After packing their things, the group headed deeper into the forest.
Jason sent four skilled hunters to scout the path ahead of them.
Nothing happened in the first few hours, but the group was still on full alert.
Mark noticed the serious gazes of the hunters so he didn't dare drop his guard. He was prepared to pull out his sword and shield if an unexpected situation occurred.
Suddenly, two of the scouts returned with urgent looks on their faces. "Sir Jason, there's a pack of Green Wolves 1 kilometer from the group's location!"
The faces of Jason and the other hunters turned grave upon hearing their report. Green Wolves were mystical beasts who lived in large groups. Most of them were only Level 1 Spider-Grade mystical beasts, but the leader of the pack was usually stronger. Meeting them was definitely not a good thing for the group.
"How many of them are there?" Jason asked in a low voice.
"We aren't sure since we only saw them from a distance, but there should be around five dozen of them, if not more." The scout sternly replied.
Jason pondered deeply in silence. They were following the route they took when they last encountered the Black Scaled Boar. Taking a detour would prolong their journey, but if they followed the same path, they would have to fight the pack of Green Wolves.
"Sir Jason, it's just a pack of Green Wolves. We can take care of them." One of the Body Strengthening Second Level hunters said while flexing his muscular biceps.
"Sir Jason, you don't need to be worried about the newbies, I'll make sure that no mystical beast touches them." A middle-aged hunter who had a big axe strapped behind his back uttered confidently.
Jason's eyebrows eased up upon hearing this. He stared at Mark and the other newbies. "Are you guys fine with this?" He asked.
Before Mark could answer, one of the newbies stepped forward and replied. "We can take care of ourselves, Sir Jason! We will experience this kind of situation soon anyway."
Other than Mark, there were six newbies in the group. They were quite young and there was even someone in his late teens.
Mark felt nervous, but he agreed with the newbie's words.
Jason scanned the faces of the newbies and when he saw that none of them were against it, he nodded his head. "Alright. Let's move forward!"
"Yes!"
The courage of the newbies made the veteran hunters feel a rush of vigor, making them feel excited to hunt the Green Wolves.
Mark also felt his blood boiling. He was infected by everyone's reaction.
Under the leadership of Jason, the hunting team soon encountered the pack of Green Wolves.
Awooo!!
Awooo!!
Mark's eyes flashed with nervousness when he saw them. They were nothing like the wolves in the real world. Other than their striking green fur, their bodies were twice the size of normal wolves and there were ruby-like gems embedded on their forehead. The brutality in their eyes was so intense that it made him feel like he was a prey being stared at by a group of predators.
"Do not falter! They are not that strong! Just aim for their necks and you'll kill them easily!" Jason shouted when he noticed the newbies' wavering gazes.
Mark took a deep breath as he took out his sword and shield. He had chosen to participate in this mission knowing full well about the dangers involved. 'So this is what a cultivation world is like…' Despite the anxiety he was feeling, a sense of excitement was building up in his heart.
"I'll take the front! You guys follow me!" Jason pulled out his weapon, a simple iron spear, and charged fearlessly at the pack of Green Wolves.
Seeing his bravery, the veteran hunters also grabbed their weapons and rushed forward.
The middle-aged hunter named Kevin grabbed his giant axe and shouted. "Newbies, stay behind me!"
Hearing his words, Mark and the other newbies snapped out of their daze and followed him.
The scene in front of Mark was so gruesome that he had the urge to vomit.
He saw a hunter decapitating the head of a Green Wolf. He also saw a guy mauling a wolf with his war hammer until its internal organs were torn apart.
Just as he was about to vomit, Mark suddenly noticed a wolf standing in front of him. It was staring at him with a cold look.
The wolf took a step forward and emitted a growl while revealing its sharp fangs.
Mark felt his body turning cold. He was gripped with fear at the sight of this beast at a close distance. He could even feel his hands and legs shaking. The excitement from earlier was gone and was replaced with dread.
As if noticing his fear, the wolf made a quick pounce and lunged at him with its mouth wide open.
At that moment, Mark felt like the world was in slow motion. He wanted to swing his sword and lift his shield, but he couldn't muster the strength to do so.
Just as the wolf was about to tear off his head, a giant axe suddenly appeared in front of him, decapitating the head of the wolf.
Kevin kicked Mark's ass and scolded him. "What are you spacing out for?!"
"S-Sorry!"
"You have to get used to this soon, kid. We aren't always here to protect you guys." Kevin smacked his head.
"Yes, sir!" Mark gripped his sword tightly.
"Good, kid! Now go and get your first kill!" Kevin laughed heartily before he went off to kill more wolves.
'If only it was that easy.' He thought to himself. Mark glanced at the surroundings and searched for a suitable target.
All the hunters were fighting against a wolf or two. Even the newbies were engaged in combat. He felt ashamed of himself upon seeing them fight so well. Suddenly, he noticed a newbie struggling to fight against two wolves.
Mark quickly made a decision and moved towards the guy. "Let me help you!" He shouted.
The newbie was relieved when he saw Mark running towards him. The pressure he felt fighting against two Green Wolves almost overwhelmed him.
Grrr!!!
Angered by his arrival, one of the Green Wolves targeted Mark. It jumped towards him and brandished its sharp claws.
Mark's eyes dilated. If he was struck by those claws, he would certainly receive a fatal blow. He quickly lifted his shield.
The wolf's claw struck his shield.
The power was so strong that it pushed him back a few steps.
Mark felt his left arm going numb after taking that attack. 'F*ck! It's too powerful! I'll die if I get struck by its claws!'
After failing its first attempt, the wolf felt rage and it emitted another beast-like growl.
This time, Mark was no longer shaking. "I won't die here!" He shouted as he took the chance to attack. He swung his sword diagonally, aiming for the wolf's neck.
The wolf was taken by surprise by his sudden attack, but it still managed to pull its head back in the nick of time.
Mark's sword missed its neck by a few inches, but it still landed on the wolf's body, leaving a deep cut across its leg.
The wolf whimpered and backed away from him. This time, it felt a trace of fear as it looked at Mark.
"So you also know how to be afraid…" Mark muttered as he dashed forward with his sword raised above his head. When he got closer to the wolf, he pushed his sword down.
Pu-chi!
Mark managed to cut into the wolf's neck, but the attack wasn't strong enough to cut off its head. Even so, the heavy blow made the wolf cry out in pain. It stared deeply at Mark with blood-red eyes before it fell to the ground with a thud.
'I did it! I killed a mystical beast!' Mark screamed in his heart.