I Can See Evolution Paths

The nine Beasts rushed forward at the same time.

Arthur immediately raised Dusk as the Stonehide Rhino charged straight toward him, its enormous body shaking the ancient road with every step, the jagged armor covering its hide making it look more like a moving fortress than a living Beast.

Arthur waited until the last possible moment before stepping aside. The Rhino thundered past him, its horn missing his body by inches, and Arthur turned with the movement and drove the butt of Dusk into its side. The impact forced the Beast several steps away, but it quickly recovered and spun around.

Arthur smiled. "You’re pretty sturdy."

The Rhino lowered its head again.

Arthur tightened his grip. "Let’s see how sturdy."

Across the battlefield, the others were already engaged. Kong collided with the Ironjaw Bear, and the two enormous bodies crashed together hard enough to send dirt and broken pieces of the ancient road flying. The Bear’s metallic armor absorbed Kong’s first punch, but Kong simply grabbed one of its arms and began wrestling with it.

Sun watched the exchange while fighting the Blackfang Wolf nearby. "Don’t tell me you’re going to wrestle that thing!"

Kong grunted as he forced the Bear backward. "It’s strong!"

"That’s not an answer!"

Kong laughed.

Sun shook his head before turning his attention back to the Wolf, which moved with incredible speed, darting around him and snapping at his legs whenever he tried to counterattack. Sun spun his staff and released an Ember Shock, forcing it backward before following with a Point Shockwave that tore across the ground.

Mithra and Melo had already disappeared into the battlefield. The Bloodvine Panther was fast enough to keep up with Mithra for several exchanges, its vine-covered limbs whipping through the air whenever she tried to approach, while Melo’s dream mist spread around them, making the Beast’s movements increasingly sluggish.

"Left," Melo warned.

Mithra immediately shifted, and a vine passed through the space where her head had been a moment earlier.

She smiled. "Got it." Her blades flashed, and several strikes landed across the Panther’s side, forcing it backward.

Above them, Athy circled the battlefield while keeping an eye on the Stormwing Eagle. The enormous Beast rose into the air and folded its wings before diving toward her. Athy waited until the last moment before pulling away, and the Eagle passed beneath her. She immediately turned around and chased after it.

Below, Athena raised Aegis as the Thornshell Turtle charged. The impact pushed her backward, but she held her ground. "That shell is going to be annoying."

Eden hovered nearby, watching the battlefield through her shared vision. "The back is protected too."

Athena glanced at the Turtle. "Then we’ll have to attack somewhere else."

Eden nodded. "Charm?"

"Not yet." Athena waited for the Turtle to turn before stepping aside and striking its exposed leg with Flame Aegis. The Beast stumbled, and Athena immediately followed with another attack.

Meanwhile, Vedas was fighting the Mirecoil Serpent, which moved unpredictably, weaving between the ancient stones before striking from unexpected angles. Vedas blocked one attack with his spear and immediately countered with Armor Piercing. The golden spear struck the Serpent’s scales, and the Beast recoiled.

Vedas gave a satisfied smile. "You should know by now that armor doesn’t work against me." The Serpent hissed. Vedas raised his spear again. "Though I appreciate the effort."

The battlefield had become chaotic. Nine Beasts were attacking from every direction, and although the group had the advantage, the hunters themselves had not yet joined the battle. They stood behind their Beasts, watching.

Arthur noticed. That was strange. He dodged another charge from the Stonehide Rhino and glanced toward them. They weren’t helping their Beasts. They were waiting.

"Why aren’t you fighting?"

One of the hunters stared at him.

Arthur tilted his head. "Are you waiting for something?"

The hunter didn’t answer.

Arthur frowned. "You’re not very talkative." He ducked beneath the Rhino’s horn before driving Dusk upward and knocking the Beast’s head aside. "I was hoping I could ask you some questions."

The hunter simply glared at him.

Arthur sighed. "I guess we’ll do this the difficult way." He thrust Dusk forward.

Guardian Strike.

Golden light erupted around the spear as the Guardian’s spirit briefly appeared behind Arthur, and the shockwave struck the Stonehide Rhino and sent it crashing into the ancient road.

Arthur immediately turned toward the hunters. "Now, let’s talk."

The nearest hunter raised his weapon. "We have nothing to say to you."

Arthur’s eyebrows rose. "Really?" He walked toward him. "Who is Master Ronin?"

No answer.

"What organization are you from?"

Silence.

"Why are you searching for the Mirrors?"

The hunter tightened his grip. "We will never tell you anything."

Arthur stared at him. Then he looked toward the others. "Do they all have this attitude?"

None of them answered.

Arthur sighed. "That’s unfortunate. I had a lot of questions."

A sudden movement caught his attention. The Gravebloom Mantis lunged toward him, and Arthur spun around and blocked the Beast’s bladed arms with Dusk, the impact forcing him backward.

"You’re still fighting?"

The Mantis shrieked and attacked again.

Arthur smiled. "Fine." He raised his spear. "Then let’s finish this first."

The battle continued, the group gradually overwhelming the Beasts, but Arthur remembered what had happened before. They couldn’t simply kill them. If the purple mist had already marked them, the same thing could happen again.

"Luna!"

Luna immediately understood. She stepped forward and raised the Mirror. The ancient artifact began glowing, and a brilliant wave of light erupted from its surface and swept across the battlefield. The purple mist surrounding the Beasts was blown away instantly, the creatures staggering as the corruption was stripped from them, leaving them momentarily stunned.

Luna kept the Mirror raised. "Now!"

Arthur and the others moved at once. Vedas drove his spear through the Mirecoil Serpent’s defenses, while Mithra and Melo struck the Bloodvine Panther from opposite sides. Athena attacked the Thornshell Turtle’s exposed leg, and Athy descended upon the Stormwing Eagle while Sun sent the Blackfang Wolf crashing into the ground.

Kong grabbed the Ironjaw Bear around the waist. "Got you!"

The Bear struggled violently.

Kong grinned. "Too late." He slammed it into the ground.

Arthur finished the Stonehide Rhino with a powerful Guardian Strike, and the remaining Beasts were quickly defeated afterward.

Within moments, the battlefield became quiet. The nine Beasts lay defeated. The hunters were still standing.

Arthur walked toward them. This time, he wasn’t smiling. "Now we can talk."

The hunters remained silent.

Arthur stopped several steps away. "I’ll ask again. Who is Master Ronin?"

Nothing.

"Why are you searching for the Mirror?"

Nothing.

"What happened to the people who were here before us?"

Still nothing.

Arthur’s expression became increasingly frustrated. "You know, most people eventually answer when they’re surrounded by people stronger than them."

One of the hunters laughed quietly. "You think defeating us gives you the right to question us?"

Arthur stared at him. "No. I just thought you’d prefer talking over getting hurt."

The hunter smiled beneath his hood. "We have nothing to fear from you."

Luna stepped forward. She had been quiet throughout the interrogation, but now she looked directly at the hunters. "Do you even feel guilty?"

The hunter’s smile disappeared.

Luna’s hands tightened around the Mirror. "For destroying Venus Village."

Silence settled over the clearing.

Luna’s voice trembled slightly. "Do you feel anything when you think about all the people you killed?"

For a moment, the hunter simply stared at her. Then he laughed. It wasn’t nervous laughter. It wasn’t even the laughter of someone trying to hide fear. It was genuine amusement.

"You actually think we would care?"

Luna froze.

The hunter tilted his head. "Your village was nothing." His voice became colder. "And you were nothing more than a mistake."

Luna’s eyes widened.

The hunter laughed again. "You survived by accident. That’s all."

A flash of silver cut through the clearing. Mithra moved before anyone else could react, her sword passing through the hunters in a single sweeping motion, and the robed figures collapsed.

Luna trembled. For a moment, she simply stared at them. Then she slowly looked around.

Arthur’s expression had gone cold. Vedas’s grip around his spear had tightened. Sun’s usual smile was gone. Athena looked furious, while Eden hovered silently beside her. Even Kong had stopped grinning.

Luna looked at Mithra. The swordswoman stood quietly with her blade lowered.

Luna’s fingers tightened around the Mirror. "Mithra..."

Mithra looked at her. "Are you okay?"

Luna hesitated. Then she shook her head slightly. "I’m..." Her voice became quieter. "I just hate how little they cared about destroying my village."

Mithra’s expression softened. "I know." She stepped closer to Luna. "You don’t have to forgive them."

Luna looked down. "I don’t think I ever could."

Arthur walked over and rested a hand lightly on her shoulder. "You don’t have to."

Luna looked up.

Arthur gave her a small smile. "What they did wasn’t your fault."

Sun nodded. "And surviving doesn’t make you a mistake."

Vedas’s voice was quieter than usual. "You survived because you were strong enough to."

Luna’s eyes trembled. She looked around at all of them. For a moment, she didn’t say anything. Then she nodded. "Thank you."

Mithra gave her a small smile before looking toward the enormous structure. "Come on. We still have a Mirror to investigate."

Arthur followed her gaze. The Broken Mirror towered over the ancient ruins, its enormous fractured surface glowing faintly in the distance.

Arthur’s curiosity returned almost immediately. He walked toward it. The others followed.

As they approached, Arthur suddenly stopped. The Water Mirror in his hand was trembling. A faint ripple moved across its surface.

Arthur stared at it. Another ripple appeared. Then another. The ripples grew wider, spreading across the Water Mirror even though nothing had touched it.

Athena noticed. "Arthur?"

He didn’t answer.

The Broken Mirror began glowing again, ancient symbols appearing across its cracked frame, responding to the Water Mirror in Arthur’s hand.

Everyone stopped. The light reflected across their faces.

Arthur slowly raised the Water Mirror. Its surface rippled once more. Then the air directly in front of the Broken Mirror began to distort.

A single ripple appeared in empty space. It spread outward like a disturbance across the surface of a lake.

Arthur’s eyes widened.

The ripple expanded. And something began to emerge from it.