Chapter 273: Silver

The golden glow from the Earth Door slowly faded behind them.

Arthur glanced back one last time. The enormous stone doorway remained open, revealing the ancient passage descending into darkness.

And beyond it the underground city continued to glow with the golden lines they’d awakened, as if the entire ruin had come back to life simply because they’d opened the door.

He turned around. "Let’s go."

Vedas followed beside him, golden spear in hand. Star bounced along the ground behind them, occasionally changing its shape as it moved over the uneven stone.

Eden floated nearby, her small wings carrying her effortlessly through the passage. Mithra walked alongside them, her eyes constantly moving across the walls.

Sun stayed a little farther back, unusually quiet.

Arthur glanced at him. "You okay?"

"I’m thinking."

"About?"

Sun looked toward the enormous claw marks carved into the stone. "Whether going deeper into an ancient underground city is actually a good idea."

Arthur considered that for a moment. "No."

Sun sighed. "At least you’re honest."

Mithra giggled, and they continued descending, the passage gradually becoming warmer, the air changing first, then the stone beneath their feet, thin cracks filled with faint orange light beginning to appear along the walls.

Athena stopped beside one. "This isn’t natural heat."

Arthur looked over. "What is it?"

"The stone itself is warm." She placed her hand against the wall. "Something beneath us is producing an enormous amount of energy."

Luna looked down the passage. "Then perhaps we’re getting closer to the Earth Mirror."

He smiled. "Hopefully."

A strange sound suddenly echoed through the tunnel.

Scrape.

Everyone stopped.

Scrape.

Vedas immediately raised his spear. Mithra’s hand moved toward her weapon. Sun tightened his grip on his staff. Star stopped bouncing. Even Eden’s wings went still.

The sound came again, closer this time.

Scrape.

Arthur stared into the darkness. Then the wall beside them exploded.

BOOM!

Stone fragments flew across the passage, and a massive Beast burst through, resembling an enormous armored boar, its body covered in thick layers of dark green bark and metallic-looking plates, roots wrapped around its legs like muscles, two enormous tusks curving upward from its jaw.

The Chief Beast roared.

Arthur immediately stepped forward. "Wait."

Vedas looked at him as Arthur moved toward the Beast. It lowered its head, then charged. He waited until the last possible moment, stepped aside, the Beast’s tusk tearing through the space where his body had been, and reached out, his fingers brushing against its bark-covered shoulder.

His vision changed. The world disappeared, golden information appearing before his eyes.

[Species: Ironroot Ravager]

[Evolution Path: Ironroot Ravager → Steelroot Behemoth → Worldtree Crusher]

His eyes widened. Worldtree Crusher...

The Beast suddenly turned, and he jumped backward. "Now."

Mithra moved first, becoming a blur. The Ironroot Ravager swung its massive arm, and she slipped beneath it, her blade striking its leg, then its side, then its shoulder, disappearing before the Beast could turn. It roared and swung toward her.

Nothing.

She appeared behind it again. Another strike. It tried to turn. Again, she was gone.

Arthur immediately recognized what she was doing. "Keep moving!"

Mithra smiled. "I know!" She accelerated, and the Beast simply couldn’t keep up, its enormous body powerful, but every time it tried to turn she had already moved to another blind spot.

Kong charged from the opposite side.

[Nova Burst]

His fist slammed into the Beast’s chest, the bark armor cracking, the Ironroot Ravager staggering. Sun struck the ground.

[Point Shockwave]

The stone beneath its feet exploded, its legs buckling. Vedas rushed forward.

[Armor Piercing]

His golden spear struck directly into one of the cracks, the armor splitting. The Beast roared and swung its tusk, and he ducked beneath it while Mithra flashed past his shoulder, her attack striking the exposed joint.

Melo’s tails swayed, dream mist spreading across the passage, the Ironroot Ravager shaking its head, its movements slowing. Athy swooped down.

[Brave Light]

Golden light struck the Beast’s damaged armor, several plates shattering. Arthur saw the opening. "Vedas!"

Vedas charged. The Beast tried to turn toward him. Too slow. He thrust his spear forward.

[Blazing Spear]

Golden-red energy pierced through the exposed section, the Beast staggering. Kong struck its side. Sun followed with another shockwave. Mithra attacked its rear leg. The Beast finally lost its balance and crashed onto the stone floor.

BOOM!

Dust filled the passage. For several seconds, nobody moved. Then the dust settled.

The Ironroot Ravager was dead.

Arthur looked toward Vedas, breathing heavily. Then a familiar notification appeared.

[Level Up!]

[Goblin King]

[Level 28 → Level 29]

He smiled. "Twenty-nine."

Vedas looked at his hands. "One more."

"One more."

Star bounced excitedly. Eden clapped her tiny hands. Vedas smiled.

Then Arthur looked farther down the passage. They hadn’t reached the Earth Mirror. Not even close. "Let’s keep going."

They continued deeper, the temperature kept rising, the stone eventually becoming so warm that even Sun stopped complaining long enough to stare at the walls. "There’s definitely something down here."

Athena nodded. "The energy is increasing."

A low hiss suddenly echoed through the passage. Melo’s ears twitched. Arthur stopped.

Two glowing yellow eyes opened in the darkness. A long reptilian head emerged, then an enormous body crawled into view, red scales covering the Beast from head to tail, glowing orange cracks running between them, smoke drifting from its nostrils. The Emberjaw Basilisk opened its mouth, flames flickering between its teeth.

Sun stared at it. "Another Chief."

Arthur nodded. "Looks like it."

The Basilisk suddenly lunged, a torrent of fire erupting from its mouth, and everyone scattered. He rolled across the stone as the flames passed over him, the ground behind him turning black.

Melo moved forward, her tails spreading, dream mist flooding the passage, the Basilisk’s movements immediately slowing, its head shaking as its senses became confused. Mithra took advantage of the opening, flashing toward its side, three strikes landing before the Beast could react. Athy attacked from above.

[Brave Light]

Golden light struck its head. Sun slammed his staff into the ground.

[Point Shockwave]

The impact threw the Basilisk sideways. Kong charged.

[Nova Burst]

His fist smashed into its jaw, the Basilisk’s head snapping backward. Then its eyes suddenly locked onto Melo.

Arthur’s expression changed. "It knows where the mist is coming from."

The Basilisk opened its mouth, flames gathering, and Vedas immediately moved between them.

[Barrier Generation]

A barrier appeared. The fire struck it, cracking almost immediately. He dug his feet into the ground. "Get back!"

Melo’s mist thickened, the Basilisk’s vision blurring again. Mithra appeared behind it and struck the base of its tail. The Beast turned. Kong hit its shoulder. Sun struck its legs. Athy attacked from above. The Basilisk staggered from one attack to another.

Arthur watched carefully. Its scales were incredibly durable, but there was one weakness, the scales underneath its jaw thinner. He pointed. "Vedas! Under its jaw!"

Vedas immediately understood and rushed forward. The Basilisk turned toward him. Arthur activated his shield.

[Guardian Shield]

A golden dome appeared between them, the Basilisk’s jaws slamming against the barrier. Vedas moved beneath its head, and the moment its throat became exposed—

[Armor Piercing]

His spear drove upward, the scales cracking. The Basilisk roared. Melo’s dream mist flooded its senses, its movements becoming sluggish. Arthur stepped forward.

[Guardian Strike]

Golden light erupted from his mark, the Guardian’s force slamming into the Beast. The Emberjaw Basilisk was thrown backward, crashing into the wall, the stone shaking. It tried to stand. Its legs gave out. It collapsed.

Silence returned.

Arthur walked toward the corpse and placed his hand against its scales. His vision flashed.

[Species: Emberjaw Basilisk]

[Evolution Path: Emberjaw Basilisk → Magmahide Basilisk → Volcanic King Basilisk]

[Evolution Paths Analyzed: 56 → 57]

[Evolution Paths Discovered: 66 → 67]

He stared at the path for a moment. Another powerful evolution. He lowered his hand, then looked toward Vedas, standing still, a faint golden aura beginning to surround his body.

He immediately recognized it. "Vedas."

Vedas looked at him, his body glowing brighter.

[Level Up!]

[Goblin King]

[Level 29 → Level 30]

His eyes widened. "Thirty."

Vedas clenched his fist. "Thirty."

The moment he said it, his aura exploded outward.

BOOM!

Golden energy swept through the passage. Arthur took a step back. Vedas dropped one knee to the ground, his spear striking the stone as he caught himself.

Mithra immediately looked over. "Is he okay?"

Athena watched the energy surrounding him. "He’s breaking through."

Arthur’s expression changed. "Silver?"

She nodded. "He’s reached the threshold."

Vedas’s body began changing, golden markings spreading across his arms, his right arm gradually becoming covered in a dense layer of golden armor, his muscles thickening, his hand taking on more of the physical characteristics of his Goblin form, the pressure surrounding him continuing to increase.

Then—

BOOM!

The aura suddenly stabilized. Vedas slowly stood, his transformed arm remaining covered in golden armor. He looked at it, clenched his fist.

CRACK.

The stone beneath his feet fractured.

Vedas stared. Arthur’s eyes shone. "So this is Silver Rank."

Athena nodded. "The breakthrough occurs after the Beast reaches Level 30 and has completed the necessary evolution."

He looked at Vedas’s arm. "What exactly can he do?"

"A Silver Rank Beast Tamer can partially manifest characteristics of their Beast." She pointed toward Vedas. "Strength. Durability. Senses. Physical traits. Depending on the Beast, other characteristics may become possible as well."

His eyes widened. "So the Beast Tamer can use the Beast’s characteristics themselves."

"Exactly."

He looked at Vedas’s golden arm again, unable to help imagining his own arm taking on the same characteristics. A golden armored arm. The strength of Vedas. The durability. The physical traits of his Beast.

He smiled. "I want that."

Vedas looked at him, an amused smile crossing his face.

Mithra giggled. "You really like new abilities."

He didn’t look away from Vedas. "Of course."

Sun shook his head. "He’s already thinking about how to use it."

Arthur finally looked toward him. "Wouldn’t you?"

Sun paused. "...Actually, yes."

Arthur laughed.

Vedas slowly released his transformation, the golden armor disappearing from his arm, his body looking normal again. But the atmosphere around him had changed. He had crossed a boundary. He was no longer merely a Level 30 Beast. He was a Silver Rank Beast Tamer’s Beast, and that breakthrough had changed the connection between him and Arthur.

Arthur could feel it. The bond between them seemed stronger. Clearer. Vedas could feel Arthur’s presence more distinctly as well.

Arthur looked down at his own hand. A faint silver light shimmered across it. Then another notification appeared.

[Silver Rank Breakthrough Available.]

His eyes narrowed, the light around his body beginning to gather.

Vedas looked at him.

Arthur smiled. "So it’s my turn."

The silver light intensified. For a moment, the entire passage seemed to disappear beneath its radiance. Then the light settled, and he felt something change inside him, the connection between him and Vedas deepening. He could feel the Beast more clearly than before. Not his thoughts. Not his emotions. His presence. His strength. The characteristics carried through their contract.

He slowly raised his arm and focused. Golden markings appeared across his forearm, a thin layer of golden armor forming over his skin. He stared, then clenched his fist. The stone beneath his feet cracked, his smile widening.

Mithra’s eyes sparkled. "Arthur..."

He looked at his arm. "I can do it."

Vedas smiled proudly.

Arthur looked toward the darkness ahead. The Earth Mirror was still waiting somewhere beneath them.

But now he wasn’t the same Arthur who had entered the ancient passage. He had finally stepped into Silver, and for the first time he understood what that meant.

The next stage wasn’t simply about becoming stronger. It was about becoming something that could fight with his Beast in an entirely different way.

He lowered his arm. "Now..." He looked deeper into the passage. "...let’s see what Silver can really do."

...

Arthur turned toward the dark passage ahead. The warmth from the Basilisk’s chamber had begun fading, and beyond it the tunnel descended even farther. He tightened his grip on Dusk. "Alright."

Vedas lifted his spear. Mithra smiled. Kong cracked his knuckles. Melo’s tails swayed. Athy spread her wings. Sun sighed and picked up his staff.

Arthur took the first step. "Let’s see what’s waiting for us down there."