Rhys stared at the latest contract before letting out a quiet sigh.“…Hmm.”The agreement dissolved once again without any effect.He frowned.“So it still doesn’t work.”Tayla looked at him nervously.“Does that mean it’s impossible?”Rhys slowly shook his head.“No.”“I don’t think it’s impossible.”He folded his arms as he organized his thoughts.“It only means one of two things.”“Either I still haven’t found the correct wording for the agreement…”“Or…”“The Soul Contract simply isn’t at a high enough level yet.”He remained silent for a few more seconds before nodding to himself.“I don’t want to keep Meave waiting any longer.”“We’ll postpone this.”“When we have more free time…”“We’ll continue experimenting.”Tayla gave a respectful nod.“I understand.”“Thank you very much.”Rhys smiled.“You can thank me after we actually succeed.”With that, he turned around.“Come on.”“Let’s head back.”The two of them returned to the cave.They had apparently spent longer talking than R

The Abyssals showed no sign of fear.There were only twelve orbiting bullets.As far as they were concerned, if enough of them charged together, some would eventually reach Rhys.The front ranks immediately adjusted their pace.Instead of rushing in one after another, they slowed down so the entire group could attack at the same time.Rhys noticed the change immediately.A faint smile appeared on his face.The orbit of the twelve bullets suddenly widened.The Abyssals in front immediately realized what was happening and tried to retreat.It was already too late.The Abyssals behind them continued charging without slowing down, crashing into their own allies and forcing the entire front line forward.The expanding ring of bullets swept straight through them.Several Common Class Abyssals died before they could even react.“Reee!”One of the Common Class Abyssals suddenly climbed onto another monster’s shoulders.Using its companion as a stepping stone, it launched itself high into the

“Accel. Two times.”Rhys quietly activated the contract.The flow of time around his body immediately accelerated.In the blink of an eye, he vanished from where he stood.The distance between him and the Mutant disappeared almost instantly.“…!!!”The Mutant visibly panicked.Syrax’s artificial sunlight had already stripped away its camouflage.Its changing skin could no longer keep up with the sudden shift in brightness.For the first time since the battle began…Its body was completely exposed.Rhys didn’t give it a single moment to recover.The Mutant lashed out instinctively.Dozens of razor-sharp tentacles shot toward him from every direction.Rhys accelerated again.Everything around him seemed to slow.His body wasn’t the only thing moving faster.His thoughts…His perception…His reactions…Every part of him was being accelerated together.The incoming tentacles looked almost sluggish.He read every trajectory before they arrived.His body slipped between them with practiced

A few months ago, that punch would have ended the fight.Risa would have been thrown across the battlefield with no chance to respond.Not anymore.Even as she was sent flying through the air, she never lost control of her blood.A smile appeared on her lips.“Blood Mark.”The blood she had coughed onto the Mutant’s body suddenly spread across its skin.Dark crimson lines raced outward, intertwining until they formed a massive tattoo over its chest and shoulder.The mark pulsed once.In that instant, Risa could feel the Mutant’s location with perfect clarity.Just as importantly…The crimson pattern stood out against its camouflage.Even if the creature changed the color of its skin again, it couldn’t erase the mark.Everyone would be able to see it now.Only then did Risa crash into a tree with a loud thud.Meanwhile, Meave had already reached the Mutant.Her enormous avatar grabbed the creature with both hands.The Mutant planted its feet and pushed back with everything it had.Its

The Mutant slipped behind a thick tree just as Meave and Gealion closed in.Meave immediately lost sight of it.Close combat and tracking through dense terrain had never been her strength, so Gealion took the lead without hesitation.The giant wolf rushed around the trunk, expecting to find the Mutant waiting in ambush.Nothing.Not even with his heightened senses could he locate it.His instincts screamed.Above.Gealion snapped his head upward.The Mutant was already diving toward him from the canopy.It had hidden among the branches while waiting for him to pass underneath.Gealion reacted instantly.His fist shot upward and slammed into the Mutant’s head before it could complete its attack.The blow knocked the creature out of the air.It crashed toward the ground.Meave didn’t waste the opening.Her avatar swung with tremendous force, striking the Mutant before it landed.The impact sent it hurtling toward another tree.The giant construct was already preparing to follow through