The time for the preparation is over. Now it was time to act.
Both of my opponents were stronger and faster than I was, which meant that a pure physical confrontation was out of the question. My only advantages were my skills and intelligence, and I was prepared to use them.
I decided to focus on the more troublesome enemy: the bear. I picked two bone-throwing knives from my inventory and aimed at him. The first knife was dodged, and just as I had predicted, he moved right into the trajectory of the second one, which he managed to slap away.
With a growl, he dropped to all fours and charged at me, clearly enraged by the insult. I noticed that the wolf was also preparing to attack.
*Tsk*
This was a bad situation. While I could handle the bear—he might be stronger and bigger than me, but he wasn't significantly faster—I was wary of the wolf. I may be a gamer, but I'm not limited like a typical RPG character. If I had to categorize my stats, I would say I'm more like a mage than a front-line fighter. The wolf, although weaker than the bear, was much faster.
After using [Hyperstride], I hopped out of my original position just in time to see the two monsters collide. The Cinderbear managed to leave a gash on the wolf's torso, but he suffered the worst injury when the wolf bit down on his hind leg. Normally, this wouldn't trouble the bear much, but this time, the wolf channeled what I suspected was Thermal Energy in its mouth, scorching the area around it, even burning the bear's fire-resistant fur. As the wolf twisted its body similarly to how an alligator would, the bear prepared for another strike.
The result was that the bear ended up on the ground, screaming from the pain inflicted upon him, while the wolf happily feasted.
From the bear emanated a foreboding aura—a pressure caused by the mana it was exerting on its surroundings. This made the wolf pause momentarily, backing away from the bear. It was a smart decision, especially since five [Mana Arrows] were poised directly where he had been, with only one grazing the wolf's tail.
As the bear fully emerged, the battle intensified. I began to move around and take shots at my pursuers—ten, fifteen, twenty shots. However, on my twenty-second attempt, I lost my focus and reacted too slowly when the wolf suddenly accelerated, nearly biting my leg off.
But that wasn't the only issue. It wasn't just the bear amplifying the battle with his mana; the wolf also had a heat aura surrounding his body that was slowly expanding. That alone was enough to cause damage.
[-67 HP]
[Heat Resistance Lv.15->16]
[Pain Resistance Lv.11->12]
"Ouch!"
The area affected by the wolf's thermal aura was now filled with blisters, and the pain was overwhelming. In my five years of being a Gamer and diving into dungeons, this was the worst injury I had ever taken.
I was saved by luck when I leaped away using [Hyperstride]. The two animals were now focused on each other. While the pain was bad, the landing was even worse.
"[Everfight]."
An orange-red aura radiated from my body, as the worst damage was repaired. This spell was designed to recover injuries and enable one to continue fighting.
[Everfight Lv.2->3]
However, the spell was so low-leveled that its effects were minimal, only recovering 10 HP, which slightly eased the burn and, most importantly, made the pain more bearable.
With the other two distracted, I took two vials from my inventory: one red health potion and one blue mana potion. I had spent 25,000 on both, and even though I felt that the value didn't quite match the results I wanted, I didn't hold back on resources that might be useful.
I drank one potion after the other, recovering 100 HP and 200 MP. I returned to max health and replenished some of the mana I had used.
Determining that hit-and-run tactics wouldn't be sufficient to conclude the battle, I opted for a more direct approach. I took out one of the bone spears from my stock and bravely—perhaps madly—approached the fray.
The first one to notice me was the wolf, swinging its tail at me while still covered in thermal aura. I parried the strike and retaliated with a [Ki Blast] aimed directly at its face, my hand remaining unharmed thanks to [Touki] being active.
I wasn't sure why, but I realized that any Ki attack was super effective against living beings. My theory was that it disrupted their lifeforce stream, something I had only speculated before since I had used it primarily to finish off other enemies. The blood spewing from the wolf's mouth confirmed my theory.
While I had made a decisive strike, I couldn't forget about the other monster nearby. Being so close, I could feel the mana pressure escalating, straining me both physically and mentally.
But I just smiled—a crooked smile fueled by adrenaline and the exhilarating feeling of death drawing near, a joy that few would understand.
I returned the spear to my inventory and prepared for melee combat. Taking a defensive stance, I was ready for the next move. When a paw came at me from the side, I deflected it with [Heavenly Hand of Defence] and countered with a [Mana Arrow], even though the mana in the air was beginning to weaken.
When a bite came my way, I crouched down and moved closer to him—too near for him to launch a proper attack, given his size, and perfect for my retaliation with a [White Tiger Crescent Cut], empowered with [Hyperstride] if possible.
If he went for a bodyslam, I would sidestep and leave a gash with either [Yan Cut] or [Mount Tai Dragon Claw]. The blood in my veins told how much I was enjoying it, and the choreography was too beautiful to end, but unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be.
[You've obtained the skill: Deadly Rhythm]
Minutes passed, and gradually the fight started to de-escalate. The bear slowed down, becoming weaker with each clash. Constitution-wise, I was at a disadvantage, but I had worked hard on my [Stamina]. In the end, I was the one still standing.
//
You have defeated Cinderbear - Lv.51
+4131 EXP
You've obtained 198 Shards
//
The area beneath us was stained with patches of blood—his and mine, but mostly his. A quick glance at my screen revealed my health was under 100, and my mana just above 500. It might be just enough to take down the wolf.
And then it hit me. "Where's the wolf?"
It had the best chance to finish both the bear and me, and it hadn't taken it. As I looked around, I spotted him. His eyes were fluttering open and closing, sometimes unfocusing, as if he were battling sleep. When our eyes met, he slowly and laboriously began to stand.
His fiery aura flickered, as if it were being extinguished before reigniting. It was as threatening as ever. Despite this, he assumed the same position we started in, swinging left and right like he was drunk.
As I observed him, I began to understand why he was in such condition. I aimed a blast at his head; he suffered some brain damage from it. It wasn't enough to kill him on the spot, but it would probably prevent him from surviving the day if his previous resistance to passing out was any indication.
The reason he managed to get up despite his state was likely pride, if [Cold Reading] is to be believed. This monster had the spirit of a warrior, more than most could ever dream of possessing.
"I don't know if you can understand what I'm saying, but you and the bear provided the fight I've enjoyed the most. Now, it's time to finish this."
Once more, I was impressed by his tenacity. I readied myself to make the final strike, a precise thrust aimed at his head as he charged at me—slowly, but with determination. He was dying yet still had the will to fight, and I respected that.
I waited until he was right in front of me—a wolf bigger than I was, almost dead, but a worthy opponent, to say the least. As if we had prearranged it, we both went for the kill simultaneously.
I struck with a [Mount Tai Dragon Claw] aimed right between his eyes, and that blow was true. However, his attack was different. He opened his mouth and unleashed a fire breath.
The fire was much weaker than before, but it still hit me.
//
-72 HP
You have defeated Crimsonwolf - Lv.47
+3092 EXP
You've obtained 202 Shards
Level up! Lv.37->38
+5 free stat points
//
I was left naked in the clearing since the few clothes I wore became ash, but I never felt so good in my life.
Is this how an epic battle feels?