Gulp.
Its gaze carried an intimidating pressure—similar to the dragonkin's aura, though weaker.
I forced my trembling hands steady and raised my sword into guard.
My eyes shifted, counting.
Seven.
Seven wolves remained.
If I killed the leader, the rest would fall more easily.
Haah.
I exhaled and pushed more mana through my mana lines.
I was alone.
Me against seven of these wolves.
The number wasn't large.
I had already killed more than that.
I tightened my grip.
'I can do this.'
Haah.
I will survive.
I braced myself, thinking that it would charge at me like the others.
But—
It didn't move.
And simply watched, observing me.
Then—
It raised its head high.
AWOOO!
A deafening howl echoed.
The others reacted at once.
They stopped eating and lifted their heads toward the leader.
There was no other signal.
Just one howl.
Yet they understood.
They stepped away from the corpses and turned toward me.
Blood covered their snouts. Flesh hung between their teeth. Thick drops of blood fell to the ground as they advanced.
My stomach twisted.
The mangled bodies behind them.
Torn limbs.
Shredded torsos.
I swallowed the vomit rising in my throat.
The space between us shrank as they drew closer.
Step.
I stepped back—
ROAR!
The leader roared again.
And all seven rushed at me at once.
There was no way out.
No retreat.
Defending was useless.
I could only move forward.
So—
I rushed at them as well.
The center was dangerous.
I went for the wolves on the left.
Like that, they couldn't surround me.
At least I hoped it.
The wolves adjusted instantly, changing their path toward me.
The wolf on the far left rushed blindly at me.
Just as it was in reach—
Step.
I stepped aside.
Shing.
My sword cut through the air.
Slrrsh.
Slashing its throat as I passed—
Thud.
The corpse dropped to the ground behind me.
Maybe it would hinder them?
I ran—
"Argh!"
—and stumbled over another corpse.
My foot got caught, and I fell forward, rolling through the sand.
But—
Thud.
Dodged with my fall the lunge of the wolf behind me.
I tried to stand—
But another wolf was already upon me.
It leaped through the air, aiming for my chest.
There was no time.
I just drove my sword forward, gripping it firmly.
Shuk.
It impaled itself.
Another corpse.
But my sword was stuck.
The wolves were already close.
I abandoned the sword and pushed the wolf off my chest before pushing myself up.
Just as I stood—
RAAH!
Lunged the next wolf at me.
The others were close behind it.
I couldn't run.
So I fought.
My knees bent, and my leg swung forward.
Bam.
Delivering a frontal kick right at its chest, pushing it backward.
Thud.
The wolf slammed into the others, buying me a second.
Step.
I turned and ran.
My eyes snapped left and right, searching for a weapon.
The arena was a graveyard—corpses lay everywhere.
Weapons shone here and there.
But too far away.
Then I saw it.
The spear.
It lay right beside the girl's mangled corpse.
And next to the spear.
A sword.
My feet shifted through the sand as I changed direction and sprinted directly toward them.
But my legs were slow.
Injuries drained my strength, and every corpse posed another danger of tripping.
The wolves were close behind me.
Step.
I pushed myself off the ground, near the weapons, and dived, sliding through the sand.
My hand reached out, barely long enough to grip the sword.
Shish.
Mid-slide, I turned and swung blindly.
Shing.
Nothing.
Just a breath after my swing ended—
Lunged the first wolf.
There was no time for another slash.
I pushed myself off the ground, standing, and punched it straight in the face.
Bam.
The wolf was pushed back.
RAAH!
But another came right after it.
Now, there was enough time.
Slrrsh.
My sword slashed right through its throat.
AWOO!
The next wolf lunged.
I couldn't swing again.
Instead, I pivoted on my heel, spinning, and delivered a kick toward its head.
Smash.
The shackle on my ankle smashed into its skull and slammed it into the wolf I had punched.
There was a moment to breathe before the remaining wolves arrived.
I took that chance and reversed the grip on the sword.
Then—
Swoosh.
Threw it at the wolf lying beneath the one I had kicked away.
Shuk.
The sword pierced flesh, but there was no time to confirm the kill.
I needed another weapon.
I crouched down, picking up the spear.
Pain flared in my left arm as my fingers closed around the shaft.
My jaw clenched, forcing the pain away as I lifted the spear into position.
The two remaining wolves drew closer.
One wolf rushed straight at me while the leader was a few meters behind.
There was no time to familiarise myself with the new weapon.
I just rushed forward.
Instead of thrusting, I slid low to the left, dragging the spear in a slicing arc across the wolf's chest.
Slrrsh.
Blood sprayed.
Thud.
The wolf dropped to the ground behind me.
I planted my left hand in the sand and pushed myself up before turning to face the leader.
But instead of attacking.
Thud.
It halted.
Haah.
I took a breath, calming my racing heart as it didn't attack.
We stood in the center of the arena.
There was a small patch without corpses around me, giving me enough space to move freely.
I gripped the shaft tightly, tip facing forward, ready for the leader's attack.
But—
Again.
Nothing.
It just stood.
And stared at me with that same gaze from before.
As if it were still the hunter.
It wasn't.
Only one.
Just one wolf remained now.
How many had I killed until now?
Dozens.
No matter what he did.
I would win.
But still—
I didn't dare to make the first move.
Our eyes locked as we just stared at each other.
Then—
Its eyes shifted.
Just for a breath.
I was barely able to see the shift with my enhanced vision.
But it was enough.
The wolf looked behind me.
My body moved at once, turning.
A wolf leaped through the air.
There was no use in thinking about where it came from.
Instinct took over.
I crouched low.
My spear was raised, tip angled forward.
Shuk.
The wolf jumped into the blade, impaling itself mid-air, tip piercing through its body like butter.
Dead.
But—
Thud.
Its weight pressed the shaft down, into the ground, embedding it firmly.
I tried to wrench it free—
RAWR!
The leader was already upon me.
I abandoned the spear and turned.
Just in time to react.
The wolf leaped for my throat.
No weapon.
Not enough time to kick or punch.
I raised my right arm high.
And—
Chomp.
Its jaws clamped onto my wrist shackle as he slammed into me.
Thud.
My back hit the ground hard.
Pain shot through my back.
The whipping wounds screamed again.
All air left my lungs at the impact.
Hah!
I gasped for air when—
Skrtch.
Its claws descended into my chest.
I couldn't even scream as pain shot through me because there was no air to breathe.
Claws sank into my flesh, ripping my skin open.
Fangs dug into my arm.
Weight pressed onto my chest, not letting me breathe.
The pain was so immense that I felt nothing.
A numbness began to spread, taking even the aching of my body away.
My legs were trapped beneath its weight.
My upper body pressed down under its claws.
My right arm was the only thing keeping me alive.
My left arm was injured, useless.
I couldn't do anything.
Death was slowly approaching as its claws dug deeper into my chest, inching closer to my organs.
There was no way out of it.
In the end—
Death.
It came for me.
Again.
The world narrowed, vision turning darker at the edges.
I closed my eyes.
This is it.
I'm going to die.
The beast had won.
'I'm sorry, Lisa.'
'Forgive me.'
'I couldn't keep my promise.'