Chapter 73: The First Battle Between the Young Fox and the Werewolf

“Honey tried as well. Mind magic works nicely, but the red ones are almost immune,” little Honey said with some disappointment. “Divine light spells are much more effective, though.”

Vinego stepped forward and patted the little girl’s head. She lifted her face, eyes narrowing with pleasure, clearly enjoying the gesture.

After a moment, Cait Sith emerged from the shadows.

“Well, big cat, are you afraid of dogs?” Vinego asked.

“Cats, such weak creatures who can’t live without humans, eh?” Cait Sith scoffed. “I took down eight.”

“With that, our estimate of the werewolves’ strength is nearly complete,” Vinego mused, lowering his gaze. “In terms of numbers, unless I’m mistaken, there must be several hundred werewolves in the mountains, with about one-fifth of them being red werewolves. As for leaders, aside from the ghost wolf, there should be four or five more.”

“Leaders…” Sophie echoed.

“The ghost wolf wasn’t fighting at full strength just now. It seemed to be holding back,” Vinego said. “I know that those above the red werewolf rank possess an extraordinarily powerful explosive attack.”

“How do you know that?” Cait Sith interjected, surprised.

“Have you seen it yourselves?” Vinego replied with a question.

Cait Sith nodded and revealed a wound on its side. Vinego looked to Sophie, who shook her head, indicating she was unharmed.

“Stupid cat,” Vinego muttered, taking a healing ointment from his pouch and signaling Honey to apply it to the big cat.

Cait Sith bared its fangs at Vinego but said nothing more. Despite their constant bickering, the man and cat shared a tacit understanding. Through their banter, it was clear just how powerful the red werewolves’ assaults were.

Striking a nimble creature like Cait Sith and leaving a long, jagged wound spoke volumes about the red werewolves’ lethality.

“We don’t have enough manpower,” Vinego complained. “This would be enough to handle the Bleating Lamb Cult… Bleating Lamb Cult?”

He turned to Sophie. “If I remember correctly, there’s a Bleating Lamb Temple near Black County, known for its highly skilled healers who charge very little.”

“Yes, I owe them a great debt,” Sophie nodded.

“Did your powers awaken after that incident?” Vinego suddenly asked.

Sophie’s expression changed. After a long pause, she nodded in silent confirmation.

“Just as I thought,” Vinego sighed. “I bet you’ve never seen the healer’s true face, have you?”

Sophie considered, then replied, “Indeed, I don’t know their gender or age. Their voice sounds as if two pieces of metal are scraping together—very strange. They never speak much, and the healing seems instantaneous, though a significant amount of time actually passes.”

“As if you lost all sense of time in that moment, and a period simply vanished?” Vinego pressed.

Sophie nodded.

“Let’s pay this healer a visit,” Vinego said, a sly smile curving his lips. “I have a feeling this visit will bring some interesting results.”

==A Youth on Foot==

The Bleating Lamb Temple sat alone in the shadow of the mountains between Black County and the Dragonfly Desert. It looked no different than a humble farmhouse.

Yet Vinego had never underestimated this farmhouse.

He remembered the temple well: incredibly low treatment fees, and the ability to cure curses, poisons, and grievous wounds in an instant. Yet no one ever remembered the process of healing, as if a stretch of time had been wiped from existence, leaving no trace.

He walked up to the temple and knocked gently on the door.

“Come in,” a metallic voice called from within.

Vinego murmured an acknowledgment and entered.

“Visitor, you are not injured,” the metallic voice stated, emotionless.

“That’s right. I simply wanted to drop by,” Vinego replied. “Healer, your reputation precedes you. I’ve always been curious to see your true face.”

“There’s no purpose in seeing my face,” the voice replied, drawing closer. In the gloom, an unremarkable face slowly emerged before Vinego.

“It appears my suspicions were correct,” Vinego said, nodding. “Allow me to pay my respects, great biologist.”

“Biologist…” the mysterious healer echoed.

“Or, perhaps, master of genetic science,” Vinego continued, rising to his feet.

“Ah, genetic science. How nostalgic,” the healer said, standing as well. He gently removed his hood.

Beneath the ordinary face lay countless red and blue electrodes and wires, densely packed across his head. The healer’s body was gaunt and elongated, sheathed in a mysterious blue hue.

“Visitor,” Vinego intoned.

“Genetic science. You saw through my healing techniques at a glance. Who are you?” the healer countered. “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Nua, a Mindshaper of the Kreegan race, travelers between realms.”

“Kreegans. Greedy as locusts, devouring every world they pass through without a care for the consequences. In our world, you are called demons,” Vinego nodded. “But you seem a little different—not quite so greedy.”

“My interests lie in research,” Nua replied. “Our greed stems from the vast resources our studies demand. We have little time for anything else, so our methods of gathering resources are often… blunt.”

“I see,” Vinego responded.

“But I’ve found a better way—one that allows efficient resource gathering without direct confrontation with your world,” Nua said.

“By supporting local proxies—the Bleating Lamb Cult, correct?” Vinego guessed.

“As you see, human greed is the best fuel. I merely set things in motion, and everything proceeded as it should,” Nua declared with pride. “The cult grows, and my efficiency in collecting resources increases. Everything is perfectly normal.”

“But you must not realize that human greed will eventually turn on its master,” Vinego sneered. “Once they believe they possess enough power, they’ll come for you—for your strength, and for everything you have.”

“Thanks for the warning,” Nua replied with a graceful bow. “Meeting an interesting young man like you has been a pleasure. Now, if you’ll excuse me, my servants have prepared a superior palace. This place no longer matters.”

“I imagine, as a researcher, your combat ability isn’t much,” Vinego said maliciously, extending his right hand toward Nua.

Silently, Vinego activated Azure Sky. Finger Gun, Model 1917.

The concentrated blast of high-speed air struck an invisible barrier, sending ripples of pale blue energy through the air. Vinego frowned. “Deflection field? Or perhaps a plasma shield?”

“So you’re a visitor as well, young man,” Nua cackled. “Farewell. And do play with my toys.”

His figure vanished into the blue light. As the glow faded, the ground cracked open, and a horde of werewolves erupted from the underground laboratory, charging toward Vinego.

Vinego threw off his cloak, revealing a blue bodysuit and a round shield strapped to his back. He pulled his mask up over his eyes and let out a low hum.

Role selection confirmed. Analysis complete. Commence reconstruction—Captain America, construct complete.

As dozens of werewolves surged forward, Vinego closed his eyes for a brief moment. In that instant, Honey’s clear voice rang out behind him, accompanied by a burst of dazzling divine light.

Mass Fear!

Vinego shouted, raising his shield to shoulder height and charging forward with all his might.

Starstrike Assault!

The two lead werewolves were sent flying without resistance. Vinego exhaled, planted his feet, and unleashed a powerful spinning kick, sending a third werewolf airborne. In a flash, Silver Slash streaked across the room, cutting the airborne werewolf down.

The next moment, the shield was back in Vinego’s hand. He raised it in time to block four charging werewolves, retreating to avoid being surrounded.

Quickly, he regained the high ground, positioning himself between the clutter and the walls, facing the werewolves head-on.

And who had Captain America ever feared in a fair fight?

In such close quarters, Vinego used fewer devastating attacks like Starstrike Assault, and instead methodically bashed aside any werewolf that drew near with his shield.

He was not alone.

While the werewolves swarmed Vinego, Honey’s divine spells steadily sapped their strength. Though her Light Arrow wasn’t as overwhelming as her Mind Magic, among ordinary divine spellcasters, she was exceptional.

Each arrow of light drew a howl of pain from a werewolf. When any enraged werewolf lunged for Honey outside the door, it was met by Sophie’s duelist’s blade.

That was the true deadly weapon. One stroke shattered bone and severed flesh!

Honey’s laughter was particularly jarring amid the werewolves’ anguished cries. Under the influence of Mass Fear and her taunts, the werewolves utterly failed to mount an organized attack, lessening the pressure on Vinego considerably.

He simply kept swinging his shield.

“That should do it,” Vinego murmured.

He gauged his moment, crouched low, gathered his strength, and sprang up, bringing his shield crashing down on the nearest werewolves, scattering them.

In terms of basic attacks, few of Vinego’s constructed roles could match Captain America for range and sheer force—swift, wide, and brutally powerful.

“Now… the Ultimate Starstrike Assault!”

A flash of silver burst through the werewolf pack like a meteor, clearing a path straight to the doorway.

When Vinego stopped again, only two or three young werewolves remained in the temple.

But Vinego did not relax. He turned and gazed toward the temple, sighing softly.

There, a presence burned, unhidden, as fierce and scorching as a raging fire.

“The sound of crystal shattering…” Vinego whispered. “It’s coming out!”

The ferocious aura drew closer, and any werewolf in its path was torn apart without hesitation.

It was a werewolf—raging, mindless, its body larger and more muscular than any of its kind, as though forged from pure iron.

Its blood-red eyes seemed almost magical; with a single glance, Vinego was nearly paralyzed, unable to move his fingers.

The pressure was overwhelming… Was this one of Nua’s “toys”?

Forcing himself to stare back, Vinego activated his Eye of Detection. The beast’s muscle density was 2.7 times that of a normal human—how could it remain alive with such density?

Its internal organs were equally formidable, its heart pumping viscous blood through its body at over ten times the normal rate to feed those ravenous muscles. Clearly, the beast was in a perpetual state of hunger—its own consumption would destroy it eventually.

But before it burned itself out, this abomination possessed enough power to devastate an entire region.

Eat! Eat! Eat! Its mind screamed a single, primal urge. Without hesitation, the mutant werewolf seized one of its kin, tore open its throat, drank the blood, and devoured it in three bites as if eating a biscuit.

With a deafening roar, the mutant werewolf turned to look at Honey and Sophie.

There—more delicious prey.

“Not good—Honey…” Vinego gritted his teeth, trying to move. Just then, Honey’s cheerful voice came from behind him.

“Remove Fear.”

Divine light washed away Vinego’s terror, restoring his strength at once. Perhaps shamed by his own moment of fear, Vinego felt as though he were on fire. He snapped his hand forward, sending his shield flying.

Silver Slash!

The mutant werewolf howled in pain, but as if nothing had happened, straightened and faced Vinego.

It opened its mouth and uttered guttural words: “Ashen—Rak, strong!”

“Ashforge Rak—is that your name?” Vinego snorted. He caught his returning shield, then drew a small sphere from his belt and tossed it at the mutant werewolf.

Of course, the werewolf paid the object no mind, swatting it aside like a fly. Little did it expect the sphere to burst into a mass of adhesive, coating its forearm with a thick layer of blue-green glue.

Such were Vinego’s little toys—dangerous, indeed!

==Had some business yesterday, so here’s an extra update today, meow.==