The Most Satisfied Reincarnate

"Forget that for a while," Desmond murmured, his gaze sweeping across the surroundings. The air hung heavy with a mix of anticipation and unease. He refocused his attention on the system notification, his eyes narrowing as he scrutinized the intricate details of the system map. "If the information was correct, then an Alpha from Dire Wolf should appear right now."

Laura, faithfully following her young master, tilted her head in momentary confusion. However, as she observed Desmond's vigilant behavior, understanding dawned on her. Reacting swiftly, she extended her hands apart, murmuring an incantation that conjured a black, transparent barrier hovering protectively behind them both.

The subtle hum of energy filled the air, mingling with the scent of ancient magic.

Satisfied that their safety was assured, Desmond released a relieved sigh and glanced at Laura. "Cease your spell; we're out of immediate danger. But remain watchful in the direction we came from," he instructed, resuming his purposeful stride toward the corpse of the fallen Dire Wolf.

"Yes, young master," Laura responded without hesitation, her eyes narrowing as she focused her attention in the directed path. Yet, she couldn't help but sneak a glance at her young master's activities. Over time, she had grown accustomed to Desmond's peculiar pursuits that defied conventional wisdom.

Seems like the young master has found another peculiar fascination... Laura mused. While she didn't comprehend the intricacies of his experiments, the increasing flow of energy he emitted each year indicated their connection. Content with this thought, Laura allowed a soft chuckle to escape before refocusing on the task Desmond had assigned her.

Unbeknownst to Laura, Desmond caught a glimpse of her gaze. "Well, at least it benefits me," he remarked to himself, a faint smirk playing at his lips. Truth be told, he found Laura's current demeanor more agreeable compared to her earlier mischievous tendencies. Besides obedience and cooperation, she displayed a surprising lack of qualms when it came to eliminating human adversaries.

"Hmm..." Desmond's hands deftly dissected the Dire Wolf's corpse as he pondered.

"How many bodies are left in the village?" The mere thought of it stirred a sinister excitement within him. However, he also realized the need for a plausible excuse to dispose of these lifeless husks. A peculiar realization struck him regarding the nature of the attack. "How could Dire Wolves, known for their lower intelligence, pose a threat to goblins used as bait?"

This nagging question lingered in his mind. While goblins could conceivably be overwhelmed by sheer numbers of Dire Wolves, it didn't align with the typical strategies employed by the goblins Desmond had encountered.

"These Dire Wolves, they shouldn't be smarter than a dog. And also..." Desmond's thoughts trailed off as he recalled a disturbing novel that depicted goblins evolving into monstrous beings through horrific acts of violence. However, facing the reality before him, he dismissed the notion as nothing more than a delusion.

A few minutes later, Desmond successfully absorbed the essence from the Dire Wolf corpses. "Unfortunately, luck doesn't come twice." His disappointment was twofold—not only did the energy absorbed from each Dire Wolf prove to be lesser than before, but there were no additional bonus statistics either.

Checking his status, Desmond reviewed the scan results. "Not bad, eight Dire Wolves, averaging an increase of about 2.8." He nodded in satisfaction, then let out a dry chuckle. "If only I were a Wizard, perhaps I could have ascended to the Master realm, right?

Haha." The laughter lacked genuine mirth, as he was well aware that becoming a Master Wizard required not only a denser and more potent energy density but also the mastery of dimensional elements in their spells. The comparison to his mother, a Master Witch, was evident to him.

"Moreover, this brings me closer to fulfilling the conditions for becoming a 1st class Dragonslayer," Desmond murmured, a glint of determination flickering in his eyes. However, the thought passed quickly, and his attention refocused on the lifeless bodies of the Dire Wolves.

"The absorption was faster than I anticipated, perhaps due to their diminished energy," Desmond pondered, his gaze shifting to the system map. Suddenly, his eyes narrowed as he noticed a gray dot rapidly approaching their location. "Laura."

Realizing the abnormal speed at which the dot closed in, Desmond's alertness heightened. "This must be Selena's final struggle," he surmised, his gaze briefly shifting to Selena's crushed corpse, with only her distinct blue hair remaining.

"The approaching dot must be Veronica, their leader," Desmond muttered, his decision to lead them deeper into the forest vindicated. It was a deliberate choice to keep the danger at a distance from the village.

"Yes, young master?!" Laura, completely engrossed in her task, responded promptly upon hearing Desmond's voice. She turned around, her eyes widening as she observed the heightened energy emanating from Desmond. Unconsciously, a sense of pride filled her, causing a small smile to grace her lips.

Desmond caught a glimpse of Laura's expression, but he chose to disregard it, maintaining his usual impassive demeanor. "We have guests," he stated flatly, devoid of any visible emotion.

Hearing Desmond's words, a flicker of something passed through Laura's eyes. "Yes, young master," she replied, her once warm and cheerful demeanor now replaced by a cold, menacing aura.

Observing Laura's transformation, Desmond nodded in satisfaction. Good, at least I have one half-perfect puppet already...

"Before that, injure yourself to avoid suspicion," Desmond explained succinctly. He approached one of the Dire Wolf's bodies and rolled up his sleeves, preparing to carry out his plan.

Meanwhile, in the village of Genward, prior to Desmond's encounter with the Steel Legion mercenaries, Ray found himself lost in a daydream, contemplating the previous events. Why hadn't that kid chosen his mercenaries?

Initially, he couldn't comprehend why Desmond had suddenly approached the Steel Legion. Glancing at the Guardian, who seemed relaxed as ever, only added to his surprise. After all, Desmond and his entourage were accompanied by one of Ray's own members. It wounded his pride as the top mercenaries in the kingdom.

Ray, a man with an unwavering sense of self-importance, considered this mission to be of utmost importance, with his mercenaries serving as the primary protectors of the client. Therefore, when he witnessed the Guardian assisting the villagers, Ray brushed it off since his sole mission was to safely escort Desmond to his destination.

"Ray," Vaurz, having noticed his friend's distant gaze, called out to him. As childhood friends, Vaurz understood Ray's personality, his towering self-esteem. Although he knew it was impolite to interrupt his friend at this moment, a lingering unease plagued his heart.

"Ray!" Vaurz shouted, capturing the attention of the other mercenaries nearby. Vaurz himself couldn't comprehend why he felt compelled to pester his friend. A strange feeling had stirred within him since that wealthy young client, Desmond, had departed with the Steel Legion mercenaries.

"Hmm... what's wrong, Vaurz?" Ray, finally snapping back to reality, furrowed his brow. Despite their shared history, Vaurz should have realized that their positions had changed, with Ray now the leader of the mercenaries.

However, as Ray observed his friend's concerned expression, an odd sensation washed over him. Not only was Vaurz worried, but looking at him now, Ray sensed a certain loss...

"Um... you see..." Vaurz, taken aback by his friend's indifferent response, suddenly became nervous and fumbled for words, unsure of what to say next.