[You have killed a level 18 Grassland Hunter.] [You have gained 5 Lives.]

[You have killed a level 18 Dark Prowler.] [You have gained 5 Lives.]

The remaining six beasts hesitated, their confidence shaken by watching four pack members die in a single flash of fire.

ROAR!

Their hesitation didn't last for long, they charged from multiple directions simultaneously, attempting to consume Moon.

Moon formed another Ignite fireball, this one aimed at the three beasts approaching from his left flank.

BOOM!

The explosion consumed them mid-charge. The burn effect took hold immediately, dealing continuous damage as flames clung to fur and flesh.

The three beasts died instantly, having no chance in defending against such a powerful attack.

The final three beasts realized their mistake too late. They tried to scatter and retreat, their survival instincts sending them warnings.

Moon considered pursuing but decided against it. The creatures were fleeing, no longer a threat, and chasing them was not beneficial. They provided minimal lives, and close to no experience from killing.

He lowered his staff, the entire encounter had lasted less than thirty seconds from first detection to final kill. Moon had gained a total of thirty-five lives from the seven beasts that he had killed, each one providing him 5 lives due to their relatively low-levels compared to his current strength.

Although the number was incredibly low, ever bit of accumulation mattered.

The grassland fell silent again, broken only by the crackling of residual flames consuming beast corpses. Mirage had managed to stand during the brief combat, his eyes wide but trusting as he watched Moon eliminate threats with clinical efficiency.

"See?" Moon said quietly, patting the horse's neck. "Nothing to worry about. Get some more rest while you can…we need to leave soon as more beasts start to come."

Mirage settled back down, though his ears remained alert for additional dangers.

Moon remained standing, his senses extended into the darkness. The explosions and scent of blood would likely attract more predators eventually. He'd gotten perhaps five minutes of meditation before this interruption.

'Probably won't get much more rest tonight, might as well stay alert and deal with whatever else shows up until Mirage rests.'

Moon had decided to let Mirage rest for some time before they continued their journey through the darkness. Staying in one place was clearly proving to be a terrible idea—the scent of blood and burned flesh was acting like a beacon, drawing predators from across the grasslands.

Moon resumed his vigilant position, standing guard while Mirage recovered enough strength to continue safely. It took the horse approximately ten more minutes to regain sufficient stamina for them to travel without risking collapse or injury in the short term.

During that brief waiting period, Moon had been forced to kill a whopping twenty additional beasts that emerged from the darkness in an aggressive wave. He'd used approximately thirty percent of his mana reserves dealing with them, as it became progressively harder to eliminate threats efficiently when they all wanted nothing but to shred his skin and devour his guts.

The beasts approached with more caution, attacked from unpredictable angles, and coordinated their assaults to exploit gaps in Moon's defensive coverage. Several had been level nineteen and twenty, requiring more concentrated firepower to eliminate quickly.

Moon had been forced to use Ignite more conservatively, targeting only the most dangerous clusters while handling isolated threats with basic Elemental Attack to preserve mana.

He had gained a total of one hundred lives from the twenty beasts adding to his collection.

With a growing pile of beast corpses littering the ground and flames consuming roughly half of them, Moon mounted Mirage's back carefully. The white horse stood with visible effort but seemed stable enough for continued travel.

"Let's get out of here before the really big predators show up," Moon said, guiding Mirage away from the impromptu battlefield. "Nothing good comes from staying near this much blood."

The larger, more intelligent beasts would be drawn to the carnage soon. Moon had no interest in fighting something level twenty-three or higher in open grassland at night.

Mirage began moving at a steady but cautious pace, his hooves finding purchase on the uneven terrain despite the darkness and fatigue. Moon kept his guard raised, constantly scanning their surroundings for approaching threats.

The twin moons provided enough ambient light to navigate by, under different circumstances, it might have been beautiful.

Right now, Moon was just grateful for the visibility it provided.

They traveled through the night without stopping again, putting as much distance as possible between themselves and the killing ground Moon had created. Occasionally, Moon detected beasts in the distance possibly tracking their movement or investigating the scent trail they inevitably left.

By the time dawn began breaking across the eastern horizon, Moon estimated they'd covered another significant portion of the journey toward Rocketer Base. The grasslands were gradually giving way to rockier terrain with more elevation changes, suggesting they were approaching the mountainous region where the base was located.

During the travel, Moon and Mirage had taken short breaks in natural caves. Up until dawn, Moon had killed a total of a hundred beasts, and evaded many powerful ones that he didn't want to get into a fight with.

Moon felt a pang of genuine concern for the horse. Mirage had endured far more than most mounts would tolerate

"Just a few more hours," Moon said encouragingly, patting Mirage's neck. "Once we reach Rocketer Base, you'll get some proper rest, I promise."

Mirage snorted softly, as if acknowledging the commitment.

Moon meant it sincerely. The horse had earned far more than basic stable care. Once this realm exploration with Selene was complete and Moon had access to his payment from Kael, he'd invest in premium recovery potions, enhanced feed, and possibly even some materials to help strengthen the horse.

Loyalty and courage deserved to be rewarded properly.

The sun continued rising in the sky, bringing warmth and better visibility to their long journey.

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