Chương 57: Rite of Challenge

Ch 57 - Rite of Challenge

"Fang," Jester called calmly. A massive Dire Wolf emerged from the shadow. He was noticeably larger than the others, with dark charcoal fur that bordered on black. A deep growl rumbled from his throat as he stepped forward. The moment Fang appeared, the rest of the Dire Wolves immediately became alert. Their growls fell silent, and several instinctively lowered their heads. Even Pine's expression stiffened as he unconsciously took a step back. Jester walked forward with Fang following closely behind him.

Lucia remained standing where she was, while Elora's face had turned completely pale. Jester gently took Elora's hand and guided her beside him.

"Stay near me."

"Y-Yes... Your Highness..." The Dire Wolves were all relatively high-level monsters, each well above Level 100. If they attacked together, Lucia would likely be able to hold them off with her strength. Elora, however, was a healer. She would be in real danger. Jester fixed his gaze on the pack.

"I need one of you to become Lucia's partner." Several of the Dire Wolves answered with low growls.

"If you wish to become stronger, then leave these walls and fight alongside worthy masters. Hunt stronger prey. Face greater battles. Fang stands before you because he continued to grow beyond the limits of an ordinary Dire Wolf. You all know whose command made that possible." [The Dire Wolves have acknowledged their Alpha. The pack's hostility has subsided. They are now willing to seek worthy masters and grow stronger through battle.] Moments later, one of the Dire Wolves stepped out from the pack.

It was slightly smaller than Fang, its build lean and graceful, making it obvious she was female. She slowly approached Lucia. Lucia looked into the wolf's blue eyes before carefully reaching out with one hand. The Dire Wolf did not resist. Encouraged, Lucia gently cupped the wolf's face with both hands. [The Dire Wolf has responded positively to Lucia. Compatibility confirmed. [The beast now recognizes Lucia as a potential new master. Loyalty can now be established through a binding contract.] [Epic Monster Bound Available] [Target: Dire Wolf] [Prospective Master: Lucia] [Grade: Epic] [Level: 115] [Chaos Cost: 55]"The Dire Wolf has an Epic grade?" Jester muttered. Pine, who was still standing nearby, immediately lowered his head." Yes, Your Highness. She is one of the strongest Dire Wolves in this facility. Her speed and agility surpass the others, and her instincts in battle are exceptional. I am confident she will become an extraordinary companion under Lady Lucia's command." [55 Chaos Consumed.] [Epic Monster Bound Initiated...] The only thing that annoyed Jester was the cost. Why did it jump to fifty-five? When he had formed a bond with Fang, it had only cost him thirty-five Chaos. [Synchronization complete.] [Epic Monster Bound successfully established.] Moments later, the Dire Wolf's body began to change. Her dark fur gradually shimmered with light before transforming into a brilliant white. Only the upper portion of her body retained its darker coat, now accented by faint golden streaks that flowed across her shoulders and back. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. The new appearance suited Lucia perfectly. [Chaos Bound Synergy Activated.] [Investments made to strengthen your Chaos Bound partners will generate returns beyond their original value.] [Calculating Chaos Bound Investment Reward...] A faint smile appeared on Jester's face as another familiar notification appeared before him. Isn't this a little too addictive? Every time he invested something into Lucia, he somehow ended up receiving even greater rewards in return. [Investment value exceeded expected return.] [Bonus reward granted.] [Chaos +125] Well, he had just earned back more than twice the Chaos he had spent on the bond. [Special Trait Unlocked.] [Future offspring born from this Dire Wolf will inherit a natural affinity toward your faction.] [They will possess significantly higher loyalty from birth and will be far easier to establish Monster Bound with.] The Dire Wolves throughout the kennel lowered their heads once again, as though acknowledging the transformation that had taken place. Pine, who had already been trembling moments earlier, turned completely pale." H-How...?" he whispered in disbelief." I've... I've never witnessed anything like this before. The Dire Wolf's dormant potential has awakened... She even gained a second form." His eyes remained fixed on the transformed beast." That kind of evolution should only be possible for Beastmasters possessing an Epic-grade skill or higher. This... this is truly beyond anything I've ever seen." His voice trembled as he spoke. Jester offered no response. Instead, he walked deeper into the kennel, approaching the Dire Wolves that had all lowered their heads before him. His gaze swept across the pack once more, searching for one that might be suitable for Elora. After waiting for several moments, however, no notification appeared. There was no Monster Bound prompt like the one Lucia had triggered." I guess I need to establish a Chaos Bound with Elora first." A few smaller Dire Wolves suddenly wandered out from the back of the pack. They were much younger, only about the size of large adult dogs. Instead of growling aggressively, they simply watched the newcomers with curious eyes. Standing beside Jester, Elora slowly crouched down. One of the young Dire Wolves cautiously trotted toward the timid elf." H-Hello, little ones," she said softly with a gentle smile." Have you all eaten already? Would you like to play with me?" The young Dire Wolf simply sniffed her hand before quietly sitting down, while the others continued watching from a short distance. Jester quietly stood back up and turned toward Lucia." Have you decided on a name for your Dire Wolf?" Lucia smiled and nodded." Yes, Your Highness. We've decided to call her Faria. Do you like it?"" Faria?" Jester raised an eyebrow." Why does that name sound... So elegant?" Then he remembered." Right... She's female."" Very well. I think Faria is a good name. It pairs nicely with Fang." His thoughts immediately drifted elsewhere." What if Fang and Faria were bred together?" Both of them had already unlocked their second forms and had been enhanced through Chaos. If their offspring inherited even a portion of those traits from birth, it would greatly accelerate the growth of the entire Dire Wolf pack. If that happened, building an elite corps of Dire Wolf mounts for his trusted maids and chosen knights would become far easier than he had originally imagined. The thought alone was enough to bring a faint smile to his face. Jester walked over to Pine, who still stood frozen in place, his face pale from everything he had just witnessed." From now on, make sure Fang and Faria receive the best care whenever they return from their missions. I also want you to carefully oversee their breeding. We will use their bloodline to build a stronger Dire Wolf pack for Necroton. As for the remaining Dire Wolves, continue their training as you normally would." Pine immediately lowered himself into a deep bow." Your Highness... your blessing is truly beyond anything I have ever witnessed. What happened today defies all common understanding. I deeply regret doubting your decision, even for a moment. Please forgive my ignorance." Jester paid no further attention to the apology. He simply turned and left the Dire Wolf Kennels. A short while later, Jester had returned to his original appearance. His crimson hair, streaked with black, swayed in the wind as he rode Carnival Fang across the dry, sandy plains stretching beyond Necroton. Dressed in his signature clown outfit, he led the way with Elora seated behind him, holding on carefully. Not far beside them, Faria raced across the plains with equal speed, Lucia riding confidently on her back. Traveling this way made long-distance journeys far more efficient. The Dire Wolves possessed exceptional speed and mobility, allowing them to cover ground much faster than a royal carriage ever could. Of course, there was one drawback. Riding Dire Wolves made it easier for others to recognize their identities if they were seen up close. Even so, it attracted far less attention than traveling in a royal carriage. That was why both Lucia and Elora had changed out of their usual maid uniforms and into simple travel clothes that helped them blend in. ** The ground shook beneath the thuds of heavy footsteps as trees were shoved aside to make way for a giant figure pushing through the forest. The giant emerged into an open clearing where dozens of crude hide tents were scattered across a rugged encampment. From every corner of the disorderly camp, several giant creatures turned toward the newcomer before slowly rising to their feet. Their expressions shifted between anger and disbelief. They were Bullkin, towering humanoids with dark, rugged skin, coarse patches of fur covering their backs and shoulders, and a pair of thick, curved horns jutting from their heads. The newcomer was a Bullkin as well. Resting a massive battle axe across his shoulder, he strode into the center of the camp without the slightest hesitation." Bring that pathetic Tribe Chief out here!" the Bullkin bellowed." The old fool has grown weak, and he no longer deserves to lead this tribe. Under his command, nearly a third of our warriors have died, and we've lost more territory and resources than ever before. Enough of this disgrace. Today, I'll cut off his head and show every one of you what a true Tribe Chief looks like!"" Snuk!" one of the Bullkin roared." You abandoned the battlefield and disappeared. And now you return with the audacity to insult our Tribe Chief?" Snuk raised his battle axe and pointed it toward the speaker." I invoke the Rite of Challenge. I challenge the Tribe Chief for leadership of this tribe. Once it's over... I'll prove who truly deserves to stand as the greatest chief among the Bullkin."