Chapter 58: The Vanguard's March into the Tier 3 Wilds
Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!
The soft trill of birdsong echoed gently through the forest, harmonizing with the golden rays of dawn that filtered through the ancient canopy. Leaves shimmered with dew, and the scent of damp earth mixed with wildflowers wafted lazily through the cool morning air. In a secluded clearing veiled by thickets and crowned with moss-covered stone, a figure stirred as morning light peeled the shadows away.
"Aaaargh…"
A long yawn escaped Lei Feng as he stretched his arms overhead, his lean figure arching above the smooth, bark-polished tree trunk that had served as a makeshift bed. He blinked groggily, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as the forest around him slowly stirred to life.
Then he saw them—and his weariness vanished in an instant.
Curled around him like a protective circle, the Elemental Vanguard slumbered peacefully.
Ignis, lying on his back, had thin trails of smoke rising from his body with each breath, his chibi form flickering with embers. Even in sleep, his miniature brow furrowed like a warrior locked in a battle dream. One tiny fist clenched around nothing, as though gripping an invisible sword.
Glacia rested with her arms crossed, her small body upright in an elegant, statuesque posture. Frost had formed a silvery sheen over the grass around her, and her delicate features held a stoic grace—even asleep, she exuded icy pride.
Aquari was curled up like a cat, her water-like body softly rippling with each breath. Her translucent limbs shifted with gentle currents, and her small hands rubbed at her eyes in slow, cartoonish exaggeration. Her sea-blue chibi hair bobbed slightly with every sleepy twitch.
Granite lay like a collapsed boulder, arms and legs sprawled with utter abandon. His snoring was a soft rumble, and when he yawned in his sleep, it was deep and barbaric—like a mountain grumbling in slumber.
Aeolus hung upside down from a branch, swaying gently in the breeze. Silver strands of hair floated as though caught in an invisible dance. A silly grin stretched across his face, as if dreaming of flight and freedom.
A warmth blossomed in Lei Feng's chest. His lips curved into a smile, a quiet chuckle escaping as he looked at each of them. In that still moment, under the pale kiss of the morning sun, he felt something deeper than power—he felt kinship.
He turned his gaze to the sky. The sunlight pierced through the canopy, casting a radiant beam that lit his face like a divine spotlight.
"Although I'm stronger now," he murmured, his blue eyes glowing faintly, "in front of monsters like Zhan Xi'an, I'm still just above average. If I'm to survive—no, to dominate—I must become more than an anomaly. I must become a powerhouse."
He inhaled deeply, igniting the fire in his soul.
"System."
Ding!
Yhdn#\$@"hhs!?\!
A distorted mess of static and symbols filled his vision. Lei Feng's eyes widened.
What the hell? Is the system broken? Did I get hit with a virus? No… this system is my cheat… I need it! Without it—
Panic surged in his chest.
But then—
Ding!
『System Update In Progress』
> The OmniClass God System is undergoing its first major update.
> During this time, all system features (e.g., Inventory, Notifications, Skill Insight, Quest Logs) will be temporarily inactive.
> You may still gain experience and increase skill mastery via practice. However, no data or feedback will be displayed until the update is complete.
>
> Current Progress: 6%
Lei Feng exhaled, relief washing over him.
"Thank the heavens… It's just an update."
He sat back down, watching the glitchy progress bar for a moment before glancing at his sleeping summons. As if on cue, one by one, they stirred.
"Mmmrrggh…"
Ignis rose first, flames flickering from his shoulders as he rolled to his feet like a disciplined soldier.
"Good morning, Master." He bowed, firelight glinting in his orange eyes.
"Hahaha, you guys really sleep like rocks," Lei Feng laughed.
"What do you expect?" Aquari pouted as she rubbed her watery eyes. "We fought for hours last night! I'm surprised I didn't melt in my sleep."**
"Hmph. It's not like we had mana stones to recover." Glacia's icy tone sliced the air, her puffed cheeks making her look more like a spoiled aristocrat than a warrior.
"Uh… Good morning, Master," Granite rumbled groggily.
"Morning, Granite," Lei Feng nodded.
With a sudden burst of wind, Aeolus popped beside him, clapping excitedly.
"Good morning, Boss! What's the game plan? Anything fun today?"
Lei Feng smirked. "Let's find out." He pulled out his phone and flicked through the map app.
> Zone: Tier 2 – Low Risk Zone
> Location: Tier 2.5 – Core Region
A blinking blue marker confirmed his position.
"As expected… Core region of Tier 2. Still not enough."
His gaze shifted toward a pulsing purple glow on the map—it shimmered ominously.
> Zone: Tier 3 – Intermediate Zone
> [BeastCall Database Detected]
"Tier 3 beasts… Level 21 to 30. Perfect." A wild grin danced across his lips. I'll take them all down."
He turned to the Vanguard. "Combat forms. It's grind time."
"Yes, Master!"
The forest trembled as five elemental auras erupted.
Ignis blazed like a walking inferno, his body clad in magma armor, his hair of flame burning brighter than ever.
Glacia radiated regal frost, her long hair flowing like winter wind, a sword of pure ice humming at her side.
Aquari shimmered like a river spirit, floating droplets orbiting her like satellites, her form fluid and dangerous.
Aeolus danced on the breeze, silver-eyed and electric, mischief and speed personified.
Granite towered like a crag, fists like boulders and eyes glowing like molten coal.
Lei Feng clenched his fists, energy rising like a thundercloud in his chest.
"I'm Level 23 now," he muttered, eyes sharpening. "With the Vanguard, we're more than capable of crushing Level 30 monsters. We're not just a team… we're a force of nature."
He pointed toward the forest's shadowy depths.
"Let's go paint this zone with glory."
---
Rustle. Rustle.
The forest deepened. Sunlight faded beneath a thick canopy, casting shadowy hues across gnarled roots and serpentine vines. Dead leaves crunched beneath their feet. The scent of decay clung to the air like a quiet threat.
Crunch. Crunch.
The only sounds were their synchronized steps, broken by the occasional distant howl or flutter of wings.
"Ugh, this is boring," Aeolus complained, floating lazily. "Three hours, and only nine beasts? Where's the action?!"
"Tier 3 zones aren't like Tier 2 wilds,"Aquari said softly. "The stronger the monsters, the rarer they become."
"Exactly," Lei Feng added. "They're territorial. Harder to find, and even harder to draw out."
"Let me raze the place," Ignis growled. "They'll come out when they smell their home turning to ash."
"Ignorant," Glacia scoffed. "Your answer to everything is destruction."
"Granite kinda liked that idea…" Granite mumbled.
The group fell into stunned silence.
"Glacia," Lei Feng said, chuckling, "any better ideas?"
"As much as I hate to agree with Ignis… I don't like waiting either. What do you suggest, Master?"
Five expectant gazes locked on Lei Feng. He felt sweat bead on the back of his neck.
"I'm their leader… I have to lead. Think, Lei Feng, think—"
Then it clicked.
OmniClass God Eyes – A superior grade passive/utility skill:
• Grants the user enhanced visual perception
• Can see through illusions, detect hidden objects, identify energy fluctuations
• Enables area scanning within 50 meters
• Cannot be blinded or deceived by visual tricks
Of course! His eyes widened. How did I forget this?!
He activated the skill. The world shimmered.
Colors deepened. Hidden energy currents pulsed into view. Movement trails, core glows, illusion veils—nothing escaped his vision.
"Most are loners…" he muttered. "I need a pack. Something dense."
Then he saw it—a cluster of purple-red auras moving in formation.
A pack. Dense. Strong. Aggressive.
"Follow me!"
Whoosh!
Lightning exploded beneath his feet.
The Vanguard followed without hesitation.
The forest blurred. The hunt began.
---
A steep ridge loomed ahead, its crest veiled in mist and pulsing energy.
Lei Feng halted, crouching low behind thick brush. His eyes glowed like stormlight.
Across the ridge, the monsters came into view—thirty or more creatures of grotesque hybrid design: part lizard, part wolf, with plated scales and venom-dripping fangs. Their eyes glowed crimson. Their formation was tight—too tight each one of them exhuded the aura of a level 25 Beast.
"Perfect," Lei Feng whispered.
But something felt… off.
His OmniClass God Eyes flickered.
Then he saw it—deep within the formation, buried beneath layers of illusions and cloaking—
A Level 30 Alpha Beast.
Its aura pulsed like thunder.
Lei Feng's pulse quickened. The Vanguard sensed it too. Ignis bared his teeth. Glacia narrowed her eyes. Aquari's waters stilled. Aeolus stopped mid-air. Granite lowered his stance.
Lei Feng grinned.
"Now this... this is what I call a real fight."
He drew his blade and said in a clear voice:
"Vanguard—battle formation! We're storming the ridge!"
The final hunt begins.