A predator

"Recently, the Nether Wraiths have started to grow restless. I am afraid something terrible is about to happen," Nerom said with a grim expression.

Dawn pretended to hear his words and nodded in understanding, but in reality, his attention was on the workers passionately working, their faces filled with seriousness as they meticulously carried out their tasks.

The workers' seemingly thin bodies were filled with infinite energy as they moved to and fro with solemn looks in their eyes.

Dawn's eyes sharpened as he noticed one strange thing.

Around the waist of everyone present hung a pouch made from stone; from the faint fluctuation that he felt, these pouches were filled with crystals...

"How strange," Dawn muttered under his breath, while feeling slightly confused in his heart.

Mira didn't say anything; however, her lips curled up in disdain.

Nerom noticed Dawn's gaze and muttered in frustration, "Fate is truly playing with all of us. A piece of meat lies in front of everyone but we can't eat; all we can do is drool like fools."

"Hmmm!"

Dawn could feel the hidden pain in his words, but he didn't immediately understand what Nerom meant. His words seemed to convey a deeper meaning.

The eyes of Mira beside him also shook, and unconsciously her fists were tightly clenched.

Just as he was feeling confused, he saw a worker who was cutting a piece of stone with a sharp iron nail suddenly jump in joy and shout, "My spiritual power is finally exhausted! I can finally leave!"

In his excitement, he threw the nail and the hammer in his hand on the ground. His bearing also changed, going from a figure that radiated despair to one that screamed freedom like a bald eagle soaring into the sky.

"Mom and Dad, wait for me! Your son is finally returning!"

Following his words, strange ethereal, almost milk-like invisible threads of power seemed to envelop his figure, and the world around him rippled like water membranes that were disturbed by a forceful throw. The worker's figure disappeared.

Some clenched their fists, their lips trembling as if suppressing the urge to scream. Others looked away, shoulders sagging in resignation, as though they had long abandoned the idea of escape.

A loud explosion like thunder suddenly happened in Dawn's mind. "Now I understand." His eyes finally flashed with understanding. The Awakeners who had absorbed the crystals were forced to stay in this world for long, while those who didn't could come and go more frequently.

He had almost forgotten about one important fact: the duration that you could stay on the Eternal battlefield depended on your Soul Power crystals.

A Warrior with a single point in their soul power crystals could stay in the Eternal battlefield for almost a day.

But you might wonder what was the need to come to such a dangerous place in the first place; the answer to that question was simple—they had no choice.

The real world had changed, becoming a place where the strong ruled the weak. People were no longer equal, and the natural order had collapsed. If people like them, who had no one to rely on, wanted to change their destiny, the only place was the Eternal battlefield.

Danger and opportunity co-existed side by side.

"But these people are truly unlucky, to be trapped in a colony."

Suddenly he felt glad as he wasn't bound by these rules. He could come and go out of this place at his own personal choice, not bound by any laws.

Time passed. Nerom led Dawn through many large halls, each featuring different types of equipment, when he finally stopped in front of a large gate.

Someone already seemed to be waiting there for them.

At this time, a booming laughter sounded as a figure walked out from the sidelines.

"Supervisor Nerom, you really know how to keep everyone of us waiting."

A somewhat cold voice reverberated throughout the surroundings, followed by the appearance of a middle-aged man with a neatly trimmed goatee. The man's face seemed to be smiling, but his eyes were like a chilling viper that could poison you just with a gaze.

Dawn felt a chill running down his spine out of nowhere; his instincts were screaming as if telling him to run away as far as possible.

He took a deep breath and resisted the urge to immediately turn back; his eyes behind the mask turned a shade colder.

"This man was dangerous..."

It appeared Dawn wasn't alone who thought like this; the face of Nerom also turned ugly as if he had swallowed a fly, making one wonder just how much he disliked the man to show such a strong reaction.

"Supervisor Ethan, my actions have nothing to do with you. Whether I am late or early, you better mind your own business."

Hearing the angry voice of Nerom, Ethan just laughed it off, seemingly in a proud tone as if he was already expecting such a reaction from Nerom.

Ethan stepped forward, too close for comfort, his voice dripping with forced concern. "My dear Mira, you must be exhausted. Did this brute mistreat you?" His fingers twitched, as if resisting the urge to touch her, but his eyes—cold, predatory—betrayed his real thoughts.

For a moment, Dawn also believed that he was really worried about Mira's safety, but when he noticed Ethan's eyes, Dawn's gaze turned solemn.

Ethan's eyes were like that of a dead fish, completely devoid of emotions; the look in those eyes caused his heart to tremble.

"Shut up, two of you." Just at this moment, the gate opened and a lady with an ample bosom dressed in a fiery red dress came walking.

Immediately the eyes of everyone landed on her; even Ethan, who was smiling a moment ago, had his expression return to normal.

"Greetings, Vice Head Shelia!"

The three of them immediately echoed in loud voices. Shelia only coldly snorted and said in an annoyed tone, "Don't waste my time. Quickly take honored guest Red-Caped Demon to meet the leader."

Dawn's lips twitched under his mask. That name again. He hadn't chosen it, yet it followed him like a brand seared into his identity.

This notorious name was a disgrace to his class.

After hearing her words, Nerom immediately nodded and urged Dawn to follow him.

In no time, the figures of Nerom and Dawn disappeared from everyone's vision.

Ethan looked at Dawn's departing back and licked his lips while muttering under his breath, "The higher-ups will want to hear about this... A unique class, hmm? Heh, how very... intriguing."