Wolf and Shadow

"Good!"

A glint of excitement flashed in Lupa's eyes, and her pink twin tails fluttered in the night breeze.

She didn't even bother to pick up the incredibly heavy light armor; dressed only in a thin white undershirt, spear in hand, she went straight to meet the three Shadow Warriors opposite her—although Elsa's hand was injured, the combined pressure from the three of them was still considerable.

Lowell had somehow returned to his seat on a fallen log by the porch, reverting to his Human race form as a young man, his black hair softening in the moonlight. He rested his chin on his hand, a leisurely, almost theatrical expression on his face, and even began to jeer with apparent amusement:

"Good luck, everyone! Go for second place! Best of luck! Let's see who lasts the longest! If the three of you can beat Lupa, I might let you go." His tone was as relaxed as if he were encouraging children participating in a game.

"Heh... I'll leave the Demon King's words aside, but this little girl..." Elsa endured the sharp pain in her wrist, her voice tinged with a hint of mockery.

"Really? What a generous Demon King." Mark gripped his dagger tighter.

Rain remained silent, only gripping his sword tightly, his gaze calmly fixed on the approaching Lupa. His warrior instincts made him feel immense pressure.

Frieren pulled out a small cushion from somewhere, spread it on the empty seat next to Lowell, and sat down curled up, clutching her staff. Her emerald eyes were half-closed, and her head bobbed up and down, as if she was about to be blown into a dream by the night breeze. She seemed uninterested in the battle in front of her.

Linié quietly took a step forward, her deep blue eyes fixed on Lupa, and stated in her flat voice, "Linié will help Lupa."

"No," Lowell waved his hand, his gaze still fixed on the center of the battlefield, "Let Lupa handle these three herself. You just need to shield her from the stray arrows and watch out for possible reinforcements from behind."

Linié nodded expressionlessly. "Oh."

She then said no more, holding the dark blue magic battle axe, and stood silently outside the battle.

In the distance, battle had already broken out.

Despite being described as a fierce battle, the situation was one-sided. It was Rain was mainly bearing the brunt of Lupa's relentless attacks.

This orthodox warrior is indeed far more adept at direct confrontation than Mark, who writes as a warrior but reads as an assassin.

He roared, brandishing his sword, each parry precise and accurate, trying to regain his footing.

However, with the weighted armor removed, Lupa's speed and agility increased by more than one level. Her figure was like a crimson ghost dancing in the moonlight, her spear transforming into deadly crimson meteors, sometimes thrusting straight, sometimes sweeping horizontally, and sometimes striking at gaps in Rain's defenses like a venomous snake emerging from its hole.

The spear blade whistled through the air, each clash with Rain's sword sending sparks flying, numbing Rain's arm and forcing him to retreat step by step. His pride in his strength and skill seemed clumsy and sluggish in the face of Lupa's beast-like, storm-like attacks.

Mark moved like a ghost around the perimeter of the battle, looking for an opportunity to launch a surprise attack.

But every time he thrust out his dagger, Lupa seemed to have eyes in the back of her head, either deftly dodging to the side or casually parrying with the butt of her gun, causing his attack to miss.

An assassin's cunning is greatly diminished in the face of direct combat, especially when faced with superior speed and perception.

Moreover, having suffered a loss at Lupa's hands before, he couldn't help but feel a bit apprehensive in his actions.

Elsa, however, was the most aggrieved of them all.

She endured the excruciating pain in her wrist, manipulating the almost transparent silk threads with her fingertips, as if weaving an invisible spider web, trying to entangle and bind Lupa's movements.

However, Lupa's movements were completely unpredictable, sometimes as swift as thunder, sometimes as elusive as the wind. The delicate threads would often be disrupted by her air currents or simply by the wind from her guns as soon as they got close, making it impossible for them to get a foothold.

Elsa was pale and cold sweat beaded on her forehead. Her control skills were almost useless against Lupa's "brute force" fighting style.

"Tsk..." Rain gritted his teeth and took the heavy blow, a tearing pain shooting through his hand. He couldn't help but growl, his voice tinged with disbelief, frustration, and a hint of admiration, "I've tried my best! You're only this young... what kind of training have you undergone? You're a respectable warrior!"

Lupa did not answer. Her heterochromatic eyes held only cold focus and Burning fighting spirit, like a lone wolf locking onto its prey.

The response to Rain was faster, fiercer, and more cunning gunfire! The continuous crackling sounds made it almost impossible for Rain to breathe.

A prolonged defense is bound to fail. Under Lupa's relentless, tidal wave of attacks, a ruthless glint flashed in Mark's eyes. He knew that if this continued, the three of them were doomed!

Now!

Mark suddenly ducked, gliding across the ground as if sliding, no longer moving around, but aiming straight for Lupa's lower body! At the same time, he subtly flicked his left hand, and a barely perceptible dark light shot towards Lupa's calf—it was his trump card, coated with a deadly poison that could instantly paralyze the nerves!

"Laugh!"

A flash of dark light streaked across the ground. Lupa, seemingly caught off guard by the full-force attack, reacted a fraction of a second too late to the sneak attack on her lower body, leaving a long, shallow gash on the outside of her calf!

"Ugh!" Lupa let out a short cry of pain, her spear thrust at Rain abruptly halting, her body seemingly stiffening and paralyzed for a moment due to the poison, her movements becoming sluggish!

Chance!

Rain, who was struggling to hold on, suddenly had a glint in his eyes! He was waiting for the moment when this enemy would be injured or distracted!

Without the slightest hesitation, he unleashed all his strength, his sword slashing with unstoppable momentum like a raging torrent towards the opening exposed by Lupa's paralysis! With this strike, he aimed to finish the job in one fell swoop!

However--

The moment the sword touched her skin, the pain on Lupa's face vanished instantly, replaced by a faint, cunning smile, like that of a wild wolf.

In those heterochromatic eyes, was there not a trace of panic or hesitation stemming from injury?

Damn it, it's a disguise! How can I still control my body after being hit by such an attack!

Rain's heart sank to the bottom, but his swordplay had already faded!

"Pfft!"

Lupa's figure shifted slightly like a ghost, Rain's determined sword grazed the hem of her clothes, severing only a few strands of her pink hair.

At the same time, Lupa's spear, as if it had been waiting for this moment, struck first and ruthlessly pierced Rain's right shoulder blade! The immense force pinned him to the ground!

Hmm.

Rain instinctively let out a suppressed groan as excruciating pain instantly swept through his body. However, he gritted his teeth and didn't scream out loud. Veins bulged on his forehead, and sweat poured down his face. A soldier's dignity made him endure this agonizing pain.

But that wasn't all. Without hesitation, Lupa's free left hand shot out like lightning, grabbing Rain's ankle like an iron clamp, and then twisting it sharply!

"Snap!"

A chilling sound of bones cracking rang out clearly in the silent night sky, and Rain's legs instantly twisted like a pretzel!

Rain's body convulsed violently, his face turning deathly pale, but he still clenched his teeth tightly, only letting out heavier breathing from deep in his throat.

With Rain crippled, the battle situation instantly became clear! With the pressure greatly reduced, Lupa's gaze immediately locked onto Elsa, who was trying to retreat! In a flash, she appeared before her as if teleported, her spear carrying a chilling killing intent as she thrust it forward!

Elsa accelerated backward, but how could she possibly outrun Lupa?

Just then--

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Several sharp arrows shot out again from the darkness in the distance, aimed directly at Lupa's vest and vital points! It was Hawk-Eye's support.

Linié, who had been silent and on guard, moved. Like a precise machine, her deep blue eyes locked onto the trajectory of the arrow, and she swung her battle axe.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

The arrow was deflected precisely.

However, almost at the same instant the arrow was deflected, a tall, slender figure appeared silently in front of Lupa, as if blending into the night, blocking her path in pursuit of Elsa.