Capítulo 13: 13. An Unexpected Attack.
A few minutes later, a creature stepped out from the dark part of the forest. It was large and looked like a dog; with sleek, gray fur that rippled like leaves in the wind.
The beast's glowing green eyes were locked onto Aaron's eyes and it didn't blink.
It continued to stare at him before turning its attention to Glimmer who was by his side.
Meanwhile, a system notification popped up in front of Aaron.
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[System Notification]
Beast Type:- Magical Beast.
Detected Specie:- Dire Wolf (Omega).
Threat Level: Moderately High.
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"It's a magical beast," Aurora whispered loud enough for everyone to hear her.
"Yes, it is. But it's not attacking and neither is it leaving," Diana said in a puzzled tone, but her grip on her sword remained firm and steady.
Aaron held up a hand and said loud enough for only Aurora and Diana to hear. "Let's try not to provoke it. Magical beasts aren't like demonic beasts, so they will only attack if they feel threatened."
"Or hungry," Diana muttered, and everyone had their eyes on alert when this sudden realization dawned on them.
The magical beast slowly circled them like a predator, but Aaron and the girls stayed still. However, they began to hear other growls in the forest, which meant that the beast wasn't alone.
The magical beast in front of them was an Omega in a wolf pack. It was simply trying to let Aaron and the girls know that this turf belonged to them and going any deeper would be extremely dangerous even if they weren't demonic beasts.
Aaron got the message the Omega was trying to send due to his experience as a wildlife biologist, and since the beasts were still wolves, he knew their den had to be really close.
The Omega released a low growl before slipping back into the darkness of the forest and sounds of relieved sighs escaped their lips, including Glimmer.
"Phew" Although the threat level had been moderately high, they would have definitely been killed if they had acted without caution.
"Well, that was fun," Diana said teasingly, but Aurora didn't share her humor as she disagreed. "Nope, that wasn't fun at all."
Aaron nodded as well before saying. "Alright, let's gather what we need and not give them a reason to come back."
The girls nodded in understanding before resuming their previous task of gathering herbs.
With that decided, Aaron and the girls ventured deeper into another part of the forest.
They continued to gather herbs while keeping an eye out for more magical beasts, and Glimmer remained alert with her ears twitching at every sound she heard.
As they entered a small clearing in the forest, Aurora knelt by a patch of herbs and her fingers carefully plucked the leaves and stems.
"This should be enough for a few potions," She said while glancing at Aaron and he nodded in understanding. But before Aaron could speak, Glimmer suddenly let out a sharp bark as her fur bristled with anxiety.
Aaron swiftly spun around and raised his sword just as a pair of demonic beasts burst out of the underbrush.
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[System Notification,]
Beast Type:- Demonic Beasts.
Detected Specie:- Dark Hounds
Threat Level: Moderately High.
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These dark hounds were larger than the ones he had faced before, and their eyes gleamed with malice, unlike the other dark hounds he had fought against.
One of the hounds lunged at Diana, who countered it with a swift, calculated strike of her own, causing her blade to cut through the beast's side.
The hound let out a loud cry of agony before disintegrating into ashes.
Diana leaped back to stay close to Aurora. "Watch your side!!" She instructed Aaron when she noticed the second beast charging towards him.
Aaron stepped back a little and adjusted his stance while recalling the drills Diana had run him through during their training sessions.
The beast snarled, and its claws swiped inches away from his chest, but Aaron swung his sword in a wide arc. His attack slashed the shoulder of the hound, forcing it to retreat, but Glimmer darted forward to chase after the hound.
She nipped at the beast's legs to distract it long enough for Aaron to land a solid strike. The demonic beast let out a final growl in agony before collapsing to the ground and disintegrating into ashes.
The remaining beasts were carefully dispatched and a few minutes later, the forest had returned to its creepy silence once more.
Diana wiped her blade clean with a calm expression on her face. "Not bad," She said while glancing at Aaron. "You're still alive."
"It appears so," He replied while trying to catch his breath.
Aurora cautiously approached Aaron and crouched beside him with her hands glowing with a green hue. "Are you okay?" She asked as she tried to heal his arm which got scratched by one of the demonic hounds.
"Yes, I'm fine," He replied before looking down at Glimmer who was currently wagging her tail proudly as she waited to be praised by Aaron.
Aaron smiled and patted the head of his cute fox. "Good work, Glimmer."
Glimmer let out a joyful yip and her golden eyes gleamed with satisfaction.
Aurora stood up and walked towards Diana to heal her as well and the moment she was done with that, Diana voiced out her thoughts. "I think we should leave now."
"Yes, I agree," Aurora agreed with a nod.
Aaron agreed as well but just as they were about to leave the clearing, Aaron noticed something glittering in the grass. He knelt before the shimmering light and brushed away the dirt, only to come across a small crystalline shard that glowed with a bright yellow light.
"Is this…" Aaron was about to say what he thought the object might be, but before he could say anything, the system's notification popped up in front of him.
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System Notification
Item Acquired: Yellow Mana Crystal
Use: This can be used to enhance the bond and loyalty of your beasts.
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"I knew it," Aaron swiftly placed the mana crystal into his pouch. This was the first time he had seen a mana crystal, and even though they had been walking around the forest all morning, he hadn't seen a mana crystal until now.
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