I became alert.
"How many beasts?"
"Can't see clearly, at least five or six." Shadow said.
"All gathered around a fire."
I thought for a moment.
"Approach carefully, don't alert them."
"Yes."
We lowered our bodies, slowly approaching.
The firelight grew closer.
I could hear beasts' voices.
Low conversation sounds.
We hid behind bushes, peering through gaps.
It was indeed a camp.
A fire in the center.
Several magic beasts around it.
I checked their information.
[Spike-Armored Rat]
[Level: 6/15]
[Horned Rabbit]
[Level: 7/15]
[Burrow Rat]
[Level: 5/12]
All mid-to-low level beasts.
And they didn't look hostile to each other.
They sat around the fire, seemingly discussing something.
But just then—
I saw two familiar figures.
Waspy!
Brownie!
They were in the camp!
Waspy circled in the air, antennae trembling slightly.
Brownie sat on the ground, organizing some plants.
They looked uninjured.
And...
They seemed to be with those strange beasts?
The atmosphere didn't look hostile.
But rather like... companions?
I froze.
What was going on?
Why were Waspy and Brownie with these strange beasts?
As I wondered.
Waspy suddenly raised its head.
Antennae trembled violently.
Then it looked toward where I was hiding.
As if... sensing something.
The next second.
Waspy flew over.
Other beasts in the camp also became alert.
All stood up, looking this way.
Brownie also looked in my direction.
They... discovered me?
Spike lowered its voice beside me: "Boss, what do we do?"
I looked at the approaching Waspy.
Hesitated.
Then walked out from behind the bushes.
My subordinates followed behind me.
The beasts in the camp immediately became alert.
All stood up, taking defensive postures.
But Waspy had already flown before me.
It circled around me.
Antennae trembling violently, carefully sensing.
A few seconds later.
It suddenly cried out excitedly.
"Gray! It's Gray!"
Voice full of joy and disbelief.
Brownie paused.
It stood at the camp's edge, staring at me blankly.
As if unable to believe what it was seeing.
Then.
It suddenly rushed over.
"Gray! You're alive!"
Brownie ran before me, nuzzling me with its head.
Waspy also landed on my back, antennae gently touching my fur.
"I thought... I thought you..." Waspy's voice was somewhat choked.
"Sorry." I said. "Made you worry."
"As long as you're okay!" Brownie said. "As long as you're okay!"
I was also very moved.
A month.
An entire month.
I finally found them.
Other beasts in the camp watched this scene.
Their guard relaxed slightly.
But still watched the five beasts behind me warily.
Waspy sensed the atmosphere, turning to the other beasts:
"Don't worry, they're our friends."
Those beasts nodded half-believingly.
But weren't too hostile.
Just kept their distance.
I looked at the camp.
Besides Waspy and Brownie, four other beasts.
One Spike-Armored Rat, one Horned Rabbit, two Burrow Rats.
All not high level, around 6 to 8.
"They are..." I asked.
"Oh, they're just temporarily taking refuge." Waspy said.
"Temporary refuge?"
"Yes." Brownie explained. "This is a temporary safe zone."
"There's a Forest Bear going berserk nearby, everyone's hiding here."
"The forest is like this sometimes." Waspy added.
"When powerful beasts go berserk, other beasts find safe places to hide."
"Once that beast leaves or calms down, everyone disperses."
I nodded.
So that's how it was.
Temporary companions by chance.
No wonder the atmosphere felt distant.
Waspy and Brownie's gazes fell on the five beasts behind me.
Eyes full of surprise.
"Gray, you... subdued so many beasts?" Waspy asked.
"Yes." I said. "A lot happened this month."
I briefly introduced the team members.
Waspy and Brownie listened dumbfounded.
"You built a complete team..." Waspy murmured.
"And such a comprehensive lineup..." Brownie also said in surprise.
I looked at them both.
Suddenly remembered something.
"Wait, let me check your status."
I opened Waspy and Brownie's panels.
[Venom Wasp] [Waspy]
[Level: 25/25]
[Experience: 100/100]
[HP: 150/150]
[MP: 180/180]
[Strength: 20]
[Defense: 12]
[Speed: 32]
[Luck: 15]
[Flying magic beast with severe toxin, can shoot poison stingers at enemies, potent toxin effect]
[Traits: Flight, Severe Toxin]
[Skills: Poison Sting Shot, Mental Disruption, High-Speed Flight]
[Forest Spirit Mouse] [Brownie]
[Level: 20/20]
[Experience: 200/200]
[HP: 130/130]
[MP: 200/200]
[Strength: 12]
[Defense: 10]
[Speed: 18]
[Luck: 12]
[Rodent-type magic beast in symbiosis with plants, can control plants and draw energy from them, excels at healing and support]
[Traits: Plant Symbiosis, Light Constitution]
[Skills: Life Drain, Leaf Camouflage, Vitality Bestowal]
Both max level!
"You're both at cap?" I asked in surprise.
Waspy nodded.
"This month we encountered many battles."
"Experience rose quickly."
Brownie also said: "But we were always fleeing, no time to think about evolution."
"Fleeing?" I frowned. "What happened?"
Waspy and Brownie exchanged glances.
Then Waspy spoke.
"We waited at the thicket for three days." It said.
"Waiting for you to come back every day."
"But on the fourth day..."
Brownie took over: "On the fourth day, we encountered a Forest Wolf pack."
"Many, at least a dozen."
My heart tightened.
A dozen Forest Wolves?
"We were no match." Waspy said. "Could only flee."
"We fled northeast, leaving plant markers along the way."
"Hoping you could find them."
I nodded.
"I saw the markers."
"Why choose northeast?"
Brownie said: "While fleeing, I sensed special plant energy to the northeast."
"A rare healing plant."
"I wanted to seek it out, improve my healing abilities."
"So I chose that direction."
I understood.
Brownie's abilities related to plants.
Finding rare plants could make it stronger.
"Then what?" I asked. "Did you find that plant?"
Brownie's expression became somewhat awkward.
"Found it..."
"But also got into trouble." Waspy added.
"What trouble?"
Brownie said quietly: "I accidentally collected a rare plant."
"That plant... was guarded by a Forest Bear."
I paused.
"Forest Bear?"
"Yes." Waspy said. "A very powerful Forest Bear."
"Since that day, it's been hunting us."
"Been chasing for three days now."
Brownie said guiltily: "It's all my fault..."
"If I'd been more careful then..."
"Not your fault." Waspy comforted. "You didn't know that plant had an owner."
I frowned.
A Forest Bear.
And chased for three days.
Seems very persistent.
"This whole month, you've been fleeing?" I asked.
"Yes." Waspy said. "First fleeing Forest Wolves, then chased by the Forest Bear."
"Constant battles and fleeing made us grow quickly."
"But also very exhausting." Brownie said. "Never had a safe place to rest."
"Could only occasionally hide in temporary safe zones like this."
I looked at them both.
They did look very tired.
Though their levels increased, their mental state wasn't great.
"It's okay now." I said. "I found you."
"You don't need to flee anymore."
Waspy and Brownie looked at me.
Gratitude and doubt in their eyes.
"But... the Forest Bear is very strong." Waspy said.
"We can't beat it."
I was silent for a moment, then looked at my team.
Spike, Shell, Shadow, Horn, Venom.
Plus Waspy and Brownie.
Seven against one.
And we had coordination.
Might not be unbeatable.
Just then.
I remembered Spatial Mark.
I opened my panel to check.
[Current Marks: 5/5]
Full.
I couldn't place marks on Waspy and Brownie.
Unless...
I removed other members' marks.
I looked at Shadow, Horn, Venom.
They were comrades from this past month.
Fought together, grew together.
But Waspy and Brownie were my earliest companions.
Also the ones I trusted most.
How should I choose?
I pondered.
But now wasn't the time to consider this.
Deal with the immediate problem first.
Other beasts in the camp seemed uneasy.
They occasionally looked toward the forest.
As if worried about something.
One Spike-Armored Rat said: "Dawn's coming, we should leave."
"Right, can't stay here too long." The Horned Rabbit also said.
"That Forest Bear could find this place anytime."
The atmosphere was oppressive.
Waspy and Brownie were also tense.
They'd been chased for three days, already used to this tension.
But just then—
A low roar came from the distance.
"ROAR—!"
The ground began shaking.
Beasts in the camp immediately froze.
That sound...
Getting closer.
"It's the Forest Bear!" The Spike-Armored Rat cried out.
Other beasts immediately panicked.
Waspy and Brownie's faces also changed.
"It's here! Found us again!" Waspy said nervously.
"So fast!" Brownie also panicked.
They looked at me.
"Gray, run!"
"It's too strong! We can't beat it!"
But I didn't move.
I looked toward where the sound came from.
Trees were shaking.
Heavy footsteps getting closer.
"THUD! THUD! THUD!"
Each step made the ground shake.
Beasts in the camp had already started fleeing.
Spike-Armored Rat, Horned Rabbit, Burrow Rats.
They scattered in all directions.
In an instant, only we remained in the camp.
My five subordinates.
And Waspy and Brownie.
In the trees, a massive figure appeared.
Forest Bear.
Huge body, at least three times Shell's size.
Deep brown fur, muscles knotted.
Thick limbs, sharp claws.
Eyes full of rage.
I checked its information.
[Forest Bear]
[Level: 14/25]
[HP: 300/300]
[MP: 120/120]
[Strength: 35]
[Defense: 28]
[Speed: 16]
[Luck: 10]
[Massive bear-type magic beast, very strong strength and defense, aggressive temperament, strong territorial awareness]
The Forest Bear entered the camp.
Gaze swept over us.
Other beasts meant nothing in its eyes.
Then.
Its gaze locked onto Brownie.
Let out an angry roar.
"ROAR—!"
Brownie shuddered.
"Gray, run!" Waspy shouted again.
I looked at the Forest Bear.
Then at Waspy and Brownie.
A month ago.
Facing the Forest Wolves' pursuit, I chose to jump off a cliff and flee.
Back then, I was still weak.
But now it was different.
I'd fled enough.
My eyes sharpened.
"No more running."
Waspy and Brownie froze.
"What?"
I turned to look at my team.
"Everyone, prepare for battle."