3. Mercenary Squad

“Your Highness, the Magic Beast Forest is far too dangerous. We should turn back!” At the edge of the woods, a tall man in a five-person team—three men and two women—spoke to a red-haired woman dressed as a warrior before him.

“Kro, if you’re afraid, go back on your own. And remember, out here you call me Captain!” The red-haired woman turned, annoyed.

The other three members stifled their laughter. “Kro, our target this time is only a second-rank Wind Wolf. Besides, we’re not heading into the depths of the forest. With our team’s strength, the risk at the outskirts is actually quite low,” added a handsome young man.

“That’s right. We’ve got three Swordmasters, a Fire Mage, and me—a Wood Mage. We’re stronger than most fourth-rank mercenary teams. If our squad hadn’t just been formed, we wouldn’t bother with this second-rank mission!” said another, a girl in pale green mage robes.

Their mercenary squad had formed only yesterday. The captain, leading at the front, was named Vivian—a princess of the Dragonrock Empire. The tall man was Kro, her royal guard. The handsome youth was Hughes, their Fire Mage. The girl in green was Mona. The last member, silent and walking at the rear, was a burly man named Tark. All five hailed from the Imperial Academy.

Though young, they were considered prodigies among their peers on the continent.

The continent they inhabited was called the Magus Duel Continent—a name born from its people’s pursuit of magic and martial energy. Magic ranks were: Magic Apprentice, Advanced Magic Apprentice, Mage, Grand Mage, Magus, Great Magus, Magister, Grand Magister, and Archmage—nine in total. Martial energy ranks were: Swordsman, Great Swordsman, Swordmaster, Grand Swordmaster, Sword Sovereign, Grand Sword Sovereign, Sword Saint, Grand Sword Saint, and Sword God—also nine ranks.

The Magus Duel Continent teemed with diverse races. Beyond humans, there were beastfolk, elves, dwarves, druids, and others. The seas and forests teemed with magical beasts, ranked from one to nine.

…

Elsewhere in the forest, Mo Fei was making his way toward the five-person squad at the forest’s edge. Along the way, he noticed that the animals of this world were far larger and fiercer than those in his previous one. Just moments ago, a meter-long rabbit with bloodshot eyes had bounded up and rammed him. It took considerable effort to shake it off.

“Unbelievable—a cultivator of the Golden Core stage, bullied by a rabbit. Once my strength returns, I’ll roast you for sure,” Mo Fei grumbled.

To escape the forest quickly, Mo Fei resolved not to tangle with these irritable creatures. If even rabbits were this large and aggressive, any encounter with something fiercer could be fatal.

Sunlight filtered through the trees, dappling the ground. It was now midday. After cautious progress, Mo Fei reached a pile of rocks and prepared to rest. Suddenly, a rustling came from the bushes ahead—a dangerous aura approached. Mo Fei watched the direction of the sound, his sense of peril intensifying.

Suddenly, a blur of green burst from the underbrush, charging toward Mo Fei. The creature—startled by the human before it—fixed him with blood-red eyes, as if confronted by something terrifying. It braced its forelegs, slowing abruptly, and stopped two fathoms short of Mo Fei, raising a cloud of dust.

Mo Fei, wary and tense, gazed at the nearly two-meter-tall green wolf before him and swallowed hard. The giant wolf likewise sized up the human, sensing he was not as dangerous as the previous group, and bared its fangs in a bloodthirsty glare.

Just as the wolf prepared to deal with the human blocking its path, several figures burst from the bushes, swiftly encircling the wolf in a semicircle.

The newcomers were Vivian and her squad. Earlier, they had found their target—the second-rank Wind Wolf—at the forest’s edge, and launched their attack. Their combined strength far outmatched the Wind Wolf, forcing it into retreat. Possessing a degree of intelligence, the Wind Wolf realized it was no match and tried to escape with its speed.

The squad would not allow their quarry to flee and gave chase. During its escape, the Wind Wolf was blocked by Mo Fei, leading to the current scene.

Mo Fei studied the five newcomers, noting their features, skin, and hair were markedly different from people of his original world. “So this is what people look like here? They seem powerful—able to chase this giant wolf all over. Perhaps I could leave the forest with them?” he wondered.

While Mo Fei watched them, the five were observing him as well. “Who are you? Why are you alone in the Magic Beast Forest?” Vivian asked, curious about the strange black-haired, black-eyed, yellow-skinned man.

To Mo Fei’s relief, their speech matched his own world’s language, so he could understand them. Facing the giant wolf, he replied helplessly to Vivian, “Miss, your curiosity can wait. Let’s deal with this beast first, and I’ll tell you everything afterward.”

Hearing this, the group focused their attention on the Wind Wolf. Mo Fei saw the handsome youth raise a wooden staff set with a crystal, chanting softly as the surrounding energy pulsed. Sensing the oddity, Mo Fei instinctively extended his spiritual sense and found red fire energy converging on the crystal.

Soon, a fist-sized fireball formed above the crystal. The youth swung his staff toward the giant wolf, and the fireball shot to its head, singeing its fur. The wolf, pained and denied escape, lunged at its attacker. The others responded, slashing with their glowing swords. Having abandoned flight for fury, the Wind Wolf quickly fell under their assault.

Mo Fei watched as the red-haired woman plunged her sword into the wolf’s skull and withdrew a thumb-sized green stone. He asked curiously, “What is that stone?”

“You’re in the Magic Beast Forest and don’t know what this is?” Vivian replied, puzzled.

“I came from far away, got chased by a big rabbit, and lost my way in the forest,” Mo Fei explained.

“Chased into the forest by a big rabbit? Ha ha ha…” Mona burst out laughing.

Mo Fei looked at Mona, confused. “What’s wrong? Did my lie fail? Is my excuse not convincing?” he wondered.

Seeing his small stature and bewildered expression, Vivian explained, “That rabbit is called a Hopping Hare. It’s the lowest level of magic beast—no attack power. Its only move is to bump into people. Any ordinary person could handle it.”

Hearing this, Mo Fei blushed. Who would have thought that a Golden Core cultivator would flee from a harmless rabbit?

After some conversation, the group introduced themselves. Mo Fei claimed to come from a remote place, raised by an elderly man, and ventured out recently for experience, only to get lost and encounter them in the forest. He learned that all five were from a place called the Dragonrock Empire, students at the Imperial Academy in the capital. To experience the mercenary life, they formed the Rose Mercenary Squad and entered the Magic Beast Forest to complete their mission—slay a second-rank Wind Wolf and obtain its magic core.

Mo Fei seized the chance to ask to return to the imperial capital with them. Vivian, seeing his frail and harmless appearance, agreed.

“Hughes, how did you make that fireball?” “Vivian, why do your swords glow?” … “Mona, how do you keep your skin so nice?” Along the way, Mo Fei peppered them with questions like a curious child. At first, the group patiently explained basic knowledge of the continent. As time passed and Mo Fei grew more comfortable, his questions became cheekier, prompting Mona to whack him with her staff to quiet him.

“Mo Fei, if you truly want to learn, why not come with us to the Imperial Academy? Anything you wish to know can be found in our library,” Vivian suggested, smiling at his embarrassed expression.

“Wonderful! I’d love to be as strong as you all. But can anyone just enter the Imperial Academy?” Mo Fei asked, uncertain.

“Don’t worry. If I say you can enter, you’ll enter!” Vivian declared confidently.