"Close your eyes!"
A familiar voice echoed through the battlefield
Crack
A burst of light exploded in the air, flooding the area with blinding brightness
The wolf staggered, its vision stolen, its balance shaken
Then
BAM!
A heavy hammer struck directly against its face
The impact echoed across the riverbank
A large man stepped forward, his presence overwhelming. He wore black armor, a round shield strapped to his left arm, and in his right hand, he held a one-handed hammer
"Hey, kiddo" he said with a grin "didn't we agree you wouldn't start the party without us?"
Behind him, Auel appeared, already composed
"Erin. Heal him"
Without hesitation, Erin rushed to Rikka's side and raised her wand. A soft green light began to glow
"…Sorry," she said, focusing. "My healing isn't that strong. I can only close wounds and reduce the pain"
The light spread across Rikka's body
His cuts slowly sealed but the damage from the wolf's tail still lingered deep in his chest
Rikka exhaled, still feeling the weight of the injury
"Wait… how did you guys get here so fast?" he asked, confused
"Later," Auel replied shortly "Let's take care this thing first"
A brief pause
"What did you learn?"
Rikka looked toward the wolf, his expression serious
"…It's not a normal wolf"
"It changes its movements mid-attack… like it's adapting. It can cancel its attack and strike from another angle"
Auel's eyes narrowed slightly
Adapting…? How far can it go?
His grip tightened slightly on the sheath
The wolf slowly stood up again
Its breathing grew heavier and its eyes burned with anger
Then
It moved, much faster, faster than before
"Alright, boys," the big man said, stepping forward, "brace yourselves"
He swung his hammer upward with force
But the wolf suddenly vanished from its path
It leapt mid-motion, completely ignoring him
It's targeting the backline
Auel reacted instantly
His thumb pushed the guard
Draw
A sharp slash cut through the air
But missed
"…Tch, too fast"
The wolf didn't even look at him
It rushed straight toward Rikka and Erin
Erin was still finishing her healing
The wolf pounced, jaws opening wide
"Power Shot!"
From the forest, a voice rang out
An arrow shot forward at incredible speed
Thud!
It struck the wolf, forcing its body backward several meters
The arrow narrowly missed its eye
"Tch… missed the eye," a girl said as she stepped out from the shadows, bow still raised. "Sorry, Gill"
The wolf growled, shaking its head violently
"Bind"
Another voice followed
Golden light formed instantly around its body.
Chains of light wrapped around its legs and its jaw, holding it in place
A second girl appeared from behind the archer, wearing a red and brown dress
Auel immediately moved the moment he saw the opening
His blade returned to the sheath
"Enhance Agility," he whispered, casting a self-buff
Then, he vanished forward, in a single motion
Draw
A precise thrust pierced toward the wolf's eye
Stab!
The wolf roared in pain
"Erin stay back"
Rikka standing up, holding his stance, and then stepped in
Flames surged along his katana
He swung toward the wolf's front legs
Clang!
"…What?"
The blade bounced off, too hard
The wolf's body was far tougher than expected
In the next instant, the bindings shattered
The wolf lashed out violently
Auel had already withdrawn, stepping back smoothly, blade returning to its sheath
Rikka wasn't as quick
Slash!
The impact struck him, sending him sliding backward, his boots skidding across the ground
"Rikka!" Erin called, rushing to him again
She immediately began healing his chest wound
The big man glanced toward the mage
"Helen, where's Gramm?"
"He's ready" she replied calmly
The wolf moved again
Its attention was locked onto Rikka and Erin
"Watch out!" the big man shouted, stepping forward with his shield
"Fireball!"
Three fireballs shot forward in quick succession
The wolf weaved between them effortlessly
"Quick shot!"
Another arrow followed
But missed again
The wolf closed the distance
Right in front of them, it opened its jaws and lunged
Clang!
The big man blocked it with his shield
The wolf's fangs locked onto the metal
Without hesitation, the big man swung his hammer
But the wolf released instantly and dodged backward
"Tch"
It spun its body and its tail sweeping across the ground
"Perfect Wall!"
The big man activated his buff
His body locked in place
The tail slammed into him
But he held his ground
"GRAAAMM!! NOW!" he roared
From the shadows
Gramm appeared
A massive figure, gripping a large double-bladed axe with both hands
He charged forward
"Enhance Power. Warrior's Might. War Cry"
His body surged with strength, aiming for its head
But the wolf noticed and swung its tail towards Gramm
Not having much choice, Gramm changed the target to its tail
In one powerful motion
He leapt and brought the axe down
SLASH!
The wolf's tail was severed cleanly
It flew through the air
Blood scattering across the ground
The wolf let out a deafening roar and staggered backward
"Everyone, stay close!" Gramm commanded
The group quickly formed up
The big man stood in front
Gramm behind him
Auel and Rikka took the sides
The girls remained behind
The wolf stopped
Its gaze scanned the formation, watching
Its muscles tensed, built with anger
Its jaw opened, revealing its fangs
"…It's pissed," the big man muttered
Then, it moved, faster than ever before
"Quick shot!"
Miss
"Fireball!"
Miss
"Lightning Spark!"
A bolt of lightning shot forward
But the wolf avoided it with ease
"…What?" the mage froze. "It's dodging everything…"
The wolf continued forward
Faster, closer
Then, it leapt
The big man raised his shield
"Perfect Wall!"
The wolf's front legs landed on the shield
Then its back legs followed
Using the shield as a platform
It pushed off, leaping over him
"Behind!" Gramm shouted
Too late, the wolf reaching with its claws
The mage barely avoided it
The archer pulled Erin to safety
The wolf turned instantly, claws aiming for Gramm
The big man rushed in and blocked again
"Gramm… now!"
Gramm stepped forward
He raised his axe for a finishing blow
But the wolf stepped back
Its eyes shifted, Auel
It chose him, and rushes
The wolf lowered its body, gathering strength, charging forward
Auel didn't move
His hand rested calmly on his sheath, waiting
At the last moment
He flicked an item into the air
"Close your eyes"
Crack
Light exploded once again
Auel closed his eyes, prepared in his stance
A brief silence passed
Then, he opened them
…Too late
His body lifted off the ground
A sharp pain tore through his chest
Blood sprayed into the air
"…!"
His eyes widened, the wolf stood there, unharmed
"…It…"
Auel stared at it, cold realization
"…It closed its eyes"