Ethan could be seen sitting in a meditative state with a scrunched-up face like he was struggling to shit. This went on for about 5 minutes then he finally stopped while taking in deep breaths.
'You need to concentrate kid. He's okay for now.'
'But...'
'Listen. I understand that it's your first time experiencing this but of all the people I've met, you are the calmest but if continue thinking about it, you will fail to advance and risk a penalty from the system you will surely regret. Stop thinking about this and focus. As long as he's okay, you've got nothing to worry about. Besides, he should be waking up in a few...'
The moment Zark finished speaking, Trevor woke up with a grunt. He felt a bit lightheaded but all the pain and fatigue he felt a while ago had vanished like it was never there. He sat up and looked at Ethan with a confused expression causing him to chuckle with a relieved expression on his face.
"Welcome to the Beast Plane." Ethan said with a grin.
"The what?"
"The Beast Plane. That's where we are currently."
"How..."
"It's a long and confusing story which I don't fully understand. It all happened on the day I awakened. I heard a voice, and it talked of something like ancestors and inheritance. It gave me tests to complete, and this place happens to be one of the inheritances from what I can see. I've been training here ever since I awakened. That's the reason why I'm stronger than the average Novice level mage."
"..."
Ethan's eyes never left Trevor's face as he explained their situation. Trevor's gaze darted between Ethan and the surrounding environment, his mind racing to keep up.
"...and that's why we're here," Ethan concluded, his voice steady.
"Hehe."
"What are we doing here? I saw a black portal when I entered the cultivation room and found myself in a forest and... where's Apole? Don't tell me..."
"He's fine. He's playing with Galeno and Angitia over there and yes, whatever you experienced is real. It isn't a simulation or a dream."
"You lucky bastard! You got this and you didn't tell me..."
"You nearly died when you came here."
"But..."
"Don't you get it? The beasts here are stronger than their peers back in our world. This is a different world, probably a different planet, I don't know but the beasts here are stronger than the average in our world. Didn't you realize it when fought the thermalions?"
"Who are those? Wait those trees?"
"Yeah. The thermalions. They are one of the most dangerous in these parts. They... Oh fuck!"
"What's wrong?"
"We are in a whole lot of shit."
*Racial Unlock (100%).
Starting of Race Evolution:
Phase 1: Breakthrough (0%)
Related Quest: Survive a Beast Wave and Escape to Your Hideout in Babel's Hive.
Time Limit: 1 Day.
Reward: Breakthrough To the Advanced Level.
Penalty: None (You will die anyway if you don't survive.)
Side Quest: Trevor Has a Very Unique Relationship with You Which You Don't Know Of.
Because of This, He Has Been Registered as Your First Subordinate.
Perks: As your first subordinate, he will share some traits with you. The traits can be random, but he will share it with you, and it will be unique to both of you.
Survive With Your First Subordinate and Breakthrough Together.
Time Limit: 1 Day.
Penalty: Lose Weapons' Constitution.
Reward: Gain a Very High-Level Subordinate. *
Ding!
* Quest Completed.
Get Your First Subordinate.
Reward: Subordinate Mark and Side System for Subordinate. *
"What is this... screen?"
"Sigh! That's related to the ancestors and inheritance shit I was talking about."
"So cool! Fuck!"
"Yeah..."
"We are seriously in a lot of shit."
"..."
"So, you are now my master?"
"..."
Ethan had a new tab added to his stats which read, "Subordinate(s)." He could see what Trevor was seeing and even know his location and his attributes, stats, affinity, whatever there was to see if possible. Trevor was basically an open book to him like he was to the system and Zark. Trevor was also seeing the quests Ethan had gotten but in a different way but with the same initiative plus he could see some of Ethan's attributes like his stats and his title as Trevor's master.
"So, where's this... Hive thing?"
"About 20 villages, which is 40-60 kilometers from here."
"Fuck! Do you have a way of getting there?"
"If it were to be only me, I could walk through the beast wave and none of them would see me but now you in the picture."
"I can use smoke to..."
"The quest isn't as simple as it seems. I'm sure there will be variables that can counter our abilities one way or the other."
"Hmm... This makes it more complicated."
"Do you have a weapon to fight with or you use your fists?"
"I have one. I got it recently."
"Great. For now, let's rest and gather our strength. The quest will start when the sun is almost up."
"Okay. By the way, who's Galeno?"
"Oh. He's the little tortoise over there." Ethan said while pointing towards Galeno who was playing with Angitia and Apole.
Trevor's eyes widened as he took in Galeno's massive size and imposing presence. "He's... cute?"
Ethan's warning came too late. Trevor's eyes widened in alarm as Galeno's gaze turned toward him, its eyes gleaming with a fierce inner light. "Shit! I nearly killed myself there... why is it suddenly cold?"
Trevor scrambled to apologize, earning a gentle nod from Galeno. The tortoise returned to playing with Apole and Angitia, its demeanor serene once more.
"Don't underestimate it. It's almost a Gold rank beast and it's a Heavenly Tortoise."
"..."
As they prepared for their journey, Ethan and Trevor sat in silence, their minds focused on the task ahead. The sun began to rise, casting a golden glow over the landscape.
"Time to go," Ethan said, standing up.
Trevor nodded, his grip on his weapon tightening. "Let's do this." He had taken it out earlier. It was a scythe which confused Ethan, but Trevor explained it to him that he preferred it because of his affinity and his spirit beast.
Together, they set off toward Babel's Hive, ready to face the challenges ahead. The beast wave churned and pulsed, a living, breathing entity blocking their path.
As they journeyed, the landscape shifted and changed, beasts lurking in every shadow. Ethan and Trevor moved in tandem, their senses heightened, ready for anything. Ethan pushed his aura skills to the maximum, hiding their presence for some time. They managed to travel two and a half kilometers before Ethan canceled it as it was draining his energy.
The moment he stopped using it, their presence was highlighted by the beasts like they were signal poles. Using his aura skill for two people was a bit difficult for Ethan. As for their spirit beasts, they were resting in their compartments while Galeno just traveled through the ground under them. They tried traveling with it, but it proved futile as the system prevented them from doing it. Besides, moving through the ground would hinder them a bit in speed, making them fail the quest.
Beasts of different sizes and forms appeared in their path, blocking them and surrounding them. They were a mix of Silver and Bronze rank beasts, with the latter having the highest number. There were 5 Silver ranks of every beast type there, while the total number of beasts was numbering in the hundreds. Ethan and Trevor felt a chill run down their spines at this number, but they were more wary of a huge black panther-like beast with a small tortoise shell and six tentacles in place of a tail.
It was a Dryada, a Gold rank beast, and they could tell by the color of the long dark gold horn on its forehead. It glimmered menacingly and beautifully in the rising sun. It happened to be the only Gold rank beast there and the one leading the beast wave, as it stood imposingly behind the horde of beasts.
"We are supposed to survive this?" Trevor asked with a shivering tone.
"Apparently," Ethan responded with a wry smile on his face.
"I won't be the same after this."
"You will be. Don't let it affect you. Instead of fear, take the experience. I've done it before, and it worked."
"Mm. Thanks, man."
"See you on the other side."
As Ethan said this, a red serpent slithered to the ground in front of him and transformed into a huge red serpent with a menacing and wild look in its eyes. Apole also appeared beside Trevor with white smoke swirling around it, while Galeno hid in the ground, its golden eyes narrowed as it gazed at the Gold rank Dryada.
"You must achieve Sync with Apole soon, or you will be left behind."
"What do you mean..." Before Trevor could finish his statement, his confusion was cleared. A blue tattoo of a humanoid serpent appeared on both Ethan and Angitia's forehead, glowing with a bright blue light. Ethan's eyes turned blue and snake-like, while red scales formed around his eyes. Angitia just had its black eyes turn blue, while growing a bit bigger than it already was.
A black war hammer with red designs appeared in Ethan's hands as an invisible energy phased out from him, causing winds to blow intensely around him. He crouched slightly with a crazy grin on his face and jumped, leaving a circle of cracks in his place. Trevor stared at this with a shocked expression, but he recovered quickly.
'So, he was holding back at the duel...' was what was ringing in his head. He put that at the back of his mind as he activated his energy suit. It formed a white battle suit with black and gold designs on him, leaving only his head uncovered. Ethan didn't want to use his, but Trevor wasn't stupid to follow him.
His eyes glowed red as his hair started flowing. It also glowed slightly as smoke emitted from it, making his hair resemble smoke. Smoke tendrils appeared around him with dark grey ends as he dashed into the horde of beasts, Apole right behind him with a disfigured smoke body.
The air was filled with the sound of clashing steel and the roar of beasts as the battle raged on. Ethan and Trevor fought in perfect sync, their movements a blur of steel and smoke. The beast wave surged forward, a tidal wave of teeth and claws, but they stood firm, their bond and determination driving them forward.
As they fought, the system's screen flickered to life, tracking their progress. The beast wave was relentless, but Ethan and Trevor held firm, their spirits unbroken. The Dryada watched from the sidelines, its eyes fixed on the two warriors, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
The battle was far from over, and Ethan and Trevor knew it. They were just getting started. With a fierce cry, they charged forward, ready to face whatever lay ahead. The fate of their journey hung in the balance, and they were determined to emerge victorious.