John split his 10 attribute points between [Constitution] and [Endurance], still concerned about a potential confrontation with these creatures.

Seven points lost on the village quest… The danger is not gone. But perhaps there is more to it than meets the eye. The problem might not be this group specifically, but something connected to them. After all, what kind of monsters could force such a powerful group to flee?

The three beasts before John continued their discussion in their mysterious tongue, while the village animals maintained their vigilance. Though less tense than before, they remained watchful of their surroundings.

John’s expression remained stern as he contemplated the troubles he might face because of a beast horde, something that could justify today’s significant point loss.

The system’s warning had left him bewildered. Nothing had ever cost him so many points before, and the sense of impending danger still weighed heavily on his chest. His heart pounded, and sweat clung uncomfortably to every inch of his skin.

A headache set in as his mind raced with possibilities: enemies of the horde, actions the horde might take that could endanger the village, or even the simple fact that mages and beasts were natural enemies—any of which could spark conflict between the two sides.

His eyes narrowed further until the horde’s leader stepped forward, closing the gap between them and commanding John’s full attention.

“We accept your apology, mage. We’ll agree to an alliance under the terms you mentioned—your support in exchange for our guarantee to keep away from your people,” said the level 4 Triceratops, its gaze still hostile and menacing.

It was easy to tell that the leader of the horde had reluctantly accepted the deal proposed by a mage!

John smiled, unsure of the proper protocol for celebrating or confirming such an agreement. “Good. Is there anything specific we need to do to seal this deal?” he asked directly.

Cecys shook her head. “He truly is a novice, untutored by experienced mages.”

“Perhaps that’s for the better…” the bear muttered, shaking his head as memories of past encounters with mages surfaced.

The horde leader spoke, “You mages may be fond of your formal pacts, but we beasts neither share such customs nor possess the means to create them. Our agreement will be honored through our actions alone. Fulfill your part, and we’ll fulfill ours.”

Basically like ordinary human agreements.

John saw no problem with the arrangement, though the mention of mages’ pacts piqued his curiosity. His collection of books had never mentioned such practices; this was the first he’d heard of it.

That works for me. Humans have always made deals without concrete guarantees.

“That’s perfectly acceptable,” he said, guiding Windy to trot forward, approaching the three beasts cautiously. Then, he decided to address the most pressing matters. “The Aether Tears I provided today came at a significant cost to my people, so don’t expect daily donations.”

“How frequently can you provide today’s load?” Cecys asked from her position.

“Every two months. No more often than that,” John said, bracing himself for their objection.

“Two months is acceptable,” the Triceratops stated, its calmer tone catching John off guard.

John wasn’t aware of just how precious and scarce Aether Tears were in the current Valorian. But the beasts’ ready acceptance suggested his resources and capabilities should perhaps be re-examined soon.

Perhaps that explains why I found so few Aether Tears among the Littlewood mages? he pondered, trying to maintain a neutral expression.

He continued the conversation, drawing within 5 meters of the creatures. Even from his position atop his horse, one of them was so massive it resembled a huge rock!

“I’ll do my best to deliver your crystals every two months. However, it’s necessary that I know your numbers, location, and intended destination. My village lies east of here, a few hours’ horseback ride away from the most toxic areas. We currently have just under 100 active members,” he disclosed openly.

The tension had only started to subside, and they still needed to overcome their mutual distrust. John took the initiative, making himself vulnerable in a way few beasts would dare—a calculated risk, knowing how deeply beasts valued their pride.

”Our group is north of here and we have over 300 members. As I mentioned, we had planned to head to the Lost Treasures, but with your help, I’m reconsidering that route,” the massive dinosaur stated, regarding the white-haired youth with less hostility than before. Turning to survey his people around the area, he continued, “We’re fleeing from Arcanis. The territorial disputes in our former homeland have turned savage, with beasts and mages locked in conflict.

“Despite the mages’ weakened state following their last war, enough remains in Valorian to defend their cities. However, some beasts are unwilling to wait for these remaining mages to die spontaneously. They’re decided to reclaim the continent immediately. That’s the current situation in Arcanis.

“Various beast races are fighting to seize mage territories, claim the region’s richest areas, and establish Valorian’s first beast kingdom in millennia!

“We beasts naturally support the idea of reclaiming Valorian as our own. However, the chaos in Arcanis has turned more than just mages and humans against us. Some beast tribes are exploiting the situation to settle ancient grudges or seize power. Among these malicious forces are our people’s enemies—the reason we fled our ancestral lands.”

John maintained rapt attention as the level 4 Triceratops spoke at length, absorbing valuable information about Arcanis—a state whose internal affairs rarely reached the outside world nowadays.

“What level are these threats?” John asked, wondering about the power that could force such a dinosaur to flee. “You have an impressive force here. While I’m uncertain about the continent’s remaining magical strength, Mystics seem incredibly powerful to me.”

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

The Triceratops shook its massive head. “We’re too weak. I might hold my own briefly against our enemies. They’re Mystics too, stronger than me, if that’s what you’re asking. But we lack the numbers to both fight and protect our people.”

Level 5 enemies, then… John reflected, his expression growing grave. How much mana would such magical beings possess? A level 4 requires 5,000 mana, so level 5 must exceed 10,000…

This doesn’t bode well. In my current state, I’d barely scratch such beings. Their regeneration would be so rapid that I’d be effectively powerless!

I need to strengthen myself urgently! Besides gathering more allies, what options do I have?

Finding no immediate answers, he returned his attention to the Triceratops’ leader.

“Reji, that destroyer, swore to annihilate our horde if we dared return to our ancestral lands! That Tyrannosaurus Rex seized our sacred territory and devoured our companions, claiming he’d spare some of us only to ensure future Triceratops would remain to feed him in the future!”

The horde leader’s words carried an unmistakable hatred, his mana intertwining with his emotions, creating a palpable pressure that weighed down those nearby and partially restricted their movements.

Impressive. My limbs have gone numb.

“We’ll overcome this. John’s crystals will turn the tide in our favor.”

The level 4 dinosaur studied the human mage again, understanding why Cecys used the boy’s name.

Among beasts, using someone’s name showed great respect—a gesture that demonstrated John’s honor and magical prowess.

However, John wasn’t yet worthy of knowing the horde leader’s name, nor would the dinosaur address him by name just yet.

“What do you think, mage? Still willing to help us? You should know that while a Tyrannosaurus Rex’s single strike might not match a Triceratops’s power, their speed is terrifying. If a T-Rex doesn’t want you to escape, you won’t.

“It shames me to admit, but we’re here only because our enemies allowed it. You might outrun me, but not them. Certainly not Reji!”

“Is he your sole enemy? Did your horde include different races as it does now when you were in your ancestral lands?” John asked, avoiding the beast’s question.

“No. What you see is just one facet of our whole. When we fled Arcanis, we joined with other tribal remnants who’d suffered similar fates.

“Naturally, each tribe brought their own troubles and enemies, which we intended to face together for our survival.”

“Is that truly your goal? To fight for survival?”

Revenge burned in these beasts’ hearts. Fighting and settling their tragic histories would truly satisfy them. Yet as realistic creatures valuing survival above all, they wouldn’t risk everything on revenge without fair odds.

Cecys answered, “Yes, we chose Lost Treasures based on reports of rich mines and the absence of strong mage forces.”

Aether Tears were mined in the same way as precious metals. Jonn knew that his village’s situation was special. In most parts of the continent, mana crystals formed underground under the effects of pressure and magical power that normally only reached the right level for mana crystallization underground in areas rich in pure mana.

This was one reason the Lost Treasures was so valuable after the rebellion that had ended the sovereign power of the area and why it attracted Cecys’s group.

“But with my support, I assume those plans have changed,” John remarked with a wry smile.

“Actually, they haven’t,” the level 4 dinosaur replied, surprising John. “This black desert offers neither food nor shelter. But we won’t venture deep into Lost Treasures. We’ll remain close enough to your people to maintain our agreement.”

Now things are getting interesting.

Jonn thought silently, reflecting on [Exotic Animals].

The mission had tasked him with preventing the village’s destruction and using the horde’s beasts for the village’s benefit.

It seems that depending on my decisions, I could have led this group to attack us or even ignore us. My interference, however, seems to lead this group to the positive side, as the quest called for.

Perhaps I should use their future position in Lost Treasures to understand the reality of that region and better understand what Acelin and Uranius could gain from the village going to the Lost Treasures.

The Eternal Village continued its relationship with the merchant Acelin, despite its business to the south-east of the Barren Hills of Deepshadow, with the merchants Ansure and Jemmy. The village had kept up its small purchases from Acelin, having done business with the man twice more since Jonn’s last meeting with him, when the merchant was accompanied by Uranius, the man who had invited Jonn to the Lost Treasures.

Anyway, as their discussion continued, the horde’s leadership revealed they wouldn’t abandon their vendetta, but would establish a permanent settlement in Lost Treasures while they prepared.

Beast lifespans often exceeded human ones, varying by species, so they could afford patience. Their primary concerns were finding a stable settlement, securing food sources, and evading their pursuers.

The three beasts explained that while their enemies weren’t as formidable as the Tyrannosaurus Rex Reji, they could still unleash significant casualties. This threat had driven them increasingly northward, multiplying their distance from the village since they were first spotted by Jonn’s people in the western region of the Barren Hills of Deepshadow.

Cecys warned John that these creatures might visit his village, drawn by the presence of their animals—confirming what Annabelle had previously mentioned.

After nearly 40 minutes of conversation in the very spot where he’d expected to meet his death, John grasped the broader situation and the significance of [Exotic Animals] to [Save the Eternal Village].

Sigh! It seems the quest’s critical purpose was to inform me about Arcanis’s situation and warn me about the horde’s pursuers… While Cecys’s group could have destroyed us, they’re likely just the first of many challenges stemming from the Arcanis situation.

Even if they’d proceeded to Lost Treasures without engaging the village, leaving us ignorant of the migration, their pursuers might still have found us through Annabelle’s group’s tracks.

During their conversation, Cecys had mentioned ancient beast methods for concealing their presence in stationary locations, which were easier to camouflage. However, these techniques proved ineffective for moving groups like the horde or animals on external missions, like John’s team.

“Very well. I understand your situation now. I’ll honor my promise—serve the Aether Tears and offer combat support when needed,” John confirmed, ready to move forward with this arrangement. “However, we’ll need one of your people in my village to maintain communication.”

“I can assign one of my people to you,” Cecys offered. “She can defend herself and travel swiftly between our groups.”

“That works for me.”

The Triceratops then said, “Remember, mage, you’ll bear responsibility for any beast staying with your group.”

“I understand. I’ll protect her as I do my own companions,” he replied with a smile, gesturing toward Roulf and the others.

The animals from the village had played an important role there by giving those beasts a less strange and threatening image of him. Jonn was already planning to reward these animals as soon as he returned home.

“I’ll teach you a method to cover your beasts’ tracks. But it won’t shield you indefinitely… Stay prepared for encounters with our enemies,” the Triceratops alerted.

John observed as Cecys summoned a smaller eagle from their group. He wasn’t surprised that no one demanded one of his animals remain with the horde. Any misconduct toward their bird would instantly transform their friendly arrangement into outright hostility. Since these beasts possessed enough strength to pose a genuine threat, that alone served as sufficient insurance against any foolish actions on his part!

Soon, John would meet his village’s new guest and learn the beasts’ concealment technique, while committing to another delivery of mana crystals in 60 days.

The level 4 Triceratops concluded with a pledge, “Don’t hesitate to call upon us either, mage. We won’t let your people face our enemies alone.”

“I’ll remember that.”

“Good luck on your journey. Hopefully, my enemies will focus their attention on me and end up getting defeated once we’ve made the most of your resources.”

John nodded in agreement, concluding this encounter he’d dreaded for weeks—with an unexpected outcome that opened many possibilities.

Time to head home and get to work. A storm’s brewing, and I need to be ready!