Finn and the others stood frozen, their eyes wide with terror as they watched the enormous Alpha Phantom Wind Wolf charging toward them. Fear gripped them, causing their bodies to shake violently like leaves in a storm.
"It's using a Wind Bomb—what a cunning wolf," Gregor muttered under his breath. "If that bomb hits the village, everyone will perish. I have to stop this."
With determination, Gregor channeled all his Mana into his legs and activated the Windguard Step. In an instant, he became a green blur racing after the Alpha.
As the wind bomb fully formed, it howled through the air, splitting everything in its path apart. A deep trench carved itself wherever it traveled, sending shockwaves rippling outward.
Just as the wind bomb was mere meters from the village entrance, Gregor appeared above it like a specter. Gripping his sword with both hands, he summoned all his strength for a downward strike.
"Level 3 Knight Skill — Steelbreaker Slash!"
His sword sliced cleanly through the wind bomb, splitting it in two and sending each half flying in opposite directions.
BOOM! BOOM!
The explosive sounds echoed across the landscape as the village's fence was uprooted and shattered into splinters. Two massive craters formed where the wind bomb had detonated, leaving devastation stretching fifty to a hundred meters around—pits and cracks marred what once was solid ground.
Finn and the others were knocked backward by the force of the shockwaves, still paralyzed by fear.
Seeing its attack thwarted momentarily stunned the Alpha Phantom Wind Wolf. Its fur bristled as its giant eyes filled with dread; it sensed an overwhelming threat—a life-or-death danger looming over it.
Before it could react further, Gregor descended upon it like a tempest. His gaze was cold as he spun mid-air to deliver one final blow; all his remaining Mana concentrated on his blade which shimmered with green light.
"Time to die!"
The sword flashed through the Alpha's neck in one swift motion. The howling winds fell silent as its head spun away before crashing to the ground.
The Alpha's eyes remained wide open in fear and disbelief as life faded from them slowly.
Its massive headless body collapsed with a thunderous boom, blood gushing from its neck and pooling around it.
Gregor landed heavily on top of the fallen wolf. As he lay there, exhaustion washed over him; sweat dripped down his pale forehead while pain radiated from numerous wounds across his body. His armor bore deep gashes and cracks; blood trickled from his mouth as he struggled to catch his breath amidst overwhelming agony.
The moon cast a bright glow over the grassland while a gentle breeze returned,the metallic scent of blood hung thick in the air.
"What... what just happened?"
Finn and the others slowly rose from the ground, their minds still disoriented. They were completely shaken, convinced they were done for when they spotted the Alpha charging toward the village with its massive mouth wide open.
"I think that warrior saved us," Bram said as he helped the Deputy Chief up from the ground. "Chief, are you alright? I told you not to come here; it's dangerous! If I hadn't acted quickly and shielded you with my body, you'd be joining the ancestors by now."
"Brat, are you wishing for me to die so soon?" The old man tapped Bram on the head with his cane, glaring at him.
Bram rubbed his chin sheepishly as he assisted the old man in standing upright.
"Deputy Chief, come look at this!" Finn's voice cut through their conversation.
As the villagers approached the destroyed fence, they were left speechless. The barrier they had painstakingly built was completely gone; outside the village lay a scene of utter devastation,craters and pits scattered everywhere.
The surrounding land for hundreds of meters was laid bare; all grass and small trees had been uprooted and blown away.
"Look! It seems...the Alpha Phantom Wind Wolf is dead," Finn pointed at the massive corpse of the Alpha.
They all swallowed hard at the sight of its headless body, their hearts racing in disbelief.
The Alpha Phantom Wind Wolf that had terrorized their village for months, causing countless deaths and suffering, was finally dead. Their worst enemy,the source of countless sleepless nights,was gone for good.
"Is it dead?" A voice from the crowd finally shattered the silence.
As if awakening from a trance, everyone took deep, cold breaths, astonishment washing over them like a wave.
"I think it's dead; its head was cut off," Finn said hoarsely, squeezing his wife's hand. The creature that had brought him so much sadness and pain was finally gone, completely dead.
"Hahaha! The Phantom Wind Wolf is finally dead!"
"We don't have to live in fear anymore."
"Yeah! Those cursed wolves are gone; we can finally breathe again!"
Cheers erupted from the crowd as joy lit up their faces.
"Deputy Chief, the wolves are gone! We don't have to live in fear anymore!" Bram exclaimed, shaking the old man with excitement in his eyes.
"Brat, take it easy! Are you trying to shake this old man to death?" the Deputy Chief scolded Bram, though the joy in his own eyes couldn't be hidden.
"Finally, everything will be back to normal," he muttered under his breath with a heavy sigh of relief.
Suddenly, a voice interrupted their celebration. "Hey, look! It seems there's someone on top of the wolf's body!"
The old man stepped forward and confirmed that there was indeed someone lying atop the massive creature.
"Quick! It's the Warrior! Hurry and help him; I think he's injured!" he urged when he saw the figure sprawled across the wolf's body.
Bram, Finn, and a few others rushed out of the village toward the Alpha Phantom Wind Wolf. They paused for a moment at its gigantic form, left speechless by its size.
"Wow! What a huge body. I wonder how much meat we could get from this giant!" Bram said dreamily.
BAM!
Finn knocked him on the head and said sternly, "Stop daydreaming and help us!"
"Yes... yes..." Bram snapped back to reality as he quickly climbed onto the wolf's body alongside the others.
"His injuries are pretty bad," Finn observed as he examined Gregor's wounds. "I think he sustained these while blocking an attack meant for us."
"Quick! Let him down!" Finn insisted. With everyone's help, they carefully lowered Gregor from the enormous corpse and brought him into the village.
"Deputy Chief, I think he's badly injured and needs immediate medical attention," Finn informed the old man urgently.
"Pu… put me down!" Gregor's faint voice interrupted them just then.
"You heard him; put him down," ordered the old man firmly.
Finn and his companions complied gently as they set Gregor on solid ground. He struggled but managed to sit up slowly. Reaching into one of his waist pouches, he pulled out a small vial filled with dark green liquid. After twisting off its cork and pouring it into his mouth without hesitation, he sat cross-legged with closed eyes.
Finn and the others wore puzzled expressions as they watched Gregor.
"Deputy Chief, what's he doing?" Bram asked, voicing what everyone was thinking.
The old man stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I believe that liquid is a Mana Restoration Potion. It helps Warriors recover their Mana and stabilizes their injuries."
Understanding dawned on Finn and the others as they turned their attention back to Gregor, who still had his eyes closed.
Ten minutes later, Gregor finally opened his eyes, a flicker of green light shining within them. Color returned to his pale face as his wounds ceased bleeding. With a soft exhale, he slowly stood up and stretched his limbs.
The Potion had stabilized his Mana and closed a few minor wounds but a deep ache still settled in his bones. It would do for now.
"Hello, I'm the Deputy Chief of Wrenford Village," the old man said, stepping in front of Gregor and bowing slightly.
Gregor raised an eyebrow but smiled and nodded in acknowledgment.
"You must be the help that the Village Chief found in Greyvale City, right?" Finn asked from the side.
"Yes, that's me," Gregor replied. "Where is the Village Chief?"
The old man and the others exchanged confused glances. "What do you mean? I thought he was the one who sought help from you?"
Gregor realized they didn't understand that he hadn't taken the mission directly from their Village Chief.
He scratched his head and explained, "Well, your Village Chief posted the mission at the Adventurer Guild for someone to complete it. I took on that mission and now need his verification to receive my reward."
Once again, confusion washed over them; they didn't grasp what an Adventurer Guild was or what he meant by all this.
Rubbing his temples in frustration, Gregor waved his hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it."
He looked around before continuing. "But I do need your village's assistance."
"Oh, whatever help you need, we'll provide it! It's the least we can do after everything you've done for us," said the old man eagerly.
"Good," Gregor replied with a smile. "I need your help with the bodies of those Phantom Wind Wolves; I need you to extract their blood essence for me."
He turned to the old man again. "Surely there's someone among you experienced in extracting blood essence?"
"Yes," replied the old man while pointing at Finn. "He is knowledgeable in that area."
Finn puffed out his chest proudly as he looked at Gregor and nodded.
"Alright then," Gregor said with a smile. "I'll need your assistance with extracting the blood essence."
"And I also require their fangs and claws, along with the head and Beast Core of the Alpha wolf,plus Beast Cores from all other wolves,and their fur. You can keep any remaining meat or parts for yourselves."
Excitement lit up in the villagers' eyes at this news; meat from a magical beast was something they had never tasted before!
The villagers' eyes sparkled with excitement when they heard Gregor's words. The prospect of tasting the meat of a magical beast was something entirely new to them, and the privilege of indulging in it was simply thrilling.
Gregor shook his head, trying to keep the mood in check. "I also left my horse on a hill a few kilometers to the north. Can you help me find my weapons? And please, clean up the blood in the area; it will attract other beasts."
"Don't worry, we'll take care of everything you've asked for. Just give us a couple of hours, and it will all be done," the old man replied with a friendly smile.
Gregor nodded. "In the meantime, I'll keep watch and protect the village until dawn. Other beasts might come because of all this commotion."
"We'll be grateful for your help," the old man said, bowing slightly, relief evident on his face.
With a nod, Gregor turned and headed outside the village.
"What are you all standing around for? Get to work! We've got a lot to do!" the old man shouted at Finn and the others.
Immediately, they hurried off, ready to tackle the task of cleaning up after the wolves.