—-


    After drawing his weapon, Agrianos rested it upon his shoulder while sharply turning his head to the left. He sensed an extraordinarily fast-approaching presence that made his lips curl up into a slightly vicious smile. While Kieran noticed this action from Agrianos, he didn’t perceive anything approaching his surroundings.


    Let alone hope to operate his perception correctly in this ce; he could barely enforce his natural senses. Despite theck of a notification depicting how badly he was affected by the environment, Kieran estimated he could at best utilize 5 to 10% of his regr standard.


    Even the faint rumbling of extremely weighty footsteps escaped his senses.


    However, that was partly due to the unusual activity regrly urring inside the Wildes. It was home to frequent explosions, cataclysmic battles for territory, and overall grand disturbances. The moment Kieran stepped into this ce, he could feel a persistent trembling in his ears.


    His only saving grace was the Retaliatory Sense gained from his Vengeful Soul, which heightened his perception of danger from malicious presences. This allowed Kieran to catch sight of a colossal figure obscured by the dense murkiness present within the Wildes.


    Agrianos took a single step forward while executing a casual upward sh despite the presence being shielded by the veil of murkiness. Although his action seemed effortless, a vast fissure opened in the earth as his sword collided against the opposing side. With the obscurity blown away by the forceful impact, Kieran caught a glimpse of what Agrianos retaliated against.


    It was an enormous paw belonging to a lion surrounded by deathly mes. It appeared to be a demonic creature since this lion was entirely ck, unlike normal lions, who had golden coats. Its size was unlike any lion seen before.


    Even though Agrianos, who was practically a monster himself, stood at 3 meters tall with a hulking figure, he looked like an ant before the lion’s 15-meter frame! Just the lion’s paw dwarfed Agrianos’ body!_-.


    Yet, Agrianos’ de restricted the monster’s paw from moving even a centimeter further despite their bizarre size difference. Because of this development, the lion bared its frighteninglyrge teethparable to a dinosaur’s sharp fangs and opened its mouth.


    A massive collection of demonic mes quickly gathered in the lion’s mouth. Instinctively, Kieran took a few steps backward. While the Ancient Crimson Aegis defended from environmental damage, there was no mention that it provided the same protection against monster attacks.


    Therefore, Kieran chose to cautiously retreat to a safe space. Unfortunately, this movement was caught by Agrianos, who currently had a ruthless crimson glow bubbling in his eyes.


    “Aye, you little twerp, who gave you permission to retreat? Are you scared by this little kitty-cat?!” Agrianosmented. Although his voice was low, it was clear and deep like the resounding thunderp in a raging thunderstorm.


    ‘Kitty cat?!’ Kieran thought with widened eyes. While it was impossible to receive general information from NPCs who were countless levels higher than oneself, the same wasn’t urate for monsters. The data would be shown as long the difference didn’t surpass 200 levels.


    If the information was hidden, that was an immediate sign for yers to vacate the premises and run for dear life!


    「Lv.205 Netherme Lion (Elite Champion)


    Monster Type: Beast, Fire, Dark, Demonic


    Health: 250,000,000/250,000,000 (100%) 」


    250 million Health! This was a number that Kieran had only witnessed on World Quests surrounding Awakened sses in the past. Even if he dealt his regr damage, it wouldn’t amount to even 0.01% of this monster’s Health. Thus, Kieran just couldn’t understand how someone could call such a monster a kitty cat.


    However, what he witnessed next left him astonished.


    Without moving his sword from under the Netherme Lion’s paw, Agrianos kicked the air. An absurd air cannon followed, ruthlessly snapping the lion’s head upward and effectively canceling the collection of deathly mes.


    Next, Agrianos’ chiseled and beastly body radiated a crimson glow as a viscous liquid coated his sword. A wave of dreadful blood discharged when he shed his weapon, cleaving the Netherme Lion’s body in half diagonally. The two halves fell to each side as Agrianos basked in a rain of blood with a menacing grin.


    “A kitty cat, I tell ya,” Agrianosmented.


    Meanwhile, Kieran was left wordless as he could only stare in amazement. ‘That one attack imed more than 250 million Health? That wasn’t even a high-level skill. Just what the hell is Scar’s master….’


    Kieran couldn’t wrap his mind around the depth of Agrianos’ power no matter how hard he tried. If Scar’s future abilities surpassed that of a Mythic NPC, just what would Agrianos bebeled?


    Aside from the Netherme Lion possessing 250 million Health, it was also a genuine Elite Champion monster. There was only one monster rank surpassing this level, and at that point, it could contend for a position as a lower-ranking Boss!


    Moreover, Champion monsters were at least 50% stronger than Special Elites. If Hrulhar were a Champion monster, Kieran and the rest would’ve been immediately forced to quit the dungeon run. A Champion monster was simply iparable to any ‘elite’ ssification.


    “You’re just a freak,” Kieran mumbled.


    In response, Agrianosughed heartily. “That is correct. But, let me tell you this young fool, it pays to be a freak! Those deemed aberrations are typically the individuals heavily relied upon in times of need. At that time, the freak holds all the power to wield as they see fit. So if the cost of being an aberration is being held with fear in the eyes of others, then so be it—it’s a fitting sacrifice. If any sacrifice at all.”


    Initially, Kieran opened his mouth but abruptly closed it since he had no words to retort Agrianos’ment. After all, his words were theplete truth with zero room for contention. Kieran had witnessed many times when the weak or less fortunate plead to the strong for assistance.


    In fact, the same could be said about how his situation with the Golden Brigade began. They saw his freakish talent and sought his help in the form of “insurmountable payment.” That was the term Charles approached him with.


    Eventually, Kieran nodded in agreement. “True, that is a sacrifice many would be willing to make. Only a fool who favors their image in the eyes of others would ept a lower stance.”


    “Correct, kid. Only a fool would turn down power because he is viewed as a monster and therefore alienated. They are the fools blinded by thecency of a truly abstract theology—peace. Besides, once you understand that not all people have the same view, you will understand that there is always a ce for you in the world. If there isn’t… create one,” Agrianos shrugged before cing his palm on the Netherme Lion’s dead body.


    Its previously gargantuan physique shriveled rapidly until it was nothing more than skin and bone. It was as if Agrianos had devoured its essencepletely. This led Kieran to question Agrianos’ ss.


    If Scar was a Blood Fiend, then was Agrianos one himself?


    Once Agrianos finished with the body, he tossed it aside. Sadly, Kieran would have loved to harvest its body, but his skill simply wasn’t up to par, nor did he have suitable equipment to do so. Kieran doubted that his weapon could make a single nick in these monsters.


    “We continue forward,” Agrianos ordered while walking forward silently. After offering his opinion, he didn’t have much else to say. From what he saw currently, Kieran wouldn’t be a lousy sessor. He appeared to have the right mindset for their path—it was one that did not seek the reassurance of others; it simply sought to forge a path forward with decisive action.


    While walking, Agrianos suddenly stopped walking and looked skyward. Two red glows situated within the murkiness grew close. At the same time, after looking ahead, he saw six more simr closing in on his position as well.


    “More kitty cats, doggies, and little birdies? Come on now, it’s like you dumb things just don’t learn,” Agrianos clicked his tongue. Without turning his head back, he said, “Hey… kid…”


    Kieran’s expression filled with curiosity. “Hm?”


    “Ready to witness a glimpse of the future that awaits you if I deem you worthy?”


    “Is that even a question? It sounds exhrating! Let me see what this future beholds,” Kieran answered confidently.


    Agrianos smirked faintly as he saw a semnce of young Scar and himself inside Kieran. “Very well.”


    Whoosh!


    Agrianos extended his left hand before his body. At the same, his de rested upon his shoulders with his right hand sped tightly around the grip. In this pose, his broad shoulder seemed capable of upholding the world. A small crimson sphere materialized in the center of his palm. It was undoubtedly blood, except it crackled with what appeared to be ck, red, grey, gold, and purplish lightning.


    Kieran wasn’t sure what these crackles represented, but it was undoubtedly a part of Agrianos’ core power. Once the sphere grew to the size of his palm, Agrianos clenched his hand close, crushing the orb in the process.


    Afterward, he flung his arm,unching a shocking number of bloody chains that emanated a profound power. The opposing side tried to shatter or knock away the chains. Still, they agilely dodged the iing attacks before sessfully binding his enemies.


    As soon as they were caught by the binds, Agrianos casually motioned his hand downward, causing massive tremors as these enormous beasts were forced to the ground with unshakeable might! These demonic and seemingly mutated monsters were pinned to the ground, thoroughly incapable of making a difference, no matter how much they struggled.


    Before the scene of unquestionable might, Agrianos lifted his de from his shoulder and shed downward. An enormous sword formed from the same blood energy as earlier, cleaving towards the earth, inevitably causing a deafening explosion.


    BOOOM!


    Even Kieran momentarily lost his footing as he stumbled with rattling eyes. From his point of view, it was an absolutely breathtaking disy of power! ‘Is this pinnacle of manipting that madness?’ Kieran wondered.