Chapter 32: A Moment of Reckoning

Crack!

The axe halted abruptly before Karen’s eyes. Yet, my armor was even closer to her face.

In the nick of time, I extended my hand, catching the axe with flawless precision. There was no superfluous movement, as if I were merely casually catching a ball tossed by a child.

The legends of the Nameless Hero were not mere boasts; I possessed a certain confidence in my own power.

“…”

All three of them stared, dumbfounded, their gazes fixed as if they hadn’t yet processed what had just transpired.

“…So fast.”

Zale murmured, clearly still disoriented.

‘So fast? Perhaps. It was nothing to me. Besides, you called me here; shouldn’t you have anticipated a certain level of my strength? It was just catching an axe, after all.’

‘Perhaps my reaction was simply far quicker than theirs. Maybe they had only just registered an axe flying towards them? Indeed, its flight was incredibly swift.’

‘However, this level of shock could prove fatal.’

“Hmph!”

I gripped the axe and swung it forcefully, flinging it back into the swirling mist from which it came. The sheer force of my throw created a gust of wind that whipped past Karen’s face.

Startled, she stumbled back two steps, her legs growing weak. She nearly toppled over, but I swiftly stepped forward, extending an arm to gently embrace her waist.

“…”

I offered no words of comfort, observing that she was merely frightened, not seriously harmed.

“…Th-thank you.”

She regained her composure, offering her thanks. Once steady, she continued to cling to my arm, her grip unwavering.

I could feel her hand trembling slightly, a clear sign she hadn’t yet escaped the chilling grip of impending death.

The cheerful demeanor she’d displayed earlier had vanished, replaced by a vulnerability that made her seem more like an ordinary girl seeking the protection of a reliable companion.

‘So, she has this side to her too. I had thought she was the type to be a fearless leader.’

‘Perhaps she maintains that strong, cheerful front because she has to look after Helene and keep an eye on that oaf Zale? She must be truly exhausted.’

Zzzzzzt, zzzzzzt, zzzzzzt…

For some inexplicable reason, the low growls from the perimeter ceased. In their place, the sound of footsteps treading on damp grass emerged from all directions, growing steadily closer. There were several of them.

Finally realizing they were still in a combat situation, the trio once again assumed their stances, preparing to engage.

However, their morale had noticeably dwindled. It was uncertain if they could withstand the impending assault.

I, on the other hand, felt perfectly at ease. Yet… in such a tense atmosphere, I alone remained completely relaxed.

‘Still, is this attitude too callous? My companions are all on edge, yet I’m merely observing… Wait, when did I become their companion? A slip of the tongue, a slip of the tongue.’

‘Perhaps I should do a little work.’

I discreetly flipped open the section of armor on the back of my left hand, revealing the ‘Prism’ nestled within, as if opening a small lid.

[210]

[000]

After inputting the command, I closed the armor and rotated my neck and shoulders. The clatter of the armor masked the internal creaking of my joints.

‘It’s only been a few days since I last moved, but my muscles feel stiff. I hope I don’t miss my mark later.’

Soon after, the owners of the footsteps appeared. They were bipedal humanoids, yet possessed the distinct appearance of beasts.

Their wolf-like heads bore snarling maws with sharp teeth, emitting low growls from their throats.

Thick wolf fur covered their sturdy bodies, which were clad in tattered pieces of armor—some wooden, some leather, some iron—but never a complete set. They seemed to be wearing discarded, leftover scraps of defensive gear.

These were B-grade dangerous species: humanoid wolf-type beasts.

Legend had it that their ancestors were a pack of wolves contaminated by magic in ancient times, mutating to gain humanoid forms, along with enhanced intelligence and physical prowess.

Compared to magical wolves, their intelligence was slightly higher, and their physical enhancements were concentrated in their musculature.

Though classified as B-grade, they possessed the ability to command A-grade dangerous species, such as magical wolves. In fact, they could command any wolf.

Despite their limited intelligence, they couldn’t craft equipment but mimicked humans by wearing armor and wielding weapons.

It was likely they orchestrated the magical wolves’ ambush; in that case, it wasn’t surprising to find all the magical wolves gathered here.

Being a pack-dwelling species, they should have a leader. My immediate priority was to locate their commander. Typically, the best equipment and a larger physique would distinguish the leader, making them easier to spot.

However, the five humanoid wolves that had arrived here all had similar equipment and physiques, none appearing to be a leader.

‘That complicates things a bit. It seems I’ll have to eliminate all five of these creatures simultaneously.’

“Wh-what is that?!”

Helene suddenly shrieked. We all looked over, only to see that the lower half, the groin area, of one of the humanoid wolves—the part obscured by its armor—had a wooden plate shifting back and forth, pushed up by something underneath.

‘Ah, I almost forgot. Humanoid wolf-type beasts don’t understand reproductive isolation. They will go into heat for humanoid female creatures. And there are two delicate young women right beside me. It’s perfectly normal for them to react.’

“They truly are disgusting beasts…”

Karen, like Helene, displayed a look of revulsion, turning her head away from that particular area. However, as soon as their gazes shifted, they froze once more.

While that one humanoid wolf had some armor, the others were completely naked, and without exception, all of them…

‘That size… Ugh… It would tear a stomach, wouldn’t it? I’m disgusted. I really want Zale to go up there and pull it off by hand.’

‘Truly beasts, devoid of any semblance of modesty. However, their objective has become clear: likely to cut down and devour the males, then take the females back for their pleasure before eating them too.’

‘This is somewhat dangerous. Regardless of the creature, the strongest desire harbored within is indeed that one. When confronted with such matters, their drive becomes exceptionally potent, with little room for reason.’

‘Perhaps, without these five, the magical wolves wouldn’t have swarmed us. Under the command of these five, if they impulsively summoned all the magical wolves to attack, could we withstand it?’

‘No, even if we couldn’t, we must. And I certainly can. I don’t want these two young women to be violated, nor do I want to watch Zale be devoured. Though they aren’t my companions, they sought me out, so I can’t just stand by and do nothing.’

‘They’re exhausted; it’s time for them to rest. Since their purpose in finding me was for help, then let me, this ‘newcomer’ of pebble-grade, show a little of what I can do.’

“Eh?”

I patted Helene’s shoulder, gently guiding her closer to Karen, then took two steps forward.

“You’ve worked hard.”

From within my helmet, I spoke in a gruff voice, clenching my right fist and placing my left hand over the back of it.

“Let me take over.”

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