— Some time later —
With sweat beads rolling down his face and onto his drenched clothes, Zar finally opened his eyes. A breath of relief escaped his chapped lips as he wiped off all the perspiration that had formed on his forehead.
*Ding!*
[Your Cultivation has consolidated in the 9th Layer Qi Condensation Realm!]
Hearing this System Notification, Zar revealed a satisfied smile. "To think that I went from the 2nd Layer to the 9th Layer of the Qi Condensation Realm within a year's time. The past me would've claimed this to be impossible if he heard it."
He was as cherry as could be!
At least, that was until he saw his remaining Lifespan…
"I have no choice but to hold off on attempting a breakthrough into the Foundation Establishment Realm for now," said Zar, his tone emulating his disappointment. "I should get back to farming."
The Grind waited for no man, and Zar was just getting started.
This new Path that the System laid out before him was his way forward!
In the blink of an eye, half a year passed.
Zar, standing a bit taller and appearing a bit more attractive, stood before the wide entrance to a pitch-black cave with depths unknown. Peering into the darkness, he detected the presence of several Half-step Rank 3 Demon Beasts, which put them at approximately the Half-step Foundation Establishment Realm—same as Zar.
"A group of such Demon Beasts have actually been hiding out in a place like this under everyone's noses," he frowned. "I just wonder how long that has been the case, and if there are other such Demon Beast hideouts."
Stepping foot into the darkness of the cave, the 16-year-old Zar was consumed by it. Seconds later, the crisp sound of swords clashing bounced off the cave's walls, sounding like a symphony of metal scraping metal.
A few minutes passed by extremely quickly.
*Tap, Tap, Tap*
"So this is the place?" asked an armored Therian, his facial characteristics that of a human and a cheetah. "This is where a horde of Viper Snakes are camping out?"
A different armored Therian—a woman with lightly feathered ears and hair—walked up to the first Therian.
"The Spiritual Tracker has designated this cave to be the right place, Garrick," she began. "And from the residual energy signatures drifting through the area, the information is certainly correct. There are Half-step Rank 3 Viper Snakes in there."
Garrick grinned courageously. "Good, then let's go, Celis. Everyone else as well! Let's get the Spirit Stones from the Quest!"
"Yeah!"
The party of six Half-step Foundation Establishment Realm Therians marched into the dark cave. Their weapons were at the ready, their walking formation organized in such a way that they could account for any multitude of enemy attacks.
However…
"Uhmm… Garrick," muttered a Leopard Therian. "Isn't this not right?"
Garrick's brows knitted together in discontent.
"I mean, what is this!?" The Leopard Therian added. "There are mutilated Viper Snake corpses all over the place; it's to a point extending far beyond a simple territorial dispute! This is a fucking massacre!"
And worst of all: whatever killed the Viper Snakes had done so just recently, meaning that… the culprit was likely somewhere nearby.
"Tch!" Garrick spat. "So what if this person killed a bunch of regular Rank 1 and Rank 2 Viper Snakes!? I could do that too!"
"But, sir," said an Elephant Therian holding a staff. "These were not all done by a single person."
"???"
Taking a closer look at the corpses scattered about, Garrick realized that the Elephant Therian was correct. The marks on the corpses varied too much to have been inflicted by the same person.
But were they not supposed to be the only Hunter Party taking on this Quest?
Why in the name of Legaria would there be another Hunter Party slaughtering Viper Snakes!? And who could possibly be capable enough to so efficiently end the lives of this many of them!?
*Clang! Clang!*
"???" "???" "???"
Suddenly attracted by the fast-paced sound of metal clanging against something extremely tough, the F-Rank Hunter Party Bravers looked to the source. That was when they saw sparks flying, with the energy levels in the cave's depths growing ever more potent.
"This aura…"
"How could it be so strong!?"
"And there are so many more auras equivalent to the power of the Peak Qi Condensation Realm! I count dozens of them—even a few just as strong as us!"
Even from so far away, the members of the Bravers Hunter Party could make out the silhouettes of shadowy figures bouncing all over the place within the darkness.
*Thump!*
Then they felt it.
The true power of the two-meter-tall figure standing in place in the center of the darkness.
SHWAAA—
"!!!" "!!!" "!!!"
Knocking them off their feet and sending them flying backward was a gust of Primal Energy that touched upon their primal fear factor. By the time they caught themselves, restoring their balance, the gust of Primal Energy had all but vanished.
The cave returned to calm.
"W… What the hell was that!?" The Leopard Therian threw his hands up in exclamation. "It felt like we were in the presence of a Foundation Establishment Realm bigshot!"
"And what happened to the other powerful presence—the one that smaller figure was fighting?? Why'd it just disappear!?" he continued. "That is unless…"
"It died," said Garrick, taking thundering steps toward the deepest depths of the cave. "Whatever produced that gust of Primal Energy killed what was most definitely the Horde Leader of this Viper Snake pack. And I plan to figure out exactly who it is."
"I-Is that truly wis—"
"Be quiet!" Garrick growled. "These people stole our bounty, and as such, they're obligated to explain themselves!"
"Very… very well, sir…"
Many sighed but still backed up their Party Leader. He was the strongest among them, after all.
"Hmm?" Zar turned his head in the direction of the Bravers Party, his expression frosting over.
Looking at a couple of his larger, more powerful Shadow Beasts—a Bear and a recently slain Viper Snake—he commanded, "You and you, go stop them for a second. I have something more important I must attend to."
The Shadow Beasts grunted and hissed, flickering to where Zar wanted them to go.
As for what he deemed more important than dealing with some obviously aggressive Hunters…
*Ding!*
[You have seized 20 years of Lifespan from an Apex Viper Snake (Half-step Foundation Establishment)]
[Lifespan: 16/505]