Chương 41: Unidentifiable Tortoise.

All the gargoyles Ethan passed by saw him as one of their own—his aura manipulation was perfect. His skin appeared to be covered in scaly, silver patches, with large, leathery wings spreading from his back, and a long, spiked tail trailing behind him. He had successfully blended in with the crowd, fooling every gargoyle he came across. Within three hours, Ethan reached the final settlement before the tower, still maintaining his illusion. The sun was high in the sky, but he knew evening wasn't far off, so he decided to find a place to rest after traveling nonstop for hours.

Scanning the area, he noticed that this settlement was more advanced than the previous ones. The buildings were intricately designed, far more detailed and sturdier, with unique carvings and patterns etched into the stone walls. Even the abandoned structures had a sophisticated quality to them, their sharp lines and precise architecture a testament to the skill of their creators. Ethan wandered around the outskirts of the settlement until he found a secluded, seemingly abandoned hut nestled in a small forest that bordered the village. The location provided some cover from wandering eyes, and the structure itself looked decent enough to camp for the night.

However, as soon as he stepped inside the hut, he realized it wasn't as abandoned as it seemed. Five gargoyles, all with strange black tattoos on their shoulders, were lounging inside. Their ragged appearance immediately clued Ethan into who they were—*outcasts*. During his journey, he had learned about gargoyles who had committed crimes or rebelled against their settlements. Outcasts were banished, forced to live on the fringes of society, never allowed to return to the settlements. If they did, they'd be killed on sight, no mercy given. These five clearly didn't care about the consequences and had chosen to live dangerously close to the settlement, practically daring the others to enforce the law.

When they noticed Ethan, their expressions changed immediately, eerie grins stretching across their faces. To them, he was an easy meal—prey that had walked straight into their lair. They hadn't realized just how wrong they were.

Ethan grinned back. His mind raced as he realized the opportunity in front of him. These outcasts were not under the protection of the gargoyle settlements. Killing them wouldn't trigger any penalties or retaliation from the main settlements. They were completely isolated from society, which meant Ethan could go all out without worrying about consequences. A quick assessment revealed that four of the outcasts were at Bronze Rank, with their leader standing at Silver Rank. The Silver gargoyle was significantly larger than the others, with horns that gleamed with a faint silvery hue, while the rest had bronze-colored horns, clearly identifying them as Yor gargoyles—the most common and basic type.

With a flick of his wrist, Ethan dropped the disguise, his aura shifting and surging as he revealed his true form. To the outcasts, it was as if their prey had suddenly transformed into a nightmarish creature. Ethan's form looked bizarre in their eyes—his red hair wild, and strange objects they couldn't comprehend covering his body. In an instant, a massive red war hammer appeared in his hand, glowing ominously in the dim light. Along with it, a crimson serpent, Angitia, slithered down his body and coiled beside him. He hadn't used Angitia in a while, and the serpent needed battle experience as much as he did.

With a hiss, Angitia began to grow, expanding until it stood five feet tall, its scales glittering in the dim light of the setting sun. Its horns sparkled dangerously, and the air around it seemed to shimmer with an aura of pure menace. The outcasts barely had time to register what was happening before Ethan and Angitia attacked in unison.

The battle was over almost before it began. The Bronze Rank gargoyles were no match for Ethan's power, nor for Angitia's lightning-fast strikes. Angitia leaped at two of them, her fangs gleaming, and within moments had them incapacitated, coiled tightly around their limp bodies. Meanwhile, Ethan focused on the leader and two other Bronze gargoyles. His war hammer swung with deadly precision, smashing through the gargoyles' defenses with ease. But the Silver Rank leader proved to be a more skilled opponent.

The Silver gargoyle had control over sand, and it wielded its affinity with expertise. Sand swirled around it, forming into spikes and balls that hurtled towards Ethan at high speed. A sand club materialized in the gargoyle's hands, covered in sharp spikes that it brandished menacingly. Ethan, however, remained calm, dodging the attacks effortlessly. With a flick of his hand, he even took control of the sand, redirecting it back at the gargoyle. The two clashed, the impact of their collision sending shockwaves through the air as Ethan pushed the gargoyle back several meters, the ground cracking under their feet.

The fight moved outside the hut, giving Ethan more room to maneuver. The gargoyle fought fiercely, but it was no match for Ethan's overwhelming strength. After 20 minutes of intense battle, Ethan's war hammer finally caved in the Silver gargoyle's skull, ending the fight.

Panting slightly, Ethan turned back toward the hut just in time to see Angitia swallowing one of the Bronze gargoyles whole. The sight sent a shiver down his spine—Angitia's ability to devour her prey so efficiently was both awe-inspiring and terrifying. Two of the four Bronze gargoyles had completely vanished, their bodies reduced to mere "gargoyle soup" as Angitia coiled herself into a corner, her stomach bulging. She fell asleep almost instantly, clearly satisfied with her meal.

Ethan shook his head in mild horror as he settled down on the rocky bed inside the hut. He pulled out some meat to eat, gnawing on it thoughtfully before laying back on the hard, uncomfortable surface. Despite everything, exhaustion took over, and within moments, he was fast asleep.

...

The next morning, Ethan could be seen leaping from hut to hut, a small, innocent smile on his face as he made his way towards the tower. Disguised once again as a gargoyle, his every movement blended perfectly with the others, though he occasionally drew curious glances from the real gargoyles. It didn't matter. He was close now, and with each passing hour, he felt the strange, otherworldly calling growing stronger. The tower, which loomed ominously on the horizon, seemed to pull at him with an invisible force.

It was around 6 a.m. when he finally reached the foot of the tower, the twin suns of Babel's Hive rising in the sky and casting a golden light over the scene. The tower itself was a magnificent structure, towering high above him, its surface gleaming in the morning light. But Ethan was too preoccupied with his thoughts to appreciate the beauty of the moment. How was he supposed to get inside? The tower was the *royal castle,* the Tower of Babel where the ancestor of all gargoyles, Great Chief Babel, was said to reside. Only the Xor and Barix gargoyles were allowed near it. He, a mere Yor gargoyle in disguise, would be killed on sight if discovered.

Ethan replicated the aura of his surroundings once more, blending into the environment as he searched for a way in. But the tower was sealed tight. No doors, no windows, nothing that he could use as an entrance. As his frustration mounted, the strange calling he had been following intensified, pulling him towards the tower—but it was all over the place, like a scattered signal he couldn't pinpoint. Just as he was about to give up, he felt the calling change. An aura, powerful and ancient, began to approach him from within the tower.

Before he could react, the ground beneath his feet shifted, and a cave of earth formed around him. Shocked, Ethan barely had time to process what was happening before something emerged from the shadows in front of him. A massive, tortoise-like creature stepped into the light, its shell glinting with silver and gold designs. It stood two meters tall, its body covered in black scales, with a long tail and a head that looked like a mix between a turtle and a dragon. Its golden eyes sparkled innocently, despite its formidable appearance.

Ethan was too stunned to move. What the hell was he looking at?

Before he could respond, the creature stepped closer, its massive head gently resting in his palms, a contented smile spreading across its face. Ethan's mind raced as the system pinged with a new notification.

Ding!

Quest Completed!

Reward: Race Unlock and a Bonus Surprise.

Ethan barely registered the reward as his mind reeled from what just happened. The tortoise... had chosen him? Brushing his shock aside, he used the system's identification skill.

Beast Identified!

Heavenly Tortoise: An evolved and mutated tortoise with an insane talent and potential for Earth Affinity. Masters of Earth manipulation, they are almost extinct due to past hunting but are known for their friendliness and loyalty. If you are chosen by a Heavenly Tortoise, you are guaranteed protection for life. Congratulations, Host!

Ethan almost dropped the beast in surprise. A *Heavenly Tortoise* had chosen him as a partner. Not just any partner, but a lifelong companion. This was different from his spirit beast, a bond that was already powerful in itself. He could barely comprehend it, but the fact remained—he had been chosen.

As the Heavenly Tortoise shrunk to the size of a basketball, snuggling into his arms, Ethan chuckled in disbelief, stroking its soft, smooth head. Angitia, watching from the side, gave a hiss of jealousy but joined in the affectionate exchange soon after.