Swallowing the Cosmos.
Chapter 27: Embers of War
The air was thick with the scent of blood and ash.
I stood amidst the ruins of the battlefield where the war had raged just hours ago. Broken bodies, both human and beast, lay scattered across the devastated land. Smoke still curled from the charred remains of outposts, and the ground was slick with the remnants of battle. The once-thriving border city had been reduced to rubble, with only the occasional crackle of fire breaking the eerie silence.
The weight of it all settled on my shoulders.
This was the cost of survival.
The war had been broadcasted to millions—ordinary civilians, warriors, and even government officials had watched as I tore through the battlefield, slaughtering beasts and saving as many lives as I could.
I clenched my fists.
They were calling me Guardian now.
Not Phantom Warrior. Not a nameless fighter.
But a Guardian.
The title didn't bring me pride. If anything, it was a reminder. A reminder that I had chosen this path. A reminder that if I failed, more people would die.
I exhaled, focusing on the task ahead.
I needed more power.
Right now, my Psychic Master cultivation was only at Awakening Stage Level 1, and my Gene Warrior cultivation hadn't even reached the Awakening Stage yet.
That needed to change.
I had 630 years of lifespan stored, but it wasn't enough. I decided then and there—I would accumulate at least 1,200 to 1,300 years before my breakthrough.
And to do that, I needed to hunt.
---
The First Hunt: Awakening Stage Level 4 Beast
My search didn't take long.
It was a few kilometers away—a towering beast, nearly five meters tall, its obsidian-like skin covered in jagged spikes. Its eyes burned with raw malice, and its heavy footsteps cracked the earth beneath it.
A Nightfang Behemoth.
Awakening Stage Level 4.
Its muscular frame rippled with power as it turned toward me, sensing my presence.
I exhaled and drew my seven flying knives. My psychic energy surged as the blades hovered around me, gleaming under the pale light of the ruined sky.
The behemoth didn't wait.
With a deafening roar, it charged. The ground trembled as it barreled toward me with terrifying speed.
I leapt to the side, barely dodging as its massive claws tore through the earth where I had been standing a second ago. Wind pressure alone sent debris flying in every direction.
My knives shot forward.
The first two slashed across its thick hide, drawing sparks but barely breaking through. The beast spun with frightening agility, swiping at me with its clawed hands.
I propelled myself backward with my psychic energy, landing on a piece of broken rubble.
It was fast. Too fast.
[You're getting slow, meatbag,] Chatur chimed in my mind. [At this rate, you'll be a stain on the ground in thirty seconds.]
I ignored him.
This wasn't a fight I could win with just speed.
I had to go all out.
I willed my flying knives to converge into a single point and launched them toward the behemoth's eyes.
The beast roared and swung its arm up to block, but this time I was prepared. I split the knives at the last second.
Two blades went for its knees, another two for its shoulders, and the final three curved around toward its neck.
The moment they struck, the beast stumbled.
I dashed forward, pouring every ounce of psychic force into my blades, driving them deeper. The behemoth let out a deafening shriek, its thick hide finally giving way as black blood sprayed across the battlefield.
But it wasn't done yet.
It slammed its massive arms into the ground, sending a shockwave rippling outward. I lost my footing for a second.
And in that moment, it struck.
Its claws slashed toward me with deadly precision.
I barely managed to twist my body mid-air, avoiding a fatal blow. But pain exploded across my side as one of its claws raked against my ribs. My vision blurred for a second as I crashed into the rubble.
Blood dripped from my side.
I gritted my teeth.
The beast roared in triumph and lunged again.
I didn't run.
Instead, I extended both hands, gripping my knives with pure psychic force, and thrust them forward with everything I had.
The blades pierced through its skull, straight through the eye sockets.
The behemoth staggered.
It let out a strangled, gurgling roar.
Then it collapsed.
For a moment, silence reigned.
Then, the notification echoed in my mind.
[Lifespan absorbed: 200 years.]
I let out a slow breath.
This was just the beginning.
---
A World Watching
Even as I stood over the corpse of the behemoth, its black blood pooling at my feet, I knew this moment wasn't just mine.
Across the world, people were watching.
My battle had been broadcasted live.
Civilians in Mumbai and the border cities had seen it on their holographic screens. Governments and military forces had analyzed my every move. Warriors across the five great factions had watched as I took down an Awakening Stage Level 4 beast alone.
Discussions had already begun.
Some feared me.
Some admired me.
Some wanted to recruit me.
But I wasn't thinking about them.
I was thinking about my next hunt.
I had 1,300 years to accumulate.
And I wasn't stopping now.
END OF THE CHAPTER...
Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed this chapter, check out my other novel, Restart: A Piece of Cake. Dive into an exciting time loop adventure. Available now!