Chapter 57: The Daughter of the Moon

A swarm of skeletons shattered upon impact, leaving Wu Qingsong dizzy and disoriented, struggling to regain his footing.

He only caught a glimpse of a luminous white orb darting past him like a whirlwind. Wherever it touched, the undead were instantly reduced to ashes.

“Unbelievable…” Momentarily stunned, Wu Qingsong cautiously slumped back to his original position.

This was not the time to attract her attention.

The wolfmen felt a sudden void beside them, as all the undead were wiped away in a heartbeat. One particular wolf warrior, already covered in cuts and bruises from previous fighting and holding on purely through sheer will, slackened and collapsed the moment the enemy before him vanished.

Nina hurriedly dashed over to support him. Almost instinctively, a glowing orb emanated from her and tenderly enveloped him. Within mere seconds, his injuries began to mend at a staggering pace, and he came back to consciousness.

“Princess Nina?!” 

The wolfman warrior looked up, his eyes widening in disbelief.

To the rest of the world, it might have been but a few seconds. Yet for him, it felt as if an eternity had passed.

The sensation wasn’t warm, per se. It carried a subtle coolness, akin to the comfortable chill of a night preferred by wolfmen. It was as though the moonlight had graced them, calling out their ancestors by name, infusing his very being with lunar power and rousing him from his stupor.

‘Fight! Fight!’ A voice seemed to whisper incessantly in his ear as if setting his entire body aflame.

Nina herself was taken aback. She attempted to channel the aura surrounding her toward the other wolfmen, and once again, the same miraculous phenomenon unfolded. Every wound began to mend at an incredible speed, while vigor, stamina, and most crucially, a renewed hunger for battle surged forth from within them. Overwhelmed, they couldn’t help but tilt their heads back and unleash a chorus of roaring howls toward the heavens.

“Could this be? This is the power of the Silver Moon!” an older wolfman stared at his reinvigorated body, his eyes brimming with joyful tears. “This is the power of our ancestors.”

Legends of the Silver Moon served as foundational tales for every member of the Silver Moon Wolf Clan. Yet, not a single one among them had ever witnessed a member of their royal lineage wielding such might. Many had resigned to loyalty born out of habit, letting go of any further expectations.

But now, at this very moment, that legendary power made its grand reappearance. How could they not revel in utter elation?

“The Daughter of the Moon,” one wolfman couldn’t contain himself and blurted out. Instantly, a cascade of frenzied howls echoed from the rest.

“Watch out!” Wu Qingsong hated to interrupt this awe-inspiring scene, but the massive skeleton, which had been struggling to extricate itself from the earth, finally broke free and stood towering before them.

“Damn,” Wu Qingsong found himself muttering. 

Even with the knowledge that he was in no immediate danger, standing before such a gargantuan entity imbued him with an indescribable sense of helplessness. This feeling wasn’t linked to a lack of courage, rather, it stemmed from the overwhelming disparity in size between them. 

It reminded him of a video game he had once played.

If he stood before this towering skeletal monstrosity, he’d scarcely reach the height of one of its fingers. Yet, despite facing such an overwhelming creature, the wolfmen were devoid of any trace of fear. Some of the younger ones even radiated excitement, their hands clenched tightly around their weapons, eager for battle.

“Hand me a sword,” Nina suddenly commanded.

“Your Highness,” the wolfmen chorused, “Let us handle this!”

“This battle is mine to fight,” Nina asserted.

The luminescent aura enveloping her lent an almost palpable gravitas to her usual regal presence. After only a moment’s hesitation, the wolfmen relinquished their finest blade to her.

The colossal skeleton began its lumbering trot toward them, each step causing the ground to quiver as though rattled by a mini-earthquake. Nina held the sword hilt with both hands in a stance that spoke of practiced familiarity. She raised the blade to her chest, and in that instant, the sphere of light surrounding her blazed with intensified brilliance. The blade seemed to ignite with ethereal, silver flames, elongating and morphing into a radiant, silver light saber that spanned over five meters.

Confronted by this awe-inspiring spectacle, the monstrous skeleton seemed to hesitate, its resolve momentarily shaken. However, propelled by its undead instincts, it unleashed a mute, skull-lifting roar and charged forward.

“The Silver Moon Wolf Clan never bows!”

With this rallying cry, Nina’s form seamlessly fused into the radiant blade. Across the valley, a magnificent arc of sword light flashed like a bolt of thunder. The skeletal behemoth came to an abrupt halt, and within seconds, shattered into a myriad of fragments. As these tumbled downwards, they continued to disintegrate into countless particles, ultimately becoming indistinguishable from the dust of the earth.

“The Silver Moon Wolf Clan never bows!” 

All the wolfmen erupted into a unanimous roar, no longer able to suppress their mounting battle-lust. Weapons were raised high, and some even dashed toward the lingering undead with nothing but their bare fists.

“This is… this is…” Wu Qingsong found himself lost for words, unable to articulate what he was witnessing.

At that very moment, he felt as though an electric current surged through his body, sending shivers down his spine.

As he watched the silver-haired woman, garbed in iron armor and awash in ethereal moonlight, effortlessly vanquish all before her, he suddenly felt breathless.

Just then, behind the skeletal monstrosity, a significant portion of the cliff abruptly crumbled. In its place, a smooth, mirror-like rock face emerged, leaving a permanent scar on the landscape.

“Liuli!” It was only then that Wu Qingsong remembered the catwoman.

By this time, Nina had already lunged at the undead mage with intent. In a desperate and futile attempt, the mage tried to erect another magical shield. However, the protective barrier that had once withstood Liuli’s countless strikes burst like a fragile bubble. The undead mage was flung into the air like a rag doll, crashing against the cliffside before plummeting heavily to the ground.

Mustering his courage, Wu Qingsong sprinted toward Nina and Liuli.

“She’s still alive, she should be alright,” Nina said, her facial expression betraying a touch of unease. 

She deliberately avoided making eye contact with Wu Qingsong as she handed Liuli over to him.

Nina had already used the silver moonlight to heal her. Miraculously unscathed, she had reverted to her usual timid and skittish demeanor and had fallen into a deep sleep. Fortuitously, she had collapsed near the feet of the undead mage, thereby avoiding attacks from the surrounding undead creatures.

“Nina…” Wu Qingsong felt an urge to say something, but her very presence seemed to empty his mind, leaving him utterly speechless.

Her steel armor bore only minor scratches, and the fabric beneath it–as well as the sections connecting the armor plates–had been partially torn, exposing her skin as smooth as polished jade. Illuminated by that ethereal silver light, she radiated an aura that was simultaneously holy and irresistibly captivating.

If previously he had been merely intrigued by Nina’s unique aura, one starkly different from that of the women in his own world, and felt a vague sense of affection for her, by now he was completely spellbound.

However, Nina stayed silent. With deliberate steps, she moved toward the undead mage.

“Nina!” Wu Qingsong found himself compelled to shout. 

He didn’t think Nina would repeat Liuli’s mistakes, but his mind was now so completely filled with thoughts of her that he couldn’t help but cry out.

“Be careful!”

Nina hesitated momentarily.

“I know,” she responded softly.