"Huff... Huff... It's... Huff... It's an em... Huff... Emergency... Huff... Huff..."
A pale complexion, a body drenched in sweat, rough and irregular breathing, shaky eyes, and body gestures which tells that he might collapse at any moment. A clearly exhausted knight suddenly barged inside the rooftop.
He was so exhausted, he couldn't even muster to talk in full sentences. He could only gasp for breath, coughing from time to time as he tried to open his mouth. It was a sight not one of them predicted, everyone utterly confused by the sudden outburst.
⟨⟨Heal!⟩⟩ ⟨⟨Rejuvenate!⟩⟩ ⟨⟨Recuperate!⟩⟩ ［Grey］
However, there was no time to dawdle. It didn't take too long before Grey snapped back to reality, and as soon as he did, he immediately started casting recovery spells one after another, also wielding water magic at the same time.
With every recovery spell Grey casted, the knight's complexion became clearer and after giving him a cup of water to drink, he was finally able to take a deep breath, not a hint of exhaustion nor dizziness to be seen from him.
"Amazing... All my fatigue is suddー No! This is not the time! Your Excellency! Your Highnesses! We have an emergency at hand!"
The knight didn't waste any more time. As soon as he got back to his senses, he then immediately told Grey, Yuna, and Cedric of the emergency he was talking about. It was not the time to care for formalities, getting straight to business immediately after.
Apparently, there was a sudden outbreak of Hunter Wolves from the northwestern forest, and it seems like they have already reached the highway. It was a sudden occurrence, not one person was expecting nor was there a precedence for.
Unfortunately, just as the Hunter Wolves started to rampage in the nearby plains, a group of carriages heading to Galderia was also present at the moment, and as one would expect, the Hunter Wolves immediately targeted them.
There were escort parties present, however, the Hunter Wolves are too numerous. An adventurer was able to escape and rushed towards Galderia as quickly as he could to deliver an urgent message and ask for help.
But perhaps the most pressing matter is how close they were from the city. According to the one who reported, they were ambushed by the Hunter Wolves when they were less than 30 kilometers away from the city. It was a dangerous situation.
"A sudden rampage... What the hell is happening... How long has it been since the whole ordeal started?" ［Cedric］
"I-I'm not sure, Your Excellency! But by rough estimates, it should have been over half an hour by now."
"Half an hour... They should still be able to hold up..." ［Cedric］
Throughout his years as the Lord, and even through his Father's reign, Cedric has never heard of such an occurrence throughout their territory. He knew that there are Hunter Wolves in the nearby Forests, but never had they been spotted in the plains.
After all, Hunter Wolves are territorial beasts which would never leave their territories unless some special circumstances arise. There is also an abundance of prey in the forest, so there was no reason to head out where they could be hunted by people,
Moreover, Hunter Wolves are amongst the stronger F-rank beasts, which happens to be in packs. Even if there was an E-rank beast or monster present, they shouldn't have been overpowered to the point that they leave their territory.
"Grey, Yuna, sorry about this, but can Iー" ［Cedric］
"Leave it to us? Sure, we were planning to do so even if you didn't ask us." ［Grey］
"I see... Then I'll leave it to the both of you." ［Cedric］
"Alright. And when we return, let's talkー No, let's leave that for later. The lives of the people come first. Please prepare to receive them later." ［Grey］
There were a lot of questions in Grey and Yuna's mind, however, it was not the time to ask them yet. Without wasting any time, Grey then extended his hand and created a gate before them, not caring whether the knight saw or not.
"Fufufu! Then, we'll be back soon." ［Yuna］
"Yes. I'll leave the safety of my people in your hands." ［Cedric］
Cedric bowed his head, and after him, so did the knight and even the children. Grey and Yuna didn't even see such gestures, stepping into the gate as soon as they bid their farewell, silence and anxiety looming in the air.
They headed to the mall to have fun, and yet, what they were greeted in the end was not a fulfilling tour but a heavy matter pertaining to the lives of many. Cedric couldn't even begin to describe what he felt, feeling both anxiousness and relief.
"Gather all the knights, and ask the soldiers to prepare food, water, and a quiet place for resting. Prepare to receive the victims as soon as they arrive and make sure to do it discreetly to prevent panic within the people." ［Cedric］
"Understood!"
It was no time to be idle. As soon as Grey and Yuna left, Cedric also did his job as the Lord, and instructed the knight to relay his message to the other knights. He doesn't exactly know how many victims there are, but it was better to prepare more.
With haste, the knight immediately excused himself to execute the orders, running down the stairs and rushing towards the barracks. Of course, Cedric also started moving, heading back to the mansion to check on some documents for later use.
"Father... Everything will be alright, right?" ［Elnart］
Well, it wasn't just Cedric or the knight who was feeling anxiety, but the children as well. After all, though they have been trained in dealing with documents, accidents and unexpected situations are still new to them.
"Yes... I'm sure it will be. Just trust in Grey and Yuna." ［Cedric］
He was scared, anxious, and utterly confused, but he shouldn't show such a side to his children. If he were to crumble before them, then he would truly become a failure, not just as a Lord, but as a Father as well. He needed to be firm and strong,
A smile on his face, Cedric then patted the children's heads to calm them down and cheer them up. They were still 7 and 9 years old, after all. There is no need to learn or such a burden yet. He could only pray and leave it all to Grey and Yuna.
...
CLANG CLANG ROOOARRR WHIMPER
Chaos and turbulence was abrew in the plains, blood spilt and limbs dismembered time and time again. Two opposing parties clashed, trading fierce attacks from one another, shrieks of pain ringing along the clashing of steel and claws.
The adventurers swung their swords, spears, and axes, firing arrows and spells all the while. They fought tirelessly with their lives on the line, not bending a knee even though they knew full well their bodies were already way past the line of exhaustion.
And much like them, the Hunter Wolves were also in a constant state of frenzy, biting with their mouths and slashing away with their claws with every chance they had. They even use wind magic, further adding to the chaos.
"Captain! There's too many of them!"
"Just continue holding on! Help will arrive soon!" ［Captain］
Or so the leader of the adventurers says, but there was no short of confidence in his eyes. They have already cut down over a dozen Hunter Wolves, yet there were still over 20 that remain, all aggressively and ready to kill.
It had already been half an hour since they sent out one of their own towards the city to ask for help, and he should have been able to arrive at the city. The only problem is how long it will take for that help to arrive.
They are already tired from a long escort mission, and now, it has been half an hour since the fight broke out. Many of the adventurers are already dead exhausted, some with heavy wounds and some coughing up blood, all on the verge of breaking.
'Sh*t! Why is this happening...?!' ［Captain］
It was a normal escort mission, one involving a merchant group heading towards Galderia. And since there were 5 carriages to be escorted, the merchants also hired a few adventurer parties, 1 E-rank, 1 F-rank, and 2 G-ranks.
Naturally, as the leader of the E-rank party, he became the leader of the whole escorting party. It was an 8-day escort mission from a town about 2 territories away, and so far everything has been going fine. Up until the wolves started attacking.
At first, only 2 Hunter Wolves appeared before them. It was hard to deal with them, but with 2 E-rankers in the party, it only took them about a few minutes to finish them off. They were happy to have extra income at first, however... Things only got worse.
Without warning, a large pack of Hunter Wolves consisting of over 30 individuals suddenly appeared out of nowhere and started to rampage, attacking them in a frenzy and surrounding them with no path to escape.
Thankfully, with his enhanced eyesight, they were able to spot the wolf pack running towards them and were able to send away one of the adventurers to ask for help before the enemies managed to circle them. It was their only ray of hope.
"Everyone! Prepare for battle!" ［Captain］
"W-Will we be okay?!"
"Don't worry! There may be a lot of them, but it's nothing we couldn't handle! Just activate the barriers and hide while we fight!" ［Captain］
"Y-Yes! We'll leave it all to you!"
... Was what he promised before, but frankly, he had no confidence in his words. Not only were they outnumbered, the opponents were also stronger than them on average. If it wasn't for the barrier activated by the merchants, it would have been much worse.
There are already several injured amongst the G-rankers, a few in critical condition, pale and not far away from death. Even the F-rankers are already at their limits, wounds riddling their bodies and fighting with every bit of strength they could muster.
Now, all they could do was hope that help would arrive soon. At most, they only have 10 minutes before they start collapsing and they get annihilated. No, if he sacrifices himself, they might be able to last 5 minutes longer.
Still, it doesn't take away the fact that help might arrive in as short as 30 minutes to as long as a couple hours. They were already set to die. They already knew it was impossible, but they still kept on fighting.
GRRRAAAAARRー
⟨⟨Heavy Slash!⟩⟩ ［Captain］
He panted and grasped his sword tightly, then slashing away the enemy before him. With that, another one was taken down, however, many more still remain. The vicious fangs of the Hunter Wolves continued to lunger at them.
"Don't let your guards down! Don't be hasty! Take them down together and make sure to guard each other's backs!" ［Captain］
"You damn wolves! Die!"
"Landon! Over here! Help me with this bastard!"
⟨⟨Fireball!⟩⟩ ⟨⟨Wind Cutter!⟩⟩ ⟨⟨Rock Bullet!⟩⟩ ⟨⟨Wind Cutter!⟩⟩
It was a struggle against life, everyone huddling closer together as the Hunter Wolves continued to approach them. Their bodies were already broken, riddled in a multitude of wounds and cuts , but they still continued to brandish their weapons.
The mages didn't let up either. Their mana had already dropped to zero several times yet they continued to drink elixir after elixir to replenish their mana. Pain gnawed on them due to rapid mana exhaustion, but they still kept on going.
Well, the same could also be said for the wolves. Despite a third of their numbers already cut down, they just continued charging towards everyone, opening their eerie fangs and snapping them with a bite force able to lop a person's head off.
The smaller ones were very proficient at it, but the adult Hunter Wolves were very proficient in using wind magic. They used it not only to attack but also make them more agile and create strong gusts of wind to confuse the enemies.
"Urgh!! Urk..."
GRROOOOOAAAARRRRRR
"Not on my watch! ⟨⟨Soaring Edge!⟩⟩" ［Captain］
The Leader of the Adventurers rushed to his comrade's rescue, slicing up the air and creating a flying blade which cut down the enemy. It wasn't enough to kill it, but it was more than enough to weaken and distract it.
Exactly the moment it yelped in pain, the one it was attacking immediately gripped her daggers tightly and plunged it towards the Hunter Wolves' chest, piercing its heart. She twisted her daggers and a pained yelp echoed in the air, a thud following then.
Another wolf was down, and soon after, yet another thud echoed. The Leader of the Adventurers had struck it down once again, but it was not without any consequences. One of his ears was bit off, a large wound streaking on his face.
"Masha, are you alー" ［Captain］
"Kyaaaaaa!!"
Unfortunately for them, while they were distracted by the Hunter Wolves, the Alpha suddenly appeared on top of one of the carriages, shaking it terribly and frightening the ones hiding inside, cries and bellows ringing inside.
Even more unfortunate than such, they were all occupied by the other wolves at the moment. There was a barrier protecting the carriage and there were also a few magic tools inside to defend them.
CRACK CRACK CRACK SHATTER
However, it was all futile. With a monster already at the pinnacle of F-rank, the thin barrier was only able to defend against the first few attacks. The persistent Alpha struck it again and again, shattering the barrier before long.
The moment the barrier was broken, it was practically all over. The Alpha continued to shake the carriage with its massive body and soon delved its large claws into them, ripping them apart and unveiling whatー No, who were inside.
It was the main carriage, and there lies the head of the escorted merchant group and his family, now all shivering in fear as the ferocious and predatorial eyes of the Alpha peered towards their soul. A demon ready to devour souls!
"M-Mister Perka! Pl-Please save us! Mister Perka!"
"Please wait a moment! Just hold on as long as you can!" ［Perka］
Or so what the Leader of the Adventurers shouted, however, he was still engaged in a deadlock between not just one, not two, but three wolves. He couldn't take a step forwards or backwards, trapped in the encirclement of the enemies.
The Hunter Wolves continued to pounce towards him, and he continued to slash. The Leader of the Adventurers tried to get close to the carriage, but he was immediately stopped on his tracks by the vicious beasts, not letting him escape,
Meanwhile, the Alpha had already set its eyes on the shivering family trapped inside the carriage. Its saliva trickled to the ground, drop by drop, clearly drooling and eager to devour them as it placed another one of its claws inside the carriage.
"Oi! You bastard wolf! Come get meー Urlk!" ［Perka］
Perka tried his best to distract the Alpha, screaming ever so loudly, all the while firing a bit of magic at it. However, his magic only grazed the ferocious beast. Its eyes were still set on the meal before it, its low growls screeching inside their ears.
"You damn bastard! I said, look at me! ⟨⟨Lightning Boー Uaacckk!" ［Perka］
The man tried to cast another spell, however it was futile. Before he could even finish casting, one of the wolves had bitten on his arm and plunged its teeth deep into his flesh. He was able to slice off the attacker's head, but his arms were useless.
His arm now gone, his party members and allies slowly getting pushed down by the ferocious beasts, their client's family on the verge of being devoured by the Alpha. All of them fought well, but the outcome had already been decided.
"Mama... Hic... Hic... Papa... Hic..."
GRRRRRRRRRRRRR
The cries of a frightened child and the low growl of the Alpha... Such were the last things that echoed in his ears as the taste of metal caressed his tongue. Blood had already filled his mouth, and darkness was slowly encroaching his vision.
'F*ck... Looks like this really is the end... I have already done everything, and even achieved E-rank... Haha... It was a good life...' ［Perks］
They have already done the best they could, and have already lasted far longer than they should have survived. Now that destiny has practically spoken, Perka finally dropped his sword and resigned himself to fateー
"As if! Do you think I'm satisfied with just E-rank?! If I'm going to die today, I will take all of you with me! Mark my words, you bastards!" ［Perka］
ー Or so one would think. But rather than giving up, Perka's fighting spirit flared up some more as death approached close. He gripped his sword tightly once more and brandished his sword. It hurts like hell, but he didn't care. He just kept on swinging.
"Let's see who dies first! You damn motherー !!!" ［Perka］
SHAK WHIMMPPEERRRRR THUD
It was yet another surprise. Just when Perka raised his sword to the air, a javelin of ice suddenly bolted towards the enemy before him and punctured through its skull. It fell without much resistance, death already having a firm grasp on him.
Everyone was so busy fighting their own battles that they didn't realize what just happened. However, the same couldn't be said for Perka. He saw it very clearly, multiple flashes of blue and gray darting towards them at breakneck speeds.
SHAK GASHAK SHAK WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH
Not even a second passed and such flashes were already before them. Lances of ice and blades of wind rain down upon them from God-knows-where and laying down a massacre on the enemies, the whole area painted red.
Their bodies were skewered with deadly frost and their heads were lopped off by the streaming blades of wind. The Hunter Wolves were finished off one after another, their pained cries and whimpers echoing in the air.
Soon enough the whole barrage was over and not a single Hinter Wolf remained. Even the Alpha was not spared, its body now turned into a pin cushion, only that the pins were the javelins of ice which ended its life. A low thud echoed as it fell.
"Wh... What just happened...?"
"Did... Did we just win...?"
Everyone was so confused by what happened that they couldn't even celebrate their survival. Only questions filled their minds as they watched the scene before them... Questions which were soon answered by the arrival of two figures.
Silver hair as brilliant as the stars, eyes bluer than the sky, and beauty which could be compared to the heavens. His black hair deep as the night, his eyes the color of deep jewels in the earth, and his presence graceful as the sun.
Not one of them knew exactly who the two youths who suddenly appeared before them were, but if they had to guess, only two people come to mind.... The rising stars of Galderia and the talk of the continent... It was Grey and Yuna...
"No.. No way... Is it really them...?"
"We're... We're finally saved, aren't we...?"
People could only mumble under their breaths, their words barely audible. The youths soon landed on the ground, not making a single sound and performing yet another miracle before everyone's eyes.
⟨⟨Holy Bell⟩⟩ ［Yuna］
The young lady's gentle words rang in the air, and the sound of heavenly chimes rang soon after. The ground suddenly started to glow, golden fragments of light swallowing the place as warmth surged throughout their bodies.
At the same time, Grey pulled out a handful of recovery potions from his Inventory and threw it to the air. With a little bit of help from the wind, he crushed the bottles and let out a massive hurricane of healing winds, forcefully delivering the contents of the potions to everyone's mouths and healing them soon after.
The very moment everyone ingested the droplets from the potions, their bodies then started warming up even more and their wounds and injuries started healing up one by one. Be it large wounds or detached limbs, they healed all the same.
It wasn't just their wounds, but their stamina had also returned and so did the clarity in their minds. It was as if all the pain and fatigue was but a mere passing lie, their hearts soothed gently by the warmth of the light and the symphony of the bells.
"Sorry for arriving late, but... Is everyone alright now?" ［Grey］
"... W... We did it... We actually did it! We survived! We really survived!"
"Ohh!! We're alive! We're all alive!!"
"Hic... Hic... Thank God... Thank God... Hic..."
It was only when Grey asked them a question that everyone finally snapped back to reality. They all celebrated with all sorts of emotions exploding in their hearts. Some cried out loud, some lost the strength in their legs, and some still shaking.
Nevertheless, it was obvious that everyone was happy. It may have been a sudden and unexpected nightmare, but they were saved just as unexpectedly. Everyone was crying and hugging one another, incredibly glad to be alive.
It took them some time to settle down, but as soon as they did, they immediately gave their gratitude to Grey and Yuna. The questions came soon after, the two investigating what really happened in the incident.
Of course, they can't just leave the highway so messy. As thanks for all the help they received, everyone agreed to dismantle the Hunter Wolves and hand them over to Grey and Yuna, not even wishing for anything in return.
"Then, we'll leave it all to you." ［Grey］
"Yes! You can count on us, Your Highnesses!" ［Perka］
Before long, everyone then started working and dismantled the Hunter Wolves one by one. It may be because of Grey's potion hurricane but even the wounds on the wolves have been healed, making them all excellent quality once again.
Well... Other than that, there is something Grey and Yuna noticed various similarities amongst the Hunter Wolves which came to attack the carriages. And as one would expect, it wasn't normal at all...
"Grey, look at this... They aren't usually this thin, aren't they?" ［Yuna］
"Not at all... Even their ribs are already visible..." ［Grey］
The wolves were all unusually thin to the point they are just a couple ways away from being skeletons with just a bit of flesh and fur. It was as if they had been starving for weeks, and barely ate anything just to get by.
Not only that, they also noticed that even juvenile wolves are part of the attack and that there are far fewer of them than the usual number of Hunter Wolves in a pack, about two times less, to be exact...
"This... Don't tell me... Have all the cubs already died from hunger?" ［Yuna］
"Probably so... I don't sense any more wolves nearby,.." ［Grey］
"Ugh... How terrible..." ［Yuna］
It was strange, abnormally so... Grey and Yuna could only look at the forest far over the horizon, their eyes peering inside. It was still lush and verdant, yet unusually quiet and eerie. There was more to be known than meets the eyes...
CHAPTER 461 END