They understood the ranking system well.
Sector-9 and Sector-8 missions were typically E or D rank.
Sector-7 offered D or C.
Sector-6 ranged from C to BB.
Sector-5 escalated to B through A.
Sector-4 introduced A through AAA.
The deepest three sectors contained S to SSS missions, often unattainable by independent guilds.
The Adventurers Association strictly enforced these classifications, requiring participants to meet minimum realm qualifications.
The top five guilds—Swordmasters, Magicians, Rangers, Summoners, and Assassins—rarely struggled with manpower. Smaller guilds like Hell Sky frequently collaborated with outsiders or hired mercenaries.
This was precisely such a collaboration.
Even Jareth hesitated slightly at the mention of a werewolf. Unlike ordinary beasts, werewolves possessed intelligence, superior speed, and formidable strength. However, their numbers were scarce, reducing the likelihood of encountering multiple at once.
The reward weighed heavily on his mind.
"Alright," he finally said.
Sapphire smiled and handed him a pouch.
"Here is one thousand gold coins as advance payment. Upon success, you receive one-fourth of the total reward."
Within ten minutes, Sapphire assembled eight additional members. Three of them were four-star rank adventurers like Jareth's subordinates, their expressions mirroring equal parts fear and resignation.
To meet the mission's requirement, the five four-star adventurers swallowed Advancement Pills, temporarily elevating their realms for one hour. It was a common tactic among smaller guilds to qualify for higher-ranked missions.
The Adventurers Association receptionist examined them through a gold-graded mirror that scanned ether levels and approved the mission.
Thus, a team of twelve departed for Bloodhill Forest, unaware that fate had already sharpened its claws.
*
Everything proceeded smoothly while they traversed Sector-9.
The beasts there were mostly low-tier creatures that scattered at the mere sight of a coordinated twelve-member team radiating killing intent.
Confidence flowed easily among them, and even the five temporary five-star adventurers who had relied on Advancement Pills walked with chests slightly puffed.
However, the moment they stepped into Sector-8, the tone of their journey shifted.
They had barely advanced a few hundred meters when a chaotic scene unfolded ahead.
A group of battered adventurers sprinted toward them, faces pale with panic, armor dented and smeared with dirt. Behind them thundered a horde of wild boars, their tusks gleaming under the afternoon light as they charged like a rolling avalanche of muscle and rage.
"Turn back!" one fleeing adventurer shouted breathlessly. "There are too many!"
Jareth merely glanced at the approaching beasts and scoffed lightly. The boars were only second-star creatures, dangerous in numbers but laughable before a team like theirs.
Sapphire raised her bow with calm authority. "Everyone, weapons ready."
Within minutes, the land was painted red. Ether-infused blades flashed, arrows pierced skulls with brutal precision, and spells erupted among the charging mass. The ground trembled under the boars' dying convulsions until more than five hundred carcasses lay piled together, blood pooling into shallow streams that soaked the soil.
The massacre did not go unnoticed.
The metallic scent of blood drifted far beyond the clearing, carried by the wind. Passing goblins paused mid-step, nostrils flaring. Soon, whispers traveled among their tribes, and the information spread like wildfire.
This group of twelve was dangerous.
Unlike the boars that had attacked mindlessly, the goblins responded with cunning. They split into smaller divisions and began orchestrating ambushes. Sixteen separate skirmishes erupted over the next stretch of their journey. Traps triggered unexpectedly beneath their feet, nets dropped from trees, and poisoned darts whistled through the air.
Six times, they stumbled directly into prepared snares.
Yet brute strength prevailed. Even when caught off guard, their combined firepower overwhelmed the goblins. Corpses littered the underbrush as the intelligent creatures paid dearly for testing them.
Sector-7 proved more taxing.
There, a horde of orcs blocked their path. The beasts wielded crude but effective weapons and possessed physical strength comparable to fourth-star creatures. The battle dragged on longer than anticipated, forcing the team to expend considerable ether.
Then came the coyotes in Sector-6.
Unlike the earlier enemies, the coyotes coordinated their attacks seamlessly.
They targeted the weaker members first, lunging in synchronized waves.
By the time the pack was driven back, three adventurers lay heavily injured and seven bore lesser wounds.
Only Jareth, clad head to toe in gold-graded equipment, and Sapphire, a true six-star warrior, remained unscathed.
They crossed the barrier afterward and rested briefly, catching their breath while tending to injuries. Determination hardened their expressions.
Despite the setbacks, the mission lay ahead in Sector 4.
Strangely, fortune seemed to shift. Apart from three lone foxes encountered along the way, no major beasts obstructed their path. A collective sigh of relief rippled through the group.
By the time they reached Sector-4's border, night was approaching. Hunting a six-star gray werewolf in darkness would be suicidal, so they retreated slightly into Sector-5 and selected a resting spot under the open sky.
Unlike nobles who relied on campfires and comfort, these adventurers avoided flames that could lure predators. The sparse trees provided limited cover, and they chose open ground where moonlight offered visibility against creeping shadows.
They arranged themselves carefully and agreed to guard in pairs, rotating every three hours.
At midnight, it was Jareth and Sapphire's turn.
Silence blanketed the clearing. The others slept lightly, hands never far from weapons.
Had they simply stood watch in quiet discipline, perhaps fate would have taken another path.
However, the tension of survival and proximity proved too much. Hidden affection simmered between them, and under the pale moon, restraint crumbled.
What began as whispered words turned into kisses. Soon, even that was insufficient.
They slipped away quietly toward a cluster of bushes roughly a hundred meters from camp.
Yet the forest had ears.
As they reached the bushes to have an intimate session of lust, a soft bark sounded from within. A small, gray-furred pup emerged, its amber eyes glowing faintly in the moonlight.
The tiny creature barked again, tilting its head innocently.
Sapphire's stern demeanor melted instantly.
"How adorable…" she murmured, extending her hand gently.
The pup approached without fear and licked her fingers. Its warmth and softness charmed her completely.
Only after lifting it into her arms did she notice subtle details in its features.
It was no ordinary wolf.
Jareth's expression darkened as irritation replaced desire. "Look carefully," he said sharply. "That is a werewolf cub. It is dangerous. Let me kill it now before it grows into a threat."
As if understanding his intent, the cub released a long, trembling howl.
Sapphire quickly turned her body to shield it from Jareth's view.
"Do not even think about it," she warned coldly.
She carried the pup back toward their resting area, leaving Jareth grinding his teeth in frustration.
When he returned moments later, he found her seated calmly, stroking the cub as it drifted into sleep. Jealousy flickered in his gaze.
Then the forest answered.
Awoooooo—
A deep, powerful howl reverberated through the night, sending chills down every spine.
The entire team jolted awake instantly.
"Captain… that sound…" one whispered.
The cub stirred in Sapphire's arms, lifting its head and looking around curiously.
Another howl followed, louder and closer.
Then came several more.
Woof. Woof. Woof.
The cub responded with tiny barks that barely carried beyond their star.
"It must be the mother," someone muttered nervously.
Sapphire tightened her grip around the cub.
"If it is, then this simplifies matters. Everyone, prepare."
She glanced toward one of her teammates. "Arin, put it to sleep."
A four-star mage stepped forward with trembling resolve and cast a gentle sleeping spell upon the pup. Once it fell limp in slumber, Sapphire handed it carefully to the magician with strict instructions to protect it.
The poor girl accepted the cub with shaking hands.
Weapons were drawn. Sapphire conjured a flaming arrow, its heat illuminating her determined face.
Confidence still lingered, bolstered by her six-star strength.
That confidence was shattered seconds later.
The howls multiplied in every direction, overlapping and echoing like an orchestra of predators. The violent crashing of trees surrounded them, branches snapping as heavy bodies advanced through the undergrowth.
"Damn it," Sapphire muttered under her breath.