Chapter 240 — Final Mark of the Fallen

Evan stared at the bloodied claw gripping the edge of the pit.

The enormous ice spike he had dropped into the hole had shattered, yet the sight before him left little room for doubt. His opponent had survived.

He forced himself to stand, his trembling legs struggling to support his exhausted body. A frustrated expression crossed his face as the claw tightened around the rocky edge, pulling a massive figure out of the depths.

The Ironhide Bear dragged itself out of the pit, its bloodied claws scraping against the rocky edge as its enormous frame slowly emerged from the depths.

Or what remained of it.

Evan's eyes widened as the full extent of the damage came into view.

The beast's Earth Elemental armour had been almost entirely destroyed. Only a few fragments remained attached to its sides, while its exposed body was covered in deep wounds.

Ice clung to the damaged flesh, sealing several injuries and leaving the enormous creature shivering faintly from the cold.

Even its left arm was barely attached. The shoulder had been torn apart, leaving the limb hanging uselessly against its body.

Yet the most important change wasn't its injuries.

The crimson markings beneath its chest had nearly disappeared. Without the armour concealing them, Evan could finally examine their full structure. Thin lines stretched across the beast's chest, extending through its fur and into its exposed skin.

Buried within the damaged flesh were tiny fragments of wood, lodged beneath the crimson markings as though they had been driven directly into the beast's body.

Evan's gaze sharpened.

'Wood... Could the Goblin tribe really be behind this curse?'

He recalled the strange totem he had encountered before.

'Otherwise, why would something connected to a wooden object be embedded inside a beast that has nothing to do with goblins?'

He couldn't confirm the connection yet, but the resemblance was too suspicious to ignore.

Evan immediately ordered his undead bears to prepare for another fight. He also summoned the One-Eyed Bear and positioned it in front of himself. His body was too exhausted to rely on complicated tactics again, so he needed a reliable defensive line while his mana recovered.

The Ironhide Bear raised its head.

Its eyes were still bloodshot, but the crimson light that had consumed them earlier was gone.

Evan noticed the difference almost immediately.

The overwhelming aggression that had driven the beast into a frenzy was gone. Its breathing came in heavy, uneven bursts, and its enormous frame swayed as it struggled to remain upright.

Evan felt some of the tension leave his body.

'The curse has weakened... Did the ice spike damage the markings enough to suppress its Berserk state?'

He couldn't confirm it yet, but the sudden change was too significant to ignore.

The Ironhide Bear slowly turned toward the One-Eyed Bear.

There was no rage in its gaze.

Only a faint, unreadable intensity.

It released a low growl and began walking toward the undead creature.

Evan's expression tightened.

"Stop it."

Two undead bears immediately stepped into the Ironhide Bear's path.

Yet the wounded ruler made no attempt to attack. It barely acknowledged the undead bears blocking its path, continuing forward despite the immense effort each step demanded.

Its damaged body dragged across the rocky ground, its movements growing more unsteady with every stride. Still, its gaze remained fixed on the One-Eyed Bear.

Evan watched in silence.

Something was wrong.

He had expected the Ironhide Bear to lash out at anything approaching it, especially after the violence it had displayed under the curse. Instead, it passed between his summons without offering even the slightest resistance.

Evan cautiously moved his undead bears aside, allowing the creature to continue while keeping them ready to intervene.

The Ironhide Bear finally stopped before the One-Eyed Bear.

Evan remained behind his summon, prepared to issue an attack command at the slightest sign of danger. His undead had already begun surrounding the two creatures, forming a loose circle that could close in immediately if the ruler tried anything.

The Ironhide Bear lowered its head.

A quiet growl escaped its throat.

For a moment, the One-Eyed Bear stood motionless, its green-flamed eye fixed on the wounded creature before it.

Then the Ironhide Bear raised its left paw.

Evan's attention snapped toward the movement.

The One-Eyed Bear was steady, ready to retaliate, but Evan stopped it with a command.

"Wait."

He couldn't explain why, but the movement didn't resemble an attack. The Ironhide Bear had barely enough strength to remain standing, and there was no aggression in its eyes.

The Ironhide Bear slowly extended its enormous paw and pressed it against the One-Eyed Bear's chest.

A crimson blood mark bloomed beneath its touch, taking the unmistakable shape of a clawed paw.

Evan's brow furrowed.

'What are you trying to leave behind?'

Before he could examine it further, the Ironhide Bear lifted its head.

A powerful roar erupted from its throat.

ROOOOOOOOOAAAAARRRR!

The sound rolled across the valley, echoing between the rocky walls.

Then the roar ended.

The Ironhide Bear remained upright for another moment, its head held high as the final traces of crimson light beneath its chest faded into darkness.

Its trembling ceased.

Evan approached cautiously, keeping his attention fixed on the beast's chest. He waited for another pulse of crimson light, another movement, anything that might suggest the creature was still alive.

Nothing came.

He finally reached out and placed a hand against its fur.

The enormous body toppled backwards.

THUD!

Dust billowed across the rocky ground as the fallen ruler struck the earth.

Evan remained beside it for several seconds before murmuring, "It's dead..."

The Ironhide Bear, which had nearly crushed him and his entire undead army, had finally fallen.

Yet its final actions had left Evan with more questions than answers.

Evan turned toward the One-Eyed Bear. The crimson imprint remained on its chest, stark against its undead body. Yet the creature showed no visible reaction, standing motionless beneath the mark.

'Why him? What connects these two bears?'

The Ironhide Bear had ignored every other creature around it, even when Evan's summons blocked its path. Whatever its final intention had been, its choice of the One-Eyed Bear was deliberate.

Evan intended to investigate the matter later.

For now, he needed to confirm the results of the battle.

He was just about to open his status panel when something moved within the Ironhide Bear's chest.

The wooden fragments embedded in its wounds began tearing themselves free.

Evan immediately stepped back.

The wooden fragments tore free from the corpse and rose into the air, trembling as an unseen force pulled them away from the fallen beast.

Evan's eyes narrowed.

'So that's what you're trying to do... escape.'

Flames erupted from his hand before the fragments could travel any farther.

"Not a chance. You're not getting away."

Flames erupted from his hand.

The wooden fragments were swallowed by fire before they could travel far. Within seconds, their dark surfaces crumbled into ashes, which drifted toward the ground.

However, faint crimson pulses continued flickering among the remains.

Then they vanished.

A subtle wave of energy passed through Evan's body.

The exhaustion remained, but the oppressive weight that had burdened his strength since the beginning of the trial had noticeably diminished. His limbs felt lighter, and the resistance he had grown accustomed to seemed to have loosened its grip.

Evan immediately opened his status panel.

His suspicion was correct. The curse suppression had increased once again.

[Curse Effect Subjugation: 91.5%]

Evan's lips curved into a satisfied smile.

"Good. Destroying that cursed object was necessary after all. I wasn't expecting an additional reward."

The increase might have seemed small, but he could already feel the difference. His strength was recovering, and the oppressive restriction that had weighed on him since the beginning of the trial had weakened further.

He could now confront the One-Eyed Bear directly without needing to rely on elaborate tricks.

More importantly, the wooden fragments confirmed the curse was tied to something beyond the Ironhide Bear itself.

Before he could dwell on that discovery, another system panel appeared before his eyes.

[Mission: Defeat the Southern Region Boss: Ironhide Bear] ✅

[Reward:

• +2 Selection Points

• +1.5% Curse Effect Subjugation]

[Host's combat record has been evaluated.]

[Terra Bear × 371 Slained...]

[Terra Bear (Elite) × 1 Slained...]

[Ironhide Bear (Boss) × 1 Slained...]

[Cursed Totem's Fragments {N@%%R@ #PI@T Vessel} × 1 Slained...]

[Trial Evaluation has been increased...]

Evan examined the notification carefully.

The name attached to the totem fragments was unreadable, but he committed the information to memory. It might become useful when he encountered the Goblin tribe again.

The increase in his trial evaluation was also welcome. After the scale of the battle and the number of enemies he had eliminated, he expected his rating to have improved considerably, possibly reaching the S grade.

Still, he wasn't satisfied with that alone.

His gaze shifted to the two Selection Points.

'Only two? Better than nothing, I suppose.'

He closed the panels and looked down at the Ironhide Bear's enormous corpse.

The creature had been a nightmare to defeat. Its strength, Earth Elemental armour, and cursed Berserk state had forced him to sacrifice a significant portion of his army.

But now that it was dead, those same qualities made it an excellent addition to his forces.

'I need a stronger leader for my Terra Bears. Who could be better than a monster that stood above its own kind?'

Evan raised his hand.

Necrotic mana gathered around his palm.

[Raise Undead]

Dark energy surged forward and seeped into the Ironhide Bear's corpse.

For a few seconds, nothing happened.

Then the body twitched.

A faint green flame ignited within its lifeless eyes.

Necrotic energy spread through the corpse, seeping into torn flesh and damaged muscle. The wounds gradually closed as the ruined tissues reconnected, and even the gaping injury in its left shoulder began to mend.

Only when the corpse had been restored enough to move did the Ironhide Bear begin to rise.

It pushed itself onto all four limbs, its enormous frame towering over the surrounding undead. Beside the newly raised ruler, even the One-Eyed Bear appeared smaller.

Evan grinned.

The monster that had nearly overwhelmed him was now part of his army.

"All right. You gave me quite a pain in the neck. Now you'll be my mount until we reach the next region."

He climbed onto the Ironhide Bear's broad back and settled himself between its shoulders.

The undead beast lowered its body slightly, allowing Evan to find a stable position. Once he was ready, he pointed toward the route leading out of the Southern Region.

"Move."

The Ironhide Bear began walking.

Evan recalled the rest of his summons, leaving the valley behind as he continued toward his next destination. The battle had cost him a considerable number of undead, but adding the Ironhide Bear and every Undead bear would significantly strengthen his army.

Evan had raised all the corpses before leaving, as he wasn't willing to leave even one corpse behind.

As the enormous beast carried him toward the forest, Evan finally allowed his body to relax.

He lay against its broad back and looked toward the sky, opening the system interface that displayed the abilities available for purchase with his remaining Selection Points.

He had already decided which ability he needed.

[Ability: Edge Sense (SSS-)]

[Requirement: 1 Selection Point]

Evan studied the entry for a moment.

His next destination was the riverside grassland in the Eastern Region, where the Gale Leopard Alpha awaited him.

The Ironhide Bear had relied on overwhelming strength and durability. The leopard was a different problem altogether, specialising in speed and stealth.

Against such an opponent, raw strength would mean little if Evan failed to detect the attack before it landed.

His senses were already sharp, but he needed something more reliable against an enemy capable of approaching unseen.

Edge Sense was the obvious choice. With its ability to push his perception to the peak of Tier 0, it could give him the awareness needed to respond before the leopard's speed became a fatal advantage.

Evan didn't hesitate.

He spent one Selection Point and unlocked the ability.

A subtle change spread through his senses.

The forest seemed to sharpen around him.

He could distinguish the rustling of individual branches, the subtle shifts in the air brushing against his skin, and faint disturbances beneath the surrounding silence that he would previously have overlooked.

It was as though another layer of the world had opened before him, revealing details that had always existed beyond his awareness.

Evan closed his eyes and began adjusting to the change. Rather than allowing the influx of sensations to overwhelm him, he focused on separating them, identifying their sources and learning to distinguish meaningful movements from the constant background noise.

Wind moving through the leaves.

Small creatures shifting beneath the undergrowth.

The steady rhythm of the Ironhide Bear's footsteps.

Each sensation became clearer as he gradually adapted to the ability.

'This should make dealing with the Gale Leopard Alpha considerably easier.'

He continued refining his perception as the Ironhide Bear carried him toward the Eastern Region.

Meanwhile, far to the north, inside the same hut at the centre of the Grimbark Goblin tribe, a pair of eyes suddenly opened.

The being within sensed the change immediately.

Something precious had been lost.

Its aura surged through the hut, releasing a pressure that spread into the surrounding forest. The rustling leaves fell still, and the wind died away as though the forest itself had sensed the disturbance.

For a brief moment, everything stood silent.

Then the aura withdrew.

The wind returned, and the forest stirred once more.

But within the hut, the presence that had awakened was no longer what it had been before.