SSS-Rank Evolving Monster: From Pest to Cosmic Devourer-Chapter 67: Is this for real

Gorath shook his head, his blazing hair crackling with subdued frustration. His shoulders slumped like collapsing hills, and the scent of scorched air lingered faintly in his wake. According to him, today had all the makings of a perfect day to crush a few bugs underfoot—yet here they stood, listening to cryptic rules and waiting for enlightenment rather than action.

Just as the flame giant was about to grumble aloud, a cold voice sliced through the stillness like a dagger through silk.

"...However, on the path towards strength, you will have to fight."

The words echoed, sharp and deliberate, spoken by the Guardian Spirit who hovered above like a celestial judge.

"Attacking other participants is forbidden during this trial," she continued, her tone unwavering, "but that does not mean there will be no danger. Every single one of you must be prepared for battle."

A weight fell over the room. The silvery echo of her words lingered in the air, crawling into every ear and planting seeds of unease.

The trial was more than it appeared. Far more.

Even Ricky—who had been brimming with an inner smugness—sighed quietly. His compound eyes narrowed slightly as he pondered the threat of Stage 3 beings. He wasn’t ready for that. Not yet.

Some distance away, Noctyss tilted her head and misread his reaction. The expression of tension on his face, in her eyes, revealed doubt—perhaps he feared failure in comprehending the technique.

A soft, knowing smile curved her lips. "Don’t worry, Master," she said gently, "I will teach you the technique once I learn it."

Ricky almost burst out laughing.

Her words, though spoken kindly, scratched at his pride like a rusted nail. The Venom Fang overlord... unable to understand a mere technique?

Tch! Just you wait, woman.

With a huff, Ricky rolled his compound eyes and buzzed forward, wings vibrating as he approached the golden pillar like a warrior charging into battle. But the moment he came within arm’s reach, his body froze mid-flight.

Just—stopped.

....

Noctyss, observing from her position, chuckled inwardly.

’He’s overwhelmed,’ she mused, the amusement glinting behind her eyes. ’As expected. How intelligent can a mosquito be?’

She wasn’t the only one underestimating him.

It appeared she seemed to have forgotten what happend last time when she thought this way.

The Guardian Spirit, floating serenely in midair, studied the crowd with her ageless gaze. A sliver of curiosity flickered behind her expression as her thoughts wandered.

Who would comprehend the technique first?

It was a serious question. And a loaded one.

Some might wonder—what if no one succeeded? What if all sixteen participants failed?

Laughable.

She shook her head lightly at the absurdity. Failure was not an option—not here.

Each warrior in the room had been chosen. Not randomly. Not carelessly. Chosen.

The selection had been orchestrated by the Divine Researcher herself, whose mind delved deeper than oceans and higher than skies. Out of billions—trillions, even—only these sixteen had been summoned.

As her gaze swept across the chamber, it landed on a pillar unlike the others.

Seemingly empty. Yet...

The space around it wavered, like a mirage under scorching sun. If one stared too long, they might catch the illusion of presence—of something vast and quiet, hiding in plain sight.

"Interesting," she thought, eyes glinting with intrigue. "A Void Born..."

She knew of the Voidborne family—distant rumors, scraps of forbidden knowledge whispered in ancient halls. Their mastery of space, their elusive nature—it all added up.

Her expression sharpened. Suddenly, she had a feeling.

The first to comprehend the technique might just be this hidden heir of the void.

Her gaze shifted next to Gorath, the simmering flame giant, and then to Ricky, the brazen insect who dared to smirk before gods.

Then it lingered on Noctyss.

The Spirit frowned.

Too weak.

The girl wasn’t even Stage Two. She couldn’t hold a candle to the others. How could she grasp something designed for powerhouses?

In this world, a Stage Three being could form kingdoms, raise temples in their name, and command prayers from the masses. They were living legends. Forces of nature.

Noctyss... was still a spark in a world of infernos.

....

"No fucking way..."

The words exploded inside Ricky’s mind like a firework gone rogue.

A glowing blue window had appeared before his compound eyes, trembling faintly as if aware of its own absurdity.

[Ding! Skill Detected.]

[C Grade Infinite Origin: Constellation Root.]

[Use 10,000 Years of Lifespan to learn the skill.]

His mind reeled. His heart stuttered.

What the hell?

His wings buzzed uncontrollably as he fought for composure. The suddenness—the implications—everything about this moment was too overwhelming, too grand to process instantly.

He took a breath he didn’t need. A trick of habit. A simulation of calm.

Slowly, his compound gaze swept over the room.

All around him, the other participants were preparing. Sitting cross-legged, eyes narrowed in grim determination, their spiritual energy already beginning to circulate.

They hadn’t even begun.

And yet... he could learn the technique before them.

He clenched his mandibles and swallowed the shock. The moment to act had come.

But before he could confirm the process, a sudden shout pierced the silence.

"That pillar turned red!"

The voice was feminine—crisp, surprised. It belonged to Selisara Windveil, a woman of ethereal grace, her cherry lips parted in disbelief, her gaze fixed on the previously empty pillar.

The others turned to look.

Indeed, the edge of the pillar now shimmered with a soft crimson hue.

Guardian Spirit chuckled softly, her voice laced with hidden satisfaction. "Do not panic. That change signals partial comprehension. Once the teachings are fully understood, the pillar will turn entirely crimson."

Even as she explained, the ground beside the pillar trembled ominously.

A figure emerged from the shadows.

It was humanoid, yet wrong—clad in dense, writhing darkness that clung to its frame like a second skin. Its face was hidden, save for two pale, gleaming eyes. In its hands it held a sword that pulsed with suppressed menace.

Stage Three.

The oppressive aura slammed into the room like a tidal wave.

"What the hell is that...?" someone whispered, their voice barely audible.

Guardian Spirit answered, her tone calm. "Shadow Generals. They manifest when a participant passes a comprehension checkpoint. You will face them as you progress."

The announcement crushed the air out of the room.

It was hard enough to comprehend the technique.

Now they had to fight.

The Shadow General moved.

Its blade rose into the air, five feet of steel infused with abyssal fury. Then it struck.

The air split. The room cracked. A deafening boom echoed as the shockwave erupted outward like a divine punishment.

Ricky was caught in the gust, his body flung backward like a feather in a storm.

"Damn it...!"

Mid-air, his spiritual field surged out, stabilizing him just in time. But his eyes—his eyes never left the pillar.

He needed to see it. How would the hidden warrior respond?

The answer came in a blink.

The space in front of the pillar fractured—like glass under impossible strain.

Then, without warning, the Shadow General disintegrated.

Shredded. Gone.

It had been consumed by a spatial grinder—devoured before it could land a second strike.

The battle was over before it began.

Gasps spread through the room.

Gorath looked down at his massive hands, then at the empty space where the monster had stood.

His expression darkened.

There was no way—no possible way—he could’ve done that.

"As expected of the Void Borns..." Guardian Spirit whispered, eyes flashing with admiration and a trace of envy.

But her awe did not stop there.

Her gaze turned to another pillar.

"Oh my... how surprising."

Noctyss’s pillar had also begun to glow. Not fully crimson, but close. A reddish shimmer danced at its edges.

The weakest warrior... had made progress.

The others noticed. Their expressions twisted with disbelief, some shouting in protest.

It was in that moment that another Shadow General emerged—less powerful than the last. Only Stage one.

Noctyss stood, her dress fluttering around her legs like smoke. She stepped forward to meet it.

Meanwhile, Ricky finally turned inward.

Enough distractions.

It was time.

He closed his eyes. Lifespan bled away like water through cupped hands.

Sixty thousand years... fell to fifty.

Then silence.

Then—

Clarity.

His mind expanded. Runes that once looked like chaos now danced in patterns. Words he couldn’t pronounce now whispered themselves into his thoughts. Mysteries folded open like flowers blooming in reverse.

He understood.

Even in sleep... he would never forget this technique.

Then, a loud hum sounded.

The pillar in front of him trembled as if it was coming to life then in the next moment, it turned fully crimson.

"Impossible.." Gaurdian muttered with her eyes wide open, for a second she thought her eyes were fooling her but then the reality hit her like a cold cruel slap.

Not not juts her, Darius Eldros also looked at this scene in disbelief.

Is this for real?

How can anyone learn such a mind-bending technique so fast.

Follow current novels on (f)reew𝒆bnovel