The western horizon of the Hudeii Desert was an endless sheet of blinding white heat.

The sand here didn’t drift gently; it whipped across the dunes like shards of glass, carried by a volatile wind that could strip the flesh off an ordinary traveler within hours.

Yet, marching straight through the heart of this harsh terrain was a vanguard of twenty-five warriors.

They didn’t stumble. They didn’t complain.

Under the banner of the Feral Domain, the Great Luna Pack had utterly transformed.

At the front of the column walked Alpha Eurenia. Her long, vibrant red hair danced wildly in the desert gale, and her golden eyes scanned the horizon with an unshakable, predatory sharpness.

The Desolate Draconic Fenrir bloodline pulsed silently within her veins, radiating a faint, heavy aura of draconic pressure that caused the hidden desert apex predators beneath the sand to flee long before the pack arrived.

She was no longer the desperate leader of a dying clan. She was a follower who had received a divine revelation.

A blur of dust suddenly kicked up from a distant ridge.

A figure was sprinting toward the vanguard at a blinding, superhuman speed, leaping across the sand dunes with effortless agility.

"Hold," Commander Agro barked, his hand instantly dropping to the hilt of his heavy iron broadsword.

The warriors behind him halted in perfect unison, their postures shifting instantly into a flawless battle formation.

The blurred figure slid down the face of a dune, coming to a halt directly in front of Eurenia. It was Commander Vian.

His breathing was heavy, his face covered in a layer of grime, but his eyes were wide with a volatile mix of urgency and deep-seated fury.

Without a word, Vian dropped to one knee before his Alpha, bowing his head.

"Report, Vian," Eurenia commanded, her voice calm, deep, and carrying the unyielding weight of her fanatical loyalty to her god. "Have you found the tracks of our scattered kin?"

"Lady Alpha," Vian spoke, his voice tight as he clutched the hot sand beneath his palm. "I found them. But... they are not wandering freely. I tracked the distinct scent of our Crimson Wolf-Kin to a deep ravine three miles out. I found remnants of a campsite. Blood, broken bone spears, and heavy iron wheel ruts."

Agro’s face contorted into rage. "Traffickers?"

"Worse," Vian hissed, looking up at Eurenia. "It’s a massive slave-trading caravan. I managed to scout ahead before returning. Our brothers and sisters have been captured, stripped of their weapons, and locked in heavy, mana-suppressing iron cages. They are being driven directly toward the southwest."

Eurenia’s eyes narrowed into dangerous golden slits. "Where are they taking them?"

"Tempest City," Vian spat the name out as if it were poison.

A heavy, suffocating silence fell over the commanders. Even the battle-hardened Hedro stepped forward, his brows furrowing deeply.

Tempest City.

It was one of the few established civilizations within the lawless wastes of the Hudeii Desert, built entirely inside a colossal, hollowed-out canyon that protected it from the devastating sandstorms.

It was a wretched hive of scum, corrupt merchant guilds, and high-level rogue mercenaries.

Strength was the only currency accepted within its walls, and its underground slave markets were legendary.

It was a place where weaker beastmen tribes were routinely bought, sold, and traded like cattle. It was the exact lawless hub where Alisa had first opened her eyes in despair before being auctioned off to the Lizardmen.

"Lady Eurenia," Commander Hedro spoke cautiously, his voice low. "Tempest City is incredibly dangerous. It is governed by the wicked Tiger Lord, and the slave market is backed by powerful, wealthy syndicates. Going there with only twenty-five warriors..."

"Are you suggesting we abandon our blood, Hedro?" Agro roared, stepping forward, his aura flaring. "Our god gave us the strength to rip out the throats of seventy ogres! I will tear that city apart brick by brick before I let our people remain in chains!"

"Enough," Eurenia’s voice cut through the argument like a blade.

Both commanders instantly silenced themselves, bowing their heads under the sudden spike of her draconic majesty.

Eurenia looked down at her hands, watching the faint crimson scales shimmer beneath her skin before receding.

She closed her eyes for a brief second, recalling the terrifying, cosmic silhouette of Lord Varanus within her subconscious dream palace.

She remembered the fracturing stars, the absolute authority in his voice, and the precise words of the divine decree burned into the back of her eyelids.

"Build my foundation in the desert. Show them that the beasts are no longer prey."

A cold, ruthless smile curled the corners of Eurenia’s lips.

She opened her eyes, and the sheer intensity of her golden pupils made her commanders straighten their backs in pure awe.

This is a cultivator after all.

"Lord Varanus did not grant us the bloodline of apex predators so we could hide in the shadows of the desert," Eurenia declared, her voice echoing across the dunes.

"Tempest City thinks they can buy and sell the children of the Feral Domain. They believe we are nothing but weak prey."

She took a step forward, drawing her weapon and pointing it directly toward the southwest horizon.

"We are going to Tempest City. We will reclaim our brothers and sisters, and we will paint the streets of that lawless city in the blood of anyone who stands in our way."

The twenty-five warriors erupted into a silent, fiercely loyal salute.

"This is the foundation our God demanded," Eurenia whispered internally, her fanatical faith burning brighter than the desert sun. "Watch us, Lord Varanus. The hunt has begun."

[Ding!]

[Your Follower, Alpha Eurenia, has initiated a faction objective: ’The Raid of Tempest City’.]

[Faith Points generation rate is temporarily multiplying due to the fervor of your followers’ devotion!]

A mile away in the northern canyons, Roy’s eyes flickered as the translucent blue notifications flashed rapidly before him.

He was still holding the sleeping Alisa against his chest, his fingers lightly tangled in her soft, white hair as she looked up at his disguised wolf-man persona with pure adoration.

They rode on a four-legged Drake stolen from the unconscious Lizardmen.

Roy’s smile widened, a dark, incredibly satisfied glint reflecting in his crimson pupils.

’Tempest City, huh?’ Roy thought, his tactical mind instantly aligning the pieces on his mental chessboard.

’The wolves are marching there for war, and this little rabbit in my arms just escaped from it. It seems all roads lead to the same slaughterhouse.’

He looked down at Alisa, his voice smooth and soothing. "Rest now, Alisa. Jarden Rome is here. And soon... we are going to pay a little visit to the place that stole your home."

"Status window," Roy whispered.

The transparent cyan panel flickered before his eyes.

[Player’s Data has been updated]

[Uploading Player’s Information]

-Name: Varanus

-Status: False God (Level 2)

-Divine Domain: Ruler of Beast

-Divine Authority: Transformation, Mindcraft

-Follower Count: 50/10,000

-Divine Essence: 0

-Faith Points: 114 FP

-Divine Honorifics: Registered

"This time, I now have a name," Roy couldn’t help but smile, "I also have a Divine Domain, I have a second Divine Authority and my Divine Honorifics has been registered." He gently stroked his chin.

"The Great Luna Pack is fifty in total, it makes sense since they’re the only ones who prayed to me," he paused, "But why is my Divine Essence still 0?"

"What exactly is a Divine Essence?" Roy asked. Without wasting time, he went straight to the description icon.

-Description: "Divine Essence" is the accumulated number of divine energy possessed by the Player, they can only be obtained through conversion of Faith Points or absorption of Divine Relics owned by other True Gods.

"Is that so?" Roy’s eyes narrowed, "While Faith Points can be considered a Player’s currency, it cannot directly empower me but can strengthen me through the Divine Market."

"Divine Essence is a different story, the higher numbers accumulate in that Divine Essence icon, the stronger I am."

Roy manifested the Divine Relic he had stolen from the corpse of the Ogre Captain; he examined it.

"It would be difficult to identify the creator of this Relic and I can’t use it myself in order to avoid being noticed," he deeply sighed, "All that’s left is to absorb the Divine Essence stored within the relic."

He stared at the relic for a moment before crushing it. Roy clenched his fist; he could feel raw divine energy flowing through his veins.

[You have absorbed a fifth-grade Divine Relic]

[Accumulating Divine Essence]

-Divine Essence: 100

"A hundred, huh?" Roy frowned, "I guess that’s what a fifth-grade divine relic could amount to." He grinned.

"But this feels good though." Alisa slept in his arms so he could only move one part of his body, "If this is how good divine energy feels,"

"Then shouldn’t I convert my Faith Points into Divine Essence?" Roy thought, but quickly shook off that thought.

"No," he smiled, "Faith Points is quite valuable and I haven’t checked out the Divine Market yet."

"Let’s see what I can get on the Divine Market."