Ch.576576. The Battle of the Beastkin (2)

Sharenne’s eyes focused on the enormous beast before her.

‘It’s different from other monsters.’

It was unlike the creatures soaked in magia that had grown massive and threatening. This wolf, large enough to be the size of a house, lacked the characteristic vigor of young wolves. Instead, it seemed to possess a wisdom that came with age.

Unlike monsters that displayed hostility and ferocity upon mere encounter, this one had been enjoying a nap in the warm sunlight within this magia-filled demonic realm. The eyes it lazily revealed seemed to advise retreat rather than combat.

It looked more like a divine beast than a monster.

Nevertheless, Sharenne and her troops had no choice but to raise their swords against this elderly wolf that seemed closer to a spiritual being.

‘It clearly has no intention of moving aside… I have no choice.’

If they didn’t deal with the wolf first, they wouldn’t even be able to approach the ruins, which was one of their mission objectives.

Sharenne steadied herself, pointing her arming sword—a double-edged one-handed blade—at the wolf. She could feel the distinctive pre-battle tension rising among the Beastkin Special Forces she commanded.

‘A lone elderly wolf, living in a demonic realm. Moreover, it shows no signs of battle wounds or disabilities.’

A wolf living alone rather than in an organized pack falls into two categories:

Either it was abandoned by its pack for being useless, or it left voluntarily to form a new pack.

Beyond these two possibilities, one thing was certain: a wolf that survived alone without a pack had developed the ability to perform all the roles typically divided among pack members. This meant the wolf before them was no ordinary opponent.

‘We must not fall for this old wolf’s tactics.’

The Beastkin Special Forces consisted of beastkin who inherited the combat-proficient characteristics of beasts. As a wolf beastkin herself, and as the leader and most powerful warrior of the special forces, Sharenne understood the dangers of wolves better than anyone.

As the wolf finally began to rise from its spot in response to their continued show of combat intent—

“Special Forces! Attack!”

At Sharenne’s cry, the beastkin charged forward, pushing off the ground.

Siabel, who was part of the Beastkin Special Forces unit, followed behind the beastkin who bravely rushed past her.

Sharenne’s arming sword, propelled by her exceptional leg strength, clashed with the wolf’s sharp, long claws that matched its massive body.

“Lord Siabel! We should coordinate to draw its attention!”

“As you say, Lord Sharenne! I’ll join in!”

With Sharenne now facing the monster head-on, the special forces beastkin surrounded the monster, cutting off its escape routes.

If they succeeded in capturing the wolf’s attention, the beastkin could launch coordinated attacks from its blind spots.

Without hesitation, Siabel began to coordinate with Sharenne, employing her unique swordsmanship that combined beastkin martial arts with the swordsmanship of the First Head of House.

“I’ll hold its paws…!”

With Sharenne’s shout, her sword scraped against the wolf’s claws that had been pressing down on her.

Tsuuuuuuu—!

Sharenne lowered her body in an instant and slashed with her sword. Her arming sword ground against the wolf’s claws in a horizontal motion. When the wolf’s front paw struck the ground, the earth trembled.

Sharenne immediately reversed her low-held sword, slashing at the wolf’s ankle. Her sword, imbued with dense mana, cut across the wolf’s ankle.

“Tch…!”

The wolf’s hide was tough.

Yet she clearly felt the sensation of cutting into the creature’s flesh.

“Is this the strange power the baron mentioned?”

The attack resulted in only a small scratch rather than a significant wound.

As the creature opened its large muzzle toward her, she clicked her tongue.

But Sharenne’s expression remained undaunted.

“Strike!”

From behind the monster, from within the forest, the beastkin warriors of the Special Forces leaped out with roars.

Their wild voices and momentum made it seem as if the forest itself was baring its teeth at the lone wolf.

The warriors aimed for the wolf’s spine with wild leaps or tried to slash at its hind legs with swords as sharp as their own fangs.

“Where do you think you’re going!”

Sharenne detected her subordinates’ attack with the exceptional hearing unique to beastkin.

She rolled on the ground to avoid the wolf’s attempt to bite her. Already in a low stance, she pushed against the ground with her exceptional leg strength to create distance. After rolling across the dirt, she immediately regained her posture with her characteristic reflexes.

“Lord Siabel!”

“I know!”

Siabel dove into the wolf’s space in one breath and brought down her sword.

Faced with concentrated attacks on its rear and nape, the wolf actively utilized its house-sized body. It quickly turned, shaking off or striking away the beastkin.

At that fearsome speed, not only were the beastkin who were hit by its body sent flying, but now the wolf’s killing intent was directly pouring toward Siabel.

“Lord Sharenne!”

At Siabel’s call, Sharenne tensed every tendon in her body, lowered her waist, and then sprang up as if bouncing, rushing toward the monster’s chest under its body.

But the wolf’s senses were still aware of Sharenne. Contrary to her attempt, it lowered its stance and blocked her path underneath.

In response, Sharenne immediately drove her sword into its flank.

“Must stop its movement…!”

With her sword embedded in the flank, Sharenne gripped the handle tightly with both hands and charged straight ahead.

The wolf’s resistance was fierce, but it couldn’t move easily.

“I’m still right in front of you! Where are you looking!”

The beast’s momentum shifted.

It ignored Sharenne and targeted Siabel first.

“…!”

The wolf that had been opening its muzzle and thrusting its sharp claws moved quickly.

Taking advantage of that brief moment, the wolf’s shoulder pushed forward.

“Oh no…!”

Though she twisted her body to avoid a direct collision, Siabel was still hit on her side and rolled across the ground.

As she quickly tried to regain her posture and catch her breath, showing vulnerability—

Sharenne shouted.

“Ignoring me isn’t a good idea! Special Forces! Move!”

The beastkin of the Special Forces began to rampage.

Starting with those who approached Siabel to protect her.

Sharenne, now actively commanding the Special Forces with the charisma unique to wolf beastkin, successfully began to control the flow of battle.

“Don’t forget! Our Special Forces just need to draw its attention!”

In the ensuing chaotic battle, one beastkin was hit by the wolf and sent flying.

Sharenne instantly moved to her side and poured her potion on the claw wound on her subordinate’s chest, saying:

“Commander… I’m sorry for showing such a pitiful—”

“More importantly, let me borrow your weapon for a moment.”

Even if it was a cherished weapon, she needed it now.

‘This beast is using its head in a way that’s unlike a beast.’

It was dealing with them based on rational judgment rather than instinct.

‘Moreover—’

Its gaze was almost constantly fixed on Siabel.

Furthermore, it seemed to be responding to them minimally rather than launching a full-scale offensive.

Finding this strange, Sharenne finally let out a hollow laugh and muttered:

“Is it underestimating us?”

No matter how she looked at it, she couldn’t shake the feeling that the wolf was going easy on them, which greatly displeased her.

That’s why, without hesitation, she threw her subordinate’s sword and pushed off the ground.

The sword, infused with dense mana, pierced the wolf’s hide and embedded itself.

“You’ll regret this…!”

As soon as she dove into the beast’s side, her eyes flashing fiercely,

Sharenne drove the sword deeper into its flank.

Her fierce combat began.

* * *

[Guardian Subjugation]

It was just like before.

A monster appearing in front of the ruins.

As soon as they and the Beastkin Special Forces at the vanguard urgently began combat, the status window that appeared revealed the creature’s identity.

“Everyone prepare for battle! Quickly join the beastkin who are serving as the vanguard!”

Though they said to join as quickly as possible, the beastkin had already engaged in an intense battle in that short time.

Their fighting style was truly ferocious.

In the battle that began in an instant, they pushed a frantically fast pace, taking the wolf’s soul out of it. Covered in blood like evil spirits, they were still employing tactics that relied on recovery potions and the tenacious vitality unique to beastkin.

‘And what’s more.’

What was even more surprising was that Siabel was matching their level, coordinating with them and showing the same approach.

‘That’s definitely the type of opponent I never want to face.’

I could reassess both the beastkin’s combat methods and Siabel’s level through their tenacious and fierce attacks.

‘I’ve roughly grasped the beastkin’s fighting style and Siabel’s level.’

There was no reason to just watch their struggle anymore.

There was no benefit to prolonging a battle in a demonic realm.

As I was finally able to join behind the Beastkin Special Forces, I quickly drew my weapon and began to infuse the mana pooled in my heart with vitality. At that moment—

Sione, who had approached me and the special task force, and I noticed something strange.

“You’ve already noticed, right? That wolf’s gaze is fixed on our sister.”

We realized that the wolf’s gaze was fixed on Siabel, and it seemed to be playing with her while avoiding fatal damage through its massive divine power—or more precisely, it seemed to be testing something.

“It seems like… whenever sister tries to imitate the First Head of House’s sword techniques, the creature’s behavior becomes unnatural.”

Divine power and the Morning Star.

Siabel was unconsciously imitating the First Head of House’s sword.

Whenever her sword strikes particularly stood out, the wolf’s movements changed, and its hostility seemed to decrease.

“You’re right. It does seem that way.”

Finally, when Sione and I entered their battlefield and revealed our presence by manifesting divine power—

The status window began to show a different reaction than before.

[The Guardian who has protected this place, &#, has recognized the purity of your Divine Power.]

[The Guardian proposes a test for succession.]

Simultaneously, the wolf withdrew all aggressive intent and simply stared at me, regardless of the surrounding beastkin pointing their swords at it.

“And—”

Sharenne, losing that airless tension between me and the wolf, maintained her guard as she created distance and said:

“Stop. Keep your distance and stand by. Don’t be foolish enough to lower your guard just because two Masters have their bows drawn.”

In the silence that followed, as I released the tension from my bowstring,

I noticed the wolf constantly glancing at Sharenne from the corner of its eye during that tiny fraction of time.

Looking at the wolf hiding such peculiar intentions, I could only think:

“That wolf might know more than just that.”

The statement about protecting this place meant it remembered those ancient events.

I don’t know what this succession is about, but if there’s a way to communicate and understand each other—

‘This is an opportunity.’

This could be an incredibly significant opportunity.