At dawn, dark clouds rolled in across the dim sky from afar. A downpour was coming.
In a mountain forest on the border between Alsa Province and the Asgar Kingdom, a lone wolf raced through the trees.
The wolf radiated a deathly stillness. Its eyes were clouded gray, with a glimmer of green light—the Soulfire unique to undead creatures.
The lone wolf sped across the bare mountain ridges.
Far overhead, a flock of ravens flew by, cawing as they headed toward the Asgar Kingdom.
Among them were ravens noticeably larger than the rest, their feathers glossier and blacker. Their bright red eyes kept turning toward the lone wolf.
Just then, a piercing howl rose from the distant forest.
A pack of gray wolves soon came into view. The lone wolf had entered the mountain wolves' territory, and they immediately turned hostile. Led by their alpha, they formed a ring around the intruder and slowly closed in.
The lone wolf paid them no mind. It kept going until the pack blocked its path and forced it to stop.
"Awooo!"
The alpha roared, trying to make the lone wolf submit.
But the lone wolf answered with an even louder roar, and its whole body began swelling before their eyes.
In the blink of an eye, it had become a massive brown bear that stood four meters tall on its hind legs!
The mountain wolves were terrified. The alpha whimpered, tucked its tail between its legs, and tried to flee. The others followed suit.
The bear had other ideas. It charged with startling speed, sending a rush of wind through the forest. Then came the wolves' pitiful howls, one after another. The alpha took the first blow, its head flattened by a single swipe of the bear's paw. The other wolves followed...
In