The Most Satisfied Reincarnate

But he felt the thrust of his sword had yet to reach the deepest recesses of the Husk Wolf's gaping maw that he was relentlessly attacking. The beast's jaws were wide, lined with rows of razor-sharp teeth that seemed to mock Bastian's efforts.

When Leona caught sight of Bastian's determined expression, a deep understanding passed between them. With a swift motion, she began to chant an incantation, channeling her magic into a spell that conjured a massive ice sword. With precision, she drove it straight into the skull of the Husk Wolf. "Honey, are you okay?" she called out, concern lacing her voice.

With a grunt, Bastian withdrew his sword from the Husk Wolf's mouth, marveling at the sheer size of the creature. Its mouth alone could consume half its own body—a gruesome sight that sent shivers down his spine. It was at this moment that Bastian truly comprehended the monstrous scale of these Husk Wolves.

Surveying the aftermath, Bastian noticed that the pack of Husk Wolves he had previously engaged had barely diminished in number, with only a few superficial scratches marring their bodies. Frustration surged within him, and he clenched his fists, gritting his teeth. He stole a quick glance at Leona before making a decision.

"Let's run; I've spotted an escape route," he declared, urgency lacing his words.

Leona nodded in agreement, her eyes darting around the area. Strangely, not a single Husk Wolf made a move to attack them as they conversed. Instead, the creatures seemed to back away, maintaining a cautious distance. Their fear was palpable, evident in their hesitant postures.

Bastian scanned the pack of Husk Wolves that stood before him and discovered a narrow gap, just wide enough for both of them to slip through. Gripping his sword tightly, he approached with determination, reaching for Leona's hand. "Swordsmen skill: Power boost!" he muttered under his breath, his muscles swelling with newfound strength. His physique even appeared slightly larger as a result.

With Leona in his arms, Bastian dashed forward, their hearts pounding in unison.

As they neared the opening, Bastian couldn't help but notice something peculiar. The Husk Wolves showed no aggression toward them; instead, they glared at him with intense animosity, yet they made no attempt to pursue. Leona, sensing the unsettling shift, swiftly cast a spell, encasing both of them in a protective shield of ice needles.

"We did it!" Bastian shouted with exhilaration, relieved that they had managed to evade the Husk Wolf pack. He glanced back, only to find the creatures fixated on him, seething with fury, yet immobilized. "But this is strange, don't you think?" he remarked, exchanging a concerned look with his wife.

Leona's expression turned grave, her instincts urging her to remain vigilant for the impending dangers. Just as she uttered a warning, an earsplitting howl reverberated through the air, causing the ground to tremble as if something colossal was stirring amidst the dense forest. "Watch out!" Leona cried out, her voice edged with urgency.

Bastian had sensed something amiss earlier, but hesitation still lingered within him. However, as soon as Leona's warning reached his ears, he instinctively activated his potent swordsman skill. "Swordsman skill: 3rd Eye," he commanded, unlocking an extraordinary ability that granted him heightened perception.

With his newly acquired vision, time seemed to slow down, enabling him to witness fast-moving objects with unparalleled clarity.

His widened sight captured the presence of an enormous wolf—its size dwarfing even the surrounding Husk Wolves. From a distance, the beast charged toward them with astounding speed. With each stride, wicked thorns protruded from its body, impaling the earth beneath, leaving behind hollow imprints in the ground.

"That's the creature I saw last night," Bastian thought, recognizing the imposing figure.

Observing this formidable adversary, Bastian abandoned all hesitation, fully committing his abilities to protect himself and his beloved. "Honey, help me guard our front. I'm going to try something," Bastian exclaimed, lowering his body and prompting Leona, still cradled in his arms, to follow suit.

Halting their steps abruptly would disrupt the accumulated momentum, rendering their defenses vulnerable. Such a lapse would be perilous, particularly with the cunning Husk Wolves eagerly awaiting any opportunity to feast upon their vulnerable forms.

"Okay," Leona replied, her voice laced with determination. She began to chant an incantation, channeling her magic into a spell. Placing her hand upon Bastian's chest, she murmured, "Advance Spell: Reinforce."

An invisible barrier gradually enveloped Bastian's body, noticeably sturdier than the protective shield she had previously conjured. However, it became apparent that this barrier primarily safeguarded Bastian himself, leaving Leona, perched upon his back, without the same level of resistance. Sensing Bastian's concern, she reassured him, "It's okay.

As long as you hold steady, I won't falter." She sealed her promise with a tender kiss upon his cheek, aiming to alleviate his worries.

Bastian found solace in her words, his apprehension alleviated. Accelerating his steps, he finally stood face to face with the towering giant wolf. Even while carrying Leona, his stature hardly surpassed that of an elephant's trunk.

Just as he recalled from the previous night, the wolf's colossal size left only its lower neck visible, the rest obscured by the shadows cast by the sun. However, in a sudden turn of events, his perception shifted when he realized a massive claw lunging to rend him apart.

Swiftly tilting his body to the side, he narrowly avoided the full impact, though a glancing blow from a single clawed finger grazed him.

*Clang!*

Leona's barrier sprang into action, demonstrating its formidable strength against the wolf's assault. Bastian silently commended her prowess, appreciating the effectiveness of the barrier she had conjured.

Perceiving the power of her defensive magic, Leona found herself momentarily speechless. "Honey, isn't this beast too weak?" she questioned, her voice tinged with surprise. With resolve in her eyes, she swiftly dismounted from Bastian's back, landing unscathed on the ground. "Let me investigate."

The ice needles that had encircled them dissipated, and Leona turned her attention towards the colossal wolf. Uttering an incantation, she pointed both hands toward the creature. "Advance spell: Elemental burst."

Unlike spells that required the gradual construction of images by the caster, this particular spell allowed for an immediate attack on the target, bypassing the image creation stage. However, it also demanded a higher consumption of energy.

*Swoosh!*

A gargantuan ice spear materialized in the air behind Leona with astonishing speed. This spear matched the Husk Wolf's own massive size and hurtled toward the giant wolf, piercing through its hindquarters.

*Howl!*

The wails emitted by the enormous wolf surpassed even the cacophony of the Husk Wolf pack. In its pain, the creature expelled numerous needles from its back, scattering them in all directions.

*Clang!* *Clang!*

Bastian, who had momentarily halted his steps, watched in both concern and amazement at his wife's audacious actions. The barrier she had bestowed upon him continued to resound, warding off the onslaught of giant thorns.

Simultaneously, the spikes aimed at Leona froze in mid-air before shattering into fragments. A transparent ice barrier had materialized, shielding her body from the onslaught of thorns.

The giant wolf, assaulted by Leona's attack, met its demise on the spot, its howls silenced forever. Witnessing this spectacle, the pack of Husk Wolves let out resounding howls before scattering in every direction.

"What..." Bastian exclaimed, utterly astonished. The Husk Wolf pack that had posed such a formidable threat to them had dispersed upon the death of the giant wolf.

"My suspicions were correct," Leona declared, turning to face Bastian while meeting his surprised gaze. "The giant beast was called the Husk King. It's renowned for guarding a plant that possesses great value to wizards."

Leona paused, considering her next words carefully. "Furthermore, the Husk King serves as the leader of the Husk Wolves. This information is typically confined to those in the upper echelons, as its dissemination could bear certain risks." Bastian blinked in disbelief upon hearing this revelation.

Bastian, at a loss for words, decided to remain silent and attentively listen to Leona's further explanation. Observing her husband's expression, Leona spoke with concern evident in her voice. "No matter what, I haven't kept any secrets from you." She never intended to withhold this information from him; it simply hadn't crossed her mind that they would encounter such a beast.

"No need to tell me twice, I understand. Let's press on," Bastian responded, though his expression betrayed a tinge of disappointment with himself.

Leona, observing this, felt conflicted. She knew that her husband wasn't yet strong enough to bear the weight of this revelation.

As they continued their journey, a heavy silence enveloped them, neither of them uttering a word. It was clear that Bastian was grappling with his newfound knowledge of his own weaknesses. Meanwhile, Leona struggled to find the right words to encourage him.

If she were to say, "I'm always by your side, no matter what," Bastian would perceive it as an attempt to gloss over his weaknesses. On the other hand, if she allowed the silence to persist, she feared their relationship would suffer from a lack of communication.

"Ho-"

"There's no need to say anything," Bastian interjected, abruptly cutting off Leona before she could finish her sentence. He immediately pulled her into an embrace. "You don't have to comfort me anymore. It's just that sometimes, I feel frustrated with myself."

Leona's expression softened, and she returned the embrace, her hand gently stroking his hair. "You're already amazing, honey. You just need to give yourself enough time for reflection and growth."

Upon hearing her words, Bastian's eyes regained their spark of enthusiasm. "Yeah, lately, we've been consumed by kingdom affairs. It seems like we'll need to take some time off after this." He chuckled, and they resumed their conversation with a renewed sense of connection.