A month had passed.
I was still heading north.
But during this month, a lot had happened.
I looked at Spike scouting ahead, at Shadow circling in the air, at Shell, Horn, and Venom following beside me.
Five subordinates.
I recalled the experiences of this past month.
Shadow was the first to join.
That was one night.
I was traveling when I suddenly heard sharp cries from the air.
Looking up, I saw a Shadow Bat weaving through the trees.
Its speed was fast, and it was nearly invisible in the darkness.
I checked its information—decent stats.
Especially its night vision and ultrasonic detection traits, very suitable for scouting.
I decided to subdue it.
But the battle was much harder than expected.
The Shadow Bat could fly, and its concealment ability at night was extremely strong.
It kept weaving through the trees, launching sneak attacks.
Spike, Shell, and I coordinated for a long time before barely cornering it.
Finally, it was critically wounded and fell to the ground.
I gave it two choices: submit or die.
It chose submission.
I placed a mark on it and named it Shadow.
Horn was encountered during a hunt.
We were tracking a group of Burrow Rats.
Suddenly discovered a Rock-Horned Goat being sieged by three Burrow Rats.
The goat was young, must have gotten separated.
It resisted desperately but was outnumbered.
I valued its charging ability and defense.
So I brought Spike, Shell, and Shadow to intervene.
Drove off the three Burrow Rats.
The goat looked at us, gratitude and wariness in its eyes.
I told it could follow me or leave.
It hesitated for a long time, finally choosing to follow.
I placed a mark on it and named it Horn.
Venom was the last one.
By a small river, I found a Venom Frog.
It was fighting a water snake.
Both beasts were poison types, locked in stalemate.
I valued the Venom Frog's ranged poison ability.
Something the team currently lacked.
So after they both wore each other down, I struck and killed the snake.
The Venom Frog lay weakly on the shore, looking at me.
It knew it couldn't escape.
I asked if it was willing to follow me.
It was silent for a while, then nodded.
I placed a mark on it and named it Venom.
Five marks, all used up.
This past month, we'd been hunting constantly.
Non-stop hunting.
Killing various magic beasts, accumulating experience.
The team's coordination became increasingly seamless.
Spike and Shadow handled scouting—one on ground, one in air.
Shell and Horn took the front, drawing fire.
Venom provided ranged poison support from the rear.
I commanded from the center, using Spatial Mark for remote storage and release.
Very efficient.
I stopped and opened my panel.
Checked my status.
[Hoarder Squirrel] [Gray]
[Level: 20/25]
[Experience: 156/200]
[HP: 220/220]
[MP: 170/170]
[Strength: 22]
[Defense: 16]
[Speed: 28]
[Luck: 10]
[A rodent-type magic beast with a pocket dimension, loves hoarding various items, possesses brief spatial evasion ability]
[Traits: Dimensional Cheek Pouch, High Sensitivity, Spatial Affinity]
[Skills: Leap (Proficient), Bite (Proficient), Spatial Dodge (Proficient), Spatial Mark]
Level 20.
I checked Spike's panel.
[Spike-Tail Weasel] [Spike]
[Level: 15/15]
[Experience: 100/100]
[HP: 100/100]
[MP: 50/50]
[Strength: 12]
[Defense: 8]
[Speed: 22]
[Luck: 8]
[Agile small magic beast, feeds on insects and small animals, tail barbs carry mild toxin]
[Traits: Keen Perception]
[Skills: Venomous Thrust, Dodge]
[Evolution requirements met, can evolve]
I checked Shell's panel.
[Iron-Shelled Armadillo] [Shell]
[Level: 20/20]
[Experience: 200/200]
[HP: 200/200]
[MP: 80/80]
[Strength: 26]
[Defense: 32]
[Speed: 10]
[Luck: 9]
[Magic beast covered in heavy armor, extremely high defense but slow speed, aggressive temperament]
[Traits: Thick Armor Protection]
[Skills: Heavy Strike, Shell Defense, Hold Ground]
[Evolution requirements met, can evolve]
Shell and Spike were both max level and could evolve.
I continued checking other members.
[Shadow Bat] [Shadow]
[Level: 18/25]
[Experience: 142/200]
[HP: 120/120]
[MP: 90/90]
[Strength: 14]
[Defense: 10]
[Speed: 26]
[Luck: 11]
[Nocturnal flying magic beast, can emit ultrasonic waves to detect surroundings, excellent night vision]
[Traits: Night Vision, Ultrasonic Detection]
[Skills: Flight, Ultrasonic Wave, Claw Rend]
[Rock-Horned Goat] [Horn]
[Level: 17/25]
[Experience: 98/200]
[HP: 180/180]
[MP: 60/60]
[Strength: 24]
[Defense: 20]
[Speed: 16]
[Luck: 7]
[Medium magic beast with hard rock horns on head, excels at ramming attacks, moves agilely in mountainous terrain]
[Traits: Rock Constitution, Mountain Adaptation]
[Skills: Charge, Horn Thrust, Trample]
[Venom Frog] [Venom]
[Level: 16/20]
[Experience: 165/200]
[HP: 90/90]
[MP: 110/110]
[Strength: 10]
[Defense: 12]
[Speed: 14]
[Luck: 9]
[Amphibious magic beast that secretes toxin from skin, can spray venom at enemies from range]
[Traits: Toxin Secretion, Amphibious]
[Skills: Venom Spray, Leap, Poison Mist]
I closed the panel.
The team's overall strength had improved significantly.
Spike and Shell had both reached level cap.
Other members were also growing rapidly.
"Boss!"
Spike's voice came from ahead.
It was in a tree, pointing forward with its paw.
"Found prey."
I immediately became alert.
"What beast?"
"Looks like a Horned Rabbit, high level." Spike said.
I walked over, lowering my body.
Peered through gaps in the trees.
Indeed a Horned Rabbit.
But much larger than normal ones.
The horn on its forehead was also longer, gleaming with metallic luster.
I checked its information.
[Horned Rabbit King]
[Level: 12/20]
[HP: 150/150]
[MP: 80/80]
[Strength: 18]
[Defense: 14]
[Speed: 24]
[Luck: 12]
[Mutant variant of Horned Rabbit, strength and speed far exceed normal ones, horn can pierce armor]
Level 12.
Not too high.
But decent stats, speed 24.
"Prepare for battle." I said.
Spike immediately jumped down from the tree.
Shadow circled in the air, ready to dive anytime.
Shell and Horn moved to the front, preparing to charge.
Venom crouched beside me, tongue slightly extended.
I concentrated, sensing all members' positions.
Within 20 meters, all within the mark's sensing range.
"Spike, approach from the left." I transmitted commands through the marks.
"Shadow, dive from above to draw attention."
"Shell, Horn, frontal charge."
"Venom, spray venom after it's controlled."
"Understood!" Five subordinates responded in unison.
After coordinating for a month, they were very familiar with my command style.
Shadow acted first.
Dove from the air, making sharp cries.
The Horned Rabbit King immediately became alert, looking up.
Just then—
Shell and Horn charged from the front.
"THUD! THUD!"
Heavy footsteps made the ground shake.
The Rabbit King saw two massive beasts charging and immediately tried to flee.
But Spike had already circled to block its escape route from the left.
Tail raised high, attack posture ready.
The Rabbit King was surrounded on three sides, could only choose frontal breakthrough.
It lowered its head, horn aimed at Shell.
Then charged at full speed.
"CRASH!"
The horn struck Shell's armor.
Shell was pushed back half a step but wasn't injured.
[Shell HP: 195/200]
Defense 32 wasn't for nothing.
The Rabbit King's attack couldn't break through at all.
Horn seized the chance to ram from the side.
"BAM!"
The Rabbit King was sent flying.
[Horned Rabbit King HP: 120/150]
The Rabbit King rolled on the ground several times, struggling to stand.
But Spike had already rushed up.
Tail stabbed at its leg.
"SLASH!"
[Horned Rabbit King HP: 105/150]
The toxin began taking effect.
The Rabbit King's movements clearly slowed.
"Venom, now!" I shouted.
Venom immediately leaped up, opening its mouth.
"SPLAT—!"
A stream of green venom sprayed out.
Precisely hit the Rabbit King's head.
"HISS—!"
The Rabbit King screamed, eyes seared by venom.
[Horned Rabbit King HP: 85/150]
It lost vision, running around blindly.
Shadow dove from the air, claws rending its back.
"SLASH!"
[Horned Rabbit King HP: 65/150]
Shell and Horn charged again.
Two heavyweight beasts struck simultaneously.
"BAM! BAM!"
The Rabbit King was sent flying, crashing heavily to the ground.
[Horned Rabbit King HP: 30/150]
It struggled to stand.
But had no strength left.
I walked over, biting through its throat in one go.
[Defeated Horned Rabbit King]
[Multiple participants detected, experience distributed evenly]
[Gained 8 Experience]
Battle over.
From finding prey to kill, less than three minutes total.
Very smooth coordination.
This was the power of a team.
"Well done." I said.
Five subordinates gathered around.
"Boss, beasts this level are too easy for us." Spike said.
"Yeah, no pressure at all." Horn also said.
I nodded.
Indeed, level 12 beasts weren't much to us now.
I began processing the Rabbit King's corpse.
Put the meat in the space.
Then distributed some to everyone.
"Eat, recover."
Five subordinates began eating.
I also ate a piece.
[Gained 5 Experience]
[Experience: 169/200]
Almost level 21.
After eating, I looked at Spike and Shell.
Both had reached level cap.
And the panel showed they could evolve.
Time to let them evolve.
"Spike, Shell, come here." I said.
Two beasts walked before me.
"What is it, boss?" Spike asked.
"You're both max level." I said. "Can evolve now."
Spike and Shell both paused.
Then their eyes lit up.
"Really?!" Spike asked excitedly.
"Can we really evolve?" Shell was also excited.
"Yes." I nodded. "I told you before, I can see your evolution requirements."
"Now, you both meet the conditions."