Chapter 72

Chapter 72

Little Seven, who was protecting Lorant, was in an even worse state. Originally bitten by a Sharpbeak on its front paw, it now had multiple wounds from another Sharpbeak's pecks, bleeding profusely as it tried to shield Lorant.

It spotted a weakness in one of the Sharpbeaks and launched an ice flame ball at it.

However, it didn't notice another Sharpbeak sneaking up behind it to attack Lorant during that moment.

The foul-smelling, sharp beak opened wide, revealing rows of densely packed teeth.

No one would doubt its ability to split an ordinary person from head to toe like cracking a nut.

Lorant's pupils contracted; he wasn't sure if his defensive magical devices could withstand the bite of this creature.

Was he about to die just as his life was starting to improve?

Just as the sharp teeth were about to touch Lorant's protective shield,

a hand, completely covered in metal and resembling more a beast's claw than a human's palm, grabbed the Sharpbeak's beak tightly.

The Sharpbeak let out a loud 'snap' as its beak was held shut.

In the next second, it was stomped down onto the ground by a powerful kick.

Without giving the Sharpbeak a chance to react, Lancelot pulled its neck taut with his left hand and slashed with his right, cleanly bisecting the creature.

"Lan... " Lorant's mouth slightly agape, he looked at the steel knight in disbelief.

Although the knight's bright silver armor was almost entirely soaked in blood, making it impossible to discern the original color of either the armor or his hair,

Lorant immediately recognized him.

Lancelot's eyes behind his visor had narrowed almost to slits, and his heart was pounding fiercely after killing the Sharpbeak.

In that instant, he felt an unprecedented wave of overwhelming fear.

That sense of dread seemed to engulf him entirely.

Lancelot enjoyed seeking thrills and didn't mind being in danger, relishing the rush of adrenaline.

Like fighting creatures much stronger than himself.

The feeling of teetering between life and death was addictive,

and the intense heartbeat made Lancelot feel vividly alive.

But never before had he despised and feared such sensations so intensely.

Lancelot had never imagined that his own rapid heartbeat could cause ringing in his ears.

At that moment, his mind was clearer than ever, and everything around him seemed to slow down, as if he was detached from the world.

However, the battle continued, leaving no room for contemplation.

Lancelot bent down, scooped Lorant into his arms in a princess carry, and leaped onto a nearby tall tree with a powerful thrust.

"Are you okay?" The knight's voice sounded distorted, perhaps due to the visor, as if suppressing something, causing an inexplicable unease in those who heard it.

Lorant obediently curled up in Lancelot's embrace, not resisting at all, and nodded quickly: "I'm fine, but the little ones!"

He anxiously watched the younglings below, who were clearly struggling in their fierce battles, and looked pleadingly at Lancelot, hoping he could help them.

Lancelot nodded, observing the battlefield. He did not act rashly but stayed close to Lorant, scanning the ongoing fights.

Whenever a Crystal Ice Flame Dog appeared to be losing ground, he would send a sword qi or throw a fireball to help them.

Soon, the knights from the outpost, who had set out earlier than Lancelot, finally arrived.

Though they were hastily assembled by Baqi, consisting mostly of sixth- and seventh-level knights without flying equipment, riding their mounts,

they still played a crucial role in the battles that had been cleverly separated by the Crystal Ice Flame Dogs into individual confrontations.

Even seventh-level creatures, deprived of their numerical advantage and aerial superiority, were quickly dispatched by the coordinated efforts of the Crystal Ice Flame Dogs and the knights.

Lorant breathed a deep sigh of relief.

Only now did he truly relax.

As an ordinary person, Lorant had never experienced anything so thrilling in both of his lifetimes combined.

Lancelot turned to look at the youth, his expression complex and darkened, thankfully hidden by his helmet, preventing Lorant from noticing.

Once the last Sharpbeak was decapitated and lay motionless, the tall knight stepped over from the thick tree trunk.

The two, already close, could feel each other's breaths.

Lorant could even detect a faint fragrance beneath the heavy scent of blood on Lancelot.

It was the scent of a particular beast plant that Lorant loved, the same one he used as incense at home.

He must have used 'Shore Fragrance' to scent his clothes before sleeping last night, Lorant thought as Lancelot approached.

The blood-soaked knight reached out, wrapped his arm around the youth's slender waist, lifted him effortlessly, and leaped off the branch.

...

Back at the outpost, Lancelot followed Lorant closely, urging him softly to go see the priest.

"I'm fine, Lancelot!" Lorant was losing his patience with the knights urging him: "Can't I wait until Xiao Qi finishes treating me? It'll be better then, okay?"

They were currently in the middle of the priests' camp, where many of the Crystal Ice Flame Dogs had been injured. The Knight Squad from the outpost had brought them here as soon as possible.

Lancelot glanced at the injured pets.

In the central clearing of the priest camp, each pet was surrounded by several priests, and even the injured knights who had been pulled out from the outpost did not receive such attention.

This was partly because the pets were much larger than ordinary knights, allowing multiple priests to treat them more efficiently.

Moreover, the priests were incredibly curious about these well-behaved pets, even when injured.

Healing spells were cast liberally on them.

"They're already fine," said the white-haired knight, lifting his visor to reveal icy blue eyes that stared intently at Lorant, filled with worry: "I can't help but worry about you. You might have gotten injured somewhere without realizing it."

"Your organs? Xiao Qi carried you while dodging in the air; you could have been shaken around. And those sharp-beaked creatures' sonic attacks could have hurt you at any moment."

Lorant took a deep breath, reminding himself that he was safe today thanks to this nagging guy's timely arrival, so he shouldn't get angry: "Do you think I'm an idiot, Lance? Can't I tell if I'm injured? Or do you need to personally check me to feel relieved?"

"Well, that would work too."

Lorant: "????"

Did he just hear some outrageous statement?

Seeing the boy's incredulous expression, Lancelot finally felt calmer.

He smiled slightly, showing his first genuine smile in a long time: "Alright, stop glaring at me. Either I find a place to strip you down and check you, or we go find a priest to cast a couple of healing spells on you. Your choice!"

He adopted a threatening stance, clearly determined to make Lorant choose one option or the other.

Lorant pouted, feeling wronged as Lancelot, raising an eyebrow, led him towards the priests by the arm.

How did he never notice before that Lancelot was like this?

He had thought Lancelot was a well-educated noble who wouldn't even swear!

What a mistake!

Lancelot dragged Lorant over to the priests and insisted they cast several healing spells on him. Seeing the priests nod in approval, Lancelot finally relaxed.

The oppressive atmosphere surrounding him dissipated.

Only now did Lorant have a chance to observe the fifth outpost during an emergency.

The road leading from the fifth outpost to the Animal Pet Shop, once sparsely populated, was now bustling with activity.

Professionals from the Knight Regiment, Congress of Magic, and various churches had set up their camps along this area.

On both sides of the road were makeshift tents and wooden shacks, mostly placed haphazardly, resembling the neglected slums outside Holland.

However, upon closer inspection, one could see the exceptional nature of these camps.

Firstly, the row of white tents surrounding a circular clearing, where Lorant and others were, clearly belonged to the Church of the Goddess of Light.

Two large tents served as entrances, while smaller ones faced inward, creating a space roughly half the size of a football field.

This area stood out amidst the chaotic professional camps.

Injured individuals from the outpost were continuously brought into the tents, where priests of the Church of the Goddess of Light exhausted every drop of their faith to heal them.

Lorant and the others were standing in the center of the white tents.

The Crystal Ice Flame Dogs, due to their large size and numbers, were more easily examined outside the tents, so the Knight Squad placed them in the middle of the clearing.

The lead priest used a powerful divine spell to conduct a general examination of all the dogs, confirming that none had critical injuries and could be treated by regular priests. He then returned to the tent to continue his work.

The remaining junior priests organized themselves, with at least two surrounding each dog.

After stabilizing the initial wounds, the priests rotated back into the tents to assist the injured, leaving a few whose faith had been depleted to rest and recover.

These priests stayed near the dogs, occasionally casting healing spells on their still-healing wounds.

Thanks to the pets' strong recovery abilities and the priests' generous use of healing spells, within less than an hour, the twelve dogs' injuries were almost completely healed, ready for further combat.

Across the road from the priest camp was the mages' territory.

Their tents were similarly styled but appeared much 'freer' in design and color.

Lorant saw a tent with colors reminiscent of the starry sky, with beautiful nebulae constantly shifting on the black fabric, giving it a mysterious and profound appearance.

Adjacent to it was a tent with a blue sky and clouds, the clouds slowly drifting, making one wonder if the owner had truly captured a piece of the sky.

Apart from the varied colors, some tents were uniquely designed.

One tent resembled the hollowed-out head of a giant beast, requiring one to enter through its mouth, creating an unsettling visual experience.

Besides the scattered personal tents, there was also a large, oval-shaped tent.

This was the temporary office of the Congress of Magic, providing a base for these eccentric mages.

Further away, they reached the edge of the abandoned town.

It's become quite bustling here now.

On a street that rivals the commercial district within Mauplan, all sorts of people are wandering about.

Wild mages who haven't joined the Congress of Magic, free knights, mercenaries, adventuring groups, and members of other churches have all gathered here.

Beast tides are synonymous with danger, but they are also synonymous with opportunity.

These adventurers are always like hyenas chasing after opportunities.

Even though they are not yet allowed to participate in defending against the beast tide, it won't be long before they find their place here.

If they're lucky, many of them will make a good fortune this winter.

Lancelot accompanied Lorant as they walked out of the priest camp for some fresh air.

Although Lorant didn't say anything, Lancelot knew that the young man, who had never seen such a dangerous scene before, must have been terrified today.

Physical injuries can be healed by healing spells, but the shock and fear in one's heart can only heal over time.

At this moment, his armor was spotlessly clean, having used a cleansing spell, making him look brand new and shining with silver light.

He had transformed back into the handsome knight with white hair and blue eyes.

"Anything can be bought here now," Lancelot said to Lorant as he glanced at the stalls along the roadside. "Whether it's casting materials, magical equipment, or protective charms unique to priests, there are vendors selling them."

"Of course, nothing here comes with quality assurance. Those so-called protective charms from priests might actually be from the Church of Nature, which would only make plant beasts slightly friendlier towards you, offering no real protection."

"However, if you can discern things well, it's still a decent market."

"As long as the scale of the beast tide doesn't expand further and break through the outpost's defenses, this market will continue until the beast tide is over."

Lorant squatted down with interest to examine several plant beasts laid out on a stall, still covered in dirt, clearly freshly picked.

"Handsome sir, these are freshly dug dancing grass plants, absolutely fresh. Three gold coins each, no cheating! How many would you like?" The little mage running the stall, although recognizing that Lorant was just an ordinary person, still greeted him enthusiastically because of the presence of a great knight behind him.

Lorant turned to glance at Lancelot for approval.

Lancelot leaned down and picked up one plant to inspect it. "These were dug up at the edge of the Black Forest. With the beast tide, the number of plant beasts has increased, and the outpost arranges daily patrols to deal with them."

"These are obviously just bought from the outpost, but they aren't high-quality. If you want them, I can take you to the outpost later."

The stall owner watched helplessly as Lancelot casually threw the dancing grass back onto the stall and led Lorant away.

Lorant widened his eyes in surprise, looking back anxiously. "Hey! Is that okay? Saying such things right in front of him?"

Such behavior could easily lead to a fight!

"There's nothing wrong with it; he had intentions to deceive you," Lancelot said lazily, holding the young man's wrist, feeling the warmth that made him relax. "Three gold coins per dancing grass is a premium price. His stuff isn't worth it."

"Perhaps seeing that you don't wear any professional insignia and I'm a knight, he thought he could trick you."

"I didn't even overturn his stall, so I'm in a good mood." Lancelot concluded like a bully, without feeling any remorse.

He even felt he was a kind and benevolent person!

Indeed, he had been cultivating himself recently!

Lorant once again reflected on himself. This world is one of survival of the fittest.

Laws here only constrain a small part of the population; more often, the strong have the right.

Like today's vendor, if someone weaker than him had done what Lancelot did, it would have led to a conflict, possibly even being forced into a bad deal.

But encountering Lancelot, he could only suppress his deceitful thoughts and endure the knight's impatient attitude.

He even secretly rejoiced that the great knight didn't overturn his stall despite knowing the truth!

As Lancelot had said, the market here is mixed with good and bad, requiring good discernment to buy desirable items.

The two continued walking around. Lancelot purchased a large bag of casting materials from one of the stalls and then led Lorant back to the side door of the outpost.

This was the outpost's warehouse.

In a massive warehouse dozens of meters high, piles of various beast corpses filled the space, while boxes of fresh plant beasts were stacked high nearby.

At the warehouse entrance, a group of young knights busily counted the beast corpses waiting to be stored.

Lancelot walked straight to the table on the right side of the warehouse, where a large wooden sign stood, and tapped the tabletop with his knuckles.

The knight writing furiously looked up briefly, his gaze sweeping over Lancelot's knight emblem, then pointed with his quill pen to the wooden board.

"Check the prices yourself. Take whatever you need from the opposite side."

Lorant's eyes lit up at the sight of items priced a third cheaper than usual.

He wished he could sweep everything up and stockpile it in the Animal Pet Shop.

Lancelot's voice sounded beside him: "See? This is why those people love the beast tide."

Lorant didn't have much money on him, so he decided to return to the Animal Pet Shop with the Ice Flame Dogs, which had already been healed and needed only rest.

Then he would come back to stock up.

"Lorant!" Lancelot grabbed the eager Lorant, turning him around, with a look of exasperation. "Don't rush. Bring the little ones back with you, and bring a few carts."

"Huh? What are we going to do?"

Lancelot explained, "To haul our prey. The Black Gold Yew Squad isn't just guarding the outpost; we are the duty squad. Any beasts we kill individually during the beast tide belong to us. Today, I did a lot of work!"

"And there are also the Sharpbeaks. Although we need to share them with the outpost guys, a large portion of them will still be yours."

Lorant tilted his head and thought for a moment. "In that case, I'll take those few dazed little ones back, and leave the rest here."

The outpost camp wasn't short on wooden carts; having the Crystal Iceflame Dogs run back and forth would just be unnecessary work.

So Lorant decided to take a few Crystal Iceflame Dogs and bring back the four little ones who were still dizzy and couldn't walk straight.

"That's fine. It's time for Lennart and Leon Rist to go back and rest too. I'll have them return with you," Lancelot said without batting an eye, completely disregarding how furious the twin brothers, these battle maniacs, would be when they found out they were being sent to rest.

Lorant didn't notice anything amiss and nodded in agreement with the arrangement.

Watching the aggrieved and frustrated twin brothers, forced by the subtle pressure of the fierce white-haired knight, reluctantly escort Lorant away, Baqi, who had been observing everything from above the outpost, couldn't help but whistle.

"By the way, does your Animal Pet Shop make a lot of money?" the muscular knight asked curiously, full of gossip.

Lancelot glanced at him. "Why do you ask? Even if it did make a lot of money, I wouldn't take you along."

Baqi twitched his lips; this kid was as ungracious as ever, always managing to irritate him during conversations.

"I didn't mean it like that. I just noticed how protective you are of that little shopkeeper. If it didn't make money or big money, you wouldn't be so protective."

"Protecting him is like protecting your own eyes. It's too obvious!"

Lancelot raised an eyebrow and asked with interest, "Too obvious?"

"Of course! This is the first time I've seen you, a battle maniac, abandon your opponent to do something else." Baqi nodded emphatically. "Not to mention, even when your father was surrounded by those two big beasts in the Lopulo Mountains, you didn't go to save him!"

Lancelot frowned and looked at Baqi disdainfully, as if he were looking at a fool. "What nonsense are you talking about? My father is a level eleven knight, and the two beasts surrounding him were also level eleven. What could I do? Break my arm to distract them?"

Baqi scratched his head awkwardly and smiled. "I was just using an example, maybe not the best one, but you get the idea."

"Your fighting style has always been, well, a bit careless towards others, so I'm surprised."

"Haha." Lancelot turned away dismissively, not wanting to continue talking to this seemingly dim-witted president.

But Baqi, oblivious to being disliked, persisted in asking questions.

"Speaking of which, if you want to protect that little shopkeeper, why don't you just keep him from coming out? Let him stay safely in Mauplan or hide him in your castle. Now you're worried and have to send the twin brothers to guard him."

"Aren't you the one who hates people who drag you down in battles? I remember you almost failed your rescue training back then!" Baqi eagerly pursued, his armor gleaming with curiosity.

Lancelot, looking down at the battlefield, realized the tiger-like beast he had been targeting had disappeared. Considering the new scar on Baqi's arm, Lancelot could guess what had happened.

Tsk!

"Lorant can take care of himself," Lancelot said, putting his helmet back on to hide his displeasure. "Not to mention those Crystal Iceflame Dogs can easily take down your level six Knight Squads."

"Letting Shadow Demons and Sharpbeaks run rampant today was the Knight Regiment's failure. If it weren't for Lorant and his team holding and severely injuring those creatures, any other squad would have been silently wiped out!"

"Then those things would have entered Mauplan unimpeded, and you'd be thinking about how to apologize to Jaina with your head."

Baqi was momentarily speechless by Lancelot's cold words but couldn't refute them.

If the Crystal Iceflame Dogs hadn't successfully delayed and divided the battlefield, the losses would have caused chaos throughout the entire Knight Regiment!

He couldn't imagine how many unarmed civilians would have been torn apart by the Shadow Demons and Sharpbeaks before they were discovered.

At that point, the sacrifice zone would become a hellish place.

This was a major failure of the Knight Regiment and an unforgivable mistake by the outpost!

From the moment he realized this, Baqi had already angrily ordered Valina to investigate thoroughly where the problem lay.

Lancelot's metallic visor turned towards him, and the emotionless armor made Baqi feel a sudden pressure, as if facing a machine devoid of feelings. "So stop complaining here. I suggest you think about how to explain this to the Knight Regiment tonight."

With that, Lancelot flapped his wings and flew back into the battlefield.

...

In the rear of the outpost, at the priests' base.

Six Crystal Iceflame Dogs lay lazily together, basking in the sun while enjoying the affection of the beautiful priestesses.

Silem sat nearby, sipping hot cocoa given to him by the priestesses, watching Luca run around serving these little ones.

Adding water here, fetching soft cushions there.

"Luca!" When Silem saw Luca running back with a large basket of fruits for the third time, he finally couldn't help shouting, "Little Eight won't eat these! You don't need to keep busy."

Luca blinked innocently at Silem. "Sweet fruits, they don't like them?"

Silem shook his head, speaking louder so the curious young priests nearby could hear. "They're not picky; their brother has prepared a fixed diet for them and trained them not to eat food from strangers. So these little ones won't eat these things."

"But..." Luca looked hopefully at the Crystal Iceflame Dogs lying nearby.

Although these big creatures seemed to ignore him entirely during fights and showed no signs of specifically saving him, ultimately, if not for them, Luca knew he would have died a hundred times over.

And not only that, those beasts would have wreaked havoc throughout the sacrifice zone for a long time.

At that point, Luca felt he wouldn't be able to rest in peace even if he died.

Faced with these life-saving benefactors, Luca wanted to do something to ease his mind.

"Why don't you try?" Silem stepped forward and took a 'sweet fruit.' This was a common fruit, not a plant beast, but sweet and juicy, widely enjoyed by people.

Silem scooped some water to rinse it clean and took a bite.

Mmm, sweet and juicy, very delicious.

The commotion also caught the attention of the Crystal Ice Flame Dogs, who tilted their heads curiously at the basket before them.

Seeing that the Crystal Ice Flame Dogs were all focused on him and looking at the fruit with curiosity, Luca felt there was a chance for success. He washed a fruit clean and approached Xiao Shiyi.

"Shiyi, would you like to try some?"

Luca held out the fruit. Although each Crystal Ice Flame Dog looked similar, after spending enough time with them, it was easy to tell them apart.

He naturally recognized this one as the Crystal Ice Flame Dog that had protected Silem and himself.

Xiao Shiyi glanced at him, recognizing the human who had been following them all day, and curiously sniffed the offered fruit.

But that was all.

If not for Silem watching nearby and sensing no malice from the human, and having spent some time together, Xiao Shiyi wouldn't have even bothered.

After all, he wasn't a fragrant lady who would gently stroke his fur.

Xiao Shiyi lay back down, resting his head on the priestess's lap, enjoying the grooming.

Disappointed, Luca withdrew his hand. "Silem, do they not like this?"

Silem sighed, walked over, took the fruit from Luca, and threw it forward. "Shiyi!"

Xiao Shiyi quickly rolled over, caught the fruit in mid-air, and swallowed it in two bites.

Finding it tasty, he licked his lips and nudged Silem with his head, seeking more.

Seeing this, the other Crystal Ice Flame Dogs became upset, standing up and protesting with whimpers.

How could only one get a treat!

Everyone should share!

To manage so many pups, Lorant's basic rule was fairness.

Inequality was a problem for pets too.

Except during training, if one Crystal Ice Flame Dog got a snack, every other one should receive an equal amount. This was deeply ingrained in their nature.

Silem, helpless, dragged the basket and fed each pup a fruit.

After doing this, Silem couldn't help but feel a chill, remembering his brother might be unhappy about this.

Feeling like he had been dancing in his brother's forbidden zone all day, he hoped the attack incident would make his brother forget about punishing him.

As the priestesses chattered around Silem, asking about the Crystal Ice Flame Dogs, a loud whistle sounded from the outpost.

"What's happening!" Silem looked around anxiously, unsure of what was going on.

The priestess wasn't surprised; she stroked Xiao Qi's chin, soothing the alert pet, and said softly, "Don't worry, they're preparing to open the gates to release the beast tide. The light barriers in the forest need to recharge every six hours."

"The whistle means the walls will close in an hour, and then a large number of beasts will rush out of the forest."

"The Knight Regiment and the Magic Association will keep the level-seven and above beasts within the light barriers. Only those below level seven will come out."

"This is when adventurers get excited. By applying and getting certified, they can claim a controlled area. In their area, they can take all the beasts they kill, paying only forty percent tax to the outpost."

Hearing the whistle, Luca hurried away. Regardless of their role, any member of the outpost needed to prepare for battle upon hearing the signal.

Even though he was only a level-three knight, he could easily handle a level-two beast or team up with someone to tackle a level-three beast.

Though not overly powerful, he still contributed his share.

The priestesses also got busy, entering the white tents arranged in a circle around the camp.

Soon, the familiar defensive barrier rose from the tops of the tents, enveloping the entire priestess camp.

"Don't worry, it's safe here," the priestess smiled reassuringly at Silem.

This child wasn't a professional yet and didn't need to venture out.

Moreover, Silem's obedience and his ninety percent discount promise made the priests fond of him, and no one objected to letting him stay here during the beast tide.

The camp quickly returned to order.

Exhausted priests emerged from the tents to rest in the backyard, while those with energy continued treating injured knights and gently pushing recovering professionals out of the camp.

With two Crystal Ice Flame Dogs, Lorant quickly returned from the Animal Pet Shop.

The Lennart brothers followed, saying they suddenly felt energetic and wanted to stand with their team.

Seeing the brothers' enthusiasm, Lorant couldn't bring himself to ask them to rest.

As the trio and the two dogs approached the camp, they heard the whistle.

"Oh? They're opening the gates?" Leon Rist's eyes gleamed with excitement.

"It looks like we've arrived just in time!" Lennart added happily. "Shopkeeper, go hide in the priestess camp. Once this wave passes, we'll head to the warehouse."

"Hmm?" Lorant looked around in confusion, noticing that every adventurer was ready to set off, and the atmosphere in the camp had become tense. "What's happening?"

After Lennart explained, Lorant had a new idea.

"Level seven and below?" Lorant stroked his chin, his thoughts becoming more active.

Until now, he had felt it was too dangerous to let the beast pets face those monsters directly. Although they would eventually have to fight, it should be after these little ones were delivered to their respective owners.

But today's sudden encounter changed his mind.

Using the Luli Ice Flame Dogs for transportation seemed like an underutilization of their abilities.

For level seven and below, even if they were dealing with a pack of level six monsters, the Luli Ice Flame Dogs should be able to handle them easily.

If that's the case...