The first wolf that caught sight of Zachary and Katherine didn't immediately attack them. It looked around in confusion as if not expecting other creatures to dare sneak up to them. They were the hegemon of the ruins and even adept rank Ensouled wouldn't bother with them.

As a result, it suffered the sharp point of the bamboo spear around the shoulder area. It yelped in pain as it was pushed to the ground, its body thrashing about wildly. Other wolves noticed the commotion but before they could react, Hammer followed up from behind Zachary and crushed the smaller creature's head with its claw.

"Woo!"

"Woo!"

Several wolves howled and came in their direction.

Zachary and Katherine were moving quickly, not at a dead sprint but at a steady jog. Onkie could keep up with them but Hammer and Oakley were rather slow. The heavy mist made the ground muddy and slippery. They were close to the edge of the chasm that separated the ruins from the central monolith and they didn't want to accidentally fall in.

Four wolves faced them in a small arc, blocking their way. The majority of the wolves were still occupied with Aaron White's group. Zachary swung his spear at the first beast. It snapped its jaw at the spear tip which glanced across its face. Another lunged at his side but Hammer was already in position and intercepted it. Sharp teeth clanged off the crab's tough shell and the wolf bounced off, furiously shaking its head from the shock of the impact. During this time, a third wolf rushed up and leaped over Onkie.

"Oakley, catch it!" Zachary shouted as he ducked.

A whimper sounded above his head and he knew his treant had done a good job.

"Throw it over!" He commanded.

The tall treant creaked as it moved. With both hands, it swung the wolf around once before letting go. The wolf let out a wild cry as it soared in the air, over the edge, and plunged to its death.

"Go, go, go!" Zachary shouted again.

They were halfway to the land bridge but the pack had fully noticed them now. A group of more than ten turned and started in their direction. If they could reach the bridge before the wolves, it would be their win. If they were too slow and surrounded before they could do so, then it would be certain death.

The wolves were not sitting still either. Already, two of the wolves had drifted over to the narrow patch of grass and stone that was Zachary's target. It was as if they had sensed something from his actions. It was what made wild Ensouled so formidable, the fact that as they cultivated the soul to get stronger and faster, they also got smarter.

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Zachary knew the situation wasn't good and it spurred him into action, "Onkie, charge ahead! Arrow, spit at anything that comes in our way!"

With that, he broke into a sprint, leaving the cover of his two larger summons. Katherine was right behind him. He didn't need to tell her to act, she already knew what to do.

A snarling wolf blocked their path. Onkie tackled it head-on and the two tangled together. Although Onkie was shorter, its body was much thicker and probably twice as heavy. Its fur was dense and a few bites here and there wasn't enough to even draw blood.

Another wolf leaped over the pair and at Zachary. Without slowing, he stabbed it in the mouth, causing blood and saliva to land on his face. He blinked as his eyes stung, momentarily losing concentration just as more wolves approached.

Pu! Pu! Pu!

Arrow let loose with rapid spitballs. It didn't need his command as it already understood what it had to do. When the poison splattered on a wolf's head, the beast immediately fell to the ground, whining and panting as it tried to rub its face with its paws or against the ground in a futile attempt at getting rid of the potent sludge. Even if the poison landed on fur, it quickly seeped into the skin and caused painful stinging sensations that distracted them enough to break formation.

"Thanks, Arrow. You're the best." Zachary praised as he regained his composure.

The little frog croaked several times, showing that it was pleased with the compliment. Afterward, it doubled its efforts, spitting out poison without pause.

Zachary and Katherine kept going. The land bridge was only a short distance away. Four wolves stood in their way. Behind them, Onkie was tangled with two wolves, furiously wrestling and biting one or the other. Hammer was surrounded on all sides but its hard shell protected it from any harm. Oakley was also surrounded and was starting to suffer wounds as the wolves chomped down on its body, tearing bits of bark and chipping into the hardwood. It groaned, not quite feeling pain but rather alarm at its situation as if it could sense impending demise. It was too slow to catch up to its summoner and too weak to deal with so many opponents. Treants were not well known for their emotions but when faced with death, its expression was still one of helpless dejection.

Through their soul bond, Zachary sensed Oakley's dangerous situation. He wasn't about to let his summon die just like this.

"Kate, cover me!" He yelled as he turned around.

"I got it! Marble, go!"

The little black cat leaped out of her embrace and disappeared into a wisp of black smoke. It reappeared on top of a wolf's head and sank its claws into the wolf's eyes. At the same time, Katherine skewered another wolf through its sides, pushing it and the spear over the slippery edge in the process. She then brandished her knife and waved it around, keeping the last two at bay. She was surprisingly fast and nimble, easily dodging snapping jaws and sharp teeth with movements that showcased her experience.

All of this happened within the span of three breaths. But it was enough for Zachary. He had successfully performed a long-distance recall on Oakley and immediately proceeded with a rapid resummon.

Eternum surged out of his brow, flowing into and through the summoning card that he was holding up. Suddenly, as he was about to finish the resummon, a sharp pain arced through his skull as the old wound within his soul acted up once more. He almost threw up from the agony which came in unrelenting waves. He had almost forgotten how much it hurt, almost.

He let out a miserable shout and doubled over. He gave up on the resummon as he heard Katherine shout his name in alarm. Gritting his teeth, he pushed himself back up with his spear shaft. Damn these wolves. Damn the New World. He wished eternal ruin upon the Republic Adorin as he threw himself forward. He was an adept rank summoner. Even without summons, he could beat a few mangy beasts!