Watching as the rocky barrier was on the verge of collapsing, Hilium quickly racked her brain for a solution.
โโฆThere are simply too many wolves, and with that terrifying Forest Direwolf among them, thereโs no way we can win if this drags on. We have to retreat now.โ
With that thought,
Hilium immediately activated a spell.
โใแแแฑแชืแแ แแแ แแพแฒืชแแแปแ แแแกแฃแแ แณแแแแ แบแชแแแฃแพแฒแแแ ืแทแแืแแ แชแแแพแชแแฃแแแขใโ
โWings of Wind!โ
A green light flared behind her, and a swirl of wind rose around Hiliumโs feet, slowly lifting her into the sky.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whooshโฆ
The moment she rose above the barrierโs height, a swarm of Spinetail Wolves immediately leaped at her. But Hilium had expected this; despite the tremendous strain on her mana, she maintained the wind barrier without hesitation.
โAwoo!โ
A Direwolf, spotting Hilium as she ascended, let out a piercing howl in her direction.
Several more Direwolves charged, springing up in an attempt to drag her down, but only grasped at empty airโthe altitude was already beyond their reach.
Gazing down at the massed wolves beneath her, Hilium pointed her staff downward.
โThis is payback.โ
โใแฃแ แแชแแแแพแ แฒแขืแคแแแแแชแกแแแแบืแคแแแแฑแชืแแ แแแ แแแพแแกแฃแืแแแกแแ แแฒแแแ แแแแแฃแขใโ
โEarthโs Grasp!โ
Rumble rumble rumble!
As Hilium cast her spell, the ground below churned and rose, forming a giant earthen hand. The massive hand swept downward, crushing countless wolfkin beneath it.
โAwoo!โ
โAwoooโฆโ
Many of the wolves were buried instantly, only able to let out a last, pitiful wail. The rest, seeing this, quickly scattered in all directions, retreating beyond the handโs reach.
With a quick glance at the retreating wolves and another at the Forest Direwolf at the rear, Hilium abandoned her thoughts of further attack.
At that moment, her gaze caught the hulking form hidden in the ruins of a half-collapsed house, and a new idea emerged.
โIf I deal with that one, Semiris will return, and this crisis will resolve itself. Butโฆโ
To rely on Semiris every time a crisis cameโcould that truly be called self-reliance?
She recalled the mission set by Semiris today.
Wasnโt it precisely to teach her to face danger alone?
Though the wolf pack was an unforeseen complication, if she were to strike the Goblin Lordโs lair now, it might look as if she fulfilled Semirisโs requirements, but in reality, it would be a failure.
โIโll let you live a little longerโฆโ
She lowered her staff from the Goblin Lord, took another look at the agitated wolves, and prepared to leave.
The wolves would almost certainly not spare the Goblin Lord. Even if she didnโt deal the final blow herself, the goblin tribe would be wiped out because of her. She hadnโt asked for help, so sheโd still fulfill Semirisโs task.
As much as fleeing felt bitter, retreat was a valid way to survive a crisis. Not everyone could withdraw in the face of danger and live.
โAt least wolves canโt flyโฆโ
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whooshโฆ
As Hilium climbed ever higher and prepared to escape, several wind blades suddenly sliced through the air, shattering her wind barrier. One blade struck the Wings of Wind on her back.
The Wings of Wind shattered instantly, and Hilium lost control, plummeting from the sky.
โใแแ แแพแฒืชแแแแแพแแแฃแแแกแแพแแแชแแแแแแแแแแแแแแแแนแแแแแแพแชใโ
โAqua Leapโโ!!!โ
At the very last instant before impact, Hilium managed to cast her spell.
Splash!
A torrent of water gushed forth, cushioning her fall and sparing her from injury.
โThank goodness I kept Featherweight active; it slowed my descent.โ
After dispelling Aqua Leap, Hiliumโs heart was still pounding. She gripped her Treant Staff tightly, fully aware that escape was now impossibleโฆ
โโฆSemiris was right. Overcoming a crisis is easy, but escaping one is another matter entirely.โ
Raising her head, Hilium fixed her gaze on the direction from which the wind blades had flown.
When she saw the true forms of her attackers, the reason became clear.
Wolves, their paws faintly glowing with green light.
D-rank Wind Wolves!
โUrururu~!โ โRoar!โ
โRoooarโฆโ
The wolvesโ howls were right on her heels. There was no time to hesitateโHilium raised her staff overhead and cast another spell.
โใแแแแแแพแ แฒแขืแคแแแฒแแขแชแแกแแ แแแแแ แแฑืแ แแแแแ แแแแกแแขแกแฃแแแแพืแคใโ
โScorching Blaze Curtain!โ
Boom!
A towering wall of flame erupted within the goblin settlement, buying Hilium a precious moment.
โAwoo!โ
โAwoo!โ
โโฆโ
The wolves circled around the blazing barrier, probing and snarling.
Many sharp spikes shot through the flames, seeking Hilium within, but most were incinerated and fell to the ground as charred cinders.
โWith Wind Wolves here, escape by air is blocked. Should I try another way? Shadow Stealth, maybeโฆโ
โNo, Shadow Stealth needs a shadow, and blending in takes time. If I drop the fire curtain, the wolves will charge in before I can finish. Thereโs no chance to cast it.โ
โโฆโ
โSo fighting is the only optionโฆโ
Within the roaring flames, surrounded by the endless howls, Hilium gripped her staff with both hands, her expression calmer than ever.
Boom!
A wind blade smashed into the fire curtain, blowing open a gap. The flames quickly closed in, but more wind blades followed, blasting hole after hole in the wall. Through the gaps, she could clearly see the wolvesโ bloodthirsty eyes.
โRoarโ!โ
A Direwolf seized its chance and lunged through a just-opened breach.
But as soon as it entered the flames, a rocky spear shot up from below, piercing its body in an instant.
The moment the stone spear appeared, the curtain of fire covering the area dissipated.
The abrupt vanishing of the flames caught the wolves off guard. By the time they reacted, a figure was already dashing toward them at full speed.
โใแแแฑแชืแแ แแแแพแแแฃแแแกแแพแแแชแแแ แแณแแฃแแแกแบแแ ืชแคแแแทแณแืแคแแแแแกแแแใโ
โWater Cannon!โ
A torrent of water blasted ahead, instantly opening a path through the wolves. Blood and water mingled, dyeing the earth red.
Splat!
Hilium dashed through the bloody puddles, pressing forward relentlessly.
โAwoo!โ
Behind her, the swiftest Direwolves jostled and scrambled to give chase. The wolves on both flanks closed in to encircle her, while even more charged in from ahead.
And even as her previous spell faded, Hilium was already chanting the next incantation on the move.
The moment the wolvesโ encirclement was complete, her spell was ready.
โใแแ แแพแฒืชแแแแพแ แฒแขืแคแแแฒแแพแ ืแแฒแแแแพแชแแแแทแืแแแแ แบแแแฃแแแกแแณแแแแ แใโ
โTempest Surge!โ
Boom!
A shockwave exploded outwards, with Hilium at the center, blasting in all directions.
Dozens of wolves were flung into the air. When they crashed back down, some were fatally wounded, some died instantly, and a few, like the mighty Direwolves, only suffered minor injuries, shaking their heads before standing up again.
While the Ring of Repulsion would have hurt the wolves more, that spell immobilized the caster and took longer to activate. In a situation demanding speed, Tempest Surge, with its nearly instantaneous effect, was far more suitable.
Even if the destructive power wasnโt quite what she hoped, at least the area around Hilium was cleared once more.