Chapter 30 – The One He Swore to Protect.
Chapter 30
The One He Swore to Protect.
Date: Day 25 of Harvestmoon. 1024 Aethellgard Concord Year.
The Alpha stayed still.
It let its pack do their job. It stood on a slight rise. Watching. Its piercing yellow eyes scanned both Hyoren and Elise with a glare. Not interfering. Just observing.
Like a king watching his soldiers wage war.
The first wolf lunged.
"Charged Arrow!"
Hyoren heard Elise release her active skill. The words were barely out of her mouth before the arrow flew. A faint blue trail following the projectile.
The leftmost green wolf never saw it coming. The arrow struck true. The wolf's head exploded in a spray of blood and bone. The body crumpled.
Hyoren didn't wait.
His hand moved to his belt. His fingers found the handle of a Cinder-maw dagger. He pulled it free. Poured Aethell into it. Flame bursting from it.
He threw.
The dagger spun through the air. A trail of fire following its arc. It struck the leading wolf. Sinking deep into its side. It still burning from the inside and outsie. The smell of burning flesh filled the air.
The wolf thrashed around. Yelping. Trying to bite at the burning blade lodged in its flesh. But the dagger held firm. The fire spread. Burning deeper. The wolf's movements grew sluggish.
Not long after, it stilled.
But Hyoren didn't wait to see it happen. His heightened senses, powered by the Dreambloom Nectar, screamed at him.
Another wolf lunged at Hyoren.
He already understood their habits. The way they moved. The way they attacked. The solo fight he did two days ago gave him knowledge.
He dodged with precision. His body moving before his mind could catch up. The wolf's head snapped at empty air. Its jaws closing on nothing.
And as the wolf's momentum carried it past him, Hyoren thrust his spear into its throat from the side. The steel tip pierced through fur and flesh. Blood spurted. The wolf choked.
He yanked his spear free. The body fell.
But there was no time to celebrate.
He felt it before he saw it. Another wolf lunging from behind. Hyoren spun. But he couldn't dodge. Not in time.
He used the shaft of his spear to block. The wood caught the wolf's attack. The impact jarred through his arms. He staggered. The wolf's claws raked against the wood. Its jaws snapping inches from his face.
He was wrestling with the wolf—then pain exploded in his left arm.
Another wolf had lunged from his left. Its jaws clamped down on his forearm. Teeth sinking through the rabbit fur armor. Into flesh.
And there was another wolf on his right. Waiting for an opening.
He was surrounded.
“Double Shot!”
Elise's attack was his lifesaver.
Two arrows flew simultaneously. The first landed straight into the left wolf's head. The skull cracked. The wolf's jaws went slack. Its body fell away from Hyoren's arm. Freeing his arm.
The second arrow lodged into the right wolf's hind leg. Pinning it to the ground. The wolf yelped. Thrashed. Tried to free itself. But the arrow held firm.
A few seconds later, another arrow flew. Straight into the wolf's eye. The body jerked. Then stilled.
Hyoren, free from the bite, moved his body. His left arm throbbed with pain. Blood dripped from the wound. But he couldn't stop.
He kicked the wolf in front of him. His foot connected with its ribs. The wolf yelped. Staggered back. Its grip on his spear shaft loosened.
"Piercing Thrust!"
He activated his active skill. Aethell surged through his body. Into the spear. The kinetic energy propelled him forward.
It lodged into the wolf's throat. The wolf's eyes widened. Then went dull.
Hyoren pulled his spear up. Blood dripped from the tip. His breath came in ragged gasps. The Dreambloom Nectar kept his senses sharp. And the adrenaline kept being pumped through his blood. Ignoring all the wound he received.
He scanned the battlefield.
Elise was running around. Three wolves were trying to reach her.
With her Double Shot skill, she pinned two of them down. Arrows sprouted from their legs. Their bodies. They couldn't move.
But the third wolf lunged at her.
Hyoren's heart seized.
The Alpha was still unmoving. Three wolves flanked it. They hadn't moved from their Alpha's side.
Hyoren decided to ignore the Alpha and help Elise.
Hyoren charged to his left. Toward the wolf pinned to the ground. Arrows stuck from its legs. It snapped at him. Tried to rise. But couldn't.
He didn't waste any time. His spear thrust down. Into its throat. The wolf choked. Jerked. Then lay still.
He quickly drew another Cinder-maw dagger from his belt. He poured Aethell into it. The blade burst with fire.
He threw it at the other pinned wolf. The dagger struck, sinking into the wolf's flank. The fire spread. Burning. The wolf howled in agony. Thrashing. Then silence.
He rushed toward Elise's side.
She was wrestling with the wolf. Her bow lay beside her on the ground. Knocked away in the struggle. The wolf was on top of her. Its jaws snapping at her throat. Her arms holding it back.
But before Hyoren could thrust his spear to help her, she moved.
Her hand went to her hip. In one fluid motion, she unsheathed her short sword.
She pushed it down. Into the neck of the wolf attacking her. The blade sank deep. The wolf's body spasmed. Its jaws went slack. It collapsed on top of her.
Three wolves remained. Plus the Alpha.
***
Hyoren help Elise stand. Elise then pick her bow, checking its state . The wood of her bow was unblemished, but her breath came in ragged gasps. She offered him a nod, blood smearing her cheek where she had wiped a stray drop.
Hyoren assessed their situation.
“Three more Elise. But the Alpha, it will move soon.”
Elise saw the wound on his arm and quickly picked a potion from her belt pouch. Giving it to Hyoren.
“Drink. Quick!”
Hyoren drank the green liquid as he scanned the battlefield. The Alpha order the three wolves, seems to be its guard to finally move. And it also started moving, the aura the Alpha exuded was truly different. It was a palpable pressure that washed over them.
The wound on him closed. He prepared for another battle.
“Elise, please dealt with three wolves, I will hold the alpha first. I might not last long alone, but with our coordination, we might still have a chance.”
There’s no confirmation, both of them moved at same time, executing their plan.
Hyoren charging to the right. And Elise ran to the left, bow wass ready, nocked and shot into the three wolves. SShe moved like the wind, moving away from the Alpha's reach.
Hyoren focused on his fight. Facing the Alpha. He took a deep, steadying breath. He focused, his entire world narrowing down to the single, massive creature before him.
“Hey overgrown mutt! I’m your opponent! Come here!”
Alpha Green Wolf wass not provoked it still stayed calm, but it still snorted, a puff of air and a low rumble of contempt. It looked at the puny human, and saw nothing but a weak, fragile obstacle. It saw its packs, its soldiers, falling to this creature and his elven companion, and it was enraged. But it was not threatened. It was annoyed. It only saw Hyoren as a nuisance.
The Alpha began to circle, its movements slow, deliberate, and filled with a confidence. Its yellow eyes assessing him, and Hyoren could feel its dismissive gaze, its absolute certainty of its own victory. It was underestimating him. Arrogant.
Hyoren gripped his spear, his knuckles white, his body ready. And he knew, with a certainty, that arrogance was a weakness he could exploit.
Then, it happened. The massive wolf simply... vanished.
One moment it was there, a snarling mountain of muscle and malice, and the next, it was gone.
Hyoren's eyes widened, his mind struggling to process the impossible. He scanned the empty space where the Alpha had been, his spear held ready.
“ARGHHH…..”
Hyoren screamed as he felt a sudden, immense impact from behind, a force like being hit by a runaway truck. His mind is exploded from the pain and a deafening roar in his ears. He was lifted off his feet, his body flying through the air then crashed into ground.
“Pant… pant.. what in world was that speed. My eyes cant see it. Damn. How to fight opponent I cant even see?”
Hyoren use his spear to stand up. He is dazed and gasping, his vision swimming. He couldn't register the movement. It was too fast. The Alpha had moved with a speed that defied comprehension. A speed which his eyes and his brain could not possibly track.
The Alpha stood over him, its scarred muzzle curled in a triumphant sneer. It had been toying with him. It let out a low growl, a sound of pure dominance.
But Hyoren had not lost his will to fight. The pain was immense, the fear was real, but he still try to find solution. His mind is already trying to solve the problem.
***
The Alpha was still sneering while circling him.
Toying with him. The massive beast took its time. Each step deliberate. Each movement calculated to instill fear. It knew the human couldn't do anything. So it decided to play with its food first.
What can I do? How can I react to that kind of speed?
The massive beast moved—its yellow eyes locked onto Hyoren's—watching the panic rise within him. It was a predator savoring the fear of its prey, confident that the end was inevitable.
Magic manipulation. I use it to enhance my body. But what if I use it to enhance my eyes too, heighten my sight.
The idea was desperate. He had never tried it before. Never even considered it. But desperation bred innovation. And he was running out of options.
He decided to just improvise. He closed his eyes.
He reached inward. To his Aethell Core. He gathered that Aethell.
And instead of channeling it to his legs or his arms, he tried to push it into his eyes.
The sensation was immediate.
It was a painful sensation. Agonizing. His eyes felt like they were burning. Like they were being filled with liquid fire. Molten metal poured directly into his sockets.
Focus. Focus. This pain is nothing compared to Alpha’s attack!
He gritted his teeth, his hands clutching his spear until his knuckles turned white.
The Alpha was still circling. Still watching. Its yellow eyes gleaming with amusement. It didn't know what he was doing. It didn't care. It was confident in its victory.
And then, just as suddenly, it vanished. Hyoren opened his eyes.
The world was different. The colors were sharper. More vivid. Details jumped out at him.
But most importantly, he saw the Alpha's secret.
He saw the Alpha, he could see the faint aura of magic that surrounded it, the source of its incredible speed—magic enhancement.
The Alpha is not only naturally fast. But it's also using Aethell manipulation. Just like him.
It was channeling magic into its legs to boost its movement speed. He could see the energy building up in its hind legs before it moved.
And then it happened. Knowledge etched into his mind directly. A sign of a new skill.
He didn't know the name. He didn't try to analyze it. He just called it Mind's Eye for now.
This skill wasn't just enhanced vision. It was the ability to perceive the flow of Aethell. To see the magical energy that permeated the world.
All this happened in less than three seconds.
Hyoren's mind, forced to adapt to this outrageous situation. Powered by Dreambloom Nectar and adrenaline.
The Alpha, seeing him rise to his feet, let out a snarl. The playfulness was gone. It prepared to charge again. Ready to end this.
The Alpha lunged. But this time, Hyoren saw it coming—the energy gather in the wolf's hind legs—he saw the trajectory of the charge before it even began.
He used his magic manipulation. Channeled Aethell into his leg muscles. Hyoren threw himself to the side with everything he had. He moved with a speed that matched the wolf's own.
The Alpha shot past him. Its jaws snapping shut on empty air. Its momentum carrying it several meters past.
Hyoren hit the ground rolling. The world spun around him. He buckled onto one knee. His chest heaving.
That dodge was desperate—it worked—but he couldn't keep doing that. His Aethell reserves would run out sooner or later.
The Alpha skidded to a halt. Turning to face him. It was surprised. Its yellow eyes widened.
It was enraged—a low growl of fury rumbled from its throat—it was no longer underestimating him.
It knew he was different now. It knew he could see its movements. It knew he could match its speed.
***
And at that same moment when the Alpha tried to lunge again, a sound cut through the air.
"Charged Arrow!"
The arrow flew across the battlefield. A streak of blue light. It lodged into the Alpha's shoulder. But it didn't penetrate deep.
The muscle and fur of the Alpha acted as armor. That had never been pierced. Never been wounded.
But it was enough to make the Alpha yelp. The sound was sharp—surprised—it had never received any wound before.
And now it was even angrier. It swatted the arrow from its shoulder with a violent shake of its massive head. The force of the movement sent a spray of blood into the dirt.
"Hyoren! I'm done killing all three wolves!"
Elise's voice was strained. Her breath coming in harsh gasps. She stood amidst the bodies of the remaining wolves.
She was battered. Her green tunic was shredded. Claw marks tore through the fabric. Her sleeve was soaked crimson.
She was exhausted. But she was alive.
She gripped her bow. Drew another arrow. Her fingers trembling slightly from fatigue. But her eyes were clear—focused and determined.
It was time for the two of them to fight the Alpha.
“Come now oversized mutt! Time for round two!”
The Alpha glared at Hyoren. Its yellow eyes burned with fury.
Hyoren prepared his stance.His Mind's Eye active. He could see it—the Aethell gathering in the Alpha's hind legs.
At the same time, Elise released her arrow. But the arrow, not backed by the power of an active skill—it struck the Alpha's flank—and bounced off effortlessly.
But it was enough distraction.
Hyoren dodged. The Alpha's jaws met empty air. Its teeth snapped shut on nothing. Blew past his face. Missing him by inches.
It skidded.
Now the Alpha become even angrier. It roared in annoyance—a sound that reverberated in Hyoren's chest.
"Elise! It's impervious to normal attacks! Don't waste your chance and arrows!"
He didn't need to know if Elise heard him. He trusted Elise. She was a veteran. A Bronze-ranked adventurer.
He saw the Alpha start to charge again—but this time, the eyes had changed—the playfulness and the arrogance was gone.
It was using its full power. The air around it distorted.
With his Mind's Eye, Hyoren saw it. The amount of magic it used had increased.
This is bad. The amount of magic it's using increased! I might not be able to dodge this one!
Hyoren braced himself. His spear ready. His mind thinking for options.
“Charged Magic Arrow!”
Without even sound or trail of light. The arrow, powered by Elise's active skill Charged Arrow and enhanced with her Magic Arrow Skill, met its mark.
The arrow struck the Alpha's hind leg. Lodged deep into its knee. The shaft was black. Not the natural wood of her other arrows. This was her trump card.
The effect of the Dreambloom pollen inside the tip was instant.
The wound wasn't enough to stop the Alpha's charge. Even lodged deeply. Even bleeding. The beast was too powerful. Too massive. Too driven by rage.
But the sleeping and hallucinogen pollen secured on the tip affected it—the effect was subtle—but visible.
The Alpha's movement slowed. Just a fraction. The pollen wasn't enough to make it sleep. Not enough to disorient it completely. The beast was too strong. Its constitution too powerful.
But it was enough to slow it down. Enough to give Hyoren time to dodge.
He threw himself to the side. His body tumbling across the grass. The Alpha's charge missed him by inches.
The Alpha skidded. Then howled—sound of pure rage.
And then Hyoren saw it.
He saw the Alpha's reaction. The wolf's head snapped toward Elise.
Its enraged eyes, which had been aimed at Hyoren for a while, changed direction.
Hyoren kept dodging its attacks. It was annoyed by him. But it still thought he would die sooner or later.A fly to be swatted eventually.
But the elf archer in the back. She had managed to wound it. Had given it a debuff. Had actually hurt it.
The Alpha knew which one needed to be prioritized.
Hyoren’s blood ran cold.
Damn it. It going to attack Elise!
He saw the Alpha's aura flare, it gathered its magic for another burst of speed. He saw it lunge, not toward him, but toward Elise.
Elise definitely couldn't dodge it. She was spent, her reflexes too slow, her body too battered.
Hyoren screamed—sound of pure terror and despair, sound that came from somewhere deeper than his lungs—from his soul.
"ELISE RUN!"
He tried to move.
He poured every ounce of his will into his legs. Begged them to move. To fly. To do something. Anything. To reach her.
But he was too slow.
The Alpha's speed was something he could not defy—he could anticipate its movements with Mind's Eye—but anticipating and intercepting were different things. He couldn't reach it in time to prevent it from tearing Elise apart.
He desperately pleaded and prayed.
Something the pragmatic and logical Hyoren would never do. Something he had never done before. Not in his old life. Not in this new world.
For anyone. Anything to help him reach the Alpha.
Anything. Anyone. HELP ME. God of this world! Luminara! Noctynara! Even Demon God Gidol! I would do anything to save Elise!!!
He was desperate—to save his first sincere partner—Elise of the Silentwood.
And then, the time suddenly stopped.
The Alpha froze mid-air. The wind died. The sound vanished. The world lost all its color. It was as if reality itself had been put on pause.