Chapter 36.2: Grimfang Invasion (2)
Year 0002, XII Month: The Imperium
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A Terrifying Monster Within
After an hour of waiting for the advance party to report back, the Grimfangs that were sent ahead had not yet returned.
The veteran Grimfang, guided by its battle-hardened instincts, sensed something must have gone terribly wrong inside the village. If the advance party was taking this long to subdue the inhabitants of this human village, then something unexpected must have occurred.
A foreboding sensation crawled up its spine. It had miscalculated the situation; looking at the village from the outside, it appeared insignificant—merely a collection of dilapidated dwellings with only two remaining intact, it lay behind the weathered, yet definitely strong walls that protected the village inside.
But focusing its senses more intently, it detected something that had eluded its awareness until now: a powerful entity resided within those walls. The veteran Grimfang felt threatened by this presence—it carried the scent of humans but simultaneously something else entirely.
It was more akin to an apex predator, a beast of immense power, beyond the beings of the forest.
The veteran Grimfang hadn't detected it earlier because the village was saturated with various smells that masked this unique presence. Working with limited knowledge had been a mistake.
To confirm its suspicions, the veteran wolf raised its scarred muzzle and sampled the air again.
*Sniffff... sniff... sniff*
The scent of its brethren's blood assaulted its nostrils—they had all been slaughtered without an ounce of mercy!
And from the lingering essence of blood in the air, it seemed they couldn't even mount a counterattack before being methodically eliminated. This village harbored power that belied its humble appearance.
The veteran Grimfang pondered its options. They might need to commit their entire remaining force to assault the place. Or they could retreat, return to their territory, and return with reinforcements—a strategy that, while pragmatic, felt like cowardice.
These Grimfangs were proud creatures that did not easily back down from challenges. The wolf's reputation among the pack would suffer irreparable damage if it chose retreat over confrontation.
The veteran needed to decide quickly and choose the optimal path. Should they assault and attempt to eliminate the powerful entity, risking further provocation? Or should they withdraw with the valuable intelligence they had gathered, facing humiliation for a brief moment but preserving their numbers and taking it with their full strength later on?
It wouldn't be long before the others in the pack would take notice that something had gone wrong. Already, several were growing restless, their amber eyes fixed on the village with growing suspicion.
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Tactical Briefing
Back in the village, August had briefed both teams about what he had discovered beyond the wall. They were facing an invasion by a small but formidable pack of Grimfangs.
The villagers' reactions varied, but they maintained a determined resolve overall. August ordered everyone to rest while they could and to prepare themselves for another assault. Yet concern etched deep lines across his young face.
They had been fortunate; the first assault wasn't the entire pack but merely a scouting vanguard meant to poke around the bees nest. Had it been the main force, if the beasts had actually decided to fully assault them before. They might have already lost some villagers—or worse, faced complete annihilation.
Their surprise advantage, born of the beast's scouting team's overconfidence, was now gone. The element of surprise had been their greatest weapon, and now they would face a prepared enemy.
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The Veteran Grimfang: a Soldier of Many Battles
NAME: [GRIMFANG]
LEVEL: 10 (55)
RANK: SOLDIER (**)
RARITY: EXPERT (PURPLE)
TITLE: VETERAN, + 400 STAT/SUB-STAT
JOB: N/A
CLASS: N/A
HP: 121,500
MP: 121,500
DAMAGE: 46,631
DAMAGE NEGATION: 46,631
STAT/SUB-STAT: 1,710 + 400 = 2,110
Among the Grimfangs lurking beyond the wall was a particularly formidable specimen. Battle scars criss crossed its muscular body, telling tales of countless fights and victories. Though not officially a Commander Ranked Grimfang, the aura emanating from it was significantly more powerful—at least twice as strong as the last Commander Ranked Grimfang that August had confronted in the forest.
The wolves now have lost the advantage. The surprise factor that would have worked so effectively against the village inhabitants was lost. Now the pack would have to employ the ability for which wolf-type monsters were most known: their capacity to hunt in coordinated packs, displaying an inborn teamwork that few other creatures could match.
When Grimfangs hunted as a unit, especially when deliberately targeting any prey, their effectiveness multiplied exponentially, bringing them close to a national threat beast. Typically, it would require a full battalion of veteran soldiers to contend with this many Grimfangs, and even then, casualties would be severe—more than half the battalion might perish in the engagement.
The situation was further complicated by the pack's leader, who was not only powerful but also wise and experienced in combat. Against this force of ten Grimfangs stood only eight defenders, most of whom lacked the strength or experience to face such odds.
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A Dire Situation
August paced back and forth, contemplating their dire predicament. He considered challenging the leader directly—he believed he could prevail in single combat—but doubted the pack would permit such an arrangement. And even if he defeated the alpha, nine more Grimfangs would remain.
Optimistically assuming his companions could eliminate two wolves, he would still need to face the leader and wipe seven more after exhausting his mana reserves in the initial confrontation. The mathematics of survival looked increasingly bleak.
The assembled group noticed August's troubled expression. His anxiety was palpable, beginning to affect the others' confidence.
For the trio—Betty, Bren, and Erik—and Gel, this was the first time they had seen August so visibly concerned. They maintained their faith in him, but uncertainty began to creep into their hearts.
Jonathan and Christopher, seasoned warriors who had survived the countless battles during the war, recognized that expression all too well. They had seen many commanders—far older and more experienced than August—exhibit the same panic when faced with overwhelming odds.
The two war veterans exchanged knowing glances and nodded to each other, silently communicating their understanding of what needed to be done. Jonathan approached August and gestured toward a secluded area.
"August, come with me, lad; I need to talk with you for a moment," was all Jonathan said.
August paused his pacing and nodded in agreement. He recognized that Uncle Jonathan, with his extensive battlefield experience, might offer insights that would prove invaluable for the village's survival.
When they reached a location safely distant from the others, beyond the reach of curious ears, Jonathan spoke plainly.
"I'll be direct; what are our chances of winning, lad?"
August raised his head to meet the older man's weathered gaze and replied honestly, "Around thirty percent, and if we play our cards perfectly, perhaps fifty percent. I'm not confident we can avoid serious casualties—lost limbs, perhaps lost lives, or even complete defeat."
He continued, his voice lowering, "I can engage the leader myself; it's the most significant threat. But the remaining Grimfangs pose a substantial problem. There are ten of them outside now, ready to attack at any moment's notice."
August's fingers tightened into fists at his sides. "Retreat isn't an option—we're effectively trapped between these walls and the mountain in our back. They've established positions around the entire walled perimeter."
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An Insight to the Boys Courage and Brilliance
The odds were heavily stacked against them. Jonathan sighed deeply, his shoulders sagging slightly.
"I see. I might have to sacrifice myself today." His eyes, though resolved, betrayed a flicker of sorrow. "Can you promise me you'll take care of my daughter?"
August was taken aback by the request, but his mind was already working on a potential solution. It would be risky—requiring him to venture outside the village—and might cost him his life. But it would significantly improve their chances.
"Uncle, please don't worry," he said, his voice gaining strength. "I've formulated a plan. It's risky for me personally, but it could increase our chances of survival to seventy percent."
Jonathan paused, considering the boy's words. Despite August's youth, he had repeatedly demonstrated wisdom beyond his years.
"Okay, let's hear it," Jonathan said simply.
August explained his strategy: since the enemies had lost the element of surprise, they would also need to create a new one for themselves that would drastically improve their chances of survival through this ordeal. The others would create a distraction while August would have to slip out behind enemy lines to eliminate the wolves furthest from the main group first, gradually reducing the pack's fighting strength.
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Setting the Plan in Motion
With the plan established, everyone took their positions. Jonathan stood as the primary bulwark at the front, with Christopher providing defensive support. Gel, Betty, and Bren would deal damage from behind this protective line, while Red and Erik would attack from range.
As they prepared to execute the plan, August moved to the rightmost edge of the wall. He waited tensely for his cue, muscles coiled and ready to spring into action.
Moments later, Jonathan's mighty war cry echoed across the clearing—the signal. The village gates slowly opened as the defenders moved into position, drawing the attention of the Grimfangs.
August seized this opportunity and dashed into the forest, vanishing from the senses of the wolves stationed at that section of the village. He moved with practiced stealth, a full year of hunting in this very forest was now serving him well, as he stealthily approached the first isolated sentry.
The question remained: how long could he maintain this counter-ambush advantage? Only time would tell if his gambit would save the village or doom them all.