The forest of Zone 17 felt different as Team Three made their way back.
The battle was over.
The A-rank monster was dead.
And yet…
The air had become heavier.
Kai walked slightly behind Leo, still unable to calm his thoughts.
"I'm telling you," he whispered to Ryu, "that was not normal."
Ryu scratched his head.
"I agree."
"But I'm also not complaining."
Milan adjusted his glasses.
"We should focus on returning safely."
Luna walked at the front, guiding the team through the forest.
But her attention was not on the path.
It was on Leo.
She could still remember the moment clearly.
The instant when Leo stopped the monster's attack.
The faint golden aura she had seen.
That was not mana.
It was something else.
Something she had never seen before.
Leo walked quietly behind her.
His expression was calm.
But inside…
The divine blood was restless.
More restless than before.
Almost like it was reacting to something nearby.
The ancient voice inside him spoke again.
"It has awakened."
Leo's eyes narrowed slightly.
"What?"
"Something beneath this land."
Leo stopped walking.
The others noticed immediately.
Kai turned around.
"Why did you stop?"
Leo looked toward the ground.
His gaze became serious.
"Something is wrong."
Before anyone could ask—
The ground trembled.
A deep rumbling sound echoed through the forest.
Trees shook violently.
Birds flew into the sky in panic.
Kai grabbed onto a nearby tree.
"Not again!"
Milan looked at his scanner.
The screen began flickering wildly.
"This isn't coming from the surface…"
Luna's eyes sharpened.
"It's below us."
The ground suddenly cracked open.
A massive fissure split the earth apart.
Everyone jumped back.
From the darkness below…
A strange energy began rising.
Not like the corrupted energy of the monster.
This was older.
Heavier.
Ancient.
Leo felt it instantly.
The divine blood inside his body reacted strongly.
His heart began beating faster.
"This presence…"
The ancient voice spoke again.
"It is not a monster."
The crack in the ground widened.
A deep glow appeared from within.
Slowly…
Something began to rise.
At first, only darkness.
Then…
A massive claw emerged.
Not made of flesh.
Not made of bone.
It looked like black crystal mixed with ancient stone.
Covered with glowing golden lines.
Kai's voice trembled.
"…What is that?"
The ground exploded outward.
BOOM.
A gigantic creature rose from beneath the earth.
Its body was enormous.
Even larger than the A-rank monster Leo had just defeated.
Its form looked ancient and incomplete.
Like something that had been sleeping for thousands of years.
Cracks covered its body.
Golden light leaked through them.
Its eyes opened slowly.
Bright.
Glowing.
Ancient.
Everyone froze.
Milan's scanner shattered in his hand.
The energy was too much to measure.
"This… this level…"
He couldn't finish his sentence.
Luna's voice was serious.
"This is not an A-rank."
The creature looked down at them.
But it did not roar.
It did not attack immediately.
Instead…
It focused on one person.
Leo.
Its glowing eyes locked onto him.
The entire forest seemed to fall silent.
The ancient being spoke.
Not with sound.
But directly into their minds.
"A familiar presence…"
Kai fell to his knees.
"What… what is happening…"
Ryu struggled to stay standing.
The pressure alone was overwhelming.
Even Luna was having difficulty resisting it.
But Leo stood still.
Completely unaffected.
Because the energy coming from the creature…
Was similar to his own.
The ancient voice inside Leo spoke again.
"This is a fragment."
Leo's eyes narrowed.
"A fragment of what?"
"…A god."
For a moment, everything became silent.
The massive creature slowly lowered its head.
Its glowing eyes studied Leo carefully.
Then it spoke again inside their minds.
"You carry divine blood."
Kai's eyes widened in shock.
"DIVINE?!"
Leo did not respond.
The creature continued.
"That power does not belong to this world."
The ground trembled again.
The creature's body began to stabilize.
The cracks in its form slowly started closing.
Its presence became even heavier.
Stronger.
More complete.
Milan whispered in fear.
"It's getting stronger…"
Luna stepped forward slightly despite the pressure.
"If it fully awakens…"
She didn't finish the sentence.
Because everyone already understood.
They would not survive.
Leo took a slow breath.
He had tried to stay hidden.
To live quietly.
But now…
That was no longer possible.
The creature in front of him was not like the others.
It could see him.
Understand him.
And if it fully awakened…
It would destroy everything around them.
The ancient voice inside Leo spoke one last time.
"You must decide."
"Hide…"
"Or reveal a fraction of your true power."
Leo closed his eyes briefly.
Then he opened them again.
For the first time since arriving in this world…
A faint golden light appeared in his eyes.
The forest trembled.
The air itself seemed to react.
Kai stared in disbelief.
"…Leo?"
Luna's eyes widened slightly.
"So it's true…"
Leo stepped forward.
Toward the ancient being.
And for the first time…
He stopped holding back.