SS Awakening: My Monster Merging System!

[Warning!]

[A challenger currently possesses two Trial Marks simultaneously.]

[Killing the Two Mark Holder will allow the killer to inherit all of their Trial Marks.]

The moment the system notification spread throughout Bone Mist Swamp, the atmosphere that had only just settled changed once again.

Kane and Zich’s cooperation had already ended the moment the second Trial Mark appeared, while Nadia had never agreed not to compete for the marks in the first place.

In other words, both people standing beside Zich now had a reason to attack him.

Zich looked at Kane first, and then his lips parted slowly.

"Our cooperation is over."

"It is," Kane answered with a bitter expression, yet he did not summon the Golden Armored Lion again. He glanced at the beast patterned token hanging from Zich’s waist, where two dark gold patterns had already appeared.

"My main summon is severely injured, you’ve already exhausted more than half of your mana, and right now, half of Myriad Beast Mountain is heading this way."

"Even if I killed you now, all that would happen is that I’d become the one carrying two marks while everyone hunts me instead."

Kane was arrogant, but he was not stupid.

Nadia had clearly reached the same conclusion.

She gently stroked the Ghost Eyed White Tiger’s forehead.

"I suggest we cooperate. Once we get there, everyone relies on their own ability."

Zich naturally saw nothing wrong with it, so he agreed.

"Fine."

The moment he said those words, player auras began appearing one after another within the distant bone mist.

The auras were impossible to keep track of, and with each passing moment, their number was still increasing.

Kane’s expression darkened slightly.

"They’re faster than I thought." He looked at Zich and Nadia. "We have to move."

Clearly, they might not trust each other in the slightest, but at least until Zich was dead, all of their interests were aligned.

Just then, another system notification appeared.

[The Two Mark Holder’s coordinates will be revealed in ten seconds.]

[10.]

[9.]

’Damn, whatever governs this mountain really wants me dead,’ Zich cursed in his mind.

He summoned several skeletons, leaving one beside the Second Beast Altar while sending the others rapidly scattering in different directions through the bone mist.

[3.]

[2.]

[1.]

Buzz!

Zich’s position instantly appeared on every challenger’s map.

The distant auras that had previously been advancing cautiously suddenly accelerated, all of them charging toward the Second Beast Altar.

"Spirit Exchange."

The next moment, Zich had already exchanged positions with a skeleton nearly a thousand meters away.

[Shadow Blink!]

His figure disappeared once again.

By the time the first group of players reached the Beast Altar, the only thing they found waiting there was a skeleton standing motionlessly in place, pale soul flames burning within its eye sockets.

There was still an entire hour before his coordinates would be revealed again.

...

The journey that followed was much faster than expected.

Nadia’s Ghost Eyed White Tiger could see through the spiritual fluctuations hidden within the bone mist. Those corpse beasts that appeared dead but still had lingering souls concealed within them could almost never escape its third eye.

Although Kane’s Golden Armored Lion was severely injured, it could still easily smash apart the boulders and dead trees blocking their path, and in certain sections of the swamp, it even carried the team members who were in worse condition.

As for Zich, his skeletons scouted ahead.

The three summoner type players who should have been competing against one another for the Trial Marks had instead formed the most efficient temporary team since entering Myriad Beast Mountain.

But not one of them truly lowered their guard.

With less than five minutes remaining before the next coordinate reveal, the group finally emerged from the bone mist.

The land ahead suddenly split apart toward both sides.

A massive canyon hundreds of meters wide stretched between the mountains.

This was the Dead Beast Canyon.

However, it was not the canyon itself that caused everyone to stop.

It was the bones.

The completely petrified remains of ancient colossal beasts knelt along both sides of the canyon. Some stood dozens of meters tall, while others had only half of their bodies remaining, yet every single one had lowered its head in the same direction.

It was as though, even before death, they had still been worshipping some existence.

For the first time, the Ghost Eyed White Tiger stopped of its own accord.

Every strand of fur along its back stood on end, and low growls continuously rumbled from its throat. No matter how Nadia commanded it, it refused to continue forward.

In the end, Nadia pressed her palm against its forehead and forcibly calmed it before it finally began walking again.

The instant Zich stepped past the first pair of petrified ancient beasts,

Buzz!

The token at his waist flew into the air on its own. Two streams of dark gold light simultaneously separated from the token and hovered before Zich.

RUMBLE!

The entirety of Myriad Beast Mountain began trembling.

At the end of the canyon, where there had originally been nothing, an enormous black stone gate nearly a hundred meters tall slowly emerged from space. Countless ancient colossal beasts were carved across its surface, while at its center were two empty beast shaped indentations.

The two Trial Marks flew forward simultaneously.

Click!

After the Trial Marks fitted into the carvings, a soft growl was released as the Beast King’s Gate slowly opened.

And at that exact moment, the hour ended.

[The Two Mark Holder’s coordinates have been revealed!]

Sounds of rapidly approaching figures immediately came from the distance.

"Finally caught up with you."

Adrian appeared at the entrance of the canyon.

Behind him were no longer just his original teammates. Four entire teams followed him, while several players capable of flight descended from the sky, completely sealing off the final escape route.

Adrian looked at the Beast King’s Gate that was currently opening, then glanced at the two Trial Marks that had already left Zich’s body.

A smile finally appeared on his face.

"Your skeletons aren’t here. I’d like to see how you can disappear this time."

But the moment his words fell,

BOOM!!!

A terrifying suction force that no one could resist suddenly erupted from inside the Beast King’s Gate.

"What?!"

It wasn’t only Zich. Kane, Nadia, Adrian, and every player who had just entered the canyon were all forcibly swept into the air by that power and instantly dragged through the stone gate.

When Zich opened his eyes again, the canyon was gone.

An enormous circular colosseum, so vast that its size bordered on absurdity, appeared before him. Countless stone thrones built for colossal beasts surrounded the arena, while at the very center of the entire colosseum stood a single solitary black throne.

Whoosh!

The two Trial Marks flew back into Zich’s body.

The next moment, the system notification descended.

[Third Ancient Beast Altar Trial Activated.]

[Trial: Throne of the Beast King.]

[The Two Mark Holder automatically becomes the Temporary Beast King.]

[Defend the Beast King’s Throne for sixty minutes to complete the final trial.]

[Any challenger who kills the Temporary Beast King will inherit both Trial Marks and replace them as the Temporary Beast King.]

[If the Temporary Beast King changes, the countdown will not reset.]

Buzz!

Zich’s body instantly disappeared.

When he reappeared, he was already seated upon the black throne.

A transparent barrier rose immediately afterward, completely sealing everyone inside the colosseum.

At that moment, every single gaze fell upon Zich. Even without exchanging words, as if they had all reached the same conclusion simultaneously, weapons were drawn, several summoning formations lit up, and aura after aura erupted throughout the arena.

[Time Remaining for the Third Trial: 59:59.]

Upon the throne, Zich slowly stood.

This time, there was nowhere to run.

And there was no longer any need to hide his strength.

A cold smile appeared on the white haired boy’s face, and for the first time, everyone present felt cold sweat run down their spines.