Chapter 65: The Wolf Cult (2)
As soon as the strange phenomenon occurred, Envy and I dashed toward the entrance.
Though the door that had been wide open was now closed, I believed we could open it again since we had entered through it.
That was the assumption.
"Ugh!"
But the door wouldn't budge. No matter how much strength I used, it remained unyielding. Even when I drew my sword and wedged it into the gap, there was no change.
"Try using magic!"
"Oh, right!"
Envy, flustered, hastily cast a spell. The blue mana radiating from her body manifested its mystique, amplifying the strength of my small knightly frame.
However, even with the enhanced power, the tightly shut door showed no signs of opening.
Perhaps swordsmanship would work. Taking a step back, I gripped my sword with both hands.
By combining the physical reinforcement from magic and mana manipulation, I should be able to cut through the massive stone.
The moment a fierce current of air surged around me, I suddenly turned away from the stone door I had been focused on. My swift motion caused my wide cloak to billow, blending with my silvery hair.
Clang!
The dull black blade clashed against a faint shadow, creating a harsh, resonating sound. A storm erupted as the collision stirred the air, sweeping through the chamber.
The wind was so intense that I could hardly keep my eyes open, and I furrowed my brow in frustration.
"A wolf…?"
The shadow's form gradually became clearer. While it hadn't yet solidified into a distinct shape, it resembled a wolf in some inexplicable way.
"Ahhh!"
Envy’s delayed scream signaled the start of the battle. As she leapt backward, the shadow seemed to dissipate into the wind, circling us in large arcs as if it were a hunter waiting for an opening.
I retrieved my sword and shifted my stance. Adopting a defensive posture, I positioned myself to shield Envy. My black cloak billowed grandly behind me as I stood guard.
Clang! Clang!
The clashes between my blade and the shadow continued. During one exchange, Envy’s timely support arrived. A freezing projectile imbued with her mana streaked toward the shadow, piercing it.
A direct hit. However, the effect was minimal. As before, the shadow dissipated and began circling us again.
"Did it… disappear?"
Watching the shadow scatter, my eyebrows twitched sharply. It deflected every attack as if it were a ghost without substance.
In that case, what if I targeted the moment it launched its own attack? The vibrations transmitted through my sword during impact were distinct. That meant the shadow took on a tangible form when it attacked.
With my mind made up, I altered my stance. I shifted from a defensive posture to one entirely focused on offense.
Drawing the sword back, I prepared to strike at any moment. A fierce current surged around my left leg, extended forward as my anchor.
Whoosh—
"Envy, aim for the moment it attacks."
"Y-yeah!"
It didn’t take long for the shadow to react. The swirling black currents riding the wind began to converge, forming the shape of a wolf.
Its features were now unmistakably clear. Holding a sword, the werewolf-like shadow swung its blade at me.
Shiiiing—!
The attack, infused with the shadow’s essence, extended like moonlight, dark and ominous. With just a slight adjustment of its wrist, the moonlit slash split into two paths, diverging sharply.
There was no mana detectable from the enemy's attack. However, instinctively, I understood its swordsmanship.
The shadow manipulated its eerie blade to occupy one side, while its true strike aimed for the other.
The moment I grasped the technique, my body moved on its own. Using my left leg, which had been generating a current, as a pivot, I advanced with my sword.
I poured more mana into the Mage Slayer, which greedily absorbed it. Blue mana erupted along the dull black blade.
Fwoosh!
Instead of crafting a refined strike, I recklessly unleashed mana, creating a curtain-like barrier. For now, that was sufficient.
The dispersed mana spread out along my left flank, colliding with the dark moonlit slash and dispelling it.
Swish—!
The girl didn’t halt her movements. Twisting her body with the wide slash of her sword, she deflected the enemy’s blade. The shadowy edge brushed past her cheek, drawing a thin streak of red blood.
The enemy’s torso was left wide open. Now it was my turn. The mana I had layered to its limit surged through my entire body. In an instant, a biting chill radiated from me.
Following the incantation of the White Dragon Heart Technique, I altered the nature of my mana, which began to drastically affect the surrounding environment.
The mana coursing through me compensated for my inadequate muscles. As my explosively enhanced physique reached its peak tension, a supreme quickstrike burst forth from my hands.
Fwoosh!
It landed squarely. The sensation of impact was vivid at my fingertips. The force transmitted through the blade was substantial.
The shadowy werewolf was torn apart. The rapid slash that I had unleashed from below left an unmistakable trace across its form.
As the shadow began to waver and dissolve, something else emerged. A calm flow of mana whipped through the air, and blue tendrils sprouted from the ground.
They resembled plants but were composed entirely of mana. The mana vines conjured by Envy coiled around the shadow, binding it. Without hesitation, I unleashed another swift slash.
Fwoosh!
The shadow tore apart and dissolved, its disintegration resembling dye spreading across water. Even though the enemy had disappeared, neither of us could relax.
Time dragged on. No new enemies emerged. At last, I exhaled deeply and lowered my sword.
“Phew…”
“Did… we win?”
I couldn’t give a definitive answer, but it seemed so. Without responding, I carefully stepped forward.
The red glow illuminating the ground had long since faded. The skeletal remains lying atop the massive ritual circle had crumbled into dust.
The only notable change was the sword resting on the altar. No longer covered in dust and appearing unremarkable, it now radiated a faint light.
The light was soft, reminiscent of moonlight. Red letters were etched along the blade, as though written in blood. I couldn’t discern their meaning.
“Y-you’re not planning to take that, are you?”
At Envy’s hesitant question, I tilted my head. Why wouldn’t I? The sword, now without an owner, lay waiting. It would be stranger not to take it.
Though my decision had caused danger, hadn’t we overcome it? Perhaps all that had transpired here was some kind of trial to claim the sword.
‘… That’s ridiculous.’
I let out a soft laugh, amused by my childish reasoning. Yet I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the sword.
What choice would Saeran have made? I didn’t need to ask. She would have taken the sword.
With my small hand, I grasped the moonlit blade.
‘Ah…’
A flood of memories surged into me like a tidal wave. Wolves, the moon, wind, a cult, a god—vast memories rushed past me. I learned about an organization through these recollections.
The Wolf Cult.
In the memories, I was both a priest and an officiant of sacred rituals. The sword in my hand was named Moonlight Blade.
It was said to have been crafted by a skilled blacksmith who captured the moonlight itself, forging it into a ceremonial weapon.
The truth of its origin didn’t matter. This sword, passed down through many hands, carried a faint divine presence. As the memories spun rapidly, I moved as if guided by the recollections from the sword.
It was a kind of dance. A sword dance performed to honor the moonlight flowing from the blade. It was a ritual dedicated to Lycan, the wolf deity believed to govern the moon and the wind.
A forgotten god’s ritual, long lost to time, was brought to life in the body of a small girl.
But this was not a weapon to be used for long. Lowering my gaze, I examined my hands. My nails were growing sharper, though they still appeared human for now. If I lingered any longer, they would take on the predatory sharpness of a wolf’s claws.
‘That werewolf…’
It had been the last heir of the cult. Unable to fully contain Lycan’s power, it had transformed into a werewolf. Such was the fate of most devout followers of the Wolf Cult.
“H-hey…”
“Ah.”
At the sound of a voice calling to me, I belatedly realized I wasn’t alone in the room. I had forgotten about Envy. Turning my head, I looked at her.
“You’re… okay, right?”
“Yes, I’m fine. There’s nothing unusual… It’s just an interesting sword.”
I quickly wrapped a thick cloth around the blade. On its polished surface, my reflection flickered faintly. My sclera and pupils had switched colors, a temporary transformation.
After attaching the Moonlight Blade to my sword belt, I closed and opened my eyes. When I looked again, my gaze had returned to normal.
Watching in a daze, Envy rubbed her eyes.
‘What… what was that?’