Chapter 36: Cold Shadows, Sharp Blades

Four wolves charged at full speed through the snow, growling low and fast like storm winds. Luke activated Identify.

[Mist Wolf – Lvl 8]

[Mist Wolf – Lvl 7]

[Mist Wolf – Lvl 7]

“Monsters,” he muttered, tightening his grip on a kukri.

Princess Charlie stood at his side, holding the other blade, waiting without fear.

Luke didn’t hesitate. He hurled his kukri.

It split mid-air. Two blades. One strike.

The lead wolf was hit before it could even close the distance.

The others kept coming.

One launched toward him. Luke activated Dark Dash, blinking sideways in a blur of shadow. As he landed, he flung a throwing knife mid-spin, striking another wolf mid-leap.

The blade sank deep. The creature yelped and skidded backward, bleeding profusely from its wound.

Bleeding?

That had to be the effect of his upgraded skill—Profane Knife Throwing.

The pack regrouped and began circling.

Princess Charlie moved in from behind, slashing with her kukri, but the wolf dodged, bounding aside with uncanny speed.

The wolves stormed into the cave from different angles.

One leapt toward Charlie, trying to pin her. The rest surged at Luke.

He raised a kukri in one hand, a throwing knife in the other. He threw, then dashed. His blade caught the nearest wolf mid-charge, sending it tumbling in the snow.

Charlie, now towering and heavier than before, yanked one wolf back by the tail, pulling it off balance. Two others closed in on her, trying to flank from both sides.

Luke leapt onto a wolf’s back before it could pounce, but the creature twisted violently, throwing him off.

Charlie wasn’t idle. She grabbed another that lunged at her, slammed it into the cave wall, and dragged it across the stone, bashing its skull. One wolf pounced onto her back, clawing wildly.

She staggered, but triggered Charge, surging forward with explosive momentum. She smashed the wolf against the wall like a living battering ram.

Luke spotted Charlie’s kukri buried in the ribs of a fallen wolf as she turned to bare-knuckle the others trying to overwhelm her.

He rolled to his feet and summoned both kukris back into his hands. Sprinting forward, he drove both blades into the next wolf, pinning it to the ground as it tried to flee.

Dead.

The last two came at once.

Luke hurled his kukris. They duplicated again—four blades in the air. The first wolf dropped with a gurgling snarl.

The second leapt directly at him. He dived backward, crashing outside the cave. The wolf followed, jaws snapping.

Luke brought one kukri up just in time and stabbed it into the beast’s mouth.

The wolf thrashed, trying to bite down, but a skeletal hand grabbed it by the throat.

Princess Charlie tore it off him, charged forward, and slammed the wolf’s skull into the cave wall with brutal force. The cracking echo rang out like thunder.

[Princess Charlie has slain a Mist Wolf – Lvl 7]

*The [Warrior] class of Princess Charlie has reached Level 5! (Class Bonus Points Acquired)*

[Princess Charlie has unlocked a new Class Skill]

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Luke stood, panting, blades ready. But there were no more enemies.

He stepped to the cave entrance. The blizzard had arrived. Whiteout conditions. Nothing but swirling snow and cold wind.

No sign of more wolves.

Still, one question stuck in his head.

Were these wolves living here… or were they tracking me?

Because the cave had shown no signs of recent use. No bones. No fur. No scent. Just empty.

Until now.

“Good job,” Luke said, letting out a breath.

Princess Charlie raised her hand. A skeleton high five.

Luke blinked.

“Alright… just this once,” he muttered, and slapped her bony palm.

She rattled happily in response.

Wasting no time, Luke pulled the branches she’d been storing inside her ribcage and tossed them into a pile on the floor. Then he dragged the dead wolves, one by one, into a rough circle around the fire pit.

He didn’t care about the blood. Not anymore. The cold was so merciless it stripped away hesitation.

He slumped down, leaning against one of the corpses, using its thick fur to block the wind. Then, channeling mana into his ring, he ignited the fire.

Heat. Immediate. Glorious.

He almost melted into the moment but stayed alert.

“Keep watch,” he said softly.