Chapter 32

“Prove you are worthy of being king.”

Suddenly, there was a rustling sound. Suho’s sensory stats detected a disturbance in the
jungle. The area seemed to be in turmoil.

Suho stopped in his tracks and looked at Rakan’s Fang. “Did you say something just
now?”

“It wasn’t me.”

“The voice I heard was exactly like yours.”

“It’s only natural. It’s a message from the artifact of this sanctuary. We are the same
kind.”

Suho tilted his head. “The same kind?”

“Correct. It’s another fang. You didn’t think Rakan, the Monarch of Fangs, the King of
Beasts, only had one fang did you?”

“Oh, I see. Usually, there are four.”

“Actually, there are only two...”

Suho blinked unabashedly, staring at Rakan’s Fang.

“Ahem. Two fangs were made into significant artifacts.”

Suho gave him another piercing look, and the sword explained, “I’m not sure if I
mentioned it but I’m Rakan’s milk teeth.”

Milk teeth, a common name for deciduous teeth, were the first set of teeth that fell o ut
while one was still growing.

“The lower tribes created me from one of the teeth that fell out as Rakan grew. They
received two fangs back then, and that’s why there are two artifacts.”

Once again, the other voice pierced through into his mind. “Prove you are worthy of
being king!”

Suho abruptly asked, “What does this voice want? Why is it asking to prove that I’m
worthy of becoming king?”
“When the lower tribes created me, they hoped that the future ruler would be born from
one of them. Now that Rakan is gone, it’s finally time to choose a new king. The so-
called ‘Trial of the King’ has begun.”

“Oh.” Intrigued, Suho asked, “So, does that mean that if I pass this trial, I could also
become the Monarch of Fangs?”

“Of course, it’s possible. But only if you want to become a beast.”

“A beast?”

“Naturally. We’re choosing the King of Beasts, so shouldn’t the candidates be prepared
to become one?”

“I’m not too fond of that idea.”

Seeing Suho’s disgusted expression, Rakan’s Fang scoffed and continued, “That means
you were ineligible from the start. Besides, the message isn’t directed at you. It’s a
general call for those inside this sanctuary.”

“Young Monarch.” Beru, who had been scouting, returned to Suho. “There are other
hunters here wandering the jungle. However, they...”

Before the ant could finish, a series of thuds came from a distance, and Suho leaped
high onto a tree branch. From a high vantage point, he looked down toward the source
of the commotion. An interesting scene was unfolding, and a gleam of curiosity sparkled
in his eyes. Choosing the new King of the Beasts, huh…

“They’re all using the beast transformation skill,” Beru reported.

Throughout the jungle, hunters had transformed their bodies partially or entirely into
beast-like forms and were engaged in numerous battles. Some had wings on their backs
like eagles, while others had turned into huge creatures with bear-like fur. The variety
was truly remarkable.

“Prove you are worthy of being king!”

They were battling throughout the entire jungle, drenched in madness to prove their
eligibility.

“It seems like the artifact here called forth every beast with the potential of becoming a
king.”

Crack!
Suddenly, there was a rustling sound. Suho, sensing a presence beneath his feet, twisted
his body and leaped off the tree branch.

Swish!

Surprisingly, the attack came from the trees themselves. Are they branches? Even
during his descent, numerous trees whipped him with vine-like branches.

Ruler’s Authority! The skill wasn’t powerful enough to lift Suho’s body, but it allowed
him to momentarily perform a double jump, treading the air to leap once more. He
twirled in the air like a circus performer, avoiding the whip-like tendrils and landing
safely on the ground.

The battle intensified as the plant-type magic beasts began to attack Suho from all
directions. He immediately wielded Rakan’s Fang and Vulcan’s Horn.

“Prove you are worthy of being king!” the persistent voice continued amid the chaos.

Suho couldn’t help but feel he was being forced into something. “I thought I wasn’t
worthy enough to take this trial to begin with?”

“It’s a matter of timing. You happened to enter the sanctuary as the Trial of the King
began… Or perhaps the trial began because I, one of two significant artifacts, entered
this place.”

“So, the other artifact is causing us all this trouble.” Suho decided to think simply. “Let’s
ditch the test and find out where this unwanted proctor is.”

“We’ll find it then break it. Who dares to test us?” Beru’s eyes narrowed ominously.

“It’s that way.”

The direction Rakan’s Fang had been pointing at for a while was precisely where the
other artifact was located. Suho rushed toward the location, slashing through plant-type
magic beasts on the way.

***

The deeper they ventured into the jungle, the denser the blue mist became. The
atmosphere felt almost dreamlike, but it soon turned into a scene from a nightmare .

“The ghosts are coming.”

Hunters undergoing the Trial of the King quickly became alert and vigilant. Eerie
sounds of wind came from all directions and sent shivers down their spines. A single
plant-type magic beast was not strong enough to pose a threat. However, the level of
danger changed drastically when surrounded by an entire jungle full of them.

Regardless of their rank, hunters were ultimately humans composed of flesh and blood.
A sharp branch could suddenly dart from anywhere and pierce through their throats or
hearts, taking their lives in the blink of an eye. The jungle was filled with su ch terrifying
assassins, and to make matters worse, ghosts were now added to the mix.

“There’s a reason why this field isn’t popular.”

“I agree. It’s just too dangerous, and there’s nothing to gain from it.”

This jungle was a bustling city just a year ago. Magok was not only home to many
residents, but also boasted a substantial business district that drew in people from other
cities. But one day, a gate suddenly opened, leading to a catastrophe. Many people lost
their lives, and those who were lucky enough to escape with their lives were left without
their livelihoods. The ghosts of the perished have haunted this land ever since .

Screech!

“This is bad! It’s a Banshee!”

“Everyone, cover your ears!”

A Banshee was a ghost-type magic beast, and their wailing severely impaired their
targets’ sense of direction. Their screeches were the worst possible form of attack for the
hunters navigating through the jungle as their hearing had been heightened due to their
beast transformation skills. Some even began to vomit from the sound.

“Prove you are worthy of being king!” the mysterious voice continued to taunt them.

Temporarily deprived of their vision and hearing, the hunters realized the true nature of
the test as the voice echoed in their minds.

Got it!

They realized that a faint scent was pulling them somewhere. The trail smelled of pure
magical energy, a scent only detectable if one’s primal instincts were heightened .

“That’s it! The voice was testing us with this scent!”

The hunters focused on their sense of smell, but the trees exploited their momentary
vulnerability.

“Ouch!”
Even as the hunters tore at the vines that stabbed into their thighs, their eyes burned
with primal determination.

I must find it. I will find it and become the king!

None of them knew what kind of king they were fighting to become, but they continued
to fight mindlessly as if they had been possessed.

“Something seems odd.” Baek Miho, who had been tracking the scent more diligently
while fighting the ghosts, suddenly halted.

The other members of the White Tiger Guild following behind her looked puzzled.

“Vice Guild Master, why did you suddenly stop?”

Miho looked discontented. Despite the unfolding chaos, her “Beast’s Eyes” were fixed on
a distant point. She was well aware that they weren’t only hunters in the jungle. The
other hunters had transformed into their respective beast forms and were competing
with one another to reach the same location. Miho’s primal instincts were no different .

But a growing anxiousness suddenly stopped her in her tracks and made her doubt the
need to be there. Her pride was triggered by the mindless race she was in.

“I’m starting to feel like a plaything for someone. I don’t like it.”

“A plaything? I’m not sure what you mean.”

“The White Tiger Guild is immediately withdrawing from this unknown trial.”

Her team was taken aback by the sudden declaration of withdrawal. They had entered
the jungle in complete mystery yesterday, unable to fathom the reason behind Miho’s
decision to enter. However, their doubts disappeared after the Trial of the King began.
Regardless of what awaited them at the end, the promise of becoming king had ignited
their ambitions. But now, their vice guild master was suddenly putting an end to their
desires, an act at odds with their collective psychological urge.

“It feels like I’ve become a real beast, running toward an unknown goal fueled by
nothing but primal urges. It’s repulsive. It’s not like we’re dogs in heat.” Baek Miho
smacked her lips, deactivating Beast’s Eyes.

“So, are we going back now?”

“No.” She no longer wanted her team to wander the jungle like headless chickens with
the other clueless hunters, but she was still curious about who would ultimately emerge
as the victor. “We’re moving to higher ground with a clear line of sight.”
“Yes, understood.”

Without a word of protest, her guild members followed her decision. But then, a
peculiar sound cut through the air. Cutting through the bustling undergrowth, a group
of werewolves suddenly appeared.

“Hm?” Miho’s gaze changed as she immediately recognized the group.

The White Tiger Guild was the most famous beast transformation guild in South Korea.
Consequently, they kept a separate list of hunters from other guilds who possessed the
same skill with the goal of potentially recruiting them in the future. She was fully aware
of their identities.

“Last remaining twerps of the Hyena Guild.”

It seemed like the group had evaded police arrest. They, too, were drawn here by the
desire to prove themselves worthy of being king. However, the problem for her was their
inherently wicked nature, and having served Broki for a long time, the criminals
understood the Trial of the King better than anyone else.

“There can be only one king!”

The werewolves quickly shook off the coincidence and let out a ferocious battle cry,
immediately launching a relentless attack.

“Kill them!”

Roar!

The White Tiger Guild was the most qualified candidate in the jungle, and if they didn’t
kill the werewolves, their claim to the throne could be usurped. Their blatant aggression
brought out Miho’s true inner beast, something she had barely managed to contain this
whole time. She clicked her tongue with an annoyed expression. A bunch of ignorant
pups. Her hair tie snapped, and her bleach-white hair burst out like a lion’s mane.

Beast Transformation! Baek Miho revealed her true power, her half-beast form, and
clawed tore through the heart of the leader of the pack.

“Prove you are worthy of being king!”

“Huh?”

The voice seemed to take pleasure in her carnage as it echoed in her head.

“Kill them, and kill them again! Only the strong survive until the end!”
“Is this what it wants?” Baek Miho realized what the voice genuinely wanted. “It’s a fight
to the death.”

The realization repulsed her. She detested the voice even more as it was forcing people
into killing each other. Her heightened hearing picked out the screams of deluded
hunters killing one another senselessly—the entire jungle was in a fight to the death.

“I don’t like this one bit.” Baek Miho gritted her teeth as she fought off the Hyena Guild.

Suddenly, she noticed a person wielding two words walking in the distance. His calm
demeanor and leisurely pace seemed out of place. Why is he alone? Did he kill all his
companions? He’s the worst of the lot if that’s the case! Miho couldn’t forgive anyone
who would kill their comrades blinded by their greed for power.

But something else was odd with the mysterious figure. I can’t smell any blood. Maybe
he hasn’t killed anyone… Then why is he by himself?

Baek Miho kept stealing glances at him in between the fighting until she could no longer
see him.