CHAPTER 42: BEHEMOTH TRANSFORMATION

Good, it worked.

"Who’s going to be the master? And who’s going to serve?" Nolan said as red lights shined around them. A circle appeared under Nolan too—for the first time.

Then something happened.

The circle covered the behemoth with red lights.

"What is going on? Why is it covered with red lights? When I tamed Zuru, my boar, it was golden light—or yellow. But now... it’s red. Can it be because I’ve gotten stronger?" Nolan said.

He waited, watching. Then the lights that covered the behemoth vanished.

"Wait... where’s the behemoth?"

He looked up. No figure. No beast. The monster had disappeared.

"Hey, how was it?" a voice said.

Nolan looked down. His eyes widened.

"Who are you? Who are you? And why are you not dressed?!" Nolan shouted, turning his face away.

"What do you mean? It’s me. The behemoth," the voice replied.

Nolan froze. His heart pounded. The figure looked at her own body, shocked.

"But... I’m human?" she shouted.

Nolan quickly pulled off his suit and threw it, still refusing to look.

"Why aren’t you looking at me?" the behemoth asked.

When she was done dressing, Nolan finally turned. His jaw dropped.

"What’s going on? How is this possible? You... you’re a girl. You’re a lady."

"Yes. You didn’t know? I’m a lady," the behemoth said.

Nolan’s mind spun. Why did she turn human all of a sudden? It doesn’t make any sense.

"I can’t believe this. I thought there was a massive difference between our mana. My mana wasn’t even thirty percent as large as yours. That’s why it consumed me. But since you’re my master now, it forced me into the race you are," the behemoth said calmly.

"That’s your explanation? ...You’re right," Nolan muttered.

"I didn’t expect it, but... it’s really good. At least in this form, I can be by your side," the Behemoth said.

Nolan nodded slowly, still processing everything.

"Wait... what is my status? What’s the status window?" Nolan asked, curiosity sharpening his tone.

"You don’t know about that?" the Behemoth replied, a hint of amusement in her voice. "It’s what you use to check your stats... and to see your potential. And oh... you are growing."

Nolan frowned thoughtfully. "Okay... and I also want to ask you something. How old are you?"

"Well... I don’t know exactly. I’ve been here for hundreds of thousands of years," she said calmly.

"I’m going to give you a name," Nolan said, determination in his voice. "Because I’m sure you don’t have one."

"Well... you’re right," she admitted.

"I’m sure it’ll be good. I wouldn’t want to go... outside the dungeon,calling you a Behemoth, so you need a name. And let me think." Nolan said.

"Yeah, let’s get out. Go away from this dungeon. I’ve been here... yeah, for 300 years," she said.

"Yes, I know a name. I’m going to give you... Lyra. What do you think about that? Is it okay?" Nolan asked.

None answered.

"Hmm, that’s a good name," she finally said.

"It is done. Now, I’m your master. You’re going to help me grow stronger," Nolan said.

"I will do that. And one thing you need to know is, you will be at your strongest when you have a sword. Picture an image forming in front of you, release mana while you imagine it, and just say, ’Status window, open,’" Lyra said.

"Okay. Imagine, imagine, imagine," Nolan muttered, focusing. He pictured the image clearly, poured his mana into it, and then opened his eyes.

"Status window, open," Nolan said.

A box appeared in front of him.

"Wow... what is this? Can you see it?" Nolan asked, astonished.

"I’m not able to see it. You’re the only one capable of seeing it. And there are others who are able to use this—I’m not just saying," Lyra explained.

"Wow... so I’m just at level 2 in my status window, and I’m this powerful?" Nolan asked, eyes wide.

"Don’t get cocky. You are still weak. But for a mortal, you are powerful for level 2 alone," Lyra said.

"Well, yeah... I understand. Now let me check. My speed is about 60% now... 60%," Nolan muttered, scanning the window. "My strength is 30%... while at level 2. If so... how am I going to reach level 3?"

"When your strength, speed, agility, and most of your skills—not all, but most—reach 100%, you’ll be able to enter level 3. That means you’ll get stronger. And when you fought me, your strength increased, your status kept rising, levels kept adding," Lyra explained.

"I suppose... that makes sense," Nolan said thoughtfully.

Open status window he shouted.

Status Window – Nolan Thorne (Level 2)

Innate SSS Divine Ability Time Control

Secondary Abilities:

Time Manipulation

Speed

High Endurance

Enhanced Reflexes

Physical Ability

Search

Summoning

Beast Tamer

Healing magic

Shield magic

" But your main SSS-Rank ability

Which was gifted to you by archangel Michael is time control any other Skill is Secondary or Acquired Skills," Lyra said.

Nolan removed the Ability scroll, then he saw Skills. He tapped on it again.

Skills – Nolan Thorne (Level 2)

Secondary Skills

Close-Range Combat:

Crimson Flame

Crimson Blast

Fire Fist

Skills – Nolan Thorne (Level 2)

Locked Abilities:

• Flight

• Sword Master

• Heaven Knight

• Teleportation

Status window closed, he said, then it was closed. There are still so many more skills I haven’t checked, and even that was just a few of my abilities. "But... what do you mean, time manipulation?" Nolan asked, frowning. "I can only stop time. I didn’t even use it in the fight with you. It’s not that important."

Lyra shook her head firmly. "No. Don’t say that. You’re wrong."

He looked at her in confusion, but her voice carried weight, like every word was etched into truth.

"Any other skill you have—your flight, your strength, your divine connection, even the overwhelming mana you carry—all of those are powerful, yes. But they are secondary. Your main ability is the control of time itself."

"My... main ability?" Nolan repeated slowly.

"Yes," Lyra said, her eyes gleaming. "You’ve barely scratched the surface. Stopping time is only the beginning. You will learn to slow time, to stretch a single second into eternity... to accelerate it, so that a day passes in a heartbeat. And more than that—you will one day be able to reverse it. Even turn back someone’s age if you will it."

Nolan’s chest tightened at her words. The idea felt impossible, yet something inside him stirred—a deep recognition, as if his soul had always known.

Lyra leaned closer, her tone absolute.

"That is your true gift. That is your main skill. Everything else... everything you’ve shown so far... is only secondary."