—

Cyclone Beast: Level ??? | Health ??? | Skills ???

Earth-Wind Spirit: Level ??? | Health ??? | Skills ???

—

’Damn.’

Both monsters were completely beyond the reach of Marcus’s Insight skill. If Insight could not read them at all, that meant they were at least Level 70 or higher. A bitter laugh rose in his chest. Just moments ago he had actually believed he might be able to kill them.

Then again, if Liam Windrunner had gone through the trouble of sealing these creatures, there was no way they could be weak.

Run, or fight?

Marcus hesitated for only a fraction of a second, but that moment was already too long. The seals shattered simultaneously. The black wind pillars twisted violently as enormous shapes condensed within them, their true bodies forming out of raging currents before exploding outward into the open air.

They came straight for him.

"Too fast!"

His heartbeat skipped as the distance vanished almost instantly. The Cyclone Beast opened its enormous jaws, and with a series of violent rushing sounds, three colossal tornadoes spiraled toward him like living weapons.

Adamant Shield Wall!

Marcus did not hesitate. He immediately activated the final remaining charge of his Divine artifact, the Adamant Shield. A golden barrier wrapped around him, reducing incoming damage by seventy percent. Even so, he had a terrible feeling.

He had underestimated them.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

-3000

-3200

-3100

The three tornadoes slammed into him one after another, tearing across his body despite the shield’s protection.

"Holy crap!"

Even under seventy percent damage reduction, and with Dragon Soul Aegis and Wandering Corpse Souls still active, he was taking over three thousand damage per hit. He was essentially fighting at peak condition, yet his health bar plunged frighteningly fast.

Before he could recover, the second monster moved.

The Earth-Wind Spirit appeared beside him in a flash, as if space itself folded. Twin cyclone longswords formed from compressed wind pierced forward without mercy.

-4300

-4100

Two devastating strikes landed instantly. Marcus’s health dropped to zero and his vision went black.

He died before he even had time to react, before a counterattack could form, before his brain fully processed what had happened.

These monsters were at least Mythic-tier.

A helpless realization washed through him. Forget Mythic-tier enemies. With his current strength, even high-end monsters would crush him effortlessly.

’Time to run.’

Ding!

[Player Stonehaven has been killed by Earth-Wind Spirit. The Ring of Resurrection activates. All stats restored. Three seconds of invincibility granted.]

Golden light surged around Marcus as life returned to his body. He revived instantly, wrapped in invulnerability. The two monsters clearly hesitated, momentarily confused by the human they had just killed suddenly standing again.

Marcus wasted no time.

’Run for Your Life!’

’Wanderlust!’

Just as fresh cyclones roared toward him and the Earth-Wind Spirit thrust its swords again, his body dissolved into a streak of light. His figure vanished from their sight and reappeared at the entrance to Mystic Turtle’s Tomb, Level Two.

"I’m out."

He exhaled heavily, tension draining from his shoulders. Looking down, he touched the Eagle’s Crest resting against his chest.

The quest to retrieve the Seven-Colored Divine Eagle was finally complete.

All things considered, it had gone surprisingly smoothly.

"Dancing Colorful Eagle."

Light gathered before him as the Seven-Colored Divine Eagle appeared, wings unfolding in radiant hues. A Divine Beast-tier companion now belonged to him. Marcus immediately opened its status panel.

—

Seven-Colored Divine Eagle (Divine Beast)

Once the guardian eagle of the ancient Sky Eagle Tribe, it possessed true Divine Beast strength. During the great Divine War of ancient times, the tribe was annihilated and the eagle suffered catastrophic injuries, losing most of its power and retreating into the Eagle’s Crest to survive.

Ten years ago, it consumed a Divine-grade medicine known as Stone Milk Nectar and spent a decade recovering inside the Earth-Wind Spirit Cave. Nourished by immense natural energy, it finally regained its Divine Beast potential.

—

Marcus nodded slowly.

So that cave truly contained extraordinary power. He had stood there himself yet failed to take advantage of it. Now two Mythic-tier monsters occupied the area, and during his brief resurrection he had even noticed countless lesser creatures swirling within the black wind pillars, filling the cavern like a storm-born ecosystem.

Unless he became significantly stronger, returning there was impossible.

He felt a twinge of regret, especially thinking about Goldie. Its attributes matched the cave’s energy perfectly, yet he had missed the opportunity to strengthen it.

Still, gaining a Divine Beast-tier pet more than compensated for the loss.

The Seven-Colored Divine Eagle obediently shrank into a beam of light and entered the Eagle’s Crest, acknowledging Marcus as its master. Since the bond had already formed, even Liam Windrunner would likely be unable to reclaim it.

Marcus continued reading the stats.

—

Level: 0

Health: 1000

Mana: 1000

Attack: 1000

Defense: 1000

Flight Speed: 15

Passive Abilities: 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Eagle’s Vision: While summoned, the master may observe surrounding terrain, landforms, traps, and labyrinth structures through the eagle’s aerial perspective. Detection range equals eagle level × 2 meters.

Eagle’s Eye: While summoned, invisible monsters and players within eagle level × 5 meters can be detected.

Seven-Colored Radiance: The rainbow aura enhances the master’s attributes by 10%. As long as the eagle remains within five meters of its master and the master survives, the eagle cannot die. The effect strengthens as the eagle levels up.

Active Skills: None.

—

"You’ve got to be kidding me."

Every ability was passive. Not a single attack skill.

The Seven-Colored Divine Eagle was clearly a support-type pet, yet each passive ability was incredibly practical. Suddenly Marcus understood how Liam Windrunner had located the hidden entrance so easily. With Eagle’s Vision, any unsealed terrain or concealed labyrinth would be exposed from above.

An absurdly powerful scouting companion.

Marcus watched the small eagle flutter happily beside him before landing on his shoulder. Its feathers shimmered with shifting colors, both elegant and adorable. He could not help wondering what abilities it would unlock as it grew stronger. A Divine Beast could not possibly remain skill-less forever.

Action spoke louder than speculation.

He was just about to start grinding levels when a notification interrupted him.

Ding!

[Stonehaven, someone is waking you outside your gaming pod. Switch perspective back to the real world?]

"Switch."

Marcus opened his eyes.

Amber leaned over the gaming pod, activating the wake function. The moment she saw him awake, she gently patted his chest.

"Marcus, it’s late. You should sleep."

He checked the time and realized she was right.

"Yeah."

Logging out quickly, he stretched. He would continue tomorrow. Once he obtained the Bodhi Stone, the trial would end, and he could reunite with the others in-game.

He had already asked Lily and Amber to wake him whenever he lost track of time. Maintaining a healthier routine also meant he could spend more time with them outside the game.

"Marcus, I want to sleep with you."

Before he could respond, Amber wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned against him. Her angelic face rested against his chest, soft pink bunny pajamas rustling as she climbed onto him without hesitation.

"Sleep with you?"

Only then did he notice what she was wearing.

The thin fabric outlined her slender figure, warm and faintly scented with something gentle and sweet. His hands, trapped awkwardly at her sides, felt the softness of her arms and shoulders. She pressed closer with complete trust, entirely unaware of how disarming she looked.

"You promised," she said softly, lifting her face with a pleading expression. "You said you’d hold me while I sleep. You can’t take it back."

Her eyes grew slightly misty.

"I haven’t slept with you in so long. I’m unhappy."

She tightened her hug, clearly refusing to let him escape.

Marcus sighed.

"Fine. You little devil."

He flicked her nose lightly.

Honestly, this was partly Lily’s fault. She had indulged Amber once, and now the girl treated cuddling as a permanent privilege. Peaceful nights were becoming rare.

Still, Marcus was in an excellent mood after obtaining the Divine Eagle. Holding his sister while she slept hardly felt like a hardship.

He inhaled her faint scent and kissed her cheek gently.

"I’ll hold you."

Lifting her easily, he carried her toward the large bed. Amber smiled brightly, clearly satisfied. As he adjusted her position, he accidentally glimpsed the edge of her white bra beneath her collar and immediately looked away, embarrassed by his own wandering eyes.

The bed was empty. Lily had not come to the bedroom yet.

’Lucky.’

He silently admitted the thought. Holding Jade had been manageable, but holding Amber felt far more awkward. She was his little sister. Innocent, affectionate, and trusting, yet undeniably an adult woman now, and far too beautiful for his peace of mind.

There was also a truth only Marcus knew: Amber was not his biological sister.

They shared no blood relation.

But neither Lily nor Amber knew that. To them, they were real siblings, and Marcus intended to keep that secret buried for as long as possible.