With a sense of urgency, the crew burst out of the Mancave, following Bones as he bounded through a series of open fields. The undead wolf expertly navigated the terrain, his paws silent against the damp earth, leading them up and over a large, fallen tree that spanned the rushing river, creating a natural, slick land bridge. They scrambled across the mossy bark and plunged into a brief, dense stretch of woods before emerging into another expansive field.

  The scene that greeted them was bizarre and utterly terrifying. A colossal chicken—towering a staggering thirty feet into the air and weighing in at a lean, muscle-packed 1,000 pounds—was aggressively pecking at a large, gaping hole at the base of a massive, ancient tree. Because of its hollow avian bones, the three-story monster was deceptively light, making its movements horrifyingly fast and agile.

  Its feathers were a chaotic mix of burnt crimson and ash-gray, shimmering in the light like smoldering embers, and its massive, dinosaur-like scaled legs ended in razor-sharp talons that gouged the dirt with every shift of its weight. The air around it already smelled heavily of ozone and scorched earth. Lying motionless on the torn ground nearby were Gravel, Tomas's undead cougar, and Evan, his undead water python—both torn to bloody pieces.

  A collective scan rippled through the group as they craned their necks upward to assess the towering, monstrous fowl.

  [Scream Flame Chicken Overlord (lvl 10)]

  The next moment, a piercing, high-pitched screech erupted from the colossal chicken, the sheer, metallic volume forcing everyone to clap their hands over their ears in pain. A long jet of searing, liquid flames shot forth from the creature's beak, scorching the ground into black glass where it landed.

  "Alright guys, I'll try and distract the thing while one of you can try and tie that beak shut," Scott yelled over the ringing in his ears, drawing his weapon.

  "I can go for the beak," George replied, his muscles already tensing, ready to move.

  David's voice chirped from the branches above, still in his shrike form. "I will summon vines and try to trap its movement, or at least slow it down!"

  "What about you, Rick?" Scott asked, his eyes fixed on the monstrous chicken.

  "I will find Tomas and take him to safety," Rick affirmed, his eyes frantically scanning the twisted roots at the base of the tree, trying to locate their missing comrade.

  As David began the rhythmic incantation for his vine spell, Scott shifted into his enhanced Beast Form, the familiar, intoxicating surge of raw power coursing through his veins and expanding his muscles. With a burst of explosive speed, he took off running towards the colossal chicken. Multiple thick, thorny vines erupted from the soil, snaking violently around the Overlord's massive scaly legs, hindering its stomping movements. Scott, agile and swift, launched himself over the first set of vines and slid in close, his short sword flashing as it left a deep, weeping gash along the creature's left leg.

  George, moving with the practiced, fluid agility of a seasoned monk, was close behind Scott. As the colossal chicken stumbled back slightly from Scott's attack, George used the opportunity to launch himself upwards, landing squarely on its broad back. He then nimbly climbed up the tough, scaled hide, his movements fluid and quick, until he reached the base of its long, heavily feathered neck.

  Drawing the Overlord's attention hadn't been a challenge; the colossal chicken seemed naturally aggressive. But when its beady gaze fixed on Scott and another ear-splitting screech ripped through the air, followed by a blast of searing flames that narrowly missed his backside, Scott's adrenaline spiked. He moved with lightning speed, circling the creature's massive, dinosaur-like feet, his short sword flashing as he landed quick slashes, trying to stay out of reach of its deadly beak.

  To his dismay, however, the Overlord's fiery breath tracked his movements with terrifying, surprising accuracy, forcing him to maintain his breakneck pace as the creature turned, its legs becoming increasingly entangled in the thick vines. Scott knew that even a moment's hesitation would mean certain immolation, so he continued his frantic, desperate dance around its legs, hoping the entangling vines would finally bring the beast to a halt.

  Finally, after what felt like an eternity of dodging heat and snapping jaws, George managed to maneuver his way to the top of the Overlord's massive head, skillfully avoiding the jets of flame. He pulled out a length of rope that shimmered with the unmistakable, iridescent sheen of spider silk and began the precarious task of wrapping it tightly around the creature's sharp, snapping beak.

  A flicker of movement in his peripheral vision caught Scott's attention. Rick was frantically pulling an injured and visibly burned Tomas from a narrow gap at the base of the massive tree. The sight galvanized Scott; he knew he had to maintain the Overlord's focus, or Tomas was surely doomed.

  Just then, the Overlord violently thrashed its massive head, snapping the tension and releasing the spider silk from around its beak, sending George flying through the air like a ragdoll. Reacting instantly, Scott leaped up and caught his airborne comrade mid-fall, quickly moving him to the relative safety of the sidelines.

  Another deafening screech ripped from the Overlord's beak, but this time, Scott noticed the flames weren't directed at him. Instead, they were blasting straight downwards, incinerating the thick green vines that had been ensnaring its legs into a cloud of gray ash.

  Turning on his heel, Scott sprinted towards the discarded rope, its pale surface reflecting the ambient light of the smoldering fires. "Hey guys, plan B!" he yelled, scooping up the silken cord. "I'm going to trip the Overlord like that Skywalker guy in that space wizards movie!"

  Just as the last of the vines crumbled into ash, a small bird—David in his hawk form—swooped in a blur of feathers, fearlessly dive-bombing and pecking at the Overlord's massive eyes, momentarily distracting the enraged creature. Seizing this crucial opportunity, Scott began to rapidly tangle the rope around the Overlord's thick ankles, wrapping it around and around until it was secured three times. Then, with a final burst of speed, he leaped under and through the colossal legs, darting around the massive tree to use its solid trunk as a makeshift anchor point.

  David narrowly dodged a swipe of the Overlord's fiery breath, the blistering heat singeing the tips of his tail feathers as the colossal chicken let out another deafening screech. George and Rick, seeing Scott pulling the rope taut behind the tree, rushed to his aid. Together, they dug their boots into the dirt and heaved with all their might, the muscles in their arms straining under the immense tension until finally, with a ground-shaking thud that rattled their teeth, the Overlord toppled to the earth, creating a small crater beneath its massive form.

  Taking advantage of the fallen beast's disorientation, Scott recalled a line from a famous rapper from Detroit: He charged forward, followed closely by his companions, and they unleashed a relentless, desperate barrage of attacks on the blinded and tangled creature. After a brief but intense struggle, with a few more close calls from the Overlord's flailing limbs and fiery breath, the monstrous chicken finally shuddered, succumbed to its numerous wounds, and breathed its last breath.

  The Overlord was a mess, its body riddled with smoking cuts and gashes from their combined assault. "I'd say this thing is well-filleted, but that's an understatement with how many cuts and wounds covered this creature," Scott observed, wiping the sweat and soot from his brow as he deactivated his Beast Mode.

  "Who's up for fried chicken tonight?" Scott cheerfully asked, a heavy wave of fatigue falling over his whole body. "Too soon?"

  David, ever the pragmatist, chimed in, "We're going to need a big skillet for this one."

  "How's Tomas doing?" Scott asked, his tone shifting back to concern.

  "He's a little worse for wear, but I think he'll make it," David replied, offering a reassuring nod.

  Exhausted but victorious, they began the arduous task of dragging their feet back towards the Mancave, their bags laden with the heavy spoils of their hunt. As they trudged along through the brush, David suddenly stopped.

  "Hey, I found something over here in the bushes!" he called out. They all gathered around to see what he'd discovered: a large, strangely patterned egg resting in the dirt, and beside it, a softly glowing chest.

  "Do the honors," George said, gesturing towards David.

  David stepped forward and carefully opened the chest, revealing a small, dark leather messenger bag nestled inside the velvet lining.

  "Hey guys!" David exclaimed, a huge grin spreading across his dirt-smudged face. "It's a Bag of Holding! Also, it seems like the chicken provided us with an egg to go with our breakfast steaks!"

  At that moment, a loud crack echoed. The large egg began to fracture, and a sizable, fifty-pound baby chick emerged, blinking its oversized eyes and stumbling as it adjusted to the light and found its footing. The chick's gaze landed on Rick, and a low, rumbling noise emanated from the creature's throat.

  "Maaaaw! Maaaaw!" it cried, waddling slowly towards Rick.

  Instinctively, Rick drew both of his daggers and dropped the still-injured Tomas to the grass, ready to defend himself.

  "Hey Rick, I believe this little one thinks you're its mama," Scott teased.

  "Ohhhhh, noooo," Rick groaned, his face a mixture of pure bewilderment and dread.

  The rest of the Crew erupted in laughter as the chick continued to happily nuzzle its downy head against Rick's leg.

  "Alright, time for us to head back home so we can get Tomas into bed and start his healing," Scott said.

  Just then, Bones came bounding out of some nearby bushes and leaped onto Tomas, letting out a mournful cry as he began licking his face with his, shall we say, distinctive undead breath.

  "Now, now, Bones, it's alright. I'm still here," Tomas mumbled, barely lifting a weak arm to push the undead wolf's snout away.

  Scott helped lift Tomas up, and they all began the trek back to the Mancave. Upon their return, David immediately set about magically healing Tomas, while Rick found himself reluctantly playing with the giant, squawking baby chick.

  "Hey guys, I'm going to head back to the Overlord and start a huge fire to roast the biggest chicken the world has ever seen. But first, I'd like to gather more materials from it for extra crafting. For example, I believe the feathers, being flame-resistant, could be used for some specialized gear and potions, like maybe even fire resistance potions," Scott announced. "And I am sure the skin could be used for some type of fire-resistant armor."

  "I'll join you, since this will be the biggest chicken I've ever cooked. It should make for a good story someday," George offered, a hint of culinary excitement in his calm voice.

  While walking back towards the Overlord, George and Scott engaged in conversation.

  "So, George, I heard you're a master of Wing Chun," Scott began, the crunch of leaves underfoot accompanying their steps.

  "That's true. I teach it both inside and outside of my home," George confirmed.

  "So, what belt are you?" Scott asked curiously.

  George chuckled. "Ah, a lot of people ask that question. It's a common misconception. Aside from the use of belts, we use levels, and there are ten of them. Currently, I am level ten. Do you practice any type of martial arts?" George inquired.

  "I do, actually. I am a black belt in Taekwondo, and I have trained a little in Muay Thai and Karate. Do you have a favorite technique?" Scott asked, his voice animated as they crossed the makeshift, mossy tree-bridge over the river.

  "My favorite Wing Chun technique is the Lian Wan Kuen, which consists of a chain punch. What about you?" George asked.

  "Well, my favorite moves, on the other hand, are a spinning back side kick from Taekwondo, and the traditional roundhouse kick from Muay Thai." Scott demonstrated, setting himself up and executing a powerful roundhouse kick, the air visibly whistling as his foot sliced through it.

  "Say, besides martial arts, what is your favorite dish?" Scott asked as they entered the scorched field where the Overlord lay.

  "Ah yes, food. I knew you would get to that," George said with a warm smile. "I prefer a good Buddha's Delight; it's a good mix of tofu and veggies. I prefer more vegetarian meals, but every now and then, I will indulge in poultry or other meats. Do you have a favorite dish?" he asked.

  "I do like a good Italian salad, and of course, air-fried chicken," Scott replied, his eyes scanning the open area.

  As soon as they arrived at the Overlord's massive carcass, Scott spotted two medium-sized Timber Wolves aggressively gnawing on the fallen beast.

  [Timberwolf (lvl 3)] x 2

  "Okay, so not too hard to manage. Maybe a few bites and scratches, but as long as we keep our wits about ourselves, we should be good," Scott said, drawing his shortsword from its leather sheath.

  They charged forward, catching the wolves off guard. Scott moved with practiced speed, slashing into the side of one wolf and gutting it before it even had a chance to turn and snarl in retaliation.

  Meanwhile, George moved in on the other wolf, delivering a devastating, burning palm heel strike to the side of its head, searing its left eye shut. The wolf howled in agony, momentarily stunned. Following up on his fiery attack, George unleashed a brutal flying backfist with incredible force. The impact snapped the Timberwolf's neck with a sharp crack, and it collapsed at his feet. Scott walked over and, with a swift thrust of his sword, ended the creature's suffering.

  They tossed the wolves aside and turned their attention to the monumental task at hand: harvesting the Overlord.

  Scanning the surrounding trees, they spotted quite a few small saplings that could be easily felled for firewood. But instead of simply using tools and weapons to cut them down, they decided to turn the physical task into a bit of friendly training. A competition was born: whoever knocked down ten trees the fastest would be declared the winner. The stakes were set. If Scott won, George would finally share his coveted steak recipe. If Scott lost, he would become George's Wing Chun student—a prospect he secretly welcomed, though he wasn't about to reveal that to his new friend.

  Before starting their impromptu competition, both Scott and George checked their system messages to ensure they were operating at peak performance. Scott was particularly glad he did.

  **You Have Slain [Screaming Fire Chicken Overlord (Level 10)] - Extra Experience Gained for defeating a creature above your level**

  

  [Timberwolf (lvl 3)] x 2

  

  "Okay, so now I'm at level 8. Very nice," Scott thought, a warm surge of satisfaction coursing through him. "It's time to kick it into high gear. I know I used Beast Mode earlier today, and I'm still a little tired, though I believe if I use it more I will hopefully be able to upgrade the ability."

  "How about ten large saplings each? I think that should do it for the kindling of the Overlord," said George.

  Scott looked at George and gave him a thumbs up, and George returned the gesture, his eyes narrowed in deep concentration. He could tell that George was more focused than he had ever seen him before.

  Scott started the countdown. "Three... two... one. Go!"

  Activating his Beast Mode, Scott went to brutal work on the first sapling. It took him around six powerful blows, using a combination of heavy kicks and punches, to bring the first one crashing down. Glancing to the side, he saw George felling his first tree at almost the exact same pace. They were neck and neck. The second sapling fell for both of them simultaneously. Scott started to pull slightly ahead on the third tree, the physical competition intensifying. Finally, they reached their last saplings, and both trees hit the forest floor at the exact same moment. Both yelled "Done!" in unison, chests heaving with exertion.

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  Scott turned to George, catching his breath. "I thought I had you there, but it seems like you really pulled through in the end."

  "Yeah, I couldn't let a young buck like yourself beat me, so I pushed past my limits," George replied, a proud grin playing on his lips.

  "Must... go... beyond... plus ultra..." Scott said in a dramatic, heroic tone between breaths.

  George looked puzzled. "What is going on? I must have missed something there?"

  "Oh, it's just a saying from an anime I used to watch," Scott explained, wiping sweat from his forehead.

  "Ah, you kids and your shows. I much rather spend time training or teaching than watching TV," George said with a slight, amused shake of his head.

  With the competition over, they began the heavy task of carrying the felled saplings over to the Overlord's carcass.

  Scott got to work gathering the coarse, heavy feathers and hide from the beast, and even got a few good leathers from it. The skin was so massive that he had to cut it up into smaller, manageable pieces and tie them off into smaller sacks. He even pried the massive claws out and set them in his bag for later use, along with the head to use for something later—maybe a helmet or something, he hadn't decided yet.

  Once he was done with the grueling skinning, they started building the fire. Scott grabbed the nearest stump and took a seat near the growing, crackling flames. George walked around the edge of the forest, gathering various fragrant herbs to toss onto the roasting Overlord, and pulled up another stump to sit beside Scott.

  Hours passed, and they sat in comfortable, warm silence, watching the massive bird slowly cook and sizzle over the open fire. Scott pulled up the two Timber Wolves they had slain earlier and began to skin them with his knife. The first one turned out exceptionally well. "Finally, I think I am getting the hang of it," he mused.

  But as he started on the second wolf, a cold, prickling sensation crawled up his spine. The ambient noise of the forest seemed to drop away. He could feel heavy eyes on him, watching him intently from the dark. He messed up his cut on the skinning. Looking over at George, Scott whispered, "We have company," and slowly reached for his newly acquired sword.

  They both jumped up and whirled around to face the new threat. A pack of wolves had emerged silently from the treeline, but these were far larger, far more imposing, and carried a menacing aura compared to the Timber Wolves they had previously encountered. Scott quickly scanned the largest one leading the pack before they could charge.

  [Alpha Female Timber Dire wolf (lvl 7)]

  In that instant, Scott shifted into his Beast Mode, the familiar, wild surge of power coursing through him. His canines elongated into sharp, predatory fangs, and he let out a deep, guttural growl that reverberated physically through the clearing. The sound had an immediate effect. The Beta Dire wolves, which had started to aggressively advance, froze in their tracks. Scott noted with grim, calculating satisfaction that there were seven Betas and one Alpha. An eight-on-two fight would have been a brutal and bloody uphill battle. But by challenging the Alpha directly, he seemed to have completely disrupted their pack mentality. The massive Beta wolves began to back away slowly, casting nervous, submissive glances between Scott and their leader.

  The Alpha Dire wolf stepped forward. She was a massive female, standing nearly 5 feet tall at the shoulder, stretching 9 feet in length, and weighing roughly 800 pounds of pure muscle. She was a formidable, awe-inspiring sight. Her thick fur was a dark purple color with a mix of browns, and her eyes burned with an intelligent, amethyst purple light.

  "George, I will deal with the Alpha alone. If any of the others attack, you deal with them," Scott said quietly, his voice low and dangerous.

  George nodded curtly and moved slightly to the side, positioning his stance to intercept any flanking maneuvers.

  "Ah, little one thinks he can take on an Alpha like myself," the Dire wolf Alpha said, her voice a low, rumbling growl that actually vibrated in the air.

  "Only if I have to," Scott replied, his own growl a challenging counterpoint.

  George looked back and forth between Scott and the Alpha, his expression a mix of sheer puzzlement and apprehension as the two growled aggressively at each other, the tension in the clearing thick enough to cut with a knife.

  "Don't worry, human," the Alpha Dire wolf said, her voice surprisingly conversational despite the fangs. "If you step aside and let us have that kill, we won't attack you."

  Scott laughed, the sharp sound echoing in the clearing. He met the dire wolf's glowing purple gaze steadily. "That's not going to happen. See, either you back off, or we'll have to fight right here in front of your pack to see who the true Alpha is."

  She hesitated, her ears flicking back, then replied, "I don't wish to fight you. But we are hungry and haven't had much to eat lately, since another pack usually takes our kills. You seem to have more than you can handle with that fire. So, say we have a truce and we help each other out?"

  Scott considered the offer, his eyes narrowing slightly as he weighed the options. "Okay, I'll bite. What do you have in mind?"

  "If you feed us, I will give you the location of a dungeon that is nearby, guarded by another pack of Dire wolves," she said slyly.

  "Deal," Scott replied, his voice firm. "But if there is any funny business between you and your pack, the deal is off."

  The Alpha Dire wolf nodded, her canine expression serious. "Upriver and through the woods, past the Ironwood Grove, sits a large rock. Within that rock lies the den of the Direwolf Alpha Gharnog. He is stronger than even I, with a pack twice the size of mine. They protect a gateway to a dungeon and a magical glowing box. If you deal with them, we will forever be in your debt and will not bother you any longer."

  "Seems a bit one-sided to me," Scott said.

  "Is that not simple enough for you, human?" the Alpha Dire wolf asked, her tone slightly challenging and defensive.

  "Yeah, it just seems like you're not telling me the whole story, and there's a catch," Scott replied, his gaze unwavering. "There's always a catch."

  "No catch, just business," she said, her voice smooth and sly.

  "Okay, it will be done in a few days' time," Scott said, nodding in agreement. "And could I spice it up a bit more? I have one more request in return since you want us to take out your competition."

  "What's that, little human?" she asked, a hint of curiosity coloring her growl.

  "That you give me a Dire wolf pup from your pack," Scott said, crossing his arms over his chest, his expression firm.

  She growled, a low, rumbling sound deep in her chest that spoke of immense displeasure. "We are not some animal stock to be traded as simple livestock or useless pets and playthings."

  "I agree. You're definitely not some pet," Scott countered, his tone reasonable but unyielding. "And since you haven't had much to eat in days, I figured that's one less mouth to feed for you, and I could grow my pack."

  "Pack?" she asked, a genuinely puzzled look on her furry face. "Humans don't have packs," she scoffed.

  "On the contrary, we do, and we train to hunt together back where I came from," Scott said proudly. "I have my reasons, but mainly, I miss my pups from home. They were not pets. No, they are family," he said, his voice laced with heavy emotion.

  She stared him down for a long, silent moment, her expression shifting from raw hostility to something akin to sympathy. She sat back on her haunches, her large tail thumping softly against the dry ground, a sign of deep thought.

  "Fine," she finally conceded. "You will have your pup. But if I see you mistreating this pup, I will hunt you myself."

  "I wouldn't have it any other way," Scott replied, a hint of a genuine smile playing on his lips.

  "I will be back with a pup, and we will feast," she growled, rising back to her imposing full height and turning to leave. She walked away proudly into the shadowy woods, the rest of the massive dire wolves following silently in her wake, leaving Scott and George alone once more by the roaring fire.

  George looked at Scott, a mixture of total surprise and curiosity on his face. "Did you just communicate with that Alpha through growls? Because I heard no words coming out of your mouth, just constant growling between the both of you."

  "Was I growling? I didn't even notice it," Scott replied, a bit surprised himself. "I guess I've always known how to talk to canines, ever since I was young. See, from the day I was born, I've been around dogs, and wolves and dogs are very similar in nature. I guess it's just always been a part of me."

  A translucent blue screen suddenly chimed into existence in front of his eyes.

  

  [Beast Speak]

  Scott read the glowing text and grinned. "Well, I guess the System agrees with me. It's officially a part of me now."

  "What does the Alpha want?" George asked, eager to understand the bizarre situation.

  "Oh, she would like us to take out a rival pack and share a portion of the scream flame overlord with their pack. I also sweetened the deal by asking for one of her pups in return for our service," Scott said nonchalantly.

  "Okay, not what I was expecting, but do we know where they are located?" George asked, his expression thoughtful.

  Scott recounted the rest of his conversation with the Alpha, detailing the location of the rival pack past the Ironwood Grove.

  They sat back down and waited and Scott heard a familiar sound from his system, so he opened up the screen to have a look.

  A few hours later, the Alpha Dire wolf returned, followed closely by her large pack of sixty hungry wolves. She carried a pure white pup gently in her powerful jaws that growled and nipped playfully at her as the pup hung there. Setting the pup gently down before Scott, she sat back on her haunches and observed closely as he interacted with the pup.

  Extending his left hand out in front of the young pup to let it take his scent, he held a juicy piece of roasted steak in his right hand, hidden behind his back for the young dire wolf. He knew that food was always a quick, reliable way into a dog's heart; the secret gateway was through their belly, and the dire wolf was clearly no different.

  The pup cowered slightly before Scott, looking back at the Alpha, shaking slightly, unsure of what to do. She leaned down and licked his head, nudging him forward encouragingly with her snout. He sniffed Scott's outstretched hand cautiously and then leaned in, rubbing his soft head against it. Scott smiled broadly, gently petting the thick fur on the pup and lifting him into his arms. He then fed the warm steak to the wriggly little fella that shook with joy, absolutely full of boundless energy.

  "Man, you're a lot like R2 when he was a pup," Scott said happily.

  George began expertly cutting up the roasted Overlord, carefully portioning out the massive chunks of hot meat to each of the Dire wolves, starting respectfully with the Alpha and ending with the small pup.

  "Do you have a name?" Scott asked the Alpha as she ate.

  "Dawn," she replied between bites. "And what do you go by, human?"

  "Scott is my name, but if you go by my gamer tag, it's Ghost," Scott answered.

  "Gamer tag?" she asked, pausing and tilting her massive head slightly.

  "Yeah, it's what we humans go by who play video games. It's a fun pastime that we do to relax after a long day's work," Scott explained simply.

  Turning his attention back to the pup in his arms, he asked, "Do you have a name yet, little fella?"

  "He doesn't speak yet, but we call him Geist," Dawn replied. "Just a warning, Dire wolves grow faster than normal wolves. It takes about thirty moons for Dire wolves to reach adult size, with the right nutrition and training," she added.

  "Wow, that is fast," Scott remarked, feeling the surprising weight of the young pup.

  After a few more hours of feasting, they bid farewell to the Dire wolves. George and Scott packed up as much of the leftover Overlord's meat and other harvested materials as they could physically carry, using the freshly scraped wolf skins as makeshift, heavy sacks.

  Taking the worn dirt trail back to the cave, Scott carried Geist, who already weighed a hefty 50 lbs., securely in his arms, while the extra heavy sacks were tied securely to his back. As they came within sight of the cave entrance, Scott saw Osia out by the water with the Timberwolf pups, patiently teaching them how to fish in the rushing river. Peter sat on a nearby wooden stump, intently scraping and sharpening his revolver in the fading light.

  "Eh, what are you doing there, Peter?" Scott asked, genuinely puzzled by the metallic scraping sound.

  "Oh, just making Darby here the sharpest gun around," Peter replied with a dead-serious look on his face, carefully running a gray whetstone along the metal barrel.

  "Okay, that's... not what I expected you to say. Now, is that what people do back in your country?" Scott asked curiously.

  "No, but it's something I do," Peter said, finally breaking his facade and cracking a smile. "What did you get there, Scott? Are you trying to start a zoo with all these animals you're collecting?" he asked jokingly, gesturing towards the white pup.

  "More like starting a wolf pack, but this one here isn't your normal wolf. This here is a dire wolf pup," Scott answered proudly, holding Geist up slightly for everyone to see.

  He set Geist down in the grass with Teran and Onyxiah, who were tumbling and playing by the riverbank. Geist instantly took to the Timberwolf pups, even though his physical size was a bit larger than the other two, playing like they were long-lost siblings from the exact same litter. Not long after, the pups were completely tired out, resting peacefully on the riverside, cuddled up into one big, fluffy, wet ball of fur. Even the Overlord chic cuddled up next to them peeking her head out every now and again looking for predators like it was a mother hen. As the sun finally dipped below the horizon, Scott and Osia gathered up the sleeping pups and went inside the damp cave to settle for the night.

  "We have some of that Overlord cooked up if you want any," George offered, setting down his heavy packs.

  "I can go for some chicken," Rick said, rubbing his stomach.

  "Yeah, I'm starving," Osia chimed in.

  Each one of the crew eagerly took a hot piece of roasted chicken set on wooden plates that Osia and Tomas had carved out in their free time, and convened closely by the warm fire.

  Scott and George relayed the wild story of their encounter with the massive dire wolves and the strategic deal he'd struck. They chatted for a while longer before Scott quietly went to check on Tomas. He found Tomas fast asleep, heavily bandaged from head to toe like a mummy, but his breathing was steady and peaceful.

  "How's he doing?" Scott whispered, asking David, who was meticulously tending to his medical supplies nearby.

  "He's doing fine, but it may take a few days of healing to get him fully back on his feet," David replied in a hushed tone. "Also, I've made some more potions during some downtime," he said, handing Scott three sloshing glass vials.

  He handed Scott two [Potions of Healing (Common)][Potion of Stamina (Common)]

  "I see you've upgraded your Alchemy. What level are you now?" Scott asked, impressed by the clear liquid.

  "I hit level 5 while showing Rick how to make some basic poison potions," David said, a clear hint of pride in his voice.

  "Very nice! Hey, do you think you could scout the location of the dire wolves' den tomorrow and get an idea of what we're dealing with?" Scott asked, turning his mind back to strategy.

  "I guess I could fly over and have a look," David replied thoughtfully. "But I think we should gain a few levels and get better gear before we take on an entire pack of Dire wolves."

  "Yeah, good idea. I think we should do a few night hunts since I've noticed the loot chests glow at night and are a little easier to spot in the dark," Scott suggested.

  "You know, we need to work on our mana manipulation, or at least try, just like the Hunter did in the isekai book we used to read," David added. "We can take a few days to work on our abilities while Tomas heals up."

  "Yeah, I'm not sure if I can do magic yet, though we can certainly try. But we can't forget I made a deal with an Alpha Dire wolf, so we need to keep that in mind. Otherwise, we'll be dealing with them, too," Scott reminded him.

  "Dude, you made a deal with a Dire wolf? That's crazy! And I didn't even know Dire wolves could talk," David exclaimed, his eyes going wide in the dim light.

  "Yeah, she doesn't speak like us, and I guess I can talk to them in growls, which is honestly really fucking cool," Scott said, a wide grin spreading across his face. "But you can transform into, like, any animal you want and communicate with them that way, can't you?"

  "With my new staff, I can talk to animals and transform into a few more animals, even an Owlbear. It's something I want to try very soon, and I haven't had a chance to yet since I've been watching Tomas. Now that he's healing, we should have time to train," David confirmed, gripping a piece of polished wood.

  "Very nice, where did you get the staff?" Scott asked, raising an eyebrow.

  "Oh, a lucky find," David said with a shrug. "Had to take a leak and on the way to the forest I stumbled upon a chest in the woods."

  "A lucky find indeed," Scott replied with a chuckle.

  After feeding the remaining animals, Scott and David headed outside. The evening sky was breathtaking. The sun had set just moments before, painting the horizon in deep hues of orange and purple, and the first bright stars were beginning to twinkle. The cool night air was filled with the rhythmic sounds of crickets chirping and the gentle, constant rush of the nearby waterfall. David and Scott walked to the grassy river's edge and sat down cross-legged.

  "Okay, what did the Hunter do again in that Primal book?" Scott asked, staring into the dark treeline.

  "So, if I remember correctly, we need to sit completely still and use all of our senses," David said quietly, closing his eyes.

  Scott sat there for a long while, focusing intently, trying to sense the elusive mana. He listened hard to the myriad sounds of the night—the rustling of dry leaves, the chirping insects, the distant rush of the waterfall—but he couldn't perceive anything out of the ordinary.

  He decided to try a different approach. Shifting smoothly into his Beast Form, he tried to listen again. At first, the magically enhanced senses of his transformed body were completely overwhelming. The smells were richer, earthier, and more distinct; the sounds sharper and echoing from further away. But then, as he focused past the physical world, he began to notice a faint, underlying hum—a subtle, thrumming vibration that resonated beneath the cacophony of the forest.

  He focused entirely on this sound, following it in his mind like a glowing thread. Gradually, the hum resolved itself into something more complex, a kind of ethereal music, like a shimmering aurora of sound, both deeply calming and intensely powerful. After some time, he opened his eyes. His vision, now tinted a predatory red from Beast Mode, revealed something entirely new: a faint, pulsing blue mist that hung suspended in the air, almost imperceptible, but undeniably present.

  He glanced over at David and saw that his friend had already managed to levitate a small, round stone a few inches above the dirt ground, his face a tight mask of pure concentration. Inspired, Scott looked down at a smooth, black pebble near the water and focused his attention intensely on it, trying to physically connect the image of the stone with the strange mana-song he was hearing. The next moment, he felt a faint tremor in the air, a subtle magical shift, and the pebble actually began to move. Both of them, visibly startled by their sudden success, abruptly broke their focus and stopped their attempts.

  "Hey guys, we need to close up for the night, and it looks like Tomas is starting to run a fever. Also, your Dire wolf pup is whining, and I would honestly like to get some shut-eye," Peter said quietly, his silhouette emerging from the dark cave entrance.

  Looking at Peter, Scott replied, "Okay, we'll be inside in a moment."

  He turned back to David, a wide, excited grin spreading across his face in the moonlight. "Dude, I could sense it, and I started to move a pebble!"

  "Did you see mine? I had the stone floating right in the air!" David exclaimed, equally surprised and buzzing with energy.

  Scott raised his fist for a celebratory bump, and David eagerly returned the gesture.

  "Dammit, I almost got the hang of it!" David said with a slightly frustrated look.

  "I know. We definitely need to do some more training," Scott replied, getting up and heading towards the rocky cave entrance.

  They locked the heavy door securely, and Scott picked up the whining Geist, carrying him gently to his bedroll. Seeing that the pup was in a strange new place and appeared scared, Scott decided to let him sleep right next to him for comfort. He deactivated his Beast Form and noticed, in the dying, flickering firelight, Osia sleeping peacefully with Terran, Onyxiah, and Sir Puggelsworth all curled up together in a furry, softly snoring heap.

  David was using some of his gentle healing magic to tend to Tomas's fever, with Bones sitting perfectly still and patient by his side, the wolf's glowing blue eyes fixed faithfully on his master. Rick was already sound asleep, the giant, bizarre baby Overlord chick nestled right beside him like a bizarre stuffed animal. Scott also noticed Peter sitting in the dark corner on a stump, half-asleep while rhythmically sharpening his revolver, sporting a rather lopsided cowboy hat made of woven straw. George sat completely still near the glowing embers of the fire, meditating deeply and keeping the first watch. It took a few minutes of gentle, soothing petting before Geist finally drifted off to sleep, and Scott soon followed.

  Scott was abruptly, violently awakened by Peter's frantic yelling.

  "Wake up, wake up, guys!" Peter shouted, his voice filled with raw alarm.

  Freezing, dark water was heavily flowing into the Mancave, the swollen river rapidly flooding their home.