All the Forest Wolves charged from every direction.
The ground shook. Wolf howls split the air.
The Wolf King stood in the rear, watching coldly, showing no sign of joining the fight.
It just stood there, like watching a hunting performance.
Those amber eyes showed cold indifference, as if it had already seen through the outcome.
"Stick to the plan! Shell, Horn, hold the front!" I shouted.
Shell and Horn immediately surged forward.
Five Forest Wolves lunged from the front.
The one leading was the largest, a full size bigger than the others.
It opened its massive jaws, fangs gleaming white, drool dripping from its mouth.
Charging straight at Shell.
"Boom—!"
Shell didn't dodge. He took the impact head-on with his armor.
The massive force made Shell step back twice, claws carving two deep furrows in the ground.
His armor made cracking sounds, fine cracks appearing on the surface.
[Shell HP: 220/250]
But Shell held firm.
He let out a low growl. His armor glowed with a stronger earthy yellow light.
"Shell Hardening!"
Defense increased. The cracks slowly began to repair.
Horn charged from the side, his rock horn ramming into another smaller wolf.
"Bang—!"
That wolf was sent flying, tumbling through the air, snapping a tree branch.
After landing, it shakily stood up, eyes full of fury, nostrils flaring with rough breaths.
But the frontal pressure was too great.
Five wolves attacking relentlessly, taking turns lunging and biting.
Some bit at Shell's legs, others pounced at Horn's flanks.
Shell and Horn could barely hold on, with no chance to counterattack.
"Spike, Shadow, harass the flanks!"
Spike immediately darted out from the left.
His speed was astonishing. After evolving into a Gale Weasel, he wove through the wolf pack like a shadow.
One wolf had just turned its head when Spike was already behind it.
Sharp claws raked across the wolf's hind leg.
"Slash—!"
Blood sprayed, arcing through the air.
The wolf howled and spun around, jaws snapping toward Spike.
But Spike had already darted to the other side, appearing from behind a tree.
Too fast. The wolf couldn't catch up at all, could only roar in frustration.
Shadow dove from the air.
Wings creating a whistling sound, circling above the pack.
Talons aimed for a wolf's eyes.
That wolf looked up, jaws trying to bite. Fangs nearly caught Shadow.
But Shadow had already climbed back up, then dove again.
Over and over.
Coordinating with Spike, harassing the wolves on the flanks.
But there were too many wolves.
Spike and Shadow could only harass, leaving shallow wounds. Couldn't deliver fatal blows.
And the pack was starting to deliberately defend against them.
Two wolves specifically targeted Spike, trying to flank him.
"Venom, ranged suppression!"
Venom took a deep breath, throat bulging.
"Ptui!"
Purple venom sprayed out, arcing through the air, landing on a wolf on the left side.
"Sssssss—"
The venom corroded the wolf's fur, smoke rising.
That wolf howled in pain, rolling on the ground, trying to shake off the poison.
But it was useless. The venom had already penetrated the skin.
[Forest Wolf HP: 130/160]
Venom spat out another glob of poison.
Hit another wolf. Purple liquid splashed on the wolf's flank.
[Forest Wolf HP: 110/150]
Two wolves poisoned. Their movements became sluggish, breathing labored.
But Venom's magic was also depleting rapidly.
[Venom MP: 80/120]
Its body trembled slightly. Poison reserves in its throat decreasing.
"Waspy, mental disruption!"
Waspy hovered in mid-air.
Its antennae glowed purple, brighter and brighter.
Invisible psychic waves spread out, rippling outward.
Blanketing most of the pack.
The wolves' movements suddenly became sluggish.
Some wolves lost their aim when lunging, biting empty air.
Others lost balance while turning, nearly falling.
Coordination breaking down.
One medium-sized wolf had wanted to bite Shell's neck.
But due to mental disruption, it misjudged and missed.
Fangs scraped across Shell's armor, creating a harsh grinding sound.
Shell seized the opportunity. Armor slam.
"Bang—!"
That wolf was sent flying, crashing into a tree. The trunk shook several times.
[Forest Wolf HP: 140/200]
The pack's offensive was disrupted.
Their coordination showed openings.
But I knew this was only temporary.
Mental disruption's effect wouldn't last long.
And—
The Wolf King still stood there.
Motionless, coldly watching the battlefield.
Those amber eyes showed cold indifference, as if everything was within its control.
It was observing our tactics.
Analyzing our weaknesses.
Waiting for us to show an opening.
This made me uneasy.
The feeling of being marked by a hunter.
Couldn't let it keep observing.
Had to end the battle quickly.
"Waspy, Mind Control!"
Waspy locked onto one of the wolves attacking Horn.
That wolf opened its jaws toward Horn's hind leg.
The antennae glowed brighter. Purple light almost solidifying.
"Mind Control!"
That wolf suddenly froze.
Body rigid, eyes glazing over, losing all light.
Mouth still held in an open position.
Then—
It turned around and lunged at its own packmate without hesitation!
"What?!" The nearby wolf clearly hadn't expected this.
Knocked down by its companion, the two wolves rolled together, crushing bushes.
The controlled wolf bit viciously, completely ignoring its packmate's howls and struggles.
Claws left bloody gashes on its companion's body.
The pack fell into chaos again.
They didn't understand what was happening. Some wolves stopped attacking, warily watching the controlled companion.
But I noticed Waspy's magic:
[Waspy MP: 35/280]
The consumption was too great.
Mind Control drained far more magic than mental disruption.
Couldn't use it again.
Waspy's body was trembling. Wing flapping slowing down.
"Brownie, Forest Bind!"
Brownie closed its eyes.
Green light spread from its body, growing brighter.
The ground began to shake.
"Rumble—"
Thick vines erupted from underground!
One, two, dozens!
Each as thick as an arm, surfaces covered in barbs.
Growing wildly, reaching for the pack.
Seven or eight wolves were caught by the vines, including those two poisoned ones.
They struggled desperately, biting the vines.
Fangs snapped several strands, but more vines grew to replace them.
The vines coiled tighter and tighter, digging into the wolves' flesh.
But the pack was strong.
The larger wolves roared, tearing with force.
Vines kept breaking, green sap flowing from the breaks.
Brownie gritted its teeth, sweat beading on its forehead.
Constantly generating new vines to replace them.
But magic was depleting rapidly.
[Brownie MP: 40/300]
Its body trembled slightly. The green glow growing dim.
"Focus fire! The two poisoned ones!"
Shell immediately charged one of the poisoned wolves.
That wolf had its limbs bound by vines, couldn't move.
And after being poisoned, its strength was dropping. Struggles growing weaker.
"Boom—!"
Shell's armor slammed into the wolf.
Crack—the sound of breaking bones clearly audible.
That wolf coughed blood, eyes unfocused.
Horn followed up, rock horn driving into the wolf's chest.
"Bang—!"
The rock horn pierced through the wolf's chest cavity. Blood gushed out.
Spike darted in from the side, claws slashing across the wolf's throat.
Movement clean and efficient.
Blood sprayed, staining the ground red.
[Killed Forest Wolf]
[Multi-kill detected, experience distributed evenly]
[Gained 70 experience]
The first one, down.
"Next one!"
The team immediately turned to the other poisoned wolf.
That wolf was also trapped by vines, and with the toxin taking effect, its whole body trembled.
Foaming at the mouth, eyes full of fear.
It wanted to flee, but the vines were wound too tight.
Shell charged again.
Horn followed up, rock horn piercing the wolf's flank.
Shadow dove from the air, talons stabbing into the wolf's back, tearing open a massive wound.
Spike finished it off, claws slashing the throat.
[Killed Forest Wolf]
[Multi-kill detected, experience distributed evenly]
[Gained 75 experience]
Two wolves down.
The pack numbers dropped from fifteen to thirteen.
Two wolf corpses lay on the ground, blood pooling into streams.
But—
The remaining wolves were enraged.
Their eyes turned blood red. Howls more vicious.
Attacks became more ferocious, reckless.
Three of the largest wolves charged Shell simultaneously.
They coordinated seamlessly, clearly veteran partners.
One lunged from the front, body airborne.
One bit at Shell's leg from the left, teeth gleaming coldly.
One attacked the armor's edge from the right, aiming for weak points in the defense.
Shell tried to dodge, turning to avoid.
But too late. The three wolves' coordination was too perfect.
"Crack—!"
The right wolf bit into the armor's edge.
That was a weak point in defense—the armor seams.
Shell let out a pained growl.
Shook his head hard, trying to throw the wolf off.
But that wolf held on tight, refusing to let go. Its head swayed with Shell's movement.
The left wolf also bit into Shell's hind leg.
Fangs pierced flesh. Blood flowed.
The front wolf seized the opportunity to pounce, entire body pressing down on Shell.
The weight of three wolves made Shell unable to move.
[Shell HP: 150/250]
"Shell!" Horn shouted.
He wanted to rush over to help.
But was blocked by two wolves, one on each side cutting off his path.
Couldn't break through.
Damn it!
I didn't hesitate.
"Store!"
Shell's figure vanished.
The three wolves pounced on empty air. Froze.
They bit at nothing, bodies losing balance.
The instant they were off-balance—
"Release!"
Shell appeared behind them.
Almost touching their backs, less than half a meter away.
"Boom—!"
Armor slam. Full force strike crashing into the nearest wolf.
That wolf was sent flying, tumbling through the air.
Snapped a branch as thick as a bowl.
Tumbling through the air, coughing blood after landing, body convulsing.
[Forest Wolf HP: 120/220]
The spatial mark saved Shell's life.
But my magic had also depleted considerably. My chest felt tight.
And—
The team's magic was running critically low.
Waspy MP: 35/280.
Brownie MP: 40/300.
Venom MP: 50/120.
Waspy could no longer use Mind Control.
Brownie's Forest Bind was barely holding. Vine growth slowing.
Venom's poison was running out too. Throat already dry.
Couldn't drag this out.
Had to end it quickly.
Otherwise once magic ran out, it would truly be over.
But just then—
The Wolf King moved.
It slowly walked toward the battlefield.
Each step carried heavy oppressive force.
The ground shook. Small stones bounced.
All the wolves immediately cleared a path.
They stopped attacking, retreating to the sides, heads lowered.
Like soldiers making way for a general.
The Wolf King walked to the center of the battlefield.
Stopped.
Looked at us.
Those amber eyes, full of cold indifference, with a hint of amusement.
"Enough."
Its voice was deep, echoing through the forest.
"You're stronger than I expected."
"Killed two of my subordinates."
"But that's all."
It raised a front paw.
Claws gleaming coldly, twice as long as other wolves' claws.
"Let me finish you off personally."
The atmosphere instantly froze.
All members felt even stronger oppressive force.
Stronger than before.
Stronger than any time before.
Venom unconsciously stepped back.
The glow on Horn's rock horn dimmed.
Even Shell's armor light was trembling.
The Wolf King began walking forward.
One step.
Two steps.
Three steps.
Each step like treading on a heart.
Crushing until you couldn't breathe.
I clenched my jaw, tightening my claws.
The real battle.
Was only just beginning.