NOVEL'S EXTRA: I Will Die at the Peak-Chapter 66: Alpha

In the depths of the forest, Ulfran knelt motionless in front of Juuhra, waiting in silence. Juuhra stepped closer, grabbed his arm, and whispered in a low voice:

"You don’t need to follow me. It’s enough if I take you."

Without any effort, he started dragging the wolf behind him. Ulfran’s body left a trail across the wet earth as it was pulled along.

Within minutes, four sentinels arrived from the other side of the forest.

Massive, broad-shouldered wolves burst through the branches with savage grace, halting for a brief moment at the sight of Juuhra.

They instantly recognized the wolf being dragged by him as one of their own. Worse, other wolves lay motionless nearby. This wasn’t a simple violation — it was a direct threat.

Their bodies tensed under instinctive alarm. None retreated, none advanced. Eyes met, then heads tilted back toward the sky.

The first howl broke out — then the others followed. This was different from anything heard before. Sharper. Harsher. Bone-chilling.

"AUUUUUUUUAUUUUUUAUUUUUUU!"

The howl echoed through the forest. Birds scattered from the trees in panic, leaves shuddered, and the silence shattered.

Juuhra didn’t react. Didn’t turn his head. Just kept dragging the wolf behind him.

On the other side of the clearing, the air carried a different kind of tension.

Alpha sat upon the soft grass, leaning over fresh deer meat. His fur bristled slightly in the cold air, and the steam from his breath blended into the forest mist.

But his mind was far from the meat in front of him. His eyes drifted into the depths of the forest.

"That howl just now..." he thought. "Is it a powerful and cunning predator approaching? Or one of those two strange beings beside the Empress, tracking our scent?"

The lines on his forehead deepened. Yet as time passed, no other howl followed. The surroundings fell back into silence. Even the wind had changed direction.

For a brief moment, the unease within him eased. "So, it was nothing," he thought, lowering his head toward the deer meat once more.

Just as his teeth sank into the flesh, that sharp howl rang out again — sudden and piercing:

"AUUUUUUUUAUUUUUUAUUUUUUU!"

Every Ulfran shot to their feet at once. Ears erect, eyes locked on Alpha. Instinctively, Alpha cast aside the meat before him. His body tensed in an instant.

One of the elite Ulfrans stepped forward. His voice was low and firm:

"Thar’goth in’rel suvak’thar..."

(That’s a danger howl... and a grave one.) 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

A faint glow shimmered around Alpha’s body. He fixed his gaze on the direction the howl came from and spoke:

"Nal’verun ekthira dra’noth."

(I need to see what’s going on.)

As Alpha moved, the other Ulfrans quickly tried to block his path. The pack’s protective instinct overwhelmed them.

"Zal’keth tor’nar."

(I’m already healed,) he said, without breaking eye contact.

"Sulvar tekh Drakar on’vel... Uluth ven’rek."

(Stop repeating the same things! Something important is happening. This side of the forest is still dark and unknown to us. I have to go now.)

The pack, sensing Alpha’s determination and seriousness, gave up trying to stop him. Every Ulfran instinctively stepped aside.

As they made way, their gazes carried both deep respect and a faint trace of unease. Alpha took a few steps forward, turning his head slightly toward the elite wolves.

"Kel’ron vek’thar vuran."

(You three, come with me.)

"Theran or’val rek surin. Val’eth sulken dro’ren."

(The rest of you, stay alert for possible threats.)

At that very moment, the ground beneath Alpha’s feet cracked slightly.

His body shifted with a vibration and vanished in an instant, leaving behind thin, circular fissures. The chosen three elite Ulfrans followed at the same speed.

They all dropped onto all fours and surged forward at great speed.

As they entered the woods, they maintained their pace. Moving in perfect formation, they weaved through without colliding.

Massive trees rushed past them, some branches bending and snapping under their weight as they altered direction.

Thin, delicate trees shuddered from the impact. Some were torn from their roots and fell.

Before long, they reached an open clearing. The sentinels were already there. Some were on alert, scanning the surroundings, while others checked on the Ulfrans lying motionless on the ground.

Drag marks, broken branches, and scattered footprints were everywhere. A tangible tension clung to the air.

Alpha came to a stop. Without taking his eyes off the unconscious wolves, he spoke:

"Thalek nur’an?!"

(What happened here?!)

One sentinel stepped forward. He looked exhausted but forced himself to speak.

"Kel’zan ith’rel soruun... Dar’en vek surin thalak’ra"

(An unknown entity came here. It was white, but with black markings on it. It appeared suddenly.

When it approached the wolves, they dropped immediately. It never spoke, just took one and left.)

Alpha stood in silence for a few seconds. Then, he turned to the nearby tree and struck it with a furious punch. The trunk shifted, cracked, and toppled to the side. A cloud of dust rose in its wake.

He turned back to the sentinel.

"vek’thar Sulvar dra’noth in’rel Thar’goth in’rel ’thar..."

(It entered my territory... knocked out members of my pack and took one of them, is that what you’re telling me? Which direction did it go?)

His voice was hard. His gaze never left the sentinel.

No one else spoke. The other Ulfrans remained silent. Only one of the sentinel wolves slowly raised a claw and pointed west.

Alpha changed direction without a single word. Without hesitation, he lunged forward. His body leaned in, feet scraping against the earth, and in the blink of an eye, he was gone.

The elite wolves followed without delay. No words. No exchanged glances. Their coordination was flawless.

Juuhra was dragging the unconscious wolf by his arm. He was approaching the thinning part of the forest, close to the entrance.

His steps were steady, but his ears stayed sharp. Muffled, indistinct sounds escaped his lips. The words were disjointed, yet carried a rhythm.

"Shaa... lo... nii...

E-maa... sha-lu...

Naa... naa... haa... huu..."

Suddenly, he stopped. He turned his head back. His face was expressionless, but his eyes were sharp and alert. He listened for a moment, then muttered softly:

"Someone with high capacity is approaching me... That means a fresh headache."

Only a few seconds passed before a figure appeared before Juuhra. Nearly three meters tall.

His white fur was dull but distinct, his muscle structure imposing. His eyes locked directly onto Juuhra.

It was an Ulfran.

Immediately after, three more Ulfrans emerged in silence. Though smaller in size compared to the first, the energy radiating from them was thick and heavy.

It was clear they were waiting for a command before moving. They silently took their positions.

None of them spoke.

Juuhra released his grip on the wolf he’d been dragging, letting the body drop to the ground. His fingers loosened. His gaze shifted to Alpha.

Alpha’s features hardened as he stared at the motionless pack member lying on the ground.

His breathing grew heavier. He shifted his gaze to Juuhra, eyes locked without wavering, and stepped forward.

" I don’t know who you are. Maybe you belong to another race dwelling within this forest. But what you’ve done is a declaration of war. So I won’t pity you. I will simply kill you."

Every word was direct, clear, and threatening. As his speech ended, a dense energy began to radiate from his body. The ground quivered, branches shuddered.

The three elite wolves instantly caught the signal and moved. Silently, they slipped between the trees, each taking position from a different angle. Their bodies low, muscles tense, waiting.

Juuhra didn’t respond directly to Alpha’s words. His gaze dropped to Alpha’s body. He observed his stance, his breathing, the frequency of the energy he emitted.

He didn’t move, but his mind was racing. As if speaking to himself — though his voice was clear enough to be heard:

"Seems you have high capacity...

My father would probably find you more interesting than this wolf."

----------

Elsewhere...

In the southwest of the continent, a colossal city, nearly five times the size of Lacrima, rose in grandeur. Encircling the city were ten-meter-high white stone walls, exuding both magnificence and an intimidating sense of defense.

Within those walls, the city—with its orderly streets, multi-story stone buildings, and vast squares—radiated the presence of a central power.

At the very heart of the city stood a grand mansion with flat rooftops and domed sections. Its white marble façades were adorned with elegant carvings.

The wide stairs leading to the main entrance had steps worn smooth, as if polished by time. On either side of the staircase, guards clad in heavy armor patrolled diligently, allowing no civilians near the estate.

Inside the mansion, in a high-ceilinged office with wide windows, sat a muscular man with golden-blonde hair and amber eyes. He wore a custom-made, deep navy-blue suit. His desk was cluttered with documents—some in envelopes, others sealed.

This man was the city’s baron: Azenike Elimor.

He was immersed in his work, lost among the papers spread before him. Just then, a soft knock came from the heavy door. He set his pen down, raised his head, and replied in a short voice:

"Enter."

The door creaked open, and a figure stepped inside—long blue hair flowing down, dressed in an elegant garment that resembled a white shroud.

Their face was expressionless, but their eyes were sharp and ice-blue. Moving silently, they walked over and sat in one of the chairs across from Azenike.

As soon as Azenike recognized the person, he exhaled briefly. His gaze drifted away for a moment in distraction, then he looked back and asked directly:

"What brings you here, Gurram?"

Gurram offered a faint smile and fixed his eyes on Azenike as he spoke:

"I received a special summon from Amon. There’s a possibility that beings from the outside world could arrive via sea through the Sout region."

Azenike’s expression froze for a brief moment. But upon hearing the words "Sout region," his shoulders relaxed and his expression regained its calm.

"That area... is practically abandoned. Not worth the trouble."

Gurram leaned back and tilted his head upward, briefly glancing at the crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling. The light refracted through the crystals and scattered across the floor.

"You’re the closest control point to the Sout region, Azenike. If those entities gain power there and head toward the city, you might not be able to respond in time. The most logical choice... is to eliminate them before they take root."

Azenike rose from his seat and walked over to the massive window behind him. He gazed at his city, gleaming under the sun. The streets were bustling, the voices from the marketplaces rising in a steady hum.

"So, just because I’m geographically nearby, you’re dumping this task on me?"

Gurram also stood and headed toward the door. Just before reaching for the handle, he turned his head slightly.

"If you don’t want to handle it, you can assign the job to one of the private organizations. Plenty of options. I have other matters to attend to. Farewell, Azenike."

His voice was soft but composed. He opened the door and exited.

Silence filled the room.

Azenike kept his gaze on the window for a while longer. Then he muttered to himself:

"The most well-known group in this region right now... Nepesis. If I hire them, it shouldn’t cause too much trouble."

He returned to his desk and picked up the documents once more. Despite the weight of his thoughts, he resumed his work.

---

Knowledge timeeeee!

The continent of Sirius is divided into three main regions: Montéveil, Valmère, and Sout.

The largest of these is Sout. Although it spans a much wider area than the others, it’s mostly abandoned and desolate. Like Montéveil and Valmère, a vast sea stretches out at its edge.

Sout is often seen as a refuge for outcasts, exiles, and those society has deemed unwanted. People like Ravien and Noa live here.

The region is dotted with small settlements, villages, and scattered communities. Despite the harsh conditions, those who remain have built their own way of life.