Chapter 58

“What in the world is going on?”

Meanwhile, at that moment.

Silfi, returning to the dormitory after leaving the forest, had a face full of confusion.

“Wha, what is that…?!”

The fog churned like a violent wave. The intermittent howls of wolves echoed through the air.

It matched perfectly with the phenomenon recorded by the Desert Order: “The White Wolf that hides in the fog” beginning its hunt.

“N-no way, the seal has been broken?!”

A mix of surprise, horror, and disbelief bloomed in her mind like flowers. Naturally, she was shocked. After all, she had just verified that the sealing stakes were securely in place.

So why had the seal been broken?

Especially when Silfi had just left the forest.

As a myriad of questions filled her eyes, a thought suddenly flashed through her mind.

“Wait a second, what if…?!”

Maybe the White Wolf had awakened from the seal long ago? Storing its power until the right moment to burst forth?

Sure, it was speculative, but it didn’t seem entirely far-fetched.

“I heard the White Wolf has quite the intellect.”

It was the longest-living monster among the Three Minions of Rudrik. So she had heard its intelligence was equivalent to that of an average human.

Perhaps the White Wolf had already figured out Silfi’s intentions. Maybe it had been biding its time, hiding its strength, only to break free once she was gone.

It was clear the seal had been released the moment Silfi disappeared, almost as if it had been waiting.

Silfi bit her nails nervously.

“…This is no time to be dawdling!”

She had to head back right away.

Now that the seal had just been lifted, this was the only window of opportunity to tame the White Wolf while it was weak, having lost most of its magic power.

Silfi immediately turned around, eager to return to the forest.

But she barely took a few steps before stopping.

[Grrrrr—!]

A massive pack of wolves appeared from the woods.

The clones made by the White Wolf. Silfi had no choice but to turn back with an angry expression.

The White Wolf’s clones were mere illusions driven by the original’s initial intent. There was no real communication or control possible.

[Awoo—!]

[Woof! Grrrr!]

Wolves closing in fast.

If they had encountered her in the forest, she wouldn’t have had the chance to resist and would have been hunted down without a fight. After all, Silfi was almost out of magic power now.

But this was the Academy dormitory.

In fact, it was known to have the most stringent security among all the dorms. To prove that point, the guards immediately sprang into action.

“Monster sighting confirmed!”

“Guards, take defensive formation!”

The guards moved in perfect unison.

They quickly set up defensive measures as if they were familiar with the battle against monsters, all while directing students outside to evacuate.

“Everyone, get inside the dormitory!”

“The dormitory is safe! Hurry, take cover!”

All dormitories at Arsene were imbued with all sorts of protective magic, put in place as a precaution against emergencies since ancient times.

“S-squad leader!”

“The monsters keep pouring in!”

The wolves were multiplying rapidly.

Now there were nearly hundreds of them. With just over thirty people, they were at a severe disadvantage. The squad leader gritted his teeth and shouted.

“Has there been any response from headquarters?”

“W-well, there was a response…”

“Reinforcements are impossible!”

“What?!”

With hundreds of wolves right on their doorstep, reinforcements were impossible? Just as the squad leader was about to yell something in frustration.

“Apparently not only is this place under attack, but the entire eastern side of the Academy is being swarmed by monsters!”

“…!?”

“However, the professors from the Military and Magic Departments will join the battlefield soon, so we’ve been instructed to hold out until then.”

That was somewhat reassuring.

The professors from those two departments were elites comparable to the Empire’s best fighters.

“But the real problem is…”

whether they could hold out until then.

Anxiety was evident in the squad leader’s eyes. And just then, his fears manifested into reality.

BANG! CRASH! BOOM!

The horde of wolves charged, breaking through the barricades. Along with that, the defensive line collapsed, slowly pushing them back.

“The monsters are targeting the flank of the defense!”

“No! We have to hold them off!”

“Absolutely do not let them in the dormitory!”

The guards’ duty was to protect the Academy and ensure the safety of the students.

Thus, they had to defend the last line at all costs. Even if the dormitory had protective magic, it wouldn’t mean squat against this many monsters.

As the guards continued their duty, something unexpected happened.

FLASH!

The area suddenly lit up.

It was as if a thousand torches lit up simultaneously, dispelling the darkness. Then an astonishing spectacle unfolded.

WHOOSH!

The pack of wolves, charging from the flank, suddenly dissolved into smoke.

What’s going on? What happened?

Everyone was in shock when suddenly someone yelled.

“Squad leader!”

“Th-there’s someone there!”

On the fifth floor of the Lion’s Chamber, perched on the balcony, sat a girl.

A petite figure donned in a hat and cloak symbolizing a mage. As her silver hair danced in the air, the squad leader muttered in awe.

“…Delia Arpen?”

He recognized her immediately.

Of course, she was the center of attention among the new students this year and a renowned figure.

There were also rumors of her being the genius mage of the duchy. If Delia were to join the fight against the monsters, it would be a tremendous asset.

“But no, that’s not right.”

Even if she would be a help, it’s not the guards’ place to throw students into combat. So the squad leader immediately called out.

“It’s dangerous here! Get inside!”

“Let us handle this…!”

He wanted to send Delia back into the room.

But she was quicker than him. As she kept moving her lips at a frantic pace, she soon spread both hands out into the air.

And in that moment,

all forms of light adorned the night sky.

It was innumerable starlight.

The once black night, on this particular day, lit up with unprecedented brightness.

Was it too bright?

Even the guards and the wolves’ clones instinctively looked up. At the same time, Delia pointed towards the ground.

“Get down.”

A single short word was a signal.

All the starlight rushed down to the ground.

Targeting only one area.

The very spot where the White Wolf’s clones had gathered.

SHWOOOSH! KABOOM!

As the first starlight touched the ground, an overwhelming amount of starlight engulfed the wolves.

The wolves turned to smoke and vanished.

Oddly enough, not a single speck of starlight fell where the guards stood.

After a moment, all the starlight vanished.

It was the same for the wolves on the ground. As the overwhelming spectacle unfolded before him, the squad leader swallowed hard.

“So this is the genius mage of the duchy.”

At that moment, it finally sank in.

He understood why Delia was a famous figure, why she was called the duchy’s hope. With awe-filled eyes, he looked up at Delia.

And at that same time, Delia wore a frown.

“…In my dreams, Ulan was here.”

She had been enjoying a sweet time before being jolted awake by the howling wolves.

Upon realizing this, fueled by rage, Delia hastily detected where the wolves were most concentrated and unleashed her six-star spell, “Bombardment of the Starry Sky.”

In the end, she wiped out the source of the chaos, but she couldn’t return to that sweet dream.

With a sigh, Delia lamented.

Meanwhile, at that moment.

Not far away, Silfi’s eyes widened as she witnessed the incredible power Delia had just displayed.

“If I had that power…!”

Taming the released White Wolf would be a piece of cake.

Her eyes shone with ambition.

Determined to use Delia’s strength to reach the location of the White Wolf.

“Over there!”

After constructing her plan rapidly, Silfi shouted urgently.

“I saw a giant wolf in the forest!”

“A giant wolf?”

“Yes! I went out for a breeze earlier…”

And then she explained the whole situation.

A wolf as large as a building, constantly producing more wolves using the fog.

It wasn’t a lie.

That was indeed one of the White Wolf’s abilities.

Shortly after she finished her story, the guards wore serious expressions.

“So, you’re saying unless we deal with the giant wolf, the wolf attacks won’t stop?”

“Y-yes, exactly!”

Silfi nodded passionately.

On the other hand, the guards’ expressions darkened.

“But it will be tough for us alone.”

“We need to wait for reinforcements…”

“You need not worry about that.”

Just then, a calm voice interrupted.

Entering with a troop of over a hundred guards was a man in his late thirties, the subleader of the guards, Roen Philoud.

“I’ve heard the story. We’ll join the fray.”

The guards, who had just come from dealing with the wolves at the Lion’s Chamber, looked like they still had energy to spare.

And one more person intended to offer help.

“I’ll go too.”

“What? But you—”

“If we leave it be, the damage will only get worse.”

Delia Arpen.

Hearing her words about the damage escalating, Roen sighed heavily.

“Okay, you’re right. It’s best to resolve this as quickly as possible.”

He didn’t want to rely on a student’s strength, but in this case, it was an exception. The wolves were fierce and brutal, and there had already been casualties.

“I am sorry for this. Can I count on your cooperation?”

“Of course.”

Delia nodded calmly.

Yet her desire to join the wolf hunt stemmed from a different motive.

“I’m completely awake now.”

It would take time to fall asleep again.

Even if she did fall asleep, the possibility of continuing that sweet dream she had earlier was slim.

“So…”

She felt she wouldn’t be able to calm down until she took out her anger on the creature that interrupted her slumber. Delia’s golden eyes glinted with determination.

Whether she realized it or not, Silfi was internally celebrating.

“Alright, this is enough!”

Delia Arpen.

With the subleader of the guards joining them.

Now they definitely had enough strength to corner the White Wolf, making it considerably easier to tame it.

“The master of the White Wolf will be me!”

No way was she letting anyone else take that honor.

Silfi’s eyes glimmered with the intensity of obsession.

But little did she know, even before she set out to find the White Wolf, someone had already encountered it.

Inside the Eastern Forest, deep within a cave.

A strange standoff was occurring.

The newly freed White Wolf faced an unfamiliar visitor—Ulan.

[Grrrrr—!]

With its sharp teeth on display, the White Wolf growled in warning and threat, while Ulan simply stared blankly at its nape.

To be precise, he was staring at the black axe embedded there—the Axe of Devouring, Gula. Then suddenly, he shook himself awake.

“First, I need to get that axe out.”

The Axe of Devouring, Gula.

No idea why it was stuck in the nape, but it was definitely a weapon he wanted to get his hands on.

So Ulan took a step forward.

To retrieve Gula.

But then, right at that moment.

BANG! BOOM!

The cave shook violently.

The tremor was caused by the White Wolf twisting its body, sensing Ulan’s approach. Dirt poured down from the ceiling, and the passage grew narrower.

Ulan halted his steps.

At this rate, the cave might collapse before he even got close to the White Wolf. The sight made his eyes glint with determination.

“…”

It was a clear desire to kill.

Of course, the target of that intention was the White Wolf.

Prior to pulling the axe, Ulan decided he’d first deal with the wolf.

“However…”

A trivial problem emerged.

Given how narrow the cave was, there wasn’t enough space to swing an axe.

After pondering for a moment, Ulan made a decision.

“If I can’t use my axe…”

Then he would use another weapon.

One of the most primitive weapons gifted to humans.

His fists.

THUD!

He tossed the axe onto the pile of dirt.

Ulan loosened up his body. Then, activating all the spirits in his body, he pushed his physical abilities to their limit.

[Grrrrr!]

Meanwhile, sensing something off, the White Wolf growled lowly, its red eyes darting around to watch Ulan.

But it couldn’t read anything. Naturally! Ulan was just loosening his body with a blank face.

Once his preparations were finished, Ulan took a step forward.

And in that moment, the White Wolf lost sight of Ulan.

[…!]

A feeling of confusion filled its eyes.

Neither just its shape was missing, but also its presence completely vanished.

How had he disappeared from sight when it hadn’t looked away once? While the White Wolf found itself in confusion…

Thud!

With a familiar sound.

Ulan appeared.

The issue was where he had appeared—right in front of the White Wolf’s face and his fist was coming in hot.

WHAM!

A massive punch landing squarely on its face.

Accompanied by the sound of cracking bones, the wolf’s face crumpled inward. He hit so hard the teeth scattered all over the place.

[――――!]

A bizarre scream erupted.

But Ulan didn’t stop. He mercilessly pummeled the White Wolf. He even grabbed its tail and slammed it down onto the ground.

BOOM! BANG! KABOOM!

Some parts of the cave collapsed during the process, but Ulan didn’t care. After a while, the one-sided assault came to an end, and the White Wolf lay buried in dirt.

Was it exhausted? Had it lost consciousness?

The White Wolf didn’t move an inch. Looking at it, Ulan stepped forward.

More than half its body was buried, but its nape was sticking out, facing Ulan.

Without hesitation, Ulan reached out.

To pull out the axe stuck in its nape.

KRAKK!

He merely grabbed the handle.

Yet already his hand fit like a glove, as if he had been using that axe all along.

Feeling a strange sensation, Ulan pulled the axe out. Well, he tried to. But oddly, the axe didn’t budge.

“Looks like it’s lodged in pretty deep.”

That was likely true.

Just as Ulan had pulled those stakes out earlier.

“Then…”

He would do just what he did before.

Ulan gripped the handle firmly with both hands. He placed his feet on the wolf’s neck and tightened his arms, back, and waist in sequence.

With strength comparable to a giant’s.

The axe couldn’t withstand it.

CRACK! CRUNCH!

With a deafening noise, the axe began to be slowly extracted.

After a brief moment,

Ulan successfully pulled out the axe.

Covered in the White Wolf’s blood and flesh, he gazed at the axe.

While he was lost in thought, suddenly an anomaly occurred.

WHOOM! WHOOSH!

He felt a strong vibration.

The axe trembled violently. Next, a fierce wind whipped around the axe.

“What the…?”

A series of unusual phenomena unfolded.

Ulan narrowed his eyes.

“Is this… a magic weapon?”

He had come across such things a few times in his past life.

Weapons imbued with mystical powers. They were collectively referred to as magic weapons.

Magic weapons were extraordinarily powerful compared to ordinary ones, but they had one glaring flaw.

They had a “master” to recognize.

This meant that to wield the magic weapon properly, one had to first be acknowledged as a master—or tame it entirely.

Ulan’s method was the latter.

Recalling how to tame a magic weapon, he gripped the axe tightly. Then, he slammed it harshly down towards the ground.

CLANG!

With a shock force strong enough to damage the blade.

In response, the rampaging wind ceased its fury in an instant. Taking that as a signal, Ulan began to wildly swing the axe against the ground and walls.

“The way to tame a magic weapon.”

The method was simple.

Just swing the weapon until it was on the brink of breaking. It was quite akin to riding a wild horse, holding on until it exhausted all its strength.

SLAP! WHACK! THWACK!

He swung the axe with enough force to shatter the rocks that had erupted from the ground. The blade became nicked and dull, but he didn’t care.

“Even if it breaks, they say it can be restored as long as there’s magic power.”

Ulan had two companions to share his magic power with—Noa and Delia. So he continued his brutish taming.

And as a result,

the tremors finally ceased.

The fierce winds vanished entirely. The once ferocious Gula transformed into a docile creature.

Finally, Ulan smiled with satisfaction.

“Well, that’s much better now.”

Even though the once-black axe had turned gray, he wasn’t particularly bothered. The color of the axe was the least of his worries.

After nonchalantly securing Gula to his waist,

Ulan flashed a chilling glare.

“Now then….”

It was time to end the White Wolf’s life.

There was no way he could leave a monster alive.

But at the moment he turned his head,

Ulan’s eyes widened. The once-mighty White Wolf had vanished without a trace.

“No, it hasn’t disappeared.”

He could still feel its presence and aura.

From beneath the mounds of dirt, Ulan quickly began to dig, and not long after, he discovered the slumped figure of the White Wolf.

But there was one troubling thing.

“Why does it look so shrunk?”

The White Wolf was no longer the massive creature it once was.

Now it was smaller than his forearm, appearing much more modest. To describe its appearance, it looked more like a mix between a wolf and a fox.

And one more thing stood out.

“Why is there no trace of magic?”

Though a monster, the White Wolf should possess power.

The absence of this magical aura indicated that the small White Wolf was no longer a monster.

Instead, it exuded pure energy.

As for what such a creature was called in the prairie,

it was referred to as a “Spirit Beast.”

Not a raging monster fueled by magic, but a creature that had lived for years, accumulating pure magic.

There were some in the grasslands.

The forest guardian, Gtuukh.

Even though he had been turned into a monster for some reason, he too was a Spirit Beast.

Just then,

the White Wolf suddenly twitched!

Moments later, blinking its sleepy eyes, it awoke, and upon spotting Ulan, it seemed to jump back in fright.

[Grrr! Grrrr!

It crouched low, trying hard to growl fiercely. But due to its significantly smaller size, it didn’t seem intimidating in the least.

Ulan watched this unraveling with a blank expression.

“If you’re not a monster, I have no need to kill you.”

What he sensed from the small White Wolf was nothing but fear and caution towards Ulan.

No anger, no malicious intent.

More importantly, there was a story that circulated in the prairie. Killing a spirit beast for no reason would invoke a curse from the passage of time.

As Ulan turned to leave,

he suddenly heard a rumbling noise.

It was a growl from the White Wolf.

Seemingly drained of energy, it was slumping on the ground.

Ulan grabbed the bundle he had left near the axe and placed it before the small White Wolf.

“Eat if you want.”

They were the fruits he had collected earlier.

He had no specific reason for the kindness shown.

It could be seen as a gesture of gratitude for acquiring the Axe of Devouring, Гula.

Before long, the White Wolf sniffed and, after a moment, picked one of the fruits into its mouth.

CRUNCH! CRUNCH!

It was perfectly ripe and sweet.

Having found it to its liking, the White Wolf wagged its tail and neatly devoured the fruits. The leftovers were no different.

In a blink, it finished its meal.

The small White Wolf looked up at Ulan with its crimson eyes.

As if requesting for more.

“Sorry, but that’s all there is.”

Did the small White Wolf comprehend Ulan’s words?

It huffed out a snort and curled back into itself. Observing it, Ulan spoke brusquely.

“And this isn’t a place for you to live. There are no prey in these woods. You should look for another hunting ground.”

With that, he finished his piece.

So he turned around without lingering.

“Take care of Gula. You too, stay safe.”

He patted the axe before walking toward the cave entrance.

Left behind alone, the small White Wolf quietly stared at Ulan’s retreating figure. To be precise, it was fixated on the mark carved into Ulan’s back.

Meanwhile, at that moment,

THUD! RUMBLE!

Ulan pushed aside the piles of dirt blocking the entrance. Finally stepping out into the open, he was greeted by a familiar voice.

“U-Ulan?!”

He turned to see a face wide-eyed in surprise.

It was Noa. And standing in front of the cave were not just her,

“What are you doing here…”

Ivella and Delia were there as well, along with over a hundred guards surrounding them.

While he observed this group, someone stepped forward.

“I distinctly heard you had been suspended and were confined to your dormitory.”

Out of nowhere came a man in his late thirties.

“…What are you doing here?”

The subleader of the guards, Roen Philoud, glared sharply at Ulan.

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