Chapter 37: Purged Nest Chapter 37: Purged Nest "Lord Zerek! Lord Zerek!" Jerom’s voice echoed through the grand halls as he stormed into the Baron’s mansion. The estate was vast—lined with blooming gardens, still pools reflecting the morning sun, and neat rows of stables and barracks. Compared to the cramped, grimy streets of the city beyond, it looked like a paradise carved out for the privileged. An elderly butler in a crisp charcoal suit appeared almost instantly, his movements sharp despite his age. He recognized the group at once—the same men the Baron had dispatched on a mission not long ago. Without a word, he gestured for them to wait and disappeared down the gilded corridor to inform his master. Moments later, Jerom and his battered team were summoned inside. The Baron’s chamber glowed with warm light filtering through tall windows. Dust motes danced lazily in the golden beams. Behind an ornate desk sat Lord Zerek—a middle-aged man whose sharp, fox-like features radiated charm laced with deceit. His narrow, horizontal-slit eyes gleamed with amusement even when he was silent. One look at him, and anyone could see where Zolton got his face—and his cunning. Jerom dropped to one knee, still seething. "Lord Zerek, forgive my rudeness," he began, voice shaking with barely restrained fury, "but you never said anything about a high-ranking Beast Master accompanying James! That bastard humiliated my team in front of everyone!" His fists trembled at his sides, rage twisting his face as memories of Leo’s punch and James’s taunt burned through his mind. Of course, he conveniently left out the part where James had said Leo was newly awakened. Zerek listened without interruption, his expression unreadable. His sharp gaze drifted briefly to Jerom’s dented armor and the streak of dried blood at the corner of his mouth. He could tell at a glance—Jerom had been thoroughly beaten. "So... he had a companion," Zerek murmured, more to himself than to Jerom. "That’s new. I was quite certain I’d planted enough distrust in him to make that impossible." He leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled beneath his chin. "Tell me, how did these companions look?" Jerom hesitated, then answered, "Uh... one was a girl with pink hair. The other—a boy with black hair. He’s the one who beat us." Zerek’s brow twitched, a faint smirk tugging at his lips as if a memory flickered. "Pink hair..." he mused softly. "I only know one person with that..." Then his grin widened, sharp and knowing. "Wait. Hehe." He shifted forward, elbows resting on the desk. "Tell me, Jerom—how long will it take them to clear the Cedar Treants’ nest?" Jerom scratched his neck, thinking. "Maybe four to five hours? Considering their numbers and the strength of James and that boy. The girl... not sure, but she kicked Ish out cold when he tried to summon his beast." "Keke, good," Zerek chuckled darkly. "Plenty of time." He rose from his chair, straightening his coat. "It’s been too long since I visited that little restaurant. I miss Lady Sera’s cooking." His tongue darted briefly over his lips. "I wonder how she’ll taste." A cruel grin spread across his face. "I’m sure James will appreciate the gift I’ll give to Sera." Jerom’s expression twisted with malicious delight as realisation dawned. His earlier humiliation evaporated, replaced by ugly laughter that echoed through the chamber. "Hehehe... yes, my lord! That bastard won’t laugh for long!" --- BANG! Leo’s fist smashed into the Cedar Treant’s chest, his skill [Critical Strike] flaring to life. The impact caved in its torso, splintering bark and bursting chunks of wood-like fragments from its back. The creature crashed to the ground with a heavy thud. [Cedar Treant (Peak 1-star) killed - 200xp] Level 15 - 1980/3037 Nearby, James fought another Treant while Lily bombarded it with slicing gusts of wind. This Cedar Treant stood nearly three meters tall, its bark-like hide tough as ironwood and streaked with glowing red sap. Wide, branch-like arms swept the air with crushing strength, and scattered leaves crowned its rugged form. HAAARRRR! James’s contracted beast, the Ironclaw Grizzly—an intermediate 2-star beast with a mortal bloodline—charged forward. The massive brown bear, over 2.5 meters tall, was a wall of muscle and fury. Its iron-like claws tore through the air as it roared, fangs bared in savage dominance. The Grizzly hacked at the Treant relentlessly, leaving deep gouges in its wooden body. But the creature’s innate regeneration healed each wound as fast as it formed. This Treant was equal in rank to the bear, making it a frustrating opponent. Leo had only faced a peak 1-star one earlier—this was far stronger. Still, with Lily’s unending pressure and the bear’s brute force, the Treant’s regeneration faltered. When it finally weakened, the Grizzly lunged, biting through its head and tearing it free. It spat the remains aside with a victorious roar, then ripped the core from its chest and swallowed it whole—a show of dominance. James stepped closer, patting its coarse fur and giving a proud thumbs-up. The Grizzly rumbled low in its throat, the sound almost like approval. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Leo turned to James. "Why does it feel like there are fewer of them? For this being a nest, it’s way too quiet." James frowned. He’d been thinking the same thing. Throughout their time in this part of the forest, they had only slain five Treants—including the two just now. Lily had extracted four cores, while the last one had been devoured by the bear. "This is strange... way too strange," James muttered, eyes narrowing. "We should stay sharp. I’ve got a bad feeling about this." With that warning, they pressed deeper into the woods. After only a few hundred meters, both men froze. Their pupils constricted to pinpoints—an instinctive reaction. Something powerful was nearby. Leo instantly gestured for Lily to stay quiet. She obeyed, confused; her level was too low to sense what they had. Activating his [Stealth] skill, Leo crept forward through the underbrush. And then he saw it. A three-meter-long, four-legged beast stood before him—a Mistprowler Tiger. Its sleek blue fur was marred by white stripes and streaked with blood. Deep gashes tore across its body, one eye was burst, and the other burned with savage, dying defiance. Several Treants lay dead around it, and most looked high level like the one James just killed. It panted heavily, glaring at something ahead—a massive flower with five red luminous petals that radiated vitality with every pulse. Mistprowler Tiger (Peak 2-Star Beast) – Super Bloodline What the hell... a Super Bloodline?! Leo’s heart pounded. We need to run— Then he saw it. A humanoid figure lay still within the blossom’s crown, a translucent barrier covering it. --- A/N: Weekly Challenge 50 Power Stones = +1 Chapter 25 Golden Tickets = +2 Chapter Chapters will be released by the end of the week!