"How do you plan to face the monster, kid? From what I heard, that boss is a long-range type. It will not be easy," Husk said. They were currently inside Oliver’s room.

"There must be a way. I don’t have any idea yet, but I’m sure I’ll figure it out soon. And at the end of the day, I will make that monster join us," Oliver said as he looked out the window. It was night now, and the cold mist drifted into his room.

"Being positive will not bring results, kid. A rogue boss is an entirely new type of enemy that you have never experienced. My senses tell me it will be a hard battle."

"Are you saying you cannot beat it?"

"Ahh! There is no way I would lose to a rogue boss! Losing to one would only bring shame to me as an ancient guardian."

"Haha. Then that is a good enough reason for us to win," Oliver smiled.

"Tch! What kind of thinking is that? By the way, what are you actually waiting for?" Husk asked.

Oliver smiled faintly. He then pointed up at the sky. Thick clouds filled it, drifting lazily across the night.

"I am waiting for the moon to appear. The Crimson Moon will show itself late tonight, based on the calendar. After that, it will disappear for another five years. Tonight will be our only chance."

"And I also want to sneak out when my father has already gone to the guild to stand by. He said a group of strong tamers will be formed and led by Guildmaster Nolan himself. I want to see how strong a veteran tamer really is."

After about two hours, Oliver slowly sneaked out of his house. Just as he reached the door, a voice was heard.

"I knew you would go."

"Kiyaak!" Oliver was startled and quickly covered his mouth to stop himself from making noise.

"Tamera! What are you doing here? How did you know I would go out tonight?"

"I was waiting for you. How did I know? Your reactions were so obvious when Father mentioned the monster this evening. And I know you would want to tame that monster. Am I correct?"

"Yes! A flying monster with long-range attacks, that’s every boy’s dream!" Oliver clenched his fist.

"Well, I know I cannot stop you even if I try. Here, I have prepared all the necessary items for you. I made extra while preparing for your father." Tamera handed him a leather bag.

"Ahh, thank you, Tamera. I really appreciate it. I’ll go first."

"Be careful, Oliver."

"I will."

---

In the Dewfield-Ashville Forest, a group of hunters moved slowly through the woods. There were ten of them, each holding a torch, walking alongside their own monsters. Their eyes were sharp, alert to any kind of movement.

"Guildmaster, are we not requesting help from Dewfield Town?" Lambert, one of the hunters, asked.

"No. I don’t want to show other towns that we cannot take care of our own place. We will handle this ourselves first. Only if things go beyond our control will I consider requesting their help," Nolan said calmly.

He was the most experienced tamer in Ashville Town. He wanted to use this rogue boss as an opportunity for the younger tamers to grow. The group he had chosen consisted of promising and talented hunters.

All the hunters nodded. They were now the front line for their town. If they failed, their home would be attacked, and that was the last thing they wanted.

Suddenly, one of the monsters stopped. It was one of the strongest creatures Nolan had tamed, a Woodthera, a Rank A wood panther. It specialized in fighting within the forest, and right now, it had detected something.

<Woodthera>

Nolan raised his hand, signaling everyone to stop. He placed his hand on Woodthera’s body and linked his senses with it. Closing his eyes, he caught a glimpse of the approaching threat. Monsters flying toward them in a swarm.

"They’re coming!" Nolan shouted.

Everyone immediately raised their weapons, preparing for battle. Soon, a buzzing sound was heard, like the beating of insect wings. But the darkness made it difficult to see their exact positions.

One of the hunters, a woman named Diana, stepped forward and raised her staff.

"Illumination Orbs!"

Four glowing orbs flew out from her staff, circling their group within a ten-metre radius. With this, they no longer needed to hold torches and could focus fully on the fight.

The light revealed the monsters as they drew closer. They moved in a swarm, each one the size of an adult, with four wings and rows of sharp teeth.

"Tsk! How did we miss this many entering the forest?" Lambert shouted.

The monsters dived toward them. Nolan immediately leapt forward and planted his feet firmly on the ground. He raised his hands, forming claw-like gestures. His legs then merged with the roots beneath him, this was the power he gained from linking with Woodthera.

"Root Entanglement!"

Roots burst from the ground, ensnaring the front line of monsters before dragging them beneath the earth. With a single attack, dozens were eliminated. The hunters were left in awe.

’This is the strongest hunter in Ashville Town!’ Their eyes shone with excitement.

However, the swarm was far from finished. Some of the monsters managed to evade the attack and rushed toward them. The other hunters charged forward in response, and soon, a fierce battle erupted within the forest.

On the other side of the forest, atop a tall tree, two pairs of eyes watched the scene below One heterochromatic, the other glowing red.

"That is a cool ability! That old man Nolan is really powerful," Oliver said excitedly. He had made it this far thanks to Husk’s sense of smell. For now, they had decided to observe how the group of hunters fought.

And it seemed the group was doing very well under Nolan’s leadership.

Suddenly, a massive figure emerged from the depths of the forest. Even Oliver could feel the dreadful presence approaching.

"It’s coming," Husk said.

Oliver turned his head, and was shocked. Fear surged within him, yet at the same time, a grin slowly spread across his face.

"Come here... my monster!"