The wolf king had submitted for survival, but it had also seen potential and hope in Wood.
Looking at the boy before it, from the outside, he appeared to be nothing more than a human child.
Yet, despite his young age, he possessed such incredible strength and could even wield Saint-level magic.
Magical beasts didn't usually submit to humans easily, but if the human was strong enough, it became a different story.
After quickly weighing the pros and cons, Wood made his decision. With a swift movement, he leaped onto the wolf king's back, waving his staff and casting a green magic circle that enveloped the wolf king's entire body.
Wood could only use "King-level" magic, but only in fire and water elements. As for healing magic, his limit was Saint-level. If the wolf king had required King-level healing to survive, Wood would have had to abandon it.
However, under the green glow of healing magic, the wolf king's body began to feel as light as air, and its previously weak and dying aura started to slowly recover.
Because of the wolf king's massive size and the severity of its injuries, Wood's Saint-level healing spell was draining just as much, if not more, energy than he'd expended in the earlier battle.
After several minutes of healing, the wolf king's wounds finally stabilized, but Wood, having cast Saint-level magic for an extended period, showed visible signs of fatigue.
Using magic didn't drain physical strength—it drained mental energy.
While physical exhaustion could be remedied through rest, mental energy was much harder to replenish.
And unlike mere physical fatigue, overuse of mental energy could cause a magic user to lose focus or even fall unconscious.
Seeing Wood nearly stumble and fall from exhaustion, the wolf king's eyes narrowed as various thoughts flashed through its mind.
There was no denying Wood's strength—the wolf king knew it was no match for him in battle. It had confirmed that much earlier.
But after continuously using Saint-level magic, Wood—who was usually as powerful as a monster—was now clearly drained. The wolf king believed that if it struck now, its chances of victory would be high.
After all, excessive mental exhaustion wouldn't just weaken his magic abilities; it would also affect his combat skills.
But as Wood looked ready to collapse, the wolf king held back its desire to strike. Instead, it wrapped its tail around Wood's waist to steady him, preventing him from falling.
In the end, the wolf king chose not to betray him.
It had already lost some of its dignity by submitting to Wood. If it were to repay him with treachery, it would lose the last of its pride.
As the ruler of this dungeon, the wolf king still had its honor. Wood had accepted its submission and healed it. Therefore, he was now its master.
Killing its master wasn't something the wolf king, with all its pride, could bring itself to do. It had chosen to follow Wood not just for survival, but because it had seen potential in him.
Just as the wolf king moved its tail to support the seemingly exhausted Wood, he nimbly flipped backward, avoiding the touch.
When the wolf king looked at Wood again, all traces of exhaustion were gone. The boy was as composed as ever.
In a brief moment of shock, the wolf king understood what had happened, and cold sweat ran down its spine.
Wood had faked his exhaustion, making the wolf king believe he was vulnerable. In reality, it was all a test of the wolf king's loyalty.
If the wolf king had struck with its claws instead of offering help, the consequences would have been fatal—for the wolf king.
"Well, you are a magical beast, and a cautious wolf king at that. It's always smart to be careful.
But now you've earned a bit of my trust. From here on, I'll consider you a companion," Wood said with a smile.
The wolf king lowered its head in submission once again, now fully committed to its role as Wood's subordinate.
Casting consecutive Saint-level spells, alongside the water and earth magic he'd used in battle, would have drained any ordinary Saint-level magic user's energy completely.
But standing before the wolf king, Wood showed no signs of fatigue. His strength, both physically and mentally, was more like he'd just finished a warm-up than an intense battle.
Judging by the sheer amount of magic Wood had used, the wolf king now believed that his magic power alone was at the level of a King-level magic user—or perhaps even higher.
With the danger now gone, Wood brought Zenith, Norn, and Aisha over.
At first, Norn and Aisha were still terrified of the wolf king. After all, they'd seen it snarling and attacking them earlier, and the memory left a lasting impression.
However, the wolf king soon offered a friendly gesture, and with Wood there to reassure them, the two girls cautiously reached out to touch the beast's soft fur.
When the wolf king didn't react and even gave them a gentle lick, the girls' fear vanished entirely.
They immediately relaxed and became fascinated with their new companion, their admiration for Wood growing even more. In their eyes, their big brother could do anything, and nothing was beyond his power.
While the two innocent girls were completely enthralled, Zenith looked at Wood with a mix of awe and disbelief.
She had been watching from afar earlier, and although she wasn't close enough to hear everything, she had clearly seen Wood use Saint-level healing magic.
Saint-level! Zenith had been an advanced magic user for so long and had never broken through to the Saint level. Yet the son she thought had average magic talent had already mastered it!
And Wood was only 11 years old. His magical talent was now clearly on par with Rudeus.
If not for the tear mole under Wood's right eye and his impressive close-combat skills, Zenith might have mistaken him for Rudeus instead of Wood.
"I'm sorry, Mother, for keeping my magic abilities a secret from you.
But I didn't have much choice. On one hand, I didn't want to upset Rudeus. On the other hand, I was afraid of being seen as some kind of freak."
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P/S: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 380+ at p@treon.com/Betek and change @ to a