Chapter 45: A Desperate Defense

(Lina's POV)

The wolf was huge. Bigger than any of the others we'd seen, and it moved with a ferocity that made my heart race. I could feel the terror coursing through me as it broke through our line, darting straight toward the center where we stood. It wasn't just another wolf—it was an E rank monster, and we were F rank adventurers, completely outmatched.

"We're doomed," I muttered under my breath, gripping my bow tighter.

"Don't just stand there!" Leon shouted. "Form up! We need to stall it!"

Stall it? That thing could tear us apart in seconds. But there was no time to argue. The wolf lunged toward Derrick, its claws flashing in the dim light. He raised his shield, but the force of the impact sent him stumbling back, barely keeping on his feet.

"Hold the line, Derrick!" Leon commanded, though his voice wavered with fear.

Derrick growled, pushing back against the wolf with all his strength, his shield cracking under the weight of the beast. Marie stood beside him, her hands trembling as she summoned a small fireball.

"Just hit it!" Leon urged.

Marie released the spell, sending a burst of flame toward the wolf. It howled in pain as the fire licked its fur, but the damage was minimal. This thing was tougher than anything we'd faced before, and it was angry.

"We can't beat it!" I shouted. "We need help!"

From the corner of my eye, I saw Alyssa, our healer, rushing forward. She had been in the center of the group, casting small supportive spells and keeping us safe from afar. Now, her eyes were locked onto Derrick, who was struggling against the wolf's relentless attacks.

"I've got you!" Alyssa called out, raising her staff. A soft, warm glow enveloped Derrick, his wounds healing slightly. But it wasn't enough. The wolf was too strong, and Derrick was running out of stamina.

"We just need to hold out a little longer!" Leon yelled, slashing at the beast's flank with his sword. It barely seemed to notice.

Suddenly, the wolf turned its gaze on me. My blood ran cold as its glowing eyes locked onto mine. It charged, faster than I could react. Before I could release an arrow, it was already upon me, jaws snapping.

A blur of metal shot past me as Derrick threw himself in front of the wolf, his shield barely blocking the wolf's fangs. He grunted in pain, his legs buckling under the pressure. "I... I can't hold it much longer!"

My heart pounded in my chest. I didn't know what to do. My arrows weren't strong enough to pierce its hide, and Derrick was about to be crushed.

"We need the others!" I cried, looking toward where the E rank party was fighting the rest of the wolves.

(Leon's POV)

I saw the panic in Lina's eyes as the wolf focused on her. Damn it, we weren't equipped for this! We needed to buy more time. I turned to shout for help, but the other E rank adventurers were still engaged with the rest of the pack.

"Hold on!" I called to Derrick, praying the others would finish up soon.

Sienna, the E rank mage, was blasting one of the wolves with her magic, but she wasn't done yet. I could see sweat pouring down her face as she focused on keeping the wolves at bay.

"Harlan!" I shouted, desperate. "We need help, now!"

Harlan, our D rank leader, looked back for just a moment. He saw the situation and barked out an order to his team. "Alyssa, keep them alive! Sienna, finish them off!"

The seriousness in his tone sent a chill down my spine. This wasn't a normal fight anymore—we were up against something far beyond our level, and it was clear that we couldn't last much longer.

(Alyssa's POV)

I rushed toward Derrick, channeling every bit of magic I had left into a healing spell. "You're not going down yet," I muttered under my breath. The golden light of my magic enveloped him again, closing some of his wounds, but it wouldn't be enough.

The wolf was relentless, snarling and clawing at Derrick's shield, which was beginning to splinter. I had to keep him on his feet—if Derrick fell, we were done for.

"I can't... hold... it!" Derrick grunted, his voice strained.

"We need more time!" Leon called again.

Time. That was something we didn't have.

(Sienna's POV)

I saw the panic in the F rank group. They were outmatched, no question. I had to finish the wolves in front of me fast, but these things were tough. A quick glance told me that Alyssa was doing her best to keep them alive, but I wasn't sure how much longer they could last.

"Harlan, should we break formation?" I asked, already summoning another spell.

"Not yet," Harlan replied, fending off the wolf leader with his blade. "Keep focusing on the pack. The moment one of them goes down, we help them."

(Sam's POV)

From the shadows of the trees, I watched the chaos unfold.

'Huh... guess it's not just me who gets into life-or-death situations in this forest. They look... busy. Not sure if I should get involved.'

The adventurers were locked in a desperate battle with the wolf pack. It wasn't going well for them, especially the F rankers. I watched as they tried—and failed—to fight off an E rank wolf.

'They're not gonna make it at this rate. Should I help... or nah?'

The answer was simple: no. But I couldn't help but feel a little curious.

I had been tracking this wolf pack for days, waiting for the right moment to strike. They were powerful, but I wasn't scared—I had grown stronger too. My plan was simple: pick off a lone wolf, devour it, and gain its strength. But now?

'These adventurers beat me to it. Great. And it's that same group...'

I flicked my tongue, tasting the air. The same adventurers I'd encountered before were now fighting for their lives. A sense of dark amusement crept up on me. They didn't even realize how outclassed they were. One E-rank wolf, and they were already falling apart.

'Should I help? Nah. This is too entertaining.'

I watched Derrick struggle to block the wolf's relentless attacks, his shield barely holding up. Marie's flames were useless, barely scratching the wolf's hide. And Lina... poor Lina, was shaking like a leaf.

'That's right. Keep fighting, humans. Make my job easier.'

The E-rank wolf broke through their line, aiming straight for Lina. My body tensed instinctively, but I didn't move. If she got eaten, that wasn't my problem. They should've been more prepared.

But, to my mild surprise, Derrick threw himself in front of her. Brave. Stupid, but brave.

'I wonder how long they can keep this up before one of them drops...'

'I'll just sit tight and see how this plays out. Who knows, maybe they'll do the hard work for me.'