After collecting the Carniphant's remains, Zane and Shelby continued deeper into the wilderness. Though the mission had initially been to slay the Celestial Wolf King and retrieve its mana core as proof, it quickly became apparent how strange the assignment truly was.
For starters, there was no map. No hints. No direction.
The Celestial Wolf King could've been on the other side of the world—or perhaps not even on this continent.
They had discussed the absurdity of it during their walk. But now?
They didn't care.
The mission's original goal had taken a back seat. This world—the wild, corrupted land—was a perfect training ground. A place where Zane could sharpen not just his strength, but more importantly, his control.
As they trekked deeper into the forest, the environment began to shift. The trees grew thicker, twisted, and wild. It was there that the System chimed again:
Ding!
[Corrupted Beasts Detected]
[Targets: 17 Red-Eyed Apes]
