A familiar prompt surfaced before his eyes.
[ Stormfang Lykor — Unique Tier ]
Status: Deceased
Devour available
Do you wish to devour?
▶ Yes / No
Jin's breath hitched.
Yes.
The corpse twitched once, then crumbled unnaturally, its remaining energy dissolving into faint motes that flowed into Jin's body. The sensation wasn't violent—just a subtle warmth, like something settling deep within him.
Another message appeared.
[ Devour Successful ]
Gene Experience Gained:
Gene Quality: Grade 2 — Low Purity
Progress: 2 / 100
New Affinity Unlocked:
• Lightning — Low
Skill Acquired:
• Lightning Claw (Rare — Upgradable)
That's it… Jin realized.
it was real.
He stood quickly and moved away before anyone could question him.
The remaining Stormfang Lykors were retreating now, wounded but still dangerous, buying time.
Then—
The rift throbbed.
A pressure slammed into the street like a descending mountain.
The surviving Lykors immediately lowered their heads, electricity surging wildly as they pulled back in unison.
Li Yuan's eyes widened.
"…It's coming out."
The darkness inside the rift split apart.
A massive form pushed through, its presence crushing, its claws dragging sparks of lightning through the air itself.
Thunderlord Varkhaz — Epic Tier monster.
The ground cracked beneath its weight as it emerged fully, eyes glowing with cold intelligence.
Li Yuan inhaled sharply and raised his arm.
"Fall back," he ordered, voice hard. "All of you."
This—
This was the real battle.
Thunder cracked the moment Thunderlord Varkhaz moved.
Its massive frame blurred, lightning detonating beneath its claws as it vanished from sight and reappeared directly in front of Li Yuan. The air exploded as its forelimb came down in a sweeping arc, electricity screaming as it tore through space.
Li Yuan crossed his arms instinctively.
[ Lion Bastion — Defensive Skill ]
Golden light hardened around his forearms just as the blow landed.
The impact sent him skidding backward across the street, boots carving deep grooves into the asphalt. Lightning surged over his body, searing his skin despite the defense.
Li Yuan exhaled sharply.
"Fast," he muttered. "Too fast for its size."
Thunderlord Varkhaz didn't give him time to recover.
The monster threw its head back and unleashed a deafening roar, sound and lightning merging into a crushing wave that rolled outward like a living storm.
[ Thunder Emperor's Roar ]
Windows imploded instantly. Several hunters were thrown off their feet, ears ringing as blood trickled down their temples.
Li Yuan slammed a fist into the ground.
[ Earthbound Impact ]
A shockwave burst outward from him, anchoring the team and shattering the pressure of the roar just enough to keep them standing. Cracks spiderwebbed across the street as he surged forward, closing the distance in a single bound.
His punch landed squarely against Varkhaz's chest.
[ Kingbreaker Fist ]
The blow rang like a struck bell.
Varkhaz staggered half a step—only half—but its claws came down immediately, lightning-wreathed talons carving furrows through Li Yuan's shoulder and side.
Blood sprayed.
Li Yuan grunted but didn't retreat.
"I'm not backing down," he growled. "Not tonight when my people is in danger."
The two collided again and again, thunder and force shaking the district with every exchange. Neither gained a decisive advantage—Varkhaz's speed and lightning forcing Li Yuan on the defensive, Li Yuan's experience and resilience preventing the monster from overwhelming him.
Then the rift pulsed again.
More Stormfang Lykors burst out, one after another, their arrival tipping the balance dangerously.
"Boss!" a hunter shouted. "Too many monsters can't hold them all!"
Li Yuan glanced past Varkhaz for a split second—and that was enough.
One Lykor broke formation, slipping past the line with terrifying speed, sprinting straight toward the residential buildings.
Toward Jin's house.
"No—" Li Yuan started.
But it was already gone.
Wei Jin felt it before he saw it.he sensed monster coming.
The pressure slammed into his senses like a knife, his heart skipping as a blur of blue lightning cleared the distance in seconds. The Stormfang Lykor skidded to a halt in front of the building, claws scraping against concrete as it raised its head.
Too fast and Too strong.
Jin's legs trembling and too many thoughts like what If it gets inside… No not this time.
He stepped forward anyway.
The Lykor lunged.
Jin barely rolled aside, lightning tearing through the spot where his head had been. Pain flared across his shoulder as static shocks burned his skin.
His breathing turned ragged.
Focus.
The world shifted for a second.
His vision sharpened unnaturally, the monster's movements slowing—not physically, but in his perception. Strange, faint points of light flickered across the Lykor's body. Small. Precise points.
Looks like it's Weaknesses.
Jin didn't question it.
He moved on instinct.
Lightning gathered along his hand, weaker and unstable compared to the Lykor's power, but real.
[ Lightning Claw ]
He slashed upward.
The Lykor twisted, claws raking his side, but Jin drove the strike into one of the glowing points near its throat. The lightning reacted violently, destabilizing the monster's flow for a fraction of a second.
Enough.
Jin forced himself forward, ignoring the screaming pain in his mind, and struck again—deeper, harder.
The Stormfang Lykor convulsed, electricity sputtering wildly before collapsing at his feet.
Jin fell to one knee, head pounding as if someone had driven nails into his skull.
He had killed it.
The system responded instantly.
[ Stormfang Lykor — Unique Tier ]
Kill Confirmed
Do you wish to devour?
▶ Yes / No
Jin pressed Yes without hesitation.
[ Devour Successful ]
Gene Experience Gained: 5
Gene Quality: Grade 2 — Low Purity
Progress: 7 / 100
Skill Upgraded:
• Lightning Claw → Rare+
The energy flowed into him more violently this time, sharper and more complete this time.
Jin gasped.
Killing monsters … gives more experience.
The realization burned itself into his mind.
Across the street, thunder roared again as Li Yuan and Thunderlord Varkhaz clashed once more, the Epic monster
rearing back for another devastating roar.
Backup sirens wailed faintly in the distance.
Ten minutes was almost up.