IPUAVNP Chapter 150

Chapter 150

 

At dawn the next day.

The plan of the wolf leader to raid the rabbit village the night before had completely fallen apart.

Because…

“I told you to wake me up when the moon started to wane so we could go to the rabbit village! Why didn’t you wake me up?!”

He had fallen asleep, trusting the children to wake him, only to be betrayed.

Of course, the young wolves had deliberately avoided waking him up, but now they shrank back and made a flimsy excuse.

“We… we fell asleep too….”

“You lazy brats!”

The leader shouted in frustration and stormed out of the cave.

Even though the plan had failed, it was still early morning before sunrise, so he decided to proceed with the attack anyway.

He was already at his breaking point when it came to hunger.

“What are you standing around for? Hurry up and follow me!”

He barked at the hesitant children.

One of them finally mustered the courage to plead.

“Boss, can’t we just steal a few livestock and leave? I don’t think we should raid their homes….”

But the leader, instantly irritated by those words, let out a vicious bark, threatening them.

“Don’t talk nonsense! Just do as I say! I’ll set a fire to distract the rabbits, and while they’re panicking, you lot will sneak into the houses and steal anything valuable. Whoever brings back the least will be punished.”

He bared his fangs as he growled, making it clear what kind of punishment awaited them.

He was eager to feast and then take the stolen money to the southern port town to indulge himself.

With that greedy thought in mind, he ran up the hill, leaving the trembling children no choice but to follow.

 

***

 

At the same time.

Though the sun had not yet risen, Kyle and Brody were already preparing to leave.

The villagers, having warned them to leave the day before, still stood guard with wary eyes, making it clear they didn’t trust them.

Since tensions were high, staying any longer would only bring trouble to their remaining family.

While packing his bag, Brody glanced worriedly at Kyle, who was unwrapping his bandages.

She felt guilty for leaving her family behind under such circumstances, but she was especially concerned about Kyle, who had only recently recovered.

If only he had more time to rest.

Sensing Brody’s concern, Kyle looked up and smiled reassuringly.

“Don’t worry about me.”

“…I’m not worried.”

Brody mumbled in response.

Of course, it was an obvious lie.

Kyle, wanting to reassure her, gently pulled Brody into a warm embrace, patting her back.

“Are you okay?”

Instead of focusing on himself, Kyle was more worried about Brody’s feelings.

He felt guilty that Brody had to leave her home and family because of him.

Just as Brody was starting to feel the weight of their impending farewell, Kyle’s comforting touch slowly calmed her heart.

Smiling slightly, just like Kyle had done for her, Brody responded.

“Yeah. I’m okay.”

From now on, they were each other’s only family. This made them cherish one another even more.

Like any grown child leaving the safety of home, they too had stepped beyond their family’s protection.

Now, they had to build their own sanctuary.

And they were already doing so—through love.

 

***

 

“Boss!”

Meanwhile, the Oswald twins, who had tagged along with Kyle and Brody, were helping the May family pack food.

As they made their way upstairs, planning to discuss how to distribute the load with Kyle, Oswald suddenly noticed something strange through the window at the end of the hall.

“Hm?”

Even though the sun hadn’t risen yet, an eerie glow, like candlelight, flickered against the glass.

Curious, he moved closer to the window and his eyes widened in shock.

Beyond the houses, a stable was engulfed in flames.

“F-Fire! There’s a fire! Boss, the village is on fire!”

His panicked shout sent Kyle, Brody, and the May family rushing outside.

The sight of thick black smoke rising from the center of the village left them horrified.

People were already running out of their homes, screaming.

“Fire! Wake up, everyone!”

The village was in chaos.

Kyle and the May family hurried toward the burning stable. A small log house stood beside it, and if the fire spread, the damage would be disastrous.

As they sprinted through the snow-covered alley, a sudden scream rang out.

“AAAH! Wolves! There are wolves in the village!”

At the same moment, several shadowy figures darted through the streets.

Kyle’s eyes narrowed.

“Those *****s…!”

He immediately stopped and turned to Brody.

“Brody! Go help put out the fire! I’ll catch up soon!”

Hearing Brody’s quick confirmation, Kyle, along with the twins, shifted into their wolf forms and took off in pursuit of the intruders.

“KYAAAH!”

People screamed in terror as the wolves charged through the alley, but Kyle and the twins paid them no mind.

Their focus was on the invaders.

Up in the sky, Kernels, who had been keeping watch, shouted.

“Kyle! There are five of them!”

The lone white wolf and those following him were heading toward the entrance of the village, where a towering clock tower stood.

Kernels, keeping an eye on the wolves running at a similar pace between the rows of log houses, urged Kyle.

“They’re going to escape through the entrance! We have to get there first!”

Kyle and the twins, struggling with each step in the deep snow, pushed themselves to run even harder.

Just as the enemy wolves reached the alleyway leading to the entrance, Kyle and his group burst out at full speed, blocking their path.

“W-What the…?!”

The white wolf leader and his young followers, who had been making their escape after looting the village, skidded to a halt in shock at the sudden appearance of black wolves.

The things clamped in their jaws were stolen pouches of money taken from homes while the villagers were busy putting out the fire, and baby livestock snatched from the stables.

Stunned by the unexpected arrival of other wolves, the white wolf leader snapped at the frightened children huddled beside him.

“What are you waiting for?! Take them down and clear the way!”

He was ordering them to fight while he made his escape.

Kyle and the twins, hearing this, were too dumbfounded to respond for a moment.

An adult using children as shields—pathetic.

Kyle looked at the young wolves, who were clearly too weak and scared to fight, and spoke firmly.

“Drop everything and get lost.”

The trembling children hesitated but eventually let go of their stolen goods and slowly backed away.

The white wolf leader, seeing this, exploded with rage.

“Whose orders are you following?! Do you want to die?! I’ve been too soft on you little—”

But that was as far as he got.

“AAAGH!”

Kyle had had enough. In a flash, he lunged, knocking the leader to the ground.

The white wolf leader was nothing more than a bully, used to preying on those weaker than him… He had never faced a real fight.

Now, faced with Kyle’s overwhelming strength, he thrashed and howled in terror.

“Why are you backing out?! Fight them! I said fight them!”

Even as he crawled on the ground, trying to escape, he was still screaming at the children to fight for him.

Watching this pathetic display, Oswald, standing nearby with an unimpressed expression, muttered,

“Boss, just finish it already. I’m sick of listening to him squeal like a pig.”

Taking Oswald’s advice, Kyle chased the fleeing leader down, pinned him, and sank his teeth into his throat.

“Khhhk!”

The white wolf leader struggled furiously, grinding his teeth to the very end before his life was snuffed out in an instant.

The children, who had been frozen in place even after being told to run, stood there in stunned silence, watching their leader’s demise.

It was only when they saw the villagers approaching from the distance that they finally turned and fled out of the village.

 

***

 

The fire in the stables was quickly extinguished.

Fortunately, no one was injured, neither by the flames nor the wolf attack.

The stolen valuables and money were safely returned to their rightful owners.

But above all, what truly reassured the villagers was the fact that Kyle had eliminated the white wolf leader.

With him gone, they no longer had to fear another raid.

Though none of the villagers thanked Kyle outright, instead watching him warily, he didn’t mind.

What mattered was that this act had restored the May family’s honor. That alone was enough for him.

Although their help in stopping the attack meant they could probably delay their departure without issue, Brody decided to leave as planned—for the sake of the May family, who might still feel uncomfortable staying longer.

Kyle and the Oswald twins, still in wolf form, carried their supplies on their backs.

All the food they carried had been painstakingly prepared by the May family, who had gone out of their way to procure preserved meat for them.

With everything ready, the group stepped outside in front of the hay shop with the May family.

Brody, in her rabbit form, held a pink ribbon in her paws and approached her mother.

“Mom…”

Mrs. May, seeing the ribbon, one she had tied around her daughter’s neck before she left for training, swallowed back tears.

Taking the ribbon, she carefully tied it around Brody’s neck once more, forming a neat bow. Then she pulled her daughter into a tight embrace.

“Take care, Brody. Stay safe and be happy, wherever you are.”

“Yes, Mom.”

Brody, struggling to hold back tears, hugged her mother tightly in return.

Then she turned to say her final goodbyes. First to her father, who silently fought back his emotions, and then to her sister Judy, who openly wept.

Brody took one last look at the May family.

Since arriving in this world, they had been her anchor. Without their love and care, she wouldn’t have been able to adapt or survive.

And so, as their daughter, and as a guest who had lived under their roof for five years, she expressed her final gratitude.

“Thank you… for everything.”

Even if she said it a hundred times, it wouldn’t be enough to express how much she truly meant it.

With her farewells spoken, Brody climbed onto Kyle’s back.

As she and her companions set off, the May family wiped their tears with handkerchiefs yet still smiled as they waved.

Brody, too, beamed as she waved her paw at her family until they were too far to see one another anymore.

Only then did she finally let her tears fall.