Chapter 12: The Alpha’s Ambush

Chapter 12: Chapter 12: The Alpha’s AmbushThe Knights of Dustwall wanted to charge at the Mage and make him pay for humiliating them. However... The situation did not unfold in that manner. The leader of the Dustwall Knights kept his gaze lowered. They could be arrogant, but they were not foolish. If that was a mere gesture from the Mage, what would a true spell be like? After all, he had not uttered any arcane words to summon the wind. Their thoughts were correct, yet they erred on one point. That gust of wind was indeed a proper spell; Patrick simply did not need to speak to cast it. Sera observed the three as if they were idiots. She was arrogant, certainly, but unlike these men, she knew the world. She understood when to be haughty and when to restrain herself. She would never dream of facing a Steel-rank monster, let alone Elder Patrick. "Listen to me, this is not a game. We must take our lives seriously; moreover, I am responsible for yours since you entered under my command. I will not allow you to act recklessly, for your own good." Despite the behavior of the three Knights, Elder Patrick’s voice was not angry—far from it. It resembled that of an elder offering life advice to his grandchildren. Though not old, Elder Patrick knew the world far better than the citizens of Dustwall. The remaining Knights of Grimreach watched the scene without a word. After all, they were familiar with the terrifying power of Mages, especially Patrick. This was not their first mission with him. Then— "Argh!!" a scream made everyone turn. One of the Knights beside Dax was struck at the ankle; a claw had sliced clean through his armor, blood spurting everywhere. A Shadow Wolf had infiltrated their group and attacked. It had been watching them, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. And it found it when the humans began arguing among themselves. The knight’s armor was torn, blood gushing out. But before the beast could press its assault, Dax drew his sword and slashed at the monster’s flank. The Shadow Wolf dodged with a fluid motion, not expecting to continue its attack. Behind it, three more wolves appeared, growling and howling softly. Their eyes were strange, unlike those of the previous pack. Their gazes burned with a cunning intelligence, as if they were sizing up their prey with calculated malice. "Damned monster!" the injured Knight shouted in rage. He was crouched, clutching his bleeding ankle. His face was a mix of fury and disbelief at what had happened. He had not expected such an attack. Judging by the grim expressions of the other two Dustwall Knights, neither had they anticipated such a silent, lethal strike. Lian’s eyes widened. The monsters before the group were far stronger and larger than those they had faced earlier. "They seem angry... have we entered their territory?" Dax asked, his tone questioning. His sword was drawn, but he was not pointing it at the visible monsters. He was looking around, as were the others. They were vigilant, awaiting the rest of the pack. But after several seconds of listening to the furious growls of the Shadow Wolves, the strongest monster, an Iron 5, lunged at the injured Knight. Its speed was astonishing, yet the Knights were prepared. "Tch, this is just a waste of time. You are too weak for us!" Dax retorted, charging toward the monster to intercept its attack. But the other three monsters, Iron 4, moved in unison. With great speed, they closed in on Dax, halting him. After all, their sole objective was to drag at least one human to the grave. The others watched the scene with interest. They had not expected such a reckless assault. It was true—they had been caught off guard, but they were not weak. "They are angry," Sera said, as if stating a fact. She recognized that look; it was the same one everyone gave her. A furious, rage-filled gaze. But in this case, the anger stemmed from something different than the resentment others felt toward Sera. "Angry? Perhaps because we invaded their territory?" Lian’s voice was faint as he murmured these words. "Invaded their territory? Of course we did, you idiot! But that is not the point." Sera’s words cut like blades across the boy’s face. "Do you not see that no more monsters are appearing? I believe these are the alpha and its guards from the pack we destroyed earlier," the girl continued. Her air of superiority was evident, her chest puffed out, showing she was basking in her analytical prowess. "Huh?" Lian could only be surprised by the girl’s analytical skills. She was younger than him, yet far more experienced in fighting monsters. Meanwhile, the Grimreach Knights observed the scene, with no intention of helping. They watched as Dax fought the two Iron 4 monsters, while the other two Knights battled the Iron 5. Despite the strange situation, there was a reason. The Shadow Wolves were far stronger, faster, and more resilient than their human counterparts, who, however, were more agile and capable of precise movements. And the Iron 5 monster hoped to exploit its superior abilities to kill at least one human. It knew its chances were slim, perhaps nonexistent, but it had to try. The Knight in question was terrified by the monster’s relentless assault. "Damn it, you are just a monster! You cannot compete with me!" the Knight said, dodging the Shadow Wolf’s lethal attacks. His Iron 4 companion, meanwhile, tried to intercept and block some strikes, but the difference in strength was evident. The situation was critical. With every step the Knight took, his ankle wound became more apparent. Soon, he would be unable to walk. Meanwhile, Dax was battling the three Iron 4 Shadow Wolves. He had no trouble managing them, but they were slippery and coordinated enough to avoid direct hits, suffering only minor scratches. "They are isolating us, huh? Is this their way of making us pay?" Dax thought, glancing around. The Dustwall Knights could not sustain the fight for long, and he could not end it quickly. They were stuck in this situation. "What do you say, are you going to help us?!" the injured Knight finally said, seeing the dire situation. His words were directed at the Grimreach Knights. But they did not dare move forward; after all, they followed only the orders of their mission leader, Elder Patrick. Turning their heads toward him, the Knights awaited a signal. "They were so arrogant earlier—look at them now... why not let them suffer a bit longer?" Sera spoke suddenly. Judging by the smirk on her face, she seemed to enjoy watching the Dustwall Knights struggle. Lian was speechless. How could she be so callous?! Despite her unique beauty, her morals and manners were truly questionable. The boy began to feel overwhelmed. He wanted nothing to do with her! He, a boy from a small town, raised with love by his parents, could not continue watching such a scene. He had to act. His heart demanded it; his hands trembled with adrenaline. After all, he was about to throw himself into a fight against an Iron 5 monster. --- Author Here! They’re just monsters, what can they do against the infamous... humm... no spoiler.