章 100: Surrounded
Khazik quickly made a decision. He signaled one of the scouts to use flag signals to warn the rear flank of the army.
The scout immediately understood, pulled out two flags, and found a higher vantage point. He swiftly waved the flags.
The message was clear.
A magic beast's corpse had been found ahead, and predatory beasts might be nearby. Stay on high alert.
After confirming the response from the rear through return flag signals, Khazik nodded and signaled the team to continue moving forward.
The group advanced deeper into the Celestoria Mountain Range.
The scent of blood from the magic beast faded, but the surrounding forest grew denser, and the light increasingly dim.
Captain Khazik's mood grew heavier.
Despite their progress, aside from encountering the torn-apart wild boar, the surrounding area was eerily quiet.
This stillness triggered a warning in his instincts—the unsettling quiet was a sign of impending danger.
He narrowed his eyes, scanning the dense forest around him, feeling a growing sense of unease.
As a seasoned scout, he knew that such silence in an area where magic beasts roamed frequently was unnatural.
Ordinarily, there should be more signs of beast activity, the sounds of animals, or even the rustling of leaves in the wind.
But the silence now was unnerving.
He couldn't afford to stop the team's advance abruptly.
"Keep moving, stay in formation, and watch your surroundings."
He ordered quietly.
Borne, Dillon, and the others didn't speak, but they followed the command silently.
As the group ventured deeper into the Celestoria Mountain Range, the temperature dropped steadily.
The cold air felt like blades cutting across their faces.
What had been merely cold air was now accompanied by snowfall.
Snowflakes danced in the air, gathering on the ground, gradually covering the already difficult path.
Borne rubbed his arms vigorously, trying to warm himself, but the snow continued to thicken, slowing their pace.
Everyone was shivering, their hands and faces numb from the cold, and their breaths turned into clouds of white mist that quickly dispersed in the air.
"What's with this snow?"
Victor muttered, pulling his coat tighter as his footsteps made dull sounds in the snow.
"This isn't a good sign. The snow came too suddenly, and the temperature dropped too quickly."
Dillon's face was tense, his brow furrowed.
Captain Khazik looked around.
The white snow had already blanketed the ground, obscuring the original path.
He halted, raised his hand, and signaled the group to stop for a moment.
"Watch your step.
Be careful of any pits hidden beneath the snow."
His hoarse voice came through the wind and snow.
The group paused briefly, everyone moving in place to prevent stiffness from the cold.
Borne wiped the snow from his face.
"Move on,"
Captain Khazik ordered.
The group continued along the snow-covered mountain path, the wind howling, and the snow falling harder.
Everyone kept their heads down, trying to maintain a tight formation.
As time passed, strange things began to happen.
Borne occasionally glanced back at the rear of the group, a growing sense of unease rising in him.
He noticed that the tail end of the group seemed to be missing a few people, scouts who should have been right behind them had seemingly vanished into thin air.
There were no shouts, no footsteps, only the faint echoes of the wind and snow swirling in the air.
"Dillon, have you noticed we're missing people?"
Borne asked quietly, his eyes filled with concern.
Dillon didn't turn his head but calmly nodded.
"I noticed it a while ago, but we can't make a fuss right now.
The quieter it is, the more likely something is watching us."
Borne felt a heavier weight in his heart.
He couldn't help but glance back again, mentally counting the number of missing men.
There were no traces in the snow, as if those men had never existed.
Captain Khazik abruptly stopped, slightly turning his head and whispering instructions to an experienced scout beside him.
The scout's face immediately paled, but he showed no hesitation.
He simply nodded and quietly made his way toward the rear of the group.
A wave of unease washed over the group.
Watching the scout's silhouette fade into the wind and snow, they realized they were now in the worst-case scenario.
"Captain, what's going on?"
Lucius asked in a low voice, trying to suppress the panic rising within him.
Khazik's gaze remained steady, his tone calm as he replied.
"We're surrounded.
I sent him to notify the rear forces for reinforcements."
The calmness in his voice only stirred greater turmoil within the group.
The sight of the scout walking into the storm felt like watching a soldier march toward his death.
The snow fell harder, the wind still howling.
With Khazik's halt, the entire scout team stopped as well.
Captain Khazik squinted his eyes, staring into the darkness ahead, which seemed bottomless, as if hiding some terrible presence.
"Grab your weapons. We're about to fight."
Khazik's voice was low.
As soon as he spoke, pairs of eerie green eyes suddenly lit up in the darkness, like countless lanterns appearing out of nowhere.
Borne's heart sank.
He recognized those eyes—they belonged to wolves.
Accompanying the glowing green eyes, low growls echoed from all directions.
Soft footsteps in the snow began to reach their ears, light and silent.
The scouts immediately tensed up, raising their weapons and scanning their surroundings.
Captain Khazik raised his hand and made a gesture, signaling everyone to stay calm.
"Hold the formation.
Don't let them break through!"
Khazik commanded calmly, his long sword gleaming in the cold wind.
Everyone held their breath, gripping their weapons tightly, preparing for the impending bloodshed.
"I'll count to three. Get ready to fight."
Khazik's voice was steady and firm.
"One."
He began counting down calmly.
The snow fell heavier, the wind biting.
The scouts' breathing quickened, their chests heaving.
Every hand clenched their weapons tightly, knuckles turning white from the force.
"Two."
Khazik narrowed his eyes, scanning the darkness around them.
The wolves' growls grew louder, a low, ominous sound that sent shivers down their spines.
The eerie green eyes glowed brighter, like countless dangerous jewels advancing toward them.
The wolves' footsteps drew closer, the snow swirling wildly in the cold wind.
Khazik's arm muscles tensed, veins bulging as he gripped his sword tightly.
"Three!"
Khazik's low shout rang out.
At the same moment, the wolves seemed to receive the signal to attack.
Instantly, the low growls turned into sharp howls, and the glowing green eyes flashed with a savage light.
Countless massive wolf shadows charged out of the snow, rushing toward the scouts.
"For the Lord!"
Khazik roared, his sword raised high as he slashed down at the first white wolf that lunged at him.
週次パワーステータス
-- 推薦
ランキング 
-- 推薦
チケット