The sun crawled higher overhead, casting long beams through the gently swaying orchard trees. Despite the golden light, Greenwood Orchard felt grim and haunted, as if the land itself recoiled from the ongoing battle. Kael surveyed the scene from beside a half-crumpled fence, his breath uneven after the first brutal skirmish. Around him, villagers clutched spears, pitchforks, and makeshift shields, eyes darting nervously toward the orchard's edges.

  A Fragile Calm

  For the moment, the monstrous wolves were holding back—though not in retreat. Twisted silhouettes lurked among the fruit trees, growling low as if trying to provoke the defenders into rash moves. The colossal alpha direwolf stood atop a slight rise, watchful gaze scanning for weaknesses. Every so often, it let out a deep rumble that rippled across the orchard like distant thunder.

  Near Kael, three villagers carefully carried an injured comrade—an older farmer whose arm was badly mauled. Blood soaked through a crude bandage. The man grimaced in pain but forced a small nod of thanks at Kael, who moved aside to let them pass.

  "Take him to the farmhouse," Kael said, voice tight. "Miss Rowena has set up a triage area there."

  One of the carriers, a man with lines of exhaustion etched on his face, glanced around. "We'll manage," he murmured wearily. "But…Kael, if those beasts attack again soon, we're…"

  He didn't finish, but the implication weighed heavily: they were all dangerously close to collapse. Kael touched the iron staff lightly, forcing composure. We can't panic.

  Patching Defenses

  Brynn, the ex-adventurer, jogged up a moment later. A smear of blood—some of it his own—dried on his leather vest. Yet his gaze remained alert. "Those fiends keep prowling at the orchard's boundary," he said, catching his breath. "We need to rebuild our perimeter, or at least something resembling a barrier. If they rush us from multiple sides…"

  He trailed off, scanning the battered fence line. The orchard's modest wooden walls were splintered in several places, and small fires had scorched an entire patch of grass. Brynn set his jaw. "We have to brace those fence planks. Even half-standing boards might funnel them into narrow chokepoints."

  Kael nodded. "I'll help." He pressed a palm to the ground, channeling a subdued thread of Earth synergy. The battered fence posts wobbled, and he coaxed the soil to shore them up with small mounds of packed dirt—just enough that it would pass for hasty manual labor.

  Despite the pressing danger, the orchard folk weren't foolish. They recognized that Kael had an uncanny knack for stabilizing the fence. But with adrenaline spiking and the orchard on the brink, no one paused to question it deeply. They simply accepted any help that kept the perimeter from collapsing.

  Desperate Resourcefulness

  Meanwhile, Kael's father, Joren Ashborne, was distributing additional iron-tipped spears. The limited supply forced him to ration them: one per family or pair of defenders. Every villager who could still stand was pressed into service. Freed from the forging, Joren himself stood guard near a shaky watchtower, ready to slam any wolf that slipped through.

  Elsewhere, a small group of villagers formed a bucket line to douse lingering fires and ensure the orchard wouldn't burn down. The orchard was Greenwood's livelihood; letting flames spread unchecked would be a death sentence for them all, no matter the wolves' threat.

  Although sweat trickled down Kael's neck, he forced calm. Through it all, the monstrous alpha watched from a distance. Its thick, matted fur bristled, and the faint glint of cunning in its amber eyes made Kael's stomach roil. It's testing us.

  A Second Wave

  Suddenly, a chorus of snarls echoed from the orchard's western edge. Kael pivoted, staff clenched. Multiple shapes lunged from behind a row of fruit-laden trees, muzzles pulled back in savage snarls. "Mutated outriders," Brynn shouted, pointing with the tip of his short sword. "Brace yourselves!"

  These creatures looked even more warped than standard wolves: leaner, with ridged spines and elongated limbs designed for swift, lethal strikes. They bounded forward, targeting a portion of the orchard fence that was still half-collapsed.

  A few defenders there flinched but did not break. "Hold!" bellowed a farmer named Halstead, raising a battered shield. "Spears forward!"

  As the mutated beasts charged, Kael sensed an opening. Letting out a soft breath, he channeled illusions from Phantom Veil (Basic, Lv.2), weaving overlapping images around the orchard fence. To the outriders, it would appear as though more defenders stood there, a tight formation brandishing steel.

  The leading outrider hesitated at the sudden visual reinforcement—just long enough for Halstead's real spear to ram home. With a pained screech, the creature collapsed. Another outrider veered sideways, only to crash into a fence post Kael had buttressed with earthen mounds.

  "Now!" Halstead barked, and two other villagers lunged in unison, dealing fatal thrusts.

  System Notification

  [Skill Phantom Veil (Basic, Lv.2) has been used to deceive multiple targets! Substantial synergy integration detected…]Note : Phantom Veil (Basic, Lv.3) – Illusions become more realistic, further confusing enemies' perception of your presence or numbers.

  A flicker of satisfaction crossed Kael's mind even as he raced over. The illusions had leveled up again. More outriders skittered to a halt, uncertain whether the orchard fence was swarming with defenders or not. That confusion bought the villagers precious seconds, letting them pick off two more creatures.

  But the lull ended quickly. With savage howls, the outriders overcame their confusion and sprang into coordinated attacks—some leaping high to clear the fence, others darting around its edges. Screams rang out as one wolf-like beast tackled a villager to the ground. The orchard's defenders scrambled, hacking with axes or stabbing with pitchforks.

  Kael's eyes narrowed. He channeled Ember Bolt (Intermediate, Lv.2), carefully aligning it with the angle of a torch, so that any watchers would mistake his fiery projectile for a stray ember. A sizzling bolt lanced from behind the flickering torchlight and struck an outrider mid-leap, wreathed it in flame, and cast it violently against a tree trunk.

  A second outrider lunged for Kael himself, jaws wide. He barely pivoted aside, adrenaline spiking. He jammed his iron staff forward—less a polished strike than a desperate thrust. The creature staggered, teeth snapping inches from Kael's arm. Before it could recover, Brynn dashed in with a powerful overhead chop, finishing it.

  "You alright, kid?" the ex-adventurer panted.

  Kael nodded, chest tight. "Fine. Keep pressure on them."

  The orchard grasses were wet with gore, villagers fighting in pairs or trios to push back the assault. For a few breathless minutes, chaos reigned: snarls, shouts, steel on bone. Yet slowly, the orchard folk began to force the outriders away from the immediate perimeter.

  The Alpha's Watchful Gaze

  All the while, Kael felt that massive alpha's presence looming at the orchard's far side. A quick glance confirmed the gargantuan direwolf was still holding back, letting its smaller packs test Greenwood's defenses. Kael found that unnerving. It's letting the orchard tire itself out, he realized grimly.

  "Kael!" came a familiar baritone. Joren Ashborne strode up, iron hammer in hand. Blood stained his tunic, though his posture remained steady. "The orchard's north fence is holding, but the west side's about to buckle. Another wave is inbound soon."

  Brynn, overhearing, spat onto the grass. "They're hitting us in successive strikes. That alpha wants us exhausted before it moves in."

  Kael nodded. "We need to rotate fresh fighters to the west."

  Joren's eyes flickered. "We're spread thin, boy. We can't leave the northern approach unguarded or they'll flank us."

  "That's the predicament," Brynn muttered. "If only we had more fortifications or a better vantage…"

  Kael swallowed, glancing around. An idea coalesced. "If we can lure a portion of them into the orchard's old irrigation ditch—like funneling them into a trap—then we can concentrate our defenders in that narrower space."

  Joren furrowed his brow. "That ditch is near the west orchard rows, but it's partially filled with debris, not deep enough to hold them. They'll leap out."

  "I'll reinforce it," Kael replied firmly. "I can shift the earth around it to make the ditch steeper. Then illusions might mask how deep it is."

  Brynn exhaled. "That could split their forces. If the alpha doesn't notice we're funneling them…"

  "It's risky," Joren said slowly. He gave Kael a significant look, half-wary of his son's advanced capabilities. But time was short. "Alright, do it. I'll send some folk to feign a retreat and draw the beasts that way."

  A Hastily Laid Trap

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  The plan took shape in mere minutes. Kael, accompanied by two villagers, sprinted to the western orchard rows where a shallow irrigation ditch ran. Along the way, they passed more wounded defenders limping back to find a safe spot. The orchard truly looked like a warzone—fruit-laden branches snapped, soil churned and stained.

  At the ditch, Kael dropped to one knee and placed both palms on the ground. Closing his eyes, he reached deeper into his synergy reserves, channeling Earth. He pictured the ditch sides collapsing inward, forming a sheer slope that any unwary beast would struggle to climb out of quickly.

  Within seconds, the earth trembled. Clumps of soil parted, sliding downward in a controlled sink, forging a near-vertical slope. Kael's forehead broke out in sweat—he was pushing more raw synergy than usual.

  System Notification

  [Significant synergy usage in Earth Channeling. Minor attribute strain recognized…]+1 Constitution (from sustained Earth synergy manipulation in an intense combat scenario)

  A wave of fatigue eased slightly as the notification stirred hidden reserves. Kael exhaled, relieved by that incremental boost. He had to remain on his feet.

  He motioned to a villager, who began tossing branches and broken fence posts into the ditch. This camouflage, along with illusions, might trick the wolves into believing the ground was level.

  Briefly, Kael invoked Phantom Veil (Basic, Lv.3), cloaking the newly formed drop-off beneath a swirl of illusory orchard grass and scattered debris. The real ditch was now a decent pit.

  "Done," he whispered, panting. "Now it's up to the others to draw them in."

  A Daring ManeuverJoren and Brynn led a handful of defenders to the orchard's western approach, clashing with a new cluster of monstrous wolves. They feigned frantic retreat, letting the beasts taste a small victory, then lured them toward the disguised ditch.

  The plan worked—at least for the first wave. Three outriders, incensed by bloodlust, charged headlong into what they believed to be open orchard ground. The illusions flickered too late for them to react. All three plummeted into the pit with yelps of surprise.

  Villagers swiftly ringed the ditch's edge, spears angled downward. The trapped creatures thrashed, dislodging broken branches. Two perished under precise spear jabs. The third tried to leap out, but Kael's steep earthen slope sent it sliding back to the pit's bottom, where it met a swift end.

  More beasts spilled into the orchard row, catching glimpses of their fallen brethren too late. Another half-dozen tumbled in. Soon, snarls and howls echoed from the ditch, mingling with the orchard's chaotic sounds. With combined effort, the defenders began systematically eliminating them.

  The Alpha's Response

  Yet the alpha direwolf was not ignorant. A deep roar resonated, snapping the attention of the outriders about to enter the ditch. They pulled back, scrabbling away from the disguised trap. The alpha itself broke cover, lumbering forward until it was in full view of Kael's vantage.

  The orchard defenders who saw the alpha up close blanched. This creature dwarfed normal direwolves in both size and presence. Muscles rippled beneath bristling fur, and each step left a faint quake in the soil. Its eyes burned with a cold fury.

  Kael bit down on his lip. It's coming. The monstrous alpha no longer seemed content to watch from the sidelines. In a single bound, it leapt across the orchard's battered fence, landing amid the orchard grass with a ground-shaking thud.

  The defenders who had pinned down smaller wolves gasped. Several backpedaled. Even Brynn, always composed, froze momentarily.

  An Overwhelming Might

  With a guttural snarl, the alpha whipped its massive head around. Then it charged toward the ditch—only to plant its hind legs and skid to a halt right at the illusion's edge, as if it sensed the danger. Sniffing the air, it let out a rumbling growl.

  Kael realized the alpha wouldn't be fooled so easily. The illusions were subtle, but something about the pit's slope or the smell of disturbed earth must've tipped it off.

  Before anyone could react, the alpha lunged sideways, clearing the ditch in a smooth bound. It landed among a cluster of orchard defenders who cried out in alarm. One man swung an axe in desperation. The alpha brushed it aside with an almost casual swipe of a colossal paw, sending the man crashing into a fruit tree.

  Brynn and Joren dashed forward, slamming weapons at the beast's flank. Their combined strikes barely sank an inch into the alpha's tough hide. It roared, twisting around with bone-rattling force. Brynn managed to roll away, but Joren was knocked off his feet.

  "Father!" Kael shouted, heart seizing. He sprinted closer, raising his staff. For an instant, he considered unleashing a full synergy blast. But that might reveal too much power. He wrestled with the decision, panic flaring as the alpha's jaws loomed over Joren.

  Courage Under Fire

  At the last possible moment, Joren jerked himself upright. His blacksmith's hammer swung upward, cracking into the alpha's lower jaw. The beast hissed in pain, rearing back. That single blow wouldn't kill it—yet it shoved the creature's head away from Joren's prone form.

  While the alpha recoiled, Brynn and two villagers seized the opening. They stabbed at its ribs and flanks, distracting the monstrous wolf from finishing Joren. The alpha spun, tail lashing with enough force to topple a fence post. But it no longer had a free strike on Kael's father.

  Kael inhaled sharply, gathering synergy into his hands. If he could bind the alpha's hind legs with a sudden earthen grasp… Carefully, he knelt, pressing both palms down and murmuring the incantation for Earthen Snare (Intermediate, Lv.3) in the lowest whisper possible.

  The ground near the alpha's rear limbs trembled, forming jagged rocky spurs that latched onto thick fur. With a furious snarl, the alpha struggled. The unexpected anchor slowed it for half a heartbeat. Brynn's sword slashed across its foreleg, drawing dark blood at last.

  System Notification

  Main Contribution to defeating mutated beasts

  Level Up!

  Free Attribute Points from Level Up: +5

  Amid the turmoil, Kael felt a brief surge of warmth as he gained a level—and the precious attribute points that came with it. He forced himself not to dwell on it. The alpha was still dangerously active.

  A Costly Blow

  Freed by raw strength, the alpha broke from Kael's earthen bind, muzzle twisting in wrath. It whirled on Brynn, who bravely pressed the advantage. But a single brutal swipe caught Brynn's sword arm, flinging him back. He landed with a sickening thud, his weapon spinning away.

  "Brynn!" several villagers shouted.

  Kael's chest tightened. He dashed forward, illusions swirling around him. If the alpha couldn't see him clearly, he might drag Brynn out of harm's way. But the monstrous wolf sensed Kael's approach. With surprising speed, it whipped around, jaws snapping.

  A Timely Save

  This time, a spear thrust from Joren's side forced the alpha back. Joren had recovered enough to stand, though he was breathing raggedly. Another villager flanked the beast, jabbing with a pitchfork. Their combined assault drew the alpha's attention.

  Kael used the opening to crouch beside Brynn, pressing a hand to the ex-adventurer's chest. "Stay still," he whispered. Brynn groaned in agony, a deep gash in his upper arm. "We'll get you to a safe spot."

  Two orchard folk hurried over to help, hauling Brynn away from the immediate melee. Kael exhaled, relief warring with dread. The alpha was still up, still dangerously strong.

  An Eerie Retreat

  Then, with a massive shake of its fur, the alpha lifted its head, sniffing the air again. Crimson dripped from a wound in its foreleg. The orchard defenders braced for another furious charge. Instead, the direwolf released a low snarl that sounded almost…contemptuous. It took two lumbering steps backward, glaring at the battered villagers.

  One final roar rang out, seeming to signal the rest of the wolves. In an unsettling turn, the mutated beasts that weren't trapped in the ditch or lying dead began to retreat, following the alpha back past the orchard fence. Their departure wasn't hurried or panicked—it was methodical, as if they knew they could return anytime.

  Kael watched them go, chest heaving with exhaustion. The orchard defenders were too wounded, too drained to give chase. They stood or crouched among the fallen, breathing raggedly, trying to process the fact that the monstrous wolves had—at least for now—withdrawn.

  Aftermath of Horror

  Surveying the orchard, Kael's heart sank at the damage. Craters and torn fences, bloodstained patches of earth, splintered fruit trees, and the moans of the wounded filled the air. A handful of villagers lay unmoving, while others tended the injured.

  Joren limped over, hammer still in hand. He cast a weary look around, meeting Kael's gaze. "They'll be back," he said grimly, voice hoarse. "That alpha… it only left because it wanted time to let us wallow in our losses."

  Kael nodded. "We inflicted some damage, but not enough to break them." He swallowed, mind whirling. This is a prolonged siege indeed.

  Brynn, though badly wounded, had regained a shaky stance with the help of two men. "We held them this time," he muttered, coughing lightly. "But I don't know if we can keep doing this. Not without reinforcements or a miracle."

  The orchard's defenders started the grim task of collecting their fallen and dragging the monstrous corpses toward a distant field. Several began re-fortifying the orchard fence yet again, though exhaustion lined every face.

  A Glimmer of Resolve

  Despite the despair, there was a unifying thread of determination among the villagers. No one spoke of abandoning Greenwood Orchard. They had farmland, families, and lifetimes of toil here. Even battered as they were, the orchard folk refused to simply run.

  Kael set his jaw. The illusions and synergy traps had worked in bursts, but the orchard's defenders couldn't survive indefinite waves. He needed a plan—someone with more resources or advanced warding knowledge, perhaps. A traveling adventurer or a city mage might tip the balance.

  Joren seemed to guess Kael's thoughts. With a heavy sigh, he said, "Son…someone must reach out beyond the orchard. If these attacks continue, we'll be overrun."

  Kael nodded. "A messenger to a bigger town, or any mage enclaves near the region."

  Brynn, overhearing, grimaced. "We can send a rider, but it's a gamble. The roads might be swarmed. Still, we have no choice."

  The orchard folk began discussing potential messengers. Wincing, Kael considered whether he, too, should slip away to find help. But leaving the orchard in its darkest hour felt disloyal. Maybe I can do more from within.

  Respite Before the Next StormFor now, the monstrous pack had withdrawn, giving Greenwood Orchard a chance to regroup—though likely a short one. Kael busied himself stabilizing the worst of the fences with subtle Earth synergy, illusions, and any trick he could manage. Meanwhile, villagers carried their wounded indoors, applying salves or hurried bandages.

  A hush fell over the orchard, disturbed only by the rustle of leaves and the occasional groan of the injured. Everyone's nerves were frayed, but they found small moments to encourage each other, share water, and salvage what they could.

  Looking out over the orchard rows, Kael felt a knot in his chest. The alpha's cunning overshadowed every fleeting sense of relief. If it returns at night, Kael realized, this place might not withstand another full assault.

  Yet even as fear gnawed at him, he refused to let despair rule. Tired as he was, Kael set his staff aside for just a moment to take a deep, centering breath. Then he resumed scanning the orchard for any sign of a renewed charge.

  One thing was certain: Greenwood Orchard wasn't safe, and the fight was far from finished. But they had survived another wave—held the line against monstrous odds. For now, that small victory would have to suffice.

  Status Window

  Name: Kael Ashborne

  Age: 8

  Talent: SSS (Hidden)

  Core Grade: Red (Peak) – edging closer to Orange

  Level: 13

  EXP: 200 / 3500(EXP partially consumed by the recent level-up; new threshold is 3500.)

  Free Attribute Points: 5 (from recent level-up)

  Attributes

  Strength: 28 Agility: 10 Constitution: 26 (+1 from synergy strain)Intelligence: 36Spirit: 50

  Trait

  Sage's Insight – Heightens comprehension of spells and forging synergy

  Synergy Channeling

  Earth Channeling (Intermediate, Lv.4)Fire Channeling (Intermediate, Lv.3)Water Channeling (Intermediate, Lv.1)Air Channeling (Intermediate, Lv.1)Light Channeling (Intermediate, Lv.1)

  Skills & Spells

  Earthen Snare (Intermediate, Lv.3) – Enhanced earthen binds.Ember Bolt (Intermediate, Lv.2)Stone Shield (Intermediate, Lv.1)Windflare Alarm (Intermediate, Lv.1)Warmth Ward (Basic, Lv.5)Phantom Veil (Basic, Lv.3)– Illusions now more realistic, confusing foes more effectively.Static Lash (Basic, Lv.2)