Chapter 10: Fighting the Shadow Wolves

Words : 1082 Updated : Sep 10th, 2025

Chapter 10: Chapter 10: Fighting the Shadow WolvesEveryone looked around. The air was tense, still. But the humans did not remain frozen, waiting to be torn apart by those monsters. Thanks to Elder Patrick’s instructions, their formation held firm. The Knights drew their weapons. Their armor clanged loudly with their sudden movements. The six men surrounded the trio of Mages. Sera still held the flame alive in her hands. Although she had drawn the beasts’ attention, that fire kept them at bay. The heat and threat of the flame were real. Moreover, the fog around them had slightly cleared, improving everyone’s visibility a little. "What I said earlier still holds true. I will intervene only to face a Steel-rank monster." The Mage’s words narrowed everyone’s eyes. Without the support of the strongest, this battle would be very difficult. The standoff lasted for a minute. A minute of pure tension and steady nerves, sweat dripping from everyone’s foreheads. After all, the number of eyes surrounding them had slightly increased since the start. The silence was unnatural, but it did not last much longer. A loud, sudden noise, like a branch snapping, drew attention. Everyone’s gazes shifted toward the sound’s source, and at that moment, the Shadow Wolves’ attack began. With swift movements, the monsters advanced silently, closing in on the distracted soldiers. The creatures resembled ordinary wolves, only slightly larger, more muscular, with dark fur. Their fangs and claws were more developed, sharper. But the humans were not ordinary soldiers—they were Knights. They would not be caught off guard. A monster’s fangs were blocked by the unsheathed sword of a Grimreach Knight, who parried the blow with ease. The same happened with the other monsters; they were all stopped. Despite their high numbers, something seemed off. "They are weak!" shouted one of the Knights before slicing a Shadow Wolf in half. Seeing blood splatter everywhere and sensing the monsters’ spiritual energy, the Knights sighed in relief as the Shadow Wolves began to howl. They were all low-rank monsters, between Iron 1 and Iron 3. Their only threat was their numbers, but that would not be enough to harm the humans. After all, the humans were stronger, trained for combat, and equipped with weapons and armor that could protect them from the monsters’ attacks. Seeing the Knights begin to fight and cut down beasts left and right, Sera seized the opportunity to showcase her skills, unwilling to be outdone. This was her first Gate, true, but not her first combat as a Mage, nor her first against these monsters. She knew how to move. After the Knights’ initial response to the assault, they stopped killing Shadow Wolves. They were here primarily to protect the Mages and allow them to gain combat experience, not to slaughter monsters indiscriminately. Taking advantage of the space left by the Knights, the monsters began targeting Sera. The fire in her hands was large and powerful, threatening enough to burn a monster alive if struck. Unfazed by the danger, one Shadow Wolf lunged at her with a guttural growl and outstretched claws. Sera did not move immediately, waiting for the right moment. When the beast was a few steps away, she acted. Her movements were graceful, almost choreographed, leaving a red trail that distorted the air around her. It was the fire in her hands. In her hands, the basic spell’s fire was not just a light source but also a weapon. Dodging the Shadow Wolf’s attack, Sera brought the fire in her hands toward the beast’s exposed flank. It was only an Iron 1; it could do nothing against her spell. Not to mention magic—physically, Sera was vastly superior. After all, a Bronze-rank Mage was stronger than an Iron-rank Knight. A burnt smell assaulted everyone’s nostrils. Then, an agonized howl echoed through the surroundings. Everyone turned their heads briefly, only to see a Shadow Wolf with a charred hole in its flank. But it did not end there. The fire continued to burn the monster, making it howl in agony before it collapsed, lifeless. Yet no Shadow Wolf seemed intimidated by the scene. They were monsters born for combat; death meant nothing. They kept advancing toward Sera, threatening her with claws and fangs. This time, their numbers had increased, but Sera had no trouble handling them all. Lian watched the scene silently, out of the corner of his eye. He was captivated by her combat techniques, but even more by her ability to use a seemingly useless spell in such a way. ’Her control over magic must be exceptional... she truly is talented.’ Lian thought distractedly while fighting monsters with his sword. Though a Mage, he was completely inexperienced in magic. He did not feel ready to use it in real combat. Simply using his sword and superior physical abilities, the boy could handle all the monsters. "I cannot keep going like this... I must seize this chance to gain experience, just as Elder Patrick said," Lian muttered, watching the Knights hold off multiple Shadow Wolves at once. "However, I have not recovered from my earlier mental strain. I cannot use my spells carelessly." After a moment of hesitation, a sigh escaped his lips. "Fine, let us do it. I just need to visualize a circle and chant the spell’s name from the tome to avoid suspicion..." [Geometric Spells: Circle.] Squinting his eyes, Lian began drawing the shape in his mind. In this situation, focusing properly was even harder, but Lian had to do it. Thanks to his prior experience with circles and lines, Lian started forming the shape. His palm aimed at a Shadow Wolf engaged by a Dustwall Knight, and just as the circle was about to complete, Lian spoke the fateful words. "Ignis Arde, Ignis Globus!" A fireball shot from Lian’s hand, crashing into the monster with incredible speed. BOOM! The sound of an explosion drew everyone’s attention. ’What in the world was that?!’ thought the Dustwall Knight, who had been holding off the monster moments before, stepping back in shock. The same question ran through the others’ minds. Only Elder Patrick watched Lian with sparkling eyes, as if he had witnessed something extraordinary. ’Excellent, well done! Another rare gem! I am truly fortunate!’ he thought to himself, wearing his usual smiling expression. Lian’s heart pounded. He had not expected the fireball to be so loud—or so effective. But he quickly masked his surprise, mimicking Sera’s confident stance to avoid drawing suspicion.

Chapter 10: Fighting the Shadow Wolves

Comments (0)