Three days ago, the Radiant Church welcomed a newly appointed Cardinal.
This newly ascended Rank-Nine wind-type Grand Magus had earned the Pope's deep favor.
Upon learning that he had yet to form a contract with a magical beast, the Pope assigned six Deacons to accompany him to the Mountain Range of Magical Beasts in search of a powerful beast to form a contract with.
However, the newly appointed Cardinal found them unworthy. Had he been alone, he might have considered contracting a Rank-Eight magical beast—after all, their strength far surpassed that of a Rank-Eight warrior. But with six Deacons aiding him, he felt confident that he could contract a Rank-Nine magical beast.
If fortune smiled upon him, even a Saint-Level magical beast might be within reach.
Yet, in these three days, they had not even glimpsed the shadow of a Rank-Nine magical beast, let alone a Saint-Level one. That was until today—just as they were about to rest, they spotted a massive beast near a small stream.
"An Armored Razorback Wyrm!"
Whether in offense or defense, it stood at the pinnacle—virtually unmatched beneath the Saint-Level. However, Armored Razorback Wyrms were among the proudest of the dragon race. Almost no one had ever managed to form a contract with one.
As soon as Aru, the Rank-Nine wind-type Grand Magus, laid eyes on Sadius, he set his sights on contracting the beast.
Unlike other flying magical beasts, the Wyrm lacked wings, but that hardly mattered to Aru. As a wind-type Grand Magus, he could fly on his own—he had no need for a flying mount. A Rank-Nine Armored Razorback Wyrm was undeniably among the strongest of its tier. Contracting one would surely turn heads.
"What do you think?" Aru asked.
The six Deacons exchanged glances. Their mission was to aid the Cardinal in forming a contract with a magical beast. They had expected him to settle for any Rank-Nine beast. They hadn't anticipated that the very first Rank-Nine magical beast they encountered would be the most powerful of its kind.
"Very well, if you've decided, we will assist you. However, Armored Razorback Wyrms are notoriously arrogant. Even if we grievously wound it, it may refuse to submit."
"We won't know until we try. I'll be counting on you all."
By the stream, Sadius took a few sips of water. He longed to ascend to godhood, to take on human form, and indulge in the delicacies of human civilization.
He had already noticed disturbances in the distant forest. At first, he assumed it was another magical beast. But upon closer inspection, he realized it was a group of humans.
This was the first time he had encountered humans since arriving in the Yulan Continent. For a moment, he felt a twinge of excitement. But he quickly sobered—he was no longer human. He was a magical beast now. And for a group of humans to venture this deep into the Mountain Range of Magical Beasts, they could not be weak.
"None of them seem to be Saint-Level. Otherwise, they wouldn't be so cautious. But if they're all Rank-Nine experts, I might not stand a chance against them alone."
As Sadius pondered his options, he suddenly felt the elemental forces around him surge.
"Wind magic! One of them is a Rank-Nine wind-type Grand Magus!"
Blades of wind came slashing toward him from a distance. Sadius effortlessly dodged them. He hadn't expected the humans to attack first.
A magus clad in a cyan robe took to the skies, appearing in Sadius's line of sight. Six other warriors, clad in violet Deacon robes, charged forth from the forest. The airborne magus wielded a staff embedded with a Rank-Nine magicite core.
"Armored Razorback Wyrm! Submit to me, or today will be your last!" Aru declared from above.
Sadius eyed the seven humans. For so many Rank-Nine experts to move together, they had to be from one of the Yulan Continent's most powerful factions.
He let out a contemptuous snort—his derision was unmistakable, even to humans unfamiliar with draconic speech.
"Attack together! Cripple the beast first!"
Aru unleashed a torrent of wind blades. His strategy was simple—exploit his ranged advantage as a wind magus, maintaining an untouchable position while attacking from afar. Meanwhile, the six warriors, all Rank-Nine, exuded radiant battle-qi.
"The Radiant Church."
Finally, an opportunity to test his true power.
Aru's magic attacks were worthless—ordinary Rank-Nine spells couldn't even scratch his scales. The real threat came from the six warriors. Radiant battle-qi.
Sadius immediately recognized the danger. They were about to unleash the Angelic Formation—a unique battle formation exclusive to the Radiant Church.
Sure enough, the moment Aru's spells proved ineffective, the six warriors formed a six-pointed star.
With synchronized precision, the six warriors charged. The Angelic Formation surged toward him like a celestial spear. Sadius knew he couldn't afford to take the attack head-on.
The Angelic Formation's strength was renowned, but now that his combat power rivaled a Saint-Level, he wanted to test its limits.
With a mighty swing of his tail, he struck the formation. A sharp pang of pain shot through him. Without hesitation, he repositioned himself.
He then channeled his power, his claws wreathed in an ominous fusion of sword intent and darkness.
The warriors exchanged astonished glances. A Rank-Nine magical beast had actually withstood the Angelic Formation? They immediately intensified their efforts. The Angelic Formation's radiance surged dramatically.
Sadius could feel the terrifying pressure of their next strike—he couldn't afford to take it head-on. Without hesitation, he activated his trump card.
The Armored Razorback Wyrm's body was streamlined, and his claws were razor-sharp—his ability to burrow was unparalleled. Just before the formation's devastating blow landed, Sadius dove underground.