Phoenix Meneta, who ruled the Island Whale, was irritated.
It was because of the things that had been tailing the Island Whale recently.
At first, he thought they were young Island Whales, but as they got closer, he realized they were fierce and violent creatures that had nothing to do with his kind. They were even intelligent; whenever they felt targeted, they would flee. Even though they hadn’t caused any harm, their behavior was exactly like a scouting party following prey.
‘I should purify the next sea area and deal with them.’
The Island Whale swam in the direction Meneta guided. In that direction was a sea area where various races lived together. It was a place that hadn’t developed much, so they couldn’t expand to other sea areas and lived crowded together within it.
Meneta intended to determine the level of Demon pollution there. If it was below the threshold, he would leave it alone; if it was above, he would purify it. This was a promise made to his first and last contractor. It was also revenge for losing his contractor to the Demons and having the contractor’s world destroyed.
The memories of that time were vivid in Meneta’s mind. The face of the contractor he met shortly after he was born, the times they traveled the world together, and the sight of him growing old. Then, the moment of death that came while struggling against the Demon invasion, his final words, and the collapsing world.
Reflecting on those memories, Meneta purified numerous sea areas while riding the Island Whale. Occasionally, he even attacked the Demon Realm to burn the Demons.
‘I heard a world won a great victory against the Demons, so I should look into it.’
The annihilation of Demons was his joy. The removal of places invaded by Demons was his mission.
They arrived at their destination. Meneta spread his wings and flew off to survey the Super-large Dimension in the center of the sea area. Elves and Metra were the most numerous, and a small number of humans lived there as well. They looked at the giant Phoenix and either worshiped or feared him.
On the surface, it appeared to be an ordinary civilization. However, Meneta’s eyes did not miss the Demons hidden in various places. They were there, but only a few. It was a ratio that would make it difficult to cause social chaos, and one couldn’t say the entire place had fallen to the Demons.
It wasn’t even enough to discuss the level of Demon pollution, but Meneta was different. To him, who was full of rage and a desire for revenge, even this much was unacceptable.
Dropping into the center of the Super-large Dimension, Meneta spread his wings. Mana condensed, and feathers fluttered wildly. Elves and Metra gathered at the ominous sight. They tried to stop him, but they couldn’t even get close due to the immense heat.
“Be purified.”
The moment the gathered mana exceeded its critical point, a flash of light erupted. A pillar of fire soared, and everything—regardless of whether it was soil, trees, or living creatures—melted.
“What’s happening?”
“It’s a disaster! We have to stop it!”
“The ones who went to check on the Phoenix are all dead!”
“Danger! Danger! Dimension-wide response needed!”
Strong individuals who had awakened through the Dimension System and reached A-rank gathered: Warriors, Mages, Summoners, and Spirit Masters. However, the Summoners were soon excluded from the battle. Their summons were too afraid of Meneta to fight properly.
A battle broke out between Meneta and his Transcendent Beasts against the Elves, Metra, and humans. No, it was closer to a massacre than a battle. With a single flap of Meneta’s wings, hundreds or thousands melted away or died as their airways were scorched. The A-rank Awakened also began to fall one by one.
“Why are you doing this…?” an Elf asked.
As the strongest Awakened in this dimension, his left arm and left leg had melted away, and the left side of his face was a mess of severe burns.
“Because you are filthy.”
“Filthy…?”
“Demons are hiding among you. You will soon become evil beings just like the Demons.”
“Nonsense! We’ve lived in peace!”
“That won’t last long, either.”
“You Demon-like bastard!”
The Elf let out a scream-like battle cry and fired an Ice Spear. Meneta flicked his wings. The Ice Spear and the Elf evaporated simultaneously. The expression the Elf wore in his final moment was too similar to that of the contractor Meneta had lost.
“Acting like you know nothing. It is only right to exterminate even a handful of Demons.”
After killing all the Awakened who had gathered to stop him, Meneta prepared to begin the purification. Purification was simple. He would fly across the dimension and burn everything. He would use his flames to remove anything that might have touched a Demon and anyone who might have spoken to one. It was Meneta’s unique way of purifying a dimension.
*K-boom!*
An explosion erupted from the Dimension Sea. Sensing an ominous presence, Meneta looked toward the Island Whale.
“Those things…!”
There were heaps of the same creatures that had been following the Island Whale. Meneta abandoned the purification and flew toward them. Since he had practically suppressed this place, protecting the Island Whale was more important.
As he left the dimension, those who remained prayed fervently for the newly appeared forces to win.
—
‘I felt a bit uncomfortable killing it since it was a Transcendent Beast.’
Choi Kangjoong had been reluctant to kill a Transcendent Beast, as they sometimes contracted with Summoners to fight alongside them. However, seeing the indiscriminate massacre carried out in the dimension, that feeling vanished completely. After sending Kai to listen to the conversation, it turned out this wasn’t the first or second time the Phoenix had done such a thing.
‘I won’t have to use Bio Pods this time.’
Titans carrying small Apocalids charged into the Island Whale’s side. Kuongi and the Super Titans fired their Breaths. The Transcendent Beasts on the surface of the Island Whale were swept away, and the Titans landed safely on its side.
Apocalids poured out from the mouths and sides of the Titans. The Battle Titans on their backs jumped down and swung their Abyssal Claws. The bodies of the giant Transcendent Beasts were sliced apart.
*Whoosh!*
A horse-shaped Transcendent Beast galloped across the back of a Battle Titan. Flames erupted wherever the beast’s hooves touched. Normally, those magical flames would be difficult to extinguish and would burn using the enemy’s body as fuel.
However, the Flame Absorption evolution code did not allow that. The flames, which had never betrayed a Transcendent Beast before, were instead absorbed by the Battle Titan’s Chitin Gauntlet and converted into energy. Having replenished its energy, the Battle Titan slammed its Abyssal Claw down with even more force.
*Crunch!*
The horse Transcendent Beast was split in two and fell. The situation for the other Transcendent Beasts was similar. They were torn apart by Warriors and Giants or collapsed after being hit by Mana Cannons.
“They’re fighting well.”
Flame Absorption couldn’t absorb fire indefinitely, but it synergized with the Environmental Adaptation evolution code, making it sufficient for the heat here.
“Grrr.”
Lutal let out a warning growl as he saw Meneta approaching.
“Can you win by yourself?”
“Grrr.”
Lutal replied that it would be more efficient to fight together.
“No. Fighting alone is better for gaining experience.”
“Grrr.”
Lutal didn’t understand, but he obeyed the Outer Mind’s will regardless. At Lutal’s command, the Central Bomber Giants and Fighter Bomber Giants took to the sky. Kuongi produced Bomber Giants to support Lutal. Lutal led 500 flying Apocalids and flew toward Meneta.
“As I thought, you are wicked creatures just like Demons!”
A Fighter Giant with its wing severed by Meneta’s Fire Cutter fell. Some were sliced vertically and couldn’t even survive with Death Resistance. Lutal felt it was a waste that combat efficiency dropped in the absence of Iselin, who was an excellent Life Essence launcher. Instead, he decided to fight even more fiercely.
“Grrr.”
Lutal accelerated. It was a speed so fast that even Meneta momentarily lost track of him. The Chitin Cannons of the Fighter Giants and Bomber Giants also drew Meneta’s attention. Chitin Spikes embedded themselves in Meneta’s feathers or flesh and released parasites. The temperature between Meneta’s feathers was hot enough to melt metal, but the parasites clung on stubbornly, harassing Meneta with evolution codes like Death Resistance, Rapid Regeneration, Environmental Adaptation, and Flame Absorption.
“You pests!”
As Meneta flapped his wings violently, the parasites fell off in clusters. In that interval, Lutal approached the back of Meneta’s head. Amidst the heat that felt like the atmosphere was boiling, Lutal’s Death Blade lunged forward.
*Slash!*
Meneta’s nape was deeply cut. From the pain, the flames across Meneta’s entire body grew stronger.
*Slash!*
The nape was cut again. Meneta flew rapidly and twisted his body to shake Lutal off. Once Lutal was thrown back, a portion of Meneta’s vision was dyed pure white.
It was the Breath fired by Kuongi and the Super Titans. The eleven Breaths occupied even the space available for evasion, so Meneta had no choice but to be hit. Meneta moved in the direction of the one that looked the weakest and wrapped his wings around his body.
*K-boom!*
A massive impact shook Meneta. It was a power equivalent to being hit directly by a Demon Duke’s Great Magic. Meanwhile, the Bomber Giants and Fighter Giants surrounded Meneta and fired Chitin Spikes. Meneta was instantly turned into a pincushion. The heat had decreased compared to before, allowing the parasites to dig deeper into his flesh. Flames like blood dripped from his entire body.
“Aaaagh!”
Whenever Meneta flew off spasmodically, Lutal inevitably flew in and slashed at his vitals. With a simple yet reliable attack routine, Meneta gradually lost his strength. There were no Transcendent Beasts to help him, either. While he was being overwhelmed, they had long since been swept away by the bombardment from the giant Apocalids and Cannon Giants.
“Damn it! This can’t be! I must kill more Demons…!”
If he had truly only targeted Demons, Choi Kangjoong might have reconsidered devouring Meneta at least once.
“Kill him.”
*Stab!*
The Death Blade tore through the joint of Meneta’s wing. Meneta’s flight ability decreased, and Kuongi’s Breath struck him square in the chest.
*K-boom!*
It was a Breath of a completely different level from the Hive Class. It pierced through the powerful flame defense and destroyed his heart. Meneta lost consciousness, and Lutal quickly severed his head. An Air Walker flew over and placed the separated parts of Meneta into the Soil Pit inside Kuongi. Before he could even regenerate, Meneta melted and became nourishment and Evolution Points.
‘That one thing alone gives 30,000,000 Evolution Points.’
Since it was powerful, the Evolution Points obtained were also massive.
‘Let’s dismantle the Island Whale quickly too.’
The Island Whale had already died after its internal organs were torn out by the small Apocalids. It was the end for a giant creature with no means of internal defense. Not only the Walkers but every Apocalid equipped with Abyssal Claws moved.
As the Battle Titans sliced it into large chunks, the Giants made them into smaller pieces, and the Cannon Giants, Skyeye Giants, and Fighter Giants transported them. Those of the Titan Class and above ate them by the mouthful. Before long, the giant monster that was over 50 kilometers long vanished without a trace. Everything had gone into the Soil Pit. It provided a massive amount of nourishment, though the Evolution Points were fewer than those from Meneta.
‘Meneta was stronger, after all.’
**[The Special Unit Production function has been added.]**
**[You can now produce Special Units.]**
**[Psionic Specialization is involved in the production function.]**
**[Special Units will possess skills.]**
**[Source Evolution is involved in the production function.]**
**[Special Units will be produced with a Source Generation Organ.]**
**[Mana Development is involved in the production function.]**
**[A mana attribute will be granted to Special Units.]**
“Finally!”
Having reached the moment he had been waiting for, Choi Kangjoong entered the Evolution Chamber with a broad smile.