Terrifying Aura
Finn knew nothing good would come from letting the last of the apes escape. He had already slain its two companions—he understood perfectly that the surviving beast's hatred and rage were not to be underestimated.
According to the system, Four-Armed Golden Apes were notoriously savage. Once provoked, they would pursue vengeance to the bitter end. Worse still, they had a leader—and judging by their strength, Finn was almost certain that their chieftain was a Sixth Grade Vicious Beast: the Six-Armed Ape King. A creature whose might was said to rival that of a Sky Rank cultivator.
Finn was no fool. He knew exactly where his power stood—and what his limits were. If he allowed this ape to flee, it would almost certainly return with its leader, and then his own life would be forfeit.
He didn't hesitate.
In one explosive motion, Finn stomped the earth so hard it fractured beneath him. His entire being became wreathed in a violent, oppressive aura. Gripping his massive sword tight, he shot forward like a crimson meteor.
As he moved, a howling gale erupted around his body, and his golden eyes locked unblinking onto the ape's fleeing form as it bounded desperately from branch to branch.
The ape could feel the murderous energy bearing down on it. In sheer panic, it wrapped itself in its own aura and moved even faster, leaping wildly among the trees. Terror gleamed in its crimson eyes.
It had never imagined that the youth—who had seemed so ordinary at first glance—could be this strong. If they had known, they never would have dared ambush him.
But there was no medicine for regret.
All it could do now was run—run and survive long enough to find its king and beg for vengeance. The boy would pay dearly for the slaughter of its kin. Once the Ape King learned what had happened, Finn would never escape with his life.
But behind it, Finn closed in with every heartbeat. He wasn't lagging behind—not even close. On the contrary, the gap between them was shrinking with terrifying speed.
A cold blue light surged around his body—and in the next instant, Finn simply vanished. Not only his form, but even his presence disappeared without a trace.
The ape's heart seized with relief. It believed—foolishly—that it had shaken him off.
But before that relief could blossom into triumph, a sword erupted from its back, piercing clean through to its chest.
ROAR!
Its body locked up. A strangled roar tore from its throat, echoing in the darkness as agony convulsed through it. Crimson blood fountained from the gaping wound, splattering across the trees.
Its crimson eyes were filled with disbelief. Never—not once—had it imagined its life would end in the hands of a human.
It had killed many men before. To it, humans were nothing but meat. But now, in its final moments, it finally understood what it meant to be prey.
Finn ignored the monster's anguished cries.
With a steady breath, he hoisted the sword high—and brought it down in a clean, ruthless stroke, bisecting the ape from shoulder to hip.
He didn't even blink as the corpse split apart and toppled into the underbrush. He felt no pity—such sentiment was wasted on creatures like these. If he had been the weaker one, they would have torn him limb from limb without a moment's hesitation.
Murder was a sin. Killing had never been right or good because it was not right to put the life of another in the hands of anyone. However, in this world, murder was natural for Adventurers. Because if one does not kill or defend oneself, he would be the one to die. After all, there's a law in this world:
The weak are the food of the strong.
Power was the sole measure of worth. Those without it were nothing—forgotten, discarded, trampled.
Such was the brutal truth of this world.
Finn returned his sword to his interspatial ring. For a moment, he gazed down at the ape's corpse, expression unreadable—then he turned away.
Like before, he stripped the creature of its valuable parts, as well as those of its fallen kin. Once that was done, he resumed his endless hunt, vanishing into the depths of the ancient forest.
He needed more experience—more true combat. Even three Fifth Grade Vicious Beasts hadn't been enough to satisfy the hunger smoldering inside him.
The world of Adventurers was vast beyond imagining. And Sky Rank… was only the beginning.
He intended to climb all the way to the summit.
--
Hours later, long after Finn had departed, the forest began to darken once more. A Fourth Grade Vicious Beast soon crept out from the underbrush and began devouring the scraps he'd left behind.
This creature possessed an aura equivalent to a 9th Level Scarlet Gold Rank—and as it swallowed the flesh of the Fifth Grade beasts, its power gradually rose higher still.
Unseen, behind the trunk of a massive tree, a young man in golden robes watched in silent despair.
His heart felt as though countless needles were stabbing through it.
He could only stand there, helpless, as the beast gorged itself on the treasure he'd discovered first.
This young man was none other than Theo—the Tenth Prince of the Sacred Dragon Family.
He'd arrived before the creature, elated to find not just one but two Fifth Grade beasts slain and ripe for harvest. For a Scarlet Gold Rank Adventurer like him, every scrap of their flesh and bone was precious beyond measure.
He'd almost rushed forward to claim them—only for the Fourth Grade predator to burst into the clearing and begin devouring everything without hesitation.
Its massive jaws worked tirelessly, ripping apart the carcasses he had dreamed of claiming.
Theo clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white.
He longed to fight for them, but fear rooted his feet to the soil. He was only an 8th Level Scarlet Gold Rank. Facing that creature head-on would be suicide.
In the end, he could only swallow his bitterness.
With one last mournful look, he slipped away into the trees, moving on in search of other spoils. He still had twenty-nine days—time enough to try again.
--
Deep within the forest, inside a hidden cave, a fragrant aroma filled the air. Flames flickered brightly, illuminating the darkness.
Finn was roasting the haunch of a Fourth Grade Vicious Beast over the fire. The mouthwatering scent drifted across the clearing.
The meat came from a Scarlet Rhino Boar—succulent, nourishing flesh that even the most jaded adventurer would savor.
He devoured it with unrestrained hunger, two oily slabs clutched in his hands as he tore into them like a starving beast.
As he chewed, a pack of wolves emerged from the gloom, their eyes fixed on him with murderous hunger.
Finn glanced up and, for a moment, was struck by déjà vu.
He had seen this before—back in the Sacred Dragon Institute.
Back then, a family of wolves had watched him eat in near silence. Because he'd sensed no malice, he'd shared his meal with them. That was the day Xuan ambushed him—nearly ending his life.
The difference this time was obvious.
These wolves were far stronger, their fangs bared, saliva dripping onto the moss as they growled. Their intent was unmistakable.
Every one of them was a Fourth Grade Vicious Beast, ranging from 5th to 8th Level Scarlet Gold Rank.
Their bloodthirsty eyes tracked the meat in his hands, waiting for the right moment to lunge and rip him apart.
But Finn wasn't in the mood to slaughter them.
He simply released his full aura—a 5th Level Profound Rank—and let it wash over the clearing like a crashing tide.
Instantly, the wolves froze. Terror convulsed through their bodies.
They had planned to seize his meal, to make this human their prey.
Now they knew—if they attacked, they would die.
Slowly, they began to retreat.
One by one, they turned tail and bolted, disappearing into the darkness.
Even the lesser beasts nearby scattered in panic.
Finn didn't spare them another thought. He returned his attention to his meal, consuming the last of the roasted flesh.
No matter how much he ate, he never quite felt full.
Each bite of this meat brimmed with pure natural energy. He could feel his level inching forward, albeit slowly.
It wasn't much progress—but he was content.
Once he'd finished, he rose and stepped deeper into the cave.
He set a powerful barrier across the entrance to ward off intruders.
He did not summon his Myriad World Mirror tonight. Instead, he simply sat, closed his pair of golden eyes, and began refining the remnants of energy within him.
From the moment he had first entered this world, he had noticed the natural energy saturating the air. Though it wasn't as rich as that within the Myriad World Mirror, it was enough.
At last, he would have a chance to rest after a day spent in relentless pursuit of Fifth Grade beasts.
As he meditated, the energy flowed into him, filling every meridian until it became his own. Slowly, it gathered in his soulforce coil, bringing a soothing warmth that spread through his body.
He stayed like that until dawn.
When he finally opened his eyes, a thin veil of soulforce shimmered with each breath.
He was still a 5th Level Profound Rank—but stronger than he had been the day before.
He felt no frustration.
Reaching the next level would take time. No amount of impatience would change that.
Yes, he longed to reach Sky Rank. But even with all his treasures, he knew it would be at least two more years.
And he could never rely solely on pills—the more he used them, the weaker their effects became.
Yet, a thought flickered in his mind.
According to Kurt's memories, there existed a pill capable of dramatically accelerating one's level—a miraculous treasure said to be abundant within the Myriad World Mirror.
He had searched for it before—but found nothing. Not even the ingredients.
Vast swathes of the Mirror remained sealed behind an unbreakable barrier.
Finn sighed inwardly.
If he could claim those pills, none of this would be necessary.
But until that day came, he would depend on his own power—and whatever resources he could wrest from the Mirror's hidden vaults.
If he truly meant to avenge everything stolen from him and his clan, he would have to wait for the right moment.
And when that moment came…
He would show no mercy.
He was lost in these dark thoughts when a sudden explosion rocked the cave.
Stones rained from the ceiling as the walls shuddered.
Finn ducked and shot out of the cave, golden eyes narrowing.
His whole body went rigid as he felt it—two overwhelming auras pressing down on the forest like a pair of mountain peaks.
This was the first time he had ever felt something so powerful.
And he knew at once:
Both of them were Sixth Grade Vicious Beasts—each one as strong as a Sky Rank Adventurer.