The night mist swirled thickly, obscuring my vision. I couldn't clearly see the face of my opponent, but his massive silhouette left no doubt—this was a Behemoth.
Who could it be?
But survival left no room for thought. If that punch landed, my half-mastered Heavenly Thunder Armor wouldn't save me. Against such overwhelming force, I'd be pulverized into paste.
I had no choice but to gamble. Channeling the last of my dark energy into my fists, a faint black aura shimmered around them. I adopted the same reckless stance as before—a direct clash. (Only later, after countless battles where I suffered for this brute-force approach, would I learn the value of technique.)
My twin fists met the enemy's single strike.
BOOM—!
The impact tore through me like a landslide. I was hurled backward, blood spraying from my mouth as I crashed five meters away. Without the dark energy reinforcing my body, that single blow would have shattered me.
Yet, for some reason, my attacker didn't press his advantage. Another strike would have ended me. Gritting my teeth, I forced myself up, swaying before steadying myself. Another mouthful of blood splattered the ground.
The figure let out a surprised "Huh?"
I lifted my head—and froze.
The enemy who had nearly killed me… was my father.
"...Father?" My voice was hoarse. "Why...?"
A satisfied grin spread across his face. "To think you could withstand two of my punches. Good. I can entrust this mission to you with confidence."
Mission?
"My first strike used ten percent of my strength," he said. "The second added another ten. I expected you to stay down. Yet here you stand." He eyed me appraisingly. "You've trained well."
So that's why he seemed surprised.
Inside, I laughed bitterly. This is my father? Testing his son's life like this? Had I been slightly weaker, I'd be joining Grandma in the afterlife.
"What was that black aura around your hands?" Father suddenly demanded.
My heart lurched. Grandma's warning echoed in my mind: "Never let your father know about the Demonic Art Code."
I feigned confusion. "Black aura? It must have been the darkness playing tricks."
Father, never one for deep thought, simply frowned and moved on. "Enough. Return to your quarters. Tomorrow morning, report to me. You have a mission."
I nodded calmly. "Understood."
Then, clutching my aching body, I walked away.
The resilience of a Behemoth's body was no myth. By dawn, my injuries had mostly healed—a testament to my completed first stage of Heavenly Thunder Armor and my natural physique.
But one question gnawed at me: What mission?
Sending me to lead troops made no sense—my older brothers were all available. And with Father's influence, most matters in the Beastmen Kingdom could be settled with a word. So why me?
With trepidation, I knocked on Father's door.
"Enter."
Inside, Father sat imposingly behind his desk, eyes sharp as blades. I met his gaze evenly, my expression unreadable.
"Lei Xiang," he began, "you've grown. For years, I thought you worthless. But since your berserk episode four years ago, you've proven yourself. Though you lack your brothers' stature, your strength rivals theirs—your potential may even surpass them."
He leaned forward. "The Beast King has assigned me a critical task. I'm sending you."
So it's a direct order from the Beast King himself.
My face remained impassive. "What is the mission? I will complete it."
Beneath the calm, my resolve hardened. I'll overcome any obstacle. I'll become the strongest—strong enough to make Father regret everything. Especially Grandma's death.
The memory of her murder sent a flash of hatred through my eyes—quickly buried. I'd learned to conceal my heart since her passing. No one would glimpse my true thoughts until I was powerful enough to act.
But the seed of vengeance was sown. I will have justice for Grandma.
Father smirked. "Good. Worthy of my blood." He gestured to a map. "The Beast King wants a spy planted among the humans. You know our weaknesses—no magic, few brilliant tacticians. Your task is to infiltrate their ranks, steal their military strategies and magical knowledge."
Infiltrate the humans?
"You're sixteen," Father continued. "And crucially, you bear human blood. Your appearance will let you blend in. I give you five to ten years. Learn everything. Then, we'll spend a decade preparing our forces. When the time comes—" His eyes gleamed. "—this continent will belong to the Beastmen."
He leaned closer. "Succeed, and the title of Behemoth King is yours."
I absorbed his words. The Beast King wasn't as foolish as I'd thought—he recognized our race's flaws. This plan was shrewd. And for me… it was an opportunity. Human knowledge could make me stronger.
Despite everything, I was still part Beastman. Their rise would be my rise.
"I won't fail you, Father."
The next day, I stood before the Beast King in his towering palace. The狮人 (Lionman) ruler studied me with piercing eyes.
"So this is your youngest,雷奥 (Lei Ao)? If you hadn't told me, I'd swear he was human."
Father bowed. "His mother was human, Your Majesty. He inherited her looks… and my strength."
The Beast King nodded approvingly. "Perfect. The humans will never suspect." His gaze locked onto mine. "The future of our people rests on your shoulders, boy. Don't disappoint us."
"I pledge my life to this mission, Your Majesty."
Afterwards, Father clapped my shoulder—a rare gesture. "Make our clan proud."
I simply replied, "Yes, Father."
For the next month, I trained with human merchants, mastering their customs and language. My progress stunned them—what they'd planned to teach in three months, I absorbed in one.
With each lesson, my fascination with the human world grew. After all, one-quarter of my blood was theirs. What is my mother's homeland truly like?
Then came the day of departure.
Father handed me a dossier. "Memorize this. You leave tomorrow."
The papers detailed my new identity: Lei Xiang, 16, orphaned son of a craftsman from the village of洛母 (Luo Mu). The backstory was flawless—which meant the real Lei Xiang had likely been killed. Typical of Father's methods.
As I packed, I visited my mother one last time.
Her hollow eyes barely registered my presence until I mentioned my destination: "I'm going to the人类帝国 (Human Empire)."
She jolted upright. "Truly?" For the first time in years, emotion flickered in her gaze.
Then, trembling, she pulled a small blue-hued bell from beneath her mattress. Tears fell as she pressed it into my palm.
"Find a man named林风 (Lin Feng). Give him this. Tell him…玲玲 (Ling Ling) is sorry."
She collapsed into sobs. As I turned to leave, she suddenly clasped a silver necklace around my throat—a delicate amethyst dragon pendant.
"I never cared for you. Consider this payment."
Her words shouldn't have hurt anymore. Yet as I strode away, the crystal dragon bit into my clenched fist, drawing blood.
The journey to the human border was a baptism in blood.
Bandits and slavers infested the Beastmen lands beyond the capital. I slaughtered them all—hundreds, perhaps. Their deaths taught me why we Beastmen, despite our physical superiority, remained the weakest of the三大种族 (Three Great Races).
Lawless savagery breeds only chaos.
At the人类要塞 (Human Fortress) of斯特鲁 (Stru), I played my role perfectly—a traumatized merchant, sole survivor of a兽人 (Beastman) raid. The sympathetic guards ushered me inside.
My first steps into human territory stunned me. The streets teemed with orderly commerce, so unlike our lands. And the women…
Their bold stares made my face burn. According to my tutors, my human-like handsomeness would attract attention—but I hadn't expected such brazenness.
That night in my inn, I unfolded a map. 3900 kilometers to龙城 (Dragon City), home of the天都学院 (Celestial Academy).
Three months until the entrance exams.
As I meditated, channeling the Demonic Art Code's dark energy, a realization struck: My progress has accelerated since the killings.
Unknown to me, the Code thrived on carnage. Each death fed its power.
And this was only the beginning.