Inside the forest, a group of wolves circled their prey—me. However, they were unaware that I wasn't prey; I was a predator, bored with smaller targets and eager for a challenge against other formidable foes.
My torso was bare, without even a shirt for minimal protection against enemies or the heat. The only weapon I had on hand was the strange finger gloves on my middle and ring fingers. The true name of these gloves was Zhijiatao.
Taking a martial arts stance, I calmly observed the wolves, ensuring that I didn't panic at the first sign of attack. I had experience hunting in dungeons, but there was a significant difference between the monsters there and the wolves in front of me: intelligence.
The wolves possessed the usual instincts found in animals, but they were not solely driven by them. They could strategize, albeit within limited bounds, which meant I couldn't dispatch them as easily as I usually did.
Nonetheless, I held the advantage. All of my sensing skills were active, making me subtly aware of their positions through detecting lifeforce, mana, and the sounds of their footsteps on the grass or their panting breaths.
As was typical, apart from the five wolves circling me, there was a larger one, the alpha, perched atop a boulder. He surveyed the scene from his high ground, gauging the positions of everyone present.
Then, he barked, signaling the start of their assault. The first wolf lunged at me from my left, aiming to strike me with his paw. I evaded the attack and readied a counter, but just as I prepared to deliver a kick that would send his head flying, another wolf launched an attack from my blind spot. I only sensed his presence when he was already airborne, indicating that he possessed more stealth-related abilities.
As time passed, the wolves began to display increased strength and resourcefulness. I halted my kick, sidestepped, and regained my footing. Entering the [Heavenly Hand of Defence] stance, I caused the first wolf to cartwheel into another one behind me who wasn't expecting the sudden movement. The two began to tumble, and I seized the opportunity to use the Zhijiatao in my right hand to pierce the brain of one of the wolves.
"Chi You - Spear Form - Mount Tai Dragon Claw."
Even though strength was my lowest stat, I managed to pierce the brain of the first wolf and quickly repeated the same move to eliminate the second one as well.
[Mount Tai Dragon Claw Lv.2->3]
However, since the zhijiatao I was wearing were not designed for battles but were instead ornamental pieces made of iron and steel, I had to equip a different one after it broke on my middle finger. I needed to either craft or buy something more durable from the shop or acquire a weapon stronger than the simple pieces of equipment I had.
The martial art I practiced could be used with various weapons, such as swords, spears, halberds, and crossbows—each weapon influencing the stances I employed. As the number of wolves surrounding me diminished, the pressure on me also lessened, and within just two minutes, I found myself face-to-face with the alpha wolf.
We did not initiate a standoff; instead, I sprinted toward him, ready to deploy my Spear Form. However, the wolf, having observed my moves throughout the battle, dodged my attack by jumping backward, again and again. Eventually, it found itself at a disadvantage, trapped against a tree behind it. Recognizing the situation, the wolf opted not to confront me directly, likely waiting for an opportune moment to strike. But I was aware of its strategy, so I deliberately maneuvered it into a tight spot.
As it backed up against the tree, I leaped directly at it, positioning my fingers not in front but over my head. In this fight, I had never adopted this form before, and I ensured the wolf was focused on me, realizing that I could not execute the same attack I had attempted earlier. Just as it lunged to bite my head off, I smiled.
I had baited it.
Chi You - Sword Form - Yan Cut.
If the spear stance imitated the thrusting motion of a spear, this stance was about mimicking the slashing motion of a sword. Neither of us moved to block, parry, or dodge the other's attack; instead, we engaged in a direct exchange.
What ultimately led to my victory was something as simple as the reach of my attack. The alpha wolf aimed to bite my head off, so I targeted its left eye for my strike. The blade connected, and as my motion completed, I sidestepped the body that still had momentum.
//
You have defeated Alpha Wolf - Lv.31
+1731 EXP
You've obtained 102 Shards
Level up! Lv.36->37
+5 free stat points
Yan Cut Lv.1->2
//
While I inflicted significant damage with that cut, it was too shallow to reach the brain. What ultimately killed the alpha was its body colliding headfirst into the ground after the blow to its head.
After assessing the situation to ensure there were no threats nearby, I placed the bodies of the fallen wolves into my inventory and continued on my way.
[STR 26->27]
Glancing at the new notification, I realized how living in such a hostile environment accelerated the growth of my skills and stats. Even without my Gamer powers, this made sense. Beyond leveling up various skills, I also gained three points in Constitution and this was the second point I earned in Strength. Following the departure of the Cinderbear, I received another point in Luck, but I had less success with Dexterity, Intelligence, and Wisdom—likely because those were my three highest stats. I might see a point in Dexterity by the end of the month, and possibly in Intelligence or Wisdom if dismantling and making sense of those monsters' interiors contributes to them.
Before returning home, I positioned the corpses of the lower-level wolves around my territory. I had left one behind previously, not out of laziness, but because I believed leaving them there would deter other roaming monsters from entering the area. This tactic proved effective.
The only downside is the stench of the rotting corpses after days of being there. My stubbornness prevented me from purchasing a repellent from the shop, like the one in Pokémon. Sometimes, I really do hate myself for that.