‘They have achieved communication, they all have achieved communication.’ Eridel thought impassively as he turned his attention to the other magisterial transformations that took place all over the World.

This was actually the result of the common language that Eridel had installed into the System. A language that all Enlightened Species could speak and a language that all Beasts and Monsters at the 4th Realm gained.

This was bound to cause temporary confusion but there was no other way. The System spoke directly into the mind and when the status and other such things were in view, there were words to be read.

Thoughts of intent wouldn’t cut it.

‘Oh?’

Eridel’s attention was attracted to another phenomenon that occurred in the Southern Desert of the Central Continent.

In the boundless lands filled with sand and dunes stood the biggest Life Form that the Planet had ever seen since the dawn of its birth.

And it was still in the middle of growing.

The Beast was actually an Elephant, one that had been there since from the beginning meaning it was approximately 127 years old which by itself was already an achievement for a prey Beast like that. Prey Beasts tended to die a lot, go figure.

It was an even bigger achievement for a herbivore to actually reach the zenith of the 3rd Realm which allowed it to experience the ‘Rule of 3 Tribulation’ and the corresponding transformation.

But something was different.

Instead of decreasing in size before taking a humanoid shape, it was actually increasing in size at a colossal rate.

‘A Celestial Beast! How wonderful~’

Eridel knew what was going on and he was alight with glee.

..

How long had he walked these Sands..

He did not know..

Since the time he first drew breath he was privileged to have seen all kinds of things. Some he wished would fade away from the depths of his memory, and some that desperately wished would forever exist within his soul.

His family.. Oh, his precious family. Why did they have to die?

But he knew the answer. In the everlasting cycle of life and death there would always be those that are ‘predators’ and those that are ‘prey’. Those that take lives to better their own and those that remained passive until life seeped out of their veins and abandoned them.

Unfortunately, he and his family were ‘prey’ and such things tended to die a lot.

He had even seen the fall of his mightier and hairier cousins and he would never forget the despair of that time, the time that he had thought he had found peace in the protection of the Mammoths, only for it to be SNATCHED.

But despite all the times that death had brushed his soul..

Life had yet to abandon him and he continued to draw breath.

And now.. he had once again come close to death. 3 golden strikes from the sky that seemed to beseech for his destruction. Were the clouds above predators too? It matters not. He had survived once again and it wasn’t even the worst of his experiences. He still remembered another time when his flesh and skin were lacerated from his bones, blood soaked the earth beneath him with the screeching of abominable Beasts resounded in his soul even now.

He was so very tired.

Ah but once again he had been given a boon for his troubles. The other time, it had been a whole body upgrade that had made him extremely tough and quite handsome if he must say so himself.

This time, he had been given 2 choices to choose from.

<Congratulations Host. You have met the requirements for the Celestial Beast and now have 2 evolutions to pick from.>

<Enlightened Beast: Gain a humanoid transformation with the ability to absorb Essence and utilise Runes.>

<Celestial Beast: Unfortunately, the Host is unqualified for this information.>

<The host has 10 seconds to choose before a forced evolution as an Enlightened Beast.>

..What? It was that voice again that had been somewhat helpful when he was being attacked by the sky, but now it was talking nonsense.

He didn’t quite understand but.. he met the requirements for the evolution but not the requirements for its information?

Well.. going by the series of events, the Celestial Beast should be more impressive?

<Does the Host wish to evolve into a Celestial Beast?>

‘...Yes?’

<Congratulations>

‘Oh? Why thank y- hnngh?!’

All thoughts fled as pain wracked him to the depths of his soul.

Never in his entire life had he suffered such an utter devastation like this and it was actually increasing.

He tried and failed to scream. Even sight and sound had fled him at this point and all he could feel was a soul-dissipating agony.

More senses soon began failing him. Taste.. Touch.. When was it that he stopped feeling his body? And why oh why did pain still sing the loudest?

In fact, how much time had he spent in this state? It was beginning to feel like he had already spent a whole lifetime but maybe it was more?

Just as his mind was beginning to disintegrate, the pain abruptly vanished and his senses were shoved back into him. Not that he could make use of them, he was terribly disorientated.

But..

“Once again.. I have survived..”

<Congratulations Host. You have been gifted with the following name: Apis>

Apis’ 500 metre tall body crumpled to the ground with a boom before he passed out.

..

‘Absolutely wonderful~ I didn’t expect to see a Celestial Beast so soon!’

Eridel looked upon the Apis’ behemoth-like body that was definitely the biggest one on the planet.

The skin of the Elephant was a stone grey that looked as ancient and majestic as the World itself instead of the mere 127 years that it has spent in existence.

They contained strange but exquisite markings of a darker colour that attracted the eye but Eridel knew that if any mortal even attempted to comprehend them it would cause them immense pain.

The Elephant wore thick ankle bands made from gold that were adorned with different jewels and they were certainly not there before. Obviously, they were a result of the Evolution. Looking at the way they pulsed with a faint light each time Apis took a breath, one would wonder if the jewellery were actually organic.

On top of that, there were 2 gigantic dangling earrings attached to each ear that carried a strange aura of intimidation and unstoppable might. They were definitely not normal.

Neither were the tusks that jutted out of the Elephants face. They were completely gold and radiated a terrifying aura that threatened to slice you apart just by looking at it.

And last but certainly not least was the tremendous size that the Beast had reached.

A whole whopping 500+ metres tall.