I am the fairy\elf king???/

The next morning, Jace stood outside the Adventurer's Guild, waiting for Naofumi to arrive. The Shield Hero emerged from the shadows, his shield strapped tightly to his arm. He looked determined, yet the isolation he faced from others in the kingdom was evident in his guarded demeanor.

"You're Jace, right?" Naofumi asked curtly. "Let's see what you can do."

Jace nodded, hefting his spear onto his shoulder. "Lead the way. What's the job?"

Naofumi held up a notice. "There's been a request to deal with some oversized wolves harassing travellers on the main road. Figured it's a good chance to see how you fight."

"Wolves, huh? Sounds manageable." Jace smirked. "Let's go."

The duo set off, leaving the bustling city behind. The road stretched out before them, winding through rolling hills and patches of dense forest. As they walked, Jace couldn't help but notice the villagers they passed giving Naofumi wary, even hostile looks. He decided not to comment, though it irritated him.

As they approached the area where the attacks had been reported, Naofumi raised a hand to signal for caution. "Keep your eyes open. Wolves don't usually act this aggressively unless something's driving them."

The forest grew denser, the canopy above casting long shadows across the ground. Jace gripped his spear tightly, his senses on high alert. A low growl broke the silence, and moments later, a pack of large, snarling wolves emerged from the underbrush, their eyes glowing with unnatural aggression.

"Looks like we found them," Jace said, stepping forward. "Or they found us."

"Stay close to me," Naofumi instructed, raising his shield. "I'll block their attacks. You handle the offense."

The wolves charged, their movements coordinated and feral. The largest of the pack lunged straight for Naofumi, but its claws glanced harmlessly off his shield, sparks flying from the impact. Jace wasted no time, spinning his spear and thrusting it into another wolf mid-leap. The beast yelped and collapsed, but the others pressed on.

"Keep them distracted!" Naofumi shouted, holding his ground as two more wolves snapped at him. "I'll draw their attention."

Jace nodded, his movements fluid as he swept his spear in wide arcs, forcing the wolves to keep their distance. One darted in, snapping at his leg, but he sidestepped and countered with a precise strike. The beast fell, its body dissipating into motes of light—a sign they were dealing with monsters, not ordinary animals.

The alpha wolf, larger and more menacing than the rest, let out a bone-chilling howl. The remaining wolves became more frenzied, their attacks relentless.

"This one's mine!" Jace called, focusing on the alpha. He charged, his spear glowing faintly as he poured magic into it. The wolf met his assault head-on, claws slashing through the air. Jace dodged to the side, his spear carving a deep gash into the beast's flank. It howled in pain but retaliated with a powerful swipe, knocking him off balance.

Naofumi stepped in, intercepting the wolf's next attack with his shield. "Get up! I'll hold it off!"

Jace scrambled to his feet, gritting his teeth. "Thanks." He adjusted his grip on the spear, his eyes narrowing. With a deep breath, he lunged again, this time aiming for the wolf's neck. The spear struck true, and the alpha let out one final howl before collapsing, its body dissolving into light.

The remaining wolves scattered, their morale broken. Jace lowered his spear, breathing heavily. "That was… intense."

Naofumi nodded, inspecting his shield for damage. "You handled yourself well. You're quick on your feet and know how to strike where it counts."

"Thanks. You're not too bad yourself," Jace replied, managing a grin. "Your defense is solid."

Naofumi smirked faintly. "Comes with the territory. Let's head back. The guild will want to hear about this."

As they made their way back to the city, the atmosphere between them was lighter, the shared battle having forged a sense of camaraderie. Jace couldn't help but feel that this was the start of something significant—not just for their partnership, but for the journey ahead.