Chapter 30 Wolf among us

Soon, the days passed, and little by little, Iryoku and Deborah continued challenging the massive cave system, hoping to find an exit. On their journey, they encountered a wide assortment of monsters—from insects to mammals to unknown goo creatures—but as always, none of them ever came close to matching Deborah's might, much to Iryoku's luck.

"Dead end," Iryoku said, his face visibly frustrated as he drew an 'X' on his makeshift map of the cave. "We should go back here and check this part," he added, showing Deborah his drawing.

"Gauh... bak," Deborah replied. She had been learning to pick up more words with each passing day alongside Iryoku, as he kept talking a lot around her, hoping it would help her learn to speak correctly.

"And then a huge-ass monkey appeared out of nowhere... Yumi kept shooting from the tree...," Iryoku recounted his adventures as they walked back, hoping Deborah would learn about the other girls and avoid conflict when they eventually reunited.

He sighed. "Knowing them, they're probably trying to come back to the mountain to find me. We need to quickly find a way out—I don’t want them to get into danger, again because of me."

Though we don’t even know which direction we're heading, he thought. Are we going to end up on the demon’s side or back with the dragon?

Rubbing the back of his neck, he glanced at Deborah walking beside him. She looked back and gave him an enchanting smile. I don’t think she can beat the dragon either, he mused, a faint blush creeping onto his face.

Our best bet is probably to sneak out and avoid the dragón and the demons altogether, he concluded silently.

Deborah suddenly stopped, sniffing the air with her small nose. Iryoku quickly drew his daggers, ready for action, his eyes scanning the path ahead—but he saw nothing.

“Where is it?, Deborah my girl?” he muttered in a low voice.

Deborah stood still, staring intently into the darkness. Her body began to shift, transforming into her demonic form. But Iryoku gently stopped her, placing his hand on her face.

“Let me handle this, baby. This time will be different,” he said with confidence, his gaze fixed ahead. Then he continued walking alone.

Deborah reverted to her human form, watching his back with a hint of worry in her eyes.

It didn’t take long before Iryoku sensed something—a faint, familiar presence hidden within the cave. The aura stirred something in him, a memory lingering just beneath the surface.

As he moved deeper, the narrow tunnel opened into a large cavern, its ceiling stretching about five meters high. He advanced cautiously, his eyes scanning every shadow. Then, looking up toward one corner of the ceiling, he saw nothing at first—but as he focused, a massive figure materialized, blending into the rocky surface like a shadow come to life.

The creature clung to the ceiling, its stillness almost unnatural for something of its enormous size—like a statue glued in place.

Iryoku could now make out its long, thick arms covered in jet-black fur, an oversized head lined with huge fangs, and razor-sharp claws. Two glowing white eyes locked onto him, tracking his every step.

Iryoku steadied his breathing, suppressing his heartbeat as he approached. When he was just a few meters away, his hand slipped into his pocket. In one swift motion, he unleashed a volley of throwing blades at the creature.

The beast reacted with uncanny speed, swiping its claws to deflect the blades with precise, brutal force. Then, with a powerful leap, it launched itself toward where Iryoku had been standing—but he was no longer there.

The creature landed with a heavy crash, its eyes scanning the area. It was a massive, monstrous wolf, strikingly similar to the one Iryoku had encountered after his battle with the dragon.

However, this one was slightly larger, its body covered in jagged spikes—making it appear even more dangerous and lethal.

The beast rose onto its hind legs, its body slightly hunched and ready for a fight. It scanned its surroundings, nostrils flaring as it tried to catch a scent. Suddenly, it froze, instinctively glancing upward—just as a blade flashed past its eyes. The creature jerked its head to the side, narrowly avoiding a fatal strike, but not without consequence—a deep gash opened above its right eye.

Iryoku landed silently beside it, his expression calm and focused. The monstrous wolf turned to him, eyes wide with surprise quickly shifting to seething rage.

"Come on, motherfucker," Iryoku taunted, a cocky grin spreading across his face as he stared up at the towering beast.

Without warning, the battle erupted. The creature swiped at Iryoku's head with its massive claw, but with minimal movement, Iryoku ducked, slipping in close. In a swift motion, he slashed upward with one of his daggers, cutting a deep line across the beast’s belly.

Snarling in pain, the creature snapped its arms inward, attempting to trap Iryoku in a crushing hold. But Iryoku was already a step ahead, rolling to the side and springing back to his feet with agile precision.

"RRAAWR!"

For the first time, the beast roared in pure fury, its voice echoing through the cavern like a thunderclap. Iryoku glanced back at it, grinning even wider.

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"What’s wrong? You mad?"

The creature’s glowing eyes burned with monstrous rage. It threw its head back and howled with such force that the entire cave trembled. Its muscles bulged, veins pulsing beneath its dark fur as a bright aura of energy flared around its body.

"Shit," Iryoku cursed, realizing the creature was powering up.

In the blink of an eye, the werewolf vanished from sight, its speed now beyond Iryoku’s ability to track. His instincts screamed in warning. Without hesitation, he crouched low, just as a violent gust of wind whipped past the back of his head—narrowly dodging what could have been a deathly strike.

As soon as Iryoku stood up, he swiped both daggers in front of him—striking seemingly at nothing. But in that precise moment, the creature reappeared, allowing his blades to carve two long gashes across the wolf’s arms. However, this time Iryoku felt a strange backlash from the impact, a jarring force that made his muscles tense. Without hesitation, he jumped back to create distance.

The wolf stood its ground, staring at him with a terrifying, unblinking gaze. The cuts on its arms were barely visible, its defense amplified.

"Fuck, this magic aura is annoying," Iryoku cursed, tightening his grip on his daggers as he prepared for another exchange.

This time, he charged directly at the beast. The monster didn’t flinch. Iryoku hurled a pair of throwing blades mid-sprint, but the wolf reacted instantly, swiping its claws—now wrapped in crackling energy—cleanly through the blades, shattering them like glass.

Undeterred, Iryoku closed the gap and slashed at the wolf’s leg, drawing a shallow cut. He spun on his heel, narrowly dodging a retaliatory strike from the creature’s claws.

Enraged, the wolf unleashed a flurry of furious slashes, its arms moving in a whirlwind of blinding speed. Invisible blades of force rained down on Iryoku’s position. Relying on sheer instinct and trusting on his danger sense, Iryoku dodged with minimal movement, shifting side to side just enough to avoid fatal blows. Still, his armor began to accumulate small cuts, evidence of just how close each attack came.

He's faster, but his reactions are the same, he thought, the realization coming quickly as he dodged.

Suddenly, the beast lunged at him, jaws wide open, aiming to crush his skull. Iryoku reacted in a flash—diving low between the wolf’s legs, rolling to regain his footing behind it. With no hesitation, he slashed twice across the creature’s back, his blades leaving two, crimson lines.

That’s payback from last time, he thought with a smirk, though he knew this wolf was different from the one he'd faced before.

I might not be able to materialize magic power just yet, but I have my ways, his eyes narrowing with focus.

His harpoon, attached to the thin white rope, was securely wrapped around his right arm. Time seemed to slow as he flicked his wrist, launching the harpoon upward with unimaginable speed.

His proficiency and the quality of the white rope made it an unparalleled device in his hands.

As the harpoon embedded itself into the rock, the muscles in Iryoku's right arm contracted and bulged as he gripped the rope. With a swift pull, the rope snapped taut, yanking him upward just in time to dodge a vicious swipe from the enraged wolf below.

The beast spun around, its glowing eyes darting through the shadows as it searched for him.

Meanwhile, Iryoku was already in motion. Soaring upward, he planted both feet firmly against the cavern ceiling, bending his legs to absorb the momentum and build power.

Then, with explosive force, he launched himself downward toward the beast, twisting his body as he pushed off from the ceiling.

He shot through the air like a missile, spinning rapidly with both daggers pointed straight down—transforming himself into a human spear.

With a deafening, metallic clang, Iryoku landed squarely on the wolf’s skull, both daggers piercing deep into its head. A violent gush of blood erupted from the wound as the beast let out a final, growl before collapsing with a Loud crash.

Iryoku leapt back, his arms trembling from the sheer force of the impact. His breath came in ragged bursts, adrenaline still surging through him as he watched the lifeless body of the monstrous wolf. Its brain had been pierced clean through—an undeniable, fatal blow.

A wide smile spread across Iryoku's face as he gazed at the beast’s lifeless body. He touched his sore arms, still grinning.

"You were one of the strongest monsters I’ve ever fought," he declared.

Suddenly, a sound from behind caught his attention. Instinctively, he spun around, daggers raised and ready.

From the shadows, creatures began to creep forward—many of them, their eyes glinting in the darkness.

"Who's next?" Iryoku asked, his voice laced with playful defiance, though it was merely a facade.

A pack of werewolves, their forms twisted and snarling, emerged to surround him. His body ached, every muscle weighed down by exhaustion, but his grin remained unshaken.

Then, with a thunderous bang, something massive landed behind him. The air grew thick with a dark, demonic energy. Iryoku’s grin widened even further. He didn’t need to turn around—he already knew who it was.

The werewolves froze. Their snarls turned to whimpers as terror gripped them. In an instant, they scattered, fleeing into the shadows as though they had seen a monster far worse than themselves.

Stepping forward with heavy, thunderous strides, Deborah emerged, her body crackling with power and wreathed in shadowy energy. She fixed her eyes on the retreating beasts, then unleashed a roar so powerful it shook the entire cavern.

“GGGRRRWWWAHHH!”

Her voice echoed like a storm, primal and unstoppable. She was ready to chase them down when Iryoku stepped beside her, placing a firm but gentle hand on her arm.

“It’s okay, Deborah,” he said, his voice soft but steady. “Let them go.”

She paused, her fiery gaze turning to him. “Gauh… Iryu?” she questioned, her tone a mix of confusion and concern.

“I’m tired, baby,” he replied, offering her a weary but reassuring smile. “This is enough for today.”

The tension in her body eased. With a deep breath, she shifted back into her human form, her fierce expression softening.

But as she met his gaze, her eyes flickered with surprise when Iryoku suddenly pulled her into a tight embrace, lifting her off her feet by her thighs.

"Thanks for the help!," he said warmly, his voice filled with gratitude—and, of course, joy at the improvements in his strength.

As he set her down, he kept his eyes on hers. Reaching up, he brushed a stray lock of hair from her face, his fingers trailing gently across her cheek.

“I’m gonna give you a good prize once we’re back in the lair,” he whispered, his voice low and playful, his eyes promising more than just rest.

Deborah, sensing an indirect command, quickly took out her cloak, dropped to all fours, and pointed her bare ass towards Iryoku, swaying her gigantic hips from side to side. "Iryu... seks...", she purred softly.

Iryoku's jaw dropped as he thought, Damn, girl, you're even more perverted than I am. He walked towards her, winding up his hand and slapping it hard on her ass. "I said back at the lair", he yelled. "Here, it's dangerous". Deborah's body shuddered in ecstasy by the hit.

After their playful banter, Iryoku set to work collecting his throwing blades—at least the ones that weren’t damaged. One by one, he retrieved them from the ground, wiping each blade clean.

After picking up the last knife, he turned to Deborah, who had already donned her cloak.

“Hey, can you help me carry the wolf’s body back? Pretty please?” he asked, his voice still laced with playfulness.

Just as he finished speaking, something caught his eye—a faint glint from the shadows. His gaze sharpened as he turned toward the source of the mysterious shimmer.

Without hesitation, he began walking toward the shining object, curiosity pulling him closer...