"Where am I?" Lucky said in confusion as he stepped into a black space filled with countless spheres. Each sphere was connected to the others by winding roads, and he found himself walking toward one of them.
"I need to find a way out of this place as soon as possible," Lucky muttered with a frown. He had already reached his second sphere. Each sphere seemed to transport him to a different time period in the Frost Zone. In one, there were no ice trees, but the land swarmed with beasts. He had to fight them, only to realize that they mysteriously reappeared even after he defeated them. He learned that his best strategy was to fight, distract, and hold them off. Eventually, by surviving long enough, he would leave the sphere and return to the road leading to the next one.
Since he didn't know how to escape or where he truly was, Lucky decided to keep following the path, hoping it would eventually lead him to an exit—or at least to some answers.
Soon, Lucky stepped into the next sphere, and his surroundings changed completely. A vast, barren land stretched before him, blanketed in snow. The stillness was unsettling.
"Hmm, this is strange. The previous spheres always dropped me into places crawling with beasts… not like this," he muttered, scanning the empty landscape.
Before he could think further, waves of horse beasts suddenly appeared.
"Oh no!" Lucky immediately ran as fast as he could, leaping from one ice tree to another. Using his innate trait, he transformed into an eagle and soared into the sky.
He barely had time to catch his breath before the sky darkened. A violent storm erupted without warning, hurling him through the air. He shifted back into his monster form, using bursts of magic energy to stabilize himself. That's when he saw a giant owl soaring across the sky, its wingspan so massive it seemed to cover the all of sky.
BAM!
Lucky crashed headfirst into the branch of an ice tree, and everything went black.
…
When he opened his eyes again, he found himself inside a cave. The entrance was high above him, in the ceiling, allowing a shaft of light and drifting snow to fall through. He realized he must have tumbled down through that hole.
Before he could move, a deep, rhythmic sound reached his ears it was breathing. Turning his head slightly, he froze. A massive Rank 6 beast was sleeping just a few meters away.
Terror gripped him. If he moved, he might wake the beast and die instantly. But if he stayed too long, the beast could sense his magic energy and wake up anyway. He was trapped, his life balanced on a knife's edge.
Lucky suddenly reappeared on the road leading to another sphere. It seemed that while he was unconscious, the time limit of the previous sphere had run out.
"Alright, I've had enough," he muttered. "I need to figure out what's going on. Every sphere I've entered is different, but there's always that owl… It's too big to be a Rank 9 beast, which means it might be Rank 10. But I've never heard of such a thing before. Hm… what does all this mean? And how do I escape?"
He fell into deep thought, trying to piece the clues together.
Whoosh!
"Huh? Who's there?" Lucky snapped to attention, alarmed by the sound of movement that wasn't his own.
Phuck
Phuck
Phuck
He readied himself for a fight. Then, suddenly, everything went still. Cautious but curious, he slowly approached the sphere from which the sound had come, stopping a few steps away.
"…Lucky…"
A dry, raspy voice whispered his name, startling him. Before he could even react, a long, black skeletal hand shot out from the sphere and grabbed him. In an instant, it pulled him inside.
…
"Okay, all done," I gasped, finally finishing the task of trapping all the beasts inside the space tunnel. The beasts are incredibly resilient, which is also what makes them dangerous. Normally, killing a single Rank 6 beast would take me at least five hours.
But by trapping them in the space tunnel, I saved a tremendous amount of time and prevented the damage they could have caused to the Hive Root. Even so, I still need to at least injure or temporarily incapacitate the beasts for a short while to keep them under control.
Exhausted, I collapsed against an ice tree, my body aching from the battle. The injuries I had sustained were severe, and even with my self-regeneration, it would take some time to fully heal.
"Iflang, are you there?" I called out weakly.
The wind responded, swirling in a deliberate pattern. Snowflakes formed the word "Yes" in the air, letting me know that Iflang was aware of my presence.
"I see… then let's head to the Hive Root and carry out our plan," I said, pushing myself back to my feet. Slowly, I began walking toward the Hive Root.
As I moved, my skeletal body began to reform. My hand, which had been reduced to almost nothing, gradually regained its full shape. My skull, shattered like a smashed watermelon, mended itself piece by piece. As monster my body is made of solidified magic, we have no vital organs. But we still need certain parts, like eyes or eye sockets, to see.
"Having both vision sensors working again feels so much better than just one," I sighed in relief. My field of vision expanded, and for the first time in an hour, I could see clearly in all directions. The satisfaction of regaining my eye socket was undeniable.
Soon, I arrived at the barrier surrounding the Hive Root. I passed through it without difficulty and was greeted by Iflang's avatar. I simply nodded in acknowledgment.
"Your greatness, I have followed your instructions. The Hive Root has been severed from its connection to the earth and can now be transferred into your soulland," Iflang said, bowing gracefully, her wings moving elegantly.
"Then let's begin," I replied. Raising my hand, I summoned my artificial soul. It transformed into a glowing sphere of light, pulling in the surrounding air and snow, though its main focus was on the Hive Root. Slowly, the massive tree began to shrink as it was absorbed into the sphere. The process would take some time to complete.
At this moment, my artificial soul's soulland was at work. A soulland is a space within the soul itself, similar to a shadow dimension, but with no finite size. It can hold anything, as long as the soul has the strength to maintain it. For example, thousands of Grade 1 artificial souls can be stored inside the soulland of a Grade 2 artificial soul because the limit depends more on quality than quantity. However, if I attempted to store a Grade 3 artificial soul within a Grade 2 one, it would eventually self-destruct. Natural souls, on the other hand, do not have this limitation because they can constantly repair themselves, even holding souls two ranks higher without issue. The only limitation is that the soul eventually cannot support the monster itself anymore.
The Hive Tree was technically a Rank 10-level object, but it had never achieved an official rank. This was because it still functioned entirely under the influence of natural laws and forces. Its core held profound traces of these laws, and it constantly channeled nature energy. However, Iflang severed its connection to the natural laws, cutting it off from the flow of natural forces. Without its link to the earth, the Hive Tree became a tree saturated with immense nature energy, carrying billions of laws.
Because of this, my artificial soul was able to store it, though the process would take time.
"You know," I said, glancing at my hand as it continued to regenerate, "I've been wondering why Nirjaw is so determined to destroy you. Powerful beasts like Nirjaw usually stay in their own domains, protecting them until they die. This isn't just anger or territorial instinct—it feels personal, like hatred. It knows that attacking you could kill it, so why go to such lengths? What did you do to make it hate you so much?"
"Your greatness," Iflang replied, "I am a 700-year-old nature spirit. I remember everything I have ever seen, as long as my vessel can hold the memory. Yet I recall nothing that would make Nirjaw hate me like this. I even tried to read the memories of the ice trees and created my own memory network. To stabilize this network, I used space magic to form an imaginary space for it. Anyone entering could explore this space. I spent years searching for an answer… but I found nothing."
"If we could just find the reason behind this, we could save a lot of time and avoid any unnecessary fights," I sighed. I knew that going up against a Rank 15 beast when I was only at Semi-Rank 6, even with a Grade 2 artificial soul, this was impossible it was like a smart rabbit challenging a titan. The only advantages I had were my knowledge, my overlord mind, and my willpower. Recently, I could feel my old self growing stronger, as if he were preparing to take over soon. Until then, I had to follow my plan with Iflang.
Before long, my artificial soul finished storing the Hive Root, leaving behind only a barren stretch of land. Iflang disappeared as well, since the Hive Root was now safely stored inside my soulland. Without wasting another moment, I turned and sprinted, relying on my memories to guide me to the location I had marked on my Frost Zone map.
It didn't take long to reach the spot. I carefully replaced the Hive Root there and moved on to the next location. Each time I placed a Hive Root, I encountered groups of low-level Rank 6 beasts. Fortunately, as a rank 6 extraordinary monster with a Grade 2 artificial soul and the offensive Severiat technique, I could handle these fights. They were dangerous, but manageable. Slowly and methodically, I continued my task, determined to complete the plan.
In one day, I successfully collected all six of the Hive Roots located along the border. However, my plan requires a total of 35 Hive Roots, which means I now need to obtain the ones located deeper inside Iflang's territory. These areas are guarded by Rank 7 beasts. Facing them will be extremely dangerous, so I've decided to spend five full days preparing myself before attempting to confront them.
"I must be out of my mind," I muttered to myself. "Right now, I struggled against a beast just one rank above me, and yet I'm thinking about going against Rank 15 in future? That's absolutely insane, even to think of it. But… that's what courage is for." I chuckled softly at my own words.
I then summoned Millia and Asok from my shadow dimension. They had been happily chatting but immediately fell silent when they saw me.
"Is there anything you need from us?" Millia asked, sighing.
"Nothing in particular. I just wanted your company," I replied with a smile. I created a small magic fire to warm the new camp and then waved my hand as I headed toward my tent.
"This guy is very strange, isn't he?" Millia muttered, thinking I couldn't hear him.
"Maybe he's just awkward at socializing. I mean, who talks like that?" Asok added. I felt a little offended hearing that, even though I pretended to ignore it. I mean I only act this way to be efficient—to gain trust quickly and cover things.
"… Maybe I really am bad at socializing," I admitted to myself with an awkward laugh. Then a worrying thought crossed my mind "do I have any reputation beyond just being strong? That would be… very concerning. I need to improve my social skills as well as my strength."
"Wealth gives freedom of action, status grants authority and control, and strength brings independence from external threats," I thought aloud with a soft laugh. "I have so much to achieve… but honestly, I just want to sleep. If sleeping could make me stronger, I'd sleep for an entire year."
With a sigh, I pushed away those wishful thoughts, but I couldn't help chuckling at myself as I settled in for the night.
…
"Ah… what happened? Where… is this place?" Lucky slowly opened his eyes, disoriented. Above him loomed the peak of an enormous tree. It didn't take long for him to recognize it as the Asdarty Tree. Its sheer height alone gave it away — the tree rose higher than the clouds, and its colossal branches were wide enough to support entire cities.
As Lucky lay there, he felt the overwhelming surge of nature energy flowing through the area. Natural forces pulsed all around him, and he could sense the subtle manipulation of natural laws. There was no doubt in his mind anymore: this was indeed the legendary Asdarty Tree.
Then the idea hit him: "Am I inside one of those spheres? Oh no, that means something is going to happen. "
Because Lucky had spent so much time inside the strange spheres, he became alert the moment he realized he was lying beneath the Asdarty Tree. He waited, tense and ready, for something to happen.
Hours passed,
then days,
yet nothing appeared.
"This… this isn't one of the spheres," he muttered to himself. "The time limit is always five hours. But I have been here for four whole days and nothing happened. Where are the beasts that are supposed to attack me? Wait… no, I did fight a beast, but that wasn't it only thing, That giant owl… Hm. Something is very wrong. I don't know what it is, but I'm sure now… this is the real world. I'm not in that space anymore. Then how did I get out? And whose hand was that, the one that dragged me? Ugh… this is all so confusing."
He groaned. His deductions only left him more unsettled. Subtle, undeniable strangeness surrounded him.
For Lucky, the stillness was more terrifying than any beast attack.
Whoosh.
The wind began to swirl around him, twisting erratically.
Whoosh.
Whoosh.
Whoosh.
Then the wind made a sound—a soft, melodic hum. Lucky listened, and to his surprise, the sound was calming, even beautiful.
"…This sound… how beautiful," he murmured, gazing toward the distant mountains. This sound was present for 4 days but current one was far more beautiful sound. Yet a nagging feeling told him something was wrong about it. He tried to think, but his thoughts blurred. Slowly, the color drained from his eyes. His body froze for a moment—then, without thinking, he began walking toward the far-off mountains.
From the mountains, a strange purple ray suddenly shot into the sky. The heavens quaked as if stones had been thrown into water.
"Hia!"
The ground trembled violently. A massive earthquake shook the world. The Asdarty Tree flared with its own radiant light, forcefully suppressing the cause of earthquakes. Then In an instant, the land that fractured healed; the damage that present all over was gone.
"What… was I supposed to do again?" Lucky whispered as he walked, confused yet compelled. He felt that something was deeply wrong, but he couldn't resist the pull of the sound. He only knew one thing: he had to follow it.
…
"What magic should I choose?" I wondered, sitting in deep meditation. I knew that to face a Rank 7 beast, I would need Rank 7 power myself. But achieving that in only five days was nearly impossible. Ascending through Rank 6 sub ranks alone normally takes over five weeks, since each week is needed to progress the sub-rank.
From semi-Rank 6 onward aka the Realm of Extraordinary Monsters there are no things like stages in Ranks 1 to 5. In the lower ranks, each rank follows five stages: Original, Average, True, Extreme, and Peak. These stages focus on enhancing and developing the naturally born body, giving a total of 25 stage.
Rank 6, however, shifts to a different kind of ascension. Ascension is measured by sub-ranks: Semi Rank, Upper Rank, Pinnacle Rank, Peak Rank, and finally Transcendent Rank. Each sub rank is far more difficult than the stages of lower ranks. To reach Rank 7, I would have to ascend through all these sub-ranks—an extremely time demanding process that simply cannot be rushed.
Semi Rank 6 is the starting point of Rank 6, marking the entry into the realm of extraordinary monsters. At this state, one gains abilities and skill that allows extraordinary monsters to dominate thousands of rank 5 monsters and an aura that no normal monster can imitate it is something beyond the usual presence but it still is empty and unrefined, much like the original rank 1 stage
To ascend higher within Rank 6, I must enhance and enchant my body to progress through the sub-ranks. Each sub-rank in Rank 6 is as significant as an entire rank. For example, reaching Upper Rank 6 is comparable to achieving Rank 2 in development and mastery. Ascending naturally to this level, however, usually takes years and often reaches by aging since extraordinary monster has lifespans of 5000 years this is like blink of eye.
After Upper Rank comes Pinnacle Rank, which is equivalent to reaching Rank 3. Progressing through all the sub-ranks of Rank 6 is like going through the entire 25-stage process of Ranks 1 to 5 all over again. Each sub-rank represents 5 stages of growth, but instead of simple physical layering, they have symbolisms that represent development, strength, magic, it is a unique theme of evolution. As extraordinary monsters advance, their bodies naturally adapt to their chosen theme, aligning themselves with that aspect of growth amplifying that theme's power.
This is why reaching Rank 7 is so difficult—it is essentially repeating the long, arduous journey of becoming Rank 6 in a new, more profound way. Naturally achieving Rank 7 would take me at least five years.
Fortunately, extraordinary monsters have the ability to meditate with such efficiency that it mimics the effect of using multiple Rank 5 ascension artifacts at once. This allows for faster growth, similar to how advancement worked in Ranks 1 through 5.
Currently, the only way I can temporarily achieve Rank 7-level power is to choose one type of magic, allow my body to adapt to it completely, and amplify my abilities through that alignment. I do have an idea for a method to achieve this, but as of now, I lack the means to execute it. I will have to devise a new approach on my own.
I pondered my options carefully. Blood magic seemed like a strong choice, and soul magic and space magic were also promising. Shadow magic, however, was not suitable—I needed something lethal and effective in combat.
I found myself deep in thought. On one hand, if I chose a specific magic and fully aligned my body with it, I could temporarily reach Transcendent Rank 7. By the end of the process, I would return to Semi-Rank 6 no matter what, which wasn't a problem. The real issue was my ascension speed—it would become painfully slow afterward temporarily.
Iflang had promised me a branch of the Asdarty Tree, which could raise my power to Rank 9 in five days. But to use it, I first needed to establish my main magic. I had already decided on soul magic, since my true soul had many problems that needed to be addressed. Because of this, I couldn't rely on the Asdarty Tree's branch for this plan.
In the end, my only option for a temporary power boost was to dedicate myself to soul magic, allowing me to reach the strength I needed for now.
"But blood magic is what I need right now for offense and combat," I thought to myself. Then, an idea struck me. What if I turn Asok and Millia into extraordinary monsters?
It sounded ridiculous at first, but it wasn't entirely impossible. Blood magic can accelerates ascension speed, and if I used the blood of a living Rank 6 beast, it could even push someone to Rank 6. Since I will be fighting many Rank 6 beasts and potentially Rank 7 and 8 as well, though Rank 9 seems almost impossible—the point remains: having two extraordinary monsters by my side would be a powerful strategy.
Not only would this strengthen my battle capabilities, but it could also help change how those children see me. If they become extraordinary monsters under my guidance, their perspective of me would certainly shift.
"Blood magic is it then" I smile as I made choice and started my method for next 5 days
"He hasn't come out for an entire day. Is he doing something out of ordinary again?" Millia's voice trembled with uncertainty, his eyes fixed on the silent cave.
Asok hesitated, his thoughts tangled with unease, before finally speaking. "If he really is a regressor… I don't know how to feel about it. Millia, it seems likely he truly is one. The way he speaks, the way he moves… nothing contradicts the how my grandfather used to be. Only extraordinary monsters or extreme harbingers would dare wander the Frost Zone with a Rank 15 beast lurking. Why would he risk everything like this unless he knew he could win?"
Millia bit his lip, his heart clenching at the implication. "I… I can't be sure. But I hope it's all a performance, some strange act he's putting on. Because if what he says is true, then a war between humans and monsters is inevitable. Countless lives will be lost—monsters and living beings alike."
His voice wavered as she continued, "I can feel the weight of it even now… That kind of future. So yes, I think he might be a regressor. But I don't want to believe it. If I believe it… then hope becomes denial. And I'm not ready to face that truth."
Asok's gaze hardened, the flicker of logic clashing with the fragile light of hope. "Then… for now we deny. We hold onto that tiny chance he's just playing a role, until we have no choice but believe."
Millia sighed and walked away, his expression grim. Asok gave a small smile and followed, leaving the cave entrance behind as they both headed toward the camp.
Millia was a responsible child, but still just a child—frightened by the implications of what he had seen. Asok, on the other hand, was steady and reliable, facing problems and hardships with strength. It was understandable that both of them chose to play it safe and investigate the situation carefully.
"What are you thinking?" Asok asked, noticing the troubled look on Millia's face. He knew Millia well enough to recognize the signs of planning.
Millia remained silent as he walked. Asok nodded, understanding the unspoken answer. "I see. If you're planning to do that, be careful. We both know the cost of a Seal of Vow."
"No," Millia said after a pause, his brow furrowed. "It won't be like before. This time, I know exactly what I want. The Seal of Vow will do what I intend. Let's just hope he says it was all fake."
"Well, do what you want," Asok replied with a sigh. "I don't meet the requirements to make a Seal of Vow anyway."
By the time they reached the camp, they had nothing else to occupy themselves. Millia began to meditate, while Asok, unable to meditate which given him focus kept watch over Sans. Even with all his free time and focus, he felt a strange urge to meditate—perhaps out of boredom, or perhaps he missed the sense of calm that meditation brought. After all, meditation not only improves concentration but fills a monster with a quiet, positive emotions.
"Wait, what!?" Asok exclaimed, startled to feel his soul was whole again. Unlike when he was in Moltier City, there was no lingering pain or weakness. He blinked in confusion. "When… did it fully heal?"
"What happened?" Millia asked, puzzled by his sudden outburst.
"Dude, my soul is healed! Oh, my Archios—I… I… I…" Asok stammered with excitement, tripping over his own words. Then, in a rush of clarity, he paused. "Wait… I see. Did he heal my soul? Or… did the Frost Zone do it?"
Despite his excitement, Asok's rational mind kicked in. He tried to piece it together. He didn't know that Sans's healing ability had a time limit—the moment it ended, the soul would naturally recover, producing an itching sensation as a signal for monsters to begin meditation.
Millia remained quiet for a moment, then his eyes widened as understanding dawned.
"Your soul…? Congratulations, dude! You can ascend now!" Millia burst out laughing and hugged Asok tightly. This was a relief for him, too. Ever since he learned Asok couldn't ascend himself, he had felt guilty knowing what Asok was going through. Now that Asok's soul was whole and he could meditate to ascend again, the weight of guilt lifted from Millia's heart.
Asok hugged him back, grinning from ear to ear, thrilled at the thought of finally being able to ascend.
Before they could enjoy their celebration, they heard a sharp crack beneath them. Looking down, they realized they had accidentally broken the protective rune by stepping on it.
"Oh no!" Millia and Asok said with worry.
Before they could react, a chain reaction began. The runes all around their camp started to shatter one after another. Both children immediately ran toward the cave where Sans was resting. They knew that once the runes were broken, all kinds of beasts would be drawn to the area due to runes magic energy this even attract including dangerous Rank 5 beasts.
Fortunately, the cave wasn't far from the camp. They reached it within five minutes. Using their arcane artifacts, they shielded themselves from Sans's overwhelming Rank 6 aura as they entered.
From the safety of the cave, the children watched as many beasts approached the area, only to flee in terror from the Rank 6 aura. Even a Rank 5 beast showed up but didn't dare to get close. However, their arcane artifacts began to crack under the strain of the aura, forcing the children to retreat outside, repair them, and return quickly to the cave.
Realizing they couldn't rely on breaking arcane artifacts, Millia and Asok decided to create their own protective runes.
"Ugh… how does this work again?" Millia muttered, struggling to remember the mechanics behind runes.
There are two main types of runes first is normal Runes These runes are literally drawn using magic energy. They function like spells, and the will of the magic inside controls the rune. However, they require both a constant supply of magic energy and physical materials—crystals or rocks work best.
Second is Runic Symbols These are non-materialistic runes, they work more like the language of the universe. Instead of functioning as normal spells, they draw power directly from universal laws. A user can then channel and control that power without constantly supplying magic energy. Those runes also best at controlling spell by adjusting the level or duration of fire
Runic symbols are much harder to use but can be used repeatedly without constant material or magic energy requirements. But for drawing power from natural laws, runic symbols are only way.
Since they didn't have enough materials and couldn't supply constant magic energy, the children decided to use runic symbols. But this was no easy task. Maintaining a steady flow of magic energy requires emotional stability. Strong emotions produce and recover magic energy faster, but if the intensity of emotion changes, the flow becomes unstable. For children with little experience and weak emotional control, sustaining a rune was extremely difficult.
Determined, Millia and Asok began trying to craft runic symbols, hoping to create a protective barrier of their own.
Runic symbols are primarily based on knowledge rather than skill. They act as drawings that function like the language of the universe. To create a protective sequence of runic symbols, one must carefully consider which symbols to draw. Normally, using true ink is best, as it activates the symbols immediately, strengthens them, and amplifies their efficiency. However, since the children lacked this, they drew their runic symbols with gold infused with their magic energy.
As noble monster family members, Millia and Asok had no shortage of wealth. They melted gold using fire spells, shaped the runic symbols, and poured their magic energy into the designs. Using the will of magic, they controlled the flow of their magic energy to bring the symbols to life.
"This should form a barrier to keep us safe," Millia said, sweat dripping down his face. Asok was also sweating, clearly nervous.
"This is my first time using runic symbols instead of ordinary runes. I'm nervous, but as they say, only by experiencing can one truly understand. Well then… let's activate it," Asok declared.
The circular runic symbols began to draw in magic energy intensely. Both children struggled to maintain their emotions, as emotional stability was crucial to controlling the magic energy. Even so, they focused, knowing that all they truly needed was a steady supply of magic.
Before they could complete the sequence, the round runic symbols suddenly destabilized and exploded.
Boom!
The blast sent both children flying.
"Millia!"
"Asok!"
The explosion was powerful enough to catch Sans's attention, and he slowly opened his eyes.
…
"So this is my symbolism… huh, this is new." I was surprised to see it in my hyper state. It resembled runic symbols, but it was more of a drawing than a language this was a portrait of myself. In the image, my black skeletal body stood out, and above me hovered the symbol of my Gaster Blaster, something I hadn't expected.
"Hmm… this symbolism shows that I am an extraordinary monster and also displays my innate trait. That makes sense since an innate trait is the type of magic one is born with."
I walked away from the portrait and looked down at a vast sea that was gradually turning into a sea of blood. Slowly, I was submerging myself in blood magic. Over time, blood rained down from the sky intensifying.
Above me, I could see the first storm cloud, like a massive tornado that half-covered the other two tornado-like clouds. The first cloud was almost transparent, with layers of deep blue shades. The second cloud was a darker, more intense blue. I could feel the presence of the third cloud, even though I couldn't see it. That was fine—its existence was undeniable.
From the first and second storm clouds, blood fell like rain, corrupting the sea below. Over time, the sea would cleanse itself, but that would take a very long while. After all, I was using Rank 7 artificial blood magic. Blood magic has always fascinated me—it can accomplish so many things. If I didn't have the knowledge and insight I do now, I would never have imagined that something like this was even possible.
This blood magic currently works like a boost magic. If I only use it on my body, its effects will not last long. However, if I continue using it consistently over time, my body will start to adapt and develop a blood magic theme, amplifying its power. I don't want that, because I plan to make soul magic my primary theme, and developing blood magic would interfere.
So instead, I let the blood magic flow internally, treating it like a controlled corruption. I allow it to exist but do not adapt to it. This way, my body naturally resists it, creating an internal conflict that weakens me over time. Even so, by the time this weakness becomes significant, I will have already reached Transcendent Rank 7 strength and fall to Upper Rank 7 at worst. By then, my current plans will be complete.
Magic itself is simply the manifestation of an extraordinary monster's spell. With deep understanding and extraordinary monster body, any spell can evolve into true magic. Blood magic is no different. It began as a simple spell, until one monster developed deep insight and transformed it into true blood magic. The same principle applies to all magic—space magic, shadow magic, and others all vary according to the user. The user is the key, both in creating magic and in determining how it is best used.
Other newly advanced Rank 6 monsters cannot use true magic yet and rely only on artificial spells. Only after they gain deep understanding of a single spell can they open the path to true magic. I, on the other hand, have mastered over ten different forms of magic to an exceptional level. This mastery is another reason I was able to fool the noble families investigating me, hiding my true nature behind my diverse abilities.
Soon sea gradually turned a pale, light red, but my goal was to deepen it further. If I could make it scarlet red, it would signify that I had reached Pinnacle Rank 7. If I managed to push it all the way to a dark, crimson red, that would mean I had achieved Transcendent Rank 7. The deeper the color, the higher the level of power I could attain.
Right then, I heard a series of explosions.
"What's going on?" I muttered, rising from the ground. My other half-consciousness continued maintaining the blood magic, while I left the cave to investigate. Since I was using artificial magic, I couldn't cast any magic or spell directly I can only rely on my innate traits.
"Hm… beasts?" I noticed a large number of them surrounding the area. Surprised, I released my Rank 7 aura. Instantly, powerful waves rippled out, suppressing all the beasts in the blink of an eye. This happened even without me focusing my aura—just the natural pressure of Rank 7 was enough.
"Good… now, let's find out what happened."
I approached a Rank 5 beast and placed my hand on its head, pulling out its will. My aura replaced the beast's will, and as our wills merged, I gained its memories, learning exactly what had occurred.
"It seems those two tried to create protective runic symbols, but they failed. That failure drew the beasts here," I thought aloud. I paused, reflecting. "But why would they be making a new barrier in the first place?"
After a moment, the answer came to me. "Ah… They must have accidentally broken the runes I originally set up around the camp. That explains everything."
I sighed lightly, then activated my investigation magic. Images of the explosion appeared in my mind like a floating 3D projection. I analyzed the scene carefully, calculating the force of the blast, the damage they likely suffered, and the directions in which they were thrown.
"Hmm… Judging from the explosion, they're probably unconscious and unable to fight. I need to find them," I murmured. "Still, I don't have to worry too much. They both carry teleportation devices that will automatically send them back to Moltier City if their lives are in danger."
I chuckled quietly to myself as I walked toward where Asok had fallen. Since becoming a Rank 6 extraordinary monster, my mind can instantly imagine and simulate scenarios with ease, making me feel completely in control — my mind at Rank 6 and my body at Rank 7.
Soon, I found Asok hanging from the branches of an ice tree. One wrong move, and he would fall into a cluster of beasts waiting below. I approached the tree and gave it a gentle flick with a skeletal finger, shaking it just enough for Asok to tumble safely into my arms. Smiling mischievously, I poked at his face to wake him up.
"Ugh… what happened? Wait, where's Millia… Sans?" Asok groaned, opening his eyes.
"No, I'm not Sans, I'm Sons," I said playfully. I lifted him onto my shoulder and started walking toward where Millia had landed.
"So, would you mind explaining what you two were up to? All those sneaky and secretive actions…" I teased, even though I already knew.
"…We… tried to… create…" Asok sighed. "We tried to make a barrier using runic symbols, but it exploded for some reason."
"Hmm, did you kids use iron? Iron sometimes absorbs magic energy too densely, causing it to release violently or fail to form proper runic symbols," I said.
"No, we knew that, so we used gold. But it still exploded," Asok admitted.
"Hmm… then did you two create the runic symbols at the same time?" I asked.
"Yes, we did. Why? Does that matter?"
"As I expected," I said with a knowing grin. "Runic symbols need a single anchoring will. If two monsters try to form them simultaneously, their will of magic conflict… and well, boom."
"Oh… I didn't know that," Asok muttered.
"Well, I'm impressed that you even know how to use runic symbols. But considering you're noble family members, it makes sense. Still, it's better to use them once you reach Rank 5. By then, your will of magic and your body can handle the strain of runic symbols more safely."
As I finished explaining, I noticed Asok suddenly fell quiet, his expression distant, which made me wonder why.
"Hey…can you answer my question honestly? Are you really a regressor, or is this all an act? Just answer honestly even if it's just an act, I won't be angry or cause a commotion. I just want to know the truth," Asok said, his small hands clenching nervously.
"Even if it seems unbelievable, yes… I am truly a regressor. I know it might be hard to accept, but it's the truth, and nothing will change that," I replied calmly.
"Then why go to such lengths?" Asok asked, his voice trembling. "You disrupted the tournament, made all the noble families suspicious of you, and even deceived them. Why?"
I took a deep breath and answered honestly, "Ever since I regressed, I've had one goal: to grow as strong as possible. The realm of extraordinary monsters… it isn't even the first step toward the realm I want to reach."
"Not even one step… That goal sounds impossible," Asok said softly, staring at me. "Yet you speak with absolute confidence. Why?"
I paused, memories rushing back to me as in my previous life there was a time when I reached Rank 9 and stood on the brink of Rank 10. I thought to myself back then:
To reach Rank 9, I spent decades. Achieving Rank 10 took an entire year, and I know that reaching Rank 11 will require even more time. Even with my long lifespan, I must grow stronger as quickly as possible. Yet I can't help but wonder—when will I finally have the strength to traverse the cosmos without fear or worry?
"Let's just say I've found my way of life," I said quietly, lost in reminiscence. "And I've decided to walk that path until the very end."
I let out a small sigh and continued, "It's good to have goals that seem nearly impossible, even unreasonable ones. They force me to give everything I have. That's the source of my extraordinary nature—always learning, always pushing forward. My will burns hotter the more I face the impossible. At times, I feel hesitation and fear, but that is the point. I don't need confidence—I need the satisfaction of knowing that I am moving forward. I am the one who motivates myself, and I will do everything in my power. Failure is irrelevant to me."
I let out a soft, self-conscious laugh. "Haha… I've gone a bit too deep into my own thoughts. Sorry if it sounds strange."
Asok just stared at me silently before finally asking, "Then… what is your goal?"
I grinned and replied playfully, "Hehe, maybe I'll tell you in the future. But for now no. And don't ask me why, either."
We reached the area where Millia was supposed to be. All I could see was a tree, but there were faint traces of Millia's presence lingering nearby. That could only mean one of two things: either he used his innate trait of teleportation, or his teleportation device activated. I couldn't tell the difference.
"Well, let's head back then," I said. "If Millia used his innate trait, he'll return on his own. If not, then he's probably in Moltier City. By the way… how exactly does your teleportation device work?"
Asok scratched his head. "Well, I don't know everything about it, but I have a bit of understanding. The device activates when our bodies aka our solidified magic suffer immense damage, or when our minds are overwhelmed by fear. It's like… hmm… when a living being feel anger, its heart beats harder. The device notices that and performs a single teleportation."
His explanation gave me some insight, but it also brought a new worry.
"Is it possible for the device to sense danger even if the user is unconscious?" I asked. A thought had begun to form in my mind—what if Millia's device hadn't actually teleported him properly?
I considered the possibility that the runic symbol explosion might have damaged the device. Explosions caused by runic symbols are not normal. Based on Asok's description, what if the device had been overdriven? Perhaps it didn't teleport Millia's entire body, but only the remnants of the runic symbols' magic. It would be like the ash left behind from burned solidified magic.
Normally, a monster's body only turns to dust when they die—but ash is not the same as a fully dead body. With my knowledge of runic symbols, this seemed like the most likely scenario. I had thought the teleportation device worked like the teleportation device I have for inheritance but it turned out to be something completely different.
"No, when we become unconscious, the teleportation device activates automatically. But if we're just sleeping, it won't activate unless our body is damaged."
"Hmm… it seems that wasn't the case this time," I muttered, frowning. What worried me was how exactly the teleportation device detects danger and activates. I thought I understood its function, but now I wasn't so sure. Even if this time it didn't activate the way I expected, there's still a possibility something unexpected could have happened.
"What should I do?" I muttered under my breath, pacing anxiously. "If something has gone wrong and Millia is out there, lost in the forest… or maybe he's been teleported to Moltier City… I can't tell which. The only thing I can do right now is wait up on the mountain for a few hours—"
I suddenly paused. "Wait. Iflang can tell me whether Millia is still in the forest or not. I need to contact her soon."
Turning to Asok, I said, "Asok I think Millia might be lost in forest."
"huh? What do you mean" Asok asked in surprise
" I think Millia lost in forest because there is possibility that his teleportation device is broken, but I don't know which is what happened so we need to go back to cave and wait him"
Asok frowned, worry etched on his face. "Are you sure waiting is the best move? What if something happens to him in the meantime?"
I shook my head. "Running around without direction will only make things worse. If he's in the forest, i can find him through magic if my magic didn't find him it mean he's safe in Moltier City. Our best chance is to regroup in the cave and conserve our energy."
"…Alright," Asok said reluctantly, glancing at the snow-cloaked ice trees. "I just hate feeling helpless."
"I know," I replied quietly. "But right now, patience is our best choice I can make. Come on, let's get to the cave and wait for Millia."
"Fine," Asok said, his voice heavy with disappointment and worry.
"Hey, don't worry. He's a tough and thoughtful kid, he'll be fine," I reassured him, giving him a small bit of comfort. We returned to the cave, and I immediately sat down to meditate. I didn't release my Rank 7 aura because, as a Rank 7 extraordinary monster, it was logical to keep it hidden in this situation.
I split my consciousness in two: one half maintained my Rank 7 artificial blood magic, while the other reached out mentally to Iflang. I explained the situation and asked her to find Millia.
"I see. It may take a while, but I will do as you ask, your greatness," Iflang replied, bowing before ending the mental communication. My focus returned fully to my body as I continued the blood magic.
Five hours later, in my hyper state, the sea of blood before me had shifted to a soft, deep red. It was good progress, but not enough. I needed it to reach at least scarlet—or, ideally, a deep crimson.
Then, Iflang contacted me again.
"Your greatness, I found him. He is at the Hive Root you were planning to relocate," she said, leaving me stunned beyond words.
As a nature spirit, Iflang has complete control over nature energy. The entire Frost Zone is like an extension of her body, letting her inspect and detect almost everything. However, because of Nirjaw's interference, most of the nature energy is concentrated at the Hive Roots to protect them. Hive Roots are strategic points for her, and Nirjaw knows this. He sends beasts to attack them, trying to force her into predictable patterns. Iflang usually catches Nirjaw off guard and exploits his moves, but this time, he had chosen a different tactic.
"I need to move fast, or something might happen to him," I thought aloud. "A Rank 7 beast might ignore a Rank 4 kid like Millia, but Rank 6 and 5 beasts definitely won't."
Without hesitation, I used my innate trait of teleportation. Before leaving, I sealed the cave with my arcane artifacts to protect Asok.
Ting ting!
In an instant, I materialized on a neighboring mountain, overlooking the Hive Root.
"Iflang, where is he?" I called urgently.
"He is in the belly of the mountain you are on, your greatness," Iflang's voice echoed in my mind.
Closing my eyes, I activated my magic sense. A vivid, three-dimensional image of the entire mountain bloomed in my mind—its tunnels, caverns, and every pulse of magic energy within its depths.
Then I saw it—a singular presence radiating enormous magic energy. It could only mean one thing a monster. And this monster was Millia.
"Found you," I whispered, and without another thought, I dashed forward.
Since I was already sustaining blood magic, space magic was off the table. My innate teleportation ability was too unstable to rely on in this frost zone, where the very fabric of space twisted unpredictably. Only Iflang's mastery of natural law and space magic had allowed me to teleport here safely. Now, I had to cover the remaining distance physically.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The world blurred around me as my speed skyrocketed. Snow and wind whipped against my skeletal frame, and the ice trees became streaks of white and blue. My body moved faster and faster until I practically blitzed through the mountain's interior in seconds.
"What—?" Millia barely had time to react before I burst into the chamber. In one smooth motion, I grabbed him and pulled him into my shadow dimension. The boy didn't resist—he was smart enough to recognize this was me when he entered shadow dimension, and that I wasn't wasting a single moment for talking.
I could already sense the distant tremors of approaching Rank 7 beasts. They had found me. Time was against us.
Without hesitation, I burst from the cavern, my skeletal body a blur as shadows swirled around me like living smoke. Every movement left streaks of darkness, curling and twisting as if alive. Then, with a thought, I summoned my Gaster Blaster.
This time, it was different—its colossal, dragon-skull shape glowed blood red, and its hollow eye sockets burned with crimson light. The fierce glow was a clear sign: my innate traits were fully under the effect of blood magic, elevated to Rank 7 power.
TSSSSBOOM!
A roaring crimson beam erupted from the Gaster Blaster's maw. The beam carved through the mountainside as if it were paper, stone and ice shattering and vaporizing under its scorching light. Sparks and shards flew in all directions, and the sound echoed like a thousand drums in the frozen valley.
The Gaster Blaster floated above me like a nightmare, its massive dragon-skull shape radiating menace toward the pursuing beasts. My vision was linked directly to it, allowing me to see through its eyes as it moved effortlessly through the sky. When it attacked, brilliant red beams illuminated the snowy landscape in waves, turning the white world into a battlefield of crimson light.
Not stopping for a second, I charged forward, entering the next mountain. My hands spread, and I invoked my bone-bending innate trait. From the earth and air, titanic white bones erupted—pillars as large as towers, walls as high as fortresses. They grew and twisted, forming a countless bones covering entire mountains like barrier.
Within moments, the mountain was encased in my skeletal architecture. Every ridge, slope, and uneven surface disappeared beneath a sea of white, like an endless field of wheat like bones swaying in the wind. The landscape became a fortress of death, gleaming pale under the cold light of the Frost Zone.
Even as my Gaster Blaster roared above, firing beam after beam, I felt the blood magic surge through my body, heightening every sense. Shadows danced at my feet, bones groaned and locked into place, and the mountain became my domain.
I knew the Rank 7 beasts would come—but I was ready. This was the battlefield I had created, and I would not yield.
Although my Gaster Blaster radiated raw, terrifying power, it lacked the qualities I truly needed: multiple outputs, pinpoint accuracy, and rapid fire. I could modify its structure to meet my standards, but innate traits were beyond my manipulation. I wasn't a true Rank 7; without the unique trait of an extraordinary monster, combat like this would never be easy. I sighed, letting the crimson glow of my Gaster Blaster fade into the shadows, and began to dig into the mountain's depths.
The sound of rending stone echoed as I burrowed downward, my Rank 7 body tearing through earth with ease. My skeletal frame moved like a living drill, carving an underground sanctuary deep within the mountain. Snow and rock fell behind me in cascading sheets, swallowed by the darkness. My physical strength was immense beyond anything a normal monster could do but still insignificant compared to a true Rank 7 fighter-type, who could lift a mountain with casual ease.
The world above rumbled.
Beasts struck the mountain in a frenzy, each attack shaking the cavern. Bone walls splintered and shattered, chunks of earth tore free, and jagged cracks spread through the stone. Every blow sent tremors through my skeletal form, but I remained calm. I crouched in the darkness, letting the mountain's inner body cloak me.
Closing my hollow eyes, I sank my awareness into my soul telekinesis. The world expanded in my mind. I could feel every pulse of magic, every shifting pebble, every sharp breath of the predators above. A three-dimensional web of motion unfolded in my mind as hundreds of signatures, circling, diving, and clawing at the mountain.
Dust rained from the ceiling as another colossal impact tore away part of the peak. Half the mountain was already gone, carved by merciless strikes and collapsing earth.
I waited.
The icy darkness around me pulsed with tension, every vibration of the stone singing with the muffled roars of the beasts above. The rigid walls of my underground area shivered as snow and bits of ice dusted down like cold ash. Each growl reverberated through the mountain's bones, creating a thrumming rhythm of impending violence. My skeletal fingers curled tightly, claws scraping against rock, and the shadows clung to me like living smoke, writhing in anticipation.
I waited, still as death, feeling the mountain quake under the relentless assault of my hunters. The battlefield above had become a storm of chaos—the sound of claws tearing through ice, of wings thrashing against the blizzard, of massive bodies colliding with the earth. Every rumble vibrated through my hollow chest, resonating in my ribs like a drumbeat.
Then, the moment came.
With a sudden burst, I exploded out from the underground. The snowstorm swallowed me like a ghost, and the world became a blur of white and shadow. Above, one colossal beast still clawed at the mountain, its hulking frame a silhouette of darkness against the swirling flakes. Its hide shimmered with frost as it tunneled, unaware of my sudden strike.
Then I used a burst of magic energy to dash toward the beast, then summoned my Gaster Blaster. The moment I reached the beast, I summoned an enormous bone in the sky and used telekinetic force to pull it downward.
The moment it hit the beast's back, I heard the bone cracking, and the impact was enough to disturb the snowstorm a little. Then my Gaster Blaster reached the leg of the beast and started to bite it with immense force that it tore apart the beast's steel-like skin while I got on the beast and used the offensive Severiat technique to leave cuts and make sure the beast bled as I was planning to use rank 6 blood magic sooner or later when there is enough blood.
Heah
Then another beast came and released a breath of frost that froze everything, which I instantly evaded by jumping high into the sky, but before I could even sense or think, I sensed my hand was severed.
"When did?!" Before I could realize what was happening, something hit me, throwing me hard into the ground, but in the time of falling, I used bone bending to create a barrier of bones that manifest like wheat field that protected me.
"This is why I need to be at least Scarlet in this state. I'm basically semi rank 7, maybe a little higher. But my mind can't react on time." I muttered a little as I prepared my artificial soul, then
Bam
I dashed out from the barrage of bones that covered me and saw one beast reaching toward me with immense speed, which made me smile as I also increased my speed.
At the moment we clashed, I quickly raised a one tall bone beneath my foot. The sudden lift launched me upward, letting me land squarely on the beast's back.
I gripped its thick fur firmly and with my free hand, I pressed my artificial soul directly against the beast's back.
The monster let out a deafening roar and began to thrash wildly, leaping and shaking in an attempt to throw me off. But I held on tightly, refusing to let go.
The beast's roars grew faint, its movements sluggish and weak. The cause was clear: I channeled my magic energy directly into its body, overwhelming its nervous system with my will of magic and disrupting its control over nature energy. It was becoming increasingly vulnerable, though still dangerous. Knowing that other beasts were already on their way, I didn't linger. I leapt off its back, confident that it would retreat rather than continue the fight.
I sprinted toward the next mountain, moving swiftly across the icy terrain. Suddenly, lightning bolts rained down from the stormy sky, striking with deadly precision. I twisted and dodged between the flashes in an erratic, almost chaotic pattern. My senses could detect the lightning's path, but my body couldn't match true Rank 7 speed since I could only react on instinct, narrowly avoiding each strike as I pressed on toward safety.
"Damn it!" I cursed, pain surging through me as a bolt of lightning struck my body. I groaned, collapsing onto the icy ground.
"My hand… useless for now," I muttered, clenching my teeth. With a deep sigh, I initiated my self-regeneration, feeling bone, sinew, and magic slowly knit my arm back together.
Without wasting a moment, I sprinted into the belly of a new mountain. Once inside, I sealed the entire mountain with walls of bone, forming a protective cocoon. Here, in the dim silence, I began to think.
As an extraordinary monster, my mind can analyze countless things at once and at incredible speed. Based on what I had seen, there was at least one extremely fast flying beast—definitely Rank 7. There was also a wolf-like beast that breathed frost, freezing everything in its path. The other two were massive, resembling a bear and a tiger. And beyond them, I could sense at least three more presences lurking out there.
I exhaled slowly. "I've got one hour before I'm forced to fight them or…"
Even so, I knew the higher-rank beasts were patient and cautious. They wouldn't strike recklessly. That was to my advantage—the longer I waited, the more power I would accumulate.
My blood magic continued to flow, pulsing steadily within me. I knew that with strong emotions, I could amplify its efficiency and strength even further. But the most important part was consistency. Children might falter, but as an adult and an extraordinary monster, I had the stability to maintain it.
I settled deep within the mountain's shadows, quietly preparing, watching, and waiting.
Fortunately, no attack came. It felt as if the beasts had left—but I knew they hadn't. They were waiting too, recovering and strategizing, just as I was.
Minutes blurred into hours, hours stretched into days, and days eventually became a week.
"Finally… deep crimson," I murmured with a sigh of relief. "I can't go any further, but this is perfect."
Who would have thought that the vigilance of those Rank 7 beasts would give me the time I needed to complete this process?
"Even though I'm exhausted, this should be enough." I admitted to myself that maintaining blood magic at such high efficiency had been crushing. I nearly fainted once or twice, and going so long without proper sleep was beginning to worry me. Still, I had achieved what I needed.
Bam
With a powerful leap, I burst from the mountain, relying purely on my immense strength and speed. My Rank 7 aura flared, heavily amplified by blood magic. I activated every reflex and instinct that an extraordinary monster can master, performing complex multitasking that no Rank 5 monster could achieve, no matter their talent.
Extraordinary monsters have a unique advantage: after experiencing a technique or movement only a few times sometimes even once it becomes instinctive for them. Their reflexes adapt quickly, and even artificial magic can be ingrained as an automatic response. This makes extraordinary monsters far more efficient than others.
But there is more. Extraordinary monsters can manipulate these reflexes like adjust them, modify them, or even create new reflexes entirely within their minds. Once conceived, these reflexes become reality, functioning as if they were natural instincts.
Since my mind could not fully keep up with the speed and power of my Rank 7 body, I created reflexes specifically for it. This was extremely difficult, even for a Rank 6 extraordinary monster, as multitasking at such a high level is nearly beyond my capacity. Still, these reflexes proved invaluable, allowing me to focus on one critical task while my body instinctively handled the rest.
A body that moves independently, while the mind lags behind and must still guide it—this will be an incredibly challenging task.
Roar!
Then, a cold breath that freezes everything came to me in the air, but I activated my reflex. Before I could even see my body, it had already activated bone bending and used them as projectiles.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
My bones were covered in a blood-red color, and each hit had immense force due to their speed and toughness.
Then I activated the second reflex right there, sending massive bones that tall as hive roots. It hit the beast on the mountain, which made the entire area look like the back of a hedgehog. Then I used the third reflex as my body summoned a gaster blaster so fast and fired at the immobilized beast in a blink of an eye.
Tsboom!
My gaster blaster literally created a hole in the mountain, then the mountain melted away before freezing back into solid.
Before I could think anymore, my body moved on its own and caught the claw of the beast that had attacked me, but I wasn't able to think what to do as the beast threw me hard into the ground.
Bam!
Rising from the ground, I sensed the approach of multiple beasts. Even one I had blasted with my gaster blaster emerged from the mountain as if it were undead rising from tomb. It appeared that my gaster blast had only damaged the beast and buried it, but that was sufficient because I could see its body still smoldering, indicating the extent of my damage. Then, I summoned the Gluttony Blaster and let it suck torrent of snowstorm. I grabbed the Gluttony Blaster and directed it at one beast, but the beasts scattered around in a chaotic yet controlled manner, drawing nearer to me.
"As expected from rank 7," I sighed, preparing blood magic just in case.
Roar!
One beast charged at me. I leaped slightly into the air, swung my leg, and managed to catch the Gluttony Blaster with my foot, smashing it against the beast. The impact shattered the Gluttony Blaster, releasing its entire stored snowstorm in a single burst. The force of the storm struck the beast with such intensity that it sent me flying backward as well. It was like unleashing storm magic, though I had only ever learned the basics of it. Watching the effect in action made me realize I should probably practice storm magic seriously in this life.
I summoned my new Gaster Blaster, gripped it by its jaw, and used it to take flight. Then countless lightning started to fall from higher sky and my gaster blaster maneuver through those lightning dodging as we go
"Those lightning bolts again… That hawk beast must be the source. How should I handle an opponent like this?" I thought to myself. Beasts of this rank are smart compared to Rank 5 beasts, but they are only beginning to think independently rather than acting purely on instinct. True strategic thinking only appears in Rank 10 beasts. These Rank 7 creatures can plan and adjust their fighting style, but they are not capable of deep strategy. Only 'IT' was different he was a rare exception, thinking like a Rank 10 beast.
"Aha!" I released my grip on the Gaster Blaster and dove downward. In doing so, I invoked my innate trait of teleportation, warping space and time around me. In my previous life, I traveled across Regions 6 to 9 for a century without relying on this innate trait. My understanding of teleportation had long surpassed that of a normal monster. I had used it over a million times at Rank 2, making it a skill that had become second nature. Its versatility is unmatched.
As I dove, the space around me rippled like liquid, the world bending under my power. I summoned a special variation of the Gaster Blaster this is one I had invented back at Rank 2, long before my regression. Unlike the standard or Gluttony variants, this one was designed for trapping, not combat.
I called it the Fixed Point Blaster. Its form resembled a skull with four jaws and a half-sphere back.
I fired it skyward. 18 small, star-like projectiles burst forth and homed in on the beast i targeted. Upon interacting, they will circulate around beast creating a sphere that pulled the beasts toward me, locking them in place.
Soon, the 18 small star-like projectiles shot into the sky and began orbiting around the hawk beast. They glimmered like tiny suns against the dark, stormy sky. Each one left behind a faint trail of red light, and together they formed a glowing net that slowly tightened around the beast.
The hawk beast flapped its massive wings, slicing through the cold, snowy air. Its feathers shone with silver and ice-blue hues, reflecting the pale light of the storm. The starry projectiles moved on their own, weaving an elegant pattern like a living constellation that was closing in to trap it. But the beast didn't give up—it turned sharply and tried to escape, flying away as fast as it could.
I shifted my attention to the other beasts. In an instant, I activated the Severiat technique, and my speed exploded. The world became a blur—snowflakes stretched into white lines as I darted between the massive ice trees and jagged mountain ridges. My black skeletal body left streaks of shadow behind me, and the only sound I made was a sharp whisper cutting through the roaring wind.
Roar
Beasts actually come to me and own their own, which I used an offensive severiat technique. Severiat metals liquified and twisted into spikes that pierced through the body of the beast, letting it bleed. Then I followed it with a kick, throwing away the beast. Then I leaped into the air and unleashed slashes on the beast, but the beast was fast enough to roll around and dodge.
"Damn it," I muttered, then fired a gaster blaster at the beast, but it missed and only caused environmental damage.
Soul telekinesis.
Then I pulled the beast to fight, but my body acted on its own, jumping far away as an explosion happened. The place where I was, it seems, there was another beast trying to kill while that one was trying to distract me by taking damage from me.
"Damn, that was a smart trap then." I manipulated several metal pieces into bullets and punched them hard as I could and used them as projectiles at beasts.
Bam
Bam
Bam
Although some of my metal projectiles hit the beasts, most missed. They were simply too fast, darting through the snow at incredible speed. So I stopped using the pieces as flying projectiles and instead reshaped them into spikes, letting them lash out like the tentacles of an octopus.
Whoosh.
Whoosh.
The battle dragged on, and I gradually found myself at a disadvantage. The beasts were beginning to adapt to my fighting style. My approach relied on around 120 reflex-based movements I had ingrained into my body. Eighty of those used blood magic and my innate traits, and the rest were a mixture of dodges and close-combat maneuvers.
"I feel like I'm not moving my own body," I thought, frustrated. "It's like I'm controlling a puppet through reflex alone. Timing is strange, and they've already learned how to counter me. I need to finish this fight fast."
I paused, considering my options. The beasts fought with overwhelming brute force, and they also had magic. But their magic reserves were limited—small, fixed pools of energy they were careful not to waste. Only a few had dared to use their magic, and those few had already cast five spells, reaching their limits.
"…"
Whoosh.
After our latest clash, I jumped back, creating distance between us. The beasts also retreated to give themselves space to recover and heal.
"I think this is enough," I said, watching the river of blood freeze in the cold. Rank 7 beast are so vital that their blood literally boils with heat even in the freezing mountains. Their blood doesn't just carry life; it also has traces of nature energy and magic energy.
A single liter of Rank 7 beast blood could push a Rank 1 monster to ascend to Rank 2 easily. Emotional control and experience are the real keys to natural ascension, but the young usually lack both, so they rely on external sources. I rely on my own strength, but this blood has other uses for me.
"Now, it's time for blood magic to shine!" I declared with excitement. I activated the magic, and the pooled blood began to flow down the mountain, swirling around me like my Severiat metal. The blood formed a halo, circling me as my magic took hold.
The origin of blood magic is straightforward. It was specifically designed to combat beasts, drawing its power from their blood. Because this technique relied heavily on blood, it didn't align well with the natural lifestyle of monsters. Most monsters preferred other forms of magic, so they only used simple blood spells instead of mastering actual blood magic. Over time, blood magic was abandoned and largely forgotten.
Even the creator of blood magic wasn't fond of it. He used it only as a tool to subdue or drive away beasts before leaving behind arcane artifacts containing his insights and techniques. I was fortunate to obtain one of these artifacts as a reward when the 12th squad discovered the Land of Kall.
I didn't truly implement blood magic until humans arrived. Against them, blood magic proved exceptionally effective. Still, since reaching Rank 10, I had rarely used it. My battles left little room for blood magic to display its full strength. But now, in this moment, I know that blood magic is crucial to my survival.
Roar
At that moment, I felt the natural energy around me stir. I split off a portion of the blood forming a halo around my body and directed it toward the beast, activating my blood magic.
Whoosh!
The blood transformed instantly into fire, spewing forth like a dragon's breath. It cascaded down the mountain faster and wider than lava, a crimson tsunami consuming everything in its path.
This was the true power of blood magic. If the blood came from a higher-ranked beast with strong vitality, it could be transformed into other magic which requires me nothing but my control. Yet, this strength was also its greatest weakness: the more blood I had, the more powerful I became—but without blood, blood magic was useless. Other forms of magic did not share such a critical limitation. Right now, I was wielding Rank 7 fire magic through blood magic.
Roar!
"I don't think so," I muttered, leaping into the sky. Diving toward one of the fleeing beasts, I shot forward, sliding through the air at extreme speed using streams of blood as my path. In an instant, I reached the beast, condensed the blood into sharp arrows, and fired them at its feet. The arrows struck beast, immobilizing it.
Then, I drew the beast's blood into my control, draining its vitality until it weakened significantly. When I was satisfied, I stopped the extraction and released my Rank 7 aura, projecting a clear warning for it to leave.
I was certain it would not come after me again. Nirjaw may influence beasts, but he cannot control their minds. In order to survive, the weakened beast would avoid me. And that was fine—I had no desire to take its life.
"That was surprisingly smooth," I murmured, a bit shocked by my own success. But then I reminded myself: blood magic was created specifically to counter beasts, so this result was only logical.
I severed a large portion of the blood from the halo swirling around me and casting storm magic from it. Instantly, a massive tornado formed, tearing across the mountains and sweeping everything in its path. I stood in the center of the chaos, completely untouched, the storm raging around me.
Whoosh.
Whooo.
Thunder boomed, and lightning split the sky as the tornado raged on. The thunderstorm followed, and the winds carried their wrath for hours, shaking the whole domain of hive root with their power.
After five hours, everything grew silent. The once snowy mountains were now barren, and the land stretched empty. All the ice trees had been swept away by the storm—only the Hive Root remained standing.
I walked toward the Hive Root, carefully storing all the collected beast blood in my shadow dimension. This blood might come in handy later. However, I knew it wouldn't stay effective for long—once blood starts to rot, it loses its power. At best, it can be stored for only three days before becoming completely useless.
I noticed a single beast standing before me, ready to fight. It seemed the other beasts had already fled, yet this one remained. That puzzled me.
"Prepared to fight to the death…? This isn't simple. No matter how strong or intelligent Nirjaw is, he can't force a beast to fight until it dies. There must be something I've overlooked," I thought, confused.
Still, I steeled myself for battle, summoning blood-red bones and charging toward the beast.
Suddenly, the ground shook violently.
Loo
The beast howled, and in the next instant, it vanished, leaving only an eerie, echoing sound behind.
"What…?" I froze, stunned by the sudden disappearance. Space twisted, and before I realized what had happened, I was standing atop a mountain peak.
"What is going on? Things are getting stranger and stranger," I muttered, scanning the empty landscape for answers. But there was nothing—only the wind and snow.
Then, a shadow moved across the mountains from above. My instincts screamed. I immediately tried to use magic, but nothing happened. Panic surged as I looked down at my hands in shock, realizing I couldn't summon any power at all.
Panic gripped me as I realized I could not move or use my magic. I tried everything I could think of, but nothing worked. Then, from the sky, two enormous red eyes appeared and locked onto me. A burning pain surged through my mind, tearing it apart as if fire was sweeping across a vast landscape, reducing everything to ash. I could feel a figure trying to resist the attack, but even that effort failed.
"Ahhh!" I screamed, pouring every drop of my willpower and mental strength into resisting the force. But in the end, I understood there was nothing I could do.
"Hehe… to think I would fail here," I laughed softly. Oddly, I felt no despair or fear—only acceptance.
When I first regressed, I knew the path I had chosen would always be filled with twists, challenges, and dangers I might not overcome. If I had lived like an ordinary monster, I would never have faced something like this. Yet that empty life would have meant ignoring the problems I knew humanity would bring. I had to act, and this was the result.
"At least I tried," I murmured. "If my story ends here, then so be it. Perhaps if I had followed the same choices as my past life and changed only small things, I might not have ended up in this situation. But my own circumstances forced me to act this way."
I felt regret for reaching only this far, but also gratitude for having done everything I could.
Soon, even thinking became difficult. My consciousness dimmed, and I knew the end was near.
"I'm sorry to everyone… I had a chance to save you all… but I failed."
Just as I was about to be consumed, a hand suddenly grabbed my shoulder and hurled me away. In an instant, my mind cleared.
"Who? What!" I gasped, turning to see the figure who saved me.
It was me—myself from a previous life, the one I called my Clownchaos self. He glanced at me once, then faced the two blazing red eyes. With a calm gesture, he raised his hands toward them.
A radiant light erupted, sweeping away everything. A deafening roar filled the air, and the world faded into white. The last thing I saw was the back of my former self, standing against the darkness for me.
"Gasp… what happened?" I opened my eye sockets and saw the beast roaring at me.
I pushed myself up from the ground, grabbed a red bone, and hurled it toward the beast with immense speed. The beast, however, dodged to the left long before the bone could hit.
"Alright… Soul Telekinesis!"
Using my innate trait, I grabbed the beast with my telekinetic force and threw it to the right, perfectly positioning it so that the flying red bone hit its eye.
Roar
I dashed toward the beast, raising my fist to punch while infusing it with immense magical energy. As I reached the beast, I jumped onto its torso.
Bam!
My punch sent the beast flying into the sky, but I was gently thrown to the ground. Without wasting time, I used bone bending to create countless bones and launched them all as projectiles at the beast.
Brrr!
My attack hit the beast, but it didn't penetrate its skin. That wasn't my goal; I wanted to cause it pain. Then, I summoned a gaster blaster and fired it at the beast.
Tsboom!
The gaster blaster fired its red beam towards the wall where the beast was heading. The beam hit the beast in 5 seconds and threw it away, but it still fell to the ground.
Roar!
The beast tried to get up, but I fired my gaster blaster a second time, nearly killing it. However, I didn't fire it a third time. Instead, I walked towards the hive root, ignoring the beast while releasing my rank 7 aura.
As I walked, I kept wondering what had happened and why I ended up in that place. For some reason, I felt both relieved that I hadn't died and a bit scared. My mind could only focus on one thought:
"Somehow, my old self saved me. I'm grateful… but what caused me to nearly die?"
I was deeply confused, the confusion layering over itself. Eventually, I reached the hive root and used my artificial soul to transfer the hive root to my new location.
…
"So, is there anything I can do to fix this so-called emotional damage of yours?" I asked, looking at Millia as he scrubbed at his blood-soaked clothes.
Earlier, when I stored the blood in my shadow dimension, I completely forgot that Millia was still in there. I only remembered him after I had placed the Hive Root. When I finally released him, he was traumatized. Honestly, it was understandable—being submerged in blood for nearly an hour would shake anyone.
"Shut up! I know you were trying to kill me, and at the last second you just changed your mind. Don't try to lie to me!" Millia shouted angrily. I couldn't blame him; from his perspective, everything pointed to betrayal. In truth, I had been on the brink of death myself and had forgotten about everything else. I wanted to explain, but I knew he wouldn't listen. It would only make him more agitated. All I could do was take the blame.
"Yeah, I did that… and I'm sorry, okay?" I said, my voice flat, still lost in thought about what had happened.
"Rrr! Stop acting like this is all just some game!" Millia shouted while continuing to clean his clothes. I silently waited for him to finish because leaving blood on his clothes could attract beasts.
I fell into deep thought, replaying the moment. That strange howl if it was some kind of teleportation, then why did I lose all my magic energy? It was completely illogical. Then again, my old self had actually appeared physically. That could only mean one thing: it was some kind of mental world that forcefully pulled me in and somehow brought my old self along. That meant my old self was still very active.
The mental world explained a lot—but the question of how it all happened still remains.
"Hmm… maybe it was some kind of sound magic? No, a mental world usually involves space magic… I'll figure it out later," I muttered, letting out a tired sigh as I waited for Millia. It didn't take long before he finished cleaning his clothes.
"Alright, let's go," I said, and Millia and I began walking toward the cave where Asok was waiting.
As we moved, I suddenly felt the flow of nature energy surge around me—like a river of violet light rushing through the air.
"Your greatness, are you there?" Iflang's voice rang in my mind, loud with panic.
"Yeah, I'm here. What happened?" I replied immediately.
"Your greatness, Nirjaw has sent thousands of beasts to your location! I don't know why, but he's extremely wary of you. I don't know if I can hold them back. You must leave the Frost Zone now!"
"Thousands of beasts?!" My mind reeled. Beasts of Rank 6 or 7 in those numbers were a catastrophe. Without wasting a moment, I grabbed Millia by his collar, slung him over my shoulder, and started running at full speed.
"Hey! What are you doing?!" Millia protested, wriggling and trying to cast a spell. He was becoming a hassle, so I knocked him out to keep him from interfering.
"This is madness," I muttered under my breath, sprinting toward the Frost Zone's border. Soon, I reached the nearest edge and tried to escape—only to slam into a barrier. I staggered back, stunned. This wasn't a barrier made of magic energy, but one of pure nature energy.
"Your greatness," Iflang said urgently, "Nirjaw has created a barrier around you. He's determined to trap and destroy you. I will try to hold back the beasts, but you must find a way to escape."
I sighed helplessly and stored Millia back in my shadow dimension.
"Thousands of beasts… and a nature energy barrier made by a Rank 15 beast. How am I supposed to get through this, let alone fight them all? What should I do?" I thought, tension knotting in my chest as I began to plan my next move.
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Author's note: guys I will be taking rest because exam is coming maybe you don't know it but I'm Mongolian right now I need to prepare for my exam and because of that my writing becomes extremely slow so i decided to stop it whole for while it might be few weeks or one month but I will come back with few chapters