Who is Karsha? A 19-year-old Grandmaster stage cultivator, comparable to a Tier 5 Monster. From the cultivation perspective, he's essentially a nobody who would be dismissed easily.
Yet, here he is, being asked to face Tier 13 monsters that have degraded to Tier 10. It's madness—utter madness. It feels impossible.
"This is madness. How can soone as insignificant as go up against a monster of that level? Forget Bloodhorn; even the ten generals are beyond my capabilities," Karsha said, shaking his head.
The idea of being tasked with such an impossible challenge seed completely absurd.
Lunar Sabar stood silently, perhaps nodding in agreent with Karsha's assessnt. That's why she blad herself for sealing the demons with the core.
If she hadn't done that, Karsha might have been able to approach the core and retrieve it with relative ease.
"Tell , Lunar, what's your cultivation base, and why aren't you more powerful after all these years?" Karsha asked.
He wasn't trying to invade her privacy, especially since she showed no signs of hostility. He could always delve deeper into her past later.
"I was a Tier 12 Great World Boss during the battle," Lunar began, her tone tinged with regret.
"But after sacrificing my Lunar Innate Body, I started to regress. I'm now a Tier 10 Calamity Mutant. Sadly, once my innate body was destroyed, my cultivation base began to fall apart. I couldn't form a new innate body, so I've been waiting and regressing over the years.
"Once a beast loses its innate talent, it becos a monster. Fortunately, I had the blessing of the moon, so my regression wasn't as severe as it could have been."
Karsha had expected sothing like this, but hearing it firsthand still took him aback. The being in front of him was a Tier 10 Calamity Mutant Beast. A single attack from her could easily end Karsha's life.
"What's the difference? You ntioned that losing your innate body turned you into a monster. So, what exactly is the difference between a Monster and a Beast?" Karsha asked.
He'd heard the Purple Tail Anaconda race refer to themselves as Beasts while calling other snakes Monsters. When he asked, they simply said it was because they were more civilized.
Now that the curse was lifted, he saw other monsters taking human forms and starting to build societies with norms and values. So, what really distinguishes Beasts from Monsters?
Lunar's eyes narrowed thoughtfully as she considered Karsha's question. "The difference is more than just a matter of culture. It's about innate qualities and how they shape our nature."
She paused for a mont, gathering her thoughts.
"Beasts are creatures born with powerful innate abilities—talents and strengths that define their very essence.
They have a natural connection to their environnt and often possess a deep, intrinsic understanding of their role in the world. This makes them formidable and often more in tune with their surroundings and their own power."
"Monsters, on the other hand, are typically those who lose or never gain such innate qualities. When a beast loses its innate body or its connection to its true nature, it often becos a monster.
These creatures might still be powerful, but they lack the refined instincts and natural harmony that co with being a beast. They're driven more by raw power and instinct rather than a deep, cultivated connection to their environnt."
Karsha listened intently. "So, in essence, it's about losing a connection to one's true nature versus rely having power. Beasts have a kind of grace and understanding that monsters lack."
"Exactly," Lunar confird, nodding. "When a beast loses its innate body, it loses a part of its essence, which results in a decline in its natural instincts and harmony. It becos more focused on brute strength and survival rather than the nuanced balance it once had."
Karsha considered this, feeling a new level of respect for Lunar. "I see. That helps clarify a lot. Even though you've beco a monster, you still have the wisdom and experience that cos from being a beast. It's clear you haven't lost everything."
Lunar's eyes held a hint of sadness, but also a glimr of pride. "Yes, though I am a monster now, I still carry the essence of my past self."
Karsha nodded, understanding the weight of her words. "So, what's so unique about the innate talent of a beast?"
"Beasts are like humans in that we possess a class that grants us control over so aspect of reality," Lunar explained.
"For example, despite losing my innate body, I can still use the essence of the moon. This essence fuels my attacks. This is sothing monsters lack—they rely more on brute strength. Because of this, even a Tier 5 Beast can easily kill a Tier 7 Monster. Monsters lack talent and skills."
'So that's what it was,' Karsha thought. 'Khinux wasn't a monster; he had innate talent and skills, unlike the brutes we fought in this blood expedition. This also ans that while I managed to kill a Tier 9 Calamity Mutant monster, a true beast would be a different challenge.' Karsha imdiately connected the dots. The reason why Khinux, his Mystical Grade avatar, was able to dominate the monsters was because of his innate talent.
"Got it," Karsha said aloud. "That explains a lot. So, while monsters might rely on sheer power, beasts have that extra edge with their talents and abilities."
"Exactly," Lunar confird. "Monsters are formidable but not as much as Beasts. They also lack the finesse and control that beasts have. It's this innate talent that sets us apart."
Karsha felt a newfound respect for the beasts. It seed his thinking had been shallow. "One last question. Can monsters beco beasts? If yes, how?"
"Monsters can beco beasts. It is possible," Lunar began.
Karsha leaned in, intrigued. "How does that happen?"
Lunar took a deep breath before explaining. "For a monster to beco a beast, it must cultivate an innate talent and develop a deeper understanding of itself and its surroundings. This is a challenging process, as monsters lack the natural affinity and harmony with the world that beasts have."
She continued, "The first step is for the monster to find a source of power or essence that resonates with it. This could be an elent, a celestial body, or even a unique energy. The monster must then attune itself to this essence and begin integrating it into its being. This process is arduous and can take many years, even centuries."
Karsha nodded, absorbing the information. "So, it's about finding a connection and cultivating it, much like how cultivators find their path."
"Exactly," Lunar confird. "Once a monster has successfully integrated an essence and cultivated an innate talent, it will start to transition into a beast. This transformation isn't just physical but also spiritual and ntal. The monster will gain not only new abilities but also a refined understanding and control over its powers."
"This usually happens between the Tier 10 to Tier 12 stage, and it's easiest when your class is a World Boss and beyond," Lunar explained, ensuring Karsha had a clear understanding.
"Are there such monsters here in the Forest World?" Karsha couldn't help but ask. So far, the strongest monster he had fought was the Tier 9 Calamity Mutants. But despite that already being a significant achievent, hearing that monsters were several tis weaker than beasts made Karsha see his accomplishnts as less impressive.
"There are," Lunar confird. "But they reside in the deeper sections of the forest. The strongest I've sensed is a Tier 11 Great World Boss. They don't appear often, probably because they are in the process of transformation and awakening. If they succeed, this world will start to regain so semblance of its forr glory."
Karsha pondered this information. "So, they're trying to beco True beasts"
"Exactly," Lunar replied. "The transformation process is complex and takes ti. These monsters are striving to evolve, to beco true beasts. If they manage to succeed, their presence will significantly change the balance of power in this world."
Karsha already knew there was more to this Forest than t the eye. First, he learned about the Overlord, who was said to be destined to beco the ruler of all monsters.
Initially, he thought that was all there was to it. But after hearing what Lunar said, he realized this Overlord would rule over both Monsters and Beasts.
Second, he learned about the crucial role the core would play in this grand sche. According to Hans, the core is one of seven items required to birth such an existence.
Although Karsha didn't know who this existence would be, he understood he was destined to play a part in it. If the seal was unsealing, he had to act within the next two days before he vanished back into the human world.
He could mark the forest by opening a portal to the island there, allowing him to return later. But he couldn't take any chances. With the monsters also unsealing, he knew he had a lot to do, and it all had to be done within the next two days.
Third, he knew he had to take Lunar with him, but since he wasn't a beast tar, he would have to convince her to accept Xian. Karsha knew that despite losing her innate body, Lunar was still a beast, and beasts prided themselves too much.
The chances of her wanting to beco Xian's beast companion were very slim. However, if he managed to convince her and she beca Xian's companion, then among the younger generation in the whole of the Central Continent, Xian would beco the strongest, even stronger than Karsha.
That was the most terrifying aspect of tars—a lucky encounter could turn them into powerhouses overnight.
"Ha, now, let's focus on the core. How long would it take to unseal it? And how fast would the monsters caught within the seal react?" Karsha decided to focus on what was important first: getting the core and dealing with the monsters trapped within the seal.
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