Edric took out the last pack of level 5 beasts with one clean swing of his tail. He swept them up with easy precision and placed them before Emma. She tucked each beast away methodically, her expression calm but glowing with adrenaline. They lingered for a while, whispering as the battlefield fell silent around them. … Two hours later, Laura's squad finally finished clearing the stragglers. She'd drained her energy long ago and was sprawled on a rock, catching her breath while her mate watched over her. When she finally looked up, her jaw dropped. The clearing was littered with carcasses piled like small hills, their beast cores glinting across the ground like scattered gemstones. She let out a sharp whistle, grabbed her mate by the collar, and kissed him hard."We hit the jackpot this time." She laughed, breathless with relief. "All thanks to Emma." Inwardly, she couldn't shake the thought. If Emma's Rank 9 mate hadn't shown up when he did, that level 8 beast would've had us frozen in fear. We wouldn't have made a single move, no matter how many beasts were waiting to be taken. Snapping back to work, Laura briskly ordered to process the bodies before jogging to Emma. "Emma, I mean it—you saved us out there. Without you and your mate, we'd have gone home empty-handed." Emma stood up, dusting off her sleeves. "Edric may have done the exhausting work, but you and your mate fought cleverly. That's how we made it out in one piece." Laura grinned and waved her hands. "Oh, come on. Even if we doubled our strength, that level 8 beast would've chewed us up. Your mate saved our skins, and we both know it." The mention of the level 8 beast made Emma pause. Her eyes slightly widened as she turned to Edric. "Wait—what about that level 8 beast? You didn't kill it? What did it look like?" Beasts at that level changed considerably. A complete corpse and its core could fetch a fortune on the open market. She'd never seen one in person, and if Edric still possessed the body, she was eager to take a look. Edric finished sealing the night pod, then approached and explained, "I didn't take it down. It was heading south when I got here, so I didn't chase. I just wanted to find you." He straightened and gave her a confident nod. "Once we settle in, I'll head south and finish the job." Typical Edric. Calm as ever, like swatting down a level 8 beast was no big deal. ... Meanwhile, in the south of the forest, Evie couldn't believe her luck—out of all people to meet here, it had to be him. A tall man stood framed by the filtered sunlight, his hair glowing like molten gold. The faint shimmer of golden feathers at his shoulders caught the light with every move. She couldn't help herself. "Mr. Auris—I never imagined running into you here. If it weren't for you, that Level 8 beast would've swallowed me and my mate whole." The man before her wasn't just any hunter. This was Kael Auris—the heir to the Suncrest Lineage of the Central Planet, a name that carried weight across every system in the Empire. She'd seen him once before, from a distance at a planetary summit, where he shone like the sun among lesser stars. Now, standing this close, she could barely keep her composure. For someone like her—a female without a divine mate from the Beast God—getting close to the nobility of Central Planet was nearly impossible. Meeting them was like trying to catch sunlight; no matter how hard she reached, it would always escape. Kael hadn't intended to acknowledge her. He'd come to this sector for a reason—hunting for someone. Still, the moment she spoke his name, his gaze flicked her way. "You know me?" His voice was deep and controlled, the kind that could quiet a crowd without effort. He wasn't there to hunt. He was there for someone when he encountered a level 8 beast—a tiny, palm-sized creature that can move extremely quickly and disappear. If he hadn't regained his strength to the level eight peak, he might not have caught it. Evie's pale cheeks flushed as she realized he was actually talking to her. "I saw you once on the Central Planet. Didn't get the chance to speak, though." So that was it. She's seen me before, Kael thought, his jaw tightening. For a second, I thought she might know the female I'm looking for. Still, he wasn't ready to walk away. He asked, "I take it you live around here?" Evie nodded quickly. "Yeah, on F-268 for now. I'll be moving to the Central Planet soon." Her smile grew with quiet pride as she thought about it—the Beast God had finally selected her a suitor, who lived on the Central Planet. It was her escape, her opportunity to rise above the dust of F-268. Kael didn't react. The personal details meant nothing to him. "Do you hunt in these forests often?" "Of course," she replied, smiling. "A female still has to get stronger. Can't have my mates doing all the work." He barely heard her flirtatious tone. His thoughts were elsewhere. "I'm searching for someone," he spoke flatly. "A Rank 3 female who easily defeats level 4 beasts." A flash of memory crossed his mind—Emma, fierce and vibrant, with lightning streaking down her arm as she fought beasts. His voice softened unconsciously. "It's the type of blue-white lightning. It forges itself into a blade—bright, clean, and merciless when she cuts their heads clean off." Evie blinked, her mouth twitching. A female who chops heads off? Who even does that? Most women she knew fought delicately, kept their kills neat. The way he described her—raw, unrestrained—was borderline terrifying. "Sorry, Mr. Auris. I don't think I've met anyone like that." Evie forced a polite smile, shaking her head in apology. She truly had no idea who he meant—she'd never come across a female that wild, let alone one stuck at Rank 3. Still, something about the lightning stuck with her. She'd seen that same blue-white flash once before when she'd crossed paths with Emma. She tilted her head. "Mr. Auris, this female you're looking for—she's lightning-based, right?"