Black Hearted Mage

In a clearing in a dense forest, the slender figure of Caesars stood there, wearing a black magic robe. He raised his hand and threw a piece of dried meat that exuded a rich meaty aroma. The meat drew an arc in the air and landed accurately in front of a fat puppy not far away.

The puppy, with its short, dark red fur and chubby body resembling a furry ball, had been gnawing on a thick thigh bone. When it saw the jerky falling, its eyes lit up and it dropped the bone without hesitation.

The surface of this thigh bone is not smooth, but has very obvious scratches. The scratches vary in depth. In the deep ones, you can almost see the texture inside the bone, while in the shallow ones, there are only tiny grooves on the surface. It looks like they were repeatedly scratched by hard stones, as if telling an unknown past.

Kaisas frowned, a hint of vigilance in his eyes, and shouted at the puppy: "You damn dog, where did you pick this thing up?"

The plump puppy picked up the dried meat and chewed it slowly, its eyes narrowed slightly, as if savoring the salty taste. As it chewed the meat, it pointed south with its stubby, powerful front legs, and let out a few low whimpers, as if conveying some message to Caesars.

Caesars stroked his chin, pondering the origins of the thigh bone. Then, with a firm gaze, he said to the puppy, "Lead the way, and I'll give you another piece of jerky later!"

Hearing there was dried meat to eat, the energetic puppy instantly became excited, its tail wagging from side to side like a rattle, its four short legs quickly alternating as it ran south. It ran so fast that it created a small whirlwind, and the fallen leaves on the roadside were swept high in its wake, like a group of yellow butterflies dancing in the air.

The puppy kept looking back as it ran, to see if Caesars was catching up. When it noticed that Caesars was slowing down due to the rough road and was about to be out of its sight, it stopped, squatted on the ground, stuck out its tongue, and waited eagerly for Caesars to catch up.

Time ticked by. Ten minutes later, Caesars and the pup arrived just a few dozen meters from the swamp. A pungent, rancid odor assaulted his senses, and Caesars instinctively covered his mouth and nose. Just then, he beheld a horrifying sight. Amidst several large, flat rocks lay densely packed human skeletons. These skeletons varied in shape, with shattered skulls and broken leg bones scattered about. Scratches and bite marks covered the skeletons, as if inflicted by a sharp weapon.

Caesar's heartbeat involuntarily quickened. He clenched the staff in his hand, looked around vigilantly, and wondered in his heart what terrible thing had happened here.

Atop several large rocks lay a dozen or so small, shiny, long, black stones. Caesars picked one up and examined it carefully, confirming it was obsidian, one side of which had been fashioned into a sharp edge.

This was a very primitive stone knife, very hard and sharp. It was not difficult to see that the White Ogre had used the stone knife to scrape the flesh off the skeleton.

Over ten meters away, a pile of shredded leather armor lay scattered across the damp ground. These pieces of armor might once have belonged to a mercenary, but now they lay as battered and tattered as windswept leaves. Densely stained with dried blood, a dark brown hue, like the horrific marks of time, silently revealing the horrors that once unfolded there. Furthermore, the armor bore distinct bite marks. The jagged, varying depths of the marks resembled sharp carving knives, evoking the image of a ferocious, blood-soaked maw madly tearing at a human body.

"These damn white-skinned ogres!"

Caesar cursed angrily, his eyes turned red with anger, and his fists were unconsciously clenched tightly, and the knuckles turned white.

"They're actually eating people here, and not even a single piece of meat is left. They're simply insane bastards!" He turned to look at the puppy beside him and shouted, "You damn dog, can you find them?"

The puppy, hearing its owner's calls, shook its large head, its eyes revealing a hint of helplessness and confusion. Perhaps because it had been so long since it had been in sight, the forest had been flooded with another patter of rain, washing away any remaining traces. The faint scent of the white-skinned ogre in the air had long since been diluted by the rain. The puppy strained its nose, but could find no trace of the familiar scent.

Kaisas looked at the pup and nodded. He secretly estimated that these white-skinned ogres probably didn't come here often. After all, this place was remote and the surrounding environment was complex. For them, it might not be an ideal hunting ground.

Now that they had reached the edge of the Great Swamp, Caesars had a new plan in mind. He planned to go west from here because he heard that there was a high probability of finding traces of lizardmen in that unknown area.

The edge of the Great Swamp offers a stark contrast to the forest. Here, dense aquatic plants grow incredibly tall, some even towering over Caesars. Gently swaying in the breeze, they create a rustling sound that whispers the mysteries of the Great Swamp. However, this beautiful exterior often conceals a formidable danger. This place is rife with dangers. Even within the seemingly peaceful grass, a ferocious white-skinned alligator could lurk.

The white-skinned crocodile is the dominant force in the Great Swamp. With its hard scales and sharp teeth, once targeted by one, escape is almost impossible. Caesars walked forward cautiously, taking every step with extreme caution, his eyes fixed on the surrounding grass, not daring to slack off even for a moment.

The puppy was ahead, exploring the way. Aside from being afraid of heights, it wasn't afraid of anything else. As Caesars walked along the edge of the forest, the puppy would sometimes run into the forest, sometimes into the dense grass.

By dusk, Caesars still hadn't found any traces of the lizardmen. A cool breeze blew from the edge of the swamp, and the setting sun shone brightly. He used his dagger to cut a large amount of weeds and spread them thickly on the ground, preparing to spend the night there.

A hearty dinner is essential, and the quantity must be sufficient. The amount of food for a puppy's dinner is basically enough for Caesars to eat for a day.

"We're having omelets for dinner. We have plenty of ingredients, so we can add some diced bacon. You better watch your surroundings, you dead dog! A white ogre might come and steal your dinner!"

He started preparing dinner and told the puppy to be smart and not to stare at the ingredients he took out. When the puppy heard that the white ogre would steal his dinner, his fur immediately stood up and his small triangular ears stood up, listening to the sounds around him.

The small golden-eyed black snake with black scales quietly crawled under a big tree nearby. It would give the intruder a fatal blow.

Kaisas lit the charcoal fire, heated the iron pot to a sizzling temperature, and poured the earth dragon's egg liquid into the pot. With a crisp "sizzling" sound, the rich and delicious aroma began to waft on the wind.

White-skinned ogres possess an extraordinary sense of smell, comparable to that of a hound. Drawing on his familiarity with the various creatures of this continent, Caesars secretly estimated that with their uncanny sense of smell, they could accurately detect the alluring aroma of food from miles away. After all, the wind that occasionally blew from the deep swamp was like an invisible messenger, generously carrying the alluring aroma of food far and wide, as if issuing a silent invitation to those dangerous creatures lurking in the shadows.

Kaisas bustled about in his makeshift camp, expertly manipulating the cooker, intently preparing an omelet. With deft technique, he evenly poured the freshly beaten egg into the pan, watching as it gradually solidified under the intense heat, emitting waves of enticing aroma. In less than ten minutes, a golden, crispy, and generously sized omelet was perfectly prepared. The omelet, golden in color, with slightly curled edges and a rich, eggy aroma, was mouth-watering at the mere sight of it.

Meanwhile, the greedy puppy had already impatiently prepared his specially crafted magic steel food bowl. Inside, a large and sturdy bowl, was a piece of bread emitting a rich, milky aroma, along with four or five fist-sized, brightly colored fruits, all waiting to be combined with the omelet.

The puppy kept circling around the food bowl, licking his mouth from time to time, his eyes fixed on the omelet in Caesars's hand, his eyes full of anticipation and desire.

Caesars carefully divided the delicious omelet into three portions. Considering the puppy's astonishing appetite, he let the puppy have half of the omelet for himself; he took the other half himself, after all, he also needed to fill his stomach; and the obedient little black snake, due to its smaller size and relatively small appetite, got the smallest portion of the omelet.

In addition, the puppy was given two pieces of fire crystals that emitted a blazing light. These fire crystals contained powerful energy and were of great help to the puppy's growth. The little black magic snake received a dark magic crystal, which was essential for the growth of the little black magic snake.

The plump pup had already eaten five meals today, but its voracious appetite hadn't waned in the slightest. It looked as if it had been hungry for five days, eagerly dipping its head into the food bowl. The noises of its eating were alarmingly loud, like a frantic, hungry wild boar, the "smacking" sounds echoing through the forest. It devoured its food with such gusto, as if afraid someone would snatch it from its food.

It ate the most, and at an equally astonishing speed. Its devouring speed was jaw-dropping. In less than two minutes, it had devoured the entire bowl, leaving not a single crumb. The puppy licked the rim of the bowl, seemingly savoring the delicious meal.

"You licked the food bowl cleaner than you washed it!"

Kaisas looked at the well-fed puppy and said something playfully. The puppy grinned widely, put its food bowl back into its storage ring, and lay down on its belly on the thick green grass.

At this seemingly calm moment, the puppy, who was originally lying comfortably, suddenly stood up with his drooping ears, and then stood up with a "swoosh". His eyes were wide open alertly, and his nose twitched from time to time, as if he heard some strange noise coming from a distance.

This unusual noise was like an invisible wave, instantly stimulating the puppy's sensitive nerves. Beneath the tree, the small black snake twisted its body slightly, emitting a soft hissing sound that seemed to come from deep underground. It was its warning, as if foreshadowing the danger that was quietly approaching.

Caesars was sitting by the charcoal fire, leisurely swallowing the last bite of his omelet, his expression of satisfaction still lingering. But when he noticed the puppies and the little black snake's strange behavior, his eyes suddenly sharpened. He immediately grasped the Death Staff tightly in his hand, the gemstone atop it gleaming faintly. He quickly kicked up some sand and covered the charcoal fire with it, completely extinguishing it.

Just as Caesars was ready, a rapid sound echoed from the distance of the forest. It was the sound of fallen leaves being trampled and stirred. The rustling sound seemed to be the prelude to danger. Then, a gray-furred coyote appeared in Caesars's sight, about thirty or forty meters away.

The jungle wolf's fur was tangled, and there was a massive wound on its back. Blood was constantly oozing from the wound, staining the surrounding fur a dark red. Its steps seemed a bit unsteady, but it continued to run with all its might. It didn't run towards Caesars, but continued to run eastward, as if something extremely terrifying was chasing it.

"Something's chasing the coyotes!"

Kaisas was startled, his brow furrowed. In this vast, endless forest, there were many beasts capable of hunting jungle wolves. There were the shadow leopards, swift and ghostly, often striking suddenly in the darkness. The magic leopards, possessing immense strength and razor-sharp claws, rarely managed to escape their prey once targeted. And then there were the dark spiders, skilled at setting traps, entrapping their prey with their tough silk. However, the wound on this jungle wolf's back didn't look like it was inflicted by any of these beasts. The edges were perfectly clean, not the result of a beast's bite, but rather the result of a sharp weapon.

Just as Caesar was filled with doubt, a cry suddenly rang out from the distant forest. The voice was muffled, as if coming from underground, and carried an inexplicable sense of oppression. Caesar listened hard, but could not understand the meaning of the cry at all.