A storm was brewing, heavy as leaden clouds over a city, yet Qin Feng remained completely unaware.
He was still roaming the vast, boundless forest, hunting vicious beasts with bared fangs and claws.
Thanks to the compass-like precision of the Little Owl Demon Beast, Shadow, Qin Feng's Beast Taming progressed at a terrifying pace. His Forest Wolf Legion grew ever larger, like a black tide churning in the sea.
'But... are Forest Wolves the only thing living in this Northern Forest?'
'Can we get something different for a change?'
'Even a Fire Fox would do!'
'They might not be as strong, but they can go into the river to catch fish. That's a massive advantage!'
As if sensing Qin Feng's thoughts, the Little Owl led him not to another hidden den of wolves, but to a menacing rock face embedded with a totem of Beast Bones.
At the cave entrance, a tower of rotting corpses was piled high. It held not only the remains of common forest animals but also a dozen or so Forest Wolves, their bellies torn open by sharp claws. Fluorescent slime oozed from their putrid flesh, trickling down crevices in the rock to form eerie runes.
'This place...'
'Looks a little dangerous...'
'Is this the den of some Demon Beast?'
PURRR.
The Little Owl gave a human-like nod.
As an Extraordinary Magical Beast born from the very essence of the forest, Shadow couldn't speak. Instead, it communicated its thoughts and replies by narrowing its vertical pupils or adjusting the span of its wings.
Moreover, this inky phantom possessed a deep understanding of the forest's laws of survival.
When it pushed half a dried rabbit toward a lame badger with its talons, its fluffy tail feathers would gently brush against the creature's mud-stained nose.
When a downpour was imminent, it would fly over the pine forest ahead of time, tapping its wingtips to awaken every injured beast hidden beneath the ferns. It would then guide them, having them follow its phosphorescent eyes to the safety of a leeward cave.
Through such acts of goodwill, it had woven an invisible safety net for itself within the perilous forest.
Even the most ferocious Demon Beasts would only offer a friendly grunt as it soared over the canopy, rather than viewing it as prey.
As for the creatures it had helped, they would leave markers for it when it passed through their territories. This allowed the Extraordinary Magical Beast to move through the shadows as a benefactor, staying aware of everything happening in the woods and avoiding any crisis that might threaten its life.
One could say this intelligence, which transcended mere instinct, was far beyond that of the Forest Wolves, who knew only to follow the scent of blood. It was also completely out of reach for the Fire Foxes, who would kill their own for a scrap of Food.
It was practically half a Heroic Unit.
Hmm.
A cowardly half-Heroic Unit.
...
Gazing at the deep, dark cave before him, Qin Feng didn't rashly lead the Forest Wolf Army inside. Instead, he hid in the surrounding bushes, carefully observing the entrance while contemplating his strategy.
'The cave entrance isn't huge, but it's not tiny either. It can only fit five or six Forest Wolves abreast. There's no way for them to use their greatest strength—a pack charge.'
'Besides, the space inside is cramped. It'll be hard for me to draw my bow.'
'If a powerful Demon Beast lives in there, rushing in recklessly would just be throwing away lives for nothing.'
'Even if I managed to win by sheer numbers, the Forest Wolf Legion leading the charge would suffer heavy casualties.'
As he thought, a low hum escaped Qin Feng's throat, and his fingertips unconsciously tapped the Bone Whistle at his waist.
'Hmm...'
'I'd better not go in.'
'I'll wait for the Demon Beast to come out to hunt or return from a hunt. Then I'll figure out how to capture it.'
Having made his decision, Qin Feng moved like a nimble black panther, effortlessly scrambling up a thick pine tree in a few quick movements. The sturdy branches groaned softly under his weight.
He then took out his Bone Whistle and used a unique series of notes to command the Forest Wolf Army on the ground. They were to leave the area and retreat silently into a patch of ferns to the west.
The Ratman Warrior captives marching with Qin Feng were clever enough to realize they would only get in the way. They followed the departing Forest Wolves and found a well-hidden spot to conceal themselves.
'The Riding and Cutting system must be kicking in.'
Soon, just like the captured Ratman Warrior from the Poison Arrow tribe, they would completely submit and become Qin Feng's fanatical followers, ready to dedicate their hearts to him without reservation.
...
Twilight fell like ink, seeping into the forest.
Suddenly, the darkness at the mouth of the cave stirred to life.
A colossal creature emerged, grinding stones underfoot as it slowly lumbered out. Dry leaves turned to dust beneath its paws.
As the dark figure was fully revealed in the twilight glow, Qin Feng, peering through a gap in the pine needles, tightened his grip on the tree bark.
It was a Giant Bear, its brown fur bristling like an iron mane.
Its raised shoulders nearly brushed against the stalactites hanging from the cave's ceiling. The terrifying shadow cast by its four-meter-tall frame was large enough to cover half the patch of ferns.
Dark brown scabs of congealed blood clung to the pads of its paws, a clear sign it had just feasted on prey stored within the cave.
[Name: Violent Bear (Demon Beast, BOSS-level)]
[Life Value: 543/543]
[Abilities: Furious Charge, Earth Rock Shelter, Earthquake Wave.]
[BOSS Traits: Strong Body, Level Suppression, Fixed Damage Reduction]
[Power Assessment: Zero-star (Purple)]
[Description: A terrifying Demon Beast from the Northern Forest. Though it has yet to fully reach the Extraordinary tier, it has mastered several Extraordinary Abilities and possesses the frightening power to take on a hundred foes at once.]
'Holy shit!?'
'543 Blood Volume!?'
'What kind of monster is this!?'
'With those ridiculous attack and defense stats, even if I sent the whole Forest Wolf Army in, I doubt they could even chip its health down to fifty percent!'
'Wait... A BOSS unit with a Zero-star (Purple) Power Assessment!?'
'Okay, fine!'
'Never mind!'
'A Zero-star (Purple) entity is already way more powerful than the entire Forest Wolf Army!'
'And that's not even counting the fact that it's an Extraordinary Creature with "BOSS properties"!'
'It makes perfect sense for it to be this strong. The Zero-star (Purple) assessment might even be an understatement. In reality, it could probably go toe-to-toe with a standard Zero-star (Gold) unit!'
'So?'
'Do I fight it now?'
'Or should I avoid it for now, spend some time leveling up, get more elite Zoo Soldiers and improve my own strength, then come back for it?'
After a moment's thought, Qin Feng decided to go for broke. He would take his chances and go head-to-head with this BOSS bear and its ridiculously inflated stats.
'I can resurrect, anyway.'
'Best case scenario, I win this round.'
'If I can't win, I'll just die once. It'll be a chance to scout out its real combat strength and prepare for round two against the Violent Bear Boss.'
Besides, Qin Feng had just acquired a new green-tier "signature weapon" and a new ultimate skill.
This formidable Violent Bear Boss was the perfect opportunity to test his own performance under high-pressure conditions.
It was also a chance to confirm a gut feeling he had—whether his own ranged combat abilities had truly reached the level of Zero-star (Purple).