“Wrrrr......”
The wolf pack closed in on the hut where Hulim Heyerar had crashed. Several Second-Rank wolves growled menacingly at her through the holes in the walls, while the rest of the pack quickly surrounded the structure, cutting off all escape routes.
Just as the Second-Rank wolves prepared to charge inside, the shadowy figure within stirred.
WHOOSH——!
The frigid ice greatsword sliced through the air with a sharp whistle, slashing through a Dire Wolf’s body in an instant. A spray of blood erupted, and a streak of high-speed movement burst out of the hut.
“Awooo!”
“Awooo!”
“ROAR——”
The wolf pack surged forward again—but Hulim Heyerar, gripping the ice greatsword tightly, chose to meet them head-on.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG......
The incoming quills were swatted away with a single sweep of the sword.
The flying wind slashes were sliced apart mid-air.
Even the tough skulls of the Dire Wolves were split open by the blade’s icy edge.
Gradually, the once-transparent ice greatsword was stained a vivid crimson, soaked in wolf blood.
“ROOOOAR——!”
A massive shadow descended from above.
“You think you can pull the same trick twice?!”
Instead of dodging, Hulim Heyerar leaped upward, charging directly at the Forest Colossus Wolf.
“Flash Step!”
The two figures crossed paths in mid-air. Claws raked across Hulim Heyerar’s body, leaving a deep gash, but for the first time, blood stained the Forest Colossus Wolf’s fur as well.
Crimson droplets dripped down its snow-white coat. The Forest Colossus Wolf stared at the wound in disbelief, frozen for a moment. It had been years since it last tasted its own blood......
On the other side, Hulim Heyerar had barely touched the ground before the wolf pack swarmed her. She was forced to parry their attacks in a hurry.
But there were far too many wolves, and they employed ruthless hit-and-run tactics—each wolf struck once, then retreated immediately, letting another take its place. This meant Hulim Heyerar was always facing fresh, uninjured foes, whether attacking or defending. Every wound she inflicted was meaningless in the face of their endless numbers, and her own new injuries made her movements grow clumsy. The pressure on her mounted rapidly.
And then, the Forest Colossus Wolf charged again, its eyes blazing red. The rare taste of injury had awakened its primal bloodlust.
THUD——!
Its claws slammed down with even greater speed and force than before. Hulim Heyerar blocked with her ice greatsword, narrowly avoiding a direct hit—but the impact sent her flying through the air. The ice blade shattered into countless shards upon collision.
“......Ice Weapon Forging!”
Even as she tumbled through the air, Hulim Heyerar summoned the spell with sheer force of will.
A brand-new ice greatsword materialized in her hand. Just as the wolf pack seemed endless, her weapon would never run out—as long as she had mana left in her veins and strength in her body.
WHOOSH——!
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She swept the sword sideways, slashing several wolves that had been waiting to pounce on her as she fell. She used their bodies to cushion the impact of her landing, rolling to her feet in an instant.
“ROOOOAR——!”
The Forest Colossus Wolf’s thunderous roar boomed closer, right on her heels.
Hulim Heyerar glanced up at the charging beast, gripping the sword with both hands and holding it before her chest. She closed her eyes slowly, exhaling a deep breath, and let her body relax completely, entering a state of perfect focus.
WHOOSH——!
The gale kicked up by the Forest Colossus Wolf’s charge ruffled her hair. Hulim Heyerar’s eyes snapped open—and she moved.
In a frame of reference slowed to a crawl, one would have seen her swing the sword three times in rapid succession, her speed far surpassing anything she had displayed before—so fast that even the Forest Colossus Wolf couldn’t track her movements.
ROOOOAR——!!!
The Forest Colossus Wolf’s outstretched claws froze mid-air. It stared in shock at the human female before it, as if facing another apex predator—one that roared at it and struck with claws of its own.
“Hunter’s Gaze——!!!”
SLICE——!
The sound of tearing fur filled the air. Three clear, bleeding gashes were carved into the Forest Colossus Wolf’s body—wounds that only another beast king of equal caliber could have inflicted.
The Forest Colossus Wolf stared dumbly at the cuts on its body, then back at Hulim Heyerar, as if witnessing something utterly impossible.
The wolf pack fell silent in an eerie hush, their bodies trembling with unease. Hulim Heyerar’s three swift strikes had made them feel the presence of another king. Without their lord’s command, they dared not provoke this new apex predator.
“......”
“......If you truly are the king of wolves, then prove it to me. Fight me one on one!”
“Woo——!”
“GRRR——!”
The wolves couldn’t understand her words, but her taunting stance made her meaning crystal clear.
They bared their fangs in rage, growling, eager to tear apart this human who dared to insult their king.
“ROOOOAR——!!!”
A mountain-shaking roar erupted from the Forest Colossus Wolf’s throat, echoing in all directions.
The pack fell silent instantly. All the wolves looked at their king in confusion, unable to comprehend its decision—but a king’s command must be obeyed.
The wolves retreated.
They pulled back to the edge of the goblin tribe, forming a circle that trapped the Forest Colossus Wolf and Hulim Heyerar in the center.
Neither Hulim Heyerar nor the wolf king made a move during this time. They only stared at each other, their eyes locked in an unblinking gaze.
The arrogance and anger in the Forest Colossus Wolf’s eyes were gone, replaced solely by the will to duel—to stake its honor on this battle.
“WHOOSH——!”
Hulim Heyerar exhaled a steady breath, gripping the ice greatsword tightly with both hands and raising it before her chest once more.
SWISH!
BOOM!
Without any warning or declaration, two figures—one small, one colossal—moved at the exact same moment. All that could be seen were the blurs of their high-speed movements, and the sharp clash of ice and claws ringing out like clashing metal.
Defying her small stature, Hulim Heyerar unleashed immense strength and speed, matching the Forest Colossus Wolf blow for blow without being overwhelmed. And defying its massive size, the Forest Colossus Wolf kept pace with her agile movements, never falling behind.
Tufts of fur, shards of ice, and splatters of crimson blood flew freely in the center of the battle.
Every wolf watched the scene with bated breath, unwilling to miss a single moment of this duel between two kings—a battle that would determine the future of the entire pack.
THUD!
Hulim Heyerar used the split second when the Forest Colossus Wolf’s impact sent her flying to conjure a new ice greatsword. The wolf king, seizing the chance while she was mid-air and unable to maneuver, closed in on her landing spot, assuming its most powerful offensive stance.
But the Forest Colossus Wolf’s plan backfired. Hulim Heyerar did land right within its attack range—but its sure-kill combo never had a chance to connect.
Because a ring of strange sword auras suddenly appeared around Hulim Heyerar. They moved as if they were part of her own body, making her movements even more unpredictable and her attacks deadlier than ever.
It dodged the Forest Colossus Wolf’s claws and fangs with ease, slashing its limbs and muzzle instead. Then, using the wolf king’s forehead as a foothold, she leaped back to the ground, leaving a deep gash on its brow.
“Wrrrr......”
Blood streamed down the Forest Colossus Wolf’s forehead, flowing into its right eye and turning half its vision crimson.
It planted its paws firmly on the ground, baring its sharp fangs. Its one red, one green eye locked onto Hulim Heyerar. Then it opened its jaws wide and drew in a deep breath of air.
“?”
Instead of pressing her attack, the wolf king had suddenly taken this bizarre stance. A flicker of confusion crossed Hulim Heyerar’s face.
But in the next moment, she realized exactly what it was doing.
“ROOOOAR——!!!”
A terrifying sonic howl erupted from the Forest Colossus Wolf’s mouth.
The air and the ground shook violently. Worst of all, the mana within Hulim Heyerar’s body began to surge uncontrollably, thrown into chaos by the sheer force of the roar.
“Damn it! You had this trick up your sleeve too!?!”
