Cain's method was actually simple, as he would announce that anyone who wanted to meet him as the seller must bring a gift of either phoenix blood essence or ice dragon essence.
He was confident that at least a few of them would later present these items to him as a "gift."
There was even the possibility that their quality might exceed his expectations, considering they would likely assume the mysterious seller was very powerful and therefore wouldn't need low-quality blood essences.
That was why, when Cain noticed Nix wanted to burn his blood essence, he didn't stop him—he had already thought of backup plans in case he needed to find ice dragon blood essence.
Once the pill he had given to Little White took effect, restoring him fully, Cain decided to upgrade Little White's rank since he couldn't wait for him to become a Conqueror Rank Beast.
"System, upgrade Little White's rank to Conqueror Rank Beast!" Cain ordered.
[Ding! Do you want to upgrade Little White's rank to Peak-level Conqueror Rank Beast?]
"Yes," Cain replied eagerly.
[Ding! 100 billion Evolution Points have been successfully deducted.]
[Ding! Congratulations to the host! Little White has successfully broken through to the Conqueror Rank Beast.]
AWOO!
Little White howled loudly, delighted that he had become stronger in such a short time—stronger even than his parents.
Naturally, Cain also felt happy, even though his own strength wouldn't increase as much, since Little White could only become a Low-level Conqueror Rank Beast.
Cain then checked Little White's information, curious to see whether he had awakened a new skill.
[Name: Little White]
[Race: Silver Moon Wolf]
[Attributes: Peak-level Lunar Element, Peak-level Light Element]
[Rank: Peak-level King Rank Beast]
[Qualification: Conqueror Rank Beast]
[Skills: Silver Eclipse, Lunar Slash, Light Barrier, Moonlight Empowerment, Lunar Connection, Lunar Regeneration, Silver Fang, Eclipse Fenrir's Descent]
[Strength]: 18,900,000
[Agility]: 21,600,000
[Health]: 18,000,000
[Sense]: 19,800,000
[Energy]: 19,500,000
[Eclipse Fenrir's Descent – The user's latent power awakens, transforming them into a colossal, spectral Silver Moon Fenrir. Their body radiates pure lunar energy, and their speed, strength, and regeneration skyrocket.
__Effects:
__The user's attacks gain True Moonlight Damage, bypassing most defenses. Every movement leaves an afterimage that can attack independently.
__Their howls become shockwaves capable of leveling the battlefield.
__The form lasts for a limited time but can be extended under intense battle conditions.
__Once deactivated, the user experiences extreme exhaustion.]
When Cain saw Little White's new skill, he immediately commanded the system to copy it.
As he was about to depart from the battlefield and head toward his kingdom, he sensed Little White's call.
Little White conveyed his wish to fight again, feeling helpless for not contributing much in the previous battle with Nix, which had led to his big brother losing half of his wing.
Cain mulled it over briefly and agreed, seeing this as not only fulfilling Little White's desire but also giving him another opportunity to gain experience—a win-win situation.
"Veyron, bring out Frostfang and have him suppress his strength to Low-level Conqueror Rank, then ask him to teach Little White about fighting," Cain said, glancing at Veyron as he released Little White.
"Yes, my lord," Veyron replied with a nod.
…
About 15 minutes later, Cain finally located another duo of beasts he deemed suitable opponents for Little White and Frostfang.
Ten kilometers away, in a vast grassland, a Fire War Horse and a Wood War Horse were lying peacefully in the middle of their territory.
"Remember to learn from Frostfang and stay cautious, okay?" Cain gently patted Little White, who rested in his arms with a small smile.
Woof!
Little White barked softly in acknowledgment, nuzzling against Cain's chest briefly before hopping down and revealing his true form.
AWOO!
AWOO!
Little White and Frostfang howled in unison, loudly announcing their presence in the territory of other beasts.
The afternoon sun cast its golden rays across the expansive grassland, a gentle breeze swaying the tall blades and filling the air with the soft rustling of nature.
In this open space, two figures stood side by side: Little White, the Silver Moon Wolf, and Frostfang, a large, powerful snow wolf exuding a calm yet intimidating aura.
A short distance away, two War Horses grazed in lazy arcs, one radiating fiery energy with a flickering mane of flames and the other emanating a calm yet potent aura of verdant power. Despite their seemingly tranquil demeanor, both horses possessed a lethal, battle-hardened edge that made them formidable foes.
Little White felt a trickle of excitement course through him. He had fought numerous battles with Nix, but this time, his partner was Frostfang, a beast belonging to Veyron, who was tasked with teaching him the art of coordinated team combat.
The notion thrilled Little White as he yearned to improve after witnessing how synergy could decide the outcome of even the most intense battles.
Yet, there was no denying a small flicker of uncertainty in his heart. 'Would their teamwork flow as smoothly as that of the Reaper Wolves or the War Lions he had faced before?'
"Stay close to me," Frostfang's calm voice rumbled, carried by a telepathic link they shared for the fight that Cain asked the system to help them communicate with each other. "We'll try a combined assault first. Watch my movements and adapt quickly if they evade or retaliate."
Little White nodded, summoning a spark of confidence as he locked eyes with the Fire War Horse and the Wood War Horse. Their eyes shimmered with intelligence as these were no mere beasts blindly attacking. They recognized the threat before them and prepared accordingly.
The Fire War Horse snorted, pawing at the ground with a hoof burning like embers, while the Wood War Horse's mane twitched, leaves rustling quietly as vibrant green energy pulsed from its body.
Within seconds, the tension erupted into action. The Fire War Horse reared up, releasing a surge of flame from its hooves as it used its [Blazing Charge] skill, and lunged toward Frostfang, scorching the grass beneath it.
Meanwhile, the Wood War Horse galloped in a wide arc, vines protruding from its hind legs as it activated its skill [Verdant Leap,] bounding gracefully across the field to intercept Little White from the side.
"Now!" Frostfang's voice was calm but laced with urgency.
Little White inhaled sharply, tapping into [Moonlight Empowerment]. The lingering daylight didn't provide the best conditions for harnessing lunar power, but he could still draw upon a fraction of its might.
His silver fur shimmered faintly, boosting his speed just enough to slip past the Wood War Horse's initial rush. At the same time, Frostfang dashed forward, ice crystals forming around his paws as it used an ability he called [Frozen Sprint], which granted him a slick but controlled glide over the terrain.
They then struck together. Frostfang aimed for the Fire War Horse, releasing shards of razor-thin ice with a skill called [Frost Shatter], while Little White swiped at the Wood War Horse with his [Silver Fang], a streak of glimmering silver energy fanning out from his jaws.
Initially, it looked promising. The Fire War Horse neighed in alarm as Frostfang's ice shards cut a shallow gash across its flank, causing flames to sputter momentarily. The Wood War Horse, forced to swerve, stumbled slightly as Silver Fang scraped its side, scoring the bark-like growth that encased its torso. However, their advantage was short-lived.
Demonstrating remarkable coordination, the War Horses swiftly swapped targets mid-movement. The Fire War Horse pivoted, releasing a plume of searing flame from its nostrils as it used its [Flare Roar] skill.
A wave of scorching air that rolled toward Little White, forcing him to use his [Light Barrier] skill. Although his barrier held, the intense heat still schorched his fur, sending sparks flying in every direction.
Simultaneously, the Wood War Horse galloped toward Frostfang, activating its [Earthen Bind] skill. Roots and vines erupted from the ground beneath Frostfang's feet, seeking to ensnare him.
Frostfang growled, focusing on severing them with a quick slash of his icy claws. His reaction was a fraction too slow, however, and one vine wrapped around his hind leg, yanking him off-balance long enough for the Fire War Horse to capitalize.
The Fire War Horse dashed in, hooves blazing, delivering a punishing kick to Frostfang's flank. The impact echoed across the grassland, sending the large wolf tumbling through the dirt.
Frostfang grunted as he shook off the disorientation, internalizing a lesson for Little White: They had tried to replicate synergy by attacking in tandem, but the War Horses had outmaneuvered them with their own brand of cooperation.
"Stick closer," Frostfang admonished calmly. "We mustn't let them separate us."
Little White nodded. The duo retreated a few paces, regrouping in the center of the field with their backs nearly touching. Both beasts breathed heavily, scuffed and bruised. The War Horses circled them at a moderate distance, tails flicking, eyes narrowed, as if waiting for the perfect moment to strike again.
Taking a steadying breath, Little White locked eyes with Frostfang. Without words, they formed a rudimentary plan as Frostfang would occupy the Fire War Horse's attention, using his icy abilities to contain or slow it, while Little White targeted the Wood War Horse, who seemed adept at using the environment to its advantage. If they could neutralize one enemy quickly, they might force the other to fight alone.
They attacked again. This time, Frostfang led with a wide barrage of ice shards, a technique he referred to as [Glacial Barrage], creating a temporary zone of frost that forced the Fire War Horse to dodge.
Meanwhile, Little White dashed around the perimeter, counting on [Lunar Regeneration] to heal his minor wounds and keep him nimble.