SSS-Rank Evolving Monster: From Pest to Cosmic Devourer-Chapter 50: If it weren’t for his bravery

"Congratulations! Both of you did very well, and I will definitely not go back on my words."

Dark Shadow’s voice, cool and collected, carried across the clearing with the weight of an unbreakable promise. It reverberated softly through the trees, lingering in the humid air like a breeze heavy with anticipation.

"One month later, when the spiritual fruits completely ripen, I will hold a grand banquet..."

The declaration sent a ripple through the group, and even Ricky’s ever-calm expression shifted.

’She’s serious... she’s really going to share the spiritual fruits.’

Ricky’s compound eyes blinked slowly as his mind reeled from the unexpected generosity. He knew better than anyone how desperately Dark Shadow needed those fruits to recover her strength—to even survive in the dangerous world of cultivators and spiritual beasts.

And yet, here she was, choosing to distribute them.

While he quietly mulled over her words, Boar and Alexandria stepped forward, their heads bowed in deep gratitude.

"Thank you, Big Sister Dark Shadow. We will never forget the kindness you have shown us..."

The solemnity in Boar’s voice felt almost sacred. Alexandria, usually aloof and proud, now radiated humility.

Suddenly finding herself at the center of such heartfelt attention, Dark Shadow stiffened. Her face flushed slightly—something few had ever seen. She coughed lightly and turned her head away, feigning nonchalance, her many legs shifting awkwardly.

"No worries, it’s something I promised to do," she muttered. "Moreover, we also have to celebrate Thief’s victory over the invaders..."

Her voice grew steadier as she continued.

"If it weren’t for his bravery, this forest—our home—would have long turned to ruins at the hands of those demonic beings..."

With that, the focus shifted once more.

This time, to Ricky.

He froze in place as all eyes locked onto him. It felt like an invisible spotlight had been thrown onto his buzzing body.

Alexandria’s golden eyes flickered with unspoken emotion. Ever since she had seen him return from the battle, bloodied but unbowed, her view of him had changed. When she heard about the number of Stage 2 beings he had defeated—alone—she had doubted the tale.

Until she had stepped outside the stone courtyard and seen the aftermath for herself.

The smoldering remains of the battlefield, the scorched trees, the jubilant cries of liberated animals—it was real.

Boar nodded from beside her, his expression unusually serious for once.

"Okay, enough of this. I’m going to survey the forest. You guys do your thing..."

Ricky muttered hastily, flustered by the attention. With a flick of his wings, shimmering like fractured glass, he took to the skies and disappeared into the clouds above.

---

One Month Later

Time passed like a drifting mist, slipping through the cracks of the forest’s tangled roots.

The Emerald Green Forest, once ravaged and tainted by battle, now bloomed with renewed vitality. Leaves shone with fresh luster, birds chirped with renewed energy, and every corner pulsed with the breath of life.

Predator and prey resumed their eternal dance beneath the emerald canopy. Yet despite the bloodshed, there was peace.

A strange peace.

In the hearts of the forest’s countless dwellers, a new kind of faith had taken root.

They believed in him.

The Venom Fang Overlord.

His legend spread like wildfire—like sacred scripture. Tales of his battle echoed among the trees, twisted and exaggerated, yet all carried a kernel of truth: Ricky was no ordinary mosquito.

And far above, that very creature now soared through powerful wind currents, his wings slicing through the air with sharp precision. He moved with the confidence of a sovereign surveying his domain.

"So it wasn’t an illusion... the concentration of mana really is increasing."

His voice, quiet and thoughtful, drifted into the wind as he peered down at the sea of green beneath him.

The Emerald Green Forest had always been anemic in terms of mana—scorned, avoided by cultivators and beasts alike for its barrenness.

But now, something was changing.

And it wasn’t subtle.

Even the flora and fauna were evolving, as if a higher intelligence had begun to whisper into their veins. Their instincts sharpened, their behaviors grew more nuanced. More... human.

Ricky wouldn’t be surprised if one day, creatures just like Boar and Alexandria began appearing across the forest floor, rising out of obscurity like champions.

His compound eyes narrowed, reflecting a strange glint of wariness.

"I’ll need to monitor this closely."

And yet, instead of feeling reassured by the blessing of abundance, a cold pressure weighed on his chest. An unplaceable unease gnawed at his instincts, like the calm before a thunderclap.

"As if disaster is looming... ready to pounce."

But those thoughts were swiftly buried as a more exciting memory rose to the surface.

"Hmm... I should head back. The spiritual fruit banquet should be starting any moment now..."

His heart buzzed with eagerness.

Evolution was near.

And in this chaotic world where death lurked in every shadow, it was the only currency that mattered.

---

Back in the Stone Courtyard

A soft glow radiated from the grove of spiritual trees, the fruits nearly pulsing with power as they hung from the twisting branches. Mana shimmered in the air, thick as fog.

Noctyss stood beneath one such tree, her delicate fingers gently plucking a glowing fruit. Her expression, however, was far from calm.

"The mana concentration is indeed increasing..." she murmured, her voice laced with unease.

Her amethyst eyes narrowed.

This wasn’t a new phenomenon to her. She had lived for too long, seen too much. Throughout her lifetime, mana blooms like this had always signified something.

Something dangerous.

When a warrior at Stage 2 or higher attempted to ascend, it would often create a minor increase in surrounding mana. That was why most chose to return to their homeland or isolated sanctuaries—to avoid alarming local powers.

She considered that possibility for a fleeting moment—only to dismiss it.

"No one in the Emerald Green Forest is close to ascending. Not even that cursed mosquito..."

Her gaze darkened.

Which left only one other possibility.

"A forbidden zone is about to emerge..."

The words escaped her lips like a whisper carried by death.

Her body stiffened, and for the first time in decades, a chill crawled up her spine.

Most had only heard tales of forbidden zones—twisted regions warped by unknown energies. But she had lived through one. Had watched an entire region vanish in the blink of an eye.

Even at the peak of her power—Stage 4—she hadn’t dared to enter one. The mere memory of that place left scars that refused to heal.

"I need to leave," she muttered, her grip tightening around the fruit.

But then, like a curse returning to haunt her, she heard that familiar buzzing again.

"Buzz... buzz..."

A giant silhouette darted through the trees, landing beside her with theatrical grace. Ricky’s grotesque but oddly majestic form towered before her.

"Noctyss, are you responsible for the changes in the forest?"

His voice was stern, direct. The playful tone he usually wielded was gone.

He stared straight into her eyes—unblinking, demanding.

Noctyss paused.

’So he noticed it too... just how far has this mosquito evolved?’

Her lips curled, not in amusement, but in reluctant admiration. She toyed with the idea of teasing him—of planting a lie, just to watch him squirm.

But... she couldn’t.

She could never lie.

So she simply shook her head.

"This has nothing to do with me..."

And for once, her words held no hidden layers—only the grim certainty of someone who had lived through the horrors the forest was about to face.

The source of this c𝐨ntent is freewe(b)nov𝒆l