Chapter 47: Animal Connectivity

In that short span of fifteen seconds, all three Meditation realm beasts were killed.

We were all dazzled and short of words.

"It's high time we attack these," Zhangkong enunciated, gesturing towards the remaining two male Blazing Overlord Lions in the Ethereal Ascension realm.

The lions were prowling around, as though contemplating on what to do — however way it seemed, they weren't planning on backing down. They were definitely stalling for time.

Suddenly, something funny happened before my very eyes. The two Blazing Overlord Lions began to converse in the beast tongue.

"What should we do, Boss?" asked one of the lions.

"They're definitely not weaklings, however, we're two realms higher than the strongest amongst them. The difference in strength is as conspicuous as the difference between the heavens and the earth. What they have to their advantage is teamwork... humans are so despicable. To think they'd actually outsmart us and gradually outnumber us! They killed my son too, how can I forgive them?!" Boss replied. Its eyes were blazing in fury.

'Killed his son?' I was touched for a moment. To think about it, had we not disturbed their territory, none of these would ever have happened. Aren't we really as despicable as they see us to be?

Just then, Zhangkong and his team had already regrouped and were about to strike when I impulsively shouted, "Stop!"

"What are you doing? Do you want them to kill us here?!" Zhangkong thundered at me as I ran to stand before them and the lions.

"Don't attack them," I said, steadying my voice this time.

"What?" everyone said in unison.

I turned around under their scrutinising eyes to face the two Blazing Overlord Lions who were also staring at me in surprise and distrust.

I raised my right arm and extended it towards the animals. I began to walk towards the duo slowly and steadily, my heart beating terribly fast. Just then, something fell on my right shoulder. With the fear already in my heart of facing these fiery lions, it'd have been funny if I didn't jump and scream.

"Ahhhhhhhh!"

"Shush, Miss, it's me." A creature was seated on my shoulder with a graceful smile upon its cheeks. A wind swooshed through me, causing my hair to flutter amidst the silence. The creature's tail was curved up like a sting. Yes, that's right.

It was none other than the Scorpion Tail Chameleon.

"Oh." I was embarrassed. I quickly raised my eyes to look at the Blazing Overlord Lions before me, and this time, it seemed they were shocked beyond all words. Their eyes were stuck on the chameleon... it looked like fear, but I was sure they couldn't be afraid of a mere chameleon.

I composed myself quickly, then extended my arm once more.

"I know you understand me," I began, continuously closing up the distance between us. "I understand you too. I overheard what you said to him just now, and... umm... I really feel guilty. I know that there's no way anything I say could bring back your son—" from this juncture, the two Blazing Overlord exchanged glances, while my classmates were asking themselves if I had a screw loose, "—but I can explain. To us, this is just a virtual world to advance our combat ability. It just occurred to me that, this is also your world. And here, everything's real to you. Please forgive us."

Just when everyone were about to burst into laughter, they saw the leader lion taking a frightening step forward. Everyone simultaneously clenched their fists.

"Y-you understand me?" asked the animal in the beast tongue, its aura fluctuating in surprise.

I nodded, my eyes already watery with fear and relief mixed together. The other lion beside it took two steps backwards under the former's imposing aura.

The lion that was referred to as "Boss" opened its mouth and gave an awesomazing roar towards the sky. Of course, to any other person, it was nothing more than just a ferocious roar. However, it was completely different for me. I felt it's pain, regret and finally, it's joy.

The roar lasted for one full minute.

In-between that one minute was total silence. Everyone watched on, each with perplexed feelings. Also, I could feel the surrounding animals miles upon miles away, closing in on us. However, one baffling thing was — I wasn't afraid. I actually sensed joy in their advancing spiritual energies.

The one minute lasted but there was silence, once again. No one spoke. Everyone kept watching in incredulity. The boys weren't bothered anymore. After all, if they wanted to leave due to being "ambushed", all they had to do was press the red button behind their right arm.

Time kept ticking, but the ecstacy burning in the lion's heart compelled me to be patient and at ease. I was curious to see what it wanted to do.

Finally, twenty minutes after, all sorts of savage beasts had appeared, as though for a grand assembly. Aerial birds and land beasts of all kinds arrived from all around. Based on descriptions from the books in the Book Collection Vault, I could name several just by a glance. Still... some were just unbelievably unheard of. The animals watched Boss and I, in all ecstacy. Scorpion Tail Chameleon seemed to be radiating an inexplicably aura that left me puzzled.

Finally, the lion spoke:

"All bow to the human before me!"

All legs bent without hesitation. Despite how imposing the lion's aura was, the Scorpion Tail Chameleon didn't budge at all. Not showing any sign of feeling pressurised.

My classmates watched, rubbing their eyes as though they were playing tricks on them.

I, on the other hand, was unable to comprehend the scene unfolding before me. I was moved to quickly ask:

"Why are you doing this?"

The lion too was one knee on the ground with its head bowed, so when it heard my voice, it slowly raised its head up with a smile.

"If I'm not wrong, your ability is Animal Connectivity, right?"

My brows furrowed. I've always told myself that my Gift was the ability to communicate with animals, but when it said this, I suddenly had an afterthought.

Connectivity is the state of being connected. Wasn't I really more connected with the animals than any other sort of person? I could feel their emotions. I could talk with any animal telepathically without even signing the beast-to-master contract. The extent of my ability was still not completely known to me. Instances makes me learn new stuffs about what I could do. My ability was indeed the Animal Connectivity!

I nodded slowly.

"My master didn't permit me to give you the details, but from this day, in the Acorn Forest, we all have become both your subordinates. About... about here being a virtual world, whenever you and your friends come here to practice again, we'll never trifle in your affairs. We'll give you enough space to practice your combat skills."

My eyes were wide in surprise, as well as my mouth. I had questions to ask.

"Also..." then it seemed to contemplate, before sighing resolvedly, "also, I pass down my dominative position as King of the Forest to you. All animals here and in the your real Acorn Forest shall obey you from this day, whenever you step here and there. Stretch forth your Arerat symbol."

Although I was still confused, I did as it said.

Immediately, it began burning its life force, reshaping into blood essence! This blood essence was divided into half. The first part went into one of the claw prints on my forearm, while the second one flew straight into my glabella (the space between my eyebrows). I slowly began to feel an added consciousness in my mind, just the way I would when I tamed a beast.

Due to my Meditation realm cultivation, I could feel that my strength had increase by two folds! I could also feel my spiritual consciousness ability broaden beyond my 200 metres to 500 metres! Although I didn't know much about the Arerat Planet, I was sure about one thing. I was the only Gifted with a cultivation realm of Meditation realm, which had spiritual consciousness this dense!

My feet suddenly elevated from the ground, slightly, as true essence from an unknown source swirled around me, refining my meridians in a more advanced true essence circulation technique than Mr. Haggz's Eccentric Heavens.

Then... nothing happened. I didn't feel anything peculiar after that. My feet were planted back on the ground. The moment my gaze swept across the animals here, I suddenly felt a domineering power within me. My eyes did not even land a moment on my classmates, before I ordered with a voice boosted by true essence:

"Rise all!"

I quickly reined in my aura only to receive jubilation from every animal. Roars, cries, squeaks, trumpets... you name it!

"Master probably saw this coming!" I heard a voice neither sad nor excited. Looking at my shoulder, I saw the Scorpion Tail Chameleon exhibiting and aura even more terrifying than the Ethereal Ascension realm beast that I'd just absorbed. It smiled and burnt its life force before turning into blood essence, dividing into two, swooshing into my glabella and Arerat symbol.

Then... my consciousness began to shake. I began to feel dizzy. It was only then that I realised just how powerful that chameleon was. It was definitely not a Meditation realm beast, it was in fact several realms higher!

Just as I lost stamina and was about to fall to the ground, I was suddenly caught by the firm hands of a man. Struggling to squint by head, I caught glimpse of the handsome, neat freak Teacher Haggz! Then everything went blank.