It was as if a total slaughter but without the body. But sleeping all around atop the blood are monsters. They looked like overgrown dogs, lean and terribly thin.
So thin that their bones were pressed hard against their chest, outlining it in bold lines. Their head was long snout and a cruel green light burned in their eyes.
They are called green-eyed hound. And the aura that surrounded them was so harsh and baleful that the forest around them for three miles was absolutely silent, and both animals and monsters lay trembling.
The monsters were part of the one that came from the Dungeon, but they were more powerful than the others and absolutely devoured the other monsters.
And yet, they weren’t full. Their stomach didn’t budge as if their hunger couldn’t ever be sated. The green-eyed hound all lay on the ground with their paws crossed, the light in their eyes flickering as they devoured the monsters they just ate, consuming them.
But more, the pressure of the green-eyed hounds was varied. Some of them are in the first stage of Advancement, some on the second, and there is even one that’s in the third stage.
In a way, the Dungeon that broke was one of the highest in the Wilderness, and the monsters in it were just as terrifying.
Fortunately, they were far from the normal road that people use, even far from the farthest outposts, and even the Orcs didn’t go that way easily.
On a normal scale, monsters were stronger than Soulbearers on the same adventure stage.
The green-eyed hound were consuming the food they ate before they started the hunt for more and more monsters and anything on their way. Then they would turn away and head deeper into the forest, devouring more and more, consuming and gaining more power until they began real competition to carve out a territory at the Dark Wilderness.
The one thing about the green-eyed hounds was that they are very territorial and headed by an Alpha and forming a pack. But they faced a big problem, and that was breeding.
All green-eyed hounds are male. Every single one of them, and the only way to continue their bloodline was to mate with other monsters.
But it wasn’t that simple. Only the Alpha can mate, and as such, only a few monsters were capable of carrying the pups since the ’mating phenomenon’ must appear in the female of that other monster.
And the way for it to appear was that the green-eyed hounds must consume a large amount of the same monster type and then stay in the territory to wait for the other remaining monsters of the same species to have the mating phenomenon.
As such, they were always protective of the female monsters that carried the mating phenomenon. So much so that the whole pack would die for such a female just so their Alpha might mate and continue the bloodline.
Off to the side, a translucent jellyfish floated in the air, completely devoid of sensing and scents. The jellyfish had been observing the green-eyed hound for months.
The jellyfish was in a state of absentia, as if it was a husk with only the goal of following the hounds and sending information back. It lacked will and purpose other than following them and doing such.
But suddenly the air around it quivered, warping, and a soft glow appeared in its eyes. Life came to it and its attention turned to the hounds with a sharpness.
’..so they are still here..’ the jellyfish said in a voice that didn’t reach anything. ’..I’ve been keeping an eye on them for months now..’
One of the things that made the Black Accord terrifying is the jellyfish. The Soulbearer behind it. It has its jellyfish throughout the Empire and keeps an eye on things, weaving illusions and using small changes to cause big waves.
The jellyfish also infested the Wilderness. In a way and in the right condition, everything can be a tool.
’..time to make use of you guys..’ the jellyfish said.
Then the air around it twisted even more as it seemed to draw more power to itself.
The jellyfish rippled and then changed into the form of a monster that looked like the hounds, but still very different from them with a healthy body. It looked more like a wolf than a monster.
Instantly, something that resembled smoke began to rise from its body. The new hound became visible, and its presence became known to the green-eyed hounds.
They went still, and the light in their eyes flickered as they turned toward the new hound. The new hound faced them, then turned and shot away into the Wilderness with terrifying speed.
The hounds were instantly on their feet, and the Alpha howled into the sky. What they felt from the running hound was the mating phenomenon.
Without hesitation, they ran after the fleeing hound, looking like streaks of green light as they shot through the forest. All the monsters around trembled and hid as the terrifying aura of slaughter ran past.
Vacuse was happy that things were progressing quickly. Although, now that the protection of the outposts was starting to wane, some foolish monsters were appearing, but it was nothing the Dragon Guards couldn’t handle.
In fact, as the group moved forward, the Dragon Guards finally showed how powerful they were as they literally tore down everything on their paths, including trees and monsters.
All the areas around the ground were soon free of monsters, as the monsters themselves came to realize that it wasn’t worth it fighting them.
Only occasional powerful monsters reared their heads, and they were quickly dispatched by Captain Mera.
By the time a week passed, the outposts finally stopped clearing ways for them, as they were officially on the territory of the Orcs, but still, things were relatively calm.
After all, the disturbance they caused in the Wilderness had already pushed a lot of monsters away from them.
But then, something happened.