Chapter 63: Sweeping the Cave (Part 1)

After using Lava Giant Rock and Arctic Storm in quick succession, I was left with less than 10 mana points. I drank a minor blue potion and waited a while. When my mana was back up to 22 points, I immediately cast Oak Sage.

About 20 seconds later, a faintly red-glowing, starfish-like object appeared before me, its five tentacles swaying softly, and in the center, there was a tiny eye.

We stared at each other for a long time before I finally reacted and tried to communicate with it. To my surprise, the Oak Sage, living up to its name, could sense my intentions. Similarly, I could feel a gentle, faintly joyful message from it. Unfortunately, it couldn't fight, but if it could, the close connection we shared would have made it a great asset.

I couldn't resist touching its faintly red tentacles, but to my surprise, they were made of condensed energy, like solid energy bands. The oval-shaped hard core in the center was its physical form.

After studying it for a while, I sent it a command not to stray far from me and not to wander around. It obediently floated to my side. Hoho, it was much more well-behaved than that damned crow. I glanced at the crow, which was huddled on the ground like an old hen laying eggs. To my surprise, it seemed to know what I was thinking and turned its head to protest with a few "caws." Damn beast, why are you so sensitive only at times like this? Why can't you be as sensitive during battles and follow my commands more carefully? Are you deliberately slacking off?

Next, due to my mana issue, it took me over an hour to summon five huge ghost wolves. They were about half my height, and if they stood upright, they would be taller than me. Their bodies were covered in gray fur, and their four strong legs ended in hard, sharp claws. Their fierce mouths were half-open, revealing a blood-red tongue with backward-facing spines. Their eyes, especially, exuded a sinister and fierce aura. If not for the mental fortitude I had developed over the past few days, I might have been terrified by my own summoned pets.

These ghost wolves lived up to their name. Without my command, they floated around me like ghosts, moving silently and occasionally teleporting to another spot. This was likely their unique teleportation ability, though they couldn't control it well and only used it instinctively when encountering obstacles.

I carefully examined the five wolves and noticed one that was more docile, staying close to me rather than wandering like the others. I felt a surge of joy and stroked its smooth, gray-brown head, making a decision in my mind.

Next, I used some more mana to summon the other four crows. Why? To go after the little boss, of course! I had already discovered the entrance to the second level of the cave a few days ago but held back, fearing that the little boss might have been killed by someone else during that time.

Communicating with the ghost wolves went smoothly, much better than with the five restless crows. They formed a "V" formation under my command, with me and the Oak Sage in the center. I didn't restrict the movements of the Venomous Flower Vine, which was the strongest of my summoned creatures and usually very well-behaved.

On the way, my summoning party encountered a group of Fallen. I decided to test the ghost wolves' strength and let them take the lead.

There were about 20 Fallen, including two Fallen Mages. The ghost wolves moved silently, and the dim lighting of the cave made it difficult for the Fallen to notice them. By the time the ghost wolves were just a few meters away, the Fallen panicked, but it was too late. The five ghost wolves, no longer hiding, pounced with a swift "swoosh." Their combat style surprised me; they never attacked alone but always in groups. Initially, all five attacked together, but when they realized the Fallen couldn't withstand their simultaneous assault, they split into two groups, targeting isolated Fallen. They would rush in, kill one, and immediately use their speed to attack another. Despite the numerical advantage of the Fallen, the ghost wolves surrounded and toyed with them, creating a striking contrast.

Before I could fully process the ghost wolves' brilliant tactics, the Fallen were already all dead, leaving only a pile of corpses. The ghost wolves continued to patrol the area, occasionally sniffing the bodies to ensure the enemies were truly dead.

Only two of the five wolves had suffered minor injuries, while the other three were unscathed. Their eerie and agile attack techniques often left the Fallen no time to counterattack before being killed.

They were incredibly strong! I didn't even need to command them. If I had, the results would have been far less impressive. These wolves, with their cunning and ferocity, were individually not terrifying, but together, their coordination was truly frightening, and their combined strength was more than just the sum of their parts.

However, like the Venomous Flower Vine, the ghost wolves' combat had its flaws. If they could fully utilize their teleportation ability, the battle could have been faster and with less effort. Unfortunately, they couldn't.

As I thought about this, I led my summoning army to the cave where I had rested before. The passage still felt sinister, but with my improved strength, I no longer felt oppressed. Instead, I was quite happy—apparently, the little boss hadn't been killed by anyone else.

My concern was not unfounded. The Rogue Encampment was full of strong individuals. While I was no longer afraid of anyone in a one-on-one fight, I would still lose more often than win against a powerful team. This meant that there were many combinations in the Rogue Encampment that could kill the little boss.

Checking my attributes, I had 3 points left at level 7, and now at level 12, I had a total of 28 attribute points and 161 health. I allocated 20 points to vitality, bringing my total to 62 (with 2 points from blue cloth armor), and my health to 221. With the 131% health boost from the Bear Form and the 65% from the Oak Sage, my total health reached 654. If only considering the health boost from my skills, the Druid was undoubtedly the class with the thickest health, though its defense was inferior to that of the Paladin and Barbarian.

Before entering the passage, I positioned the ghost wolves at the back. Although they had high defense, their health was still low. It was better for me to act as the tank, drawing the enemies' attention and letting the wolves attack.

When I reached the spot where I had heard footsteps before, I activated the Bear Form. The transformation was painful; while the Werewolf Form involved bone stretching, the Bear Form involved not only bone cracking but also muscle stretching and swelling, like a balloon being inflated. The pain and itching were intense, and I would have preferred being shot by the little boss.

However, the pain was worth it. After the transformation, I looked at my new, brown-furred hands, which were about three times larger than before. My thick, strong hands felt incredibly powerful, and my entire body, covered in tough, muscular flesh, was much larger. Compared to the other wolves, I was now nearly three meters tall. Doug, the most muscular Barbarian I had seen, was now smaller than me.

I moved my arms, but the sudden muscle growth was not entirely beneficial. I found my body stiffer and less flexible, which was uncomfortable. It was like the first time I transformed into a werewolf, when I had to adapt to the sudden lightness and agility.

After completing the Bear Form, I activated the Frost Armor, bringing my overall defense to 90%. In the entire Rogue Encampment, no one could match my health and defense.

I heard the sound of hurried, heavy footsteps approaching. I sneered and moved forward—since you're eager to die, I'll oblige you.

A moment later, a blue-skinned Black Rogue appeared with nine other Black Rogues. Without a word, he unleashed a barrage of arrows.

I didn't dodge. With my current control over the Bear Form, it was impractical. The ten arrows hit me, and nine of them only left white marks on my fur, dealing 4 points of damage. The last arrow was more powerful, piercing my fur and turning my brown fur blue, dealing 9 points of damage. Damn, the little boss was indeed formidable, with an attack power more than twice that of the nine ordinary Black Rogues combined.

I shook my massive bear head and smiled at the little boss, intending to mock him. However, I couldn't control my facial muscles, and the smile came out more menacing than I intended.

Meanwhile, under my command, the five ghost wolves, the Venomous Flower Vine, and the four crows silently approached the Black Rogues. When the Black Rogues prepared for their second round of attacks, they revealed their true ferocity.

"Ahh..."

The Black Rogue attacked by the Venomous Flower Vine screamed and fell dead, and the one pounced on by the five ghost wolves met the same fate.

Then, the Venomous Flower Vine led the charge, and the five ghost wolves split into two groups, attacking the other Black Rogues.

The little boss was left to the four crows. I didn't expect much damage, but I hoped they could interrupt his attacks. While the little boss's damage wasn't a big deal to me, the freezing effect was unpleasant.

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End of Part 1