The Author's Viewpoint

Tave had visited this territory before, where the Shadow Wolves reigned supreme. Yet his purpose then had been to find their leader. He needed that leader, because he required another sacrifice for the bloodline override.

And in that hunting, he hadn't been alone. Orion as did the others, cutting a path through the shadows and fangs of the wolves that tried to bar their way. They struck down the beasts. In the end, Tave had taken what he needed, left the forest behind, and turned away without a second glance.

Months slipped by. And in the void of his absence, the surviving packs began to gather strength once more. They grew, multiplied, and reassembled their broken ranks.

Now, as Tave stepped once more into the edge of their domain, he saw with clarity that they had not only returned. They had evolved. Among them now prowled creatures of tier three.

And then, something far more ominous emerged.

Standing across the clearing like a shadow torn from a nightmare. Tave didn't even need to speak it aloud; he knew. The sheer presence of the beast confirmed what he suspected. This one was tier four. A predator among predators.

The existence of such a creature so close to populated land, so near to homes and families and fragile peace, was no mere threat. It was a warning. And a deeply dangerous one.

Across from them, Fang lowered his body, his growl deepening as he faced the tier four shadow wolf directly. His hackles bristled, eyes locked in a cold, unflinching stare.

Fear had no place in him. None of them. Neither Fang, Tave, nor Elowen, felt the shadow of dread. They had faced worse in the heart of an emergency rift, where survival was never guaranteed and the foes were both merciless and stronger.

Another tier four monster? It might have made others falter. But not them.

And if it came down to a fight, Tave knew without doubt he could end it. Swiftly, decisively. But no, that was not why he was here. Violence was no longer the answer. Not unless it became absolutely necessary.

Fang stepped forward, the ground beneath him trembling ever so slightly. The shadow wolf leader answered with a snarl that split the silence. Then, the forest shook with Fang's howl. A cry that echoed through the trees like thunder rolling across a battlefield.

The opposing wolf began to lift its head, ready to respond in kind. But before the sound could escape its throat, Fang released another growl. This one sharper, harsher, filled with threat and force.

The display of dominance stretched on for a tense few moments. Neither side moved hastily, both measuring the other with instinct. But at last, the tier four shadow wolf dipped its head and slowly backed away.

Fang stood still. He had won. Without shedding a drop of blood, he had brought the pack to heel. The forest seemed to exhale all at once, as if nature itself had acknowledged the resolution.

Tave stepped forward then, until he stood beside his companion. The shadow wolf who had just tamed a pack with will alone. Together, they faced the subdued creature across the clearing.

There was power in Tave's presence too, one not born merely of confidence, but of blood. Shadow wolf blood ran in his veins, pulsing beneath his skin.

Whether the wolves knew it consciously or not, they stood before not one, but two apex threats. One beast, one man, both forged from darkness and strength. And Tave, in the face of that eerie calm, was utterly unfazed.

"I need you. All of you," he commanded. "Track down the demons that have been wandering near this region. Spread out. Cover as much ground as possible. Report back the moment you find even the faintest trace."

His words didn't just echo. His voice sounded more like a howl than human speech, as if the forest itself were listening.

The shadow wolves growled in response. Some letting out short, rumbling howls before turning away. One by one, they melted into the darkness, shadows becoming shadow once more.

And yes, it worked. Flawlessly.

If he needed more force for the coming hunt, then calling on hunters who moved like wraiths through the dark was not just a wise choice. It was the only choice.

"Well, I didn't know you were keeping an entire shadow wolf pack in your backyard," came Elowen's voice from behind, slicing through the heavy atmosphere with a hint of playful sarcasm.

Tave turned slightly, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "I'm simply making good use of available assets. If we can align ourselves with more allies, why shouldn't we?"

"Sure," Elowen replied. "You're very skilled at using people, I'll give you that."

"That's not called using," he chuckled softly. "That's called leading. Important distinction."

One step had been taken. The first move was in motion. Now, Tave only needed to continue pressing forward—tracking the demons through any means available, while holding on to the hope that the shadow wolves would return with the results he needed.

As the rest of the night stretched on, Tave chose not to rest. Instead, he roamed deeper into the forest, weaving through the trees in search of another shadow wolf enclave. Hoping, just maybe, he could find another group to rally to his cause.

But the forest was alive with more than wolves.

Several times during their journey, they encountered monsters that roamed restlessly through the forest. One of them that night was a wild boar. A tier two beast.

It burst through the darkness, tearing out from the thick undergrowth with heavy, thunderous steps. It charged at them without warning.

Elowen turned toward the sound, readying herself, but she didn't need to act.

Tave moved first.

With fluid speed, he leapt into the boar's path, his body twisting midair as he drove a powerful kick directly into the creature's side. The impact sent the monster flying backward, crashing into a thick tree trunk with a sickening thud.

The beast let out a pained cry, but Tave and Elowen were already walking away.

Not long ago, that same tier of monster would have posed a serious threat to him. When he first came to this place, such a creature would have forced him into a brutal fight just to survive. And now? One well-placed kick was all it took.

What an astounding leap in strength. In such a short time, the growth he'd achieved was nothing short of extraordinary.

But it hadn't come freely.

Every ounce of that power had been paid for, dearly. The pain, the sacrifice, the battles lost and won… it had all come at a steep price. So yes, this evolution, this incredible strength, wasn't just deserved.

It was earned.

Still, killing a tier two monster wouldn't offer him any real advantage. It wouldn't contribute to his Gaia progress, and the chance of such a beast leaving behind a monster core was slim to none.

So Tave didn't waste time or energy finishing them off. Instead, he simply kicked them aside and moved on without a backward glance.

By the time the night had deepened well past its midpoint, Tave and Elowen came upon a clearing nestled beside a low ridge. Beyond it stretched a vast, gentle slope of open terrain, its quiet expanse glimmering faintly under the moonlight. The perfect place to rest. At least for a little while.

They both needed rest, after all. Even if only one of them truly required sleep.

The forest elves didn't tire the way humans did. Their connection to nature allowed them to stay alert for far longer with far less. So Tave took the first shift of sleep, trusting Elowen and Fang to keep watch under the stars.

***

Morning eventually arrived. As sunlight filtered through the trees, they made time for a brief breakfast. The smell of roasting meat curled through the forest air.

It was during that peaceful moment that Elowen broke the silence with a question.

"Demons of that level shouldn't be a real problem if Lady Elincia is still in the region, right, Tave? Isn't all this worry a little… excessive?"

Tave looked at her, his expression calm but firm.

"The danger doesn't lie in the ones we've already seen," he replied. "What if more are on their way? What if the ones who came before were only the first wave. Just here to prepare the ground for something far worse? That's why we can't afford to ignore even the smallest threat."

He paused.

"So… if we have the chance to eliminate a problem before it grows? Then we should."

Elowen offered a faint smile as she continued to nibble on the fruits she had brought along.

"Demons haven't been a true threat in centuries," she said softly. "I almost wonder if this is just their way of entertaining themselves. Trying to shake things up out of boredom. Anyway, they say Hell is as vast as Yunatea, don't they? I wonder what they even do there. Don't they already have a world of their own? Is it really that terrible, that they're desperate to push their way into ours?"

Tave didn't respond right away. He stared into the fire for a moment. Then, at last, he spoke. Carefully.

"There are plenty of kingdoms that flourish in prosperity, but war still finds them," he said. "Maybe it's just in their nature. Or maybe… it's something deeper. Either way, it's not so strange when you remember the history that came before all this."

Elowen narrowed her eyes slightly. "How much do you really know, Tave?"