I Can See Evolution Paths

The path beyond the cavern eventually led back into stone. Arthur expected another chamber. Instead, they found a road.

A massive road. It stretched through the underground darkness, wide enough for several enormous Beasts to walk side by side, ancient pillars lining both sides, each one carved with the same golden symbol they had seen throughout the ruins.

Athena stood beside one of them. "This is another recorded route."

Arthur looked at her. "Another?"

She nodded. "I found a reference to it in the library." She pointed toward the road. "It was called the Chief’s Road."

Sun stared down the endless passage. "That sounds welcoming."

Athena ignored him. "It appears to have connected several of the ancient Beast territories."

Arthur looked deeper into the darkness. "And Halburn came through here?"

"Yes."

Luna stepped closer. "My grandfather mentioned a road where the strongest Beasts gathered. He said Halburn called it a trial."

Arthur smiled. "So this is his shortcut."

Sun sighed. "I really don’t like your definition of shortcut."

A distant roar echoed through the passage. Then another.

Arthur’s smile widened. "Let’s see how far it takes us."

...

They didn’t have to walk far. The ground shook, something enormous approaching, and Arthur moved to the side as a massive Rhino emerged from the darkness, its hide looking like molten stone, cracks of orange light running across its body, steam pouring from its nostrils.

Arthur stepped forward and reached out as it charged, his fingers brushing against its molten hide.

[Species: Moltenhide Rhino]

[Evolution Path: Moltenhide Rhino]

[Magmahorn Behemoth]

[Volcanic Mountain Tyrant]

He pulled his hand away. The Rhino lowered its horn. "Scatter!"

The Beast charged, and Arthur jumped aside, its horn slamming into the ground.

BOOM!

Molten rock exploded across the road. Vedas charged from the side, his golden spear striking the Rhino’s neck.

CLANG!

The impact barely moved it. "It has heavy armor!" Vedas shouted.

Arthur watched the Beast’s movement. Its enormous body made it difficult to turn. "Don’t attack the front!"

Mithra disappeared and reappeared behind it, her blades striking the rear leg, and the Rhino twisted. Arthur raised his hand.

[King’s Mark Authority — Columns of Light]

Golden pillars erupted around the Beast. It attempted to charge. One pillar blocked it. It turned. Another blocked that direction. The Beast became trapped in a narrow section of the road.

Vedas understood immediately, thrusting his spear forward.

[Armor Piercing]

The attack struck the gap beneath its neck, and the Rhino roared. Kong came from the side, his fist slamming into its leg.

BOOM!

The leg buckled, and the Beast fell. Arthur stepped forward as Vedas drove his spear down.

[Blazing Spear]

Fire exploded through the Rhino’s armor. The Moltenhide Rhino stopped moving.

[Level Up!]

[Goblin King]

[Level 33 → Level 34]

Arthur barely had time to react before another roar came from ahead. He looked down the road. "Keep moving."

...

The next Chief wasn’t waiting for them. It came crashing through the wall, stone exploding across the road, a gigantic ape emerging from the rubble, its body covered in gray stone armor, its fists enormous.

Arthur didn’t hesitate, moving aside as the Beast swung, its fist smashing into the ground.

BOOM!

He rolled underneath the arm and struck it with his spear. The blow didn’t penetrate. "It’s even tougher than the Rhino."

Kong’s eyes lit up. He stepped forward, and Sun immediately grabbed his shoulder. "Don’t."

Kong looked at him.

Sun sighed. "Fine. Go."

Kong launched himself forward, and the two enormous creatures collided.

BOOOOOOM!

The Ape grabbed Kong. Kong grabbed it back. For several seconds, neither moved. Then Kong grinned, twisted, and threw the Chief across the road. The Stone Ape crashed through three pillars.

Mithra laughed. "Kong really found his opponent."

The Beast stood, and Arthur touched its arm.

[Species: Gravestone Ape]

[Evolution Path: Gravestone Ape]

[Ironstone Colossus]

[Mountainbreaker King]

He stepped back. "Keep it away from the walls."

Sun understood.

[Point Shockwave]

His staff released a powerful shockwave, and the Ape staggered toward the center of the road. Arthur raised his hand, golden pillars surrounding it. Vedas charged. Kong attacked from the other side. The Beast blocked Vedas’s spear, and Kong’s fist struck its ribs.

BOOM!

A crack appeared. Mithra flashed through the opening, three slashes, then four, and the stone armor began to break apart. Arthur raised Dusk.

[Guardian Strike]

Golden light erupted, shattering the Ape’s chest armor. Vedas finished the fight, and the Gravestone Ape crashed onto its back.

Arthur looked at the enormous corpse. Another Chief. Another path. Another battle. And they hadn’t even needed to slow down.

Vedas’s level rose again.

[Level Up!]

[Goblin King]

[Level 34 → Level 35]

Arthur looked at him.

He grinned. "I’m getting stronger."

Arthur nodded. "Keep going."

...

The third territory was completely different. Snow covered the road, frost covered the walls, roots twisted through the ice, and a massive Elk stood in the center of the frozen forest, its antlers looking like frozen branches.

Arthur approached. This time he didn’t need to study the creature for long. He already understood the principle. Different environment. Different advantage. Different battle.

The Frostroot Elk stomped, ice erupting from the ground, and Mithra jumped backward. "It’s controlling the terrain!"

Arthur raised his hand, Columns of Light appearing, the golden pillars breaking the ice formations apart. Athy flew overhead. "There’s a frozen river beneath us!"

He immediately understood. "Move it there."

Vedas attacked from the front. The Elk retreated. Kong struck from the side. Sun’s shockwave forced it backward. Melo spread dream mist across the battlefield. Eden shared her vision, the Elk’s escape routes becoming visible, and Arthur moved the Columns of Light one after another until every route except the frozen river disappeared.

The Beast finally reached the ice, its footing slipping. Mithra appeared, her blades striking the exposed leg, and Vedas followed.

[Armor Piercing]

The spear pierced the frost-covered armor, and the Elk stumbled. Arthur stepped forward and touched its shoulder.

[Species: Frostroot Elk]

[Evolution Path: Frostroot Elk]

[Glacial Root Guardian]

[Eternal Forest Stag]

[Evolution Paths Analyzed: 61 → 64]

[Evolution Paths Discovered: 71 → 74]

He pulled away. The Beast attempted one final attack, and Arthur raised Dusk.

[Guardian Strike]

Golden light crashed into the Elk. Vedas’s spear followed. The Chief fell.

Silence returned. Arthur looked down the road. Nothing.

For about three seconds.

Then—

ROOOOOAR!

Arthur slowly smiled. "Here they come."

...

The Chief’s Road came alive. Roars echoed from every direction. The ground shook. Stone cracked. Something huge crashed through the ceiling. Another Beast emerged from a side tunnel. Then another. And another. The road ahead became filled with movement.

Sun stared. "How many are there?"

Athena looked toward the darkness. "Dozens."

Arthur tightened his grip on Dusk. "Then we stop counting."

The first Chief charged, and Vedas met it head-on, his spear striking its chest.

BOOM!

The Beast was thrown backward. Another came from the right, and Kong grabbed it by the leg, roared, and swung it into another Chief. Mithra vanished, and a second later appeared between three enemies, her blades flashing, one, two, three, and the Chiefs turned toward her. She was already gone.

Athy flew above the battlefield. "Arthur! Two coming from behind!"

Arthur turned. Columns of Light erupted, the golden pillars dividing the road, and the two Chiefs crashed into separate sections.

"Vedas, left!"

The Goblin King charged.

"Mithra, right!"

She disappeared.

"Kong, hold the center!"

Kong grinned and punched the ground.

BOOM!

Three Chiefs were knocked off balance. Sun’s staff swept forward.

[Point Shockwave]

The shockwave tore through the center of the group. Melo’s dream mist spread through the cavern, the movements of several Chiefs becoming confused. Eden shared her vision with everyone, and suddenly the entire team seemed to move as one. Arthur didn’t need to shout every instruction anymore. They were beginning to understand each other automatically.

A Beast charged at Vedas. Mithra intercepted it. Another attacked Mithra. Kong blocked it. A third tried to reach Kong. Sun’s shockwave knocked it away. Athy called another opening. Melo disrupted the next attack. Eden warned Arthur.

Arthur moved before the strike even arrived, the Chief’s claw passing inches from his shoulder. He smiled. "Good." He thrust Dusk forward.

[Guardian Strike]

Golden light exploded, and the Chief flew backward. Vedas finished another.

[Blazing Spear]

Fire erupted. Kong tore another Beast off the ground. Mithra became a streak between two more. Sun’s staff hammered the ground again and again. Athy’s voice directed the battlefield from above. Melo’s dream mist covered the battlefield. Eden’s vision kept everyone connected.

And Arthur stood at the center, golden pillars continuously rising and falling around the battlefield.

Walls. Funnels. Traps. Separators.

The entire Chief’s Road had become their battlefield.

Arthur looked around. Not long ago, a single Chief had been enough to force the entire group into a serious battle.

Now?

There were Chiefs everywhere. And the group was advancing.

Together.

One after another, the enormous Beasts fell. Arthur didn’t even have time to count them. He only heard the constant succession of impacts.

BOOM! CRASH! ROAR! BOOM!

Vedas broke through another defense. Kong threw another Beast into the cavern wall. Mithra flashed through another opening. Sun’s shockwave swept another group aside. Athy shouted a warning. Eden redirected Arthur. Melo disrupted an attack. Arthur’s Columns of Light closed the battlefield.

Then Vedas charged through the opening.

BOOM!

Another Chief fell.

Arthur looked toward the road ahead. There were still more. Far more.

His eyes brightened. They had finally reached the part of the Everglades where numbers mattered. The Chief Beasts weren’t obstacles anymore. They were becoming fuel for their progression.

And the road ahead was filled with them.