Adam and the rest of the Magi rode atop magical beasts as they dashed through the dense jungles of the Murky Mountains. Their forms silhouetted against the dim light filtering through the dense canopy overhead.

The forest around them was alive with the sound of the leaves rustling, branches creaking, and the occasional growls of ferocious beasts hiding in the distance.

Sinister shadows danced between the trees, bringing a sense of foreboding as the group continued to traverse the damp and uneven terrain.

"Hehe," Balron chuckled lightly. "This is the advantage of moving with a large group of familiars."

Durgin nodded in agreement. "At the very least, those individual corrupted beasts won't dare to come near us."

Even though the majority of the Rank 1 beasts had been corrupted by the orcs, they were still afraid of death. Thus, they wouldn't do something that would guarantee their demise.

Of course, it was a different matter if they were forced to do so with certain artifacts such as the horns that the orcs used when they lay siege to the border strongholds.

The familiars of this group of Magi moved gracefully through the underbush. Despite their large beastly size, their steps were silent.

This sight was both beautiful and fear-inspiring.

Adam was the one with the greatest sensory abilities amongst this group of Magi. Hence, he was tasked with leading the group.

Every time he discovered any large group of ferocious beasts through his Sphere of Resonance, he would alter his group's route toward their objective.

Thanks to this, they were able to avoid many dangers.

As they slowly made their way into the heart of the Murky Mountains, they noticed that the atmosphere had turned heavy.

Countless towering trees had their branches seemingly reaching out to them, trying to grab them. Moss and fungus clung to their trunks. Meanwhile, the forest floor was carpeted with thick layers of dead leaves and undergrowth.

The smell of damp earth and rotting vegetation filled the air, mingling with the scent of wildflowers and blood.

After all, the concept of survival of the fittest applied most in a treacherous region such as the Murky Mountains.

The group of Magi could feel goosebumps on their skins. Even Adam, who always acted playful and lighthearted whenever he could, had now adopted an extremely solemn expression.

In a place where every breath they took came with a promise of danger, the group of Magi had to constantly be on high alert.

The more they ventured inside the jungles, the more Balron and Durgin were surprised. Because, till now, they hadn't come across a single large group of magical beasts.

They had only dealt with a handful of beasts. But that was about it.

Balron, while glancing at Adam's broad back, whispered to Farald, "How far can he sense?"

Farald shrugged. "Not sure. But it sure ain't small." He then glanced at his dwarven friends and smirked, "He's pretty reliable, no? Hehe, I told you."

The two dwarves couldn't help but nod in acknowledgment.

As the group rode deeper into the forest, the temperature started to gradually drop. The touch of cool air sent shivers down their spines, causing them to pull their cloaks tighter around themselves.

The light within the forest was also growing dimmer, indicating the arrival of nighttime.

Suddenly, Adam's eyes narrowed. He raised his hand and clenched it into a fist. Seeing this signal, the rest of the Magi's expressions turned solemn.

This meant that a large group of beasts was ahead of them.

Confrontation was unavoidable.

After counting the number of beasts up ahead, Adam's shoulders slightly loosened. He glanced back and instructed, "No worries. Continue to press forward."

Edward and Lisa, who were riding together, nodded. They had full trust in Adam's decision-making. However, the dwarves were slightly puzzled.

Even Farald hesitated for a moment, before finally choosing to trust the raven-haired youth.

Balron and Durgin glanced at each other, exchanging puzzled looks. The former then asked Farald, "Should we prepare for battle or not?"

Farald replied with a serious expression, "Just do as he says."

The next moment, the group heard a series of menacing growls coming from the near distance. When they squinted their eyes to focus their vision, they saw a pack of Thunder Hyenas straight ahead of them.

When these beasts heard the sound of footsteps coming their way, they hurriedly turned their gazes and glanced at the group of approaching Magi with bloodshot eyes.

The next moment, yellow lightning crackled on their bodies as they rushed in their direction with immense killing intent.

"Don't stop," Adam calmly instructed the group as he began weaving a series of hand signs.

After sacrificing the material components, a dozen bright magic circles materialized above him. From them, orbs of pure mana took form and shot in the direction of the pack of Hyenas.

Rank 1 Spell: Magic Missile!

The dozen Magic Missiles streaked through the air, their paths intertwining in complex zig-zag patterns. Each spell glowed with a fierce intensity, lighting up the area around it in a resplendent light.

They homed in on the pack of Thunder Hyenas with unpredictable trajectories and deadly accuracy.

The Thunder Hyenas, known for their speed and reaction speed, were caught off guard by the sudden onslaught. None of them could keep track of the Magic Missiles that were coming their way.

Before the beasts knew it, the Magic Missiles tore through their skull and brains, instantly killing them on the spot.

Seeing such a scene, Balron and Durgin were flabergasted. If it wasn't for them riding their mounts, they would have already frozen in place for a very long time.

Balron glanced at Durgin and asked, "You saw that?"

"Y-Yeah" stuttered the skinny dwarf.

"I see"

While the two dwarves were reeling in from the shock, Adam had already cast another spell - Magus Hands.

A dozen spectral hands shot out toward the corpses of the beasts. They burrowed inside their carcasses and yanked out the beast cores. Then, they brought these cores back to Adam.

From the beginning to the end, only a few seconds had passed. Yet, the result was - the enemies were dead and the group of Magi didn't have to pause for even a moment.

Valerian jumped and snatched two beast cores from the Magus Hands. He ate one and gave the other one to Ennea to eat. Seeing such a scene, Adam couldn't help but faintly smile.

The young dragon isn't that greedy after all.

He then secretly glanced at the back. Through his Sphere of Resonance, he could sense a small group of people covertly following them.

Adam's lips curled up into a cold smile.

Come.

I'll be leaving a nice present for you.