series of clicking sounds before bullets that were supposed to hit her fell to the ground as if they hit an invisible barrier.


    The soldiers turned pale, wondering what kind of monster could actually stop all those bullets. They couldn''t even see her movements.


    More and more soldiers gathered after hearing the commotions. But the woman had reached the edge of the underground tunnel.


    "Stop!"


    The soldiers tried to stop her again while pointing their guns at her. This time, there were fifteen soldiers ready to shoot. Yet the woman fearlessly looked at the underground tunnel, specifically the boulders that stuck in it, and jumped.@@@@

 Chapter 385 Chaotic Battlefield

    Bam!


    Bam!


    Bam!


    Multiple buildings were destroyed in rapid succession.


    "Come on!" Friday shouted in anger, moving toward the Tier 6 beast. He jumped into the air and punched the Tier 6 beast in the face.


    The punch was strong enough to actually push the beast''s upper body to the side. However, the beast actually tilted its body back and used all that momentum to strike back.


    "Kh!" Friday raised his arms, blocking this attack. However, the force actually launched him for fifty meters until a three-story building ''caught'' him.


    Friday ended up destroying a few pillars before he managed to stop his momentum. After that, he stood up. Despite getting hit so hard, there wasn''t a single bruise on his body.


    He jumped again, planning to keep the Tier 6 beast in check. "Once more!"


    Not far from him, another battle was going on.


    Albert came toward the spider''s leg. Due to its size, his short sword wouldn''t be that effective.


    However, the spider also had a hard time finding him.


    As soon as he reached the spider''s leg, he looked up before leaping into the air. He used the leg as his footing to launch himself onto another leg.


    He utilized the momentum to stab the leg as if he were an arrow. His plan worked because his swords were able to pierce its thick skin. However, due to the size of the spider, Albert was only able to hit the outer layer of its flesh. It wasn''t enough to reach the inner flesh, which would result in bleeding.


    "Tsk." Albert clicked his tongue. He was frustrated not only because his attack was ineffective but also because the spider had sensed him and started moving.


    The spider slammed him with its leg just by moving its entire body.


    Albert tried to avoid it, but the surface was simply too big. In the end, he was thrown to the rooftop of a building.


    But this time, he had to do everything by himself, which allowed the spider to overpower him.


    "I am so unlucky." Albert muttered while getting up. Even with all the complaints, he still planned to fight this beast... at least long enough until the evacuation was done.


    He forgot that a lot of beasts had come toward the left side.


    In other words, Aileen would be the one who was impacted the most.


    Roar!


    Roar!


    Roar!


    Aileen frowned. "No way. Are we supposed to handle all of them?"


    "There seems to be about three hundred beasts coming toward us. And these beasts are not weak. I can see two Tier 5 beasts from here."


    "Can you handle them?"


    "If I work together with the Tier 5 explorer from the Wishe family, it''s possible. However, the rest of the beasts will be quite hard to deal with."


    "It''s fine. We have pushed them far enough. Even if we are being pushed back now, we''ll simply return to our original position."


    "Understood. However, these beasts are not limited to our left side. Some of them are also coming to your friends over there."


    Aileen glanced to the side. She simply said, "It doesn''t matter. They can handle it by themselves."


    "Are you sure?" Her assistant didn''t think that Aileen would be this cold. What he didn''t know was that Aileen simply believed in their strength.


    As Aileen said, Clovis and the others had taken care of all the beasts on their way. After seeing the beast''s reinforcement, Clovis simply smiled.


    What everyone didn''t realize was that this reinforcement didn''t just bring hundreds of beasts. They were the finest beasts that the Tier 7 spider had in this city.

 Chapter 386 A Big Problem

    "Incoming!" Clovis shouted while raising both blades.


    Kanaria looked at the enemy closely while saying, "There are two Tier 4 spiders and one Tier 4 beast. One of the spiders is coming to Erwin''s side while the rest are coming to you, Clovis. There are also a lot of Tier 3 coming."


    "Roger." Clovis nodded. Instead of defending the position, Clovis actually approached them aggressively this time. Ragna and Jay followed right behind him.


    Seeing their movements, Kanaria immediately shifted her aim to the beasts. She started raining them with bullets, killing one beast after another.


    Clovis swung his sword, hitting the Tier 1 beast at the front. He easily slashed it into two, but there was a Tier 2 beast right behind it.


    Clovis used his fastest speed to cut the beast multiple times, but to his surprise, the beast actually sped up and rammed its entire body onto Clovis. The latter was able to avoid it and left behind several wounds, but to his surprise, the Tier 2 beast didn''t die.


    "Huh?" Clovis frowned. "These beasts are weird. The power is also quite strong..."


    The beast managed to block a few strikes, allowing Clovis to understand the gap between them.


    It was surprisingly smaller than all the Tier 2 beasts he had fought so far.


    Clovis wasn''t the only one who had the problem. Jay also only managed to slash two beasts at the same time and got blocked by the third beast when he was supposed to be able to slash everything this whole time.


    "This is..." Jay frowned. "Even with the beast soul, I actually fail to kill them all?"


    Ragna was pushed back several meters by a charge from a beast. He managed to stab its head right after that, but Ragna couldn''t help but say, "Their strength is too strong. It''s as if we''re fighting far away from a city."


    "!!!" Clovis couldn''t help but widen his eyes, noticing what was wrong with these beasts. "Retreat! These beasts don''t seem to be feeling the suppression of the stone pillar."


    "How is that possible?" Melody asked while shooting the beasts that were caught by the wires. At the same time, she noticed that several wires had actually snapped. "The stone pillar is right in front of us!"


    "What? How could it move faster than a bullet? No..." Kanaria frowned. It wasn''t the spider''s speed. Instead, the spider actually jumped before she even pulled her trigger.


    "Tsk." Kanaria immediately raised her aim. The spider shouldn''t be able to avoid her bullet when it was in the air.


    But to her surprise, the spider actually shot a web toward the building on the side, pulling its entire body to escape from the bullet. Still, its movement was a bit slower, causing the bullet to hit one of its legs.


    The leg was completely gone with a single hit. If the bullet somehow hit the body, the spider might actually die in an instant.


    Kanaria shifted it again. This was just a battle of speed. As long as she was fast enough, she should be able to kill this spider before the latter slipped past Clovis and the others.


    Bang!


    Another bullet was shot, but this time, the spider actually smashed its entire body against the wall. The latter collapsed, allowing the spider to actually hide inside the building.


    Kanaria''s body shook. If the spider hid there, it would be impossible to see its location.


    It was because she was searching for the spider that she accidentally discovered another problem.


    "Mhmm... Clovis. I think we have a problem." Kanaria''s expression turned solemn after finding an unexpected beast coming in their direction.


    "What''s wrong?" Clovis asked while swinging his blade.


    "There was another group of beasts approaching. It''s not a big group, but the problem is that... the one leading this group seems to be a Tier 5 beast."


    "!!!" Clovis widened his eyes. On the one hand, he wanted to test his skill against a Tier 5 beast. His group should be able to fight a Tier 5 beast to a certain extent. On the other hand, the timing couldn''t be any worse.


    They were already quite exhausted after fighting nonstop. There was no way his team would be able to fight against a Tier 5 in this condition unless he was willing to show his items from Another World Mall.


    "Tsk. This might not be good..." Clovis'' expression darkened as if he couldn''t find any plan to handle this problem.

 Chapter 387 Change of Pace

    "Three Tier 4 beasts that are not suppressed by the stone pillar and more than fifty beasts following them. In addition, there is another Tier 5..." Clovis'' expression was dark.


    Even if he wanted to challenge the Tier 5 beast, it was impossible to win against all these beasts in this situation.


    Clovis said, "We''ll need to retreat a little bit."


    "But if we''re retreating, they will go to the left side, which will cause them to be pincered from two directions." Melody protested.


    "I know, but we''re not in the position to handle all these beasts." Clovis shouted back while gritting his teeth.


    Melody couldn''t deny it. Although it was a hard decision, they had no choice but to retreat.


    Clovis slashed multiple beasts around him before shouting, "Jay, Ragna. We''ll move back fifty meters. Take care of the rear!"


    "Got it!" Jay and Ragna switched their stances. They were still surrounded, but now that they had a priority, they planned to abandon their post.


    However, before they could retreat, a group of seven people suddenly appeared from the left. And their leader was actually Aileen.


    "Kill all of them!"


    Their group immediately killed the beasts, forcing the enemies to shift some of their attention to them.


    "!!!" Clovis was shocked at first, but he hurriedly shouted, "Aileen!"


    "Clovis! You are a better commander than mine. You take charge and assign us our roles," Aileen replied while killing another beast. "I''ve brought six people with one of them being a Tier 4 assassin."


    "This number..." Clovis took a single breath to think of the plan. "All of the six people coming with you are to eliminate all those Tier 3 beasts or lower."


    "What? I can stop the Tier 4 beast by myself." The Tier 4 assassin shouted in protest.


    "No. We''ll be focusing on killing the other beasts. Once they don''t have any more subordinates, killing them will be much easier."


    Clovis threw his short sword at the Tier 4 beast. The spider thought it was a distraction, so it simply smacked the sword away.


    As expected, Clovis was approaching once again while shooting several bullets.


    The spider blocked a few bullets with its legs, but some of them still hit its body and one of its eyes.


    "Reee!" The spider was screeching in pain, but when Clovis was about to reach him, the spider waved the two front legs.


    Clovis clenched his long sword tightly. When the spider legs were about to reach him, he unleashed all the momentum he had held back this whole time.


    Clink!


    The clash between the legs and the sword produced a clicking sound as Clovis was actually a step too late.


    "Tsk." Clovis gritted his teeth. The legs had actually hit him, but fortunately, his clothes were still hard enough to stop them.


    Clovis jumped back, which caused the spider to take the initiative to attack.


    ''You should focus on the change of pace.'' Clovis remembered Mara''s advice.


    There were a lot of ways to utilize the change of pace, but in this situation, this was the only way.


    Clovis let the spider come closer to him while he was holding the sword, as if he were about to draw it. The spider didn''t know what Clovis was attempting. Since he presented that opportunity, the spider wasted no time using it.


    ''Change of pace... Change of pace. Wait until the last second and unleash my fastest speed!'' Clovis looked at the incoming legs as closely as possible.


    When the legs were only ten centimeters away from him, he struck both of them at almost the same time.


    Clink!


    "Tsk." Clovis clicked his tongue, not because he failed, but because the attack was still not enough to crush the legs. However, all that momentum from the sword actually knocked the two legs up, exposing the spider''s head.


    Nevertheless, this was also an opportunity. Clovis slashed and shot the head multiple times in the half second he had.

 Chapter 388 Couple Quarrel

    "Well, well, well... What do we have here?" Erwin stood on top of his thread while looking at the incoming beasts.


    He was alone in this block, but it didn''t really matter since he had filled this area with his wires.


    There were a few beasts that could produce a similar thing, such as the spider, but his job was simply to stall them.


    "Come, come!" Erwin waved his hand, provoking the beasts.


    "Reee!" The Tier 4 spider gave a command out of anger. The beasts became frenzied as they charged straight ahead.


    There was one of the fastest beasts that was trying to take the initiative.


    It saw the wire in front and hurriedly leaped into the air to avoid it, only to get sliced by a thin, sharp wire that was hard to see with naked eyes.


    Noticing what the wires were capable of, more and more beasts charged forward, but this time, they were coming together.


    They used the toughness of their skin to actually push the wires.


    One of the wires was quite thick, causing the building it was attached to to collapse. Meanwhile, there were a lot of thin wires that ended up snapping.


    Seeing that his territory was gradually diminishing, Erwin actually smiled.


    As soon as they came deep enough, Aileen jumped off the building. Only a few beasts could faintly sense her presence.


    "Beast Soul." Aileen took a deep breath before moving through six beasts, leaving behind numerous cuts.


    "Rawrr?!"


    A lot of beasts were confused as they suddenly felt unimaginable pain. One died instantly, and two were severely injured.


    "Ree!" The Tier 4 spider noticed Aileen and shot out a web to capture her.@@@@


    However, Erwin tossed a small tube that shot out wires to two sides, causing the cobweb to hit it instead of Aileen.


    "Hya!" Aileen''s momentum abruptly stopped, causing her to fall face first.


    "!!!" Aileen hurriedly raised her head. "You..."


    "Teamwork, hehehe..." Erwin chuckled. Of course, he only did it because there were no beasts around her. And he also knew that Aileen could actually grab the wire instead of using his arms to launch her earlier.


    Aileen clicked her tongue while moving toward another enemy. "No one likes a petty man."


    "But you fall for my charm, including this pettiness. I wonder if that makes you an M." said Erwin while crushing a beast''s head with a kick.


    "I''m going to settle this once we''re back. Hmph!" Aileen harrumphed while killing another one.


    "I won''t stop even if you cry." Erwin snorted as he punched a beast''s head.


    The Tier 4 spider was completely confused. He was fighting a couple who were actually quarreling in the middle of the fight. However, for some reasons, these two were actually moving around it, maintaining a certain distance while killing the rest of the beasts as if they could each other''s minds.


    And it didn''t take too long for them to actually kill the rest of the beasts. They even landed on the same spot once they were done.


    "You''ve gotten stronger," said Aileen with a smile.


    "Once I become Tier 4, I can defeat you." Erwin harrumphed.


    "Before thinking about reaching Tier 4, there is one Tier 4 that you need to defeat first." Aileen pointed at the last beast in this area.


    "Indeed. Let''s kill it together." Erwin nodded with a serious expression.


    Aileen smiled as both of them were walking toward the spider. There was only one beast left.


    The two battlefields progressed smoothly, but there was one battle that actually produced the opposite result.


    Bam!


    Two guys were slammed to the wall. One of them rolled a few times and stopped not far from the rubble, while the other was kneeling on the floor.


    "Kh." Jay raised his head, looking at the Tier 5 spider. He was able to land in a much better position because Ragna used his body to absorb the impact. However, the situation was still worse. "What kind of strength is this? Is the gap between Tier 4 and Tier 5 this big? To think that even with both of us, we can''t even stop a single attack..."

 Chapter 389 Struggle

    "Kh... How can the gap be this big?" Jay gritted his teeth. Even though he was only a Tier 2, his strength was on par with a Tier 4. Ragna was also already a Tier 3. With the help of his technique, he could be considered equal to a Tier 4 as well.


    Yet both of them failed to stop the spider''s attack.


    "Ragna. Are you alright?!" Jay asked out loud while his eyes remained on the spider.


    Before he could get an answer, the Tier 5 spider actually turned around as if it were planning to aim for the weaker ones.


    Jay used his beast soul to speed up, closing the gap between them in an instant. He channeled the momentum from his beast soul toward his hand and released it in one go, slashing the spider with everything he had.


    However, the Tier 5 spider swung its front leg. Their clash ended in an instant, as Jay was launched into the air and rolled a few times on the ground before coming to a stop.


    Even with his most powerful attack, he still couldn''t stop the Tier 5 spider. The spider was a little pissed at Jay, so it aimed its spinneret at him, shooting its web.


    Fortunately, Ragna managed to catch up. He put the shield in front and blocked the web. The pressure from the web was high, causing him to get pushed back by several meters. It was as if he got pushed by more than ten fire trucks at once.


    Still, this was actually much more manageable compared to those legs.


    "Jay, are you alright?" Ragna asked. The reason he didn''t reply earlier was because of his injury. It took him a moment to repair that injury and rejoin this fight. But Jay''s condition might not be good this time. "!!!"


    As expected, the spider seemed to be able to understand their way of speaking. The spider suddenly pulled the web to steal Ragna''s shield. If not for him strapping his own arms to the shield, the spider might have succeeded.


    But because he didn''t, he ended up sliding on the floor.@@@@


    If Ragna didn''t let go of this shield, he would reach the Tier 5 beast, and the latter would kill him with those pointy legs.


    Fortunately, Jay had caught up to him and slashed the web, freeing Ragna.


    Still, the spider wasn''t that far away from them. It took only a second to close the gap. But by that time, Ragna had also recovered and raised his shield to block the incoming leg.


    Jay positioned himself behind Ragna while placing both hands on the shield, helping Ragna to block it.


    Unfortunately for them, the same thing happened again.


    "Aaagggh!" Ragna screamed in pain as he fell to the ground.


    The spider knew this was the best opportunity to kill Ragna. It approached Ragna at full speed, but all of a sudden, Jay jumped off the second floor. Even though his forehead and his right eye had to be closed as the blood kept flowing down, he still had to stop the Tier 5 beast.


    Unfortunately for him, now that the two of them have been separated, they could no longer be able to stop the spider. One of the eyes spotted Jay as the spider raised both front legs. One of them stopped Jay''s blade, while the other attacked Jay from the side.


    Jay changed his posture a bit, twisting his body so that the blade would slide to the side.


    Fortunately, he made it in time. The blade ended up blocking the leg, absorbing a bit of the momentum. However, the spider still overpowered him and launched him into a wall.


    Bam!


    "Gah." Jay spat a mouthful of blood as blood started covering his body.


    As soon as the spider was about to switch targets, Ragna suddenly slammed the spider''s body with his shield.


    "You''re not going anywhere."


    Sadly, this was just a desperate attempt. With him losing his right arm, he couldn''t generate enough force to pressure the spider. The latter simply smacked Ragna in the same direction so that it could kill both of them together.


    Ragna gritted his teeth, glaring at the spider. His body was refusing to move after crashing into a wall not far from Jay.


    "It seems that I''ve failed to buy enough time..." Ragna closed his eyes.


    "No. You''ve done well!" Clovis'' voice suddenly echoed in his ears as the spider suddenly changed his stance.


    Ragna raised his head and saw Clovis striking the spider from the side, restraining its left front leg. Aileen came from above, restraining the other front leg.


    Meanwhile, Erwin and Melody came right after, rescuing Jay and Ragna respectively.


    When the spider was about to counterattack, both Aileen and Clovis moved away. It was at that time that the spider changed its stance again as a bullet suddenly hit it from above.


    It was Kanaria, but even with the Tier 3 bullet, it didn''t seem to be enough to crush the spider''s legs.


    Nevertheless, the group had finally assembled.

 Chapter 390 Counterattack

    A moment earlier.


    "Reee!" The Tier 4 spider fell with numerous wounds on its body.


    "Huu..." Clovis panted a few times. He was exhausted after all these fights, but he still had to continue. He hurriedly turned around and ran to Melody, only to find her falling on her butt with the beast about to pounce on her.


    Clovis opened his inventory, took out two items, and shoved them into his mouth.


    Name: Mini Sprint Roll


    Effect: Strength +10% for five minutes.


    Name: Bite-sized Cheesecake


    Effect: Speed +15% for five minutes.


    Each of them definitely tasted wonderful, but when they were combined, it made him want to throw up. However, he forced himself to swallow these two as he suddenly felt a surge of power coming into his body.


    With the additional strength, he sped up.


    Roar!


    The beast jumped to the side as a bullet suddenly pierced the ground. Now that Kanaria had missed, the beast waved its right paw.@@@@


    Melody had raised both hands to block it, but she knew it would be quite painful.


    However, a shadow soon appeared in front of her, striking the beast''s paw.


    "Roar!"


    "Shut up!" Clovis unleashed all his strength to knock down the beast''s paw to the ground, causing the body to tilt slightly.


    Still, the beast didn''t plan to go down without a fight. It was using the other paw to smack Clovis from behind.


    Fortunately, wires surrounded the paw out of nowhere. Once it was tightened, the paw stopped moving.


    "!!!" The beast looked shocked, but that was the least of its worries. Aileen came from the side and slashed the hanging arm.


    Clovis was surprised that both of them had come even though they had to kill a lot of beasts, but it didn''t matter. Now that both of them were here, killing the Tier 4 beast shouldn''t be hard.


    "Jay, Ragna. Are you guys fine?!" Clovis asked out loud.


    "What are you saying? I''m warmed up now! Time to kill this insect." Jay smirked even though his condition was one of the worst among them.


    "I can''t use my right arm anymore, but I can still play a role." Ragna also stood up as his legs struggled to stand straight. "Just give me a role. Unless I die straight away, I''ll come back up!"


    "Reee!" The spider looked angry because the pests kept bothering him.


    When the spider was about to charge, Clovis hurriedly shouted, "Ragna!"


    Ragna stood in front of him without hesitation even if this strike could kill him. However, Jay instinctively did the same thing since he had been cooperating with Ragna this whole time.


    In addition, Clovis placed his hand on the shield, using more force to block the spider''s leg.


    Bam!


    "Kh." Ragna gritted his teeth because his hand was hurt, but surprisingly, the spider didn''t manage to push them back.


    The spider looked shocked, but Clovis used this time to give the order. "Ragna will block an attack. Jay and Erwin will help him. Three people at the time. Melody and Aileen will cooperate with each other to kill the spider! Kanaria, Kill!"


    Enraged, the spider sent forth both of the legs. Since three people were required to stop a single leg, two legs should be enough to overpower them.


    However, that was exactly the reason why Clovis gave that order.


    When Ragna saw the two legs, he placed his shield in front of the left front leg. Erwin and Jay were standing behind the shield. On the other hand, Clovis was taking care of the other leg by himself.


    Bam!


    The shield was still intact after the impact, but Clovis was blown away even with his perfect state and the boost from his items.


    Nevertheless, he managed to stop the attack from harming the rest of the team. In that position, Aileen appeared right above the spider, swinging her dagger right at the spider''s eyes.


    The spider actually noticed her and leaned its body forward. She missed the eyes and sliced the body instead. Unlike the legs, the body was actually much softer, so Aileen knew which one to target.


    In addition, a bullet came from the side, hitting one of the eyes.


    "Reee!" The bullet managed to blind one eye and force the spider to move back.


    "It''s time for a counterattack!"

 Chapter 391 Fighting Back

    "Did they manage to regroup? How could they defeat all those beasts, including the Tier 4 ones, that quickly?"


    "Who cares about that? The only thing that matters is these beasts. We need to kill them right away."


    "Kill!"


    The six people started feeling ashamed that the youngsters ended up taking the spotlight. Hence, they unleashed all their strength in order to kill all these beasts.


    However, when one of them was about to find another target, the beast''s body suddenly got shredded apart.


    "!!!" The guy widened his eyes in shock. When the beast went down, he could see a hole in the beast''s body, as if it had been pierced by something powerful. "This is..."


    ...


    "It''s time to fight back." Clovis pointed forward. "I''ll leave the details to you, Melody."


    "Roger." A few translucent screens appeared in front of her as she decided to become full support.


    The spider was trying to aim for Melody, who dared to destroy one of its eyes.


    However, Clovis immediately positioned himself between them, so the spider had no choice but to fight Clovis first.


    Clovis smiled and raised his speed to the very limit. The spider seemed to be doing the same.


    Clink!


    Clink!


    Clink!@@@@


    The clicking sounds echoed in rapid succession as both of them clashed thirty times in just one second.


    It was clear that Clovis was getting overwhelmed by the spider''s power, but unlike Jay or Ragna, he used his speed to avoid the spider''s attacks. All his swords did was slow down the attacks.


    Unfortunately, the spider noticed his intention right away and hit him with all its strength.


    Clovis was forced to use both of his swords to stop it, but that wasn''t enough. He still got sent flying for more than ten meters, but Clovis surprisingly managed to land on his feet.


    In addition, the trio had already caught up.


    Erwin grabbed the spider''s back leg with his strings. "You''re not getting away.


    "Wha¡ª" Clovis widened his eyes. He was pushed back. If not for his quick reaction, he might be crushed by the spider''s entire weight.


    In addition, the spider''s action caused Aileen to miss once again.


    "Clovis!" Ragna shouted while pushing forward. Still, Erwin and Jay were one step too late to react.


    Now that they were in disarray, the spider used its long leg to hit Ragna''s shield, blowing him away. Ragna''s body crashed into Jay and Erwin, causing all three of them to fall.


    Without hesitation, the spider used its remaining stance to come at Ragna.


    Ragna was able to get up first since he was on top, but the other two needed a bit more time.


    "Kh. Hurry!" Jay and Erwin gritted their teeth, struggling to stand up.


    Yet as soon as they got back on their feet, there was a nonsensical order coming.


    "Jay, Erwin. Get away and focus on the attack!" Melody''s order surprisingly wanted them to abandon Ragna. Ragna was already in bad condition after taking all the attacks, so they never thought Melody would be this merciless.


    "What?" Jay wanted to protest, but he remembered what happened in the Shining Star Competition. He could only grit his teeth while changing his direction.


    Erwin was still rushing toward Ragna until he suddenly got picked up by Aileen.


    "!!!" Erwin was confused, but because of the sudden shift in his vision, he finally understood why Melody gave that order.


    "Reee!" The spider screamed before swinging its legs at Ragna.


    Ragna squinted his eyes, preparing himself for the pain. But all of a sudden, a person came to him.


    He thought it was Jay or Erwin at first, but he realized he was mistaken the moment this person placed his shield next to him. None of them had a shield, so the only person who had the shield was actually the people Aileen brought.


    In addition, two more people came from behind, helping them to hold the shield.


    Bam!


    The spider struck their shields, but surprisingly, they managed to block it completely.


    "So this is the gap between us and the Tier 5 spider. This guy is so damn powerful."


    "You guys..." Ragna sucked a cold breath.


    "Hahaha. Even if we aren''t as strong as you guys, we are still from the Wishe family, the family that''s known for its defense."

 Chapter 392 Ganging Up the Spider

    Clovis smiled. There was a reason for ordering Kanaria to kill. Obviously, his aim wasn''t to kill the Tier 5 spider. Instead, it was the beasts that kept away six people. He wanted them to eliminate all beasts and hurry to join them.


    "Clovis. We only have one minute. Another group of beasts has shifted their direction toward us." Melody reported.@@@@


    He shouted, "People from the Wishe family. Keep blocking one of its legs with Ragna as the center. Aileen, you lead your family and use all the opportunities you will get. Jay, Erwin. You guys will be with me to handle the other leg. We only have one minute to kill this guy!"


    "Roger (Understood)!" All of them responded to his command.


    "Go!"


    Ragna was the first to move. The spider wanted to ignore him, but Ragna stubbornly kept close to him, forcing the spider to hit him.


    The three from the Wishe family immediately reinforced Ragna, stopping this one leg.


    At the same time, Aileen and the assassins had disappeared, waiting for the opportunity. Clovis, Jay, and Erwin maintained a certain distance so that the spider had to choose between the three of them since it couldn''t protect itself from all angles at the same time.


    "Hahahaha. This is not a video game! There''s no need to hold back. We aren''t doing 1v1 here. Just attack him together. He can''t block all of us at once!" Melody shouted excitedly while adjusting their commands in their skyglasses.


    The spider swung its other front leg, but this time, wires started wrapping it from behind. At the same time, Jay sneaked in and struck the leg, helping Erwin stop it.


    "Kh." Erwin gritted his teeth as he felt two of his fingers get dislocated from absorbing most of the leg''s momentum.


    Jay had a hard time stopping it. No, it looked like the spider started overwhelming both of them.


    "Clovis." Jay shouted.


    The spider suddenly saw Clovis jumping into the air. He swung his long sword at the same area as Jay''s blade with all his strength.


    *Crack!*


    The hard leg actually cracked once Clovis hit it. However, this shouldn''t be surprising because Melody had been marking the spot that Clovis attacked this whole time. She was giving them the instruction to attack the same spot.


    "Did we just kill a Tier 5 beast?"


    "As well as three Tier 4s and almost a hundred beasts?"


    "We won!"


    "Uoohhh!"


    They were cheering as if they had just won a big war.


    Clovis pointed in another direction. "Not yet. There are still a lot of beasts coming toward us. Don''t lower your guard yet."


    "!!!" The celebration came to a stop as their bodies froze. The atmosphere turned awkward, but it didn''t matter for Clovis.


    "Ragna, Jay. You guys should take a rest for a few minutes. We''ll handle this group." Clovis shouted while staring at the incoming beasts.


    The others were screaming just to pump up their excitement after killing a Tier 5 beast as well as erasing the awkwardness from earlier.


    However, a figure suddenly flew toward them and hit a building on their right, piercing through three buildings before hitting the ground.


    Bam!


    All of them were taken by surprise as Albert''s voice echoed in their ears. They couldn''t help but turn their heads toward the dust cloud produced by the impact.


    "Kh. I''m just an assassin. How do you expect me to solo this freaking spider..."


    "Sir Albert..." Clovis gasped. He hurriedly shifted his vision to the front, finding the giant spider coming toward their direction.


    "Ah." Albert opened his mouth in surprise before saying, "We fucked up..."


    With the incoming Tier 7 spider, Albert knew that the line wouldn''t hold on. The only thing they could do was retreat. He couldn''t afford to let these youngsters die after all. Although they didn''t buy enough time, the majority of the people must have escaped. It was a shame, but they couldn''t evacuate all of them.


    "Ret¡ª" When Albert was about to order a retreat, a rumbling sound echoed through the city. A huge cloud of dust rose from the stone pillar as if hundreds of boulders had just fallen from within.

 Chapter 393 Moon Cleaving Blade

    *Rumble!*


    *Rumble!*


    "Ret¡ª!" Albert abruptly stopped when he heard the commotion. At first, he thought the rumbling sounds were caused by beasts destroying some buildings, but he realized it was something else because the spider actually turned its body around.


    "!!!" Clovis widened his eyes in shock. "What''s happening?"


    "Scree!" The spider changed its order. All of a sudden, the beasts turned around and started rushing toward the stone pillar. Even the Tier 7 spider was the same.


    "What is going on?" Albert panicked. He thought something big was happening and might cause even more devastation, so he hurriedly jumped into a building.


    The stone pillar was still covered with a cloud of dust. It was impossible for him to determine what caused it, but it was clear that the boulders came from within the pillar. "Did those people knock down all those boulders? They had agreed not to do that because there was a possibility of me investigating the pillar. Did someone want to kill me?"


    That was what he thought before the cloud of dust started spinning as if it were about to form a tornado.


    But the spiral that was gradually expanding was suddenly blown away by a shock wave, dispersing all the dust in all directions.


    It was there that he saw a figure.


    "A woman?" Albert frowned. "Who?"


    It was hard to see her facial features from this distance. The only thing he knew was that she had black hair and was holding a glaive.


    A lot of beasts were coming toward her, including the Tier 7 spider. Even the Tier 6 beast that Friday stopped was trying to break free as if it wanted to help the spider.


    Looking at the incoming beasts, Mara''s expression remained unchanged.


    She walked down the rubble as if nothing could bother her. Even when the beasts were about to arrive, her stance didn''t change. Yet the moment the beasts were only one meter away, their bodies were suddenly sliced apart.


    Seeing such a situation, the Tier 6 let Friday punch him before slapping him away.


    "Roar!" The Tier 6 beast finally broke free on Friday.


    "No! I don''t know what''s happening, but I can''t let the Tier 6 beast regroup with the spider." Friday tried to chase after the beast, only to be shocked by what happened next.


    When the Tier 6 beast arrived, it was charging at Mara on all four feet like a bullet train instead of a tower.


    The Tier 6 beast was planning to use its entire body''s weight to crush her.


    Mara''s left leg took a big step forward as she finally held the glaive with both hands. She pulled the glaive back.


    "Roar!" The Tier 6 beast''s roar resounded throughout the city as it bulldozed every building on its path.


    Even in this position, the beast was still more than six meters tall. Mara looked like an ant in front of a human''s foot. Yet the moment she swung her blade upward, the wind pressure rose into the air, blowing the beast''s body up.


    "!!!" The Tier 6 beast looked confused, not knowing why its body was back up.


    "Scree!" The Tier 7 spider noticed that things would get dangerous. It was moving at full speed, trying to catch up to the Tier 6 beast and somehow save it.


    Unbeknownst to both of them, Mara had already jumped into the air, her glaive above her head.


    "Moon Cleaving Blade."


    She swung her glaive down.


    There was a sudden tranquil atmosphere inside the town. Both the Tier 6 beast and the Tier 7 spider didn''t let out a single sound.


    The next thing they realized was that both of them were split into two. The blood that was supposed to spurt from their bodies got blown away by the shock wave that traveled right after it. Its force was so powerful that it blasted the bodies to the sides, crushing the buildings on their way.


    More importantly, the strike still crushed more than seven buildings in a straight line, even after cutting two giant beasts as if she were telling them to get off her way.

 Chapter 394 Arrival

    Albert''s jaw fell to the ground. The spider he had a hard time with was actually cleaved into two together with the Tier 6 beast. And her strike was so overwhelming that those two were not enough to stop it.


    Clovis was trembling both in fear and excitement. On the one hand, he saw the towering wall that he had to climb to pursue his goal. On the other hand, he was also excited because he could see a glimpse of his path.


    ''Momentum, huh?'' Clovis squinted his eyes. It felt like he understood what she meant by ''change of pace''. What he used against the Tier 4 spider was nothing but the tip of an iceberg.


    In addition, Mara hadn''t gotten serious yet. She even had those eyes filled with boundless killing intent that could make Erwin pass out just by taking a glimpse of them.


    Clovis clenched his hands into fists. ''I''ll definitely become that strong.''


    Just like Albert, Friday was too shocked that a human was able to cut those two beasts in a single swing.


    He didn''t even realize that Mara had passed the two corpses and continued toward Clovis and the others.


    "Still, why is she here?" Clovis frowned. Mara said that she would stay in the city for one more day before heading to her next destination. Never in his wildest dream did he imagine that Mara would be destroying all those rubbles.


    With her strength, no matter what beasts were hiding underneath them, they would be crushed by her. Even multiple webs couldn''t stop a few swings.


    However, the question remained. She should have no obligation to help the city. Did the commander find her and somehow ask for her help?


    "Is that the Bloody Queen, Mara Leverstrike?" Now that she had come closer, Albert could finally see her figure clearly and recognize her. While it was great that she helped them, he wasn''t aware of this plan.


    There was a chance that Mara simply wanted to kill someone, and the beasts just happened to be on the way.


    Clovis suddenly jumped off the building, sliding down with the help of his short sword.


    "Huh? Clovis? When did he come here? No, why would he go down?" Albert panicked as he also leaped off. Judging from the direction, Mara seemed to be coming toward them.


    In fact, she had cut a few buildings, which allowed her to go straight toward them.


    "Clovis!" Erwin was wondering what happened. The only thing he saw were corpses being cleaved. And the only person who was capable of doing that was Mara. "Was the one who did that..."


    The words stuck in his throat when he saw Mara giving Clovis two bags, one filled with burgers and the other filled with soda. "Have some?"


    "For them as well?" Clovis asked, noticing that there were more than ten burgers.


    "I don''t know how many people you have."


    "I see." Once Clovis took the bags, he politely nodded his head. "Thank you, not only for this but also for killing those beasts."


    "Beasts?" Mara tilted her head in confusion. "Ah."


    ''It was an afterthought?'' Clovis was screaming inwardly.


    "I''m merely completing a mission."


    "!!!" That one word startled Clovis. He couldn''t help but ask, "Have you found out more about it?"


    "Maybe... maybe not? It''s just a bit clearer this time, as if the world has a will on its own."


    "I see. Are you going to stick around then?"


    "No." Mara shook her head. "I''ll continue my journey."


    "I understand. And once again, thank you." Clovis politely bowed. "Thanks to your swing, I feel like I am able to take a leap forward. I wish you a pleasant journey."


    Mara nodded. As she was about to leave, he also added, "And my name is Clovis. I couldn''t introduce myself last time."


    "Mhmm... Maybe I''ll still remember that name if we ever meet again." Mara walked away. But after she was several meters away from them, she stopped for a moment and kissed the tip of her finger before raising it up as if to feel the wind.


    Then she turned to the east and started walking again.


    Clovis wanted to cough up blood when he saw it. Mara had told him that she was merely walking to where the wind carried her. He thought it was a metaphor, but it turned out she meant it literally.

 Chapter 395 Exaggerating a Burger

    The people were still stunned after seeing how calmly Clovis could talk to a Tier 9 explorer. People who had reached Tier 9 were considered a walking natural disaster since they could easily destroy cities and even disrupt a country''s economy, which would lead to its eventual destruction.


    However, Clovis was also known to be the grandson of a Tier 9 human. Was it where all his confidence came from?


    But after listening to their conversation, it didn''t seem like Mara knew Clovis personally.


    "Clovis... You..." Aileen wanted to say something, but there were simply too many questions on her mind.


    "Do you want some? I got a bunch." Clovis casually grabbed one for himself while opening the bag so that Aileen could get it. In addition, "By the way, Kanaria, come down as well and take your portion."


    "This is not the time for that." Aileen''s mouth was shaking as if she had prepared numerous words to stop him, but she was just too frustrated to say all of them.


    "Oh. I''ll take one." Erwin casually grabbed one as if he had done something like this before.


    "Erwin. You..." Aileen was speechless.


    "What? If you don''t want, then that''s fine." Erwin shrugged. He glanced at Albert and asked, "By the way, do you want one too, sir?" There are ten of them. Six for our group, so there are four left."


    "Oh. Is that so? I''ll take one then." Albert nodded with a serious expression. Since all of them only took one, he thought this was what the Tier 9 explorer wanted. While getting the burger from Erwin, he couldn''t help but ask, "The way you are so casual about it, have you seen her before this?"


    "Yes." Erwin nodded. "We met her before coming here..."


    "Good job." Albert patted Erwin''s shoulders while laughing out loud.


    "Ahaha. It''s not like I was the one she came for." Erwin shrugged while glancing at Clovis. He then grabbed one for Aileen. "Are you sure you don''t want one?"


    "..." Aileen gave up on commenting on this matter anymore and just grabbed the burger from his hand.


    Clovis, on the other hand, gave his share to his teammates.


    Still, even with Albert and Aileen, there were still two of them left.


    "Clovis... There are two of them left..." Albert was rubbing his hands together.


    "Still, to think that you would meet a Tier 9 explorer. More importantly, it''s that Mara Leverstrike." Aileen squinted her eyes.


    "Is she that famous?" Ragna asked.


    "Well, she was famous as someone whose thoughts couldn''t be read. She did everything on a whim and went to all kinds of places without caring about other people''s opinions. Unlike the others who usually made a ''base'' in a certain place, she was like a wandering goddess."


    "Oh." Ragna nodded in understanding.


    Erwin had a smug smile. "Hehe. I''m good. That''s all."


    "You are not one to talk when you passed out the moment you saw her." Clovis added jokingly.


    "I saw the ''Abyss!'' Do you understand?" Erwin snarled.


    "Yeah, yeah." Clovis shrugged.


    "Pfft." Aileen chuckled.


    "This is where you should back up your friend, captain! Look. She must be thinking that I was a fan and passed out because of happiness!" Erwin snorted.


    "Fortunately, you didn''t piss on your pants."


    Erwin''s eyebrows twitched as he tried to punch Clovis, only to be restrained by Aileen from behind.


    "There, there. Don''t get angry over every single thing." Aileen patted his chest.


    Albert couldn''t help but see the chemistry between Aileen and Erwin. With the addition of Mara, Erwin became more and more pleasing to his eyes. Little did he know, Erwin was giving a thumbs up to Clovis inwardly.


    Clovis turned to Albert, saying, "By the way, Sir Albert. Although we have taken a break for a bit, I think it''s time to change our strategy a little bit."


    "Now that you mention it..." Albert raised his head. "Since the Tier 6 and Tier 7 beasts have died, I think it''s fine for us to clear the city."


    "It''s slightly different from our original plan, but I don''t have any objections." Friday nodded while cracking his fingers.

 Chapter 396 Reward

    As Clovis said, now that there was no beast that could challenge Albert and Friday, both of them ended up leading the fight and suppressing the beasts. Both Albert and Friday split up, as Albert''s role was to exterminate all beasts inside the city while Friday was taking care of the tunnel from examining it to burying it.


    It could be said that this incident was a blessing in disguise. On the one hand, a lot of people might have died, and the city had been half-destroyed. On the other hand, the threat of a Tier 7 beast had completely disappeared. The mountain where the spider originally resided would be considered a Tier 5 zone since there weren''t any high-tier beasts on it anymore.


    Although the repair would take a while, there were a lot of resources they could use, especially the corpses scattered all around the cities.


    The soldiers evacuated the citizens, while Albert remained in the city. Repairing one elevator out of the four wouldn''t take too long, so as long as it was able to operate again, the city could pour in a lot of reinforcement and supply to rebuild the town.


    And by revealing the information about the Tier 7 spider and their strength to subdue it, they should be able to raise morale.


    Without long, the city would definitely return to its glory.@@@@


    Clovis and the others decided to return since it was already beyond their capabilities.


    With Albert and Friday''s testimonies, the commander realized that this time they succeeded because of Clovis'' help. They didn''t know why Mara came for him, but if not for him, she wouldn''t have destroyed the boulders and killed the beasts.


    ...


    Genzert Residence.


    "This is peaceful. I guess you will be coming with us, Erwin." Ragna extended his hand. "We haven''t done this before. I''m Ragna. I''ll be looking forward to adventuring with you."


    "Yep. It''s going to be exciting." Erwin shook his hand before pointing at Clovis in the garden. "By the way, what is he doing?"


    Ragna glanced at the garden, finding Clovis standing still. He was holding his sword with both hands and continued meditating for two hours. "I don''t know."


    "He probably understood something after seeing that fight," said Jay, while maintaining his blade.


    "Understand something, huh?" Erwin crossed his arms.


    "You don''t need it, Erwin. Your wires'' strength lies in your grip as well as your fingers. Learning this one will simply waste your time. On the other hand, the swordsman over there might be pretty interested in it."


    Ragna clenched his hands into fists. He realized that he would have to handle something like that sooner or later.


    "Are you teaching us to lower the reward, Commander?" Clovis'' voice soon echoed.


    The commander smiled. "Was it that obvious? You truly sucked me dry, and I had no other choice. You should have told me that you know Mara Leverstrike."


    Clovis smiled. "I met her after that meeting."


    The commander shook his head helplessly. "I''m wondering how I should reward you. After hearing a few suggestions, I''ve decided something."


    "And that is?"


    The commander raised three fingers. "First of all, Clovis, Jay, and Kanaria will receive a super injection each. The second reward is three beast souls. One of the Tier 4 spiders actually produces a beast soul, which we have determined to allow one person to climb on any surface. I think it''s good for the sniper on your team.


    "For the operator, Dimetrodon Beast Soul should be good for her as it allows her to be sensitive to temperature change. The third beast soul is Gigantopithecus blacki, an ape known for its robust limbs. This one is for Ragna.


    "Last but not least, I originally wanted to give you fifteen million, but because of the sudden rush of orders to get all the materials to rebuild the underground city, I''m a little low on cash. Hence, I''m thinking of giving only five million, but I''ll give each of you personal advice. I''m not the best, but my advice should be worth that much, right?"


    Clovis looked down, falling into deep thought. It wasn''t a bad offer. In addition, he would also get some money by selling the essence he had acquired.


    After some consideration, Clovis added one finger. "If you can agree to one condition, I will agree."


    "Depends on your condition."


    "We''ll stay here for another two or three days. In the meantime, please allow Kanaria to observe the restoration teams." He wanted to help Kanaria realize her dream, so this experience should be priceless for her.


    "Oh. That sweetheart of yours? I heard that she managed to see through the city''s condition from those supply trucks alone." The commander thought for a moment. "Alright. You''ve got a deal. It doesn''t seem she is here right now, so just tell her to Ember Tower and mention my name."


    "Yes. Thank you very much."

 Chapter 397 Lesson

    "I don''t know if you''re already aware of it, but this world is not a cartoon. If you have seen someone releasing a long-range attack, that''s definitely a CGI, so ignore that part.


    "Instead, what we have for that type of attack is actually generating a force or pressure and shooting it in a certain direction.


    "Like what I showed you earlier, the flick generated that pressure to create torrential air. High-pressure air could cut things. The problem is how much you are able to generate that force."


    The commander drew two sketches on the screen. The first sketch was about a stickman launching a crescent-shaped attack, while the second sketch was about a stickman launching a small torrent of air with a thrusting motion.


    "There are three things that you need to know first. They are power, shape, and distance. Since you''re using a blade, I''ll use thrust and slash as my examples.


    "In terms of slash, you will definitely know the difference between a swift slash and a heavy slash.


    "The swift slash will create pressure that is thinner, which won''t produce a lot of power. However, instead of power, it gets speed.


    "On the other hand, the heavy slash will generate enough power, but it won''t go far."


    Noel looked down, falling into deep thought.


    Meanwhile, Jay asked, "If that''s the case, does that mean my attack and Clovis'' attack will be different?"


    "Of course. Even right now, your fighting styles are different, right?"


    "In that case, how about me? Ranged attack doesn''t suit me, but does that mean I''ll be weaker than others of the same tier?" Erwin raised his hand.


    "Not necessarily, your weapon is quite unique, so I can''t really say a lot of things. From the way I see it, you are able to harness strength that is much different from theirs. For example, although they are rare because we have gunners, there are archers.


    "They are using the strength of their strings to release an arrow that is more powerful than a gun that is using compressed air.


    "Your wires are very similar to the bowstrings. Or you can even launch yourself like an arrow. Unfortunately, this is the extent of what I can say regarding your weapon. You have to find the method yourself."


    Erwin was disappointed. Still, he couldn''t deny the fact that his weapon was extremely rare. With the addition of Clovis'' items, he would have more leeway to try things he hadn''t dared before.


    "As for you..." The commander paused for a moment. "Do you have Heart Affinity?"


    "No. I have Bones Affinity."


    "Bones?" The commander frowned. He had heard about his extreme regenerative power. Nevertheless, since Ragna confirmed to have Bones Affinity, he simply had to explain his power. "Alright. With this affinity, you are actually similar to the Wishe family.


    "I don''t know about their secret, but they are strengthening their bodies to the extreme. Their patriarch is said to be invincible among Tier 7 not because he is able to defeat all his enemies, but because all his enemies couldn''t defeat him.


    "Swords, spears, anything can''t penetrate his body. I believe that you''ll be able to achieve this state in the future. And I don''t know about your regenerative power, but if it''s something you have, you can become immortal. Not only will you be hard to injure, but your wound will also be healed almost immediately.


    "As for the ranged attack, I have seen someone who is able to stop a ranged attack and somehow send it back. I don''t know if it''s a smooth movement or something, but it''s actually a possibility.


    "Last but not least, the Brain Affinity. The girls in your group are not here right now, but you can pass this message to them. The Brain Affinity is simple but effective. If you train your senses, you can basically become omniscient. Instead of trying to spread your senses as far as possible, it''s better to create an area where you''re able to sense everything within a certain radius."

 Chapter 398 Return

    Clovis and the others asked a lot of detailed questions about the power that came next. The basic evolution trait that all affinities had was indeed a requirement.


    Thanks to the Star Method, Clovis'' group could actually learn this early on, and the commander couldn''t help but think that they were able to achieve something not possible before.


    It was unfortunate that the commander didn''t have a lot of time because he was too busy restoring the underground city.


    However, they had learned a lot, especially about the path they needed to take.


    Clovis was wondering if there would be a ranged attack from his bookstore later. In addition, he was curious about the type of store he would get next.


    In the meantime, Melody was spending a lot of money to buy the city''s specialties. She wanted to show it to her brother.


    On the other hand, Kanaria was busy learning more important things. She had been with the logistics team for two days.


    Even though she had been handling logistics for her former and present groups, she never had the chance to handle the entire city. And this was just a restoration.


    Once they reached the point of rebuilding the entire city, it would definitely reach another scale.


    That was why this chance was actually much more precious than anything she had so far. She was shocked when Clovis told her about this chance.


    After two days, although it was a shame, the group decided to return.


    Surprisingly, Aileen was the only one seeing them off.


    "Thank you for helping the city." Aileen politely lowered her head. "In the end, I owe you more before I can even settle the previous debt."


    "It''s fine. There might be a time where I need your power." Clovis shook his head.


    "I understand. Don''t hesitate to call me." Aileen nodded. "And after a week, I''m planning to visit the capital to get the best education over there. I''ll become much stronger than any of you."


    "Hahaha. I''ll be looking forward to it." Noel smiled. "Well, a certain someone will be sad. There are going to be a lot of people chasing after you, and they''ll have a bigger background than him."


    "What did you say?" Erwin''s expression was distorted. "This bro''s charm is through the roof. You know that?"


    "Erwin''s efforts will always be remembered, even if only the people in this group know it." Jay looked down as if offering his prayer.


    "Y-Yes, Ma''am." Erwin gulped down.


    Aileen gradually moved back while waving her hand. "It might be a while for us to meet again."


    "I know. Our rivalry will remain. I''m still waiting for you to accept your loss and admit that you can''t live without me." Erwin smirked.


    "No. You will be the one admitting it."


    Erwin waved his hand while walking toward the minibus.


    Although they were only here for a few days, it was truly a great experience.


    But there was still a long road ahead of them.


    On the way, Erwin couldn''t help but ask, "What is our plan right now?"


    He had just joined the group, so he knew almost nothing about the group''s plan.


    However, Clovis simply said, "Nothing. There''s nothing big happening right now. We should use this peaceful time to get as strong as possible. However, we do indeed need to visit Vasige City to get our super injections, one for each of us. But for now, we need to return to the city and prepare for our plan and itinerary to balance the trip and exploration."


    "Is that so? I should be able to reach Tier 4 with the help of a super injection." Erwin nodded. "With this, even without Aileen, we should be able to challenge a Tier 5 beast."


    Clovis turned to Kanaria. "By the way, can you tell your mother to pressure the Drake group? Check the movement of the Rusth family as well. If they''re suspicious, start harassing them in a month. Because of Hana''s situation, we end up moving our schedule for a bit."


    "That''s..." Melody was the one who reacted, considering she thought she had to leave her brother.


    "Don''t worry. She has promised to admit your brother to the best hospital there. And her family will guarantee his security."


    "I see." Melody let out a sigh of relief.


    "Hana? Who is this person?" Erwin tilted his head in confusion.


    "You should have heard her name, Hana Skylark."


    "That rich girl? She is the sugar mommy... Ahem, I mean the sponsor of this group?"

 Chapter 399 Another Problem

    "Clovis. It seems that my mother wants to meet you," said Melody while bringing some food from the kitchen.


    "When?"


    "She is planning to visit us today, sometime in the afternoon."


    "Sure. It seems that the situation is worse than I originally thought." Clovis furrowed his eyebrows.


    "Worse? Is that the reason why my mother wants to meet you?"


    "No. The fact that your mother wants to see me is how I know the current situation." Clovis shook his head. "By the way, how about Erwin?"@@@@


    "He is living with Ragna right now. Considering we''re about to move in months, he thinks it''s better to live with Ragna, not only to avoid rumors about him charming other girls but also to know more about this group."


    "Alright."


    Kanaria took out her device and projected a map. "By the way, this is the plan we currently have. Vasige City is located at the foot of Ribelius Mountain. Hence, we''re thinking about going through this river, which should be pretty safe, before heading to the fallen city of Foll to kill some beasts.


    "The hunt should last for only one week. Once we reach the city, we''ll get the super injection and head on for another hunt before returning here."


    "Mhmmmm..." Clovis thought for a moment. The biggest problem for him would definitely be the membership upgrade. On the one hand, he needed some money to renew the membership. On the other hand, he wanted to upgrade the membership.


    The essence they sold was enough to cover the rest of the money to upgrade the membership, but Clovis decided to save it for the time being. He needed to renew the membership first before getting more money, not only for the upgrade but also for purchasing numerous things with that discount.


    He even thought about increasing the visit limit first before upgrading. This way, he could get more items.


    ''Two sessions should be enough to cover the money for the upgrade as well as the purchase of the items, but I still need to find another ten million to increase the time limit.'' Clovis wondered where he could get that kind of money.


    Now that the upgrade had reached millions, it was getting hard to find a way to earn that much.


    ''The easiest to make money will always be the royalty from the beast souls, but the operation hasn''t started, so I don''t think I can ask Hana for more money. Hmm. I need to upgrade my visit and membership as quickly as possible.'' Clovis pinched the bridge of his nose.


    "Anyway, you can ignore the Silver Snowflake Group. They''re based in the underground city, so they rarely join the politics in this city."


    Clovis asked, "If that''s the case, two against three, huh? No. Should we count the mayor?"


    "You can count him as well, but there''s a limited thing he can do." Vania shook her head helplessly.


    "So is the problem related to the fact that we''re outnumbered?"


    "Yes and no. Indeed, we''re having a lot of problems because we''re outnumbered, but the Panorama Group''s support has been declining because of your group''s rise as well as the failure of the previous attempt. They are considering whether they will continue to ally with the Rusth family or break free before it''s too late.


    "And no, the serious matter I want to tell you is that there is another person who joins the conflict."


    "Another person?" Clovis crossed his arms.


    Vania let out a long sigh. "Do you remember the matter about the illegal goods?"


    "The mule?"


    "Yes. The mule is currently messing with the current balance."


    "Is he siding with them? Isn''t the mule merely a smuggler?"


    "That''s the problem. We have underestimated him. The person is actually affiliated with a mercenary group that handles information."


    "!!!" Clovis squinted his eyes, finally understanding the core of the problem.


    "And the problem is..." Vania pinched the bridge of her nose. "...that person is selling information to both sides."


    "Both sides?" Clovis widened his eyes in shock. There were two possibilities in this action. "Is he trying to maintain his neutrality or..."


    Vania confirmed his worst fear. "As you have guessed, it''s the latter. Because he is trading information to both sides, he is actually turning this growing tension into chaos."

 Chapter 400 Situation

    "Chaos, huh?" Clovis was gnashing his teeth.


    "That''s not the only problem. Thanks to him, we also know the potential attack." Vania opened the map for the province. There were a lot of blue colored blocks that signified a city, while the red ones were the fallen cities.


    As Vania warned beforehand, most of the cities on the west and north had been destroyed. It seemed that they were also progressing to the east.


    "Are they going to attack the south?" Clovis asked.


    "No." Vania shook her head. "If you take a look at this map, from where do you think they will attack us?"


    "Hmmm. The most obvious answers will be the west and the north. There are a lot of things happening on the east, so it''s chaotic there. On the other hand, the south feels like a trap."


    "Indeed. Assuming that they''re attacking from the west and north, from where exactly do you think they will initiate the beast wave?"


    Clovis fell silent.


    "This..." Kanaria pointed to the west while placing the cups down.


    "Kanaria?" Clovis raised his eyebrows before realizing the reason. "Supply routes?"


    "Yes. Assuming that the attack won''t happen soon, the first thing they will do is disrupt the supply." Kanaria nodded. "If we take a look closely, there will be two cities that are extremely important. Willowing and Green Hill Cities."


    "As expected of my daughter." Vania smiled. "According to the information, Willowing City is currently experiencing problems. I''ve talked with Jay''s father about sending reinforcements to Green Hill City so that it won''t get fully disrupted.


    "And we have agreed to actually send you to Willowing City to relieve them of the problem."


    "Willowing City? Won''t it be dangerous?" Clovis frowned. This was a rather bold move.


    "It might be. That''s why it won''t be right now. From what I''ve heard, you''re planning to have another trip to get the super injection, right?"


    "Yes."


    "Doesn''t it feel suspicious?"


    "Yeah. But the problem is that we can''t find anything right now." Vania shook her head. "I''ll continue digging up here and there, but I can''t promise you anything."


    Clovis nodded. "Alright."


    "You are smart, so I don''t think I need to give you an order. By giving you the freedom to make choices, you should be able to make a better decision." Vania raised two fingers. "However, I want you to remember two things.


    "First, the Rusth family is going to do everything they have to stop you. After all, they know that their family will fall if they let you grow. The typical situation where our family can suppress them once the Libation Fiesta grows... That type of stuff.


    "Secondly, don''t go to the south since it might be a trap. For now, we would like to make them think that I''m warning you about this."


    "I understand." Clovis nodded before lowering his head. "I apologize that everything happens because of me. If not for my identity, this province won''t face so much chaos."


    "You don''t have to worry about that. Even if you are not here, they''re always trying to mess with us." Vania shrugged. "If you''re feeling guilty for the innocent people that have died because of the beast wave, you also don''t need to think about that. The beasts are the common enemies. Nothing is going to change that. Get stronger as quickly as possible.


    This is the only way to solve that problem."


    Clovis smiled wryly. "I know."


    "Since I''ve finished my business, I''m going to take my leave now."


    Vania managed to maintain her seriousness until she exited the house.


    "Take care, both of you. The next one and a half months will be chaotic."


    "Yes." Clovis nodded.


    "By the way, do you use protection? If not, I¡ª"


    "Bye Aunty." Clovis closed the door, ignoring her words. He turned around, saw Kanaria''s wry smile, and changed the topic. "Alright. Time to make preparations for the next destination."

 Chapter 401 Super Injection

    "So, this is Vasige City?" Ragna looked around while closing the door of the minibus.


    After a long week, they had finally reached Vasige City. To their surprise, the city''s atmosphere wasn''t necessarily good.


    The street was bustling, but their expressions were rather concerning. A lot of people seemed to be rushing to their destination, and some people were actually bringing a lot of supplies.


    "What''s wrong?" Melody asked, noticing Ragna''s expression.


    "It''s nothing. I feel like I''ve experienced an atmosphere like this... I just can''t remember." Ragna frowned.


    "I don''t notice anything wrong either." Kanaria shook her head helplessly since they didn''t come from the same gate as the supply trucks.


    "Anyway, we are here just to resupply as well as get a super injection. So we won''t be here for a long time." Clovis waved his hand, telling them not to worry about it.


    "True. I have finished the paperwork as well. They are supposed to be waiting for us." Kanaria pointed at the building, which was Essence Bank. "Let''s go inside."@@@@


    "Yep." Clovis nodded.


    Meanwhile, Erwin broke his silence. "The people here are panicking, rushing, and anxious. I don''t know what kind of problem they are facing, but I think it''s something big. Let''s just be done with our matter here and leave. Unless it''s necessary, it isn''t good to get involved in another city''s problem."


    Clovis nodded.


    As soon as they entered the building, they were greeted by a woman. "Welcome to Essence Bank. May I know if you are from the Libation Fiesta?"


    "Yes. I''m their leader, Clovis. We have an appointment for super injections here."


    "Certainly." The woman nodded with a smile. "Please follow me to handle the remaining paperwork."


    It only took a while since this was their second experience getting a super injection. They had prepared everything.


    "But why would they even mark it as 40%? What is actually going on? Is this guy a VIP? But there''s no mark that is usually placed as a VIP.


    "And what is this? He has a record of getting a super injection as well. If he only has a 15% evolution rate, a super injection is a waste, especially now that he has become a Tier 2.


    "More importantly, how is he able to become the captain of this extremely talented group with that kind of evolution rate? He should be the oldest, right?"


    The doctor''s face turned pale the moment he saw the age. "Holy... He is the youngest? He is also the captain? Is this guy leeching? Or is there something abnormal about him?"


    On the one hand, with this evolution rate, it wouldn''t be weird for others to think that he was leeching his group. On the other hand, the doctor couldn''t rule out other possibilities.


    "And the note of the last doctor..." The doctor frowned. "An absurd absorption rate that defeated his talented peers? Four times? 2,000 ml..."


    The more he read Clovis'' information, the weirder it became.


    "What is he?" The doctor gasped in shock. When he checked the others, there was no absurd note on them. "Is he still a human?"


    The doctor called the nurse. "Is the manager here? No. Alright. Once you''re back, tell the manager that I''ll handle the super injection personally. He should be quite busy because of the current situation, right?


    He can focus on that. Alright. Thank you."


    ...


    The doctor looked at the six people who entered their own chambers.


    "We''ll begin. Since all of you have gotten a super injection in the past, I don''t have to explain much since it''s the same. The only difference will be the dosage. Now that you have reached a higher tier, the dosage will be increased according to your current capacity.


    "For the Tier 2s, we''ll be injecting you with 5,000 ml. For the Tier 3s, we''ll be injecting you with 15,000 ml. If you don''t have any questions, we''ll begin now."


    No one was talking, so the doctor nodded his head. "Alright. Let''s begin."


    There was one thing that the doctor didn''t say. The Tier 2s might be injected with 5,000 ml, but Clovis was different. He actually got injected with 10,000 ml."

 Chapter 402 Insane Absorption Rate

    Clovis closed his eyes, once again feeling the same uncomfortable feeling that was like thousands of ants crawling into his brain. His heart beat quicker, pumping his blood at a fast rate.


    He felt like he was floating on top of the ocean. The moment the fluid was injected into his body, his body sank into the bottomless ocean.


    His body was weak, as he had a hard time moving. But he had to move if he had to do the same thing as before.


    As expected, he started hearing roars coming from the left. Because this was his second experience, he felt that the illusion started becoming more vivid. His senses had become sharper as he gained more control over his body.


    ''Is this... a lucid dream? I feel more relaxed now that I know what to do.''


    Clovis looked around, seeing all the beasts he had never seen before. They were coming toward him, but unsurprisingly, he wasn''t afraid of them.


    He looked down, finding his blades appearing by imagining them.


    "It''s time to start cutting down these beasts." Clovis smiled.


    Little did he know, the doctor was surprised when one of the staff suddenly informed him, "Sir... The capsule #1 is experiencing something strange."


    "What''s wrong?"


    "The fluid that we''ve injected into him is about to be completely absorbed."


    "!!!" The doctor widened his eyes in surprise. Even though he had seen the note, it was still hard to believe.


    The doctor casually said, "Increase the dosage to 15,000 ml."


    "But sir, he is only Tier 2. We can''t give him the same dosage as Tier 3s."


    "Do you want me to repeat myself? I know what I am doing." The doctor glared at the staff.


    Clovis started to struggle once it reached this point. He was surrounded by beasts. Even with all his power, he had a hard time taking care of all of them at once.


    ''What kind of human is he? 40% evolution rate... 15% evolution rate... Does he have two evolution rates? No. Is it a pseudo evolution rate? No. Normally, no humans are able to move in that dreamscape.


    No. Is it because he has two evolution rates? I need to get all the data and see his limit.


    ''I might be able to start research on his limits and allow humans to break past their limits. He might be the secret of human evolution.'' The doctor started to get excited.


    To his surprise, Clovis also stopped moving as if everything were under control.


    Even Clovis wouldn''t believe this, but he actually entered his perfect state in this dreamscape. He was able to move his body almost normally, allowing him to start rampaging in the beast''s ranks, cutting down a few beasts at once.


    As a result, the doctor saw another opportunity. He shouted, "Go! Increase the dosage once again!"


    "Sir, we can''t!" The staff gritted his teeth.


    "What are you saying? If I say we can, we can! Hurry up and increase the dosage!" The doctor raised his voice.


    "No. We can''t. We have just injected the last dosage of essence." The staff shook his head, pointing at the screen. Clovis'' evolution traits had increased by almost 20%, and he was just absorbing the remaining essence to reach them.


    "W-What?" The doctor trembled as he saw that the last 10,000 ml of essence was decreasing at a rate of 4,000 ml per minute. "What is happening?"


    "I don''t know. The number spikes up all of a sudden, which allows him to get the last dosage."


    Because it was only a single injection, unlike the first injection, it didn''t take a long time for Clovis to finish it.


    The doctor simply couldn''t believe that everything had ended. But in his shock, Clovis was completely obliterating all the beasts coming in his way. In fact, he was enjoying it a bit too much now that he had entered the perfect state.


    Without them realizing it, Clovis had finished absorbing the essence and gradually opened his eyes.

 Chapter 403 Experiment?

    Clovis gradually opened his eyes, feeling refreshed.


    The staff suddenly came to him and opened his tube, bringing a towel for him.


    "Thank you." Clovis nodded while coming out of the tube.


    The staff didn''t say anything, his face was still showing a shocked expression.


    Clovis didn''t know why, but he also saw some shocked faces in the past. Hence, he thought it wasn''t anything special.


    The doctor hurriedly came to Clovis with a forced smile.


    "Congratulations, you are the first. Do you feel anything uncomfortable?"


    Clovis looked at his hands and body before shaking his head. "No. Everything is perfectly fine. I do feel I have gotten stronger."


    The doctor asked, "Did you experience something unusual while absorbing the essence?"


    "Mhmm? What do you mean? Is there something wrong?" Clovis tilted his head in confusion.


    "Please don''t worry. We just want to confirm a few things." The doctor waved his hand.


    Considering the last person who handled the super injection was a manager, he thought that such a person wouldn''t go into detail. On the other hand, this person was a doctor, so he obviously handled it in a different way.


    Clovis said, "There''s nothing special. This is my second experience, so I get used to it pretty well."


    "Are you sure?"


    Clovis couldn''t help but feel a bit annoyed by the doctor''s persistence. It was as if something went wrong.


    "Why do you keep asking me? Is there something wrong? I might be able to think of something if you tell me about it."


    Just when he wanted to brag that he was the first, Clovis casually said, "I''m already done."


    "You''re done? What? You mean you''re done absorbing the essence?" Erwin furrowed his eyebrows.


    "Yeah."


    "20% on each of your evolution traits?"


    "Yeah. All of them have increased by 20%." Clovis nodded. "Since it''s my second injection, I can manage it better."


    "Huh?" Erwin furrowed his eyebrows. He couldn''t help but turn to the doctor and rush toward him.


    "Erwin?" Clovis was startled. The doctor and the staff also didn''t expect Erwin to suddenly move.


    Erwin grasped the doctor''s neck and lifted him up while shouting in anger, "You bastard! What have you done?!"


    "W-Wha¡ª!" The doctor grabbed Erwin''s arm, struggling to break free. "You... what are you trying to do?"


    "Erwin? What''s going on? Why did you attack the doctor?" Clovis raised his stance, wondering if something had happened to Erwin.


    Erwin finally understood the problem. He roared at the doctor. "Do you think you can handle the consequences of using a human as your experiment?"


    "Erwin. What''s going on?" Clovis was completely confused.


    "It seems that you don''t know about it, but every single person has their own dosage. The absorbing speed is tied directly to your evolution rate. In other words, all the people on the team are supposed to have more than six times your absorption speed. Even if your mentality is strong, it won''t be weird for you to take at least four times longer than us.


    "Yet, you are done even faster than me, who doesn''t need a full 20%. What does that mean?" Erwin was furious.


    Clovis'' body tensed up as if realizing something. The beasts actually increased a few times, which might also be the result of what happened outside. And after listening to Erwin, there was only one possibility.


    Erwin gritted his teeth before saying, "He is increasing the dosage only on you, which is completely breaking the rule. Not to mention the fact that he didn''t say anything about this. You have become the subject of an experiment without your knowing it."

 Chapter 404 Arrested

    "You have become the subject of an experiment without your consent." Erwin would have smashed the doctor''s head if this were somewhere else.


    "!!!" Clovis widened his eyes in shock.


    "We need to sue Essence Bank for using you as an experiment without your consent. I learned this fact from my father''s acquaintance, who worked as a manager at Essence Bank." Erwin gritted his teeth.


    "You stop... spewing nonsense." The doctor was struggling to catch a breath.


    Clovis'' expression turned cold. Between the doctor and Erwin, Clovis would obviously believe in Erwin first before the facts showed otherwise.


    At the same time, he couldn''t rule out the possibility that Erwin was mistaken about it. He glared at the doctor. "Do you have any explanation for this?"


    Clovis also noticed the pale faces on the staff as they were trying to contact the security team.


    Because of that, Clovis went to the staff instead of the doctor. His eyes were exuding killing intent as he asked with a cold tone. "Looking at your expression, it seems that you know something?"


    The staff was panicking. The doctor was glaring at him, but Clovis stood between them so that the staff couldn''t see the doctor.


    Erwin even grabbed the doctor''s jaws to prevent him from speaking.


    "What''s wrong? Look into my eyes and say it directly. What have you done?"


    "I... I..." The staff was trembling in fear. Because he wasn''t an explorer, he wasn''t immune to the killing beast, causing his heart to break in fear. "I only did what the doctor told me to do."


    "What did he do? Did he order you to do something illegal?"@@@@


    "I... I..." When the staff was about to say something, a few people rushed in with their weapons on hand, finding the mess inside.


    "Stop!"


    Erwin gritted his teeth while saying, "You are going to regret this. You have just done something you shouldn''t have done in your life."


    "Shut up!" The police pinned Erwin even harder.


    Because Clovis wasn''t fighting back, they lifted him up first and started dragging him.


    Clovis smiled at their captain. "We were here just to get a super injection. I''m warning you. You better supervise the super injection to the very end. If they are harmed by that doctor, I don''t mind being a real criminal like you claim me to be."


    The captain furrowed his eyebrows. He knew what this place was. However, it didn''t change the fact that Clovis and Erwin were trying to harm the staff, and he had no choice but to take them into custody.


    And to get a super injection, the government had to approve it. In other words, they were either talented people who had done good deeds or people with great influence.


    If they were the latter, Clovis or Erwin would simply state their affiliation. Hence, the captain deemed them to be the former. In this scenario, it was weird for them to do such a thing without realizing the repercussions.


    Something might be wrong. Although he didn''t like it, he might need to supervise it with his authority or simply use this attack as a reason to do it.


    In fact, he realized that Clovis was actually clever. He first sowed the seeds of doubt and surrendered to avoid any clash. Then he gave the warning. The first thing they needed to do was complete the injection and investigate what happened, including the government official who nominated them.


    The reason Clovis did all this was because Erwin didn''t make a fuss. He seemed to have realized that this person might be annoying, but at least honest. If he warned Erwin not to trust them, he wouldn''t do such a thing, thinking that they might be colluding with the doctor.


    The two of them were arrested. They were brought to the police station for further questioning.


    Erwin remained silent the whole time, thinking that Clovis must have a plan to handle this. Besides, the commander would be involved since he was the one giving them the super injection.


    Meanwhile, Clovis answer was simple. "I need to call my lawyer."


    Since both of them didn''t say anything, the police didn''t have any other choice but to let him call his lawyer. There were multiple people he could call, but this time, he actually chose to call one person.


    He called Hana Skylark.

 Chapter 405 Warning

    Hana was working in her office as usual. There was supposed to be nothing happening except she got disturbed by a certain someone.


    "Huh? Clovis?" Hana squinted her eyes. Usually, she had been clearing up her connection the whole time so that it didn''t get tapped.


    However, this was a problem since the call came from Clovis. Still, this was the first time Clovis called her, so she ended up answering the call. "Yeah? Do you need anything?"


    "I''ll explain later. Vasige City''s Prison."


    "Are you in prison or something? Alright. I''ll try bailing you out. Don''t say anything for now." Hana was completely confused. How could Clovis actually end up in prison? Although she didn''t know him at a personal level, she at least knew his deeds.


    Someone like him wouldn''t be in prison unless it was a trap.


    It seemed that someone was trying to mess him up. As for the reason, that could wait.


    Hana didn''t have much connection in this country, so the only thing she could do was find the best firm possible to handle Clovis'' case, asking them to get him out as quickly as possible.


    And after getting such a big client as well as a sum of cash, they immediately took care of the process.


    However, what they didn''t realize was that Clovis called Hana for another reason. Even if the lawyer was trying to do something, it would definitely require a bit of time. It didn''t seem that bails would be working that effectively either.


    Hence, Clovis changed his target from Hana to his grandfather. Yes, the last person he knew who was in contact with his grandfather was actually Hana. It wouldn''t be wrong to notice that there was a high chance that his grandfather was keeping an eye on her, which resulted in him knowing about this matter.


    On the one hand, he felt ashamed that he couldn''t deal with this matter personally. It wasn''t that he couldn''t get out of prison. He just wanted to know the information about the experiment they did on him, the result, and the removal of it.


    Although he didn''t know much about it, the perfect state would definitely be one of the things they would find out from that research.


    In order to destroy that record, he had no other choice but to manipulate the situation in a way that his grandfather had to make his move.


    Richard simply walked to the table and picked up the phone located on the side of the table. "Sir, you might want to hear this."


    The president frowned, not understanding what was going on.


    As if noticing that the call had been connected, a heavy voice immediately echoed, "I thought that this country would be good for my grandson. It might not be a bad idea to let my grandson love the country and allow this country to claim him as your Tier 9 explorer.


    "However, I was wrong. I''ll give you a warning. Evacuate the entire city of Vasige. Within one month, anyone who is left will be destroyed along with the city."


    The president didn''t like this threat and asked, "Who are you?"


    Unfortunately, the other person hung up. The president was perplexed, thinking that Richard wouldn''t just tell him to listen to a simple threat. "Who is he?"


    Richard, who had been listening to the call, gulped down as he answered with a hollow voice. "Michael Hacfield."


    "Michael... what?" The president widened his eyes in disbelief.


    "He claimed himself to be Michael Hacfield."


    ...


    The threat didn''t simply end with a single country. Obviously, the warning was extended to the CEO of Essence Bank.


    He once had a talk with him in the past concerning Clovis. It was a small warning, asking him to stop searching for Clovis'' identity.


    "This is Frey. May I know who is speaking?" He casually asked.


    A familiar voice resounded across the room. "I have told you to stop bothering my grandson. And to think that you are trying to use him as an experiment without his consent. It seems that Essence Bank has gone big enough that my warning only goes in one ear and out the other."


    *Thud!*

 Chapter 406 Investigation

    Red House.


    "We have found all the information in Vasige City. There is not a single big problem that the city is currently facing. However, we do have one problem that I believe to be the source." Richard projected the information.


    "Approximately five hours ago, a group called Libation Fiesta was receiving a super injection on the recommendation of another city.


    "Once I take another look at this group, I have nothing but surprise. This group is currently registered to have six people. They are anything but normal.


    "Two of their members have become Tier 2. The swordsman, Jay Havenson, was said to have defeated an extremely talented Tier 4 guardian. The sniper, Kanaria Renvolt, might not have a lot of achievements under her belt, but it was said that her support was top-tier.


    "There are three more noteworthy people, but they can''t be compared to those Tier 2 kids. Sorry, I might need to call them an adult now."


    "What do you mean?" The president felt something amiss in that correction.


    "Those two are turning 17 years old this year."


    "!!!" The president raised his head. "What? They are only 16 years old but have reached Tier 2?"


    "Yes. It''s not unprecedented speed if we''re talking that most who have such a speed don''t have a good battle experience and just get a massive essence through their family power. However, seeing their records, it''s clear that they''re reaching that level through their own power."@@@@


    "Such talented kids..."


    "Yeah. Even in the capital... no, even in the world, I don''t think there are a lot of people who have this kind of talent."


    "That''s... So that Jay something is Michael Hacfield''s grandson?" The president finally understood why Michael was so angry. Still, he didn''t think Michael should destroy a city just because of that.


    However, Richard simply shook his head and said, "The person we believe to be his grandson is their captain, Clovis.


    "That''s..." Richard paused for a moment.


    "Just say it!"


    Richard nodded. "We didn''t know much, but we had gotten some information from the police station, including the people that arrested them. According to them, they claimed that Essence Bank had used him as an experiment subject without his consent."


    "Essence Bank?" It was no wonder Richard was hesitant. This bank was a colossal existence in their country. On the other side, there was Michael Hacfield, the madman who didn''t care about anything.


    "Yes. We were lucky that we were one step ahead of them and got certain information. It was recorded that Clovis'' absorption rate was four times Jay and Kanaria''s.


    "This is actually impossible and not supposed to happen. He is the first person to be able to achieve such a thing. I don''t know how useful this is as an experiment, but it''s clear that Clovis is a person who actually breaks the natural law in an unusual way.


    "Even all Tier 9 explorers who have been recorded aren''t able to do it. And it can be said that his talent might have far surpassed Mara Leverstrike. If nothing happens, there''s a high chance that he will be able to become a Tier 9 before he is 30 years old.


    "However, it is not limited to that. All his teammates are ''gifted,'' but they are not certainly breaking any records. However, once they join Libation Fiesta, they become ''exceptional.'' His unique quality might be related to that... possibly to create a lot of Tier 8... or even people that have surpassed Tier 8 but are unable to enter Tier 9 in the future such as a pseudo Tier 9.


    "And Clovis actually has a good reputation in his city. The mayor praised him and told us about his willingness to cooperate with the government so that he could use his name. He has also established a good relationship with a counter-terrorism department as well as protecting the city from a beast wave."


    Richard stopped. There were a lot of things he could say, but he thought this was enough.


    His talent could literally make their country rival that of a superpower nation. And it was clear that Clovis had a good relationship with the government, which proved Michael''s words about letting him develop his love for the country.


    "Who..." The president slammed his fist onto the table. "Who helped him out?!"


    "The best law firm in this country, but I don''t think that''s important enough because the person he called to move them was actually from another country. It was Hana Skylark." Sweats covered his back. He added one last thing that might be able to soothe his anger, even for a little bit. "And Essence Bank has contacted us, saying that they will reimburse us the cost of a city in full."


    A city definitely cost a lot, but it couldn''t be compared to having a Tier 9, who even went beyond nature law.


    The president''s expression was dark, his hands clenched into fists as if he wanted to strangle someone to death. This was the first time he saw the president this angry.

 Chapter 407 Released

    Clovis and Erwin were sitting quietly in their cells as a middle-aged man came.


    The officers, who happened to be patrolling inside the cell, were astounded.


    "Sir?!"


    "What are you doing? Hurry up and let them out!" The middle-aged man shouted.


    "!!!" The officers were confused. Looking at the angry face of their superior made them panic. They hurriedly opened the cells.


    Clovis and Erwin nonchalantly walked out of their cells.


    The middle-aged man walked toward Clovis while lowering his head. "I am the chief of this branch. I''d like to offer my apology for all the inconvenience we have caused you. We''d definitely investigate this matter properly and arrest all the people who have wronged you. We have arrested the doctor and the staff involved in it, as well as discharged the subordinates who have wrongly arrested you."


    Clovis shrugged. "I don''t really care. The officers are merely doing their job. Who am I to question the authority?"


    Erwin had a smug smile on his face, as if he were saying, ''I told you.''


    ''Who am I to question the authority, my ass!'' The chief was fuming in anger inside his heart. Noel was probably the last person who could say that when the one who ordered him to release him was the president himself.@@@@


    However, Clovis wasn''t that angry. He simply asked, as if nothing had happened. "So, am I good to go now?"


    "Y-Yes, of course!" The middle-aged man was sweating after hearing that response. "Please follow me. We have prepared clothes for you to change into."


    Considering they hadn''t put on their clothes when they were arrested, they ended up wearing prison clothes.


    "This..." The chief rubbed his hands while politely asking, "I wonder if you can stop everything that is about to happen. We can''t afford to evacuate the entire city..."


    Now that they were out, the woman asked, "Would you like to sue them?"


    "Will it be troublesome?"


    "That depends on your definition of troublesome."


    "I mean, taking too much of our time."


    "Considering the problem, you most likely need to visit the court. It doesn''t seem that Essence Bank plans to end this publicly, so I think they''re planning to settle it off the court."


    Clovis thought for a moment. If it was about the compensation, he believed that it would go to his grandfather. Although it was a shame that he couldn''t get more money, he at least understood the power of his grandfather.


    "Alright. Let''s drop this matter right here. Thank you for coming all the way here."


    "I understand. And I''m here to pass a message on to you. She will call you at night."


    "Okay, thank you."


    As soon as she left, Clovis turned to Kanaria. "I''ll be explaining everything later. Let''s go back first."


    Erwin asked, "You''re not going to see that doctor? If you want to take revenge, slapping his face is quite satisfactory, you know."


    "Why am I supposed to do that?" Clovis shook his head. Even though he reacted that way, he also added, "By the way, call Aileen later. It''s not a big deal, so it doesn''t need to be her."


    "Alright. It''s better to shut them up for good." Erwin looked a bit surprised to see such ruthless action from Clovis. Then again, this experiment might cause a lot of problems for Clovis.


    In fact, the government had gotten involved. Who wouldn''t treat a Tier 9''s grandson badly? No, would the central government allow Clovis to leave their country?


    What he didn''t know was that revenge was just a smaller matter in this scenario. He had to explain what happened to Aileen. On the one hand, he wanted to know more about her thoughts on this matter as well as that experiment. On the other hand, he wondered how much he should reveal.

 Chapter 408 Super Injection

    That night, the group had gathered in the living room as they were looking at Clovis, who received Hana''s call.


    "I think I deserve an explanation, right? In our relationship, both of us are equal."


    "I know." Clovis nodded. "But before that, is the connection secured?"


    "We have thirty minutes."


    "Alright. First of all, do you know about the super injection? And do you know the meaning of the dosage? What''s the dosage for each Tier, and what will happen if the dosage is decreased or increased?"


    Hana paused for a moment. "Super injection, huh?" Hana paused for a moment. "Yes, I do know. For each tier, huh? They should be 500, 2,000, 5,000, 15,000, and 50,000 ml. That''s for Tier 0 to Tier 4 respectively.


    "Because I''m busy with my company, I don''t have a lot of time to hunt. So my essence comes mostly from the super injection. Of course, I''m also taking my time to hunt personally, but I''ve also learned a lot about the super injection.


    "During the super injection, it''s normal for them to decrease the dosage. After all, you''ll be entering a ''dreamy'' state where you have to endure the will of the beasts whose essence is mixed in that super injection.


    "A lot of people don''t have the strong mental ability to endure it, so they usually lower the dosage. However, increasing the dosage is not recommended. They''re not entirely impossible, but they will cause a lot of strain for both your physical body and mental state.


    "Only those who are strong enough will be allowed to increase their dosage by about 10 to 20 percent. They usually do it so that the injection takes less time."


    Clovis frowned. "What about the absorption rate? If the absorption rate remains the same, won''t it just take the same amount of time?"


    "Not necessarily. The absorption rate is actually linked directly with the dosage. For example, if your dosage is increased from 5,000 to 6,000, your absorption rate can increase from 500 ml per second to 600. After all, increasing the dosage means pushing you to endure more and forcing the essence to merge slightly faster in your body."


    Clovis paused for a moment. "What if you increase your dosage by more than 20 percent?"


    "It''s still possible, but it''ll definitely take a toll on your body. In the worst-case scenario, it can be fatal. Even if you can escape death, you might need to use a wheelchair for the rest of your life."


    Clovis'' expression turned cold. He finally entered the main topic. "What if you take 4 or 5 times your suggested dosage? For example, a Tier 2 getting 25,000 ml..."


    "Are you insane? You are going to die right away, completely devoured by those beasts in that dreamy state. Your brain will cease functioning, and your heart will explode. There have been several experiments in the past, and the only thing you need to know is that the end result is miserable. Your family won''t even recognize your corpse." Hana''s voice started getting agitated.


    However, Clovis fell silent after that.


    "Fair enough." Hana fell into deep thought. "Well, I can kind of understand what''s going on. Your call in the morning was your method to let your grandfather know, right?"


    "I''m sorry."


    "It''s fine, I can understand that. If they know about it, you are screwed. A lot of people, especially shady organizations, would definitely open that body of yours. And currently, you don''t have your family name.


    "I''ve been warned by the president of your country, but I''m not backing down. Besides, I changed the story. I told him that you had personally agreed to visit me in a few months, which allowed me to hide the previous transaction. Make sure our stories match."


    "Got it." Clovis nodded. He wanted to say that the number actually spiked when he entered his perfect state, but the perfect state was still a secret. Even though Hana probably realized that it was a special power that a Tier 9 had, it wouldn''t be good to reveal it that easily.


    Besides, Hana would probably draw a conclusion of her own, which would confirm his potential. With this, Hana would be more sincere in their business.


    "Anyway, that was what happened."


    "I see. I understand the situation. Do you want to sue them?"


    "I don''t want to get into more trouble than this. Besides, my grandfather should have talked to them personally, so I''ll drop this matter for now."


    "Alright. If you want to know more about your body, I can arrange a few scientists for you."


    "Bye!" Clovis hung up before turning to the others while shrugging as if saying, ''That''s what happened.''


    Meanwhile, Hana''s reaction was a bit more intense.


    Hana leaned back on her chair while covering her eyes. "I couldn''t say it since it was based on rumor, but they said the absorption rate was actually related to their affinity. A person could only have a single affinity... But if the rumor is true, that means Clovis has more than one affinity, which is unprecedented in history. Is this his unique quality, the one that will push him to Tier 9?


    "And the fact that his friends have become more talented... Is it a trait that affects not only him but also the people around him? It seems that I have to re-evaluate him since it won''t be just him but also the people in his group.


    "Still, how can he handle that kind of dosage? Is he that unaffected by those beasts? Or he might be able to actually fight or devour those beasts... Hahaha, there''s no way he can do that. We are unable to move in that dreamy state after all."


    Hana paused for a moment. "Nevertheless, the main problem is that... we can''t have this matter leak outside. If they know Clovis will become a Tier 9 in the future, those people will go crazy and probably do everything they can to bring him to them... No, no. They can''t steal him from me."


    Hana somehow reached the most ruthless but the most logical solution. "Alright. Let''s eliminate that doctor and the staff involved in the super injection so that no one will live to tell the tale."

 Chapter 409 Assassination

    "You have to get me out! Do you know what you''re doing is preventing humanity from progressing?!"


    "You bastard. How dare you keep me here?"


    "I''ve worked at Essence Bank for twenty years. I''m the director of internal medicine. You think you will get away from this?"


    The doctor kept spouting everything in his mind. However, no matter how loud he was, there was no response from the officers.


    He had been in the isolation cell for a while, so no one would visit him. However, it had already been quite a while, and no one actually tried to get him out. In fact, the police didn''t even allow him to call his lawyer.


    He thought that he had been abandoned. What Erwin said before getting arrested flashed in his mind.


    Before he could doubt even further, the door was suddenly opened by a police officer.


    "It''s time to get out!"


    "Oh!" The doctor smirked. He muttered inwardly, ''Just you wait. After I publish everything, you''ll become my experimental subject. No matter what you''re doing, Essence Bank will have enough influence to make you disappear quietly.''


    The doctor couldn''t contain his excitement.


    However, when he was about to leave the room, his jaw was forced open by a hand as a liquid suddenly entered his mouth.


    "!!!" The doctor widened his eyes, his gaze shifting to the police officer who was supposed to take him out of here. The officer''s eyes were exuding killing intent, which was different from anyone he had seen so far.


    All of a sudden, his body arched as his eyes rolled back. After that liquid entered his stomach, an unimaginable pain started to spread from his stomach to his entire body. His muscles felt like they were distorted.


    The doctor''s body was convulsing. He was glaring at the person and opened his mouth, saying with a mix of saliva and foam leaking out of the corner of his lips. "Amixyde... You... assassin!"


    The doctor couldn''t say anything as the officer had slammed him back to the ground. His body was convulsing uncontrollably. He was screaming at the top of his lungs. It felt like he was being burned from the inside.


    "Yes, sir. It seems that the station has been raided twice. There are two time stamps in the record that are gone. Because they have different methods, we conclude that they weren''t from the same group.


    "The first one was aiming for the doctor. Looking at their wounds, our forensic team believed that it was due to a poison called Amixyde. A poison that was known to be distorting one''s muscle... a potent toxin from a Tier 7 snake.


    "The second one was another team whose targets were the staff members. They might also target the doctor, but they realized that the doctor had died first.


    "Each of them was killed with a snap on their neck, so unlike the doctor, it didn''t seem they were in a lot of pain before dying.


    "And... approximately ten minutes ago, the laboratory for the super injection was engulfed by flame."


    "..." The chief gritted his teeth. On the one hand, he realized that whoever infiltrated their police station would be great experts or dangerous assassins. On the other hand, it was so frustrating that someone had to die inside his prison.


    He knew that this was bound to happen sooner or later, considering the one who requested Clovis be freed was the president himself.


    He asked, "Is Essence Bank aware of the situation?"


    "Yes, sir. However, there''s been no statement from them. The fire fighters are still suppressing the fire, and if it''s going correctly, the fire will be extinguished within an hour or two."


    The chief bit his lips. That fire was actually a message. Not only did they want to remove the proof, but they also wanted to use that incident as an excuse for him to conclude these sudden deaths.


    Still, the person at the center of this problem was none other than Clovis. He wanted to hate Clovis for causing all of these problems, including the fact that he had to evacuate the city. At the same time, he was cursing the doctor for starting all of this.


    And there was one more thing he needed to do. He said, "There will be a meeting two days later. Mount Ribelius has a sign of erupting, so we''ll have to evacuate the city."


    "But sir... there''s nothing like that."


    "Just do it."


    His subordinate was confused, but he had no choice but to do it since it was an order.

 Chapter 410 Preparation

    Meanwhile, Clovis learned the entire thing the next day.


    "I see." Clovis closed his eyes for a moment. He thought that silencing the doctor was enough, but the scared staff might still spread the rumor. This result ended up making him realize how naive he was.


    At the same time, he understood the power he wielded. He couldn''t care less about his enemy''s death, but it would be different for innocent people who were simply dragged into this.


    "Don''t think too much about this." Kanaria patted his back.


    "I know. It''s just... it truly sucks. I feel like I''m being a hypocrite. I don''t like people suddenly killing me for something I haven''t done, but those people are now dying because of me. I''m just scared that in the future, I''ll become someone who I hate... someone who will regard common people as nothing but ants, whose deaths don''t matter to them.


    A hypocrite that will do ruthless things to people but feel like they''re the most unfortunate person when someone hits them a little bit."


    Kanaria couldn''t say she understood him. While Clovis was from the Hacfield family, his view was similar to that of the common people. That was probably why the Hacfield family wasn''t active in politics or expanding their field of influence.


    "Jay will probably punch you when that happens." Kanaria gently smiled.


    Clovis smiled back. "This is when you''re supposed to say you would do that yourself."


    "I just can''t picture myself hitting you."


    Clovis took a deep breath. "It seems that it''s time for us to leave the city."


    "Indeed. Are we going as planned?"


    "Yes. We''ll hunt for a week before heading home. After that, we''ll begin our preparation for a long journey and head to the city that your mother talked about." Clovis nodded. After this one trip, he should have enough money for the store. And another two weeks should be enough for the remaining amount he required to increase the visit limit and buy the items he wanted.


    "It would be a grueling month, but we''ll definitely succeed." Kanaria pumped her fists. This was a matter of life and death. If they failed, the city would be destroyed.


    As soon as they heard about Clovis'' order, the team immediately packed up and left the city within six hours.


    "Alright, alright."


    The assassin pointed at the beasts. "Anyway, we''ll need more beasts to ensure complete destruction as well as to surround him completely. If we can''t kill him this time, the boss might truly kill us."


    "Why doesn''t just the boss do it personally?"


    "I don''t know if you are bold or foolish. Haven''t you heard ''curiosity kills the cat?''"


    "Well, I have also heard a legend that cats have nine lives."


    The assassin glared at him, while the latter simply looked away while whistling.


    The assassin shook his head helplessly. "Anyway, proceed with the plans. A mere ten thousand won''t be enough, let alone with their current strength. It''s hard to find a strong beast around the area, so we''ll have to use quantity against them.


    "Those people are going to help us create the beast wave, so all we need to do now is prepare. The time limit is a month. After that, they''ll start moving."


    "Finally." He grinned. "I want to pay back that boy for taking my hand."


    "You are just too weak."


    "It was because Clovis was standing on my way before I could cut that guy. I was surprised at that time that I didn''t know what to do since cutting him right there would bring trouble for us. This time, I''ll just kick him away and kill his teammates."


    "Hmph." The assassin harrumphed. "Anyway, we have a target. One hundred thousand. If we can''t reach that number before the time limit, the mission will be considered a failure."


    "One hundred thousand, huh? Aren''t they contradicting themselves? We need to be fast, but we have to get that impossible number."


    "It''s not impossible. You just have to work even harder. From the previous beast wave, we already know that the city won''t have any problem taking a few thousand beasts at once. From their reaction, it''s clear that it''s not impossible to handle ten times that number, which is thirty thousand beasts.


    "Hence, we need a hundred thousand. Even if they go past their limit, it will be impossible for them to handle it."


    "A hundred thousand, huh?" The guy smirked. "Fine. I''ll work hard as long as we can kill them and finish this job as quickly as possible. Killing the grandson of Michael Hacfield will make me famous, right?"

 Chapter 411 New Mission

    "So here is the big mission." Kanaria projected the screen, showing information about their current mission. "Not far from Willowing City is a stretch of wasteland filled with a lot of beasts.


    "Our mission is to kill a total of ten Tier 4 beasts residing in this wasteland. Because the beasts have been quite active, there was a high chance that they would attack the city.


    "That was why Willowing City issued this mission. However, Willowing City is only a Tier 5 city, one tier lower than our city. They only have three Tier 5 explorers in their city, and the Tier 4 humans are considered precious.


    "Hence, this is a perfect chance for us to kill a lot of Tier 4 beasts. In addition, it''s said that this wasteland has more than twenty Tier 4 beasts.


    "The money given for the reward is quite big." Kanaria ended her explanation.


    "I got it that Willowing City is an important route for the supply, but doesn''t that mean we can''t carelessly go here?" Erwin asked while driving the minibus.@@@@


    "Not a problem. Currently, Willowing City is fighting on two fronts. The first one is this wasteland. They have set up a raid camp near the wasteland, which we''ll take advantage of. As for the second one, it''s located south of the city. There is a fallen city that is regarded as being in the Tier 6 zone.


    "They''re focusing on everything they have in there, trying to make sure about the existence of the Tier 6 beast. That''s why they don''t have a lot of personnel for the other one."


    "I see. Because they need volunteers, we''re able to join just fine." Erwin nodded in understanding.


    "Yes. We''re supposed to hunt for two weeks in this place, so the target will be ten Tier 4. Of course, if we can kill more, it''ll be good."


    Clovis thought for a moment. "After this hunt, we''ll have the last bit of preparation as the beast wave will be coming pretty soon. We don''t know how long, but we can''t really go outside of the city since we''ll be helping them kill those beasts."


    Erwin nodded. Even though he wasn''t a part of the city, his city would be in danger as well if there was a large scale beast wave that swept in from the north.


    "Understood. It''s sad that we don''t have a Tier 5 beast as our target this time. I guess I can''t show off my power." Erwin clicked his tongue. After that super injection, he reached Tier 4, so he was eager to test his power. A normal Tier 4 beast wouldn''t be a challenge for him.


    That was why Clovis abruptly added a condition. "In this exploration, I would like to add one challenge."


    "Jay and Erwin... I don''t think I need to tell you the reason, right?" Clovis just glanced at them before sighing.


    "Hmph. It''s time for you to step down. I''m going to defeat you during this hunt." Erwin grinned, provoking Jay.


    "You don''t know when to give up. I''ll show you why you will never go beyond number three." Jay snorted.


    "As for us... do you want to know the reason?" Clovis smiled at Melody.


    "No need. I understand." Melody shook her head. Both of them were the ones commanding this group. Normally, Melody would be supporting Clovis. This time, Clovis wanted a different thing. She wanted her to lead the group, not after knowing the general direction Clovis wanted, but from nothing.


    "It''s finally time I paid you back. I''m going to work you to the bone."


    Clovis smiled. "You are going to fight a lot though. Also, help me monitor them."


    Melody nodded.


    Clovis raised two fingers. "The challenge will be simple. The pair that gets the most money from the essence is the winner. And secondly, each person in the pair has to contribute equally. I don''t care how you do it, and it''s not like I can check it myself. Hence, I''ll just trust you guys.


    Make sure to contribute evenly. As for the plans for exploring the wasteland, you can discuss them with each other privately."


    "I hate to work with him, but if this is a competition, does that mean there''s a prize?" Jay asked.


    Clovis thought for a moment. "Well, I haven''t thought about it. How about the first place winner receiving the prize while the third place winner gets a punishment? The second place is safe."


    They looked at each other. It didn''t seem to be a bad idea.


    The challenge this time was to conquer their weakness, so it wouldn''t be a bad idea that the third place received a punishment since there was a high chance they didn''t work properly.


    "Alright. That''s all. We''ll arrive in the evening, so take a proper rest today and head to the wasteland the day after."

 Chapter 412 Wasteland

    Willowing City Wasteland Camp.


    The camp was located only fifteen minutes away from the city. The camp was a rough assembly of tents and makeshift shelters. A few fires burned low in pits, warming the camp''s inhabitants.


    Surprisingly, the camp itself was pretty clean. There were only fifty soldiers that protected this huge camp, consisting of a few hundred people. However, there were a lot of normal workers the city sent.


    The camp didn''t consist of only parties from Willowing City. In fact, half of them came from multiple cities not far from the area.


    A lot of people were drinking and telling their tales to others. Some conflicts arose but immediately disappeared after the soldiers intervened.


    East of the camp was a wasteland. There were scattered ruins all over the area, but most of them had been ransacked and ended up becoming a beast''s nest.


    Clovis and the others reached a big tent surrounded by a lot of trucks.


    When they entered, they saw a few big counters with several people behind them.


    "Welcome to Willowing City Wasteland Camp." The woman in her early thirties greeted them. "I''m Elia. It''s the first time I''ve seen your faces around here. Do you perhaps have just arrived here?"


    "Yes. I heard from the soldiers that we should visit this place first before going to the wasteland."


    "Indeed. This place is the information center. We handle all your necessities. If you need magazines and other things, you can come to me. If there are some in stock, we will sell them at the market price. If not, we will make a request, and the city will bring some.


    We stock up on everything during the night, so please take note of it."


    "You sure that you can get anything here?" Jay asked. "For example, how about a bike?"


    "Definitely." She turned the screen around, showing several pictures of bikes. "These are the bikes that I can recommend you take if you want to explore the wasteland. It can travel across uneven terrain and has quite good durability."


    "..." Jay fell silent, staring at the bikes seriously.


    "This is amazing. I guess there''s a reason they''re creating this camp." Clovis was amazed by their speed in handling all requests.


    "Wooo!" The roaring engine of the dirt bike rang in his ears as Jay was riding it at full speed, heading toward the wasteland.


    "Oi! Don''t take a head start!" Erwin chased after him using the same bike.


    "You''re too slow!" Jay snorted.


    This was the reason Clovis paired them with each other. Their rivalry was petty and intense at the same time. They would definitely clash with each other a few times during the challenge, but Clovis thought that these two would be the ones who had the highest chance of winning this challenge.


    Their excitement affected Kanaria and Ragna. He had promised Kanaria that he would listen to her request if she ended up winning, so she was fired up.


    The ATV was big enough to carry both her rifle and her sniper rifle. They rode their respective ATVs as they carried their own supplies.


    Meanwhile, Clovis and Melody were left behind, each of them showing no sign of rushing.


    "I guess that''s the reason you suggested a UTV." Clovis pointed at the weapon in the small storage behind the seat. It was not a pistol that Melody normally used.


    "Yeah. 20-gauge REE-32 shotgun. It''s pretty light compared to other shotguns. While I still need both hands to use it, I should be more useful in close combat with this one. I have my pistols and some grenades with me."


    "That''s a lot of stuff you are bringing." Clovis chuckled.


    "Indeed. That''s why I choose a UTV instead of a bike or ATV. They can carry more."


    "Yep. We will use ruined buildings if we want to rest for the night. There are also enough supplies, from water to bullets, so I guess it''s time for us to go as well." Clovis walked toward the driver''s seat.


    "You better not crash it." Melody shook her head helplessly while taking her seat.


    "It should be fine. We''ll just take our time on the first day." Clovis shrugged and started the engine. "Just make sure that the others don''t become too reckless, especially those two."


    "Pfft. We''ll definitely see them punch each other. I''m going to record it."

 Chapter 413 Problems

    "Oi. Where are you going? We should go there!" Erwin pointed to the left.


    "No. We''ll go to the right!" Jay pointed at the small settlements on their right. It was only a few small buildings, but Jay needed to check it out.


    "Haven''t you seen that there are a lot of people clearing this wasteland? If we want to kill more beasts, we should go a bit deeper."


    "We should check the safe place first and create checkpoints that we can use to secure our road."


    "We can worry about that later. If we get a lot of essence today, we can pressure the other two groups!" Erwin started gritting his teeth, annoyed because Jay didn''t listen to him.


    "And what? You are just making them work harder." Jay let out a long sigh, trying to calm down.


    When they were about to continue, they suddenly heard roars coming from the distance.


    "!!!" Jay and Erwin turned their heads at the same time. Both of them had the same thought.


    "There are 15 beasts coming." Jay squinted his eyes.


    "We should use this to determine whose words we shall follow for the rest of the day." Erwin suggested.


    "Fine by me." Jay harrumphed.


    Their rivalry wasn''t similar to what Jay and Clovis had in the past. After all, from the start, Clovis had been determined as the captain.


    Even if there was a rivalry, Jay would still listen to Clovis. However, Erwin was different. Erwin was aiming for the second seat in their group, while Jay tried to show why he was the vice captain. That was why they were clashing with each other.


    Both of them immediately turned their bikes around and drove forward.


    Surprisingly, they stopped at the same time and leaped off their bikes when they reached a certain distance from the beasts.


    Jay waved his saber with all his strength.


    The beasts tried to stop him, but the blade completely overpowered them and cleaved them horizontally. Three of them ended up dying in an instant.


    Jay and Erwin somehow settled their problems on their own, even though this wouldn''t be the last time they would argue with each other.


    Meanwhile, Ragna and Kanaria were actually having a hard time.


    "Ragna. There are a lot of beasts coming from our right!" Kanaria shouted.


    "I got it." Ragna nodded and moved to the right. However, the beasts that he was supposed to stop ended up breaking their defense. Two of them followed Ragna, attacking him from behind.


    "Wait. You can still wait for twenty seconds..." Kanaria bit her lips and started shooting all her bullets at the beasts.


    The beasts continued advancing at high speed. Two of them went down after numerous bullets hitting their heads, but the rest still closed in.


    Kanaria was using her rifle this time since they didn''t have any trees or buildings where she could get a height advantage to see the whole battlefield.


    But as a result, three beasts ended up coming toward her.


    "!!!" Ragna panicked and turned around. However, the two beasts behind him pounced on him.


    "Tsk!" Ragna clicked his tongue. His shield blocked one of them while his spear thrust another.


    Still, his momentum was completely stopped. As a result, even if he managed to defeat these two beasts, he couldn''t go back to Kanaria since the beasts from the right would arrive.


    This was the first time Ragna let the beasts behind him. Normally, Melody would be there to give the micro-adjustment on his task. At the same time, Kanaria was unable to give the perfect order to let Ragna function perfectly.


    Kanaria kept shooting, killing another beast. However, the last two beasts were already so close. The one on the left pounced on her while the one on the right swept its paw from the side.


    Kanaria lowered her stance and let the beast jump over her. But before it passed her, Kanaria pushed the beast to the side so that the other beast would hit him instead.


    Her plan worked. She immediately shot the body. Unfortunately, the bullet didn''t pierce through the beast''s body, so the other one chose this time to move away.


    Kanaria stopped firing for a second and kicked the beast''s body down to clear her view. After that, he shot the last beast several times, ultimately killing it.


    Unfortunately, she couldn''t catch a breath as she had to support Ragna right away.

 Chapter 414 Walls

    Meanwhile, the most chill pair was Clovis and Melody.


    "This is not bad. You''re driving not too fast but not too slow either." Melody casually looked around. "We should go that way. I''ve gathered some information. It''s said that there are ruins that turn into a large nest. For a large nest to be found, it needs to be a big building.


    In this way, there''s an indication of a mall."


    "Oh?" Clovis nodded and turned around. "So are we going around to find ruins?"


    "Yup! Rather than taking our time in smaller groups, it''s better to beat a large nest. Our number is lacking, but in the worst-case scenario, we can always go back. I will place multiple explosives and radar to ensure we can go out." Melody nodded, explaining her plan.


    Since she was the leader this time, Clovis agreed right away. "Sure."


    It didn''t take too long for them to reach the mall. "It''s a small mall?"


    "Yes, but it''s said to have four floors..." Melody raised her head, only finding two floors. There didn''t seem to be any destruction on the upper part. "It seems that the mall is built underneath the ground."


    "Seriously?" Clovis made a wry smile. "Are you sure we''re going to use explosives here? We will be buried, you know."


    "I''ll just change the placement a little bit. The fact that it''s underground allows us to seal the entrance easily."


    "I can''t deny that." Clovis nodded.


    "It should be fine. Let''s park there." Melody pointed to the small place near the entrance. It was a small security post with a boulder next to it, hiding the UTV from plain sight.


    When they entered the mall, Clovis was a bit surprised by the open space concept of the mall. The natural light lit up the two floors, allowing him to make a quick scan. "There doesn''t seem to be anything here."


    Melody looked at the radar before showing it to Clovis. "You sure?"


    "Holy..." Clovis sucked a cold breath. "How many are there?"


    "I don''t know. My estimate is above a hundred. I believe they are hiding underground." Melody looked up.


    "Considering this number, I don''t think anyone has explored this place yet."


    "Yeah." Melody nodded.@@@@


    Even though Melody determined the beasts hiding in the underground, they still checked the two floors above the surface to make sure of it.


    As expected, there was no beast on the surface, so they immediately walked to the stairs. Once they reached the underground floor, the light became scarce. Clovis could barely see anything beyond ten meters from the stairs and had to use the night vision Melody had prepared.


    "Yeah." Melody agreed. "Is it possible that there is another entrance leading to an area or a cave underneath the mall?"


    "Animals that create underground caves, huh?" Clovis couldn''t deny that possibility.


    "If that''s the case, won''t it be even more dangerous?"


    "True. Their cave system is hard to map, and we''ll easily get swarmed by them. I think we should go back and not explore any further." As Clovis said that, they halted their steps. "Look, another wall."


    "We have been finding walls in this floor. Is the mall''s structure bad or something?"


    "Don''t ask me. Anyway, let''s go back. You know the path we''re going, right? This place is like a labyrinth."


    "I mapped it." Melody assured him.


    The only thing they needed to do was go back. That was what they thought until, all of a sudden, the path they crossed earlier got blocked by a wall.


    "Huh?" Clovis frowned. "Did we go here earlier?"


    "It should be. I don''t think I''ve made a mistake." Melody felt something amiss, but there was simply no suspicious sound.


    Clovis extended his hand. "Give me a grenade."


    Melody handed him what he wanted. Surprisingly, Clovis also pulled out his weapon and gestured for Melody to pull the pin.


    As soon as she pulled the pin, Clovis tossed the grenade to the wall.


    *Bam!*


    The explosion suddenly broke apart the wall as numerous scorpions fell to the ground. They all immediately crawled toward Clovis and Melody.


    "!!!" Melody instantly noticed footsteps from all around them, as if all the walls on this floor had crumbled. It wasn''t a wall, it was giant scorpions stacking on top of each other. Because of the lack of light, they couldn''t determine it. In addition, these scorpions were able to do it quietly, to the point where Melody couldn''t even hear them.


    In an instant, they were surrounded by more than a hundred scorpions, each of them spanning two meters in length. Melody''s AI immediately identified them and put their information forward.


    Name: Pulmonoscorpius Kirktonensis


    Description: One of the largest scorpions, living in the early Carboniferous period. It has a tough and flat exoskeleton, using their body to camouflage to avoid their predators.


    "What the¡ª!"

 Chapter 415 Escaping

    Both Clovis and Melody were taken aback. They never thought that the walls were the beasts camouflaging. Because of their flat bodies, they could stack up on top of each other. Taking advantage of the darkness, they were completely unidentifieable.


    Still, there was one thing they needed to do.


    "Melody. We''ll break through here!" Clovis shouted while charging forward.


    Melody snapped back and immediately followed Clovis. They still had some time before the remaining scorpions came toward them.


    Clovis waved his sword at the first scorpion. He used all his strength due to the dire situation.


    Yet when he struck it, he noticed the incredible toughness of the scorpion''s shell. He believed the one he hit earlier was only a Tier 1 scorpion, but its body managed to absorb fifty percent of his power. If this was a Tier 2 scorpion or even higher, there was a high chance that he couldn''t cut through them.


    Still, Clovis used his fastest speed to cut down one scorpion to another. But due to their large bodies, their corpses ended up in the way. In addition to this close space, they had a hard time breaking through.


    Melody tossed two grenades to the back as the scorpions appeared from three directions.


    Boom!


    Boom!


    The grenades killed four scorpions and injured two others, but that wasn''t enough. They would be catching up soon.


    In addition, there were also scorpions coming from the three directions in their front.


    "Don''t waste too much grenade right now. We still have a long way to go." Clovis had to jump from one corpse to another to cross the giant corpses.


    Melody followed him, but due to the nature of her fighting style, she wasn''t as fast as Clovis. In addition, she had to turn around and shoot.


    Bam!


    The deafening gunshot sound echoed as the scorpion had its head blasted into pieces. While she managed to kill one, more of them were coming. They were climbing up the corpses.


    The pressure cracked the scorpion before the blade touched its body, allowing Clovis to have an easier time to cut it. As a result, the residual strength from that swing could kill the scorpion next to his target.


    ''Finally, I can kill two scorpions at once,'' Clovis thought. Using this attack once or twice wouldn''t be a problem, but he might have to use it much more as they were still far from the stairs.


    Clovis chopped down the beasts one after another. His speed increased and his sword became sharper as he gradually got a hang of this technique.


    Melody was taken aback as Clovis started moving a bit too fast for her.


    Melody had no choice but to abandon the wall and chase after him. Instead of a wall, she used a simple barrier that could slow down the scorpions.


    Both of them continued, gradually approaching the stairs.


    As if realizing their intention, the closer Clovis and Melody were to the stairs, the more frenzied their attacks became.


    "This is nuts." Clovis gritted his teeth. His hands started growing numb. The scorpion started to reach them faster.


    As a result, for the first time since the battle started, Clovis had to block a scorpion with his blade.


    "!!!" Melody was the one who was shocked by this block. Without hesitation, she tossed a grenade at a kiosk, causing it to bounce on the rolling shutter.


    Bam!


    Now that the scorpions from that direction were halted for a bit, Clovis had some time to kick the scorpion away before slashing its head without worrying more scorpions.


    "Ten meters to go!" Clovis shouted. They started getting overwhelmed, but they still could push out their remaining strength to cover the remaining distance.


    Melody nodded her head until she noticed the screeching noises that were coming from the front.


    Clovis couldn''t see it, but their path was actually blocked.


    "Clovis! There are more enemies between us and the stairs! They''re waiting for us!"


    "!!!"

 Chapter 416 High Ground

    "!!!"


    Clovis slashed through the scorpion, taking a peek at what was waiting for him after passing this section.


    Between this section and the stairs, there was a short gap with an open space. It meant they were waiting on that open area, which was easy to see.


    That was when he saw multiple flashes in his vision. Multiple figures were lining up in front of the stairs as if they were waiting for them to come out. At the same time, every single one of them was actually bigger than this narrow path. It could be said that they were waiting in that open area because they couldn''t fight in here.


    The worst part was that they were at least Tier 3. He felt like there would be a Tier 4 since it was the only existence that could order all these scorpions.


    "Give me a break." Clovis gritted his teeth. Because of that warning, Clovis ended up stopping in his position. While cutting down the scorpions, he had to think fast before they were trapped inside here.


    "Clovis!" Melody called his name out loud as if telling him that they had no choice but to fight those beasts. "Take this!"


    Clovis was startled and caught a magazine. It was a pistol magazine, but when he saw the cartridge at the top, he understood what she wanted.


    This bullet was a Tier 3 bullet. Coupled with a pistol, they should be enough to kill a Tier 3 beast, even if they were quite tough.


    Melody also took out the Tier 3 bullets for her shotgun, increasing her firepower tremendously.


    It had been a while, but Clovis had three weapons. Due to all the increasing skills for his swordsmanship, he had been neglecting his pistol. However, his pistols were always there to either distract the opponent or save him from danger.


    And this time, it was the perfect chance to use it again.


    He stuck his short sword on his arm while taking out his pistol. He skillfully changed the magazine, but before going, Clovis bit the pistol while extending his hand to Melody. "Greae(Grenade)!"


    Melody immediately tossed it to him.


    As soon as he pulled the pin, he slashed the scorpion in front of him. He then tossed the grenade over the scorpion.


    It landed on the open area, which was still surrounded by low-tier scorpions.


    Boom!@@@@


    The explosion blew away all the scorpions near the exit.


    "How many grenades are left?"


    Clovis used his fastest speed to reach the Tier 4 scorpion.


    Both of them moved at the same time as the sword ended up clashing with the claw.


    This time, the sword didn''t manage to break the claw, causing Clovis to stop.


    He raised his pistol to shoot the scorpion, but the Tier 3 scorpion that had arrived stung his arm.


    Clovis managed to react, albeit at the last second. He just wanted to avoid poison coming into his body, so he shifted his arm a little bit.


    As a result, the round part of the stinger ended up hitting him. The impact felt like he was hit by a bull. If not for his equipment, his arm would probably snap in a weird direction.


    At the same time, the Tier 4 scorpion that stopped him took advantage of it and smacked Clovis'' head.


    Clovis tilted back a little bit, causing the claw to graze his forehead instead of blowing his head away.


    At the same time, it also created an opening for Clovis. He sneaked past its defense and cut the joint of its arm before going past the Tier 4 beast before the other Tier 3 beasts attacked him from behind.


    "Scree!" The Tier 4 beast was wailing in pain, but Clovis didn''t care. He simply went past it, only to find another Tier 4 scorpion waiting for him.


    Fortunately, Melody had passed him and positioned herself a bit further. Once the scorpion''s attention was distracted by Clovis, she closed in and shot.


    Bam!


    It actually cracked the tough shell. As a result, the Tier 4 scorpion actually tilted to the side, creating an opening for Clovis.


    Instead of attacking, he ran as fast as possible.


    It was barely, but he managed to pass the two Tier 4 scorpions. In fact, they used these two giant scorpions to block the path for the Tier 3 scorpions.


    As a result, both Clovis and Melody were able to escape from this trap and reach the stairs.


    However, instead of going to the upper floor, Clovis suddenly halted his step. Melody did the same since Clovis said earlier that they were going to kill them here.


    Of course, the scorpions continued to chase them.


    As soon as they reached the bottom of the stairs, Clovis laughed as if he had gone crazy. With blood flowing down his forehead, Clovis said out loud, "Hahaha! Come again. I have the high ground now."

 Chapter 417 Killing Scorpions

    The scorpions didn''t hesitate to chase after Clovis and Melody. The Tier 3 scorpions were the first ones to come. Clovis thought that there would be low-tier scorpions turning into bait, but it seemed that they didn''t want to turn the corpses into a wall.


    Clovis couldn''t help but smile since this was the opportunity he had been waiting for. This was the only way to defeat all the scorpions in his current condition.


    The grand stairs were big enough for a Tier 4 and a Tier 3 scorpions to pass simultaneously.


    As a result, Clovis stood in front of the Tier 4 scorpion while Melody blasted the Tier 3 scorpion with her shotgun.


    Bang!@@@@


    Bang!


    Bang!


    The Tier 3 scorpion was wailing in pain as its claws were being ripped apart by the shotgun''s shell as Melody gradually stopped the beast.


    Meanwhile, Clovis'' opponent was a Tier 4 scorpion that was lightly injured by Melody earlier.


    The Tier 4 scorpion and Clovis waved their respective weapons. A series of clicking sounds echoed as none of them got an advantage in this clash.


    With Clovis'' current condition, the high ground only allowed him to close the gap between him and the Tier 4 scorpion.


    But that was enough for him.


    He kept clashing with the scorpion for a while, which caused a huge traffic jam behind it.


    With nowhere to go, the scorpion had no choice but to advance.


    The other Tier 4 managed to stop the falling corpse, but Clovis immediately changed position with Melody.


    He struck the Tier 3 scorpion who was too focused on Melody, killing it. With just an eye contact, Melody immediately moved toward the other Tier 4. She tossed the flashbang and used the Tier 3 scorpion''s corpse to avoid the blast.


    The Tier 4 scorpion was in disarray because of that flashbang. Melody shot the Tier 4 scorpion''s mouth through that gap, deforming its mouth. Then Clovis swept in and struck the remaining claw, exposing the front part of the scorpion.


    The other scorpions tried to stop him, but with Melody stopping them and the scorpion having no claws left, there was nothing that stopped him from slashing the scorpion''s face at full force.


    While he had to occasionally dodge the stinger, the scorpion''s face was completely ruined and the blood loss was insane. It only took twenty seconds before the second Tier 4 scorpion died.


    Clovis panted a few times. He started losing the feeling of his hands. From the looks of it, there were still more than forty scorpions left, but there were only two Tier 3 scorpions left among them.


    "Melody!"


    "I know. We push! It''s time to hit them back!" Melody grabbed her pistol and handed it to him. "Use this instead."


    "!!!" Clovis was surprised that Melody offered him to sue two pistols instead of his swords. It seemed that she noticed that his hands were already shaking and his grips had been weakened.


    Clovis grabbed it with a smile. "Thanks."


    "Let''s do it!"


    "Yeah!"


    The two of them turned into demons. They started killing one scorpion after another with bullets. If their claws were strong enough to block the pistols, Melody would blast them with her shotgun. Clovis would then exploit that gap to kill them.


    At the same time, Clovis would also distract the enemy if it would take too much shot for Melody to kill a scorpion.


    Although Clovis took over the command earlier, both of them actually managed to turn around the situation and defeat more than one hundred and fifty scorpions after falling into their traps.

 Chapter 418 Existential Crisis

    "You alright?" Melody asked while walking to Clovis, who was lying down on his stomach. His fingers were spasming.


    "Yeah. You good?" Clovis replied with a coarse voice.


    "I have no injuries thanks to you."


    "Then do you mind collecting their essence? I don''t think I''m in the condition to do that." Clovis let out a long sigh.


    "Sure, but for now..." Melody lifted Clovis up and placed his hand on her shoulder. She started helping Clovis climb the stairs.


    She brought him to the surface and started bandaging him. They grabbed the water bottle from the bag on the UTV, which Clovis bought from Another World Mall. The water was refreshing and helped with their stamina recovery.


    While tying up the bandage, Melody couldn''t help but say, "Seriously... I wonder how you, Jay, and Ragna always get injured."


    "We are simply protecting the people on the back." Clovis shrugged.


    "No. I know that. What I mean is... how are you guys able to get used to the injury? The last time I was in the hospital, it was so painful that I didn''t want to do this anymore. I''m fine with small injuries, but big injuries are too much for me."


    "Welll..." Clovis chuckled. "Just imagine that your brother is behind you. In front of you are numerous enemies. What will you do?"


    "That''s..." Melody shook her head helplessly. "I understand. Though, I wonder what you will do if the one with you right now is Kanaria, not me."


    "I will do the same thing," answered Clovis without hesitation.


    "Huh?" Melody was taken aback by the response. Was she at the same level as Kanaria? Was this a hint that Clovis was attracted to her romantically? But she had sworn in her heart that she wouldn''t think about anything romantic for the rest of her life. "Are you holding me in the same regard as Kanaria?"


    "Mhmmm..." Clovis scratched the back of his head. The answer wasn''t something he could reveal easily.@@@@


    Clovis suddenly noticed something amiss. He muttered inwardly, ''Why do I want multiple partners? And that glitch from earlier... If the entire world is a simulation, it also means that I''m nothing but a part of that simulation.


    ''Then, does the glitch mean that my will has been manipulated as well? I can''t find a reason why I want multiple wives. If that''s the case, is my will actually my will? Or is it something that a certain computer programs?''


    Clovis'' body trembled upon that realization. He had never thought about it, and he had to face this problem so suddenly.


    "Why do I want to have multiple wives?" Clovis asked.


    "Why? No, don''t ask me. I don''t know why." Melody was baffled by the question.


    "That''s... you know how to program something, right? If you program something to be a certain someone, is that possible?"


    "Yeah." Melody nodded.


    Clovis sucked a cold breath. If that was really the case, was his goal to become the greatest explorer by finding out the truth about the meaning of simulation also programmed?


    "Is there something wrong?" Melody tilted her head in confusion.


    "Well..." He couldn''t say he was facing an existential crisis. At the same time, he couldn''t deny that this question might also be answered when he found out the truth about this world.


    Clovis took a deep breath to calm down before saying, "No. I should thank you for asking that question. I couldn''t really answer it, but it opens my mind a little bit."


    It was a bit disappointing, but it wasn''t like every secret was meant to be revealed. "I might not be the right person, but if you ever need me to listen to something, you can come to me."


    "Yeah. Thank you." Clovis nodded, feeling bad.


    "Anyway, I should collect the essence now." Melody stood up. After checking Clovis'' body and ensuring that all wounds had been treated, she grabbed the tools and went back to the mall.

 Chapter 419 Unexpected Reunion

    "I want to turn in all these essences." Clovis placed the box containing all the tubes filled with essence down the table.


    "Understood. Please allow me to check the item first." The staff immediately verified the essence with the machine and saw a bunch of names on her screen.


    The more she scrolled down, the more stunned she was. Eventually, she reached the bottom of the list.


    "This..." She kept glancing back and forth between her screen and Clovis. "Sir..."


    "Their location is in this mall. If you go there and head to the bottom floor, you should be able to find them along with the rest of the scorpions." Clovis placed a finger on his lips, gesturing her to be quiet since he didn''t want to attract attention.


    "I understand." She furiously nodded. If what Clovis said was true, the city would be grateful to Clovis'' help. If they could somehow kill most of the Tier 4 beasts in the wasteland, the city could focus on the other front.


    This was what Vania wanted from Libation Fiesta. Of course, killing a large number of monsters was their specialty.


    "Are you sure you want to turn in all these essences to us?"


    "Yeah. It''s fine." Clovis nodded nonchalantly.


    "We are only agents, so we will take 0.5% of the monetary value."


    "I know. Just process it and give me the receipt."


    "I understand." She hurriedly counted everything and cooperated with the staff from Essence Bank before giving the receipt to Clovis. "Please wait for two hours. The money will be transferred to you."


    "Alright." Clovis paused for a moment before asking, "By the way, can I ask you why this place is suddenly filled with beasts? I haven''t heard much about it."


    "Of course." She took out a small map. "The wasteland has been inhabited by a lot of beasts even in the past. Due to its location that is not leading to any road, the beasts grow in number.


    "However, we still do periodically thinning them out for either the essence or training purposes.


    "It all changed about two weeks ago. We are still not sure about the cause, but there''s a sudden influx of beasts coming from the south."


    "Sure."


    They gradually made their way toward their minibus, only to find someone sitting on their UTV as if she was waiting for them.


    "!!!" Both Clovis and Melody recognized her.


    As soon as she noticed them, she couldn''t help but show a sly smile while waving her hand. "Yo, it''s been a while."


    "Vina..." Clovis furrowed his eyebrows.


    "What are you doing here?" Melody asked, feeling suspicious. She immediately scanned the area to see whether they were surrounded or not.


    "I''m not doing anything." Vina shook her head.


    "Do you think we''ll believe that?" Melody frowned.


    "I thought we parted ways in a pretty good way." Vina tilted her head in confusion. Her personality had changed more than they imagined. No, did she trick them into thinking that her personality was calm and rational?


    "From all the places that we''re visiting, you choose to go to this place to meet us. Who will believe that it''s just a coincidence? In addition, you''re sitting there as if you know it''s ours." Melody stepped forth, her finger tugging Clovis secretly to signal something.


    "Fine, fine." Vina raised her hands as if she were giving up. "I''m trying to do something here. It''s just... I don''t have the necessary power to do so."


    "So you''re coming to us?"


    "Yep, you got that right." Vina smirked. "Help me. I''ll properly reward you."


    "Do you think we''ll help you? This reeks of scheme." Melody stopped her.


    However, Vina simply said, "Even if that reward is information regarding 80,000 beasts that are endangering your city?"


    "!!!"

 Chapter 420 A Deal

    "Even if that reward is information regarding 80,000 beasts that are endangering your city?"


    "!!!" Clovis, who remained silent this whole time, raised his eyebrows and opened his mouth. "What did you say?"


    "Have you ever thought where all those beasts are hiding?"


    Melody looked down, falling into deep thought. Meanwhile, Clovis asked, "Are you our allies or enemies?"


    From how they parted, it didn''t look like Vina intended to become their enemy. Besides, Vina was only a Tier 1 now, so she wasn''t their match.


    On the other hand, Clovis seemed to have confirmed her identity. "You are related to the mule... No, is he your master?"


    Clovis remembered that when the terrorists attacked the mall, they gave some information about the mule. The only Tier 4 person among them was fighting against their captain, whom she called ''Master.'' It might be a slip-up, but it had been fully confirmed by her action this time.


    Vina shook her head. "Neither. I''m not your ally or enemy. I''m simply selling information. I will sell any information, whether it''s to you or your enemy, as long as the reward is worth it."


    "Shouldn''t we just bury this girl somewhere? It''s better for us this way." Melody''s eyes turned cold.


    Meanwhile, Clovis understood what it meant to sell information. Vina coming to them was not only because she needed his help, but because she was showing that he could buy information from her. She was aware of the risk of Clovis choosing to kill her, but she knew he wouldn''t do it.


    He was wise enough that killing her wouldn''t change anything, let alone capturing her.


    "How do we know that your information is correct?"@@@@


    "I want you to infiltrate this place and get that item from me. If you manage to do that, I''ll tell you the secret information about all those beasts that are currently threatening the city. I''m sure you can do a lot of things with that information."


    Clovis'' expression turned cold. "And what will happen if I grab that thing for you?"


    Vina waved her hand. "It''s not like what you''re thinking of right now. Recovering that item won''t harm the city. In fact, with your strength, you can kill all those beasts, right? And I can guarantee that there''s no hidden Tier 5 or above beast. What do you think?"


    Melody thought it was reasonable to do it as a team. However, they were still in the middle of the competition. If it were only the two of them, this mission would be extremely dangerous.


    Clovis had to be careful since this might be a trap as well. He didn''t know if Vina was aware that their group was currently divided or not. This kind of trap would be extremely dangerous since two Tier 4 beasts alone almost killed him and Melody.


    After a few minutes, Clovis asked, "Time limit?"


    "One week... No, six days from now."


    "Are you going to accept it, Clovis?" Melody tried to protest but to no avail.


    "Yes." Clovis nodded before warning Vina. "But remember... if this is detrimental to me, my group, or the city, I''ll definitely hold you accountable. Don''t expect me to show you any mercy just because you are a woman or because I know you a bit."


    "Cool." Vina smiled. She took out a picture. "This is the map as well as the item. The item is a locket. In this map, you will find an X where it''s located. There is a tree inhabited by two Tier 4 flying beasts, and that locket is hung in there.


    "If you have recovered the locket..." Vina took out a silver coin with a crescent moon symbol on it. "Take this to the muscular man wearing a pink shirt ten tents away from the information center. He''ll guide you to me. Remember, he will only appear six days from now, so no need to bother searching for him."


    Clovis let out a long sigh as he watched Vina exit the vehicle.

 Chapter 421 Decision

    "Clovis. Are you seriously accepting that request? Don''t tell me, you''re going to do it with only the two of us? I know that we''re strong, but this is too reckless." Melody bit her lips.


    Clovis shook his head. "No. It won''t be just the two of us."


    Melody''s expression brightened because this only meant one thing. The whole group would take on this mission. Even though it would be hard, there was a high chance that they would accomplish the objective.


    However, Clovis actually broke her expectation by saying, "I''ll be going alone."


    Clovis had one biggest assurance, which was Another World Mall. If it became too dangerous, he could escape to Another World Mall and tend to his injuries there. He could even wait until he recovered before going back.


    In addition, he could do much more things if he were alone, such as eating stuff from Another World Mall and freely using all the items at his disposal.


    There was no need for a tent as well since he would be sleeping inside Another World Mall.


    As expected, Melody slammed the table and protested, "No can do! How insane are you to go alone on this dangerous mission? Do you know the threat that those Tier 4 beasts possess? And we haven''t taken the rest of the beasts into account.


    "Take the abandoned mall as an example, you would have died if not for me accompanying you!" Melody didn''t know about Another World Mall.


    At the same time, Clovis couldn''t deny the fact that he might not be able to escape from there.


    Although he could escape to Another World Mall, there was no guarantee that he could actually escape from there. After all, when he returned, he would be teleported to his original location, which was inside that labyrinth.


    The only way to do it was to stay inside the mall for as long as possible and reach the next tier. But that would simply take too much time.


    Clovis had made this decision with the assumption that he would be going alone.


    However, persuading Melody would definitely be hard.@@@@


    "Alright." Melody stood up. But before she packed up their luggage, she couldn''t help but ask, "I understand a bit why you accepted it, but I think you would reject her. What made you decide to accept that request?"


    Clovis pointed at the picture. "First of all, the locket isn''t covered in dust. It doesn''t seem to be broken either."


    "You''re suspecting that the locket is new and somehow placed there?"


    "Yeah."


    "Did that woman offer this deal just to trap you?"


    "No. It was probably not her."


    "Her master?" Melody looked surprised.


    "I''m not sure. However, it might be the organization behind her as well. The fact that she asked us to deliver this coin to someone just to meet her meant she had joined an organization. And if you take another look at it, why would you place a locket in that tree?"


    "!!!" Melody came to a realization. "A test?"


    "Yes. It might be a test. If that''s the case, keeping in contact with Vina would be the correct thing. At the very least, if she got a higher position, we could gain access to a lot of information."


    "Information is power..." Melody rubbed her chin. "So you are thinking that we might need her in the future?"


    "Maybe... maybe not. But a lot of problems can be solved if we have information, right?"


    "Fair enough. I understand the reason now. I''ll pack up my luggage. When do we leave?"


    "Tonight."

 Chapter 422 Shocked

    "We''re finally back. To think that it would be this hard." Kanaria let out a long sigh. While it was true that their firepower relied on her, it didn''t change the fact that with Ragna as a guardian, Kanaria had the chance to kill more beasts than any others.


    However, after submitting the essence, the number was actually much lower than she predicted.


    "349,500 union dollars, huh? It''s not small, but we should be able to get much more than that. Don''t you think?" Kanaria asked.


    "Sorry." Ragna lowered his head. "It was because of me messing up."


    "No. We both were. I failed to give a correct instruction, especially regarding the timing."


    "I''ll definitely do better tomorrow!"


    Kanaria fell silent for a moment before saying, "How about you are the one giving an order tomorrow?"


    "Me? But..." Ragna wanted to find a reason to reject that idea.


    However, Kanaria stopped him with a wave of her hand. "No. Just think about it. Even bodyguards or secret service have their own security leader, whose job is to do all the detailed work to secure their protectee. I''m wondering... this whole time, you have never said anything you want from us even in a dangerous situation."


    "That''s because Clovis'' instruction is on point and Melody has given the detailed instruction."


    "That''s it." Kanaria pointed at him. "That''s what you need to do. As the guardian of the team, you need to voice your opinion as well. Which position will make it easier for you to protect us? While it''s true that you''re able to fight on the front as well, there will be times like this."


    "But..." Ragna looked down.


    Kanaria smiled. "Ragna. I know that you joined this group because of Clovis. However, I can say for sure that what Clovis needs is Guardian Ragna, not Robot Ragna, who can only follow orders.


    "It''s fine to argue, it''s good to give your opinion, especially if it''s for the sake of the team''s safety."


    Ragna looked down as if recalling his past.


    Since he was beaten a lot, he knew that saying something would make those people get angry. It might be due to it that he was more quiet than the others.


    Jay and Erwin fell silent, wondering how they were able to do it. There was one possibility that they didn''t want to think of.


    It was the appearance of a Tier 4 beast.


    "Don''t tell me..." Erwin glanced at Jay.


    "That''s the only possibility."


    Erwin took a deep breath before saying, "I win today. In other words, you''re going to follow my order for tomorrow. We''ll be searching for a Tier 4 beast."


    "Surprisingly, I''m not against it right now." Jay harrumphed. Although he didn''t want to admit it, they really needed to kill Tier 4 beasts if they wanted to win.


    Clovis'' result managed to light the fire in their hearts. Little did they know, Clovis'' result wouldn''t change for the next few days.


    As for the two people who caused a stir in the group, they were driving under the moonlight.


    It took them almost three hours to reach their destination. It turned out the place that Vina mentioned was a massive valley.


    The valley was pinched by two tall cliffs. They were so tall and steep that it would be impossible to cross them without climbing equipment.


    In the middle of the valley was a small river, meandering to the horizon. There were multiple ruins in sight, which was the sign of the previous civilization.


    Those buildings seemed to be surrounding a tall tree. The tree was more than forty meters tall, and its head was quite wide, with vines hanging on its branches.


    Although it was a bit hard to see, there was a dark silhouette between the branches. Looking at that enclosed space, both Clovis and Melody had the same thought.


    The space was much smaller than they originally thought, which meant a hit and run technique would be extremely hard to execute.


    "It seems that we have to be extra careful." Clovis'' expression turned grim.


    "I''ll scout in the morning. It''s probably better to close in through the cliffs."

 Chapter 423 Dangerous Plan

    Melody frowned. "This is not good."


    She was staring at the valley from above the cliff. It took her more than three hours just to climb it, but getting a close look at the terrain was extremely valuable.@@@@


    She turned left and right to check the rest of the areas before returning to Clovis.


    While projecting the picture of the valley from above, Melody said, "The situation might not be in our favor. If you take a look at the distance between the tree and the buildings, we can safely assume that the flying beasts will notice us the moment we are fighting inside the building.


    "And because of the open area, the beasts will have a wide range of vision. Approaching this area alone can garner some attention. Depending on the beasts'' behaviors, there''s a chance that all those beasts will come at us.


    "According to the radar, there are close to one thousand beasts residing in this valley. It''s more than what she told us.


    "As for the locket, I have bad news and good news. The good news is that the locket is there. Bad news: it''s hung not far from the Tier 4 flying beast. As for the second Tier 4 flying beast, I''ve been trying to search for it but can''t find any nest that indicates such a beast. What do you think? We should regroup with the rest and solve it as a group."


    Clovis fell into deep thought. He kept glancing at the map from time to time as if considering his plans.


    Usually, Clovis would explain his plan after a few minutes, but to her surprise, even after thirty minutes, Clovis hadn''t said a single thing.


    As she expected, this was an impossible mission. No matter how hard they thought about it, there was no plan that allowed them to complete this job with only the two of them.


    However, after a total of one hour, Clovis suddenly opened his mouth. "It''s possible."


    "!!!" Melody didn''t look happy when he said it, thinking that it was just a desperate plan. She tried to complain. "Clovis..."


    "I''m still calm." Clovis shook his head. He pointed at the north side of the map. "The northern area is higher, which is something we can take advantage of."


    "But the high ground this time is not the same as the one in the mall''s underground floor."


    "Yeah, but we have something much more important than the high ground." Clovis raised his head. His gaze was glued to the cliff.


    Name: Vampiric Ramen.


    Effect: Blood Flow +30% for 30 minutes.


    Name: Crispy Crocoduck.


    Effect: Strength +30% for 30 minutes.


    Name: Werewolf Stew.


    Effect: Animal instinct for 30 minutes.


    This time, Clovis didn''t just use the bite-size food but also the real food from the restaurant. He couldn''t do this with his friends, but he could improve his strength tremendously by using all this food. Of course, he also prepared bite-size food, but he would use it later since their effect was lower and the duration was shorter.


    Even though he didn''t rely on the perfect state, he ended up relying on Another World Mall.


    Clovis casually ate everything at the valley''s entrance, where Melody couldn''t see him.


    As soon as he felt all the effect, Clovis stood up and started heading toward the tree.


    The valley was filled with tall green grass as well as trees on the bottom of the cliff. Clovis positioned himself next to the cliff due to their plan.


    As Melody reported, most beasts were actually near the tree, so Clovis had an easy time approaching it.


    "I''m already 80 meters away from the vicinity."


    "Sneak inside into the buildings and locate at least two Tier 4 beasts. I''ll guide you."


    "Thank you." Clovis took a deep breath. Even though he had some confidence, he felt a bit nervous since one mistake might cost him his life. "Clovis, going in."

 Chapter 424 Dinosaur

    Clovis carefully made his way toward the buildings.


    There were beasts roaming around the area, especially near the rivers, to drink. Clovis carefully avoided it with Melody''s help.


    The first thing he needed to do was reach the building closest to him. However, he had to hide behind a tree as some beasts lingered around it.


    Clovis had two choices. He either had to wait until they left or kill them without making a sound.


    The three beasts were only Tier 0, so he had a big chance to succeed.


    After some consideration, Clovis chose to approach them as quickly as possible.


    "!!!" Their instincts kicked in, telling them about the incoming danger. However, when they were about to react, Clovis'' blade had reached them, slashing their necks.


    As soon as they died, Clovis sneaked into the building through the shattered window. After that, he climbed the stairs carefully while scanning the outside to find the Tier 4 beasts.


    There were several beasts staying on the second floor, so he had to kill them as well.


    He rushed to the top floor to get a clear picture of the area.


    Fortunately, the building only had four floors and ten beasts residing in it.


    "Hmm..." Clovis took a peek from the window. "Melody."


    "Wait a minute." Melody was zooming the camera.


    Clovis was also searching for any strong beast. "See that? The pink building?"


    "No. It''s only a Tier 3 from what I can see." Melody paused for a moment before pointing at a different beast.


    Clovis took a glimpse of this beast. It was taking a nap next to the river. The body wasn''t that big, but Clovis could feel the sharp aura coming out of its body. Because the beast was sleeping, it was a bit hard to notice it.


    "One spotted."


    *Roar!* The beast opened its mouth while raising its arm.


    It looked like the beast would succeed in blocking the attack, but Clovis abruptly changed his trajectory and chose to slash the beast''s paw.


    Still, that roar was enough to wake up all the beasts within the vicinity.


    *Roar!*


    *Roar!*


    *Roar!*


    They were responding to the call, which instantly shattered the tranquil atmosphere this place had. Beasts emerged from their hiding spots and started rushing toward this building.


    Meanwhile, Clovis was slashing the Tier 4 beast at a much faster speed than his original limit.


    "Haaaa!" Clovis left multiple wounds on the beast''s body. The beast chose to slam its entire body against Clovis.


    ''Too heavy!'' Clovis gritted his teeth. Even with the boost of his food, it wasn''t enough. He redirected the beast, which couldn''t stop its momentum. As a result, the beast crushed the wall and fell from the fifth floor.


    "!!!" There was no way he would let the beast escape.


    Without hesitation, Clovis jumped after the beast. After cutting it several times, he decided that the beast''s chest was soft enough to be used as a landing pad. Even so, it was still quite a burden for his feet to withstand his entire weight from that height.


    While enduring the pain, he waved his sword multiple times. The beast was also shaking its body violently to throw Clovis off its body.


    He could see some beasts were already close, so he had to take this beast down right away. Hence, Clovis took out two grenades he borrowed from Melody. He inserted one of them inside the wound and jumped away.


    Boom!


    "Aooo!" The beast was wailing in pain, its body was convulsing, but its chest had blown up. With such injuries, there was no way the beast could fight anymore.


    He looked at the beasts movements through the windows of the building, finding a huge dinosaur coming out of the tree. "Oh shit. Is that the third Tier 4 beast?"

 Chapter 425 Running Away

    What emerged from inside the tree was a dinosaur. It was almost five meters in height. It had two slender legs and two small front legs. The AI instantly recognized the dinosaur and put the information out.


    Name: Ornithomimus.


    Description: Living in the late Cretaceous period. It''s known for its running speed, making it one of the fastest dinosaurs. While not as large as colossal dinosaurs, it was relatively big.


    "There seems to be a hole on the other side of the tree. I couldn''t see it due to the leaves." Melody responded. "Clovis. Get away. Dinosaurs are one of the strongest out there."


    Clovis wanted to say something, but he was simply too shocked. After all, the ornithomimus started running at the speed of a horse. And with that giant body, the reach of each step was much larger, which gave a sense that it was moving much faster.


    But what shocked him the most was the fact that this dinosaur was dashing straight at the building.


    "Is it going to bulldoze the entire building? Not good!" Clovis threw the grenade to the left. The explosion halted the beasts for a few seconds. At the same time, he cut down the beasts from the right before running away.


    "Scree!" The flying beast took off from its nest.


    The other Tier 4 beast also woke up and charged together with the beasts around it.


    Clovis dashed at full speed before he heard a loud bam from the building he was in earlier.


    "!!!" Clovis turned his head around and saw the ornithomimus create a hole in the building. It was so big that the entire building ended up crumbling.


    "Reee!" The ornithomimus let out a high-pitched scream before chasing Clovis. It moved so fast that it could catch up to Clovis before he could even reach the designated spot.


    "Are you freaking kidding me?" This was the first time he saw a Tier 4 with such a speed. In addition, its skin seemed to be tough enough to withstand that building. "Why the hell the third ground beast is actually a dinosaur?"


    "I don''t know. You have to get away fast. Dinosaurs are one of the most dangerous species out there. They are known for their extraordinary physical strength, which is much stronger than most beasts." Melody was also panicking.


    In addition, the flying beast was closing in from the sky. Even if he managed to get away from it, the flying beast would have reached him before he reached the designated spot.


    Clovis took out his pistol, shooting the ornithomimus with the Tier 3 bullet.


    Bang!


    "!!!" The flying beast was the first one to notice it, but it was too late. As soon as it rose above the cliff, everything reached the edge of the cliff and was about to fall.


    When distracted, Clovis also took out a cheesecake and shoved it into his mouth.


    Name: Bite-sized Cheesecake


    Effect: Speed +15% for five minutes.


    He sped up, reaching the same speed as the ornithomimus. The ornithomimus became even angrier, but it wasn''t enough to catch up to Clovis.


    At the same time, boulders started to fall down first.


    Clovis'' animal instinct kicked in, his blood flow had increased, and his vision slowed down. He was staring at the boulders and calculating their trajectory.


    Bam!


    Bam!


    Bam!


    The boulders hit the ground, missing Clovis. At the same time, because of the premature release, the boulders didn''t hit anyone as they shattered on the ground. There was only the ornithomimus behind Clovis, but fortunately, there were still the logs.


    The logs were originally used to let the boulder roll since not all of them had perfect round shapes.


    However, Clovis had also cut the tip of the logs, sharpening it like a pencil.


    Because of the air friction as well as the weight of the log, the pointy tip ended up facing down.


    The first one to fall actually stabbed through the ornithomimus'' left leg, severing it completely.


    "Reee!'' The ornithomimus fell down. Even if it had a hard skin, it was still unable to withstand such a heavy and sharp log.


    Three of the logs impaled the ground for more than four meters deep, albeit missing their targets. However, the last log managed to hit one of the beasts at the front. Its body was destroyed as the log pierced through the ground.

 Chapter 426 Thinning Out Their Numbers

    The Tier 4 flying beast decided to shift its target from Clovis to Melody. However, Melody had expected to fight at least a Tier 4 beast in this situation. Even though she might not be able to win, she had confidence that she wouldn''t lose either.


    "Come here, you little bird." She raised her shotgun, challenging it to get closer if it dared. She would blast it to pieces with the shotgun.


    "Reee!" The bird let out a huge cry as it rose to the sky.


    Meanwhile, Clovis headed toward the injured dinosaur. They were pretty lucky that the dinosaur had lost one of its legs.


    "Shaaa!" The dinosaur opened its mouth, struggling to get up.


    Unfortunately, one leg wasn''t enough to support the entire body. As a result, the dinosaur wasn''t a threat anymore.


    All he needed to do was kill the dinosaur before the other beasts came.


    He looped around the dinosaur, forcing the latter to roll its body. However, this was just a trick as Clovis halted and came from his original direction.


    "!!!" The dinosaur was startled and tried to close its eye.


    Luckily, Clovis was fast enough this time. He stabbed the dinosaur eye as deep as possible.


    "Shaaa!" The dinosaur waved its head in all directions, hitting Clovis away.


    However, the left was now the dinosaur blindspot.


    Clovis planned to go for the right eye, but the dinosaur had closed both eyes to avoid any further damage. At the same time, it was moving all its limbs and spinning its body uncontrollably to shove Clovis away.


    As a result, Clovis couldn''t come closer and the other beasts had arrived.


    "Tsk!" Clovis clicked his tongue as he slashed a beast that pounced on him. After that, he dodged several beasts before killing some beasts behind them.


    In addition, there was still another Tier 4 beast that looked like a dog among the enemies.


    Once again, the building collapsed and killed a lot of beasts.


    This was actually his plan. The buildings would kill at least thirty percent of their number since such a large group didn''t have any mobility even if a Tier 4 beast was controlling the group.


    Clovis took advantage of this situation and killed as many beasts as possible. At the same time, he was going around the tree to see whether there were any beasts left behind.


    As he expected, there was a huge hole on the other side of the tree. It was the resting spot of the dinosaur.


    Fortunately, the dinosaur couldn''t go up anymore.


    However, there was something that shocked him. There was a giant beast lying inside the tree hole.


    "Huh?" Clovis widened his eyes in surprise. There was blood flowing out of that body, meaning that the beast should have died. And considering it was the dinosaur''s house, it might be the dinosaur''s dinner.


    "Wait. Is that..." Clovis noticed something. "Melody. Look at that!"


    "Isn''t that a Tier 4 beast, specifically the Tier 4 flying beast?"


    "The dinosaur must have eaten it. I don''t know if it''s because of conflict or something, but this is our chance."


    "Got it. I can unleash everything I have against this bird."


    "Yes!" Clovis couldn''t help but smile. Their plan didn''t work at first, but the dinosaur really helped them.


    Baam!


    Rumble!


    The buildings kept crumbling down, killing more than two hundred beasts. The Tier 4 beast was intelligent enough to order some beasts to go from a different direction to surround Clovis.


    However, it wouldn''t pose too much trouble without the Tier 4 dinosaur.


    "Ouch!" Clovis rolled a few times and hurried to get back up. His face was filled with shock, but he soon remembered something. ''Ah. The buffs are gone. Gotta eat again.''

 Chapter 427 1 vs 800

    Roar!


    Roar!@@@@


    Roar!


    More than twenty buildings had been destroyed. Clovis managed to kill more than four hundred beasts.


    He also cut through the beasts that stood in his way. The only ones that could stop the current him were the Tier 4 beasts.


    Seeing such a situation, the Tier 4 dog decided to ignore his own rule and sped up even if it meant trampling over other beasts.


    Roar!


    The Tier 4 beast crushed the building by himself. The other beasts behind him had no choice but to go around or climb the rubbles.


    "Hoh?" Clovis smirked. "It''s too late already."


    Instead of going to another building, Clovis actually moved back toward the trap. The Tier 4 dinosaur was still struggling to get up.


    Seeing Clovis return, the dinosaur panicked, causing it to slip.


    "Shaaa!" The dinosaur could only scream.


    "!!!" The Tier 4 dog was wondering what Clovis wanted, especially with the fact that he was charging straight at the dinosaur.


    Clovis took out his pistol and shot the dinosaur''s head. He was aiming for the dinosaur''s eye but to no avail.


    The dinosaur had closed its eyes and turned its head to avoid him. It was also listening to the gunshot to locate Clovis.


    When Clovis was in range, the dinosaur immediately tilted its head with its mouth wide open.


    Little did it know, Clovis had realized its intention and chose to loop around the head, avoiding direct confrontation. After that, he returned to his original path.


    "!!!" The Tier 4 dog came to a realization. Clovis was planning to cause mutual destruction between the dinosaur and the beasts behind him.


    "Barf!" The dog tried to warn the dinosaur that it was killing the others, but the dinosaur didn''t care. It was the apex predator here.


    As a result, the dinosaur distracted the dog so much that the latter didn''t notice Clovis came back for him.


    Clovis hit the dog''s right front leg.


    "!!!" The dog was dumbstruck. Clovis didn''t hesitate to slash the dog''s body multiple times, leaving several deep injuries.


    This was another reason why Clovis believed he could do this mission alone. The beasts, while they were quite smart, could be easily controlled.


    Then again, everything went smoothly because Melody was here. If not for her activating the trap and taking down the dinosaur, he might struggle a lot more.


    Clovis let the beasts attack him multiple times as he was in a rush to kill the Tier 4 dog.


    Despite this situation, the Tier 4 flying beast didn''t seem to be coming back as if it were struggling against Melody.


    The Tier 4 flying beast was the only one that could mess up with his positioning, so it was good to have it busy.


    Even though there were a lot of scratches on his body, Clovis eventually delivered a killing blow to the dog.


    "Wo¡ª!" The dog wanted to say something but fell first. The Tier 4 dinosaur was still struggling on the ground, which killed a lot more beasts than he originally thought.


    As a result, Clovis killed the rest of the beasts first while he let the dinosaur tire itself out.


    Melody actually came to the edge of the cliff five minutes later. There were several wounds on her body, but the Tier 4 beasts had been eliminated.


    She thought about helping Clovis right away, but when she checked the camera, there weren''t a lot of beasts still standing.


    When she looked at the battlefield from above, she was even more shocked. The ground had been soaked by blood. Some of it flowed to the river, dyeing it red.


    She was struggling so much against one Tier 4 beast. Yet Clovis had taken down three Tier 4 beasts along with eight hundred beasts on his own.


    "Seriously? How the hell is he able to do all that?" Melody panted a few times. She wanted to help him, but by the time she reached the valley, there might be no more beasts left to kill.


    What Melody didn''t realize was that Clovis didn''t enter the perfect state this whole time. He managed to do all this with just his positioning as well as the food from Another World Mall.

 Chapter 428 Mission Accomplished

    "Seriously. How are you able to defeat all 800 beasts by yourself?" Melody smiled wryly. Previously, Clovis struggled against only two Tier 4 beasts.


    Clovis simply replied, "It''s the terrain advantage. In an open terrain like this, I can manipulate the beasts much easier than in a closed terrain. Each beast has their respective tier, and not all of them are fast. By taking advantage of their speed, you can easily take them down. It''s the same as racing, where one crash will cause a few others."


    "..." Melody couldn''t deny it. Looking at how the corpses were scattered as well as their conditions, Clovis definitely caused massive crashes.


    Clovis sighed. "By the way, can you handle all the collecting? There are a lot, so it must be tiring. But I''m too exhausted right now."


    Melody checked his condition. "I''ll treat your wounds first."


    "Nah, it''s fine. Collecting all their essence will take hours, so I''ll take care of my wounds. I''ll help in one or two hours."


    "Got it." Melody nodded and started grabbing their equipment.


    Clovis turned off the camera and started picking up some items from his inventory. All of this would give them a lot of money. It was true that they couldn''t really add it to their competition, but it would definitely help him opening the new store.


    "I just need about seven million or something before I have enough money for everything. If I have to guess, all of these beasts can give us three million. So, four million if I add what we currently have."


    Clovis paused for a moment. "Still, it seems that we''re unable to go back just yet."


    That was right. They had to check the information they would get from Vina.


    He didn''t know whether Vina knew about his identity or not, but he believed that she could dig it up if she was truly an information merchant.


    Of course, because of the preparation that took a long time, the others were worried because they thought Clovis and Melody were in danger.


    "Yeah. I''m afraid that Melody is one of their agents. Maybe her teacher is quite respected and she is chosen to become one of their managers or something. I don''t know. We need someone who can gather information like that."


    "What if we use them?" Clovis asked.


    "No. It''s true that you can use them, but they might also use you for their own greed. Do you know what''s the worst part about them? It''s that they''re so secretive that you don''t know whether you''re attacking their branches or their headquarters."


    "Fair enough. I''ll think about it. For the time being, our priority is actually a cook or a doctor."


    "Fair enough."


    Clovis and Melody drove back to the camp. While it was true that Jay and the others managed to get a good result, each group had only killed one Tier 4 beast respectively. Meanwhile, Clovis and Melody had eliminated seven of them.


    This competition would still continue for another seven days, so they might still have the chance to reach the twenty Tier 4 beasts they had set in the beginning.


    As soon as they returned, the staff that took care of him was shocked to see Clovis in such a messy state.


    However, it all changed the moment Clovis said, "Can we have a talk? It''s very important and I don''t really want too much attention."


    "Is it about another Tier 4?" she asked in a low tone.


    Clovis projected the map on the table and pointed at the location. This location had been marked as extremely dangerous with multiple Tier 4 beasts. That was why her face turned grim the moment she knew what Clovis wanted to talk about.


    If it was this important, she believed that she should make a special arrangement. At this point, Clovis'' team had done much more than any team in this camp. And they did it in a week.


    "Let me ask the manager."

 Chapter 429 Reward

    "Sir... I have checked. There are a total of five Tier 4 beast essences. Three of them are matching up with the information we have, including the Tier 4 ornithomimus."


    As soon as the manager heard that report, his eyes brightened. He immediately politely lowered his head to Clovis. "We''re extremely grateful for your help in handling those beasts. We have scouted that area and located three of them. We believe that there is one more Tier 4 beast, but we couldn''t find it previously.


    "It turned out there was another Tier 4 beast that we didn''t suspect. If not for your group, we would have faced a lot of problems. As the manager and the representative of the city, I''d like to extend my gratitude to you and your team."


    Clovis nodded his head. "It''s fine. Just keep this a secret."


    "If that is your wish." The manager nodded.


    "If you have confirmed it, can you handle the selling procedures?" Clovis asked.


    "Absolutely." The manager fell silent for a moment. "If I may know, how long are you planning to stay here, sir?"


    "Am I not welcomed?"


    "No, of course not. If you are going to stay here for a little longer, I can ask Miss Silvia to be your group''s personal assistant. You don''t have to come to the information center. Miss Silvia will be the one coming to you and handling all the processes."


    "Hmm..." Clovis thought for a moment. "Well, it''s true that our team here is to find as many Tier 4 beasts as possible. My group is planning to stay here for another week. I hope that we are not bothering you by hunting Tier 4 beasts, right? Maybe 20 Tier 4 beasts should be enough."@@@@


    "!!!" The manager understood the subtle hint in Clovis'' words. If this were true, it meant that the wasteland wouldn''t have that many Tier 4 beasts anymore. And the remaining groups could thin out the number of low-tier beasts. So they could focus all their resources and manpower to handle the other front.


    "That..." The manager was thinking about something. He said, "I can help you as the manager of this camp, I''ll convince the city to give you ten percent more of what you should be receiving in addition to waiving all the costs."


    Melody was slightly surprised. This must be Clovis'' real goal.


    Yes, because this result couldn''t be published, they would have a hard time catching up with the others. If they got this ten percent bonus, they might be able to do it.


    However, Clovis took out the coin and placed it on the table, the crackling sound startling him.


    "!!!" The man looked at the coin for two seconds before glancing around as his hand slid down the table. He hid the coin in his pocket as he said, "Follow me."


    They were taking one turn after another before ultimately reaching a small tent surrounded by a lot of other tents. There was nothing suspicious about this tent, but when they entered, they saw a curtain that actually blocked half of the tent.


    The man didn''t enter with them for some reason.


    As if knowing who they were even without saying anything, Vina said, "Well, well. I thought that you would need your group to handle all five Tier 4 beasts. It''s true that it will be much easier. However, I have never expected that both of you are enough to handle all of them.


    "Even though you are only Tier 2 and Tier 3 humans..." Vina paused for a moment. "Do you bring the locket?"


    "Yeah. It is here." Clovis nodded, showing the locket. "Don''t forget about the reward."


    "I know." Vina''s hand stuck out of the curtain, asking for the locket.


    Clovis hesitated for a moment, but Vina added, "Do you think I will be able to escape from here? I have trusted you enough to not even place any guards around here. Unfortunately, this is an official business. Even though we know each other, I have to follow this tradition."


    Clovis sighed. He put the locket in her hand.


    "It''s really the locket." Vina confirmed it. "As per the agreement, I''ll be giving you the information about the secret of the eighty thousand beasts that are currently threatening your city as well as the information regarding the south. And I hope that you don''t record this."


    It seemed that Vina was able to find out about everything from them completing this mission as a pair as well as Melody, who was secretly recording everything.


    Clovis nodded to Melody.


    After Melody turned off the recording, Vina opened her mouth. "The secret I''m talking about is the location of those eighty thousand beasts. They are currently in..."

 Chapter 430 Clovis Decision

    "Are you seriously going to believe it?" Melody asked while furrowing her eyebrows. Clovis had been sitting on that chair for more than an hour, which made her a bit anxious.


    Clovis remained silent for another minute before saying, "It''s a perfect plan. At the same time, they are pretty flawed once they''re known."


    "So we''re going to check it after we''re done here?"


    Clovis sighed. "We don''t have a choice. If this information is true, we can crush their plans, allowing us to leave the city with ease."@@@@


    Melody couldn''t refute it. She never thought that they would receive such information and at such a time. She couldn''t help but remember what happened earlier.


    ...


    An hour earlier.


    "They are in multiple locations."


    That information made Clovis frown. "Are you playing with us?"


    "No. What I''m saying is that all of them will come from multiple directions. And what do you think is the best place to hide those beasts? No, I should ask you, ''Why do they attack all those cities?''"


    "..." Clovis fell silent for a moment before saying, "They are hiding in fallen cities?"


    "!!!" Melody widened her eyes in shock. "Fallen cities?"


    "They destroy those beasts to create a container for the next beast wave. It continues to grow. And it''s not like people are going to scout that area at this point, especially the deeper part of the area since it''s extremely dangerous," explained Clovis with a grim expression.


    "I only know seven cities where they hide those beasts. From the information I have, each city seems to contain ten thousand beasts. There''s no way they will attack the city with only that number. They''ll surely come with more than a hundred beasts," added Vina.


    "Seven cities..." Clovis pinched the bridge of his nose. Even if they could somehow take all of them down, they would still face quite a lot of beasts. The city might be severely damaged, but after killing those beasts, they could still recover.


    ...


    Melody asked, "In that case, should we check it out? We should still have time to confirm it, but we won''t be able to defeat them. Besides, it seems that you''re concerned about one of the cities."


    Clovis smiled wryly. He gave her the note containing those seven names. "Silver Moon City."


    "Isn''t that..." Melody remembered what she found after doing the background check on Clovis.


    "Yeah. It was the city I used to live in before it was attacked by beasts."


    "Sorry." Melody scratched the back of her head.


    Clovis closed his eyes for a moment. "We''ll be investigating only three cities. As long as we can confirm their existence, it should be enough. Instead of spending more time investigating other cities, it''s better to use it for something else."


    "Which city?"


    "Silver Moon, Heyasha, Golden Horn. They are not too far from each other. Besides, there might be something that my parents left behind over there."


    "Fair enough."


    "Anyway, we''ll leave as scheduled. No need to tell the others for the time being. I''ll explain it after we regroup one week from now."


    "Sure."


    Clovis and Melody chose to continue the hunt without registering what they had hunted in the last few days. Their number increased significantly, trying to catch up with the others.


    However, that six-day gap was simply too hard to close. In addition, the others were also refining their own teamwork as they progressed.


    Even after hunting tirelessly for the next seven days, the result was as follows:


    Kanaria and Ragna: 11,203,500 (3 Tier 4 beasts hunted). Jay and Erwin: 10,858,900 (5 Tier 4 beasts hunted). Clovis and Melody: 9,995,000 (9 Tier 4 beasts hunted + 5 unrecorded kills).

 Chapter 431 Where Everything Started

    "What the hell? Why are there no records about your hunts from the 2nd day to the 7th day?" Jay argued. "Are you pitying us or something?"@@@@


    Kanaria also didn''t like the result. "You''re not going to say that you''ve lost the result because of something, right?"


    Clovis'' expression turned grim. Melody looked away since she knew everything. Erwin was their driver as a punishment for losing to Jay, while Ragna was the one helping with the navigation.


    "I will be explaining everything." Clovis nodded. He revealed everything that happened, from meeting Vina to the information.


    The impact of the information was huge, especially for Jay and Kanaria. They were thinking about sending this information to their family.


    Ragna knew the importance but didn''t have a lot of reaction. His city had been destroyed and his orphanage was no more. He didn''t have any attachment to Star City, so he didn''t think much about this problem. Libation Fiesta had been his home since that day when he joined the group.


    Erwin, on the other hand, couldn''t help but say, "That''s rather dangerous. If we somehow lose against those beasts, we have no other choice but to escape to the south. However, my city is also there. If they gather more beasts along the way, won''t it cause a lot of problems for my city as well?"


    "Yeah. That''s why I have a plan. And to do that, I want all of you to keep this information a secret, including to your family. Only after we manage to confirm it will I reveal the plan to you guys."


    "Hmmm... Will that plan endanger my city?" Erwin asked.


    "It would be in your and your city''s best interest to accept my proposal."


    "I see." Erwin nodded. Even though he didn''t trust him completely, Clovis'' plan had been rather unique and effective, so he should trust him on this one. "So where are we going next?"


    "Silver Moon City."


    "Gotcha."


    Jay, on the other hand, said, "It seems that we''ve lost this competition if we add that much money during that side mission."


    ...


    Following Clovis'' plan, the first city they visited was none other than the city he used to live in for more than 12 years. It was the city he was born in.


    After getting attacked four years prior, the city''s condition was horrible.


    The sturdy walls that reached as high as 20 meters had almost disappeared. Numerous buildings had been reduced to rubble, and nature had taken over.


    Because of the city''s situation, they had no other choice but to park the minibus one kilometer away and approach the city by foot.


    It turned out the information was correct. Even though they couldn''t confirm the number of the beasts, there were already a lot of beasts living outside the cities.


    Clovis led his team carefully, making sure not to wake up all these slumbering beasts. After all, it would be bad if the enemies found out that Clovis had figured out their plan.


    Clovis approached the city from the west gate even though the gate and the wall were no more. The reason why he was able to escape in the past was because of the location of his house, which wasn''t that far from the west gate. As a result, he got picked up by the evacuation team first.


    When he remembered all those details, Clovis couldn''t help but wonder how much his parents had calculated. They might have realized that they would be attacked by beasts and bought the house over there.


    Since it wasn''t far, Clovis managed to reach the place where everything started.


    His house had been half-destroyed, but surprisingly, there was no beast around this area. In addition, Clovis remembered that his current house had a basement, so the important things might be located in the hidden basement.


    He just had to find it.


    Meanwhile, the others were quite amused. This was where the Hacfield family lived. Even though they were a mighty family, Clovis'' house was rather normal. It was only twenty meters wide and thirteen meters long. It was quite big, but it was affordable to most families.


    ''Is this really the Hacfield family''s house?"

 Chapter 432 New Store

    Clovis entered the ordinary house while saying with a nostalgic face, "To think that I would be returning to this place. Please come in."


    Clovis invited them all in as he opened the door. Even though it had been years since he last lived in this house, he still remembered everything vividly.


    Once opening the door, he would find the small couch for guests. However, what was left was a half-destroyed wall and a bitten sofa.


    When he walked in further, he would find the living room for family and kitchen with an open space concept. It wasn''t small, but it felt cozy and warm in the past.


    On the left of this room was actually their training room, but all of it had been completely destroyed. That room was where he first held his weapons.


    "You guys can go around as you like. I don''t think there is anything left behind. I''ll just check that room." Clovis pointed at the door right at the end of a small corridor. It was my parents'' room.


    They exchanged looks. It was probably good for Clovis to look into his parents'' room by himself, so Kanaria waved her hand while saying, "Sure. Take your time."


    As soon as Clovis entered the room, Melody couldn''t help but say, "So this was where the Hacfield family used to live? It was only a bit bigger than my former house."


    Jay didn''t say anything, but this house couldn''t be compared to the mansion where he was raised. At the same time, he wondered if that glamorous life was wrong.


    Ragna came from an orphanage. Seeing that even the mighty Hacfield family didn''t have such a spacious mansion somehow put a smile on his face. He might be evil to think that way, but the humility that the Hacfield family had was something he couldn''t help but admire.


    "Just look around, I guess. We might find a hidden thing in this house," Kanaria explained. They had once found a hidden room in Clovis'' current house, so she suspected this would be the same.


    Meanwhile, Clovis looked at the nostalgic room. It was a surprise that the room wasn''t harmed at all. At the same time, there was nothing he could see inside this room. The room itself wasn''t that big. It only had a king-sized bed, a small path for walking, and a dressing table on the side. There was a bathroom inside, but that was all.


    The biggest reason why he wanted to come to this room was to go to Another World Mall. Yes, he didn''t have the time where he could be completely alone during the trip, so it was time to check what he could buy.


    ''Let''s go to Another World Mall.'' Clovis muttered inwardly as he closed his eyes. The moment he opened his eyes, Blue was there to greet him.@@@@


    [Welcome back, Master.]


    "Oh! I''m back, Blue. It seems that I''ve made you wait, but we will proceed as planned."


    [Upgrading the membership and increasing the visit limit, correct?]


    "Yeah. Do it!"


    [Processing.]


    [That''s a wise choice, Master.]


    "By the way, this is only a wheel of fortune for the shop. What about the discount?" Clovis asked.


    [It''ll only appear after the store is chosen. However, it''ll look like this.]


    The wheel of fortune turned blank for a few seconds before multiple sections appeared. It seemed that it was a 10% interval from 30% to 90%. However, he saw a small one with a 99% discount on it.


    "Oh. I thought it would start with a 10% discount."


    [Another World Mall is a mall where everyone can get stronger with a smile on their face. We are not stingy.]


    "..." Clovis smiled wryly. He could say nothing, so he just walked toward the new shop. "Follow me, Blue. Let''s check the new shop."


    Blue''s wheel started rolling, following quietly from behind.


    While walking, Clovis opened his status.


    [Name: Clovis Hacfield.]


    [Membership: Level 19 (Special Customer)]


    [Money: 6,211,400 Otherworldly Coins.]


    [Item Limit: 17/Visit]


    [Visit: 2(3)/Day]


    "I still have enough money to buy everything I want from the discounted shop. At the same time, I can''t spend my money just because I fear I''m missing out on some great deals."


    Clovis crossed his arms, contemplating.


    [Master. We have arrived.]


    Blue suddenly warned him.


    "!!!" Clovis raised his head, checking what kind of new store he had. "Isn''t this..."

 Chapter 433 Choice

    Clovis raised his head, seeing a board above the store. There was a dog image placed on the board, which only meant one thing.


    "This is a pet shop?" Clovis gasped. He was joking previously, but it turned out a pet shop was real. "This is truly a pet shop? Can it even do something to the beast out there?"


    [Please check it out first, Master.]


    Listening to Blue, he stepped inside. The inside wasn''t that much different than other stores except for the items they sold.


    The first item that greeted him was food.


    Name: Universal Pet Food (Tier 2)


    Description: Pet food made of magical wheat and a magical core. Very nutritious for an animal. All animals will like it.


    Effect: Pet talent +0.01%


    "What is this overpowered item?" Clovis gasped. "No. It doesn''t really matter if we''re talking about a normal animal. I don''t think a normal cat can go against a saber-toothed cat even with all this."


    [Please check this item, Master.]


    Blue brought him a watch.


    "What is this?" Clovis grabbed it. "A smart watch?"


    He looked at the screen that got activated after he touched it. There was something similar to his status, but it seemed to be for animals.


    Name:


    Race:


    Grade:


    Talent:


    Affinity:


    These five were the ones shown on the screen. "I can understand the name, race, and affinity. What about grade and talent?"@@@@


    [Please check this item as well, Master.]


    Blue brought another item, which was a choker.


    [Yes. But there is a possibility that the limit will also increase once you increase your membership level.]


    "That means I can have more than one in the future. While I do trust my teammates completely, I think it won''t be that bad to have animals protecting my group. Their senses are also much sharper. No, they might be able to communicate with other beasts? Can they do that?"


    [There is a high chance it won''t work.]


    "Why? The beasts will follow one that has the higher tier, right?"


    [But the beasts can also see and smell. Master has provided that the beasts in your world have such high intelligence that even a Tier 0 beast has the instinct to attack in a formation. If that''s the case, the high-intelligence beast will deny that call.]


    "If that''s the case, it might be possible to create an initial distraction. At the same time, the beasts will also follow their local lord, so there''s a high chance it won''t succeed as well. While this can be extremely overpowered, it might also not work." Clovis scratched the back of his head.


    "What if I just go with a normal animal? Will it become stronger?"


    [Yes. But if their initial form is weak, it might not have the chance to compete against the strongest out there.]


    Clovis wanted to hold onto that hope, but it seemed impossible. Besides, the choker only allowed him to get a Tier 1 beast or below. If he increased his tier, it might be possible, but that didn''t seem possible as of now.


    Because the schedule had been moved much faster, even I couldn''t become a Tier 3 in time.


    Clovis glanced at his own evolution status.


    Name: Clovis Hacfield


    Tier: 2


    Evolution Rate: 15%


    Brain: 50.1%


    Heart: 57.8%


    Blood: 70.6%


    Muscle: 79.5%


    Bones: 60.6%


    "Our team should be able to handle one Tier 5 assassin, but if it''s like this, having a beast... a Tier 2 beast equipped with items from this mall might allow us to fight those two assassins."


    It seemed that he had no other choice. Before purchasing it, Clovis asked, "Blue. Is there an item that allows me to see whether they''re close to Tier 2 or not?"

 Chapter 434 Items

    "Fuuu..." Clovis exhaled. He had returned from Another World Mall after making a big decision.


    He took out a few items with a tired face. As expected, he bought the items and planned to turn a beast into his pet. It might cause a lot of problems, but this would be their chance to deal with the situation.


    In addition, this was also a perfect time to do it. But because he had spent too much money to buy all this, he didn''t have enough money left to use the Super Discount.


    Still, Clovis didn''t leave the room immediately. Just like the others, he was searching for any clues inside this room. He didn''t expect much from this place.


    He thought that his parents wouldn''t leave anything special here, fully aware that the enemies might investigate this place.


    After two hours, he finally opened the door, finding his teammates who had gathered in the living room. They also couldn''t find anything, so the moment they saw the items Clovis brought out, they realized that his parents had left it in their bedroom.


    "You found something?" Kanaria looked surprised.


    "Yeah." Clovis nodded and brought it to them.


    "A watch?"


    "A choker?"


    "What are all these?"


    They were confused, inspecting the items one by one. They couldn''t help but think Clovis was just trying to bring everything that brought some memories.@@@@


    They misunderstood that Clovis took so much time inside because he was crying. His parents and grandfather had left him for a few years after all.


    However, Clovis explained, "This is a special collar that can tame a beast."


    "!!!" Kanaria, Erwin, and Melody widened their eyes in shock.


    "What do you mean?" Ragna asked in disbelief.


    Meanwhile, Erwin noticed an even more troublesome possibility. "No. If that''s the case, doesn''t it mean people can use children to grow beasts?"


    "I''m not sure how it works, but maybe I''m different?" Clovis pointed at himself, shifting their thoughts to only focus on him.


    The others couldn''t help but fall silent. They couldn''t deny that Clovis was different.


    For Erwin, Clovis was the one with the Hacfield family''s bloodline. For Ragna, Clovis had unique antiques that somehow boosted their abilities. For Melody, Clovis was someone who might be able to reach Tier 9 in the future.


    Kanaria thought no such thing since Clovis'' safety was what she had in mind, but Jay was different. Jay considered Clovis his rival.


    And because of that, he thought about one thing.


    "The fact that you are different... No, the thing that makes you different... Isn''t it the ability to reach Tier 9?" Jay asked. "If we eliminate all possible scenarios, we might reach that answer. To reach Tier 9, you need a unique ability. What if your unique ability can actually do something for the beasts?"


    There was tension inside the living room. On the one hand, if what Jay said was correct, it gave a reason why they wanted to get Clovis. On the other hand, this also meant that Clovis'' unique ability was much different than they originally thought. Even Erwin, who thought he had seen everything about Clovis, doubted his own eyes at this point.


    Jay''s misunderstanding actually helped him. Looking at their shocked faces made him feel guilty, but he couldn''t tell them about Another World Mall for the time being.


    "Maybe... Maybe not. I don''t know much either." Clovis shook his head helplessly. His team thought that Jay''s reasoning was feasible and chose to believe it.


    "Well, if this is truly the case, you are able to change the world. But if your blood is that precious, I''m afraid that there will be a lot of people coming for us." Erwin''s expression turned grim.


    "It doesn''t matter. Our goal remains the same. We''ll just become the best exploration team out there." Ragna shrugged.


    "True." Melody also didn''t care much. Clovis would definitely check about it with his mother, so at that time, she could also ask his mother to help her brother.


    Kanaria finally understood the burden that Clovis carried. She wondered if this was the reason why Clovis never accepted her invitation.


    Jay, on the other hand, became even more fired up. For him, the unique ability had to be awakened, meaning that he might have one but had yet to awaken it. He didn''t plan to drop the competition between them just because he didn''t have the unique ability right now.


    Clovis smiled wryly, never thinking that the bullshit would actually work this well.

 Chapter 435 Persuading the Team

    After they calmed down, Clovis turned to Melody, asking, "Is there a beast that is only Tier 1 but has a useful physical ability like a dog?"


    "Ah, you mean their sense of smell?" Melody looked at the data. "Let me check for a second."


    "So we''re going to fight with a beast next? Not that I don''t mind, but I have never taken care of a pet, let alone a beast." Erwin scratched the back of his head.@@@@


    "But if you think about it, having a beast to assist us is actually quite helpful. If they can track or something, it''s going to be extremely useful in several cases. In addition, they are not easy to die, and their value will soar the moment they become stronger," explained Jay.


    "That''s true." Erwin couldn''t deny it.


    "No. What if the beast can become as strong as us? I mean, Clovis'' family has artifacts. Are they effective for beasts as well?" Ragna asked. The impact of artifacts changed his life, so he was more sensitive about these accessories and clothes.


    "I''m thinking about finding it myself." Clovis scratched the back of his head. "How about you guys go ahead and investigate the next two cities? Meanwhile, I''ll be staying here to look for the beast."


    "Isn''t this too dangerous?"


    "Indeed."


    Clovis had expected this reaction, so he added, "I mean, the beast will certainly not be too big. At least, it should be able to hide inside the car. Unless necessary, I don''t want to show it to others for the time being."


    "True. It will make an uproar if people realize that a beast is fighting alongside a human." Jay nodded.


    Unlike Melody, Kanaria didn''t bother to argue anymore. She chose to respect his decision and stood up. "Alright. We understand. We''ll go ahead without you. However, you only have two days to do it.


    Two days later, we''ll be meeting in a certain spot and returning to our city for the last preparation against the incoming beast wave."


    Kanaria chose to trust Clovis, knowing full well that Clovis did it for the sake of the group.


    "Thank you." Clovis nodded with a solemn expression. He felt bad for lying and hoped that there would be a time he could share it with everyone, but that would probably be far in the future.


    "Well..." Jay couldn''t say anything since Kanaria had agreed. Ragna was the same. Melody smiled wryly, wondering if she could say the same thing during their time in the wasteland. Erwin wasn''t convinced, but he had no other choice when the others had agreed.


    "In that case, we''ll take our leave here. You should be able to see the beast''s information through the Skyglasses, so get what you want." Melody closed the screen as if she had finished all the necessary work.


    "Thanks."


    "Alright. Let''s get going!" Kanaria waved her hand.


    Clovis waved back. He watched them leave.


    He was fortunate that Hana wasn''t here. If she was here, she would do anything to dig up more information. The value of taming a beast was much higher than the beast souls after all.


    But if she found out about Another World Mall, it would become even more complicated.


    Nevertheless, his team was already gone. It had been a while since he was alone, but this way, he could really find all the beasts he wanted. Clovis took out a small lens that he bought. Blue said that he could find a beast close to Tier 2 with this. "If I can somehow make the beast reach Tier 2 in one night, it''ll be wonderful. I wonder what kind of beast I will get."

 Chapter 436 Taming the Beast

    A one meter tall wolf was standing on top of a rubble, looking at the distance as if it noticed something. Its nose twitched as the wolf squinted its eyes.


    All of a sudden, the big brown wolf turned around, noticing a presence coming at high speed. The wolf wanted to howl, alarming the others, but the figure suddenly held its jaws and forcefully closed it.@@@@


    "!!!" The wolf tossed its body to the right and rolled around, but Clovis'' grip remained as strong, not allowing the beast to move.


    In fact, Clovis started to gain ground as he sealed its jaw with the chain of his short sword. Now that he had more freedom to use his hands, Clovis started to drag the wolf to a building next to them.


    He had to hurry before another beast noticed it. The wolf struggled with all its might, but it was only a Tier 1 wolf.


    Clovis was not only a Tier 2, but his strength was comparable to a Tier 4. Dragging this wolf was possible for him.


    As soon as they entered the building, Clovis said, "You have to calm down. I''m not going to kill you!"


    The beasts were highly intelligent, so he hoped that the wolf could understand him.


    However, the wolf started rampaging as if it were annoyed by Clovis'' words.


    "Grrr!" The wolf tried its best to get away.


    "Tsk. Is he really impossible to reason with?" Clovis gritted his teeth. "Hey, calm down."


    He knew that even a human wouldn''t calm down with him chaining up his mouth. At the same time, this was the only way Clovis could survive in this place.


    Because the wolf didn''t have any sign of stopping, Clovis pinned the wolf''s head down with his legs before taking out the collar.


    The wolf''s struggle made it hard to put it on, but after two minutes, he managed to tighten the collar up.


    The food had a faint sweet smell, but for the dire wolf with a powerful sense of smell, the faint smell could reach its nose.


    The wolf glared at Clovis, resisting the temptation, but its eyes kept glancing down. After three minutes of resisting the urge, the wolf ultimately took a bite.


    From that bite, the pet food became irresistible for the wolf. It started devouring the pet food at high speed.


    Clovis looked at the wolf with a wry smile.


    There was a reason why he chose the dire wolf as his companion. The first one was because the dire wolf had a lot of impact in his life. It was the first wolf that he defeated, which led to the encounter with Kanaria. That was also the first fight he and Jay fought together as a team and the establishment of Libation Fiesta.


    The second reason was due to the wolf''s ability. The wolf''s physical appearance could be quite big. He might be able to ride on it in the future. In addition, it was extremely fast, which made him remember the first special wolf that he fought, which dropped a beast soul.


    Only a beast with high speed could actually match his movement. In addition, if he brought back a weird-looking beast, the people would feel even more repulsive.


    Its current size also easily fits the space inside the minibus.


    The third reason was because of its strong sense of smell. Having a beast with a tracking ability would prove to be extremely beneficial for the group.


    It was true that Melody could monitor things with her radar, but it had a limited range. It would be useless if the target wasn''t on their radar. Having a tracking expert would allow them to get the general direction until they found the target in the radar.


    Last but not least, it was because this was the best one he could find after searching around for almost a whole day.


    There were several beasts that were close to Tier 2, but only this dire wolf suited him the most.


    Seeing the wolf devouring the food made him slightly happy. He approached the wolf, which the latter suddenly moved back as it still didn''t trust him.


    "Don''t worry. I''m not planning to harm you. I just want to fill this up again. You can eat as much as you want." Clovis gave the gentlest smile he could offer before backing off again.

 Chapter 437 A Pact

    "Are you done? Let me fill it up again." Clovis approached him, but the wolf surprisingly shook its head as if it understood him.


    "That''s... Ah, are you full? Alright." Clovis returned to his original position.


    The wolf continued eating until there was nothing left behind. After that, the wolf sat down. Its eyes were still saying that it couldn''t trust him, but the wolf didn''t show the same ferocity as before.


    Even the watch had told him the same thing.


    Name: ???


    Race: Dire Wolf


    Grade: 1


    Talent: C-


    Affinity: 25/100


    Clovis was taken aback by the change. He was just searching for a beast that was close to reaching Tier 2, but the talent actually got upgraded right after the first meal. Even the affinity increased tremendously.


    As he expected, the wolf was highly intelligent. It understood the benefits of following him, but its instinct was still telling the wolf to show hostility to Clovis.


    Because the wolf noticed that he got stronger after eating that food, it chose to wait and see what Clovis planned to do.


    "I told you that I''d make you stronger, right? This is only one of the methods. I have a few others that can make you stronger. And I promise that you might even become much stronger than the one governing this area if you follow me." Clovis explained. "I can show you the second method as long as I can approach you."


    Clovis approached the wolf slowly. The latter had its instinct kicked in and moved back, but Clovis waved his hand down. "It''s okay. It''s okay."


    His hand picked up a leather bracelet. The size could be adjusted to a certain extent, so it shouldn''t be uncomfortable for the wolf.


    "I need to put this somewhere on your leg." Clovis showed it to the wolf.


    Even though it was still wary, the wolf leaned forward and sniffed the bracelet. Noticing there was no danger, it also began to sniff Clovis'' hand.


    After recognizing his smell, the wolf licked Clovis.


    Normally, a human or any other beast would taste good, but after tasting the food from Clovis, the instinct to eat Clovis was reduced by a lot.


    It just licked Clovis as if trying to mark him.


    "Aoo¡ª!"


    The wolf wanted to howl, but Clovis hurriedly said, "Wait, wait. If you howl, it will be troublesome if I end up getting found out by others."


    The wolf abruptly stopped, completely understanding him. He didn''t think that a beast would easily understand him. High intelligence wasn''t going to explain everything. He thought either the beast food or the choker actually boosted their understanding of each other.


    "Do you like the new strength? Of course, this is only the start. Not only will these items make you stronger, but the food you eat earlier will also benefit you a lot." Clovis took out another bracelet. "How about using this one as well?"


    The wolf didn''t fight back anymore. It just allowed Clovis to do whatever he wanted as long as it could get stronger.


    The wolf looked so happy when it was tasting its new strength.


    Even the watch indicated that the beast''s affinity had reached 35 points. It seemed that it was easy to increase the affinity at the start. Once it grew to a higher number, it would become much harder.


    Still, there was one thing he needed to clarify.


    "If you are going to follow me, you will also meet with my friends. I can assure you that they are strong and will be kind to you as well."


    The wolf twitched when he mentioned other people, but it also understood that there were a lot of humans out there. It had gathered its resolve, so it stepped forward.


    "We''ll definitely protect you. At the same time, please fight alongside us."


    "Waaf!" The wolf let out a small bark because Clovis told him not to say anything aloud.


    "My name is Clovis. I don''t think you have a name, so I''ll call you Reolf." Clovis extended his hand. "Reolf, would you follow me?"


    The wolf placed its paw on top of Clovis'' palm as a sign of agreement.

 Chapter 438 Tier 2

    "So this is the one you want to help us?" Kanaria fell on her knees, staring at the wolf at the same eye level. She was a bit curious why Clovis chose the dire wolf.


    "Yeah." Clovis nodded. "Reolf. This is Kanaria."


    Reolf sniffed Kanaria cautiously. There was no way Reolf would open up completely in just a single day. The fact that it was already trying to remember her alone was already beyond what Clovis would happen.


    "Oh my. You¡ª" Kanaria wanted to rub Reolf, but the latter backed off before she had the chance.


    Clovis smiled wryly. "Let Reolf trust you first."


    "Oh?" Kanaria scratched the back of her head. "I understand."


    "This is my group, Reolf. They are Jay, Melody, Ragna, and Erwin." Clovis introduced him to the rest of the group. Reolf might actually be their seventh member.


    While he never thought that a beast would join his group and become an important member, he couldn''t help but notice how easy it was for Clovis to trust Reolf.


    Unlike humans, whose thoughts sometimes eluded him, Reolf was more straightforward in his approach.


    Reolf sniffed every single one of them, remembering their smells. They stood still so that Reolf didn''t back away.


    "I know that there are a lot of questions in your head, but let''s go back first. There are a few things we need to do after this investigation."@@@@


    "Alright."


    Reolf''s body wasn''t too big, so he easily fit inside the minibus. In addition, Clovis planned to get a custom minibus when they reached Hana''s plan in the near future.


    "So what did you find out about the other two cities?" Clovis asked.


    "We have found this." Melody projected a screen, which contained two maps. "We set up more than ten sites and checked them with the radars. And these are the results."


    Several radar images appeared on top of the ten dots of each map. As Clovis expected, there were about three hundred beasts in one radar image. And each radar wasn''t even scanning a huge area either.


    Clovis'' expression turned solemn. "This is rather concerning."


    "Yeah. We have confirmed that these two cities are infested by beasts."


    Clovis projected a video for them. "This is what I''ve found."


    Unlike them, Clovis was actually showing a video of a radar getting scanned from one corner to another.


    As for who managed to get all this quality recording, it was the wolf who was trying to sleep on the back.


    ...


    A few hours ago.


    Clovis placed a radar and a small camera under Reolf''s belly and asked, "Can you go around the city while bringing this?"


    Reolf agreed nonchalantly. As a beast, Reolf was able to pass the area with numerous beasts without a single fight. He moved around the city as Clovis recorded the entire process.


    In just two hours, Reolf had found more than 4,000 beasts on the radar. It was to be expected that there would be a lot more beasts around. The camera had confirmed the existence of those beasts, which was higher than normal.


    At the same time, he felt a bit moved. As she said, this wasn''t like a few months ago, where he was all alone.


    "Thank you, but it''s going to be fine." Clovis smiled.


    "Alright." Kanaria felt relieved that everything was fine. She waved her hand as she chased after Jay and Melody since her parents would be sending someone to drive her back.


    After seeing all of them leave, Clovis finally entered his house. To his surprise, Reolf was already waiting for him right in front of the door.


    "..." Clovis felt a bit weird since this was the first time he had a pet.


    "Well, there is nothing we can do for the next several days." Clovis smiled wryly. He had noticed that Reolf''s affinity had reached 35 points. If this continued, he might be able to get Reolf''s trust in a month or so. "Anyway, are you hungry?"


    In the next few days, Clovis spent his time developing his relationship with Reolf.


    Because of his size, Reolf stayed inside his training room.


    He had been a good wolf since he understood Clovis a lot and didn''t really make a mess.


    However, because there was nothing to do, Reolf chose to spend his day sleeping, which made Clovis feel bad.


    If he didn''t bring Reolf back, this wolf would have been roaming around the city instead of getting imprisoned in this small room.


    For the first time in his life, Clovis was thinking that owning a mansion would be quite good. At the very least, he wanted a space for Reolf to move around.


    Since he was a beast, it would probably be fine to have a spar with him since it would continue his instinct.


    And the pet shop didn''t give any toys that Reolf could use. Even Clovis thought that having a toy that could be used as training equipment would be good.


    Unfortunately, Reolf could only sit and watch Clovis through the window as he trained his swordsmanship.


    He promised that he would get a mansion even if he had to empty his bank account once he reached Hana''s place. This also meant that the mansion would be their base of operation, and everyone would be living inside it.


    All of it changed in three days. Clovis was supposed to wake up as usual, but this day, he woke up due to a small bark from above.


    His body felt heavy, which made him open his eyes right away.


    What he found was a brown wolf, whose height seemed to almost reach the ceiling. Even though the wolf was standing on top of his bed, it didn''t change the fact that the wolf was supposed to be a bit shorter.


    "Reolf?" Clovis let out a small groan. He noticed the excitement on Reolf''s face. It was confirmed when he noticed the change he found on Reolf''s body.


    Name: Reolf


    Race: Dire Wolf


    Grade: 2


    Talent: C-


    Affinity: 47/100


    "Waaf!"

 Chapter 439 Began

    "The situation is looking extremely dangerous right now." The commander looked at Mayor Revan with a solemn expression. "Since we already know who is the culprit, why don''t we capture them already?"


    "It can''t be done." The mayor shook his head. "We don''t have enough proof to show that they''re the culprits. In addition, if we move right now, we will be notifying the enemies that we''re ready to intercept them. It''ll be troublesome if they suddenly change their plans at the last minute."


    The commander gritted his teeth. "This is annoying. In the end, we''ll be at the mercy of those capitalists."


    "What you should worry about is the incoming beast wave. The moment they''re coming, the police will sweep in and stop them from leaving the town." The mayor''s expression turned serious.


    "I know. My force is already to lock down the city. However, are you sure we''ll be able to withstand this attack?"


    "Who knows?" The mayor shook his head helplessly. "You should go back. We need to keep the casualties low."


    "Tsk." The mayor clicked his tongue. No matter how hard he persuaded the mayor, it wouldn''t be possible.


    As soon as he left the mayor''s office, the mayor''s expression turned solemn. "How many people will die because of this? I don''t know if this is the correct choice either."


    Meanwhile, the commander was walking down the hallway, his face turning grim the more he thought about it. They had thought that the beast wave would come sooner or later, just like what happened to other cities near the province.


    However, he never thought that the beast wave was controlled by people. He couldn''t imagine the cruelty of this person who orchestrated the entire thing.


    "Sir..." His assistant greeted him.


    "Where is the vice commander?"


    "Standing by in the underground city in case the enemies also attack from there."


    "Our troops?"


    "We have been assigning people to their new posts, but they are starting to question the meaning of the new post. I''m afraid that rumors are going to spread soon."


    "It can''t be helped. For now, focus on the preparation. Even if the rumor is going to appear, the beast wave will definitely come."


    "Understood. What about our scout?"


    "There is no report yet." He shook his head helplessly.


    "Monitor the situation. Check on them. According to the prediction, the beast wave will be coming today or tomorrow."


    "I understand." His assistant started calling a few people to check the situation, but the more people he called, the more his concern arose.


    Even the commanders, who were beside him, couldn''t help but pay special attention to them.


    Unfortunately for them, the gates had been shut down, the military had filled up the seat, and the walls were restricted.


    People started getting anxious, wondering what was happening in the city. No one had access to the information.


    And that was when the information started leaking out.


    "The government is hiding a beast wave at the scale of more than a hundred thousand beasts?"


    "We''re gonna die."


    "We have to get out of the city before the beast completely surrounds us."


    "Where do they come from?"


    "We have to go to the south gate."


    "No. We should go to the east gate!"


    "Just get going!"


    The city became chaotic in almost an instant. In the city, there was a man that suddenly destroyed a window of a convenience store while shouting, "This city is done for."


    That action encouraged the others to start looting the store.


    That one action influenced others to follow, which caused a riot inside the city.


    The police were moving fast to secure the situation. At the same time, they had to handle the traitors of the city as well.


    Several police cars appeared in front of the Drake group''s headquarters as well as the Rusth family.


    "President Thomas. Come out! We have found proof of your involvement in creating this beast wave."


    "Mr. Raymond Rusth. We have proof of your involvement in creating this beast wave."


    The police announced it out loud to sway the opinions of the people around the area. However, both places had the same tactic. Even though they announced it out loud, they didn''t plan to wait until they came out.


    They had sent teams to swipe the entire place, arresting all the people inside.


    This was a trap to bait them out. If they resisted, it just proved their non-existent proof. If they didn''t resist, they knew that they would be in a dangerous situation.


    In other words, they had no choice but to fight back.


    President Thomas cracked his fingers while saying in a cold tone, "It seems that everyone has forgotten that even though I''m the youngest, I''m still one of the few Tier 6 humans in this city."

 Chapter 440 Strength

    Clovis stared at the sky while listening to the alarm. "It has begun. Why do humans have to kill each other when we have a common enemy? I guess whether it''s the real world or a simulation world, the human''s nature can''t be changed."


    "Waaf!" Reolf let out a small bark.


    Clovis smiled. "Let''s go, Reolf. We have a strong opponent to fight today."


    "Waaf!" Reolf''s eyes were excited. He wanted to test his newfound strength as well. Now that he became a Tier 2 and his strength had been boosted by items, he had become equal to a Tier 3 beast.


    Clovis opened the door of the minibus and said, "Get on. We''ll be opening our own path."


    "Waaf!" As soon as he entered the car, Reolf saw a lot of food. It was human food, but this was the last preparation Clovis had. As long as Reolf ate this food, his strength would be boosted to equal to that of a Tier 4 beast.


    ...


    "Alpha Six, approaching the target!" The team was moving carefully, almost reaching Thomas'' office.


    They looked at each other and started planting a breaching charge on the door, but before it could explode, a hand crushed through the door and grabbed the neck of the one planting the charge.


    "Gaaahh!" The guy grasped the hand, but it was too late. With a single motion, he broke his neck.


    "Shoot!"


    "Shoot!"


    They immediately pointed their guns at the door and started shooting.


    The noises filled up the quiet office as the people started running away. Screams echoed from the lower floor, but as if he had expected, there was no one other than Thomas on the top floor.


    After shooting all their bullets, they couldn''t help but look in confusion, wondering if they had killed him or not.


    All of a sudden, the door was blasted with a kick, crashing into one of them.


    "Gah!"


    "He''s not dead yet!"


    Instead of injuring Thomas, what he found was his arm bending in a weird way. "Agggghhhhh!"


    "It seems that you don''t understand anything. It''s because of me that we have a power balance. Since you''re planning to eliminate me, I''ll destroy that power balance." Thomas stated coldly.


    "Get out of the way!" The captain shouted.


    With a single wave of Thomas'' hand, the police cars were split into two as the upper parts were sent flying into the air. In fact, several officers got sliced in their bodies.


    The captain managed to block it with his remaining arm, but there was a deep cut mark on it. "Kh."


    "You just have proved that you are involved in this beast wave. We can''t forgive traitors of humanity." The captain gritted his teeth, enduring the pain.


    "Traitors? None of that matters if all of you die. In the end, the dead tell no tales." Thomas raised his hand, ready to slash the captain down.


    The moment he waved his hand down, he heard an aged voice coming from the side.


    "Everyone will die, but not today." A cane hit Thomas'' hand from above.


    Despite the collision looking weak, the impact produced a shock wave that cracked the ground and almost flipped the cars around them.


    Bam!


    "!!!" Thomas'' face darkened as he was staring at the figure who had just come. It was an elderly man with a long white beard. He looked thin and required a cane to walk, but his eyes were oozing killing intent.


    With a calm expression, the elderly man asked, "What did you say again, youngster?"


    "Davian Renvolt." Thomas gritted his teeth.


    ...


    Meanwhile, the Rusth family''s mansion was also sieged by the police. A muscular old man emerged from a car. He was wearing a white shirt and black vest, looking so thigh as they barely covered his muscles.


    "Sir Andrew Havenson, please help us."


    While taking off his round hat, he inhaled the cigar while saying, "I guess I''m the one who is responsible for taking down that old fox. It''s been so long since I moved around that my muscle has forgotten how to fight."

 Chapter 441 Assassins

    "To think that it would come to this..."


    "Yeah. In the end, he is the one causing everything."


    "Despite saying those words, you agree to help him."


    "Shut up. I''m just repaying the favor. One more word from you, I''m going to beat you first, Greg."


    "Hahaha. You''re always like this, Paen."


    These two were the old men that were watching Clovis when he awakened as an explorer. They were the Lion Mercenary Group''s president, Gregory MacTavish, and the Milun Enterprise''s CEO, Lipaen Reynan.


    Gregory once gave Clovis the pass to become an explorer, while Lipaen was the one protecting Melody''s brother.


    Both of them were standing on top of the north wall, staring at the incoming beasts.


    "This is not going to end well. How many are they?" Gregory frowned.


    "Still under calculation. The city defense has been activated, and the soldiers are moving to their positions. Our job as the Tier 5 humans of this city is to take down several high-tier beasts. We have to stop them from reaching the wall so that the rest of the soldiers can repel them." Lipaen shrugged.


    "That sounds simple enough. The other walls?"


    "They are..."


    Standing on top of the east wall are Kanaria''s mother and Jay''s father respectively.


    Vania muttered, "Because of the current situation, we should be the ones holding the front line."


    "I know that. I agree to this plan because it''ll open up the path for my son."


    "Hahaha. You''re so strict that your son is annoyed by you."


    "I''m just telling him how to behave." Nick shook his head helplessly. "As a human, if there is a beast in front of you, we have to put our grudge down and work together."


    While Clovis should be stronger than Erwin overall, Erwin should be able to buy more time because the gap between them was smaller.


    But it didn''t mean Clovis was out of options.


    "I don''t know. Maybe I''ll break the record once again and defeat a Tier 5 human." Clovis smirked while taking a bite of the bite-size cupcake.


    The assassin smirked, his eyes were exuding killing intent. "I''ll freaking crush you! I''ll grind your bones and skin you alive. I''ll let your people see your state."


    "Do you think I don''t know that you can''t kill me? Why would you even bother to come head-on instead of ambushing if that''s not the case?"


    "!!!" The assassin''s eyebrows twitched.


    "What I want to say is... Just quit yapping and accept that you will be remembered as a loser." Clovis pulled out his swords.


    The assassin gritted his teeth while rushing toward Clovis with his dagger.


    His friend looked at the north and east walls while listening to the roars. "They''re about to reach the city. I guess all of them are now busy on the wall. No more reinforcement..."


    The assassin took a deep breath, erasing his presence. He dashed toward Kanaria''s grandfather from behind while throwing a knife.


    However, a string suddenly reached the knife''s handle. With a single wave of a hand, the knife turned around and flew back toward him.


    "!!!" The assassin knocked the knife away with his dagger. He turned his head to the side, finding Erwin.


    "Where do you think you''re going?" Erwin glared at him.


    ''This is... a trap!'' The assassin tossed his body to the left. In that instant, a bullet grazed the side of his chest. The assassin was shocked. This bullet should have hit his chest, but thankfully his reaction speed was quick.


    As soon as the bullet failed, Jay rushed to him from behind.


    "Scram!" The assassin smashed him with his full power, but there was a shield blocking his attack. As a result, Jay and Ragna were only pushed back by two meters.


    The assassin looked around, realizing that he had been surrounded by Libation Fiesta.

 Chapter 442 Good Boy

    Kanaria''s grandfather simply smiled without looking back. "It seems that your little helper is surrounded."


    Thomas'' expression darkened. "It doesn''t really matter. As long as I kill you here, anything you prepare will be useless."


    The assassin clicked his tongue. Even though he was surrounded, he was still a Tier 5 assassin.


    If he understood the nature of Libation Fiesta, he knew that only Erwin had the ability to harm him.


    As long as he paid attention to the bullet that would occasionally come to him, he would win this battle.


    "Go for it, guys." Kanaria smiled, maintaining a certain distance from all of them.


    The assassin knew after the first attack, Jay and Ragna would defend together, Erwin could fight on equal ground, and Kanaria was unreachable. The only one he could target was none other than Melody.


    In that instant, he leaped toward Melody.


    Jay and Erwin followed right away.


    The assassin smiled. This was a fake. His real target was actually Jay. Now that Ragna was one step too late, the assassin immediately turned around and struck Jay.


    Jay held his blade with both hands and unleashed all his momentum, using the trick for ranged attack.


    The assassin was confused why Jay would swing before he reached him, but his instinct was warning him of danger.


    Because of it, the assassin raised his dagger at the last second and abruptly stopped on his track.


    Click!


    A clicking sound echoed as the assassin could feel an impact despite the sword being still 30 cm away from him.


    "!!!" The assassin realized that Jay was actually stronger from the report they had.


    While he wasn''t as good as Clovis, who managed to extend his attack by 70 cm, Jay was still able to utilize this power.


    Previously, he used speed to overwhelm someone, such as hitting their weapons multiple times to boost the strength of his attack.


    However, against someone with overwhelming strength, it wasn''t going to work since the other party would have just pushed him back before the follow-up attacks arrived.


    It was no wonder why Mara told him to focus on his momentum instead.


    Only by using his momentum and ranged attack would he produce enough force to close the gap between them.


    The assassin reached Clovis, but the latter had switched his stance after understanding the gap between them.


    Clovis didn''t run away this time. He struck the assassin with all his strength but still didn''t manage to completely block his attack.


    ''Kh. This is still not enough. Even the food won''t be enough to bridge the gap between us. I need to kill this guy as quickly as possible before the food effect runs out...''


    Clovis bit his lips. There was only one thing he could do. It was to enter the perfect state.


    However, whenever he tried to get angry, the assassin would distract him with an attack. He needed a chance, and he knew how to get it.


    Clovis clashed with the man multiple times. The latter managed to overwhelm him every single time, but Clovis was able to keep up, albeit barely.


    Despite getting pushed back continuously, Clovis made a looping direction so that they would be fighting right next to the minibus.


    During that time, the assassin dropped his guard slightly, thinking that no matter what Clovis did, he could still overpower him. Little did he know, he had been waiting for this exact moment.


    "Reolf!" Clovis grinned.


    "!!!" The assassin sensed danger coming from the side, which was the bus.


    A big wolf slammed open the door and pounced on him, biting his shoulder.


    "A-Aaggh!"


    Clovis smirked. Reolf had just created a precious chance that Clovis used to get angry, triggering his perfect state. "Good boy."

 Chapter 444 Number

    The assassin''s eyes turned bloodshot, the killing intent emitted from his eyes made Clovis subconsciously tighten his grip. Even Reolf was gnashing its teeth.


    The assassin charged forward.


    Clovis did the same, slashing his swords at the same time. Clovis would definitely lose this engagement if not for Reolf suddenly climbing Clovis'' back and leaping into the air.


    "Grra!" The wolf hit the assassin from above. Since the assassin had been doing well with his kicks, it was only normal if they attacked from above.


    As a result, the assassin''s body tilted back until he fell to the ground.


    Without hesitation, Clovis used the ranged attack by swinging his sword from above.


    The assassin was blocking the dagger at the last moment, but his shirt was cut. A sword mark appeared on his chest. The bleeding wasn''t much, but the fact that Clovis'' attack could reach him meant Clovis was close to Tier 5 with this mysterious power.


    Those who could become Tier 8 in the future were able to defeat an enemy one Tier above them. However, only those Tier 9 humans managed to kill someone two tiers above them when they were still young.


    There was no way he could believe that Clovis was able to reach him. Even though Reolf was powerful, it wasn''t enough to match his strength.


    The assassin kicked Clovis on the stomach, launching him away. However, Reolf used his body as a cushion, stopping Clovis completely.


    After that, both of them approached the assassin, who was getting back on his feet.


    Clovis attacked from the left side, forcing the assassin to use his dagger.


    Reolf approached from the right. The assassin threw a back kick at Reolf, but surprisingly, Reolf stopped before he reached the assassin''s attack range.


    Once he avoided the kick, Reolf leaped into the air. The assassin was elastic enough to send a kick above his head, but Clovis, who was pushed back by his attack earlier, had switched weapons.


    Since Reolf was in the air, there was no way he would hit Reolf in case he missed.@@@@


    "Annoying!" The assassin gritted his teeth and switched targets from Reolf to Clovis.


    "Do you think you can confuse me with those claims?" Clovis snorted.


    "Confuse you? You''re joking. I''m merely stating the facts. You will be confused after those walls got breached by those beasts. None of you are going to survive." The assassin smirked. "I''m giving you one last chance.


    Tell me about your secret and the Hacfield''s family''s secret, I can take you away from here."


    "My secret? You think I''m a fool. I know that you''re here to capture me. After that, you can easily throw me to a place with a lot of beasts to kill me."


    "It seems that you''re not going to take it. Then, you and everyone else in this base will be swallowed by all 120,000 beasts that are currently surrounding the city."


    ...


    East Wall.


    "Reinforce that spot!" Vania shouted while looking at everything on the map. In the end, she was an operator, so she was more focused on supporting the entire army.


    "Vania. There is one Tier 5 beast spotted." Nick pointed forward.


    "I know. Don''t worry. Everything is under control. You just have to focus on thinning out their number. I''ll tell you when to fight that Tier 5 beast."


    "Thinning out their number, eh? Easier said than done. Look at this beast wave... How many beasts are here?"


    "What are you complaining about? There are only 70,000 beasts according to my calculation." Vania snorted. "We might sustain some damage, but it won''t be enough to destroy us."


    "70,000 beasts? Wasn''t it supposed to go beyond 100,000? Now that I think about it, my father left the city for a day..." Nick narrowed his eyes.


    "Well, that''s..."


    Even though both Vania and Clovis weren''t in the same place, they were smiling at the same time as though they had done something to stop at least 50,000 beasts from coming.


    Both of them said, "...That''s what we want you to believe."

 Chapter 445 Hidden Plan

    "Attack, attack, keep attacking!" Aileen''s grandfather, Albert Risevan, shouted.


    Around him were a thousand explorers. They were spreading in all directions, fighting against all the beasts inside the city.


    Albert couldn''t help but mutter, "What that brat Erwin said was actually true. If this beast wave continued, our city, which was about to recover, would have to handle this alone."


    In another city, Rafael, the rising star of the Stellar City, shouted. "We can''t lose. Fighting in this place is much better than letting our city get razed to the ground by all these beasts. We will kill the beasts right now! Do you want to expose your family to danger?"@@@@


    "NO!" The soldiers shouted in unison.


    "Do you want to let these beasts eat the children of our city?"


    "NO!"


    "Kill them all! Don''t let every single beast escape!"


    "Uoohh!" The soldiers were fired up. He had been entrusted with the task of killing ten thousand beasts hiding in one of the suspected cities.


    Although he wasn''t particularly close to Libation Fiesta, he had exchanged numbers with Jay after that fight. He recognized Jay as a fighter worthy of his acknowledgment.


    It was surprising that a few days ago, Jay would send him an image of an abandoned city infested with beasts.


    When he gave it to his father, the commander, they finally understood the scheme of the enemies. They had been hiding all the beasts inside the abandoned cities and continued destroying one city after another with a surprise attack.


    This was like a ray of hope in their desperate situation. They had thought that they would have to face the beast wave, but if Clovis'' plan worked, they could actually survive this ordeal with minimal losses.


    A few days ago.


    "What? You want to move to other cities to help us? But how? Even though you''re probably the target, it doesn''t change the fact that this is just a mere speculation. In addition, we don''t have enough influence to actually ask other cities'' help." Vania explained.


    Kanaria nodded. "That''s the plan. We don''t have a lot of time."


    "I know. For the sake of my future grandson-in-law, I can''t be stingy. I''ll depart right away." He waved his hand and turned around.


    Kanaria looked excited since the problem was solved before she even asked her mother to convince her grandfather.


    To her surprise, before he left, he stopped for a second and asked, "That''s right. I almost forgot to ask one question."


    "What is it?"


    "When will I get to see my great grandson?"


    Kanaria looked frustrated as she shouted, "Why are you like Mom? You''re asking the same thing!"


    Both of them exchanged looks. He gave a thumbs up to Vania while the latter said, "That''s the secret, my dear daughter. It''s running in our family. You''re the same as us."


    "Aaaahhhh. I don''t hear anything!" Kanaria screamed and stormed out of the room, leaving the two laughing out loud.


    ...


    "What did you say?" The terrorist couldn''t believe what he heard from Clovis.


    Clovis smiled. "Your plan is already crumbling before you realize it."


    The terrorist gritted his teeth. ''How could he know about our plan? If that were true, it meant that there might not be even a hundred thousand beasts attacking this city. We wouldn''t have enough beasts to cause commotions in this city to kill this brat. But how? Did someone tell...''


    The terrorist came to a realization. There was one person who could find out their plan and give that information to Clovis. It was the mule.


    Seeing that stunned face made Clovis want to say, "You are screwed."

 Chapter 446 Allies or Enemies?

    The assassin''s expression darkened. He looked at Erwin and Jay. They had fought for a while, but none of them sustained any injuries. Whenever he tried to attack, Ragna would block that attack as Jay helped him. Erwin was strong enough to fight by himself, while Kanaria was too far away.


    There was one person that looked exposed.


    Jay and Erwin charged forward, pincering him from two directions.


    The assassin''s eyes flashed as he spun his body, striking Jay and Erwin in rapid succession.


    Jay was blown away while Erwin managed to withstand the impact. As a result, the assassin turned to Erwin to kill him.


    However, Kanaria suddenly shot him from far away. Unfortunately, the assassin managed to pick it up with his instinct and avoided the bullet at the last second.


    After that, the assassin turned around and leaped toward Melody. He had been waiting for Kanaria to shoot.


    At the very least, he got one second before she could shoot again.


    "!!!" Ragna, Jay, and Erwin chased after him right away. On the other hand, Melody didn''t bother to raise her pistol as if everything was going to be alright.


    It turned out Kanaria released another bullet right away, which forced the assassin to leap into the air, slowing him down.


    During that time, Jay and Erwin moved to the side while Ragna remained aligned with him.


    The assassin should think that Melody couldn''t shoot because her teammates were right behind him, but that was a mistake.


    Since there was only Ragna that might potentially get hit, Melody suddenly raised her gun and shot several times.


    Bang!


    Bang!


    The assassin was supposed to hit the wires, but Erwin jumped into the air so that he could use the momentum and kick the assassin just by stretching his leg forward.


    The assassin saw the clumsy attempt and made his choice. He let Erwin come closer, his wires trying to break apart the leather armor underneath his clothes.


    Even though the wires didn''t manage to slice through it, they managed to graze several parts that weren''t protected by the armor.


    In exchange, the assassin stabbed Erwin''s left calf, but it didn''t stop his momentum. As a result, the kick still hit him and caused him to fall to the ground.


    However, that was worth it. Erwin jumped using his other leg, but it was clear that the wound was quite severe as he couldn''t stand straight anymore. At least he wouldn''t be able to use his left leg anymore.


    What the assassin didn''t expect was that everything was just a distraction.


    With the assassin on the ground, Jay and Ragna could close in without worries.


    The assassin tried to get back on his feet, but Ragna thrust his spear, taking advantage of the spear''s longer reach to stop him from escaping.


    The assassin knocked Ragna''s spear with his Tier 5 strength, but Jay suddenly emerged from behind Ragna. Even though there was still some distance, he swung his sword.


    "Tsk!" Realizing he had been tricked by opportunities, the assassin was one step too late to block this attack. As a result, his right arm was cut.


    Unbeknownst to them, there was a group of five standing two hundred meters away from them, observing the fight. The one leading them was a Tier 5 middle-aged man, while the rest of the people were Tier 4.


    "In the end, we are also getting involved in this matter," One of them said.


    "That doesn''t matter. Even if we try to avoid it, they''ll find a way to drag us."


    "Yeah. Because of that, we have to make our stance clear."


    "It seems that the family head has made a decision."


    All four of them glanced at the Tier 5 middle-aged man.

 Chapter 447 Surprise

    "Tsk!" The assassin gritted his teeth, never expecting that he would suffer such a loss against these kids. He knew that they would be strong, but not this strong. He spun his body, using the centrifugal force to strike Ragna and Jay.


    They ended up leaping back to regain some distance, but at this rate, the assassin would fall sooner or later.


    When they were about to attack, Melody suddenly noticed dots coming into their range.


    "Reinforcement? No." Melody turned around, seeing those five people. Her program scanned them and tried to recognize their faces. As soon as she saw their names, she shouted, "Not good! Enemy''s reinforcement! Jay, Ragna!"@@@@


    "!!!" The group was startled as they glanced back, finding the five enemies.


    "They are from the Panorama Group!" Melody shouted, warning them.


    Vania had warned them previously that their opponents were the Rusth family, the Drake Group, and the Panorama Group. However, she mentioned that the Panorama Group hadn''t made an official decision yet, so the fact that they appeared right after the assassin was injured meant they were coming with a bad intention.


    ''Not good. If the Panorama Group comes...'' Melody bit her lips. ''...If we are defeated here and can''t support Clovis, the Panorama Group can take over the city by killing Kanaria''s grandfather first, which is located not too far away from here.''


    Kanaria shifted her aim and observed the incoming enemies. "Four of them are Tier 4, but one of them is Tier 5. Incoming!"


    Kanaria shot at them, but the Tier 5 middle-aged man suddenly leaped into her trajectory, blocking all the bullets that were about to hit his people.


    Jay and Ragna hurriedly turned around to block them.


    A swordsman came to Jay and struck him from the side. Jay had to defend himself as the other party was the one with the initiative.


    Ragna faced the same situation as he was suppressed by a glaive coming from above, pinning him to the ground.


    The other two Tier 4 were coming while the Tier 5 was still locked on to Kanaria.


    "Gah!" The assassin spat, but the only thing he could let out was a coarse sound without any real meaning.


    The Tier 5 middle-aged man actually took advantage of his position that was on the side to approach the assassin from his blind spot.


    ''This is a trap. Their plan is to use that fake to kill me as quickly as possible and turn around the situation.'' The assassin''s face turned pale. The two that stopped Jay and Ragna earlier had arrived. The one wielding a glaive chopped the assassin''s right leg while the swordsman stabbed him in the chest.


    The assassin desperately tilted his body, using the last bit of his strength to throw that knife to Melody.


    However, the Tier 5 middle-aged man stood in his way, blocking the dagger with a shield.


    "You motherfu¡ª" The assassin fell to the ground, spat a mouthful of blood, and ultimately died.


    "!!!" Melody didn''t expect that the Panorama Group actually came to help them.


    The middle-aged man said, "We are from the Panorama Group. We have made our decision, which is to stand together with the city."


    Melody shouted, "How do we know that you''re not trying to backstab us?"


    Melody''s suspicion was justified. They made the assassin think they were on the same side before betraying him so that they could swiftly kill him. That method was their biggest mistake.


    Because of her reply, the rest of the group pointed their weapons at the Panorama Group. As if knowing this would happen, the Panorama Group also watched each other back, planning to fight Libation Fiesta if they attacked them.


    What they didn''t know was that this was the Panorama Group''s main plan. By causing this misunderstanding, they didn''t have to spend their resources and manpower to help the city while making their stance clear. In other words, they could escape this incident unscathed.


    On the other hand, Melody was thinking about another problem. It was Clovis. If they didn''t send reinforcement right away, Clovis might die.


    Melody had studied how to command the group during their trip to the wasteland, so she had to make a decision for the group.

 Chapter 448 Reinforcement

    Melody bit her lips. She muttered inwardly, ''What an old fox. He clearly knows that the beast wave won''t be able to destroy this city, so he is using this situation to make his stance clear without losing his group''s strength.


    ''If we follow his words blindly, there''s a chance that he is just tricking us. He is waiting for us to leave so that they can aid President Thomas. Killing that assassin will make their words more credible.


    ''On the other hand, if we don''t leave, we can still stop them if they are trying to help President Thomas. Fighting this group will be hard... No, we will be defeated with our condition, but we won''t go down easily. We can still buy a lot of time from them.


    ''But in this scenario, we have to actually leave Clovis alone. What should we do? If it''s Clovis, what will he choose? No. Clovis is not here, and I have to make a decision as quickly as possible.''


    Melody didn''t know what to choose.


    ''No. There is still a chance.'' Melody shouted, "Jay!"


    "!!!" Jay''s expression turned grim, ready to fight them if Melody wanted him to do so.


    However, Melody pointed in Clovis'' direction, saying, "Go help, Clovis! The rest of us will stay here."


    Jay didn''t hesitate to go toward their vehicle and immediately drove off to help Clovis. The rest furrowed their eyebrows, not knowing whether they could defend this position or not.


    Melody''s plan was not to defend. It was to get their leader back with them.


    Jay''s condition was the best among them, and with his help, Clovis should be able to defeat the Tier 5 assassin. He was also smart enough to tell Clovis everything that transpired here and make a good judgment.


    As soon as Jay and Clovis eliminated the assassin, Clovis could finally take the leader role again and command them better than her.


    That was why Melody chose to buy some time from them.


    Melody then turned to the Panorama Group while asking with a stern tone. "Do you think we can really trust you?"


    The middle-aged man frowned. "We are here to make our stance clear. We''re here to fight for the city."


    "Do you think I don''t know your relationship with the Rusth family?" Melody didn''t back down.


    Melody kept cornering them with all the words she could find in her mind. It was to buy time for Jay.


    After that, he shot the assassin, forcing the latter to avoid it by moving to the side. He threw his dagger at Clovis'' hand, which ultimately knocked the pistol off his hand.


    "Tsk!" Clovis fixed his posture as blood kept pouring out of his body. He jumped toward the assassin.


    The latter managed to recover before Clovis arrived. He struck Clovis'' blades with all his strength, planning to destroy him, only to find Reolf arriving at the same time.


    Reolf opened his mouth wide as if he were ready to rip apart the assassin''s arm with his teeth the moment the assassin struck Clovis.


    Unfortunately for them, the assassin managed to react at the last second, changing his target from Clovis to Reolf.


    The dagger scratched Reolf''s nose, but this distraction allowed Clovis to hit the assassin''s left shoulder.


    The assassin kicked him on the stomach before Clovis could swing any further.


    At the same time, Reolf continued and bit his arm.


    "Argh!" The assassin screamed before kicking Reolf away.


    "Aooo!" Reolf howled as his body slid for several meters. Because he was weaker than Clovis, he ended up becoming the first one to struggle to get up.


    Reolf kept flapping its body, but it was futile. He had exhausted his strength.


    This was the assassin''s chance to kill this annoying wolf. He leaped toward Reolf.


    "Die!" The assassin roared as he swung his dagger downward with the fastest speed he could muster at the moment.


    Reolf knew that this would be over for him, but surprisingly, he felt no pain. Instead, there was a clicking sound echoing in their ears.


    "!!!" All of them raised their heads, finding Jay.


    Jay had arrived. He blocked the dagger and kicked the assassin to the wall, giving Clovis and Reolf breathing time while declaring his arrival.


    "You took longer than I thought." Clovis smiled.

 Chapter 449 Clovis Order

    "You took longer than I thought." Clovis smiled.


    "Sorry." Jay''s expression turned grim. He had never thought that Clovis would be in this state after fighting the assassin by himself for close to thirty minutes.


    He was going at full speed the whole time, but the city was chaotic, so it slowed him down a little bit since the vehicle had to be stuck on the way.


    "You..." The assassin gritted his teeth since Jay was the one who cut his arm. If he still had two arms, he would have killed Clovis easily.


    At the same time, the assassin knew that he wasn''t in condition to fight Jay. He had to escape.


    Clovis threw his short blade at the assassin, forcing the assassin to turn his body around.


    Clovis was grinning as if saying, "You''re not going anywhere!"


    The assassin gnashed his teeth. "You¡ª"


    The assassin had no time to unleash his anger because Jay was right behind him. He turned around to block Jay''s blade, but he was already exhausted. His strength had diminished after all the wounds and blood loss.


    His current strength might not even reach Tier 4 anymore.


    Jay''s eyes turned bloodshot as he unleashed everything he got in this slash. His blade knocked the assassin''s arm down. The assassin tried to kick him, but Jay simply stood there as if he didn''t feel a single thing.


    After that, Jay stabbed the leg and widened its wound by slightly rotating the blade. This way, the assassin couldn''t get away anymore.


    "You mother¡ª" The assassin roared as he unleashed all he had in a single strike.


    Unfortunately for him, it was futile. Jay chopped his last arm. The assassin''s face turned pale as the blade flashed in front of his eyes before it cut the head into two.


    Both Tier 5 assassins had finally been killed after almost a year they struggled against them.


    This was probably the end to their struggle in this city, but Clovis hadn''t dropped his guard yet.


    The assassins might be important, but they were still not out of danger.@@@@


    "He is Vina''s master. After seeing the situation, he should have realized which side is more profitable. Suppose the Panorama Group hadn''t attacked us yet. In that case, he would side with us to resolve the grudge.


    "He perfectly knows that I''m going to hunt him down once I get stronger, so he will settle it by helping us this time."


    "But how is he gonna help us? I mean, he is strong, but not that strong."


    "Didn''t I call him a mule?"


    "The technology he smuggled?"


    Clovis smiled. "There was one technology that the enemy once used, right?"


    "Don''t tell me..." Jay gasped. "You''re talking about the machine that brings the beasts?"


    Clovis nodded. "I bet the Drake Group is hiding it in their headquarters. To trick the assassins, we used the jamming to avoid any contact between the assassins, but this also means I''m unable to contact them right now.


    "You have to go back, Jay. If the Panorama Group hasn''t attacked us yet, use them to bring that device to lure the beasts away. If they have attacked us, you are to retreat with the group and Kanaria''s grandfather. The city can be rebuilt, the enemies can be killed, but you can''t be revived."


    Jay''s expression turned solemn. On the one hand, he didn''t know if letting Clovis stay here would be good or not since Clovis couldn''t fight anymore. On the other hand, this was an important mission.


    All of sudden, they heard a loud rumbling.


    The deafening sound was similar to a building crumbling, but this time, it was coming from the west.


    "Jay. Hurry up! The wall might be breached. The South and West Walls might not be attacked as heavily as the other two, but they also don''t have enough soldiers to stop them. If the commander focused on the south, the west would crumble soon. I''m fine here!"


    Jay gritted his teeth and hurriedly left the house.


    Clovis smiled wryly as he was bandaging the remaining wounds that Jay hadn''t covered, of course, he did Reolf first.


    "It seems that we have to get even stronger than this, buddy. That assassin is three tiers above us, but of course, we''re not going to stop only at that stage. We''ll become even stronger until the whole world fears our strength." Clovis looked at Reolf with a sincere expression.


    "I''m planning to leave this place after this, which means this will probably be the last time I can easily send you to your home. Even then, I''d like to ask you. Are you willing to follow me?"

 Chapter 450 Brontosaurus

    Shelter.


    The people were shivering in fear, their moods were down as they thought this was a hopeless situation.


    There were a total of a thousand people inside this shelter, but the atmosphere wasn''t good. They were hoping that the beasts wouldn''t find them here. No, they wanted the soldiers to repel the beasts.


    "This is not working out! We''re gonna die!" One of them gritted their teeth while clutching his head. His eyes were red, and there were some scratch marks on his cheeks.


    "Oi! Get a grip on yourself. The soldiers and the explorers are still fighting." Another person tried to calm him down.


    Unexpectedly, the stressed guy grabbed the guy tightly while shouting, "We''re done. Those beasts have been devouring one city after another. We are next. There is no way we will be able to survive if the cities stronger than us are unable to withstand their attacks!"


    His words just made the atmosphere even worse. People''s expressions darkened. Even though they didn''t want to imagine it, they couldn''t deny his words either.@@@@


    "We are going to protect you!" There were only five police officers protecting them since most had to focus on the outside.


    Sadly, there was a loud rumbling noise coming from the outside.


    "Aaaaahhh! We''re gonna die!"


    The atmosphere turned into a frenzy as people started to fall into despair.


    ...


    West Wall.


    "Stop them!"


    "Stop!"


    "No! We have to stop that Brontosaurus!"


    "STOP IT!"


    The soldiers panicked as they were shouting with a pale face. The brontosaurus'' neck was taller than the wall itself. It slammed its head down, smashing the wall.


    Bam!


    The top part of the wall was crushed, rubble falling off the edge. All the people underneath that neck were squashed like mosquitoes.


    "NO!"


    "Kh. You beasts." The commander roared as he pushed forward with his spear.


    There were several beasts noticing his arrival and turning around, but the commander reached them before they could do anything. He thrust his spears multiple times, each thrust actually piercing through the beast''s body and leaving behind a lot of holes.


    His movement was swift and precise as though the spear had never touched the beasts.


    In just two seconds, several beasts died with bodies full of holes.


    After that, he continued toward the brontosaurus.


    More beasts tried to stop him, but they fell without putting up a fight.


    "The commander is angry." The ten people who followed the commander were amazed by the commander''s strength and ferocity.


    The commander continued until he finally reached the brontosaurus.


    The brontosaurus swung its head like a whip to destroy the commander. The latter squinted his eyes, waiting for the right time before thrusting his spear.


    "Dragon Slaying Thrust."


    He put all his strength into that thrust.


    Bam!


    The impact caused a shock wave that knocked the brontosaurus'' head off the wall. The dinosaur even let out a groan as if it were in pain.


    The soldiers were stunned after they witnessed the commander''s strength. They knew that the commander was a Tier 5 human, but this was the first time they witnessed him fight.


    And such a commander stomped the ground with his spear and stood bravely against the beasts. He shouted, "Soldiers! Why are you lying on the ground? This is just the beginning of our battle. Stand up and repel the beasts together with me!"


    ...


    Meanwhile, Jay was heading back at full speed. The first thing he visited was not Kanaria and the others. He didn''t know whether they were fighting or not, but he had to loop around the battle between two Tier 6 humans to reach the Drake group''s headquarters.


    If Clovis'' prediction was correct, the Drake group should be hiding the machine that could grab the beasts'' attention. They had a lot of trouble facing this machine in the past, so he knew the effectiveness of the machine.


    However, he didn''t know the machine''s appearance, so finding it would be quite a hassle.


    To his surprise, there was actually a man standing right in front of the entrance as if he had been both observing the battle and waiting for someone.


    As soon as he noticed Jay approaching, the man politely bowed to him. "Well, well, well. Isn''t this Jay Havenson? You seem to have figured it out... No, should I say your captain has realized what you are supposed to do?"


    "The mule..."

 Chapter 451 Plan

    "The mule." Jay squinted his eyes.


    "I''m glad that you know me." The mule smiled. "If you are searching for the banned machine, it is hidden in the basement. With your current strength, you might be able to bring it here by yourself."


    "You are not going to help me?"


    "Ahahaha. The moment I show myself, I''ll be screwed. However, there are things I can help with." The mule smiled while taking out a piece of paper. "This is the instruction on how to operate that machine. Its battery has been recharged as well. The machine is very durable, so you can be a bit rough."


    Jay clenched his fists. Although he wanted to capture this mule who was involved in this mess, he had no time because of the west wall''s condition.


    Ultimately, he chose to enter the building, finding the basement where the machine was located.


    It took him five minutes to go around, but he finally saw the machine that matched the picture on the guide that the mule gave him.


    The machine wasn''t big, but it needed an antenna, so Jay had to make two trips to bring it out by himself.


    After getting what he wanted, Jay returned to the group. They hadn''t fought with the Panorama Group, but the tension was still in the air. They had to ensure that the Panorama Group didn''t do anything.


    "Jay?!" Melody was surprised that Jay returned alone. Her face went pale, thinking of the worse.


    Fortunately, Jay immediately clarified, "Clovis is fine. He is doing something else."


    "I see." Melody let out a sigh of relief.


    Jay turned to the Panorama Group and said, "If you are really making your stance clear, it means that you don''t mind fighting for the city, right?"


    The middle-aged man squinted his eyes. He didn''t know why Jay was asking this question, but he confirmed it with a nod. "Yeah."


    "The machine is quite sturdy, so if we use big foams, it should be able to withstand some impacts." Jay explained the plan.


    The people from Libation Fiesta were quite shocked by the proposal. This was indeed a Clovis-like plan. They didn''t know what Clovis was doing, but it was clear that he must be doing something big. They had no choice but to trust Clovis.


    After thinking about the proposal, the middle-aged man said, "Alright. I shall agree to it."


    "Sir..."


    "I have made my decision." The middle-aged man knew their worries, but they had no choice.


    If they rejected this proposal, they would be seen as a threat. If they accepted it, while it was quite dangerous, Jay had told them to just drive around.


    In other words, Clovis'' plan was to give them an opportunity that was hard but not impossible. This way, they had proven their sincerity if they succeeded.


    Jay nodded. "In that case, everyone except for Erwin is to go to the west wall. The machine is right in front of the entrance of the Drake Group''s headquarters. We''ll discuss this matter with the commander after reaching the west wall."


    The group agreed. Erwin was baffled by the decision to leave him here, but he shouldn''t ask it out loud with the Panorama Group here.


    He quietly approached Jay and asked, "Why am I left alone here?"


    "You should watch over the fight between two Tier 6 humans. If something happens, you need to help or inform us. Of course, this also means that you might have to go outside the jamming range to inform us something.


    "In addition, this place is not that far from Clovis'' house. Clovis is unable to fight anymore, so he is resting in his house. If something happens, at least you''re close enough to reach him."


    "!!!" Erwin didn''t expect that Jay was lying about Clovis'' situation. Then again, it would just hit their morale.


    Seeing how Jay came back so quickly, it seemed that Clovis either had defeated the Tier 5 assassin alone or he had injured him enough for Jay to swiftly cut him down.


    After considering the situation, Erwin nodded. "I understand. I''ll take care of this area."

 Chapter 452 Leaving

    "Alright. You''ve got my permission." The commander nodded. He was surprised that Jay came here with reinforcement, especially since they came from the Panorama Group.


    However, if the plan worked, they would be able to settle this problem with lower casualties.


    The commander shouted, "Melvin. Bring forth our truck. Call the Echo Team here and prepare to dive. We''ll clear up the gate."


    "Yes, sir!"


    The Panorama Group headed to the bottom of the wall, waiting for the preparation. The military gave them a truck for them to drive.


    There were several people from the military that would be helping them. They would also be proving their identity.


    The commander was staring at the brontosaurus since it was their biggest obstacle.


    The soldiers were working fast. There were also a lot of changes happening on top of the wall. People like Kanaria would be more important in the next phase of the battle.


    It took them only fifteen minutes to finish their preparation.


    Once the gate was opened, there would be waves of beasts trying to enter the city. They had to be fast if they didn''t want to let the beasts into the city.@@@@


    "We are ready, sir." The commander got the confirmation. He moved to the edge of the wall and looked down, finding a wall of soldiers right in front of the gate.


    "Alright." The commander took a deep breath before raising his hand. "Drop them!"


    "Drop them!"


    "Drop them!"


    The soldiers repeated the order out loud as they tossed explosives down.


    The explosives were free falling as they were outside the beasts that were currently climbing the wall.


    The beasts on the ground looked confused when they saw the explosives falling on top of them, but that was also when hell broke loose.


    *Boom!*


    *Boom!*


    *Boom!*


    A series of explosions occurred. All of them were near the gate, so the beasts around the gates ended up getting obliterated, their flesh flying in all directions.


    "Again!"


    Bang!


    The truck was swaying violently, but as Jay said, the machine was sturdy. A bump like this was still not enough to break it.


    "We are through!" The driver shouted. "We''ll be moving to the right."


    The elite soldiers immediately disengaged and used this small path to break through the enemy rank.


    The middle-aged man turned to his subordinates, who were currently activating the device by following the manual.


    "The link is connected, and the antenna is in good condition... turning it on."


    The LED on the machine began to glow.


    "!!!"


    The beasts suddenly stopped for a moment. A lot of them turned around as if they noticed something disturbing.


    "The beasts!"


    "Look at those beasts!"


    "They are turning around!"


    Yes, almost half of the beasts actually turned around and chased after the source of the disturbance.


    "Uooohhh!"


    "It''s working!"


    The soldiers cheered. If they could truly control the beasts, they would be able to eliminate these beasts quicker.


    Jay smiled. Even though he was the one passing the message, it was Clovis who gave that idea. And everything worked according to plan.


    The commander suddenly jumped back to the wall and shouted on the radio, "What are you doing? Hurry up and change your weapons. We need guns! Lots of guns!"


    "Oohh!" The soldiers hurriedly switched their weapons to guns, especially long-range guns.


    All high-caliber turrets changed their aims. More than half of the soldiers on the west wall stood on the edge of the wall, aiming at the beasts.


    Kanaria was also in position, her target was the Tier 3 or Tier 4 beasts among them.


    "Fire!" The commander ordered out loud.

 Chapter 453 Unexpected Guest

    "Fire!"


    The soldiers began to rain the enemies down with bullets.


    *Roar!*


    *Roar!*


    *Roar!*


    Numerous beasts fell down. Some were still able to get up, some got hit in the vitals. The numerous bullets that flew toward them were simply too much for the beasts to stop. Even if their skin was durable enough to stop normal bullets, there were still high-caliber turrets and Kanaria.


    The brontosaurus realized what was happening and let out an order. To the brontosaurus'' surprise, the beasts actually refused to listen to his commands.


    Their eyes turned bloodshot as if they were losing their rationality. All they could think of was the machine before them.


    Of course, some beasts were faster than the others. They sped up and caught up to the truck.


    That was when the Panorama Group''s role came in. They killed the beasts approaching them.


    As a result, the beasts were going one after another. The plan was so effective that they could see their efforts for the last thirty minutes were surpassed by this plan in just two minutes.


    "Kill them!"


    "Kill!"


    The soldiers were fired up. This was the first time they gained such an upper hand. They didn''t know why these beasts were chasing after the truck, but considering it was the commander who authorized it, they just had to follow.@@@@


    "Move to the north wall!" The commander shouted before turning to his assistant. "Bring my message to the people from the north wall. They can''t miss this chance and kill as many beasts as possible. We will be repeating this multiple times. After that, don''t head to the east wall.


    "That place has too many beasts, so if we carelessly approach there, the truck might be destroyed and we''ll be screwed. Instead, take a long distance to turn around and loop around the west wall and head to the south gate."


    His assistant, Melvin, asked, "Are we going to thin out the number of beasts around these three walls so that the beasts on the east wall will have to divert some of their force?"


    "Yeah. You are going to handle it personally. I have to stop this brontosaurus." The commander nodded.


    However, the guy stopped behind the door and said, "Mr. Clovis. I wonder if you have time for a little chat with a guy you consider a mule."


    "!!!" Clovis frowned. He had never expected that the mule had actually come to him personally. Even if he rejected him, the mule would definitely open that door.


    So Clovis could only say, "Fine by me."


    The door was opened slowly before Clovis found the same person as the one whom Vina considered her master. In the past, he saw him as a staff of a weapon shop.


    But this time, he was just a middle-aged man wearing a plain white t-shirt and shorts as if he were just taking a vacation amidst the battle.


    "What do you want?" Clovis asked while showing that he still had his gun.


    "I believe that there are things we should talk about." The mule smiled.


    Clovis squinted his eyes. "For someone who is creating chaos in the city, you sure are strange."


    "Hahaha. I''ll take it as a compliment. In fact, I''ve heard about you helping my student."


    "That advancement task?" Clovis shrugged as if signaling to him it wasn''t a big deal. However, he said it that way so that the mule could indirectly confirm it.


    "Hahaha. Without you, she won''t be able to succeed." The mule chuckled. "Knowing you, you must be searching for this..."


    Clovis squinted his eyes, his vision was glued to his hand.


    When the mule opened his palm, a small cube revealed itself.


    "That is..." Clovis squinted his eyes.


    "I believe my disciple has told you about this cube."


    Back then, Clovis asked what was the real item that the mule brought to this city. And her answer was, "A cube... a cube that stores the first concentrated essence. No one has ever created a concentrated essence until two years ago."


    Clovis let out a long sigh. "All that chaos is for this cube? Concentrated essence, huh?"


    The mule smirked. "Indeed."

 Chapter 454 Reasons

    "Indeed," the mule confirmed.


    "No one has ever created concentrated essence. And no one knows its use... or is it really the case?"


    "As an apology, I''ll tell you about it... not that it''ll benefit you." The mule paused for a moment. "The concentrated essence is different from the normal essence. The concentrated essence is actually proof that fusion is possible.


    "In the past fifty years, no one has ever managed to combine essence because they''re reacting to each other.


    "However, this concentrated essence is the proof that something like that is possible. There are only two usages that have been found so far. The first is poison.


    "During a super injection, your body is absorbing the essence of numerous beasts. However, all those essences are not combined. They''re flowing at their own pace, as a result, your body can handle one or two essences at once, allowing your body to adapt.


    "But this concentrated essence is different. You can imagine yourself having to face one hundred different beasts. Even if your mind can keep up, your body will be different. While it''s not a real poison, it can harm your body.


    "The second usage is actually for research purposes. If we can actually combine multiple essences in one''s body, would we be able to create a chimera?


    "Essence contains a lot of genes from the beasts. This is one of the biggest reasons why they''re unable to mix with each other. And this possibility might allow us to create a beast much stronger than the beasts in this world."


    Clovis frowned. "And for what reason do you need to create a beast like that? You should know that the beasts are humans'' common enemies."


    "Common enemy? I don''t think so. No, you also don''t think that way, right?" The mule was implying that he already knew about Reolf. It seemed that he observed his battle earlier.


    Most people didn''t see the battle since it was inside his house and there was a fence that blocked their views. But that wasn''t a problem for the mule.


    "..." Clovis'' expression turned dark as if he was ready to kill him if necessary.


    "And is it alright for you to reveal this reason to me?" Clovis didn''t care much about the organization, but he just didn''t want unnecessary problems.


    "As I said before, I just want to apologize for using you and this city. And probably, this cube of mixed essence is a part of the cause of those fallen cities. In the end, we are living in a chaotic world."


    "There is no way I can forgive you for using me, right? You are bold enough to use the grandson of a Tier 9 explorer." Clovis snorted.


    "Hahaha. That''s why I''m showing this cube to you and explaining my reasons. Someone as smart as you should understand the importance of this information. And I know that you won''t tell anyone about it."


    Clovis clicked his tongue. "I guess you originally planned to use Ivan."


    Clovis indirectly implied this was the reason why Vina approached Ivan. And the mule confirmed it. "Indeed. I was fortunate enough to meet someone like you in this city. I know you won''t forgive me. However, I''m planning to compensate you.


    "Compensate me? How? I''m not that easy to appease."


    "Even if I tell you that there is a Tier 8 human coming to this place?"


    "!!!" Clovis widened his eyes. "The capital?"


    "Yes. As compensation, I have been spreading false rumors about you in other cities. It should buy you several days. However, you should get away as soon as possible. It seems that this country doesn''t want you to leave."


    Considering the president had known about his existence, he obviously wanted to get a hold of an important piece like him. The compensation might not be worth it for anyone else, but this was extremely important for Clovis.


    Clovis thought for a moment and raised a finger. "I want you to send a message to the east wall. And after that, we can call this even."


    The mule smiled. "With pleasure."

 Chapter 455 Succeed

    "Did he say that?" Nick gasped.


    Vania nodded with a serious expression. "If this is true, then the battle might end quicker than we originally thought. If that''s the case, our job will be much different."


    Nick nodded with a serious expression. "It''ll be better if we can end this quickly, especially with fewer casualties."


    "Yeah. In that case, let''s do it." Vania turned back to the enemies. They only needed to wait for that time to come before executing the plan.


    Of course, this plan wasn''t transmitted only to Vania and Nick. Melody received this message as well, which she transmitted to Kanaria.


    Kanaria then told the commander about Clovis'' idea.


    "What? Are you serious?" The commander''s reaction was simple and quick. At first, he couldn''t believe it. On second thought, he realized why he suggested such a thing.


    It was a plan that they would never think of previously, but with the banned machine, this plan became viable.


    Still, this plan had a high risk. As a commander, he didn''t want to use it, but this would also save a lot of lives.


    Ultimately, the commander tossed his military name tag and said, "Go to the north wall and pass the plan in my name. They will have no choice but to cooperate with the plan. I can take care of this place."


    Kanaria nodded her head. She would be needed on the north wall if they truly proceeded with this plan.


    ...


    North Wall.


    "Shoot them!"


    "Fire!"


    The two Tier 5 explorers on the north wall shouted. They had heard the plan and saw how effective it was.


    At the start, there were 30,000 beasts on the east wall, 20,000 beasts on the north wall, and 10,000 beasts each on the remaining two walls.


    They had managed to kill two thousand beasts this whole time, but that wasn''t enough.


    When they noticed this sudden migration, Vania and Nick couldn''t help but widen their eyes.


    "This is..." Vania gasped. "I guess the plan succeeds. About ten thousand beasts are splitting into the north and south walls. If we can somehow lower their number to below fifteen thousand..."


    "Yeah." Nick nodded with a solemn expression.


    While the soldiers were trying hard to reduce the number of beasts, the four Tier 6 humans were still fighting in the city.


    Thomas punched Kanaria''s grandfather, Davian. However, the latter put the cane in front of him, causing Thomas to hit it instead.


    Still, that blow pushed Davian for more than ten meters.


    "You are already too senile to fight me." Thomas harrumphed, looking at Davian. It was true. Davian''s condition was worse compared to Thomas.


    While the difference was still not much, as long as they fought a bit longer, Davian could dominate the battle.


    "Hahaha. Youngsters these days love to talk big." Davian laughed. He leaped toward Thomas and swung his cane from above.


    Thomas raised both arms, blocking the cave. But the power contained in that swing actually cracked the ground underneath him, stretching for more than twenty meters in radius.


    Even Thomas gritted his teeth, feeling the pain. After that, Davian spun and threw a back kick on his stomach, launching Thomas to a store''s wall nearby and destroying it.


    "When I was roaming around the world, you weren''t even born yet, brat." Davian snorted.


    Meanwhile, the battle between the Wellen Rusth and Andrew Havenson unfolded differently.


    "Hahaha. Where are you going?" Andrew laughed and punched Wellen. The latter actually moved to the side, hiding himself behind a wall.


    Andrew didn''t even care about this puny wall. His punch crushed the wall and hit Wellen, who managed to put his spear''s shaft in the punch''s way.


    Wellen crashed into the building next to the mansion, destroying several wounds before stopping.


    Andrew dashed toward him and punched him one more time before he could recover. However, he suddenly tilted his body to the side as the spear suddenly emerged from the cloud of dust, grazing his neck. If he was one step too late, he would be dead.


    After that, Wellen kept thrusting. Andrew tried to use the wall to hide this time, but the thrust actually pierced through the concrete walls as if it were nothing.


    The soldiers that brought Andrew could only evacuate the area, considering these two had destroyed ten houses in their fight.

 Chapter 456 Perfect Plan

    "Where is that vigor from earlier, Davian?" Thomas laughed as he punched Davian. The latter smacked his hand to the side, redirecting his punch to the wall next to him.


    However, it was useless. The punch crushed the entire wall, bringing down even a bit of the ceiling.


    Davian took a step in the opposite direction before hitting the side of his chest.


    Thomas crashed into another world, the rubble falling on top of him. After that, Davian came forth, planning to deliver a killing blow.


    However, Thomas emerged from the rubbles as if he wasn''t affected by all these and punched Davian.


    Davian skillfully blocked it with his cane, but the force blew him to the wall in the opposite direction.


    No, the punch was actually much more powerful than a hit from Davian. It blew Davian through a wall.


    Fortunately, Davian regained his stance right away and waved his cane to the back, destroying the second wall to kill his momentum.


    Thomas didn''t give a chance for Davian to catch a breath. He immediately chased after Davian after he punched him away.


    When Davian stopped, Thomas was already right in front of him.


    "Hahaha. Die, old man." Thomas''s eyes turned bloodshot as he unleashed all he got in this punch.


    Even Davian realized the true terror of this attack.


    He raised his cane and waved his cane from above, trying to push down the punch to avoid him.


    However, Thomas smiled as though he had expected this.


    "!!!" Davian widened his eyes when he noticed that he couldn''t push down the punch.


    "As I said, you should have just retired. To think that you choose to die in my hands." Thomas grinned and punched Davian.


    At the last second, Davian twisted his arms to receive this punch instead of letting it hit his ribs.


    The bones snapped, causing his arm to bend in a different direction.


    Blood and acid flowed out of the wound as Thomas spat blood so much that it looked like a waterfall.


    "Dav¡ª" Thomas turned around with an angry face, but it was too late for him to do anything.


    Davian had cut the other arm and swiftly sliced his chest, hitting his heart.


    "You¡ª" Thomas wanted to express his thought that, despite that broken arm, Davian refused to reveal that secret until the last moment. This whole time, Davian was playing the long game.


    Although it was outside his calculation, that plan paid off.


    Nick gave him the opportunity by risking his life.


    Thomas didn''t have any more energy to complete his words as he suddenly fell down to the ground.


    Davian let out a long sigh while looking at Thomas and Nick. "Why would youngsters these days so recklessly show their trump card? A trump card is meant to kill the enemy when an opportunity arrives... So reckless."


    On the other side of the city, Andrew and Wellen were still trading blows.


    However, Andrew suddenly noticed something. His skyglasses were hacked and showed something that he wasn''t supposed to see in this battle.


    ''A gap!'' Wellen thought as he thrust his spear.


    Andrew managed to barely avoid it, but the spear still hit his shoulder.


    Wellen wanted to have another thrust, this time on the heart. But to his surprise, Andrew tossed his body to the side, confusing Andrew.


    It was that instant his instinct was telling him about the danger as a gunshot was heard.


    Wellen hurriedly raised his spear, cutting the bullet. But he noticed that the bullet was so hard and heavy to cut, causing him to be stuck in that position for a split second.


    ''This bullet. A Tier 5 bullet? The only one who can shoot it...!!!'' Wellen just realized. The reason why Andrew moved to the side was because it would give a view for someone who was standing on a building four hundred meters away from them. It was a tight gap, but she went for the kill. "Van¡ª"


    Andrew used that opportunity to come from the side and punched Wellen''s head.


    On top of that building, Vania stood up while smiling. "Jeez. In a perfect plan, you simply don''t get the satisfaction of killing your enemy. Is this what it means to suffer from success?"@@@@

 Chapter 457 Dominance

    East Wall.


    "Hurry up! We need to stop those beasts."


    "We are starting to get overwhelmed."


    "Hold on. Hold on just a bit more." Gregory shouted. Without Nick and Vania, the situation on the east wall had become dire.


    "So you are here, Gregory. Sorry for letting you take on this task while they are away." An aged voice echoed in his ears as the person had just reached the top of the wall with a single leap.


    "!!!" Gregory recognized this voice and hurriedly turned around. "Sir Andrew!"


    "I''m sorry for those two." Andrew smiled. "It seems that you are in trouble here. I''ll take care of those Tier 5 beasts. Hold this place for five minutes, will you?"


    Gregory''s expression brightened. "Yes, sir. I''ll definitely hold on. But are you alright to be here, sir? How about¡ª!"


    "It''s fine." Andrew stopped him with a pat on the shoulder as he jumped off the wall. "The only threat left is these beasts."


    Gregory opened his mouth wide as he saw Andrew going straight to a Tier 5 beast with only three leaps on top of a beast''s body. With just a single punch, the Tier 5 beast fell down to the ground with a broken jaw.


    "This is the might of Tier 6..." Andrew sucked a cold breath.


    ...


    South Wall.


    "We can''t hold on anymore. We need the commander to return to this place or we won''t be able to stop this Tier 5 beast."@@@@


    The soldiers were panicking. Some beasts had already reached the top of the wall. The soldiers tried their best to stop them from going into the city, but if this continued, they would soon break through.


    However, it wasn''t going to happen. A blade suddenly cut multiple beasts in rapid succession. Each cut was swift and deadly, which allowed the soldiers to take a look at their helper.


    Kanaria frowned. "Still, we have to hold this side. That guy alone won''t be enough to stop the two Tier 5 beasts. Two of our turrets have been destroyed as well. As long as we can hold on long enough, the reinforcement will come."


    As if reacting to those words, a shot was released. This time, the shot came from a different direction, hitting the Tier 5 beast that was approaching the wall.


    Bam!


    The shot was so powerful that the Tier 5 beast''s jaw instantly got destroyed.


    "Huh? What is that bullet? A bomb?" Kanaria gasped and looked around, finding her mother standing on top of the wall with her sniper rifle.


    There was a beast underneath her, trying to intercept Vania. However, the latter simply looked down and stomped on the beast''s face, knocking it down like a queen.


    She released another shot, which destroyed the beast''s paw and still hit the head, almost splattering its flesh.


    Before shooting the Tier 5 beast once more, Vania casually grabbed her pistol and shot at the beasts on both sides, helping the soldiers that were in trouble without even looking at them.


    After that, she casually took another shot that hit the body, creating a hole through its gut.


    If not for the beast''s giant body, it would have been a fatal injury. Still, the beast could move and order the other beasts to stop Vania.


    Unfortunately for the Tier 5 beast, Vania simply released two more shots: one on the head and one on the stomach. The blood flowed like a fountain as the Tier 5 beast died in just a minute.


    "Is she really your mother?" Ragna gasped, blinking a few times. He kept glancing back and forth between Vania and Kanaria.


    Kanaria was reliable, but Vania was built differently. When she killed that Tier 5 beast, she looked like a queen of dominance. She even had the time to help the people around her without looking.


    Vania was simply like an upgraded version of Kanaria. What he didn''t know was that during the hunt, Vania even assisted Lipaen with the other Tier 5 beast because she was also an operator.


    Kanaria''s eyebrows twitched. "I''ll be able to fight like that too... soon... maybe. Still, she burned so much money... Those were Tier 5 bullets, each of them cost twenty million."


    "..."

 Chapter 458 Next Course

    South Wall.


    "They are going down one by one," said a soldier as he watched Davian kill beasts after beasts.


    He had been rampaging on the battlefield right after he killed the Tier 5 beast that led them.


    Since the Tier 5 beast was their head, no one could command the beasts anymore, resulting in them moving in disarray.


    Even the soldiers had an easier time shooting them down.


    Still, their ferocity couldn''t be compared to Davian. Despite having one of his arms broken, he easily cut down the beasts around him, using his superior speed, strength, and technique.


    Just like how Thomas was able to defeat Nick, who was a Tier 5, no Tier 5 beast could stop the Tier 6 Davian.


    "Don''t stop. Continue killing them."


    "Kill them!"


    The soldiers tried their best to help Davian, getting inspired by the sight of his back.


    ...


    East Wall.


    Just like Davian, Andrew was rampaging on the battlefield.


    "Ora! Where do you think you''re going?" Andrew roared. His body had been covered by both his blood and the beast''s blood.


    Andrew had to take on two Tier 5 beasts by himself while Gregory commanded the wall.


    Andrew was like an immortal beast that kept going no matter how much they beat him. He kept rising and killing the beasts that came to him.


    Eventually, the beasts that he killed turned into a mountain as Andrew stood at the very top.


    The soldiers couldn''t help but suck a cold breath after witnessing such a scene. Even those who were injured clenched their fists, wondering why they were acting like it was the end of the world with such a small injury.


    "Not right away? Aren''t you getting chased right now?"


    "Yes and no. Well, let''s just say that I have managed to buy some time."


    Hana thought that if the president wanted someone, he would be sending his best fighter. In other words, it would be a Tier 8 human.


    The fact that Clovis was able to buy some time from him meant he had a connection that could do that.


    It seemed that she underestimated him. If she approached Clovis just a bit later, Clovis would probably have other allies like her.


    It was because she made that reckless decision that Clovis ended up entrusting a lot of things to her.


    That was why Hana said, "Alright. I''ll trust you on that. Is there anything you''d like to add?"


    "How about Melody''s younger brother?"


    "I have secured the place. The place you will be staying at is not that far from the hospital, so it''ll be easy to visit him. You also want a custom bus, right? I have gotten the base. There are a few things that still need your confirmation, so you should customize it after coming here. It won''t take more than a week for that bus to be done anyway."


    Clovis thought for a moment and added, "By the way, I don''t think we need a caretaker."


    "But your place is huge, you know?"


    "Yeah. It''s related to what I mentioned earlier." Clovis thought that the caretaker would find Reolf''s fur, so it would be better if he was the one taking care of it personally. Only when Reolf''s existence was made public that he would allow it."


    Hana didn''t know what Clovis was trying to hide, but the fact that her subordinates could see it meant she could too.


    In the end, it was better to agree with Clovis first and see what he was hiding later.


    "Alright. Anything else?"


    "Nope. I think the rest can be settled after I reach your place."


    "OK. See you." Hana hung up the call.


    Little did she know, Clovis'' eyes were actually glitching right after she hung up.

 Chapter 459 Choice

    Clovis'' expression turned solemn the moment he saw the glitch.


    His eyes sparked a red light as the system once again appeared in front of him.


    "Seriously... What is going on with this glitch? Now that I''ve discovered it, it has been happening so often."


    Clovis couldn''t help but mutter because the system actually showed new information.


    The first thing that glitched in his eye was a screen with ''Mission Success'' on it, but it soon glitched multiple times as the green colored screen turned red. The words had changed from ''Success'' to ''Fail,'' which implied he had done something wrong.


    Unfortunately, he couldn''t see any information about the mission itself.


    "Did I fail? Did I succeed?" Clovis frowned. There were a lot of questions in his mind. It was clear that he had managed to protect the city, so he didn''t know what mission he had failed.


    ''Everyone should be safe, so why would there be a ''mission fail?'' Is it something I don''t know? A hidden mission or something? But this is just a glitch, so I don''t have to trust it blindly...''


    Clovis fell silent, contemplating. "No, wait. The light that glitched first was red in color. So, did it fail first and somehow change its status to success?


    "But if we follow this logic, it''ll mean that this world is not the first simulation." Clovis gulped down.


    If his speculation was correct, it meant that this world had a certain purpose.


    It was to correct something wrong and somehow achieve a goal. What was this world trying to achieve?


    The more he thought about it, the more ridiculous his speculation became.


    "I can''t really figure out what this mission is all about. If there is a glitch, shouldn''t whoever created this simulation world try to fix it?"


    Clovis scratched the back of his head. "Now that I think about it, there is also a mission..."


    Clovis turned around and said to Reolf. "I''m sorry, but don''t panic for whatever you''re going to see next. This is the secret that no one knows yet. I''ll be back soon."


    Reolf tilted his head in confusion, but it all changed when Clovis suddenly disappeared into thin air.


    "Woof?" Reolf was startled, its jaw dropped to the ground. He waved his paw a few times in Clovis'' position earlier but hit nothing. It was as if Clovis had disappeared completely.


    Blue gave him a lot of unnecessary details, like what an AI would do, but it didn''t give him the answer he wanted.


    Clovis scratched the back of his head. "Never mind that."


    Asking Blue would be useless. He might be able to get the answer as long as the mall keeps growing. To do that, he needed more money.


    "As expected, Hana is the only solution right now. I don''t know how much money I can get by relying on her, but it should be quite a lot. Of course, I shouldn''t rely too much on my share of revenue..."


    Clovis rubbed his chin as he fell into deep thought.


    [Master. Are you going to use the discount coupon?]


    Clovis was so focused on his thoughts that he didn''t see Blue''s message. His gaze remained blank for several minutes until he finally said, "Blue. I want to change my strategy a little bit.


    "From this point on, buy everything to increase my evolution trait. Make sure that I can reach Tier 3 as quickly as possible."


    [According to your request, you will need about 2 weeks if you don''t share your resource with others or 4 weeks if you share it with Jay and Kanaria.]


    "I''ll get some money soon, so I''ll try upgrading the item limit to 20 if possible. Anyway, that''s my order. We''ll get a lot of resources, so I think I can focus myself a bit more. Make it three weeks."


    [I''ve received your request.]


    "Also, I need a lot of food for Reolf. Considering the situation, there''s a high chance that he will grow in size. Will it affect how much he needs to eat?"


    [The pet food is full of nutrients.]


    "So it doesn''t matter since he will feel full after eating a certain amount..." Clovis sighed. It seemed that he couldn''t do anything to speed up Reolf. In addition, the items'' tiers depended on his own tier.


    That was why he wanted to focus on reaching Tier 3. This way, Melody and Ragna would also feel the benefit of Another World Mall.


    He felt that the opponents would be much stronger once they reached Hana''s place.


    "I guess we can solve one problem at a time since we still have two weeks. For the time being, it''s better to focus on those beasts outside the wall." Before he disappeared, Clovis added, "And buy the usual using this visit, Blue."


    [Understood, Master.]

 Chapter 460 End

    "Ha..."


    "Ha..."


    The people panted heavily as they watched the beasts retreating.


    "Is this..."


    "Are we done?"


    "The beasts are retreating?!"


    "We won?"


    The soldiers were still in disbelief, but all the proof they needed was in front of them. The beasts actually retreated in all directions.


    The walls might have cracked, but it was still intact. In front of the walls were numerous corpses, reaching almost fifty thousand in number.


    After the battle that lasted for more than seven hours, the beasts finally retreated.


    "We won!"


    "Uooohh!"


    The people cheered. Whether they were explorers or soldiers, they just hugged the people next to them, celebrating their victory.


    "Are we going to chase them? There are still a lot of beasts around. They might still pose a threat." Gregory asked while glancing at Andrew, who was covered in blood.


    "Wait for the commander''s instruction. Besides, I don''t think our men will have the energy to handle the pursuit. I think it''s better if we just let them return and kill them bit by bit."


    "Focusing our operation on the surface, huh?" Gregory nodded in understanding. With that plan, they should be able to kill beasts with minimal losses.


    "We are going to leave the city soon?" Kanaria was baffled while Melody frowned.


    "Yeah. If we don''t leave soon, we might not be able to leave anymore. I have made an arrangement with Hana. She will come here in three days, so please spend your time with your family or anyone you like. It''s fine if you go back to your city to say your goodbye, Erwin. Just go back right after."


    "Haha." Erwin chuckled. "It''s fine. I have told them that once I join you guys, I''ll be leaving for a long time, so there''s no need to go back."


    Clovis smiled apologetically.


    "It looks like it''s better to hide the truth about our group. This way, we won''t be too noticeable and can leave the country as we like. Not that I care about those achievements..." Jay shrugged.


    "Indeed. If we want it, we can just make a name for ourselves over there." Clovis agreed. While he knew the opponents would be much stronger over there, they would definitely be able to become famous like in this city. He just hoped that they weren''t forced to stay or anything since it would be annoying.


    "How about my younger brother?" Melody frowned.


    "Don''t worry. Everything has been taken care of. Hana will be sending the best team to leave. We''ll transport your brother at the same time to the best hospital over there."


    Melody nodded. She didn''t have any more worries now that she got Clovis'' assurance.


    "Anyway, see you guys in three days." Clovis waved his hand as he hung up the video call.


    The battle that haunted the city ended in their victory. With this, they could leave the city without any more worries.


    Clovis turned to Reolf and assured him again. "Following me will definitely make you get targeted. However, I won''t give you to anyone else, and I swear that I''ll protect you."


    "Waaf!" Reolf smiled, his eyes were filled with confidence. He, too, had an ambition. He wanted to become the king of wolves that everyone would respect and fear.


    Clovis rubbed Reolf''s body. There was one thing that actually bothered his mind. After knowing about the mule and the item he wanted to transport, he couldn''t help but wonder if this beast wave was caused by the combination of his existence and the mule.


    Those people would probably use this beast wave to come for that item.


    "Dark Moon Mercenary, huh? The group Vina joined, which should be related to the mule as well. It seems that I have to pay special attention to this group. The fact that he can force a major force to make a move, even though he is only a Tier 4, he is no ordinary man."@@@@

 Chapter 461 New Beginning

    "Lindel City has withstood a beast wave consisting of 70,000 beasts. After defeating the traitors of the city, the gallant warriors fought bravely on the wall and defeated 50,000 beasts, ultimately repelling the beast wave.


    "The traitors of the city are the Drake Group''s president, Thomas, as well as the Rusth family. Their assets will be seized and put to use as a relief for the city.@@@@


    "The government is wasting no effort in rebuilding the wall so that it can stand tall once again, protecting us like this in the future.


    "Experts claim that there won''t be any more beast waves that will destroy cities from now on. And it can be said that our city has successfully stopped such a catastrophe and didn''t end up the same as those fallen cities.


    "The parade for all the brave heroes who have defended the city will begin in two days. We hope everyone will participate to see the brave heroes who have fought bravely one last time.


    "The government claims to be using the essence and beast souls found from the corpses for the city''s restoration."


    There was a lot of news regarding the beast wave. All the secrets that the Drake Group and the Rusth family had were shown.


    Obviously, the Drake Group dissolved while the members of the Rusth family were taken into custody.


    Yet there wasn''t a single mention about Clovis and Libation Fiesta. They only mentioned the Havenson and the Renvolt families instead of Kanaria and Jay, thus diminishing Clovis'' existence even more.


    However, it didn''t really matter. After all, the Libation Fiesta had finished their preparation to head to their next destination.


    "Remember to behave over there. Don''t be too complacent and¡ªmmf!" Nick''s mouth was covered by Andrew.


    Andrew sighed. "You don''t reprimand the boy like that. He is smart enough to understand that. It''s because of your stiff attitude that he doesn''t like you."


    "Mmfff!" Nick couldn''t say anything since Andrew was too strong.


    However, Jay could still see the injury he suffered. Even though his father was stiff, it didn''t change the fact that he was ready to sacrifice his own life without hesitation if that was necessary.


    If it happened to him and he had to choose his life or his group, he might end up following his example and sacrifice his life for the group.


    "I know, Father. I don''t ask much, but I hope that you can give me your blessing. I''ll make sure to make you, Mother, and Grandfather proud." For the first time, Jay politely bowed to him.


    Nick fell silent for a moment. Even Andrew dropped his hand so that Nick could say something.


    However, Nick didn''t open his mouth anymore. Instead, he just patted Jay''s shoulder. This action had told him more than all the words he had spoken to him.


    "..." Kanaria sighed. "Alright. It''s time for me to go."


    Kanaria could do nothing to fix those two. She couldn''t help but fear whether she would be the same in the future since their blood was running in her. For the first time in her life, she wanted people to say she resembled her father, not her mother.


    ...


    Erwin and Ragna didn''t have much preparation, considering they weren''t from this city. Hence, they were the first ones to reach Clovis'' house.


    The third person actually came with an ambulance.


    It was none other than Melody along with her brother. She had received the help of Lipaen in transporting her younger brother.


    Of course, Clovis asked her to bring her brother inside until their ride arrived.


    Last but not least, Kanaria and Jay came last, both had opposite expressions.


    While waiting for their ride, Clovis stood in front of them and extended his hand. "This will be the beginning of our journey. I want to become the greatest explorer of all time, exploring the entire world, whether it''s on the surface or underground. I want to discover the truth of this simulation world."


    Kanaria immediately placed her hand on top of his while saying, "I want to rebuild fallen cities all over the world so that once again humans can live everywhere and conquer the world once again!"


    "Oh. We are talking about our goal? I''m in." Erwin wanted to put his hand above Kanaria, but he was slapped by Jay as if telling him he needed to go first.


    "I will be the strongest swordsman in the world." Jay cut him off immediately.


    "Kh." Erwin gritted his teeth but still continued, "I want to analyze everything, whether it''s humans, beasts, or even phenomena all around the world."


    "Then, I''ll be next." Ragna smiled and put his hand on top of theirs. "I''ll be the guardian of this group. As long as I''m alive, I won''t let a single person die even if it means I end up becoming the strongest guardian."


    Last but not least, Melody smiled wryly. Compared to them, her ambition might sound the weakest. "I want to support the group to the peak so that I can cure my brother. My life goal will come after that."


    Before they could cheer, Reolf suddenly placed his paw at the very top. He was looking at them enthusiastically as if he were saying it wasn''t fair if they left him behind.


    All of them were startled at first but soon laughed. This was just the beginning of their journey.


    "Let''s go!" Clovis grinned excitedly.


    "Ooh!" They raised their hands together.

 Chapter 462 Escorts

    "Are we going to get demoted because of our failure last time?" A 22-year-old man shouted while clutching his head.


    "Stop talking nonsense, Cain. You are the leader of our team 1. Get a grip of yourself," said his female teammate while fixing her glasses.


    "Right? Liza said it right. We failed last time because we didn''t expect that there was an unexpected Tier 6 beast." Another person nodded his head in agreement.


    "In that case, why would we have to become an escort right now? This must be a punishment." The team leader, Cain, let out a long sigh as if he resigned to his fate.


    "I don''t think it''s a punishment. At the end, we are the number one team with a large margin. So, there are only two possibilities I can think of. It''s either that they are special or there are secret agreements between them."


    "They are special enough for the young miss? Have you found a person like that in the company? I don''t think so, right?"


    "From the rumor, it was said that the young miss once visited this city before. We were so busy in the underworld that we didn''t know much about it."


    "Really?"


    "Yeah. She flew there with the battleship."


    "Someone that could be regarded that highly by the young miss? This is the first time I see people like them. Who are they? Do you have any information about them?"


    Liza projected the data while saying, "This is all we get."


    She only projected the basic information about Clovis from age, tier, and strength.


    "What the hell? Jay Havenson and Kanaria Renvolt are 17 years old but have reached Tier 2? And this guy, Clovis, is even more insane because he is only 16 years old? What is going on with them? Are their evolution rates that high? Do they get the support of their family?


    "Horny? They are not asking for that, right?"


    "I don''t think so. But people say geniuses are weird. I claim myself to be a genius, but I can''t defeat a Tier 4 with a Tier 2 strength."


    "..."


    The people fell silent as the atmosphere turned awkward. It seemed that these people were more special than they originally thought.


    After knowing about them, Cain couldn''t help but crack his fingers while saying, "In that case, let us see these people with our own eyes."


    "We are about to arrive anyway. If I''m not wrong, we only need to take this turn right here..." Liza pointed at the road as the bus turned to the left, finding a rundown house.


    Clovis had never fixed the house, even though he had bought several pieces of furniture in the past couple of months, but the outward appearance was similar to an abandoned house.


    "Is this really the house?" Cain asked. "Why are the so-called geniuses living in such a house? Is this country blind or something? They should have treated their geniuses well so that they would love this country. It''s no wonder why they want to leave this country."


    Liza was startled as well but tried her best to remain calm. "Either way, we are here to bring them out. The first bus is for us, while the second bus is for them. It seems they will be driving it themselves."


    "Seriously?" Cain shook his head helplessly. "Anyway, it''s better if we greet them first."


    Cain was the first to come out and headed straight to the door. Liza gave him a nod as if signaling to him that she noticed eight presences inside the house.


    Cain knocked on the door while saying, "Hello, we are from the OpenSky Company. The young miss, Hana Skylark, has informed us to bring you out."


    It didn''t take too long for Clovis to open the door, which ended up shocking the entire team.

 Chapter 463 Leaving

    "Thank you for coming." Clovis opened the door. The others were following behind him.


    The group that Hana sent was said to be elites. Four of them were Tier 5, while the other two were still Tier 4.


    With a single glance, they indeed gave off a different aura from the explorers they could find around here.


    Every single one of them felt like Aileen. It seemed that there was a reason why they were called the number one team.


    However, the same applied to them.


    Cain maintained his poker face, but his heart was screaming. ''What the hell are they? My instinct is telling me that these people are much stronger than their current tier. Is this the reason why the young miss wants to bring them back?''


    While shaking Cain''s hand, Clovis said, "I''m not sure if you have heard about this, but we''re planning to occupy the entire bus."@@@@


    "Yes. We have prepared the bus. It has been modified slightly to have a bigger entrance and space inside. Please don''t worry about it. If I''m not wrong, would you like to bring a sick person as well? Do you need any help?"


    "That is fine." Clovis waved his hand. "It''s just... I''m afraid that we would like to leave immediately. I''m aware that you must be tired from the long trip, but..."


    Clovis didn''t continue his words, but the other party had figured out what Clovis wanted to say.


    "Don''t worry. We understand that you have little time. If that''s the case, we can actually leave right away. Do you need any help?"


    "It''s fine. We''ll load our luggage ourselves. If possible, please help us to cover everything so that no one is looking at us. The buses are pretty eye-catching after all."


    Cain didn''t understand why he wanted to do that, considering it shouldn''t be that much of a problem to bring a sick person with them.


    However, all of them suddenly noticed a threat coming from the right.


    How would Cain know about the new application of the beast soul that would soon shock the world? In the end, aside from several scientists, no one knew about it.


    Cain closed his eyes for a moment before making a decision. "I understand. My team will be securing the parameter. For the time being, it''s better for you to bring your luggage and that person first. We''ll tell you when you can bring the wolf... no, the dire wolf in."


    "Alright. Thank you." Clovis agreed.


    Cain had to snap his teammates back since they had a job to do. It was indeed shocking, but it was better not to offend Clovis. Their lives would be over if they let someone who could tame a beast away.


    Meanwhile, Clovis and Jay carried the bed and Melody''s younger brother into the bus, making sure that he would be strapped safely during the whole journey. Ragna and Erwin took care of their luggage while Melody and Kanaria talked about the route with the escort team.


    After making sure no one was watching, Cain returned and signaled to Clovis that his wolf could finally enter the bus.


    Fortunately, even though Reolf had grown bigger, he was still small enough to enter the bus. It would be different if Reolf reached Tier 4 or Tier 5 and somehow became as big as a bus.


    There was simply no way to hide him anymore. Then again, at that time, Reolf''s existence would probably have been known by the world.


    Although it was a shame, Clovis had to part with the house where he stayed for the last few years.


    As the bus was moving away, Clovis muttered, "Goodbye. I''ll return here in a few years... maybe."


    There weren''t a lot of good memories, but this was where his journey began. Though, Clovis couldn''t help but say, "Hmm... I feel like I''m forgetting about something. But I have triple-checked everything. It shouldn''t be something important then."


    ...


    Renvolt Family.


    Mayor Revan shouted, "What? They have departed already? I haven''t even talked to him. Why did you not say anything to me? I couldn''t even thank him for saving the city!"

 Chapter 464 Reaction

    In the middle of nowhere, Clovis'' grandfather, Michael Hacfield, was staring at his phone while smiling. "That''s my boy. It seems that he has left the country. No one can stop him anymore. Should I warn that country not to do anything to him as well?


    "No. I believe he will have the strength to take care of it himself. Besides, Gerald should be meeting him sooner or later. I guess I don''t have to worry about them.


    "The only problem is these old geezers, trying to kill my descendants. Should I also hunt their successors as well to stop them? If not for the fact that a lot of countries will end up targeting my grandson because I interfere too much, I wouldn''t have played this stupid game.


    "I just hope that he is able to do it." Michael let out a long sigh before glancing to the side. There was a tree that was so high that its roots pierced through underground and reached the magma, its trunk was so tall that it pierced the cloud.


    "So, this is the World Tree. I guess gazing from the top of the world will be quite amazing. I wonder which country I should visit next to distract them." Michael smirked.


    ...


    Clovis'' mother, Aisha, walked into the office while carrying out a document. "This is the item I need."


    "Are you really going to operate on that kid?" Gerald Hacfield asked.


    "Yeah. He is the younger brother of my son''s comrade, so of course, I would treat him. However, his situation is a bit too serious."


    "Don''t tell me, you sneak out to check on the kid?"


    "Of course not. I''m just searching for the medical record and making a few assumptions. Clovis is able to reach Tier 2 in less than a year, so he should be able to reach Tier 5 in another one and a half years to two years. So I have to be prepared."


    "Is that why you release the information about your student, Waold, regarding the beast soul?"


    "Money, power, and connection. Those three are what he needs. That research is the only thing I can give to him right now." Aisha sighed.


    Gerald smiled wryly. He also had given Clovis the Star Method, but just like how she felt, he always thought it wasn''t enough. Sadly, there was nothing they could do.


    ...


    On the border between Axionia and Sabalom, two buses passed through the border post, with the team dispatched by the OpenSky Company taking care of everything.


    If one looked at the bottom of the table, there was a thick brown envelope containing cash. The soldiers only proceeded with the usual procedure and let them go.


    They saw nothing, heard nothing, and pretended there was nothing.


    Due to Hana''s connection and bribe, the process went smoothly.


    They were a bit nervous since they knew what was chasing them. Even with the team Hana dispatched, they wouldn''t stand a chance against a Tier 8 human. Hence, they had to be fast if they wanted to escape completely.


    Not long after, a muscular old man wearing a long coat reached the border. He had cold eyes as he gazed at the peaceful border post.


    The earphone on his right ear echoed, "They have been spotted through this border thirty minutes ago. But that''s all we can find. You need to go straight before going back within fifteen minutes, or we would end up alarming Sabalom."


    "Alright." The old man replied with a deep, heavy voice. He leaped forward as fast as he could, his step was so powerful that it left behind a crater.

 Chapter 465 Stopping

    "Go straight here. You should be able to find them in two minutes. Unfortunately, I have to turn off the connection here or else they might find out about you. Good luck, Master Devon."


    "Alright." The old man named Devon sped up, using his fastest speed to catch up.


    However, a flash suddenly appeared from the right.


    "!!!" Devon was forced to lower his body as the pressure suddenly exploded, causing a massive shock wave that blew his body to the side.


    "Where do you think you are going?" A middle-aged man wearing a black suit asked while fixing his sunglasses. He rested his sword on his shoulder as he appeared in front of Devon.


    "It''s not your problem." Devon punched the man, who blocked it with the sharp edge of the blade.


    Surprisingly, Devon''s hand wasn''t cut. In fact, his bare hand was actually strong enough to withstand the sharpness of the blade.


    The middle-aged man didn''t get pushed back, but the punch actually caused a shock wave behind his back, sweeping everything behind him.


    "We both don''t want our country to go to war. Are you sure you are going to continue? We both are Tier 8 humans. If we are going to fight, the aftermath won''t be small."


    "It''s not your problem. Move! I won''t tell you the second time."


    Seeing the middle-aged man not moving, Devon spun his body and kicked the man, pushing him back for several meters.


    That several meters was enough for Devon to continue, albeit another figure suddenly appeared.


    She thrust her spear at Devon''s head. Devon managed to tilt his head to the side, avoiding it.


    However, that thrust actually created a big trail for more than twenty meters. If not for him avoiding it, his head would have been destroyed.


    Still, the smallest city around here was still four times bigger than their previous city.


    More importantly, the reason why they called this place the capital city was due to the underground place.


    Among all the thirteen cities, there was only one tunnel that led to the underground world.


    It was supposed to be limited in resources due to the high number of people hunting them, but that wasn''t the case for Sabalom''s capital city, Duschva.


    The entire area only had a single tunnel and they had to travel for a long distance before they could find a different tunnel.


    With such a vast land to explore, the capital city could get a lot of people trying to find their opportunity.


    Clovis opened the window and took a peek at the capital city. Unlike their previous city, the tallest tower in this place reached fifty meters high. Considering their walls were built thirty meters tall, even the flying beasts wouldn''t have such an easy time to reach them.


    The integrated system also allowed them to get reinforcement from other cities, which turned into a gigantic shield.


    "I can''t see anything from here, but damn, this is such an amazing city." Jay muttered while driving.


    "According to history, it''s been more than 80 years since the last time a beast managed to reach that wall. Usually, they would be stopped at the twelve outer cities," said Melody while reading the information on the Skynet. Of course, one of the things she was reading was the hospital that would take care of her younger brother.


    Even Reolf was surprised by such a majestic sight.


    "Hahaha. We are going to live there, Reolf. Are you happy?" Clovis asked while petting him.


    "Woof!" Reolf''s expression brightened as if this was just a new challenge that he needed to overcome. His journey to become the king of wolves would start here.


    "I have visited Axionia''s capital city. While it''s kinda similar to what I''ve seen, it''s a bit different. It''s a bit hard to explain, but I guess you guys are acting like country bumpkins. I did too in the past." Erwin shrugged.


    "Hahaha." Clovis laughed. "That''s fine. We''re going to experience everything this world has to offer in the future. Just enjoy everything."

 Chapter 466 Arrival

    The location where they got off turned out to be the mansion that Hana had prepared specifically for them.


    The two buses easily entered the mansion. To their surprise, Hana was actually standing right at the front door.


    "Young miss? How do you have time to be here?" Cain asked in panic, wondering if they had done something bad to the point where Hana had no choice but to come personally.


    However, there was one more possibility, which he refused to believe. It was the fact that Clovis'' group was much more important than what he had in mind.


    "What? I can''t be here?" Hana casually asked.


    Cain''s face turned pale as he shook his head furiously. "That''s not what I mean."


    Even the others were speechless. Liza thought, ''She is usually extremely busy, which makes even other companies having a hard time to visit her. Yet she is actually spending all that precious time to meet us... no, to meet them? What is their real identity?''


    "So this is our new home?" Kanaria yawned while glancing around.


    "It is quite big. I guess we can train in the garden." Jay nodded, satisfied. "I can beat up a certain someone more openly."


    "Hoh? Are you going to fight me? I''ll show you that you won''t be able to defeat me no matter what." Erwin cracked his fingers. "The trip is making my body stiff. It seems that I''ll have some warm-up."


    "I''m not specifically mentioning you. Your ego is so high that you think you''re the center of the world." Jay shrugged.


    "You..." Erwin glared at Jay. Of course, Jay wasn''t scared of him.


    However, before they started a fight, Reolf came out of the bus and placed his paws on Jay and Erwin''s chest as if trying to stop them from fighting. "Woof!"


    "..." Both Erwin and Jay wanted to say something, but the sight of Reolf had just melted their hearts.


    "You''re lucky that your pride won''t be destroyed right now." Jay snorted.


    Hana didn''t know why, but she became more excited than she originally thought. This was the first time she could have a fist bump with a beast. No, other than the people here, no one had ever done that before.


    Hana was speechless for a moment and said, "As much as I want to talk about this, I think there is one more important thing that we should take care of."


    "Indeed." Clovis nodded.


    Hana turned to Melody. "I''ll be calling the ambulance for your brother. Cain and the others, as well as another group of experts, will be escorting the ambulance to the hospital. It must be a hard decision for you to suddenly bring your brother so far away. How about putting down your luggage in your room first before going to the hospital?


    There will be someone who will take care of everything for him."


    Clovis added, "Just come in first. I don''t mind taking any room. The rest of you can also choose your room first. I''ll be talking with Hana."


    "Alright." Jay and the others nodded their heads, while Kanaria whispered, "Should we sleep together then?"


    "I don''t mind, but at least get a room of your own. There is Reolf and it''s more convenient as well." Clovis chuckled.


    Kanaria was humming happily as if she were satisfied with the answer. She didn''t realize that instead of Clovis, who was suggesting it, she followed what her mother and grandfather were telling her.


    After they entered, Clovis asked, "How is that project?"


    "Everything is prepared. Since it''s late right now, if you don''t plan sightseeing tomorrow, we can visit the lab."


    "Sounds good. We have a lot of free time anyway." Clovis thought for a moment before glancing at Cain and the others.


    "They will be a part of the project. Of course, it''ll be voluntary." Hana assured Clovis.


    "What project are you talking about?" Cain asked. Even the others furrowed their eyebrows, realizing that this might be the reason why Clovis was so important to Hana.


    Hana waved her hand toward Cain''s neck. However, the distance between them was two meters. Hana wasn''t supposed to reach him, but all of a sudden, a scythe emerged from the back of Hana''s hand and circled around Cain''s neck.


    "!!!" Cain shuddered in fear, his instinct was telling him that if Hana wanted, she could instantly kill him without him understanding anything.

 Chapter 467 New Application of Beast Souls

    "What is this?" Cain sucked a cold breath. The others gasped while covering their mouths.


    Liza frowned. She examined the mysterious thing that emerged from Hana''s hand. It was long and robust like a sickle. "Isn''t that... a mantis'' front leg? No. That''s Santanmantis Axelrodi''s front leg.


    The oldest mantis that has been discovered."


    Hana retracted the scythe casually and said, "This is the project all about. A new application of beast souls."


    "!!!"


    Liza said, "A new application of beast souls? If it''s what we''re talking about, doesn''t this mean a human can grow a part of a beast?"


    "Depending on the type of beast soul, yes." Hana nodded with a serious expression. "If you have the beast soul related to wings, you can even summon a wing and fly in the air."


    Liza''s expression turned solemn. "Young miss. Isn''t this project too bizarre? If what you say is true, the beast souls will find its new meaning. Currently, the beast souls are just a boosting type of ability that can raise one''s physical ability.


    "However, if we can actually get the beast''s body, it also means that we can get hard scales, which will bolster our defense, or the wings that allow us to fly. It''ll become a new way of fighting."


    Hana nodded. "We have been working on this project for a few months and conducted several tests. I have even made sure that all the bad claims will be resolved."


    Clovis interjected. "Can a human be called a human anymore after integrating with the beast?"


    "Yep." Hana shrugged. "We have tested it and it''s actually simple to remove the beast soul because, thanks to this new application, that beast soul is concentrated into a part of their body instead of the entire body like the usual beast soul.


    "It''s actually removable, which will also allow you to actually change the beast soul to a better one once you get stronger.


    "And even if you don''t remove it, your children won''t be affected by the beast soul since this new application doesn''t alter your genetics like radiation. It''s contained completely.


    "I have no way to fix the appearance though. There will definitely be some beast souls that make you uglier, so..." Hana rolled her eyes.


    There was an awkward silence between them. Looking at how Hana dragged Clovis so casually, it didn''t seem their relationship was bad either.


    "The young miss even visited him a few months ago, right?"


    "Maybe he has a big background that can actually alter his own information."


    "Nevertheless, it looks like it''s the young miss that is trying to curry favor instead of the other way around."


    "True. She never gives a fuck whenever someone is trying to grab her attention. Don''t tell me, she is in love with him?"


    "The money-oriented brain actually thinks about getting someone in her life? She will probably lose half of everything if she does that, and someone like her will definitely not do it."


    "Hey, that''s rude."


    "Sorry. I''m not trying to say that she won''t have a partner in her life. With her wealth, people will be lining up if she wants to."


    "No! I mean the money oriented brain part. Don''t think of her so low. If she can suck your money dry, she will definitely do that."


    "..."


    Everyone was speechless by that last remark.


    Meanwhile, that wasn''t far from the truth.


    As soon as Clovis and Hana entered the mansion, Hana immediately cornered Clovis by slapping the wall with both hands as if she wasn''t planning to let him go.


    "What''s that? What''s that? How are you able to get a dire wolf? What do you feed him? How strong is he? How smart is Reolf?


    Is it possible if we can somehow reproduce such a thing? Is beast taming real? You sure don''t mind sharing a bit of a secret with me, right?"

 Chapter 468 New Research?

    "You sure don''t mind sharing a bit of a secret with me, right?"


    Clovis smiled wryly before pushing her back. "Of course, I''d mind."


    "What?" Hana was taken aback by such a response, considering they had been partners for a while. In addition, she had helped him a lot.


    Clovis sighed. "That''s because it''s related to my blood."


    "Should I find a few ancient bat beast souls and concentrate their beast soul into the face before gathering a bunch of beautiful women for you? They will have longer fangs like a vampire and suck you dry. Much better than getting your blood drained from your body through any other means."


    "Are you serious you''re going to do that?" Clovis shook his head helplessly.


    "If I do that, you''re going to get angry." Hana looked disappointed.


    "Either way, I don''t understand it completely myself, nor do I intend to share it right now."


    "Right now?" Hana changed her expression instantly. He said ''right now'' so there might be a chance in the future.


    "I can''t help but wonder if you have been restraining yourself since you visited us back then." Even Clovis was a bit overwhelmed by her pursuit of money.


    "Ahem." As if she had gotten what she wanted, she immediately behaved. Then again, Clovis didn''t really mind since she was being honest. It would be much more troublesome if she ended up tricking him secretly.


    He perfectly knew how smart Hana was after all. Even with the help of her grandfather, the fact that she was able to make a company of this size showed her competence.


    Clovis raised one finger. "Anyway, I can share one piece of information about the beast itself. I think this will make interesting research."


    "What is that?"


    "No at the moment."


    "Alright. In that case, I''ll be bringing you around the mansion to introduce you to its facilities." Hana smirked. She seemed to be excited for everything she had prepared in this mansion.


    And she truly didn''t disappoint. On the first floor alone, there was a full gym with all sorts of equipment.


    She even prepared a simulation room for training their reaction speed by summoning a laser gun that they had to dodge from all over the room.


    After that, they went to the back of the house, which turned out to be a swimming pool either to relieve stress or train.


    The second floor was filled with bedrooms, each was quite spacious and comfortable.


    Nevertheless, the biggest surprise she had prepared was the basement.


    Yeah, she created a spacious basement, almost as big as the mansion itself. They had been reinforced by a high quality material, which would withstand all kinds of harsh training and sparring.


    It was the perfect space for them. Even Reolf would be able to run around this place.


    The mansion was beyond what Clovis hoped for.


    After touring the mansion, Hana became excited again as she wanted to go back and review the possibility of research.


    "Anyway, I''ll be sending you the data for the bus. You can modify it however you want. Tomorrow, I''ll send you a car that will take you to the lab. We''ll meet there." She spoke so fast that Clovis had a hard time following her. She didn''t even bother repeating it as she immediately took her leave.


    Clovis smiled wryly, wondering what would happen if Hana knew about the artifacts, technique books, or even the foods. She would definitely do anything to have Another World Mall.


    Then again, he didn''t plan to reveal it for the time being.

 Chapter 470 Training

    "Haaaa!" Cain shouted while crouching, but the stinger didn''t come out of his back as if it had a will on its own, refusing his call.


    The doctor said, "Don''t be nervous. This is normal. You need to get used to it. Imagine having a tail on your back... Humans never have it, so you have to try it again and again until you can imagine it."


    Next to him was his group. Out of the six people, five of them had decided to receive the beast soul.@@@@


    However, the main concern was Clovis'' group.


    "Is this how you have it?" Ragna casually stood there, summoning the scale in his first try.


    It was a snake scale. Ragna knocked it a few times, noticing that it was actually harder than metal. Since it was a Tier 5 snake, he should be able to use it to block a Tier 5 human wielding a Tier 5 weapon.


    Of course, he needed to test it just to be sure about it.


    "What? You''re done?" Both the doctor and Hana dropped their jaws. Even Hana took two days to summon the mantis'' sickle, and the doctor praised her for being a genius.


    Yet Ragna was able to achieve it on his first try. What kind of monstrous talent did he have?


    Only Clovis noticed what was going on. He asked, "It seems that your experience plays a huge part in this."


    "!!!" Ragna and Doctor Gen turned to Clovis in confusion.


    "Yes." Ragna nodded casually as if it wasn''t a big deal. Clovis wanted to share the information, but he didn''t say anything to him since he respected Ragna''s decision.


    Her choice couldn''t help but pique Hana''s interest. "Why did she choose to strengthen her eyes? She is a sniper. If she can fly, won''t it be much better... I mean, shooting people from the sky sounds fun."


    "Argghhhh!" Kanaria suddenly screamed as she covered her eyes with her hands.


    "!!!" The people panicked. Hana thought it was her fault that she was distracted. "Wait. Sorry."


    Kanaria waved her hand, telling them to stay calm. Her eyes remained close as she said, "I''ve succeeded. I''m able to see the world in a different color, similar to a night vision that animals have. With this, the night shouldn''t be much of a problem for me.


    "Because this place is bright, I was unprepared for the change of color, which ended up hurting my eyes. How do you deactivate this?" Kanaria asked.


    "Just imagine your own vision returning to normal."


    Kanaria covered the area in front of her so that it was dark enough for her to see. Once she noticed her vision had returned, she let out a breath of relief. "The reason I chose this one is because the wings flap. That flapping motion will make me sick when shooting people.


    "In addition, I''m not foolish enough to expose myself in the air. While it''s true that I can move from one place to another faster with wings, the benefits aren''t really worth the risk."


    "Oh!" Hana nodded. She wasn''t a sniper who had to focus on the small scope, so she didn''t know about such a risk.


    On the other hand, Melody chose Prodryas Persephone''s beast soul. It was an ancient butterfly in the Late Eocene era. Unlike Kanaria, having the ability to fly would be important for Melody since she could observe everything clearly from the sky.


    Dropping radar here and there or even dropping some grenades from the sky would be fun.


    Only flying beasts would be able to harm her when she supported the team after this.


    While it was true Melody had a perfect beast soul for her current circumstances, Erwin actually picked up the thing that suited him the most, especially with all those threads he produced.

 Chapter 471 Promotion

    "Kh! Come out!" Erwin shouted as a pair of spider legs emerged from behind.


    "This is...a partial summons?" Doctor Gen raised his eyebrows. "Wow. This is just the first step. You should be able to completely summon all eight legs in a few hours. I believe in you."


    "..." Hana''s eyebrows twitched. Why did these people manage to summon their beast souls so fast? It had only been two and a half hours since they started training.


    While it was true that knowing the trick would hasten the progress, she never thought they could do it at such a speed.


    The one who remained calm this whole time was Jay. He was sitting in a lotus pose as though he were meditating.


    But even after everything that happened, there was no reaction from Jay.


    They didn''t know if Jay had failed or not, but his eyebrows twitched the moment he heard Erwin had almost succeeded.


    There was no way he could afford to lose against Erwin.


    Meanwhile, Cain and the others were still trying hard, unable to figure out how to do it.


    Clovis was observing them as well. Since they were so talented, one person should have succeeded by now, but the result was a bit disappointing.


    ''Is there something missing? Is there an item affecting their success rate? The items from Another World Mall?


    ''I have been feeding them all the food items, so does that help them? Or is it because of the equipment, either the clothes or accessories?


    ''Or maybe those books are useful? Kanaria''s night vision should be similar to the vision book I gave, right?''


    Clovis looked down, falling into deep thought.


    "Yep!" Hana confirmed it with a nod.


    Jay and the others chose to stop for a moment, considering they would be responsible for this.


    "What do you want us to do? I hope it''s not something hard." Clovis was already suspicious because of her smile.


    And it seemed he was right. Hana smiled, "You are going to school!"


    "Stop! Stop it!" Clovis grabbed Hana''s shoulder. While Clovis was not an idiot, there was no way he wanted to learn things that didn''t matter in his life.


    Hana ignored him as she continued, "I have registered your names. You will be a transfer student affiliated with the OpenSky company. There is an event that you need to participate in at that school to promote this item."


    "Can I not study? I don''t like studying. Call me stupid, but I don''t know how to calculate an integral in my life." Ragna took a step back.


    Erwin was probably the smartest in the group academically, so he didn''t mind either way.


    "Don''t worry. You won''t have to worry about that. In fact, it will only take a week. You just have to participate in that event so that we can popularize the items. And this event is sponsored by my company, so of course, please win it and get the prize."


    "Even though you told us to not worry and it would only take a week, it still doesn''t change the fact that we have to sit down in the class, right?" Clovis glared at her from behind.


    Hana maintained her smile, but her back was already drenched in sweat. She once again ignored Clovis and said, "Anyway, you guys have endured a lot of things. Just sleep in the class if you don''t like it. Besides, it''s only a week, guys, so no need to be that annoyed.


    "I''ll send you the uniform and the ID cards. It''s perfect for you guys since you aren''t from this country. It seems that you don''t have any questions, I''ll take my leave then."


    Clovis grabbed her shoulder and said, "I don''t have questions, but I have an objection here."


    "Sorry, I only accept a question!" Hana hurriedly slipped away, leaving the annoyed Clovis behind.


    "..."

 Chapter 472 Prepare for Trouble

    Hana stood in front of all the reporters as she said, "In seven days from now on, the OpenSky Company will be selling a new product. Have you ever wondered how it feels to fly? Have you experienced the darkness of the night turning so bright? Have you seen a person with a strength incomparable to a beast?


    "With this new product, you will be able to get stronger... much stronger than you currently are."


    "Miss Hana. You have been purchasing a large number of beast souls. Is this related to your new product?" A reporter asked.


    "Indeed. While I can''t reveal everything to you right now, I can give you a little hint. This new product is a new application of beast soul. A power that we have never seen before." Hana nodded with a confident look.


    "Miss Hana. Why do we have to wait for seven days?" Another reporter came with a question.@@@@


    "All of you must know about the Teslonaka Academy. In seven days, they will be holding an annual event. In this event, I will show you the power of the new product that will take the world by storm." Hana took a step back. "I have said everything that needs to be said. Please look forward to the launch of the new product. Thank you."


    "Miss Hana..."


    "Miss..."


    The reporters raised their hands, wanting to ask their own questions, but the other party had left.


    Still, one thing was clear. There were some people that would compete with the students in the academy for this annual event.


    Who were they? In an instant, numerous articles were made, trying to figure out their information.


    If one had to ask, what was Teslonaka Academy? It was the best academy in the country. All the students were elites picked up from all corners of their country. Those who managed to graduate from this academy must have monstrous talent, a lot of experience, and more importantly, a lot of connections.


    Hana was actually one of the students of the academy, but she didn''t attend the academy as much as the others due to her identity.


    The principal couldn''t help but glance at the people that Hana picked. A lot of people were curious about these six people.


    In fact, several of his friends had been asking him about them.


    However, this was the first time he found out who they were.


    Their names were definitely unknown to him.


    The group was divided into three. The first one was the oldest, Melody. "A 24 year old mobile operator, huh? She is not bad, but not good either. In addition, she will be 25 years old in a few months. I guess she will be joining the senior class.


    "The second group is these two... Ragna and Erwin... I''m not familiar with them. Erwin is a Tier 4 explorer with wires as his weapon choice. He actually chooses such a unique weapon? But he is a Tier 4. His talent is considered top-notch even in the academy.


    "Meanwhile, Ragna has..." The principal fell silent. "Isn''t this body condition similar to that person? The one who is known to be the Undead Knight? His only weakness is his strength, but as he grows to learn utilizing his trait''s unique ability, he will be able to solve that weakness.


    "And lastly, the youngest ones among them. They have reached Tier 2 when they are only 16 or 17 years old? That''s impressive, but not unprecedented.


    "There are a lot of rich kids who use their family''s money to grow that strong. Even Hana Skylark is the same when she first comes to this academy.


    "However, only after knowing more about the gap between their Tier 2 and the true Tier 2 humans would they understand how important it is to have skills.


    "I guess they are the real targets in Hana''s plan. She must want them, who are using their family''s money, to show that the gap can be closed with this new product. I see. I''m looking forward to what kind of product she is planning to reveal."


    Little did he know, Clovis, Jay, and Kanaria were actually the real monsters in the group.


    In the junior class, the trio were standing in front of a hundred students as the teacher asked with a warm smile. "Please introduce yourself."

 Chapter 473 Challenge

    "Please introduce yourself. Just a simple introduction is fine, like your name, age, tier, and aspiration." The teacher put on a gentle smile, unlike other students who were staring at them like they were prey.


    Jay stepped forward and introduced himself with a nonchalant expression, as if he wasn''t affected by the atmosphere.


    "Jay Havenson, 17 years old, Tier 2 swordsman. I want to cut everything."


    "Tier 2?" The students widened their eyes in shock.


    "He is only 17 years old, but he has reached Tier 2? Is he cheating?"


    "He must be. He should be using money to artificially increase his strength!"


    "Kanaria Renvolt, 17 years old, Tier 2 Sniper." Kanaria also did the same. However, her priority was different. Instead of her ambition or something, she just pointed at Clovis and said, "I''m his girlfriend. Thank you."@@@@


    "..." The students widened their eyes in shock. It was true that Kanaria was beautiful. Even in the school, she could be listed among the top.


    However, she was much bolder than they originally thought to actually declare such a thing. They all turned to Clovis.


    His face looked a bit familiar, but they didn''t know where they had seen him. It was probably because of the top gene that he was handsome, at least based on the aura his body naturally released as well as his cold face.


    The female students couldn''t help but wonder who Clovis was. That kind of atmosphere wouldn''t come from a normal countryside boy. Kanaria even declared that he was her, and no one should try to approach him. What actually made him special?


    It was Clovis'' turn to introduce himself. Rather than a normal approach, Clovis changed his introduction a bit. "We''ll be here only for seven days, so I guess our aspiration is to win the annual event... not that we know what it is for the time being. I hope that everyone can play nice. I''m Clovis, just Clovis. 16 years old, Tier 2 fighter."


    "!!!" They heard the warning clearly. Obviously, some of them didn''t like it because they believed Clovis, Kanaria, and Jay were the same. They managed to get that far only by relying on their parents'' money.


    The teacher scratched the back of her head, wondering what she should do in this situation. "How about taking the empty seats over there?"


    The students thought it was a pity that Daniel had targeted one of them. However, Jay and Kanaria could only pinch the bridge of their noses.


    Out of the three, how could Daniel be so unlucky that he picked Clovis, the strongest among them?


    Jay wanted to stop him from making such a big mistake, but Clovis said, "Fine by me. Let''s do it. I guess letting people like you know will stop future harassment. It''s better to be in the countryside where you can focus on getting stronger by fighting the beasts than in the city focusing on petty politics."


    Veins bulged on Daniel''s forehead before he stood up, showing his two-meter-tall body. He shouted, "Did you hear that, Teacher? He has accepted my challenge!"


    The teacher had to persuade Clovis because he didn''t understand the true nature of their academy. "This is a duel between two people. To establish a duel, both parties need to bet on something. They also need a teacher to supervise the match. All fatal attacks are forbidden, but the school has promised to help with the recovery."


    "You are just a new student, so I don''t need you to put up something! I just want to teach you the difference between our strengths." Daniel grinned.


    "No need. I know what I''m planning to bet. If I lose, I won''t participate in the annual event."


    "!!!" That bet was huge because it was a very important event where the whole country watched the most prominent younger generations. It was the reason why Hana wanted to use this event as a promotion for the new beast souls.


    Daniel smirked. "In that case, I bet the same. I won''t join the annual event if I lose!"


    "They are really going to fight?" The students became excited. It seemed that Daniel would end up bullying the new student. They wondered what Kanaira would think when her boyfriend got humiliated in front of a lot of people.


    Clovis simply glanced at the teacher.


    "Are you sure you won''t regret it?"


    "Yes."


    The teacher let out a long sigh. "Fine. I will authorize the duel. I''ll personally oversee the duel myself. However, this fight will only happen after the class."

 Chapter 474 Disappointment

    After class, the arena was filled with the entire class. Not a single student actually missed this match because they were curious how Daniel would defeat this person.


    If Kanaria were sad, the boys would be there to comfort her.


    Unfortunately for them, Daniel''s opponent was Clovis.


    Before the match started, an old man suddenly came to the arena, mingling with other students.


    "To think that there would be a duel like this on the first day. I''ll surely be busy in the next couple of days." The old man sighed. "Let''s see the talented individuals that Hana Skylark sent to this academy."


    No one noticed him yet because he had been erasing his presence. He didn''t need to be an assassin, with his Tier 8 strength, even Kanaraia wouldn''t notice him.


    Daniel had changed. He was wearing a tight body suit that didn''t cover his muscular body in the slightest.


    He rested his giant axe on his shoulder as he said, "Use this defeat to understand your place!"


    Clovis remained silent, not wanting to give attention to this idiot.


    The teacher sighed. "No fatal attack is allowed. Once I see it, I will stop it. Other than that, you are free to use all your strength in this battle. I''ll be stopping the match if I deem it necessary. Please say yes if you are ready."


    "Yes!" Daniel grinned.


    Clovis pulled out his swords. Compared to Daniel''s giant axe, Clovis'' sword felt like they were going to snap if he ever received Daniel''s attack head-on.


    "Yes. I''m ready." Clovis nodded to the teacher.


    "Match starts!" The teacher declared as soon as she got the confirmation from both parties.@@@@


    "Get ready!" Daniel jumped toward him. Despite being big, he was quite fast. He slammed his giant axe at Clovis.


    Clovis squinted his eyes. It seemed that even though this guy was a bully, he still had a very good foundation.


    Despite swinging that big axe, Clovis didn''t see any gaps in his movement. If he overwhelmed him with his speed, he wouldn''t be able to block that axe.


    Hence, Clovis changed his approach. He swung multiple times at the axe to stop that attack, but Daniel simply overwhelmed him with his strength. "It''s useless!"


    "This is a disappointment." Clovis sighed.


    "!!!" The students couldn''t help but widen their eyes in shock. Just for a split second, Clovis moved so fast that they didn''t realize he had actually walked past Daniel.


    In fact, over fifteen sword marks suddenly appeared on Daniel''s body as blood suddenly spurted from each of them.


    "Gaaahhh!" Daniel screamed in pain as he didn''t understand what actually happened.


    Kanaria and Jay smiled, fully aware that Clovis had gotten serious.


    Only the teacher and the old man were able to see what actually happened.


    ''Impossible. He leaves behind 20 hits in that split second? If that is a full second, he should be able to swing his sword over 45 times. It''s already at the level of a Tier 4 explorer with blood affinity. At that level, they have also learned the Flow Control.'' The teacher sucked a cold breath.


    ''What kind of strength is this? Someone who is able to fight a person two tiers above him? Although he is still at the low tier and the gap between each tier is still small, only several people in the country are able to do it.'' The old man shuddered, realizing what kind of monster had actually entered his academy.


    Daniel didn''t know what happened.


    "You... What did you do?!" Daniel gritted his teeth.


    "Nothing. You are simply too weak." Clovis shook his head helplessly. "Maybe if you are stronger, you will realize what I did earlier."


    "You motherfucker!" Daniel roared and charged at him again, this time swinging his axe horizontally. He would do the same attack that blew Clovis away.


    However, Clovis gathered his momentum and released it in one go, hitting Daniel''s axe. The force that came out of that swing overpowered Daniel to the point where his hands lost their grip and the axe was flying several meters into the air.


    "This is the end. Such a disappointment." Clovis jumped into the air and launched a back kick on Daniel''s head, crushing his jaw and sending him flying all the way to the arena''s wall.


    Bam!


    Daniel crashed into the wall, completely getting knocked out with his jaw dislocated.


    The students dropped their jaws to the ground, not believing that Daniel lost miserably against Clovis.


    Even the teacher was so speechless that she forgot to announce the winner.

 Chapter 475 Principal

    All the students dropped their jaws. The battle ended in a flash. Daniel wasn''t weak. He was among the top in terms of ability.


    However, Clovis actually toyed with him so badly that the other party couldn''t even put up a decent fight.


    Even other top students could only suck cold breath, believing that Clovis'' strength was beyond them.


    In other words, Clovis might come from the countryside, but he had proven that his strength was genuine. Reaching Tier 2 was nothing but the result of his hard work.


    Compared to him, they were trash.


    "How can this be?!"


    "He is so strong. He is only 16 years old, but that strength... it''s beyond what everyone has in the junior class. He might end up fighting the senior class or even the graduation class!"


    "And he is only 16 years old? Why haven''t we heard any information about him?"


    "Is our neighboring country''s quality that good?"


    Amidst the shock, there were obviously people who admired the strong, especially the ones that could make Kanaria''s eyebrows twitch.


    "Kya! He is not only handsome, but extremely talented."


    "I need to get to know him!"


    "But isn''t that new student, Kanaria or something, claiming he is hers?"


    "Everything is fair in love and war. No, wait! Why are we even arguing this when polygamy is already legal?"


    "Shut up!"


    Kanaria clenched her fists, wanting to slap these girls. With a wry smile on his face, Jay said, "He is sure popular."


    "They are not qualified. You need a unique quality if you want me to accept you."


    "I need to grab his thighs before he becomes too big!"


    "I got the dibs!"


    "Shut up, you dinosaur!"


    Clovis was surprised, but he didn''t show it in his face. He observed the man in front of him, thought for a moment, and answered, "I''m sorry. I already have someone who teaches me."


    "Huh?!" The principal didn''t think he would be rejected. He only had one disciple, despite thousands, if not tens of thousands, of people asking him to be their teacher. And Clovis would be the second one.


    Then again, he almost forgot that Clovis didn''t come from this country. He might not have heard about him.


    "Ahem!" The principal took a step back and coughed to clear up their conversation. "I am Cole Lesdan. I am a Tier 8 explorer in this country. I''m currently holding the position of the principal of this academy.


    "You might not have heard this, but I have a student who has been learning from me for more than a decade. That person has become a Tier 6 explorer right now.


    "If you learn from me, I promise you that within ten years, you will surpass that record. You will reach Tier 7. I won''t hesitate to give you any resources that you want."


    Clovis shook his head. "It''s not a matter of resources. I already have someone who has taught me. I don''t plan to take on any more teachers."


    "What?" The principal grabbed his shoulders, wondering if this kid understood what kind of opportunity he had been given.


    Clovis stated with a stern expression, "Just like a teacher can choose their teacher, a student can also decide his teacher."


    The principal wanted to persuade him, but Clovis cut him off by adding, "Well, if you can beat up the person who has taught me, I''m okay with taking you as my teacher."


    "Hoh?!" The principal felt challenged. "Who is that person?"


    "The only thing I can tell you is that he exists. If you are going to rise through the ranks, it''s important to have access to information. If you can''t even find the name yourself, then I don''t think you''re suitable to be my teacher!"


    "Good, good, good! If I manage to beat him, you''re going to accept me as your teacher. Don''t you dare to take back your promise later." The principal declared.


    Clovis nodded while adding inwardly, ''The only person who has been a kind of teacher in my life is my grandfather. Well, if you can beat up my grandfather, then so be it. It''s not like finding his information will be easy for you.''

 Chapter 476 Destroying a City

    The news about the principal asking Clovis to be his student spread to the entire school almost instantly.


    Clovis played it cool, but this was the first time that he sensed another type of gaze. Back in Lindel City, Clovis was the target of admiration of the younger generations.


    However, in this place, he was like a prey of those lustful gazes who thought that sleeping with him would guarantee their success.


    "Is it him? Is he the one getting the principal''s acknowledgement?"


    "I have asked the teacher, but it seems that his strength is equal to a Tier 4 human."


    "What? Is that even possible? He is skipping not only one but two tiers?"


    "It''s no wonder why the principal is so adamant in taking him as his disciple."


    "But isn''t that just a rumor?"


    "No way. I was there when the principal came!"


    The students were staring at Clovis even though he was just walking across the corridor, minding his own business. Of course, Kanaria was standing next to Clovis to assert her dominance.


    "I''m afraid that you will have a hard time this time. There will definitely be people challenging you," said Clovis while finding several people who had fire in their eyes. He doubted they would challenge him, so the only person that might be the easiest to challenge was Kanaria.


    "I''m not as strong as you, but I''m not weak either. If they want to come, let them come." Kanaria shrugged.


    "Well, the same can be said to Jay, Melody, Ragna, and Erwin. There are surely people who would like to test their ability after hearing about mine. If I''m not wrong, they might even try to recruit them as a student, as a club member, or as an affiliate." Clovis sighed. "This is why I don''t want to go to school. Fighting the beasts is much easier."


    "Haha. It''s funny that you''re worrying about the wrong thing. What you should worry about is the annual event. Now that the people''s expectations are high, they will pay more attention to us."


    "That''s true. I guess the biggest winner here is Hana."


    "So, this is the place where they store the information." Michael smirked, looking at the city where Clovis was experimented on.


    Before entering the city, he glanced to the side.


    "Aaaahhh!" A soldier suddenly dropped the binoculars as he fell on his butt, sweating all over his body. "No way. Did he sense me?"


    An old man wearing a military uniform sighed. "That''s Tier 9 for you... Unfortunately, it is sad that we can''t retain such power in our country."


    The two were staring from a distance just to observe him, making sure that he didn''t do anything else other than what he was coming for.


    After warning them, Michael raised his head, looking at the fifteen-meter-tall wall.


    "I guess I should start. It''s not like I can be here for too long!" Michael took a deep breath before taking a step forward. He raised his other foot as if he were a pitcher about to throw the ball.


    Instead of a ball, he threw his fist forward.


    It looked like a normal fist for a split second, but right after that, the air started getting sucked forward and flew toward the wall in the form of a shock wave.


    The shock wave blasted the entire wall, the rubble was flying into the city instead of falling down.


    The soldier dropped his jaw, observing everything from a distance. "He just destroyed the wall, creating a hundred-meter-wide gap!"


    "You shouldn''t be surprised just by this." The old man shook his head.


    As he said, Michael moved to the center of the city. He bent his knees as he placed both fists on the ground.


    "This should be enough." Michael took another deep breath before releasing all his force into that fist. "Doom Fist."


    A crack stretching for more than a kilometer in all directions was formed right away before the entire force turned it into a crater, causing all the windows to shatter and the buildings to collapse.


    There was nothing but rubble within that huge crater, as if a meteor had just hit the center of the city, leaving the soldier speechless. This was the strength of Michael Hacfield. At the same time, he couldn''t imagine the other nine monsters that were his equal.

 Chapter 477 Student Council

    In one arena, Kanaria shot at her sniper, the rubber bullet flew so hard that it knocked out her opponent after it hit her head.


    In another arena, Jay had just sheathed his sword while staring at his opponent coldly. His opponent had a big wound running from the right shoulder to his stomach. He passed out from the wound and blood loss.


    Ragna had fought a bit too hard since he was good only at defending. However, the opponent couldn''t overwhelm him because he kept recovering all his wounds. His opponent exhausted its stamina, and his body continued to bleed until the match was over.


    The same applied to Erwin, who had tied up his opponent skillfully. Erwin was more of a harassment since he tied a woman in front of everyone erotically.


    It seemed that Aileen had known about it and ordered him to do it.


    The Libation Fiesta completely dominated the school. The only one who hadn''t gotten a challenge yet was only Melody.


    Due to her being an operator, no one really asked her to fight. They would be embarrassed if they challenged an operator, let alone losing to one.


    In the end, Melody didn''t really care about the challenge and planned to reject it if they had challenged her.


    ...


    Student Council.


    The student council president frowned with a dark expression. "What is this?"


    In front of him was the video of their school getting humiliated by the exchange students.


    "How come our academy can put up a single fight against these newcomers? Are we that weak?"


    It was true that Clovis was weird, but his strength was still far below them.


    However, if they took action right away, this was just considered bullying. Clovis was only Tier 2 after all.


    At the same time, even if they managed to defeat him, it didn''t change the fact that no one in the junior class was their match. Even the senior class couldn''t do it. Only those in the elite class could defeat them, which was an embarrassment for the junior and senior classes.


    The president said, "Whatever. We have to suppress him soon. We can''t let him be too rampant, or this will be an embarrassment for the school. You should know what it means if this school becomes a laughing stock, right?"


    A woman muttered with a dark expression. "The resources will be cut. With a bad reputation, the opportunity to work for big companies or organizations will disappear. Less people will also work together with us. In other words, the academy as a whole might even lose their influence, strength, and resources... a decline of the academy."


    "Indeed. As much as I don''t like bullying people, he is just making too much noise." The president sighed. "To think that Hana Skylark is still messing with us. She should have graduated already."


    "That''s true. Even though she has been saying that she is just using her money to reach a higher tier, she is stopping just for this sake."


    "Everyone will have to graduate early as soon as they have reached Tier 5. That''s the rule of the academy because the teachers are mostly Tier 6 and Tier 7, so they don''t have a lot of qualification to teach the students at that point.


    "However, staying in the academy is extremely beneficial for strength, resources, and connection, so a lot of people remain in this academy... except for people like Hana Skylark, who has everything already." The president sighed. "And to think that she, who is already planning to graduate, chooses to mess with us by bringing these outsiders."


    "You don''t have to worry. As long as they are competing in the annual event, we will have a chance to fix this situation."


    Everyone thought the situation was under their control, but they couldn''t control even the students under them.


    "Not good. Not good!" A student suddenly slammed open the door and shouted, "President. It''s not good. That devil is planning to challenge Clovis!"


    "!!!"

 Chapter 478 Challenge Speedrun

    Clovis reached the arena, raising his head to see his opponent. The one who challenged him was a 23-year-old elite class student.


    He had spiky blue hair and wore his uniform loosely as if he were a thug. However, Clovis could feel the extraordinary sharpness from his eyes and the wisdom in his eyes, making him realize he was just acting that way.


    His opponent''s weapon was a spear, which would be quite an interesting experience for him.


    Clovis couldn''t help but remember what happened a moment ago.


    He had just returned from the bathroom before suddenly he was stopped by this man.


    "Clovis from Libation Fiesta. You are interesting. Let''s fight."


    Clovis frowned. "I don''t see any reasons for us to fight."


    "If I win, you have to stay in the academy and join my club. If you win, I am the young master of the Undying Guild. I''ll satisfy your request with that identity."


    Clovis remained silent for a moment. Before joining the school, he had a brief talk with Hana, most of it was him complaining though.


    Back then, Hana said, "Do you know how to speed run? While the school is boring, there are still plenty of strong people there. In fact, there are plenty of Tier 4 students who are able to fight Tier 5.


    "Each of them has developed their own unique technique, which will be a great experience for you.


    "I''m sure that you won''t regret fighting them. Besides, if you beat the crap out of them, I can finally laugh at them.


    "I''m not a fighter myself, so I can''t really bully them, but you can. If you show your strength, they''ll be interested in you.


    "Since you are only joining the academy for the event, they will be interested in forcing you to stay. Beat them up and request whatever you like from them. This should be enough for the bait."


    Because of this very reason, Clovis accepted the challenge.


    ''It''s truly like Hana said. If I remain quiet, time will pass. I guess it''s fine to be a bit more famous here.


    "Hyaahaa!" Sullivan thrust his spear multiple times in rapid succession, forcing Clovis to take a step back as he parried all the thrusts.


    "As expected from the devil, he is overwhelming Clovis."


    "But isn''t it an embarrassment for someone like him to challenge a guy seven years younger than him?"


    "In a real battle, there is no age. You either kill your enemy or die!"


    "A club president is indeed something else. There is a reason why they are chosen."


    "They are the true elites of the academy."


    "Clovis has no chance to win against him."


    "I know right? I''ve heard that the devil has killed a lot of Tier 5 beasts. Even though Clovis is strong, he still can''t defeat a Tier 5 beast on his own."


    "Clovis is sure to lose this match."


    "Still, the devil is always fighting his opponent relentlessly... Can''t he just give the first move for Clovis just to be fair?"


    The match obviously garnered a lot of attention, not only from the junior class but also from the senior and elite classes. Even other clubs came to take a look at their match.


    Clovis was being pushed back again and again until he was close to the wall.


    All of a sudden, Clovis took a deep breath, unleashed his full speed, and started matching Sullivan''s speed.


    "!!!" The audience widened their eyes in surprise because, for the first time in the entire match, they reached a stalemate.


    ''I see. He is strong. This is going to be troublesome. His affinity is blood like mine. He is utilizing his speed so skillfully that I have to block his attack.


    ''However, the most dangerous thing from him is that thrust. He is able to use the ranged attack like me, but instead of a normal ranged attack, it is actually generating a wind pressure that stays around his spear, only increasing the range of the blade. That''s the reason why he is able to injure me in his first attack.''

 Chapter 479 Changing Stance

    Clink!@@@@


    Clink!


    Clink!


    Hundreds of clashes echoed through the arena.


    The people could only see them in disbelief, seeing how amazing the two people were. However, both of them had limits.


    "Paaa!" Clovis and Sullivan coughed up their breath and jumped backward at the same time.


    They had exhausted their breath, not expecting that the other party could last this long.


    "Ha..." Sullivan circulated his breathing carefully, staring at Clovis. The last minute had been insane. "Your strength... is not a mere Tier 4. It is already on the border of Tier 5... if you haven''t surpassed that border already."


    "What?!"


    "A Tier 2 human with the strength of a Tier 5?"


    The people couldn''t believe what they heard. Sullivan might have problematic behaviors, but he was an expert with great insight.


    His assessment should be pretty accurate.


    They simply couldn''t believe that Clovis didn''t just have Tier 4 strength. It was Tier 5.


    Clovis, on the other hand, said, "If you are Tier 5, you would have won already."


    "Heh." Sullivan grinned.


    Their fight had just begun.


    To his surprise, Clovis actually hit the spear''s blade this time, knocking it down.


    "!!!" Sullivan widened his eyes in shock. Although a lot of people had been doing the same thing, the intention was different.


    Instead of blocking his attack, he actually attacked his spear.


    Sullivan shifted his grip a little bit to bounce the spear back to Clovis.


    Clovis took a step back, barely avoiding the spear''s reach even with that ranged attack.


    After that, he struck the spear once again, knocking it back.


    Clovis did all this just with a single sword.


    Sullivan saw Clovis slipping past his defense, so he had to pull back for a bit and regain his stance. Clovis didn''t plan to let him do what he wanted, but Sullivan struck him with his shaft instead, pushing Clovis to the side.


    Clovis tried to stop but he ended up sliding on his foot until he managed to hit the spear away.


    Sadly, Sullivan had recovered and swiftly pulled back his spear. When Clovis was about to swing his sword, Sullivan thrust his sword and knocked it down.


    ''His form becomes much more compact. Instead of speed, he is using that compact form to actually overwhelm me. It''s true that it''s me who is usually changing style, not the other way around. So this is how it feels to have someone as annoying as I am...'' Sullivan grinned.


    His eyes flashed. Since he had knocked that sword down, he should be able to defeat Clovis. ''The idea is good, but only if you are Tier 3 or even Tier 4. Unfortunately, this is the end.''


    Sullivan smirked when he saw an opening in Clovis'' defense. He thrust his spear at his chest, but all of a sudden, Clovis swung his short sword and hit the spear away.


    "!!!" Sullivan widened his eyes, realizing what happened. "Ah shit!"


    He had been so focused on Clovis'' new style that he forgot for a second that he was still hiding that short sword.


    He jumped away, but it was too late. With one swift swing, Clovis'' strike reached him and hit his chest, leaving a wound from the left chest to the right. The blood spurted out because he hit it a bit deep.

 Chapter 480 Trump Card

    "We''ve finally arrived! Ha... Ha..." A member of the student council arrived first and gasped, seeing the battle''s situation.


    "What? He is actually able to push Sullivan this far?"


    "Is Sullivan holding back?"


    "How come he is not able to do anything against him when he is only using a single sword?"


    "Kanaria. Do you see that?" Jay asked.


    "Yeah. Isn''t that similar to Erwin''s fighting style? By making his form compact, he won''t produce speed and power as much as his usual form, but it allows him to deal with Sullivan''s attack." Kanaria nodded.


    "When did he learn this?" Jay frowned. He couldn''t recall the time Clovis practiced this form. Then again, changing one form so easily would just mess up their rhythm, so he was confused as to why Clovis chose to do this.


    Little did he know, Clovis had been learning this for a while. This was the foundation skill of the knight swordsmanship he had.


    The form was slightly different because he was supposed to wield the sword with both hands, but he got the power he needed from the momentum.


    Sullivan jumped away, but surprisingly, Clovis didn''t follow him.


    Clovis had a hard time maintaining this form because he wasn''t used to it despite having the foundation. He just wanted to check something from this form.


    ''I see. The basic swordsmanship might not reach its full potential because of my usual form, but if I can somehow integrate it...'' Clovis squinted his eyes.


    "You are strong. It''s surprising that you are only Tier 2. If you are one or two years older, I might not be your opponent anymore." Sullivan grinned. "And this is what makes it fun. I have thought that I have reached one of the peaks after getting this position and defeating all the opposition.


    "And then, there is a person who is like you... appearing out of nowhere and taking this academy by storm. I can finally understand where that confidence is coming from.


    "Once again..." Sullivan raised his stance. "I am Sullivan Rend."


    Clovis gritted his teeth, but not because he was pressured by Sullivan, but because he was angry at himself.


    ''Do I have to use it? I don''t really want to rely on it, but I don''t think I can win this match without using it. And I have to end it right away, using that slight gap to defeat him...''


    Clovis bit his lips as the thrust launched him into the air.


    His hands were starting to hurt because of all those heavy attacks. In addition, using this trump card would just give him a disadvantage in the annual event.


    ''Well, there is still the beast soul... It''ll be better to focus on the beast soul instead of the perfect state.''


    "Ha..." Clovis inhaled deeply.


    "!!!" Sullivan felt something change in Clovis even though he didn''t know what it was. Sadly, he was too late to pull back.


    He adjusted his spear at the last moment so that it would allow him to change his stance at any second.


    Clovis'' body leaned forward as his fingers twitched. His eyes flashed as he unleashed a speed no one from this school had ever seen before.


    Sullivan thrust his spear. For most students, they would probably only see Sullivan thrusting his spear at Noel''s chest. He missed a little bit and hit his shoulder, but that thrust was definitely successful.


    The blade pierced through Clovis'' shoulder, but those who understood what happened would notice that he thrust Clovis a bit too deep.


    There was only one reason why Sullivan did such a blunder. He simply couldn''t move anymore.


    Sullivan suddenly spat a mouthful of blood. "Gaaahhh!"


    "You''re hiding such a devious skill, bastard!" As Sullivan said those words, wounds all over his body started to surface as though Clovis had cut Sullivan so fast that the flesh took a moment to realize they had been cut.


    After coughing up another mouthful of blood, Sullivan lost his grip and fell to the ground as the blood started dying the ground red.

 Chapter 481 Reactions

    Bak!


    Sullivan''s body fell to the ground. The sound somehow became the only one that echoed in the arena as all the people couldn''t help but drop their jaws.


    Did they see it right? Did they see one of the club presidents actually lose against someone who had just entered the school? How did he lose when he actually got all the advantage?


    There were a lot of questions in their minds, but the proof was there. A lot of wounds suddenly appeared on Sullivan''s body, which became the reason for his defeat.


    The majority of people didn''t see what was actually going on.


    Only those who had reached Tier 4 understood what happened.


    The student council president held the railing so hard that he almost broke it. He simply couldn''t believe what he had just seen.


    ''What was that attack? He actually has such a trump card?''


    The vice president whistled in amazement, thinking, ''That speed earlier was actually reaching Tier 5. While Sullivan was able to fight against a Tier 5 or even defeat them, he was still Tier 4.


    ''Still, he was hiding that strength from Sullivan, lowering his guard. And when he saw that chance, he went for it, unleashing a speed that Sullivan didn''t expect.


    ''He sacrificed that shoulder so that he could cut Sullivan down. No one who knew about his true strength would actually be able to block that. After all, someone who has the strength two tiers above them is already extremely rare, let alone someone who can do one tier beyond that limit.


    ''It seems that there is a reason why he is being chosen as the representative. At the same time, what is his exact identity? How does Hana Skylark make a connection with him?


    ''The most scary part is that his subordinates are also insane. Jay Havenson is able to defeat a Tier 4 while the rest are able to fight people one tier above them.''


    There was no need for them to suppress Libation Fiesta. It was already impossible to do it.


    At the same time, they would also try to hide this due to the fact that Clovis was planning to leave the academy.


    Kanaria and Jay smiled wryly.


    "Isn''t this too big?" Kanaria asked.


    "Yeah. This will also hype up the event. If we don''t step up our game, they will be disappointed and cause a setback."


    "Then again, Clovis is simply too strong." Kanaria shook her head helplessly. "I''m just afraid that this will cause another problem outside the academy."


    "I think we should focus inside the academy first." Jay glanced around, noticing that several people were observing them. "I''m afraid that the people here will be trying to do whatever they can to retain us inside the academy. It will be a good promotion for the academy if we graduate here. It is also a way to stop bad reputations from attacking them."


    "Is that so? Well, we just have to wait for Clovis'' decision as usual. There must be a reason why he accepted the duel in the first place." Kanaria shrugged. "We better go back."


    "True."


    As Kanaria and Jay discussed, the impact of this match was simply too big.


    Hana was sweating when she heard about the news. She muttered, "Clovis. You are truly not holding back. I know you''re annoyed by going to the school, but if you do this, it''s going to be complicated, you know.


    "It seems that the principal won''t let you go after this. If I don''t intervene, they will be locked inside the academy. Besides, it won''t be good for my company as well." Hana crossed her arms before standing up. It seemed that she had to leave the company early today.


    As predicted, the principal had seen the battle as well. His expression turned grim once Clovis defeated Sullivan.


    He said, "I thought that two tiers were his limit, but I was wrong. And what was that last one? I couldn''t see it, but was it really the new product?


    "If it wasn''t, that meant he could increase his speed to such a degree... No, his speed wasn''t the only thing that increased.


    "If I let go of this person, the academy would be a laughing stock." The principal stood up. "I need to fully investigate his background."

 Chapter 482 Investigation

    "What did you say?" The principal widened his eyes in shock.


    "We are unable to find the information about Clovis, sir."


    "What do you mean? He is just a normal person who happens to be talented. Are you sure you''re doing your job alright? Are you slacking?"


    "No, sir. We have done everything we can, but it''s impossible to find information about Clovis. All the information about him has been posted online, but before turning sixteen, there is simply nothing about him. We all know that he had been forced to evacuate because his city was attacked, and he had to live in a new city for several years until he became an adult."


    "Who are his parents?"


    "We couldn''t find it. The record has been erased."


    "What? Erased? You must have meant classified. Use my name to get the classified information."


    "No, sir. They have been erased."


    "Huh?" The principal frowned and looked down, falling into deep thought. If it was classified, his identity should allow him to get a lot of classified information.


    Yet they claimed it had been erased. This was a mystery to him.


    What the principal didn''t know was that the previous incident where Clovis had to escape from the Tier 8 person chasing after him caused his information to be erased.


    If they couldn''t get him, it was better for them to be oblivious to his identity. It didn''t seem that Clovis planned to reveal that information for the time being, considering the president was only aware of his presence not long ago.


    That was why erasing Clovis'' information would force them to guess Clovis'' identity. Without Clovis confirming it, he could always lie.


    He didn''t know who among the ten Tier 9 humans was behind him, but he knew one thing, they would rather sacrifice him than face the wrath of a Tier 9 human.


    The principal said, "Stop investigating him."


    "Huh?"


    "Just stop investigating him unless you want to die. I don''t want to die, so don''t drag me into it." The principal''s eyes turned lifeless as if he had resigned to his fate. He couldn''t recruit Clovis. He never thought that Hana Skylark would be much faster in befriending Clovis.


    The principal waved his hand and said, "Don''t tell anyone about him. Let them do whatever they want, but report to me if they are doing something excessive. I''ll stop them from behind the shadows."


    "I-I understand." The guy was still confused, but he had no choice but to follow the principal''s decision. "In that case, I''ll take my leave."


    As soon as the guy left, the principal sighed. "Can I really retain this person in the academy? The fact that he is getting tutored by a Tier 9 means he has potential. In fact, exerting a strength three tiers above him is enough for us to see that he will be at least a Tier 8 in the future.


    "I don''t know if he has that special quality yet... That last attack might be related, but there''s a chance it''s something else. But the Tier 9 must have seen that special ability...


    "If the academy can get the future Tier 9, it''ll be a tremendous boost for the academy as well as this country. No other academy will be able to compete with us anymore."


    The principal gulped down. It seemed that he had no choice but to resort to a few things to keep Clovis in this academy.


    "I might be crazy for doing this, but it''s for the sake of this academy... Eh, the academy is the second. I''m first. The country is the third."


    The principal''s expression turned serious. "There are a few ways to make him stay without forcing him to do so."


    The principal stood up as if he was ready to set up a few things to recruit Clovis. However, when he opened his door, he saw a silhouette coming into his office.


    "Hana Skylark?!"

 Chapter 483 Offer

    The principal stood in front of Theo with a solemn expression. "I''ll cut to the chase. How much do you want to stay in this academy? It''s only going to be three years."


    "I don''t want to stay in this academy. All I want is to hunt beasts and get stronger instead of getting involved in a useless political strife," answered Clovis with a calm expression.


    The principal explained, "You don''t have to take the class or exam. As long as you remain registered to our academy, it''ll be fine."


    "It only benefits you."@@@@


    "No. Think from another perspective. By defeating Sullivan, you have made a name for yourself. Soon, other academies will find out about you. Even if you leave this academy, they will approach you or even attack you.


    "On the other hand, if you are still affiliated with this academy, we can protect you. You don''t have any obligation to do anything for the academy. In fact, you can use the academy''s facilities to become stronger.


    "Besides, even if other students challenge you, you have the right to reject them. And since you''re planning to be away from the academy most of the time, they won''t really do anything to you.


    "Last but not least, why don''t you take a look at the academy? I''m sure that there are some unique students that will catch your eye. Your group is a fast-growing group, so I believe that they are talented enough to follow you in your journey."


    Clovis squinted his eyes before shaking his head. "I can always find people from the outside. There are always hidden experts out there. Even if they don''t, I can simply make them one."


    "!!!" The principal was startled but soon understood what he meant. When he investigated Clovis, he also got information about his teammates. Ragna was supposed to be weak and pathetic. He changed after meeting him.


    Kanaria and Jay were brilliant before they met him, but they were overshadowed by a man who later became a terrorist, Ivan. Yet when they joined his group, their talents bloomed.


    "On top of that, I''m ready to give you the treatment of a professor in this academy. You are allowed to use any technology of the academy without charge or time limit.


    "You will be given ten million Union Dollars monthly. You are also given the right to a mansion with top security. Then, last but not least, you will receive the academy golden pass.


    "This golden pass has three functions. First, you are able to purchase from several shops, from materials to supplies, and receive a thirty percent discount. Second, you will be given VIP treatment in buildings affiliated with the government, whether they are elevators to the underground world or even Essence Bank.


    "Last but not least, you''ll be able to access the best suite from all Pacific Hotel and Resorts all around the country."


    Clovis'' expression turned solemn after hearing all the benefits. It was indeed tempting. If he agreed to this, he could get all the benefits, which allowed him to focus on receiving money from Hana instead of any other favors.


    However, if he accepted, he would be affiliated with the academy for three years.


    Clovis squinted his eyes for a moment before saying, "I have one condition."


    "What is it?"


    "The contract only lasts a year. If it ends, I have the option to graduate early."


    "What?!" The principal frowned, never expecting that Clovis would be this degree.


    But Clovis simply stood up and said, "I have said my piece. Besides, I think it''s best to consider it carefully. In one month, I''m planning to reach Tier 3. And since you have investigated my background, you should check my evolution rate."


    Clovis closed the door after giving that one condition. He believed that his worth one year later would be much higher than the current offer.

 Chapter 484 Convincing the Principal

    The principal widened his eyes in shock after looking at Clovis'' file again. "Evolution rate is only 40%? Is he serious? Is his evolution rate getting changed as well? The data is nerfed so that he doesn''t bring suspicion? No way, if that''s the case, he should have stayed quiet."


    "..." The principal tried to look at it a bit more and found something even more shocking. It was when the police officers tried to stop Clovis because he had broken the laws by becoming an explorer with only a 15% evolution rate.


    "Is he actually not hiding his high evolution rate but the other way around? His evolution rate is so low that it will hinder him if it''s known.


    "A Tier 9 can do something like this, but how in the world is he able to reach Tier 2 even though he is only 16 years old, especially with that low evolution rate?" The principal''s expression turned grim.


    The more he looked into Clovis, the more mysterious he became. What would happen if the world knew that a peerless talent who managed to fight a person three tiers above him was actually a less talented person who wasn''t supposed to become an explorer?


    The entire world would be frenzied.


    If he was insane, he could actually spread this news. Some wouldn''t believe it, but some would look further.@@@@


    However, Clovis had taken this into account by expressing his willingness to be affiliated with the academy for a price.


    They gave resources and facilities to Clovis, while the latter boosted their reputation. There was a high chance that Clovis would do something for the academy in the future if he felt indebted to them.


    That was why the principal realized what he should do.


    "To think that Hana Skylark is not exaggerating even a little bit." The principal sighed.


    ...


    A few hours ago.


    When he was about to leave his room, he saw Hana coming toward his room.


    "I''m sure you have seen potential after that fight, right?"


    "What potential are you talking about?"


    "Don''t play dumb. If we are talking about potential, there is only one kind of potential that separates us from the true geniuses of the world."


    "!!!" The principal trembled. He wasn''t sure about it, but it was true that everything could be explained by this single thing. If Clovis had a unique ability, no one in the country could rival their reputation. After all, they managed to produce a Tier 9. It was still in the future, but with Clovis'' growth, he might be able to become the youngest Tier 9 in history, surpassing Mara Leverstrike.


    The principal thought for a moment and crossed his arms. "How long have you known him?"


    "Several months. You can guess the reason why I developed a relationship with him." Hana raised three fingers. "The third thing is that... He doesn''t like to live inside a cage."


    The principal closed his eyes, understanding Hana''s words. The cage she was talking about was this academy. If he wanted to get Clovis, he had to pay attention to this freedom.


    "Last but not least, I just want to let him have some fun. Even if I don''t do anything, he is bound to rise to the top. Instead of a full scholarship or something, I believe that an equal standing will entice him more."


    "!!!" The last information was actually the most important. If all this information was true, Hana had just given him the sure way to invite Clovis. It would be quite annoying, but if he wanted him, he had no choice but to give an offer that fit those conditions.


    The principal asked, "What are you trying to do, Hana Skylark?"


    "I don''t plan to do anything. I''m just a businessman. If there is a profit, I come. If there is a problem, I solve it. Everything is for the sake of my business." Hana shrugged.


    The principal sighed. "Fine. Let''s just say that I trust you in this instance."


    Hana nodded. "In that case, I hope that those academies know what is best for them. I don''t plan to become another laughing stock like Axionia." She stood up and took her leave.


    When he recalled the conversation, the principal let out a long sigh. "To think that there is such a monstrous young man in this world... No, I guess those who have the ability to reach Tier 9 are simply built differently. If that''s the case, I don''t have any other choice."

 Chapter 485 Going Out?

    "What is going on?" The student council president slammed the table, looking at his vice president. "And now, what are you going to say about it?"


    The vice president simply shrugged. "Nothing much. Someone like him is unsuitable for the academy. It doesn''t matter if he stays in this academy or not, because soon enough, no one will be his match."


    "Why are you saying all that as if whatever happens in the academy affects you?"


    The vice president shook his head. "It doesn''t affect me? In a sense, it also affects me. However, the impact on me is much smaller compared to all of you. Don''t forget that I''m just a small guy from the countryside. I climb my rank here, unlike any of you who require your backers.


    "That''s why it doesn''t matter to me if the academy''s reputation will take a hit or not, because what I have is power and service. I don''t have anyone backing me up.


    "Instead of talking about this, you should consider what will happen to the academy after he''s gone and try to think of a way to solve those problems."


    "And do you think that other academies won''t try to recruit him? We''ll be the laughing stock of this country!"@@@@


    "That''s not going to happen." The vice president sighed. "How many times do I need to explain? You''re thinking too much. You can''t control what you can''t control, so rather than trying and failing, it''s better to not do it at all. Other academies will not be able to do it.


    "In fact, they will most likely try to eliminate him so that he doesn''t become a threat. Some academies might even resort to a threat.


    "It will be fun to watch how he is going to fight those academies, especially since his backer is Hana Skylark.


    "I''m kind of curious now. What is his true relationship with Hana Skylark? With such a talent, there is no way the Skylark Conglomerate will let him go, right?


    "His talent is so high that giving him a number one position in the exploration group would mean nothing, especially with his group being so talented.


    "Think about it... If you were the Skylark Conglomerate, what kind of relationship do you want with him?"


    "!!!" The president trembled. The answer was obvious. A position above the number one of the exploration group. Hana''s grandfather might already consider him as a potential spouse.


    "I wonder if you don''t mind going out with me." Hana smiled.


    "Huh? Going out?" Clovis raised his eyebrows. "I need to know what you mean by going out first. I feel like you''re playing with words."


    "As expected, I can''t play around with my words." Hana chuckled and explained, "Actually, going out means going outside the city and testing a new weapon."


    "A new weapon? With me?" Clovis thought for a moment. "You can just ask people from your group for it, right? Or is there something even more important that you have to go with me?"


    "It''s the latter."


    "..." Clovis sighed. "It''s not something you can show here or just explain to me."


    "It''s easier for you to see, but if you want a reason, you can just think of it as an investment for both of us. I think that Kanaria will be delighted about this new weapon if we succeed in finishing it."


    The fact that she asked this from him instead of testing inside the lab meant the prototype was already finished. She just wanted to show it off and piqued his interest.


    After carefully considering it, Clovis nodded. "Alright. I can do that. Where are we going? I need to talk with my group since they need some time to prepare."


    "No, no. Only both of us will be going." Hana shook her head.


    "Both of us?" Clovis made it difficult for him. After some time, he said, "I''ll tell Kanaria about it. When will we go?"


    "Tonight."


    "Alright then. I''ll make my preparations."


    "See you later."

 Chapter 486 Hanas Hidden Card

    They were going out with only a simple car as if they didn''t plan to do anything dangerous.@@@@


    However, the place that Hana picked was actually a fallen city. It was a famous fallen city near the capital. The number of the beasts had been thinned out regularly by a lot of groups, so this place wasn''t as dangerous as one would think.


    Besides, it was known to be a Tier 4 fallen city, meaning no Tier 5 or above would appear in this city.


    It only took them two hours to reach this city.


    To Clovis'' surprise, the spot that Hana chose was actually the wall of this city.


    While looking at the ruined city, Hana asked, "Say, are you planning to leave this country anytime soon?"


    "I don''t quite understand your question. What do you mean?" Clovis squinted his eyes.


    "We both know that it''s impossible for you to be locked down in one place. I''m wondering if you plan to leave this country and live somewhere else."


    "Live, huh?" Clovis thought for a moment before shaking his head. "I''m not sure right now."


    On the one hand, he definitely wanted to explore other countries and witness everything they had to offer. On the other hand, he didn''t think he would live in those countries. He didn''t know anyone in that place.


    However, he couldn''t deny that there was a possibility of him living in another country and even settling down in that country. After all, he had to meet his father and mother. They said they would be able to meet once he reached Tier 5.


    Considering he was about to reach Tier 3, he should only need one or two years before reaching Tier 5.


    That led to another question, which was whether he would stay with his parents or just live in a different country. While it was true he was independent, a powerful family usually stayed together so that they could provide protection.


    Clovis shook his head. "I can only answer with I don''t know."


    "The reason I bring you here is because you''re the one making the decision. I''m planning to pour eighty percent of the profits made from the beast souls into this project." Hana raised her left hand, which carried a silver briefcase.


    If one took a closer look, there was actually a button on the handle.


    Hana pressed this button, and clicking sounds started to echo as if there was a hidden mechanism inside that briefcase.


    To Clovis'' surprise, the briefcase gradually changed its form into a long sniper rifle. It was even bigger than the one Kanaria used.


    More importantly, this sniper was actually attached to Hana''s arm or even her back with a single metal rod.


    It was as if this weapon was actually an extension of an exoskeleton.


    Hana easily lifted it up with one hand, showing that the exoskeleton provided the necessary strength to hold this giant rifle.


    "This is the thing that I want to show you." Hana put down the rifle on the edge of the wall as she aimed down, finding a suitable target.


    She pointed at the target while saying, "Watch this, a Tier 3 beast."


    Clovis looked down, finding a huge street with a clear view. Even from such a place, he could see the beast clearly.


    Bam!


    The suppressor couldn''t contain all the sound as it broke the peace in the city.


    The Tier 3 beast didn''t realize what happened as the bullet actually blew its upper body apart.


    "!!!" Clovis widened his eyes. Even Kanaria''s sniper rifle wasn''t this powerful.


    Hana smiled while pointing at this rifle. "This is the invention that I have been planning to introduce, the power armor. I''m planning to create something that will etch my name into the canal of history. And this power armor will be it."

 Chapter 487 Monopoly

    "I want to etch my name into history, and this power armor will be it."


    Clovis furrowed his eyebrows. It would definitely be amazing, but he still couldn''t help but ask, "And why are you discussing this with me?"


    "Do you know that humanity once produced a robot, but it ended up turning useless? People asked why? When you fought against a high tier beast, they could move so fast that even the fastest robot couldn''t even complete.


    "As a result, the robot couldn''t even do anything to them. And if someone is weak fighting against that kind of beast, they won''t have the reaction speed needed to shoot or cut the beast down.


    "That''s why I''m coming up with a solution. What if instead of a robot, I create power armor? This armor will have high endurance, but they''re there just to support you. You will be the one doing the fighting, so it''s only to boost one''s power, not completely relying on it.


    "The power armor will handle all the weight and other things, so you don''t have to worry about it.


    "Last but not least, this power armor is made of cutting edge technology. Such a big thing can be converted into a single briefcase. If we''re talking about a pistol or a sword, it can be converted to a mere ring or bracelet.


    "If you fight with this, I wonder how strong you will become."


    "!!!" Clovis finally understood what she was aiming for. However, there was one big problem. His armor was from Another World Mall. They had even an effect that wouldn''t lose to this kind of power armor.


    In addition, he didn''t know whether all those metals could handle his speed. They might even hinder his movement.


    Clovis squinted his eyes. "I don''t think it''s suitable for me."


    "At this stage, yes." Hana grabbed Clovis'' hand and put it on her stomach.


    "What are you doing?!" Clovis gritted his teeth, preparing to withdraw his hand.


    However, Hana asked, "Don''t you feel the difference?"


    "Huh?"


    "I''m talking about the materials." Hana smirked.


    Could she afford it?


    Clovis said, "The fact that you are even proposing such a thing means you don''t know anything about me yet."


    Clovis indirectly implied that he had a secret much more valuable than what Hana could offer.


    Hana misunderstood it as the power to tame the beast, but she thought this power was limited because it was related to his blood. On another perspective, what if Clovis married other people and passed that bloodline to them? Could his children do the same thing? Would all the generations below him receive the same thing?


    Hana looked down, falling into deep thought. She didn''t realize that the most valuable thing in this world was Another World Mall.


    Not only his teammates, he could even turn multiple people to Tier 9 in the future. With an army of Tier 9, he could practically become the king of the world.


    That was why if Hana wanted to monopolize him, it would be impossible. Of course, this would only happen in the future.


    If he just made one big mistake, there was a chance he would die right away. And he acknowledged that Hana''s cooperation was actually necessary.


    That was why Clovis said, "However, I know how capable you are. Instead of a monopoly, do you want to be my business partner?"


    "Business partner?"


    "Yes. I need a channel that can bring me money. However, I don''t have time to handle all of that."


    "It feels like you want me to become your agent."


    "No. What I want is for us to be on an equal footing."


    "What do you want me to do?"


    "You are not even thinking about the risk it possesses?" Clovis smiled.


    "If I''m too scared, I won''t be able to grow this big. It''s only by seizing all the opportunities I can find that I manage to become this successful." Hana asked for the second time, "What do you want me to do?"

 Chapter 488 Stances

    "Is it that important?" Kanaria asked with a serious expression.


    Clovis had just gone back, but it seemed she couldn''t contain her curiosity. Then again, Clovis knew that she just wanted to know whether something had happened or not.


    Clovis thought for a moment and said, "It might be something you will use in the future. I don''t know about everyone, but you will definitely use it."


    "!!!" Kanaria looked shocked, never thinking that the discussion was actually about her. She didn''t know what Hana was preparing, but it was clear that Clovis had agreed to it because of her.


    The discussion between Clovis and Hana wasn''t the only one that took place that night.


    A lot of people seemed to have read the news about that battle.


    ...


    Tusshia Academy.


    They had gathered all their members, from investors to teachers.


    The dean squinted his eyes while saying, "I''m sure that you have heard about the battle between Tier 2 and Tier 4 that happened just today. That''s why I will just cut to the chase. What are we supposed to do as the 2nd ranked academy in the country?"


    "I''ve heard that this person is only in that academy for seven days just so that they can participate in their annual event. Can''t we just make a move after that?" A teacher asked. "Considering he is there because of Hana Skylark, not the academy, I don''t think he will stay."


    "This is why you are a teacher!" A director raised his voice. "If we let them be, they will definitely try to make him stay in the academy. If someone like that graduates from the academy, there is simply no way for us to rise to the top! Ever!"


    "But there is no guarantee that this person has enough talent to reach a Tier 8, right?"


    "I will add another fifty million Union Dollars. It''s quite big for a mere Tier 2, but he should be worth it."


    "Why don''t you take him as your disciple, principal? If you promise him that he will be able to reach Tier 7 before turning thirty, I''m sure he will be delighted."


    "No. Why don''t you raise him up a bit more like surpassing Mara Leverstrike''s record as the youngest Tier 9 human in history?"


    "That''s right. He is still young, so he should be proud of himself. That makes him a bit gullible."


    The principal turned to the second party. "How about you guys who want to recruit him after the annual event?"


    "I''ll give fifty million Union Dollars in the form of mansions and other items such as weapons and armor. More importantly, we''ll be able to find out the true power of his team."


    "Yes. If at least Jay Havenson and Kanaria Renvolt are half as good as him. I don''t think it''ll be too much to give him two hundred million Union Dollars in the form of assets and other items."


    "You''re going to be too late. Hana Skylark is planning to announce a new product soon. What if it''s going to be successful? You should know what kind of person Hana Skylark is. If she succeeds, it''s going to be big. A few hundred million Union Dollars will be nothing.


    She might be able to give him that much every single year!"


    "There is no proof yet. We don''t know how close they are to doing something like that."


    The principal''s expression turned grim as the argument started again. He slammed the table and said, "What we are measuring is his worth through the information we have. Someone as young as him should have a trump card hidden. It''s just a small duel, so I believe he hasn''t shown anything.


    "That''s why I have made my decision. We will..."


    Their academy wasn''t the only one holding the meeting. Other academies were the same, albeit their arguments might be a bit more heated.

 Chapter 489 Advice

    3rd Ranked Academy.


    "We need to give him more. We shouldn''t invite just him, but his entire group. I''m doubting that he will leave without his group."


    "No way. He might ask an exorbitant price for it!"


    "This is too much."


    "Call the investors."


    ...


    4th Ranked Academy.


    "We should just kill him at this point. A dead genius is no genius. If we can eliminate him, it is sure a bad blow, but no one will have him at that point."


    "But we don''t know about the stance of Hana Skylark and the academy."


    "I think it''s better to wait and see. Other people are going to approach him as well, so it''s going to be chaotic. At the very least, we still have one or two days to think this through."


    "It''s because you are so indecisive that we are ranked 4th now."


    "We need to be decisive. Are we going to let them produce even more geniuses, especially this time? We are dealing with a genius who might be able to surpass Tier 8."@@@@


    ...


    The top academies in the country were discussing their stance on Clovis'' potential.


    Unlike them, the 1st ranked academy seemed to have made a decision.


    "Is there anyone objecting to my decision?" The principal asked.


    They all nodded their heads in agreement.


    ...


    While the academies were reaching their conclusions one by one, Hana was actually having a conversation with her grandfather.


    "So for what reason did you come to me? It''s rare for you to not be able to handle your own problem." He asked with a serious expression. If Hana had to resort to asking for his help, it meant the situation had become extremely serious.


    Hana took a deep breath and said, "I''m planning to take a gamble, one that might even destroy our companies if I put the bet on the wrong side."


    He raised his eyebrows before understanding what kind of gamble she was talking about. "I see. Is he worth it? I''m not talking about his potential as a Tier 9, but his character."


    Hana sighed. "I don''t know either. At a time, he is like a kid who doesn''t know much. At another time, he is so calm as if everything has gone according to his plan. At some point, I don''t even know what kind of person he is. However, I can say one thing for sure... He is reliable.


    The proof is his teammates."


    Her grandfather smiled. "In that case, why haven''t you made a decision yet?"


    "That''s..." Hana hesitated as she looked into her grandfather.


    "If you are worried about me and the companies I have built up, you don''t have to. Do you know what I have learned during my time as a business? The risk is there to be taken. Some choose to ignore it or completely avoid it, which results in them not being able to rise. If you want it, grab it. For me, it''s better to be known as a failure than a coward."


    "On other perspectives, it can be said that losing everything means to be a loser, and avoiding such a thing can be said to be a wise decision." Hana shook her head.


    "In that case, leave him. Cut off contact with him and go on your way."


    Hana dropped her jaws to the ground, definitely not being able to do it.


    Her grandfather simply said, "Now you know your answer. Then again, why don''t you become... ehm, what is the terminology again? It wasn''t popular during my time... Sugar... Sugar something. Ah! Yes, why don''t you just become his sugar mommy?!"


    "What?!"

 Chapter 490 Joining the Academy

    "We have reached an agreement that we''ll follow your condition. We''ll offer all those resources to you for only a one year contract. However, I hope that you are able to prioritize our academy once the term is over."


    Clovis thought for a moment and said, "I understand. Let''s do it that way. But you surely are going to do the same for my group, right?"


    The principal was celebrating in his heart. The hardest part was convincing him, so the principal simply said, "Indeed. Judging from the strength they have shown so far, they''ll most likely reach a very high rank.


    "That''s why we''ll offer a similar contract to them. I just hope that you will be able to help us persuade them to sign the contract."


    "Alright." Clovis paused for a moment. "Do I need to shut them up?"


    The principal was confused about who he was talking about, but there were some people that needed to be pushed away.


    Without hesitation, the principal assured him, "Don''t worry. We will handle that matter and give them a proper warning."


    "Alright then." Clovis nodded.


    The principal extended his hand. "Welcome on board, Student Clovis. I''m looking forward to your future success."


    Clovis shook his hand while saying, "Likewise."


    As the principal said, the matter regarding other academies was his to handle.@@@@


    Obviously, there were a lot of people sneaking around, trying to get into contact with Clovis.


    But before Clovis even left the academy to return to his house, the academy had made a clear statement that Clovis was a part of the first academy and no one should touch him.


    Those who wanted to approach him couldn''t help but clench their teeth as they realized that Clovis had decided to join the first academy.


    "Yes. If there are organizations planning to kill me, the academy will be the ones taking care of it. In fact, they might not even realize those organizations and just think that some academies are trying to eliminate me."


    Erwin was taken aback. On the one hand, Clovis acted like a jerk by exploiting the academy. On the other hand, it was actually a brilliant plan. They could gain some peace for a period of time because the academy was covering them.


    The more they showed how strong they were compared to others, the more protective the academy would become.


    This way, they didn''t have to worry about those organizations for at least a year.


    "Waaf!" Reolf barked as if telling him that he would be there to protect him.


    "Hahaha. Reolf... good boy!" Clovis chuckled as he rubbed him. "I''m sorry for making you stay here. We''ll be leaving very soon, so endure it a bit longer, alright?"


    "Waaf!" Reolf nodded.


    "I can understand why you want to join the academy right now, but this will probably create a conflict with other academies as well as other students, no?"


    "It''s easier to handle an enemy that we already know than the unknown enemies who are lurking in the dark."


    Kanaria sighed. "Alright. I''ll trust your decision."


    "Anyway, even though we won''t be living any time soon, it''s not like we can''t do it under the guise of ''vacation.''" Clovis shrugged while glancing at Melody, as if implying that they could still leave this country for a bit to find his mother so that they could help her younger brother.


    Melody sighed, knowing her weakness. It seemed that Clovis had put a proper thought before making the decision.


    "Anyway, unlike in Axionia, there is no limitation for us to travel. We can go to a corner of the country without worrying that this city will fall." Clovis smiled.


    "!!!" They almost forgot about this fact.


    Before they could even say anything, Maya slammed open the door as she shouted from the entrance. "Guys. Where are you? Are you home now? I have brought the details regarding the annual event!"

 Chapter 491 Anger

    Gerald looked at his wife, Aisha, staring at the screen.


    "What are you watching?"


    "The broadcasting of the event."


    "Event? Which event?" Gerald tilted his head in confusion.


    "Of course, the event Clovis was part of." Aisha sighed.


    "Oh, that one? I have heard that Father has talked to her and given her permission." Gerald frowned. "Are you worried that he won''t be okay?"


    "I know that he will be okay. In fact, other battles he has faced so far are more dangerous, but it doesn''t change the fact that I''m worried. His opponents might not be Tier 5, but their strength is equal to it. His group... while they are good, they''re still not enough to completely dominate the event."


    Gerald shrugged. "Well, you know, three of them are still so young. The other three are quite strong, but they are not in a position to fight against them. No, it''s probably more accurate to say they have the strength to fight them, but not defeat them."


    Aisha fell silent for a moment. "Do you think Clovis will be using that?"


    "I have seen the match against that Sullivan or something. It seems that he has much better control right now."


    "..." Aisha bit her lips. "If we... have never tried to live by ourselves... would that happen?"


    Gerald''s expression darkened. "You mean..."


    Both Aisha and Gerald knew what she was talking about. It was the incident that happened more than 10 years ago.


    Aisha and Gerald came back home and found the young Clovis in the garden. His body and face were covered in scratches as if he had just fought against someone.


    However, Michael, Gerald, and Aisha still monitored Clovis'' condition even though he wasn''t present. The reason why Michael destroyed the city that tried to turn Clovis into the subject of an experiment was not because of his secret but for something else.


    Aisha bit her lips. "If he continues doing this, what is going to happen?"


    "I don''t know. Father said that he is most stable right now. Instead of the complete collapse of the mind, it is better for Clovis to get used to it bit by bit. So letting him use that unique ability might be a good idea. At the very least, there won''t be a second incident like in the past..."


    Aisha''s expression darkened. "What if everything is going down?"


    "..." Gerald shook his head helplessly. "I can''t imagine. At the very least, this competition is not dangerous. And that''s also the reason why Father wants him to have multiple wives."


    "If one dies, he won''t fall to such a grief that he will go berserk... Although it sounds cold, it''s probably the most effective method." Aisha let out a long sigh.


    "Yes. That unique ability harms his mind. If it collapses once again, I''m afraid that we''ll witness... a birth of madness." Gerald closed his eyes with a pained expression. "Looking at the situation, it seems that father doesn''t mind if he makes Hana his wife in the future."


    "Are you going to intervene?"


    "Who knows." Gerald shrugged. "As a parent, all I want is to maintain his stable heart, and let him enjoy the life he deserves."


    Aisha bit her lips. "But is Tier 5 not too long? Shouldn''t you say like Tier 4 or Tier 3..."


    "What I mean by Tier 5 is with that low evolution rate of him... I''m sure he can reach it, but he will probably need a decade or something. But I don''t even know how he is able to reach this level in such a short amount of time.


    "I don''t think it is his unique ability, so there might be something else." Gerald sighed.


    "Someone intervening?"


    "Most likely. However, I don''t know who they are. Father must have been aware of this. That''s why he is going around the world right now, both in the underworld and on the surface."


    Aisha could only sigh and continue watching. No matter how much she missed him, she couldn''t meet the kid right now.

 Chapter 492 Annual Event

    The city was in a festive mood. The annual event of the first academy always brought a lot of sponsors, viewers, and attention from all high ranking people.


    After all, this was a showcase from the first academy to them. It was as if they were saying, "These are our talented students. They are going to be elites in several years. Watch and see."


    There were numerous stalls on the entrance of the first academy as the academy was opened to the public.


    A lot of people were taking pictures, hoping that they could get into this place in the future.


    However, there were three hot topics that circulated in this year''s annual event.


    The first would be the sponsorship of Hana Skylark as well as a few other big investors that increased the reward by five times.


    The second was Clovis, whom people wanted to know and see. In fact, a lot of people wanted to meet him and somehow form a relationship with him.


    The last one was still Hana Skylark, specifically the new product that she planned to introduce.


    On the back of the school, two airships produced by the OpenSky company were parked.


    The students were waiting outside the airships, waiting for the next instruction.


    Clovis and the others formed a group as usual, albeit it was a shame that Reolf couldn''t be here. It wouldn''t be good for him to be broadcast as well, so this time, only six of them would compete.@@@@


    "Are you guys ready? I''m just telling you, but I won''t do much in this competition." Clovis smiled. "After all, today''s stars are you guys."


    "It''s a shame, but I guess we can beat up some of those guys... Maybe win the annual event while we are at it." Kanaria nodded.


    "Hmm. If you are talking about a beast soul and a new era, does that mean in the future, there''s no need for people to use a beast soul other than the ones from your company?"


    "Of course not. People will still utilize the normal beast souls. In fact, you can use both at the same time, creating a unique fighting style. Well, you''ll be able to understand it once it''s out!"


    "It''s sad that we can''t find everything, but we''ll know about it soon. Anyway, do you have any words for the students competing in this annual event, Miss Hana?" Utaha asked.


    "I wish that everyone can compete fairly without holding a grudge. In the end, we are from the same species and beasts are our common enemy. I wish you all the best."


    "Thank you so much." Utaha nodded and moved to the principal. "In that case, let''s move to the man overseeing the entire event, Principal Vhalor. Principal Vhalor, what do you think about the new product?"


    "Hoho. I don''t know anything, but I believe in the ability of all my students."


    "I see. In that case, would you like to say a word or two for the students?"


    "In that case, I''ll just make it simple since everyone will blame me if I give a long and boring speech. Students. If you want to climb the ladder, you need to do it one step at a time."


    "What a profound message... I''m afraid that I can''t fully understand it with my two brain cells." Utaha chuckled and moved to the vice principal. "Vice Principal Anastasia. Who do you think will be the winner for this event?"


    "What is this? I feel like I have the hardest question."


    "Hahaha."


    The vice principal said, "I won''t pick a favorite. Besides, I''m different from the principal. The biggest reward for me is not to reach the finish goal or whatever end line we have. The biggest reward is the memories we make along the way, the friends we gain, the scenery we witness... People tend to forget that life is not just about reaching their goal."


    "Indeed. I feel like I want to cry after hearing your words." Utaha turned back to the camera. "And that''s it everyone, the messages from all three hosts of this event. I''ll now explain the rules of the annual event."

 Chapter 493 Rules

    "Principal. May we know the rules for this annual event?" Utaha asked.


    "Yes. The concept of this year''s annual event is a group battle royale. The group has a maximum of six members, and everyone can join anyone."


    "Hoho." Utaha nodded in understanding. "If that''s the case, won''t it be unfair for the people in the senior class and the junior class? What if their opponent is a group that consists of six people from the elite class?"


    "Of course, that is unfair. However, this is where it starts to get interesting as well as why we set up a group battle royale. In this competition, no one can tell what will happen. You can form a group with the elite class, you can even choose to work with people of the same club, you go with your friends... Anything is possible.


    "But that is not limited to the teammates... For example, if you don''t have the strength to go against the elite class, you can join hands with other groups to take them down.


    "This is a battle royale that tests almost everything, from your quality, quantity, the connection, your strategy, or even your own reputation."


    Utaha paused for a moment. "That sounds complicated. So, basically, there is no rule?"


    "Other than harming your fellow students or even killing them, there is no rule. We want the students to know what they are supposed to do by themselves."


    "If you have a bad reputation, doesn''t that mean you''re going to be targeted? Even if you are not, you still can be targeted... for example, the group that Miss Hana sent for this competition." Utaha glanced at her.


    Hana smiled. "What do you think is the most important point of this battle royale?"


    "To win?" Utaha tilted her head in confusion.


    "No. It''s to make the most impact. If you are getting outnumbered, you can still make an impact. Essentially, for me and my fellow businessmen, we''re probably searching for people who have unique qualities. What will they do in a certain situation? Will they be reliable?


    You can just sit out for the duration of the match and defeat the last group standing and still win the match.


    The principal turned to Hana.


    "We have prepared more than 3,000 CCTVs and 1,000 drones and scattered them all over the city. This way, we can cover for most students.


    "Of course, it''ll be hard to keep track of every single student, but if you go to the Academy Battle Royale app, you''ll be able to see your favorite''s student. The application has been equipped with a face recognition AI, and you can simply search for the student''s name in that app to follow that person.


    As for us here, we have a team to pick several cameras that are doing the best at that time, which we''ll discuss."


    Utaha nodded. "I understand. If that''s the case, let''s check the condition of the students right now."


    As they were explaining the rules, the students had been dropped off at their destination as the staff blindfolded them and led them to their own spot.


    Clovis and the others were standing close together, waiting for the signal.


    "Guys. We are together, right?" Ragna asked as he couldn''t see anything with the blindfold.


    "Yep," Clovis responded.


    "Of course." Kanaria smiled.


    "Indeed." Erwin nodded.


    "I guess." Melody sighed.


    But after a moment, Jay''s voice didn''t echo in their ears. Ragna frowned. "Ehm... Jay? Are you there?"

 Chapter 494 Start

    "Ehm, Jay? Are you there?"


    "..." The others couldn''t help but furrow their eyebrows, thinking Jay was kidnapped. However, he soon responded, "Yeah, I''m here."


    "You''re giving me a heart attack. I thought you were not with the group and somehow lost... or even kidnapped!" Ragna raised his voice.


    "I''m just trying to focus."


    Ragna wanted to say something, but Kanaria immediately cut him off. "By the way, what is the plan, Clovis? Should we show them right away and dominate the battle?"


    "We should wait for a bit, taking down several people and using that ability as a trump card. It''ll bring more hype that way," Erwin explained while crossing his arms.


    Clovis maintained his silence for a bit longer before saying, "As I said previously, I won''t be going all out today. It''s not about me after all. However, we don''t have to turn this ability into our trump card for this match.


    "Don''t forget that they are still mysteries. Even outside this battle royale, we''ll need them. That''s why we''ll defeat a couple of groups before taking it out to kill a few more groups. After that, we''ll bail out."


    Erwin frowned. "Won''t that cause the people to not feel the hype?"


    "No. I''m not planning to introduce it as a way to turn it around, but an overwhelming strength."


    "Ah!" Erwin contemplated. "If we show too much, it also means that we''re exposing our trump card. And people will have an easier time dealing with us."


    "By creating the illusion that we can still do more, they''ll be more careful against us. Besides, there''s a possibility that we still have other beast souls." Melody agreed with Clovis'' decision.@@@@


    Clovis smiled. "It seems that everyone has understood what I''m planning to do. For today, you''ll take the lead, Jay. No need to think hard."


    "That sounds like it! We''ll just use brute force to defeat them." Jay smirked.


    ...


    "It''s 10:00 AM right now. Everyone is already in their position!" Utaha turned to the other three. "How about we count together?"


    The principal nodded as he was the one leading it by raising his hand, showing three fingers. "3!"


    "Stop them!" They shouted.


    Two of them were gunners, but the first one got hit on the head by Kanaria''s rifle. The bullet had been changed, so it splashed out paint and knocked them out of the tournament.


    The other one shot at them, but Ragna skillfully came to the front and put his shield on the way, blocking it for his teammates until Kanaria took down the second one.


    Clovis and Jay looped around Ragna and sped up, facing one opponent each.


    Jay swung his blade toward his opponent, who also did the same. However, Jay''s swing overpowered him and pushed him down.


    When the guy dropped to his butt, Jay kicked him away as if showing that he could kill him and he should move out of the way.


    Clovis, on the other hand, cut the enemy several times with his speed, leaving numerous injuries that could be fatal to them.


    After that, Clovis hit him in the chest with the back of his handle, causing the guy to spit some acid from his stomach before falling to his knees.


    The other two wanted to help, but Ragna stopped one of them with his shield while the other one was only from the junior class.


    Erwin simply captured him with his threat from afar, which meant only Ragna''s opponent remained alive. Of course, Clovis and Jay immediately placed their swords at the guy''s neck as if showing that it was over.


    "..." The guy wanted to cry, but he could only say, "The flag is in his right pocket."


    Clovis nodded, secured the fact, and tossed it to Melody, who later scanned it.


    A teacher immediately appeared next to them and said, "Your group has been eliminated. You will follow me outside."


    "Yes." They had no choice. They blamed their bad luck for encountering the Libation Fiesta right away.


    "I think I''ve found a new target!" Kanaria was staring at a distance. "There are about twelve people. It seems they are working together."


    "In that case, let''s go. We''ll hurry up and take down some groups." Jay wasn''t going to waste any time. He just wanted to accomplish their task and go back.


    However, their opponent this time was a bit clever. Before the Libation Fiesta could engage the enemies, their opponents suddenly yelled, "The exchange students are here. The exchange students are here," as if they were trying to incite the mass to join hands.

 Chapter 495 Easy Victory

    "What is this? Isn''t this a big problem for them? The students are trying to rally the masses to defeat these six people." Utaha sucked a cold breath and turned to Hana. No matter how powerful they were, getting outnumbered like this wouldn''t be beneficial for them.


    Hana simply said, "They will do just fine. Clovis is a smart man, so he knows when he will reveal the new product. They might surprise you guys."


    "Wow. What confidence from Miss Hana. There are three groups currently coming to them. Several more are still on the way. It seems that Miss Hana is confident that your group, ehm..." Utaha looked at the name again. "...Libation Fiesta will be able to crush these few groups.


    Let''s see!"


    As Utaha said those words, Clovis and the others were indeed being surrounded by three groups.


    Ragna was already standing in front, protecting the group. Meanwhile, Kanaria and Melody were looking for a safe spot where they could help the group without getting bothered by the enemies.


    Among all 18 people, four of them were gunners, and there was one sniper. The rest were using their melee weapons.


    Clovis couldn''t help but furrow his eyebrows, noticing something from them. Even though they came together, the enemies didn''t have any sign of working together. In other words, they could easily separate them and defeat them.


    In addition, most of them were Tier 2 and Tier 3. There was one Tier 4, but that was it.


    Jay said, "Clovis. You gonna take that Tier 4?"


    "You''re not going to fight him, Jay?"


    "I need to conserve my stamina. This will be the best method since it''ll allow me to defeat more enemies in the long run."


    Jay took advantage of that situation and approached the group in the middle. He rotated his blade and hit them with the back of his saber.


    "!!!" The students were startled. Two of them got hit on the forehead and were knocked down to the ground. They had never thought that they would be eliminated like this. They simply couldn''t follow Jay''s movement.


    "What is going on?" They were confused, but the teachers immediately brought them away so that they wouldn''t hinder Libation Fiesta.


    The others tried to block Jay, but the latter simply overpowered them with his strength. There was no way an ordinary Tier 3 could go against his strength, which was equal to Tier 4, even if they were genius. Someone who could fight a person one tier above them was rare even in the academy after all.


    The same applied to the other groups. Erwin managed to capture three of the enemies with a single thread, eliminating them with another wrap on their neck. Of course, Erwin didn''t tighten it, or else their necks would have sliced off.


    Even the teacher had to stop Erwin by cutting his thread.


    On the other hand, Ragna was simply impenetrable. He blocked all their attacks in rapid succession. In addition, while it was only for a few days, Ragna had learned a bit more unique spearsmanship, allowing him to actually change the trajectory of his spear slightly.


    Such a move startled the enemies. Although he didn''t kill as much, Melody was there to help him eliminate several people.


    In just a minute, Clovis'' group managed to defeat half of them. However, there was still a Tier 4 guy who could open up a path for them, but that didn''t happen.


    The Tier 4 student was so completely overwhelmed by Clovis'' speed that he couldn''t do anything other than blocking his swords. Ultimately, the Tier 4 student fell on his knees, which became the end mark for this battle. All they had to do was clean up the rest.


    Or that was what they thought until Clovis and the others saw multiple people who had just arrived. There were another three groups coming into the fight, but unlike the previous groups, each of them was quite strong. Each group was led by a Tier 4.


    If Clovis and the others weren''t careful, they might lose to them because all those captains were actually club presidents.

 Chapter 496 Challenge

    "What, what, what?" Utaha dropped her jaw. "There are three club presidents coming to attack? No. Isn''t the place random? How unlucky they can be to actually get dropped near three groups with such people leading them."


    Hana''s expression turned serious. She thought that this would be a perfect time to unleash the power of the beast soul. The enemies wouldn''t have expected it, and they could take advantage of the confusion to defeat them.


    "What are they going to do?" Utaha asked.


    "It seems that you have finally taken this competition seriously." The principal suddenly broke his silence while staring at Hana.


    "Well, of course, we should take it seriously. After all, this is an annual event... It''s just that those guys are rather unpredictable. Even I can''t control or predict what they''re going to do. However, I believe that the Libation Fiesta will be using their beast souls at this moment."


    "Hoho? We can finally see what kind of product it is." The principal squinted his eyes.


    "Indeed. Then again, I''m not the one inventing it. I''m just a partner."


    "!!!" The principal widened his eyes in shock, noticing the hidden meaning of those words. "A partner? Don''t tell me..."


    "Indeed. It''s Clovis and his group who found the research, and I just tested everything so that it didn''t bring any bad effect to the body." Hana explained.


    She didn''t want to claim the credit for one reason. Doing so would just annoy Clovis, since the latter wanted to rake up some achievements.@@@@


    The more valuable he became, the more protected he would be.


    Of course, Clovis'' original intention to give this research to Hana was to protect himself from those people.


    That was why Hana explained it a bit more. "Then again, I''m the one holding the research right now. It''s not like they''re going to understand it or anything. They''re just benefiting from the royalty."


    "Hoho. That sounds interesting." The principal nodded, understanding her meaning.


    This way, people wouldn''t bother Clovis too much, considering Hana was the one holding everything and Clovis didn''t even know about the research.


    Some would still attack him to force him to get it again from Hana, but that was the risk Clovis was willing to take.


    ...


    "Melissa. Don''t butt in. We both know that I''m the strongest here! It''s obvious I''m allowed to fight him first."


    "What did you say?"


    Both of them were glaring at each other while Clovis simply said, "It seems that the three of you want to fight me, but this is troubling. I can''t fight all three of you at the same time. I know my limit. The question is... who will fight me? Since you guys don''t attack us right away, how about listening to my proposal?"


    "Hmm?" All three club presidents squinted their eyes, wondering what Clovis had to say.


    "The rule will be simple. Jay, Ragna, and Erwin... These three will fight one of you. Those who win will fight me." Clovis grinned.


    Even though they were underestimated, they didn''t get angry. Instead, Sando said, "If we do that, won''t you get the upper hand?"


    "Nope. I''ll be fighting your subordinates... All of them. Let''s see whether your groups are defeated first or my people lose first. What do you think?"


    All three of them contemplated for a moment before exchanging looks with each other. It seemed that this was the best solution.


    They were too weak to take on Clovis'' group alone, but they didn''t really want to rely on other groups. This was perfect for them.


    "I''ll take that challenge." Sando nodded.


    "I''ll do the same."


    "Same here."


    "That''s enough." Clovis smiled. "We''ll defeat you then."


    "So it''s time." Kanaria smirked.


    Jay stepped forth and said, "I guess you are unlucky because you''ll be the first ones experiencing the new beast soul."


    Everyone except for Clovis smiled. They couldn''t contain their excitement anymore since they wanted to test how effective the new beast soul was against strong opponents.


    All of them activated their new beast soul at the same time.

 Chapter 497 Overwhelming

    The moment they agreed to such a term, Clovis used his fastest speed to reach the enemies. He had to take down a lot of people after all.


    "He''s coming!" Sando shouted, warning his teammates.


    The others were also raising their weapons, ready to intercept Clovis. On the other hand, Erwin, Ragna, and Jay immediately rushed toward their respective opponents.


    Erwin tossed several wires to build up the terrain for his battle while Ragna approached his enemy with his shield in front.


    They hurriedly readied their stance to block their initial attack and regained the upper hand, but that was when the shock began.


    The first one to reveal the beast soul was actually Melody. On her back suddenly spurted out a pair of butterfly wings, ripping apart the uniform that had been specifically designed to be destroyed for her wings.


    "!!!" Everyone couldn''t help but widen their eyes, including the teachers. This was the first time they saw a pair of butterfly wings appear from someone''s back.


    They couldn''t help but ask whether this person was actually a human or a butterfly. Did they conduct an experiment that caused this girl to turn into a half-human, half-butterfly?


    Before they could react, Melody took off into the sky, her wings flapping like an animal did it. And she really stayed in the air.


    "What is that?"


    "Someone is flying with butterfly wings?"


    "No way. Is that a jetpack or something?"


    They simply couldn''t believe what was going on, but it didn''t really matter.


    Melody flew over the enemies while taking out several grenades. "I''ll love this. Bombardment!"


    Melody just dropped all those grenades on top of the enemies.


    They were simply too shocked about her butterfly wings that they almost forgot they were in the middle of the battle.


    The guy immediately snapped back, but the shock had just lowered his reaction speed a little bit. During that time, Ragna smashed his head with the shield. This was what he was planning to do from the beginning.


    "Gah!" The guy was knocked back as he wasn''t prepared for an attack to hit him, but that wasn''t where Ragna stopped. He made one final thrust that hit his shoulder. The teacher should know that he could pierce through his heart, but he chose not to.


    On the other hand, Erwin''s battle went much easier than Ragna.


    Because their strength was at a similar level, there was no need for him to play any tricks.


    "I will defeat you!" The woman thrust her speed. Unlike Sullivan''s unpredictable spearsmanship, her thrust was fast and sturdy, but that actually made her easier to deal with, at least for Erwin.


    Eight spider legs suddenly emerged from Erwin''s back, ripping apart the back of his shirt like Melody''s clothes.


    "!!!" The woman couldn''t change the trajectory of her thrust like Sullivan, which allowed Erwin to easily grab the spear with all those legs.


    "I can''t move¡ª" She couldn''t even finish her words before Erwin wrapped her body, arms, and legs with his thread, capturing her. He even pinned her down with four legs while the remaining four lifted him up.


    The simplest battle was probably Jay against Sando.


    Sando, who was confident in his strength, swung his hammer, trying to best Jay in strength.


    Surprisingly, Jay wasn''t afraid of him. He used all his strength as if he were trying to release a ranged attack. However, he added one more thing.


    His right hand suddenly bulged up, almost tripling the size of his original arm. This was the beast soul that Jay chose, a giant prehistoric ape called Gigantopithecus.


    If he used the beast soul in a normal way, he would gain the strength, but not the weight of his arm.


    But the Gigantopithecus was known for its size. The size and weight were actually giving him more strength compared to the traditional beast soul.


    Jay''s eyes flashed as he struck the hammer so hard that Sando couldn''t even hold it anymore. He knocked it into the air and placed his saber on his neck.


    It wasn''t that these guys were weak. They were so surprised that they couldn''t even muster thirty percent of their original strength. In addition, Jay and the others were also extremely strong, which resulted in the battle ending instantly.


    All that was left was silence.

 Chapter 498 Explanation

    All the people dropped their jaws. Whether they were students who fought against the Libation Fiesta, the teachers who witnessed their battle, the viewers behind the screen, the principal and the vice principal of the academy, or even the investors, all of them simply couldn''t believe it.


    Melody could fly, and the others could also use abilities from beasts.


    The first thing that came to their mind was definitely a human experiment.


    "You... You... Why did you¡ª" The principal wanted to say something, but Hana stopped him by saying, "I told you, didn''t I? My new product is a new application of beast souls. It is by no means a fusion between a beast and a human. This new application of beast souls is the same as traditional beast souls, but instead of their unique ability, it is their body features."


    "!!!" The principal''s body trembled.


    Utaha gulped down. There were definitely people that wanted to ask Hana, and she was there to represent all of them as she asked, "Can you explain this new application of beast soul, Miss Hana? I''m sure that all the people would like to hear."@@@@


    "I''ll explain it in simple terms." Hana nodded. "Let''s take the butterfly wings for an example. The beast soul of those wings are actually powdery abilities, allowing humans to excrete powder.


    "It might not be useful for most people, so we are changing the way it is applied. Instead of using it to excrete powder, what if we just use the organ that produces it, which is the wing? And that''s the result.


    "Of course, you might wonder how we do that? Are we modifying the human''s gene? If that''s the case, will we remain as humans? What will differentiate us from the beast in the future?


    "And that''s where you''re wrong. This is probably the biggest downside of the new application of beast souls. It''s that you are only able to use it on one part of your body.


    "Because before we''re putting the beast soul, we are creating a bowl underneath their skin, which is connected to their nerve system, which allows them to control this beast soul at will.


    "That bowl will be used to contain the beast soul itself, which will also help in the removal process. Yes, removal process. Unlike the traditional beast soul, this new one can be removed because they''re only connected to your body, not a part of your body.


    "No. Look at those spider legs. You can basically attack the enemies with ten different arms, not counting your own legs!"


    "This is madness."


    "I need to tell my company about this. They need to get a quota... No, they need to cooperate with the OpenSky Company."


    It didn''t take too long for the new product to become a national sensation. All kinds of media immediately came to the academy to also watch with the rest of the people.


    As Hana said, a new way of fighting had just been discovered.


    The principal pinched the bridge of his nose and said, "To think that you would even make something like this..."


    "I already said, not me. I''m just the one popularizing it."


    "The one who discovered it... it wasn''t your friend, right?"


    "No. He just found the research. As for the researcher... he had passed away. He passed away from old age, and the research was found in a fallen city. And that was the extent of what I could share. Unless I received permission from his family or his teacher, I couldn''t reveal more of his personal information."


    "It''s understandable." The principal let out a long sigh.


    "Miss Hana... Will this new beast soul replace the traditional beast soul?"


    "No. As I said before, both applications of beast souls have their own advantages and disadvantages. In fact, they might be able to be combined together. Jay''s arm, for example. What if you combine it with a beast soul that can improve the strength of your arm? That explosive power will be something you have never seen before.


    "This new product is an exoskeleton beast soul, or in short, Beast Soul EX. You will need to train in order to summon it and utilize it, but it shouldn''t take too long. This will be the new era of beast souls. Please visit my company if you would like to get one." Hana ended it with a playful wink.

 Chapter 499 Overwhelming

    When Aisha and Gerald saw the new product, Gerald couldn''t help but ask, "Isn''t that your disciple..."


    "Yeah. I gave her the information about it." Aisha nodded. "He had done a lot of things, so he had to be recognized by the world."


    Aisha looked a bit sad since her student had passed away, but that was more reason for him to get the credit he deserved.


    "So the era will change, huh? Father doesn''t want Clovis to get a beast soul, but at this rate, the gap between them will become pretty big." Gerald frowned.


    "I''m not that worried about it. After all, Clovis has the strength similar to a Tier 5. I''m sure that he will do just fine." Aisha shrugged. "Especially if he is capable of harnessing a hundred percent of his unique ability. I just hope he won''t go berserk."


    Gerald''s expression turned solemn, but he didn''t make another comment, fully aware that Aisha had prepared everything.


    ...


    The students who were defeated and the teachers who oversaw the battle couldn''t help but gasp.


    "What are those?"


    "No way. Are they not humans?"


    Clovis shook his head and explained it for them. "No. This is the new concept of a beast soul. Instead of integrating its special ability, it''s bringing out the beast''s external feature. And it''s removable, so you are much more of a human compared to the traditional beast soul.


    "If you want to know more about the rest, Hana will probably explain it on the Skynet, so just get the detailed information over there."


    They couldn''t help but exchange looks, finally understanding why they had been hiding this power the whole time.


    Even though they were taken aback by their power, they could see the potential and strength this new concept could bring. They realized that if they could actually get one, they would be able to become even stronger.


    Those club presidents might not only have the strength equal to Tier 5, but they could even surpass them with the new beast soul. It would still take some time for them to train it, but the transition from the traditional beast soul to the new one would occur.


    "What¡ª!" The first thing they saw was Erwin with eight spider legs behind him.


    They raised their weapons to stop him, but fighting all those legs was impossible. They stopped several of them, but Erwin easily defeated two of the enemies.


    In addition, Clovis came out of his back and struck the other two.


    Ragna stopped the leader while Jay struck him from the other side, eliminating yet another group.


    Even though there were no club presidents among them, there was still one Tier 4 among them. However, the result was simply overwhelming.


    "Strong! Super strong! I can''t even describe this." Utaha clutched her head, not knowing how to react.


    The people were focusing on the Libation Fiesta, wanting to know the true capability of the new beast soul.


    However, there was yet a long battle that showcased its true potential.


    They only learned two things from the battle. First of all, Kanaria and Clovis hadn''t utilized their new beast soul. In Clovis'' case, he never had one, so they wouldn''t see him with one. But because they never knew, it created the illusion that Clovis kept his beast soul a secret.


    On the other hand, Kanaria''s beast soul allowed her to see in the dark, so it wasn''t useful in a battle like this. That was why they wouldn''t see her using it in this tournament.


    The second thing they realized was the pace of the Libation Fiesta. They looked like they were in a hurry, as if they were planning to kill as many teams as possible.


    At the same time, they ended the battle so quickly that it was hard for them to grasp the beast soul''s potential. If their intention was to promote, they would have shown it.


    Still, this overwhelming power was also exciting. If no one was able to draw out the full strength of the beast soul, it was worth it to use everything they got to buy this beast soul.


    Even without them realizing it, a lot of wealthy people already found a way to purchase beast souls since their price would soar as soon as this competition ended.


    However, it didn''t take too long for Clovis and his team to meet their match.


    Whether it was intentional or not, the Libation Fiesta actually met the student council.

 Chapter 500 Giving Up

    "Stop them! Stop them! We have to find a way to stop them!"


    "What the heck is that?!"


    The people were confused as the Libation Fiesta swept their group.


    Several of them managed to react, but they were still unable to understand the new fighting style, especially with Kanaria easily moving from one building to another and Melody shooting them from above.


    Once they focused on the people in the sky, Clovis and the others swept in, defeating every single person in their way.


    As a result, not a single person actually managed to put up a proper fight against them. If they had more numbers, they would probably be able to do something, but the Libation Fiesta was simply too fast.


    ...


    "Too strong. Too overwhelming. No one has ever seen this kind of fighting style, so it''s obvious that they aren''t able to do anything against the Libation Fiesta. If this continues, even if the Libation Fiesta is defeated halfway, they will still get a pretty high ranking or even get the highest one." Utaha gasped, hyping the beast soul even more.@@@@


    No one really cared about the others after seeing the new beast souls.


    "The only way to stop them is to bring a large number, or there is a big strength gap between them and their opponents. And who will be able to stop them now?"


    Hana scratched the back of her head, realizing that Clovis had an annoying plan for her. She was secretly messaging her team in the company to prepare for the influx of customers.


    ...


    The Libation Fiesta continued dominating the battle, killing a total of sixteen groups in the first forty minutes of the event.


    With Jay leading the group, they turned into a killing machine. In fact, this was what Clovis wanted from Jay. He took advantage of that aggressiveness in this tournament.


    "That''s not necessary to be honest." Clovis shook his head. "We have achieved our objective in this event."


    "To promote that, right? But have you shown their true potential?"


    "That won''t be necessary." Clovis shook his head. He then turned around, asking Melody their flag.


    "Hoho? You''re going to give up your flag?" The vice president smirked. "I like you even more. It feels like we are able to discuss several things."


    "That''s true, but I will pass that opportunity." Clovis smirked back. "Let''s make it simple, shall we? The first one to get this flag and scan it, I''ll ask Hana to give the first quota. What do you think?"


    "Hahaha!" The vice president''s smile became even bigger, as if he realized what Clovis was trying to do.


    It was clear that Clovis wanted to sow discord and cause them to split up.


    However, Clovis'' aim was actually much more ridiculous than he originally thought.


    "Erwin!" Clovis tossed the flag to Erwin.


    There was only one thing that Erwin needed to do. This was his role as well as his honor.


    Erwin raised his foot as if he were about to throw a pitch. He put all his strength into his hand and threw it as far as possible in the opposite direction of the student council. "Yeet!"


    The vice president smiled. Despite all the words he said, he didn''t even take a single step. After all, he was still a part of the student council. Even though he really wanted to chase after it, he couldn''t let them divide the student council. That was his bottom line.


    However, that was when Clovis dropped another bomb. "The Libation Fiesta chooses to give up in this competition."


    "!!!" The teachers and the student council members widened their eyes in shock because no one expected Libation Fiesta to give up even though they hadn''t shown all their strength.


    The vice president was also shocked, but that was the least of his worries. Before anyone realized it, the vice president had already leaped in the flag''s direction, trying to get it before anyone could. With a big smile on his face, he declared. "It''s mine!"

 Chapter 501 Riot

    Utaha and all the viewers couldn''t help but drop their jaws in disbelief. Did they hear it right? Did Clovis just give up the competition?


    "W-What?!" The people almost threw their phones to the ground.


    "What is going on?"


    "How can they just surrender?"


    "This is unbelievable."


    "What the heck?"


    "Cancel them!"


    "Show us the freaking power of the beast souls!"


    The people were rioting so badly that Utaha couldn''t help but say as if she wanted to cry. "Please calm down. It''s outside my control. Don''t click that dislike button because you are angry! NO!"


    Hana smiled wryly, fully aware that there would be a 1-star review bomb coming to her company after this.


    ''You are really a handful guy, Clovis.'' Hana wanted to get angry, but she simply couldn''t do it. ''I guess there is a reason why you suggest that plan when I show you the power armor.''


    Hana couldn''t help but sigh.


    By giving up early, the people couldn''t really figure out the extent of their power. The beast soul might be weaker than they expected, or they could even surpass their wildest imagination.


    They had to test it themselves before they understood it.@@@@


    Of course, there would still be a lot of people coming to buy them since they didn''t want to miss out on such a new thing.


    "Screw you!"


    "There''s no way I''m going to buy it."


    "A freaking shady company!"


    "A 1-star review is incoming!"


    "Kill yourself."


    The viewers kept commenting on all negative things, including death threats. However, Hana politely bowed to them and said, "You can already start ordering on our website. We''ll receive our first customer tomorrow. Thank you very much."


    Hana didn''t pay any more attention to those viewers because there wouldn''t be anything good coming from their comments. Utaha could only cry because she couldn''t control them anymore.


    Little did they know, Clovis and his group were actually having a fun time.


    They were relaxing on top of the building, waiting for the competition to start or the airship to be filled.


    Before that, they couldn''t do anything.


    "Clovis. Are we done here? What are we going to do next?" Kanaria asked.


    "It''s probably going to be quite busy for Hana in the next one month or two. As for us, we''ll have to wait for another week or so before our bus arrives. Hence, we''ll probably focus on getting accustomed to our beast soul.


    "After that, we''ll try hunting in this country for the first time. I''m a bit curious about the benefits the academy has to offer, so we''ll just make a relaxing trip.


    "Only after that will we focus on reaching Tier 3. You and Jay should be able to reach Tier 3 on the next trip, right?"


    "True. All of our evolution traits are already above 90%." Kanaria nodded.


    "That''s our plan." Clovis paused for a moment. "Maybe once things settle down a bit, let''s go to the beach. Let''s have our business tycoon go together with us!"

 Chapter 502 Chaotic Response

    As Clovis and Hana predicted, the OpenSky Company was being overrun by customers.


    "Please. Where can I get the new beast soul?"


    "Shut up and take my money. I want the beast soul now!"


    "Where is the manager?"


    After Clovis gave up the competition, they knew they couldn''t see new things from Clovis anymore, so they could only do one thing. It was to go to the OpenSky Company to get it themselves.


    The company staff were stopping them from entering, trying to explain as much as possible.


    However, the enthusiasm was simply too high. For these people, it was an opportunity that could get them ahead of the others.


    Of course, what Clovis had done invoked the outrage of the rest of the people. They wanted to see the finished product and its full potential, like a review video.


    Sadly for them, Clovis never had the intention to share in the first place. That was why they could unleash their anger at both Clovis and the OpenSky Company.


    There were even people demanding Hana do something to Clovis, like forcing him to apologize or cut his contract.


    The last party was for those who didn''t care about this new beast soul. They either had no money or thought this was a scam.


    Nevertheless, Kanaria had gotten the initial response that she wanted, and all she had to do was ride the wave and get all the money.


    It didn''t take too long for the story to spread to the international forum, seen by numerous people all around the world.


    They all went straight to Utaha''s livestream, but there was nothing else that piqued their interest.


    "New Beast Soul. External Beast Soul or Beast Soul EX is taking the global market by storm."


    "Beast Soul EX is currently the number one trending topic in the world."


    "But..."


    "Yeah. Clovis won''t stop in continuing his dream as an explorer. Besides, the number of people who will target him must have increased. Depending on the situation, they can probably figure out his true name." Gerald scratched the back of his head.


    "I guess erasing his family name is still not enough."


    "It is enough, but those assassins will end up getting linked to him in one way or another. Hence, it probably won''t be too long for people to figure out the Hacfield family name."


    Aisha contemplated for a moment. "In this country, how many influences have enough power to find out his affiliation?"


    "Probably less than five. They need to have influence all around the world to pinpoint his connection to the family after all. But if we consider the whole world... something like fifty of them."


    "Doesn''t that mean there will be people coming to him, especially Father''s enemies?" Aisha asked.


    "Indeed, but they won''t make a move that easily either, especially those elders. If they make a move and Father somehow injures them, those who don''t care will be eyeing them. Unlike our Hacfield family, it''s easy to find them since they have established a proper base."


    "That''s true. That''s why, even though Father has a lot of enemies, not a lot of people are attacking head-on."


    "Yeah. At that stage, getting injured will be hard to heal, at least in a short amount of time. If other Tier 9 humans attack them in their vulnerable state, they will lose everything they have achieved. What we should worry about is their children."


    Aisha frowned. "Will they send their children to this country under the pretense of ''competing'' in order to kill him?"


    "Most likely. That''s why Clovis needs to get as strong as possible. I''ll also be doing my job to stop those old foxes from interfering with the battle between youngsters." Gerald nodded.


    "I guess we can''t really hide Clovis'' identity anymore."


    "That is fine. He has built his own reputation here, so let''s trust him."


    "En." Aisha nodded. "By the way, I think it''s time for us to drop a bit of a hint regarding our information, right? We have promised him that he will find out sooner or later."


    Gerald sighed. He couldn''t say no to the excited face of his wife. "You do it."


    "Hehe."

 Chapter 503 Busy

    The sound of the alarm once again filled the fallen city as the president of the student council fixed his glasses while looking at the enemies they had just defeated. The battle royale had finally ended, and obviously, the student council was the last group standing.


    However, the student council president couldn''t help but click his tongue because the vice president had been bragging nonstop.


    "Look at this. I have gotten the quota, Miss Secretary!"


    "Come on. You usually calculate money. How much is the first quota worth?"


    "I''m going to get my beast soul right after we return."


    "Oi!" The president gritted his teeth, glaring at the vice president. The latter skillfully looked away while whistling as if he had done nothing wrong.


    Despite winning, he couldn''t help but feel annoyed. It was clear that the true victor of the battle royale was Clovis and his group.


    After all, they managed to make the biggest impact in this tournament. And they quit when they were ahead.


    There was no way he could savor the taste of victory.


    ...


    While the others were being transported back to the academy, Hana had ended the broadcast and immediately took care of the company. There was an explosion in the number of customers, which made the company''s staff feel overwhelmed.


    As soon as she returned, she received the report from her assistant.


    "Hmm." While looking at the report, she said, "So 3,000 customers are already signing the agreement. There are at least ten times that number ready to do it as well."


    "Yes. We are thinking about doing a pre-order. I''m afraid that the pre-order will last for more than half a year at this rate. And if they see the effectiveness, the line will become longer."


    "We should increase our staff." Hana squinted her eyes.


    "Actually, your grandfather came to the company earlier."


    "Grandfather?"@@@@


    While looking at the report, she couldn''t help but ask, "Is there any attack yet?"


    "No. However, your grandfather is thinking about sending reinforcement."


    "Alright. Tighten the security. We have been employing a large number of people, so it''s time for them to be put to use."


    "Understood. Also, this is what happens right after the new beast soul is introduced. The opinions in the media are split. Some criticize what we are doing as inhuman. Some are thinking about the future possibilities and looking at it positively due to the fact that they are removable."


    Hana closed her eyes, muttering inwardly, ''I can probably get rid of them by accepting the offer from either the government or the military.''


    Hana suddenly remembered something. "Now that I think about it... Isn''t there someone in the military..."


    "Hmm?" The assistant tilted her head in confusion.


    "Let''s push the date to tomorrow. I have another plan for tonight."


    "Understood." The assistant didn''t know what Hana was trying to do, but she was here just to give her report.


    "How is the beast soul price?"


    "For beast souls from Tier 1 to Tier 4, there is about a 5-10% increase, and we believe it''ll continue rising for a while. For higher level beast souls, they are more stable because they need to be more careful whether to use it with the new application or the traditional one."


    "They will definitely come to us later. For now, secretly buying beast souls through our channels."


    "Understood."


    Hana pinched the bridge of her nose. "There are simply too many things to do at once. Anyway, I''ll be meeting..."


    Hana began to pick several companies to know what kind of offer they had prepared.


    Meanwhile, Clovis and the others had returned and were just waiting until their truck arrived.


    However, they would never expect that night they would receive a very special guest. She was supposed to be locked in her company, but for some reason, even when she was very exhausted, Hana visited them.

 Chapter 504 Visit

    "Heee..." Hana let out a small groan like a zombie.


    Clovis, who opened the door for her, was taken aback. "Hana? Aren''t you supposed to be busy?"


    "Something like that." Hana casually entered the mansion and headed to the living room. She dropped on the sofa as if she could fall asleep at any time.


    Clovis didn''t know what Hana wanted, but she definitely planned to do something if she visited them.@@@@


    That was why he just brought some water and a towel for her to freshen up.


    While lying down and her eyes staring on the ceiling, Hana asked, "Clovis. From what I know, you have been searching for your teammate manually, right?"


    "Indeed. Most of the time, I''m just lucky to find a unique individual."


    Hana paused for a moment before asking, "I hope that you are not offended by this, but have you tried to search for your teammate a bit more aggressively? For example, scouting them in the open."


    Clovis frowned. The fact that she was careful with her words meant she had thought about it thoroughly. That was why he calmed down and asked, "Why do you ask this question suddenly?"


    Hana paused for a moment. "I''m thinking whether you want to recruit a person that I recommend or not. I believe she can be a good addition to your team."


    "What kind of person is she?"


    "She is an army doctor. A 28-year-old woman who is currently serving as a doctor in the military base 059. She is a rather unique woman.


    "First of all, I can guarantee that she is an exceptional doctor. She learns from one of the best doctors in the country, who is also a Tier 7 human. She is serving the army to gain a lot of experience.


    "At the same time, it is also because of her nature. She is what you know as a mad doctor. She loves to dissect the beasts. That''s why she goes there."


    "Dissect beasts?" Clovis raised his eyebrows. "Are you a human?"


    "I am!" Hana sighed. "I know what you''re worried about. It''s Reolf, right? To be honest, I have thought about it as well, but for you, you should be able to get her attention even more, especially with that blood of yours."


    "..." Clovis squinted his eyes. "So that''s your plan... shifting her target from Reolf to me?"


    "That is something I would like to ask you. Do you have any free time in the next few months?"


    "Hmm? Why do you ask?"


    "I''m thinking about inviting you to go to the beach or something."


    "Doesn''t sound like you''re there just to enjoy the beach."


    "Haha. I mean, you can also take that time to introduce the power armor."


    "That''s fair, but I don''t see your reason."


    "I can''t say for the time being." Clovis shook his head.


    "A beach, huh? I don''t think I can do it within the next four months, but I should be able to free up my schedule." Clovis never gave them an unprofitable offer, so Hana didn''t really have any reason to reject. It would be nice to take a rest as well.


    "Alright." Clovis smiled as if he had got what he wanted.


    "Alright. Then, see you later... Ehm, never mind. I will just sleep here. I''m too tired to move."


    Clovis'' eyebrows twitch. "Why don''t you take one of the empty rooms? I''ll just grab the sheet for you."


    "I''ll just sleep on the couch. Too tired to drag my body there."


    Clovis smiled wryly. She had been working hard because of the new beast soul, and some of that money would go to him as well.


    Clovis thought he could do a small favor like this.


    "Should I carry you then?"


    "I don''t care. I just want to sleep. Tomorrow is going to be more hectic." Hana just closed her eyes.


    Clovis shook his head helplessly and carried her upstairs.

 Chapter 505 Next Mission

    "Thank you very much." Hana politely shook the hand of an old man wearing a military uniform.


    He looked at Hana with a serious expression before saying, "I now finally understand why you are said to be scarier than your grandfather. It seems that the Skylark conglomerate doesn''t lack a successor."


    "Hahaha. You are jesting. I''m just a simple student."


    The man shook his head helplessly. "Then shall be it. I hope that there is no need for the military and businessmen to have a conflict in the future."


    "That''s what I hope as well." Hana smiled.


    The old man closed his eyes before taking his leave. Two people were waiting outside, each of them was Tier 7. The first one was wearing the military uniform, so once the old general came out, he followed him.


    On the other hand, Hana''s guard¡ªsent by her grandfather¡ªchecks her condition before standing by on the outside.


    Hana let out a long sigh. "It''s better like this. Anyway, I have gotten the permission."


    Hana immediately transmitted the information to Clovis.


    ...


    One week later.


    "So the mission is to take down a Tier 5 beast?" Jay frowned. "Is this too easy? I don''t like to underestimate the enemy, but we have taken down several Tier 5, right?"


    Clovis shook his head. "Nope. The mission is to hunt three Tier 5 beasts. However, these beasts are quite different, especially because of the location."@@@@


    "Location?" Jay was confused, thinking it didn''t really matter.


    "The location is in the Great Beast Forest. This is a Tier 7 zone that is managed by the military. Not only does this place pose extreme danger, but the Tier 5 enemies we are going to take are nothing but a henchman compared to the Tier 7 overlord," explained Kanaria.


    "Hoh?" Erwin grinned. "This is getting exciting."


    "Waf?!" Reolf looked shocked, this time, his face looked hesitant.


    "What are you doing? Don''t poison him." Clovis shook his head helplessly. "In any case, I hope that we can get some money. It''s been a while."


    "Money? Don''t you get it from Hana?"


    "Not yet. The product has just been launched, and the royalty is paid monthly. Even if I can get it right now, it won''t be a lot since most people are still in queue." Clovis shook his head helplessly.


    "Is that so? That''s a shame." Erwin crossed his arms.


    "For now, Hana should have taken care of everything. We''ll probably meet her when she is going on a mission by herself. And that we''ll ''escort'' her during her mission along the way."


    "That sounds suspicious, you know. And the military agrees to this?" Ragna tilted his head in confusion.


    "Yes. That sounds like how much they need the new beast souls. The forest itself is one of the highest danger zones in the country. It is experiencing a lot of raids from the beasts, so the soldiers need something new to boost their strength. Besides, this place is no stranger to explorers like us," Kanaria explained.


    "And Hana has taken care of another problem, which is the location. We will be hunting in a more secluded area so that no one can see Reolf. I''m planning to let out some rumors gradually, making people gradually accept Reolf was different," Clovis added.


    "So what is she like?" Jay asked.


    "A psycho, I think? The rumors going around her are that she loves to dissect beasts, she loves to see brutal things, and she loves to do some unusual treatments... Even though they''re effective, it''s just too scary to explain." Kanaria explained.


    "Yep. That''s Clovis'' problem." Jay nodded.


    "Aren''t you planning to take my seat, Jay?" Clovis chuckled.


    "This and that are two different problems."


    Suddenly, Clovis'' phone rang. It was Hana who called him, which definitely piqued everyone''s interest.


    Clovis accepted the call and listened to what Hana said before closing it again. He pointed to the window while saying, "It seems that our bus has arrived. Let''s check it out."

 Chapter 506 Discussion

    Military Base 059.


    "What? Are we going to really allow this? Their intention should be clear enough to us. Are we letting them just snatch one of us?" A lieutenant asked while furrowing his eyebrows. "This doesn''t make sense why you would allow this."


    "It''s not me who allows it, but..." The general pointed up. The only one that could make him follow orders would be the headquarters. The old general that might have retired but still held an extremely high position in the military.


    Some crossed their arms, some looked excited, and some remained neutral.


    "I think this is a good opportunity," one of them said while raising his hand. "If they want to take Lucifania, I''ll support them."


    "What did you say? She is our doctor."


    The guy looked back with a dark expression. "Do you think I don''t know that? However, even though she is our doctor, the men are scared of her. You should know what she has been doing in the past three years, right?


    Going around with a knife and bloody appearance after dissecting the beasts, grinning when staring at the guys as if she wants to chop them up, playing around with corpses, even outside her laboratory."


    He wanted to list everything, but all of them already knew what she did.


    He coughed to calm down and speak in a calm tone again. "While I can acknowledge her skill, she is still too much for our army. It won''t be good for our men. It''s better to get a more normal doctor."


    "But don''t you think we have to convince that old man? Her teacher is that Marcus. Don''t you know how many people he has saved in his entire service?"


    The people were arguing whether to let her meet them or not until one of them asked, "But the fact that the higher up is allowing them to meet means the higher up has also persuaded Marcus Solm. Isn''t that how it usually goes?"


    They suddenly fell silent. That was probably the case. There was no way the higher up left everything to them.


    "Does that mean we have agreed to let her meet them?"


    "Not yet. We don''t know anything about them. Isn''t the higher-up too hasty with their decision? What are they going to give us?"


    All of them looked at the general. The latter simply said, "100 men will be going to the capital city to receive the new beast soul right away."


    "New beast souls?"@@@@


    "It seems that you know everything."


    "So I have to meet these kids here?"


    "Do you know them?" The general asked.


    "I searched for them on the Skynet. Their reputation didn''t look so good. They were canceled on Skynet, but..." Lucifania paused for a moment. "They look strong. It''s not normal for a Tier 2 kid with a strength equal to that of a Tier 5. In addition, the group does seem unusual.


    Maybe I will find something interesting in them."


    "Is that so?" The general nodded in understanding, thinking that Lucifania would definitely go with them.


    However, she added, "Still, they are kids. Even their captain is 12 years younger than me. In addition, they don''t have the resources that I can receive in this base. It''ll be different if they get the full support of the OpenSky company though."


    "Anyway, you''ll be meeting them in that place. I don''t know why exactly either. If you want to ask, it''s better to ask..." The general pointed up again.


    Lucifania sighed. "Alright. I''ll pack up my luggage. When do I leave?"


    "In 2 hours."


    "Understood." Lucifania thought for a moment and chose not to salute.


    The general smiled wryly. She must understand that they were trying to dump her away, but he had to admit that she was better than most doctors.


    ...


    Thirty minutes after Lucifania''s departure, a bus entered the military base. The bus was fully covered with curtains so that no one could see what was inside.


    However, the bus was still allowed to enter inside the base.


    After parking next to the main building, Clovis came out of the bus while looking around. It was true that they had to meet Lucifania outside, but they had to accept the mission from the general first.


    "So this is the military base." Clovis smiled, finding a lot of people. As Kanaria said, there were a lot of normal civilians and explorers coming to this place.

 Chapter 507 New Member?

    "You are to proceed to zone B23 and meet Lucifania. Kill three Tier 5 beasts before returning to the base. Is there any problem?" The general asked.


    "No." Clovis shook his head. "Good. In that case, you may go right now. Take this with you."


    He was giving him a radar with an arrow on the edge. "What is this?"


    "A radar. Just follow that arrow. It will show you her location. I don''t even know why you two have to meet outside the base." The general shook his head helplessly.


    "Ahaha." Clovis let out a hollow laugh. "I understand. I''ll take my leave."


    The general nodded.


    To his surprise, the soldiers on the base seemed to be staring at him. The soldiers should have been accustomed to the presence of outsiders, but for some reason, they were staring at him.


    "Is that him?"


    "Yeah. That is the poor guy."


    "No, no. We should consider him a hero of Base 059."


    "Right? He has finally taken away Lucifania from our base."


    "Good. We don''t have to see all those horrifying scenes anymore."


    Clovis couldn''t help but overhear their comments, thinking, ''What the hell did she do to actually traumatize these soldiers?''


    Clovis just focused on the mission and left the base as quickly as possible. He would deal with whatever they were talking about later. In the end, he also had the right to not recruit her.


    Once they reached the destination, Clovis and his team immediately exited the area.


    "Clovis. Should we let Reolf out right away?" Jay asked.


    "Hmm. If we let him out right away, she will recognize him right away. If she ends up attacking him, we will be in trouble. If we don''t let him out, it will be a surprise, which might end up changing her decision." Clovis looked down, falling into deep thought.


    "Waaf!" Reolf took a peek from the inside before pointing his paw up as if telling them that he could stay above the bus.


    "Got it." Clovis nodded.


    As ordered, the trio killed all seven beasts within a minute, with Kanaria skillfully killing the Tier 4 and Tier 3 beasts so that these two didn''t continue to fight.


    "I cut it first!"


    "No. I strangled it first!"


    "I won!"


    "I won!"


    The two kept arguing. In fact, they had been arguing about every little thing to the point where Clovis and the others just ignored them.


    Clovis chuckled, wondering what the new member would say about them.


    "Are you guys waiting for me?" A female''s voice echoed from the side.


    The group couldn''t help but turn around and immediately widen their eyes in shock.


    They found a woman. She had long brown hair with her messy bangs almost covering her eyes. Her hair and clothes were sprayed by blood, but fortunately, it wasn''t her.


    At first glance, people would definitely consider her a beauty, but when they looked at everything about her, they would have a different thought.


    After all, she was walking toward them, dragging a beast five times her size. Despite not being muscular, she was actually strong enough to drag a beast that even Jay would find difficult.


    The most surprising thing was that the beast had been skinned. The blood trail continued for as far as they could see, meaning that she had been dragging this beast for a while.


    Her right hand was holding a scalpel, and they could see several knives of different sizes hanging on her waists.


    Despite doing such a thing, her face remained expressionless as though this was just another day in the office.


    She raised her head and asked, "Are you guys from Libation Fiesta, the people I am supposed to meet?"


    This was the person they had been waiting for, their eighth member after Reolf, Lucifina Solm.

 Chapter 508 Danger

    "Are you guys from Libation Fiesta, the ones I''m supposed to meet?" Lucifania asked, but her eyes shifted to the wolf on top of the bus. "A wolf?"


    Clovis noticed her fingers were twitching. It became even worse when she suddenly dropped the beast she was dragging this whole time.


    "A WOLF?!" She suddenly screamed as she suddenly leaped forward.


    Clovis hurriedly stood in her way and grabbed her arm.


    Lucifania tried to push him away but to no avail. Hence, she spun her body and kicked Clovis, albeit the latter managed to grab her knee.


    Clovis didn''t hesitate to activate his perfect state. He pushed down the knee to spin her body.


    "!!!" Lucifania looked shocked at first. Her strength was stronger than Clovis, but because she was shocked by his change of pace, she didn''t manage to fix her form before too late.


    He ended up slamming her to the ground and punched the soil next to her head. "What do you think you''re doing?"


    Kanaria and Melody aimed their guns at her, while Ragna had stood between her and Reolf so that he could stop her if she somehow slipped past Clovis.


    "That''s a wolf. A dire wolf! And it looks so intelligent. How is it not attacking you yet? How do you even tame it? Is his brain different from any other wolf?


    What does he eat? What kind of virus or bacteria does he have to change him? What¡ª" Her mouth was gagged by stuffing Clovis'' sword handle between her jaw.


    "Calm down!" Clovis couldn''t help but frown. Lucifania was struggling, while Clovis said, "It seems that she is too dangerous. I guess we don''t have to invite her to our group. It will just endanger Reolf."


    Before the others could react, Lucifania had already stopped moving.


    "..." Clovis couldn''t really understand Lucifania. Seeing how she stopped moving, he actually pulled his sword handle out of her mouth. To his surprise, she didn''t say anything or even struggle anymore.


    Her eyes were still glued on Reolf with numerous questions, but she didn''t move as if she was able to contain herself.@@@@


    Even the others felt weird. What was wrong with this woman?


    Since she had stopped fighting, Clovis let her go slowly, preparing himself if she did anything.


    "My dream is the harmony of humans and beasts. There are potential friendships that might be untapped, just like how a dog evolves from a beast to a household pet.


    "For some reason, I have been good with knives since I was a child.


    "My three sizes are 86-68-89. You have given me the potential that I have been looking for. I''m willing to exchange myself for the sake of knowledge.


    "I will do whatever you want me to do as long as I can do that."


    "..." Clovis blinked his eyes a few times. She truly never stopped talking.


    Clovis pinched the bridge of his nose. He wondered what to do with this woman.


    If he rejected her right away, it was clear that Luci would do anything she could to join them. She might even resort to politics or threats.


    He started regretting his decision to follow Hana''s suggestion.


    Even if she had excellent skills, she might be more than he could handle.


    ''Even though I have anticipated this, she is just... I don''t even know how to describe her.'' Clovis was thinking hard about what to do with her.


    "Isn''t she dangerous?" Jay frowned.


    Her body shook when she heard Jay''s response, making it harder for him to reach a decision.


    ''Killing her means endless problems, rejecting her means endless chase, and accepting her means endless danger.'' Clovis took a deep breath. "What do you think, Reolf?"


    Reolf jumped off the bus and approached her carefully.


    "Ah..." She looked like she couldn''t contain her excitement.


    Reolf examined her first before sniffing her.


    "I can''t move! I can''t move! I can''t move! He is trying to recognize me." Luci muttered. It was a bit surprising that she even understood Reolf''s intention.

 Chapter 509 Interview

    Reolf sniffed her and started licking her, which surprisingly made Luci so excited that her body was convulsing uncontrollably.


    In addition, it seemed that she understood Reolf''s intention.


    And despite being in front of Reolf, she hadn''t done anything that would hurt him.


    Clovis couldn''t help but think, ''Is she holding herself back? Or is this just pretense? Or is she able to control that impulse?''


    On the one hand, taking her in right away would be quite dangerous. On the other hand, she would be a good addition to the group.


    Her ambition aside, she was quite strong as an individual. It was true that she was much older than them, but her knowledge in the medical field would definitely help them.


    Reolf turned around as if he had finished recognizing her. "Waaf!"@@@@


    Clovis looked at him, but surprisingly, the one who interpreted him the fastest was Luci. "Oh my. It''s really recognizing me. Is it really fine if I join the group? What do you mean by waiting for your approval?!"


    Luci turned to Clovis and said, "Please. Let me join your group. How do I get your stamp of approval?"


    Before he could say anything, Reolf suddenly raised his head. "Waf!"


    Both Melody and Kanaria could also sense them, while Luci interpreted him. "There are enemies!"


    Kanaria turned around, observing the enemies from on top of the bus. She reported, "There are 15 beasts coming, two of them are Tier 4, and three are Tier 3, while the rest are Tier 2."


    "I can also fight..." Luci raised her hand.


    "Then, there''s no need for a recovery pod!"


    Clovis'' eyebrows twitched. She sure changed her answer fast. However, that reaction from Clovis didn''t escape her eyes, as she immediately added, "I will just do first aid until you are done. Or you can actually add a recovery pod under the bus. If you design it perfectly, it should be possible."


    Clovis thought for a moment and nodded. "Second question. If you join the group, what can you offer to the group?"


    "EVERYTHING!"


    "..." Clovis took a step back when she shouted like that. Clovis asked, "It looks like you are someone who will join another group if they have a better offer, especially if it involves a beast like Reolf."


    She shook her head. "That won''t happen. I might be that kind of person, but I can assure you it won''t happen."


    "So you don''t deny it?" Clovis blinked a few times.


    "..." She was sweating, but she immediately added, "I don''t know what is going on, but the research of the beast and the human relationship have been going on for a few decades.


    "If it''s possible, then someone would have figured it out already. The fact that you, a random kid, manage to do it only means two possibilities. The first possibility is you having a unique ability, which is an ability that differentiates a normal person with a future Tier 9. Or you have something else, such as connection or even friendship with a higher level beast.


    "The higher the beast''s tier, the higher their intelligence is. Hence, if you have a Tier 8 or Tier 9 beast ordering a beast to join your side, it will probably happen. However, a low tier beast is supposed to have low intelligence, which means he will show aggression even after being ordered to protect you.


    "This is something you can''t see from Reolf. Hence, the second possibility is most likely not the case for Reolf.


    "That''s why my conclusion is that you have something unique that can turn Reolf that way. And it doesn''t seem that you can do it easily. If not, you would have multiple beasts already. No, you might not even need your teammates and call yourself a beast king.


    "Hence, the conclusion is as I said before... It won''t happen."


    Clovis blinked his eyes in disbelief. This maniac actually analyzed all of that in a short period of time, especially when she was so excited that it wouldn''t be weird if half of her mind was thinking about Reolf.

 Chapter 510 Regret His Choice?

    Clovis looked down, falling into deep thought. It seemed that she was smart enough to see through his secret despite getting distracted.


    "Suppose you join the group, what is the first thing you will do?"


    Luci thought for a moment as if she were thinking hard about it. This was weird. She had been able to answer all his questions in an instant, so how could this question be so hard?


    "What''s wrong? You don''t know what you''re planning to do?" Clovis was ready to reject her if she said she would like to get a sample of Reolf''s blood or something that felt dangerous.


    To his surprise, she was actually much more insane than he originally thought. She clutched her head while saying, "Kh. I can''t choose. I can''t choose between asking Reolf all the questions I have in mind or getting your seed!"


    "My what?" Clovis widened his eyes in shock, as if he heard it wrong. No, he wanted to believe he heard it wrong.


    "I told you that you have something special, whether it''s a unique ability or anything. And you expect me to stay sane? There''s no way I will do that! I want it right now to see if the future generations are actually able to dominate the beasts or if future conversation is possible or not."


    "Can I shoot her?" Kanaria couldn''t help but hear it from the top of the bus.


    "Your mother is the same though." Clovis pinched the bridge of his nose.


    "..." Kanaria couldn''t deny that accusation. "Anyway, if someone wants to be your wife, she needs to get my approval first. You are not going to have a one-night stand for ''research'' purposes, right? Literally!"


    "Do you think I''m that type of guy?" Clovis looked as if he was wronged.@@@@


    "Oh! You don''t have to worry about that. He has told me that no matter what I do, he won''t stop me. He will take care of it if he can, but leave me behind if he can''t."


    Clovis looked at the sky for a moment before continuing with the question. "In that case, if you get my consent, what will you do?"


    "I will not do anything extensive. A living specimen is the most precious thing. I will probably ask for some blood samples, DNA, and other things in a low volume. I''m not going to risk it and cause the research to stop! I will probably get overwhelmed by guilt if I do that."


    "I see." Clovis raised two fingers. "In that case, I have two questions left. To what extent are you going to do it? For example, you say that you are waiting for consent, but I don''t think you are the type of person that will just wait until others give you their consent."


    She stopped for a moment before placing her hands on her breasts. "It''s nothing much, but I have these. Do what you want! I''m willing to endure all kinds of things you plan to do to me as long as I can get a bit of a sample."


    "What the hell?" Clovis looked away. "I''m not talking about that. We are a group that plans to rise to the top. Do you have that kind of resolve?"


    "I can be anything. If you want me to become a Tier 9, I will become one even if I have to research a way to extract someone''s unique ability."


    "Hmm. In that case, the only thing left is to test your skill." Clovis crossed his arms.


    "I can fight. I am good at using knives. All these knives are pretty good in quality, and I also have Muscle Affinity, so I''m quite strong. As for my role on the battlefield, I can be a buffer zone to protect your sniper and operator. If the monster is too big, I''ll probably find a way, such as hitting their weak spots. I can also be a distraction or just block it with a shield if needed."


    Clovis nodded in understanding. Luci had been staying still even though her body was trembling. She managed to control that desire, so it seemed it was time to end the interview.


    "And last question." Clovis sighed. "If my blood is the one allowing this to happen, what will you do?"


    "Are you injured? Where is it?" She looked around, examining his body. "It is said that licking the wound is the best way to recover. Where? Where are your injuries?"

 Chapter 511 Observation

    "That''s the beast. The fox." Melody marked the enemy on the skyglasses.


    The beast was surrounded by more than thirty other beasts, so it would definitely be hard to approach it.


    Clovis simply stated, "Erwin and Ragna will stop the Tier 5 beast for a second. Wait until we are done with the rest of the beasts. Kanaria will support them. As for the rest, kill them as quickly as possible. We will finish this within ten minutes."@@@@


    "Got it."


    Luci was probably the most excited one among them.


    Thirty minutes ago.


    "It is said that licking the wound is the best way to recover. Where? Where are your injuries?"


    Clovis massaged his forehead, knowing that he couldn''t completely handle her. Clovis added, "Whatever. The interview is done."


    "Am I getting accepted?" Luci looked at him, her eyes filled with expectations. She was confident that she would be accepted.


    Clovis simply sighed, "There is one more test. Even though the interview is done, you don''t forget that we are a party that aims to the top, right?"


    "Ah!" Luci looked disappointed for a moment as she couldn''t help but touch her knives while saying, "Damned beasts. How dare you stop me from joining the group? Whoever it is, you''re going to have a painful death."


    Coupled with the killing intent her eyes were emitting, Clovis was pretty sure she wasn''t joking.


    Clovis raised one finger. "First of all, can I know more about your combat strength? Our original mission is to kill three Tier 5 beasts."


    "I should be able to fight a Tier 5 beast, considering I''m already close to Tier 5. I don''t know if you believe me or not, but I have a 100% evolution rate. This is the reason why I am close to Tier 5, but still have enough time to finish my medical studies."


    "!!!" Clovis widened his eyes in shock. This was the first time he saw someone with a perfect evolution rate. "Do you have beast souls?"


    "I do have three beast souls. To put it simply, I can kick hard, throw fast, and recover fast. Those are the three beast souls I have right now."


    "To do that, it has to be genetically modified. Meanwhile, the new beast soul simply lives in a small ''bowl'' inside your body, so only that part will come out. And if you make it that way, you have to find a way to produce the animal''s sperm, right?"


    "That''s true. That will just defeat the purpose and return to the original research that has been failing so far. This should be a different way of utilizing. I haven''t fully grasped the concept, but I have a general idea about this." She crossed her arms. "Maybe there is a way to have the recovery pod to help heal the beast soul as well. Wait.


    Am I getting one?"


    "If you wish so."


    "What is your beast soul?"


    Clovis shook his head. "I don''t have a beast soul, whether the new one or the traditional one. My grandfather has asked me not to have one."


    "Mhmm..." She looked down, falling into deep thought.


    Just from how she managed to grasp all of it in a single glance was enough to show how knowledgeable she was, especially regarding the connection between humans and beasts.


    Hence, Clovis said, "Anyway, we''ll continue on our mission. If you manage to perform well in the battles, I don''t mind accepting you."


    She nodded furiously.


    When she recalled the mission, her killing intent soared.


    A beast suddenly got stabbed in the eye by her. She skillfully moved to the other side and pulled that knife, causing the knife to cut both eyes.


    The beast screamed in pain, but instead of killing the beast immediately, she actually stabbed the beast''s body and cut his body without any mercy. She screamed, "You dare to stop me from pursuing my dream. You''re not going to have a peaceful death."


    The others were pointing at her, signaling Clovis to do something about her.


    Clovis smiled wryly. It seemed he really had no other choice. "Oi. Stop it! What I mean by performance is how you cooperate with the team and kill as many as you can, not how good you are at torturing them."


    "Ah!"


    "Don''t ''Ah!'' me!"

 Chapter 512 Killing a Tier 5 Beast

    The Tier 5 beast struck Ragna, but fortunately, Erwin also helped him block the attack. With Erwin''s Tier 4 strength, they didn''t get pushed back like what happened in the past.


    At the same time, Erwin wrapped the fox''s paw with threads, attaching every single one of them to different trees.


    Like how multiple strands of grass could actually withstand something heavier, the fox ended up not being able to move his claw.


    "!!!" The fox looked shocked.


    Even though Clovis told him to stop the fox, Erwin preferred to go on the offensive than the defensive.


    The moment the fox was unable to move, Ragna immediately charged forward.


    The fox used its other paw to slap Ragna away, but Erwin skillfully matched Ragna''s movement and stopped the paw.


    "!!!" The fox hurriedly moved away with so much force that the trees started to shake violently. There were even some cracking sounds as if they were about to snap.


    Ragna and Erwin immediately moved to the fox''s left side, taking advantage of the strapped paw to attack.


    The fox moved in a circle, trying to avoid both of them, but that was when Kanaria fired her sniper rifle.


    Bam!@@@@


    The bullet pierced the fox''s giant body, splattering its flesh on the side.


    The fox wailed in pain, pulling the trees even with more force. Eventually, two trees snapped, allowing the fox to snap the rest of the trees.


    "Get out!" Ragna shouted, putting his shield to the side. The fox pulled those trees toward him, which ultimately hit Ragna and Erwin.


    "Kh!" Ragna used his shield to protect the left side while blocking the attack with his arm from the other side.


    Erwin hurriedly wrapped those trees and crushed them, opening the path forward.


    At the same time, the fox cut down the threads with his claws. It then charged toward Ragna, but it abruptly came to a stop halfway because Jay came from the side, almost cutting his neck.


    The fox was screaming in pain as it was struggling uncontrollably, trying to shake them off.


    That was when Luci pointed out. "Cut that part vertically!"


    She was pointing at the part near the fox''s chest.


    Without hesitation, Jay struck the part she pointed at with all his strength, cutting the flesh.


    Despite the fox''s struggle, Luci bravely moved near the fox''s chest, even if those paws or giant body had the chance to hit her.


    She cut the skin a little bit and shouted, "Pull it off!"


    Since she had just joined, Erwin followed her instructions to see what kind of plan she got. To his surprise, the skin was actually much easier to peel, exposing his flesh.


    "Attack it!" Luci shouted.


    Jay and Ragna moved closer, but the fox surprisingly hit them, blowing them away. Even though they were doing the same thing as Luci, they didn''t actually manage to come even close. It was clear that Luci understood how the fox would react.


    That was why once they cleared out the area, Kanaria shot the fox. It wasn''t perfect, but it actually scraped a lot of flesh from its body.


    Then Luci came close to the fox again and cut a bit more flesh with her knife, exposing the heart.


    Without being ordered, Reolf pounced on the wolf and struck the ribs. Without his tough skin, his flesh and bones were nothing but an easy target.


    Reolf''s palm crushed the ribs and eventually smashed the heart, ultimately killing the Tier 5 fox.


    All of them couldn''t help but widen their eyes.


    It was true that they had gotten stronger after getting the new beast soul. However, it didn''t change the fact that Luci''s instruction allowed them to kill the beast much faster than they originally thought.


    Clovis and Melody weren''t even here to help them.


    Luci knew which part to attack because of her extensive knowledge about the beasts. Kanaria squinted her eyes and muttered, "So that''s her power, huh? Despite her questionable character, she is strong."

 Chapter 513 Final Decision

    For the next few hours, Clovis led his group to kill as many beasts as possible and created all kinds of situations to see how Luci fit in with the group.


    It was clear that Luci was knowledgeable and strong. If there was a powerful beast, she could use her extensive knowledge to kill the beast much faster.


    However, he realized that the more members he got, the harder it was to find someone that would fit in. After all, he had to consider more habits and personalities so that it wouldn''t create a chaotic situation among themselves.


    He learned this after meeting Luci, especially that eccentric side of her.


    Once the sun was set, Clovis gathered the group, discussing whether Luci would be accepted into the group or not.


    Clovis clasped his hands and asked with a solemn expression. "And now we''ll be holding a final meeting. I want to listen to your opinions about Luci and whether she should join us or not."


    Luci looked at them, leaning on Reolf. It seemed she was using Reolf as a cushion while putting some food in her mouth. She was simply too nervous, scared that she would get rejected since the one she was longing for was right before her.


    Reolf didn''t seem to care much about her. As long as Clovis was there, he wouldn''t have to worry about his life.


    Jay was the first one to answer.


    "From the looks of it, her skills and knowledge are indeed the real deal. As a combatant, I don''t have any qualms about her strength. She could be a good addition to the group. And with this number, we can literally split our group into two with four members each.


    "I know that you are planning to make two elite groups, which should be 12 people in total. If you look at the current state, the vanguards are you, me, Erwin, Ragna, and Reolf. With her, we will be able to split the vanguards evenly.


    "Her strength lies in her knowledge and skills. If she is paired with me or you, we can definitely kill the beasts much faster, allowing us to get even more freedom in splitting our forces.


    Last but not least, Reolf simply raised his paw as he barked once while showing a smile.


    It seemed the decision had been made.


    Clovis nodded in understanding before turning to Luci. "So do you have something to say, Lucifania?"


    "Once again, allow me to introduce myself. I am Lucifania. You can call me Luci. I know what I''m lacking the most and understand that you are worried about me doing something reckless.


    "If you think I have made a mistake, please don''t hesitate to tell me about it. I know that my words alone won''t be enough to ease your worries, so I will do my best to prove it one at a time.


    "I''d really love to join the group, and I won''t lie, it''s because this group has what I desire. However, I can promise you that I won''t do any harm to the group. I will get the consent first. So please allow me to join the Libation Fiesta."


    Luci lowered her head.


    They exchanged looks, and eventually their gazes shifted to Clovis as he made the final decision.


    "I understand. After reviewing what everyone has to say, I have made my decision. Welcome on board, Luci."


    Luci''s expression brightened as she raised her head with a shocked expression. She could finally join and learn a lot more about the relationship between humans and beasts. Of course, there were only Clovis and Reolf that piqued her interest.


    As if he were teasing her, Clovis added one more thing. "Oh, by the way, the secret that you want... I think I can simplify it by introducing myself. My name is Clovis Hacfield, nice to meet you."


    Luci''s face immediately changed. "What the f¡ª!"

 Chapter 514 Busted

    "So we have finally gained the eighth member, huh? To think that we would gather all these members so quickly. Just four more spots." Melody stretched her hands while yawning.


    "Yeah. It''s too fast. Then again, Clovis is about to reach Tier 3. If we keep up with this pace, we should be able to reach Tier 4 next year." Kanaria nodded.


    "By the way, where is Clovis?" Melody asked, noticing Luci and Clovis were gone.


    Kanaria pointed to the side, implying that Luci had brought him away to discuss something important.


    And it was very important because, unlike other members who discovered it accidentally or only suspected it, Lucifania was the first one that found it easily.


    Luci brought Clovis away from the group because she noticed that the others didn''t seem to know what it was.


    She stared into his eyes and said with a solemn expression. "What kind of meat have you made your teammates eat?"


    Clovis'' heart skipped a beat. He tilted his head while maintaining his poker face. "What kind of meat? I don''t know what you''re talking about."


    "I know that this is a secret after seeing your teammates'' reaction, but..." Luci looked down. "The meat you brought tasted like something else... It wasn''t a beast. And I couldn''t find any animals that would have such ridiculous... I don''t know what to say. It''s not protein or essence. It''s something else..." Luci crossed her arms, having a hard time to describe it.


    Clovis'' heart sank. How did she notice it? The food he brought out was the one from Another World Mall. Only Tier 2 humans would be affected, but it didn''t change the fact that it came from another world.


    He simply never expected Luci would find out about it just by eating them. It seemed he had underestimated Luci''s knowledge so much.


    At the same time, the truth was something he would reveal eventually. Even Jay had seen the bandage, and Kanaria had been suspicious about the items. Since Another World Mall would allow him to bring other people in the future, he really didn''t want to hide it.


    That was why Clovis asked, "Can you explain how you found out?"


    "I have eaten a lot of beasts, whether they are cooked or raw. I can differentiate their nutrients as well as their essence. When I ate your food, I could sense something rising in me, but it was useless. I''m assuming that it''s something I don''t use or need right now."


    Clovis thought for a moment before shaking his head. "I don''t have any intention to reveal what it is. All I can say is that I mean no harm. It''s to increase everyone''s strength."


    And at that time, Luci might have gained his absolute trust. Hence, he believed this was the best path for both of them.


    "For now, I think it''s better for you to stay in the same mansion as us so that we can work together very often."


    Luci asked, "Can I get my personal laboratory?"


    "I''ll ask Hana about it."


    "Hana? Which Hana?"


    "Hana Skylark."


    "!!!" She was surprised that the Libation Fiesta had a wealthy investor. This also meant the laboratory she would get had high quality. "As long as I can get a good lab, I can do that. In fact, I can promise you that I will only do my research there so that no data will be stolen. This will keep your secret from the rest of the world until you choose to reveal it."


    "That sounds good." Clovis nodded and stretched his hand. "Once again, I''m looking forward to working with you."


    Luci shook his hand and abruptly stopped for a second.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "From the looks of it, Kanaria is the first. Who is the second? Hana Skylark? Or am I worthy of the second position?"


    "Huh?" Clovis was speechless as he couldn''t help but pinch the bridge of his nose.


    "It''s the easiest way to earn your trust."


    "It seems you can''t stop it, huh?"


    "Ehm..." Luci looked down. "Sorry."

 Chapter 515 Earthquake

    For the next several days, Clovis led his team to hunt down all the targets for this trip while familiarizing themselves with Luci''s presence.


    Luci simply allowed them to kill Tier 5 beasts in matters of minutes. While it was true that everyone had gotten stronger, it didn''t change the fact that her knowledge allowed them to find their weak spots easily.


    As a result, they managed to finish their hunts two days earlier than they originally planned. Clovis chose to use those two days to hunt other beasts.@@@@


    Thanks to the hunt, Jay and Kanaria finally had enough essence to reach Tier 3. They just planned to go back and evolve to Tier 3 before making another small trip for Clovis.


    With their current strength, it wouldn''t be weird if Clovis decided to split up his team into two and just defeated two Tier 5 beasts at the same time.


    In fact, as long as Reolf could reach Tier 3 as well, their group would be perfect.


    ...


    Finally, they had returned to the base, asking for permission to leave the army.


    "Have you truly decided to leave the military, Lucifania?" The commander asked with a serious expression.


    Luci was accompanied by Clovis, as this was probably the last time she would ever go back to this base.


    She nodded her head. "Yes, sir. I''m grateful for you to accept me as a part of this base, but as I expect, I still want to fulfill my dream."


    "So joining the Libation Fiesta will allow you to fulfill your dream..." The commander squinted his eyes.


    "Yes, sir."


    The commander turned to Clovis by saying, "She is a handful person, but she is knowledgeable, and her medical expertise is top notch. I know that she will trouble you, so I hope that you can take care of her."


    "Yes." Clovis nodded calmly, knowing what kind of trouble he had invited.


    The commander nodded before returning to Luci. "Have you told your teacher about this?"


    "I''m about to tell him."


    "Alright then." The commander had confirmed everything. He stood up, straightened his back, and saluted. "Thank you for your service."


    "Thank you."


    The soldiers waved their hands. In fact, there were more soldiers than he saw one week ago as if they had heard about her leaving the base today. No, it would be more accurate that the soldiers were actually waiting for them to pass.


    Luci returned to her laboratory for a moment to gather up her personal belongings while Clovis waited outside.


    He didn''t bother to take a peek at Luci''s laboratory since he knew it would be full of beast corpses. However, there was one thing that bothered him.


    ''The commander and the soldiers aside, there should be a lot of people trying to recruit her, right? The fact that she hasn''t gone to any of them means two possibilities. The first one is that Luci is not interested in them. The second one is that they don''t provide a good enough laboratory compared to the military.


    Or does the military procure her all the resources she needs, considering this is a base near one of the most dangerous zones in this country?''


    Clovis squinted his eyes. The first one would mean they would be a target of jealousy of those people, which might lead to a bigger conflict. The second one would simply give him some relief.


    "I''m done here!" Before he could finish his thought, Luci had come out, bringing a box that contained all her personal belongings.


    "Need help?"


    "No. It''s not heavy, and I have Muscle Affinity, unlike you." She shook her head.


    "Alright. Let''s get out." Clovis nodded as they once again heard the cheers from the soldiers.


    "Goodbye!"


    "Have a safe journey."


    "We wish you luck!"


    The soldiers'' reactions were somewhat funny for Clovis, but their celebrations had to end when, all of a sudden, the ground was shaking violently.


    "!!!" All of them suddenly held the wall next to them. Even Luci almost dropped her box.


    The alarm rang from the outside as the soldiers shouted, "Earthquake! It''s Earthquake! Hurry up and evacuate!"


    They all sprung into action, helping the civilians, including Clovis.

 Chapter 516 Chaotic

    "Evacuate! Go to the rendezvous point!" The soldier waved his hand, asking Clovis to move forward.


    Clovis and Luci were able to maintain their calm, but the situation was looking bad.


    While rushing out of the building, Clovis asked, "Has something like this happened before?"


    "No." Luci shook her head. "This place is not prone to earthquakes, so I''m not sure what it is. The only thing I''m sure of is that the earthquake should be quite big!"


    As Luci said those words, the ceiling suddenly fell down. Clovis immediately grabbed her and came to a halt, stopping her.


    Right after they dropped, Clovis continued moving forward, this time taking the lead. His reaction speed was much faster, so it would be better to have him in the front.


    Even though they were running straight, their bodies kept going left and right. They even had to support their bodies by placing their hands on the wall.


    Clovis suddenly stopped as the ceiling collapsed. It wasn''t just a single cell that collapsed, but the entire ceiling. The only thing remaining above them was just the roof with a hole in it.


    "We''re blocked." Clovis clicked his tongue and turned to the side. Without hesitation, he opened one of the doors but didn''t see a window.


    "We''re stuck!" Clovis turned to Luci.


    "There is no other way. We have to go back. There is another pathway to that side, so we won''t find the window." Luci shook her head.


    "Then, let''s go!" Clovis didn''t expect that the earthquake would be this powerful and last for this long.


    As they came back, he kept waving to the soldiers while shouting, "Not good. This path is blocked!"


    With Luci''s help, the soldiers believed them and immediately informed the others.


    They could see some walls collapsed and hit three people.


    The last earthquake recorded, according to Skynet, was 40 years ago."


    Clovis bit his lips. "Take care of that side for now. We''ll regroup once the situation calms down."


    "Alright." Kanaria hung up.


    Clovis'' expression turned pale. "With such a magnitude, won''t there be an aftershock?"


    Luci was still too focused on the patients, so Clovis had to figure out the situation. The commander should know about this, but he shouldn''t bother him in this situation. Hence, he came a bit closer so that he could listen to what he was saying to his subordinates.


    "Gather up the troops. We need the reinforcement from the rest of the military base. No matter what, we have to stop the beasts!"


    "!!!" Clovis widened his eyes in shock. The earthquake was so big that even Reolf was rampaging, so it wouldn''t be weird if the rest of the beasts would also come toward them.


    "The 1st battalion will form the defense line. The 2nd battalion will help with the evacuation of the civilians. Ask the explorers if necessary. Tell them that right now, the base is the most dangerous place as well as their safest place. Tell the 3rd battalion to set up the perimeter."


    The commander kept giving orders after orders as he needed. Eventually, he asked, "What about the headquarters? Have they sent reinforcement?"


    "They are splitting their army. This place is not the only one affected."


    "For fuck sake. Do they know this base is the most important front line right now? If we collapse, those areas will be impacted as well." The commander gnashed his teeth in frustration. "Tell them to come here quickly. If they don''t, we won''t be able to stop them. There is a chance that the Tier 7 beast will also be coming."


    "Yes, sir!"


    The people were running back and forth. Even though he had given all kinds of orders, there was one thing that he hadn''t said. "Sir... What about the people on the way here?"


    "We don''t have enough manpower to do that." The commander gritted his teeth. "We have to focus our troops here if we want to even hold out the enemies."


    Clovis'' expression turned grim after hearing that answer.

 Chapter 517 Decision

    "Not good!"


    "Not good!"


    "The epicenter is in the sea bed, located 120 km southwest of the coast of Rinjuana. The magnitude is 8.2 Richter scale. There is a high chance of a tsunami."


    "Sir. There is potential that a Tier 7 beast will be coming out of the Great Beast Forest. Base 059 is requesting reinforcement."


    "Locasta City is also asking for reinforcement."


    There were more and more reinforcement requests coming from all over the place.


    The commander at the headquarters gnashed his teeth, looking at the map. The earthquake had been projected on the screen, allowing him to assess the situation better.


    "The 3rd and 7th battalions will immediately set off to Base 059. The 1st, 4th, and 5th battalions will go to Base 059 at your pace. The 2nd Battalion will go to..." The commander gave the order based on the severity of the damage.


    As expected, he sent thirty percent of them to Base 059. He knew what would happen if Base 059 were to fall.


    And currently, Base 059 didn''t have enough manpower to handle such a huge beast wave.


    "We might need to send a Tier 8 human to control the situation over there."


    The commander gnashed his teeth. "Tell General Grey to head to base 059."


    "Yes, sir!"


    The commander''s expression turned grim, thinking about the potential of an aftershock. It could be said that this one beast wave might not be the only one they had to stop.


    Of course, the commander wasn''t the only one panicking right now. Even Hana was clutching her head. "How can there be an earthquake at this timing? How unlucky Clovis'' group is for them to experience something like this..."


    Hana bit her lips. She wanted to contact her grandfather, but the latter had actually called her first.


    "Grandfather!"


    "I understand Ragna, but Jay? Isn''t Melody more suitable to help us?" Luci tilted her head in confusion.


    "This is uncharted territory for me as well. I don''t know if there would be beasts suddenly coming in your direction. Hence, I will ask Jay to stay with you guys.


    "Meanwhile, Melody will be helpful on the front. I''m planning to move a bit far from the rescue squad to avoid them finding Reolf. More importantly, she can fly, so she is more flexible than Jay."


    "I see." Luci nodded in understanding.


    Before he could continue, he got a call from Hana.


    The moment he picked up the call, Hana''s scream immediately rang. "I have sent a battleship!"


    Clovis was taken aback but immediately said, "Calm down for a second."


    Hana took a deep breath. "Alright. How is the situation over there?"


    "It''s chaotic. How about over there?"


    "It''s safe. From what I have heard, they are sending a few battalions to your place. In fact, a few fighter jets should be arriving pretty soon. It should be enough to take some burden off your shoulders. The problem will be whether that is enough or not. After all, while the fighter jets have enough firepower, it doesn''t change the fact that the beasts are more agile.


    The flying beasts might end up destroying several of them if they are not careful."


    Clovis agreed with her. "For now, we will be moving separately from them."


    "Are you insane?!" Hana screamed at him.


    Clovis smiled wryly. "I know, I know. It can''t be helped. Besides, this will be beneficial for my group''s reputation. And we can also gain some extra essence. We should be able to get away if we are forced to."


    "Do you know¡ª"


    Hana wanted to reprimand him, but Clovis had hung up. "Bye."


    Clovis could imagine Hana cursing him, but they simply had no time to waste.

 Chapter 518 Help

    "Ugh!" A guy let out a groan as he gradually pushed his body back. He had a hard time opening his right eye, and it seemed something was flowing down that eye.


    That liquid gradually reached the edge of his lips, giving a familiar taste.


    "Blood?" The guy suddenly snapped back, realizing what had just happened. He immediately raised his head and saw himself hitting the car in front of him.


    Once he regained a bit of his composure and the ringing in his ears had subsided, he could finally hear screams, asking for help from all around him.


    "Earthquake..." He remembered everything. That was right. The earthquake was so powerful that it completely messed with the cars around him. It was too late to slow down, so they ended up hitting each other.


    It was especially bad because this place had never experienced an earthquake. In fact, the bridge that was supposed to be behind him actually collapsed.


    The bridge was there only for an underpass, but it should have killed several people.


    "Wait..." The guy immediately turned around and saw his family on the back. "Guys. Wake up!"


    They all seemed to have passed out. His wife was holding their two kids and still refused to let them go, so he hurriedly took off the seatbelt and immediately moved to the back.


    "Help!"


    He shouted as well, trying to get some help. But no matter how hard he tried, no help would come. After all, the military base near them couldn''t send out their men to rescue them.


    More importantly, they started hearing roars coming from a distance.


    He raised his head, finding the beasts coming from far north. The beasts that were usually staying quietly inside the forest suddenly went berserk.


    It all started from one beast, but that one beast let out a roar that informed other beasts. The process repeated until tens of beasts suddenly followed them to the road.


    "This is not good. We have to go. Help! Please. My wife and children need help!" The guy kept shouting while trying to carry all three of them. However, it was simply impossible.


    Everyone was running and screaming, fearing for their lives. However, where could they go?


    The closer the beasts were, the more panicked they had become.


    "What?" The guy widened his eyes in shock. He never expected the helper could kill a Tier 4 beast so easily. It was clear their helper was a high-tier human, which would definitely make them feel relieved.


    To his surprise, the one he saw once he turned his head was a Tier 2 kid. "What?"


    It was Jay. The latter didn''t care about his reaction. He simply shouted, "Ragna! Help Luci recover as many people as possible and send them toward the base. We are not with the military, so just briefly reveal the situation to them if they are uncontrollable. Get as many people as you can to help if possible!"


    "Got it!" Ragna and Luci nodded.


    "Kanaria. Cover us!"


    "Okay." Kanaria already shifted to the next target.


    Jay turned to that guy and said, "We will kill all the beasts around here. Make sure they don''t kill any humans."


    The guy obviously agreed with him. Even though Jay was Tier 2, it was apparent that his strength far surpassed it.


    In fact, he felt like he recognized his face but couldn''t recall who.


    "But there will be more beasts coming toward us. We have to move fast. The next wave will probably be larger than this one."


    "It doesn''t matter." Jay shook his head.


    Of course it was going to be fine. A second howl was the signal if Clovis and the others had reached their position.


    Clovis, Erwin, Reolf, and Melody were standing side by side, looking at numerous beasts coming toward them.


    "Reolf. Work together with Melody and repel as many beasts as possible. Erwin will take care of our right and create traps all around the area. If you are in doubt, just send them to the middle. I''ll take care of it."


    "You''re working too hard, Captain." Erwin smirked.


    "Indeed. Just leave it to us!" Melody nodded.


    "Waaf!" Reolf also responded. All of them were ready to fight all these beasts by themselves.

 Chapter 519 Wolf Rider

    "The beasts are coming!"


    The soldiers shouted as they were targeting the beasts that had just emerged from the forest. "Shoot them!"


    The soldiers immediately fired all their bullets. The turrets on top of the wall were firing, obliterating the beasts.


    There were also a lot of explorers that participated in this battle, considering they had no other way out. If the military failed in this place, the beasts would overrun them not long after. Hence, it was better to just join the fight.


    Boom!


    Boom!


    Boom!


    The mines that had just been scattered around the area started to blow up, killing tens of beasts.


    However, that wasn''t enough.


    The commander raised his head, looking at the trees that were bulldozed by the beasts as they came to this place.


    "How many beasts are there? Tens of thousands?" The commander bit his lips. "Without the support from the headquarters, we won''t be able to hold for so long. More importantly..."


    The commander squinted his eyes as if he were waiting for a huge silhouette coming.


    The battle had become more chaotic the moment it reached their wall. Without being able to enter, the beasts didn''t have a choice but to go around the base.


    The base''s gates had been locked, so no beasts could enter easily. However, it also meant that there wouldn''t be people coming to this place.


    Once the beasts were about to reach the top, several soldiers surrounded it and attacked this beast from multiple sides, killing the beast. They kicked it off the wall, its corpse crashing to another beast.


    Their coordination, strength, and even weapons couldn''t be compared to the city they lived in just a month ago.


    Several missiles flew into the sky and bombarded the enemies. However, more and more beasts simply came out, as though there were an unlimited number of beasts inhabiting this jungle.


    "About one kilometer."


    "Tell those people to run for their lives. We will be giving you fifteen minutes. Jay?"


    "Understood." Jay''s tone turned serious.


    It was clear that Jay would be leading the group even if he had to use force.


    Erwin clicked his tongue. "This is going to be annoying. How many beasts are there? Can they be any less?"


    "What are you talking about? This is already so little. We are talking about a forest with a size of one hundred kilometers in all directions. You think they will only have a few tens of thousands of beasts? No way. They will probably have hundreds of thousands, if not millions.


    We should feel lucky that only about a thousand are coming toward us." Melody shook her head helplessly.


    "Nevertheless, this place is going to be dangerous. Even if we can save those people, we will have to expose Reolf. That''s why I have a different plan." Clovis'' expression turned serious.


    "A different plan? Against those beasts?"


    "Yeah. And the ones that might come after that." Clovis nodded. "We will split our group even further. I will go with Reolf, bringing down as many beasts as possible. You two will regroup with Jay."


    "Are you serious?" Erwin frowned.


    "Yeah. I''m serious. If we don''t do this, not only will Reolf be exposed, but we''ll also be in mortal danger." Clovis sighed. "Jay is to take over the command of the group once we split up."


    There were two reasons why he chose this approach. He revealed the first reason to Melody, "Tell Jay and Kanaria to use this precious time to get as much essence as possible. It will be even better if they can evolve to Tier 3. I and Reolf will buy as much time as possible for them."


    "!!!" Melody and Erwin looked surprised, but this was probably the most logical decision. If Jay and Kanaria could reach Tier 3, the group''s survival would definitely be much higher.


    The second card was something he couldn''t reveal, but going with Reolf was much safer than going alone. After all, with Reolf''s size, he could easily ride on him like a knight. Combining his speed and Reolf becoming his mount, even if he couldn''t defeat the enemies, he could always escape.


    Since the beasts were about to reach them, Clovis immediately rushed forth, not waiting for them to reply. He slashed the beasts, killing them in rapid succession without using his perfect state.


    There was one thing he didn''t want to tell them. He was actually planning to use this incident to also reach Tier 3.

 Chapter 520 Leaving the Battlefield

    *Roar!*


    *Roar!*


    *Roar!*


    The beasts were coming toward Clovis, pouncing on him. However, Clovis simply sped up and cut down the beasts in rapid succession.


    His strike was swift and precise, killing all the beasts that only needed a single strike. If there were any beasts stronger or bigger, he would ignore them and go to the other side.


    More and more beasts either fell down to the ground or had their heads flying, but to their surprise, not a single of them actually managed to reach Clovis.


    Even if they wanted to surround him, they ended up dying before they had enough numbers.


    The beasts couldn''t stop either because the beasts on their backs would collide with them.


    Clovis completely played around with the beasts while killing as many as possible. Once they crashed into each other, it would then create a wall of bodies that once again became a barrier that stopped them.


    Melody had seen this kind of fight during the mission on the wasteland. He skillfully directed the beasts so that they would destroy themselves.


    Erwin clenched his hands into fists. Their fighting style was so different that he couldn''t even replicate it.


    Still, there was another way to stop the beasts. Instead of creating wires around, he actually pulled all the wires he created earlier with so much force that they snapped.


    The trunks were falling down, but the area was cleared up.


    The beasts leaped into the air and skillfully landed on top of these trunks as if they were not concerned about this type of terrain.


    That was when Erwin struck them with his wires. The moment they stopped, the beasts behind them would have leaped into the air and ended up crashing into them.


    The crash was even bigger than the one Clovis made because of the trunks. They rolled down and caused an ever-changing terrain. If the beasts missed their jumps, they would simply create another crash.


    Meanwhile, Melody actually did all the work on the left side. She dropped all the grenades she brought strategically. The blasts injured the beasts and even forced some of the beasts to avoid it, which ended up becoming Reolf''s prey.


    The beasts were panicking because they simply couldn''t catch Reolf. After all, Reolf''s running speed was faster than Clovis. Clovis could easily steer Reolf and kill all the beasts at the same rate.


    Before the beasts were noticing, Reolf had slightly gone to the left, which actually pulled the beasts toward him, splitting the group into two.


    With Melody and Erwin going to the right side, the beasts couldn''t find them anymore and had to turn around and chase what they could see.


    Over two-thirds of the beasts ended up following Clovis and Reolf, but this was when Clovis showed the mall''s superiority.


    "Eat this." Clovis took out several pieces of food and threw them into Reolf''s mouth. Unlike his small mouth, Reolf devoured them in an instant.


    [Effect: Speed +20% for 5 minutes.]


    [Effect: Strength +30% for 3 minutes.]


    Clovis also had the time to eat them without Melody and Erwin noticing it. With the additional physical strength, Clovis and Reolf went rampage.


    "Rooa?"


    "Roo!"


    The beasts were flying left and right as Reolf finally broke through their formation.


    Now that there was nothing in front of them, Reolf sped up and let them chase after him.


    Melody and Erwin were stunned. They had never thought Clovis would be this powerful just by becoming a wolf rider.


    Unfortunately, they still had their job. Once Clovis and Reolf were gone, they immediately slowed down the enemies with a barrage of bullets as well as wires.


    They gradually made their way toward the base.


    On the other hand, Clovis and Reolf went in a different direction, bringing over a thousand beasts with them.


    Clovis lowered his body and whispered, "We''ll be fighting together, Reolf. We''ll separate them from the main group as far as possible and then kill them. There is also something I''d like to try, so bring us there." Clovis pointed to the northwest with a smile on his face.

 Chapter 521 Reinforcements

    The beasts were chasing after Clovis and Reolf, but with the help of Another World Mall''s food and equipment, Reolf outran them.


    The moment there was a building in their way, Reolf immediately turned around, using the building as a cover.


    The beasts followed Reolf, but the latter had actually looped around the building and hit their flank.


    Clovis and Reolf broke through their ranks, killing more than twenty beasts in the process.


    The rest of the beasts turned around to attack him, but the beasts from behind ended up crashing into them.


    Reolf stopped the moment the majority of the beasts fell down. Even Reolf was surprised that the strategy worked. He couldn''t help but wonder if he was that foolish in the past.


    Nevertheless, there were only a few beasts left that came to attack them. Without hesitation, both of them charged at them and killed as many beasts as possible.


    Once the beasts recovered, they started running away again, continuously kiting the beasts as far as possible.


    There was one thing that made Clovis concerned about these beasts. There were simply no high tier beasts among them. Even a single Tier 5 was not spotted despite this forest being known to be a high level danger zone.


    ...


    Former Base 059.


    "Come here! We have to close the gate. Anyone know how to operate it?" Kanaria asked out loud.


    Unfortunately, not a single one of them found anything. As a result, Kanaria immediately pointed to the side. "Get into that building. It''ll be better if everyone can enter that building so that we know which building needs to be protected."


    The people didn''t know what to do. They were not from the military, so they didn''t trust them that much.


    However, the moment they heard a series of roars coming from a distance, they panicked and hurriedly rushed to the building, not wanting to die.


    On the other hand, Kanaria asked, "Is that you, Erwin, Melody?"


    "Yep. We''ve got company. It''s only two hundred beasts. The rest are following Clovis," Melody reported.


    "Where is he?"


    Not a single beast could last more than a single thrust against him, causing the corpses to pile up around him.


    The Tier 7 beast in the distance seemed to have no indication of making its move.


    Meanwhile, his subordinate had actually said, "Commander. You have to go now. They''re about to arrive."


    The commander frowned. On the one hand, he wanted to bait the Tier 7 beast to be a bit closer so that the reinforcement would hit it as well.


    Unfortunately, it didn''t seem to be going according to his plan. He had no choice but to jump back to the wall.


    The pilots were approaching the base fast.


    "Targets in sight."


    "Arrival in 10 seconds."


    The soldiers couldn''t help but turn around. The beasts were disturbed by the loud sound produced by the engines, but the jets flew so fast that they couldn''t catch up.


    They dropped several bombs in rapid succession.


    Boom!


    Boom!


    Boom!


    The explosions were much more massive compared to any explosives they had in the base. Each explosion killed tens of beasts and impacted a lot more.


    The beasts were blown away due to the impact.


    The commander muttered, "They''ve finally come."


    The bombardment was still not over. There should be more coming. In addition, the earlier two planes would definitely return.


    In fact, the commander was correct. More and more were coming. And it wasn''t just an air bombardment. There were a series of helicopters coming, each had been equipped with their own weapons.


    Unknown to them, these reinforcements would actually cause a much bigger problem for Clovis and the others.

 Chapter 522 Flying Beasts

    Over the next minute, another two pairs of fighters were dropping their bombs on the enemy''s rank, completely wrecking the enemies apart.


    "Uoohh!"


    The soldiers cheered out loud. This was their power. They could definitely stand a chance against these beasts as long as the support continued coming in.


    The commander couldn''t help but smile. Now that the morale had been restored, it was time for a counterattack.


    He immediately sent messengers to his subordinates, focusing on the counterattack. Even he, the commander, planned to kill a lot of beasts this time. While it was true the Tier 7 beast was hard to beat, it didn''t change the fact that the reinforcements were enough to keep it at bay.


    In the meantime, he could kill the beasts on other walls, which would lessen their burdens.


    To his surprise, the Tier 7 beast suddenly let out a roar.@@@@


    "!!!'' The commander halted his step and looked at the Tier 7 beast. It didn''t seem that this beast was coming, so he thought this was just a false alarm. Even the rest of the beasts weren''t responding.


    The moment he was about to go to another wall, another pair of planes were coming straight at them.


    The two pilots were ready to drop their loads, but all of a sudden, several figures flew into the sky. They didn''t fly as fast as the fighter jets, but they were actually flying toward their path.


    "What? Pull up!" The two pilots panicked and tried to pull up, but it was too late.


    Both of them actually hit the flying beasts. The noses of the planes were destroyed, followed by an explosion.


    Of course, the flying beasts also ended up getting killed. All that kinetic energy simply destroyed the beasts'' bodies, but the beasts didn''t mind sacrificing themselves for the Tier 7 beasts.


    "!!!" The commander widened his eyes in shock. Dropping these bombs would be more accurate if they did it at low altitude, but this also meant the beasts could easily reach them.


    In fact, the Tier 7 beast seemed to have made that order. It knew the flying beasts couldn''t go against the jets'' speed, but that didn''t mean they couldn''t destroy it.


    Due to his reflexes, he managed to change his trajectory a bit, but his left wing still hit the pillar and caused a massive explosion.


    The last thing the pilot saw was a huge shadow that took off into the sky.


    "Alpha 6 is down! I repeat, Alpha 6 is down." The other pilot couldn''t help but look at the enemy that appeared all of a sudden.


    The bird had an enormous wingspan, reaching up to 30 meters. It had a long, toothless beak. On another look, the pilot realized it wasn''t a bird.


    He immediately reported, "Not good. Pteranodon is spotted. I repeat, Pteranodon is spotted. The enemy is suspected to be Tier 6 or Tier 7."


    The pteranodon let out a loud cry, startling everything around the area.


    Even the commander widened his eyes. "Not good! There is a Tier 6 Pteranodon."


    It was clear that the flying beasts would be engaging their reinforcement in a dogfight. Even if they couldn''t win against them in speed, the beasts were intelligent enough to make them unable to drop the bombs in the more populated area. It would ultimately render their reinforcement useless.


    That was why the reinforcements were usually composed of both ground and air units. Still, the ground units would definitely take longer to reach this area.


    The commander immediately ordered, "Releasing anti-air missiles. Clean up the sky right away and let our boys blast them!"


    Without hesitation, a few anti-air turrets were rotating, facing the flying beasts. Multiple missiles flew into the sky, hitting several beasts.


    However, some beasts were actually fast enough to tilt their bodies in a way that they actually avoided the missiles at the last moment.


    The commander gritted his teeth. He looked around the area, desperate to regain their upper hand.


    It was then he noticed one spot. Without hesitation, the commander immediately shouted, "We need to hit there!"


    His assistant immediately shifted his device to point in the direction the commander wanted to hit. "Establishing the coordinate. It''s completed!"


    "Blast them!"

 Chapter 523 Everything They Had

    "Blast them!"


    "There are still too many flying beasts. The headquarters are telling us to hold on until the helicopters arrive. With the additional firepower, it should be enough to clear up the enemies."


    "Tsk." The commander gnashed his teeth. "Do they know what we''re doing here?"


    The commander couldn''t really do anything about this, fully aware that this was just a whine. He truly had no other choice but to keep the beasts here, especially with more and more beasts coming.


    The worst possible outcome would be the appearance of another Tier 7 beast. When that happened, the base would be overrun by those two Tier 7 beasts.


    "Fine! We''ll change our arrangement." The commander started giving his orders to all armies.


    As expected, the Tier 7 beast also ordered his beasts, causing those low-intelligence beasts to fight in an orderly manner.


    No matter how hard the commander tried to gain the upper hand, the Tier 7 beast would be prepared for it and send more beasts in that direction. In the end, this was a battle where the beasts outnumbered at least twenty times. Even with all the supplies here, it would be hard to win.


    That was why the commander chose attrition warfare, which allowed him to preserve as many soldiers as possible.


    Finally, after maintaining the balance for thirty minutes, flapping sounds echoed from the side.


    The soldiers couldn''t help but turn their heads to the side before raising their vision, finding a group of helicopters.


    Unlike the fighter jet, the helicopters weren''t fast, allowing them to engage in a close battle.


    Of course, the ones that saw them were not just the humans. Even the flying beasts turned around, realizing that there was yet another wave of reinforcement.


    "Ree!" The pteranodon let out a cry, ordering the rest of the flying beasts to turn around and engage with this wave of reinforcement.


    The flying beasts hurriedly followed its instructions, creating a wall that would block the helicopters.


    However, that was the last thing they wanted.


    Boom!


    Boom!


    Boom!


    A series of bombs hit the target and blasted all the beasts on that one spot.


    There was a reason the commander chose this spot. Behind this spot were numerous beasts, much more than any other spots.


    That was why he wanted to break them apart by puncturing a hole.


    As a result, the beasts had to turn around, causing the flow to be disrupted. This would buy the base a bit more time.


    "Good." The commander''s expression turned serious, looking at the Tier 7 beast. "In that case, there is only one thing left to do."


    "Sir. This is too dangerous. There are still too many enemies around that beast. If you go right now, you will end up endangering your lives."


    "If we don''t attack the Tier 7 right now, the Tier 7 will act the same as mine, commanding the beasts as he pleases. You should be aware that high level beasts have high intelligence. This beast must have the same intelligence as us, no, its intelligence might surpass average humans." The commander squinted his eyes.


    Looking at how well the beast was able to keep up with him, especially commanding the flying beasts to stop their reinforcement, made him realize that he had to keep the beast busy for any reinforcements to be effective.


    "You are to arrange the positions of our reinforcement, specifically those helicopters. We truly need them if we want to win. Use them until the ground army arrives."


    The soldier gulped down before nodding his head. "Understood, sir. I won''t disappoint you."


    The commander jumped off the wall with a smile, heading straight to the Tier 7 beast.


    But because of his actions, there was one thing that changed. Instead of keeping every single beast in this place, those explosions actually scattered a portion of the beasts.


    And due to their positions, the beasts ultimately headed west, which was none other than Libation Fiesta''s location.

 Chapter 524 Money

    Clovis looked at the numerous corpses in front of him. After fifteen minutes and exhausting a lot of his stamina, he finally killed all those beasts.


    It was fortunate that Reolf was here, allowing him to speed up.


    "Ha... Ha..." Clovis'' hands were shaking after using the ranged attacks multiple times. Each of them required all his momentum, so it put a lot of strain on his arms.


    Fortunately, Clovis could drink some water and put on bandages from Another World Mall, allowing him to recover a lot of his stamina within a short period of time. Of course, there was no way he would forget about Reolf.


    It was pretty lucky that he could feed Reolf with items from Another World Mall without any problems.


    "Good boy. Are you still good to go?" Clovis asked with a serious expression.


    "Waaf!" Reolf nodded furiously.


    "Alright. Unfortunately, we can''t go back to where they are right now since we don''t want you to be found yet. However, we can kite more beasts that are coming this way." Clovis thought for a moment.


    Meanwhile, Reolf was pumped up for more action. It was quite hard for his body, but it was much better because it felt so rewarding.


    "Are you going to evolve to Tier 3 soon, Reolf?" Clovis asked.


    Reolf tilted his head in confusion. Unfortunately, it didn''t seem that he couldn''t check Reolf''s progression even with the items from Another World Mall. He could only keep feeding him until eventually he would evolve.


    Still, it appeared that their resting time would have to be interrupted.


    All of a sudden, they heard a lot of roars coming from a distance.


    "!!!" Both Clovis and Reolf immediately turned around, staring at the distance as if they were calculating the number of beasts coming toward them.


    "This doesn''t look good." Clovis frowned. "If they''re coming toward Kanaria and the others, it will be catastrophic. After all, both Kanaria and Jay must be in the middle of evolving to Tier 3."


    However, what if Clovis actually needed it for one reason or another? When she thought about it, the only possible situation was Clovis getting robbed. He needed a ransom.


    Of course, talking about Clovis, there was no way that was the only possibility. He must have had other reasons that she couldn''t imagine.


    And it had been shown by how much Clovis valued money but rarely spent it for real. In fact, most of their money was either stuck in his account or just spent by Kanaria.


    Clovis could claim that he just saved the money so that Kanaria could use it in the future to fulfill her goal, but it didn''t make sense, especially since he had a close relationship with a conglomerate like her.


    It was clear that Clovis'' obsession with money was due to something else. And this might be related to his secret.


    That was why Hana asked, "Are you going to explain to me after this is done?"


    Clovis had a wry smile. As expected, Hana figured it out. Unfortunately, there was only one answer to this question. "No."


    He didn''t know whether he would give that information to Hana or not, especially since she wasn''t a part of her group.


    "Alright." Hana nodded. "Give me five minutes."


    "Can you do it faster? We might not have five minutes here."


    "In that case, I will just send you some money for now. I''ll subtract the amount from the royalty I''m supposed to send you later."


    "That works too."


    "Alright." Hana immediately hung up and transferred the money.


    Clovis didn''t know how much he would get, but his aim remained the same. He had to get enough money to upgrade his mall to open a new store.


    He just hoped that this new store would be able to help him against those beasts.


    With a single dull *ding* sound, Clovis checked his phone, specifically the message regarding the transfer.

 Chapter 525 New Store

    [You''ve received 125,000,000 Union Dollars.]


    Clovis was quite surprised by the amount, but he didn''t bother with it and immediately went to Another World Mall. "Wait for me here, Reolf."


    "Waaf!" Reolf responded as he saw Clovis disappearing into thin air. He looked shocked and tried to sniff him but to no avail. In the end, he just remained on that spot, waiting for Clovis.


    Meanwhile, Clovis immediately shouted, "Blue!"


    [I am here, Master.]


    Blue had been waiting at the entrance as usual. Clovis said, "Upgrade my membership to level 22."


    [Processing.]


    [-15,000,000 Otherworldly Coins]


    [Membership is upgraded to level 20.]


    [-25,000,000 Otherworldly Coins]


    [Membership is upgraded to level 21.]


    [-50,000,000 Otherworldly Coins]


    [Membership is upgraded to level 22.]


    [Opening a New Store.]


    "What is the new store?" Clovis asked hurriedly. He didn''t have a lot of time, so he rushed toward the new store.


    [It is an art store, Master.]


    "Art Store?" Clovis looked confused, but the moment he reached the new store, every doubt was quickly answered. It was like an art exhibition.


    The stores were simple. The walls were white so that the art displayed on the walls would show its true value.


    As soon as Clovis entered the art store, he quickly noticed several paintings inside the stores.


    "Don''t tell me." Clovis shook his head. Although he wanted to admire the painting longer, he realized another thing. The information on the art had been updated. There was one more additional category that explained why he snapped back to reality.


    Status: Pay first for the full experience.


    "You serious?" Clovis was speechless. It seemed that he really needed to buy the painting if he wanted to fully understand it.


    At the same time, he looked around, his eyes scanning all those paintings.


    "Why don''t I have a super discount for the new shop?" Clovis gritted his teeth. "No matter. Even if I have to go broke today, I need to buy everything. At least, I will have to find which one is suitable for Reolf and me."


    In Clovis'' mind, he wanted to buy these paintings so that he could decorate the mansion. This way, the others would also take a look at those paintings and understand something suitable for them.


    Even if he couldn''t buy any other items for the next one or two days, he had to buy as many paintings as possible. "Blue!"


    [Understood.]


    Blue immediately registered everything as Clovis made his payment. There were a lot of things he skipped because of the time constraint, but it didn''t matter.


    "Thank you!" Clovis said out loud as he returned to reality.


    "Waaf?!" Reolf looked shocked when Clovis came back. It was as if he turned into a ghost for a moment.


    "I don''t have time. Take a look at these collections, Reolf!" Clovis just dropped the paintings he bought so that both of them could scan and observe whatever had a connection with their hearts.


    Surprisingly, it wasn''t that hard as well.


    The painting that piqued Clovis'' interest was called the Fearless Lightning Petrel. It was a painting of a bird moving through the lightning storm, but instead of the bravery of the bird, the painting actually highlighted the understanding of the lightning.


    Meanwhile, Reolf was actually fixated on a painting of grassland. It was just a simple grassland with two hills in the distance. The wind was strong.


    Inside that painting, Reolf was free. He could move anywhere he liked, but more importantly, he was actually riding the wind. The latter actually blew according to his will, boosting his speed.


    Reolf was stunned for a few minutes before returning to reality. It was then he noticed that on his four feet, there were weird sensations.


    He leaped out of curiosity, but he was stunned when his jump reached out twice its original distance. There was only one thing that could explain this phenomenon, and Reolf also knew it.


    Did he just acquire a unique ability that would end up becoming a beast soul if he died?

 Chapter 526 Testing New Strength

    "Are you ready?" Clovis asked after opening his eyes. He felt refreshed after looking at the painting.


    "Waaf!" It appeared Reolf was much faster than him. He had been waiting for Clovis to finish, and it was finally their time.


    "We will go like our original plan. We''ll do our best to bring a lot of them away from Kanaria and the others," said Clovis while putting back the paintings.


    "Waaf!" Reolf looked excited, as if he wanted to test the new ability he got.


    "Haha. Alright, alright." Clovis chuckled and immediately hopped on top of him while saying, "Chase after them, Reolf. Show me what you''ve got from the painting."


    Reolf immediately ran at full speed, his change of pace was somehow increasing drastically.


    "Is this what you get from the painting? The change of pace is not bad. Not bad at all." Clovis looked impressed. If he utilized this change of pace, Reolf could become a much more terrifying existence on a battlefield.


    In fact, Clovis had been utilizing the change of pace to catch his enemy off guard. That was why he would probably tell Reolf how to utilize it properly after this was done.


    However, Reolf shook his head. "Waaf!"


    "What? That''s not all?" Clovis'' expression looked even more excited. "Alright. Show me, Reolf. Or do you need an enemy to take down?"


    Reolf glanced at Clovis while running as if trying to say this was going to be dangerous.


    Seeing the worry on his face, Clovis held him tightly. "Is this good enough?"


    "Waaf!" Reolf smiled as his speed began to increase. No, his speed actually doubled the original speed.


    Reolf was supposed to be slower than Clovis, but with the current speed, he is almost 1.5 times faster than him.


    "This is..." Reolf gasped. It was as if he was riding in the wind.


    "So fast, Reolf. This is good!" Clovis smirked. With this, they might be able to do much better than they originally expected. "Catch up to them."


    It was confusing at first, but he could somehow understand it.


    Why would the flash of the lightning appear first before the thunder shook? It was a simple answer with science. The light simply traveled faster than the sound.


    But for a fighter like him? The answer he found was lying inside of him.


    He had been utilizing his ranged attack in a way that the ranged attack would travel right after he swung his sword.


    It wasn''t wrong, but his understanding was incomplete, which caused his ranged attack to be severely weakened.


    The ranged attack should be like the lightning and the thunder. This was probably what Mara Leverstrike did.


    She swung the glaive so fast that the cut was completed first before the ranged attack was launched.


    This time, Clovis imagined himself like lightning. When the beasts approached him from the right, Clovis gathered his momentum on his right sword and swung his sword.


    The swing was so fast that it cut through the air, creating a path for the air behind his sword to flow.


    And the target was obvious.


    Several Tier 1 beasts widened their eyes in shock. Their instincts were telling them to dodge, but it was too late.


    The top parts of their bodies were sent flying. The force didn''t stop at them. It traveled for more than five meters and hit the beasts behind them.


    Clovis'' ranged attack had just improved from only one meter to five meters. And that happened just by staring into a painting for a short period of time. What if he studied more about arts and looked at them for a long time?


    He couldn''t imagine the result.


    But that was what made it even more interesting.


    Reolf used his change of pace to leap from one beast to another while Clovis took down a lot of beasts in rapid succession.


    Their impact was so big that one of the two Tier 5 beasts had to chase after them. That was when Clovis said, "Alright. We have done enough. Time to go."

 Chapter 527 An Attack

    Melody frowned. "Another wave is coming."


    Kanaria and Jay were still trying to evolve to Tier 3 by filling up the rest of essence they needed.


    However, they would still need some time to finish.


    "It seems that we have to stop them with only four of us." Erwin stepped outside the base.


    "I will also help since I''m done with the basic treatment." Luci nodded in agreement.


    "In that case, Luci and Ragna can fight them head-on. I will support you from a distance. Erwin can set up a few traps. Even though the base has been abandoned, I think it won''t be hard for them to find out the civilians'' location. That''s why the trap should be effective and straightforward."


    "Got it." Erwin nodded and immediately returned inside.


    "At least, it seems to be only two hundred or three hundred beasts with one Tier 5 in charge. If it''s more than this, I''m afraid we won''t be able to stop them."


    "Clovis has probably gotten most of them. There''s no way he will leave them alone."


    "True."


    Luci and Ragna nodded their heads as they went to their positions.


    Luci couldn''t help but ask, "Can we handle it like him? Like luring them away. The beasts usually will focus on us instead of others, right?"


    "There is no telling. I can''t help but be curious why the beasts are going to this base. Even if there is no reason, shouldn''t there be a lot more beasts going around this base? It is as if there is something else in this base," replied Melody with a serious expression.


    Luci thought for a moment. "In that case, I will try to lure them away. If they don''t follow me, it''s probably because of that something."


    "Well, Clovis has done the same trick, so they might not fall for it again, especially with the Tier 5 beast at the helm."


    "But it''s worth the shot."


    "You can do it, but not too far." Melody finally gave her permission.


    "Alright." Luci immediately went straight toward the enemy''s line.


    He immediately killed several beasts going in his direction and ignored the rest of the beasts since they were going around the base. He only had to protect a single building after all.


    On the other hand, the front gate was facing some problems. Due to the influx of the beasts, Ragna and the others were being pushed back. Normally, the beasts would be going around them and entering the base through other gates, but this time, the beasts just kept pushing forward.


    Unfortunately, they couldn''t close the gate, which should have been enough to stop a lot of beasts from climbing.


    They thought it was because the gate was open that the beasts continued forward.


    "Kh!" Luci started getting overwhelmed. Even though she was a Tier 4 human, she didn''t have the items, a technique, or the Star Method. In addition, she was a doctor.


    She could cut them and know their weakness, but that wasn''t enough.


    Ragna had been the one taking on most of the beasts, while Melody rained them down with bullets.


    However, it all changed the moment the Tier 5 beast took action.


    While Melody was shooting the beasts, a Tier 5 proconsul leaped into the air.


    "!!!" Melody raised her head, surprised that the Tier 5 beast could jump this high.


    She hurriedly flew away, but its giant finger still hit her legs.


    "Kh." Melody lost her balance. Even its fingertip contained so much momentum that it pushed her several meters away.


    In addition, the Tier 5 proconsul ended up landing next to Ragna.


    Ragna wanted to retreat, but Luci would be in trouble if he did it.


    "Tsk." Ragna activated his beast soul as the proconsul hit him with the back of his hand, launching him away.


    Ragna''s body was launched and bounced a few times on the ground, leaving Luci alone.


    "Luci! Get away!" Melody shouted. Because the Tier 5 proconsul blasted them away, there was only Luci left on the front.


    Luci raised her head and saw the Tier 5 proconsul staring down at her. It was at this moment they realized the target was her all along.

 Chapter 528 Rejoining the Fight

    "Luci! Get away!" Melody shouted.


    Lucy looked at the beasts before her. Because Ragna was blown away, the beasts could start flocking the gate, which meant blocking her path to retreat.


    This way, the beasts could definitely take Luci down, especially the Tier 5 proconsul.


    With a roar coming from the proconsul, the beasts immediately changed their direction.


    "!!!" Luci hurriedly turned around and ran as fast as she could, but as one would expect, the beasts caught up.


    *Roar!*


    The beasts pounced on her.


    Luci turned around and struck their eyes, but there were simply too many of them. If she remained in her position for too long, she would be in danger.@@@@


    "Tsk." Luci clicked her teeth and started running again. However, the beasts kept attacking her. They gradually slowed her down and surrounded her.


    Melody flew toward Luci at her fastest speed, planning to rescue her from above.


    However, the Tier 5 proconsul swung his arm, trying to hit Melody. Fortunately, Melody was able to react, but the arm stopped her for a moment.


    Ragna also wanted to do it, but he was overwhelmed by the sheer number of beasts. In other words, there was no way to save Luci.


    Luci had never given up on herself. Despite being surrounded by the beasts, she was still fighting and searching for any escape route.


    Melody was the only one that could get her, but the proconsul kept stopping her, making her unable to save Luci. The latter could probably last for another two or three minutes, but no longer after that.


    She wasn''t Clovis or Jay after all.


    Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, a string suddenly wrapped her waist and pulled her into the sky.


    "What?" Luci was startled and turned her head around, finding Erwin.


    "I know this is going to happen." Erwin sighed. He hurriedly pulled Luci back down.


    "Erwin!" Melody gasped.


    "We don''t have a lot of time. Hurry up and go to your position!" Erwin shouted. Because he had to save Luci, he abandoned his post.


    It was obvious that the beasts took advantage of this moment to come toward the building they protected.


    When they heard the beasts'' voices coming closer and closer, the explorers hurriedly raised their weapons, pointing them at the door.


    All of them were nervous, wondering what kind of beast was coming for them.


    The beasts knocked on their door with so much force that it destroyed the wooden door in one go.


    "Two beasts." The captain of the explorers shouted while pointing at the beasts. "They are... Tier 3 and Tier 4 beasts?"


    The explorers couldn''t believe it. Their captain was a Tier 4 human, so he immediately shouted, "I''ll stop the Tier 4 beast. You guys stop the Tier 3 beast."


    Without hesitation, the captain charged straight toward the Tier 4 beast. He struck the Tier 4 beast, but the latter simply blocked it with its arm. The skin was so tough that his weapon couldn''t penetrate.


    He almost forgot that there was no underground tunnel in this place. It was clear that the beast''s strength would be much higher.


    "!!!" The captain widened his eyes because the beast gradually overpowered him.


    "Kh. I can''t hold on." The guy gritted his teeth.


    "That is enough. Thank you for buying me enough time." Jay''s voice suddenly echoed in his ears as his shadow appeared in the corner of his vision.


    Jay swung his blade toward the Tier 4 beast. The latter waved its paw¡ªthe same paw that the Tier 4 captain couldn''t even scratch¡ªtoward Jay''s blade.


    When both of them clashed, the captain thought that Jay would end up getting blown away.


    However, Jay''s eyes turned bloodshot as his arms expanded.


    "Get lost!" Jay shouted as he poured every ounce of his strength into this swing.


    "!!!" The beast suddenly noticed something. He realized the sword actually pierced through the toughness of his skin. And it didn''t stop there.


    Jay actually cut his arm and hit his neck. In fact, the sword gained a lot of momentum right after it cut through the arm, resulting in the blade slicing the neck in an instant.


    Everyone couldn''t help but drop their jaws. The strong beast they thought would come for their lives was actually defeated in a single slash. ''What kind of strength does this person have?'' was the question that appeared in everyone''s mind.


    The captain simply couldn''t believe it. What thank you? He couldn''t even stop a single attack from the Tier 4 beast.


    Jay ignored their reactions as he found another beast still running rampant on the other side of the room.


    With another slash, he killed the last threat in the room, as he couldn''t help but find Erwin was just about to enter the room.


    "Hmph. It seems I have to do everything myself." Jay snorted.

 Chapter 529 Toward the Tier 5 Beast

    "Hmph. It seems I have to do everything myself." Jay snorted.


    Erwin clicked his tongue. It was definitely something out of his control, but he didn''t say anything. There were simply too many beasts coming that his traps couldn''t stop all of them.


    In the end, both of them moved outside. Erwin had to maintain his position while Jay asked, "Melody. Give me the report of the situation."


    "You''re done with your evolution?"


    "Yep. I need to know what''s going on and my position."


    Melody immediately replied, "Go to the front gate. Ragna and Luci are barely holding on."


    "Alright. I will stop those beasts."


    "No. We have to kill the Tier 5 beast. If we have Kanaria, it will be perfect. Is Kanaria with you?"


    "She will need more time."


    "Alright. Come to the front gate first." Melody looked more and more concerned as the Tier 5 proconsul seemed to be grabbing a smaller beast and throwing it toward her.


    She managed to avoid it, but if just one hit, it would be disastrous. What if the proconsul threw those beasts to Luci and Ragna?


    As she thought about it, the proconsul immediately changed its target. In fact, it looked like the proconsul had been throwing it so that Melody moved further away, unable to help her teammates.


    "!!!" Melody gasped and shouted, "Ragna, Luci. Watch out!"


    Ragna and Luci found the warning on their Skyglasses, which directed them to the proconsul.


    Seeing the proconsul throwing a fairly large beast with both hands, they had no choice but to jump away, barely avoiding it.


    However, the body simply got crushed by the sheer force. Its flesh splattered in all directions, and the momentum carried the rest of the body away.


    But because Ragna and Luci avoided it, they ended up creating a big opening for the beasts.


    ''Now that I think about it, I''m the same, especially for my trait. Then again, the Sensory Imaginary is a special trait that everyone with Brain Affinity will get. And that requirement is Tier 3.


    ''The Star Method has allowed us to learn it much earlier, so now that Jay has fully unlocked the potential of the Muscle Augmentation, it''s clear that his strength is not normal anymore.''


    Melody realized that Kanaria would probably receive the same thing once she was done with the evolution. The biggest difference would be Clovis.


    In fact, he had been the one handling beasts with a much larger number. Even though the way they fought was different, it was clear that Clovis was a monster in his own league.


    That was why, after confirming this one fact, Melody had to change her plan.


    In the past, Jay might not have been able to go against a Tier 5 beast by himself. But the situation might be different, especially with the new beast soul.


    "Jay. If I tell you to kill that proconsul, what will you do?" Melody asked with a serious expression.


    "A dumb question." Jay smirked. "Of course. It will be dead soon."


    Melody smiled. "In that case, kill that proconsul. I''ll stall the rest of the beasts. Just make sure you kill it as quickly as possible. Leave the rest of the beasts to us."


    "You got it!" Jay nodded and charged ahead.


    The proconsul smashed Jay with his huge fist, but Jay didn''t bother to avoid it. In fact, he was challenging the proconsul with his strength.


    He used both traditional and new beast souls together, utilized the Muscle Augmentation, and swung his blade like a ranged attack, striking the proconsul fist.


    Bam!


    The ground underneath Jay''s feet cracked, but Jay was actually able to hold the Tier 5 beast''s attack. It could be said that their strength is now equal.


    "Come. I''ll kill you!" Jay grinned excitedly.


    Amidst the situation, Kanaria''s voice echoed on their radio.


    "Melody. Need my help?"

 Chapter 530 Kill

    "Melody. Do you need some help?" Kanaria''s voice echoed on the radio.


    "Kanaria? Are you done with your evolution?"


    "Yep. I''m coming out right now. It seems the situation out there is quite chaotic." Kanaria smiled while checking the situation with her sharpened senses.


    "Yeah. If that''s the case, I will give you a new position and let you start hunting down those beasts."


    "Alright." Melody nodded and started running the moment she saw the path.


    As she expected, the situation was chaotic. There were about 170 beasts inside the camp. Erwin was stopping them from reaching the building, but he alone couldn''t stop them from all sides.


    Ragna and Luci took care of the front, preventing the rest of the beasts from messing around, but they had to kill the beasts if they truly wanted to stop them.


    They indeed lacked someone who could kill the beasts in rapid succession. And that role was for her.


    Without hesitation, Kanaria rushed to a building that Melody pointed out. It was a two-story building, so she simply climbed it from the outside.


    Now that her physical strength had increased, she had no problem jumping high even with such a heavy sniper rifle on her back.


    As soon as she reached the rooftop, she scanned the entire battlefield, wondering who would be her next target.


    "That should be my target," Kanaria muttered while aiming at the beast coming from the left.


    The beast was trapped by the threads, unable to move. Hence, it was an easy kill for Kanaria.


    With one dead, the second would follow. She shot another beast, killing it. The third, the fourth, the fifth... Her killing spree continued on.


    They still didn''t know Clovis'' fate, considering he was leaving to bring a lot of beasts away.


    That was why Jay continued this fight for a bit longer. Even though his desire was to defeat the Tier 5 beast by himself, he knew it would be better to solve this problem as a team.


    The Tier 5 proconsul hit Jay several times while Jay slashed his body the same amount of time. Both of them looked pretty exhausted, even though they had only fought for several minutes.


    In the end, both of them used their beast souls again and again instead of utilizing it as a killer blow.


    However, the situation soon changed when the Tier 5 beast sensed Kanaria. Unfortunately, it was too late. Kanaria had fired her sniper rifle.


    The beast was able to calculate its trajectory and put his arm in front, but the bullet simply pierced through the arm with such force that it created a hole in its arm.


    "!!!" The Tier 5 beast widened its eyes as Jay closed in and struck the proconsul in the chest.


    Little did they know, while they were struggling against these beasts, Clovis was already standing on top of a mountain of corpses, looking at over one and a half thousand corpses before him.


    He was pretty tired, and his body was covered in wounds. However, the Tier 5 beast had died. The beasts that followed him had died. Even the beasts from the first wave were nothing more than corpses.


    Although he hadn''t killed all of them, most of them were heavily injured, and Reolf was the one going around, making sure that every single one of them died.


    When he was at the top of the mountain of corpses, his expression was much colder than anything that he had shown to his friends. It was as if something had broken inside of him.


    However, his expression soon changed into normal when he heard a friendly bark coming from his side.


    "Waaf!"


    Reolf was there waiting for him, melting his expression. Clovis simply smiled. "Right?"

 Chapter 531 Arrival

    "Haaaa!" Jay kept clashing with the Tier 5 beast, no one gaining the upper hand.


    However, the balance soon changed the moment Jay heard Kanaria''s voice on the radio. "Do you need some help, Jay?"


    Instead of answering with his mouth, which would lead to the proconsul realizing his intention, Jay showed it by striking the proconsul with all his might, knocking its arm back.


    "!!!" The proconsul realized that this might not be a gap for Jay to exploit because Jay had to recover after using all his strength, but this was a gap for someone else.


    And his instinct picked up a danger coming from the wall. It immediately tried to avoid it by moving away from its position, but the bullet suddenly pierced through his arm with so much force that it took its entire arm.


    The thunderous gunshot followed, startling the area.@@@@


    The Tier 5 proconsul simply couldn''t believe it. How could a human''s bullet destroy his arm? He had tough skin, and his movement was supposed to be on point.


    Little did he know, Kanaria was just aiming for him to move away because it was pretty much predictable.


    Then, by taking advantage of the Tier 4 bullet and her weapon, she tore the entire arm apart.


    Without its right arm, Jay was able to exploit the exposed right side and closed in.


    The proconsul turned around and punched Jay, but Jay simply stepped away as if he were giving Kanaria another opportunity to shoot.


    The proconsul had no choice but to stop and jump away.


    However, Jay maintained that distance, which distracted the proconsul.


    Kanaria also didn''t hit the enemy for a while, causing the proconsul to wonder when the bullet would be coming.


    Jay took advantage of that distraction and closed in one more time.


    The proconsul had no choice but to get away once more. The difference this time was that Jay didn''t plan to let go of him.


    Without hesitation, Jay closed in and struck the proconsul with all his strength, forcing the proconsul to also meet his blade with all his strength.


    The proconsul gritted its teeth, unable to best Jay.


    Kanaria chuckled. "Well, Melody and Luci are perfect candidates. What do you think?"


    "Sure. I will go." Melody and Luci answered at the same time.


    Luci frowned and said, "I''ll go. I''m a doctor, so I can treat him. He must have fought a lot, so someone who can help him will definitely be a good idea."


    "This is my role. Since I can assist you even without me being here, it''s perfect for me to go. And with Clovis being sneaky, it''s better to have me, who is able to fly, to find him." Melody crossed her arms.


    Melody felt responsible for Clovis because she had to leave him behind earlier. Meanwhile, Luci wanted to go for an obvious reason. There was no other time where she could have time with only Clovis and Reolf.


    "Don''t argue." Jay sighed. Since he was in charge of this group, he immediately gave his order. "You will go..."


    Before he could speak the name, they heard another series of roars coming from a distance.


    "Huh?" All of them couldn''t help but turn around, staring at the distance. Thousands of beasts were coming once again.


    Their number was higher than the previous wave.


    "What? Three thousand beasts? What is going on? Did they defeat Clovis? Or was the original number supposed to be much higher?" Melody couldn''t comprehend the situation.


    The rest raised their weapons, wondering how to fend off this one.


    Jay bit his lips. There was only one way to solve this problem. They had to retreat.


    But before he could issue that order, there was suddenly an explosion in the middle of their rank.


    Boom!


    Boom!


    Boom!


    There were loud sounds coming from the side. As Melody looked at them from the sky, she realized the battle was over.


    Tens of tanks along with over a hundred trucks were coming toward them. The reinforcements had arrived.

 Chapter 532 Solving the Crisis

    Bam!


    Bam!


    Bam!


    The tanks were firing from a distance, blasting the beasts.


    "!!!" Jay and the others were surprised. It seemed that they had fought long enough that the ground units had finally reached them. It wouldn''t take too long for them to reach the base.


    The ground units continued marching and started destroying the beasts with missiles, reducing their number.


    To their surprise, they would end up finding people in the old base.


    "Huh? Colonel. We have spotted people taking shelter in the old base."


    "What?" The middle-aged colonel looked shocked. The old base couldn''t be used anymore, so it was weird for them to use it.


    "Go to them and ask for their reason. We''ll get rid of the beasts."@@@@


    "Understood."


    Kanaria and Melody could see the people of the ground units coming toward them.


    One of the officers came to them. Kanaria immediately received him by saying, "I''m Kanaria from Libation Fiesta. Under the order of our captain, Clovis, we are using the old base for our last stand and able to rescue 74 people who are stranded on the highway not far from here after the earthquake."


    "!!!" The officer looked surprised. There were a lot of corpses lying around, and there must be a lot more inside the base.


    He simply couldn''t believe that several people were able to kill all these beasts, and it didn''t take them that long either.


    "I am Quadz from the 4th battalion. Are you sure that you have fought all these beasts?"


    "Yeah." Kanaria nodded. "If you don''t believe me, you can go inside the base to check the people''s condition."


    "Understood. Please allow me to check their condition." Quads nodded with a serious expression.


    They immediately headed to the building, finding all those people. Their injuries had been treated, so it was a relief.


    He couldn''t believe that these people were able to do it, but he couldn''t spot any human corpses among them, so it was clear that they had completed their job perfectly.


    "What should we do, sir?"


    "Does he have a demand?" The colonel asked. Considering it was Hana and Clovis who were responsible for the new beast soul to be introduced to the military, they had to treat him cautiously.


    "He only asks us to leave him alone, including the rights for their corpses."


    The colonel thought for a moment. He had heard earlier that there were people in the old base.


    If they were Libation Fiesta, it would make sense.


    The colonel took a deep breath before saying, "Leave him be. He has contributed greatly if he is able to kill those beasts. If he isn''t the one, that means he has stolen them from a great person. He will be the one in trouble, so we don''t have to get involved. For now, we will focus on helping Base 059."


    "Understood, sir."


    The entire trip was truly a surprise.


    However, they had their main mission. Once the beasts entered their firing range, they started firing missiles.


    Boom!


    Boom!


    Boom!


    The beasts, whether they were on ground or in the sky, got hit. In fact, the ground units focused on dealing with the beasts in the air. They didn''t take off far in the sky, so they were able to clear them up a little bit.


    As a result, they were able to continue to send in the air support once again.


    The continuous bombardment allowed them to gain an upper hand.


    And finally, the Tier 8 general entered the battle, leading the troops toward the Tier 7 beast while the rest focused on the majority of beasts.


    With a Tier 8 entering the fight, the Tier 7 beast forced all the beasts to fight him, but nothing could stop him.


    With just a swing of his weapon, he killed tens of beasts. He marched forward at lightning speed, reaching the Tier 7 beast in just a moment.


    The Tier 7 beast tried to fight him, but the general only used three slashes to defeat the Tier 7 beasts. The first strike cut down the two paws, the second strike knocked down the beast, and the third strike was the final blow.


    Now that they lost their figurehead, the beasts were in panic, allowing them to rout their force and showing their superiority.

 Chapter 533 Return

    Melody had finally reached Clovis'' location after the reinforcement passed them and took over the defense of the old base.


    She knew the condition on the main base was stable once they stormed, so she could finally take her time to find Clovis.@@@@


    However, it wasn''t that hard to actually find Clovis.


    After all, there were thousands of corpses lying around the area. There were even some mountains made of corpses, which became a landmark for Clovis.


    Melody simply didn''t expect that there would be so many beasts he killed. It was true that he was able to maneuver freely, but she was talking about thousands of beasts.


    "Oh! You''re here?" Clovis smiled and waved his hand.


    "I don''t know whether I should be impressed or I should reprimand you for being reckless." Melody massaged her forehead.


    "Hahaha. It doesn''t matter. How is the situation going over there?"


    "The military has taken over."


    "That''s good then. Tell them to gather the essence and help me with these beasts after that. I don''t think it''s good to return to the military base, so let''s just go home once we''re done gathering all the essence. I''m pretty tired."


    "Alright." Melody immediately informed them about their next task before revealing Clovis'' position. While waiting, Melody noticed something. "Now that I think about it, where is Reolf?"


    "I sent him over there." Clovis pointed to the north. We will go that way first and get Reolf before returning to the capital."


    "Or should we just take a rest at a nearby city?"


    "That''s what I want, but we have Luci. It''s better to return to the capital and let her settle down."


    "Fair enough." Melody nodded.


    It took an hour for the rest of the group to reach Clovis'' position. Like Melody, they were also shocked at how Clovis was able to kill all these beasts. He hadn''t even reached Tier 3 yet.


    "Is that so?" Luci just thought about what was best for the group, but she didn''t take into account what was important to Kanaria. The people in the group definitely knew how much she treasured that time.


    "In that case, there is one more thing I need to say. Since I''m allowed to set up a lab, I''ll be doing just that. I don''t think I will cause too much noise or anything, so you don''t have to worry."


    "No one is really bothered with you setting up your lab. Just don''t let it affect your activity with the group."


    Luci nodded. "I underst¡ª"


    Before she finished her words, Clovis'' Skyphone rang, which startled them.


    Luci grabbed it and saw who it was. "Hana Skylark?"


    "Give it to me." Kanaria stretched her hand. After Luci handed the Skyphone, she immediately accepted the call while saying, "We are on our way back right now."


    "Oh. It seems that you guys survive."


    "Yeah. Clovis is sleeping right now, so do you need anything?"


    "Nothing. I just want to make sure that you guys are alright. The military must have arrived, so I guess it''s fine. Do you need anything else? If you encounter a problem, my PR team can help."


    "There should be no problems." Kanaria thought for a moment. Saving people and Clovis'' deeds found by the military would definitely increase their reputation, so it didn''t really matter.


    And Clovis would most likely evolve to Tier 3 once they returned.


    They would even get a lot of money from selling all this essence.


    "Alright. In that case, I should tell you about something else. Better to stay in your mansion for several days before doing anything. The capital''s condition isn''t quite good right now. While we are far from the epicenter, people are thinking this is a bad omen just because we haven''t experienced any earthquakes for decades."


    "Got it."


    "Also, if you want a mission, I have one later for you guys. I bet you will accept it."

 Chapter 534 Reaching Tier 3

    "They saved me. I thought our lives would be over back then, but they fought hundreds of beasts without complaining."


    "It was a shame that the military took over so easily. I couldn''t even give my thanks to them. Libation Fiesta, I will definitely cheer for them from this point onward."


    "Thank you, Libation Fiesta."


    [Libation Fiesta has killed hundreds of beasts to protect the civilians.]


    [The army is stealing civilians'' efforts?]


    [Libation Fiesta has taken down a Tier 5 beast along with its army.]


    [Libation Fiesta is using the new beast soul to defeat the army?]


    There was a lot of news scattered on the Skynet, especially coming from the tens of people Clovis'' group saved.


    It was amazing. After all, they had gone all their way to risk their lives so that they could protect them.


    Their action had also stopped the beasts from advancing any further and causing more damage to other cities.


    Obviously, this was yet another free marketing for Hana to exploit. She immediately spread the word, making the new beast soul even more famous.


    The doubt about the new beast soul had begun to disappear. In addition, more and more people successfully activated their new beast soul.@@@@


    The one who promoted it the most was none other than the vice president of the student council from the first academy.


    Although it was just Clovis'' way to annoy them, it didn''t change the fact that he got this chance thanks to Clovis.


    That was why the least he could do was promote it. In addition, he had the best way to promote the new beast soul.


    This was probably why his father told him that they would meet once he reached Tier 5.


    His father believed him to be able to use the Blood Overflow when he reached Tier 5. When that happened, even if he couldn''t defeat his opponent, he still had some assurance that he could escape. The enemies of the Hacfield family were strong after all.


    "Huuu..." Clovis exhaled deeply, cooling down his body. When he opened his eyes, it felt like the world slowed down even further.


    "I see. To think the chance will be this much. Since I get this in Tier 3 and the Blood Overflow in Tier 6, I assume there will be one more thing in Tier 9.


    "I''m curious, what kind of world do they see? I should have asked Mara about it back then." Clovis'' expression turned serious. "Still, I have become a Tier 3, but I haven''t encountered any more system''s errors.


    "Does that mean whoever controls this simulation world has patched up the error? Or is it because I haven''t done anything big?"


    "Well..." Clovis shook his head. "There is an important thing I have to do after becoming a Tier 3 human."


    A smile appeared on Clovis'' face. "It''s time to go shopping!"


    Yes. Now that he had reached a higher tier, the items in his Another World Mall would definitely be upgraded. That was why he had to go shopping.


    He wanted to buy new items for Kanaria and the others. In addition, he had Luci as well. He should buy her a better item so that she could perform brilliantly within the group.


    There was a risk that Luci would become even crazy, but he had to take that risk. Still, the most important thing he needed to buy was none other than Reolf''s food.


    That was right. Since it had been upgraded, Reolf would have an easier time to reach Tier 3. He must feel lonely to be the only Tier 2 in the group, Clovis thought.


    Hence, he splurged a lot of money to the point where he used the Super Discount.


    It took him a whole two hours just to finish buying everything he wanted. He also noticed what he should do next when he got a lot of money.


    Nevertheless, now that he had gotten all the items he needed, Clovis finally stepped out of his room as he distributed the items to his teammates.

 Chapter 535 Crazy

    Clank!


    Clank!


    Several items fell to the ground, producing a lot of noise. Next to them was Clovis lying on his back while grinding his teeth, looking at the half-naked woman on top of him.


    "Luci. Get off¡ª!" Clovis tried to push her away, but the other party actually grabbed his collar and said excitedly, "I don''t want to."


    Clovis was grinding his teeth. He had expected it, but her reaction was much more than he originally thought. In fact, he even wondered why he came here by himself. He should have asked someone to pass it to her.


    ...


    A moment ago.


    "Anyway, I''m done. I hope that you guys like the items. We''ll be resting for several days, so I can replenish my energy." Clovis acted as if he had just used a lot of blood to create the new ''artifacts'' for them.


    His group didn''t say much because they knew it was no use in persuading Clovis or anything.


    Last but not least, the items for Luci. Since she was new to the group, he needed to explain to her about the functions of these items.


    Clovis had a troubled expression. On the one hand, he knew Luci would become excited once she realized the function of the items. On the other hand, it was only appropriate for him to be the one giving the explanation.


    That was why he came to Luci''s new lab that she was currently setting up.


    "Clovis?" Luci raised her eyebrows and put the box on the table. "What''s wrong? It''s unlike you to visit me here."


    "Have you gotten used to living here yet?"


    "Pretty much. We have fought together for a week, so I don''t feel awkward living together with other people in the group. Besides, I was formerly a soldier."


    "Fair enough." Clovis nodded. "How about the new beast soul?"


    "I have thought about a beast soul that I want. I have sent the request to Hana. The appointment is tomorrow."


    "That''s good then." Clovis nodded. "In that case, take this."


    "Hmm?" Luci tilted her head in confusion as she examined the items Clovis wanted to give her. "Accessories and clothes?"


    "Yes. But unlike normal clothes and accessories, they''ve been enchanted by my blood." Clovis nodded. "As for their uniqueness, I think it''s better for you to wear it first."@@@@


    Luci still didn''t understand, so she just grabbed a bracelet. In that instant, she could feel the surge of strength mysteriously entering her body.


    "And that''s exactly why I''m not doing it."


    "Then give me your blood!"


    "Didn''t you get the sample when you were treating my injuries?!"


    "I did, but that wasn''t enough. I have been suppressing it this whole time, but you just have to bring out all these items! Do you think I can contain myself? Even Kanaria has given me her permission!"


    "What permission are you talking about? Because I haven''t!"


    "Just a hundred ml is fine!" Luci pulled him, but Clovis simply moved away. All of a sudden, Luci stopped exerting force to pull him, causing Clovis'' strength to drag him toward his body.


    As a result, she ended up pushing him down, their bodies hitting several items before falling to the ground.


    Luci was sitting on top of Clovis, as the latter said, "Get off me."


    "I don''t want to! This is an accident. This is completely an accident!" Luci smirked as he grabbed his collar.


    Clovis'' veins bulged as he couldn''t help but snap. He grabbed Luci''s head with all his strength.


    "!!!" Luci couldn''t react to his speed, but it didn''t matter. She had Muscle Affinity while Clovis had Blood Affinity.


    However, when she tried to remove his hand from her head, Clovis didn''t even twitch. The grip on his strength was so powerful that it felt like her skull was about to crack.


    "What is this?" Luci was shocked, as she didn''t know about Clovis'' perfect state. But no one would have expected that Clovis would actually use his perfect state just to handle her.


    "Wait, Clovis. We can talk about this." Luci''s face turned pale.


    "I think it''s best for you to get some sleep first." Clovis was grinding his teeth.


    "I''m sorry. Let''s talk about this calmly, okay?" Luci tapped Clovis'' hand a few times as if asking him to let her go.


    Clovis wanted to say something, but he soon heard a clicking sound coming from behind.


    Kanaria opened the door while saying, "Clovis. I''ve received a request from Hana, which can be our next mission. And what''s going on with the ruckus earli¡ª"


    Kanaria was speechless when she saw both of them as well as the condition they were in.


    "Should I ask what happened here?"


    "Don''t." Clovis pinched the bridge of his nose. "Please don''t..."

 Chapter 536 New Mission

    All of them gathered in the living room as the Skyphone projected Hana.


    "Thank you for gathering here. I believe that I have something you would definitely try doing." Hana smirked. "First of all, what do you think about the current weapon situation right now?"


    They looked at each other, but no one really had an opinion.@@@@


    "It''s normal?" Clovis tilted his head in confusion.


    "Not at all. First of all, you should have seen the effectiveness of the military-grade weapon, right? The tanks and fighter jets are still working against the beasts. Even a Tier 7 beast will be in trouble if they take it head-on.


    "How about Tier 8? We still have bigger missiles. With such overwhelming power, why do you think the swords, spears, and other primitive weapons resurface?


    "What they told you about it was that they had used nukes to fight against the Tier 9 beasts, right?


    "And because of the nature destroyed by our own weapons, we have to abandon our own weapons. The world was close to experiencing a nuclear winter due to those beasts.


    "However, that was what they told you. It was not entirely correct. The main reason they switched to primitive weapons is not because our weapons are completely useless. Instead, it''s because we have used them so much that we can''t replenish everything.


    "As you already know, logistics are crippled because of those beasts, making us unable to get necessary supplies to manufacture ammunition or missiles.


    "In fact, we have used up to 60% of our resources. If this continues, the supplies will end up running out. This is the real reason why we''re using primitive weapons.


    "And that''s also the reason why explorers are born. Instead of weapons, the world requires us to ''sacrifice'' ourselves to fight those beasts."


    Clovis and the others looked down, falling into deep thought.


    Clovis couldn''t help but ask, "Does that mean the mission you want to talk about is related to materials?"


    "I don''t see a problem. I''m curious about my current strength." Jay nodded.


    "True. But a mine, huh? We are still waiting for the bus to get its private recovery pod, so we might as well use that time to go to a place where we can''t take our bus." Kanaria nodded.


    "Doesn''t that mean we won''t bring Reolf? He can go to the mine, but this party or something doesn''t really accept a beast like him. Besides, I don''t think I want to go there. I won''t stop you if you plan to go though."


    "I think it''s worth the shot. First of all, we''re curious about these new items. More importantly, I think it will be good to increase our pace from this point onward. I''m not bragging, but we''re getting famous much faster than a few months ago. I''m just afraid we won''t have any strength to protect ourselves." Ragna explained.


    "I think that''s a good idea. We should ride this momentum and increase our overall''s strength as quickly as possible."


    Clovis listened to their opinions. As someone who had the Another World Mall, he could boost their progress easily. In fact, now that he had reached Tier 3, Ragna and Melody''s progress would increase rapidly.


    Besides, the reason why he wanted to donate his blood a little bit to Luci was to create a ''misunderstanding'' that his group believed in to hide the Another World Mall for a bit longer.


    And this would also be good exercise for Reolf. He hoped he could become Tier 3 as quickly as possible.


    With that thought in mind, Clovis made his decision. "Alright. We''ll be heading to the mine five days from now. By the way, Hana, are you free anytime soon?"


    "Hmm? If it''s nothing big, I can always make some time."


    "Then, visit us before we''re leaving for the mine. There''s something I need to discuss."


    "Alright. Since you''ve accepted the request, I''ll bring you all the information about the mine while I''m at it." Hana nodded and hung up the call.


    There was nothing to discuss. Clovis just wanted to show her a certain painting.


    Of course, he planned to put up some paintings after that so as to give people more understanding about their strength. Inviting Hana was to create that reason.

 Chapter 537 Art Room

    "Here I come. Actually, I have also brought all the documents regarding the mine." Hana showed the file to him while saying, "The mine itself is not old. There aren''t a lot of things you need to know. However, I think there is something that might excite you."


    "Hmm? You didn''t say it during the call?"


    "Of course. I don''t want everyone to unnecessarily worry about it. It''s not a big deal." Hana shrugged. "Actually, the overlord inside the mine is actually a mutated beast."


    "A mutated beast?"


    "Yes. You should have heard about them, no?"@@@@


    "I do. Mutated beasts are rare because they''re formed by the intense radiation."


    "Exactly. There is a source that claims uranium has been found in this place, but there isn''t a lot of data, so we''re not sure about it."


    "So you want us to check it? But don''t we need protection?"


    "The radiation reading itself is extremely low from the data. However, it''s better to bring a tool to measure radiation. The mutated beast will be different, so you have to be careful."


    "Are you suggesting this because you want to see whether Reolf is going to transform or not?" Clovis'' expression turned cold.


    Hana smiled wryly. "Does it look that way? Still, you''re mistaken. My aim this time is for you to get some inspiration from the mutated beast, considering they''re a bit unique. And do you know the highest level of danger zone in this country?"


    "No."


    "It''s the Tier 9 danger zone. There is a former nuclear reactor that once exploded over there. And the beasts are mutating because of that radiation. That''s why if you are trying to live here, you should actually experience fighting a mutated beast, especially a high ranking one. Even this Tier 5 beast... I don''t think you''ll be able to defeat it so easily."


    "Hmm. I''ll try." Clovis nodded.


    "Alright. Since you already know this matter, let''s move on. Why do you want me to come here?"


    "Maybe we can go to the beach after you reach Tier 4. There is a beach where it''s better if you come once you reach Tier 4. What do you think?"


    Clovis considered it carefully. "I don''t have any problem with the schedule."


    "Alright. That''s good. What about the second thing you want to discuss?"


    "It''s..." Clovis extended his hand, guiding her to the hallway. "I got this from my grandfather this morning for my birthday."


    "Now that I think about it, your birthday is two weeks from now, huh?"


    "Yeah. An early present since he is going to be busy." Clovis opened the room, showing multiple paintings that had been hung on the wall. "And this is what I get."


    Hana walked into the room carefully, feeling something strange. When she glanced upon a painting on the right side, her body suddenly froze.


    It was the same painting that gave Reolf his unique ability. She looked left and right as if she had been teleported to the scenery.


    In this world, it felt like she could just run forever, letting the wind carry her.


    Her steps became so light as if she were in a dream.


    "!!!" It didn''t take too long for Hana to snap back to reality as she fell to her knees. "Ha... Ha... What is that?"


    Clovis smiled wryly. "I don''t understand it as well, but it helps you understand something. For example, Reolf stared at this painting for a while and comprehended a unique ability. Well, in our words, it was a beast soul."


    "What?" Hana dropped her jaw to the ground. "Are you kidding me?"


    "Nope. Well, I''m asking you to find my parents, so I think it''s fine to show you this. Maybe you will gain an understanding of something. It''s not open to the public though.


    "And you''re the first one I show this art room to." Clovis smiled.


    Hana''s face turned aghast as she couldn''t help but look around, finding all kinds of paintings. She couldn''t help but think, ''All of them actually have this miraculous ability?''

 Chapter 538 Hana

    Hana was gasping for air as she couldn''t believe what she had just seen earlier. She looked at the entire room, finding fifteen paintings.


    She couldn''t help but think, ''What is that? From the moment I see this one, I''m entranced. It''s as if the painting is alive. No. I don''t think alive is an accurate description. That''s right.


    It''s like trapped within the world inside the painting. Illusion?


    ''Nevertheless, Clovis claims the painting is able to let Reolf understand a unique ability, which would become a beast soul if a human kills him?


    ''Is this for real?'' Hana turned back to Clovis, having a hard time to calm down.


    Clovis extended his hand. "Can you stand up?"


    "Y-Yes." She nodded furiously and took his hand. To her surprise, the moment Clovis pulled her up, it was as if her body was floating. There was nothing that stopped her from going up.


    ''No. That''s not my body. That''s my feet... No, my footwork?'' Hana lowered her head. Her footwork was a bit special. This was one of the reasons she was able to climb the mountain where she first met Clovis.


    Her footwork made her body extremely light as her legs acted like a spring.


    And more importantly, she actually activated it without realizing it. It was as if she could use it with her subconsciousness.@@@@


    ''Subconsciously? My footwork is complicated, so I have to use it consciously. But using it subconsciously is like I have practiced it so much that this footwork has been ingrained in my body. And that''s what I haven''t been able to do this whole time.


    ''Are you saying that the painting has this miraculous ability? All of them? The fact they are different paintings must mean they have different kinds of ''understanding'' within them.''


    And because of this thought, Hana realized the most important thing. ''His grandfather gave it to him? Now that I think about it, what kind of miraculous thing has he achieved so far? First of all, I can understand the research. But what about Reolf? Is it just because of his blood?


    Then again, if he ended up bringing a new item, there was no way he could use the same excuse again. Even Hana wouldn''t be fooled at that time.


    "Well, you can take a look at the paintings. I''m planning to show this to the rest of the group after this. I just want to thank you for working hard this whole time, especially the money previously... That helped a lot."


    "Really?" Hana frowned. She couldn''t imagine what kind of thing he bought with that amount of money. Because he just handed her the name of an information organization, she thought it would be information.


    Clovis nodded.


    Hana thought for a moment. "Do you think I can let anyone see the painting?"


    "Hmm..." Clovis scratched the back of his head. "For the time being, I think I don''t plan to let anyone see it."


    "That''s understandable." Hana nodded. She also felt moved that Clovis had warmed up to her.


    With Clovis'' permission, Hana continued to other paintings, experiencing different things in each painting.


    Most of them were useless to her because they didn''t match her ability, but there were two more paintings that helped her. One of them was a painting about a businessman posing a picture of himself filled with money. The second one was a painting of a futuristic city.


    Hana didn''t tell him what kind of thing she figured out from the paintings, but with how fresh Hana''s face became after looking at them, he could tell it was something big.


    "I''ll go back right now. Call me if you need anything, and once again, thanks for showing me the painting. Since you''ll be gone for one week or two, I can prepare a gift for your birthday. Do look forward to it." Hana playfully winked.


    "Hahaha." Clovis chuckled. There was another reason why Clovis chose to show the paintings to Hana, even though he was fully aware how dangerous it could be. In the end, the Another World Mall would be found sooner or later, not like he bothered to hide it completely.


    By introducing it bit by bit to Hana, she wouldn''t think about anything weird just to get all those items. She was actually his biggest concern, considering he still needed her and her skill in making money...or was it truly the case?

 Chapter 539 Hanas Intention

    "Miss. There are several invitations from overseas companies wanting us to disclose the information about the new beast soul. There are fifteen companies that are among the top one hundred biggest companies in the world. They are asking if we''re able to disclose the information or want to expand overseas."


    Hana squinted her eyes, never expecting that they would be this annoying. "We are unable to do so yet, even though I want to. I''ve promised the government not to disclose the information or try overseas expansion."


    "Shall I reject them then?"


    "Not yet. The promise itself is not the problem. Thanks to that promise, I can also conduct business even more boldly. However, we don''t know if the government is going to take back their promise or not." Hana shook her head. "For now, keep their offer and try to extend it as much as possible."


    "But if there is no expansion..." Her assistant frowned.


    "It doesn''t matter. Most of the time, the expansion will go through the sea or land. The sea is prone to attacks from flying beasts, while the land is much more dangerous.


    "That''s why there are not a lot of people trying to expand overseas. The risk is simply too high. Even if we want to do it, we need a lot of resources, especially fighters and ammunition. If the ship is destroyed, the loss is immeasurable.


    "But there will definitely be some people who are daring enough to cross the border." Hana smiled.


    "!!!" Her assistant suddenly understood what she was talking about. "Are you talking about the banquet?"


    "Yes. That place is not only for local people. A lot of foreigners will attend it. That''s why they will definitely go to that place instead of going to this company directly. After all, even if they can meet me here, they can''t meet the person who provides that research, Clovis.


    "Hence, rather than persuading me, they will most likely persuade Clovis. That''s why we''ll hold their offer for the time being. The more desperate they are, the easier I can take advantage of them.


    "Besides, I believe that Clovis and the others would like to go overseas. It''s not just those neighboring countries, but farther away. Also, I think it''s good to have a potential teammate from overseas."


    "Potential teammates?"


    Meanwhile, Clovis showed the art room to his group. It was quite surprising because they never thought that Clovis'' grandfather would give such a gift.


    Unlike Hana, they didn''t ask much, fully trusting their captain. It wasn''t like they were going to benefit from it.


    Even the most obsessed person, Hana, didn''t bother much. First of all, she knew there was a high chance this painting came from Clovis. In addition, there was a chance that his blood was a lie. There might be something greater than his blood.


    Obviously, it might be linked to his body, so she became even more interested in him. Fortunately, she had accepted this fact the whole time, so she didn''t push Clovis down or drag him somewhere.


    Nevertheless, it was still linked to his body, so blood might be a part of it. What was more important was to maintain Clovis'' interest in her as a group member or beyond that.


    Hence, the first thing she did after entering the room was search for the painting that suited her.


    The rest of them did the same thing and gained understanding about their problems or their abilities.


    Some of them had found two or three paintings that could boost their power. But the one that gained the most benefit was surprisingly Ragna. It wasn''t Jay or Erwin. It was Ragna.


    Hence, for the next several days, they completely refined that understanding and ingrained it into their bodies.


    Once they were used to it, the group finally went to the mine.


    They found the staired-crater, expanding for a few hundred meters. Several entries into the mines were visible, while some required them to go around first.


    With this kind of size, it would be hard to find the location of their target. Then again, they had to clean up the beasts here.


    Clovis smiled as if he were thinking something amusing. "So, this is the mine."

 Chapter 540 Two Fights

    While Clovis and the others were inside the mine, there were two huge battles ongoing in two parts of the world. These battles might look insignificant but would also change how the world progressed.


    In one country, a soldier was rushing into the room while shouting, "Emergency. Not good. We have found a tremor coming from the Fallen City Ekseria."


    "Ekseria? Isn''t that place only a normal fallen city? It''s a low tier danger zone."


    "Yes, sir. But there are two people currently fighting."


    "What? Two people able to create such a tremor? Who are they?"


    "We haven''t confirmed it yet. However, according to our information, Lord Ezekiel has disappeared from his city. At the same time, Grandmaster Lucas has also disappeared from his mansion."


    "What?! How can that be? Since when the grandmaster leaves? Ezekiel is our neighboring country''s rival. Not good. We have to go there right now and stop this fight!


    We can''t let two strongest people in the world fight each other!"


    "Yes, sir!"


    "Call the Ghost Squad. I''ll lead them personally and stop this!"


    As they were going to this city, the two people continued fighting.


    Ezekiel was a man in his sixties. Despite his age, his blond hair hadn''t turned white. Unlike anyone who had fought on the very front line, there wasn''t a single scar on his body or face. He maintained a sharp gaze even with two giant shields on his hands.


    "Do you think you are good, Lucas? How dare you make fun of my granddaughter?" He gnashed his teeth.


    "Both you and your granddaughter are the same. You can''t even do anything other than remain like a turtle!" Lucas smirked. He had long black hair tied into a ponytail. There was a scar running from one cheek to another, crossing his nose.


    He was holding a bow. When he fired his arrow, Ezekiel simply put his shield in front of him.


    Boom!


    A single arrow exploded like a missile, blasting everything in front of it. Even the two towers next to Ezekiel fell down.


    However, Ezekiel emerged from the dust cloud and headed straight to Lucas, who was standing on top of a building.


    After that, she released another swing. Unlike the previous swing, this one actually pushed the shattered rocks forward without harming them so that the rocks would fall on Michael.


    "Heh." Michael grinned and punched the air. The shock wave coming from his punch blasted the rocks in all directions.


    Michael and Mara charged toward each other.


    "So you have met my grandson?! What have you done to him?" Michael asked out loud while punching her.


    "I have done nothing," Mara answered while striking his fist with her glaive.


    The clash was so powerful that it caused a tremor that could be felt from miles away. The trees and boulders around them snapped and were blown away.


    The result came soon as Mara was pushed back for several meters. Even though she didn''t have any change in her expression, it was clear that her right arm was shaking.


    Meanwhile, Michael had a wound in his fist. The wound was small, running from the gap between his index finger and middle finger to the back of his palm.


    "Heh. Not bad, little girl." Michael smirked.


    Before they could continue, several people, Tier 7 and Tier 8s, appeared on the battlefield.


    "Please stop the fight, esteemed superhumans." The one leading them shouted.


    "Huh?" Michael glared at him, dissatisfied that his fun was ruined. Mara remained expressionless.


    "We can''t afford for you to destroy the stuff in our country. If you keep doing this, we have no choice but to intervene."


    Michael looked annoyed, but he soon snorted. "Fine."


    He glanced at Mara and asked, "Let''s have tea, then?"


    Mara nodded. "Hamburger and cola."


    "Hmm..." Michael paused for a moment and changed his mind. "Bring us two burgers and colas."


    "No. One burger and one cola. I''ll be having tea and a snack."


    Michael looked surprised but soon grinned. "Bring them now. We won''t stop fighting until they are here, so you gotta be fast!"

 Chapter 541 System Breaker

    "This..."


    "What should we do, sir?"@@@@


    The masked figures were staring at the distance. Their leader, who came to stop both Michael and Mara earlier, couldn''t help but feel pressured.


    He looked at both of them but was unable to hear anything since they had to maintain a distance of at least a kilometer. Even with their skill, it was simply impossible to listen to what they were saying.


    In that location, Mara was sipping her tea while Michael was slurping the cola. They were tasting each other''s preferences as if they were trying to understand each other.


    Michael finally broke the silence by asking, "So, what happened when you met my grandson?"


    Mara fell silent for a moment before saying, "I''m surprised."


    "Surprised? You? Your expression stated otherwise." Michael frowned.


    "I''m surprised that he seems to have the same nature as me." Mara shook her head.


    "..." Michael''s eyebrows twitched. Obviously, he had noticed it too, but she never thought Mara would point it out. "Hmmm? So you think he has that barbaric nature?"


    "No. He might be able to control it subconsciously right now. Well, you probably have noticed it too and trained him in that way.


    "However, if he continues on this path, he will soon lose his sanity."


    Michael gritted his teeth. "You sure know how to speak."


    "No matter how angry you are, it won''t change that fact. If he can''t control his nature, he will be overwhelmed sooner or later. But it appears his unique ability is different from mine.


    "But it''s still provoked by his instinct. If I were you, I would warn him. If he doesn''t control his true nature, it will be too late when it goes berserk. If he wants to control his true nature..." Mara looked down, falling into a deep thought. "He should go to the Asura Palace."


    And that was just what she saw with her eyes. She let out a long sigh. "I''m going to ignore your comment in respect of your grandson. But if you are going to do it again, then don''t blame me for joining the fight."


    Michael sighed. "I apologize. That was a mistake on my part."


    "Before I take my leave, I think I should tell you about one more thing. It seems he has something even more unique, one that transcends the system breaker.


    "From the way I see it, that power is able to allow his people to be much stronger and progress faster. Once people realize this and start digging up this information, he will be in a lot of trouble soon.


    "He seems to have used the family name to cover for everything, but it will soon be useless.


    "Even I have been chased by a lot of greedy people. I understand the struggle. That''s why if he doesn''t do it moderately, it will become a problem for him pretty soon."


    Michael smirked. "Or he can just outgrow everyone''s expectations."


    Mara shrugged. "Whether he can do it or not, that will depend on himself."


    "Don''t worry about that part. I have prepared a small gift for him."


    "In that case, I should take my leave."


    "Before that, I''m curious about something. Why would you sound like you''re concerned about him?" Michael frowned.


    "I don''t know. It''s just... When I met him, the glitch appeared. It was as if our meeting shouldn''t have happened."


    "Hmm..." Michael raised both hands. "Alright. Let''s part ways here. Thank you for entertaining this old man."


    Mara nodded. "I hope that we don''t have to meet as an enemy."


    "I hope the same."

 Chapter 542 Invitation

    A blond-haired girl entered the room, finding her father sitting with a rather grim expression.


    "Father?" She squinted her eyes, noticing the worry on his face.


    "Oh. You''re here." The middle-aged man nodded.


    "Is there something wrong?"


    "You should have heard about your grandfather''s recent action, right?"@@@@


    "Yes. Is grandfather injured?" She nodded.


    "Yes. After that fight, both of them are injured. Currently, both sides are hiding this information. You surely know why, right?"


    "If two Tier 9 fought, they would usually cause massive destruction. There is a high chance the map has to be adjusted because of them.


    "If they are injured, it will cause a fatal problem for those around them. Knowing they are unable to fight, they will just attack us or our affiliates, fully aware that the Tier 9 backer won''t come out.


    "And because of this very reason, their news is usually hidden."


    "Indeed." The man nodded in agreement. "Currently, your grandfather is recuperating from his injury."


    "Is he going to be fine? How bad is his condition?" She asked.


    "He is fine. But he will need a few months to recuperate from his injury. As you probably already know, the body of a superhuman is different. No current medicine can fix them because their cells have evolved to such a degree.


    "But before your grandfather left, he gave me one piece of information. While we are waiting for him to return, he wants us to attend this banquet." The man tossed a letter of invitation.


    When she picked it up, she couldn''t help but frown. "The Sovereign Banquet?"


    "Have you heard about the recent commotion regarding the new beast form of a beast soul?"


    "Yes." She nodded with a serious expression.


    "Do you think I''ll be joking about this?" The guy sighed. "From the looks of it, only two people will come accompanying this Hana Skylark."


    "But why would he want to meet them? I can understand if they have a background, but they''re supported by the Skylark Family, right?"


    "No. They hail from a different country. And the biggest reason is these people might be geniuses, but they have become monsters after meeting this guy." He showed Clovis'' picture.


    "Clovis?" She tilted her head in confusion. "Is there something special about his identity?"


    "That''s the problem. I can''t find anything."


    "You can''t? But..." She suddenly fell silent, realizing what he was talking about. They were a Tier 9 family, so with that authority, they could easily gain unrestricted access to a lot of information.


    So the fact that they couldn''t make it much more suspicious.


    "Turning geniuses into monsters, no information about his family... I think you get where I am going..."


    "Normally, if he is an orphan or has a normal family, we will be able to figure out. But the fact that the information about his family is like a blank slate. That means he has a Tier 9 family like us, but I have never heard of a person like him before."


    "Indeed. But there might be one family that can fit the criteria, don''t you think?"


    "Among all Tier 9..." She suddenly dropped her jaw. "Hacfield?!"


    "Yes. Because of the recent problem, Michael Hacfield has been in hiding this whole time. The Hacfield family has also ceased their operation.


    "If this guy is truly related to them, he must be Michael Hacfield''s grandson. And the fact he can create such a monstrous team without the help of his family..."


    "Are you saying he has a unique ability like me?"


    "That''s the only explanation. I''m pretty sure your grandfather wants us to go here because Michael Hacfield has met him. I don''t know what kind of change he would like you to bring, but it seems we don''t have any other choice."


    Her father''s words were clear. What her grandfather wanted was that ability to turn the genius into a monster. If they had this ability, what would happen to a person who was already monstrous like her?


    She took a deep breath. "I understand, Father. I, Christina Elseingarde, won''t disappoint you and Grandfather."

 Chapter 543 Impact

    *Boom!*


    A series of explosions occurred, destroying a tall building to the ground.


    On another side of the city, there was a man who suddenly got stabbed in the chest, causing him to die without realizing what happened. The culprit casually walked away, as the CCTV had been destroyed long before it happened.


    The police were receiving a lot of reports, which caused great unrest in the city.


    "Sir. The Necrox Tower has been destroyed."


    "Two people from the alliance have been killed."


    "Sir..."


    The reports continued pouring in, frustrating the police chief.


    "These bastards. They know this is the best time to make a move. Once Sir Ezekiel is hiding for recuperation, they are coming to attack. Are they not afraid of what will happen to them after this?"


    Not only in this country, but Ezekiel''s enemy, Lucas, also suffered a heavy injury. The situation could be said to be as chaotic as this country.


    This disturbance caused the economies of the two countries to drop.


    Obviously, this resulted in world-wide news.


    After completing the task in the mine, Clovis had been hunting in various locations, trying to increase his strength as quickly as possible.


    He took advantage of the peaceful time where the academy stopped anyone from trying to harm him to get stronger.


    Of course, he also took advantage of the privilege from the academy. Although he hadn''t made any big moves, the dean couldn''t care less. After all, he knew Clovis'' strength was increasing by leaps and bounds. When Clovis decided to show his strength one more time, people would be shocked.


    "What I want?"


    "Yep. You guys want to go to the beach, right? Elseingarde''s headquarters is located near the shore. I think it''s fine to go there if you really want it." Hana nodded. "And I will have enough reason to go with you guys."


    "Oh!" Clovis nodded in understanding.


    "Aside from them, there are four people who are backed by Tier 8 or being Tier 8 themselves. However, I want you to focus on this person." Hana pointed at a single name.


    "Alandecker?"


    "Yes. This guy has a clue about your father."


    "!!!" Clovis widened his eyes in shock before nodding his head. "I see. It seems this banquet will be much more interesting than I originally thought."


    "No. It is beyond that. The banquet itself is separated into three stages. The first will be the banquet, where people eat and drink, know each other, or maybe dance. The second session will be the bloody battle.


    "It will probably be battles between younger generations. This usually happens for the influences trying to show off their heirs or heiresses. This will also be a slap for others who lose to them. I dislike it, but well, I don''t really care at this point. If you want to participate, just tell me about it.


    "The last will be held the next day. It is a charity auction. I haven''t gotten the item list, so I don''t know what to buy. However, the people who are attending this banquet are required to put an item for the auction.


    "I put five batches of ten quotas for the new beast soul. This time, each beast soul will be at least Tier 6 or Tier 7. My grandfather is providing me with the beast soul. Maybe you can take out your painting and sell it there... I''m sure it can reach at least one billion."


    It was definitely tempting, considering he could use it for Another World Mall. Unfortunately, Clovis shook his head.


    "That''s what I''d like to do, but there will simply be endless trouble. Not only Tier 8, but Tier 9 people will come for such a painting. For now, it''s better to strengthen the allies. Maybe once I manage to meet my parents, the situation will change. And I can be bolder."


    "That''s understandable. If you don''t want to do anything, it''s fine. I can handle the rest."


    "Hmm..." Clovis looked down, wondering if he could bring out anything.

 Chapter 544 Attending

    The banquet was hosted in a rather secluded place.


    On this mountain, the cool temperature would create a rather conducive atmosphere. The venue was huge, easily hosting more than a thousand people at once. Next to this venue was a grand hotel where they would be residing for the banquet.


    The red carpet had been stretched in front of the entrance. Despite wearing their butler outfit, each individual was at least Tier 3 humans.


    There were two women wearing a red dress. There was the hotel''s badge that signified they were staff, but these women were both Tier 5 humans.


    The lady with a ponytail said, "Remember. We''ll be meeting a lot of important people today. Even if they look ordinary, don''t underestimate them."


    "I understand." The other lady nodded. "I''m still a Tier 5 explorer, Lila."


    "I just want to make sure, Sue. Here they come, the first visitor of the day."


    A limousine had stopped three people from coming out.


    The first one was a vigorous young man. His muscular body was barely covered by his suit. However, the one taking the spotlight was the woman behind him. The woman looked much older than him, but despite that, she didn''t have any wrinkles yet, which made her look much younger than her true age.


    She was wearing a bold one-piece blue dress, with the skirt slit on the right side.


    The last person was an old man. He was wearing a plain white shirt as if this was just another evening for him. He didn''t give off an aura like the young man. Instead, he weakly grabbed his black suit as though it didn''t really matter if he put it on or not.


    "Come on, Father. Wear your suit." The woman asked softly.


    "Haha. It''s fine, it''s fine. I bet we''re the first ones here. I don''t like wearing this kind of outfit." The old man smiled and just hung his suit on his shoulder. "Anyway, let''s enter."


    The woman smiled wryly.


    The three came to the entrance as the two staff bowed.


    "Welcome, Young Master Ezane, Madam Elaine, and Master Randan."


    "Are we the first one to arrive?" The old man asked.


    They were just one of the few foreigners invited to this party due to their alliance with other countries.


    It was the reason this banquet was considered the most important event this year.


    Every single person who attended had a certain influence in their respective countries.


    However, it was also the time for one of the most important guests invited by the host to arrive.


    They came with a white limousine. However, instead of going out like other people, there seemed to be an argument inside.


    "I don''t like wearing suits. Can I not?"


    "Appearance is important. Hurry up and put on your suit. We''re going out."


    "If I wear my suit, I don''t need to do that, right?"


    "Of course you have to do it. It''s just for a show."


    "I don''t really mind either."


    "But your grandfather is there. He is going to be lonely!"


    "Hahaha. Don''t mind me. I''m just enjoying the youthful atmosphere here!"


    There were four different voices. The first one was a young man followed by two feminine voices. The last one was a hoarse, aged voice.


    The first one coming out was the young man, who turned out to be Clovis.


    He extended his hand, escorting the second person, who was none other than Kanaria. Instead of going, he extended his hand to Hana.


    It was only after all those three came out would Hana''s grandfather, Jeremy Skylark, exit the car. This was the man who was considered not only the richest in the country but also one of the strongest. After all, he had a Tier 8 strength on top of his business empire.


    Instead of dividing themselves into two pairs, Clovis ended up becoming the sacrificial lamb. With Kanaria on the right side and Hana on the right side, the group advanced into the venue as a way for Jeremy to show off.

 Chapter 545 Begin

    They certainly garnered people''s attention. The moment they entered the venue, a lot of eyes turned to Clovis.


    After all, he was the only bastard that was able to have a woman on both sides. However, those who recognized Hana couldn''t help but widen their eyes.


    This was a kind of approval from Jeremy himself.


    "Who is that guy?"


    "Isn''t that Clovis? The rising star?"


    "Really?"


    The people were whispering to each other, wondering what was going on. This was why Clovis didn''t really want to do it.


    However, Clovis also understood why Hana wanted to do it. By taking advantage of this confusion, they had no other choice but to acknowledge Clovis, which would push away a lot of people.@@@@


    In addition, there was a hidden message in this action. If they still tried to come for Clovis, not only Hana but even Jeremy might take action.


    If the wealthiest man as well as one of the strongest men in this country took action, there were not many people that could endure it.


    On the other hand, Jeremy didn''t really care about this. As long as there was someone who could take care of Hana''s greed. Besides, it wasn''t like Clovis had no background.


    But this action couldn''t help but make two people furrow their eyebrows. It was the father and daughter of the Elseingarde family.


    "Well, well. Old friend. To think that you would come this way." A guy walked toward him. "You really bring us a surprise."


    "It doesn''t matter how they''re going to interpret it." Jeremy chuckled. "We arrive on time, so I think it''s better to take a seat first. The banquet is about to start."


    "That''s true. This way." He gently pulled him by the shoulder, guiding him to their seat.


    Clovis, Kanaria, and Hana followed right behind while feeling the gazes from all around them.


    For Kanaria, those gazes were observing and judging her. Clovis, on the other hand, felt condemning gazes and one filled with jealousy. Still, Hana was pitied by others, thinking that she had done herself bad by picking Clovis.


    "I think it will be too boring for an old man like me to continue rumbling about the useless thing that you probably have heard a thousand times.


    "Hence, I''ll just say two things. First, don''t forget that this banquet is to strengthen our relationship. I hope that you can talk to others without caring about who they are at this banquet.


    "And if you would like to settle things, there will be a battle session after this. So you can do that after this. This banquet will be closed after the auction held tomorrow.


    "I hope that everyone can maintain a good atmosphere during the banquet. Without further ado, I announce the start of this banquet."


    As expected, the first thing they did was to showcase several dances and other forms of art, which would accompany them as they ate.


    Before it ended, Jeremy came to Clovis while saying, "Boy. I''m going to tell you something."


    "Yes?" Clovis frowned.


    "I know that with your identity, you can probably bypass all kinds of trouble. However, you need to remember that sometimes it''s not going to work. In the end, not knowing your identity can push your enemy to do reckless things.


    "I''m planning to use this banquet to make sure that kind of thing won''t happen. At least, not on my watch."


    Clovis tilted his head in confusion. "Hana aside, but I''m quite surprised that you''re willing to do such a thing for me, sir."


    "I''m not doing it for you. I''m doing it for my granddaughter. Your grandfather is scary and I''m also afraid of him, but that doesn''t mean I will just do whatever I don''t mean to do because of him. In this era, strength might reign supreme, but that doesn''t mean you can solve everything with strength. The same applies to money.


    "That''s why I choose to become wealthy and strong. If you''re going to have my daughter backing you financially, you need to have the strength beyond me. I know it''s going to happen sooner or later, but having a rivalry is good."


    Clovis nodded. "I understand. And I don''t plan to slack off with just some achievement. My goal is beyond it after all."


    "Is that so? That''s good then. In that case, I''ll take care of these people right now. There are currently four influences trying to get you. I can probably shut three of them, but the last one will probably need your effort to do that. After all, they are from a martial family, not the wealthy one.


    They are all muscle-brained people, which is annoying."


    "Alright. Thank you."


    Jeremy patted Clovis'' shoulder before taking his leave.

 Chapter 546 Meeting

    "Jeremy!" An old man shook his hand before patting his shoulder. "How are you, my friend?"


    "Hahaha. I''m feeling the best right now."


    "Well, really?" The old man couldn''t help but glance at Clovis.


    However, Jeremy soon said, "I''ve heard that your third daughter has just given birth to her second son. Congratulations, my friend."


    "You flatter me. I hope that they have good talent like yours. If they even have Hana''s talent, even if it''s only 50% of it, I would have been a proud grandfather."


    "Hahaha." Jeremy laughed. "Sometimes, the higher the talent, the harder they are to teach."


    "Is that so? It doesn''t sound convincing from someone whose granddaughter is so talented that she will surpass her grandfather in a decade or so."


    "I hope that''s true."


    Jeremy seemed to be walking around, greeting his friends before moving to take care of the annoying people that wanted to bother Clovis.


    At the same time, Clovis and the others were approached by someone.


    "Hello, Mr. Alan." Hana smiled, being the first one to greet him.


    The person who said to have the information about his father was none other than one of the two people that stopped Clovis'' pursuer when he entered the country.


    "I have long heard the beauty and the talent of Hana Skylark. As time passes, I''m more convinced that you will surpass your grandfather." He nodded.


    "Thank you." Hana politely introduced the two. "These two are..."


    "Don''t worry. I know them already. Kanaria Renvolt and Clovis H." He only mentioned the first letter to show he knew Clovis'' identity.


    Clovis was startled but soon calmed down since the other party didn''t say his full name.


    "Haha. I surely know. Mr. Alan. Thank you so much. If you wish to have a new beast soul, I''m willing to give you a quota or two." Hana winked playfully.


    "Is that so? I will remember your words." Alan wanted to say his goodbye, but he soon noticed the incoming presence. This was not an ordinary presence. Hence, he couldn''t help but turn around, finding the two from the Elseingarde family come toward them.


    Alan couldn''t help but ask, "Do you need my help?"


    Clovis shook his head. "I''m thankful for your offer, but there''s no need. We can handle this."


    "Alright then." Alan nodded and took his leave. However, he was still observing them from afar in case something went wrong.


    Hana was the first one to step forward and greet them. "It is an honor to meet Sir Lues Elseingarde and the young lady of the family who is rumored to have the unique ability to reach Tier 9 in the future, Christina Elseingarde. Your names are like thunder reverberating in our ears."


    "It''s an honor for the famous Hana Skylark to know us." Lues politely nodded and put his hand on his chest while Christina lifted up the hem of her skirt a bit. However, he soon turned solemn as he said, "However, I can''t help but admire the humbleness of the young master beside you."


    Clovis and Hana had speculated they knew his identity. His grandfather might even be the one tipping them off.


    Clovis smiled. "I''m nothing but a normal person. You flatter me."


    "Normal person, huh? A normal person would have reacted differently." Lues squinted his eyes.


    "Is that so? Maybe I just don''t know the etiquette."


    Lues finally understood how Clovis planned to play it. He said, "Is that so? I guess I will introduce myself. I am Lues Elseingarde. Nice to meet you, young man."


    "I''m Clovis. I''m honored to meet you, Sir Lues."


    "And this is..." Lues took a step to the side as Christina greeted him. "Christina Elseingarde."


    When Clovis wanted to answer their introduction, he was stopped by a glitch that seemed to only appear in his eyes.


    There was a red screen appearing right in front of him, as though the meeting between them shouldn''t have occurred at this point in time.


    "!!!"

 Chapter 547 Challenge

    "!!!" Clovis'' body trembled when he heard her name. It was because of the panel that appeared before him. Unlike all the previous panels, this one was the clearest one he had ever seen.


    [Error.]


    [Recalculating the probability of¡ª]


    It was only a few words but it contained a lot of meaning.


    ''What is this? Probability of what? Why do you need recalculation? Is it because the probability is so low that you have to recalculate it? Is the simulation different from what you expect?


    ''And what kind of data have you inputted into the simulation that it''s not possible for me to meet her? What is exactly going on?''


    There were a lot of questions in his mind, but he knew it would be rude if he took this time to think about all kinds of possibilities.


    "Is there something wrong?" Lues asked while furrowing his eyebrows, feeling suspicious. After the show earlier, it made people think Clovis was a lustful person. His daughter might end up getting caught by him.


    At the same time, he still had to hold back because of the other party''s identity.


    Even Christina was raising her guard against Clovis.


    He didn''t particularly care about it, so he immediately shook his head, "Nothing. I feel like I have heard that name before."


    It was a rather obvious statement. Christina was famous for being born as the granddaughter of Ezekiel Elseingarde. She was even confirmed to have the unique ability required to become a Tier 9 in the future.


    That was why it wouldn''t be weird for them to hear about her name.


    However, it was Hana and Kanaria''s turn to be shocked. Both of them knew Clovis didn''t have any knowledge about the outside world, especially other Tier 9, even though his grandfather was one of them. So it was weird for Clovis to claim he heard her name.


    Was there something they didn''t know about the relationship between the two families? Or was there a reason Clovis used these words as a lie instead of using other common responses?


    ''I guess I will talk about it if I meet my grandfather or Mara.'' Clovis sighed inwardly before focusing on the people in front of him.


    They shifted their gaze to this muscular man.


    He looked 23 or 24 years old. His body was muscular to the point where his suits looked so tight.


    He gave off a beast-like atmosphere from his body. It was as if telling them to fight, fight, and fight if they ever met him.


    With such a confident smile, he came toward Clovis, challenging him.


    "Rivain Magnus. His grandfather is a Tier 8. It seems he is the person that Mr. Alan talked about earlier. He is currently 24 years old and a Tier 5 human. It can be said that he is the previous rising star."


    As Hana said those words, Rivain had reached them. "You look useful since you''re the current rising star. I''m Rivain Magnus. I''ve taken a liking on you. Come under me, Clovis. You will get anything you want. However, I''m not going to take in anyone useless. I''ll be testing you personally. If you can withstand my attack for five minutes, I will consider you passed."


    Rivain made it in a way that he didn''t abuse his Tier 5 strength.


    On the other hand, people knew this was just a one-sided threat.


    Through Clovis, he planned to deal a blow to the Skylark family.


    "Heh? Interesting." Lues smirked. "Do you think he will accept the challenge?"


    Christina squinted her eyes. "I believe he will."


    "Then, what will be the outcome of the fight?"


    "I have seen people like him in battle. He is not just planning to endure the attack for five minutes. He''s planning to showcase his power. However, this is a foolish move. His opponent is a Tier 5 human. While he is not as strong as me, it''s still a Tier 5 human. He is also considered a genius in this country, so his strength should be beyond it. Even if he can fight a Tier 4 human while he''s only a Tier 2, the gap between each Tier increases the higher the Tiers are..." Christina explained.


    As she expected, Clovis planned to beat this guy from the start to solve all the problems both for him and Hana.


    Clovis stated coldly, "I''m not going to listen to someone who is defeated by me."


    "You bastard." Rivain grinned, planning to beat the crap out of Clovis.

 Chapter 548 Fight

    The banquet was filled with a lot of exciting battles as the scions from other families, organizations, or companies ended up challenging one another.


    Still, the one most anticipated was the battle between Rivain and Clovis. After all, Clovis had just piqued the interest of the Elseigarde family.


    It seemed that Rivain wanted to stop him from growing even further and suppress him.


    Meanwhile, they couldn''t really support Clovis, especially with that boast of his.


    If he could really win against Rivain, everyone''s opinion would definitely change.


    That was why this battle would be important for the stability he sought in this country. It would also be the foundation of cooperation between him and the Elseigarde family.


    He couldn''t care less about another Tier 9 family, but Hana would definitely need it. That was why he had to do it.


    Because everyone knew about the second session, they didn''t forget to bring their battle gear, thinking they would be challenged by others.


    Clovis had changed to his usual outfit, which was practical but by no means armor made of precious metal or rare monster''s carcass.


    Meanwhile, Rivain was covering his head, body, arms, and legs with armor. His weapons seemed to be gloves, which made Clovis wonder if they were strong enough to handle him or not.


    Still, Rivain expressed his fighting and killing intent as he glared at him.@@@@


    The arena was just a simple rectangular-shaped platform one meter above the ground.


    The people could see them fighting from underneath the platform.


    They never thought that the first battle would be between a Tier 5 human and someone who just became a Tier 3 human not long ago.


    "Hmm..." Christina furrowed her eyebrows. "Something is wrong."


    Lues glanced at his daughter. "Did you find anything?"


    He tossed a coin into the air and leaped backward, giving them the space to fight.


    Both sides leaped toward each other.


    Rivain punched Clovis with all his strength while the latter raised both swords, trying to receive this punch to measure Rivain''s strength.


    To his surprise, the punch overwhelmed Clovis right away, blowing him back for more than five meters.


    Rivain continued onward, not letting Clovis have the chance to catch a breath.


    When Rivain was about to reach him, Clovis took a deep breath, using his fastest speed to stop his punch. He struck the fist multiple times, which was blocked by the thin plate within the gloves.


    As a result, Clovis had to stop and block this attack, resulting in him getting pushed back again.


    "It''s useless. You might have the ability to fight a Tier 4 when you are a Tier 2, but that''s because the gap between those two tiers is not as immense as the gap between Tier 3 and Tier 5." Rivain shouted.


    "You can''t be so sure about that." Clovis shook his head. He still remained calm as he had an experience against a Tier 5 human.


    Still, Rivain was stronger than the assassin he faced back then, so this would definitely not be an easy fight. He didn''t have Reolf or any advantage either.


    There were two things that had changed from that battle. First, Clovis had become a Tier 3. The second change was that he had the paintings.


    That was why, after understanding Rivain''s strength, Clovis took a deep breath, slowing down the world he saw even further.


    "In that case, I will break your right hand with this punch!" Rivain punched him again.


    Instead of defending against this punch, Clovis moved toward Rivain as closely as possible before tilting his body. His punch would still come from the right side, which was supposed to be his right hand.


    Yet Clovis actually didn''t bother to protect his right side, taking advantage of the defense from his clothes to absorb the damage.


    It still grazed him pretty badly, but as a result, Clovis managed to pass Rivain''s defense and used his full speed to strike him.

 Chapter 549 One Strike

    "!!!" Rivain seemed to be able to follow his strike and used his armor to block most of his attacks.


    Still, several strikes managed to reach him. Although they were just shallow strikes, it was proof that Clovis'' strikes were able to reach him.


    The people were stunned. They thought this would be a one-sided battle, but they were wrong.


    "Wow? So Clovis has indeed that kind of fighting strength?"


    "Maybe he is just lucky? Or is Rivain underestimating him?"


    "No. No. Even if he is like that, both of them still have yet to use their beast souls. That''s why they''re fighting on equal terms right now."


    The people could see that Rivain was blocking only those lethal blows, abandoning all the shallow ones Clovis left behind to trick him.


    Nevertheless, the result made him angry.


    "This is..." Rivain clenched his fists even tighter. This was like a slap in his face. Without hesitation, he leaped toward Clovis in anger. "You bastard!"


    The angrier he was, the calmer Clovis became. Rivain hammered him with a barrage of punches, trying to overwhelm him.


    Clovis blocked every single one of them perfectly fine, even though Rivain had a Muscle Affinity, allowing him to have superior strength against Clovis.


    Clovis didn''t just receive all his attacks. He took several of them so that he could leave behind a lot of wounds on Rivain''s body. If he continued doing this, Rivain would definitely become weaker as time passed.


    The spectators squinted their eyes. Even though Rivain looked like he had the upper hand, it was Clovis who controlled the flow of the battle.


    When Rivain used his beast souls, Clovis countered them with either the techniques he got from Another World Mall, causing a stalemate.


    "I see. It seems I have no need to worry." Alan smiled wryly.


    Lues frowned. "It''s no wonder he is so confident. I guess he truly carries that bloodline..."@@@@


    Christina''s fingers were twitching as she couldn''t help but simulate the battle in her mind. What if she was the one on the stage instead of Rivain? How should she proceed? She instinctively calculated everything in her mind.


    Instead, it would continue flying and cutting everything in front. Although it was only for a brief moment, the strike became similar to the strike from Mara Leverstrike.


    As if realizing the danger, the referee immediately reached both of them and grabbed their arms. He spun his body and tossed both of them out of the arena.


    Rivain was caught by a middle-aged man while Clovis fell right in front of Christina.


    "What are you doing?!" Rivain shouted in anger, glaring at the referee.


    The referee ignored him and announced the result. "Winner: Clovis."


    "What? I didn''t lose!" Rivain hurriedly returned to the stage, trying to complain.


    However, the referee remained calm and said, "Mr. Rivain. I believe I have given the most accurate judgment. I deem this battle has become too dangerous. So as to not leave a wound that will hinder your future, I put a stop to this match."


    "Me? Injured?! He won''t be able to do such a thing to me!"


    The referee sighed. "Please don''t embarrass yourself even further, Mr. Rivain. Anyway, the match has been concluded. And I believe a lot of people agree with my decision. Please leave the arena."


    The referee was fuming in anger. He looked fine, but he was clenching his right hand into his fist to avoid showing the cut on his palm.


    He couldn''t help but look at the trail left behind that sword. It was only several meters, but the power was much stronger than it.


    He thought, ''To think I would be injured by a Tier 3 human. That strike alone... I don''t think there''s a lot of people from the younger generations who are able to stop it. Clovis, huh? It seems the Skylarks have struck gold.''


    While Rivain was complaining, Lues was pinching his chin, looking at Clovis. ''That power is much stronger than it looks. Besides, what is that change of atmosphere? It''s like he becomes an entirely different person for a brief moment.


    ''No. I can still faintly feel it, but it seems to have been suppressed. I see. Is that his unique ability? I still don''t know what it does, but he truly possesses such a power.''


    Christina extended her hand to Clovis while asking, "Are you alright?"


    It seemed she instinctively knew what Clovis had done and ended up acknowledging his strength.


    "Yes. Thank you." Clovis took her hand while smiling.

 Chapter 550 Beach Vacation Agreement

    As expected, others immediately approached Clovis and the others after confirming his strength. It was beyond what they expected, especially because Rivain was a strong person even among Tier 5 humans.


    That was why Clovis immediately ran away, using Hana and Kanaria as his shields. Hana was trying to use him to avoid any unnecessary problems while Clovis used Hana to take care of this problem.


    Hana was more skilled than him in negotiation, so it would be better to just let her handle it.


    There were a lot of challenges after that, but because Clovis wasn''t interested in the spar, he returned to the hotel. Of course, Hana took this time to have a lengthy chat with the Elseingarde family.


    "We''ll give you ten quotas for the new beast souls."


    "Alright." Lues nodded with a serious expression. "What do you want in return?"@@@@


    "If I''m not wrong, the Elseigarde family lives near the beach, correct?" Hana asked.


    "Indeed." Lues thought Hana wanted land or something. That was why her request was shocking to Lues and Christina.


    "How about having a joint training between the Elseigarde and the OpenSky Company?"


    "A joint training?"


    "Indeed. For the Elseingarde family, this joint training will allow your people to get used to the new beast soul, learning from us directly. For us, it will allow for future growth. What do you think?"


    Lues looked down, falling into deep thought.


    The joint training was an excuse. Hana had promised Clovis that she would go on a beach trip, so she chose the joint training to relax her body.


    "Hmm..." Lues asked, "To be honest, it''s not that bad of a deal. In fact, it''s more favorable to us. Still, are you alright with this?"


    "Of course. I will be there personally to supervise my people." Hana nodded.


    "Alright. We can definitely do it."


    ''If that''s the case, it changes the situation completely. He is able to surmount the gap in evolution rate and reach Tier 3 before reaching 17 years old.


    ''This kind of progress can only happen for those who have at least 90% and a lot of resources.


    ''The Hacfield family has been hiding this whole time, so I don''t think they''re helping Clovis with resources or other things.


    ''If that''s the case, it''s more insane. Just like a normal person, he is advancing at the pace of a genius. And his combat prowess is so high that it can only be described as monstrous.


    ''Had Christina faced the same problem, what would happen?''


    Lues couldn''t help but glance at his daughter, who was also in shock.


    "By the way, when are you going to advance to Tier 4?" Hana asked.


    "I''m not sure. 2-4 months, maybe? I''m quite lucky that we can hunt without getting bothered with anything for the last two months, but I''m going to be pretty busy for the next few months, right?"


    "True." Hana nodded.


    Lues and Christina were twitching their eyebrows. Hana was lowkey flexing Clovis'' talent, which couldn''t be described by words.


    In fact, this was what Hana wanted.


    After all, Lues couldn''t help but think, ''Don''t tell me... Clovis has another trump card. The one that allows him to advance by leaps and bounds. The people in his group are also abnormal. There is another secret that he has. Is this the reason Father sent us here?


    ''This young man actually has something that can change the fate of the family? Tier 8 is rare, but what if there are a bunch of Tier 8 humans in his group while he, the leader, is a Tier 9 human?


    Lues closed his eyes, understanding, or more like misunderstanding, everything. He said, "Alright. I shall welcome you to the Elseingarde family."


    "Thank you." Hana nodded.


    "In that case, an old man like me should return to his country to prepare everything. I should let the younger generation talk more and get to know each other." Lues patted Christina''s back as if signaling her to cooperate with them and strengthen the relationship between them.


    "Please take care of me." Christina understood and offered her best smile, while wondering if her father had just sold her away.

 Chapter 551 Insanity

    "Ah. I''m satisfied. The food here is the best. I guess they truly bring good chefs. I even feel stronger after eating." Hana stretched her body.


    "Yeah. The food is indeed different. No wonder why we need a cook for something like this." Kanaria nodded.


    Clovis walked silently before they were stopped by Christina.


    "Is there something wrong, Miss Christina?" Hana asked.


    "No need to be polite. I just wonder if I can have a spar with..." Christina glanced at Clovis. "...It doesn''t need to be in the arena. Somewhere more secluded is fine to prevent anyone from seeing your secret. Besides, we all want to hide our unique ability as much as possible."


    "Clovis?" Hana and Kanaria turned around, looking at Clovis, who had a nonchalant expression.


    Clovis thought for a moment before nodding his head. "Sure. I don''t really mind."


    "In that case, at the back of the hotel? There should be an empty field within the forest. I saw it yesterday."


    "Alright. Ten minutes from now? I have to grab my weapons."


    "Of course."


    After Clovis accepted her offer, Christina immediately left. Her face didn''t show any sign of excitement, as though she was just trying to test Clovis.


    Kanaria and Hana were confused but decided to follow, wondering what would happen in this battle. Christina was a strong Tier 5 and had a unique ability. It wouldn''t be weird for her to defeat Tier 6 easily.


    Clovis probably wanted to gauge her strength as well.


    Since they didn''t need to bring their equipment, they just went straight to the field and waited for them.


    Hana couldn''t help but ask, "Are you jealous?"


    "Jealous of what?" Kanaria tilted her head in confusion.


    "I''m talking about Christina. Considering her strength, family, and even her potential, it wouldn''t be weird for her to be the one standing on his equal."


    "Is there even a need to do that?" Kanaria shrugged. "I have gone past the stage where I care about it. Whether I''m coping or accepting it, it doesn''t really matter anymore... at least for me."


    "Hmm..." Hana fell silent for a moment, not knowing how to respond. She thought Kanaria would be jealous and tried to prevent him.


    Fortunately, she didn''t really have any inferiority complex. It was probably because of her mother that she ended up accepting it much easier, since being one was much better than not, like her mother.


    "Besides, having a bigger family will also allow me to realize my dream." She smiled. "And Clovis'' family will be in a much safer situation."


    "Fair enough." Hana was speechless. It might be because she expected a different answer, she couldn''t reply to her answer. "Still, it sounds like they''re trying to sell her off."


    "What''s the difference between you and her then?" Kanaria squinted her eyes.


    "That''s slander. My intention is much purer than hers!"


    "And what is that?"


    Normal people would start to lose hope, wondering if they could even hurt her at all. In fact, most people who fought her were defeated like that.


    But the thought that appeared in Clovis'' mind couldn''t be any more different. ''This is fun. So I can try everything in my mind without worrying about her. If it''s her, she can definitely take it... She won''t... break!''


    Clovis didn''t realize that his thoughts had changed. It might be because he had been using his Perfect State multiple times in a short period of time or it was because of last night''s battle, but something had changed inside Clovis.


    Because no matter what he did, Christina would be able to receive it. Clovis gradually changed his fighting style from the systematic way of fighting to something random. It was as if Clovis had turned into a beast that was trying to do everything he could to defeat her.


    "!!!" Christina noticed the change and worried inwardly. Did she do something wrong? Clovis had gotten stronger, but his fighting style had changed. If his form ended up changing because of her, she wouldn''t be able to explain it to her father.


    However, Clovis didn''t care about it. He increased his pace and struck her shield relentlessly.


    ''This is... What is going on?'' Christina frowned. ''This strength is not normal. Is he getting stronger in a fight? I can believe it if it''s his technique, but there''s no way strength can get stronger during a fight.''


    Clovis, on the other hand, felt something different. The more he used his Perfect State, the more he realized the state he was in.


    Right now, he was in a trance, feeling as if he was sinking in the bottomless sea.


    ''What is this? I get stronger? I actually haven''t utilized the Perfect State to its full potential? Anger can activate it, but this feeling... Does this mean I''m in the zone? No, not yet. Maybe I''m approaching the zone. I should try it. Christina should be fine.''


    Clovis chose to trust his instinct this time. Little did he know, a smile¡ªdifferent from his normal excited smile¡ªappeared on his face. This one was much creepier and filled with bloodlust.


    ''This is exciting!'' Clovis struck the shield.


    *Bang!*


    Christina clicked her tongue as she couldn''t help but take a step back as though she was overwhelmed by that attack.


    "!!!" Kanaria and Hana were stunned. Clovis actually began to overwhelm Christina.


    Christina took a deep breath and pressed the ground even harder, increasing her strength to withstand Clovis.


    But the latter had actually prepared for something else. He had gathered his strength and momentum and tried the same strike again, this time with his stronger self.


    *Bang!*


    "!!!" Christina used all her strength to block it, only to find it much stronger than anything she could imagine. ''What is this strength?''


    "NO!" Christina twisted her shield a little bit so that both her shield and Clovis'' sword were knocked away together.


    After that, Christina used her other shield to block him, but Clovis stopped it with his short sword.


    Christina saw the incoming hand, so she grabbed it as hard as possible. However, Clovis seemed to not feel any pain as he forced his arm to slide on her hand until his hand reached her face.


    Both Hana and Kanaria dropped their jaws in disbelief. No one in this place, including Clovis, thought this was possible.


    "!!!" Christina was trying to escape, but Clovis held her hard before slamming her head to the ground.


    What terrorized her was not this absurd strength. For some reason, Clovis was grinning like an insane person. It was as if he found enjoyment in doing something like this.

 Chapter 552 Reason

    Kanaria and Hana were stunned. How could Clovis overpower Christina? The latter should have been using all her strength, so it didn''t make sense.


    Surprisingly, the one who first reacted was not Clovis or Christina. It was Lues.


    He seemed to have been watching the battle from afar so as not to disturb them. But as a guardian who had dealt with a lot of opponents, he could discern the change in Clovis'' mind. It was as if he wasn''t Clovis anymore.


    That was why he planned to put a stop to this battle.


    Even more surprising was the fact that Jeremy suddenly appeared in front of him, grabbing his arm.


    "Let go!" Lues gritted his teeth.


    Jeremy shook his head. "It''s for their sake."


    "What do you mean? Do you know something about this? It doesn''t seem like his girlfriend or your granddaughter is aware of this matter. Why does he suddenly change?"


    "I will tell you about what that old madman told me about his unique ability. But there''s something I want you to promise. Let them be."@@@@


    Lues frowned. "What did you say?"


    "Why do you think you came here? It''s not to meet Clovis or us, right? It''s because you''re instructed to meet all three of us."


    "!!!" Lues'' body shook. That clue made him realize everything had been prearranged, including this spar.


    No, it was more like the two Tier 9 humans had come to an agreement about something and Jeremy knew about it.


    "Unfortunately, he couldn''t be more wrong about it. The kid ended up utilizing that ability, but in a suppressed manner due to the training he had done so far."


    Lues shuddered in fear. "Suppressed? Are you saying that kind of overwhelming strength is suppressed?"


    He couldn''t imagine what kind of strength Clovis would possess if he unleashed everything.


    "Not long ago, his grandfather ended up finding a certain guy fighting against his enemy. Due to the feud between them, the grandfather thought, ''Would it be good to have them as an ally and let their grandchildren meet?''"


    Lues looked down, falling into deep thought. Why would Michael want them to meet? After listening to the story, she noticed some similarity between Clovis and Michael as well as Christina with his grandmother.


    In that instant, he understood the reason why his father wanted them to attend this banquet. It was so that both of them could meet.


    Michael believed that Christina had the strength to contain Clovis. If he could get used to it and get full control over the full potential of his unique ability, Clovis would definitely stand at the peak. Nothing would bring more joy to Michael than seeing his son safe from this power.


    On the other hand, Ezekiel saw this as an opportunity. Since they had the same enemy, they should join hands. And if Christina was able to help Clovis unleash his full potential, the Elseingarde would have a strong ally in the future. That ally even had a monstrous group.


    ''So that''s the reason...'' Lues frowned. "This joint training... Is it your idea? You''re planning to have this joint training because it will allow Clovis and Christina to keep having a spar."


    "It''s Hana''s idea. I would have suggested it if Hana hadn''t suggested it first, though. That''s why we should leave them alone. Let the youngsters settle it themselves and grow stronger together. Who knows? Maybe with his influence, he can actually make her much stronger like his companions? At the very least, that''s the secret that not even his grandfather knows about." Jeremy shrugged.


    Lues glanced to the side, finding his daughter pinning Clovis on the ground with her shield as if trying to suppress his bloodthirsty nature.


    As Jeremy said, his daughter might have the strength to do it. Lues lowered his head, falling into deep thought. "I will have to go back to my family. I will leave Christina to you. Make sure nothing goes wrong."


    Jeremy smirked. "You can leave it to me."

 Chapter 553 Overthinking

    "Ha... Ha... What are you..." Christina panted heavily while restraining Clovis on the ground. She pinned his head on the ground while her other hand stopped his hands from moving.


    Now that they were in this position, Christina could finally recall whatever had just happened earlier.


    Even Hana and Kanaria couldn''t help but furrow their eyebrows. "What is going on?"


    They noticed the change in Clovis but, at the same time, couldn''t believe Clovis was capable of doing such a thing.


    As if realizing he was unable to do anything, he calmed down. The bloodlust in his eyes gradually disappeared. "Ah. What happened?"


    Christina was confused. ''Did he not remember what he had just done?''


    "Well, how about we end it here?" Jeremy''s voice echoed in everyone''s ears.


    "!!!" They turned to Jeremy. Hana frowned. The timing was so perfect that she couldn''t help but question whether he was waiting for them or not. "Grandfather..."


    Jeremy smiled. "Hana, Kanaria. Can you guys go back first? I need to talk to these two."


    Hana and Kanaria didn''t like this fact, but it seemed they had no other choice but to comply.


    They both nodded to each other before taking their leave.


    After that, Jeremy turned to the two. "I want to talk to both of you, but don''t you think that position is rather inappropriate?"


    To restrain him, Christina had to sit on Clovis'' back, so it really wasn''t appropriate for a serious discussion.


    Christina released him and stood up. "My apologies. I was too shocked earlier that I had no choice."


    Clovis didn''t understand what was going on, so he just stood up with a confused expression, expecting anyone to explain it to him.


    "Clovis. What''s the last thing you remember?" Jeremy asked.


    "I was fighting against her and I felt my ability could increase further, so I sank deeper..."


    However, Clovis noticed that the reason they wanted her to join must be related to him, specifically his unique ability.


    Clovis crossed his arms, falling into deep thought.


    "Well, this is not something that can be decided easily." Clovis turned to Christina.


    "I agree." Christina nodded her head. "There''s still the joint training."


    "Indeed."


    Jeremy smiled. "Is that so? In the end, your grandfather has just given you a suggestion. He by no means has any intention of dictating what you need to do. Anyway, I have passed the message. It''s up to you what you''re going to do with it."


    Jeremy waved his hand and disappeared.


    Clovis and Christina looked at each other.


    ''That strength of his... It''s certainly extraordinary. If he can truly utilize it to its true potential, he might surpass me. I don''t know what kind of ability it is, but it''s clearly much stronger than what the world has seen so far.


    ''After all, according to my grandfather, the sooner the unique ability is awakened, the higher its potential.


    ''The fact that he awakened it when he was born meant he held the current record. But it might be due to the nature of its power, but it brings a certain side effect, which is that bloodlust state.


    ''If they want me to join his group, it means my existence is somewhat useful for that side effect.''


    Christina fell into deep thought.


    Meanwhile, Clovis had another way of thinking. ''A side effect, huh? Mara should have something similar. Do I need to train with Christina or is anybody fine?


    ''And if Christina can help me, being in my group is not necessary, right? I can offer a trade or owe her a favor. If it''s in the future, I can probably give her something like the collar for a beast pet or items from Another World Mall. No, should I just give her a painting that will be suitable for a guardian?


    ''This is a much better solution.''


    Clovis and Christina looked at each other, not realizing Jeremy was still observing them from a distance. He chuckled, ''Two youths overthinking such a simple thing.''

 Chapter 554 Learning about Parents

    After the sparring, there was a banquet. Unfortunately, there was nothing that could catch Clovis'' eyes. He had almost everything in his Another World Mall, so he wasn''t bothered to buy anything.


    Meanwhile, there was a huge battle fighting for the quota of the new beast souls.


    Hana bought several items, but there wasn''t anyone in the country that had more money than Hana and Jeremy combined. So, it wasn''t wise to fight them.


    In the end, Hana got everything she wanted. There were a lot of deals, but the one in which Hana was interested the most was the overseas deal. She was preparing to expand overseas after the contract with the military ended.


    While everyone was excited for the auction, there was one man who had to return home. It was Lues.


    After knowing his father''s intention, he immediately prepared everything back home from the training, the people, and their resources. They couldn''t be caught lacking in this department.


    In the end, Christina chose to stay with Hana until the people who received the quota got their beast souls.


    Instead of going home, Clovis decided to follow Alan to get more information about his father.


    Surprisingly, Alan showed a few books to him, which all had been signed by his father.


    "Look at this..."


    "Huh?" Clovis tilted his head in confusion. "What are these books?


    "These are the techniques that your father has made. Don''t you know that even though your father doesn''t have a unique ability, he is still much better compared to the rest of Tier 8?


    "That''s because he is a genius in martial arts. He has transformed hundreds of techniques and even perfected them. Whenever he sees a new technique, he can study it and make some changes to make it better.


    "There are a lot of techniques out there created by your father. In the past, I met your grandfather when we were both Tier 6. He gave me these books, which allowed me to become a formidable Tier 8 human.@@@@


    In the end, Clovis asked a lot of questions about his parents, trying to know more about them. Alan gave all kinds of information, especially about things that the public never knew.


    The most surprising thing was that despite having all these achievements, they had to hide.


    He couldn''t help but wonder how big the enemies that his grandfather had were. To think they could force them to hide.


    Multiple Tier 9 humans? Giant organization? The world?


    Alan could only shake his head because he didn''t know the details. No matter how hard he thought about it, it didn''t really make sense that they were hiding, unless there were things that they planned to do.


    During his stay, the Elseingarde family had sent their people to receive the new beast souls.


    Hana oversaw everything personally, considering Christina was an important force. She wasn''t aware of what Clovis'' grandfather had in mind when he forced Christina to this country.


    Nevertheless, the project was successful. All the beast souls had been delivered to the elites of the Elseigarde family.


    Due to the power of the Elseingarde family, there was no one trying to mess with Clovis anymore, especially since Jeremy had openly shown his support.


    As a result, they had a peaceful time.


    The biggest problem Clovis had to deal with was whether he should bring Reolf on this trip. On the one hand, he would be discovered if he truly came with them. On the other hand, it would be too pitiful if they didn''t let Reolf join, especially since Reolf was about to reach Tier 3.


    In the end, Hana sent forth her airship and even prepared for a small place for them to stay. She didn''t bother ordering a hotel. She bought an entire villa. Of course, the money came from the beast soul.


    Two weeks later.


    Clovis and the others finally reached the Elseingarde family.

 Chapter 555 Arrival

    "Listen up. Soon, there will be esteemed guests coming from Absalom. As the elites of the Elseingarde family, I want all of you to keep up with them and make sure not to embarrass the family." A middle-aged man glared at the twenty elites of the family.


    They were from the younger generation, so most of them were Tier 4 and Tier 5. There was only one person with Tier 6''s strength.


    Out of these twenty people, five of them had the new beast souls and more might get it if they performed well during the joint training.


    "Sir. As the instructor of the Elseingarde family, why are you looking down on us? We are the elites from the Elseingarde family. We should be able to keep up with random people." One of them asked.


    "If you are able to slam the young miss'' head to the ground when you are only a Tier 3 human and when the young miss uses her strength to the fullest, you can say that again." The instructor snorted.


    "What?" The people looked at each other in disbelief. "Are you serious? Her?"


    "No, wait. Can you even say that?"


    "The young miss'' reputation will take a hit."


    "Idiot. This is where you should remain quiet and pretend as if you have never heard about it."


    "But still, a Tier 3, you know?"


    The people turned solemn. The fact that he revealed such a sensitive topic meant he wasn''t lying. In other words, the guests this time were not ordinary.


    The instructor reminded them once again. "Remember. Make sure to keep up with them. Their captain is able to do it, but his people are not ordinary either. Each of them is at least capable of fighting someone above their tier. Some of them are even capable of fighting two tiers above them. If you underestimate them, your position as an elite in this family will be gone. Understood?"


    "Yes, sir!" They became a bit tense after hearing the information.


    There was a hidden reason why the instructor revealed this information. If there was any information leak, it meant there was a mole among them. And he would have to deal with it.


    This information might hurt her reputation a little bit, but compared to finding a mole and the cooperation with Clovis and Hana, it was nothing. That was the decision of Lues as the family head.


    "Of course." Hana nodded. "And this is Clovis, the captain of the Libation Fiesta. Behind him are Vice Captain Jay, another Vice Captain Erwin, Sniper Kanaria, Operator Melody, Guardian Ragna, and Doctor Luci. Please don''t hold back against them."


    Hana skillfully added two vice captains to avoid Erwin and Jay fighting. She even winked at them so that they could restrain themselves, fully aware Erwin would make a retort if she didn''t present him that way.


    "Yes."


    "Although this is embarrassing, there''s something I''d like to ask right off the bat. Because of a condition of one of the members, is it possible if we start the training tomorrow? He has to take a rest due to the change of climate."


    "Is that so? In that case, I can arrange your place... Or do you prefer to go to the villa you''ve just bought?" Lues smiled wryly. As expected of a rich person, she would just buy the entire thing and deal with the problem.


    "Yes."


    "In that case, Christina and Sir Marhan can guide you to your villa. In the meantime, they will be explaining about the training schedule. What do you think?"


    "Sounds good." Hana nodded in agreement.


    Lues then signaled to Marhan to proceed with that plan and rearranged the schedule.


    In the end, Clovis and Hana went with Marhan and Christina, while the rest followed in their bus with Reolf.


    Marhan explained, "The training will be divided into three categories. The first will be physical training. The second phase will begin with sparring. The last phase will be filled with field training. In other words, you will hunt some beasts."


    "Does the training include the sea training?" Clovis asked.


    "Of course. Although there is no sea beast capable of climbing the tower, it doesn''t change the fact that there are some mutations that occurred to the present fish. And it causes the fish to be more violent.


    "The field training will be held on a tropical island located not far from here, so we will go there by boat." Marhan pointed in the sea''s direction.


    "Got it."@@@@

 Chapter 556 Relaxing on the Beach

    "Haaa... I guess it''s fine to relax like this once in a while." Hana let out a soft moan while stretching her body. She was closing her eyes while relaxing on her beach chair.


    "I guess. You don''t regret that I brought you here, right?" Clovis was sitting next to her.


    "Well, I can make more money, but I guess it''s fine. Spending time with my precious investor is good too."


    "Investor, eh?" Kanaria looked at Hana.


    "What?" Hana tilted her head in confusion.


    "Nothing." Kanaria shrugged.


    "By the way, what is Erwin doing? He has been fixated on his phone this whole time." Hana pointed at Erwin, who was sitting underneath the umbrella. His eyes had been glued to his phone for more than an hour. It looked like he was drooling.


    "Oh that?" Kanaria sighed. "He has been telling Aileen, his girlfriend, about the beach. He is practically begging her to get a bikini to keep his head cool."


    "She ends up giving in?"


    "Yes. It seems she has just gotten in and tried it on at the mall over there. I don''t know. Maybe he will get several pictures of her."


    "Heh..." Hana made a sly smile as if she found enjoyment in it.


    "Right?" Kanaria chuckled.


    Hana then turned her head to Ragna and Jay, who seemed to be doing the same thing.


    Jay was swinging his saber again and again, trying to split the sea. Whenever the waves came, he would slash it as if trying to increase the range or power of his ranged attack.


    Meanwhile, Ragna simply stood in his position, letting the wave hit his body at full force.


    He did his best to remain still as though he were withstanding the charge of a huge beast.


    Yes, they were training. Even though they could rest today, they still ended up training.


    Clovis ground his teeth. "And what are you planning this time, Luci?"


    "What am I planning?" Luci hesitated for a moment before looking away. "Make you look at me. If you''re seduced, it''s good. If you''re not, make your nosebleed. Then, I can get your blood sample."


    Clovis'' body was twitching in anger. He grabbed Luci''s head and started applying more pressure.


    "W-What are you doing?" Luci smiled wryly while tapping his arm a few times, trying to free herself.


    But Clovis just kept applying more and more pressure as if he were trying to crack her head.


    "It hurts. What are you trying to do? Please stop. Arrggghhh!"


    "I''m going back so that this woman doesn''t bring any shame to the group." Clovis dragged her by the head back to the villa, forcing her to change.


    "Pfft!" Hana laughed out loud. "He must be tired dealing with all that."


    "He sure does." Kanaria nodded in agreement.


    "Oh. Is that Reolf?" Hana raised her head, looking at the white wolf digging the sand in the distance.


    "Yeah. This is the first time he is going to the beach. Well, we do too, but yeah..." Kanaria shrugged. "Just let him be. I don''t know if he can even participate in the training this time, but it''s good to have him go around the world."


    "Are you not going to reveal him?"


    "Not yet. Clovis wants to become Tier 4 or Tier 5 first before revealing it. Besides, it''s good to have Reolf get stronger as well. Revealing him will not be as troublesome by then."


    "Fair enough. If I were other people, I would be asking him to reveal the secret for the sake of ''justice'' or for the sake of the people. Then again, I couldn''t care less about it." Hana thought for a moment before noticing something. "Now that I think about it, even though you are on the beach, you are still wearing accessories. Look at Jay. Why does he even wear his bracelet? Is he trying to show off? But this is a private beach."


    "..." Kanaria''s heart skipped a beat. Hana''s eyes were truly sharp, especially for something like this.


    Still, Kanaria maintained her poker face, acting as if he didn''t do anything wrong. After all, Clovis didn''t want to reveal the item yet.


    She said, "Oh. Jay is too lazy to even take them off. It''s his bad habit. Don''t you know that he didn''t even take off his watch when he was bathing when he was young? His parents ended up buying him the water-resistant watch."

 Chapter 557 Training

    "Today, you will be training in this facility." Marhan pointed at the big building behind him. When they entered, they could see a lot of different facilities, from gym to pool.


    "Hoho... This is quite nice." Hana looked around. "Should I build something like this too in your place, Clovis?"


    "You truly hold nothing back when spending your money, eh? What happens to using that money for other projects?"


    "If I want to start another project, I can always use a loan. With my name, I can easily get a loan. Don''t you know that if you have a good reputation to build up a business empire, the bank will tend to believe you again even if your company goes under? The rest of my project doesn''t really need much funding right now.


    "Of course, if you are worried about money, just give me something that I can sell, preferably something that I can sell continuously."


    Clovis smiled wryly. "Just look at this girl. The only thing she talks about is money."


    "Hehehe." Hana chuckled. "Well, I will be looking around for an hour or two before talking with Mr. Lues. Don''t embarrass me, will you?"


    "Who knows?" Clovis shrugged.


    "Welcome to my training ground." Christina''s voice soon echoed as she walked toward them after training some elites.


    "Thank you for having us." Clovis nodded.


    Christina nodded back. "Sir Marhan. Why don''t you brief them on what we''re going to do for today?"


    "Yes. We''ll begin with physical durability." Marhan pointed at a few machines on the left.


    Each machine was different. The first one had a huge sphere hitting one''s body as the person had to remain standing without putting any guard. It was as if they would be hit by a bull charge or something.


    The second machine was much more ridiculous because it was working with a huge boulder.


    Their purpose coming here was to learn and train anyway.


    In the end, Marhan guided them in every single training. The people from the Elseingarde also joined them because Marhan ordered them too. Even Christina had to participate.


    Clovis never had this kind of training, so they struggled at first. However, all of them showed a rapid improvement and strength beyond their tier, which shocked the people from the Elseingarde family.


    The one who showed the most promise was actually Ragna. Considering the Elseingarde family produced a lot of guardians, Ragna benefited a lot from the training. It was as if everything had been made for him.


    It was even more shocking for Christina when she learned about Ragna''s strength. After all, she had heard from her grandfather that his body''s constitution made him extremely weak.


    It would only soar at higher tiers. That was why it was shocking to see Ragna having all that strength when he was only a Tier 3 human.


    She was so shocked that she wanted to report it to her grandfather right away, asking what he thought about it.


    However, the people in Libation Fiesta showed unprecedented growth. Even Melody and Luci, who were the operator and the doctor, showed that they could keep up just fine.


    Still, Jay and Erwin were competing like usual as if trying to show that they were the ones worthy to be the vice captains.


    When Clovis asked them, they answered him with, ''We know it''s impossible to only have one vice captain in our group. Even a great leader has one right arm and one left arm. We are debating who will be your right arm, who will be your right arm."


    Clovis never stopped them after that. It was clear what they meant by those two arms. The right arm was given the responsibility to lead the second group when they split up. The left arm would be assisting him, the leader.


    That was why Clovis just let them compete since it wasn''t hurt.


    Because of their competition, Clovis felt he couldn''t lose and showed why he was their leader, especially during the spar against Christina.


    Not a single person from the Elseingarde family could believe Clovis had that kind of power as a Tier 3 human. But all those doubts were dispelled after that sparring, which allowed the training to progress even more smoothly.

 Chapter 558 Competition

    Clink!


    Clink!


    Clink!


    A series of clicking sounds echoed continuously for the next several minutes until they were replaced by the sound of heavy breathing.


    "Ha... Ha..." Christina furrowed her eyebrows. "Have you gotten used to it?"


    "My mind was blank earlier, but it felt like I could get a part of my consciousness to stay." Clovis nodded.


    "I see. It seems we can gradually unlock the full potential of your unique ability." Christina nodded.


    "Sorry. It just feels like I can only do that when fighting you. I have tried sparring with other people, but no one is able to do it." Clovis shook his head helplessly.


    "It''s fine." Christina thought for a moment. "Once you are able to unlock your full potential, make sure you don''t forget my family."


    "What is this? Your family is also quite strong." Clovis smiled wryly.


    "You precisely know what that means. Our meeting has been arranged by our grandfathers. You should understand what it means, right?" Christina sighed.


    "Oh." Clovis looked away. Clovis sighed before asking, "Then, why don''t you join my group?"


    "Huh?" Christina frowned. "Are you implying that my people are inferior to you guys?"


    "No. I don''t mean that." Clovis shrugged. "I just can''t trust anyone outside my group right now, even if it''s my grandfather''s arrangement."


    "Trust? What next? Are you going to reveal your secret if I join your group?"


    "Yeah." Clovis nodded.


    Christina frowned. "How about this? You know that we''re going to a tropical island for hunting training, right?"


    "Yes."


    "What is this? Unique ability is a trump card. You''re telling me about it?"


    "I just believe it is only fair if I do that." Christina pointed at the pillar in front of them. "Why don''t you try striking that pillar?"


    "Huh?"


    "Just do it."


    Although confused, Clovis still did it. To his surprise, the next thing he realized, his sword was already in front of Christina''s neck instead of the pillar. "This is..."


    "There are a lot of reasons for my unique ability, but I''m able to subconsciously make you focus on me.


    "That''s probably including your unique ability. This might be the reason I''m able to bring out your full potential during our sparring.


    "If I want to get stronger, I will provoke the ground so that I can gain more strength when I step on it. You know, the foundation of strength starts from the lower body, like how we''re using horse stance as the first practice.


    "By provoking the ground, I am able to get the surge of strength, which allows me to withstand all kinds of attacks. In addition, beasts will come to me subconsciously. That''s why I don''t really want you to challenge me when I clearly outnumber you. I can bring the beasts to me quickly.


    "By telling my unique ability to you, it can be considered fair... a little bit?"


    Clovis chuckled. "I call my unique ability Perfect State. Whenever I activate it, I will have all five affinities. My senses from Brain Affinity, my vision from Blood Affinity, my defense from the Bones Affinity, my regeneration from the Heart Affinity, and my strength from the Muscle Affinity... all of them increase drastically."


    "Why are you telling me this? I told you about my unique ability because it was fair for the competition. Now that you have told me about your secret, what''s the point of the competition?"


    Clovis shrugged. "I have more secrets than you think. Why am I even saying these things to you? Don''t tell me. You are using your Provoke to subconsciously influence me to say these things?"


    "Who needs to do that? Anyway, we''ll be competing. Will that be fine?" Christina extended her hand.


    "Sure." Clovis nodded and shook her hand.


    "In that case, I will continue training." Christina smiled. "Womanizer."


    "Wo-What?" Clovis raised his eyebrows.


    Christina immediately escaped.

 Chapter 559 Hunting Competition

    Marhan looked at all the participants and said, "This island has the size of a small city. We have also built roads all over the island to allow our teams to move freely.


    "As such, you can use these roads to travel around the island.


    "There are no buildings you can use since we don''t need to maintain this place, considering it has been surrounded by the sea. Hence, no beasts will travel outside.


    "We have been thinning out their number once every month. Right now, it has been about 24 days since the last activity, so there should be a large number of beasts occupying this island.


    "The area underneath this place has the threat level 7. However, Tier 7 beast rarely comes to the surface. At most, Tier 6. And it usually appears one or two times a year.


    "If there is a Tier 6 or even Tier 7, the training will be canceled and I will immediately take action, eliminating.


    "It doesn''t matter whether you have the strength to kill the Tier 6 beast or not. If you end up taking it down, it means insubordination. You will be immediately disqualified from the competition.


    "Last but not least, to make sure everything is fair, we have split the island into two diagonally. Is there any question before I do the coin toss?" Marhan asked.


    "No." Christina shook her head.


    Clovis raised a finger. "I have one."


    "Ask away."


    "Are you going to stay here all the time, Sir Marhan?"


    "Yes. To avoid favoring anyone, I will remain on the boat. We''ll be 50 meters away so that my presence won''t bother the beasts on this island. And it''s enough distance to cover in a single leap, which will allow me to react almost immediately in case of emergency."


    Clovis nodded. "Understood. Thank you for the clarification."


    "Alright then." Marhan took out a coin from his pocket. "Head or tail?"


    Clovis and Christina looked at each other. Both of them smiled as they answered at the same time.


    "Head," said Clovis.


    If her grandfather visited the art room, his strength might progress by leaps and bounds. He would become even scarier.


    Looking at the tempted face, Clovis had one more thing he wanted to give. This would be a kind of introduction.


    After interacting with Hana for a while, he knew that giving this item wouldn''t cause as much ruckus as before.


    Hence, Clovis took out a ring from his pocket. "And I will let you keep this. But don''t tell anyone about this ring."


    The others couldn''t help but widen their eyes.


    "Clovis. Are you sure about that?" Kanaria stood up.


    "Yeah. It''s fine right now. If she is still like the greedy little pig she was, I wouldn''t have made this decision. Let''s just say this is an introduction." Even though Clovis said it this way, it was more accurate that Clovis decided to expand his wealth through Hana, not anyone else.


    "Well, if you say so." Kanaria nodded and sat down.


    "Hey, hey. I also need a ring. Why did you not give me a ring?!" Luci raised her hand, protesting.


    "You, shut up for a moment. You''re going to make her misunderstand!"


    And she did. Hana looked at the ring and asked with a dumbfounded expression. "I am happy that you feel that way to me, but isn''t this too early?"


    Clovis pinched the bridge of his nose. "Just wear it first and you will understand. But this is not an engagement ring, so please don''t misunderstand."


    "Is that so?" Hana dumbfoundedly inserted the ring into her middle finger.


    In that instant, her mind felt refreshed and it felt like her body was floating. If she moved around, she felt like she would move much faster and with less effort.


    "This is..." Hana gasped. Her eyes were going back and forth between the ring and Clovis as if she couldn''t even describe what kind of feeling she currently had.


    Her mouth was shaking as if trying to form a word, but ultimately, she repositioned the ring from her middle finger to her ring finger. Clovis told her not to misunderstand but she actually did exactly what Clovis tried to avoid. "This position is much better. I might be inexperienced, but please take care of me."


    Clovis facepalmed as though he had expected this. "Don''t be like Luci please... I beg you."

 Chapter 560 Begin

    Marhan looked at the island once more to confirm both teams were ready. After that, he nodded to his assistant next to him to shoot the flare.@@@@


    The flash changed the color of the blue sky for a bit, which allowed the two teams to notice.


    With no hesitation, each driver stepped on the gas.


    "So, where are we going?!" Clovis asked while his hand was busy stopping Hana.


    "We are going to this area." Kanaria pointed at the map. It was a spot located not in the center of the island but slightly toward the edge.


    "Hoh? You''re not going to take the center? If we are staying in the center, we will be able to go in all directions easily." Hana asked, stopping for a second.


    "That''s true, but our camp needs safety instead of mobility. If we look at the map and the elevation, this place has a natural terrain that we can take advantage of to ensure the safety of the camp.


    "Besides, by looking at the roads, we know that this road doesn''t have a lot of turns, which will allow us to travel in all directions quickly.


    "In addition, looking from the logistic standpoint, it''s clear that we can transport things pretty easily for example, essence or their corpses.


    "From the looks of it, this place also has a good natural advantage, such as fruits and vegetation. This will allow us to have a good balance in our diets for the next seven days. And last but not least, this place is not far from a river. Any more questions?" Kanaria crossed her arms with a smug smile.


    Hana looked surprised. "You''re good at this. Are you really going to revive a dead city?"


    "Mhmm." Kanaria nodded with a serious expression.


    "Alright. The destination has been decided. We''ll form our camp first."


    "Got it!" Erwin acknowledged the order.


    "In that case, I will be providing firepower and additional support. Melody is the team''s support operator, right?"


    "Yep. Do you need my help?"


    "No. I can do your job, not as good as you, but I can help with the map and other things. With my drones, we can change the way the beasts are moving, so I''ll be providing that information and you will change the way the team fights."


    His howl could reach a very vast area. It seemed Clovis wanted to take advantage of it to bring the beasts toward them. He just wanted to see whether the number was too much or not. After all, the hunting competition had just started, so it was better to be careful. Still, if this worked, the situation would go in their favor. In fact, they might be able to steal some beasts from the other side of the island.


    Reolf nodded his head. "Waaf!"


    "Hahaha. Is that so? Don''t worry. I won''t be reckless. We will only provoke an area at a time. We have Hana now, so we''ll see how well we will fight."


    "Waaf!" Reolf showed an agreement.


    "Great. I will leave it to you then." Clovis nodded with a serious expression.


    Meanwhile, Christina seemed to be planning the same thing.


    They first picked a spot to be their camp.


    "Miss. What are we going to do now? Should we split up into three groups and start killing the beasts? We have 18 people, so we can split evenly like a normal group."


    Christina crossed her arms. "Hmm."


    Another person explained, "But we will have a bad reputation if we end up splitting into three groups. In the end, we have a numerical advantage. It''ll be bad if they say we win because we have three groups."


    Christina shook her head. "Never mind that. We''ll split into three groups. Clovis should know perfectly that we have the number. If we end up underestimating him because of it, I''m sure he will be angry. So, we''ll proceed with the original plan and kill as many beasts as possible. Once I''ve picked up the spot, I''ll use my unique ability and kill those beasts."


    "Understood."


    While they made their preparation, Marhan was sitting on the boat while staring at the screen.


    Libation Fiesta: 310 points.


    Elseingarde: 340 points.


    Each group had their respective device that showed the number of their kills, which was converted to points according to their tiers.


    Marhan smiled. "The competition is about to begin."

 Chapter 561 Sudden Score Spike

    "They''re coming!" Melody said.


    "Let''s go, Reolf!" Luci cheered, her right hand holding on to Reolf''s body while her left hand was waving. She seemed to be enjoying herself riding Reolf.


    Reolf, on the other hand, was chased by close to a hundred beasts. He skillfully moved past the forest and gradually reached an open area.


    Hana and Kanaria were standing on the right side.


    Hana''s drones were flying a few meters above them, revealing their respective weapons.@@@@


    When the beasts saw her, Hana immediately activated her drones, shooting down the beasts one after another.


    Kanaria wasn''t planning to lose. She used her sniper rifle and killed multiple beasts in a single shot, as the bullet not only pierced through several bodies but also destroyed them.


    The beasts had to move slightly away from them. They wanted to attack them, but there were three people in front of them: Clovis, Jay, and Erwin.


    Melody and Ragna were on the left side. Melody shot them, but her firepower was not as powerful as Hana or Kanaria. As a result, some beasts were trying to attack them. However, Kanaria had previously said that they had a natural terrain.


    Due to the sharp elevation, the beasts had a hard time coming toward them. Ragna was also there to push all the beasts away.


    As a result, most of the beasts ended up continuing their way toward the trio.


    "We have created the walls on the side. All we need to do now is kill them," said Clovis while pulling out his swords.


    "Oh!" Erwin and Jay smirked. Both of them leaped forward.


    Erwin waved his hand, using the strings to cut down and even drag several beasts. Jay swung his saber, cutting down two beasts every single time.


    Luci and Reolf had already passed them and stopped behind them, ready to join the fight.


    As soon as Luci jumped off Reolf''s back, Clovis rushed toward the beasts, advancing at bullet speed. He cut down all the beasts.


    This was Clovis'' plan. He lured them and created two walls on the sides so that the beasts would be focused on the center and left the brute force to him, Jay, and Erwin.


    On the other hand, Christina was provoking the beasts in her surroundings.


    "Come!" The beasts instinctively charged toward her, ignoring the humans around them.


    "If the young miss challenges his group with only six members, I believe she might lose. It shows how extraordinary this Libation Fiesta is. However, he is such a fool if he thinks he will be able to defeat the young miss with such disadvantages." Marhan snorted.


    Clovis was too arrogant, he thought.


    "Anyway, I''m going to leave. Make sure to observe their progress and tell me if there''s anything wrong."


    "Yes, sir!"


    Marhan didn''t know at that time he had been underestimating Clovis. Then again, no one in their right mind would think that Clovis would be able to provoke the beasts much better than Christina.


    ...


    The next day, the man slammed open the door and shouted, "Sir... Not good!"


    "What''s going on?!" Marhan was confused.


    "Please take a look at the score, sir!"


    Still perplexed, he followed the guy to the control room to check their scores.


    The guy said, "Everything is supposed to be normal and we have been observing them nonstop. However, in the last few hours, the Libation Fiesta''s scores spiked all of a sudden."


    "Spikes?"


    "Yes. It''s an abnormal spike that lasts for a few hours."


    "Did they hack our system?"


    "There is no trace of an attack."


    Marhan was still confused and hurried to the room, only to get the shock of his life.


    Libation Fiesta: 110,760 points.


    Elseingarde: 78,840 points.


    Marhan dropped his jaw to the ground as Clovis not only beat Christina''s score but also surpassed her by almost half of her point.


    "W-What''s going on?"

 Chapter 562 Execution Ground

    A few hours ago.


    Christina was staring at the firepit.


    "Young Miss. Please take your rest. We have set up your tent. Leave guarding the camp to us."


    "I can also help. I don''t plan to leech on you guys. It must be hard for you guys, considering we have to do it for seven days."


    "How can we allow that? If not for you, we wouldn''t be able to kill all those beasts. In fact, we would be in quite trouble just trying to find them. It''s because of your unique ability that we are able to kill all these beasts today. That''s why please allow us to contribute as well."


    When they put it that way, Christina couldn''t help but feel embarrassed. She nodded. "Alright, alright. In that case, I will leave the rest to you guys."


    "Yes!"


    As Christina was about to enter her tent, a howl suddenly alerted all of them.


    "Aoooo!"


    The howl was quite loud and not that far from their location.


    That was why Christina couldn''t help but raise her guard. "This is..."


    "A wolf? Considering its voice, it seems the wolf is in the other part of the island."


    "Hmm?" Christina squinted her eyes. It wasn''t that rare for a wolf to howl, so she thought this was no different. She could hear the ruckuses coming after that howl. "Are the beasts moving?"


    "I think so. Maybe Libation Fiesta has provoked a wolf or something. They''re really working hard just to beat us."


    "Well, they won''t be able to keep up with this. Eventually, they will be tired and we''ll widen the gap between us. Still, we shouldn''t underestimate them. We''ll work hard again tomorrow. Good night."


    "Yes. Good night."


    Once the corpses built up, Melody tossed some grenades and blew them up. It caused their bodies to be blasted in all directions. Some bodies ended up crushing the trees, which ultimately destroyed the thread formation.


    However, with all those corpses piling up, they ended up useless. Hence, blowing them up causes the trees or corpses to create an even harder terrain to conquer.


    The beasts had a hard time reaching Kanaria and Hana. In addition, both of them gradually moved upward. They had their respective paths to avoid all those wires, with Melody guiding them.


    Reolf turned around. Even though they had cleaned up other directions, there were still a few beasts remaining. His job was to take care of those beasts.


    Meanwhile, Melody and Ragna were staying at a higher position in case the beasts reached their positions.


    When all the beasts had started climbing up, that was the time for Clovis, Jay, Erwin, and Luci to make their appearances.


    They all began from the very bottom, slaughtering all the beasts from behind.


    Melody guided them through the Skyglasses, allowing them to avoid all the paths that contained Erwin''s threads or difficult terrain.


    Of course, Kanaria and Hana had to adjust their aims, making sure that Clovis and the others didn''t get hit by stray bullets.


    The beasts tried to fight back, but Clovis and the others eliminated them at bullet speed. Even with a Tier 4 beast among them, the fight didn''t last for more than three hours.


    This was Clovis'' plan to increase their score rapidly. During the day, they would clean up the area around the ''execution ground,'' and as soon as the night came, Reolf would be there to provoke them.


    "Huu..." Clovis let out a sigh, looking at the numerous corpses. "This is going to take a lot of time to recover their essence..."


    "True. But it''s not like we''re going to hunt in the morning, right?"


    "Yes. We''ll be going after lunch, so let''s clean up." Clovis nodded before shouting, "Reolf. There is a lot of meat here. It''s a feast."


    "Waaf!" Reolf was delighted.


    Little did Clovis know, his decision to use this kind of strategy allowed Reolf''s rapid growth.


    In three days, he would find himself by the change in Reolf''s body.

 Chapter 563 Gap

    "This is..." Marhan gasped. "What the hell is going on?"


    Libation Fiesta: 360,150 points.


    Elseingarde: 202,390 points.


    No one could get the answer. Everyone was thinking the same thing. What is actually going on?


    How could the people from the Elseingarde family completely lose like this? This was the first time they suffered such a huge loss.


    "Kuhh..." Marhan gritted his teeth. "Not only is the gap not shortening, but it''s actually widening. Is our group that inferior compared to the Libation Fiesta? But the young miss is the one in charge..."


    Marhan bit his lips. At first, he didn''t think their group would easily win because no matter how abnormal Clovis was, the Elseingarde family had a lot more people.


    Yet, the result was clear.


    As the supervisor, Marhan had known about their bet. It would be troublesome if Christina ended up joining the Libation Fiesta.


    Marhan bit his lips. It seemed he had no other choice. He grabbed his phone and called the master of the family.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Marhan explained, "The situation is not looking good, Sir Lues. Our group is about to lose against the Libation Fiesta even with such an overwhelming advantage. And because their gap continues to widen, I''m afraid that our group will lose with our point not even half of them."


    Lues fell silent for a moment. Instead of worrying, he actually smiled. "Alright. Report to me after they''re done."


    "What? Are you not worried about the situation, sir? The young miss is about to lose. If she loses, it means she will have to go with the Libation Fiesta." Marhan was confused by Lues'' reaction. He thought he would be more concerned, considering how precious Christina was.


    "Everything has been arranged. The result is shocking but not outside our expectation."


    "Arranged? Are you trying to push the young miss on them?"


    "No. Not me. Above."@@@@


    "Above..." Marhan fell silent for a moment before realizing who he was talking about. "Sir Ezekiel?"


    "Yes. That''s why you just have to report to me after they''re done. Don''t do anything useless. If there''s anyone who is trying to argue, deal with them harshly. I am not worried about Hana, but don''t piss their captain. His identity is quite unique."


    "Unique..." Marhan frowned. He wondered what made him unique. His ability was powerful and he would definitely become a leading figure in the future. However, he didn''t think Clovis would be that scary.


    "What is happening?" Clovis was still perplexed, so he reached for the item that monitored Reolf''s growth. It was there he found out the reason for his sudden growth.


    "Tier 3?" Clovis gasped. "Reolf. You have just become a Tier 3 beast?"


    "Waaf?!" Reolf was confused and happy at the same time. The others had become Tier 3 for a while, so he was the only one who hadn''t. To think that the opportunity came to him in this competition.


    "Hahahahaha! You have become a Tier 3 beast. Let''s... Let''s go out and tell everyone about it. They will be surprised by how big you are now..." Clovis laughed out loud.


    While the Libation Fiesta was having joyous news, the Elseingarde family was confused for a different thing.


    "We''re done here," said Christina while putting down her shield. She felt something was amiss.


    "Good work." The others nodded to each other.


    Christina looked around and asked, "Hey, guys. Have you noticed anything strange?"


    "Strange? What do you mean? There is nothing strange for the time being." They shook their heads.


    "I''m talking about the fact that the beasts around here are rather low. I thought we had scouted this area previously and confirmed their number, but for some reason, their number was a bit too low. I''m not very sure, but that''s what my feelings are telling me."


    "Hmm?"


    The people couldn''t help but furrow their eyebrows.


    "Is that so?"


    They looked around and shrugged. They didn''t know.


    "Maybe it''s decreasing?"


    "Did we kill too many beasts yesterday?"


    "Maybe?"


    "I don''t know. Should we count them?"


    "Ask the young miss. What should we do?"


    Christina couldn''t quite grasp it as well, but it was clear something was missing. And she felt this was extremely bad, especially for their group.

 Chapter 564 Complete Defeat

    Christina continued hunting the beasts, but the lack of beasts was so apparent that the rest of them couldn''t help but notice them as well.


    "Have we killed all the beasts here?"


    "How about the other groups? Any reports from them?"


    "This is weird. Is the other part of the island stealing our kills?"


    "But we''re wearing this ring. It has a censor that will notify Sir Marhan we''ve passed the border."


    Christina''s expression turned solemn. She had never thought the situation would turn out this way.


    ''What is going on? Is Clovis cheating? Then again, this is not considered cheating. If he is able to pull the beasts from our location, it''s simply his strategy. However, what kind of strategy does he have to be able to do such a thing? Does he have a method? Hana has a drone, so does the drone attack the beasts from our side?


    ''I don''t know what''s going on, but if Sir Marhan is watching, it should be pretty safe to assume that they haven''t broken any rules.''


    Christina still didn''t know the gap between their points. In fact, in a real competition, it wouldn''t be weird for both parties not knowing each other''s condition, including their point.


    This way, they would be using their strategy accordingly, fully aware that the other party might do better or worse. They might fall for the pressure and lose.


    That was the kind of competition they had agreed upon.


    However, Christina wondered what Clovis had done and his points compared to them.


    They had killed a lot of beasts, even though there was a steep decrease in the beasts in their part of the island.


    So, they should get pretty decent scores.


    On the other hand, she didn''t think Clovis had the ability to kill all the beasts with only that number.


    ''Something is missing. I feel like there''s a trap... What is this?'' Christina gritted her teeth. She knew Clovis had done something big, but she couldn''t figure out what happened.


    Meanwhile, Clovis and the others were taking their time with their lunch.


    "Today is the last day. It''s a good hunt, right?" Clovis asked. "We have Reolf becoming Tier 3 too. Also, Luci, get away from Reolf."


    Marhan looked at both of them and said, "Since you have returned, I''ll be announcing the winner. Is there anything you''d like to say to each other first?"


    Christina turned to Clovis with a smile. "A clever trick you''ve used there. To think I would be falling for that trick..."


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about."


    "You precisely know what I''m talking about. If not, we wouldn''t have lost. Isn''t that right?" Christina turned to Marhan, asking for confirmation.


    "What?"


    "We have lost?!"


    "For real?"


    The people from the Elseingarde family looked confused. No one expected they would lose, especially with this number.


    Marhan smiled wryly. He projected the scores while shouting, "I don''t even know how the gap becomes this big."


    Libation Fiesta: 845,760 points.


    Elseingarde: 398,400 points.


    "!!!" Everyone from the Elseingarde family dropped their jaws to the ground.


    Why did they not get even half of their points? This defeat was such a humiliation. Was their family that inferior compared to the Libation Fiesta?


    Christina sighed. "I expected that we would lose, but not this much. This is a complete defeat."


    "Welcome to the Libation Fiesta." Clovis smirked.


    "No way! We should have won. It''s because you''re cheating! That trick you confirmed¡ª!"


    One of them tried to protest, but Christina raised her hand, stopping him. "Even without that trick, he could''ve won. Isn''t that right, sir Marhan?"


    Marhan nodded. "During our observation, whenever he used the ''trick'' I don''t know of, their score would jump. But when he didn''t use it, the rate of their points increasing was still higher than all of you. It was a complete defeat. The trick was for assurance."

 Chapter 565 Shocked Christina

    "Thank you for your hard work in the past two weeks. I hope you learn a lot." Lues smiled while extending his hand.


    "Yes. Thank you very much." Clovis shook his hand. "It helps us a lot."


    "Is that so? I''m glad you think that way." Lues nodded. He looked around, noticing someone was missing. While turning his head to Marhan, he asked, "Where is Christina?"


    "She is probably in her room."


    "Jeez, this girl." Lues smiled wryly. "Don''t worry. As the heir of the Elseingarde family, I would make sure that she fulfilled her promise."


    "Ahaha. Please don''t worry about it." Clovis chuckled. "In any case, we''ll be returning right now. If not, Hana will be angry at me for not being able to take care of her company."


    "Hahaha. Indeed." Lues chuckled. "In that case, have a safe flight."


    "Yes. Thank you very much."@@@@


    Clovis nodded to them before turning around, leading his group back to the airship.


    But before they could enter the airship, Christina''s voice soon echoed from the side.


    "Wait."


    Everyone turned around, finding the source of that voice. And Christina was there. She wasn''t holding back at all.


    Behind her was at least ten bags worth of items along with her shields. Everything had been packed as though she emptied her entire wardrobe and collections.


    "Christina..." Lues wanted to say something but Christina was already walking toward them, dragging everything. "If I have to go, then it''s better to make it feel like home."


    Lues was completely speechless.


    Even Clovis could only chuckle. "We don''t mind. Please enjoy."


    Christina casually walked toward the entrance of the ship, but before entering, she dropped her luggage and returned to Lues and gave him a big hug. "Of course. I won''t forget this. Goodbye, Dad. Don''t bully Mom."


    "Look at this girl. Doing everything at her pace. You are just like your mom..." Lues shook his head helplessly. "Be careful out there."


    "Mhmm."


    "No." Clovis answered with no hesitation.


    "Eh..." Hana looked like she wanted it that badly, but Clovis simply shook his head, not planning to budge.


    In the end, she had to exchange the ring.


    Christina was stunned the whole time. She didn''t understand why exchanging an engagement ring was a thing.


    "Look. She is confused because of you." Clovis pointed at Christina.


    "Eh? Why is it because of me?" Hana sighed.


    Clovis raised two fingers. "The reasons you lost to us... this is the first one."


    Clovis took out a bracelet. "Considering you are a guardian, I guess you need strength to ensure that you are able to keep up with the beasts. Try to put it on and you will understand."


    "Huh?" Christina received it with a dumbfounded face. She was staring at Hana, wondering if this was the right thing to do.


    "Don''t worry about anything else. Just try it and you will understand what he is talking about."


    "Is that so?" Christina narrowed her eyes. Although she was a bit skeptical, she still tried the bracelet.


    And that was when she understood what they were talking about. There was an indescribable strength welling up in her body.


    Christina''s eyes were shifting back and forth between the bracelet and Clovis. "Eh? This is... Eh?"


    "Look. She is confused." Hana chuckled. "Still, why can''t you be nice to me and give me one more item?"


    "No. You''re too persistent." Clovis shook his head helplessly.


    She pouted.


    Clovis turned back to Christina. "Anyway, this is only one of the items. Our people are usually wearing a few, including the clothes. They have been enhanced by my blood, which allows them to have special abilities. Once we arrive, I will give you the rest. Well, you can also tell me what you really need. Well, you can think of them as having external power, but it''s a bit different.


    "Also, I think it''s fine if you go to that room as well. Anyway, just remember not to tell anyone about it, including your family, even if they ask. I''m planning to reveal them sooner or later, but not now."


    "As for the second reason, let''s go to the main deck. I''ll be introducing you to Reolf."

 Chapter 566 Officially Joins the Libation Fiesta

    As soon as they reached the main deck, they could see all the people in Clovis'' group.


    Clovis smiled while pointing at Christina. "Guys. Meet our new member, Christina."


    Jay and Erwin nodded. Kanaria waved her hand. "Nice to meet you."


    "It''s a pleasure to meet you." Melody glanced at her for a second before returning to her screen.


    "Another guardian?" Luci tilted her head.


    Ragna politely bowed. "Welcome, and please help me from time to time."@@@@


    "Thank you. Nice to meet you all. It will take time, but I will adjust myself to the group." Christina nodded to them.


    "Yep! This is our ninth member." Clovis smiled.


    "Ninth?" Christina raised her eyebrows. "Is Hana in your group as well? Isn''t she too busy with her company?"


    "Me? Of course, I''m not in this group. I just want to earn money."


    "Then who is the eighth member?" Christina asked. "Is that person not here?"


    "Nope. He''s here." Clovis took a deep breath before shouting, "Reolf! Come here. Meet our new member."


    All of a sudden, a huge shadow appeared from the hallway on the other side of the hall.


    Christina suddenly raised her stance. "A beast? That''s... a wolf... a dire wolf."


    Reolf had expected such a reaction, so he just sat down and raised his paw. "Waaf!"


    ''If his blood is able to create these abnormal items, that alone will make people crazy. Then, there is Reolf. If he can even control a beast with his blood, this will change everything.


    ''And there might be other secrets like this art room he is talking about. More importantly, he has a Blood Affinity if I''m not wrong, which is pretty much aligned to his secret.


    ''His unique ability is releasing all that bloodlust. If I just take all these things into account, his blood is indeed special.


    ''This must be the reason the Skylark Conglomerate doesn''t even care about the relationship between them.


    ''In other words, his blood is the most precious blood in this world. If someone knows about it, they will try to possess it. Hana is fortunately an ally, but what about his enemies or other neutral parties?


    ''They will try to kill him or capture him. They will extract his blood and lock him somewhere where they can continue getting his blood without him dying. It''s a fate much worse than death itself.''


    Christina closed her eyes. She finally knew why Clovis wanted to keep everything a secret.


    "I see." Christina turned to Clovis. "Don''t worry. I will keep this a secret, but you said earlier that it''s not going to be a secret forever..."


    "Yeah. In the end, it''s impossible to hide all this, especially Reolf. It''s unfair for him to be kept hidden. I don''t want to restrict his movement, so I''m planning to gradually release the information bit by bit."


    Christina nodded in understanding. "Alright. I now understand what you''re trying to do."


    "Since that''s the case, I will take my leave. I have to do my work." Hana waved while walking away. "Also, Clovis, I will be sending the royalty in a week."


    "Why in a week? You can''t do it now?"


    "Well, I don''t mind doing it now, but give me some incentives. Because of a certain guy asking me to participate in that competition, I can''t really do any work. I have to catch up right now..." Hana pointed at the ring on her finger, implying what she wanted.


    "Fine. One week from now." Clovis sighed. He was disappointed he couldn''t upgrade his Another World Mall sooner, but it was fine.


    "Stingy." Hana pouted.

 Chapter 567 Unexpected Guest

    "This is the art room." Clovis spread his arms, showing the collection of paintings from Another World Mall.


    "This is..." Christina noticed something was different instinctively.


    "You can take a look at the paintings for the time being. I hope it can help you." Clovis smiled. "I will go out and discuss a few things with the rest."


    Before Clovis could even take another step, Christina''s gaze already turned empty.


    ''Eh? Isn''t this too soon?'' Clovis looked shocked, but Christina''s body was already swaying. Without hesitation, he caught her and put her down gently. "Phew..."


    Clovis looked at Christina for a moment before smiling wryly.


    It took her three hours before she ended up returning to herself.


    "Ah!" Christina raised her head and noticed she had returned from the world within the painting.


    She couldn''t help but cover her mouth, realizing what kind of paintings had been collected in this place. There was a painting that managed to help her understand her own ability. If other paintings worked for others, that meant this art room was basically a treasure box.


    It was no wonder why Hana had been eyeing Clovis this whole time. Everything he had was basically a priceless treasure.


    Christina gulped down. However, she soon noticed that there was another presence in this room.


    She hurriedly turned around and found Clovis sitting in the corner of the room. "Good afternoon. It seems you''ve got a good harvest."


    "You''re still here? I thought you were discussing things with the rest of the group."


    "Well..." Clovis scratched the back of his head. "I''m just worried about you. Besides, I think it''s unfair if you''re being left out even though you are in this art room. Let''s go to the dining room. The others are preparing the meal. Let''s discuss our next move there."


    Christina couldn''t contain her smile. She nodded her helplessly. "Sure."


    Both of them immediately headed to the dining room. Everyone except for Reolf and Jay was already there.


    "I''m starving." Clovis stretched his body while taking his seat.


    "Oh! If it''s in two months, there is a lot of time to prepare. Then, I don''t mind." Melody felt relieved since she didn''t have to leave her brother for so long after she just returned.


    "Yep."


    "In that case, we can go." Clovis nodded. "I''m kind of wondering about Aileen''s level right now. She must be pretty strong after arriving at the capital."


    "Yeah." Erwin smiled, replying half-heartedly. He was completely glued to his phone.


    "In that case, for the next two months, we''ll just have small expeditions to increase our evolution traits. I hope Melody and Ragna can reach Tier 4 at this time.


    "After that, we will head to Slathan. Ask her about the destination and other details, Erwin."


    "Yes!" Erwin gave a thumbs up.


    "Anyway, let''s eat. I''m starving. Someone, call Jay and Reolf here. We can''t start eating without them." Clovis looked around, wondering who would call them.


    To his surprise, there was no need to call them anymore.


    "Clovis!" Jay''s voice suddenly echoed inside the mansion.


    It was so loud, as if Jay shouted at the top of his lungs, which was rare for Jay to do. "You''ve got a guest."


    "A guest?" Clovis frowned. It must not be an ordinary guest. Hence, Clovis signaled Melody to help him.


    Melody dropped her game and immediately checked the situation, making sure Jay wasn''t threatened.


    As a result, Ragna, Christina, and Luci raised their guards, wondering if they should pick up their weapons.


    However, the moment they reached outside, they were shocked because the guest was much more extraordinary than anyone could ever think of.


    There was an expressionless woman standing next to Reolf, who seemed to have submitted to her. She was just standing there, trying to braid Reolf''s fur.


    Christina couldn''t help but drop her jaw to the ground. There was no need to raise her guard because if the other party wanted to kill them, it would be as easy as flipping her hand.


    Clovis crossed his arms while smiling helplessly. "I never thought you would visit this humble home, Mara."

 Chapter 568 Unexpected Matter

    "I never thought you would come here, Mara." Clovis smiled wryly. "How do you even know this place? I thought you had no interest in other things, including the privilege of a Tier 9."


    They couldn''t help but feel shocked. Kanaria and the others had met Mara once, even though they saw her from afar.


    However, Luci, Reolf, and Christina had never seen Mara as a member of the Libation Fiesta.


    ''Mara? Who is she? Why do I feel familiar, as if I have seen her somewhere?'' Luci frowned.


    "Mara... Leverstrike..." Christina dropped her jaw to the ground. With a Tier 9 grandfather, she obviously knew Mara. In fact, she was the genius she had to surpass, considering Mara was known as the youngest Tier 9 human.


    She couldn''t think of a reason how Clovis would meet her. On the one hand, Clovis indeed had Michael, but she originally thought Michael was gone, so there was no way Clovis could introduce her to Mara. Her doubt became even bigger when she saw everyone''s expression. It looked like they were familiar with her.


    Mara turned her head to Christina. "You should be that shiny shield... Ehm, who is your grandfather''s name again?


    "Ezekiel!"


    "Yes, him." She nodded. She turned back to Clovis as if it wasn''t important. To everyone''s surprise, she pointed at the empty air next to her head while saying, "This told me."


    All of them were confused. Only Clovis probably understood what was going on.


    Clovis nodded in understanding. "I see. How about coming in?"


    Mara shook her head. "No. I will just say my piece and go to another place."


    "Alright. I thought you were going to fight us or something."


    "I did fight your grandfather."


    "!!!" Clovis raised his eyebrows. "You did?"


    "Yeah. I''m pretty sure others will find out sooner or later." Mara pondered. "Well, your grandfather asked me one thing."


    Mara thought for a moment. There was one more way to do that.


    "In that case..." Mara took a deep breath.


    When they looked happy because a Tier 9 would grace them with some advice, a combination between killing intent, bloodlust, and overwhelming rage suddenly overwhelmed them.


    "!!!"


    Reolf was gritting his teeth, trying to pounce on Mara. However, his legs were shaking as he couldn''t move them as though they were glued to the ground.


    Luci''s body was shaking violently as she dropped to her knees. Melody''s fate was similar to hers. She dropped on her butt, trying to fight against that fear.


    Ragna was trembling in fear as his legs were about to give up. He still had an overwhelming sense of responsibility in protecting everyone, so he couldn''t give up.


    Kanaria fell down, but her hand was on her waist as though she were trying to grab her pistol. Even though she ended up succumbing to it, she still had the will to fight her.


    Still, as one would expect from Christina, she managed to withstand it. Although her body was shaking, she still raised her stance.


    Erwin stretched his hands, ready to unleash his wires. He had once seen the abyss, so he got a certain immunity. Of course, his responsibility as the vice captain also made him refuse to fall down.


    Jay was training a moment ago, so he was the only one having a weapon. His hand was already reaching for his blade, and surprisingly, he was the only one who could withstand it and was ready to fight back.


    On the other hand, Clovis was actually grinning. He instinctively activated his Perfect State and embraced this feeling. It felt a bit nostalgic.


    The overwhelming pressure lasted for several seconds before Mara recalled it.


    "If you can''t even withstand that, you shouldn''t even think about facing me." She looked around. "Still, it seems they''re already pretty good."


    "Right?" Clovis clenched his hands into fists, as if he were trying to hold back. It was as if the madness inside him was about to take over.


    Mara said, "Once you get used to it, I will teach you how to control it. That''s all. It''s time for me to go."

 Chapter 569 Manipulate

    "We can''t let this Libation Fiesta continue like this."


    "That''s right. If we let them grow even further, we''ll be the ones getting destroyed."


    "The first academy has been hindering us."


    "Are we just going to let them get everything?"


    "We have to eliminate him."


    The people were staring at each other. Despite their words, none of them had the courage to do it. After all, the first academy''s dean was doing his best to stop anyone from attacking Clovis.


    He even made sure that no academies could also poach him, which meant he monopolized everything Clovis achieved for the first academy''s clout.


    Of course, during that time, Clovis could go anywhere he wanted.


    This was the only reason Clovis even agreed to the condition.


    During that time, Hana took her chance to graduate from the academy.


    They took a deep breath. One of them started speaking again, asking, "Should we do something different?"


    "Like what?"


    "I''ve heard recently that Christina Elseingarde, the granddaughter of Ezekiel Elseingarde, has just joined them."


    "What? Elseingarde? You mean the Tier 9 Ezekiel Elseingarde? The man who is said to be the best guardian in the world? His granddaughter has joined the Libation Fiesta? Doesn''t she have the potential to become a Tier 9 as well?"


    "This Libation Fiesta has to be stopped. If they continue to rise like this, not only the first academy will be able to suppress us in the future, but their achievement will cast a shadow on the people''s hearts."


    "But how? If they''re protected by a Tier 9 human, they could basically do anything. Our academies could be destroyed and the president wouldn''t bat an eye."


    "If I remember correctly, Ezekiel Elseingarde just fought another Tier 9. Both of them were heavily injured, so they hid for recuperation. Right now, the Elseingarde family is in their weakest state."


    With her becoming the second wall of the Libation Fiesta, the group could finally be split into two and moved at a much higher pace.


    Of course, Clovis didn''t plan to divide them most of the time, considering they only had one bus.


    According to their calculation, Ragna would reach Tier 4 two weeks after Christina joined. Melody followed him after another three weeks.


    Clovis, Kanaria, Jay, and Reolf had to pick up their pace.


    Hana promised them they would get a new bus within a week. She was thankful for the ring since it allowed her to work even harder and still wouldn''t get tired at all.


    There were only a few things that could stop her from working.


    For the next several days, Clovis continued to have multiple battles every day against Christina. He had to push his unique ability to the limit and get used to the insane state as much as possible.


    If he managed to do it, Mara would appear again and teach him how to control his killing intent. He understood how much a killing intent could affect others after how effortlessly Mara prevented his entire group from functioning properly.


    And if he wanted to defeat her, he needed to utilize his unique ability to the limit.


    After getting showered by items, Christina obliged, since if Clovis was strong, their group would be strong and the Elseingarde would have a strong ally too.


    Finally, one week after they returned, they were ready for another expedition.


    Before that, Clovis had one more important thing to do before they restarted their expeditions, as he was staring at his phone.


    And that was shopping. Yes, he was planning to have a shopping spree, as he finally received the money from Hana.


    Clovis looked at the message coming into his phone with a huge smile.


    [Transfer from OpenSky Limited. Your account is now...]


    He could finally upgrade his mall once again. Without hesitation, he returned to his room and disappeared into thin air.


    "Enter."

 Chapter 570 New Store

    Clovis finally reached his mall. Of course, the first thing he did was to call Blue while checking his status.


    [Name: Clovis Hacfield.]


    [Membership: Level 22 (Special Member)]


    [Money: 534,500,145 Otherworldly Coins.]


    [Item Limit: 21/Visit]


    [Visit: 2(3)/Day]


    Clovis couldn''t help but smile when he was staring at the money.


    "Oh wow. I have never thought I would have this much money so easily.


    "In the past month, we killed a lot of beasts. There were a lot of Tier 5 as well, so we managed to gain almost a hundred million.


    "Before Hana transferred my portion, I had about 195 million. To think that my portion would be that big. Then again, she had transferred some in the previous month.


    "Nevertheless, I should be able to get about 300 million every month. It might increase when she hits the global market, but the hype will die after that. Well, I''m not complaining. At the very least, I might be able to get to level 30 within a year. It''s all thanks to the new beast soul.@@@@


    "I can''t help but imagine what will happen if I sell items from Another World Mall. I can easily earn a few billion depending on what item I sell."


    Clovis couldn''t help but smile. "It''s really easy to earn money, but I have to rely on Another World Mall. I don''t really want to be that dependent, but well, I will still have to rely on it. At least, I will grow much stronger to the point where I might not have to rely on it in the future. For now, just use whatever I have."


    Clovis turned to Blue. "Let''s upgrade the membership, shall we? I have been saving money for quite some time, so do it, Blue. Three levels."


    [Processing.]


    [-65,000,000 Otherworldly Coins]


    [Membership is upgraded to level 23.]


    [-75,000,000 Otherworldly Coins]


    [Membership is upgraded to level 24.]


    A Tier 9 beast was simply priceless. That was why a Tier 9 human had a lot of privileges in this world.


    Clovis looked down, falling into deep thought. "This should be feasible. Once Hana expands to a global market, earning one billion a month shouldn''t be a problem. I expect it will settle down to around ten billion a year in the future, which should be enough for the cost.


    "If I need more, I will start releasing the items from this mall and claim they''re artifacts. They should earn as much as a Tier 8 beast... maybe? Who knows? Their effect is upgraded the higher my tier is, so it might earn more.


    "Nevertheless, I should take a look at the movie theater soon." Clovis turned to Blue. "Is there anything else I need to know?"


    [That''s all.]


    "I see. I''m planning to upgrade my visit limit this time and spend a lot of money by using the special discount, but I have to check the movie first."


    Blue guided him to the movie theater located on the top floor. As he expected, the theater itself was no different from what he had seen in reality.


    Blue came to the counter and showed the list of the movies.


    [In this theater, you have to unlock the movie. It will be a permanent unlock, so it''ll cost quite a fortune.]


    "I understand. Give me the list of the movies for now."


    Clovis nodded, already expecting something like this.


    [Yes.]


    [Shoot the Sky.]


    [Cost: 10,000,000 Otherworldly Coins.]


    [I See You on Hot Steamy Night (Age Requirement: 18)]


    [Cost: 8,000,000 Otherworldly Coins.]


    "..." Clovis twitched his eyebrows when he saw the second one. It was the same as the bookstore. "Why do you even sell this..."


    However, the one that piqued his interest the most was the seventh movie.


    [SSS-Ranked Sword Master.]


    [Cost: 24,000,000 Otherworldly Coins.]

 Chapter 571 SSS-Ranked Sword Master

    "Huu... So, this is the movie theater? The same as I imagined." Clovis looked around while taking his seat. "I wonder what kind of surprise it will bring this time."


    Clovis relaxed his body for a bit as the movie was about to begin.


    The screen was gradually lighting up. To his surprise, instead of the beginning of the movie, his vision suddenly turned dark.


    "Huh? What''s going on?" Clovis was confused.


    The next thing he realized, he could open his eyes again, but for some reason, the scenery had changed.


    He raised his head and saw buildings burning. It looked like the wall was made of wood and the roof was made of straw.@@@@


    ''Now that I think about it, the movie is about a boy called Ethan. His village was destroyed by the Creature of Darkness.'' Clovis wanted to look around to assess the situation before helping the people.


    He noticed that he was gripping a sword, but the sword was extremely heavy, especially for the character.


    Clovis wanted to say something, but the mouth refused to budge. He tried to lift up his sword, but the hand didn''t move.


    ''Wait a minute. The character is moving on its own.''


    "No. You vile creatures!" The character shouted while glaring at a slime-like creature made from black liquid.


    ''It also speaks on its own.''


    "Aaaahhh!" The character charged forward, dragging the sword.


    However, the weight of the sword ended up slowing him down. When he reached the creature, the latter had actually extended a part of its body like a tentacle and punched him.


    "Gah!" He spat a mouthful of blood. Clovis couldn''t help but grit his teeth, feeling the pain as well. ''This is so real. I really enter the movie and can only observe everything.''


    He wanted to get up, but the enemy had reached him first. It was there a woman suddenly appeared in front of him.


    She actually brought him to a hut on a hilltop.


    Both of them were standing in front of each other.


    "I will teach you two ways of wielding a sword. Soft Sword and Heavy Sword." She pointed to the tree. "Try to cut this tree with your sword. Swing with all your might."


    He was confused, but he still walked toward the tree and swung with all his strength. It was a weak swing, but for some reason, he cut it as if it was butter.


    The tree suddenly fell to the ground with a clean cut, shocking Ethan. "This is..."


    Elia then smacked the tree next to her. "In that case, try to catch the tree''s leaf with the tip of your sword, but without damaging it."


    "Huh?" Ethan was confused. He saw the falling leaves and tried to pick up one of them, but the sword was simply too sharp that it sliced the leaf without him swinging his blade. "It''s impossible."


    Elia shook her head. She stretched her hand and said, "Let me show you."


    He gave her the sword.


    "A Soft Sword is a swordplay that allows you to deal with everything with a soft impact. When you master it, even with the sharpest sword..." Elia moved extremely fast, as if she was going to cut the leaf. But to his surprise, the sword stopped with a leaf at the tip of the blade. Even though they wielded the same sword, it didn''t cut the leaf.


    "How..." Ethan sucked a cold breath.


    "This is what I will be teaching you. Even with the sharpest sword, if you don''t intend to cut it, it won''t cut. By utilizing this swordplay, you can hit the opponent and use their own weight to throw them off. Or you can destroy their attack by simply focusing on their weak point. As for the second one, the heavy sword..."


    Elia took a few steps forward, looking at the hill next to them. "By utilizing all your power and unleashing it at a single point. Destroy everything in your path with pure brute force."


    When she swung her sword, the hill that was located at least a hundred meters away from them was suddenly cut. The top part was shattered by so much force, which startled not only Ethan but also Clovis.


    "I will teach you these two. Are you ready to get stronger?"


    Both Ethan and Clovis looked excited as they said the same thing. "Yes!"

 Chapter 572 Leaving

    "Huu..." Ethan or Clovis took a deep breath. Even though Clovis couldn''t control the body, he could still feel the sensation.


    As the wind was blowing the tree, leaves fell.


    Clovis closed his eyes for a moment, fully concentrating.


    As the leaves were about to fall, Clovis waved his sword, which eventually picked up the leaf that was about to fall.


    However, his sword still cut half of the leaf.


    "Kh! It''s still not working." Clovis clicked his tongue. For the first time in his life, he experienced the time skip in the movie. A flood of memory simply overheated his head, which almost made him fall unconscious.


    Fortunately, he was able to hold on. The reward was massive, as he could get a lot of things from the memory, including this unique technique.


    Clovis then glanced at the tree several meters away from him. After some time to concentrate, he swung his sword, cutting the tree cleanly.


    "Huu..." Clovis let out a long sigh. "It seems I have succeeded."


    Clovis observed the situation. "I can finally understand what the movie does. It is teaching me a new technique. Unlike the bookstore, I could actually get a lot of new understanding here. No, should I say that the movie theater is like the combination between the painting and the technique book?


    "Still, I can finally understand what it means to watch adult content. Right now, I can''t move my body, so if I watch that kind of stuff, doesn''t that mean it will be something I should be concerned about?


    "Not only me, I should hide it from everyone... No, not everyone. Maybe single people can watch it, especially Jay. I''m worried that he is going to marry his sword. Haiz."


    Clovis had a lot of ideas regarding this movie theater. Still, there was one thing to do. "I should have finished the training. Although it''s not as strong, I have completed the training arc..."


    As Clovis said, the arc continued with Clovis going on a trip. He went into the bar and actually met the comrades that would fight together with him.


    As Clovis, there was not much of a feeling toward his team. However, Ethan put a lot of emphasis on these guys, which made it hard for him.


    Nevertheless, the story continued. He showed the result of his training, cutting down the darkness creatures with his friends.


    "Spin it for me."


    Blue processed his request.


    "Let''s go!" Clovis raised his head, looking at the wheel.


    It started spinning fast and gradually slowed down.


    And the arrow landed on the ''Bookstore.''


    "Oh!" Clovis took another glance at his status, making sure that he had enough money. "Blue. I think it''s about time we clean this store up."


    [Are you going to purchase everything, Master?]


    "Yes. It will be fun if we have a library at home. I can trick them by making them think they''re the techniques my father invented. They should believe it, considering my father''s status and reputation.


    "Besides, this will be good for all of us. It''s been a while since we mastered those techniques, so having more will be good. Of course, I''m not getting one since I''m too focused on these two techniques."


    [Understood. Do you need anything else?]


    "Upgrade the visit limit once. With four visits, I should be able to speed up my progress. Also, increase the item limits to 25 or until there''s only 100 million left in my pocket."


    [Upgrading.]


    [Visit Limit has increased to 4.]


    [Item Limit has increased to 24.]


    [I will be purchasing the books by using all the item limits and visit limits.]


    "Alright. I''ll leave it to you. See you later, Blue." Clovis smiled as he disappeared.

 Chapter 573 Testing New Ability

    Clovis came to the garden, seeing Jay and Christina training their bodies.


    Although he wanted to talk to them, there was something he would like to test first.


    He grabbed one of the dummies in the corner and planted it to the ground.


    After that, he took a bit of a distance.


    "Hmm? What are you doing?" Jay asked while raising his eyebrows. Since he trained the ranged attack together, he knew Clovis was trying to use his ranged attack. However, he still remembered that Clovis'' range was only 7 meters at maximum.


    This time, he actually stood 15 meters from the dummy.


    "It''s nothing. I''ve just got a kind of understanding, so I want to test something."


    "A ranged attack? I have seen you guys practicing it in my home." Christina raised her head.


    "Yes. My range is 5 meters, while Clovis'' range is 7 meters. However, that distance..."


    "Oh!" Christina crossed her arms.


    Clovis ignored their reaction for the time being. Instead, he closed his eyes. His left hand was on his scabbard while his right hand was holding his sword, ready to draw it.


    ''Heavy Sword. I originally thought I should take advantage of the momentum to generate the force for me. However, that Heavy Sword is slightly different. Instead of momentum, it''s more like the velocity as well as the smoothness of the swing.


    ''It cuts through the air, which causes the airflow to become smoother, which ultimately increases its range. The momentum itself consists of two elements: velocity and mass.


    ''I can''t increase the mass for the time being, but the velocity of the sword is something I can control.


    ''Instead of focusing on the sword itself, I should actually shift it toward the center of gravity as well as my arm as if I''m throwing my own body when launching that attack.''


    Clovis took a deep breath. When he was ready, he sharply opened his eyes and drew his blade, unleashing a different kind of ranged attack.


    "!!!" Jay widened his eyes in shock. It was fast, but there was something more that he couldn''t describe.


    More importantly, the dummy was split in half, meaning that the ranged attack came with such a force that not only did it cut the dummy, but it also continued traveling forward.


    With him using this technique for the first time, Clovis could only deflect half of the force from this blow.


    Instead of getting pushed back as usual, Clovis managed to stand on his spot.


    "!!!" Jay widened his eyes in shock. "What''s that? Did you just..."


    "Argh. As expected, I still need to train more to do it perfectly." Clovis clicked his tongue.


    Seeing Jay leaping backward so as to observe Clovis'' new style, Clovis waved his blade, sending forth his ranged attack.


    Normally, Jay could easily avoid it by leaping out of the range. However, with the ranged attack traveling for more than twenty meters, it was impossible for him to escape.


    In the end, the ranged attack hit him.


    "Kh." Jay gritted his teeth. "Muscle!"


    His arms bulged as he slashed the attack apart. "That''s freaking heavy."


    Clovis circulated his breath carefully. As expected, to boost the efficiency of his strike, he needed to improve his breathing.


    ''In the end, the breath allows the oxygen to circulate within the body. Using that much power at once exhausts a lot of oxygen, which means I won''t be able to keep up. I have to either choose the perfect time to unleash them or improve the breathing technique. In the end, breathing technique is the foundation of everything. Whether you are a professional athlete or explorer, you need a good breathing technique...''


    When Clovis was examining his move, Jay had moved past his attack and approached him again.


    Since Clovis'' ranged attack was deadly, he had to keep him close.


    And that was when Clovis thought of another way to utilize the soft style.


    When Jay was about to arrive, he took a step back, matching Jay''s speed even for a split second. After that, his short sword gradually moved toward the sword that Jay was about to swing.


    "Huh? This is... Doesn''t Clovis'' swing look slower than usual... but... it''s..." Christina gasped. Despite its slow movement, the sword was already in front of Jay''s sword before she realized it.


    The moment the swords clashed, Jay abruptly lost the grip of his sword as Clovis'' short sword flicked it into the air.


    "!!!"

 Chapter 574 Two Months Later

    Clink!


    Jay''s sword was flicked into the air, spun a few times, and hit the ground.


    Jay and Christina looked surprised because no one would expect Clovis to be able to easily flick his sword like that. Jay''s grip was one of the strongest in the group, so they were simply unable to comprehend how Clovis was able to do it.


    "Hu..." Clovis took a deep breath. "I managed to do it."


    "Clovis... What did you do?" Jay didn''t know what to say. Even if Clovis got stronger, this change was simply too much. He couldn''t comprehend how he was able to go this strong in just a single night.


    Clovis smiled. "Well, maybe you call it an inspiration. The first one you saw, the one that allowed my ranged attack to travel much further, is a heavy sword. The one that flicked your weapon was the soft sword.


    "Both of them are complementing each other. For example, I utilized the swing by using the Heavy Sword. However, I also sliced the wind with a Soft Sword. This way, there''s completely no resistance from the wind, allowing my attack to go much further."


    "Hmm..." Jay looked down, falling into deep thought.


    Even Christina couldn''t help but wonder if she could do the same thing but with her shields. If she could use that Soft Sword, she might be able to increase her arsenal. In the end, their Elseingarde was a family known for their defense.


    And their defense had been boosted to the highest. Even her grandfather knew how to defend offensively.


    That was why she wanted to learn this.


    "Do you mind if I observe you when you are training?" Christina asked.


    "Sure. I don''t mind." Clovis nodded.


    In the end, the three of them were training together. In the end, the three of them were working together to practice the techniques. Clovis didn''t know whether Christina could learn it or not, adjusting it to switch her style. However, he knew Christina was talented. She definitely knew whether she could learn it or not.


    For the next two months, they continued training the techniques while hunting down some beasts from time to time.


    "I personally think enough is enough. Even if I have to beg Clovis, I will take my leave. Besides, we also have Christina, who is from the Tier 9 Elseingarde family."


    Aileen couldn''t help but smile. She knew how prideful Erwin was. Even though it was to his captain, he was willing to lower his head and bend his knees.


    "Let me think about it for a while. If it''s truly that bad, I will leave without much care." Aileen finally agreed.


    "Alright. Just tell me if you need anything. I will help you. For the time being, we''re planning to visit the same destination. You don''t mind, right?"


    "Mhmm. That''s fine by me." Aileen nodded. "Well, it''s already almost a year. We can finally meet again."


    "Yeah. You don''t know how excited I am. Though I know you are more excited than I am. Finally seeing your handsome boyfriend after so long must be exciting."


    "Look at you, bragging again." Aileen chuckled. "I will send you the details about the mission as well as the place we''re staying."


    "Yeah. We are done with the paperwork, so we just need to book the rooms. How long are you going to stay there?"


    "The mission this time will take a lot of time, so most likely about a month?"


    "Sounds good." Erwin nodded.


    "I''ll hang up then. Hearing your voice makes my worries gone. Thank you, Erwin."


    "Hehehe. This bro is so charming that it can ease your worries."


    "Hehe." Aileen chuckled. "Love you, take care."


    "Yep. I love you too, take care over there. Don''t hesitate to call me if you need help."


    Aileen smiled while hanging up. She looked at the sky that somehow brightened after the call. She grabbed her swords and muttered, "Alright. Let''s get fired up one more time today and finish the training."@@@@

 Chapter 575 Lovers Reunited

    Slathan Country.


    "We''ve finally arrived in this country. To think that it would be such a chore."


    "Indeed."


    A guy and a woman had just finished putting their luggage down. They were meeting up outside the room.


    There was another guy in the room next to that.


    "Aileen, Aileen!" The guy knocked on the door multiple times but showed no response. "Aileen!"


    "Has she left? That''s fast..." They exchanged looks. The guy looked angry, but if Aileen had really left, there was nothing she could do.


    On the other hand, Clovis and his team had finally arrived at their destination.


    "So, what is the mission this time?" Kanaria asked. "Erwin. Do you know something?"


    "There are a couple of missions, but I think it''s better to let Aileen explain it to you guys."


    "Oh! Alright." Kanaria nodded in agreement.


    "Still, it''s been a while since we last met her. I guess I''m kind of anticipating what level she has reached?" Clovis smiled. "Don''t worry, Erwin. I will let you guys go for today. Just come back tomorrow and explain it to us."


    "Mhmm..." Erwin scratched the back of his head. He was too embarrassed that he couldn''t even show off.


    "Ah. This guy is hopeless." Melody shook her head helplessly.


    "We have arrived. Also, Erwin. Put away that smirk of yours. It''s annoying." Jay shouted while parking their bus.


    Erwin just smiled, ignoring Jay.


    "Yeah. He is hopeless. He has fallen to the bottom of the ocean." Kanaria agreed with Melody''s opinion. Even Jay''s remark couldn''t make him work up any more.


    "!!!" Erwin wasn''t the only one shocked by Aileen''s sudden appearance.


    Christina and Luci couldn''t help but turn around. They actually let someone approach them this close without noticing them?


    "Huh?" Christina blinked her eyes a few times. Now that she saw her, it felt blurry. It was as if she existed and did not exist at the same time.


    ''What is this? This is the first time I feel something like this. She is an assassin, so she must be erasing her presence. But this level... isn''t she only a Tier 5? The only one who can sneak up on me like this is at least a Tier 7 assassin.


    ''Is this the reason Clovis thinks highly of her? If there''s someone who can actually approach a person without being noticed, they can simply kill her without the other party realizing it.


    ''Scouting the area will be much easier as well because the beasts won''t notice her. I see. I finally understand what he means by strong. She is indeed strong in this area. No, her talent might even rival mine and Clovis''. No, does she have a unique ability?''


    Christina couldn''t reach an answer.


    Meanwhile, Aileen simply said with an emotionless face. "By the way, you said I was the one who was unable to wait to meet you. But how come you are the one trying to drag them as fast as possible? You''re so impatient to see me. How cute."


    Erwin''s lips were shaking. "This bro is just making sure you don''t wait for too long as a responsible boyfriend. You''re the one who is impatient. Why would you even come to the parking lot?"


    Erwin thought he made a comeback, but Aileen simply pointed at Clovis. "He told me to come here."


    "Huh?" Erwin looked at Clovis, who was showing a peace sign. "Clovis, you bastard!"


    Clovis smirked. He ignored Erwin and said, "Anyway, we can go. I have asked for one more key card for our suite. It''s for you. You can sneak up into his room whenever you want it."


    "Ah!" Aileen was startled but soon bowed. "Thank you very much."


    "No worries. Anyway, let''s go up." Clovis waved his hand.


    "Pfft!" Jay laughed. "Such an impatient guy. How cute."


    "Jay, you bastard!" Because of the embarrassment, he finally replied to Jay''s remark. "You are still single. Why don''t you marry your blade already?"


    Unlike any other time, Jay simply shrugged while looking down on him. "Sure, sure. Let''s go up, cute guy."

 Chapter 576 Aileens Problem

    After getting their respective cards, all of them immediately split up. Clovis, Christina, Kanaria, and Luci ended up going together to see around the city. Melody sneaked out so that she could buy as many things as possible to tell her younger brother.


    Jay and Ragna remained inside the room while Erwin and Aileen went on a date.


    However, the matter seemed to be much more serious than anyone originally thought.


    All of a sudden, Clovis ended up gathering them in a restaurant to talk about Aileen''s problem.


    Because it involved so many figures, even Ragna and Jay had to go as well.


    "So, the problems are that Tier 8 master and the influential family, huh?" Clovis looked down, falling into deep thought.


    "Should I ask my grandfather to put some pressure on that family?" Christina asked. "No. Even my father should be able to do it."


    "How about we ask Hana to deal with that influential family? In terms of money, Hana should have the ability to take them down." Kanaria asked.


    "Well, a Tier 8 human is threatening, but not enough for our group, no?" Luci glanced at Clovis.


    "Hmm..." Clovis closed his eyes for a moment.


    "I think you''re making this hard for Clovis. It''s fine. I should be able to handle it somehow just by waiting for a while." Aileen waved her hand.


    Jay sighed. "Well, it''s certainly a big problem. What he needs to consider is not only their families but also our families.


    "It''s true that we have Christina here, but Clovis'' grandfather has once interfered in a certain matter in that country.


    "If he acts unruly one more time, I feel like the country is most likely to put a bounty on him and blacklist all our families from there. And most likely, they can either take them hostage or destroy them completely, even if it means angering the two grandfathers.


    "Hence, it''s rather hard for them to make a move. Even if we try to relocate the families, they''re most likely watching the movements of our families. After all, there''s a high chance a big move will be linked back to us.


    "As such, you have to consider it properly before making the move."


    "Yep!" Clovis nodded. "What''s the mission again?"


    "There are several missions. The first one is to meet up with a certain person. They seem to be planning to go on a large subjugation to take down a Tier 7 beast without a Tier 7 fighter accompanying them.


    "In other words, it will be quantity versus quality. The large number itself is to take down the rest of the beasts before making our way against the Tier 7 beast."


    "Oh? That''s indeed a big mission. I guess you''re not playing around when going to this country." Clovis thought for a moment. "In that case, should we join it as well?"


    "Tier 7, huh? We can''t do anything against it, but I wonder if we can fight a Tier 6 enemy right now. In the end, I think I should be able to hold down a Tier 6 beast by myself after joining this group." Christina pondered.


    "Still, if we want to do this, we should do it together." Erwin pointed at Aileen.


    "We know that, but won''t they be suspicious of us? Although we are not as famous, we still have Christina here. There''s a chance they know our identities as well." Kanaria asked.


    "Well, that''s a simple task." Clovis smirked.


    All of them couldn''t help but look at him.


    ...


    Two days later.


    The Libation Fiesta had just arrived.


    "Hello. We would like to register our group." Clovis smiled.


    The staff looked at them for a second before nodding her head. She couldn''t recognize their faces, so they must not be as famous.


    Yes, Clovis'' solution was none other than disguise. All of them had their respective wigs and other accessories so that there was no resemblance to their former selves.


    Since they had a lot of money, they spared no effort in buying all the necessities.


    Clovis said, "We''d like to join the raid. Our group is called Frozen Crystal."

 Chapter 577 Provocation

    "Whoa. There are so many people here," Clovis looked around. "How many are there?"


    "About 200 people," said Melody after taking a look at the radar.


    "Still, are we going to be fine with this?" Christina asked.


    "Are you talking about splitting the group into two?" Luci raised her eyebrows.


    What Christina was talking about was the fact that Clovis had divided them into a group of four. The first group was called Frozen Crystal, which consisted of Clovis, Melody, Christina, and Luci.


    The second group was Jay, Erwin, Ragna, and Kanaria. In addition to splitting their group, they had weakened themselves by abandoning their original weapon.


    Clovis had dropped both his pistol and short sword. In the end, his choice of weapon was quite unique, so if he used it, the other party might realize it was him.


    Christina couldn''t bring her second shield, so she needed to do everything with only a single shield, which reduced her aggressiveness. Melody remained as an operator, but she brought a shotgun instead of a pistol. Luci chose a huge cleaver, as if she wanted to chop some beasts, which also stunned their group at first.


    Jay was the only one who didn''t have the change of weapon. Meanwhile, Erwin''s weapon was the most unique. Hence, he focused on punching and kicking for the time being, but when others didn''t see it, he would use his wires.


    On the other hand, Kanaria brought out her automatic rifle instead of a sniper rifle while Ragna dropped his shield and fought only with his spear.


    "Group A. Please go here!"


    "Group B!"


    People started calling them one by one. Of course, with the help of Aileen, they were able to get inside information, allowing them to be placed in the same division.


    Yes. Each division contained four groups in total. The Libation Fiesta occupied the two slots, while Aileen got the other one. The last one was a middle-rank group with two Tier 4 explorers.


    Seeing all of them gathered made Clovis unable to contain himself.


    Clovis raised his hand, stopping Christina from playing. "That''s enough. We are here to gain some experience, not to argue."


    "Yes, young master. Please forgive me." Christina politely lowered his head.


    Then again, Clovis teaming up with Melody and Luci, who were also beautiful women, gave them the feeling of a real young master who kept flowers left and right. That was why a part of them believed Clovis was a young master of a very powerful family.


    "Do you have the guts to mention your family name? Are you scared?" Gillian provoked him.


    Christina wanted to say something, but Clovis stopped him once again. "There''s no need to entertain a clown."


    A smile soon appeared on his face, as if all that serious face was just a lie. He waved his hand at the other group, including Jay''s. "Hello, guys. I''m Ivan from Frozen Crystal."


    A muscular man stood up and shook Clovis'' hand. "Hello. I''m Andrew from Iron Roc."


    Because of Aileen''s problem, Jay actually let Erwin be the group''s leader. Then again, he had the highest tier, so it wouldn''t be that weird for him to become a leader.


    "Hello. I''m Ryan from Bloody Demon."


    "Hoho. Nice to meet you guys! I''m looking forward to working together with you. Let''s make this hunt a success, shall we?" Clovis waved his hand.


    "You bastard!" Gillian was angry at being ignored. He tried to grab Clovis'' shoulder to show him who was the boss, but all of a sudden, Christina grabbed his wrist.


    Both of them glared at each other as Gillian tried to move his hand, but surprisingly, Christina didn''t budge. It was as if he was trying to move a mountain.


    ''What is this? This bitch...'' Gillian wanted to use his weapon, but Clovis'' voice soon echoed. "That''s enough. They''re about to start."


    "Yes, young master." Christina snorted and immediately dragged Clovis away to safety.


    As Clovis said, a bald, middle-aged man stood on top of a platform and shouted, "Everyone. From this point onward, we shall be moving according to your respective roles and heading to the Dark Plain, where we will take down the tier 7 Elasmotherium Sibiricum. Let''s move out!"

 Chapter 578 Cutting a Tier 4 with a Single Swing

    The groups ended up going to the trucks as they headed to the plain where the rhino was.


    Gillian had been glaring at Clovis the whole time, as if he was trying to pick a fight with him. He couldn''t care less about Aileen, like her opinion didn''t matter.


    His face was literally saying that he would be using his family and dealing with Clovis.


    In another truck, Erwin was fuming. Not only did he underestimate his captain, but he also disrespected his girlfriend.


    Jay simply said, "Don''t mind it. You have your time to shine, so leave the first one to him."


    Both of them knew that Clovis wanted to direct Gillian''s hatred to himself, which he could understand. He just hated the fact he was powerless that he couldn''t take that role.


    Fortunately, the journey was smooth. There were some beasts, but the division in charge of protection managed to kill them all.


    Eventually, they reached the plain where the Tier 7 rhino was found.


    "We are about to arrive. There is an increase in the number of beasts in the area. We''ll now be advancing on foot. All people, go to your respective positions." A man''s voice echoed on the radio, giving them instruction.


    The trucks came to a halt as the people started to go off, heading to their respective positions. With so many people, the group could advance by forming the two flanks. These left and right flanks would allow the group in the middle to advance with ease.


    Clovis was stationed on the left flank with the other three groups in his division.


    A Tier 6 middle-aged man came to them and shouted, "Your task is important. It is to protect the main party from all beasts coming from the left. Don''t mess up!"


    Gillian suddenly raised his hand and said with a smug smile. "There is no leader in this division. I can become their leader and command them so that we can move in a more organized way."


    The middle-aged man could see through Gillian''s intention. He simply said, "There won''t be any leader in both left and right flanks. You are free to move according to your discretion."


    Gillian was startled. His decision was the correct one, but why would he reject it? This was his way of showing his superiority, but how dare this man stop him?


    He gritted his teeth.


    Clovis, on the other hand, glanced to the middle, noticing that they were bringing out a lot of huge weapons. Considering they didn''t have a Tier 7 human among them, it wasn''t to use all those weapons. The Tier 6 humans would be keeping the Tier 7 rhino at bay until it was weakened enough for them to sweep in.


    And to protect all those weapons and arrange them in a fight, most of them had to focus in the middle. As expected, the protection division would be taking care of their mess if they screwed up.


    "Hahahaha. No beasts are my match!" Gillian shouted while glancing to the side, trying to pick on Clovis.


    Aileen and the others had to work around him, making sure there were no beasts that slipped past them.


    Clovis, on the other hand, remained in his position.


    Christina charged forward and stopped several beasts with her shield. When they wanted to continue, Christina banged their heads with her shield. It carried so much force that they ended up getting stunned.


    After that, Luci struck them one by one, killing them at a speed not inferior to Gillian''s.


    "Why are you not fighting? Are you even a man?!" Gillian shouted, glaring at Clovis.


    Clovis looked at him with a dumbfounded expression. Couldn''t he see that they were being overwhelmed?


    If not for Aileen and the others, he couldn''t do anything he wanted like this.


    Hence, he ignored him and pointed to the left. "Melody. Take care of the ones over there."


    "Got it." Melody nodded.


    Instead of fighting by himself, Clovis continued managing his group to make sure there was no gap in their defense. It frustrated Gillian so much that he realized he should punish Clovis by himself.


    And the opportunity came to him when he spotted a Tier 4 boar coming toward him. He could kill it, but Gillian actually punched the boar with strength only enough to shift that direction to the side, specifically Clovis'' direction.


    "Oops. I didn''t manage to kill it," he shouted.


    "!!!" Aileen was startled, thinking about assisting Clovis.


    "Maybe you should have protected him better. No, he should have been stronger. Such a man doesn''t deserve to be served by you." Gillian laughed at Christina and the others.


    Before Aileen could leap to Clovis, the latter let out a sigh.


    "Is this... some sort of joke?" Clovis didn''t mind fighting him, but he shouldn''t have messed with the formation, especially since the leader wanted it and they had no captain to manage all four groups.


    Clovis flicked his blade with his thumb, unsheathing it a bit. His other hand grabbed the handle and made a swift swing upward, releasing his ranged attack that now traveled far enough to cut the boar into two.@@@@

 Chapter 579 Overpowered Clovis

    Roar!


    The boar let out its last roar before his body was split in two. The momentum carried the body past Clovis, but not a single drop of its blood reached him.


    "!!!"


    All of them couldn''t help but widen their eyes in shock.


    Only those from the Libation Fiesta knew the true strength of Clovis'' ranged attack. However, no one would expect that the ranged attack was so far that it could split such a huge boar into two.


    After all, Clovis was only a Tier 3 human. It was far too weak and young for him to wield this kind of power.


    Aileen gasped, thinking, ''That guy... is much stronger now. Can others do something like that? I have seen a lot of talented people in the capital city, but no one comes close. At least when they''re a Tier 3 human.''


    Aileen thought that she would be able to compete with Clovis after going to the capital and letting her talent fully bloom. However, Clovis was simply an anomaly.


    Aileen couldn''t help but wonder how monstrous Clovis would become the moment he reached Tier 4 or even Tier 5.


    The other two people in their group couldn''t believe it either. They had never seen such strength in the university.


    More importantly, that kind of power had just slapped Gillian on the face. The guy who he claimed to be weak actually showed a power equal to or greater than him.


    "Damn. Is that guy really a young master from a hidden family?" The guys from the fourth party couldn''t help but whisper to each other.


    "I know, right? It''s no wonder he is so strong. He is from a hidden family."


    "No. It''s the other way around. We are convinced that he is from a hidden family because he is that strong.''


    "Is this time for a conspiracy theory?"


    When the leader saw the progress, he couldn''t help but smile.


    "Who is that guy? Not only does he possess a commanding ability, but his strength far surpasses his tier. This is the first time I''ve heard about him."


    "We are unsure about it. There''s no information about him other than the fact his name is Raven. I don''t think it''s a real name either. He must be trying to hide his identity."


    The leader squinted his eyes. "Investigate him when you have the time. Make sure the other party doesn''t realize it''s you. If he is useful, try to think of a way to recruit him."


    "Understood."


    The leader then turned to Gillian. "I thought that young man was the one from the Heshton family, but it turned out that useless buffoon was the one they sent.


    "They told me he was talented, but he was useless. I should tell the leader about this and file a complaint. We are here to take down a Tier 7 beast, not play around.


    "Record his mistakes."


    "Yes, sir." His assistant nodded.


    "Still, he allowed the other two groups to actually conserve their energy so that they could switch in the middle. And with that, he could become the focus of the expedition." The leader wondered if he should meet him personally. But it would just look like he was abusing his status, so it was better to know about him first before approaching him.


    After commenting on their performance, the leader turned to the other side. "Is everything fine over there?"


    "Yes. The Protection Division is standing by. While all the people in the right division have joined the fight and struggled a bit, they seem to have enough skills to deal with the rest. It will just take a bit longer."


    "Alright. We have to conserve as much stamina as possible."


    The leader carefully led the expedition, making sure to have the people in the middle stay as fresh as possible. After all, these people were the ones who would be taking down the Tier 7 beast.


    The march took more than three hours due to the increasing number of beasts as they approached the site.


    And finally, they had reached the plain where the boar resided.

 Chapter 580 Unicorn Rhino

    After a long journey, they had finally reached the plain where the boar resided.


    "We have spotted the boar in the distance. We should be able to see it soon."


    The leader squinted his eyes. "I see. Prepare to fight then. Also, have you figured out that guy''s identity?"


    "Yes. We have sent our people there in the guise of offering some help, but from what we''ve heard, there was a clash before the expedition began. The one the Heshton family sent was trying to flirt with the mysterious guy''s... bodyguard.


    "As a result, the former tried to harass that mysterious guy, only to be slapped back. As for his identity, there''s not much we can find. It''s clear that he is registering a fake name. Other than the testament about him coming from a hidden family, there''s no other information."


    "Hidden family?" The leader looked surprised.@@@@


    "Yes. Is he from a family that is filled with conspiracy theories of their strength? There are a lot of them in the world, like the one governing the economy, the one with military strength surpassing a country, and so on..."


    The leader crossed his arms. "We can''t rule out such a possibility. He has just unleashed a ranged attack surpassing that of a Tier 6 swordsman. While the power is not there yet, the most important one is the range.


    "And he does this when he is only a Tier 3. His face has shown that he is extremely young, so he must be that talented. So, being a part of a hidden family might not necessarily be false.


    "If that''s the case, we can''t touch him. Try to warn that guy from the Heshton family not to cause a mess that their family would have a hard time facing. For¡ª"


    The leader abruptly stopped. He noticed that Clovis actually switched with another group and changed their positions to suit their needs in subjugating the rhino.


    "That mysterious kid is a freak. Don''t fuck with him. For now, just let him do whatever he wants as long as it helps the subjugation."


    "Understood."


    Like what the leader said, Clovis actually received information from Aileen sneakily.


    [Tier 7 beast ahead.]


    The rhino itself wasn''t as big as they originally thought. It was only seven meters tall, but the skin looked like it was made of a combination between metal and rock, which made it look much more solid.


    The Elasmotherium sibiricum was often referred to as the Siberian unicorn. It was because of its massive horn.


    Its weight was over ten tons. In addition to that robust build, this rhino was known for its speed, endurance, and strength. If they underestimated the beast, they would definitely fail this subjugation.


    In addition, there were a lot of beasts near him, ready to intercept the humans.


    As soon as he noticed the beast''s movement, the leader immediately gave an order. "Spread out our men. Get ready to encircle the rhino. How is the condition of our weapons?"


    "Everything looks good. We are ready."


    "Good."


    As he ordered, the group gradually spread out as if they were trying to trap the rhino inside.


    Obviously, all the beasts were charging straight in, trying to destroy them and protecting the rhino.


    However, they were intercepted by a lot of people, including Erwin and the others.


    There was another reason Clovis wanted to fight first and conserve their stamina the moment they reached the rhino.


    While the others were busy fighting lower-tier beasts, Clovis could actually watch the subjugation itself.


    "Get ready!" The leader''s voice echoed in their rank.


    People were going to their respective positions, holding all kinds of weapons. However, a lot of them seemed to be holding any kind of explosives from RPGs to bombs. They were planning to use a lot of explosives to actually break through the rhino''s defense.


    "Interesting." Clovis smirked. "I have gone on several expeditions, but this is the first time the expedition is made for a single beast. Let''s see how this turns out."

 Chapter 581 Raid

    The leader squinted his eyes before waving his hand down. "Fire!"


    In that instant, several people holding their RPGs immediately pulled the triggers.


    The Tier 7 rhino saw the incoming RPGs and immediately moved away, but due to the size of its body, it only managed to avoid the ones coming from the left as its body moved to the right.


    The ones coming from the right ended up hitting him, causing a series of explosions.


    Boom!


    Boom!


    Boom!


    The beast let out a roar, dispersing the smoke from the explosion. At the same time, the leader couldn''t help but squint his eyes, noticing that there wasn''t a single scratch on its body.


    The body of this beast managed to actually withstand such a blast. In that case, they had to change their tactics.


    But before he could do so, there were still a lot of beasts near the rhino, whether they were within the encirclement or outside.


    The beasts outside would have to face the people from the left and right wings. Hence, the beasts inside the encirclement found themselves to be suddenly attacked by multiple people.


    "Stop them and kill them! Quick. We have to take them down and ensure that they can''t mess with our formation."


    A Tier 6 guy shouted, leading the people to take on these beasts. While there weren''t any Tier 6 beasts yet, they had to completely seize the momentum.


    More than thirty people immediately charged forward, fighting their respective beasts. Another thirty were gunning down the rest, trying to gain the advantage with their firepower.


    The beasts were fighting fiercely, but they ended up getting overwhelmed by the humans. More and more beasts fell in battle, which allowed the humans to gain an easier time.


    With such a development, the leader immediately ordered, "Attack!"


    There were still about a hundred people who hadn''t made their move. Half of them immediately brought out their guns and started raining bullets on this rhino.


    The rhino let out a cry before charging forward.


    All of a sudden, a man stood in its way while commanding, "Stop the bullets. I will take this guy on!"


    "!!!" The leader raised his eyebrows. "That''s faster than we originally expected..."


    "I will take care of it!" The Tier 6 swordsman shouted and moved to intercept the Tier 6 centipede. They had brought three Tier 6 humans precisely for this. As long as they could kill the Tier 6 centipede, the situation would be much easier for them.


    Sadly, that wasn''t possible. This time, the threat didn''t come only from the centipede.


    A 5-meter-tall mole suddenly came out of the soil as though it was observing the situation.


    This Tier 6 mole exited the hole, which ended up allowing the tunnel it dug to become a passage for the rest of the beasts, mostly insects.


    They immediately spread within the human ranks, which caused chaos.


    "Stop them!"


    "Need backup!"


    The people panicked because they thought they could just suppress the enemy from afar.


    The leader narrowed his eyes. "It seems we don''t have a choice."


    The Tier 6 guardian had already known his role and immediately shouted, "I''ll take care of this. You have 15 minutes."


    The leader nodded and immediately headed to the Tier 6 mole as twenty people came toward him and the mole, wanting to help the leader to take care of the rest of the beasts.


    Clovis, who had remained still this whole time, examined the battlefield and everyone''s condition.


    Christina walked toward him while saying, "Should we go as well?"


    Clovis turned around, realizing that the situation was still under control. However, with the addition of these two Tier 6 beasts, the number of beasts was simply too low. Hence, Clovis suspected they were actually going ahead and the rest of the beasts were going to appear soon.


    And that was what actually happened.


    There were a series of roars coming from all directions, surrounding them.


    "Well. We might have to do something big. I don''t know. Maybe taking down the Tier 6 beast. I don''t know how big our gap is, though. But for now, remain here and take care of these beasts first."


    "Roger." Christina smirked, feeling a bit excited.

 Chapter 582 Killing Two Tier 5 Beasts with a Single Swing

    Clovis was observing the battle closely. He never thought that the beasts were able to fight back despite their conditions. In addition, the Tier 6 beasts appeared at the perfect time, allowing other beasts to regain their momentum.


    In the end, the leader had to split his force and even took care of a tier 6 beast by himself.


    "Are you done?" Christina appeared next to Clovis.


    "Mhmm." Clovis nodded. "I didn''t think they would actually be able to harm the Tier 7 beast that way. They don''t bring a lot of big guns, but those RPGs are enough."@@@@


    "If I were Hana, I would probably say, ''What? You''re going to spend all those precious ammunition and missiles to take down a Tier 7 beast? Just get stronger and take it down when you''re strong enough. It''s cheaper,'' or something along the lines."


    "Hahaha. I can definitely see her saying those words." Clovis chuckled. "Still, this gives me some inspiration. Unfortunately, we can''t use most of the ideas here because we don''t have numbers and won''t ever have them."


    "I know that. You''re so stubborn in keeping this group small, but it''s understandable."


    All of a sudden, they heard a series of roars coming from the side.


    "!!!" Both of them turned around, noticing a lot of beasts coming toward them. They were split into a few groups, so they wouldn''t take them alone.


    Melody immediately informed them, "25 of them are coming in our way. There are more than a hundred split into a few groups coming to others. However, we should bring the two Tier 5 beasts in our direction. I will mark them. Check the radar."


    Clovis and Christina lowered their vision, seeing the two red dots that turned purple. One of them was heading toward Erwin''s group, while the other was right next to them.


    "There will be more beasts coming. Those Tier 6 beasts are presumably bringing all those beasts, but they''re still catching up," Melody explained.


    "Christina. You use provoke to grab the one coming to Jay. Melody. You are to explain the situation. There''s a chance that we will have to join the fight against a Tier 6, so I want him to conserve his strength. Also, you and Luci will be stopping the beasts fir¡ª!" Clovis was stopped by Christina.


    "I will provoke those two Tier 5 and return. You handle as many beasts as possible and get ready to handle one of the Tier 5 beasts after I return."


    "Can you do it?"


    Clovis squinted his eyes. On the one hand, he had been conserving his perfect state because he was afraid the situation would get worse. On the other hand, there was a chance the situation worsened after he couldn''t use the perfect state anymore.


    If he overused it, he would end up harming other people as well.


    Still, if he let those 300 beasts reach here while they were still occupied with these two, they would lose their position.


    Clovis sighed. "Christina. Change of plan. Let''s work together and kill those tier 5 beasts right now. I''ll be using my unique ability. To kill them in thirty seconds, I will need your trust."


    Christina smiled. "Tell me what to do. You will know whether I trust you or not."


    The leader couldn''t help but see the situation developing. Not only the left side, the right side also got reinforcement. ''There are two Tier 5 beasts there. They won''t be able to kill them so easily, and the situation will get worse.''


    "We have to split the protection squad into two and send them to the left¡ª!" Just when he was about to complete his order, he saw Christina taking the two Tier 5 beasts by herself. She only used a single shield, but the beasts looked like they were frustrated after not being able to hit her even once.


    All of a sudden, Clovis came from behind her, moving at a speed comparable to a real Tier 5 human.


    Then Christina ducked down and lowered her shield. If they failed, the two beasts would have a big opportunity to attack her.


    But Clovis shocked him the moment he unleashed his ranged attack.


    The two beasts raised their paws to stop the ranged attack, but their fingers were cut, and the ranged attack was so powerful it continued to travel to their bodies.


    Both Tier 5 beasts wanted to get away, but for some reason, they moved toward Christina instead, throwing away any chance to survive.


    Then, the ranged attack split their bodies into two.


    The leader was dumbstruck. He couldn''t believe how easy it was for both of them to take down two Tier 5 beasts.


    Unfortunately, he couldn''t be happy yet. There was another tier 6 beast lurking underground, ready to make its presence known.

 Chapter 583 Clovis and Christina

    Clovis and Christina shifted their focus back to the numerous beasts.


    "Should we gather all the Tier 5 beasts like earlier?" Christina asked.


    "It''s going to be hard to find all Tier 5 beasts among them. Even if we can do it, a lot of beasts will be coming as well." Clovis squinted his eyes. "No. We won''t do anything for the time being. Just kill as many beasts as possible."


    "Alright."


    Now that they had returned, Melody and Luci positioned themselves so that Clovis and Christina would take the full brunt of the beast wave.


    The moment they were about to reach them, the first thing Clovis did was to cut as many of them as possible with his ranged attack.


    The beasts fought back, but not a single one managed to break through.


    Even though there was no reinforcement coming from the central, they managed to keep up with all these beasts.


    On the other hand, the middle group was doing their best to hold back, but they started getting overwhelmed by the Tier 6 beasts.


    As if realizing this was the best time to appear, another Tier 6 centipede suddenly emerged from the ground with a loud ''bang.''


    "Scree!" The Tier 6 centipede made its presence known, causing even more chaos within their ranks.


    "What?" The leader couldn''t help but gasp. "Three Tier 6 beasts? The data only told us that there are only two Tier 6 beasts... Who can take on the Tier 6 centipede? No. It doesn''t matter. The situation has become much more complicated.


    "The right wing is messing up, and a lot of our people are redirected over there. As for the left wing..." The leader fell silent, shocked to find they were holding on. "Really? No. It doesn''t matter."


    The leader gritted his teeth and shouted, "Rei, Manuu! Stop that Tier 6 centipede! No need to kill it. Just buy enough time for me to handle this, and I will kill it after that."


    "Yes, sir!"


    Although both of them had done a great job of killing the beasts, they had to abandon their force and let go of their advantage in order to stop the Tier 6 centipede.


    Little did they know, there were two pairs of eyes scanning the middle area at this time.@@@@


    The moment the Tier 6 centipede made its appearance, their eyes lit up with excitement.


    As if Aileen had been waiting for this, she suddenly appeared next to Erwin while asking, "What''s the plan? You can''t use your full power, no?"


    "Don''t underestimate me. Even though I''m Tier 4 while you''re Tier 5, I''m stronger than you. I don''t need your concern." He smirked."


    "Sure." Aileen smiled, looking at all the surrounding beasts. "Shall we see who is stronger?"


    "Yeah. Kill them all!"


    On the other hand, Ragna and Jay were heading to the back, surprising Clovis and Christina.


    "What are you doing here?" Clovis asked, confused.


    "We''ll take care of the beasts here. You two should go."


    "Go..." Christina turned to Clovis, wanting to know what he meant.


    "Don''t act as if you don''t want to fight the Tier 6 beast. We''ll cover this place, so you two should go."


    Clovis was taken aback, but when he looked at Christina, both of them couldn''t suppress their desire. It seemed they really wanted to fight against the Tier 6 beast.


    With a smile from each other, Christina and Clovis immediately turned around.


    They moved toward the main battlefield where all Tier 6 beasts and the Tier 7 beast were located.


    "Let''s grab that mole." Sounds much easier for both of us," said Christina.


    "Yes. You take care of the defense, and I will find a way to kill it." Clovis nodded. "Ready?"


    "Of course."


    Both of them took a deep breath as they activated their respective abilities.


    "Provoke!"


    "Perfect State."

 Chapter 584 Fighting the Tier 6 Mole

    "This is not good." The leader couldn''t help but furrow his eyebrows. The Tier 6 centipede that had just emerged caused too much havoc.


    The two Tier 5 were having a hard time fighting it. In fact, they were getting pushed around.


    If this continued, the situation would become much more severe.


    "Wait. Where are you going?!" All of a sudden, he could hear the voice of the Tier 6 human on their side. He was supposed to be fighting the mole, but when he turned around, the mole actually ran toward the left wing.


    "!!!" The leader was stunned. What was going on? Did the beast actually plan all this?


    ''This is bad. If the mole comes to the left wing, it will completely crush them. The moment the left wing crumbles, all those beasts on the left will be coming to us. There won''t be anyone to stop it.'' The leader opened his mouth, wanting to give an order.


    However, the words stuck in his throat the moment he shifted his gaze to the left wing.


    Clovis and Christina were actually walking toward the mole as though they had expected it.


    The leader didn''t know what was going on. The mole was charging toward them, but there wasn''t a single trace of fear in their eyes. No, it was more accurate to say they were excited to fight it.


    At the same time, the left wing was somehow holding on without both of them. The front was held by Erwin punching all those beasts and Aileen killing them right after. The back was completely overwhelmed by Jay.


    As a result, they were able to hold the left wing.


    When the mole charged toward them, Christina also started running.


    The mole''s eyes turned bloodshot as it waved its claws.@@@@


    Christina raised her shield and received those claws.


    Still, the power of a Tier 6 beast was not to be underestimated. The ground underneath her cracked as Christina had to endure all that massive weight and power.


    However, the Tier 6 beast would be everything they could handle. If the beasts started coming toward them, they would be overrun by them.


    That was why, before going back to the middle, he shouted, "I need five people here. Make sure there are no beasts disturbing them. The rest will go back and handle the centipede with me."


    The group split up as those five people immediately headed to the beasts, making sure they were unable to approach Clovis and Christina.


    Both Clovis and Christina couldn''t help but smile.


    "It seems they''ve decided to give this mole to us," said Clovis.


    "That''s more like it." Christina nodded.


    The mole had gotten up and attacked her from multiple angles.


    Christina stomped the ground, gaining even more strength and actually blocking every single one of the attacks in rapid succession.


    "Thanks to the item, they''re easier than I originally thought."


    "I know, but don''t let your guard down. A Tier 6 beast is much stronger than a Tier 5 beast."


    "Don''t worry. My Provoke will keep his focus on me. Go rampage."


    Clovis smiled. There was a reason for the unique ability becoming the necessary requirement to become a Tier 9.


    The moment Clovis looped around the mole, it actually showed no sign of him moving around to protect his rear. It was as if he couldn''t do anything other than attack Christina.


    Clovis and all his teammates had experienced how scary Christina''s ''Provoke'' was. Of course, they had a hard time escaping Christina''s unique ability.


    With the addition of Clovis'' perfect state, it was time to take down the mole.

 Chapter 585 Provoke

    The mole slammed Christina with all its strength.


    Christina put her shield on top of her, shielding her from its claws. However, the mole tossed its entire body to pressure her, which caused the ground to crack. No, it was so powerful that the ground underneath her turned into a small crater.


    "Ugh." Christina clenched her teeth. "This is definitely heavy. If I didn''t have his items, I wouldn''t be able to take this attack head-on."


    "You good?" While asking, Clovis approached the mole and slashed its body.


    The mole wanted to put its claw in front of him, but Christina suddenly spun her shield, which twisted the mole''s body. As a result, the ranged attack hit the arm.


    The blood spurted from the arm before the mole let out a cry. Its eyes turned bloodshot, as if it didn''t expect that the two humans could injure him.


    It smashed Clovis, but Christina stood in its way again, blocking this attack. No matter how hard he tried to attack Clovis, for some reason, Christina was in the way.


    In addition, there was an indescribable feeling that made him attracted to Christina and wanted to continue to attack her.


    If not for all these wounds, the mole would have done so all the time.


    It was the pain from the wound that actually made its mind remain sharp, reducing the power of Christina''s unique ability.


    "Be careful. The wound is already keeping its mind intact. The worse its condition, the more it can break free from my unique ability."


    "Got it." Clovis nodded with a serious expression. He used his fastest speed to go around the mole. The mole was turning as if it was trying to follow him, but it suddenly stopped and turned back to Christina.


    Bam!


    Christina was being pushed back for several meters, which allowed the mole an opportunity to go toward Clovis.


    Provoke.


    The mole looked frustrated as it was moving toward Christina one more time. This time, Christina planted her shield on the ground and blocked the mole''s all-out attack.


    Clovis approached from the left to slice the mole''s stomach, but the latter actually tilted its body forward.


    "Oi!" Christina was startled. He ended up withstanding even her own weight. Luckily, the damage wasn''t that bad due to him having his Perfect State that allowed him to enhance his affinity, specifically the Bones and Heart Affinities.


    Before the second attack came, Christina dragged herself to the side, allowing Clovis to get up.


    Clovis was struggling because the damage was a bit too much. As a result, the slap reached them before he could get away.


    Christina blocked it by herself, doing everything she could so that the slap didn''t reach Clovis.


    "It''s clever. Since it focuses on you, the mole is just making you be in the same direction as me or on top of me like earlier. This way, it can still injure me even though it''s attacking you." Clovis hurriedly got up, panting.


    Clovis'' expression turned serious. "I guess a Tier 6 is harder than I originally thought."


    Christina clicked her tongue. She had fought a Tier 6 before, but that was a siege battle as well. This was the first time she fought a Tier 6 with only two people.


    Even though she had been equipped with items from Another World Mall, she was overwhelmed because of the unexpected action the mole took. It was completely different from the siege, considering the mole could focus on both of them instead of everyone.


    Christina took a deep breath.


    "By the way, can you use provoke on only its hand or something? Like concentrating it on something?" Clovis asked while getting away.


    "Huh?" Christina frowned while blocking another attack from the mole. Now that Clovis asked about it, she never really thought about it.


    Everything was fine because they targeted her after she used her unique ability. But she had never focused on a single limb.


    When she saw the mole trying to hit her with the left hand, she tried to use her unique ability on the mole''s right hand.


    The mole suddenly had an urge to slap her with the right hand, but because of the movement of the other hand, the body ended up tilting forward in a weird way that killed the momentum.


    "It... works?" Christina looked surprised.


    The mole wanted to do it again out of confusion, but this time, she used it on the mole''s right foot, which caused him to slip.


    "This..." Christina was startled, wondering if she had just done something ridiculous.

 Chapter 586 Steal Kill

    "It works?" Christina still couldn''t believe it.


    Clovis chuckled.


    "How were you able to think of that possibility?"


    "No. The question should be, why did you not think about that? Well, my unique ability could enhance all five affinities to the maximum, gaining their respective strength, right?


    "I used to wonder if I could just enhance one, but with a much greater effect." Clovis explained. "Unfortunately, it didn''t seem to be possible, so I couldn''t help but wonder if you could do it, since your unique ability is different from mine."


    Christina blinked her eyes a few times, not expecting that such a ridiculous concept could actually be used.


    Her unique ability boosted his ability and allowed him to control it better. On the other hand, due to the knowledge coming from Clovis'' unique ability, her ability was also enhanced. It was as if both of them were doing everything to boost each other.


    She couldn''t help but smile.


    "I''m fired up." Christina approached the mole, who had just stood back up.


    The mole was still confused as to what had happened. Seeing Christina charging at him, the mole hurriedly smacked her away, but his right foot was taking a step forward, messing with his rhythm.@@@@


    The mole held as much as possible and succeeded in not falling. However, it destabilized his position a bit.


    Clovis took advantage of that opportunity and sliced the mole''s body.


    "Kree?!" The mole let out a scream. His body had been moving weirdly due to Christina. He couldn''t help but wonder what was going on.


    Clovis wanted to get another hit, but the mole was already spinning its body. This way, even if he wanted to attack Christina, he would still hit Clovis in the process.


    However, this had become much easier for Christina to use her unique ability.


    With just a single foot making a much wider step, the mole ended up tripping.


    Clovis was already waiting for this. He slashed the mole''s head. The mole wanted to block it, but the arm suddenly moved down, attacking Christina.


    The leader was more and more convinced that Clovis was indeed coming from a hidden family.


    ''Either way, our focus remains the same. We have to kill that Tier 7 beast. If they are able to kill the Tier 6 mole, they can either join the battle in the middle or guard the left. We have enough personnel to kill the remaining Tier 6 and Tier 7 anyway.


    ''Their help only hastens the progress, but there''s a chance casualties would increase due to the left collapsing.


    ''I guess I will just let them decide and work around it. The youngsters have saved us from such a situation, so I guess it''s fine to give this type of choice.''


    Both Clovis and Christina continued their onslaught. Due to the amount of blood it was losing, the mole became weaker and weaker.


    When its speed had slowed down enough, Clovis immediately sped up and started overpowering him.


    Christina pinned the beast''s two hands and feet, making sure it was unable to get comfortable with its movement.


    Unfortunately, her control wasn''t perfect yet. She still let a few attacks pass through.


    However, it was enough to crush the mole.


    "Reee!" The mole let out another scream, his body getting covered with numerous wounds. It was already having a hard time moving.


    Christina glanced at Clovis and nodded her head. They should be able to kill him with one or two more hits.


    Clovis was ready to take him down, but all of a sudden, he received a transmission from Melody.


    "Clovis! Watch out. That idiot guy is coming toward you!"


    "!!!" Clovis and Christina raised their eyebrows, trying to locate Gillian.


    But they were stunned because they weren''t Gillian''s targets. It was the mole. He leaped into the air and hit the head, opening the wound and scooping out a bit of its brain.


    "Hahahaha. I killed the Tier 6 beast!"


    "..."

 Chapter 587 Foolish Action

    "Hahaha. I killed the Tier 6 beast." Gillian laughed out loud, as if he was proud of his achievement.


    Both Clovis and Christina couldn''t help but furrow their eyebrows. Christina was displeased because Gillian had stolen their kill. On the other hand, Clovis looked at Gillian as if he was looking at a fool.


    From everything he could actually do, Clovis didn''t expect him to actually do one of the things he shouldn''t have.


    It wasn''t about anger.


    This action would definitely have a lot of impact on him.


    Clovis looked at Christina with a dumbfounded face, wondering how someone could be so foolish.


    If they were meeting each other elsewhere, it would probably be a good idea to sabotage the others. However, if they had to fight together, especially under someone, this was the last thing they should do.


    After all, it could raise into a conflict. In this situation, having a conflict was the last thing everyone wanted.


    "You''re pathetic. If you''re strong, you should have killed it!" Gillian taunted them as if he was holding a lot of grudges from what happened earlier.


    "..." Clovis stayed silent for a moment, but soon shifted his gaze elsewhere. The middle looked fine, so they didn''t seem to need some reinforcement, even though it would be nice because they could speed up.


    However, it was not necessary anymore.


    Clovis simply turned to the left and said, "Let''s go. We''ll go back to our position now that we have taken care of the Tier 6 beast."


    Christina nodded with a serious expression.


    ''Did he know that his selfish character would result in the expedition failing? Fortunately, that Tier 3 guy and Tier 5 girl didn''t seem to let out their anger, even though I bet they were pissed.


    ''However, after killing the Tier 6 beast, they should still have some stamina to help the middle rank, which might result in another Tier 6 beast being removed.


    ''This way, the expedition would be concluded faster, which would allow us to reduce the number of injuries. Yet this guy actually taunted them in a way that they wouldn''t even bother to go to the middle.


    ''Although we had prepared for all these things, it was infuriating to know that a hidden talent who was supposed to make the success glorious ended up being disappointed and not choosing the best route.


    ''Besides, the fact that they could kill the Tier 6 beast alone was enough to show that their status was extraordinary. Yet this guy picked on them like a jerk.


    ''No. He even left his post. If not for the left wing being capable of fending off the enemy, it would have been troublesome.


    ''Seriously... All I had about this guy was complaints. He''s a fucking insufferable asshole.'' The leader was cursing inwardly. ''I need to report this guy to his family. This will surely hurt the relationship between them, but it''s their fault.''


    Even though Clovis and Christina ended up returning to the left flank, it didn''t mean the expedition had failed.


    In fact, the leader managed to take down his Tier 6 beast opponent, allowing him to kill the last one. As a result, they were able to focus on the Tier 7 beast.


    Even though the progress was delayed because of the third Tier 6 beast, they managed to subjugate the Tier 7 beast within 4 hours.


    During that time, the beasts kept coming and coming, which exhausted the people''s stamina. Fortunately, the longer the battle was, the fewer the incoming beasts.


    In addition, the weapons were proven to be effective. They had used quite a lot of weaponry, but ultimately, they succeeded.


    Without saying, the MVPs of this expedition would be Clovis and Christina. Without them taking down the surprise attack, the expedition would lead to a failure. Unfortunately, due to what happened earlier, they just played along with the scenario and told the leader that they didn''t do anything. As a proof, Gillian killed the beast, which infuriated the leader even more.

 Chapter 588 Complaints

    "Good work, everyone. We have finished the expedition." Clovis grinned while raising his glass, juice of course.


    "Oh!" The others cheered.


    "Did you learn a lot, Clovis?" Kanaria asked.


    "Yep. I think I can understand what they''re aiming for." Clovis nodded. "Normally, people are fighting with a large number of humans or with a small elite team of high quality. This is to ensure the safety of the people.


    "More importantly, no death. One can get injured, but no death or retirement. That''s what they''re aiming for.


    "If they can do this, they can kill a beast stronger than they are. Of course, using those weapons will just increase safety. After all, the beasts will die before they can kill anyone.


    "If I take this into account, I can think of several ideas on how to approach a battle like that in the future.


    "Well, Christina and I have no problems in taking down a Tier 6. It''s hard, but doable. In that case, I''m planning to target one more Tier 6 beast and assign it to only four people. The remaining people will be dealing with the rest of the beasts for our next project."


    After listening to Clovis'' explanation, Jay couldn''t help but ask, "Should I do it?"


    "I''m not entirely sure." Clovis glanced at Aileen, who sneaked out of the hotel just to join them. "If there is a mission you''re going to take that is related to Tier 6 beasts, I think it''s fine to join."


    "Oh! I think there is one." Aileen thought for a moment. "If I''m not wrong, there is a mission for us to kill a Tier 6 beast. We''ll go in a small group and take care of that Tier 6 beast. It''s just..."


    Erwin crossed his arms with a grim expression. "After what happened, that idiot guy would definitely be reckless because he was hungry for achievements. That was why he even killed the Tier 6 beast that Clovis and Christina took down."


    Clovis pinched the bridge of his nose.@@@@


    "In that case, since we have split our group into two, should we just do what we had planned prior to our trip?" Jay remembered that split up. "Since it''s a small group, it''s better if we go."


    "Ah!" Clovis nodded in agreement.


    "Are you suggesting that Clovis will go behind the scenes while we four are fighting together with her?" Erwin asked, surprised that Jay would suggest such a thing. After all, it made him the leader.


    The leader, Dee, continued tapping the table for a few more seconds as his expression worsened as time passed. "Hello, sir."


    "Yeah. Hello. Is there anything bothering you?" The middle-aged man raised his eyebrows. "Is there a problem with the expedition? You have succeeded, right?"


    "Yes. I have succeeded. There are no casualties, but one person has to retire due to injuries."


    "I see. Isn''t that fine? You are one of the best leaders in our company."


    "It''s just..." Dee gritted his teeth. "I don''t know if I should say this or not..."


    "You can just tell me. Even if I can''t do anything, I can still listen to you."


    Dee hesitated for a moment before explaining everything that had happened during the expedition.


    The middle-aged man was in utter shock when he heard a pair of Tier 3 guy and a Tier 5 girl manage to take down a Tier 6 beast.


    He couldn''t help but feel sour the moment he learned about the steal.


    "Who is that jerk? I thought you would be inviting them here or at least forming a good relationship with them, but I could understand when you didn''t mention such a thing now."


    Dee sighed. "The person I mentioned was the guy the Heshton family sent?"


    "Heshton?" The middle-aged man frowned. "Ah. That family. They were pretty big in Axolonia. What the fuck?


    "That incident could cause the failure of the expedition and numerous losses to our company. In addition, it also stopped us from at least forming a good relationship with this mysterious young master. Even if he wasn''t a young master, his strength alone was extraordinary that anyone would definitely want.


    "Yet not only did he almost cause the failure, but he also cut that chance..." The middle-aged man clenched his fists. "Unforgivable."


    "I know, right? Then again, I''m nothing but a small captain. What can I even do against such a family?" Dee shrugged.


    "Try to find that guy... Never mind. I will try to find him personally. Since it''s the chairman''s recommendation, I will directly mention this to the chairman. The chairman only allows them to send this guy because he is known to be a powerful guy, but since they''re trying to harm us, the chairman won''t take this lightly."

 Chapter 589 Reprimanded

    As Clovis and the others expected, the Heshton family ended up receiving the complaint. Although they were quite a big family, the organizer of the expedition was not someone they could easily brush off.


    In addition, the result and Gillian''s action were obvious. If Nathan and Christina didn''t take it maturely, they would end up facing a much more serious predicament.


    Hence, the Heshton family was furious.


    "Do you know what you''ve done?" A middle-aged man roared at the screen, glaring at Gillian.


    Gillian gritted his teeth and could only lower his head.


    "Do you? If there is a strong person out there, you should have befriended them instead of fighting them. The fact that he can injure a Tier 6 beast with his Tier 3 strength has said a lot about his strength and background.


    "It''s clear that the person in question is not your average person. If you have befriended such a person, your time in that country will be much easier. In addition, the family will have another good relationship with a huge influence.


    "Do you fucking understand what you''ve just done? And now, tell me. What will happen if they retaliate?


    "What if you''re being chased by a hidden family right now? There''s no trace about them, so if they act, you will be gone without anyone finding out what happens. Even if I use all the resources in the family, I might still not find out about them.


    "Argghhh." The middle-aged man gnashed his teeth. "At this rate, you should just return home. It''s too dangerous to stay over there. What an embarrassment.


    "To think I would have to apologize to someone. This is why you would never surpass your brother."@@@@


    Gillian clenched his hands into fists. He said, "I can still make it right, Father. There are still several missions!"


    The middle-aged man glared at him as if telling him that it had become impossible the moment he messed up.


    ''Of course, I will be questioned by my teacher after this. However, Clovis told me that he will start pressuring the Heshton family with Hana.


    ''Everything that happens here is just buying time for Hana to make her move. I''m really grateful to Clovis for doing something like this.


    ''After all, it means my family can avoid the responsibility as well. As long as we don''t push them into the corner, my family will remain safe.''


    Aileen squinted her eyes. Now that she had observed everything, she disappeared once again. Of course, she needed to have another date with Erwin.


    The Libation Fiesta, on the other hand, was preparing for the next mission. Each of them was busy finding their own role, since this was the first time they had to split up completely.


    Everyone... except for Clovis. Clovis had to be on the call.


    "I know, I know. This is something that is not easy to do, but isn''t the money from the beast soul enough? You don''t have to give me the royalties for a few months or years to compensate for it." Clovis smiled wryly.


    "That''s probably enough for the capital venture, but do you understand that what you''re requesting is basically making me be put on the blacklist in Axolonia? In addition, I have to take the Heshton family on.


    "While they''re not the strongest, they are still a top family in that country. This is not something I can easily brush off. Even I will get reprimanded by Grandfather because of this."


    Clovis scratched the back of his head. "Don''t tell me. You''re going to ask me for more artifacts? Do you want to sell them or something?"


    "I don''t think you will accept it, even though I want to create an auction for it. Then again, if I have them, I''m not strong enough to protect what I have, especially with the fact that multiple Tier 9 will be looking at my family. Without your grandfather''s protection, I will be destroyed in no time. Even though I''m greedy, I''m not foolish enough to do that."


    Clovis thought for a moment. "In that case, what do you want? If it''s something I can compensate for, I don''t really mind. Besides, Erwin will work twice as hard with Aileen here. Aileen is also an extremely powerful assassin. She doesn''t have a unique ability, but that talent alone is almost equal to it."


    Hana smiled slyly. Clovis realized at that moment he would indeed be sucked dry from this.

 Chapter 590 Removing the Heshton Family from the Top Family

    "This is the mission this time." Aileen projected the mission detail that they had just got. "It''s to kill a Tier 6 beast. The mission itself shouldn''t be that hard, but killing a Tier 6 beast means we have to find the number of the enemies.


    "Due to his reckless behavior, Gillian has been pressured to at least take a group with him. This will check his leadership, which is the original objective for coming here.


    "Of course, I have been tasked with monitoring him and reporting everything secretly.


    "The Tier 6 beast alone is enough for all of us, but there is one problem. In this mission, the location of this Tier 6 beast is not that far from another Tier 6 beast.


    "Normally, they won''t intrude on each other''s territory, but this time, they might do such a thing.


    "Hence, I hope that Clovis'' team can handle the other Tier 6 beast by themselves."


    Clovis squinted his eyes, reading the details of the enemies. "Hmm..."


    Jay crossed his arms. "So, our mission is to work together with him and somehow make him do reckless things?"


    "I don''t think you need to do that. As I mentioned previously, his family had reprimanded him. Gillian will definitely become much more achievement hungry than before. Hence, he will most likely make a lot of blunders this time.


    "This will definitely destroy him. His family will drag him back to Axolonia." Aileen shook her head.


    Erwin frowned. "Won''t it be a problem if we let him go back right away? This would cause his family to realize something was off."


    "Now that I think about it, that''s possible. If we let him go like this, you will be called back as well. And most likely, you''re going to be married off immediately to avoid other problems."


    Clovis tapped the table a few times as he was thinking hard about the problems. The others couldn''t help but look at him, wondering what he had in mind.


    "For the Heshton family, having the richest man in Absalom visiting them should be an opportunity for them. As a result, they will do whatever they think they can to obtain me, which makes it easier for us to trap them.


    "Because of this matter, we might need to direct that fund to something else. In other words, you might not receive any royalties for at least a few months. This is the only way to bluff Axolonia."


    Hana paused for a moment, which allowed Clovis to speak.


    "If that''s possible, what do you want? Considering it involves your grandfather, I think allowing your grandfather to come to the art room is enough, right?"


    "My grandfather has been distancing himself from business because of his past injury. Do you have something that can help him?"


    "No. If you''re talking about the item, then no. Since it''s made of my blood, the effect is limited to my tier. In fact, for Tier 5 people like Christina, the effect is much less, so it won''t be effective. However, I can probably ask my mother to help him. I don''t know if it''s going to work or not."


    "That sounds good as well." Christina nodded. "Your mother is a monster in the medical field. A doctor with three professorship titles. The genius of a medical field who is not only an expert in practical fields but also research, so having your mother take a look at my grandfather''s condition should be good enough. After all, it''s hard even for my grandfather to see your mother due to the Hacfield family''s mysteriousness."


    "Alright. I can arrange that." Clovis thought for a moment. "As for you, your business clothes... or more like only the shirt and pencil skirt with speed or something similar that is useful for your work.


    "Make it two sets."


    "Fine. But I can''t guarantee the power for the second set."


    "That''s fine."


    "We have a deal."


    "Give me three days. I''ll make the Heshton family get removed from the top families in Axolonia''s capital."

 Chapter 591 Provoking Gillian

    "Oh? You have come?" Erwin smiled. He stood up and extended his hand with a calm expression, even though he really wanted to punch the person before him. "To think we would actually work together again."


    Gillian couldn''t help but furrow his eyebrows. On the one hand, it wasn''t Clovis'' team. On the other hand, these people were the ones fighting on the front together with them.


    "Are you the people we used to work together with? The ones from the previous expedition?" Aileen raised her eyebrows, looking surprised.


    "!!!" Gillian''s body twitched. Even though it was better to have someone they were familiar with, this was the first time Aileen took the initiative to talk.


    "Your group is extremely good. I guess we will have an easier time in taking down the Tier 6 beast this time." Aileen nodded. She wanted to smile or even chuckle due to how funny the situation was, but she couldn''t do it.


    "That''s true. They are good."


    "I know, right? We''ll have an easier time."


    The other two group members also agreed with Aileen.


    Gillian couldn''t help but grit his teeth as if he was looking at an annoying fly that kept buzzing around him.


    He couldn''t help but recall what happened a few days ago.


    ...


    He was standing in front of the TV with his father''s face right before him.


    "Did you know that the company had filed a complaint? What the heck did you do on the expedition?! Are you trying to ruin our reputation? Do you know that we have worked hard to gain this cooperation? Are you trying to destroy our potential to develop in this country?"@@@@


    "You¡ª!" His father pointed his finger at him, but Gillian ended the call.


    ...


    After recalling their conversations, Gillian couldn''t help but clench his hands into fists. He said to Erwin and the others in a cold tone, "Just do as I say. If any of you can''t follow my command, get out right now!"


    Erwin squinted his eyes. "You have a lot of attitude for someone who almost destroyed the expedition. I don''t mind following a command, but if it''s a nonsensical order, I won''t follow it. The problem is... your command, is it a good one or a bad one?"


    Gillian glared at him and approached Erwin until he was a few centimeters in front of him. "You dare to question my judgment? You''re only a mere Tier 4 human."


    "Yes. I dare to do it because of what you''ve shown. Track record is very important after all." Erwin had a smug smile on his face, showing that he wasn''t scared.


    "You!" Gillian grabbed Erwin''s collar.


    All of a sudden, Aileen grabbed Gillian''s wrist and said, "That''s enough. What he said made sense. There''s no way they will follow an order that sends them to their deaths. However, they have made it clear that they will follow your order, so that''s enough, Gillian.


    "If it continues like this, we won''t have anyone else to do the mission. After all, they''re the only ones accepting the request after several days."


    Gillian gritted his teeth. He glared at Aileen first, but after meeting her chilling gaze, Gillian snorted and turned around. "You better follow my order. If you fail, I''m going to make you pay for it."


    Little did they know, Clovis and the others were actually watching their argument. Of course, Luci couldn''t because she was the one driving.


    "Hahaha. This is going to be hilarious. Erwin will surely provoke him all the time." Melody chuckled.


    "I know, right? He''s preparing for his own downfall." Christina nodded.


    "Well, everything has been set up nicely. After this mission, he and the Heshton family will fall." Clovis nodded coldly.

 Chapter 592 Hanas Movements

    "Miss Hana. Are you really going to expand your business to other countries?"


    "Miss Hana. What is the country you''re looking for?"


    "Miss Hana..."


    The reporters were flocking around her, demanding all kinds of answers. Hana was still bound by the agreement with the government regarding the ban of selling the beast souls in other countries.


    However, that was just business. It wouldn''t be a breach of contract if she only made a building. The moment the agreement had ended, she could immediately start the operation.


    In the end, building the laboratory and office would take some time.


    And the one who suggested this was none other than her grandfather. When she told him about Nathan''s request, her grandfather gave this idea without hesitation, as if he had been thinking about it the whole time.


    After thinking about it, it was a rather reasonable action.


    Hana turned to them and said, "Of course. The OpenSky Company will be expanding to other countries.


    "After some considerations, we have chosen Axolonia to be the first country of our expansion. The person who has contributed the most to this project is also from Axolonia, and it''s one of the closest countries to us.


    "Hence, I don''t have any reasons not to go there. We''ll continue the expansion so that all the people in the world can get the power of the new beast souls just like how they have grown accustomed to the old beast soul.


    "We have also received a lot of offers and are considering them positively. Unfortunately, that''s the only thing I can say right now." Hana nodded to them and entered the car.


    The reporters tried to get some more information, but the car had already driven away.@@@@


    "Nevertheless, receiving this new beast soul is good for our country. From the looks of it, she is planning to work with a medical company in our country, but we''re still unsure who she will work with."


    The president frowned after listening to his minister''s words. "Hmm? We have two medical families in the capital. Heshton and Resshia. Which one is she going to work with?"


    "If you look at it simply, Heshton is a better choice. They''re bigger and have a lot more connections. The Heshton family will definitely do everything they can to secure the deal.


    "Resshia is smaller than Heshton, but they haven''t revealed all their strength yet. If they want to win, they have to use whatever they''ve been hiding this whole time. Even then, it''s not guaranteed they can win against the Heshton family.


    "So, I''m not sure who she will work with. After all, this project will bring so much money that it would allow the Resshia family to take over as the top medical family in the capital city.


    "On the other hand, the Heshton family has to get it to avoid getting their title stripped away. This might become a little bloody."


    The president frowned. "They''re not mafias..." The president fell silent. "Never mind. Keep a close eye on them. If it has become too much, we will have no other choice but to step in."


    "Understood."


    The president crossed his arms. "Still, their families are here, right?"


    "If you are talking about Jay Havenson and Kanaria Renvolt, then yes. Erwin''s father is going on a business trip to another country for the time being."


    The president fell into deep thought. "Do you think that her reason for choosing Axolonia is as simple as fulfilling Clovis Hacfield''s request?"


    "Definitely not. There might be some part that is true, but I still consider it a lie. We are unsure about what''s going on right now, so we need to investigate it."


    The president''s expression turned serious as though he had a hidden intention in this business.

 Chapter 593 Trap

    Hana was looking through the city from the restaurant.


    "Hello, Miss Hana." A middle-aged man approached her. He had a rather gentle face, but she could sense that underneath that suit were muscular arms. "I apologize for making you wait."


    "It''s fine. I just love to come thirty minutes early." Hana smiled. "You''re not late either."


    "Ahaha." The middle-aged man''s smile became awkward. Even though he wasn''t late, he still made Hana wait for fifteen minutes. "Please allow me to introduce myself formally. I am Damian Heshton. I''m currently the director of Releson Medical Center."


    The middle-aged man couldn''t help but feel a bit pressured both by Hana and her bodyguards.


    Hana actually came with two bodyguards, considering the Heshton family could harm her if she brought any less. Each bodyguard was actually a Tier 8. Both of them looked like they had been nurtured by her grandfather.


    Hana nodded calmly. "It''s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Damian. I''ve heard how great Releson Medical Center is. After all, it is the best medical center in Axolonia."


    "Thank you very much." Damian nodded.


    Hana''s expression turned solemn. "In that case, I don''t plan to beat around the bush. I''m planning to make a small medical center in this city. Do you think it''s possible?"


    "Pardon? Medical center?" Damian thought Hana wanted to use their name to create a new medical center that might rival them.


    However, Hana raised her hand, implying he was wrong. She explained, "The medical center is just a term I use because there''s no official term for it yet. I''m planning to create a facility that has access to three things: the operation of the new beast soul, the training center, and the removal hospital.


    "As you probably already know, the operation itself won''t take long, but there''s a need to learn how to use it. Even if you are going to leave immediately, I think having a training center where you learn the basics from people who have experienced it and our experts is a good idea.


    "I have long heard about Miss Hana''s boldness. To think I would be able to experience it personally, it''s really an honor." Damian smiled. "Since Miss Hana has proposed such a deal, our Heshton family can''t lose either.


    "We will provide an additional 15 billion union dollars. In addition, we will also do our best to ensure everything goes smoothly, including all the contracts and legal documents necessary for the process. Please don''t worry about it. Our Heshton family might not be the best, but in this field, no one comes close to us."


    "Hoh? Such confidence?" Hana smiled. "Still, I have heard a few controversies from time to time regarding the Heshton family. The new beast soul is rather a sensitive topic. If the Heshton family ends up in another controversy, it will be a bad start for this, right?"


    "..." Damian fell silent. He couldn''t really deny it. Damian nodded with a solemn expression. "I understand. Don''t worry. Our Heshton family is reliable when the time comes. You won''t regret your decision today."


    "In that case, let''s eat and continue our conversation at a later date. I will bring the contract at that time." Hana nodded in agreement.


    "Yes."


    Hana had brought two bodyguards, each being a Tier 8 human. However, one of them was just acting as her bodyguard. He wasn''t the true bodyguard.


    When the discussion had ended, this bodyguard pulled off his wig, showing the slight gray hair.


    Without anyone noticing, excluding Hana, this bodyguard held a secret meeting in another restaurant, this time with a different family.


    "I apologize for being late. There are a few things I need to take care of." The bodyguard smiled.


    The guy bowed politely. "It''s an honor to see the living legend himself. I''m the head of the Resshia family, Alegar Resshia. Nice to meet you, Sir Jeremy Skylark."


    That was right. The meeting this time was actually between the competitor of the Heshton family, the Resshia family. And the one who held this meeting was none other than the one hiding his identity as Hana''s bodyguard, her own grandfather, Jeremy Skylark.

 Chapter 594 Beginning

    A man entered a hotel with a woman like any other affectionate couple. However, unlike normal people, they were actually tailed by sneaky paparazzi, taking a picture of them.


    It looked harmless at first, but the change came the next day.


    All of a sudden, the news spread like wildfire.


    [William Heshton, Director of Releson Medical Center, was found to enter a hotel with a mysterious woman.]


    The picture showed their intimacy, which made people think about what was actually going on. If this was a normal case, they wouldn''t have to bother with such news.


    However, William Heshton already had two wives. With the sudden information about the ''potential'' third wife or a random person, the scandal would become big, especially due to the fact that they were working with Hana''s OpenSky Company.


    The Heshton family and the Releson Medical Center were a hot topic in the past two days, which caused an even bigger flame the moment they heard about this.


    "Is he showing off to us that after getting a project from the renowned OpenSky Company for the new beast soul, he is going to get a new wife?"


    "Why doesn''t he put all his efforts into the success of this new beast soul for the people and this country?"


    "Has the success gone straight to his head?"


    "Don''t tell me. The OpenSky Company is going to accept this?"


    The people were fighting on the Skynet. However, most of the comments were negative, questioning the OpenSky Company''s decision to choose Releson Medical Center to build their facilities.


    In fact, people pointed at the Resshia family and their medical center. Unlike the Heshton family, they didn''t have a lot of scandals. Their name was much clearer and better than Releson Medical Center.@@@@


    It was true that the Resshia family wasn''t as big as the Heshton family, but people believed them more than the Heshton family.


    "I''ll immediately fix this," Damian assured Hana, stopping her from moving away.


    Hana squinted her eyes for a few seconds before saying, "Fine. Do it right this time."


    "Yes. Don''t worry about it." Damian nodded. "In that case, I''ll take my leave and fix everything."


    Without hesitation, Damian walked away. He immediately made a phone call.


    "Sir Damian?"


    "What''s wrong with that news? Xeso is affiliated with our Heshton family. Why on earth did your Xeso actually publish such an article? Are you trying to pick a fight against us?"


    The person on the other side fell silent for a moment. "Mr. Damian. I don''t understand what you''re talking about. Let me check what''s going on and get back to you."


    "I don''t care. Just take the news down!" Damian gritted his teeth. He actually noticed that the other party had dropped the formality as if showing that he wasn''t under him anymore.


    "..." Damian just hung up while staring at his Skyphone, noticing what was actually going on.


    He made several calls, which completely stunned him.


    For some reason, in the last two days, he realized that thirty percent of his allies had actually turned back against him.


    As Hana said, this might be an attack targeting either her or the Heshton family. After all, the Heshton family''s position would rise the moment the project succeeded.


    However, something felt off. These people shouldn''t have had the courage to go against him, but for some reason, they were actually moving away from him without anyone realizing it.


    It was as if there was another person pulling the string in the shadow. Why would they attack at this time? It felt like the enemy had been pushed into the corner by the project, and they desperately wanted to take them down to stop the Heshton family''s hegemony.


    Little did he know, Hana was actually smiling as if she couldn''t care less about the scandal.

 Chapter 595 More and More Beasts

    While Hana was doing her best to set up everything that could lead to the Heshton family''s ruin, Clovis and the others were doing their best to make Gillian have a hard time.


    "There are too many beasts coming in this direction!" Erwin shouted at Gillian while punching a beast. "Can you even change the position or send one person in this direction?"


    "Shut up!" Gillian shouted back. Even he had a hard time. Unlike Clovis'' group, they had a limit to how many beasts they could handle.


    On the other hand, Erwin and the others were restricted due to them not using their main weapons.


    Only Jay could perform like usual.


    "Kh." Gillian gritted his teeth, looking around. The situation didn''t look great after facing more than three hundred beasts at once. They managed to hold up, but their positions weren''t great.


    If more beasts came, they had to retreat.


    In this situation, the one who shone the most was actually Aileen. She sneaked up on one beast after another and struck a killing blow.


    With her talent in erasing her presence, she was able to hide her presence from the beasts, which allowed her to kill every single one of them without the other parties fighting back.


    As a result, over 50 beasts died in rapid succession, lessening their burdens.


    Still, it was quite hard due to the fact that higher tier beasts had much sharper senses. She had been targeting the lower-tier beasts, but the moment she encountered a Tier 4 beast, she couldn''t kill it in an instant as the beast sensed her at the last second.@@@@


    As a result, she had to correctly manage her movement, ensuring that she could flow smoothly from one place to another without getting stopped by those powerful beasts.


    Of course, Aileen let out her presence from time to time. She directed her gaze straight to Gillian, as if reminding him that she would be watching her performance and telling his family about the result.


    "Who taught me?" Melody harrumphed.


    Clovis chuckled. She definitely picked it up from him, considering she was the one managing all his plans.


    "Sure. We can do that. Please handle it properly." Clovis thought for a moment. "The closest ones to reach the next tier are Luci, right?"


    "Yes. I and Ragna have become Tier 4 before we came here. I guess Erwin is pretty close to Tier 4... but Luci is much closer. No. Maybe you, Jay, and Kanaria are closer to Tier 4." Melody tilted her head.


    "Mhmmm..." Clovis recalled that he, Kanaria, Jay, and Reolf were the only Tier 3 in the group. Melody, Ragna, Erwin, and Luci were already Tier 4, while Christina was the only Tier 5 in the group.


    Luci and Erwin had been Tier 4 for a while, so it wouldn''t be weird for them to reach the next tier at any moment. In fact, he predicted Luci would reach Tier 5 after this small expedition. Meanwhile, he, Jay, and Kanaria would reach Tier 4 before returning to Absalom.


    He didn''t know much about Erwin''s progress.


    Clovis considered it carefully and said, "In that case, we should get going. Kill as many beasts as possible. We''re close to reaching the next tier, so we should take advantage of this time to reach the next tier. I''m afraid that once we''re back, we''ll be facing a lot of problems.


    "Hana had told me that other academies had begun to make their move. The dean had warned me that they were planning to invite someone to challenge me or something.


    "To have such confidence meant they would bring a famous and strong person."


    Melody sighed. "It''s hard to be famous, eh?"


    "Hahaha. Well, isn''t it fine? I''m going to be Tier 5 soon. If possible, within a year after I become a Tier 4. This way, I can meet my parents and your brother..." Clovis just smiled, not continuing his words. He couldn''t guarantee it, but the intention was there. He just hoped that his mother could do something about it.


    Melody smiled. "Yeah. Let''s work hard. I won''t slack until next year. We''ll focus on killing more beasts even until you throw up after seeing so much blood."


    Clovis chuckled. "Let''s go."

 Chapter 596 Hidden Threat

    "We are about to arrive at where Jay and the others are supposed to fight their enemies," reported Melody while maintaining a close look at the radar.


    "How many beasts are there?" Clovis squinted his eyes, scanning the area filled with beasts.


    "About 400 beasts. However, there is a place with a higher number of beasts. It seems to be where the Tier 6 beast is located."


    Clovis looked around from the top of a tree, wondering if there was something they needed to do.


    "Should we help them? Although Jay is able to do it, this number is a bit too much, considering they''re not fighting to the best of their abilities." Melody frowned.


    Clovis thought for a moment and nodded. "Yeah. It''s a bit too hard for a small group. If we are able to use everything we have, we wouldn''t have to worry, but Erwin, who is supposed to be the main attacker, can''t function properly.


    "In this case, we should take at least a hundred beasts from here. This should be enough, considering Evelyn and Gillian are Tier 5."


    Christina nodded. "In that case, I will use my Provoke to bring them away. We''ll kill them and move to our own target."


    "Yep."


    "In that case, let''s go around and pick the beasts in this spot." Melody showed a plan on the map, allowing everyone to see it.


    They exchanged nods and immediately went around the area. Since the beast''s territory was quite big, it took them some time to reach their target.


    Melody changed their route. "Alright. We''ll grab the beasts here and head north. It shouldn''t be too far because the beasts in the north might come. And they''re our targets, so the Tier 6 beast might notice us. It won''t be funny if we get targeted by two Tier 6 beasts."


    Christina approached the beasts as close as possible before activating her unique ability. She targeted the beasts in front of her, but all of a sudden, she paused.


    Clovis and the others tilted their heads in confusion. Normally, the beasts would have come by now, but for some reason, Christina had yet to activate her unique ability.


    Clovis took a deep breath. On the one hand, he didn''t have time to find the location of the entrance. On the other hand, even if he found it, he might not be able to attack it right away. After all, the beasts on the surface would be aware of what was happening underground as well. If they reinforced them, the situation would go awry for both Clovis and Jay.


    Hence, there was only one solution. "Christina. I will have to ask you to use your unique ability by yourself. Drag all the beasts in the surrounding area and force Jay and the others to fight them.


    "Keep doing it until you buy us enough time to determine the entrance. In fact, it will be better if you can make them too tired to face these beasts and choose to rest for a few hours.


    "In the meantime, we''ll be searching for the entrance."


    "Are you going to enter the nest? Without me?" Christina crossed her arms.


    "We''ll attack them together, of course, but Jay''s group will be included in that plan."


    "So, we''ll attack the beasts underground while Jay''s group takes care of the ones on the surface?"


    "Yeah." Clovis turned to Melody. "Tell Jay about the situation. Even if he has to act, make sure to delay it as long as possible.


    "Explain that we will have to attack together, so we need him to be our eyes and clock. In addition, during the battle, there''s a high chance that the beasts from the north, especially the Tier 6 beast, will notice the commotion. As a result, they might have to fight two Tier 6 beasts by themselves."


    Melody nodded while Luci couldn''t help but say, "Knowing Jay''s personality, won''t it mean Jay will unleash everything he has from the beginning to kill as many beasts as possible?"


    "Yeah. On the other hand, we don''t know the scale of this underground nest." Clovis contemplated. "We don''t have night vision, huh?"


    Melody took out a few scopes and said, "Use these. Not as reliable and comfortable, but it should allow you to see in the dark. My senses are sharp, so I don''t have this trouble."


    "How come you even prepared for this thing?" Clovis couldn''t help but glance at the small bag that Melody always carried on her waist with her.


    "We don''t have time, so make do with it." Melody shrugged and started explaining to Jay about the situation while Christina headed east.

 Chapter 597 Decision

    Erwin and Jay were following Christina''s movement on the radar that Melody sent secretly through the Skyglasses.


    When they were approaching the Tier 6 beast''s territory, both of them suddenly turned around.


    "Wait!" Erwin raised his voice.


    "What are you doing?" Gillian gritted his teeth, glaring at Erwin. They had been stalled for a long time due to the previous attack of the beasts, so he didn''t want to waste any more time.


    However, Erwin couldn''t help but point in the direction where Christina was coming from. "Incoming enemies."


    Aileen raised her head. It would be impossible to see the incoming beasts at the same eye level since there were trees and boulders blocking their view.


    Still, a group of beasts would kick up the dust on the ground, which created a dust cloud that rose up to the sky. And that allowed people to notice their arrival.@@@@


    Aileen took out her swords. "Incoming attack. How many are they?"


    "Calculating." One of their teams shouted while looking at the radar. "About 200 beasts."


    Aileen clicked her tongue. "There are too many beasts. We won''t be able to skip them and focus on our target. It will be troublesome if they end up pincering us from behind when we''re focusing on the Tier 6 beast."


    "..." Gillian gritted his teeth. "We¡ª!"


    Gillian wanted to continue, but Aileen was glaring at him. With the power of reporting his action, Gillian had no choice but to obey her.


    Even though he was infuriated, he still shouted, "Get ready. There is no terrain to take advantage of here. We''ll go into a formation and engage them first."


    Erwin and the others complied. However, Erwin''s team had been instructed specifically not to do anything special. In fact, they shouldn''t go all out and kill the enemies as slowly as possible.


    They could use the excuse of being tired to slow down, and Aileen was planning to do the same. She was their double agent after all.


    She was the only one who could do it, considering her sword was big enough to act as a shovel.


    Of course, she had to do it carefully since she would die if she ended up falling into the nest.


    She tied herself into the tree while digging the ground as slowly as possible.


    There was one simple reason.


    As soon as she dug 4 meters deep, she put down the radar.


    In that instant, they could find more and more signals from underneath the ground.


    "Hmm..." Melody frowned. "This nest is bigger than I thought. How could one make such a big nest without collapsing? A limestone cave? It''s unlikely. Nevertheless, we should be able to fight in this nest. There should be a lot of space inside, judging from the positions of these beasts.


    "What do you think, Clovis? There are about 400 beasts underground. And that''s what can be scanned right now. I''m assuming there are at least twice that number underground."


    "Is it possible to kill a few at a time?" Clovis asked.


    "Maybe. If Reolf is here, we could confirm it with him, but I can only give you my opinion from the radar alone. It''s like an ant nest. There are a lot of tunnels underneath, but I''m unsure what''s keeping the entire ground intact.


    "Considering the surface beasts are still staying here means they should be strong enough to hold the full power of a Tier 6 beast."


    "Ant nest, huh? Doesn''t that mean..." Clovis frowned.


    "Yeah." Melody smiled. "That''s good news. Most of the time, the ant nest will only have one entrance. It means we don''t have to worry about the beasts coming out of the nest and messing with Jay and the others."


    "Got it." Clovis paused for a moment, thinking, ''800 beasts, huh? This is still too much. While my Perfect State is powerful, its downside is that I can only activate it for 30 minutes. Longer than that, or getting frustrated in battle, will gradually turn me insane...''


    "In that case, let''s find the entrance and coordinate our attack with Jay. Recall Christina once she is done."


    Clovis knew that at this rate, he might have to push himself.

 Chapter 598 Reckless

    In the end, Erwin and the others were forced to get some rest. And they ultimately weren''t confident in fighting the enemies during the night.


    They didn''t bring proper equipment to fight in the dark, so they had no other choice but to set up a camp a bit far away from the target. They were planning to rest and attack the Tier 6 beast in the morning so that they could return to the city before dark.


    It was a reasonable plan, considering their previous one was to kill the enemies before dark and camp in the place they had cleaned up so that they didn''t have to worry about the enemies anymore.


    Although Jay and Clovis were separated, Clovis was still conducting the meeting with everyone. This time, he included Aileen in the meeting. After all, Aileen would most likely join their group after they took care of the Heshton family.


    Aileen was sitting by the campfire while the others were either on the lookout or hiding inside their tent.


    Melody first reported their current situation. "As I mentioned previously, there is a nest underneath you. This nest and the Tier 6 beast''s territory on the surface are most likely connected. They will help if the one on the surface is attacked.@@@@


    "Hence, we will have to stop the beasts from the nest to reach your group. We have found the entrance."


    "Are you going to be alright? There are only four of you there. That nest might contain another Tier 6 beast, you know?" Aileen asked, concerned about Clovis'' team.


    Jay and Erwin felt the same, but Clovis wouldn''t change his mind after making his decision. So, there was no need to persuade him.


    Clovis looked at the map while saying, "First of all, the basic plan will be attacking both the surface beasts and the ones underground at the same time. With Melody here, we''ll match your time.


    "It''s true that the underground nest is dangerous, but you''re not in the position to worry about us.


    "The location of another Tier 6 beast is very close to you guys, so if you attack them, this Tier 6 beast will most likely bring the beasts to attack you guys.


    "Good." Clovis nodded. "The biggest problem will be their number. Although all of us are strong enough to handle those beasts, the number will be overwhelming."


    "Don''t worry about it. We''ll worry about it ourselves. You should focus on the beasts underground. From the looks of it, there are at least several hundred beasts inside."


    "Yeah." Clovis thought for a moment. "I already have a plan for that. If you don''t have any questions or objections to the current plan, then that''s all for tonight''s meeting."


    They exchanged looks. Not wanting to burden Clovis any more than this, all of them just agreed not to ask anything. Besides, the plan was reasonable as always.


    They didn''t know the plan that Clovis had in mind for the underground nest was a bit reckless, even for him.


    As soon as everyone was disconnected, Clovis immediately walked to Christina, saying, "Can you do something for me?"


    "Hmm?" Christina frowned. "What?"


    "If I go insane, leave me there. I should be able to calm down by myself after killing all those beasts."


    "Insane? Wait. Are you..." Christina gasped.


    "Yeah. I will use my Perfect State from the start. The battle itself will definitely last at least an hour. I will maintain my Perfect State the whole time, so the first thirty minutes will be focused on finding the Tier 6 and killing it.


    "If I show any sign of going insane, you bring Melody and Luci out. I will kill the rest of the beasts and calm down."


    Christina stood up while glaring at Clovis. "No. I won''t comply with your request this time. I will bring you back. That''s my job. If you''re going to reject it, I will tell everyone about it and force you to change your plan."


    Clovis opened his mouth before scratching the back of his head. "Fine. But make sure to eliminate the beasts first before stopping me."

 Chapter 599 Entering the Nest

    The next day.


    Clovis and his team were ready next to the entrance to the underground nest.


    Melody warned, "There are at least four hundred beasts inside and we will have nowhere to run because we have to protect the entrance. At the same time, we can''t really create a wall with their corpses because they might end up going to the surface on another path.


    "Hence, we have to keep the flow going.


    "I''m pretty sure that there are a lot of Tier 5 beasts as well, so all of you should be careful.


    "For today, Clovis will go on a rampage and kill as many beasts as possible, grabbing their attention and rage. Luci will remain near the entrance with me, while Christina will be the buffer zone. You direct or even kill the beasts coming to the entrance in a way we can keep up.


    "This is going to be a hard battle because none of you are able to utilize your full strength due to your current weapons. Besides, we are lacking equipment to fight in the dark.


    "However, we can''t really fail because those beasts will be coming directly toward Jay and the others. So, good luck."


    Clovis nodded with a smile. "Yep. We won''t fail. Make sure to maintain contact and coordinate with Jay''s group. Tell us when we''re supposed to enter."


    Melody lowered her vision, focusing on the screen through the camera Kanaria had.


    "We''ll kill the Tier 6 beast. All of you just have to focus on other beasts." Gillian ordered in a condescending tone.


    Erwin nodded with a serious expression, even though he really wanted to punch this guy''s face. "Don''t worry. We will kill the beasts and ensure the safety of your group. Unless you''re doing something reckless, we will be able to handle it."


    Gillian glared at Erwin, but Aileen glared at Gillian. She was obviously protecting her boyfriend, but Gillian thought this was a warning from Aileen to not start anything because she would report it.


    After that, he made one big swing, carrying all his strength.


    The Tier 3 beast tried to block it, but his blade simply cut through the claws, arms, and the body.


    Gillian only snorted at his performance because he could do it too. On the other hand, the other two in his team were impressed because they didn''t have prejudice or hatred toward random people.


    Erwin wasn''t losing either. He couldn''t use his wires, but it didn''t mean his fist was any less than Gillian''s.


    A Tier 3 beast wanted to challenge him, but it was unfortunate that Erwin was a Tier 4 human. When the beast pounced on him, he just punched the paw and overpowered the beast, knocking it down to the ground. The punch was so powerful that it actually crushed the beast''s skull, ultimately killing it.


    Both Jay and Erwin showed their prowess that was different from people on their level. In fact, they were actually much stronger than what they had shown so far.


    On the other hand, Ragna and Kanaria were working together to handle the rest of the beasts that slipped past Erwin and Jay, allowing Gillian''s group to conserve their strength.


    Even though Aileen wanted to join them, she knew that it was better to observe Clovis'' group as much as possible. After all, she will be joining this group soon.


    While they were advancing toward the Tier 6 beast, Melody said, "They''ve begun and are about to reach the Tier 6 beast. The beast hasn''t shown anything yet, which results in the underground nest yet to have a movement."


    Clovis nodded. While fixing his night vision scope, he said, "In that case, let''s begin. Inform them that we will be going in."


    Christina and Luci were standing beside him while Melody positioned herself at the very back.


    The moment they entered the nest, they could see a huge cave containing hundreds of beasts. It looked like a limestone cave, which was quite unique to be found near the surface that didn''t seem to have much ground movement.


    Nevertheless, Clovis activated his Perfect State while Christina scanned the area to get a good grasp of which enemies she should use her unique abilities on.


    "We''re entering the nest. Good luck, everyone."

 Chapter 600 Wreaking Havoc

    The moment Clovis entered the nest, he instantly activated his perfect state. As they expected, their entry immediately alerted the beasts near the entrance.


    They hurriedly roared to inform the incoming intruders.


    However, Clovis swiftly cut them down so that they didn''t produce anything that would alert the people above ground.


    Christina followed right after, securing the entrance. Melody and Luci came last since their job was to guard the entrance.


    As soon as everyone entered, Clovis immediately leaped forward, heading deeper into the cave.


    There were multiple beasts in front of him, but Clovis wanted to fight a bit differently this time.


    There was a rat as big as a human in front of him. He could easily kill it with his ranged attack, but it would take too much stamina. After all, a ranged attack required him to condense all that momentum into a single action.


    It was even more tiring if he released the longer ranged attack. However, without the ranged attack, it was quite hard to kill the beasts in a single stroke.


    After all, the length of his blade wasn''t enough to reach the other side of the beast''s body.


    Hence, Clovis cut the rat in front of him with a ranged attack, but this time, the range was barely enough to slice the body into two.


    The two sides of the body fell to the left and right, creating a small gap where Clovis could slip through.


    Then, a centipede wanted to stop him, but Clovis simply cut its head vertically, killing it. He didn''t even cut the entire body.


    Instead of continuing forward, he leaped to the right, only to meet a bear-like ground animal. Clovis skillfully sliced it horizontally, so the body fell down to the ground, allowing him to step onto it and jump into the air.


    Several beasts followed suit, but the latter simply cut the one coming from the front, using its sliced body to distract the remaining beasts.


    Other beasts were trying to stop him, but to no avail.


    The longer the Tier 5 beast chased him, the weaker it became. The right leg simply caused too much blood to flow out.


    The moment he saw the speed decreasing, Clovis acted as if a beast had managed to stop him.


    The Tier 5 beast instantly caught up and attacked him from behind. Unfortunately for him, this was a trap.


    Clovis slid to the side and sliced his arm this time.


    The Tier 5 beast couldn''t react at all. In the end, the perfect state allowed Clovis to have the same physical abilities as that of a Tier 4. In addition, he was equipped with the item from the mall.


    Once he had gone deep enough, Clovis immediately opened the mall''s inventory. He couldn''t eat before, but without anyone watching him, he stuffed some food into his mouth, boosting his physical abilities even further.


    With the loss of its leg and arm, the Tier 5 beast had already lost the ability to move around as much as it liked.


    Clovis immediately swung his blade diagonally. The Tier 5 beast put his remaining arm and claws in front, but Clovis unleashed his full strength with the addition of the food boost.


    The arm and the claws could only last for a second before Clovis cut through it and continued to its chest.


    The beast opened its mouth, trying to let everyone know, but Clovis didn''t give it that chance and simply cut the Tier 5 beast in two.


    Several beasts around him came to avenge the Tier 5 beast at the same time, but Clovis skillfully scanned their movements in his perfect state and cut them down in rapid succession.


    As expected, he could hear a lot of rumbling sounds as the beasts were coming toward him.


    ''I have caused enough ruckus. It''s time to move to a different spot...'' Clovis couldn''t help but glance, noticing a threat coming toward him. This presence was actually stronger than the Tier 5 beast. No, it was more accurate to say this presence was similar to the mole he and Christina killed previously.


    ''So, even a Tier 6 has come. That''s good. I don''t have to worry about The Tier 6 beast when I go berserk as long as I kill it now...''

 Chapter 601 The Second Tier 6 Beast

    Roar!


    Roar!


    Roar!


    The beasts went on a rampage the moment they sensed the Tier 6 beast coming. Clovis'' strength might be surprising for a normal human, but it didn''t change the fact that he was only a Tier 3 human.


    As long as there was a huge gap between their strength, Clovis would definitely die.


    The Tier 6 beast this time looked similar to a meerkat. Its height reached 3 meters, but they couldn''t grow too big as it would destroy this cave. However, the long claws looked quite dangerous. It was much sharper than the Tier 6 mole''s claws they were facing previously.


    "I need to help him," muttered Christina as soon as she sensed the Tier 6 beast.


    However, Clovis suddenly warned her through the radio. "No. Don''t come yet. This guy will be my beast bulldozer."


    Christina was confused for a moment, but Melody was already the strategy that Clovis really loved.


    The Tier 6 beast hurriedly attacked him with his claw, but the latter actually jumped to the side, avoiding this attack.


    As a result, the Tier 6 beast twisted its body so that it could continue its sweep. Little did it know, this was exactly what Clovis wanted.


    As soon as the sweep was coming, Clovis jumped one more time, letting the sweep miss him and hit the beasts instead.


    Due to its size, Clovis didn''t really have to use his strength to block his attack, allowing him to conserve a huge chunk of his stamina.


    Clovis planned to use this beast to kill a few hundred beasts at the very least. Only after that could Christina come to kill this beast together. He expected it to last for another 20 minutes and he would kill this beast in less than 5 minutes together with Christina, as he had to go berserk after that.


    ...


    Just like Clovis'' plan, Gillian''s plan seemed to work out perfectly fine.


    Gillian appeared on top of the beast and punched its head with a beast soul. That power knocked the Tier 6 beast''s head to the ground.


    Meanwhile, Aileen appeared from the right side, moving at fast speed and leaving behind numerous wounds before disappearing again.


    The other two members fired their guns, suppressing the beast so that it couldn''t escape.


    Gillian''s strength alone was high enough to keep this battle simple, so with the addition of Aileen, it shouldn''t be that hard to kill this beast.


    At the same time, Kanaria and the others had complete control over the battlefield. It was especially true on Erwin''s side, as he was killing the beasts with a grunted expression as if he didn''t like that Aileen and Gillian were working together. At least, she had to get a proper person, unlike the trash Gillian, if she wanted to team up.


    However, Jay and the others were actually using their full power to cause a lot of destruction in the area, as if they were trying to find a way to lure the other Tier 6 beast here. After all, Erwin would rather struggle together with Aileen than see her working with trash.


    And their plan worked perfectly. Ten minutes after the battle began, Melody issued a warning, followed by the radar.


    "A lot of beasts are coming in your direction. Looking at this number and direction, I''m afraid it''s the Tier 6 beast. In other words, we''ll proceed according to our original plan. Erwin, get ready for your acting. Aileen too. Make sure you don''t slip up."


    "Got it." Both Erwin and Aileen acknowledged their order as an excited smile appeared on their faces.

 Chapter 602 Cant Hurt My Queen

    Roar!


    Roar!


    Roar!@@@@


    "!!!" A series of roars echoed in everyone''s ears.


    Gillian couldn''t help but turn around. "What?"


    "Gillian. There is an incoming group of beasts toward us."


    Kanaria suddenly shouted while pointing in the beast''s direction. "There is actually a Tier 6 beast among them. What? The second Tier 6 beast?


    Kanaria acted as if she was surprised to find this beast, which made Gillian panic.


    ''What? Another Tier 6 beast? How can this be? We don''t have enough people to deal with it. Is it going to fail again? No. If I fail again, it will be troublesome. My family will be disappointed in me, and my life will be ruined. We can''t abandon this mission. Those four can die. I can''t care less about it... as long as I can complete this mission.'' Gillian gritted his teeth.


    He opened his mouth, trying to give an order.


    To his surprise, Erwin suddenly jumped out of the formation while shouting, "I''ll be taking care of this Tier 6 beast or the mission will fail."


    "!!!" Gillian looked surprised before smiling. To think that they would be so eager to die.


    Nevertheless, this was an advantageous situation for him. As long as Erwin brought enough time, he could kill this Tier 6 beast and retreat right away even if it meant leaving Erwin''s team behind.


    As if knowing his evil plan, Aileen was glaring at him from the side. However, she couldn''t pick a fight with him right now.


    Right when Gillian was about to continue his fight, Aileen leaped away, causing the distracted beast to return to Gillian. She then turned around and chased after Gillian while shouting, "I will be helping him!"


    "What?!" Gillian looked shocked.


    If she lost Aileen at this time, the battle would become much harder. After all, her ability was so overpowered that she had been the one dealing the most damage to the Tier 6 beast.


    So that Erwin didn''t get confused, she first released her presence so that Erwin didn''t have a hard time identifying her.


    As soon as he got a grasp of her position, Erwin positioned himself slightly to the left so that Aileen could take the right.


    They killed twenty beasts in rapid succession. Their battle prowess was actually higher than they actually had, especially Aileen''s.


    She killed so many beasts that the Tier 6 beast paid special attention to her.


    Roar!


    The moment the Tier 6 beast roared, the beasts shifted their target, leaving Erwin behind.


    Aileen smiled before pointing to the right. "This is not good. We have to go there immediately. We''ll use the trees to confuse them."


    "Understood." Erwin replied as if he were an obedient junior.


    The beasts had no choice but to follow them as the Tier 6 beast considered them a threat.


    The moment they entered the woods, Aileen immediately turned around and started killing one beast after another as she said, "You have one minute."


    "Aye, Ma''am." Erwin chuckled and started spreading his wires. He had to make it fast and unpredictable, which would kill most of the aliens that came after them.


    As a result, the beasts ended up focusing solely on her, not realizing that Aileen had been guiding them into Erwin''s territory.


    Roar!


    Roar!


    Two Tier 1 beasts let out a roar before pouncing on Aileen. To their surprise, Aileen didn''t run this time. In fact, she didn''t erase her presence anymore, making them think they had a chance to do it.


    Unfortunately for them, that was when their bodies suddenly got sliced into pieces.


    "Sorry, I don''t allow you to hurt my queen." Erwin had returned, this time with the entire territory.

 Chapter 603 Perfect State

    Aileen leaped from one thread to another, leaving one strike after another. The Tier 6 beast was trying to catch her, but to no avail. Even other beasts that were trying to help the Tier 6 beast were stopped by Erwin''s net.


    Roar!


    Roar!


    Roar!


    The beasts ended up getting sliced as they passed the thread. Some were strong enough to push through, but Erwin suddenly appeared and crushed their neck with his thread.


    After that, he set up a few more nets so that no beast could help the Tier 6 beast.


    The Tier 6 beast was fully enraged because he had a hard time finding Aileen, let alone stopping her attacks. It frustrated him so much that he stomped the ground, wanting to destroy the ground and topple all those trees that had been supporting her.


    Unfortunately for him, even though he could destroy several threads, Erwin''s net consisted of several layers.


    Aileen simply moved to the second layer once the first one was destroyed. Her main goal was to stop this Tier 6 beast long enough until Erwin killed all other beasts.


    She was a bit worried that Gillian would see them, but with this distance and position, it was extremely hard for him to find them, let alone when he was fully occupied with his respective opponent.


    Still, their situation was much better than Clovis'' group underground.


    Clovis was being chased after the Tier 6 beast.


    Clovis kept parrying one attack after another and directing the enemy''s attack to kill some beasts. In addition, with the size of this beast, he was perfect as a bulldozer to kill other beasts.@@@@


    Christina couldn''t help but furrow her eyebrows once Clovis moved away. The only thing she had in her heart was worries.


    The only one who could stop Clovis was her. But with this distance, it would be hard for her to take him down.


    ''Was it because I had been using the perfect state too much lately? Or was it because I had grown accustomed to the perfect state and learned more about it? The perfect state was like bringing everything inside me...


    ''What was the word they used to describe this feeling? Bringing one''s full potential? Yeah, it was something similar to that, but everything, not just potential. It was bringing something inside of me...''


    The longer he continued, the stronger he became.


    In fact, parrying the Tier 6 beast became much easier from when he began. 20 minutes in, he could see the red world clearly, but his mind remained calm for the moment.


    "..." Clovis wondered when he actually started to activate his camera. If he glanced to the side, he could clearly see Christina''s worried face, which looked worse and worse as time passed.


    It looked like she was going to charge at him first at this rate.


    Clovis took a deep breath. After some consideration, he asked, "Melody. How many beasts have I killed?"


    "I don''t know. Don''t you count them?"


    "Not really."


    Melody frowned. Even though he didn''t count, he should know the rough number. It seemed Clovis'' mind had become unstable to the point where he couldn''t even remember such a thing.


    "From what I can see, you and that Tier 6 beast have killed about 300 beasts in the last 20 minutes. We have killed 120 beasts or something. However, the beast is still flooding in. I expect there are around 800-1,000 beasts in this nest."


    Clovis squinted his eyes after getting that report. "I see."


    Clovis took a deep breath before unleashing his full might, cutting down 10 beasts in a single ranged attack. After that, he unleashed another attack that killed five beasts in the same direction as he continued onward.


    "!!!" Christina was slightly surprised because he was heading in their direction.


    "Let me go all out for the next five minutes, and we''ll kill this Tier 6 beast after that. The time limit is five minutes."

 Chapter 604 Toying the Tier 6 Beast

    "Let me go all out for the next five minutes, and we''ll kill this Tier 6 beast after that. The time limit is five minutes."


    As Clovis promised, he went all out in the next five minutes, cutting down a few beasts at a time.


    Those five minutes allowed Clovis to single-handedly kill more than two hundred beasts alone.


    It was already a shocking feat, but the fact that he wanted to kill a Tier 6 beast afterward made it even more challenging.


    After all, there would be a stamina issue. Once he was done with the beasts, Clovis immediately returned to the Tier 6 beast, who had been growing impatient from following him around without being able to kill him.


    Clovis couldn''t help but smile as he finally challenged this Tier 6 beast. After staying in his perfect state for so long, his ability had increased tremendously in exchange for his sanity.


    There was already a voice ringing in his head, telling him to have more blood.


    Knowing that he wouldn''t last long, Clovis hurriedly passed Christina. "I''m counting on you."


    Christina smiled. At least she could finally put her worries to rest. Once the beast was charging toward Clovis, Christina hurriedly stood in their way and stopped the beast with her shield.


    Bang!


    The force was different from the mole, as the meerkat was simply ramming his entire body and momentum into Christina. It wasn''t something the mole would do.


    As a result, she was pushed back by two meters.


    If not for Clovis'' items, she would have done worse. Nevertheless, she held on and noticed the incoming attack. She first blocked the claws from the right before repositioning herself so that the beast couldn''t get past her.


    On the other hand, Clovis was actually attacking other beasts that this Tier 6 beast brought with him. It would be too much for Luci and Melody to handle alone, so he had no choice but to waste his time on these beasts.


    The ranged attack clashed with the beast''s tough skin. It lasted for one second before the ranged attack sliced through the eyelid and hit the eye.


    "Reee!" The beast wailed, but Clovis hadn''t stopped. He waved his blade toward the second eye, but this time, the beast wriggled around so that Clovis couldn''t reach his remaining eye.


    "Tsk." Clovis clicked his tongue after missing his target, but this was fine as well. The moment the beast''s eyes were gone, there was no telling how this guy would react. Hence, having one eye wasn''t that bad, considering he would keep fighting.


    Now that the right eye was gone, Clovis immediately looped around the right side and struck the beast from his blind spot.


    The beast had no way of knowing the incoming attacks, resulting in him getting hit by several attacks, each deeper than the other.


    The beast forcefully spun his body to get Clovis, but such a quick movement made his body unstable, allowing Christina to use her unique ability on his legs, causing him to trip.


    The moment the Tier 6 beast was brought to their pace, even the Tier 6 beast became a child.


    However, there was one more problem Christina was concerned about.


    If she glanced at Clovis, she would notice the smile on his face. It was a smile filled with excitement, madness, and bloodlust.


    At this rate, Clovis would get taken over by his unique ability.


    "Clovis, this is enough. No need to continue using your unique ability. You''ve killed a lot of beasts that the rest can be handled normally." Christina bit her lips.


    If only it were that simple, Clovis thought. When he checked the radar, the number of beasts coming toward them was still not decreasing. There might be at least a thousand beasts inside this nest.


    That was why he still couldn''t deactivate his perfect state.


    So, he just activated the camera on his Skyglasses, showing that he had gradually lost control before continuing the attack on the Tier 6 beast without saying anything to Christina.

 Chapter 605 Worse

    On the surface, Erwin leaped into the air while stretching his hands, releasing all the threads around his fingers. All those threads grasped the Tier 6 beast''s paws, stopping its movement.


    Then, Aileen sped up, charging head-on. The beast thought it could still overpower Erwin a bit and used that little movement to stop Aileen. Even though Aileen looked blurry to him due to her unique talent, he could still sense her perfectly fine.


    That was why the beast released everything he got at the last moment, pulling the threads and making a small movement to stop Aileen''s movement.


    Unfortunately for the beast, it would have worked on anyone else except for them. Aileen tried to avoid the beast''s paws despite being fully aware it would make her miss.


    However, instead of going too far, Aileen also dodged with minimum movement. She then stretched her hand to one of the threads and pulled herself back.


    "!!!" The beast was stunned. The next thing he realized, Aileen had returned and struck his left side a couple of times.


    The wounds spurted out blood, causing the beast to wail in pain.


    Once the beast was struck, it also noticed that something was going on in his body. It all started with the fuzziness he experienced.


    If he looked closely, Aileen''s short swords were actually covered in poison. For a Tier 6 beast, Aileen preferred to use a paralyze poison, which might not be enough to stop it completely but is enough to slow it down.


    With the beast unable to fight to its fullest potential, Aileen and Erwin hurriedly surrounded him.


    The Tier 6 beast focused on Aileen, who injured him. However, Erwin annoyed the beast by circling his body with threads before pulling him back, causing the beast''s body to tilt to the side.@@@@


    At this rate, Aileen would strike him again, which would worsen his injuries. That was why the alien turned around at the last moment and struck Erwin instead.


    Erwin simply smiled and withstood the attack with his power and equipment. No matter how annoying Erwin was, that was the last thing one should do when fighting these two.


    After all, Erwin, who was usually arrogant and wanted to be in the spotlight, was always willing to give Aileen the spotlight when they fought together.


    And this time was the same.


    Even though they wanted to celebrate their victory, Melody''s voice suddenly echoed on their radio.


    "You two lovebirds. It''s good that you can kill that Tier 6 beast, but get back out there. There are still a lot of beasts over there, so get your asses there and help. We''re risking our lives underground, so save your flirting for later. Go, before I''m angry."


    "..." Aileen and Erwin looked at each other with a shocked expression before chuckling.


    Both of them just replied playfully. "Yes, Ma''am."


    Then they headed outside the woods, which was immediately noticed by almost everyone in their group.


    "!!!" The one who was shocked the most was actually Gillian.


    ''What? Did they abandon their duty? No. I didn''t see any Tier 6 beast behind them. Did they kill it? So fast?


    ''No. It was impossible for both of them to kill a Tier 6 beast that fast. I couldn''t believe it.


    ''They were not strong enough to do it. That was right. They must have trapped that beast somewhere.


    ''That was the reason for them to come out so quickly. I would still be the only one who could kill the Tier 6 beast.''


    Gillian was in denial even though the proof was right before his eyes. He just didn''t want to believe it because it was the same as recognizing his inferior skills. No. He even blamed the people around him because they couldn''t support him better, even though they had done their best with the current situation.


    However, no matter the situation on the surface, it was incomparable to what Christina, Lucifania, and Melody were experiencing underground.


    "Clovis..." Christina gasped while gulping down.


    Clovis was standing on a small mountain of corpses while looking down on the rest of the beasts as well as the three of them like they were his prey. His eyes were oozing bloodlust to the point where Christina broke out in a cold sweat.


    The situation had just gone from bad to worse.

 Chapter 606 Breaking His Body

    "Clovis..." Christina gasped, noticing the change in Clovis'' expression.


    His eyes were filled with bloodlust and killing intent. In fact, a part of that killing intent was coming toward her as if he couldn''t recognize his friends anymore.


    However, Clovis had truly become a monster.


    The beasts kept coming toward him, but Clovis actually leaped toward them. He swung his blade, sending forth a ranged attack much stronger than anything he had released before. It reached almost 30 meters and cut more than 20 beasts at once.@@@@


    He had a big smile on his face, as though the killing was exciting.


    "This is..." Melody gasped. The moment Clovis lost control of his body, the camera had become frantic. Clovis moved like a madman but at the same time, the movement wasn''t as polished as what he was supposed to have.


    It was true that his physical abilities had gotten stronger, but his previous skills felt like they were erased.


    Even the ranged attack was something that the current Clovis replicated by swinging his sword as strong as possible.


    If the real Clovis was the one handling that strength, he would be able to unleash an even stronger ranged attack.


    The problem came from Luci.


    When looking at Clovis'' current condition from afar, Luci furrowed her eyebrows. "This doesn''t look good."


    "Yeah. We have to stop him later. For the time being, we''ll let Clovis kill as many beasts as possible while tiring himself out. Once we reach a certain threshold, Christina will stop him." Melody nodded. She was able to grasp Clovis'' plan in an instant even though she wasn''t aware that Clovis wanted to overuse the Perfect State.


    Christina couldn''t help but agree. If Clovis was exhausted, he shouldn''t be a threat anymore. They just had to make sure Clovis wasn''t that far from them so that they could rescue him before stopping him.


    That was when Luci dropped a bomb.


    "Now!" Luci shouted. "We only have 3-4 minutes to save him!"


    In those 12 minutes, Clovis had gone around the nest, killing more than 500 beasts with his ranged attack. In fact, he had been using the ranged attacks in most of his attacks, which should exhaust him quite a bit.


    Now that there weren''t many beasts that stood in their way anymore, Christina and Luci hurriedly chased after Nathan while Melody remained at the entrance.


    Luci cut down the beasts standing in their path until they could see the path to Clovis.


    "There he is. I will kill the beasts around him. You handle him, Christina."


    Christina nodded. To lure Clovis out of the beasts'' encirclement, Christina used her unique ability on Clovis.


    "!!!" Clovis abruptly turned around and charged ahead, cutting the beasts standing in his path. "Hihi..."


    Clovis had a big, creepy smile on his face as he excitedly rushed to Christina. Once she was within his range, Clovis released his ranged attack.


    Christina finally understood why Luci said he was breaking his own body. The moment she received that attack, she was being pushed back for seven meters.


    ''This strength is not possible. He was supposed to have only Tier 5 human''s strength even with his normal Perfect State and those artifacts. But this is... already near Tier 6...'' Christina was stunned, but this wasn''t the only reason. "But..."


    Seeing Clovis charging straight at her, Christina raised her shield.


    Clovis looked like he wanted to cut her through that shield, but Christina used the unique ability and directed his swing toward her shield. It was strong enough to almost knock down her shield, but Christina noticed the side effect of this Perfect State. "As Luci said, you don''t have any of your skills!"


    Clovis spun his body to launch another attack, planning to beat her with his speed.


    However, the sword felt like they were getting sucked by her shield, missing her once more. Christina then tilted her body forward and clenched her fist before punching him in the cheek. "You are nothing but a child with a bit more strength. Just get back already!"

 Chapter 607 Knocking Clovis Out

    The punch launched Clovis at the beasts as he ended up crashing into them. The beasts tumbled over while other beasts who were free immediately reacted by surrounding Clovis.


    "Hihi..." Clovis looked like he was smiling, but his eyebrows kept twitching as though something inside was making him uncomfortable.


    Still, he slashed all the beasts around him in rapid succession, freeing himself from the encirclement.


    There were some beasts that annoyed him, so he continued on hacking them one by one until he could sense a clear path toward Christina.


    Without hesitation, Clovis leaped toward Christina and struck her like he slashed the beast.


    Christina planted the shield into the ground to barely stop the first attack before raising it up.


    Seeing this chance, Clovis lowered his body and struck her from below. But that weird twist on his body might use the flexible foundation Clovis had, but it didn''t account for Christina''s unique ability.


    All of a sudden, his right foot moved in the opposite direction, causing him to trip to the ground.


    "!!!" Clovis looked shocked because he didn''t understand what was going on.


    Before he realized it, Christina had lifted up her shield fully and kicked him in the stomach.


    "Gah!" Clovis spat some acid from his stomach before getting launched back to the beast crowd.


    Some beasts followed Clovis. Once they saw Clovis was flying away, they switched their target to Christina. Fortunately, Luci stepped forward and killed all the incoming beasts, allowing Christina to focus on Clovis.


    Christina, on the other hand, felt something was wrong. He had gone a little too deep to the point where a punch and a kick couldn''t bring him back.


    ''This is weird. We have fought a couple of times to the point where he is berserk, but this is the first time he is not going back.


    ''Do I have to hit harder? But if I hit harder, it will be troublesome if his organ is damaged severely or his bones crack...'' Christina was confused. On the one hand, she couldn''t afford to hurt Clovis that much. On the other hand, her attack might go nowhere.


    However, Luci suddenly lifted up her skirt and grabbed the hidden throwing knife before skillfully throwing it to Clovis'' arm.


    "!!!" Clovis stopped abruptly because of the pain.


    Christina was surprised by the throwing knife, but she took advantage of the distraction to punch Clovis in the guts.


    "Gah!" Clovis spat a mouthful of blood before falling unconscious.


    Christina hurriedly grabbed his waist and dragged him out of there. Luci also covered for them, allowing them to have a gradual retreat.


    Christina checked on Clovis'' condition by using her unique ability. The fact that Clovis didn''t react to her ''Provoke'' anymore meant he wasn''t conscious anymore, which was relieving at this point.


    She shouted, "Melody. Take care of him. Shield Toss!"


    She spun her body and tossed Clovis like that of a shield. The toss was so powerful that it managed to launch him almost twenty meters away, despite his body weight.


    "What the¡ª!" Melody tried to stop it, but she didn''t have enough physical strength to do it. In the end, Clovis crashed into her stomach.


    "Geh!" Melody gritted her teeth while falling on her butt. "You monster. What the hell are you doing? Are you planning to kill me? And what''s with the weight of your shield... for you to be able to throw this guy this far?"


    Christina just ignored her since she had to help Luci. She first banged several beasts with her shield, giving Luci a chance to cut them.


    "You''re even more surprising to me. A hidden throwing knife?" Christina narrowed her eyes.


    "Well, it can''t be helped. Clovis has told me to only use this one blade, but I''m just afraid something will go wrong and I will need other knives. Unfortunately, this is the only thing that I have." Luci shrugged.


    Christina chuckled. "Now that Clovis is already out of the way, there are only a hundred or so beasts left. Let''s gradually retreat and kill them around the entrance, shall we?"


    "Your lead." Luci nodded.

 Chapter 608 Woke Up

    "Mhm..." Clovis let out a small groan while opening his eyes.


    "Are you awake, Clovis? Can you hear me?" Christina''s voice echoed from the side.


    "Yeah?" Clovis answered normally as his voice was still hoarse. He couldn''t help but glance to the side, wanting to thank them for taking care of him. It appeared he had been knocked out, especially after losing control over his body.


    To his surprise, the sight that greeted him was Christina holding her shield in front, while Luci and Melody stood behind her. It was as if they were on guard against him, but if he thought about it, they had the right to do so.


    Although he didn''t know what he had done after going berserk, he definitely knew they reacted like this because of that reason. They were worried whether Clovis could return to normal or not, especially after waking up.


    Clovis smiled wryly. "Sorry. It seems I have put you guys under a lot of stress. It must have been hard..."


    Seeing his reaction, Christina couldn''t help but lower her shield. "It seems you''re finally back."


    "Yeah. I''m in control this time. I have never thought that the situation would be so bad that I didn''t even realize I had lost control..." Clovis sighed. "Can you tell me what happened?"@@@@


    Clovis leaned to the side, wanting to use his hand as a support to push him up. However, the right cheek was swollen and ended up touching the ground, giving him the pain that made him realize he wasn''t completely alright.


    "Hmmm?" Clovis touched his swollen cheek and couldn''t help but raise his eyebrows. "What is going on? What is my condition? How did I get my cheek swollen? Is there any other wound that I don''t know?"


    Luci smiled wryly. "There is nothing for you to worry about. I''ve dealt with most of your wounds. Though, someone was a bit too excited and punched you a little too hard. There might be small fractures inside your body, so you shouldn''t move too much. It''s better for you to get the recovery pod treatment once we return, since you were pretty roughed up before."


    "..." Clovis turned his head to Christina.


    Instead of feeling apologetic, Christina simply smiled, showing her frustration. "What? Do you want me to show you how your cheek gets so swollen again? I don''t mind helping you."


    "As for Jay''s group, Aileen and Erwin were able to kill a Tier 6 beast alongside the various beasts that followed it. Erwin utilized his threads well and killed those lower-tier beasts before both of them worked together in taking down this Tier 6 beast.


    "On the other hand, Kanaria had to work hard for the main group, considering they were lacking manpower. You should comfort her once we return, since she got chewed out by that jerk pretty badly, even though everything went smoothly because of her.


    "Jay had done his best, but his contribution was still less to Kanaria from what I can see. Then again, the condition of the battlefield is rather special today.


    "For the time being, they have returned to the city. They only recovered the essence of Tier 4 beasts or higher, so we should recover the remaining essence tomorrow.


    "They should have reached the city by now, so you should make a call since you''re up now."


    Clovis nodded in understanding. "I see. Everyone has worked hard. Sorry that I''m unable to help you more than that."


    "What are you saying..." Melody sighed. "You had killed almost 800 beasts by yourself, not counting the Tier 6 beast. In addition, your plan has helped us through this situation. In terms of contribution, you''re definitely the highest.


    "It''s just... spare me with this kind of plan. Do you know how worried we were? Kanaria is going to have a lengthy discussion with you once we''re back."


    Clovis scratched the back of his head. "Hahaha. Sorry. I will resign myself to my fate. Anyway, the mission this time is successful, so thank you for your hard work. We''ll recover the essence tomorrow and return to the city. As for Gillian, I believe Hana''s got it covered."


    ...


    As Clovis said, Hana had finally launched her first attack.


    She ended up having a meeting again. This time she was crossing her arms with a dark face, glaring at the opposite party.


    She presented a tab that showed another scandal of the Heshton family.


    "Say... what is happening? Haven''t you promised me to control your family for the time being?"

 Chapter 609 Crisis

    "Say... what is happening? Haven''t you promised me to control your family for the time being?"


    "..." Damian Heshton looked down. He had never thought that the situation would just cause an even more uproar.@@@@


    Because of this second news, the public opinion had turned against them.


    In fact, there were a lot of articles saying that the Heshton family''s dominion would start the moment they built the facility. As a result, the Heshton family would become a tyrant who was strong enough to even fight the government.


    When that happened, the law could be disregarded, which would cause an even greater injustice. Hence, the public opinion would turn against them.


    The article that Hana bought actually stated, "Resshia Foundation is better than the Releson Medical Center for the OpenSky Company''s collaboration."


    In the end, the Resshia family was much more stable and didn''t have a lot of scandals, so their reputation was much better than the Heshton family.


    If this continued, the collaboration would end in a failure due to a single reason. When Damian thought about it, he realized that this was an attack against the Heshton family.


    It could be seen that there were a lot of keyboard warriors that dug up all kinds of scandals from the past, which would hit their reputation much more harshly.


    As a businessman, Hana didn''t care whether to work together with the Heshton family or the Resshia family, considering the benefits she got would most likely be the same. The Heshton family was chosen simply because of their scale. If she chose the Resshia family, the Heshton family would definitely attack the Resshia family as well.


    However, when he investigated the matter, Damian couldn''t find the Resshia family in the attack. It was as if they weren''t the ones doing it.


    Although it hadn''t been confirmed, his source of information told him that the ones attacking him were other families in the royal capital, which confused him, considering their business wasn''t even in the same field.


    Damian gritted his teeth. "This is clearly an attack toward the Heshton family. Miss Hana¡ª"


    Hana''s expression turned colder. "Of course, this is an attack. Even I can see that much. Someone is targeting you. However, why do I need to care? You''re not the only one that can collaborate with me, Mr. Damian."


    Damian''s face turned pale. He definitely couldn''t afford to have the Resshia family succeed. That was why he stated, "Don''t worry, Miss Hana. I will definitely handle this properly."


    That was why Jeremy had never had a problem with Clovis.


    But the problem came the moment they started questioning her problem. After all, this had become an attack toward her. And the cooperation with the Heshton family was the one triggering it, especially with how the Heshton family behaved in the past few days.


    "I came purely for business, but I wonder... who is actually the one spreading this rumor?" Hana narrowed her eyes.


    Damian understood her meaning. "Are you suspecting us?"


    "If I were to marry into your family, you could basically rule both this country and mine. In addition, all kinds of rumors would be dispelled and the people would be scared.


    "By spreading this rumor and forcing me into such a situation... I don''t think there''s anyone that will benefit more than you, Mr. Damian." Hana looked furious.


    "This is not us. There''s no way we will spread such a rumor!"


    "Who knows? With how your family behaves, it might be possible." Hana snorted. She stood up with an annoyed face. "Is it really possible for us to still cooperate, Mr. Damian? If this is how you treat your business partner, I think it''s better for me to find the Resshia family."


    "No. This is not how we treat our business partner! Please believe in us. We''ll prove that the one spreading the rumor is not us! Please give us three days... no, two days! I will definitely show you the result."


    Hana glared at Damian. If they let go of this opportunity, they would definitely become a laughingstock.


    In addition, a lot of people would flock around the Resshia family, as the latter would start to suppress them.


    That was why he had no other choice but to prove it.


    Hana narrowed her eyes. "I will give you one last chance. You should know that this cooperation has become a double-edged sword for us... All of this is because of you. You better find that person, Mr. Damian."


    "I know... I mean, I understand." Damian lowered his head. He never bowed to anyone, considering he was the one who was always in power. However, he had no choice. With the help of the Resshia family, Hana could even kick out the Heshton family from the capital.


    Hana harrumphed and took her leave, not wanting to hear a single word from him anymore.

 Chapter 610 Traps

    ''Breaking News: Damian Heshton was threatening Hana Skylark.''


    The news spread like wildfire as it was followed with pictures and videos.


    It looked like their discussion had become pretty heated, and Damian abruptly slammed the table in anger.


    Both parties stood up, as Hana looked scared. In the end, she was a Tier 4 human, while Damian was a Tier 7 human. If Damian wanted to kill her, it would be possible.


    That was why when Damian forcefully grabbed Hana''s hand, Hana''s Tier 8 bodyguard immediately came into the room and tackled Damian away, protecting Hana.@@@@


    He wrapped his hand around Hana''s shoulder to offer more protection while bringing her away. Hana''s body was shivering, as if she was scared that something would happen to her.


    If not for her bodyguard, the situation would be worse for her.


    Even if the Heshton family was strong enough to suppress a bit of the media, they couldn''t suppress everything. As a result, more and more news appeared on the Skynet, taking the country by storm.


    And the one who did it couldn''t help but stare at the tab that showed such news. He was clutching his head with despair on his face. No one would ever think that the situation would be this dire after falling into a trap.


    Yes, a trap that had been laid out sneakily by Hana and Jeremy.


    ...


    Two days ago.


    "Sir." A middle-aged woman entered the office, bringing a tab.


    "What''s wrong? Have you found out the culprit?"


    "Yes. It''s just..."


    "What?" Damian frowned.


    The woman put down the tab, showing everything to him. "The culprit of this incident seems to be the Resshia Family as well as the Godlen Corporation."


    When he thought about it, Hana was accompanied by only a single Tier 8 bodyguard this whole time. Was it her grandfather? Was it someone else?


    If it was the latter, then where would her grandfather be?


    The woman answered that doubt. "We believe that Jeremy Skylark has sneaked in and is the one responsible for all the situations.


    "He has been very sneaky, but this is still our country, so he can''t completely erase his trace.


    "Please look at this video. Although he has managed to cover up almost every trace of his movement, he is still careless enough to be seen in one of them.


    "This is the video of him entering the Resshia family. I''m afraid that Jeremy Skylark has made a deal with the Resshia family. With the backing of the Skylark family, the Resshia family convinced all these people.


    "They''re trying to take us down. And by sending his daughter to us, he is able to stall for time and bait us like this. In other words, this entire project has been a scam against us. I don''t know their motive, but it appears they''re trying to destroy us."


    "!!!" Damian widened his eyes in shock.


    Damian gritted his teeth. He realized that the day he had previously set to meet had backfired. This was the third day where they were supposed to meet again. He was supposed to explain everything to Hana and get rid of the enemies.


    However, what if Hana was the enemy all along? If he didn''t attend this meeting, Hana would definitely realize that he had realized the culprit and would continue to the next phase of her plan.


    On the other hand, if he confronted him without any plan, there was nothing he could actually do. And this kind of plan required more than a day to make, considering it would be a declaration of an all-out war against the Skylark family.


    That was why the situation had turned grim for the Heshton family. The moment they publicly revealed the cooperation with the Resshia family, all their allies would switch sides and work together to crush them.


    At the same time, he could reveal this truth to the world, but who would believe it? There had been scandal after scandal about the Heshton family, so public opinion was at an all-time low.


    No, it might even be their idea to create a situation where no one would believe the Heshton family. Besides, they thought of the Resshia family more highly, so switching sides would get the support of the people.


    He needed to stall for time.


    "I need to meet Hana Skylark. I can''t even denounce her like this and have no choice but to play dumb..." Damian gritted his teeth. "In the meantime, gather our people and come up with a plan to go to war against the Resshia family. We''ll crush their main link in this country and make the Skylarks regret it."


    Little did he know, this meeting itself was nothing but a trap.

 Chapter 611 Downfall

    "What do you mean by this, Hana Skylark?" Damian gritted his teeth.


    "Hmm? I don''t know what you''re talking about." Hana tilted her head in confusion.


    "Don''t play dumb. We don''t have a grudge against each other. Why would you sabotage us?"


    Hana shook her head. "What do you mean? I''m not sabotaging you. Why would I sabotage you? All I want is to complete my project. After all, this will bring me money. That''s all. Why are you accusing me? I''m disappointed in you."


    "I told you. You don''t have to play dumb anymore. I already know everything. Your grandfather is not in your country. One of the two bodyguards that comes here is your grandfather in disguise.


    "I know everything, Hana Skylark. You are working with the Resshia family to harm the Heshton family.


    "We don''t have a grudge between us, so why would you harm us?"


    Hana fell silent for a moment, as though she was feeling guilty. However, an evil smile appeared on her face as she said, "There really is no grudge between us. You''re nothing but collateral damage. Though I''ve been hearing a few bad things about your son."


    "!!!" Damian raised his eyebrows. He was furious when Hana admitted it. However, what made him even more curious was why Hana mentioned his son.


    Damian had two sons and two daughters. The first son was leading the company well enough while his second son was more talented as an explorer.


    Neither of them went to a place where they were supposed to meet Hana. He had never heard anything about them clashing with Hana Skylark.


    Obviously, as the sons of the influential families, they shouldn''t behave badly toward an important person like Hana.


    So why would she mention his son?


    "What do you mean?" Damian frowned. "I don''t understand what you''re talking about. My sons have never crossed paths with you before."


    Hana raised her eyebrows. "What?"


    Damian took out a recording he had hidden in his pocket. "I have recorded all our conversations this whole time."


    "You..." Hana took a step back in shock.


    "Hahaha. I can always drag you down with me. I will give you one last chance. Apologize to me and marry my son and I will let this go."


    "You..."


    Looking at Hana''s reaction, she definitely didn''t see it coming. Just the pale face alone was enough to make him happy.


    However, Hana suddenly smiled while saying, "In that case, just release it. That is... if you can record our conversation, that is. To think that you would be this foolish. I expected more... I guess the rest of my plans are ruined because of your foolishness."


    "!!!" Damian glanced at his recording. It was still recording, but Hana simply took out another device. "Did you forget what my grandfather''s business is? We have the technology that jams the ears of those who have a brain affinity to avoid getting spied on. Why do you think we don''t have a jamming device for recording? Ah... I really like when my opponent is a businessperson. We aren''t that keen on staying on our phone during a meal with our business partner. That''s why they won''t notice anything."


    "!!!" Damian took out his Skyphone and even his Skywatch, realizing that none of them had a signal.


    He then turned to his recording and checked it, only to find there was no sound being recorded this whole time.


    "You..." Damian''s face turned pale. He rushed to Hana and tried to grab her device, utilizing his Tier 7 strength. "Give me that!"


    Hana skillfully took a step back and tilted her hand backward so that Damian only managed to grab her wrist. Then, she screamed, "NOOOO!"


    In that instant, her bodyguard entered and pushed Damian to the side, protecting Hana, who was shivering as if she was scared.


    And there was yet another trick behind her action. That was the hidden journalist she hired, which would lead to the destruction of Damian''s reputation along with the Heshton family.

 Chapter 612 Secrets

    The aftermath of such an incident was huge for the Heshton family.


    The moment the citizens saw how Hana was being treated, the people blew up.


    "What is going on? The Heshton family was forcing her to sign something?"


    "Damian Heshton must be pressuring her, thinking this country is their turf."


    "Did they think they''re above the law?"


    "What will happen after this? Don''t tell me. Would Hana Skylark pull out the investment? The new beast soul is extremely useful. And our country is the first one to receive it, other than Absalom."


    "No way. The Heshton family must pay the price for this."


    The people were angry, throwing insults after insults at the Heshton family. The Heshton family could usually suppress them by manipulating the media, but the scale of the attack was simply too big.


    In addition, Jeremy Skylark and the Resshia family had cooperated with each other. Obviously, they knew where they should target their first strike.


    Before everything blew up, they had actually worked together with several media. With such a huge scoop, the people would be happy and they would gain the favor of the Skylark Conglomerate.


    In addition, more and more people were leaving the Heshton family''s side. As a result, the Resshia family gathered them to make an alliance to take down the Heshton family.


    While it was true that the plan worked wonderfully, they were possible due to the bad reputation that the Heshton family had.


    Of course, the Heshton family would never go down without a fight. They immediately published the picture of Jeremy coming to the Resshia family, claiming that they were plotting against the Resshia family.


    It would have been a good counterattack, except for the fact that their weapon was something Jeremy already knew. In fact, he was the one allowing them to get that information.


    "Yeah." Hana nodded. "Sorry for making you get involved in this, Grandfather. I''m afraid I''m unable to do it this quickly and safely without your help."


    "That is fine. I''m rather curious about the capability of Clovis Hacfield. If all this is enough to gain a bit of his trust, it''s worth it.


    "After all, from what I can see, Clovis has two secrets. The first will be his unique ability, while the second one is everything he is able to take out.


    "While he has been hiding it under his grandfather''s or father''s name, I''m sure they are his."


    Hana nodded. "Yes. I suspect the same. And I will just follow his scenario."


    "Yeah. No need to expose him. Besides, I''m afraid that this second secret is much bigger than his unique ability. I have been wondering... what kind of secret it is, so I can''t help but think about his original goal..."


    "His original goal?"


    "Yes. What is his original goal?"


    "To find the truth about this world, that is said to be only a simulation."


    "That''s right. What if his secret is actually linked to that truth? Something extraordinary that is beyond the simulation..."


    "!!!" Hana raised her eyebrows. "Are you saying that he is someone that the simulation can''t calculate perfectly or is his existence a kind of bug in the system?"


    "Who knows? However, it must be something along those lines. That''s why Clovis'' value is much higher than even a Tier 9.


    "Whether it is for the good or for the bad..." Jeremy squinted his eyes.


    "Who cares? The only one who can decide whether it''s good or bad is the person himself. As long as he doesn''t change, I believe everything is good." Hana smiled. "I wonder how much money I can get by selling the truth about the world?"


    "..." Jeremy looked surprised by her statement before chuckling. "Hahaha."

 Chapter 613 Ruined

    The moment the cooperation between the Skylark Company and the Resshia family was finalized, the people rejoiced.


    In the first place, this cooperation meant Hana still tried to do her best to complete this cooperation.


    It might look like she was trying to fulfill Clovis'' request even though she was almost harmed in this country, which was slightly different from the image she originally planned but still aligned to her original image.


    In addition, the Resshia family''s reputation soared. They didn''t have a lot of scandals, and their family had a good reputation in the public eye. Your journey continues with My Virtual Library Empire


    With this agreement, the people thought of them as a hero for retaining Hana in this country.


    Jeremy also helped, making sure that people knew he was already here and would watch over the entire project.


    His reputation was bigger than Hana. When people knew about his involvement, they didn''t hesitate to switch sides.


    Now that the Heshton family had been greatly weakened, everyone knew that Jeremy could easily crush them if necessary, even though he wasn''t originally from this country.


    "Sir. Miss. This is the report."


    "Hmm?" Hana grabbed the report. "The Heshton family has lost a lot of money. Their reputation is in shambles. It appears they''re doing their best to retain everything they have, but it''s useless. More and more scandals appear.


    "Those people are showing them because they know it''s the right time to strike. Not only them, but even the normal people are also exposing them.


    "To think that they''re this dirty." Hana frowned. "Still, with this, we don''t have to lift a hand anymore, right, Grandfather?"


    Jeremy nodded. "Yeah. Even if we don''t do anything, they won''t be able to stop the Heshton family from collapsing.


    "Still, don''t underestimate them. If you push them into the corner, they might fight back without thinking about the consequences.


    "Yes."


    ...


    Meanwhile, Clovis had returned to the city, gathering all the people as they watched the situation unfold.


    "The Heshton family is really in trouble." Aileen gasped. "To think Hana can do all that... Is this really worth it?"


    Clovis smiled wryly, thinking, ''This woman... must be trying to extort me once we return. She even smeared her own reputation to strike them. She is probably thinking how to demand compensation right now.''


    Erwin asked, "By the way, have you heard anything from your master? Don''t you think it''s a good idea to act like you''ve been wronged and sever your relationship?


    "Once it''s revealed that you''re joining us, your teacher will be wary when making a move against us or our families. After all, Hana can still attack, and Christina''s family is quite influential as well."


    "I don''t know. I haven''t heard anything yet." Aileen turned to Clovis. "I will follow the arrangement of the captain."


    "Heh? You''re already considering yourself one of us before this is over?" Clovis chuckled.


    "Hehehe. Can''t I?"


    "Suit yourself. For now¡ª!" Clovis abruptly stopped when he saw his Skyphone ringing. "It''s Hana... For now, wait. By the way, you should check on Gillian. Don''t let him do anything."


    Clovis waved his hand, implying that he needed to talk to Hana for a moment.


    ...


    Gillian, on the other hand, was shivering in fear. He was staring at all the news about his family. No one could imagine that his family would suffer such a disaster when he was away. And if he took a look at his Skyphone, he would see numerous messages blaming him for his encounter with the young master of the hidden family, as though the culprit behind Hana''s movement was him.

 Chapter 614 A Challenge

    "Do you know what I have done here?"


    Clovis smiled wryly, looking at the frustrated Hana. Considering reputation and honesty were what a businessman needed, having her wreak havoc by playing around with those two had already damaged her ability.


    If he asked her something like this a few more times, no one would ever have a business with her again.


    "I know, I know." Clovis sighed. "Let''s talk about this once we''re back, okay?"


    Hana''s lips were shaking, as though she wanted to say a few more words. However, she ended up dropping the matter. "All right. For the time being, I''m not sure whether it will be enough to eliminate them, so you have to be careful over there.


    "Still, they will definitely bring back Gillian, so tell the lady over there to handle the rest of the matter before joining your group.


    "I should be able to return in two weeks after ensuring the foundation of the business is firm in this country. Are you going to return straight away?"


    "Not really." Clovis shook his head. "Our original intention to come here is indeed Aileen. But our second objection is to increase our tier. Experience exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    "According to our calculation, Jay and Kanaria will be able to reach Tier 4 in a few weeks, so we''ll stay here to hunt until they reach Tier 4."


    "Aren''t Luci, Melody, and Ragna about to reach Tier 5 as well?"


    "Luci and Ragna, yes. Melody will still take a bit more time. I will probably take a few more weeks after Jay and Kanaria as well."


    "That''s fine." Hana nodded. "Do you need anything else?"


    "Not really." Clovis contemplated.


    "Then I''m going to hang up. Let''s talk again after returning to Absalom."


    When Clovis was about to nod his head, he suddenly heard Jay''s voice calling him.


    "Clovis. Look at this. Do you have a feud with this guy called Tesron Khalika Melesviet?"


    "Huh?" Clovis raised his eyebrows. He hurriedly turned to Hana, saying apologetically, "Sorry, let''s talk later. I''m going to hang¡ª!"


    "The competition between academies in Absalom is fierce. They''re searching for investors, giving more benefits to the students and teachers, and so on. That''s why all academies have the chance to rise to the top.


    "However, they won''t have that chance anymore as long as you graduate properly from that academy.


    "In order to stop you, they are trying to ruin the first academy''s reputation.


    "I''m still unaware of the details, but it looks like they''re inviting this guy to wreak havoc in the first academy.


    "You could say that he is coming to defeat you so hard that he will be your nightmare.


    "The results they desire are you dropping you, the first academy''s reputation is ruined, and increasing the chance for other academies to devour you."


    Clovis furrowed his eyebrows. "Still, this guy is from a Tier 9 family, right? Even if a lot of people in that family are foolish, there must be a few smart enough to understand that this guy is being taken advantage of."


    Hana shook her head. "And that''s why they bring in this guy. He is a troublemaker. His reputation is much worse compared to Christina''s.


    "The biggest problem will be whether he knows your true identity or not. Even if he doesn''t, there is still Christina.


    "Because of what happened previously, her grandfather is still in retreat, right? If he runs rampant, it''s like saying that his family beats her.


    "The same applies to your family. If he actually knows that you are Clovis Hacfield, it can be done as such. I know that the Hacfield family doesn''t really care about their reputation, considering the current state of your family.


    "Still, just announcing your name out loud will create a problem, no? They might even bait your grandfather out."


    Clovis frowned. He finally understood the severity of this matter. He never thought the academies were preparing for such an attack.


    If he didn''t accept the challenge, he would be labeled as a coward.


    If he accepted, there was no guarantee of victory.


    Clovis frowned.


    Christina suddenly stormed out of her room, saying in a rush, "Clovis. My grandfather somehow found the news. He said, ''If you can beat him, no need to hesitate. He will be there.''


    "He asked me whether you''re going to beat him up or not."

 Chapter 615 Found Out

    "Hahaha. I enjoyed the trip. Thanks for everything, Clovis." Aileen smiled.


    "Are you going back already?"


    "Yeah. Gillian has been recalled back, and I''m sure he will experience hell after this. Meanwhile, I will properly settle my affair over there. Once I''ve finished my business, I will run straight to your group." Aileen nodded.


    "I see. In that case, take care of yourself. If there''s anything you need, just inform me about it."


    "Yes, sir!" Aileen playfully saluted. Then again, Clovis would soon be her captain, so it was just a subtle hint that she had recognized him before officially joining the Libation Fiesta.


    Clovis chuckled. "Take care."


    Aileen nodded. She turned to Erwin. "Make sure you don''t cheat on me. Or the next time I come, I''m going to cut it off."


    "Cheat? With you as my wife, do you think I dare cheat? I''m not Clovis."


    "Oi! Why are you dragging me into this?" Clovis'' eyebrows twitched.


    Aileen just laughed before kissing Erwin on the lips. "I''m going."


    "Yep. Message me when you arrive."


    Aileen nodded, waved her hand, and walked away. "See you later, everyone."


    "See you."


    "Take care."


    "Come back quickly."


    It appeared everyone had recognized Aileen as a part of the group. In the last two weeks, they had been hunting together.


    They understood Aileen''s talent and strength. Her control over her presence was rivaling that of a unique ability.


    In addition, Aileen had become much happier and more expressive after their fight at that time. Getting along with her has become easier. Of course, they hadn''t introduced her to Reolf yet. Clovis hadn''t even bought any items for her.


    "What is this number?" Clovis frowned.


    "It''s the average number of their evolution. It''s a rough calculation, but this will be easier to read. They will handle their own progress." Melody explained. "You have been asking people about their progress from time to time, so I''ve been thinking about keeping track of them from time to time so that you don''t have to bother anymore."


    "..." Clovis blinked his eyes a few times. It was indeed a good system. He would say it was convenient... if their circumstances were normal. Wouldn''t this information allow them to realize something was wrong?


    As if knowing Clovis'' mind, Melody added, "By the way, I know that you have been helping us. I''m not sure about the details, but from the looks of it, you, Jay, and Kanaria are progressing much quicker than us.


    "Don''t forget that our absorption rate is above 90% as well. The fact that they''re able to progress this fast to the point where they''re about to catch up means something is spiking up their progress.


    "You can''t simply brush it off with the number of lower-tier beasts being higher. In the end, their number doesn''t match up.


    "We already know it. We have felt it. It''s just... we never really bothered with it. After all, you should have your own reason and we''re benefiting from it.


    "If it''s too much, I would have complained, but it''s not really concerning right now." Melody sighed. "Then again, Luci and Christina must not realize it yet since they''re new.


    "I don''t know what you have done, but I don''t really plan to bother myself with it. You''re not a fool. Someone with your ambition will definitely play it in the long run. If you''re using us to increase your strength, you will try to make it as long as possible.


    "In other words, whatever you''re doing won''t cause a problem for our body, which might ruin our future. And I trust you in that matter."


    Clovis scratched the back of his head. "This... Sorry."


    "It''s fine. You don''t need to worry about us." Melody shrugged. "Kanaria is too soft to tell you, while Jay will never question your judgment. Ragna is loyal to you, so the only one who can speak up is me. Then again, I don''t care what happens to me as long as I can heal my younger brother."


    Clovis sighed. "Well, I''m planning to tell you guys. Unfortunately, it''s not now. Wait for a bit more, will you? When the time is right, I''ll tell you guys."


    "It''s fine, even if you don''t tell us. That secret must be extremely important. I just sympathize with you for carrying such a burden." Melody shrugged. "By the way, is there something that can heal my younger brother?"


    "Not yet. I haven''t seen anything that is useful for your brother." Clovis shook his head. "For now, I plan to ask my mother to treat him. If it''s not possible, I''ll get even stronger and hopefully find something that can help him."


    "Mhmm..." Melody nodded. "Anyway, I''m not going to pry into your secret."


    "Thanks." Clovis smiled before switching the topic. "By the way, what is this information?"


    "Oh this. They are..."

 Chapter 616 Cooperation

    "I''m sorry. I never thought that they would call that person to this country to mess with us." The principal of the first academy lowered his head. He had been trying to protect Clovis as a part of the agreement.


    However, the situation became even more complicated once a Tier 9 family joined the battle.


    Clovis closed his eyes for a moment. "What are their demands?"


    "They want to fight you, who is said to be the most monstrous talent in this country. In addition, they''re provoking your friend, especially Christina Elseingarde."


    "Mhmm..." Clovis looked at the principal through the screen. It appeared that the enemies only knew about Christina for the time being. They must still be searching for his information, so it should be safe for a moment. "It seems they''re aiming for Christina instead of me."


    "No. It''s only because of us that they''re coming to this country in the first place. It''s my fault for not stopping those people." The principal shook his head.


    "Is there anything I need to know?" Your journey continues with My Virtual Library Empire


    "The problem right now is that they''re thinking about coming together with the Lord of the North under the pretext of sightseeing and looking at talented people.


    "However, this is clearly a lie. They''re placing you in a scenario that you can''t win against him. If the Tier 9 human gets involved, there''s no chance to get an explanation."


    "How about this country?"


    "We don''t have any Tier 9 humans in this country, so unfortunately, we can''t help you. But they''re debating how to proceed. It seems they''re planning to protect you in one way or another.


    "They haven''t made a decision yet, but the discussion is leaning toward how many Tier 8 they will bring to protect you and stop the Lord of the North."


    Clovis crossed his arms. He didn''t know why the country wanted to protect him from a Tier 8, but considering he was a Hacfield while still cooperating with the Elseingarde, there was no way they would let such a person go. In addition, Hana and the entire Skylark would come to back him up, so the country wouldn''t be so foolish as to let him go.


    Clovis narrowed his eyes. "Only a fight against me?"


    Clovis nodded. "All right. In that case, I will give you three conditions. That guy is a Tier 5, right?"


    "According to our information, he is indeed a Tier 5, but it''s been a while since he reached Tier 5. Hence, he might be close to Tier 6."


    "As long as he is still Tier 5, it''s still possible for me to defeat him. It''s just... right now is not possible. I need to make another preparation. And it might cost you..."


    "!!!" The principal knew that Clovis wanted him to stall for time. And it would be the same as sacrificing his students. Still, Clovis wouldn''t really come out without any chance of winning. After some consideration, the principal nodded. "I can give you time. How long do you need?"


    "One week is enough."


    "You will get it."


    Clovis continued, "My second condition is rather simple. Since the enemies are bringing their big guns, I''m planning to do the same."


    "!!!" The principal widened his eyes in shock. "Don''t tell me... Lord Ezekiel Elseingarde?"


    Clovis smiled. "Yes. He said he will come. I want you to handle all the administration processes as secretly as possible. At the same time, he doesn''t like to appear in public, especially outside his country. During the negotiation and such, I hope you can take care of the media for a bit.


    "It will be fine if people create a narration of him being in this country, but there''s no need for his picture or video. He will also handle his own disguise."


    "I see. All you want is an arrangement in a way that they can''t find him, huh?" The principal nodded. "If that''s all, it shouldn''t be too hard."


    "My last condition is that you help me to do something once I reach Tier 5."


    "Huh? Not right now?" The principal frowned.


    "Yes. Just consider it as you owing me a favor. After all, if I defeat him, the reputation of the academy as well as yours will skyrocket. It''s not like I''m going to ask you to do the impossible. Of course, it''s fine if you don''t follow through with this agreement if I end up losing."


    The principal squinted his eyes. After some thoughts, the principal nodded his head. "I understand. I will deal with the rest." The principal nodded. "Good luck."

 Chapter 617 Back

    "We''re finally back!" Kanaria stretched her hands up while yawning. "We''re finally back home."


    "By the way, don''t forget that we''ll be fighting against those people. Considering our current members, I think the six people should be Clovis, Christina, Erwin, Ragna, Luci, and me," said Jay while crossing his arms.


    "That''s true." Luci glanced at Clovis. "Still, why not use this chance to introduce Aileen? Has she finished her matter over there? I mean, she can replace me or Ragna."


    "Why are you guys getting ahead of yourselves? Our captain hasn''t even said anything about the fight, you know." Erwin shrugged. "Just prepare for the battle and see who will go up."


    "..." It was indeed true. Considering the enemies brought his group, it meant six of them had to fight. Kanaria and Melody were strong, but they focused more on providing support to the entire group.


    Clovis had a different thought in mind. It was true that the battle was important, but the more important thing would be to reach Tier 4.


    Originally, he wanted to use another expedition to reach Tier 4, but he hesitated after listening to Melody.


    These people had trusted him with their lives and chose to follow him. He thought about waiting a bit more to reveal his secret, but after listening to Melody, they might already be aware of it.


    He wanted to hide it. At the same time, these people deserved to know about it.


    That was why he considered one more option, which was to use the items from Another World Mall to advance to Tier 4.


    This way, it would be seen as a subtle message to everyone that despite not taking any essence, he could still advance to Tier 4 because of this secret. And the fact that he was using it and showing it to them meant he trusted them.


    However, the secret was not convenient to disclose, so he couldn''t reveal it yet. At the very least, he could send the message he couldn''t this whole time.


    When this option appeared in his mind, he was thinking about waiting for his mother''s inspection before he could reveal the information. At the very least, he wanted to check what the items from Another World Mall brought to this world that couldn''t be visible to the naked eye.


    Clovis hadn''t said a word about the fight against the Tier 9 family. He had to consider his options carefully. Depending on how he approached it, he would be taking the full brunt of a Tier 9 family. Even his family might have no choice but to act.


    "Allow me to¡ª!" Clovis wanted to take her home, but Elya simply waved her hand. "No worries. I''m a Tier 7 human, you know? Going back by foot is much faster than a car."


    As she said those words, she disappeared. Find your next read on My Virtual Library Empire


    "..." Clovis smiled wryly. He turned to Reolf. "It seems you''ve been having a great time, huh, Reolf?"


    "Indeed. Look at this chubby wolf." Luci immediately jumped and hugged Reolf. "He becomes fluffier."


    "Can he really fight like that?" Jay asked.


    "Don''t ask. Don''t you remember that when you got sent to your grandma for a vacation, your weight increased by 12 kg?" Kanaria chuckled. "Was it 10 years ago?"


    "..." Jay''s eyebrows twitched. "Anyway, I''m going back to my room."


    Kanaria waved her hand. "I''m going as well. By the way, Clovis. When are we going to go for the next expedition? Three days? You''re close to Tier 4, right? It shouldn''t take a lot of time."


    "No. I will remain in this mansion until the battle." Clovis shook his head. "The enemy is monitoring our movement. Staying here will decrease the chance of meeting them outside. They might even plan to meet us in one way or another to create an even bigger mess."


    "!!!" Kanaria looked surprised at first. Christina, Luci, and Erwin couldn''t help but halt in their tracks. Jay and Ragna didn''t care about the secret, so they just entered the mansion. Melody, on the other hand, had a small smile on her face before following Jay and Ragna.


    "Is that so?" Kanaria nodded. "We''ll stay in the mansion as well. Except for Melody, of course. Still, you''re going through hell tomorrow, you know?"


    "..." Clovis could only scratch the back.


    As Kanaria said, he was definitely going through a mess. In front of him was none other than Hana. It felt like he was facing a debt collector, ready to suck him dry.


    No. He might even prefer to face a debt collector than the woman in front of him, knowing full well how hard handling this person was.

 Chapter 618 Money

    "It''s been a while, hasn''t it, Clovis?" Hana had a big smile on her face.


    Clovis sighed. "Indeed. It''s been a while. Are you alright?"


    Hana paused for a moment. There were two things they could talk about. The first was compensation, while the second was the battle.


    After some consideration, Hana actually picked the latter. "I should be the one asking you that question. Are you alright right now?"


    "..." It was Clovis'' turn to fall silent, as though he was surprised by her choice.


    Hana ended up standing up, walking toward Clovis, and opening her tab. "Look at the news. They''re really bombarding you with questions, aren''t they?


    "Tesron Khalika Melesviet challenging Clovis from the Libation Fiesta. Is he afraid of him? Is that why he is hiding? Tesron Khalika Melesviet is crushing the First Academy''s students.


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    "The headlines are truly not holding back this time. It appears that other academies are pouring all their efforts into this.


    "Are you going to fight him, Clovis?" Hana asked as she sat down next to him.


    Clovis leaned back, feeling tired. "I''ve told the principal to give me a week to prepare."


    "!!!" Hana felt something was off with that sentence. She glanced at Clovis before finding out his intention. "A week? And you''re not planning to go out?"


    "Enough with the acting." Clovis sighed. "Do you think becoming a Tier 4 is enough to defeat him?"


    Hana''s expression turned solemn. "Hmmm? Do you have another trump card? Don''t tell me you''re going to introduce yourself as a beast master and have Reolf fight with you. But Reolf is still a Tier 3. While it''s shocking, it''s not enough to fight against him.


    "If you reveal Reolf all of a sudden, people will wonder how many beasts you can command. If you command thousands, tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, your threat level will be immeasurable. Even my Skylark family can''t do anything to sustain you. After all, a lot of people will definitely love to kill you, especially with you being a part of the Hacfield family. A man from a family of madmen has the ability to command millions of beasts... They will probably think of you as a demon lord and unite to destroy you."


    Clovis nodded. "I know that. The card I''m going to play this time will be slightly different. It''s just... I might need your help."


    "My help?" Hana furrowed her eyebrows. "I don''t think it will be about weapons. What I have besides technology is... money... Do you need money? How much?"


    Clovis smiled. "I''m not sure right now, but I''m afraid it''s not going to be small."


    That was right. Clovis'' plan was actually to upgrade his memberships and open a new store. This was a gamble. If he got something good from the next upgrade, he might be able to win against him. If he didn''t get something good, he would definitely lose.


    Of course, there was an option to get more money, but when he owed too much money, especially to Hana, his position would definitely become lower than Hana''s. It was something he couldn''t have. Besides, it would also create a nice misunderstanding, which confused Hana for a moment about his true trump card.


    Hana frowned. "How much do you need? Maybe a few hundred million? Well, I should be able to prepare that right away, but because of the investment to open a new facility in Axolonia, I don''t have much cash right now."


    Clovis raised one finger. This would be the amount enough to maintain his position without pushing Hana too much.


    "A hundred million, huh? Wait, no..."


    Clovis nodded. "I need a billion."

 Chapter 619 Realization

    "I need a billion."


    "..." Her eyebrows twitched a bit. While she could somehow fork out that money, she would be strapped for cash, since she had invested heavily in the new facility in Axolonia.


    At the same time, she noticed one more secret. ''Wait a minute. He needs money... Then what about his blood? They''re contradicting each other. His unique ability is not like this. If I''m not wrong, it should allow him to possess god-like abilities and not have any relation with money.


    ''Does this mean these two are not the same? Does this mean he has the second secret? One related to money. Now that I think about it, Kanaria has once told me that Nathan will be the one selling things. Or at least, the account that manages the group''s fund is in Nathan''s hand.


    ''While he doesn''t care about spending money, he still wants to gather money for one reason or another.


    ''Doesn''t this look like there is another secret related to money? I don''t know what kind of secret this is, but it looks like it''s able to bypass the gap between him and that person.


    ''No, wait. He has been asking me for money a few times, right? Why have I not noticed this until now? The number keeps increasing every single time, from a few million to a few hundred million. And right now, he asks for a billion.


    ''At this rate, he might ask me for tens, if not hundreds, of billions. It''s not easy even for me to have all that cash.


    ''But... he must know about that fact as well. I''ve been helping him the whole time, so he must have a way to increase my financial power. In fact, his items alone are priceless. If I ever auction it, I can get a lot of money.


    ''That''s why... He must have a way to increase the size of my business or open an entirely new field. To put it simply, I give him money, he will eventually give me an item to make more money. Isn''t this just a fundamental investment principle? Investing more money to make more money...


    ''He needs more money, which means he will rely on me and has no choice but to let me grow. At this rate, becoming the richest woman in the world is possible. The fact he reveals this concept to me... means he trusts me.''


    When that thought appeared, a smile appeared on Hana''s face. "Sure. I will give you a billion. Give me a day. I''ll transfer all of it tomorrow."


    "You''re not going to ask about it?"


    "I will get all the money in the world for you. You spend that money so that I can make more money. Isn''t this perfect?" Hana pumped her chest proudly.


    Clovis smiled wryly. "Isn''t that like a proposal?"


    "Indeed. Let''s get married. After we get married... What''s yours is mine, what''s mine is mine."


    "Aren''t you supposed to say what''s yours is mine?" Clovis chuckled.


    "Did I stutter?" Hana harrumphed.


    Clovis sighed. "Well, let''s talk about it another time."


    "All right. In that case, I will return right away and prepare the money as quickly as possible. I want to confirm it one more time. Are you sure this is enough?"


    "The chance is there, but there''s no guarantee I can beat him, especially due to the difference in our strength." He shrugged.


    "Fine. If you need more money, ask me." Hana waved her hand. "I''ve got more than I thought. Hehehe. I''m fired up. I''m going to see how that guy is going to cry to his grandparent."


    Clovis chuckled. He could probably get a lot of money by doing this himself, but he didn''t have the time or energy to manage such a huge business. Letting someone capable of handling it was not a wrong option. And that person just happened to be Hana. While it was true that she was greedy, her skill was much better than most people''s.


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    So, he decided to let her take care of the money while he focused on becoming a Tier 9 human.


    "Now that the money''s problem is solved, it''s time to evolve to Tier 4."

 Chapter 620 Malls New Section

    "Now that the money problem is solved, it''s time to focus on my Another World Mall again." Clovis muttered, looking at the one billion that had just been transferred. He had been eating all sorts of items to increase his evolution progress, so it wouldn''t be long before he reached Tier 4.


    Clovis entered the mall, knowing that the first thing he should do was to upgrade the mall.


    As usual, Blue was already there, waiting for him.


    [Welcome back, Master.]


    "Oh! I''m back, Blue. Well, I''m here to once again upgrade the mall to open a new type of store." Clovis glanced at his status, noticing something different.


    "Huh, wait?"


    There was one important thing that was missing. And it was none other than money.


    [Money: 1,123,960,304 coins.]


    "Blue..." Clovis pointed at the money. "Why did I only have this much money? With 1 billion from Hana and 150 million from selling my materials, and my initial money, shouldn''t I have about 1.3 billion?"


    [There is no mistake in the money calculation, Master.]


    "What do you mean?" Clovis frowned. "Don''t tell me. "Is there a tax or something?"


    [There is no such thing.]


    "Then why do I have less money?"


    [It can happen because of two scenarios. The first will be the money you receive is not real money.]


    "Something like a fake one? Is it from money laundering or something? Or is it fake money made by bad guys?"


    [It is a possibility. The second scenario will be the money that you''ve received is actually the one you''ve owned before.]


    [Yes. This section was off-limits previously because of one thing. It provides service.]


    "Service? Now that I think about it, everything has been self-service this whole time. It changes when Blue is here, but it''s true that there is no shop selling services. All of them are items or entertainments."


    [Yes, Master. This section is for service.]


    "I see. So, the one providing that service... It''s not a real human, right? I can''t imagine you transporting a real human here..."


    [Yes. Everything will be handled by robots. However, unlike me, a guiding robot, the service robots are humanoid robots mimicking the appearance of people in this world. You may even change their appearance to suit your needs.]


    "Fulfilling my request, huh? Considering there are items made of fantasy creatures, it''s possible to even make an elf, vampire, or something else. Is that what you mean?"


    [Essentially, yes. It is also more beneficial to mimic the human''s appearance since it''s that kind of service.]


    "That kind of service?" Clovis'' eyebrows twitched. "Lewd one?"


    [We definitely offer such a service. I''m sure that Master has known about it after visiting the bookstore and movie theater. However, that''s not all. In this section, you will find a lot of shops offering services such as salons and spas.]


    "For real?" Clovis sighed. "Now that I think about it, I am supposed to be able to bring someone soon, right? The reason you''re offering service... Are you trying to cater to more people? You even specifically mentioned the salon and spa. Are you going to make the girls visit that place?"


    [I am just a Guiding Model AI. I have no authority to change the mall''s upgrade plan.]


    "..." Clovis facepalmed. Considering the items they sold in this mall, suddenly having a beauty shop that could allow people to look young or more beautiful, which somehow transcended anything he had seen in the real world, wouldn''t surprise him.


    Clovis let out a long sigh. "I understand. For the time being, I want to focus on upgrading the mall. It''s only going to open this section, not open a new store in this section, right?"


    [Yes, Master.]


    "In that case, let''s proceed with the upgrade."


    [Processing.]

 Chapter 621 Fun Zone

    [Processing.]


    [Upgrading user''s membership to 26.]


    [-150,000,000 Otherworldly Coins]


    [Upgrading user''s membership to 27.]


    [-250,000,000 Otherworldly Coins]


    [Upgrading user''s membership to 28.]


    [-500,000,000 Otherworldly Coins]


    [Name: Clovis Hacfield.]


    [Membership: Level 22 (Special Member)]


    [Money: 223,960,304 Otherworldly Coins.]


    [Item Limit: 21/Visit]


    [Visit: 2(3)/Day]


    [Opening a new store.]


    [Fun Zone has been opened.]


    "Fun Zone?" Clovis raised his head in surprise. "What is this Fun Zone, Blue?"


    [It''s one of the stores in the entertainment zone. Fun Zone is a small space containing all the games here.]


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    "Hmmm?" Clovis squinted his eyes. "Lead me to this Fun Zone. Game, huh? I want to ask why I need a game, but after what happens with the movie theater, I guess there must be a special perk in this Fun Zone..."


    The Fun Zone was located not far from the movie theater.


    And as Blue said, it was a space filled with games.


    "Isn''t this like Arcade Game Center?" Clovis raised his eyebrows.


    [Yes.]


    "What can you do in here?" Clovis asked while entering this Fun Zone. The first one he came into was a small game with a drum on it. "Huh? Drum?"


    Blue immediately showed the information about the game.


    [Drum Breathing Game.]


    [Description: A drum that will improve your breathing technique.]


    [3,000,000 Otherworldly Coins for 10 Games.]


    "What the hell?" Clovis widened his eyes in shock. "What do you mean by improving my breathing technique?"


    [This game will scan your body, especially your lungs. By using that data, the game will translate and create a melody that can improve your breathing technique. It can be said to be training your breathing technique, but it is also able to improve it if there is any flaw in the technique.]


    "Are you serious?" Clovis gasped. "Breathing technique is indeed following a certain rhythm, but I have never thought it could be improved so easily.


    "Then again, if it can really do that, 3 million coins for ten tries is cheap."


    Clovis took another look at the game. This time, it was a crane game with several dolls inside.


    "Huh?" Clovis widened his eyes in shock when he saw the descriptions of the doll inside.


    [Comfort Rabbit.]


    [Description: Increase the user''s stamina recovery as long as it''s put within a two-meter radius.]


    "Blue... I feel like I''ve seen something absurd just now..." Clovis pointed at the rabbit doll.


    [Please don''t be surprised yet, Master. As you increase your strength, the item will be upgraded. In fact, please take a look at it.]


    Blue was showing another crane game, but this time, the doll had a different effect, which was even more shocking.


    [Shark Doll.]


    [Description: Allow breathing under water for every person within a 1-meter radius.]


    "Breathing underwater? Seriously?" Clovis blinked his eyes a few times. "If the rabbit doll earlier is perfect to be put in the bedroom or our bus, this shark doll is useful around the sea."


    [And there is one more doll you might want to keep an eye on. Then again, this is for a final prize.]


    Blue pointed at the game in the center of the Fun Zone.


    It was a crane game, but the condition to get this final prize was to get all the dolls within that game. And there were at least a hundred dolls inside. He didn''t even know how to play, so he might not be able to get it anytime soon.


    However, that doll was much more terrifying than he could imagine.


    [Life Heart Doll.]


    [Description: Replacing the designated target''s life if it''s expired. (Unusable for sickness or natural death.)]


    Clovis blinked his eyes a few times before rubbing his eyes. "An extra life?"


    [Yes.]


    "..." Clovis'' back was drenched in sweat. "Do you know what an extra life means?"


    [Of course.]


    "And this designated target... Doesn''t this mean someone else can be chosen as a target?"


    [Definitely.]


    "How about changing the designated person? If someone gets shot, we change it to that person. Is it possible? After all, the person won''t die immediately after getting shot unless the entire body is obliterated because of it. In fact, can I tank a single nuke without any problem? Is there anything that can make me immune to radiation or something?"


    [Yes, yes, yes, probably.]


    "Probably? So it might have one in the future. Then again, a doll like this is the final prize, so I guess it''s understandable."


    Nathan''s expression turned grim. It was a doll he wanted. In fact, trying to get that doll might not be a bad idea, considering he would get a hundred dolls with their respective abilities. Although it looked like there were only three types of dolls, he could just sell them or give them to others.


    Clovis asked, "By the way, Blue. Is there a game that can develop my ability to the point where I can fight against someone who can see a few seconds into the future?"


    [Processing the request.]


    [Searching for a suitable game.]


    [Possible Option (1): Dance Game.]


    "Dance game?" Clovis frowned.


    [Fetching the information.]


    [Dance Game.]


    [Description: A game that will improve one''s footwork.]


    "Footwork, huh?" Clovis looked down, falling into deep thought. "That definitely is possible. Good footwork can be used for offense, defense, and mobility. If I can keep using that footwork to maintain the balance, I will be able to defeat him by using my stamina. However, he is a Tier 5, so my stamina can''t be compared to him.


    "What if there is another game that can help me increase my abilities to complement this footwork to contain that ability?"


    [Possible Option (2): Zombie for Dead, Target Lock-On.]


    "What are these games again?"


    [Zombie for Dead.]


    [Description: A zombie survival game that can increase the user''s stamina and mental state.]


    [Target Lock-On.]


    [Description: A dodging game that will improve the user''s reflexes.]


    "!!!" Clovis covered his mouth. "Footwork, stamina, and reflex. If he can see the future, I''ll fight him by reacting to his clairvoyance... It would be hard to fight that person, but if I add my unique ability into the mix, I will have the chance to defeat that person. Still, it means I will expose my unique ability to a Tier 9 human."

 Chapter 622 622: Challenge

    "Is there no one who can challenge me in this academy?" A guy asked out loud while spreading his arm. Underneath him was the student council president, who had been defeated just a moment ago.


    The people couldn''t help but grit their teeth. They wanted to shut his mouth, but even the student council couldn''t do anything to this guy and his team.


    "This is frustrating. How can this be..."


    "We can''t allow such a thing to continue."


    The people wanted to volunteer themselves out of frustration, albeit the principal stepped up onto the stage.


    "As expected of someone from a Tier 9 family, the one who is rumored to be the successor of the Great Melesviet."


    "Kh." When they heard their principal praising their enemies, they felt ashamed. It was as if they acknowledged their inferiority.


    "It seems there is no one who can actually challenge me in this academy. I guess I have put too much expectation on this academy." Tesron Khalika Melesviet snorted, giving the principal the condescending gaze.


    "Principal. Don''t do this."


    "We can still fight!"


    Even though he heard their pleas, the principal simply sighed and said, "There is someone who can challenge you."


    "Hoh? Then, bring them out."


    "They won''t easily come out. After all, they''re our ace." The principal smirked.


    "Are you trying to hide them? I guess they''re a coward." Tesron harrumphed.


    "Of course not. If we are going to show them, of course, it''s better to do it with a bang. How about it? We will hold a grand battle between your team and our ace team."


    "..." Tesron squinted his eyes. What the principal meant by a grand battle was a huge arena that would be broadcast to the entire country.


    If he lost, this would become a huge blow to the entire Melesviet family. His grandfather, who was following him to this country, would be furious.


    At the same time, if he didn''t accept this condition, it was clear that the principal would use that as an excuse to brand him a coward.


    This way, the first academy would be able to save some reputation.


    He realized that the principal was actually using the students to lose to her to create this situation.


    The principal wanted to gamble everything in a single battle. He was ready to become a laughingstock the moment he lost.


    If they won, the first academy''s reputation would soar with no one possibly challenging them anymore.


    Tesron squinted his eyes before raising his head to the left, looking at his grandfather, who had been watching the entire thing from the stand.


    His expression was cold. He must have realized everything was a plot, but at the same time, they really couldn''t do anything. Even if they eliminated all of them, they would still be branded as cowards.


    They had definitely fallen for the principal''s scheme.


    Still, there was no way they would lose. Considering it would be a 6 versus 6 battle, there was still an option to draw in the worst-case scenario.


    Besides, he had no doubt that his grandson would win.


    Hence, he nodded his head.


    Tesron finally replied, "Fine by me."


    "In that case, please give us 7 days to prepare the stage for you." The principal smirked.


    "7 days is too long. 3 days!"


    "Please don''t be like that. We have to invite a lot of people and prepare the arena, so it can''t be helped to take that long. We need at least 5 days."


    Tesron narrowed his eyes before clicking his tongue. "Fine."


    The principal smiled. He had set up everything for Clovis. Whether this would be a good or bad decision, he could only place his hope in the Libation Fiesta.


    Besides, Clovis had prepared something against them.


    ...


    While they were preparing the arena, Clovis was preparing his body.


    "Kh." Clovis gritted his teeth as he tilted his body to the right, avoiding another bullet that almost pierced his chest. However, he had to turn right away to avoid the next bullet, albeit he was one step too late as the bullet hit his head.


    "I died again..." The wound on his body immediately disappeared as the guns around the area disappeared.


    This was one of the three games Clovis chose to play: Target Lock-On. The game kept shooting Clovis from all directions randomly to increase the speed of his reflexes.


    He had been training with the other two games as well. In Zombie for Dead, he had to fight against numerous zombies that came from all kinds of places. It was so absurd that the zombies could grab him from underneath the ground or even fall from the sky.


    He had to keep cutting them down without a single rest, pushing his body to the limit many times and eventually increasing his stamina.


    Last but not least, Dance Game. This game was similar to Dance Dance Revolution in a normal arcade game.


    However, the song was tailored perfectly to match Clovis'' footwork. In fact, it was improving his footwork even further.


    Once perfected, the footwork complemented his reflex. The new, perfected footwork gave the foundation for his reflex.


    However, the enemy could see the future. He had a much easier time compared to him, who had to react to every single attack.


    That was why Clovis had to train his stamina to the limit. That was the only way for him to last much longer.


    The problem was that he had to defeat his enemy in thirty minutes before the Perfect State took over his mind.


    On top of these three games, Clovis had to eat everything he could to reach Tier 4. This was the basic requirement if he wanted to fight Tesron.


    Fortunately, his Another World Mall gave all the necessary food items to increase his evolution traits to 100%.


    And that was the time for him to evolve to Tier 4 human.


    Of course, there was one more thing Clovis had prepared for the battle. Although it was not necessarily helping him individually, it would allow the team to defeat the enemies.

 Chapter 623 623: Clash

    "Thank you very much, sir."


    "Mr. Tesron. They have arrived."


    Several people came to Tesron, who came with his grandfather.


    "So, this ace team has arrived? I have been wondering what kind of man manages to invite Christina Elseingarde." Tesron''s grandfather, one of the Tier 9 humans in the world, Carrick Khalika Melesviet, smirked. "I have been thinking about making her my granddaughter-in-law, so it seems I have to crush them first. You understand that, right, Tesron?"


    Tesron nodded carefully. They had prepared a few things. And it was obvious that his grandfather wanted him to eliminate Clovis. With the obstacle going away, there was nothing that could stop them anymore.


    The people from other academies nodded their heads in agreement.


    Bang!


    The door was slammed open confidently by several Tier 8 humans.


    "Huh?"


    The people were confused, looking at the people entering the hall.


    "Is that... Alan? Why would the guardian of the north come here?"


    "No. The one next to him... is that old lady Via."


    "Heh?" Carrick stepped forth while smirking. "You guys are bold. Isn''t it just a meeting with this so-called ace team? Are you perhaps trying to challenge me?"


    "My, my. We don''t have that intention, Mr. Carrick. It''s just... I hope you don''t make such a casual remark. People might misunderstand you." An aged voice echoed from behind the two of them.


    "!!!" The people from other academies couldn''t help but gasp.


    "G-Grandmaster?!"


    Even Carrick couldn''t help but furrow his eyebrows. "Hoh? Even you come here?"


    The grandmaster in their mouth was none other than the country''s first explorer¡ªthe man who was said to be the leader of the resistance as well as the reason that the country could still stand to this day.


    He single-handedly led the restoration of the country and made it powerful, Grandmaster Radric.


    Radric smiled and nodded politely. "I hope you don''t bully the young too much."


    "Heh. I have never thought you would actually side with them, Radric." Carrick opened his hand as if he was going to fight depending on his answer.


    Radric simply smiled. "It''s nothing. I''m just repaying the favor by bringing the kids here."


    "Grandmaster."


    "How can you do this?"


    "You were supposed to be neutral."


    Hearing the complaints, Radric couldn''t help but raise his voice. "Shut up. You guys are the ones disappointing me. I have remained neutral this whole time because I want the competition to be healthy and help to raise the future generations. But look at you; you are even inviting a foreign party."


    Their faces turned pale.


    "Sharp words..." Carrick pointed at Radric. "Are you ignoring my presence here? Do you think these twerps are capable of inviting me? I come here because I want to. If you''re going to annoy me, then..."


    "Is that a threat?" Radric squinted his eyes. "If that''s the threat, I hope you can retract it... or you might regret it."


    "Regret? Me?" Carrick grinned.


    "That''s right. You might regret it, Carrick." Another voice echoed from behind as another old man entered the room.


    "That''s..."


    "He really comes..."


    "Isn''t he supposed to be injured?"


    The people became afraid. Unlike them, who had to use all their resources to invite Carrick here, this person was close to a certain person, so they didn''t need anything to invite him.


    Carrick''s expression turned solemn. "Ezekiel."


    That was right. The person that they personally invited this time was none other than Christina''s grandfather, Ezekiel.


    "What are you doing here?"


    "I''m just like you. I come here because I want to. Though, I''m not narcissistic like you, who always declares your arrival boldly. Are you thirsty for attention?" Ezekiel chuckled.


    "It seems the Old Bow has made a mistake. He should have shot you in the mouth."


    "Really? I don''t think he''s capable of doing that." Ezekiel snorted.


    "Well..." Carrick stepped to the side. "Get up and greet your grandfather-in-law."


    "Grandfather-in-law? Bold of you to assume that I find your idiot son suitable to become my grandson-in-law..." Killing intent leaked out of Ezekiel''s eyes, pressuring Carrick.


    "In this world, the only person who is qualified to marry your granddaughter is my grandson, and vice versa. You shouldn''t deny that." Carrick smirked.


    "Heh? Do you think the world is centered around you? You should keep sleep talking when you''re asleep." Ezekiel harrumphed.


    "Your words are not light, you know?" Carrick''s expression turned serious.


    "No need to beat around the bush. I already have found an ideal partner for my granddaughter and it''s not like my granddaughter is opposed to it." Ezekiel pointed at Tesron. "This little mutt can go back home for all I care."


    "You''re talking about Clovis? There''s nothing special about him. And this competition will prove it. I don''t know how he is capable of getting the Skylarks, but in the end, he is a nobody."


    Ezekiel shrugged. "You can think of it that way, and I don''t really care. All I know is... today. Your grandson will lose to him."


    Carrick''s face turned cold. Even Tesron couldn''t stand down after that declaration.


    Carrick walked toward Ezekiel, glaring at him. "Are you sure you want to do this, Ezekiel?"


    "I should be the one asking you that question." Ezekiel still felt relaxed.


    "What if I win today''s battle? Are you going to make an official apology and engage your granddaughter with my grandson?" Carrick grinned.


    "There''s no way I''m going to agree to such a bet."


    "You... Are you afraid?"


    "No. I''m just thinking... I will be foolish to accept a bet that is not equal. You have no right to decide my daughter''s life. Piss off." Ezekiel snorted. He took out a small letter. "How about this? This contract is equal to 10% of the harvest of my territory. It will last for ten years. How is it? I dare you to bet the same thing."


    "!!!" Carrick looked surprised at first. If Ezekiel bet such a thing, he would have a certain level of confidence that he would win. At the same time, he couldn''t see any way for his grandson to lose. "Fine by me. 10% of the harvest for 10 years. Getting an additional fund is good enough. I will wait for your family to go bankrupt and have no choice but to sell your granddaughter to me."


    "If you can win, that is." Ezekiel snorted.


    "Of course, I can win." Carrick smirked as if he had been planning this the whole time. "You must have forgotten about this. This is a battle between my group and the academy. Even though your granddaughter is affiliated with the Libation Fiesta, she is not an academy student. Your granddaughter can''t participate in this battle, Ezekiel."

 Chapter 624 624: 6 Participants

    "Your granddaughter can''t participate in this battle, Ezekiel."


    "Hmm?" Radric couldn''t help but furrow his eyebrows.


    "What did you say?" Ezekiel gritted his teeth.


    "I''ve told you. Since the beginning, this has been a battle between the academy and my grandson''s group. Your granddaughter is not affiliated with the academy, so it''s not possible for her to join. Now that I think about it, there are only six people who can join.


    "Clovis, Jay Havenson, Kanaria Renvolt, Melody, Ragna Book, and Erwin Tyska. Those six people." Carrick grinned. He thought even if Clovis, Jay, and Erwin were troublesome from what he had heard from the report regarding the academy, Ragna was mainly a guardian, Melody was their operator, and Kanaria was their sniper.


    In terms of close combat, he had no doubt that their people could win against these three. And the only thing he needed to do was place his grandson against one of the strongest three, which would guarantee their victory.


    Of course, he had some confidence in his team, but he had to consider the worst-case scenario.


    After all, his grandson''s team consisted of six Tier 5 humans, including his grandson himself. Meanwhile, Erwin was also a Tier 5, while Clovis and Jay were able to defeat a Tier 5 human when they were only Tier 3. With the Libation Fiesta''s reputation of being able to fight someone above their rank, he realized their trump card was to reach Tier 4 and use that strength to overwhelm them.


    If Christina and Lucifania joined the battle, even he didn''t know what would happen. That was why he had to resort to such a dirty trick.


    It was in his legal right to ban them from joining the battle.


    "Hahahaha. You''ve grown senile, Ezekiel." Carrick laughed. "Without your granddaughter or that doctor, your team has no chance of winning. I''ll gratefully take 10% of your revenue. Oh. If you want to get a loan, my door is open."


    Ezekiel gritted his teeth as if he was frustrated by the dirty trick. However, his lips were trembling. It looked like he wanted to have an outburst, which would make Carrick overjoyed. To his surprise, a laugh escaped his mouth. "Hahahaha."


    "!!!" Carrick raised his eyebrows. "Why are you laughing? Your team has no guarantee of victory. Those six people can''t defeat mine!"


    Instead of Ezekiel, it was Clovis who answered that question as his group finally made their entrance.


    "That''s not right, Mr. Carrick. Christina and Lucifania might not be able to participate in this battle, but the same applies to Melody." Clovis paused for a moment. "We have one more member that you''re unaware of."


    "!!!" Carrick turned to the people who had just entered the room.


    Clovis stood in the front with Jay and Erwin accompanied him on both his right and left sides. Behind them were Christina, Lucifania, Melody, Ragna, and surprisingly, there was one more person he wasn''t aware of. It was none other than their new member, Aileen Risevan.


    Carrick noticed Aileen because she didn''t erase her presence. If she did it, Carrick would have noticed it and changed his battle plan after all.


    ''A Tier 5 human as well? Who is she? I have never heard of her. There''s no report about her. However, that racial feature...'' Carrick squinted his eyes. "You''re joking, right? That girl doesn''t seem to be from this country."


    The principal finally stepped forth while showing the proof. "Aileen Risevan. She became a member of the Libation Fiesta a month ago and became a student of my academy two weeks ago. This is one week before the issue of the challenge. Hence, she has the right to participate in this battle."


    "!!!" Carrick widened his eyes. He had been tricked. Ezekiel must have known this fact the whole time. That was why he was laughing. He was sure that Aileen was enough to change the tide of the battle.


    Even though Ezekiel had entered the country sneakily, it was something he had expected. However, Aileen''s existence was something beyond his imagination.


    The most important thing was the person who orchestrated the whole thing. Who? Carrick wondered if it was the principal, Radric, or even Ezekiel.


    But this kind of reckless strategy... there was no way an old man could come up with it. And that was when his eyes shifted to Clovis.


    For an unknown reason, there was this weird, repulsive feeling coming from Clovis. It felt distant but at the same time quite strong.


    It was as if he had met him in the past.


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    "You are... Clovis?" Carrick narrowed his eyes.


    "It''s an honor to meet the esteemed Tier 9 explorer, Mr. Carrick Khalika Melesviet. My name is Clovis." Clovis politely introduced himself.


    Carrick''s expression became a bit twisted. "You... have we met before?"


    "!!!" Radric and the others were startled. Only Alan could see the possibility of them meeting in the past. In the end, Clovis'' family was that Hacfield. It wouldn''t be weird if his family met another Tier 9 family in the past.


    Only the people who knew Clovis'' true identity would have realized it.


    Clovis shook his head. "I''m sorry. My humble self wasn''t qualified to meet you in the past."


    Tesron couldn''t help but glance at his grandfather, wondering what had happened. He wanted to remind his grandfather not to get overly familiar with their enemies, but there was no way he could do such a thing.


    Ezekiel came to his side and whispered something.


    After nodding to him, Clovis stated, "The participants coming from the academy will be me, Jay Havenson, Erwin Tyska, Kanaria Renvolt, Ragna Book, and Aileen Risevan."


    Ezekiel pointed at Carrick with a smug. "How''s that? There''s no chance for you to win, Carrick. I should be the one thanking you for giving me 10% of your family''s revenue."


    "..." Carrick remained silent for a moment, as he still couldn''t recall ever meeting Clovis. It might just be his feeling, so he finally dropped it. He shouted, "Don''t think you have won, Ezekiel. Don''t forget that four of them are only Tier 4. There''s no way I will lose."


    "In that case, we can only find it out in the arena."

 Chapter 625 625: Coming

    Carrick couldn''t help but grit his teeth. He thought he could get an easy victory, but he had been tricked. There must be something going on for Ezekiel to propose such a bet.


    "This is weird."


    "They actually forced that helper to enter the academy?"


    "Who is that helper?"


    The people around him panicked, not understanding what was going on. Considering their current situation, Tesron was still most likely to win.


    It was just Carrick who couldn''t help but say, "Investigate that new member right away. Check if she or other members have any special ability or unique status.


    "Y-Yes." The people nodded their heads.


    Then, he turned to Tesron. "Remember. You have to win. I don''t care if you can''t get a complete victory, but you have to win, Tesron... You alone can''t afford to lose."


    Tesron nodded with a solemn face. "Don''t worry, Grandfather. My team and I will definitely win. Even though they can fight someone one rank higher, we are the elites of our generation as well. The only reason we''re unable to defeat someone one rank higher is simply because the gap between Tier 5 and Tier 6 is much higher than Tier 4 and Tier 5. If we are still Tier 4, we have the ability to take down a Tier 5 human."


    ...


    Meanwhile, Ezekiel simply patted Clovis'' shoulders while asking, "Are you going to be alright? We have managed to bluff our way here, but I choose to bet on you, kid."


    "I''m grateful for your trust and will not disappoint you. Although I have no assurance that I can win against him, I believe the team will not lose."


    "Well..." Ezekiel smiled helplessly. He couldn''t help but recall what happened when she first met Ezekiel.


    ...


    A few days ago.


    "It''s not as hot here." Ezekiel yawned while sneaking into Clovis'' mansion. "The security doesn''t seem to be high. I wonder if my granddaughter will be targeted here..."


    As he said those words, a familiar voice echoed in his ears. "Grandfather."


    "!!!" Ezekiel turned around, finding Christina and Clovis coming out of the mansion as though they had sensed him.


    "My dear little princess. How are you?! I''ve finally come to visit you after so long." Ezekiel waved his hand cheerfully before spreading his arms.


    "Hehehehe." Christina hugged him while smiling from ear to ear. "Don''t worry. I''ve been living pretty well here."


    Clovis stood two meters from them, not wanting to disrupt their reunion.


    However, Ezekiel glanced at him. "So, you''re Michael''s grandson, Clovis Hacfield?"


    "It''s an honor to meet you, Sir Ezekiel." Clovis nodded.


    "I guess I have to thank you first for taking care of my granddaughter." Ezekiel smiled. "Though, I was supposed to sneak in here. Were the two of you about to greet a guest or something?"


    "Well, that''s true, but it''s not like we don''t know you''re around." Clovis shook his head.


    "Oh! You sensed me?" Ezekiel turned to Christina. "You''ve done well, eh?"


    "My skill is nowhere near enough to do that, Grandpa." Christina shook her head while pointing at Clovis.


    "So, you were the one who sensed me? Not bad."


    "Not at all."


    "Huh?" Ezekiel furrowed his eyebrows. "Are you two trying to play tricks on me?"


    "No. I''m not the one who senses you, but there''s also a reason for Christina to point at me." Clovis turned around and called a name out loud. "Reolf."


    "!!!" Ezekiel widened his eyes in shock when he saw a big wolf opening the door with his paws before coming out like that of a human. "A beast? That''s a dire wolf."


    Obviously, Ezekiel raised his arm and clenched his right fist as though he was holding a shield, but he noticed there was no sense of hostility coming from Reolf, so he loosened his grip.


    "W-What is going on? A beast? And a human?"


    Christina chuckled and properly introduced Reolf. "This is Reolf, Grandpa. He is... how do I say this... our family? I can''t say he''s a pet. He''s a fighter, so maybe a partner would be more appropriate?"


    Ezekiel blinked his eyes in disbelief. Even though she introduced Reolf as a partner, the beast must have been tamed first. And the reason she pointed at Clovis must be because it was Clovis who did it.


    In that instant, he realized Clovis had done something that wasn''t possible before. And the beast was so smart that he could understand humans. Continue your adventure at My Virtual Library Empire


    Reolf raised his right paw before letting out a small bark instead of a howl so as to not disturb their neighbors or reveal his existence.


    "..." Ezekiel''s mind couldn''t keep up. If Clovis could tame one, he might be able to tame more beasts. Even if he couldn''t tame a lot of beasts, he might be able to cultivate a few to a very high level. Just having a group of Tier 8 beasts would be terrifying.


    And unlike humans, animals tended to be more loyal. They didn''t play tricks or consume with greed.


    Just from Reolf''s alone, he understood the worth of Clovis. But there was no way this was the only thing.


    He sneaked into this mansion because he wanted to observe how they usually went about their daily lives to know what kind of group the Libation Fiesta was. But that didn''t matter anymore.


    Ezekiel nodded his head to Reolf, as if returning Reolf''s greeting.


    "Grandpa. You shouldn''t do that. Reolf is also one of us." Christina pouted. "You''ve been complaining about my etiquette, but what about you now?"


    "Hahahaha. Alright, alright." Ezekiel smiled wryly. If there was a video about him, people would definitely call him crazy. But he ended up introducing himself to a wolf and even did it politely. "Hello, Reolf. I''m Ezekiel, Christina''s grandfather. Please take care of my daughter."


    Reolf wanted to nod his head but suddenly turned to the right.


    Ezekiel was startled, since he thought Reolf would accept the greeting. However, Christina couldn''t help but ask, "What''s wrong, Reolf?"


    Reolf pointed at the gate.


    "Oh. It seems our guest has arrived..."

 Chapter 626: Bet

    "Oh. It seems our guest has arrived..."


    "!!!" Ezekiel widened his eyes in shock. When Clovis mentioned it, he had just sensed this person.


    As someone at his level, he should have sensed this presence at least a few seconds ago.


    Yet he didn''t.


    When he turned around, he saw a woman. Her appearance could be considered extremely beautiful, but more importantly, her figure looked blurry as though his eyes were playing a trick on him.


    "Oi, oi. How many women do you have?" Ezekiel asked.


    "What are you talking about? She is the girlfriend of one of my members. Well, she has become a member of the Libation Fiesta as well." Clovis shrugged.


    "Am I late here?" Aileen asked while walking inside the mansion. Looking at the old man she had never seen before, Aileen simply nodded her head, not knowing what to say.


    However, her interest was glued to the Reolf. "Is this Reolf? The rumored dire wolf partner you have, Clovis?"


    "Yeah. Reolf. This is Aileen. You should have seen her photo before." Clovis introduced Aileen casually before asking, "By the way, have you finished everything over there?"


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    "Yep. My father has given me his permission as well. Besides, thanks to you wreaking havoc over there, my former master is hiding. For the time being, there should be no problem. However, I''m planning to become stronger quickly so that even if they are planning on revenge, I will have the strength to solve it."


    "All right. That sounds good to me." Clovis pointed to the mansion. "You should go to Erwin first and have him explain everything about our operation here. Reolf, can you lead her to the mansion? I will stay here for the time being."


    Reolf nodded and extended his paw to Aileen as if he was introducing himself.


    "Ahahaha. You''re really intelligent. To think that you really managed to find me." Aileen chuckled. After nodding to the elder one more time, Aileen walked together with Reolf.


    "What the hell is she? Her presence... her existence... Is it a unique ability?" Ezekiel frowned. "Even I have a hard time sensing her. If she becomes even stronger than this, she might be able to completely fool the senses of a Tier 9 human like me."


    Clovis nodded in agreement. "That''s not a unique ability."


    "That''s right, Grandfather. I have told Father about it, but it doesn''t seem you''ve heard about it. I had the pleasure of fighting alongside her for a while and confirmed that it''s not a unique ability. It''s completely a talent that might be able to rival a unique ability," explained Christina.


    "Is that so?" Ezekiel frowned. "Still, you are going to fight against those six people, right? Have you chosen your members yet? I''m assuming it will be you, my granddaughter, your two vice captains, your doctor, and probably that person?"


    Clovis shook his head. "No. Even if I want to fight that way, those academies are extremely clever. You should have heard about the challenge itself, right? What is it called?"


    "!!!" Ezekiel widened his eyes in realization.


    "There you have it. Lucifania and Christina can''t participate in this battle. However, if we''re going to do it, I''m planning to win." Clovis pointed at the mansion. "Hence, I bring out my trump card. This will be perfect as well to introduce my new member."


    "But where does she come from? She doesn''t seem to be coming from this country."


    "She is from Axolonia. However, I have asked the dean to process the matter regarding the transfer student. In paper, she has transferred from the Eldeiswood Academy in Axolonia to the first academy. However, this matter hasn''t become public yet." Clovis nodded.


    "Is that so?" Ezekiel looked surprised. He never thought Clovis had thought that far ahead.


    If the opponents didn''t use the trick in order to stop Christina from joining the battle, he would, of course, choose Christina. However, even if the opponent stopped her, he had Aileen as his trump card.


    Ezekiel crossed his arms. "Do you have confidence in winning?"


    "I''m not sure. If it''s going to be a draw... I have a 90% chance of turning the battle into a draw, assuming I will lose.


    "Meanwhile, I personally have... 50-50... No, 40-60 chance of me beating him in his favor."


    "!!!" Ezekiel looked surprised. Even though he asked whether Clovis had confidence to win or not before coming here, he didn''t have high hopes. In the end, the gap between them was that big. After all, Clovis had been using his unique ability in order to bypass the gap between tiers.


    However, with the opponent also having a unique ability, he didn''t really have the chance to win. It was the same as him fighting his granddaughter.


    It was just... He didn''t expect that Clovis had a 40% chance to win. He thought it would be 5% or 10% with his current strength.


    "I know you have become Tier 4, but are you sure about this?" Ezekiel frowned.


    Clovis smiled. "In that case, how about a bet, Sir Ezekiel?"


    "A bet?"


    "Yes. If I win... I want you to help me just once... no matter what I plan to do." Nathan raised one finger.


    "Heh?" Ezekiel squinted his eyes, thinking, ''It''s not really that bad of a bet. Besides, he is clever to realize his opponent''s intention right away and solve it. Besides, his team is much more abnormal compared to that lecherous brat, Tesron. And this is the first time my granddaughter is willingly following and supporting someone. Last but not least, he is the Hacfield.''


    Ezekiel grinned. "Fine by me. If you lose, you''re going to call me grandfather from that point on."


    "Grandfather?!" Christina dropped her jaw to the ground.


    Ezekiel shrugged. "What? It''s not like you hate him either, right? Much better than Tesron."


    "That''s..." Christina scratched the back of her head.


    "I will have to rephrase my words then." Clovis smiled. "My chance of winning has become 60%. It doesn''t seem like I will lose this bet."

 Chapter 627 627: Grand Battle

    "We''re finally here! The battle between the first academy and the Melesviet family." A rather familiar woman stood up and energetically spoke in front of numerous people. "Hello, everyone. We are back with me again, your dear streamer, Utaha! I love music, games, and mystery.


    "Today, we will be solving another mystery about one question. Will the first academy be able to fight against the Melesviet family?


    "Allow me to explain to everyone about the story of this challenge. Mr. Tesron Khalika Melesviet, the man who is rumored to be the next Tier 9 human that will lead the Melesviet family, is having a friendly exchange with the first academy.


    "After sending out five teams, including the student council president, the first academy has lost every single one of them.


    "How do I say this? I believe I should say as one would expect from Mr. Tesron. As the future Tier 9 human, he is definitely one of the strongest Tier 5 humans in the world.


    "He managed to lead his team to victory and even forced the principal to finally reveal the ace team of the academy.


    "And to our surprise, I''m not unfamiliar with this team. I have covered them once in this video." Utaha pointed at the right side while continuing, "They are a team called Libation Fiesta, the original team that is said to be the source of the new beast soul.


    "Led by Clovis, the team has done a lot of impossible things. And today, they''re planning to take on the strongest Tier 5 team as the representatives of the first academy.


    "Without further ado, allow me to introduce the hosts that will oversee the entire match here.


    "Right next to me is the famous woman who is feared in the business world, Miss Hana Skylark. She is the biggest sponsor of the Libation Fiesta. Miss Hana. Would you like to say a word or two? I have heard that you have also become the biggest sponsor of this match. Are you confident that they''ll win?"


    Hana smiled and stood up. "I have absolute confidence in the Libation Fiesta. As for the match, the stronger one wins. That''s all there is to it."


    Of course, Hana had brought a lot of people, especially the media. She wanted to cover the match and spread it to the whole country, or even other countries. This way, they would see the strength of the new beast soul.


    It wouldn''t be that hard to give Clovis the money he wanted in the future.


    "Such confidence!" Utaha gasped. "Is this confidence coming from their ability, or is it because Clovis is your betrothed? I have heard some rumors about you being Mr. Clovis'' fiancee."


    "I wonder who spread the rumor." Hana chuckled. "Well, I have yet to see someone of the same age as him, as interesting as he is. That''s all I can say."


    "Is that so?" Utaha paused for a moment before glancing at the person next to Hana. "And the one who will be commenting with me and Miss Hana is obviously the principal of the first academy, Principal Vhalor. Principal Vhalor, may I know your thoughts about this battle?


    "You have claimed that they are your ace team, but are you fully confident they have the ability to win?"


    The principal waved his hand to the camera while saying with a calm expression. "There is a reason I consider them to be the ace team. And their strength right now is something that can''t be underestimated, even for the opposite team.


    "If I don''t have a certain level of confidence, there''s no way I would propose to have such a grand match.


    "Although my heart will go to the Libation Fiesta, I will do my best to provide a commentary on their skills as objectively as possible. Thank you very much."


    Utaha nodded in understanding. "Thank you, Principal Vhalor. However, there is one thing I''m curious about. Why would you choose the Libation Fiesta and even do it right now instead of a few days ago?"


    "I don''t think I need to hide it anymore. The Libation Fiesta was in the middle of an important mission from the academy, so they couldn''t return right away.


    "Why is this mission so important? Although I can''t disclose the details of the mission, I can tell you the purpose of it.


    "The result of this battle will reflect the kind of curriculum for the first academy starting from the next semester.


    "The Libation Fiesta has been given a different mission to test this curriculum. In this match, you should be able to see the effectiveness of that new curriculum.


    "Hence, all I can say is that please watch everything carefully and see the effectiveness of the curriculum. If you end up getting interested in it, don''t forget to apply to the first academy. We will welcome you."


    "Wow. Principal Vhalor is truly a principal among principals. In that case, shall we check it out? The new curriculum that might change the era of study?" Utaha raised his head. "In that case, let''s not waste anyone''s time and introduce the participants to this battle.


    "The battle will be a one versus one battle with a total of 6 battles. In other words, there is a chance of a draw at the end.


    "As everyone knows, six people are the best number in terms of a group. And with this, we will be able to see the individual strength of each person in the group.


    "Let''s begin with the challenger side. Let us welcome the challenger from a foreign country, Team Melesviet, led by Mr. Tesron."


    "Oohh!"


    The people gave a round of applause. This might be their only chance to meet a potential Tier 9 with their own eyes instead of through Skynet. Hence, they gave them a warm welcome.


    Tesron led the rest of his team into the arena, showing their strength proudly.


    Once everything calmed down, Utaha continued, "Today, they will challenge the ace team of the first academy. Let us welcome them with another round of applause. Team Libation Fiesta is led by Mr. Clovis!"

 Chapter 628 628: Clovis Choice

    The people cheered the moment Clovis entered the arena. Although their team was less popular compared to practically the Tier 9 family, they still accumulated a lot of achievements in the country, with the biggest one being saving hundreds of people during the disaster, which ultimately caused the beast outbreak.


    Unlike other teams who loved to flaunt their achievements, Clovis and the others rarely appeared on Skynet. Most of their articles came from Hana, which made them strong but mysterious.


    That was why the cheers were much more hysterical compared to the other team. They all thought Clovis would bring them glory.


    "The stadium is shaking!" Utaha grabbed the microphone excitedly. "Libation Fiesta has entered the arena."


    Most of the cheers came from people who didn''t have high strength or completely normal people.


    However, those with higher-level strength were confused after seeing Clovis'' team.


    "This..."


    "What''s going on?"


    "Are they really leaving it to this team?"


    "Four of them are only Tier 4. Only two are able to put up a fight against the enemies."


    "Are they trying to lose?"


    That was right. In the eyes of an outsider, even though Clovis'' team was extremely good, especially with their reputation of being able to take down someone above their rank, the enemies were also as talented as them.


    If they were still Tier 4, they should be able to fight against Tier 5. Now that they are Tier 5 humans, no Tier 4 should be a challenge for them, considering they should have a certain level of ability to resist a Tier 6.


    That was why people were confused. From the team composition alone, Clovis might at most win two times.


    In addition, there was one problem. "Isn''t their group able to invite that Christina?"


    "Where is she?"


    "She doesn''t participate in this battle?"


    "Are they planning to lose then?"


    "Is this rigged?"


    That was right. The people wondered where Clovis'' strongest member, Christina, was. With Christina, Clovis at least had a much better chance to win.


    However, Principal Vhalor wasn''t foolish. There was no way he planned all this battle and staked his reputation and popularity just to lose everything in this battle.


    That was why there might be something they didn''t know.


    Carrick couldn''t help but furrow his eyebrows, wondering what they had hidden from him. He raised his head, his gaze meeting Ezekiel''s on the opposite side of the arena.


    ''What is that sly fox hiding?'' Carrick gritted his teeth. It felt like he had fallen into a trap, but he didn''t know what it was.


    Meanwhile, Utaha maintained the people''s excitement and shouted, "Since the battle has ended, it''s time for us to introduce the referees that will oversee the matches.


    "And what is this? There will be three referees in this match, with all of them being Tier 8 humans."


    "!!!"


    "What?"


    "Tier 8 humans?"


    "They''re going all out for this match."


    The people became even more excited. The country didn''t have a lot of Tier 8 humans, so normal people might not even meet them in their lifetime except on the Skynet.


    That was why they got even more excited.


    Little did they know, there was a reason for three judges to be added. Normally, a single Tier 8 human would be enough to oversee the battle between two Tier 5 humans.


    However, with Ezekiel and Carrick entering the entire picture, they had to add precautions.


    It was agreed that three people would be overseeing the match. Each side could pick one Tier 8 human themselves to be the judge while the country provided one. This way, each side had a judge that could stop a fatal attack, leaving no chance for the opposite party to intentionally kill the other party.


    Both sides agreed that this was their only role. If they did anything to make the opposite side in trouble, it would result in the opposite team''s victory.


    Meanwhile, the real referee was the one given from the country. He had to ensure fairness from both sides.


    With two giants fighting, there was no way the country was foolish enough to choose a side.


    That was why the battle would be fair, which was what Clovis wanted.


    The three judges consisted of Alan as the representative from Clovis'' side, a bad man as the representative from other schools, and a general as the representative of the country.


    "We are grateful for the three Tier 8 humans to help us take care of the matches." Utaha politely nodded. "In that case, let us have the two teams shake hands for a good battle."


    Clovis and Tesron led their groups into the middle of the arena, each of them extending their hands.


    "I don''t know what you''re planning to do, but you''re not going to win," Tesron warned him with a grim expression.


    Clovis'' expression remained calm as though he wasn''t bothered with the threat. "There is no trick. We''ll fight and win because we''re stronger. That''s all to it."


    "Do you think you can beat me?"


    "What makes you think I can''t beat you?"


    Clovis and Tesron glared at each other.


    "Allow me to explain the roster of the match. Each team will nominate the member that will participate in the next match. With no written roster, it will allow each team to be able to flexibly send out their member," as she explained, there were two staff bringing microphones for them.


    According to this arrangement, the one who said the name first would be at a disadvantage since the other party might have learned about them and prepared someone who could handle them.


    That was why Utaha added, "To avoid the unfairness, I will be counting one to three and the captain will reveal the name of their participant."


    Even though she said it, with Tesron''s special ability, he could have foreseen who Clovis planned to send. In the end, it would still be unfair.


    Because of that reason, the moment Utaha raised her fingers, "Without further ado, let''s count it. 1...," Clovis immediately opened his mouth with a confident smile. "Kanaria."


    "!!!"

 Chapter 629 629: Sniper vs Guardian

    "Kanaria."


    "!!!"


    The people widened their eyes in surprise. They all looked at Clovis. He should have known that it would put him at a disadvantage. So, he should say the name at the same time.


    The people thought Clovis was a bit too arrogant.


    "What is this? Clovis has just said the name of the participant from his side? Mr. Clovis... You do understand that you should say the name at the same time, right?" Utaha couldn''t help but ask.


    The people wanted the answer to that question. If Clovis was truly arrogant, they wondered if they should continue supporting him.


    However, Clovis raised his index finger. "Only one reason. The rumor is about him having an ability to see the future. Even if we are saying the same thing, if he can really see the future, it doesn''t matter whether I say it at the same time or not.


    "He should have seen it and will pick someone who can counter it. Rather than doing it the normal way, I choose to pick my fighter right away and I won''t change my mind. With this, there''s no need for us to pick at the same time, right?"


    Utaha blinked her eyes a few times. "Well, technically, that''s true..."


    The people couldn''t help but look at each other, finding no error in his logic. If Tesron could see the future, even when they were counting down, Tesron should have known the fighter Clovis chose. He would pick his own fighter that could counter Kanaria perfectly.


    So, Clovis might look arrogant, but it was just a calculated move. For the first move, Clovis was examining Tesron''s ability to read the future. How much future did he see?


    And the first clue came in the form of expression.


    Tesron''s face darkened a bit as though he realized Clovis'' intention. He was probably cursing Clovis in his heart.


    However, Tesron took a deep breath to calm his heart down before saying, "In that case, I won''t be polite then. From my side, I will pick Cyan."


    Utaha looked at the principal first. After getting a nod from here, Utaha immediately got excited again. "And there we have it, everyone. Representing the academy is Kanaria Renvolt.


    "I have seen a lot of her videos previously. She is extremely good at supporting her teammates with her firepower.


    "However, she doesn''t really have any history in a one-on-one battle, which might be a little disadvantageous for her in this battle.


    "On the other side, Cyan Leinten is actually a guardian of the team. I have researched him. He is known as the mountain back in his country. That is because of his absolute defense that doesn''t let anything slip past him.


    "He has a massive body, which allows him to utilize the big shield and a massive warhammer.


    "It appears Cyan Leinten will be charging straight ahead and fighting Kanaria in a battle of endurance. What do you think, Principal Vhalor?"


    The principal nodded his head. "That''s definitely what''s going to happen. The only way for Kanaria to win is to crush his defense, while Cyan will do his best to defend. Whether they can win or not depends on each party''s ability. I''m looking forward to what kind of battle they''re planning to have.


    "In that case, let us change the arena." Utaha stood up while shouting, "The arena will be transforming according to the map chosen in the system. Please take a look at the screen, everyone. Let''s count from 1 to 3 to see what kind of map it will be. Let''s go!"


    "1."


    "2."


    "3."


    The map immediately turned into multiple pictures with the light brightening one map at a time, randomly moving from one map to another. It gradually slowed down and stopped at a certain map.


    "Whoa? What is this? The arena will be turned into Grass Plain 2. This... Doesn''t this put Kanaria at a disadvantage?" Utaha gasped.


    "Not necessarily. It seems you have forgotten about one thing. While it''s true that the enemy is stronger, the Libation Fiesta has one thing that the enemy''s team doesn''t have." Hana finally opened her mouth.


    "Ah. The new beast soul!"


    "That''s right. This will be the battle of endurance, but I''m pretty sure that Mr. Cyan has something hidden in his sleeve for him to be the one fighting her." Hana nodded.


    "Now, I''m curious how the battle will play out. I''m sure that everyone who comes here can''t wait any longer. Then, let us call the participants into the arena."


    As she said those words, the arena transformed. There were three pillars emerging from the ground and the projector changed the landscape from a normal arena to grassland.


    Kanaria and Cyan entered the arena with a calm expression. Cyan brought a shield and a hammer as big as his body, with Cyan being a 2-meter-tall, muscular man.


    Just standing in front of him alone made Kanaria look tiny and felt a bit intimidating.


    On the other hand, Kanaria was holding her sniper rifle. There was something weird about her weapon. She brought a small bag attached to her waist.


    At first glance, people would definitely think it was a bag of grenades, which wasn''t surprising coming from her. However, the bag was just a camouflage. There was something even more terrifying inside that bag.


    Cyan extended his hand while saying, "I''m Cyan. It''s unfortunate that you have to fight me, but I''m not going to hold back, even if you are a woman."


    Kanaria casually shook his hand while smiling. "And I hope you do that. We can''t have you losing without a fight after all."


    "If you think you can win against me, then prove it." Cyan snorted.


    Kanaria and Cyan took a step back as the three referees entered the arena.


    "Are both of you ready?"


    "Yes." Kanaria and Cyan confirmed.


    "All lethal blows will be stopped by us, which will result in your defeat. So, please fight to your heart''s content. If there''s no question, we will begin the moment this coin touches the ground. Please take five steps back before I toss the coin."


    Kanaira and Cyan followed the instructions. After having enough distance, the general tossed the coin into the air.

 Chapter 630 630: Fly

    *Clink!*


    The clicking sound echoed inside the arena. In that instant, their eyes flashed as Cyan charged forward while Kanaria leaped into the air.


    Cyan waved his warhammer, trying to reach her, but Kanaria simply shot him first.


    Cyan had no choice but to place his shield forward instead, blocking the overpowering bullet.


    "!!!" Kanaria squinted her eyes. ''As expected, the shield is extremely sturdy. I guess it''s made at least from a Tier 7 scale. This is the only way for him to stop my sniper with a Tier 5 bullet.


    ''It seems I have no choice but to go for that strategy from the start.''


    She unbuttoned her vest, which startled everyone.


    "What is this? She is stripping? Lady..." Utaha panicked for a second. Some people covered their eyes while some were excited.


    However, their excitement turned into confusion because underneath that vest was just a full t-shirt with nothing to show except for two holes in the back.


    "!!!" Cyan recognized her strategy and sped up. "You aren''t going anywhere."


    He struck her with his hammer, albeit Kanaria was one step ahead. A pair of butterfly wings suddenly emerged from her body.


    "That''s..."


    "Butterfly wings!"


    The wings flapped as Kanaria leaped into the air, using the initial momentum to fly into the sky.


    "Ooohh! That''s right. I have almost forgotten that Kanaria Renvolt has this trump card. She is flying!" Utaha screamed. "The new beast soul is able to utilize a part of the beast''s body. Those are the wings from an ancient butterfly species, Protocoeliades kristenseni."


    "!!!" The people were quite stunned. Although they had seen it on Skynet, this was probably the first time they saw people using it for real. After all, the supplies were still quite low compared to the demand.


    And there was no better way to advertise its effectiveness than by fighting one of the top teams in the world, especially one that was led by a future Tier 9.


    Kanaria was flying into the sky and immediately shot Cyan.


    "Kh." Cyan gritted his teeth and blocked the attack carefully, looking as if he couldn''t reach her from this distance.


    "Is this actually okay?" Utaha couldn''t help but ask.


    Principal Vhalor nodded and explained, "We have taken into account the new beast soul since we''re the first academy.


    "Normally, in this kind of battle, we are only considering the horizontal area of the arena, right?


    "However, when you think about it, people often jump quite high, especially with their Tier 4 or Tier 5 strength. The only difference is that they have no way of stopping their fall.


    "So, we didn''t really think about it previously. However, the new beast soul will definitely change the direction of battle in the future.


    "This is one of the examples. As a sniper, you will have to be constantly on the move while searching for the best spot to snipe your enemy. However, this will make a sniper not really favorable in a one-on-one battle.


    "It changes the moment you have wings. By flying into the sky, you will definitely gain an easier way to get the best position. Even outside the battle, you can still fly, maybe either staying still in the air or moving from one spot to another. The mobility of a sniper improves tremendously with just a single beast soul.


    "Of course, we have put them in the rules as well. If you check the rule, the arena''s size is decided in three dimensions instead of two. So, it''s basically a cylinder with a height of 10 meters. We can really give 100 meters since it''s impossible to chase someone like that.


    "Bombardment, sniper, and other things... This time, humans can do the same." Principal Vhalor smiled, not holding back in advertising the new beast soul as he promised to Clovis.


    "I see." Utaha gasped.


    "Still, there is one advantage that Principal Vhalor has yet to reveal." Hana raised a finger.


    "And what is that, Miss Hana? I''d like to hear your opinion about the new beast soul as the one distributing it."


    Hana nodded. "Even if Mr. Cyan is able to block the bullet and somehow reaches a standstill by remaining in the air, there is really no way for them to break the deadlock, ultimately reaching a draw in a battle.


    "As Principal Vhalor said, the new beast soul has transformed the future of the battle. There are a lot of things I''m planning to add for the improvements, but I''ll reveal them once they have been confirmed.


    "So, everyone, if you wish to be a part of it, please don''t hesitate to make your order from the OpenSky Company. I''ll be waiting for you." Hana waved her hand around.


    "Miss Hana. Can you please not throw your advertisement like that?" Utaha smiled wryly.


    As expected, a lot of people got excited.


    "I want the new beast soul."


    "I want beautiful wings."


    "Me too."


    "Shut up and take my money."


    They could see the effectiveness of the wings right away. Not just the snipers. Other people also wanted it for one reason or another.


    Utaha had to calm them down, so she immediately shifted their focus back to the match. "Please look, everyone. As we have originally expected, even though Kanaria is able to remain in the sky, she is still having a hard time taking down her opponent.


    "Cyan is enduring all the attacks she has sent so far and won''t lose anytime soon. Is this going to be an inevitable draw?"


    Obviously, the two teams had already expected the battle would progress this way. Once Kanaria used up her bullets, there was no way she could win against Cyan in close combat. At the same time, Cyan didn''t expect Kanaria to go down.


    That was why Cyan was chosen for this match.


    ''Since you''re not going down, I don''t need to hold back anymore. This is your fault for cowering in the sky.'' Cyan thought while activating his beast soul. He gathered all his strength in his hammer before swinging it with all his strength.


    Gigantic Impact.

 Chapter 631 631: New Weapon

    "!!!" Kanaria widened her eyes in shock when she saw Cyan waving that hammer. This wasn''t just a normal swing.


    This was a beast soul. At the same time, he was using it differently than she had ever seen.


    The hammer actually hit the air and sent that air pressure toward her.


    Kanaria had seen some videos of him, but she had never seen this attack.


    She didn''t have time to avoid it, so she covered her front with her wings.


    "Kh."


    The air pressure was so strong that it felt like her wings were about to break. Because the nerve was connected, she could feel the pain as well. It was as if there was a car hitting her.


    "Arrghhhh." Kanaria screamed before getting flung back.


    She noticed that Cyan was planning to make her go out of bounds, so she hurriedly flapped her wings, albeit their performance was actually less than she expected. It looked like she was tipping to the left as the left wing had a hard time generating the force to stay airborne.


    "W-What is this? Cyan''s attack reached Kanaria and almost knocked her out of bounds. How can he release such a long ranged attack?!" Utaha gasped.


    Principal Vhalor squinted his eyes and said, "I can now see why they''re considered to be one of the best in their generations. That looks like a ranged attack, but it is not a ranged attack... or at least, it can''t be considered one.


    "He is hitting the air with his beast soul as well as a special technique that can generate an airflow forward. The difference between a ranged attack and this one is that the ranged attack sends forth that pressure like an extension of one''s weapon.


    "That''s why this is not considered a ranged attack. However, to be able to generate the airflow that can give that much pressure is something that can''t be ignored either.


    "I can finally understand why someone like him is inside on the opposite team. Kanaria''s bullet won''t be able to penetrate his shield and once in a while, she will have to avoid that attack.


    "So, the end result might not be a draw. Besides, it looks like the wings are damaged. Now that I think about it, how are they going to recover?" Principal Vhalor turned to the woman beside him.


    "The method is actually simple." Hana raised one finger. "You just have to inject the essence of the same level. They will use this essence to repair themselves."


    "But isn''t it going to be more expensive to maintain it? After all, the old beast soul only requires your stamina."


    Hana nodded. "Indeed. But don''t forget that the new beast soul is considered an external skeleton. In other words, it won''t modify your genetics. It''s simply working like a tool. Just charge it with electricity and you''re done with it. That''s the reason I said the new beast soul will change how people fight, but it will never replace the old beast soul. Instead, combining them will grant you an even better outcome."


    "I see. That''s going to be interesting, even for me." The principal nodded. "Unfortunately, it does seem that Kanaria is at a disadvantage. After all, you can''t repair your wings during the battle. With her unable to pierce through his defense, she might lose altitude soon. There''s no way Cyan will let go of that opportunity."


    Hana smiled. "You don''t have to worry about that. After all, I''m the sponsor. Do you think the new beast soul is their only trump card?"


    "!!!"


    Kanaria managed to maintain her altitude, but Cyan kept charging toward her.


    "You can''t escape from here. If the arena is much more complicated than this, you would have posed some problems, but blame your own luck for your defeat today." Cyan waved his hammer again.


    Kanaria clicked her tongue and flew to the side, barely avoiding the impact. However, the torrent of air was still impacting the air around it, causing her to have a hard time stabilizing her wings.


    She hurriedly tilted her body and shot him, showing her flexibility.


    "!!!" Cyan was quite surprised that Kanaria was still able to accurately hit him even in that position. Fortunately, he blocked the bullet, while Kanaria still had a hard time running away from his attack.


    If this continued, he would definitely win.


    Cyan continued onward, preparing to use his Gigantic Impact the moment Kanaria entered his range.


    Kanaria wouldn''t allow him to have such an easy time. She kept shooting him in succession, but Cyan effortlessly took the bullet head-on.


    "This is why guns are more popular when you''re low level but become less popular once you go to a higher level.


    "Once you reach a certain point, you can predict or even see the bullet itself. It''s going to be impossible for you, who rely too much on your weapon instead of your skill to defeat such a master.


    "The reason you lose to me is that you are relying too much on your gun!" Cyan shouted while releasing another Gigantic Impact.


    "Oh. This is not a statement that can easily be dismissed, isn''t it, Principal Vhalor?" Utaha couldn''t help but ask.


    Principal Vhalor smiled wryly. "Well, if I have to say it, then yes. Rather than relying on your skill or strength, the gun is taking advantage of the mechanism inside the weapon itself, which can only be upgraded by making a much better gun.


    "However, there is a limit to how good a gun can be. Even if you use a higher-tier bullet, if it doesn''t get shot with much higher force, it will be useless. That''s why a lot of people usually switch from gun to bow after reaching a certain point. It''s not like they can bring a tank anywhere, right?"


    Hana smirked. "What if they can bring a tank anywhere they like?"


    "Huh?" Principal Vhalor frowned.


    "Ooohh? What is this? Kanaria has just thrown away her weapon?!" Utaha suddenly shouted.


    Hana''s smile widened, as the people couldn''t help but shift their gaze to Kanaria.


    Kanaria touched the bag attached to her waist earlier and that bag suddenly transformed.


    Hana muttered, "And today, the world will know there is one more type of weapon...Let me present to you the weapon that my OpenSky Company has been developing in recent years, Soul Weapon."

 Chapter 632 632: Power

    Kanaria dropped her weapon and immediately grabbed the bag attached to her waist. The bag suddenly transformed into a red-colored weapon.


    Its shape was similar to that of a sniper, but the barrel was much bigger compared to her previous sniper. In addition, there was a weird long cavity in that barrel.


    The size of that sniper was 1.5 times the size of the previous rifle, so it looked hard to move around. But this was when the new beast soul solved that problem. By flying around, Kanaria could move around at will. In addition, the soul weapon could revert to its original shape.


    They could feel the danger coming from this weapon to the point where even Carrick couldn''t help but stand up, staring at the weapon.


    ''What is that? A new weapon? Something is different. That weapon looks weak, but it can make me feel chills. Its potential? Strength?'' Carrick widened his eyes in shock. He shifted his gaze to Hana, who was obviously the culprit of this weapon.


    They had made a rule where Kanaria couldn''t utilize the flying beast soul to its potential, but he never expected there would be another weapon hidden by the Libation Fiesta.


    "Hoho..." Ezekiel was also shocked, but he was even more pleased, knowing that they were on the same side.


    ''What is that? It''s charging?'' Cyan widened his eyes in shock. Sweat drenched his back as he finally felt afraid of the unknown danger. There was still an opportunity for Kanaria to defeat him.


    Cyan hurriedly put his shield in front of him.


    Kanaria pulled the trigger as the new weapon released its full might.


    Bam!


    The suppressor couldn''t contain the sound as it made everyone''s heart skip a beat. The bullet hit Cyan almost in an instant.


    Cyan managed to react slightly, enough for the referees to believe he still had the chance to block it himself instead of giving the victory to Kanaria.


    However, the moment it hit the shield, Cyan was blown away.


    "!!!" Cyan was completely speechless. Before he realized it, he had fallen to the ground with his left arm going numb. ''What happened? What was that power? What kind of weapon did they create?''


    Kanaria couldn''t help but glance at this weapon. When she tested it for the first time, she was also shocked by the power of this weapon.


    It was as if Hana had finally found a way to decrease the size of an artillery. Still, this was just a prototype. Hana already told her that there were only three bullets it could shoot for the time being, so if she couldn''t defeat him within three bullets, it would be useless.


    Meanwhile, Hana was thrilled.


    "Soul weapon? What is that?" Utaha was in utter shock. Even the people were dumbfounded. The principal chuckled, "There you go again..."


    Hana raised one finger. "Soul Weapon is a part of a project I''m currently working on. You can say it''s a branch that appears after seeing the new beast soul.


    "This is the OpenSky Company''s power armor. I won''t say much about the power armor, but essentially, it''s an exoskeleton that can be controlled like a part of a human body. You can say that thanks to the technology of the new beast soul, we''re finally able to realize this project.


    "And this Soul Weapon is the extension for other types of weapons. And we''re currently interested in making a specialized weapon for the new beast soul. For example, what if you have a scorpion''s tail and put a turret on it? Won''t it make you become a bit too overpowered?


    "The project itself has started since several years ago and the prototype has finally been born.


    "In addition, this technology is aided by nanotechnology, so it can change its shape to something else, which makes bringing it more convenient.


    "We''ll be releasing the official information pretty soon, so I hope everyone doesn''t miss it." Hana smiled.


    Utaha was speechless. The people finally saw the true monster in the business world. The new beast soul alone would definitely bring her to one of the top positions, but the moment she combined it with this power armor, there was a chance for her to aim for the very top, even surpassing the global giant that controlled the Sky Network.


    Obviously, this release would definitely pique everyone''s interest and a lot of people might even take a drastic action either stealing from her or killing her.


    However, Hana was ready for such a thing.


    With Clovis and the Hacfield family protecting her, there was nothing she didn''t dare to do. Coupled with the Elseingarde, she believed she could create an empire under her name and etched her name into the canal of history.


    Although there was some miscalculation in the timing since she didn''t expect for the Melesviet to come here, it didn''t change much.


    She had made an agreement with Clovis. She would raise the money and Clovis could take advantage of it for whatever secret he had. And this battle would be the mark of the beginning of the woman who would be remembered as the empress.


    Kanaria, on the other hand, actually smiled. People might think she was inferior or anything, but her dream never changed and no less than Hana.


    She still wished to rebuild a city and reclaim their lands from beasts. Hana would provide the money.


    ''A business maniac, a Tier 9 human, and a genius doctor... Seriously, my rivals in love make me unable to relax.'' Kanaria took a deep breath. ''Well, no one expects me to win this battle, but should I see if I can win or not?''


    Kanaria looked at the disoriented Cyan. She aimed at him carefully, knowing there were two more chances to take Cyan down.


    Still, the shield was extremely sturdy. Even after taking a hit from her Soul Sniper, it was still intact.


    In fact, it only cracked a bit.


    Cyan gritted his teeth, not knowing whether he could win or not. That weapon was simply too dangerous, and he wasn''t equipped with something that could counter it.


    The final phase of the battle was just about to begin.

 Chapter 633: Tricking into Victory

    Still, even though Kanaria wanted to win, she only had two bullets.


    That was why Kanaria had to play it risky.


    Seeing Cyan standing still, Kanaria aimed her gun at him one more time. There was a plan in her mind. If she managed to execute it properly, she would win.


    Her target was not Cyan but his shield. Although it managed to withstand the overpowered bullet, it still cracked from all that power. Hence, it would be good to overwhelm him head-on.


    Cyan raised his shield, knowing that another attack would come. He specifically rested the tip of his hammer on the ground so that he could use it to support his body to withstand her attack.


    Kanaria''s eyes flashed as she pulled the trigger.


    Bam!


    The earth-shattering sound once again shook the arena as Cyan gritted his teeth. The bullet hit his shield hard as he was getting pushed back severely. The shield cracked all over from that bullet, but due to his hammer, he didn''t get blown away.


    "Kh." Cyan hurriedly stepped forward, ready to swing his hammer. Unlike Kanaria, he didn''t know that Kanaria only had three bullets and the last one would be the end of her.


    So, he had to be aggressive.


    To his surprise, Kanaria was the one getting aggressive.


    When he was about to attack, he saw Kanaria diving toward him.


    "!!!" Cyan didn''t know what Kanaria was planning to do, but since he was coming at him, he would welcome her with a swing of his hammer.


    However, the moment he swung that big hammer, Kanaria suddenly decelerated before fully stopping a few centimeters from his hammer''s range.


    Her wings flapped one more time and pulled her back before she landed on the ground. With Cyan''s movement earlier, there was no way he could counter this attack.


    ''Shit.'' Cyan panicked. He was rushing a bit due to her extraordinary weapon.


    Kanaria already landed right in front of him, aiming at his shield one more time.


    "This is the end." Kanaria pressed the trigger.


    Bam!


    The point-blank range shot was terrifying. The bullet shattered his shield and actually grazed his flesh on the left side. If not for Cyan''s quick reaction, he would have been in trouble.


    But this was something Kanaria had expected. With the shield gone, Kanaria hurriedly re-aimed at his chest so that he couldn''t avoid it this time.


    Cyan hurriedly waved that hammer one more time, trying to smash her before she could shoot him.


    "This is over." Kanaria said as she was about to pull the trigger.


    And this was the time the three judges suddenly appeared. Alan stopped Cyan''s hammer, the general stood between them, and the judge from other academies pushed Kanaria''s weapon down so that it wasn''t aimed at anyone else.


    "!!!" Cyan looked shocked, while Kanaria had expected it.


    Alan smiled while glancing at the two judges. "Kanaria won, right? Do you have any objections?"


    "Kh." The judge from other academies couldn''t help but bite his lips. It was clear that Kanaria would kill Cyan first before that hammer hit her. So, this was indeed Kanaria''s victory. He just didn''t know there was simply no bullet in that gun.


    And there was no need for Kanaria to inform him about that fact.


    Only Hana was in utter shock. Of course, she was delighted with the result. She just didn''t expect Kanaria to win at all.


    ''Kanaria. You sly woman. There''s no more bullet there. I would have made an excuse, like saying, ''We don''t have enough time to prepare the prototype and only made three bullets,'' or something along those lines in case you lose.


    ''But you... You actually tricked them into thinking that you still have another bullet and are ready to blast Cyan with that weapon. With them not knowing that there''s no bullet inside there, you will still be able to win.


    ''You have fought with Clovis all this time, so you''re actually picking his habit as well?''


    The general straightened his back and announced out loud, "First match. Won by Kanaria Renvolt!"


    "Oohhhh!"


    The cheers immediately erupted. Utaha couldn''t help but shout excitedly, "The arena is shaking! This is an uproar.


    "Kanaria Renvolt, a Tier 4 human, has just beaten her opponent, who is a Tier 5 human. Even with the overwhelming odds, she managed to turn it around."


    Clang!


    A glass shattered into pieces as Carrick saw the result of the first match.


    Even Tesron''s face turned pale as he was sitting next to his grandfather until it was his turn.


    "Useless." Carrick gritted his teeth. Then again, they might have expected the wings. There''s no way they would figure out the Soul Weapon.


    They had been completely fooled by Hana.


    Clovis smirked, knowing that there was no more bullet in that weapon. Even though Hana was at a disadvantage this whole time, she was still able to utilize the fact that this was just sparring instead of a life-and-death battle.


    "Good work, Clovis. That girl is good and bold." Ezekiel raised his thumbs.


    "There were only three bullets in that weapon, Hana said." Clovis revealed the truth.


    "Huh? Really?" Ezekiel widened his eyes in shock. It turned out the battle was actually more surprising than he originally thought. "Hahahaha. I can laugh at that foolish old man now. He would be furious if he knew that weapon only had three bullets!"


    Ezekiel couldn''t contain his laugh because this was more hilarious than seeing Carrick lose.


    "Well, I guess I don''t have to win and our team will already win. In that case, I''ll be aiming for a complete victory."


    "Yeah. You can definitely count on Ragna." Ezekiel smirked. "This is going to be a huge blow if they experience a crushing defeat. He will be so pissed off, but don''t worry, I will cover you for that. It''s not like you''re going to hide your identity for that long either, right?"


    "Yes." Clovis nodded. "Have you done something to Ragna, sir?"


    "It''s nothing much. We just both have the same type of constitution, so I tell him a trick or two." Ezekiel smirked playfully.

 Chapter 634: Second Match

    "This is shocking. I don''t know what to say." Utaha was speechless. "Despite all odds, Kanaria is able to best Cyan.


    "I wonder if Principal Vhalor can explain to us what has just happened?" Utaha asked.


    The principal nodded. "Indeed. While it looks like a short battle, it''s actually a complicated one.


    "First of all, let''s not ignore the fact that Cyan was a bad match-up to Kanaria. After all, he is a guardian strong enough to take on her sniper rifle. I believe he had shown enough how a guardian could easily best a sniper in the arena.


    "Meanwhile, Kanaria managed to reduce the gap between them by using the new beast soul.


    "As a result, Cyan had to resort to using that powerful ability of his. By utilizing the old beast soul as well as a specialized technique, he could send that wind force toward her. The strength itself was shown as it was enough to damage her wings.


    "I could say that the biggest surprise would be the new weapon. Soul Weapon, was it? By suddenly showing it and revealing its power, Kanaria was able to take the initiative in the fight.


    "I''m not sure about the details of the sniper itself, so I won''t comment on it for the time being. However, I will have to say Kanaria was clever.


    "She used the first bullet to blast Cyan, revealing that extraordinary power and throwing Cyan''s mind into disarray. As a result, it clouded Cyan''s judgment a bit.


    "Still, he had enough skills to actually withstand the second bullet, at least much better than the first bullet.


    "It was supposed to be his fight, but Kanaria immediately dove. And this was where his clouded judgment ended up making him lose. Instead of blocking her, Cyan chose to attack.


    "If he continued blocking her, he could see what she was doing more clearly. Even if Kanaria hit him one more time and destroyed that shield, Cyan would still be able to wield his hammer fast enough to push her away.


    "Regardless of the result, both sides had fought well. It was just a shame that this was the first time they saw the Soul Weapon. I could only offer my condolences for Cyan. At least, thanks to his sacrifice, his team would be aware of the power of the Soul Weapon.


    "At the same time, Kanaria had cleverly manipulated Cyan''s mind and defeated him. And that''s all I can say about this battle."


    Utaha nodded. "Thank you very much, Principal Vhalor. This is great insight, everyone. To think that the battle is so complex. The choice, the timing, the trump card... They released them at the right moment and unfortunately, one of them had to lose.


    "And so, let''s ask a bit more about this new weapon from none other than Miss Hana. Miss Hana. What kind of weapon is this?"


    Hana shook her head helplessly. "Unfortunately, I can''t say much today. All I can say is that you have seen the effectiveness of that Soul Weapon.


    "Honestly, I was planning to introduce it when the Libation Fiesta, especially Clovis, reaches Tier 5. However, thanks to this battle, I have to create a prototype and introduce it a bit earlier.


    "All I can say right now is that the material of that soul weapon is actually not that much different from a normal weapon.


    "Thanks to the new beast soul, we''re able to use the essence as a way to recharge this Soul Weapon instead of repairing the broken new beast soul.


    "Hence, the materials for that soul weapon are actually of the same tier as her original sniper rifle. The only difference is the technology.


    "Regarding the official release, we will stick to our original schedule. Hence, I will be releasing the official news regarding the Soul Weapon next year. I hope everyone keeps tuning in." Hana winked playfully.


    Utaha smiled wryly. Hana truly didn''t hold back when advertising her products. At the same time, even she was amazed by its power. If it was truly made of the same material, the world would truly enter the new age. And this was just because of the new beast soul and Soul Weapon. They hadn''t talked about power armor.


    "This is going to be interesting, isn''t it, everyone? New beast souls and the new soul weapons. I bet everyone is waiting for it.


    "Unfortunately, there don''t seem to be a lot of things that Miss Hana can disclose to us. So, we will wait patiently for more information.


    "And don''t forget what we came here for today. Although we have seen a lot of things, we will also witness the battle of two powerful teams.


    "The arena has been fixed, so it''s time for us to call for the next participant. Two team leaders, I''d like to ask you for the next participant. Does Libation Fiesta want to reveal the participant''s name first?"


    Clovis'' voice echoed in the arena. "Yes. For the second match, we''ll send Ragna Book."


    "Matthew Liam." Tesron''s choice followed right after.


    "Oh my. The two team leaders have decided on their next representatives. Ragna Book is the first guardian in the Libation Fiesta. With a petite stature and thin figure, he is definitely different from most guardians. However, please don''t get fooled by his appearance. Ragna book is a first-class guardian.


    "He was the reason Libation Fiesta was able to do anything they wanted on a battlefield before the second guardian, Miss Christina, joined the team.


    "Meanwhile, Matthew Liam is a first-rate warrior. Equipped with two curved blades, it can be said that he is relentless in his attack.


    "He is also the student of a Tier 8 human known as Dual Wielding Demon. I believe we''ll be able to see whether Ragna''s sturdiness or Matthew''s unlimited attack will come out on top. Without further ado, let''s welcome both participants into the arena with a round of applause."


    As the people cheered, Ragna and Matthew entered the arena. Matthew wasn''t that different from Ragna, except for his height. He was still slender despite holding two heavy-looking blades.


    However, Ragna didn''t plan to lose either. After all, he had learned something from Ezekiel.

 Chapter 635: 3 Tips

    Ragna and Matthew stood in front of each other. Unlike Ragna''s relaxed face, Matthew''s expression was grim. After all, the pressure kept mounting.


    They were supposed to be the stronger side, yet they actually lost the battle. They had shamelessly attacked the first academy for the sake of ''exchange,'' so the moment they lost, the shame would be intolerable.


    It was especially true the moment Cyan lost the battle. If he lost as well, he wouldn''t know what would be waiting for them once they returned. After all, Carrick would be furious.


    Ragna extended his hand with a gentle smile. "Ragna Book. I hope we can have a good battle."


    Matthew wanted to slap this hand, but it would just cause another embarrassment. So he reluctantly shook Ragna''s hand without saying anything.


    Ragna could feel his intent. In fact, no one probably thought he would win this match. Even then, he still didn''t plan to lose just like that. Despite not being a Tier 5 like Erwin or Aileen, he still had one advantage he could take advantage of.


    ...


    A few days ago.


    "So, you''re the guy who Christina said to have the same physique as me." Ezekiel smirked.


    Clovis had told him that Ezekiel wanted to meet him, so he agreed, wondering what the Tier 9 human wanted from him.


    Ezekiel examined his physique. Unlike Ragna, his body was much more developed. Although there weren''t a lot of muscles, his strength had surpassed what a muscle could achieve.


    "Have you ever felt betrayed by your effort? You have trained a lot, but not a single time have you been able to develop your muscle, despite being a guardian." Ezekiel asked a question that pierced deeply in his heart.


    "..." Ragna looked down. That reaction alone was enough of an answer for Ezekiel.


    Ezekiel then took out his Skyphone and showed a picture. "Look at this."


    Ragna lifted his head, finding a picture of a family. The father was over two meters tall and his muscles were huge. While the lady was normal, there were three children who had a big contrast. Two out of those three children had muscular bodies similar to their father''s. Yet, the third one actually had a petite body. His frame looked frail, as though he would collapse out of nowhere.


    "The one you''re currently looking at is me... the me from 46 years ago."


    "!!!" Ragna raised his head in disbelief. "But sir..."


    "I''m very different from the photo, right?" Ezekiel smirked. "We''re blessed and cursed by this constitution. However, I''m much more fortunate because my family is quite wealthy, so I don''t suffer much hardship like you.


    "Thanks to the support of my family, I''m able to grow my height. Although I''m not muscular, my muscles are much stronger than the rest of the people in this world. There is probably only one person who has a tougher body than mine, who happens to be Clovis'' grandfather, Michael Hacfield.


    "However, this is not the reason I call you. The way to overcome the flaws of our constitution. That''s what I''m planning to tell you."


    "Is it... alright for you to tell me such an important secret?"


    Ezekiel nodded. "In the end, our physique is so rare that it''s already a miracle I can find someone like you appearing when I''m still alive, let alone meeting you right here. So, sharing some tips shouldn''t be a problem. Besides, you''re a guardian in my granddaughter''s team, so if you become stronger, my granddaughter will be safer as well."


    Ragna thought for a moment before lowering his head. "I know that this is shameless to ask when I have nothing to offer. But please... tell me how to overcome my physique. I want to be stronger and be more useful!"


    "It seems that brat, Clovis, is blessed with a great team. Well, you seem to have overcome the lack of strength in one way or another, which is quite surprising.


    "However, it''s not the way I thought you would have done." Ezekiel crossed his arms. "Anyway, I have three tips for you. Unfortunately, you''re already at that age. If you''re younger, you can probably still grow your height, but because of your current age, you will still be short even if you fix your constitution. Is that alright?"


    "Yes." Ragna nodded without hesitation. He couldn''t care less about his height as long as he could get stronger.


    "In that case, the first tip. Do you understand how your physique works?"


    "Healing rapidly?" Ragna tilted his head in confusion.


    "Indeed. Our bodies are healing rapidly to the point where it feels like it''s turning back time."


    "Turning back time? Do you mean all the muscles I gain disappear because it''s turning back time?"


    He shook his head. "Not exactly. If you drive a car at a high speed and want to stop, you have to decelerate at a certain rate, right?"


    "Yes."


    "Our constitution just has a much higher initial speed. As a result, when it''s trying to stop, it will end up having a hard time coming to a complete stop, which forces us to go backward a bit. This is the main reason we''re unable to gain muscle.


    "The first tip is how to handle the body''s constitution. When I want to gain height, I actually enlarge myself with a huge amount of food. That expansion comes gradually, and our body will recognize it as damage and try to repair it. But instead of repairing it, it will feel more like forcing the body to grow to accommodate that expansion. You can probably do the same thing if you want a bigger body.


    "However, if you don''t want such a thing and want to solely focus on building your muscle, then you have to work much harder from now on. To put it simply, you just have to cross a much longer distance so that the backward movement won''t make you go back to square one.


    "I will show you the training I had in the past. For the last tip, it''s actually for the battle instead of your growth. You have this unique physique, and you will take advantage of it during a battle." Ezekiel had a sly smile at the end.

 Chapter 636 636: Shield as a Weapon

    Ragna took a deep breath. Unlike his opponent, who needed to do everything he could to win, there was no pressure on his back.


    Still, if it was possible, he wished to win. After all, he was still a guardian of the Libation Fiesta.


    If he couldn''t win, he might not be able to repay Clovis'' kindness.


    With both parties raising their weapons, Utaha immediately started the countdown. "Now that both parties are ready, let''s not wait any further. Let''s count together."


    "3..."


    "2..."


    "1..."


    "Go!"


    The moment they heard the signal, Matthew leaped toward Ragna.


    In the end, Ragna looked much smaller and lacked power compared to the big Matthew. Hence, the original plan was to overpower him.


    Matthew struck Ragna''s shield with all his strength.


    Ragna took advantage of his petite figure to tilt his shield upward. This way, Matthew''s blade would slide on his shield and gradually move up, away from him.


    "!!!" Matthew looked surprised at first. Ragna wanted to use this opportunity to knock Matthew out of balance, but Matthew was much stronger than all his opponents so far.


    When he was about to push his shield, Matthew struck the other tip of the shield with his other blade, planting that shield to the ground.


    After that, the blade that had slid off the shield returned and wanted to cut him from behind.


    Ragna ducked, allowing the blade to hit the back of his shield.


    Even though he missed, Ragna''s arm was still attached to the shield. Hence, Matthew immediately pushed down to cut his arm. With this much damage, the referees would definitely stop the match.


    Yet all three Tier 8 referees didn''t make their move.


    In fact, a clicking sound echoed in his ears, which startled Matthew. There was supposed to be no more metal that could block his sword. At the same time, he could feel the bump strong enough to make his sword slide on its surface. The problem was that this surface was where Ragna''s arm was supposed to be.


    "T-This is..." Utaha stood up in shock.


    Even Matthew couldn''t help but look at what happened to Ragna''s hand. He thought the beast soul would be similar to Kanaria''s. Or at least, the beast soul would be much more noticeable.


    He never thought that Ragna actually chose a scale as his beast soul.


    That was right. Scales emerged from his skin, covering his arms, legs, and a part of his cheeks.


    "Scales?!" Utaha gasped.


    "Tier 6 Madtsoia''s scale. The original beast soul''s function is to strengthen one''s skin, but with the new beast soul technology, we''re able to create the original scale." Hana smirked. "And it won''t be easy to defeat Ragna at this point."


    As Hana said, the moment Matthew''s attack failed, Ragna immediately pushed the blades away before thrusting his spear.


    "!!!" Matthew tilted his neck at the last second, causing the spear to graze his neck. "Kh."


    He didn''t think a guardian like Ragna would be the first one making him bleed.


    Gritting his teeth, Matthew struck Ragna in rapid succession.


    Ragna shifted his stance one more time, taking the attacks earnestly. In the end, there were a lot of ways for Ragna to win.


    The first would be exhausting Matthew''s stamina by continuously defending. There was also a chance for Matthew to lower his guard when he was too focused on attacking.


    The second way was to fight Matthew head-on, which would be impossible because they were specialized in different things.


    Last but not least, it was to taunt Matthew. In the end, he knew Matthew had to defeat him. Even a draw wouldn''t be forgiven.


    Still, this fight was a way to promote their group as well as the products. Hence, he couldn''t make the match boring by choosing the first option or bringing down the group''s reputation by trash-talking.


    Hence, Ragna wanted to challenge himself by choosing the second path.


    The moment he chose this path, Ragna immediately tilted his shield.


    ''An opening!'' Matthew hurriedly joined both swords and struck his shield in order to knock it down. The moment he cracked open that shield, he could defeat Ragna.


    To everyone''s surprise, Ragna actually shifted his shield away from the blades'' trajectory. Instead, he was planning to take the attack with his arm instead.


    "!!!" Matthew couldn''t be more delighted, since he could definitely defeat Ragna like this.


    Meanwhile, the three referees panicked. If this attack didn''t get stopped, Ragna would lose his arm.


    Alan and the general were ready to take action the moment they saw the blade slashing a bit of Ragna''s arm.


    Even if Ragna''s arm got cut, no one would really blame him because Ragna was the one inviting this problem on his own. Even then, they couldn''t afford such a result. At the very least, they were capable enough to stop the blade from fully cutting the arm, which should be able to be fixed later.


    Yet, Ragna surprised them once again when even both blades attacked the same spot. The blade only broke the scale and cut a thin layer of flesh off Ragna''s arm, refusing to go further. Ragna only needed to position his arm in a way that the blades would slide down.


    Then, after the blades failed to cut through its target, Ragna twisted the arm and his wrist before banging Matthew with his shield.


    "Gah!" Matthew was stunned. This was Ragna''s goal from the beginning. Instead of using his shield as a defensive tool, he wanted the shield to act like an offensive one.


    With him getting knocked to the side, Ragna hurriedly thrust his spear toward his chest.


    Matthew desperately put the blade on its path and struck it weakly, deflecting the spear to his side.


    The spear scraped the flesh on the left side of his chest, which unfortunately wasn''t fatal.


    Still, no one in the stadium would think Ragna is unable to win. In fact, Ragna had been controlling the flow of the battle this whole time.


    The most shocking thing was that the wound on his arm was already healed.

 Chapter 637 637: Physique

    "W-What? His arm..." Utaha gasped. Some people had already closed their eyes.


    However, Utaha continued, "Matthew actually failed to cut his arm? Ragna even counterattacked? No. Look at the wound on his arm. What is that?! It''s healing at a rapid rate! And without us realizing it, the wound is already closed!"


    Hana smirked. "Well, I don''t think I should explain it, right, Principal?"


    Principal Vhalor smiled wryly. "You''re really hiding something like this? I have never seen him fight, so I don''t really know, but he... has that physique, huh?"


    "Principal Vhalor? Do you know what we''re currently witnessing?" Utaha asked in shock.


    "It''s an extremely rare body condition. This body condition is so absurd that we rarely see them go past 1 year old.


    "This physique is so heaven-defying that they call it Time Restoration Body. However, the more formal term for it is autoimmune rickets.


    "As you know, rickets is a disease characterized by soft, weak bones due to a deficiency of vitamin D, calcium, or phosphate.


    "However, this one is much more extreme. After being born, due to the deficiency, the baby actually broke their bones once in a while. Some are as rare as a few months, while some are as often as a week.


    "There is no cure. However, here is one more peculiar thing from this physique. Their body''s recovery and immunity are much more overbearing than even the most malignant tumors.


    "Even though their bodies are breaking, their body systems keep healing them. As a result, it''s like the baby is dying and reviving again and again during their childhood.


    "Still, this deficiency will be gone after they reach 4 years old while maintaining the recovery process.


    "And what you see is the power of that recovery. From what I know, there is only one person who manages to overcome that physique.


    "I think you''re already familiar with him, considering his granddaughter is also in the Libation Fiesta... Not that she participates, though."


    "!!!" Utaha widened her eyes in shock. "Are you talking about the world Tier 9 human, Mr. Ezekiel Elseingarde?"


    "Yes." Principal Vhalor nodded. "And finally, for the second time in the world, another person with the same body type has been confirmed.


    "Although there is another thing that allows Mr. Ezekiel Elseingarde to reach Tier 9, this physique alone will definitely bring Ragna Book to Tier 8. No. He might even be able to become stronger than most Tier 9.


    "The Libation Fiesta keeps surprising me." The principal let out a sigh.


    The people couldn''t help but look at each other.


    "There is someone like that?"


    "We need some information about him."


    "How is he so strong?"


    "With that recovery and his skill as a guardian as well as that new beast soul, won''t he become immortal in a battle?"


    The people finally discovered Ragna''s talent for the first time.


    "No way. How lucky is the Libation Fiesta to be able to gather all of them?"


    They were envious. The Libation Fiesta was definitely a one-of-a-kind party.


    Kanaria had shown her cleverness in battle even though her real talent was in logistics. Jay and Erwin hadn''t fought yet, while Clovis was known to be even more monstrous than those two.


    There were even Christina and Lucifania, while they didn''t know much about Melody.


    Still, it was clear that the Libation Fiesta was one of the most abnormal groups they had ever seen in their entire life.


    And the one who gathered them all was Clovis.


    They all turned to the arena one more time.


    "Ohhhh! Ragna is finally launching a counterattack!" Utaha shouted.


    Ragna thrust his spear in succession. Matthew gritted his teeth while avoiding every thrust before hitting his spear and slashing Ragna.


    Just like before, Ragna took the attack head-on and slammed his shield again.


    Matthew had to block it, even if it meant getting pushed back. His strength was his deadly speed and unpredictable attack, but for some reason, Ragna managed to overwhelm him.


    ''What is this? What exactly are you?'' Matthew was confused and furious. He never faced such a humiliation before. At the same time, if he couldn''t turn the situation around, he would be dead.


    As he expected, Carrick''s anger almost erupted.


    He gripped his couch so hard that it cracked. "You bastard, Ezekiel. You must have known all this and tried to humiliate me."


    While it was true that Ezekiel was aware of the Libation Fiesta''s true strength, it wasn''t like he hadn''t taken this into account.


    However, there was one thing that confused him the most.


    "How in the world is he being pushed back? The gap between Tier 4 and Tier 5 is simply too big. Even if he is able to fight someone above his rank, it shouldn''t be like this. Even that physique can''t justify it."


    That was right. The most confusing thing was actually the power that the Libation Fiesta had. Their physical strength was so high that they were actually similar to Tier 5.


    Without this strength, there was no way the Libation Fiesta would have won.


    So, he couldn''t help but wonder how they got all this strength.


    ''Something... They must have done something. That''s right. Their group is supposed to be discovering the new beast soul... And the way they''re able to gather all these people... Something must be going on... Something... No, someone...'' Carrick widened his eyes in shock.


    His eyes shifted toward the most mysterious man in this group, Clovis.


    ''Clovis... Familiarity... Have I met him before? An illegitimate child? He must be hiding information. I need to find it. That''s right. Ezekiel must be planning to marry his granddaughter to that playboy. His status or uniqueness must not be something we should underestimate.''


    Carrick stood up and shouted, "Tesron. Whatever you do, don''t underestimate him. The bastard that will be your opponent... He might have a unique ability as well. If he doesn''t have that much, that bastard Ezekiel will definitely not send his granddaughter to him."


    "!!!" Tesron was slightly stunned and even more shocked when Carrick looked like he was about to leave. "Grandfather... Where are you going?"


    "I''m going to find out what secret that brat is hiding." Carrick gnashed his teeth and slammed the door open.

 Chapter 638: Endurance

    Clang!


    Clang!


    Clang!


    Matthew kept striking Ragna in rapid succession, preventing him from hitting back.


    However, Ragna managed to block all those attacks with his shield, even though he got pushed back so far.


    Still, not a single attack actually landed on Ragna, showing Matthew that they could do this for a whole day long, but he would never be able to take him down.


    The one with the most stamina would win. And considering Ragna was defending, she would be the one coming out on top.


    "Kh." Matthew became even more frustrated. Ragna should have gone down and given the win to him.


    On the other hand, Ragna couldn''t help but recall the time he spent with Clovis.


    Clovis'' attack was much more powerful, especially with his unique ability. His speed was lacking, and the technique wasn''t as dangerous.


    Defending against such an opponent shouldn''t be that hard.


    However, Ragna could see that the people were getting bored. Even Utaha wouldn''t know what else to say soon.


    Besides, he also wanted to fully utilize his physique, like what Ezekiel said.


    Hence, Ragna abruptly stopped the next slash with his spear.


    "!!!" Matthew looked surprised at first, but there was no way he would waste such an opportunity. He hurriedly twisted his wrist and struck Ragna''s exposed arm.


    Unfortunately for him, the scale was stopped once again by the scale. Then, Matthew took advantage of his speed to slash Ragna''s chest, leaving behind a small wound.


    In exchange, Ragna was able to bang his shield on his head.


    He had taken a hit from someone with a higher level, so there was nothing that Matthew could do.


    That was why Ragna finally opened his stance a bit.


    Matthew didn''t know what Ragna was planning, but he utilized this opportunity and struck Ragna multiple times.


    But Ragna''s intention became clear the moment the next attack struck. Ragna actually pierced Matthew by using the gap in his movement when he attacked him.


    His spear almost struck his gut, but Matthew managed to tilt his body at the last second, causing the spear to scrape only a bit of his flesh.


    Then, he used the gap in Ragna''s movement and struck him again, only to find Ragna taking advantage of the situation to launch another attack.


    "!!!" Matthew was in utter shock. He finally realized what Ragna was doing.


    "He is quite reckless..." Clovis squinted his eyes.


    "Why do you think he is reckless? This is how I normally fight." Ezekiel smirked. "You need to know which attack you can withstand and which one can kill you immediately.


    "By polishing that instinct, you will be able to differentiate between the two in an instant. More importantly, due to our regeneration, the wound would simply heal itself.


    "..." Clovis squinted his eyes. He couldn''t really deny that point. "Still, it''s quite worrying that he is treading such a thin line between life and death constantly."


    Ezekiel nodded. "That''s something I agree with. However, if you don''t become reckless like this, you won''t get stronger.


    "Only after utilizing every single bit of your talent can you reach Tier 8. That''s why this is necessary.


    "Besides, you have been training with him as well, no?"


    "I just became a Tier 4 not long ago, so I wanted a sparring partner. Ragna was simply lucky that I really needed his help." Clovis looked away.


    "Hahaha. Let''s leave it at that. However, this is the end of the battle." Ezekiel closed his eyes.


    Clovis nodded in agreement.


    Once Matthew was locked into this type of battle, there was no escaping it. Ragna kept hitting him while taking care of all his attacks.


    However, Ragna chose to be a bit reckless. Instead of blocking his attack, he received them. As a result, it also lowered the chance for Matthew to stop his attack as well.


    Even if Matthew could hit him three times while Ragna only managed to hit him once, Ragna''s wound could easily disappear while Matthew had to endure that wound for the entire duration of the match.


    The longer the battle lasted, the higher Ragna''s chance to win.


    ''Why are you not going down? Your body is already covered in injuries.'' Matthew screamed inwardly while slicing Ragna.


    Ragna simply took another hit before punching Matthew and breaking his nose.


    ''Just give up. I have fought against Clovis after he became a Tier 4. He is much more amazing than you. I will win. I have to. I''m tired of giving up and accepting my fate.'' Ragna gritted his teeth.


    Even though the wound was recovering, his brain kept registering the pain and damage. If it were anyone else, they would have been screaming in the arena.


    But this wound just made him remember her past. The kids or thugs beat him up even if he asked them to stop.


    Although he didn''t say it, Ragna was able to endure pain much better than the others.


    The battle turned into an intense match, with both of them determined to succeed. Even if their bodies were covered in injuries, they didn''t wish to be the first one to fall.


    This was the battle of will, and they planned to win.


    With all those wounds, the referees were raising their guard to the highest level, making sure that no one would get hurt.


    "It has become a battle of endurance and determination, huh?'' Ezekiel pinched the bridge of his nose. "To think that the situation reaches this point. With their wounds, they might not be able to launch another clever attack. In other words, it has become a battle of endurance.


    "Although Ragna''s wound will heal, with his condition worsening, it will take a longer time to recover.


    "However..." Ezekiel squinted his eyes.


    Ragna''s spear actually snapped after getting hit by Matthew''s sword.


    "!!!" Matthew smiled, thinking this was the chance to gain the victory. He hurriedly struck Ragna, trying to defeat him.


    Still, the referee didn''t come out, so he had to continue until the referee deemed it was enough.


    Unfortunately for him, the spearhead that was sent flying a moment ago fell right in front of Ragna. He grabbed it and tried to pierce Matthew''s head.

 Chapter 639: Territory

    "This..."


    "This..."


    The people were staring at the arena dumbfoundedly.


    While it was true that Ragna managed to control the battle, Matthew was supposed to overwhelm Ragna with his strength.


    Just like how he managed to actually break Ragna''s weapon, that was what was supposed to happen next. Yet Ragna had expected it and moved forward, not caring about his injuries. No. To be more accurate, Ragna had won the gamble.


    After all that injury, Matthew couldn''t move as he was supposed to. He took advantage of that opportunity to finish Matthew off.


    The two referees had already stopped the match by grabbing Ragna''s spear and stopping his movement.


    "I don''t think there''s a debate for the winner, right?" The general asked, glancing at the other two referees.


    Although it was a shame, none of them complained.


    "Match ends. Won by Ragna Book!"


    "Oohhh!"


    The cheers erupted.


    "This is insane."


    "Ragna Book won!"


    "How can he win?"


    "I have goosebumps."


    The people simply couldn''t believe it. However, the revelation of his physique had taken the interest of a lot of people.


    Though, Ragna himself didn''t care much about it. In the end, the reason he was able to stand here today was because of Clovis. If not for the items from Another World Mall, there was no way he could overcome his weakness.


    And this was just the first step for him to become the guardian of the Libation Fiesta.


    "Hehehe..." Ezekiel smirked. "This guy is getting all that attention."


    Clovis nodded. "Yeah. I''m glad."


    For Clovis, Ragna''s past was quite pitiful. He had lost a lot of people he cared about and even sold himself to get beaten just to have enough money for most things.


    Yet, Ragna persevered and continued living. He did everything, even if it meant disguising himself, to get some money.


    And he was glad that all the hard work he had done was getting rewarded.


    Ezekiel added, "Once we''re done here, tell Christina to teach him the Elseingarde''s shield technique."


    "!!!" Clovis raised his eyebrows. "Are you sure about this?"


    "What? You don''t like it?"


    "It''s not that. I''m sure Ragna will like it and, with him getting stronger, the safety of the group increases. It''s just... this technique should be something you create, right?"


    "It''s nothing. I''m just lucky enough to find someone with the same constitution. If we meet under other circumstances, I might ask him to become my disciple.


    "However, I''m not going to take him from you. Instead of making him my disciple, I will just make Christina his mentor. Besides, this will be a good experience for Christina as well.


    "In the end, teaching others will help you understand the technique better as well."


    Clovis thought for a moment before nodding his head. "I understand. I will tell her that. Still, shouldn''t you be the one telling her personally? Are you perhaps going to leave right after?"


    "Yes. That Carrick is a tricky opponent. I have noticed that he is gone from his room. Most likely, he is trying to investigate you after realizing something.


    "I have promised you that I''ll protect you if you accept this battle, right? In that case, I will have to return as quickly as possible and intercept him."


    Clovis looked down, feeling ashamed.


    Ezekiel smiled. "No need to feel down. It''s only right for someone in power to protect the weaker ones. In the future, you might become stronger than me. So, at that time, you will be the one protecting me. That''s why make sure you grow properly."


    Clovis smiled back. "I understand. I won''t disappoint you."


    "Good. I will do my best to protect you for a few years. If possible, I want you to reach Tier 7 as quickly as possible. At that time, not a lot of people can threaten you.


    "Let''s see... How about becoming a Tier 5 within a year first?"


    Clovis thought for a moment. "Well, it''s possible."


    Ezekiel nodded. "In that case, I can feel assured. That''s right. After this fight, I''m sure that your unique ability will be exposed. And I don''t think the higher-ups of this country don''t know you are Clovis Hacfield, right?"


    "Well, if I think about it, there should be a small group of people who already know my identity. After all, my father has once requested several Tier 8 people to protect us."


    "In that case, I will suggest one thing. How about using this country as your base?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "You know that countries often give you a territory, especially to Tier 9 humans, right? I''m pretty sure this country will be doing the same. With the addition of my Christina, I bet there won''t be a lot of debates on it.


    "Of course, from the country''s perspective, you are still a potential Tier 9, not a Tier 9 yet.


    "Hence, they will probably hide this fact. And if you choose your territory carefully, they surely won''t mind.


    "With that territory as your main base, you can hunt a lot of people and grow your strength. Besides, there are a lot of benefits to having a territory. Even that greedy girl will be delighted since she can test her new weapon in that territory.


    "So, if you think this country is the correct choice, having it as your territory is good. Besides, this place is not far from mine, so I can always visit my granddaughter here. And with Christina holding Elseingarde''s territory, the joint efforts will be quite good for your group."


    Clovis rubbed his chin, falling into deep thought. "I understand. I will properly consider it."


    Although Clovis was clever, he still lacked experience in this area. So, he took Ezekiel''s advice properly.


    Clovis couldn''t help but ask, "Now that I think about it, where is my grandfather''s territory?"


    "Your grandfather? He has none. He is basically a walking disaster. In addition to his nickname, countries fear him a lot. Of course, this gives another benefit, which means he can roam around without a lot of restrictions.


    "At the same time, no countries will support him. That''s why the Hacfield family is constantly on the run or hiding."


    "I see." Clovis closed his eyes before letting out a long sigh.

 Chapter 640: Shocked

    "We have witnessed two amazing performances. It''s time for us to continue to the third round. Before that..." Utaha turned to the principal. "Principal Vhalor. Are we going to witness all six matches in total?"


    "Yes. This is an exchange, so we''ll have everyone fight instead of going for the best of three or something." The principal nodded his head. "Just like how it was done last week."


    The principal was back for revenge. Tesron had humiliated the students in their academy by using this approach. So, he let them eat the same thing. This humiliation would be too much for Tesron. At the same time, he couldn''t do anything because making a fuss with it would just embarrass the entire team more.


    The principal was set on turning them into a laughingstock together with the other academies.


    "I see. In other words, we will be able to see four more amazing performances like this. I''m sure that you can''t wait anymore. Hence, let us call the next participant." Utaha looked at Clovis'' room.


    Clovis casually picked up the microphone and said, "Aileen Risevan."


    "..." Tesron gritted his teeth. If his grandfather were here, he would have been furious, and there was no telling what would happen. At the same time, if they lost again, they would be in trouble.


    Considering Aileen was an assassin, there was only one person who could deal with her in their team. "Gray Louvet."


    "Oh! Both teams have picked their fighters." Utaha became excited again. "Aileen Risevan is a new name. I have never heard of her previously. However, from the articles I have seen so far, Aileen Risevan is a prominent young talent from Axolonia.


    "Clovis had extended his hand previously to invite her, but Aileen actually took the path of learning in the capital city.


    "After a few months, they ended up meeting again and Aileen finally took this chance to join the Libation Fiesta.


    "However, I don''t have enough time to find out about her information. All I know is that she is a good Tier 5 assassin.


    "Meanwhile, her opponent is also an assassin known as Gray Louvet. He comes from the Louvet family, who is known for their assassination ability under the Melesviet family. Gray Louvet is known as the White Mist.


    "In that case, let us begin to draw the map!"


    As Utaha finished her words, the map started moving until it stopped at a city landscape.


    "Is this really a coincidence? The map is City C. The map is known for its complicated city terrain, perfect for assassination. However, I might not care about it because we''ll be able to witness the fight between two assassins to the best of their abilities."


    The arena started changing, forming a massive building. The building only had two floors with complicated pillar positions and other furniture. There were a lot of spaces to hide.


    "Because of the landscape, we''ll be spreading drones to follow the fight inside this building." As Utaha waved her hand, multiple screens appeared, showing every nook and corner of the building.


    Now that the landscape had changed, it was time for the two fighters to enter the room.


    "The first one to enter the arena is Gray Louvet."


    "Oohhh!" The women in the stadium had their eyes lit up. Gray had a tall and fit body, not too big or too small. However, he still had enough muscle to look manly together with his handsome face. Compared to others, he might actually have the highest popularity.


    Meanwhile, Aileen was covering her face with a mask all the way to her nose. Instead of wearing her usual assassin outfit, Aileen actually came out with rather casual clothes.


    However, these clothes came directly from Another World Mall. She had the dark elf''s pants that boasted of its flexibility and the elven shirt and boots for mobility.


    She couldn''t help but recall the first time Clovis actually presented this item to him.


    "What? You want me to wear them?" Aileen thought Clovis had suddenly become a creep, but Erwin immediately stopped her. "Wait a minute. This guy might be a playboy, but he''s certainly not a creep.


    "You will actually find out the reason we''re able to get stronger once you put them on. Basically, this is an artifact for us. It''s hard to explain, so we''ll hear your complaints later, but please put them on."


    "..." Aileen wanted to say something, but because Erwin had said it, she chose to trust them first. "All right."


    The moment she put on those clothes, Aileen couldn''t help but widen her eyes. She felt a surge of strength coming from within her body.


    She put everything on and came out with a shocked face. "W-What is this? Why do I get stronger all of a sudden?"


    Erwin smiled wryly. "I told you, right? These are our artifacts. There are other things for us. You know Clovis has Blood Affinity, right? And his unique ability is related to it. So, you can say that these clothes..."


    "Don''t tell me. You made it from blood?" Aileen frowned.


    "Something like that. Clovis has done his best to produce it. I''d be glad if you don''t mind putting them on.


    "If you''re going to say this is actually relying on outside items, then I can only say that it''s a unique ability. Besides, taking advantage of good equipment is also something we should do. If not, people won''t buy expensive items for their safety."


    "No. I don''t care about that. It''s just... I have never thought you were getting stronger because of this. If we both fight without these clothes..."


    "Of course you would win," Erwin answered without hesitation. "I''m not able to win against you yet. However, clothes are not the only thing he has refined here. Let me bring you around and introduce them to you one by one. Is that alright, Clovis?"


    "Yes. You should be the one taking care of her." Clovis nodded.


    Aileen got the shock of her life that day. No one would have ever thought the Libation Fiesta was hiding all those items. It was no wonder they were able to grow this quickly. With this, she might be able to become a Tier 7 human fast enough before anyone could target her family.


    She was actually more determined to utilize them to get stronger.


    ...


    "Huu..." Aileen took a deep breath, looking at her opponent. To show her determination, she planned to win.


    No one would have thought that the match where Gray was supposed to show his worth by saving his team from losing would actually turn into the shortest match.

 Chapter 641: Pseudo Unique Ability

    Aileen could feel the intense gaze of her opponent. With Ragna''s victory, there was no need to try hard anymore.


    However, she had gotten all the new things from Clovis. She would feel ashamed if she couldn''t win this match.


    Although she hadn''t mastered them, she received two techniques from the mall''s bookstore, she had gotten all the clothes and accessories. If she couldn''t win against this person, would she be the right person to join the Libation Fiesta?


    That was why there was something she wanted to prove in this match.


    "Let''s start the match. 3... 2... 1... Start!"


    The moment they heard the announcement, both of them immediately leaped back and erased their presence.


    The Tier 8 referees had to be careful and focused on their senses so as to not lose them. It would be bad if they couldn''t find them and let them kill each other.


    That was why all the referees were on high alert.


    Yet, the moment the competition started, the principal, the three referees, and even Ezekiel couldn''t help but stand up.


    "This is..."


    "En?" Utaha was about to shout to hype the match, but she was confused by the principal''s reaction. Even the strong fighters from other academies were dumbfounded.


    "Principal Vhalor? Do you find something wrong?" Utaha asked, while tilting her head.


    Principal Vhalor shuddered in fear, realizing the terrifying power that the Libation Fiesta had.


    Before he could react, the others already started screaming.


    "What''s going on?"


    "Where is Aileen?"


    "She is supposed to be there."


    "We can see Gray, but where is Aileen?"


    "Oi. Are you serious? Move the camera!"


    The people were complaining because they couldn''t sense Aileen, but for those who were strong enough, their gazes were fixated on a single screen. There was Aileen.


    However, her presence was so thin that it even affected the camera.


    Principal Vhalor chuckled. "Hahahaha... It''s no wonder Clovis told me their new member is their trump card."


    "Principal Vhalor? Can you explain what''s going on?" Utaha asked, while searching for Aileen as well.


    "Pseudo Unique Ability." Vhalor squinted his eyes.


    "Pseudo Unique Ability?"


    "Yes. That''s what you''re witnessing right now. Aileen Risevan has a Pseudo Unique Ability. All Tier 9 in this world have one common thing. That is a talent beyond one''s comprehension.


    "For example, you have Tesron, who will be fighting soon. He has the ability to see the future. This is not predicting but seeing. Even if you train your battle sense and even prediction ability, you won''t reach that talent.


    "However, there are still uncrowned kings among Tier 8. They''re often known as a pseudo Tier 9 human.


    "They can be said to be the gatekeepers for Tier 9. Each of them has a talent that is so powerful that it almost looks like the real unique ability.


    "In our countries, there are two people with that kind of talent. The first one is the founding father of the explorer association in our country, Mr. Radric. The second one is the current strongest person in our country, Quill Razer. And right now, Aileen has become the third person.


    "Her talent lies in erasing her presence. That talent of hers is so powerful that it feels like she is erasing her own existence from the world. You might not be able to see her, but those who have reached a certain point, we can see her standing on that screen." The principal pointed to one screen, which caused an agreement for people of the same level.


    Utaha followed the direction, but she still couldn''t find her.


    "I have never thought that the Libation Fiesta is hiding such a monster." The principal smiled wryly. "Even though I have to be fair in my assessment, I can''t see any way for Gray to win this battle."


    Gray was experiencing the power of that talent firsthand.


    ''Huh? Where is she? Is she leaving? Is she hiding somewhere? Is she trying to lure me out and attack me? I don''t plan to fall for her trick. I''m going to wait here and put myself in a favorable situation. I can''t afford to lose...'' Gray gritted his teeth.


    Little did he know, Aileen''s talent had been enhanced even more with the item from Another World Mall. He once gave the stealth equipment that could mask one''s presence to Kanaria, but after reaching Tier 4, he got some new equipment.


    If Clovis showered her with more items of the same type, coupled with her talent, her pseudo unique ability might actually reach the unique ability rank.


    And she used it to show them who was the true champion.


    Assassinate!


    Aileen waved her short blade.


    "Match ends. Won by: Aileen Risevan." The general''s voice echoed in everyone''s ears.


    "!!!" The one who was shocked the most was definitely Gray, because he hadn''t been defeated. "Why are you deciding the match already? Is this a sca¡ª!"


    Before he finished his words, several pillars suddenly got slashed and fell down, startling Gray''s voice.


    When he turned his head around, he saw Alan grabbing Aileen''s hand while the other referee blocked her attack. The pillars fell down from the residual power.


    And it was there he saw Aileen, whose presence finally returned.


    "!!!" Gray was in utter shock.


    Not just him, even Tesron stood up from his seat. If his grandfather were here, he would have the same reaction.


    Even someone like Tesron would have a hard time fighting against Aileen. At the same time, the power Aileen unleashed earlier had far surpassed that of her tier. In fact, he was probably the only one who could match Aileen in raw power alone, but she was an assassin, not a fighter-type vanguard.


    He realized Clovis must plan for Aileen to turn around the situation in case they lost the first two battles.


    Still, the power was too shocking.


    Even Ezekiel realized that her talent had far surpassed what he had seen a couple of days ago.


    Aileen completely dominated the battle and captured the attention, not just from the people here but from the entire world.

 Chapter 642: Strongest People in the World

    "Pseudo unique ability, huh?" Clovis squinted his eyes.


    "What? You don''t know about it?" Ezekiel was startled. Even he didn''t expect Aileen to have such a talent.


    "I don''t even know the terms about it." Clovis shook his head. "Besides, no one is saying that in Axolonia."


    "Well, it can''t be helped." Ezekiel sighed. "The knowledge about a pseudo unique ability is not that common. So, they don''t suspect it easily.


    "It''s probably only because he''s a dean and pretty knowledgeable that he is able to see through her talent.


    "You do know that there are ranks among explorers, right?"


    "Yes. My grandfather is among the top 10."


    Ezekiel nodded. "Your grandfather is known as a madman, currently number 5 in the world. Although your father has that low number, his fighting style and character are so scary that most of the time, the top ten won''t provoke him. Besides, if your grandfather is not really that fixated on his pursuit of the truth, he can probably devour several more people above him.


    "I''m number 9 in the world, by the way. But that''s not important right now. After the top ten, there is a list for the top 50 people in this world. Basically, these people are the ones having pseudo unique abilities.


    "As that dean said, they''re basically the gatekeepers for the top ten. If you want to reach their level, you have to defeat them first before challenging the top ten.


    "However, there is a shift lately. These people are allying with each other by getting married."


    "Married?" Clovis frowned.


    "Yes. Don''t you notice something?" Ezekiel raised one finger. "You, Christina, Tesron, and one more guy from the younger generation..."


    "!!!" Clovis widened his eyes. "Don''t tell me..."


    "People are wondering if the child of a Tier 9 human has a higher probability of being born with a unique ability."


    "..." Clovis fell silent. "Don''t tell me. Are you..."


    "Not really. I''m just searching for a suitable partner for my daughter. Even if he is weak, I can always train him to become strong. If I''m too fixated on unique abilities, my son won''t be the current head of the family." He shook his head.


    Clovis didn''t ask further. Instead, he was curious about one thing. "How about Mara Leverstrike?"


    "!!!" Ezekiel widened his eyes in shock. "Mara Leverstrike... 10th in the ranking. She is the youngest among Tier 9. And that ranking is achieved because people are challenging her.


    "I heard the person herself doesn''t want to challenge anyone. If she is more aggressive, her rank probably has reached around your grandfather.


    "Mara Leverstrike is a unique monster. She is known as the best at ranged attacks. However, the one making her unique is actually her killing intent.


    "I have never fought her personally, but according to the people who have fought her, she is like... a demon queen."


    "A demon queen?" Clovis raised his eyebrows.


    "Yes. Whenever they''re feeling the brunt of her killing intent, it feels like the world has changed. According to one person, it felt like a meteor destroyed their entire place. For another person, it was a graveyard."


    Clovis looked down, falling into deep thought. "Killing intent, huh?"


    "What''s wrong? For you to suddenly ask her... I know she is a woman and pretty young, but don''t tell me, you..." Ezekiel''s eyebrows twitched. "I don''t really plan on telling you what to do. Even if I don''t doubt your ability, by the time you reach Tier 9, she is already a grandma, you know?"


    Clovis shook his head, dispelling the misunderstanding. "She told me that our fighting style was similar, and apparently she had agreed to teach me how to control my fighting style. Well, I''m planning to beat her in the future and make her join my team. That''s what she has promised."


    "What?" Ezekiel stood up in shock. "Are you serious? Mara Leverstrike is known as a lone wolf. And you..."


    Clovis shrugged.


    Ezekiel pinched the bridge of his nose. However, he was astonished by Clovis'' connection. If he and Christina somehow became Tier 9 while Aileen reached the peak of her talent, coupled with him, Michael Hacfield, and Mara Leverstrike, their group had the power to conquer the whole world.


    At the very least, their connection alone was enough to ensure their safety, which wasn''t a bad thing.


    "Well, I won''t say anything about your own matter." Ezekiel let out a long sigh. "Still, you should be careful. Once people know that your group not only has two unique ability users but also one more pseudo unique ability user, people might target your group out of jealousy or kidnap you."


    "I know. I''ll be preparing for it." Clovis nodded. "Well, it''s time for the next match. I will have to send another person. Let''s aim for a crushing victory."


    Ezekiel sighed. It felt like Clovis had indeed won the bet between them.


    ...


    On the other hand, Tesron was panicking.


    "Pseudo unique ability user? To think that he is hiding that trump card. And because of this match, it''s already impossible for us to win. Aren''t they supposed to be weaker than us?


    "Why is he so lucky to have all these subordinates?" Tesron gritted his teeth, glaring at Clovis. He couldn''t afford to have a crushing defeat. There was no telling what his grandfather would do at that moment.


    "What am I supposed to do? Does he have another trump card in his sleeve?" Tesron glanced at the empty seat. If his grandfather were here, even though he would be scolded, his grandfather would tell him a solution.


    However, he was alone this time. And the arena had been cleaned up, with Utaha saying, "Let''s send out another fighter."


    As if Clovis were trying to provoke him, Clovis nonchalantly sent out his fighter. "I will send Erwin Tyska for the fourth match."


    "!!!" Tesron bit his lips. ''What should I do? Should I bring myself there and get the victory? But the people are expecting me to fight their leader. But that leader is only a Tier 4 human, while this guy is the last Tier 5 we''ll be fighting.


    ''Who should I send?'' Tesron was panicking because for the first time during the match, Utaha was asking the same thing twice because Tesron didn''t answer immediately.


    Because of the time pressure, Tesron had no choice but to send another fighter.


    "Jack Hugo."

 Chapter 643: Difference

    "Yeay! Another victory for us!" Kanaria raised both hands, asking for a high five from Aileen.


    "O-oh! Yay?!" Aileen, although accustomed to their presence, still wasn''t used to their playful action. She awkwardly gave a high five.


    "Congratulations on your overwhelming victory." Christina smiled. "To think you actually have a pseudo unique ability, it''s truly amazing. Has your previous master told you about your talent?"


    "Mhmm?" Aileen thought for a moment before shaking her head. "No. I don''t think he''s aware of it in the first place."


    "Well, the information about it might be available, but everyone will have a hard time seeing it in the first place, so they might not be aware of it." Christina nodded in understanding.


    "Still, what is this pseudo unique ability? I have listened to what the dean said about it, but I''m still confused."


    The others looked at Christina, curious about the same thing, especially Jay and Erwin. They had to work harder if they didn''t want to get replaced as Clovis'' right and left-hand men.


    Christina rubbed her chin a few times before raising her finger. "Hmm... How do I explain this? To put it simply, Unique abilities defy logic, while pseudo unique abilities can be grasped by logic.


    "Look at me, Clovis, and Tesron. I have the ability to provoke things, not limited to people, which makes you have the urge to attack me. Clovis'' unique ability allows him to receive all five affinities. Meanwhile, Tesron''s unique ability allows him to see the future. They are something you''re born with and can''t be acquired any other way.


    "However, let''s see your pseudo unique ability. While it''s true that you were born with this talent, can''t you say that an assassin who has reached the mastery of erasing its presence will reach the same result as you?


    "How about Tesron? What if there''s a man who has trained his precognitive ability to the point his prediction feels like seeing into the future? Still, even if he has reached that level, it''s still not at Tesron''s level, right? After all, Tesron''s unique ability is something he''s born with, while the other is something that can be acquired through one''s own effort.


    "This is the fundamental difference between unique ability and pseudo unique ability." Christina explained.


    Jay and Erwin clenched their fists. There was a gap between them because they were not born with the same qualities. Still, they might acknowledge that they didn''t have a unique ability. However, both of them knew that if they wanted to retain their positions, they should acquire this pseudo unique ability.


    Since Christina said they could acquire it through hard work, both of them swore they would do it. The world might be unfair for not giving them such a thing, but they would be the loser if they died without one.


    "Oh my. It seems I have told you unnecessary information." Christina noticed the burning desire Jay and Erwin had.


    "As expected of the unique ability. Even without using it, you are able to provoke those two." Kanaria smirked, teasing both of them.


    "Don''t be too complacent." Erwin pointed at Aileen. "You might be ahead right now, but I will be the one on top soon."


    Aileen chuckled. "If you can beat me, that is, but your ego has just made you say it with words that invite misunderstanding, you know?"


    "Huh?" Erwin froze, recounting what he said. He suddenly felt embarrassed and harrumphed. "Anyway, I''ll be preparing for the next match. And I''m going to win."


    "Yes. I''ll be cheering for you from here." Aileen grinned.


    Erwin completely lost the momentum and embarrassedly left the room.


    "Hehehe." Aileen was smiling from ear to ear. She was probably the only one who could treat the arrogant Erwin like a little boy.


    "Erwin is definitely going to have a hard time against her." Kanaria whispered to Christina.


    "I agree." Christina nodded.


    "By the way, Christina. Are you sure it''s alright for you to be here? Shouldn''t you accompany your grandfather?" Aileen had the mood of teasing Christina as well. "Let''s see... Your grandfather... might be talking about your engagement, you know?"


    Christina looked surprised at first but soon turned to Kanaria.


    Kanaria simply chuckled. "Well, I have expected it from the beginning. If not for such a thing, there''s no reason for her to meet Clovis or even have joint training together."


    Christina smiled wryly. "As someone from a prestigious family, there''s no way someone like me can have a say about my marriage. My family is more lax regarding this aspect, though.


    "They are simply testing multiple people at the same time of the same level and letting me pick who is the one more enjoyable since I will have to live with that person for the rest of my life."


    "You''re not jealous or something?" Aileen blinked her eyes a few times.


    "Why should I? My perspective about family is different from you guys. For me, family is a connection. Even if I have a child, that child will be the one leading the Elseingarde family in the future, so I don''t really care about the succession problem.


    "Although monogamy has been around for a long time, in ancient times, polygamy allowed you to show that you''re wealthy or powerful enough to sustain multiple wives along with their families. Well, love is built, not something we fall into, at least for me. If the others don''t mind me, then I don''t mind either. And I can clearly say Clovis is much more fun." Christina shrugged.


    Aileen smiled wryly. Their views were indeed different. At the same time, it wasn''t her place to refute her claim, since that view had also thousands of years of foundation.


    Aileen let out a long sigh before saying, "Sorry. I shouldn''t have asked that."


    "It''s fine." Christina nodded. "Anyway, Erwin''s match is about to start. I wonder how far he can go, especially with that map."


    Aileen couldn''t help but squint her eyes, knowing the difficulty of this map. The map was Plain C, which resembled a plain field with only two trees. Erwin''s power couldn''t be utilized properly in this terrain, so she wondered if Erwin had something that could lead him to victory.

 Chapter 644 644: Erwins Card in Sleeve

    Erwin and Jack stood in the arena. As a thread user, Erwin was wearing a pair of gloves where he could release his thread. On the other hand, Jack was holding his unique spear. Unlike a normal spear, the one in his hand actually had a much longer blade. It was as if his spear''s purpose wasn''t just for the thrust but also for slashing his opponent.


    For Erwin, this kind of opponent would definitely be a unique experience. And to avoid being the one losing to the enemy, Erwin chose to reveal something he had been working on for a long time.


    He thought about using it to win against Jay, but this fight would be more appropriate.


    "Since the two sides are ready, we''ll begin the match. 3... 2... 1... Go!"


    The moment they heard the announcement, Jack rushed forth while Erwin took a few steps back.


    Erwin''s ability required the support of the terrain to set up his net. But in this place, there were only two trees, which were ten meters apart, so they weren''t exactly viable to be used.


    Jack thrust his spear, forcing Erwin to avoid it by moving to the left. To everyone''s surprise, the moment Erwin created a small opening, he actually slipped past Erwin and headed straight to the pillar behind Erwin before striking it down.


    Bam!


    The pillar fell down and the tree projection disappeared.


    "W-What?! Jack is actually destroying one of the two trees in this arena?" Utaha gasped.


    "It can''t be helped. I have seen Erwin''s ability and weapon choice. If we want to stop him, we have to destroy everything he could use to support his threads. Once they''re gone, Erwin becomes less of a threat. In fact, this map alone is already a disadvantage against him.


    "Now that there''s nothing he can take advantage of anymore, Erwin has little chance to win." The principal shook his head.


    "Erwin is already in a pinch before the battle even starts? And just like the principal said, Jack is heading back toward the tree on his side to take down one last tree. And Erwin is running beside him." Utaha thought this would be a quick battle like earlier.


    However, Erwin planned to change their thoughts. Once they were aligned, Erwin waved his hands, sending forth a few threads to surround Jack.


    Jack remained calm, as though he could easily see all those threads. He tried slashing it by taking advantage of the long spear''s blade, but this was useless. No matter how hard he cut it, the threads wouldn''t be easily cut down. Even Clovis couldn''t do it.


    So, the threads ended up sticking to the front of his blade. Erwin planned to pull the spear like this to trip him, but there was a reason Jack was chosen to be Erwin''s opponent.


    The moment he pulled those threads, Jack slammed his spear to the ground so that when he pulled it, the blade would cause a rotation to the entire spear, which propelled Jack upward.


    "!!!" Even Erwin was surprised by such an athletic approach.


    Jack smoothly landed in front of the second tree and sliced it like the first one. This way, there was nothing Erwin could take advantage of anymore.


    "Although this is cowardly, I''m sorry, but I have to win at all costs in this battle." Jack muttered while charging forward. He thrust his spear at Erwin in rapid succession.


    Erwin, on the other hand, created a small net between his fingers, stopping the advance of the spear. Even if Jack tried to slash it, the threads wouldn''t budge.


    "Heh? I''m sorry, but I also plan to win." Erwin smiled. The moment he caught the spear, eight spider legs emerged from his back, reaching for Jack.


    "!!!" Jack was startled and came to a halt to avoid them.


    However, there was a trick Erwin had prepared for this battle. All of a sudden, several small blades emerged on his hands as he rolled them onto the spider legs.


    All of them curved toward Jack. The latter leaped away while swinging his spear to block them.


    To his surprise, the small blades actually curved in a different direction, which threw him off.


    Jack panicked and struck down several blades, but two of them hit his shoulder and right chest while another blade stabbed his arm.


    "This... What is this?" Utaha gasped. "Did the trajectory just change?"


    "Indeed." The principal nodded.


    "How did he do that? There was supposed to be nothing."


    "Well, I can see the reason, but I don''t think it''s fair if I expose it here. Unlike the others, this is not very clear to see after all. However, I can assure you that he''s not cheating. If not, the three referees would have made their move."


    "I see." It was a shame that she didn''t get the answer this time, but unlike others, Erwin''s method was more mysterious. It couldn''t be helped if the principal didn''t want to disclose that information.


    On the other hand, Ezekiel smiled. "I can see it, but you should know the trick, right?"


    Clovis nodded. "Erwin is using several threads. The most obvious ones are those threads with bigger size and a blue glint when exposed to the light. On the other hand, there are threads around his spider arms. They''re more dull and thinner, so it''s not easy to see them. He makes the obvious ones obvious enough to distract his opponent from seeing other threads. Still, the true essence of this technique lies in..."


    "His mastery over threads, huh?" Ezekiel squinted his eyes.


    As those two were discussing, Erwin waved his hands and surrounded Jack with the threads one more time.


    Jack hurriedly struck them and was ready to leave, but all of a sudden, blades suddenly ran on the threads. The moment Jack struck the threads, it caused them to contract, which ended up tossing the blades toward him.


    "Kh!" Jack gritted his teeth when two blades stuck on his body.


    This was Erwin''s trick. Before he could take advantage of the threads to create a net that others could use. But he had learned how to utilize the net to launch small weapons so that he could attack them in his own.

 Chapter 645 645: Monster

    "Kh." Jack gritted his teeth. He had never thought he would be the first one to be in this state.


    Erwin might be the left hand of Clovis, but there was no information about him being exceptional. At the very least, Erwin had yet to fight someone in this school and the only video they got was during the Rising Star Competition.


    At that time, Clovis defeated him. Even if he had become stronger, it was still insufficient for him to be threatened.


    Yet the current state of the battle showed everything.


    ''Am I really getting pushed back by this guy? Am I going to lose like the others? No. If I win here, I will become the hero.'' Jack endured the pain and stomped the ground to forcefully stop his fall. He slashed Erwin with all his might.


    Erwin created wires between his spider legs, catching the slash skillfully.


    After that, Jack pulled his spear back and thrust it toward his chest.


    Erwin blocked it with another net between his fingers, but surprisingly, this thrust actually widened the net before contact.


    "!!!" Erwin widened his eyes. ''Ranged attack and beast soul, huh?''


    Erwin hurriedly lowered his body, albeit he was a tad too late. The spear managed to hit the top of his shoulder.


    It was Erwin''s time to endure the pain. He sent forth all eight spider arms to punch Jack.


    Jack hit them either with the handle or the blade, wielding it not as a sword or a spear but as a staff.


    After that, he took a step back and thrust him one more time, taking advantage of the longer reach of his spear to overwhelm Erwin.


    "This is..." Utaha gasped. "What''s going on? All of a sudden, Erwin is getting overwhelmed by Jack. Wasn''t Jack the one at a disadvantage a moment ago?"


    The principal nodded. "That''s right. It''s true that Erwin was winning previously, but that''s due to his unique fighting style. Jack is talented enough to quickly get used to it and adapt.


    "In the end, Erwin doesn''t have the terrain to back him up, which will create a lot more opportunities for him.


    "Once you get used to his attack, it will become a straightforward fight. And Erwin will have a hard time against Jack, like what we''re witnessing right now.


    "Erwin''s plan must be to overwhelm Jack with his new techniques, which will result in him losing a lot of blood or, more like, lower performance due to injury.


    "Taking advantage of that situation, he will seize the victory. His biggest miscalculation is that Jack is able to get used to his attack so quickly and turn around the situation." The principal shook his head helplessly.


    People couldn''t help but sympathize with Erwin. If only the terrain were more advantageous, he might be able to win.


    Unfortunately, there was nothing more Erwin could do to defeat Jack.


    To prove Erwin would be losing in this match, Jack''s attack became even more ferocious.


    He thrust his spear in rapid succession.


    Erwin had a hard time even blocking one of them, resulting in the blade reaching his body multiple times.


    "Ha... Ha..." Erwin gritted his teeth, looking at Jack, who didn''t seem to be tired yet. It appeared turning this into a battle of endurance was futile.


    At the same time, the people couldn''t help but pity him. It was because of the terrain. That was what people said.


    However, the most painful gaze came from his team, specifically Aileen. She was worried about him.


    It was fine to lose since she had done their part. However, he felt he would lose something important if he got defeated in this battle.


    It reminded him of the talk that day.


    "Don''t worry. I will get stronger than you. If you feel that your strength is a burden, I will just stand in front of you and protect you. You just have to become the reason for me to wield my power." Erwin looked at Aileen with conviction.


    "Say that after you manage to win against me." Aileen stuck out her tongue.


    "Hmph. It won''t be long before I defeat you. At that time, I will officially propose to you," Erwin harrumphed. "Even if you were born with overwhelming talent, I don''t believe that hard work can''t beat talent. If you take one step, I will take ten steps. If you work hard, I will work ten times harder.


    "Mark my words. I will become stronger than you, no matter how talented you are. I will become a man worthy of you and shut up the people who dare to oppose our relationship."


    Aileen smiled. "In that case, I will be waiting for you. Don''t make me wait too long, alright? I don''t want you to propose when my hair has turned white."


    Erwin smiled back. Aileen didn''t mention she was going to stop or hold back the entire time. Both of them knew if she ever did it, it was the biggest disgrace for Erwin.


    Aileen believed Erwin could do it. That was why she also had to work as hard as she could to protect his back.


    ''Don''t look at me with those eyes...'' Erwin muttered inwardly after recalling that memory. ''I still haven''t lost and I don''t plan to lose.''


    Erwin got stabbed two more times, but he simply endured it and continued fighting, waiting for the right moment.


    ''Whether it''s Clovis, Christina, or even you... maybe I should include Jay too... All of you guys are too exceptional to the point where I sometimes think that a normal person like me won''t be able to keep up.


    ''But there''s no need for that anymore...'' Erwin took a deep breath. ''If a normal person can''t keep up, then I will stop being a human. I will just have to become the same monster!''


    Erwin''s eyes flashed the moment Jack stabbed him in the shoulder.


    "Got you..." Erwin smiled. He suddenly waved his hands as the eight spider arms on his back made a similar movement. ''With this, I will become a monster.''


    All his fingers and eight spider legs suddenly shot out threads, creating a complex array to surround Jack.


    "Ten-Handed Thread Wielding, Guillotine."

 Chapter 646: Two Vice Captains

    "Ten-Handed Thread Wielding, Guillotine."


    "!!!" Several people stood up while a lot more people were shocked by what Erwin had just done.


    Jack didn''t have such a leeway because he realized he had been surrounded.


    He struck the threads in front of him and planned to escape by tossing himself up.


    To his surprise, the moment he swept the threads down, he realized there were more threads behind them. As a result, he couldn''t escape from this trap.


    "This is..." Jack widened his eyes in shock. He couldn''t process what was happening. How many threads did Erwin actually have? He was supposed to only be able to control ten fingers'' worth of threads. Yet, there were simply too many of them.


    Erwin clutched his fingers with the spider legs doing the same thing as the threads tightened, ready to slice Jack.


    ''Ah. Shit.'' Jack cursed inwardly, realizing he was outwitted.


    Alan patted Erwin''s shoulder, signaling him that the match was over. The other two referees stopped the threads with their bodies.


    "The match is over, right?" Alan smirked.


    Both of them couldn''t really say anything.


    "Match ends. Won by Erwin Tyska." The general announced out loud.


    The people couldn''t help but gasp. Erwin had been the ones at the disadvantage the whole time, yet for some reason, he managed to win. They simply didn''t understand how it could lead to his victory.


    "W-What''s going on? How is he able to win?" Utaha gasped. "This is an upset!"


    Principal Vhalor chuckled. "As I thought, there''s no one normal in the Libation Fiesta."


    "Principal Vhalor? May we hear your explanation?" Utaha asked.


    "Sure." Principal Vhalor smiled. "What do you think Erwin''s strength is?"


    "Erwin''s strength? I suppose it''s his unique weapon. After all, not everyone is used to fighting someone who uses wires."


    The principal shook his head. "While it''s true that his unique weapon increases his prowess, his true strength doesn''t lie on it. Instead, it''s his eyes."


    "Eyes?"


    "Yes. Eyes. I could only confirm it during the last attack. Let''s put the amazing technique he has and focus only on the eyes. He was able to read his opponent extremely well.


    "In the last attack, he sent forth so many wires, right? But if you took another look at it, there were two layers of wires on Jack''s right, while the rest only had one. If Jack actually turned to the left, he would have escaped and Erwin might have lost.


    "However, this was not luck. Erwin had been observing his opponent the whole time like what was his habit?


    "Before the last attack, Erwin knew Jack would escape to the right, so he sent the additional wires from there to overwhelm him.


    "For me, this is Erwin''s true strength. His eyes are able to capture the opponent''s habit and movements from their expression or any other clues.


    "He managed to overcome the disadvantage of not having a terrain by using his eyes.


    "Of course, his unique weapon was also a part of the reason he was able to win. But the moment he didn''t have the terrain advantage, the battle was supposed to be over.


    "That''s why I believe that his observant eyes are the deadliest weapon he has."


    Utaha was overwhelmed by the explanation. She had never expected that Erwin''s strength would come from his eyes. "Is this like the pseudo unique ability you mentioned previously?"


    "Nope." He shook his head. "This is completely a normal person''s way to overcome their limit. I don''t know him personally, but after seeing his skill, Erwin must have practiced extremely hard. That kind of observant eye is not something you''re born with."


    "I see. Thank you very much for the explanation, Principal Vhalor." Utaha took a deep breath. "Did you hear that, everyone? This is completely shocking. To think that our pair of normal eyes could allow us to overcome such a gap.


    "It appears we have to re-evaluate ourselves. Instead of getting fixated on nothing but numbers, we should improve on our body. Muscle is not the only way anymore. Eyes or senses might be the future.


    "This is completely an unexpected battle. Erwin waited until the right moment and defeated his opponent.


    "But with this, the score is 4-0. That''s right. Libation Fiesta has actually won four times. There are only two battles left!"


    When Utaha reminded them of the score, the people couldn''t help but widen their eyes. That was right. Tesron had humiliated the first academy in the past week by defeating them without giving them a chance to fight back.


    Even if Jay and Clovis didn''t win, the Libation Fiesta would still have the victory.


    The question was, would Jay and Clovis simply give up? There was no way the two would pass on individual victory.


    In other words, the Libation Fiesta was planning for a complete victory. This was clearly an upset.


    Tesron, who thought he was going to humiliate the Libation Fiesta, ended up getting humiliated. That was right. One of the top teams in the world among the younger generation was about to experience a crushing defeat.


    Tesron was furious. He was scared, knowing that his grandfather might punish him because of this.


    Meanwhile, Clovis remained calm, enjoying the people''s reaction with Ezekiel.


    "This is insane."


    "Libation Fiesta is going to win 6-0."


    "Are they going to do it?"


    "They will definitely do it. We have to believe it."


    "No. We have to cheer them on."


    "That''s right. Go, go. Libation Fiesta!"


    "Libation Fiesta! Please win!"


    "Crush them!"


    The people cheered. The atmosphere was completely in their favor. And this time, each team was sending their vice captain, Jay Havenson and Yasen Kavika.


    The battle between two teams that had garnered the attention of the whole world. No one would expect Tesron to be beaten this harshly.


    At the same time, the people started gaining interest in this unknown team who was capable of such a feat.


    From today onward, the name of Libation Fiesta would be implanted in everyone''s mind.


    And Jay planned to ensure that the name would be glorious by defeating his opponent.

 Chapter 647: Battle That Couldnt Be Lost

    "We have witnessed four amazing battles today. And this time, it will be the fifth battle, the battle between two vice captains of the team.


    "Right now, Libation Fiesta has won all battles. Will Team Melesviet be able to finally achieve their first victory? Or will Libation Fiesta remain undefeated?


    "We can only know the answer after witnessing their battles." Utaha looked excited. Even the principal had a smug look on his face.


    All the bets he had placed were worth it.


    If he lost that bet, he would lose everything he had built so far. But with this result alone, it would be clear that the Libation Fiesta would be in everyone''s mind.


    If Clovis could give a decent performance against Tesron, they would know that the first academy would ever be the best choice for them to go to. They could proudly declare that Clovis was once a part of the academy.


    Meanwhile, other academies had their faces distorted. They were gnashing their teeth, not expecting such a result.


    They thought Tesron could crush them like how he defeated the student council. But they were wrong.


    Libation Fiesta was much more monstrous than they imagined. At this rate, they would be the ones losing everything.


    In fact, without them noticing, a few investors had backed away so as not to be seen as their accomplices. If their schemes succeeded, the nation would probably tolerate them for bringing an outsider to wreak havoc. But with them failing, the nation would probably give them punishment.


    They might even take a portion of their resources and give it to the first academy that brought pride to their nation, which would be a good thing for all the students in the first academy. In the end, the battle between academies wasn''t limited to reputation. It was also a battle of resources.


    With Libation Fiesta''s help, the first academy would definitely flourish.


    The principal was ready to take action against all those academies for ganging up on him.


    Meanwhile, the two fighters were under immense pressure.


    For Team Melesviet, Yasen Kavika was their line of defense. If even Yasen lost this battle, even if Tesron defeated Clovis, people would think Team Melesviet was nothing beside Tesron.


    That was why Yasen was determined to win.


    "You have to win. Do you hear me? If you don''t win, we''re going to be doomed!" Tesron''s voice echoed through the Skyphone.


    Yasen nodded his head. "Yes, Master. I will do anything possible to win this match."


    Drugs? As if he could do it. The battle was monitored closely from both sides. As a result, nothing could escape from them. The moment they used drugs, the reputation of that team would crumble and they would be disqualified.


    It was thanks to Ezekiel''s existence that they could restore the balance between the two, stopping the other party from being shameless by turning a blind eye to their illegal actions.


    Yasen took a deep breath, concentrating. ''If I have to become a monster, I will win this match.


    ''If I can''t win, it''s all over anyway.'' Yasen''s expression turned grim. The bridge had been crossed and collapsed. There was no turning back.


    No matter what he had to use, he would win this battle.


    Yasen clenched his fists and started walking to the arena.


    ...


    On the other hand, Jay was closing his eyes, resting his head on his saber. He had one task, which was to win.


    That was because of Clovis'' words a few days ago.


    ...


    A few days ago.


    "Haaa!" Jay shouted while waving his sword down.


    Bam!


    The water inside the massive pool was sliced in two and got pushed to the side by the power of Jay''s attack.


    "Ha... Ha..." Jay panted a few times. He was drenched in both sweat and pool water, as he had already been training for six hours.


    "Jay." Clovis'' voice echoed from behind.


    "Yeah, I know. Let me do it for a bit more. It''s fine if it''s cold. I will still eat it." Jay casually replied, thinking Clovis was dispatched by Kanaria to tell him to eat.


    But Clovis simply walked to Jay and stood next to him with a serious expression.


    Confused, Jay turned his head around. He didn''t ask after seeing that expression.


    Clovis closed his eyes for a moment before saying, "In the battle against Tesron, no matter what happens, you are going to be the last person to fight before me."


    "!!!" Jay raised his eyebrows. He understood the meaning behind his words.


    This was Clovis'' trust in his vice captain. No matter what happened, Jay was the only one who would fight before him. Even if they lost all the battles, Clovis entrusted him to turn the situation around.


    No matter how bad it was, Jay would be their last line of defense. It was a trust that Erwin or anyone else had.


    Clovis suddenly smiled while asking, "Are you up for the task, buddy?"


    Jay couldn''t help but recall how they first met. It might be just a coincidence, but to him, it felt like fate.


    He and Clovis met during that hunt and decided to ask each other to follow them. Although he lost this time, he realized Clovis was truly a much more capable captain than him.


    Even so, this was a duel between two men. They had unleashed everything they had and would respect the result.


    Beyond that result, they received something much more precious. They had become friends, the friends that they could entrust their backs to.


    They knew it; they could feel it because their personalities in that regard were similar to each other.


    From that point on, he witnessed all the growth they had. And the Libation Fiesta had reached this point.


    There was only one answer he would give to Clovis when he entrusted that spot for him.


    Jay couldn''t help but smile as he stood up and turned to the arena.


    "That''s right... I have promised my best and oldest friend that I will win." Jay started walking to the arena. "In that case, I''ll win, no matter who my opponent is."

 Chapter 648 648: Jay vs Yasen

    "This is it. Both fighters have finally stood in the arena. This will be the battle of two vice captains, Jay and Yasen.


    "Jay is a swordsman while Yasen is a martial artist. This will be the battle of concept and the pride of the team. Who will win? Let''s watch the battle together!" Utaha announced out loud.


    Jay and Yasen examined each other.


    Jay had rather casual clothes and didn''t have the big build of someone who was overwhelming in strength. It was weird, considering Jay had muscle affinity, which boasted about its strength.


    Meanwhile, Yasen was a martial artist. He was wearing a pair of big gauntlets made of light blue-colored metal.


    He wore a sleeveless shirt, exposing his big muscles. He was also taller and bigger than Jay, making him look menacing.


    With the same affinity as Jay, this battle would be determined by their strength.


    Jay and Yasen took a deep breath as they heard Utaha counting down.


    Jay pulled out his sword while Yasen raised both hands forward and started making a small jump to lighten his stance.


    The moment the count reached zero, both Jay and Yasen leaped forward.


    Because of his footwork, Yasen moved faster than Jay and punched him with that huge gauntlet.


    Jay struck the gauntlet with all his might. Unfortunately, the difference between their momentum was a bit too far.


    As a result, Yasen actually pushed Jay several meters away.


    "..." Jay''s expression turned serious. This first clash reflected their strength and control over their strength.


    Jay realized that while both of them focused on power, their foundation was different. Yasen focused on momentum and strength, which was similar to Clovis. Meanwhile, Jay drew all that strength from his muscles.


    Even though he had a ranged attack that took advantage of the momentum, unlike Clovis, Jay had been doing it mostly due to his superhuman strength. That was why, instead of training the technique, Jay just kept swinging his blade on the pool hundreds, thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of times.


    He just unleashed his power again and again until his muscle remembered it and became stronger.


    Unfortunately, that wasn''t enough against Yasen.


    Yasen knew he had the advantage this time. Without hesitation, he took that opportunity to close in, punching Jay head-on.


    Jay stomped the ground with his right foot and struck Yasen''s gauntlet one more time.


    Clang!


    Their clash was so hard that it produced a deafening tone in the arena as a shock wave shook the stage.


    However, this time, Jay actually stopped Yasen completely.


    ''This is...'' Yasen squinted his eyes. It looked like they were equal, but they were not.


    Jay might have stopped him, but unlike Jay, who had unleashed all his strength, Yasen hit him with the power of momentum. As a result, he still had enough strength to move his other hand and punched Jay''s side.


    "!!!" Jay''s eyes flashed as he took a step in the opposite direction before waving his blade at that fist, trying to stop him.


    Unfortunately, he didn''t have enough strength to stop it, resulting in him getting pushed back again.


    Still, Jay wasn''t injured yet. Even if Yasen could outpower him, it didn''t mean Jay would go down without a fight.


    Yasen, of course, understood that fact very well. They might have underestimated Kanaria, but after that first round, they had stopped underestimating them.


    Yet, even with their best strength, they failed to defeat them. In other words, the Libation Fiesta was indeed stronger than them no matter how hard they tried to deny it.


    Now that they have recognized this fact, what should they do?


    As the vice captain, Yasen understood his role. He charged toward Jay, not letting him get even a second to catch his breath.


    "Haaaa!" Yasen punched Jay in rapid succession.


    Jay, while maintaining his calm, parried each attack skillfully. However, Yasen kept pushing him back, forcing Jay to keep taking a few small steps to keep his balance. The moment his body was off balance, Yasen would definitely deliver a powerful blow.


    Still, despite all the suppression, Jay''s expression remained unchanged. He kept looking at the attacks and blocking them. It didn''t seem he was frustrated either.


    In fact, Jay was actually receiving his blow willingly.


    ''Coming from the right, stop the one on the left, then he moves up...'' Jay muttered inwardly, observing the movement. All of a sudden, Jay''s eyes flashed.


    He struck the gauntlet on the right, deflecting it and pulling Yasen in.


    "!!!" Yasen was startled, but he accepted the challenge. ''You might be stronger than your typical Tier 4 human, but I''m already close to Tier 6. You won''t be able to best my strength!''


    He punched Jay with his other hand.


    Jay inhaled deeply and shifted his blade slightly, putting the tip on the trajectory of the gauntlet.


    Clang!


    The clash felt weak, but Yasen couldn''t help but widen his eyes because the gauntlet was actually deflected to the side.


    Yasen gritted his teeth and forcefully returned it to the correct trajectory, albeit he barely managed to do it and hit Jay''s arm instead of his face.


    Bang!


    Jay was launched several meters away as his body bounced two times before coming to a complete stop.


    Utaha gasped. "Is this the end? Yasen is actually overpowering Jay right now. Is this the time for the Melesviet Team to turn around the situ¡ª!"


    Before she could complete her sentences, Utaha was dumbstruck. There was suddenly a wound on Yasen''s arm as if it was freshly cut. The blood spurted due to the pressure he put on his arm.


    "W-Wha¡ªWhat happened? When did Jay strike his arm?" Utaha gasped.


    Even the principal couldn''t believe what he was seeing. "This is..."


    "Principal Vhalor?" Utaha turned to him, wondering if the principal could provide some explanations.


    The principal''s body shuddered. "Soft Sword. A high-level sword technique that allows you to deflect a blade with less strength. It''s the same as martial arts that are using their opponent''s weight to defeat them. However, this kind of technique is impossible to grasp due to the complexity of the control over one''s strength. If the user exerts less strength than necessary, the opponent''s attack will overwhelm them.


    "If the user uses too much strength, he will be stuck in that stance and won''t be able to launch another strike. With the muscle affinity, he has to control the strength he puts in his muscle, which is normally possible once you reach Tier 6 or Tier 7. He is actually able to use such a high-level technique?"

 Chapter 649 649: A Single Slash

    The people were shocked. No one would expect Jay to have such a technique. However, there was one person who understood it when he was only Tier 3. And that person was none other than Clovis.


    That was right. Clovis and Jay fought a lot. It couldn''t be helped if Jay understood the Soft Sword bit by bit. After all, Clovis learned this difficult technique due to the movie that allowed him to experience the role of the protagonist.


    And Clovis shared that understanding with Jay, which allowed Jay to understand the essence of the sword technique.


    Unfortunately, he learned it from others, not experiencing it himself. As a result, his mastery was still quite low.


    If his mastery were as perfect as Clovis'', he would have knocked away that attack properly instead of getting hit.


    Still, learning such a technique when he was only a Tier 4 human, specifically an 18-year-old Tier 4 human, it made people wonder if Jay''s talent was actually better than Aileen, who had the pseudo unique ability?


    It was no wonder why Jay remained as the vice captain of the Libation Fiesta, a group with such abnormal people in it. It was because Jay had that qualification.


    "What kind of talent is this? Is this also a unique ability?" Utaha gasped. "There''s no way such a talented human exists... It''s only been two years since he became an explorer!"


    The principal smiled wryly. Even he didn''t know Jay was this talented. However, he couldn''t say it out loud to avoid people thinking they were the ones leeching on the Libation Fiesta.


    The principal explained, "No. Jay''s talent... How do I say this? It''s hard to explain. Unlike the unique ability or even the pseudo one, Jay''s talent is still extraordinary, but not at the level of those two.


    "However, Jay works harder than any of us. Even Clovis has told me that Jay doesn''t have a lot of time for his personal life because he uses all of it for training. Even during physical training, he doesn''t just swing his sword. He also trains his mind with image training. By doing all that repeatedly from the beginning, he is able to achieve this level.


    "Still, I can''t define Jay''s talent accurately. All I can say is that this result doesn''t come only from his talent. Even hard work pays off. That''s why... don''t ever give up and continue pursuing your dream. After all, the chance you succeed never reaches zero. Whether it''s because of an unknown inheritance or a meteorite falling from the sky, you still have the chance. Keep working hard for your dream." The principal ended his explanation with sincere advice.


    ''As expected of the principal, he does know how to come up with something random but reasonable.'' Hana was laughing inside. ''In the end, Jay is helped by Clovis'' items. Of course, I can''t deny Jay''s talent and hard work as well. He has the sense of responsibility as the vice captain and I know that even without Clovis, he can keep everyone in check.''


    As Jay gained the recognition he deserved, Yasen couldn''t help but get more and more frustrated.


    "Haaa!" He punched Jay, only to be deflected again. Instead of attacking, Jay fully focused on deflecting the attack this time as though he was using Yasen to practice his Soft Sword.


    "You bastard!" Yasen shouted and punched Jay with his beast soul.


    "!!!" Jay reacted almost immediately, shifting his stance to block it instead of taking it. The punch pushed Jay back one more time.


    However, Yasen''s attack had yet to end. Once he got some distance, Yasen gathered all his strength into his fist and punched forward. Whether it was his beast soul, technique, or pure strength, he concentrated it on this punch.


    The shock wave coming from the punch was overwhelming. It shattered the ground it ran through and quickly reached Jay.


    "..." Jay maintained his calm, as though he wasn''t bothered by the attack. He took a deep breath.


    Clovis'' image training that his grandfather taught him was proven to be useful. Even in this situation, Jay couldn''t help but imagine that single slash he had been doing for thousands, if not tens of thousands, of slashes during his training in the pool.


    He kept slashing and slashing even when he couldn''t feel his arm anymore.


    And that slash could now be unleashed.


    "Huu..." Jay raised his sword. Just like what he had done until now, he would slash it forward. The incoming shock wave was just like a raging wave.


    Jay swung his sword downward, unleashing yet another profound technique. This time, it was the Hard Sword, the opposite technique that Clovis used for his ranged attack.


    Unlike the ranged attack he had used so far, this one was more refined and concentrated at the tip of the blade.


    "This roaring shock wave that looks like a dog that is all bark but no bite... Let me cut it." Jay also activated his old beast soul to increase his power.


    Once the two attacks collided, they produced an even more powerful shock that shook the entire arena.


    However, the conclusion came almost immediately.


    Jay''s sword attack actually sliced through.


    That was right. Unlike the fist attack, Jay''s sword strike was more polished and concentrated. On the other hand, the shock wave from that punch was spread all over its body.


    As a result, there was no way it could withstand the sword strike.


    The sword strike sliced it into two and gradually reached Yasen.


    "!!!" Yasen widened his eyes in shock as he put both of his arms in front, taking Jay''s attack head-on. "Kh!"


    Yasen was dumbstruck after feeling the power behind Jay''s strike. His feet were sliding on the ground for over ten meters before Jay''s attack stopped.


    Meanwhile, the sliced shock wave ended up missing Jay.


    This was the battle between the two captains, the two prides of the two groups. Jay, who had been suppressed by Yasen''s strength this whole time, finally struck back.

 Chapter 650: Blinking Boxing vs Nature Sense

    "This... This is... Jay has finally struck back!" Utaha gasped. "Despite all the overwhelming power we have seen from Yasen, Jay has managed to turn around the situation and strike him back."


    Principal Vhalor frowned. "This is unexpected. I have never thought that Jay is able to unleash all that high-level technique. Do you perhaps know anything?" His glance shifted to Hana.


    Hana shook her head. "Not really. All I know is that he is the vice captain. Even someone as strong as Christina can''t get that title. Clovis'' eyes might be better than mine, so there must be a reason for Clovis to choose him as his vice captain."


    Principal Vhalor closed his eyes. Unlike the other participants, the principal noticed something that Jay had while the others didn''t. It was the sense of responsibility.


    Even Erwin claimed he could be a better vice captain because he had the skills and techniques to do it. However, Jay remained as the vice captain because of one thing.


    Responsibility. There was no one who had a sense of responsibility higher than Jay in the group. Even Clovis might lose despite being the captain.


    That was why Clovis could lead the group confidently and remain decisive. He knew that if there was anything, his vice captain would be there for him. If he made any mistakes, Jay wouldn''t hesitate to beat some sense into him.


    It was because of this reason Clovis could place absolute trust in Jay.


    "You..." Yasen gritted his teeth. He never thought he would be the one with the worst condition. This couldn''t go on, thought Yasen.


    Without hesitation, Yasen charged forward and punched Jay straightforwardly.


    Jay wanted to activate his Soft Sword to deflect the attack, but for some reason, the fist became blurry and arrived right in front of him before he realized it.


    "!!!" Jay widened his eyes in shock. The moment he noticed the change, Jay was already flying toward the wall.


    Bam!


    "Gah." Jay spat out blood. He was confused for a moment, but soon understood what happened. In the end, all of them had taken a look at a few videos about their opponents.


    Utaha became excited again. "There it is. The Blinking Boxing! This is the unique martial art that Yasen has. Blinking Boxing. According to the rumor, this Blinking Boxing has such a smooth movement that it feels like they''re faster than they are, which, without their opponent realizing it, has already landed on them.


    "Jay couldn''t block the attack because of this. Yasen has once again gained the upper hand in the battle."


    Jay broke free from the wall and looked at Yasen. "I see... That''s what I should defeat, huh?"


    Jay took a deep breath while wiping off the blood with the back of his hand.


    This time, it was Jay''s turn to charge forward. Yasen didn''t plan to hold back anymore.


    His movement started blinking again in Jay''s vision, but that didn''t stop him. It was as if Jay could actually see him perfectly, but for some reason, Jay''s eyes actually stayed still, as though he didn''t use them.


    That was right, Jay actually didn''t use it.


    Ezekiel was the first one to notice what was going on. "This is... Don''t tell me..."


    Clovis just smiled.


    ''What''s going on? This guy''s smell suddenly changes... He looks like a beast this time...'' Yasen frowned. However, it didn''t stop him from punching Jay with the Blinking Boxing.


    Just like the previous attack, Yasen''s punch should have hit his sword and overwhelmed him before Jay could put up a proper stance.


    But at the last second, Jay shifted his stance and took the punch head-on. The attack overwhelmed Jay and pushed him several meters back, but Jay blocked that attack. It wasn''t with the Soft Sword, but Jay really did it as though he was able to see it coming.


    "!!!" Yasen widened his eyes in shock.


    "W-What?!" Principal Vhalor dropped his jaw, recognizing what Jay was doing. "How can this be?"


    "Principal?" Utaha tilted her head in confusion, not understanding his reaction. She thought Jay was good to be able to block it, but that was it.


    "Hahahaha. We did fight so many of them out there," Radric laughed while crossing his arms. "To think that this guy is one of them."


    Ezekiel squinted his eyes. "The nature sense. He has acquired the nature sense? After fighting so many beasts, people tend to develop it. But... for a Tier 4 human like him...


    "After fighting so many beasts, humans can start imitating the beasts themselves. They''re developing such a natural stance that develops their beastly instinct. Basically, their instinct is heightened.


    "Still, even though people can acquire it, it''s not like there are a lot of people who have it. Only people above Tier 8 who have it." Ezekiel gasped. "How in the world... No, wait."


    Ezekiel turned to Clovis. There was one more way to acquire it. And that was Clovis, specifically Clovis'' partner, Reolf.


    Clovis smiled. "Well, Jay''s sense of responsibility is too high."


    Because of that sense of responsibility, Jay, of course, tried to understand Reolf like how he understood Kanaria and the others. And during that time, Jay was exposed to Reolf''s strength.


    Unlike those who acquired it after fighting so many beasts, Jay got it through assimilation.


    A possibility that wasn''t supposed to happen, but it happened because of Clovis. And Jay was someone who proved that possibility.


    Jay and Yasen exchanged several blows, but every time, Jay''s movement became faster and sharper, as he started getting used to it. No, he was actually polishing his movement even more.


    Jay could sense the incoming attack even more clearly. His eyes'' only purpose was to see the general trajectory while his instinct told him the timing.


    With the combination of those two, Jay actually fought Yasen''s Blinking Boxing on equal ground.


    No, he actually pushed him back.


    Jay suddenly unleashed his sword strike, which overpowered Yasen because of that perfect timing.


    Jay pointed his sword forward while smiling. "I have promised my best and oldest comrade to win. That''s why I''m going to win."

 Chapter 651 651: Jays New Beast Soul

    "Haaa!" Both of them shouted while exchanging blows with everything they had. The Blinking Boxing made it hard for Jay to follow, but the instinct he had honed so far managed to keep up. He used the Soft Sword to block Yasen''s relentless attack, but as a result, Jay couldn''t find an opportunity to attack him.


    At this rate, both of them would exhaust everything they had.


    However, that balance would soon be broken.


    ''I got him!'' Yasen looked happy as his fist swiftly broke past Jay''s defense and hit his stomach. With the Blinking Boxing and his strength, he should be able to break at least two of his ribs.


    With this injury, Jay shouldn''t be able to exert the same amount of power. And he would gradually get weakened before ultimately succumbing to his injury.


    This would be the start of his victory.


    Bam!


    He punched Jay so hard that he blasted him to the wall with so much force.


    Utaha and a lot of people dropped their jaws in shock, not expecting this outcome. In the end, Jay was a Tier 4 while Yasen was a Tier 5. Even though Jay was strong, Yasen was the second strongest person on the team. There was no way he would lose.


    Although it was a shame, it appeared that the Libation Fiesta''s winning streak would be broken.


    However, there was one person who got even more restless after that punch. And that was Tesron. His body was trembling because he saw a different thing with his unique ability.


    All of a sudden, a huge cut wound appeared on Yasen''s body, running from his left chest all the way to his shoulder. The blood spurted like a fountain, surprising everyone.


    "What?! What happened?" Utaha gasped. "What''s going on?"


    Principal Vhalor squinted his eyes. "Jay actually chose to take the hit so that he could slash him. In other words, he was aiming for mutual destruction. It was close to impossible, but at the last moment, Jay actually sped up.


    "Still, this kind of injury should be quite fatal for Jay. After all, he would lose a lot of power after a few of his ribs were broken. Although Yasen''s injury was quite big, he should be able to defeat Jay with no problem."


    "Hehehehe..." Hana smirked.


    Principal Vhalor and Utaha couldn''t help but tilt their heads, wondering why Hana was laughing even though Jay was losing.


    Hana simply reminded them of one thing. "Did you forget that the Libation Fiesta is equipped with one thing?"


    Utaha was still confused, but the principal remembered what was the one thing that made them unique. It was the new beast soul.


    That was right. Aside from Clovis, the remaining members should have it already. However, Jay hadn''t used his new beast soul in the whole fight. Why?


    People might have to think hard about it, but for someone like him, he could see through the reason in the blink of an eye.


    "Don''t tell me. Camera. Look at Jay right now!" The principal shouted, waiting for the dust to settle.


    Utaha hurriedly checked the footage, still not finding anything. "Principal. Do you realize something? Do you mind sharing it with us?"


    "Do you forget that the Libation Fiesta has the new beast soul? Have you seen him use it during the battle?"


    "Ah!" Utaha gasped in realization. When the dust settled, they could finally see the state Jay was in.


    He actually only suffered a minor injury. All eyes were actually shifted to the black-colored carapace that covered his front. That was right. There was a carapace that acted like armor, protecting Jay from that punch. It cracked because of how powerful the attack was, but it managed to absorb most of the damage.


    In other words, Jay only suffered a minor injury while Yasen just received a major injury. At this rate, it would be Yasen who would lose the battle.


    The principal dropped back to his seat, sweating. "This guy... seriously fools me. The reason he kept challenging Yasen in a frontal assault was that he wanted to send a message that he was his equal.


    "And it would force Yasen to think that he had to defeat Jay. Just a bit more, and Jay would be defeated. The moment he thought about it that way, Jay let that one attack come in so that he could trade their blow directly with their body, which Jay won in this case.


    "By forcing Yasen to the limit, Jay managed to make Yasen think there would be no beast soul coming from Jay, not realizing that was a trap he had prepared this whole time.


    "In other words, Jay had completely fooled his opponent and turned the situation around."


    Once they realized what had just happened, the people couldn''t help but cheer, thinking that the Libation Fiesta still had the chance to continue their winning streak.


    However, there was one thing that he was curious about. Jay wasn''t supposed to be someone who loved to play tricks like this.


    ''So, does that mean Clovis has truly become someone he acknowledges to the point where he can abandon his belief?'' Principal Vhalor squinted his eyes. ''Besides, the way of tricking his opponent... This feels like Clovis instead of him. There''s no information about him using a trick...''


    Jay took a deep breath, regaining his composure. ''That''s right. After following Clovis this whole time, I can''t help but learn his tactics. Although not all of them, I can still use several of them.''


    In the end, Jay wasn''t a fool. He just never showed it, since he wanted to focus on his strength. He was by no means incapable of using tactics.


    This time, his victory would determine his status. Just like Yasen, he also planned to use everything he had to win.


    Jay looked at the dumbfounded Yasen. Since he was distracted, it was time to finish this battle.


    Jay leaped toward Yasen as the battle entered the last phase.

 Chapter 652: Jays Mind Battle

    Jay and Yasen exchanged several blows again. Unlike the previous exchange, Jay had the upper hand this time.


    Due to his injury, Yasen''s strength had decreased quite a bit. If this continued, Yasen would become weaker and weaker.


    In addition, Yasen couldn''t carelessly hit Jay anymore. If he hit his body, Jay would simply take it so that he could injure Yasen. At the same time, Jay would protect his head with all his might.


    "Get away!" Yasen shouted and punched Jay from above.


    Jay received the attack head-on, getting pushed back by two meters. After that, Jay waved his blade and sent forth the ranged attack.


    Yasen grabbed the ranged attack and used his beast soul to boost his strength strong enough to disrupt the flow of the pressure before dispersing it.


    After that, Yasen punched Jay in the stomach. As he expected, Jay planned to take it head-on so that he could attack him.


    However, Yasen had prepared another surprise for Jay. The moment the punch was about to hit, he halted his step and kicked Jay''s calf for a longer reach. As a result, when Jay slashed his blade, the saber only grazed him while Jay received the full damage.


    Unfortunately for him, Jay didn''t look like he was hurt, despite taking that kick head-on. In fact, there wasn''t a single change in his expression, as though Jay didn''t feel it at all.


    "!!!" Yasen looked surprised, but he didn''t know what to do next if he couldn''t beat Jay''s foot, which was the source of his mobility.


    In that little gap, Jay thrust his blade. Yasen slapped the blade and deflected it before spinning his body and hitting Jay with a back kick.


    Jay ducked down and headbutted Yasen''s chest.


    "Gah!" Yasen gritted his teeth, enduring the pain. He clutched his other hand and smacked Jay from above, but Jay simply dropped first to avoid the attack before slashing his blade horizontally, aiming for Yasen''s legs.


    "!!!" Yasen leaped into the air to avoid that attack, but soon he noticed something unexpected.


    "He''s good!" Principal Vhalor gasped.


    "Principal?" Utaha looked confused.


    "Look at Jay''s foot. That kick earlier was definitely effective. However, he didn''t show any change of expression earlier, making Yasen think that the kick wasn''t enough, which forced him to jump. But in this position, Yasen couldn''t escape. Jay is planning to settle the fight in this clash," explained the principal.


    Utaha confirmed it was true. Jay should have a problem moving with that leg, so he wanted to end it here.


    This whole time, Jay had been playing with Yasen''s mind, manipulating him into doing something he wanted him to do. Just like how Clovis manipulated his opponent, Jay managed to get into Yasen''s mind.


    As the principal said, Jay actually couldn''t go back up. In fact, his foot was swollen.


    It took a while to show, but that kick was actually effective. Jay simply hid that fact the whole time.


    Because Jay realized he couldn''t fight for much longer, Jay planned to defeat him in this move.


    "..." Yasen suddenly felt intense pressure. He didn''t know in his current condition whether he could take Jay''s hit or not. After all, Jay was planning to put everything in this strike, especially when Yasen couldn''t use a good stance to receive the attack.


    Yasen gritted his teeth. He couldn''t help but notice the cold gaze coming from the VIP room.


    They had lost all their fights, so Tesron was definitely going to beat them up after this. Yasen had no choice but to win this fight.


    ''Never mind. I have to do it!'' Yasen gathered all the strength he could and punched down.


    However, Jay actually retracted his stance a bit so that he would be out of Yasen''s reach.


    "!!!" Yasen widened his eyes in shock.


    Jay actually used his swollen foot as the center while manipulating the center of his gravity with his other foot. With this, Jay could hit Yasen with the ranged attack, while Yasen could do nothing but block it.


    Jay took a deep breath. He recalled all the training and swings he had so far. Even though he couldn''t claim to be stronger than Clovis, his hard work should pay off.


    He activated the beast soul to increase his speed, strength, and momentum. Then, he used the Hard Sword to amplify his ranged attack''s power.


    Seeing Yasen, who could do nothing but put both of his arms in front as he dove to the ground, Jay swung his blade.


    "Kh!" Yasen already gritted his teeth, preparing to receive this attack. Even if it was too much, his equipment should be strong enough to withstand it. He had positioned himself in a way that Jay couldn''t target other parts of his body.


    Even if he were to be blown away by this powerful attack, he would win because Jay would lose all his advantage if he couldn''t defeat him with this slash.


    ''I will win!'' Yasen shouted inwardly as Jay''s saber actually struck him.


    "!!!" Yasen widened his eyes in shock. Jay was supposed to use the ranged attack to reach him, but for some reason, his blade could actually reach his gauntlets.


    When Yasen was too focused on taking the attack head-on, Jay actually twisted his body a bit more, changing his center of gravity to a bit forward, allowing his blade to actually hit Yasen''s gauntlet.


    Yet, the more shocking thing was that this attack didn''t pack a lot of punch. The moment Yasen took a peek at what was going on, he witnessed Jay''s saber leaving his hand as though he didn''t have enough strength to grab it anymore.


    ''No. There''s no way he doesn''t have enough po¡ª!'' Yasen panicked. As he expected, Jay wasn''t done. In fact, it was a deliberate action for him to let go of that sword.


    Jay suddenly extended his hand, grabbing Yasen''s arm before slamming him to the ground.


    Yasen hurriedly grabbed Jay''s arm and snapped it, yet Jay didn''t show any change in expression. He simply grabbed the sword with his other hand and slashed Yasen''s neck.

 Chapter 653: Final Fight

    Jay''s sword was stopped by the referees, but at the same time, this was the end of the battle.


    "Well, well... it seems the battle has been decided." Alan smirked. With this victory, it could be said that the Libation Fiesta was an excellent team.


    Even if Clovis lost the next battle, people would think that the Melesviet Team was just a one-man team. On the other hand, the Libation Fiesta was a balanced team.


    Of course, without Christina fighting, the glory for the Libation Fiesta would become even higher. After all, people would think, what if Christina fought in this battle?


    The people were stunned for a moment before a cheer erupted.


    "Uohh!"


    "The arena is shaking! The battle has been decided!" Utaha screamed, feeling goosebumps all over her skin. "Jay Havenson has won the match. Despite all the wounds he has suffered, he didn''t show any change of expression to remarkably fool his opponent.


    "Both vice captains have fought brilliantly, carrying the weight of their position. However, only one can win, and that is Jay Havenson!"


    "Libation Fiesta!"


    "Libation Fiesta!"


    The people started chanting their names out loud because the Libation Fiesta had completely crushed their opponent.


    "It seems that people are getting excited, right, Principal?" Hana smirked.


    "Indeed." Principal Vhalor nodded. "There is only one battle left. This is the most important battle. Tesron has been known for his unique ability for so long, so this will be a tough fight for Clovis. It''s a shame that Christina, who has a unique ability, can''t fight in his stead."


    "Are you saying Tesron will win this fight?"


    "I don''t know. I personally wish for Clovis to win, but looking at the current condition, it doesn''t seem likely. It''s not that I look down on Clovis, but there is a huge gap between them."


    "Then, should we make a bet?" Hana grinned. "I bet Clovis will win. If I lose, let''s see... should I make a facility of my OpenSky Company inside the academy so that students can get the new beast soul easier?"


    "Hohoho. That''s definitely something the academy would like, but I don''t like the fact that the academy earns something by expecting its representative to lose, so I won''t take that bet."


    "Indeed. Let''s change it then. If I win, you process my graduation. I already passed all the requirements to graduate anyway. If I lose, I will follow the normal procedure.


    "Well, if I win, I should celebrate the victory, no? How about giving me a piece of land for the facility? Let''s see... How about a 10% discount for the students who wish to have their own new beast soul? And it might continue with the soul weapon and even the exoskeleton in the future." Hana smirked.


    "Hoho. That''s definitely interesting." The principal smiled.


    Of course, they didn''t announce the bet first. If Clovis won and the bet was announced, people would like Hana even more, thinking she was a saint by giving this discount and the first academy would become even more crowded. It would boost Hana''s reputation further, which would allow her to dominate the domestic market.


    Meanwhile, in the arena, Yasen could only grit his teeth. He should have won.


    Just looking at Jay''s condition alone was enough to tell him he could win in less than a minute. The frustration and regret were simply too much for his heart to handle.


    Jay, on the other hand, sighed. "In a frontal life-and-death battle... I definitely couldn''t win against you."


    "!!!" Yasen widened his eyes, not expecting Jay to admit such a thing.


    "But this captain of mine has told me about one thing. This is a match, not a life-and-death battle. There are things you can use to win a match but can''t kill your opponent." Jay staggered. "That''s our difference. If we end up becoming an enemy where only one of us can survive, I will properly defeat you next time. Though, I don''t wish for that time to ever come."


    Without waiting for a reply, Jay exited the stage.


    "..." Yasen was dumbfounded. Unfortunately, Jay chose the wrong time to say those words.


    After this loss, the Melesviet Team had their back on the corner.


    Yasen could feel the fury coming from the VIP room where Tesron was watching.


    "You''re useless. All of you are useless! How can they shame us like this?!" Tesron roared and started kicking or slamming anything around him. He came here to boost his reputation, but he never thought it would be a trap to crush him. After this battle, he would become a laughingstock.


    Even his grandfather had been tricked into handing over ten percent shares of their revenue.


    Tesron gritted his teeth. Once his grandfather returned, he would be so furious that no one knew what he would do.


    And there was only one way to lessen the damage. At least, he wanted to avoid getting blasted by his grandfather.


    "I have to do it myself. Since they all are useless, I just have to win this battle." He gritted his teeth and grabbed his sword. "I will show them who is stronger."


    He exited the room, determined to crush Clovis.


    Meanwhile, Clovis remained calm and even politely bowed to Ezekiel. "In that case, I''ll take my leave, sir Ezekiel. I''ll do my best to win."


    "Yes. I know you are strong. You have experienced Christina''s unique ability while possessing one yourself. Whether you win or not, it doesn''t matter.


    "Enjoy the fight and gain experience from this fight. If you are going to continue onward, there will be a lot more monsters with such abilities in your way. If you want to stand tall in the future, you have to fight all those monsters.


    "So, fight... fight in the way that your grandfather can be proud of you. Don''t bring shame to your family, Clovis Hacfield. No matter what you unleash today, I will be covering your back."


    Clovis nodded. "Thank you very much, sir."


    This battle would probably become the most watched battle in history. It was a battle between the renowned future Tier 9 and an unknown guy who led a monstrous group. And it would also be the battle where Clovis would reveal his unique ability to the entire world.

 Chapter 654 654: Everyones Watching

    "This is it, everyone. The battle between the two powerful teams, Melesviet Team and Libation Fiesta, has finally reached its final.


    "It''s time for the two captains to show their strength and prove their status. The Libation Fiesta has shown that despite being one tier weaker, they''re able to overcome all the challenges and emerge victorious.


    "Team Melesviet''s captain, Mr. Tesron, will definitely like to defeat the opposite team''s captain in order to show that this is not our strength.


    "Will Team Melesviet show us the crushing victory or will the Libation Fiesta emerge victorious once again?


    "After all, this is a battle against Tesron Khalika Melesviet, the heir of the Melesviet family as well as the great grandmaster, Carrick Davika Melesviet. The successor who is said to have the talent to become a Tier 9 in the future. It''s time to witness their battle!"


    The cheers burst from Utaha''s introduction. This was the finale. After all those consecutive defeats, Tesron would definitely like to win. And his opponent might be strong, but he didn''t have the talent to reach Tier 9.


    The people wanted to see what kind of fight Clovis would show them. Even if he didn''t win, it would be fine.


    However, this battle had drawn attention across the world. After all, they never thought that the team Tesron led would actually suffer such a crushing defeat.


    This time, they wanted to see the boss behind such an abnormal team who could defeat one of the strongest teams in the younger generation.


    Whether it was a boss of the organization or the leader of a company, they couldn''t help but stop what they were doing to see the match.


    ...


    CEO of Essence Bank, Frey, couldn''t help but smile. "To think that it has reached this level...I have never thought that since the first time that madman called me, the Libation Fiesta has reached this level.


    "And I don''t think Michael Hacfield will hide him if he doesn''t see anything special in him. In other words, Clovis Hacfield might actually be the trump card of the Hacfield family, hidden from anyone''s view.


    "Whether my speculation is true or not, this battle will prove it. Will another madman from the Hacfield family appear? Or will it be just a rabbit with a tiger''s clothing?" Frey grinned.


    ...


    Axolonia.


    Several families couldn''t help but watch the battle closely. Whether it was the Havenson family, the Renvolt family, or even Aileen''s family, they all couldn''t help but watch the battle. They were so proud when their children won the battle since they were their pride and joy.


    This time, they grew a bit tense, considering this was the last and deciding battle.


    Of course, there were people who wanted him to fail. And one of them was the president of the country.


    If he had known about Clovis'' true identity quicker, he would have done anything he could to ensure he stayed in this country. When that happened, their country would be the one getting this honor.


    Unfortunately, it was too late. With their neighbor getting Clovis, they just hoped Clovis would lose.


    ...


    In another country, there were two pairs of eyes glued to the screen.


    "What are you doing? I can''t see him!" The woman pushed the man''s head so that she could watch the battle.


    "I should be the one asking you. This is my phone. Use your own if you want to watch!"


    "We need a bigger screen! Oi. Have you recorded this battle?"


    "Of course, I have. There''s no way I''m going to let my little Clovis'' gallant figure go unrecorded."


    "My boy..." She was drooling.


    Yes, these two were none other than Clovis'' parents, Gerald Hacfield and Aisha Lockheart.


    "But I''m slightly worried. Doesn''t that mean Clovis will show that to the entire world?" Aisha asked.


    "Well, it can''t be helped. Besides, he has grown strong enough to protect himself. With the protection of Sir Ezekiel, he should be able to last for one or two years. Once Clovis reaches Tier 5, we can finally meet him." Gerald nodded. "He has that much potential. It''s impossible to hide it for so long. And there''s nothing better than showing it to the world in this grand tournament. Even if something messes up, we will break the condition and go to his rescue."


    "I understand." Aisha sighed. "There''s one more problem, though."


    "What kind of problem?" Gerald raised his eyebrows, thinking there was no problem. "Are you sure you didn''t make it up?"


    "Of course not. The problem is that if his unique ability is known, I''m sure that there are a lot of bitches around him!" Aisha gritted her teeth. "How dare they take advantage of my precious baby! Those sluts who only think about everything for their families are going to die in my hand. I will sew both of their mouths!"


    "..." Gerald smiled wryly. "But it''s not like you''re against those girls, no?"


    Aisha looked annoyed. "Well, I can accept Kanaria and Lucifania because they''re not aiming for the family. Regarding that greedy cow, I''m still a bit skeptical. But if she can become the source of his strength, I can accept her... maybe."


    "How about Christina?"


    "Christina..." Aisha clicked her tongue. "Wasn''t their marriage arranged before their birth?"


    "But Father doesn''t tell anyone about it, and he has reached an agreement with Sir Ezekiel that he would do the same so that the two could meet and develop their feelings themselves. Both of them are boasting that Clovis can charm Christina, and Christina will grow so beautiful and strong that Clovis will naturally notice her or something."


    "Those two old foxes..." Aisha crossed her arms. "Even then, he still sent his granddaughter to meet my precious baby."


    "Well, if those two don''t meet, nothing will start. So, that''s the only exception." Gerald shrugged. "Ah. It''s about to start!"


    Aisha immediately dropped her feelings and returned to the screen.


    ...


    Meanwhile, the two Tier 9 humans couldn''t help but look at the sky.


    Michael sipped his tea while smirking, "It''s time for that, huh? I guess it''s time for the Hacfield family to settle down."


    Mara just sat down on top of a beast she had just killed while looking at the sky in the north. In front of her was a red, broken screen.

 Chapter 655: Clovis vs Tesron

    "Uoohh!"


    The cheers erupted one more time as the two fighters showed their faces in the arena.


    "Libation Fiesta!"


    "Clovis!"


    "Defeat the enemy!"


    "Complete victory!"


    The moment the fifth battle ended, the Libation Fiesta''s reputation had soared. They had completely captured the heart of the people in this country. There were not many people who supported Tesron to begin with, but those who disliked him couldn''t say much after a lot of people in this country had been defeated.


    Now that the Libation Fiesta had shown them something different, their support became even greater.


    They kept chanting Clovis'' name in the arena, wishing him to defeat Tesron.


    Clovis'' plan was to have Aileen turn around the situation before they won with a score of 4-2. That situation would create a spark in the people''s hearts.


    However, the result of the previous battles had surpassed Clovis'' expectation. He had taken the first step to reach his goal by establishing the Libation Fiesta.


    By making it this famous, Clovis had taken the second step. And to make sure his boot was planted firmly, he had to defeat Tesron.


    Clovis could see the hatred and frustration on Tesron''s face, telling him that he would crush him.


    Clovis stood one meter in front of Tesron while saying, "It''s an honor to face the rumored Tesron Khalika Melesviet."


    Tesron gritted his teeth. He didn''t even bother to shake Clovis'' hand as he simply said in a cold tone. "Blades don''t have eyes. Don''t expect me to show you any mercy!"


    Clovis looked at his hand in disappointment before taking a few steps back. "That''s a shame, but I plan to win in this fight."


    The referees were a bit more anxious, considering this battle might end up becoming unpredictable due to Tesron. On the other hand, only Alan knew how important Clovis'' identity was.


    There was no way he would let anything happen. Even Ezekiel watched the match carefully, making sure nothing could go wrong. If anyone tried to do something, he would immediately break the glass and head to the arena.


    Fortunately, Carrick seemed to be occupied with something. At the very least, Ezekiel couldn''t find him in the arena.


    With the two of them ready, the general gave a signal to Utaha.


    "This is it. The final battle. The two participants are ready. Let us begin the countdown!"


    The people counted together as their voices echoed in the arena.


    "3."


    "2."


    "1."


    "GO!"


    The moment both of them heard the signal, they leaped toward each other. Clovis had one long sword and one short sword as his weapons. His affinity was Blood.


    Meanwhile, Tesron had a one-edged blade in his right hand, similar to Jay''s weapon. His affinity was actually his Brain.


    With such an affinity, his unique ability could be developed further. That was why people called him the chosen one.


    His luck was so high that he had the unique ability and affinity that could create a synergy with each other. And Clovis had to defeat such a person.


    Both of them charged at each other and swung their swords at the same time. Using his blood affinity, Clovis sped up, planning to overwhelm Tesron with his speed.


    Meanwhile, Tesron moved so smoothly, making it look like he moved extremely slowly. However, each movement was precise. He skillfully struck Clovis'' long sword from the side to deflect it before tilting his body to the right to avoid the short sword. After that, he tilted his sword and swung down, hitting Clovis.


    Clink!


    To Tesron''s surprise, he heard a clicking sound instead of nothing as his sword slashed Clovis'' flesh. In fact, his eyes were witnessing something unexpected.


    At the last moment earlier, Clovis actually spun his blade and put it in his sword''s trajectory, blocking the blade. He did it at the last second when Tesron had made enough movement to not be able to stop it anymore. In other words, even with Tesron''s ability, he simply couldn''t shift his strike.


    However, it was not enough.


    "!!!" Clovis jumped away. Despite putting his sword in front, Tesron''s blade had reached him, grazing his body from the left shoulder to the left chest. If not for that sword he put in the trajectory earlier, it might not end with just a graze.


    "W-What?! In just a single clash, Clovis has taken a hit!" Utaha gasped, panicking.


    "..." Principal Vhalor couldn''t help but smile wryly. "It can''t be helped. That Tesron simply saw his movement thanks to his ability. Clovis has done something clever, such as utilizing his speed to block Tesron''s attack after he releases it to the point where he can''t cancel it, but that''s not enough.


    "Seeing the future is not something you can defeat easily." The principal sighed. He didn''t have much hope of defeating Tesron.


    Even though Clovis had shown something brilliant, he just couldn''t bring himself to get excited.


    "!!!" Tesron, on the other hand, looked shocked. ''This guy...''


    Tesron looked at Clovis, realizing something. ''He''s like those people. They''re using this tactic in order to block my attack after I see their next move.''


    However, the people who challenged him like that would end up losing because they couldn''t keep up. The only people who could win against him were the ones with an overwhelming strength that his unique ability couldn''t keep up with, which was basically a Tier 7 or above master.


    "I see. I can do that. Maybe my chance of victory is higher than I expected." Clovis smirked, taunting Tesron.


    Tesron jumped straight at him while shouting, "Even if you can block it, you won''t be able to escape a crushing defeat. I will show it to you!"


    Tesron waved his blade toward Clovis while looking at Clovis'' movement through his eyes. He could see Clovis would try to block him with the short sword and put his long sword as another insurance.


    But at that time, Clovis suddenly smiled.


    Clovis'' speed increased ridiculously as he struck his blade with his long sword instead and hit him with the short sword.


    Cling!


    One clicking sound echoed in the arena as the people couldn''t help but widen their eyes in shock.


    A wound appeared, stretching from the right chest to the left chest, but this time, this wound didn''t appear in Clovis'' body. It was Tesron who got injured.

 Chapter 656 656: Shocked

    "!!!"


    The people couldn''t help but widen their eyes. They had just seen something unexpected.


    Tesron was actually injured.


    "W-Wha-What?! Clovis has managed to hit Tesron? With the ability to see the future, Tesron should be able to see all his movements, but for some reason, Clovis has managed to overcome the challenge and injure him? That was right. It looked like he moved extremely fast at the last moment."


    The principal looked at Clovis in shock. He had some suspicion, but he couldn''t confirm what was going on yet.


    ''Did he...'' The principal''s expression turned grim.


    Only Ezekiel could smile. ''There it is. He definitely possesses it. However, something is strange. This ability... Why do I feel like I have seen it somewhere?''


    "I was injured?" Tesron couldn''t help but glance at his chest. It was the truth. At the last moment, he noticed the sudden increase in speed in Clovis'' swing.


    It was so fast that his body didn''t have the chance to react. Even his judgment was late for a split second despite seeing the attack coming due to the shock.


    Clovis'' strength was beyond his imagination. In fact, all the records about Clovis'' fight simply pale in comparison.


    "You... What are you?" Tesron gritted his teeth. He thought he could defeat Clovis in an instant, but with this kind of ability, Tesron knew that Clovis intended to defeat him.


    ''It can''t happen. Even if you''re fast, I know how fast you are now.'' Tesron hurriedly leaped toward Clovis, waving his blade.


    Clovis swung his swords at the same time to stop Tesron''s blade, but Tesron could see it, whether it was the trajectory or the point of contact. He could see everything.


    Hence, at the last moment, Tesron twisted his blade slightly. If this continued, Tesron would have deflected both swords away, creating a small opportunity for him to hit Clovis.


    To his surprise, the future he was seeing, Clovis actually changed his trajectory almost at the same time, which ultimately blocked it.


    Tesron kept seeing the future as if trying to simulate everything, but his brain had a hard time keeping up, considering he had to process all those abilities in just a split second.


    On the other hand, Clovis had blood affinity, which slowed down his time. In other words, Clovis had more time to process everything.


    In addition, he had trained his reflex in Another World Mall. His brain automatically processed the change and his instinct moved his body.


    As a result, their blades clashed, with Clovis stopping the attack.


    "!!!" Tesron was in utter shock. How? How did he stop him?


    This was the first time Tesron was blocked by someone who was supposed to be weaker than him. At the same time, he noticed that his blade couldn''t move further, sensing Clovis'' true strength.


    That was right. Clovis'' unique ability allowed him to gain all affinity at the maximum potential.


    In other words, Clovis used the Blood Affinity to get more time to process the information, the Brain Affinity to sense even the smallest change, the Muscle Affinity to boost his strength, and the Heart Affinity to heal his own injury. Unfortunately, there was no need to use the Bones Affinity yet.


    His training had truly paid off. And there was no way he would waste this opportunity.


    Once he stopped the blade, Clovis went on the offensive.


    Clovis swung his blade in rapid succession.


    Tesron found himself having a hard time fending off Clovis'' attack. When he moved according to his future sight, Clovis somehow adjusted to his movement, which locked his movement.


    In the end, both of them were reacting to each other''s reactions and eventually clashed when the time was up.


    Tesron might be Tier 5, who was also stronger than a normal Tier 5. But Clovis'' unique ability allowed him to have Jay''s strength, Kanaria''s observation, and his own speed. With the combination of those three, Clovis could keep up with Tesron''s movement.


    "What are we seeing right now? Tesron, who is supposed to have a unique ability, is actually getting suppressed? Is he trying to humiliate Clovis by letting him get the advantage first before showing who is superior?" Utaha asked out loud.


    Even the people who watched the match were disgusted. They could be defeated but couldn''t be humiliated.


    However, those who were strong enough noticed the strength no ordinary people could see in Clovis.


    "So... this is Clovis Hacfield." CEO Frey couldn''t help but smirk, finally realizing what happened.


    "Clovis, huh? To think there is such talent out there. Now that I think about it, isn''t Mr. Ezekiel protecting him?" Another figure frowned, staring at his screen solemnly.


    They couldn''t help but get curious about Clovis'' real identity. The moment Clovis showed it to the world, the people would definitely notice him and put him in priority. That showed how rare and strong what he possessed was.


    The principal slammed the table, his body shaking uncontrollably. "Impossible!"


    "Principal?" Utaha was bewildered.


    "What impossible?" Hana smiled.


    "You knew this all along?" The principal turned to Hana.


    "Nope. I just learned it recently, but I had some suspicions." Hana shrugged. "Why not tell the world what it is? He doesn''t plan to hide it anymore anyway."


    The principal clenched his fists as everyone couldn''t help but look at Vhalor as he ultimately revealed the secret. "Unique ability. Clovis has a unique ability!"


    "!!!" The people''s heart stopped beating for a beat.


    "I don''t know what kind of unique ability it is, but I''m assuming it''s something physical. It allows him to react to all kinds of changes Tesron has made.


    "In other words, it''s not that Tesron is pulling his punch. He has done his best to adjust to the future he sees, but Clovis is using his unique ability to react to his adjustment; eventually, both of them are locked in the battle in their minds and clash according to their last adjustment."


    While the people were shocked, Ezekiel was stunned for a different reason.


    "This killing intent... Why do I feel like I have seen it somewhere? Wait. Don''t tell me..." Ezekiel''s body shook. "Does this world allow two people to possess the exact same unique ability?"

 Chapter 657 657: Clovis Secret?

    "Does this world allow two people to possess the exact same unique ability?" Ezekiel frowned. "This is weird. This kind of unique ability is what I''ve experienced from Mara.


    "He should have his physical abilities, or more like, his affinities, to reach the maximum. Last but not least, there is the indescribable killing intent emitted from his body."


    Ezekiel found a small problem. After seeing all the Tier 9, there wasn''t a single person with the same unique ability. Even those who aspired to become Tier 9, like Tesron and Christina, didn''t have the same unique ability.


    How could it be called unique if there was another person who could possess them?


    However, the unique ability before him clearly belonged to Mara.


    "What is going on? Did he acquire this unique ability from Mara?" Ezekiel frowned. He couldn''t help but rush toward the Libation Fiesta''s waiting room.


    Bam!


    "!!!"


    "Grandfather?" Christina was startled. The others had their hearts skip a beat, wondering why Ezekiel came here. "Is there something wrong?"


    Ezekiel hesitated before asking, "Who is the oldest member of the Libation Fiesta?"


    "Huh?" All of them were confused at first but soon pointed at Jay.


    Ezekiel grabbed Jay''s shoulders while saying in a troubled tone. "Listen up, young man. I''m going to ask several questions. I hope you can answer it honestly. Don''t answer it immediately. I want you to think about it carefully. Okay?"


    "Yes?" Jay tilted his head in confusion.


    "Had Clovis met Mara Leverstrike before meeting you?"


    Jay shook his head. "I don''t know. The first time we met Mara Leverstrike was when we visited Erwin''s town to recruit him. Erwin was present at that time, so he should know more about it."


    "Do you know anything about his unique ability?"


    "Yes. He has told us."


    Ezekiel then turned to Erwin. "Have you met Mara Leverstrike?"


    "Yes. I met her together with Clovis, and it appeared Mara was searching for him. Unfortunately, I couldn''t get to know anything because I passed out after looking into her eyes.


    "Both of them decided to talk alone, so I can''t tell you anything. However, it''s true that from Clovis'' reaction, it''s the first time he met her."


    "..." Ezekiel became even more confused.


    "What is wrong, Grandfather? Why are you interrogating us? If you don''t want to disclose anything, I''m afraid that the others won''t be willing to disclose more than this." Christina frowned.


    Ezekiel pinched the bridge of his nose. "In that case, I''ll tell you one thing. I hope that you can keep it a secret from Clovis until I''m certain about it."


    The people turned solemn, wondering what kind of information he had.


    Ezekiel took a deep breath before revealing the truth. "His unique ability is the same as Mara Leverstrike''s. It''s called Natural Born Berserker. Once the unique ability is activated, his affinities will reach the maximum, allowing him to fully utilize the human''s complete talent.


    "In addition, his killing intent will soar. If Mara were the one standing there right now, Tesron would pass out immediately.


    "After all, Mara had complete control over her killing intent. If you looked into her eyes, it would feel like the gate of hell was opened for you.


    "Back when I first met her, it felt like the buildings around me were destroyed, the land had been devastated, the sky turned red, and blood was everywhere. It was complete madness.


    "I know it''s like an illusion, but that killing intent of hers has reached that extreme. And right now, there''s someone who possesses the same unique ability.


    "If this is true, then there might be a way for a normal person to acquire the same unique ability. And the problem is... is this even a unique ability?"


    "!!!" Jay and the others couldn''t help but widen their eyes in shock.


    "Now that I think about it, why would Mara Leverstrike meet him specifically back then?" Erwin rubbed his chin.


    "Is there anything you''d like to add? Maybe other weird things he has shown?"


    "Ehm..." The people looked at each other, wondering if they should disclose that information. Clovis'' main weird thing was his blood that could turn a normal thing into an ''artifact.''


    They still didn''t know how it worked, but they wondered if it was related to it.


    On the other hand, Jay was the one who decided what to answer. "Other secrets unrelated to that unique ability should be revealed by Clovis himself. I don''t wish for someone to tell others about this deepest secret.


    "However, if you ask if I notice anything different or not, then the answer is yes." Jay raised one finger. "Although I''m not sure about this, there is one weird thing I have noticed.


    "His grandfather told him not to get any beast souls. He told me that he had been rampaging since his childhood, so his grandfather probably forbade him to get a beast soul so that the beast soul wouldn''t wreak havoc in his mind.


    "And during the super injection, one where a large amount of essence is injected, he who had the lowest affinity was supposed to have the lowest speed.


    "Yet, Clovis'' speed was several times ours. He was so fast that people were trying to experiment on him.


    "Last but not least, according to himself, he was able to move inside that space during the super injection, which might result in the increase of his speed.


    "Other than these, I don''t plan to disclose anything further. This is my decision as the vice captain of the Libation Fiesta." Jay gave the warning at the end, telling everyone that he would stop them from giving any further information. It also meant that Jay was ready to take responsibility for this information. If Clovis was going to hate him because he told him about this information, he would accept the punishment.


    Ezekiel looked even more confused. "This is weird. Mara Leverstrike should have done several super injections. Yet, there''s no information about it. I will try to check again if they have conducted such experiments, but I don''t think she has this ability."


    Ezekiel''s words made them realize Clovis had more secrets than they originally thought.


    Ezekiel pinched the bridge of his nose while muttering, "Old friend. What kind of monster have you created?"

 Chapter 658 658: System Error

    Clink!


    Clink!


    Clink!


    The clash between Clovis and Tesron continued. No matter how hard Tesron tried to predict Clovis'' movement, Clovis managed to react to it.


    "This... Have I ever seen Tesron fighting this hard without any result?" A guy from another country couldn''t help but squint his eyes.


    "Someone is able to contain Tesron? And he is only Tier 4, one tier lower than Tesron."


    "This is a unique ability? What is his unique ability?"


    For those who watched the match from the screen, they couldn''t determine the exact unique ability Clovis had. After all, the screen couldn''t capture his natural bloodlust.


    That was why they couldn''t link it to Mara.


    However, it was different for the people watching it in the arena. They could sense the intense bloodlust that Clovis'' body was emitting.


    Even though the match was told not to kill their opponent, they were told to fight with everything they had. So, stopping Clovis just because of this bloodlust wouldn''t be fair. Besides, it was their job to prevent any killing blow.


    Still, all of them could sense the extraordinary power from Clovis.


    Even Alan couldn''t help but think, ''As expected, the grandson of Michael Hacfield truly has a unique ability."


    Nevertheless, despite not being able to recognize Clovis'' unique ability, the people behind the screen knew one thing.


    Clovis definitely had a unique ability. That was why he could fight Tesron to a standstill despite being one tier lower. It was enough for them to understand Clovis'' potential.


    "Hurry up! We need to find all the information about this guy."


    "Is he affiliated with any group other than the Libation Fiesta?"


    "Is the Elseingarde family planning to rope him in?"


    "We have to stop the Elseingarde family from possessing one Tier 9 and two future Tier 9. The balance will collapse."


    "We need to get our hands on the Tier 9."


    "Hurry up! Go to Absalom and make contact with Clovis."


    They were panicking. This was the only way for them to possess a Tier 9 human. After all, all the Tier 9 humans, except for Mara, had their own affiliation.


    And those who possessed the unique ability usually either had Tier 9 humans as their parents or a big enough organization that shielded them.


    Now, there was another talent appearing out of nowhere. There was no way they would let this go.


    They knew the Skylark was trying to possess it. They knew the Elseingarde family was trying to bring him in because of Christina.


    Still, as long as they could still get Clovis'' favor, it was enough. They still had the chance to rope him in. At the very least, there was no information about his marriage with Hana Skylark or Christina Elseingarde.


    However, the change suddenly came.


    "!!!"


    Clovis'' feet slid on the ground as he couldn''t help but put both of his swords in front. However, his arm was grazed by Tesron''s blade.


    It was just for a split second, but Clovis was actually distracted.


    It wasn''t Tesron or his family trying to make him lose. Instead, there was a red screen panel appearing before him.


    The words were incomplete, but he could understand what it was trying to tell him.


    [Error.]


    [2 Same Unique Abilities hav-]


    Clovis was shocked. 2 of the same unique abilities? What did it mean? Even he wasn''t aware that his unique ability was the same as Mara''s, but a unique ability was known as unique because it could only be possessed by one person.


    Yet, the system declared that there were two unique abilities.


    Clovis was smart enough to link his unique ability with Mara, considering the latter had once talked about training him.


    ''What is going on?'' Clovis bit his lips.


    Tesron didn''t know what was going on, but seeing the distracted Clovis, he didn''t hesitate to charge forward, taking this opportunity to somehow defeat him.


    "Kh!" Clovis gritted his teeth, barely blocking Tesron. Before, Clovis managed to fight Tesron on equal ground, but this time, it was clear Tesron was the one pushing him back.


    Meanwhile, Clovis couldn''t help but wonder what the two unique abilities meant.


    ''No, I shouldn''t get distracted because of this.'' Clovis bit his lips, trying to ignore the thought.


    However, Tesron managed to hit him two times during that time.


    Because of those two injuries, even after getting his focus back, Clovis had a hard time fending off Tesron''s attack.


    "!!!" Tesron raised his eyebrows. His eyes could see Clovis'' reaction returning to normal, which meant whatever distracted him had disappeared.


    ''What is that distraction? If I know it, can I do it again?''


    Tesron tried to find another distraction while searching for the previous distraction, but to no avail.


    However, there was one person who knew about it more than anyone else in the world. It was Mara herself.


    "..." Mara was staring at a similar error screen.


    [Error.]


    [Same unique ability as the Host 0300506891 has been iden¡ª]


    Mara couldn''t help but squint her eyes. "This is the first time I see a number like this. Host 0300506891? Is that the code that identifies me?


    "And the same unique ability, huh? As expected, that boy is¡ª!"


    When she was muttering, there was her voice ringing in her head.


    "Copy my unique ability for him."


    "!!!" Mara could obviously recognize her own voice, but there was something different about this voice. Instead of the normal emotionless and monotonous voice, the voice ringing in her head contained a sliver of happiness.


    "What is that?" Mara blinked a few times. "Did I ever say that? No. I have never said that. Why would I tell someone to copy my unique ability?


    "What is going on? This system. What is it? This world..." Mara raised her head, finding the error screen popping up multiple times, this time without any clear reason, as though that voice was the one causing it.


    She could ignore the voice, but with this kind of reaction from the system, she couldn''t help but believe she was the one saying it.


    Even though everything that had just happened confused her, she found one thing clear.


    "Clovis... That boy... might be the clue I''ve been searching for..." Mara looked up into the sky as she couldn''t help but mutter, "Should I go back now..."

 Chapter 659 659: Chance of Winning

    "Kh." Tesron gritted his teeth. His future sight could see Clovis swinging his sword from the left, and his vision would follow it. Normally, he could shift his stance and strike the blade in a way he could either deflect the blade or cut Clovis directly.


    Yet, the moment he shifted his stance, the blade''s trajectory would change as well. Even in his future sight, he could see himself changing to a certain stance, but that vision would soon change because Clovis responded to that stance.


    He kept seeing the same change over and over again for tens, if not hundreds, of times during their clash.


    No matter how hard he was using his ability, Clovis was able to keep up with him.


    All those visions took a toll on Tesron''s mind.


    At the same time, Clovis was experiencing a similar hardship.


    Clovis kept calculating Tesron''s movement and changed his attack at the last moment again and again. His instinct was tingling because of all kinds of small movements Tesron made. His body was strained due to the sudden change in his movement.


    Clovis experienced a similar toll but not just on his mind, but also on other parts of his body.


    If this continued, Clovis might be the one to fall first.


    Hence, Clovis made a decision. Instead of conserving his strength as much as possible, Clovis chose to go on the offensive. Yes, Clovis chose to spend his energy even more.


    Clovis swung his blade horizontally, using the ranged attack to boost his attack.


    Tesron still remained calm and jumped into the air.


    Clovis immediately chased after him in the air and struck him.


    "!!!" Tesron suddenly widened his eyes as if realizing what Clovis was trying to do. The moment he leaped into the air, even when he saw the future, his options would be limited. After all, he couldn''t move freely in the air.


    In addition, the map chosen this time was another plain, similar to Kanaria and Cyan''s arena, but with more trees.


    If he was blasted into the air, he wouldn''t be able to respond to Clovis'' movement as he liked.


    Tesron hurriedly spun his body and struck Clovis'' blade and actually launched him back to the ground.


    "!!!" Clovis was quite surprised. Although he couldn''t use all his power because he didn''t recover his stance first before jumping up, his power was still quite strong.


    Yet Tesron surpassed his expectation and completely overpowered him in that clash.


    The moment Tesron landed on the ground, he pointed his blade at Clovis. "Do you think you''re the first one to know that I have limited movements in the air? You''re not the first and I have long since fixed that flaw!"


    Clovis smiled. "If that''s the case, we can test it again to see whether you have fixed that flaw or not."


    Clovis charged forward and struck him from the right.


    Tesron blocked it effortlessly, but Clovis actually slashed him one more time from the same direction, this time with his short sword.


    With both hands striking from that direction, Tesron noticed that Clovis'' overall strength was stronger than his. It looked like Clovis was planning to overpower him.


    Tesron hurriedly kicked Clovis in the opposite direction, forcing him to back away. To his surprise, Clovis remained still. He accepted the kick just by slightly lifting up his shoulder so that the kick would hit his arm instead.


    Then Clovis overpowered Tesron with his sword. When Tesron changed his stance to deflect the sword, Clovis let go of that power, which pushed his blade up.


    It also meant that Tesron''s blade was moving up together.


    Clovis took advantage of his speed and forcefully shifted his sword''s trajectory.


    "!!!" Tesron looked shocked. He hurriedly took a step back, but Clovis'' speed surpassed him, hitting him in the chest.


    This strike astonished all the people in the arena. Finally, Clovis, after five minutes of stalemate, could deal some damage to Tesron.


    Meanwhile, the principal shook his head helplessly, impressed by what Clovis had just done.


    "This is insane." The principal rubbed his chin first before continuing, "Clovis has realized that his speed and power are one way to overcome the future sight.


    "The strike that launched Tesron into the air was something to prove this theory. By knowing that he could restrict Tesron''s movement even with that future sight, Clovis could replicate the same situation to strike a blow on Tesron.


    "For example, he first overpowered Tesron from the right side, which caused Tesron to switch his stance to take it.


    "Then he forced Tesron to push his blade up so that his blade would follow the same trajectory. That way, Tesron''s blade would continue on that motion for at least one second.


    "Tesron should be able to see it in his future sight as well, but Clovis simply overwhelmed him with the speed. He struck Tesron before he could leave. Even with his future sight, Tesron could do nothing to block it. After all, his blade was still moving up. He wasn''t like Clovis, who possessed enough strength and flexibility to switch his blade trajectory.


    "In the end, Tesron''s future sight might be extremely scary, but it''s not impossible. If I''m not wrong, he is able to see several seconds into the future, right? How many seconds is it?"


    Utaha replied, "It''s 3 seconds into the future."


    "I see. This whole time, Clovis must have fought him with testing those 3 seconds in mind. Once he gets the timing right, he launches a full assault. What a terrifying guy he is..." Vhalor sighed. "And the one that makes it possible is that unique ability of his.


    "Although I''m not entirely sure of the exact details of the unique ability, it looks to be a physical enchantment. His strength, his speed, and even his regenerative ability increase tremendously. I''m afraid that''s not all.


    "And with that additional physical ability, he creates a situation where Tesron has to fight someone who is stronger than him despite being a Tier 4. Even if they face each other in the future, equal in tier, Clovis will still get the massive advantage of his strength.


    "I might have to take my words back. At first, I thought Clovis only had a 10% chance of winning... if not lower. But from the looks of it, he has at least a 40% chance of winning!"

 Chapter 660 660: Fierce Battle

    As the principal said, Clovis had a much higher chance of winning.


    Clovis proved his words by turning the battle around. He started overwhelming Tesron by forcing him to move in a way where he couldn''t guard himself even when he was coming.


    Tesron kept reacting to all his attacks, so most attempts failed.


    In addition, Clovis had to calculate the forms that allowed such an opening as well as how to make him do that pose. Even with the help of the blood, which gave him more time to process it in his mind, it still took a huge toll on Clovis'' mind.


    It was even more exhausting than using a beast soul.


    However, Clovis remained calm the whole time. He was used to the overwhelming insanity that tried to control his body, so calculating all this wasn''t that much of a problem. His mind was trained to endure a strenuous task.


    Tesron waved his blade, using all his strength as well as the beast soul. He struck Clovis from the side, forcing Clovis to block it with his long sword.


    Tesron''s eyes turned bloodshot. He was getting tired of Clovis'' trick and exerted even more power to push Clovis away.


    "Enough!" Tesron gritted his teeth. "Do you think you can defeat me with this petty trick? No matter what you do, you will be exhausted first. You can''t defeat me!"


    "..." Clovis knew this fact. Yet he simply smirked, taunting him even further. "What''s wrong? You can''t do anything against me, a Tier 4 human? You can only rely on your superior stamina to defeat me? Pathetic."


    "You¡ª" Tesron looked like he wanted to jump on Clovis right away, but he managed to stop himself.


    He shouldn''t bite that bait, Tesron thought.


    "Since you''re just going to say something unnecessary, just fight!" Clovis leaped toward him again.


    "You bastard!" Tesron shouted while smashing Clovis with his blade.


    After fighting for ten minutes, Clovis had 3 big wounds and 6 small wounds. Meanwhile, Tesron''s condition wasn''t that good either. With 2 big wounds and 11 small wounds, no one could tell which one would collapse first.


    In addition, even though Clovis used too much stamina to keep going, it was clear he was overwhelming Tesron.


    Clovis gradually pushed Tesron toward the edge of the arena.


    Tesron, not wanting to be cornered, struck back with all his strength to push him away.


    Clovis used the soft sword to deflect his blade, but Tesron saw how his blade was going to be deflected in his vision and changed the trajectory of his blade.


    Clovis took that small gap to hit Tesron on the stomach. Unfortunately, Tesron avoided it at the last second, as the blade only managed to graze him.


    Then Tesron kicked Clovis from the side, which the latter took head-on with his arm. Although the muscle was screaming, he relied on the Heart Affinity that had been boosted to recover his arm.


    Using that chance, he stabbed Tesron''s left upper arm.


    Still, Clovis couldn''t use his left arm as well while it was being repaired. Tesron hurriedly attacked Clovis multiple times from the left to suppress him.


    Clovis found himself being pushed back because he could only defend himself with a single sword.


    Nevertheless, Clovis could spin his body, using the chain attached to his armband to swing the short sword, making Tesron wary about it.


    After that, Tesron waved his blade from above to pin Clovis on the ground, but Clovis used his ranged attack on this attack.


    Realizing that Clovis'' sword attack would overwhelm him, Tesron fell to his knees while letting Clovis'' blade slide on his blade.


    In the end, Clovis'' ranged attack reached the wall and created a long, deep crack all the way from the bottom to the spectator seat. Alan obviously had to stop it so that it didn''t harm the people.


    Once he was below, Tesron stabbed Clovis in the foot.


    "!!!" Clovis clicked his tongue and kicked Tesron in the head, blowing him away to a tree. Sadly, Tesron managed to maintain his grip on his sword, so the sword got pulled away and stayed with him.


    Even so, Clovis sent another ranged attack, forcing Tesron to duck, barely avoiding it. The ranged attack hit the tree behind him.


    Due to the upward angle, the tree, or more like the stone pillar that the hologram used as a tree, slid down and almost hit Tesron.


    That last panic movement allowed Clovis to close the distance between them in a single leap before slashing downwards.


    Cling!


    Tesron managed to get up and blocked Clovis'' attack, but in his position, he couldn''t move away.


    Without hesitation, Clovis overpowered him and pinned him to the ground. He then tilted his body slightly, swinging the short sword.


    Tesron caught the short sword at the last moment, albeit the short sword cut his palm.


    Tesron then moved to the side and let Clovis'' blade hit the ground instead before using the short sword he just grabbed to stab Clovis'' thigh.


    Clovis didn''t care much about the wound and simply hit Tesron''s face with his knee, breaking his nose. Blood spurted from both sides.


    Despite being able to see the future, Tesron was completely overwhelmed by Clovis'' movement that prevented him from doing anything he wanted after seeing those possibilities.


    Meanwhile, Clovis had to sacrifice a bit of his body if he wanted to win this fight. He didn''t know when his body was going to give up after getting all these injuries. That was why he had to speed up even further.


    "This..."


    "..."


    "Not good..."


    The three referees couldn''t help but squint their eyes.


    ''At this rate, Tesron would be at a disadvantage. However, that disadvantage doesn''t matter. Both sides are trying to win, but this kind of progression... might lead to a long-lasting injury.'' The referee from all academies couldn''t help but furrow his eyebrows. He couldn''t afford to have Tesron lose his life here. The consequences would be much more terrifying than having Tesron lose.


    At the same time, Alan was thinking of the same thing. ''Even though he''s able to gain the upper hand, he has too many wounds.''


    ''I might have to forcefully stop this match...'' The general''s expression turned grim.


    To their surprise, Clovis started smiling... a smile that didn''t come from satisfaction... It was a smile filled with madness.

 Chapter 661 661: Conclusion

    Clovis, who had been keeping his poker face this whole time, suddenly grinned.


    His movement became sharper and quicker.


    "!!!" Tesron widened his eyes in shock and hurriedly switched his stance to the defensive.


    However, Clovis continued onward, pressuring Tesron even more.


    Christina squinted her eyes. She realized Clovis had entered that state. "He''s planning to end this in a minute, huh?"


    She couldn''t help but recall after Clovis went berserk during their visit to the neighboring country.


    "Christina. Do you mind if I keep using my unique ability to get a bit of control over it?"


    "Do you want me to stop you every time?"


    "Yes." Clovis nodded with a sad expression. "During my last berserk, I noticed something. Even though my mind started getting taken over, I definitely felt the abrupt increase in my physical abilities. In other words, I was still conscious at that time.


    "It only lasted for a few seconds, though. Still, I wonder if I can replicate that state a bit longer?


    "I want to let the madness take over my mind, but I will still retain a bit of my consciousness. If I can harness that state just for a bit, I might be able to turn around the situation if necessary."


    Christina was a bit skeptical, but if Clovis could actually harness the full potential of his Perfect State without getting taken over at all, Clovis would become a terrifying monster. Of course, Christina desired that result too.


    That was why he agreed to the training. To ensure that Clovis wasn''t strong enough to fight her, he deliberately took off all the items he got from Another World Mall. With this, the brutal training ensued.


    Clovis kept falling and falling into the berserk state, but gradually he could control it.


    Still, they only had a limited amount of time to practice. That was why he could only harness that power for one minute.


    In this one minute, Clovis'' physical strength was doubled.


    Clink!


    Clink!


    Tesron gritted his teeth. It took him everything just to fend off Clovis'' attack. He didn''t know what was going on. Clovis'' strength just increased out of nowhere.


    At this rate, Clovis might defeat him. It was something he couldn''t afford to do.


    Tesron was trying to find a way to break through Clovis'' defense, but even his future sight was useless. He could see the path, but Clovis kept reacting and overpowering him, stopping him from achieving that result.


    ''No. No. I can''t lose. It''s going to be over if I lose!'' Tesron gritted his teeth. ''What should I do? What if I can''t win? Should I just accept my defeat? No. There''s one more outcome...''


    Tesron started to fall into despair. There was one outcome that was better than losing to Clovis. However, to pull it off, he might have to sacrifice his dignity.


    But this might be better than losing.


    Both Clovis and Tesron knew that this was just a match, not a life-and-death battle. In other words, there were things they could do here, but not in a life-and-death battle. However, what he planned to do was a bit controversial.


    Still, he had no choice. He didn''t know that Clovis could only manage this state for one minute before going berserk.


    That was why Tesron made his resolve.


    While fending off Clovis'' relentless attack, Tesron was seeking one opportunity.


    And that opportunity came when Clovis swung both blades from the right.


    "!!!" Finding that opportunity, Tesron immediately took a step forward. Normally, he would have to block this attack, only to get pushed back by Clovis'' overwhelming strength.


    Yet this time, Tesron raised his blade and swung it down.


    "!!!" Clovis was dumbfounded. He didn''t know why Tesron suddenly attacked him, considering this was a foolish decision.


    He hurriedly sped up his short sword and put it on the blade''s trajectory, trying to slow it down.


    However, Tesron used his full strength in this swing. His beast soul, his momentum, and even the way he shifted his body gave him all the strength he required to overpower Clovis, who wasn''t prepared for this swing.


    The moment his blade clashed with Clovis'' short sword, Clovis'' short sword was pushed back close to his body. In fact, the blade had hit his shoulder and if it continued, he could slice Clovis in two.


    At the same time, Tesron had nothing to defend against the incoming long sword from the side.


    Both sides gritted their teeth, trying to take down their opponent quicker than the others. If this was a life-and-death battle, doing this would be foolish. Even if Clovis managed to strike him down, Tesron would cut him quite deep to the point it would reach his heart. Still, Clovis couldn''t back down. He didn''t have time to lose this exchange because he would fall to his berserk state before he could find another opportunity to take Tesron down.


    That was why Clovis didn''t back down. At the same time, Tesron didn''t know Clovis'' flaw and desperately tried to ensure he didn''t get the worst result.


    As a result, the three referees immediately appeared around them. Alan grabbed Tesron''s blade while the other referee stopped Clovis'' long sword. The general pushed both of them away, stopping the match.


    "The match ends!"


    "!!!" The people dropped their jaws to the ground. They couldn''t help but wonder what had just happened. Now that the referee forcefully ended the match, who actually won?


    It looked like Clovis was about to split him in two, but the experts could see that Clovis was on the verge of dying as well.


    Principal Vhalor smiled wryly. "I guess it can''t be helped. Your opponent is that Tesron, who is one tier higher than you. And he has a full mastery of his unique ability."


    Ezekiel sighed. "Such a shame. But this is enough, I guess... You should be proud, old friend. Your grandson... is truly your grandson."


    The general raised his hand. "I believe both referees would agree with me. I will now announce the result. It''s..."

 Chapter 662: Draw

    "It''s..." The general paused for a moment before announcing it out loud. "... a draw!"


    The people couldn''t help but widen their eyes. It was clear that Clovis should have won since he blocked Tesron''s attack, while Tesron had nothing to block Clovis'' attack.


    Yet the general declared it as a draw?


    "Don''t joke with us!"


    "A draw?"


    "It''s clearly Clovis'' victory!"


    "Are you getting bribed by the other side?!"


    "Boo!"


    The people were furious. In the eyes of normal people, the match should end in Clovis'' victory. That was why they couldn''t take it when the general robbed the victory from Clovis. It was supposed to be the Libation Fiesta''s complete victory after all.


    "Ah... Please stop, everyone!" Utaha panicked, trying to calm down the people.


    "Heh?" Hana crossed her arms.


    Principal Vhalor suddenly made the microphone produce a ringing sound at the maximum, which startled everyone in the room.


    "Everyone. This is Principal Vhalor." The principal''s expression turned solemn. "In your eyes, it might look like Clovis'' victory, but it''s not really the case.


    "It''s true that Tesron has nothing to protect himself. However, before Clovis'' blade is able to cleave him in two, Tesron''s blade should have reached Clovis'' heart.


    "In other words, even if Clovis defeated him, he would succumb to his own injury. That was why the three referees made a unanimous decision to declare a draw.


    "Of course, everything could happen if Clovis chose to stop the swing and focus on his defense or Tesron blocked Clovis'' attack, but both parties chose to go with that decision, resulting in a draw.


    "That''s why, from my objective point of view, this is a draw. I also support the referees'' decision.


    "This battle is a draw. And the match between Team Libation Fiesta and Melesviet has now officially ended with a score of 6-1. Everyone has shown their respective strengths that reflect their extraordinary abilities.


    "I just wish for the best for all the fighters who have entertained us with a good match, the people who are inspired by these fighters, and the rest of the people who have supported the fighters."


    When they listened to Principal Vhalor''s explanation, the people couldn''t help but fall silent. If that was indeed true, the battle was indeed a draw.


    However, there was one more scenario that appeared in their mind. Clovis challenged Tesron when he was one tier lower than him and ended in a draw. What if Clovis was a Tier 5? Would Clovis win against Tesron?


    That was right. In the end, even Tesron wasn''t defeated, the people thought he had lost because Clovis was just a Tier 4 human.


    In addition, there were Christina and Lucifania, who were also a part of the Libation Fiesta. If they fought together with them, the Libation Fiesta might overpower the enemy''s team.


    This was a result of a battle where the team with the disadvantage managed to win overwhelmingly against one of the top teams in the world. There was no greater glory that the Libation Fiesta needed.


    Some people were still furious because they couldn''t accept the result, but people started to clap. The Libation Fiesta had truly fought well. From this point on, the Libation Fiesta might be known as the top team of the younger generation in this country.


    Hana smiled before glancing at the principal. "This is a problem."


    "What do you mean?" The principal frowned.


    "We have a bet, right? Now that it''s a draw, what should we do? Do we both win or lose?" Hana smirked. However, the answer was already clear.


    "..." The principal smiled wryly. "You want to embarrass me further? Of course, both of us won. I have even given one point to each team after that draw."


    "And there you have it." Hana smiled, announcing it clearly. "With the agreement between me and Principal Vhalor, my OpenSky Company will open a small branch inside the first academy''s grounds.


    "It will be a branch exclusive to the students of the first academy. The students will be able to enjoy a 10% discount if you want to buy a new beast soul from this branch. Of course, the soul weapon, or even the exoskeleton that is still in development, will be added once they''re officially out."


    Principal Vhalor added, "The academy will be working with the OpenSky Company to create a system where the school can subsidize the cost of the new beast soul."


    "!!!" The announcement was like a raging storm sweeping the entire country.


    With such a facility, the first academy''s reputation would soar even further. The people who were poor enough to get the new beast soul could finally get one in the academy. Meanwhile, those who were rich should get even better service in the academy.


    In addition to Clovis'' reputation as one of their students, the first academy would definitely become the most favorite academy for a long time. Meanwhile, the people would be skeptical about other academies, considering they were bringing an outsider to this country to humiliate their own people.


    Still, the ones that benefited the most were not them. It was the people outside this country.


    ...


    The superpower in the west, Ekeshia.


    A middle-aged man squinted his eyes while muttering, "So, there''s someone who can defeat Tesron, huh? Clovis? There''s almost no information about him. We have to get him."


    ...


    The superpower in the east, Linaria.


    "The Elseingarde family planning to monopolize that kind of talent? Someone who loses to a person one tier lower than him aside... We can''t really let the Ezekiel family monopolize him, right?" The old man raised his head, looking at his beautiful granddaughter.


    She remained expressionless and just politely nodded. "I understand, Grandfather."


    ...


    In another country called Brukosh.


    "Find out this person''s identity. The balance has shifted. Another Tier 9 might be born. Recruit him and protect him. I''m sure that those people from the Melesviet won''t let these people go."


    ...


    "Hahahahahahaha!" Michael Hacfield laughed out loud, staring at the screen. He stood on top of a mountain while spreading his arms. "My grandson is extraordinary. I won''t interfere with his choice, but if any of you dare to threaten him just to follow you, I will show myself to the world once again."

 Chapter 663: Winner

    "Congratulations." Kanaria and the others cheered when Clovis returned to the room.


    Clovis could only smile wryly, saying, "Sorry. I couldn''t bring back a victory."


    "What are you talking about? He has a unique ability and is practically invincible to people of the same tier. Being able to force him to take a draw is already amazing." Christina smirked. "Even if I fight there, I don''t think I can win against him."


    "Even though it''s a draw, it feels like he has lost. After all, you are one tier lower and our team has crushed him." Jay nodded.


    "Hehehehe. It''s time for me to show off." Erwin grinned.


    "It''s a bit disappointing that you are not able to win, but this is better, considering the political point of view." Ezekiel came from behind, patting Clovis'' head. "Had you won against him, people would recognize you to be stronger than Tesron, which would make them focus on you.


    "There''s a high chance they will find out about your identity and try to get you for themselves. That''s still manageable, but a lot more people will probably try to kill you.


    "After all, you are already beyond Tesron when you''re one tier lower. In other words, if you reach Tier 9 in the future, there''s a chance that you will have the ability to easily suppress another Tier 9.


    "However, with this result, people will think that you are still within their expectations. They might consider Tesron to be a bit careless and underestimate you. It only puts you in the same place as Tesron and Christina.


    "Even then, all eyes are practically on you. Fortunately, you don''t bring that wolf of yours. If you add him into the mix, the situation will completely change." Ezekiel smirked.


    "That''s right. If Clovis had brought Reolf with him, he would have definitely won. Besides, they couldn''t say anything if you introduced yourself to be a beast tamer." Kanaria nodded in agreement.


    "Still, can I ask something?" Ezekiel''s expression turned solemn.


    "Yes?" Clovis tilted his head in confusion.


    "What exactly are you? I mean, do you realize that your unique ability is the same as Mara Leverstrike''s?"


    "!!!" Clovis looked surprised at first, but he recalled the system panel that appeared in the middle of the match. That was the source of his distraction at the beginning of the match.


    "It seems you''re aware of it..." Ezekiel squinted his eyes.


    "To a certain extent, but even if you ask me, I can''t really answer it. Not that I want to keep it a secret, but because I don''t understand it either." Clovis shook his head helplessly.


    "..." Ezekiel closed his eyes before sighing, "Fortunately, there''s only one person who can recognize that unique ability here, which is me. If that Carrick hadn''t left, the situation would have been more serious.


    "We were talking about two unique abilities, which were supposed to be unique in this world. They might even think of a potential to share a unique ability because of you." Ezekiel sighed. "You should be careful when revealing that unique ability from now on."


    "Yes. I will take it to heart." Clovis nodded.


    "All right. That''s good enough for me. If you need anything else, just call me. I will remain here for a bit, but I think you should enjoy the celebration and prepare for other things."


    "Fair enough." Clovis glanced to the side as someone opened the door.


    "Hello, everyone!" The one who entered the room was none other than Radric, the one helping them to host the match. "Congratulations on your victory. How about coming to the arena to celebrate your victory? I''m sure that everyone would like to see all of you."


    Christina pushed Nathan from behind with a smile, telling him to accept the victory.


    Clovis smiled wryly. He wanted everyone to celebrate, but Christina, Melody, and Lucifania didn''t participate, so he couldn''t bring them to the arena. Still, just the fact they had these two alone was enough to make people think that the Libation Fiesta could achieve bigger things if these two were allowed to participate.


    That was why it was fine for Christina, Melody, and Luci to stay here just for this celebration. They would make a bigger impact in the future.


    Clovis nodded to her and walked outside. "Let''s go then."


    Erwin was definitely the first one going, as he was the most eager to flex. Aileen embarrassedly followed him.


    Jay and Ragna soon followed, while Kanaria accompanied Clovis.


    When Clovis was about to exit, Radric whispered, "The president would like to meet you tomorrow. I hope that you can free up your time tomorrow."


    "..." Clovis only glanced back at him without giving any reply. As Ezekiel predicted, Clovis had truly become an indispensable asset to the country.


    The talk was probably the president doing his best to retain him. If he offered an underground management right, Clovis didn''t really have any reasons to reject it, considering this would allow Kanaria to fulfill her dream.


    In the arena, Utaha excitedly got the signal about the team and shifted the topic to the celebration. "After a long battle that lasted for 1 hour and 21 minutes, the battle between two teams has finally been concluded.


    "Now, let us welcome the winner of today''s match, Team Libation Fiesta!"


    Once they got called, the cheers erupted as Clovis and the others entered the arena again.


    Obviously, the principal had gone directly to the stage to show his appreciation. Meanwhile, Team Melesviet was running as far as they could with their heads hanging low. The longer they stayed here, the more embarrassment they would receive.


    Tesron was furious and embarrassed at the same time. He never expected that his team would lose like this. At the same time, he couldn''t help but wonder where his grandfather was.


    He was supposed to accompany him the whole time, but he ended up running away before the battle ended. He involuntarily created a misunderstanding that he was able to see his team''s defeat beforehand and escaped.


    However, Tesron was afraid of what he would do the moment he knew about the result.


    Nevertheless, with this victory, the world would know the abnormal team called the Libation Fiesta.

 Chapter 664: Recruit

    The next day.


    Clovis ended up going to Hana''s office to avoid them focusing on this place instead of their mansion. After all, he didn''t want Reolf to be seen by them yet.


    As expected, Radric came to the OpenSky Company. Due to Clovis'' sensitive identity as well as the fact the former match was just a battle between two teams instead of representing the country, the meeting couldn''t be official. In fact, this meeting only happened due to Clovis'' unique ability.


    Hence, Radric came only with his assistant and driver. The car was much smaller to avoid public eyes.


    To avoid the country taking advantage of Clovis, Hana chose to come together with Clovis. Although Hana wasn''t officially a part of Clovis'' team, she had been involved with a lot of things regarding Clovis. There were even rumors that they were engaged.


    With Clovis confirming Hana''s participation, they had no choice but to allow Hana to come together.


    On the way, Clovis couldn''t help but see multiple billboards with the news of him winning against Tesron. From normal people to experts, they gave opinions to glorify the result.


    The Libation Fiesta was already popular because of the new beast soul, but after this battle, the entire country definitely knew their names. After all, this country might end up having a Tier 9 human in the future.


    As soon as they reached the ''Palace,'' they were guided strictly inside until eventually they reached the president''s office.


    The president was an old man in his mid fifties. He looked energetic, but it couldn''t contain his aged features. He seemed to have dyed his white hair black, as Clovis noticed the small white tip that had just grown.


    Next to the president stood two people, one was the general who became the referee of the match and the other was a middle-aged man in a white suit.


    Clovis'' expression remained calm despite knowing that these two people were Tier 8 humans. They could pressure him, but Clovis knew full well that even if they threatened him, it was useless. After all, even if he died here, his grandfather would definitely decimate this country. And it wasn''t like he was afraid of dying.


    "Congratulations on your victory and welcome to the country, Clovis... Hacfield," the president spread his arms to show a warm welcome.


    At the same time, announcing his full name meant he invited him, fully aware of his family line.


    Clovis politely nodded. "Thank you, Mr. President. It''s an honor to be invited here."


    The two Tier 8 humans examined Clovis while Radric remained silent behind him.


    The president smiled and turned to Hana. "And this must be Hana Skylark."


    "I''m grateful for you accepting our request to have me here." Hana gracefully bowed with one hand on her chest.


    "No need to be so formal. I have known your grandfather for a long time." The president then turned back to Clovis. "Besides, I have never thought that Mr. Clovis would come to this humble country. Please take a seat."


    Clovis and Hana exchanged nods and took their side next to each other.


    The president sat on the opposite side with a gentle smile. Clovis didn''t talk a lot, which made it a bit awkward. So, the president moved on to the main topic. "The country is proud to have an awesome fighter like you. In addition, your team is extraordinary as well. Thanks to you defeating the opposite team, our reputation skyrockets. I would like to show my appreciation to such a young talent and his awesome team."


    "There is no need to do so, Mr. President. We''re thankful for the thought alone. In the end, this battle derives from the competition between academies. The Libation Fiesta didn''t represent the country, and the opposite team only represented the Melesviet family." Clovis shook his head.


    "..." All people fell silent after hearing such a reply. The meaning was clear. The Libation Fiesta was a free team. They could go wherever they wanted without anyone binding them.


    At the same time, it was also Clovis'' way of saying that he should just reveal what he wanted.


    The three Tier 8 humans were definitely impressed by his boldness. He was fully aware that there were three Tier 8 humans before him and that they could kill him here, but he also knew they couldn''t harm him.


    Radric chose to smooth their conversation by saying, "Mr. President. I believe that such an individual should remain in this country."


    The president smiled, rewording that sentence. "I''m aware of your unique ability. You have the potential to become a Tier 9 human in the future, and the country would like to bet on your future. Do you have any intention of officially becoming this country''s citizen? Or maybe I shouldn''t get ahead of myself and ask this question first. What do you think about this country?"


    Clovis smiled. "I''m merely an explorer, carrying the bloodline of the Hacfield family. I can carry myself anywhere, but not my family. I just happened to flee to this country. All I could say is that this country has treated me better, at least compared to the previous country."


    The president became serious. This was a direct message from Clovis. Even if they wanted him to stay, it would be useless if they aimed to bring his family here as well.


    The president raised a finger. "Of course, I''m aware of your background. The reputation of the Hacfield family is like thunder reverberating in one''s ears. They are powerful but mysterious. What I want is you, Clovis Hacfield.


    "Maybe I should be more direct about this." The president paused for a few seconds. "Do you wish to stay in this country as its citizen, Clovis Hacfield?"


    To recruit a Tier 9 would require a huge sum of money and they might not be able to control them. However, it was different if it was someone with the potential to become Tier 9.


    Since there was a chance of them dying along the way, the investment was lower. Still, Clovis had the backing of the Hacfield family. Normally, someone like him should go to the country where his family was based, but the Hacfield family didn''t have a base.


    Basically, whether Clovis would stay or not depended on how much the president believed in his potential.

 Chapter 665: Negotiation

    Clovis remained silent for a while as though he was pondering about it deeply. "I haven''t found a reason to stay in this country."


    "!!!" The president and the other Tier 8 humans realized what Clovis was talking about. The discussion had finally reached the negotiation phase.


    The president''s expression turned solemn. "In that case, how about I give you a reason to stay in this country?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "If you become a citizen of our country, of course, our country will be protecting you from outside threats.


    "In addition, you will be receiving the same treatment as the family with a Tier 9 human. In other words, our country will grant you a complete right to a single tower and the area within 50 x 50 km from that tower. Of course, that only applies to the underground world.


    "On the surface, your jurisdiction is only the size of a single city. What do you think?"


    Clovis couldn''t help but recall what Ezekiel said. He was indeed true. The president would offer him a place that could be used as a base.


    And obviously, Hana was already aware of the situation. She was the one replying to that offer. "I don''t think that''s an acceptable offer, Mr. President."


    "..." The president and the other three couldn''t help but furrow their eyebrows. Even though there were some sorts of rumors about them being a couple, Hana was still an outsider. This decision should have been made by Clovis. At the same time, they knew Hana''s reputation.


    There was a reason Hana was able to succeed. They really wanted Hana to not join the negotiation, since they might be at a disadvantage.


    When they opened their mouth, Clovis immediately interjected, "Allow her to speak. She is acting on behalf of my well-being as my fiancee."


    "!!!" The three Tier 8 humans looked shocked. This might be a lie that Clovis presented to stop them from pushing her away, but because of this statement, they really couldn''t stop Hana.


    After all, Clovis specifically mentioned ''fiancee'' instead of ''woman'' or ''girlfriend'' to make her status even more important.


    The president paused for a moment before asking, "Why do you think it''s not appropriate?"


    Hana raised two fingers. "There are two reasons. First of all, even though it''s true that the Hacfield family won''t be coming here, it doesn''t mean Clovis is completely unrelated to the Hacfield family.


    "In special circumstances, the Hacfield family might end up interfering, which means the country will receive more.


    "The second reason is Clovis'' connection is not limited to the Hacfield family. There is also the Elseingarde family.


    "It''s true that while Christina Elseingarde won''t be bound by the contract, she is still a part of the Libation Fiesta.


    "In other words, the relationship between the two is extremely close. And with this relationship, there are definitely a lot of benefits, especially during the negotiation with their country.


    "While it''s true that Clovis himself has yet to become Tier 9, he has all this potential. That''s why I believe the offer is unacceptable," Hana explained.


    This was the reason he didn''t want Hana here, especially with the fact that the Skylark conglomerate would end up being a part of Clovis as well. With the new beast soul, soul weapon, and even the exoskeleton, the OpenSky Company was gradually becoming one of the biggest companies in the world.


    Clovis was aware of this. That was why he brought Hana instead of anyone else in his group.


    The president asked, "In that case, may I know what you want? I assume this is not the Skylark family trying to monopolize the future Tier 9 human, correct?"


    Hana smiled. "Of course. We have three demands. First of all, the formal announcement will have to wait until Clovis reaches Tier 5. However, the benefit of the contract will be active the moment we''ve reached an agreement."


    "What? You want to reap the benefits without giving anything back?" The youngest Tier 8 among them couldn''t help but open his mouth.


    Hana shook her head. "We understand your position. The process of him being a citizen here can be processed immediately as well. We''re only asking for the official announcement to be delayed."


    "May I know the reason why you want it to be delayed? Without the formal announcement, we can''t openly protect the Libation Fiesta," asked the president.


    Hana exchanged gazes with Clovis before saying, "There is something he needs to do before that. Hence, he can''t afford to have it announced formally before that. In exchange, he will finish everything in less than two years."


    "That''s not too long." The president crossed his arms. "I need to confirm one thing. Is it going to harm the country?"


    "No." Clovis was the one answering his question with a resolute face.


    The president nodded. "Alright. I can agree to the first condition."


    "The second condition is to allow the Libation Fiesta to choose their own tower."


    "..." The president looked even more concerned. To choose their own tower meant they would be able to choose a strategic position. It would be troublesome if they gave full management rights so easily, especially in a developed city.


    That was why the president couldn''t really agree to this condition.


    Hana had seen through him and immediately added, "However, you don''t have to worry that we''ll take a fully developed city. Instead, allow us to choose a fallen city. All the development of that city will come directly from us instead of the country."


    "!!!" The president looked shocked. If it was just this condition, he was fine. It was hard to take back a fallen city. Even the rebuilding effort took so much effort and resources. If they were the ones taking care of it, it wouldn''t put a strain on the country''s budget.


    At the same time, if the city was rebuilt, everything would be theirs. If they managed to succeed, the benefits would easily surpass the cost. But to do something like this, only a family with at least multiple Tier 8s and a financial backing like the Skylark family could do it. And with Clovis'' potential, they might indeed be able to achieve it.


    In addition, if the family declined, the country could take back the city little by little.


    After some thought, the president nodded. "All right. I will agree with that condition. What is the last condition?"


    "The last condition..."

 Chapter 666: Concluding the Negotiation

    "The last condition..." Hana paused for a moment. "We would like to have freedom."


    "!!!" The president widened his eyes.


    "Freedom..."


    Hana nodded. "The freedom to go to other countries. Those kinds of things."


    "Are you seriously asking that? Do you know that¡ª"


    The president hurriedly stopped him. Obviously, these two had already known about the restriction imposed to a Tier 9. After all, they could be the representatives of a country.


    This condition was basically telling them that even though he would be a part of this country, he didn''t plan to become the country''s dog.


    "You''re asking a difficult thing, especially if we add the other two conditions..." The president squinted his eyes.


    Hana nodded. "In fact, the third condition is the most important thing. If you can''t agree to it, then the negotiation ends here."


    "May I ask why you have to put in the third condition?"


    Hana wanted to speak, but this time, Clovis stopped her. He said, "For my goal. If I have to abandon my goal just for this, it''s better if I follow the same path as my grandfather.


    "However, I believe that there''s another path that I can take, which is slightly different from my grandfather. That''s why I''m considering the offer positively.


    "Still, if the country is making me give up on that goal, the deal is off."


    "And your goal is..." The president''s expression turned grim.


    Clovis simply pointed up while stating only a single word. "Simulation."


    "!!!" All four of them widened their eyes in shock. What Clovis meant was the Simulation World they were living in.


    In that instant, he finally understood why the third condition was the most important.


    The president took a deep breath before raising two fingers. "I can agree to the last condition, but I have to put two restrictions on it.


    "First of all, I won''t stop you from doing everything you want or going wherever you are. But don''t forget that you are affiliated with this country, which means you have to behave in a befitting way as a representative.


    "The second problem is that if you wish to visit somewhere else, alone or with your group, I will prepare an agent to handle all the administrative tasks.


    "In addition to these two restrictions, I would like to ask you that you are acting on behalf of the country. For example, representing this country or protecting this country if a danger is coming in the future."


    Clovis closed his eyes for a moment, pondering the conditions. Ultimately, he nodded his head. "We have a deal."


    The president nodded. He never thought he would have to promise this much just for someone with a potential to become a Tier 9. However, this was worth it. Clovis'' strength and even his connection were too terrifying to ignore. If they let Clovis go, they would definitely become a laughingstock in the future.


    Both of them stood up and shook each other''s hand.


    "I will immediately handle the administrative process and I will give you the result tomorrow." The president smiled. "Once again, I welcome you to Absalom, Clovis Hacfield."


    Clovis nodded. "Clovis."


    "Right? Your family has erased the trace of their connection for the time being. Let me correct myself. Welcome, Mr. Clovis."


    "Thank you very much, Mr. President."


    The president turned to Hana and complained a bit, "This girl. You are more ferocious than your grandfather."


    "I will take that as a compliment." Hana smiled politely.


    The president chuckled as the two exited the room with Radric guiding them back.


    "Sir... Are you sure it''s alright to agree to all those conditions?" The two Tier 8s were confused by his decision.


    "That is fine. Besides, it''s not like we''re the ones losing out." The president shook his head helplessly. "First of all, this is binding not just Clovis but also his group in this country.


    "By giving him the territory, we have succeeded in it. However, it''s actually even more amazing that he asked for a fallen city instead of a major one we currently have."


    One of them nodded. "Well, that''s true. If they manage to revive a fallen city, other cities around them will prosper as well. By the time that happens, Clovis has at least reached Tier 8 if not Tier 9."


    "No, not that." The president shook his head. "The fallen city means it''s an empty city. The right of its ownership will be given to the one salvaging that place. The former owners who have abandoned their homes can''t reclaim their lands anymore.


    "And the Libation Fiesta is in the rapid developing phase. In other words, if we give them a fallen city, they will be eager to clean them up for their growth.


    "You should know that the Libation Fiesta is one of the fastest growing groups in the world, so giving them a fallen city is the same as giving a tiger a pair of wings.


    "In addition, because it''s a free city, that means there''s a high chance that they will restore it and give it to their family members. If their family members settle down in that city, they will have more reasons to actually stay in this country. You can say that the agreement binds Clovis Hacfield while this city binds his group."


    "!!!" The two gasped, finally understanding why the president agreed to such a harsh condition.


    "This is..."


    "We''ve never thought about that possibility."


    The president smiled. "Process his ID right away. Also, who is the best agent we have right now?"


    "For such a young man, I believe we should send Rena."


    The president nodded. "All right. Tell her to be the agent for Clovis. One more thing, send out our spies and protect the family of the Libation Fiesta''s members. If we want to bind them, we can''t afford to have them dying in other countries. Once they establish their foothold in that fallen city, I''m sure they will bring in their families there."


    "Understood." The two immediately left the room.


    The president harrumphed as though he had won big. Little did he know, Clovis had one more trump card he wouldn''t tell him. The fact that he was close to Mara and had the chance to recruit him.

 Chapter 667: Kanarias Options

    Clovis and Hana finally returned to the mansion together.


    "So... we''ll create our base here," explained Clovis. He turned to Kanaria. "You will be the one choosing the fallen city. Find the tower that fits all of our criteria."


    Kanaria nodded. "Yep. I''ll make sure that the tower level itself is high enough for our group to level up. In addition, it should be strategic and allow us to create a small empire there."


    "Yeah. Since this is related to your goal, keep in mind the rebuilding of that fallen city." Clovis pointed at Hana. "For the time being, I have some funds you can use, but if it''s not enough, ask her."


    "Heh." Hana smirked. Although she didn''t know precisely about the Another World Mall, she had figured out how it worked. The reason Clovis wanted money without any apparent sign of buying a lot of things meant that secret just tried to circulate money around.


    Hana nodded. "Just tell me. I will transfer the money to your group''s account. If you need a connection within the country, leave it to me. I''ve plenty of connections, especially for materials to rebuild a city. Still, this is not going to be easy. Do you have a plan or something?"


    Kanaria shook her head. "To rebuild a city, we have to kill the beasts inside it first, before taking control of the tower. Of course, this also means we have to set up another camp to take down the beasts in the underworld.


    "That means it''s probably better to set up the camp both on the surface and in the underworld.


    "Then, it''s to create the World Lift. The elevator is the most crucial. And I doubt that our group can do all that easily. It requires a lot of people not only to protect it but also to construct it.


    "Once we''re done with the World Lift, we can begin to rebuild the base underground. Once the underground base can function perfectly, there won''t be any more threats of the beasts from within, which allows us to finally set up the city on the surface.


    "This is basically the grand map to rebuild the city. However, it''s easier said than done. The concrete plan itself, like where to gather the resources and how to develop the city to be able to sustain itself... is something I haven''t thought about yet." Kanaria sighed.


    "That''s good enough for me." Hana nodded. "Besides, by establishing the city, we can get an unimaginable amount of money. It''s just that the early investment will be quite insane. I don''t think I can do it by myself. Should I pull in some investors? Or..."


    Hana smiled coquettishly at Clovis.


    "..." Clovis glanced at her, knowing that she wanted to have the items from Another World Mall.


    Clovis let out a long sigh. "Maybe after I reach Tier 5. For now, the funds required to do the early development are not that high yet, right? Besides, you can still develop the Soul Weapon first."


    "Hehehehe. Alright. Leave the money problem to me." Hana pumped her chest proudly.


    Clovis asked, "Do you have any problems with the current course of our group?"


    "Not really." Christina shook her head. "Besides, it''s a good thing to have a base. It can speed up our progress. However, after listening to my grandfather, you probably need a lot of people to protect this place. What are you going to do with it? Our group is a small elite group, so we don''t have enough numbers to protect the place."


    "I know." Clovis thought for a moment. "There are ways, but... I''m not entirely sure about it."


    Jay squinted his eyes as though he had figured it out. "Our families?"


    "Oh? That''s clever." Aileen nodded in agreement. "Our families are quite big and established in Absalom. On the one hand, if all are moving right away, it will hurt the foundation. And I don''t think asking them to leave the country will be easy.


    "Hence, they will probably send some explorers to us to help. I don''t know if they will eventually come here or not."


    Hana nodded. "If you need some additional force, I can use my OpenSky Company''s people as well. I will just establish another headquarters in this new city. And since we will be sealing this fallen city, we will be able to monopolize the beasts for a while, which is something that people love. It''s annoying to share your hunting ground with others after all.


    "And all those beasts can be translated to money." Hana basically supported the idea, considering it would make money. "If it''s not enough, I can still ask my grandfather to help as well."


    "Well, that can wait. For now, we need to know the danger level of that city and the kind of beings we need to deal with." Clovis turned to Kanaria. "Have you found out which tower you would like to get?"


    "Hmm..." Kanaria crossed her arms. "Actually, when you told us about the chance of setting up the base here, I started researching the tower in this country.


    "There are 9 towers with dead cities. 4 out of 9 are quite strategic. One of them is near the border, the second is not far from the province with the highest level of trading, the third is quite close to everywhere, and the last one was used as a resort in the past."


    "Oh. The first one is the closest to my home, huh?" Christina raised her eyebrows, feeling amused.


    Clovis squinted his eyes. "That''s only the strategic position. I can understand why they''re strategic, but is there anything suitable for us?"


    "That''s the problem. I don''t have enough information about it. Right now, I''m thinking about a fallen city with a danger level of six, which means there are Tier 6 beasts plaguing that city. With that danger level, there should be some Tier 8 beasts around in the underworld.


    "However, considering our group''s goal, I''m thinking about choosing a fallen city with a danger level of seven. It might not have Tier 9, but it should have more Tier 8 beasts around. Still, we''re quite weak right now, so this place is going to be dangerous.


    "In addition, it''s quite hard to help the normal people as well, considering the average tier of this country is 4.81. It''s higher than Axolonia, which is 4.11, but a danger level of 7 is still quite too high for the country. We''re not like those superpower countries with an average tier of 5.5 or above. So... I''m not sure what to choose yet."

 Chapter 668: Clovis Choice

    A woman was standing right in front of the mansion. She looked similar to Lucifania in terms of age. However, she was stronger even compared to most people in the Libation Fiesta. After all, she was a Tier 6 human.


    She fixed her glasses while checking her hair. After ensuring that everything was alright, she finally stepped forward, searching for the bell.


    However, before she was able to find them, Clovis, Christina, and Kanaria came out of the mansion.


    "What are you doing here? Are you the one sent by the government?" Clovis'' voice echoed.


    "!!!" The woman looked surprised and hurriedly took a step back. She saluted. "I am Rena Walstain. I''m honored to be the formal agent for Mr. Clovis."


    According to Christina, a Tier 9 usually had an agent that would take care of them. If they needed to do anything, they would contact this agent.


    In fact, when Ezekiel visited this country to watch Clovis'' match, he would have to contact the agent first, as the agent prepared everything he required in order to leave the country.


    Depending on how nonchalant a Tier 9 human was, the agent could also be their friend or even known by their family.


    This time, the country seemed to be giving him this Rena Walstain.


    She looked pleasing to the eye. Despite being stiff and formal, she had enough experience and extensive knowledge to talk about a lot of things or accompany Clovis for a lot of hobbies.


    At the same time, her strength was that of a Tier 6. She could be considered talented. In fact, she was one of the people who had the potential to become a Tier 8 human.


    By sending her to Clovis, the country didn''t plan to displease Clovis in any way. In fact, for a man, she should be more pleasing to his eyes.


    On the other hand, Rena was a bit stiff. The country suddenly told her to serve a single person. More importantly, this person was a person with a unique ability. If Clovis truly grew into a Tier 9 human and she was able to assist him the whole time, it would probably be the highest honor for someone like her.


    In fact, if Clovis recognized her, there was a chance that she would be included in his protection.


    That was why she was a bit nervous despite facing Clovis, who was two tiers lower than her currently. After all, she had been told about the way he conducted himself when talking to the president. She knew how hard it was to deal with or take advantage of Clovis.


    Clovis squinted his eyes. "So, you''re the agent. That''s perfect. We have chosen a tower that will be used as our base."


    "Yes, sir. I will immediately relay your message." Rena nodded.


    "There''s no need to be too stiff." Clovis waved his hand. He turned to Kanaria.


    Kanaria opened the map and showed the location to Rena. "We''ve chosen this tower and fallen city to be under our jurisdiction."


    "!!!" Rena looked surprised. "This is... Entel."


    "Yes. The fallen city Entel. It''s known for its danger right now because this place has a danger level of six. With the right granted by the country, we would like to set this place as our base."


    Kanaria couldn''t help but recall how the conversation had flowed yesterday.


    ...


    "We''re not like those superpower countries with higher average tier, so... I don''t know which one we should choose."


    "If you don''t really know which to choose, should I do it?" Clovis asked.


    "Do you have something in mind?" Kanaria raised her eyebrows.


    "Yeah. I will choose the danger level 6 fallen city."


    "Oh? Can I know why?" Kanaria looked amused. There must be a reason for Clovis to go one tier lower.


    Clovis raised four fingers. "I have a lot of reasons to be honest. First of all, we are granted the right to visit other places, not just this country. In other words, if we want to find anything more dangerous, we can simply access them outside this country.


    "In addition, the country should be pleased because we will be helping their neighbor, which will increase their prestige.


    "The second reason is the lower average tier of the people. Even this danger level 6 is already too much for the average explorers in this country. Hence, I''m planning to gradually develop this city to increase the average tier of the people. With this, the Libation Fiesta will be popular among the people. Of course, this is for the future, but I''m thinking about developing the city with that in mind.


    "The third reason is location. The city is located not far from a mountain. In other words, it''s a perfect place if we want to create a small resort just for our group or families. The better the condition of living, the more comfortable they are.


    "Last but not least, the city itself might be quite far from the capital, but it''s not that far from cities with abundant resources. The cost of developing the city will decrease significantly.


    "I know everything can be solved with money, and we might be able to restore more cities in the future. However, let''s do the easier one to make sure we can succeed at the first one, shall we?"


    Clovis explained the four reasons, which were reasonable without overreaching his goal. Even Kanaria understood that this might be her dream, but she truly had no experience in restoring the city.


    "Well, with a lower danger level, the average tier of the people coming to our city will be lower, which means if they''re going to make a mess, we will have an easier time dealing with them as well." Christina nodded in agreement.


    Clovis snapped his finger, agreeing with Christina.


    "I understand." Kanaria smiled. "Let''s choose this city."


    ...


    Kanaria looked Rena in the eye and said, "We''ll choose this city as our base. Do you need anything else to proceed? And when do you think the right is recognized?"


    "I will immediately report it right away. I believe you can go there right away while I ask the people to process everything."


    "Alright. Thank you." Kanaria nodded.


    "Yes." Rena also took out a brown envelope. "And this is the report regarding Mr. Clovis'' identity. The new ID is also included inside."

 Chapter 669 669: A Base

    "Hmmm..." The president crossed his arms. He glanced at the middle-aged man beside him. "What do you think? Choosing this city... Do you think it''s a good idea?"


    The man was none other than the country''s minister of defense. He was examining Clovis'' choice in choosing Entel as their base.


    After a long pause, the middle-aged man explained, "It''s insane. We have a lot of fallen cities with towers. I had expected them to grab one of the most strategic ones, but they ended up choosing Entel.


    "I''m not sure whether it''s luck or full of consideration, but if it''s the latter, the one who chooses this city is a genius.


    "While it''s true that this city might not be the best, it is quite strategic for materials. As a result, the cost of building the city is not as high, which is probably perfect as this is their first time doing it.


    "There are a few things that I can say, but the most important thing is that the city itself is quite far from our border."


    "Away from our border?" The president furrowed his eyebrows.


    "Yes, sir. We''ve received a report from our spies regarding people''s intention to recruit him. There''s no way they will leave such a guy alone. If they can''t have him, they might ruin him."


    "Have we stopped them from coming to our nation?" The president asked.


    "We can block most of them, but not all. First of all, going that far with an airplane shouldn''t be possible. Even with the one that made Hana Skylark famous, traveling such a distance will not be possible.


    "As a result, there are only two ways for them to reach this place. It''s by land or water. However, the nearest harbor is controlled by the Elseingarde family, which is also not in our country.


    "Ezekiel Elseingarde has declared that he will protect the group that her granddaughter is in. As a result, those people will be screened directly by Mr. Ezekiel first.


    "Hence, the most optimal way to reach our country is by land. The border is a lot easier to block, but we don''t have the strength or manpower to block the underworld.


    "As a result, I''m afraid that those who reach here will most likely come from the underworld.


    "If he chooses the fallen city near the border, he will be easily found. On the other hand, the underworld is not that easy to cross.


    "With this position, we will have some time as well. If I were acting as their adviser, I wouldn''t tell them to go there due to how hard it was to brute force their way toward him."


    "I see." The president squinted his eyes. "For now, inform those people that Clovis is ours. Although we can''t make a public statement as well, I doubt we can hide this fact for long either. Make it in a way that we''re protecting Clovis openly. Not only will we stop some of them, but it will also make it harder for Clovis to leave this country.


    "In addition, tell those academies to behave properly. Although academies are important, the future of this guy is much more important for the prosperity of our country.


    "Do everything as you see fit to protect the nation''s interest."


    "Understood." The middle-aged man nodded.


    "By the way, since he''s going to develop this place, has he contacted the military yet?"


    The guy shook his head. "I doubt he will contact the military. The biggest reason is because he has the Skylark. They might be a business family, but their force is not something we should underestimate either."


    "Fair point. For now, we''ll wait and see how the situation progresses."


    "Understood."


    ...


    Meanwhile, Clovis and the others were discussing the same thing.


    "Should I send my people there? To have a hunting ground like this is like a dream." Hana asked. "I''m sure everyone will be overjoyed."


    "..." Clovis squinted his eyes.


    "That''s true. Realistically speaking, we might have the quality, but for this kind of job, quantity is preferred. Even if we can deal with their elites, it will be annoying if more beasts come without us having the means to block them all." Kanaria pinched the bridge of her nose, wondering if there were any methods she could use.


    "For now, I don''t want anyone to enter that place. Instead, how about making a small base for our Libation Fiesta there? Maybe we can use one of the best places that hasn''t been ruined yet as our base. The problem will be the water and food. We can eat beasts, but we need to control everyone''s diet." Clovis thought that Another World Mall could solve that issue easily, but the problem was whether he should reveal it completely right now or not.


    "In that case, why don''t we clean up the surface first?" Christina asked. "I have asked my grandfather. Although the Elseingarde family had been well-established before he moved into that city, he first cleaned up the city and checked the underworld.


    "Only after that did he come with a lot of people to sweep in. After all, there''s a chance that a Tier 7 is hiding inside the city. We might not be able to kill it, but running away from it should be possible. It''s just... in case a Tier 7 beast truly appears, how are you going to deal with it? We are not strong enough to take care of them."


    Clovis carefully thought about it and explained, "In that case, let''s do it that way. We''ll clean up the city and the tower. After that, we''ll scout the underground city. Only after that can we move in some people from Hana''s corporation. Besides, it will be good to have running water and other stuff and create a functioning base over there.


    "In that case, we might need to split up our group into two. And those who can reach Tier 6 should do it as quickly as possible. That''s the only way for us to win if there''s indeed a Tier 7.


    "We don''t have a lot of time before problems pile up, so let''s make it count. For now, let''s make preparations to visit this city. We''ll head there the day after tomorrow."

 Chapter 670: Unexpected Visitor

    "Well, it''s time to go. Is everyone ready? We might not be able to go back for a while," Clovis asked with a big smile on his face.


    The rest of the group seemed to be pumped up.


    "Have you prepared everything?" Hana looked around.


    "Yeah. Thank you for the help." Clovis nodded.


    "It''s not a big deal. I will send someone once a week to take care of a simple matter, such as exchanging the essence for you. If you need anything, you can purchase it here, and that person will deliver all the materials every week.


    "After all, you need bullets and other materials to maintain your equipment. How about the energy?" Hana asked.


    Clovis pointed at a small truck behind the bus. "We have stuffed everything in that truck. Generators, solar panels, and other things have been stored there."


    "All right." Hana smiled. "Have a safe trip."


    "Yeah." Clovis smiled.


    When he was about to tell his people to enter their bus, they suddenly heard Reolf barking.


    "Waaf! Waaf!"


    "!!!" Clovis raised his eyebrows and hurriedly turned around. The others couldn''t help but raise their weapons.


    This was a signal from Reolf. Clovis had told him to bark once if he noticed someone familiar, twice if this was a person he had never seen before, and thrice if that person carried killing intent.


    The moment he barked twice, Clovis and the others hurriedly raised their guards.


    "Oh my. I guess I can''t give you any surprise."


    "Who?" Christina and a few members who were new to the group couldn''t recognize her.


    However, those who had been with Clovis for a long time couldn''t help but furrow their eyebrows.


    Jay stood in front of Clovis, looking at the female as well as the robe-covered person behind her.


    "What are you trying to do here, Vina?" Jay asked coldly.


    "Vina?" The people were confused, including Hana.


    "This country is truly strict. I almost couldn''t enter this place." Vina smiled wryly.


    Jay''s expression became colder, thinking that Vina had trespassed because she wanted to do something bad.


    As if noticing that the conversation had gone in a bad direction, she hurriedly explained, "Please lower your weapons. I don''t wish to fight here. I''m just trying... to negotiate."


    "Negotiate? How bold. Are you trying to poach Clovis?" Hana stepped forth. "Especially by bringing that person? What are you planning to do with that Tier 7 human?"


    "Of course not. I''m not here to poach Clovis. I just smell an opportunity. Well, I can only reach here because of a certain help." Vina took out a small letter while saying, "In exchange, I would like to deliver this letter on behalf of Miss Cleopatra."


    "..." All of them were baffled. Only Kanaria and Jay reacted to that name. Clovis twitched his eyebrows and dropped his weapon.


    "Huh?"


    "What''s going on?"


    "Miss Cleopatra?"


    "Do you know her?"


    "Jay? Kanaria?"


    Christina and the others were confused. They wanted to know who this person was.


    "What do you want? Why do you have a letter from my mother?" Clovis asked while having a hard time regaining his composure.


    "M-Mother?" They dropped their jaws while looking at Clovis.


    "I won''t take much of your time." Vina smiled. "Would you be willing to hear me out? It''s fine if we say it here."


    Clovis closed his eyes for a moment, falling into deep thought. "Fine."


    "I come here as a part of Dark Moon Mercenary as well as the future heir of the Dark Emerald Group." Vina smiled. "It appears you have received a tower from this country. Hence, I would like to cooperate with you. Please allow us to set up a branch in your city."


    "Dark Moon Mercenary, Dark Emerald Group?!" Hana gasped.


    "Do you know them?" Luci asked, clueless about this organization.


    "Dark Moon Mercenary is quite famous in the north. However, that''s just the surface. Those who are able to see things in the shadow will understand why Dark Moon Mercenary is infamous.


    "The Dark Moon Mercenary has three branches: the one that is considered one of the top groups in terms of information network, the Dark Emerald Group, the organization that is said to eliminate people depending on the commission, the Red Ruby Group, and lastly, the group that stays on the surface, capable of dealing with the most difficult missions, the Blue Diamond Group.


    "And she claimed herself to be the heir of the Dark Emerald Group? This is even more ridiculous. The leader of the Dark Moon Mercenary is always determined by their contribution to the mercenary group. In other words, if she claims to be the heir of one of those groups, she has the right to claim the power of the Dark Moon Mercenary."


    After hearing her explanation, this Dark Moon Mercenary had just become more terrifying.


    On the other hand, Vina politely greeted them. "It''s a pleasure to meet you, everyone. My name is Vina. I apologize for not being able to give you my family name. My grandmaster is the current leader of the Dark Emerald Group."


    They looked shocked, but they were a bit concerned about what Vina actually wanted.


    "Are you trying to become the leader of the Dark Moon Mercenary?" Clovis asked with a grim expression.


    "!!!" Some of them instantly understood Vina''s plan.


    "As expected, I can''t really hide anything from you." Vina smiled. "Yes. The Dark Moon Mercenary recycles their leader''s seat every ten years. It has been five years since the last change.


    "On behalf of my master, I would like to set up a base in your city."


    "Although I don''t really want to boast, the fact that you''re able to get information directly from me is definitely something that''s worth a lot. So, you''re planning to use that information to get that seat?"


    Vina remained smiling without answering his question.


    Clovis knew from that reaction that he was understanding it correctly, but he was missing something. And that something was the letter she brought.


    What she wanted was the cooperation of the Hacfield family. With that cooperation, it wouldn''t be hard to seize the seat.


    Clovis glanced at the letter in her hand. "Let me see that letter first."

 Chapter 671: Letter

    "Let me see that letter first."


    "I understand." Vina smiled and happily handed over the letter.


    The moment he opened the letter, he looked shocked. The letter didn''t mention a single thing about the Dark Moon Mercenary. It was as if they were telling him to forge his own path and make a decision for himself.


    People made mistakes. However, that wasn''t the worst part. The worst part was that after making that mistake, they didn''t learn from it and turn into a better person.


    Hence, his family, or more like his mother, sent this letter to him.


    Clovis asked, "Did you meet her?"


    Vina shook her head. "All we know is that they will open the path for us as long as we deliver this letter. I don''t think that''s a bad idea, so I come."


    There were a lot of questions in his mind, but having someone like Vina might be a good thing. It was true that his information might be exposed. However, Vina surely would give some information to him as well.


    In other words, it was just a basic give and take.


    "..." Clovis pondered for a moment. "What is your term?"


    "We would like to have a base in your city. I would also like to ask for your favor to make me the leader of the Dark Moon Mercenary. As you can see right now, I lack power," explained Vina.


    She was a Tier 3 human, but it looked like she had just become Tier 3. In the end, she focused on managing the group.


    "I currently don''t have the strength to assist you."


    "I''m aware of it. As long as I can have that position in five years, it''s all good. I don''t believe you will still remain as a nobody after five years."


    Clovis pondered for a moment before asking the most crucial question. "What can you do for me then? You''re not going to threaten me by giving my information to others so that they can ambush me, right?"


    "Of course not. If I do that, not only you but also your family will definitely come to me." Vina shook her head. "What do you want me to do?"


    Clovis crossed his arms. "I have three conditions. First of all, you are going to follow my schedule. Starting a new base is easier said than done, so I will probably need about six months to even think about that.


    "If we calculate the process and other things, you can only set up a base 9 months after this agreement.


    "The second condition is that during those nine months, you are to help me mask my information as long as possible. It''s a crucial time for my group, so I don''t want anyone to hinder our progress.


    "The last condition is to negotiate every small deal we have, whether it''s me asking you for a favor or vice versa."


    Vina looked quite surprised before smiling. "I understand. I shall agree to that deal."


    "All right then." Clovis nodded.


    "Since we are going to cooperate like this, please take this." Vina took out a Skyphone. "This is a special phone that has been personally encrypted. There''s only one number inside. If we''re going to communicate, it will be through this phone."


    Clovis nodded.


    "In that case, I won''t bother you any longer. Please take care." Vina smiled and walked away.


    The Tier 7 human who was accompanying him this whole time couldn''t help but ask, "Are you sure about this? What if he backed off from the agreement after we fulfilled our part for those 9 months?"


    Vina just chuckled, as though she had heard a dumb question. "I know you have a doubt, but Clovis is a man of principle and integrity. These nine months are like a test to gain his trust. But after that, negotiation will be smooth."


    Meanwhile, Clovis'' expression turned solemn as he waved his hand. "Melody. Hana."


    Melody and Hana were confused, wondering why he called for them. Hana aside, Melody wasn''t supposed to be a part of the conversation. In the end, it was Kanaria who would be planning for the city.


    However, Clovis specifically handed the letter to Melody while saying, "Burn it after you read it."


    Melody was confused for a moment, but once she read the letter, she couldn''t help but cover her mouth in shock. She couldn''t believe that this letter would come at all.


    On the other hand, Hana understood why Clovis asked her to read it as well.


    The letter stated, "Bring me Adante''s blood test and all tests for his chest and head. Send it to this address under the green box."


    Adante or Dante was none other than Melody''s brother. He was the sole reason for Melody joining the Libation Fiesta.


    Clovis wanted to reach Tier 5 because he wanted to fulfill his part as the captain of the Libation Fiesta. After all, that was the key for him to meet his parents.


    The letter specifically mentioned her brother''s name. In other words, this letter was sent specifically by his mother. She wanted to get all the information before operating on him.


    And Hana would be the one to do it in her stead.


    Hana smiled wryly while saying, "I guess you don''t have to worry about it anymore, Melody. His mother is supposed to be one of the best doctors in the world, right? I will take care of all these tests here, so you should focus on setting up the base.


    "I think the moment he reaches Tier 5, the operation will happen. Just come back like once a month or something."


    "Hana... Can I ask you for a favor?"


    "Hmm?"


    Melody clenched her hands into fists. "I won''t return. Can I ask you to help me with just a video call with my brother every month? That''s enough for me. I will dedicate this time to making sure everything progresses smoothly and quickly. More than that, I might get distracted by this happiness..."


    Hana smiled. "Sure. Go on." She patted her back.


    "Yeah. I''m going." Melody had a hard time containing her excitement. She entered the bus with her body still shaking.


    This base, she would definitely set it up quickly.

 Chapter 672: Arrival

    "So, this is the place..." Jay squinted his eyes while tilting his head forward.


    In front of them was the fallen city called Entel. Even though the wall might not be as tall as the capital city, it was still taller than most cities they had visited so far.


    However, as expected from a fallen city, the wall had deteriorated quite a bit. A part of it was destroyed by the beasts.


    Still, it might be due to the size of the wall and the marvel of this wall engineering, as most parts were still intact.


    They couldn''t see much of the inside, but through several gaps, they could see a lot of tall buildings.


    "This is Entel. It''s one of the biggest cities back in the day, but due to the surge of beasts coming from the inside during the early era of explorers, they''re unable to hold on and ultimately turn into a fallen city.


    "Although the city on the surface looks much more intact, the underground city is expected to be much worse than this," explained Kanaria. That''s why restoring this surface city shouldn''t be a big problem."


    "Reolf." Clovis squinted his eyes. "Is there any monster around the wall?"


    Reolf shook his head.


    "Alright. Jay. For now, we parked our bus right outside the wall. We''ll investigate and find a good shelter, which will be our temporary base."


    "Got it."


    Kanaria continued, "For now, our plan is to secure a shelter and scout the area. Even the map won''t be updated that quickly, so it''s better to stay cautious for the time being."


    "In any case, once we locate everything, we will clean up this city and guard the tower to ensure no more beasts come up." Clovis turned to Melody. "Once we''re done, make a map of the city. Is it possible?"


    "Yes. With AI, I can make a 3D model of this city. I have my drones ready." Melody nodded with a serious expression.


    Clovis thought for a moment. "Depending on the situation, I might need to split our group."


    "I see. Two groups to handle two sides, huh?" Christina nodded in understanding.


    "No. To the extent of a pair. Of course, I have to make sure if the condition is right." Clovis shrugged.


    "Well, we have ten people now, including Reolf. So, having five pairs should be possible." She nodded.


    "Is there anything else?" Clovis asked Kanaria.


    "Hmm. There are three Tier 6 beasts inside. Other than that, there''s not much information about this city.


    "However, in the early days, this city was extremely good, so we might be able to scavenge some stuff." Kanaria explained. "It might not be much, but it can help with the cost."


    Clovis nodded.


    "All right. I''ve got the heat vision." Melody operated the drone and showed the screen to him.


    There were definitely a lot of beasts around the entrance. Although Melody wanted to go further, she decided to remain around the entrance to avoid this drone being found and destroyed.


    Clovis pondered. "We will split our group into three. Reolf, Jay, Luci, and I will be the first group. Our role will be the vanguard. Our first destination is the city center, where the tower is located, and find our shelter there.


    "The second group is Christina, Melody, and Kanaria. You will protect the left flank and kill any beasts around it. Make sure to remain as quiet as possible and stick with us. The third group is Erwin, Aileen, and Ragna. The purpose is the same as the second group, but on the right.


    "Once we find a shelter, we will return and split the group into two to secure the road and escort our vehicles."


    They nodded. Even Erwin and Aileen, who were in the second truck, agreed with the plan.


    "All right. Let''s find our shelter before dark today. There are still seven hours left. We might have to skip meals and go straight to dinner."


    Once they reached the wall, Jay and Erwin parked their vehicles carefully while the others were preparing their equipment.


    They had grown far stronger than they were a month ago. Even though there were multiple Tier 6 enemies, they were not scared. In fact, some were excited because they wanted to fight that beast.


    "Our goal for this month is to secure a foothold for our group here as well as to have Ragna reach Tier 5. Christina will still take a while to reach Tier 6, but once she reaches that stage, we might be able to hold against a Tier 7 beast, so keep that in mind."


    They nodded and gathered with their respective groups.


    "By the way, I have reported the road situation to Hana. For the time being, since her group can''t enter yet, she wants to fix the road to this city. At least, the goods can enter much safer and more smoothly once we have settled down." Kanaria reported.


    "That''s good enough. Also, tell her not to make it obvious. In the end, our existence here is still a secret. I don''t want to deal with unexpected problems yet."


    Kanaria nodded.


    "We don''t know where the Tier 6 beasts are yet. What will we do if we find it?" Jay asked. His face remained calm, but all the members could see how excited Jay was. He was practically saying, ''Come, Tier 6 beast. Come!''


    Clovis smiled wryly. "Fine. Since you guys are so excited, Jay can take the first one while the rest will support. I will adjust the team depending on the circumstances.


    "The second Tier 6 beast will be hunted down by Erwin and Aileen. The last one will be taken out by me and Christina. Does anyone want to kill a Tier 6 beast?" Clovis raised his hand, wondering if Ragna and the others wanted to.


    Surprisingly, Reolf raised his paw. "Waaf!"


    "You want to kill a Tier 6 beast, Reolf?"


    Reolf shook his head. Instead, he raised both hands as though he were a human trying to show off his muscles.


    "Ah. You want to become a Tier 4?"


    "Waaf!" Reolf nodded furiously.


    "Sure. Let''s make you a Tier 4 beast within a month... No, within 2 weeks." Clovis grinned. "If there''s nothing else, let''s head inside."

 Chapter 673: Scouting

    The advance of the Libation Fiesta was swift and quiet. With each team having an extraordinary strength, they could kill a group of lower tier beasts without letting them call other beasts around the area.


    In addition, Reolf helped them with confirming their location, while Melody guided the entire group. Melody was so pumped up that she was faster than what she had shown so far. It felt like the burden on her heart had been lifted up, allowing her to completely focus on the matter at hand.


    Fortunately, they didn''t encounter a single Tier 6 beast during the first trip. They ultimately reached a small mansion located near the city center.


    From the looks of the mansion, it was clear that the one who owned it was quite wealthy. However, this person wasn''t one of the top people in this city. Instead, he was similar to someone in the upper class that was trying to join the top rank.


    It was apparent after seeing other mansions in the area. They even compared it with Jay and Kanaria''s families, considering their families were at the top of their particular city.


    Clovis picked it because they didn''t want to clean up a lot of space but still wanted a certain amount of space to do things like practice.


    Once they brought everything to this new place, they split up.


    Most people stayed inside the mansion, cleaning up the place and making the mansion a proper place to live. It had been abandoned for at least twenty years after all. It required a lot of effort to clean them.


    "Hmm?" Jay furrowed his eyebrows, looking at Ragna, who was wiping the floor. "Ragna? Where is Clovis? Isn''t he with you?"


    Ragna smiled wryly. "Captain told me he wanted to check the tower. Christina went with him."


    "Kanaria?" Jay looked around, finding Melody, who was fully absorbed with her screen.


    "Kanaria should be changing the sheet for everyone," explained Melody.


    "Oh. What are you doing then? If you are not doing anything, how about helping us? This is going to take forever."


    "Sorry. I''m mapping the city right now and searching for the potential spots where Tier 6 beasts would most likely reside."


    While she said those words, Reolf suddenly slid with a wet towel on his front paws. In fact, he was pushing the towel as if he was playing around with the slide.


    "..." Jay facepalmed while saying, "These people... Even the animal is actually much more helpful than them."


    "Ahahaha." Ragna laughed wryly.


    ...


    Inside the abandoned Explorer Management Bureau, the place where they managed the explorers before going to the underworld, Clovis and Christina swiftly cut their way toward the tower.


    With Melody''s help, they didn''t encounter any problematic beast, allowing them to reach the tower in less than thirty minutes.


    Normally, the tower would have a platform that would carry them up and down, but the only thing that was left behind were broken pillars and snapped cables that were used to carry the platform in the past.


    "Hmm... This is probably going to be the main problem, right?" Clovis squinted his eyes.


    "Yes. Still, the tower is not straight up. It''s like a tunnel that allows for both humans and beasts to cross even without the tower."


    "I know. The sky lift is only there to allow humans to have an easier time crossing the tower." Clovis squinted his eyes. "Still, that is necessary if we want to develop the underground city."


    "Yes. Still, it''s going to take some time even if we employ a lot of people." Christina shrugged. "I think even Kanaria knows this, but how many people can actually work in this city?


    "Even my grandfather didn''t dare to take a fallen city. He only took a very desperate city where he could gain the most after regaining its strength."


    Clovis crossed his arms. "I know this is not an easy project. In the end, I will be providing the funds."


    "Fair enough. Just be careful that people are not saying you are Hana''s kept man." Christina grinned, teasing him.


    "What kept man? I feel like I''m dealing with a vampire." Clovis sighed. "Anyway, how long is this tower?"


    "I''m not very sure. You should ask Kanaria or Melody. However, most towers have a height of 2 kilometers. And because the tunnel is at an angle, it''s about ten times that number."


    "Now that we''re thinking about rebuilding this, it''s quite amazing that there''s no magma whatsoever to destroy this tower." Clovis chuckled.


    "I know, right?" Christina shrugged. "According to my grandfather, nothing happened when the tower suddenly appeared.


    "It felt like the rock formation was removed and this new underworld appeared out of the blue. There was no tectonic shift whatsoever.


    "The only thing that happened was the sudden disappearance of resources. Petroleum was gone, mines disappeared, and even geothermal energy completely vanished. There are no active volcanoes on the surface. Some even thought these towers were volcanoes that collapsed.


    "In the end, we could only speculate. There''s no telling what''s actually going on with our world. The absurdity or more like the lack of realism, feels like..."


    "A game." Clovis nodded in understanding.


    "Yeah. Our people have created games and things like that without much thought, but after this incident, people definitely understand how unpleasant it is to be seen as a character in that game and some people are watching us like gods." She nodded.


    "That''s why I want to find it... the answer." Clovis smiled. "Anyway, we have scouted the area. The tower itself seems to be working just fine. Once we take care of the beasts outside, we will start delving into the tunnel."


    "Yeah. Though, there''s someone who is close to the answer." Hana looked at Clovis. "He is your grandfather."


    "I know. Even though I wasn''t really bothered with my family''s circumstances, I at least know that it''s because of that very reason that the Hacfield family is in this condition."


    "Yes. Just like there are people who are curious like your grandfather, there are people who don''t want to discover the truth. The unknown is too scary after all. It can be anything. It can break our hope and it will be too late to do anything about it."


    "Indeed."

 Chapter 674 674: Movement

    While Clovis and the others were setting up their new base, a lot of groups were on the move, figuring out a way to get Clovis to join them.


    "What? Absalom is truly ridiculous. They''re stopping our entry to their country? Are they so afraid that we''ll steal Clovis from them?"


    "Well... isn''t that what we''re supposed to do?"


    "I''m just letting it out of frustration!"


    "Yes... so, what are we going to do now?"


    "It can''t be helped. If the normal route is blocked, we have to come from the underworld. Unlike the surface, they can''t stop our entry there."


    "But we don''t know where he is. And even if we can find him, as long as he''s inside an underground city, we will have a hard time bypassing their security. It looks like they''re tightening both the surface and subterranean security."


    "It doesn''t matter. At the very least, people will make less fuss if we enter from there."


    "I understand."


    "Where is he now?"


    "We don''t have that information currently. It appears that the country is sealing off his information. I''m afraid they''re trying to strike a deal or something. Are they..."


    "Are they going to offer a tower to make him stay? This is not good. Find all information about him, especially his whereabouts. Even if he gets that kind of deal, we can offer the same thing. We will just offer him to get stronger and let him get the tower after being recognized in this country.


    "Our country is much stronger than Absalom. I''m sure he will be more pleased to join here."


    "I understand. In that case, I will find any information about him."


    "Focus on his location first. We can''t afford to let others take the initiative to contact him."


    "Yes."


    A lot of people were trying to find a way to enter Absalom, but some had actually worked on it. There were some people who actually entered the country with a fake passport, identifying themselves as the citizens of Absalom who had just returned to the country.


    Some even had spies hiding inside the country the whole time, and it was time to utilize them.


    Unfortunately for them, Clovis had prepared another layer of defense against them, which was none other than Vina. With Vina spreading misinformation, these people shouldn''t be able to figure out his location, at least for a few months. Even Clovis didn''t expect Vina to be able to mislead everyone for the entire nine months.


    Still, there were some who actually used another way to find Clovis. That was by talking to Clovis'' members, specifically their relatives.


    "Congratulations. The Renvolt family will definitely rise from this point onward. Kanaria Renvolt was so strong during the fight, capable of defeating an enemy despite being at a disadvantage. She would definitely become someone that would be recognized by the entire world sooner or later."


    "Thank you." Kanaria''s father nodded while her mother had a smug smile inwardly.


    However, there was a question that tried to slip past their defense.


    "That''s right. We would like to discuss the sponsorship for Kanaria Renvolt. If possible, can we talk to her? Or to express our sincerity, it would be good if we could meet her directly."


    The same was happening to all their relatives. Jay''s family also received a similar type of visitor, trying to figure out their information by acting like a sponsor.


    That was why Clovis had told them not to tell even their parents their current location or plan. They might worry a bit, but as long as Kanaria and the others warned them about this type of person, they would surely understand.


    Though, there was one family or two that didn''t get bothered by this, simply because they were too occupied with each other.


    "Hahahaha, in-law." Aileen''s father, Albert Risevan, laughed out loud with wine in his hand. "To think that Aileen becomes someone so strong. If your son didn''t make her leave this country, her talent might be buried. How dare those people force my daughter to marry their playboy son? Look at them now. Hahahaha!"


    Erwin''s adoptive father, Professor Genzert, smiled wryly. "I''m just wondering if my son is good enough for your daughter."


    "What are you talking about? Your grandson is literally the left-hand man of Clovis. There must be a reason for Clovis to entrust that position to him. That''s why you should believe in your son. Look at my daughter. She knows what to choose. As a result, her talent is finally acknowledged. Come on. We''re a family now. Let''s have a toast."


    Professor Genzert just smiled, still feeling overwhelmed.


    Obviously, the academy that lost Aileen without them realizing it was completely baffled.


    The dean of the Deinesse National University couldn''t help but slam his table. "What? A pseudo unique ability? Why did such a talent get away from this academy? Investigate it right now!"


    It didn''t take too long for the investigation result to come out. And no one would expect that her teacher was planning to sell her to the playboy from the Heshton family.


    As a result, even without Hana or Clovis doing anything, the people hated the half-destroyed Heshton family, which ultimately resulted in their downfall. Her teacher disappeared after the news spread.


    It had become too chaotic for Axolonia to do anything to Clovis yet. In the end, they were the biggest laughingstock for letting Clovis and Aileen leave the country.


    However, there was one unexpected result. It was the fact that the information about Clovis would be found sooner than expected.


    "So, that''s how it is..." The Tier 9 human from the Melesviet family, Carrick, slammed the table while grinning. He was staring at the paper in front of him, showing the reason he lost.


    That paper contained information about the person that caused him to lose.


    And the first row of that information contained the name of that person.


    Name: Clovis Hacfield.


    "Hahahaha. Do you think you can hide your affiliation with that family? Don''t think this is over after you scam me out of ten percent of my family''s revenue and all this embarrassment."

 Chapter 675: Revealed

    Because of the embarrassment after that battle, the people had been spying on the Melesviet family, wanting to know what they thought about the battle.


    It was true that the Libation Fiesta was abnormal, but they were supposed to beat them, especially with their current strength.


    That was why people had been asking for an explanation, considering the country''s reputation had been tarnished.


    Carrick was furious, but more importantly, he was focused on searching for Clovis'' information.


    Finally, after a lot of digging, he found it. It was at that time the Melesviet family spoke up.


    Carrick immediately prepared for a press conference, planning to clear up the name of the Melesviet family and shift all the trouble back to Clovis.


    At the very least, he could finally punish his grandson without anyone knowing it this time. After all, everyone''s eyes were on Clovis.


    In front of numerous reporters, Carrick got a question. "Sir Carrick. Did you not feel embarrassed after suffering such a disastrous defeat in Absalom?"


    Before, Carrick would be furious. But after figuring out Clovis'' identity, Carrick simply smiled. It was as if he had let go of his burden and the embarrassment was just a thing in the past.


    "!!!" The people were confused by the sudden smile. They thought Carrick had gone insane. How could a loser smile like this?


    But before they could speak another word, Carrick said, "I don''t feel embarrassed losing to an old rival."


    "An old rival?" The people were confused. They thought Carrick was talking about Ezekiel, considering he was also present.


    However, when the reporter asked, "Sir Carrick. Mr. Ezekiel¡ª!"


    Before he finished his question, Carrick raised his hand, stopping him. "No. You misunderstand. I''m not talking about Ezekiel Elseingarde. He is nothing but an old fox who is taking advantage of the situation.


    "The person I''m talking about is Clovis'' grandfather. Losing to the grandson of that person is not embarrassing. In fact, I''m relieved. With this, my grandson, Tesron, can finally mature, knowing that there are hidden dragons in this world, including someone who is deliberately erasing the trace of him from his grandson.


    "Clovis must be the hidden weapon of that family. The proof is that group of his. I''m now relieved because I can finally see what kind of thing they''ve been preparing this whole time... I guess I shouldn''t really call him Clovis anymore. Instead, I should call him by his full name... Clovis Hacfield."


    "..."


    The people who were watching it live fell silent. They widened their eyes and paused for a moment, as if their brains had stopped working for a moment.


    More and more people started to recognize the name and immediately dropped their jaws to the ground.


    Hacfield. That was a cursed name in this world. Of course, the Hacfield family wasn''t that hated. However, they were like a walking disaster. A mysterious family that could do anything they wanted in this world, the Hacfield family.


    Starting from his grandfather, Michael Hacfield, the family is basically one of the strongest families in the world. In addition, Michael Hacfield was free from any obligation because he wasn''t affiliated with any countries like Mara. Still, Mara Leverstrike wasn''t as dangerous as Michael, because she just walked around without causing much ruckus. However, Michael was known as a madman who did the unthinkable.


    His son, Gerald Hacfield, was no exception. He might not have the unique ability, but his talent was so high that it was considered one of the pseudo-unique abilities. That talent allowed him to understand, develop, and improve a martial art.


    People even called him the World Guru. There were many influences who were indebted to him because he managed to improve their techniques.


    He married Aisha Meilern, now Hacfield, the person who was known as the best doctor in the world. She mastered three major fields and her research has improved the whole world. In fact, she was one of the leading scientists that created the Super Injection and also the Recovery Pod.


    The Hacfield family might not be big, but these three pillars alone were so tall that most people could only lower their heads, not daring to compare their achievements.


    This time, Carrick dropped a bomb, revealing that Clovis was actually the grandson of Michael Hacfield and the son of Gerald and Aisha. How could they not be shocked?


    Looking at his unique ability alone, Clovis was definitely going to become a Tier 9 human in the future. More importantly, he had an abnormal group that might eventually become one of the strongest groups in the world.


    Last but not least, he had another unique ability user and a pseudo-unique ability user under him.


    This fact alone elevated Clovis'' status to a rare position. Getting Clovis meant getting the Libation Fiesta. People thought that at first.


    Once Carrick revealed his full name, the people realized that they wouldn''t just get the Libation Fiesta but also the Hacfield family. Any influence would simply shoot up to the top if they managed to get Clovis.


    That was why this announcement shocked the world more than Clovis defeating Tesron''s team.


    The mysterious family that had been hidden from the public eye now could be seen in Clovis.


    Carrick simply continued, "As such, my family will be doing our best to become stronger from this point onward, now that we know who our rival is. I know you are watching this, Michael. Deny it if Clovis is not your grandson. I know you can''t. Even if you are trying to be mysterious and erase his family name, you are not someone who will deny this."


    After stating it, Carrick simply left the room.


    "Sir Carrick!"


    "Sir¡ª!"


    The reporters tried to ask a few more questions, but Carrick had left the room. There was nothing that needed to be said. Clovis'' full name alone was enough to shift everyone''s attention from his family.


    The press was broadcast to the entire country at first, but it soon spread to Skytube before spreading even further to conventional media in each country.


    In less than an hour, Clovis'' full name was spread to the entire world.

 Chapter 676 676: Shocked

    "Clovis Hacfield?"


    "That family?!"


    "He is the grandson of Michael Hacfield?"


    The people dropped their jaws, as they couldn''t believe what Carrick had just revealed.


    Almost every single person in the world knew about this news in just a few hours, including the president of Absalom.


    ...


    Absalom.


    "This is... truly..." The president smiled wryly. "It''s going to be hard to protect him like this."


    "Yeah. To think that he would reveal that information. No... it''s to be expected, but I thought he would focus on his grandson and embarrassment. Even a simple dig won''t be enough to find his origin, but to think that he would dig that deep..."


    They let out a long sigh. The value of Clovis in people''s eyes had just skyrocketed. At the same time, while there were a lot of people wanting Clovis, his grandfather''s enemies were a lot more. They will definitely come for him.


    "We will have to¡ª" Before the president could say something, his phone suddenly rang, startling the people inside the room.


    "..."


    All of them had a troubled face as though they knew what kind of call this was.


    ...


    In the west, a middle-aged man smiled. "Clovis Hacfield, huh? After knowing that, there''s no way we''re going to miss out. This is not just about someone who has the potential to become a Tier 9 human in the world."


    "What are we going to do, sir?"


    "I''m going to meet the president right away. If we can snatch Clovis from Absalom, we might be able to get the Hacfield family behind him. There''s also the Elseingarde family." The man clenched his hands into fists. "Prepare my car... no, I''m going there myself."


    ...


    In the east, an elderly woman tapped the ground with her cane. "To think he is his grandson... I have failed to get his son, but there''s still a chance to get his grandson. For the sake of our family, you have to find out his whereabouts right now. I''m sure he hasn''t left Absalom."


    ...


    In the south, a muscular, bald man laughed. "Hahahaha. I never thought his grandson''s identity would be revealed. As expected of my rival, let''s challenge him, shall we?"


    "But sir... Do you even have a grudge against him?"


    "Of course not. I just want to fight someone strong. But I guess I shall let my son do it this time." The bald man pointed to the north. "Go! I want you to wreak havoc over there. Just challenge him or whatever.


    "While Michael is feared by the world, he has a lot of enemies who aren''t scared of him. Go and challenge him before his enemies kill him."


    "Still, Ezekiel Elseingarde seems to be protecting him in the open right now. I''m afraid that we will incur the wrath of both Michael Hacfield and Ezekiel Elseingarde."


    The bald man harrumphed. "It''s fine if I have to fight those two men. Just go!"


    ...


    The world was in uproar and it wouldn''t stop for at least several days. All the media were talking about Clovis and the Libation Fiesta.


    Obviously, it had reached the ears of his grandfather.


    "Look at them. They''re going after your grandson, you know." Ezekiel smirked while placing a pawn on G4.


    "Indeed. That''s going to be a problem, but I don''t think you have to worry about it. You just have to protect him for a while." Michael shook his head while moving the rook to E8.


    "You''re going to make your appearance soon?"


    "Not really. I don''t need to show myself. There''s someone who is going to take care of it."


    "Huh?" Ezekiel looked confused. "Who? Is that person even strong enough to stop them?"


    "I''m talking about his soon-to-be teacher. If his teacher is not enough, then I don''t know who is capable of dealing with them."


    "!!!" Ezekiel raised his eyebrows. "This is the first time I have heard about your grandson having a teacher. Aren''t you his teacher?"


    "Not really. I did teach him a couple of things, but it wasn''t to the point where I would be considered his teacher. The person I''m talking about is Mara."


    "Mara? Which Mara?" Ezekiel frowned. "Wait. Don''t tell me. That Mara?"


    Michael winked playfully.


    "She is his teacher?" Ezekiel dropped his jaw to the ground.


    "Hehehe. It seems she has taken an interest in him. As expected of my grandson, he''s truly capable."


    "No, no. That wasn''t the reason I was shocked." Ezekiel waved his hand. "According to Clovis, he had reached an agreement with Mara that she would join his team in the future after fulfilling a certain condition."


    "Join his team?" Michael''s eyes lit up before laughing out loud. "Bahahahaha. As expected of my grandson. He''s truly exceptional. Aren''t you glad to have me as your friend?"


    "..." Ezekiel sighed. "Well, I guess it''s fine. It''s best to nurture a relationship in a life-and-death battle. I just hope they''re able to overcome all those challenges. Besides, isn''t it you who asks me to betroth my granddaughter to him?"


    "What are you talking about? My dear Clovis is too much for anyone in this world. You were the one begging me to have Clovis get engaged to your daughter. If you''re not my friend, I wouldn''t even consider this," Michael snorted.


    "What did you say?" Ezekiel gritted his teeth while sneakily placing the queen at E1. "By the way, checkmate."


    "Ah!" Michael looked down with his mouth wide open. "You bastard!"


    ...


    "This is going to be quite troublesome, dear." Aisha showed the news.


    Gerald shook his head. "We know this is going to happen. That was why we used that brat from the Dark Moon to take care of it."


    "Still, Clovis is going to be in danger. That lass is like a leech, you know?"


    "That''s true. Of course, I will do something if they''re too much, but for now, I will choose to trust Clovis. He''s our child, so I''m sure he''s capable enough to deal with all the challenges. Besides, Father has contacted me. It seems he has made some arrangements beforehand."


    "Well, I will trust you for this, but if something happens to Clovis, you''re going to sit on the couch for a year." Aisha squinted her eyes.


    "..." Gerald smiled wryly. "Are you telling me to die?"


    "Dying might be better than living." Aisha pouted. "Anyway, I''m off. I need some medicine without any side effects for my dear son if he''s going to have multiple wives."


    "..."

 Chapter 677: Unexpected Find

    "Clovis. Look at this." Hana showed news from the video call.


    "Hmm?" Clovis furrowed his eyebrows.


    "What''s that? Why is your full name on the news?" Kanaria crossed her arms.


    "It looks like they''re spreading his name." Christina looked concerned. As an heir of the Elseingarde family, she knew precisely how sensitive Clovis'' name was.


    "It seems Carrick Melesviet figured it out and spread the information. He even challenged my grandfather to deny it. Knowing my grandfather, he would only hide it, but when it''s found out, he won''t deny anything." Clovis pinched the bridge of his nose. "It seems everyone is already aware of my identity now."


    "Isn''t this bad?" Kanaria gasped.


    "Yeah. This is bad... extremely bad." Christina looked down, contemplating. "Once they know about his identity, his value will skyrocket because getting him is the same as getting the Hacfield family.


    "Meanwhile, his family''s enemies will definitely try to harm him since he''s their weakest link. Normally, my family only allows me to go out if I''m protected carefully. In fact, the protection will be quite similar to how the president''s protection team works.


    "After all, an angry Tier 9 human can wreak havoc in a country. Fortunately, no one knows our location yet. I don''t know how competent Vina is, but I believe the organization behind her is competent enough to hide us for a few months.


    "The only problem is what we will do when we are found out." Christina sighed. "It''s going to be a bloodbath."


    "For now, we will focus on having everyone who is close to evolve to reach the next tier before our location is found.


    "Although this is not enough to stop a Tier 9, with your grandfather protecting us, I don''t think a Tier 9 human will come unless they''re ready to face your grandfather.


    "The country will most likely mobilize their own Tier 8 humans to stop their high-ranking people. So, at most, it will be Tier 7. That''s why it is important for you to become Tier 6, Christina.


    "Although the gap between Tier 6 and Tier 7 is much wider compared to the gap between Tier 5 and Tier 6, with your unique skill and my items, you should be able to hold out.


    "The only problem will be how to deal with them. None of us is strong enough yet," Clovis sighed. "I didn''t expect them to figure out my identity this fast. I thought we could stay quiet for a few months..."


    Christina nodded in agreement. "Yeah. The original plan is to hide that identity for a few months, so when they know your identity, they will still require a few more months to find us. This will be enough for you guys to become a Tier 5."


    "In that case, should I mobilize my people?" Hana asked.


    Clovis shook his head. "If you mobilize your people, they will find us quickly. After all, the only way to find us is through..."


    "Us, huh?" Kanaria squinted her eyes.


    "That''s true. I have been getting a lot of calls ever since that news went live." Hana sighed. "In that case, should I send out people to protect their families, specifically, the Renvolt, Havenson, Tyska, and Risevan families?"


    "No. There''s no need to do it. I''m sure that the country will try to make us comfortable in this country by protecting the families in secret. After all, they want us to bring our families into this country so that our families can become a chain to stop us from going anywhere else." Clovis couldn''t help but recall the conversation with his grandfather.


    ...


    A few years ago.


    "I want a big group!" Clovis declared with a big smile on his face.


    "Why do you want to have a big group?" Michael smiled. "Are you not satisfied with getting stronger by yourself? If you want a big group, this family alone is enough."


    "No!" Clovis shook his head furiously. "I don''t want to be like Grandfather. I want a big group where I can rely on everyone. I''m going to surpass you, grandfather, but it won''t be just me. It will be us."


    Michael''s smile turned wry. "Do you know the consequences of your decision? If you have a big group, you have to be responsible for their own people, their own families, you know? Can you even protect them that way?


    "It''s different from me. Whenever we''re together, that''s the family and I can protect you all. However, with so many people and so many families, you have to protect them all and shoulder their burden. Can you do it?"


    Clovis looked down, feeling sad at that time.


    ...


    Now that he had to face this problem head-on, he got the answer he was looking for.


    If he couldn''t protect them, he just had to create a situation where he could. Accepting this country''s offer would grant them a certain protection.


    He had to continue shining so that the country wouldn''t hesitate to send manpower to help him.


    That was why he knew what should be done in this situation. "Let them come. Hana, you hold the fort for the time being. It doesn''t matter for how long."


    "Sure. It seems you have a plan. I will announce a new branch in another country to shift the public eye for a bit." Hana nodded.


    "Kanaria. Ask Melody about the map of this city. I want to know the location as soon as possible. I want to clean up this city in less than two weeks... No, one week. After that, we will immediately descend and clear up the tunnel.


    "It''s going to be hard for everyone, but with this pace, we should be able to surpass our original goal."


    "There''s no need to do that. I have already finished the map." Melody suddenly entered the room. "Besides, there''s something I''d like to report. Actually, the Underground City has an Essence Bank, bigger than the one on the surface.


    "After looking at the log, it seems the Essence Bank in the underground city is capable of performing a Super Injection.


    "Clovis... If we are able to get to this Essence Bank, we might be able to use the resources they abandoned to perform Super Injection." Melody smirked.

 Chapter 678: Raiding the Essence Bank

    "Clovis... If we are able to get to this Essence Bank, we might be able to use the resources they abandoned to perform Super Injection." Melody smirked.


    "That''s an interesting topic you have there." Hana''s eyes brightened. "Since it has been abandoned, everything you''re able to get will be yours."


    "But considering this place can be raided, don''t you think it has been ransacked by a lot of people?" Clovis asked while shrugging his shoulders. "I don''t know. I believe that they have gotten everything they needed from this city."


    "That might be true." Hana crossed her arms. "Still, I believe it''s only limited to the surface. You have to cross the entire tower if you want to reach the underground city, not counting the fact that the underground city is much more dangerous.


    "You need a huge group to reach that point, but if you do it like that, it''s going to be hard to go down together. A single mistake might result in people rolling down to their death. So, while the surface might be empty, there''s a high chance the bank in the underground city hasn''t."


    "But we''re talking about the second biggest corporation in the world, Essence Bank. Don''t they have enough people to recover them? That much essence is worth a lot of money, you know?" Clovis argued.


    "You''re overestimating it. While it''s true that Essence Bank is that big, they don''t have that kind of manpower. They''re usually cutting off losses the moment it has been abandoned.


    "After all, for a city of this size, they might have to ask at least two Tier 8 humans to take care of it.


    "Currently, Essence Bank has about 30 Tier 8 humans under them, but they''re scattered around the world, so it''s hard to gather two of them at the same place."


    Clovis crossed his arms. "Now that I think about it, why do they not have a Tier 9 human? They should have the capital to do it, no? In fact, even for a Tier 9, having the Essence Bank in their palm is still quite enticing."


    "Not really. There is one big reason. They might hire a Tier 9 human, but they won''t be able to make them lead for various reasons. The Tier 9 human might not be good at business, so they will end up being a figurehead, which ends up sucking their revenue. At the same time, the Tier 9 human might not want to be restrained by them.


    "After all, a single call from a Tier 9 can make the Essence Bank do something for them. However, the number one company in the world, Skylink, is different though. They''re led by a Tier 9 human and have a lot of Tier 8 humans under them.


    "Still, even though Skylink is the number one, sometimes, the Essence Bank is scarier. Unlike other companies, Essence Bank is able to make a lot of strong people.


    "If you end up getting banned by the Essence Bank, it''s basically a death sentence, not just for you, but also for the people around you.


    "This is the second reason as to why the Essence Bank doesn''t have a Tier 9 human controlling it. Even if there''s a suitable candidate, a lot of people will try to prevent it so that no Tier 9 human has the control over the most important resources in the current era."


    "Fair enough." Clovis nodded in understanding. "So basically, they don''t have any personnel to recover their goods?"


    "We''ve strayed a bit from the topic, but yeah. There''s a high chance they haven''t recovered from it. As for other influences, even if they organize such a thing, it will be so big that I will definitely know about it.


    "However, there''s nothing about such a thing, so I think raiding the Essence Bank will give you quite an advantage."


    Clovis fell into deep thought, considering the challenge. Still, he found one problem. "Well, even if we have the essence, how can we do the Super Injection?"


    "True. That''s indeed a problem. I can send one of my men there, but the facility might not be up. If you bring it back and receive it here, your whereabouts might be found by them.


    "On the other hand, if I create a portable one, I might be found out. After all, a lot of people have their eyes on me right now, since I''m the closest person to you they could find."


    "Should we save it for now?" Clovis asked. "We can probably store it somewhere here and use it when we go back or something."


    "No, I think it''s fine." Hana waved her hand. "I will try to make a portable one. It won''t be as fast and intense as the real Super Injection, but you could still take advantage of it. For now, I will try to give it to you when sending supplies.


    "As for the machine itself, while it''s true that the Essence Bank is the one usually doing it, it''s an open-source technology under the World Essence Organization.


    "So, the device itself shouldn''t be a problem. I will just open a bit of my coffer." Hana winked playfully at Clovis.


    Clovis smiled wryly. Still, he had some funds for the city restoration, so he could probably transfer it to Hana since he didn''t need it yet. And his mall had already registered the money.


    Hence, it might be possible. Clovis nodded. "Alright. Let''s do it that way. You can take your time. It''s not like it''s guaranteed we''ll find something there. And even if we do, we don''t know if there is essence suitable for our group. After all, the essence of that tier is pretty scarce."


    "Yes. For now, I''ll make my preparations. See you in a week."


    Clovis nodded. Once Hana hung up the call, Clovis turned to Melody. "Have you finished with the mapping? Right now, we''ll focus on raiding the Essence Bank and everything around it. If possible, I want to kill the first Tier 6 tomorrow."


    Melody gave a thumbs-up. "Sure. I''ll compile everything for you. Just give me fifteen minutes."


    "Tell everyone to gather for a briefing."

 Chapter 679: Going Down

    "This is the layout of the Essence Bank in this city. We first have to secure everything on the first floor and make our way up. However, we can''t ignore the possibility of a basement, so keep that in mind."


    The Libation Fiesta recalled the briefing Melody gave a moment ago while entering the Essence Bank. The group was split into two.


    Clovis led the first group while Jay took care of the second group. Clovis moved together with Reolf so they swiftly discovered the beasts living in this place and cut them down.


    However, their true objective was the basement. According to Reolf, he could hear beasts coming underneath them, so Clovis split up to find the entrance to the basement.


    On the other hand, Jay focused on killing all the beasts on the first floor before moving up.


    With their current strength, not a single beast was their match. There was one Tier 5 beast in the basement, but Christina and Clovis worked together to cut it down in less than a minute.


    Meanwhile, Jay, Erwin, and Aileen wreaked havoc on the upper floors. Of course, they didn''t forget to scavenge everything they could find, but there wasn''t much. After all, there were a lot of people who had scavenged this place in the past. They could see a lot of drawers had been opened, and the safe had been discovered.


    In the end, they cleaned up the entire building in less than two hours.


    While standing on top of a beast''s body, he asked, "How is it going up there?"


    Melody, on the top floor, squinted her eyes. "Everything has been cleaned up, as expected. Right now, I''m searching for a Tier 6 beast. Although I haven''t figured out their location, there''s something that piques my interest.


    "Right now, I''m looking at a big hole located not far from the city center. This hole might lead to the sewer system, so there might be an unexpected beast hiding there."


    "Sewer system? Is the sewer system of this city big?" Clovis frowned.


    "It''s a hurricane prone area, so yeah. I don''t know how big, but our entire group shouldn''t have a problem entering there. We should clean up the sewer from the beasts anyway."


    "I see. In that case, we''ll go there. Just wait for a few minutes. I''m about to finish as well."


    "Understood." Melody nodded.


    "I never thought she would be this efficient." Christina looked surprised, listening to the entire conversation, considering they were talking on the group channel.


    "Yeah." Clovis chuckled.


    "Is it really because of her brother?"


    "Indeed. I just hope she doesn''t push herself too much." Clovis shrugged. "If she''s sick, it will be a problem for our group after all."


    "Fair enough." Christina agreed. Melody''s help was definitely top notch. It could rival even the top operators in the family. In addition, her combat strength wasn''t that weak either.


    Coupled with other skills she had, Melody was definitely considered a rare operator.


    Clovis fell silent for a moment before giving an order. "We''ll regroup in 45 minutes. Make sure you get all the essence before regrouping. We''ll then make our way toward the sewer. Kill all the beasts in sight."


    "Understood."


    With Clovis'' order, everyone sped up. They managed to accomplish the task faster.


    While on the way, Clovis and Melody remained at the rear, letting the rest of the group handle everything in their way.


    "This is the layout of the sewer we got from the government." Melody pointed at the map. "Judging by the hole, we should enter from this part. There are two main ways, so I suggest splitting up."


    "Do you have any visuals on the sewer?"


    "Not yet." Melody turned to the screen and controlled the drone, gradually approaching the hole. When it hovered above the hole, they could see a massive storm sewer.


    "This is quite big, isn''t it? Is it really that prone to a storm?" Clovis asked.


    "Pretty much. That''s why this place is built to withstand such a thing. Despite the situation, the location is simply too strategic, so this city is quite big and equipped with a lot of things. Depending on the damage of this system, we might also have to rebuild it... meaning more money to burn."


    "Well, money doesn''t really matter right now." Clovis crossed his arms.


    "The size of this system is 2 meters in radius, so we can fit easily there. Even if there''s a beast hiding there, it won''t be over three meters tall and its body won''t be too big."


    "How about going down with the drone and checking whether the beasts reside in it or not?"


    "OK." She nodded, controlling the drone to go down into the sewer. Unfortunately, there was no light, so it was hard to see.


    Nevertheless, Melody still spun it around, trying to see any beast. To their surprise, before the drone could make a 360 degree spin, it suddenly went offline, the camera shaking as though it had been struck from behind.


    "!!!" Both Clovis and Melody widened their eyes before exchanging looks.


    "It doesn''t seem to be safe." Melody smiled wryly.


    "Indeed. Do we have the nightvision ready?"


    "Yep. It''s in my backpack."


    Clovis thought for a moment. "In that case, I will once again split the group into two. The first group will be led by me. It consists of Jay, Ragna, Kanaria, and Luci. The second group will be led by Christina. Erwin, Aileen, Melody, and Reolf will follow her.


    "If the first group finds a Tier 6 beast, Jay and Kanaria will take care of it while the rest will support them. For the second group, Erwin and Aileen will take care of it.


    "Melody. Guide us through the entire system and check if there''s any other entrances."


    Once they reached the edge of the hole, everyone stopped for a moment and put down all the unnecessary luggages in the house not far from the hole. After that, they set up some ropes while Kanaria released her butterfly wings.


    Clovis nodded before jumping off. "Let''s go!"

 Chapter 680: Two Tier 6 Beasts

    Clink!


    Clink!


    Clink!


    Aileen parried the tongue of a beast in rapid succession, only to have her get pushed back every time. "Kh."


    Bam!


    Christina came to her, blocking a stomp from this huge beast. Christina smiled, "So, we''re the ones getting the jackpot."


    "As expected, we''ll be the ones taking it down." Erwin nodded.


    "Sure."


    Melody nodded. "Clovis. We''ve found the Tier 6 beast. Everything is under control right now, so please proceed according to plan."


    Clovis was supposed to acknowledge the information, but for some reason, there was no response from him.


    Instead, the reply came from Kanaria.


    "This is Kanaria. You are not the only one getting the jackpot today. Our group has also found the Tier 6 beast."


    "There are two?" Melody was stunned. She hurriedly checked the camera, finding the same beast standing in front of Clovis and Jay. "This is..."


    "We''ll take care of this, so you take care of that side as well."


    Melody couldn''t help but gulp down. The fact that there were two Tier 6 beasts in here meant this place was much more dangerous than they originally thought. The people claimed there were only three Tier 6 beasts here, but it didn''t seem to be the case. There might be even more Tier 6 beasts hiding in this sewer.


    More importantly, the species before her might have used this place to multiply. "This might be a nest for..."


    ...


    A moment ago.


    "Let''s go!"


    All of them jumped into the hole and gradually lowered their descent speed by tightening the grip on their respective ropes.


    Clovis was the first one to reach the bottom. He immediately scanned the area, finding a lizard already crawling before him and was about to hit him.


    Without hesitation, Clovis struck the lizard''s head while scanning the area, ensuring the others'' safety.


    Only Kanaria and Melody didn''t need a rope, since they descended smoothly with their butterfly wings.


    Ragna and Christina immediately took their posts to block any unexpected attack. With the night vision, they had no problem in this darkness.


    Clovis pointed at one tunnel, while Christina took the other one. They both immediately went separate ways, not needing any explanation.


    Melody fully focused on the route, making sure they didn''t get lost.


    Although this was their first time fighting inside the storm sewer, the beasts hiding inside weren''t that much different from the beasts usually staying in the wet area.


    They had no problem advancing through the tunnel. However, even though the groups fit inside these tunnels, it wasn''t big enough for all of them to go all out.


    Even with Ragna and Jay in the front, Clovis couldn''t join them or they would crash into each other.


    In the end, they created a rotation system so that they were able to conserve their stamina.


    Still, the tunnel was ''busier'' than they expected. There were actually a lot more beasts hiding inside this place compared to a huge building like the Essence Bank.


    According to Melody, this place would usually be submerged whenever the rainy season arrived. However, since it was still summer, the water level was even lower than their ankles, which was suitable for those who loved wet areas.


    With so many beasts going around, they kept changing their positions to conserve as much energy as possible. After all, the more beasts resided in one location, the higher the chance they would find a Tier 6 beast. Hence, Clovis specifically wanted the four people who would beat the Tier 6 beast to rest as much as possible.


    Christina did the same thing as Clovis.


    Still, the sewer system was extremely complicated. They had to check every nook and corner, making sure there wasn''t a single beast left in this area.


    But it didn''t seem they had to wait that long.


    "Erwin. Watch out!" Christina shouted while putting her shield in front, blocking an extremely tough tongue. The tongue was long, and the force contained in it felt like she was being hit by a car.


    "Tsk." Erwin clicked his tongue and released his wires while Aileen moved forward, forcing the beast to hit her instead.


    "This is..." Melody frowned. "Isn''t this Eryops? It''s an ancient amphibian that once lived 295 million years ago. It looked like a bulky mix between a salamander and a crocodile.


    "From what I can see, the length alone is about four meters, and it''s estimated to weigh around 200 kg. It has strong limbs, tough skin, a big skull, and big jaws. While it''s slow, it''s extremely powerful.


    "Watch out!"


    "Oh!" Christina nodded and rushed forward.


    The eryops would definitely try to stop her, but Christina actually didn''t bother to protect herself here. Instead, she looped around the eryops because her role wasn''t to kill him but to stop any other beasts from helping him.


    When the eryops were about to hit Christina, Aileen appeared in the opposite direction and struck the beast''s neck, barely injuring it.


    "!!!" The eryops noticed her, but it didn''t seem too wary of her. He continued to focus on Christina until Erwin suddenly came and punched him in the face, knocking his head the other way around.


    "Your opponent is me," Erwin harrumphed.


    "It''s us!" Aileen harrumphed and struck the eye with her short sword.


    "Seeee!" The eryops screamed in pain and started shaking its body to push them away.


    ...


    Just like Christina, the first thing Clovis did the moment he found this beast simply passed him.


    The beast wanted to stop him, but Jay struck its blade and cut through the neck. It wasn''t deep enough to become fatal, but it was much deeper than Aileen''s strike.


    In addition, Kanaria shot the eryops in the jaw, knocking its head to the side. The bullet pierced through the jaw, forcing the eryops to focus on these two.


    Meanwhile, the rest of the team positioned themselves accordingly, ensuring that those four could fight without any interference.


    Jay took a deep breath, staring at the eryops. This was the battle he had been waiting for. After defeating a Tier 5 human from Team Melesviet, he wondered how much he had improved.

 Chapter 681: Jay and Kanaria

    "Raaa!" The eryops groaned as it endured Kanaria''s relentless attack. However, not a single bullet penetrated its skin, so the eryops could still continue onward, choosing to abandon Clovis and the others.


    He let Clovis and the others fight all the beasts around the area.


    Meanwhile, the eryops crawled toward Jay.


    "Hmph!" Jay strengthened his grip and struck the eryops from below.


    The eryops skillfully lowered its head and used its hard jaw to block the attack. After that, he stomped Jay, forcing the latter to jump away to avoid it.


    When Kanaria ran out of bullets, the eryops took the time she needed to reload to reach Jay.


    It would look like the eryops wanted to kill Jay first, but it suddenly halted its step and turned its head toward Kanaria instead.


    He then sent forth his long tongue.


    Jay managed to react, albeit barely. He struck the tongue, shifting the eryops'' tongue just for a bit.


    "..." Kanaria glanced at the side before taking a step forward, tossing a grenade into the eryops'' mouth.


    While retracting its tongue, the eryops looked down to block the blast, but Jay was already there and struck him, knocking his head back up.


    Boom!


    The grenade knocked the head down. As if knowing it would happen, Jay had already gone to the side right after he hit the eryops'' jaw, so the head didn''t crush him.


    ''It doesn''t seem I use enough power to injure this eryops. I thought about replicating Clovis'' attack, but this one has a tougher skin, so I guess I can''t really hold back for this fight,'' thought Jay.


    The eryops sensed a threat coming from Jay. It hurriedly stood up and shifted its head toward him, but Jay, using his fastest speed, reached the front leg of the eryops and struck it with all his might. The ranged attack had been used, amplifying the power even further.


    *Zap!*


    A red line appeared on the eryops'' leg before it burst, widening the wound and causing the blood to spurt out.


    "Raaa!" The eryops screamed in pain. However, Jay''s attack was too shallow to cut the entire foot.


    As a result, the eryops was able to hit Jay with his big foot. Jay withstood this attack because this foot was injured and there was another opportunity for him to cut this foot.


    However, he might have been too fixated on this foot so much that he didn''t pay attention to his surroundings.


    "Jay!" Kanaria warned him at the last moment.


    "!!!" Jay snapped and widened his eyes. In the corner of his vision was a tail swinging directly at him.


    It hit him and launched him away.


    "Kh..." Jay gritted his teeth after bouncing several times on the ground. If not for the last warning and the items from Clovis, he would have suffered more injuries. ''I was careless. Fortunately, it didn''t seem to crack.''


    Jay could feel the excruciating pain in his hand, which might loosen his grip and cause him to lose a bit of his power.


    Even so, he had to return because Kanaria was in danger.


    Kanaria, on the other hand, looked at the incoming eryops with a solemn expression, noticing something.


    "I''m not always your support, you know?" Kanaria smiled. She took out a small case from her bag and activated it.


    This case turned into a giant sniper rifle for her. She then tossed two grenades toward the eryops, forcing the latter to stop for a moment to withstand the blast.


    But in that one second, Kanaria aimed at the injured foot and shot it.


    Bam!


    The Soul Weapon produced a loud sound, which was amplified with the echo that this tunnel provided.


    It almost gave Kanaria a heart attack and ruptured her eardrums.


    Still, the power was apparent.


    With such a powerful bullet, the injured foot was torn off completely, causing the eryops to lose its balance and tilt to one side.


    "!!!" Jay couldn''t help but widen his eyes. Kanaria was supposed to be the support, but she was actually planning to be the main show.


    Kanaria turned her head toward him with a smile.


    Jay couldn''t help but feel an invisible hand clutching his heart. That smile was telling, ''The Jay I know is much better than this, right?''


    Jay gritted his teeth and stopped holding back. He utilized every bit of his strength while using his fastest speed toward the other front leg.


    Kanaria, on the other hand, switched back to her regular rifle and started suppressing the eryops.


    As a result, the eryops had no chance to stop Jay, who almost reached it.


    Jay''s eyes flashed as he carried all the momentum he had and leaped into the air, swinging his sword so that all the momentum in his body would be transferred into his blade. Then he used that power to amplify his ranged attack before striking the other front leg.


    The slash was swift to the point where it didn''t look like it harmed the eryops. However, the next second, the power of that slash erupted and severed the entire leg.


    "Raaaa!" The eryops roared, trying to endure the pain and use the last bit of its energy to kill Jay.


    Kanaria just smiled as though she believed in Jay''s power. She switched back to her Soul Weapon and aimed for its jaw.


    Bam!


    Another shot was fired, hitting the eryops'' jaw. Not expecting another bullet, the eryops could only endure the attack that actually tore off a portion of its jaw.


    "!!!" Jay noticed what Kanaria was trying to do. He swiftly looped around and returned to the front of the eryops.


    The eryops lifted up its head, trying to smash Jay with his upper jaw.


    Jay took a deep breath, recalling that one stationary strike he unleashed against his opponent. The slash he had trained for tens of thousands of times.


    "This is my Splitting Slash." Jay swung his blade downwards as the ranged attack erupted and traveled directly inside the eryops'' body and ultimately passed him.


    "!!!" The eryops widened its eyes but couldn''t do anything more because its vision was suddenly split and fell in a different direction.


    It died... split in two.

 Chapter 682 682: Erwin and Aileen

    On the other side, Erwin stretched his thread.


    "Raaa!" The eryops crawled forward, trying to force the thread to snap. Unfortunately for the eryops, the thread was much tougher than it expected. Instead of snapping, the threads actually stopped the eryops'' charge instead.


    Aileen leaped up and grabbed one of the threads to swing herself down. Then she struck the alien from its blind spot due to the eye being stabbed by Aileen earlier.


    She didn''t plan to stab another eye. It might cripple the beast, but it would also make it go on a rampage. Even though Erwin was strong, his threads might not be enough to stop the rampaging beast with unpredictable movement.


    Hence, she struck the neck instead. She slashed it a bit, but the wound was so shallow that it looked like a graze.


    The eryops hurriedly sent forth its tail. Even though he couldn''t see Aileen, he could sense her, albeit barely.


    "..." Aileen furrowed her eyebrows while another thread suddenly circled around her and pulled her back so that the tail didn''t hit her. She smiled, knowing Erwin would be there for her. At the same time, she thought, ''As expected of a beast, their instinct is much sharper than a human. To think that this beast can sense me... I have to be extra careful in this battle.''


    The eryops stomped Aileen, who was stopped because of the thread, but Erwin had let it go so that Aileen could avoid it herself. She jumped and used the threads to propel herself to the back of the eryops.


    Meanwhile, Erwin loosened the net and slipped past it so that he could punch this lizard.


    The eryops''s body tilted, but it still managed to remain standing. It sent forth the tongue to knock Erwin away, but the latter actually released several threads to circle around the tongue.


    Bam!


    The tongue hit Erwin. It was painful, but most of the damage had been absorbed by the equipment. He slid on the ground and tightened the threads, which ultimately wrapped the tongue.


    "!!!" The eryops widened its eye. It wanted to pull the tongue back, but the muscle on the tongue was much weaker than the muscle of his body. As a result, Erwin easily stopped the tongue from going back.


    The eryops hurriedly moved its entire body and head, pulling Erwin forcefully. Unfortunately for the eryops, this was just Erwin''s plan.


    Aileen had already leaped off the eryops'' back. She fell right next to the tongue and used that momentum to cut the tongue.


    "Rarrrrr!" The eryops produced a weird scream, but it was completely furious. Its eyes turned bloodshot as it charged forward. Aileen was pulled back by Erwin, but it didn''t matter. The eryops continued charging, not caring about anything that would happen to him.


    Erwin, on the other hand, produced the same net that stopped the eryops earlier. When the eryops hit it, the thread stopped the beast for a second but it started to snap as the lizard used even stronger strength in this charge.


    Kanaria and Jay were able to defeat the eryops easily due to Kanaria''s overpowered Soul Weapon and Jay''s extraordinary strength. Meanwhile, Erwin had a unique fighting style and the combination of the couple.


    Unfortunately, cutting the eryops with their fighting style was much harder compared to Kanaria and Jay''s combination.


    That was why the moment the lizard snapped all the thread, Aileen jumped on top of the beast. Meanwhile, Erwin grabbed the eryops'' jaws, trying to stop it.


    The eryops used every bit of its strength and overwhelmed Erwin. It first pushed him back, planning to either crush him with its massive body or simply bite him off.


    That was why Aileen had a certain plan. She moved to the eryops'' head and used both short swords to hit a different spot. The first one hit the remaining eye while the other one hit the neck.


    Still, the first sword traveled at a slow speed, allowing the lizard to close the eyelids, which ultimately protected him from going blind.


    But without seeing Erwin, the latter could actually use the last bit of his strength to create a small distance and jump up.


    Aileen''s strength might not be enough, but Erwin definitely had enough strength to pierce through the beast''s tough skin. He dropped a kick directly at the back of Aileen''s short sword.


    "Rarrrrr!" The beast screamed as the sword pierced through the skin.


    Aileen then used both hands to pull it to the side, widening the wound.


    The eryops abruptly shook its body and spun it to shake off both of them from its body. It succeeded, but Erwin hurriedly released all his strings and wrapped the eryops'' neck.


    He clutched his hands to tighten the threads, but he ended up gritting his teeth because the threads failed to pierce through the remaining skin. Only the exposed flesh could be cut.


    If he were alone, he definitely wouldn''t be able to defeat this guy. However, he wasn''t alone.


    Aileen saw what was going on and understood what she was supposed to do. She skillfully struck the area that the threads enveloped, her swords slightly pushing the threads away so that it could make a small graze on its skin.


    As a result, the threads then slid into that exposed flesh and tightened.


    Aileen didn''t stop here. She continued all around the neck, exposing all that flesh into the sharp threads. Even under the eryops'' rampage, both of them didn''t falter. They had complete trust in each other.


    "I''m done. Erwin!" Aileen shouted.


    "Oh!" Erwin''s eyes turned bloodshot as he loosened his grip for a second.


    "!!!" The eryops noticed it and chose to strike Erwin before he could do anything else. Unfortunately, it was useless.


    Erwin adjusted the length of each thread and clutched his hands one more time, this time with a much more powerful force.


    The threads joined together and turned into a knife all around its neck, cutting the neck from all directions and ultimately severing its head.

 Chapter 683 683: Unexpected Report

    "He wants what?" The president widened his eyes in disbelief.


    "Can you repeat it again?" A middle-aged man next to the president was shaken.


    It was obvious why they looked like they couldn''t believe what she just said. Even she couldn''t accept it either.


    ...


    A moment ago.


    "What? A clean-up crew?" Clovis'' agent, Rena Walstain, dropped her jaw.


    "You didn''t hear it wrong. I want a clean-up crew... you know, the people who are tasked to dispose of the beast corpses and their blood. If not, the city will be extremely stinky at this rate. Or are you saying that I can''t ask for the government''s assistance on this small matter?


    "I can rely on the OpenSky Company, but with the eyes on her, Hana''s actions might expose my location. Is the country going to be fine with it?"


    Rena furiously shook her head. "No, no. My apologies."


    It was normal for Rena to be shocked. It had only been five days since Clovis started hunting. Yet he claimed he had killed all the beasts on the surface and wanted them to clean it up.


    It was simply too fast.


    "Weren''t there three Tier 6 beasts?"


    "No, not three." Clovis shook his head.


    "Ah!" Rena nodded in understanding. Since the number of Tier 6 beasts was different from the reported, it was no wonder why they could be this fast.


    However, Clovis corrected himself by saying, "There were four Tier 6 beasts. We did kill two of them on the first day, another one on the second day, and the unexpected fourth beast on the fourth day. After checking it twice, we confirmed there was no other beast on the surface."


    It felt like something cracked inside of her. "F-Four Tier 6 beasts?"


    "Yeah. Anyway, I don''t have a lot of time. Can you do it or not?"


    "Y-Yes! I can do it." Rena furiously nodded. As a Tier 6 human herself, she knew perfectly how terrifying a Tier 6 beast was. So, he didn''t expect Clovis'' group, who didn''t even have a Tier 6 human, to be able to kill four Tier 6 beasts on top of other beasts in that city. It was too much even for her brain.


    ''Is this the power of the unique ability?'' Rena gulped down. There were indeed two unique ability users and one pseudo unique ability user in his group, so she shouldn''t measure them with the standard.


    "Yes, I can send the clean-up team. Please leave it to me." Rena was a bit skeptical and excited at the same time when she was tasked as the agent for a future Tier 9. But after hearing this request, she realized that the future Tier 9 was beyond her imagination.


    "Alright then. I will leave it to you. We''re planning to go down and clear up both the tower and the underground city. Although we''ve checked that no other beast remains alive, you still need to be careful. And one last thing, don''t get close to the tower or even follow me down. Understood?"


    "Yes. I''ll personally go there to ensure the cleaning process."


    "All right." Clovis nodded and hung up.


    ...


    She had no choice but to report it directly to the president as she was ordered.


    As expected, the president couldn''t believe it. Even the man in charge of the Ministry of Defense simply couldn''t believe what he had heard.


    "Yes, sir. He requested a clean-up crew because the OpenSky Company is being watched from all directions."


    "..." The president glanced at the man on his side. "Fredrick. What do you think? How long do you need to clean up the whole city?"


    "Let''s see. If I wanted to annihilate all beasts in that city, I would probably send the SEF (Special Explorer Force) squad there... I might need the first and second squads along with some support. A total of 20 people.


    "It would take at least two weeks... no, ten days. However, there would be at least three Tier 6 humans among them due to how high the threat was. To kill a Tier 6 beast is easier said than done. It might be near the tower and their strength is suppressed at a certain level, but it''s still a Tier 6 beast.


    "There will be injuries as well, so taking all that into consideration, I need ten days to kill all those beasts.


    "However, the Libation Fiesta actually took half of that time. Is it because they haven''t killed all the beasts in that city?" Fredrick crossed his arms.


    "Ehm..." Rena raised her hand.


    "What''s wrong? You are his agent, so speak your mind freely. Your opinion matters a lot." The president nodded.


    "He said he has checked twice, so I believe it''s safe to assume he has exterminated all the beasts inside the city," explained Rena.


    "Are you serious? This is not a matter of whether you believe it or not. Do you know how hard it is to kill the beasts inside the city? Even though there''s a radar, you have to go door to door, not accounting for sneak attacks!" Fredrick raised his voice.


    Rena could only lower her head.


    "Well, well. There''s not much data about the Libation Fiesta. Even though it might look impossible, don''t forget that they have the grandchildren of Michael Hacfield and Ezekiel Elseingarde, so they might have a method to do it.


    "So, the possibility of them succeeding is not zero. How about this? You go there personally, Fredrick? Take this girl with you and bring the cleaning crews there.


    "Since Clovis Hacfield is not really fond of us meddling too much, just briefly check it and return so as to not meet him. Just let this girl handle the rest," suggested the president.


    "..." Fredrick closed his eyes for a moment before saying, "Understood. I''ll check the city personally."


    The president nodded, satisfied. Meanwhile, Fredrick turned to Rena and said, "If there are still a lot of beasts in the city, do your job properly. Make sure someone like him knows what it means to send a clean-up crew!"


    "Y-Yes." Rena nodded furiously.

 Chapter 684: Arrival

    "So, this is the city..." Fredrick squinted his eyes. "I''m going ahead."


    "Yes, sir."


    Fredrick immediately headed to the wall.


    "Even though they''re abnormal, they shouldn''t be able to kill all the beasts in this city easily. Even with the radar, they will have a hard time locating every single beast inside. There''s also a chance they miss a smaller beast in a building, especially a tall one."


    Fredrick immediately went around. The reason he couldn''t believe Clovis was due to his experience.


    He had seen a lot of people underestimating the beasts. They would challenge a city and end up suffering because of a hidden beast.


    He acknowledged that Clovis and the Libation Fiesta were strong, stronger than anything he had seen so far, especially on their level.


    Still, they were too green. No matter how talented they were, they couldn''t replace the power of experience.


    At the very least, he wanted to use this to lecture Clovis so that he didn''t become too complacent because of his talent. He just hoped it would serve as a lesson that could make Clovis not only powerful but also stable.


    However, there was another reason for him to misjudge Clovis'' ability. The reason Clovis believed there was no more beast inside this city was not because of his talent or anything. Instead, it was because of his friend, specifically Reolf.


    That was right. Reolf was sharper than the radar.


    No matter how hard the beast tried to hide from him, Reolf could sense them. Even Aileen couldn''t escape from Reolf with that pseudo unique ability of hers.


    With him going around the town and confirming the extermination of the beasts, it was nothing but assured. Of course, Melody even attached the radar to him to make sure he didn''t miss a single spot.


    That was why, when Fredrick was going around the city, he couldn''t help but furrow his eyebrows.


    "Where? Where are the beasts? There''s not a single beast here..." Fredrick gritted his teeth. He thought Clovis was ignorant, but at this rate, it was he who was ignorant.


    He continued even more carefully, searching every nook and corner. But as reported, there were no more beasts.


    Eventually, he realized he was wrong. Clovis definitely did his job perfectly. It wasn''t ignorant. It was simply his confidence.


    ''The Libation Fiesta is an abnormal team with a very strong offensive power. It might not be weird for them to kill hundreds, if not thousands, of beasts at a faster speed than their peers.


    ''But offensive power and doing meticulous work like this are two different things. Is this really the power of the Libation Fiesta? Did they truly wipe out everything in this city?''


    While Fredrick was inspecting the city, Rena received a call from Clovis after mentioning her arrival.


    Clovis was already inside the tower, gradually descending.


    "Have you arrived yet?" Clovis asked.


    "Yes, I have arrived." Rena nodded. "Do you need anything from me?"


    "Are beast corpses good?" Clovis asked. "I mean, as materials."


    "They''re certainly quite good. They can be turned into weapons or something else."


    "I know that. There are a lot of missions from the Explorer Association to gather materials for weapons and other things. It''s just... I''m wondering if the government needs it as well."


    "Well..." Rena paused for a moment. "We certainly do. The number of soldiers is high, so we definitely need a lot of materials for the soldiers."


    "I see." Clovis thought for a moment. "Let''s see... How about the cleaning crews? How many are they?"


    "I''ve brought about fifty people, divided into three groups. The first group will be transporting the materials, the second group is tasked to dismantle them, and the last group is to clean up the blood and other things to make sure the city remains clean."


    "I see. In that case, is 30% enough?"


    "Pardon?" Rena blinked her eyes a few times.


    "I mean, I have gathered the essence, so all that is left is the beasts. How about taking 30% of them and using that money to share with the cleaning crews? I don''t know their level, but earning more money is not a bad thing, right?


    "As for the remaining 70%, move it to my account. Do you think it''s good enough? Or is it not enough? I''m not really that familiar with the rate."


    "We are just assisting you, sir. We don''t dare to take even a single material, let alone 30%..." Rena shook her head hurriedly.


    "No, it''s fine. I just want you to be honest with me. Is it enough or not, compared to the formal team out there?" Clovis asked.


    "Normally, cleaning up like this is the task of their respective organization. I mean, they usually have a team to do this.


    "However, a lot of smaller groups don''t have cleaning crews, so there''s usually a company for this kind of stuff. According to the rate, they are usually getting 10-15%, but that includes the essence."


    "I see. If I want all the essence and just share the materials..." Clovis squinted his eyes.


    "It should be about 20%. No more than that."


    Clovis contemplated. "It''s fine then. Just give them 30%... or is it 20% for the government and 10% for them?"


    "I understand. I will arrange it. I believe they''ll be happy with this bonus, sir."


    "Sure. Take care of it for me. Also, I will send the map of the city, including the location of all the beasts. And for you, just take the materials from the four Tier 6 beasts yourself. I don''t need it for the time being. I guess in the future, I don''t need to collect the essence anymore and just let you take care of it for me? It will speed things up for me."


    "Yes, sir. I will do my best." Rena looked shocked. She didn''t expect Clovis to casually give her the corpses of four Tier 6 beasts. Even though he had collected the essence, the materials of Tier 6 beasts were still worth a fortune even for a Tier 6 human like her. That was why she thought about giving it up.


    Clovis simply said, "Take care of the meticulous thing for me. That''s what is important to me. Do that and I won''t treat you badly. Anyway, I''m going to hang up."


    Rena''s lips were shaking before she nodded her head. "Yes. I will do my best."


    As Clovis hung up, Fredrick actually returned while saying, "I couldn''t find a single beast. Did he really kill all the beasts inside this city?"

 Chapter 685: Smooth Progress

    Clovis smiled. "Isn''t this quite convenient? This cleaning stuff."


    Kanaria nodded. "Yes. Even when I haven''t joined the group, the cleaning group is quite important. After all, the essence is not the only thing that can be extracted for money. However, not many can create a successful cleaning group.


    "First of all, the cleaning group rarely goes to the battlefield to extract all these corpses. After all, it''s an extremely risky operation. The higher the risk, the higher the cost.


    "Hence, most of the time, the people only send out trucks to bring back the bodies for them to be dismantled.


    "Of course, it has to be done as quickly as possible. The rotten ones can''t be extracted anymore, so no time can be wasted.


    "The reason we didn''t use them this whole time was simply due to how our group usually operated. We went to a high-level danger zone, which no one really wanted to enter. As a result, they couldn''t really send a cleaning group. Even if they can do it, the fee will be much higher.


    "However, now that we have both Hana''s OpenSky Company and the government''s support, we can utilize both of them. Of course, we have to ensure the safety of the operation. Still, it''s much easier to do this. After all, most of the time, even though we''re able to extract those materials, there''s no buyer for them.


    "On the other hand, the OpenSky Company and the government definitely have their own channels for these materials.


    "In addition, by relying on the government, they will think we are not doing anything crazy, such as betraying them or something. That''s why I suggest asking for the government''s help," explained Kanaria.


    "I see." Clovis nodded in understanding. "In that case, we will clean up this tower and try to set up the base down there." Then we''ll ask the cleaning team for this tower while we clean up the underground base."


    "I think that''s fair enough." Kanaria agreed. "With the first cleaning process, they should be able to trust us if we tell them it''s safe."


    "At the same time, it''s good to make your agent feel they''re special." Christina grinned. "My grandfather used this trick so that he would go through fire or water whenever he asked. Creating an image that you''re reliable is that useful."


    Clovis nodded. "In that case, let''s continue, shall we?"


    Melody reported, "Yes. It''s been a while since we began descending. However, according to our calculation, we will need a day or two to reach the bottom.


    "This tower has a spiral-shaped tunnel inside. The angle is one degree and has a diameter of forty meters.


    "With all these beasts and the calculation of distance, we need all that time to reach the bottom."


    "Normally, it will take the Sky Lift about 15 minutes to reach the bottom, but to think it would take us this long to reach the bottom."


    ...


    As Melody said, they needed a lot of time to descend the tower. The entire way, there was a lack of light, so they had to rely on night vision the whole time. It was quite hard to descend, especially as the floor became slippery due to all the blood spilled above. The blood continued to flow down, sometimes alerting other beasts.


    As a result, their descent was much more arduous than they originally expected.


    Still, with the Libation Fiesta''s combat ability, they skillfully continued their progress. Even though it was a bit slower, it only took them two days before they reached the bottom of the tower.


    During that time, Christina continued her evolution progress, approaching the Tier 6. In fact, it shouldn''t take her too long before she could reach Tier 6. On the other hand, Lucifania became a Tier 5 human one day before their arrival in the underground city.


    Melody and Ragna were close to Tier 5 as well. According to their pace, they could become Tier 5 after absorbing the essence from the beasts in the underground city. In addition, Clovis was also helping them with the food from Another World Mall. Hence, it might be faster than they expected.


    The most concerned one was actually Reolf. He was still stuck at Tier 3. Even though Clovis had been giving him the food from Another World Mall, he hadn''t evolved yet, so they could only wait for him.


    Still, if all these people managed to evolve, the Libation Fiesta would have four Tier 4, five Tier 5, and one Tier 6 human. Although they would stretch a bit, Clovis believed it was enough to take down a Tier 7 beast as long as they played their cards right. In the end, it wouldn''t be a raid similar to what they did in another country.


    The beasts inside the underground city would be less compared to a huge field, and the tower suppressed their strength to a certain degree.


    Nevertheless, Clovis was preparing his team to go against a Tier 7 beast.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Rena and the cleaning crews were still surprised by how many beasts were actually living inside the city.


    "We''ve been dismantling them for two days, but there''s still a mountain of them..." One of them looked at the mountain, terrified. "How many beasts have they actually killed?"


    Rena checked the logs in her skyphone. "There were 1,965 beasts according to their calculation."


    "That many? Isn''t it normal for a city like this to only have less than a thousand beasts inside?"


    "Apparently, that was supposed to be the case, but this city had a lot of tall buildings and it was also prone to storms, so the sewer was big enough for the beasts. That''s why the number is higher.


    "Besides, they''re asking for our help to take care of the tower cleaning as well. It seems they''ve reached the underground city," explained Rena.


    "Seriously? We''re going to die at this rate."


    "Don''t complain. Apparently, he''s planning to give 20% for the fee and 10% for the bonus."


    "10%? Seriously? All these materials alone can get a total of a few hundred million union dollars, right?"


    Rena nodded. "Yes. If we also include the tower and the underground city, it won''t be weird to get more than a billion. 10% alone is already over a hundred million. So just work hard for a while. It''s not easy to get a job like this."


    "It''s not easy? There''s basically no job like this."


    "Anyway, go to work." Rena waved her hand. "I will help as well."

 Chapter 686: Clovis Target

    "How is it?" Clovis asked Kanaria, who was looking at the area around the tower. They were hiding in the darkness, but they still had to be careful because there was a high chance the beasts would notice them.


    Kanaria squinted her eyes. "It''s fine for the time being. It''s not that bad. The monsters are well spread, so it''s not that big of a problem.


    "However, there''s something weird about this city."


    "Something weird?" Clovis frowned.


    "Yeah." Kanaria pointed to the left before to the right. "If you look at the movement of the beasts around here, you will notice that their behaviors are similar."


    "What do you mean?" Clovis crossed his arms. "Similar..."


    "On the surface, the beasts inside the sewer system and the ones on the surface behaved differently, right?"


    "Indeed."


    "Right now, these guys behave similarly."


    "!!!" Clovis raised his eyebrows, understanding what she wanted to say. "Do you mean there''s one ruler?"


    "Yes. Although we don''t have the full view of the city, a city of this size should at least have multiple rulers. Yet, at least half of the city is moving in unison. I don''t know the exact scale, but it''s clear that they''re under a single overlord. Maybe Tier 6... but if this is truly what''s happening to the entire city... I''m afraid..." Kanaria''s expression turned grim.


    "A Tier 7 beast, huh?" Clovis squinted his eyes.


    He had prepared their team to fight against a Tier 7 beast, but it wasn''t ready yet. After all, he still needed Reolf, Melody, Ragna, and Christina to evolve first.


    After all, they wouldn''t fight only the Tier 7 beast alone. They had to exterminate all the beasts under that beast.


    Hence, Christina would be the one to stop the Tier 7 beast while the rest of the team fought together to kill the rest of the beasts before ganging up on the Tier 7 beast.


    It might look like Christina was the key, but even if she managed to evolve alone, the team wouldn''t win. After all, the group didn''t have the necessary strength to swiftly kill all the beasts. They might be able to do it, but it wasn''t fast enough. As a result, Christina would be exhausted before they finished, which would result in a disaster.


    Hence, Clovis had to be careful when Kanaria mentioned the Tier 7 beast''s existence right away.


    Clovis remained silent for a while as he couldn''t help but wonder what they should do.


    Kanaria, on the other hand, continued with the report. "The Essence Bank is located not far from here. In fact, it''s only several buildings away from here. Standing between us is the military facility."


    "Military facility, huh?" Clovis thought that this facility should have some equipment for them to use, mostly explosives. It could reduce the enemy''s number significantly, but it would also attract the Tier 7 beast.


    But after Kanaria mentioned the military facility, Clovis couldn''t help but think about something else.


    "Now that I think about it, what''s about the guns on top of the wall? Even though some have been destroyed, there should be some still intact, right?"


    "That''s actually a problem." Kanaria sighed. "Even if they''re intact, I don''t know how to use them. After all, they were made a few decades ago. They''re quite outdated. I don''t think the machine is good enough to be used right away. Heavy maintenance is probably required. It''s in the same state as the weapons in the surface city."


    "..." Clovis paused for a moment. "In that case, we have no other choice but to use anything we can find. First, let''s check the military facility and use whatever is still usable.


    "Where is the explorer association?" Clovis remembered that the association had a lot of facilities as well.


    "It''s in that direction. Almost the next block." Kanaria pointed in another direction.


    "That''s troublesome." Clovis frowned. It was understandable, considering the Essence Bank and Explorer Association were in the opposite direction.


    "Yes. I believe we should focus on one first. We should prioritize our main problem, which is evolution. So, I believe we should go to the Essence Bank first. If there is still essence in their vault, we can use it to break through. Even if it''s not a super injection, which means taking longer, it doesn''t matter as long as we can evolve," suggested Kanaria.


    "Yeah." Clovis nodded. "Let''s go back. You inform the others about our new objective and plan."


    Kanaria agreed and walked away. Meanwhile, Clovis called Rena.


    "Yes, sir? Do you need anything from me?" Rena picked up the call weirdly fast.


    Clovis raised two fingers. "There might be a Tier 7 beast hiding inside the underground city. If anything happens, we won''t die, but it might not be safe there. So, prepare to evacuate yourself the moment you notice anything weird. I might not have enough time to inform you about it."


    "!!!" Rena looked shocked. "Tier 7?"


    She had understood the power of the Libation Fiesta, but a Tier 7 beast was different. She was worried because Clovis'' party was still too weak compared to a Tier 7 beast.


    However, Clovis casually continued, "As for the second matter, do you know how to unlock the Essence Bank''s vault? Unlike the one above the surface, this one is much bigger. And according to history, everything from the bank on the surface is stored in this underground city. Considering the jurisdiction, this should belong to me, right?"


    Rena thought for a moment. "Yes. According to the special right granted to you, everything is yours. Still, for a vault like this, they''re usually strong enough to be impenetrable, so destroying it is impossible, whether it''s you or the beast.


    "Please give me some time. I will try to coordinate it with the government and see if we can obtain the right to open the vault."


    "Got it. I will leave it to you then. We''re preparing to go there, so please hurry up."


    "Yes, sir!"


    Rena coordinated everything for Clovis, which was actually not hard. In the end, it was just a matter of Clovis getting information about the vault, which would show Clovis'' location. Still, the Essence Bank was a neutral force, so they would have to pay a huge price in case Clovis'' information leaked.


    Unbeknownst to Rena, giving the information about the vault to Clovis would actually result in losing contact with the Libation Fiesta.

 Chapter 687: Unexpected Roar

    President of the Essence Bank, Frey, put on a solemn face while staring at the president of Absalom.


    "You are asking for something unexpected, President Rysen." Frey squinted his eyes.


    "Let''s not beat around the bush, shall we? According to the regulation, the Essence Bank in the fallen cities has their rights returned to the country." Rysen crossed his arms. "It''s not unexpected for someone like me to get it."


    "Oh my. Not unexpected? It''s normal for a president of a country to ask for this information, but it only happens when you have the desire to conquer it. However, there''s no military operation being conducted in the fallen cities, especially in your country, right now. So, I can''t help but wonder..." Frey smiled, calculating everything.


    "Let''s see... According to the regulation, even a normal explorer group can get access to this information as long as they''re able to prove to us that they manage to secure the vault itself.


    "I wonder... who asks you for such a thing?" Frey knew someone was asking it. At the same time, there weren''t many people who could ask the president of a country to do such a thing in Absalom. That was why Frey asked, "It appears I have gotten sidetracked a bit. Of course, I don''t oppose you for getting that information. Please inform me of the location. I will send the data and process to you."


    ''This guy has figured it out...'' Rysen wanted to punch Frey, but he had to do it for Clovis. If Clovis got stronger, their country would become stronger as well. Hence, Rysen asked for something unexpected. "All the fallen cities."


    "!!!" Frey widened his eyes in shock. This was Rysen''s move to prevent Clovis'' location from leaking. Even though they could narrow it down to several cities, they would have to check every single one of them.


    Frey''s smile became even bigger. "In that case, I will send you the information you want. I can guarantee it will arrive in less than an hour."


    Rysen nodded. As the president, he didn''t plan to follow along with Frey''s questioning, nor did the latter intend to push the president into the corner.


    Both of them got what they wanted. Before Rysen hung up, Frey added, "Well, congratulations, President Rysen. I wish you a pleasant day."


    Rysen''s eyebrows twitched. It was obvious what the congratulations were for. With this, President Frey had become another person who knew that Absalom had obtained Clovis.


    Nevertheless, it was something supposed to happen sooner or later, so he just dropped this matter. At the very least, by keeping Clovis happy, the latter would contribute to the country. That was enough for him.


    ...


    After receiving the information, Clovis decided to execute their plan right away.


    Clovis and Christina first came out of the tower and moved as quietly as possible, heading to the military facility. They put down a radar here for Melody to scan the area and maintain this vision.


    Meanwhile, they both entered through a broken window before looking around. After noticing there was no beast around, Clovis gave a hand signal through the camera on his chest.


    Then, Aileen came out of the tower and used her talent to the maximum. Instead of heading to the military facility, she actually headed to the opposite side of the tower, trying to check the movement of the beasts.


    Melody watched them closely before muttering, "As expected, it does seem they''re being ruled by a single beast instead of multiple high tier beasts. In other words, this entire city was controlled by a single beast, which might be the Tier 7 beast.


    "Now that we''ve confirmed their movement, what should we do, Clovis?"


    Clovis paused for a moment. He observed the beasts around the facility before saying, "Proceed with Plan B. While the original plan might succeed, the number of beasts is lower than we originally expected. Hence, we should focus on speed instead."


    "Got it." Melody nodded. "Guide mode."


    The first one coming out was none other than Reolf. He had the sharpest sense, so he should check the situation on top of the radar. However, Reolf''s body was much bigger than a normal human, so he would stand out.


    That was why, as Reolf moved, Aileen returned and struck down multiple beasts as silently as possible.


    Meanwhile, Clovis and Christina were looking for the entrance and secured it. Christina first provoked the beasts so that they focused on her instead of alerting other beasts. Clovis, on the other hand, swiftly eliminated them with his speed.


    Once the entrance was secured, Reolf entered the building.


    "Good. Reolf is safe now. Aileen." Melody typed a few things as arrows appeared on Aileen''s screen, showing her targets. These were the beasts close enough to notice Clovis and the others, so they had to eliminate them first.


    While Aileen took care of them, it was Kanaria and Jay''s turn to enter the facility. Erwin and Luci followed behind them, as Melody and Ragna became the last ones to enter the facility.


    It was true that Clovis was able to kill a lot of beasts and finished his mission faster than the others, but the way they executed the plan was still similar to other groups.


    They first secured a building to hide themselves. Then, they used that building as a bridge to go to their destination.


    They did it as quietly as possible so as to not disturb the peace inside the underground city.


    However, they did one thing differently. Normally, the group was supposed to clear the facility first and grab some equipment that could still be used before heading to the Essence Bank.


    Clovis, on the other hand, instructed, "Melody. Lead us directly toward the closest point to the Essence Bank."


    Melody gladly obeyed. Although it was good to grab some equipment from here, they first had to find out whether the bank had it or not. They could send Aileen, but they didn''t want to risk it too much. In case a beast noticed her and alerted them, it would be harder to save her from that position than breaking through the enemy''s rank as a group.


    Once they reached the nearest exit toward the Essence Bank, Clovis scanned the area before nodding his head.


    Melody began the countdown as Clovis and Christina were ready to open the door.


    But before the count reached zero, they suddenly heard a deafening roar echoing inside the city.


    "Grraaaaa!"

 Chapter 688: The True Terror of a Tier 7 Beast

    "Grraaaaa!"


    "!!!" All of them couldn''t help but raise their heads, following the roar''s direction. After that roar, the beasts started to follow up with another series of roars as well as moving as though they had received individual orders.


    Reolf was the first one to react by turning around.


    "Reolf? Do you understand what it was saying?" Clovis asked.


    Reolf nodded.


    "Did it notice us?" Clovis asked another question.


    Reolf nodded again before pointing to their back with his paw. He was indicating that the beasts were trying to hunt them from behind, in other words, from the tower''s direction.


    "It''s true. They''re coming from the tower''s direction. Don''t tell me..." Melody gasped, staring at the radar. "Are they sealing our escape route? More and more beasts are also surrounding us from all directions."


    "Sealing our escape route? But doesn''t that mean they have found us and have been waiting for us this whole time?" Christina frowned.


    "..." Clovis'' expression darkened. If that was true, how could they find out what they were up to and their exact location? To be able to do it this way just showed them how intelligent the beast was.


    It made no sense. He had experienced fighting a Tier 7 beast two times. The first time was rescuing the people in the underground city. Of course, he received help from Mara, which caused the fight to be quick.


    Meanwhile, the second time was during an expedition with a large group. At that time, they brought a lot of things to take down the Tier 7 beast. Although the beast was smart enough to create an unexpected situation, this one was beyond that beast.


    Not only did the Tier 7 beast realize what was going on, but they also sealed the escape route to make sure they could kill the Libation Fiesta.


    "This..." Erwin frowned. "...doesn''t seem good. If it''s smart enough to seal our escape route, it must know how we operate as well. In other words, if we leave this city, won''t it climb the tower and attack the people there?"


    "That''s not the problem. We need to know how this beast is able to find us. If we don''t know the reason, there''s a high chance it will take advantage of it again to locate us and ambush us. More importantly, we don''t have a lot of time to figure it out." Aileen shook her head.


    "Clovis. What should we do?" Ragna asked. In the end, the decision was in Clovis'' hand. They had been outsmarted by the beasts, so should they retreat?


    It was a reasonable decision, but they had to break through the enemy''s rank. If the beast was that smart, it would place a large number of beasts in that direction or stay there personally to block them.


    There was no way Clovis could afford to let them die.


    In other words, the best choice was to go outside this city and hide somewhere. But the beast might be smart enough to lure them far enough until the tower''s influence weakened or nullified before attacking them. At that time, the beast would fight them at full power. Without Christina reaching Tier 6, it was impossible for them to survive.


    There was also an option to use the guns on top of the wall to suppress these beasts, which would create an opportunity. But Kanaria couldn''t guarantee they could be used due to the technological gap.


    Hence, there was only one option left. This would be what most people would do. It was to use everything they had to break through. Even if it meant sacrificing some of them, the group could still survive.


    They had been completely beaten by this Tier 7 beast. No. They had severely underestimated the intelligence of a Tier 7 beast.


    There was a reason Tier 1 to Tier 3 beasts were known as low-level beasts, while Tier 4 to Tier 6 beasts were classified as mid-level beasts, and Tier 7 to Tier 9 became high-level beasts.


    Even in human classification, they were also split into those three categories.


    It was no wonder why the expedition wanted so many people and required all that equipment just to kill a single Tier 7 beast. This was the true terror of a Tier 7 beast.


    "It doesn''t seem there''s any option left." Jay moved forward. "Ragna. Let''s go!"


    Ragna nodded with a solemn expression. It looked like she understood that they were the ones responsible for creating an opportunity for Clovis and the others to escape. For Jay, it was his responsibility as the vice captain. Meanwhile, Ragna had once sworn to protect Clovis no matter the price.


    Erwin and the others looked at Jay and Ragna, wanting to stop them. But all of them could see their impending doom if they didn''t decide right now.


    However, it did seem Clovis was incapable of ordering his subordinates'' sacrifice for the bigger picture.


    Jay took a deep breath. "Let''s go, Ragna!"


    "Yeah." Ragna nodded.


    But before they left, Clovis suddenly stopped them. "That''s enough. Why did both of you make a decision by yourself?"


    "Can''t you see the current situation?" Jay gritted his teeth.


    "I''m the captain of the Libation Fiesta. I haven''t even given up yet, and you already think about sacrificing yourself? Are you an idiot?!" Clovis sighed.


    "Are you serious right now? If we miss the timing, it will be all over." Jay grabbed Clovis'' collar.


    "I''m being serious." Clovis grabbed his wrist and pushed his hand away. "We''ll split our group into two. The first group is to remain here and buy as much time as possible. The second group will create a path toward the Essence Bank and open the vault. We''ll be retreating to the vault."


    "The vault?!" Christina raised her eyebrows. "Now that I think about it, the vault here is impenetrable according to them... at least for Tier 8 beasts. Are we going to seal ourselves there and try to get stronger? Even so, absorbing the essence and evolving require a lot of time. We don''t have enough supply."


    "Don''t bother with the supply. This is the only path for all of us to survive. I will now tell the members for each group!"

 Chapter 689 689: Mysterious Food

    "Go, go! We don''t have a lot of time. We have to clear up the path!" Erwin shouted.


    Reolf swiftly reached a beast and bit its neck. Several others followed behind him and struck down all the beasts in their path.


    Erwin''s expression was much grimmer than ever. He was a bit disappointed, but he also understood the heavy responsibility he had.


    ...


    A moment ago.


    "I will divide the group into two." Clovis raised two fingers. "The first group will consist of Erwin, Melody, Reolf, Ragna, and Lucifania.


    "Your task is simple. Open a path for us and make sure we can enter the vault right away. Melody, you will guide them and take care of the security. Reolf, you go there and become my assurance. Ragna, protect Melody well. Lucifania, you shall help Erwin to open up a path. Erwin, you lead the team!"


    "But... if you want to defend the rear, I should be one of them. My ability is much better for a defensive battle!" Erwin raised his objection.


    "You are still clueless? It''s exactly why you''re going there! He even asked Luci to be the vanguard!" Aileen sighed.


    "!!!" Erwin instantly realized it after Aileen pointed it out. That was right. His specialty was defense. It was already too late to create a defense for the rear. The area they had to cover was also too wide.


    Hence, it was better for Erwin to go there. His main objective was to create traps and defensive threads all around the building that could slow the enemy down, allowing a complete retreat.


    Clovis didn''t wait for him and simply continued with assigning the task. "Kanaria, take everything you have here and blast as many beasts as possible. Aileen, this area hasn''t been cleaned up properly, so I have to rely on you to protect Kanaria and try to kill as many beasts as possible in this area.


    "Christina, you will be working with me and facing the beasts from the tower''s direction. There''s a chance that Tier 7 beast will be coming for us, so we will have to work together.


    "As for Jay... Your job is simple. Kill!"


    Jay agreed without hesitation. This job simply suited him well. However, it was different for Kanaria. She noticed that this plan had one flaw. Clovis looked like he wanted to go to the vault and hide there to build up their strength. However, they didn''t have the food supply necessary for this kind of request.


    That was why it was unexpected for Clovis to give this assignment. Still, Kanaria believed Clovis wasn''t someone who gave an order without thinking about such a possibility.


    Unlike Kanaria, Christina was more outspoken. She couldn''t help but mention, "Clovis. We don''t have enough supplies to hide inside that vault."


    The others furrowed their eyebrows, knowing the same thing. However, Clovis simply looked Christina in the eye and said with a solemn tone. "Look at my eyes, Christina. Do you think I will give an order without thinking about that possibility? We have enough supply."


    Christina didn''t understand what was going on. Meanwhile, Melody and some others realized what Clovis was talking about. It was basically the item he took out from Another World Mall. Although they didn''t know the exact thing, they knew Clovis had the ability to sustain them.


    "If you understand your role, go now!"


    Erwin clenched his fists and shouted, "Let''s go!"


    ...


    When he recalled their assignment, Erwin turned around and left behind several wires that could trip the beasts. Meanwhile, Melody recorded it so that the rest could easily pass them.


    Meanwhile, Clovis was standing on top of the military building with several corpses around him. Christina came to him, looking at the incoming beasts. "I guess we underestimate a Tier 7 beast too much."


    Clovis squinted his eyes. "Yeah. I''ll pay the price for underestimating it. However, I''ll use this experience to ensure that such a mistake will never happen again."


    "Paying the price? Clovis. Are you..." Christina worried that Clovis wanted to use his life to pay the price.


    Clovis simply shook his head, reassuring her. "Don''t worry. I''m not going to die or anything. Still, I haven''t found the Tier 7 beast yet."


    Christina looked around, finding only several Tier 5 beasts. In fact, there was no Tier 6 beast in sight, which was quite surprising. Normally, they would see a Tier 6 beast when a Tier 7 beast was involved.


    They might also resort to using the underground attack to surprise them, so they had to be wary of anything.


    "Blue. Buy me all the bite-sized food for speed and strength to the limit." Clovis muttered.


    "Huh?" Christina looked confused. She wondered who Clovis was talking about.


    All of a sudden, Clovis took a bite-size cupcake out of thin air.


    "!!!" Christina widened her eyes in shock. "Clovis... What are you..."


    How did a cupcake appear in his hand? Who did he talk to? There were a lot of questions appearing in Christina''s head.


    He swallowed it in one go while saying, "I will explain it later. But can you trust me in this?"


    Christina noticed this thing was what Clovis had in mind when he assured her there was enough food. If Clovis could really do it, they would definitely last long enough inside the vault.


    Christina took a deep breath to regain her composure before nodding her head. "Yes. I will trust you with my life."


    Clovis then took out some food from Another World Mall''s inventory and handed it to Christina. Then, he turned around and shouted, "Jay!"


    Jay turned around and saw Clovis tossing food toward him. He was confused but still caught the food. After seeing Clovis munching the food, he knew Clovis wanted him to do the same thing.


    That was why Jay hurriedly put them inside his mouth.


    "!!!" Both Jay and Christina were shocked to the core when they suddenly felt unknown strength surging in their bodies. They could feel it boosting their strength and speed at the same time.


    This was Clovis'' trump card. With this additional power, they could finally see a small path to victory.

 Chapter 690: The Identity of Another World Mall?

    Christina gasped after consuming the food.


    ''How in the world... What is that food? How can it influence my strength and speed? Is it something related to his unique ability?''


    Christina had a lot of questions in her mind. Even though she wanted to ask it right away, she knew it wasn''t the time yet.


    From this food, she could see several possibilities. If Clovis distributed the food to everyone, they could power up and somehow escape from this situation.


    No. Clovis might have thought about it and deemed it was still impossible. However, Clovis also understood that if they endured it and hid inside the vault until they reached the next tier, coupled with this unique food, they might be able to break their encirclement and destroy all these beasts.


    That was why Clovis chose to retreat instead of sacrificing someone else.


    Still, there was one problem haunting her mind.


    ''But this food and his blood... I can''t see how they''re related. I know that he can probably say this food has his blood in it. It''s quite disgusting because it makes me look like a cannibal, but the blood can''t explain how the food can appear out of nowhere.


    ''Hence, I''m 100% sure this is not related to his blood. In that case, what is this power? Is this the secret he has been hiding the whole time?


    ''Now that I think about it, there are so many weird things about Clovis. The items he has given... are they related to this weird ability instead of his blood? The food can boost our strength, so it might not be weird if the items can too...''


    "!!!"


    In that instant, Christina realized something shocking. It started with how she remembered her father''s message after the fight against Tesron.


    At that time, Ezekiel said, "Christina. Do you know about Mara Leverstrike?"


    "Eh?!" Christina was startled at that time, but this reaction was enough for an answer.


    Ezekiel closed his eyes for a moment before asking, "In that case, do you still find Clovis to be repulsive or anything? Or do you like him?"


    "Grandfather. What are you saying..." Christina had a wry smile on her face, but against her grandfather''s solemn face, she couldn''t help but say, "To say I like him might be an exaggeration, but to say he''s only a friend of mine... is not right either."


    "In that case, listen to me." He paused for a moment. "Clovis... is actually your fiance."


    "F-Fiance?!" Christina widened her eyes in shock.


    "It''s a promise I gave to his grandfather two decades ago. However, we don''t really think much about it and won''t force you other than letting both of you meet.


    "Still, after seeing his unique ability, I will tell you this. If you don''t find him repulsive, get to know him more with the intention of marrying him."


    "Grandfather. What are you talking about?!" Christina panicked, but his solemn face remained unchanged.


    "His unique ability is similar to that woman''s." Ezekiel sighed.


    "That woman? Mara Leverstrike?!"


    "Yes. This is the first time I see a unique ability similar to another person''s unique ability. No. It might even be the same. I don''t know how they meet, but if Mara Leverstrike knows about this, it''s not weird for her to want to teach him."


    "His unique ability is the same as Mara Leverstrike''s? But isn''t it impossible for two people to possess the same unique ability? It won''t be called a unique ability anymore if this is the case."


    "Yes. Well, I don''t care about the continuation of the terminology, but there''s one thing I can say for sure. This unique ability is not supposed to have this level of power. Mara Leverstrike might be able to fully utilize its power, but it''s clear Clovis can only extract a bit of its power. In other words, that''s not enough for him to unleash this much strength as a Tier 4 human. There''s another secret he''s hiding. And it''s much bigger because he''s willing to share this unique ability instead of that secret."


    "..." Christina paused for a moment.


    Seeing the reaction of his granddaughter, Ezekiel nodded in understanding. "It seems you''re already aware of this secret to a certain extent. I don''t know what it is, but I''m afraid that everything weird around him, like that wolf... is related to this secret. That''s why I can''t help but say this to you. Become his wife as long as you don''t hate him. That guy... will become a monster surpassing all Tier 9 humans in this world... No, there''s a possibility that even when all of us fight him together, we might not necessarily lose."


    "!!!" Christina was shocked at that time, but after eating the unique food, she finally understood why her grandfather said it.


    Clovis'' mysterious power was not just about him. Instead, it could also help the people around him.


    In other words, if she reached Tier 9 in the future, because of this power, she could surpass a normal Tier 9. In fact, there was a chance for Clovis to help his people to break through the limitation of a Tier 9. All the Libation Fiesta''s members might be able to reach Tier 9 with this method.


    Clovis might be able to become a being surpassing a Tier 9 human in the future. There was a chance he could even figure out the real secret of their simulation world.


    While it was amazing, Christina''s focus was actually on the identity of this power.


    ''Grandfather. I think you are wrong. It''s not a secret beyond a unique ability. Two people with the same unique ability aren''t supposed to exist.


    ''But in this simulation world... What if everything Clovis has is nothing but a simulation? What if the unique ability Mara possesses is granted to him as a part of the simulation?


    ''When I see it this way, it becomes clear the identity of this power.''


    Christina was so shocked that she subconsciously smiled. It was so ridiculous that she had never thought about this possibility before.


    ''The painting, these items, the food...'' Christina turned to Clovis. "Clovis... You... Do you have... two unique abilities?"

 Chapter 691: Two Unique Abilities?

    "Clovis... You... Do you have... two unique abilities?"


    "!!!" Clovis turned his head around, not expecting that Christina would say such a thing.


    Now that he thought about it, Another World Mall could be considered a unique ability as well. It was just that he never thought of it that way.


    But if he considered Another World Mall a unique ability, he could easily explain everything. Still, this unique ability was much more unique than anyone else''s, considering it could benefit the others around him.


    If that was the case, it meant his Perfect State was also another unique ability different from his Another World Mall. He could understand it to a certain extent, but how? How did it end up in him?


    In the first place, if he was supposed to have Another World Mall as his unique ability, where did this unique ability come from? The answer derived back to the system panel that appeared in the middle of his fight against Tesron.


    It mentioned a unique ability being possessed by two individuals, which broke the law of this world.


    In other words, the Perfect State might actually come from Mara. But why? How? What happened that would lead to such an event?


    Clovis couldn''t find the answer. His parents? He couldn''t ask them right away. But if it was about a unique ability, he probably had to ask his grandfather.


    Still, could a human have two unique abilities at the same time?


    Clovis was confused and shocked at the same time. On the one hand, having two unique abilities would make him surpass all other Tier 9 humans in this world. At that time, those people would surely come after him.


    On the other hand, these two unique abilities might be his clue toward his ultimate goal, which was discovering the truth about this world.


    ''So that''s how it is. My Another World Mall is my unique ability. But this makes things complicated.


    ''If it really is, then there''s no way people will accept someone with two unique abilities. They will use everything they have to kill me before I can grow strong enough to oppose or even suppress them.


    ''On the other hand, having the Perfect State can camouflage my second ability. They might feel suspicious, thinking that my unique ability is similar to Mara''s, but by telling them that it''s different while showing them the items, they will believe it''s different.


    ''It''s just... A unique ability is supposed to benefit its host only. Meanwhile, my unique ability can actually benefit others. Besides, where are those items coming from?


    ''There are a lot of questions appearing in my mind right now, but the beasts are about to reach this place, so I don''t have time to figure out everything yet. However, it''s clear that my Another World Mall is a unique ability.


    ''This might also be a good way to explain it to my teammates later. No, this might work just fine.''


    That was right. Although he underestimated the Tier 7 beast, which resulted in him paying the price by revealing his Another World Mall to his teammates so that they could survive, if he simply mentioned two unique abilities, they could probably understand it to a certain extent.


    As for the rest, even he was still trying to figure it out. His mother might be able to figure out the reason for him to have two unique abilities. If she couldn''t, he would go to his grandfather or ask Mara herself.


    "We can talk about it later." Clovis shook his head. "For now..."


    "Understood." Christina nodded in agreement. She turned back to face the incoming beasts. "We have to kill these beasts first before we can figure out the rest. It''s just... I never expected that there''s someone with two unique abilities."


    "I didn''t know about it before you told me about such a possibility." Clovis shook his head helplessly. "Either way, I''m planning to sustain everyone with this power. The boost is only temporary. You probably need one or two more before we reach the vault, so position yourself with that in mind."


    "Duration?"


    "Five and ten minutes."


    Christina nodded. "I understand."


    Clovis observed the beast''s movement. "There''s no Tier 7 beast spotted yet, but don''t let your guard down. You might even end up dying."


    "I know that, but thanks to this food, I should be able to fight better. Kill as many as possible. I will be taunting them for you."


    Clovis nodded and shouted to Jay. "Jay. Get ready! Five minutes and come closer to me. Depending on the other team, I might signal a complete retreat all of a sudden."


    "Got it."


    *Roar!*


    *Roar!*


    *Roar!*


    There were only twenty meters left between them and the beasts. Although fighting on the rooftop was good, it would be troublesome if they bulldozed the bottom part, which would lead to its collapse.


    Hence, both Clovis and Christina jumped off the building at the same time. Jay followed right after in a different direction. Kanaria remained on the rooftop while Aileen was still busy killing all the beasts within the facility.


    Christina raised her shield and activated her unique ability. "Come. All of you!"


    "!!!" The beasts suddenly felt an irresistible urge to charge straight toward Christina. In just a moment, their trajectory shifted toward her.


    Clovis headed to the front. The beasts roared while waving their paws, trying to push him away to open up the path toward Christina.


    But Clovis immediately activated his Perfect State and waved his sword, releasing his ranged attack. This time, he put more power into the width of the ranged attack instead of the range.


    As a result, it cut the most front beasts in that road.


    *Roar!*


    The beasts fell down, creating a small obstacle for other beasts to charge. The beasts behind them simply leaped over their friends'' dead bodies, but Clovis struck them in rapid succession and used his ranged attack to reach a beast that he couldn''t physically reach.


    However, there was a looming threat waiting for them. The Tier 7 beast was moving sneakily toward them, ready to launch an all-out attack.

 Chapter 692: Tier 7 Beasts Identity

    Clovis killed one beast after another like a war god. He moved swiftly and deadly even though he was being surrounded by a lot of beasts.


    Still, it was Christina who played a big role in making Clovis have an easy time. By utilizing her Provoke, she could make the beasts not go all out against Clovis. As a result, Clovis took advantage of that small gap to eliminate them in one or two blows.


    Unfortunately, Christina still hadn''t fully mastered the new way of utilizing her unique ability. She couldn''t focus on individual beasts, giving a different Provoke to each beast, which would ultimately make the unique ability even more efficient.


    Nevertheless, Clovis killed close to a hundred beasts in just two minutes.


    He often went back to Christina''s side since there were a few beasts that would go toward her through the roof, which was impossible for Clovis to handle.


    As a result, she had been crushing them with her shield, but some were too big for her to fight. In the end, she was a guardian with only two shields as her weapon.


    "Clovis. We have found the vault. It should take less than ten minutes before we can go in. The trip to go here will take about four minutes." Melody suddenly informed Clovis.


    "..." Clovis was still too focused on the beast that he couldn''t really reply to her. Still, there was no need to reply. All of them knew their roles and would make sure to do them wonderfully.


    At the very least, Clovis knew that they only had to last for another six minutes.


    Clovis glanced to the side, specifically the corner of his skin, to check the map. According to the radar, they were being overwhelmed in all directions.


    Kanaria was suppressing the beast from the left while Jay took care of the beasts on the right.


    Aileen wasn''t done with the beasts within the facility, so the beast from their back would most likely try to enter the facility or, even worse, the bank.


    "Christina. I think you should go to the west. The beasts behind us will definitely block our path, so try to make sure our escape route remains open," said Clovis. Although there were still so many beasts in front of him, he had no choice but to do it. After all, the moment they blocked their escape route, they could break through it but would lose enough time for these beasts to catch up.


    "Are you sure?"


    "Aileen seems to be finishing soon. She just has to clean up the area around Kanaria. The rest of us are strong enough to take down any unexpected att¡ª" As if trying to prove him wrong, there was an attack coming straight at him.


    This attack wasn''t like anything they had ever seen. Christina''s instinct was soaring to its peak as her body moved on its own.


    She went to Clovis through the shortest path, which meant she hugged Clovis from behind, her arms going around him so that she could put the shield in front of him.


    Before Clovis could actually finish his words, the attack was connected.


    *Clang!*


    The ringing sound of the clash felt like thunder reverberating in one''s ear. The attack was so silent but deadly.


    "!!!" Clovis reacted a split second too late. If not for Christina noticing it, his instinct might kick in because of the Perfect State, but that attack would at least severely injure him.


    Even with Christina''s shield, the strike was so powerful that it blew both of them away.


    Bam!


    They both ended up crashing into the facility as two beasts who were about to come out of the facility found them and struck them.


    While gritting his teeth, Clovis struck them and hurriedly got up. "Christina. Are you alright?"


    Although he wanted to check Christina''s condition, he couldn''t afford to do it. The beast that attacked him was so stealthy that if his eyes were not constantly on it, the latter might disappear without a trace.


    "I''m alright," replied Christina with a hoarse voice.


    Clovis put both swords in front as the beasts'' movement became even more frantic.


    More importantly, his eyes were fixed on that particular beast.


    "Melody!"


    "!!!" Melody panicked because Clovis called her so loud that it made her heart stop for a second. Her AI was helping with the recognition while she also assisted in finding the correct information about the beast.


    "Not good. It''s a Morganucodon from the early Triassic to early Jurassic. It seems to be 2 meters long. Although it''s quite big, it''s not too big for a Tier 7. Because this beast is known for its rodent-like shape and small size. It''s moving quietly to avoid predators and hunt insects."


    "Insects, huh?" Clovis'' expression darkened.


    "Yes. In its eyes, we''re like insects. Something it can kill easily. It has sharp hearing. It''s said to be able to hear even through the wall, so it''s no wonder how it''s able to find us.


    "Its hearing alone might surpass Reolf''s current capability. It''s specialized in stealth. It''s nearly silent in motion and has an organ to detect vibration.


    "I will try to track it down so that it can''t launch a secret attack!"


    If it were another beast, he would probably be glad because they would be more frontal. But this beast was extremely dangerous against his party, especially if they were trying to hide inside the vault.


    "I will use my Provoke to make sure we don''t lose it." Christina stomped the ground.


    Christina''s resolve was good, but it was unnecessary in this situation. Instead, Clovis adjusted the plan after knowing what kind of Tier 7 beast they were dealing with.


    Clovis hurriedly grabbed a grenade on his back and tossed it toward the Tier 7 beast.


    "!!!" The Tier 7 beast looked confused, considering it would just give it an advantage if they blew up everything and kicked up the dust on the ground.


    Boom!


    The grenade exploded, but this was the beginning of Clovis'' plan. He turned around, stuck his short sword on his bracelet, and held Christina''s wrist as he dragged her away.


    "W-What?!"

 Chapter 693: Run

    "W-What?! What are you doing?" Christina asked, not expecting Clovis would do such a thing.


    Clovis, on the other hand, muttered, "Melody. You focus on the vault. Try to make it as quickly as possible. We''re going there right now.


    "Jay, Kanaria, and Aileen are to retreat in an orderly manner. Open the map of the Essence Bank. We will use the size of the essence bank to stall them.


    "Christina. Focus on the Tier 7 beast. We have no way of defeating it right now, but you''re the only one who can follow it at ease and block its attack. If you''re going to get blown away, do it in my direction. I will catch you and move according to my own plan.


    "Right now, this battle is a battle between me and the Tier 7 beast," Clovis stated with a stern tone, as if telling them he wouldn''t hear any objection.


    Melody gulped down before making a resolute face. "Understood."


    She immediately transmitted Clovis'' order to those three.


    "What?" Jay looked confused. Although he had been overwhelmed by the enemy''s number, it hadn''t reached the point where he couldn''t retreat. That was why he didn''t understand the reason Clovis gave that order.


    On the other hand, Aileen returned to Kanaria''s side in just thirty seconds.


    "Kanaria." Aileen called her out loud.


    "There''s nothing to say. We''ll proceed with Clovis'' plan. I don''t know what he is planning to do. It must be something reckless.


    "Unlike anyone who does reckless things, he''s someone who will do it by himself. In other words, our existence there will just hinder him. Instead, we should head straight to the Essence Bank and try to fortify it even further.


    "He mentioned that we have to speed things up, so it means we will be entering a defensive position much earlier.


    "Aileen. Cover for me. I will set up everything..." Kanaria stopped for a moment. "No. There''s another place we have to visit."


    "Another place? Didn''t you say that we should go to the Essence Bank immediately?"


    "Yes, but don''t worry. This place is in the direction. And it''s something that will help our plan." Kanaria nodded.


    "I don''t know what you mean, but I''m not here to argue with you. If it can help the team, then let''s go."


    Kanaria nodded. "Follow me."


    Both of them immediately headed to the Essence Bank, but before that there was another place Kanaria had to visit. This was a military facility after all, so it should have that. Kanaria planned to use it to slow down these beasts.


    Jay, on the other hand, looked a bit confused but really had no other choice but to comply.


    Meanwhile, Clovis finally explained his plan after Christina decided to run alongside him, gathering all these beasts.


    "The Tier 7 beast is focused on stealth and speed, so it''s best to constantly be on the run and inside a building. This way, the beast has to destroy something if it wants to catch up to us.


    "And if it''s going straightforwardly, it will have to pass the horde of beasts behind us. Your Provoke ability is essential here.


    "As long as we run around, we should be able to make enough time for Melody."


    After listening to Clovis, she finally understood why Clovis had decided to break their formation right away.


    If they stayed there for a bit longer, the Tier 7 beast would hide and once again aim for them. No. Since it was clever enough to trap them in this situation, it should be able to realize Kanaria and the others were a much more enticing target.


    There was even a chance for the Tier 7 beast to hide inside the building.


    Hence, Clovis immediately asked his group to retreat to the Essence Bank directly. This way, the Tier 7 beast couldn''t catch up to them.


    As a result, the Tier 7 beast would believe they were the easier target. All he had to do was mingle with the rest of the beasts and find a perfect opportunity to kill them.


    Still, Clovis didn''t have enough skill to completely grasp the opponent''s presence this time. It might be because he had to focus on so many different things, but it didn''t change the fact that he had a hard time.


    That was why he wanted Christina to focus on the Tier 7 beast. She was the only one capable of stopping it.


    Meanwhile, Clovis cut down one beast after another, ensuring Christina''s protection. Even if he had to be injured in the process, he needed to take down all the beasts coming toward them.


    Clovis kept an eye on the map because he had to be constantly on the run and ultimately reached the exit.


    "Clovis. This is Kanaria. Jay and Aileen are already with me right now. We''re waiting for you at the entrance," reported Kanaria while shooting down all the approaching beasts. "If you want to reach here, go to the previous exit. I have prepared a surprise there. It should be able to slow down the beasts to a certain extent."


    "..." Clovis glanced at the map. "Got it."


    Still, there was no way for the enemy to let them do whatever they wanted. The pursuit had become more aggressive.


    More and more beasts threw themselves at Clovis. It was fine even if they died in the process, as long as they could stall Clovis for a second.


    The moment the beasts were about to catch up, Christina suddenly shouted, " Watch out!"


    Christina hurriedly shifted her position to Clovis'' right while raising her arm.


    "!!!" Clovis raised his eyebrows because a huge rhino suddenly emerged from the wall, crashing everything in its path.


    She blocked the direct attack, but the momentum was unstoppable. In the end, both Clovis and Christina were blasted to the wall in the opposite direction, which ended up getting destroyed by the rhino again.


    Bam!


    "Kh!" Christina had a hard time stopping this Tier 5 rhino. More importantly, her instinct kicked in one more time. "Right!"


    "!!!" Clovis raised both swords and swung them to the right as a clicking sound soon echoed in his ears as he saw the Tier 7 beast appearing once again before him. This time, it worked together with the rhino to pin them down here.

 Chapter 694: Entering the Vault

    "Kh!" Clovis gritted his teeth. It took him everything just to stop this attack. But it looked like the Tier 7 beast would overpower him soon.


    Meanwhile, the Tier 5 was actually strong enough to completely stop Christina. Although it was due to her momentum, she would still need some time before she could recover from the attack and somehow turn the situation around.


    But before that could happen, all the beasts would have surrounded them and eliminated them.


    *Roar!*


    *Roar!*


    The beasts followed them in a much more orderly manner.


    At this rate, they would truly die. Clovis decided to let go of his short sword, which ultimately allowed the Tier 7 beast to overpower him. It struck the long sword to the ground and slashed Clovis in the chest.


    "Kh!" Clovis gritted his teeth, enduring the pain. Even though his hand was shaking, he still grabbed the grenade on the back.


    "!!!" The Tier 7 beast was surprised by the grenade and hurriedly moved back.


    "As expected, you''re truly smart enough." Clovis grinned.


    In that instant, the beast realized he had been tricked. Clovis pulled out the pin and tossed it toward the rhino instead.


    *Boom!*


    *Roar!* The rhino''s body tilted to the side.


    Clovis shouted. "Run, Christina!"


    There was no time. Before they could catch up, they had to reach the exit.


    Christina noticed that Clovis was running in a certain direction. Without hesitation, she followed him at her full speed. However, they were still in the middle of a field within the military facility. There was a wall in front of them.


    But Clovis didn''t care. He simply jumped toward the window and broke it with his body. By utilizing his Perfect State, he could see everything slowly. He expanded his body as much as possible so that he would brush away all shards from the window.


    It would create a gap for Christina to also enter without worrying that a small shard was left behind and hurt her.


    Christina followed right behind as they managed to go back inside the corridor, this time taking a shortcut to the exit.


    "Let''s go!" Clovis shouted again while dashing toward the exit.


    *Bam!*


    The rhino blasted the wall to open up the path for the rest of the beasts. But it didn''t matter. They still hadn''t caught up to Clovis and Christina.


    Clovis tossed a grenade toward them, which would slow them down a bit more. Meanwhile, Christina kicked the exit.


    In that instant, they saw Kanaria and Jay standing by the Essence Bank''s entrance. Kanaria was shooting the beasts around the entrance while Jay was responsible for taking down the rest of the beasts she didn''t manage to kill.


    Meanwhile, Aileen had already entered the building and created some barricade that Kanaria could use later when they retreated. Of course, Melody had created a guide for their route.


    "!!!" Kanaria noticed the door had opened. She waved her hand. "Hurry up!"


    "Clovis!" Christina nodded.


    "Yeah! You go first!"


    Christina led in front, this time with Clovis following right behind her.


    Still, there was no way the beasts would let them go. The rhino created another path by using its body. Some beasts followed his route, while the others used the same path Clovis and Christina took earlier.


    At that moment, Kanaria shouted. "Kaboom!"


    "!!!" Both Clovis and Christina widened their eyes as their instincts kicked in almost at the same time.


    Christina, on the front, suddenly turned around and let Clovis run into her embrace before she raised both shields to protect their back.


    *Boom!*


    A massive explosion occurred. It turned out Kanaria had laid down so many explosives right at the exit. There was so much that it tore down the wall, stretching over twenty meters on both sides.


    The blast made them grit their teeth because of the shock wave and sound.


    However, Clovis prioritized Christina first by closing her ears.


    Then, the shock wave blasted them away. As soon as the sound passed, Clovis shifted his hand, protecting the back of her head and her back before he flipped them around, using his own body as a cushion for their fall.


    "Kh!" Clovis was tattered.


    "Clovis!" Christina panicked and shouted his name, but Clovis'' ears were ringing badly so that he could barely hear what she was saying.


    There was no way Clovis could make her worry about him. He said, "Get up. We still have to run! We don''t have time!"


    There were so many things she wanted to say, but it wasn''t the time for it. She rose from the ground and helped Clovis up. Both of them continued running toward the Essence Bank.


    "Kanaria, Jay! Let''s retreat. Where''s Aileen?"


    "Inside!" Kanaria shouted while Jay pointed inside as though he noticed his ears'' condition.


    Clovis nodded. "Let''s go inside and retreat to the vault. I don''t know what the situation is there, but we should go there right now. Jay, coordinate with Melody now. We will try to hold the beasts back until she''s ready!"


    Jay nodded. It appeared his condition was much worse than he thought, considering he even delegated him for that kind of task. Either way, he had to do it.


    The moment the four of them entered, they saw the arrow in their skyglasses left behind by Melody. There was an additional barricade from all kinds of things Aileen could find on the way.


    They traveled past all of them. From time to time, they turned around. Clovis changed to his pistol and worked together with Kanaria to overwhelm them with their firepower.


    Meanwhile, Jay focused on coordinating with Melody. Christina helped the team by grabbing the remaining grenades both Clovis and Kanaria had while keeping her instincts sharp so that she could react to any unexpected attack.


    Although it was hard to stop them, this was the Essence Bank, the toughest building inside the city.


    Even the rhino would have a hard time destroying the building, so they ultimately managed to retreat without any successful attack from both the rhino and the Tier 7 beast.


    After a long retreat that lasted 7 minutes but felt like 7 hours, they finally found the vault, with Melody waving her hand and Erwin preparing his threads.


    All of them rushed inside as Erwin laid down the last wire and entered too. Aileen and Ragna closed the door while Melody locked it.

 Chapter 695 695: The Truth

    "Ha... Ha..." Clovis panted heavily.


    "Clovis. Are you alright?!" Kanaria panicked while Luci immediately checked his condition.


    "Yes. I''m alright for the time being." Clovis nodded, glancing around. There was no light other than the flashlight Melody brought, and they shouldn''t really rely on it too much. His ears were still ringing, but they had recovered to a certain degree.


    "Let me..." Luci was grabbing her bag as if she was searching for her medical tools.


    Surprisingly, Clovis stopped her. "There''s no need."


    "What are you¡ª" Luci was stopped once again when Clovis showed his palm. Soon, a bandage appeared out of thin air. "Use this instead."


    "Huh?" Luci looked confused.


    In fact, the others couldn''t help but widen their eyes in shock, wondering where it came from.


    "Clovis... that..." Kanaria gasped.


    "Well..." Clovis looked at Luci as if telling her to just bandage him and he would be fine. While she wrapped his body with the bandage, he would explain everything.


    Luci was a bit hesitant but immediately followed his instruction.


    Clovis smiled wryly. "Let''s see... Where should I begin?"


    "When did you discover this unique ability?" Christina asked.


    "Ah, that''s right. From the beginning, I guess." Clovis nodded. "Well, I don''t even realize this is a unique ability. It''s all thanks to Christina for making me realize that this is also a unique ability."


    "Also?" Kanaria tilted her head in confusion.


    "For some reason, Clovis'' body contains two unique abilities!" Christina explained, "My grandfather told me after seeing the first unique ability. That unique ability was extremely similar to what Mara Leverstrike had.


    "However, after seeing what happened in the battle, I realized that this was another unique ability."


    Clovis nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Although I don''t know the reason, it''s probably what attracts Mara to me. However, it''s not really important right now. Even if we spend all the time we have here to learn about it, we probably won''t be able to come up with a reasonable answer.


    "Hence, I will tell you about my first unique ability instead, which is probably the only one that belongs to me.


    "This unique ability is called Another World Mall. I awakened this Unique Ability an hour after I awakened as an explorer."


    Clovis still remembered vividly that scene where he let out his frustration at his lack of absorption rate. Of course, he didn''t give up, but his path would be more arduous than the rest of the people''s. This Another World Mall came to him to solve all that problem.


    "Another World Mall..." Kanaria muttered, feeling a bit confused.


    Clovis pointed at everyone''s equipment. "Elf''s shirt, Dark Elf''s boots, Minotaur''s hide, Vampire''s strap..."


    They didn''t understand why Clovis actually added fantasy creatures, but the fact that each piece of equipment contained the name of a species, they couldn''t help but picture the meaning of ''Another World Mall.''


    "To put it simply, all these items come from another world, or so it claims. And it''s not just a fantasy creature. There is a high human, or maybe a technologically advanced world.


    "It allows me to enter this Another World Mall. I believe you already know that your evolution progress skyrockets, especially for those who are in the same tier as me."


    "!!!" Jay, Kanaria, Ragna, and Melody raised their eyebrows. Now that they thought about it, it was true. They were the ones benefiting the most from the food.


    Clovis continued, "Just like any other mall, it has a grocery store. In this store, I''m able to buy things that are usually there, such as ingredients, completed products, and other miscellaneous stuff.


    "For the ingredients, they''re able to increase the evolution progress of my current tier. In other words, if I am Tier 3, it provides me with ingredients for Tier 3 evolution. Of course, there are sections to store items for Tier 0, Tier 1, and Tier 2, which I''m allowed to buy. So, yeah, I can also help people advance quickly.


    "The most important thing is that the ingredients here don''t get calculated by your absorption rate!"


    "!!!" This was the most shocking thing they ever heard. This was the reason Clovis was able to advance so fast even though he only had a 15% absorption rate.


    "That''s the reason I can catch up to you guys." Clovis smiled wryly. "Of course, relying on this allows me to do it, but I personally need to get stronger, especially practice my skills.


    "If not, I will just have high tier but not high combat prowess. For now, I haven''t unlocked the full ability of Another World Mall. There are still so many stores I haven''t opened.


    "And this grocery store is just the first store. There are other stores, such as clothing stores and accessories stores, which is what you''re currently wearing right now.


    "Each of them has an ability. Maybe Melody will understand it more if you think of it as a game.


    "For example, this shirt from Minotaur''s hide has the ability to increase 5% of my strength and 7% of my defense. There is silk so springy that it can absorb an impact to a certain degree.


    "Of course, this is also limited to their tier. From what I have found, even though it increases 5% of my strength, it''s only limited to the peak tier of the shirt. If it''s Tier 3, it''s 5% of the peak Tier 3 with Muscle Affinity. Once I become Tier 4, there will be another item.


    "Well, it doesn''t mean the clothes become ineffective. It will still give you a boost of 5% but at the peak of Tier 3 instead of Tier 4."


    They looked at each other. Christina gasped, "So, the reason for the sudden boost of my strength..."


    "Yeah. It''s the items from Another World Mall. I lied to you guys, saying that this is made of my blood. At that time, I didn''t know the exact reason for Another World Mall, so I couldn''t really explain something I didn''t understand.


    "At the same time, I have always wanted to tell you about it, but I''m just afraid that this information will leak. It''s not that I don''t trust you guys, but maybe someone can slip up with alcohol or something. So, I have no choice but to seal that information for the time being."

 Chapter 696: Reactions

    "..." Everyone fell silent. This was the first time they heard this information. They had always known Clovis for being miraculous, but they didn''t expect it to be a unique ability.


    At the same time, they finally understood why Clovis never really said anything.


    Normally, people would call Clovis being unable to trust his teammates, who had gone through life and death together for so long.


    However, for Kanaria and the others, who had seen Clovis'' personality, they were aware that Clovis wanted to tell them about it this whole time.


    The only reason he couldn''t do it was because of his identity. That was right. If he were not from the Hacfield family, it would have been easier to reveal that secret.


    But because he was linked to the Hacfield family, people would pay special attention to him. And what would happen if they knew that the child of the Hacfield family had a unique ability? The answer was pretty obvious.


    Telling them this information might lead them to be captured and tortured for that information. That was why Clovis didn''t want them to know, so that people didn''t have any reason to go after them.


    Of course, he genuinely didn''t know it was a unique ability until just a moment ago. Even so, Clovis understood the burden of a captain more than anyone else.


    That was why he hid it this whole time. And the perfect time for him to tell them the truth was probably when he reached Tier 5 and met his parents.


    It was just that this incident made Clovis tell them the truth much earlier than he originally intended.


    Kanaria wanted to say something, but the words stuck in her throat. The others also wondered what they should say in this situation.


    Only Jay acted indifferent to it. He asked, "So, you have all this miraculous stuff all the time? How many stores are there? I don''t particularly care about the content, but I wonder how much you have utilized your unique ability. Do I have any way to help?"


    "Eh?" Even Clovis was shocked by Jay''s reaction.


    "Eh, what?" Jay tilted his head in confusion.


    "There are a lot of things you can say after knowing the truth, but that''s your question?"


    Jay shrugged. "Why not? You should really have a unique ability or else the Libation Fiesta will have a change in ownership."


    Clovis was dumbfounded.


    "Listen here. Do you use this unique ability with the intention of harming us?"


    "No."


    "Then do you have any intention of using us?"


    "Of course not. You are my comrades."


    "Then it''s not a problem, right? Who cares about the heavy topics? Even the strongest people in the world begin from Tier 0. They use their wisdom, work hard, and even scheme against their opponents to get where they are now. I look at it in a simple way. As long as your conscience is clear, then it''s okay!" Jay harrumphed.


    Clovis smiled wryly. This vice captain of his was definitely a unique one, but this might also be why he could trust Jay more than anyone else.


    Jay harrumphed. "So, can you answer my question? Do you need my help? How do you unlock the full potential of your unique ability? What kinds of stores do you have right now? Is there anything that can make us stronger so that we can help you unlock your full potential? If you become strong, we''ll follow. Isn''t that what your unique ability is all about?


    "Use me. I will also use you to get stronger. Protect me, and I will protect your back with my life. It''s that simple for me, Captain."


    Clovis'' expression melted, but it soon turned pale when he saw Kanaria''s face was right beside Jay''s.


    "So, are you done talking, eh, Vice Captain?!"


    "..." Jay finally understood Clovis'' change of expression. He dragged himself to the side while saying with a shaking voice, not showing any resemblance to himself from a few seconds ago. "Please, Ma''am. Go ahead."


    Kanaria glared at Clovis and said, "I don''t think I need to tell you anything else, since Jay has said it all. If you''re worried about your comrades, just take a look at your comrades. They''re the people you pick. It''s said that similar people tend to flock together, and from what I can see here, that statement is true. Just look at these people. Oddballs."


    "..." Clovis glanced around.


    "I don''t care. You allow me to fully utilize my talent, so my goal will remain the same. I will protect you as long as I can still wield this shield." Ragna smiled.


    Erwin crossed his arms. "So, I lose to a unique ability user. That''s understandable. No, wait. Won''t this information make my prestige even higher?"


    "It''s fine that way, but don''t you dare to get another woman using that, okay?" Aileen glared at Erwin with a murderous intent. In fact, she instantly dropped such an important matter and fully focused on Erwin.


    "...Yes, Ma''am."


    Melody looked down, muttering, "A mall has a clinic, right? Does that mean if the treatment doesn''t work, this magical power called Another World Mall that might have a clinic can help my brother? This might become my plan B." Just like Aileen, the only thing Melody cared about was her brother''s well-being.


    Lucifania had the biggest reaction as she went insane. While clutching her head, she muttered, "So, it''s not about his blood? No, wait. He has two unique abilities. Does that mean studying his blood will allow me to figure out the secret of the unique ability? I''m going to get all the samples, blood...no, sperm, is it?"


    "Woof!" Reolf simply wagged his tail as if the only thing he cared about was the fact Clovis was his master.


    Christina smiled wryly. "You definitely have a weird party... This is fine, I guess." Christina couldn''t help but look down, falling into a deep thought. The fact that Clovis had two unique abilities and, more importantly, his original unique ability could actually help others get stronger just made her grandfather even push her to Clovis.


    "See?" Kanaria sighed. "Aren''t you glad that all of us are oddballs? As Jay said, you don''t have to blame yourself for hiding it this whole time. Instead, it''s better for you to think about how to utilize it better. So, how do we help you utilize your unique ability? Can we help at all?"


    Clovis smiled. "Everyone... Thank you..."


    "No. Stop that thank you. I mean it. Answer the question already."


    "..."

 Chapter 697: Another World Mall

    "Let''s see..." Clovis recalled every piece of information about his mall. He explained, "Currently, I have several types of stores, such as a grocery store, a clothing store, an accessory store, a restaurant, a bite-size food store, a bookstore, a pet store, a gallery, and a movie theater.


    "As you probably already know, you are eating food from the grocery store. Those who are of the same tier as me probably advance leaps and bounds for their evolution progress. This is also why I''m able to become a Tier 4 human, even though I isolate myself inside my room for a week.


    "Regarding the clothing store and accessory store, you have been wearing them, so I don''t really need to explain more than that. You understand the effect, but from now on, I will just say the power at face value, so it''s easier to understand.


    "Regarding the restaurant, there are multiple food stores, from fast food to proper restaurants, but I haven''t seen any high-end restaurants yet like the ones in the hotel. The effect of the food in a restaurant is much higher than the bite-size stores and longer duration. As you can see, the latter is more practical, but the former is much more useful.


    "I''m planning to use them to supply our food for a while. Although there are item limits, I have increased them enough for us to go with three meals a day without any problem.


    "As for the bookstore, those weird books originated from this store. It''s not my father. That''s why the effect is different. They''re most likely emphasizing the power of that particular race.


    "And you definitely have seen the painting from the gallery at least once. I have bought every single thing from there, so we have a good collection of everything. It''s also extremely useful.


    "The pet store is basically the reason why I''m able to become friends with Reolf. Currently, as an owner, I can only become friends with a single beast, but it''s indicated that I can have more in the future, but I don''t think there will be that many. The food is provided and allows Reolf to grow stronger or even evolve to a higher tier.


    "Last but not least, the movie theater. This is something I can''t really show, but I guess the only ones who have seen the effect are Jay and Christina. Do you remember that I suddenly used the soft and hard sword and that I could unleash a longer ranged attack?


    "The movie theater is like a full-dive technology where I''m absorbed into the play that I become the main character of that movie. I can feel, see, and even remember the training, which allows me to make sudden, drastic progress."


    Jay and Christina definitely remembered it. They never thought it was the movie theater.


    "But how do you even improve this ability? Is it related to money?" Kanaria asked. "I remember that all money has to go through you."


    "Yes." Clovis nodded. "To put it simply, all the money inside my account will be registered into the mall''s currency as if the money is being copied into the mall. At the same time, it won''t use the real-world currency, so it won''t affect the real-world currency. No inflation or such a thing.


    "Of course, this also means that the money that has been registered in my mall can''t be registered twice, even if I earn it. In other words, if I have used the money to buy something from Company A, and Company A hires me and rewards me with that same money, I will get nothing in the mall.


    "Hence, Hana is the answer. She has a financial background and is also a good businessman. If she expands internationally, it means I have huge access to all the money all around the world.


    "However, from what I can see, it''s being exchanged according to the Union Dollar, which is currently used as the world-recognized currency. In other words, I can''t just go to a country with a collapsed economy and get a bzillion of their currency and exchange it for a bzillion coins."


    After listening to Clovis'' flow of money, Christina couldn''t help but ask, "In that case, why not ask for an investor? Or maybe tell Hana about it? Or have you?"


    Clovis shook his head. "First of all, I don''t want the influence of an investor. The effect of having an investor might not be significant right now, but in the future, I can''t say the same.


    "As for Hana... I don''t plan to tell her for the time being. That greedy little goblin will definitely suck me dry if she knows about all this.


    "However, she is a good partner. At the very least, I know that money can gradually increase with her as my partner. Once everything has settled down, I''m planning to let her know. Actually, after I upgrade the mall several more times, I can bring someone inside, but it might take at least a few months to achieve it. That''s when I plan to explain, since it''s easier to show it than to explain."


    Kanaria looked away when she heard about Hana. As Clovis said, Hana would definitely suck him dry the moment she heard about this unique ability.


    Christina nodded in understanding. "So, you can develop your unique ability as long as you have money?"


    "Yes." Clovis raised three fingers. "The previous plan of mine is to increase my tier, upgrade the mall, and use the items to grow even stronger.


    "But with the current amount of money required to upgrade the mall, I have switched my plan to grow stronger, create a business opportunity with Hana, and use the money to develop both strength and influence. This way, by the time this unique ability is revealed, they will have to think twice before trying to take advantage of me."


    Christina agreed. "That''s true. This is the first time I''ve heard of a unique ability that can benefit others. The value of this unique ability is much more significant than any other unique abilities. After all, you can create an army of elites. They will probably kidnap you, feed you money, and force you to get them items."


    "Yeah." Clovis nodded with a wry smile.

 Chapter 698: Conclusion

    "So..." Christina pinched her chin. "Basically, Another World Mall is all about money. If you have money, you will have the goods?"


    Clovis nodded. "To put it simply, yes. First, I need to use money to upgrade my membership and save enough money to maintain that membership. Then, I can expand the limit of my purchase with money. Last but not least, I will use the remaining money to purchase items.


    "From the time being, I should unlock one more store first before having a big upgrade. After this upgrade, there will be a store that provides service. And that''s also when I can actually take people from this world to Another World Mall.


    "I have tested it as well. When I was being pushed from the trucks and surrounded by beasts, I escaped to Another World Mall. Apparently, it allowed me to completely disappear from this world.


    "I''m not entirely sure how it works, but this is my trump card in saving myself."


    "Still..." Christina crossed her arms. "Just look at all these items. You can actually provide them as much as you want, right?"


    "Yes. Although there''s a limit for the purchase, I can bring them out as much as I want," confirmed Clovis.


    "I understand why Hana will suck you dry." Christina smiled wryly. "If she learns about this, the only thing on her mind is how to make you take as many items out as possible. Even if it bankrupts her, it will mean she can fork out all those items from you."


    "Yes. Although I trust Hana, I don''t plan to let her control me. That much is clear." Clovis waved his hand. "So, you don''t have to worry about it."


    Kanaria asked, "In that case, there''s no change in our method? I mean, we can just continue to hunt and get stronger while getting some money, right? And because we know how your unique ability works, we just gather the money for you and circulate it back to us without telling anyone about it. Is that right?"


    "Yes. But try to make it not as obvious. After all, the bank still tracks our information. Although there is some security, we can''t fully trust them. It will be hard if people see through this method before the time for me to reveal it comes." Clovis nodded.


    "Fair enough." Kanaria agreed.


    Jay frowned. "Does that mean you are going to be more proactive in using your unique ability? While I don''t really want to rely on that food, I can''t see any way to defeat the Tier 7 beast without them... even if we reach the next stage."


    "That''s my concern as well." Clovis raised one finger. "I don''t want to rely on the food either. After all, like a wise man once said, if there''s a first time, it means there will be a second or third time.


    "Even if we say we don''t want to rely on it, we will end up eating them quite often. At the very least, we won''t be able to resist much if we want to eat them again.


    "The previous one was forced by the situation, but when we thought that way, in the future, we might end up thinking the same thing." Clovis let out a long sigh. "Sorry."


    "It doesn''t matter." Jay shook his head. "It''s not a problem with how many times we''re going to rely on it. What we need right now is a clear conscience.


    "We can rely on it because it''s a unique ability, just like we''re using our tools, weapons, and so on. However, we shouldn''t be dependent on it.


    "As long as you don''t use them to make a certain situation manageable, I don''t really mind. We''re trapped right now, so let''s use this incident as a lesson.


    "However, in the future, if you think that you''re able to challenge a person just because you have this food, I''ll be the first one to punch you... Well, maybe not. At least, if it''s just you alone. After all, you can bring out food anytime you want.


    "But it''s not the same for the others. If we become dependent on your food, we will die sooner or later. So, if you feed us forcefully again, I''m going to punch you. Yeah, it should be like this."


    Clovis smiled wryly. Still, thanks to Jay, he didn''t have to worry much about the Libation Fiesta.


    Clovis nodded. "I guess that''s all I can say about my unique ability right now. That''s all I know currently. If you want to know more, you have to wait until I understand it. Maybe you can help me figure it out as well, especially once I''m able to take someone inside.


    "Maybe Jay will be interested in the movie theater and learn it by experiencing the training directly to grasp a couple of new techniques."


    Jay smiled. "Of course, I''m going to take advantage of it. Anyway, don''t say anything about this, Christina, even to your family. I don''t think it''s appropriate."


    "I know that." Christina sighed. "I know I''m not that trustworthy, but I know which one I should share and which one I shouldn''t. I will only share this information with my family once Clovis formally shows it to the world.


    "But for now, I will keep quiet... even though I''m sure my grandfather can offer some advice regarding a unique ability since he''s more experienced than me. But I guess telling Sir Michael directly will be a much better option."


    Clovis agreed. "For now, the discussion ends here. Anyone have something to say?"


    No one raised their hands.


    Clovis then clapped his hands. "Alright. With the unique ability topic coming to a close, let''s talk about what we should do next. Since we''re inside the vault, we can only go out once Reolf, Ragna, Melody, and Christina reach the next tier.


    "Although my unique ability can help to a certain extent for all of them except for Christina, I want to use essence as the big part of it. Hence, let''s gather around the essences and try to use them. It''s fine if we don''t use it as a part of the super injection. At this point, I can''t care less about the super injection. What do you think?"

 Chapter 699: Getting Ready to Kill Tier 7 Beast

    They agreed with Clovis'' plan. In that instant, they began to gather all the essence inside the vault, using everything they could find to evolve.


    To everyone''s surprise, the first one to evolve was actually Reolf. That was right. It was Reolf. Even Clovis thought Reolf would take longer than the two Tier 4 people, but it turned out he had the highest progress among them.


    The second person to evolve was Melody. It was probably because she was fired up with the potential of helping her brother that she didn''t rest much in the last couple of days.


    It allowed her to absorb more essence, surpassing Ragna, who was supposed to have similar progress.


    Still, Ragna managed to evolve to Tier 5 one day later, so it didn''t really matter.


    Last but not least, Christina. Christina reaching Tier 6 was the biggest reason Clovis looked so confident in taking down a Tier 7 beast. While it was true that they still didn''t have enough strength to take down a Tier 7 beast, they had food from Another World Mall.


    People understood that the gap between Tier 6 and Tier 7 was extremely massive, so they understood why Clovis needed food to boost them.


    ...


    While Clovis and the others were inside the vault, the people on the surface couldn''t help but sense something was wrong.


    "This is weird..." Hana looked down, falling into deep thought. "I haven''t heard anything from Clovis last week. He promised to call me at least once a week just to make sure everything goes according to our plan.


    "But it''s unlike him to remain quiet for so long without informing me. Has something happened to him?" Hana frowned. "But Clovis is not someone who will take a risk, but he''s not reckless enough to challenge something he can''t even face.


    "Don''t tell me... Someone has come to kidnap him? But it''s too fast. They shouldn''t have known anything about his location yet. Is it because of the people from the government?"


    Hana fell silent. There was indeed a number she could contact. It was Rena.


    "This is Delia Litan. May I know who I am speaking to?" Rena was clueless. Although she had heard about Clovis'' relationship with Hana, this was the first time she was called by this number.


    "This is Hana Skylark. Clovis has told me about your number, Miss Rena. You don''t have to use an alias on this call. It won''t take too long so as to avoid this conversation getting tapped."


    "!!!" Rena fell silent for a moment. Considering Clovis trusted Hana a lot, Rena dropped the act. "This is Rena. May I know why you called me, Miss Hana?"


    Hana asked, "You must be ''there'' right now, correct?"


    "Yes."


    "Has something happened there?"


    "I''m not sure I''m following you. What do you mean? Sir is strong, so I don''t think there''s anything going on. He has informed me that he will call me once everything is done with the underground city."


    "..." Hana paused. On the one hand, that was how Clovis indeed operated. But he never broke a promise except when he was troubled by a special circumstance.


    Still, should she inform Hana about her suspicion? She would just cause problems because of it. Besides, there was also a chance Clovis was fine and he just couldn''t send a word to her at the moment.


    Even Rena noticed something was off. Still, there wasn''t a single beast climbing the tower for the last 9 days, so she thought Clovis was doing just fine. That was why Hana might be just paranoid in her mind.


    "It''s nothing." Hana let out a long sigh. "Just monitor the situation over there. Sorry for bothering you."


    "No. That''s fine." Rena politely ended the call, thinking Hana was just worried about her ''little boyfriend,'' which was understandable.


    What Rena didn''t expect was that the reason there was no beast climbing the tower was because all those beasts gathered around the Essence Bank. They were sitting quietly as if they were waiting for Clovis'' team to come out.


    They tried to break the vault multiple times, but to no avail. The only thing they could do was to starve them out, but the beasts around the vault could still sense their presence inside, meaning they were still alive.


    As long as Clovis hadn''t died, the Tier 7 beast chose to remain vigilant. After all, this was the first time its peace had finally been disturbed by humans after twenty years. It wanted to thoroughly eliminate the humans that threatened his life.


    On the other hand, the last evolution was done after 11 days, with Christina being the last one.


    All of them had increased their strength as well. With Clovis revealing everything about his Another World Mall, he could actually give the items they requested.


    After all, while he understood their fighting style, they might have another intention, like Melody asking for a stealth item to avoid getting detected by the beasts, allowing her to have more time to focus on being an operator or Christina, who wanted speed and strength because she was already confident enough with her durability.


    Of course, Clovis also took out several other items to adjust the team''s strength. Their opponent was Tier 7, so they needed an appropriate strength to challenge it.


    Clovis stood up while taking back all the junk from Another World Mall to its special inventory. "It looks like everyone is ready. Everyone understands the plan, right?"


    They all nodded in unison. They had been preparing so much in the last 11 days, so it was time to challenge the Tier 7 beast one more time.


    With an excited smile on his face, Clovis turned around, heading to the vault door. "Let''s kill the Tier 7 beast this time."


    ...


    Hana was leaning back in her chair while staring at the ceiling. "Is something happening to Clovis right now? Why am I getting bothered by this? He rarely called me anyway, so it didn''t matter..."


    Hana fell silent for a moment before scratching her head as if she was contradicting her own words. She clicked her tongue and muttered, "Fine. I will gather my own team to descend to the underground city if there''s no news about him after two weeks..."

 Chapter 700: Time to Hunt

    Melody''s voice echoed inside the vault. "This is the layout of everything I can see on the radar right now. I have built a 3D model of this and its surrounding areas.


    "The beasts seem to be waiting for us. I''m not entirely sure of the reason. They might know we''re still alive or something, but because they can''t do anything to us yet, they are waiting until we open the door ourselves, believing that we''ll have to come out sooner or later for food.


    "Hence, the moment we open the bank vault, we will be swarmed in a few seconds.


    "Currently, there are about 50 beasts around this vault, waiting for the right moment to alert the rest of the beasts to come.


    "Regarding this building, they have blocked the path to the next floor according to the radar, so we might need to kill some beasts to get to an advantageous position.


    "Meanwhile, the outside is even more terrifying. Although I can''t find all the beasts as they might wait in a further area, there are still thousands of beasts in there.


    "If we want to handle them... I''m afraid it''s not possible, especially while fighting the Tier 7 beast."


    Clovis and the others were listening seriously. They realized that their predicament was much more than they originally thought.


    With the beasts lying in wait, they would have to provoke them to get them to move according to what they wanted. Hence, the most logical plan to fight the Tier 7 beast was to separate them from the rest of the beasts. It was impossible, but as long as they took a huge portion of the beasts, they might succeed.


    Normally, Clovis would do the major planning, but it didn''t seem he was needed anymore, especially with that confident face of Melody.


    "It appears you have something for us, Melody?" Clovis smiled.


    "Yes." Melody nodded. "I''m planning to divide our group to handle their respective objectives. I''m pretty sure you''re already aware of the most reasonable solution just by looking at this 3D model.


    "We have to separate the boss from the rest of the beasts. Then, someone will kill the boss before decimating the rest of the beasts.


    "But I have to mention that if we want to just retreat to the surface, our strength is already sufficient without baiting them, but that''s not our objective."


    They nodded their heads. No one really wanted to hide in this vault, if not for the sake of killing these beasts.


    Christina couldn''t contain her curiosity. "As expected, we''re going to split our group into two, huh? One is the bait, while the other is the execution team."


    "No. Not two, three!" Melody smirked.


    "!!!" Clovis raised his eyebrows. He was probably the most surprised one among them. Melody was already good at strategic thinking, and she learned from Clovis'' unorthodox approach. By combining the two of them, it was a kind of first step to actually surpass Clovis in this field.


    Melody raised three fingers. "There are three objectives. The first one is to bait not only these beasts but also the boss."


    "Huh? The boss too? Are you sure?" Kanaria frowned.


    "Their leader is not visible to us right now. We don''t know their location, so it''s better to let him show himself." Aileen squinted her eyes. "That means the second team''s purpose is..."


    "Yes." Melody confirmed her suspicion with a nod. "The second team''s purpose is to launch a sneak attack on their leader and stop it, even just for a few seconds. Basically, the second team has to stop the leader from killing the first time while buying enough time for the third team to come in."


    "But there''s a problem." Jay crossed his arms. "Although the plan itself is good, it has one flaw. If we proceed with these three teams, their leader will most likely bring a lot of beasts as well. If it''s going to come to the first team, won''t they be close enough that the rest of the beasts wouldn''t be provoked?"


    "That''s why there''s a need for the second team, Jay. And that second team will be me." Aileen shook her head.


    "Ah!" Jay finally understood. By erasing her presence, the beasts would have no choice but to focus on the ones they could find, which was the first group.


    During that time, they could single out the Tier 7 beast or even put a marker on it on the radar so that they wouldn''t lose him anymore. Even Christina''s Provoke would be extremely useful for this approach.


    Clovis smiled. "But this kind of plan means each group will not have balanced members. Isn''t that right, Melody?"


    Melody smiled back. As expected, Clovis had figured out the plan she had made in the last couple of days just from all the clues she had given so far. "Yes."


    "So, why not tell us the members of each group?"


    "They are..."


    ...


    *Creak!*


    The vault door was once again opened.


    "!!!" The beasts were startled because it had been a while since they had come in. The beasts hurriedly stood up, as if they wanted to alert the rest of the beasts.


    However, in front of them was Aileen. She appeared like a ghost and killed them in a single cut.


    Although she hadn''t reached Tier 6, she had the highest progress among the Tier 5 people in the team.


    Killing several beasts was easy, but as if knowing it would happen, the Tier 7 beast placed several layers of beasts so that when they came out, they would be able to alert the rest of the beasts no matter how many beasts Clovis killed.


    *Roar!*


    *Roar!*


    Two beasts were the fastest, considering they were located at the opposite corner of the vault, where Aileen couldn''t easily reach.


    Meanwhile, the rest of the team emerged from the vault. They were still together this time, as if they were waiting for the beasts to swarm this place.


    They cut down all the beasts in their way and make their way out of the Essence Bank.


    "Clovis. Everyone is coming." Melody heard numerous roars around the bank and checked everything on her radar.


    Clovis nodded with a smile. "It''s time to hunt."

 Chapter 701: Three Teams

    *Aoo!*


    Reolf howled at the top of his lungs, challenging the beasts in the area.


    As if understanding his language, the beasts started to move, following the origin of the sound. Hundreds of beasts were moving toward Reolf, who had broken through to the side of the bank.


    The group managed to swiftly come out to the main lobby earlier, and they headed to their respective positions in less than two minutes. Even though the beasts had been entering the building one after another, they would have a hard time facing Clovis and the others if they couldn''t surround them all at once.


    As a result, each of them managed to reach their respective positions.


    The next phase of their plan began with Reolf''s howl. With the beasts approaching him, Reolf could shatter the window before him to reveal his location.


    "!!!" The beasts noticed that unexpected disruption, so they couldn''t help but turn their heads. It was there they saw a white wolf emerge from the building.


    He grabbed the beast in front of him and slammed its head to the ground with a terrifying force. Then he jumped to another beast and bit his neck before continuing to the next target, killing one beast after another in rapid succession.


    In that instant, the beasts turned around and chased after Reolf, immediately surrounding him.


    Reolf harrumphed and turned to the west before charging forward.


    The beasts in that direction wouldn''t allow him to leave. They chose a head-on confrontation, believing that their number was enough to stop Reolf.


    Of course, Reolf was only a Tier 4 beast, so there was a limit to how much he could fight, especially since there were Tier 5 beast in the mix. But it didn''t really matter.


    After all, another person emerged from the window earlier and caught up to Reolf before waving her giant blade.


    Taken aback by the sudden appearance of the woman, the beasts couldn''t prepare a countermeasure and died instantly.


    "How dare you try to harm my Reolf?" With the way she talked, the identity of the person who joined this group was none other than Lucifania. "I''m going to kill all of you."


    Reolf looked at Luci with a troubled look as if asking, ''Since when am I yours?''


    But it didn''t really matter. After all, Luci was indeed a great help here.


    Both of them hurriedly charged forward, killing so many beasts to forge their path to the east side of the city.


    Obviously, the beasts around them hurriedly came after them, not letting them break through their encirclement.


    Fortunately, their right side had been protected by the bank''s building, but there were still so many beasts coming from the opposite sides. They climbed over the buildings or simply slipped past the alleys.


    They came straight to Reolf, who was the nearest. As long as Reolf was stopped, Luci had no choice but to stop as well.


    Unfortunately, it was the last thing they could do because the third person that joined this group was Kanaria.


    There were gunshots echoing from inside the bank. Each shot was accurate as they took down the beasts that had jumped off the building.


    Kanaria came out of the building and started shooting everything on the side so that they couldn''t reach Reolf. As long as they kept moving, there shouldn''t be any problem with their position.


    Still, even if Luci and Reolf could break through the enemy''s rank and the building protecting their side, there was one problem they needed to handle.


    It was none other than the beasts that chased them from behind.


    In the end, breaking through was a much slower process than just chasing after them. That was why there was a need for someone to take on that role.


    Melody had two choices, but it seemed she wanted to make sure the main party had all the firepower they got.


    As a result, Ragna emerged last, protecting their rear. This was the first group that Melody had chosen. It consisted of four people who acted as bait.


    Their combat prowess was not the strongest, but at the same time, they were not necessarily the lowest. Hence, they were more suitable to drag the enemies away from the main party.


    The Tier 5 beast among them wouldn''t allow them to break through. It jumped into the sky and smashed Reolf as if telling him that he was an embarrassment who chose to lower its head to the likes of humans.


    Unexpectedly, Reolf swiftly avoided him by using his special ability before slapping him away. If it was a normal beast soul, he wouldn''t have been able to overwhelm him with his speed, but this beast soul had been strengthened by the painting from Another World Mall.


    Even if it wasn''t enough to kill the beast or even injure him, it was enough to create a gap in their rank.


    As such, Luci and Reolf sped up, approaching the last line of defense.


    With this kind of development, it wouldn''t be weird for Reolf and the others to break through their formation. However, there was one beast that definitely couldn''t allow it to happen.


    It was none other than the Tier 7 beast.


    *Grooo!* The rhino blasted the building on the side, creating a path toward Reolf''s group.


    The Tier 7 beast, Morganucodon, leaped toward Reolf, wanting to personally end him.


    Kanaria hurriedly tossed a grenade, but the explosion could only stop the rhino for a few seconds. Meanwhile, the Morganucodon still continued toward Reolf.


    "Reolf!" Kanaria shouted.


    Reolf turned his head around, but it was too late. The Morganucodon had already reached him and swung his claws.


    *Clink!*


    Instead of the sound of flesh being ripped apart, a clicking sound actually echoed in the area.


    "!!!" The Tier 7 beast looked shocked because it couldn''t sense Aileen this whole time. It was only when she was about to go after him that he noticed her presence.


    "Just like you, I''m also stealth." Aileen smiled. She never intended to fight the Tier 7 beast head-on. Once she stopped the first strike, Aileen stepped away as three gas grenades landed on the ground and began producing the smoke.


    "!!!" There was no way the Morganucodon would let them leave, but before it could chase after Aileen, her presence had disappeared. A split second after the shock, the Morganucodon suddenly felt his instinct was urging him toward another direction.


    With this, the Morganucodon wouldn''t be able to follow the rest of them to chase after Reolf''s group, and the smoke screen would make the beasts not notice what was actually going on.


    "I''ve caught him."


    "Well, well. Don''t get too excited. That beast is still not alone."


    "Either way, it''s time for us to have a fight with this so-called Tier 7 beast."


    "Yours truly will show you how to fight a high tier beast like this."


    Once most beasts had passed, four people emerged from the building. They were none other than Clovis, Christina, Erwin, and Jay. These four were the last group, the ones who were responsible for killing the Tier 7 beast.

 Chapter 702: Fight

    "I''ve caught him."


    "I''m getting excited." Jay pulled out his sword.


    "I will be fighting it first." Erwin harrumphed.


    Clovis glanced to the side. With most beasts going after Reolf''s group, they only had to deal with the remaining beasts here.


    Even then, there were still around 150 beasts left in the area. And one of them was a Tier 6 beast. That was why it wouldn''t be an easy fight, even for the four of them.


    This Tier 6 beast was a miscalculation in the plan. This mistake was so big, to the point where Aileen and Melody planned to help Clovis.


    But seeing such a situation, Clovis simply smiled. "Erwin. You are to assist Christina in stopping the Tier 7 beast. You will deal with all the beasts that come your way by yourself.


    "Jay. You take the left and I take the right. We don''t have time, so we''ll kill them as quickly as possible. Once I''m done, I will head to your side and help you with the Tier 6 beast. Only after that will we encircle the Tier 7 beast.


    "Melody, Aileen. You two should stick to the original plan. We will handle these beasts by ourselves. You don''t have to worry."


    After listening to Clovis'' calm voice, Melody took a deep breath to calm her heart down. It seemed she was a bit too panicky. She almost forgot that they were not like before.


    It was true that Clovis, Erwin, and Jay weren''t among the people who had evolved, and Christina had to focus on the Tier 7 beast, but their strength still increased drastically.


    Clovis'' Another World Mall had helped them adjust their equipment to match their own fighting style. In addition, they had eaten the food from the restaurant. The boost of their strength was much greater and had a longer duration.


    For Clovis, he got 30% strength and 20% speed for 30 minutes. Jay had a 40% strength boost for the same duration. Erwin and Christina had their own respective boosts to focus on the Tier 7 beast.


    With all this preparation, their strength wouldn''t be similar to what the beasts had seen when they were running away.


    Besides, now that there was nothing to stop him anymore, Clovis was free to utilize his Perfect State.


    Clovis glanced at the clock and mentioned, "We only have 24 minutes, so make it count."


    Once they heard Clovis, they all jumped to their respective targets.


    "!!!" The Tier 7 beast hurriedly roared, ordering the surrounding beasts to coordinate. The beasts shifted their direction and headed straight to Christina.


    Although Christina didn''t use her Provoke on these beasts, the Tier 7 beast couldn''t move to somewhere else because of Christina''s unique ability. Hence, he had to eliminate Christina first before he could do anything.


    Of course, the ones who had to stop most of them were none other than Jay and Clovis.


    "Let''s try this!" Jay stomped the ground and gathered all his strength in his blade. The beast souls, both new and old, were activated. He then waved his blade with all his might while roaring as if trying to draw 120% of his strength.


    The ranged attack was different than before. It didn''t have the technique to increase the range, but it had the power that obliterated everything in its path.


    In just a single attack, Jay actually killed 18 beasts, chopping them into two.


    It took a toll on his body if he used it continuously, but this was a good enough first strike, especially to grab the beasts'' attention.


    "!!!" The beasts looked confused. On the one hand, they wanted to shift their target from Christina to Jay, considering they would be massacred if they followed the order of their leader. On the other hand, they couldn''t really disobey their leader or else the others would kill them and eat their bodies.


    The Tier 7 beast felt fear for the first time in its life. Jay was terrifying, but Clovis was monstrous.


    *Roar!*


    *Roar!*


    *Roar!*


    Multiple roars echoed from the opposite direction. If one glanced in this direction, they would see a complete massacre.


    Clovis simply moved past them and beasts would suddenly get split into multiple pieces without having the chance to fight back.


    Even though Clovis hadn''t used his ranged attack yet, he killed 18 beasts at almost the same time as Jay.


    And without using a beast soul or ranged attack, Clovis managed to conserve a lot of his energy to deal with the Tier 7 beast later.


    The only thing he relied on this time was his Perfect State. This unique ability might have a terrible side effect, but they planned to take down the Tier 7 beast before the food boost ran out. Hence, it was fine for him to unleash everything he could, considering his time limit was 32 minutes.


    Seeing its kin was cut down one by one, the Tier 7 beast was enraged. It shouted, changing his order.


    The beasts that could fight the two sides would remain in their positions. Meanwhile, those who had slipped past had to go straight to Christina.


    "Hmph. I hope you don''t forget about me." Erwin harrumphed and spread his arms as threads were extended out of his hands, killing two beasts at a time.


    Even though this kind of battle was not his specialty, especially without being able to set up his thread to create a terrain advantage, he could still stop them for a few minutes.


    As a result, the Tier 7 beast had no choice but to confront Christina head-on. It barely contained itself from rushing to Christina due to the unique ability, but that was the extent of its power. It couldn''t even move away because its body refused to leave Christina, which stopped it from hiding among the beasts.


    So, the beast leaped forward. Since hiding was not an option, it could only overpower Christina.


    *Bang!*


    The swipe was so hard that the sound echoed in everyone''s ears. Even Christina''s feet slid back for two meters.


    "Whoa? You okay?" Erwin asked. He still remembered helping Ragna take an attack in the past, so he could do it if Christina needed his help.


    But Christina simply harrumphed and put the other shield in front. "It''s a bit painful to receive it, but it won''t be enough to break my arms. It can''t defeat me."

 Chapter 703: Powerful Captain and Vice Captain

    "It''s a bit painful to receive it, but it won''t be enough to break my arms. It can''t defeat me," said Christina while raising both her shields in front.


    She activated her unique ability to the fullest, forcing the Tier 7 beast to attack her. Christina blocked every single attack. Despite her body swaying left and right after each attack or getting pushed back, she managed to regain her balance right away, stopping any gaps that could form from each attack.


    Erwin saw an opportunity. When the Tier 7 beast was about to attack, it would expose its side for a brief moment. If he took advantage of that gap, he should be able to hit the beast.


    Hence, he first looped around Christina and maintained a perfect distance. The moment the Tier 7 beast attacked, he hurriedly launched his wires.


    As if predicting Erwin''s movement, the Tier 7 beast suddenly spun its body as though it had been waiting for Erwin to attack him the whole time.


    ''It''s actually smart enough to leave that gap to lure me out?'' Erwin raised his eyebrows.


    The beast caught the wires and used its overwhelming strength to pull Erwin toward him.


    Of course, as someone with Muscle Affinity, Erwin stomped the ground and stood firm. In the end, this was his specialty, unlike Christina, who had Bone Affinity.


    But it was useless. The Tier 7 beast was that overwhelmingly strong. In addition, the moment he was occupied with this beast, other beasts would attack him from the sides or his back. There were seven beasts that charged toward both Erwin and Christina.


    "!!!" Erwin noticed them and clicked his teeth.


    ''As expected, this Tier 7 beast is immune to my unique ability to a certain extent. Is this the gap between us? But it''s still not enough to escape from me.'' Christina used her Provoke again.


    The beast was forced to let go of Erwin''s wires and charged at her again.


    She realized that the beast''s instinct could overwhelm her unique ability for a moment, but it was not enough to fully escape from her unique ability.


    With Erwin being released from the Tier 7 beast, he hurriedly looped around Christina and sent forth his wires, killing one beast after another.


    Since he wasn''t extremely useful in this situation, he should let Christina focus on the Tier 7 beast. The only way he could attack was when Clovis and Jay attacked this beast as well, which would create an opportunity for him to mix in his attacks.


    Now that he understood the situation, Erwin completely focused on supporting Christina instead of going on the offensive.


    Meanwhile, Clovis and Jay were overpowering the beasts around them. However, Jay had to face a Tier 6 beast that wanted to break through and helped the Tier 7 beast.


    Jay looked like he had a hard time doing it, considering he was only Tier 4 and he didn''t have a unique ability. But if it was all it took to take down Jay, Jay would no longer become a vice captain.


    The reason Jay remained as Clovis'' vice captain was because of his sense of responsibility. Even if his body was destroyed, Jay would do that job.


    That was why Jay fully activated his beast soul, using the excess strength to stop the Tier 6 beast.


    In the meantime, Clovis was on a rampage.


    Beasts roared and surrounded him, but it didn''t really matter. Clovis cut down one beast after another at a high speed. Despite having several Tier 4 beasts in the mix, they didn''t manage to stall Clovis for over ten seconds.


    As a result, Clovis killed all the beasts on his side in less than 3 minutes, even though there were about 60 beasts on this side alone.


    Once he was done, he went directly to Jay''s location instead of helping Christina. For him, Christina was their sturdy wall, able to take on the Tier 7 beast for as long as they needed.


    However, without the blade to kill the Tier 7 beast, it was all useless.


    *Roar!* The Tier 6 beast noticed Clovis'' presence and told the rest of the beasts to stop him instead.


    "You just made a wrong decision." Jay grinned. The moment he didn''t have to pay attention to other beasts, Jay could unleash his full strength.


    With the beast''s paw pinning him on the ground, the beasts were supposed to kill him and Jay was forced to attack them in one way or another.


    Now that there was no distraction, Jay could push his blade up with every bit of his strength.


    "!!!" The Tier 6 beast was stunned, not expecting Jay to be able to overpower him. It wondered where this strength came from.


    Unfortunately, that was the least of its worries.


    Once Jay pushed back the paw, Jay took a deep step forward and slashed diagonally.


    The beast panicked and put the other paw in front to stop that strike, but this one strike carried every bit of his strength. It had been boosted by the power of his beast soul.


    Even the Tier 6 beast''s paw was actually cut.


    *Roar!* The beast screamed in pain as it watched its fingers dropping to the ground.


    Furious, the beast rammed Jay with all its strength. That was when Clovis came, striking the beast from the side.


    His momentum caused the beast to tilt to the side, ultimately stopping the charge.


    "Took you long enough." Jay smirked.


    "The traffic jam is quite horrible." Clovis smirked back.


    What Clovis meant by traffic jam was definitely all the beast corpses behind them. If it was anyone else, they would have needed much more time to reach Jay, let alone strike the Tier 6 beast, but Clovis only took 30 seconds to cut down all those 20 beasts.


    With Clovis and Jay joining hands, there was nothing a Tier 6 beast could do to save its life.


    Jay started with a slash in both eyes, blinding the beast. Then, Clovis looped around while leaving one strike after another on its entire body before cutting its tail.


    Then, Jay cut both ears, rendering the Tier 6 beast useless.


    Once the Tier 6 beast couldn''t do anything else other than struggle on the floor, Clovis struck its heart while Jay hit its head at the same time, killing the Tier 6 beast while still fending off attacks from the remaining beasts.

 Chapter 704: Christinas Struggle

    *Clang!*


    *Clang!*


    A series of banging sounds filled the air.


    Christina couldn''t help but grit her teeth, having a hard time fending off the Tier 7 beast''s attacks. Each attack was powerful enough to push her back and gradually her hand became numb.


    If this continued, she would end up losing. Meanwhile, Erwin had been taking care of the beasts that surrounded them, having no chance to help her. Besides, the Tier 7 beast was able to ignore her unique ability for one or two seconds.


    But for some reason, the Tier 7 beast grew stronger and stronger as time passed. She could faintly feel that each attack was stronger than the previous one. At the same time, she sensed something similar in this beast, as though she had experienced it herself.


    It was like Clovis, specifically his perfect state. The beast gradually lost control of its body, but in exchange, its power gradually increased.


    *Bang!*


    The beast swiped from the side, which she managed to block. However, the other claws came from above.


    Christina used her other shield and turned it at an angle so that the claws would slide on her shield all the way to the ground. And it was when the beast gave her the shock.


    *Crack!*


    A suspicious sound entered her ears from below. This crack didn''t come from his shield, which had been built from a Tier 8 beast that her grandfather defeated.


    Instead, the sound came from the ground. The beast''s attack shouldn''t scratch the ground, but for some reason, the ground looked like it had been scraped from above.


    "!!!" Christina was shocked. After all, the next attack contained even more power. This time, it was enough to knock her back.


    Christina hurriedly put her shield in front and shifted it diagonally to match the incoming attack''s direction. The claws once again slid on her shield and eventually struck the ground. It didn''t touch the ground, but the attack looked like it traveled from the claws to the ground, scraping even more asphalt.


    ''A ranged attack?'' Christina instantly recognized the attack. It was definitely similar to what humans called Ranged Attack, which Clovis and Jay excelled at.


    While they were shocked by the intelligence the beast had shown so far, there was a reason for Tier 7 beasts to be categorized as high-tier beasts. It was because their power was so strong that it could imitate or even surpass humans.


    With every single attack, the stronger the attack became. In just twenty seconds, the attack had become so strong that a claw mark was clearly visible on the ground.


    "Kh." Christina closed one eye, enduring the pain of each attack. Her arms, which carried the huge shields, began to hurt. If the beast continued to become stronger, in just several minutes, a single attack was enough to break her arm.


    "..." Erwin couldn''t help but worry, noticing that she was being more and more at a disadvantage. He had to somehow help Christina in order to relieve her burden, but these beasts were in the way.


    "Tsk!" Erwin clicked his tongue. There was only one way. This should be quite reckless, but it should be enough for Christina to get some breathing room.


    Erwin observed the beast''s movement with his keen eyes. He realized that the beast had grown significantly stronger than their first clash, but it shouldn''t be a problem just yet.


    Hence, Erwin waited patiently until a perfect opportunity came.


    Christina, on the other hand, activated her beast soul to boost her strength, believing that the strength she got from the food and equipment began to be not enough against this beast.


    ''The Elseingarde way of fighting is the same. Although it''s the most annoying, it''s the most effective.


    ''We don''t go for the offensive. Instead, we keep going on the defensive, blocking every single attack to exhaust our enemy. We have learned how to take a beating and waited for a perfect opportunity to counterattack.


    ''That''s why I have to endure here. Even though it''s exhausting, I can still last long enough until Clovis and Jay are here.


    ''How long do they need? Will this Tier 7 beast become so strong that even four of us can''t defeat it by the time they come?'' Christina couldn''t really glance to the side to check everyone''s progress, since she would die if she was distracted, even for a second.


    And waiting for them was like burning in hell. Her body was itchy, as if it was screaming, "Come already!"


    At the same time, her mind was telling her body to be patient. It was the suffering a guardian would always experience. They had to wait and kept blocking the enemy. They felt the world was completely dark except for a single light illuminating them and the beast in front of them. They didn''t know whether the group had retreated or not.


    If the group had been exterminated, they would have been too late to notice and died in the process. Once they sensed that despair, their body would grow colder and colder as they started having a hard time breathing.


    Despite all that fear, she chose to become a guardian. It was because a guardian was the group''s sturdiest shield. Even if the beasts suddenly crept behind her and killed her, she had to remain firm.


    ''Huuu...'' Christina forcefully took a deep breath while switching her stance. Normally, she would just focus on blocking the attack even if it meant being pushed back, but she was the guardian from the famous Elseingarde family, the family that boasted of producing the strongest guardians in the world.


    And that was because the guardian that hailed from this family had broken that stigma. If they couldn''t see their surroundings because of their overwhelming enemy, they just had to use their own way to do it.


    Christina put her shield in front and rotated her body before pushing forward, ramming her body weight against the beast.


    *Bang!*


    The beast was quite stunned when his attack was blocked completely and the person behind the shield refused to budge.


    In that small time window, Christina opened her eyes wide, trying to find Clovis and Jay. But the Libation Fiesta was an existence that had also broken the norm.


    "Raaa!" The beasts screamed as Clovis and Jay broke through their rank and finally reached Christina.

 Chapter 705: Fighting the Tier 7 Beast

    "Raaa!" The beasts screamed as Clovis and Jay broke through their rank and finally reached Christina.


    "!!!" Christina and Erwin were surprised by their sudden appearance. These two were actually much faster than they originally thought.


    The Tier 7 beast hurriedly spun its body as if trying to slam them away, but Erwin hurriedly waved both his hands, sending forth his wires.


    Of course, the beasts around Erwin immediately struck him, but eight spider legs emerged from his back and blocked their attacks, even just for a second.


    He wrapped the Tier 7 beast''s arm with his wires and pulled with everything he had.


    "!!!" The beast looked shocked and used the last bit of its strength to swing Erwin.


    With a few beasts hitting him from behind and the pulling force of the Tier 7 beast, Erwin lost his footing. He got pulled up into the air, swung around, and launched to the building on the left.


    *Bam!*


    "Kh." Erwin gritted his teeth, enduring the pain. A smile formed on his face as he muttered, "Got you, bitch."


    Erwin''s effort managed to slow down the Tier 7 beast, resulting in Clovis and Jay reaching the beast and striking it at the same spot before the claws arrived.


    The beast''s skin was extremely tough. Even with Clovis and Jay''s combined power, they could only graze its body, while most of their power was directed to the body and launched the Tier 7 beast to the opposite side.


    *Bam!*


    The beast crashed into two pillars and destroyed them before rolling on the ground until it stopped.


    Christina hurriedly activated her Provoke to the highest degree, not letting the beast disappear from their sight.


    "Sorry for making you wait." Clovis smiled.


    Christina smiled wryly. It seemed Clovis understood how lonely it was to be a guardian. Then again, she realized she had been pressured so much that the despair came much faster than she originally expected. It was clear she needed more mental training after this.


    "Raaa!" The Tier 7 beast emerged from the rubble and leaped toward them at its fastest speed.


    Christina''s expression turned solemn as she hurriedly moved her body to the front, blocking the charge.


    She planted the shield to the ground, but it wasn''t enough, as the beast still pushed her back. But a pair of hands came from behind, pushing her.


    "!!!" Christina was surprised and glanced back, finding Erwin behind her.


    "Don''t forget about me, guys. My ego can''t handle it." Erwin grinned jokingly.


    There were still about 20 beasts around them, so they had to deal with them as well.


    Without saying anything, Clovis looped around Christina and struck the beast on the right side.


    The beast once again ignored Christina''s Provoke and struck Clovis. The latter shifted his position and lowered his center of gravity, deflecting the force to the side.


    Several beasts came toward him after seeing the opportunity presented by their overlord.


    But Jay abruptly moved in their way while slashing them with his strongest ranged attack. Without any Tier 5 or Tier 6 beast among them, they couldn''t hope to beat the four humans anymore.


    Since Jay was the dangerous one and his back was exposed, the Tier 7 beast pushed Clovis down and launched another attack on Jay.


    Christina focused the Provoke on the beast''s claws, but it wasn''t enough to stop this attack. That was when wires came in. Erwin wrapped the hand and pulled it toward Christina''s shield.


    With their combined efforts, the beast couldn''t do much with its attack.


    Jay skillfully turned around and swung his blade from above with his beast soul. Other beasts tried to stop them, but Clovis swiftly looped around Jay and struck them from below. Jay took a step forward and completed his swing even without saying anything to Clovis. It was as if both Clovis and Jay knew what was on each other''s mind.


    When Jay attacked, Clovis would cover for him, and vice versa.


    Still, as one would expect from the Tier 7 beast, a single person''s attack wasn''t enough to injure it. While Jay could hit the beast and cut its skin slightly, it wasn''t deep enough to make it bleed.


    "Tsk." He clicked his tongue, but Clovis hurriedly spun his body and used that momentum to strike the back of Jay''s blade, giving the additional push he needed to slash through the skin.


    "Reee!" The beast screamed in pain. This attack actually went deeper than their first strike, but it was still considered a shallow wound.


    Clovis squinted his eyes. If their attacks were this ineffective, it would take forever to kill this beast. On the other hand, they only had 16 minutes left for their food. At this rate, the boost would have disappeared before they could kill this beast.


    There was only one way of winning this battle. Clovis had to unleash his full strength, even the one beyond his control.


    With Christina, Erwin, and Jay with him, it would be fine if he lost control a bit.


    ''Let''s go all out!'' Clovis unleashed the limiter he set for his mind. He let his instinct take over as bloodlust began to leak out of his eyes.


    "!!!" Christina looked surprised, but she couldn''t say anything, as this was their last chance to win.


    "Haaaa!" Clovis shouted, unleashing every bit of his strength to push Jay''s blade deeper.


    "Reee!" The beast screamed as the blade was pushed deeper and deeper. Blood started to flow down Jay''s blade as the beast hurriedly moved away.


    "You''re not getting away!" Christina activated Provoke on the beast''s feet.


    Without much rationality left, Clovis couldn''t change his target anymore. He was fixated on killing the Tier 7 beast, so he charged forward, ignoring all the surrounding beasts.


    However, there was no need for him to worry. Jay and Erwin came to his side, slicing them with both the blade and wires.


    Meanwhile, Christina became bolder and pushed the beast with her shield to pin its movement.


    Clovis took advantage of it to hit the beast''s face.

 Chapter 706: Fierce Battle

    Clovis took advantage of it to hit the beast''s face.


    The beast used the arm to block the incoming attack, but surprisingly, both Jay and Erwin came in. Erwin wrapped its arm with his wires and pulled it down. Jay struck the arm down, opening a path for Clovis.


    The beast closed its eyes, albeit it was too late. The eyelids were strong enough to block Clovis'' attack from blinding him, but Clovis'' speed was simply too fast. Before it could close its eyes, Clovis had already struck the right eye.


    Unfortunately, the left eye was already closed when his blade arrived.


    "Raaa!" The beast spun its body and pushed all of them away. Its right eye remained closed as blood came out of it.


    Once the beast lost one eye, a lot of possibilities instantly appeared. There would be a constant blind spot on its right.


    Without saying anything, Clovis and the others agreed to take down the beast from the right.


    Christina first raised her Provoke to the limit while going forward. Jay and Clovis charged toward Christina while Erwin maintained his distance, watching for another opportunity.


    Because the right side had become its blind spot, the beast ignored the Provoke and struck Jay, who was located on its right.


    Christina actually switched her Provoke to its legs. Once it focused too much on the right, its balance shifted in that direction, allowing her to go to the other side and make the beast trip.


    "!!!" The beast was stunned. It hurriedly waved its claws toward Clovis, who was approaching it.


    It was Clovis'' turn because the claws actually hit him when they weren''t in contact with his blade. He got pushed back for several meters and his upper right arm got scratched.


    "..." Clovis abandoned his approach and checked the wound with a glance before warning them, "Jay. It can do a ranged attack. Be careful. It seems to have gotten stronger as well. It might continue getting stronger in exchange for its sanity, like me."


    Jay nodded. They didn''t have a change of plan, but this information changed their way of approaching this beast.


    The beast let out a high-pitched wail before waving his claws toward Jay.


    Christina used her unique ability to force the beast to attack her instead. This ranged attack hit her shield directly, blowing her away.


    Still, Jay saw the small gap to reach the beast. Erwin helped Christina while Jay struck the beast from above.


    Clovis wanted to give the additional power to injure the beast, but the latter actually lifted up its body and stood on two feet for a second before waving its claws in all directions.


    "Watch out!" Clovis warned them out loud.


    Clovis and Jay put their blades in front, while Erwin created a net between his fingers while using the spider legs to give additional power.


    "Kh." Clovis managed to stop it, but Jay saw his blade getting chipped in the spot it hit. Erwin had two of his spider legs sliced by the ranged attack.


    "It''s going berserk." Christina gritted her teeth. She finally returned to the battlefield. "There is no more beast around this guy, so it must have not cared about everything else anymore and focused on using its strongest power to kill us."


    Clovis'' expression turned grim. He, too, was experiencing the same thing. Although he managed to remain sane for the time being, he would go berserk soon.


    With no other choice left, Clovis rushed to the beast. The beast reacted to his killing intent.


    When Christina was about to activate her Provoke, Clovis actually shouted, "Don''t!"


    "!!!" Christina widened her eyes.


    Because she didn''t activate her unique ability, the beast waved his claws several times at Clovis.


    Among the four of them, only Clovis had the speed and mastery to avoid all these attacks. That was why he asked her to save her power for another opportunity.


    Clovis avoided the attack skillfully, which startled the beast. He leaped toward the beast, closing the gap between them.


    The beast raised both arms and slammed him down. He positioned his claws perfectly so that it would launch a ranged attack in all directions.


    Clovis saw through his intention and halted his step while raising both swords. He actually chose to take this attack head-on.


    He didn''t get pushed back immediately, showing that he had more strength than Christina. However, the beast actually smacked him from the side by simply spinning its body and using its tail.


    Clovis smiled. After all, Jay understood it perfectly. The moment the beast focused on him, Jay had been closing in.


    By the time the beast spun its body to smack Clovis, his face had turned to Jay and found him right before him. The problem was that the beast spun clockwise, which meant his right eye couldn''t see Jay and he had to wait for the left eye to find Jay.


    That was why Clovis let his guard down, specifically on his right side. He was baiting for the beast to come from that direction.


    Jay struck the beast''s nose with every bit of his strength.


    "Haaa..." Jay shouted, but even with his strength, it wasn''t enough.


    The beast saw how ineffective Jay''s attack was and tried to catch him, but Christina activated her Provoke at this time, stopping the beast''s movement for a second.


    Erwin leaped toward Jay and kicked the back of his sword. "You seem to need me, eh?"


    *Bang!*


    The blade slashed through the nose, rendering it ineffective. Jay tried to make it as deep as possible, cutting the nose in two.


    Even though the beast was in pain, there was no better time than this to kill these two annoying humans. It endured the pain and caught Jay and Erwin.


    Erwin had been prepared. He put his hand on Jay''s back and clutched the other hand to tighten the wire, which bailed them out before the beast''s hands could catch them.


    Clovis coughed up blood. "Even if the beast has a tough skin, we have numbers. We will cut its nose, ears, and all other body parts first."


    Of course, that was a lie. They didn''t have that much time. Clovis just wanted to put up a tough front so that the beast misunderstood their confidence.

 Chapter 707: Cornering the Beast

    Clovis'' tough front was actually successful. With the beast''s intelligence, it noticed that Clovis definitely had the strength to kill him. Of course, the beast didn''t know that Clovis'' strength was only for a limited time.


    However, with what Clovis had shown so far, even little by little, the beast would definitely die.


    This was the first time the beast panicked, knowing that his life was in danger.


    It could attack Clovis, but their cooperation was on point. If they continued this clash, the beast would be the first one to fall.


    Hence, the beast instinctively realized that it was going to die.


    Even though its rationality remained only a little, it matched with what the instinct told its body. Run.


    "!!!" The beast hurriedly turned around.


    That weakness was exposed. Christina hurriedly activated her Provoke to the limit, binding the beast.


    The beast was gritting its teeth. It was supposed to run away, but its body was trying to go toward Christina.


    Meanwhile, Clovis, Jay, and Erwin had figured out what they were supposed to do.


    With Christina stopping the beast''s movement, they hurriedly surrounded the beast.


    ''The beast has finally known fear. It has realized it will die after fighting us. And this is the sign for us to unleash all our attacks!'' Erwin grinned. He stepped forward and waved his hands, sending forth his wires.


    On the other hand, Clovis and Jay approached him from opposite directions, forcing the beast to focus on one direction at a time.


    Before it could think of anything, Christina slammed her shields at the beast''s head, pushing the sliced nose, which gave an excruciating pain.


    "Raaa!" The beast roared in pain. However, it needed to do something fast. Because Erwin wrapped his wires on the left front leg, the beast chose to focus on the left.


    It waved its front foot to mess with Erwin''s position before using that front leg to slap Jay.


    "Kh!" Jay gritted his teeth, trying to withstand this attack. But the beast''s attack became stronger and stronger.


    This time, he couldn''t withstand it even with the help of Erwin''s wires.


    In the end, he chose to give up. He lowered his legs and let the attack slide on his blade upward.


    The ranged attack continued and hit a pillar and shattered it. Even though Jay had withstood a large portion of that attack before giving up, the residual power in that attack was still strong enough to take out a pillar.


    If this beast attacked a single building by itself, it might have the strength to half destroy an entire floor. If it targeted the pillar, two or three strikes was what it needed to make a huge building crumble.


    Nevertheless, the attack didn''t hit them. In addition, Clovis had approached the beast from the right, taking advantage of its blind eye to reach the beast unharmed.


    The beast was confused because it didn''t feel any impact from the right side when Clovis was supposed to have attacked. To its surprise, there was also less resistance coming from Christina''s shield.


    But before it could blast away Christina to find Clovis, a sword penetrated its eyes, using the wound on its right eye as the gap to pierce the head.


    "!!!" The beast''s body shook.


    What actually happened was Clovis putting his sword right in the gap. Then Christina actually pulled back and hammered it like a nail with her shield.


    With less surface area, the penetrative force multiplied and allowed them to pierce the beast''s head.


    However, they failed to hit any vital organ, such as its brain.


    As a result, the beast only froze for a second before letting out a huge roar and shaking off anyone near him.


    *Bang!*


    Christina received the attack with her shield, getting pushed back by several meters. Clovis, on the other hand, got kicked by the front leg and blew it away to a building.


    "Kh..." Clovis clutching his abdomen. Blood leaking out of the corner of his lips. His sword was still stuck in the beast''s eye, leaving him with only the short sword and the gun on his back.


    Since pulling out that sword was too dangerous, Clovis just grabbed the pistol and chose a different approach.


    On the other hand, Jay and Erwin exchanged looks and came to a tacit understanding.


    The biggest wound they had dealt with so far was the one Clovis had just made. It was also close to the brain.


    If they could widen that wound or take advantage of Clovis'' sword to slice the inside of the beast''s head, they had the chance to win.


    There was not much time left for the boost from the food. Hence, they needed to do it in one way or another.


    Jay and Erwin were the strongest in terms of pure physical strength, even more than Clovis with his Perfect State. After all, Clovis might get a Muscle Affinity with his Perfect State, but he had never trained his muscles like these two. So, if anyone could move that sword, it was Jay and Erwin.


    That was why both of them agreed to switch roles with Clovis, whether he wanted it or not.


    Clovis had created an opening, so it was time for them to deal the finishing blow.


    After blasting the people around it, the beast hurriedly turned around to escape. As expected, Christina''s reaction was quick, stopping the beast in its tracks.


    Annoyed, the beast turned around and rammed its entire body''s weight on Christina.


    Christina was launched several meters away, her body bouncing on the ground several times before coming to a stop. If Christina was going to stop it again, then the beast chose to kill her first.


    Clovis hurriedly shot the beast so as to distract it, but his pistol wasn''t as powerful as Kanaria''s sniper rifle, specifically the Soul Weapon. His bullet was nothing but a little flick for the beast. Hence, the beast ignored him.


    However, as Clovis got closer and closer, the beast remembered what had happened earlier. There was a chance for Clovis to attack him by using the blind eye, so it hurriedly turned around, finding Clovis right before its eye.


    Clovis swung his short sword while the beast kicked him. Clovis tried to avoid it, but the beast used the tail to slap Clovis'' legs, forcing him to fall to his knees.


    Then, the beast lifted up its leg and stomped him.


    "Ah... shit."

 Chapter 708: Killing the Tier 7 Beast

    "Ah... shit."


    Clovis clicked his tongue as the beast stomped him.


    Clovis hurriedly put his sword in front, but the power of the Tier 7 beast was not something he could stop. As a result, the beast pushed him down and smashed him on the ground.


    "Gah!" Clovis spat out a mouthful of blood.


    If it were a direct stomp, his ribs would have been crushed. Or even worse, that stomp would have made a hole in his chest.


    Fortunately, the swords his grandfather left behind were not just a cheap sword. It was made of a Tier 9 material, known for its durability.


    The sword managed to withstand the impact force. Once he was done, he put his lower arms straight while using the ground to support them.


    In addition to his original strength, he managed to block this attack, albeit with a serious internal injury.


    "GO!" Clovis shouted with a hoarse voice.


    "!!!" All three of them hurriedly approached the beast.


    Christina activated her Provoke from the left side of the beast, making herself as visible as possible so that the beast couldn''t ignore her.


    Meanwhile, Jay and Erwin had looped around and approached the beast from the right side. Their aim was clear.


    The beast ignored Clovis on the ground and charged straight at Christina, ramming its entire body weight.


    "Kh..." Christina gritted her teeth. This was the strongest charge she had to endure today. She almost got knocked back upon impact, but with the foundation of the Elseingarde family, she managed to hold the beast back.


    ''This doesn''t look good...'' Christina was sweating like crazy, feeling her bone had cracked. At this rate, she wouldn''t be able to use her right hand anymore.


    Still, Jay and Erwin wouldn''t let such a precious chance go to waste.


    Erwin wrapped the sword''s handle with his wires.


    "!!!" The beast noticed the sudden pressure coming from the sword stuck in his eye. It was clear what Jay was planning to do, so it was about to go on a rampage.


    But at the last moment, Clovis rolled his body even in that state and aimed the gun at the left eye.


    *Bang!*


    *Bang!*


    Several bullets hit the head, forcing the beast to close its left eye to avoid losing the remaining eye. In addition, Christina activated her Provoke again. Instead of provoking the beast, which could be ignored by the beast for one or two seconds.


    Christina provoked the beast''s feet to move slightly and created a different center of gravity. This way, even if the beast could ignore her unique ability, it couldn''t move as intended.


    "!!!" The beast noticed that his feet were sliding on the ground. In that instant, there was only one thing it could do left. Since moving its body had become impossible, the tail hurriedly swept right. This was the only direction he couldn''t see Jay, so Jay should be there.


    To the beast''s surprise, there was no impact, as though Jay wasn''t there.


    What actually happened was Jay jumping into the air. In fact, he had jumped even before the tail came for him, as if he had predicted it would happen.


    Jay then aimed for the sword handle and struck it with the combination of his strength, his beast soul, and his ranged attack.


    Bang!


    The loud clash with the blade''s handle was crisp in everyone''s ears. Erwin pulled the handle from behind, becoming an additional power to move the sword.


    "Raaa!" The beast roared, but it was useless.


    With their combined effort, the sword swung forward, cutting the inside of its eyes. It came out after slicing the other eye.


    The beast screamed this time. It was shaking its body as though it was still alive even after its head got sliced.


    However, it was just the last struggle of the Tier 7 beast. The blood spurted out of its eyes as the beast fell to the ground, lifeless.


    *Thud!*


    The loud falling sound echoed in their ears like a bell in their ears.


    All of them looked at the fallen beast in disbelief, asking themselves, ''Did they just kill a Tier 7 beast?''


    They kept glancing at each other as if asking for confirmation.


    "It''s our victory." Clovis grinned while raising his fist.


    "Oohhh!" Erwin and Christina cheered.


    "Yes!" Even Jay, who usually stayed quiet and avoided all kinds of celebration, couldn''t help but shout.


    They had really outdone themselves this time. They weren''t supposed to be strong enough to take on a Tier 7 beast.


    However, with two unique abilities, they managed to do it. Of course, their injuries were not a small matter either. Clovis had a severe internal injury and Christina''s right arm cracked.


    Still, they won... against a Tier 7 beast.


    Unfortunately, even though they had won the battle, they had yet to win the war.


    Clovis hurriedly said, "Jay, Erwin. Can you keep going?!"


    Jay and Erwin raised their eyebrows, almost forgetting that they had to rescue the others. They hurriedly nodded since they had a light injury compared to these two.


    "I will be fine with Christina here. Coordinate with Melody and take down the rest of the beasts. We''ll free this base from any beasts in this town today."


    "Understood." Jay and Erwin nodded and hurriedly rushed to the north side of the beast after seeing the radar.


    "Ha..." Clovis let out a long sigh.


    "You''re okay?" Christina asked.


    "Just opening my mouth hurts." Clovis smiled wryly.


    "Jeez..." Christina dropped one of her shields, put his arm around her shoulder, and pulled him up.


    "Thanks."


    "..." Christina let out a sigh as she dragged Clovis and her body inside one of the buildings to get some protection.


    Once she put Clovis down next to a pillar, she dropped to her butt while panting heavily. "To think we really killed a Tier 7 beast..."


    "Yeah. Thanks to you, we''re able to take it down. You''re the key to defeating this Tier 7 beast." Clovis smiled.


    "..." Christina looked at Clovis mysteriously before scratching the back of her head. "You know... I have been avoiding this topic for the last few days. Do you know that both of our grandparents engaged us even before we were born?"


    "..." Clovis fell silent. He didn''t know about it, but he had a feeling that his grandfather was pulling some strings in their meeting, since it felt so artificial. So, he expected it to a certain extent.


    Christina sighed and just leaned next to Clovis while saying, "I''m just thinking it might not be bad at all. Since I have to inherit the Elseingarde family in the future, I''m not fit to be the main wife. I''m just thinking... if you are not against it, how about we do it?"

 Chapter 709: Return

    "..." Rena''s eyebrows were twitching as she stared at the number that had been calling her for the last few days.


    It was Hana.


    "Is there any news about them yet?" Hana''s voice immediately echoed the moment she picked up.


    Rena smiled wryly. "Not yet..."


    She wanted to say something else, but Hana''s position was considered higher than hers, since she was related directly to Clovis, her boss. There was no way she could be rude, no matter how annoyed she was.


    At the same time, she understood her worries. There was no news from Clovis the whole time, so even she couldn''t help but wonder if something had happened to Clovis.


    "In that case... tell me if they¡ª" Before Hana finished her words, Hana suddenly raised her eyebrows as a silhouette emerged from the tower. "Wait. That''s..."


    "What''s wrong? What happened there?" Hana panicked, thinking that Clovis had been killed by a beast and that beast continued to attack.


    Rena hurriedly rushed to that silhouette as more and more people came out of the tower.


    "Sir!" Rena greeted him. Even though she was not panting, she was breathing heavily, showing her worries.


    "Sir? Ah. Did..." Hana immediately noticed what was going on.


    That was right, Clovis finally came back.


    Clovis smiled wryly when he heard Hana''s voice. "You''re in... a call?"


    "Ah!" Rena panicked. She showed the number and said, "This is..."


    Clovis just extended his hand, as if asking to give him the phone. He would be the one taking care of it.


    Rena obeyed him. Once Clovis got the phone, he casually said, "You''re bothering my agent now?"


    "Clovis, you jerk! You promised to call me once a week!"


    "Ahahaha." Clovis chuckled. "Sorry, sorry. The plan didn''t work too well, so the situation got a bit messy. But I''m fine. You probably can begin to move your people one at a time to this city. Both the surface and underworld have been taken care of."


    "This is not what I meant!" Hana gritted her teeth. It was probably because of her greedy nature that Clovis didn''t know how much she was worried about him.


    "I know, I know. Let me take care of this a bit and I''ll call you tonight, okay?" Clovis smiled wryly.


    "..." Hana fell silent for a moment before sighing. "Fine."


    Once Hana hung up, he returned to the phone while pointing at the huge beast behind him. "It took us longer than we expected because of this guy. Can you take care of it? Of course, the rest of the best as well. We''ve cleaned up the underground city for the time being, and we''ll soon set up a camp there to ensure the safety of the workers. For now, you can deal with this one and the inside of the tower."


    "I... understand." Rena nodded. However, the moment her eyes shifted to the beast that Clovis was talking about, her jaw dropped to the ground.


    The beast was dragged by almost everyone. It was the reason it took them so long to climb up.


    After all, this was the Tier 7 Morganucodon. Although Rena didn''t know what species it was, she could feel the immense power coming from this beast.


    It was clear that this beast''s strength had far surpassed hers. Yet, the Libation Fiesta took it down.


    More importantly, the battle underground should also have numerous beasts. Yet, despite all odds, Clovis won.


    "This is... a Tier 7 beast?" Rena gasped.


    "Yeah." Clovis nodded with a smile.


    Rena was speechless. She kept glancing back and forth between Clovis and the beast. Even though she knew how strong Clovis was, a Tier 7 beast was different.


    Of course, Clovis understood it, but he didn''t plan to explain himself. He simply said, "Anyway, it''s your job now. This one is important, so I will take 70% of it. You take 20% and give 10% to the ones doing the job. Arrange everything for me."


    Clovis walked away, not waiting for her response. Jay and the others were also tired, so they followed him, not planning to answer any inquiry. Though, unlike Clovis, they didn''t have to deal with Hana.


    ...


    Presidential Office.


    "Sir!" A man suddenly rushed into the office.


    "Huh? What are you doing?" The president was startled.


    "Ah!" The man realized what he had done and did his best to regain his composure. He gulped down. While breathing heavily, he explained, "We''ve got some more news from Agent Rena."


    "Hmm? About Clovis?"


    "Yes."


    "What''s wrong? Did someone find him and try to poach him?"


    "No. It''s not about such a thing." The man shook his head. "We''ve got a report that Clovis took down a beast overlord in the underground city. He''s planning to set up a camp there to retake the city."


    "Isn''t that good? It''s extremely fast, but it just shows how talented he is."


    "Yes, but..." the man scratched the back of his head. "The beast ruling over that city was a Tier 7 beast."


    *Cough!*


    *Cough!*


    He was so startled that he almost choked. "What did you say?"


    "The overlord of that city was a Tier 7 beast. After a brief inspection, there were at least one thousand beasts there."


    "And he killed them? With only the Libation Fiesta?"


    "Yes."


    Both of them knew how ridiculous the Libation Fiesta was, but this news just shattered that image. It appeared the Libation Fiesta was much more monstrous than he originally thought.


    "According to Agent Rena, there were several people who had evolved to a higher tier. Christina Elseingarde has reached Tier 6. As for Tier 5, Melody and Ragna have joined the ranks of Lucifania, Erwin Tyska, and Aileen Risevan. So, other than Clovis, Jay, and Kanaria, all of them are already Tier 5 or above."


    "And is that even enough to take down a Tier 7 beast with all those minions?" The president scratched the back of his head.


    "In my honest opinion, even with two unique abilities and one pseudo unique ability... no." The man shook his head. "The gap between Tier 6 and Tier 7 is nothing like they have seen so far. And they don''t bring out enough equipment to take them down. There might be some leftover equipment in the underground city, but they''re too outdated. There''s no way to kill the Tier 7 beast."


    "..." The president was speechless. It seemed he had to re-evaluate the Libation Fiesta. He asked, "How is the protection of their family members, especially in Axolonia?"


    "Our elites are protecting them."


    "Double their number."


    "Yes, sir."

 Chapter 710: 6 Months

    "It seems they have managed to take down a Tier 7 beast." The old man Vina brought had returned, reporting everything he had found.


    "Heh." Vina smirked.


    "..." The old man let out a long sigh. "I admit my defeat. I originally thought their group was extraordinary, but I never expected them to be monstrous. When you told me you were going to bet your future on them, I thought you were joking.


    "But for such a group to be able to kill a Tier 7 beast... From what I can see, there''s nothing on that base that could be used to kill the Tier 7 beast. In other words, it was through their strength alone they could take down such a powerful beast."


    Vina harrumphed. "Of course, I know what I''m betting on. Don''t you know I hate gambling? However, I just like my odds so much that I can''t help it."


    "That''s what gambling addicts usually say before losing even more..." The old man looked away.


    "..." Vina''s eyebrows twitched as she kicked the old man''s butt. "Shut up. You have lost! Now, do you have any more objections to my decision?"


    "No. I shall fully support you in taking the successor seat."


    "That''s more like it." Vina was satisfied with the answer. "In that case, let''s begin. They will be busy soon, so we have to create misinformation to stop anyone from realizing it as long as possible."


    "Well, creating a base in a newly built city is easy, but having a connection with its sole owner is hard."


    ...


    Meanwhile, Hana seemed to have changed completely after hearing Clovis take down a Tier 7 beast.


    "My darling. You must have been tired. Do you know how much I was worried about you?" Hana''s voice was so sweet that even her assistant, who was separated by a door, couldn''t help but feel chills down her spine.


    "You really changed your tone so easily..." Clovis shook his head helplessly.


    "Hehehe... I can change it to the way you like it. Do you want me to be more seductive?"


    Clovis pinched the bridge of his nose. "Well, whatever. It''s not like I need it. I just want the essence and to store it somewhere. For the materials, you can handle it."


    "Hehehe. I love you so much!" Hana winked playfully.


    "And the city should have been cleaned up..."


    Hana nodded. "Of course. I will send a few experts to help Kanaria measure the cost of the construction. The most important infrastructure is the Sky Lift. Hence, we will focus on it.


    "However, to build such a massive thing, we probably need a lot of workers. And because you want it to be fast, we might need more workers.


    "We might be exposed like this..."


    "I know. It''s something I have prepared. For now, my plan is to somehow get closer to Tier 5. In the meantime, I want you to focus on calculating the cost and creating the plan for the development."


    "Yes. To calculate and even create a design will take at least a few months, especially a simple one. We also have to check the condition of the wall and equipment there to stop any outbreak." Hana thought for a moment. "To do all that before starting the construction... it might take 6 months... even with all my and my grandfather''s connections. We can''t go faster than that since we wish for it to be sustainable."


    "Indeed. That should be enough time. Although it won''t take me to Tier 5, I should be pretty close to it. There is an ample amount of essence from the bank and the number of beasts here is pretty high." Clovis nodded.


    "You don''t have to worry about property rights." Hana stuck out her tongue. "What''s mine is yours, what''s yours is mine. If both of us go our separate ways, you can have the city, but your management will probably mess up, and the city will most likely go into decline sooner or later.


    "On the other hand, I will be branded as a ruinous woman who lost your protection, which would make me targeted." Hana shrugged. "That''s why you give me money. I''ll build you a world you want."


    "This greedy little goblin." Clovis sighed.


    "Hehehehe. That''s not entirely correct. You should call me my greedy but beloved goblin." Hana smirked.


    "Yeah, yeah. Whatever." Clovis facepalmed. She truly couldn''t stop flirting. "Tell me how you plan to sneak people into the city? You''re being watched right now, no?"


    "Don''t worry. I have a plan ready. For now, I will be sending my agents to multiple places like normal, but I''ll switch my first group to go to that city alongside some experts in their fields to handle the projects.


    "I will send one group after another accordingly to avoid the public''s eyes," explained Hana.


    "That should be good enough. I guess the rest of the discussion will have to wait until they meet Kanaria."


    Hana agreed. "Indeed. No worries. I know Kanaria''s personality. I will make sure that these people don''t look down on her and teach her if she doesn''t know something instead of scolding her."


    "Yeah. I will leave it to you." Clovis paused for a moment, staring at Hana mysteriously.


    "What''s wrong? Is there something on my face? Or maybe you have finally noticed my charm?" Hana had a smug smile on her face.


    Clovis chuckled. She really liked Erwin, but unlike Erwin, she had everything needed to claim that confidence. He paused for a moment before saying, "In the next few months, you will probably hear some weird reports... Just wait a bit, will you?"


    "!!!" Hana understood what he meant. The weird reports meant Clovis planned to introduce Reolf gradually. And asking her to wait meant he was steeling his resolve to tell her about the artifacts and other items.


    Hana''s eyes lit up. "You don''t have to worry about it. I''m very patient..."


    "Say that with a poker face. You''re really going to suck me dry at this rate." Clovis sighed.


    "Oh my. Well, I wonder which of the two meanings you are implying in your words... I am ready for both."


    "We know which one I''m talking about."


    "Eh? Which?" Hana played dumb.


    "Bye. Take care of everything!" Clovis hung up, escaping. He truly couldn''t handle this girl, but at the same time, he left with a smile.

 Chapter 711: Arrival

    "Welcome." Clovis extended his hand.


    "We''re honored to be here. To think that the person that once came here suddenly became a big shot who owned a city." The familiar man who shook Clovis'' hand was none other than Cain. He was the leader of the Opensky company''s first team.


    They once got the new beast souls together.


    At that time, Clovis and the others were not someone important. They were merely a business partner who managed to have a deal with Hana.


    Yet, in just a short period, Clovis not only became one of the most important figures in the country but also became so strong that he could take down a Tier 7 beast.


    Meanwhile, the first team of the Opensky company was not an ordinary team either. Each of them was Tier 6, with Cain approaching Tier 7. This was the team that Hana had been nurturing without the help of her grandfather.


    With them helping the team in securing the underground base, Clovis would have an easier time hunting beasts.


    Clovis extended his hand. "Please come in. We don''t have a lot since we still need to rebuild the city."


    "Ah, yes." Cain nodded and took a step to the side. "We''ve brought them here. These are the professors we have found who will help you with the development."


    "In that case, let''s have them discuss it with Kanaria." Clovis nodded. "As for the rest of the money and connection, Hana will take care of it."


    "Will that be alright with you?" Cain asked, staring at the few old men behind him.


    "Yes. Restoring a city is a huge task, but it''s something that everyone wishes to do. Unfortunately, only a select few have such privilege."


    Most of the time, retaking and restoring a fallen city could be done, but the cost was so high that the government didn''t want to do it. Instead, they would build another city from scratch not far from the fallen city and use that fallen city as a hunting ground to populate the new city.


    Rebuilding the city was usually done by either a Tier 9 human or an insane government.


    That was why it didn''t take a lot for Hana to convince these people. There was no way they would argue with Kanaria over a small matter since the moment the city was done, they would be famous, like other world-class professors who were recognized for their works building a city for a Tier 9 human.


    Hence, Hana entrusted them with the work.


    Clovis nodded his head. "In that case, you can discuss it with Kanaria right away. Melody. Do you mind showing them the way? I will need to talk to Mr. Cain regarding the underground city."


    "Sure." Melody agreed and moved to the side. "Please follow me."


    "Mr. Cain, huh? I can''t afford to have this politeness. Your status is much higher than mine. Just call me Cain, so I don''t get too bothered by it." Cain smiled wryly.


    "Hahahaha." Clovis chuckled. "I understand. In that case, let''s talk about the underground city inside."


    "Sure. What is your current plan, actually?"


    "It''s nothing big. While we have secured the underground city, the beasts will attack it. I want you to focus on defending the underground city. It doesn''t matter if it''s destroyed, since we will rebuild it.


    "Meanwhile, I will be heading outside and thinning out the number of beasts. Since a few decades have passed, the number of beasts around this place is quite high.


    "It''s necessary to thin them out first before beginning with the construction.


    "Besides, it''s a good opportunity for us to take down a lot of beasts, considering we need growth the most," explained Clovis.


    "Fair enough." Cain acknowledged Clovis'' arrangement. "Still, I have heard of you defeating a Tier 7 beast. Even though this is a huge feat, don''t forget that this beast was severely weakened due to the influence of the tower.


    "If you end up encountering a Tier 7 beast outside, they might be much stronger."


    "Yes. I''m aware of the danger. For now, we are not planning something far away. Most of the time, it will be to prevent any outbreak." Clovis showed a solemn face, assuring him that he wouldn''t do such a reckless thing.


    Clovis knew how the tower played such a huge role in weakening the Tier 7 beast they defeated, so he still didn''t feel complacent about his achievement.


    They planned to take their time in the next six months here to thin out the number of beasts around the underground city.


    By that time, the calculation should be done and the construction of the Skylift could be processed.


    He didn''t know how long it would take, but he was hoping that by the time he reached Tier 7, the Skylift had been built. Even if the surface city and underground city hadn''t been redeveloped completely, it was fine.


    In the end, Clovis'' main goal was to get stronger in this city.


    "I understand. It''ll be a pleasure to work with you. Let''s discuss the details now."


    "Yes."


    Once the two captains had reached an agreement, they worked quite fast, allowing Clovis to go back to the underground city in just a week to resume their usual hunt. Even Kanaria had to leave her work behind to get stronger.


    However, in the past seven days, there was one disturbing thing occurring in the city.


    Every night, the people were woken up by the sound of the wolf''s howl echoing from inside the city.


    The people were confused because they couldn''t find the wolf, no matter how hard they looked for it.


    Meanwhile, Clovis casually told them not to worry about it and still feigned ignorance even though he was the one who told Reolf to do it.


    His ultimate plan began the moment he was planning to go back to the underground city. Since he was planning to descend with their bus, they, specifically Cain and Rena, caught a glimpse of a wolf''s eye in the gap between two curtains in Clovis'' bus, raising a lot of questions in their minds.