The sun was slowly sinking behind the mountains.
A dark red glow spread across Blackstone Village, painting the rooftops and wooden walls in the color of blood.
At the village gate, several hunters were sorting their weapons.
Zhao Hu tossed a hunting spear into a wooden crate and stretched lazily.
"The forest's been a little too quiet lately," he muttered.
One of the other hunters laughed.
"Maybe the Demon Hunters scared all the monsters away."
Zhao Hu was about to respond when—
A loud crack echoed from the forest.
"CRACK—!"
It sounded like a large tree snapping in half.
Everyone at the village gate froze.
Zhao Hu frowned and looked toward the forest.
"What was that?"
The air fell silent for a second.
Then—
A deep roar rolled out from the depths of the woods.
The sound was enormous.
Fierce.
Like the rage of some gigantic creature.
The hunters' expressions changed instantly.
"Monsters!"
At that moment, dark shapes appeared among the trees.
A Shadow Wolf burst out of the forest.
Then another.
And another.
More and more followed.
Zhao Hu's face turned pale.
"Why are there so many?!"
Shadow Wolves normally lived deep within the forest.
They rarely appeared near human settlements.
And they almost never moved in large groups.
But now—
At least a dozen of them were rushing straight toward the village.
"Quick! Close the gate!" Zhao Hu shouted.
The hunters moved immediately.
The heavy wooden gate was pulled shut.
Archers climbed onto the wooden walls.
Within seconds, the entire village shifted into emergency defense.
Meanwhile—
Lin Ye and Su Li were racing back from the other side of the forest.
When they saw the distant glow of torches near the village gate, both of them felt their hearts sink.
"It's already started," Su Li said quietly.
Lin Ye quickened his pace.
By the time they reached the gate—
The first Shadow Wolf had already slammed into the wooden door.
BOOM!
The gate shook violently.
Archers on the wall immediately fired.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
A rain of arrows fell.
Two wolves were struck and collapsed.
But more wolves surged forward.
They began tearing at the wooden gate with claws and fangs.
Wood chips flew everywhere.
Zhao Hu stood on the wall shouting.
"Hold the line!"
"Don't let them break through!"
Inside the gate, Lin Ye stared at the pack of wolves outside.
His heart pounded heavily.
"There are too many…" he murmured.
Su Li spoke quietly.
"If the gate breaks, the village is finished."
Lin Ye clenched his fists.
"I'll go out."
Su Li turned sharply.
"Are you crazy?"
Lin Ye kept staring at the wolves.
"If we don't reduce their numbers, the gate won't last."
Su Li was silent for a moment.
She knew he was right.
She took a deep breath.
"Then I'm coming with you."
Lin Ye nodded.
The two of them climbed quickly onto the wooden wall.
Zhao Hu saw Lin Ye and frowned.
"What are you doing up here?"
Lin Ye didn't answer.
He looked at the wolves outside the gate.
His shadow shifted slightly beneath his feet.
"Open the gate."
Zhao Hu stared at him.
"What?"
Lin Ye repeated calmly.
"Open it."
Zhao Hu thought he had misheard.
"Are you trying to get yourself killed?!"
Su Li spoke coldly.
"If you don't open it now, the wolves will break it down anyway."
Zhao Hu hesitated.
The wolves outside were slamming into the gate again and again.
Cracks had already begun to spread across the wood.
Finally, he gritted his teeth.
"Get ready!"
The hunters pulled the heavy locking bar away.
"Open the gate!"
The wooden gate swung open.
The wolves rushed forward instantly.
But at that exact moment—
Lin Ye jumped down.
He landed in the open ground outside the village gate.
Everyone froze.
Even the wolves paused for a brief moment.
Then—
More than a dozen wolves lunged toward him at once.
Lin Ye took a deep breath.
His shadow exploded outward.
It spread across the ground like black water.
Thrust!
A dark spike shot upward.
One wolf was pierced instantly.
Then another spike.
And another.
Shadow spears erupted from the ground.
Thrust! Thrust!
Two more wolves collapsed.
The hunters on the wall stared in shock.
Zhao Hu's mouth hung open.
"What… what is that?!"
But Lin Ye had no time to answer.
More wolves were coming.
His shadow attacked again and again.
Each strike made the pain in his head worse.
His mind felt heavier with every movement.
Su Li leapt down beside him.
Her silver sword flashed in the fading sunlight.
Every swing left behind a faint trail of light.
A wolf lunged at her.
She twisted aside.
Her blade sliced across its throat.
Blood sprayed into the air.
The wolf collapsed.
The two of them fought back to back.
But the wolves kept coming.
Then—
Another thunderous roar echoed from the forest.
All the Shadow Wolves froze.
For a single second.
Then they stepped aside.
As if making way for something.
Lin Ye frowned and looked toward the trees.
A massive creature slowly emerged from the darkness.
It was a giant wolf.
Nearly three times the size of a normal Shadow Wolf.
Black scales covered its body.
Its fangs were like curved blades.
Its eyes glowed a terrifying crimson.
Su Li's face turned serious.
"The Alpha Demon Wolf."
Lin Ye swallowed hard.
The pressure coming from that creature was completely different.
Far more terrifying than the other wolves.
The Alpha Wolf stared directly at Lin Ye.
It seemed to sense something.
The scent of the abyss.
It growled low in its throat.
Then suddenly charged.
Its speed was terrifying.
Lin Ye barely reacted before a massive claw came crashing down.
BOOM!
The ground exploded into a crater.
Lin Ye rolled aside at the last second.
But the shockwave knocked him off balance.
The wolf lunged again.
Lin Ye gritted his teeth.
His shadow gathered beneath him.
This time—
The black shape grew thicker.
Longer.
Like a massive spear of darkness.
"Go!"
The shadow spear shot toward the wolf's chest.
CLANG!
The sound rang out like metal striking metal.
The attack bounced off the creature's scales.
Lin Ye's face turned pale.
"It's that hard?!"
The Alpha Wolf roared and charged again.
Just then—
A figure leapt down from the village wall.
A silver sword sliced through the air.
CLANG!
The blade struck the wolf, forcing it back a step.
Lin Ye looked up.
It was the Demon Hunter.
Reg.
He stood firmly on the ground, holding his long sword.
His cloak fluttered in the wind.
Reg glanced at the shadow beneath Lin Ye's feet.
His eyes sharpened instantly.
"So it's true," he murmured.
"Forbidden magic."
The battlefield suddenly fell quiet.
Lin Ye felt his heart sink.
He understood one thing clearly.
The real trouble—
Was only just beginning