Ryan and Hank, driven by curiosity, wasted no time stuffing the remaining four Megaceph carcasses into the bloodveil bags.
They hoisted the three bloated bloodveil bags onto the Overload Juggernaut's broad back. The beast's bony plates, wide and flat, offered no resistance—this was what it was built for. Hank secured the bags near the tail, stacking them high before fastening them tightly with rope.
When they mounted up again, Ryan settled back against the bulging bags, letting out a satisfied grunt. "Damn. Better than riding bareback."
Hank snorted,"Just don't get too comfortable. Those bags slip, and you'll be eating dirt before you can blink."
"Come on, follow me."Leon kicked his Benthior into motion, leading Ryan and Hank forward.
It wasn't long before they reined in at the base of a rugged cliff, where a massive boulder leaned against the stone face like a drunken giant. Its edges didn't quite blend with the surrounding rock, and faint scrape marks on the ground hinted that it had been dragged into place—deliberately sealing whatever lay beyond.
Leon swung off the benthior and shot them a smug grin. "This is the place." He planted his hands against the boulder—easily taller than him—and shoved. The massive boulder shifted at once, grinding against the ground as it slowly rolled aside.
Ryan watched without surprise. By now, he'd seen enough enhancers display their strength—Leon was no exception.
"Cleared this place earlier,"Leon grunted as the boulder scraped open. "Beasts inside?Worth way more than Megacephs. I was bummed I couldn't take them back then—been mulling over how to haul them out ever since."
As the rock slowly rolled aside, a deep, shadowy tunnel came into view. The entrance was narrow—just wide enough for two people to squeeze through side by side.
Leon glanced over his shoulder. "I sealed it up so other beasts wouldn't find the bodies and gnaw them to the bone."
Ryan bit back a sigh. Aren't you supposed to be on a graduation trials? Why the hell are you so focused on making money?
Leon scanned his surroundings, picking up a thick dry branch.
He tore off some vines and bark, wrapping them tightly around one end of the stick to fashion a makeshift torch. From his pouch, he retrieved a small, sleek chip that emitted a faint red glow. Moving to the cave wall, he scratched it lightly, and in an instant, sparks flew, igniting the torch with a flicker of flame.
"Alright, get in. And don't forget all the Bloodveil bags," Leon said, holding the torch steady at the mouth of the cave.
Ryan and Hank scrambled off the Overload Juggernaut. Hank secured the beast to a gnarled oak with quick-release knots.
Ryan shot him a look. "You're not worried some wild beast's gonna snack on it while we're gone?"
Hank snorted. "Nothing in these hills can threaten this fat bastard. Ten Megacephs? It'd stomp 'em flat before breakfast."
As Ryan nodded, his gaze drifted to Leon's untethered Benthior.
Leon caught the look. "Can't fight for shit, but nothing outruns her. And she always comes back." He said, pointing toward the dark cave, his voice urging, "Stop wasting time. Move."
With that, Leon stepped into the darkness, torchlight flickering against the jagged stone. Ryan and Hank exchanged a glance and followed.
The moment they crossed the threshold, a wave of thick, coppery stench hit them like a slap—raw, cloying, and unmistakably blood.
Not far inside the cave still held enough light for Ryan to scan the area. His gaze snapped over the corpses slumped against the walls—beasts that resembled grotesquely oversized rats, their matted fur crusted with dried blood, razor claws still curled in death throes.
"Don't bother with the Spine Tail Rats. Waste of time," Leon said without looking back, his tone as indifferent as if he were dismissing discarded trash.
They pressed on, squeezing through a narrow bend where the last traces of daylight died. Leon raised his torch, casting jaundiced light that made shadows writhe like living things across the jagged stone.
As they moved deeper, the walls gradually widened, as if they'd passed through a tight choke point. Then, without warning, the passage opened up—revealing a vast natural stone hall. The torchlight, though unable to pierce the entire darkness, still cast enough glow to outline the jagged contours of the chamber. And in that sickly light, the horror came into view:
Carnage.
The walls bore deep, frenzied gouges. The floor was a carpet of mangled beast-corpses—some prone, some twisted skyward, limbs scattered like broken toys. The air hung thick with the metallic reek of fresh blood, so potent Ryan's saliva turned rancid.
Ryan turned to Leon, pupils dilated in the flickering dark. "You...did all this?" The words came out half-strangled.
Leon shot Ryan a glance, a cocky smirk playing on his lips. "The Wild Beasts here? Not worth a damn." He turned toward the cave's depths, amusement lacing his voice. "But there's one in there that gave me a little trouble. Almost got my clothes dirty."
Arrogant as hell—but Ryan had to admit, he was stunned.
It finally hit him. Leon had slaughtered all these Wild Beasts, yet his clothes were spotless—not a single drop of blood on him. How the hell did he pull that off? For a second, Ryan wondered if Leon had simply changed into a fresh set.
Leon savored Ryan's shocked reaction, his smirk widening.
He thrust the torch into Ryan's hands."Pick anything valuable here. I'll go fetch the dead bastard. Leave one bloodveil bag for me."With that, he strode deeper into the cave, swallowed by the shadows.
Ryan watched him vanish into the dark, then muttered, "Can he even see in there?"
Hank replied, "Most enhancers get night vision."