Journey to Become the Zenith

The Edge Before the Hunt

"I see, so then what’s so special about the Arcane Ashgrey wolf?"

Victor’s voice was calm, almost too calm for the kind of conversation they were having. His golden eyes rested on Clara, steady and intent—not impatient, but focused in that quiet way that made people feel like they were being measured without realizing it.

The lantern above their table flickered faintly, casting shifting shadows across their faces. Around them, the guild buzzed with life, but here—at this small corner—it felt distant. Isolated.

Clara exhaled slowly, brushing a strand of blonde hair away from her face as she leaned forward slightly.

"An Arcane Ashgrey wolf, is a higher level monster. It’s an Ashgrey wolf that could use magic. This monster has the same basic characteristics of an Ashgrey wolf, except for its horn that could be seen sprouting from its forehead. This monster is classified as an A class threat, coupled with the pack of normal Ashgrey wolves, the overall assessment of this threat, is a top A rank threat nearing S rank. Usually the guild master who is an S rank adventurer would have dealt with this, but as you know our guild master is a lazy loser."

Her tone carried a mix of irritation and dry familiarity when she mentioned the guild master—like someone complaining about something they had long since accepted but never forgiven.

Lane blinked slowly.

"...A horn?" she asked quietly.

Clara nodded.

"Yeah. You’ll know it when you see it. You won’t mistake it."

Victor didn’t interrupt.

But something in his gaze sharpened.

A leader that uses magic...

That wasn’t just a stronger beast.

That was a problem that thought.

That adapted.

That commanded.

For a brief second, the air around him seemed to grow colder—not physically, but in presence. The kind of shift that came when someone started looking forward to something dangerous.

’Heh, these seems like it’s going to be a nice fight. I think I’ll be able to use the new techniques I acquired.’ Clara once again saw Victor smiling that vicious smile of his. It was obvious that the battle freak was getting excited at the prospect of fighting such strong opponents.

Lane noticed it too.

That smile.

It wasn’t wide.

It wasn’t loud.

But it carried something sharp... something dangerous.

Her fingers tightened slightly around his arm under the table.

"...You’re enjoying this," she said softly.

Victor didn’t deny it.

His gaze remained forward, distant—already imagining the battlefield.

"Strong opponents are useful," he replied.

That was all.

But the meaning beneath it was clear.

He wasn’t just going to fight them.

He was going to learn from them.

So Ren, how are we going to prepare for this quest?" Clara asked, even though she was pretty sure she knew what Victor will say. That smile of his, was basically the answer.

Victor leaned back slightly, resting his elbow against the chair as if the entire situation was nothing more than a casual inconvenience.

Clara watched him carefully.

She already knew.

He was going to say it.

No preparation.

Let’s just go.

That was who he was.

That reckless, confident, borderline insane way of handling danger.

Lane, however, stayed quiet.

But her gaze lingered on him.

Waiting.

"Huh, the wolves are near the town, it’s just a short trip so no need to prepare for food supplies. The difficulty of killing them is... Hey Clara compared to the King Drake I fought before how strong are the wolves?"

Clara blinked.

That wasn’t the answer she expected.

Not entirely.

She crossed her arms again, thinking for a moment before answering.

"Well technically based on strength alone, even the Arcane Ashgrey wolf, won’t be able to match up to the King Drake. But unlike the King Drake these monsters specialize in cooperation. Their overall threat level aren’t the same, the king Drake would be able to kill them all by flying in the sky and raining down flames. The only reason the King Drake would win is because it could fly, but take that away then the Ashgrey wolves, with Arcane Ashgrey wolf would win."

Her explanation came slower this time.

More deliberate.

Because this part mattered.

Lane’s expression shifted.

"...So they’re weaker... but more dangerous together," she said.

Clara nodded.

"Exactly."

Victor’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Coordination beats raw strength...

He understood that.

Better than most.

Clara tried her very best to emphasize that the threat of the Ashgrey wolves wasn’t a simple one. She wanted Victor to act a bit more cautiously especially after what happened with the necromancer. But as if he didn’t understand what she said, it looked like Victor simply got even more excited.

Clara watched him carefully.

That smile didn’t fade.

If anything—

It deepened.

"...You’re not taking this seriously," she said, her voice tightening just a little.

Victor finally looked at her.

Really looked.

"I am," he said calmly.

And somehow—

That made it worse.

Because he meant it.

He wasn’t underestimating the threat.

He was accepting it.

Welcoming it.

Lane’s gaze shifted between them, sensing the tension building.

"...He understands," she said quietly. "He just... handles it differently."

Clara exhaled sharply through her nose.

"...Yeah. I can see that."

There was frustration there.

But also—

Something else.

A reluctant trust.

"I need to buy some new equipment for this quest, after that let’s head out." Clara was surprised to hear Victor say this. She was so sure that he would just say, no need for preparations let’s head out. Even Lane was surprised by what Victor said.

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Authors Notes: Dear Readers, Thanks so much for joining me on this adventure! Your enthusiasm, feedback, and encouragement really keep me motivated to keep bringing *Journey to Become the Zenith* into existence. If you’re loving the Chapters, I’d love it if you supported my book with a Powerstone, review, or even a Golden Ticket—it helps me develop as a writer and lets more readers enjoy the story. I look forward to hearing your ideas and thoughts, so please don’t hesitate to share!

With love,

Scorpio_saturn777

Creator of Journey to Become the Zenith

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