Chapter 13: Hunting and Hunted
POV Blaze
Location: Marcoon City, Dark-shaded Forest Hunting Grounds
"Well, looks like we have us a pretty strong puppy here for such a low level, don't you two think?' The leader of the two said as they started to surround me.
"Call me a puppy again, asshole, and things won't end well for you three. I ain't got no beef with you, and clearly, this was my hunt, so back off before I get my guild involved." I said in a threatening way.
"Haha, that's cute. The little mutt thinks he can intimidate us when he's clearly tired from that grand little tap dance he gave us~." The dark elf said too much in my anger as I started to bare my fangs, as clearly these people didn't like werewolves.
On the leader's chest, just barely hidden by his shirt, the insignia of an infamous hunting group was seen, and not just any kind, but werewolf hunters/slavers specifically. My hands began to shake. My eyes glanced at my right hand. Even though it was gloved with iron gloves, I could feel an old, faint throbbing phantom sensation. Under it, a black X would be seen on my hand, with a deep cut running through it to leave a fleshy wound.
I was once branded by slavers just like this. Before, when I was young...I was caught by a group and was almost sold away if not for my father. He chased after me relentlessly for three days and nights without rest, with no help from the family, as I was seen as a waste of resources as is, with many other young members having systems and/or promising skills that could be used younger than most. Of course, many tried to go against the elders but..were severely punished. Leaving a precedent to follow the laws set by them, sadly. It didn't help that I was a frail lesser werewolf with nothing going for me besides the fact that I could have been a magic prodigy.
When my father did find me, he went on a bloody spree, killing all in his way. I watched as my father, a level 125 Silver werewolf, tore away all the many people that came at him, in his powerful, intimidating half-wolf form, some seeing it as the ultimate mix, not fully changed into a towering wolf-man most full werewolf forms would be. It was compact and agile, and the power to boot, but sadly I watched in awe; never once was I scared of the look on his face at the bloody, injured figure in front of me. This tired, unrelenting man fights for me. Honestly, I thought it would have been better to just leave me to this sad fate.
But no! His powerful claws and knives cut through all for a full day into the next night, and he tiredly freed me and all the other wolves and even vampires, as they held much respect for their savior. Not once did they let their natural hatred of werewolves take over. Yet sadly, as my father held me in an embrace I'd never forget, he died there with me in my arms. Finally succumbing to the wounds left on his body, as well as the exhaustion and fatigue of 4 days and nights with no rest.
Only after my mother and uncles threatened the elders did they come, but they came too late...I lay there in my father's arms, wailing away...Nothing I could do as those bastards looked at me with hate and scorn, as they saw me as the death of one of their strongest members, and me as his useless runt that was his only weakness. That day cemented for those not in my immediate family that I was a lost cause...I, a child barely 5 years old, just a puppy, was looked at like I was the most useless pawn.
Sighing, shaking away the past as well as my anger, giving off the most pitiful look of despair I could, as it was clear I had found out who they were, trying to sell my weakness, to get them to lower their guard, maybe slip up. Find an opening, exploit anything I could.
Before the third one could even speak, I saw my opening. He was clearly a greenhorn moving forward to boast, his mouth open, my knife flung into it, piercing his skull. He was pinned to a tree trunk and instantly killed, his body pinned. As my guess was right, my stats still gave me a much-needed edge, and it seemed the lowest-level one was gullible even if buffed; a direct knife throw would kill any person that low a level.
[Killed a Lv 13 Human]
[Gained 1300x2 EXP....gained 2600 EXP]
[Gained 10,000 gold]
[3,000/5,000 EXP]
I [Quick step] to a tree branch, running as the dark elf used the same skill but to greater effect, chasing after me, her boss, yelling as I just barely outpaced her, hitting away her bow shots with my sword with some effort. Throwing multiple fireballs to keep her at bay.
[Fireball]
[Fireball]
[Fireball]
[MP:10\180]
'Wait, Icy, stop! Don't split up!' The male desperately yelled out to his remaining companion. The woman was quite confident in her skills; due to my weakened state, continuously shooting out more bolts my way, blocking a few as I dodged the others. I looked back, smiling at her, only for her to be perplexed as to why I had so much energy even after fighting the hobgoblin.
I could only laugh as my [stamina recovery] was doing its job as I spent five skill points to level it up to lv 7 while I was stalling by talking to them. As my stamina went from heavy breathing to only lightly winded, downing three health potions, healing me for 100 HP each, and a mana potion for 150MP, I was back at peak form, as now it was time I went on the assault.
[HP:1,100/2,200]
[MP:160/180]
Sending aura daggers at her using [Aura manipulation], they were crude and brittle gray 4 inches rectangle blades that hit her body and armor, only doing minor damage, as a dark red whip came flying at my head, dropping down quickly as I landed on the floor, throwing out multiple [Wolf fangs] and aura slashes mixed in as she hit them away with her whip and grazed her body more.
[Wolf Fangs]
[Wolf Fangs]
[Wolf Fangs]
[Wolf Fangs]
[MP: 100/180]
"I'll admit you got some neat little tricks, ya mutt, but you aren't going to do much with me having the high ground here. Now stop moving away!" Icy said out madly, as she started shooting out poisoned bolts at me. Hitting them away, I threw out one more aura slash at the tree trunk as it started to snap. In my flurry of slashes, I made sure a few would hit the tree as if I was forced to miss, from her whip and arrows.
She started to jump to the next tree as I ran to her, letting an arrow hit my shoulder, gritting my teeth as she didn't have the time to cast a poisonous one. Right when she was in mid-air, I finally sprung my trap on her.
Casting [Aura Chains]. Ethereal gray and white chains wrapped around her body and the branch she jumped from, pouring all my mana and aura into it, keeping her bound. Her eyes went wild, and the large, heavy tree trunk fell onto her body, hard-pinning her; a loud, blood-curdling scream was heard, as well as the sound of a few crushed bones.
"You should have gotten armor in better spots. Not much it can protect if it's only covering your chest and legs, ya silly girl~." I mocked her. Both her leg and an arm were pinned under the tree, her free arm desperately trying to reach for her crossbow.
Which happened to have a bolt knocked in place. Jumping onto the log caused her to scream and gurgle with blood. We were many meters away from her leader. At best, he'd be near us in five minutes. I wanted to make her suffer more. I needed info, but a sure-fire way of killing someone over 10 levels higher than me, so I did the unthinkable, quickly chugging away more potions and kicking off the tree from her body to elicit more screams from her; mangled limbs and bones snapping more as she was in unbelievable pain.
I lifted her light body, letting her see the hatred in my eyes. I sank my fangs deep into her neck, her body convulsing as I dropped her to the floor. She was changing, her bones snapping and changing; dark gray ears and a tail burst from her bloody, ripped-open skin as she breathed out roughly, shaking. It was done as I tossed her down potions to drink.
She slowly and submissively took them, drinking them down as the man with an ax finally got to us, only to see the dark elf woman, named Icy, was now my loyal submissive bitch.
"YOU DIRTY DOG BASTARD!!!!!!!" He charged at me in a rage, only to get hit back hard square in the chest by Icy's whip as he skittered back, in sheer disbelief. She was now my pack member and would do anything to keep her alpha alive, even if it meant killing the man she loved in front of her.
[~~The user has turned a dark elf into a dark were-elf; the user has gained the title {Pack leader} ~~]
[~~{Pack leader} gives the user and his pack boosted speed and minor regeneration when fighting with his members; stacks with more members (no stack limit)~~]
[~~ The user has been given the skill of [Alpha lv:max (A+) ], which allows the user to select a member of his pack to be the Alpha to lead when he is not there to lead them, as the marked alpha will gain half the user's strength, Intelligence, and Agility, and added to theirs, the user gets 50% of any, and all EXP gained by the Alpha.~~]
[~~ The user has been given the skill of [Omega lv: max (SS)]. This skill can only be used by the user. This skill allows the user to control all and any members of his pack, regardless of others turned by other members, as well as make all members follow the [Omega ]'s will and word as law. They cannot attack the [Omega]. However, the [Alpha] may be challenged by anyone in the pack to take their title unless the [Omega] chooses another or removes the buff.~~]
[Turned: 1/2 pack members ]
"Icy, let's take out this trash," I said, smiling widely before marking her as my [Alpha]. I started to slash away with my sword at his chest as he blocked each and every hit with his ax with ease. I knew this would not be an easy fight before ducking. Three poisoned arrows were launched at him as he knocked them away, letting out a powerful [warcry].
I could feel my body being weighted down quite a bit as he swung his halberd at me, seemingly faster than before, and I could only match the blow with my own. His strength was nothing to yawn at, as it was far greater than the hobgoblin and almost double mine. I was easily being oppressed before a black arrow hit his arm just barely as he yelled out, not much in pain but more so in frustration, jumping back.
"M-master, that will make him... make...Eric ...weaker, but only for a bit. We must overwhelm him..." my newly appointed Were-Elf said. I could tell she was struggling to tell me anything, let alone to fight him, but it was a fruitless effort as her loyalty was completely mine. Nodding, we both rushed him.
"You will pay for what you have done to my Icy. You damn dirty wolves just keep taking, and you need to be killed!" Eric screamed at me. Launching a powerful shockwave in our direction, Icy's whip grabbed my waist and flung me up to a tree. She soon followed behind me, launching more arrows at him as a few pierced into the chinks of his armor.
It was quite odd to see her helping out so well.
Honestly, I expected some pushback, but this system was made by the god of werewolves, and not a single one could go against him so easily, even if they wanted to.
Hehe, talk about perks! This should be a much easier fight.