Behind the bluish glow of the notification display, Damien watched as the system granted him his third Three-Star TE Monster. Its name was Griffin, bearing a resemblance to the mythology.

A half lion, half eagle monster.

Two thousand Terror Points spent for another three-star. A thousand from the fusion of duplicates, another thousand for the evolution. At least 20 summonings in the Terrestrial Banner.

Was it worth it?

Damien shook his head before nodding to himself. It was worth it. A guarantee for a powerful three-star instead of solely relying on luck.

He closed the notification display, which vanished like a droplet of water evaporating into mist. It was time to see his current status within the system.

Intrigued barely concealed itself from his sable-tinted irises when he opened the status screen.

---

| Monster Gacha System |

-| Boss Title : [ Oberon ] |

-| Monster(s) : Two-Star EX Monster: Eclipse(Fragment), Two-Star EX Monster: Neurophages, One-Star TE Monster: Silhouette, Two-Star TE Monster: Scorpion Tank, Two-Star TE Monster: Wyvern, One-Star TE Monster: Hellhound, Three-Star TE Monster: Griffin, Two-Star TE Monster: Tarasque, One-Star TE Monster: Anaconda, Two-Star TE Monster: Direwolf, Three-Star TE Monster: Behemoth, Three-Star TE Monster: Orochi, Two-Star TE Monster: Heavenly Bull, One-Star PA Monster: Banshee, Two-Star PA Monster: Oni, Two-Star PA Monster: Dullahan, One-Star PA Monster: Shadow Hound, One-Star PA Monster: Onryo |

-| Skill Index : Raptured Blink(Eclipse), Intangible Fracture(Eclipse), Hive Assimilation(Neurophaes), Psychic Operation(Silhouette), Mechanical Bombardment(Scorpion Tank), Dracko Oppression(Wyvern), Chains of Judgment(Hellhound), Empyrean Overwatch(Griffin), Majesty(Griffin), Carapace of Legends(Tarasque), Constriction(Anaconda), Pack Howl(Direwolf), Tectonic Steps(Behemoth), Venoms of Eightfold Death(Orochi), Celestial Charge(Heavenly Bull), Wailing Death(Banshee), Demonic Strength(Oni), Mark of Death(Dullahan), Hunting Darkness(Shadow Hound), Curse of Vengeance(Onryo) |

-| Command Seal(s): [ 111/145 ] |

<| Terror Point(s) : 2010 |>

---

Damien read through the monster list and the skill index, finding three subjects that attracted his interest. It was his Three-Star TE Monster: Griffin and its two personal abilities.

The result of the fusion evolution was astounding.

It didn't destroy the two former personal skills of the Freedom Eagle and Nemean Lion. Their abilities evolved and became a part of Griffin.

These personal abilities were the Empyrean Overwatch, an evolution from the Heaven's Eye, and Majesty, the next progression of the Hide of Aegis.

What was the difference between the old personal abilities and the new ones? No hesitation. He had to see for himself.

Closing his eyes, Damien deeply breathed and activated Empyrean Overwatch. His perception shifted, becoming a third-person view of himself.

His body fell away beneath him, the world tilting as he was pulled higher.

Into the heavens, he soared with freedom, unshackled by the limits of existence. The blurred lines of the horizon gleamed with an icy hue, concealing the lands that lay behind it.

Empyrean Overwatch.

To perceive what a god would see in the skies where his domain touched the world. It was beautiful, eternal, and delicate.

The troubles of those below seemed small. Tiny in comparison to the expanse of the New World. But... He was no different from them.

Opening his eyes, Damien returned to the perspective of existence. A mortal standing on the earth. He sighed; the lightness was addicting. Too dangerous for frequent use.

"Hecate!" he called out. From the corner, a crimson-haired vampire peeked out, velvet eyes overlooking him with curiosity. "Anything you need, Damien?"

"I need your help. I want to test an ability of mine." His lips curled into a subtle smile. "A defensive one. Interested?"

"One of your abilities, huh?" Hecate circled him, observing him from top to bottom. "What exactly does it do for defense?"

"If I already knew the answer... I wouldn't have called for your help," He exhaled, faintly amused.

"Alright, I'll help you. How much power do you want?" She flexed her fingers, knuckles cracking as she adjusted her strength.

"A hundred percent." Confidence glimmered in his eyes as Majesty pulsed from his heart, extending out and enveloping his skin. It was subtle, a golden aura that shrouded him.

"Full power... I never really used it since my strength devours through my stamina like a wild animal. Are you sure?" Hecate narrowed her velvet eyes, seeking confirmation from her partner.

"Give me your all. I'll take care of the aftermath." Majesty flared from him, spreading outward from his body and encasing it with warm, radiant light.

"I won't hesitate." She shifted her posture, leaning forward. In a fraction of a second, the crimson-haired vampire vanished, reduced to a blur.

Majesty surged, instincts roaring. Danger.

In the instant when she reached her partner, Hecate pulled her fist. She punched. Her knuckles met the golden aura, two opposing forces battling for supremacy. Brute force versus a fluid shield.

The winds surged, dust flung away while the ground cracked beneath. The shockwave alone almost uprooted nearby trees; some were bare of leaves.

Hecate's full power couldn't penetrate through Majesty, but the latter couldn't cancel momentum. The earth where Damien stood cracked.

Everything the golden aura shielded was ejected, including the ground below him. It was hurtled away, Damien in tow.

He stood in an upright manner, unaffected by gravity, as he catapulted into the skies. Whirling in an uncontrolled spin while descending back.

"What the..." Hecate's velvet eyes widened, her lips barely held back from falling open in surprise. Dust and leaves sprawled out on the ground where a cavity remained along deep cracks.

The spiralling Damien, aboard the descending patch of earth, crashed into a distant forest with a violent rumble. Flocks of birds flee in panic, caught in the chaos.

Shaking her head from the daze, Hecate reached out into the distance, but was interrupted by an amused voice. "You're much stronger than I expected."

It was Damien.

"Wait, what- When?" She furrowed her eyebrows, unamused after getting duped by her partner. Damien lightly chuckled at the sight.

"You couldn't have expected me to test my defenses with my real body, right?" he remarked and added. "Or did you?"

"But how did I not see you?" she asked.

A vein twitched on her forehead, threatening to burst out. The crimson-haired vampire was ready to throw hands for the humiliation.

"Because you can't see me." Damien waved his hand over his face, vanishing from sight like a wandering ghost.

There was nothing to see as though he had disappeared from the earth. It was invisibility. The scent of her partner lingered, making him easy to find.

"Where did you get that ability?" she inquired, staring at something and nothing.

"Invisibility... Another perk I got recently," he answered.

Damien deactivated the Brand and stood in front of Hecate with the same smile as before. "Could be practical for infiltration. Perhaps, even handy when using the Silhouette as my diversion."

"Useful." The crimson-haired vampire nodded in satisfaction, but squinted her eyes. "However, that test cost me a tenth of my stamina."

"Okay, okay... I'll make it up to you after the operation." Damien walked up to her and patted her head. "I owe you a favor, Hecate."

"Don't pat me. I'm not a kid." Hecate pushed his hand away, glaring at her partner. He widened his arms in false surrender and backed away. "Understood, partner."

"Are the Lycanthropes ready?" he asked. The crimson-haired vampire looked at him and answered. "Yeah, they are ready for the conflict."

In the outskirts of the Howling Village, the army of Lycans awaited under the command of their Chieftain and the two leaders of their defense force.

"Alright, protect them during the battle. Do it subtly. No leading Lycanthrope must die." His voice was heavy and piercing.

"Understood, I'll take care of them, Damien. There's no need to worry." Hecate nodded in understanding and took a step back. "I should return to them for the debriefing."

"Are you coming?"

Damien shook his head. "No need... I have already been briefed. I'll scout the area first and take the brunt force of our adversaries."

"Escape if they are much more troublesome to handle than expected," she advised and walked away. Damien looked at her as she got farther and muttered. "Don't worry... I'll take care of everything."

It was time to call for the one who had given him those two priceless personal skills. A Three-Star Terrestrial Monster, the Griffin.

A screech pierced from above as the winds danced and made way for feathered wings that gracefully flapped through the air.

Dust swirled around as the Griffin landed before Damien with a thud. It rivaled the size of a bus, oppressive yet refined. The summoned aetheric beast screeched and lowered its head toward him.

It caressed his head, warm and gentle.

The Griffin recognized the scent of its master, alongside the image originating from two different memories of its former life.

"You deserve a name as the first Three-Star Monster I summoned into the world." Behemoth and Orochi were dangerous to summon within populated areas.

The Griffin was the first since it wasn't as enormous as the two.

"How about Gryphos? Easy to say and understand." It whistled when it heard its name. He could feel pride and eagerness radiating from it.

"I will be relying on you to bring me to that valley." Damien hopped behind its back, tugging onto its feathered mane. Gryphos screeched with honor and fluttered its vast wings, soaring into the blue skies.

It was time for the battle.

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