Ashen Dragon

Five months later.

Snowflakes had begun to fall over the Bokara Forest.

This foretold that the Anzeta Plateau was about to enter winter, and the beasts were starting to hunt in groups, preparing for the long and severe winter.

The forest rustled with sound, and gray figures darted swiftly through the trees.

Their prominent snouts, triangular blue eyes, and sharp fangs betrayed their identity: Terror Wolves.

One of the top predators in the forest, masters of group hunting tactics.

And in front of them, a herd of frightened deer was running for their lives.

The wolf pack seemed unhurried, the strong leading Terror Wolf let out a long howl, and the rest responded with light howls.

The pack consisted of more than ten wolves. They coordinated with each other; some drove the deer from behind, others flanked from the sides, and some even disappeared, forming an open pocket-like formation.

After several tens of minutes of chase, the wolves had the absolute upper hand, wasting little energy as they herded the panicked deer to a mountain pass.

The deer, under the wolves' relentless pursuit, scrambled into the pass, seeing it as their last escape route, like grasping at a lifeline.

In the chaos, even small fawns were trampled to death.

But they didn't realize that what they mistook as a lifeline was actually a trap.

"Awoo—"

As the last of the deer entered the valley, the Wolf King let out an excited howl, and the previously missing wolves reappeared at the other end of the valley, completely surrounding the thirty-plus deer in the narrow pass.

The deer were now in total disarray, bumping into each other, only to find menacing wolves everywhere they turned.

The wolves' blue eyes were gleaming, and they eagerly swarmed in.

Blood splattered, pained cries echoed, and the valley filled with the scent of blood.

In the end, the leading buck broke through the blockade on the opposite side with its large antlers, leading more than ten deer to escape, leaving behind several dozen carcasses in the valley.

The wolf pack had achieved their goal.

The Terror Wolves rushed forward, tearing into the deer's flesh, eager to feast before winter set in, hoping to survive the harsh cold of the North.

The Wolf King chewed on the most succulent organs, savoring this hard-earned, carefully planned meal.

A mist arose in the valley.

At first, the wolves paid it no mind, but as the mist thickened, enveloping them in a murky haze where they could barely see each other, they began to panic.

Mysterious shadows flickered within the mist.

"Crunch, crunch"

It was unclear if it was the sound of wolves crushing deer bones or wolves' bones being crushed.

Then erratic howls emanated from the mist, perhaps hunting signals, attack calls, or feeding permissions, unclear but meaningful to the wolves.

If a knowledgeable mage were here, they could easily identify this as a spell, "Magic Tricks," creating additional noises and sensations.

Unfortunately, the beasts were unaware and instinctively afraid of the unknown, losing their reason.

"Aroo—"

The Wolf King stood alertly, howling to call its pack.

The pack howled back in confusion, trying to locate each other.

But the dense fog blurred their vision, and the strange sounds made it impossible to discern the direction or gain any useful information.

The Wolf King suddenly sensed a strange sound from above.

A whooshing wind.

It instinctively looked up, and its pupils reflected blazing flames...

"Boom—"

[Killed adult male Terror Wolf, gained 200xp]

[Killed adult male Terror Wolf, gained 200xp]

[Killed adult male Terror Wolf, gained 200xp]

[Killed adult female Terror Wolf, gained 200xp]

...

[Killed Terror Wolf Leader, gained 700xp]

"A bumper harvest, not one escaped."

Cassius exhaled a breath of sulfuric heat, then spread his wings.

A red figure swept across the valley, circling above the forest.

The Red Dragon, transformed into a fearsome Hunter, scanned the forest below, searching for the next prey. To him, the normally feared beasts were just walking experience packs.

...

Near the bushes on the ground, a huge feral boar was digging through the soil, looking for anything edible.

Whether it was the juicy roots of ferns, a hibernating snake, or soil clumps containing special elements, the boar would eat it all.

This enormous boar stood over two meters tall at the shoulder, looking like a small hill from a distance.

Its tusks, like curved blades, jutted out from its mouth. Beneath its thick hide were layers of fat, covered by a tough exterior of hardened dirt accumulated over the years.

Ordinary iron swords couldn't cut through this natural armor, and only the most experienced hunters dared to challenge such a formidable beast.

"Snort, snort..."

The boar snorted, blowing out a clump of dirt, and continued its digging, finally uncovering an insect pupa in the mess.

Delighted, the boar quickly swallowed the precious protein.

Suddenly, it spotted what seemed like a small snake's shadow in the grass, slithering away.

"Grunt..."

The boar trotted after the snake.

The snake lured the boar to a cliffside.

Just as the boar lumbered forward, eager to gobble up the snake, the snake vanished.

A shadow descended from the cliff.

[Magic Missile]

Several Arcane Orbs hit the boar's thick hide, dealing inescapable, indefensible magical damage.

The boar couldn't help but let out a painful wail, immediately followed by a frenzy induced by its injury.

"Beast Fury!"

Its eyes turned red with rage, its fur bristling, and it stomped around, kicking up dust, searching for its attacker.

"Huff, huff—"

This state was similar to a barbarian's trait, where the boar's strength and constitution were tremendously enhanced.

Even more frightening, it became immune to pain and fatigue. Many adventurers who thought they'd mortally wounded it were torn in two by its tusks in its furious rage.

But the furious beast couldn't find its target, nor its attacker, and could only vent its overflowing anger everywhere.

"Boom!"

"Boom! Boom!"

It rammed its massive body into the cliff, dislodging rocks, and tore up earth and trees with its tusks.

Minutes passed.

When the frenzy subsided, the giant beast lay exhausted on the ground.

The surroundings were a mess, with debris everywhere, the ground torn up, and the cliff cracked.

Recovering from its rage-induced frenzy, it began lazily munching on grass roots.

"Ignis (Fire Arrow)!"

A Flaming Arrow fell from above, scorching its hide.

Another red figure dove from the sky, landing on its bristling back.

"Arooo..."

The boar's wail was pained and sorrowful, but it lacked the strength to fight back.

It could only let the Red Dragon on its back bite through its spine, ending its life swiftly and decisively.

This once-unbeatable forest ruler perished miserably.

[Killed mature feral boar, gained 1100xp]

[Your level has increased to 2]

Ripping through its tough hide and thick fat, exposing the bloody flesh beneath.

Cassius, not bothering to cook it, tore off a piece of tenderloin and devoured it.

The Red Dragon had a unique digestive system, converting most of what it ate into nutrients for growth, and the remainder into elemental energy, with little waste.

"Very chewy pork, but a bit too old."

With blood dripping from his mouth, the Red Dragon couldn't help but give an assessment.