Rokhan's battle ended almost as soon as it began.
The wolf he faced was massive, its fangs slick with saliva as it circled him with low growls. Rokhan didn't retreat, as he loosened his grip on the saber at his waist and stepped forward calmly.
In the first move, he drew and slashed diagonally, severing one of the wolf's forelegs mid-lunge. Before the beast could even howl, Rokhan twisted his wrist and followed with a second strike that was clean and precise, creating a deep gash across its body.
The wolf staggered back with its blood spraying across the rocks.
Rokhan didn't allow it to recover, as his third move immediately followed up. The saber thrust straight through the wolf's skull, ending the fight instantly. The beast collapsed without another sound.
Rokhan flicked the blood off his blade and calmly sheathed it with a calm expression.
Ash's gaze shifted to another person. Harold's fight was far messier, as the wolf he faced was just as fierce, but Harold's movements lacked the overwhelming sharpness Rokhan displayed.
He gripped his spear tightly, maintaining distance as the beast lunged again and again.
Thrust. Block. Step back.
The spear pierced flesh multiple times, but none of the blows were immediately fatal. Harold was forced to reposition constantly, narrowly avoiding snapping jaws and slashing claws.
One strike grazed his shoulder. Another nearly knocked the spear from his grip.
More than ten exchanges passed before he finally found an opening.
With a roar, Harold drove his spear straight through the wolf's throat, pinning it to the ground. The beast twitched violently before staying still.
One by one, the remaining battles ended. Each warrior finished their opponent, some with ease while the others with visible strain.
At last, only Old Ni remained.
The panther he had been "holding back" snarled fiercely before lunging once more.
Old Ni sighed softly. "That's enough."
He stepped forward and threw a single punch.
The panther's skull shattered instantly and its body collapsed on the ground with a soft thud.
Without lingering, the group extracted only the beast cores and left the carcasses behind. No one questioned the decision as they moved deeper into the mountain.
This time, Old Ni no longer concealed his presence.
A heavy pressure spread outward with each step he took. It was subtle, yet oppressive enough to warn any lurking 3rd Rank Beast to stay away, as Ash genuinely wanted to get things done as soon as possible.
And it worked.
Not a single beast dared to show themselves or even approach them.
After moving cautiously for around ten minutes, they reached a big cave entrance carved into the mountainside. Cold air flowed outward while carrying a faint, dangerous aura.
Old Ni stopped abruptly and said with a calm expression. "There's a 4th Rank Beast inside."
To be certain and make sure that there was only a single 4th Rank Beast, he entered alone.
The others waited in silence and a few minutes later, Old Ni returned with a smile as he nodded. "A Dire Wolf Beast and there's an egg beside it."
Ash raised an eyebrow.
Without hesitation, he made his decision. "This is the spot. Fighting inside will keep the noise contained."
Then, they entered the cave.
The passage inward was narrow, roughly five meters wide, dimly lit by scattered crimson crystals embedded in the stone walls. The deeper they went, the brighter it became.
Soon, the cave opened into a vast chamber nearly twenty meters wide.
Crystals lined the walls, glowing red and gold, illuminating the space clearly. At the center stood the Dire Wolf.
It was a big one, over two meters tall. Its silver-black fur bristled as it watched them with intelligent, hostile eyes. Beside it lay a large egg, roughly thirty centimeters tall, pulsing faintly with life.
Ash raised a hand.
"Uncle Zan," He said evenly. "You go first."
Uncle Zan nodded and stepped forward, planting his feet firmly into the ground as he used his (Shockline Slash) B-ranked skill.
He swung his sword forward in a straight cut. The released force tore through the air, compressing power into a narrow line aimed directly at the Dire Wolf.
The beast roared in fury. With a violent swing of its claw, it intercepted the attack head-on, the shockwave scattering across the cave walls.
The Dire Wolf charged forward instantly.
However, before it could reach Uncle Zan, Old Ni stepped in as he swung his sword at the wolf's mid-charge.
Clang!
Steel met claw as Old Ni's blade halted the Dire Wolf mid-charge.
Sparks scattered across the crystal-lit chamber, and the violent impact forced both sides to slide backward across the stone floor.
The Dire Wolf snarled, its silver-black fur standing on end as crimson light reflected in its sharp pupils. It twisted its body unnaturally mid-motion and lashed out again, claws tearing through the air as if it wanted to tear the old man apart.
Old Ni exhaled slowly and adjusted his stance.
This time, there was no restraint as he stepped forward, intending to meet the Dire Wolf head-on. Each movement was smooth and precise with no wasted motion.
His sword traced a smooth arc as the blade glided, parried, and redirected, clashing repeatedly against claws from the 4th Rank Dire Wolf.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
The cave echoed with the sound of repeated collisions. Shockwaves rippled outward, rattling the crystals embedded in the walls. Red and gold light flickered wildly as dust fell from above.
The Dire Wolf was truly fast, as it had reached the Peak 4th Rank Beast. If Old Ni's stats weren't multiplied by 6 times when he became 4th Rank Warrior, he would've been at a disadvantage facing this strong beast.
The wolf's body blurred as it charged to Old Ni's back, jaws snapping shut with enough force to crush hard stone.
Old Ni twisted at the last moment, narrowly avoiding the bite. His sword slashed downward in retaliation, forcing the wolf to retreat with a deep snarl as the blade grazed its shoulder, leaving behind a shallow but bleeding wound.