In Thomas’s cave, Haruto was still sleeping as his mind healed from being transferred between worlds. On top of that, the debauchery of the night before still plagued his body. 

In a study, Thomas swiped away the image of Haruto. He cackled, “Hehe, sleep all you want, boy. I’ll need you at full strength to protect me.” He turned his attention back to an orb that showed what the floating eyeballs saw. Three intruders were making their way towards the cave. Thomas muttered, “Allow the experiments to begin.” 

Deep within a different cave, a giant family of mutated wolves were fast asleep after a night of no food. Through the hunger pangs, the pack-leader remained awake and alert, vigilantly protecting its tribe from intruders. Out of nowhere, a piercing noise echoed through the cave, alerting all wolves of an intruder. The pack-leader quickly ran towards the sound, but it disappeared the moment it left the cave. Right after exiting the cave, powerful scents began assaulting the alpha’s nostrils. It howled at the other wolves to follow it towards the intruders. Though hungry, the wolves all journeyed to once again protect their territory.

Back in his cave, Thomas wrote a few notes, “quick decision making. Clear hierarchy. A certain extent of empathy as no cannibalism has arisen even with a lack of food. Ability to give commands.” Thomas watched another eyeball that showed a mortal creating a fake crime scene. He scoffed, “not a bad trick, but before you even bother framing us, get past the first hurdle.” 

The events from earlier began to play out with Requis remaining passive, and Clarence taking on the most active role. 

Thomas watched as the three wolves circled Clarence and performed simultaneous attacks. He nodded, “Hm, the group communication of these subjects are truly great.” Once a wolf was skewered by Clarence’s spear, Thomas observed as the wolf was dragged away and dropped at what appears to be a burial site. Excitement filled his decrepit body, “AH signs of civilization, they are their own class of magical beasts capable of intelligence. I’m lucky that boy reminded me of such important test subjects. I should capture the most evolved one and attempt to finalize their evolution.” 

The fight began to wind down as Clarence struggled but ultimately succeeded in breaking the wolves’ attacks. 

Thomas frowned, “that runic knight has become a blooded one. If not for his magic armor and that man’s interference, this battle would long be over.”

 A flying eyeball near Alfred caught him preparing to intervene in the battle.

 “We can’t have that.” Thomas waved a giant staff, and dark energy burst from within the cave and began raining upon the forest. 

All the mutated abominations greedily absorbed the dark energy, and new transformations started taking place. The unfortunate native creatures who had fought valiantly to survive the forest’s changes became ill under the barrage of dark energy. Some died on the spot, others scurried underground or within caves. Those who had repeatedly been exposed began to transform into corrupted versions of their species. The injured lead pack-leader opened its mouth and howled, creating a vortex that endlessly sucked in dark energy. The other wolves greedily licked up the puddled energy and absorbed it through their fur.

Alfred formed a spiritual barrier around his body and vigilantly looked around his surroundings as if searching for something. 

Requis also activated his spiritual barrier and shot a gust of wind that wrapped around Clarence, who was battered and bloodied. 

Requis quickly walked towards the injured Clarence and grabbed him. Propping Clarence up, Requis advised, “We should leave, boy. It appears we’ve walked into a trap.” 

Having used the last bit of energy to lunge towards the pack-leader, Clarence could barely remain conscious. His blood quickly returned to normal, and he began to teeter forward.

As he fell forward, a strong arm caught him. “I got ya, good fight, boy. Good fight. We’ll call this one a draw. Let's return for another fight when you aren’t so hurt.” Requis threw Clarence on his back and began to jog away from the cave back towards town. Before he got too far, he sensed a person in a tree and quickly dropped into a fighting stance. He joked, “You’re a sneaky one friend.”

Alfred calmly leapt down from the tree. With his hands behind his back, he walked towards Requis and bowed, “My apologies. My master had sent me here to observe the proceedings of young Clarence and ensure he returned unscathed.”

A bit annoyed, Requis sighed, “Yea, yea, he sent you here because the boy was sure to be caught. Since you are already here, take this lad back, so I can go to the cave and confirm the boy’s status.” Requis didn't wait for a reply and tossed Clarence to Alfred, then sprinted off towards the cave. As he was running, he remembered something and stopped. He shouted, “That wind will only last for another 4 mins so you two should head back to town. Don’t worry. You will know my decision by tomorrow morning.” 

Alfred bowed towards Requis once more and began taking long strides away until both he and Clarence disappeared from sight. 

Requis muttered out loud, “I didn’t expect Boris to have such an old monster at his disposal, how interesting.” Requis took one last look at the wolves who had begun undergoing changes before slinking away towards the cave. 

Back at the cave, Thomas clicked his tongue as he watched two of his prey get out of the forest. He decided to focus on the one that remained instead. He mumbled, “The wolves are of no use in this upcoming fight. I am still injured, so the fight would not be in my favor. Perhaps I should wake him. No, I can handle this.”  When did I become so pitiful? The flying eyeballs all converged near Requis and watched as he quickly approached the cave. Let’s see if you can get past my traps. Thomas swung his staff, and white milky energy flew out. 

Requis finally saw the cave's entrance but slowed down as he kept getting the feeling that someone was watching him. I know for sure that lich is here at the very least. Let’s see what games he put out for me. Requis took measured steps at the cave's entrance and tossed a rock bouncing it a few feet inside the cave. The rock bounced 10 times before hitting the ground. Suddenly a bottomless pit appeared, swallowing the rock. Watching the rock vanish from sight, Requis sneered, “Just a pit... I expected more from a great lich." He walked to the pit and peeked in only to find unending darkness. Removing another rock from his pocket, he once again tossed it a few feet forward, bouncing along the way.

Again, the rock bounced 10 times before a beam of black magic skewered it from the air. Requis whistled, "A bit better, but still lacking.” He picked up the thrown rock to find a perfect circle made in it burned black. Requis reached back into his pocket but only felt two rocks left. He took one and tossed it. Again it went along 10 times before a field of dark energy suspended it in place. Requis mumbled, “Rat problems, perhaps.” With a chuckle, he quickly passed by the field. Pulling out the last rock, he muttered, “Hmm, better make this one last.” 

He threw the rock with uncanny strength. It skipped erratically forward. Right as it made it towards the 10th skip, it accelerated randomly. A second after it passed, the space around the spot distorted and disappeared. The rock continued bouncing, setting off numerous traps such as conjured carnivorous plants, soul-sucking spirits, and much more. 

Requis all the while leisurely followed behind the rock. As if he were out on a walk with his overexcited dog. Finally, after breaking through 20 traps, the rock made it 10 skips, seemingly not triggering anything. Requis paused for a moment but ultimately continued to walk forward, picking up the rock. 

Thomas became giddy as he watched Requis foolishly walk towards doom. Mockingly Thomas apologized, “Sorry to disappoint you, mortal. Traps aren’t my strong suit, but poisons are.” 

Requis, unaware of Thomas's words, walked up and looked around only to see nothing out of the ordinary. Thus he continued forward tossing the rock ahead. On his way, he shook his head in pity, “guess that one was a dud, must be on hard times, poor lich.”

Thomas ground his teeth after hearing another jeer. He shook the staff to send more poison to the area. 

Requis continued forward, suddenly a dense fog collided with the rock swallowing it whole and obscuring all vision. “Trying to rob me of my vision perhaps, or another dud?” Requis walked into the fog believing his spiritual aura was plenty enough for defense. The moment he entered, the fog turned into a nasty green color, and skulls appeared throughout. 

“Shit.” Requis tried to turn back, but all he saw behind him was more fog. The skulls began converging until a giant one formed. Opening its mouth, the giant skull unleashed a black ooze towards Requis “Fuck.” Requis released his spiritual aura at its max force, but it began to disintegrate the moment it touched the ooze.

Thomas laughed wildly in his study then spoke into the staff, “Mortal, how do you like my traps? Are they too weak? Only good for rats? What does that make you then?” 

Requis became increasingly pale as his spiritual aura was dissolved like sugar in water. He continuously pumped more aura. Requis gave a weak smile, hearing Thomas’s taunts. Then he dashed deeper into the fog. 

Thomas laughed at the foolish choice and jeered, “no matter where you run, you will find no escape. Just give up. Perhaps I will take pity on you and make your death painless.”

Requis merely continued running forward and pumping an increasing amount of his aura outward. The skull continuously blocked his path, and the closer he got to it, the stronger the ooze became. A wind began to blow from within Requis, which surprised Thomas.

Thomas probed, “I see now mortal you study wind magic. But do you truly believe your weak understanding of magic could even hold a candle to my millennium of knowledge?” Thomas finally relaxed, believing he had seen through Requis’s final act of desperation. I knew I didn’t have to wake him. 

Requis ignored the lich and blasted the black ooze with the wind creating a small area free of ooze on the ground. He then slid forward using the wind like a slide to catapult himself directly into the skull. In the air, Requis chuckled, “You are right, lich. I lack a deep understanding of wind magic. I’ll make sure to brush up just for you after this. HAHAHA.” 

Requis threw a punch reminiscent of Haruto’s but with an obviously different style. A giant gust of air radiated from Requis’s fist. The fog was unable to suppress the force. Even the skull was blown to smithereens. Requis pulled back his spiritual force and steadily marched ahead, stopping to pick up his rock and then moving deeper into the cave. Not a bad warm-up, though I still have a creak in my back. 

Thomas could only watch in dejection. “Well played. Don’t blame me if the boy kills you. You’d be surprised how irritable he is when woken up.”