The outskirts of the Beast Forest were areas for level 10-15, currently beyond the reach of most players.
As they approached the Beast Forest, Luca and his companions slowed their pace to avoid any unexpected dangers.
Along the way, Luca learned about Catherine and her team's identities and professions.
They were the city guards of Riverfall City, with Catherine serving as the captain of the guard, a Silver-grade Lancer.
Kaman, her brother, was a Bronze-grade Wind Archer.
He had been severely injured while patrolling outside the city when he was attacked by a Dire Wolf.
"I see," Luca nodded in realization, no wonder Catherine's armor looked familiar.
It was the same standard issue armor as Cassman's from Riverfall City.
With Catherine, a Silver-grade knight, leading them, the group didn't hesitate and ventured straight into the Beast Forest.
The light dimmed instantly, surrounded by towering trees and thick underbrush.
The environment was dark and damp, occasionally filled with deep, resonant roars from the forest's depths, instilling fear.
The city guards were on high alert, and Catherine glanced at Luca, who was at the front.
She noted his calm demeanor, showing no signs of fear or change in expression.
She was impressed.
No wonder Franklin had chosen this young man. His composure alone set him apart from the average person.
Most youngsters would be terrified by now.
Suddenly, Luca stopped, frowning. "Be careful, there's a monster approaching!"
The group immediately raised their weapons in alarm.
But then, they hesitated, feeling puzzled.
They couldn't sense anything.
"Kid, are you messing with us?" someone grumbled, thinking Luca was overreacting.
Catherine frowned, wondering if Luca had misheard.
But then, a loud crash echoed.
A huge tree, thick enough for two to embrace, was snapped in half!
Immediately following, a black wild boar the size of a small car, with blood-red eyes, charged straight at them!
[Lv13 Furious Boar (Common)]
[HP: 1200/1200]
[Attack: 167]
[Defense: 51]
[Skill: Savage Charge]
"Dodge!" everyone shouted in panic.
Without thinking, they scrambling out of the way.
Though the Furious Boar caught them off guard.
Luca's warning had given them a precious moment to prepare, avoiding any casualties.
As the others reacted, Luca had already cast his spell.
Water Arrow Spell!
A sharp water arrow sliced through the air, striking the Furious Boar in one eye.
Water and blood splattered everywhere!
The boar let out a horrific wail, its massive body crashing to the ground, shaking the earth.
Then, an astounding damage number appeared above the boar's head.
-555!
"Holy crap, how does this kid deal so much damage!" the group exclaimed, gasping in shock.
If they remembered correctly, Luca had just completed the Formal Mage quest.
But this damage was already higher than theirs!
It made the group question if they were seeing things.
At that moment, Catherine became a silver blur, charging straight at the Furious Boar.
Her spear twirled in her hands, emitting a red glow that streaked through the air like lightning.
Before the boar could react, Catherine thrust her spear forward.
"Thud!"
The sharp spearhead pierced through the Furious Boar's skull, splattering blood and brain matter.
The Furious Boar was killed instantly, a flash of green light marking its demise!
Simultaneously, Luca received a kill notification.
[Ding! You assisted Catherine in killing "lv13 Furious Boar (Common)" and gained 30% experience, 523 points!]
[Your level has increased to lv7, and you have gained 10 free attribute points!]
[Current experience: 144/549]
Catherine stepped forward and, without caring about the blood, bent down to pick up the items the Furious Boar had dropped.
She glanced at them briefly before tossing them to Luca.
"You spotted the monster first and dealt significant damage. This equipment should go to you," she said.
The others had no objections. They hadn't had the chance to engage and didn't feel entitled to the loot.
"Thank you!" Luca said, accepting the items without hesitation.
He looked at the item's stats.
[Furious Boar Bracers (Bronze Grade): Usable at level 10 or above, Strength +20, Stamina +20, HP +300]
Although it was a warrior's item, Luca was quite satisfied.
For early-game players, any equipment that boosted stats was valuable.
Happily, Luca stored the bracers away.
He then released the eagle mouse from his grasp to continue tracking the Dire Wolves.
The others quickly followed.
"Kid, how did you spot that monster? We didn't sense anything," a burly man asked, puzzled.
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Even Catherine's eyes showed curiosity.
Despite her Silver-grade strength, she hadn't detected the Furious Boar at all.
How had Luca noticed it in advance?
Luca shrugged and casually explained, "The Furious Boar had rolled in rotting mud, which can block perception. My perception works a bit differently, so the mud didn't block it."
Rotting mud, a special sludge from the swamp, can mask one's presence when smeared on the body.
The group then recalled that the Furious Boar indeed had a layer of black mud on it, which they had previously thought was just its natural skin color.
With this realization, they looked at Luca with newfound respect.
Being able to perceive a monster through rotting mud was no small feat.
This young man was not average guy who just have a normal perception talent.
Catherine thinks in her mind.
After the incident with the Furious Boar, no one dared to underestimate the seemingly young Luca.
Franklin's apprentice could independently brew potions and possessed strong combat skills and perception talent.
To them, Luca was far more than just a young boy.
The group continued deeper into the forest.
They had now moved past the outskirts and entered the inner regions of the Beast Forest.
The monsters here were clearly of higher levels, ranging from 15 to 20. Even the guard squad found it challenging to handle them.
Fortunately, with Catherine, the Silver-grade Lancer, leading the way, they managed without major issues.
What was surprising was how Luca seemed even more at ease than Catherine
That made the others feel somewhat ashamed.
Despite their years of training, they were outperformed by someone who had just become a Formal Mage.
"Squeak, squeak."
As they passed by a cave, the eagle mouse suddenly stopped, squeaking incessantly towards the cave entrance.
Luca surveyed the surroundings and his gaze fell on a pile of droppings not far from the entrance.
He turned to the group and said, "We've found it. The Dire Wolf should be in this cave."
The others noticed the Dire Wolf droppings and felt a surge of excitement.
Dire Wolves were rare, especially in the Beast Forest.
Now, they were almost certain that the Dire Wolf in the cave was the one that attacked Kaman.
"Kaman can really be saved!" Catherine clenched her fists, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
[Ding! Catherine's favorability towards you +50]
"Good job, kid! When we get back, drinks are on me," a burly man said, giving Luca a thumbs up.
Luca shook his head, "It's not time to celebrate yet. Taking down that Dire Wolf won't be easy."
He looked at the cave, his expression serious. "I can sense that there's more than one monster in there!"
Luca felt a sense of foreboding, not just because of the other monsters' presence.
He also sensed a very familiar energy fluctuation.
A Spatial Node!
He couldn't believe it. He had actually found one!