Fallen

Golden Horn had planned to find an artificer the next day and forge that piece of Bloodflame Copper Mother into a weapon that suited him.

However, before dawn had even broken, his communication wristband rang.

It was a mission notification from the Monster Hunting Hall.

"Recruiting experts at Stellar level Domain second layer and above as sparring partners. Reward: two hundred thousand Demon Coins. Duration: one month. Low risk; injuries possible, but no danger to life."

The mission description stated that the sparring target was a genius at Stellar level Domain second layer. The mission had been issued in the hope that high-intensity combat would help him break through to the Domain third layer.

Golden Horn's eyes lit up.

He was not particularly interested in two hundred thousand Demon Coins, but he was extremely interested in "an opponent at Stellar level Domain second layer." He had only just gained a minor mastery of Heaven-Splitting Earth-Rending in battle, while his Metal Domain remained stuck at the peak of the second layer, unable to touch the threshold of the third. If he could engage in high-intensity combat with an opponent of the same level and attribute for a month, he would have a great chance of breaking through.

Without hesitation, he accepted the mission.

He was not the only one interested in it. But the mission issuer soon sent a confirmation: they only needed a sparring partner with a Metal Domain, and Golden Horn had been selected.

Filled with anticipation, Golden Horn boarded a spacecraft and was assigned a cabin of his own.

Inside the cabin, he closed his eyes and regulated his breathing as he waited for the spacecraft to reach its destination.

Yet when the cabin door opened again, the people who entered were not attendants, but ten Universe level experts.

Golden Horn's eyes snapped open, his pupils contracting sharply.

Ten figures filed inside, completely blocking the cabin. Their auras were as vast as mountains and seas, each one far surpassing Golden Horn. Once the ten took their positions, an old man with an unfathomable aura entered last, faint law fluctuations swirling around him—a Sector Lord level expert!

Golden Horn swept his gaze over their appearances, and his heart sank.

Wolf heads, silver-gray scales, cold vertical pupils—the Sirius clan!

No matter how slow he was, he understood now. This was a trap. From issuing the mission to selecting him, it had all been a scheme laid by the Sirius clan. Attacking directly on Myriad Monster Star would be disrespecting the lord, but luring him out to kill him came with far fewer concerns.

Golden Horn took a deep breath, suppressing the storm in his heart as he asked coldly, "How did you find me?"

The Universe level expert standing at the front grinned, baring a mouthful of pale, savage fangs.

"You took spatial rings from the dead members of the Sirius clan, didn't you? Among the many items inside were trackers. You sold them, but with the Sirius clan's methods, tracing the seller was only a matter of time."

Golden Horn's heart tightened. So that was it. He silently remembered this: in the future, whether it was spacecraft or spatial rings, he could not keep anything of unknown origin. Even if he took them, he had to thoroughly inspect them immediately.

He raised his eyes to the Sirius clan experts before him, already prepared to fall.

Ten Universe level experts and one Sector Lord. He was only Stellar level; even if he gave everything he had, there was no way he could escape alive.

"If you want to do it, then do it." Golden Horn rose to his feet, the muscles beneath his scales slowly tensing.

However, a young voice suddenly sounded from behind the crowd. "Move aside."

The ten Universe level experts automatically made way, and a youth emerged from the rear.

He was tall and slender, entirely covered in silver-white scales. A sharp horn protruded from his forehead, and his aura was condensed—Stellar level ninth order, Domain second layer, almost identical to Golden Horn.

Golden Horn paused.

The Universe level expert sneered. "The sparring mission was real. This is a genius of my clan, also at the second layer of the Metal Domain. Your task is to train with him. Defeat him, or help him break through to the Domain third layer, and you may keep an intact corpse."

Golden Horn smiled.

"An intact corpse?" A cold gleam flashed in his vertical pupils. "Are you sure?"

Before his words had even faded, he attacked first!

Golden Horn pounced at the young Sirius wolf, his claws wrapped in golden light as he struck downward.

The young Sirius wolf reacted quickly, twisting aside to evade while lashing back with a claw. Their claws collided, scattering sparks. Their strength was equal, their speed was equal, and their Domains were equal—a truly evenly matched opponent.

Golden Horn understood. This young Sirius wolf was indeed formidable, but he had been protected too well. He lacked the sharpness forged through life-and-death trials. And Golden Horn knew that he would not be leaving today.

Since I can't leave, then I'll fight!

He began attacking madly, completely abandoning defense. Every claw strike was a life-for-life exchange, every blow aimed straight at a vital point. His claw light slashed across the young Sirius wolf, leaving bloody streaks; the young Sirius wolf's sharp claws likewise tore through Golden Horn's scales, sending blood flying.

But Golden Horn did not care. His eyes held fighting spirit and determination, but not fear!

On the tenth exchange, Golden Horn's horn grazed the young Sirius wolf's throat, leaving behind a thin line of blood. The young Sirius wolf's face paled, and he retreated half a step.

On the twentieth exchange, Golden Horn endured a claw strike head-on while sweeping his tail across the young Sirius wolf's waist, smashing him away. The young Sirius wolf climbed out of the wreckage, and at last a trace of fear flashed through his eyes.

Golden Horn pressed forward, his claw light pouring down like a torrential storm.

The young Sirius wolf was clearly a fraction stronger than him, yet Golden Horn's reckless momentum crushed him until he could barely breathe.

"This madman!" The young Sirius wolf gritted his teeth and desperately blocked, but was forced back again and again.

Golden Horn fought with increasing exhilaration.

He had never encountered an opponent so evenly matched and so perfectly aligned with his attribute. The collision of their Metal Domains gave him an entirely new understanding of the fundamental laws behind "sharpness," "sturdiness," and "Immortal."

He closed his eyes.

He had not given up resisting; he had immersed himself in that wondrous realization. At that moment, the barrier between the second and third layers of his Metal Domain shattered with a roar.

Golden Horn's eyes flew open, and a golden halo erupted from his body, several times denser than before!

Third layer!

Seizing the moment, he struck with a claw. Wrapped in dense golden law power, the claw light crashed heavily into the young Sirius wolf's chest. The young Sirius wolf spat blood and flew backward, smashing into the cabin wall before sliding down unconscious.

Golden Horn panted, lowering his gaze to his claws. He had broken through. If not for this trap, he might have needed to cultivate bitterly for much longer.

He raised his head and looked toward the young Sirius wolf, about to step forward and finish him.

"Enough."

A sigh came from behind the crowd.

Golden Horn saw only a blur. The Sector Lord level old man had somehow appeared before him. The old man raised one hand, extended a finger, and lightly tapped forward.

Golden Horn had not even seen the finger's trajectory before a bloody hole exploded in his chest.

He lowered his head and saw that his heart had already shattered. Then a terrifying force erupted from the wound, tearing his body into fragments. Scales, flesh, bones, blood—all of it turned into a bloody mist that spread through the cabin.

In the final instant before his consciousness dispersed, he heard the old man's voice, calm and cold. "What a pity. He was a good prospect. But if you touch someone from the Sirius clan, you must be prepared to die."

Then everything sank into darkness.

Myriad Monster Star.

Inside the metal general store, the Void Beast clone was cultivating behind the counter with its eyes closed when its entire body suddenly shuddered and its eyes snapped open.

Its silver-white vertical pupils were filled with shock and fury.

Golden Horn's true body had fallen!

Though the Origin Core remained and his consciousness still existed, the soul shock from the destruction of his true body left the clone's head splitting with pain. It clutched its head, its nails digging into the counter and leaving deep claw marks.

After a long while, it raised its head, rage surging in its silver-white vertical pupils.

"Good! What a Sirius clan! I, Golden Horn, will remember this grudge!"