The next morning, Elion arrived at the designated meeting point for the monster subjugation. It was an open plaza, buzzing with tension. According to the mission details, they were facing a pack of around 150 wolves—a massive, dangerous group.
As he looked around, Elion saw roughly 30 adventurers gathered, some sharpening their weapons, others quietly chatting as they waited for orders.
Soon, the sound of clanking armor filled the plaza. A squad of 30 city guards, led by a stern-faced captain, marched into the square. The captain, a tall elf with short-cropped silver hair, wore heavy plate armor and carried a longsword at his side. His sharp eyes scanned the group of adventurers before stepping forward to address them.
"Listen up!" he barked, his voice carrying authority. "I'm Captain Darius, and my squad will be joining you today. Our target is a large wolf pack—roughly 150 beasts strong. They've been terrorizing nearby villages, and we're here to put an end to that. We move out in ten minutes, so make your final preparations now. Once we're out there, follow the orders, stay with your teams, and we'll make sure to take them down swiftly."
Elion exchanged glances with a few of the adventurers nearby. The atmosphere had become even more serious with the arrival of the city guards. Elion could feel the weight of the upcoming battle, but also the thrill of testing his newfound void magic.
Captain Darius continued, "Our strategy is simple: we'll break into three groups. My squad will take the front, pushing into the main camp. Two other teams will circle around to cut off any fleeing wolves. Stick to your positions, and we'll wipe them out."
With the orders given, the group began their final preparations, the sound of sharpening blades and hushed conversations filling the air.
The group, led by Captain Darius, moved through the dense forest with purpose, as if they knew exactly where they were going. Elion couldn't tell if they were using some kind of tracking device or just had a solid understanding of the wolves' territory.
Either way, he kept quiet and followed orders, trusting the guards' experience.
Before long, the adventurers were split into two smaller groups. Elion's team veered off to the right, tasked with circling around to flank the wolves.
The city guards had marked this area as where the pack was likely stationed. The forest thickened as they moved deeper, the air heavy with tension. Every snap of a twig and rustle in the bushes made the group more alert.
Elion, keeping his senses sharp, felt the weight of the upcoming battle settle over him. His fingers twitched with anticipation, already channeling mana in preparation for the fight.
He glanced at his companions, who moved with equal caution, their eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of the wolf pack.
Though the forest was eerily quiet, the smell of blood and beasts soon began to fill the air, a sure sign they were nearing their prey.
The city's guards were the first to strike, moving swiftly and decisively. The mages at the rear began conjuring a fearsome combination of elemental magic.
Wind spells swirled violently in the air, forming miniature hurricanes, while flames crackled to life, merging with the wind to create devastating fire tornadoes.
Before the wolves even had a chance to react, the fiery vortexes tore through their ranks, incinerating fur and flesh alike. The force of the wind dragged wolves into the inferno, and in mere seconds, nearly 20 of the beasts were reduced to ash, with several more left howling in pain from severe burns.
The surprise attack had worked flawlessly, tipping the balance in the group's favor before the wolves even had a chance to fight back.
Elion watched the carnage unfold from the sidelines, his eyes wide with awe. The sheer power and coordination of the mages left him speechless.
'Amazing,' he thought, mesmerized by the sight. 'I never imagined magic could be combined so seamlessly. The way they've trained to work together... it's terrifyingly effective.'
The fire tornadoes raged on, a deadly testament to what a well-organized group could accomplish. It wasn't just the raw power of the spells that impressed Elion—it was the precision and timing.
This wasn't the reckless, chaotic magic he'd seen before; it was a masterclass in destruction, a perfect blend of strategy and devastation.
[This is just child's play, kid. Wait until you see these kinds of combinations unleashed on a grand battlefield. That's when magic truly becomes terrifying.]
'Ha, I'll be waiting for that day.'
Despite the initial shock, the wolves quickly adapted to the ambush. These were seasoned beasts, honed by constant battle, and their instincts kicked in almost instantly. As the magic's intensity waned, both adventurer groups closed in, flanking the pack from both sides.
Elion took a deep breath, ready to test his void magic in real combat for the first time. He focused, channeling his space magic to expand the distance between his fist and everything around it, creating an invisible barrier. Then, he enveloped that space with void magic, an eerie black shimmer crackling around his hand.
'Let's see how you handle this,' he muttered, his eyes narrowing on a nearby wolf.
Elion sprinted forward, locking eyes with a mid-Fourth Stage Realm wolf. The beast reacted instinctively, lunging at him with a powerful swipe of its massive claw, aiming to tear him apart in one brutal strike.
Just as fist met claw, the air around them seemed to fold in on itself. An instant later, an implosion erupted from within the wolf's body.
It was obliterated, torn apart from the inside, leaving nothing behind—no blood, no fur, not even a single trace. The void punch, as Elion had named his spell, didn't stop there. Its destructive force barreled onward, ripping through two more wolves in its path, erasing them from existence without a sound.
Elion stood still for a moment, amazed at the raw power he had unleashed.
'This attack is like a vacuum cleaner, nothing will remain if it connects,' Elion thought with a smirk.
His moment of self-satisfaction was abruptly cut short by a blur of movement to his side. Instincts flaring, he turned just in time to see another wolf pouncing toward him, its claws poised to strike.
Without hesitation, Elion unsheathed his katana in one fluid motion. Lightning crackled along the blade as he infused it with electrical magic.
Sparks flew as the wolf's paw collided with the electrified katana. The current surged through the beast's limb, paralyzing it mid-attack. Elion pushed the wolf back with a sharp twist of his blade, its body twitching from the shock as it stumbled, unable to regain its footing.
Elion's eyes narrowed, his grip tightening around the hilt. "Not today," he whispered, readying himself for the next strike.
Elion channeled electrical energy into his legs, feeling the familiar surge of power coursing through him. He was getting increasingly adept at using lightning magic to enhance his physical abilities, and it showed.
With a flash of movement, he dashed to the wolf's flank, faster than the beast could react.
In one swift motion, he swung his katana upward. The blade, crackling with electric energy, sliced cleanly through the wolf's neck.
The severed head hit the ground with a dull thud, and the lifeless body collapsed shortly after, twitching as residual sparks danced across its fur.
Elion exhaled, his senses heightened, feeling the energy pulsing through him. "Too slow," he muttered, eyes scanning for the next target.
Elion noticed the mage struggling against a low Fourth Stage Realm beast, desperately summoning a wind barrier to create some distance. The beast, however, was relentless, clawing and snapping at the protective shield, inching closer with every moment.
The mage looked frantic, unable to gain enough time to cast any offensive spells.
Without hesitation, Elion infused lightning into his legs and dashed toward the beast at blinding speed. As he approached, he summoned void magic to his fist, compressing space around it.
His body crackled with energy, and with a powerful leap, he positioned himself directly behind the beast.
Before it could react, Elion unleashed his Void Punch, striking the beast square in the back. The impact caused an instant implosion—its body was crushed into nothingness as the force of the void magic consumed it.
Only a faint wisp of smoke and distorted air marked where the beast had stood moments before.
The mage gasped, wide-eyed, as he watched the terrifying display of power. Elion turned to him, offering a quick nod before dashing off toward the next threat.
Corpses of both wolves and adventurers littered the battlefield, the air thick with the stench of blood and smoke. The city's guard had only lost two men, a testament to their disciplined training and coordinated teamwork.
In contrast, the adventurers had suffered far greater losses—ten had fallen. The stark difference was evident. The guards, accustomed to fighting as a unit, were able to cover each other's weaknesses and react quickly to threats.
Meanwhile, the adventurers, despite their individual skills, lacked the cohesion that could have saved more lives. This harsh reality was a reminder that raw strength alone wasn't enough to survive.