Chapter 23: Victory Through Patience

For the intelligent races living on the surface, the Dark Regions were a far more dangerous place than a magical one. Even the most powerful and tenacious Holy Church was helpless against them, while ordinary people simply associated the creatures that lived in the darkness with demons, believing they were inherently vicious and evil, loyal slaves of the devil.

Of course, Neo had a much more comprehensive and objective understanding of the Dark Regions. That’s why, when he first ordered the Wind Team and the slaves to take refuge in the Shallow Dark Layers, he made a special request: to hide and wait for his return.

It turned out that this seemingly overly cautious arrangement was still valuable. Although the over 300 people endured more than half a month of hardship, they at least didn’t have to fight against the beastly Howlers. Most importantly, the Howlers were a group, not just one individual.

In a large underground hall, Neo gathered the core members of the Wind Team together.

“Vitz, how do you feel today? Do you still think you can punch down a mountain?” Neo asked Vitz, sitting on a stone platform with a smile. Since not everyone had arrived yet, the atmosphere wasn’t overly formal.

“Hehe, I feel much better,” Vitz replied, scratching his head with a half-silly grin.

Neo then turned to Van Rending, who had dwarf ancestry and expertise in building and cave exploration. “How about you, Van Rending? How many cups did you crush today?”

“Not a single one. I’ve fully regained my strength,” Van Rending said, puffing out his chest with a loud voice. He actually had earth element attributes and great potential. After just a few days of training in earth elements, he already had the strength of a level 4 warrior. Although he still lagged far behind in specialized skills, it was still a real improvement. Compared to those who used drugs to “shorten their lives” and become demonized, his path was truly the right one.

Neo’s casual conversation with Vitz and Van Rending actually revolved around the same issue: the sense of illusion that arises from rapid strength gains. When there’s a large gap between consciousness and physical ability, one loses control and can’t gauge their strength properly, leading to various mishaps—crushing cups, breaking chairs, or, like Vitz, thinking they can punch down mountains or fly, and so on…

At that moment, Boglem and Bichir arrived. Neo clapped his hands. “Alright, let’s get down to business. I know that after gaining new powers, everyone has been working hard in secret to master them. But progress has been slow, after all, we’re all well aware of the enemies we face. So I’ve arranged a practical combat session. I won’t go into the pros and cons of practical combat—let’s skip the theory and talk directly about what the session entails. Our opponents this time are over 20 Howlers, with their leader seemingly being a mutated creature whose combat strength exceeds that of a level 10 professional. He’s a formidable foe.”

Not just that! As beasts, even an adult Howler has combat strength equivalent to that of a level 5–7 fighter. With a mutated leader added in, their strength is hardly inferior to that of a squad of elite Claw Wolves.

“Boss, with such a group of magical beasts, I’m afraid we can’t take them all, right?” Hagen, who was good at cooking, was no longer as timid as when he first joined the Gale Team, but his courage was still lacking. He had heard of the fearsome reputation of beasts like Wild Howlers, and upon hearing that Nio planned to fight over 20 of them with just this small group, he felt a chill run down his spine.

In fact, Hagen wasn’t the only one worried. More than half of the people present felt uneasy—1 against 1 was already uncertain, let alone 1 against 3?

Nio understood why everyone was worried. He smiled and said, “It’s just a problem. Finding a way to solve it—this kind of planning isn’t something we’ve tried for the first time. Eliminating nearly 30 Wild Howlers is a problem. Just hearing it already scares people into not even thinking about solving it. How can that work? Let’s stick to our usual approach: start with intelligence analysis and listing the advantages and disadvantages of both sides. Let’s see how to solve this problem…”

“Follow me! Go there! Charge ahead! Kill them!” Such orders seemed to come from the boss often, but in Nio’s eyes, such a boss lacked credibility. Spending time, effort, and going through hardships—Nio didn’t just want a bunch of obedient enforcers; he wanted capable and intelligent commanders. Training ordinary people with mediocre basic skills into commanders with professional military abilities might seem overly ambitious at first. But as Nio told everyone, it was just a problem.

“It’s okay if you can’t do it. The real problem is not even daring to think about it.” Who said that didn’t matter. What mattered was that Nio regarded it as wise advice and dared to try it. An important manifestation of this attempt among the core members of the Gale Team was fostering various “good habits,” starting with the habit of “daring to think and act, and being brave enough to try”…

Three days later, it was January 16th, Year 774 of the Unified Continental Calendar, a year known as the Year of Magic Stain.

The era name was said to be derived from the “Great Deduction Art,” with each thousand years marking a cycle. In Frey, the power of technology had reached every household, so most Freyians regarded era names as outdated superstitions and dismissed them lightly. Especially the radicals among the revolutionaries, who dared to preach things like “My fate is in my own hands, God is dead,” would surely not take any account of so-called “prophecies derived from celestial changes.”

Whenever Nio thought about these things, he felt a sense of relief—relieved that he grew up in a remote place like Tures, relieved that his cruel gladiator days came before he could shape his own character, and relieved that the Manmoris family had a rich collection of books, which taught him to respect the past rather than discarding millennia of heritage just because of superficial changes. Especially after meeting Nancy, Nio deeply realized the importance of knowledge. It could be said that 70% of his confidence came from his mastery of knowledge. Nio believed that given time, he would surely be among the top people in the world who possessed vast knowledge and could use it effectively.

“Boss, the brothers are ready.” It was Barret who came to report. Despite wearing heavy armor, he could still move with agility. As one of the first members of the Gale Team to undergo power refinement and reach level 5, Barret was now the second most important fighter in the team after Neo, often regarded by Mach as Neo’s right-hand man.

“Hmm, let’s set off.” Neo put down his work of cultivating plants and, along with Barret and the other core members, headed toward the lair of the Howling Wilds.

Neo had discovered the cavern occupied by the Howling Wilds on the sixth day after his return. He later sent Spine to confirm it using a young Dinosaur Fern, finally confirming that this cavern was the best location within dozens of kilometers to build the stronghold he desired. With a vertical depth of 1,200 meters and approximate spans of 300 to 400 meters in all directions, it contained ponds formed by underground rivers. In addition to a wide passage, there were two other routes connecting it to the outside world. The cavern was filled with dark plants, and even a small group of Los beasts kept by the Howling Wilds. In Neo’s eyes, this cavern was a treasure worth seizing at all costs.

“Alright, it’s here. Get ready for battle. I’ll lure them in.” Neo, who knew the terrain inside and out, chose a hall of less than 200 square meters as an ambush point, then went in alone to draw the enemy in. Along the way, he activated seven Thorn Rings. Compared to a head-on confrontation, Neo’s setup this time was much more thorough and calm. In fact, from the day he decided to seize the cavern from the Howling Wilds, Neo had been actively planning. These Thorn Rings were set up after he observed the habits of the Howling Wilds over time, not all at once but in several stages. By now, they had achieved their intended purpose—with just one spell from Neo, he could create a true thorn net, far more sophisticated than the one that had trapped that Howling Wild earlier.

“Borglem, do you think the boss won’t bring all those over 20 Howling Wilds here?”

Borglem glanced at the nervous Cheebman and smiled slightly. “Breathe deeply until you calm down. Try it—it works.”

Not only Cheebman but also Van Rending, Hagen, and the five privates brought in to gain experience due to their outstanding performance all tried the method Borglem suggested. Heavy breathing sounds filled the ambush site…

“The Gale Team has no wolves that don’t bite.” Just because of that, even the cook Hagen and the accountant Cheebman were brought to participate in the actual battle. Like many other team members, it was Cheebman’s first time fighting against magical beasts, so nervousness was inevitable. In terms of strength, the team members were now far stronger than they had been during their journey eastward. But everything is difficult at the beginning. The members of the Gale Team were like young wolves taking part in their first hunt—their lack of composure far outweighed their lack of combat skills. This was why Neo arranged this actual battle—without facing real danger, one could never be considered a true warrior!

After about half an hour, the falcon heather flapped its wings and flew into the hall—a prearranged signal. Upon seeing it, everyone drew their weapons, nocked their bows, and held their breath, ready for battle. Before long, footsteps were heard asNeo rushed into the hall, and 2 seconds later, three figures with glowing screens followed in, launching an ambush.

As the team’s “shields,” the heavily armored Barret and Witz charged first to engage the Howling Beasts, while the others took on their respective roles. Soon, the “Thorn Ring” near the hall’s entrance came into action—its dark, shiny thorns emitting an ink-green glow, tougher than steel cables, making it impossible for the three Howling Beasts to break through.

Realizing they were trapped, the Howling Beasts turned to fight back fiercely against the ambushers. Known for their agility, they refused to fight in confined spaces and rushed back into the hall, leading to a fierce battle there.

For this battle, the Gale Team was divided into two groups. One group was led by the powerful shieldbearer Barret, using tactics centered around him. The other group was commanded by Boglem, with Witz serving as a substitute shieldbearer—less skilled than Barret—so others had to take on the damage or offer occasional support to keep Witz from falling into a disadvantageous or dangerous situation.

Neo acted as the team’s healer. He inserted two totems: a water-themed totem made of soft wood that granted healing abilities, allowing team members to recover at a rate slightly better than that of werewolves; and an air-themed totem made of light wood that provided Wind Surge, boosting agility by up to 8 points. This doubled the agility of all members, enabling them to withstand the highly agile Howling Beasts. Otherwise, with their normal level 2–4 agility, they would only be a burden in battle.

In addition to the totems,Neo could also grant auxiliary spell protections to team members, such as Petrify Skin, Petrify Weapons, and Flame Weapons—techniques that were originally only usable on himself. With the balance of the four elements, these spells could now be applied to others, greatly enhancing the team’s combat strength. Moreover, with him and the Heavy Water Shieldbearers watching over them, immediate assistance could be provided in case of danger…

With so much support, the team members initially became nervous and panicked but quickly found their rhythm. The fierce battle lasted over 20 minutes before the three Howling Beasts were killed. Several members made many futile moves, exhausting their stamina, and six of them were injured. Still,Neo was quite satisfied.

“Guys, you did well. That’s enough for today. Disband and reflect on this battle carefully when you return. Tomorrow we’ll hold a discussion, and everyone needs to speak up…”

Several team members were stunned upon hearingNeo’s words. After days of preparation and over two hours of travel, was that it?

Neo seemed to have guessed what everyone was thinking. Smiling, he said, “What, you want to take down all the Howlers at once? You’re quite bold! It’s good to have courage, but this isn’t the right place for it. We’re not assassins who settle matters in a single fight. We seize the moment, take control, move carefully step by step, being fierce yet cautious, to achieve the greatest results with the least loss—that’s our style. Alright, let’s get moving. We’ll talk more when we return…”

The Wind Team retreated, and soon after, a few more Howlers appeared, but they failed to detect any clues. This was also thanks to Neo. Plants are different from animals; the traps he set were hard for the Howlers to notice. Moreover, having put in a lot of effort recently in the field of poisons, Neo had developed a substance that, when applied to the body and mixed with sweat, could change a person’s scent to one resembling earthy odors and rotting leaves. It dissipated easily, which was why the Wind Team was able to launch a successful ambush. Otherwise, with the Howlers’ keen sense of smell, they would have detected the team members early on and never fallen into the traps.

Two days later, the Wind Team returned to the same place, using the same tactics. However, the Howlers were cunning and smart, rarely making the same mistake twice. Even when Neo went alone to lure them, over ten Howlers chased after him.

Neo was prepared. He activated multiple Thorn Rings, dividing the Howlers into three groups—five, three, and three. He first eliminated the three groups that were chasing him most closely, then forced the other three into the hall and killed them before leaving. This battle was far more intense than the first, not only because there were more groups of Howlers but also because Neo had to spend a lot of time and energy maintaining the Thorn Nets. Still, the first five Howlers trapped managed to break free. Without Neo’s protective presence, two team members were seriously injured. Even if treated promptly, they would need half a month to recover. Fortunately, the cleanup after the battle was done efficiently, and control remained in the Wind Team’s hands.

For the third battle, luring the Howlers became extremely difficult. Neo took a big risk by going straight into the dome and attacking the Howler leader with ice arrows and thunderballs. This angered the leader, who sent all its followers after him, forcing Neo to transform into a werewolf and flee desperately to achieve his goal.

This time, most of the Thorn Nets were used to block the Howler leader’s attacks. Although it separated the group of Howlers into two parts, the Wind Team still had to face five of them at once. It wasn’t just a matter of increased combat strength. Barret and Witz alone couldn’t stop all five Howlers. Water Guardian also had to join the fight, and eventually, Neo had to get involved as well. Only then were they able to defeat all five Howlers within just over ten minutes.

This time, the Wind Team’s retreat wasn’t as smooth. With the powerful Howl Leader around, it was impossible to clear the battlefield like before. Neo covered the retreat while the others fled in panic. Only by using more than a dozen traps set along the way could they shake off the Howls. The only good thing was that there were no serious injuries this time. Everyone grew rapidly through actual combat. Their combat strength didn’t increase much, but their battle experience grew, and their confidence grew as well—they were no longer as timid and hesitant as during the first encounter.

With all the back-and-forth and delays, over half a month passed. The coldest month of the year, the Moon of Ice, should have been a time of hardship, but Neo and the others felt the exact opposite underground—heat. It was hot in the temporary camp, during marches, and even in battles.

By early February, the Wind Team’s combat strength had at least doubled compared to before fighting the Howls. Neo also reaped significant benefits, mainly in two areas. First, his magical techniques awakened and became more proficient. He now mastered no less than 15 such techniques. For a level 4 shaman, this was an extraordinary achievement. Although nearly half of these techniques relied on “vines” as a medium, with some provided by Plant Spirits and Thorns, it was undeniable that mastering them greatly enhanced Neo’s strength and diversified his combat tactics. The other benefit was potions. Through relentless cultivation, Neo harvested several batches of medicinal plants. Though he was a novice in potion-making and his facilities were quite basic, with Nancy’s help in calculations, he avoided detours and his skills improved rapidly. He now had the qualifications of a level 3 apothecary. He prepared a batch of combat potions, gearing up for the fourth battle against the Howls.

On February 5th, the Wind Team headed back to the cavern occupied by the Howls. This time, they abandoned their previous tactic of setting ambushes to annihilate the enemies and instead targeted two paths used by the Howls for patrolling and hunting. Using the thorn traps they had set earlier, they surrounded and killed the Howls out hunting. In just one hour, they killed four of them.

Now, the Howls were completely terrified. Only nine Howls and the Howl Leader remained. No matter how much the Wind Team tried to lure them, they wouldn’t fall for it.

“If you won’t come, I’ll go.” Over the next three days, the Wind Team launched frequent ambushes. Neo, emboldened, entered the cavern to set up thorn traps calmly. The Howl Leader led his group to chase them, but Neo, with his fearless spirit, would strike and then retreat, only to return again. The Howl Leader, annoyed by this, led his group in pursuit, only to fall into the Wind Team’s ambush. Yet, after three attempts, the Wind Team returned empty-handed. The Howl Leader didn’t realize it was a trap and thought he was in control and that the Wind Team couldn’t do anything to him. Gradually, he grew bolder. After being harassed by Neo and the Wind Team for over ten days, he finally made a major mistake by going too far from his nest.

Seizing the opportunity, Neo deployed all the traps he had prepared over these days, bringing in Multiface as well who had been kept in reserve. He even used up all of Mach’s paralyzing drugs at once, sparking the fiercest battle yet in their conflict. This time, Neo acted as a killer, unleashing his full combat power and relying on his high healing abilities to fight desperately. Alone, he killed five Howlers. In this battle, Barret and Multiface, who were tasked with holding off the Howler leader, were severely injured, but they finally managed to destroy the core of this group of Howlers. Realizing the situation was hopeless, the Howler leader fled in panic with two females. Neo wouldn’t let him get away; setting up at least dozens of traps along the way, he forced the Howler leader into a cavern. The leader, driven to desperation, fought back fiercely, but even inside the cavern, Neo had laid numerous traps through his previous “fly tactics.” It was thanks to these preparations that Neo engaged in a struggle with the Howler leader for over a hundred minutes, exhausting himself completely before finally killing it. Having long intended to tame this mutated Howler, Neo took the chance to imprison its soul.

Spirits, like people, can form bonds of friendship based on mutual respect and growing affection; others, however, only obey after being defeated and completely conquered. Beast spirits, especially those fierce and violent, often fall into the latter category. This battle was precisely like a harsh whip used to tame beasts. Of course, a whip alone isn’t enough—Neo still had to put in serious effort to bring this Howler spirit under his control. Moreover, refining techniques and performing relevant rituals were also essential.

“Victory!” Neo, covered in blood and sweat, raised his hand high.

“Victory!” The members of the Wind Team also cheered wildly. With each stronghold they secured, they were building a home—a territory of their own. Though this territory had many drawbacks, its significance was immeasurable. As Chebman said, “We’ve finally struck it rich for the first time in our lives!”

Yes, the first pot of gold! Nothing is harder to earn than that first pot of gold. Now, the members of the Wind Team could finally say with confidence, “We also have a place in this world.”