Into the Depths

As the morning sun pierced through the dense canopy, Lester and the group pressed forward, delving deeper into the Dark Forest.

The atmosphere shifted as they traveled—no longer were they in the periphery where only Mortal Transformation Realm beasts roamed.

Now, they encountered other groups, adventurers and mercenaries who were either hunting monsters, gathering resources, or searching for hidden treasures.

Some exchanged brief glances with Lester's party, others ignored them completely.

But Lester paid little attention.

He was focused.

On the fourth day, they crossed the boundary separating the outer periphery from the outskirts of the inner section.

Here, monsters at the Lower Energy Accumulation Realm roamed freely.

They were stronger. Faster. More dangerous.

This time, Lester took the lead.

His movements were calculated. His attacks were efficient.

Each monster that charged at them was dispatched in mere moments, their cores collected without effort.

But despite his overwhelming strength, Lester made sure to hold back, ensuring that his true capabilities remained hidden.

His strikes were powerful, but not excessive. His speed was fast, but not inhuman.

Even though he dominated the battlefield, he maintained the illusion of simply being a skilled fighter, not an absolute monster in combat.

The others watched in silent awe as he effortlessly defeated one beast after another.

Even Alia, despite her usual composure, narrowed her eyes, as if trying to discern his true abilities.

Alistair, on the other hand, clenched his fists, his expression unreadable.

After hours of steady progress, they reached the middle part of the inner section—a place where true danger lurked.

And that was when a true challenge emerged.

As they walked, the ground trembled.

A low, guttural growl echoed through the forest, sending birds scattering into the sky.

Lester stopped in his tracks, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings.

From behind the thick foliage, a massive figure stepped forward.

It was a Nightclaw Beast, a panther-like monster covered in black scales, its piercing yellow eyes locked onto them.

Its powerful limbs were tensed, its razor-sharp claws glinting under the dim light filtering through the trees.

6th Layer of Energy Accumulation Realm.

This was not an ordinary opponent.

"Everyone, step back," Lester said calmly, stepping forward.

Alia hesitated for a moment before nodding, signaling the attendants to stay alert.

Alistair narrowed his eyes but remained silent.

The Nightclaw Beast didn't wait.

With a deep snarl, it vanished from sight, its speed breaking through the sound barrier as it lunged forward.

But Lester was ready.

The moment the beast moved, his instincts kicked in.

His body twisted slightly, his eyes following the blur of black fur and claws.

Just before the monster could tear through his chest, he moved.

A single step to the side—a motion so precise that it left the Nightclaw Beast momentarily stunned.

Boom!

The beast crashed onto the ground, its momentum causing the earth to tremble.

Lester didn't hesitate.

His foot slammed down, cracking the soil beneath him as he launched himself forward.

His fist collided with the beast's side—

—but not at full power.

Hold back.

The impact still sent the monster skidding several meters back, but not enough to make it suspicious.

The Nightclaw Beast recovered swiftly, its body crouching low as wisps of dark energy coiled around its claws.

Lester's eyes narrowed slightly.

It was about to use a martial technique.

With a piercing roar, the beast slashed downward, sending crescent-shaped waves of energy ripping through the air toward him.

Lester dodged effortlessly, his movements fluid and controlled.

His body twisted mid-air as he evaded every strike, closing the distance without breaking rhythm.

The beast snarled in frustration, charging forward once more.

This time, Lester met it head-on.

The moment their claws and fists clashed, the forest exploded with force.

Shockwaves rippled outward, sending leaves and dirt flying as the two engaged in a high-speed exchange of blows.

To the onlookers, it was an even fight—a battle of sheer strength and skill.

But in reality, Lester was playing with his prey.

If I wanted to, I could end this in a single move.

But he held back, making it seem like he was being pushed to his limits.

The monster, driven by instinct and desperation, unleashed its final attack.

Its body coiled, its energy bursting outward in a dark mist as it prepared a deadly pounce.

Lester let out a slow breath, his expression calm.

And then—

He struck.

In a blur of motion, his hand shot forward, grabbing the beast by the throat mid-air.

The Nightclaw Beast's eyes widened in shock, its momentum completely halted.

For a moment, time seemed to freeze.

Then—

CRACK.

With a precise twist of his wrist, Lester snapped its neck, ending the fight in a single decisive move.

The beast's lifeless body collapsed onto the forest floor.

Silence followed.

The others watched in awe, their expressions a mix of disbelief and admiration.

Alia's sharp gaze lingered on him, as if analyzing every aspect of his technique.

Alistair, on the other hand, looked at the beast's corpse, his hands tightening into fists.

Lester, still holding onto his act, took a deep breath, wiping a small amount of sweat from his forehead.

He walked over, crouching beside the fallen beast before retrieving its core.

Then, he exhaled deeply, pretending to be exhausted.

"This should be enough for today," he said, looking at the group. "We should return."

Alia gave him a long, thoughtful look before finally nodding.

"Agreed. Let's move."

Alistair remained silent, his gaze flickering between Lester and the beast.

And as they turned to leave, Lester smirked inwardly.

There are others gaze on them as they move back, as such magnitude of fight can draw out the attention of others.

But seeing that lester only dropped a single sweat after such a fight they decided to hold back their intentions.

As they don't know his true capabilities yet.

They have no idea how much I'm holding back.

Seeing others not stopping the group on their way back, they made their way back to the Royal black inn.