By the time Elias and Frenn arrived at the battlefield, the female hero—Misheana—was already engaging the monster.
“Haaah!”
With a powerful cry, her sword sliced through the red wolf. The force of her strike sent the massive beast hurtling backward.
However, the others on the battlefield were struggling.
The main issue was numbers.
The battle was taking place in a clearing within the forest, where five of the red-furred wolves had gathered.
While Misheana’s companions and the knights focused on keeping the monsters at bay, Misheana herself was tasked with slaying them.
Elias swiftly assessed the situation.
(So the strategy is to let Hero Misheana handle the actual monster slaying, while the others focus on containment… A reasonable approach.)
“—Hm?”
Just as he reached this conclusion, Misheana’s sharp gaze fell upon him.
“Reinforcements? …No, that’s not quite it.”
“We’re here to help, at least.”
Without another word, Elias drew his sword and targeted the nearest beast.
A warrior from Misheana’s party had been holding it at bay—but Elias cut it down in a single blow from the side.
Misheana’s expression shifted slightly—her eyes flickering with interest as they landed on the pendant hanging from Elias’s neck.
“…A Holy Knight.”
“Only recently appointed.”
Elias responded as he dispatched the second monster.
Then, he turned to confirm something.
“Just to be sure—you’re Hero Misheana, correct?”
“That’s right. I’d heard rumors that a commoner had recently become a Holy Knight… Was that you?”
“Bulls-eye.”
At that moment, Elias prepared to go after the third beast—but before he could move, Misheana lunged ahead of him.
“I see… Then I suppose I’ll have to take this seriously!”
With a fierce grin, Misheana swung her sword in a wide arc.
Her strike cleaved cleanly through the monster’s massive frame, bisecting it in a single stroke.
Elias observed the display with mild admiration.
(Her weapon is excellent, but more than that—her arms are brimming with magic, reinforcing her physical strength to an extraordinary degree… So this is Hero Misheana’s power?)
The last two wolves soon fell to her blade as well.
It was as if she were deliberately showcasing her might to the newly arrived Elias.
As the battle concluded, the knights and Misheana’s party sighed in relief.
Elias glanced at their equipment.
“You encountered these monsters while investigating their appearance in the mountains?”
“That’s right. The kingdom tasked us with looking into the red wolves’ recent surge in activity.”
Red wolves.
Elias looked at the remains of the beast he had just cut down.
“I was just stationed at a fortress in the rear lines yesterday—and we encountered the same kind of monster there.”
“Huh? A fortress in the rear?”
“Emile Fortress.”
Frenn smoothly interjected to clarify.
Misheana turned to her.
“And you’re his attendant?”
“Something like that. I handle administrative work and provide support. My combat skills are limited to self-defense.”
“I see.”
Misheana turned back to Elias.
“So, Emile Fortress has been dealing with these creatures too… Does that mean their territory is expanding?”
“Do you have a good grasp of the surrounding geography?”
“Of course. Otherwise, we’d be lost out here.”
“Fair enough.” Elias nodded before continuing. “We’ve been investigating where these monsters are originating from. Have you found anything?”
“Not yet. Our goal was to track where the red wolves appear in the greatest numbers, which led us here.”
“And since they’re moving in packs, you struggled to contain them.”
“Exactly. Their hides are tough, they’re quick, and they have decent endurance. If a pack forms…”
“Then their Danger Level jumps from Two to Three.”
Elias’s conclusion made Misheana grimace.
“…In that case, we might need to organize a dedicated extermination force.”
“If their numbers continue to grow, yes. But the real question is—will their numbers continue to grow?”
Misheana frowned.
“What do you mean?”
Elias crouched beside one of the fallen wolves, inspecting its clawed limbs and thick fur.
“These monsters are moving in packs. They’re all the same species. That suggests one of two things—either they’re naturally reproducing, or… they’re being created through magic.”
Misheana’s expression darkened.
“Created…? For what purpose?”
“Possibly to expand their domain.”
Some monsters established territorial zones.
They attacked any intruders that entered their claimed lands—and over time, those areas became monster nests.
Monsters possessed varied levels of intelligence, but if these wolves were comparable to regular wolves, then they likely hunted and expanded their territory intentionally.
And if there was a central figure controlling them…
“If a leader exists, it could be deliberately increasing their numbers—whether through natural means or something unnatural.”
Misheana sighed.
“If that’s the case, we’ll need an extensive investigation before sending in an extermination squad.”
“Agreed. We need to determine whether the red wolves are a temporary anomaly, or whether they’re actively spreading.”
Misheana clicked her tongue.
“Tch. I’d rather not retreat when we’ve finally figured something out.”
Then, she turned to Elias with a smirk.
“But with someone who can slay red wolves in a single blow, we might not have to retreat at all.”
“…Are you asking me to join you?”
“That depends on you.”
Elias turned to Frenn.
She nodded slightly, as if already understanding his thoughts.
(A chance to work alongside a Hero—and gather firsthand information? It’s an ideal scenario for us.)
Elias exhaled.
“Fine. But Frenn and I came here under the pretense of an investigation. If we formally team up with another unit, we’ll need to report back.”
At that moment, a knight from Misheana’s group stepped forward.
“We will send word back to our assigned fortress.”
“That means it will be reported after the fact.”
“That should be sufficient.”
Elias nodded in approval before turning back to Misheana.
“Alright, Hero Misheana. We’ll work together.”
Misheana grinned.
“Just Misheana is fine. Oh, speaking of which—I never got your name.”
“We can cover introductions on the way.”
With that, Elias shifted his gaze toward the mountainous terrain ahead—the true domain of the red wolves.
(This could turn into something big…)
A premonition settled over him.
And with that thought, he followed Misheana and her party deeper into monster territory—as they made their way toward the unknown threats ahead.