The city lights faded behind them as Edric and Aeris followed a winding path to the outskirts. The night air was thick with scents of cobble and earth. Eventually, they reached the gate, and Aeris showed them the job paper, with the guild's stamp and approval,d and they let them through. The world beyond the wall felt eerily silent, occasionally disturbed by the wind rustling blades of grass. A bit peaceful too, with the only scent being the dew of grass

  Aeris led the way, her steps confident and precise. Edric followed behind, staying on high alert. They had been given a vague location, Edric didn’t know the way, but followed Aeris regardless. They followed the dirt path into a deep, dense fore.t, Edric grew tense every second.

  Something felt off about this job…

  Maybe it was because of the rumors of people vanishing and the governor, or the fact that no one took this job. Or the fact that he hasn’t hunted nor seen a beast yet, plus his luck sucks. He couldn’t worry for long, as they reached the location.

  The path ended, in front is a field of crops of about 2 acres, and a wooden storage hut in the corner. Edric looked closer, the fields were a mess, trees were lying on the ground. Claw marks dug deep in the ground. In patches gray fur strands were visible on the ground, mainly near the clawed earth. Seeing this made Edric's anxiety worse. He looked forward, and Aeris, as aloof as always, went forward towards a man.

  “Ah, you must be the mercenaries,” a man said in a low voice. He wore an outfit that looked like he was a merchant. The typical robe with handmade stitching. “As you can see, the direwolves are wreaking havoc. The rest of the farmers are in town. Those damn wolves are reducing my profits, if this goes on, the farmers won’t get pai,d” he scoffed.

  “Is this a common occurrence?” Edic asked, not knowing what else to ask.

  “No, this is the first, and the officers are too busy. , So- coug.h” The man let out a dry cough.

  “We’ll handle this; you go back.” Aeris' voice was confident and low, gesturing to him to get back to the city.

  Edric exhaled his breath cold. This is just a simple hunting job… right?

  “Um.. What should we do? Should we set up traps?” Edric's voice trembled so that it let out an embracing crack.

  Aeris looks at the nervous Edric and smirks.

  Do you think this is a funny woman? Edric grabs his gun from under his shirt, ready to push the trigger.

  Aeris stares at the mysterious artifact with a curious expression.”Hmm ?” She stared back at Edric, her eyes wide, and frowned almost like she was asking a question.

  “This is my weapon, I can shoot with this thing.” Aeris still seemed dumbfounded, so Edirc points at a lying tree and shoots

  *BOOM*

  The magic bullet shoots out with clean, high-pitched visible light, illuminating the path in green. The bullet pierces the tree. Aeris' expression went from confused to a smirk.

  “Could be useful,” Aeris said “ The direwolves are nocturnal. I will set up traps around the field. You sit tight, they will come to feast on the field at night”. After saying that she walked off to set up her traps.

  Edric took a deep breath and sat in the fields. He observed the traps Aeris made. Some were mechanical, while others were a magic scroll. The typical paper that you slap on the ground, then it glows and disappears into it.

  Edric slaps his face. Focus, I won’t freeze up. I know what to, I will cultivate. Edric closes his eyes and starts meditating. He felt better, but he could only last 5 minutes before breaking a sweat.

  The night grew darker and darker, it was almost time….

  “Rub this on-" Aeris's hands Edric some dirt. “It will cover your smell,” Edric nodded. “Lay low, the traps should activate when they come to the fields.”

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  Edric does as instructed, Aeris crouches low, and Edric follows suit. The air was silent, a bit too silent.

  When will those bastards come out…

  *Creak*

  Wait, what the hell is that? Edric expected the wolf to be earth-sized size but was much worse.

  The first one emerged, muscles rippling beneath its thick fur, easily the size of a tiger. Its glowing yellow eyes locked onto the field, scanning. Then, another. And another. Their low growls sent shivers down Edric’s spine.

  This… was not going to be an easy hunt.

  Edric slowed down his breath, remembered about the traps set. He held his pistol ready, aiming at one of the wolves' heads. The wolf lifted its nose, sniffed the air and started walking towards the fields, the place where Aeris set the traps.

  *BOOM*

  The scroll activates, causing a small explosion that briefly stuns the beast. It staggered back and activated the second scroll, red chains emerged from the ground, surrounding the beast and restricting its movement to the ground.

  *Woosh* Aeris runs towards the beast before Edric could blink, she took her saber, motions it outward, and does a quick slash on the hindered beast, severing its head.

  Whoa, how did she do that… Edric couldn’t help being dumbfounded; the beast was down in less than a minute. Blood spewed like a fountain as its body was rag-dolled on the floor. Edric felt a chill in the air. He looked around with his markanshim skill activated.

  There , his eyes lock on a wolf approaching Aeris from behind. Lying low like it’s about to pounce any second. “No–” He wanted to shout to grab her attention but it might make the beast agitated.

  He grabs his pistol tight, locks his aim on the beast, and he presses the trigger-

  *BOOM*

  A green magic bullet is shot and lands on the beast's torso. The beast is down temporarily. Aeris looks at the direction and chops off its head.

  “Phew, that worked better than expected,” he muttered to himself. He surveyed the surroundings to find any lurking creature but no luck.

  Aeris, after confirming no beasts were approaching, returns to her spot.

  “Not a bad shot,” Aeris said “I sensed it a while back, but you shot it before I could attack.”

  Edric nodded, not sure if he should feel offended or complimented, said, “ Just glad you're okay–”

  *HOWL*

  Multiple howls echo from the forest. Forming an unnerving symphony.

  “What was that? “ Edric hesitated.

  “Those wolves will come in packs now” Aeris crouches down next to Edric. “I reset the traps. Just take care of my back” She says in an assuring tone.

  Edric lets out a sigh. Sounds like a plan. I guess…

  “But when you shoot, concentrate the mana to pierce through.”

  Edric’s shots were more like a long-range shotgun that deals area damage instead of dealing a killing blow. He noticed this, but doesn’t really know how to do it. Looking at his expression, Aeris seemed to read his mind.

  “Picture the flow of mana to a single spot in the form of an image you desire,” Aeris gave some advice. Using her hand to show the flow of mana from the torso to the hand

  Picture? Hmm … Edric thought for a moment and said, “I will try.”

  Aeris nodded. She checked the area once again. Then suddenly, footsteps were heard from afar coming from two different directions. One was directly in front, while the other was on the northeast side. Aeris pointed Edric to the northeast, and he aimed his pistol in that direction. Aeris went in the other direction. Edric glanced at her for one moment, then she enveloped her in mana, making her almost invisible.

  He didn’t admire for too long and returned to focus on the direction. Paws started sticking out from the direction, two wolves slightly bigger than the last. The two beasts add space between them and walk towards the smell of its dead comrade.

  Then a chain trap shackled one of them, the second beast got agitated. Edric didn’t waste time and shot at it. The beast flew to the ground but not enough to kill it. Aeris rushes to slay it while its down, Edric catched his breath, he is still using too much mana. Aeris slashes at the best a few times and it dies bleeding out.

  She then turns to the entrapped beast. Looks like she can handle that one. Edric thought as he remained flustered about his previous shot. He took what she said to mind about a picture. He imagines a traditional bullet shot like the ones in movies . Breathed in slowly, trying his hardest to remember the feeling of mana flow.

  While Edric was doing that, Aeris slashed at the beast a few times but it is too resilient, it escapes the trap and back off.

  Edric prepares his gun to shoot , then he remembers something , there were sounds coming from two directions. But the wolves only appeared on one…

  He glanced towards the surroundings in the night shade, he sensed something or at least felt like it. Aeris had the beast by the ropes so his help wouldn’t do much. Then-

  *WOOSH* A third wolf jumps towards Aeris.

  “NOO” Edric shoots, it hits it only this time the bullet periced through the neck and lands on a tree. Aeris startled turns back, Edric couldn’t see her face but based on her body language, she didn’t sense that thing. The entrapped beast was bleeding in the back while the one Edric shot was at its dying breath. Aeris stepped forward to finish it off.

  Just as she was going to slash the entrapped beast suddenly slashes her back, she get knocked towards a tree next to the shot beast. The shot beast opened its fangs and was about to bite her while she was down.

  Then a dagger pierces the wolf's head. Edric threw his dagger at it and was making his way towards the entrapped beast. The beast didn’t go toward Aeris seeing Edric with his pistol. It limps towards the forest. Edric shots, but it misses and collides the ground.

  Edric looked to see if Aeris was alright.

  “NO NO NO, please be alright” he shakes her body, then smack. Aeris woke up punched Edric's face.

  “Oh sorry, thought you were the wolf” Aeris said as she looked at the scene “ Where’s the other one?”

  “It limped towards the forest.”

  “DANG IT, how’s it still moving? Lets go kill ti”

  “But you're injured.”

  “This is nothing. The wolf will be a more threat if we're too late.” Without hesitation, she gets up and walks towards the trail of blood.

  Edric and Aeris followed the trail to a cave. The wolf must be in the cave, Aeris took the lead with her saber and Edric was ready to shoot from behind. A terrifying aura envolped the air even larger than the wolf.

  Aeris and Edric stood in place not knowing what's next…