Nest

As the first tendrils of sunlight pierced the thick canopy, an air of primal tension hung over the serene forest. A courageous band of men, bathed in the gentle morning glow, formed a steadfast line of defense against a formidable adversary—a gathering of bears as indomitable as the ancient oaks themselves.

Amongst the human contingent, an audacious figure emerged, his body devoid of the protective embrace of armor. He stood alone, armed only with his bare hands and unyielding spirit, casting a shadow over the ghost-eyed bears below.

Bian's fearless gaze, as it swept across the eerie luminescence of the bears' eyes, reflected a resolve unshaken by the perilous encounter that lay ahead. He had made the audacious choice to confront this daunting challenge without the encumbrance of metal, a testament to his unwavering courage and absolute conviction.

Amidst the gathering of bears, a colossal behemoth took its place at the forefront, a towering monument to nature's majesty. This titan among bears appeared as though it had been sculpted from the very bedrock of the forest. Its fur, an intricate tapestry resembling shimmering steel, seemed impervious to harm.

Yet, it was the creature's vertical eye that held all those who beheld it in awe—an enigmatic guardian that exuded an aura of invincibility.

With this eye, the behemoth possessed an almost mystical ability to foresee and elude even the swiftest of assaults, rendering it nearly untouchable. Its strength, had reached the pinnacle of sacred-blood beasts.

Bian and the bear charged towards each other, the massive creature raising its paw with astonishing agility. Just in time, Bian employed his Sparticle technique, sidestepping the bear's powerful strike. With precision, he struck the creature's head, channeling potent yin energy into the blow.

The bear, now dazed and seething with anger, lunged at Bian. Meanwhile, the other members of the group battled mutant bears using their weapons and armor, but their attention was drawn to Bian, who faced the sacred-blood creature with neither armor nor weapons.

Although Bian's punches seemed ineffective at first, he continued to pummel the bear's head, relentlessly dodging its retaliatory attacks. In a muttered declaration, he proclaimed, "Time to end this," infusing his strike with yang energy.

In an instant, the yin energy within the bear's head transformed into yang energy, causing its skull to explode like a ripe watermelon.

[Sacred-blood ghost-eyed bear killed. No beast soul gained. Eat the ghost-eyed bear to gain 0 to 10 sacred geno points.]

With newfound determination, the humans rallied and swiftly dispatched the remaining bears. 'I love a good monologue' Bian mused.

"That was amazing, brother," they exclaimed with fervor in their voices.

"Let's go back and rest," Xu Ruyan urged impatiently, her gaze revealing her eagerness. Bian, stained with blood, acknowledged her, "It's still early, and I need to freshen up."

Summoning the wings of the azure bunting, he soared upwards, disappearing from view. 

"Shit, hurry to the nest!" Xu Ruyan, Fu Shan, and the rest of the special squad hastened to the nest.

A nest served as the hatching ground for super creatures after an extended period. If an egg in a nest was destroyed, it granted a random beast soul, often a sacred-blood one.

As they ascended through the growing layers of earth, they came upon a deep hole on the uppermost platform. They descended into it, finding the green walls of the nest still intact.

Just as Xu Ruyan was about to breathe a sigh of relief, a voice behind her startled her.

"So, this is where you guys were," Bian said.

I just went to wash up, and I couldn't find you guys, so this is a nest." Bian took a look around and began walking towards the green wall.

"This is the the mission we were sent on, and I would greatly appreciate it if you left." With seriousness in her voice, Xu Ruyan said.

"However, these are the sanctuaries, so first come, first served." Bian moved over to the green wall.

Although the other members weren't easily swayed, antagonizing Bian wouldn't end gently, especially when he blew up a sacred-blood beast with only his fist.

Bian broke the wall and went into the nest, his quest for the egg had taken a treacherous turn. As he meticulously searched for it, a sudden attack came in the form of a white skeleton, clutching a menacing pair of black daggers. The unnatural, erratic movements of the skeleton left Bian in a perilous predicament, struggling to defend himself.

Amidst the chaos, Xu Ruyan and Fu Shan, seized the opportunity to press forward toward the egg. They left Bian to grapple with the enigmatic skeleton that had entrapped him.

But the trials were far from over. Out of nowhere, a menacing manticore descended from above, standing as a formidable guardian of the egg. With a deafening roar, it lunged at Fu Shan, who valiantly summoned his sacred-blood sword to fend off the beast. However, the manticore's strength was overwhelming, relentlessly pushing Fu Shan back and causing his once-imposing sword to show signs of stress, cracks forming on its surface.

Cursing their ill-fated circumstances, Fu Shan issued a grim order, "Retreat! We cannot best this creature." His fellow special squad members begrudgingly obeyed, hastily retreating from the menacing manticore.

But Xu Ruyan, driven by an unyielding determination to possess the egg, hesitated. She clung to her position despite the impending danger. The manticore, with one swift swipe of its claw, shattered her armor, leaving her vulnerable to its brutal onslaught.

The remaining members of the special squad, witnessing this went to save her, this caused the horrifying demise of their comrade. The strictest among them fell victim to the manticore's venomous tail, reduced to a grotesque pool of blood. The scene was a gruesome spectacle etched into their memories.

With their lives hanging in the balance, they sprinted away from the nightmarish guardian. The manticore seemed singularly focused on protecting the egg, showing no interest in pursuing the fleeing squad.

They saw Bian, who had managed to dispatch the white skeleton with a decisive blow, sending its skull soaring into the air. Bian, undeterred by the horrific encounter, hurled one of the black daggers at the manticore in a desperate bid to distract it.

In a swift and unexpected move, the manticore parried the dagger with its tail and began to pursue the squad. Miraculously, they outran the relentless beast, leaving behind the nightmarish chamber and the egg that had cost them so dearly.

'Break the egg' Bian ordered the manticore.

[Egg broken, identifying beast soul...]

A mushroom flew into Bian very quickly, no one else noticed this phenomenon.

[Type of beast soul of sacred-blood Infesting Fungus: parasite]

"The beast is too strong, I think I'll find a way off this island myself" Bian said clearly afraid of the beast in the nest.

"That won't be necessary, rescue will be coming in a few months." Xu Ruyan depressingly said.

Roar!

The hole to the nest trembled as the manticore seemed to be making its way out. Bian hastily summoned a Giant golden lion and climbed on it.

"Hurry get on!" He yelled as they all jumped of the golden lion which rushed into the ocean.

The manticore saw them and flew into the sky circling the Island.

"Let's go east, I'll try my best to lead us to green shelter" Fu Shan said, Xu Ruyan face looked ashen with dissatisfaction at having to leave the island.