The familiar voice made Saskia tremble, and she unconsciously clenched her fists.

Her mind flashed back to the Grymdale Tribe, to a day of torrential rain.

Evangeline had held her newborn cub with one arm and drawn an arrow with the other. Amidst the piercing shriek of arrows flying through the air, the warriors of the Monitor Tribe fell one after another, powerless to fight back.

Her face went white, and she wanted to flee at once. But Evangeline’s gaze cut through the chaotic crowd like an arrow, locking right onto her throat.

Saskia froze, not daring to move an inch.

Penna, however, whipped her head around to stare at Evangeline. After Saskia had returned that day, she had told her, trembling, that this was the female who had formed a Contract with a Fallen Beastman!

The moment she turned, Penna’s gaze froze.

Standing beside the female were two exceptionally handsome males.

The one on the left had a cascade of purple hair, his eyes filled with a cold, deathly stillness. The one on the right was aloof and pristine. His grayish-brown eyes seemed to hold nothing, yet when they fell upon the person beside him, they warmed with the gentleness of a spring breeze.

Both males were incredibly handsome, each with his own distinct charm, and neither was the least bit inferior to that Swarm Beastman!

Penna’s nails dug deep into her palm as the bitter taste of jealousy rose in her throat. She was the leader of the Iridian People, yet the males by her side were nothing compared to this female’s. ’Why her?!’

"And who might you be?" The Old Bear Chief on the platform spoke first.

His cloudy eyes stared fixedly at Evangeline as his thick tongue licked his yellowed fangs. "The little maiden is quite a morsel. You want to join in? Heh, fine by me! But I can’t let you have this rogue Beastman."

As he spoke, he rubbed his massive, fan-like palms together in excitement. He grinned, revealing a mouth of yellow teeth, his eyes filled with greed. "I’m already in a Contract, sure, but that doesn’t mean we can’t get... real close, right?"

Before he could finish, a dark fragrance wafted around Nix, and his purple hair stirred without a wind.

"CRACK—"

With a loud crack, a vine as thick as a bowl burst from the platform. Like a sharp blade, it shot straight up between the Old Bear Chief’s legs!

"ROAR—"

The Old Bear Chief was a seasoned warrior, however. With a furious roar, he suddenly transformed into his beast form!

His enormous Brown Bear body swelled like a mountain, collapsing the platform beneath him. His brown fur stood on end as his paws desperately clawed at the vine. Veins popped on his thick beast arms, but the vine was unnaturally tough. It only coiled tighter, its serrated edges digging deep into his flesh. A strange, wet sucking sound became clearly audible.

Nix slowly lifted his eyelids, the chill in his purple eyes becoming almost palpable.

"CRACK!"

The vine suddenly constricted. The Old Bear Chief’s arm exploded in an instant, and blood streamed down.

Nix wrapped an arm around Evangeline’s shoulder, shielding her from the stench of blood that drifted on the wind.

He lowered his gaze to look at her, his fingertips lightly brushing her long lashes as a curve played on his lips. "What a pity. Our Evie can’t stand the smell of blood these days... For now, I’ll let you go."

The moment he spoke, the vine shot upward with the force of a thunderbolt, impaling the Old Bear Chief from between his legs!

With a sickening SQUELCH, the vine hoisted the massive Brown Bear’s body into the air!

The Old Bear Chief’s eyes bulged from their sockets as a wretched, agonizing howl tore from his throat. The entire tribal gathering fell deathly silent.

Penna’s face was ashen. She stared at Nix, trembling violently, her gaze fixed on the brilliant pattern on his forehead. Her teeth chattered as she stammered, "A... a nine-star pattern..."

The last words were forced through her clenched teeth.

The Nine-star Extreme Realm was the pinnacle of a Beastman’s strength. Norfell hadn’t produced a Nine-Marked Beastman in many years.

The strongest warrior in their alliance to hunt down the Fallen Beastman was merely an Eight-Marked Beastman, and he was already very old. His beast form was deteriorating, his Star Pattern fading. In a real fight, he might not have even been a match for the Old Bear Chief, who had a Seven-star Pattern and was in his prime!

A Witch was one thing, but now a Nine-Marked Beastman too!

And what’s more... Penna’s gaze shifted to Lachlan, and she shuddered. The Seven-star Pattern on his forehead shone just as brilliantly, radiating an intimidating aura!

A huge commotion suddenly erupted from the crowd, the sound of their chatter spreading like a tidal wave.

People shoved desperately, pushing to the front, just to get a glimpse of the Nine-Marked Beastman.

"A nine-star pattern! It’s really a nine-star pattern!" a young Beastman from the Wolf Clan exclaimed, his voice trembling with such excitement that the tips of his wolf ears popped out.

"Out of the way! Everyone, move so I can see too!" A Beastman behind him shoved him roughly, scrambling for a look.

Seeing the Nine-star Extreme Realm with their own eyes, the Beastmen’s faces lit up with fanatical fervor.

Some of the older Beastmen even fell to their knees, tears streaming down their wrinkled faces. This was the Nine-star Extreme Realm—the apex of power that Beastmen chased their entire lives!

Standing at the front, even Penna was jostled, staggering a few steps. She was furious.

"Too damn loud."

Nix’s brow furrowed in annoyance. He whipped his head around, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. His eerie purple eyes were like daggers, a violent, murderous intent churning in their depths.

That was not the look one gave to fellow Beastmen. It was the look of an apex predator eyeing its prey.

Instantly, the rowdy crowd fell silent, as if doused with a bucket of cold water.

Evangeline leaned against Nix’s shoulder. Her gaze flickered over to Julian, then swept past Saskia before finally landing on Drake. "Oh, right. What was it you were all about to say? How about you say it to my face?"

Penna shot her a look, her nails digging into her palm, hatred swirling in her eyes.

’Yes, he’s a Nine-Marked Beastman, the pinnacle of power, but so what?’

’Our great tribes have come out in full force. If we all work together, not even a Nine-Marked Beastman will stand a chance!’

At this thought, a piercing cry suddenly tore from Penna’s throat.

Suddenly! Countless pairs of Beast Eyes lit up from within the dense surrounding foliage. In a flash, the entire tribal gathering was surrounded by the tribes’ elite warriors, forming an ironclad perimeter. Poison-tipped bone arrows glinted ominously.

Penna quickly retreated, staring coldly at Evangeline.

She licked her lips, her normally melodic voice now hoarse with excitement. "The elite Warriors from all eighteen tribes of Norfell are gathered here. So what if he’s reached the Nine-star Extreme Realm?"

"Seize the female! The Fallen Beastman will walk right into our trap!"

A manic glint flashed in Penna’s eyes, her shrill voice cutting through the uproar.

The moment she finished speaking, the Beastman Warriors swarmed forward like locusts. Sharp claws and bone knives glinted coldly in the morning sun. Savage faces closed in from all sides, all of them aiming to capture Evangeline!

A dangerous glint flashed in Lachlan’s grayish-brown eyes as he shielded Evangeline behind him.

Nix, however, merely lifted a hand with casual indifference. Vines erupted from the earth, instantly walling off the surging Beastmen!

A cold smile touched Evangeline’s lips. A small, inch-long arrow materialized at her slender fingertips.

The arrow shot through the air. Its target wasn’t the horde of charging Beastman Warriors, but the one hiding in the distance—Saskia.

"PFFT—"

Saskia frantically jerked her head aside, but the arrow seemed to have a mind of its own. It pierced her throat, spraying a trail of blood. Shards of light exploded from the impact, even cutting through several of the charging Beastman Warriors.

"One more rainy season was long enough, wasn’t it?"