"Oh... What is that?" Christopher asked, leaning back comfortably in his chair. Lucas, now perched gracefully on the edge of the center table, fixed her gaze intently on him.
"There is a kill mission on your head," Xing's voice echoed through the phone, "a bounty of one billion dollars... And two teams have already accepted the mission."
She paused, allowing the information to sink in.
Christopher raised a single eyebrow, a flicker of amusement in his eyes. "Skull?" he inquired, the single word carrying a wealth of understanding.
"Yes," Xing confirmed, her voice firm.
"Okay... Do you have any information about the individual who placed the bounty?" he asked, his tone still relaxed.
Across the room, Murphy, Lazarus, and Lucas exchanged puzzled glances, turning their attention fully towards Christopher.
"I tried, but the fool didn't provide any identifying information, not even a name... And their IP address is completely blocked," Xing explained, a hint of frustration in her voice.
"Okay... Thanks, I'll take care of it." Christopher's tone remained unconcerned.
"Boss, should I alert the four Beast Kings?" Xing asked quickly, a note of urgency creeping into her voice.
"No... They are still on vacation... Let them enjoy their time off. Besides, the elite troops have been shut down," Christopher sighed, then smoothly changed the subject. "What level are you currently at?" he inquired.
"I am a mid-stage Master level, Boss... All thanks to you," Xing replied, her voice filled with genuine awe and gratitude.
"Just focus on your cultivation, and leave everything else to me," Christopher instructed calmly.
"Okay, Boss, take care," she said sincerely.
"Thanks." Christopher nodded and disconnected the call.
"What did X say?" Murphy asked, her brow furrowed in mild confusion.
"It's just some insignificant individuals, nothing I can't handle," Christopher sighed, placing his phone casually on the table.
"I miss X... She is not so cold-blooded as the others, Oh! How is her training progressing?" Murphy asked again, walking over to the seat, where she settled down comfortably.
"She's made good progress, now a mid-stage Master level."
"So you've essentially created the fifth monster," Murphy muttered, picking up her teacup and taking a slow sip, her eyes fixed on Christopher's expression.
"I wouldn't refer to my Kings as monsters," Christopher corrected gently. "Those five have bled for me, even killed for me... I simply made a mistake in believing I could train another five to their caliber. Those fools turned around and stabbed me in the back." A dangerous edge crept into his voice, a hint of killing intent flashing in his eyes.
"You know, you could simply make a call, and the five Kings would take care of those fools... I wouldn't even call it a battle; it would be an absolute overkill," Murphy said with a knowing smile, placing her cup back on the table.
"True... Those five are among the rarest of creatures... They each awakened their life force in a unique way, rendering them incapable of taming beasts," Christopher mused.
"But that limitation was replaced by something far more potent," Murphy stated knowingly.
"Indeed. While they can't tame beasts, their inherent life force is arguably the strongest I've ever encountered, and their base stats are far beyond ordinary," Christopher explained. "A single low-stage Master level Awakener among them can effortlessly take down five high-stage Master levels... single-handedly. I'm not even certain they possess a natural fear of Beasts."
"They are truly formidable," Murphy conceded, a hint of respect in her voice.
Christopher glanced at his watch and sighed. "It seems we have approximately thirty minutes remaining before the auction commences. I should probably get going now... See you there." He finished his tea, stood up, and idly rubbed the ring on his finger.
In twin trails of shimmering light, Lazarus and Lucas dissolved into energy and returned to their dwelling within the ring.
"I will contact you when we are ready to move to the building stage," Christopher said, turning towards the door.
Murphy watched as the door closed softly behind him, then let out a quiet sigh.
"He forgot to mention that he gifted those five ten different bloodlines of Divine Stage Beasts," she murmured to herself. "The five Beast Kings: Sunny, known as Devil Hand; Phoenix, known as Red Flames; Garrett, known as Iron Grip; Ragnarök, known as Ghost; and lastly Xing, known as X... These five are capable of dismantling a small city overnight. And their loyalty to him is absolute and unwavering... Christopher may project an image of a carefree individual, but anyone who crosses him rarely lasts long, especially once these five catch wind of it." She sighed softly again.
"Monsters, indeed. The five Beast Kings."
__
Xing placed the phone back on its cradle and let out a thoughtful sigh. "It seems I am the only one currently aware of the Boss's true identity," she mused. "Should I inform the others?"
"But he specifically mentioned that the other four are on vacation..." she pondered. "Little does he know what they've been up to."
____
[In an undisclosed location... Deep within a remote mountain range.]
[Night Time. 11:25 PM.]
"Please, don't kill me... Please!"
A woman crawled desperately across the blood-soaked ground, her body riddled with injuries. Her terrified gaze darted towards the lifeless bodies scattered around her, before fixating on the imposing figure standing before her.
"Please! You killed everyone?! Just let me go!" she pleaded, her voice choked with fear.
'What kind of monster have we possibly angered?!' she thought frantically, her eyes wide with disbelief. 'How can such a being even exist in this world, attacking a fortified base housing a thousand highly armed men and slaughtering them all with his bare hands!' Her gaze locked onto the pair of crimson eyes that stared back at her with chilling indifference.
"Please... What have we done to deserve this?!" she added, her voice trembling.
"Hehehe..." The figure chuckled darkly, a flash of stark white teeth visible in the dim light. Half of his face was smeared with fresh blood, a gruesome testament to the carnage he had unleashed.
"You know exactly why I killed everyone," he stated, his voice a low, menacing growl.
The woman looked up at him, her face a mask of pure horror. The once pristine armor she wore was now stained with blood and grime, bearing witness to the brutal assault.
"You sided with the Golden Organization... That's why," he declared, his hand reaching out towards her with terrifying intent. His fingers closed around her throat, lifting her effortlessly into the air, her feet dangling uselessly.
"Please!" the woman gasped, her face rapidly turning a shade of purple as his grip tightened.
She stared into the blood-red eyes of the man with crimson hair, her terror reaching its peak.
"You fools dared to anger my Boss. Your pathetic lives are the only punishment you deserve."
'Boss? A Low-stage Supreme Level Awakener has a Boss?!' The woman's face paled even further, her eyes widening in utter shock. Desperation surged through her.
"I know a secret! It will be incredibly important to your Boss!!" she choked out, her voice strained despite the crushing pressure on her throat.
The man's grip loosened slightly, though he didn't release her. "Speak," he commanded, his crimson eyes narrowed.
"You have to let me go," she countered weakly, her gaze locked on his terrifying eyes.
"Then you clearly have no desire to live."
Before he could tighten his grip once more, she blurted out her desperate plea: "No! No! I have vital information! The Golden Organization is still active! And they have a new Boss! I heard this new leader has surpassed the Supreme level! They are unstoppable!!"
The man's eyes turned glacial, his expression hardening. "Are you telling me the truth?"
"Why would I lie in this situation?" she retorted, her voice laced with a desperate sincerity.
He nodded slowly, a thoughtful expression flickering across his bloodied face.
CRACK!
With a swift, brutal motion, he snapped her neck, the sound sickeningly loud in the silent night. He tossed her lifeless body aside like a discarded rag.
"The Boss needs to know about this," he muttered, his gaze sweeping over the carnage surrounding him. He exhaled slowly.
"I don't have his direct contact. Maybe X does." He pulled out his phone and initiated a call.
___
RING!
"Uh?"
Xing removed her headphones, a look of mild surprise on her face as she picked up her ringing phone from the table.
"Devil Hand? Why is he calling?" she asked aloud, a hint of surprise in her voice.