"Why did he leave?"
Seeing Smith walk away without a word, Xiaoyue frowned, confused. "General Kong, he saved us. We should at least thank him."
"Miss, it's not that I don't want to thank him," Kong Changxing said, sighing. "But he left on his own. I doubt he wants our gratitude. If I had to guess, he probably looks down on us."
Although he hadn't witnessed the battle firsthand, the fact that the terrifying Starfall Tiger King had fled the moment Smith appeared spoke volumes. That level of deterrence could only come from overwhelming strength.
"That man… he's the one who will save Tai'an City," Xiaoyue said softly.
Kong Changxing turned sharply, staring at her in shock.
He knew his young lady well. Though she was not trained in combat and lacked battlefield experience, she possessed a holy system—a power so rare that even in the vast world, only a few bore it.
And with it came her unique supernatural ability: prophecy.
Her predictions had never failed. It was because of her visions that they had survived this long. When all hope seemed lost and Tai'an City teetered on the brink of destruction, it was her insight that guided them forward.
She had foreseen that they would obtain the demon core of the Starfall Tiger. And while the outcome had indeed aligned with her vision, the heavy toll they paid—Luo Yang nearly dying—was something she couldn't foresee in detail.
And now she was making another prediction—that Smith would be the one to save them all.
If that was true, then this man's strength must far surpass what any of them had imagined.
The current state of Tai'an City was dire. On the brink of collapse, barely holding off the beast tide, they were desperate. If no miracle appeared, they would likely be wiped out by the next wave.
But even with this revelation, they couldn't chase after Smith.
"This isn't the time," Kong Changxing said firmly. "We need to head back. Tai'an City still needs us."
He lifted the demon core of the Starfall Tiger, its power pulsing faintly in his hands, and turned around. Luo Yang, though unconscious, was still alive. With Xiaoyue by his side, the three of them began their journey back to the city.
Even though the Starfall Tiger group had been driven away, countless other monsters roamed the forest. If they didn't leave quickly, they risked being surrounded once more.
---
Meanwhile, deep in the forest—
"That damn Starfall Tiger King. It ran like a coward and disappeared in an instant."
Smith stood among the trees, having chased the beast for quite a distance. Despite his efforts, he hadn't managed to catch up.
"What a shame. I thought I could end it here."
With a sigh, he finally gave up the pursuit. But just as he turned around to leave, an ominous pressure filled the air.
Several powerful auras emerged, each one oppressive enough to shake the trees around him.
"Human, you've crossed the line."
A deep, thunderous voice echoed through the forest, like a god's judgment.
Massive figures emerged from the shadows, surrounding Smith in a wide circle.
There were five of them in total—five colossal demon beasts. Four were demon kings, each a fifth-level powerhouse.
The fifth one was none other than the Starfall Tiger King, the same beast that had fled earlier. It must have brought reinforcements.
"So, you brought your friends. What, you want to fight?" Smith said with a smirk, unbothered by the intimidating sight.
He recognized them all.
Besides the Starfall Tiger King, the other four were familiar to him:
The Skywing Spider King, fifth-level intermediate.
The Red Blood Ape King, fifth-level intermediate.
The Two-Headed Sky Snow Snake King, fifth-level advanced.
The Thunder Bull King, fifth-level advanced.
They were the undisputed overlords of the Starfall Forest, each one a legend among beasts.
Smith had encountered them once before. Back then, he wasn't strong enough and had barely escaped with his life. But that was two months ago.
Since then, he had grown stronger—much stronger. In those two months, he had slain dozens of high-level monsters and harvested countless demon cores. His presence had not gone unnoticed.
"We let you escape last time because we underestimated you," the Skywing Spider King said coldly. "But we didn't expect you to be so audacious. You've slaughtered too many of our kin. The Starfall Forest no longer welcomes you."
"Today, we will end you!" the Red Blood Ape King shouted, beating its massive chest. The sound echoed like war drums through the trees.
Smith raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that?"
The Thunder Bull King didn't bother with words. Its body crackled with lightning, and in the next instant, it unleashed a massive bolt of energy from its mouth.
But Smith had already anticipated it.
"If you want to fight, then I'll dodge."
He swiftly formed a seal with one hand. "Flying Thunder God Technique!"
In a flash of golden light, his body vanished from sight.
The Thunder Bull King's lightning bolt struck the empty air where he had just been.
"Tch! That annoying space technique again!" the Thunder Bull King growled.
"He escaped?" the Red Blood Ape King grunted.
"Pass down the order," the Two-Headed Sky Snow Snake King said grimly. "From this moment on, every beast in the Starfall Forest is to hunt that human down. We either drive him out... or tear him limb from limb."
"Is it really necessary to go that far for just one human?" the Red Blood Ape King asked, frowning.
"It is," said the Sky Snow Snake King. "The great beast tide is coming. We don't have time for distractions. We must prepare."
At the mention of the beast tide, the other demon kings fell silent. Then they all nodded in agreement.
"To welcome the beast tide, we must purge the forest. No threats remain."
---
Inside a secluded cave—
Smith reappeared, slightly out of breath. "Damn… Those demon kings weren't playing around."
He leaned against the stone wall, listening for any signs of pursuit.
Thankfully, he had prepared. Before venturing deeper into the forest, he had placed a Flying Thunder God seal inside this cave.
As long as he remained within the Starfall Forest, he could teleport back instantly. Unless his opponents possessed space-related abilities, they would never catch him.
This strategic advantage was the only reason he dared wander freely in this dangerous forest.
Still, clashing with the demon kings was far from ideal.
Until now, the demon kings had mostly ignored him. Despite being monsters, there were countless races among them, and most didn't interfere with those outside their own kind. His presence hadn't been seen as a threat—until recently.
Perhaps they'd finally realized that he wasn't just another wandering human.
He was hunting everything below their level, using the third- and fourth-level beasts as stepping stones. If left unchecked, he would eventually weaken the entire forest's strength.
"Roar—!!"
A sudden series of monstrous roars erupted outside the cave, shaking the ground.
Smith instantly snapped to attention.
"What's going on now? Are they attacking already?"
He activated his spiritual sense, connecting to his deployed clones stationed throughout the forest.
The feedback came immediately—and it wasn't good.
The entire Starfall Forest was in an uproar.
Monsters were rioting everywhere, combing the terrain like bloodhounds. Smith's water and earth clones had already been discovered and destroyed within minutes.
Even his more durable wooden clones had been hunted down. Despite their agility and resilience, they had no chance against hundreds of enraged beasts.
"All ten clones down in under ten minutes?" Smith muttered. "You've got to be kidding me…"
There was no doubt now.
The demon kings had declared war on him.
The entire forest was on the hunt, and every beast was after one target: him.
Smith's face darkened. "Damn it… I really pissed them off."
He had hoped to keep a low profile, to continue grinding quietly for strength. But now, the forest itself had turned against him.
He was public enemy number one.
"I can't stay here anymore," he muttered. "If I do, they'll find me eventually."
He gathered his belongings quickly, his mind racing.
Leaving the Starfall Forest wasn't going to be easy—but staying meant certain death.
Still, even as he prepared to flee, part of him was unwilling.
There was something here. Something big.
The beast tide… The demon kings were preparing for something massive.
Whatever it was, it could change the fate of the entire region—and maybe the world.
Smith clenched his fists.
He wasn't done yet.
But for now... he had to retreat.
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