Even though I was the person who set the stage for this confrontation, I never imagined that things would go as far as they are now.

Although I was happy that my enemies were killing each other, this didn't change the fact that the scene unfolding before my eyes was extremely nauseating.

The sound of the wolves' grunts and the goblins' cries drowned out any other sound in the area.

With the chaos of the battle, it became difficult to tell which side was winning. But one thing was certain, many succumbed. There were still many who, even though they were in a terrible situation, forced their bodies to endure fiercely in battle.

Even though it had already killed many, the big black wolf was still actively showing off its battle prowess. Its large body seemed to be no obstacle to its agility that put any ordinary wolf in the corner. From the beginning of the battle until now, I didn't see it being hit once.

Unlike the other wolves that formed groups and engaged in hand-to-hand combat against the goblins, this wolf was acting differently. He was running across the battlefield, zigzagging between the trees while avoiding the enemies gathering on him and then attacking at every opportunity he saw.

Whenever he had a target with its guard down, the black wolf would charge at it and bite its neck hard enough to separate its head from its body. All this always happened in a matter of seconds.

On this battlefield, he was without a doubt the MVP. If it hadn't been for him in this chaotic fight, the Wolves, even with their superior numbers, would probably have suffered even more losses.

Obviously, after a prolonged battle, he was already beginning to show fatigue.

Still, he was clearly superior to the goblins. Showing that his jaws were not the only weapon in his arsenal, his claws, no matter where they hit, did enormous damage.

As for me, I am watching this chaotic battle from the safety of a treetop. From the beginning of this confrontation until now, the only thing stronger than my nausea has been my desire to jump out of this tree and harvest the absurd amount of essence that is accumulating on the battlefield.

Unfortunately, the fighting down there was still fierce and it seemed that it would take some more time before it came to an end.

***

As several more minutes of frantic battle ensued, the clash between the wolves and the goblins was finally reaching its climax.

Even though both sides suffered heavy casualties, the wolves took the worst of it. Their numbers, which had once been greater, now seemed equal to that of the goblins, somewhere between forty and fifty on each side.

Being at an equal number is already a disadvantage for the wolves, and to make matters worse for them, the goblins' superior stamina made that disadvantage weigh even heavier. Should the confrontation between the two sides continue, it would only be a matter of time before the wolves would be eliminated.

Stopping his run across the battlefield, the black giant wolf observed his surroundings for a brief moment.

*Howl~~*

Faced with the call of the black wolf, the wolves seemed to have received an absolute order. Ending the confrontation with their opponents, they began to move away.

Apparently, the black giant wolf must have understood that the situation they are in is dangerous and has ordered his followers to retreat.

The intelligence of these wolves is really not something I should underestimate.

However, despite the black wolf's intention to retreat, because there were several wounded wolves, they did not turn around and simply ran. They were making a slow retreat while protecting their wounded companions.

Having no sympathy for the wolves' instinct for camaraderie, the goblins were unwilling to let them get away and persistently pursued them.

The moment they got to a distance that I could no longer see, I jumped out of the tree.

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"The time to reap the fruits finally has come," I said as I took a deep breath.

Not knowing when the goblins would return, I needed to be quick.

"Come down," I said softly to the two who stood in the tree.

Looking afraid, Kurama just stared down.

"Come," I stretched out my arms, "I'll get you."

Despite my insistence, he did not move a muscle. Since this is probably his first time in such a high place, I guess it is understandable.

While I was thinking of a way to get him out, Rin, who was sitting on the branch behind him, pushed him off.

Although it was sudden, since my arms were already stretched out, it was easy to catch him during the fall.

This saves us time.

Good Job, Rin!

Secretly praising her, I dropped Kurama to the ground, and said, "We need to be quick, jump down fast."

"Guiii," Rin squealed from the top of the tree with her arms outstretched.

"Shhh! Don't scream, you idiot!"

Although I didn't understand Rin's cries, I could clearly understand her intention. She wanted me to take her in my arms like I did Kurama.

In normal situations, I would refuse, but time is XP!

Opening my arms, I said, "Com-"

Before I could even finish saying it, she jumped toward me. Because I had invested some of the essence in strength, it was not difficult to hold her.

After letting go of Rin on the ground, I looked at the stage of the cruel battle that had just taken place.

The forest that once had a wonderful view was now littered with wounded and dead fighters.

In addition to the abundant green that already existed, another color was added, red.

The air that would normally be pleasant and pure, is now filled with the smell of blood.

That was a scene I would never forget in my entire life...

Although I am to blame for this, to tell you the truth, I don't feel guilty at all.

I already expected to kill many creatures when I chose to come to this forest.

It's kill or be killed.

Besides, it's probably as I figured, the wolves and the goblins must have frequent disputes for resources. Otherwise, with wolves being cautious by nature, they wouldn't get that far for nothing.

Drawing my sword, I scanned the surroundings carefully before heading in the direction of where the battle had taken place.

The enemies still remaining there were seriously wounded, but I had better not let my guard down. Moreover, if possible, I didn't plan to leave any survivors behind either.

It sounds cruel, but every XP is appreciated.

Although I don't have an exact idea of how the essence works, I do have some suspicions. Under normal conditions, if I leave a dead monster alone for some time, its essence should probably slowly dissipate until it is completely gone.

What led me to this was the fact that I had already found some dead animal carcasses and they had no magical essence.

Since I didn't know how long the essence would stay in the bodies until it was dissipated, I moved at a brisk pace. Whenever I passed a goblin or wolf that was still breathing, I helped them take their last breaths.

***

After going through the entire battlefield, I harvested every last drop of essence that was possible.

Since I needed to be quick, I didn't collect the bodies for my inventory. Even though I don't want to waste the magic stones, I didn't want to risk it for something that at the moment has no use for me.

My initial estimate that it was a hundred wolves was probably wrong. After the battle started, both the wolves and the goblins that arrived late joined the fight.

After a rough count, the dead in total were probably more than 200.

The amount of essence I harvested was enormous to the point that if I didn't need to be cautious, I would already be jumping and screaming with joy.

Nevertheless, the amount was nowhere near what I estimated.

If I take the amount I would normally earn from killing a single level 5 goblin and multiply it by two hundred, the amount I received is way behind.

Even considering that wolves give out less essence than monsters at their same level, it would still be less than expected. Apparently, some of the essence dissipated before I could harvest it.

"Well, there's no reason to complain for the sake of it," I muttered.

With everything done, I looked at the goblin lair that was a few hundred meters from where I was standing.

Despite the distance, I could see its general outline. Unlike the previous one I had occupied, this was not a cave. It was simply a huge formation of plants filled with vines that formed something like a roof.

The place was big and spacious, but it didn't seem to have room for all those goblins. I'm sure some were sleeping outside.

Come to think of it, since Rin knew about this place, she was probably kicked out of here. If that is the case, the lair I stole was home to those who were expelled.

My urge was to run over there to see if I could get some extra booty, but I restrained myself. Since I had already spent quite a bit of time scouring the battlefield, there was a risk that the goblins who chased the wolves coming back while I was paying a visit to their home.

With that said, I immediately started running back to my camp.

Since the forest was probably still full of wolves and goblins, I headed towards the river and made my way back to my cave.