Satou activated his enhanced senses immediately. His Demon Wolf Enhanced Senses picked up a scent, musky, predatory, distinctly canine. His Tremor Sense detected something large moving through the undergrowth, trying to stay quiet.

"Dire Wolf," Satou said. "Just one, I think. Probably a scout from the pack."

"Should we engage it?" Kelvin asked, his spear already coming up.

"No," Cassius said. "If we kill a scout, the pack will know we're coming. Better to let it report back. The wolves will be expecting prey, not organized fighters. That works to our advantage."

"Plus," Satou added, "if they know we're coming, they might consolidate their forces near the cave entrance. Makes them easier to find and engage on our terms rather than hunting them through the forest."

The wolf continued to shadow them for another hour before disappearing, presumably returning to the pack to report. By then, they were getting close to Zik's village.

"We're almost there," Zik said, his nervousness increasing. "The caves are just beyond that ridge. But I don't know what we'll find. It's been almost a day since I left. They might already be..."

"They're alive," Cassius said with certainty. "I can hear heartbeats from here. Frightened, weak, but alive. Your people have survived."

Zik's relief was palpable. "Thank the spirits. Elder Grik must have found a way to hold them off."

They crested the ridge and got their first look at the goblin village, or what remained of it.

The caves were built into a rocky hillside, their entrances hidden by clever use of vegetation and natural rock formations. Under normal circumstances, they would have been nearly impossible to spot. But now, the area around them was trampled and torn up, signs of repeated skirmishes. Bodies lay scattered about, both goblins and what looked like smaller forest creatures the wolves had been feeding on.

And surrounding the main cave entrance, lounging in the afternoon sun like they owned the place, were the Dire Wolves.

Satou counted them carefully. Eighteen visible from this position. Two more likely inside or patrolling elsewhere based on the tracks. Twenty total, matching Zik's estimate.

They were massive creatures, each one standing nearly five feet at the shoulder, with fur ranging from gray to black. Their yellow eyes gleamed with predatory intelligence. Several were gnawing on bones, others dozed in patches of sunlight, and a few kept watch on the cave entrance where presumably the surviving goblins were barricaded.

One wolf stood apart from the others, noticeably larger with a scarred muzzle and one torn ear. The alpha.

"That's a lot of wolves," Kelvin said quietly, but his voice was steady. No fear, just assessment.

"Twenty against one," Satou said, looking at Kelvin seriously. "Are you sure about this? There's no shame in saying you want backup."

Kelvin was silent for a moment, studying the wolves below. Then he turned to Satou with determination clear in his eyes.

"I'm sure. I've been preparing for this. Training for this. If I can't handle twenty wolves with you and Cassius as backup, then I'm not ready to protect anyone. And I need to be ready. I need to be strong enough that what happened with Vegeta never happens again."

"Then here's how we'll do this," Satou said, his tactical mind already formulating a plan. "Cassius, you and I will position ourselves on opposite sides of the clearing. High ground if possible. We won't engage unless Kelvin is in serious danger, but we'll be ready to intervene instantly if needed."

"Understood," Cassius said.

"Kelvin, you'll approach from the front. Draw their attention, get them to converge on you. Use the terrain to your advantage, don't let them surround you completely. Remember what Urgak taught you about controlling the battlefield."

"I remember," Kelvin said.

"The alpha will likely hold back initially, let the pack test you," Satou continued. "That's when you'll be most vulnerable, when you're tired from fighting the pack and the alpha comes in fresh. Save some stamina for that final fight. And Kelvin?" Satou placed a hand on the younger Hobgoblin's shoulder. "There's no shame in calling for help. This isn't about pride. It's about survival and proving you can be smart in combat, not just brave."

"I understand," Kelvin said. "But I won't need help. I've got this."

Satou wanted to argue, wanted to insist on a more conservative approach. But he saw the determination in Kelvin's eyes and remembered his own journey. Sometimes, people needed to test themselves, to prove to themselves what they were capable of.

"Alright," Satou said. "Cassius, let's get into position. Kelvin, give us five minutes to set up, then make your approach."

They split up, Satou and Cassius circling around to take positions on opposite sides of the clearing. Satou found a good vantage point on a rocky outcropping that gave him a clear view of the entire area. He activated his Battle Instinct, his enhanced perception allowing him to track every wolf's position, predict their likely movements, identify the strongest and weakest members of the pack.

Across the clearing, barely visible in the shadows, Cassius gave a subtle nod. He was ready.

Below, Kelvin emerged from the tree line, walking forward with his spear held confidently. His posture was relaxed but alert, showing no fear despite the odds he faced.

The wolves noticed him immediately. Heads raised, ears perked forward. A few stood, growling low in their throats. But they didn't attack immediately, confused by this single goblin walking so confidently toward their territory.

The alpha rose to its feet, its scarred muzzle wrinkling in what might have been amusement. A lone goblin, challenging an entire pack? This was either suicide or extraordinary stupidity.

Kelvin stopped about thirty feet from the nearest wolves. He planted the butt of his spear in the ground and spoke, his voice carrying clearly across the clearing.

"I am Kelvin, warrior of the Southern Settlement, trained by Chieftain Urgak of the Iron Fang tribe. I've come for the goblins you've trapped in those caves. Leave now, and you'll live. Stay, and I'll kill every last one of you."

For a moment, there was absolute silence.

Then the wolves began to laugh.

It wasn't human laughter, but the sound they made, a series of harsh barks and yips, clearly conveyed their amusement. A single goblin, threatening an entire pack of Dire Wolves? Hilarious.

The alpha's eyes gleamed with predatory anticipation. It had been too long since they'd had entertaining prey.

The alpha barked once, sharp and commanding.

Five wolves broke from the pack, charging toward Kelvin with coordinated precision.

The battle was about to begin.

Kelvin's spear came up smoothly, his stance shifting into the combat form Urgak had drilled into him thousands of times. His eyes tracked all five wolves simultaneously, his body relaxed but ready.

The wolves spread out as they charged, attacking from five different angles simultaneously, classic pack tactics meant to overwhelm prey through sheer numbers and coordination.

But Kelvin wasn't prey.

The first wolf lunged for his throat. Kelvin's spear moved in a blur, the tip catching the wolf in its open mouth and driving upward into its brain. The wolf died instantly, its momentum carrying its corpse past Kelvin to crash into the ground behind him.

He didn't pause to confirm the kill. His spear withdrew and swept left in the same motion, the shaft catching a second wolf in the ribs with enough force to crack bone. The wolf yelped and tumbled aside, still alive but badly injured.

The third wolf came from his blind spot, jaws snapping toward his leg. Kelvin jumped, his Hobgoblin agility allowing him to vault over the attack. While airborne, he reversed his spear grip and drove it downward, impaling the wolf through the spine. It collapsed instantly, paralyzed.

He landed and immediately had to roll forward as the fourth and fifth wolves attacked where he'd just been standing. Their jaws snapped shut on empty air.

Kelvin came up from his roll, spinning his spear in a wide arc that forced both wolves to back up. Then he went on the offensive, advancing with a series of quick, precise thrusts that kept both wolves on the defensive.

Watching from his vantage point, Satou felt a surge of pride. Kelvin's movements were clean, efficient, showing clear training and discipline. This wasn't a desperate fight for survival, it was controlled combat. The boy had learned well.

The pack seemed to realize this too. The remaining wolves rose to their feet, their playful attitude vanishing. This goblin was actually dangerous.

The alpha barked again, and this time, ten wolves charged as one.

Kelvin's expression didn't change. He'd been expecting this. Waiting for it.

As the wolves closed in, Kelvin did something unexpected. He threw his spear.

The weapon flew straight and true, catching one wolf in the chest and pinning it to a tree trunk. The wolf thrashed briefly, then went still.

But now Kelvin was unarmed against nine Dire Wolves.

"Kelvin!" Satou tensed, ready to intervene.

But Kelvin was already moving. His hands went to his belt and came up with two short swords, backup weapons he'd been carrying. The blades weren't as long as his spear, but they were faster, more versatile.

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