Chapter 768: Svin Glascheit Joins the Fight!

"Lord Byron, rest assured and leave this to us!"

With innocent words and an innocent expression, Flat's seemingly naive demeanor was nothing but infuriating, as it clearly showed he didn't take the invaders seriously at all.

After dodging another round of lightning, he let out a proud sigh and shouted toward the trees.

"Go ahead, Le Chien! Let's break through!"

"I've told you not to call me Le Chien! But the idea of clearing the way for Gray is a good one, so I'll let it slide this time."

Svin shouted angrily as he jumped down from the tree, venting his frustration at being exposed by his companion, while lightly rubbing his nose.

"The smell of rust on you is disgusting."

Two boys, both ridiculously young.

Of course, they knew that anyone who got involved despite being so outnumbered had to possess some level of danger. In the world of magecraf, power had nothing to do with appearances. So, they didn't let down their guard.

The group's collective magical energy continuously poured into their spell formation, shifting their focus from Byron's bubble defense toward the two boys. It seemed they planned to target the easier opponents first.

However, these two boys were no pushovers. If you looked at their backgrounds, ten Atrum wouldn't be enough to stand against them.

Even without considering their backgrounds, their strength was terrifying.

"Awwooooo!"

Just before the magecraft was unleashed, Svin raised his head and let out a howl.

It was not a sound any human could make; the sheer sound pressure disrupted the invaders' magical energy. The mana that had already been converted by their magic circuits dissipated as if it belonged to a novice practitioner.

"Could it be that you are..."

"—Svin Glascheit of the El-Melloi Classroom."

In front of the wide-eyed invaders, his self-introduction was immediately followed by a transformation.

"Pallida mors (Pale Death)."

This was his incantation and the beginning of his transformation.

His golden hair came to life, writhing and shifting as if it were sentient, rapidly growing from short hair to waist-length. His distinctive canines elongated into large fangs comparable to sharp blades. Though his appearance was somewhat fierce, it exuded a primal beauty.

As he transformed, he leaped.

The invaders reacted quickly, releasing their magecraft. It only took a brief chant to unleash a lightning strike capable of killing in an instant.

However, before they could finish their chant, their arms had already vanished.

Blood gushed from the stumps like fountains, yet none of them realized that the cause of it was Svin's hands, which had transformed into claws as sharp as his fangs.

The invaders tried to respond, but when they saw his figure illuminated by the lightning, they were struck dumb once more.

It was as if a legend had come to life.

The once-slim boy had shed his human form, now resembling a powerful mythical beast, covered in golden fur like steel needles. He stood on two legs, a creature out of folklore.

A werewolf, a creature as formidable as a vampire in myth, was now leaping between the trees with incredible speed. From tree trunk to branch, and branch to trunk again, he moved as if weightless, his abnormal agility allowing him to make multi-directional jumps.

The strength and speed he displayed far exceeded the limits of any enhancement magecraft. Ordinary magus couldn't keep up with him and were left to be utterly trampled.

When Reines and Shinji finally arrived after a slight delay, they were greeted by the sight of Svin in his full glory.

"A werewolf? I knew Svin had some beastly blood, but I didn't expect it to be a high-ranking mythical creature."

Seeing that Svin had the upper hand, Shinji didn't rush into the fight. Instead, he used the Brahmastra's Fire to melt the brass he'd picked up along the way, keeping a safe distance as he watched.

"No, my brother says he's not a werewolf, but a mimic—my brother calls it a Phantasmal Wolf."

"Phantasmal Wolf..."

At Reines's words, Shinji noticed that although Svin's muscles had swelled several times over, his clothes and shoes remained intact, indicating that the fur covering him wasn't a true physical entity. Instead, it was a semi-physical, semi-illusory manifestation of dense magical energy, much like the armor that Servants conjure from mana.

"…An ancient Beast magecraft… no, it may not even be considered magecraft."

If you trace it back, mimicking beasts goes back to the origins of humanity, a concept on par with nature worship and ancestor worship. It might sound ridiculous, but it's also a testament to human wisdom—acknowledging our shortcomings and seeking to supplement them through other means.

Even today, many traditions preserve beastly elements.

Svin's transformation was one such tradition. By drawing out immense beastly instincts through family secrets, he gained the beastly mystery, granting him power comparable to a mythical creature.

This kind of power was not something ordinary magus could withstand. Wherever Svin went, magus were thrown aside like chaff. If it weren't for remembering Waver's instructions to avoid causing fatalities, carefully steering clear of vital areas, the ground would have been littered with corpses by now.

Shinji pondered over Svin's shining golden fur.

"Do you know the origin of Svin's beastly bloodline?"

Reines shook her head.

"That's the Glascheit family's top secret. Even my brother might not know, let alone me."

"True. Mystery loses its power if it's not kept secret. But... hmm, do this: find an opportunity to tell Svin something—there's still a Golden Wolf in this world. Let's see how he or his family reacts."

"Golden Werewolf?"

Reines found the name familiar like she'd heard it somewhere before.

"The mythical creature said to be on par with dragons?"

"Yes, that Golden Werewolf."

"That's impossible! The modern environment is unsuitable for mythical creatures. High-ranking ones have long gone extinct."

Shinji merely smiled at her skepticism.

"I have no reason to deceive you, nor any need to deceive the Glascheit family."

Why a Golden Werewolf exists in the modern age, Shinji didn't know, but he knew that Touko once made a pact with one named Lugh Beowulf. Although Lugh Beowulf had left Touko after the events of Mahōtsukai no Yoru, Touko could still find him if she wanted to. After all, Touko's once-flowing long hair, like Aoko's, was used as ritual material for the pact, which was why she now had short hair.

Hair is the closest material to the caster, often used by curse magus to curse or determine the status of important figures. Even a mystery like Lugh Beowulf would have a hard time severing the connection between the hair and its owner.

"But…"

"No buts. If Svin's bloodline truly connects to the Golden Werewolf, or if his family's secrets can incorporate other beastly traits, I might be able to offer him an opportunity."

"I understand."

Seeing Shinji's seriousness, Reines didn't ask further. After all, she was just a messenger.

By this time, the magus who had been overpowered by Svin finally found a way to counter him. They abandoned their tight formation, scattering as they initiated their spells.

If close combat fails, switch to ranged attacks. If single-target attacks don't work, switch to area-of-effect.

This was undoubtedly the correct approach. However—

"It's useless. Flat has been waiting for you to scatter."