Shana darted forward, yanking the scholar out the window and leaping into the Narrow Square.

Wind howled in their ears.

The witch had barely landed when a thunderous roar erupted behind her. She spun around to see the Scholar's Tower struck by a boulder. Bricks and stone shards exploded outward, and the tower crumbled to the ground in an instant.

"Oh no! No!"

Old Ray gasped and tried to rush toward the tower, but Shana grabbed his sleeve quick as a flash.

"Hey! Are you crazy?!"

"All my books are in there!!!"

"The Frostwall's fallen, and you're obsessing over those ragged books!" Shana snapped.

The scholar froze mid-tantrum, a flicker of embarrassment crossing his face.

Shana turned back to the Shield Fort's walls. The once-majestic Frostwall, that towering symbol of the United Kingdom's safety and dignity, had been torn open by the rain of fire from above. The breach was littered with jagged boulders and ice shards, uneven and scattered like the tears of the wall's giant stone guardian.

Shana was stunned.

The Frostwall had stood firm against a thousand years of northern storms, hailed as the "God-Built Wall," every brick etched with the glory of the divine people. Her mentor had praised its greatness more than once. Yet here she was, having arrived only days ago, watching it crumble before her eyes.

I guess I'm witnessing history… I don't know if I should cry or laugh.

Then she heard howls—faint at first, but quickly growing loud and clear.

Oh no! The werewolves are inside!

Shana's mind raced, but before she could plan her next move, tall werewolves burst forth from the swirling snow dust. Like demons of the night, they charged through the breach into the fort.

"Werewolves!" someone shouted in the square.

Find cover first!

Shana scanned her surroundings. Two of the fort's five towers had fallen; only the Oracle Tower, Watch Tower, and Queen's Tower still stood. She slipped her right arm under the old scholar's armpit, hoisted him up, and leaped onto the spiral staircase of the nearest Queen's Tower, crouching behind a stone platform.

"Stay here and don't move, old man. Watch me tear them apart!" Shana ordered.

"Ah… don't tear them apart! Run… They attacked on the Blood Moon night—they're prepared… Fighting head-on is suicide…" Old Ray's voice trembled with fear.

Prepared or not, do you think I'm scared of them?

Shana's heart raced with nervousness, but it was mixed with an uncontrollable excitement. The werewolves' full-scale assault was the perfect chance for her, a newly promoted Bronze-rank Mage, to rack up demon-slaying merit.

"Don't worry, just hide and stay out of my way!"

Your only job is to not mess things up.

Shana gripped two poison vials in her hands.

Come on! The more werewolves, the better! I'll fight my way to Holy Light Mage tonight!

Under the blood moon, werewolves poured through the breach—some on foot, others riding warhorses. The Frostwall defenders in the square hadn't fully recovered from their shock before they were forced to grab swords, spears, shields, and bows, clashing with the werewolves.

"Now you'll rest forever!" Shana spotted an opening from the tower's second floor and struck without hesitation. When her vials shattered, two streams of emerald venom shot out like flying snakes, sinking their fangs into two black wolves below. The werewolves howled in agony, dropping their blades and collapsing to their knees. With a sizzle, the green liquid gnawed through their bodies. In moments, the two dissolved into puddles of pale, glowing green blood.

Two demon-slaying points! Yes!

Before she could celebrate, several werewolves looked up at the tower. Shana realized her attack had given away her position. Two werewolves leaped onto the spiral staircase, charging toward her.

Perfect!

Instead of retreating, Shana met them head-on. She sidestepped a swinging wolf blade, then smashed a vial against the werewolf's neck.

"Aah!"

The poison ate through the werewolf's fur and muscle. It screamed as it tumbled down the staircase, crashing into the square below.

Shana dispatched one wolf, then caught sight of the other out of the corner of her eye. She flipped backward, dodging the blade, and hurled a stream of green venom that hit the werewolf's jaw.

Clang! The werewolf fell backward onto the stone steps, its skull cracking against a step.

Two more points!

In the blink of an eye, Shana had taken down four werewolves. She felt a surge of pride.

Looks like my skills have gotten even better!

But her optimism vanished when she looked down at the square. Werewolves flooded the Shield Fort like a tide—their numbers made her gasp.

Holy crap! So many werewolves!

She didn't have enough poison for this!

She instinctively patted her waist: only six vials left, three of which were antidotes for healing.

"Crap! I'm running out of poison!" Shana called to Old Ray.

"The wolf army is too strong! Fighting is useless! We have to run!" Old Ray groaned, his face creased with worry.

Great! Wasted question!

Shana had hoped the learned scholar might have a clever idea, but he just repeated the same old nonsense.

Watching the Frostwall defenders retreat under the werewolves' brutal assault, their lines crumbling, Shana knew she couldn't run even if she wanted to.

She noticed that the most ferocious fighters among the werewolves were the gray wolves on horseback. Compared to the black wolves, they struck harder and faster—every swing of their blade felled a human soldier.

Who are these gray wolves? They're so strong!

Shana gripped her poison vials, eyes locked on the battle, waiting for her moment.

No! Too many werewolves, too little poison. I can't keep picking them off one by one!

Shana's brow furrowed. She wanted to hurl poison indiscriminately into the square to cause mass casualties, but she feared hitting her own people.

Just as she hesitated, she saw a guard's shield split in two by a Gray Wolf Cavalryman. The wolf drove its blade straight through the guard's chest.

Fito!

Shana stared at the guard lying on the ground, his guts and blood spilling out. In that moment, she thought of Fito, still locked in the dungeon cells.

Right! I'll hold back the werewolves first, then go find Fito! With him by my side, I'll feel more secure!

Shana made up her mind. She twisted her wrist, and faint red auras swirled from her fingertips. She raised her hands and hurled her vials into the air.

"Green Rain of Doom!" Shana shouted.

A rain of poison descended on the Narrow Square, throwing both werewolves and humans into chaos. No one was spared—everyone was hit.

The toxic water ignited on contact with skin. Screams—both wolfish and human—rang out across the battlefield. A stench of burning flesh and hair began to fill the square.