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Upon hearing the command, the three servants did not hesitate or retreat, despite being covered in wounds and unable to hide the despair in their eyes.

They didn't even exchange glances. Instead, they silently shifted their direction, dragging their battered bodies to meet the charging kobold wielding the massive stone axe.

Though they knew it was suicide, they still obeyed their master's command without question.

This scene caught the eye of Porter, who was sprinting ahead at full speed. His pupils shrank, and an indescribable wave of shock surged in his heart.

It wasn't that he had never seen loyal servants before, but for a few ordinary servants to execute a suicide order without a shred of hesitation in a desperate situation where survival was unlikely even for themselves—this bone-deep obedience gave him a much clearer understanding of the weight carried by the name of the Fiery Lion family.

When raising death soldiers, the hard part wasn't finding candidates; it was making them charge forward without hesitation even when they knew they would die.

This was definitely not something a minor power could achieve.

The thought flashed by, and Porter's gaze instinctively drifted back and to the side—

There, the Shadow Wolf King was in hot pursuit, its glowing green eyes locked onto Regg. The wound on its shoulder kept oozing blood as it ran, but its ferocity remained entirely undiminished.

That beast... is quite vengeful, Porter clicked his tongue inwardly. Still, Lord Taylor was indeed ruthless. To pave the way for Young Master Regg, he practically slaughtered the entire Shadow Wolf pack.

At the same time, Porter felt a trace of relief. Fortunately, the Wolf King's hatred was directed at Regg, not him.

Otherwise, if he were targeted by such a vengeful, cunning, and incredibly fast magical beast while fleeing, it would have been quite a hassle to deal with, even with his Silver Rank strength...

However, Porter had noticed early on that the Shadow Wolf King was deliberately maintaining a set distance from the group. He knew it was doing this to amplify the terror in everyone's hearts.

It seemed this cunning Wolf King not only held a grudge but also knew how to toy with its prey.

“Damn beast, don't end up playing yourself...”

Porter thought,

At the thought of it, a chill crept up his spine.

With his half-step Gold Rank strength, Lord Taylor had barely managed to hold the monster back, and his current fate remained unknown.

The earth-shaking tremors echoing from the depths of the forest were definitely not a clash between ordinary mortals.

He didn't dare dwell on it and simply quickened his pace. Right now, the most important thing was to get out of this forest alive. As for the Fiery Lion family and the Shadow Wolf King, they all came after his own life.

The wolf howled again, and the Shadow Wolf King suddenly accelerated, only to slow down abruptly just as it closed in, looming like an inescapable shadow a mere ten feet behind Regg.

...

Outside Stone Mill Village.

Matthew stuffed the last bag of dried meat into the arms of a trembling old woman, watching as the villagers supported one another, leading their families onto the dirt road that led to the town.

As he looked at the silent and anxious crowd, a complex, indescribable feeling welled up in his heart.

This familiar village and its brief peace had, after all, been easily shattered by the unpredictable disturbances deep within the forest.

“Strength is the key to living in peace...”

The desire for strength gradually became clear in Matthew's mind. Like a pebble tossed into a deep pool, the ripples it created quickly expanded into a burning yearning.

Matthew's gaze swept over the anxious faces of the villagers, then turned toward the dark, distant forest,

Matthew took a soft breath, suppressing the rising urgency in his heart.

Fortunately, with his attribute panel, he could take things one step at a time.

Just as Matthew was organizing his thoughts, footsteps approached from behind.

It was Instructor Calm.

He had quickly finished giving instructions to the few young men staying behind in the village. Now, his gaze fell upon the dazed Matthew, and he walked over.

Together, they looked at the silent procession moving along the dirt road.

The villagers' silhouettes were stretched long by the afternoon light as they supported each other, slowly disappearing into the distance where the road led to town.

Dust rose faintly in the air, carrying the heavy, anxious weight of leaving one's home.

“This kind of migration is actually quite common for border villages like ours,” Calm's voice was low and calm, carrying the clarity of someone who had weathered many storms.

“When the forest gets restless once in a while, everyone just goes out to take shelter. We'll wait a month to see how things go, and if it's calm, we'll just come back.”

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the cottages as he added, “However, the village's savings are much more abundant than before. Supporting ourselves for a month won't be difficult.”

Matthew nodded. He knew a bit about the village's savings as well.

It was all thanks to the hard work of everyone in the village—whether it was Calm and Matthew teaming up to hunt the mountain giant bear, Matthew's various harvests at the Mute Pass on his own, or the diligent efforts of young men like Aidan, Fabian, and Reynard.

Stone Mill Village's public savings were significantly more generous than in the past.

Among them, Calm and Matthew, as Class holders, undoubtedly made the most prominent contributions.

Suddenly, a sharp, prolonged wolf howl echoed from the direction of the forest, piercing the quiet afternoon.

The ferocity and resentment packed into that sound clearly reached the ears of Matthew and Calm, even across the distance.

Almost simultaneously, the two turned their heads, their sharp gazes locking onto the source of the sound—just on the outskirts of the forest to the southeast of the village.

The howl was clear and resonant, definitely not muffled by layers of trees deep within the forest.

At this distance, it was close enough to pose a direct threat to the villagers evacuating along the dirt road.

“Instructor, should we go check it out?”

Matthew turned to Calm, a thoughtful gleam in his eyes. “That howl definitely belongs to a Shadow Wolf. If it's not just a lone wolf but a pack, we need to prepare early. We can't let them get near the villagers.”

Hearing this, a flash of admiration passed through Calm's eyes.

This young man not only had keen hearing but was also incredibly level-headed, remaining calm in the face of danger and thinking about the consequences first. He nodded heavily and said in a deep voice, “Well said. Let's go take a look.”

Before his voice even faded, the two turned at the same time. No longer watching the departing villagers, they focused their entire attention on the southeast, where the howl had originated.

Calm's steps were steady and swift, and Matthew followed closely behind, silently activating 【Eagle Eye Vision】 to scan their surroundings.

Dust continued to rise behind them, gradually swallowing their figures.