Chapter 174: The Hunting Grounds

Chapter 174: Chapter 174: The Hunting Grounds

Three days passed after Ronan’s return from the Western Anchor.

During that time, the Ashen Covenant’s specialists examined the six regulators he had recovered. Their findings confirmed that the crystals were originally components of the ancient anchor network, but the Hollow had modified them to collect and transport energy.

Unfortunately, they couldn’t determine the final destination of the extracted energy.

The inscriptions were too complicated, and several sections had been deliberately erased.

However, the specialists discovered something else.

The regulators weren’t all designed for the same purpose.

Some collected energy, others stabilized it, while the remaining crystals were responsible for directing the flow towards specific locations.

It was a considerably more sophisticated system than Ronan had initially imagined.

He wasn’t particularly interested in helping the Covenant understand every detail.

What mattered was that he had acquired six valuable ancient artifacts and enough information to continue his investigation.

More importantly, his body had completely recovered.

He was ready to hunt again.

---

Ronan stood inside the courtyard, examining a map spread across a stone table.

Several regions around the Ashen Reach had been marked.

The Western Anchor was located near the Black Veil Mountains, while the Eastern Sanctuary was positioned considerably farther south.

Between them lay several territories that had remained largely unexplored.

Arden stood opposite him.

"These regions are dangerous even for experienced King Realm warriors," he explained. "Some contain ancient ruins, while others are inhabited by creatures that have occupied the territory for thousands of years."

Ronan examined the map.

"Which region has the strongest creatures?"

Arden looked at him.

"You’re planning another hunt?"

"Obviously."

Arden sighed.

"There’s a place called the Shattered Expanse. It’s located northeast of the Ashen Reach, beyond the old mining territories."

He pointed towards a large section of the map.

"Several powerful creatures inhabit that region. Some are believed to have reached the Peak King Realm."

Ronan’s eyes brightened.

Peak King Realm?

Now that was interesting.

"What kind of creatures?"

"Mostly ancient beasts. There are also several intelligent races living around the outer territories, although their settlements are relatively small."

"Why hasn’t anyone claimed the region?"

"Because the creatures there are difficult to control. Several expeditions attempted to establish settlements, but most were destroyed."

Ronan smiled faintly.

"Sounds promising."

Arden looked at him.

"You should understand that the Shattered Expanse isn’t a place where you can casually hunt anything you encounter. Some creatures have territories extending across entire mountain ranges."

"I’ll keep that in mind."

Arden retrieved another document.

"There’s something else. A creature known as the Ironmaw Sovereign has been sighted around the northern cliffs."

Ronan examined the description.

It was an enormous beast with a metallic skull and four muscular limbs. Its body was covered in dark armor, while its jaw possessed enough force to crush the bones of powerful King Realm creatures.

"How strong?"

"At least Eight-Star King Realm. Some reports suggest it might be stronger."

Ronan’s interest increased.

"Does it have any special abilities?"

"According to the survivors, it can manipulate the metallic minerals around its territory and reinforce its body using them."

Ronan studied the illustration.

An Eight-Star or Nine-Star King Realm creature with mineral manipulation and an extremely durable body.

It was precisely the kind of opponent he needed.

"Where was it last seen?"

Arden marked a location.

"Near the northern cliffs."

Ronan memorized the position.

"Good."

He rolled up the map.

"I’m leaving."

Arden shook his head.

"At least take someone with you."

"No."

"Why?"

"Because I don’t intend to share the rewards."

Arden stared at him.

Then he sighed.

"I should have expected that answer."

---

The journey to the Shattered Expanse took almost an entire day.

The terrain gradually changed as Ronan travelled farther from the Ashen Reach.

The barren landscape gave way to enormous stone formations, scattered forests, and deep valleys.

Several mountain ranges stretched across the horizon.

The air was filled with different energy signatures.

Ronan activated Predator’s Perception.

Numerous creatures appeared within his range.

Most were relatively weak.

However, several possessed enough energy to attract his attention.

He continued forward.

Subterranean Perception allowed him to detect creatures moving beneath the ground, while Energy Tracking helped him identify older traces left behind by powerful beasts.

Eventually, he reached the northern cliffs.

The region was filled with dark metallic minerals.

Several enormous boulders had been embedded into the mountainsides, and the ground contained countless fragments of iron-rich stone.

Ronan stopped.

He could sense something powerful nearby.

Eight-Star King Realm.

The energy signature was enormous, but unlike the Abyssal Burrower, it wasn’t moving beneath the ground.

It was resting.

Ronan examined the surroundings.

Several smaller creatures were scattered across the cliffs, but none approached the central valley.

They were avoiding something.

He followed their direction.

After travelling for several minutes, he discovered a massive cave entrance.

The surrounding rocks were covered in deep claw marks.

Several bones lay scattered near the entrance.

Some belonged to creatures considerably larger than ordinary beasts.

Ronan crouched and examined one.

The bone had been crushed.

Not broken by an ordinary impact.

Something had applied enormous pressure until the structure collapsed.

He smiled faintly.

"Found you."

---

A low growl emerged from the cave.

The ground trembled.

Then a massive creature stepped into the sunlight.

It was considerably larger than the illustration Arden had shown him.

Its body was covered in overlapping metallic plates, while its head resembled an enormous iron skull.

Four muscular limbs supported its weight.

A thick tail dragged behind it, leaving deep marks across the ground.

Its jaw opened.

A metallic roar echoed through the cliffs.

Ronan examined it.

[Target Analysis Initiated.]

[Species: Ironmaw Sovereign.]

[Realm: Eight-Star King Realm.]

[Available Traits Detected.]

[Trait: Metallic Manipulation.]

[Trait: Ironhide.]

[Trait: Crushing Jaws.]

Ronan’s eyes brightened.

Three useful traits.

Metallic Manipulation was particularly interesting.

It could provide him with another way to control the battlefield, while Ironhide might improve his already considerable durability.

The Ironmaw Sovereign lowered its head.

Then it charged.

Ronan immediately moved sideways.

The creature’s enormous body tore through the ground.

A section of the cliff collapsed when it struck the mountain.

Ronan landed several meters away.

He activated Gravity Affinity.

The gravitational force around the creature increased.

Its movement slowed slightly.

But the Ironmaw Sovereign released a deep roar.

The metallic minerals scattered across the valley began vibrating.

Several enormous spikes emerged from the ground.

Ronan’s expression changed.

He accelerated.

The first spike missed him.

The second grazed his shoulder.

The third appeared directly beneath his feet.

He twisted his body, using Gravity Affinity to change his trajectory.

The spike missed.

But the Ironmaw Sovereign had already reached him.

Its jaws opened.

Ronan immediately raised his arms.

White Bone Skin hardened.

The creature bit down.

Crack!

A powerful force spread through his body.

Ronan felt his bones strain beneath the pressure.

The Ironmaw Sovereign lifted its head.

His body was suspended between its jaws.

"You’re quite strong."

Ronan released Impact Force.

A concentrated shockwave erupted from his body.

The creature’s jaw opened slightly.

He immediately used Burst Acceleration.

His figure slipped free.

He landed on the ground and retreated.

The Ironmaw Sovereign released a furious roar.

Ronan examined his arms.

Several injuries had appeared.

Its jaws were considerably more dangerous than he had expected.

He couldn’t afford to be caught again.

---

The Ironmaw Sovereign raised its head.

The metallic minerals scattered across the valley began moving.

Ronan immediately activated Predator’s Perception.

He could sense the energy gathering around the creature.

It was controlling the surrounding minerals.

The beast lowered its head.

A storm of metallic fragments shot towards him.

Ronan activated Gravity Affinity.

The trajectory of several fragments changed.

However, there were too many.

He accelerated towards the creature.

The remaining fragments struck the ground behind him.

Ronan reached its side.

Annihilation Force gathered around his fist.

He struck the metallic armor.

Boom!

The impact produced a deep vibration.

But the armor barely cracked.

Ronan’s expression became serious.

Its defensive strength was considerably higher than the Abyssal Burrower’s.

The Ironmaw Sovereign turned.

Its tail swept across the valley.

Ronan jumped.

The tail struck his legs.

He was thrown backwards.

His body crashed against a boulder.

The impact shattered the stone.

Ronan stood up slowly.

His expression had become colder.

The creature was strong.

Its metallic manipulation gave it excellent battlefield control, while its armor made direct attacks difficult.

But it had one weakness.

Its movements were relatively predictable.

Ronan needed to exploit that.

He examined the creature again.

The metallic plates covering its body weren’t equally thick.

Several joints around its front limbs were exposed whenever it attacked.

He had noticed that during their previous exchange.

If he could reach those joints, he might be able to damage its internal structure.

Ronan smiled.

"Let’s try something."

---

The Ironmaw Sovereign charged again.

Ronan waited until the creature was close.

Then he activated Gravity Affinity.

Instead of increasing the gravitational force around its entire body, he concentrated it around its right front limb.

The creature’s movement became uneven.

Ronan immediately used Burst Acceleration.

He appeared beside its exposed joint.

Annihilation Force erupted.

Boom!

The attack struck the same location.

A metallic plate cracked.

The creature roared.

Ronan retreated before its claws could reach him.

He repeated the process.

This time, he shifted the gravitational force towards its opposite limb.

The creature staggered.

Ronan accelerated forward and struck the damaged joint again.

Crack!

Several pieces of armor fell away.

A dark fluid emerged from beneath the plates.

The Ironmaw Sovereign released a deafening roar.

The surrounding minerals began vibrating violently.

Ronan immediately retreated.

A massive metallic spike emerged from the ground.

Then another.

And another.

The entire valley began transforming into a field of sharp metal.

Ronan’s eyes narrowed.

The creature wasn’t simply controlling individual minerals anymore.

It was manipulating the entire battlefield.

He needed to stop it before the terrain became too dangerous.

He activated Crushing Roar.

A powerful soundwave spread across the valley.

The smaller metallic fragments trembled.

But the larger structures remained stable.

The Ironmaw Sovereign charged through the metallic spikes.

Ronan immediately accelerated.

He avoided the first attack.

Then the second.

But the third struck his side.

Pain spread through his body.

He was thrown against the ground.

Before he could recover, the creature appeared above him.

Its jaws opened.

Ronan’s eyes narrowed.

He gathered Annihilation Force around both hands.

Then he activated Limit Break.

His physical strength surged.

He thrust both arms upwards.

The Ironmaw Sovereign’s jaws closed around his hands.

For an instant, the two forces collided.

Ronan’s muscles strained.

The creature attempted to crush his arms.

But he held on.

Then he released Impact Force.

A powerful shockwave erupted from within its mouth.

Boom!

The creature staggered backwards.

Ronan immediately rolled away.

His arms were badly injured.

But he had created an opening.

He stood up.

Gravity Affinity activated.

The metallic fragments scattered across the valley began moving.

Instead of allowing the Ironmaw Sovereign to control them freely, Ronan concentrated gravitational force around the creature’s damaged front limbs.

The metallic fragments shifted towards the exposed joints.

Then he suddenly increased the pressure.

The fragments slammed into the damaged areas.

Crack!

The Ironmaw Sovereign staggered.

Its front body lowered.

Ronan accelerated.

He appeared above its head.

Annihilation Force gathered around his fist.

This time, he didn’t strike the armor.

He targeted the exposed section near its eye.

Boom!

The creature’s metallic skull cracked.

A second attack followed.

Then a third.

The Ironmaw Sovereign released a final roar.

Its body collapsed.

The surrounding metallic fragments fell to the ground.

Silence returned to the valley.

---

Ronan stood beside the corpse.

His breathing was steady, but his injuries were considerable.

The battle had been more difficult than he expected.

The Ironmaw Sovereign’s defensive strength was exceptional, and its ability to manipulate metallic minerals made it dangerous even at a distance.

Still, he had won.

[Target Eliminated.]

[Trait Acquisition Available.]

[Metallic Manipulation.]

[Ironhide.]

[Crushing Jaws.]

Ronan examined the three traits.

Metallic Manipulation was the obvious choice.

It would give him greater control over metallic substances, allowing him to manipulate weapons, armor, and mineral deposits.

However, Ironhide also caught his attention.

His current defensive traits were already considerable, but improving his resistance to physical attacks would be valuable against opponents with overwhelming strength.

He considered the options.

Then he selected the first.

"Acquire Metallic Manipulation."

[Trait Acquisition Successful.]

[Trait Acquired: Metallic Manipulation.]

A strange sensation spread through his body.

His perception of the surrounding minerals changed.

He could feel the metallic substances scattered throughout the valley.

Their composition, density, and position became clearer.

Ronan raised his hand.

Several metallic fragments lifted from the ground.

He moved his fingers.

The fragments changed direction.

Then he compressed them into a single sphere.

Ronan examined the result.

The control wasn’t perfect, but the potential was considerable.

He could already imagine combining Metallic Manipulation with Gravity Affinity.

He might be able to create metallic projectiles, manipulate enemy weapons, or reinforce his surroundings.

He smiled.

"Not bad."

He then examined the other two traits.

Ironhide would be a useful defensive improvement.

Crushing Jaws was too specialized to interest him.

He selected Ironhide.

[Trait Acquisition Successful.]

[Trait Acquired: Ironhide.]

A warm sensation spread through his body.

His skin and underlying tissues became more resistant to physical damage.

He examined his arms.

The improvement wasn’t immediately dramatic, but he could feel the difference.

His defensive capabilities had increased.

Ronan looked at the corpse again.

The Ironmaw Sovereign had been a worthwhile opponent.

And he still had one more thing to collect.

---

Ronan began extracting the valuable materials from the creature.

Its metallic plates were extremely durable, and several internal organs contained concentrated energy.

He stored the useful parts.

Then he noticed something.

A small crystal was embedded beneath the creature’s skull.

It was darker than the surrounding minerals, and faint energy circulated within it.

Ronan removed it carefully.

The crystal released a pulse.

His palm mark reacted.

He frowned.

Another ancient fragment?

He examined it.

Unlike the regulators collected from the Western Anchor, this crystal didn’t contain the same inscriptions.

Instead, its surface displayed a single symbol.

A broken circle.

Ronan stared at it.

The same crest used by the Ashen Covenant.

He activated Formation Sense.

The internal structure became visible.

There was an energy channel running through the crystal, but it was considerably different from the regulators.

It appeared to be connected to something else.

Ronan activated Energy Tracking.

A faint trail emerged.

It extended towards the northern mountains.

He looked in that direction.

The energy signature was weak, but it was unmistakably connected to the ancient network.

The Ironmaw Sovereign hadn’t simply been living in the Shattered Expanse.

It had been carrying an ancient object.

Ronan placed the crystal inside his storage space.

He had found another clue.

And judging by the direction of the energy trail, there might be another ancient structure somewhere within the northern territories.

He looked towards the distant mountains.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"Seems like this place has more to offer than I expected."

He had come looking for powerful creatures.

He had found one, acquired two useful traits, and recovered an ancient crystal.

That was a productive hunt.

However, his injuries still needed attention.

Ronan turned away from the corpse.

He had no intention of pushing his luck.

There would be more opportunities to hunt.

And now that he possessed Metallic Manipulation, he wanted time to understand how it interacted with his other traits.

The next time he encountered a powerful opponent, he intended to be even more dangerous.

For now, the Shattered Expanse had provided exactly what he needed.

A stronger body.

A new way to control the battlefield.

And another trail leading towards the ancient anchors.