In the night sky, thick dark clouds lingered as usual. Ian leisurely rode his horse along the endless avenue above. Ahead of him was Mev and Philip also on their horses. Ian did not bother to ride alongside them or make conversation, as he did not wish to share emotions with those who might become enemies.
In fact, Ian had spoken less than ten sentences since leaving the village. Mev was equally quiet; she was one of the most serious knights Ian had encountered.
"It's strange, I hardly remember seeing clear skies recently, don't you think so, my lord?" Philip remarked, breaking the silence.
If it weren't for Philip, their journey would have been a march of silence. Though Ian and Mev barely responded, Philip went on as if it was familiar to him.
"Could this also be a sign of the Black Wall's madness spreading to Agel Lan? Or is it the twilight of magic affecting the climate?" Philip asked again.
A faint howl of a wolf echoed in response.
"...I think I heard this earlier too. It seems the wolves are energized as the sun sets." Philip added.
"Philip," Ian suddenly spoke.
"Yes, sir?" Philip quickly turned, seemingly awaiting a response.
"That forest. How large is it?" Ian pointed toward a dark, dense forest in the distance.
It was a forest filled with dry trees, far from lush. The path leading into its heart resembled the entrance to a dungeon.
"It will take just over half a day to cross," Philip replied.
"Then we should pass through early tomorrow morning, and camp out here tonight. What do you think, sir?" Ian asked.
"That sounds good," Mev replied.
Mev nodded in agreement and turned toward Ian. Her helmet allowed her to lift just the face guard.
"There should be a stream in the middle of the forest where travelers camp." Philip cautiously added.
"There's a pack of wolves in the forest. I don’t wish to invite sleeplessness by entering." Ian replied indifferently.
"Ah, I see your point," Philip agreed upon hearing about the wolves and led the way.
"I'll set up the campfire!" Philip shouted.
Philip hurriedly unpacked his gear in a clearing a little away from the forest, moving noisily as if advertising their presence.
"You sure do manage to keep around such a clueless fellow quite well." Ian chuckled.
"He lacks experience. In a few years, he'll play his part well,” Mev replied while dismounting her horse.
If he survives that long, Ian mused to himself, dismounting his horse.
The horse neighed tiredly. It was an old horse acquired almost for free from a stablemaster. Since it wouldn't live long, there was no need for a better horse.
The ride is uncomfortable too. Ian frowned at the soreness transmitted through his thighs. If he weren't accustomed to horseback riding, standing would have been difficult. This was akin to how naturally he wielded a sword.
Although he never learned to ride a horse in his original world, horseback riding seemed ingrained in him, likely thanks to a general skill. Of course, he only knew how to ride, nothing more. Skilled riders could almost perform acrobatics on horseback, but that was far from Ian's capabilities.
...But I can't just raise my riding skill level for a more comfortable ride, thought Ian.
"Everything is ready, my lord." Philip's voice echoed as Ian tied his horse next to Mev's.
Philip had already set up a decent campfire and arranged the sleeping area. As the saying goes, every dog has its day. His preparations for the soup were also skilled. Ian sat down next to the campfire.
The weak firelight barely held back the darkness, the bumpy ground, and the sound of wolves howling in the distance made it clear that his comfortable days had come to a complete end. He couldn't help but think of the old room he had on the second floor of the tavern.
I knew it would be . I already miss it. Ian chuckled and pulled a bundle out of his spatial bag, causing Philip's face to light up.
"Oh! Finally, the bundle filled with longing is being opened. Considering the maid’s expression, it must be—" said Philip.
"You sure have a long way of saying you just want the soup," replied Ian.
"...Were you planning to share?" Philip asked hesitantly.
"If you shut up," Ian responded without even looking at him,
Philip's mouth snapped shut, but his gaze remained fixed on the bundle Ian held. Ian, who had been slowly opening the bundle, suddenly stopped.
"Sir, Are you teasing me—" Philip licked his lips nervously and finally spoke again.
"Shut up." Ian cut him off.
Reflexively, Philip quickly shut his mouth and then looked at Ian's face, realizing his tone had changed. Ian was frowning and staring past the fire, a faint light seeming to flicker in his eyes. But when Philip followed his gaze, all he could see was the forest swallowed by darkness.
"...?" Philip tilted his head in confusion.
"I guess dinner is off the table...," Ian muttered with a sigh, putting the bundle back.
"What exactly did you see?" Philip finally asked.
"Uninvited guests," it was Mev who answered. She stood up with a grave look in her eyes.
"Uninvited guests? What do you mean by that..." as Philip murmured and looked back at the forest, he froze.
Dozens of glowing eyes were flickering in the darkness beyond the forest. Yellow and red eyes filled with quiet malice, staring in their direction.
"...!" Philip, who made eye contact with one of them, recoiled in shock.
"You get scared easily," Ian muttered softly.
"Who’s scared...." Philip, regaining his senses, reflexively looked at him.
His words trailed off as he realized his voice was trembling. In contrast, Ian had already stood up with his sword drawn, his face showing slight annoyance but no sign of tension.
"Does this have anything to do with the dark mage?" Mev asked calmly while Philip barely moved his lips.
"Who knows." Ian shrugged one shoulder.
His gaze calmly swept over the glowing eyes in the forest.
"We'll find out once we kill them, won't we?" said Ian.
"That's wise," Mev replied.
"Those things, what are they?" Philip, who had been listening blankly, asked.
Ian didn’t need to answer.
The howling of wolves began echoing all around them. A constricting echo. This was no ordinary howling.
Ian's horse that was tied at a distance, whinnied as if in a fit. Philip stood frozen as the howling continued.
"If you don't want to die just standing there, pull yourself together." Ian snapped him back to reality again.
"What should I do?" Philip clenched his teeth and got up. His voice trembled as he asked.
"Guard the horses, Philip." Mev replied without even looking at him.
"Yes! ...But, alone?" Philip asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
"Ian. You too, fall back and protect the horses." Mev added as she lowered her face guard with a clank.
"I refuse. Sir, you go," replied Ian.
"What did you say...?” Mev turned to look at Ian, her expression filled with confusion.
"With your armor, it's impossible to chase wolves. It seems more fitting for you to stay and fight here." Ian calmly added.
"Then we should both fall back. I can't afford to lose you," said Mev.
"Is it alright to lose the horses then? It's only a few meters away. It's better for you to watch my back," Ian replied.
"But—" Mev started to object, but the echoing howls suddenly stopped. The multitude of glowing eyes vanished all at once.
"There's something only I can do. Follow my lead. You won't regret it." With Ian's firm words, Mev finally turned away.
"...Don't die,” said Mev.
Nonsense. You better not die. Ian clicked his tongue quietly.
A strange sound followed. It was the sound of darkness rolling low across the ground.
"There’s a load of them...," Ian murmured, tightening his grip on his sword.
The black wave that was rushing toward him became clearly visible to him. It was dozens of wolves charging in. Their numbers and sizes were both out of the ordinary. However, Ian had experienced similar situations in the game although the size and intimidation of the pack were much greater now than before.
I need to find the leader. That'd be the same. This was the task only he could do. That was the end of the thought.
Suddenly, a strand of the approaching wave leaped up, scattering fierce yellow glows as it lunged. Ian’s vision was filled with a gigantic maw with razor teeth.
His sword went right through the middle of the wolf's mouth. With composure, Ian advanced and thrust the sword. With the additional force of the wolf's assault, the blade went through its neck and stuck out. The collapsing beast pulled Ian back as well. From either side, two wolves charged as he bowed to draw his sword. Ashen magic swirled in Ian's eyes.
A sudden gust around him diverted the wolves' trajectory. It was the Whirling Barrier.
Ian drew his sword and slashed at the body of a wolf that was rushing by. He straightened up swiftly. Landing behind him, another wolf sprung up ready to attack rapidly.
This time, the wolf's forehead was pierced. Ian gritted his teeth as he was pushed back by the force of its charge.
Damn it, should I just burn them all?
Fire was the easiest way to deal with physical beings. A pack of wolves could be annihilated just by running around with flame step magic, as he had done in the kobold stronghold. But he had no intention of revealing he was a magician to Mev and Philip. They could become enemies at any time. Besides, it was certain they would bother him with difficult questions and proposals throughout the journey.
...Can't deal with all that trouble just to kill these damned dogs.
Again, ashen magic swirled in Ian's eyes. One of the characteristics of lower-level gray magic was that it was not very noticeable. It was perfect for pretending to be a skilled mercenary. In fact, even at the time of their departure, the citizens of the first city he visited in Agel Lan did not know he was a mage.
An invisible curtain of wind enveloped Ian. But that wasn't all.
Ian’s clothes and hair began to flutter lightly as if caressed by a gentle breeze. It was Wind Blade. A magic that adds propulsion to movements while infused with wind and can be turned into a sharp blade at will. In the game, it was a magic used only for running due to its short range. But now, as his main weapon was the sword, even that was an advantage. Ian lifted his head sharply.
Three wolves with bared fangs and claws charged toward Ian. His sword flashed, tracing an arc.
Just before the blade made contact, the Wind Blade ripped straight through the first wolf's maw and split the next one's head in half.
The Whirling Barrier blocked the remaining wolf. Losing its balance in mid-air, the wolf crashed directly into Ian. As Ian braced it with his shoulder and stumbled backward, he slashed the exposed neck of the wolf.
Seizing the moment, another wolf howled and leaped at him. Just as Ian was about to swing his sword again.
A bright blue aura of a sword fell from in front, splitting the wolf in half. Blood spattered across Ian's face.
“....” Ian frowned and turned his gaze. Mev, in armor stained crimson, was shaking the blood off her sword. Ian and the pack wolves had apparently been pushed near her during the fight. Her sword was glowing blue and the gemstones embedded in her armor sparkled, illuminating the surroundings.
The scent of blood filled the air. Around them lay several wolf corpses, either mashed or cleaved in two. Mev, standing amidst them, evoked the image of a bloodied avenger from the game.
She's incredibly strong, even without corruption, thought Ian.
"These are no ordinary wolves," Mev said in an unfaltering voice, while Ian was wiping the blood off his face as he stood up
"I see that too," said Ian.
Ian took a peek around. With the afterimages and glowing trails of sprinting wolves, the area was chaotic. Perhaps because the wolves had lost several members of their pack quickly, the wolves no longer attacked recklessly. Instead, they chose to ambush, circling and pouncing from blind corners. Yet, every time they confronted Ian and Mev's swords, they splattered blood. Mev took the lead in the battle, fully utilizing her strengths.
Despite being infused with magic, the wolves were essentially just large in size. Their teeth and claws couldn't penetrate the armor, so neglecting defense wasn't a problem. Of course, a collision using their weight and speed could be impactful, but Mev either dodged or deflected them with minimal movement. She truly showed the skills of a knight. To Ian, she appeared to be holding back, not revealing even half of her true power.
She probably doesn’t want to show me the Power of the Apostle just yet, thought Ian.
Philip was also doing his part. He grabbed the pack’s attention by holding the reins of three horses in one hand and fending the wolves off with a circular shield in the other. The cleanup was Mev's job, but that was enough.
Both are more skilled than I thought.
Ian clicked his tongue briefly. It meant the time given to them was running out faster. The wolf pack, though seemingly driven by wild madness, was actually under the control of a leader. The leader would run whenever the pack numbers fell below a particular level in the game; it was a clever beast. At the same time, it persistently pursued its prey once marked, a trait likely unchanged in this world.
If not killed today, it would surely lead to more trouble. Ian had no desire to face the group of wolves that offered insignificant rewards at best. His eyes glowed. It was Magic Detection.
The battle had sharpened his senses, enhancing his trait, Intuition. As a result, things invisible to the naked eye began to appear vividly. The murderous intent and madness flowed through the wolf pack and surging waves of purple magic.
Time seemed to slow down. This was a result of his high Mental Fortitude and Intelligence stats combined with his unique traits, creating an intense level of concentration. However, Ian’s own movements also became as sluggish as the flowing time. It was a phenomenon caused by his physical abilities not being able to keep up with the speed of his thoughts.
But at that moment, the only movement he needed was the shifting of his eyes. Ian’s gaze slowly swept over the almost dreamlike scenery. In an instant, his eyes fixed on a specific point in the forest.
Ian had spotted the source of the magical wavelength controlling the wolf pack.
“Keep the horses safe,” Ian bent his knees and declared. “I'm going to get the leader's head.”
With that, Ian stamped on the ground.