It had only been half a day after the training, which was sixteen hours in this world. The three moons shone their lights on the world, illuminating the darkness with their gentle light.
Under the moonlight, dozens of warriors clad in thick furry coats and weapons were standing in a spread-out formation. These people were waiting in the edges of the forest, not far from the small town they were supposed to protect.
Amongst these soldiers, three youths were standing in different formations. Levi was situated in the first line of defense, where most of the spear users stood. His companions ranged from mundane humans to second ladder experts.
Even though these second ladders were the same rank as Levi, they were much more experienced than him. Hence it would not take them any trouble wiping the floor with him.
Mattie was on the left wing. That formation was going to flood the battlefield as soon as the spear-wielders intercepted the charge of the infected. Fulian led that formation.
As for Saranda, she was situated in the right wing, that had the same job as the left wing.
A sigh left Levi's lips, the breath forming into steam due to the freezing air. He had been troubled with his thoughts for the past hour. Levi had a great amount of pent up emotions from his past life, and in this world he was letting these emotions flow out of him.
This had almost made him do something he would regret greatly. Just like in his past life, he needed to lock these vile emotions away.
"Formation!"
Levi brandished his spear, steeling his resolve and focusing only on the threats that were going to attack him a few seconds later.
And, after those short seconds passed a tide of First Ladder wolves started pouring into the defensive formation. Soldiers screamed orders, Levi felt people shudder next to him. The formation immediately halted the rush of the wolf army, the spears of the defenders flashed in quick successions, taking the lives of many wolves with them.
'I think, I will need to get a spear that is more proficient in slashing.' Levi thought as he stabbed an infected wolf right in the head, plunging it out immediately. In the next moment, he swung his spear in a wide arc, hitting a wolf's side with the shaft, throwing it towards the other wolves that were going to assault him.
Those three wolves were dead in a matter of seconds as different soldiers stabbed their spears into them.
The right wing and left wing had joined the defensive formation, flooding the wolf tide with their own offensive capabilities.
Saranda, who's sword was coated in hot salty water, was advancing through the wolf horde with her companions. Her sword cut through wolf hide like butter, each cut either killing them or tormenting them with the specialties of her sword's quality.
She had gotten extremely better at fighting in just a matter of weeks. In Levi's eyes, her talent, combined with her hardworking personality, was immeasurable.
As for Mattie, she was an otherworldly existence. Her twin sabers shone in radiant yellow light, cutting though the wolf hide. She was overwhelming these creatures with just her strength alone, this made Levi think she should pick up a war-axe or a great sword instead of those small sabers.
Mattie had gotten very good with her light magic too, there were small lights floating around her, sometimes exploding to blind the nearby wolves. Which fell victim to her sabers just a second later.
At one point, she slammed the pommel of her saber into a wolf's skull, and crushed it easily.
But the greatest spectacle was Fulian. That man was a Third Ladder, upper stage.
When he swung his sword, he killed multiple wolves at once. Every time he moved, wind would whistle around him, the ground shaking with each time he steadied himself. There was no hesitation in his movements, each one filled with killing intent directed towards the vile enemies.
Other than his physical capabilities, his elemental powers were top-notch too. Icicles moved around him, attacking the wolves as they whistles through the air. His magic preparing was much faster than Saranda's, and much more powerful.
The difference between a Third Ladder and Second Ladder was as clear as day.
For the past weeks, Levi had been holding himself back. He was only focusing on his physical capabilities, because he thought that there were no worth to his innates.
Until he discovered that his innates were not meant to be powered with mana. It was with focus!
The wolves near Levi's radius started to become wary, these beasts were unintelligent and only relied on their instincts. Fear was an instinct too, and once these wolves started to feel the eerie presence that was waking up near them, they threw themselves at the creature with no regards to their life. It was now kill or die for them.
Levi's gaze grew focused as the watched the wolves throw themselves at him with no hints of defense. A crooked smile appeared on his lips, killing these wolves had now become much more easier.
His spear thrusted, slashed through the air repeatedly. The sword of the spear cutting through flesh and bone alike, all around him, wolves were dying at his feet.
The mana expenditure was minimal, but now he needed to focus on two things at once. One was keeping his eerie presence a constant, and the other one was killing the enemies that were coming his way.
He was not used to this, hence sometimes he forgot to amplify his presence. This was only a matter of adaptation, not talent.
He was so engrossed in fighting, that he had not recognized that people were getting affected by his presence too, but to a lower degree. Some were caught off-guard, and some looked surprised. It seemed that magic that affected presence was not very common in this world.
Saranda, Mattie and Fulian was on their own respective fields, the tide was great, but it did not go up from a Second Ladder wolf. Which were easily dispatched by Fulian and some of the other high ranked warriors.
The Wolf King had no intention of descending upon the battlefield tonight.
As the suns started rising, humans had resisted without many losses.
Levi was sitting on the wooden ground, his torso was naked. He was bandaging the fresh wounds on his body. The healing house was a bit busy, so he had left his bed to another patient that was in a more serious condition.
'So much for trying to show of..'
After Levi had tried to use his full potential, soon he realized that there were not many people around him anymore. That was due to him being surrounded by many wolf corpses, and his distasteful presence.
Hence, being left alone he faced much more opponents than he needed to, resulting in some minor injuries.
He wasn't complaining though, after all he had found a way to use his abilities. And he liked them very much, against weaker willed opponents it worked very well.
His thoughts drifted towards Mattie and Saranda. Was it just him, or had they grown distant these days? Levi used to spend everyday in their company, for two years straight they had been together.
Did he miss them?
'When did I become so cringe..?'
Letting out a sigh, he got up and put on his warm clothes. He observed the patients in the healing house, the nurses were handling their jobs efficiently. There was no need for him to intervene, so he got out the clinic to take a walk outside.
'I wonder where Leana is..'
It was early in the morning, the people had not gotten out to the streets yet. Added to the fact that a horde tried to invade their town, the villagers were staying in their houses.
He walked through the streets, exploring the town like he never had before. The town was not big, and it was not pretty looking either. It was your simple village in the outskirts.
Eventually, after a short walk, he ended up in a graveyard. Well, not exactly a graveyard. In this world, burying a dead body was quite dangerous, as it could be turned to an undead. So, the people burned the remains of their deceased ones. This place was more of a memorial rather than a graveyard.
Leana was there too, so he walked towards her and spoke.
"The head nurse is slacking off, it seems."
The woman seemed a bit startled, she looked at him with wide eyes for a second. Then she calmed herself, letting out a sigh.
"Most of the patients were taken care of, so I left the rest to the others." Her gaze analyzed him from head to toe. "Are you in any condition to be walking?"
"I am doing just fine. My injuries were not severe." He walked next to her. "Mourning someone?"
As he looked down at the memorial, a certain memory flashed through his eyes. Although, to Leana he would seem completely normal, while on the inside he was quite shocked.
[In memory of Azel.]
The same name the bandit girl cried out when Levi killed one of them.
"Yes, these two were friends of mine." She pointed towards the two memorials. "They were in the hunting party of our town. Unfortunately, during their last mission they were murdered by a vile Fae."
Levi was silent, his face utterly devoid of any emotions.
"They were murdered the same day you three arrived at our village. What a big coincidence this all is." Leana let out a short chuckle, but unlike before, this chuckle was not filled with the warmth she used to carry.
"How sad it must be for you." Levi's tone dripped with false sincerity and sarcasm. But, Leana did not seem to rise up to his bait. Instead, she stayed silent.
Whatever this hunting group was doing, they must have been doing it without the knowledge of the leader. Otherwise, the three would have been dealt with the day they arrived.
'I need to warn the others.'
He thought to himself, and left her alone.