Every wolf stared down Ichiro in grim silence. Each one burned with rage, though a trace of fear lingered in their gaze.
Meanwhile, the wolf it had killed lay there, eyes still open. Perhaps it couldn't believe its fate, or perhaps it never even realized it had already been slain.
"Kill him!" the leader of the wolf pack barked, its voice reverberating through the vastness of the forest, its eyes trembling faintly.
It feels a sense of déjà vu, along with uneasiness. It hates to admit it, but the longer it looks at the wolf that has returned, the more it lingers in his mind. Their way of speaking is different, yet both are equally irritating, their unbridled arrogance and unquestioning self-confidence. And now, their unmatched strength and brutal way of fighting.
The leader of the strongest wolf pack in the Eternal Forest shook its head and smirked. Even in its thoughts, it felt as though it still feared the black wolf, as if it were a ghost from the past it could never escape.
"You cannot be defeated. Didn't you also kill it even though it had companions? Even when it was hidden by the night, as if it were the illegitimate child of the moon?" This was how the leader of the strongest and largest wolf pack reassured itself. In doing so, it finally managed to cast away its fear. "So that my emotions may finally be at peace, I will sever my last remaining connection to that black wolf."
As the wolf pack's leader wrestled with inner turmoil, Ichiro continued his rapid slaughter.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Six.
Seven.
Eight.
Nine.
Ten.
Once the number of those he had slain reached double digits, Ichiro chose to stop counting. It was only giving him a headache. He realized then that killing was far easier than counting.
Attacks came from every direction, not all at once, but in bursts. Sometimes five, sometimes as many as ten would rush him. Even then, Ichiro neither let his guard down nor grew complacent.
As a former member of the strongest wolf pack in the Eternal Forest, he knew that any group of wolves within that forest possessed an extremely high level of cooperation. If you failed to take them seriously, you would most likely find yourself overwhelmed before you even realized it, resulting in your death. Even so, he knew that in his current state, he was unstoppable. His confidence was at an all-time high. Something within him whispered that he could not be defeated, that he stood far above every wolf in the forest. He only needed to follow that feeling to bring down his enemies, and he was certain of victory.
Now their attack pattern changed, rushing at him all at once. From what he could tell, there were already around thirty of them. He briefly glanced behind him, into the unseen darkness.
"Around twenty!" Peter's wolf companion estimated. "Not counting the ones in front."
A subtle smirk appeared on Ichiro's face
Over fifty wolves charged at him, swift and menacing.
Ichiro sprang into motion, dropping his head as he rushed straight ahead.
A wolf's eyes widened as it was blasted away by the impact of a lone but immensely powerful opponent.
Ichiro did not stop after crashing into a wolf. He made sure he had fully escaped the encirclement. As before, his overwhelming speed prevented the surrounding wolves from reacting in time. Once he had circled around, Ichiro snorted in contempt as he looked at his enemies. While the powerful wolf prepared to strike from the encirclement he had escaped, several dozen others behind him moved to trap him again from all directions. The same was happening on both flanks, yet Ichiro seemed to see nothing but the encirclement he had just broken through.
"Let's see how far your skill goes against sheer numbers. Even your leader was defeated by such overwhelming force," the leader of the strongest wolf pack said arrogantly as he simply watched the battle unfold before his eyes.
Over fifty wolves circling the lone opponent froze in shock. From behind them, they heard a loud yelp. They turned toward the direction where the sound was coming from.
Another wolf fell to Ichiro. He went for one that had its back turned and sank his teeth into its neck.
The unlucky wolf fell to the ground as it began convulsing after a chunk of its neck had been bitten and torn away.
Ichiro spat out the large, bloodied chunk of flesh in his mouth. He briefly glanced around and saw the encirclement he had broken through already turning back toward him. He seized the opportunity. He grabbed the wolf beside the one he had just killed and tore into it as well. Then he leapt, using the falling second wolf as a foothold, and hurled his body toward the exit of the encirclement.
Before he could escape, he had to pass through another wolf directly in his path, already facing his airborne body. He drove his foot down onto its head, his claws piercing deep, then kicked off its back to fully break out of the encirclement. But the moment he landed, Ichiro was met with another formation. This time, the pack had successfully completed a full circle around him.
"Well done!" the leader of the opposing pack called out from a short distance away.
Four separate wolf groups formed four encirclements, resembling a four-leaf clover. On the right side, Ichiro found himself trapped.
"NOW!" the leader of the strongest pack roared, his patience finally worn thin.
From the great branches of the towering trees in the Eternal Forest, dozens of wolves leapt without hesitation. They did not care about the distance they would fall.
The leader let out a deep breath, admitting he had been nervous earlier. In terms of speed, he was confident there was a vast difference between the black wolf and this one. This one was far faster. The black wolf had the moon's blessing, making it hard to perceive. Yet this one was fighting under the full light of day, and still, he struggled to track its movements.
All at once, the wolves collapsed as if driven to suicide. Some struck the ground with their bodies twisted into unnatural angles, while others moving to surround Ichiro met a cruel fate—crushed by their own falling companions. Compared to those who died instantly, the ones who fell and were pinned beneath others were far more unfortunate. Their injuries were devastating, bones splintered and shattered. In truth, those who died outright were far luckier than those left alive, forced to endure unbearable pain.
Ichiro pushed his body to its limits as he ran. One destructive impact after another battered the grounds of the Eternal Forest, as if explosions were in pursuit of him. His strides were massive—each leap leaving the imprint of four paws behind. Even so, the relentless rain of wolves refused to relent. He was forced to zigzag, right, then left, to dodge the overwhelming barrage. Because of this, he had no time left to fight back against his enemies.
Meanwhile, the wolves forming the encirclement broke apart in disarray. Those at the rear were lucky, managing to escape their suicidal companions without much trouble. In contrast, the ones caught within the trap had no choice but to be battered by their own kind as they came crashing down.
A broad grin curled across the leader of the wolf pack's face. Smoke and dust spread violently from the impact of countless wolves crashing onto the position of the vengeful wolf. Despite not being able to see through the haze, his confidence did not waver. With such a vast area devastated by the lives his subordinates had sacrificed at his command, their enemy had surely been finished off. Of that, he had no doubt. However monstrous the foe might be, it was still only one. In the end, numbers always triumphed. Once again, this battle had proven it to him.
Amid the violent blasts, the onslaught showed no sign of stopping. Unfortunately, one of the falling wolves struck him. Fortunately, Ichiro's agility saved him; at the final moment, he avoided a fatal injury. He was hurled away, rolling across the ground for hundreds of meters before landing in an open stretch cleared by the explosions caused by the falling bodies. Blood spilled from his mouth. The powerful wolf was left with shattered bones and a body riddled with wounds.
The observing wolves caught sight of him, and moments later, even those that had scattered found him again. Their eyes gleamed with excitement, this was their chance, and they would not let it slip away. Their foe's strength had unnerved them despite their superior numbers. Then, with a chorus of savage howls, they lunged at Ichiro like rabid beasts.
Ichiro slowly opened his eyes. A mass of wolves rushed toward him. Forcing himself up, he tried to stand, but a sharp gasp escaped him as he collapsed. He could feel the damage—bones crushed, flesh torn. A cold breath left his mouth.
Calmly, he watched their advance as if time itself had slowed. Every movement, every desperate lunge, was laid bare before his eyes. His mind raced. His recovery was terrifyingly fast. Little by little, the pain faded. At the same time, the red aura coursing through his body began to leak out more violently, intensifying with each passing second.
Gritting through the remnants of his injuries, Ichiro forced his body upright. There was no time to recover.
His enemies were upon him.
Both sides were caught off guard.
The desperate wolves were startled by Ichiro's sudden movement. His speed made it seem as though he had already fully recovered. For a brief moment, they hesitated, their resolve shaken. But the instant they realized their enemy was charging straight at them, they lunged to attack.
Ichiro was startled when he realized his body wasn't cooperating. It couldn't keep up with the speed of his thoughts. His movements were slightly slower, and his attacks lacked their usual sharpness.
Realization dawned on the pack, and their eyes lit up. With renewed confidence, they swarmed their solitary foe.
The wolf was feasted upon by his own kind. His bloodied body turned an even deeper red. Ichiro screamed in agony as fangs tore into him again and again—even his face was not spared. His cries soon twisted into a feral howl. This pain was unlike anything he had ever endured. His limbs gave way, his body nearly collapsing to the ground—but at the last moment, he forced himself to hold on.
He remembered the revenge he longed for... and the dream of a place he could call home. Because of that, he refused to give in. Unbeknownst to him, a crimson aura began to seep through his entire body. Even his eyes glowed with a blood-red light. A second surge of strength flooded his being.
With a violent shake, he flung his body outward. The wolves piled on top of him, tearing at his flesh, were sent flying in all directions.
"Impossible!" the leader of the strongest pack exclaimed in disbelief at what he was witnessing.
"He's clearly just an ordinary wolf, yet his speed and strength are already approaching that of a spirit beast," it muttered, its heart thundering like galloping horses.
"Impossible! Impossible!"