NOVEL NEXT Chapter 54 - Chapter 54: Black Wolf Assault Part 1
Chapter 54: Black Wolf Assault Part 1
“Azir, can the four members of the attack team survive?”
“With those four, they should be able to survive. But, no matter what, there are too many of them. I think the black wolves will overrun the fence before we can deal with them all.”
If the black wolves start crossing the fence haphazardly, the village will almost certainly descend into chaos. If that happens, the villagers will likely be wiped out. We have to avoid that at all costs.
“Evacuating all the villagers right away… is not realistic. We’ll have to accept some casualties and face the black wolves with the villagers and us.”
“But how? Are we going to launch a full-scale attack?”
“No, the best we can do is a limited siege. First, let’s divide the able-bodied villagers into three groups. One group will attack the wolves with makeshift spears and farm tools, another will carry away dead wolves and repair the fence, and the third group will take care of the children, treat injuries, and prepare food.”
“How should we divide them?”
“We have the roster and the map. Let’s assign individuals and group leaders now. We’ll talk to each leader and the village chief, then leave the rest to them. With most of the faces and relationships in mind, we should be able to minimize confusion.”
Azir and Zamza look at me with surprise. Zamza, despite being with us, seems surprised too.
“Did you foresee this situation?”
“Of course?”
Azir’s disappointed gaze turns into a look of understanding, and Zamza looks even more surprised. Zamza is too pure for his own good.
“No, I’m just kidding.”
Well, in the end, it’s the same as what I’ve always done. Even in difficult situations, if you remember people’s faces and names perfectly and understand the relationships, you can plan things automatically. —But if it fails, I’ll blame Azir.
Desperately thinking and imagining the faces of the villagers, I quickly organize the teams.
“Azir, Zamza, gather the group leaders and the village chief here. I want to observe Marie and the others’ situation.”
“Got it. Let’s go, Zamza.”
“Okay.”
The two jump down from the watchtower and hurry off. Marie and the others still haven’t encountered the pack. But they’ll make contact in a few minutes. In the rain, a swarm of black wolves approaches with fierce momentum. Their grotesque jaws with strangely red fangs and eyeballs reflecting faint light are visible even from a distance. It’s a nauseating and frightening sight. If I hadn’t already experienced the threat of Kidanakemo in the Hell’s Cauldron, I’d probably be flipping out and trembling by now.
“There’s a high chance Pink will attack this time. I’m counting on you when that happens.”
Suddenly, Pink pops out of my pocket and looks at the pack of black wolves. Despite looking annoyed, there’s no sign of fear in him. It’s reassuring.
Marie seems to be consulting with Gisella. Kuro and Shiro wave at us. They seem surprisingly calm… For now, I wave back. Marie draws two swords. Kuro hasn’t drawn his knife yet; he’s still waving at us. Shiro stands quietly in a guard stance, holding a club in his right hand and a machete in his left. Gisella swings a mace in both hands, practicing her swings. It’s about time for engagement—.
“――Ah ah ahhh!!”
Marie roars. Scary. Is that what she’s like when she’s serious about fighting? Her teeth are bared, and her eyes are bloodshot. Maybe she’s using some dangerous drugs.
From behind the berserk Marie, Kuro calmly walks forward. Then, she climbs onto the pack of black wolves. Following Kuro, the pack’s movements become chaotic.
“Kyaa! Gyyaa! Gyyaa!”
Kuro laughs as she walks over the black wolves and swings his knife. Each time, nearby black wolves scream, and blood sprays. It’s gruesome.
In the darkness, her beautiful eyes glowing yellow-green, she walks accompanied by monsters, laughing. She’s like a demon lord.
“Ugh!”
Shiro steps heavily into the side of the chaotic pack, swinging his cudgel horizontally. Multiple black wolves are sent flying like ragdolls. Those struck by his powerful blows are barely recognizable. Yep, he’s brutal too.
Gisella carefully observes the battle. She precisely strikes the black wolves with her mace from spots where Shiro’s large attacks leave openings. Her swings are compact, so she doesn’t stand out like Shiro, but her speed and accuracy are terrifying.
Returning my gaze to Marie, her entire body is already soaked in fresh blood. Combined with her orange hair, it gives her an almost elegant appearance. Lacking the brute force of the others, she skillfully slaughters the black wolves with overwhelming combat technique. With two straight swords, she efficiently delivers fatal blows one by one, without any wasted movements. Her movements are like a dance. What’s most impressive is her exquisite footwork and positioning, always maintaining a dominant position and advantage.
“Gyaaah!! Die, all of you!!”
However, despite moving like a cold-blooded killing machine, her voice is that of a berserker. She’s the complete opposite of Shiro.
All four of them are truly performing miracles. Additionally, Kuro is disrupting the pack’s progress to some extent, which is significant. However, the numbers are abnormal. Despite these four producing corpses like crazy, there are still many black wolves that can’t get close to them. These wolves, left out of the immediate fight, are now turning their attention to the fence. Moreover, from the hills behind, an endless number of black wolves seem to be coming towards us. The rain is getting heavier. Visibility is worsening, and the wet clothes clinging to our bodies are uncomfortable. It’s been a while since it rained, but now it’s just thoroughly unpleasant.
“Bonus! I’ve gathered them! What now?”
“The village chief. I think you understand, but the situation is dire. At this rate, all the villagers in this village will die.”
“W-What…?”
“But, I’ve come up with a plan to survive. Right now, my comrades are reducing the numbers and buying us time. In the meantime, we need to reduce the number of wolves here, create an opening, and evacuate. We need the entire village’s cooperation.”
“I-I see… Will that really work?”
“I don’t know. But if you don’t cooperate, we’ll all be wiped out. It’s a battle against time from here on out. Each group leader, listen up too. I’ll tell you the members of each group now, so gather them.”
“Bonus! If we can help, just tell us! I’ve heard the gist of it from Zamza. I’m gathering people now. What should we do first?”
Kane, the leader of the attack team, continues the discussion. Being a former mercenary, he’s quick to speak. He’s also physically imposing and relied upon for various things in the village. By the way, he’s a single man with a venereal disease. Due to his fieldwork, unnecessary information comes to mind too…
“Thanks, Kane. For now, we also need to defeat some black wolves ourselves. I’ll leave that to the leader. First, gather whatever can be used as weapons, whether it’s farm tools or sticks with sharpened ends, and assemble in front of the east gate.”
“Got it!”
“Wh-What about me?”
Miles, the carpenter, asks timidly. His carpentry skills might not be great, but he’s well-liked and respected by everyone. He’s the type to get carried away and do silly things, but he also has leadership qualities. By the way, he’s a single virgin.
“Miles, you’ll be assigned the most difficult task. Zamza will assist you wholeheartedly. Once Kane and the others are ready, open the east gate.”
“Open… the gate?”