5: First encounter with the white wolf

"I'll allocate a bit more of this grain to you. The main army is heading back to Iron Wall Fortress at full speed tomorrow and should arrive in a few days. We can spare some of this grain."

"And those weapons and equipment—you can take some of those too. Didn't you recruit a group of warriors?"

"Since you've recruited these men, the spare weapons originally prepared for them won't be needed, so they can be given to you. I can also give you the weapon quotas of the fallen soldiers. It's a good way to put them to use."

Rex spoke to Reyn as they walked, and in the blink of an eye, he had allocated a significant amount of supplies to him.

"Can I have a few sets of these knight armors?"

Reyn immediately stepped forward to ask when he saw the complete sets of knight armor stored separately in the equipment area.

These armors, emitting a faint glimmer, were treasures! He wished he could move them all back to his territory.

"That is absolutely out of the question, Brother Reyn."

Rex quickly stepped forward to refuse Reyn.

"This rage bear armor is different from ordinary weapons and equipment. These sets of rage bear armor are all rare Enchanted Equipment."

"Brother Reyn, you know as well as I do that even in the Border Defense Army, only Silver Rank Professionals are qualified to be equipped with rage bear armor. Every single set is accounted for; we can't afford to lose even one."

"The Count knew that your set of rage bear armor was damaged during the battle with the Fel Orcs, so he specifically set aside one for you. It's already in the supply list. That should be enough, and yet you want more?"

Rex was startled by Reyn's large appetite. He could distribute ordinary supplies, but this Enchanted Equipment was strategic material that he didn't dare touch lightly.

Seeing Reyn still stroking the rage bear armor with a look of longing, Rex inconspicuously took two steps forward to separate Reyn from the armor.

"Brother Rex, as you know, among the warriors I recruited, two have already reached the peak of Bronze Rank. They might break through to Silver Rank in a few days."

"The threat of the Fel Orcs near the Red River Territory still persists. If they were equipped with enchanted armor, their combat power would increase by at least fifty percent, allowing them to better resist the threat."

Rex was unmoved by Reyn's words.

"Brother Reyn, we both know that while reaching Bronze Rank is manageable, breaking through to Silver Rank is immensely difficult. Many Professionals get stuck at the peak of Bronze Rank and can't cross that threshold even after a lifetime of effort."

"Besides, even if those two warriors you recruited luckily break through to Silver Rank, they would be Silver warriors of your Derrick Family. The Border Defense Army's Enchanted Equipment won't be given to your vassals."

Reyn still wanted to push for it and continued.

"Brother Rex, please do me this favor. I came in a hurry and didn't bring much. If you could spare me a set for this emergency, I will reward you handsomely later."

Rex firmly shook his head and refused Reyn. It wasn't that he didn't like gold coins, but rather that he didn't dare.

"Brother Reyn, stop thinking about the rage bear armor. This Enchanted Equipment definitely cannot be given to you. Let's look at something else!"

Seeing Rex's firm attitude, Reyn was somewhat disappointed.

A complete set of enchanted armor was of immense value and couldn't be measured simply in gold coins. All Enchanted Equipment was strategic material and very rare; normally, one would need special channels even to purchase it.

The family heirloom of most knightly families was often just a single complete set of Enchanted Equipment.

Reyn knew he wouldn't be getting this set of rage bear armor and didn't press further. It was only natural that Rex didn't dare to give it to him.

Skipping past the area where the rage bear armor was kept, Reyn and Rex continued their tour of the supply warehouse.

As they rounded a corner, Reyn suddenly saw a large iron cage placed not far away. Upon closer inspection, he found a snow-white wolf locked inside.

With just one look, Reyn was captivated by the white wolf in the cage. He felt a unique aura from the wolf, one that held a mysterious sense of familiarity that drew him in.

This was a feeling Reyn had never experienced before, leaving him dazed for a moment.

"Brother Reyn, Brother Reyn!"

Rex called out twice as he watched Reyn staring blankly.

"Oh, Brother Rex!" Rex's voice brought Reyn back to his senses.

"What's wrong?" Rex looked at Reyn with some confusion.

"This white wolf is quite beautiful. Brother Rex, where did it come from?"

"Oh, you mean that thing!"

"The soldiers caught it while searching for scattered Fel Orcs. This thing looks beautiful and harmless, but it's actually very fierce. Although it's not a Magic Beast, it has the combat power of the Black Iron Rank. We lost one soldier and three peasants just to capture it."

"Unfortunately, it has no mana fluctuations. It's just a slightly fiercer beast. It's pretty to look at, but it doesn't have much value."

Rex looked at the white wolf in the cage; a beast with Black Iron Rank combat power couldn't attract much of his attention.

It was not surprising for some fierce beasts in the Black Forest to have the combat power of a human Black Iron Rank warrior; they simply relied on their natural physical strength and animal instincts.

As for Magic Beasts that possessed mana, they were a completely different species from ordinary animals.

Magic Beasts not only had extraordinary combat power but could also produce Magic Cores within their bodies. A Magic Core was a versatile transcendent material of considerable value.

Furthermore, the flesh and blood of Magic Beasts were rich in energy. Consuming it could enhance physical strength and help Professionals improve their power, making Magic Beasts highly valuable.

Ordinary beasts were far less valuable, yielding only some fur and common meat.

"Brother Rex, can you give this white wolf to me?"

"You like this white wolf?"

Rex was somewhat surprised, but he suddenly realized something when he remembered Reyn's background.

"Oh, I almost forgot your origins. The bloodline of the Wild Wolf Derrick Family would certainly be fond of wolf beasts."

"I was originally planning to take this white wolf back to Rage Bear Fortress to sell to a high noble as a pet, but since you like it, Brother, I'll give it to you. It's not worth much anyway."

Having just refused Reyn's request for the armor, Rex was now very generous in giving the white wolf to Reyn.

"Then I thank you, Brother Rex!"

The white wolf stared fiercely at the two men talking outside the cage, crouching low and baring its sharp fangs while letting out a series of low growls from its throat.

However, when it looked at Reyn, a hint of confusion appeared in its fierce eyes.

It felt a particularly familiar aura from this human, as if it had encountered one of its own kind.

Reyn unconsciously recalled a secret technique from his mind. As he slowly walked toward the cage, he circulated his Battle Qi and used that secret technique from his memory.

A unique fluctuation radiated from Reyn and surged toward the white wolf in the cage.

Inside the cage, the white wolf watched Reyn approach and gently twitched its nose to capture more information. That familiar aura caused it to gradually lower its guard.

"Don't be afraid (Wolf Language)"

Reyn spoke with instinctive skill, emitting a rhythmic low growl.

The white wolf's eyes became even more confused upon hearing this growl. It slowly retracted its fangs and also let out a series of rhythmic low growls in response to Reyn's slow approach.

Soon, Reyn reached through the cage and gently stroked the white wolf's smooth fur. The wolf in the cage had dropped its hostility and allowed Reyn to pet it.

Rex, watching this harmonious scene between man and beast from the side, wasn't too surprised; he was more curious.

"You really do know Wolf Language. Seeing is believing—to actually be able to communicate with a wolf beast just as the legends say, it's truly miraculous."

"As expected of the Wild Wolf Family bloodline, taming an ordinary wolf that isn't a Magic Beast is as easy as pie for you."

Keeping track of information about other nobles was a basic requirement for being a noble.

Rex had previously studied the history of the Derrick Family and its founder, the Wolf Knight Derrick, within his own family.

Legend had it that two hundred years ago, the founder of the Derrick Family, the Wolf Knight Derrick, was a wolf-child. In his youth, he had been lost in a Wolf Pack due to an accident. Surprisingly, the pack did not eat the human child but instead raised him.

Growing up in the Wolf Pack, Derrick not only learned Wolf Language but also comprehended a complete set of Battle Qi secret techniques, including the Wild Wolf Breathing Technique, the Wild Wolf Body Tempering Technique, and Wild Wolf Combat Skills, from his daily life with the wolves.

In this way, without any outside guidance, the Wild Wolf Derrick not only stepped onto the path of the transcendent but also raised his strength all the way to the Silver Rank.

One hundred and eighty years ago, the third Grand Duke of the North, the Grand Duke of the Raging Bear, launched the Rage Bear Blood Expansion War that would establish his position as Grand Duke.

During this three-year expansion war, the wolf-child Derrick was discovered by the Grand Duke of the Raging Bear. Derrick then chose to follow the Grand Duke and performed significant feats in the subsequent war, breaking through to the Gold Rank.

Ultimately, relying on his military merits and Gold Rank strength, Derrick went from being a penniless wolf-child to becoming a landed Baron of the newly formed Rage Bear Grand Duchy.

Recalling the information about the Derrick Family in his mind, Rex couldn't help but admire that Wolf Knight whom he had never met.

In the Kingdom of Asriel, becoming a noble was incredibly difficult. While Professionals of significant strength would be recruited by the kingdom and granted titles, that was limited to high-level Professionals.

Professionals with Silver Rank strength would only be granted the title of Knight and could establish a knightly family, but the title of Knight was not that of a true noble.

Knights had no fiefs, no family crests, and no noble privileges. Most importantly, the title of Knight was not hereditary; if a descendant could not reach Silver Rank strength, the title would be revoked.

Only stronger Gold-rank Professionals would be directly granted a peerage to become a true noble. Such nobles were known as Titled Nobles.

Titled Nobles generally had no fiefs. If they wanted a fief, they had to fight for it themselves through expansion, either by pioneering unclaimed wilderness or by performing deeds that would lead the Grand Duke or the Royal Family to grant them territory, thus becoming a Landed Noble.

Gold-rank Professionals were geniuses among ten thousand; only one might emerge from countless Professionals.

Moreover, becoming a Gold-rank Professional required inheritance and resources. Without inheritance, let alone becoming a Gold-rank Professional, it was impossible even to become an ordinary Professional.

In Rex's memory, in the last two hundred years, only the Wolf Knight Derrick had become a landed Baron from a background with no backing and a purely unconventional path. Other nobles who established families all had some degree of bloodline connections.

"A truly Legendary hero. It's a pity he has passed away and can no longer be met."

While Rex was reminiscing about the history of the Derrick Family and honoring the predecessor, Reyn had already used the family's secret technique to tame the white wolf in the cage.

"Sorry, Brother Rex, for keeping you waiting!"

After comforting the white wolf, Reyn returned to Rex.

"It's fine. It's my honor to witness the Wolf Language secret technique of the Derrick Family."

Reyn didn't talk much more about the white wolf or the secret technique. In fact, he wasn't entirely clear on the specific details himself. Although he had all the memories of the original host, he had been awake for too short a time and hadn't fully processed many things.

"Let's continue selecting supplies, Brother Rex."

Bringing the topic back to the supplies, the two continued their selection in the warehouse.

Soon, the two agreed on the distribution of supplies. Reyn was very satisfied with the final amount; his hundred gold coins had definitely not been spent in vain, as the value of the supplies he got back far exceeded a hundred gold coins.

Reyn immediately called Ross and had him lead the over seven hundred recruits to transport these supplies back to the territory.

Watching the wagons of supplies being hauled away, Reyn felt a bit more at ease. Rex stood to the side, smiling as he watched the busy crowd.

"Brother Reyn, these supplies are all yours now. With these seven hundred-plus people, there won't be any problem finishing the transport before the main army returns tomorrow. You can rest easy now, right?"

"With these supplies, I am indeed much more at ease. I also have the confidence to rebuild the Red River Territory and resist the Fel Orcs."

"What about those refugees?"

Reyn hadn't seen a refugee camp near the military camp, so those refugees shouldn't be nearby.

"Those people have been settled in the refugee camp next to the ruins of Redwood Town to the north."

"There are border guards stationed near Redwood Town. With them there, the refugee camp won't fall into chaos. However, they will also withdraw when the main army returns tomorrow, so you'd better send someone to take over the Redwood Town refugee camp before noon tomorrow, Brother Reyn."

"Otherwise, those three thousand people will easily fall into chaos without supervision. Even the appearance of one or two Fel Orcs could make those refugees collapse. It wouldn't be good if unnecessary losses occurred then."

Reyn knew the importance of this matter; it concerned the future foundation of the Red River Territory. He immediately made arrangements.

"Ross, Eric, both of you come here!"

"Lord!"

The two quickly arrived before Reyn.

"Eric, you continue organizing the men to transport the supplies. Ross, take a hundred warriors and follow me to Redwood Town now!"

Eric was also Reyn's subordinate in the Border Defense Army. Reyn had once saved his life on the battlefield. Out of gratitude for saving his life, Eric had always followed Reyn and awaited his orders.

When Reyn was recruiting, Eric, as a freeman, was the second to step forward after Ross to follow him. There was no question about Eric's loyalty, and his strength had reached the Bronze Rank, so Reyn was very at ease with him.

"Yes, Lord!"

With the arrangements made, Reyn bid farewell to Rex and immediately set off for the Redwood Town refugee camp.