The reason Allen managed to convince everyone to let him go off on his own wasn't because his chronic laziness had suddenly been cured, nor was it because he had miraculously snapped out of his usual hibernation-mode sluggishness. No, the real reason was that the system inside him had reacted strongly the moment that bear appeared.
And that, for Allen, was fantastic news, especially considering he hadn't completed his daily first-win tasks or earned any shiny little cuties in a while.
Sure, they weren't allowed to take any magical creatures out of the area, but hey, the system absorbing them totally counted as "processing," right?
As for the Newt Giant Bear?
Heh. As the saying goes, "If money can solve the problem, it's not a real problem." Likewise, if a problem brings money, then it's barely a problem at all.
[Ding! Congratulations! You've unlocked Treasure Hunter Allen. In this mode, mobility increases by 20%, attack power increases by 20%, and gold drop rate becomes zero.
Evaluation: Treasure Hunter Allen will scavenge every last shiny object in sight. Summoner, please use with caution!]
The magical beast handling sessions over the past two days, led by Dipan, were clearly paying off. Allen had no trouble identifying the giant bear's tracks from the tangled mess on the ground. Judging from the depth and the soil consistency, he could even tell the bear had gained 40–50 pounds since arriving, which meant those poor tallbirds were now crying in some dark corner, probably feeling like salted fish.
The occasional muddy paw print mixed with drips of egg yolk made tracking absurdly easy. Then again, who in their right mind would want to track a creature that could rival a dragon?
Well, normal people wouldn't. But Allen wasn't normal.
And we're definitely not counting those soft, cutesy Russian bears that survive on charisma and handouts. Allen remembered seeing a news clip once where a bear got scared off by a Russian grandma yelling at it. Shameful!
Still, he had to admit he had a soft spot for their adorable panda cousins. Compared to those Russian freeloaders, pandas were at least photogenic.
While Allen was lost in these thoughts, he had already spotted the very bear he was hunting. The Newt Giant Bear was lounging on a massive rock, dozing under the sun. Its snoring was so loud that Allen could hear it from far away.
Perfect.
This gave Allen ample time to scout the surroundings. If he recklessly rushed in, he'd be turned into a rabbit fleeing for his life in seconds.
He had to admit, the bear had picked a prime napping spot. The rock it leaned against was shaded by a tall Wormwood Tree, known for its bug-repelling properties and commonly used in potion-making. The thick canopy blocked the sun just enough to shade the bear's head, creating the perfect nap zone.
Allen was even a little jealous. This bear really knew how to live.
But unfortunately for the bear, knowing how to relax wasn't going to save it. In this day and age, cuteness is justice, and Allen was about to act.
••┈┈┈┈┈༓┈┈┈┈┈•••
Breadfruit, as the bear was called, considered itself adorably majestic. Its name came from how, as a cub, it loved knocking down breadfruit from tall trees for meals.
Today, Breadfruit had enjoyed one of the rarest feasts in its life, those tallbirds rarely gathered in such large numbers.
Not only were their eggs delicious, but they also made its fur fluffier, which was great for resisting magical damage like dragon breath.
Now, resting against a hard-to-find rock, it was basking in the sun, entering a glorious food coma. As an apex predator, it could freely enjoy the best things in life: warm sunshine at noon, crystal-clear river water at dawn, and a relaxing post-meal nap with zero stress.
No worrying about other beasts stealing its food or ambushing it at a watering hole. No having to fight off rivals while digesting.
Sure, those tallbirds had pecked it a little, but the earth and sunshine would heal its wounds quickly, probably gone by the time it woke up.
Something felt missing though. Maybe it was time to start thinking about cubs? Perhaps it was time to be a mother, like its own once was...
But that peaceful nap didn't last.
From out of nowhere, a noisy crow came flapping in, its obnoxious cawing rudely shaking Breadfruit from its slumber.
Annoyed and not fully awake, Breadfruit swiped its giant paw at the ground. A stone shot up from the earth, this was its innate gift. As a magical creature on par with dragons, a Newt Giant Bear could channel its internal magic to create and hurl massive rocks. Some even developed stone armor resistant to most spells.
Sadly, the stone didn't hit.
The crow, annoyingly agile, dodged easily and landed on Breadfruit's head.
Wait, what!?
Breadfruit tried to roll over, but its nearly one-ton weight and sluggishness from sleep made it a beat too slow.
Splorch.
Something nasty, stinky, and offensive dropped right on its nose.
A reminder: some of Breadfruit's relatives were nicknamed "dog bears." Emphasis on dog.
Shame and rage erupted. Its eyes turned blood red as it roared and began the chase.
The bear's fury triggered its magic, every stone it stepped near seemed to melt into the earth, clearing the path ahead as if it were steamrolled flat by a construction crew.
It hurled countless boulders in rage, many of which smashed through saplings along the way. But it was no use. The damn crow just kept flying, mocking it, occasionally dropping more "gifts" from above.
The chase continued into a noisy little valley.
That's when Breadfruit realized something was off.
The noise, it wasn't random. It was familiar.
It was a flock of crows. Dozens.
Too late.
==========
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