"Not bad, another two Fate Points earned." Rhett’s lips curved into a satisfied smile.
With his current reserve of 16 Fate Points, he was getting closer to being able to break through the bottleneck and advance to a Tier 3 Mage. Once he reached that level, he would have the confidence to confront and even eradicate the Evil Alchemy Organization. After all, becoming a viscount was at stake, and Rhett couldn’t afford to take this lightly.
But beyond the potential merit, Rhett detested the organization’s ruthless methods. Their indiscriminate slaughter of their own kind had earned them a place on his personal death list.
Returning from his thoughts, Rhett noticed Tyles, now covered in blood, running toward him.
"Tyles, have you been diligently practicing archery with Frano and Lauren as I instructed?" Rhett asked, recalling that relying solely on close-range attacks with a spear wouldn’t always be effective against stronger or more elusive magical beasts. A few days ago, he had started Tyles on archery training as a safer long-range option for future hunts.
"Of course, but I only had one day of practice before you brought me here to hunt," Tyles shrugged, indicating it wasn’t his fault.
"Father, how did I do just now? Even without your help, that Wind-Patterned Tiger was no match for me!" Tuck walked over with a wide grin. As a human knight, he had successfully subdued the tiger on his own this time, unlike last time when he was injured and would have been in a dire situation without his father’s intervention.
"Indeed, you did well," Rhett praised, but then added, "However, the tiger's speed outmatches yours. If it had decided to flee, you wouldn’t have been able to catch up."
Tuck’s smile faded as he scratched his head. "True… This technique only works when I retrace my steps precisely. But in other situations, it's almost useless. The tiger was too fast, and I couldn’t keep up with it. Sigh..."
Tuck stood silently, deep in thought as he absorbed his father’s advice.
Meanwhile, Reilly was busy handling the aftermath, preparing to salvage what he could from the tiger's corpse. With limited space in their sack, he focused on valuable parts like claws, teeth, and the magic core.
As Reilly examined the tiger's body, he made a surprising discovery. "Father! This Wind-Patterned Tiger has a fresh wound on its abdomen. It looks like it just gave birth recently."
"Indeed, it’s a new mother," Rhett observed, noting the half-meter-long incision that hadn’t yet healed. He couldn’t help but wonder why the simulation hadn’t mentioned any tiger cubs. It seemed reality had deviated from the predicted path.
Tuck, unaware of Rhett’s concerns, excitedly exclaimed, "A tiger cub? Does that mean I might get a magical beast pet?" He eagerly pointed in the direction the tiger had come from. "Father, let’s follow this path quickly and see if we can find it!"
Despite his lingering doubts, Rhett recognized the urgency of the situation. He abandoned the tiger's corpse and led the group in pursuit of the tracks left by the Wind-Patterned Tiger.
After an hour of searching, Rhett finally picked up on something. He stopped, listening intently, and then said, "That’s the sound of Fire-Maned Dogs. Listen carefully."
The others quickly caught up, hearing the same chaotic barking—multiple dogs of the same species, barking in unison.
Reilly’s eyes widened in alarm. "This is bad! Fire-Maned Dogs are known for their sneaky, underhanded tactics and have a keen sense of smell. They must have picked up the scent of the tiger cubs."
"Are the tiger cubs going to be eaten by those dogs?" Tyles exclaimed in fear.
Rhett’s expression hardened. "We need to hurry. There may still be time to save them."
Tuck’s eyes burned with anger. "If they’ve harmed my tiger cub, those mutts will pay!"
The group rushed toward the sounds, arriving just in time to witness a bloody scene. The small nest built by the Wind-Patterned Tiger, roughly six to seven meters wide, was already in shambles. Two bloodied lumps of flesh remained, reduced to little more than bone fragments.
But amidst the carnage, Rhett spotted a small, wriggling cub that was still alive, rolling on the ground, seemingly unscathed.
Rhett’s heart skipped a beat, filled with joy at the unexpected turn of events. Despite the deviations from the simulation, they had arrived just in time.
"Die!" Rhett’s eyes flashed coldly as he focused on the two Fire-Maned Dogs near the surviving cub. With a sharp burst of mental power, two earthen spikes shot up, impaling the dogs instantly, leaving no chance for them to escape.
He remained thoughtful, grateful for their timely arrival. Had they been even a minute later, the last tiger cub would have been lost as well.
As for the other Fire-Maned Dogs, they had begun to scatter, sensing danger.
Rockfall!
Rockfall!
Two massive boulders crashed down, blocking the widest paths through the forest.
"You're not getting away!" Rhett’s eyes gleamed as he methodically assessed the battlefield.
Despite their erratic movements and impressive agility, the Fire-Maned Dogs had unwittingly fallen into Rhett’s trap.
With alternating strikes of Earth Spike and Earth Lance, each attack claimed the life of a Fire-Maned Dog. Intermittent uses of Rockfall further sealed their fate.
In less than a minute, all six Fire-Maned Dogs lay dead, not a single one managing to escape.