Chapter 22: Chapter 22: Total Assault on Maple Leaf Town
Su Nan directed Pella and Warwick to assist in commanding twelve Wolf Messengers, while entrusting Wolf One and Wolf Two, the most perceptive among them, to lead the remaining ten. Through the Wolf Pack Effect, Su Nan maintained seamless control over their actions, executing his strategy with precision.
In truth, by transforming into an Alpha Wolf, Su Nan could personally command up to thirty Wolf Messengers at once. However, he chose not to reveal this capability, even to his allies. The Wolf Pack Effect was a closely guarded secret, a hidden trump card he feared might one day be exploited by enemies analyzing his forces.
Efficient command structures, Su Nan knew, were the backbone of any successful operation. A well-coordinated force could vastly outperform a disorganized one. He drew parallels to World War I from his previous life, where the vast, poorly managed Russian army paled in comparison to smaller, disciplined European forces due to communication failures and lack of training.
Under his orders, the twelve Wolf Messengers infiltrated Maple Leaf Town beneath the full moon's glow. The nocturnal mana coursing through their veins heightened their agility and aggression, making them deadlier than ever.
The town's three toll stations, spaced five hundred meters apart, were swiftly and silently neutralized. The guards, overwhelmed by the wolves' efficiency, had no time to react before being slain. Su Nan could have launched a frontal assault, but he preferred a calculated approach. Rather than face both the knights and their troops head-on, he aimed to whittle down their numbers and dismantle their defenses.
Stealthily scaling the wooden perimeter walls, the wolves dispatched the guards with lethal precision, their sharp claws cutting throats in silence. They then moved deeper into the town, targeting the barracks. Many soldiers were slain in their sleep, their lives ending before they could comprehend the attack.
This devastating efficiency was the result of Su Nan's relentless refinement of the Wolf Potion, designed to enhance their stealth and lethality. These creatures were natural predators of the night.
However, not all of Pasha's forces were caught off guard. A Pasha-trained knight squire, ever vigilant, awoke as a wolf leapt toward his bed. Reacting swiftly, he grabbed its claws, struggling to keep them from tearing into his chest. The ensuing scuffle overturned a nearby torch, setting the barracks aflame.
"Enemies! We're under attack! What kind of monster is this?" the squire shouted, his voice echoing through the camp.
By the time the alarm spread, more than half of the soldiers had been killed. Only around 130 remained.
Pinned beneath the Wolf Messenger, the squire barked orders to his attendants. "Get over here! Stab this beast in the back—use the holy water!"
One attendant hastily poured holy water over a sword and lunged at the wolf. The blade pierced its back, drawing a pained roar. Yet instead of falling, the creature's eyes turned crimson as it entered Berserk Mode. Its strength surged, and with a single swipe, it crushed the attendant's skull before ripping the sword from its back.
"The holy water… it doesn't work?" the squire muttered in horror. "Those priests lied to us!"
As the wolf's power grew, the squire's chances of survival diminished. Now fully enraged, the beast overpowered him, pinning him to the bed.
Elsewhere in the barracks, two mercenary squires heard the commotion and saw the flames. They approached their doors but hesitated.
"We're just hired help. No point dying for this," one said, locking the door and barricading it with furniture.
"Agreed. Let's pretend we didn't see anything. Whoever wins, they'll still need squires tomorrow."
They were unaware that a Wolf Messenger had been eavesdropping just outside their window. The creature, hearing their words, silently withdrew.
From his vantage point outside the town, Su Nan observed everything through the Wolf Pack Effect.
"Let them live," he decided. "Their hearts are of little value to me. After the battle, I'll need some visible knights to display as part of my forces. These two will suffice."
With most of the defenses neutralized, Gess Pasha and Harlen the Knight arrived at the burning barracks with their guards.
Harlen surveyed the destruction. "Is this Meir Balagan's doing?" he asked.
Gess, glaring at the wolves darting through the flames, clenched his jaw. "No. It's the boy—Su Nan. I should've killed him five years ago."
Drawing two massive swords nearly three meters long, Gess radiated an aura of raw power. These weapons, typically unwieldable without both hands, seemed weightless in his grasp.
"Coat my blades in holy water," he ordered. "As long as I'm here, these beasts don't stand a chance. Kill them all. By morning, everything will be back to normal."
"That useless priest! You've killed me!" the knight squire cursed in despair.
In the next moment, the Wolf Messenger, its body surging with enhanced power under Berserk Mode, slammed its claw into the squire's chest. Time and again, the beast's relentless onslaught drained any hope from the squire, who was now pinned beneath the relentless assault. He could no longer resist.
The Wolf Messenger's self-inflicted injuries to further amplify its strength proved too much for the squire. With his 1.5 strength stat, he had no hope of breaking free, especially without a proper weapon in hand.
Meanwhile, in another part of the barracks, two mercenary squires employed by Maple Leaf Town overheard the chaos—the screaming, growling, and howling, accompanied by the spreading flames consuming the camp. Initially, they moved toward the door, intending to investigate, but stopped short.
They exchanged nervous glances. As mercenaries, they were paid to maintain order, not to die for it. In the past, they had used their positions to bully commoners and intimidate petty thieves. Those tasks required little effort and carried no real risk.
But this? The military camp was now a fiery death trap, filled with horrors that no amount of money could justify facing.
"Why should we risk our lives for Pasha's mess?" one muttered. "This isn't our war."
The two quickly bolted the wooden door from inside, dragged heavy furniture to barricade it, and sat back on their bunks.
"This looks like internal conflict between the nobles of the Peter Barony. Just this morning, Gess Pasha was bragging about taking control of the entire territory. Why should we care who wins? They'll both need loyal squires once it's over," reasoned one.
"Exactly," his companion agreed. "Let's stay out of this. Besides, no one has tried to break into our room. That's proof enough they're not after us."
They nodded to each other and lay on their beds, pretending to sleep. "By tomorrow, we'll have a new employer—whoever that may be."
Unbeknownst to them, a Wolf Messenger had silently crept to their window, listening to their entire conversation. Deciding they were of no immediate threat, the beast slipped away without a sound.
Far off, eight hundred meters away, Su Nan observed everything through the Wolf Pack Effect.
"They're smart enough to avoid becoming collateral damage," Su Nan mused. "Leave them be. Gess Pasha's men and Harlen's soldiers will suffice as my test subjects."
After a pause, he added, "With their stats at a mere 1.2 to 1.3, these two are no use to me. Their hearts hold little value. Besides, once I reclaim Maple Leaf Town, I'll need some visible knightly presence to display to the public. These two will do nicely as ornamental figureheads."
He smirked, his tone dismissive. "They're just pets for show. No need for them to actually work."
By now, the Maple Leaf Town forces were in shambles. Most of their soldiers were dead or incapacitated.
Finally, Gess Pasha, accompanied by Harlen the Knight and their personal guards, arrived at the burning barracks. The sight of the devastation left Harlen speechless.
"What happened here?" he demanded. "Was this Meir Balagan's doing?"
Gess Pasha's face darkened as he watched the Wolf Messengers dart through the flames, their figures illuminated by the inferno. His hands clenched into fists. He had planned to launch an all-out assault on Su Nan at dawn.
But Su Nan had struck first, catching him off guard.
He gritted his teeth, the weight of his miscalculation sinking in. He had underestimated the young baron.
"It's not Balagan. He doesn't have the guts or the brains for this," Gess growled. His voice was cold and steady. "It's the boy—Su Nan. I should've killed him five years ago."
Reaching for his massive swords, Gess signaled to his men. The blades, nearly three meters long, were weapons that most knights could barely wield with both hands. Yet in Gess's grasp, they were like mere toys, effortlessly maneuvered with a single hand each.
"Bring the holy water!" he barked. "Coat my blades. If there's one thing these monsters can't withstand, it's the blessings of the Storm God."
As his guards scrambled to comply, Gess addressed Harlen.
"The boy may have some tricks, but he's still just a boy. These creatures, no matter how fearsome, are nothing more than pawns in his game. As long as I'm here, nothing
will stop us. We'll kill every last one of them, and by morning, everything will be back to normal."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone