Chapter 182: 'The Eclipse Fang!'

"What are you checking? They don’t take your petty knife!" a middle-aged woman snickered. She smoothed her kirtle and settled back onto the couch on the cart.

Another man in a dark leather tunic lifted his lantern and swept it across the road, but all he caught was the sight of startled faces and a few young boys and girls looking around in bewilderment.

Chatter and grumbling filled the air.

"Same as always." Levi chuckled again, though Moon thought there was some admiration in that chuckle.

"They could have passed silently without anyone noticing. They just wanted to mess with us," Nox said with annoyance.

"I wonder how much roasted meat they stole this time." Axe also laughed out loud.

"Why would they steal?" Moon asked, finding it rather amusing.

This academy wasn’t part of the three-academy joint event, but it was still one of the seven major academies.

"They just love showing everyone they’re present at such events. Not all of them, though. And we don’t even know how many people they have in total. It could be a thousand, or it could be just one," Ugo answered from the side.

"I LIKE THEM!" Marina said eagerly.

She leaned toward the window, as though hoping to catch a glimpse of someone from the mysterious academy before they vanished again. "They are so cool!"

Moon looked at her thoughtfully.

She already had a pass for the Citadel of Phantoms; she just needed to reach adulthood to enter.

They were getting closer to the massive city boundary.

Soon, they reached the road lined with pine trees. Their dark branches stretched over the passing carriages.

Ahead, the city walls rose above them, with watchtowers standing at intervals along the stone ramparts. Lanterns illuminated the entrance, and the steady stream of travelers arriving from all directions had grown thicker with every passing minute.

Moon could hear more and more chatter, along with the sound of horse hooves and rattling carts.

They were probably all from various packs, and Levi’s mercenaries didn’t need to show respect by stopping.

Moon thought the rest of the road would be the same.

But he was wrong.

Just a few breaths after the Citadel of Phantoms had left, there came a roar and a howl.

This time, it was almost like an earthquake.

The ground shook violently and began to vibrate.

The carriage lurched beneath Moon, making him grab the edge of his seat.

Dust rose between the wheels, and the lanterns hanging from nearby carts swung wildly.

"The Eclipse Fang!"

A collective gasp and loud cheers erupted, drowning out the rumbling.

The noise was so loud that Moon’s ears began to ring.

"..."

He looked out of the window to get a better look.

The first thing that caught his eye was snow splattering everywhere.

Amidst the snow, an enormous wolf with black, ashen fur leaped forward in single strides, making the nearby young girls scream out loud.

Moon could not tell whether they were scared or simply excited.

Regardless, their admiring eyes neither left the wolf nor the following young men’s procession of black horses.

They were running along the road with powerful strides. In a blink, they reached Levi’s caravan.

The short, sturdy mantles over their shoulders fluttered in the air, their metal fang clasps glistening beneath the moonlight.

Their sharp eyes made them look every bit as fierce as the leading wolf they were following.

Wild, yet in a neat row.

Unlike Zenith’s magnificent convoy, Eclipse Fang’s procession was less concerned with appearances. But more with strength.

Moon couldn’t help looking a bit longer.

From the corner of his eye, Moon saw Axe and Nox peeking out as well. Though they tried to keep their expressions straight, Moon could tell they were excited too.

Several girls in flower gowns climbed onto their carriages and waved red handkerchiefs.

"Awooooo...! Hey, Fang! Look at me!"

"Over here! Look this way!"

The calls grew louder as the warriors drew closer.

Moon’s view was obstructed by the long cloaks, fur, skirts, and shawls the girls were wearing. If they hadn’t come out to wave, Moon would never have known that this merchant caravan had so many young women and girls.

Moon watched as one handsome young man rode past the roadside.

His dark mantle fluttered behind him, and the black iron insignia on his chest caught a glint of moonlight as he leaned slightly toward the girls.

Another young man took a wildflower from his leather-strapped belt that he probably tucked in before, and threw it at a random girl as he passed by. He even winked at an old woman when she offered her hand, smiling at him adoringly.

One girl stretched out her hand.

The young man reached down and brushed his fingers against hers before his horse carried him past.

The girl immediately clutched her hand to her chest and began kissing the spot he had touched.

"..."

Seeing all this, Moon was rendered speechless once again.

’Are the girls in this world really so... enthusiastic?’ he thought.

The young warrior’s horse suddenly slowed.

Moon was still watching the girl when he noticed the rider turn over his shoulder. His gaze swept across the roadside before settling briefly on Moon’s carriage.

When their eyes met, Moon was startled.

The young man looked at him for just a moment.

Then he pulled the reins, and the horse surged forward again, its hooves pounding against the road as he caught up with the procession.

His mantle billowed behind him before disappearing among the other riders.

Moon blinked and leaned back slightly.

’What was that about?’

He couldn’t tell whether the young man had merely been looking around or had noticed him watching. He just hoped it was the former.

Ugo placed his palm on Moon’s face and turned him around.

"Don’t crane your neck so much. What if you get hit by a passing horse or carriage? They certainly wouldn’t slow down to let you get out of the way."

Moon suddenly felt embarrassed.

"When did I crane my neck?" he mumbled, still marveling at how much influence the group of young men seemed to have over the people in the procession.