novelraw Chapter 164 : Chapter 164
Chapter 164 : Chapter 164
Chapter 164: Zakarin (2)
With werewolves charging from all directions, all eyes turned to Evan.
They wanted answers, but Evan had none clear to give.
He moved on instinct alone.
“Gaiard, run now. Fly north.”
He murmured lowly, not even checking if Gaiard heard, and let go of his sword.
“Spare us! This vampire has been dragging us around as blood bags! Oh, great descendants of the wolf!”
Evan dropped to his knees.
He shot a fierce glance at his stunned companions.
Finally understanding, they hurriedly knelt as well.
“Please spare us!”
“Surrender! Surrender!”
In contrast, Gaiard spread his massive wings.
With a flap that sliced through the air, his body soared into the sky.
Following Evan’s words, he flew upward without hesitation.
‘What’s he thinking?’
Gaiard wondered about Evan’s intentions but had no time to dwell on it.
‘He said to go north. Does that mean I should head to the Empire first?’
So, he turned north as Evan instructed.
At the same time, several werewolves leading the charge leaped, reaching for him.
Their massive claws tried to grab him, but Gaiard dodged with sharp spins and acrobatic maneuvers, soaring higher above the forest.
The apparent leader of the pack roared in fury.
“Go! Don’t let that mosquito escape!!”
Immediately, a dozen werewolves sped north like a gale.
The remaining pack slowly approached their fallen kin and Evan’s group.
Their glowing red eyes and growling breaths shook the forest.
‘…Please, let this work.’
The werewolves surrounded Evan and his group, looking down at them.
“Humans! Did you do this to our kin?!”
The leader, a massive werewolf, roared.
“No! How could we have such strength?! It was all that vile mosquito’s doing! Please, great descendants of the wolf, show us mercy!”
“Hmm… So, you were really dragged around by that mosquito?”
Skepticism laced the werewolf’s voice.
“Yes! That’s right! Oh, great and noble descendants of the wolf!”
Evan thoroughly demeaned Gaiard
while exalting the werewolves.
He was exploiting the emotions between the two species.
This behavior felt unfamiliar and awkward to the group.
It was so unlike the usual dignified and composed Evan.
But the effect was astonishing.
The werewolves, ready to tear out their throats, began to calm their anger, and their gazes softened slightly.
‘…Good, it’s working.’
Evan quietly steadied his breath, thinking to himself.
As recorded in the encyclopedia, werewolves had immense pride.
They were weak to praise and respect and prided themselves on being intelligent beings, unlike wild wolves.
And werewolves didn’t hunt weak prey.
Especially not those who insulted their natural enemies while praising them—they wouldn’t touch such beings easily.
“If you were used by that mosquito, you’re quite pitiful.”
Other werewolves nodded in agreement.
“That’s how mosquitoes are.”
“Still, for humans to make it this far, they’re pretty tough.”
Some even looked at Evan and his group with pity.
Their hostility nearly vanished, and their aggression subsided.
‘It worked. If this continues, we might get through this safely.’
Evan felt relieved that his plan was succeeding.
But then,
the leader of the pack glared at him with sharp eyes and spoke.
“By the way, aren’t you humans from the Empire?”
Even if not vampires, they seemed to harbor ill feelings toward Imperials.
The negative emotions were evident in the werewolf’s expression.
And it wasn’t just one of them.
“Yeah! Aren’t they from the Empire?”
“Imperials daring to crawl in here?”
Suspicion spread like wildfire.
Evan’s eyes wavered briefly but he answered calmly.
“No. We’re from the Kaien Kingdom, across the sea.”
“You crossed the sea to reach this forest? With that mosquito?”
The leader’s voice dripped with doubt.
“It’s hard to believe, but it’s true.”
But the leader’s brow furrowed deeper.
“…No matter how I think about it, you seem like Imperials. Though you don’t smell like them.”
Sniffing the air, the werewolf spoke, and Evan shrugged.
“If we don’t smell like them, doesn’t that mean we’re not?”
“Maybe. Or maybe you’re hiding your scent.”
“We’re not that meticulous.”
“Imperials seemed that way too. But they were cunning.”
The situation was turning strange.
The word “Empire” made the air sharpen oddly.
“No good. Take them.”
The leader ordered the others.
“If they’re not Imperials, what humans would come to this forest?”
“Here’s some rope! Tie them up!”
A werewolf picked up the rope Mei had dropped and approached, baring its teeth.
Without hesitation, it began tying Evan and his group’s arms.
‘…It’s not going as planned, but oh well. Meeting the Zakarin Tribe was the goal. This is the only way to their stronghold.’
But the others, unaware of the situation, were pale with fear.
“Ugh… please spare us…”
“We’re not from the Empire…!”
Their groveling voices drew low laughter from the werewolves.
“Don’t worry. If you’re not Imperials, we’ll let you live.”
“But if you are, we’ll eat you!”
The laughter escaping their sharp fangs sent chills down the group’s spines.
And so, tied together with ropes, they were led through the forest by the werewolves.
The silver lining was…
Gaiard had safely escaped north, and the werewolf they had knocked out was still unconscious, slung over another’s shoulder.
―Crunch, crunch.
The sound of stepping on rotting leaves echoed softly.
The tied-up group’s expressions were stiff with anxiety.
Unable to hold back, Jaina cautiously whispered to Evan ahead of her.
“…Did you know they wouldn’t kill us?”
Without turning, Evan replied in a whisper.
“Of course. I read it in the encyclopedia. So, keep your head down for now.”
“But what if that sleeping werewolf wakes up? It knows what we did.”
Mei chimed in.
“Don’t worry. That sleep incense would keep a human out for a day. Even a werewolf should be out for half a day.”
“Even so…”
Jaina glared at Evan and asked.
“Evan, what’s the next plan?”
“There isn’t one.”
“What?”
Evan’s calm reply sparked unease in everyone’s eyes, not just Jaina’s.
“Let’s go and figure it out.”
Evan said nonchalantly.
“We’re doomed…”
Jaina muttered weakly, dropping her head.
But Evan’s expression remained unshaken.
‘The person who wrote about the Zakarin Tribe lived well with them. There’s no reason we can’t do the same.’
His calculations were calm, and a strange confidence gleamed in his expression.
He only hoped the werewolf they had knocked out wouldn’t wake and spill everything.
***
Led by the werewolf pack deep into the forest, they arrived at a village surrounded by a massive fence of bones and wood,
where dozens, no, hundreds of werewolves roamed—the Zakarin Tribe’s village.
“Humans…?”
“Mom! It’s humans!”
“It’s been a while since humans came here.”
Men, women, and children of the werewolf village turned to look at the group.
Their gazes held not anger or hostility but curiosity and interest.
Yet, some stared at them with suspicion.
“Aren’t they from the Empire?”
“Would our warriors let them live if they were? They’d be corpses by now.”
“Who knows, maybe they’ll be executed here.”
Feeling the intense gazes, Evan and his group walked through the village’s center.
They eventually reached the base of a massive cliff.
In the middle of the cliff was a huge hole the size of a castle, exuding a deep, eerie aura as if swallowed by darkness.
“Now! We’ll call the chief.”
One of the werewolf warriors who brought them turned and spoke.
Then, tilting its head back, it howled.
“Chief! We’ve brought humans who entered the forest!!”
The cry echoed into the cave, and a strange aura rose from within.
It wasn’t just strength or the wildness of werewolves—it was something else.
The air trembled, and an invisible weight pressed on the group’s shoulders.
Though nothing had appeared yet, it was clear a being of another caliber was inside.
‘…If it comes to it, I’ll cut these ropes and escape.’
Sweat beaded on Evan’s forehead.
The others showed similar reactions.
‘I didn’t anticipate a being like this.’
Even Evan’s calm demeanor gave way to wariness.
And then, with slow, heavy footsteps, the Zakarin Tribe’s chief began to appear.
“Oh… my God…”
The moment they saw the chief, Evan’s breath caught.
Something so overwhelming appeared that even his steely mind wavered.
“Humans. Why have you set foot in this forest?”
As black mist rose like a shadow, the chief’s true form was revealed.
A massive body, eye-level with the forest’s trees.
Emerging from the cliff’s base, it was a black wolf large enough to swallow a castle.
That wolf was the Zakarin Tribe’s chief, known as the god of wolves ruling this forest.
Fenrir.
‘…The wolf god Fenrir? Even I can’t beat that.’
A legendary being recorded in the monster encyclopedia.
A monster too dangerous to be graded.
On this continent, aside from dragons, no creature could challenge it.
And now,
that being lowered its head, its massive golden eyes gazing down at them.
“Why have you come here… I’m asking.”
Its voice, filling the cave, shook the ground like thunder.