The next morning, the sky was still painted with the hues of dawn when a deafening noise shattered the peace.
"CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! BAAAANG!" The sound of metal crashing—a pan being beaten with a ladle—sounded brutal, right between Rio's and Dany's bedroom doors.
"GET UP, YOU TWO LAZYBONES! THE SUN'S BEEN UP FOR AGES!" Lisa's shout, loud and merciless, followed.
Rio jolted awake, his heart pounding, his reflexes immediately putting him on guard. In the next room, a thud was heard, followed by a soft curse from Dany. A few seconds later, both bedroom doors opened at the same time, revealing a disheveled Rio and Dany rubbing his eyes while yawning widely, his face still showing traces of a dream.
Lisa stood in the middle of the hallway, one hand on her hip, the other still holding the pan and ladle as her wake-up weapon. She looked left and right, assessing the two men whose sleep she had just tortured. "Good, you're up. Get downstairs, Kakek Henry wants to talk. It's important." Her tone was firm, leaving no room for argument.
Rio, though still a bit dazed, quickly descended the creaking wooden stairs. Dany followed behind him, his steps a bit unsteady, still trying to fully gather his senses.
Downstairs, Kakek Henry was already sitting upright in his usual chair, but his face today looked more serious than usual. The aura of the room felt different; the remnants of last night's cheerfulness had vanished without a trace.
"Listen carefully, this is important," Kakek Henry began without pleasantries, his voice deep and authoritative. "I've just received news. There is a small, remote village in the region of District Two—our region. Reports say that the inhabitants there have been disappearing one by one, every day, without a trace. This strangeness… is most likely caused by Eater activity." He paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the three of them. "I want the three of you to investigate."
The room fell silent, only the crackle of the fire in the hearth could be heard.
"This will also be an important test for you two," Kakek Henry continued, his eyes now looking sharply at Dany and Lisa. "Previously, you might have only faced Eaters you happened to encounter in sporadic hunts. But this task is different. This is a true investigation mission, requiring precision, teamwork, and making the right decisions under pressure."
He took a deep breath. "I want the three of you to look out for each other. Prioritize the team's safety. However, there is one thing you must remember well." His voice lowered, full of warning. "It is not impossible… that the Domifirt race is involved or present in the area. If you encounter them, or even sense their presence… I am ordering you to retreat immediately. Run. Do not take any foolish actions that would endanger your lives. Understood?"
The tone of Kakek Henry's voice rose at the end of the sentence, demanding absolute obedience.
"Understood!" the three of them answered in unison, determination evident in each of their voices.
"Good," Kakek Henry nodded, satisfied. "In that case, get ready at once. I have arranged for provisions. Leave as soon as possible."
The three of them immediately moved, a serious atmosphere now enveloping them. While Dany and Lisa began to gather their combat gear—swords, throwing knives, and a few other tools—Rio was mostly silent, his mind already analyzing potential dangers and formulating possible strategies.
As they were nearly finished packing their supplies into their respective backpacks, Kakek Henry approached, holding three items in his hands. Wooden masks carved in detail to resemble the head of a wolf—one dark grey for Rio, one white with blue accents for Dany, and one jet black for Lisa.
"When you face them, or the situation requires you to fight, wear these," Kakek Henry said, handing them the masks one by one. "Do not let your identities be revealed. If any Eaters manage to escape, they will surely report to their superiors—perhaps a Domifirt—about who has disturbed their territory. We don't want them to be able to track you or this house."
Rio remained silent, but his grey eyes seemed to hold a new, unspoken question.
That foreign name—Domifirt—was recorded in Rio's mind, a new variable in his dangerous calculations.
Rio accepted his grey wolf mask, turning it over in his hand, feeling the smooth yet sturdy texture of the wood. He tilted his head slightly. "Wolves?" he asked quietly, more to himself.
Kakek Henry smiled thinly. "Wolves are extraordinary pack creatures, Rio. They may not be as strong as a lion when alone, but when they work together as a single unit, with strategy and trust… even the king of the jungle would think twice before facing them." He looked at the three of them in turn, his gaze full of meaning. "If you want to defeat an enemy that is far stronger, whose numbers may be countless, you must learn to fight as one. Protect each other, support each other, and move with a single purpose. Therefore…" his voice rose, full of conviction, "…FIGHT LIKE WOLVES!"
Those words echoed, instilling a new spirit in their hearts. With a firm nod, the three of them put on their backpacks, slung their swords, and with their wolf masks tucked away neatly, they stepped out of the Gladius house, heading towards the small village shrouded in mystery and the threat of death.