Outbreak

The larvae, devoured within moments of their birth, were reduced to nothing more than energy, festering in the belly of the Thunder Scorpion. Sparks of electric light crackled through its monstrous form, pulsing rhythmically across its chitinous exoskeleton like veins carrying dark, lethal power.

Chen Feng stood still, watching in silence. He didn't interfere with the scorpion's grotesque feast.

It was like a ritual.

Like preparing Drunken Shrimp—a delicacy in which live shrimp are soaked in wine, intoxicated, and then submerged in more rice wine, ready for consumption. The diners relish the sweet flesh of the shrimp, steeped in the heady bitterness of the wine. In this twisted scenario, the larvae were the scorpion's offering, their energy consumed and absorbed.

Each one fed its growing strength, a macabre nourishment that heightened its vitality, pushing it far beyond its former peak. In this state, the scorpion's potential had soared, and with it, the chances of Chen Feng summoning a creature of equal power grew exponentially.

The scorpion, lost in the agony of its feeding frenzy, was oblivious to the danger lurking just a few meters away. Its senses dulled, blinded by the carnage of devouring its young.

It's time.

The Thunder Scorpion had finished its feast, its vitality surging violently. If it remains at Silver Realm, it would have had only thirty years of life remaining. But now, its life force had surged, extending beyond fifty years.

Fifty years of raw, surging energy.

It now teetered on the edge of transcending, of evolving into something even more terrifying. The possibility of limitless growth loomed before it.

But Chen Feng had no intention of allowing that to happen.

Clack.

The sound of a single footstep echoed like a gunshot through the chamber. Chen Feng stepped forward.

Hisssss…

The Thunder Scorpion snapped to attention, sensing the encroaching threat. Its massive pincers clicked together with a sound like the grinding of bones. The air around it buzzed, filled with the sharp scent of ozone as lightning arced across its armored body, dancing between its claws.

Electricity pulsed over its skin like a living entity, the scorpion's charge brimming with destructive potential. Its very touch paralyzed, its lightning attacks capable of reducing enemies to charred remains.

The Thunder Scorpion was a hybrid monstrosity—deadly in both close combat and from a distance, a seamless blend of physical and elemental power. Against an ordinary foe, this would be a hopeless battle.

The Harbinger, still dripping with plasma and remnants of the Blood Leech's flesh, took a step forward.

"I don't need you..."

Chen Feng raised his hand, halting them.

The Thunder Scorpion had not yet fully regained its strength after the gruesome birth. This fight wasn't for his summons. This fight was his.

He wanted to feel the raw power of his own strength.

As he stepped further into the room, his body began to shift.

Balrog Form.

His clothes disintegrated into ash, consumed by the rising heat. Fiery symbols burned into his flesh, starting from his abdomen, crawling up his pale skin like living brands. The room, once cold and oppressive, was now engulfed in blistering heat.

Flames licked at his body, covering him entirely, transforming him into a walking inferno. Chen Feng stood, wreathed in fire, a blazing beacon in the oppressive darkness. The room around him crackled and sizzled under the heat, humidity evaporating into the air.

Power.

This was true power—burning from within, searing through his veins. His soul felt as though it had caught fire, his entire being ablaze with an overwhelming sense of might.

His voice was a cold whisper, devoid of emotion as he stared down the Thunder Scorpion.

"Let the flames purify everything."

In his hand, a burning longsword materialized, flames flickering along the blade's edge.

The Thunder Scorpion, the embodiment of cruelty, had devoured its own offspring for strength. From the start, this had been its plan. By consuming the larvae, it had absorbed a potent, terrifying life force.

Left unchecked, this creature would evolve—its potential limitless.

Gold Realm?

The possibility was not out of reach.

But the steady rhythm of the Thunder Scorpion's dominance was shattered in an instant, thrown into chaos by Chen Feng's intervention.

Hisssss!

A bone-chilling roar tore through the air.

The Thunder Scorpion, fierce and agitated, had been provoked. In its frantic feeding, the remnants of its larvae still clung grotesquely to the corners of its maw. The creature's venomous tail lashed the air, its massive pincers clicking violently, while arcs of lightning danced across its armored body—an impenetrable fortress of flesh, a seamless blend of offense and defense.

But none of that would halt Chen Feng's relentless assault.

Flames ignited around him.

Chen Feng shot forward, a blur of speed and precision, his movement swift and unnatural—like a predator striking in the dead of night. Just as the Thunder Scorpion lunged toward him, his flaming sword descended from above, cutting through the air with deadly intent.

The Thunder Scorpion, despite its formidable size, found it impossible to fully evade. The searing blade ripped into its thick exoskeleton, flames licking at the edges of the wound, cauterizing it instantly and preventing even a single drop of blood from spilling.

The flames burrowed deeper into its flesh, searing through nerve and sinew.

Agony.

The creature let out a furious screech, driven into a frenzy by the pain. Its colossal pincers slashed wildly at Chen Feng, the smell of its charred flesh clinging thickly to the air.

This was a predator unaccustomed to defeat. The Thunder Scorpion, ruler of this domain, had never experienced such devastation. Its fury grew, fueling its movements. Faster. More aggressive.

Chen Feng was forced back, step by step.

Even in its weakened state, the Thunder Scorpion's combat instincts remained lethal. Its massive tail swung like a serpent, the stinger poised with deadly precision, ready to strike the moment Chen Feng faltered.

Provocation!

A savage gleam twisted the scorpion's eyes. Though its body was charred, its internal organs remained untouched, and the unrelenting rage inside it only grew.

Rage!

The creature's fury reached a crescendo, its entire body flushing with a deep, blood-red hue. Even from a distance, the pounding of its heartbeat echoed like a drum of war.

Chen Feng was driven back once more, his footing slipping as the Thunder Scorpion lunged, closing the gap to a mere three meters. At this distance, the overwhelming stench of its putrid maw engulfed him, its rancid breath filling the air.

Suddenly, Chen Feng let himself fall backward.

For a fleeting moment, it seemed as though he had succumbed to the intensity of the battle, his body collapsing under the scorpion's relentless assault. The Thunder Scorpion, sensing imminent victory, lunged forward, its massive legs kicking off the ground, surging toward Chen Feng with terrifying speed.

In a heartbeat, they were face to face.

Yet there was no fear in Chen Feng's gaze—only a cold, calculating smile. His lips curled upward, and in a voice as frigid as death, he whispered:

"Phantasmal Eye… Open."