The Red Moon hung high, its glow as vivid as spilled blood.

Beneath it stood Nightfall Peak, towering and imposing. At its base, bonfires blazed fiercely. The biting cold of the snow-capped peaks tangled with the fierce heat of the flames, weaving a wild, brutal totem of the wolf clan's unyielding spirit.

Amidst the howls of his pack, Wolf King Will stepped slowly toward the heart of the fire circle. In the center, the human knight Shao Si knelt bound, and behind him loomed a massive bronze cauldron, its contents boiling furiously, steam curling into the night.

The War Ritual! Will remembered the last time he'd presided over this ceremony—half a year ago, back at Wolf Fort. He hadn't expected to hold it again so soon.

Will approached Shao Si. The knight was covered in blood, his right arm severed at the shoulder, the stump a mangled mess of flesh and bone. His body and face were crisscrossed with wounds, his hair matted, his eyes dull and hollow. He was no longer the proud knight he'd once been…

Will recalled their first interrogation at Wolf Fort, ten days prior. Back then, Shao Si had just been captured, but his eyes still blazed with defiance. Yet he still refused to surrender. It was a pity, Will thought.

"Two of your companions: Ding Rui chose to surrender, so I let him go home. Witt chose to lie, and now he's been roasted into meat patties. You're a smart man—you know what to do." the Wolf King said in a deep voice.

Shao Si hung his head, saying nothing.

Foolish human! Even at death's door, you won't bow! Will snorted. "Let me tell you something. Before every great battle, we wolves hold a ritual: we throw a living sacrifice into a boiling cauldron, scouring away his filth with hot water. Then our warriors take turns slicing off a piece of his flesh and eating it. This is our ancient Hundred-Cut War Ritual."

The Wolf King gazed at the bubbling cauldron, continuing slowly: "The more cuts we make on the sacrifice, the greater our courage and resolve to kill, and the more we earn the Wolf God's blessing."

Will glanced sideways at Shao Si, whose pupils dilated involuntarily, his face twisting with fear and despair. That's exactly what Will wanted—he wanted the knight's spirit to break. Beg me…

Shao Si's body trembled violently, but he still didn't beg for mercy.

Dammit! If you're scared, why don't you beg? Are you that stubborn? Will grew angry.

He frowned. "But I don't care much for tradition. We don't have to hold the ritual. If you surrender, I'll consider sparing you." I'll still kill you, but I want to hear you beg…

Shao Si said nothing.

The Wolf King lost his patience. "My patience is not endless! I've given you enough time! Surrender now if you want to live!"

Shao Si shook his head slowly.

Damned lowly human! Will was infuriated. He'd wanted to toy with the knight, but Shao Si's unyielding defiance made him look ridiculous.

"Bring him here! Throw this bastard into the pot, scald him clean!" Will roared.

Two burly werewolves stepped forward, grabbed Shao Si by the arms, and dragged him toward the cauldron.

"No! Don't! Please don't!" Shao Si finally let out a scream of agony.

Scared now? Too late! "Drop him in!" Will ordered.

The werewolves shoved hard, sending Shao Si tumbling into the boiling water.

"Help! Help!" Shao Si thrashed in the scalding liquid. His skin reddened and blistered instantly, peeling off in places to expose raw, bleeding flesh.

"Owooo—Owooo—Owooo—" The surrounding wolves erupted in sharp, ecstatic howls, thrilled by the spectacle.

"I… I… surrender…" The knight's voice grew faint, then vanished entirely into the bubbling cauldron.

Will smiled. He'd finally heard the word he'd been waiting for. Pathetic humans—fearful, distrustful, cowardly, and utterly weak!

The Wolf King lifted his eyes to the sky. The Red Moon was nearly full, casting a strange, mesmerizing glow. Offering a fresh sacrifice to the Wolf God will earn his favor! With the Red Moon's protection, my wolves are invincible!

Will let out a long, piercing howl, a sound like a frigid wind echoing off Nightfall Peak's cliffs and ravines, lingering long after it faded. The howl silenced the pack.

When he finished, Will looked out at his wolves and shouted: "Hundred-Cut War Ritual! Wolves, rise!"

"Hundred-Cut War Ritual! Wolves, rise!"

"Hundred-Cut War Ritual! Wolves, rise!"

"Hundred-Cut War Ritual! Wolves, rise!"

The wolf warriors raised their gleaming wolf blades, their deafening cheers shaking the valley's snow and fire.

Will laughed. "My cubs, what are you waiting for? The feast begins!"

The pack roared with laughter, waving their blades as they charged toward the cauldron. Will stepped aside to avoid being trampled by an overzealous cub.

Just then, Wolf rushed to his side, shielding him from the tide of wolves. Will remembered he'd stripped Wolf of his Wolf Guard title two days prior. Yet in this moment of chaos, Wolf was the first to stand by him. I told him to wait outside the valley for the White Wolf King—why did he disobey?

Will was in a good mood and didn't want to scold Wolf. He just said calmly: "Have the White Wolf warriors arrived?"

Wolf shook his head. "No."

"Then why aren't you waiting outside the valley?"

"Because I wanted to be part of the War Ritual." Wolf said firmly. "I've never missed a single wolf clan War Ritual."

Will was stunned, and a flicker of emotion stirred in his chest. The clan held the ritual before every great battle—Wolf's words meant he'd fought in every war the clan had waged over the past thirty years. Truly the clan's greatest warrior!

Memories of fighting side by side with Wolf flashed through his mind. Have I been too hard on him? Will suddenly regretted stripping him of his title.

"You deserve to be here." the Wolf King sighed softly.

"Once I've eaten the sacrifice, I'll return to the valley entrance." Wolf said.

Will nodded, his voice heavy with frustration: "The journey from Wolf Fort to Nightfall Peak is twice as long as from Winter Snow Valley. My Wolf Fort forces have arrived, but theirs are still missing…" He sneered. "Doesn't that tell you something?"

Wolf said: "If the White Wolf Legion doesn't come… what about the battle?"

"We fight anyway! The ritual is done—we can't retreat without fighting!" Will shouted. "If the White Wolf King doesn't come, it means they've betrayed the clan! I'll lead the Black Wolf Legion and Wild Wolf Cavalry to attack their stronghold!"

Wolf's eyes widened in shock, the two scars crossing his face twisting with his agitation.

Just then, the sound of hooves echoed nearby. A cloud of dust rose as a Wild Wolf Cavalry rider galloped toward them.

"A Bao! Over here!" Wolf called.

The rider skidded to a stop before the Wolf King, dismounting and gasping: "L-Lord Wolf King… they… they're here…"

Wolf said: "Who's here? Speak clearly!"

"A Bao stammered: "The White… White Wolf Clan… they're here…"

Is this real? Will's body jolted, a mix of surprise and joy surging through him. Without a word, he leaped onto the rider's horse, turned it around, and galloped toward the valley entrance.

"Lord!" Wolf and A Bao stared for a moment, then snapped to their senses and chased after him.

Will galloped through the bonfires, his heart pounding with excitement. Old Watt really came! My grand plan will succeed! It will succeed!

As he rode up a gentle slope, Will leaped from the horse onto a large boulder, then jumped again to an even higher rock. After several bounds, he reached the top of the slope.

They're here! The Wolf King's gaze pierced the night. Outside Nightfall Peak's Hidden Woods, snow kicked up in a cloud as the White Wolf Clan's army marched slowly toward them.

At the front were seven silver-armored White Wolf Cavalry riders. Will recognized their leader as Shen Tu, the White Wolf Cavalry's chief warrior. Behind them rode a knight clad in full black armor—Ghost Rider Haywood had come too.

Behind Haywood, two ranks of White Wolf swordsmen moved in a graceful, deadly goose-wing formation. At the center of the formation, two snowfield horses trotted side by side, carrying the White Wolf Clan's "Two Monarchs": White Wolf King Watt and Little White Wolf Ash.

They're all here! A tidal wave of excitement crashed through Will. He tilted his head back and let out a triumphant howl.

The humans' nightmare is about to begin! The wolf clan's history will be rewritten! Our family's glory will be forged together!