Mount Garus. It was not a particularly remarkable mountain, in any sense of the word. There were already a lot of mountains inside the Grandfort Region, and having just a bit more snow than the others wouldn’t make it special. Well, it also had a bit more monsters around, but monsters roamed all over the region, especially at the countrysides where human presence was thin and Mother Nature reigned supreme.

And yet, this mountain had become quite the place of interest for the two people who were currently on it. They had a task there that they had to do after all—a duty that they had to fulfill.

“Found them.”

A young woman, of sixteen or seventeen years of age, stood there wielding a staff on her right hand. The staff was fashioned like a tree branch, giving one a good estimate that she was some kind of an earth mage specializing in plant magic, as those types of staves tend to be of their preference. She wore a white dress with a black corset that tightly hugged her slim waist. The skirt of the dress reached down halfway up her thighs, Over the dress, she wore a fur cape and hat colored by autumn.

"You sure?"

The dark-haired man beside her was the very picture of a warrior—tall and imposing with a greatsword sheathed on his back. He wore a full set of leather armor, with some gloves and shoulder pads.

"There's no doubt about it. They have their base of operations inside the network of caves located just two farna from here.”

Farna was a measurement of distance roughly equal to one kilometer.

“Whoa, that’s really close, isn’t it? Why haven’t they greeted us yet then?” The warrior man replied

“They don’t need to. They’re safe there, hidden away from the world,” the mage woman answered.

“Well, time to call for reinforcements then. If we’re careful, we can make a surprise raid on them. Capture them before they can run away.”

“No.”

“No?”

“I shall do it myself.”

The mage woman then raised her staff a few inches from the ground before tapping it to the earth. The giant tree before her immediately withered and shrank, disappearing completely just a few seconds later.

“H-hey, aren’t you being too reckless? No matter how good of a mage you might be, you can’t just waltz into their base on your own and expect to win!”

The young woman smiled. “Ah, but I do have you, don’t I?”

---------

The argument was settled before it even really began. The young woman had the final say. She always did. The man recognized the inferiority of position that he had compared to hers. He was merely an adopted child. She on the other hand was the true heir of the Archimond noble house.

The two marched on, deeper into the snowy mountain. Two farna weren’t that far, and in no time at all, they had arrived on a small valley where the entrance to the cave network the woman had mentioned should be.

And, like small valleys tend to be, it was the perfect place for the bandits to ambush any intruders that stumbled near their base.

An arrow flew through the air, landing right where the young woman’s feet would’ve been the next second.

“A’right, you two! Put your weapons on the ground if you wanna live!”

A cacophony of terrible laughs echoed all around them, as bandits equipped in full fur gear descended upon them. They all rode on top of snow wolves, monsters they somehow had domesticated.

The mage wasn’t surprised though. She had noticed the wolves when she scouted them beforehand. And neither did the warrior, as she had informed her companion beforehand of their existence.

Then again, when your bandit group was named the Snow Wolves, was it really so odd for one to expect them to come into battle riding them?

They were quickly surrounded, as thirty, no, forty bandits streamed out from the cliffs beside them.

“Oi oi, are ya deaf? Put that staff and sword down, right now! Don’t worry! We’ll keep ye alive! Just you ye can watch yer lady friend there get fucked by us one by one!”

Here, they erupted into a raptorious laugh once again. The warrior drew his sword, fully intending to fight to the last of his breath to protect the mage.

“Greetings.” The mage spoke, seemingly unfazed by the threat they just made. “My name is Marina Archimond, the granddaughter of the Earl of Grandford. As his envoy, I was given the authority to make you an offer. Surrender. Turn yourself in to the authorities of the land and you shall not be harmed.”

Another round of laughs were shared amongst the bandits. 

“Oi lady, are ye delusional? You wanna make us surrender? Just the two of ye? WHO THE HELL DO YE THINK WE ARE?”

The man who yelled seemed to be their leader. He was a big man, even bigger than the warrior. He had yellowed teeth, with three missing on the front, and probably some more on the back. He wore a fur romp with no shirt, exposing his well-chiseled hairy chest and massive abs to the world. He wielded with him a massive battleaxe that he carried with just a single hand. And, just like his personage, his mount was the biggest amongst the other wolves as well, most likely the alpha of the group.

And, to top it all off he had a pair of wolf ears on his head, along with a wolf tail jutting out from his behind.

He was indeed a wolfkin.

That explained how they could tame the wolves. Wolfkins had the ability to do that.

Most of his men were human though, with only some others being a beastmen as well.

“Let me tell ya a lesson, little girl. We aren’t just any ordinary bandit group. We are the Snow Wolves. And me? I am Fer—”

“I don’t care.”

And just like that, he was shut down by the mage from introducing himself.

“You… you arrogant bitch!” He yelled in anger. “Boys, keep your hands off her! I’ll mate with this bitch over and over until she begs for more! And only then, you guys can have her!”

Another cacophony of jeers were emitted by his subordinates. At this point, it’s almost like they’re his personal cheerleading squad.

“You’re in luck, girl! I’m at my mating season right now! So you’ll be able to taste the full girth of a glorious beastmen like—Guaahhh!”

A thorny tendril just popped out of the snow and pierced him. His wolf received the attack at its abdomen while he himself, unfortunately for him, felt it right in his furry behind.

And then, all hell broke loose.

The bandits immediately rushed to attack the mage, only to be cut down by the warrior’s greatsword. Other tendrils popped out one by one to attack the bandits, piercing them the same way the first one did to their leader. For the ones that had bows, any approaching arrows were blocked by the tendrils as well.

They had no idea that they had just walked into the mage’s trap, hook, line and sinker. Underneath the snow, her dryad familiar hid in waiting, ready to attack at a moment’s notice. Using the familiar bond they possessed, she could send a message to her without any words being needed.

“R-retreat! Retreat! She’s a—aarrghhh!”

She had no mercy. After being spoken to that way, why would she?

Once the onslaught was over, the dryad digged herself out from the snow, greeting her mistress with a bright smile.

"You're right, Miss! It does work after all! I don't feel cold in the slightest!"

Using the knowledge she gained from Vera’s books, she had developed seeds that could grow even in the cold of the region. Using that knowledge, she could direct her dryad to modify the plant body she had, making her resistant to cold as well.

"Heh, you barely gave me any work to do. I thought I would be your protector but it's obvious you don't really need my help." The warrior scratched the back of his head with a grin. "I shouldn't have doubted you, Marina."

The mage simply smiled in return.

--------

They then headed to the cave entrance where the bandits had made their lair. They kept up their guard, knowing there could still very well be some bandits remaining inside. In fact, from the intel they had received, the bandits should be 100 men strong. Like that bandit said, the Snow Wolves really was not an ordinary bandit group. They actually came from the dukedoms to the north, settling in this region somewhat recently, terrorizing the villages near the wilderness for their food and gold. They were even strong enough to destroy a local baron's army when he decided to not give in to their demands. The baron was murdered and his estate was burned to the ground, while his wife and daughter were kidnapped. The strange thing though, there were no ransom notes. In fact, they forced the villages to hide their existence from outsiders altogether. If it weren't for the warrior discovering the truth at his usual inspection, this whole mess would've been hidden away from the region's Earl.

But now, the jig was up. The Earl had sent his army to subjugate them.

And that army? The Witch of Verdant Death herself.

It was the best course of action to take. If they had brought an actual army with them, the bandits would have run away for sure. The only way to catch them and make them pay for their crimes was to do it stealthily like this, with just two persons infiltrating their territory. It was much more likely for them to underestimate what they’re up against as well. After all, they had no idea on what the witch was capable of. To them, she would just be easy prey.

"Guwaaahhh!"

One by one the remaining bandits fell, pierced by the tendrils she herself or her dryad created.The bandits thought they could ambush her, like goblins would ambush a mage in their dark, stinky caves. Unfortunately for them, she was an earth mage. And a really skilled one at that. So being in the caves like this meant she was perfectly in her element. Before she entered, she had done a thorough scout of the cave network using her Yggdrasil spell, sending in the tree’s roots all over the place. She knew the layout of the place, and the atrocities that were done inside it, as one of the roots reached the room where they kept their prisoners.

And what she saw angered her, to the point that she had no aversion in killing every single bandit in her path.

They arrived at a large chamber. And there, sitting on top of a large rock was most likely the leader of the bandits himself. In front of him were a number of other bandits, most likely his elite guards. They were all beastmen. And just like the big beastman who led the group that ambushed them outside, they all had impressive muscles, with the one sitting on the rock looking the fiercest of them all.

Their intel was correct again. The Snow Wolves—they were originally a group of beastmen bandits. They had come here all the way from the Beast Region of the Holy Continent, recruiting humans as part of their force. However, it seemed the beastmen remained the strongest part of their little band of brigand. Not surprising. After all, a beastman is naturally much stronger than a human, just by the virtue of their race. By how much depends on the type of beast they belong to.

And behind them was a steel cage, with ten or so women all kept inside with barely any clothes on them.

“So, you’re the mage that has been giving my men so much trouble.”

Their leader was big. Twice the height of the warrior, who’s already taller than the mage herself. He was a wolfkin with white fur, and his weapon of choice was the spiked knuckles he wore on both hands.

“Oh, I love that look. That fierce look of a warrior. Tell me, would you be willing to be my mate? You and I shall be unstoppable together. Truthfully, human females bore me most of the time. They are so weak and fragile, like twigs who will snap at the slightest touch. Not to mention their crying. Oh they can cry alright. How can one cry when they receive the honor of mating with me, the son of the chieftain of the Ulf Clan?”

Their intel was right about that as well. Apparently, their leader was some sort of Beastmen royalty. Or at least, he proclaimed himself to be. Each species of beastfolk had their own clans with their own leaders, and the Ulf Clan is the wolf one.

"But you—you are different. You are a fighter. And I respect that. Tell me your name, human. And I will tell mine."

At first, Marina didn’t answer. She simply stared at his eyes, not showing any signs of weakness even against someone who was double her size.

“If this is what a royal of the beast race is, then they really are no better than a bunch of animals.” was the words she chose to break the silence. Naturally, she didn’t really mean it. She had nothing against the beastkin as a whole. She simply wanted to rile up this monster that was standing before us.

The wolfman then laughed—the noise echoing across the cavern.

“Guess that’s a no then. Fine. This way is good too. For you see, back home, we have a certain custom. To obtain a girl’s hand in marriage, we have to defeat her in combat. Thus, I’ll defeat you and your partner into submission right here and now. Don’t worry. He can watch as I make you scream my name as I pound your little behind.”

With a howl, he leaped forward—a lustful glee displayed without hesitation towards the two of them. His guards all followed—some going after Marina and others going after Reinhard.

Nysa reacted by bursting forth a swarm of tendrils from the ground. Unlike the bandits from before however, they were able to defend themselves well enough from the attack, by either dodging out of the way or cutting them down with their axes—a testament of their superiority compared to the human bandits they had fought before. Still, it was enough to keep them from joining the action immediately.

Reinhard's sword clashed with the bandit leader's fists. He groaned as he immediately felt the difference in strength. He was strong, but his strength simply paled in comparison to his.

“Heh, your big sword is just for show after all. Or maybe it’s to compensate for something else, hmm?” The beastman grinned.

Thankfully for the warrior, he decided to back off instead of pushing in, all thanks to Marina who would’ve pierced him with her thorn tendril if he hadn’t dodged out of the way.

The beastman’s grin grew only bigger. He now knew for sure that the human girl was the stronger one.

He slurped. Oh, how he loved breaking strong bitches like her. Before he and his gang went here, they had caused chaos and mayhem all over the Holy Continent. How many times had he broken a female warrior or knight who had foolishly gone against them? It’s so delicious, the way they refused to surrender, even as their womanly parts gushed liquid from the pleasure he was giving them.

And this bitch—she might be the strongest of them all. Which only turned him on even more.

He took a deep, deep breath, and then...

"Awoooo!"

He decided to use his trump card right away. His Howl of Terror. By howling with all his might, he could send fear to his enemies. Not just the usual combat fear, but pure, unadulterated dread. If they don't faint from it, then their legs would turn to jelly as their whole body shakes furiously. He has never found any human that can withstand it fully. The best who did was a female paladin, and she lost her grip on her sword and slumped down to the ground as she wet herself. Oh, how satisfying it was to see her humiliate herself after she kept droning on and on about her Saint and Justice and all that crap.

The loud noise spread through the air in an instant. 

The effect was immediate. Reinhard fell to his knees as his body wouldn't stop shaking. He still kept his grip at his sword however.

As for Marina however…

...Wait… what? She's… she's not affected at all!"

Sure enough, she remained standing, not even flinching in the slightest.

...Hold on! That appearance! She’s just like that dryad!

Marina had indeed activated her transformation magic. Her skin was now wooden and her ears had grown long and sharp. And when she noticed him taking his deep breath, she put some earplugs made out of wood in her ears just in case. Not that plants could shake in fear the same way humans could in the first place.

Four thorn tendrils popped out near the beastmen—two above and two below. He managed to dodge all of them, but not without suffering a cut on his wrist. Marina didn’t let up however, as more and more tendrils went after him from all directions.

Tch, this girl! She’s more of a monster than a human!

More and more scratches appeared at his body as he tried so hard to get to where Marina was. Unfortunately for him, her defense was impenetrable. If he rushed in, the tendrils would get to him and pierce his body from all directions, killing him instantaneously. And yet, if he stayed like this, sooner or later, his body would take too much damage and he would slip up anyways.

For once, in a very long time, he was the one who was terrified.

“Is something the matter, o prince of the Ulf Clan?” Marina spoke, her voice dripping with venom. “Don’t you want to take me as your mate? I don’t want to marry a pup who can’t even get past a few plants.”

That bitch! She’s playing me like a dog!

Marina’s words were enough to make him decide to take a risk. Her companion was still paralyzed with fear, and her dryad familiar was still busy repelling his men. This would be his best chance to win over her. She’s a mage. As long as he could close the distance between them, he would win. With a single punch, he would knock the daylight out of her. And when she woke up, she would be naked and chained up, all ready to be his bitch.

He leaped forward with all his strength, doing a mid-air spin so he would be able to defend himself better from the tendrils. It was a gamble and he knew that. But it was a gamble he's willing to take.

The tendrils flew from all directions, intending to stop him before he could even land. Two from the ceiling—he parried them with his right hand. Two from the ground—he parried them with his left. Two from the left and right—by sheer luck, both only grazed his stomach and back, leaving a significant wound but not actually hitting his organs.

Ha! Got ya you little—

Only for an owlbear to appear out of thin air and slap him on his head, knocking him out in a single hit.

Seeing their leader knocked out cold, the remaining beastmen all surrendered. And they did it in their custom—by laying down on their backs and raising their hands and feet to the air like dogs who wanted a belly rub from their master.

Marina wasn’t impressed however, even though it was the most humiliating posture one could take as a beastman. Instead, she just felt disgusted. No one wants to see grown men pretending to be puppies like that.

Marina tied them up with her vines in no time at all, including their dear leader, of course. He got the extra treatment, with thicker and thornier vines than the others.

And then, Marina splashed the latter with a ball of water, waking him up while he’s in a sitting position.

“Now. Tell me. What should I do with you and your men?”

At that moment, anyone who saw her expression would no doubt think she was the genuine Witch of Verdant Death, in the flesh.