Chapter Five: Deep into the Forest

Just as the thunder-tiger beast’s magic was about to strike the mages, a shield entirely composed of fire-element magic suddenly appeared in the sky after a mercenary tore open a scroll. The thunder-tiger beast’s deadly attack landed squarely on this magic shield instead of the mages.

It was impossible to say which of the two magics was stronger, for their levels were quite close. After their collision, even if one side was somewhat superior, neither could avoid being caught in the ensuing explosion. When the magical contest ended in a draw, it seemed as though neither side had gained the upper hand, but in truth, given the present circumstances, the thunder-tiger beast had fallen into a perilous situation after its failed attack.

Though neither side’s magic had prevailed, the mercenaries held a clear advantage in numbers. While the magic scroll neutralized the thunder-tiger beast’s assault, the spells the mercenaries had prepared remained undisturbed. Now that everything was ready, it was their turn to unleash their power.

As the final syllables of the incantation faded, the spell jointly cast by the three mages finally revealed itself. Hidden in the shadows, Zhou Tian suddenly felt a wave of heat, and to his shock, saw the mercenaries summon a meteor over ten meters in diameter, sending it crashing down upon the thunder-tiger beast.

Even though he knew he was now in another world, witnessing the mages summon a meteor from the sky left Zhou Tian in disbelief. Realizing that such a magical attack was far beyond his ability to withstand, he did not hesitate—he began crawling quietly away from the scene.

He hadn’t gone far when the mercenaries’ attack struck the thunder-tiger beast. Sensing the threat, the beast tried once more to weave its electric net in an attempt to repel the blow. But this time, the magic unleashed by the mercenaries was far more formidable than before. Despite the beast’s full effort, its defenses were instantly shattered upon contact, and the meteor crashed mercilessly into its body.

A thunderous detonation erupted. As expected, under the mercenaries’ devastating spell, the thunder-tiger beast—formidable even among intermediate magical beasts—was left with no chance to resist, let alone retaliate. It was crushed to death where it stood.

Seeing this conclusion, Zhou Tian did not pause for a moment; he immediately crept deeper into the heart of the Forest of Magical Beasts.

Although his earlier encounters with the mercenaries had yielded little, Zhou Tian had managed to obtain a few magic cores. Converting these into spiritual energy, he had exchanged them at the system’s shop for a skill: “Illusion.”

Though it was the most basic form of illusion, its rarity made it valuable; however easy it might be to break under scrutiny, it could still prove effective when used unexpectedly. With this skill, Zhou Tian devised a plan to sabotage the mercenaries. He intentionally lured them into the thunder-tiger beast’s territory, then used illusions to cloak both himself and the beast. Only when the mercenaries were near did he abruptly lift the illusions, exposing both sides to each other.

It was Zhou Tian’s scheming that brought about the battle between the thunder-tiger beast and the mercenary team, a conflict that would not have occurred otherwise. The only thing that truly surprised him was the battle’s outcome.

Zhou Tian was well aware of the thunder-tiger beast’s strength—many a magical beast he dared not provoke would fall to its lightning in a flash. Though he did not consider it a sacred beast, it was certainly a formidable high-level one in his eyes.

Originally, Zhou Tian had calculated that if the beast triumphed, his enemies would be wiped out. If both sides were weakened, he could reap the spoils. Unfortunately, despite the beast’s apparent might, even a tiger cannot withstand a pack of wolves. In the end, no matter how fierce its resistance, it still fell to the mercenaries.

With the thunder-tiger beast dead, there was no longer any magical beast nearby capable of challenging the mercenaries. Thus, whether to seek out another beast to use or to avoid the mercenaries, Zhou Tian had no choice but to venture deeper into the forest in search of a chance to strike back.

Perhaps it was because the mercenaries had just overcome a powerful foe, but they were now occupied with tending to their fallen and harvesting the thunder-tiger beast’s remains. Zhou Tian, not far from them, was able to slip away unnoticed so long as he made no commotion.

After that, as Zhou Tian journeyed deeper into the forest, he encountered no more mercenaries. The Forest of Magical Beasts was, after all, forbidden ground for humans. On the outskirts, teamwork and cunning could ensure survival, but venturing further was courting death. The strength of the beasts within was such that it was unlikely any mercenary would make it out alive if they pressed on.

Intimidated by the high-level magical beasts, the mercenaries dared only to search the fringes of the forest. Once Zhou Tian penetrated the forest’s depths, their harassment ceased entirely.

But the absence of mercenaries did not mean Zhou Tian was free from danger. In truth, the greatest threat in the heart of the forest was not from the hunters, but the hunted—the beasts themselves.

Unlike humans, magical beasts had no concept of unity or camaraderie. Even among their own kind, an encounter could just as easily end with one devouring the other.

Zhou Tian’s own strength was not great; to the intermediate magical beasts, who dared not challenge their higher-level kin, he was a tempting morsel—a low-level beast who had ventured foolishly into the depths. As soon as he was discovered, there would be no mercy. Thus, though Zhou Tian had shaken off the mercenaries, he now found himself coveted by the many magical beasts lurking in the shadows.