"Alright." Jay said, giving the others one last glance before turning to Kade "We will join."

Kade nodded with a smile "Good. You guys will return with me. We already have a building close to the portal that we will remodel once we get the funds. It will serve as a home base for us."

"Oh, uh, what is our faction called?" Walter asked, seemingly concerned.

Kade raised a brow "Flaming flamingos. Cool name, right?"

Walters expression plummeted. "You're joking right?" He asked before turning to Jay "Maybe we should rethink this..."

Kade chuckled "Relax, I wouldn't name my group something so goofy. We are called FwD, short for 'Flirting with Disaster'."

Walter's mood lightened considerably as he mulled over the name. The others showed similar interest before Cal spoke the question they all wanted to know.

"Seems kind of ominous. What does 'Flirting with Disaster' mean?"

Kade grinned "We thought of the name when we were still teens. We were reckless and didn't follow the rules. If we wanted to do something bad enough, nothing could deter us from following through. At some point, we realized that everything we were doing was 'Flirting with Disaster', but we didn't stop."

Taking a breath, he continued "That's what the name means to us. Understanding the risks and consequences, but still choosing to prioritize what is important to us. It also doubles as a warning to our enemies. If they fuck with us, then they needed to be prepared to be hunted by rabid dogs."

Jay smirked "I guess the name applies to us too. I mean, we did come to Detrius..."

Kade returned a smile "Any other questions?"

"Are there any girls in the faction?" Walter asked quickly.

Kade felt his patience quickly leave his body but answered nonetheless "One. Her name is Polly and she is the sole member that doesn't cultivate." He stood up "Alright. We only have two and a half months before we need to return, so let's get a move on."

The others quickly packed up camp, with Walter continuously throwing a barrage of questions that were mostly ignored.

Kade, with the help of Ben, led them back to the creek before walking upstream. Hunting was high on the list of priorities, but finding the tree that the special branch came from was at the top.

There was a good chance that anything harvested from the tree, be it; branches, bark, leaves, fruits, would all sell for a hefty price. Even if that wasn't the case, the branches themselves would be valuable when it came to understanding natural energy.

He was reminded of the Lion once again. It had found a crystal, presumably a natural treasure, and refused to leave it. Whether it was guarding it, or benefiting from the crystal, it clearly thought highly of it.

Perhaps this tree was the same, and if so, there would likely be at least one beast in the area. So with all things considered, the chances that this trip would be wasted were low.

They followed the curves of the creek, traversing the hills and valleys that it weaved through. As time passed, Kade's expression became solemn. Realistically, the tree shouldn't have been very far from where they found the branch.

It was uncommon for things to float very far from where they entered the water, as they would usually get stuck on the banks. Yet, even after an hour of walking they still didn't spot any trees that resembled the branch.

"Hold up." he stopped the group before sliding down the sloped bank to the water. Observing it closely, he dipped his fingers in before furrowing his brows.

The temperature was off. Normally, flowing water would be cold, but this creek was lukewarm. It didn't make sense, but then again, this was Detrius.

His eyes drifted to the center, but after a few minutes of observation, he wasn't able to find anything else.

"Wait, what is that?" Cal called out, causing the others to follow his gaze.

Far in the distance, they spotted a large shadow hanging from a branch. It moved slowly as it maneuvered to the tree and down it.

"Whatever it is, it's in our way. We can fight it, wait it out, or go around." Jay said while sneakily glancing at Kade.

"Listen up." Kade took the opportunity to give his first lesson. "In any battle, the most important aspect is information. You need to know what and how many enemies you're fighting, what they are capable of, and their habits. The better you know your enemies, the better you'll be able to plan and react."

"Information extends beyond your enemies. You need to know the terrain that you're fighting in, to some degree. Take note of valleys, slopes, caves, foliage, and anything that might hinder or aid you."

"After gathering information, you need to assess the risks and formulate a plan. Are you going to fight it head-on, or would luring your enemy into a trap be better? Your plan needs to serve you in the best way possible. Usually, when hunting, it will be minimizing injuries and conserving energy."

"First, Cal. You'll scout the area in a seventy-five-meter diameter around the target. Keep an eye for any other threats, and useful terrain that we can use to our advantage. Be as stealthy as possible, but if you get spotted immediately return to us."

Cal nodded before jogging away. Turning to the others, he continued.

"We need to be prepared in case Cal runs into trouble. Take out your weapons and hide in this area." He said before demonstrating.

Taking out his knife, he used it to climb a nearby tree and perch on a branch before watching the others while occasionally throwing out advice on where to set up.

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

They tucked themselves away in the nearby brush, and behind trees. They waited while controlling their breathing for almost thirty minutes before Cal returned.

They all left their cover and regrouped

"Give us a report." Kade said while taking out his notebook.

Cal nodded "We are in a wide valley right now. The area looks clear, but I spotted two large animals roaming the edges. Across the creek, there is a long trench a meter or two deep, but there isn't anything of use on this side."

"Alright. We will have to be wary of the animals nearby. If we make too much noise they might be drawn in and if they are beasts then we will be in trouble." Kade rubbed the hair on his chin for a short time before continuing "If things go south, we will retreat back to this spot before crossing over the creek."

He cast earth mold, creating a three-meter deep trench spanning ten meters in length and two meters in width. He created a few thin bridges across before creating small spikes in the trenches. Finally, he used some of his paracord and strung it across the length of the trenches.

"Gather some long sticks and leaves." He ordered before doing the same.

Less than thirty minutes later, they had the trench covered. Next, he led them to a nearby hill and used Earth mold to create a small burrow within.

"This is our emergency plan. If we have to escape, the best-case scenario is outrunning the beasts. If that isn't possible, we will use the trench to slow our pursuers down. I can use the creek to further slow them down. Finally, we can hide in this burrow if absolutely necessary."

"Keep in mind, this burrow will only hide you from their sight. They can still smell and hear you, so you need to do everything you can to mask your scent and stay as quiet as possible."

"What about this?" Trey asked as he took out a bundle of flowers. "Obruo hates the smell of these things when burnt. I bet other animals would too."

Kade nodded. Using the plants was a good idea, but the application would be a bit flawed. None of them had a way to ignite them quickly from a distance, so they would have to do so within the burrow to maximize the effect.

"How long does the smell linger?"

"They burn for a few minutes, and with light winds, it lasts around forty minutes after they stop burning." Trey replied

"That's long enough. Leave them in here in case we get split up. We can come back for them if needed."

With the preparations complete, Kade led them back. Spotting the silhouette at the water, they closed in enough to discern what type of animal it was.

A sloth. Or, that was the animal with the closest resemblance. The body shape was identical, with long dark claws. Only, this beast had large, perky ears and fangs like a saber tooth tiger. Then there was the size, which vastly surpassed the size of a normal sloth and approached the size of a tiny car.

They observed the beast for some time, displaying patience while taking note of any important details. Unfortunately, they didn't gain much. Though, they did notice that the beast moved very slow, much like a normal sloth.

'huh?' Kade frowned as his eyes focused on the water beyond the sloth. The current was flowing oddly. Glancing further upstream, he questioned if he was just imagining things.

After fighting the Qilin beast with its phenomenal lightning, he had grown slightly more wary of beasts. One thing was sure, underestimating any beast would be foolish. Even this sloth.

Though, he wouldn't be the one fighting this beast. The kids were a part of his faction now, but the original deal still remained. They needed to learn and if he helped them too much then it would stunt their growth. Instead, he would handle any beasts that tried to interfere.

A whistling sound rang out followed by the rustling of bushes as Jay, Trey, and Walter charged forward.

The sloth, still filling its stomach with water, slowly turned as it sensed danger. Its speed was faster than expected, nearly matching an elderly human, but still far too slow to contend with them.

Trey lowered his body and raised his shield to cover his shoulder as he approached. Suddenly, his movement slowed drastically, coming close to that of the sloth's speed.

Kade's eyes widened. Trey's body was still tilted forward, and his legs were extending into long strides as one would expect from a sprint. Yet, he was moving so slowly. It defied common sense and physics.

He moved his gaze to Jay just in time to see him sliding while attempting to stop. Surprisingly, his left leg slowed, causing the rest of his body to lurch forward slightly. Next to be slowed was his right arm, but thankfully, he managed to steady himself before his entire body was affected.

"What the fuck?!" He yelled out while trying to retreat.

Kade tore his gaze from Jay and moved on to Walter, who had managed to stop before being affected likely due to his athleticism, and retreated a few meters.

Turning to Trey he realized that the team's tank had committed to his attack. By this point, he was upon the sloth that had managed, with the support of the weird slow, to prepare itself.

The two clashed in an almost comical fashion, like two geezers falling into each other. However, it quickly became apparent just how outmatched Trey was when the Sloth repelled him. His feet lifted off the ground as he flew backward just as slowly as he came forward.

Kade held his breath. It was amazing. The dirt, leaves, and debris all showed signs of being affected by the same slowing effect. This wasn't some manipulation of perception, and it didn't just target living beings.

It was an aura or field around the Sloth that slowed everything in the vicinity down to the same level as the beast!

'So that's what I noticed in the water...' He thought with elation. This was a completely new concept to him. The powers at this sloth's disposal weren't things that Kade had ever touched on.

Was it Time? Space? Maybe even gravity? Why did the field only slow things down to the sloth's speed? He had so many questions, and desire burned within his heart.

Kade watched raptly. He wouldn't be participating in this fight unless absolutely necessary, so he would have the opportunity to observe the abnormal ability.

Trey's feet returned to the ground causing him to stumble backward. As his body left the field, it returned to normal speed, causing the same disconnected feeling that Jay had experienced.

The three regrouped and faced the sloth that was gazing at them cautiously.

"Are you alright?" Jay asked, momentarily glancing at Trey.

Trey nodded "I'm good, but something is off. I didn't feel much backlash from clashing with the beast even though I was thrown back. It was... Gentle."

"I bet it's because of the velocity." Ben chimed in from behind a tree "The field slows everything within, but that also reduces the blunt damage."

This was his first guess. He doubted that the Sloth relied on impact damage anyway, as it had those long and sharp claws. Though it seemed to have high strength to be able to toss Trey away like that, it likely didn't rely on its strength.

Jay spun the axes in his hand before glancing at the others "Even if it knows we are coming, it can't block from three directions, right? Walter, you take the right, Trey will attack from the front, and I'll handle the left."

They nodded before Walter circled to the right and Jay to left. They skirted the slowing field and surrounded the sloth, leaving it one path of retreat that would force it into the water.

"Let's go!" Jay shouted.

The three dashed forward and entered the slowing field, each posed to strike the moment they entered range.

The Sloth, though moving slowly and having little time to respond, maneuvered its body into an odd position. Both arms began to extend as did the right leg in an attempt to receive all three attacks. However, its plans were foiled by the one threat it never saw coming.

Cal, adept at stealth, had managed to avoid both the beast's and his team's perception and sneak close enough to attack. The moment the Sloth acted to block the three attacks, Cal responded with his own plan.

The beast was balancing its massive weight on a single leg, and that was the crux that Cal targetted. He slashed out with his short sword, striking the back of the Sloths joint before following up with a dagger and burying it into the beast's thigh.

The Sloth squealed out as it collapsed to the ground, its supporting leg folding due to pain. Left completely open, three weapons bore down on it, striking the beast's shoulder, side, and arm, leaving gnarly lacerations.

They weren't professionals, in fact, by all accounts they were complete noobs. Even so, everyone knew how to take advantage of an opportunity.

Jay, Trey, and Walter all reared back and took another swing while the beast was steadying itself. Three more wounds were left on the beast's body, but not without retaliation.

The Sloth showed an abnormal level of intelligence as it forsook its defense and lashed out in desperation. Swinging its lengthy arm, the tips of its claws glanced across Walter's chest, leaving deep crevices. Right after, its body bumped into Trey, sending him tumbling once again.

Jay noticed the opportunity and advanced, striking out again before using the momentum he had gained to leap onto the beast's back. He kicked the axe still embedded in the beast's back, causing it to lodge itself deeper. Then, grabbing the handle, he used his weapon to keep himself on top of the Sloth while swinging his second axe in a frenzy.

Kade watched with a smile. Though he wanted to study the Sloth's incredible slowing field ability, his attention had been drawn to the team's performance. They had improved in every way from the first time he had spectated, especially their teamwork.

Jay and Cal stood out the most.

Cal had taken his advice and applied it perfectly by destroying the Sloth's plans and creating a golden opportunity for his team while simultaneously damaging the beast's mobility.

Jay, on the other hand, showed decisive action. He made the most of the opportunities given to him. Jumping on the Sloth's back would force the beast to turn its attention to him, lessening the pressure put on his teammates that would be in dire straights otherwise.

Though he had noticed all of this, his attention wasn't solely on this fight. Other creatures, threats, lurked nearby and it was his job to prevent them from intervening.

Murphy's law stated that anything that can go wrong, will. Thankfully, Kade had learned to account for these times when he made plans, when he could, of course.

Ben's eyes widened when he heard the snapping of wood. He turned his head to the right and spotted another creature that resembled a wolf as big as the lizard form before, running toward the ongoing battle at full speed. His heart sank as anxiety boiled up within.

"K-Kade, another beast!" He shouted as he jerked his head toward the branch that Kade was observing from, only to see it empty.

A whirring sound entered his ears as the cogs in his head spun at top speed. Jerking his head back to the right, he spotted Kade flying through the air while swinging a blue chain.

He watched as the Altaris at Kade's back disappeared before the chain flew out, forming a circle in front of the beast, which charged right into it as Kade caught the loose end. He turned the chain in his hand as his feet slammed into the beast's back.

He pulled hard while extending his legs, which tightened the loop around the wolf's neck and gave him leverage. His left foot slid forward against the beast's fur before stopping on the chain. Kade leaned back and pulled with all of his strength, tightening the collar he had imposed on the wolf.

The wolf, unaccustomed to having something wrap around its neck, faltered in its steps as it slowed and began to thrash around in an attempt to rid itself of the chains that were quickly restricting its breaths.