Chapter 241 — The Eastern Region

Deep within the forest, an enormous bear moved steadily toward the east.

Its heavy paws crushed fallen branches and scattered loose stones with every step. The trees swayed faintly as the massive creature passed beneath them, while smaller animals and insects fled from its approaching presence.

A figure rested comfortably on its broad back.

His eyes were tightly shut, and from a distance, he looked as though he had fallen asleep during the journey.

But Evan was anything but asleep.

He was refining his newly acquired ability.

[Edge Sense]

The SSS- Rank ability had already begun changing the way he perceived the world. Rather than merely sharpening his existing senses, it allowed him to detect subtle disturbances in his surroundings, interpret approaching threats, and react to danger before his conscious mind could fully process it.

However, Evan wasn't satisfied with simply understanding its basic functions.

He wanted to know precisely what he had acquired.

He opened his system interface and brought up the ability's detailed information.

After plundering various abilities and talents throughout the Expanse, he hadn't always had time to properly examine each acquisition. Now that he finally had some breathing room, he intended to make full use of it.

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[Edge Sense] — SSS- Rank

Type: Sensory | Combat Instinct | Reactive Perception

Description:

A transcendent ability that sharpens awareness to the absolute brink of life and death. The user can feel the edge of every killing intent, movement, or fluctuation in space before it strikes—moving instinctively without conscious thought.

Effects:

• Grants near-precognitive perception of lethal intent and trajectory within 50 meters.

• Reaction speed and motor response increase by 300% when danger is detected.

• Automatically guides defensive or offensive manoeuvres for one instant when survival probability drops below 10%.

• Passive enhancement to all sensory skills (+75% effectiveness)

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Evan read through the description carefully.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

'This is impressive.'

An ability that could detect lethal intent and predict an attack's trajectory was already valuable. But the automatic response when his survival probability fell below ten percent was arguably its most remarkable feature.

It wasn't simply an enhancement to his senses.

It was an additional layer of protection that could intervene when his own reactions weren't fast enough.

For someone who regularly faced enemies stronger than himself, such an ability was almost as important as his elemental abilities.

'Those destined and favoured ones really are treasure troves of rare abilities and talents.'

He couldn't help but think about the individuals whose abilities he had acquired.

He still didn't know how much time had passed outside the trial, but every moment he remained trapped here gave his opponents another opportunity to grow.

And once he escaped, he had several important matters to deal with.

'I wonder where Arven is. Perhaps he's been sealed away along with my other abilities. But is it really possible for the system to seal him as well?'

The thought lingered for a while before Evan dismissed the interface.

There was little point in speculating without any information.

He returned to practising Edge Sense, gradually familiarising himself with the countless sensations entering his awareness. Whenever his mana recovered, he summoned three Skeleton Warriors beside him and sent them back into storage.

His undead reserves had taken a severe hit during the battle against the Ironhide Bear.

He couldn't afford to enter another regional confrontation with such a depleted army.

Fortunately, his mana recovered quickly, allowing him to replenish his Skeleton Warriors without slowing the journey too much.

Evan occasionally opened his eyes to examine the surroundings.

The forest remained dense, with enormous trees stretching toward the sky and thick vegetation covering much of the ground. He still had no clear idea how long it would take to reach the Eastern grassland.

And there was another concern.

The territory between his current position and the grassland was not entirely safe.

The chances of encountering the Grimbark Goblin tribe were considerably high.

'I hope I don't run into a group of them, let alone an entire hunting party.'

His current priority was to eliminate the second regional ruler before confronting the Goblin tribe. After that, he could proceed toward the final boss and eventually deal with the hidden ruler.

His gaze shifted toward the distant western horizon, where the towering silhouette of Skypeak Mountain remained visible between the trees.

He lightly stroked the Ironhide Bear's back.

"Move a little faster."

The enormous undead beast responded by increasing its pace.

Its heavy footsteps continued to shake the ground, but Evan was quite satisfied with his new mount. A creature of this size and strength would be an enormous asset in future battles.

Moreover, he now possessed an elite and a boss card among his undead forces.

His army was gradually becoming more formidable.

Evan closed his eyes again, allowing Edge Sense to expand his perception. He concentrated on distinguishing individual sounds and presences rather than absorbing everything indiscriminately.

The wind moving through the leaves.

The occasional rustling beneath the undergrowth.

The rhythmic footsteps of the Ironhide Bear.

Each sensation became easier to recognise as he continued practising.

...

Several hours passed.

Night gradually gave way to dawn, and the first rays of sunlight filtered through the forest canopy.

Evan opened his eyes.

The surroundings had changed.

Although he was still within the forest, the number of trees had noticeably decreased. The vegetation was becoming less dense, and the ground ahead appeared more open than the terrain he had travelled through during the night.

He sat upright on the Ironhide Bear's back and surveyed the area.

Nothing particularly unusual stood out.

So he closed his eyes again.

[Edge Sense]

His perception expanded.

Fifty metres.

The surrounding world gradually unfolded within his awareness. He could distinguish the wind brushing against the vegetation, the steady movement of the bear beneath him, and several faint sounds hidden beyond the trees.

Then he noticed something else.

Water.

A faint, continuous sound of flowing water reached his awareness.

Evan's eyes opened.

'A river?'

He immediately directed the Ironhide Bear toward the source.

After travelling a short distance, the trees finally began to thin out, revealing a vast river cutting through the forest.

Its waters flowed steadily between the two banks, stretching far beyond what Evan could see.

And across the river...

A grassland.

An enormous expanse of open terrain stretched toward the horizon, broken only by a few scattered patches of trees and shrubs.

Evan's expression relaxed.

He had finally reached the Eastern Region.

More importantly, he hadn't encountered a single Goblin throughout his journey.

'Good. At least I managed to stay away from their settlement.'

His gaze moved toward the grassland.

This was the territory ruled by the Gale Leopards.

Unlike the other regions, the Eastern grassland was one of the few places where the Goblins hadn't established complete control. The beasts inhabiting this area possessed extraordinary agility, with some capable of moving two or even three times faster than the average Goblin.

Their hunting methods were equally troublesome.

Gale Leopards were built for speed and stealth. Their lean bodies allowed them to move through tall grass with barely any disturbance, while their natural camouflage made them difficult to distinguish from the surrounding vegetation.

A careless traveller might not even realise that one was approaching.

And by the time they did, the predator would already be upon them.

Evan examined the opposite bank for a moment before recalling the Ironhide Bear.

Its enormous presence was far too conspicuous.

If he entered the grassland riding a creature of that size, he might frighten away the very beasts he intended to hunt.

He needed bait.

Something that looked weak enough to attract a predator.

He planned to summon an ordinary Undead Bear.

The creature was considerably smaller than the Ironhide Bear, making it a more suitable mount for the task.

Evan looked toward the river.

It was too wide and deep to cross by swimming. Even if he could manage it, doing so would waste time and expose him to unnecessary risks.

He extended his hand.

A faint chill spread from his palm.

Mist-like frost gathered around his fingers before flowing toward the river. The surface began freezing almost immediately, a thin layer of ice spreading outward from the point of contact.

Evan watched it for a moment.

Then he smirked.

'Not enough.'

He poured more mana into the ability.

The freezing spread rapidly, covering a much larger section of the river. Within moments, a broad stretch of its surface had become solid ice.

Evan stepped backwards, creating some distance before lowering his body.

Then he ran.

His feet struck the frozen surface, and he immediately pushed himself forward again, leaping toward the opposite bank.

Behind him, the ice fractured.

Cracks spread across the frozen layer as the force of his landing and departure destabilised the surface. Large sections broke apart and sank into the water, while others drifted away with the current.

But Evan had already reached the other side.

He didn't even look back.

The remaining ice would eventually melt or disappear beneath the river, leaving little evidence that anyone had crossed.

He had no intention of leaving an obvious trail for the Goblins to follow.

He would deal with their tribe later.

For now, the Eastern ruler came first.

Evan stepped away from the riverbank and entered the grassland.

The change in scenery was immediate.

The open terrain allowed the wind to travel freely, sending waves through the tall grass. Without the dense canopy overhead, sunlight spread across the landscape, illuminating the scattered patches of vegetation.

He summoned the ordinary Undead Bear and climbed onto its back.

The creature began walking.

Evan intended to present himself as an easy target, allowing the grassland's predators to approach him naturally.

He had barely travelled half a kilometre when something changed.

The wind continued blowing, yet the atmosphere around him seemed to grow strangely still.

An uncomfortable sensation brushed against his instincts.

Evan remained relaxed on the bear's back.

His expression didn't change, but his perception had already expanded several metres around him, scanning the surrounding grass for the slightest disturbance.

Then he detected something.

A faint tremor.

West of his current position, somewhere ahead.

He didn't turn his head.

Instead, he continued forward at an ordinary pace, allowing the Undead Bear to move leisurely through the grassland.

Far ahead, a creature lay close to the ground.

Its body was almost entirely concealed beneath the tall grass, with only its eyes visible between the blades. It watched Evan approach, following every movement of the figure riding the bear.

The prey appeared careless.

It showed no signs of having noticed the predator stalking it.

The creature remained still.

Patiently waiting.

Meanwhile, Evan continued his journey.

The presence gradually drew closer.

Ten metres.

Then closer still.

He could feel it shifting through the grass, moving around his western side before slowly approaching from behind.

'Quite fast... and remarkably silent.'

For a moment, he had suspected a Goblin hunting party.

But this movement was different.

'I think I know what it is now.'

A faint smirk touched his lips.

He continued forward without changing his posture.

The predator had been following him for nearly half an hour. Throughout that time, Evan hadn't heard a single clear footstep or any significant disturbance in the grass.

Even with his enhanced senses, the creature had managed to remain remarkably quiet.

Then came the moment.

A faint sound of movement reached his ears.

A shadow leapt from behind.

It descended toward Evan's head, its body cutting through the air with enough speed that an ordinary target might never have realised what was happening.

But Evan wasn't an ordinary target.

His Edge Sense had already registered the attack.

The predator's position, its trajectory, the movement of its limbs, even the faint sound of its breathing had become clear within his perception.

He remained seated.

The shadow descended.

And just as it reached him, Evan's right hand moved backwards.

His fingers closed around the creature's neck.

The attack stopped instantly.

Evan held the beast suspended in the air with one hand, its body struggling violently within his grip.

Only then did he turn his head.

As expected, the creature matched one of his earlier suspicions.

A Gale Leopard.

Its body was slender and lean, built for speed rather than brute strength. Black spots covered its pale greenish fur, giving it a natural camouflage that blended remarkably well with the grassland.

Its sharp teeth were exposed in a furious snarl, while its claws scratched against Evan's arm in an attempt to break free.

The creature struggled with surprising force.

But it couldn't escape his grip.

Evan examined it briefly.

"So, you're the impatient one, huh? Well, no worries. You'll be the beginning of my conquest."

The leopard growled and twisted its body, trying to tear itself free.

Evan didn't flinch.

His attention had already shifted toward its physical structure.

'As expected, the beasts inhabiting this region are fundamentally different from the Terra Bears.'

The distinction was obvious.

Terra Bears possessed overwhelming physical strength and exceptional durability. Their bodies were built to withstand attacks, making them formidable opponents in prolonged battles.

Gale Leopards were the opposite.

Their physiques prioritised speed, agility, and stealth. Their bodies were considerably more fragile, nowhere near one-tenth as durable as those of the Terra Bears.

But that weakness was balanced by their extraordinary mobility.

They were hunters designed to strike before their prey could react.

Unfortunately for this one, its prey had already reacted.

Evan's expression remained calm as he channelled mana into his hand.

A thin layer of frost appeared around his fingers.

Then it spread.

Ice crawled across the leopard's neck, covering its shoulders and rapidly extending through its entire body. The beast struggled for a few seconds, but the freezing continued until its movements stopped completely.

Within moments, it had become an ice sculpture.

Evan released his grip.

The frozen body struck the ground and shattered into several pieces.

A faint bloodstain spread across the grass.

At almost the same moment, a series of notifications appeared before his eyes.

[You've slain Gale Leopard ×1...]

[Condition satisfied...]

[New Linked Mission Generated...]

[Mission: Defeat the Eastern Region Boss: Gale Leopard Alpha]

[Description: You have entered the Eastern Region of the Ancient Forest. By killing a member of the Region's dominant species, you have initiated a conflict with its ruler.

Aiming to dominate, you've begun the conflict with the Region Ruler.

Defeat the Gale Leopard Herd and the Leopard Alpha to gain control over this Region, bringing you one step closer to the Path of Tyrant.]

[Reward:

•Determined by Challenger's Performance]

Evan glanced through the notification.

As expected, the system had generated another regional conquest mission, just as it had after his first kill in the Southern Region.

He closed the panel without giving it much thought.

There wasn't much to learn from it.

His attention returned to the shattered remains on the ground.

A sigh escaped his lips.

'Hah... I was trying to look cool, and ended up destroying another summon.'

He glanced at his hand before looking ahead.

The first encounter had gone smoothly, but he wasn't under any illusion that the entire region would be this easy.

The creature he had just killed was only an ordinary Gale Leopard.

The true ruler was still somewhere within this vast grassland, and its herd would undoubtedly be far more troublesome than a single predator.

Still, one problem had already been resolved.

He now knew he was inside the Gale Leopard's territory.

And he no longer needed to worry about accidentally wandering into another beast's domain or encountering a Goblin patrol along this stretch of land.

Evan stepped forward.

His conquest of the Eastern Region had begun.