Chapter 205: Canine Probes

The group had expected Aelric to be the pillar they relied upon during this tense moment.

However, they had barely brought the matter up to him before the green-eyed youth simply ditched them and flew to the top of a nearby tree alongside Aureleah’s younger sister.

To make matters worse, Aelric’s attitude made it seem as though he couldn’t care less about whether they lived or died.

The next moment, he casually plucked a crimson fruit from the tree, took a large bite, and began watching them as though they were gladiators about to perform some grand spectacle in an ancient arena.

For a moment, several members of the group simply stared at him. Was this really the same person who had just stood between them and the Black Stalker?

Truthfully, the nonchalance with which Aelric had abandoned them still somewhat surprised them. However, now wasn’t the time to dwell on it.

Besides, he had made a statement earlier about treating the wolves as sparring partners... Whatever that meant.

What they did know was that, no matter what happened, Aelric surely wouldn’t leave them to die. Because if he did, then he would have to answer to Sylveris.

And somehow, none of them believed that was a confrontation the green-eyed youth would willingly seek.

Jokes aside, the moment Aelric disappeared into the trees, the pack of wolves slowly began tightening their encirclement.

To the Animas, Aelric’s sudden departure seemed to have served as a revelation; a variable had been removed from the equation and the most dangerous individual among their prey was no longer standing among them.

Whether that meant the remaining seven were weaker or merely incapable of the same feat was something the wolves couldn’t possibly know. But they weren’t willing to take unnecessary risks.

The group stood at the center, their hands clutching their Soul Essences while their backs pressed against one another.

They had instinctively formed a defensive circle, ensuring that no blind spot remained exposed. Obviously, it seemed that all the training Aureleah had given them hadn’t been in vain.

Because now, for the first time, they were finally in a situation where they actually needed to put that training into practice.

The wolves stood around them, baring their bloody fangs as their crimson eyes promised nothing but death and destruction.

The atmosphere thickened with palpable bloodlust and between the two sides existed only a thin line separating a tense standoff from a bloody massacre...

Without taking his eyes off the pack for even a moment, Veyrath spoke again.

"Regaleon..." His voice was low. "What are we going to do?"

Unlike before, when the silver-haired Knight had immediately shifted the burden of decision-making onto Aelric, the responsibility now rested squarely upon his shoulders.

And for that reason, Regaleon maintained every necessary composure.

His golden eyes swept across the surrounding wolves before replying determinedly.

"Now..." His grip around the Halberd tightened. "Now we fight."

"But how?" Caelestra’s brows furrowed with worry. "I mean, there are so many of them and only a few of us."

For a moment, the failed Merchant almost wished they were fighting one of the larger monstrosities they had once encountered instead of this pack because at least those creatures could be confronted individually.

A single powerful opponent was something they could surround, study, and gradually bring down.

But this was different. This was a pack and pack possessed something a lone Anima didn’t; numbers, coordination... And most importantly, the ability to overwhelm an opponent from multiple directions simultaneously.

Regaleon had yet to answer when...

"Awooooo!" A wolf suddenly howled.

The sound tore through the crimson fog like a signal and in the next instant, it sprinted forward...

Its claws tore into the soil as its massive body accelerated, kicking up dirt and dead leaves in its wake.

It seemed as though the beasts had finally grown tired of watching their prey communicate and wanted nothing more than to pounce upon them and tear them apart.

The moment the first wolf launched itself forward, the rest didn’t hesitate and several others surged after it. After all, they wanted their share of the kill as well.

In the maelstrom of the moment, Regaleon couldn’t say much but he remained composed enough to issue several concise commands.

He had been observing the wolves since the moment they appeared. And despite the fact that he might have wanted Aelric to fight alongside them previously, that desire hadn’t diminished his instinctive need to understand his opponents.

After all, as a fighter, Regaleon knew that before entering any battle, it was imperative to learn about the enemy because even the smallest detail could determine the difference between victory and death.

That was precisely why he had remained calm despite Aelric’s sudden departure as he had been studying the wolves the entire time.

And now, as those beasts charged towards them, something clicked within his mind.

His brows furrowed to their limit as he shouted. "Vaelorin!"

The Pyromancer’s head snapped towards him.

"Your flames. Now!" Regaleon pointed towards the ground surrounding them. "I need you to form a circle of fire around us!"

Vaelorin didn’t understand what Regaleon meant but he didn’t hesitate. The moment he heard the order, he raised his Staff...

WHOOSH!!!

A torrent of flames immediately erupted from its tip under the effect of his Essence Rune, "Solar Lance."

Vaelorin had already been channeling Aether into his Soul Essence beforehand. So, as a result, he didn’t need to waste precious time gathering power.

Therefore, the moment the command came, the stored Aether erupted and the result was spectacular...

Unlike his previous flames back when he was merely an Awakener, these flames burned several times hotter and fiercer. Also, they weren’t simply brighter, they possessed greater density and destructive potential.

The wave of heat rolled across the group and even though none of them was the intended target, several members instinctively stepped back.

Their clothes grew uncomfortably hot while their skin prickled; for Regaleon, who was encased in his Armour, the sensation was even more pronounced.

The metal rapidly absorbed the heat, turning the interior of his Armour into something resembling a furnace.

He gritted his teeth and think hard. If they could feel this despite not being directly struck by the flames, then the wolves were about to experience something considerably worse...

Vaelorin swung his Staff, the flames following the movement as they swept across the ground in a widening arc before joining together behind the group...

Within moments, a blazing circle had formed around them.

The flames roared like a wall of living fire, devouring the darkness wherever it spread and the wolves charging at them immediately reacted.

Some skidded to a halt, others attempted to change direction but the wolves at the very front had already committed themselves to the attack.

The forerunners didn’t have enough time to retreat and plunged directly into the flames...

Suddenly, a chorus of snarls instantly became screams as their fur ignited.

The thick coats that had seemed so imposing only moments ago turned out to be their greatest vulnerability. The flames clung to the fur and spread rapidly across their bodies and burnt hair filled the air with a foul smell.

The wolves rolled desperately across the ground, attempting to extinguish the flames with their bodies but doing so only caused the burning fur to spread.

Their skin blistered beneath the intense heat causing several of them to stumble away from the flames, their movements becoming erratic as they howled in agony.

They weren’t dead but the injuries were severe enough to remove them from the fight...

This was a minor victory; one that would have been enough to make an ordinary fighter immediately capitalize on the situation.

Yet Regaleon’s expression remained impassive. His golden eyes weren’t focused on the injured wolves; rather, they were fixed on the largest creature standing behind the pack.

The Alpha stood nearly seven feet tall.

Its body was considerably broader and more muscular than the others, with thick limbs covered in dense black fur.

Crimson stripes ran across its body in irregular patterns, but unlike the others, those markings appeared darker and more pronounced, almost as though veins of dried blood had been woven into its coat.

Its shoulders were enormous and it’s forelegs were thick enough to resemble tree trunks, ending in curved claws that dug several inches into the earth.

Its head was broader than that of the other wolves, with a long muzzle and a pair of enormous fangs protruding from either side of its jaw.

But the most unsettling thing about it wasn’t its size; rather, it was its eyes.

While the others possessed nothing more than raw bloodlust, the Alpha’s crimson eyes contained something different... Awareness.

Its gaze moved from the injured wolves to the ring of flames. Then to Vaelorin and Regaleon. It wasn’t staring; rather, it was studying and calculating...

The Alpha lowered its head slightly.

Its nostrils flared as it inhaled the scent of the burning fur. Then its gaze shifted towards the members of the group, as though it were reconstructing the battle in its mind.

Regaleon’s expression became even more serious when he saw that.

Although it seemed as though the pack had attacked without any coordination whatsoever, he knew that wasn’t the case.

Wolves were pack hunters.

They didn’t simply throw themselves at prey without reason. There was hierarchy, coordination and an Alpha to lead them.

Regaleon had yet to hear the creature issue another command but that didn’t mean it hadn’t already done so. But whatever method the Alpha used, the rest of the pack clearly responded to it.

And that realization made Regaleon’s expression turn solemn because he realized that the first assault was nothing more but deliberate probing.

The Alpha had sacrificed several of its pack members to determine how the group would respond. Moreover, it had also discovered that the humans were capable of working together.

Regaleon’s golden eyes narrowed as he pondered. If he had been arrogant enough to assume that the wolves would continue attacking recklessly, then they would have already lost.

The Alpha wasn’t stupid, it was learning. And now that it had gathered enough information, the next attack would undoubtedly be different...

Had they simply stood their ground and allowed the full force of the pack to descend upon them, they would have been overwhelmed.

But by stopping the first wave, Regaleon had managed to send a message... We aren’t easy prey. And that alone was enough to make the Alpha reconsider its approach.

However, Regaleon wasn’t far too conceited to believe that their defensive maneuver would be enough to make the wolves retreat.

If anything, it would only make them smarter and more adaptable. After all, wolves were known to adapt to whatever situation they found themselves in; whether they were ordinary wolves or Animas...