City C (14th Zone):

Jeremy retreated with the others, now a few hundred meters away from their previous location. The area had suddenly grown quiet.

Jeremy used his enhanced vision to scan the surroundings.

Petra and Levy summoned their Lifeline Beasts. A Fire Flamingo and a Glass Snake materialized beside them.

Lifeline Beasts could sense corrupted beasts more effectively. The Fire Flamingo and Glass Snake stood alert next to Petra and Levy.

They, too, began observing the area, aware that more worm beasts might be lurking. The Head Guards from all three families were also investigating the place.

Other group members provided support from behind.

As time passed, the surroundings seemed normal. The ground no longer vibrated.

But Jeremy refused to believe the danger had passed. He knew worm beasts wouldn't abandon their prey so easily.

Now that the Tier-3 Worm Beast had escaped, it would likely alert others. His eyes flashed with worry.

He had led everyone here, buoyed by their immense confidence in him. He didn't want to betray their trust.

He had never seen a Tier-5 Beast threaten City C before, but he had encountered one in City A. In one instance, a Tier-5 Corrupted Worm had chased him back to the city.

"Guys, let's retreat to the outer area," Jeremy said to the group.

"Why? Are you worried?" Petra asked.

Jeremy nodded. "Worm beasts live in groups. If they attack, they'll come as a pack."

"It's rare for a Tier-3 Worm to attack alone," he added.

Everyone's hearts stirred at his words. A look of understanding crossed their faces. Even the group members began to see Young Master Jeremy in a new light.

"Young Master, you're right. We shouldn't take chances," said the Head Guard of the Night Family.

Petra and Levy agreed. They had come to explore the wilderness, not to get trapped by worm beasts.

The group began retreating toward the outer area.

Meanwhile,

The Tier-3 Worm Beast rejoined its pack underground. The group consisted of over twenty worm beasts from the same family.

The strongest among them was a massive Tier-5 Worm Beast. The Tier-3 Worm communicated with the others.

The worm beasts were ravenous, as prey rarely entered their territory. The Tier-5 Worm, more intelligent than the rest, decided to investigate the human beast tamers who had trespassed.

If the intruders were too powerful, it would retreat. If not, it would feast.

Swoosh!

The Tier-5 Worm Beast moved out, accompanied by a few Tier-4 Worms for support. The Tier-3 and Tier-2 Worms stayed behind on its orders.

Following the trail left by the Tier-3 Worm, the Tier-5 Worm soon reached the core area. The human beast tamers were gone, but their strong scent lingered, indicating they hadn't left long ago.

The Tier-5 Worm realized they weren't far. It burrowed back underground with the others and began tracking the scent toward the outer area.

Jeremy was unaware that his instincts were correct. A threat was closing in. He and the others continued toward the outer area.

Once they reached it, the city would be within closer reach.

Not long after, Jeremy felt a sense of crisis again. This time, the threat felt stronger than before. He paused and turned toward the wilderness.

"Except for the Head Guards, everyone should continue to the outer area!" Jeremy shouted.

His sudden outburst shocked and surprised the others. Petra and Levy were frightened; they had never seen Jeremy like this before.

The next moment, they recalled their Lifeline Beasts and began running toward the outer area with the other members.

The three Head Guards stayed behind. The Ross and Glass Family Head Guards trusted Jeremy Night, who had warned them before the Tier-3 Worm Beast appeared.

Now, with his second warning, they knew something bigger was coming. The Night Family Head Guard also had faith in Jeremy.

Everyone faced the wilderness. Jeremy's eyes locked onto the ground a few hundred meters away. He noticed vibrations again.

This time, the sand particles on the ground jumped higher than before. He could tell something more powerful was approaching.

"Get ready, it's here," Jeremy said.

The three Head Guards braced themselves.

Boom!

The ground a few hundred meters ahead exploded. A massive, 20-foot-tall Tier-5 Worm Beast emerged. Several more explosions followed.

One after another, four 15-foot-tall Tier-4 Worm Beasts burst from the ground.

The Head Guards were terrified. They hadn't expected to encounter a Tier-5 Worm Beast here, let alone one accompanied by four Tier-4 Worms.

Meanwhile,

Petra, Levy, and the other guard team members, who were running, heard the explosions. They turned around and froze at the sight.

They had never seen such a massive worm beast before. It dwarfed the Tier-3 Worm Beast.

"Let's go and get help," Levy said.

"We can contact them from here. Take out the digital device," Petra replied.

They realized they were close to the outer area, where the signal might reach the city. But when they checked their digital devices, there was no signal.

The call wouldn't connect. They needed to reach the outer area first to check again.

Petra and Levy understood and continued heading toward the outer area with the others.

On the other hand, Jeremy drew his katana blade. He looked at the Head Guards and said, "You guys handle the Tier-4 Worms. I'll deal with the Tier-5 one."

The three Head Guards were stunned. They couldn't believe what they were hearing. Jeremy Night was weaker than them, how could he take on a Tier-5 Worm Beast?

But the Night Family Head Guard believed in him for some reason and agreed. The other two Head Guards were shocked.

Their duty was to protect Petra Ross and Levy Glass, but they couldn't abandon Jeremy Night, the son of City Governor Ron. They had no choice but to fight alongside him.

Jeremy wasn't foolish. He saw through their thoughts. That's why he had given the order earlier. Otherwise, they would have left.

Right now, the three Head Guards are ready to fight together.