Chapter 544

This felt completely different from the first time she had faced an ogre, back when she had been forced to fight with everything she had just to survive.

Not long after, Addison reached the two ogres standing close together as they swung their massive clubs at the warriors surrounding them.

One of the clubs came crashing down toward her.

Addison reacted instantly, ducking low as the enormous weapon swept over the crown of her head, the force of it sending a powerful gust of wind past her.

If that blow had landed, she knew she might have died on the spot, her bones crushed and shattered from the sheer strength behind it.

The moment she ducked, her eyes quickly scanned the battlefield around her.

Luckily, the nearby warriors seemed to have grown somewhat familiar with the ogres’ attack patterns. They managed to dodge as well, narrowly escaping the devastating swings.

But the battlefield offered them no chance to breathe.

The monsters and wild animals surrounding them immediately lunged again, refusing to give the warriors even a moment of rest. Some of those creatures were unlucky enough to get caught within the range of the ogres’ swinging clubs.

Their bodies were struck mid-charge and sent flying through the air like ragdolls.

Yet even after witnessing such brutal force, the remaining monsters and wild animals showed no fear.

They continued to charge forward wildly, as if driven by madness.

Addison looked up at the ogres and immediately noticed their eyes.

They were the same, glowing red, filled with the same frenzy and madness she had seen in the monsters and wild animals attacking the camp.

She still hadn’t forgotten the real problem.

Somewhere out there was something attracting these creatures toward their camp. If she didn’t find it, the waves of monsters and wild animals would continue endlessly, attacking again and again until either they wiped out the defenders… or the defenders exterminated every creature in this territory.

Either outcome would be disastrous.

If all the monsters and wild animals in the area were wiped out, the entire ecosystem of this region would collapse, leaving devastating consequences in the aftermath.

But before she could go and search for the source of this madness, she first needed to deal with the ogres here.

Once the ogres were eliminated, the Alpha and the warriors stationed on this side of the wall would have a far better chance of fighting back and holding the line. That would buy her the time she needed to investigate what was truly causing this chaos.

With that decision made, Addison didn’t hesitate.

The moment the ogre’s club finished sweeping past above her head, she waited for the brief pause as the creature shifted its footing to prepare for another strike.

That was the opening she needed.

Addison dashed forward.

Behind her, the warriors continued clawing and biting at the monsters that surged toward them, desperately holding the line as she charged straight toward the towering ogres.

“Princess! Don’t charge in on your own!” the Alpha snarled.

He slashed the monster in front of him with his claws, tearing it down as he tried to push forward through the chaos.

Because he and Addison did not belong to the same pack, he couldn’t reach her through a mindlink. And without that connection, shifting into his wolf form would only make communication even harder. So he remained in his human form, shouting across the battlefield as he fought his way toward her.

But Addison was simply too fast.

By the time he cleared the creatures in front of him, she had already carved a path straight toward the ogres. And the moment she passed through, the monsters and wild animals surged back together behind her like water closing after being split apart.

In an instant, his path was sealed.

A writhing wall of monsters and wild animals, which was nearly two meters thick, now separated him from Addison.

The Alpha’s chest tightened.

If the princess ran into trouble now, he wouldn’t be able to reach her in time to help.

And that thought alone filled him with growing unease… and fear of what might happen to her.

“It’s fine. Help your warriors fend off the monsters and wild animals instead!” Addison replied without turning her head.

Her eyes remained locked on the ogres, carefully watching their every movement.

From her tone and the command she gave, she believed the Alpha would understand her intention by now.

She was going to face the two ogres alone.

While she kept the ogres occupied, the Alpha and the other warriors only needed to ensure that no monsters or wild animals interfered, especially from behind.

But when the Alpha heard her order, disbelief surged through him.

He knew just how terrifyingly strong those ogres were.

For Addison to suggest fighting both of them alone was something he couldn’t even imagine attempting himself.

For a brief moment, he couldn’t help but feel as though he had just heard the words of a lunatic.

“Princess…” The Alpha began, about to persuade her to reconsider.

But as if Addison already knew what he was going to say, she spoke first.

“Don’t even try to persuade me. Just follow my orders. That’s a command.”

The authority in her voice was absolute.

For a moment, the Alpha found himself unable to resist it. It felt as though the invisible thread that bound him to the Alpha King had tightened, pressing down on him with overwhelming authority, as if it were the Alpha King himself issuing the command.

Disobedience never even crossed his mind.

His jaw tightened as he bit down hard on his molars, frustration and worry churning inside him.

Still, he obeyed.

Shifting into his wolf form, the Alpha immediately began leading the warriors to form a defensive perimeter around the battlefield where Addison faced the two ogres. Their task was clear; no monsters or wild animals were allowed to break through and interfere with her fight.

However, the area was simply too large.

Realizing this, the Alpha called for more warriors from within the walls, those who had already recovered enough to return to battle.

Fortunately, now that the ogres were no longer part of their immediate fight, the pressure on the warriors had noticeably lessened. Fighting the monsters and wild animals alone was far more manageable compared to facing the towering ogres as well.

And more importantly—

Their princess was fighting alongside them.

That knowledge alone sent a surge of adrenaline through the warriors.

With renewed determination, the warriors fought even more ferociously than before.

Thanks to the warriors holding the perimeter, Addison no longer had to worry about being ambushed from behind. That allowed her to focus entirely on the two ogres in front of her.

The ogres were already staring at her with ferocious, bloodshot eyes.

Then, without hesitation, both of them charged.

Their massive steps made the ground rumble and shake as if a small earthquake had erupted on the battlefield. Luckily, the warriors had already grown used to this terrifying momentum, so they braced themselves.

Addison lowered her stance as well, crouching slightly to stabilize her balance. She tilted her sword so the blade faced the oncoming ogres.

After taking a steady breath—

She dashed forward.