The courtyard looked worse the closer Adrien got.
Broken stone, scattered weapons, bodies—some still moving, most not. The guards weren't holding formation anymore. They were just trying to survive long enough to protect whoever was still inside.
A wolf lunged and slammed into a guard, sending him crashing into the ground.
Adrien didn't hesitate.
He moved in.
The first wolf came at him from the side. Fast. He turned just enough to avoid the bite and struck across its shoulder. The blade didn't go deep, but it forced the wolf off its line.
It came again.
Adrien stepped in this time instead of backing away. His second strike went clean into its neck.
It dropped.
He pulled his blade free and scanned the field.
Cedric was already engaged with the larger one.
Adrien's focus sharpened.
That one was different.
It wasn't just strength—it was how it moved. Every step had purpose. Every reaction came quickly, like it had done this many times before.
A shout broke his focus.
Roland.
He'd lost control of his spear, and two wolves were already closing in.
Adrien raised his hand.
[Shadow Chains Activated]
Dark chains burst from the ground and wrapped around both wolves' legs, locking them in place. They struggled immediately, snapping at the restraints.
Adrien closed the distance and struck cleanly.
One.
Then the other.
He stepped back as the chains shattered.
Roland got up, grabbing a sword from the ground this time.
No words exchanged.
There wasn't time.
Adrien turned back to the main fight.
Cedric blocked a heavy strike and slid back half a step. Not overwhelmed, but the pressure was clear.
Adrien stepped in carefully, watching for an opening.
Cedric attacked again—high.
The wolf raised its arm to block.
Adrien moved.
His blade drove toward its side.
The wolf reacted fast, turning just enough to reduce the damage. The strike still landed, but not as deep as it should have.
Its attention shifted immediately.
To him.
Adrien tightened his grip.
The wolf moved first.
Fast.
Adrien raised his sword and braced.
The impact hit hard, forcing him back a step. The force carried through his arms, but he held his ground.
Before the wolf could follow up—
Cedric stepped in from the side and forced it to adjust.
Roland joined a moment later, circling to the other side.
They didn't speak.
They didn't need to.
Their positions settled naturally.
Cedric in front.
Adrien slightly to the left.
Roland to the right.
The wolf watched them for a brief second.
Then it attacked again.
This time toward Roland.
Adrien reacted immediately.
[Phantom Echo Activated]
A duplicate formed in front of Roland.
The wolf tore through it without slowing much—
—but it was enough.
Cedric stepped in and drove his blade into the wolf's side.
A solid hit.
Adrien followed without pause, striking the same area. The wolf twisted, reducing the impact, but the blade still cut in.
Roland came in last, his strike clipping the wolf's leg.
All three pulled back almost at the same time.
Breathing steady.
Watching.
The wolf stepped back as well.
Not weakened enough to slow down—but no longer untouched.
A low growl escaped it.
Cedric adjusted his stance again.
Adrien shifted slightly, keeping his eyes locked on its movement.
Roland steadied his grip.
No one rushed forward.
Not yet.
The space between them tightened.
The wolf's muscles tensed.
So did theirs.
Then—
it moved again.
And this time, they moved with it.The wolf moved first.
Straight at Cedric.
Fast enough to blur the distance.
Cedric met it head-on. Steel and claw collided again, but this time the impact pushed him back harder than before. His foot slid across the stone, grip tightening as he held the line.
Adrien saw it.
That push wasn't random.
The wolf was testing. Looking for the moment one of them slipped.
It shifted suddenly—changing direction mid-motion.
Roland.
Adrien reacted instantly.
He stepped in, not with a skill this time—just speed and timing. His blade intercepted the wolf's path, forcing it to adjust again.
That small interruption was enough.
Cedric recovered and came back in from the front.
Roland didn't hesitate either. He moved in from the side, tighter this time, more careful with his spacing.
Now they had it.
Not surrounded—but contained.
The wolf lashed out.
One swipe forced Roland back.
Another slammed into Adrien's guard, sending a sharp jolt through his arms.
But this time, Adrien didn't give ground.
He held.
Just long enough.
Cedric stepped in and struck.
The blade cut across the wolf's shoulder, deeper than before. Blood spilled, dark against its fur.
The wolf reacted immediately, twisting and snapping toward Cedric—
—but Adrien was already moving.
He stepped in close.
Too close for a wide swing.
His blade drove forward.
Straight into the wolf's side.
This time—
it went deep.
The wolf let out a sharp, rough sound—not quite a roar, but close.
It tried to pull away—
Roland cut across its leg again, forcing it to stay grounded.
Cedric didn't waste it.
He shifted his grip and drove his sword forward with full force.
The blade pierced through the wolf's chest.
Everything stopped for a second.
The wolf froze.
Its body tensed, then shuddered once.
Adrien pulled his blade free and stepped back as Cedric twisted his sword and tore it out.
The wolf staggered.
One step.
Then another.
Before collapsing heavily onto the broken stone.
Silence followed.
Not complete—but enough to feel the shift.
The smaller wolves hesitated.
Then one by one—
they started to pull back.
Some retreated outright.
Others lingered for a second longer before turning and disappearing into the streets beyond the estate.
The fight was over.
Adrien exhaled slowly, lowering his sword.
His arms felt heavy now that the tension was gone.
He glanced at Cedric.
Still standing.
Still steady.
Roland leaned slightly on his sword, catching his breath.
No one spoke immediately.
There wasn't anything to say right away.
The courtyard told the story.
After a moment, Adrien looked down at the body.
Up close, it was even clearer.
This wasn't just a beast.
Everything about it—from its build to the way it fought—pointed to something organized.
Something planned.
Adrien's expression hardened slightly.
"This wasn't random."
Cedric nodded once.
"I know."
Roland straightened, wiping blood from his arm.
"Then this isn't over."
Adrien looked toward the estate.
Then past it.
Toward the deeper parts of the city.
"No," he said quietly.
"It's just starting."The silence didn't last.
A long, deep howl cut through the air.
Not close.
Not far either.
It echoed across the district, heavy enough to make the ground feel tense.
Adrien's head lifted slightly.
Then came the response.
More howls.
Different directions.
Not random.
Answering.
From beyond the estate walls, the sound of movement started to build—fast, chaotic, and growing.
Claws against stone.
Heavy footsteps.
Something big.
Then they came into view.
First a few.
Then dozens.
Werewolves leading the front, larger and faster than the ones before. Behind them, a mass of beasts poured in—fangs, scales, thick hides. Some moved low to the ground, others charged straight through broken gates and walls.
D-rank.
C-rank.
And some right at the peak of it.
This wasn't a stray attack anymore.
It was a wave.
Roland stiffened. "That's… not something we can hold here."
Cedric didn't answer immediately.
He was watching the front line.
Counting.
Measuring.
Adrien didn't speak either.
He could feel it now.
Pressure.
Not just from numbers—but intent.
This was organized.
A second later—
a faint blue screen appeared in front of his vision.
[SYSTEM NOTICE]
Emergency Quest Triggered
Quest Name: Break the Horde
Description:
A coordinated beast horde has begun an assault on the city. Eliminate the invading forces and neutralize the commanding presence behind the wave.
Objective:
Defeat the active horde
Eliminate or force retreat of command units
Difficulty: High (C-Rank Peak Threat)
Time Limit: None
Adrien's eyes narrowed slightly.
Then the next line appeared.
[REWARD LIST]
Large Experience Gain
Shadow Attribute Growth
Skill Evolution (Conditional)
Bonus Reward (Hidden Condition):
Race Enhancement (Stage II)
Bloodline Unlock (10%)
Note: Bloodline classification remains restricted. Origin unknown.
The screen faded.
Adrien let out a slow breath.
So that's how it was going to be.
Not just survive.
End it.
He tightened his grip on his sword.
Ahead of them, the first wave hit.
The guards braced—but the impact broke their line almost instantly. Beasts crashed through shields, forcing close combat everywhere at once.
A werewolf leapt over the front line and tore into a guard before landing.
Another smashed into a pillar, bringing part of the structure down.
Roland stepped forward again, despite the odds.
Cedric followed without hesitation.
Adrien didn't stay back this time.
He moved with them.
Straight into the horde.
A beast lunged—he cut it down mid-step.
Another came from the side—he shifted, avoiding the hit, and drove his blade into its throat.
No wasted motion.
No pause.
Just action.
[Shadow Chains Activated]
Chains burst from the ground again, locking down three beasts at once. One broke free quickly—but the delay was enough for Adrien to close in and finish it.
The battlefield spread out fast.
Not one fight.
Many.
Guards, adventurers, anyone still standing—all forced into survival.
Magic flashed across the courtyard from a distant mage, blasting back a cluster of beasts. A heavily armored fighter tackled a werewolf to the ground, barely holding it there.
Adrien kept moving.
Target to target.
He didn't chase kills.
He controlled space.
Cutting down anything that tried to break through toward the inner estate.
Nyxaris moved with him.
Faster than before.
More precise.
It slipped through the chaos like a shadow, tearing into beasts that Adrien pushed off balance.
They worked without speaking.
A rhythm.
A system.
Another wave pushed in.
Stronger this time.
Adrien felt it immediately.
These weren't the same as the first group.
More controlled.
More aggressive.
One came straight at him.
He blocked the first strike—but the force drove him back harder than expected.
C-rank.
Close to peak.
He adjusted quickly.
The second attack came faster.
He shifted to the side instead of blocking and cut across its arm. Not enough to stop it—but enough to change its movement.
Nyxaris struck from behind, forcing it forward again—
right into Adrien's next attack.
This time, the blade went in deeper.
The beast staggered.
Adrien finished it cleanly.
He stepped back slightly, breathing steady.
The horde wasn't slowing.
If anything—
it was building.
His eyes lifted toward the distance.
Somewhere behind all this—
there was something directing it.
And until that was dealt with—
this wouldn't end.
Adrien adjusted his stance again.
"Then we cut through," he said quietly.
No hesitation now.
Just direction.
And he moved forward again.