The mist spread, wrapping the entire valley entrance in a grayish-white dream.

Louis, standing on the hill, pulled his cloak tightly, watching the cold mist rise slowly ahead: "The mist is thick enough, start releasing the aroma."

"Yes!" A knight quickly uncovered the stew pot.

A wave of fragrant steam drifted out, carrying the scent of animal fat and meat bones, dispersing in the cold mist.

This wasn't an ordinary aroma; it was a specially concocted stew designed to entice beasts through their sense of smell.

According to Hillco and the others' previous experiments, as long as they smelled the aroma, the bears couldn't help but approach.

Sure enough, it wasn't long before heavy footsteps sounded from the distant forest.

"Here they come." Lambert gripped his weapon tightly, eyes wary.

Amidst the swirling mist, the first to poke their heads out were a few round little creatures, the cubs of the double-headed bears.

They were like fluffy snowballs, short-limbed, wobbling out, each with two miniature bear faces atop their heads, sniffing the air curiously.

The tips of their damp noses twitched, clearly drawn by the aroma, yet warily glancing around.

Soon after, heavy footsteps echoed from the forest as the mother bears made their entrance.

They were much larger than the cubs, with broad backs and well-developed muscles, both heads growling on one side while coldly surveying the surroundings, exuding an imposing presence.

Their thick fur was a mix of gray and light brown, resembling giant beasts born amidst ice and snow.

Their tusks gleamed coldly, and the misty breath emanating from their mouths appeared like wisps of smoke.

Soon, the entire beast group appeared, various sizes of double-headed bears huddling together, dozens standing as one, resembling a chaotic yet powerful beast army.

Some were still playfully shoving each other, emitting low "whirring" sounds, occasionally slapping their paws on the muddy ground, causing wet soil to splatter.

"...So many." Even Lambert couldn't help but take a deep breath.

Once these colossal creatures set foot in the mist zone, their originally steady and powerful strides suddenly became hesitant.

Their growls grew lighter, carrying a strange hoarseness, as if even their breath became somewhat confused.

"Awooooo…" An adult double-headed bear shook its head, both heads violently swinging, as if trying to dispel the sudden daze in its mind.

But it was futile; its steps began to stagger, heavy paws leaving a crooked trail in the snow.

Even its eyes, which had been tensely scanning the surroundings, became unfocused.

"Plop!"

Another bear even suddenly stopped, the two heads exchanging a glance, as if in mutual disdain.

It then staggered, nearly falling onto the ground, letting out a muddled low growl, like it had drunk too much.

The mist effect had taken hold.

Louis squinted, watching the white mist swirl slowly, knowing full well that amidst it was the carefully crafted Frost Leaf Vine.

This substance didn't affect humans much but had a strong disruptive effect on the magical beasts' nervous system.

The lower the magical power concentration of the beasts, the easier they were affected.

Just as everything seemed to be progressing smoothly, a sudden change occurred.

"Roar——!!"

Two deafening roars erupted almost simultaneously.

From within the thick mist, two adult male bears, taller than the other double-headed bears, suddenly charged forward.

Their fur stood on end, massive claws aggressively scraping the ground, eyes glowing fiercely, blood-red, radiating a terrifying lust for killing.

"Oh no!" an apprentice knight exclaimed.

These two were clearly the leaders of the pack, with robust physiques and muscles bulging like iron and stone, faintly exuding a layer of dark blue sheen.

Their nostrils puffed white steam, and their growls carried an unusual restlessness and ferocity.

The Frost Leaf Vine had indeed affected them, but rather than making them docile like the other bears, it heightened their awareness of their companions' odd behavior, making them more vigilant and aggressive!

"Roar!!"

One male bear suddenly crashed into the wooden wall, shattering it with immense force, causing a deafening noise.

The other one crushed a thick wood post and fixed its gaze on the nearest knight, lunging forward!

"Quick, dodge!!"

But the squad was not unprepared rookies.

Lambert's voice quickly quelled the chaos: "Ropes! Frost Vine Bombs ready—block them!"

The five knights moved almost simultaneously, their actions swift and clean.

Two specially reinforced hemp nets flew toward the charging giant beasts with a sharp whistle.

With a snap, the first bear was expertly ensnared, its enormous body wildly struggling on the ground, its massive claws tearing at the ropes, unable to break free momentarily.

The other was precisely entangled by the ropes around its front paws, crashing down onto the ground, emitting an angry howl.

It rolled furiously on the ground, trying to break free from the restraints.

"Throw!" Lambert ordered.

Two small bottles, glimmering ice blue, flew swiftly, slicing through the air with a chill, accurately smashing onto the heads of the two giant bears.

"Bang!"

Silvery mist exploded instantly, flooding out like tides, enveloping the giant beasts' heads, the dense Frost Leaf smoke like a damp cold net tightly binding them.

The bears struggled violently, their growls turning hoarse and urgent, their eyes still fixed on the surroundings.

The ferocity lingered, but their movements grew slower and more sluggish.

A few seconds later, they finally collapsed weakly to the snowy ground, panting heavily.

Confusion filled their eyes, with the previous fierce aggression thoroughly suppressed, leaving only powerless struggle.

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