A deafening, earth-shattering roar erupted from the depths of the azure fog, causing the ancient tree trunks to vibrate violently. The chaotic chatter of the lesser primates silenced instantly as the thick blue mist parted, revealing a horrifying sight.
Sprinting forward on all fours were five massive Monkey Commanders, their heavily muscled, human-like frames tearing through the underbrush with terrifying speed. But behind them loomed a nightmareâthe Troop Leader. Standing nearly three meters tall, its charcoal-colored fur was crisscrossed with brutal battle scars, and its massive, razor-sharp fangs protruded aggressively from its lower jaw. Its presence radiated the suffocating pressure of a beast at the absolute peak of its tier.
In a single instant, the Blood Moon mercenary formation completely collapsed.
"Run! Itâs the Leader! Itâs a wipe!"
The previous facade of brotherhood and discipline evaporated into nothingness. It was a chaotic scramble for survival; camaraderie and loyalty meant absolutely nothing in the face of certain death. In a disgusting display of cowardice, the axe-wielding leader and his vice-captain were the absolute first to abandon the group, using their movement techniques to sprint toward the outer perimeter, leaving their wounded men behind to be torn apart.
The remaining two rearguard mercenaries, terrified out of their minds, bolted directly toward Ethan and Maryâs position. Their eyes were wide with malicious desperation. They werenât trying to fight their way out togetherâthey were explicitly aiming to draw the pursuing Monkey Commanders toward the two strangers, hoping to use Ethan and Mary as a meat shield to buy themselves a few precious seconds of escape.
"Out of the way, peasants!" the shield warrior screamed, his face twisted in panic as a Commander closed the distance behind him. "Die for us!"
Mary completely panicked. Her instincts screamed at her to defend herself, and her trembling hands rapidly raised her hunting bow, aiming a steel-tipped arrow at the incoming men.
But before she could release the string, a large, warm hand clamped firmly around her wrist. Ethanâs grip was like an unyielding iron vice, completely neutralizing her movement. With effortless strength, he gently forced her arm down, lowering the bow.
"Calm down, Sister Mary," Ethan whispered, his voice incredibly smooth, completely devoid of fear or urgency despite the oncoming stampede of monsters and men. "Press yourself against me, and do not make any sudden movements."
Driven by pure terror and an overwhelming, submissive need for protection, Mary didnât hesitate. She threw herself forward, wrapping her arms tightly around his torso from behind. She pressed her voluptuous body completely against him, her massive, soft breasts flattening flush against Ethanâs broad, crimson-clad back. The intense heat of her mature body and her frantic, heavy breathing radiated straight into his spine.
Ethan didnât even flinch. His eyes remained fixed on the incoming mercenaries.
The two fleeing mercenaries didnât care about the terrifying stillness radiating from the crimson-clad youth. Seeing that Ethan wasnât moving, the scarred shield warrior bared his teeth in a grotesque grin of survival. "Thanks for the distraction, brat!" he screamed, preparing his iron blade to shove Ethan directly into the path of the beast if needed as he ran past.
But Ethan didnât even shift his weight. He simply stood there like an immovable mountain, his arms casually resting at his sides, allowing the two panicked men to sprint past his flanks.
Right behind them, the azure fog tore open.
Three massive Monkey Commanders erupted from the brush. Their muscular, human-like bodies were slick with dark blood, and their eyes burned with a primal, bloodthirsty frenzy. As they leaped through the clearing, their massive nostrils flared. They didnât even look at Ethan or Maryâtheir animal instincts completely locked onto the terrified, moving targets who were actively screaming and running away.
BOOM!
The ground shook as the lead Commander executed a monstrous leap, closing a twenty-meter gap in a fraction of a second. It descended directly onto the back of the shield warrior. The impact was deafening; the mercenaryâs spine shattered with a sickening CRACK as he was slammed face-first into the dirt.
"AGHHH! MY LEGS! H-HELP ME!" the man shrieked, the raw terror tearing his vocal cords apart as he pinned his hands into the mud, trying to crawl away.
But the Mist Monkeys had a uniquely sadistic method of hunting. They never granted their prey the mercy of a quick death. The Commander pinned the screaming man down with its massive, leathery knees. With a casual, horrific display of raw physical force, it grabbed the manâs left arm and pulled.
RIP!
"ARRRGHHH! STOP! PLEASE, GOD, STOP!"
The arm was torn completely out of its socket, spraying a fountain of hot, crimson blood across the azure moss. The warriorâs screams reached a pitch that didnât sound human. Before he could even faint from the sheer agony, the second Commander descended onto his lower torso. Its long, filth-encrusted claws plunged directly into his abdomen, ripping the flesh open like wet parchment. The beast buried its maw into the open cavity, violently pulling out his still-throbbing heart and devouring it whole while the manâs eyes were still wide, staring in absolute, dying horror at his own viscera.
"No... No! This canât be happening!" the second mercenary screamed, stumbling over a root as he witnessed his companion being dismantled like a piece of livestock. He scrambled backward on his hands and knees, covered in his partnerâs blood. "Get away from me! Get awayâ"
Before he could stand, the third Commander seized his ankles. With a brutal jerk, it snapped his legs backward at the knees, ripping the joints apart. The clearing descended into a chaotic, bloody symphony of snapping bones, splashing gore, and desperate, fading gurgles of pain. The beasts systematically tore off limbs, prioritizing the hot, iron-rich internal organs and hearts while their targets were still conscious and screaming, leaving the heads for last.
A few meters ahead, the main mercenary leader who had abandoned his men didnât make it much further. The three-meter Troop Leader had completely cut off his escape route. A single, sweeping backhand from the colossal alpha smashed the leaderâs two-handed axe into splinters and crushed his chest cavity into a bloody pulp, dragging him back into the center of the clearing to be consumed in the exact same savage manner.
Throughout the entire, blood-drenched massacre, Ethan remained completely serene. Behind him, Mary was trembling so violently that her teeth were chattering, her face buried completely into his back, her heavy breasts heaving in silent panic against his leather armor as the metallic stench of blood filled the air.
As the last mercenaryâs screams finally choked out into a wet rattle, the massive Troop Leader slowly rose to its full height. It stepped over the mangled, armless corpses of its victims, its glowing red eyes locking directly onto Ethan.
The three-meter monster didnât attack. Instead, it pulled back its black lips, exposing a row of massive, razor-sharp silver fangs in a grotesque, intelligent grin.
-------------------
From this moment forward, to avoid confusion regarding cultivation ranks, I will include this footer with the current established levels.
Note:
These are only the ranks mentioned so far to avoid spoilers.
Body Refinement Realm
Skin Refinement / Bone Refinement / Organ Refinement
Spiritual Gathering Realm
Spiritual Perception / Spiritual Mist / Spiritual Condensation
Spiritual Core Realm
Core Solidification / Core Awakening / Spiritual Collapse (Half-step Spiritual Core)
Spiritual Soul Realm
Spiritual Soul Awakening / Soul Nourishing / Soul-Core Fusion
Golden Core Realm
Prime Fusion / Core Perfection / Core Destruction
Spiritual Sea Realm
Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??
Dao Manifestation Realm
Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??
Spiritual Transcendence
Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??