The lord of life and death

Rain followed Helen as they drew closer to the source of the smoke signal. When they finally reached the spot, they both stopped in their tracks. Before them, the smoke rose ominously from the ground, and beside it, two people lay motionless, their bodies being torn apart by six wolves feasting on them. 

Rain's heart raced in panic, but then he caught sight of the victims' black hair, and a wave of relief washed over him. No one in his team had black hair. But his relief was short-lived—he quickly turned to Helen, worried that the fallen might be members of her family.

"Are you okay?" Rain asked cautiously, concerned about her reaction.

Helen didn't respond directly to his question. Instead, her voice was firm and composed. "I'll engage them. I'll injure the five middle D-rank wolves with *Poison Claw* to weaken them. Then you can join in and help finish them off while I handle the late D-rank wolf."

Hearing her plan, Rain's eyes darted toward the pack, and he noticed what she meant—one of the wolves was indeed larger than the rest. The late D-rank bone wolf stood out, its menacing form towering over the others. 

Rain nodded, feeling his nerves kick in, but he knew he had to trust Helen's plan. "Got it," he replied, bracing himself for what was to come. He stood back, watching as Helen confidently advanced toward the wolves. 

As she neared them, the wolves, who had been feasting on the bodies, noticed her approach. They stopped eating, growling in warning as if to tell her to back off from their meal. But Helen didn't flinch. She kept walking, her eyes fixed on them with a fierce determination. 

The wolves, sensing her intent, rose to their feet, their full attention now focused on her. They began to fan out, circling her, preparing to attack from all angles. But before they could make a move, Helen sprang into action with blinding speed. Her claws slashed through the air, striking one of the middle D-rank wolves. The wolf yelped in pain, stumbling back, but Helen had already pulled away, anticipating another attack.

A second wolf lunged at her, growling ferociously, but Helen easily dodged its leap. Her energy-covered claws sliced into its side, leaving a deep gash. The wolves, now realizing they were dealing with a much stronger opponent, hesitated, trying to regroup. But Helen gave them no time to recover. She quickly attacked a third wolf with her *Poison Claw*, the creature howling as the venomous energy began to take hold.

Seeing his pack being torn apart, the late D-rank bone wolf roared and charged at her. Helen quickly summoned her genetic energy, forming a protective shield around her body. The force of the wolf's charge pushed her back, sending her toward a fourth wolf. The wolf saw her exposed back and, thinking it had an opportunity, leapt at her, teeth bared.

But Helen moved like she had eyes in the back of her head. She sidestepped the attack at the last moment, causing the wolf to crash into the larger, late D-rank wolf. Taking advantage of the chaos, Helen struck the fourth wolf's side with a powerful claw attack, sending it stumbling. With a graceful flip, she landed in front of the fifth wolf and slashed its face, leaving deep claw marks as the creature recoiled in pain.

Rain watched in awe as Helen moved with lethal precision, her attacks flowing like a deadly dance. He knew it was now his turn to act. The wolves were weakened just as Helen had promised, so he sprang into action, sprinting toward the first wolf she had injured. 

The wolf, still stumbling from its wounds, turned toward Rain and growled, sensing his approach. Rain didn't slow down. As he neared the wolf, he leaped into the air, twisting his body mid-jump. With a swift turn, he kicked the wolf in the face with his left leg. The wolf, though slowed by Helen's poison, still managed to swipe its claws across his leg, leaving a burning scratch. Rain gritted his teeth but used the momentum of his jump to propel himself toward the last wolf Helen had attacked.

The final wolf was still disoriented, reeling from the claw marks Helen had left across its face. Rain took the opportunity and leaped onto its back. As he landed, the bone spikes jutting from the wolf's body dug painfully into his flesh, but he ignored the sharp sting. The wolf bucked and thrashed beneath him, trying to shake him off, but Rain held firm. He bent low, pressing himself against the wolf's spine, and dug his fingers, hardened from his training, into the wolf's neck.

Suddenly, another wolf lunged at him, its jaws clamping down on his side. Pain shot through him, but Rain refused to let go. He clung to the wolf beneath him as they both toppled sideways, the two wolves and Rain crashing to the ground in a violent heap. Before the second wolf could strike again, Helen appeared, delivering a swift, powerful kick that sent it flying back.

Rain seized the moment. With a final surge of strength, he dragged his fingers down the neck of the wolf he had been riding, tearing flesh as he went. The wolf coughed and sputtered, collapsing onto the ground. Rain stood up, bloodied and bruised, watching as the creature took its final breath and lay still.

Exhausted but victorious, Rain looked over at Helen, who stood poised, facing the remaining wolves. He noticed another middle D-rank wolf already lying dead nearby. Turning back to the wolf Helen had kicked earlier, Rain saw it struggling to rise, wincing in pain. Helen's kick must have broken some ribs, but Rain didn't rush to finish the creature off. Instead, he took an energy-replenishing pill, allowing his body to heal while observing the wolf's cautious posture as it prepared to attack again.

Just as Rain was about to engage, he was abruptly thrown to the side. He hit the ground hard but quickly turned to see why Helen had shoved him. In his place now stood a massive wolf, far larger than the late D-rank wolf they had just fought. This one had a bone-like armour covering its head and body, leaving only its tail and legs exposed. 

"Peak D-rank wolf," Rain muttered, feeling a surge of worry. Helen was strong, but beasts of the same realm were typically more powerful than humans, and there were still four other wolves to contend with, including the injured late D-rank wolf. Rain knew the odds were quickly stacking against them.

He sprang to his feet and charged toward the wolf Helen had kicked earlier, hoping to reduce their enemies' numbers. The wolf, sensing his approach, struggled to its feet and began to run, but it was slower than before due to its injuries. As Rain closed the distance, the wolf leaped at him, baring its fangs. Rain seized the moment, ducking low and slashing at its exposed belly mid-air.

The wolf yelped in agony, landing hard on the ground as Rain's attack left a deep gash across its belly. The creature writhed for a moment before collapsing, its life slipping away. 

Rain stood over the dying wolf, heart pounding, knowing the true test was just beginning. His gaze shifted toward Helen, who was locked in a dangerous dance with the peak D-rank wolf. The beast, larger and more menacing than anything they had faced so far, was watching her closely, while the other three wolves circled, waiting for an opportunity. But Helen didn't attack them—she was biding her time, dodging their lunges and constantly keeping her focus on the peak D-rank wolf, clearly preparing for the real threat.

Rain's attention snapped back to the battle as the late D-rank wolf lunged at Helen. She sidestepped the attack effortlessly, causing the wolf to land near him. Without hesitation, Rain took advantage of the moment, slashing at the wolf's nose—one of the few vulnerable spots exposed by the bone armor covering its head. The wolf yelped in pain and jumped back, but now its attention was on him, eyes glowing with rage. 

Rain knew he had to be extremely careful. Helen's poison hadn't affected the wolf much, and one powerful strike from a late D-rank bone wolf could severely injure him. A serious injury could slow him down, making him an easy target for the rest of the pack. He resolved to dodge and counterattack only when absolutely necessary, waiting for moments when the wolf couldn't retaliate.

Just then, his eyes flickered back to Helen. To his horror, the peak D-rank wolf had sunk its teeth into her arm while another wolf had latched onto her leg. But Helen was far from defeated. Even in this dire situation, she held the head of the wolf on her leg with her clawed fingers, energy radiating from her hand. With a surge of power, she crushed the wolf's skull, the head exploding in her grip. The peak D-rank wolf, sensing a moment of vulnerability, tore a chunk of flesh from her arm and leaped back, leaving an ugly, gaping wound where muscle had been ripped away.

Rain winced, seeing the raw wound on Helen's arm. But she didn't falter. With the wolf on her leg still latched on, Helen kicked it with her free leg, sending it flying. 

Meanwhile, Rain knew he had to keep his focus sharp. The late D-rank wolf swiped at him again, and he narrowly dodged, feeling the sting of its claws grazing his side as he sidestepped. He couldn't afford a single mistake—the stakes were life or death. Rain faced the wolf, carefully dodging its attacks. Each movement felt like an eternity, the tension stretching time as he tried to stay a step ahead of the beast's strikes.

Suddenly, Helen crashed down onto the wolf's back, using her weight and a vine shield to slam into it. The impact caused the wolf to stumble. Helen quickly got to her feet, but the peak D-rank wolf that had been attacking her shoved her back, its growl echoing as it realized its pack had dwindled—only it remained. The last middle D-rank wolf lay dead.

Helen was now locked in a fierce battle with the peak D-rank wolf, defending against its relentless attacks while it pressed forward, clearly trying to overpower her. Rain turned his attention back to the late D-rank wolf that lay on the ground, injured from Helen's sudden fall onto its back. Sensing his opportunity, Rain wasted no time. He sprang into action, repeatedly leaping onto the wolf's back as it yelped and howled in pain. After ten quick strikes, the wolf lay still. Rain bent down and, with a swift movement, tore its jugular with his nails, ending its suffering.

Now, all the wolves were dead—except for the peak D-rank wolf still locked in combat with Helen.

Rain watched the fight with growing concern. Helen was only defending now, and he knew he couldn't help—his attacks wouldn't even scratch the bone armor covering the peak D-rank wolf. Yet, something was changing. As the battle continued, the wolf's attacks became less effective. Helen, who had been pushed back earlier, was now holding her ground, matching the wolf's strikes blow for blow. 

Rain noticed it—the shift in Helen's aura. It grew fiercer, more intense, as if the very air around her thickened with power. As the peak D-rank wolf leaped toward her again, Helen's shield transformed. The vines extended with a life of their own, wrapping around the wolf in mid-air. The creature thrashed violently, snarling and struggling, but the vines held firm, tightening around its limbs and neck.

With a sickening crack, one of the vines constricted around the wolf's neck, and Rain could hear the unmistakable sound of bone breaking. The peak D-rank wolf let out a final gurgling growl before going limp, suffocated and lifeless. 

All their enemies were now dead. Exhausted, Rain and Helen collapsed onto the ground, sitting among the fallen wolves to catch their breath. The adrenaline that had been coursing through Rain's veins finally began to ebb as silence settled around them, broken only by their heavy breathing.

But just as the relief set in, the sky above them suddenly darkened. Rain looked up, startled. What had been a bright, clear day was now cloaked in an unnatural night. A blood-red moon hung ominously in the sky, casting a sinister glow over the battlefield. The sight sent a chill down Rain's spine. Something happens again.