The wolf stepped into the light. It was a nightmare of burned fur and torn flesh. Deep serpent bites covered almost every part of its body, and thick green pus oozed from the wounds, dripping onto the forest floor. Despite its injuries, the beast's eyes remained locked on the young man.
"Just as I thought," he said to himself. "He already devoured the serpent and came straight for me. But I'm ready."
He didn't wait. "Over here!" he shouted, waving both of his arms.
The wolf let out a wet growl, blood dripping from its jaws. The young man turned and scrambled toward the back of the cave, purposely acting like desperate, clumsy prey. The beast took the bait. It dashed forward, its heavy paws thumping against the earth as it gained speed.
Just as the wolf prepared to strike, the ground below him collapsed.
The thin twigs snapped, and the wolf let out a sharp cry as it collapsed into the dark pit. A sickening series of thuds followed as the sharpened hardwood spears pierced its belly and chest. Dark blood began to ooze from the wounds, pooling at the bottom of the trap. The wolf screamed in a high-pitched tone of pure agony.
The young man stepped to the edge of the pit. A victory grin spread across his face as he looked down at the trapped monster. It was no longer a hunter; it was a caged animal. The beast tried to split its skull to use its tongue, but a spear had already pierced through its head, making the move impossible.
He gripped his stone spear with both hands, summoning every bit of his remaining strength. With a final, desperate grunt, he thrust the spear downward into the wolf's skull. The beast let out one last, ear-piercing howl that seemed to shake the walls of the cave. Then, its body went limp.
"Finally," the young man gasped. "I got you, you bastard. You tormented me for days, but in the end, I won!"
The forest fell silent. Suddenly, a glowing blue screen flickered before his eyes:
[THE DEMONIC WOLF HAS BEEN DEFEATED]
[AMAZING FEAT FOR A MERE GUEST]
[YOU HAVE ACQUIRED 1.5 POINTS]
The young man stared at the floating words. "Points?" he whispered. "What are these for?"
[POINTS CAN BE USED TO INCREASE YOUR LEVEL PROFICIENCY, STARTING FROM USER STAGE. THEY CAN ALSO BE USED TO ACTIVATE SPECIAL WEAPONS.]
"So they're useless to me right now?"
[ESSENTIALLY, YES, UNLESS YOU FIND A SPECIAL WEAPON.]
"Useless system!" he shouted.
After a few minutes, he decided he couldn't stay in that rotting cave any longer. He climbed out into the open air. The warmth of the sun hit his face, and for a brief moment, he felt refreshed.
But that feeling didn't last. As he walked further from the cave, a low growl echoed from the shadows. Then another. And another. He froze. From behind the trees and rocks, a dozen pairs of glowing red eyes emerged.
He was cornered. A whole pack of demonic wolves surrounded him, their fur bristling with rage. They didn't bark, they simply glared, their teeth bared in a silent promise of revenge for their fallen brother.
The young man cursed his fate. A wave of despair washed over him, but just as he felt ready to give up and let go of the life that he know nothing about and rest, an iron will ignited in his chest. His determination skyrocketed.
"If I'm going to die," he growled, his voice cracking with emotion, "I'm taking at least one of you with me!"
He knew he stood no chance against a dozen wolves, but he refused to die like a victim. He would fight to his last breath. He gripped his blood-stained spear and dashed at the nearest beast. The wolf didn't flinch. Instead, its skull split open with a sickening crack. A muscular tongue whipped out like a bullet toward his forehead.
Death was inches away. He saw it coming, but suddenly, a silver beam whistled through the air.
Thwack!
An arrow sliced through the wind, severing the wolf's tongue just before it pierced his head. The beast recoiled, letting out a horrific, gurgling howl of pain.
The young man froze, gasping for air as he looked toward the source of the shot. Standing on a high rocky ledge was a girl. Her long, silver hair reflected the sunlight, and her deep red eyes scanned the battlefield with icy calm. She wore striking armor: a midnight-blue silk tunic reinforced with silver-plated leather and a crimson belt at her waist. A beautiful sword was sheathed at her belt.
A new system screen flickered into his vision:
[NAME: UNKNOWN]
[STAGE: USER]
[PROFICIENCY: 90%]
"She's strong", the young man thought, "and the strongest person I've ever seen till now". A spark of hope returned. "Maybe I won't die after all?"
In less than a second, the girl leaped from the ledge, landing gracefully in front of him. She glanced back. "Are you okay?" she asked, her voice calm despite the growling pack.
Without waiting for an answer, she looked at the glowing bow in her hand and sighed. "I really hate bows," she channeled. With a flick of her wrist, the weapon vanished. She reached for the hilt of her elegant sword and whispered, "Let's finish this quickly."