Ethan paused for a moment before coming to a decision. He dismissed all of his minions except for the wolves. He now had 20 forest wolves in total including the ones he had acquired from the second pack. It was time for an experiment.
"Let's see how well you can work as a pack," Ethan murmured, his eyes scanning the assembled wolves. The clearing was now quiet, save for the soft rustling of leaves overhead and the faint growls and whines of the summoned creatures.
He crouched slightly, meeting the gaze of the alpha wolf he had summoned from the second pack. "You're in charge," Ethan said, pointing at it. "Lead the pack and hunt everything in sight. Do you know where to find prey?"
The alpha wolf's ears twitched at Ethan's command, and it let out a low, rumbling growl, its amber eyes locked onto his. It seemed to understand him—at least the intent behind his words. The wolf raised its head, sniffing the air. A moment later, it barked sharply, the sound carrying an air of authority that made the other wolves snap to attention.
"They know," Lia said softly, watching the pack as they began to shift restlessly, eager for action. "Their instincts are sharp, Master. If the alpha leads them, they'll find prey quickly."
Ethan nodded, standing upright and crossing his arms. "Alright, then. Show me what you can do." He gestured toward the forest ahead. "Hunt. Bring back whatever you take down."
The alpha barked again, turning and leading the pack into the trees with smooth, purposeful strides. The rest of the wolves followed in near-perfect formation, their movements almost silent despite their numbers.
Within moments, the pack disappeared into the shadows of the forest, leaving Ethan and Lia alone in the clearing. "They move well together," Lia remarked, her voice tinged with curiosity. "But are you sure it's wise to let them go unsupervised? What if they wander too far?"
Ethan shook his head, a faint smile playing on his lips. "I'm not worried. Besides, we will never know if we try."
Lia could only nod at his bold attitude. Her master was really different from everyone she knew. He even thought differently.
"Alright, time to continue our hunt. Lia, do you know any other good spots? Where do beginner adventurers go after hunting wolves? What do they target next?"
"Ah…" Lia looked at him speechlessly. "Master, beginner adventurers target bears and boars. Bears are tougher but they only wander alone so it is easy to pick them off one by one. Boars are weaker in comparison but wild boars tend to form huge packs, numbers much bigger than a wolf pack. So they are more dangerous. Also…"
Hmmm? Ethan raised a brow.
Lia opened and closed her mouth speechlessly. Sure, these were the beasts beginner adventurers use for training themselves but could her master even be called a beginner adventurer anymore?
"Master, what about a beast nest?" Lia suggested finally. While bears and boars might be challenging for others, Lia suspected they weren't nearly enough to satisfy her master. Beast nests were the way to go.
Ethan tilted his head, intrigued by Lia's suggestion. "A beast nest?" he repeated, his curiosity piqued. "Now that sounds interesting. What exactly can we expect from one?"
Lia straightened, her expression serious as she explained. "Beast nests are concentrated territories where powerful creatures gather, often around a dominant beast or a source of high mana density. They're more dangerous than encountering solitary creatures because the beasts there defend their territory fiercely. But the rewards can be substantial—rare materials, mana-rich resources, and sometimes even magical artifacts."
"Do you know where the closest one is?" Ethan was interested. It sounded like a place that could bump his strength to the next level.
"Sorry, Master." Lia shook her head.
"Only an adventurer's guild would have information like that. Adventurers are always clearing beast nests so the locations change frequently," Lia finished, her tone apologetic. "Without access to the guild's records, it's hard to pinpoint one that hasn't already been cleared. There used to be one near our village. That's why I know about these beast nests."
Ethan nodded. "Ok. Then it's time to pay another visit to the guild."
The two of them started walking back to the city. "Master, the wolves…" Lia once again reminded him but Ethan shook his head. "They are fine on their own." He was testing something and this had to be done. Besides, he was already starting to see results.
[Ding! Your summon Forest Wolf has killed a Forest Wolf. You have gained experience points]
[Ding! Your summon Forest Wolf has killed a Forest Wolf. You have gained experience points]
[Ding! Your summon Forest Wolf has killed a Forest Wolf. You have gained experience points]
…
…
…
Ethan waved away the notifications with a smile. This type of passive grinding was the best.