Chapter 5 Beastwomen Can Absorb Beast Crystals Too

Xelrik's face turned deathly pale. He had only managed to ascend to a Level-Two beastman by absorbing the Level-Two beast crystal Avani had given him. And now, he realized—every last one of those crystals had belonged to Karina. He was now deeply indebted to Karina after being intimate with Avani. Sensing the situation slipping out of her control, Avani forced a nervous smile and reached for Karina's hand. “Rina, let's talk this through. Why don't we sit down and have a chat?” If this mess wasn't handled discreetly, she wouldn't have the face to stay in Darkvale Tribe any longer. But Karina remained unfazed. With a look of pure disdain, she yanked her hand free and scoffed. “I have no interest in stepping into such a filthy place,” she said coldly. “If you have something to say, say it here. Return my beast crystals. Everyone here is a witness!” “I... I never said I wouldn't return them.” She quickly withdrew her hand and lifted her chin stubbornly. “But if you want them back, you need to provide some proof, don't you?” Karina let out a mocking laugh. “Everyone here knows exactly what your family is capable of. You do nothing all day, yet you live in comfort. Do you think resources just fall from the sky? Everything you have comes from me and from all the others you've deceived.” Avani opened her mouth to argue, but at the sight of the men's furious expressions, she swallowed her words. She dared not provoke public outrage. “I'll repay what Avani owes you,” Xelrik interjected, his jaw clenched and his veins throbbing. “Just go back for now and give me some time.” Karina hummed softly, unfazed. “I want it now. If you won't give them back, I'll take this to the chief and have him issue an order. From this day forward, all of Xelrik's resources will belong to me—until every last beast crystal is repaid.” Avani snapped, “The chief would never do that!” Karina arched a brow, her gaze sharp as she scrutinized Avani. “Oh? And how can you be so sure? Or perhaps... the chief is in on this with you?” “I...” Avani stiffened, panic flashing across her face. “Enough!” A deep, commanding voice cut through the commotion. “You've stirred up such a ruckus over something so trivial. Are you trying to disrupt the tribe's peace?” A middle-aged man, clad in beast skins and adorned with beast bones on his head, stepped forward from the crowd, his tone laced with reprimand. From the moment he arrived, he blamed Karina, as if the entire situation was her fault. Karina met his gaze head-on, her voice calm yet firm. “Chief, if a hundred or so beast crystals are trivial, then what exactly qualifies as a serious matter?” Her composure was unwavering and resolute. The chief, Aethor's expression darkened further, his jaw tightening. For a brief moment, he was at a loss for words. Then, with a sharp glare at Avani and Xelrik, he barked, “What are you standing around for? If you owe her beast crystals, then pay her back immediately!” This fool almost dragged me down. If word spreads that I've been abusing my power for personal gain, my days as chief will be numbered. “Yes, Chief Aethor,” the two mumbled, bowing their heads begrudgingly. Before long, they retrieved all the beast crystals from the house. “I already used twenty Level-One beast crystals and one Level-Two,” Xelrik admitted through gritted teeth, reluctantly handing over the remaining crystals. Xelrik had originally planned to absorb the crystals gradually, allowing time for consolidation before taking in the Level-Three beast crystal. There might be a chance for him to advance to a Level-Three beastman. Now, all of that was ruined. Karina took the Level-Two and Level-Three beast crystals, then carefully counted the remaining Level-One crystals. “You still owe me forty Level-One beast crystals and one Level-Two beast crystal,” she reminded them. Then, tilting her head slightly, she added, “I recall that Avani's parents have beast crystals as well, don't they?” Avani clenched her jaw and ground out, “I'll go get them.” A short while later, she returned with all the remaining beast crystals from her parents' home—exactly forty Level-One crystals. “I don't have any Level-Two beast crystals right now,” Avani admitted reluctantly, her voice strained. “I'll pay you back once I get one.” Karina's lips curled into a satisfied smile. “All right.” She knew when to stop—no matter how much she pressured them, they wouldn't be able to conjure a Level-Two beast crystal out of thin air. Wasting no more time, she turned on her heel, eager to return and share this victory with Zareth. With these beast crystals, she was certain his strength would reach an entirely new level. “Zareth, come quickly! Karina—” A beastman came running toward them, breathless, as Zareth and Draven returned from their hunt. He pointed anxiously in the direction of Xelrik's home. Before the beastman could finish his sentence, Draven scoffed in frustration. “I knew it! That wicked woman must have gone to see Xelrik again. Zareth, you've completely wasted your sincere feelings on her!” Zareth's face darkened. Without a word, he dropped his prey and bolted in the direction of Xelrik's house. Draven groaned, hastily scooping up the fallen prey before chasing after him. Meanwhile, the bewildered beastman stood there scratching his head. “I haven't even finished talking yet... Why are they so angry?” All he wanted to say was, Zareth, your good days have arrived. Karina has turned over a new leaf and even become rich. A colossal black serpent and a scruffy fox tore through the tribe in a frantic rush. Mid-sprint, they nearly collided head-on with Karina. Both skidded to a stop. Karina was cheerfully strolling home, an oversized beast-hide bag slung over her shoulder. A bright smile graced her lips. Zareth shifted into his human form, his brows instinctively furrowing. “Why are you carrying something so heavy?” The weight of it dragged against the ground, leaving a faint trail in the dirt, yet she carried it with ease, a bright smile gracing her lips. At the sound of his voice, Karina's eyes lit up. “Zareth?” She barely had time to process her excitement before she remembered what happened the previous night. Heat crept up her cheeks, and her fingers loosened. The beast-hide bag slipped from her grasp, hitting the ground. The impact sent a cascade of beast crystals spilling across the dirt. Draven's eyes widened in shock, momentarily forgetting to transform into his human form. In beast language, he blurted out, “Holy smokes! These are beast crystals! Where did you get these?” Zareth caught Karina's gaze and, as if suddenly remembering Draven's presence, lowered his head. Without looking back, he stepped aside and delivered a swift kick. The scruffy fox went flying, yelping, “Zareth, you're so d*mn heartless!” Karina stood frozen. Meanwhile, Zareth had already crouched down, swiftly gathering the beast crystals with practiced ease before taking hold of the beast-hide bag. “Where are you headed? I'll take you there.” His voice was cold and indifferent, devoid of any curiosity—he didn't even ask where the beast crystals had come from. Blinking, Karina snapped out of her thoughts and flashed a warm smile. “I'm going home—our home.” Her radiant smile left Zareth momentarily dazed. By the time he regained his senses, she had already walked ahead, playfully twirling a freshly picked red flower between her fingers. She seemed to be in a good mood. Going home? Our home? A hint of warmth softened his otherwise cold gaze. With long strides, he followed at a leisurely pace. Once inside, Karina emptied the beast crystals onto the floor, filling the room with their shimmering glow. She flopped onto the pile, rolling across the crystals with pure satisfaction. “Avani and Xelrik returned these to me. These were left behind by my parents,” she said, her voice laced with triumph. Then, as if remembering something amusing, she added, “Oh, and those two? They're officially a couple now. They can forget about ever taking advantage of me again.” Upon entering and seeing her rolling around on the beast crystals, Zareth frowned. Without hesitation, he stepped forward, bent down, and effortlessly lifted her with one hand. “The beast crystals are hard. It's not comfortable to lie on them,” he muttered. Is she a fool? Lying on beast crystals like that—her delicate skin could easily get scratched. It was only after speaking that he realized she had been explaining things to him. More importantly, she wasn't upset about Xelrik and Avani being together. If anything, she looked downright pleased. Looking away, he cleared a spot on the ground with his foot before setting her down. His voice was cold as he said, “I don't care about any of this. You don't need to tell me.” “All right, then let's talk about something else.” Karina's voice was lighthearted as she pulled out two beast crystals, an ingratiating grin on her lips. She handed him one of the Level-Two beast crystals. The higher the level of a beast crystal, the smaller its size. Though both Level-One and Level-Two beast crystals were no bigger than a chicken egg, their energy was exponentially stronger—ranging from ten to a hundred times greater. Zareth's brows furrowed slightly in confusion. Karina chuckled. “I'm just an ordinary beastwoman—I can't absorb beast crystals,” she explained patiently. “But you're a Level-One beastman. Absorb this Level-Two beast crystal first, then move on to the Level-One ones. Once you've leveled up, I'll give you this Level-Three beast crystal too.” Absorbing two levels at once carried the risk of a violent backlash—worst case, the body could explode, leading to instant death. Zareth's gaze darkened, filled with complexity. “Why?” Why is she suddenly so nice to me? Is this another ploy? Karina tilted her head, as if the answer was the most natural thing in the world. “You're my only husband, so of course, all the beast crystals are for you.” Her bright, unwavering gaze sent a strange sensation coursing through him. Zareth swallowed hard, his fingers tightening around the glowing Level-Two beast crystal. His voice dropped into a husky whisper. “There is a way for females to absorb the power of a beast crystal too.” That method was through mating. But after what he had done to her last night, he figured she was probably repulsed by him. Before he could finish speaking, a pair of soft arms wrapped around his neck, and warm, tender lips pressed against his.