Having accepted the quest, Adrian Vale had originally intended to set out immediately and finish off the werewolf.
A supernatural evil creature?
He scoffed inwardly.
In the end, it was still flesh and blood.
Earlier, the beast had been forced to tear off its own arm just to escape. What was there to be afraid of?
However, Britney's grandmother stopped him.
She brought out the cake and red wine Britney had delivered, insisting that he not rush and instead rest and have lunch first.
"The werewolf has been severely wounded," she explained calmly. "Right now, it must be hiding somewhere deep in the forest, licking its wounds."
"With your strength, defeating it will not be difficult," she continued. "But finding it… in a forest this vast… that is another matter entirely."
She had already sent word to an old friend—a seasoned hunter.
He would arrive this very afternoon.
"A hunter's greatest skill," she said, "is tracking and killing prey."
"When he arrives, the two of you can work together. No matter how cunning that werewolf is… it will not escape."
Adrian considered her words.
Then nodded.
It made sense.
Better preparation meant a higher success rate.
After finishing the meal, he requested a whetstone.
Sitting in the courtyard, he began sharpening the knight's sword at his waist.
There was no modern equipment here—no belt grinder, no precision tools.
So he could only do it the old-fashioned way.
It was slow.
Tedious.
Labor-intensive.
But Adrian didn't mind.
His current physical condition was far beyond normal human limits.
If technique was lacking—
He would simply compensate with brute force.
Strength could achieve miracles.
Still, he couldn't help but feel a little regret.
If he had known he would transmigrate, he wouldn't have brought this unsharpened "display weapon."
Back home, in his personal collection, he had several fully sharpened, battle-ready blades.
…
He waited.
Until afternoon.
Finally—
The hunter arrived.
The man was tall and broad-shouldered, appearing to be in his fifties or sixties.
His face was weathered, marked by years of hardship.
Yet—
With a longbow slung across his back and a hunting knife at his waist, he carried a natural aura of danger.
The moment the hunter stepped into the courtyard—
His eyes landed on Adrian.
A stranger.
Adrian sat there quietly, head lowered, focused entirely on sharpening his blade.
That single unfamiliar figure—
Was enough to make the hunter's heart skip.
For a split second—
A terrible thought flashed through his mind.
Was he too late?
His breathing hitched.
His eyes reddened instantly.
The calm, aged demeanor vanished.
In its place—
Rose something fierce.
Savage.
A killing intent honed through years of life-and-death struggle in the wild.
That aura—
Sharp enough to tear prey apart.
Adrian's head snapped up.
His instincts ignited.
Instead of being intimidated—
His eyes lit up.
Burning.
A deep, instinctive desire for battle surged within him.
His fingers unconsciously brushed against the sword in his hand.
The blade—now partially sharpened—glinted faintly, its elegant feather-like patterns catching the light as a cold sheen flickered across its edge.
And then—
It happened.
A terrifying pressure erupted from Adrian's body.
It wasn't visible.
But it was overwhelming.
Like standing before something far beyond human—
Like facing a god.
The hunter's body trembled involuntarily.
Yet—
He did not retreat.
Gritting his teeth, he reached for the knife at his waist with a shaking hand.
In this world—
A land filled with supernatural beings and deadly creatures—
One did not survive long enough to become an "old hunter" without possessing strength, willpower, and courage far beyond ordinary people.
Even in the face of overwhelming pressure—
He chose to stand his ground.
The tension reached its peak.
And just as the two were about to clash—
The door to the wooden house opened.
Britney's grandmother stepped out.
The moment the hunter saw her—
Everything changed.
The murderous intent vanished instantly.
Relief flooded his face.
"Bona…!" he called out, his voice filled with emotion. "You and Britney… you're alright!"
The grandmother quickly realized what had happened.
A misunderstanding.
She stepped forward and introduced the two.
The hunter—whose name was Baron—listened carefully.
As the truth became clear, his face flushed red with embarrassment.
He immediately bowed deeply to Adrian.
"I… I beg your forgiveness, my lord… for my rudeness…"
It was obvious he wasn't good with words.
He stumbled over his sentences, repeating his apology without any elegant phrasing.
Adrian waved it off casually.
He wasn't petty.
And more importantly—
He had already withdrawn the killing intent.
His instincts told him something else.
This man—
Was strong.
Not weaker than the werewolf.
A thought surfaced in Adrian's mind.
A combat-type NPC…
The first one he had encountered.
Maybe—
Worth recruiting?
Adrian accepted the apology and offered a warm smile.
Seeing this—
Baron felt a wave of emotion.
Before him stood a man clad in magnificent armor.
Powerful.
Noble.
Yet gentle and composed.
Radiating an extraordinary charisma.
A true noble.
A true warrior.
And—
A kind one.
At the same time, Adrian activated his Insight Eye.
[Baron]
That was it.
No question marks.
No additional information.
Just a name.
Highlighted in green.
A friendly unit.
Adrian raised an eyebrow slightly.
"So if they're not designated as key characters…"
"No stats?"
"No loyalty?"
He clicked his tongue internally.
This skill…
Was starting to feel rather useless.
…
With the hunter finally here—
Adrian wasted no time.
"I suggest we set out now," he said directly. "If we wait until tomorrow, the werewolf might already be far gone."
The grandmother nodded in agreement.
Then turned to the hunter.
"Baron, where are your hounds?"
"I brought them," he replied quickly. "I tied them outside… I was worried they might scare Britney."
With that, he let out a sharp whistle.
From outside the yard—
Several barks responded immediately.
The grandmother nodded.
Then called Britney over.
"Take off your cloak."
Britney hesitated for a brief moment.
She loved that red velvet cloak.
Loved it enough to wear it every single day.
But—
Her grandmother had told her before—
That this cloak could help Adrian.
That it could protect him.
So without hesitation—
She removed it.
And handed it over.
The grandmother pointed at the cloak and explained,
"My lord, I have placed protective magic upon this cloak."
"As long as you wear it, ordinary evil creatures and curses will not be able to harm you."
Adrian's eyes flickered.
So that was it.
No wonder they had allowed Britney to travel alone, even with a werewolf nearby.
And no wonder—
Back in the forest—
That brief flash of red light had forced the werewolf to reveal itself in panic.
The grandmother paused briefly before continuing,
"I am still injured, and cannot accompany you."
"So I hope this cloak will aid you in successfully eliminating the werewolf."
Adrian took the cloak.
And smiled slightly.
A quest-exclusive item.