Osric felt the forest change.
It wasn't sound at first — it was pressure. The air grew heavy, thick enough to weigh on his chest. His instincts screamed even before his mind caught up, a cold dread crawling up his spine.
He forced himself to breathe.
Slow. Shallow.
His body was still broken. Every movement sent sharp protests through his muscles, but the strange numbness granted by the system kept him conscious — barely functional.
Then the voice returned.
[Emergency Trial details loading…]
Text unfolded before his eyes.
[Trial: Survival Verification]
Objective: Eliminate the Dire Wolf.
Condition: Kill confirmed.
Failure: Termination.
Osric's breath caught.
"A… wolf?" he rasped.
He had no weapon. No armor. His clothes were soaked with blood, his limbs trembling from exhaustion. Even standing felt like an impossible task.
This wasn't a trial.
It was an execution.
A low growl rolled through the trees.
Osric's head snapped up.
Between the trunks ahead, something massive shifted. Pale eyes gleamed in the shadows, fixed on him with predatory focus. A hulking shape stepped into the faint moonlight — far larger than any normal wolf he'd ever heard of.
Its fur was matted and dark, its body lean with muscle. Saliva dripped from bared fangs as it sniffed the air.
The Dire Wolf had found him.
Osric's heart pounded violently in his chest.
Run.
The thought came instantly — and died just as fast.
His legs barely held him upright.
Another growl echoed, closer now.
Osric clenched his fists, nails biting into his palms.
"…So that's how it is," he muttered hoarsely.
The system didn't respond.
The wolf lowered its body, muscles coiling.
And Osric understood.
This wasn't about strength.
It was about survival.
He looked to his left and saw a large stick on the ground which was the closest thing to a weapon he could find here.
Osric rushed towards the stick a couple meters away and only a second later, the Dire Wolf charged at him.
He grunted in pain as he picked up the stick and was about to point it at the Dire Wolf, but its sharp claws were already swinging down at his chest.
Osric barely deflected the attack with the large stick but was immediately in danger again as the Dire Wolf's fangs sank into his shoulder.
"Arghhh!!"
Osric screamed in pain as he was bleeding out from the bite wound.
'At this rate I'm probably going to die from its next attack.'
Osric was in extreme pain and was wondering if this was his end.
He then suddenly heard the system's voice again.
[Host has increased his pain resistance slightly.]
The pain was now somewhat bearable and he didn't feel like he was about to pass out any second anymore.
The Dire Wolf was just staring at him with fierce eyes and saliva dripping from its mouth.
'I will just have to take a gamble here.'
Osric decided to lower his makeshift weapon and pretend that he couldn't move anymore to lure in the monster in front of him.
The Dire Wolf didn't hesitate and leaped at him with its full might.
When it was in the air, Osric took one step forward, got down on one knee and pointed the large stick upward.
His arms screamed in protest as he forced himself forward.
Osric timed his movements perfectly and the Dire Wolf could not react in time as it was in the air and already too close.
The monster quickly fell with its full weight onto the large stick and it pierced the Dire Wolf's Chest.
Since the stick wasn't very sharp, it didn't come out on the other end, but it penetrated the monster deep enough to kill it.
The Dire Wolf yelped in pain for a couple seconds before its breath faded away and it died.
Osric could finally relax and he collapsed to the ground while breathing heavily.
'I did it!'
And right on time the system responded.
[Emergency Trial completed.]
[Rewards Issued.]
Stat Points:
Strength +1
Endurance +1
Vitality +1
Skill Acquired:
[ Pain Resistance ] (F)