Am I still shaken from the Rank 8 beast? Is that why I feel this chill? Emma frowned. As she spun toward the rest pod, her body snapped still. She tried to call out to Edric—but her mouth wouldn't move. No sound came out at all. What is this power? Panic surged, but she fought for calm. Stay calm. The greater the danger, the calmer I must be. Even Edric, Rank 9, senses nothing. That means this power is much stronger—far beyond him. What is it? Her eyes darted, scanning shadows. Then she remembered—something Laura once said about the Chitinid. Could it be one of them? Whoosh!A gust of icy wind brushed past her ear, and a chill crept down her spine. "Such a fragrant female." The voice was raspy, thick with phlegm, and utterly disgusting. From the corner of her eye, Emma caught sight of a horrifying face—human-like, yet utterly monstrous. It had hair, eyes, and ears, but no nose. A gaping mouth stretched all the way to its ears, filled with sharp, gleaming fangs. Worse still, its cheeks were covered in eyes of different colors, twitching and blinking at odd angles. The sight alone made her stomach churn. A shriveled, bone-thin hand, its nails long and pale, slid across her face before stopping between her brows. "I've never seen such mental power before," the creature rasped. "You smell so sweet… Let me eat you."Eat your d*mn self! Emma cursed inwardly. If I could move, I would slice the Chitinid with her blade. How dare this thing scare people—completely shameless. "Emma!" Edric's voice broke through the tension, filled with fear. She jerked her gaze to him. At last, he sensed danger. His serpent tail whipped forward, coiling to yank her away. Beside him, Damian's nine fox tails flared out, rushing to help. Before they reached her, both tails slammed against an invisible wall. A shimmering barrier erupted around Emma, hurling them back. Their faces instantly darkened. Rank 11. It was a Rank 11 Chitinid. Edric's heart dropped. Fury and fear battled as he saw Emma trapped. Guilt tore at him. I failed Emma. I let her get caught. "Emma, don't be afraid," he said hoarsely. "I won't let anything happen to you." I can't win—Rank 9 can't beat Rank 11. Only one option—sacrifice. The Violet Obsidian had a forbidden technique—offer one's life as the price, and in return, one's power would surge three ranks higher for a short time. Without hesitation, Edric slit open his wrist, crimson dripping down his scales. Damian's eyes widened. "You idiot—stop!" He grabbed Edric's arm, halting him just in time. "Are you trying to stop me from saving her? Let go!" Edric growled, his tail lashing in fury. Every second wasted was another second Emma was in danger. "I'm not stopping you from saving her—I'm stopping you from dying."Damian knew that Emma had a soft spot for Edric. If Edric were to die here today, Emma would be devastated. By his usual nature—greedy, stingy, and calculating—he shouldn't have cared whether Edric lived or died. In fact, it would've been better if Edric died. If he died saving Emma, she'd live, and Damian could safely bring her back. He'd not only gain a Rank 11 Chitinid but also lose a rival for her affection. All profit, no loss. That was exactly how Damian operated. Yet now, he had done something utterly stupid—he had stopped Edric. "If you die, Emma will be heartbroken. I don't want her to be sad." It wasn't just that. Deep down, Damian had a strong feeling—if he didn't save Edric today, there would be no future for him and Emma. "But if I don't do this, how can I save Emma?"Edric wrenched his arm free from Damian's grip. Is that fox really just going to watch Emma die? Damian shot him a glare. "You brainless snake, do you really think I'd stop you without a plan to keep you alive?" Fine. This is the price for being insincere to Emma. "Your kind has secret arts; mine does too. I'll split my life with you—not a thousand years, just five hundred. Five centuries with her is a fair deal, right?" … In front of the rest pod, a Chitinid stood behind Emma, greedily inhaling her scent. "You smell so good. I don't have to eat you. I can take you back instead—make you my pet." To the Chitinids, therian could be food or pets.