[Author’s Note] Thank you for all your recommendations and comments. I bowed in every direction to those who even sent coupons!
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34. Wolf and Spice 100 – Wolf and Spice #1
“It just keeps popping out! Hurry, stop it! Thrust the spear!”
“Th-these things aren’t dodging…! Ugh, aaagh!”
“Don’t run away! Stay in formation! If today fails, we’ll all be kicked to the streets!”
“Get away! Save me!”
The screams of humans mixed with the howls of beasts echoed through the air.
Peeking out slightly from the cave, I scrunched my nose at the spectacle unfolding outside my fox den.
The logs crackled like campfire flames, and shadows of beasts and humans danced and intertwined, not breaking apart.
—My, my tail’s on fire! Aah, it’s hot!
“This, this thing is biting me! Someone help!”
A wolf flailed around in flames, while humans were shredded by its teeth and claws, creating a scene straight out of hell.
‘Is this the battle between humans and beasts?’
The metallic scent of iron was so strong it twisted my nose, mixed with the unpleasant aroma of burning flesh and fur. Shadows shimmered amidst the screams, and ashes wafted into the night sky, causing me to grimace.
‘This truly feels like hell.’
A man with a large feather on his head cupped his hands in front of his mouth and shouted.
“Formation! Get ready!”
At his command, the humans stood in lines like well-trained soldiers, angling their spears at the wolves.
In the front line, heavily armored infantry effortlessly blocked the wolves’ attacks with their shields and armor.
The wolves banged against the shields and armor, trying to break through the humans’ tight formation, but those grouped humans stood firm like immovable rocks.
“Alright, let’s encircle them! Push forward!”
“Huuh!”
“Huuh!”
With a collective shout, the humans began moving forward.
The wolves growled menacingly, glaring at the deadly spear tips. At this rate, they were destined to be surrounded and trapped in thick iron nets.
Indeed, several wolves and foxes were already caught in nets, whimpering pitifully.
“Good, keep up the encirclement. I’ll catch them all at once with the vine nets!”
Behind the spear-wielding humans, others were seen unfurling nets, apparently planning to capture the grouped wolves in one fell swoop.
—You filthy humans, I’ll sweep you all away!
At that moment, Kublai, the one-eyed wolf, leapt out from the cave.
“W-what the heck is that…!”
“It’s the one-eyed Tartar wolf! Given its size, that beast is the master of this forest! Stop it!”
The humans stumbled back, overwhelmed by the massive size.
Hunters in heavy plate armor at the front line were tossed into the air like dry straw from Kublai’s powerful body slams and swipes.
“Spear, throw it! Jab it!”
“L-Lord! I-it’s moving too fast to hit!”
“If you can’t hit that beast, throw down your spear, you brat! Throw it now!”
The humans hurled their long spears toward Kublai. The spears stuck into Kublai’s thick hide like porcupine quills.
Attached to the rear of those spears were long ropes, as if the humans were attempting to restrict Kublai’s movements.
—You think you can stop me with this!
Kublai shook fiercely to throw off the humans clutching the ropes. But like a hook, the spear tips remained embedded in Kublai’s body, refusing to budge.
“Alright, this big fox must be exhausted from the fight. Now’s the chance to catch it! If we get it, Count Judah—or perhaps the royal family—will reward us handsomely!”
“Squeeze every last ounce of power from your br*asts! Even if the skin peels off, don’t let go of the rope!”
The humans tightened their grip on the rope, pulling it back towards themselves.
As dozens of humans tugged on the rope like a tug-of-war, Kublai growled, “Grrr”, as it stumbled to the ground.
“It fell down! Jab it!”
“N-No! It’s getting back up!”
Kublai regained its footing almost instantly and, like a demon with a burning tail, charged through the humans mercilessly.
—Quickly, go, Borjigin! Go! I’ll make a gap! Get to the wolf den faster than the humans!
Kublai cried out as it crashed through the humans’ formation toward Borjigin.
Borjigin, who was busy tearing into a human’s neck, glanced at his father, Kublai, and nodded respectfully, lowering his head.
And then, he launched into a full-speed run with his hind legs.
“Grab the silver fur! That one has a bounty on it too!”
“That one killed cattle in the Count’s domain! There’s a bounty of 300 gold coins on that ghost wolf!”
“Th-Three hundred coins!”
The humans swung swords and spears at Borjigin as he tried to escape.
However, Borjigin zipped through the narrow gap between the humans like a skilled acrobat, his speed unbroken.
So extraordinary was his agility that it would be no surprise if they dubbed him a ghost.
Just at the moment when Kublai’s forepaw crashed into the infantry line, Borjigin darted through the gap and shouted.
—I’ll meet you in the cave, Father!
Borjigin dashed away faster than the arrows and spears the humans were hurling, disappearing into the brush.
The humans, missing out on the bounty tied to the silver-furred wolf, groaned, “Grah! 300 gold coins!” in irritation.
The human with the feather on his head bared his teeth, shaking with anger as he yelled towards his comrades.
“We cannot let the master of the forest escape! The hunter of the great sword, Batus, couldn’t manage, but we will succeed! We…! I, Max, the master archer, will capture the monster wolf!”
“B-but Captain! The resistance is too strong. We might lose it! It’s been over an hour since we set fire to the forest. At this rate, monsters from the World Tree…!”
“You useless brat, sh**t the tranquilizer! What do you think we’re going to do with those tools?”
“B-but there’s only one left! If I miss…!”
“Stop whining and give it to me! I’ll do it!”
Other humans hastily brought out a long arrow. It looked like a spear and arrow combined, with a very long stick.
The end, tipped with a sharp arrowhead, had something round and thick like a bamboo tube attached to it.
The man with the feather, probably the leader of these humans, Max, pulled out a long, large bow strapped to his back.
Without hesitation, he charged toward Kublai.
“Hold on tight! Even if your arm tears off, restrain it!”
At Max’s shout, the humans yelled in unison as they desperately pulled on the rope in their hands.
The spear embedded in Kublai caused it to wobble, one of its legs buckling.
Taking advantage of this moment, Max stretched out one arm. A projectile, resembling a hook, darted from his hand and snagged Kublai right on his forehead.
Max, grabbing the rope linked to the hook, climbed up to Kublai’s forehead.
Then, he readied his long bow against the beast’s single eye located right in the center of its forehead.
“If it’s hard to hit from afar, sh**t it up close. Even a child could hit then.”
—These filthy humans…!
The taut bowstring snapped, launching the arrow. It struck Kublai’s last remaining eye, resulting in a massive explosion.
A sharp smoke billowed out, and I held my breath.
‘This must be the tranquilizer or whatever. Is this really the end for Kublai?’
“I got it, the hunt is done! Hurry, let’s drag this one back to the eastern base!”
Max leaped off Kublai’s forehead, a bright identification tag swinging from his neck.
“You all saw, didn’t you? This is the power of the Platinum Hunter! You don’t solve everything with brute strength like Batus; you need to use your head and tools!”
Max shouted, reveling in his own accomplishments. By now, the scene had settled, and the bodies of the dead wolves and foxes lay strewn on the ground.
“Quick, gather up! By now, the monsters of the World Tree may have noticed our incursion!”
“B-but, Captain!”
“What now?!”
“Th-that wolf hasn’t fallen yet…!”
“What? What are you talking about…”
Max turned around, his mouth forming a line that looked like a frown. The lack of humor on his face sent chills down my spine.
“The tranquilizer should have the ingredients to put five elephants to sleep at once! It might not work on humans, but it should be very effective on mutts like you. What on earth is going on? Did the development team embezzle the materials again? Ugh, come on.”
Max reloaded another arrow from his quiver.
The arrowhead was buried in Kublai’s eye, which stood there like an old post.
—I am not a dog, human. A wolf can never become a dog, even in ten thousand years. I’m sickened by your chains around my neck and the food you toss me.
“What are you barking about, you mutt…!”
Max shot an arrow at Kublai’s head. Kublai seemed indifferent to evading the powerful arrow, taking it straight to the head.
However, it still took a slow step forward, bleeding from its head. The humans clutching the rope tied to the spear were being dragged down to the ground by the sheer force.
“W-what’s with this sudden surge of power?!”
“It’s trying to escape…!”
—The method of dealing with humans is always the same. Just grab the one wearing the crown.
Kublai moved slowly toward Max, who was reloading his arrow. Max shot Kublai’s head again.
The arrow hit perfectly between its brow, but Kublai didn’t flinch or scream.
Perhaps the tranquilizer they had sprayed on Kublai numbed the pain and dulled its senses.
“Oh, f*ck…! Just d*e! We don’t have time! You want us to lose everything we’ve captured!? Do something, you idiots!”
Max panicked and shouted. Thinking arrows wouldn’t work, he picked up a spear lying nearby and lunged at Kublai.
Kublai opened its enormous mouth, ready to snap down on the charging hunter.
“I’m coming for your throat!”
Max leaped into the air like a pole vaulter, and thrust the spear deep into Kublai’s mouth.
Kublai’s mouth was forced open by the spear, unable to close, bl**d dripping everywhere. Max stood on Kublai’s tongue, confidently shouting.
“You can’t close your mouth anymore, you punk!”
—Hah…
But contrary to Max’s words, Kublai slowly started to close its mouth.
The spear he had shoved was piercing through its palate and jaw, causing dire wounds, yet Kublai seemed utterly unconcerned.
“Wh-what are you doing? Let me go! Open your mouth! You fools, don’t just stand there and do something…!”
Max found himself trapped like a bird in a cage between Kublai’s teeth.
Struggling to escape its mouth, he flailed around, but he could not escape as it gradually closed.
The humans watched in shock as their leader was slowly devoured alive by the gigantic wolf.
bl**d dripped from Kublai’s closed lips, spilling out into the air, uncertain whether it belonged to Kublai or the master archer, Max.
Kublai looked up at the sky and roared loudly.
━━━!
That roar resonated with defiance, declaring that it wouldn’t budge against any attack. ‘Come at me if you dare!’
The humans trembled, their legs shaking from the thunderous roar.
“W-we lost the Captain?”
“W-what do we do now? If it still roars like that, it seems like it’s still very much alive…!”
“Our time to act in the forest is running out. Should we retreat for today? B-but, Boss, what do you think?!”
“…Ugh, stupid Max. You bragged by yourself, but in the end, you got yourself eaten like a dog. d*mn it! With no tranquilizers left, we withdraw! We’ve already caused considerable injury to the master of the forest, and we can come back within a month!”
“Will we even get a chance in a month? Might lose credit to Batus and those guys…”
“We’ll figure that out when we get there! If we stay here, we’ll all d*e! Let’s just grab who we can and get out of here! We caught the Golden Fox, so that’s enough! Any more greed will get us killed!”
The humans hastily gathered nets and the bodies of their fallen comrades before quickly fleeing.
Exhausted, Kublai stood there, unable to chase after them.
—Hah…
Kublai let out a big sigh.
For about four hundred years of his life, the weight of everything he had pondered seemed to press down on him. Yet at the same time, there was a refreshing relief in his breath.
—You have won.
Kublai muttered calmly in front of the empty fox den.
