Chapter 126: We’re not your Nannies.

“W-What do you want?” she asked in a shaky voice.

Thoren’s cold composure seemed to drain all her remaining strength and courage.

The undead beast beneath him was terrifying but compared to the boy seated calmly on its back, the Undead Iron Roar Komodo appeared almost pleasant to the eyes.

Instead of answering her question directly, Thoren spoke in a calm yet chilling tone. “I ask. You answer. Do you understand?”

Whoosh!

A surge of necromantic energy condensed before the undead Komodo, swirling like dark mist.

From within the dense aura, two Level 16 undead materialized beside him.

Her eyes widened at the sight of the two newly summoned undead servants, and her heart skipped a beat.

Thud.

Thud.

Slowly, the two undead walked to her sides, their heavy steps deliberate and oppressive.

Their hollow eye sockets burned faintly as they positioned themselves beside her, making her situation unmistakably clear.

She swallowed hard and nodded. “I-I… understand,” she stammered.

She had only witnessed the fearsome power of the boy’s ability from afar during the battle.

Now, watching him summon two powerful undead as casually as if he were brushing dust from his sleeve made her skin crawl.

“Tell me,” Thoren began evenly, “why did you cause such a powerful beast tide, and which faction do you belong to?”

Although he had already learned from Darius that the Beast God Sect was responsible, he wanted confirmation directly from one of its members.

He also needed to assess the truthfulness of her answers.

“I’m a member of the Beast God Sect,” she said, her breathing uneven but gradually stabilizing.

“Our mission is to guide everyone to join the beast’s god and serve Him.”

“Only the Beast God can save the human race. Without Him, our home is doomed, and the Abyss will devour our world.”

Her trembling voice slowly grew steadier as conviction replaced fear.

“This is the only true path. Fighting and killing beasts just to level up is nothing but a façade; a false hope to keep us struggling. Deep down, we all know it’s impossible to become strong enough to defeat the Abyss.”

“Don’t you think so?” She lifted her head, her eyes burning with fervent belief.

Thoren’s expression did not change as he stared at her intently.

Feeling those deep blue eyes bore into her, she shivered involuntarily and lowered her head again before continuing.

“The beast tide is meant to force awakeners to submit. Those who refuse will be devoured. It is an inevitable sacrifice.”

“But I promise you,” she added urgently, “our god has declared that all those eaten by the beasts will be reborn as powerful beasts themselves.”

“Isn’t that better than remaining human, living without hope for a better future? Hmm?”

Listening to her fervent chatter, Thoren quickly grasped the situation.

The so-called Beast God had thoroughly brainwashed its followers.

How could becoming a beast be superior to remaining human?

And this so-called rebirth was nothing but a lie.

There were no true gods within the Abyss. Those who claimed such titles were merely powerful awakeners dwelling on higher floors, exploiting ignorance and fear to build their influence.

“Enough,” he said coldly, cutting her off mid-sentence.

“A-Ah… y-yes.” She flinched and nodded immediately, silenced at once.

“Have you ever seen your Beast God?” he asked.

“No…” She shook her head. “But our god sent an envoy to us. The envoy carries out His will.”

Despite her injury, pride flickered across her face.

“How strong is this envoy?”

That was the only matter that truly concerned him. The rest was irrelevant.

At his question, she hesitated briefly. Then a trace of disdain crept into her expression.

“Although you’re strong, against our envoy, you’re nothing but—”

Bang!

Before she could finish her sentence, the undead servant on her left struck her with a powerful punch.

“Ahhh!”

The blow landed against her ribs with crushing force, shattering several bones instantly.

She was sent stumbling sideways as she vomited a mouthful of blood. Her face turned pale, and pain twisted her features.

Thoren’s gaze remained indifferent.

“One more word of nonsense,” he said quietly, “and…”

He did not need to finish the sentence. The meaning was unmistakable.

She nodded frantically, her face etched with fear.

The illusion of a calm conversation had misled her for a moment, and that heavy punch was a brutal reminder of her reality.

“Y-Yes…” she whispered hoarsely, wiping blood from her lips with the back of her trembling hand.

“No one knows exactly how strong our envoy is,” she continued cautiously. “But I heard he is so powerful that even a Level 18 awakener would stand no chance against him.”

“Some believe he is Level 19… perhaps even close to Level 20.”

Thoren studied her face carefully as she spoke, searching for deception. His expression remained unchanged.

“Apart from him,” he asked, “how many strong awakeners and beasts are within your sect?”

“In the Beast God Sect, we have five Level 17 awakeners and two Level 18 awakeners,” she replied immediately. “As for the beasts, we don’t know the full extent of our god’s control.”

“But we know they are numerous and powerful. I once witnessed dozens of Level 17 beasts and five Level 18 beasts gathered together.”

She hesitated briefly before adding, “As for a Level 19 beast… I’ve never seen one directly, but I’ve sensed its presence.”

Thoren remained silent for several seconds.

From the information she had provided, he understood that taking down the Beast God Sect would be dangerous.

It would not be an easy task.

But was he afraid?

No.

On the contrary, a faint glimmer of excitement flickered in his eyes.

If he wanted to level up quickly, this was precisely the kind of battle he needed.

The greater the risk, the greater the reward.

He looked down at her calmly.

“Very well. Lead me to your sect’s hideout.”

“What?!” Her eyes widened in disbelief. “You want to go there?”

“Don’t make me repeat myself,” he said flatly.

Looking at the seriousness on his face, she realized that he was absolutely serious.

A chill ran down her spine.

Is he insane?

Does he really think that, with his meager strength, he can confront the Beast God Sect?

She could not comprehend where Thoren found the confidence to believe he could challenge her sect.

In her mind, the outcome was already predetermined.

And yet, instead of resisting, she felt a strange sense of anticipation.

She was more than willing to lead him there.

Humph. Let’s see how long you last.

I can’t wait to see your corpse.

In her imagination, she could already picture Thoren’s lifeless body lying on the ground, his undead servants shattered and scattered beneath the overwhelming power of the Envoy.

The thought brought a faint curl to the corner of her lips.

Though she attempted to maintain a neutral expression, a subtle hint of satisfaction surfaced as she walked ahead, guiding the way.

Behind her, Thoren observed her quietly.

He did not need to hear her thoughts to understand them. The slight tension in her shoulders, the barely concealed curl of her lips, these small details were more than enough.

A faint sneer appeared on his face.

Let her hope.

While Thoren headed toward the Beast God Sect’s hideout, events were unfolding elsewhere.

In an open field beneath a clear sky, two groups stood facing each other, separated by only a few meters of tense silence.

The atmosphere between them was heavy, like the calm before a storm.

“Are you seriously going to ignore the threat of the Beast God Sect?” Taren asked, a deep frown etched across his face.

He stood tall in gleaming metal armor that wrapped around his well-toned muscles like a second skin. The polished plates reflected the sunlight, casting sharp glints of silver across the field.

A broad, heavy sword rested firmly in his hand, its blade thick and imposing.

Taren was the leader of the Knight Order Guild, a Level 18 Knight renowned for both his strength and unwavering sense of duty.

Behind him stood the elite members of the Knight Order. Their shields were planted firmly at their sides, their armor pristine and formidable.

Each of them radiated discipline and power.

The weakest among them was Level 16, while most were Level 17. Though their numbers were small, their combined strength made them a force capable of turning the tide of battle.

Opposite them stood the Federation Police Force.

At their forefront was an equally sturdy young man with well-defined muscles.

A long scar ran diagonally across his face, giving him a hardened and battle-worn appearance.

He was Jareth, a Level 18 Warrior.

Unlike Taren’s righteous intensity, Jareth’s expression carried indifference mixed with faint disdain.

“Why should I meddle in the Beast God Sect’s affairs?” Jareth replied with a sneer. “The Federation’s goal is to maintain order among awakeners. Anything beyond that is not our concern.”

Taren’s grip on his sword tightened.

“So the systematic slaughter of awakeners on the First Floor is not the Federation’s responsibility?” he demanded, his voice rising slightly. “Is that what you’re saying?”

Anger simmered beneath his calm exterior.

Of course, he was not naïve. He knew the Federation was corrupted to their core but this….

Turning a blind eye to a calamity that threatened every awakener on the First Floor?

That crossed a line.

Jareth shrugged casually.

“No,” he replied flatly. “Those who enter the Abyss are aware of the risks. If they were chosen to become awakeners, then they should already be prepared to face death.”

He glanced at Taren coldly.

“We are not their nannies. If they cannot survive something as minor as this, how do you expect them to stand against the greater threats awaiting humanity in the future?”

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