Online Game: Starting With SSS-Ranked Summons-Chapter 445: Speculating

"But the most unsettling aspect of the Laughing Death pack is their hunting methodology. They don’t simply kill their prey; they psychologically torment it first."

The pack will surround a victim and begin their signature laughing calls, a sound that penetrates the mind and induces paralysing fear. Creatures have been found standing perfectly still, eyes wide with terror, while the hyenas circle them for minutes before finally moving in for the kill."

...

Arthur’s tactical mind immediately began analysing the implications.

"How large is this pack?" Arthur inquired.

"Approximately thirty to thirty-five individuals, master, led by a matriarch they call the Cackle Queen. She is nearly twice the size of her subordinates and probably has thrice the strength, too. Her laugh alone can cause weaker creatures to die of fright literally, their hearts simply stop beating from pure terror."

The beetle’s mental voice carried a clear note of unease as it continued, "The most disturbing reports I’ve heard claim that the Cackle Queen can mimic the voices of her victims’ loved ones—crying out for help in familiar tones while her pack lurks in the shadows. Many creatures have rushed toward what they thought were injured family members, only to find themselves surrounded by laughing predators. None survived."

Arthur’s gaze sharpened. Voice mimicry alone was dangerous, but combined with psychological manipulation, it became lethal. This wasn’t the work of a normal predator—it indicated intelligence, strategy, and most likely a powerful illusion-based talent. Such abilities were often far more troublesome than brute strength. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

Most beings trained their bodies, focusing on physical prowess, leaving their spiritual or mental fortitude neglected. Spirit resistance wasn’t something easily acquired—it was often tied to natural talent or gradually developed through repeated exposure to mental attacks and a high intelligence attribute.

Arthur, however, wasn’t careless. While he respected the threat the Cackle Queen represented, he wasn’t overly concerned. He had Bloom, a summon whose talent mirrored illusion-based manipulation. Bloom’s abilities gave him a significant edge in battles involving spiritual warfare. That said, there was a catch.

If the Cackle Queen had reached level 25 or higher, she would have unlocked her domain. And her domain enhanced her illusion talent; once she used it, the battlefield would immediately tilt in her favour dramatically. Within a domain, illusions could become nearly indistinguishable from reality, and even strong minds could be twisted under the influence of layered deception.

With that in mind, Arthur made a tactical decision. He would delay visiting the Cackle Queen’s territory until he had explored the rest of the forest. Engaging her prematurely, especially without confirmation of her level or abilities, simply wasn’t worth the risk.

"Their territory is marked by bone gardens," the beetle added with obvious revulsion. "Not simple killing grounds, but clear arrangements of skeletal remains positioned to tell stories of their victims’ final moments. The hyenas seem to take artistic pride in these displays, creating macabre sculptures that serve both as their territorial markers and psychological weapons against potential intruders."

The combination of intelligence, psychological warfare capabilities, and artistic sensibilities painted a picture of predators that operated on levels far beyond normal pack hunters. These creatures weren’t just killing for survival; they were sophisticated sadists who derived pleasure from their victims’ suffering.

"Have you ever encountered them directly?" Arthur asked.

"Once, master, early in my territorial establishment," the beetle replied with obvious reluctance. "Three of their powerful ones approached my domain boundary, and their laughter... it affected even me. For a few seconds, I found myself paralysed by memories of every failure, every moment of weakness I had ever experienced. Only my natural defensive capabilities allowed me to maintain composure long enough for them not to notice me and withdraw."

This was particularly telling. If creatures capable of inducing psychological paralysis in a superior-rank beast, the Laughing Death pack represented a threat that couldn’t be addressed by normal hunters.

In Arthur’s mind, a seed sprouted, perhaps the hunters that came to find the pyro’s lotus died in the queen’s territory.

"Since that encounter, I’ve grown stronger and maintained an unofficial border agreement," the beetle continued. "They don’t enter my territory, and I don’t venture into theirs. It’s an arrangement born of mutual respect for each other’s capabilities.

Although I must say, they could definitely take my territory if they want to, but they simply don’t because once they do, the power dynamics will shift and other overlords around the area will not allow it."

Arthur nodded thoughtfully. The hyena pack’s illusion talent or abilities could prove problematic, but they also suggested potential weaknesses. Creatures that relied heavily on fear-based attacks might be vulnerable to opponents who couldn’t be easily intimidated or who possessed mental defences strong enough to resist their influence.

More importantly, the pack’s sophisticated behaviour suggested they might be reasoned with under the right circumstances. Intelligent predators were often willing to negotiate when presented with appropriate incentives or demonstrations of superior power.

"Do you know if their territory contains any unusual plant life?" Arthur asked. "The terrain they create might indicate environmental conditions that could support exotic herbs."

The beetle considered this question carefully. "Their domain does contain unusual vegetation, master. Some of my little beetles have indeed ventured their, and their reports suggest plants that seem to respond to emotional states—flowers that bloom more vibrantly when exposed to fear, trees whose leaves change colour based on the mental state of nearby creatures. Such an environment might indeed harbour such a type of herb"

Arthur’s interest intensified.

A territory where plant life responded to psychological and emotional stimuli could very well support the growth of epic-rank herbs with unusual properties.

But the question that remained was whether the Pyro’s Lotus might thrive in such an environment.

Would the Pyro’s Lotus flourish in a place steeped in intense emotional dissonance and manipulated fear? Could the hyenas’ constant psychological predation, fear, desperation, and illusion somehow accelerate or evolve the lotus’s growth cycle?

It was speculative, but possible.

"If this place amplifies emotion," Arthur thought aloud, "and the Lotus responds to extremes... then perhaps it has adapted. Grown stronger. Rarer."