127 – Tremblingwoods Fights the Windblade Wolves
They were Windblade Wolves.
The pack of cunning fellows didn"t attack right away to rob the Bloodline Fruit. Instead, they appeared after the fight was over, wanting to be the fisherman. [1]
The previous three magic beasts were already a handful.
Now that they confronted seven magic beasts at once and at night at that, their conditions were not favorable. It was difficult for them to prevail over the pack of Windblade Wolves.
“Sir, let"s retreat?” Marcus took out a smoke gra.s.s flint package: “A night battle is very unfavorable for us. The traps can"t stop the pack of wolves. Besides, my left leg is injured, making it impossible for me to display my full strength. I"ll ignite the smoked gra.s.s and use [Multiple Arrows] to cover Sir"s retreat. Let"s evacuate towards the main road.”
Liszt replied in straightforward fashion: “Alright!”
Best to be conscientious in everything, flight included.
Before the package was ignited, a penetrating wolf howl pierced everyone"s ears: “Awuuuuuuu…”
Liszt turned his head to look. But Tremblingwoods, which slept on the ground, had stood up at some point before raising its head and issuing a wolf howl.
Its body seemed to have been inflated alike a balloon, which was the muscles underneath its fur bulging. Besides, its eyes were bloodshot and its fangs turned fiercer and sharper.
Liszt hurriedly released Magic Eyes.
He saw Tremblingwoods" earth-yellow magic power rising alike a flame, making it look like a fierce beast bathed in fire: “Tremblingwoods!”
When Tremblingwoods heard Liszt"s shout, it turned its head. Momentarily, there was a hint of confusion in its eyes.
The next moment, a feeling of familiarity inundated its mind as it heard Liszt"s order: “Attack!” Involuntarily, it rushed in the direction that Liszt pointed.
There were two Windblade Wolves there.
Seeing Tremblingwoods rushing over, they hurriedly retreated. However,Tremblingwoods" current speed was too fast. It caught up with a Windblade Wolf in two steps, opened its maw, and released its magic.
A Rockthorn thicker than usual sprouted from the ground and directly skewered the Windblade Wolf. From its pierced through abdomen, intestines and blood leaked out.
“Yelp, wu…” The Windblade Wolf cried out in pain.
The other six Windblade Wolves rushed over, dabbing at Tremblingwoods. The fight started without any prelude. The chaos of Windblades thrown by the Windblade Wolves chopped at brunches and trunks as well as cut gashes in the ground. Tremblingwoods accurately released Rockthorns, each time wounding a Windblade Wolf by a bit.
With its unparalleled strength, Tremblingwoods was like a tiger released amid a flock of sheep. Often times, whenever a Windblade Wolf wanted to take a bite at it, it would send it flying with a slap.
Even if it was bitten, it would just have its skin pierced a bit. Its bulging muscles made it so it could avoid being injured by the Windblade Wolves" sharp fangs.
Tremblingwoods also bit back. Windblade Wolves bit by it found it unbearable, as they jumped away and cried out in pain.
Blood and magic flew everywhere as dog and wolves fought desperately.
“Tremblingwoods has… evolved?” Marcus trembled slightly, clenching the smoke gra.s.s flint package in his hand. The scene of the Violent Dog taking on six Windblade Wolves was really spectacular.
Liszt"s breathing was a bit hurried. Just now, he saw Tremblingwoods" eyes, which seemed not to recognize him. There was even a faint bloodthirsty, cruel glint, which was innate to beasts. Without a shadow of a doubt, Tremblingwoods would have attacked him the following moment.
Fortunately, he didn"t panic, his mind remained clear at that crucial moment.
He swiftly issued an order to attack, shifting Tremblingwoods attention to the Windblade Wolves.
As expected, his orders were a conditioned reflex to Tremblingwoods. It subconsciously attacked the Windblade Wolves. What he hadn"t antic.i.p.ated was that Tremblingwoods could take on six Windblade Wolves without falling the slightest bit behind.
“I don"t know. Its magic power has gone berserk. Whether it evolved or not, it needs to vent!” Liszt"s tone was serene, yet contained a trace of detachment, “Teacher Marcus, the Bloodline Fruit seems to have unleashed Tremblingwoods" beastly nature. It"s out for blood.”
If later, Tremblingwoods still didn"t recognize him, then it would launch an attack at him as well.
Obviously, he wouldn"t be soft-handed.
Marcus gave a heavy nod, then drew his bow and arrows and retreated to the vicinity of the still intact traps, all the while paying close attention to the battle scene: “Understood!”
The retainer knights stood in formation, guarding Liszt in the center.
Everyone waited patiently.
The battle didn"t last too long.
The berserk-eyed Tremblingwoods, found the opportunity stab a Windblade Wolf to death with Rockthorns, destroying the wolf pack"s encirclement. Then, it started a ma.s.sacre. It suddenly captured a Windblade Wolf. Without waiting for the Windblade Wolf to twist its body and escape, it released a Rockthorns, impaling the other party.
It knew far better how to effectively use its magic than the Windblade Wolves, as it had been trained by Liszt for a long time. Also, Rockthorns was particularly suited for sneak-attacks.
One by one, the Windblade Wolves were cruelly impaled to death.
Its berserk aura also gradually subsided. When it was time to kill the final Windblade Wolf, it turned out that it had exhausted its magic power and could no longer release Rockthorns.
Staring blankly, it watched as the Windblade Wolf took the chance that presented itself to it and fled into the distance without looking back.
As it breathed heavily, it momentarily forgot to give chase.
But in the next moment, four sharp arrows were shot, nailing the already injured Windblade Wolf to the ground. It was Liszt and Marcus tying up a loose end.
After shooting dead the Windblade Wolf that was about to slip away, the two men once again nocked arrows and pulled back bowstrings, aiming at Tremblingwoods.
They didn"t fire right away.
Liszt gently called out to the gasping Tremblingwoods: “Tremblingwoods, sit.”
Tremblingwoods stared blankly as its bloodthirsty eyes flickered. It seemed like it no longer understood Liszt"s commands, nor recognized Liszt. It just panted and stared at Liszt and the others motionlessly.
Liszt maintained the shooting position with mixed feelings.
Even if he didn"t regard it as a pet, but after raising it for half a year, he still developed some feelings for it. He didn"t want to kill Tremblingwoods, which would not only spell the loss of the Bloodline Fruit, but also many other wonderful things.
Time pa.s.sed little by little. Liszt"s mood was getting gloomier and gloomier.
At this moment, however, Tremblingwoods slowly sat down on the ground and called at him twice, ‘woof woof".
In a split second, the heavy mood suddenly cleared up. Liszt beckoned with a chuckle: “Tremblingwoods, come back!”
Tremblingwoods immediately wagged its tail and, with a limp leg, rushed over. Liszt dismounted his mount and patted its fur. In turn, Tremblingwoods extended its tongue and licked his palm. The bloodthirsty glint had already retreated from its eyes, giving way to the original spirited and clever look.
Marcus smiled, then turned back and shouted: “Clear the battlefield, tidy up the prey, we"re leaving!”
After the tension was cleared, the retainer knights started to collect the magic beast bodies and hang them on their horses, all the while talking and laughing. After this campaign, there might be no more magic beasts in the south of the Thorns Ridge. The Thorns Ridge was divided by the main road and the palisades, thoroughly splitting it into two parts, the south and the north.
“How"s your leg?” Inquired Liszt.
Marcus replied while dressing his wound: “It"s just a superficial wound. Sir, had Tremblingwoods evolved, has it become a mid-ranked magic beast?”
“I don"t know, but it looks… a little bigger.”
[1] – The saying goes: ‘when the snipe and the clam quarrel, the fisherman benefits"