My attributes are increasing infinitely Chapter 476: Entering the great forest

Stepping into the city, Ethan immediately sensed a shift in the atmosphere. Soldiers and adventurers swarmed the thoroughfares, while couriers darted between fortifications with urgent dispatches. A palpable tension hung in the air, signaling that everyone was bracing for a dire event.

The entire metropolis had shifted into a state of high alert.

As Ethan meandered through the congested streets, he meticulously analyzed his surroundings. Near the interior gates, defensive arrays were being erected, and supply squads hustled to transport armaments and medicinal stocks toward the perimeter walls. Even the common folk bustled about in a state of apprehension, clutching their belongings as if preparing to seek sanctuary.

“The beast tide must be escalating rapidly,” Ethan murmured to himself.

Judging by the scale of their preparations, it was evident the city leadership anticipated a massive assault.

Ethan concluded that acquiring further intelligence was prudent before committing to any course of action. He scanned the crowd, seeking someone who might clarify the situation.

After a brief search, he spotted a young adventurer sporting a level one rank badge. Though the man exhibited signs of agitation, he had clearly just returned from the outskirts, suggesting he held the latest intelligence.

With a subtle motion of his hand, Ethan beckoned the man closer.

The adventurer caught the gesture instantly. As he approached and sensed the subtle pressure of Ethan’s aura, he instinctively bowed his head in deference.

“Yes, sir? How may I assist you?” he inquired deferentially.

Ethan gave a composed nod.

“What is the tactical situation beyond the city gates?” he asked. “Can you provide a summary? What is the scale of the encroaching horde, and what is the cultivation level of the apex beasts?”

The young man hesitated momentarily before responding.

“Most of the creatures fall between level one and level three,” he explained. “However, their sheer numbers are the primary threat. Scouts estimate millions of corrupted beasts are converging within the Great Forest. Even if we succeed in repelling the assault, there remains a grave danger that the gray mist they exude will permeate the city.”

His expression tightened with anxiety as he added, “Should the mist penetrate too deeply, the city could succumb to contamination long after the beasts are slaughtered.”

Ethan processed the information with focus.

He then offered a measured nod.

“That is excellent news,” he declared, unable to mask his enthusiasm.

The adventurer stared at him, bewildered.

“Pardon, sir? What did you say?”

Recovering instantly, Ethan let out an awkward cough.

“Ahem. I meant to convey that the circumstances are indeed dire,” he corrected, masking his excitement. “We must remain vigilant.”

The young man nodded quickly, evidently convinced he had misinterpreted Ethan’s initial reaction.

Yet, within the sanctuary of his own mind, Ethan’s assessment was vastly different.

Millions of corrupted beasts heralded an immense concentration of gray mist.

And to Ethan, the gray mist represented raw energy.

It was the fuel he needed to cultivate and fortify his law strand.

Naturally, he felt quite gratified by the prospect.

Suddenly, the adventurer recalled a final detail and spoke up again.

“Oh, one more thing, sir.”

Ethan turned his gaze toward him.

“What is it?”

“The Ragnarok Clan is deploying one of their high-ranking officials to assume command of the defensive operations,” the man stated. “I’ve heard he is a formidable level seven powerhouse.”

Ethan raised an eyebrow in mild surprise.

“A level seven?”

The adventurer nodded vigorously.

“Indeed. That is precisely why the city is in such a frantic state. Most of us have never even laid eyes on a level seven existence before.”

Ethan nodded with composure.

“I appreciate the information.”

With a final bow, the adventurer resumed his duties.

Ethan shifted his attention toward the western sector of the city.

That direction led directly toward the Great Forest.

It was the inevitable point of origin for the beast tide.

Without a moment’s delay, he began moving toward his destination.

However, before he could make significant progress, a man blocked his path abruptly.

Dressed in the attire of a mid-ranking guard, the man glared at Ethan with a look of annoyance.

“Hey, you!” he snapped.

“Level two adventurers are assigned to the third defensive line. Where do you think you’re going?”

Ethan almost let out a cold snort.

With his sword art, his true combat potential was already sufficient to challenge level three cultivators.

Nevertheless, he remembered the rigid hierarchy governing the city.

Provoking unnecessary conflict now would only serve to draw unwanted scrutiny.

Ethan offered a polite nod instead.

“Thank you for the notification,” he replied evenly.

He then pivoted and started walking toward the station the guard had indicated.

For several minutes, he paced himself slowly.

Then, suddenly, he felt a strange sensation.

A surge of divine energy began to circulate through his body like a powerful, surging torrent.

Ethan halted in his tracks immediately.

A look of genuine surprise washed over his features.

“Incredible,” he muttered.

“So he managed to complete that trial already?”

A faint, knowing smile played on his lips.

His law strand had successfully undergone an expansion.

Prior to that moment, it had spanned 30 kilometers.

Now, it stretched to eighty kilometers.

The sudden gain in power invigorated him.

Yet, it also reinforced a critical realization.

Should he wish to reach the summit of ultimate power, he could no longer rely on gradual, cautious growth.

He required vast resources.

He required immense energy.

And the confines of this city were far too limited for his ambitions.

Ethan shifted his trajectory immediately.

Abandoning the path toward the third defensive line, he sprinted toward the western wall.

The true opportunities lay just beyond, in the Great Forest.

Nearby adventurers caught sight of his abrupt change in pace.

“Oi, hang on!” one yelled.

But Ethan did not falter.

Within moments, he stood before the imposing western wall. Without a trace of hesitation, he vaulted over the ramparts and vanished into the wilderness beyond.

The onlookers stood stunned.

“What in the blazes is he doing?” one queried in utter disbelief.

Another shook his head dismissively.

“That’s the outsider who showed up not long ago,” he remarked.

“I suppose he figured he couldn’t withstand the beast tide here, so he decided to rush into the forest and hasten his own demise.”

A few members of a nearby level three group let out bitter laughs.

“Well, that is certainly one way to avoid a drawn-out death.”

However, Ethan remained entirely indifferent to their conjecture.

The moment he touched down beyond the walls, he sensed an uncanny, sinister aura shrouding the woodlands. A heavy, corrupted energy saturated the gray mist drifting through the trees.

Ethan shut his eyes momentarily, drawing in a long, steady breath.

“That is the sensation,” he noted with quiet triumph.

Driven by his purpose, he moved deeper into the forest.

His goal remained singular and clear.

By harvesting two thousand level one corrupted beasts, he would extract sufficient gray mist energy to extend his law strand by another twenty kilometers.

That would propel him to the one-hundred-kilometer mark.

A critical milestone for his growth.

Ethan eased his pace, coming to a halt in a secluded clearing between the trees.

He closed his eyes once more.

Unleashing his Mental Domain, an invisible pulse rippled out and expanded through the forest.

While his coverage was not yet immense, it currently encompassed a radius of ten kilometers.

It was more than enough for his current needs.

Instantly, he sensed the proximity of monsters.

Dozens of corrupted horrors were prowling within the foliage.

Some were lupine in shape; others consisted of twisted insects or grotesque mutations born of the gray mist.

Ethan opened his eyes, a calm focus settling across his face.

“Let us initiate the proceedings.”

He raised a hand, manifesting a small, spherical construct of compressed energy.

It was a crude, yet effective bomb.

He cast it deep into the forest without a second thought.

The device struck the earth several hundred meters away, detonating with a thunderous roar.

BOOM.

The echoes reverberated through the trees, and Ethan felt the surge of life within his Mental Domain immediately.

The monsters reacted to the disturbance, instinctively surging toward the roar of the blast.

Ethan’s lips curled into a faint, satisfied smirk.

The trap had functioned perfectly.

As he perceived more and more monsters flooding into his range, he raised a hand with effortless composure.

He uttered a single, final word.

“Disintegrate.”