章 5: Chapter 5: The Bandit Stronghold
Su Nan was slightly surprised to learn that the town council had been colluding with the bandits for some time. Warwick, the steward, was enraged, and Pera, the head maid, was barely able to restrain herself.
However, Su Nan remained calm.
First, this was just typical noble scheming. Mapleleaf Town had always been wary of him, fearing that their independence would be threatened if he regained control.
Second, these bandits would all be dead by the end of the night.
In the forest, Su Nan said, "It's dark now. Wolf One, sneak in and destroy the two largest wooden watchtowers in their stronghold."
The two watchtowers on the outskirts of the bandit stronghold were key to their defense. The bandits used overlapping fields of fire and the terrain's natural complexity to render any frontal assault nearly impossible. Even Warwick, as an experienced squire, had attempted to take down the bandits before but had been forced to retreat due to the towers' effective defenses.
At Su Nan's command, the transformed dog, now a Werewolf Messenger, leapt into the forest.
Su Nan thought, AI, begin recording combat data for Werewolf Messengers. File it under "Wolf Pack One."
Through the magical link connecting the werewolves to Su Nan, he could view fragmented, intermittent scenes from the perspective of Wolf One. It was enough for the AI to gather the necessary combat data.
Wolf One crept through the undergrowth and easily located a sentry hiding among the trees. As the sentry turned toward a faint rustling sound, Wolf One circled around behind him and struck with a powerful claw, breaking the man's back.
The sentry gasped in horror as he turned to see the shadowy beast looming over him in the darkness.
"A… a monster…"
Before he could raise the alarm, his head was crushed under the werewolf's foot.
Wolf One sprinted silently toward the wooden palisade surrounding the bandit stronghold. The wall proved no obstacle, as the werewolf effortlessly scaled it and began making its way toward the towers. Under the cover of night, and with its incredible agility, the werewolf went undetected.
In the forest, Su Nan's left eye displayed a stream of data.
[Werewolf Messenger stealth capabilities have met expectations. Combat efficiency aligns with projections based on the potion's formulation.]
Warwick said, "The bandits are starting to notice something is wrong."
Indeed, Wolf One had already climbed the first tower and dispatched the five archers stationed there. Before the last bandit died, however, he knocked over a torch, setting the wooden structure ablaze.
Su Nan had accounted for this risk during his experiments. He knew that silver and fire were two of the most potent counters to werewolves. The flames caused Wolf One some discomfort, eliciting a pained howl as it leapt from the burning tower to the next.
The fire quickly spread, turning the first tower into a massive beacon in the night. Panic rippled through the bandit camp.
Who could have infiltrated us so silently? Could it be the three Storm Knights of the Peter Barony finally taking action?
On the second tower, the bandits spotted the shadowy figure of Wolf One charging toward them. Despite their frantic efforts to fire volleys of arrows at the creature, the dark obscured their aim.
Even the arrows that hit were ineffective. The iron-tipped shafts seemed to glance off the werewolf's hide, barely scratching the surface. The bandits were horrified to see one arrow lodged in the creature's throat slowly pushed out as the muscles beneath its skin healed over.
"What kind of monster is this? Is it a wolf or a man? Why is it so large?"
"My arrow hit its throat! Why is it still alive?"
"God of Law, what is this abomination?"
"Storm God, have you cursed us?"
Wolf One reached the top of the second tower and tore through the bandits with its claws. Throats were slashed, blood spattered, and even those who initially survived its attacks were crushed under its powerful limbs.
With agility twice that of a normal human and strength enhanced by its werewolf physiology, Wolf One was an unstoppable force. The bandits, poorly nourished and barely trained, were no match for the creature.
Su Nan ordered the werewolf to knock over the remaining torches, engulfing the second tower in flames.
The camp's leader, a towering man with years of experience as a deserter from the eastern empire, watched the chaos from the central bonfire.
He had faced many adversaries in his life, but nothing like this.
"This isn't a bear," he muttered, observing Wolf One's movements. "This… this is something else entirely."
He saw his men stab the creature with iron swords and pitchforks, only for the werewolf to shrug off the attacks and retaliate with devastating efficiency. The creature darted through the camp, leaping and slashing with a fluidity and power that defied belief.
Under Su Nan's direction, Wolf One moved with surgical precision, a killing machine born of alchemy and magic. The bandits, mere mortals, had no chance.
The bandit leader gritted his teeth. "Fire. It avoids the fire. That thing is afraid of it."
He shouted to his men, "Light your torches! Use them to attack the monster!"
But the chaos only deepened as Su Nan unleashed his second Werewolf Messenger.
The second werewolf approached the camp from another direction, sowing further panic among the disorganized bandits. Many abandoned the fight entirely, fleeing into the forest.
The leader's face twisted in fury and desperation. "What have I done
to deserve this?"
"Is this punishment from the God of Law? No… this can't be…"
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