A New Guardian

Chapter 57 — A New Guardian

Aether's breakthrough had changed the atmosphere around him.

His Origin Energy felt denser.

His body felt lighter.

Even his senses had expanded.

[Cultivation: Origin Awakening — Stage 5]

[Origin Points: 0/500]

[Infinite Origin Physique: 0.39%]

[Potential: ∞]

Aether slowly clenched his fist.

Stage 5 wasn't the end.

It was another foundation.

He turned toward the forest.

"We're going back."

Lyra looked at him.

"Already?"

"We still have work to do."

Aria smiled.

"Of course."

But Nyx wasn't moving.

She was staring behind them.

Aether followed her gaze.

The Ironback Ape was still there.

The enormous beast stood between the trees.

It hadn't left.

Aether narrowed his eyes.

"Why is it following us?"

The ape slowly approached.

Lyra immediately gathered lightning.

Aether raised one hand.

"Wait."

The ape stopped several meters away.

It lowered its head.

Then it struck its enormous fist against its chest.

BOOM.

Once.

Twice.

Then it pointed toward Aether.

Aether understood the gesture.

"You want to follow us?"

The ape nodded.

Aria looked surprised.

"Can it understand you?"

"Apparently."

The system activated.

[Ironback Ape detected.]

[Cultivation: Origin Awakening — Stage 5]

[Potential: A-]

[Current hostility: None.]

[Loyalty tendency: High.]

Aether looked at the beast.

"You understand what I'm saying?"

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The ape nodded again.

Aether considered it.

A powerful Stage 5 beast could be valuable.

But he wouldn't accept a beast simply because it was strong.

"If you follow me, you follow my rules."

The ape remained still.

"No attacking people inside our territory."

The ape nodded.

"No unnecessary killing."

Another nod.

"And if you decide to leave, you leave."

The ape hesitated.

Then it nodded.

Aether smiled slightly.

"Then you can come."

The ape struck its chest again.

BOOM.

Lyra laughed.

"I think it likes that answer."

Aether looked at the giant beast.

"We need a name."

The ape stared at him.

Aether thought for a moment.

"Iron."

The ape tilted its head.

"Ironback is too long."

Lyra immediately said, "How about Gorn?"

The ape looked at Lyra.

Then at Aether.

Aether shrugged.

"Gorn it is."

The enormous ape gave another heavy chest beat.

BOOM.

Aria laughed.

"I think he likes it."

They returned to the cave before sunset.

Gorn's arrival immediately caused several beasts in the surrounding forest to flee.

Aether wasn't surprised.

A Stage 5 beast had a natural territory presence.

But the system provided another warning.

[Territory compatibility analysis.]

[Powerful beast detected.]

[Potential territory guardian.]

Aether looked at Gorn.

"Guardian?"

The system continued.

[A powerful allied beast can contribute to territory stability.]

That caught Aether's attention.

Gorn could potentially become part of the territory's defensive structure.

That was useful.

But Aether still needed the Territory Anchor activated.

He opened his storage space.

The crystal-tree relic appeared.

It immediately responded to Gorn's presence.

Silver roots appeared inside the crystal.

Then vanished.

Aether frowned.

"What was that?"

[Territory Anchor detected compatible defensive energy.]

[Guardian integration: Possible.]

Aether smiled.

"So that's another use."

The Territory Anchor wasn't simply a core.

It could eventually connect the territory to allied beasts.

That could make the territory much stronger.

But he wouldn't activate it yet.

He needed another 300 Origin Points.

And his current cultivation requirement had increased to 500.

That meant every future battle could serve two purposes.

Cultivation.

Territory development.

Aether liked that.

That night, Gorn remained outside the cave.

Aether didn't force the giant ape to stay inside.

Instead, he showed it the boundaries of the temporary territory.

Gorn walked around the perimeter.

The moment he reached the northern side, he stopped.

He stared toward the distant mountains.

Aether noticed.

"You sense something?"

Gorn growled.

The sound was low.

Not aggressive.

Warning.

Aether activated Origin Sense.

For several seconds, nothing appeared.

Then—

a faint pulse.

The same strange fluctuation.

Northern Origin.

Aether's expression became serious.

"Gorn."

The ape looked at him.

"If something enters our territory, don't chase it."

Gorn seemed confused.

Aether continued.

"Alert us first."

The ape nodded.

That was important.

A powerful guardian charging after an unknown enemy could expose the territory.

Gorn understood.

Aether returned to the cave.

Later that night, Aether cultivated.

His breakthrough to Stage 5 had stabilized.

He opened his system.

[Origin Points: 0/500]

He sighed.

"Back to zero."

Lyra, cultivating nearby, opened one eye.

"You'll fill it again."

"Eventually."

His attention shifted to another section.

[Infinite Origin Physique: 0.39%]

Still unchanged.

Aether wasn't worried.

The physique was growing slowly.

But he remembered his planned ability.

Once the physique reached 1%, his Infinite Origin Physique would begin allowing him to copy abilities by devouring a sufficient portion of an enemy's energy.

And once he copied an ability—

he wouldn't be stuck with its original limitations forever.

Continuous usage would allow the ability to evolve.

Aether looked at his status.

"Just a little further."

The system responded.

[Physique progression is dependent on Origin assimilation.]

Aether nodded.

He needed more battles.

More abilities.

More powerful opponents.

His path was becoming clearer.

Near midnight—

Gorn suddenly roared.

ROOOAR!

Aether's eyes opened.

Lyra and Aria immediately stood.

The formation activated.

[Foreign presence detected.]

[Distance: 142 meters.]

Aether drew the Executioner's Blade.

Gorn stood at the northern boundary.

His enormous body was tense.

But he hadn't attacked.

Good.

Aether moved toward him.

"Where?"

Gorn pointed into the darkness.

Aether activated Origin Sense.

Nothing.

Then—

a small figure stepped out from between the trees.

A young boy.

He appeared exhausted.

His clothes were torn.

Blood covered one side of his body.

He collapsed.

Aether's system analyzed him.

[Human detected.]

[Cultivation: Origin Awakening — Stage 2]

[Condition: Severe injuries.]

[Hostility: None.]

Aether approached carefully.

The boy's eyes opened slightly.

He looked at Aether.

Then whispered:

"Please..."

His voice was barely audible.

"Help..."

Aether looked toward the darkness behind him.

There were footprints.

Many of them.

Something had been chasing him.

Aether's expression became cold.

He didn't know who the boy was.

He didn't know what had happened.

But if someone had followed him into Aether's territory—

they had just made a mistake.

Aether looked at Gorn.

"Stay here."

Then he looked at Lyra and Aria.

"Get him inside."

He stepped toward the forest.

The Executioner's Blade rested in his hand.

The system activated.

[Hostile signatures detected.]

[Count: 6.]

Aether smiled faintly.

"Six."

He moved into the darkness.

Behind him, Gorn let out a low growl.

The hunt had begun again.