Chapter 150: The Beast God Reappears
This time, Enzo did not hold back.
His sword lunged straight towards Audrey's chest. She didn't have the strength to dodge, but just as the sword was about to pierce, the Beast God hatchling rammed onto it, sending the weapon flying out of Enzo's hand. Adjusting its trajectory, it charged once more towards Enzo.
Such incredible strength!
Enzo was genuinely taken aback.
Witnessing this scene, Audrey felt an increasing surge of joy. She distanced herself from the area of conflict between Enzo andthe hatchling of Beast God clan, her heart seemingly convinced of Enzo's inevitable defeat. Thus, she settled comfortably, absorbing the ambient energies that permeated the air, hastening her recovery.
Meanwhile, Enzo found himself in dire straits.
The hatchling of Beast God clan appeared to harbor a profound hatred for him, intertwined with an insatiable greed. Enzo could distinctly sense its desire to consume him.
Attempting to devour me?
Damn!
A cold smile tugged at Enzo's lips as his form vanished into the shadows.
With Enzo's presence eluding it, the hatchling of Beast God clan became frenzied, roaring and emitting a cacophony of strange, discordant sounds.
Its cries seemed to serve as a means of detection, swiftly allowingthe hatchling of Beast God clan to pinpoint Enzo's location.
As the creature lunged forward, Enzo abruptly materialized behind it.
He seized the Beast God offspring's neck, forcefully driving it towards the ground. However, in that fleeting moment of contact, Enzo was struck by an odd sensation that momentarily stunned him, granting the offspring the opportunity to retaliate. It swiftly flipped onto its feet and sank its teeth into Enzo's arm.
A jolt of intense pain surged through him, snapping Enzo back to reality.
He flung the hatchling of Beast God clan away, only to discover a row of puncture wounds on his arm, blood seeping from them.
The metallic scent of blood drove the Beast God offspring into a frenzy once more.
It charged at Enzo again.
This time, Enzo seemed paralyzed, standing utterly still.
The Beast God offspring seized its chance, clamping down on Enzo and greedily lapping at the blood flowing from his arm. Enzo's strength waned with each passing moment, his complexion growing pale.
"Almost there. You should be making your appearance now, shouldn't you?"
Though his blood was being siphoned away, Enzo remained remarkably composed.
He was wagering on a mere conjecture!
In the next moment, Enzo felt his consciousness begin to waver, yet he paid it no heed; instead, a faint smile graced his lips as he whispered within, "I've found you."
As Enzo's awareness slipped into darkness, a mysterious surge emanated.
From his back, dark wings unfurled abruptly, and his eyes transformed into a striking crimson in an instant.
A ferocious aura radiated from Enzo, engulfing the surroundings in a palpable sense of impending destruction, causing even the young Beast God to hesitate, releasing its grip on Enzo and cowering on the ground, trembling.
Enzo bent slightly, seizing the young creature and lifting it as he approached Audrey.
Audrey, sensing the shift, questioned, "Who are you?"
Enzo remained silent, placing his hand on the plump head of the young beast before him, instantly absorbing the power accumulated within.
In a heartbeat, the young Beast God was reduced to a withered hide.
This horrifying sight filled Audrey with dread.
To drain the very essence of life from a being to fuel oneself was a brutality surpassing that of any wild beast.
Yet, Enzo was unfazed, his hand reaching towards Audrey, resting upon her shoulder, directly over the wound she bore.
The next moment, Audrey let out a blood-curdling scream.
Yet, to her astonishment, she discovered the dark tendrils binding her were being severed, freeing her from constraint.
At that juncture, Enzo spoke, "Your task from now on is to safeguard this young one. See to it that no harm befalls him until he ascends to the Level 7. Failure to do so will render your existence a living hell."
Audrey, gripped by fear, dared not defy him.
At this moment, she was acutely aware that the one capable of such means was certainly no ordinary person.
Furthermore, the act of slaying the hatchling of Beast God clan without invoking a curse indicated that the individual currently controlling Enzo's body possessed the bloodline of the Beast God clan, perhaps even being a direct descendant of the Beast God itself.
Such a lineage was far beyond her capacity to contend with.
Once she had conveyed this information, the dark wings that enveloped Enzo dissipated, and his eyes returned to their natural hue.
Audrey hastily supported Enzo as he seated himself.
After a brief moment, Enzo opened his eyes to find only the skin of the Beast God offspring lying on the ground and noticed the dramatic shift in Audrey's demeanor. Pondering, he inquired, "Has he been here?"
Audrey countered with a question, "Who?"
Enzo named him directly: "Beast God, Rexfit."
Upon hearing this name, Audrey felt a profound tremor within her.
She recalled Enzo's previous appearance—the black wings, the crimson eyes—which indeed resembled the tales of the Beast God. Yet, why would Lord Rexfit manifest within Enzo, and how did Enzo come to know this?
This enigma eluded Audrey's comprehension.
Enzo then asked, "Madam Audrey, what did he say to you?"
Audrey replied, "Lord Rexfit instructed me to protect you."
"Is that so?" Enzo smiled, then delved into the depths of his consciousness, uncovering a message that had been left behind by Beast God Rexfit.
"Kid, I underestimated you. "
"It was not your intellect I doubted, but your courage. You truly dared to venture deep into the Plata Plain. Whether to confront the beast tide or to uncover the truth, I concede—this time, you have triumphed."
"As the victor, you shall inherit all the talents and abilities of the Beast God lineage."
"Of course, we shall meet again."
"Next time, I hope your prowess will take me by surprise."
"..."
This lengthy exchange revealed no pivotal information.
Yet, Enzo had gleaned what he yearned to know: Beast God Rexfit had not vanished completely. He lurked in some hidden recess of Enzo's being, plotting something.
It was unwelcome news.
However, it was not entirely dire.
...
In the peculiar realm, under Rexfit's admonition, Audrey found herself gripped by trepidation towards Enzo. She remained ignorant of the nature of the connection between Beast God Rexfit and Enzo, yet the manner in which Rexfit could manifest through Enzo's form marked him as a divine envoy, a harbinger of the deity.
Yet their relationship seemed to transcend such simplicity.
Audrey dared not inquire further.
In that moment, she could only stand quietly to the side, contemplating the ramifications of what lay ahead.
Meanwhile, Enzo too was lost in thought.
"The last time I entered Freya's soul world, I was grievously wounded by a long blade. At that moment, Melissa appeared, compelling Freya to become her proxy, and in a bid to save me, Freya acquiesced to Melissa's demands. Yet, upon the completion of my healing, Melissa's demeanor transformed drastically."
"Although her healing was but a fleeting act."
"However..."
Deep within Enzo's consciousness, the totem known as the Ring of the World manifested, its intricate patterns shifting and evolving.
As the designs grew denser and more complex, the Ring of the World nearly morphed into a shadowy circle, save for a few minuscule points untouched by the dark patterns. It was these very points that alerted Enzo to a sense of divergence, shimmering with white light like stars scattered across the nocturnal sky.
Then, those white points began to stir.
They traced the paths of celestial movements, leaving behind the imprints of time.
As the architect of the Ring of the World, Enzo possessed a unique sensitivity to the information inscribed within it. While undergoing treatment from Melissa, time seemed to stretch and slow to a crawl in that singular moment.
It was then that a seed of doubt took root in Enzo's mind.
He sensed an unseen observer lurking in the shadows, scheming towards some undisclosed purpose.
The strength of this individual was formidable.
Amidst the myriad of possibilities, one name emerged with startling clarity—Beast God Rexfit.
Without hesitation, Enzo reached a conclusion.
Given the moniker of Beast God, Rexfit's power was undoubtedly immense; how could he possibly be defeated with ease? It was clear that Rexfit harbored intentions far grander than mere confrontation.
Yet one question nagged at Enzo—why him?
His understanding of this world was limited, and many commonly accepted truths eluded him, particularly those concerning the realm of the supernatural. Why did Rexfit place such unwavering confidence in him?
However, amidst this uncertainty, a glimmer of hope emerged.
As Rexfit's consciousness departed, he left behind vestiges of his essence.
This comprised the innate gifts and abilities of the Beast God lineage.
Following the guidance provided to him, Enzo discovered within his own being a fragment of the essence belonging to the young of the Beast God clan, only to find that the gifts and capabilities it harbored had already been elucidated by the Ring of the World.
Specifically, these included: Beast Commander, Beast Transformation, the physique of beastfolk, and the Will of the Beast God...
This array of abilities encompassed nearly every talent that beastfolk could wield.
Of particular note, the Beast Commander could command beasts, even supernatural entities, while Beast Transformation granted him the extraordinary ability to assume the form of a beast, providing Enzo with significant tactical advantages.
Most exhilarating of all was the Will of the Beast God.
This is a formidable mental skill capable of enslaving supernatural beings.
"What a remarkable find."
Enzo felt a surge of joy within, yet he was acutely aware that Rexfit had likely marked a price for these items long ago, and once the opportune moment arose, he would undoubtedly come to collect.
But at this moment, he found it impossible to refuse.
Having received all that was bestowed upon him, Enzo opened his eyes.
Audrey stood beside him, her expression a tapestry of complexity, uncertain of her impending fate.
In her weakened state, had Enzo chosen to kill her now, she would have been utterly defenseless. Yet, rather than resorting to violence, he pressed his palm against her forehead.
In the next instant, a resounding will surged within her mind.
That will conveyed but one word—Submit!