Chapter 1: First Evolution

"Thunder Snake" Nask, one of the nine sacred beasts under the legendary Thunder God. An ultimate sacred beast possessing both endless thunder magic power and formidable physical attack capabilities. Like "Flame Tiger" Funans, Thunder Snake is also one of the few summoned beasts inherited through bloodline. However, when Sarikat saw the Thunder Snake, he was greatly shocked.

Originally, since summoned beasts appeared on the Kaxiu Continent, only one bloodline-inherited summoned beast could exist across the entire continent. Unless the previous master of the summoned beast died, a bloodline-inherited summoned beast would never appear in other family members, let alone appear beside completely unrelated collateral family members. Apart from direct inheritance, the only possibility was for a lower-level summoned beast to defeat Thunder Snake or other summoned beasts of the same lineage to achieve evolution. But the likelihood of a lower-level beast defeating a higher-level one was extremely slim!

According to Sarikat's knowledge, the only family on the continent that inherited the power of Thunder Snake was solely the royal line of the Karanth Empire. Yet now, Thunder Snake appeared in Keluos's hands. How could Sarikat not be shocked?

As if seeing through Sarikat's thoughts, Keluos sneered, holding his steel spear horizontally: "What's wrong? Scared? Can't believe it? To avenge my family and take your head, you villain, I relinquished my post as a lieutenant general in the Relkes Empire, traveled far and wide, and spent twenty years to evolve my summoned beast into Thunder Snake! Ha..." Keluos threw his head back and laughed wildly as if he had already slain Sarikat with his spear.

Looking at the now-maddened Keluos, Sarikat shook his head slightly and said with a bitter smile: "Why put yourself through all this? Twenty years ago, I was truly in the wrong. If you truly want my life, I won't refuse. Why endure such hardships for my sake?" Deeply understanding how difficult summoned beast evolution was, Sarikat was overcome with mixed emotions upon realizing how Keluos obtained Thunder Snake, leaving him speechless.

"You want to surrender? Pah, humph!" Keluos spat a gob of phlegm in disdain and cursed: "Only a shameless scoundrel like you would attack unarmed women and children. How could a member of the noble Keluos family be as shameless as you?

Xiu Ka, if you still consider yourself a warrior, pick up your broadsword and fight me to the death! I'll use this iron spear of mine to dig out your Summoning Gem, making you a powerless waste forever!"

Keluos's repeated taunts stoked Sarikat's rage. The veins on his right hand, tightly gripping the steel sword, bulged, and his face turned crimson with suppressed fury. Just as the two stopped speaking and stared intently at each other, Sarikat slowly closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and said: "Twenty years ago, I made a mistake. This time, I absolutely cannot repeat it!

Keluos, if you want to avenge your family, come at me! In my life, I, Xiu Ka Deqina, have wronged only you. Whatever you want from me, I'll accept it. Today, I will not fight you!" It turned out Sarikat's real name was Xiu Ka Deqina. It seemed he had unspeakable reasons for changing his name and becoming a bandit in this Chaotic Country.

After hearing Sarikat's words, Keluos's eyes seemed to blaze with fire. He gripped his steel spear tightly, seemingly hesitating whether to attack this unresisting man. After a long pause, Keluos roared: "Fine! To settle the blood feud of my family, today I'll bear the name of shamelessness. After I kill you, I will kill myself to cleanse this disgrace!" With that, as he roared, he thrust his steel spear forward and charged at Sarikat with large strides. Yet Sarikat truly acted as he had said, closing his eyes and standing motionless, quietly awaiting the cold steel spear to pierce his body!

Just as Sarikat was about to be impaled, an angry shout came from the sky: "You dare harm my foster father, you bandit!" Clad in armor, Mels descended from the sky with a longsword, taking advantage of Keluos's momentary distraction to swing his blade down with great force!

Keluos had once served as a lieutenant general in the Relkes Empire, the largest empire on the Kaxiu Continent, and was now a general of the Free Country. His martial skills were naturally extraordinary. Although Mels's sudden attack greatly surprised him, it lasted only an instant. When he saw that his attacker was merely a boy, he said disdainfully: "You little punk, still daring to block my way? Get back!" He raised his steel spear to block Mels's downward strike, then swept it horizontally toward Mels's chest.

Keluos didn't know that despite his young age, Mels had been trained personally by Sarikat. His blade work was rarely matched even among adults.

Seeing Keluos's horizontal spear sweep, Mels twisted his body mid-air, not only dodging into the spear's blind spot before Keluos could attack but also transforming his downward slash into a horizontal sweep aimed at Keluos's head. Mels's swift change of moves indeed surprised Keluos. With no other choice, Keluos could only dodge backward, narrowly avoiding having his head struck by the blade. However, this left his chest and abdomen exposed to Mels's attack.

With the enemy's chest and abdomen wide open before him, how could Mels let such a golden opportunity slip? Just before landing, Mels forcefully extended his arm to its maximum range, attempting to cut Keluos in two with a single strike.

Just as he was about to succeed, a furious shout came from behind Mels: "Mels, stop!" It was Sarikat, who could no longer hold back, loudly commanding.

"What?" Hearing his foster father's shout, Mels was momentarily distracted. In that instant, Keluos twisted his body and slipped out from under Mels's blade.

Standing coldly opposite Mels, Keluos showed no outward change, but his heart was in turmoil, filled with shock.

"Foster Father, why did you stop me?" Seeing that the advantage was lost and Keluos would no longer underestimate him, Mels knew the best chance to kill the enemy had slipped away. He didn't pursue but instead asked Sarikat.

"This matter is none of your concern. Get out of here!" Sarikat said to Mels with a grim expression. "Foster Father..." In all of Mels's memory, Sarikat had never spoken to him with such a stern face. For a moment, Mels didn't know what to do.

"Foster Father?" Keluos glanced back and forth between Mels and Sarikat. After a long pause, he laughed wildly: "Ha... Xiu Ka, twenty years ago you killed twenty-six members of my family. Now, I'll start by killing your foster son, so you can taste the pain of losing a loved one! Nask, go!" Upon Keluos's command, Thunder Snake Nask, which had been coiled nearby, finally began to move.

Its black snake body lifted slightly, not moving much. As its tail swung toward Mels, a thunderbolt descended from the sky, crashing down toward Mels's head.

"Whoa!" Reacting slightly slowly, Mels barely dodged the thunderbolt but felt his left side go numb. Just a graze made my whole body numb. If it had hit directly, I'd be dead! Mels thought to himself in shock.

Yet Mels refused to admit defeat verbally: "How despicable! Can't beat me in martial skill, so you use a long worm against me. Shameless! You have a summoned beast? So do I! Let me show you Little One's power!" Having never fought a high-level summoned beast, how could Mels know Thunder Snake's true might? This ignorant youngster actually planned to use the lowest-level summoned beast against a Sacred Beast like Thunder Snake!

"Keluos, I'm the only one who wronged you! Whether you seek revenge or want to kill, come at me. Mels is just a child. Don't trouble him!" Seeing Mels dodging left and right in a sorry state, Sarikat's paternal affection made it impossible for him to remain silent any longer!

"Heh heh, twenty years ago when you slaughtered my family, why didn't you think of sparing their lives? Today, I'll make you understand the pain I've endured these twenty years!" Though Keluos spoke coldly, Thunder Snake only used single-target thunder magic, showing no intention of launching a full-scale attack on Mels. In truth, Keluos merely wanted to force Sarikat to fight him. He wanted to defeat Sarikat fairly and squarely!

Though Sarikat could see Keluos had no real intention of killing Mels, his worry didn't diminish in the slightest. Thunder Snake's power was extraordinary; even Flame Tiger might not be its match. If Mels made one misstep and was struck by lightning, he'd end up as a pile of roasted meat!

Yet Mels felt none of Sarikat's concern. In the gaps between his dodges, he actually summoned Little One! "Little One, this Old Fellow is using his summoned beast to bully me. Go teach that long worm a lesson!" Mels dodged another thunderbolt and said to Little One.

"Woo wah oh ya!" After hearing Mels's words, the green-bodied Little One, the Slime, let out a strange cry, then puffed up its body and bounced its chubby form toward Thunder Snake. Like a newborn calf unafraid of a tiger, not only did Mels not understand Thunder Snake's power, but even Little One seemed to have lost the unique perception ability of summoned beasts, charging at Thunder Snake.

Watching the chubby Little One Slime bounce toward Thunder Snake, Keluos felt no sense of threat. Instead, a ridiculous thought crossed his mind. Keluos gave Thunder Snake a slight wink, and Thunder Snake immediately understood. It released a bolt of lightning toward Little One's green, plump body. Boom! After an explosion, a mud crater was blasted into the ground. And Little One's body, in that deafening roar, was blown apart like splattered water!

Seeing Mels's summoned beast "slain" by lightning, Sarikat could no longer hold back. He roared, his eyes turning bloodshot: "Keluos, are you really forcing me to fight?"

"I've been waiting for you! If you don't fight me to the death, not only this kid, but even your bandit subordinates will be dealt with one by one. I'll make you wish you were dead but unable to die! I'll make you regret and suffer forever!" Keluos said viciously.

The hatred from his family's massacre had turned this elderly man into a cruel demon. The expression now on his face made Sarikat believe that the Keluos before him was no longer the old friend he knew. This Keluos would definitely carry out his threats!

"Fine, you leave me no choice! Funans, go!" With Sarikat's raging fury, the already-prepared Flame Tiger charged toward Thunder Snake. Thunder Snake, which had been toying around until now, finally raised its black tongue high, revealing its crimson snake tongue toward Flame Tiger.

"Li... Little One?" The battle between Sarikat and Keluos had no effect on Mels. At this moment, his entire attention was captured by the green slime scattered on the ground. "Little One, talk to me. I... I know you're the strongest. I know you... you won't die. Talk to me, don't scare me." Mels walked dazedly toward the piles of green slime, picking up one handful, then grabbing another, as if trying to put you back together.

How could slime be reassembled into the original Little One? Knowing it was futile, Mels still refused to stop. Since he was four or five years old, Little One had been with Mels. Though low-level summoned beasts couldn't speak, it shared a heart-to-heart bond with Mels. Whenever Mels was in low spirits, he would summon Little One and share his thoughts. But now, Little One had become piles of slime. Mels couldn't accept such a cruel reality!

Struggling to piece together Little One's "remains," tears streamed from Mels's eyes, mixing into the slime. Mels kept blaming himself, blaming himself for letting Little One take such a risk, blaming...

"Wind God's Blade, sweep across all directions!" Parrying Keluos's spear thrust toward his chest, Sarikat swung his sword horizontally at Keluos's left hand. A fierce qi energy accompanied the blade's momentum, attacking Keluos's entire body.

"Nirvana Spear: Gods and Demons Run Rampant!" Facing Sarikat's attack, Keluos showed no fear. He swiftly reversed his spear, forming a spear shield in front of him. Not only did it block all of Sarikat's qi energy, but several bluish-white streams of qi shot out from the gaps in the spear shield, seemingly aiming to pierce Sarikat like a honeycomb. Keluos's martial prowess far exceeded Sarikat's expectations. At this moment, Sarikat couldn't help but sigh at how much twenty years had changed. He also realized his original plan for a quick victory was now impossible. This battle would be a long one!

While Keluos and Sarikat fought fiercely, on the other side, the battle between the two Sacred Beasts was even more heart-stopping.

Flame Tiger Funans belonged to the fire-element magic-type Sacred Beast. Its body was formed of living flame, and it could spew various levels of fire magic from its mouth, such as "Fireball" and "Explosive Flame." However, Flame Tiger's physical attack capabilities were weaker. Apart from using its flame body to burn opponents, due to lacking a solid form, its offensive moves were relatively limited.

Thunder Snake Nask belonged to the thunder-element compatible Sacred Beast. It had a certain solid form and could perform physical attacks through methods like "coiling," "striking," and "biting." In emergencies, its tail could also release magic like "Falling Thunder" or "Raging Thunder Descends," targeting single or multiple enemies. From a magic combat perspective, Thunder Snake's magical power was slightly lower than Flame Tiger's. In battles against humans, Thunder Snake's power was greater than Flame Tiger's, but its defense was weaker. Thunder Snake was vulnerable to physical attacks, while Flame Tiger could completely evade them. In this confrontation, Thunder Snake was clearly at a disadvantage in terms of natural attributes, yet the outcome was still anyone's guess.

At the start of their confrontation, Flame Tiger cautiously approached Thunder Snake in an offensive posture. After reaching a certain distance, it began circling Thunder Snake, attempting to find gaps in its defense.

Knowing its mobility couldn't match Flame Tiger's, Thunder Snake coiled into a pile at the center, its head constantly turning to follow Flame Tiger's movement. Deep red, bell-like tiger eyes and small, jet-black snake eyes emitted a palpable fighting spirit. Both beasts moved with increased caution.

After a long standoff and circling, Flame Tiger seemed to lose patience. It stopped, raised its majestic tiger head high, opened its jaws, and with a roar that shook the heavens, hundreds of fireballs shot toward Thunder Snake like a volley of arrows.

"Flame Tiger Blazing Break!" Using such a rarely seen, powerful move from the start showed Flame Tiger understood Thunder Snake was different from past opponents. Yet Thunder Snake didn't counterattack. Instead, as the thousands of fireballs approached, its previously raised snake head burrowed into its coiled body, allowing the fireballs to continuously strike its form. After the thunderous impacts of fireballs hitting Thunder Snake's body and the rising smoke, Thunder Snake slowly lifted its head. Its massive body showed no signs of injury!

Roar... Flame Tiger knew its attack had no effect. The great drain of magical elements within left it only able to let out a threatening growl for now, unable to launch another offensive. Thunder Snake seemed to realize Flame Tiger was spent. A glint flashed in its small eyes, and it uncoiled its body, hissing at Flame Tiger a few times. Then, its black tail instantly stood upright toward the sky. As a black orb of light appeared at the tail's tip, a dark cloud gathered above Thunder Snake. When the tail swung down, dozens of intensely glowing lightning bolts descended from the sky toward Flame Tiger!

"Thunder Snake Lightning Array!" Like Flame Tiger, Thunder Snake also went all out from the start. Numerous lightning bolts scattered haphazardly around Flame Tiger. With no room to retreat, Flame Tiger simply raised its head high, gathering the little recovered mana to construct a protective circle of flames around its body, preparing to take the attack head-on! Silver-white lightning and crimson flames intertwined in the air like a dazzling display of light.

The intense magical battle had long forced soldiers from both sides to retreat hundreds of meters away! If this power came from humans, perhaps it wouldn't have terrified the warriors so much. But the enormous black Thunder Snake and majestic crimson Flame Tiger, in appearance alone, made people retreat in fear. How could a battle between "monsters" not make ordinary soldiers flee in terror?

On the battlefield, aside from the fiercely fighting Sarikat and Keluos, only one person paid no attention to the two powerful summoned beasts. That young life's eyes were fixed only on the scattered green slime on the ground.

"Little One, you won't die. I still want to travel the world with you, still want to go on adventures with you. Little One, say something!" Mels continued to grab handfuls of green, gooey matter, as if gathering all of Little One's "remains" together could revive the small summoned beast and make it the Little One of old again!

As tools of human combat, they had perhaps never imagined that one day, a human would shed tears of friendship for them. Now, a lowest-level summoned beast enjoyed this warmth from its "ruler." The green slime held in Mels's arms dripped down continuously. Mels could no longer distinguish whether the falling fluid was Little One's bodily fluids or his own tears. He only knew his eyes were starting to hurt, and he kept grabbing the scattered green, sticky matter.

Engaged in fierce combat, Sarikat had no mind to observe Mels's condition. But even without looking, Sarikat could understand Mels's feelings. Though the old man longed to comfort the boy's grief with his warm embrace, the silver spear of the hatred-filled Keluos before him allowed no distraction!

Clang! Sarikat's longsword once again deflected Keluos's spear thrust toward his vitals. Just as he intended to take advantage and swing his sword into Keluos's spear formation, an intense green light suddenly erupted from nearby. A bluish-green light, a soft light. Within that intoxicating radiance, starlike points of light flickered in and out of sight. Enveloped in the light, Mels looked around, dazed, unable to comprehend what was happening no matter how hard he tried.

The battle between Keluos and Sarikat ceased within this light. Both set aside their hatred, turning their gazes toward the miraculous sight. Sarikat murmured to himself: "Finally... finally, it's here! The evolution light, eight years late!"

Within the light, Mels only felt waves of warmth from the green glow. The cold tears on his cheeks vanished without a trace in this warmth. Meanwhile, the remains of Little One in his arms began to gradually swell and change form without him noticing.

"Mels, hee hee..." Suddenly, a childlike voice called out beside Mels's ear.

"Who are you? Is it Little One?" Mels asked, looking around to confirm no other creature was present.

"Little One? Oh right, I am Little One, but that's just the name you gave me. I have my own name, you know." The childlike voice spoke again.

"You have your own name? Foster Father said summoned beasts only have names given by their masters, aside from system distinctions! So what are you really called?" Mels asked curiously.

"Heh-heh, I can't tell you now, but I truly thank you for the genuine feelings in your heart. It was your tears and your emotions that allowed me to be reborn and evolve. I used to think you weren't worthy of being my master because you lacked the fighting spirit I needed. But from today onward, I will forever stand by your side to help you, even if it means defying heaven and earth!" The ethereal voice, like a child maturing, gradually became more grown and serious.

"Defy heaven and earth? Why would that be necessary?" Mels still didn't understand the meaning behind those words.

"You don't need to understand why right now. The wheel of fate has already begun to turn. As time passes, one day you will call forth the true me. Now, feel with your heart, use your heart to bring me back into this world!" The childlike voice vanished amid these solemn words, and no matter how much Mels called out, it never returned.

The green light continued to spread, and everyone's gaze remained fixed on this most peculiar phenomenon of evolution. While Mels kept calling out to that mysterious voice, a strange thought suddenly flashed through his mind.

Mels slightly raised his head, as if nodding to someone, then stood up, crossed his hands over his chest, closed his eyes slightly, and, as if guided by a mysterious force, softly chanted: "By the will of the Creator God Mafa, with the power of my life as the source, under the gaze of the gods, guided by the heart, open the gates of heaven and obtain great power. In my name, I command my summoned sacred beast—awaken!"

As Mels recited this evolution chant he had never learned, the white crystal Summoning Gem on the back of his left hand immediately emitted a dazzling silver-white light unlike anything before. When this silver light merged with the earlier green mist, the scattered green slime gathered and combined before him like soldiers responding to a bugle call. The two differently colored mists seemed to be absorbed by Little One, rapidly flowing into the coalescing green slime. After a moment, when the mist completely vanished, a green slime with a head and limbs appeared before Mels. Though its body had taken shape, "the new Little One's" eyes remained closed, and its green form didn't move an inch. Mels calmly opened his tightly shut eyes and smiled gently at Little One, his expression now serene, devoid of the earlier sorrow and worry.

"Pitter-patter." Just as Mels had hoped, Little One trembled slightly, then, like a waking infant waving its newly grown limbs, stretched and let out a few odd gurgles.

"Great! Little One, you're okay, that's just wonderful!" Back to his usual self, Mels scooped up Little One, pressing his cheek affectionately against the little green face, tears of joy once again falling from the boy's eyes.

"Pitter-patter?" Little One seemed unaware of its rebirth, confused by its master's sudden excitement and unsure what had happened.

"How strange! Little One was struck by the Thunder Snake's lightning, yet not only was it unharmed, it even triggered an evolution? Incredible!" Only now did Sarikat fully believe his earlier judgment—the low-level summoned beast slime, Little One, had indeed undergone a successful evolution!

"Xiu Ka! No need to watch any longer, our battle isn't over yet!" After the slime's evolution was complete, Keluos also withdrew his gaze. Though he, like Sarikat, doubted that a low-level summoned beast could gain a humanoid form in a single evolution, he was more concerned with his own battle against Sarikat!

"Keluos, do we really need to settle this? I truly don't wish to duel with you. Can you calmly listen as I explain what happened twenty years ago?" Sarikat still hoped to end the fight with Keluos. Though he knew the chance of a ceasefire was slim, he strove for even the slightest possibility.

However, the reply Sarikat received was: "Xiu Ka, there is no misunderstanding between us, so what need is there for explanations? Even if I were willing to listen, would the twenty-six brutally slain lives listen? Would the silver spear in my hand listen? Fight! Regardless of the outcome, I must battle you! Today, only one of us will leave this place alive!" Keluos's words made it clear to Sarikat that no words could change things now.

Sarikat lowered his head, looking at the steel blade in his hand, and let out a faint, sorrowful sigh. As if making a firm decision, Sarikat tightly gripped his steel blade, suddenly raised his head, and said, "Very well, today's battle ends only in death!"

With these words filled with fighting spirit, a whirlwind suddenly rose around Sarikat. His intense will to fight, mixed with an indescribably powerful Qi energy, soared into the air like a dragon leaping from the sea.

Faced with the powerful Qi energy emanating from Sarikat, sweat began to bead on Keluos's forehead. "This is his true strength, an astonishing power!" Keluos began to admire Sarikat's might inwardly, but no matter his hesitation, his hands showed no delay.

"Nirvana Spear, Thunder Shakes the Four Directions! Take this!" Keluos sought to bolster his own courage through attack, unleashing without hesitation one of the three ultimate moves of the Nirvana Spear—Thunder Shakes the Four Directions. Instantly, with thousands of spear shadows flashing from the spear tip, Sarikat was completely enveloped in the silver spear's light. Sarikat didn't panic; he swayed like a willow in the wind, moving his body away just as the silver spear was about to strike. To outsiders, it looked perilous, but the one truly terrified was the attacker—Keluos!

Though Sarikat hadn't launched an attack, the Flame Tiger had long understood its master's intent. Though its combat power was below the Thunder Snake's, when Sarikat fully released his Qi energy, the tiger's body instantly doubled in size, making the already fearsome tiger form even more terrifying.

Sensing the change in the Flame Tiger, the Thunder Snake, which had been in an offensive stance with its body uncoiled, coiled back into a defensive formation upon the Flame Tiger's further power surge, preparing to find an opening in the tiger's defense to secure victory. Unfortunately, the battle between the two powerful summoned beasts didn't escalate, because the fight between Sarikat and Keluos intensified far too quickly!

After continuously evading Keluos's attacks, Sarikat finally unleashed the long blade in his hand, which gleamed with a cold light, cutting through the air.

"Emperor's Frenzied Blade, Sovereign Over the World!" Sarikat's long blade, accompanied by suffocating Qi energy, descended from above, aiming straight for Keluos's head. No variations, no feints—like a true emperor, it was a strike none in heaven or earth could withstand. This seemingly ordinary downward slash appeared as thousands of blade shadows in Keluos's eyes. Trapped within, Keluos even felt that no matter how he moved, he would be struck by the blade.

Is this the end? Keluos closed his eyes in despair. Just as Keluos lost his will to fight, dozens of bloodied bodies flashed through his mind. No, I absolutely cannot die like this! Fueled by vengeance and hatred, at the moment Sarikat's blade fell, Keluos raised his silver spear horizontally above his head. The frenzied blade was unstoppable; with a crisp metallic snap, the silver spear in Keluos's hand was split in two! At the last possible moment, Keluos dodged this fatal strike through sheer will. Though he escaped death, he couldn't avoid injury. While Keluos survived, his right arm was severed by Sarikat's frenzied blade, falling to the ground.

Watching the blood spurting from Keluos and the severed arm still twitching on the ground, Sarikat showed no mercy, his expression like that of a death god. From afar, Mels, seeing his foster father's expression at that moment, suddenly realized he wasn't the familiar, kind old man, but Xiu Ka Deqina, the cold-blooded commander of the Relkes Empire's army from twenty years ago!

"Good! This is the person I was looking for, the true Xiu Ka!" Keluos staggered back a few steps, his expression twisted by pain and hatred, and spoke.

"You forced me to this!" Sarikat said coldly, then stepped forward, slowly approaching Keluos, his icy eyes still fixed on him.

Whether from pain or fear, sweat poured from Keluos's forehead like rain. Perhaps sensing its master's danger, the Thunder Snake recklessly uncoiled and shot like lightning toward Sarikat, who was slowly advancing on Keluos.

Hiss! With a piercing snake hiss, the Thunder Snake opened its massive maw and lunged at Sarikat, aiming to swallow him whole.

Roar! Just as the Thunder Snake closed in on Sarikat, the Flame Tiger's furious roar erupted from behind the snake. Accompanied by a heaven-shaking tiger's roar, an enormous fireball shot from the Flame Tiger's mouth, accurately striking the Thunder Snake's vital spot—the seven-inch—before it could reach Sarikat! At this moment, the Thunder Snake wasn't in its fully prepared, coiled defensive state, and the strike hit the snake's most vulnerable point. Therefore...

Watching the Thunder Snake, half its body charred by flames and sent tumbling dozens of meters back by the fireball, writhing on the ground, Keluos knew there was only one chance left to defeat Sarikat—fusion! However, Keluos also knew clearly that the Thunder Snake had evolved less than half a year ago. From the perspective of a summoned beast, it hadn't yet achieved perfect harmony with its master. If their synchronization failed during fusion, his own soul and will might be devoured by his summoned beast!

Seeing the Thunder Snake completely suppressed by the Flame Tiger, watching Sarikat advance step by step, and remembering the blood debt he carried, Keluos finally made his decision.

Keluos moved his left hand away from his still-bleeding right shoulder, smiled faintly at Sarikat, and said, "Xiu Ka, I must admit you are truly strong, far beyond what I expected. But today, I will make you pay the heaviest price!"

"Oh?" Sarikat responded coldly, a mix of mockery and surprise.

Ignoring Sarikat's reaction, Keluos slowly closed his eyes, formed a strange seal with one hand over his chest, and softly chanted an unknown incantation. As he began the chant, the Thunder Snake's body suddenly stopped twitching, and an unusual blue light appeared on its black scales.

"Fusion!" Sarikat realized Keluos intended to fuse with the Thunder Snake!

"Fool! In your current state, you still want to attempt fusion? Stop now!" Sarikat, who possessed a Sacred Beast Summon, certainly knew the dangers of fusion under abnormal conditions! Though Sarikat had resolved to let Keluos fight to the death like a true warrior, he didn't want Keluos to throw his life away just to gain power!

Disregarding Sarikat's warning, Keluos continued chanting the fusion incantation. As time passed, the light from the Thunder Snake and the light from Keluos gradually merged. The look of agony on Keluos's face grew increasingly distorted. Sarikat watched Keluos quietly, unsure how to stop him now.

Time ticked by. When a white silver light appeared within the blue mist above Keluos's head, his body began to return to normal. The pained expression gradually faded, replaced by a sense of calm. Sarikat could no longer conceal his true feelings and blurted out, "To complete fusion with an injured body! Keluos, you truly are an extraordinary warrior!"