The battlefield burned beneath crimson skies.
Thousands of beasts continued crashing against Flamedale City's defenses while explosions illuminated the night endlessly. The ground outside the walls had long since turned into a mixture of mud, blood, shattered stone, and burning corpses.
Yet amidst all the chaos—
Silence briefly existed between Daniel and the Flameberry Butterfly.
The massive crimson creature hovered above the battlefield while embers drifted around its wings like falling stars.
Then Daniel spoke calmly once more.
"If you continue this war, your species disappears."
The butterfly's scarlet eyes narrowed, as it spoke in anger, "You speak as though humans deserve survival more than us."
"I said nothing about deserving."Daniel's voice remained indifferent, "I'm speaking about outcomes and consequences."
The butterfly's wings twitched sharply.
Below them, another mana cannon fired from Flamedale's walls.
BOOOOM.
The projectile exploded near the beast horde, annihilating dozens of Novice Rank creatures instantly. Several beasts screamed in agony.
The butterfly watched silently.
Then another explosion followed.
Then another.
The beast wave slowly began losing momentum beneath the city's defenses.
And finally— Something inside the butterfly snapped.
WHOOSH.
Crimson flames exploded outward from its body violently. The surrounding air distorted instantly beneath terrifying heat. Its scarlet eyes burned with rage.
"…Outcomes?" The butterfly's voice trembled faintly, "They burned our forest."
BOOOOOM.
Flames erupted across the skies. The surrounding mana became unstable.
"They slaughtered our young and now you ask me to survive quietly?"
Its burning wings spread fully open. The pressure radiating from the Expert Rank beast intensified drastically. Even nearby hunters began collapsing beneath the heat alone.
Daniel narrowed his eyes faintly. The butterfly had lost emotional control. Not good.
Then suddenly—
WHOOSH.
The butterfly shot toward Flamedale City like a crimson comet. The skies ignited behind it.
"BURN."
Hundreds of flaming projectiles materialized around the butterfly instantly before raining downward toward the city.
BOOOOOM.
Entire defensive sectors exploded apart. Mana cannons melted. Barricades shattered instantly beneath the bombardment. Hunters screamed as crimson flames consumed sections of the battlefield.
Lucas Reinhart's expression immediately darkened atop the western wall, "…Foolish beast."
Then—
BOOM.
The old principal vanished.
The next instant— Lucas appeared directly in the butterfly's path midair.
The atmosphere itself seemed to freeze.
The butterfly's instincts screamed instantly.
Extreme danger.
Before it could react—
CRACK.
Lucas struck.
His warstaff smashed directly into the butterfly's body with overwhelming force.
BOOOOOOOM.
The skies exploded. A shockwave tore across the battlefield violently as the butterfly was blasted through the air like a meteor. Entire clouds dispersed from the impact.
The massive beast crashed through several distant hills before finally stopping.
Silence spread briefly across the battlefield.
Daniel's eyes narrowed slightly, 'Mid Expert Rank.'
Lucas floated silently above the battlefield afterward.
Dense silver mana radiated around his body while the pressure he released completely suppressed the surrounding area. Below him, even Adept Rank beasts instinctively retreated.
The difference between ranks became obvious instantly. The butterfly slowly emerged from the destroyed hills moments later.
Its body was covered in cracks. One wing hung partially broken. Flames leaked uncontrollably from its wounds.
Yet despite the damage… Daniel noticed something strange.
The mana inside the butterfly felt unstable. As though two different energies were colliding within its body continuously.
Lucas noticed it as well.
"…So that's why." The old man's gaze sharpened, "You haven't fully stabilized your evolution."
The butterfly roared furiously afterward. Its flames surged violently again despite its injuries.
Lucas sighed faintly.
"Recently evolved Expert Rank." His eyes narrowed, "And forcefully evolved at that."
The butterfly's body trembled. Its unstable mana leaked outward chaotically now.
Then suddenly— A second aura emerged briefly from within its body.
Ancient and Noble. Far more terrifying than ordinary flames.
For a split second, the crimson butterfly's silhouette distorted and Daniel saw it. Not a Flameberry Butterfly but a Monarch Butterfly. Its true bloodline. Golden wings vast enough to cover mountains. Solar flames capable of incinerating oceans. A being that once stood at the peak of entire worlds.
Then the vision vanished instantly.
Daniel's eyes sharpened, 'Interesting. Very interesting. The butterfly itself clearly has not fully awakened the bloodline yet. Something has triggered its evolution prematurely. A treasure. Most likely a high grade fire or solar aspect treasure.'
"Your evolution is incomplete." Lucas slowly raised his warstaff again as Silver mana gathered around him densely, "You should have hidden until stabilization."
The butterfly roared violently.
It already knew that. Its evolution had begun naturally months ago. But the destruction of its territory by awakened hunters forced it to consume the treasure early to survive. That was the only reason it managed to reach Expert Rank now.
Unfortunately for it… Its body still could not fully handle the Monarch Butterfly bloodline awakening.
Then Lucas attacked again.
BOOM.
Silver light erupted across the skies instantly. The butterfly attempted to counterattack with flames.
Too slow.
CRACK.
Lucas' warstaff smashed directly through the firestorm before striking the butterfly again.
BOOOOOOOM.
The beast crashed into the battlefield violently this time. The ground shattered apart beneath the impact. Blood sprayed across burning earth. The surrounding beasts immediately panicked. Their leader was losing badly.
Daniel silently observed the battle, 'The butterfly isn't weak, far from it actually. Its bloodline potential is monstrous. But right now… It lacks time, experience and control.'
Lucas floated downward slowly afterward. His expression remained calm, "Return to the forest."
The butterfly struggled to rise. Flames flickered weakly around its broken body.
Lucas continued calmly, "You are intelligent enough to understand this battle is lost."
The butterfly trembled violently. Hatred filled its scarlet eyes.
Yet beneath that hatred— Fear had finally appeared. Not the fear of death, but the fear of extinction.
Daniel quietly watched everything unfold. Then his gaze narrowed slightly.
'The butterfly possess immense value. Not merely as an Expert Rank beast. Its Monarch Butterfly bloodline alone made it priceless. Even in higher worlds, Monarch Butterflies are legendary creatures. And more importantly… It is intelligent.'
That mattered. A beast capable of reasoning could become far more than a simple contracted creature.
Then suddenly—
The butterfly's unstable mana surged again. Its body began cracking apart from internal backlash.
Lucas frowned slightly, "…Your core is collapsing."
The butterfly's incomplete evolution was finally reaching its limit. Its body simply could not sustain the unstable Monarch Butterfly bloodline forcefully awakening inside it. Flames erupted uncontrollably from its wounds. The surrounding beasts panicked further.
Daniel silently observed the butterfly for several seconds. Then finally made a decision. 'I want it. The butterfly possesses enough potential to eventually become terrifying. Especially under my proper guidance.'
Then— Daniel moved.
BOOM.
Wind mana erupted beneath his feet as he shot directly toward the battlefield center. Lucas immediately noticed him.
"…Daniel?"
Even the butterfly looked stunned seeing the weak human approach.
Daniel stopped several meters away calmly. Then looked directly at the dying butterfly, "…Do you want to survive?"