Doggone Academy

From an enormous distance, the likelihood of the roaring creature finding them was low, yet they could not afford to relax. Predators typically have exceptionally keen senses when hunting for prey. This being might possess unique detection abilities.

Having tasted fear once, they could no longer feel the same peace as before. The dread of predators had been etched deep into their subconscious.

At just that moment, Damian returned from scouting.

All eyes turned to him.

He approached the flat rock with a leisurely gait.

Observing his utterly unperturbed demeanor, Cecil asked,

Candy didnt you hear it?

I did.

Are we really okay?

If that thing doesnt come after us first, well pass through without trouble. Ive got a rough idea of its location, so itll save us some trouble when we head there later.

Cecil and the other group members stared at him, bewildered. He was talking about seeking out the monster.

Were going after it?

He replied casually,

No, Ill go after it once we part ways.

His tone was as if dealing with an annoyance.

Clearly, his way of thinking was different. He was actually considering the monster as his prey.

Cecils tension seemed to dissipate at the sight of his unwavering resolve, as if she had taken a calming agent. If even Candy had been alarmed, it would have likely magnified their unease. Thankfully, he was as steady as she had anticipated.

After all, he had willingly ventured into this land. Recalling this fact, the mans madness seemed reliable in the present circumstances.

Even Cecil, known for her independence, felt a desire to lean on and depend on Candy.

She glanced at Trisha, who was sticking close by. Trisha was looking at Candy with an indulgent expression, as if he were a knight in her service.

Trisha are you alright?

Startled, Trisha managed her expression and blurted out,

Ah, sis I still cant quite grasp it, so I dont know

.

Then she looked at Marta and Bertang, her fellow group members. Their faces betrayed a lack of confidence in Candy. If Cecil, their de facto leader, took an ambiguous stance, it could lead to division within the team.

She needed to make her position clear.

Cecil collected herself and approached Damian.

She took out all her frostwind bombs from her pocket and offered them to him,

Here. Im entrusting you with all of these.

Bertang was startled and tried to dissuade Cecil.

Those were the most powerful weapons Cecil possessed.

Hey, what are you doing!

Cecil turned her head and cut him off, firmly,

Shut up.

Then she looked back at Damian.

Damian also seemed reluctant to take it all on.

Theres too much.

Its not a gift. Use what you can, and return the rest when we part ways.

Wouldnt the person who made them utilize them better?

Theres a saying, a magician does not know what they make. Its not guaranteed that crafting a magical tool means one can fully unleash its potential. Im entrusting you because I think youll use them better than me.

Cecil had decided to cast away all mediocrity and bet on the best possible hand.

After all, who else would you trust but the overall top student? Especially since he was accompanied by the first-years greatest elemental master.

Damian silently gathered up the frostwind bombs.

***

Sion followed a faint scent in the air. It was unmistakably the smell of a campfire made by people.

After a while, she faced a particular cliff. The smell continued along the wall. Following the scent, she discovered a small cave.

The strongest scent of charring emanated from there. It was easy to deduce that someone had camped in the cave to avoid the previous days rain.

Sion entered the cave. Inside, she found only ash from a campfire and skewers blackened by fire. Kicking the remains, she uncovered embers. They had not left more than a day ago.

Around the campfire were traces of people sitting. Three individuals had stayed in the cave. Whether one of them was that man was still uncertain.

Back outside, Sion tracked unusual signs at the entrance of the cave.

Gigantic boar tracks and drag marks suggesting something had swept through them.

At their end lay the carcass of a boar, cloven in two.

The cut surface was twisted as if crushed by a powerful force. It was as if a powerful wave had swept across the area.

She knew a man who could wield such strength.

Suspicion now turned into certainty, and a faint smile played over Sions face.

She fondled her sword hilt, murmuring to herself,

Not much longer

***

Holding the map, Marta checked the terrain visible before her several times and said,

Theres no path.

Cecil and Bertang crowded around to look at the map with her.

Are you sure you checked it right?

Yes. Theres supposed to be a trail right in front of us. Look, its not there.

Cecil confirmed it herself, and Marta wasnt lying. The surrounding landmarks matched the map, but the trail they were expecting was abruptly missing.

To the left of the trail stood a tall cliff. Ahead and to the right, chasms stretched out.

Cecil gathered the whole team to discuss a new route.

Climbing the cliff was impossible. Not only were they unequipped for climbing, but the rock surface was also damp and slippery.

We have to follow the valley where the land is lower.

Bertang swallowed hard before speaking,

But that area

There was an alternate path. The problem was that the only route that took them a long way around from where they stood was also where the sound of the monster had been heard.

While they were seriously pondering their next move, Lunas wolf spirit returned from scouting with something in its mouth.

It was a massive lizard. It was much longer than a man lying down, and its body was covered in hard, gleaming black scales like encased in obsidian.

After communicating with the spirit, Luna relayed to Damian,

It had been following us from behind. How long its been there Im not sure. And it seems theres more of them.

Everyones senses heightened at the mention of more.

They must see us as prey.

Luna nodded.

Theyre moving strategically.

Luna and Damian sensed the ominous signs. The lizards resemblance to a dragon meant they couldnt dismiss a connection to the Wingless Dragon.

Seeing as they moved in groups and followed them methodically, these reptiles could possess intelligence beyond that of a common reptile.

The landslide that took out the trail may not have been an accident.

Im thinking the same.

To lure their prey into their territory.

It was a deliberate hunting strategy.

It meant that they were already too late to avoid being hunted.

Without hesitation, Damian made a decision,

Lets move on. At least we need to get past the gully before the sun sets.

Finally, after walking three more hours, they entered the detour. Their path turned into a long U-shaped valley that would allow them to be trapped if someone blocked the entrances.

The width of the valley was wide enough for ten carriages to pass side by side, but the tall cliffs on either side made it feel oppressively narrow.

Occasional waterfalls dotted the cliffs, but being at such a high elevation, half turned to mist before reaching the ground, blending with the wind.

The deep parts of the valley had no sunlight. Every step rustled the moss underneath, and a small stream, too humble to be called a creek, flowed beside them.

There was no time to appreciate the natural scenery. Anxiety dominated their thoughts, fearing what might emerge.

Everyone was noticeably exhausted from the walk.

Damian took the lead, with the others following.

Then Lunas wolf spirit returned from scouting ahead.

Three wolves each carried a lizard in their mouths. The fact that they had caught more meant it wasnt a good sign.

Lunas eyes widened after communicating with the spirits and she approached Damian,

The atmosphere is ominous. We need to prepare for battle.

How many?

She hesitated, weighing her words, then said,

There are many. A lot.

Damian pulled out a potion from within and gulped it down, then said,

Look after the kids.

Okay. Be careful

Luna had access to many spirits, making her more suited to covering a larger area.

Damian planned to engage in combat with his colleagues, and if a leader of the pack appeared, he intended to send his allies to the rear and face it alone.

He glanced back at the group following Cecil and made eye contact with Trisha, who was sticking close to her. Her expression betrayed complex feelings as she watched Damian.

To Damian, Trisha was a figure evoking mixed emotions. On the one hand, he felt it would be more convenient to be with someone who knew his identity, but he also wanted to shy away from her, fearing she might resurrect memories he had buried about Liza.

He wanted to cast her aside as she might bring trouble during the practice, but at times, he felt the urge to keep her close and protect her thoroughly in case of danger.

It was as though Luna had read his thoughts when she asked,

Is your friend bothering you?

Damian shook his head.

Lets just get this over with and offload the baggage.

He proceeded to take the lead again, and the rest followed.

After walking for about ten minutes, Trisha who noticed something unusual pointed towards the cliff and asked Cecil,

Sis, do you see that on the cliff?

What is it?

There appeared to be strange, ambiguous-sized shadows cast by the cliffs rugged surface.

Cecil took out a telescopic glass to verify. They were indeed holes. They seemed small enough that it was challenging for a person to stand in them. They were more like burrows than caves.

And from those holes, dark things suddenly emerged and scampered down the cliff.

!

They were nimble, like cockroaches.

It wasnt just one. Dark creatures started pouring out from the surrounding holes.

Lunas wolf spirits started barking furiously as though warning of danger.

Cecil shouted immediately,

Candy! Theyre coming for us!

Soon after, an even more terrifying event unfolded. The roar that had previously struck fear into the group members started reverberating through the valley once more.

The source was perilously close.

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