The wolves emerged from the darkness, their glowing yellow eyes locked onto the camp. Their bodies were larger than any normal wolf, their shoulders reaching up to a grown man’s chest. Their fur was a deep, almost metallic red, and their elongated claws gleamed under the moonlight. 

A low, guttural growl rumbled through the air as they prowled forward, their movements unnervingly synchronized. These weren’t just animals; they were considered monsters in this world.

Arthur quickly used ‘Analysis’ on the leading wolf.

//——————–//

[STATUS]

Name: Crimson Alpha Wolf

Rank: D-Rank Beast

Mana: 2385.3 Units

Strength: 477.2 Tons

Speed: 82.5 m/s

[SKILLS]

[Fireball]

//——————–//

[A/N: Monsters and beasts have advantage of higher physical strength comparable to martial artists while having mana similar to a mage.]

Beasts are also categorized into ranks from F to SSS in this world and D-rank beasts are equivalent to mid-grade martial artists or a 2nd to 3rd circle mage depending on their strength. And the alpha seems to be around mid D-rank.

The mercenaries immediately reacted, stepping into a defensive stance.

Gareth tightened his grip on his sword, shifting his weight slightly forward. “Damn it. These are crimson wolves. Not just ordinary beasts.”

Lyle’s hands trembled as he held his staff. “C..Crimson Wolves? They’re not supposed to be this far south!”

Mari scowled, raising her short staff. “Well, they’re here now. Stop panicking and get ready to fight.”

Arthur kept his eyes on the pack. He counted ten, but the Alpha was the only D-rank. The rest were E-rank, still dangerous but manageable.

Reyna tensed, her trained eyes darting across the treeline. Her grip on her daggers tightened. She had fought all sorts of monsters before, but that does not mean there is no chance of dying in a situation like this.

She glanced at Arthur. He hadn’t moved yet. He wasn’t even in a battle stance. Instead, his eyes were locked onto the largest wolf, the Alpha.

Reyna frowned. ‘He’s not worried. Why?’

The driver cursed. “Shit, we ain’t got enough people for this! If they decide to rush us…”

Before he could complete his sentence, the Alpha let out a low growl.

The pack attacked.

…

Lyle the wind mage reacted quickly, thrusting his staff forward. “Gale Shot!” he shouted. A concentrated burst of compressed air blasted from the tip of his staff, hitting a wolf mid-leap. The beast yelped as it was sent tumbling sideways, but it recovered fast, snarling as it dug its claws into the ground.

Another wolf went for Mari. She was ready. With a flick of her wrist, her short staff glowed bright red. “Ignis Bolt!” A flaming projectile shot forward, striking the wolf square in the chest. The fire didn’t kill it outright, but it howled in pain as scorched fur and sizzling flesh filled the air with the stench of burnt meat.

Gareth, meanwhile, met a charging wolf head-on, his sword flashing in the dim firelight. The beast leaped, aiming for his throat, but he sidestepped and brought his blade down in a heavy arc. Blood sprayed as the wolf collapsed, its momentum carrying it forward even as life faded from its eyes.

The battle broke into chaos.

Wolves darted through the darkness, snapping at their prey with razor-sharp fangs. The mercenaries held their ground, magic flaring as Lyle and Mari cast spell after spell. Wind howled as sharp gusts knocked wolves off balance, while bursts of fire illuminated the night with flashes of orange and red.

Arthur stood still, watching.

He wasn’t worried about the mercenaries. They could handle themselves. What concerned him were the other three.

Finn had been frozen in place, clutching his leather bag, eyes wide with fear. His breathing was ragged, panic setting in. And that was exactly why one of the wolves had locked onto him.

Arthur’s eyes flickered as he saw it move.

…

Finn’s breath caught in his throat as the wolves lunged.

He didn’t want to die here, and that too just after his family gathered the money for him to join the magic academy in Brightwater. He wasn’t a fighter. He wasn’t like Gareth, Lyle, or Mari. He didn’t learn attack magic spells, he didn’t even have training to defend himself. He wished he never stepped outside of the carriage like the trader.

He was just standing there frozen while everyone else fought.

The wolf circled around the campfire, yellow eyes gleaming with predatory focus. Finn knew that look. He had seen it in the eyes of street thugs, bandits, people who tries to find the weakest link and target them first.

His legs refused to move. His mind screamed at him to run, but his body wouldn’t listen.

The wolf charged.

Finn barely managed to raise his arms in defense, knowing it was useless.

Then something blurred past him.

A sickening crack filled the air, and suddenly, the wolf wasn’t there anymore.

Finn’s eyes widened as he saw Arthur standing in front of him, one hand clenched around the wolf’s throat. The beast dangled lifelessly from his grip before Arthur casually tossed it aside like it weighed nothing.

Finn swallowed hard. “Y-You…”

Arthur didn’t even glance at him. His focus was elsewhere.

Reyna, meanwhile, moved like a shadow. She disappeared into the darkness, her presence vanishing completely. A moment later, one of the wolves let out a strangled yelp, then silence.

No one noticed her movement but Arthur caught a glimpse of her due to the light of the campfire, her dagger buried deep in the wolf’s skull.

‘Assassin indeed.’

The Crimson Alpha growled, sensing its pack was losing. It finally made its move.

… 

As the fight dragged on Mari and Lyle continued casting, hurling fireballs and compressed air respectively to keep the wolves from overwhelming them, but it wasn’t enough to take them all down at once.

Reyna had seen all kinds of powerful fighters in her life. She had witnessed assassins who could move like shadows, martial artists who could shatter boulders with their blades and fists, and even heard about mages who could level cities with a flick of their wrists.

It wasn’t Arthur’s speed or strength that surprised her. What amazed her was how effortless he made those movements look like.

‘What kind of monster is he?’

His foot came down like a meteor, slamming into the Alpha’s back with a force that made the ground tremble. The beast hit the dirt with a pained snarl, and before it could recover, Arthur grabbed it by the scruff and threw it across the clearing. The alpha was nearly reaching his height, way bigger than the other wolves.

Reyna barely saw the movement, it was too fast. The Alpha crashed into a tree with bone-rattling force, bark splintering on impact. 

Arthur didn’t continue to attack, ’Let’s see what else it can do.’

‘Why isn’t he finishing it?’ Reyna thought. She narrowed her eyes. ‘He’s testing it.’

A strange sensation settled in her gut. This wasn’t normal. She had seen men hold back in battle before, either due to arrogance or mercy, but Arthur wasn’t doing either. He was like a curious child getting a new toy.

The Alpha, refusing to submit, started to use its main attack, red mana gathered inside its mouth, forming a huge fireball and threw it towards Arthur. Arthur dodged it effortlessly, and with a flicker of afterimage he arrived crouching below the wolf’s mouth, catching its muzzle. With a flick of his wrist, he hurled it over his shoulder. The wolf tumbled across the ground and scrambled to its feet, panting.

For a moment, it stood its ground. It understood that it could never win against Arthur. Then, its ears flattened. Its tail twitched. 

And it ran away. The rest of the pack, seeing their leader flee, followed without hesitation.

And just like that, the fight was over.

…

Reyna exhaled, forcing herself to loosen her grip on her daggers. Her hands had tightened instinctively during the battle, not from fear, but from the sheer absurdity of what she had just witnessed.

Gareth slowly lowered his sword, his grip slack. “What the hell was that?”

Mari let out a breath. “You tell me.”

Lyle swallowed hard. His hands were still shaking from the fight, but his eyes were locked onto Arthur with something between awe and fear.

Reyna stared at him for a long moment, her mind racing. Then, she spoke, voice quiet but firm.

“You were holding back.”

Arthur glanced at her but said nothing.

Finn, still wide-eyed, looked between Arthur and the now-empty battlefield. “You… you didn’t even use a weapon.”

Arthur finally turned to him, his expression unreadable.

“Didn’t need one.”

And with that, he walked past them, back toward the fire, as if nothing had happened.

…

The night passed without further incident, though the tension from the battle lingered in the air. The smell of burnt fur and blood still clung to their surroundings, but no one spoke of it. The mercenaries took turns keeping watch, ensuring the wolves wouldn’t return, though everyone knew they wouldn’t. The Alpha’s retreat had marked the end of the encounter.

Arthur remained seated near the fire, eyes closed in thought. The fight had been insignificant for him, but he couldn’t ignore the way the others looked at him now, especially Reyna. The assassin was sharp, too sharp, and he knew she had been observing him closely. He made a mental note to be more careful.

Finn, on the other hand, barely got any sleep. He tossed and turned in his bedroll, his mind replaying the moment Arthur had saved him. A part of him was terrified, but another part… was in awe, wanting to achieve the same feat.

As dawn broke, the caravan continued its journey.

The dirt path slowly widened as they neared civilization. The dense forest gave way to vast farmlands, golden fields stretching under the morning sun. Farmers and traders traveled alongside them, heading towards Brightwater to sell their goods. The closer they got to the city, the more crowded the roads became.

Gareth rode in front of the carriage with the driver. “We should reach the gates within the hour,” he called back.

Mari yawned, rubbing her eyes. “Finally. I swear, if I had to sleep on the ground one more night, I’d lose it.”

Lyle chuckled. “I think the wolves nearly did that for you.”

Mari shot him a glare but said nothing.

Arthur sat alongside Finn, hands in his pockets, observing everything in silence. The city was coming into view.

Brightwater.

Unlike the small villages they had passed, Brightwater was a true city, its towering stone walls standing tall against the skyline. Guards patrolled the massive iron gates, and long lines of merchants and travelers waited to enter. 

The city’s name wasn’t just for show, beyond the walls, there was a massive river winding through, its waters shimmering under the sunlight. Dozens of stone bridges arched over it, connecting different districts.

It was one of the major trade hubs in the kingdom, bustling with activity.

As they reached the gates, Gareth turned to the group. “Alright, this is where we part ways.”

The mercenaries nodded in agreement. Their job was done.

The guards at the gate, clad in chainmail and bearing spears, checked everyone’s identification before allowing entry. When it was Arthur and Finn’s turn, the guard, a middle-aged man with a scar on his cheek, eyed them carefully.

“Entry fee’s two silver per person.” Arthur thought why is the entry fees so high compared to Durnholde, then he figured it must be the admission season for the magic academy so they increased the entry fees. Well they are already showing a capitalist attitude it seems.

After they paid their entry fees the guard gave them an unimpressed look before stepping aside. “Welcome to Brightwater. No trouble inside the city.”

They stepped through the gates, and the sounds of the city immediately enveloped them. The streets were filled with people, merchants shouting their wares, children running between stalls, and armored knights patrolling the roads. The smell of fresh bread, roasted meat, and spices filled the air. Buildings of stone and wood lined the streets, their banners swaying in the breeze.

Finn took a deep breath, smiling. “I can’t believe I’m actually here…”

Arthur turned to him. “Do you know the way to Velcrest Academy?”

Finn’s head snapped toward him. “You’re… going to Velcrest too?”

Arthur nodded.

Finn’s eyes widened in surprise before breaking into an excited grin. “That’s amazing! I mean…I didn’t expect it, but that’s great! I know the way, yeah. Follow me!”

He led the way through the bustling streets, his steps noticeably more energetic than before. The academy was located in the upper district, separated from the main market and common housing areas. The streets here were cleaner, lined with finer architecture. Ornate lamp posts and well-maintained stone pathways led toward a massive, walled structure in the distance.

After more than twenty minutes of walking, they arrived at the gates of Velcrest Academy.

***

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