Chapter 8 - The Giant Werewolf

The cold wind blew sharply, carrying swirling snowflakes in the air. Ezie stood among his comrades, his eyes closely watching every movement of the fierce creatures before them. Dozens of snow wolves circled them in an almost perfect formation, their red eyes glowing in the darkness of the freezing mist.

At the center of the pack, their leader—a giant Werewolf—stood with its claws raised high, its gaze full of awareness and cunning. This was not just a wild beast; it was a creature that understood tactics.

"We can't defeat them all on our own!" Velka shouted, her eyes sharp.

Kazek, though filled with rage and courage, knew that their numbers were overwhelming. Even Sever, the sturdy tank, was starting to show signs of exhaustion against the relentless wave of attacking wolves.

With no other choice, Velka pulled out an orange flare from her pocket, ignited it, and shot it into the air. The bright orange light illuminated the dark sky—a distress signal only used in dire situations.

In the distance, a regular from Team 2, Cylez, saw the flash of light.

"They're in trouble!" he exclaimed anxiously, rushing to alert his team.

Team 2—consisting of four Elites and one regular—immediately moved swiftly toward the battlefield.

---

Minutes passed, and Team 1 was growing exhausted from fighting the endless waves of wolves. Ezie, despite possessing far greater strength than he showed, continued to fight like a regular soldier.

He could have easily cut down these enemies in an instant, but he chose to restrain himself. Even when he saw his comrades in critical condition, he refused to act recklessly.

Velka cast Frost Bind, freezing several wolves in place. Kazek charged forward with his sword, slashing with immense force, sending blood splattering onto the snow. Sever held the front line, protecting everyone with his sturdy shield.

But the enemies were too many.

BOOM!

An ice explosion erupted in the distance. Team 2 had finally arrived.

"Support them!" one of the Elites from Team 2 shouted, charging directly into the battle.

Cylez, despite being a regular, tried to help by slashing at the approaching wolves, though his movements were not as fast as the Elites'.

With the reinforcements, the tide of battle began to turn. The pack of wolves started thinning, one by one. However, just as they felt they were gaining control of the situation, the Werewolf leader moved.

RAAWRRR!!!

A long howl echoed, shaking the air. Snow flew in all directions as the Werewolf leaped into the center of the battlefield, creating a shockwave that forced everyone back.

"Damn… this is different," Kazek muttered, gritting his teeth.

The Werewolf stood tall, its deep red eyes burning with a murderous aura that made the air feel even colder.

Cylez, who was closest to it, froze in place. His eyes widened as fear gripped his body. Cold sweat trickled down his forehead despite the freezing temperature around them.

"I… I can't move…!" his voice trembled.

Ezie, standing not far from him, quickly reacted. Without much thought, he swiftly pulled Cylez back, saving him from the reach of the Werewolf, which was now growling menacingly.

Team 1 and Team 2 immediately realized that they had to face this Werewolf with everything they had.

"Defensive formation!" Velka commanded.

Eight Elites immediately formed a battle stance, while the two regulars, including Ezie and Cylez, were forced to retreat from the main fight. They all knew—this Werewolf was beyond their capabilities.

Kazek was the first to charge, swinging his sword at the beast. However, the Werewolf dodged swiftly and countered with its claws. Sever quickly blocked the attack with his shield but was pushed back several steps due to the sheer force.

Velka began chanting, ice orbs swirling around her before she unleashed Frost Lance, shooting a spear of ice at the Werewolf. But the creature simply leaped aside with incredible speed, effortlessly dodging the attack.

"He's fast!" Lira exclaimed, immediately activating Mana Shield to protect her allies from the Werewolf's sudden assaults.

The Werewolf didn't stop. It lifted its head and unleashed Howl of Terror, a roar that emitted waves of mental pressure toward the team.

Sever held firm with his shield, Kazek stabbed his sword into the ground to steady himself, but some of them began losing balance from the force.

Lira quickly activated Healing Circle, restoring their stamina to keep them in the fight.

Velka realized they had to use everything they had to win.

"Prepare for the final attack!" she shouted.

Orbs of ice gathered in her hands, spinning faster and faster, forming a whirlwind of freezing energy. The snow around them lifted, swirling in response to her magic.

"Glacier Break!"

Velka unleashed her strongest attack.

A massive wave of ice surged toward the Werewolf, freezing the ground and air around it. The creature leaped, trying to evade, but just as it was mid-air—Kazek and Sever attacked simultaneously!

"HAAAH!"

Kazek slashed with all his might, while Sever rammed the Werewolf with his shield.

BOOM!

A loud crash echoed as the Werewolf was sent flying back, slamming into an ice tree with immense force. Its body trembled, the ice spreading across its limbs, freezing it slowly.

With a final, weakening howl, the Werewolf collapsed… dead.

Silence.

Only the sound of their heavy breathing filled the cold air.

Velka stood firm, her eyes still sharp.

"We did it," she said.

Kazek let out a long sigh, lowering his sword. Sever rested his battered body, while Lira moved to heal them one by one.

In the distance, Ezie only watched.

He could have ended this fight alone.

But he chose to remain silent.

At least, for now.

---

The battlefield was eerily quiet after the brutal battle. Their breaths were ragged, their bodies covered in wounds. But before they could fully grasp their victory, something terrifying happened.

CRAASSSHHH!!!

From the shadows of the forest, something leaped into the battlefield at an impossible speed.

DUMMM!!

The ground trembled violently as the creature landed. Its towering figure was twice the size of the previous Werewolf. Its fur was pitch black, and its eyes burned red like embers. Its breaths were heavy and deep, like the growl of thunder in a storm.

In both hands, it clutched the mangled remains of Team 3's members, blood still dripping from the torn flesh.

"W-What is that…?" Velka stammered, her eyes widening in fear.

"No… No way… Team 3… They're all…?" Kazek muttered weakly, his knees nearly giving out.

Lira held her breath, her hands trembling. "They're gone… We're the only ones left…"

The giant Werewolf raised its head and let out a howl that shook the entire forest. The sound echoed, making every survivor feel a deep, soul-crushing fear.

Kazek clenched his teeth. "We can't run from this… We have to fight."

Velka took a deep breath. "This might be our final battle… But I won't die without a fight!"

Lira nodded. "If this is the end… then we'll make it pay dearly!"

But before they could charge, Velka turned to Ezie and Cylez.

"Listen! This is an order! You two must leave and find help!" her voice was firm.

"But—" Cylez began to protest.

"Go now! If we all die here, no one will be left to report this!" Velka stared at them sharply.

Ezie glanced at the battlefield, then nodded. "Understood." Without hesitation, he pulled Cylez and sprinted away.

Velka turned back. "Alright… We fight to the last drop of blood!"

And so, the final battle of Team 1 and Team 2 began.

Without warning, the giant werewolf lunged forward at an insane speed!

In the blink of an eye, it was already in front of them, its claws raised high.

SWOOSH!!

Kazek lifted his sword to block the attack, but the monster's strength was overwhelming!

"GUH!!"

His body was sent flying backward, crashing hard into the ground.

"FLAME BLADE!!"

One of Team 2's members, Ryn, a skilled swordsman, charged forward with his fire-cloaked sword. He swung with all his might, aiming for the werewolf's legs to limit its movements.

ZRAASSHH!!

The attack landed, forcing the monster to stagger back slightly.

"ICE LANCE!!"

From the other side, Myra, Team 2's ice mage, launched a massive ice spear straight at the werewolf's head.

CRAAAK!!

The attack froze part of the monster's face!

However…

"GRUAAAAARR!!"

With a single swipe of its claws, the werewolf shattered the ice on its face and then lunged straight at Myra!

"MYRA, LOOK OUT!!"

CRESHHH!!!

The massive claw pierced through Myra's body before she could dodge.

"AAARGHH!!"

She coughed up blood before being thrown into the air and crashing to the ground with a sickening thud.

"MYRA!!" Ryn shouted.

But before he could react, the werewolf had already pounced toward him.

"SHIELD BARRIER!!"

Doron, Team 2's tank, jumped in front and summoned a massive energy shield to block the attack.

BOOMM!!

Doron was pushed back several meters, the ground beneath him cracking from the impact.

"I can't hold it for long!!" Doron yelled.

Velka immediately raised her hands. "LIGHTNING CHAIN!!"

Bolts of electricity shot from her palms, wrapping around the werewolf's body and paralyzing it for a brief moment.

"Now!! Finish it off!!"

Ryn charged with his strongest attack. "INFERNAL STRIKE!!"

His sword burned brightly as he slashed toward the monster's neck.

But…

The werewolf opened its mouth—and bit down on Ryn's sword!

"WHAT—?!"

In an instant, the werewolf struck Ryn with its other claw.

"GAAAAHHH!!"

Ryn's body was sent flying, crashing into the rocks before he went completely still.

Kazek struggled to get up. "We… can't win…"

Lira gritted her teeth. "No… We can't give up!"

But at that moment, the werewolf swung its claws with full force!

"ARGHHH!!!"

Doron was flung far away, slamming into a massive tree, which toppled over from the impact.

Kazek, Velka, and Lira were completely exhausted. They couldn't even lift their weapons. Their breaths were ragged.

The werewolf slowly stepped toward them.

"This… is our end…" Kazek gave a weak smile.

Velka lowered her head. "I'm sorry… We failed…"

Just as the werewolf's claws were about to strike—

"That's enough."

A calm voice echoed.

Someone stood in front of them, facing the monster without fear.

Ezie.

Kazek weakly opened his eyes. "You…?"

Ezie simply stared ahead. "From here on out, I'll take over this fight."

---

The werewolf immediately lunged at full speed!

But—

SRET!!

Ezie vanished from sight.

"WHAT?!" Velka gasped.

The werewolf growled in confusion.

Ezie reappeared behind it.

"Alright, I think that's enough playing around. Time to get a little serious."

With a single step, Ezie swung his sword.

"FINAL STRIKE."

SLASH!!

One attack.

Just one.

The werewolf froze. Its eyes widened.

Then… its head dropped from its body.

Kazek and Velka could only stare in shock before their bodies gave out.

But they knew one thing…

They had survived.