Clone Ascension

Evan jolted awake.

A blaring siren echoed across the naval base, followed by Marcus Grant’s amplified voice:

“All personnel, assemble immediately!”

Evan threw on his clothes and rushed outside. New recruits were sprinting across the base, forming up in chaotic lines.

He spotted Marcus and hurried over.

“Mr. Grant, what’s going on?”

Marcus exhaled heavily.

“Something’s wrong at the shoreline. A massive wave of marine beasts is coming in. We’re short on manpower, so even the new recruits have to hold the line.”

New recruits weren’t much weaker than veterans in evolution level—

they just lacked experience.

“I’ll help,” Evan said. “I can take some pressure off.”

Marcus nodded. “Good. We need every capable fighter.”

Within minutes, the troops were assembled.

Serena Storm arrived as well, worry written all over her face.

Clearly, General Elias Storm had run into serious trouble.

“Move out!” Marcus commanded.

The entire force marched toward the coast.

⭐ Sunset Beach

A brutal battle was already underway.

Countless marine beasts were charging onto land—

crabs larger than men, seals the size of elephants, walruses like moving hills.

Even fish‑type beasts were flopping violently onto the sand, forcing their way inland.

Dongli’s naval soldiers formed a living wall,

pushing back the tide with blood and steel.

But the beasts were endless.

The soldiers were forced to retreat step by step, buying time for reinforcements.

“Reinforcements are here!” someone shouted.

A soldier glanced back and cursed.

“That’s the reinforcements? A bunch of rookies?!”

“Who else did you expect? Other cities can’t get here that fast!”

“Not all rookies—Captain Grant is here. And the Time Devourer. And… who’s that guy? Bold enough to walk next to her?”

Evan still wore his disguise mask, so no one recognized him.

He scanned the battlefield.

Even as an outsider, he could tell something was wrong.

This wasn’t a normal beast tide.

Some of these creatures weren’t even suited for land.

Why would fish‑type beasts willingly beach themselves?

Are they being driven? Forced?

Marcus grabbed a soldier.

“Where’s General Storm?”

“She went into the sea. Said she was going to find the source of the problem.”

Of course she did.

A beast tide this large had to have a cause.

With General Storm handling the root,

their job was simply to hold the line.

Evan charged forward, activating Ant Strength.

One punch—one kill.

He smashed through several beasts in seconds.

Serena darted into the fray, weaving between monsters.

She never stayed still—just brushed each beast with a fingertip.

One touch crippled a Tier‑1 beast.

Tier‑2 beasts staggered and collapsed moments later.

Her bizarre combat style was surprisingly effective here.

Evan fought marine beasts for the first time.

They were strange—poisonous, spiky, slippery, armored—

but none of that mattered.

His body was too strong.

With Ant Strength, he crushed Tier‑2 beasts like toys.

Even heavily armored crabs and shell‑type beasts fell to his Needle Strike.

He only needed to avoid the Tier‑3 beasts—

Marcus and the other Butterfly‑tier officers were handling those.

A massive seal—ten times Evan’s size—charged at him.

Evan’s Ant Strength was on cooldown,

so he simply punched it aside.

The beast didn’t even retaliate.

It barreled past him, fleeing inland.

“…What?”

Evan blinked.

When his skill cooled down, he chased it and knocked it out.

But something felt off.

These beasts weren’t attacking aggressively.

They were… running.

Running from something in the sea.

Whatever it was, it terrified them enough to flee onto land.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

But regardless of the cause,

they couldn’t be allowed into the city.

Evan continued fighting.

His performance was overwhelming—

a Chrysalis‑tier evolver killing beasts like a seasoned master.

Soldiers stared, whispering among themselves.

“Who is that guy?!”

“He’s insane!”

“That skill looks familiar…”

Even Serena paused mid‑fight, stunned.

Is he stronger than my One‑Strike‑Ten‑Thousand‑Effects style?

No… no, I’m just not fully developed yet. I’ll surpass him later.

She comforted herself.

But the beasts kept coming.

More and more.

The soldiers were exhausted, wounded, overwhelmed.

Then a group of Dongli soldiers ran over, shouting angrily:

“It’s the damn Rovan bastards! They’re driving the beasts toward us!”

“Those lizard‑spawned freaks! Let’s go kill them!”

“Those lizard‑born degenerates deserve to die!”

Evan blinked.

Lizard‑born? Lizard‑spawned?

Is that… a cultural insult?

Apparently, yes.

Dawnsea City bordered Rovan’s Gada City.

Sunset Beach was only a few hundred meters from the national border.

If Dongli was suffering a beast invasion,

Gada City should be suffering too.

But they weren’t.

Or rather—

they were pushing the beasts toward Dongli.

Marcus scowled.

“I’m going to check the border. Stay here and hold the line.”

Evan followed immediately.

“Mr. Grant, take me with you.”

Serena followed too.

“I’m coming.”

⭐ Borderline Tension

At the national boundary, Dongli and Rovan soldiers faced off,

weapons drawn, tempers flaring.

A Rovan officer shouted,

“Which of your eyes saw us driving beasts toward you?!”

His soldiers laughed mockingly.

“Yeah! If the beasts don’t want to enter Rovan, what can we do?”

“You Dongli people angered the gods. This is divine punishment!”

On the Rovan side, there were beasts—

but far fewer.

And many beasts clearly swam from Rovan waters toward Dongli.

Anyone with a brain could see something was wrong.

Dongli soldiers roared back:

“Don’t play dumb! You lizard‑spawned scum!”

The Rovan soldiers bristled,

but both sides stayed behind the line—

a row of small flags marking the border.

Crossing it meant war.

Marcus arrived with Evan and Serena.

Dongli soldiers immediately rallied around him.

Marcus’s voice was cold.

“Stop your actions immediately, or we will retaliate.”

The Rovan officer sneered.

“What actions? Explain it to me.”

Marcus stepped forward, stopping just short of the border.

The Rovan officer tensed, ready to fight.

Marcus said,

“We’re both soldiers. No need for nonsense.

Just answer one question—

Do you want to fight?”

The Rovan officer shot back,

“Our duty is to defend our land.

If you step into Rovan territory,

we will fight to the death.”

Marcus frowned.

Dongli was at a disadvantage.

Rovan was clearly pushing beasts toward them,

but refused to cross the line.

If Dongli crossed first,

Rovan could claim self‑defense.

And Dongli’s forces were already stretched thin.

A war would break their defensive line entirely.

But if they did nothing,

the beast tide would overwhelm them.

Marcus was about to give the order—

When Evan grabbed his arm.

“Mr. Grant.

Rovan must be using something underwater to drive the beasts.

Only Tier‑3 and below are affected.”

He had observed carefully.

Rovan’s side only had Tier‑3 beasts wandering in.

All the Tier‑1 and Tier‑2 beasts fled toward Dongli.

Meaning the interference was Tier‑3 level—

only affecting weaker beasts.

Marcus understood instantly.

“You’re saying I should go underwater and find the culprit?”

Exactly.

The ocean belonged to the beasts now.

There was no concept of “territorial waters.”

Going underwater didn’t count as crossing into Rovan territory.

Solve the source,

and the beast tide would stop.

Marcus stepped back,

then dove straight into the sea.

The Rovan officer cursed and leapt in after him.

Several Rovan soldiers followed.

Dongli soldiers panicked and jumped in as well.

Evan prepared to dive,

but Serena grabbed his arm.

“You don’t have underwater combat training.

It’s completely different from fighting on land.

Let the navy handle it.”

“I’ll be fine. I have a water‑adaptation skill.”

He activated Oceanwing Glide

and dove in.

Instantly, he felt at home—

faster, smoother, more agile than on land.

Is this really a flight skill?

Feels more like a swimming skill with flight as a bonus…

He moved like a fish,

vision clear, movements effortless.

He quickly caught up to the Dongli soldiers.

They stared in shock—

his underwater mobility was better than theirs.

Marcus, being Butterfly‑tier, was already far ahead.

Rovan soldiers were also underwater,

their officer charging straight toward Marcus.

Dongli soldiers intercepted them,

and a chaotic underwater battle erupted.

Evan didn’t join immediately.

He scanned the area.

From underwater, the truth was obvious—

schools of marine beasts swam toward Rovan’s coast,

but at a certain point—

about 500 meters from shore—

they abruptly turned and fled toward Dongli.

There.

That’s the interference point.

Evan dove into the battle briefly,

knocking out several Rovan soldiers with brutal efficiency.

They were Chrysalis‑tier at best—

no match for him.

Once Dongli soldiers had the upper hand,

Evan broke away and headed toward the disturbance.

He passed Marcus and the Rovan officer,

who were clashing fiercely—

their power boiling the surrounding seawater.

Evan curved around them and reached the coral reef.

There—

behind a cluster of coral—

a thin, dark‑skinned Rovan soldier crouched,

mouth open in a silent scream.

No sound reached Evan’s ears,

but the water rippled in concentric waves.

There he is.

The culprit.

A sonic‑type skill.

Perfect for manipulating beasts.