The Wolf’s Resolve at Dawn part 1

With the rising sun, the thunder of thousands of footsteps echoed like a storm. In the distance, a black mass approached like a raging flood.

Trees were toppled, birds scattered, animals slaughtered. Everything that blocked the path was erased by their cold hands.

Their armor clattered in harmony with their march, gleaming under the gentle morning light.

Sirius narrowed his eyes. The army of thousands was now only a finger’s distance from his throne in the middle of the forest.

"Well, sweet one... do you need help?"

"No. I can handle this myself, Lady. Thank you for the offer."

"Very well. I will simply watch from afar in that case."

The girl then turned into a bat and flew away, blending into the shadowed darkness of the forest.

Sirius took a deep breath.

With Valeria’s help, crushing that army would indeed be effortless. But that was not what he sought. What he wished to find within this battle was the resolve in his soul.

By joining the war, he had to be prepared to stain his hands completely. Killing the innocent, committing mass genocide, undergoing internal conflict and countless other horrors.

To meet the one he loved, the wolf had to be ready to blacken his hands with even greater sin. No more mercy. No more second chances. No more apologies or honor.

Besides... my hands were filthy from the beginning. There is no reason to hold back.

He could justify his actions by saying they were the ones who started it. Yet choosing not to justify it was his decision.

For him, justifying such actions would only drag him into eternal darkness. He would become merciless, blind, selfish, and unable to return to the light.

To him, clinging to his sins and remembering them was the only belief that could guide him to what he sought. Even if not, he accepted it as punishment and atonement for the rest of his life.

Yes. Perhaps that was better.

For the last time, he gazed at the dawn shyly revealing its face in the east. As the first light washed over his cheeks, Sirius ran, pushing his body forward along with the resolve forged from all his suffering.

In the distance, an orange haired man who saw his silhouette immediately shouted an order.

"Everyone! Raise your shields! He is coming!"

The soldiers lifted their shields and leveled their spears, forming a phalanx.

With one leap, Sirius dove straight into the middle of their formation.

The wolf rampaged through their ranks. He used his claws, his jaws, and his tail to tear apart the orderly structure.

A pool of blood quickly formed at the center. Flesh and scattered bones floated like ornaments in the crimson water he created.

"Do not panic! Formation. Circular siege formation!"

All soldiers turned and tightened their shields against one another. They surrounded him in a perfect circle.

He noticed the orange haired man once more giving orders with a sharp voice.

"Now! Activate [Shield Gardna]!"

The front line activated defensive magic. An invisible barrier forged from mana encircled him. It was strong enough to withstand his claws. Their impact even chipped his talons slightly.

This barrier is strong.

Before he could fully grasp the situation, hundreds of arrows rose into the sky and darkened the bright morning above him.

Sirius infused mana into his fur and hardened it. The arrows could not even scratch him. However, he noticed something. On the nock of the arrows, a small magic circle was engraved.

"Now!"

The orange haired man’s shout acted like a switch. The magic contained in the arrows activated at once. Water, lightning, fire, and wind collided in indescribable chaos.

Trapped by the circle of shields, Sirius had no way to escape. His body was forced to endure wave after wave of relentless magic.

From the start, this was their plan. Trap him and bombard him with uninterrupted magical chaos.

Sirius clenched his jaw. He should have noticed earlier and escaped before their main attack unleashed.

I underestimated them.

In the midst of the pain surging across his entire body, he lifted his head and tried to analyze the situation.

He was certain that above him was a magical dome preventing him from leaping out. His claws and physical strength would not be enough to shatter the barrier surrounding him.

Teleportation? No. His teleportation was useless in a sealed space. The skill inherited from the bear was not pure teleportation but rather movement through open space in the blink of an eye.

What else do I have? Shadows? Impossible.

Ah... only one thing remains.

He inhaled deeply until his chest expanded, then released it all in one powerful wave of sound.

"Raaawr!"

His roar created a sound wave that blasted violently, repelling every spell that attempted to touch him.

In that enclosed space, the frequency of his roar shook the magical walls that contained him. The vibrations created small cracks that grew wider.

Through those small openings, stray magic and parts of the sound wave slipped out and struck several of the soldiers standing guard.

"Aaargh!"

Some of the soldiers groaned in pain.

Like a balloon filled to the brink, the magical barrier swelled dangerously. It was almost unable to hold the sheer amount of magic trapped inside.

"Everyone, hold! Do not let a mere stray spell break your stance!"

Even in chaos, the orange haired man maintained sharp focus, giving precise orders.

He commanded the mages behind them to reinforce the barrier, while others strengthened the shield bearers.

Meanwhile, Sirius fought desperately. As soon as his first roar faded, he inhaled and roared a second time.

Magic continued erupting from the scattered arrows. But Sirius did not care. In fact, the spells became his allies as they were swept up by his roar and slammed violently against the barrier.

Crack. Crack.

The magical wall began to show fissures, tiny scratches stretching into large fractures.

A little more.

Sirius poured every last drop of strength into his roar.

Brak.

The barrier shattered into fragments. All the spells inside exploded outward wildly.

The front line soldiers were struck by their own magic. Some were charred. Some were sliced. Many were frozen solid.

Flesh, organs, bones, and blood splattered everywhere, flying without direction like an artist flinging paint onto an empty canvas.

A thin mist filled the area. With one glance Sirius knew it was vaporized water forming a magical fog.

Magic, yeah... they plan to ambush me again.

With one sweep of his tail, the fog dispersed easily.

His eyes widened when behind the mist another thick wall appeared, once again trapping him. Teeth gritted, he growled in frustration.

So that is it. The fog was never meant for ambush. It was used to block my sight while they set up another layer of walls.

Through the barrier, Sirius saw the orange haired man grinning as if he had already won.

"You never expected this, did you, Monster?"

Sirius glared with pure hatred and intimidation. "What do you actually want? As far as I know, I have never harmed you first." His voice was low and heavy.

"Huh? Do you not realize how many people have entered your stomach?"

"You still do not understand that it was all started by you," he replied, sharp and bitter.

"Huh... what do you mean... monster."

There was no logical answer. Only intimidation. Only blind ego and radical ideology.

He had suspected this from the beginning.

None of them saw him as a living individual. They saw nothing but a savage monster without looking deeper.

Even so, he could never stop himself from asking. And once again, he received the same answer he always heard.

No compassion. No kindness. No rationality. No tolerance.

Only the darkness of the human heart that clouded every gaze cast upon a creature slightly different from themselves.

All these answers led to a single conclusion.

"So this is how it is. That means... I no longer need to restrain myself."

The man raised his sword, grinning confidently.

"Come," he said with burning ambition. "I, Silva Silvester, swear to avenge everyone you have murdered."

Sirius bent his legs. He lowered his chest until it almost touched the earth. Mana surged through his entire being.

His dark fur hardened. His claws turned bright red. Warm steam escaped his breath. He was ready for a full slaughter.

"Prepare yourselves, all of you."

"Come whenever you want, Monster!"

Sirius took a step and shot forward. Meanwhile, the enemy soldiers chanted spells and fired an endless storm of magic at him.

Far away in the depths of the forest, a gothic dressed vampire girl lay on her stomach, propping her head with one hand. Her legs were raised and swaying gently.

Her crimson irises glowed as she watched the battle before her with a sweet smile on her lips.

"Heh~not bad. Come on, little wolf. Entertain your beautiful big sister."

Her smile grew wider. Her legs kicked faster, as if she was truly enjoying the feast of violence displayed before her.