Chapter Thirty-Two: Bloodstained Among the Wolves

“In that case, I’ll go up the mountain and cut down all the trees, then use the fire to drive away the Storm Howling Wolves!”
Will pointed to a small mountain path not far ahead.
Semily, the pale-faced youth, followed Will’s gesture and looked over. Just behind the pack of wolves was a modest hill, lush with trees visible even from a distance. He nodded in agreement, saying, “All right. Wester, you take charge here. I’ll go with Will!”
“No, you can’t!”
Hearing that Semily intended to accompany him, Will immediately shook his head and refused, “I’m a mage of wind and fire attributes—cutting down trees and setting fire are no problem for me. Besides, there are no Storm Howling Wolves on the mountain. One more person or one less makes no difference. But among us, you’re the strongest. With so many Storm Howling Wolves, Wester alone isn’t enough to break through. We need your strength here!”
Will spoke earnestly, and Semily nodded unconsciously. Yet, deep down, Will added silently, “And frankly, I can’t stand the cloying perfume you wear—it’s enough to choke a man.”
With their tasks settled, Semily and the others prepared to cut through the wolves and hurry to the Earl’s aid, while Will would handle the mountain alone.
Thirteen mages stood at the ready (four had been abandoned outright by Semily after being terrified by the wolves’ howls). Their wands waved, rapid incantations spilling from their lips.
As the thirteen mages chanted, the magical elements in the air surged chaotically. Especially around Semily and Wester, the concentration of magic was thickest. Their wands flicked, and countless green wind blades and crystal-clear ice spikes materialized, shooting in dense volleys toward the wolves ahead!
Sharp wind blades, piercing icicles, blazing fireballs, and a flurry of earth spikes—all manner of spells erupted simultaneously. The combined force was astonishing. Given the wolves’ tightly packed numbers, the magic was devastatingly effective. Chaos rippled through the entire pack; anguished howls echoed ceaselessly.
At that moment, Robby and his men quickly formed a protective circle around Semily and the others. Following a surge of wind blade magic from Semily, a narrow, clear path opened amid the dense mass of wolves.
“Go!”
Semily shouted, and Robby led the charge. Taking advantage of the wolves’ confusion, the group surged forward.
A few Storm Howling Wolves, unaffected by the earlier spells, saw the humans audaciously crossing before them. Their beastly instincts flared—they howled and bounded toward Robby.
“Out of the way!”
Robby roared, his body radiating a brown-yellow light. The image of a burly ape appeared on him; arms outstretched, he seized two clusters of brown-yellow energy. With a stride, he combined his fists, merging the energies, and brought them crashing down. The blow snapped a wolf’s spine, hurling it back into the pack.
“O Spirit of the Wind, raise the gentle breeze—Levitation!”
Semily used levitation to hover several meters above the ground. Though not as potent as flight, it lifted him high enough.
“O Spirit of the Wind, let sharp gusts become the fangs of the beast—Flowing Blade Wave!”
Suspended in air, Semily’s wand danced rapidly. Countless slicing wind blades scattered like petals, shredding every wolf that dared approach into halves.
Howls echoed.
Soon, Semily and his companions had crossed half the distance. Yet, the earlier confusion among the wolves was fading; they regained their senses and surged toward Semily and the others. The Storm Howling Wolves were fast—if not for Semily’s aerial wind blades and Robby’s soul warriors providing cover, the mages would have been torn apart before finishing their incantations.
Three Storm Howling Wolves pounced on a soul warrior simultaneously. The warrior reacted swiftly, dispatching two in a breath, but couldn’t handle the last. Before he could respond, the wolf tackled him, its claws ripping open his chest. Blood gushed forth, exposing stark white bone beneath the torn flesh.
“Bastard!”
Twisted in agony, the soul warrior bellowed, flung his arms around the wolf, and—eyes reddening—forsook human combat skills for primal, animalistic close-quarter fighting. He bit down hard on the wolf’s throat!
The Storm Howling Wolf was a low-level soul beast, fast but lacking in attack or defense. The warrior’s teeth pierced its soft fur and severed its throat.
If this had been a duel, the soul warrior would have won. But here, it was not one-on-one—they faced hundreds, thousands! Even as he killed one wolf, more would leap at him without hesitation.
“Bael!”
Another soul warrior cleaved through two wolves and rushed to his wounded comrade, ready to check his injuries. Yet, at that moment, four or five wolves seized the opening, howling as they tackled him to the ground and quickly tore his windpipe.
“Damn it! That fool!”
Robby, witnessing this, let out a furious roar, eyes blazing red. He seized a wolf’s head, crushing its jaws with his grip, then hurled it like a cannonball, smashing into the pack and sending a dozen wolves flying.
Yet even so, Robby and his men faced a dire problem—their numbers were far too few. Against the relentless assault of the Storm Howling Wolves, their meager force could barely hold. Especially now, with only seven close-combat soul warriors remaining after losing two.
Taking advantage of the gap, several Storm Howling Wolves dodged Semily’s Flowing Blade Wave and barreled toward the mages from behind!