At noon, within the dense forest.
The surrounding trees were lush and overgrown, their leaves nearly blocking out the sunlight entirely. As a result, the forest was dim, though still far better than night.
It was eerily silent as they walked through the woods. Not even ordinary wolf packs could be seen. Only the chirping of insects proved that life still existed here.
It seemed that magical beasts were extremely active in this forest. On a few nearby trees, Shendu spotted claw marks, which piqued her interest.
"This is a bit troubling, Lady Shendu. The aura of magical beasts nearby is extremely dense. There are likely no fewer than several hundred. In that case, neither Ram nor Emilia would be able to handle them completely."
After sensing the surroundings, Ram realized that they were already encircled by magical beasts. They simply had not revealed themselves yet.
"There are too many. It won't be easy to deal with," Emilia said cautiously after sensing the situation herself.
"Don't worry. Neither of you needs to make a move."
Shendu shook her head. Many of the powers of her Twelve Talismans remained untested. This was the perfect opportunity to gauge just how far her strength had reached.
However, neither girl responded to her words. They both resolved to step in the moment Shendu faced any danger. There was no way they would stand by and do nothing.
As they waited in silence, the sound of animals running echoed from the distance. A thick scent of blood drifted closer and closer.
Leading the charge was a massive wolf-like creature over five meters tall, its head crowned with a pair of goat-like horns.
Its fur was a pale azure. Its vertical crimson pupils glowed coldly, and blood dripped from between its sharp teeth as if it had just finished devouring prey.
Upon spotting the three of them, the magical beast let out a furious roar, seemingly summoning its companions.
Roar!
At the enraged howl, the magical beasts surrounding them were fully mobilized, closing in from all directions.
The oppressive pressure was overwhelming. Even Ram, a member of the oni race, could not help but feel uneasy. Having lost her horn, her combat ability had been severely weakened.
The tide of magical beasts in the forest stretched as far as the eye could see. Emilia, seeing such a scene for the first time, felt her heart tighten with anxiety and instinctively called out to Puck.
"Puck, come out! We're in trouble!"
She called to the crystal at her neck. A small gray cat appeared out of thin air and landed lightly on her shoulder.
"Hm? Lia, why are you in the forest? And why are there so many magical beasts here?"
The moment he appeared, Puck began firing off questions, leaving Emilia looking helpless. She quickly explained everything that had just happened.
"I see. Lia, you really are a fool. Since you could have left it to Miss Shendu, why insist on forcing yourself into it?"
Puck lectured his daughter first before glancing at Shendu beside her. There was little fear in his eyes.
"Don't worry, Lia. Just listen to Miss Shendu. She should be able to protect you."
After saying that, Puck gave Emilia no time to argue and immediately returned to the crystal, refusing to involve himself further.
"Ah! Puck, you're just leaving it like that?"
Emilia flushed in embarrassment. She had said she came to assist, and she truly intended to help. Unfortunately, fate had other plans.
"It seems Ram can only give her all to protect Lady Shendu," Ram said calmly, unsurprised by the outcome.
Just as she was about to say more, Shendu raised a finger and flicked both girls sharply on the forehead.
"Are you two idiots? Didn't I say you're not to interfere?"
Shendu lightly scolded them, leaving matching red marks on their smooth foreheads.
"But we can't just stand by and do nothing," Emilia said without hesitation, covering her forehead with one hand.
"Ram as well. Ram will always protect Lady Shendu," Ram declared just as firmly.
...
Not far away, the leading magical beast watched as Shendu seemed to be playfully teasing Emilia and Ram, completely ignoring the surrounding beast tide. Madness surged in its crimson eyes.
Roarrrr!
Enraged at being disregarded, the leader let out another howl. The surrounding magical beasts began gathering tightly together. A small group charged directly at them from the front.
"Careful, they're coming!" Ram tensed, instinctively gathering her magic in preparation.
However, just as the first three magical beasts launched their charge, an invisible force seized them midair, lifting them up no matter how violently they struggled.
This was the power of the Rooster Talisman. It granted levitation and control over gravitational forces. Any magical beast entering within ten meters of her was immediately caught.
"It's useless. Once you enter a ten-meter radius around me, escape is impossible."
Using the Rooster Talisman's power, Shendu suspended the three beasts before shifting the magic into a crushing gravitational field and slamming it down upon them.
Splurt!
In an instant, crimson droplets rained across the forest, splattering against nearby trees. The scent of blood thickened even further.
Instant kill. A complete instant kill.
Even though these wolf-type magical beasts stood only two meters tall, they were still magical creatures—far beyond what ordinary people could handle.
"Amazing. Sister Shendu is really strong," Ram said with open admiration. She finally understood why Shendu had forbidden them from interfering.
"Not bad. Next, I'll continue testing my power."
According to Shendu's memories, the power of the Twelve Talismans was something she had paid a tremendous price to master—a formidable force cultivated through her own efforts.
From the beginning, others had misunderstood her abilities, believing she had devoured the power of the Twelve Zodiac. That was not the case. These powers were the result of her own relentless cultivation.
As an ancient demonic sorceress, she possessed both the foundation and the talent to develop her own unique strength, allowing her to stand at the pinnacle among the Eight Demon Sorcerers.
At that thought, golden lightning crackled within Shendu's crimson eyes. Over a dozen beams shot forth like a torrential storm, crashing down.
The dense barrage covered an enormous area, enveloping most of the magical beasts in its range.