Chapter 3: Phantom Beast Mentor

The Ironclad Whale appeared mysteriously and sank with astonishing speed upon its death. Normally, creatures living in the ocean shouldn't sink as rapidly as a shipwreck, but this Ironclad Whale sank even faster! Not only did it vanish swiftly from the sea, but it also stirred up a massive whirlpool, stopping sailors who had intended to attach chains to its body and tow it back to the Mothership for observation. They dared not recklessly steer their sampans closer, fearing they might be sucked into the bottomless abyss by the vortex.

Although the whale's attack had concluded, the fleet had suffered significant losses. Of the four heavy whaling ships originally serving as escorts, only two remained, and two smaller vessels among the supply ships were damaged by the whale's assault. Though they hadn't sunk, their rudders were impaired, making them unable to continue the long voyage.

To ensure the fleet's smooth progress, the White-haired Wind God and others, after confirming that the injured Feixue Kuanglong was not seriously harmed, quickly organized sailors to transfer the cargo from the two damaged supply ships onto the Mothership. Simultaneously, they led sailors in sampans and small boats to the island to gather large quantities of dry firewood and withered grass for fuel.

After the whale battle, Mels and the others lost their earlier enthusiasm for landing on the island. Except for the unworldly Akafir, who still went ashore to relax, the remaining youths accompanied the Mad Venerable, who had used up a lot of his energy, back to the cabin.

Helping to support the Mad Venerable, Mels slowly helped him into the bedroom. Once the Mad Venerable sat on the edge of the bed, he reached out and grasped Mels's hand, saying, "Young Master Mels, please don't think I'm overly suspicious! This fleet is somewhat strange, and the whale just now was even stranger! I had already won the fight with it, and my strength wouldn't have given out from using Qi energy at that level!

However, just as I was about to finish off the whale, a force suddenly struck me from out of nowhere, directly shattering the Qi defense barrier I had erected around my body and invading my internal organs! That's precisely why I sustained internal injuries! I was absolutely sure there was no one in the air at that moment, so..."

"You mean, you suspect someone on the ship attacked you?" Mels suddenly understood what the Mad Venerable was implying.

"How is that possible? With your strength, how many people could possibly attack you?" Sol said incredulously.

"Indeed, if someone truly did attack me, that person's power must far exceed mine! I can say that even that old undying one couldn't directly breach my Qi defense barrier and strike my internal organs! Therefore, I suspect there are other formidable experts hidden on the Mothership, and they harbor ill intentions!" the Mad Venerable said with a grave expression.

"What? Then we must inform the Seven Immortals of Myriad Changes immediately, or they might also be attacked!" Sol cried out in alarm.

"No!" Mels, Rek, and the Mad Venerable almost simultaneously spoke up to stop him.

"Huh? Why are you all saying no?" Sol asked, still bewildered.

The Mad Venerable glanced at Mels and then at Rek, a satisfied smile curling at the corners of his mouth, while Sol continued to press loudly for an answer.

Under Sol's repeated questioning, and to quiet him down, Rek slowly explained, "Actually, like us, the boss came aboard this fleet partway through the journey. All we know about this fleet is that it belongs to the Magic Family; beyond that, we know very little.

As for why they're going to the Frank Islands to find the Phantom Beast Mentor, we only heard about it from the Seven Immortals of Myriad Changes. If they truly want to hide something, we have no way of knowing. Moreover, if they really don't want us to know there are other experts on the fleet, then bringing it up with them rashly would only make them more vigilant! We'd be tipping our hand and could get ourselves killed!"

"Wow! That terrifying? Boss, let's escape early and not stick with them anymore!" Sol said fearfully.

"Fool!" Mels retorted, raising his fist to scold Sol. "We're surrounded by the vast ocean right now; how could we possibly escape? You're not thinking of swimming back to the mainland and then finding another ship to the Frank Islands, are you?"

"Oh, you're right! Hehe, I didn't think of that." Sol scratched his nose awkwardly.

Then, the Mad Venerable said, "Actually, you don't need to be too nervous. From what I know of that old undying one, he's not the sneaky, underhanded type, so he might not even be aware of this matter! Alternatively, it's possible that during the battle, my Qi suddenly went awry, and my senses failed me, which is how I got hurt! Therefore, don't hastily suspect anyone. Just act as if nothing happened and observe carefully in secret!

By the way, Young Master Mels, don't you often go in and out of the kitchen? You can get a sense of things by keeping an eye on the food! No matter how powerful an expert is in this world, they still need to eat. So, just watch to see if anyone is secretly delivering food, and you'll know!"

"Right, that's indeed a good method! Let's do it!" Mels clapped his hands together, immediately agreeing.

Afterward, Mels, the other two, and the Mad Venerable discussed more detailed plans for secret investigation in the cabin before heading to the deck to help the sailors transport cargo.

In truth, the Mad Venerable's injury was indeed caused by a sneak attack. However, the attacker wasn't hiding on the Mothership but was instead ten thousand meters up in the sky!

In terms of power, they were not only a hundred times stronger than the Mad Venerable but also possessed mysterious powers. Therefore, no matter how diligently the Mad Venerable, Mels, and the others searched the fleet for suspicious individuals, they would never be able to find them!

After staying near the island for half a day, all tasks were completed. After scuttling the two damaged supply ships, the fleet set sail once more toward the Frank Islands! As the fleet departed from the island, two figures suddenly materialized out of thin air in the cloudless sky.

These two individuals wore strange outfits: silver-white full-body suits covering them from neck to feet, with transparent, glass-like helmets on their heads. Though they carried no weapons in their hands, each had a metal rod, about thirty centimeters long, clipped to their belt.

They slowly descended to about ten meters above the sea surface. One of them took out the metal rod from his waist, pointed one end toward the sea, and lightly pressed a button in the middle. Instantly, a blue light shot from the metal rod deep into the ocean floor.

"How is it? Can the X-501 Marine Type still be used?" the other man asked the one holding the rod.

"No!" The rod-holder shook his head slightly, then pressed a few other buttons on the metal rod before saying helplessly, "It's completely destroyed. This is the second time in nearly three months that an experimental unit has been destroyed! Last time, the X-451 Land Type from the Sand Worm project was also forcibly attacked and destroyed. With this incident added, I think we're in for a rough time when we return!"

"Sigh, it's all my fault. I thought this sea area was rarely approached by anyone, never expecting to encounter such a large fleet! This damn prototype is so unreliable, of all times to go out of control; otherwise, this wouldn't have happened!" the other person said regretfully.

"You can't blame yourself; it's all due to those initial flawed products that only know how to fight and kill! As for that guy fighting in the air earlier, I wanted to kill him outright. Why did you stop me?" the rod-holder grumbled after retrieving the metal rod.

"No, now is not the time to reveal our identities! Losing an experimental unit might only get us demoted, but if our identities are exposed, we couldn't handle the consequences. That's why I stopped you! Remember, from now on, no matter the situation, secrecy must be our top priority. Otherwise, we'll truly be stuck on deserted islands forever!" the other person said sternly.

"Yes, I understand!" the rod-holder nodded reluctantly in agreement. Then, under the other's direction, the two flew back up to high altitude, using some mysterious method to hide themselves before vanishing into the blue sky and sea. After leaving the island, the fleet carrying Mels continued its journey toward the Frank Islands. Once back on course, the fleet encountered natural disasters like tsunamis, typhoons, and storms over the next month and a half. However, thanks to the excellent ships and experienced sailors, no further ship losses occurred.

On the vast, open sea, with the sun and moon alternating, the Frank Islands finally appeared before everyone's eyes. The Frank Islands consist of five large islands and over a hundred smaller ones. Ever since the invention of large seafaring vessels seven hundred years ago, humans began searching for lands of paradise across the ocean.

The dangers of the sea far exceeded human imagination. After generations of efforts by countless navigators, the near seas surrounding the Karsh continent were finally conquered by human courage and perseverance, and one island after another appeared on human nautical charts!

However, according to records, the two continents that should exist across the ocean have never appeared in human sight. This isn't because human navigation technology is insufficient to cross the ocean, but due to unknown reasons. Human ships lose their direction upon reaching a certain distance into the open sea.

Whether it's compasses or celestial navigation, they cause human ships to lose their way or even mysteriously disappear! The sea remains too mysterious and dangerous for present-day humans. Therefore, aside from a few adventurers, very few humans are willing to lead fleets into the perilous open sea!

Among the sea areas humans can reach and have records of, the Frank Islands are relatively distant large islands. Legend has it that three hundred years ago, a pirate who roamed the oceans first discovered this archipelago and named it after himself. Over the following centuries, the Frank Islands became filled with various mysterious legends, the most famous of which concerns the Phantom Beast Mentor.

The legendary Phantom Beast Mentor possesses mysterious abilities beyond ordinary people. Although he doesn't own powerful combat-type Summoned Beasts, the Summoned Beasts he does possess can unlock the latent potential of other Summoned Beasts!

Because of this legend, the Fijinando United Kingdom, the Karanth Empire, and even the Relkes Empire have dispatched fleets to land on the Frank Islands, attempting to "invite" the Phantom Beast Mentor to serve their monarchs!

However, whether it was small fleets of three to five warships or massive expeditionary forces of nearly a hundred various warships, as long as they used force on the Frank Islands, none returned safely!

Faced with such circumstances, rumors resurfaced. Gradually, people began to spread that ferocious and powerful pirates lived on the Frank Islands, possessing military strength sufficient to conquer the world, but lacking advanced navigation technology, which prevented them from landing on the Karsh continent.

However, this rumor was quickly debunked. Countless navigators and merchant ships had approached or reached the Frank Islands, but upon returning to the mainland, they never disclosed detailed information about the islands, only saying that the great Phantom Beast Mentor resided there!

Although various governments were eager to understand the truth, they feared provoking the displeasure of the immensely powerful Phantom Beast Mentor. Moreover, since the Frank Islands posed no threat to the interests of mainland nations, they let the matter rest and paid no further attention!

Today, the legendary Frank Islands finally appeared before the fleet. Everyone aboard, including Mels and his companions, was filled with anticipation, hoping to experience a life of excitement and adventure on the island.

When the sun reached its zenith, Frank Island, the main island of the Frank Islands and the fleet's destination, came into view. The White-haired Wind God, the fleet's highest commander, suddenly ordered the entire fleet to halt. He then had a small sampan lowered, dispatching the Cloud-reaching Sword God with two sailors to approach the island first.

Seeing this, Mels, eager to land on the island as soon as possible, couldn't help but go ask the White-haired Wind God why he didn't immediately order the fleet to approach the island.

The White-haired Wind God, anxiously awaiting news, saw Mels's youthful impatience and knew he wouldn't rest without an explanation. Amidst his busyness, he took a moment to say, "Actually, before coming here, we gathered a vast amount of legends and records about the Frank Islands. Based on our deductions, the people living on the islands likely aren't hostile to outsiders, but they aren't particularly hospitable either.

Especially military forces would raise their vigilance and aversion. Nine of our fleet's large ships are modified active-duty heavy warships. The reason we didn't carry large crossbows or catapults and other naval weapons was precisely to avoid misunderstandings with the island's inhabitants.

If we rashly sail the fleet close to the island without understanding their intentions, it could easily lead to misunderstandings and provoke an attack. Then we'd be caught in a dilemma, let alone setting foot on the island!" After hearing the White-haired Wind God's explanation, Mels finally understood why the fleet preferred using four whaling ships as escorts rather than equipping the Mothership with necessary naval weapons, and also grasped the reason for the halt. It seemed that waiting for a response was now the only option.

About three hours later, three black dots appeared from behind the island. Soon, three all-black, metal-constructed ships were seen rapidly approaching the fleet! Their speed was astonishing, faster than a chariot pulled by four warhorses on land! Faced with such strange warships, Mels and the others were dumbfounded, wondering how massive metal objects could float on the sea!

"Haha, just as I expected! Nonsense about the Frank Islands lacking navigation technology! Just look at these high-speed metal warships—this is something our current Karsh continent technology cannot achieve!" the Mad Venerable, standing behind Mels and also intently watching the approaching ships, suddenly exclaimed.

"Warships? These ships have no crossbows or catapults; why call them warships?" Mels suddenly asked.

"Hehe, Young Master Mels, you're still too young; there's much you don't know. I have a life-and-death friend who once worked as a bodyguard for sea merchants in his youth. He told me that during a storm at sea, his ship sank, and he drifted for days clinging to a piece of wood before being rescued by a large black metal ship!

That ship was quite similar to the warships we see now, entirely made of metal, with no crossbows or catapults. But when they encountered pirates, seemingly inconspicuous hollow metal tubes on the ship suddenly spewed fire! He heard from the sailors that they were called cannons, weapons invented through alchemy, using gunpowder as the main material, combined with metal to create shells that are then fired!

It's said that when a cannon fires, the sound shakes the heavens, and it shoots farther and more accurately than a crossbow, with power equivalent to an advanced Fireball spell! Think about it: how long does it take a mage to cast an advanced Fireball? And how strong must their magical control be to hit a target thousands of meters away?

But this thing called a cannon not only shoots far with great power but can also fire continuously. So, if a well-equipped fleet primarily composed of wooden ships fought against a metal warship, who do you think would win?" the Mad Venerable said, smiling as he looked at Mels.

"That goes without saying! Wood catches fire immediately upon contact with flames, but metal is different—as long as the temperature isn't too high, it won't melt at all!" Sol, who had been listening intently, immediately spoke up.

"Exactly! That's why, thirty years ago, when the Relkes Empire sent 126 warships on an expedition to Frank Island, only three ships managed to escape back to Relks! Although Emperor Raelks publicly claimed the fleet encountered a massive storm leading to near-total destruction, anyone with insight would understand they met their match at the Frank Islands! Haha!" the Mad Venerable laughed heartily.

Just as the Mad Venerable, Mels, and the others were chatting and laughing, the approaching metal warships gradually slowed and drew near the fleet. Once the warships came to a complete stop, a commander in a black uniform and white gloves, accompanied by four Frank warriors, boarded the Mothership and walked directly up to the White-haired Wind God.

He saluted the White-haired Wind God and politely said, "Hello, I am Inad, commander of the Second Tactical Fleet of the Frank Islands Maritime Defense Force. You must be this fleet's commander."

"Yes, hello, I am the commander of this fleet. I was wondering if you would permit our fleet to enter the harbor?" The White-haired Wind God smiled slightly, returning the salute to the young commander and responding with equal courtesy.

"Under our regulations, your fleet consists of large warships. Although no offensive weapons are installed, we still cannot, as a rule, permit your fleet to enter civilian harbors. However, considering your fleet has traveled a great distance and comes with sincere intentions, we are making a special exception to allow your fleet to enter the Frank military harbor!

But your crew is too large; if they all came ashore it would cause panic among the island's residents. Therefore, you may only choose fifty of your subordinates to land on Frank Island, while the remaining personnel must stay on the ships! Violate this, and your fleet will be expelled immediately! Do you agree?

If you object, we will still allow your fleet to take on supplies via small craft today and then leave the waters." The young officer spoke loudly to the White-haired Wind God. His attitude made it clear that although his words were tactful, there was absolutely no room for compromise!

Although the number of people allowed to land was small, the White-haired Wind God was in no position to refuse. Once he formally agreed, the young officer smiled slightly and said, "Since you agree, please follow my ship's lead and enter the military harbor in a single column!" After speaking, the officer saluted the White-haired Wind God again and returned to his metal warship.

While waiting for the message, the nine Motherships had already broken their chain-linked formation. Therefore, once they set off, they quickly fell into a column formation. The entire fleet, led by the nine Motherships and followed by thirty small supply ships, made their way slowly toward the Frank Islands under the guidance of the three metal warships.

Likely out of consideration for the Motherships' speed, the three metal warships did not travel as fast as when they arrived, but even at that reduced speed, the Motherships had to go full out to keep pace. This only reinforced Mels's belief that the scientific and technological capabilities of the Frank Islands' residents far surpassed those of the Carshu Continent!

The fleet, guided by the metal warships, looped around the left side of the oval-shaped Frank Islands and slowly sailed toward the military harbor. Perhaps because it was a military port, the waters the fleet passed through were littered with reefs and dotted with whirlpools of varying sizes. As they approached the island along the way, cannons were barely visible among the cliffs, beaches, and thickets on the island—the very ones mentioned by the Mad Venerable, except these were even larger than those used on the metal warships!

After roughly ninety minutes of sailing, the fleet entered a natural harbor. As the channel cut through the lush coastline, a port city larger than the Bomas Harbor appeared before Mels and the others!

A quick survey revealed a dense array of about a hundred cannons on the left and right sides of the harbor. Over thirty black warships were docked in the semi-circular harbor, with about seven or eight of them larger than the metal warships that guided the fleet in. On the berths, squads of guards armed with metal batons had already been waiting. Clearly, Frank Island possessed not only advanced weapons but also communications technology far beyond anything Mels knew.

Just as they were about to enter the harbor, the White-haired Wind God gathered Mels and the others. Apart from the Seven Immortals of Myriad Changes, those going ashore included Mels, Sol, Rek, Akafir, the Mad Venerable, Lannis, the Female Steward, and Mont, along with four deputy stewards. Additionally, the White-haired Wind God selected thirty elite guards, forming a landing party of forty-eight people in total.

As the massive ships eased into their berths, island guard troops formed a loose perimeter around the fleet, while some crew members from the supply ships began discussing replenishment plans with the island's warriors.

After half an hour of processing—registration, inspection, and the like—Mels and the others finally stepped onto the harbor and, led by the young officer, headed toward the island's government office.

Following local custom, according to Frank Island's regulations, anyone wishing to meet the Phantom Beast Mentor must first obtain approval from the local government. Therefore, visiting the local government was a necessary step. Although this was tedious and time-consuming, it at least confirmed the Phantom Beast Mentor was real! This made the young boys even more excited!

The Mad Venerable's mood, however, was completely different. Since landing on the island, he was intensely curious about his surroundings, not only constantly observing the houses and tools but also carefully examining the military deployment! Though Mels was puzzled by the Mad Venerable's intense scrutiny, he was quickly captivated by the surrounding sights.

The island's residents possessed many miraculous items that Mels could not even dream of, such as a train that relied on burning coal to transport goods; a bicycle that could be ridden by human power on two wheels; and a simple cone-shaped megaphone that could amplify sound when placed before the mouth. These were all novel things Mels had never heard of or seen before.

These novelties kept everyone entertained, making the hour-long wait at the government office fly by.

When the White-haired Wind God finally emerged from the government office located in the central area of the harbor, Mels and the others were informed that their audience with the Phantom Beast Mentor was scheduled for the next day! Therefore, they would be accommodated in a hotel for the night.

They were booked into a hotel located in the western part of the harbor city. Although not particularly large, the three-story building was exceptionally clean. The proprietress was a middle-aged widow raising her daughter alone. She was not only warm and hospitable but also an excellent cook.

Her daughter was named Liya, a seventeen-year-old in the prime of her youth. Due to their similar ages, she quickly became good friends with Mels and the other three boys. After dinner, she volunteered to show Mels and the others around the city.

From her, Mels learned that there were only three cities on Frank Island, with a population of just one million. Although the island's history was only a little over two hundred years, its science and technology were exceptionally advanced.

It was said that an ancient "Ark" had been excavated on Frank Island. Originally, the people living here regarded these things as antiques until the first-generation Phantom Beast Mentor discovered a wealth of advanced scientific and technological knowledge within the Ark. Since then, the island's technology had advanced rapidly, quickly surpassing the technological level of the Carshu Continent!

"Liya, according to what you said, these things have appeared at most seventy years ago?" Mels, strolling through the night-shrouded city with Liya, Sol, Rek, and Akafir, said to Liya.

"Yes, many things have only appeared in recent years! My mother says there are still many technologies that cannot be explained or used yet, but soon we will have machines that can fly into the sky and even things that can move without human intervention!" Liya smiled slightly and said to Mels.

"Liya, what are these glowing things called? Are they some kind of gemstone?" Sol suddenly pointed to the glowing objects by the roadside.

She giggled. "These aren't gemstones. They're called electric lights. Actually, we have them at home too. It was still bright when you were eating earlier, so Mom didn't light them, but when it gets dark, we'll turn them on!"

"Electric lights? What fuel do they use? Why do they glow?" Mels asked with interest.

"They're... actually, I'm not very sure either. I only know it's something called electricity that makes them glow!" Liya said. Faced with these friends who kept asking questions, Liya quickly exhausted everything she knew, and the rest was either made up or evaded.

However, Mels and his friends were such country bumpkins that no matter what Liya said, they would believe it without hesitation. The five of them walked and chatted in such a harmonious atmosphere, enjoying the city's night scenery. After returning to the hotel, Mels lay awake, tossing and turning. He had seen too many things today, all too novel, and his excitement made it hard for him to fall asleep. Yet, for some reason, in his confusion, Mels felt a nagging sense of foreboding, as if a great threat was gradually approaching!

Early the next morning, officers from the harbor city's security force came to the hotel. After introductions, the officer informed them he would be their guide for the next few days. Whether he was truly a guide or just there to keep an eye on them, for Mels and his clear-conscienced companions, having a guide wasn't a bad thing!

After a quick breakfast and once they were ready, Mels and the others headed to the train station leading to another mountain city. According to the guide, the journey was relatively far, so they needed to take a three-hour train ride to reach "Frank City," where the Phantom Beast Mentor resided!

Mels and the others, riding a train for the first time, were filled with a sense of novelty and wonder, feeling as if they were in a futuristic world. The three-hour journey passed quickly as the scenery flew by outside the window. When an even larger city appeared before Mels and the others, they knew their destination of several months had finally been reached, and the mysterious Phantom Beast Mentor would soon be standing before them!

As soon as they stepped out of the station, they saw a dignified elderly man in his sixties, dressed in white, waiting for Mels and the others in the station hall. After introductions, Mels realized that this seemingly ordinary old man was the Phantom Beast Mentor revered by humans across the entire continent!

After exchanging pleasantries, the guide who had brought Mels and the group here was assigned elsewhere by the Phantom Beast Mentor, and the White-haired Wind God also ordered the thirty guards to remain at the station, leading only Mels and the others to follow the Phantom Beast Mentor back to his experimental center.

"Mentor, I never expected you to personally come to the station to meet us!" the White-haired Wind God said politely.

"Ha ha, no need to address me like that. Just call me Roani. Little ones, you can call me Grandpa." The Phantom Beast Mentor Roani smiled slightly and said kindly to everyone.

"That would be too presumptuous! Mentor Roani, may I ask..." the White-haired Wind God began to speak but was stopped by Roani.

"Let's wait until we reach my laboratory to discuss everything," Roani suddenly said.

Seeing the profound meaning in the Phantom Beast Mentor's eyes, the worldly-wise White-haired Wind God naturally did not press further. The group, led by the Phantom Beast Mentor, walked toward the experimental center located in the mountainous area on the outskirts of the city.

The journey wasn't far, but they walked at a leisurely pace. During the approximately thirty-minute walk, Roani only introduced the city's scenery to the White-haired Wind God and the others, avoiding all other topics. Although this puzzled Mels and the others, given their junior status and the White-haired Wind God's silence, they refrained from asking questions. After half an hour of trekking, they entered the experimental center with its milky-white walls. Inside, three scholarly-looking men around thirty years old immediately greeted Roani: "Teacher, are they the ones..." "Hmm, no need to say more. Pay attention to the secret military police outside! Remember, no matter what reason they give, you must not allow them to enter the experimental center!" Roani suddenly said with a grave expression to his students. After the three nodded in agreement, Roani immediately led everyone into the underground reception room of the laboratory.

As soon as the White-haired Wind God and the other elders took their seats, Roani spoke first: "You must be the renowned White-haired Wind God of the continent. Actually, I already know about your arrival and intentions. I can do my best to help with your request, but before that, I have a favor to ask of you. May I speak frankly?" As he spoke, Roani glanced at the others, as if questioning whether they were trustworthy.

"Please speak freely. These are all people close to me; not a word will be leaked!" the White-haired Wind God said understandingly.

"Alright, then I'll be direct. When you landed on Frank Island yesterday, you must have been astonished by the technology here. Actually, the favor I ask is for you to help destroy this technology!" As soon as Roani finished speaking, everyone's expressions changed dramatically!

"Don't be shocked, and I haven't lost my mind. In fact, all the technology here originates from this experimental center, and I have been working on it for over thirty years! As a scholar, being able to develop scientific achievements that benefit the progress of civilization worldwide is something to be proud of. But now, I have no choice but to find a way to destroy it all!

Our science was not achieved through gradual research but by interpreting the technological wealth left behind by ancient human civilization! Originally, the humans living here were those despised on the Carshu Continent, who had lost their Summoning Gems and became useless. However, for some unknown reason, the descendants of these first-generation 'useless' people, after living on this island for many years, were all unable to possess Summoning Gems. Thus, for them, the Carshu Continent was like hell, with no place for them.

Over the years, the hope of returning to the continent completely vanished, replaced by their desire to establish their own country on this island! This wasn't necessarily a bad thing; I also hoped these looked-down-upon humans could live peacefully away from the world, free from its conflicts.

However, things were not as simple as I imagined. As more and more scientific technology was utilized by the people here, their ambitions grew. Believing they had sufficient strength, dissatisfied with the current situation here, and harboring hatred toward the humans of the Carshu Continent, they launched an ethnic cleansing on the island ten years ago.

The few humans living here who possessed Summoning Gems were almost completely slaughtered—not only adult men but also women, the elderly, the weak, and even infants less than a month old! The cruelty of their methods was something even an old man like me could hardly bear to witness!

Originally, I thought they would restrain themselves after eliminating the summoning clan on the island, but I was wrong again! The current rulers of Frank Island are no longer satisfied with ruling a small island; they hope to challenge the entire continent with technology surpassing that of the Carshu Continent! If they succeed, a disaster affecting the whole world will soon occur, causing harm to many innocent lives and even leading to human extinction!" Roani said with a grim expression.

"Grandpa Roani, aren't you exaggerating a bit? Although there are many technological achievements here we've never seen before, the humans of the Carshu Continent also possess Summoned Beasts, which are not weak! Even metal warships—with the power of Summoned Beasts, three to four mid-tier Summoned Beasts could destroy them, let alone the continent's population of hundreds of millions!" Sol said dismissively.

"Ah, young one, you truly don't understand the power of science! The power of metal warships indeed cannot compare to strong Summoned Beasts, but what if we could manufacture Summoned Beasts?" Roani shook his head slightly and continued.

"Manufacture Summoned Beasts!" everyone almost exclaimed, repeating Roani's words.

"Indeed, according to the Ark's records, Summoned Beasts were originally creatures created by ancient humans. Although I don't yet understand why modern humans are born with Summoned Beasts, I believe it must be related to ancient humans!

In our previous records, the magic humans learned, even Summoned Beasts, were gifts from the gods. But in fact, I believe the so-called gods were humans who survived the ancient extinction disaster!

Although the artificial manufacturing method for Summoned Beasts hasn't completed its final research, as long as there are records, breaking through this barrier is only a matter of time! The most terrifying thing is that artificially manufactured Summoned Beasts are all powerful attack types, even a hundred times stronger than current Sacred Beast Summons!

Assuming such Summoned Beasts are successfully developed, combined with continuously improving military technology, the current population of Frank Island would be enough to form an army of tens of thousands! If they attack the Carshu Continent, what do you think the outcome would be?

Even if the Carshu Continent ultimately wins, how many lives would be lost as the price?" Roani slowly voiced his deepest concerns.

Although Mels didn't know exactly how far Frank Island's technology had developed, he understood that this mysterious Phantom Beast Mentor was not exaggerating! Summoned Beasts, the marvelous creatures humans have relied on for survival—could they truly threaten all of humanity? Would humans really end up as the prophecy says: "They will ultimately conquer everything, only to be destroyed by themselves!"