Chapter Thirty-Four: Raville Town

“What’s going on? Could it be that Blood Wolf has been captured?”
Wang Luo quickly rushed toward the source of the wolf’s howl. Having lived with Blood Wolf for several months, Wang Luo could tell that the furious roar was definitely Blood Wolf’s desperate cry.

“Xiao Bai, Xiao Hei, you two go ahead!”
Another angry howl rang out from Blood Wolf, prompting Wang Luo to speak to the two beasts perched on his shoulders. Before he finished his words, the two creatures transformed into streams of black and white light and darted toward the howls. Their bond with Blood Wolf was just as deep as Wang Luo’s own feelings for him.

Blood-red light burst from beneath his feet as Wang Luo’s speed soared, advancing swiftly and leaving a series of evenly spaced small pits in his wake.

At the edge of the Magic Beast Forest lived many wild animals. Lacking intelligence, they acted purely on instinct. The villagers dwelling on the forest’s fringe relied on hunting these beasts for their livelihoods, with medicinal herbs from the woods serving as another source of sustenance.

For ordinary townsfolk, magical beasts were a disaster. With no talent for cultivation—or talents so meager they barely counted—they could only become food for the beasts. Fortunately, magical beasts seldom ventured beyond the forest.

For adventurers, however, magical beasts were not objects of terror, but glittering gold coins—sources of wealth. Their meat was delicious, their blood useful for crafting scrolls, their bones forged into weapons, their magic crystals aiding cultivation and the arrangement of magic arrays.

To humans, every part of a magical beast was a treasure. If a magical beast appeared in the human world—especially one whose strength matched an adventuring party—no one would pass up the opportunity to hunt it down.

In a nameless wilderness, a blood-red giant wolf over three meters tall was locked in combat with a middle-aged man wielding a great sword. Red light flickered along the blade, and every clash between sword and wolf’s claws produced a strange, sizzling sound.

Not far from the battlefield, an archer occasionally loosed arrows at Blood Wolf. Though the arrows failed to inflict serious harm, they disrupted Blood Wolf’s attacks, creating openings for the swordsman.

At the edge of the battlefield stood two young men, each holding a great sword, guarding a mage clad in a black robe adorned with four golden stars. The mage was shrouded in the robe, with only a single hand exposed, gripping a magic staff.

“O omnipresent spirits of fire, heed my summons! Become pillars of blazing flame and scorch the feeble lives before me… Pillar of Flame!”

With a murmur of incantations, the magic crystal atop the mage’s staff began to flicker with red light. Streams of fire-elemental energy gathered before the mage.

When the mage uttered the final three words, a strange fire-red sigil flashed in midair. A column of pure flame shot forth from the sigil, enveloping Blood Wolf in fire.

Sizzle, sizzle...

Blood mist and flames battled ceaselessly. The middle-aged man attacked again, his red-glowing sword stabbing fiercely into the flames.

Shk—

The sword pierced Blood Wolf’s body, but the man’s face showed no joy. Instead, he withdrew quickly, just as a trembling, aged voice sounded behind him.

“Back away quickly! It’s casting a spell!”

Upon hearing the mage, the man retreated even faster, but it was too late. An azure-red crescent blade sliced through blood mist and flame, crossing the man’s throat before he could raise his sword—a large human head soared into the air.

Shk—

The crescent blade, its momentum undiminished, carried a cloud of blood mist as it flew toward the mage. It easily shattered the two young men’s inferior great swords and plunged into the chanting mage’s body.

The mage managed only a muffled groan before collapsing. In the instant when the two young men beside him were still stunned, two blood-red claws slashed their throats.

Far away, the archer had managed to flee several hundred meters in just a moment. Suddenly, he felt a weight on his shoulder. Instinctively turning, he saw a cool-looking little black cat waving its paw at him. His vision darkened, and the light of life faded from his body.

Arriving just in time, Wang Luo witnessed Blood Wolf’s flawless counterattack. He cast several spell seals, causing the blood on the ground to gather in his hand, forming a blood pearl.

He tossed the blood pearl to Blood Wolf, who was busy licking his wounds. Then, with a casual gesture, Wang Luo conjured five fireballs, sending them flying toward five shriveled corpses. Instantly, the bodies ignited under the blazing sun, releasing thick black smoke.

After running several miles, Wang Luo leapt down from Blood Wolf’s back. Blood Wolf reverted to his adorable form and jumped into Wang Luo’s arms.

“You little rascal, don’t show off next time. Be careful or you’ll lose your life!”

Holding Blood Wolf before his eyes, Wang Luo gave his nose a playful flick. From the gestures of the little white lion along the way, Wang Luo had already learned the gist of what had happened.

The adventurer party had spotted Blood Wolf and tried to capture him. Blood Wolf, unwilling, fought back. Later, the little white lion and black panther arrived, but Blood Wolf wouldn’t let them intervene. What Wang Luo had just witnessed was the result.

Blood Wolf whimpered obediently, his tail wagging nonstop. Seeing him like this, Wang Luo couldn’t bring himself to scold him further. As they continued on their journey, Wang Luo silently resolved to properly train his three beasts—not to risk their lives for pride, especially when the enemy wasn’t alone.

At last, before nightfall, Wang Luo and his companions arrived at a small town. Since none of them had been here before, it took several hours of asking directions to reach their destination.

Glancing at the four strong-looking men stationed at the town gate—who, in truth, hadn’t even reached the first level of cultivation—Wang Luo shifted his gaze to the gate itself.

The town gate was nothing more than a massive frame, atop which four large characters spelled out “Lawel Town.” Beside the gate were several wooden posts entwined with a plant known as bramble vine.

Bramble vine, common in the Magic Beast Forest, derives its name from the sharp thorns along its stem. Humans often use it to fence their yards, contain livestock, and guard against petty thieves.

Lawel Town, as the final supply stop for adventurers entering the Magic Beast Forest, was small but bustling. Here, one could buy nearly all the essentials needed for adventure.

Yet, precisely because it was the last outpost before the forest, Lawel Town could never be too prosperous. Every adventurer was a desperado; if there were too many valuable items in town, who could guarantee they wouldn’t be tempted to steal?

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Azure Dragon in Another World, Chapter 34: Lawel Town, complete!