The Mighty Dragons Are Dead

These cunning creatures didn’t come to snatch the Bloodline Fruit right away but showed up after a big battle, hoping to benefit from the fisherman’s fortune.

The previous three Magical Beasts had already kept the team in disarray.

Now facing seven all at once, and at night with their conditions not being ideal, it was very difficult to defeat this group of Wind Blade Wolves.

“Sir, we should retreat.”

Marcus directly took out the Smoked Grass Fire Stone Package he had distributed: “Fighting at night is very disadvantageous for us, traps won’t stop the pack of wolves, and my left leg is injured, preventing me from unleashing my full strength. Let’s light the Smoked Grass now, I’ll use ‘Multi-Arrow’ to cover your retreat, and we’ll retreat toward the main road.”

Liszt was decisive: “Okay!”

When it’s time to act, do it with zeal; when it’s time to run, do it just as decisively.

The flint had not yet struck.

A piercing wolf howl shattered the eardrums: “Awoo, awoo, a-w-o-o-o-o-o-o…”

Liszt turned his head and saw Douson, who had been lying on the ground unconscious, had at some point stood up, thrown back its head, and was howling at the sky.

Its body seemed to inflate like a balloon, muscles bulging under its fur, eyes bloodshot, and teeth becoming even more ferocious and sharp.

He quickly employed the Eye of Magic.

Liszt saw that Douson’s earthy magic power was rising like flames, giving the impression of a fiery fierce beast: “Douson!”

Douson, hearing Liszt’s call, turned its head, showing a moment of confusion in its eyes.

The next moment, a familiar scene flashed by, and Liszt’s order echoed in its ears: “Attack the prey!” Instinctively following the direction of Liszt’s finger, it charged out.

There, were two Wind Blade Wolves.

Seeing Douson coming, they hastily retreated, but by then, Douson’s speed had become so fast, it caught up with the Wind Blade Wolves in just two steps, and opened its mouth to release magic.

A larger Rock Spike shot out from the ground, impaling one of the Wind Blade Wolves, its belly completely torn open, with intestines and blood spilling out.

“Woo-awoo…” the Wind Blade Wolf howled in agony.

The other six Wind Blade Wolves charged over, pouncing toward Douson, starting a battle without any prelude. The Wind Blade Wolves’ Wind Blades flew chaotically, slicing through branches and trunks, and tearing furrows in the ground. Douson’s Rock Spikes fired precisely with each shot leaving marks on the Wind Blade Wolves.

It was like a tiger entering a flock of sheep, unrivaled in ferocity, with the Wind Blade Wolves trying to bite Douson, only to be swatted away.

Even when bitten, it was only superficial, as its muscles, inflated like balloons, allowed it to effectively avoid the Wind Blade Wolves’ sharp teeth.

Then it would turn around and bite back, and the Wind Blade Wolves couldn’t stand it, yelping and jumping away.

Blood splattered, magic flew.

The battle between wolf and dog was extremely fierce.

“Has Douson evolved?” Marcus asked, his hand trembling slightly while holding the Smoked Grass Fire Stone Package, the scene was indeed spectacular, a Fierce Earth Dog taking on six Wind Blade Wolves by itself.

Liszt’s breathing was slightly hurried, he had seen the look in Douson’s eyes just now, as if it didn’t recognize him anymore. There even seemed to be a bloodthirsty hostility lurking, the innate instincts of a wild beast, and he had no doubt that Douson might attack him at any moment.

Fortunately, at the critical moment, he didn’t panic, and his mind remained clear.

He quickly gave the order to attack, redirecting Douson’s attention.

As he expected.

Douson’s response to his order was a conditioned reflex, subconsciously charging out, attacking the Wind Blade Wolves. What he hadn’t expected was for Douson to take on six alone without falling behind in the least.

“I don’t know, its magic power is very violent, maybe it’s evolution, maybe it’s not evolution. Either way, it needs to vent!” said Liszt, his tone calm but with an undertone of indifference, “Teacher Marcus, Douson seems to be influenced by the Bloodline Fruit, becoming wildly beastly. Be prepared to take it down.”

If Douson really becomes unrecognizable and attacks him later,

he will not hesitate.

Marcus nodded heavily, drawing his bow and arrow, and while retreating to the vicinity of the intact traps, he paid close attention to the scene of the fierce battle between the dog and the wolves, “Understood!”

The Retainer Knights stood in formation, protecting Liszt in the center.

Quietly waiting.

The battle did not last long.

The wildly peerless Douson found an opportunity, impaling a Wind Blade Wolf with a Rock Spike, breaching the perimeter of the wolf pack, and then began his slaughter. He violently grabbed a Wind Blade Wolf and before it could twist its body to flee, another Rock Spike emerged, piercing through the wolf.

It was far more proficient in using magic than the Wind Blade Wolves, and the Rock Spike was already a spell suited for stealth attacks, having been trained by Liszt for a long time.

One by one.

The Wind Blade Wolves were cruelly impaled by it.

And the frenzied aura on its body gradually subsided, and when it was about to kill the last Wind Blade Wolf, it ran out of magic power and failed to release another Rock Spike.

It watched helplessly as the Wind Blade Wolf escaped disaster and fled into the distance without looking back.

For a moment, it gasped for air, forgetting to give chase.

But the next moment.

Four sharp arrows flew, pinning the severely wounded Wind Blade Wolf to the ground. It was Liszt and Marcus acting together, catching one that slipped through.

After shooting the fleeing Wind Blade Wolf, the two of them bent their bows to notch another arrow, taking aim at Douson.

They did not shoot.

Liszt gently called out to the panting Douson, “Douson, sit.”

Douson paused, its bloodthirsty eyes flickering, as if it no longer understood Liszt’s command or recognized who Liszt was. It just gasped for air, staring at Liszt and the others, without any movement.

Liszt maintained his archery stance.

His heart was filled with mixed emotions.

Having raised it for nearly half a year, even though it wasn’t as a pet, he had grown fond of it. He didn’t want to turn into strangers and then have to kill Douson by his own hand—a loss that wasn’t just a Bloodline Fruit, but so much more.

Time ticked by slowly.

Liszt’s mood also darkened bit by bit.

However, at that moment, Douson slowly sat down and barked at him twice with a “woof woof.”

In an instant, his spirits lifted, and Liszt laughed out loud, beckoning, “Douson, come back!”

Douson immediately wagged its tail, limping over to him. Dismounting, he touched Douson’s fur, and Douson cooperatively stuck out its tongue, licking Liszt’s palm. Its eyes had lost their bloodthirsty crimson and returned to their usual liveliness and vibrancy.

Marcus smiled and turned to shout, “Clean up the battlefield, collect the prey, let’s head back!”

The Retainer Knights were relieved from the tension of the battle, chatting and laughing as they picked up the bodies of the magical beasts, packing and hanging them on the horses. After this battle, it’s likely that no magical beasts will be left on the southern side of Thorn Ridge—Thorn Ridge had been divided into two disconnected sections by the main road, with a fence constructed, completely separating the north from the south.

“How’s the leg injury?” Liszt inquired.

While bandaging, Marcus replied, “It’s just a superficial wound, the bones are fine. Sir, has Douson evolved? Has it become an Intermediate Magical Beast?”

“I don’t know, it looks… bigger than before.”