The moment Caius saw the Wolf Demons, he knew things had taken a turn for the worse.

  Holan had mentioned before that Wolf Demons were solitary creatures, so for so many of them to appear at once here could only mean one thing...

  There was a high chance that a Blood Soil had emerged nearby.

  "Wolf Demons, meow..." Kiki gulped as she took in the scene in the basin. It was clear that Wolf Demons had left a deep impression on her.

  She also noticed that among the eight Wolf Demons, one was particularly massive.

  The others were around three meters tall, with two reaching about four meters, but the largest one stood at an imposing six meters. Its claws gleamed with a bright, blood-red hue, glowing even from a distance.

  "Big guy, there's someone down there. Should we go help her, meow?" Kiki turned to Caius.

  Caius crouched down, observing quietly before grinning. "Of course. We know that person."

  "Who?" Kiki asked, puzzled. Her eyesight wasn't as keen as Caius's, so she could only make out that the figure was a woman.

  "Hilda. Remember her?" Caius smiled.

  "Oh, the Swan Blade Maiden Warren mentioned, meow!" Kiki suddenly realized.

  "That's right!" Caius snapped his fingers. "She needs our help now, and this is a perfect opportunity!"

  "What opportunity, meow?" Kiki tilted her head in curiosity.

  "Obviously, a chance to play the hero and save the beauty!" Caius laughed boldly.

  "Big guy, do you like her?" Kiki suddenly asked.

  "I like all beauties." Caius nodded matter-of-factly.

  There was no need to be as reserved as Holan when talking to a little catgirl. He could just be straightforward.

  Hearing this, Kiki fell into deep thought. Then she touched her own face before turning to Caius with a serious expression.

  "Big guy, does that mean you save every beauty in danger?"

  "Of course! Why wouldn’t I?" Caius huffed.

  At that, Kiki burst into giggles.

  After all, Caius had saved her before too. That meant she was also one of the "beauties" in his book.

  And if Caius liked all beauties...

  Then that meant...

  Caius liked Kiki!

  Kiki considered herself a genius~

  So, she nodded, leaped onto Caius's back, and declared, "Then let’s go save her, meow!"

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  "Alright!" Caius launched himself forward, charging into the basin.

  Meanwhile, the battle in the basin reignited.

  ......

  Hilda wielded her rapier, forming a tense standoff with the Crystalith Serpent and the pack of Wolf Demons.

  In reality, the Wolf Demons posed a far greater threat than the Crystalith Serpent. Even the serpent itself had assumed a defensive stance against them.

  Hilda’s heart grew heavy.

  She had come to Nofalark Forest for training, intending to collect materials for Instructor Holan as well.

  Yes, by sheer coincidence, she and Caius had the same objective.

  However, her motivation stemmed from gratitude. After hearing that Instructor Holan’s magical research team needed certain materials, she volunteered to go on this training mission to gather them—without Holan’s knowledge.

  She had always been a lone wolf, despite her popularity at the academy.

  As a Platinum Two-Star warrior, she was more than qualified to venture into Nofalark Forest alone.

  Her primary target this time was the Crystalith Serpent, which averaged at Platinum Three-Star—one rank higher than her.

  But she had absolute confidence in herself.

  As the youngest and most talented swordswoman of her clan, she had every quality a genius needed, including the ability to fight above her rank!

  On the third day of her expedition, she finally encountered a Platinum Four-Star Crystalith Serpent.

  Though it was two sub-ranks above her, she did not fear it. Defeating it would merely take more effort.

  What she hadn’t expected was that just as she had successfully suppressed the serpent and was about to land the finishing blow, the pack of Wolf Demons had appeared out of nowhere and ambushed her.

  Had she not reacted swiftly, she would have been severely wounded.

  Even so, she had to forcibly interrupt her sword technique to evade the ambush, causing her magic power to backlash against her body.

  It was not a pleasant experience.

  Now, she stood in a standoff against the Crystalith Serpent and the Wolf Demons.

  She recognized the Wolf Demons, but these ones were different.

  The leader of the pack was far larger, more ferocious, and possessed blood-red claws that ordinary Wolf Demons did not have.

  It had been this very Wolf Demon that ambushed her earlier—its speed was astonishing, at least at the Platinum tier.

  Moreover, its blood-colored claws emitted a red glow and a lingering blood mist, a clear indication that they were venomous.

  Hilda had a foreboding feeling. If those claws so much as grazed her, even the smallest wound could become a serious problem.

  The situation was decidedly against her.

  She had already fought the Crystalith Serpent, and since it was a higher-tier opponent, she had consumed a great deal of her magic power.

  Her magic power was unique—highly concentrated and explosive, far exceeding that of her peers. This was the key to her ability to battle above her tier.

  But it came with a drawback: her magic reserves were lower than those of other mages at her level. She had trained since childhood to manage and allocate her magic efficiently.

  Now that she had expended more than half her magic, facing a pack of fully energized Wolf Demons was a severe disadvantage.

  She clenched her jaw in frustration. She had been on the verge of slaying the Crystalith Serpent when these Wolf Demons had interfered, forcing her to suffer magical backlash.

  And in the eyes of the massive Wolf Demon, she had seen something chilling—cunning.

  It had deliberately attacked at that precise moment to disrupt her finishing strike.

  If its ambush had succeeded, she would have been grievously wounded. If it failed, she would still suffer from the backlash.

  This was no mindless Magic Beast.

  This was a vicious and calculating foe!

  Her best course of action was to retreat.

  She understood what the presence of so many Wolf Demons meant.

  But her pride and anger kept her rooted in place, lifting her sword.

  A Scarlotte swordsman never feared the strong!

  A Scarlotte knight never cowered before death!

  She, Hilda Kiel Scarlotte, would never disgrace the honor of the Scarlotte Clan!

  Nor would she tarnish the name of the Blade Master lineage!

  Facing these Bloody Creatures, she would not flee!

  Since fate had placed them before her, she would cut them down here and now—to forge her path to legend!

  With that thought, she shifted her stance, turning her side toward the Wolf Demon pack.

  Her rapier, slender yet deadly, hovered parallel to the ground, its tip aimed at the monstrous leader.

  Her other hand rested behind her back, her eyes as sharp as her blade, radiating an unyielding aura. Her golden hair, tied in a high ponytail, fluttered despite the still air.

  Then, in a voice as cold as winter’s breath, brimming with elegance and confidence, she spoke:

  "Prepare to die."