The town lights flickered in the night, wavering like dying fireflies.
But instead of offering a sense of safety, that light only served to highlight a terrifying truth… Something was stirring there.
Something that did not belong to the town.
Ren felt his chest tighten. His heartbeat pounded against his ribs, and every step he took on the damp earth felt as though it were being dragged down by an invisible weight.
No one in the group stopped, but everyone sensed it, something was wrong. They weren't just running toward the town… they were rushing straight into something they didn't fully understand.
And then, the sound came.
At first, it was just a low growl, rumbling through the trees, shaking the ground beneath their feet.
But then, it stretched out, resonant, echoing, drilling into their skulls like the most primal warning. Every instinct in their bodies screamed that they were facing something far beyond an ordinary predator.
A cold shiver ran down Ren's spine. He didn't need to look to know that the soldiers beside him were gripping their weapons tighter, their steps unconsciously slowing.
Beside him, the commander suddenly halted for a brief second, his sharp gaze sweeping the surroundings. His hand clenched around the hilt of his sword, knuckles turning white.
A soldier behind them took a deep breath, as if just realizing that this was no longer a simple battle.
The air grew heavy. No one spoke. No one needed to.
They all knew.
What awaited them ahead was no ordinary beast.
The darkness ahead trembled. Leaves rustled, shivering as if the very forest itself felt fear.
Then suddenly...
A howl tore through the night.
It wasn't just loud, it was massive, ferocious, brimming with authority.
That howl was like an invisible blade slashing through the air, sending tremors through the very sky itself.
Instantly, the wolves in the forest erupted in response, their howls overlapping in a chaotic, feral chorus. But this was not just a cry.
It was a command.
Cold seeped into Ren's skin, chilling him to the bone. Every nerve in his body screamed.
Ahead of them, in the darkness, countless red eyes flickered, pairs of glowing embers piercing through the night.
The pack was here.
The commander clenched his teeth. The muscles in his jaw tensed, his sharp eyes locked onto the darkness ahead.
When he finally spoke, each word landed with the weight of reality itself.
"Prepare yourselves."
No one answered.
They didn't need to.
They dashed across the open fields outside the town, their boots sinking into the muddy path, racing toward the dim golden lights flickering in the distance, silhouettes of figures hurrying through the night.
Ragged breaths. The clatter of armor. The urgent pounding of footsteps crushing withered grass beneath them.
They had arrived in time.
…But had they, really?
The glowing red eyes in the darkness remained still. The wolves had not yet charged. They had not yet broken formation, had not yet stormed the gates like an unstoppable wave of death.
They were waiting.
Ren felt his scalp prickle. His fingers tightened around his sword hilt, ice-cold.
Or was the Alpha gathering its forces?
The unnatural silence loomed over them, pressing down like a suffocating weight.
The guards on the walls did not dare to fire. The soldiers on the ground did not dare to step forward.
Everyone understood, one wrong move could be the spark that ignited the wolves' fury.
Ren took a slow, deep breath. The air around him felt like it was closing in.
Time was fair to all.
But if they only had seconds to decide… and the wolves had the entire night to prepare?
The commander did not order a retreat.
No one turned back toward the town.
No, they stood their ground.
Spears lowered. Swords gleamed under the dim torchlight. Bows drew taut, ready to fire at a moment's notice.
They did not fall back into the town.
They blocked the gates.
Because if the wolves got past them…
There would be nowhere left to run.
Not just the soldiers wielding spears, but even the guards on the walls tightened their grips on their weapons.
Sweaty hands clenched around spear shafts, bowstrings, hilts, knuckles turning pale under the strain.
Their breaths were heavy, uneven, but no one stepped back.
There was no room for fear.
The sharp twang of bowstrings pulling taut echoed, overlapping with the cold clang of blades unsheathing from their scabbards.
The frigid night air settled over the battlefield, but every breath burned with unbearable tension.
Crystal light flickered against polished steel, trembling like the hands that held them.
Then...
The ground shook.
At first, just a faint tremor, barely perceptible.
But then, it grew stronger, like something massive was approaching, each step hammering against the earth like a war drum.
The tall grass ahead rippled violently, swaying as if an invisible force swept through it.
A soldier inhaled sharply, his eyes widening as he peered into the thick darkness.
Something was coming.
And then, they surged forth.
The night exploded like a crashing wave.
Dozens of glowing red eyes flared up in the darkness. Dozens of red HP bars materialized through the thick veil of mist.
Silver-gray fur bristled under the flickering firelight. Then, the shadows launched forward, like arrows shot from a bow.
The wolves.
They charged like a tidal wave of gray, flooding toward the town entrance. Their howls tore through the air, mingling with the pounding of their feet against the earth, like war drums heralding death.
Claws raked the dirt. Fangs gleamed under the flames. Their eyes reflected the torchlight from the walls, glowing like hellfire embers.
But something… was off.
They did not attack like a mindless swarm of beasts driven by bloodlust.
No, they split into formations, breaking off into spearhead groups, all converging toward the northern gate.
There was strategy.
There was coordination.
As if they knew.
As if someone or something, was leading them.
A chill ran down Ren's spine.
This wasn't just a wild onslaught… this was a siege.
But he had no time to hesitate, the monsters were already upon him.
Ren charged forward, his body light and nimble. He dodged the first bite and struck back, landing a critical hit on the Dire Wolf's neck.
The wolf shattered instantly into fragments of pixelated light.
Two more lunged at him from both sides.
Ren spun around in an instant. He took a step back, his spine cold as he sensed the killing intent closing in.
Whoosh!
A claw slashed through the darkness, missing him by a hair's breadth.
The sharp, metallic scent of blood rushed up his nose. Had he been even a fraction slower, his throat would have been torn open.
He couldn't stop now.
Ren twisted his body, shifting his weight onto his legs. The blade in his grip carved a sharp arc through the air.
Slash!
The steel gleamed in the dim torchlight, slicing cleanly through the wolf on the right before it could pounce.
A strangled howl, then silence. Its glowing red eyes dimmed as its body burst apart into pixelated shards.
But it wasn't over.
Right next to him...too close.
A deep growl rumbled in his ears. The remaining wolf seized the perfect moment to lunge, its fangs flashing like lightning.
Ren had no time to turn.
He could only raise his sword.
Clang!
The beast's powerful jaws slammed down on the steel.
Ren's entire arm trembled, the force nearly knocking the sword from his grip. His feet skidded backward, the ground scraping beneath his boots.
His hands numbed. The hilt of his sword felt ice-cold, draining the warmth from his fingers.
The wolf let out a shrill screech, clamping down harder, trying to crush the blade and tear him apart.
I can't let this drag on!
Gritting his teeth, Ren tightened his grip and twisted his wrist in a split-second motion.
Slice!
The blade slipped between the wolf's fangs, severing its throat with a swift, clean cut.
A crimson shower of pixelated fragments burst into the air.
Thud!
The wolf collapsed and vanished.
But there was no time to breathe.
Ren lifted his head.
And before him, the entire pack was still coming.
Not just two or three.
Dozens of glowing red eyes pierced through the night. HP bars flickered in the darkness like ghostly embers.
Gray figures slithered through the tall grass, silent and relentless, like a tidal wave surging forward.
The gray flood had arrived.
Arrows whistled through the air.
The first Dire Wolf fell the moment it broke free from the grass, shattering into a burst of red pixels.
The ones behind it fared no better, arrows struck their heads, necks, and shoulders, piercing through their flesh before they could reach the gate.
Some convulsed, howling in agony before collapsing.
The wounded ones still crawled forward, but in the blink of an eye, the guards finished them off.
Swords flashed, steel glinting against the night.
Within minutes, the first wave of Dire Wolves had been wiped out. The gate stood strong.
Everything seemed to be stabilizing.
No more howls. No more pounding footsteps. The first pack had been completely eradicated.
A soldier let out a sigh of relief.
Maybe… it was over?
But this was only the beginning.
A heavy sound rumbled from the depths of the darkness.
Not the usual footsteps.
This time, it was closer.
No one had time to react before they emerged from the night.
Bigger.
Faster.
More bloodthirsty.
The Elite Dire Wolves prowled out of the shadows, their crimson eyes glowing like embers smoldering in the dark.
Their fur was darker, lined with battle scars. Unlike the previous pack, they didn't charge in mindlessly.
They moved deliberately, like true hunters...closing in on the town gate.
Footsteps thundered like distant drums against the earth.
The first one leaped into the air, its razor-sharp claws gleaming in the torchlight as it lunged straight for an archer on the wall.
The soldier barely had time to react.
Thunk!
A spear pierced straight into the wolf's gut, dragging it to the ground with a heavy crash.
But it didn't shatter. The spear alone wasn't enough to finish it off.
In the next instant, the wolf sprang back up, snarling in fury.
Its roar was the signal to attack.
Another wolf darted forward at blinding speed. A guard barely managed to raise his shield.
The wooden surface shattered instantly. The impact was too strong, sending the soldier flying backward. He tumbled across the ground, coughing violently.
The other guards rushed in, swinging their swords and spears, but this time, the Elite Wolves weren't so easily cut down.
They dodged.
They counterattacked.
One soldier's arm was caught in a crushing bite. Red pixelated blood burst into the air as he screamed.
But his comrade lunged in, slicing the wolf's neck and freeing him before it could rip his arm off.
A few wolves slipped through the defenses.
A deafening crash echoed as one slammed into the iron-reinforced gate.
Wood groaned under the immense force, splinters flying in all directions.
On the wall, an archer swallowed hard, his fingers trembling against the bowstring.
Another soldier murmured, his breath shaky, his voice barely above a whisper:
"They're… too smart…"
But there was no time to fear.
Because the Alpha had yet to appear.