Chapter 9 – The Alpha's Wrath
The forest was silent. Only the rustle of leaves and the drip of blood from fallen corpses filled the night air.
Edem stood tall atop the mound of dead wolves, his silver hair and pale skin glowing faintly under the moonlight. His chest rose with exhilaration, his claws gleamed red, and his lips curved into a victorious smirk.
Then—
GROOOOOOWWWLLL—!
A thunderous roar tore through the trees, shaking the very earth.
Edem froze. The victorious smirk slipped from his face as the shadows shifted. From the darkness emerged a monstrous figure, nearly twice the size of the wolves he had just slain.
Its fur shimmered green, glowing faintly like living emerald flames. Every step it took left the grass trembling as wind currents curled around its legs. Its fangs were longer than daggers, its claws sharp enough to shred steel.
> [Warning: Basic Tier Beast Detected – Alpha Wind Wolf]
Edem's jaw clenched.
"Basic Tier? That's one rank above Normal… damn. This is no ordinary prey."
The wolf's golden-green eyes locked onto him, burning with primal fury. It stepped over the corpses of its kin, lips curled back in a snarl. The killing intent pouring off its body pressed down on Edem like a crushing weight.
For the second time since arriving in this world, Edem felt small.
"...Hah." He chuckled nervously, though his voice cracked. "So this is the difference, between normal rank and basic rank huh? Guess I won't be laughing my way through this one." as he was chuckling to himself.
The wolf didn't wait to attack. With a sudden WHOOSH, it vanished for his sight.
Edem's instincts screamed—Danger!!!
SWOOOSH—SLASH!
He twisted, barely dodging as claws raked across his chest. His armor-like skin split open, blood spraying. Pain lanced through his body.
"Ghh—Arggg!" He stumbled back, clutching his wound. His regeneration kicked in instantly, but the damage was deep. If it had been half a second faster, he would have been shredded into pieces.
The wolf reappeared, its massive body shimmering with green wind energy dancing across it's body. Its speed was unbelievable, almost teleport-like compared to the Normal Tier wolves.
"Too fast! If I can't read its movements, I'm going to die!"
He activated Crimson Detection. Instantly, glowing lines traced across the beast's massive frame—arteries, muscles, weak points. But they pulsed faintly, hidden beneath a thick wall of energy.
The wolf lunged again.
Edem dodged, but not completely. CRRRRSHH! Claws scraped across his ribs, tearing flesh. His body spun through the air, crashing into a tree with bone-shaking force.
BOOM!
_Ghhha
Bark exploded, the trunk splitting as he coughed blood.
[HP 230/250]
"Hhhk…hah… so this is what a real fight feels like…" His azure eyes gleamed, even through the he is in pain. His heart pounded not due to fear, but in excitement. Because if he defeat this beast there is going to be a bountiful harvest.
The wolf snarled, circling him like a storm, its growl vibrating in the earth.
Edem pushed himself up, wiping blood from his mouth. "Alright, monster. Let's see which of us is the real predator."
---
The Alpha struck first, moving like a blur of green lightning. Edem ducked under its swipe, then countered with his hardened claws.
CLANG!
Sparks flew as claw met claw. The impact forced Edem back several steps, his bones broken. His arms regenerated due to his passive skill.
"Shit. Its physical strength is above mine too…"
The wolf lunged again. Its fangs clamped down toward his throat.
Edem thrust his arm forward, letting the beast bite into it, instead of his neck. Flesh tore. Blood gushed out. Pain seared.
[HP 220/250]
But he grinned through clenched teeth. "Got you."
With his free hand, he drove his claws into the wolf's eye.
SKRRRCHHH!
The beast roared, jerking back violently. Blood sprayed from its ruined eye as it staggered, shaking its massive head.
Edem's arm hung mangled, but his blood regeneration start to work, muscles knitting slowly. His face was pale from blood loss, yet his grin only widened.
The wolf didn't falter. Rage fueled it. The Wind swirled around its body like blades, forming a cutting aura. Even the ground shredded beneath its paws.
Edem's eyes widened. "It's using wind essence to boost its body? That explains the speed…"
The wolf vanished again.
SWOOOSH—!
Too late to react.
SLASHHH—!!!
Four bloody gashes tore across his back. His body flew forward like a broken kite, rolling violently through dirt and roots. Hitting trees and breaking through them with BANG!
BANG!!
BAAAANGGG!!!
"Ghhhaaa!" He coughed blood, his body trembling as regeneration struggled to keep up. His HP plummeted like water spilling from a cracked jar.
[HP 190/250]
[HP 100/250]
"COUGH...COUGH..HUFFF..HUUUFF.HUFF"
"If this continues… I'll be ripped apart. I need to gamble everything."
---
Edem staggered to his feet, his fangs bared. Blood dripped freely from his wounds, painting the ground crimson.
He activated Blood Lust.
[All stats have been doubled]
His veins bulged. His muscles tensed like steel cables. A surge of raw power exploded inside him. His azure eyes turned scarlet, glowing with hunger and madness.
"Come on then!" he roared.
The wolf howled and charged.
BOOM!
The collision shook the earth. Edem met its claws with his own, the two forces grinding together. The wolf's wind aura cut into his flesh, but his empowered strength pushed back.
"RAAAAAHHHH!"
He forced its claw aside and slashed across its chest. SPPLLLT! Blood sprayed, staining its green fur.
The beast howled in rage, swiping with hurricane speed.
Edem ducked, rolled, then slashed its leg tendon. RIPPPP! The wolf stumbled, limping.
But in retaliation, its tail whipped out like a steel whip.
CRAAACK!
The blow slammed into Edem's ribs, breaking bones. He spat blood and crashed into another tree.
[HP 60/250]
"Ghkkk—hahh…hahh…" His body screamed in pain. But his eyes still burned. "I… won't… lose."
---
The wolf limped forward, blood dripping from its chest and leg, but its aura still howled with fury.
Edem steadied himself. He gathered all the blood from his wounds, pulling it outward with sheer will. The crimson liquid swirled around his claws like a deadly gauntlet.
"Let's end this."
The wolf roared and charged one last time, its remaining eye glowing with killing intent. Wind tore through the forest like knives.
Edem roared back, launching himself forward.
WHOOSHHHH!
They collided mid-air.
The wolf's fangs clamped down on his shoulder, piercing deep. Pain exploded.
[HP 20/250]
But Edem's claws plunged straight into its throat. He also plug his fangs into the alpha's neck.
[Blood drained +5 stats point]
SPPPLLLT!
Blood burst in a crimson spray. He didn't stop. With a savage twist, he ripped its entire neck open, severing veins and wind channels alike.
The Alpha staggered, choking on its own blood. Its glowing eye dimmed. With a final whimper, it collapsed heavily onto the earth.
THUD!
There was a dead Silence.
Edem fell to his knees beside it, his entire body shaking. His wounds burned, his vision blurred, but his smile returned—dark and triumphant.
The system's voice rang out.
> [Basic Tier Beast Defeated!]
[Level Up! Lv. 7 → Lv. 11]
[Crimson Evo Points +100]
[New Beast Core Acquired: Basic Tier (Alpha Wind Wolf)]
Edem's laughter echoed weakly in the night, half-crazed, half-ecstatic.
"Hah… hahahaha… I did it. Even… against this monster…"
He collapsed backward, staring up at the glowing moon.
The corpses of wolves surrounded him, their blood soaking the earth. And at the center of it all lay Edem, battered, bloodied, but victorious.
A predator baptized in slaughter.
But deep within the forest, more glowing eyes began to awaken.
His battle has awoken some beast nearby.
--