Chapter 8
Chapter 8: Surrendering Now—Are You Joking?
The one-armed werewolf was bound and coiled by the suddenly appeared vines, their sharp thorns driven deep into its flesh.
The lunar energy granted the one-armed werewolf a recovery rate that could only be described as astonishing—the wounds from the thorns could heal rapidly.
But the razor-sharp thorns had hooked deep into its flesh, and each time the lunar energy healed the wounds they would be torn open again, sending the one-armed werewolf into a frenzy of pain and rage as it threw back its head and howled.
Fury and agony fully awakened the evil bloodline power within the werewolf.
"Awoooo~"
The werewolf threw back its head and let out a long, resonant wolf howl.
The next moment, the werewolf's body surged violently outward, swelling to a height of 7 or 8 meters.
The thorns were driven even deeper into its flesh, leaving its entire body a bloody, mangled ruin.
But the thorn vines that had bound it snapped apart inch by inch under the force of its suddenly expanded body.
Free of the vines' restraint and surging with even greater power, the one-armed werewolf launched itself savagely at the transparent magical barrier surrounding the courtyard.
Gusts of wind carried the one-armed werewolf's bloodthirsty killing intent as it slammed into the magical barrier again and again with full force.
The werewolf's evil power, amplified to terrifying levels by the lunar energy, was overwhelming—while Branny's grandmother, her strength diminished by injury, could only grit her teeth and endure, struggling to hold the courtyard's last protective barrier together.
Their only hope now was to hold on until Li Kainan and the old hunter returned in time……
And the one-armed werewolf clearly understood this perfectly well!
It knew it couldn't afford to linger here too long—if that terrifying human returned before it had finished, even devouring both witches to recover its injuries wouldn't be enough for it to escape!
The one-armed werewolf gritted its teeth and threw every last ounce of its strength into breaking through the magical barrier before it, heedless of its injuries.
Meanwhile, Branny's grandmother—magic wand in hand—grew increasingly pale, her entire body swaying as though she might collapse at any moment.
Still injured as she was, she was clearly no longer capable of casting any more spells to fight back against the werewolf.
Sensing the urgency of the situation, Branny's grandmother drew a deep breath.
Squeezing out every last drop of her remaining magical power, she cast a deeply profound protective magic on Branny directly.
Then she took Branny's hand and said:
"Branny, don't be afraid. I've cast protective magic on you—even if the werewolf swallows you, the magic will keep you safe."
"Lord Kainan and Balen will return soon—they will certainly rescue you from the werewolf's stomach!"
Branny was only a 16-year-old girl—she had only learned of the existence of werewolves and such evil creatures for the first time today, and now she was faced with the terror of life and death.
Even hearing her grandmother say she would be safe even if swallowed by the werewolf, the girl could not overcome her fear.
She could only clutch the red silk cape Li Kainan had left behind with all her strength, her voice trembling as she asked:
"Grandmother, Lord Kainan will definitely come and rescue us, won't he!"
Branny's grandmother managed a strained smile and said with sincerity:
"Yes—you will definitely be alright!"
Branny would be alright, because she trusted in Li Kainan's strength—and she trusted even more that her old friend Balen would stop at nothing to rescue Branny!
As for herself?
She had no magical power left. She could no longer cast this protective magic for herself……
The next moment, a deafening boom rang out as the one-armed werewolf slammed into the magical barrier once more.
The barrier—already barely holding on—finally buckled under the assault and shattered completely.
The courtyard lost its last line of defense. There was nothing left to stop the one-armed werewolf!
Gazing at grandmother and Branny before it, the one-armed werewolf's face twisted into a savage, covetous grin.
Grandmother stared directly at the one-armed werewolf without a hint of fear, keeping Branny firmly shielded behind her, still not forgetting to urge:
"Don't be afraid—you'll be fine. Once you're rescued, follow Lord Kainan."
"You have the talent to become a witch. You'll find the spell books and notes I've collected on the bookshelf at home—you'll be of use to him……"
Branny forced herself not to show any sign of fear, trying to be as brave as her grandmother and face the evil one-armed werewolf head-on.
But watching the one-armed werewolf stretch its massive arm toward them, reaching to grab them both—
That salivating, hungry expression, like a bear pawing at a beehive for honey!
In Branny's eyes, that savage, grinning face was incomparably terrifying and grotesque—and the girl couldn't hold back any longer, squeezing her eyes tightly shut……
……
Everything around them fell completely silent!
No pain? The massive wolf claw hadn't come down either?
Branny's eyelids fluttered twice, and she opened her eyes—only to find she had not ended up inside the werewolf's stomach after all.
The claw the one-armed werewolf had reached in was now frozen in place, trembling uncontrollably……
Branny and her grandmother looked at each other, and then both suddenly seemed to realize something at the same time—their eyes lighting up in unison.
Looking up, young Branny beheld a scene she knew she would never forget for the rest of her life!
The one-armed werewolf's shoulders—thicker than a millstone—were trembling ceaselessly.
Li Kainan's imposing silhouette, clad in his magnificent armor, had somehow come to stand steadily atop them without anyone noticing.
The evening breeze blew past, and the vivid red velvet cape at his back rippled in the wind.
In his hand, that magnificently crafted knight's sword—its blade glinting with a bone-chilling cold gleam—merely pointed at the beast at a leisurely downward angle.
The one-armed werewolf's savage, covetous grin was still frozen on its face—yet the godlike, terrifying pressure radiating from Li Kainan had rendered it too frightened to move even a fraction.
It even let out a whimper, unable to suppress the boundless terror welling up from within its heart……
Upon seeing Li Kainan return just in time, the one-armed werewolf's first reaction was neither to attack nor to flee—but to squeeze its eyes shut in disbelief, praying sincerely from the bottom of its heart:
O Moon—let this human I see before me be nothing but a vision!
It offered earnest, repeated prayers to the moon in its heart, then finally dared to open its eyes again.
It didn't even dare to turn its head—it could only roll its eyes sideways for a glance.
Li Kainan, standing sword in hand atop its shoulder, had not vanished like a vision at all.
Li Kainan leveled his sword at it, his gaze utterly sharp and ice-cold.
That overwhelmingly terrifying presence, combined with the undisguised, frigid killing intent—had completely locked onto the werewolf.
In the werewolf's heart right now, there was nothing left but boundless shock and terror.
It discovered with despair that it could not summon even a shred of the courage to resist this human.
Its legs had gone weak—it didn't even have the strength to run……
After a moment of silence, the werewolf immediately retracted its claws, then lowered its wolf head in the most decisive and unambiguous submission.
"Noble and mighty Knight Lord, I concede. May I surrender now?"
Huh—surrendering at a time like this. Are you joking?
……