Ike swung his sword at the wolf’s mouth, aiming for the smear of blood. The wolf’s jaws closed in around him, the invisible hide cutting off his view of the smear. Ike kept swinging, his eyes narrowed. He didn’t flinch. Didn’t retreat. I kill it, or it kills me. There’s no other option.

His sword met flesh. He cut through the wolf’s muzzle as its mouth clamped shut. Fangs cut into his body, but only for a moment before the wolf released him. It tried to retreat. Ike reached out and grabbed blindly at the wolf. His hand closed around a tuft of fur, and he yanked. The wolf yelped, but only for a moment. Ike bent over and struck low, sliding his sword under its jaw. Blood gushed everywhere. The wolf thrashed, but Ike didn’t let go. I’m not sure I can find it if it gets away from me now. I’m not letting go. I want this invisible hide!

The other wolves cried out as their leader bled out. Ike stood atop its corpse. Since the corpse remained invisible, he floated in midair. “Come at me if you dare,” he challenged the wolves, holding out his sword.

He turned slowly, looking at the shadows in the grass. It was easier to see the wolves from above. Their bodies parted the grasses, and their feet compressed the earth. They looked at Ike, uncertain.

In the distance, a familiar howl echoed over the plains. The wolves turned. They sprinted off, racing into the grasses. In a few short moments, they vanished, leaving Ike alone atop the wolf corpse.

Ike lifted a hand to his eyes. That’s Loup, isn’t it? “Loup!”

A wolf appeared out of the grass. She lifted her head, gazing at Ike from afar.

Ike stared back. His brows furrowed. He gestured her closer. “Come on, Loup! Let’s go!”

Loup lowered her head. She turned, looking at Ike over her shoulder. Other wolves walked out of the grass, sniffing Loup and surrounding her. A few gazed warily at Ike, but with a nudge of her nose, Loup quieted them.

Ah. I understand. We were a pack when she had no pack. But now, she has a pack again. She doesn’t need me.

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“Are you sure? You’ll be stuck… in the Abyss…” In the Abyss, where there’s fewer hunters, and monsters can grow more easily than anywhere else nearby. In the Abyss, which is basically a perfect place for her to grow.

Loup bounced in place. She jogged over and stood on her hind legs, looking up at Ike.

Ike jumped down from the giant wolf’s corpse. He knelt, and Loup shoved her head into his chest. He scruffed her ears, and she rubbed her head up against him.

“Okay. If you’re sure. But one day, when you’re strong enough, we’ll find one another again,” Ike said firmly.

Loup looked him in the eye. She made a strange sound that almost sounded like yes. With one last head-shove, she ran off, back to the other wolves.

Ike watched her go. His eyes grew cloudy, and he quickly wiped them. No. She’s happy, and we’ll see each other again. Even if I have to come back here and set her free myself when the time comes, we’ll see one another again.

Loup looked over her shoulder a few times as she ran back to the wolves. She touched noses with them, saying hello again. As one, the pack set off through the grass. Their slender bodies merged with the swaying strands, and in a few moments, they vanished.

Ike sniffed. A happy-sadness whirled inside him, an intense bitter sweet. He shook his head and waved a farewell to Loup, even though the wolf was long gone.

As if in answer, a wolf howled.

“Leaving her with the wolves?” Wisp asked.

Ike shrugged. “I don’t want to, but it’s what she wants. And it’s good for her. Will it be easier for her to Rank up by my side, where I’ll be taking all the skill orbs and the lions’ share of the mana and prizes? Or will she Rank up faster here, in the Abyss, with all the resources at hand and no one leeching the majority of her winnings?”

“I couldn’t say,” Wisp said.

“Right. So if this is what she wants, then who am I to tell her no? I want her to grow strong, and she, too, wants to become stronger. If it’s better for her this way, then we’re all happy,” Ike said firmly.

Wisp glanced at him. “Is that why it looks like you’re about to cry?”

“No—I am not,” Ike insisted.

She chuckled. “You know, you can be selfish if you want. Most mages are. In fact, it wouldn’t be inaccurate to say that mages survive by being selfish.”

“But that’s exactly why I should let Loup grow on her own,” Ike said firmly. He scrubbed his face one last time and forced a smile. “The next time we see one another, we’ll both be much higher Rank.”

“Hmph,” Wisp muttered. She didn’t argue with Ike, though. Just turned and crawled away over her webbing.

Ike followed after her. He looked over his shoulder a few times. As they passed the wolf corpse, he snatched it up and carried it with him, along with the smaller wolf corpses he came in contact with on the way past. No point leaving behind good loot.