Chapter 160: Chapter 160: Beastmaster
Nymira, ready to leave and head deeper into the sanctuary, suddenly paused. She heard a familiar voice—deep and commanding. She turned around, sat quietly, and watched.
"Enough," the voice boomed. Instantly, the crowd fell silent. The man stepped forward, and Nymira immediately recognized him. It was the second-ranked awakener of Korea, a man whose presence alone was enough to make people hesitate.
Whispers erupted among them, rippling through the crowd like wildfire.
"It's Thomas Valve!"
"The Beastmaster! Maybe he can help us enter the Beast Sanctuary!"
"What brings him here?"
He walked up to the two guards, his expression calm but serious.
"The Beast Sanctuary is unstable," he said firmly, his voice cutting through the air. "The situation inside is more dangerous than you can handle. We're still figuring out how to stabilize the area, but until then, no one—absolutely no one—goes in."
One of the awakeners, her voice shaking slightly with fear but still determined, spoke up. "But...we can manage. We're not awakeners for nothing."
Thomas glanced at the awakener who said they could manage, his eyes narrowing. "If you want to die, be my guest," he said coldly. "See that guy over there?"
He pointed towards a tree not far away, where a wounded awakener was slumped against it, his face pale. Healers were frantically working on him, but it was clear he was in bad shape—his arm had been completely severed.
"That fool ignored our warnings, He thought he could handle it too. If you want to end up like him, then go ahead."
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Without hesitation, He reached out and touched the barrier. A small hole opened up, just big enough for a person to pass through.
"You're free to enter if you're that confident," he said, stepping aside. His voice was calm, but the warning in his words was unmistakable.
The crowd fell silent, their eyes shifting between the injured man and the opening in the barrier.
Thomas let the silence linger for a moment before the hole in the barrier slowly closed again. "Think carefully before you act," he said, his voice softer but still filled with authority. "This isn't a game. If you value your life, you'll wait."
Thomas looked out at the crowd, his expression firm but understanding. "Listen up, everyone," he said, his voice steady. "You have two choices: go home or take on a quest. Either way, you need to leave the Floating Zone. This Sanctuary is too dangerous right now."
The crowd exchanged nervous glances, fear evident in their eyes. They all remembered the wounded awakener by the tree. The thought of facing whatever lay within the Sanctuary was terrifying, and the last thing they wanted was to provoke Thomas.
"Are we really going to just go home?" one of them whispered, uncertainty creeping into their voice.
"Do you want to risk Thomas's wrath?" another replied, shaking their head.
Without another word, the group began to move toward the portal that would take them off the Floating Zone. The fear of what Thomas might do if they didn't comply loomed heavily over them. They stepped through the shimmering portal, leaving the Sanctuary behind.
As the last of the crowd vanished, Thomas sighed heavily. From his shadow, a magnificent wolf emerged, its form ethereal and stunning. The wolf had shimmering fur that shifted colors like the night sky, dotted with bright, star-like spots. Its eyes glowed a soft silver, and its presence exuded both power and grace.
"Just five months ago, this Beast Sanctuary appeared and now it attracts so much attention," Thomas muttered, shaking his head as he watched the crowd disappear.
A woman approached him, her demeanor confident. She was a top 7 ranker named Rachel Benette. "Hmm, beast familiars are gaining fame," she said, crossing her arms. "Looks like this will change how the world sees tamers as the weakest."
"Yeah, now they can see how powerful a tamer can be," Thomas agreed, but his mind was elsewhere. "By the way, where is Lauren? She's been missing for days since the PvP."
"Eh, how would I know?" Rachel shrugged, glancing at Thomas's wolf. "It's still uncomfortable to see the beast that almost killed you by your side."
"If not for that near-death experience, I wouldn't have received the Goddess's blessing," Thomas replied, a hint of pride in his voice. "Goddess Zyraena saved me."
Rachel raised an eyebrow. "I get that, but it still feels strange. You were lucky to survive, and now you have a powerful familiar."
Thomas nodded, watching the wolf as it circled him, its eyes gleaming with intelligence.
"I know it's unusual," he said, "but this wolf is a part of me now. And we'll make sure the Beast Sanctuary is safe for everyone."
Nymira turned around to continue why she's there,. Thomas immediately turned his head sensing something a flicker of something in his eyes.
"What's wrong?" Rachel asked, noticing the tension.
"Ah, I think I saw a cat by the entrance door," Thomas replied, trying to brush it off.
Rachel raised an eyebrow. "You must be tired. There are no cats around anymore," she said, reaching into her bag and pulling out a piece of meat, which she offered to Thomas's wolf. The wolf eagerly accepted, its starry fur shimmering in the light.
"Probably but you're wrong in that, Rachel. I really did see one—a ragdoll cat—in the GoTube. And a Rottweiler, too."
Rachel's eyes widened in surprise. "Wow, so there really are ordinary animals left? Why don't we visit Korea? We could check on Jonathan and the new Mystic Union. I also need to enchant my new weapon."
"Good idea," Thomas said, nodding thoughtfully. "It'll be great to see what Jonathan has been up to."
Rachel grinned, her excitement palpable. "I've heard he's been working on some amazing new enchantments. I can't wait to try them out!"
Nymira walked quietly through the forest, her eyes scanning the surroundings. The atmosphere felt so different—tense and thick, as if something was watching her. The trees swayed slightly in the breeze, and the ground beneath her feet was soft with fallen leaves.