No one knew how that beastkin reported the situation, but in any case, Ethan was ultimately escorted out of the Altar area instead of having his head chopped off on the spot. Or perhaps they simply did not want to stain the Altar with fresh blood and so brought him outside. No one could say for sure.
Earlier, Ethan had merely taken on the attitude and emotional control he used when dealing with customers. He had always been rated as an outstanding employee, with a record of never once cursing a customer and never giving them any excuse to criticize his attitude. But these beastkin were not his customers. They were not even human… still, he could only hope that his calmness would help him drape himself in a false cloak of mystery.
Outside, grass stretched far and wide. The frequently used road was a dirt path, so worn that not a single blade of grass could grow on it. On both sides of the path stood tall pillars built from multiple wooden logs, with a large torch mounted in the center, serving as lighting at night.
Ethan quietly observed his surroundings and discovered that most beastkin homes were roofed with leaves, or sometimes straw, with the more solid ones reinforced with wood. It was clear that the Moonfang tribe had no small population. When Ethan looked into the distance, he could still see clusters of small leaf huts packed closely together.
Beastkin were born as powerful predators. Even deer beastkin primarily ate meat, and their prey was naturally the ordinary animals found outside.
The beastkin tribes of Feralia were not divided by species. They had simply gathered together long, long ago, gradually growing stronger. In the end, the most intelligent and also the strongest beastkin would become the Chieftain. That was why within a single tribe, one could see many different species. It was not limited to wolves, or lions, or any single kind.
Among beastkin, the most important criterion for choosing a Chieftain was strength. Strength came first. All the troublesome matters were handled by the Elders of the tribe.
But Lunara was a rare Chieftain who possessed not only strength, but also intelligence. Her only problem was… she was a tsundere.
A young and powerful girl, cold on the outside and warm within, appearing aloof and arrogant, yet in truth always giving her all for the tribe.
It was just that when she devoted herself wholeheartedly to the tribe, no one ever saw it. What everyone saw was only her coldness and pride.
She was clearly incredibly beautiful, yet she could make the children of the tribe cry the moment they heard her name. Perhaps the author had intended to portray Lunara's difficult position, and so at present, the gazes of the beastkin within the tribe all carried a hint of dissatisfaction. It would take waiting until the future, when the annual martial exchange between tribes took place and another tribe attempted to annex Moonfang. Only then would Lunara achieve a resounding victory, even risking severe injuries to protect her people. From that point on, her image would finally begin to improve, earning the affection of more and more beastkin.
On the surface, Lunara acted as though she did not care at all, but in truth, she was overjoyed inside, even curling up under her blanket and kneading her own tail. Readers who reached this part all cried out about how adorable it was—Ethan included, of course.
But that was when he had only been looking through a phone screen, from a god's-eye view.
Now, however, he was about to face Chieftain Lunara in person—the one who could skewer three beastkin to death with a single hand…
Ethan knew he was afraid. Yet the closer they drew to the center of the tribe, the harder and louder his heart began to pound. His emotions were in complete turmoil, but he knew it was not fear alone.
Lunara, I have followed you for over a thousand chapters… and now, I'm about to see you.
They walked toward the rising sun. The sun in Feralia was far larger than the one on Earth, like a colossal fireball emerging from the horizon, blazing and dazzling.
Lunara had an appearance like the moon, yet a heart as scorching as the sun. And right now, he was walking toward his own sun.
"Reporting to the Chieftain, the person has been brought!"
The respectful voice rang out, pulling Ethan back from his thoughts. Only then did he realize that a constant murmur had risen around them. Countless beastkin had gathered, forming a large circle. Some had ears, some had horns, and a few even had feathers. Children clung to their parents' sides, peering curiously at the outsider. No tail, strange ears—what kind of creature was this?
The murmur grew louder and louder, accompanied by hurried, uneasy footsteps. Ethan lifted his head to look ahead, only to see that the beastkin before him had parted to form a path. Two wolf beastkin stood there, holding crude spears—wooden shafts with stone tips sharpened to a deadly edge.
Their gazes were sharp and cold like blades, like wild beasts ready to tear out a prey's throat at any moment. But Ethan's eyes were now fixed solely on the figure standing behind the two wolf beastkin.
A beautiful white silhouette.
A large cloak of pure white fur was fastened diagonally across her body. Unlike most beastkin, she was dressed very conservatively. Yet the billowing fur details did not make her look bulky or heavy. Instead, they only served to highlight her tall, slender, and flawless figure.
Hair as white as snow was tied into a ponytail. Atop her head stood a pair of large, pointed ears. Her tail was enormous as well. Even though her back was mostly hidden by the cloak, Ethan could still catch a glimpse of it peeking out.
Her face was breathtakingly beautiful in a cold, distant way. Her ice-blue eyes revealed no emotion at all. Only her lips bore the most vivid color on her face.
Ethan stared in a daze, his mind reduced to a single thought. When he had read the author's descriptions, he already knew Lunara would be beautiful. But seeing her now, he finally understood that the word "beautiful" alone was nowhere near enough to describe her.
Lunara faced the outsider before her. This person was openly staring at her, yet there was not the slightest hint of fear in his eyes—only appreciation, even delight, along with a glimmer of light she could not decipher.
Lunara's expression remained cold, but inside, she could not help pausing for a brief moment. This person…
"Insolent! In the presence of the Chieftain, you dare not lower your head!"
"Bang!"
A deafening sound rang out. The next instant, Ethan's head was slammed hard into the ground and ground against it. Dirt and gravel dug into his skin, and the heavy pressure made his head buzz violently, a loud ringing filling his mind.
But even that was not enough to drown out the sudden voice that echoed from deep within his consciousness.
[Ding. Target to win over confirmed: Lunara. Please collect Emotional Points!]
[Current Emotional Points: Lunara: 0 point]
[Mission: Collect 5 Emotional Points from Lunara.
Reward: Knowledge of the God of Cooking (love comes from the stomach. With these cooking skills, there is no one I cannot conquer!)
Time limit: None]
That strange, mechanical voice had sounded the moment Ethan laid eyes on Lunara. Even now, as his face was being pressed and scraped against the ground, it continued talking without pause.
Through the pain, Ethan felt as though everything around him had suddenly become clearer than ever.
This thing was… a system?
The moment the thought occurred to him, Ethan hurriedly tried calling out to the system over and over again. But it only responded with a few crackling, static-like noises, like a malfunctioning machine, as if the smooth, coherent voice he had heard earlier had been nothing more than a hallucination.
At the same time, a cold, sharp voice rang out.
"You claim to be a Prophet? One who can foresee the unavoidable calamity about to descend upon the world of Feralia?"
Ethan's hair was suddenly yanked tight, his scalp stretched painfully, making him frown involuntarily. But the instant his brows knit together, the abrasions on his face sent a stabbing pain straight through him.
Lunara gripped his hair. She had crouched down at some point, drawing close and forcing her face near his. Her beautiful features suddenly filled his vision, making Ethan freeze for a split second. He quickly steadied himself and slipped into his work mode.
He nodded. "That's right. It is me."
Even so, the current situation made it clear that he did not look particularly convincing. And Lunara, quite obviously, had no intention of believing him.