CHAPTER 51: CHAPTER 50: A MERCHANT’S WAY OF SURVIVING

Then—a roar.

It wasn’t a sound so much as a force, a guttural, inhuman noise that rolled through the trees and slammed into them like a shockwave.

From the edge of the shadows, it emerged.

A shape that had once resembled a wolf—if wolves were starved, stretched, and twisted by nightmares. Its spine jutted out like jagged ridges of obsidian, each vertebra stark beneath patches of thin, mangy fur the color of rot. Muscle wrapped around its emaciated frame like cables strung too tight. Its face—

A skull. A literal, sun-bleached canine skull. No flesh. No lips. Just grinning, predatory bone. Its eyes burned—two green flames flickering in empty sockets.

Its limbs were wrong. Too long, too thin. Its paws ended not in claws but in crescent-shaped scythes of bone and iron, each one glinting wickedly in the firelight.

Darien’s jaw tightened as his hand found the hilt of his sword. "Damn. This one had to show up."

He drew his blade in one fluid motion. "Wraith-class predator."

The Red Band drew their weapons immediately.

Kael instinctively moved closer to Seris—who stepped in front of him without hesitation.

"Stay behind me," she said, her voice low but firm.

Kael tried to process what he was seeing. "Is this... a ghost?"

Kael thought that this mission would go smoothly. But now this monster had appeared. Kael had only seen monsters like this in movies. But seeing it in reality was a different feeling.

Mira had pulled two daggers from her belt. Garrick shifted into a wide stance, mace gripped like a battering ram.

Even Liora, usually half-asleep and two steps behind reality, was already kneeling. She slid a small bolt into a strange, compact crossbow.

"No, not a ghost," she murmured. "It’s a wraith. An undead predator. A real one."

Kael blinked. "But why don’t you use magic? You’re a mage."

"That thing eats magic," Liora replied flatly. "It doesn’t just absorb spells—it feeds on them. The more mana you use, the stronger it gets."

Darien confirmed it. "And they can sense magic like sharks smell blood. Don’t cast unless you want it charging you."

Kael swallowed. He didn’t have magic. The System was something else—it didn’t emit mana the way spells did. At least, he hoped not.

"Does it have any weaknesses?"

"Yes," Liora said. "A few."

"As they are creatures of darkness, light is a weakness of theirs, and pure sunlight can completely vanish them. Also, their past. If the Wraith is someone who died a very painful death, then reminding them of their true name or recalling past memories can weaken or release them. And loud noises. Screeching, sudden bursts. Their hearing’s sharp. Also... silver."

The Skarn Wraith didn’t attack—not yet. It moved in a slow, deliberate circle, just outside the reach of the fire’s light. It was silent despite the claws tearing into the ground.

"It’s searching," Mira said. Her voice was barely above a whisper.

"It wants the weakest first," Garrick grunted. "Or the one with the most magic."

Seris didn’t move. Her stance was grounded. She had been in this kind of situation before.

Kael, despite himself, felt a strange sense of calm behind her. Like she was a wall that wouldn’t crumble.

Then, the Wraith struck.

It moved like a blur.

No warning, no sound—just motion. It closed the distance in a heartbeat, leaping straight at Darien, fangs bared and claws outstretched.

Darien rolled aside, faster than Kael expected for someone wearing armor. He slashed upward as he rolled, his blade catching the Wraith across the ribs.

Sparks flew.

"What the hell?!" he hissed. "Its bones are harder than steel!"

The Wraith landed, turned instantly, and charged again—this time at Liora.

She didn’t flinch.

With casual lethargy, she raised the crossbow and fired.

The bolt exploded mid-air, flashing with a brilliant green light. The Wraith flinched mid-charge and recoiled.

"Magical suppressant shot," Liora yawned. "It hates that."

Kael blinked. "I thought magic made it stronger?"

Darien answered as he swung again. "Direct mana, yes. Pure anti-mana—the kind in suppressants—hurts them. Like poison."

Kael watched as the team worked like a machine. Mira darted in and out of reach, her movements fluid and feline, daggers flashing like claws.

"Come on, ugly~" she taunted with a hiss and a grin. "Catch me if you can, nya!"

Garrick forced the creature back with huge, sweeping arcs. Liora fired bolt after bolt, buying them space.

But the creature was relentless. Even wounded, even surrounded, it moved with terrifying speed and precision.

Kael stayed behind Seris. He wasn’t helpless. He had tools. He had gear. Maybe not weapons—but tools.

Since everyone was busy fighting, he took this opportunity. [Dimensional Storage] Kael pulled out an item.

A high-powered flashlight. LED with an adjustable beam, over 2000 lumens. He clicked it on and aimed.

The beam lanced out, cutting through the dark like a blade.

The Wraith shrieked.

It recoiled instantly, clawing at its face. Its eyes—if they could be called that—flared brighter. The green glow spasmed.

"Kael, what did you do?!" Mira yowled, crouching low. Her eyes widened with surprise. "It’s freaking out, nya!"

"Light," Kael said. "High-powered LED. Maybe it sees in infrared or something."

Darien barked, "Whatever it is, keep doing it!"

Kael adjusted the beam and locked it on the Wraith. It couldn’t move forward. Every time it tried, it recoiled.

"It’s blind in direct light!" Seris said, realization dawning. "That’s why it hunted at night!"

Kael gritted his teeth. "I’ve got one more thing."

He pulled a cylindrical device from another pouch—red plastic, silver nozzle.

The High-Hound air horn.

Designed to ward off grizzlies. Industrial-grade. Ear-shattering.

He pressed the trigger.

The horn shrieked.

The sound ripped through the air like a thunderclap. Kael flinched. Everyone did. Even Garrick staggered.

The Wraith screamed.

It thrashed in agony, ears bleeding dark ichor. Its legs buckled. It clawed at its skull like it was trying to tear its own ears off.

Darien’s eyes lit up. "New plan! Liora, load silver! Garrick, take the legs! Mira—on my mark!"

Kael kept the beam locked. The Wraith couldn’t escape it. Every time it moved, the horn screamed again.

Garrick moved in first. He slammed his mace low, catching the creature in the hind legs. A sickening crunch followed.

It screeched.

Darien lunged in next, his blade glowing faintly—not magic, but heated from friction. He drove it into the creature’s side.

Mira finished it.

She leapt from a tree branch, tail flicking in the wind, daggers drawn. In mid-air, she twisted, slashing both blades across the Wraith’s exposed spine.

"Say goodnight, bone-breath—nyaaa!"

The skull flew.

The body crumpled.

For a few seconds, no one spoke.

Liora finally spoke. "That was loud."

Kael turned off the flashlight.

Darien stared at him, panting. "What... in the hells was that light and sound?"

Kael held up the devices. "A flashlight. And a High-Hound air horn."

Darien blinked. "Flashlight... I’ve heard of those. Didn’t think they were combat-grade. But this horn—damn near made me deaf."

Kael smiled, a bit sheepishly. "It’s a prototype. My design. I’ll be selling them soon through my store."

Darien sheathed his sword. "Then I’m placing an order. You just turned a death sentence into a tactic."

Garrick clapped him on the back. "You’re more useful than you look, merchant. You just saved lives."

Kael gave a weary nod. "That’s... good to hear."

Mira sauntered over, tail swaying like she was already done with the fight.

"Let’s gather what we can, nya~ Wraith bones fetch a high price. And this skull?" Her eyes gleamed. "Some noble will meowgically overpay to hang that on a wall."