In the heart of the jungle stood a massive yellow earthen castle.

  It looked unnatural, as if it had fallen from the sky. Its golden-yellow walls clashed vividly against the emerald canopy, a beacon of power in the wild.

  Inside, a colossal mammoth stood at the center of the grand hall. Its fur was deep green, its tusks gleamed gold, and a small white horn protruded from its forehead like a crown. Around the beast, small green monkeys darted about, carrying fruits larger than themselves. Mana crystals were embedded in the walls in intricate formations, releasing a soft mist that strengthened every creature within. This was the true Beast Kingdom.

  Suddenly, the mana twisted.

  One by one, mighty beasts entered the castle.

  A deep blue turtle floated in on shimmering water bubbles. Behind it, a towering silver gorilla marched, its metallic body gleaming. A dark yellow jaguar followed with feline grace, a deep red flame burning where its tail should be. A thick black python slithered in, freezing the floor with every movement. A massive violet tarantula crept forward, its many eyes scanning the room, a glowing glyph resembling an eye etched into its back.

  Last to arrive was a three-meter-tall wolf, walking upright on its hind legs. Half of its fur was silver, the other half blood-red. Two crystalline horns swirled with lightning above its brow.

  They lined up before the mammoth, heads bowed. Each was a monster in its own right, prideful, powerful, and feared. Yet before the ruler of the jungle, they all acknowledged their inferiority.

  The jaguar spoke first, her voice feminine and mocking.

  “We’re missing one, aren’t we? Where’s that lunatic centipede? He’s a bloody psychopath, but at least he’s punctual.”

  The mammoth’s expression darkened. His ancient, earthy voice echoed through the hall.

  “That is the reason for this gathering. I do not summon you more than once a year, and this year’s meeting is still far off. But something happened. The centipede moved its lair. He found something in the northern caves.”

  The python hissed, its voice cold and unsettling.

  “So, the old bastard was hiding something. We should go see. Might be something tasty.”

  Mana surged violently as the mammoth’s body glowed with golden light.

  “Interrupt me again,” he thundered, “and the centipede won’t be the only one missing.”

  The python recoiled, silent. The mammoth never acted this way.

  “The centipede is dead,” the mammoth continued. “One of our own. He was with us before some of you were even born. As your ruler, I am soulbound to each of you. You pledged your lives to me. Yesterday, I felt his death, fear, pain, and then… nothing.”

  “He was Tier 8. In another hundred years, he would’ve reached Tier 9. But now, he is gone.”

  The room fell silent.

  “We must investigate. Was it something he found? Or an enemy? If he was killed, the beast responsible must be Tier 9… or stronger.”

  He turned to the tarantula.

  “Violet, send your children to the northern caverns. They must gather information without being seen.”

  Then to the others:

  “Remain here until we understand what we’re facing. There is food, and the mana crystals will keep you comfortable.”

  He turned and left the meeting room.

  “I will need to investigate something as well.”

  As soon as he vanished, the room erupted.

  “This is ridiculous!” the python snapped. “Are we just going to sit here and hide?”

  “I’m fine with that,” the turtle said slowly. “It’s comfortable. My old bones already feel younger.”

  “Oh, shut up, you ancient fraud,” the jaguar spat. “You’re the toughest one here, not some decrepit relic.”

  The turtle raised a single finger. The spit reversed midair and struck the jaguar’s forehead.

  “I’ll kill you!” the jaguar roared, her fur blazing, tail erupting into a fiery whip.

  The ground shook.

  “Enough!” the silver gorilla bellowed, stomping the floor. “This is not the time for petty fights.”

  The wolf yawned.

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  “I’m leaving. I have prey to hunt. Tell the old one to summon me if anything happens.”

  He vanished in a flash of lightning, leaving scorched earth behind.

  “I must call my children,” the tarantula whispered, her voice alluring and eerie. Her eyes glowed deep purple as she faded into the shadows.

  ***

  In the hidden underground chamber, a massive mammoth stood before a towering magical mirror. Its frame, carved from ancient bones, pulsed faintly with power. Glyphs etched into the surface flared to life, and the mirror shimmered.

  On the other side, a red-scaled figure moved slowly in the shadows.

  “Forgive me, my lord,” the mammoth said, voice trembling. “Something has happened in the jungle.”

  The mirror rippled. A colossal, reptilian eye emerged, unblinking. A hoarse, ancient voice echoed from within.

  “Speak.”

  “One of my generals has been killed,” the mammoth confessed. “He governed a region of your lands. Whoever did it must be at least Tier 9 or a Divine Beast. But the law dictates that only generals may remain here after reaching Divine Beast level. We may be dealing with a rogue beast, or an intruder from the outside world.”

  “I know the laws,” the voice snapped. The mirror quaked with irritation. “I wrote them. No one has entered Beastworld from the outside in tens of thousands of years. No one dares. The culprit must be one of your own.”

  The mammoth bowed his head. His lord spoke with certainty.

  “Find them. Eliminate them. And appoint a new general. Do not disturb me again with trivial matters.”

  The eye faded into the mist of the mirror.

  To his lord, they were all mere children. And he would not intervene in their squabbles.

  The mammoth turned and left the chamber in silence.

  ***

  In the depths of the swamp, a black wave rippled across the mossy terrain. Tiny spiders, each no larger than a pebble, moved in perfect unison. Through them, Violet saw with her mind’s eye. One of her gifts as the matriarch of the jungle’s spiders.

  The swarm reached the mouth of a cave and skittered inside.

  High above, Violet hung by a single thread in the shadowed corner of her castle, her consciousness tethered to her children. Through their eyes, she saw the cavern’s interior and the carnage within. Everywhere they went, they found only corpses. Beasts torn apart by something sharp and merciless.

  Confusion crept into her thoughts. What happened here?

  As the spiderlings ventured deeper, they reached a chamber where the bisected body of a Royal Centipede lay. A chill ran down Violet’s many legs. In terms of raw physical strength, the Royal Centipede was one of the strongest beings in the jungle. Yet something had cleaved it cleanly in two.

  She urged her children forward but sent a silent command: cloak yourselves in darkness.

  They moved cautiously, nearing the mana crystal chamber, when suddenly, something struck.

  The swarm disintegrated in an instant. Agony surged through Violet’s bond with them; hot and cold pain laced with terror. She shrieked and fell from her thread, crashing to the ground. Her body convulsed, legs curling inward as she lay on her back like a dead spider.

  The other generals rushed to her side.

  ***

  “That was overkill, don’t you think?” Kai said with a grin, glancing at Umbra.

  “Those spiders were suspicious,” Umbra replied, her crisp, feminine voice echoing through the cave. “They tried to hide their presence, and there were too many. I had to erase them all in one strike.”

  Kai chuckled. “We should head back to Scry. It’s been too long. I can’t wait to show him how much stronger we’ve become.”

  Umbra retracted her wings and shifted her form to her standard two-meter length. Together, they began walking toward the cave’s exit.

  ***

  Far away, in the Arcanum, Scry watched gleefully. His wings fluttered with anticipation. He had already made plans, how to leave the jungle, where to go next. One day, he hoped to visit his master’s old town, his school, and see the world through the eyes of the friend he had lost long ago.

  He remembered his master’s final days. A tear rolled down his furry cheek.

  ***

  In the castle, everyone had gathered around the fallen Spider Queen. The ancient turtle gently wrapped her in a shimmering bubble of water, restoring her mana and clearing her mind.

  Violet stirred, slowly regaining her composure.

  “So, what the hell happened?” the jaguar growled, pacing.

  “Something wiped out all my children in the cave. Instantly,” Violet said, her voice strained. “I couldn’t even see what it was. But I did see the centipede’s body, cleaved cleanly in two. Whoever did that is strong. Very strong.”

  A heavy silence fell over the room.

  The old mammoth entered, sensing the tension. He listened, then nodded solemnly.

  “We must proceed carefully,” he said. “If this beast is hostile, we avenge our comrade. But if it’s not an enemy, perhaps we can convince it to join us.”

  “I disagree,” rumbled the gorilla. “Anyone who harms one of us is an enemy. It shall die by our hands.”

  “The grumpy ape is right. For once,” hissed the snake.

  “Let’s send someone strong to test this creature,” the turtle suggested. “Then I can devise a plan to deal with it.”

  “Fine,” the mammoth said. “We’ll crush it like an ant. Who has someone strong near the northern region?”

  “Why not notify the centipede’s children?” the python offered with a sly grin. “Those two Tier 7 Blood Centipedes could be useful.”

  “Enough!” the mammoth thundered. “We will not sacrifice his children to test a monster.”

  The python scowled but said no more.

  “I have an old friend in the outer reaches of the swamp,” Violet said. “He’s eccentric, but his strength rivals ours, perhaps even surpasses it.”

  “Don’t tell me you mean that bastard,” the turtle snapped.

  “Who is it?” the jaguar asked.

  “The Windhail Arg Beetle,” Violet replied. “His body is made of pure Arg ore. He’s been eating rocks for centuries. His shell is tougher than the centipede’s hide.”

  “Hmph,” the mammoth grunted. “That bug’s refused to join my ranks for ages. But yes, he’s strong and cunning. He’ll flee if he senses danger.”

  “Then it’s settled,” the mammoth said. “Send your children to request his help. If he agrees, I’ll reward him with a mine of Arg ore in the northeast, one he hasn’t discovered yet.”

  Violet nodded and vanished, her mind already reaching out to her children.

  ***

  On a dark rock beside a mossy lake, a massive beetle sat munching on stones. His dark grey shell shimmered faintly under the light of the three moons, their reflections rippling in the still water.

  Suddenly, the underbrush rustled.

  “Well, what brings you here, Violet?” rumbled a deep, gravelly voice. “Why didn’t you come in person, as usual?”

  “I’m here on official duty this time,” came the Spider Queen’s voice, echoing through a swarm of spiderlings.

  “One of the generals has fallen. You’re the closest to the site. We hoped you could investigate, test the strength of whoever did it. Tusk is offering you one of the Arg mines he discovered.”

  The beetle chuckled, low and amused. “Ho ho ho… a little exercise in exchange for a whole mine?”

  “I’m in.”

  He crushed the last rock to dust between his mandibles and rose. His back split open, revealing massive, translucent silver wings that shimmered with mana.

  “Lead the way,” he said, his tone jolly but resolute.