Chapter 471: Secrets Deep Within the Ruins
Sinful only kept Yuliya around as a guide; there was no way he’d actually take her to the destination. He planned to turn on her and would likely find himself in a bit of a bind. So, to ensure Sinful’s safety, Yuliya decided to make a run for it first.
“You showed me the way, now I’m showing you the door. Good luck with that last stretch!”
Once Yuliya was out of the picture, Sinful truly realized how treacherous the road ahead was. Up until now, everything had been fairly smooth sailing—aside from the occasional hiccup at the start with some monsters here and there.
If things got tough, he could always backtrack, right?
But now, what once seemed terrible was now something he’d gladly avoid. Only to backpedal right into another monster’s turf, getting absolutely mobbed.
Every time he turned around, he had no idea what horrors awaited him. After several failed attempts, Sinful threw in the towel. Rather than retreat, he figured it was better to plow straight ahead.
Confirming he was indeed the only fool around, Sinful suddenly dropped to all fours. His hair began to sprout, and fur sprouted rapidly over his exposed skin. His ears and tail grew larger, and those delightful beastly features surged forth.
Beastification!
Yuliya had seen this ability before, way back when she first encountered that hulking vengeful spirit. It was a bit different from the display Sinful was putting on, but the essence was the same.
“Oh, so you were hiding this little party trick, huh?”
If only he’d used it sooner, they would’ve had a much smoother ride here! The time they could’ve saved would have been immense!
But no, he had to keep it under wraps—like, what’s the point?
I can’t stand folks who keep secrets! And I especially can’t stand folks who won’t let me keep secrets!
Once he unleashed his beast form, Sinful’s battle power skyrocketed again. He picked his direction and charged ahead. Any monsters he encountered were obliterated with a single hit, and those that didn’t go down in one shot were easily leaped over afterward.
Not only was his attack power through the roof, but his speed also shot up a notch. He transformed into the Train King, effortlessly pulling in monsters.
This little stunt was noted in the “Ruinous Country Dungeon” records.
However, it seemed these monsters had clear territorial claims, and anything that crossed their bounds wouldn’t chase them too far.
Yuliya trailed behind Sinful, watching his reckless charge but shaking her head in dismay.
Sure, there’s merit in being efficient and going straight, but his ruckus was downright alarming.
After all, the deeper they ventured, the stronger the monsters became, and the chase radius only widened.
The way he was acting would warn the stronger beasts ahead, which would only drag them into deeper trouble. Truly not the brightest choice.
Like right now, several Emerald Level monsters were already heading toward Sinful.
Yuliya was genuinely worried this fox might bite the dust halfway through. If push came to shove, she’d have to sneak in to assist—but that could just put Sinful on alert. Double trouble!
Not long after, the speeding Sinful caught a whiff of the approaching foes and let out a sleek howl. But instead of slowing down, he pressed on.
He was charging like he was going to meet his maker.
Yuliya was ready, poised for action.
But the next moment, Sinful’s beast form shifted again.
He let out a roar, and his previously light-colored fur gradually darkened. The dark fur morphed into black, swirling clouds of energy began to emanate.
Yuliya halted mid-action, and the spell she was ready to cast fell apart.
Her eyes widened as she stared at the transformation unfolding.
Even in the dimness, her golden eyes reflected the dark fox’s shape clearly.
“This… this is… a Demon Fox!”
The familiar aura, the recognizable figure.
Yuliya remembered that the Boss from the Ruinous Country dungeon looked strikingly similar to this one!
The demonic energy thickened, wafting into Yuliya’s nose and solidifying her theory.
“Heh… well, this is just a walk in the park, isn’t it? How convenient.”
Before entering the Underground Ruins, Yuliya had already felt a faint trace of demonic energy.
Coupled with various hints, it confirmed that this ruin was indeed a testing ground for the Beastmen’s demonic trials.
And now, here was a guy who could not only beastify but also go full demon-mode, showing up at a spot like this. He was probably on the hunt for something.
First off, let’s get one thing straight: while beastification was something the Beastmen could grasp, demonification was not something just anyone could whip up.
Demonification was her term for what they’d consider some sort of blessing or direct lineage gift for the Beastmen.
Before Sinful revealed his demon side, Yuliya hadn’t detected a thing.
As long as they kept it in check, not even someone as sharp as her would pick up on it.
Now that he was showing it to the world, things just got a lot simpler.
No matter what he—or the mysterious presence behind him—intended to do, it was destined to fail. She would cut it off at the root.
Although she originally planned on doing this anyway, now her resolve was strengthened.
After demonification, Sinful’s combat prowess shot up even further. While those formidable foes might still be tricky to deal with, shaking them off was a cinch.
This would save Yuliya a bucket of hassle!
And so, on he charged, blazing down the fastest path forward.
Finally, when he reached a certain area, Sinful began to slow down.
They’d arrived at their destination.
As he stepped into the area, the monsters that had been pursuing him suddenly halted, then started to scatter gradually.
Yuliya watched from a distance and felt something ominous.
The area ahead exuded pure silence—eerily quiet.
While everywhere else appeared calm, in her perception many beasts lurked below the surface, but here? Not a single red dot on the radar.
Unsettlingly quiet.
To Yuliya, monsters were like signposts, but in this empty space where nothing stirred, she felt lost.
If she were to explore, she’d have to scour step by step to find something out of the ordinary.
But this place didn’t need her—there was a thoroughly diligent tour guide in Sinful.
Sinful dropped out of his demon and beast forms, perching down to take a breather.
Once his state rebounded somewhat, he got up and strode purposefully forward.
All around him lay a heap of shattered ruins.
This destruction was different from the weathered marks of the past; it was as if it had been ransacked from the start, only to be weathered by time afterward.
In the vast wreckage, Sinful moved with determined purpose, finally stopping near a specific area.
After a good look around, he began to dig up the clutter on the ground.
After putting in some time, he cleared a significant patch, and eventually, a full design emerged on the ground.
Yuliya, observing from behind, widened her eyes at the sight of that pattern.
This… is a seal?
