The clearing had not existed minutes ago—it was the result of destruction left behind by Gavin's clone and Yeana's battle.
From the giant lake to the scorched forest path, the aftermath was unmistakable—shattered trees, deep craters, and broken terrain carved by their clash.
At the heart of the destruction, a lone wolf stood, its bright yellow fur stark against the snowy wasteland, surrounded by uprooted trees and broken earth.
Its golden eyes were fixed on the path of devastation it had created, where it had once chased the Dark Panther with relentless force.
Now, from that very path, three figures emerged—
The same female mage, Alice.
The baron of the Wright family, Elan.
And the knight, Reed.
But they were not alone.
Behind them, at a calculated distance, more guards lurked.
The wolf could not see them, but he could smell them—their sweat, their steel, their anxious breaths.
He knew why they had come.
But they did not know that he knew.
And so, he had to play the part.
As the humans approached, the wolf lowered his body, his muscles tensing.
A deep, rumbling growl echoed through the clearing.
Above him, stones began to rise, forming sharp bullets of hardened earth, swirling ominously in the cold air.
A silent, primal message—
Come any closer, and I will strike.
The humans halted at the edge of the clearing, their eyes scanning the devastation around them.
Their gazes shifted to the wolf, searching for signs of injury.
Finding none, the female mage stepped forward.
The moment she did, the wolf's growl deepened, its intensity warning her to stay back.
Then—he felt it.
A foreign presence, like a whisper in the wind, hovering around his spirit.
Someone was seeking permission to connect with him.
He recognized it as the mage's spirit.
For a moment, he hesitated—then, he allowed the connection.
A female voice echoed in his mind.
"We did not come to fight you."
The wolf's thoughts rumbled in reply.
"Then why are you here?"
Her response was calm and measured.
"We wish to visit your tribe."
A low snarl escaped him.
"So you can learn our location and strike when we least expect it?"
Her tone sharpened.
"No, no—we wish to discuss a deal."
The wolf remained silent, considering.
Finally, he spoke.
"Then tell me what deal you outsiders seek to negotiate.
If I find it beneficial to my tribe, I will grant you an audience with our totem."
For a moment, the connection wavered, and the wolf could hear Alice conversing with Elan, speaking in the human language—undoubtedly debating whether or not to reveal their offer.
They discussed for two minutes, their hushed words unintelligible to him.
Once again, Alice's spirit reached out, her voice steady.
"We want to hold back the Dark Panther Tribe from attacking us—for a while."
The wolf's response was immediate, his tone laced with skepticism.
"Why should we?"
Alice did not hesitate.
"In return, we will help you conquer the smaller tribes nearby."
The wolf let out a low snarl.
"Are you unaware of my strength? I alone can defeat them."
"Yes, you can," she admitted. "But I've heard that the smaller tribes in this area are closely tied to the Dark Panther Tribe."
The wolf remained unimpressed.
"So what? Do you think we fear them?"
"No," she said smoothly. "I know your tribe does not fear the Dark Panther Tribe. But with our help, they won't have to be your enemy at all."
His eyes narrowed, suspicion creeping into his voice.
"How? The same way you 'helped' the Snake Tribe? If that's the case, I refuse."
There was a pause before Alice answered.
"No. This time, we will handle it ourselves. We will eliminate the totems of these tribes—without any involvement from you."
The wolf remained silent for a moment, considering.
Then, he asked.
"How many tribes?"
"Three."
The clearing fell into an eerie quiet as the wolf weighed their offer.
Alice pressed forward.
"What is your decision? Does our proposal grant us an audience with your totem?"
The wolf's golden eyes remained locked onto her.
"Yes."
Alice exhaled in relief.
"Then let's go quickly. We need to return before sunset."
But the wolf did not move.
Instead, his voice rumbled with finality.
"We are not going anywhere. You will meet the totem now."
Before they could react, the air around the wolf shifted.
A deep, unseen force awakened, spreading through the clearing like a silent storm.
Alice's breath caught in her throat as she felt his aura change entirely.
The oppressive weight of his presence crushed down on her, surpassing anything she had ever encountered before.
It wasn't just stronger than her—it rivaled even the dean of her academy, a Grand Master Mage… or an Archmage.
The spiritual connection she had established with the wolf was severed instantly.
A cold realization sank in.
This was no ordinary beast.
Then, to her further shock, the wolf spoke in flawless human language.
"I accept your proposal. But I have demands of my own."
Alice struggled to regain her composure.
"This deal already benefits your tribe. You are gaining more than us."
The wolf's tone turned mocking.
"Do you think I need your help, human?"
Alice fell silent, her fists clenching at her sides.
Before she could respond, Elan stepped forward, his voice composed.
"Sir, what are your demands? If they are within our reach, we will consider them."
The wolf's gaze shifted to him.
"I want the inheritance of Druids and Warriors—only up to the Bronze Rank."
Elan and Alice exchanged glances.
Gavin had his reasons.
The Warrior profession was the foundation of all physical combat in human society—a perfect stepping stone for his people.
And Druidry, with its connection to nature, would be ideal for the shamans of his tribe.
He considered asking for Mage inheritances, but he knew better.
Mages were too valuable. The humans would never agree.
As expected, Alice's expression hardened.
"No. We are the only ones paying in this deal. Your tribe sacrifices nothing."
The wolf scoffed.
"We will keep the Dark Panther Tribe from attacking you for six months."
At that, the humans fell silent.
But the wolf could see it—they were communicating through their spirits, debating their options.
Then, he decided to push further.
"I heard, Baron Wright—your noble title will be revoked in two years."
The shock on their faces was immediate.
Elan's breath hitched, his voice tense.
"How do you know that?"
The wolf dismissed the question with a flick of his ears.
"Does it matter? What should concern you is how to maintain your title.
You want to establish a settlement. Six months will be enough to fortify it and hand it over to the main human army before leaving."
A heavy silence settled between them.
They knew he was right.
Finally, Alice spoke.
"We accept your terms… but we have demands of our own."
The wolf tilted his head slightly.
"Let's hear them."
Alice met his gaze.
"First, we want your help to subdue a Bronze-rank magic beast.
Second, you must sign a contract."
The wolf's golden eyes narrowed.
"Who will oversee this contract?"
Alice met his gaze without hesitation.
"The God of Knights and Nobles."
A low growl rumbled in the wolf's throat.
"I do not believe in your human gods."
Alice frowned.
"Then who? We also do not follow the gods of the Three-Eyed Race."
The wolf's ears twitched.
"We do not believe in gods. But the Nine-Eyed Snake existed before the birth of this world."
Alice's brow furrowed.
"I've never heard of this god."
The wolf nodded slightly.
Truthfully, he had only learned of it from the records of the Snake Tribe.
Those ancient texts spoke of the Nine-Eyed Snake, the supposed creator of the Three-Eyed Race.
Every shaman's third eye, blessed with a unique elemental affinity, was said to be a weakened fragment of one of the Nine-Eyed Snake's legendary eyes.
The Spirit Eye, in particular, was believed to be a downgraded version of the hidden eye of the Nine-Eyed Chaos Snake.
After a brief silence, the wolf spoke again.
"What if the arbiter of the contract is the spiritual energy that surrounds us?"
Alice considered for a moment, then nodded.
"That would be acceptable."
However, she quickly added—
"But acquiring the Druid inheritance will take time. The war is raging, and it will be difficult to retrieve it immediately."
The wolf scoffed.
"Then we will revisit the deal when you obtain it."
With that, the intimidating aura around him faded, his presence returning to its usual restrained state.
Then, without another word, the wolf turned and disappeared into the forest.
The humans also turned back, their figures vanishing into the tree line.
For a moment, the clearing remained empty.
Then, the shadows shifted.
Faint magic fluctuations rippled in the surrounding darkness.
Something lurking unseen slowly began to move southward.
A few seconds later, a small spider fell from the canopy, landing lightly on the snow-covered ground.
As its legs twitched, its form shimmered, twisting and reshaping—
In place of the tiny spider now stood a Spider Elf.
The elf scanned the clearing, his sharp purple eyes glinting in the pale light.
After a moment of silent observation, he turned eastward and began walking.
Then—
A low, maniacal chuckle echoed through the empty clearing.
A voice, filled with twisted amusement, muttered—
"Master will be pleased… Everything is going according to plan."