Chapter 469: Presence
Chapter 469: Presence
Adam's eyes narrowed, but he remained calmly standing atop the branch. It noticed me! But how? Could it be because of my scent?
That's the only thing that the youth wasn't able to conceal. However, he didn't imagine the werewolf's sense of smell to be so great that he would be immediately found out.
However, Adam didn't leave yet. Although he wouldn't be able to deal with such a large number of wolves here, he was confident in his ability to escape.
But he didn't do that. He wanted to see just what these monsters were guarding.
The destroyed Howlett Estate holds all the answers. But it will be very tough to reach that place on my own. Let's see what these wolves do next...
HOWL!
The werewolf threw his head back and howled to the skies. The next moment, the endless horde of wolves that were guarding the ruins of the manor suddenly turned maniacal. Their eyes turned bloodshot and they started growling.
At once, these wolves started madly rushing in Adam's direction. Upon reaching the tree the youth was perching on, they started to crawl their way up the tree trunk.
Adam was slightly taken aback when he witnessed such a scene. Although they couldn't sense me, they were able to accurately determine my location. This must be because of the werewolf's directive.
He was quite astonished by how strong the werewolf's senses were for it to find his scent despite being hundreds of meters away.
If these wolves get any closer, I'm afraid they too will be able to smell my presence. He thought to himself as the wolves climbed toward the topmost branch he was standing on.
Because of such a large number of wolves climbing the tree, it started to creak and groan, seemingly about to collapse any moment now.
Adam exerted strength in his legs and jumped to another tree nearby. He saw that the wolves were still climbing the tree he had earlier been on.
They can't sense my presence, he thought. Then what about the werewolf?
He turned his head in the direction of the ruined manor and saw that the werewolf was slowly making his way to the perimeter of the clearing. To be more accurate, he was vigilantly walking toward the tree Adam was previously on.
Standing a little over two meters tall, this werewolf was much more muscular than an average human and had a masculine frame.
His claws were razor-sharp and his fangs were long and jagged. His fur was thick and dark, with patches of white here and there.
The head was a blend of wolf and human features, with a pronounced snout and glowing eyes that were blood red.
An intimidating pressure emanated from the wolf as he continued to walk out of the clearing. It was an aura of barely contained aggression.
From the energy waves emanating from this guy, it seems that he's equivalent to a Rank 1 Magus. Hmm, I feel like he'll be able to overpower anyone in this rank, Adam calmly observed.
Suddenly, the werewolf paused in his footsteps and took a few deep breaths, his nostrils flaring. Then, he turned his head and coldly gazed at the new tree Adam was squatting on. He commanded the wolf packs to attack this tree as he too made his way there. This time, however, there was a sense of urgency in his gait as he dashed toward the tree.
Seeing such a scene, Adam smiled self-deprecatingly. As expected of the werewolf's enhanced senses. I'm afraid if it weren't for the Rank 2 spells I cast on myself, he would have long since seen through me.
He jumped from one tree to another, this time making sure to create a large enough distance from the werewolf. Adam wanted to observe him for a bit longer and then head into the ruined estate.
Witnessing the werewolf commanding the wolf packs with such great coordination, he couldn't help but wonder, It seems to be quite cool-headed. I suppose the bloodthirsty nature only emerges on the night of the full moons.
The more time passed, the more curious Adam got about just what secrets lay inside the Howlett Estate. After going around the clearing a few times, ensuring that the path to the ruined manor was almost free of wolves, the youth finally made his move.
By now, the werewolf had become extremely frantic from being unable to find the intruder. Every time he caught Adam's scent, it became fainter and fainter, causing him to be extremely violent and destructive in his approach.
Adam slowly made his way toward the destroyed manor. Thanks to the werewolf taking away the vast majority of the wolves, his path was quite clear.
Although he did come across the occasional wolf pack, he was able to effortlessly fool them and finally arrive at the gates of the manor.
The Howlett Estate stood tall and imposing, though clearly in a state of disrepair. Crumbling stone walls, broken windows, and a dilapidated roof gave the impression that it had been abandoned for years.
Adam's brows wrinkled into a knot as he thought, It seems that this place has been abandoned for quite some time now. Could it be that the Howlett Family fell victim to the werewolf way before the wolves started attacking the town?
Ivy and other creeping plants covered the exterior, further adding to its desolate look. The manor exuded an aura of neglect and decay.
The once grand entrance was now partially collapsed, with the heavy wooden doors hanging loosely on the hinges. The werewolf had stepped out from this very entrance earlier.
Adam's face turned extremely solemn. He had to look for clues inside the manor before that werewolf arrived; he had to be very quick.
He would have already killed the creature earlier as it would have made things easier for him. But the presence of so many wolves around him made the task difficult.
Moreover, he didn't know whether his fight would alert other monsters in the vicinity. He had come here tonight to gather information, not fight head-on with the monsters.
Just as Adam stepped foot inside the manor, intense warning bells started ringing inside his mind and the hair on the back of his neck stood on ends.
In the shadowy living room of the manor, he saw several other figures emerge, thier eyes glowing like crimson orbs in the dark.
Adam's pupils constricted as he hurriedly escaped the manor.
Damn it! That werewolf was not the only one!