Chapter 125: The Power of Friendship
Ding!
[ Recognizing the Silver Grey Wolf Clan’s bloodmark ]
[ Skill: Pack Sync upgraded ]
[ New Title: Pack Member ]
[ Effect 1: Enhanced coordination with any Silver Grey wolf ]
[ Effect 2: Stamina increased by 75% during coordination ]
[ Effect 3: Passive Wolf Radar activates within any Silver Grey wolf territory ]
[ Effect 4: Working with a Silver Grey wolf automatically activates Exceptional Long-Distance Travel ]
Nuan nearly choked on her own saliva. Hold on a minute, am I practically a Silver Grey wolf now?! Am I a werewolf?! These skills are ridiculously broken! Sucks that I’m leaving the pack in a few days though... sob sob.
She looked down at her chest. The painful sting was finally fading into a soft, dull ache, and the fresh bloodmark had settled into a sleek, faint red tattoo.
Nearby, Elder Syra and Nyra were smearing whiteclaw herbs over Selka’s bitten arm while the rest of the pack kept howling at the full moon like a choir of hyperactive theater kids.
"Thanks for this mark, Miss Selka," Nuan murmured gently.
Selka shook her head, smiling through the pain. "Now you are a Silver Grey clan member. From here on out, anyone with our blood will acknowledge your presence."
"Hehe, I feel dangerously powerful hearing that," Nuan giggled. She sniffed the air, her stomach letting out an ungodly rumble. "Smells like the meat is roasted!"
"Time for the feast!!!" she chirped.
The wolves let out one final chorus of howls before swarming the roasted meat.
Nuan sat between Kael and Selka near the main fire pit, taking a huge, greedy bite. "It’s so cozy here..." she murmured, licking her grease-stained fingers.
(Next morning)
The next day, Nuan and Kael wandered down to the river, goofing off and kicking loose pebbles.
As soon as they reached the bank, Nuan pulled her newly baked clay bowls from her inventory and gave them a thorough wash.
"No cracks, no holes, zero leakages!" She held one up to the sunlight, practically glowing with pride. "See? My bowls are operational!"
Kael padded out of the water, shaking his pelt so violently that water droplets shot off him like tiny missiles before he plopped down beside her on the muddy shore. "What are you going to make now?"
"Haha, prepare yourself, my friend! You are about to witness the manufacturing of mankind’s greatest invention: wheels!" Nuan declared, striking a heroic pose. "I’m going to build a proper pushcart! And thanks to the glorious power of our friendship, I now have a Broad Axe and an Adze!"
Kael immediately puffed out his chest, sitting up straight like a rewarded military officer. "Power of friendship?! You get powerful with friendship?!"
"Yes, I do! I do!" Nuan beamed. "I’m an apex predator with my tools, and because of our bond, I just unlocked top-tier industrial gear!"
She stashed her clean pottery back into her inventory and did a dramatic cannonball dive straight into the river.
Kael let out a happy bark, shifted back into his silver wolf form, and dove right in after her.
"I’ll help you build your wheel! Friends help each other!" Kael barked happily, paddling in fast circles around her like an oversized, furry speedboat.
Nuan threw her arms around his wet neck, giving him a huge squeeze. "Oh, you better! Because first things first, we have to fell a few solid, dry trees!"
Kael blinked, stopping his paddle mid-stroke. "Cut down trees?"
"Yes!"
"Only elephants, giraffes, and beavers can make trees fall down. How are you going to do that!?" Kael asked, his eyes wide with genuine shock.
Nuan let go of his neck and playfully ruffled his dripping fur. "Fufufu, I am an apex predator for a reason, Kael! Now, less talking and more playing! We splash before we chop!"
Kael let out an eager huff and instantly started slamming his front paws into the river, sending a huge tidal wave of water right into her face.
"Mpha hahaha! Oh, so it’s war then?!" Nuan gasped, wiping her eyes and splashing him back with all her strength.
After a thoroughly chaotic water fight, Nuan stepped out onto the shore, dried off, and changed into a fresh set of clothes from her inventory.
Kael gave his wolf body one violent, majestic shake, sending a rainstorm of water flying into the surrounding bushes. "Hop on! I’ll carry you to the dried tree region!"
"Hmm, no need, Kael! Humans are already built for long-distance endurance walking, but now I have a cheat code!" Nuan tapped the faint red paw mark on her chest, eyeing the floating interface glowing in her vision.
[Effect 4: Working with a Silver Grey wolf automatically activates Exceptional Long-Distance Travel.]
"Let’s move!" Nuan chirped as they set off toward a corner of the territory she had never seen before.
As their strides synchronized, a surge of boundless energy shot through her legs. Walking felt as light and effortless as gliding on air.
"So, Kael, is this dried tree place within our pack’s boundaries?" Nuan asked, keeping pace right beside his silver flank.
"It is... but Coyotes sometimes roam there to hunt insects, frogs, and mice hiding in the dead wood," Kael growled softly.
"A band of Coyotes, huh?" Nuan raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure it’s a good idea for just the two of us to wander into their hunting spot? What if they try to jump us with large numbers?"
Kael puffed out his chest, his golden eyes flashing with absolute arrogance. "They are terrified of me! I’ve slaughtered plenty of them and shoved the rest straight out of our borders!"
Nuan let out a quiet sigh, rubbing her forehead. Ah, classic primitive diplomacy: murder first, ask questions never. Well, hopefully they don’t try to test the guy who’s basically their local boogeyman while I’m just trying to play Lumberjack Simulator.
The dry, hot wind whipped past Nuan and Kael’s faces as they approached the border of the dead forest.
Kael’s ears pinned forward, his nostrils flaring as he caught a fresh scent on the breeze.
A dark, dangerous smirk spread across his face. "Seems like someone is out there just waiting for me to snap their necks!" he growled, his golden eyes flashing with sudden predatory hunger.
"Ugh!! Kael, wait—!" Nuan groaned, reaching out to grab him.
Before her fingers could even brush his fur, the silver wolf launched himself forward like a released catapult, tearing straight toward the sprawling graveyard of bleached, dried trees visible just ahead.
Tsk, there is never a single quiet moment for peaceful diplomacy in this wild world, Nuan grumbled internally.
With a practiced flick of her wrist, she pulled her hunting bow and a sharp arrow out of her system inventory, nocking it in a single fluid motion as her legs effortlessly matched his speed.
She sprinted right behind him into the dead forest, her eyes sharp and ready for whatever hungry pack of scavengers was waiting in the shadows.