Chapter 154 – Wolf Pack
The dire wolves here were much larger than normal wolves.
They weren’t as big as tigers, but they could easily compare to jaguars.
Some of the stronger ones were even bigger than that.
If such wolves hunted in packs, they would be quite the threat.
Of course, they were no match for me.
But that wasn’t the end of it.
There was a white wolf leading them.
This one was twice the size of the other dire wolves.
It was just a bit smaller than me when I wasn’t using miniaturization.
Moreover, it wasn’t just an ordinary dire wolf but had the peculiar name of *Baekrang* (White Wolf).
__________________________
【Baekrang】
A mystical creature with white fur. It is cherished by some people due to a legend that says it prevents fires and theft. Additionally, it has the power of frost, making it efficient in hunting prey.
__________________________
And judging by its ability to control the power of frost, it wasn’t an ordinary creature.
Like the petrification of the basilisk, the mind control of Gaetsalgoadal, the fire of the Fiery Phoenix, or the storm of the Argentarvis, this wolf also had its own unique weapon.
It was even at level 75.
Of course, a high level didn’t always mean it was strong.
However, in cases where a creature had reached the end of its evolutionary path and become a mystical beast, its strength was generally proportional to its level.
This wolf was strong. And since it commanded a pack, it would be a much more difficult opponent than a Beihj Bird or Imoogi Bird.
But that would be the case if it became my enemy.
For now, I was here as a guest.
“Awooooo!”
When Baekrang howled again, all the wolves that had surrounded me backed away.
Thud.
Baekrang jumped down from the rock.
Then it slowly approached me.
“Hmmm, I wondered why you had the Snake Queen’s emblem.”
Naturally, it was speaking human words with its animal body.
“Gekgek.”
Well, it might not actually be speaking human language.
Just like how I understood Baek Yeonyeong and Tang So-yeong, this wolf could be speaking in its own language, and I was simply understanding it.
If I had a third party, like with the Snake Queen, I could confirm the truth, but that wasn’t important right now.
“A snake with legs. Looking at your size and internal energy, you’re more than qualified… You came here because of the Dragon Gate, right?”
The important thing was that this wolf understood my intentions.
And judging by the voice, it was a female wolf.
…Was that important?
I nodded.
“They say the Snake Queen defeated Gaetsalgoadal, and I guess it’s thanks to you?”
Honestly, most of the credit went to my master, but I wouldn’t deny Baekrang’s words.
“Gekgek.”
The white wolf sniffed the air.
“What did you do to a young lizard like you?”
Chuckling, Baekrang lowered her head slightly.
Her tail swayed slowly, indicating she wasn’t in a bad mood.
“Follow me. Even though this is outside the Dragon Gate, it’s not safe to stay here for long. Sometimes the beasts from inside escape.”
I wanted to ask why she had howled if that was the case, but I swallowed the question.
There was no way I could communicate with a mammal using my reptilian gekkering sounds.
“Gekgek.”
And so, I followed Baekrang and her wolves.
They sniffed around, catching my scent.
Were they curious because it was their first time seeing such a large lizard?
At least their leader had acknowledged me, so they didn’t show the same hostility they had earlier.
If I had encountered them as a human, I would have been terrified, but now, they seemed more like oversized puppies to me.
As I continued to follow them, a moderately sized cave appeared.
It seemed to be their home.
Baekrang took the central position, and the other wolves curled up around her.
“This is the first time I’ve brought an outsider here, so be grateful.”
“Gekgek.”
“You came here because you wanted to know about the Dragon Gate, right?”
Baekrang repeated the question she had asked earlier.
I nodded.
“Hmm… Well, like I said before, you’re more than qualified. You might really be able to defeat the Guardian.”
Baekrang looked me up and down.
I took it as a compliment.
“I can tell you about the Dragon Gate. But before that, I have a favor to ask.”
“Gek?”
A favor?
The wolves and the Snake Queen weren’t exactly allies.
They just knew of each other.
There was no obligation to help Baekrang.
It would be strange if she gave me information without asking for something in return.
Now that someone of my caliber was here, it was natural for her to want something in exchange.
“Gekgek.”
I nodded lightly.
“Good. I like that decisiveness.”
Baekrang wagged her tail, seemingly satisfied.
“There are many beasts living near the Dragon Gate. This area is our territory, but there’s one that keeps encroaching on it.”
A territorial dispute.
Wild animals naturally engaged in such behavior.
Especially pack animals like wolves.
I could guess what her favor would be.
If it were just a mindless beast, they could have bitten and killed it. No matter how strong it was, if the whole pack attacked, it would have no chance.
If Baekrang led seven wolves, most creatures wouldn’t even have time to scream before they were torn apart.
“But these are different. They haven’t lost their intelligence to the Dragon Gate. They form packs and strategize.”
An opponent that was strong individually and used tactics to launch coordinated attacks.
Now I understood why Baekrang was outsourcing this task to me.
Even if they fought in numbers, the wolves would sustain casualties against such an opponent.
“They get along with other beasts just fine, but when they see us, they flip out and try to attack. It’s seriously annoying.”
On top of that, they only attack Baekrang’s side?
If they didn’t take care of it soon, it was obvious they’d run into trouble eventually.
They could be ambushed while hunting other creatures.
“So, my request is simple. Take care of the Igaksu, the two-horned horse.”
Huh?
Igaksu?
“Killing them would be the easiest option, but if you can convince them to leave, that wouldn’t be so bad either.”
Could Igaksu be referring to a bicorn?
No, don’t be fooled.
They’re probably just creatures that look similar to the unicorns that preach monogamy.
“It’s not that I’m after their byproducts; it’s about the territory. So just driving them out will be enough.”
So, she wanted me to drive the Igaksu out of their territory?
It wasn’t an easy request.
Unlike the unicorn, who worshipped purity, there was a legend that the Igaksu despised the pure.
If that were true, they were natural enemies of the Komodo-Lania, a symbol of purity.
But what could I do?
I had no choice but to accept the request.
It would be nice if I could talk them into leaving, but that rarely happens.
The moment they saw me, they would probably charge at me with wild eyes, so I had to prepare for a fight.
“If you deal with the Igaksu, I’ll take you straight to the Dragon Gate.”
“Gekgek.”
I made an affirmative gekkering sound.
“Hmm… Your personality is pretty decent.”
Baekrang, seemingly pleased, curled her body into a ball.
It seemed she no longer felt the need to be wary of me.
“For now, get some rest. This place is strange in many ways, and wandering around at night is dangerous.”
Was she telling me to sleep until morning?
I could function perfectly well at night, but I decided to follow her advice.
There was a lot I didn’t know about this place.
“…Come to think of it, you’re a lizard.”
Baekrang suddenly spoke, as if she had just remembered.
Her golden eyes stared straight at me.
“You can’t regulate your body temperature, can you?”
“Gek?”
That was a thing of the past.
I still wasn’t fully in control, but in an emergency, I could use the power of fire energy to raise my body temperature.
Still, it was better not to reveal that fact.
It’s always better to keep your cards hidden.
“I guess there’s no other choice… Hey, you lot.”
“Awoo…”
The wolves, who had been curled up, gathered around me.
Each of them found a spot and curled their bodies into balls, just like Baekrang.
“I swear, this is always the problem with snake-like creatures.”
The warmth of a mammal’s body.
Along with the wolves’ thick fur.
I felt my body heat up.
This rise in temperature wasn’t bad at all.
For some reason, it felt like I was in a pet café.
Their fur was indeed warm.
I suddenly felt an urge to pet these wolves.
Of course, if I did that, my hands would probably get chewed up.
I decided to hold back.
“Gekgek.”
Sniff sniff.
Baekrang and the wolves started sniffing me.
It tickled, you little rascals.
The wolves sniffed me excessively.
Well, that’s how dogs are.
“…Male scent.”
Baekrang stared at me.
Her expression looked a bit uneasy.
“For the record, we don’t allow males in our pack.”
“Gek?”
Did that mean all these wolves were female?
“I know. It’s ridiculous to worry about this when we’re different species.”
What’s she even worried about?
At least she seemed to have some common sense.
She knew we were different species, after all.
The snakes, spiders, and birds I’ve encountered didn’t care about that and just charged at me regardless.
“But seeing that emblem makes me uneasy.”
What’s that supposed to mean?
“I can sort of understand the snake and lizard thing, but what’s with the spider?”
What do you think? I’m someone loved by spiders.
“And the feathers. Why do you have feathers? Judging by the size, they look like they belong to a Beihj Bird… Is the size accurate?”
Baekrang pointed out something no one had mentioned before.
Her reaction was probably normal…
But did it really matter?
“Gekgek.”
“Ugh… Next thing I know, you’ll be telling me you’re engaged to a human.”
Baekrang, as if in disbelief, tapped my tail with her paw.
“Anyway, behave yourself.”
“Gek.”
“And don’t mess with my girls.”
Of course I wouldn’t mess with the wolves.
Although, I did have a strong urge to pet them like big puppies, but that was all.
“And while that face of yours might’ve worked on other species, it won’t work on us. We don’t get excited by scales.”
Finally, a species with some sense.
Exactly.
Mammals wouldn’t find reptiles attractive.
“You’re better off giving up. No wolf is going to fall for a lizard.”
I never had any intention of that.
Since Baekrang seemed to be managing her pack well, I didn’t need to worry.
They would handle things themselves.
Like she said, no wolf would fall for a lizard.