The Sky That Begins to Shift
This is the largest gathering place for Magical Beasts in the Coreland - the Starfall Woodland.
The central core area of this forest is like a piece of pure land.
The emerald green branches and the mirror-like lake seem beautiful and peaceful, but in fact they hide murderous intent and great terror.
This is a restricted area for humans. Even Magical Beasts must have a hundred thousand years of cultivation to be eligible to set foot here.
However, at this moment, a young man in green clothes stood on the lake with his hands behind his back, looking up at the sky.
The surface beneath his feet did not ripple.
It did not tremble.
It accepted him.
As if the world itself had already acknowledged his existence.
A faint breeze brushed across the lake, stirring the long black strands of his hair. They swayed behind him like ink in water, catching the light in subtle waves. His face—sharp, calm, almost unfairly handsome—held no tension. Golden eyes reflected the sky above, deep and unreadable, like they had seen too much, far beyond what this world could offer.
In the distance, the Blue Horn Serpent, which was more than ten meters long, didn't dare to make a sound, curled up, and the eyes of the huge beast were full of awe.
The Warlord Ape like a mountain iron tower is even more docile like a little monkey, kneeling on one knee, as if worshiping the emperor.
Even its breathing was careful. Measured.
Because one wrong movement… one misplaced breath… might cost everything.
They are well aware of the horror of the people in front of them.
Coreland has been ruled by him for millions of years.
Not by title.
Not by declaration.
But by absolute, unquestionable strength.
The young man in the green shirt looked at the sky, his eyes were calm, and he shook his head slowly, "The sky...is about to change at last."
His voice wasn't loud.
But it carried.
Across the lake.
Through the trees.
Into the bones of every living thing nearby.
"Leon, is your million-year beast calamity coming?"
A red portal appeared out of thin air beside him.
It didn't open violently—it unfolded, like silk being gently parted.
First came a bare, delicate foot—untouched by dust, pale as moonlight. Then slender legs, smooth and long, stepping forward with quiet grace. And then—
She emerged.
Anna.
Her long, wavy red hair cascaded all the way down her back, nearly brushing her thighs, glowing faintly like embers in the dark. Two subtle crimson dragon horns curved from her head, elegant rather than intimidating. Her eyes—deep crimson—held a strange contradiction: cold authority layered over something softer… something she refused to show.
Her robe, rich red with white and black embroidery, clung just enough to outline her figure—full chest, narrow waist, long legs that seemed sculpted with impossible balance between strength and softness.
She stood there like a queen who didn't need a throne.
Leon—turned his head, smiled lightly and said, "Anna, why are you here!"
The girl's clear and beautiful purple—no, crimson—eyes flashed displeasure, she pouted her small mouth and said in dissatisfaction: "Leon! How many times have I emphasized, call me Annie, don't call me by my name."
Leon let out a quiet chuckle, turning his body slightly toward her. "Still stubborn as ever."
Then, with a teasing tilt of his head, "This is not good, you are the Crimson Dragons Empress, the co-lord of the Magical Beasts, how dare I surpass it."
Anna crossed her arms, her expression tightening just a little. "You say that like you've ever respected that title."
There was history in that tone.
Unspoken, but heavy.
Anna—snorted: "Is there anything you dare not! Stop pretending, the last time I took a shower, who was it... Come to peep like peeing tom"
There was a pause.
A very small pause.
Leon blinked once.
Then sighed.
"The forest is huge," he said calmly. "I walked into the wrong place. That's all."
Anna stepped closer, her eyes narrowing. "Wrong place? You bypassed three layers of restriction."
Leon scratched the back of his head. "Coincidence?"
She stared at him.
Long.
Hard.
Silently.
"…You stood there for ten minutes."
"That's an exaggeration."
"Twelve."
"…I lost track of time."
There was no shame in his voice.
Which somehow made it worse.
The corner of Leon's mouth twitched, "It was an accident, who knew you happened to be taking a shower there."
Anna leaned forward slightly, her voice dropping, dangerous and soft.
"I remember that there were restrictions placed before I washed it."
Leon coughed lightly. "They were… poorly designed."
"They were flawless."
"…Then I'm just better."
For a second—just a second—her composure cracked.
A faint flush crept across her cheeks.
She turned her face away slightly.
"Shameless."
"Boss lady, don't talk about it, just look at those two scares over there." Leon pointed to the lake.
The two-hundred-thousand-year soul beasts, Blue Horn Serpent and Warlord Ape, were trembling.
Their massive forms shook ever so slightly, like mountains caught in a storm.
Staring wide-eyed and looking at this side in horror, running but not daring to run, listening but not daring to listen, for fear of knowing too much and being silenced, he could only groan uncontrollably in his heart.
Anna's expression shifted instantly.
The softness vanished.
What remained was cold authority.
Anna didn't have a good temper when facing these two brothers, her eyes were stern and her words were cold, "You two..."
The air dropped in temperature.
The lake stilled.
Even the wind seemed to hesitate.
"…Have you seen enough?" she continued quietly, each word landing like a blade.
The two hundred-thousand-year-old overlord-level soul beasts were so frightened that their livers and gallbladders were torn apart, and they begged for mercy with mournful faces: "My lord, our brothers didn't hear anything."
Their voices shook.
Massive heads lowered so fast they nearly slammed into the ground.
"Go away!"
"Thank you Lord for your forgiveness."
The two big soul beasts were like an amnesty, with no regard for decency, they fled scrambling and scrambling, destroying dozens of shrubs in a panic.
Silence returned.
A heavy, lingering silence.
"Tsk tsk, aren't you a little bit too fierce." Leon hugged his shoulders and smiled
Anna exhaled slowly, the coldness fading bit by bit.
"They're annoying," she muttered. "Always watching. Always thinking."
She glanced sideways at him.
"…Not like someone else I know."
The coldness on Anna's face gradually disappeared, and she hummed softly with her small mouth raised: "Not everyone is worthy of me being gentle, and you are the only bastard in the world."
Leon laughed under his breath.
"Honored."
But there was something deeper behind his eyes.
Something quieter.
Looking at the arrogant girl beside her, Leon had the idea of blasphemy, an urge to bite her thin lips and kiss her hard.
It came sudden.
Raw.
Unfiltered.
He stepped closer.
Close enough to feel her warmth.
Close enough to notice the way her breath hitched—just slightly.
He reached out and pulled her into his arms.
Not forcefully.
But firmly.
"Leon—"
Her voice caught.
For a moment, she didn't move.
Didn't resist.
Didn't accept.
Just… stayed.
Add natural flow here add dilouge with your creativity
"…You shouldn't do that," she said quietly, though her hands didn't push him away immediately.
"Then stop me," he replied just as softly.
There was a pause.
A long one.
Then—
She pushed him.
Not hard.
But enough.
"You have schemes against me, you have evil intentions!" Anna's crimson eyes suddenly became sharp.
"No."
"Yes!" Anna sneered, "With my mental state, you can't hide your every move from me."
Leon tilted his head slightly, studying her.
"…Then why didn't you notice me sooner that day?"
A beat.
A dangerous one.
"Since you are so powerful, why did I stay in the shower for so long before I was discovered? Could it be that you let me in on purpose?" Leon looked suspicious.
"Talking nonsense!" Anna's fair face blushed, her gaze averted a little and she said, "How can I do such a dirty thing with my identity?"
Leon's lips curled.
"That's right, what kind of wickedness can little Annie have?" Leon teased with a smile.
"I'm going to die! Even the Crimson Dragons Empress, you dare to make fun of me!" Anna frowned, and raised her small fist to strike at the man's shoulder with a set of tricks.
Her hits weren't serious.
They never were.
Leon caught her wrist gently.
"Okay! Stop making trouble." Leon stretched out his fingers, "The one that should come has finally come."
Everything changed.
In an instant.
Anna's expression froze, as if she realized something, her movements froze, and she looked up at the sky.
"Boom!"
Shocking thunder resounded through the sky.
The sky above the forest was sunny before, but at this time it was suddenly covered with dark clouds.
All sunlight was blocked, and the vast territory was filled with dark and boundless black clouds. Thunder light surged in the clouds, and the thunder light was scarlet blood, swallowing the light of destruction.
The air thickened.
Heavy.
Oppressive.
Like the world itself was holding its breath.
Anna looked at the terrifying robbery light in the clouds, and stammered, "Leo... leon, you are fine with this last lightning disaster, right?"