The cave was darker than Eren had expected.
Pale crystals grew from cracks in the walls, casting a faint glow over the uneven ground. Their light revealed the narrow passage ahead, but the deeper sections remained hidden beneath thick shadows.
Eren walked carefully, keeping his utility knife within reach.
Beside him, Rowan examined the tracks scattered across the ash-covered floor. Lyra followed close behind, her bow ready, while Vaelzara walked as though they were exploring an abandoned building rather than entering a monster’s den.
"These tracks are fresh," Rowan said quietly. "They’ve been moving through here recently."
"How many?" Eren asked.
"Too many to count accurately. But we’re definitely dealing with a pack."
Eren glanced at the faint footprints leading deeper into the cave.
That wasn’t particularly reassuring.
They had come looking for Ashfang Wolves because the creatures could provide meat, hides, and other useful materials for their struggling settlement. If they found enough of them, the expedition would be worth the risk.
However, Eren hadn’t intended to walk into the middle of an entire wolf population.
He was still walking when the notification popped up again.
[Location: Ash Rock Cave]
[Inhabitants: Ashfang Wolves]
[Monster Tier Range: 1-9.]
[Quantity: 37.]
This was when he realised how many Ashfang Wolves were in there, and it was already an important information to grasp.
He glanced at Vaelzara.
"Before we go any farther, I want you to conserve your mana."
She turned toward him.
"Why?"
"Because we don’t know what’s waiting for us deeper inside. If we encounter something stronger than the ordinary wolves, I don’t want you wasting your abilities on creatures we can handle without them."
Vaelzara regarded him for a moment.
"You’re assuming I would need my abilities to handle them."
"I’m assuming I’d rather not take unnecessary risks."
"How sensible," she said.
"Vaelzara."
She smiled faintly.
"Very well, Master. I won’t use my skills unless the situation calls for them."
Eren relaxed a little.
That was about as much agreement as he could reasonably expect from her.
Rowan suddenly raised a hand.
Everyone stopped.
A low growl rolled through the cavern.
Then another answered it.
Five pairs of glowing eyes appeared between the rocks ahead.
The Ashfang Wolves stepped into the light, their charcoal-gray fur marked with faint streaks of crimson. Their bodies were lean and muscular, and their sharp teeth glistened as they lowered their heads.
The first wolf charged without warning.
Rowan’s axe struck its shoulder, forcing it to veer sideways. Lyra fired an arrow almost immediately afterward, sending another wolf stumbling.
The remaining three rushed forward.
"Here they come!" Rowan shouted.
Eren tightened his grip on the knife.
He had fought an Ashfang Wolf before, but that didn’t mean he was eager to repeat the experience. His previous victory had involved exploiting an injured creature’s weakness. Facing several healthy wolves at once was an entirely different matter.
One of them leaped toward him.
Eren ducked, feeling its claws brush his shoulder. He stumbled sideways, nearly losing his balance, before turning to face it again.
The wolf snarled and prepared to attack.
A dark blur crossed his vision.
Vaelzara caught the creature by the throat and threw it against the cavern wall.
[Tier 1 Ashfang Wolf killed. +10 EXP]
Another wolf lunged at her.
She caught its foreleg, twisted, and slammed it onto the ground.
[Tier 2 Ashfang Wolf killed. +15 EXP]
Eren stared for half a second.
Then he remembered that there were still wolves trying to kill him.
He moved aside as Rowan drove his knife into an approaching creature. Lyra’s next arrow struck another in the neck, and the wolf collapsed before it could reach her.
The fight should have ended there.
Instead, more growls rose from the darkness.
Eren’s expression changed.
"You’re kidding."
Several more wolves emerged from the passages ahead. Some were no larger than the first group, but others had thicker bodies and longer limbs.
Rowan’s face tightened.
"There’s a lot more of them."
"Then we move carefully," Eren said. "Don’t let them surround us. We have thirty-two of them to take down."
The wolves spread out, attempting to approach from both sides.
Rowan and Lyra kept their distance, using their arrow and axe to weaken the advancing creatures. Eren stayed close enough to help if either of them was threatened, but he knew better than to charge blindly into the pack.
Vaelzara, on the other hand, had no intention of retreating.
She moved between the wolves, using her claws and physical strength to knock them aside. When one attempted to bite her arm, she caught its muzzle and forced it into the ground.
Another rushed at her from behind.
Her foot swept across the creature’s legs, sending it crashing into a nearby rock.
Eren watched her for a moment, noticing that she still hadn’t used a single skill.
That was encouraging, and now he blamed himself for not inviting her to join the battle back at the settlement during the first attack.
The number of wolves surrounding them wasn’t encouraging, unfortunately.
"Rowan, how many do you think there are?" Eren asked.
The hunter released another arrow.
"Enough that we should be looking for an exit!"
They began retreating toward the wider section of the passage, hoping to avoid being trapped between the approaching creatures and the uneven walls.
Unfortunately, the wolves had other ideas.
A larger beast broke through the pack and charged toward Rowan.
The hunter barely rolled away before its claws struck the ground. He came up on one knee and slashed at its exposed leg, but the creature twisted around before he could follow up.
Lyra’s arrow struck its eye.
The wolf collapsed.
[Tier 4 Ashfang Wolf killed. +30 EXP]
"Good shot!" Rowan called.
Lyra managed a quick smile before turning toward the next threat.
A heavier wolf approached from the opposite side. Its body was covered in thick, dark fur, and its crimson markings glowed faintly beneath the pale crystals.
Eren immediately recognized that it was stronger than the others.
"That one’s bigger!"
Vaelzara looked at the approaching creature.
"Then I suppose I should greet it properly."
The wolf charged.
She caught it by the muzzle, but its momentum forced her to take several steps backward. Its claws scraped against the stone as it struggled to break free.
Vaelzara’s smile widened.
She drove her knee into its chest, lifted it by the neck, and threw it into the pack.
The beast crashed into the ground and attempted to rise.
She was already there.
One swift strike ended the fight.
[Tier 5 Ashfang Wolf killed. +40 EXP]
Eren shook his head.
"You’re making this look far too easy."
"Would you prefer I struggle?"
"No. I’m just saying..."
A tremendous roar interrupted him.
The remaining wolves scattered as a much larger creature pushed through the passage ahead.
Its body was enormous, its shoulders rising well above those of the other wolves. Thick muscles shifted beneath its charcoal fur, and crimson markings spread across its limbs.
The system identified it.
[Tier 6 Ashfang Wolf identified.]
Eren felt his stomach tighten.
The creature lowered its head and charged.
Vaelzara stepped forward to meet it.
Their collision sent a deep vibration through the cavern. She caught the wolf by its head, but it twisted violently, forcing her to release it before its claws could strike.
The beast swung around and slammed its shoulder into her.
Vaelzara skidded backward.
"Vaelzara!" Eren shouted.
She looked down at the place where the wolf had struck her.
Then she looked up.
A delighted smile spread across her face.
"Oh. You might actually be fun."
The wolf lunged again.
This time, Vaelzara didn’t dodge.
She caught it by the head and dug her claws into its hide. Her tail wrapped around its body, giving her enough leverage to lift it from the ground.
Then she threw it.
The wolf crashed onto the stone.
Vaelzara followed, seized its throat, and struck until its resistance finally stopped.
[Tier 6 Ashfang Wolf killed. +50 EXP]
Eren stared at the fallen creature.
The ordinary wolves were dangerous enough, but this one had been considerably stronger. If Vaelzara hadn’t been there, he wasn’t sure they could have survived the encounter.
Unfortunately, the fight still wasn’t over.
The growls coming from deeper inside the cave grew louder.
One by one, the remaining wolves retreated toward the darkness.
Vaelzara watched them go, and before they could know it, she followed them.
"Vaelzara!" Eren called, but she didn’t stop.
Eren exchanged a look with Rowan.
"Should we follow her?"
The hunter glanced toward the passage, then at the corpses scattered around them.
"I’d rather not leave her alone in there."
"Neither would I."
Eren tightened his grip on his knife.
"Stay together. And don’t do anything stupid."
Rowan gave him a brief look.
"That advice might have come a little late."
They followed Vaelzara deeper into the cave.
The crystals became more numerous as they advanced, revealing claw marks across the walls and piles of bones scattered along the ground. Some were clearly from wolves. Others were too large for Eren to identify.
He slowed beside one pile.
"These things have been living here for a long time."
Rowan crouched to examine the remains.
"Long enough to establish a proper territory. And if this is their territory, there should be something at the top of it."
Eren looked toward the darkness ahead.
"You mean an alpha?"
A heavy impact shook the cave.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
Then came a growl so deep that Eren felt it in his chest.
Rowan immediately stood.
"That’s not an ordinary wolf."
They hurried forward until the passage opened into a much larger chamber.
Vaelzara stood near the center, surrounded by fallen wolves. Several bodies lay against the walls, while others were scattered across the uneven floor.
She didn’t appear injured.
If anything, she looked more excited than before.
At the opposite end of the chamber, something enormous moved.
The creature emerged slowly from the darkness.
Its charcoal-black body was covered in thick fur, and crimson markings glowed beneath its coat. Its eyes burned with an intensity that made the smaller wolves look harmless.
Every step sent a dull vibration through the ground.
The system reacted immediately.
[Ashfang Wolf King identified. Tier 9.]
Eren’s mouth went dry.
The Wolf King lowered its head and fixed its gaze on Vaelzara.
For a few seconds, neither moved.
Then the monster roared, the sound blasting through the chamber, making Lyra stagger. Eren raised an arm to shield his face as dust filled the air.
The Wolf King charged, as Vaelzara planted her feet.
The collision drove her backward, her boots carving two deep lines into the stone. She caught the beast’s lower jaw with both hands, struggling to hold it as the monster thrashed violently.
Its claws smashed into the ground beside her, as Vaelzara tightened her grip.
"You’re a big one, aren’t you?"
The Wolf King snapped its jaws.
She twisted her body, redirected its momentum, and threw it over her shoulder.
The enormous beast crashed onto its side.
Before it could rise, Vaelzara’s tail wrapped around its torso and lifted it from the ground.
For a moment, the Wolf King hung helplessly in the air.
Then she slammed it into the floor.
The impact shook the chamber.
She lifted it again and struck the ground a second time.
The Wolf King roared and struggled desperately, but its movements grew weaker with every impact. Vaelzara released her tail, caught the creature by its head, and forced it down.
The monster snapped at her hands, as she leaned closer, her crimson eyes narrowing.
"That’s enough."
Her claws tightened.
The Wolf King’s movements stopped.
[Ashfang Wolf King killed. +100 EXP]
Eren stared at the notification.
One hundred EXP.
He had gained experience from his summoned spirits’ kills before, but watching Vaelzara defeat a monster of that size made the reward feel strangely insignificant.
Then another notification appeared.
[You have leveled up!]
[Level: 3]
[You have leveled up!]
[Level: 4.]
[You have leveled up!]
[Level: 5]
[EXP: 415/500.]
Eren blinked.
He had reached Level 5!
He glanced at Vaelzara, wondering whether she had received the same reward.
A moment later, the answer appeared.
[Vaelzara Veyrath reached Level 5. EXP: 415/500]
She had leveled up too.
Eren looked from the notification to the enormous corpse on the ground.
Then he looked at Vaelzara.
Her horns were still extended, her crimson eyes had narrowed into slits, and the dark scales covering her tail glistened beneath the crystals’ pale light.
She stood among the fallen wolves as though she had merely finished a warm-up.
"Master?"
Eren opened his mouth but words had refused to come out.
He had known Vaelzara was powerful. He had known she was an SSS-Rank spirit and a former Demon Queen.
But knowing something and watching it happen in front of you were two very different things.
He had brought her along to hunt wolves.
Wolves!
Not to witness a demon tearing through an entire pack with her bare hands and throwing a Tier 9 monster around like a toy.
Vaelzara tilted her head.
"Is something wrong?"
Eren stared at her for another moment, but it was when he had finally found his voice that something suddenly popped up on in front of him.
[Vaelzara has just used a partial power of the Immortal Demon Body.]
[To manifest its full power, she would have to use its total power, though it doesn’t require mana for activation.]
[It can require good emotional and romantic treatments, such as kisses and other relatively sweet moments. The deeper the treatment, the stronger the manifestation of the Immortal Demon Body.]
"You... Are... Crazy..."