SSSSS-Rank: Negative Leveling-Chapter 108: Beast Village

The journey from cat-kin village toward wolf territory took three days of travel through forest that seemed determined to confuse anyone without local knowledge.

Tira led them through paths that appeared and disappeared with the forest's apparent whims, her familiarity compensating for navigation challenges that would have delayed the expedition indefinitely without guidance.

"Way markers change weekly," Tira explained during one rest period. "The forest dreams, paths shift, only creatures who live here remember the patterns."

"Remember or recognize?" Misha asked, her documentation habits struggling with phenomena that defied administrative logic.

"Both, maybe, we grow up learning the forest's moods, after enough years the patterns become instinct rather than knowledge."

Luthra used the travel time to test Void Chains in non-combat conditions, summoning the dark links during rest periods to understand their function without stress of immediate threat.

'Fifteen feet reliable extension. Can anchor to solid surfaces or wrap targets. Duration about thirty seconds with focused attention, less if distracted. Drains energy faster than expected, three or four uses before noticeable fatigue.'

The chains dissolved when he released concentration, void energy dissipating into the ambient mana of the forest.

"They respond to your intent more than your commands," Kane observed, watching the practice with tactical assessment. "Binding versus anchoring versus barriers, same ability with different applications based on what you're trying to accomplish."

"Versatility at the cost of precision," Luthra agreed. "I can do multiple things poorly instead of one thing well."

"Multiple things adequately becomes precision with practice," Kane said. "Most abilities start versatile and specialize through use, yours might work the opposite direction."

The second day brought opportunity to test Void Chains against actual threat, territorial creature emerging from undergrowth with aggression that suggested violation of its claimed space.

B-rank based on mana signature, wolf-like in shape but larger and wrong in ways that marked it as forest monster rather than natural predator. Its attention fixed on the expedition with hunger that didn't pause for assessment.

"Don't kill it if possible," Tira warned. "Forest wolves are under Wolf Pack protection, killing them creates diplomatic complications."

'Restrain without killing. Good test for chains.'

Luthra extended Void Chains toward the creature as it charged, dark links wrapping around its forelimbs and binding them together. The chains held against the monster's struggles, force that would have pulled human hands from sockets straining against void energy that didn't care about physical leverage.

The binding lasted twelve seconds before the creature's thrashing disrupted his concentration, chains dissolving and releasing it to scramble away into the undergrowth with apparent confusion about why its attack had failed.

"Non-lethal restraint works," Kane assessed. "Duration is problem, anything that can outlast twelve seconds gets free."

"Duration extends with practice," Luthra said, though the exhaustion settling into his muscles suggested the limitation was more fundamental than training could easily address. "The drain is significant, maybe three more uses before I'm spent."

"Three uses of twelve-second restraint," Misha calculated. "Thirty-six seconds of total binding capability per combat, less if you're using other abilities simultaneously."

'Harsh but accurate. The chains are tactical option, not primary strategy. Situational advantage rather than reliable tool.'

The third day brought them to another cat-kin settlement, smaller than Elder Kiran's village but organized along similar principles. Structures grown from living trees, pathways integrated with root systems, residents watching from elevated positions with wariness that suggested humans weren't common visitors.

"Supply point," Tira explained. "Village elders coordinate with settlements deeper in the forest, they'll have information about current conditions in wolf territory."

The elder here was older than Kiran, female with gray fur and eyes that carried centuries of observation. She received them in central platform with formality that suggested ritual rather than personal preference.

"Humans traveling toward Wolf Pack territory," the elder said, her voice carrying authority despite its quiet tone. "Unusual. Dangerous. Why?"

"We seek audience with the Nine-Tailed Fox," Luthra said, the honesty that worked with Kiran seeming appropriate here as well. "Our purpose is growth through challenge, power acquisition rather than conquest or territory."

"Power acquisition," the elder repeated the phrase with assessment. "Honest motivation, unusual from humans who usually claim noble purposes to disguise violent intentions."

"Lying creates problems when truth emerges," Luthra said. "Better to be judged for honest purpose than trusted for false claims."

The elder's expression shifted toward something that might be approval. "The Wolf Pack Alpha will test your honesty through combat, words mean nothing to wolves, only action demonstrates truth."

"We expected combat requirements," Kane said.

"Do you understand what that means?" the elder asked. "Wolf Pack Alpha is A-2 combat rating, highest among the beast kings below the Fox Queen herself, few humans survive challenging him, fewer still earn his respect."

"We're aware of the risk," Luthra said.

"Then I will provide what assistance I can," the elder decided. "Information about Alpha's fighting style, territory layout, challenge protocols, knowledge that might preserve your lives long enough to demonstrate the honesty you claim."

The information exchange continued through evening, the elder providing tactical intelligence about wolf territory that would transform blind approach into informed operation.

She spoke of the Alpha's code, honor-based combat that followed rules older than human civilization in the region. Description of challenge protocols that could frame engagement advantageously. Warning about the Alpha's abilities, speed and strength that exceeded human A-rank standards despite equivalent rating.

"One more thing," the elder said as the expedition prepared for departure the following morning. "All beast kings pay tribute to the Fox Queen, her eyes are everywhere in this forest, she knew of your arrival before you crossed the boundary."

"We've heard that before," Rebecca said.

"Have you understood it?" the elder asked. "She doesn't just know you're here, she knows everything about you, your abilities, your intentions, your fears, the Fox Queen has ruled this forest for eight hundred years, nothing escapes her notice, nothing surprises her."

'Eight hundred years of accumulated knowledge and power. S-rank is just the rating, the reality is something beyond human understanding.'

"What does she want with us?" Luthra asked.

"Unknown, but void-touched entering her territory draws her attention in ways other humans don't, your abilities resonate with something she watches, something she's been waiting for."

The implication settled over the team with appropriate weight, they weren't just entering dangerous territory, they were walking into attention of something ancient and powerful that expected their arrival.

"We proceed anyway," Luthra said, the decision already made regardless of warnings.

"Then proceed carefully," the elder said. "The Wolf Pack Alpha is test you might survive, the Fox Queen is force you cannot prepare for."

The expedition departed with more information and more concerns than they'd arrived with, wolf territory ahead promising challenge that would determine whether they continued toward their actual objective.

Luthra knew, everything until now was preparation, the real expedition was about to begin.