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The body of the decapitated werewolf slid along the ground before slamming into a tree.

“That was close.”

It had been the right choice to capture the werewolf that charged at them with all their strength in such a short time. If even one of their group had made a mistake, someone would have died.

If that had happened, their morale would have plummeted before they even started exploring the ruins.

Ian breathed a sigh of relief as he looked down at the werewolf.

‘What was their reason for targeting the ruins?’

Perhaps he should have taken a moment to talk instead of killing immediately.

Swallowing his curiosity, he checked the werewolf’s belongings, but there was nothing special.

There were only clothes presumed to be what it wore in human form, some spare food, and assorted supplies.

Reluctantly, he returned to his group. Despite the brief fight lasting only 1-2 minutes, everyone looked visibly exhausted.

“Is everyone okay?”

“I thought I was going to die…”

“Me too.”

Diem and Lise murmured with heavy expressions. Ian forced a wry smile.

“This isn’t the first time for any of us, so why the panic? Be grateful we survived. Let’s rest a bit before we set off again.”

The group nodded in agreement.

* * *

After a brief rest, Ian’s party approached the ruins.

The fortress walls and gates stood firm, as if to say no one could pass here.

“…Can’t we force it open?”

Griou stepped forward with his shield, but Ian knew that would be a futile effort.

Werewolves who could use magic wouldn’t be foolish enough to not have tried that.

As expected, the moment Griou pushed against the door, a translucent barrier appeared, sparking in response.

Zap!

“Ugh!”

Griou yelped and quickly pulled his hands back. Fortunately, he wasn’t injured.

Still startled, Griou clutched his racing heart, and for a moment thought it was just static electricity, reaching out again foolishly.

“……”

Ian considered stopping him but ultimately decided against it.

Zap!

“Argh!”

The result was the same. However, whatever influence it had, the barrier began to change.

Intricate patterns and symbols that had been hidden became faintly visible.

Ian observed them closely but, being unfamiliar with magic, he didn’t want to touch anything recklessly.

But it wasn’t a problem. They had an expert with them.

Ian turned to Audrey.

“Can you penetrate it?”

“You’ve phrased that incorrectly.”

“Pardon?”

“It’s not about whether I can penetrate it. It’s that this needs to be penetrated. Step aside.”

Audrey stepped forward confidently and placed her hand on the barrier.

No sparks flew. Instead, the patterns and symbols on the once translucent barrier became even clearer.

However, perhaps due to the influence of the werewolf’s magic, parts of it were heavily damaged with a purplish hue.

‘Isn’t this a bit troubling?’

Ian glanced at Audrey with a slightly anxious heart. She had a fierce look in her eyes.

Fortunately, her expression wasn’t dark. In fact, she even had a confident smile on her face.

“The werewolf that Diem killed first. It seems they were more skilled than we thought. At this rate… it’s almost as if the barrier has been nearly breached, right? Aha… done!”

Whether it was a simple task or not, as Audrey clenched her outstretched hand, the floating barrier collapsed.

With a crunching sound, as it hit the ground, remnants of magical energy shattered and vanished, causing the heavy gates to creak open inward.

“Whoa…!”

The mercenaries gasped in awe at the sight, but Ian merely frowned.

Perhaps due to the influence of the magic surrounding the ruins, he sensed a faint presence beyond the gates, belatedly.

And it wasn’t just one or two. Quite a few figures were gathering.

“Prepare for battle.”

If their identities were unknown, then for now, they were all enemies. Ian said this, and although the mercenaries looked puzzled, they quickly sprang into action.

Creeeak…!

A low growl echoed. Through the gap created by the open gates, he could see them standing there. Werewolves.

“!”

However, they looked significantly weaker than the ones they had just fought.

One couldn’t help but wonder how they were still alive, as they appeared emaciated and their fur was patchy.

Their faces were also rough, as if they were half-transformed.

The werewolves slowly lifted their heads. Their eyes met Ian’s.

A chilling malice washed over him just as their eyes glinted with life, and they let out a terrifying roar before charging.

Kyaaaah!

“Fall back!”

Ian, who had already drawn his sword, stepped forward, channeling his magic into the blade.

Whoosh!

A wave of hot air surged from the flames that erupted.

With his eyes wide open, Ian slashed upward, unleashing his technique.

[Extermination 5 Style]

[Punishment, Wheel Form]

The flames wrapped around the blade swelled violently and expelled a wheel of fire.

One of the werewolves that had been charging couldn’t avoid it in time and was trampled.

In fact, there was no escape. The fortress gates weren’t particularly wide, and the remaining space was filled with the flames spewed from the whirling wheel.

Aaaaaah!

What echoed was not a roar, but a scream. As the wheel passed by, the werewolves gathered in the narrow corridor caught fire, igniting without exception.

Driven by survival instinct, they rolled on the ground in a desperate attempt to extinguish themselves, but it was futile. They wouldn’t easily go out unless they jumped into water.

Before long, their movements ceased, and they turned to char. A foul odor wafted through the air.

“Ugh.”

The stench was enough to make anyone grimace.

Diem and Lise among the group pinched their noses, but Ian found it hard to hide his smile.

With just one technique, he had wiped out the werewolves.

Of course, they were in a poor state, but even considering that, it was a satisfying result.

This indicated that the training he had undergone was paying off, and he was steadily growing stronger.

With a brighter expression, Ian scanned the surroundings. He spread his magic and carefully looked around, but nothing seemed out of place.

“But why were the werewolves in such a sorry state trapped here?”

Bringing up Audrey’s words, everyone finally expressed their doubts.

“Given how emaciated they looked, they must have been starving for a long time.”

“Their appearance was strange too. Their faces seemed somewhat distorted.”

“That’s a characteristic of inferior beings among hybrids. In other words, they’re the weak ones.”

One by one, the team members looked at Ian, their faces asking for his thoughts.

But he had nothing to say. The information was too limited for any opinions.

“We’ll find out if we go in and investigate. Let’s move.”

As they stepped into the ruins, stone buildings greeted them.

There were only a few intact structures, with most either collapsed or partially ruined.

However, the abundance of vegetation suggested that no one had visited for a long time.

Choosing a nearby building to enter, they found dust piled high inside.

After confirming that there were no traps or monsters, they decided to split up. They searched thoroughly but only found broken dishes, rusty swords, and rotting bedding.

The only thing they managed to salvage was some silver coins.

Ian tilted his head.

“…This currency isn’t from the Gologrod era.”

The patterns and portraits engraved on the coins were clearly from the Zail Empire.

‘Has someone been here?’

It was likely. Or perhaps someone had managed to enter but couldn’t find their way out.

Before mentioning it to the team, he decided to check a few more buildings in succession.

Fortunately, there were some findings. While he would need to appraise them to confirm their status as artifacts, he had discovered a magically imbued mace and a ring.

“The mace… I think Lise should use it. The ring might be cursed, so I’ll hold onto it for now.”

“Are you giving it to me?”

Lise asked as she swung the mace in the air, and Audrey smiled brightly.

“Of course not! If you like it after trying it out, buy it from me. I’ll give you a good discount on the appraisal, so don’t feel too pressured. Now, let’s keep looking! There might be more out there!”

Despite their excited search, they had little luck. The team returned empty-handed, covered in long-settled dust. However, no one appeared disappointed.

What they had explored so far were the outskirts, and the central fortress still awaited entry.

Naturally, their gaze shifted toward the castle. Audrey spoke as if to rally their spirits.

“Now, the only place left is over there.”

“However… I hate to say this, but am I the only one feeling uneasy? Just thinking about entering there gives me a sense of danger. Is no one else feeling this way?”

As Lise tentatively voiced her concerns, Grio and Diem nodded with uncertain expressions.

It wasn’t just fear; there was indeed a chilling aura emanating from the castle. Everyone had been aware but had chosen to ignore it until now.

‘Hmm.’

Ian found himself agreeing with Lise’s words. In fact, he was skeptical about whether Audrey had truly died here.

While the three werewolves that had breached the barrier of the ruins had been threatening, he felt they would have somehow managed to overcome that.

And if they hadn’t, it would explain why Diem and Lise had been active until their return.

They would have all died right here.

‘So then…’

Only the castle remained. Naturally, Audrey didn’t seem to have any intention of retreating.

“You’re all worrying unnecessarily. Let’s go!”

Nodding, she took the lead.

As they approached the castle, the chilling aura intensified.

Moreover, as if warning them not to get closer, a red magical circle appeared at the entrance, surrounding the castle.

“Doesn’t this color seem a bit unsettling? Is it okay?”

Diem said hesitantly, picking up a nearby stone and throwing it. The moment the stone hit the magical circle, it bounced right back.

“It’s not black magic, so it’s fine. However, the structure is a bit unusual. It not only prevents entry but also makes it impossible to exit. Why was it set up this way? What are they hiding?”

Audrey fiddled with the magic circle and continued speaking slowly.

“Well… with a bit of focus for a few hours… oh?”

“What’s the problem?”

“Ah, no. Not a problem, but… I think I can break the magic right now. Does anyone need time?”

Everyone exchanged glances, and Ian answered for them.

“Let’s wrap it up quickly and head back.”

“Alright. Then, here we go.”

Audrey summoned her magic and focused her mind. Before long, the red magic circle began to dissolve.

The complex patterns and symbols disappeared one by one, and a passage opened in no time.

Representing everyone, Ian carefully opened the closed door.

Creeeak!

With a chilling sound, the hinges screamed.

There were no traps or ambushes—just a heavy silence that felt ominous.

As they shifted their gaze inside, a mystical sight unfolded before them.

In the thick darkness, faint light emanated from the words etched into the floor, ceiling, walls, and pillars.

“Oh, my.”

Ian sighed as soon as he saw it. He knew what this structure of magic meant.

‘Sealing magic.’

Realizing that fact, cold sweat began to form. The air, which he had thought was cool, now clung to his lungs.

Instead of retreating, Ian stepped inside, turning his gaze toward the center.

‘There’s something here.’

Upon closer inspection, he saw a skeletal white-furred werewolf kneeling with a sword embedded in its chest.

He hoped it was dead, but it was breathing slowly.

There was one more unusual detail: the magic flowing from the werewolf’s body seeped into the inscriptions on the surrounding floor.

At that moment, the words absorbing the magic began to glow violet and fade away.

‘This isn’t good.’

The thought of danger kept nagging at him. The sealing magic that he had initially thought filled the room had numerous empty spaces.

This couldn’t have been the case from the beginning. They had likely sealed that werewolf for many years, but it was finally reaching its limits.

Just then, the werewolf, which had been completely still, twitched.

“It… it moved…!”

Lise exclaimed in shock. Meanwhile, Audrey was scanning the sealing magic.

She must instinctively realize that things weren’t going well.

The werewolf raised its head, which had been drooping, like a broken wind-up toy.

In the darkness, red eyes flared up as it stared at them, releasing a terrifying aura that washed over their bodies.

“Huh!”

Grio, who was holding a shield, gasped and began to tremble. Diem and Lise were no different.

The three were utterly terrified. The only ones who remained relatively calm were Ian and Audrey.

Sniff.

The werewolf moved its nose, taking in the scent before uttering a short phrase.

“[…Food…?]”

The moment Ian heard that voice, his mind went blank like a flash of lightning, and his heart sank.

He recognized that voice. Immediately, he realized the identity of the creature.

“Bloodclaw?”

A jolt ran up his spine as if struck by lightning. Now everything started to make sense.

“Do you know that monster?”

Ian nodded at Audrey’s question.

“…It’s a pureblood who has pledged allegiance to an outer god. Essentially, it’s like a monstrous beast.”

But not just any monster; it was as dangerous as the one the hero had struggled against before his regression.

What made it particularly terrifying was its abilities: incredible regeneration that allowed it to regrow limbs after being severed, and a contagious mutation that turned nearby creatures into wolves.

The emaciated, twisted werewolves they had encountered upon entering the fortress were all likely mutated villagers.

‘So, it was sealed here?’

That seemed to be the case.

Bloodclaw, the named monster that would be feared in the future, looked at them with dull eyes and slowly rose to its feet, swaying as if it might fall over at any moment.

Despite its apparent weakness, it held onto the sword lodged in its chest and began to pull it out.

Sssssss!

Smoke rose from its hand gripping the blade. It was clearly burning, yet Bloodclaw didn’t let go.

Ian, who had been watching the scene with bated breath, snapped back to reality.

“Diem!”

“Uh, what?”

“You have the poison arrow, right?”

“The poison arrow? Yes, I have it.”

Despite the sudden call and command, Diem swiftly took out an arrow with a green tip and readied his bow. Even in his tension, his actions were fluid and natural.

“Don’t aim for the head. Can you hit the heart?”

“At this distance… probably.”

“I’ll throw my dagger first. After that, you shoot.”

Without waiting for a response, Ian reached for his waist, drew the dagger, and threw it.

Bloodclaw dodged the dagger, but Diem’s arrow followed quickly and struck.

Thud!

However, it missed the heart, hitting Bloodclaw on the left shoulder instead.

[KYAAAAA!]

The effect of the poison arrow was no exaggeration; Bloodclaw howled in pain. In a burst of agility that they hadn’t seen before, it pulled the arrow out and tossed it aside.

It looked furious, its teeth bared and eyes sharp with rage.

It seemed ready to charge, but Audrey was quicker. She knelt down and placed her hands over the sealing magic to interfere.

Vroom!

The inscriptions on the floor, ceiling, walls, and pillars glowed brighter.

[……!]

With that, Bloodclaw, which had been about to charge out, froze in its tracks.

It was as if its entire body was bound by chains, unable to move. However, it wouldn’t hold for long; it was starting to squirm.

Audrey spoke urgently.

“Now’s the time.”

“?”

“Let’s get out of here. It won’t hold for long, so hurry!”

———