—Woosh! Woosh!
Agonized howls pierced the night as countless beasts ran for their lives. Behind them, a terrifying figure emerged from the darkness.
Under the pale moonlight, swarms of crimson bats filled the sky, shrieking as they relentlessly pursued their prey. One of the fleeing beasts, limping from an injury, fell behind. None of the others cared.
A bat suddenly latched onto its back.
Then, boom!
The bat expanded instantly before erupting into a bloody mist, painting the air crimson.
Within that mist, no creature could survive.
And from its depths, a figure slowly emerged.
Viktor.
"After killing a hundred beasts, I only got 10 Blood Essence..."
He furrowed his brows in contemplation. He had assumed that slaughtering a hundred creatures would grant him a hundred Blood Essence, enough to summon twenty Workers and create a terrifying force in this forest.
But reality proved otherwise.
Not all creatures possessed Blood Essence, and the exact conditions remained unclear, but it was obvious that he needed to study this phenomenon further.
With that in mind, Viktor continued his hunt, methodically eliminating all beasts and monsters near his castle. He stayed within its mapped perimeter, clearing out the weaker threats while ensuring he didn’t stray too far.
Hours passed.
By the time he was done, the vicinity of the castle was completely cleared. Even formidable beasts—ones as strong as bears—fell before him with ease.
His efforts earned him a total of 15 additional Blood Essence.
But it wasn’t enough.
"Only 25 Blood Essence in total… still far from what I need to upgrade the castle."
Shaking his head in disappointment, Viktor decided to retreat for now. He had already massacred a large number of creatures, and he wasn’t foolish enough to continue recklessly.
Who knew what terrifying beast he might provoke if he kept pushing forward?
Instead, he chose to fortify his defenses.
Summoning Workers costs 5 Blood Essence each. Without hesitation, Viktor spent his entire reserve.
Deep within the Heart Room, five figures materialized.
The newly summoned Workers let out a feral roar before immediately rushing out of the castle to stand guard.
...
The Green Death Forest—a vast and ancient woodland where Viktor resided—lay on the border of the Immortal Continent, positioned between the Imperial Heartland Region and the Prime Sky Region.
It was a place of untamed wilderness, so vast that it seemed to stretch endlessly beneath the heavens. Within its depths lurked countless powerful beasts, each abiding by a strict hierarchy.
At the pinnacle of this hierarchy were the Guardians, the undisputed rulers of the forest. Below them were the Demon Kings, powerful entities who reigned over vast territories. Serving under them were the Beast Generals, commanders of countless lesser creatures.
In the northern reaches of the forest, an enormous tree towered above the rest. Its thick, ancient branches stretched toward the sky, basking in the warm glow of the sun.
Perched atop one of these branches stood a monkey-like creature—its fur gleaming under the golden light. Unlike ordinary beasts, it stood on two legs, its posture almost human-like as it gazed over the endless green expanse below.
A moment later, another smaller monkey emerged from the foliage below. It bowed in respect before speaking.
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“Zen Monkey, the Monkey King has ordered you to investigate the disturbance at the heart of the forest.”
The figure on the branch—Zen Monkey—slowly turned his gaze downward. His sharp eyes gleamed with intelligence.
“Why?” he asked in a deep, measured voice.
“A new force has emerged,” the smaller monkey replied. “If they are friendly, it would be beneficial to form an alliance. If not…”
His voice trailed off, but the meaning was clear.
If this force were an enemy, it would have to be eliminated.
"Why me?"
Zen Monkey—one of the Beast Generals under the Monkey King—was neither the weakest nor the strongest among his kin. However, unlike his battle-hungry brethren, he preferred solitude. While others fought for power and dominance, he found peace in watching the sun set over the vast forest.
“All the other Monkey Generals are currently occupied. You’re the only one available,” the smaller monkey replied.
Zen Monkey remained silent, his gaze drifting toward the distant horizon in contemplation. After a long pause, he finally spoke.
“Fine. But I have something to take care of first. Give me three days.”
The small monkey nodded respectfully. “Understood.”
With a final bow, he leaped onto a nearby branch and vanished into the dense shadows of the forest.
---
After watching his kin leave, Zen Monkey sprang into motion. He navigated the towering trees with practiced ease, moving swiftly through the canopy until he reached a hidden valley—a place only he knew.
There, nestled within the heart of the valley, was a cave illuminated by a shaft of golden sunlight filtering through the ceiling. The sight was serene, almost sacred.
Inside, a small monkey lay on the ground.
Hearing the sound of approaching footsteps, the little one stirred.
“Big Brother, is that you?”
Her voice was soft and gentle, filled with warmth. She stood up slowly, her eyes clouded with white pupils. Unable to see, she sniffed the air before breaking into a bright smile.
“Big Brother, what are you doing here?”
Zen Monkey remained silent for a long moment, simply watching her.
---
Meanwhile, back at the castle, Viktor continued executing his plan.
After summoning six Workers, he wasted no time in reinforcing the castle’s defenses. His first command was to cut down trees and construct a protective wall around the castle, extending 40 meters from the perimeter of his map.
Though the Workers were not suited for combat, their strength and stamina far surpassed that of ordinary humans. Each of them could work with the efficiency of ten adult men, allowing the construction to progress swiftly.
By the end of three days, the outline of the wall had begun to take shape.
Viktor, meanwhile, stood watch.
Given his current situation, he couldn’t afford to drop his guard—not even for a moment.
He had already died once.
He wasn’t about to let it happen again.
"I need to hunt more beasts. With six Workers, they should be able to hold the fort in case something happens."
What Viktor lacked most was Blood Essence—the very foundation of his strength. It was his currency, his power, his survival. Unfortunately, his options were limited. His castle was his lifeline—if it was destroyed, so was he.
It was like a mother refusing to leave her three-year-old child alone in a park, afraid of lurking dangers. But if Viktor continued to play it safe, he might eventually encounter a threat too great to overcome—one that would leave him filled with regret.
Taking risks was the only path forward.
Standing atop the castle’s roof, Viktor gazed over the vast expanse of the Green Death Forest. He let out a deep sigh.
"The system patched the loophole too quickly… or maybe it simply knew I wouldn’t have enough Blood Essence anyway, so it gave me one chance."
The loophole he spoke of had once allowed him to summon a unit with both mental and physical stamina. At first, he had managed to summon one Worker, but after that, no matter what he tried, the system refused to let him summon more.
Had the system been fixed?
If it hadn’t, he would have had far more Workers by now.
"No point dwelling on it. It's time to move."
With the wooden wall completed, Viktor had assigned the Workers to reinforce the defenses, set up traps, and patrol the perimeter. Though it wasn’t foolproof, having six Workers on guard at least gave him a small sense of security.
Viktor leapt from the roof, plummeting toward the ground.
Then, midair, his body twisted, his form shifting as he transformed into a large, crimson Blood Bat.
Over the past three days, between issuing orders and overseeing construction, he had been practicing his Blood Manipulation. His relentless efforts had paid off—his skill had advanced to Level 2, improving his control, efficiency, and overall strength.
Tonight, he would put that strength to the test.
Under the moonlight, a large shadow soared through the sky.
Viktor, in his Blood Bat form, continued his search for prey. Normal beasts no longer interested him—after all, they yielded no Blood Essence. If he wanted to grow stronger, he needed to hunt powerful creatures instead.
After a while, he spotted something by the riverbank—a massive three-headed wolf, resting beneath the moon’s silver glow. Surrounding it was an entire pack of three-headed wolves, their fur glistening in the dim light.
"Three-headed wolves?"
Viktor’s crimson eyes narrowed. He remembered this species well—the very same kind that had hunted him down when he first arrived in this world.
A smirk formed on his bat-like face.
"Tonight, I take my revenge."
Without hesitation, the Blood Bat plunged toward the sleeping wolves.
One of the three-headed wolves sensed the incoming threat and let out a sharp howl, swiftly dodging out of harm’s way.
Unfortunately, the others weren’t as lucky.
As Viktor descended, his form expanded—a crimson wave of blood erupted from his body, detonating into a thick, swirling mist upon impact.
Several wolves were instantly torn apart, their bodies dissolving into the bloody haze. The surviving wolves snarled and yelped in pain, their bodies scarred and wounded by the explosive attack.
In the thick crimson mist, a bloodied hand emerged, its clawed fingers wrapping tightly around the face of a struggling wolf.
With a vicious pull, Viktor tore the creature apart, sending a spray of hot blood into the air. The scent of iron filled his nostrils as the lifeless body collapsed onto the ground.
At that moment, a familiar system prompt echoed in his mind:
[10x Blood Essence Detected. Do you wish to absorb?]
Viktor’s lips curled into a grin.
"Yes."
