"Ah!"
The death scream of his Advanced Stage Mage companion pierced his ears. Master Yougeng fled through the forest at full speed, furious and frightened, yet he did not dare stop to rescue him. His pace quickened further.
Not long ago, the two captains had been unable to secure a decisive victory, and the backbone of the Dragon Hunting Group—the mid-stage professionals—had collapsed under the Kobold army's siege.
The collapse of the core forces led to a total rout. Master Yougeng and the sole surviving Advanced Stage professional had been unable to hold on and had no choice but to flee separately.
And now, that Advanced Stage companion was dead as well.
"Give up! Stop struggling pointlessly! You can't escape!"
The massive Red Dragon spread his wings and glided over the forest. The wind pressure from his flapping wings made the leaves rustle.
Jose watched the enemy fleeing miserably through the jungle, his mood cheerful. He had just dealt with the Advanced Stage professional fighting Kashi, fulfilling his promise and reducing Master Yougeng to a commander with no troops. Now it was Master Yougeng's turn.
Still, he was not confident he could kill a Master-level professional in a one-on-one fight. But that was fine. He had not intended to act alone.
Linking his vision to his Harpy followers, he saw the distant scene. The reinforcements Master Yougeng had been hoping for were being hunted down by the Gnoll Wolf Cavalry, whose leader was an Advanced Stage Mage.
As for Ludan, the Advanced Stage Mage on the merchants' side, he was already dead. The Harpy followers had not seen how he died.
But Jose had a vague suspicion. If he was right, another powerful figure was hidden among those Wolf Cavalry. This person was not an ally—indeed, could be considered an