After the initial shock of the destruction, Captain Crowler ordered everyone to search the area, dividing into small groups of four, while he attended to something else.
However, since the forward base had been completely destroyed, there wasn't much to find; they barely managed to locate a few scattered remnants.
After about an hour of fruitless searching, a reunion signal was sent. Everyone headed to the designated spot, where the groups regrouped, and subsequent actions were decided.
"We will continue advancing until we reach an area with a higher concentration of beasts. We should then establish a temporary base, as nightfall will come soon. Tomorrow, at sunrise, we will begin hunting," explained Crowler, finishing his instructions and leading the group forward.
Looking at the sun, it was clear that it was near its highest point, which meant it would begin to set in a few hours. With the forest's limited visibility, this could become a problem.
As they advanced northward, the team members began discussing the destruction and the sheer power of a true Level 2.
"Isn't it incredible?" Ivy said, half excited, half frightened. "They say that at Level 1, no matter how strong you are, you're like an ant compared to a Level 2. I thought it was a joke, but that… is terrifying."
"Indeed," Clark added. "I read in the Sutra Hall that beings who reach Level 2 can destroy mountains with their strength, but I thought it was just exaggeration."
"But it's a shame, isn't it? Each forward base contains a peak-level 1 spiritual vein. We don't have many left, and losing one like this is truly unfortunate," Peter said.
"Tragic, yes, but losing is normal in war," Crowler said in an odd tone, silencing everyone.
"Pfttt, what war, Captain?" Dina said with a laugh, followed by a few others.
The fact that they were preparing for war had only been revealed to the high command. However, it was common for semi-central figures like Crowler to notice.
Dante thought: Preparations have already begun. Weapons and talismans are being readied at full speed, and the hunting teams are extremely active. Crowler and the other leaders must have understood.
"Oh? Is it true, Captain, that your rival managed to reach eight stars?" asked Arthur, who had been with Crowler the longest; after all, they were cousins.
Crowler seemed flustered, and even Dante couldn't help but chuckle, as it was a well-known story.
"Tsk, that grumpy bear would still lose to me, even if he reached nine stars. After all, I am Crowler, the Iron Hunter!" he said proudly.
"Who's this bear?" Dante asked quietly, but everyone overheard.
"Oh, young leader, you don't know our captain's story? Allow me to explain," Arthur said, trying to suppress his laughter.
"About thirty years ago, two extremely strong children were born in our village: Crowler, the Beast, and Crawler, the Bear. As you can imagine, there was always a rivalry due to their similar names and nicknames, and it quickly grew intense."
"However, the little Beast and the little Bear both fell in love with a girl named Rosa, and they began competing for her from childhood. Both became respected knights: Captain Crowler became a master swordsman, while Captain Crawler became an incredible lancer. They competed for many years for her hand, but when Crowler finally decided to confess, she was already engaged and in love with someone else."
When Arthur finished the story, laughter erupted among everyone — poor Captain Crowler, who felt a twinge of pity.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk," Crowler clicked his tongue three times before picking up speed.
"The captain is still so sentimental… that iron mask really doesn't suit him. Maybe he should wear a butterfly mask instead," Viena said jokingly.
Once the conversation ended, everyone hurried to catch up with the captain.
After about thirty minutes heading north, they came across a natural stone formation, which they decided to use as a temporary base, as it provided enough space.
First, they set up a small Level 1, mid-grade formation around the stones and then began minor modifications: traps, small-scale terrain-altering talismans, preparing the settlement for rest, and setting up an area to process beast materials.
They were not only hunting beasts; they also had to process them. Each creature had specific parts to collect: the focus was the cores, followed by major body parts (horns, claws, teeth), then skin and bones — used for armor and talismans — and finally, blood and meat. Blood was collected only from specific beasts, such as poisonous ones or those with special attributes, while the meat was utilized as fully as possible.
Additionally, they needed to gather specific spiritual items, such as spiritual herbs for incense, malic flowers — used in low-level potions — and, if possible, tree barks above Level 1, which were used for talismans.