Zether's POV.
Zether was running in the forest. Zether was on a holy mission for his kin. He was finding a way to get out of this forest which instead of a home, is nothing more than a prison for them. He is the son of Zestros from the Royal Dusk Wolf family. In the inner zone or Forbidden Zone of the forest, there are few Overlord Families and even though the Overlord Tier Beasts can't leave the Forbidden Zone, it's not true for their children and other Beasts who are born there.
Beasts born there before reaching Overlord Rank can leave the forbidden zone but after leaving the Forbidden zone, if they are able to reach Overlord Rank outside of the forbidden zone, then other Powerful beings such as humans able to sense it and hunt them before they can create any trouble.
This happened many times and they are trapped like animals in zoos, raised like pigs to be slaughtered. Beasts in the forbidden zone have made an alliance and whenever humans enter the forbidden zone, all Beasts forget their differences and attack and slaughter all humans who entered their territory.
Zether has come out of the forbidden zone not to become an Overlord Beast because he knows even if he reaches the Overlord Rank outside of forbidden zone, he will also be hunted like other beasts, so instead of reaching Overlord Rank, he came to find a way to leave the Azura Continent and reach to the Beast continent so that he can urge to newly Risen Beast Emperor who has become a Demi-God, because only Demi-God can destroy the formation which is imprisoning them in the Forest.
A few years ago they meet a heavily injured Beast who was hunted by Humans and he entered the forbidden zone while trying to save his life. His beast core was damaged and they can do nothing to save him. That beast was not from the Azura Continent but from a faraway continent called the Beast Continent. He told them a Demi-God had risen among beasts and he is called Beast Emperor. He was a messenger and tasked to inform all Beasts of this good news so that they could all unite under one banner. He and others like him travel far away continents to find Beasts who are in need of help and treated like slaves and goods by other beings.
When he came here and found the situation of Beasts here, he was ready to go back and inform the Emperor about all this but before he could go back he was attacked by humans and his beast core was damaged. That beast died soon after telling all this but even then his death wasn't in vain. A new hope is born in their hearts and they want to find a way to leave Azura Continent and find Beast continent and urge Beast Emperor to help them.
For this task they choose Zether. Zether has an exceptional ability to hide in shadows and even can hide his presence from Overlord Beasts at Peak Tier. That Messanger beast before his death told them the route that it took to reach Azura Continent and following that same root, it will take a few years to reach Zether to Beast continent.
Zether was running in the forest and when he suddenly saw a couple of humans walking in the Forest. One of them was giving him very dangerous Felling who had a child in his arms. Zether hides in the shadows of a tree and hides his presence. Those Humans were ready to go away from there but then suddenly the children in that man's arm watched in the direction where he was hiding and smiled.
Zether got a bad feeling about this but he still kept himself hidden. Then that child and person started talking with each other and then that child suddenly pointed in his direction and smiled. Zether felt a chill running down to his spine and was ready to run from there when suddenly that man attacked and he heard a voice of Boom.
End of Zether's POV.
Austin attacked in the direction in which Ethan pointed. A silver-coloured Arc of sword light cutted the legs of Zether who was ready to escape from there.
Zether howled in pain. With his howl, hundreds of wolves came running and attacked everyone. Austin's bodyguards became afraid after seeing such a huge Beast tide of wolfs but Austin didn't care much.
"Sword Rain" Austin muttered in a low voice and hundreds of Swords made of Aura energy materialized in the air and attacked all wolves brutally. Within in few seconds, Austin slaughtered all the wolves.
Ethan's jaws dropped on the ground after seeing such a gruesome scene. His eyes sparkled after watching all the Surrounding beasts and want to collect all Beast cores but his excitement died down when he found all beasts were above rank 5 and even if he managed to collect them he would not be able to use them for the time being and with Austin around, he will not be able to store them because Austin will not let him touch them. After all, it's dangerous for normal people without any power to touch them because the remaining will of that beast whose beast core is can even attack unawakened beings' Consciousness, harm, and even kill them. So even simply touching them without using Aura and magic can turn out to be dangerous.
After seeing all wolfs die, Zether lost all hope. He started weeping not because he was afraid of death but because he found himself guilty of not being able to fulfill the task given to him and help his breathing and other beasts. He was not able to release them from this prison and meet the Legendary Beast Emperor.
Austin came near Zether with Ethan. Ethan spoke, "Well as agreement Father, I will give him a finishing blow".
"Well, killing someone is not child's play. Kids of your age play games with friends, not hunt and kill monsters. Once you kill someone there is no turning back, it doesn't matter if you kill a human or any other living being, You have to walk with the burden of other's life on your shoulders". Said Austin in a serious tone.
"Well, one day I have to bear this burden. I know our family is not normal and has great prestige in the Empire. One day I have to bear the burden of our family, do you think Father I will be able to bear this burden without dirting my hands in blood? I am not a Delusional person who thinks Life is a fairytale. Life is a dark hell, if you do not want to be devoured by others, then you have to devour others". Said Austin with great determination.
Austin didn't say anything and used his a
Aura to cover Ethan's body and give him his sword which was also covered by his Aura.
Zether was Exhausted and not even able to use magic, even then he was crawling on the ground using his abdomen because he had no legs to use, he was muttering something in a low voice, "In faraway Lands, A Emperor is there, He is brave, just and fair... Everyone leaves happily under his care, Harm his people no one dares.....In faraway Lands, A Emperor is there, He is brave, just and fair".
Ethan comes in front of Zether and after seeing his condition like this and his useless effort for trying to save his life, he feels a little bit of pity but he knows, if he was in the same situation, his enemy will not show him any pity because it's kill or be killed, everyone has dreams but not everyone can fulfill them. Sometimes people have to crush other's dreams to fulfill their own dreams and it happens everywhere. Now to fulfill his dreams and to become powerful he has to kill someone and have to devour their dreams. So without thinking further, he was ready to give Zether a finishing blow when suddenly he and others sensed a terrifying killing intent. It came from an Overlord Peak tier Beast from a few hundred kilometers away from them which originated from the Forbidden Zone. This killing intent was so intense that it traveled hundreds of kilometers and affected them.
Their bodyguards lost consciousness and even Austin found himself hard to stay conscious while covering Ethan and his bodyguards with Aura to protect them but Ethan wasn't affected by this because of the effects of Omni eyes, which also protect him from any type of stunned emotion and fear.
Ethan smiled in the direction of the being who projected this killing intent to warn and stop them from killing Zether and without caring much he gave a finishing blow to the head of Zether which took away his life.
Zether died while reminiscing about the Glorious Beast Emperor to whom he wanted to meet as soon as possible even if it was to do the last thing in his life but now his dreams finished halfway. After his death, Ethan and others heard a loud roar full of pain and grief which shook their surroundings and which was of crying Howling of wolfs and after a few minutes, it became quiet.
After Zether death, Ethan also listens to many voices of Ding in his head, which were rewards given by the system for his first kill.
Meanwhile on a faraway continent, on a stone, a muscular bare bare-chested Man was sitting in Lotus position. He had long golden hair and his eyes were closed. With his every breath surroundings were trembling. Many beasts were sitting around him and watching him like he was some sort of treasure. Many beasts of different species which kill each other on sight were sitting around him in harmony. He was their Emperor also known as Beast Emperor.
Suddenly a bunch of unknown memories came in his mind. These memories were of a dying Beast, These memories of that beast's dreams, aspirations, desires, hate, Self-loathing, incapability, and helplessness. These memories were of Zether, who was able to connect with the beast Emperor on the spiritual level. Beast Emperor suddenly opened his golden eyes and roared out loud. His roar was like a hurricane which sent everything in his surroundings flying kilometres away. His roar roots Out all Surrounding trees. All Beasts in the surroundings started trembling after seeing their beloved Emperor's this form.
A woman with green hair and green eyes came in front of this being and asked with fear in her voice, "What happened your majesty, why did you suddenly become so much angry"?
Beast Emperor calmed himself and said after taking a deep breath while addressing the surrounding beasts, "One of our comrades died today. None of you may not even know him but it doesn't stop the fact he was one of our own. He wanted to reach here and want to ask for our help but before he could come here he was killed by some monsters. He wants nothing more than the freedom and happiness of his people. He may not be able to reach here but his desires and prayers reached me. For how many ages our comrades die like that and we do nothing about it.
We all belong to the Great Beast Race but because of our narrow-mindedness, we always fight with each other and our enemies take advantage of it. For eons, other Races consider us goods and slaves. It's time to raise our claws and rip out the hearts of our enemies. We will avenge our dead comrades, we will save our dying comrades, we will free our slave comrades, and we will wage war on the world.
Beast Emperor's Voice echoed on the whole Beast Continent and every Beast on the Continent started roaring which shook the sky.
Beast Emperor turned his face towards the direction of Azura Continent and muttered in a low voice, "Soon I will go there and slaughter those human bastards, especially those silver-haired bastards who killed Zether and fulfill his wish to free his brethren. Rest in peace Zether, your aim has been achieved and your sacrifice won't be in vain".
While he was saying this few drops of tears dropped from his eyes and dark clouds started forming on Azura's Continent. The event which should have happened many years later, has already started taking shape and Unknowingly Ethan has created another chain reaction that will cost him heavily in the future.