In the early evening, Sarre maintained her vigilant watch from one of the village’s watchtowers. From her vantage point, she suddenly spotted three large figures moving swiftly toward the settlement. Though darkness hadn’t fully descended, as evening had just begun to settle, it still took her nearly five minutes to confirm it was Jonn’s group returning.

Sarre immediately sounded the signal indicating the return of village members, alerting the gate guards of their companion’s approach.

Rather than heading directly to the walled section of the village, Jonn first encountered Phantom, and a watchman stationed outside the walled area and its ongoing construction zone.

He acknowledged the guard and the white wolf with a brief nod before proceeding to the animal area to allow his companions their well-earned rest.

The white eagle remained unconscious in the sack on his back, but upon reaching the animal house, Jonn prioritized Ice’s care over the captive bird.

After dispatching the outer village guard to retrieve pastes, potions, herbs, and bandages from the warehouse, Jonn began treating his wolf’s injuries.

The village’s medicinal supplies had become remarkably effective recently. By infusing these products with mana, their potency far exceeded that of ordinary remedies.

Wounds that would typically require months to heal completely could now mend in mere days, thanks to Jonn’s mana-enhanced pastes and potions!

Jonn had heard from his fellow villagers about Sarre, who had been on death’s doorstep upon arriving in the village, yet made an astonishing recovery after being treated with one of his first medicinal pastes and potions. Ice’s condition wasn’t as dire, and with adequate rest, the white wolf would likely recover from most of his injuries.

Jonn’s primary concern was the fractures his companion had sustained. The way the eagle had hurled Ice through the air had resulted in injuries that would prove more challenging to heal.

“Listen, buddy, you’ll need to stay here and rest for a week, alright?” Jonn gazed into the big eyes of his wolf, who lay in the livestock shelter among the village’s cattle and horses. “Seven days should do it. Just keep movement to a minimum for now, and you’ll be back to your old self.”

As he stroked Ice’s thick fur, he noticed the wolf’s dispirited expression. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much else he could do. Although his potions and pastes were becoming more potent as he grew stronger, his current level wasn’t sufficient to instantly heal Ice’s injuries.

Had Ice only suffered muscular injuries, the situation would have been different. Fractures, however, were far more complex to treat.

Rising to his feet and leaving his white wolf to rest, he observed the surrounding animals—some curious about Ice, others merely hoping for another chance to receive mana crystals from him.

He navigated through the darkness that blanketed most of the area, soon reaching the torch-lit section of the village, where several guards stood watch by the open bamboo gate.

“Village Elder,” the men greeted him in unison.

Jonn nodded to them as he headed toward his house to gather some provisions, though he had no intention of remaining there. “Keep the gate open. I’m heading back out to spend the night beyond the village walls.”

The guards, who had begun to close the gate, halted mid-motion. Though they didn’t question him, their curious gazes followed his movements.

Jonn completed his tasks in no time. Soon, he emerged from his house carrying a cloth bag filled with food—items he could have stored in his spatial ring, but displayed openly to his fellow villagers.

Jonn knew some guards harbored suspicions about his true nature. Nevertheless, he preferred to keep his identity as a mage concealed. Common folk in his world feared magic-users, and he had no desire for the villagers to treat him differently.

Ultimately, mages attracted trouble, and the fewer people who knew about mages, the better.

Upon passing the guards again, Jonn advised them to secure the gate and maintain vigilance toward the west. He then made his way to Count Francus’ cave, reaching his destination within minutes.

Torch in hand, he illuminated his path through the cavern, descending to the first level before proceeding to the chamber housing the red mana crystals.

At the former resting place of Count Francus Riverash’s coffin, Jonn took the eagle out of a sack, positioning it inside the open coffin. Taking out his magnifying glass, he began examining the unconscious creature. Though unable to view its status, he gathered considerable information despite the beast being of equal level to himself.

While he couldn’t discern everything about the unconscious eagle, he could learn enough to effectively neutralize its powers.

Mana flowed through living beings much like blood, coursing through internal pathways where this mystical essence concentrated and circulated. Knowledge of these pathways—unique to each living creature—enabled various applications, from healing treatments to methods of constraining the subject under examination.

Using a sewing needle from his home-gathered tools, Jonn pierced the creature’s back between its wings, targeting a specific point to restrict its movement. The wounded animal’s eyes instantly flew open, revealing a golden luminescence before its beak parted in an anguished cry.

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

It was powerless against Jonn. Already wounded, with damaged wings, pressure applied to its primary magical pathway, and restraints binding its talons, the eagle could barely twitch.

“Mage!” It fixed Jonn with a hate-filled glare. This human had dismissed her earlier warnings and dared to capture her!

Jonn remained unmoved by the creature’s hostility and stepped back from the coffin, confident in his precautions. Creating some distance, he stated firmly, “You’re my prisoner now. I’d prefer to avoid torture, but make no mistake—I’ll resort to it if necessary. However, should you choose to cooperate, not only will I spare you from harm, but I’ll tend to your injuries.” He gestured toward her wings, though he was well aware her injuries extended far beyond what was visible.

The level 3 eagle’s condition was severe. Multiple bones were broken or fractured, and several internal organs showed signs of bruising. Jonn knew with certainty that the eagle was enduring considerable pain now.

“Nonsense! Torture me all you wish—I’ll never succumb to the whims of a wretched mage!” The eagle spat, her mental voice carrying the timbre of a seasoned woman, tinged with a thick accent that betrayed her recent grasp of the language.

Unperturbed by the eagle’s defiance, Jonn pressed on, “Your group initiated the earlier confrontation. Why did you do that? My companions and I were merely passing through.”

Though sworn to silence, the eagle deemed this information inconsequential enough to share. “Did I need a reason to attack you? You’re a mage. That’s enough!”

“So it was because of me?”

“Naturally! Mages deserve extinction! It’s a shame that your kind proved resilient enough to survive the Great War!”

The term didn’t surprise Jonn; he’d learned through his own animals that different races often had varying names for the same historical events.

Maintaining his composure, he continued, “I cannot understand the source of your hatred toward mages. I awakened my powers on my own and I was simply traversing the region. In the end, you forced me to fight and kill your group.”

The eagle’s eyes blazed with undisguised revulsion. “Such noble words… from a mage! What worth do they hold?”

“I won’t waste time trying to convince you I’m not your enemy—”

“You certainly appeared the enemy while slaughtering my kin and attempting to end my life!”

“As I stated, you initiated the attack,” Jonn said, before probing further. “Maybe it wasn’t just because I’m a mage, though. We’re too close to your group, right? Were you actually sent to stop us?”

The eagle’s beak curved in a semblance of a laugh, her eyes glinting with malicious mirth. “Oh, you can bet that! That’s precisely why I repeat—the horde will hunt you down and annihilate your people! Once our leader discovers a mage in the vicinity, he’ll stop at nothing to exterminate your entire group!” Her words dripped with bloodthirsty, craving the blood of Jonn and all those related to him.

“Isn’t there any chance of this working out any other way?” Jonn inquired gravely, taking a measured step forward. “I don’t wish to fight your group. As I’ve said more than once, my animals and I only defend ourselves. If possible, we would like to have a friendly relationship with your people.”

The eagle tilted her beak skyward, emitting an unintelligible sound that Jonn recognized as laughter—she was openly mocking his words.

“You can try, mage! I’ll help you.” She said with interest, her eyes narrowing as she struggled to look at Jonn more closely. “I can’t wait to see you bleed out as my people tear your body apart while you’re still alive!”

Jonn exhaled at the eagle’s relentless hostility, contemplating whether this aggressive disposition was characteristic of her entire group or merely a personal trait. The Celestial Magnifying Glass had revealed personality traits during his analysis, particularly highlighting this eagle’s exceptional arrogance.

He paused, allowing the creature to vent while he considered his next move.

It’s dangerous, but I must approach this horde to protect the village.

After a prolonged silence, he asked, “What of your leader’s strength? Would he listen to me if I went to him?”

The eagle laughed in its own way again, continuing to collaborate with Jonn, “My leader is a powerful Mythic Beast! You won’t stand a chance against him, but try your luck, mage! I’d love to accompany you to my people and watch you try!”

Jonn entered the eagle’s game and said, “Let’s say I do. Is there any guarantee that he’ll listen to me before the challenge?”

“Do you humans like to talk before you die? Perhaps my great leader will allow you to say your last words before your death!”

“How many members does your horde have?”

“Far beyond your capacity to handle!” the eagle boasted proudly.

“What draws you to this region? Do I pose an obstacle to your plans?”

The eagle’s expression shifted from mockery to gravity as she recognized her enemy’s strategy. “Clever attempt, mage, but I’ll divulge nothing of the sort.”

“If you tell me what you want in the area, I’ll go to your people,” Jonn pressed, testing the eagle’s willingness to see him in danger.

The creature hesitated, studying Jonn and weighing whether this human spoke truthfully. If he was sincere, his imminent death would render knowledge of the horde’s plans trivial.

“It’s not impossible for me to tell you our objectives. But first, take me back to where we fought. I’ll tell you everything when we’re on our way to my group.”

“Oh?”

That response yielded more intelligence than the eagle could have realized.

So his group is settled and shouldn’t move in the short term. There’s also a deeper goal... Which I doubt is related to the village, otherwise she would have already said something about the animals in the village.

While observing the enemy mage’s thoughtful expression, the eagle asked, “Would you dare make that deal with me?” Her eyes gleamed with malevolent intent.

Jonn met her gaze and said, “Yes, as long as you tell me why you hate mages so much. As I said, I grew up alone. I don’t know why beasts should hate me.”

The eagle scrutinized him through narrowed eyes, weighing the authenticity of his words. After careful consideration, she agreed to speak.

“Why wouldn’t I hate mages? Beasts and mages have been enemies since the beginning. Mages hunted us for our flesh, for our strength, for our cores. Mages have almost devastated hundreds of beast tribes throughout their violent history. How could we not hate every mage? And at the end of the day, we can also take advantage of their magical bodies. Tasting the blood of a mage is one of the best things there is for a beast!”

Her explanation seethed with rage and horror, leaving Jonn to wonder what atrocities she had witnessed—how many of her kind had fallen prey to mages.

“You yourself bear a cursed object.” She looked at Jonn with revulsion. “How many beasts did you subjugate to your will?”

Jonn’s attention immediately drew to the [Wildheart Talisman].

At that precise moment, the system stirred to life.

+1 progress point on the [Exotic Animals] quest!