Isla's Plan

Kai could only watch as the Catalyst began walking in his direction. Each step it took radiated an immense might, as though waves of energy rippled through the ground with every movement.

Its chest was puffed out proudly, exuding an air of dominance. It was clear—the beast knew that no being within this realm could defeat it. Yet, Kai's earlier question still lingered in his mind.

Why was it suddenly walking toward him?

The Catalyst had just bowed to him, showing an unexpected gesture of respect. But now, it seemed to be acting on its own, something even Isla hadn't anticipated.

"Isla, what is it doing?" Kai asked, his voice panicked as he stood frozen, trying his best not to let his fear show.

"I don't know," Isla replied, her frown deepening. "For some reason, it's not saying a word. Maybe something happened after my Master's death. After all, it's strange that Puma would have stayed here doing absolutely nothing for thousands of years." She crossed her arms, her wings twitching slightly. "Yes, something definitely happened."

Isla had been sealed for millennia within the Mythical Evolution System, unable to interact with the outside world. Her knowledge of what transpired during that time was limited, and now, she was desperately trying to piece together what had happened in the aftermath of her Master's death at the hands of the other gods.

"Puma," Isla called out coldly, drawing the creature's gaze. Its glowing eyes landed on her, steady and unwavering. "Tell me what happened."

To her surprise, Puma shook his head slowly, closing his eyes as it did so. Its entire demeanor shifted, becoming sluggish and subdued. Sadness emanated from its enormous frame, as though dark memories had been dredged up from its past.

Isla's frustration grew. She couldn't shake the feeling that the humans had fundamentally altered this world. Her suspicions had begun the moment she first saw the human village after her awakening—things were vastly different from what she remembered. Humans were stronger, more organized, and wielded resources that once belonged to monsters.

The changes were even more pronounced in the Dark Elf Village. A race once despised and hunted had built an empire, obliterating every monster they encountered along the way.

But the most unsettling difference was the humans' complete lack of fear toward monsters. In Varkul's time, the mere thought of harming a monster was enough to terrify mortals. The consequences of provoking Varkul's wrath had been unthinkable. Now, all of that had changed.

Did his power get sealed after Varkul's death? Isla wondered, her brow furrowing. She couldn't fathom why Puma was behaving this way.

Meanwhile, Puma was now within arm's reach of Kai. The beast raised one of its massive paws, and Kai's eyes widened in alarm.

He had no idea what to do. He didn't know what was happening.

But when the paw touched his body, all of his fear melted away. A voice echoed directly into his mind.

"You should not be scared, successor. I am only here to help you."

Kai froze.

This wasn't what he had expected at all. The Catalyst was speaking to him personally, calling him successor. It was surreal.

"I am speaking to you this way because I do not want Isla to hear what I will tell you."

Kai nodded subtly, his gaze flicking briefly to Isla before returning to the beast.

"Listen carefully," the Catalyst continued. "I will not be able to follow you on your journey or support you as Isla imagines. Thousands of years ago, all Catalysts were cursed, rendering us incapable of physically aiding anyone connected to our Master, Varkul."

The revelation sent a chill down Kai's spine.

"However, do not worry. Master foresaw this curse and prepared a way to bypass it. I will sacrifice myself and place my soul within your body. By doing so, I will no longer exist in this world, and the curse will be broken."

The Catalyst's voice grew quieter, almost solemn.

"You must wonder why this matters. It is simple: with my soul in your evolution space, you will be able to summon my help. But heed this warning—I will be an empty shell, an avatar of power that obeys your commands. Summoning me will come at a great cost, one greater than you can imagine."

Kai's mind swirled with questions as he absorbed the Catalyst's words. This wasn't what he had expected at all.

"What will it cost?" Kai muttered aloud. "And will absorbing your soul provide enough Monster Energy for my Monster Core to evolve further?"

Isla, hearing Kai's words, gasped in shock. She began shouting, but her voice never reached him—Puma had blocked all external sound.

"The cost will depend on your strength," Puma said. "But I must warn you not to summon me before you possess a Diamond-Ranked Monster Core. Doing so will severely hinder your progression."

It paused briefly before answering Kai's second question.

"Yes, absorbing my soul will provide enough energy to bring your Monster Core to the fifth and final tier of the Silver Rank. However, to reach Gold Rank, you will need something special. Isla can explain how that will work."

Kai processed the information in silence. He didn't fully understand everything, but he knew this would benefit him in the long run.

"How does this work? How do I absorb your soul?"

Puma let out a soft, almost nostalgic chuckle.

"You know… you remind me of him."

"Him? Who are you talking about?"

"Varkul," Puma said simply. "When he was younger, before he changed." It shook its head, as though shaking off a memory. "Anyway, I will handle the process. But be warned—once it begins, every powerful being in this realm will sense it. Even now, I can feel numerous presences nearby."

Puma turned its gaze toward Isla, who was frantically slapping the Catalyst's face, clearly unable to hear or understand what was happening.

"Tell Isla she must find a way to hide the energy surge. She should have prepared for this before coming here… I hope."

Kai relayed the message. "Isla, do you have a way to hide the energy surge?"

Her wings twitched as she started yelling, her frustration boiling over. "Don't tell me you're actually going to kill him! He can just come with us—it'll be easier!"

"He can't," Kai replied firmly. "Do you have a way or not?"

"Why? WHY CAN'T HE COME WITH US?"

Kai shivered as he felt Puma's anger ripple through him. "He has a curse. This is all part of a plan your Master created," Kai said, struggling to keep his voice steady.

At the mention of her Master, Isla froze, her expression darkening. She fell silent, her thoughts racing.

Using this silence as an opportunity, Kai continued.

"So, do you have a way or not?"

Isla came out of her stupor as she slowly became calm once more. "I don't. I don't have a way to hide the influx of energy."

Kai continued to talk as Puma's spokeperson, uttering word for word what Puma told him mentally.

"Then, what was your plan after you killed Puma?"

"I didn't have one. I would improvise and put my life on the line if needed."

"Why are you so stupid and reckless? I guess you truly did not change."

Isla frowned as she knew those were not Kai's word.

"I believe Master has a plan for us to escape. I know it's a gamble but the more I think about it the more I believe I'm right. If I was wrong, then I would have used my powers to teleport us away where no one could find us," Isla finished off. "That was my plan. Happy?"

Kai was learning of this at the same time as Puma as she had never once talked about the energy influx of killing a Catalyst. He was learning that this plan was even more reckless than he had anticipated. Nevertheless, he didn't make a scene and continued to utter Puma's words

"We'll take that gamble, then," Kai said, his voice resolute. "Let's hope Varkul planned this far ahead."