I Built a Divine Zoo in Another World

Lukas kept a small amount of mana circulating through his body, the energy flowing through his muscles, strengthening his legs, his torso, and, most importantly, his senses.

The world seemed to change. The sounds became clearer, each noise standing out like a note in a symphony. He could hear the movement of leaves being pushed by the wind, the faint sound of some creature running through the bushes, the distant chirping of an insect, and the occasional crack of a dry branch. Even the sound of his own footsteps seemed clearer.

Clavor walked a few meters ahead, his movements almost silent. Despite being in an unfamiliar forest, he seemed to know exactly where to place his feet, each step calculated to avoid branches and dry leaves. From time to time, he would stop, crouch down, observe the ground, run his fingers over some mark, then stand up and continue.

Lukas began to imitate his movements, learning from every gesture. At one point, Clavor pointed toward the ground, his voice low.

”Look.”

Lukas approached, his eyes following the indicated direction. There were several almost-faded marks in the dirt, impressions that had nearly disappeared into the soil.

”Footprints?” Lukas’s question was curious.

”Yes.” Clavor’s confirmation came with a nod.

”Of what?” Lukas crouched down to observe more closely.

”Small herbivore.” Clavor’s answer was precise.

Lukas crouched down, observing carefully. The marks were small, but there were several close together, forming a pattern that told a story.

”Were they running?” Lukas’s observation was perceptive.

Clavor nodded, his eyes scanning the ground.

”They were probably frightened.”

Lukas looked around, his eyes sweeping through the darkness.

”By some creature?”

”Perhaps.” Clavor’s answer was evasive but filled with meaning.

”You need to learn how to interpret the environment. A single footprint doesn’t tell you much. But a sequence of footprints, broken branches, crushed leaves, and the direction the animal moved in can reveal quite a lot.”

Lukas paid attention, absorbing every word. This was a completely different form of training; it did not involve a sword, techniques, or combat. It was simply learning how to survive, how to read the world around him.

After almost an hour, however, nothing appeared. No animal worthy of hunting, no monster, no creature large enough to justify a fight. The forest remained silent, indifferent to their presence.

Clavor finally stopped, his eyes scanning the sky through the trees.

”Let’s go back.”

Lukas nodded without complaining. Despite the failure, he was not disappointed. During that hour, he had kept the reinforcement active almost the entire time, and his mana had decreased considerably. It was exactly what he wanted.

When they returned to the camp, Lukas felt tired, but he was satisfied.

He sat near the campfire and took a deep breath, feeling the Lunar Source almost empty.

’Once again.’ This was how he wanted to train, pushing his Source, spending it, forcing it to recover, and then repeating the process.

...

The second day of the journey began in the same way, the carriage departing shortly after sunrise. During the following hours, almost nothing happened, the group advancing along the mountain slopes at a steady pace.

In some places, enormous trees blocked part of the view, their canopies spreading like green umbrellas. In others, the road approached the edges of the slopes, allowing Lukas to see an enormous distance through the forest, the trees stretching all the way to the horizon like a green sea.

From time to time, small streams appeared, flowing down from the mountain, the water running over the rocks, forming small waterfalls before disappearing among the trees once again. The sound of running water was a constant melody, a thread of freshness amid the landscape.

Judite became increasingly interested in the region, her curiosity insatiable. She spent much of her time reading her magic books, her eyes moving across the pages with a concentration that Lukas admired. Sometimes she raised her eyes to ask Aurora something, other times she showed some diagram to Lukas.

”Look at this.” Judite pointed at a page, her eyes shining.

Lukas leaned closer, his eyes following the indicated direction.

”What is it?”

”A combustion circle.” Judite’s voice carried excitement.

”It looks complicated.” Lukas’s observation was sincere.

”It’s not that complicated.” Judite pointed at several lines in the diagram, explaining with gestures.

”The mana needs to follow this path. If I put too much energy here, the circle becomes unstable.”

Lukas watched, trying to understand.

”And if it becomes unstable?”

Judite smiled, a smile that was both innocent and dangerous.

”It explodes.”

Lukas immediately moved away, an alarmed expression on his face.

”Then it is complicated.”

Judite laughed, the sound echoing through the carriage. Aurora shook her head, an amused expression on her face.

”Don’t conduct experiments inside the carriage.”

”I know, Mom.” Judite’s reply was quick.

”I’m talking mainly to you, Judite.” Aurora’s warning was direct.

”I wouldn’t do that.” Judite’s defense was somewhat weak.

Lukas looked at his sister, an expression of skepticism on his face.

”You would.”

”Maybe.” Judite’s smile was guilty.

The two laughed, the sound mixing with the rhythm of the carriage.

The journey continued, the hours dragging by in a comforting monotony. When night arrived, the group set up camp, the routine settling naturally. After the meal, however, something different happened.

Clavor looked at Lukas, then at Judite, an idea forming in his mind.

”You two.”

Judite raised her head, surprised.

”Us?”

”Yes.” Clavor stood up, his movements firm.

”Come.”

Lukas immediately understood, a smile appearing on his face. Judite also realized what he meant, her eyes lighting up.

”Are we going to fight?” Judite’s question was filled with anticipation.

”Yes.” Clavor’s confirmation was clear.

Her eyes shone, and she stood up so quickly that she almost knocked over the improvised bench where she had been sitting.

”Seriously?!”

”Seriously.” Clavor pointed toward an open area near the camp.

”Let’s go over there.”

Lukas stood up, and the three of them walked toward a clearing, the moonlight partially illuminating the area. The trees formed a wall around it, creating a natural stage.