Chapter 402: Reinforce Shadow Wolf Pack

Within an hour, the entire Mist Pack had transformed into a war camp.

Warriors hurried through the village carrying weapons and supplies. Elders prepared medicines and bandages. Even ordinary werewolves who couldn’t fight helped transport food, water, and equipment to the front lines.

Standing atop the southern cliff, Vikram looked toward the distant forest. A thick cloud of birds suddenly burst into the sky. The ground beneath his feet began trembling.

Then... Thousands of figures emerged from between the trees.

An endless sea of zombies slowly advanced toward the Mist Pack. Behind them walked more than a dozen larger, evolved zombies. Unlike the mindless horde, their movements were organized. Their eyes were fixed on the canyon with clear purpose.

Vikram narrowed his eyes.

"So... they really are being commanded."

He slowly drew his weapon.

"Then we’ll destroy the commanders first."

---

As the zombie horde entered the canyon exactly as planned, Vikram raised his arm high into the air.

"Attack!"

The canyon instantly erupted into chaos.

The First and Second Squads blocked the entrance, forcing the massive horde into the narrow passage. At the same time, the Third Squad ignited the prepared oil barrels, creating a roaring wall of flames behind the zombies. They were trapped.

The Fourth and Fifth Squads attacked from the cliffs above, raining down spears, boulders, and burning logs.

Everything unfolded exactly as Vikram had planned.

...At first.

The ordinary zombies fell in droves. But the evolved ones were far more dangerous than expected. A group of Runners suddenly broke through the side, using their incredible speed to climb the canyon walls and attack the squads from above. At the same time, Climbers scaled the cliffs, trying to dismantle the barricades from behind.

The situation grew tense.

Vikram activated his Sync ability.

[Synchronization Successful.]

[Host has Synchronized with Phantom Treekin]

A dark, shadowy energy surged through his body.

Abyssal Assassination and Shadow Thorn Prison became available.

Vikram moved like a ghost. He disappeared into the shadows and reappeared behind a Runner, his strike infused with shadow energy piercing straight through its spine. The Abyss Mark took hold, making the creature sluggish. A second strike ended its life instantly.

He didn’t stop there.

With a sweeping gesture, he summoned Shadow Thorn Prison. Massive shadow-infused vines erupted from the ground, wrapping around a cluster of evolved zombies, including two Climbers and a Screamer. The thorns drained their strength while the shadow energy weakened their perception.

The trapped elites struggled violently, but the vines held firm.

However, the real threat emerged at the center of the horde.

A tall, thin figure, the Plague Bringer, stepped forward. Standing nearly eleven feet tall with long dangling arms, its swollen body constantly leaked green-black pus and toxic mist. The moment it appeared, a poisonous cloud spread rapidly, weakening the werewolves’ bodies and corroding the shadow vines.

The Plague Bringer raised its claws and unleashed an Infection Pulse. Several fallen zombies began twitching and rising again as new undead.

The tide of battle began to shift dangerously.

Vikram’s eyes turned cold.

He vanished into the shadows once more. Using Abyssal Assassination, he launched a devastating strike at the Plague Bringer’s back. The shadow-infused attack pierced its tough hide, applying the Abyss Mark.

The Plague Bringer roared in pain and swung its corrupting claws wildly, releasing more toxic mist.

Vikram didn’t retreat. He pressed the attack with a series of rapid, lethal strikes, each one empowered by shadow energy. The Abyss Mark amplified the damage, causing dark cracks to spread across the Plague Bringer’s body.

With a final, powerful thrust, Vikram drove his weapon through the creature’s chest. The Plague Bringer let out one last gurgling scream before collapsing, its toxic body dissolving into black sludge.

The moment the Plague Bringer died, the remaining evolved zombies lost coordination. The horde fell into disarray.

"Push forward!" Vikram commanded. "Do not let a single one escape!"

The werewolves roared and charged with renewed vigor. The canyon became a slaughterhouse. By the time the sun began to set, not a single zombie remained alive.

The Battle of the Southern Canyon ended in a decisive victory.

Casualties were surprisingly low, thanks to Vikram’s precise leadership and quick adaptation when the Plague Bringer appeared.

As the warriors returned to the village carrying their wounded comrades, their eyes shone with deep respect and loyalty toward their new Commander.

Vikram stood atop the cliff, looking at the blood-soaked canyon below.

The name "Vikram" rapidly spread among the neighboring packs. Many couldn’t believe that the former reckless heir had become the commander responsible for such an overwhelming victory.

---

That evening, the Mist King summoned every elder and squad leader to the central hall.

After everyone had assembled, he slowly stood.

"The second trial... is complete."

His gaze fell upon Vikram.

"You have proven that you can command the whole army."

Every warrior present nodded in agreement. Not a single voice objected.

The Mist King continued,

"Beginning today... you will be the next Mist King."

Thunderous cheers immediately echoed throughout the village.

"Future Mist King!"

"Future Mist King!"

"Future Mist King!"

The warriors struck their weapons against the ground in celebration. Even the elders smiled with approval.

This time, no one believed Vikram had regained the title because he was the Mist King’s grandson.

He had earned it.

The Mist King raised his hand, silencing the crowd once more.

"However... my trials are not over. The third trial will determine whether you are truly worthy of becoming the Mist King."

He signaled, and Elder Rowan stepped forward.

"Elder Rowan, tell Vikram his next mission."

Elder Rowan nodded and announced, "The Shadow Fang Pack has sent an envoy requesting immediate assistance. Their territory has been surrounded by zombies, and they are on the verge of collapse."

The entire hall became silent.

The Mist King looked toward Vikram.

"Your mission this time will be to protect another pack. And if you can unite two packs under a single command... then you will have taken your first true step toward becoming a King."

Vikram nodded without hesitation. "I understand."

---

He immediately stepped toward the large map on the table.

"The Shadow Fang Pack is three days from here. If we march with the entire army, we’ll arrive too late."

He pointed toward a narrow mountain pass.

"We’ll take the eastern route. It shortens the journey by almost a full day."

One of the elders frowned. "That path is dangerous. It passes directly through zombie territory."

Vikram nodded.

"That’s exactly why we’ll use it. The zombies won’t expect a large army to march through their own hunting grounds."

The hall fell silent.

After a few moments, the Mist King gave a faint nod.

"Very well. Do whatever you want."

Vikram turned toward the squad leaders.

"Prepare supplies for seven days. No unnecessary baggage. We move within an hour."

The squad leaders didn’t ask a single question.

"Understood, Commander!"

As they hurried out to prepare, the Sand King, who had been quietly observing everything, let out a low chuckle.

"He really has changed."

The Mist King looked toward the departing Vikram.

"I wasn’t testing whether he could win battles. I was testing whether others would willingly entrust their lives to him."

The Sand King smiled.

"And now?"

The old werewolf king’s expression remained calm.

"Now he’ll face his first battle... where the lives of another pack depend entirely on his decisions."

---

Less than an hour later, five hundred Mist Pack warriors gathered outside the village gates.

Vikram stood at the front, his silver eyes sharp and focused.

Looking at the army before him, he raised his weapon high.

"Move!"

With a thunderous howl, the gates of the Mist Pack opened.

Hundreds of werewolves surged into the forest, marching toward their new mission.

The Mist Pack army marched without stopping.

As Vikram had predicted, the eastern route was dangerous, but it allowed them to avoid the largest zombie hordes. Along the way, they eliminated every group of zombies that blocked their path with ruthless efficiency.

By the evening of the second day, a scout returned at full speed.

"Commander!"

Vikram immediately signaled the army to halt.

"What did you find?"

"The Shadow Fang Pack is still holding," the scout reported, catching his breath. "But they’re completely surrounded. The zombies attack them every day. Their supplies are running out. And their Alpha..."

The scout hesitated.

Vikram frowned. "What about their Alpha?"

The scout continued, "The Shadow Fang Pack isn’t ruled by an Alpha. It is ruled by a Queen."

Several warriors exchanged surprised glances. Among werewolf packs, male Alphas were far more common. A female ruler was extremely rare.

The scout went on, "Her name is Queen Lyra. She inherited the pack after both her parents died fighting the zombies. Although she’s still young, no one in the Shadow Fang Pack questions her authority. She’s personally leading every battle. Without her... the pack would’ve fallen long ago."

Vikram looked toward the distant mountains.

"So she’s still alive."

The scout nodded. "Yes. But not for much longer. The zombie horde grows larger every day. They’ve already lost nearly half their territory. If we don’t arrive within the next day... the Shadow Fang Pack will be overrun."

Vikram didn’t hesitate.

"We increase our pace. We march through the night."

One of the squad leaders stepped forward. "The warriors have been marching for two days without proper rest. They’re exhausted."

Vikram looked around at the army. Every warrior was tired, yet every pair of eyes remained determined.

He made his decision.

"We’ll rest for one hour. Eat. Recover your strength. After that... we continue until we reach the Shadow Fang Pack."

No one objected.

An hour later, the army resumed its march under the moonlight.

---

As dawn broke on the third day, they climbed the final ridge overlooking the Shadow Fang territory.

What they saw made every warrior fall silent.

The once-thriving pack had been reduced to a fortress under siege.

Thousands of zombies surrounded its walls from every direction. Smoke rose into the sky from burning barricades. The sounds of desperate battle echoed continuously across the valley.

And standing atop the highest watchtower, directing the defense without retreating a single step, was a black-furred werewolf woman clad in dark armor.

Even from that distance, her commanding presence was unmistakable.

The scout lowered his head.

"Commander... That is Queen Lyra of the Shadow Fang Pack."

Vikram’s eyes narrowed as he observed the battlefield, already analyzing the situation.

Without waiting any longer, he studied the layout below. The zombies had completely surrounded the Shadow Fang Pack. Charging straight through the center would only trap his own forces as well.

After a brief moment of thought, Vikram pointed toward the western side of the battlefield.

"Their strongest forces are gathered at the main gate. They expect reinforcements to attack from there."

He then pointed toward a steep, rocky slope.

"We’ll strike from the west. The terrain is difficult, but it also means the zombies have left it lightly defended."