Sorskya’s laboratory lay in the south, because his research leaned toward fire magic.

In the hot southern climate, the natural world clearly contained richer fire elements. Studying fire magic in the frozen north was not impossible, but it would be asking to suffer.

Once Du Wei made a decision, he acted quickly.

Sorskya was released from the dungeon at once. His mage’s robe, equipment, bottles of powder, magical crystals, and spell parchments were all returned to him.

Naturally, the mage’s robe was newly made.

At first, the old castle steward had been astonished that this young master had recruited a mage as a subordinate. Once he learned that Sorskya was only a first-level mage, however, he understood. So that was it.

The old steward could not refuse Du Wei’s wish to travel. That morning, he had even suggested that Du Wei tour and inspect some of the family properties in the territory; it would be more instructive than remaining in the castle with dry account books.

Carriages, horses, and luggage were quickly prepared. This time, unlike the shabby arrangement when they had traveled south from the Imperial Capital, the old steward arranged matters far better. It would have been embarrassing for the Rowling Family’s eldest son to travel so modestly within the family’s own lands.

Ma De still served as Du Wei’s traveling steward, but this time he had ten castle servants under him, responsible for caring for the young master along the way.

Two cavalry squads were detached from the castle guard to escort Du Wei. The deputy commander of the castle guard—a regular knight of considerable martial skill—would also lead the escort in person. This deputy commander, Robert, was a certified fourth-level knight, recognized by the Knights’ Association and bearing an official fourth-level knight’s badge.

Of the two cavalry squads accompanying them, one was Robert’s own unit. For the other, Du Wei personally selected the men who had traveled south with him from the Imperial Capital.

The fourth-level knight Robert was a tall, imposing man with broad shoulders, a powerful build, and a square face. He looked every inch the upright, straightforward type. He showed Du Wei great respect and seemed to be a simple professional warrior. Du Wei formed a favorable impression of him.

Among those traveling with them was also a female knight: Roline, Du Wei’s first direct subordinate.

As they headed south from the castle, Robert carried out his duties with great care. He meticulously arranged scouts ahead of the group and security during every stop. When Du Wei suddenly decided one evening that he wished to camp outdoors, Robert offered no objection, merely nodding in assent. Then he quietly made careful arrangements for watches and guards that night.

A very typical soldier.

That was Du Wei’s assessment of Robert. Clearly, the man had served in the army. As retainers of the military family that was the Rowling Family, many of the family’s knights had military experience.

Compared with the old steward, whom Du Wei found somewhat unpleasant, this loyal and conscientious knight was much easier on the eyes.

Seven days.

Traveling at an unhurried pace and taking in the sights, Du Wei’s party took a full seven days to reach a town at the southernmost edge of Cote Province. Beyond it, they would leave Cote Province—and with it, the Rowling Family’s territory.

Overall, Du Wei was very satisfied with the state of the Rowling Family lands. Across the fertile Rowling Plain, he saw broad fields, prosperous farmsteads, and unhurried farmers. Even when they occasionally passed through a somewhat larger town, it was clear that the people there lived well.

As the caravan traveled the roads, it often passed one or two farmsteads. Farmers would stand by the roadside, and when they saw knights bearing the Rowling Family banner, they would wave their hats in salute from afar.

It seemed the Rowling Family was greatly loved here.

Robert could also see that his young master had not come out to inspect family businesses at all. He had simply brought everyone sightseeing.

But that was hardly surprising. Given the young master’s age, Robert did not believe a thirteen-year-old boy could truly manage family properties. Nor was that any concern of his. He only had to fulfill his duty and serve as a good protector.

When they reached the small town at the southernmost edge of the Rowling Family lands that day, Du Wei suddenly announced that he wished to continue south. Robert found the request somewhat strange, but he did not object.

It was only a pleasure trip. Since the young master wished to go farther south, they would continue that way.

And beyond Cote Province lay the Empire’s Lille Province. Its governor was friendly toward and respectful of the Rowling Family. The Rowling Family’s young master would surely receive proper care while visiting Lille Province, so there was nothing to worry about.

Du Wei quickly came to like this obedient knight. He could see that Robert was well respected among the cavalrymen. At camp, younger riders often sought his instruction in martial skills.

In Du Wei’s opinion, Robert’s martial skill was impressive. The knight could wield an enormous broadsword, and the strength of his arms was astonishing. While instructing the young soldiers, he could keep seven or eight men from getting anywhere near him.

Even Roline’s attendant, the bull warrior, held Robert in great respect. In one sparring match, Robert had knocked the man down with a single-handed stroke of his sword.

A fourth-level knight truly possessed formidable strength.

In these circumstances, Du Wei found himself eager to learn and asked Robert to teach him some martial skills. Robert was surprised by the request. Under family custom, a son of the family head who wished to study martial arts would surely be taught by the most accomplished knights in the family, not a minor cavalry commander like him.

Robert agreed readily. He practiced the battle-aura cultivation method taught by the Imperial army; it was no great secret. Yet, just as Count Raymond’s captain of the guard had once concluded, Robert had to tell Du Wei after a brief period of instruction that he truly had no talent for martial training.

Du Wei’s present body had been frail since childhood and had suffered a serious illness. He was constitutionally weak.

Du Wei was not disappointed. He did not expect to become a master. He merely felt it was necessary to exercise his body a little. Even if he could not become powerful, building a stronger, healthier body would be worthwhile.

Thus, under Robert’s instruction, Du Wei began learning the most basic martial exercises, chiefly methods of strengthening the body. This slowed the party’s journey south still further.

On the ninth day of their southward journey, they arrived at a small city in the northeastern part of Lille Province in the southern Empire: Halfhorn City.

It was an odd name, because the city stood beside a valley shaped like a half horn.

This small city lay on an important trade route in northeastern Lille Province and was quite prosperous. Du Wei’s party even saw a mercenary group of around twenty men. The mercenaries were escorting a merchant caravan north, and they happened to take rooms at the same inn.

Lille Province was not a noble’s domain but a province directly administered by the Empire. There were no senior officials in a small city like this, and Du Wei did not wish to deal with local officials. Staying at an inn was freer and more comfortable, so their arrival did not alert the local authorities.

At lunchtime, Du Wei’s party was in the inn’s common hall, while the merchant caravan occupied the other side. Suddenly, urgent hoofbeats sounded outside. After a burst of commotion, the doors were flung open and three knights in the standard armor of the local garrison entered.

The leader wore a knight’s badge on his chest, marking him as a fourth-level knight. His armor and military insignia made it clear that he was a senior officer in the local garrison.

Surrounded by several subordinates, he strode first toward the merchants and announced loudly, “Everyone! I am Knight Span, captain of the Second Cavalry Squadron of the Halfhorn City Garrison. Under the Empire’s Local Defense Act, I hereby requisition your guard force on behalf of the Halfhorn City garrison! Our available troops are insufficient, and we need your guards to assist us with a mission in the Halfhorn Valley outside the city. Under Imperial law, you may not refuse.”

His voice was loud and his manner resolute. He looked at the caravan guards. “I know you are mercenaries. I am requisitioning you to join my unit for this task, and the Imperial military will compensate you afterward. You have half an hour to prepare your equipment and horses. In half an hour, I expect everyone at the inn entrance.”

The mercenaries guarding the caravan were somewhat unwilling, but Imperial law was absolute. They could not refuse, and at least they would be paid.

The merchants, seeing the guards they had hired being requisitioned, grew anxious. One sharp-eyed man hurried over, apparently hoping to persuade the officer to make an exception...

“No!” the knight refused bluntly. “I am sorry that your journey will be delayed, but I guarantee it will not take long. Your guards will return by this time tomorrow at the latest. You may remain in the city for an additional day, and the military will cover your lodging at this inn for that extra day. Say no more. This is a military mission, and I cannot make exceptions. Take back your gold coins as well—bribing an officer is a serious crime!”

Having said that, the knight left the caravan leader and headed toward Du Wei’s party.

He had intended to announce the requisition of Du Wei’s attendants as well. But after taking two steps, he noticed the dress of several attendants at Du Wei’s side, Du Wei’s own attire... and, more importantly, Robert and the others behind him.

Robert’s armor was clearly not the standard issue of the Imperial military. It was the equipment of a noble’s private troops.

Requisitioning another noble’s private soldiers was not authority held by a mere local-garrison cavalry captain.

Knight Span studied Du Wei for a moment. He hesitated, but he desperately lacked manpower and the mission was urgent. At last, gritting his teeth, he strode toward Du Wei. He first bowed in the manner of a knight, then said in a deep voice, “Honored sir, I...”

His voice caught. He had not noticed before, but now he saw clearly.

The light breastplates of the guard cavalry behind Du Wei bore the badge of the Rowling Family!

He had intended to use some means to borrow their guards, but the soldiers of the Empire’s renowned military family were not people he could simply borrow!

Damn it! Members of the Rowling Family? What were they doing in Halfhorn City? Why had no news arrived...?

Span sighed helplessly to himself.

“Please continue, Knight.” Du Wei smiled, lifted his wine cup, and took a small sip. The pale ale tasted quite good, somewhat like the rice wine from his previous life.

“Er... honored sir, forgive my boldness, but may I ask whether you come from the great Rowling Family?” Span’s voice became even more respectful, and he unconsciously bent farther at the waist.

“That is correct. We come from the Rowling Plain.” Robert stepped forward to answer. His powerful body stood half a head taller than Knight Span. “This is my master, Young Master Du Wei, eldest son of Count Raymond of the Rowling Family.”

Span immediately bowed again. The son of the Rowling Family’s head carried a status equal even to a provincial governor.

“Knight, may I ask what trouble you have encountered?” Du Wei asked with a smile.

“Yes...” After weighing matters inwardly, Span answered honestly. “I have just received an urgent mission requiring roughly one hundred soldiers. But it is currently the spring drill season, and most of Halfhorn City’s garrison soldiers have been sent about sixty miles south for spring maneuvers. I have fewer than twenty men remaining. Thus, under the Empire’s local defense regulations, I can only temporarily requisition fighters from within the city to serve the military.”

Du Wei nodded. “Oh? Then were you planning to requisition my guards as well?”

“No, no, I would not dare!” Span was startled. He had intended exactly that, but after recognizing who they were, how could he possibly dare?

Who was Count Raymond? The second most important man in the Empire’s military! Requisitioning his son’s guards? If this young master suffered even the slightest mishap for lack of protection, having his head cut off a hundred times would not atone for the crime.

“Then what exactly has happened?” Du Wei asked curiously. “Since we are here, if something has occurred, please tell us so that we can be prepared as well.”

After some thought, Knight Span explained. He looked both helpless and troubled. “It is a strange matter. Halfhorn Mountain outside the city has always been peaceful. It is not high, and its woods are not deep. There were not even any large wild beasts before. If there were, our garrison hunted the mountain often enough to clear them out. But yesterday, from who knows where, a... magical beast appeared!”

Du Wei’s eyes brightened.

A magical beast?

“Yes. We cannot yet identify it, but we are certain it is large. Hunters in the mountain saw its tracks with their own eyes. There is no doubt of that. What is puzzling is that magical beasts do not usually live near cities inhabited by humans. If they do, they should be in the wilderness along the Empire’s southern frontier. Lille Province has not heard of a magical beast appearing for decades. No one knows where this one came from.” Span smiled bitterly. “My men and I have been ordered into the mountain to kill it. By my estimate, such a large beast would require at least twenty soldiers to kill. And Halfhorn Mountain is so large that fewer than one hundred men would not be enough to surround and hunt it within the woods.”

A magical beast... It sounded interesting.

Du Wei could not help feeling tempted.

Ever since he had found a glimmer of hope for learning magic, he had developed a strong interest in anything connected to magic.

A rare magical beast had appeared in the heart of the southern Empire. How could he not go see the excitement?

“Excellent! I have brought forty guards. Every one is an elite cavalryman of the Rowling Family, and my captain here is a fourth-level knight. I am willing to lend them to you for this mission in Halfhorn Mountain. After all, standing by while a magical beast runs rampant would violate my sense of duty.” Du Wei delivered these words with great righteousness.

Span froze. “You mean... you are willing to lend me all of your guards...?”

“Master, that will not do.” Robert voiced his first objection. “You cannot be left without protection. If we must go, I will take twenty men.”

Robert was quite willing to help, after all. He was a true knight and believed in the knightly code.

“No, do not worry about leaving me without guards.” Du Wei smiled. “I will go with you. I would be safest at your side, would I not?”

Now both Robert and Span objected.

Span in particular began regretting why he had told this young master of the Rowling Family about the matter at all.

Take him along? Capturing the magical beast was a minor concern! But if the young master suffered even the smallest accident in the mountains, Span would be finished.

“Neither of you need object.” Du Wei made his decision briskly. “Do not worry about my safety. Do not forget that I have an exceptionally capable mage at my side!”

He pushed Sorskya forward.

Sorskya looked somewhat helpless. He could not truly be called exceptionally capable, but his status as a mage was entirely genuine.

Span’s eyes lit up.

A mage? With a highly skilled mage assisting them, this mission should be no problem!

Still... the young master’s safety...

Unable to defy Du Wei, Robert was troubled by the fact that his young master seemed determined to see for himself what the magical beast in the mountain looked like.

Robert’s gaze toward Knight Span became unfriendly. In his view, this man had caused all this trouble. If the young master suffered even a trace of harm—even the slightest fright—Robert would bear the responsibility.

Though he had grown fond of this unpretentious and gentle young master during the journey, entering the mountain to look at a magical beast still seemed childish recklessness to Robert.

There was nothing for it. Robert sighed and decided in secret that, once in the mountain, he would remain at his master’s side without taking a single step away. With the sword in his hand, he should be able to keep his master safe.

Besides, nothing high-level was likely to appear in such flat country.

Robert reassured himself. And the reassurance was not entirely unreasonable, because magical beasts on the Roland Continent followed a peculiar rule.

Magical beasts were the general name for wild animals born with magical abilities. Their strength had an unusual measure: among most magical beasts known at present, their danger was inversely related to their size.

In other words, the larger a magical beast was, the weaker it usually was. The truly dangerous creatures were the small ones.

Since Span said a large beast had appeared nearby, Robert’s martial skill should be enough to handle it.

Span, however, felt caught between a rock and a hard place. More than the magical beast, he worried about the safety of this young master of the Rowling Family.

But Du Wei had declared that he had to go see it. Span would rather have done without the help of the other party’s guards.

Yet Du Wei had made his meaning clear: even if Span refused his goodwill, he would take his people up the mountain himself. After weighing things, Span decided it was better to go with them. At least there would be more people, and they would be safer.

The mercenaries were efficient. Half an hour later, more than twenty of them stood fully armed at the inn entrance. Du Wei left the servants behind to guard the inn and set off with the two cavalry squads.

Du Wei put on light armor. He still looked rather frail, but it gave everyone a little more reassurance. Roline knew that they were entering the mountain to search for a magical beast—she had done this kind of work before. Hunting magical beasts and exchanging the prey for gold was how many adventuring groups made their living.

Span summoned the last twenty men from the Halfhorn City garrison camp. This barely brought their total to eighty or ninety. It was still a little thin, but seeing the Rowling guards in bright armor and carrying fine weapons reassured Span considerably.

As befitted the Empire’s regular local forces, Span and Robert—the two highest-ranked knights—conferred and divided everyone into three teams. They mixed the local soldiers, mercenaries, and Rowling guards according to their specialties. Each team received a balanced allotment of close-combat fighters and archers.

The other two teams were led by Span’s two deputies. Span and Robert, the two most skilled warriors, both remained with Du Wei.

Span had made up his mind: even if the mission failed, he would guarantee the Rowling Family young master’s safety at all costs. If the eldest son of the second-ranking figure in the Empire’s military suffered any mishap under his watch, his entire military career would be over. Compared with that, capturing the magical beast no longer mattered.

It was worth noting that the other two teams had only twenty men each. Du Wei’s team retained forty subordinates: thirty Rowling guards and ten of Span’s rare archers.

Span even gave Du Wei a valuable military hand crossbow for self-defense. He could see that the young master likely knew no archery, and a hand crossbow would improve his odds of staying safe.

Thus Du Wei’s team had forty elite regular soldiers—the quality of Rowling guards was in no way inferior to the regular army—two fourth-level knights, and a properly certified mage.

It was a formidable force.

The three teams immediately left the city and entered Halfhorn Mountain by three different paths, searching from different directions. Each carried several devices like signal flares. Once any team discovered the magical beast, it was to hold it in place and fire a signal to summon the others.

They agreed that the rendezvous point for all three search parties would be Halfhorn Valley at the mountain’s center.

Du Wei rode into Halfhorn Mountain surrounded by his people. He seemed entirely unaware that he had become everyone’s burden... or perhaps he knew perfectly well and was merely pretending otherwise.

The forty men entered the mountain in full armor, then immediately fanned out on both sides, carefully searching for any suspicious trace. The knights Span and Robert guarded Du Wei closely.

The magical beast’s tracks had first been found by hunters from a small village on Halfhorn Mountain’s southern slope. According to Span’s account during the journey, the hunters initially saw footprints in the woods and assumed a large wild beast had wandered into the forest. They gathered several experienced hunters and entered the mountain, only to find signs of a magical beast in the south. Realizing it was beyond them, they returned at once and reported to the city garrison. The hunters said the beast was as large as a lion or tiger. They had stood too far away to see exactly what it was, but its entire body glowed. It was certainly no ordinary animal.

Once they followed the mountain path into Halfhorn Mountain, everyone dismounted, Du Wei included. The soldiers spread out to search both flanks, while five warriors with the best martial skills scouted ahead.

In such conditions, Du Wei had no hope of seeing a magical beast... Every step of ground was checked and flattened for him before he walked on it. There could not even have been a rabbit in the grass.

Du Wei grew bored as he looked at the dense forest and listened to the occasional chirping of birds. He glanced at the slightly nervous Knight Span beside him and smiled.

He knew exactly what Span was thinking. “Knight Span, have you ever seen a real magical beast?”

Span paused, then considered. “I have. I served for four years in the Empire’s Storm Legion in the north. My unit was stationed east of the Frozen Forest in the northern part of the continent. The Frozen Forest is widely regarded as the place where magical beasts are most commonly seen. We encountered some while patrolling. Fortunately, those active around the edge of the forest were generally low-level beasts and posed limited danger to humans. We never dared go deep into the forest, because the high-level magical beasts inside were not something ordinary soldiers could handle.”

Du Wei thought for a moment. “Then what are magical beasts like?”

Span considered his words. “They are still animals, really. They are simply far more formidable than ordinary beasts. Normal animals use claws and sharp teeth to harm people. Magical beasts are born with certain low-level magical instincts, which makes them troublesome to handle.”

“Have you ever killed one yourself?”

Span’s face reddened. He spoke softly. “Young Master Du Wei, I was only a second-level knight back then. I lacked the ability to kill a magical beast alone. But my squad truly encountered a formidable creature while on patrol. It was a tempest direwolf native to the Frozen Forest in the north. It moved so quickly that arrows could not hit it. Its fur could instantly freeze into a crystalline form, hard enough to rival our armor and resistant to blades. It could also howl wind blades from its mouth. It was very difficult to deal with. When our squad encountered it, ten soldiers were no match for it. I remember that four of my companions died in that fight, and every survivor was wounded. In the end, our captain endured a wind blade and cut off the direwolf’s tail with one stroke. The tail was that direwolf’s weakness; without it, its magical power weakened. Its pelt was worth a great deal after we skinned it, and its magic core could sell for a good price. The magic cores of magical beasts of every affinity are prized by mages: they are useful for storing magical power and making magic scrolls.”

Recalling his younger days, Span could not help sighing. “When I served near the Frozen Forest, many adventuring groups entered the forest every month to hunt magical beasts for money despite our warnings. But a third of them did not come back alive. No one knew how many died in the forest. Even mages died there.”

Du Wei sighed and glanced at Sorskya beside him.

They both knew that mages did not hunt magical beasts for money. But magic cores held an extraordinary attraction for mages; they were important magical raw materials.

As Span spoke, he used his sword to cut away a forked branch reaching across the path ahead. He smiled. “Young Master Du Wei, you need not worry. By the usual rule, the larger a magical beast is, the less powerful it is. The one we are seeking should not be very dangerous. With me... and of course Sir Robert, we will not allow you to suffer any harm.”

Du Wei nodded without committing himself, then looked at the silent Robert. “What about you, Robert? Have you ever hunted magical beasts?”

Robert’s expression grew grave. After thinking, he gently pushed aside his thick curls to reveal his neck.

Only then did Du Wei notice the astonishing scar on Robert’s neck. It was plainly a puncture wound, as if something sharp had been driven viciously into one side of his throat. It was an old injury from long ago, yet the scar remained raw pink, showing how severe it had been.

“A magical beast gave me this.” Robert’s voice was low. “I once went to the Sunset Marsh in the south. Our group encountered a flock of griffins there.”

Before Du Wei could speak, Knight Span, Sorskya, and even Roline behind them all sucked in a breath. Span blurted out, “A flock of griffins? Gods, how did you survive?”

“Griffins? Are they that dangerous?” Du Wei asked.

Sorskya shook his head. “More than dangerous. Griffins are flying magical beasts. If one does not count the legendary savage beasts, griffins are acknowledged as among the most troublesome magical beasts. They are avian magical beasts, about the size of ordinary eagles, yet they can roar like lions. Their feathers are as hard as steel, their claws can easily tear through armor, and their beaks can even snap a knight’s sword... Worst of all, they can fly, and ordinary arrows cannot harm their hardened feathers. Their cries can also induce panic; a powerful one can stun people directly.”

“A mental magic attack?” Du Wei drew a breath.

“The deadly part is that one alone is not much... but griffins are unique among magical beasts: they are social animals. In other words, these troublesome creatures always move in groups. Even a small army would avoid them in the southern marshes, because a large flock attacking from the sky is extremely difficult to resist.”

Roline frowned at Robert’s neck wound. “How did you survive?”

Robert shook his head. “I thought I was certainly dead. Half the people who entered the marsh with us died. A griffin clawed my neck, and one talon nearly pierced straight through it. Later, we found a huge hollow tree in the marsh and hid inside it for a full day. Its entrance was small. Those creatures lost their aerial advantage and could not attack us from the sky, so our situation improved a little. We held the narrow opening for a day until the griffins left. The family’s rescue party later brought me back, and I managed to keep my life.”

After a pause, sadness crossed Robert’s face. “My younger brother died there. A griffin clawed his neck just as it had mine, but he was not as fortunate. His head was torn off on the spot.”

Du Wei was shaken. Looking at Robert, he hurriedly said in a low voice, “I am sorry, Sir Robert. I did not know...”

“No, it is nothing.” The knight shook his head and forced a smile. “It happened many years ago. And once we have sworn loyalty to the family, we are prepared to give our lives for it at any time.”

Everyone looked at Knight Robert with new respect. Even Roline could not help looking at him twice. But she soon raised a question. “Sir Robert, Sir Span, I have a question.”

“What is it? Please speak, Lady Knight Roline.” Span remained respectful toward the honorary female knight at this young noble’s side.

Roline spoke slowly. “As I understand it, magical beasts mostly live in forests, but they rarely live in the center of the continent. Magical beasts need to replenish their magical power, so they dwell only in unusual places along the continent’s edges, such as the Frozen Forest in the north and the Sunset Marsh in the south. Those places abound in magical plants—the raw materials potion mages use to prepare magical potions. Areas rich in particular special minerals can also attract magical beasts to live nearby. But Halfhorn Mountain is only an ordinary forest. There are no magical plants, only ordinary pines and maples, and no special mineral deposits either. So does it not seem strange that a magical beast suddenly appeared here?”

Both Span and Robert stopped walking, their expressions turning grave. Even the mage Sorskya frowned in thought.

“Roline, do you know much about magical beasts?” Du Wei asked.

“I have had considerable adventuring experience and have followed several mercenary companies into the Frozen Forest to hunt magical beasts,” Roline explained. “I may have dealt with magical beasts more than anyone else here.”

“You have entered the Frozen Forest in the north?” Knight Span looked surprised. He had assumed this female knight had earned an honorary title from the young noble through her beauty. He had not expected Roline to have such experience.

Even Robert looked at her differently.

Roline said softly, “Yes. I have gone in several times.”

“I do not know much about these habits of magical beasts. If Lady Knight Roline’s account is true... then we must think carefully about this.” Robert spoke in a deep voice. “The appearance of a magical beast is indeed suspicious.”

Span said nothing, but his expression held faint disbelief.

Clearly, he did not believe Roline.

An experienced knight like Span could judge her skill. He had decided that this female knight was not particularly capable. She had likely won the young noble’s favor through her beautiful face... and those lovely long legs.

Entered the Frozen Forest in the north? Several times? What nonsense.

They searched for an entire afternoon without finding anything—not even a magical beast’s tracks or droppings.

There was no news from the other two search teams either.

Looking at the fading sun, Knight Span suggested that they rest where they were, then return to the city while it was still light and resume the search early the next morning.

It was a reluctant decision made entirely because of Du Wei’s presence.

Without this high-born young master, Span had originally planned to search through the night. But with this young master, who could neither be jostled nor allowed to fall, in the party, Span dared not take chances. Safety came first. Searching the mountain for a magical beast after dark would be more dangerous.

During the rest, Robert posted men to guard the area, while Span sent two archers to climb nearby trees and watch the surroundings.

“Roline.” Du Wei suddenly called to his female knight as she was about to tend to her saddle.

“What are your orders, Master?”

“I believe you.” Du Wei spoke quietly. The words made Roline stiffen, and she turned to look at him.

Du Wei toyed with an unknown wildflower, a relaxed smile on his face. “I know Knight Span does not believe you. He thinks you are boasting.”

A bitter smile appeared on Roline’s face.

Only boasting? He probably thought she was a low woman who had traded beauty and her body for a knight’s title.

And not only Span. Most of the Rowling Family soldiers around her probably thought the same...

Helplessness welled up in Roline’s heart.

“I believe you,” Du Wei repeated softly. He stepped closer, saw the helpless look on Roline’s face, and smiled. “Because I happen to know that you are a surviving descendant of the Moon people. And I also happened to read in an old book that the Moon people possess an inborn ability. If what that book records is correct... then I do not think entering the Frozen Forest would be difficult for you. Even if you encountered a great many magical beasts, you would not be in much danger.”

Roline was even more astonished. “You... know that too?”

“Books.” Du Wei smiled. “Books are the source of human knowledge. Reading more of them is always useful.”

As he spoke, the not-yet-grown boy walked to Roline’s side, patted her shoulder lightly, and smiled. “My lady knight, we have to work hard. Otherwise people will look down on us. Did you not notice today? They all see me as a burden. And you are my first honorary knight. We both need to prove ourselves.”

Roline studied this half-grown boy closely. Those words reached her ears, and a warm current rose unbidden in her heart.

That was right. They all saw her as the sort of woman who slept with men to climb upward. Yet the person who truly respected and trusted her was the young master standing before her.

Roline could not help lowering her head deeply to Du Wei. Her voice trembled slightly. “Yes, my master. Roline will work hard. I will never allow your honor to be disgraced!”

After a brief rest, Span immediately gathered the men to prepare for their descent. He had a signal fired to contact the other two teams, and an answer soon came back. One of the other teams was surprisingly close to Du Wei’s group; judging by the signal’s location, they were about half a mile apart.

The two knights immediately ordered everyone to form up and move out to join their companions.

But when they were halfway there—when Robert, at the front of the formation, could already see the other team waving to them ahead—

A shrill bellow sounded from one side! A massive figure burst rapidly from the woods. It seemed wreathed in towering flames, and as it ran, the trees and ground cover on either side were scorched black!

“A... magical beast?!” Someone shouted first, and everyone was immediately thrown into alarm.

“Form ranks!” Robert’s steady shout came from behind them. He had already drawn his broadsword and called, “Do not panic! Form ranks and close in from both sides! Do not let it escape! Archers, ready yourselves! Front line, raise your shields!”

Orders flew rapidly from Robert’s mouth. Since more than half the men were Rowling Family guards, his voice immediately steadied them.

Span moved no less quickly. He had already gathered the archers and ordered them into the trees.

For some reason, the magical beast chose this moment to burst forth. It appeared entirely unafraid of the many humans before it.

At last, Du Wei got his wish: he saw a legendary magical beast with his own eyes.

The creature was even larger than he had imagined, as massive as an elephant. A huge, strange horn rose from its forehead. Its hide was rough and thick, its four hoofed legs as thick as pillars. It thundered over the earth, charging wildly with a shrill bellow, flames pouring from its whole body!

Such a strange, vicious giant, wreathed in flame, was hard to intercept. The soldiers’ shields were raised, but they dared not block it head-on and could only scatter aside. Archers in the trees loosed arrow after arrow, yet the arrows seemed to do it little harm.

Fortunately, while the creature was huge, it was slow. The men shouted, and soldiers raised spears at a distance to frighten it.

“Do not be afraid. It is only a flame rhinoceros.” Roline seemed relieved. Standing at Du Wei’s side, she took half a step forward to shield him. Her voice was low, as though she was explaining only to him. “A flame rhinoceros is among the lowest-level magical beasts. Apart from being strong and giving off a little fire, it is nothing to fear. It runs very slowly. With a few powerful bows, it is just a flaming target.”

Robert heard Roline’s words and immediately called, “Raise the spears! Block it!”

The flame rhinoceros ran a few more steps, then found humans blocking it on every side and rows of raised spears pointing at it. It dared not truly charge the spear wall. Its hide was thick, but it was far from the high-level magical beasts that blades could not harm. After several strange cries, it did not dare ram the spears. It stopped abruptly, turned to flee in another direction, and exposed its weakness: its slow speed.

Soldiers quickly closed in from both sides and blocked its route. The archers in the trees continued firing. Though the arrows did little damage, there were so many that several lodged in the flame rhinoceros’s back.

After being hemmed in repeatedly, the flame rhinoceros had less and less room to move, and its bellows became increasingly agitated. At that moment, Du Wei’s mage, Sorskya, acted.

The mage raised his hands. Beneath his robe, his sleeves shook rapidly. Then, with a whistling sound, several fireballs shot from his hands toward the flame rhinoceros.

With a thunderous boom, the fireballs struck the magical beast accurately before dozens of watching eyes. Flames scattered in every direction, and the red glare was so bright that people could barely keep their eyes open.

An angry, unwilling roar sounded. Then the flame rhinoceros suddenly blazed with red light. In an instant, before all those eyes...

It vanished!

The soldiers froze for a moment, then burst into cheers.

A mage truly was formidable! One strike, and he had killed the creature!

But the ignorant soldiers did not notice that Sorskya himself wore an utterly blank, bewildered expression.

Vanished?

He had used a fireball spell. Even if it killed the creature, a fireball would not leave no corpse behind!

Ordinary soldiers did not understand this, but Robert and Span, both fourth-level knights, did.

The moment the flame rhinoceros vanished, both showed surprise and unease. While everyone else was still cheering, Robert shouted, “Everyone fall back! Watch out!”

Du Wei was stunned too. Seeing the magical beast disappear, he could not help asking, “Roline, does this kind of magical beast leave no corpse when it dies?”

“No!” Roline’s face changed as well. “I have never seen anything like this... a body vanishing.”

At that moment, a pillar of blue flame suddenly surged into the sky from the place where the flame rhinoceros had vanished. A sharp, ringing howl came from within the fire!

It was clearly a wolf’s howl!

Then a giant wolf leaped from the blue flames!

The giant wolf had ice-blue fur that seemed crystallized. Its body was huge and powerful, its claws like blades, and its movements as swift as a gale!

In a flash, several soldiers cried out in pain...

The wolf howled, and a wind blade suddenly shot from its mouth!

“A tempest direwolf! It is a tempest direwolf!” Span cried out. The knight’s face changed drastically, filled with deep fear.

The creature was exactly the tempest direwolf Span had described to Du Wei—the magical beast he had encountered in his youth and killed only after losing several companions.

But the direwolf itself was not what frightened Span most. Its appearance was simply too strange.

He had never heard of a flame rhinoceros transforming into a tempest direwolf after death!

There was no time to think. Just as Span had said, the direwolf’s crystalline fur resisted blades. It was also incredibly agile, with fangs and claws like weapons. After several fierce pounces, soldiers cried out as its claws wounded them.

The wind blade struck two shield-bearing soldiers. Their shields instantly shattered, and both men were hurled away.

Watching from a distance, Du Wei could not help sighing. What a formidable creature!

“Roline, can magical beasts transform? Can a flame rhinoceros become something else? These two creatures look completely different.”

“No, Master. Something seems wrong! The magical beast we encountered appears to be... a kind I do not know. It is definitely not an ordinary flame rhinoceros!” Roline’s face darkened. With her slender sword in hand, she stood before Du Wei and watched the distant direwolf closely.

With a shout, Robert rushed forward. Silver light gathered along his broadsword as he slashed swiftly at the direwolf!

Roline’s eyes lit up from a distance. “Battle aura!”

The direwolf seemed able to sense the threat of light on Robert’s blade. It did not dare take the blow with its body. Instead, it sprang aside, then lunged sideways and clawed at Robert’s chest and shoulder.

Robert shouted, bent slightly, and swept his broadsword across. A strand of light split from its edge and stabbed fiercely toward the direwolf’s belly!

The direwolf was indeed formidable. It could change direction in midair! Twisting its body, it evaded Robert’s battle-aura strike. As it landed, one front claw slashed across Robert’s arm.

With a hiss, Robert grunted. Several bloody marks appeared on his arm. Fortunately, the direwolf had feared his sword and had not pressed in, so the wound was not serious.

At that moment, someone shouted, and Span acted from a distance! He snatched a spear from a nearby soldier and hurled it with all his strength.

The spear became a shooting star and slammed into the direwolf’s back. But the crowd heard a sharp clang. It did not pierce the creature; it bounced away instead. The direwolf’s crystallized hide was that hard!

Although it had withstood Span’s spear, the direwolf did not seem comfortable. The force knocked it rolling several times. When it climbed back up, it appeared slower than before. It had clearly been injured.

“Sorskya, strike!” Robert roared. He raised his sword and charged again, driving the direwolf back with several rapid slashes.

The mage heard the call, quickly raised his hands, and fired several more fireballs.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Fireballs rained down. Some struck the ground nearby, but three hit the direwolf.

The direwolf clearly recoiled from the fire magic. It howled, its movements growing increasingly sluggish. Robert seized the chance, rushed in, and cut down with his sword, striking the direwolf’s tail!

Earlier, Knight Span had said that the tail was a tempest direwolf’s weakness. Robert had remembered it well.

Sure enough, once the direwolf’s tail was severed, it howled, swayed, and collapsed. But Robert then saw light rise from the point of his sword!

After the flash, not only did the direwolf’s body disappear in the light, but the severed tail vanished as well!

Vanished? That trick again?

From a distance, Du Wei shouted, “Everyone be careful! This thing may transform again!”

Robert’s face tightened. He was about to speak...

When a deep roar sounded from the horizon, like the roar of a lion!

Then more and more lionlike roars came from afar. Who knew how many lions seemed to be coming toward them?

A pride of lions? Damn it, this was open country! How could a great number of lions appear here?

Listening to the sounds drawing closer, Robert seemed suddenly to realize something. His expression twisted at once, and he cried, “Careful! Everyone, careful! What is coming is—”

Before he could finish, they saw it. A flock of winged creatures plunged down from the sky, blotting out the heavens! They had sharp fangs and claws, feathers hard as steel, and... cries like lions’ roars!

“Griffins! A flock of griffins!”

As if the nightmare of years past had returned, despair appeared on Knight Robert’s face. He had personally experienced how terrible it was to face a flock of griffins!

With so few people against so many terrifying creatures, what awaited them was almost certainly a massacre!

But before the knight had finished speaking, screams already rang out. Two soldiers were pierced through by griffin talons and thrown far away!

Amid flying blood and flesh, griffin after griffin swooped down from the sky...

Roline’s face turned ghastly. She threw herself over Du Wei and forced him to the ground...