Judging from the shattered remains found at the scene, the three Sea People Generals had been almost instantly wiped out by an even more terrifying existence—with a single blow.
Super evolution…
The three generals.
The Sea Serpent Scout couldn't help but gasp. What kind of being could possess such terrifying power?
The shocked scout Monster dared not linger. Immense fear gripped it. It fiercely flicked its tail and fled desperately toward the Sea People's main base at an unprecedented speed.
"I must… I must report to Deep Sea King right away!!"
Approaching Noon – J City, Binhai Commercial Street
Crowds surged. Traffic flowed endlessly.
Jack strolled leisurely through the crowd, holding takoyaki in one hand and an oversized cup of iced fruit tea in the other. From time to time, he stopped, drawn by the dazzling array of specialty snacks and novelties on both sides. This feeling of pure relaxation was a rare treat for him.
Just as he bit into a crispy yet tender ball—savoring the wonderful taste of fish dancing on his tongue—the sky suddenly changed without warning.
One moment, clear skies. The next, dark clouds covered everything, as if a huge black curtain had quickly obscured the sun. The temperature plummeted.
On the noisy street, pedestrians shivered. Their exhaled breaths even showed a hint of white mist. Their faces filled with surprise and uncertainty.
Jack's movements paused slightly. His gaze wasn't directed at the sky, but rather at the street not far away. His deep eyes seemed to pierce through solid matter.
A brutal and icy aura was rising wildly from deep underground.
"What's going on? The weather forecast didn't say it would rain?"
"The sky looks so scary!"
"The sky… it's so scary—why is it suddenly so cold?"
"Mom, I'm cold…"
A bone-chilling cold vortex formed out of thin air in the center of the street, swirling up dust and fallen leaves from the ground. Within the whirlwind, the hard concrete ground suddenly bulged upward without warning—then violently burst open.
*BOOM! *
A gigantic, entirely green cabbage—over two meters in diameter—burst out from the center of the road with a teeth-grinding creak.
"AH—!!"
"A Monster! A Monster!!"
"RUN!!"
Humans in this world were already accustomed to bizarre Monster attacks. Almost immediately upon the Monster's appearance, they instinctively ran. Screams and cries instantly echoed throughout the entire street.
The once-bustling, lively Binhai Commercial Street transformed into a chaotic ocean. Citizens fled in panic like startled birds and beasts. The scene spiraled out of control.
The giant cabbage shook its "head." A slit opened at the top. Beneath two wide leaves, thick human arms extended, revealing an abstract human face like a stick figure.
[Monster: Frost Cabbage]
[Disaster Level: Tiger (Peak)
]**
[Ability 1: 'Frost Domain (SR)'
]** : Can significantly lower the surrounding environment's temperature, creating small-scale blizzards. Within the blizzard's affected area, all of its own attributes are enhanced.]
[Ability 2: 'Ice Frost Flying Leaf (R)'
]** : Peels off and rapidly shoots hard leaves with frost effects from its body for long-range attacks. After peeling off leaves and reducing weight, its own speed is greatly increased.]
[Ability 3: 'Cabbage Heart Cannon (R)'
]** : Condenses and fires low-temperature ice beads from its core for high-speed long-range strikes.]
The detailed ability information of this vegetable-turned-Monster clearly appeared before Jack's eyes. He couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth.
Aren't you guys 'words become law'? I just said I wanted to try a new ice ability—and it really got delivered right to my door?
He immediately realized that his clone didn't possess such conceptual divine power. So there was only one truth—
The innate Monster-attracting Holy Body is still working!!
(King, currently training: "Ah… ACHOO!!!")
*WARNING *
"Emergency Evacuation Warning! A Tiger-level Monster, 'Frost Cabbage,' is suspected to have appeared in J City's Binhai Commercial District!! The Hero Association is urgently dispatching heroes patrolling near M City to handle the situation. Residents nearby, please remain calm, follow instructions, and evacuate to designated safe locations as soon as possible!"
"Repeat: Emergency Evacuation Warning…"
*WARNING *
Just then, piercing alarm bells broke the city's calm. The Hero Association's disaster broadcast instantly echoed over M City.
*WHOOSH—! *
Frost Cabbage opened its "mouth" and exhaled visible, bone-white cold air. Wherever the cold air passed, moisture in the air quickly condensed. The ground, walls, roadside shop signs, and even the various goods that couldn't be taken away by their owners were all covered with a thick layer of frost in a very short time.
The entire commercial street seemed to plummet instantly from scorching summer to the dead of winter. The biting cold made citizens who were a little slower to escape shiver, their movements turning sluggish.
"Hehehe! Foolish humans, feel the wrath of I, Lord Frost Cabbage!" The giant vegetable's grating laugh echoed through the frozen street. "You usually pickle me, stir-fry me, or make me sweet and sour—today, let me show you what it's like to be iced!"
Frost Cabbage fiercely swung its two large leafy arms. Several hard leaves—their edges glinting with cold light—whistled out like spinning blades, savagely cutting toward the fleeing figures still in sight.
"Ah!"
"Help!"
Just as the Ice Frost Flying Leaves were about to hit several civilians who couldn't dodge in time, a clear, delicate shout suddenly rang out.
"Stop! You are not allowed to harm innocent citizens!"
Accompanying the shout, a petite yet agile figure rushed out from the street corner.
It was a young girl, seemingly not very old—about fourteen or fifteen. She was dressed in a well-tailored black suit uniform. Her long, dark, lustrous hair was tied into a neat high ponytail, with a few strands of sky-blue highlights particularly noticeable in the sunlight. A delicate white lily hair ornament was clipped in her hair.
The girl tightly held a three-section staff gleaming with metallic luster. As her wrists flickered, the weapon was wielded with powerful force, transforming into an impenetrable blur of staff shadows, precisely blocking all the incoming Ice Frost Flying Leaves.
*CLANG, CLANG, CLANG! *
Amid crisp metallic clashes, the ice leaves shattered into countless shimmering shards.
"A hero came to save us!"
"That's great! It's Three-Section Staff Lily of the Fubuki Group—we're saved!"
"So cool! Go, big sister!!"
Standing before the citizens was the B-Class hero certified and registered by the Hero Association: Three-Section Staff Lily.
Seeing her take action, the eyes of the originally despairing J City citizens reignited with hope.
Jack stood not far away, watching the suddenly appearing young hero with interest. The girl didn't seem very old, but both her looks and strength were remarkable. Being able to single-handedly withstand a Tiger-level Monster's attack—her hero rank was at least B-Class or above.