The wolves didn’t wait.
The mont I gave the order, they lunged.
Fast.
Faster than anything those Class B idiots had thrown at us.
But speed doesn’t an a damn thing if you’re predictable.
"Garrick—front!"
Garrick stepped forward, raising his gauntlet to et the first wolf head-on.
Clang!
tal t fangs. The impact echoed as Garrick stood his ground, barely budging. The wolf snarled, pushing harder, but Garrick didn’t give an inch.
"Push back!" I ordered.
Garrick’s muscles tensed—
Boom!
The wolf was sent flying, crashing into the underbrush.
"Next one’s yours, Cassandra!"
She was already moving.
Silent. Precise.
Her dagger flashed as she slipped through the shadows, closing in on the second wolf.
Slice.
A clean cut to the tendon. The wolf howled, collapsing as its leg gave out.
"Finish it!"
Cassandra didn’t hesitate. Another swift slash—
Thud.
One down.
"Felix!" I barked, eyes flicking to him.
"W-What?!" He was still crouched near the crate, eyes wide.
"Mana bolts! Now!"
"Oh! Right!"
To his credit, he didn’t freeze completely.
Felix’s hands trembled, but he channeled mana, forming a small cluster of bolts—
Fwoosh!
They flew, barely hitting their target. But it was enough to distract the third wolf.
"Better than nothing," I muttered.
"Professor!" Garrick’s voice was tight.
I turned—
The biggest wolf, easily twice the size of the others, was charging straight for him.
Alpha.
"Garrick—fall back!"
But it was too late.
Boom!
The force of the impact sent Garrick skidding backward, his boots digging into the dirt.
"Damn it..."
"Cassandra, left flank!"
She was already moving, circling wide.
"Felix—stay down!"
"Gladly!"
The alpha’s eyes locked onto .
Smart.
It knew who was calling the shots.
Good.
"Co on, then," I murmured, cane glowing faintly.
The wolf charged—
But I wasn’t going to waste mana on fancy tricks.
Fire Magic.
"Ignis Lance."
A flick of my wrist—
Fwoosh!
A flaming lance materialized, heat distorting the air around it.
"Eat this."
I hurled it, aiming for the alpha’s flank.
Boom!
The lance struck true, flas exploding on impact.
The wolf howled, stumbling as fire licked at its fur.
"Professor!" Garrick’s voice was strained.
I turned—
One of the smaller wolves had circled back, going for Felix.
"Oh, hell no."
I didn’t think.
Ignis Bolt.
A smaller burst of fla flew from my fingertips—
Boom!
The wolf yelped, rolling away before it could touch Felix.
"Felix, stay behind !" I snapped.
"Not arguing with that!" he squeaked, eyes wide.
The alpha was recovering. Its eyes locked onto , glowing with raw aggression.
"Alright then..." I murmured, my grip tightening on my cane.
"Let’s finish this."
The alpha charged—
Fwoosh!
Another Ignis Lance ford in my hand.
"Not this ti."
I channeled more mana, the flas burning hotter, brighter.
The wolf leapt—
Boom!
I hurled the lance.
Direct hit.
The explosion sent the alpha crashing to the ground, flas consuming its fur.
But it wasn’t dead.
"Persistent bastard."
I raised my cane again, gathering the last of my mana.
"Ignis..."
But before I could finish—
Thud.
A shadow darted past .
Cassandra.
Her dagger flashed, and with one clean strike—
Slice.
The alpha’s throat was slit.
Thud.
It collapsed.
Silence.
The remaining wolves hesitated.
"Good." I exhaled.
"They’re pack creatures," I murmured, voice low. "Kill the alpha, and the rest lose their nerve."
As if to prove my point, the remaining wolves backed away, their instincts kicking in.
"That’s right," I muttered. "Run."
They scattered, vanishing into the forest.
Victory.
For now.
"Everyone alright?" I asked, scanning my students.
Garrick was breathing hard but standing.
Cassandra’s expression was unreadable, but she gave a small nod.
Felix...
"Felix?" I frowned.
He was still crouched near the crate, his face pale.
"Felix."
His eyes blinked—unfocused.
"Hey," I said, softer this ti. "You did fine."
"I... I didn’t even do anything," he mumbled.
"You didn’t die." I smirked. "That’s more than I expected."
Felix’s lips twitched. "Gee... thanks, Professor."
"Don’t ntion it."
I turned to the crate.
"Alright," I murmured. "Let’s see what we’ve got."
Garrick knelt beside , prying the crate open with ease.
Inside—
"Supplies," he muttered.
Potions. Mana restoratives. Basic stuff.
"Not bad for a bronze crate." I stood. "But we need better."
"Silver next?" Cassandra asked.
"Silver next," I confird, eyes narrowing.
"And if we’re lucky..."
Maybe—just maybe—
We’d find sothing worth all this trouble.
"Move out."
The real hunt had just begun.
The forest stretched endlessly before us, its silence pressing down like a weighted blanket.
"How much further, Professor?" Felix whined, dragging his feet.
"Not far," I murmured, eyes fixed ahead.
The map we’d been given showed the approximate locations of the higher-ranked crates. And the next one...
"Silver lock," I muttered, glancing at the faded runes etched into the parchnt. "Should be close."
Garrick stayed close, eyes scanning the area like a hawk.
"Anything?" I asked, keeping my voice low.
"Nothing yet," he murmured, but his muscles were tense—ready.
Cassandra was just behind him, her steps silent, her dagger already in hand. She hadn’t said much since we left, but I noticed the occasional glance toward Felix.
Still watching his back.
Good.
Felix, on the other hand...
"You’re going to trip over your own damn feet if you keep staring at the ground," I muttered.
"I’m being careful!" Felix protested. "You told not to die, rember?"
"And yet," I drawled, "you’re walking like you’re trying to negotiate with the dirt."
"I don’t negotiate with dirt," he huffed. "I just... don’t want to die."
"That makes two of us," I muttered, eyes narrowing.
We were getting close.
The air felt... thicker.
"Stop." I raised a hand.
Everyone froze.
"What is it?" Garrick whispered.
"Sothing’s here," I murmured.
The faintest trace of mana.
Old.
Dormant.
"Trap?" Cassandra asked softly.
"Maybe..."
I took a step forward, my cane tapping lightly against the ground.
Tap. Tap.
The mana pulsed.
There.
"Crate’s close," I murmured.
"How close?" Felix asked.
"Close enough for to feel it," I muttered. "But..."
Sothing wasn’t right.
"Garrick," I said softly. "Check left. Cassandra, circle right."
They moved without a word.
I focused on the mana, following the faint threads leading deeper into the brush.
There.
Half-buried beneath a cluster of roots, the faint shimr of a silver lock caught my eye.
"Found it."
Garrick and Cassandra returned just as I crouched beside it.
"Silver lock," I murmured. "Higher-tier rewards."
"Let’s open it and get out of here," Felix mumbled, wiping sweat from his brow.
"Easy, Felix," I murmured, eyes narrowing. "Sothing feels off."
Cassandra knelt beside , her gaze sharp.
"Trap?" she murmured.
"Could be..."
I tapped the lock lightly with my cane, sending a small pulse of mana through the crate.
Nothing.
"No active enchantnts," I muttered. "But..."
I couldn’t shake the feeling.
"Garrick, on ," I murmured. "Felix, back up."
Felix didn’t argue, shuffling backward.
Cassandra’s grip on her dagger tightened.
"I’m opening it," I said softly.
Everyone held their breath.
I tapped the lock again, channeling a trickle of mana—
Click.
The lock snapped open.
"Alright..." I murmured, slowly lifting the lid.
Inside—
"What the hell?" Garrick muttered.
Silver fur.
Bundles of it.
"Silver Wolf Fur," I murmured, eyes narrowing.
"That’s... a lot," Felix mumbled, inching closer.
Too much.
"Professor..." Cassandra’s voice was barely a whisper.
I followed her gaze—
Tracks.
Fresh.
Wolf tracks.
My jaw clenched.
"Shit."
"What?" Felix asked, his voice nervous.
"We’re not alone," I muttered, closing the crate carefully.
"More wolves?" Garrick’s tone was steady, but I could see the tension in his jaw.
"Not just any wolves..."
A den.
"This fur..." I murmured, realization hitting like a punch to the gut.
"It’s from newborn cubs."
Silence.
"Oh..." Felix’s face went pale.
"And where there are cubs..." Garrick murmured.
"There’s a mother," Cassandra finished softly, her expression unreadable.
I stood slowly, my eyes narrowing as I scanned the area.
"We need to move," I murmured. "Now."
"But the fur—" Felix started.
"Grab it. Quickly."
Garrick didn’t hesitate. He scooped the bundle into his pack, securing it tightly.
"Done."
"Good."
I turned—
And that’s when I heard it.
A low growl.
From the shadows.
"Professor..." Cassandra’s voice was barely a whisper.
Yellow eyes.
"Run."
Howl.
"Run!" I barked, already moving.
The den wasn’t empty.
And the mother?
Pissed.
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