Beast Evolution Forge

Vell walked away from the plaza, leaving the injured king and the masked figures behind. His mind was already on his next target - Regina. The woman who had caused so much pain to his people while hiding behind her fake title as ruler.

He made his way through the city streets, ignoring the frightened looks from people who recognized him from the scene at the plaza. Some rushed inside their homes, while others simply moved out of his path.

He had Regina trapped in crystal back in the prison, and now he let the king live - for now. But something still felt unfinished.

"You're holding back," a voice whispered in his head. "The old you wouldn't have shown mercy."

He ignored it, walking through the streets as people scrambled to get out of his way. The masked figures' words about consequences kept repeating in his mind, but he pushed them aside. He had his own path to follow.

"Are you sure its wise to let him live?" The voice insisted

"Tch, go back to sleep, I will call you when I need you." He suppressed the voice and continued towards the prison.

---

Back at the prison where he left Regina's crystallized form, he stood watching her frozen expression of terror. Unlike the king, she hadn't shown any remorse. Just fear when she realized she couldn't escape.

"Your precious king couldn't save you," he said to the crystal statue. "Neither of you understood what you were dealing with."

He continued staring at it, a cold smile spreading across his face. He had her trapped, and now, he had the power to decide her fate.

He raised his hand, and for a moment, it seemed like he would shatter the crystal prison. But then, he lowered his arm, a flicker of doubt crossing his mind. "You don't deserve a quick end," he muttered. "But I have other matters to attend to."

He turned and walked away, leaving her frozen in her terror. As he left the prison, he could hear the faint sound of her muffled screams, but he didn't give a fuck.

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Outside, the city was in chaos. People whispered his name, some in fear, others in awe. He ignored them, his focus now on his people, he needed to see how they were recovering.

He stopped at a small square where children were playing. When they saw him, they froze for a moment before one small girl ran up to him.

"Did you really beat the king?" she asked, her eyes wide.

He knelt down to her level. "I did what needed to be done," he said quietly. "Things will be different now."

An old woman approached, gently pulling the girl back. "Thank you," she said, her voice trembling. "We've suffered under them for so long..."

"The suffering ends now," he replied, standing up. He looked around at the gathered crowd. "But there's still work to be done."

The voice in his head stirred again. "They want blood. Give them what they want."

He clenched his fist, fighting back the urge. No, he thought. Revenge wasn't enough - this people needed more than that. They needed real change.

He turned to address the crowd that had gathered. "The king and Regina can't hurt you anymore. But that's just the start. We're going to rebuild - make things right."

The people cheered, but he barely heard them. His mind was already racing with plans.

As the crowd's cheers faded, he felt a familiar presence approaching. He turned to see Wren hurrying through the gathering, her face etched with concern.

"Master," she said, bowing slightly. "The others are asking for you. They're... worried."

He nodded, understanding their fear. After what Regina had done to them, it would take time for them to feel safe again. "Lead the way."

They walked through the winding streets, past the aftermath of his confrontation with the king. Workers were already beginning to clear the debris, though they stepped aside quickly when they saw him coming.

"The experiments," Wren said quietly as they walked. "Some of them aren't recovering as quickly as others. Whatever Regina's people did to them..."

"I will handle it," he cut her off, his voice firm but gentle. "Don't worry, your sisters will be just fine." He said warmly, patting her head.

She smiled happily and then turned into her beast form, jumping on his shoulder. "Master, I think we brought too many people, our group is too big."

"I have been thinking about that actually, soon I will be entering the tower and I can ony bring a few people with me, well, I will find a way. For now, let's go help them." He rubbed under her chin, making her prrr.

They arrived at a makeshift shelter where his people gathered. The rescued ones lay on cots, being tended to by those who had escaped Regina's initial capture. When they saw him enter, a ripple of movement went through the room - some tried to stand, others simply stared.

"Rest," he commanded, his voice softening. "You're safe now."

Jia, one of the strongest before her capture, could barely lift her head. "Master," she croaked, "they wanted to know... how you made us stronger. They kept trying different things..."

He moved to her side, examining the strange marks left by Regina's experiments. His power flickered, wanting to lash out, to return to the prison and finish what he started with her. But no - his people needed him here.

He looked at the marks on their bodies, his jaw tightening as he traced the experimental runes that had been carved into her flesh. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and reached out with his mana sense.

The damage was extensive - Regina's scientists hadn't just experimented on their bodies, they tried to forcibly alter their mana channels. The crude attempts at replication had left their energy pathways scarred and twisted.

"This might feel strange," he warned, placing his hand gently on Jia's chest. "But trust me."

She nodded weakly, and he began to channel his power. This wasn't the destructive force he used against Regina or the king - this was something deeper, more controlled. His mana flowed into her system like water, seeking out the damaged pathways.

"Master..." Wren watched in fascination as pale blue light spread from his hand, tracing patterns under Jia's skin.

The voice in his head stirred. "Healing? How disappointingly soft you've become."

He ignored it, focusing instead on the delicate work of reconstruction. He could feel every botched experiment, every failed attempt to replicate his enhancement process. But he could also feel the original framework he'd created - the proper way to strengthen someone. It was still there, buried under the damage.

Jia gasped as her mana channels began to realign. The painful knots of twisted energy slowly unknotted themselves under his guidance. Color returned to her face, and her breathing became easier.

"How did you..." she started to ask, but he was already moving to the next person.

One by one, he worked his way through the room. Each person's damage was different, requiring careful attention. Some had physical wounds that needed mending, others had mana channels that had been nearly destroyed. But with each healing, his technique grew more refined.

"Your power was meant for destruction," the voice insisted. "Not this weakness."

"No," he muttered as he worked. "My power is what I choose it to be."

Hours passed. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he channeled healing energy into the last of his injured people. The room had transformed - where there had been only pain and weakness before, now there was strength returning, hope rekindling.@@novelbin@@

Wren, still in her beast form, nuzzled against his cheek. "You did it, Master!"

He smiled tiredly, watching as his healed people began to move around, testing their restored bodies. The experimental marks were still visible on their skin - those scars would remain as reminders - but the damage beneath had been repaired.

Suddenly, the sound of small footsteps echoed through the room. "Daaad!" Two voices cried out in unison. Sia and Mia burst through the crowd, tears streaming down their faces as they ran towards him. Their small bodies crashed into his legs, clinging tightly.

"We were so scared," Sia sobbed, burying her face in his clothes. "They said they'd hurt us if you didn't come."

Mia looked up at him with wide, tear-filled eyes. "I knew you'd save us. I knew it!"

Despite his exhaustion from healing the others, he knelt down and wrapped his arms around both girls, pulling them close. "Nothing in this world could have stopped me from coming for you," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "Nothing."

Across the room, Yenna watched the reunion with tears in her own eyes. When Vell looked up and met her gaze, she rushed forward, joining the embrace. "You impossible man," she said softly, pressing her forehead against his. "You actually did it."

"Of course I did," he replied with a tired smile. "I always pull through, don't I?"

In the corner of the room, partially hidden in shadow, Kana stood watching the scene. Her hands fidgeted nervously with the hem of her sleeve, her expression a mix of longing and uncertainty. The memory of her betrayal still weighed heavily on her.

He noticed her hesitation. Over the heads of his daughters, he caught her eye. "Kana," he called out softly. "You helped keep them safe while I was gone. Thank you."

She startled at being addressed directly, her eyes widening. "I... I just..." she stammered, taking a small step forward before stopping herself. "After what I did..."

"The past is the past," he said firmly, though gently. "You've more than proven yourself since then."

Wren, still perched on his shoulder, chirped in agreement. "Yeah! You should have seen her fighting off those guards when they tried to take the little ones!"

Kana's eyes filled with tears, but she remained rooted to her spot, the weight of her past actions still holding her back. Vell understood – trust, once broken, took time to rebuild. But he could be patient. They all had time now.

The voice in his head stirred again. "Such weakness, surrounding yourself with these emotional attachments..."

But as he held his daughters close, felt Yenna's warmth beside him, and saw the hope beginning to bloom in Kana's eyes, he knew the voice was wrong. This wasn't weakness – this was what gave him strength. This was what he had fought for.

'Time for you to go back to sleep, for real this time.' He used his mana and locked up the voice in an isolated space in his mind.