19 Chapter 18: EP 4 — The Shadows V

In human tales, Fenrir monsters were once revered as divine companions, their spectral shapes haunting misty marshlands with an otherworldly presence—fur as soft as snow, eyes as deep as the ocean, and sizes that commanded respect.

Many of these creatures roamed the caverns beneath the Snowy Mountains, feared not only by humans but also by other beasts. Even the youngest among them were formidable B-Rank monsters, striking fear into the hearts of any humans or monsters who dared to cross their path.

However, among their ranks resided a one-of-a-kind Fenrir in the Great Forest of Saviya—the sole Black Fenrir ever documented on the continent. It held the title of the most perilous monster, possessing the rare ability to converse in human language, a trait indicative of exceptional intelligence among its kind.

This creature wrought havoc wherever it went and could lay waste to entire cities. Yet, for reasons unknown, it remained dormant for centuries, leading the current generation to question its existence—perhaps dismissing the Black Fenrir as nothing more than a myth used to frighten children.

Carla had never imagined she would one day cross paths with this beast. "There were really a lot of interesting things in the world," she pondered. However, the monster before her paled in comparison to the tremendous death aura emanating from the approaching child.

"Sigh, this was going to be quite a pain in the neck," Reki grumbled, his gaze fixed on the child descending with an eerie breeze. "Dame, that kid seemed oddly familiar."

Carla's heart skipped a beat. "Did you perhaps know him?"

Reki shook his head. "Nope. I had never encountered someone with such dark power before."

The two instinctively leaped apart as a powerful gust of wind swept toward them, narrowly missing and slicing through several trees behind them.

"Enough chitchat," the monster declared. "My master was stuffed and needed to digest the food he had consumed."

"Though you two were hardly a challenge, you'll suffice," he added, casually reclining on the ground. With a leisurely air, the Fenrir crossed his massive legs, his gaze focused upon them with an amused flash in his eyes.

Soon, a hundred spiral water spears formed in the air, poised to be unleashed by the kid. Each spear shimmered with an ominous glint, refracting the dim light in a sinister dance, as if the very essence of darkness coiled within them.

Carla sensed that the dark energy emanating from the kid was not of natural occurrence like 'life mana', as he effortlessly conjured the floating spears without the use of runes or incantations.

It was as if he had no limitations, his abilities unrestrained by the laws of nature. Carla immediately scanned her surroundings, and then a realization dawned on her.

When the kid began to attack, Reki moved instinctively to shield Carla, but she forcefully pushed him to the ground.

"Idiot, don't touch those!"

Bewildered, Reki glanced around, his eyes widening in horror as he saw the surrounding trees wither and decay at the mere graze of the dark energy. The air crackled with suppressed power, and a sense of dread washed over him.

"How dangerous," he muttered. If they were to touch those things, they would surely die. "Why don't we just run away, dame?"

Carla glared at him, as if she couldn't believe what came out of the knight's mouth. "You think we could outrun those two? If you think you can, then go. I'll buy you time."

Reki glanced at their opponents and then back at Carla. He sighed. "Ha, I guess we're going to die."

"Told you," Carla said, hitting his back strongly and stepping forward. "But we're going to die exceeding our limits." A fire ignited in her eyes as she eagerly clenched her fist, striking the ground. It seemed she had been awaiting this moment, a battle that could cost her life with no guarantee of victory. A challenge that could test her strength. This situation ignited her spirit the most.

"Exhilarating."

The ground cracked and split, swiftly advancing toward the kid and the Fenrir's location.

The Fenrir scoffed, raising his pointing finger and swiftly bringing it down. Before the crack reached Nazari, a sharp wind, like a blade, split the ground horizontally, halting its advance but leaving behind a horrifying abyss.

"That monster looks down on you, dame. Why are your attacks so weak?"

"Oh, shut up. It's just a greeting."

"But, dame..."

"What?!"

Reki blinked, a look of incredulity crossing his face. "Dame, I thought you had a fire attribute." He stared at her up and down, her body's color scheme confusing him.

Carla glared at him as if she wanted to punch him in the gut.

"Too bad the two of us are just ordinary knights." As soon as she said that, she rushed toward the kid and aimed a punch at his face. The kid stood still and didn't attempt to evade it; instead, the blow was absorbed by thick, swirling dark particles precisely where she struck.

Reki pondered why Carla hadn't been affected by touching the dark power like the trees had been.

Then, he noticed a faint reddish glow emanating from Carla's body. She had enveloped herself with her aura, creating a protective barrier.

The Fenrir smirked. "A nice move."

When a mage or a mage-knight channels their innate mana to cast a spell aligned with their body attributes, it manifests as magical power. In contrast, knights or individuals lacking elemental body attributes channel their innate mana to create a force known as an 'Aura.' This Aura enhances strength, agility, and other abilities. It can even materialize into powerful weapons invisible to ordinary eyes. The effectiveness of using an Aura depends on individual abilities and can vary from person to person.

Carla noticed that every time she kicked and touched the dark particles, her mana was being sucked from that area only, while the aura flow remained the same on the hand with the gauntlet. Convinced, she then shouted, "Reki, coat yourself with your aura and attack the kid with your weapon only. Don't let that black thing touch you!"

Reki immediately complied, enveloping himself in his aura and launching attacks at the kid from all directions. With remarkable precision and agility, Reki executed a series of swift and calculated strikes, each aimed at exploiting the smallest openings in the kid's defenses. Carla's intuition proved correct; as long as the black substance didn't make contact with their skin, they remained unharmed. Their aura served as a barrier and protection.

However, despite Reki's skillful onslaught, the kid blocked all of his aura blades without moving, instead staring at him nonchalantly. Those obsidian eyes radiate a chilling emptiness, instilling a sense of unease in Reki.

Reki then leapt back, allowing Carla to execute her ultimate punch, their movements flowed in perfect coordination. As Carla's fist surged forward like a cannonball, a whirlwind of energy enveloped her, enhancing the power of her strike. With a thunderous impact, her punch collided with the kid's defenses, sending shockwaves rippling through the air.

Just then, as Carla's attack landed with immense force, she noticed the kid's resilience was greater than anticipated. Despite her all-out effort, it seemed like her strength barely made a dent. Carla's confidence wavered momentarily as she realized the daunting challenge ahead. But a crazy smile on her face widened.

In that split second of stepping back, Reki's keen observation caught something peculiar. Illuminated by the torchlight, he observed the kid's shadow undulating like waves on the sea. It seemed absurd, but the kid's shadow appeared to possess a consciousness of its own.

Meanwhile, the Fenrir, intrigued by the sight before him, observed as the mere A-rank humans concocted a strategy. However, he wondered how long their mana would last, being gradually depleted by his master.

"The continent was truly a minuscule speck of land," he mused.

Seeing the gentle light glowing on their foreheads, a quiet insignia symbolizing stellar dendrites and runes unknown even to those graced by their divine essence. The Fenrir believed that even without an aura barrier, his master's power couldn't harm them. As they were Vassals blessed by the protection of a significant entity.

"Human, whom the omniscient and omnipotent master won't ever harm," the Fenrir murmured. However, he felt no obligation to divulge this to them.

"How amusing," he continued aloud, his gaze fixed on the humans. "Their ignorance may lead them to their demise."

He was acutely aware that when humans depleted their mana, it equated to imminent death.

"How unfortunate."