Starting Out As The God of Beasts

The quiet in the subterranean tunnel was absolute, broken only by the faint, rhythmic dripping of condensation freezing against the dark stone walls.

The three dead Ogre captains had already been swallowed by the shadows of the disposal pit, leaving the narrow mining shaft looking completely abandoned—a dead node in the city’s vast infrastructure.

A soft ripple of red data particles dissolved into the damp air, and Roy stepped out from the narrow rock fissure in his true human form.

His long, golden hair caught the faint, pale light of the high permafrost vents, and his tailored black coat settled around his shoulders without a sound.

Roy quickly transformed back into Jarden Rome.

He stopped in the center of the dark cavern, his golden-crimson eyes scanning the empty space.

"The perimeter is clear," Roy murmured, his voice a low, level hum that barely carried past the stone walls. "Deactivate the veil."

For a second, nothing happened. Then, the shadows stretching along the far western wall of the tunnel began to warp.

The ambient temperature dropped a fraction of a degree as a perfectly maintained layer of stealth mana unraveled like old parchment.

Out of the pitch-black recess stepped the Fox-man.

Nurex.

In other to completely hid the newly awakened Martial Warrior from everyone’s notice. Roy purchased three active skills from the Divine Market.

Shapeshifting Skill: A common skill that transforms not only a cultivator’s form but also his mana into whatever he wanted.

An active that’s quite common in the ten continents.

Roy purchased this skill in bulk, over a 100 units.

Costing more than 1500 Faith Points.

Multilayered Shadow Barrier Skill: This Skill was purchased because of Nurex’s current situation and his status as a secret agent of Mandraxx.

It’s a skill that grants its user the ability to create barriers within a designated location. It’s guaranteed to exist until the user runs out of mana.

Roy also purchased this skill in bulk.

12 units costing 240 Faith Points.

The last skill Roy purchased was an offensive one. Nurex who had no special bloodline was a cultivator who could be killed by his fellow Martial Warriors who possessed skills.

Myraid Illusion: This skill interferes with a living entity’s perception of reality, fitting for a Fox’s sly personality.

Roy didn’t purchase this skill in bulk, he needed for it to be Nurex’s signature skill.

Nurex had executed Roy’s orders flawlessly.

Not a single trace of his newly awakened Martial Warrior mana had leaked into the surrounding corridors.

He moved with a newfound, fluid grace, his rust-red fur blending seamlessly back into the gloom as he stepped forward.

The heavy, crude leather tunic he had worn as a slave was gone, replaced by a tight, dark-grey Mandraxx scouting uniform salvaged from a hidden drop point.

The moment his boots cleared the shadow, Nurex dropped heavily onto one knee, pressing his right fist against his chest armor in a rigid, fanatical display of military discipline.

"Master Jarden" the Fox-man spoke, his voice low, steady, and vibrating with the sharp resonance of his newly forged core. "The tunnel remained completely undisturbed during your absence."

"No Western soldiers passed through this area" he reported.

"Good" Roy nodded, "You did well to keep your presence hidden," Roy smiled, slipping his hands into the pockets of his coat as he walked toward the tunnel’s exit.

"Change of plans.....Who amongst the secret agents dispatched here do you think you could trust the most?" Roy asked.

"Uhmm" Nurex lingered, gently scratching his hair, "I believe I trust Ivon the most" he answered.

"Ivon?" Roy asked. "Yes" Nurex nodded, "Ivon is a crimson furred wolf-kin, she’s currently hiding in the west of the city"

"She’s loyal to a fault and I highly doubt she’ll be the traitor" Nurex explained.

"I see" Roy exhaled deeply, "Who are the remaining secret agents?" Roy asked.

"We have Elijah and Yuri" Nurex smiled, "Yuri is an Hyena-kin while Elijah is a Rabbit-kin" he explained.

"A wolf-kin, a Fox-kin, a Rabbit-kin and an Hyena-kin" Roy couldn’t help but smile, "Alisa is doing a great job"

"Just as I desired, there should be no diversion amongst the beastmen"

He turned to his gaze, glancing at Nurex, "So you think the spies must be amongst the Hyena-kin and the Rabbit-kin right?" he asked.

"Yes" Nurex nodded, "When we were given this task, none of us were cultivators, so it was easy to blend in"

"I can tell" Roy grinned, "Whoever the traitor is, there must be something they must have gained from Norona City"

"That is the only valid reason to incur such betrayal"

Nurex gulped, swallowing his saliva. He stayed still, only speaking when spoken to.

Jarden Rome is the Apostle and the figurehead of the new Tempest City. He is beyond Director Alisa in terms of ranks.

Even the High Priest Croak answers to him.

And now this Apostle has not only made the God of Beasts bless him with not only one skill but three.

He is grateful, his loyalty to the God of Beasts is absolute.

Roy stood still, drowned in his sea of thoughts.

"Nurex" he called.

"Yes..." Nurex stepped forward.

"I’ll need you to secretly contact Ivon, you have the means to move through the city unnoticed right?" Roy asked.

"Yes" Nurex nodded, "It’s all thanks to the mercy of Lord Varanus"

"Praise be to the God of Beasts" Nurex bowed.

"Praise be to the God of Beasts" Roy smiled at the devotion of his follower, "Contact the other secret agents as well"

"Call them together for a meeting but make it vague" Roy smiled.

"Uhmm, but what if the traitor leaks it to Norona City?" Nurex asked.

"That is what I’m anticipating for" Roy chuckled, "You’ll be sending two different locations to Elijah and Yuri"

"Whoever leaks his location will be considered as the traitor" he explained, "I’ll deal with the traitor personally"

"You just have to wait in the shadows with Ivon"

"Do not move until I tell you to" Roy warned.

"I’m going to throw Norona City into chaos!"