We stood on a short hill, the wind brushing against us as we looked down at the group of Abominations gathered near a shallow pool of water.
Four of them lounged lazily by the edge but there was nothing peaceful about the sight.
I focused on one of them, narrowing my eyes as my Psynapse scanned its presence.
[Greater Bear: Level 73]
The creature towered close to ten feet tall, with a frame packed full of thick, heavy muscle. But this wasn't a normal bear, it hadn't been one for a long time.
Patches of its fur were missing, replaced by dark, bark-like skin that cracked and shifted as it moved. Jagged bone spikes jutted out from its spine, and one of its eyes glowed a faint red, while the other was missing entirely, just a black hollow socket leaking steam.
I watched it snort, releasing a puff of black mist into the air.
Its aura wasn't just dangerous, it felt wrong. Like something that didn't belong in this world anymore.
I kept my eyes on the creature as I spoke to Steve.
"We've got twelve hours before the collar activates. And I'm pretty sure it has more functions than we've seen."
Steve raised an eyebrow. "What kind of functions?"
I turned to him. "Do you remember when they first put it on us? That moment we blacked out?"
He nodded slowly.
"Exactly. I think it can knock us out again, maybe even worse. The Holts let us run around the forest freely because they're confident they can take us down anytime. They probably have a way to track or disable us instantly."
Steve stretched his arms with a slight grimace. "So… are you thinking of not going back?"
I nodded without hesitation. "Yeah. I don't plan on returning. I've already figured out how to suppress my collar's effects. I just need to work on yours next."
Steve stared at me, surprised. "You serious? They've got so many members here and we still have no clue where the Ferans are."
"I know," I said. "But staying there is getting too risky. That place reeks of secrets. Who knows what they're planning? They didn't drag us here just to hunt Abominations. There's more to it. They might use us for experiments next."
Steve's voice dropped a little. "Alright then… if we do run, how do we avoid being found?"
I paused, letting my thoughts settle.
"We go deeper into the forest. We move constantly, hit and run. Once we get that collar off you, there won't be anything tracking us. The only one who could possibly find us then would be the Grandmaster and we'll figure out a way to avoid even him."
He shrugged.
"Well, I don't have a better plan. Just make sure you really can deal with this collar."
I grinned. "Yes, sir. I've got it covered. I just need some time."
Steve looked thoughtful for a second, then asked, "What about the Ferans? How are we supposed to find them if we're hiding?"
I rubbed my chin, eyes scanning the treeline. "The Nagas. I'm betting they know something. We'll capture one. Not today, but soon, once we're stronger and ready. That's where our real mission begins."
I turned toward Steve and smiled. "Also, you need to level up faster. This place is practically a gold mine for that. Let's go wild."
Steve cracked his knuckles with a grin. "Trust me, I plan to."
I narrowed my eyes and scanned the three remaining bears. All of them were massive, towering beasts—mutated and corrupted, their bodies bulging with unnatural muscle, twisted horns sprouting from their backs and shoulders. They looked like monsters born from nightmares.
But their levels were around the same range 70 to 80.
A small chuckle escaped me.
"Alright then," I muttered. "Let's go even deeper."
I activated [Essence Engine].
A pulse rocked through my core as Essence surged into motion, flooding my channels like a roaring river. My veins shimmered faintly beneath my skin, glowing with a soft, bluish hue. Power danced through me.
Then I triggered [Psynapse Overdrive].
Everything around me slowed.
Colors sharpened. The wind twisting through the trees became a soft melody in my ears. I could hear the rhythm of each heartbeat—mine, Steve's, and the bears'.
This was the first time I'd used the evolved version of the skill outside the memory realm. My senses stretched across the world like a net, each thought sharpened, each movement perfectly timed.
Now it was time to test my will—my presence—against living beasts.
My legs bent.
[Seismic Burst] ignited beneath me.
Boom!
The hill exploded as I launched myself forward. The ground cracked under the force of my departure, and my body became a blur through the air. I crashed down near the bears like a meteor, a crater forming where I landed.
Steve was already on the move. Lightning sparked across his body as he blurred through the forest, crossing ten meters with every flash, his sword gripped tight in his hand. He looked like a bolt of vengeance.
The bears roared in fury. Their twisted eyes locked onto me as they rose, massive paws tearing through soil, their corrupted bodies emanating a foul heat.
And then I let it out.
My will.
Raw. Unfiltered. Unrestrained.
A tidal wave of dominance surged from within me, an invisible pressure, like a storm collapsing onto the world.
It slammed into the bears like a divine force.
Their bodies trembled.
Their growls choked into silence.
The air thickened and vibrated, warped by the sheer weight of my presence. The ground beneath them cracked. The trees nearby swayed even though there was no wind.
One by one, their legs buckled under the pressure.
Thud.
Thud.
Their massive forms hit the ground, forced into kneeling.
Four corrupted beasts, mutated monsters of flesh and hate, brought to their knees by nothing but my will.
I let the silence stretch, feeling the air tighten with the weight of my presence. The bears trembled, each one twitching under the pressure, as if their instincts screamed at them to run, but their bodies simply couldn't obey.
That was when the wind behind me shifted, sharp and sudden.
A streak of lightning flashed across my peripheral vision.
Steve.
He burst through the tree line like a bolt fired by the gods, electricity crackling across his body, his sword glowing a blinding blue.
Flash.
In an instant, he appeared beside the first bear. His blade moved like water — smooth, fluid, final. It slid across the bear's thick, deformed neck with almost artistic grace.
Shhhk—
A clean diagonal sever. The bear's head tipped, then fell, landing with a wet thud.
Flash.
The second one was twitching, struggling to stand.
Steve was already there, already in motion. He spun mid-air, lightning trailing from his boots, and carved a clean arc through the beast's throat.
No resistance. No pause. Just a blur of blue and falling muscle.
Flash.
Steve's body lowered slightly, one hand gripping the hilt of his sword. The lightning around him surged—sharp, alive—as he whispered, "Final Severance."
He vanished.
In a blink, he shot past the kneeling bears—his speed nearly doubled, nothing but a blur of light and motion.
Then silence.
Steve stood still behind them, calm and composed, lightning flickering faintly across his shoulders. His breathing was slow. Eyes half-lidded.
A beat passed.
Then—
The bears' necks slipped forward, clean and silent.
Their massive bodies followed, collapsing with twin thuds.
I watched as Essence rose from their corpses, swirling briefly before flooding into Steve.
He must've gained several level-ups from that strike alone.
I clapped once, a quiet show of appreciation.
"Let's move. We need to finish our class evolutions before the twelve-hour window closes."
He nodded without a word, and together, we dashed deeper into the forest.