Chapter 228 — A Hunt for Strength

Evan had just finished clearing the area. The two newly raised Terra Bears had been returned to his summon storage, leaving him free to continue hunting when something went wrong.

One of the Skeletons he had dispatched to scout the western region was destroyed.

The connection severed instantly.

Evan's expression hardened.

He immediately accelerated across the rocky terrain, his body darting between jagged boulders. The farther west he travelled, the more alert he became, carefully watching his surroundings for any sign of danger.

When he finally reached the location where his summon had fallen, he slowed down and concealed his presence with Nightstep.

Fortunately, he had activated the talent before approaching. Otherwise, he might have walked straight into a situation that would cost him far more than a single Skeleton.

Below him, a massive group of Terra Bears had gathered around the scattered bones of his summon.

Thirteen in total.

Evan's gaze swept across the group before settling on the most conspicuous figure among them.

Unlike the others, this Terra Bear stood upright on its hind legs, its enormous body towering over the surrounding beasts. Even by the standards of its own species, its physique was monstrous, with thick muscles beneath rugged skin and forelimbs powerful enough to crush stone.

Yet its most distinctive feature was its face.

One eye remained intact, glaring across the rocky landscape, while the other had been destroyed by an old slash wound. The scar had long since healed, leaving behind a deep, ugly mark that gave the beast an especially vicious appearance.

Another scar crossed its chest.

Three enormous claw marks ran diagonally across its body, each roughly twice as thick and long as the marks Evan had observed on ordinary Terra Bears.

His eyes narrowed.

'Those aren't ordinary injuries.'

He studied the scars carefully.

'Could the Ironhide Bear have done that?'

The Ironhide Bear was the only creature he could imagine possessing enough strength to leave wounds of that magnitude. If his guess was correct, this one-eyed beast might have challenged the regional ruler for dominance and survived the encounter, though not without paying a terrible price.

That alone made it dangerous.

An ordinary Terra Bear was already a troublesome opponent. A veteran that had survived a battle against the Ironhide Bear was an entirely different matter.

Evan continued observing the group, searching for any indication of their strength or hierarchy.

Then the one-eyed bear suddenly turned its head.

Its remaining eye locked onto the rocky outcrop where Evan was hiding.

His muscles tensed.

'It found me?'

He had activated Nightstep specifically to conceal his presence. Unless the beast possessed an ability capable of penetrating his concealment, it shouldn't have been able to pinpoint his position so easily.

Evan began retreating without making a sound.

Fighting thirteen Terra Bears simultaneously was possible, but the cost would be unacceptable. Even if he won, the injuries and damage to his summons could cripple his preparations for the Ironhide Bear.

He had no intention of trading a favourable position for a pointless battle.

However, before he could withdraw far enough, a thunderous roar erupted from below.

ROOOOOARRR!

The one-eyed bear had raised its head toward him.

Evan's gaze sharpened.

Fragments of earth tore free from the surrounding rocks and rose above the beast's head. They twisted together under the influence of Earth Elemental energy, rapidly compressing into several enormous boulders that hovered in the air.

For a fraction of a second, the one-eyed bear held them suspended above itself.

Then it attacked.

BOOOOOOM!

The boulders shot toward Evan with terrifying speed.

His eyes widened.

He launched himself sideways just as the first projectile smashed into the stone pillar beneath his feet. The entire formation exploded, scattering jagged fragments across the hillside as the remaining boulders tore through the surrounding rocks.

CRASH! CRACK! BOOM!

Dust erupted into the air.

The one-eyed bear roared again, and the other twelve Terra Bears immediately charged toward the shattered outcrop, their massive bodies pounding across the rocky ground.

Evan didn't wait to see what happened next.

He fled.

His figure darted across the uneven terrain, weaving between stone formations until he had put considerable distance between himself and the group. Only after confirming that the bears weren't pursuing him did he finally stop.

His expression remained serious.

'So Terra Bears can use elemental attacks. Or is that ability unique to the one-eyed beast?'

He replayed the attack in his mind.

The creature hadn't merely thrown stones at him. It had gathered loose earth, shaped it into boulders, and launched them with enough force to shatter a stone pillar in seconds.

That degree of control was far beyond what he had observed from ordinary Terra Bears.

'An elite beast, perhaps. Whatever it is, I shouldn't underestimate it.'

Evan dismissed the thought for the moment and checked the remaining scouting summons.

One Skeleton had been destroyed in the western region, leaving three scouts active.

Fortunately, two of them had already discovered Terra Bear activity. One had located a group of four Terra Bears, while another had found a lone Terra Bear wandering by itself.

Evan's eyes brightened slightly.

'The lone one comes first.'

The larger groups could wait. His immediate priority was to expand his forces before the Ironhide Bear or another elite beast forced him into an unfavourable battle.

He quickly moved toward the location marked by the surviving Skeleton.

It didn't take long for him to find it.

The Skeleton stood at the edge of a relatively open field, pointing toward a lone Terra Bear that was digging into the earth. Its enormous paws scraped away soil and loose stones, apparently searching for something beneath the surface.

Evan observed it for a moment.

Then he stored the Skeleton and began walking toward his target.

His shadow stirred.

Three enormous figures rose from the darkness behind him, their massive bodies emerging from the ground as dark green flames flickered within their empty eye sockets.

The undead Terra Bears had arrived.

The living bear immediately sensed their presence and turned around.

For several seconds, it stared at Evan and the three strange creatures accompanying him, seemingly unable to comprehend what it was seeing.

ROOOOARRR!

Its furious roar swept across the open field.

But Evan had no intention of negotiating.

He raised his hand and pointed toward the target.

"Attack."

The three undead Terra Bears charged simultaneously.

Their massive bodies surged across the field, shaking the ground with every stride.

The living Terra Bear roared and prepared to fight, but the moment it saw the three opponents bearing down on it, its instincts took over.

It turned and ran.

Evan's expression remained indifferent.

'Trying to escape already?'

He raised his hand.

[Dark Veil]

Darkness abruptly flooded the fleeing Terra Bear's vision.

The beast stumbled as the world vanished before its eyes. Unable to distinguish the terrain ahead, it continued charging blindly until its massive head slammed into a stone pillar.

BOOOOOOM!

The impact sent fragments of rock flying.

The Terra Bear staggered backwards, dazed and disoriented.

By the time the darkness began to fade, the three undead had already caught up.

They spread out around the wounded beast, cutting off every escape route.

The Terra Bear's vision gradually returned.

It found itself surrounded.

ROOOARRR!

The beast swung its massive paws and snapped its jaws, attempting to intimidate the three creatures blocking its path.

None of them reacted.

The undead bears possessed no fear to exploit. Their empty eyes remained fixed on their target, and the dark flames burning within them didn't flicker even when the living beast roared directly into their faces.

Evan approached at a leisurely pace, watching the scene unfold.

"Sorry, but I need to speed things up. Finish him."

His command was all it took.

The three undead attacked.

The living Terra Bear barely managed to defend itself against the first charge before the second undead slammed into its flank. A third descended upon it from the opposite side, its claws tearing across the bear's back.

THUD! CRASH!

The Terra Bear roared and retaliated, swinging its massive forelimbs at the nearest attacker. Its claws struck the undead bear's shoulder, ripping open its flesh, but the creature didn't even hesitate.

It retaliated with a bite to the living bear's neck.

The other two attacked immediately.

One raked its claws across the bear's side while the other slammed its weight into its hindquarters, forcing it off balance.

The living Terra Bear tried to break through their formation, but every time it turned toward one opponent, another attacked from its blind side. Its superior strength meant little when it couldn't focus its full power on a single target.

The battle quickly became a one-sided slaughter.

Claws ripped through flesh. Teeth sank into thick hide. Blood spread across the ground as the Terra Bear's roars grew increasingly desperate.

Within minutes, its body was covered in wounds.

Its movements slowed.

One of its legs buckled beneath its weight, and the beast collapsed onto its side with a heavy crash. It struggled to rise, scraping its claws against the earth, but the accumulated injuries had finally overwhelmed it.

Evan walked toward the fallen creature.

The Terra Bear lifted its head and snarled weakly at him.

He didn't hesitate.

Crimson Edge flashed through the air and plunged into its chest, piercing deep enough to end its resistance.

The beast's body went still.

Evan withdrew his blade and looked down at the corpse.

Another source of strength for his growing army.

He raised his hand.

[Raise Undead]

Necrotic mana poured from his body and flowed into the dead Terra Bear.

Its massive frame began to twitch as the power spread through its flesh and bones. The corpse shuddered, its muscles contracting while the surrounding air grew heavy with deathly energy.

A moment later, its eyes opened.

Dark green flames ignited within its empty sockets.

The newly resurrected undead Terra Bear slowly pushed itself off the ground, joining the three creatures already standing behind Evan.

Evan glanced at his expanded forces.

Four undead Terra Bears.

And this was only the beginning.

His gaze shifted toward the distant rocky landscape, where countless more Terra Bears roamed beneath the rule of the Ironhide Bear.

'Keep growing. The more forces I have, the less I'll need to risk my own life when I finally face the ruler.'

He put back the Crimson Edge and continued planning his next move.

He checked the location of his second scouting Skeleton, which had discovered a group of four Terra Bears.

Without wasting any more time, Evan recalled his summons and dashed away from the battlefield. Within moments, the bloodied ground had been left behind, and the only evidence of the slaughter was the destruction scattered across the rocky terrain.

Several hundred meters later, he found his second Skeleton waiting near a cluster of stone formations.

Beyond it, four Terra Bears were roaming the open terrain.

Evan observed them before storing the Skeleton.

Unlike the previous group, he had no intention of approaching these beasts under concealment. He still didn't understand how the one-eyed Terra Bear had detected him through Nightstep, and testing that ability again without preparation would be foolish.

This time, he would confront them directly.

The moment Evan stepped into the open, all four Terra Bears turned toward him.

Their heads lifted.

Their eyes fixed on the intruder.

ROOOOOARRR!

Four roars erupted across the rocky field.

Two of the bears were noticeably larger than the others, their bodies carrying more weight and their forelimbs appearing considerably thicker. The remaining pair were roughly the same size as the Terra Bear Evan had just killed.

Evan studied their formation for a moment.

Then his shadow spread across the ground.

Figures emerged from its darkness.

Four enormous undead Terra Bears appeared first, their heavy bodies casting long shadows across the rocks. Behind them, sixteen Skeleton Warriors stepped into formation, weapons in hand and empty eye sockets fixed on their targets.

Twenty summons.

Four coordinated units.

Evan raised Crimson Edge and pointed toward the enemy.

"One undead bear and four Skeletons for each target. Divide and engage."

His summons responded immediately.

The four undead bears moved forward, each accompanied by four Skeleton Warriors.

Evan watched the formation settle into place.

'Let's see how much pressure each unit can handle.'

He intended to confront the Ironhide Bear himself when the time came. His summons would need to hold back the surrounding Terra Bears while he dealt with the regional ruler, and he couldn't afford to discover their limitations in the middle of that battle.

He raised Crimson Edge slightly.

"Charge."

The four units surged forward.

The Terra Bears answered with furious roars and charged to meet them.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The two sides collided across the rocky field.

An undead Terra Bear met its opponent head-on, absorbing the impact of its massive forelimbs while four Skeletons rushed around its sides. Their blades slashed at exposed joints and vulnerable patches of flesh, forcing the living beast to divide its attention between multiple enemies.

The other three units followed the same strategy.

The undead bears occupied the Terra Bears from the front, while the Skeletons attacked whenever their targets exposed themselves. Every time a living bear turned to crush a Skeleton, the undead bear struck from another angle.

For a while, the battle proceeded exactly as Evan had intended.

His summons steadily gained the advantage.

Then the two larger Terra Bears revealed their strength.

Earth Elemental energy surged around their forelimbs. Thick layers of hardened earth formed over their paws, extending into enormous claws that gleamed with a rough, stony sheen.

The first transformed paw slammed into an undead bear.

CRAAACK!

The impact tore open its shoulder, scattering fragments of hardened flesh and earth across the ground.

Before the undead could retaliate, the second large Terra Bear swung its newly formed claws through a group of Skeletons.

BOOM!

Two Skeletons were struck aside, their bodies crashing against the rocks as fractures spread across their bones.

Evan's expression changed.

The living beasts weren't merely stronger than his summons.

They possessed abilities his undead lacked.

'So that's the difference.'

His summons retained their physical strength after resurrection, and their lack of pain or fear made them excellent frontline fighters. However, they couldn't freely reproduce the skills and abilities their living counterparts possessed.

Against ordinary Terra Bears, that disadvantage could be overcome through numbers.

Against stronger opponents, it could become a serious problem.

One of the larger bears raised its hardened claws again, preparing to strike the undead standing before it.

Evan lifted his free hand.

Ice Elemental energy gathered overhead.

Several icicles formed above him, their sharp tips aimed directly at the two larger beasts.

SHHHK! SHHHK! SHHHK!

The projectiles shot through the air.

The first volley struck the larger bears across their torsos, forcing both to stagger. Their balance broke, and the Earth Elemental claws covering their paws crumbled into fragments as the formations lost their stability.

Evan's summons immediately seized the opening.

The undead bears surged forward, driving their opponents back while the Skeletons attacked their exposed sides. One of the larger Terra Bears tried to regain its footing, but the undead bear slammed into its chest and forced it onto its back.

The Skeletons closed in.

Blades flashed.

The fallen beast roared and struggled to rise, yet the relentless assault prevented it from recovering.

Its strength was no longer enough.

The undead Terra Bear lunged forward and clamped its jaws around the beast's throat, crushing down while the Skeletons continued striking from the sides.

The Terra Bear's resistance weakened.

Then its body went limp.

Evan immediately redirected his attention toward the remaining enemies.

"Keep the pressure on!"

His summons adjusted their movements, shifting toward the nearest targets while maintaining their assigned formations.

At the same time, Evan approached the fallen Terra Bear and raised his hand.

[Raise Undead]

Necrotic mana poured into the corpse.

Another undead Terra Bear joined the battle.

The balance shifted immediately.

Five undead bears were now fighting alongside Evan's Skeleton Warriors, and the remaining Terra Bears were being forced into increasingly desperate positions.

One by one, their resistance began to collapse.

The Skeletons continued striking from the flanks while the undead bears absorbed their opponents' strongest attacks. Whenever a living Terra Bear attempted to escape the encirclement, another undead intercepted it, driving it back into the formation.

Within minutes, the second bear fell.

Then the third.

Evan raised each fallen beast as soon as the opportunity presented itself, allowing his growing force to overwhelm the remaining opposition.

By the time the last Terra Bear was left standing, seven undead bears had surrounded it from every direction.

The surviving beast stood in the middle of the rocky field, its breathing heavy and its body covered in wounds. Blood ran down its limbs, and its movements had become noticeably slower.

Yet it refused to fall quietly.

It threw its head back and unleashed a thunderous roar.

ROOOOOOOOOARRR!

The sound rolled across the region like a challenge, echoing between the distant cliffs.

Evan glanced toward the surrounding terrain.

'Calling for reinforcements?'

He wasn't particularly concerned about the roar itself. The problem was how long it might take for other Terra Bears to respond.

He had already spent more time here than intended.

"Finish it."

The seven undead bears attacked simultaneously.

The last Terra Bear swung its massive forelimbs, striking one attacker and attempting to force open a path through the encirclement. But another undead immediately slammed into its flank, while two more seized the opportunity to rake their claws across its back.

The remaining undead bears closed in.

The living beast was buried beneath a relentless storm of claws, teeth, and crushing blows. It fought until its legs could no longer support its weight, then collapsed beneath the combined assault.

Its final roar was swallowed by the thunder of attacking limbs.

Silence returned to the battlefield.

Evan approached the fallen creature and activated [Raise Undead] once more.

Necrotic energy surged into the corpse.

A moment later, dark green flames appeared within its hollow eyes, and the newly resurrected bear rose to join its companions.

Evan now had eight undead Terra Bears.

A considerable improvement over the beginning of his hunt.

However, he didn't have time to admire his growing army.

Heavy footsteps were approaching from the distance.

The sound grew louder with every passing second, accompanied by the unmistakable roars of numerous Terra Bears.

Evan's expression sharpened.

He immediately recalled his summons, drawing the undead bears and Skeleton Warriors back into storage before sprinting away from the battlefield.

He didn't need to look back to know who was approaching.

The same group he had encountered earlier was closing in.

And leading them was the one-eyed Terra Bear.

Evan accelerated across the rocky terrain, leaving behind a battlefield covered in blood, broken stones, and the marks of a brutal slaughter.

By the time the group arrived, he was already gone.

The one-eyed bear stopped at the edge of the devastated field.

Its remaining eye swept across the ground, examining the bloodstains and the destruction left behind. Its expression was difficult to interpret, but its gaze lingered on the places where the Terra Bears had fallen.

Something was wrong.

The intruder it had detected earlier had vanished, yet the evidence of another battle had appeared nearby.

The one-eyed bear released a low, rumbling growl.

Meanwhile, Evan had already moved toward his next target.

His third scouting Skeleton had located another group of Terra Bears, this time numbering only three. They were roughly half a kilometer away, far enough that he could reach them without immediately crossing paths with the one-eyed bear's group.

Evan glanced back once.

Even from a distance, he could still make out the strange silhouette of the one-eyed beast among the approaching Terra Bears.

'Just wait. I'll come for your head soon enough.'

His eyes narrowed as he turned forward.