The Shadow Wolf King, seeing this sudden halt, howled furiously to spur them on.
But in the next moment, all the shadow wolves turned around, their fierce eyes locked onto their king.
The Shadow Wolf King quickly realized something was wrong and immediately looked toward the strange black goat.
As soon as its eyes met the black goat's gaze, a surge of mental force invaded its mind like countless insects gnawing at its consciousness. The wolf king howled in pain, its body trembling violently.
Despite its agony, the wolf king was a B Rank creature. It gritted its teeth and raised a paw to deliver a brutal blow to its own head. The intense pain briefly restored its clarity.
Watching this, Ethan couldn't help but marvel:
"As expected of the wolf king. How ruthless. That hit probably scrambled its own brains."
Yet, even with its regained clarity, the wolf king was in no position to turn the tide. The black goat's control over the shadow wolves had completely reversed the battlefield. The wolves relentlessly attacked their former leader, biting and clawing at its flesh.
Though the wolf king managed to kill a few of its attackers, more wolves quickly replaced them. The black goat focused entirely on maintaining its control, leaving the wolf king with no chance to escape.
Ethan observed the scene quietly, his expression calm as he analyzed the situation.
"So, the principle of 'overwhelming numbers' still works on lower-level B rank. The gap in strength at this level isn't insurmountable. Even a wolf king can be worn down by sheer numbers."
However, he knew this tactic wouldn't work on creatures above the B Rank.
At higher levels, overlords possess domain skills, creating an area of absolute control where lower-level creatures are instantly suppressed. Without comparable strength, stepping into such a domain is akin to suicide.
On the battlefield, the wolf king was nearing its end. It panted heavily, its body riddled with wounds as toxins spread through its veins.
Amber, watching from afar, was utterly shocked.
She turned her gaze to Ethan, her expression a mix of fear and disbelief.
"What kind of creature is that?"
Just moments ago, even Amber had felt her spirit waver when she glanced at the black goat. Now, her head throbbed faintly, and she felt a lingering unease.
"You call that a black goat cub?" she muttered. "Whoever heard of a black goat with powers like this?"
At that moment, Emma arrived on the scene. She spotted Amber standing still and called out anxiously:
"Amber, why are you just standing there?"
Emma's heart sank as a dreadful thought crossed her mind.
Could it be that Amber had arrived too late and Ethan had already been killed by the wolves?
In a panic, Emma turned to look at the battlefield—only to be stunned by what she saw.
The Shadow Wolf King lay motionless on the ground, breathing shallowly. Its once-mighty body was now covered in bloody wounds, and a shadow wolf latched onto its neck, delivering the final bite.
As the wolf king let out its last desperate wail, its eyes closed forever.
The black goat then extended its tentacles and swiftly strangled the remaining wolves to death.
The battle was over.
Amber jumped down from her perch and approached Emma, her expression complicated.
"So… that thing is the black goat cub you mentioned?" Amber asked in disbelief.
Emma hesitated, feeling embarrassed. She didn't know how to explain it.
How could she have guessed Ethan's beast would be this powerful?
If she had known, she wouldn't have worried so much about forming a team with him. From top to bottom, the creature only resembled a black goat in its hooves.
"Ms. Hariss did say it was a black goat…" Emma muttered.
Amber's eyes lit up with realization.
"Could it be… his talent caused the black goat to mutate?"
Amber couldn't think of any other explanation. She sighed and added:
"This mutated black goat seems to have a potential not much weaker than your Clear Water Spirit Snake.
"That kid performed exceptionally well during the battle. He already shows the qualities of a future powerhouse."
Emma's face reddened with pride but also embarrassment. She opened her mouth to speak but stopped herself.
Amber smirked knowingly.
"Why don't you go talk to him?"
Emma shook her head, smiling.
"There's no need. He has his own path to walk. I trust him, his choices are rarely wrong. We'll meet again soon enough."
With that, she turned and left.
Ethan, unaware of their presence, was still analyzing the battle.
The power of the black goat's mind control skill left a deep impression on him. Its spiritual strength was overwhelming, capable of suppressing creatures several levels higher. Even if the skill didn't completely dominate, it would still heavily disrupt the opponent.
He chuckled to himself.
"Unless someone trains their beast to fight with its eyes closed, there's no real counter to this."
The fight was over, but Ethan still had work to do—not dealing with the shadow wolves' corpses, but raiding their den.
Shadow wolves are known to drag their prey back to their lair, including the belongings of beast masters they've killed.
Thanks to his prior research, Ethan knew the exact location of their den.
A smile crept across his face.
"It's time for the real harvest. Let's see what treasures are waiting for me."