Published: September 10, 2025
“Traitor, huh.”
A wolf as black as the night spoke in a hoarse voice.
Information popped up beside the wolf.
According to the AR display, this wolf is a monster called the “Cursed Shadow Wolf,” a level 30 far above us.
I wanted to turn and run immediately.
However, judging by the shadow wolf’s appearance, it looked fast on its feet, so even if I tried to run, it would likely circle around and catch us soon.
“I protest that I am not a traitor.”
Nana stepped forward and tried to reason with the wolf.
“Master, Kara, ran away. Traitor.”
“I protest that we did not run away. We were ordered by Master to transport the princess to the safe zone,” Nana explained.
The wolf tilted its head a full 90 degrees, thinking hard after hearing Nana’s explanation.
“I didn’t hear that.”
The wolf muttered under its breath.
—Oh? Could this be a chance to avoid battle?
“It’s common for communication errors to happen,” Nana comforted.
The wolf tilted its head another 90 degrees.
Please stop tilting your head upside down like that; it’s creepy.
“Master, no mistakes.”
Black flames flickered out from the wolf’s body.
This was getting a little dangerous.
I pulled Pochi and Tama close and instructed them to take Arisa and Lulu and escape to the main house.
The two hesitated, but when I repeated, “It’s an order,” they nodded hesitantly.
Honestly, I wanted Arisa, who could use magic attacks, to stay, but I didn’t want to drag a young girl into a desperate battle against a far superior foe.
Yet Arisa stood beside me.
“I’ll come along too.”
“We can’t win, you know?”
“With Shota here, maybe that’s okay.”
She was still as cool as ever for a little girl.
“Master, leave this to me and step back.”
Of course, Liza stood on the opposite side of Arisa.
I wanted to send Liza away with Pochi and the others, but she was far more reliable than a hopeless programmer like me.
“I’m counting on you.”
“Yes.”
Liza nodded with a determined look.
While we were having this conversation, Nana continued to negotiate.
“I suggest it’s not Master’s mistake, but the negligence of the person tasked with conveying Master’s orders.”
“One-on-one?”
The shadow wolf’s head turned another 90 degrees, nearly twisting off.
“One-on-one — I, you, fight.”
The wolf seemed not very bright, mistaking “negligence” for a duel.
“That’s not the one,” Nana corrected.
Whether she was misunderstood again or the wolf’s head was about to spin off, it shook its neck and returned it to normal.
“Difficult, hate. I, you, fight.”
Despite its comical tone, dark flames burst from its body, radiating a ferocious aura.
It seemed there was no avoiding the fight.
“No. 1 shared info that ‘low-level ghosts cannot change actions unless directly ordered by Master’.”
Nana readied her weapon and informed us.
I also pulled out a sword from storage.
I only had body combat skills, but I wasn’t about to face a much higher-ranked enemy barehanded.
I had no hope of winning, but I wasn’t about to be killed without trying.
“I, regular ball, different.”
The wolf shouted and lunged at incredible speed.
Nana stood frozen, unable to react.
Feeling a strange resistance as if walking through water, I parried the wolf’s claw strike aimed at Nana with my sword.
—Heavy.
If I let my guard down, I felt the sword would be knocked from my hand.
Sparks flew between claw and blade.
An instant unfolded so long it felt like eternity before the pressure from the claw strike disappeared.
The sword was done for — it was a wreck, impressive it withstood even the first blow.
But the wolf was already readying a second strike, targeting me for interfering.
—Huh?
Wasn’t it wide open?
Suppressing my urge to flee, I stepped forward, slipped under the raised claw, grabbed its arm.
Why was I grabbing it?
The sword I had was somehow already discarded.
Ignoring those thoughts, my body moved as if it were another creature, twisting the wolf’s arm and throwing it down.
The wolf’s head screamed in pain right beneath me.