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However, the main force of the extermination team was neither the Retainer Knights nor Marcus or Li Si Te (Liszt).

It was Douson.

It had become belligerent and full of vigor, almost tireless. From a tiny squirrel to the Low-Level Magical Beast, the Ice Tree Frog, none were spared from its ravages.

Especially toward the Ice Tree Frog, a Low-Level Magical Beast with an affinity for ice, which perched on tree branches and cast the magic “Ice Blade” at Douson in a wild bombardment. But Douson even taught itself to climb trees. Despite the Ice Tree Frog’s frantic leaping, it was still pounced on by Douson, killed in just a few bites without even using Rock Spike.

The King of Thorn Ridge’s imposing manner was already taking shape.

“Douson, even if not an Intermediate Magical Beast, is not far from it. Sir, its combat power is growing stronger, and I feel that it is still growing and getting stronger.”

Marcus watched as Douson carried the Ice Tree Frog in its mouth, wagging its tail excitedly, and cheerfully placed its trophy next to the Li Dragon Horse. He couldn’t help but express his sincere admiration.

Keeping a fighting Magical Beast that was also loyal and brave proved immensely practical.

Liszt, delighted, tossed out a fried meat strip as a reward for Douson—Douson was quite picky with its mouth, not eating raw food; it preferred fried delicacies the most.

“At first, I thought the Bloodline Fruit had failed, unable to change its bloodline, and it was still a Fierce Earth Dog. But now, we can’t jump to conclusions so easily. Teacher Marcus, have you noticed that after two days in Thorn Ridge, Douson’s size has grown even bigger?”

“Indeed, it has grown quite a bit. Now Douson is as big as an adult tiger.”

An adult Fierce Earth Dog could at most match the size of a leopard, but now Douson had reached the size of a tiger and was still growing.

Liszt waved his hand, and Douson bounded out again, continuing its hunting endeavors.

“No matter what, Douson is only half a year old, not yet mature, but it’s already this strong. Once it matures, I am afraid there won’t be any opponents below the rank of Intermediate Magical Beast.” The growth rate of Magical Beasts was generally fast, but Douson’s was clearly faster. Back in the Castle, Liszt had never skimped on providing well for it, serving up plenty of fish and meat.

Compared to ordinary Magical Beasts that survived on raw food in the forest, Douson had always consumed cooked meals, making nutrient utilization much higher. In less than three months, it could cast magic, and within half a year, it could struggle against adult Magical Beasts. After consuming the Bloodline Fruit, its body and magical powers exploded, easily subduing Low-Level Magical Beasts.

Once Douson matured, among the Magical Beasts of Coral Island—except for the Purple Sand Crocodile—there would likely be none that could rival Douson.

While they were speaking, Douson encountered another Magical Beast. It was a massive Thunderfang Boar, with four smaller Thunderfang Boars trailing behind it.

It was very possible that it was family to the one encountered in Southern Thorn Ridge.

Confronted with Douson, the big boar was quite ferocious, but Douson was far craftier than imagined, skillfully circling around and biting the little boars to death.

It did not confront the big boar head-on.

Only when the big boar’s magic, Lightning Flash, was cast so much that its magic power was depleted did Douson begin to throw Rock Spike, teasing the big boar. Finally, seizing the opportunity, it knocked down the Thunderfang Boar, finished it off with a Rock Spike through the boar’s neck, and sent the whole boar family packing.

Marcus held his bow and arrows without much chance to use them: “The timing of magic release was just right. Douson’s wisdom is high, and Sir, your training has been very effective.”

Liszt was equally idle: “It really is smart. Magical Beasts rely on instinct, but it relies on its brain.” He was increasingly pleased with Douson.

With Douson around, the extermination tasks were as easy as leisure activities.

Marcus didn’t let the Retainer Knights sit idle. When they encountered a lone Wind Blade Wolf, he summoned Douson back and then allowed Liszt to arrange for the Retainer Knights to surround and attack the Wind Blade Wolf: “This is an old and weakening Wind Blade Wolf; it has started to shed, likely having been expelled from its pack. I’ll leave this one to you.”

Ultimately, with three Retainer Knights injured, ten Retainer Knights worked together to corner and kill the Wind Blade Wolf.

The prey was hung up on the tree.

The team continued to delve deeper.

As the sea was soon in sight, it meant that the northern part of Thorn Ridge was about to be cleared, with not much to show for it. Just five Thunderfang Boars—one big and four small—a single Ice Tree Frog, and a single Wind Blade Wolf, barely six magical beasts in total. Plenty of wild beasts had been hunted, but Liszt had no interest in those.

Having grown accustomed to the meat of magical beasts, he considered the meat of wild beasts to be of inferior quality.

“It’s a pity, the Thorn Forest is about to disappear, leaving Fresh Flower Town with no environment for magical beasts to dwell in. If we want to eat magical beast meat in the future, we’ll have to go out and buy it.”

The clearing of Thorn Ridge would supply enough magical beast meat for about half a year’s consumption.

After that would be over, he’d need to spend quite a sum to buy magical beast meat for consumption.

Marcus saw the brighter side, “Once Thorn Ridge is turned into farmlands, the castle’s tax revenue will increase substantially, and the landlord will naturally be able to buy magical beast meat with gold coins. Moreover, by that time, the sale of Black Tulip and Flame Mushroom magic potions will also bring in a considerable income. Fresh Flower Town will become more and more prosperous.”

“Still, we need to open up more sources of income. In the future, we’ll need to do more than just feed ourselves; we’ll also have to train a Knight Squad.” The success in hunting magical beasts made Liszt’s ambition grow, “I hope that by the next Pioneer Mandate, my knights can bring me true glory. A landlord needs more land!”

Marcus’s eyes shone brightly, “I am at your service, my lord!”

“Woof woof!”

Douson suddenly barked, interrupting the landlord and knight’s pleasant anticipation.

Liszt took advantage of the situation to utilize his Eye of Magic, scanning the surroundings. Then, he spotted signs of magic power; a magical beast was lurking not far away.

“I didn’t expect to find a magical beast so close to the sea. Douson, attack.”

On command, Douson dashed out like an arrow, charging straight at the magical beast. Clearly, he had sensed the presence of the magical beast even before Liszt had.

Liszt and the others followed at a leisurely pace.

They could hear Douson’s intermittent barking and another dog’s yelping.

“It seems there’s still a Fierce Earth Dog,” Marcus deduced from the sound that the magical beast was a Fierce Earth Dog.

“That’s normal. For Fierce Earth Dogs to reproduce on Thorn Ridge, there can’t be just two or three of them. In fact, I think it’s possible there are more that slipped through the net—Thorn Ridge must have more than one Shadow Snake, more than one Ice Tree Frog, and there might even be Wind Falcons nearby.”

After a pause, Liszt added, “Of course, I can’t be certain. Eighteen years ago, when Fresh Flower Town wasn’t yet built, this place was all forest, cleared once by the Coral Island Knights. Shadow Snakes and Ice Tree Frogs might be from that time… after all, magical beasts can live for quite a few years.”

Magical beasts live longer than ordinary wild animals.

Theoretically, they could still be alive today. Fierce Earth Dogs, Wind Blade Wolves, and Thunderfang Boars had all found mates to continue their species; Shadow Snakes and Ice Tree Frogs were likely to become extinct, but their bloodlines might persist, as they could breed with wild animals.

There’s not necessarily reproductive isolation between magical beasts and the wild animals of their kind.

Magical beasts forcing themselves on wild animals and producing magical beast offspring is a common occurrence—Liszt’s mount, the Fire Dragon Horse, is the offspring of a Blazing Steed and an ordinary horse.

The proliferation of species always ebbs and flows.

Sometimes they evolve, sometimes they regress; magical beasts won’t always stay magical beasts.

Suddenly.

Liszt felt something was amiss; he couldn’t hear Douson’s barking anymore, only the painful howls of the other Fierce Earth Dog. But there was something strange about the howls—while they were certainly piteous, the breath behind them remained strong and sustained, not like the cries that would be expected from a creature being hunted by Douson.