Beast Evolution Forge - Chapter 116

Chapter 116: Real Lead
A week had passed since Vell’s takeover, and the city was beginning to show signs of real change. The rubble from his battle with the Guild Leader had been mostly cleared, with new construction already underway. But more importantly, the atmosphere had shifted.

People walked taller now, without the constant fear of guild harassment. The training grounds buzzed with activity as fighters of all levels practiced openly. Even the marketplace had a different energy, with merchants freely trading without paying “protection fees.”

Vell observed it all from the rooftop of the former guild hall, his eyes tracking the movement below.

[Alert: Detecting increased movement at section borders]

[Warning: Multiple unauthorized gatherings detected]

[Recommendation: Implement countermeasures]

“Let them gather,” he muttered. “They’ll learn soon enough.”

“Talking to yourself again?” A familiar voice called out. Yenna landed gracefully beside him, her movements as feline as ever. Blood still stained her fingertips.

“More cleanup?” he asked, not looking away from the city.

She shrugged, a playful smile on her lips. “Just some rats who thought they could keep playing by the old rules. They won’t be causing any more trouble.”

“Efficient as always huh.” He finally turned to face her. “Though I don’t recall asking for help.”

“You didn’t have to.” She stretched lazily, looking more like a cat than ever. “Besides, I was getting bored watching from the shadows. And you know how dangerous I get when I’m bored.”

Before he could respond, Master Chen appeared at the rooftop entrance, looking slightly out of breath. “Lord Vell, we have a situation.”

Vell’s eyes narrowed at the title, but he let it pass. “Report.”

“The other sections have sent representatives. All of them. They’re waiting in the grand hall.”

Yenna’s smile turned predatory. “Oh? This should be interesting.”

“Hmm…” he began walking to the hall, ‘so they finally decided to move, good, this is the best opportunity to know more on ‘them’.

The grand hall was packed with figures in elaborate robes, each representing their section’s interests. The air was thick with tension and poorly concealed fear. When Vell entered, conversations died instantly.

He took his seat at ground level, deliberately casual. Yenns stood behind him, her presence making several representatives shift uncomfortably.

“Well?” he asked into the silence. “Who wants to speak first?”

A woman in deep blue robes stepped forward. “We’ve come to discuss the… changes you’ve implemented.”

“Changes that affect us all,” added a man in red.

Vell’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “And why would my section’s internal affairs concern you?”

“Because,” the woman continued, “your actions have inspired similar… unrest in other sections. The common people are questioning the established order. Some are even demanding reforms.”

“Demanding reforms?” He leaned forward, smile widening. “How terrible for you.”

“This is serious!” The man in red burst out. “Centuries of tradition-”

“Centuries of exploitation,” Vell cut in, his voice suddenly hard. The temperature in the room seemed to drop. “Centuries of crushing the weak to benefit the strong. Centuries of hoarding knowledge and power.”

Dark symbols began to flicker around him, making several representatives step back. “And you’re right – it is serious. Because what happened here? It’s just the beginning.”

The woman in blue paled. “Is that a threat?”

“Not at all.” He stood, and even without his limiters released, his presence filled the room. “It’s a promise. Change is coming, whether you embrace it or fight it. The only question is how painful you want it to be.”

“The marked ones won’t stand for this,” someone in the back called out. “They’ll-”

“They’ll what?” Yenna’s laugh was like silver bells with edges of steel. “They’ve already given their blessing. Or didn’t you hear about their visit?”

That caused an uproar. Voices raised in argument and denial, until Vell’s power pulsed once, silencing them all.

“You have a choice,” he said quietly, but his voice carried to every corner. “You can resist, like your friend the Guild Leader did. You can plot and scheme, like those who even now gather at your borders. Or…” his smile returned, sharp as a blade, “you can learn from their mistakes.”

The representatives looked at each other, then at him. Fear warred with centuries of entrenched power on their faces.

“We’ll… need time to consider our options,” the woman in blue finally said.

“Take all the time you need.” He turned to leave, then paused. “But remember – the people have gotten their first taste of freedom. How long do you think they’ll wait for you to ‘consider’ giving them more?”

He waited for a few seconds before speaking again, playing close attention to their expressions, “do any of you know of an organization that corrupts the human mind using corrupted mana?” He waited, seeing their confused expressions.

None of them seem to knew anything, until, [ Master, the one in red, scan him.]

‘Oh, you are awake. The one in red you say,’ he activated new types of eyes, ‘let’s see what you are hiding.’ Immediately he spotted corrupted mana infused deep into his brain, not just anyone could sense this.

“I am sorry but we don’t know what you mean, we have never heard of such an organization.” The girl said, her voice filled with honesty but Vell’s attention was still on the man in red.

“Interesting,” He said, his voice deceptively casual as he tilted his head toward the man in red. “Your mana signature seems… different from the others. Almost as if it’s been… altered.”

The man’s face remained impassive, but his fingers twitched – a tell that didn’t escape Vell’s notice.

“Tell me,” he continued, each word carefully measured, “how long have you been carrying that corruption in your mind? The way it’s wrapped around your neural pathways… must have been years.”

The chamber went deadly silent. The man in red’s composure cracked, his eyes widening just a fraction.

“I don’t know what you’re—”

“Oh, but you do.” Vell’s smile grew sharper. “Corrupted mana is quite distinctive. Similar to what I’ve seen in certain… individuals. The kind who seem to act against their own interests. The kind who serve masters they’ve never met.”

The man’s control finally snapped. With a roar, he lunged forward, dark energy crackling around his hands – but he never reached his target.

In a blur of motion, Yenna appeared behind him. Her hand gripped the back of his neck with crushing force, driving him face-first into the marble floor. The impact cracked the stone.

“My, my,” she purred, applying more pressure as he struggled. “Someone’s eager to prove their guilt.”

The other representatives backed away, horror and confusion warring on their faces. The woman in blue raised her hands. “We knew nothing of this, I swear!”

Vell walked over to the pinned man, crouching down to examine him more closely. The corrupted mana patterns in his brain were becoming more active now, pulsing with an unnatural rhythm.

“Who did this to you?” he asked softly. “Who marked you with their power?”

The man’s only response was a pained laugh. Then his eyes rolled back, and black fluid began leaking from his nose.

[Warning: Detecting unstable mana fluctuations]

[Caution: Subject showing signs of forced neural degradation]

[Recommendation: Maintain safe distance]

“Yenna, move!”

She leaped back just as the man’s body began to convulse. symbols, different from Vell’s, appeared on his skin, burning through his red robes. Then, just as suddenly as it started, everything stopped. The man lay still, the corruption in his brain now completely inert.

“Well,” he said into the shocked silence, “that was informative.” He turned to the other representatives, who were pressed against the walls. “Anyone else feeling unusual today?”

No one moved.

“This meeting is over,” he announced. “Return to your sections. And do be careful on your way back – it seems there are more dangerous elements at play than simple political unrest.”

As the representatives hurried out, Yenna moved to his side. “The corruption pattern was new,” she said quietly. “More sophisticated than what we’ve been under.”

“Yes.” His eyes remained on the body, where Chen’s people were already moving in to examine it. “Seems you guys were nothing but toys, hmmm….,” He crouched next to the man, “Question is – why here? Why now? Are they keeping eyes on me? Hehehe, interesting.” He grinned.

[Alert: Analysis complete]

[Corruption pattern logged]

[Scanning for similar signatures, expanding search zone by… 2 miles]

[Match found: Section 7 incident, 3 months ago]

“Finally, a real lead.”

Later that night, Vell examined the data his system had compiled. Holographic displays showed the corruption patterns they’d discovered, comparing them to previous cases.

[Analyzing Section 7 incident correlations]

[Similar mana signatures detected in 3 other recorded cases]

[Pattern suggests systematic implementation]

[Warning: Data potentially compromised]

“Section 7, Wasn’t that the weapons manufacturing district?”

[Was, until it mysteriously shut down three months ago. Official story claimed it was due to resource depletion.]

“And the unofficial story?” He gestured at the displays.

[The entire management team disappeared overnight. When they were found a week later…They were like our friend in red. Minds corrupted, but in a cruder way. Almost like they were test subjects.]

Master Chen entered, carrying a thick folder. “The preliminary autopsy results,” he said, placing it on the desk. “You were right – the corruption had spread throughout his entire nervous system. But there’s something else.”

He pulled out several photographs, laying them out. They showed strange markings on the dead man’s spine, visible only under special light.

“These weren’t made by magic,” Chen said. “They’re surgical scars. Someone physically modified him before applying the corruption.”

“They’re mixing technology with mana manipulation?”

“Not just mixing, enhancing. The hardware lets them implement more sophisticated corruption patterns.”

He looked up at Chen. “Any identifying marks on the equipment?”

“None that survived. Whatever they used… it wasn’t meant to leave evidence.”

[Alert: Cross-referencing technological signatures]

[Match found: Underground facility, Section 12]

[Warning: Location data potentially outdated]

Vell smiled. “Section 12. Now that’s interesting.”