Somewhere within the forest, four people walked. One was in the front, dressed in ragged leather armor, had a leather hat, and leather footwear. The wrinkles on his face betrayed his age and hard lifestyle and the way he moved through the forest, showed his experience.

The other three were clad in fine garments, embroidered and embellished with different colored stones. They walked about a dozen feet behind, one in front of the other two.

However, one of them, the one in the middle, looked to be of higher status than the others. He had short red hair, two gold earrings in his left ear, gold rings on all of his fingers, and the emblem of a gold lion on his chest. A sword on his waist with a beautiful artistic sheath.

While the other two’s clothes looked simpler in design, they lacked the lion emblem and were less expensive and gaudy. They were identical twins with dark hair, one long the other short.

All three of them were in their late teens.

“I’m having a bad feeling about this,” said the teen with long hair. His hand was on the hilt of his sword as he vigilantly examined his surroundings. 

“You had a bad feeling since we left the city and nothing happened. Stop being a wimp,” said the redhead. His walk displayed confidence that not even the experienced man in front of him showed.

“Yeah, relax brother. We got this. Look how deep into the jungle we got without encountering a beast. Not even one. Boss Arian knows what he’s doing,” said the short-haired twin.

The redhead teen nodded his head, pleased.

“I know, but looking for a white wolf’s den. That’s crazy! What if that thing doesn’t work on beasts that strong? Aren’t we heading for certain death?”

“It’ll work. My father already tested it. I just have to find one and show my father that I’m as capable as my brothers,” said the red hair. “My own martial beast, I’ve dreamed of it for so long. And it’s gonna be a Legend Rank. Then, my father will surely acknowledge me.”

“I wish I had a martial beast too. I don’t need a Legend Rank, Sky Rank will be enough, even a Greater Heaven will be fine too,” said the short-haired twin.

The other twin nodded. “It will be nice.”

“Don’t worry. Once my father becomes the city lord, I’ll make you my generals. Vike, the ponytail, and Mats, the bowl haircut.”

“Boss Arian, do we have to keep these haircuts then too?” asked the short-haired twin, touching his hair, dejected but daring not to disobey.

“How am I to distinguish between you two then? Don’t worry once you’re strong enough no one would even dare to laugh at you anymore. The commoners don't even dare to look at you anymore after the example I made of that stupid kid.” A malicious grin spread on his face as he remembered the event. 

“How did your father even manage to control magical beasts? Did he stumble on treasure or what?” asked Vike, the ponytail twin. 

“Hmph! Stumble upon a treasure? Who do you think my father is? The city lord? No, my father doesn’t wait for stuff to fall into his lap. He worked to find the right formula for this.” Arian took out a simple oak box. “Every day of his life, all he did was cultivate and work on how to extend my grandfather’s work of controlling peop-  Ahem! Of controlling magical beasts.”

“Arian, you are a true friend. I’m sure your father told you to keep this a secret, but you still shared it with us. I promise on my family's name that I’ll never betray you.”

The shorthair twin nodded and did the same. “I too promise to be loyal to you forever.”

Arian nodded in satisfaction, pleased by their simple formalities. “Our families are tied together and I have 100, no, 1000 percent faith in you. If I can’t trust you, who can I?”

The twins’ dispositions turned ecstatic.

“What are we going to do with the guide once we find the den?” asked Vike.

Arian’s expression twisted with viciousness. “It’s obvious, isn’t it? Kill him. We can’t allow anyone to know about this, otherwise, my father's plans will be ruined and get really, really angry.”

The twins shivered as a thought crossed their minds. They knew all too well how terrifying Arian’s father was.

“But how? He is Greater Heaven Rank, even if we jump him together in a sneak attack we still aren’t his match,” said the ponytail twin.

“So what? He won’t have the guts to kill us if he still wants for his family to live. We might as well just ask him to kill himself otherwise we’ll rape his wife in front of his eyes.”

Arian said nothing. All were valid points, but he had something else in mind. 

“Don’t worry. I have a way,” he said with a grin. 

“Stop!” The guide said abruptly. “Someone is coming!”

The teens were puzzled. “Someone? What do you mean someone, old man? We’re so deep into the forest, no sane person would be so far.”

“There’s definitely a person approaching us from the front and they are close.”

The teens looked at each other. Warry was clear on Arian’s face. For someone to be so deep into the forest they must be strong, at least as strong as their guide.

“We can’t allow anyone to recognize me. Follow my lead.” Arian surreptitiously took out a small pouch from his pocket.