My Fusion System: Fusing Weak Soldiers with Direwolves at the Start Chapter 13: An Encounter With A Beast In The Night

That night, the skies had grown dark, but a silvery-blue hue blanketed the land beneath the luminous moon. The shadows were softer, edged with moonlight, casting a surreal glow over the yard of Kaelor’s residence.

There, in the still of night, Kaelor stood beside Hound and the six Dreadclaw warriors. Each one bore a Mountain Saber strapped in a leather sheath at their waist. After a week of relentless training, though their weapon mastery was still rough, their strength had surged, their movents steadier, more dangerous.

The group crouched in a tight circle, eyes focused on Hound, who knelt in the center. With his clawed index finger, he drew crude shapes in the dirt, maps etched from mory and blood-earned experience.

"You asked about the Devil Forest, My Lord," Hound began, his voice low, almost reverent. His glowing eyes caught the moonlight, lending him an eerie, primal aura, one shared by all the Dreadclaws.

They could see in the dark. Not perfectly, but far better than any human could ever hope to.

"Redwood Town lies just north of the forest, at the outskirts. To go deeper, we move south. I’ve gone that way before," Hound said, his claw tracing a basin-shaped curve into the dirt. "That’s where we’ll be heading. A low valley, lush with tall grass and streams. Peaceful, almost beautiful, if not for the Direwolf army that has claid it."

Kaelor’s gaze narrowed. An army. Of wolves.

Hound exhaled and continued. "Now, northwest of town..." he carved tiny peaks into the soil, "...you’ll find the Ivory Hills. Caves dot the slopes. They’re ho to Blood Moon Bats. Nasty things. Wings like leather sheets, each one half the height of a man. One swarm can leave a dozen hunters as nothing but skin and bone in seconds."

Kaelor felt a chill. "And northeast?"

Hound’s claw hesitated, then sketched a thick grove of trees. "A red zone for ," he said flatly.

"Why?" Kaelor asked.

"There’s a lion," Hound murmured. "Huge. Scarred face. It hunts alone but holds the largest territory I’ve seen. No pack. Just... domination." He paused, then added, "I call him Scarface."

Kaelor was about to speak when another word stopped him cold.

"Beyond Scarface’s lands lies the Titan River."

"Titan?" Kaelor echoed, raising a brow.

Hound nodded. "A massive river that divides the wilderness. I nad it Titan because of the creature I saw there. Its shell, green and thick, was bigger than the roof of your hall. I never saw the rest, but its shadow moved beneath the water like a sleeping titan. I didn’t dare approach."

Kaelor nearly laughed, out of disbelief, out of irony, out of bitter awe.

Bloodthirsty bats. A wolf army. A lion king. A monstrous beast sleeping beneath a river. And these were just the known threats. The surface.

And here he was, with only seven transford n, no knights, no fort, no noble army, trying to carve out a future in this deathtrap.

"What lies beyond the river?" he asked quietly, rising to his feet.

Hound stared at him, surprised. "I... don’t know. That was as far as I ever went. Even then, I barely made it out alive. I spent my entire life learning about these lands, and this is all I know."

Kaelor placed a firm hand on Hound’s shoulder. "You’ve done more than enough. This knowledge might save our lives." His hand slid to the hilt of Ignis, and he gave it a subtle tug before releasing it with a slow breath.

Then, he stepped beyond the circle of firelight.

"Let’s go see this wolf that seeks to devour us."

Behind him, Hound watched his lean fra walk toward the gate, moonlight spilling across his shoulders like a mantle. The old hunter’s fanged smile spread across his face. ’He’s got a strong will.’

A faint sniff, and he caught the scent of sweat. The information had shaken Kaelor, Hound knew that. But still, the young lord pressed forward.

Where other nobles had run from the Devil Forest, Kaelor marched into it.

Because for him, the Devil Wilderness was no longer a place to fear. It was his only hope, his hidden chance at survival. The land others called cursed, he had to make his sanctuary.

And now, it was ti to step into the untad veins of Glory, into the darkest heart of the Devil Wilderness, a vast landscape others minimized to just the devil forest.

....

The rustling of leaves whispered through the night, threading into Kaelor’s ears as he and the seven Dreadclaws moved in a tight formation beneath the forest canopy. Their steps were soft, deliberate, ghosts in the underbrush.

Every man’s hand rested firmly on the hilt of a saber, eyes scanning, senses sharp. The deeper they moved, the thicker the silence beca, and the moonlight above grew distant, swallowed by the trees.

Ti slipped by. The only asure was the soft crunch of boots over damp earth and the distant hoot of an owl.

Then, they reached a part of the forest where the trees grew denser, towering trunks twisted upward like claws, their limbs blotting out the sky. It was darker here, and colder. When Hound let out a low, near-inaudible whistle, the group froze instantly.

Kaelor narrowed his eyes. "What is it?"

"Listen," Hound murmured, crouching low. The Dreadclaw warriors followed without hesitation.

Kaelor strained to hear.

Nothing.

Then... a sound. Wet. Sloppy. Like teeth pulling at from bone. It was faint, but sickeningly clear.

A chill crept down Kaelor’s spine. "What—what is that?"

"Sothing’s eating," Hound said flatly, his ears twitching. "I sll blood. Flesh. It’s tearing sothing apart."

Kaelor’s fingers clenched tighter around the hilt of his sword. The air had grown heavier, tainted with the iron scent of blood, thick and real.

Then suddenly, the forest fell completely still.

Even the chewing stopped.

Hound’s body tensed. His claws flexed. "It knows we’re here..."

A heartbeat later, his eyes flared.

"It’s coming this way!" Hound roared, launching to his feet.

In one fluid motion, his twin Mountain Sabers scread from their sheaths, glinting silver in the sliver of moonlight that managed to pierce the gloom.

The Dreadclaws drew their blades too, surrounding Kaelor in a tight protective arc.

A low growl. Heavy breathing. Leaves rustling in fast, deliberate steps.

Sothing massive was charging straight toward them.