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“Chapter 230: Unexpected Help”
This is Snowpeak. Home of the Tribe of the Divine Wolves. It’s not out of this world to imagine that we would encounter wolves.
But the timing is definitely not the best.
All we can do is stare at it as it stares back.
– 
Is it analyzing us?
For now, it doesn’t seem to want to harm us.
– Humans?
– Huh!? (Meirir)
– Did the dog just talk!? (Dyke)
Grown-up divine wolves are just as smart if not smarter than a human adult. Mike is now able to speak human language even in wolf form, albeit stuttering a lot.
– Leave. This is our territory.
– This is a misunderstanding. We were teleported here. We don’t know our way back home.
– Leave immediately.
– 
Blunt, huh?
I wish the wolf was willing to at least listen to us. We’re completely innocent in this scenario.
– We can’t leave
 But we also can’t fight him. (Roar)
Mike isn’t here and we don’t know when she’ll be back. Even with the best equipment in the world, it would be a difficult gamble to take this fight.
– Leave. Or else.
The wolf took another step towards us.
I still don’t feel hostility, but it might be the fact that from the wolf’s perspective, killing us would be no harder than kicking a pebble on the road.
– Can you guys walk?
– Yes.
– I’m shaking so much that I feel like I’m about to leak, but I can walk.
– I can walk too.
My body is also shaking. I can’t tell if it’s the cold or the fear.
– Fine, we’ll take our leave now. This is your territory after all. Is that okay?
– Yes. Leave.
The wolf with silver fur sat down while still remaining alert to any sudden movements.
– Do we all agree?
The three idiots nodded and slowly backed away.
Fighting the wolf would’ve been sure death. This way we have at least a very small chance of surviving.
As soon as the golden eyes of the wolf were no longer visible-
– MEIRIR-SAN, HIT THE GROUND! LIFT AS MUCH SNOW AS YOU CAN!
– Got it!
We can’t abandon Mike here. She’s one of us.
– Mike, please!
I used the powder snow to make a dog whistle as quickly as I could.
The four of us ran in different directions.
– Roar, shoot an arrow! Anywhere is fine!
– What do you mean anywhere!?
Roar shot all the arrows he had. The wolf appeared in front of us with its fangs out.
– You have chosen to fight. How foolish.
Considering its size and the poor visibility due to the storm, I thought I could enhance Roar’s arrows with ice to land a hit on the wolf, but our opponent is completely unscathed.
– This way, doggy!
I walked up as a way of distraction. The real threat was Meirir coming from behind using rolled-up snow as cover.
Reminiscent of my battle in Shimazu, I had covered Meirir’s fists and legs with ice sharp enough to behead the beast with a clean attack.
But the wolf didn’t bat an eye.
– You will be first.
Meirir’s body was slashed by the wolf’s fangs with a speed that no ordinary adventurer would’ve been able to see.
Normally, this would’ve meant that Meirir was dead, but what the beast hit was only an illusion.
– It worked! (Meirir)
Meirir’s skill omitted the moment in which her body was torn apart.
For the first time, the beast showed signs of shock.
– 
Cease this pointlessness.
But the wolf used the totally empty air as a foothold to turn his body and kick Meirir’s back.
Was that a skill? Was it magic?
Meirir’s ability won’t save us forever. We’re on borrowed time here.
– You will be first.
– MEIRIR-SAN!
The plan was to buy as much time as we could until Mike came back after hearing the whistle, but there are no signs of her at all.
We’re by ourselves.
Meirir is going to die.
– It’s fine, Nagami-kun.
– What?
The flash of a sword intercepted the wolf’s fangs from reaching Meirir.
– I thought something was off when a teleportation spell activated. I’m glad I marked you.
– Why are you here?
– Because we’re classmates. You and me, we’re the only two remaining people from the class. You’re important to me.
Minagami Shiori smiled at me.