It was the leader of the pack, the largest and strongest among them.
It had been watching the battle from the beginning and had seen how the other wolves had slowly started hesitating.
As their leader, it was its responsibility to attack first and show the rest of the pack that there was nothing to fear.
The wolf roared and lunged directly at Ank, its horn aimed straight at his chest.
Before it could reach him, however, a sword suddenly flashed through the air and pierced straight through the wolf’s head.
The wolf leader’s body froze instantly as its eyes widened in shock.
A moment later, its massive body collapsed onto the ground, completely lifeless.
The remaining wolves immediately became alert as deep growls echoed throughout the forest.
They stared at the corpse of their leader, and fear slowly appeared in their eyes.
Without the slightest hesitation, they turned around and fled deeper into the forest.
Within seconds, every single one of them had disappeared among the trees, and silence returned once again.
Ank remained standing, though barely.
Blood continued dripping from his wounds as his vision slowly became blurry and his body screamed for rest.
Yet he forced himself to remain conscious, not because he was strong enough to continue fighting, but because he refused to collapse in front of monsters.
Two figures slowly emerged from between the trees.
Both wore dark hooded cloaks that completely concealed their faces, leaving only their eyes occasionally visible beneath the shadows of their hoods.
The woman remained silent while the man began walking toward the dead wolf.
“Marek, check if he’s alive,” the woman spoke calmly.
“I am going to retrieve my sword.” “Understood.” Marek nodded and approached Ank.
The closer he got, the more surprised he became.
The boy standing before him was completely covered in blood, yet somehow, he was still standing on his feet.
“Boy, are you okay?” Before Ank could answer, his vision became dark, and his body finally collapsed onto the ground.
Several hours passed before Ank slowly opened his eyes.
He stared at the rocky ceiling above him for a few seconds before gradually realizing where he was.
It was already night, and a campfire crackled nearby, its warm orange light illuminating the dark cave.
Two figures sat beside the fire.
Both still wore their dark hooded cloaks, and their faces remained hidden beneath the shadows.
One of them quickly noticed Ank waking up.
Marek stood and walked toward him with a smile.
“Oh, you’re finally awake.” Ank slowly sat up, and pain immediately spread throughout his body.
However, compared to the pain he had experienced before losing consciousness, it was manageable.
Marek looked at him curiously before asking, “So, what’s your name?” “Ank,” Ank replied.
Marek tilted his head slightly.
“Ank?
That’s a unique name.
I’ve never heard it before.” He then pointed toward himself.
“My name is Marek, and the person sitting over there is…” “Marek.” A cold voice interrupted him before he could finish.
“Stop.” Marek immediately sighed.
“Fine.” The woman continued staring into the fire without looking at either of them.
“Don’t reveal real names so casually.” “Okay, Seraphina,” Marek replied casually.
Seraphina’s expression immediately darkened.
She clearly regretted speaking to him.
Marek laughed after seeing her reaction.
“What?
He’s just a boy.
What can he possibly do?” Seraphina remained silent, yet she still felt something strange whenever she looked at Ank.
It was a feeling she could not explain, no matter how hard she tried.
Marek quickly changed the topic and looked at Ank.
“You must be hungry.” Ank nodded.
“Yes.” Marek handed him a bowl containing a simple vegetable soup.
Ank accepted it without saying anything and immediately started eating.
Only then did he notice a small girl sleeping peacefully beside Seraphina.
The girl was wrapped in a blanket, and her breathing was calm.
Ank stared at her for a few moments.
Marek noticed immediately.
“Oh, if you’re wondering about her, don’t worry.
We already rescued her.” Ank nodded before looking around the cave.
Something about the atmosphere felt wrong.
“Why are we still here?” Ank asked.
Marek pointed toward the deeper part of the forest.
“A Peak Mortal Blessing monster awakened nearby.
It’s currently searching the entire mountain, and if we move now, we’ll probably run into it.” Ank frowned.
“Then why don’t we kill it?” Ank was ready to fight even in his bad condition.
Marek opened his mouth without thinking.
“Because according to the Emperor…” He suddenly stopped speaking.
Seraphina’s gaze immediately landed on him.
Marek laughed awkwardly.
“Oops.
I almost revealed too much.” Ank silently observed both of them.
Neither Marek nor Seraphina seemed ordinary, especially Seraphina.
Even while sitting completely still, she gave off an invisible pressure, the kind of pressure only powerful people possessed.
The night passed quietly.
Marek spent most of his time talking, while Ank occasionally replied whenever necessary.
Meanwhile, Seraphina remained silent, watching the forest outside the cave as though she were patiently waiting for something to happen.
Morning eventually arrived, and the three finally left the mountain.
The rescued girl was still asleep, so Marek carried her on his back while they travelled toward the village.
The journey was peaceful, and no monsters appeared along the way.
By noon, the village gates finally came into view.
“We’re here.” Marek stretched his arms before looking toward Ank.
“You can take her back to her family.” Ank nodded.
“Understood.” He carefully took the sleeping girl from Marek and held her in his arms.
However, before he could walk away, Marek suddenly called out to him.
“Ank.” Ank stopped and turned around.
“Can you come back this evening?
I have a question.” Ank remained silent for a few moments before asking, “What question?” Marek scratched his head.
“It’s about the meteor that landed near the village.” The moment those words left his mouth, Ank’s heart skipped a beat.
Before Marek could continue, Seraphina immediately interrupted him.
“Marek, don’t pressure him.” Marek fell silent, but Seraphina continued watching Ank.
Her sharp eyes carefully studied every reaction, every expression, and every movement he made, as though she were trying to find something hidden beneath his calm appearance.
Ank turned around and prepared to leave.
“Boy.” Seraphina’s cold voice stopped him.
Ank looked back at her.
“Don’t come back.” Her eyes remained fixed on him, sharp and unwavering.
“Stay away from us, because if I discover that you’re hiding something, I won’t ask questions a second time.” Her voice became colder with every word.
Marek tried to stop her, but Seraphina completely ignored him.
Ank said nothing.
He simply stared at both of them while silently analysing the situation.
One thing was clear to him.
Both Marek and Seraphina were stronger than the old man.
After a few seconds, Ank gave a small nod.
He then turned around and walked toward the village, carrying the sleeping girl in his arms and leaving the two mysterious figures standing near the gate.