The Beast Hunter group, moving in three active squads, advanced through the ancient forest. Aarav, leading the forward squad responsible for danger detection, carefully scrutinized the surroundings. The other two squads followed at a fixed distance, communicating only through their specific coded language.
As Aarav moved deeper, he observed signs of absolute chaos. They saw the tracks of many supreme, enormous beasts that had recently passed through the forest, moving the earth and shaking the very mountains. These creatures trampled everything in their path and ravaged the lesser mountain beasts. The enormous footprints they left were frighteningly large; while vaguely similar to those of humans, each measured nearly one hundred meters long!
Aarav, leading the group, felt intense shock; his throat became dry. He and his men increasingly realized that a devastating event had occurred within the mountain range abyss, drawing the Archaic Descendants from across the large desolate land.
They continued their slow, cautious advance when suddenly, they all heard a powerful, booming sound, followed by the fierce shaking of the trees, as if a localized earthquake had erupted. Aarav, focusing, tried to discern the source of the immense fighting.
After a moment, he used the specific coded language—a dialect mimicking the warning sounds of certain beasts—to signal the change. Rohan, leading the second and third squads, immediately understood. The entire group swiftly changed direction, moving toward the sound, which was emanating from the East of the Northern Wilderness. Squad 1 led the charge, with the others following closely.
Hidden far behind, Ahaan, who had learned the coded language from his grandfather, instantly understood the signal. He had already seen the massive footprints and the terrifying shadows, and now the sound of a powerful battle coming from the east fueled his excitement. He quickly adjusted his path, his young heart thrilled at the prospect of reaching the site and witnessing the fighting of such powerful beasts.
After moving three to four miles deeper into the ancient forest, Aarav, leading Squad 1, suddenly lifted his small binocular. Through it, he spotted a brutal, primal scene: a group of powerful beasts locked in an enormous fight.
He immediately identified three creatures: a Three-Tailed Demon Tiger, an Ice Phoenix Fox, and a colossal Dragon-Horned Elephant.
The Dragon-Horned Elephant's body was like that of forged metal, making it almost impossible for even the toughest iron spears to pierce its hide. Its pair of Dragon Horns were sharp as curved knives, capable of easily splitting apart massive boulders. The enormous beast was confirmed to be Rank 3. The Three-Tailed Demon Tiger and the Ice Phoenix Fox, both Rank 2 beasts, were relentlessly attacking the larger creature. Aarav knew that if the Demon Tiger managed to close the distance, its unique ability could shock people straight to death.
The enormous battle was intense. Though the two Rank 2 beasts were attacking fiercely, the Dragon-Horned Elephant fought with desperate rage. As time passed, the fighting reached its zenith. In a devastating counter-attack, the Dragon-Horned Elephant managed to tear the Ice Phoenix Fox into two pieces and delivered a fatal blow to the Three-Tailed Demon Tiger.
Aarav, who had witnessed the terrifying spectacle, considered giving the order to attack the elephant. His throat felt tight. His hunting group routinely engaged only Rank 2 beasts, and seeing the Rank 3 elephant still standing—even gravely wounded—made him hesitate.
Aarav forced himself to reassess the situation. Just as he was steeling his resolve, he saw the Dragon-Horned Elephant stagger and collapse onto the forest floor.
This is the moment, he realized.
Using their coded language, he swiftly informed Rohan. Understanding the signal, Rohan turned to his men and commanded: "Squad 2, prepare for immediate battle! We are moving to hunt that elephant! Squad 3, prepare the medicinal herbs—stand ready for any wounded warrior!"
All members of Squads 2 and 3 responded in a unified roar: "Yes, Deputy Chief!"
Immediately afterward, Squad 1 and Squad 2 moved with practiced precision, adopting their core fighting formation—a powerful defensive-offensive arrangement they had mastered.
Squad 1, led by Aarav, quickly split into two parts, positioning themselves to flank the target. Meanwhile, Squad 3 formed a protective formation around the vulnerable Squad 2. Squad 2, also dividing into two parts, adopted an offensive formation and launched their attack from two different directions.
They charged the fallen Dragon-Horned Elephant, focusing their furious assault directly onto its few weaker points. The elephant, already grievously tired and wounded from its previous intense struggle, was too exhausted to react. Before it could even gather its remaining strength, the synchronized attack from the two directions severed its massive head from its body.
After the Beast Hunter group swiftly killed the Dragon-Horned Elephant, they moved with extreme efficiency. They quickly collected the precious corpses of the three fallen beasts and immediately reformed their three disciplined squads.
Ahaan, who had witnessed the entire brutal fight, was tremendously impressed by the sheer power and coordinated skill of the hunter group.
Slowly, the group moved back through the northern wilderness. They avoided venturing too deeply, strictly targeting easy foods and vital resources. Aarav, leading the return, instructed everyone to hasten back; it was already evening, and Chief Mahendra had commanded their return before nightfall.
Ahaan, following them, was exhilarated. His deep, frenzied desire for power and his dream of becoming mighty were now stronger than ever. Having witnessed the strength of powerful beasts and the formidable fighting abilities of the hunter group, his resolve to begin his Cultivation was unyielding.
But consumed by these powerful daydreams, his focus wavered. When he finally looked up, he realized with a sickening jolt that he had lost the tracks of the Beast Hunter group. He frantically tried to follow their trail, but there was no trace of them for many distances.
The realization hit him like a physical blow: he was completely alone. He was now slightly afraid, the fear a cold weight in his belly. He knew this Ancient Forest was filled with ferocious and powerful beasts. If he encountered even one of them, he would instantly become their prey—their food. He was not even a Cultivator yet.