Quickly rising to his feet, Icaros scanned his room, confirming there were no signs of intrusion yet. Before he could even think too much about it. A light of resolve flashed in his eyes. He had made his decision.

Carefully opening his door, he strained his ears, listening intently for any sound. But there was nothing-dead silence. Not even a pin drop could be heard. This eerie quiet sent chills down Icaros' spine.

He analyzed the situation rapidly. The only thing I felt was that massive tremor shaking the entire ship. Nothing else. Could I be wrong? Was it really an attack? Or perhaps something else? Regardless, a tremor of that magnitude cannot be caused by something trivial. I have to check it out.

Making up his mind, he stepped quietly into the corridor. It was empty. Not a single guard was in sight. Icaros knew this ship was vast, with many corridor and rooms, yet there should have been guards stationed here. The emptiness of the corridor was unnatural.

Maybe they were stationed elsewhere, he told himself, trying to push away the dread creeping into his mind.

I have two choices now. Search the other corridors, or even leave the ship entirely to find others... or check the rooms along this corridor first for the other participants.

After brief consideration, Icaros chose the latter. He walked toward the door directly opposite his own.

He knocked gently. "Is anyone there?" he asked, his voice flat and steady.

Silence. He knocked again, ready to call out once more, when his ears caught a faint, weak groan coming from the room next to his.

BOOM!

Icaros burst through the door. He barely suppressed his instinct to use his flying ability to float, which would have made his movement even faster.

The sight that greeted him made his hair stand on end.

On the bed lay a participant, the sheets soaked crimson with blood. Towering over them was a figure-an enormous humanoid creature, nearly eight feet tall. Its skin was the color of bark, yet possessed the slippery, unsettling texture of a snake. It was rough and uneven, clearly not human.

The moment Icaros entered, the creature turned with terrifying confidence. As it shifted, Icaros caught sight of a female body beneath it, blood pouring from gaping wounds in her torso and throat as she gasped for air.

The creature's face was disturbingly human-like, yet twisted and rough like wood.

Icaros had no intention of talking to a murderer. He was ready to strike-when suddenly, the creature's head shifted and morphed, transforming into the face of a fair-skinned young man wearing an arrogant, malicious smirk.

Icaros raised an eyebrow, his muscles coiling tight like springs, his eyes locked onto the enemy.

"You have surprised me," the hybrid said, the smirk never leaving his face. "To make such bold decisions at your age and experience level... you are quite sharp."

Icaros frowned. How could he know what I did in the corridor? Unless...

"With your talent, you could have become an outstanding disciple of the Li Sect after your first mission," the creature continued. "It is merely by chance that you were in the last room. I was just about to pay you a surprise visit before you interrupted me."

"I only have two questions," Icaros interrupted calmly, cutting off the monologue. "What are you? And what do you want here?"

The creature chuckled, then his face swiftly twisted into pure rage. "Impudent!"

His massive arms split open, erupting into countless writhing tentacles that slithered like snakes. His legs dissolved into wood splinters and viscous fluid, allowing his body to undulate like a serpent.

"There is an old saying: A dead genius is no genius at all," he hissed coldly. "You were never meant to leave here alive. And now... for your insolence, I will tear you to pieces! Nothing will remain!"

By now, his head nearly touched the ceiling, towering over Icaros like a living disaster. Yet Icaros stood his ground, his fear gone, replaced by unshakable confidence.

The creature's face reverted to its bark-like form, fangs bared as it roared.

Icaros moved to strike-but instantly, the floor shattered. Countless tentacles burst forth, seemingly having been hidden there all along. They lashed out, coiling around his limbs and lifting him into the air, spreading him wide and immobilizing him.

The monster wore a ghastly grin. It was confused for a second as to why Icaros hadn't tried to dodge, but the thrill of victory clouded its judgment.

It drew closer, looming over Icaros like impending doom. The tips of its tentacles hardened into sharp spears. Its murderous intent was undeniable.

Just a foot away, it slammed its other limbs into the wall and launched itself forward at blinding speed, aiming to impale Icaros.

It streaked across the room, weapons poised to strike.

But in that split second before impact, a smirk appeared on Icaros' face.

CRACK!

The tentacles binding his right arm were ripped apart as if they were paper. Icaros drove his hand forward, shaped like a sharp blade, straight into the creature's incoming abdomen. The monster was moving too fast to stop.

Their bodies collided. The creature's sharp weapons failed to pierce Icaros, but Icaros' hand sank deep into its body.

Shocked, the monster realized Icaros had struck directly where he had moved his heart, using a special technique to protect it. It was futile. Icaros gripped the organ tightly and ripped it out violently.

Hot blood sprayed across Icaros' grey robes.

"H-How...?" the creature gasped weakly before its body went limp, crashing to the floor.

Icaros stood there, drenched in red, holding a still-beating heart in his open palm.

With a crunching sound, Icaros crushed the creature's heart before tossing it aside.

Looking at the massive body, Icaros wondered, "How did it know my previous actions?" But just as he was about to dwell on his thoughts, a reaction from the corpse drew him back.

The body and tentacles, once full of life and vitality, rapidly dried up and turned into a desiccated husk. It was clear all life had left it.

Furrowing his brow, Icaros noticed something abnormal hidden within the husk-it looked like human skin.

Bracing himself, Icaros reached out while remaining vigilant. He brushed away the dried remnants, and there revealed...

A shriveled human face, staring soullessly into his eyes. But Icaros, having seen his fair share of horrors in his past life, felt no fear.

However, a dangerous thought struck him as he focused his enhanced sight. It was indeed the same light-skinned face the creature had revealed earlier.

Realizing this, Icaros hastily tore away more of the husk. Just as he suspected, it was a human being-now nothing more than a dried-up corpse.

The realization hit him instantly: "That wasn't a creature or a demonic beast. That was a human."

"I knew you wouldn't die so easily!"

A voice suddenly interrupted him. Icaros nearly attacked out of shock, but stopped instantly upon recognizing Li Han's voice.

"I guess I lost focus on my surroundings after that discovery. That's how he managed to sneak up on me," Icaros analyzed inwardly, turning to face Li Han. The crimson blood on his robes and arms glaringly obvious.

Li Han stood at the door with his usual carefree attitude. However, instead of his wine bottle, he held an unsheathed sword, stained with what Icaros assumed was blood.

"I want answers," Icaros demanded, not entertained by the endless mysteries. "What the hell is happening?"

Li Han, seemingly unwilling to ramble, replied shortly: "We are under attack. That is what is happening."

Hearing this, Icaros couldn't help but roll his eyes. Can't he just give me details? he thought.

As if reading his mind, Li Han explained slowly, "It was a coordinated attack."

"A warship ambushed us. Before we could even react, it struck us with an energy beam-that was what caused the massive tremor."

Icaros listened intently, then pointed at the husk. "What about this?"

Li Han's expression shifted slightly into a frown before returning to his casual demeanor. "When they breached our ship, they simultaneously launched these... cannon fodder, inside."

"Cannon fodder?" Icaros asked, surprised. How could such a terrifying creature be considered mere fodder? He conveniently ignored the fact that he had killed it easily.

Li Han seemed eager to answer, puffing out his chest slightly. "What can this thing really do against cultivators like us? It might be a threat to Body Refinement Realm cultivators, but to powerhouses like me? They are nothing."

Icaros chuckled at the boasting, his expression lightening briefly before turning serious again. "What exactly are they? And what is our current situation?"

Li Han sensed the shift in mood and grew serious as well. "They aren't actually creatures. They are mortals and Body Refinement cultivators who have hit a dead end in their cultivation-people with no future and hope."

"When they are at the end of their rope, the Nine Transformation Demonic Sect takes advantage. They offer them a deal: a chance at power and greatness. With no other choice, these people risk everything."

"And then what happens?" Icaros asked quietly.

"The Sect uses a secret technique to grant them transforming abilities," Li Han explained, walking closer to the corpse. "But it is a grotesque art with a hidden flaw-it constantly consumes their life force, keeping them always on the brink of death."

"To survive, they are forced to do the Sect's dirty work. By killing and absorbing the life force of their victims, they extend their pathetic existence. If they absorb enough quickly, they can temporarily grow stronger."

"Though they can never kill a Spirit Realm cultivator, they become deadly nightmares for Body Refinement cultivators, and absolute disasters for ordinary mortals."

Icaros took a deep breath, processing the information. His eyes fell on the dried-up body of the creature's victim nearby. It had been completely drained.

"I see..." Icaros muttered.

"Now that you understand," Li Han continued, "we were hit hard before we could react. These abominations killed many participants and guards, but Nelly and I managed to save some. I have to admit, their method is terrifyingly efficient-they absorb, grow stronger, and destroy faster."

"I guess you weren't fast enough then," Icaros said with a sad smile. "And why didn't I hear the main forces fighting?"

Li Han returned the sad smile. "Our hands are tied. Su Yan activated the protective formation to keep the main enemy force out for now. But she has to stay there constantly supplying energy to keep it running."

"These creatures, while weak against us, have a unique ability to spread their tentacles underground. The more victims they take, the larger their area of influence becomes. They even possess a form of sensory perception within the range of their tentacles, knowing exactly what is happening."

Icaros breathed a mental sigh of relief. No wonder it knew what I was doing, he thought. Feeling slightly more grounded, he asked, "So what now?"

Li Han's eyes flashed with heroism,as he said boldly and valiantly, imitating a peerless hero. "We are facing an alliance between the Nine Transformation Demonic Sect and the Battle Force Sect. Follow me! We charge ahead to battle!"

Icaros couldn't help but laugh loudly at his act, his spirit rising. "Yes, Senior!"

Following Li Han's lead, Icaros and Li Han exited the interior of the ship and appeared on the deck.

Icaros was instantly amazed yet vigilant at the sight before him.

On the deck stood something that hadn't been there when they boarded. It looked as if it had grown out of the ship, formed from glowing blue crystal. It was shaped like a pole, but split into four distinct sections.

Currently, Su Yan-the female senior who had issued their first test-and her accomplice Nelly were holding onto two parts of the blue crystal structure, their eyes closed as if in meditation. In their hands was something Icaros had only read about in the library: a spirit stone, an item that stores naturally formed spirit qi.

Focusing his enhanced eyesight, Icaros saw traces of what he believed to be spirit qi flowing from their bodies into the crystal, while more energy flowed from the stones back into them. He guessed that the stones were replenishing their spirit qi.

He also noticed that less than a hundred participants out of the several hundred originally present were packed into one corner of the ship, wearing various expressions.

Some looked terrified from the horrors they had just experienced, while others appeared grim and focused. But they all shared one thing in common: an overwhelming atmosphere of gloom.

However, Icaros soon discovered the reason why. What he had seen previously was nothing compared to this.

Surrounding their ship was a large blue light screen, similar to the one at the Li Sect. It enveloped the vessel as it streaked across the sky. And just behind them was another massive ship, armed with giant cannons that continuously blasted against the barrier-yet it didn't even tremble.

But what alarmed Icaros most were the people aboard the pursuing vessel.

Three men and two women stood there, their eyes fixed on the ship like hawks staring at prey.

The one Icaros assumed was their leader stood in the center with two axes strapped to his back, while the other four stood one step behind him.

He looked quite young, clearly still a youth, but the scar adorning his chin, his battle-hardened gaze, and the armor over his robes spoke volumes about the hardships he had endured.

The other four were clearly no pushovers either.

One man wore gauntlets that stretched up to his forearms. Their dull gold color gave them a grim appearance. He was bare-chested, wearing only his lower robes and shoes, along with a belt crafted from beast materials-something Icaros noted mentally.

Another woman, slender and lithe, was armed with two daggers, her venomous eyes glaring at the ship.

The last man was dressed like a typical warrior, clad in full armor, wielding a round metal shield and a greatsword.

But what really caught Icaros' attention was the final female. She sat as if in meditation, eyes closed, whispering words he couldn't hear while making hand signals he did not recognize.

Seeing that Icaros had taken in the situation, Li Han said, "Yep, this is where we stand. Let's meet up with the others so we can decide what to do next."

Icaros hesitated, clearly having questions, before nodding and following Li Han toward Su Yan and Nelly, who were maintaining the ship's defense.

Seeing Li Han, Nelly complained, "Took you long enough."

When her eyes landed on Icaros, she added with a hint of disdain, "Is this really the one who's going to make a difference?"

Contrary to Li Han's expectations, Icaros didn't get angry. Instead, he looked at her with an expression that screamed, What the fuck?!

"Don't tell me you're counting on me," he said.

Li Han took a deep breath, furrowing his brow, and addressed Icaros with a forced smile. "Look mate, we don't have a choice. I've got to bite the bullet here."

He then turned to Nelly with a reprimanding tone. "Don't underestimate him again. He's going to be critical to our plan."

Nelly looked unconvinced but said nothing, silently agreeing.

Su Yan, who had quietly watched the exchange, turned to Li Han. "We need to plan quickly. A battle seems inevitable, and I don't want my spirit qi to run dry."

Li Han nodded and unconsciously took on the role of leader as he explained to the group.

"Icaros, I know you have questions. The attackers are from the Battle Force Sect and the Nine Transformation Demonic Sect."

"Battle Force Sect?" Icaros asked, confusion evident in his voice. "Why are they attacking us? It's not like we're actively at war. And since when are they allies with the Demonic Sect?"

Li Han was about to answer when Su Yan cut in. "I think it mostly has to do with our main mission."

"Main mission?" Icaros muttered.

"Yes," Su Yan said, a mischievous expression appearing on her face-a rare sight for Icaros. "Young Master Deimos told me about you and your little secret."

Icaros wasn't actually caught off guard, as Li Han had hinted at it earlier, but he feigned surprise.

Seeing this, Su Yan continued, "Young Master Deimos wants Nelly to look after the participants, while you, Li Han, and I go handle the real, more important mission."

"So what does this mission have to do with them?" Icaros asked, realizing he was getting himself into deep trouble.

This time, Li Han explained, "This mission involves something of great importance to the Four Supreme Sects. Although it's just a hunt for a map, so no high-level experts were sent... it is still quite significant."

Determined to find out more, Icaros smirked at Li Han, Su Yan, and even Nelly. "I want to know everything about this mission, so I can help to the best of my abilities."

Su Yan hesitated, but Li Han sighed. "I guess I have to spill the beans."

Seeing he was getting his way, Icaros' smirk widened. "All of it."