(Arin's POV)
Five in the morning at the Lion Academy's North Gate felt far colder than a loan shark's smile. The sun had not yet fully risen. The eastern sky only left a faint streak of dark purple. Thick fog still tightly embraced the cobblestone path leading to the snowy mountains in the distance, as if deliberately hiding the dangers lurking beneath its white blanket.
I stood leaning against a sturdy gate pillar, yawning widely until my jaw felt stiff. My body was clad in refurbished hand-me-down Mithril armor. Beside me, Erika was busy chewing toast with half-closed eyes, still heavily sleepy. Both of us wore standard adventurer gear consisting of warm thick wool cloaks, sturdy leather boots, and efficient logistics bags. Practical, inconspicuous, and combat ready.
"They are two minutes late," I muttered, glancing at my mechanical watch with its cracked glass. "Nobles and their highly flexible concept of time."
"Maybe they are busy choosing the right perfume to fight monsters," replied Erika with a mouth full of bread. Crumbs fell, dirtying her cloak. "You know, wolves have a sharp sense of smell. Maybe they want the monster to die from the scent of lavender."
Right as those words were spoken, the sound of horse hooves and carriage wheels approached from the direction of the academy's main road. Not just one carriage, but three luxurious horse-drawn carriages bearing different family crests stopped right in front of the gate.
The carriage doors opened one by one, and a winter fashion parade commenced.
Elena Rhyms stepped down first. She did not wear an ordinary adventurer's cloak. The girl wore a thick white fox fur coat that swept her ankles, making her look exactly like a Winter Queen conducting a sudden inspection of her colonies. Her new magic staff, made of white Birch wood inlaid with blue crystals, glowed dimly matching her sapphire earrings. Beautiful, indeed, but incredibly conspicuous in the middle of a forest.
Next, Rose Carlos jumped down with entirely unnecessary acrobatic flair. She wore tight maroon leather armor, showing off her athletic curves coated with pure gold plates on the shoulders and knees. Her Rapier hung diagonally at her waist in a provocative dueling style. She looked like she was heading to a war-themed dance party, not hunting wild monsters.
Then, Kars Benzzi stepped down with great difficulty. He carried a mountain backpack twice the size of his own body. The bag looked so full its seams were stretching. On his back was strapped the menacing Black Mace given by Celia. His face was full of determination, but his legs trembled slightly bearing the carried weight.
And finally, Celia Alphine.
She stepped down with a heavy and solid clank. The girl wore metallic black Full Plate Armor forged by her own family. The armor looked incredibly thick and sturdy, complete with a closed helmet tucked under her arm. In her hand, she held a giant Halberd taller than herself.
I massaged my temples, which suddenly throbbed with pain. This team was truly the definition of a mixed bag.
"We are going to hunt monsters that have a sharp sense of smell and sensitive hearing," I said flatly as they gathered. White steam escaped my mouth as I spoke. "Why are you dressed as if going to a military parade or a costume party?"
Rose tossed her red hair haughtily. "Style is a part of intimidation, Partner. Monsters must know who killed them so they can die with honor. Besides, red conceals bloodstains."
"This is the latest Alphine prototype armor," answered Celia stiffly, tapping her chest plate which produced a sharp ding. "I need field data for low-temperature endurance tests and joint mobility in snowy terrain."
"And I..." Kars pointed to his giant bag proudly, though his breath was already starting to pant. "...I brought a luxury tent, a magic stove, a complete tea set, and wagyu beef for lunch. Logistics are the key to victory, right?"
Erika choked on her bread. "Wagyu beef?! Are we going on a picnic or to war?!"
"Enough," interrupted Elena, planting her staff into the freezing ground. "The sooner we leave, the sooner we return. I do not want to miss my nap time."
I exhaled a long sigh. "Suit yourselves. Just do not ask to be carried when you get tired. Let us move."
We began the ascent.
The terrain of the Northern Mountain Forest was far more brutal than the humid Swamp Forest. Calf-deep snow made every step feel heavy, forcing leg muscles to work twice as hard. The air grew thinner as the altitude increased, forcing lungs to pump faster. Giant pine trees towered high, blocking most of the sunlight and creating long shadows that could hide anything.
However, this was where our formation would be tested.
"Stop for a moment," I ordered as we entered a dense and flat pine forest area. "We cannot walk bunched together like tourists."
I looked at them one by one. My tactical brain began assembling the puzzle pieces of their abilities.
"Hexagon Formation," I decided. "This is a six-sided mobile defense formation. Listen carefully to your roles."
I pointed at Kars. "Kars, you are in front with me. You are the main Tank. Your physique is strong, and your mace can shatter enemy defenses. Your task is simple; take the first impact and do not step back."
Kars nodded firmly while adjusting his large bag. "Leave it to me. I will not step back."
"Celia," I turned to the iron maiden. "You are in the middle right. Your Halberd's reach is a kill zone. Anything that slips past the front line or tries to flank from the right, slash them. You are also Elena's main protector."
Celia only gave a brief nod. Her eyes scanned the trees on the right side warily.
"Rose, you are in the middle left. Your speed is needed to intercept agile enemies. If anyone tries to attack Erika, pierce them."
"Ready, Boss," answered Rose with a lazy grin.
"Elena and Erika, you two are in the back. Elena, you are the field controller. Use ice magic to slow down or lock enemy movements. Erika, you are heavy artillery. Blow up anything large and stubborn."
"Kars, shift a little to the left. You are blocking Erika's line of fire," I corrected while adjusting their positions.
"Ready!" Kars obeyed, although his breathing was already growing heavy.
I glanced at Celia behind Kars. The iron maiden was silently observing Kars's back. Not with the condescending gaze from before, but with an assessing look. She saw Kars not complaining a single word despite carrying the heaviest burden in difficult terrain. Kars was proving his fangs in the simplest way possible: endurance.
Two hours passed. We were far above the snow line.
The forest atmosphere changed drastically. The birds that had been chirping at the foot of the mountain were now silent. Even the sound of the wind seemed stifled by something pressing down on the atmosphere.
"Stop," I whispered, raising my right hand encased in the Feather-Touch glove.
"What is it, Arin?" asked Elena. Her voice sounded slightly tense. She could sense the change in mana in the air.
"Dead Zone," I answered.
I pointed forward. In a small clearing covered by pure white snow, lay a large red stain and a heap of flesh.
We approached warily, weapons drawn.
It was the carcass of a Polar Bear. A Peak Tier 2 Monster. A creature possessing skin as thick as carriage tires and the strength to tear steel. Usually, these bears were the kings in this territory.
However, its current condition was horrific.
Its head was crushed beyond recognition, merging with its shoulders. Its ribs were caved inward, making its chest concave like a soup bowl. There were no slash or bite wounds.
I knelt to examine the carcass with my glove. The blood was still fresh, not yet fully frozen.
"Its ribs were crushed to powder," I analyzed, feeling a chill crawl up my spine. I could imagine the strength required to do this. "This is not the bite of an ordinary predator. The killer did not use claws or fangs to kill."
"Then what?" asked Rose. Her hand touched her Rapier hilt, her eyes alert.
"A blunt impact at supersonic speed," I answered, standing up slowly. "This Sigma Wolf does not bite its prey to death. It punches or rams it until shattered merely for pleasure."
Kars's face paled. "Punching a bear until it dents? What kind of monster is that?"
Suddenly, the ground beneath our feet vibrated.
Thump... Thump... Thump...
The vibration was rhythmic and fast. Like the trampling of hundreds of panicked feet. Snow fell from the tree branches.
"Twelve o'clock!" shouted Celia, pointing her Halberd toward the upper slope.
From behind the trees ahead of us, toward the mountain peak, a white wave emerged.
It was a pack of White Wolves. Tier 1 monsters that usually hunted in highly coordinated packs. There were about twenty to thirty of them.
They were running toward us at full speed. Their eyes glowed red, their mouths foaming.
"Defensive formation!" shouted Kars. He dropped his heavy logistics bag and raised his Black Mace with both hands. "They are charging!"
"Wait," said Rose. Her eyes narrowed sharply. "Something is strange."
Right. Those wolves were not howling in attack. Their tails were tucked between their hind legs. Their ears were pinned back. They were not running in a neat wolf formation to encircle prey. They collided with each other, overtook one another, and some even slipped.
"They are not attacking us," I realized upon seeing the pure terror in the beasts' eyes. "They are running away from something up there!"
But their escape route passed through the narrow gap in the trees right where we stood. We were a rock in the middle of a river experiencing a flash flood.
"No time to step aside!" I shouted, drawing my Adamantium sword. "Hold them back! Do not let the formation break or we will be trampled to death!"
The twenty panicked wolves crashed into our line like a deadly white wave.
"Advance!" roared Kars.
A leading wolf, the largest one, jumped at Kars with its mouth open in panic. Kars did not retreat. He activated his Senior Aura, making his muscles harden like stone.
Kars swung his Black Mace with a brutal upper-swing motion, from bottom to top.
CRACK!
The wolf's head shattered instantly upon meeting the iron ridges of the mace. The eighty-kilogram wolf's body was thrown to the side like a rag doll, dying instantly.
"Good, Benzzi! Hold your position!" praised Celia from behind.
Celia spun her Halberd above her head. The terrifying whoosh sound of the wind could be heard.
SLASH!
The long axe blade decapitated two wolves at once that tried to slip past Kars's right side. Blood spurted onto the white snow, hot and red. Celia's reach turned the right area into an absolute kill zone.
"Do not forget us!" exclaimed Rose.
A wolf managed to slip through the left side, targeting Erika in the back who was chanting. The wolf jumped, its fangs aiming for Erika's neck.
Rose moved. She did not look like she was running; she looked like she was dancing on ice. Her Rapier pierced three times in one second.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
Vital points in the neck, eyes, and heart of the wolf were pierced with deadly accuracy. The wolf collapsed at Rose's feet, its momentum halted completely.
"Above!" shouted Erika. Her eyes stared at the tree branches.
Three wolves jumped from a high rock, trying to leap over the front line, me and Kars, to attack the mages in the back. A vertical flanking strategy.
Elena raised her staff calmly. Her face was cold, showing not the slightest panic. The air around us froze.
"Ice Bind."
Chains of ice materialized from thin air, binding the legs of the three wolves mid-air. They were suspended, hanging helplessly like gruesome Christmas ornaments.
"Erika, now!" ordered Elena.
"Mana Bullet!" shouted Erika.
She scattered her mana into dozens of small projectiles like buckshot, maximizing the area of effect.
BLAM!
The three bound wolves were shattered, rained upon by mana bullets. Blood and ice mixed, raining down on us.
I stood in the front, decapitating a wolf trying to bite my leg with a minimalist movement.
"Do not be lured forward!" I shouted a reminder. "Stay tight! Kars, do not be too aggressive!"
Kars almost advanced to chase an injured wolf, but stopped upon hearing my shout. If he advanced, a gap in the line would open. He stepped back, closing the gap beside me.
"Sorry!" exclaimed Kars while smashing another one with his mace.
In less than two minutes, the twenty wolves were finished. Some died, some managed to slip past our sides and continued running down the mountain, heedless of their dead comrades.
Their carcasses were scattered around us, staining the snow an abstract red. Blood vapor billowed in the cold air.
"Hah... hah..." Kars lowered his mace. His breathing was ragged, but his face was full of euphoria. He looked at the corpses around him. "We... we finished them all? Without a scratch?"
"Solid teamwork," praised Rose while cleaning blood from her sword with an elegant flicking motion. "You guys are pretty good for beginners."
Celia nodded at Kars. Her gaze was full of appreciation. "Your stance is sturdy. You did not waver when rammed. That is a good Center of Gravity."
Kars smiled broadly, proud to be praised by Celia. His fatigue seemingly vanished.
"Do not celebrate just yet," I cut in coldly.
Everyone turned to me. I did not sheathe my sword. I was still staring toward the mountain peak. Toward the increasingly thick white fog.
"Why, Arin?" asked Elena, approaching while keeping her staff ready. "The enemies are finished, right?"
"They ran in fear, Elena," I mumbled. My eyes never left the shadow behind the fog. "Wolves are fearless predators. If twenty wolves run frantically like rabbits, crashing into anything in front of them, it means whatever is behind them is far more terrifying than death itself."
Suddenly, the wind stopped blowing.
The sounds of the forest died completely. No sound of rustling leaves, no sound of escaping wolves' breath.
The snow, which had been falling diagonally due to the wind, now fell straight down. A gripping silence descended, enveloping the forest, pressing upon our chests with an invisible weight. A dense and suffocating aura began to seep into the pores of our skin.
Crows in the distance flew away in unison, leaving the sky empty.
From atop an ice cliff towering fifty meters ahead of us, a massive shadow leaped down.
It landed without a sound.
Thump.
The snow around it did not scatter. Its landing was so smooth and controlled, indicating perfect mastery of muscle and mana. A contrast to its massive body.
The creature stood tall.
Its size was that of a minivan. Its fur was not ordinary white, but a metallic silver white gleaming like armor. All over its body, there were natural red line patterns pulsating, as if its blood vessels were outside its skin, pumping boundless power. Its tail was long and thick, flicking slowly yet strongly.
It raised its head. Its eyes, those eyes were not the eyes of an animal. They were eyes possessing human intelligence, full of the cruelty, arrogance, and boredom of an unmatched king.
The Sigma Direwolf.
"Ugh..." Kars unconsciously took a step back. His face was deathly pale. The aura pressure from the monster made him breathless. His knees trembled.
"This... this is no ordinary Tier 3," whispered Rose. Her voice lost its playful tone. "This pressure, this is a Pseudo-Tier 4."
Erika trembled behind me, her staff nearly slipping from her sweaty hands. "A-Arin... is that... is that the monster we are going to hunt? It... it is smiling?"
Indeed. The monster smirked, displaying rows of canine teeth as sharp as crystal daggers. Hot steam escaped from between its teeth.
Elena and Rose tensed, realizing the opponent before them existed in a different dimension of power than the wolf pack earlier. Our Hexagon strategy might not be enough.
However, amidst my friends' fear, I felt something else.
Inside my chest, my Piston Heart beat rapidly.
THUMP... THUMP... THUMP...
Not out of fear. But due to resonance. My heart responded to the existence of that monster's dual hearts. My Mana Void body screamed in hunger.
To them, Sigma was death.
To me, it was my power.
I smiled. A hungry smile that might look crazy to others.
I stepped forward, detaching myself from the defensive formation, standing alone before the King of the Mountain.
"We finally meet," I whispered. My eyes locked onto the monster's chest pulsating red. I could hear the beat of its dual hearts from here. A beautiful rhythm.
And the Sigma stared back at me. Its intelligent eyes narrowed. It realized that among those frightened sheep, there was another wolf. A defective little wolf, yet possessing the same hunger as itself.
It lowered its body, preparing to pounce.
The real fight had just begun.