Rustle rustle pat pat pat
Three figures emerged from the bushes: the blood wolf from the previous evening and two others with black fur. Mai didn't want to act but had no other choice.
"I'll take the two black wolves!" she called out.
"O-Okay, I'll handle the blood wolf!" Noah replied.
During the day, while Levi meditated, the two had exchanged information about karmic beasts. They hadn't ruled out the possibility that another species might appear.
[The blood wolf draws its power from its fur. At the first stage of its evolution, it can store a concentration of blood drained from its prey and use it for healing or as projectiles. The dark wolf possesses the darkness attribute. At the first stage of its evolution, it can cause curses such as "Disintegration," "Corruption," and "Exhaustion" through bites.]
Bam!
Mai, who had covered herself with Noah's sweatshirt, launched forward first and delivered a massive heel kick to the first black wolf's jaw. The second wolf dove at her with its mouth wide open.
Snap! The wolf bit into empty air. Mai had dodged the attack with a backflip.
"I know a bit of tai jitsu," she had confessed a few hours ago, yet Noah couldn't believe his eyes.
"You're only revealing your talents now! Haha, I thought I was the main character, but you're all incredible."
Noah had also engaged the blood wolf in close combat and gave it no openings to prevent it from launching blood projectiles.
Levi, who had regained his composure, watched his friends gradually gain the upper hand.
Bam! Bam! Mai's strikes weren't doing enough damage to knock out the wolves, but she was agile enough to avoid their charges. She circled around them, striking, jumping over them, chaining sidekicks and axe kicks.
Slash Slash
Noah continued slashing the blood wolf whose wounds healed visibly, but the healing was becoming slower and slower. Soon the wolf would run out of blood and would no longer be able to heal or use projectiles.
They felt victory was within reach.
Awoooouuuuu awooouuu awooooouuuu
First one, then two, then a third howl made both fighters shiver.
The howlers under the full moon joined their kind, and the situation reversed. Mai and Noah now faced three wolves each—one with red fur and two with black fur.
Gloup gloup gloup, the new red wolf launched the assault.
Feew few few The blood orbs shot like bullets.
"Noah!! Watch out!" Levi shouted.
Noah jumped, dodged the first then the second, then—
Crunch
"Aaaaargh!!!" A black wolf bit into his leg.
Stab
He plunged his knife into the wolf's head, which released its grip as it died. The bite wound immediately became afflicted with a curse and grew visibly.
Tap Crunch
A black wolf leaped on Mai from behind and bit her left shoulder.
Uuughh She lifted it and smashed its head into the ground with all her strength. The beast's neck broke on impact.
Crunch crunch
One bite, then a second. The first red wolf bit Noah's right arm, draining his blood in the process; the second had its fangs in Mai's left arm but could only deal physical damage.
"Damn it!!" Uuughh
They were surrounded by the wolves and wounds were beginning to accumulate. But none of the furry assailants approached Levi... He didn't understand—was he so weak that his presence didn't even deserve their attention, or were these animals appearing and attacking under Manju's orders?
"Mr. Hwang, please stop this massacre!! We give up on the test!!!" Levi shouted into the void, his face twisted with feelings of weakness and helplessness.
"Mr. Hwang!!!"
"Levi, shut the hell up!!!!" Noah screamed as he felt the curses gnawing at his body. "Help us instead of calling for help from that bastard!"
Levi looked around, grabbed a stone, and threw it desperately at one of the wolves. The stone didn't even hit its target.
Noah continued his cry: "I know you have something special!! Whether it's monster summoning or whatever else, it's time to use it!!"
Levi froze... He had no idea... He turned his brain and memories inside out but came to the same conclusion.
(I have absolutely nothing special.
This monster story again, but what are they talking about? What's wrong with me?!?
Why was I sent here...? What am I doing here...?
Grandpa...)
Levi clutched his chest where a gourd symbol glowed faintly through his t-shirt.
"Come out!! Come out and help us!!" Levi cried.
"Come out, I tell you!!!"
Bam Bam Bam
Levi began hitting his chest repeatedly, disrupting his breathing.
Cough cough cough
When he looked ahead, Noah was no longer standing and was desperately swinging his knife in all directions. Mai was backed against a tree, surrounded and unable to lift her arms.
Levi despaired.
(What should I do, Grandpa?)
He gripped the old Tibetan Mala necklace around his neck. His grandfather had given him many gifts—clothes, rare plants, books, toys—but this necklace was the most special object he had ever received. It was his priceless treasure.
[—"Levi, always keep this necklace around your neck. Never take it off whether you sleep or wash, always keep it with you."
—"Yes, Grandpa!!"
—"Do you remember the magic word I taught you?"
—"The one to chase away evil spirits?"
—"Yes, that one! Say it for me."]
A realization coursed through his entire body, as if a spirit had whispered magic words to him.
Levi closed his eyes as if beginning a prayer and slowly opened his lips.
[ "Raksha" ]
Wiiiiizzzzzz
The necklace still around Levi's neck began to float in the air, and one of the 16 beads shone with a thousand lights like a star in the middle of the night.
The golden light then enveloped Levi, Mai, and Noah. Wounds disappeared and curses dissipated.
"Whoa, buffs and healing! Levi, you're the best!! With this, I can go all out," Noah exclaimed.
For the first time, he felt like he could use his abilities with 100 times more power. He closed his eyes and concentrated all his energy on his knife. The energy sharpened and lengthened to form a katana-sized blade—a technique he normally could only use at the second stage.
[Energy Blade]
He swung his blade in a horizontal cut.
Slaashhh! The black wolf was cut in two without resistance.
Booom! Mai struck the blood wolf in its abdomen, and it exploded into a thousand pieces.
Tap tap tap rustle rustle
Tap tap tap Grrrrrrr Gggrrrrrr
Dozens of mixed black and red wolves appeared from all directions as if it were a new wave's turn.
"So you're a sore loser, Mr. Hwang?!" Noah exclaimed, drunk with power.
He slashed in all directions, and pieces of flesh and fur flew with each strike.
Baaam booom, Mai's blows had become as heavy as cars hitting at full speed. The spell's energy had amplified their abilities to incredible heights.
A golden barrier covered with strange inscriptions surrounded Levi, separating him from his friends and the predators.
"Levi, how long do you think you can maintain this spell?" Noah wondered, turning toward him.
"Uh?" Levi was surprised.
After less than half a minute since using the spell, he was beginning to see red.
Drip drop
Blood flowed from his eyes, nose, and ears. The situation answered itself.
Noah had already sensed it. Whether it was a technique or spell, there was always a price to pay for using it. And this spell was much more powerful than it appeared—it was impossible for Levi, who had just learned about karma's existence, to control such a spell. Since the spell's origins were unknown, it was even more dangerous.
"Mai, we're retreating!! Levi is in danger!"
Mai nodded.
The wolf horde seemed endless. When Noah slashed two, four appeared. When Mai exploded five, ten emerged from nowhere again. But Mai and Noah couldn't reach Levi because of the barrier surrounding him.
Levi could no longer see anything else and his hearing was progressively deteriorating. Maintaining the spell consumed his mental energy at high speed and seemed to drain all his strength. The light emanating from the gourd on his chest began to flicker and intensify rapidly.
"We must... hold on! The spell... time!"
"Levi stop... you... die!!"
Soon Levi couldn't hear anymore.
(I must stay conscious.)
(I must...)
...
The dull sound of silence.
...
(I'm sleepy...)
(Nanny, let me...)
(...Just five more... minutes)
(…)
Puff
The bead's light finally went out, and Levi fell like a puppet.
...
CRAAAAAC
A crack appeared in space.
[You held on well.]
CRAASSHHHH
Then space shattered into a thousand pieces. The wolves and trees went up in smoke. It was once again the underground parking where they had been trapped at the start.
Mai and Noah collapsed from exhaustion, and Levi, who had already fainted, missed the spectacle.
[You think you can get away with anything, Manju. Tell me why I shouldn't break your neck here and now.]
A two-meter giant was lifting Hwang Manju by the collar in front of the children. He wore a long black coat and a panama hat. His divine voice, emitted by his karmic will, made the air vibrate and penetrated the ground and walls like a rumble.
"Avalo, bastard!! They're my responsibility, you have no right to interfere!"
[Not anymore. I'm taking care of them now. If you have an objection, let's settle this like men.]
The hand and arm Avalo used to hold Manju blazed into a white-and-orange solar gradient, and diffused intense heat and blinding light around him.
[Avalo… bastard, you must have forgotten who I am.] Answered Manju as his pupils became elliptical, and his hair grew down to his waist. [Did playing the good Samaritan around the world finally rot your brain? Huh?!]
Brooooooommm
Two energies collided, creating wind gusts throughout the parking lot.
"That's enough, both of you!!!" A young woman's voice interrupted the imminent confrontation. The female figure, her head covered by a medieval-designed helmet, was blocking the energy to protect the kids. "If you want to fight, do it elsewhere. Don't drag innocent civilians and children into this."
Avalo observed the kids who had all lost consciousness during the exchange, then calmed down.
He first withdrew his energy, then threw Manju toward a wall. Manju spun in the air then landed softly on his feet.
"I'll never understand why the President keeps a beast like you free," Avalo addressed him with contempt.
"You know very well why," Manju replied, having returned to his normal appearance.
"Tch." Avalo clicked his tongue and left.
Manju dusted off his suit while watching Avalo and the young woman evacuate the kids.
He walked in the opposite direction and began talking to himself.
"I'm sure that spell is from that place. Mmh, as expected the Jackal didn't show up, maybe it only reacts to direct external attacks. Or is it in slumber ?
Well whatever, I was careful to only attack the other two, so I kept my promise.
At least with this I made sure, they aren't spies or enemies. Although I might get some hate because of it.
But… that quantity of bad karma still bothers me."
His questioning had led Manju outside the parking lot, where he stared at the sky for a long time before finally sketching a smile full of malice.
"Shall we shake up things a bit more?"
— End of Chapter —