Chapter 46
I looked at Lee Junhyuk on Han Siwoo's back.
The only person who could deal real damage to the monsters was in terrible condition.
If we encountered another Wolf now, we should assume we were dead.
So the correct choice was obvious.
We had to choose the route that gave us the best chance of avoiding monsters entirely.
“Let's go there.”
I pointed toward the crack in the wall.
The problem was...
We would have to pass the Black Wolf to reach it.
Everyone looked uncomfortable.
Still, they understood that we had very few choices.
They nodded.
Before moving, I worried the sound of my shoes might wake the Black Wolf.
So I took them off and held them.
When I stared at the others, they quickly did the same.
I faced forward and carefully stepped out.
The rough, damp cave floor pressed against my socks.
My tension doubled.
Sweat gathered in my palms around the shoes I was holding.
I rose onto the tips of my feet and slowly moved forward.
Grrrr. Hoooo.
It might have looked like a wolf.
But it was a monster.
Its fangs are the size of a person's arm...
Would seeing a real carnivorous dinosaur feel something like this?
The Black Wolf was almost as large as a four-ton truck.
If that massive body rammed into me once, I would probably die.
Even a single swipe of its paw might kill me.
I swallowed and hurried my steps.
I kept looking backward as we passed it and headed toward the crack.
Thankfully, the Black Wolf didn't wake up before we reached it.
The crack hadn't looked very large from the outside.
But once we squeezed inside, it was surprisingly spacious.
Not enough to be comfortable.
Still, all four of us could hide.
“Haa...”
It was dark inside.
That meant someone outside probably couldn't see us easily.
But we couldn't relax.
“Grrrr.”
A growl came from nearby.
I nearly jumped out of my skin and carefully looked through the crack.
For a moment, I thought the Black Wolf had awakened.
It hadn't.
“Grrrrr.”
“Grrrr.”
Several Wolves were wandering around the passage we had come from.
They lowered their noses to the ground and sniffed while growling.
The sound eventually woke the Black Wolf.
Until now, I hadn't really cared much about monsters.
To humans, they were simply creatures that threatened our homes and lives.
They were the common enemy of humanity.
Because of that, I had vaguely assumed monsters all belonged to the same side.
Today, for the first time, I realized I had been wrong.
“ROOOAR!”
“Grrrr...!”
The Wolves spotted the Black Wolf.
They lowered their bodies and stiffened their tails.
Murderous intent filled the air.
But more than aggression...
It looked like fear.
Six Wolves surrounded the single Black Wolf, baring their fangs and growling.
I shrank deeper into the crack and held my breath.
I worried one of them might notice us during the confrontation.
I didn't need to.
The Black Wolf slowly raised its massive body.
Its back was toward me, so I couldn't see its eyes.
But the Wolves grew even more tense from its presence alone.
After a brief silence...
The Black Wolf exploded forward.
It moved shockingly fast for something that large.
What followed was closer to a massacre than a fight.
“YELP!”
“BARK! ROAR!”
“GRRRR!”
The Black Wolf's fangs tore into the Wolves' bodies.
Their screams filled the cave until my ears hurt.
The smell of blood suddenly filled the air.
The scene was so brutal that it was difficult to watch.
It truly was a massacre.
Five Wolves died almost instantly.
The final Wolf trembled and whimpered.
Each time the Black Wolf crushed its head beneath one paw, a horrifying crunch echoed through the cave.
When everything finally ended, the Wolves had been reduced to chunks of flesh so mangled that they barely looked like bodies anymore.
The Black Wolf stood covered in dark red blood and raised its head.
Then it let out an enormous howl.
I could only stare.
What did I just watch?
My hands were trembling.
The Black Wolf was more monstrous than anything I had seen before.
If we fought something like that...
We would definitely die.
After howling for a long time, the Black Wolf curled into a ball again.
Soon, its heavy breathing returned.
Only then did I release the breath I had been holding.
“We need to get out now.”
My brother looked deathly pale as he pointed toward the passage.
I immediately shook my head.
“Not yet.”
“What do you mean, not yet?! If we stay here, we're all going to die!”
He was too panicked.
I silently stared at him.
His heavy breathing eventually slowed.
Once he calmed down slightly, he let out a short breath.
“Then what? We're staying here forever?”
“I don't want that either. We'll leave once I'm sure the Black Wolf is fully asleep.”
“...Whatever.”
My brother muttered weakly and leaned against the wall.
I closed my eyes for a moment and tried to calm myself.
My head hurt.
My throat felt tight.
