The entire Western Desert was renowned for its red clay houses—both large and small—that evoked an ancient atmosphere. Unfazed, the receptionist continued, "No trouble at all, sir—that's my job. Here is your key; your room is on the upper floor."
Thiron accepted the key and thanked her. Oran and Selene exchanged a brief glance before Thiron opened the door and peered inside. The room contained only a single bed, a few blankets and bedding, a table, a chair, and some candles for light. They could not help but feel disappointed.
Selene sat beside her father on the bed, while Oran simply took the chair opposite them. Meanwhile, the receptionist had already served their meal. Night fell, and the crimson sky emerged, accompanied by a blood-red moon—a sight that people had grown used to as an ominous omen. Soon after, Oran left the room, and that was when the wolves began to appear.
---
Later, inside a cave, one of the group remarked, "What do you say we head into the city? It's nearby, and perhaps it hasn't suffered extensive losses from the army. Maybe they even repelled the wolf attack, and Verona's army now numbers five million to protect it."
Lina added hesitantly, "But…"
Ren interjected, "I've already been there. All I saw were scattered, decomposing corpses. The royal family of Valinor has fallen—no one saved them. Verona suffered the worst losses while its army faltered. The situation there is catastrophic. In the neighboring villages, casualties were minimal because the wolves targeted the most densely populated areas—and they succeeded."
Mona and Lina wore expressions of shock at these grim revelations.
---
Meanwhile, regarding their efforts to gain strength from the wolf hunts, Ren had already boosted his efficiency to 400, while Leon had reached 800—a difference of half between them. Both had scoured the entire Green Plains in search of wolves to further augment their power. Ren deliberately ventured into the area most devastated by wolves—Verona—so that his strength surged rapidly. Leon was astonished at how quickly Ren had caught up, while he himself had been roaming through nearby villages where wolves were few and far between.
---
After a week, Oran had become extremely popular throughout the city of Arian, having spent every night that week slaughtering wolves. Then, a summons arrived from the royal family in the palace.
In their hotel room, Oran sat on the chair opposite the bed, while Selene remained beside her father. Thiron occupied the chair at the table where the royal summons lay.
Thiron asked, "What will you do, Oran? I intend to accept this summons—come with me."
They exchanged glances, and Thiron added, "It's your call."
A week later, Oran, Selene, and Thiron found themselves standing before the King of Arian, Ethan Valko.
The king began, "I've heard some rumors about you, Oran."
"Indeed, sir," Oran replied.
"Would you be interested in becoming the commander of Arian's army?" the king inquired.
King Ethan was a middle-aged man with short black hair streaked with white, stroking his beard as he spoke. He wore the emblem of the Black Eagle—famous throughout the desert—on one side, and the emblem of the royal family's castle from the Western Desert on the other.
"I'm afraid I must decline your offer, sir," Oran answered.
His response left the king's soldiers and ministers in the hall stunned. The king then laughed and said, "Ha, that's intriguing. Do you have any other desires I might fulfill for you?"
"No, sir," Oran replied.
The king persisted, "Can you explain why you reject these enticing offers? Everyone in this hall yearns for a position, yet you refuse."
Oran calmly answered, "I must head toward the central region—the Green Plains."
"And what will you do there?" the king pressed.
"I plan to deal with the monsters there. I will find a way to shut them down. After all, the Gate appeared in the Green Plains, Verona has been wiped out, and worst of all, the royal family of Valinor may have fallen."
These words stunned everyone. The other six regions were well aware of the might of the Green Plains, and all agreed it was the strongest region, not to mention the fate of the royal family of Valinor.
"I'm sorry for declining your offer, but if no one stops this catastrophe, who will? Stopping it would restore peace across all seven regions," Oran declared.
The king considered this and said, "You're right—it's logical, as this catastrophe spans all seven regions. Do as you wish; how long do you intend to stay here?"
"About a week—then I will set out for the Green Plains with my companion," Oran replied.
King Ethan added, "You may remain here in the castle until then."
"Very well," Oran and his companion responded in unison. "We thank you for your kindness, sir."
---
While King Ethan ordered his subordinates to prepare a feast for the guests, Ren and Leon returned to the cave. Ren carried a deer on his back and announced loudly, "We'll have a barbecue today—I've hunted a deer, as usual."
Mona stepped forward, her expression now one of reassurance; she no longer fretted over them as before. Her welcoming demeanor had changed over time—each time they returned to the cave, she greeted them warmly.
"Look how happily you've returned, Leon—you may sit. Ren, place the deer on the ground and come join us; I'll prepare the barbecue for you," she said.
Lina interjected excitedly, "It smells delicious! When will it be ready? Mona, I'm starving!"
Mona replied firmly, "If you'd just stop pestering us…"
Lina retorted, "Just a little patience, please—it will be ready soon."
Leon admonished, "Stop teasing her, Lina."
Lina responded, "I'm not teasing her, brother—it's she who enjoys provoking me."
Mona smiled as Ren and Leon exchanged a glance. Leon remarked, "I'm so glad to see you two in sync."
Ren added, "I'm truly happy that we can smile again together. I never imagined…" He trailed off before continuing, "You're right—the past has been hard. Now, let's head toward our destination in the Western Desert. Gather your belongings; we leave at dawn."
Mona and Lina's expressions turned somber as they realized the great distance between continents and that this journey would not be an easy one.
Leon reassured them, "Don't worry—we will protect you. We guarantee your safety. Now, smile!"
Lina nodded. "We're counting on you."
Mona concluded, "Let's sleep until dawn."
"Very well," they agreed.
---
Exhaustion was etched on their faces when, suddenly, Oran and his companions arrived after enduring an exceedingly long journey. In a jolt, Ren and Leon awoke from their sleep and rushed outside in panic, closely followed by Mona and Lina, who called out, "What happened, Ren?"
But Ren and Leon maintained grim expressions and ignored their calls. Trembling with fear, Leon asked, "Did you feel that, Ren?" Cold sweat began to drip from his brow.
Standing beside him, Ren clutched himself and trembled as if chilled by an unseen frost. Then, raising his voice, Ren cried out, "We sensed it… He's using the last of his strength. With a single swing of his weapon, he nearly felled us. He's approaching!"
---
At that moment, Oran had left his companions behind, hastening after the wolves. Though he had not yet drawn his weapon in anger, his sole objective was to reach Ren and Leon as quickly as possible.
The two men shuddered with intense fear when Mona called out, "What's happening with you? You've frightened me!"
Ren bellowed to them, "Get into the cave—quickly!"
Mona protested, "But—"
Ren interrupted, "Didn't you hear me? I said, get into the cave!"
From Ren and Leon's vantage point, as the giant wolf came into view from the opposite side—its massive body dormant—a shift occurred. The wolf sensed an approaching force that threatened its life.
Leon gasped, "Ren, what we feared has awakened!"
Before they could react further, the wolf reared up onto all four of its paws and lifted its head. Ren remained motionless, staring helplessly into the sky. Then, his anguished cry rang out, accompanied by bolts of lightning that rained down and scorched everything across the Green Plains.
In that very moment, Oran stepped forward before Ren and Leon and declared, "Do not worry—I am not your enemy; I have come to exterminate these demonic beasts."
Both Ren and Leon exhaled deeply in relief. Meanwhile, Mona and Lina, who had already awakened, could scarcely bear to look outside as fear gripped them.
Leon spoke cautiously:
"Can we trust you?"
Oran replied confidently:
"Do not worry; we will speak later. For now, we must attend to this wolf. Can I count on you to support me? Draw your weapons so I can gauge your strength."
Both Ren and Leon unsheathed their swords, and Oran glanced at their numbers to assess their power. Leon's sword was inscribed with 1000, while Ren's sword bore the number 600.
Oran shook his head and said,
"Alright, we can work together to defeat this demon."
Oran described the giant wolf as "the demon" before drawing his spear, which was marked with 9000. He had spent the last week roaming the Western Desert, hunting wolves to increase his power.
Shock appeared on Ren and Leon's faces; the difference between their strength and Oran's was as vast as heaven and earth.
At that moment, the Disaster Lightning Wolf began its rampage, heading toward the green plains and altering the terrain. It was capable of demolishing mountains with a single strike of its sharp claws, as if using swords that sliced through butter.
Oran shouted,
"Let's move! Can you fly?"
Ren answered in surprise,
"We cannot; we did not know such an ability existed. Is it because we killed a certain number of wolves?"
Oran explained,
"It seems you are beginners. You can acquire all the abilities that these demonic beasts possess... Did you not absorb the blood of the wolves you killed?"
Ren and Leon's eyes widened in astonishment. Leon replied,
"Indeed, we did, but we did not know how these abilities worked."
Oran smiled and said,
"It's simple—just think of the ability you want to use, and you will find yourself mastering it."
Ren and Leon closed their eyes for a moment, and when they opened them, they found themselves hovering in the air.
Oran laughed,
"See? No need to worry; you'll get used to it quickly."
But their moment of astonishment did not last long, for they were on the path of the Disaster Lightning Wolf, which was advancing toward them with devastating speed.
Oran shouted,
"We must drive it away from here! Aren't there people in the cave who need protection? The battle in this area could destroy everything—including the cave!"
Ren and Leon quickly grasped his words, and Oran dashed like an arrow toward the wolf, while the two rushed to support him despite their difficulty in flying.
---
At the moment Oran approached, the Disaster Lightning Wolf turned its gaze toward him, then charged directly with its giant, lightning-charged horn, racing through the sky like a furious storm wind.
Seeing this, Oran wrapped his spear in flames embodied in the form of a phoenix, then spun in the air, gripping it with both hands as he attempted to deliver a fatal blow to the wolf's head.
But the wolf did not retreat; it continued its advance with its energy-charged horn.
At that moment, Ren and Leon heard a tremendous collision followed by a massive explosion that generated a huge gust of wind. They looked up to see Oran's spear stuck to the giant wolf's horn, while a small ball of energy formed between them.
Boom!
The collision caused a tremendous explosion in the sky, leaving Ren and Leon stunned.
While Oran recoiled from the blast, the wolf remained steadfast in its place, not moving an inch.
The difference in power was clear.
---
Ren and Leon finally reached Oran's side, and Ren asked anxiously,
"Are you alright?"
Oran panted heavily,
"Don't worry... I'm fine... Let's continue the fight!"
The three split up, surrounding the wolf from every side. Oran engaged the wolf in brutal physical combat while Ren and Leon provided support.
But suddenly, the wolf swung its enormous tail like a whip, sending Ren crashing into the ground and forming a large crater. Blood began to flow from his left hand, and he tried to rise by leaning on his sword with his right hand, but he coughed up blood while his bones were revealed through his torn skin.
Leon was stunned by the wolf's strength, but Oran's cry brought him back to reality:
"Watch the battle!"
But it was too late—the wolf attacked Leon with its claws; Leon defended himself too late, and the force of the attack left a bloody gash on his chest.
Both Ren and Leon retreated, while Oran remained in combat with the wolf.
---
At that moment, Oran's spear was marked 9000, while the Disaster Lightning Wolf boasted a strength of 10000. This disparity was the result of their differing strategies—Oran attacked with cunning while the Disaster Wolf continued its instinctive assault, a kind of intelligence that no human mind could match.
Oran thought,
"I cannot rely on Ren and Leon now... I must settle this battle quickly!"
Although he managed to inflict minor wounds on the wolf, they did little to affect it.
At that moment, both Celine and Thiron arrived on the battlefield.
Oran looked at them, and his attention was distracted for a fatal moment.
Seizing the opportunity, the wolf leaped forward with lightning speed, delivering a decisive blow toward Oran.
Swoosh!
Oran slammed into the ground, forming a huge crater.
Celine screamed and ran toward him, but the wolf shouted,
"Don't come any closer! Hide immediately! This wolf is not like the others; it can kill us all!"
Despite his injuries, Oran ignored the pain and charged toward the wolf, enraged that he could not protect them. He had made a vow—he could not fall now.
The battle intensified, and Oran finally managed to drive his spear into the wolf's left eye.
Leon shouted joyfully,
"Perhaps we can kill it!"
But the joy soon turned to shock...
The wolf raised its head toward the sky, unleashing a terrifying howl, and soon packs of wolves began to pour in from within the gateway.
The sight was like that of a raging sea.
Oran commanded Ren and Leon,
"Protect Celine and Thiron!"
---
At that moment, hordes of wolves surrounded Leon, Ren, Celine, and Thiron.
Leon stood behind them, while Ren took the lead, his sword charged with lightning and ready for battle.
But when they looked up at the sky, they saw Oran in a dire state.
He was trapped, struggling to continue, then...
Boom!
Oran fell to the ground, losing consciousness.
Celine rushed toward him, but the wolf ignored her and headed directly toward the cave where Lina and Mona were watching the battle.
Ren and Leon looked on in shock; Ren tried desperately to follow as they saw the wolf unleash a beam from its giant horn, transforming the cave into rubble and pebbles.