The last day of training was like nothing I'd ever experienced before. From dawn to dusk, we fought without pause. The knight threw us into battle after battle, against each other, against him, and against monsters he summoned or dragged from the wild. There was no respite, no time to reflect—only constant combat.
By the time I stopped counting after the hundredth fight, my mind was numb to the repetition. Every strike, every dodge, every move had to be instinctual. The knight's goal was clear: to embed fighting into the core of who we were. He wanted us to become so natural with our abilities that our minds could focus on strategy while our bodies operated on autopilot.
I fought against Voltis and his lightning armor, which made him faster and stronger than I could anticipate. I faced Asura, who used his boosters and teleportation to overwhelm me. Laila's attacks, enhanced by her newfound mastery of poisons, were relentless and surgical. Even when we teamed up, the knight always knew how to push us to our limits.
He never let us falter for long. With a simple touch, his energy would flood into us, healing injuries, restoring strength, and wiping away exhaustion. The renewal was instant, leaving no excuse to stop or hold back. It was maddening, but also exhilarating. I could feel myself becoming sharper, stronger, more adaptive.
The knight chose opponents perfectly suited to challenge us. No battle was ever one-sided. Voltis had to fight monsters that could negate his lightning. Asura was pitted against creatures that could outmaneuver him in the air. Laila faced beasts resistant to her poisons. And I... well, I faced nearly everything, knowing I'd never match my partners' raw power.
But the knight never expected me to outmatch them. I realized that my role was different. I was the leader, the strategist, the one meant to coordinate rather than compete. While they were honing their raw abilities, I was sharpening my mind, learning how to direct them in a way that would make us unstoppable as a team.
When the day finally ended, we were all battered, bruised, and utterly spent. The knight handed each of us a drink, a strange, glowing liquid that tasted oddly sweet and earthy. The moment it hit my throat, I felt warmth spread through my body, washing away the pain and fatigue.
The next morning, I woke up feeling like a new person. My muscles, which had screamed in protest the night before, were now full of energy. I felt stronger, more connected to my abilities. The others seemed to feel the same. Asura stretched his metallic limbs with ease, Voltis's scales crackled with energy, and Laila's eyes shone with newfound confidence.
The week of training was over, and it was time for us to move on. The knight had promised to drop us off near the human town before leaving for the Beast Empire.
But then, something unexpected happened.
Laila approached me, her expression serious yet hesitant. She spoke softly, but her words carried a weight that silenced everyone.
She wanted to fulfill her contract. Her enemies still roamed free, and she believed we were strong enough now to face them.
I understood her reasoning, but it posed a dilemma. If we pursued her enemies, we'd have to travel to the town without the knight's protection. I was about to voice my concerns when the knight surprised me.
He knelt down, his massive frame lowering to Laila's level. His voice, usually commanding, was filled with something softer—respect.
"I owe you a great debt," he said. "You were the reason Akira and his companions intervened. Your actions saved my people. I will eliminate your enemies myself."
Laila's eyes widened, and for a moment, she was speechless. Then she nodded, her voice steady as she made her request. "If you do it, please... make it quick. Don't let them suffer like my people did."
The knight placed her gently on his shoulder. "It will be done."
I watched them leave, the massive emerald knight striding into the distance with Laila perched on his shoulder, her small figure almost glowing with purpose.
Left behind, I sat with Voltis and Asura, feeling the weight of the moment. For the first time in a week, there was no training, no fighting. Just stillness.
"I guess we relax for now," Asura said, lying back on the grass. "Feels like it's been years since we had a real break."
Voltis snorted, a spark of lightning crackling along his claws. "Seven days. Seven days that felt like lifetimes."
I leaned back, staring up at the sky. My thoughts drifted to the human town, to what lay ahead. The training had transformed us, but it also made me realize how much more there was to learn, how many more challenges awaited.
For now, though, I allowed myself to breathe. The road ahead was uncertain, but for the first time in a long time, I felt ready to face it.
It wasn't long before the knight returned with Laila perched on his shoulder. He descended from the sky, a quiet authority radiating from his every movement. His emerald glow reflected on the trees below as he floated down in front of us, his expression calm, almost serene.
"It's done," he said simply.
I glanced at Laila, who looked neither relieved nor vengeful—just tired. She had wanted closure, and it seemed she had found it. I didn't press her for details. Some burdens were better left unspoken.
The knight turned to his people, who gathered obediently at his command. With a wave of his hand, an emerald barrier enveloped them, shimmering like liquid crystal in the fading sunlight. Then he looked at us.
"It's time to leave," he announced, his voice as unyielding as ever.
With a flick of his hand, an emerald platform materialized beneath us, lifting us into the air. It was solid, yet weightless beneath our feet. The knight led the way, flying at a steady pace as we followed on the platform.
From the sky, the forest below looked so tranquil, so beautiful. It was a stark contrast to the reality we'd faced on the ground. The dangers seemed distant now, hidden beneath the canopy.
I couldn't help but wish that moments like this could last forever. The freedom, the serenity, the feeling of being above the chaos of the world—it was intoxicating. But I knew better. Someone at the lowest rung of the food chain didn't get to enjoy such luxuries for long.
I found my eyes drawn to the knight as he flew ahead of us, his movements effortless and commanding. He was powerful, a true leader. I thought about the gold rank—a level that symbolized true elite status in this world. Not at the top, but far above the average.
That was where I wanted to be. That was where I needed to be.
I wasn't alone in that realization. Asura and Voltis were watching the knight too, their expressions resolute. We'd come far in these seven days, but there was so much further to go.
But reaching gold rank wasn't simple. The knight had explained the immense energy requirements, the way most creatures needed to evolve to progress beyond silver. We were fortunate in that regard—Asura, Voltis, and Laila had all evolved and were capable of pushing to gold rank. Their challenge would be what came after.
For me, it was different.
The knight had shared something troubling: humans, by nature, were capped at silver rank. To reach gold and beyond, they had to evolve further, altering their very essence.
"How do humans evolve?" I'd asked him, frustrated by my ignorance.
He explained that humans adapted by merging their genetics with higher-ranked creatures. They would take in the blood of beings like angels, vampires, wolves, beastmen, or even plants and avians. This infusion of traits allowed them to transform, breaking past their natural limits.
"They call it progress," the knight had said, his tone neutral. "But it is not unique to humans. Many species follow similar paths. Evolution takes many forms. Fusion of races, fusion of souls, or even merging with elementals. Every path has its risks."
He had looked at me then, his eyes sharp. "Humanity is new to this. Their path is limited, unrefined. If you follow it blindly, you may end up like the rest—strong, but unremarkable. Research your options. Find your own way."
I'd said nothing, the weight of his words pressing heavily on me. I knew so little about humanity's current state. The knight's knowledge of the Beast Empire was vast, but it only highlighted how much I didn't know about my own kind.
I'd spent the rest of the journey thinking about what he said, wondering what path I should take. But without more information, it felt like trying to navigate in the dark.
Finally, after about an hour, the town came into view.
It was small but sturdy, with buildings made of stone and metal. A massive wall surrounded it, bristling with armed machine guns and drones that patrolled the perimeter. The place was clearly built for defense.
As we approached, a barrier shimmered to life, covering the town like a protective dome. On the walls, human soldiers were already gathering, weapons aimed at us.
At the forefront was a massive mech suit, easily ten meters tall. Its black armor gleamed under the sunlight, and red particles danced behind it, keeping it afloat. Its glowing red eyes stared down at us with a menacing intensity.
A voice boomed from the mech, harsh and commanding. "State your purpose! This is human territory, protected by the Holy Light. Any intrusion will be considered an act of war!"
The knight didn't even flinch. He floated forward, his emerald glow intensifying as his voice rang out, calm but firm.
"We mean no harm. I am escorting this human to your settlement."
The mech's gaze shifted to us, and for a moment, I could feel the weight of its scrutiny. My heart raced, but I held my ground. This was it—the first step back into humanity's world.