The second branch of Corned Heaven was far quieter than the main one.Only a handful of tables were occupied. The distant clatter of cutlery echoed softly beneath the warm glow of the mana lanterns hanging from the ceiling. The rich smell of roasted meat drifted through the dining hall.At a table near the corner sat six travellers. Or at least, that was what Corned believed them to be.Their hoods had long been removed.A large platter of roasted boar meat occupied the center of the rectangular table while mugs of beer and noodle bowls surrounded it. The bearded man resting his elbow atop the table tore off a piece of meat and glanced toward the man sitting at the head of the group."How long do we stay as shadows, Boss?"The leader brushed his long white curls backward and tied them into a ponytail. He tilted his neck slightly.Crack.The joint popped as he looked toward the bearded man."Only till tonight, Noussir."A grin appeared beneath Noussir's beard. Across from him, a red-ha

The night stretched long over Corned. One by one, the lights inside the tavern went dark. The laughter and clatter from the dining hall thinned, then died behind the walls. Behind closed doors, the hunters waited.For the first hour, nobody slept. Every creak of wood made someone reach for their weapon. A gust of wind across the balconies made shoulders tense, and hearts skip a beat. Yet the werewolves never came.The second hour passed, then the third.The moon climbed higher above the town while the mana lanterns outside continued casting their soft glow across the streets. Bit by bit, exhaustion wore down caution. One by one, the hunters surrendered to their heavy eyelids.Van was no exception.His shield rested against the wall beside his bed. His armor lay neatly folded beside it. The tanker had fallen asleep with one arm hanging over the edge of the mattress. Then a faint sound reached his ears.Rustle.His eyes slowly opened. For a moment, he remained still. Another rustling so

The cries of the wolves had awakened half of Corned.Even at midnight, doors opened, and mana lanterns flared to life. Residents spilled into the streets in nightclothes and half-fastened cloaks, drawn toward the Market District by fear of those howls. Around Corned Heaven, the crowd thickened with every passing minute.People leaned from balconies. Guards pushed through the press, barking for order. But questions moved faster than answers. A handful of guests from the tavern had witnessed the chained werewolves suspended near the balcony. Most, however, had only heard the howls.And those howls were enough.Amidst the growing crowd stood four familiar faces––Hugo, Noussir, Mat, and Rhonda.The four blended seamlessly into the gathering of citizens. Their eyes flickered from one balcony to another, mirroring the crowd. Yet unlike the others, they knew exactly what had happened. Hugo's arms remained crossed over his chest as his eyes swept through the crowd. Two people were missing. Hi