Chapter 14 : Shock And Suprise

Before Ethan left, he gazed at the corpses of shadow wolves scattered across the ground, feeling a pang of regret for the wasted resources.

The black goat had devoured only the heart of the Shadow Wolf King, but even so, its strength had officially advanced to the peak of the E Rank!

However, there was still no sign of it breaking through to the B Rank.

This wasn't unusual. The higher a beast's potential and talent, the more energy it required to advance to higher Ranks. On the flip side, once they broke through, their combat prowess would far exceed that of others at the same level.

The heart of an B-level Shadow Wolf King alone wasn't sufficient to push the black goat into the B Rank.

Ethan sighed. The shadow wolves' fangs and claws were valuable crafting materials for poisonous weapons and were highly sought after in the market. He didn't want these spoils to fall into the hands of scavengers.

Yet the need to explore the Shadow Cavern pressed on him. With no other option, he had the black goat use its tentacles to bury the corpses.

"I'll come back for these later," he thought. "Maybe I can hire some people in Blackstone Town to help recover them."

Fortunately, this area was once the hunting ground of the shadow wolves, meaning other extraordinary beasts wouldn't venture near it easily.

With that reassurance, Ethan and the black goat journeyed smoothly through the night. It didn't take long for them to reach the Shadow Wolf Lair.

This was a naturally formed cave nestled in a low mountain.

The moment Ethan stepped inside, a foul, putrid stench overwhelmed his senses. The cave was dark and cold, with faint traces of a purple poisonous miasma lingering in the air.

"This environment is perfect for shadow wolves," Ethan thought as he reached into his spatial ring and took out a lighting tool.

The faint glow illuminated the grim scene around him. Both sides of the cave were littered with the remains of shattered corpses. Decaying flesh was mixed with mud, and bones jutted out from the chaos.

Ethan glanced at the black goat and, in a firm voice, said:

"Whatever treasures we find here will determine our future. Start digging!"

The black goat let out a roar, its glowing scarlet eyes sparkling with excitement. It eagerly extended its tentacles and began tearing into the ground.

At first, their findings were disappointing: broken potion bottles, scraps of elixirs, and rusty iron fragments—just worthless trash.

Ethan frowned. The outermost layer held nothing of value, likely the remains of those who had fallen here days ago.

However, luck soon turned in his favor. Beneath the debris, Ethan uncovered two intact spatial rings. He quickly inspected their contents, finding that they were surprisingly well-preserved.

With a small sense of accomplishment, Ethan urged the black goat to press further into the cave.

Deeper inside, the cave revealed more scattered remnants: tattered packages containing items that were barely intact. Sorting through them, Ethan found a modest collection of useful resources—elemental mana stones, rare ores, advanced potions, and a decent stash of kingdom gold coins.

Using the spatial rings he had just acquired, Ethan carefully packed away everything, his heart filling with satisfaction.

"This haul should cover my needs for a while once I exchange everything for resources," he muttered to himself.

He glanced around the ruined cave, considering whether he should stay for the night. The area seemed safe enough, and after some rest, he could continue exploring nearby regions at dawn. His priority remained the same: helping the black goat reach the extraordinary realm as quickly as possible.

Just as Ethan started setting up a resting spot, the black goat suddenly became alert.

It moved toward the innermost part of the cave—the Shadow Wolf King's nest—and began sniffing around.

Ethan frowned in confusion.

"I've already searched there. What are you doing?"

The black goat didn't respond.

Instead, it extended its tentacles and overturned the stone platform where the Shadow Wolf King had once rested.

What lay beneath the platform stunned Ethan.

A pile of black stones glimmered faintly in the dim light.

The black goat, holding one of the stones with its tentacle, waved it triumphantly at Ethan as if seeking praise.

Ethan's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Why are there so many Black Mana stones here? These weren't left behind by beast tamers…"

Curious, Ethan approached the pile. He reached out and touched the stones, realizing that many of them were embedded directly into the stone platform itself.

"This isn't a collection," Ethan murmured, his heart racing. "These Black Mana stones naturally formed here!"

He recalled the information he had gathered about the Blackstone Gate. The Black Mana stones produced there were considered incredibly rare treasures. However, they were scattered and found randomly—usually next to large rocks—without any fixed collection point.

But here, a single stone platform contained hundreds of these stones.

Ethan's mind reeled at the implications. If there were more hidden below, this could change everything.

A bold theory began to take shape in his mind. His face lit up with excitement.

"Could this cave be… the heart of the Blackstone Gate?"

But he quickly tempered his excitement. The Blackstone Gate had been explored by countless people for decades. If such a discovery were possible, someone would have made it long ago.

Still, Ethan couldn't shake the feeling that this was an extraordinary find. Even if his theory was wrong, the sheer quantity of black mana stones here was invaluable.

Suppressing his growing anticipation, he turned to the black goat and ordered:

"Destroy the stone platform. Let's see what's underneath."

The black goat roared in acknowledgment. Its thick tentacles slammed down with tremendous force, shattering the platform into countless fragments.

A loud crash echoed through the cave as the stone platform collapsed, sending dust and debris flying.

Ethan stepped forward cautiously, peering into the newly revealed space below.

His breath caught as his eyes took in the sight. What lay beneath left him utterly astonished.