Chapter 20: Through Mortal Eyes

“Finn!” A voice called out from behind him, pulling his attention away from the fierce battle between Gregor and the Phantom Wind Wolves.

Startled, Finn turned to see Bram rushing toward him, a group of villagers trailing closely behind. Some were armed with various weapons, their faces etched with concern.

Finn’s expression shifted to one of reproach as he glared at Bram. “What are you doing here? Didn’t I tell you to inform everyone not to come outside? Why did you bring them here?” He pointed an accusatory finger at Bram.

With an innocent look on his face, Bram scratched his head. “I didn’t want you facing those wolves alone. We’ve already lost too many comrades to them, and I refuse to lose my friend as well.”

Finn was taken aback by this revelation; warmth flickered in his eyes as he struggled to find the right words.

“Dear, are you okay?” A mild voice filled with panic broke through his thoughts. He turned to see a middle-aged woman,plump but kind-faced,her expression now twisted in fear.

Finn took her hand gently. “Honey, what are you doing here? It’s too dangerous!”

She shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. “When Bram said you were facing the wolves alone, I couldn’t sit still. I can’t bear the thought of losing my husband after already losing my only brother.”

Silence enveloped Finn as guilt washed over him at the sight of his wife’s tears. His eyes reddened as he wiped them away. “I’m sorry I couldn’t save your brother… If only I had…”

His wife interrupted softly, “It’s okay; it wasn’t your fault.”

At a loss for words, Finn finally asked, “What about the children? Are they safe?”

“Yes,” she replied with a nod. “I hid them in the underground cellar; they’re fine.”

“Good.” Relief washed over Finn as a smile broke through.

“Finn! How are you? What happened with the Phantom Wind Wolves?” An elderly voice echoed from behind the group. They turned to see an old man hunched over a walking cane, sparse white hair framing his weary face.

Finn and several others hurried to support him.

“What are you doing here, Deputy Chief? It’s dangerous for someone in your condition,” Finn said with genuine concern.

“Don’t worry about me; I’m still strong as a horse,” the old man replied while gazing into the darkness ahead. “What happened with the Phantom Wind Wolves?”

Taking a deep breath, Finn answered solemnly, “They’re all dead.”

“What!”

“Dead?”

Shock flickered across their faces as they processed this news.

“Did you kill them?” Bram asked incredulously.

Finn knocked on his head and rolled his eyes. “What do you mean I killed? Do I look like someone who could take down a Phantom Wind Wolf? I’m just lucky I wasn’t turned into meat paste, let alone have the audacity to kill one.”

“But how are they dead?” Bram rubbed his head in confusion.

“After you disappeared into the village, I used my blood as bait to draw them toward me. I wanted to keep them from spreading out and attacking the village from different directions. Before I knew it, I was surrounded by dozens of Phantom Wind Wolves. I thought for sure it was the end for me, but just as one was about to snap my head off, someone appeared and saved me. That’s how I’m still alive,” Finn recounted bitterly.

His wife squeezed his hand tightly, fear evident in her eyes. Finn looked at her and smiled reassuringly.

“Finn, I didn’t expect you to sacrifice yourself for the village. You’ve done well,” the old man said, patting Finn on the shoulder with emotion in his voice.

Finn clenched his fist tightly. “That’s what I can do for the village. My brother-in-law sacrificed himself to save me from those wolves, and I’m willing to do the same if it means protecting my family. I won’t let his sacrifice be in vain.”

A heavy silence fell over the group as they absorbed Finn’s words; sorrow flickered across their faces as they lowered their heads. His wife quietly sobbed, gripping Finn’s hand even tighter.

The old man sighed heavily and gazed outside the fence. “I believe this is the help that our Village Chief found in Greyvale City.”

Finn and the others were momentarily taken aback, surprise etched on their faces.

“Are you sure about this, Deputy Chief?” Finn asked hurriedly.

“What do you think?” the old man asked, lightly tapping his cane on the ground. “Do you believe just anyone can take down a Magical Beast like the Phantom Wind Wolf? And do you really think divine assistance can simply drop from the sky to help an ordinary person like you?”

Finn fell silent for a moment, realizing the old man was right. This place was so dangerous that even the lowest-ranked Warriors wouldn’t dare step foot in it; it was clear that only the Village Chief’s intervention had saved him.

“Well, that person is incredibly powerful,” Finn replied, nodding. “He killed all the wolves in less than thirty breaths and moved with astonishing speed.”

“So where is he now?” the old man asked, his gaze scanning the area beyond the fence.

Finn thought for a moment before responding. “I think I saw him moving deeper into the darkness while fighting off the wolves. It seemed like he was trying to lure them away from the village.”

“Hmm!” The old man nodded thoughtfully as he rubbed his chin. “It seems Edmund has found a kind Warrior who truly cares about this village. That’s good news.”

Suddenly, the sky brightened as the three moons hanging above shone even more brilliantly, their light breaking through clouds that had been obscuring them.

“Hissss!”

A collective gasp escaped from all the villagers as shock washed over them. The scene outside the fence was horrifying: an area of devastation littered with enormous corpses of Phantom Wind Wolves, none of which were intact. Blood and entrails were strewn everywhere.

Puddles of blood formed on the ground while cold night winds carried a metallic scent through the air. Some villagers turned pale at this gruesome sight.

“Th…this…is too scary,” Bram stammered, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. “All of this was done by one person.”

A chill ran down everyone’s spine at that realization. They were ordinary people with limited views on Warriors; they knew they were powerful but witnessing what one Warrior could accomplish left them in awe.

“Hey, look! It seems there’s someone out there,” Bram pointed toward a specific direction.

They craned their necks to peer into the darkness. Thanks to the bright light from the three moons, they could see what Bram was indicating,and what they saw made them gasp again.

“Is that…the Warrior? And is that…the Alpha Phantom Wind Wolf?” Finn’s eyes widened at this revelation.

“Yes, it appears so,” said the old man with a nod. “That Warrior looks like a 3-Star Expert Knight.”

“How can you tell he’s a 3-Star Expert Knight?” Finn asked curiously.

“A few years back, I had the incredible fortune of witnessing a Warrior engaged in battle with a magical beast in the Evergreen Mountain Range. This Warrior was surrounded by a striking silver-blue glow. In fact, he saved me during that encounter, and when I asked him about the glow, he explained that it signifies someone is a 3-Star Expert Knight.”

The old man shared this story as Finn and the others listened intently, their eyes fixed on the silver-blue aura enveloping the Warrior as he faced off against the massive Alpha Phantom Wind Wolf.

“Hey, look! It seems like the Alpha Phantom Wind Wolf is making its move!”

Instantly, everyone redirected their focus back to the intense standoff between the Warrior and the formidable wolf.

——

A/N : Are you guys ready to witnessed the battle between the First Adventurer and the Alpha Phantom Wind Wolf?

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