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Mason's eyes burned crimson, rage almost taking physical form.
Gripping the massive halberd in both hands, he twisted it viciously inside the wound.
Under Nanami's horrified gaze, the enormous body of the Level Seven mutated eagle exploded with a deafening boom.
Flesh and blood rained down like a foul, crimson storm.
The beast tide below fell into dead silence.
Their king… their absolute ruler… was dead?
Just like that? Taken out in a sneak attack and two clean moves, his head blown apart by a single human?
Holy hell. If even the boss was gone, what were they still charging for?
Retreat! Run!
To Mason's surprise, the mutated creatures didn't even try to avenge their fallen leader. The moment he died, they turned tail as one and fled in a panicked scramble.
Some brotherhood. Plastic loyalty at its finest.
That mutated eagle had gone down without a shred of dignity.
Mason sneered inwardly at the so-called overlord he'd crushed in three moves. But there was no way he was letting this mob off the hook. They had already turned Haicheng upside down.
He raised a hand.
High above, a vast purple magic array slowly began to rotate.
Golden-violet lightning slithered along its edges like furious dragons. A terrifying pressure poured from the formation, crushing, suffocating, making every living thing tremble.
Dragon-Slaying Secret ArtThunder God Domain!
BOOM!
With Mason's low roar, infused with power that felt half divine, half demonic, the clear skies were swallowed instantly by pitch-black storm clouds. Darkness devoured the battlefield in a heartbeat.
The clouds pressed down heavy and suffocating, as if the world itself might collapse under their weight.
In that instant, an indescribable dread rose from the depths of every living soul.
Was this… the true arrival of the apocalypse?
Suspended in the air, Mason looked like a god delivering judgment. His gaze was cold as he watched the beasts scattering below, scrambling for their lives.
He had long since accumulated a mountain of hatred toward them.
When he first transmigrated into this world, he'd had nothing. No strength. No backing. Just fear.
To survive, he'd kept his head down and walked on eggshells every day.
More than once, these beasts had broken through the southern defensive line, the stragglers slipping into the city and wreaking havoc.
He had watched neighbors disappear.
Some packed up and fled the district overnight. More never got the chance, devoured by monsters, their homes left cold and empty.
As for him… of course he'd wanted to leave that slum riddled with danger. But he'd had no money. Not a cent.
So yes, he hated these creatures that trampled on humanity's home.
Why should they get to run wild?
You're all dying here.
Sensing his overwhelming killing intent, the storm clouds answered.
Bolts of lightning, thick as barrels, lashed down like the whips of a wrathful god.
Each strike vaporized every mutated beast within a hundred meters. Even the smallest bolt blasted a five-meter-wide crater into the ground, taking dozens of monsters with it.
The beasts lost their minds.
Their earlier suicidal charge had been forced by their leader's will. Now that he was dead, the control had vanished. Instinct took over.
And every living thing wants to survive.
When they saw the world-ending lightning tear through their ranks, panic and despair peaked. They ran with everything they had, but the relentless thunder continued harvesting their lives.
Behind Mason, Nanami stood frozen, staring at the apocalyptic scene.
He had never seen anything like this in his life. Only in daydreams had he imagined such a sight.
Except in those dreams, he had been the one wielding that power.
"You… who exactly are you?" Nanami's voice trembled.
He knew the beast tide crisis that had swept through Haicheng was over the moment the Level Seven leader fell.
Humanity had won.
And it was all thanks to this supreme expert who had descended out of nowhere.
Nanami forced himself to think. He ran through the rosters of the three major systems: the Awakeners Association, the Demon-Slaying Guard, and the Exorcism Bureau, searching for any eight-star or higher lightning user.
In his heart, Mason had to be at least eight-star.
Otherwise, there was no way he could have killed a Level Seven mutated eagle so casually, in just three moves.
But no matter how hard Nanami racked his brain, he couldn't recall a single domestic eight-star powerhouse famed for such overwhelming lightning arts.
Not one.
Lightning was the most violent of all natural elements, even more volatile than fire. Its cultivation was notoriously difficult, and true mastery bordered on impossible.
Most Awakeners avoided it entirely. Those who did awaken lightning talents often either lost control and died during training or advanced at a snail's pace, stuck around three or four stars.
Confusion clouded Nanami's face.
Who was this hidden monster capable of slaughtering a Level Seven beast with a flick of his hand?
By now, most of Mason's anger had cooled.
Hearing Nanami's question, he turned, his gaze sharp and cold as it fixed on him.
Nanami felt his scalp prickle. A nameless fear rose from deep inside.
He was afraid.
Afraid of this young man standing before him.
Wait.
Young man?
Nanami's eyes widened as realization struck.
The terrifying powerhouse who had just obliterated a Level Seven giant eagle… looked barely over twenty.
Was he so exhausted that he was hallucinating?
It had only been a little over a year since spiritual energy surged back into the world. In that short time, countless gifted young people had emerged. Some prodigies had even reached the Five-Star level.
But anything beyond that still belonged to the old monsters, the elders of ancient families who had gone into seclusion during the long years of spiritual decline.
And yet today, Nanami's entire worldview had been shattered.
The man standing before him—decisive, ruthless, casually slaughtering a Level Seven mutated beast—was actually this young.
He could barely believe it.
Mason looked at him quietly, unable to make sense of the complicated emotions swirling in Nanami's eyes.
"I am Nanami, Chief Captain of Haicheng's Demon Suppression Division. Six-Star Awakener."
Nanami steadied himself, cupped his fists in a formal martial salute, and introduced himself in a solemn voice.
His face was full of gratitude. "Thank you, Senior, for protecting Haicheng. I am deeply indebted."
Mason waved a hand. His tone was calm. "I'm not some senior. I'm twenty-four. My name's Mason. I live in that rundown complex in the south of the city."
The words left Nanami stunned all over again.
He'd assumed Mason only looked young. High-level Awakeners were like cultivators; many could preserve their appearance for decades.
But this unfathomable powerhouse… was actually a genuine twenty-something?
"The crisis should be over," Mason said, glancing toward the ground.
Corpses of awakened beasts carpeted the battlefield. Blood pooled into streams. The entire area looked like something ripped straight out of hell.
Nanami forced himself to focus and nodded with a heavy sigh.
They had won, yes. But humanity's losses were just as devastating. More than seventy Four-Star core Awakeners had fallen. As for the Two- and Three-Star fighters, the number was too painful to even calculate.
"In that case, I'll be going."
Mason gave a small nod. The Domain of the Thunder God had already dissipated. Of the fleeing beasts, only a handful had escaped. The vast majority had been annihilated by indiscriminate heavenly lightning, body and soul reduced to nothing.
With the crisis resolved, there was no reason for him to stay.
Right now, he needed to find a hotel. Otherwise, he really would be sleeping on the streets tonight.
"Please wait!"
Nanami called out anxiously.
He understood the value of someone like Mason. If a man of his caliber joined Haicheng's defense system—even as a nominal consultant—it would be an irreplaceable pillar of stability for the entire city.
Mason turned his head slightly, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.
"May I ask, Brother Mason… have you registered with the Awakener Association?"
The Awakener Association.
It sounded respectable enough. In reality, it was a powerful official institution established at the highest level. It laid out a so-called "red carpet of management" for all Awakeners. Even members of shadowy organizations like the Demon Suppression Division and the Beast Slaying Guard had to file their personal records within it.
Officially, it was about standardization and unity.
In truth, it was about control.
But once you stepped through its doors, the benefits were enough to make anyone's heart race. High-paying commissions. Custom bodyguard assignments. A steady stream of cultivation resources.
For those newly awakened and still naive about their power, it was practically a fast track to wealth and status.
Mason shook his head faintly, indifferent.
To be honest, he had only gained this heaven-defying ability yesterday. When would he have had time to worry about bureaucratic nonsense?
Seeing his nonchalant attitude only strengthened Nanami's conviction. If a genius with such overwhelming strength and bearing had already appeared within the Association's ranks, there was no way someone at his level would have missed it.
"In that case… would Brother Mason be interested in accepting the Awakener Association's olive branch?"
How could Nanami let a superpower like this remain "stranded among the common folk"? His gaze burned with determination. This was the strongest talent he had ever encountered.
"What's in it for me?"
Mason frowned slightly. Deep down, he hated being bound by rules. Even now, with power that could tower over the world, he instinctively resisted getting tangled in political games and power struggles.
"With your unparalleled strength, Brother Mason, you would be promoted immediately to the rank of regional lord!"
Nanami's voice grew impassioned, laying out the benefits one by one.
"Even if you have zero interest in administrative affairs, you will be granted the highest level of autonomy. No one, no department, will dare interfere in your private matters."
"Oh?"
A flicker of surprise crossed Mason's eyes. He had expected something reasonable, maybe conservative.
This offer was absurdly generous.
So generous it almost felt like a trap.
A top-tier standalone villa in the most prestigious district of Haicheng, complete with a private garden and lake. A monthly stipend of one million, paid regardless of whether he accepted missions. A custom-built training facility. Rare A-grade cultivation resources, supplied free of charge.
And in exchange?
Only this: if Haicheng ever faced annihilation—like today's catastrophic beast tide—Mason would step forward and lend his strength.
Mason considered it briefly.
This so-called responsibility was negligible to him. He lived in Haicheng. It was his home. If it fell, he would act regardless of any contract.
"If everything you've said is true, with no hidden clauses or traps, then I'll join."
His voice suddenly turned cold, edged with unmistakable killing intent.
"But you'd better remember this. If anything I experience later deviates even slightly from what you've promised today… then I'm sorry. I won't let a single person involved walk away."
The final words carried a chill that seemed to pierce the soul.
Nanami felt a tangible wave of killing aura slam into him. His hair stood on end. Cold sweat drenched his back.
In that instant, Mason seemed less like a human and more like a vanished demon god descended upon the mortal realm, radiating a suffocating, world-rending ferocity.
"O-Of course! Lord Mason, please rest assured! We will absolutely keep our word!"
Nanami's voice trembled. Bitterness filled his chest. He had never expected that this seemingly refined, gentle-looking young man hid such earth-shaking pressure and murderous intent within.
Mason nodded, satisfied, and withdrew his aura.
That was exactly the effect he wanted.
A show of force like this would deter anyone at the top who might consider scheming against him. From this moment on, Nanami, the highest authority of Haicheng's Awakener Association, would never forget Mason's terror.
Nanami lowered his head slightly, sweat still clinging to his forehead. Using the Awakeners' encrypted communication, he swiftly arranged the post-battle cleanup along the city walls. Then, together with his assistant, he led Mason at high speed toward the heart of Haicheng.
"Lord Mason, this will be your exclusive territory."
They arrived at Mingyue Bay, the most prestigious district in Haicheng.
A woman in a perfectly tailored OL outfit stood before a European-style manor with its own small private lake. Ten-centimeter heels clicked crisply against the stone path. She adjusted her gold-rimmed glasses and spoke gently to Mason.
"Mm."
Mason responded faintly, expression unreadable as he gazed at the luxurious residence he once wouldn't have dared to even dream of.
A subtle warmth rose in his chest.
The salted fish had flipped.
And this time, he'd flipped beautifully.
"....."