What happens when a mindless werewolf is surrounded by a pack of well-trained, rational werewolves?
Nothing more than a completely one-sided fight.
After the group beating inside the castle ended, Leonard opened the thorn wall sealing off the castle and let Chercy and her subordinates out.
Aside from Chercy, everyone else had already transformed into werewolves. But there was none of the usual werewolf madness or savagery on their faces, only caution and a lingering fear that would not leave their eyes.
"Sir..." When she saw Leonard standing at the entrance surrounded by vines, Chercy felt both touched and afraid.
She was touched because he had handed the werewolf named Wolver over to them. On the surface, it was called a chance to "wash away their shame," but in reality it had been a chance to beat him up and vent their anger. She was afraid because of the castle's current state.
While they had been beating up transformed Wolver, more than a dozen pale figures with blood leaking from all seven orifices, their bodies covered in plants, had been hanging overhead cheering them on. It was terrifying beyond words.
The irrational Wolver had naturally feared nothing, but they had had to beat him under those things' gazes and grotesque laughter.
Even Chercy had found that feeling deeply unsettling. After only a few blows, all the anger had gone out of her. In the end, she could only watch as vines dropped from the ceiling, wrapped around the half-crippled Wolver, and hoisted him up overhead.
It was not just Chercy. The werewolves under her command were so frightened that none of them dared say a single extra word.
"Enough chatter." Leonard said, "Send someone back to report the situation to Midgard. The rest of you will stay here for now."
"Stay... stay here?" Chercy's eyes widened, and she asked in horror.
"Is there a problem with that?" Leonard lifted his eyes and asked.
There was. A huge one. The castle was so gloomy now it was practically a haunted house. If they stayed here, that meant living inside the castle. That was asking far too much of their nerves.
But looking into Leonard's eyes, Chercy did not dare voice any objection. She could only lower her head and answer meekly, "No... no problem..."
No matter what anyone said, she was definitely the one going back to report this.
Chercy screamed inwardly.
"Chercy, you stay."
But Leonard seemed to have seen right through her thoughts and called her out by name.
"Uh... what? Does it have to be me? I was planning to go back and report to the Leader myself. I'm worried these people won't be able to explain it clearly," Chercy said hurriedly.
"There's nothing unclear about it. What matters more now is taking control of this place." Leonard waved a hand, and the vines behind him swayed with it. "The strange plants in the castle will wither in two to three days. During that time, you're responsible for guarding this place. Also, explore the castle and see what useful things these people left behind for us."
The strange things in the castle would wither in two to three days?
Chercy immediately caught the key point and let out a sigh of relief.
She really had been worried that Leonard meant for her to work alongside those monsters.
"Understood, sir," Chercy replied. "Do you have any other instructions?"
"Yes, of course. About all of you." Leonard said, "Have you noticed anything different about yourselves?"
"Different?" Chercy was stunned for a moment, then remembered suddenly waking up in the dungeon and how quickly the wounds on her body had healed.
The rapid healing had not been unique to her. It had happened to all of them. During the group beating of Wolver, the frenzied Wolver had scratched and bitten quite a few of them, but all their wounds had healed at an absurd speed.
"You mean..." Chercy asked uncertainly, "Did you do something?"
Leonard nodded and crooked a finger.
Chercy froze, thinking Leonard was calling her closer. Just as she was about to step forward, she suddenly felt a faint itchy numbness in her right arm.
Gasps came from the werewolves behind her. Annoyed, she was just about to turn around and tell them to be quiet when she saw the plant fibers growing out of her arm.
The plants had clearly pierced her skin, yet she felt no pain at all. It was not anesthesia, otherwise she would not have been able to feel that faint itch as the fibers brushed against the hairs on her skin.
So what exactly were these plants?
Chercy was on the verge of breaking down.
She had thought the half-human, half-plant monsters in the castle were terrifying enough. She had never imagined that at some point, she herself had already become one too.
That was far too much for anyone's nerves.
"Don't panic. This is different from what you saw in the castle." Leonard explained before Chercy could collapse completely. "The ones in the castle were enemies. They were devoured by the plants, and their bodies were taken over. You, on the other hand, are living in symbiosis with them."
"Symbiosis?" Chercy looked at the plant fibers clinging to her right arm, and badly wanted to ask what exactly made this any different from those monsters.
"That's right. These plants are entirely under your control. They can provide you with stronger physical abilities and a supply of magic. Once they mature, they can even become weapons in your hands, somewhat similar to the plant Midgard uses."
Leonard's explanation eased the expression on Chercy's face.
She had seen the plant in Midgard's hand before. It was extremely powerful. Even Wilder in full werewolf form had been crushed with ease.
Looked at that way, it really did seem like a highly reliable partner.
Seeing Chercy calm down, Leonard nodded and continued, "Once the plant fully matures, it will gain a certain degree of self-awareness. Even if you lose consciousness because of an unexpected attack, it can still move on its own to protect you, and can even carry you off the battlefield."
At that, an embarrassed flush appeared on Chercy's face.
Their mission this time had failed before it had even properly begun, because they had been ambushed and knocked unconscious in one blow.
If they had possessed this kind of symbiotic plant back then, they probably would not have ended up nearly wiped out, with only a single giant wolf escaping.
"So staying here won't mean sitting around doing nothing. Every day, remember to train and communicate with your plants. Get plenty of sunlight, drink more water, and improve your nutritional intake. In short, take good care of these plants."
That was about all that needed to be said. Leonard looked at the excited werewolves, gave his final summary, and prepared to end the conversation.
"Wait, sir, aren't you going back?" Chercy asked in confusion after finally pulling herself together.
If he were going back himself, then there would be no need to send someone back with a report.
"I still have something else to do. It concerns the cleanup after this incident." Leonard said lightly, turning the rune-covered metal flask over in his hand.
He still needed to go meet that dark wizard spiritual leader, the one people still could not forget even while he was trapped in prison.