The scouting party entered the forest at dawn.
Captain Roland had selected three experienced knights to accompany them.
Leon walked at the front.
Kael followed closely behind him.
Adrian remained near Gareth.
The deeper they travelled, the colder the air became.
After an hour, they reached a narrow valley.
The ground was covered in snow.
Adrian noticed several broken branches.
Something large had passed through recently.
"Stop."
Captain Roland raised his hand.
Everyone froze.
A growl echoed through the valley.
A massive wolf emerged from behind the trees.
Its fur was pale white, with blue markings running along its back.
Its eyes glowed like frozen crystals.
The creature was enormous.
Even on four legs, its head reached Adrian's chest.
Gareth tightened his grip on his spear.
"That's the wolf?"
Captain Roland drew his sword.
"Everyone, formation!"
The wolf stared at them.
Then its gaze shifted.
It looked directly at Kael.
For a moment, the creature seemed confused.
"Do you recognize me?"
The wolf growled.
A wave of cold mana spread through the valley.
Adrian immediately retreated.
The creature's power was far beyond his current abilities.
Leon raised his sword.
"Everyone, stay behind me!"
Golden light surrounded his weapon.
The wolf lunged.
Leon blocked its claws.
The impact sent him sliding several metres backward.
Gareth attacked from the side.
His spear struck the creature's shoulder, but the weapon barely penetrated its fur.
One of the knights launched a fire spell.
The flames exploded against the wolf's body.
The creature roared.
Its tail swept across the ground.
A wave of ice erupted beneath everyone's feet.
Adrian jumped backward.
He heard a sharp cracking sound.
A section of the valley wall collapsed.
"Move!"
Captain Roland shouted.
Adrian grabbed Gareth's arm and pulled him away from the falling rocks.
The wolf turned toward them.
Its eyes glowed brighter. This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
Adrian felt a strange pressure inside his chest.
The two bloodlines within him reacted simultaneously.
His beastkin bloodline became restless.
His fire affinity pulsed.
The system appeared.
[Ancient Beast Bloodline Detected.]
[Target: Frostfang Wolf.]
[Bloodline Quality: Ancient.]
[Inheritance Potential: Extremely High.]
[Warning: Host's current strength is insufficient.]
Adrian clenched his teeth.
He knew it.
He couldn't defeat this creature.
Not yet.
Leon attacked again.
Golden light collided with frozen mana.
The explosion shook the valley.
Captain Roland immediately ordered a retreat.
"Everyone, fall back!"
The scouting party withdrew.
The wolf did not pursue them.
It remained standing in the snow.
Its eyes followed Kael until the humans disappeared between the trees.
Adrian looked back once.
The creature wasn't behaving like a monster.
It looked almost like a guardian.
And it seemed to know something about Kael.