Chapter 12: Blood-Red Blade

A swift figure raced through the dense forest, finally stopping in a clearing.

Leinata had found Little Grey.

But…

That poor little wolf was currently tied up with a thick hemp rope and hanging from a tree.

And under the tree, a figure with long black hair was leaning against the trunk, playing with a hunting rifle, smiling at the arriving Leinata.

“Oh my, as expected of a high-grade product, you’re fast.”

Hunter Sister’s smile grew even brighter when she saw Leinata.

“I knew that if I caught this little wolf cub, you, the protective big wolfdog, would definitely show up.”

“Let him go.”

Leinata’s voice was terrifyingly low, the small knife in her hand trembling slightly.

“Don’t be so fierce.”

The hunter raised her gun, the pitch-black muzzle pressing directly against Little Grey’s head.

“Don’t make any rash moves, okay? If you move even an inch, this little wolf’s head will go boom.”

“…What do you want?”

“I want you to behave.”

Leinata bit her lip hard, the blade in her hand ready to slit the hunter’s throat at any moment.

But just then, she spotted a small figure quietly approaching behind the hunter.

Leinata suddenly understood something and obediently lowered her knife.

“That’s right, be good and listen…”

Hunter Sister smiled in satisfaction, but the next second—

“But, to make you even more docile…”

Bang!

A gunshot rang out.

The bullet precisely struck Leinata’s left thigh.

“Mm!”

The sharp pain hit her. Leinata let out a muffled grunt and dropped to one knee.

Blood instantly stained her wolf-skin cloak.

“Hahahaha! That’s right! With such agony and not even a scream, you really are the best merchandise!”

Hunter Sister laughed wildly, threw down her rifle, pulled a rope from her waist, and stepped toward the kneeling Leinata.

“If I catch you, I can get at least a ten-digit sum…”

Just as the hunter was completely focused on Leinata, the bushes behind her suddenly rustled.

A small figure darted out.

Nuo Ai’er: I’m very mysterious (ฅ´ω`ฅ)

It was Nuo Ai’er, who had been sneaking closer.

Taking advantage of the hunter’s gunshot and taunts, Nuo Ai’er had silently crept up behind the tree.

She pulled out Leinata’s spare knife, the one she’d taken from the tree hollow earlier, and frantically sawed at the rope binding Little Grey.

Snap.

The rope broke.

Nuo Ai’er: Phew… plan succeeded (´Ｏ`)

Nuo Ai’er caught the falling Little Grey, clamped her hand over his mouth, and rolled with him into the grass nearby.

It all happened so fast that the hunter didn’t notice a thing.

When she reached Leinata and reached out to grab her hair—

“!!”

Leinata, who had been kneeling, suddenly exploded upward!

Even with a severe leg injury, the burst of power from the wolf bloodline was not to be underestimated.

The small knife in her hand viciously stabbed toward the hunter’s wrist.

“Ah!”

The hunter screamed and dropped the rope.

“How dare you! Aren’t you afraid I’ll kill that wolf cub—huh?”

The hunter stumbled back a few steps, clutching her wrist, and saw that the little wolf had vanished. She was furious.

She’d been played!

“So there’s someone else… Fine, fine. I wanted to take you alive, but it looks like I’ll have to deliver your corpse instead…”

The hunter grabbed the rifle from the ground, her expression turning vicious.

She raised the muzzle, aimed directly at Leinata’s abdomen, and fired.

Bang!

“Ugh—”

Leinata couldn’t dodge in time with her injured leg. The bullet hit her stomach.

The next second, the hunter’s muzzle was aimed at Leinata’s chest.

By now, Leinata had lost too much blood; her vision was blurring, and her body was showing signs of shock.

Facing the muzzle so close, she fell to her knees, unable to evade.

Nuo Ai’er: Oh no (∑(❍ฺд❍ฺlll)

Nuo Ai’er noticed this from her hiding spot in the bushes.

A mechanical voice sounded in her head.

[Decision Time!]

[A. Do nothing and escape with Little Grey.]

[B. Go save Leinata!]

…Nuo Ai’er was silent.

At a time like this, the best choice was to take Little Grey and run. She had no combat ability, and going to save Leinata wouldn’t help anyway.

It might even get both of them killed.

So she should choose A.

Nuo Ai’er closed her eyes.

Leinata: Damn it…

Leinata, shot in the abdomen and leg, could no longer dodge this bullet.

Just as Leinata thought she was dead for sure…

“How could I not save her (๑˃ಐ˂৭)?!”

A white figure screamed as she ran over, suddenly standing in front of her.

Nuo Ai’er’s small body stood straight, blocking Leinata.

“?! Move!” Leinata shouted in panic.

Bang!!

The gunshot rang out.

The bullet mercilessly pierced Nuo Ai’er’s slender calf.

“Aaaaaaah!”

Nuo Ai’er cried out in pain, falling backward, her body going into shock.

“Nuo Ai’er…”

Time seemed to freeze in that moment.

Leinata stared at Nuo Ai’er lying in a pool of blood, her mind blank.

Why…

“Oh, there’s another little kitten here. Such a cute face, heh. But she’s the one who secretly saved the wolf cub, so she had it coming.” The hunter sneered.

“…Shut up.” Leinata’s voice trembled.

[System Notification: Leinata’s Affection +40. Current Affection: 55 (Bond)]

“Aaaaaaah—!!”

A rage she had never felt before erupted from the depths of her soul.

Leinata’s eyes instantly changed from emerald green to blood red!

The ordinary small knife in her hand was suddenly wrapped in a layer of blood-red light, transforming into a terrifying blood-colored blade exuding a ghastly aura.

The air around her twisted, and several red magic blades materialized out of nowhere, carrying a murderous intent as tangible as solid matter.

“I will never forgive you…”

Leinata’s voice was no longer cold; it was filled with killing intent.

Hunter Sister was so frightened by this sudden aura that she stumbled backward: “Th-this is the power of the wolf tribe… How wonderful! How wonderful!”

The hunter laughed wildly, completely unaware that her death was at hand.

Leinata: “Die.”

Boom!

Leinata’s figure vanished from where she stood.

The next second, she appeared right in front of the hunter.

No flashy moves, just pure speed and power.

A flash of blood-red blade light.

A red line appeared on the hunter’s neck, blood gushing out like a fountain.

Her body crumpled to the ground, and several red magic blades pierced her, finishing her off. She became a corpse.

But Leinata did not stop.

The red light around her grew more intense, as if it might explode at any moment.

That power was too strong—too strong for even herself to control.

She staggered and turned to look at Nuo Ai’er.

“Nuo Ai’er…”

She wanted to walk over, to check on her.

But the backlash of the power came too fast and too fierce.

As soon as she took a step, Leinata’s vision went black, and all her strength drained away.

Thump.

She fell heavily beside Nuo Ai’er. The blood-red blade in her hand dissolved into the air, and her arm wrapped around Nuo Ai’er.