Chapter 45
Chapter 45
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: Wild Wolves
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The Steel Wolf Guild's nine elite operatives.
Wild Wolves.
The Wild Wolves originally referred to the packs racing along the western ridges.
Having survived the wild plains, they were massive in size and fiercely combative.
The Steel Wolf Guild's elite squad was just like those Wild Wolves.
Each one, like Rafila with his ironclad build, boasted enormous frames and superior combat prowess.
Even the hot-tempered members of the Steel Wolf Guild tucked tail before them.
They bore the scars of those fists and weapons all too well.
And right now.
One of the Wild Wolves appeared on the roof of the inn in Sahā Village.
The man's name was Balop, his bear-like bulk the result of honing the skill he'd stumbled upon as a child: Body Growth [C].
Overlapping with his growth spurt, his body had ballooned to monstrous proportions.
Shouldering his two-handed axe, he flashed a greedy grin.
He'd been the first to spot the ones the guild master sought.
'Heh heh, jackpot for me.'
Ever since Liren, Rafila's brother, had been killed.
The guild master had put a bounty on the culprit and scoured high and low.
But the perp had evaded capture ever since.
So Rafila had upped the bounty even higher.
It was now enough to turn even the Wild Wolves' heads.
'Gonna pocket a fat bonus this time.'
He'd already sent word to Rafila's side.
All that was left was to hold them until he arrived.
But Balop's instincts were sharp.
'For some reason, those bastards seem to have sniffed us out.'
Balop sat on the inn roof, stroking his short brown beard.
Currently, two were training in the nearby open square.
One was a boy with black ears and four tails.
The other was a dour-looking man whose strength was impossible to gauge.
There had been a Half Dark Elf too, at first.
But in the blink of an eye, the Half Dark Elf had vanished without a trace.
'Whatever it is, I can't let that little brat slip away too.'
So he'd notified Rafila and had them surrounded, waiting.
But then.
Those two had noticed their presence.
They'd played it cool, barely showing a sign.
But Balop's keen senses had picked it up.
'This is bad.'
The Half Dark Elf had slipped away in that split-second distraction.
Meaning these two could do the same.
Balop didn't agonize long.
He gripped his two-handed axe tight.
'If they've caught on...'
No need to wait for the guild master or the other Wild Wolves.
'Especially since...'
Boom!
He smashed through the inn roof and swung his two-handed axe down.
Target: the suspicious, dour-looking man.
This guy was the real deal, not the Sword-Tooth Clan kid.
Crimson flames erupted along his axe blade.
Blazing Descent [A]
Fiery axe cleave from above
'I've always preferred this—it suits my temper better!'
The scarlet blaze engulfed the square, scorching everything in its path.
Onlookers passing by gasped and turned toward the commotion.
But they paled at the sight of Steel Wolf Guild members encircling the area.
Sahā Village was a dungeon town teeming with Pioneers.
And those Pioneers knew the Steel Wolf Guild's infamous reputation all too well.
Fearing getting dragged in, they scattered quickly.
"Control the area, everyone."
"No civilians get through from here on out."
As Balop moved, the Steel Wolf Guild locked down the perimeter.
At the same time, inside the square.
Balop peered past his axe.
There stood the dour man he'd targeted moments ago.
He'd blocked the rooftop axe strike with one hand on a slim sword.
Their eyes met across the blade and axe.
Balop felt himself drawn into the man's pitch-black pupils.
The sensation twisted into a savage grin on Balop's face.
"You're a monster, aren't you?"
Balop was a 14-Ascension Pioneer.
Not hero-tier, but a renowned high-rank Pioneer.
Yet he felt intimidated by the man before him.
'This guy's on the guild master's level—hero-grade?'
This was bigger than expected.
But Balop's battle lust only surged higher.
He was a thrill-seeker who lived for the fight.
Still, his mind stayed cool, assessing the situation.
"You lot! The beastkin kid's bolting! I'll handle this one—grab him first!"
In the gap from Balop's axe swing, the Sword-Tooth kid had vanished.
Couldn't let that bonus slip away.
"Hah."
Then a scoff escaped the dour man's lips.
Balop furrowed his brow, unsure of the meaning.
But the man looked at him with pity.
"Dealing with the likes of me."
A murderous aura began seeping from his body.
Balop reacted instantly, swinging his axe horizontally.
But the man vanished from view, reappearing behind him.
Seeing it, Balop realized he was dealing with an assassin class.
Yet the surging sword strike held more than assassin power.
Boom!
Balop's hastily swung two-handed axe clashed with the sword.
A numbing jolt shot through his hands.
'He's got swordsman class too.'
An assassin-swordsman hybrid.
A trickier opponent than expected.
"You have no idea what you've done to yourselves."
"Tch, cocky just 'cause you've got some skill? I don't back down from this."
"That's what I'm telling you."
The Empire's covert underworld knight order.
Night Crow's Fifth Sword.
Five.
Black Aura Surge
A ferocious black aura poured from his blade.
"The moment you deemed me 'skilled,' you lost your future."
The real disaster was about to crash down here.
Boom! Crash!
The explosive clashes between Balop and Five echoed everywhere.
Amid the blasts.
Hanok moved silently, holding his breath.
The method of erasing presence that Five had taught him.
No need for skills.
The world held all sorts of techniques.
Among them, those born from Ascension-forged hardy bodies.
This peculiar gait: Ghost Step.
An original technique Hanok learned from Five.
Not as potent as a skill, but it muffled footsteps maximally.
And one more thing.
Hanok could layer traits via his living armor, Haron.
Smoke cloaked Hanok's form as it faded into transparency.
From his diligent dungeon runs with Haron.
Haron had reached Corruption Level 2.
Awakening the skill:
Low rank meant it'd be spotted if looked for closely.
But in this chaotic melee? Different story.
Ghost Step plus Landscape Integration.
Technique and skill turned Hanok into an assassin this instant.
From the smoke, his one-handed spear shot out.
Target: the Steel Wolf Guild member charging to find him.
Hanok's unhesitating thrust pierced the man's throat.
Splat!
"Guh?!"
Too late when he noticed.
The spear tip tore muscle and shattered bone.
A warrior-class blow packed with power.
No frail human neck could withstand it.
-INSTANT KILL
Throat pierced: Muscle torn, bone shattered
Hanok withdrew the spear through the punctured throat and leaped back.
The timid, meek Hanok of before was gone.
In battle, Hanok was the ultimate hunter.
He spotted the next target beyond the collapsing guild member.
Whoosh!
Hanok's shield flew from his hand.
"Wha, shit?!"
The man, seeing his comrade fall late, swatted the incoming shield with his sword.
Boom!
The guild member who struck the shield snapped his head up.
Too late—he realized his mistake.
Filling his vision: Hanok in wolf form.
Wolf Leap [A]
Instant distance closure
Hanok's bright yellow eyes flashed.
His one-handed spear lanced like lightning.
Splat!
The spear pierced the guild member's face.
Embedding deep, it scrambled the brain and burst out the other side.
Thud!
Hanok kicked off the man's chest mid-impale, yanking the spear free.
The head-exploded guild member crumpled to the ground.
Blood splattered Hanok's face.
His expression unchanged, he extended a hand sideways.
Whirr!
A line shot from his hand, coiling around the shield.
Haron's extra transformation.
Whoosh!
The tugged shield returned to Hanok's grip.
Perfect sync between Hanok and Haron.
Hanok exhaled sharply.
He realized he'd grown far stronger than before.
'My attack style was always hard to vary.'
Lessons from Five, Haron from Leyzon.
His combat had become far more versatile.
Hanok snorted energetically.
'All thanks to Leyzon.'
Leyzon had invested to make him grow—for real.
Leyzon's words echoed.
'Leyzon gave me this chance.'
Hanok was starting to feel its true value.
Then it was his turn to seize it.
Hanok's eyes gleamed coldly.
These guys targeted not just him, but Leyzon too.
He'd never forgive anyone who dared go after Leyzon.
His ears twitched.
Hanok's feet slid back, body twisting.
A spiked chain hurtled in.
He glimpsed the weight narrowly grazing past.
Bang!
Mid-air, the weight abruptly changed course.
Hanok jerked his head back from the incoming projectile.
Then flipped mid-air to right himself.
His ears and tails bristled.
Instinctual reaction to sensing a superior foe.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The weight twisted relentlessly through the air, gunning for Hanok.
He didn't swing his spear recklessly.
Instead, he deflected with his shield, retreating.
The impacts thudded heavily against it.
Beyond the shield: the wielder.
A man with deep navy hair.
Cold eyes fixed on Hanok as he swung the weight two-handed.
A serious powerhouse.
This way, the shield would shatter first.
Hanok tracked the weight's path ceaselessly.
It seemed freeform, but had patterns.
Moving only after fixed distances.
Hanok sensed it intuitively.
Whoosh!
As it twisted again, Hanok ducked forward.
His spear bent, thrusting toward a nearby wall.
The chain's tip hooked the blade.
"Hup!"
Hanok shoved the spear in fully.
Kaboom!
The chain embedded, draping the wall.
Turning, Hanok's eyes widened at the weight flying for his gut.
There was more than one.
Realizing late, he twisted away.
Too slow.
Splat!
His side exploded in pain; Hanok flew through the air.
Tumbling, breath caught—he clutched his throat.
But another weight incoming; no time.
Right hand empty.
Price of using the spear to snare a chain.
Hanok raised his shield against the weight.
Boom!
His body staggered.
The attacker now swung one-handed.
Could have from the start—feinted to trick him.
Throbbing side hampered quick moves.
Shield blocking, but damage stacking.
Hanok drew a deep breath.
Opponent stronger than him.
At least 9 or 10 Ascension Pioneer.
'Then...'
One way.
To beat a superior foe, no head-on clash.
Introduce a variable.
Resolved, Hanok gripped his shield tight.
'Timing.'
Eyes locked on the weight.
Boom! Bang!
It twisted mid-air, charging again.
'Now!'
As it flew in, Hanok thrust the shield up.
Thud!
The weight glanced off, launching skyward.
Perfect timing deflected it.
In that split-second gap.
Boom!
Hanok surged forward without hesitation.
The man—Sorza—reacted with disbelief.
A 10-Ascension Chain Master.
Two full Ascensions above Hanok.
'Thinks closing distance wins this?'
Sorza sneered, yanking the chain hand.
The chain writhed like it had a mind.
If the weight was the snake's head.
The chain was its binding body.
Chain Bind [B]
Serpentine restraint
The chain coiled toward Hanok.
Seeing it, Hanok spun, powering his shield.
Whoosh!
He released the shield.
It rocketed like a cannonball at Sorza.
Sorza hesitated.
Didn't expect the shield toss.
Canceled Chain Bind, yanked to block the shield first.
Thud!
The heavy chain deflected the shield outward.
Hanok closed distance, but both hands empty now.
Spear used to snag one chain; shield just spent.
Utterly unarmed.
Sorza pulled to finish him.
Boom!
Explosive force from the weight hurled it at Hanok again.
Already hit once on the side.
Another would end him.
In that dire moment.
Hanok stepped forward—then flinched, freezing.
His body locked.
"Urk!"
Side injury wrecked his stance.
Joy and despair crossed their eyes.
The weight seized the chance, lunging.
Kaboom!
It smashed straight into Hanok's back.
Back muscles and wing bones would've shredded.
Retirement for sure.
Sorza moved to retrieve—
Thud!
Hanok exploded forward from his grounded stance.
"What?!"
Sorza's eyes bulged in shock.
Definite direct hit.
Yet moving?
Caught off-guard by the unforeseen, his reaction lagged.
Hanok didn't miss it.
Assuming wolf form, Hanok blitzed forward.
Filling Sorza's vision.
Sorza gritted his teeth.
Hanok empty-handed anyway.
Dropping the unusable chain, hand to waist.
Drew sword to swing—
Too late: Hanok's jaws parted.
"―――――!"
Primal Roar [B]
Sonic shockwave disrupts mind
The roar's shockwave rattled Sorza's brain.
Hanok's form doubled in his vision.
Then he noticed Hanok's right hand drawn back.
Black and white fluids jetted like lines from it.
Clang!
The hooked spear yanked free from the wall.
Sorza realized those fluids had blocked his weight.
Leyzon's gift: living armor Haron.
Hanok had bet on its defense, gone all-in.
Half-success.
Haron's Corruption Level still low.
Couldn't fully block.
Hanok took the hit too.
But still.
He could move!
Like Leyzon against the Judgment Lord's retainer.
Flesh offered, bones taken—brutal resolve.
Spear reclaimed, Hanok whipped the line hard.
The hooked spear arced through the sky.
Splat!
It grazed Sorza's throat, mind shaken by Primal Roar.
Too shallow.
Not lethal.
Hanok's hand shot forward viciously.
Sword-Tooth Fangs [B]
Sword-Tooth Clan fist strike
His hand became razor fangs, shredding Sorza's throat.
Crash!
Decapitated Sorza and Hanok tumbled across the ground.
Sorza gurgled blood and died.
Hanok felt throbbing pain in his side and back.
"Heh, heh heh."
Yet Hanok laughed.
With Haron, sure—but a two-Ascension gap.
Overcoming it, he clenched his fist.
Gotta brag to Leyzon later.
Laughing even now.
In every way, Hanok was starting to resemble Leyzon.