Chen Tian walked cautiously along the edge of the Ten Thousand Beast Forest, a place where various beasts congregated. Only creatures of the beast type inhabited this area. He and his companion, Si Si, traversed the terrain, moving slowly and carefully.
Even the outer regions were populated by monsters of level thirty-five and above, forcing Chen Tian to remain vigilant as he navigated the forest path.
Suddenly, several figures emerged from the bushes on both sides, encircling Chen Tian. The little creature, Si Si, also adopted a defensive stance. Chen Tian observed the creatures surrounding him. They were wolves, but their fur was entirely black, and their claws were likewise black. Their bodies were not massive, yet they stood dozens of meters tall.
A dark aura emanated from their black claws, giving them a strangely sinister appearance, as if imbued with some peculiar ability.
With a sweep of his right hand, Chen Tian instantly accessed the wolves' information.
Dark Wolf
Level: 37
Health: 3158/3158
Form: Juvenile
Strength: 4500
Constitution: 9500
Speed: 6500
Skill Mastery: 4100
Armor: 60
Ability: Armor Break II
Insight: 3500
Skills: Claw Attack, Wind Chase, Raging Roar
Chen Tian reviewed the attributes. Si Si could handle them, but their numbers were a concern. There were seven or eight of them. If they attacked together, Si Si might not be able to manage.
"Awooo~"
A wolf's howl echoed from the pack. The seven or eight dark wolves advanced, their intent to attack clear. Si Si, sensing their aggression, slowly opened its mouth.
"Awoo woo~"
With its pouty lips and diminutive form, Si Si's roars lacked any ferocity. Its adorableness was simply captivating, making one want to pinch its cheeks.
As Si Si's cute howls filled the air, the wolf pack's advance faltered. Terror filled their eyes.
Chen Tian was perplexed. He then clicked on Si Si's status panel and exclaimed, "So that's how it is! Beasts of divine lineage possess racial suppression abilities. Those with lower bloodlines are automatically suppressed. Si Si currently has no defined bloodline, but it is a feline creature, sharing a common origin with wolves. Therefore, Si Si's aura can suppress their abilities and strength by 70%, explaining their fearful expressions."
Chen Tian understood. He then instructed, "Si Si, finish them off. Let's move to the next area quickly."
A flash of black and white light streaked across, and the wolf pack instantly exploded. Dark red blood stained the ground, and countless starlight particles drifted upwards.
After being enhanced by a card, Si Si's Armor Break ability had improved to level two, granting a 50% chance to deal direct damage. Thus, the wolf pack was quickly dealt with in a few moves.
Concurrently, a panel appeared before Chen Tian. He examined it, noting the rewards: four wolf claws, three wolf furs, one wolf heart, thirteen enhancement points, and five hundred experience points.
Summoners acquired equipment differently from other classes. The Chrono Era system directly awarded them, eliminating the need to open treasure chests. Furthermore, players received shared experience when their summoned beasts defeated monsters, though the experience and skill points were not proportional; experience was fixed. As with all games, defeating higher-level monsters yielded more experience, and lower-level ones yielded less.
Chen Tian surveyed the spoils. While these rewards were not immediately useful, they would surely prove beneficial later. He decided to keep them, having his own plans.
He and his companion then proceeded forward, soon entering a denser part of the forest. Chen Tian consulted his map and said, "Good, we've reached the outer area. Si Si, be careful. The monsters here are on a similar level to you."
Chen Tian spoke with concern. Si Si nodded meekly, looking incredibly cute. Had it been any other girl, they would have wanted to protect Si Si fiercely, treating it as something precious.
However, Chen Tian, lacking such sentimental appreciation for animals, was having this adorable creature fight. It seemed heartless!
Chen Tian observed casually, while Si Si became alert. Suddenly, a colossal body charged aggressively towards Chen Tian.
"Thump, thump, thump!"
The ground trembled with the sheer size of the approaching creature. A massive, silver-white rhinoceros appeared before Chen Tian.
Its silver-white scales resembled armor, reflecting light like molten gold, but emitting a silver glow. Its immense form stood two hundred meters tall, clad in silver armor. Its massive limbs, covered in silver-white scales, shook the ground with each step. The large, silver-white scales on its head resembled a helmet, and atop this helm were a pair of large, silver horns.
Seeing the behemoth charging towards him, Chen Tian swiftly scooped Si Si into his arms and darted into the nearby bushes.
A piercing shriek echoed through the outer reaches of the Ten Thousand Beast Forest. A colossal bird-like creature descended, casting a vast shadow that seemed to darken the sky.
Chen Tian looked up. It was an enormous bird, its body hundreds of meters long. Its feathers were a deep, ancient yellow, forming its wings. Its head resembled that of a phoenix, a design common among avian creatures. The head itself was not ancient yellow but a vibrant, fiery red, adorned with fiery red feathers. Its massive, sharp talons were like those of an eagle, magnified several times.
"Where do you think you're going! Thief! Stop right there!"
The great bird in the sky spoke with a feminine voice, surprisingly natural and devoid of any electronic distortion.
"Crazy old hag, is it necessary? I only ate three of your eggs. You're chasing me all the way from the south to the east?" the rhinoceros retorted in a gruff, booming voice.
As if a sensitive topic had been touched, the great bird in the sky's power surged. Its wings trembled slightly, and it then declared, "You dead ox! I painstakingly hatched four eggs, and you devoured three in one go! If I hadn't returned from foraging, you would have eaten them all! And you have the nerve to talk? I'll kill you!"
A fearsome gust of wind erupted from its wings, sweeping across the outer reaches of the Ten Thousand Beast Forest. Fortunately, the area was vast enough, or such an attack could have overturned the entire forest.
"Damn old woman, fight me if you want, who's afraid of you? If you're so capable, come down and fight me. What kind of skill is it to fight from the sky?"
"Then fly up here! Why should I come down? Dead ox, you come up!"
"Dead old woman, if you dare, come down!"
"Dead ox, if you dare, fly up and fight me."
Chen Tian watched the two colossal beings exchange insults, his mind reeling. Heavens! Their initial ferocious dialogue had dissolved into cowardice the moment the fight was proposed.
Chen Tian was utterly speechless. Gods, how perverse were the thought processes in the Chrono Era system? He looked at the scene with an exclamation point of exasperation.
Were these even animals? Their expressions and actions were identical to humans. They even engaged in taunting. It was baffling, utterly baffling, to Chen Tian. The two creatures continued their verbal sparring for nearly half an hour without engaging in combat.
Chen Tian was perplexed. Why were neither of them willing to fight?
He then pointed his finger at the two figures in the air. Instantly, two attribute panels appeared before him. Chen Tian's eyes widened in surprise at the information presented. Good heavens, they were both Lord-level bosses. What was happening? He had only come to the Ten Thousand Beast Forest to level up, only to encounter two Lord-level bosses.