Chapter 1187: Is that him? (Part 1)

There was only one passageway in front of Adam and Fromund—a wide tunnel large enough for several dozen or even hundreds of Kirani Bugs to pass through at once.

They didn’t know what exactly was below, but it was obvious that they had to keep going.

“Hurry! We can’t let them devour the Twilight Crystals!” Fromund exclaimed before jumping down.

Adam was about to follow him, but paused for a moment to look back at the raging storm.

Twice during the storm, he had had to fight the Thunder Demons. He knew it was impossible now, they were too weak, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that the storm was growing stronger because of their actions.

That the storm was somehow connected to the Kirani Colony and the Twilight Crystals that awaited them.

‘Alright, there’s no point in thinking about it too much. When we get to the depths, I’ll find out everything. Someone or something powerful must be waiting for us at the bottom. Someone must protect this colony from the invaders.’

Step.

Adam stepped forward, plunging into the darkness.

The fact that two Phantoms had attacked the Kirani Colony was known not only to the Kirani Bugs and guards who were preparing to defend the passage even after the death of their mates, but also to other monsters directly connected to the Kirani Colony.

…

A few dozen kilometers from the Corrupted Volcano was another territory, not as vast as the fiery lands, but no less threatening.

High cliffs with sharp peaks reaching for the sky were hidden among the wandering fog. Thunderstorms raged almost constantly here, with thunderclaps crashing down on the ground without pause, filling the area with a special power.

Countless energy crystals grew directly from the rocks, full of the power of lightning, but only monsters strong enough could reach them and absorb them.

Despite their appearance, most of the monsters inhabiting the Thunder Peaks hid underground, in the ruins of an abandoned kingdom.

If they wanted to get out and not die in the first storm, they had to become strong enough to do so.

That didn’t mean they had no choice. There were more than enough hunting grounds and energy sources in the underground ruins.

As always, monsters could simply absorb energy from their surroundings or fight each other to absorb energy by devouring the bodies of their enemies.

However, monsters always wanted to be in areas with higher energy density. The surface of the Thunder Peaks was just such a place, more desirable than the underground, but the risks were too high for weak monsters to venture out.

They could only do so during the brief moments when there was no storm at the Thunder Peaks. However, today was clearly not that case.

Now, one of the strongest storms in recent memory was raging. Despite the terrifying power of the lightning, these were favorable conditions for the development of the Thunder Peaks.

Each time lightning struck the ground, it brought with it clusters of energy that subsequently increased the energy density or turned into resources.

Usually, only Red Threat Level monsters could escape from the underground, but the powerful storm made it impossible for all but the Black Threat Monsters.

Step. Step. Step.

In a hurry, a figure covered in a long cloak climbed to the highest peak. The incessant rain and rolling thunder could not delay it for a moment. It had to deliver the message as quickly as possible.

A few seconds later, the man stopped when he reached the top.

Ahead, sitting cross-legged at the edge, was the strongest monster in these lands. The one who was their hope for the future, to have their own lord.

A short delay was all the man allowed himself before rushing forward and falling to one knee, bowing his head.

“Miss Bathild, I have an urgent message for you!” The man said with deep respect and a slight fear in his voice.

When monsters had a ruler, which was not unusual for Black Threat Level monsters, fear was not a negative quality. Humans would not want fear to arise in their hearts when they looked at their leader, but monsters thought differently.

The fact that the man felt fear when addressing his leader was proof of the leader’s strength and power. For monsters, this was one of the most important factors.

If the man had not felt fear, he would not have obeyed. Instead, he would have decided to attack the leader to take his place at the top.

Slowly, the woman with long, dark blue hair turned around. Most of her body was covered with protective scales, stone ones, full of the energy of lightning that filled her body. The places that were not covered showed her pale, delicate skin.

Her eyes were blue, with electric discharges passing through them from time to time. On her head were two long horns pointing forward, and from her back grew a long tail with a sharp metal tip.

The final detail that distinguished her from most of the monsters at the Thunder Peaks was a black tattoo covering her chest in the form of chaotic bolts of lightning, as if it had once been a terrible burn that had gradually taken on a different form and become part of her power.

“Hmm? Marhen? Speak. What happened? Any problems with the underground? I think you’re strong enough to resolve this issue without my involvement,” Bathild replied coldly.

She wanted to continue absorbing energy. Every second of inaction was a lost opportunity and a grain of power.

“Kirani Queen, she is asking for your help, as per the agreement between our lands,” Marhen replied without raising his head.

He was a different kind of monster. He didn’t have horns or a tail like Bathild, but like her, he had a layer of stone covering most of his body, and on his back were two open slits with electrical discharges sparkling inside.

“What? Kirani Queen? Wasn’t she going to consume the Twilight Crystals to evolve? What happened at the Corrupted Volcano?” Bathild asked, maintaining her carefree demeanor for now.

Marhen gulped.

“Two Phantoms. They destroyed the guards and are moving toward the gates. The Kirani Bugs will try to delay them, but Kirani Queen isn’t sure she can handle them alone.”

Bathild nodded as she stood up. Her tail lashed the air like a whip as her gaze darted forward.

“I see. We can’t let this happen. One of the crystals belongs to us.”