Chapter 64: I Think I Can Do It

The Ultimate Form signifies the pinnacle of a creature’s evolution, marking the boundary where it transcends ordinary beings and possesses the powers of mythical entities. It no longer belongs to the same species as common life; the gulf between them is so vast that comparison is meaningless.

Upon completing its ultimate evolution in a mysterious manner, the Vine Totem had transformed into an unparalleled, fearsome monster of writhing tentacles, each over a hundred meters long. Hundreds of barbed thorns, each several meters in length, bristled along these tendrils, turning the creature into a spiny, serpentine horror. At the tip of each tentacle gaped a mouth large enough to swallow an adult whole.

A hundred-meter-long emerald dragon soared and lashed, each strike powerful enough to shear a truck in half. Yet whether it was Leslie, clad in bizarre armor, or the pitch-black monstrosity, both endured dozens of crushing blows without succumbing.

Their battle grew ever more ferocious—each exchange gouged deep craters into the earth, and within moments, the manor grounds were riddled with pits, resembling a battlefield ravaged by a barrage of artillery.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Under the relentless onslaught of the vine dragon, the ground quaked. The towering wooden fence, circling the manor at over ten meters high, sprang to life as well, extending tendrils to attack the few remaining human survivors.

"Watch your back, brother!"

As Daniel scrambled to dodge, he suddenly noticed the figure in a silver-gray robe standing in the corner; behind him, vines morphed into a massive hammer and came crashing down upon him.

He watched as the man turned and asked in confusion, "What’s wrong?"

Buzz!

The vine hammer, as thick as a barrel, struck his head. It felt as gentle as a breeze, not moving him in the slightest. The hammer, made from the vines, rebounded and smashed into the tree fence itself, instantly snapping trunks as thick as a bowl.

"Hmm, did something just tap me?" Charles looked around in confusion, but saw no attacker.

Daniel opened his mouth, wanting to say something. He eyed the vines on the wall curiously and approached. Immediately, a vine whipped him mercilessly, sending him rolling several meters away like a peeled fruit, utterly disheveled.

Annoyed, he scrambled to his feet and ordered the Crimson Fire Monkey to attack, spewing a mouthful of strange liquid that set the trees and vines ablaze.

Screeching sounds pierced the air as the plants writhed and struggled, dying in the flames.

Finally catching his breath, Daniel stepped closer, intrigued. "Brother, your defense is incredible. Do you have a specialized defensive support totem?"

"Well, I have three crocodiles. The defense is a bit strong, but nowhere near your Crimson Fire Monkey," Charles replied sheepishly. While others cultivated rare creatures, he had only ordinary beasts, a clear disadvantage.

"Uh, three crocodiles? They’re not much use in the later stages... But for early battles, they’re a decent choice. Someday, you’ll get a better support totem," Daniel said, a look of sympathy flickering in his eyes.

Totem selection for a Spirit Master was not a trivial matter. Many would spare no expense to breed or buy various totem beasts; those with power and wealth could even acquire beasts of superior quality.

As for extraordinary talents—those were exceedingly rare, coveted by all Spirit Masters, and even imperial princes could hardly obtain them.

"Brother, join us. We have totem beasts with superior qualities inside."

Charles gave him an odd look, increasingly reminded of the salon boys from his previous life—or rather, more like those technical college recruiters, tirelessly promoting their school, promising miraculous skills and easy high salaries after graduation. Who would believe such tales?

He pointed behind Daniel. "Careful, a vine is coming!"

"No worries, with the Crimson Fire Monkey, nothing can harm me—or you..."

Before he could finish, a thick vine lashed out, sending the three-meter-tall monkey flying into the wooden fence, snapping a trunk as thick as a waist.

Boom!

The earth trembled. Both men nearly lost their footing, just as a vine over a meter in diameter swung toward them again.

"Good grief, that's brutal. Crimson Fire, get up and bite it!"

Daniel, startled, grabbed a handful of source crystals and cast a series of spirit arts in the blink of an eye, helping the Crimson Fire Monkey break free from the fence.

The monkey inhaled deeply; its belly doubled, height soaring over four meters. Its "boxing gloves" clashed, and with a furious roar, it charged the vine dragon.

Smack!

No different from before—despite Daniel’s supporting spirit arts, the Crimson Fire Monkey was sent flying again. This time, it soared over ten meters into the air before the vine dragon crashed down upon it.

Boom!

Like a meteor, the Crimson Fire Monkey slammed into the ground, fissures radiating outward like a spiderweb. At the center, a pit nearly ten meters deep formed. The monkey lay at the bottom, struggling to rise, its rage replaced by fear.

It was evident—the Crimson Fire Monkey was no match for the vine, and this vine dragon was but one of dozens on the enemy’s side. The disparity was staggering.

The two men exchanged glances, falling silent.

Charles hesitated, noting Daniel’s pale face. He asked, puzzled, "Isn’t your totem about to reach its ultimate evolution? How..."

He left the sentence unfinished; the reality was too harsh.

Whoosh!

The vine dragon, roaring, swooped down to finish the Crimson Fire Monkey. This time, the monkey finally realized the enemy’s strength and turned to flee, spewing flames in a last desperate attempt to block the dragon.

It then smashed at the wooden fence, trying to carve an escape route.

But the vine dragon passed through the fire, scorched but unfazed, and crashed down from above.

"Don’t just stand there, brother! Run for your life!"

All of Daniel’s confidence had vanished. He turned to flee but saw the Level One Spirit Master standing firm, smiling up at the approaching vine dragon.

"My little treasures have arrived. No need to run."

"What? Are you crazy? A few crocodiles are useless—"

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Thunderous crashes erupted behind him. The thick wooden fence was pulverized, and monstrous beasts surged through, blurring as they charged straight for the vine dragon.