The Beast Territory

Chapter 111 — The Beast Territory

The deeper Aether traveled into the eastern mountains, the more dangerous the wilderness became.

His Origin Sense continuously picked up powerful presences.

Stage 6.

Stage 7.

Stage 8.

There were even several presences that Aether couldn't accurately determine because they were too far away.

He didn't care about the weaker ones.

His goal was simple.

Find powerful opponents.

Kill them.

Grow stronger.

And eventually expand his shadow army.

Aether suddenly stopped.

Three Stage 8 presences were approaching from different directions.

He smiled.

“They're territorial.”

The forest ahead shook.

Three enormous beasts emerged between the trees.

One resembled a black panther with crystalline claws.

Another was a six-legged wolf covered in gray scales.

The third was a gigantic serpent with a body thick enough to crush a tree.

All three stared at Aether.

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None of them attacked immediately.

Aether looked at them.

“Are you waiting for me to leave?”

The crystalline panther suddenly disappeared.

Aether's eyes narrowed.

Shadow Step.

He vanished.

The panther's claws passed through empty air.

Aether appeared behind it and struck its back.

BOOM!

The beast crashed into the ground.

At the same time, the scaled wolf charged.

Blackfang emerged from Aether's shadow.

The two wolves collided.

Ironhide appeared beside them and blocked the serpent's attack.

The valley erupted into battle.

Aether focused on the crystalline panther.

Its speed was impressive.

But after reaching Stage 8, Aether's perception had improved tremendously.

He could see its movements.

Predict its attacks.

And counter them.

The panther suddenly appeared beside him.

Aether turned.

His fist met its claws.

BOOM!

The beast was pushed backward.

Aether followed.

One strike.

Two.

Three.

The panther's defense finally broke.

Aether's palm struck its chest.

The beast fell.

[Stage 8 Origin Beast defeated.]

[Origin Points +70.]

[Origin Points: 140 / 1,200.]

Across the valley, Blackfang and the scaled wolf were still fighting.

Blackfang was repeatedly destroyed.

Each time, it returned from Aether's shadow.

The scaled wolf eventually became frustrated.

It couldn't understand how its opponent kept returning.

Ironhide had already forced the serpent into a defensive position.

Aether glanced toward them.

“Finish it.”

Blackfang attacked.

Ironhide followed.

The two shadows coordinated perfectly.

The scaled wolf fell first.

[Stage 8 Origin Beast defeated.]

[Origin Points +70.]

[Origin Points: 210 / 1,200.]

The serpent attempted to escape.

Aether's eyes turned cold.

“Don't let it.”

Blackfang vanished.

It reappeared ahead of the serpent.

Ironhide blocked its retreat.

The serpent turned toward Aether.

Aether was already there.

His fist struck its head.

The serpent's body crashed into the ground.

[Stage 8 Origin Beast defeated.]

[Origin Points +80.]

[Origin Points: 290 / 1,200.]

Silence returned to the valley.

Aether looked at his shadows.

Neither had been permanently harmed.

They had simply dispersed and returned to him whenever their manifested bodies were destroyed.

He nodded.

“Good.”

He extracted the Origin imprints from all three beasts.

The System displayed their compatibility.

[Crystalline Panther Origin Imprint — 86%]

[Scaled Wolf Origin Imprint — 81%]

[Mountain Serpent Origin Imprint — 78%]

Aether stored them.

His Origin Shadow Authority still couldn't create another manifestation.

But he wasn't worried.

Eventually, it would.

And when it did, he wanted his next shadows to be powerful.

Aether looked at the mountain ahead.

His Origin Sense detected something much stronger.

Stage 9.

His eyes narrowed.

“Interesting.”

He started walking toward it.