Chapter 56: Prey 4
“AGHHH!!!!”
Visceral screams echoed across the windy plains of the relatively peaceful glades. A man and a wolf faced off, staring at each other eye to eye, their gazes locked tight in eternal strife.
The wolf had its jaws clamped down tight upon the fleshy arm of the man, mangling and biting it, shattering the bones and ripping the flesh from within.
The man struggled to even get up, the excruciating pain radiating from his right arm incapacitating him.
Although he had managed to dodge the initial lunge of the wolf at the last second, he couldn’t keep up with its relentless assault. Now, it played with his arm, a savage toy for the beast.
Mud and blood splattered all over his already black uniform, making him look even more dark and grotesque.
His breaths came in ragged gasps as he resisted as long as he could, while the wolf tossed him around.
Its powerful paws battered his body, rolling him across the hard ground with each vicious movement.
Blood spurted from his mouth with every impact, and gasping screams escaped his lips every time the wolf’s teeth found purchase on his limbs.
From his right arm to his left leg, the wolf played with the man, a predator toying with its prey.
It wouldn’t be strange if he collapsed now, succumbing to the brutal onslaught.
Yet, despite the overwhelming agony and the bleakness of his situation, he did not falter.
His eyes, burning with a fierce conviction and unwavering resistance, told a different story.
He refused to give in, a warrior’s spirit flickering like a dying ember, holding on against the odds.
The wolf, although not human, couldn’t help but muse upon the strange prey it had encountered.
The man before him wasn’t the strongest, nor was he the most intelligent, yet there was something about him that the wolf couldn’t ignore—something that would eventually haunt him.
As a monster born within the very depths of this forest, the wolf had felt few emotions beyond the primal instincts of hunger and survival.
But now, an unusual curiosity stirred within him. A monster with intellect like his could recognize just how amusingly dangerous this man he was playing with truly was.
He was the best prey the wolf had encountered in a very long time, and that was why it was fun.
It was fun seeing him scream, it was fun watching him suffer, and it was fun witnessing his unyielding resistance.
The man’s tenacity was a rare treat, an unexpected delight in the wolf’s otherwise monotonous existence.
The wolf had inherited the fiery temperament of storms, a wild and untamable spirit that reveled in the chaos it created.
Whatever he felt from the man, he was sure it would be amusing to prove wrong.
The man’s eyes, filled with defiance, only added to the thrill.
It was a game, a deadly dance between predator and prey, and the wolf was determined to enjoy every moment of it.
He snarled, tightening his grip on the man’s arm, relishing the taste of blood and the sensation of power coursing through him.
This man, with his burning eyes and indomitable will, was unlike any prey he had faced before.
The wolf knew that breaking him would be a triumph, a testament to his own strength and superiority.
Yet, as he continued to toy with the man, a nagging thought lingered in the back of his mind.
This prey was different, not just in his resistance but in the way he stirred something within the wolf, a flicker of something almost like respect.
The wolf shook off the thought, focusing instead on the immediate pleasure of the hunt.
After all, he was a creature of the wild, and sentiment had no place in his world.
But deep down, he couldn’t deny the gnawing feeling that this encounter was significant, that this man would leave a mark on him, a reminder of the day when prey fought back with the heart of a true warrior.
…..
‘Ah… I messed up.’
“Ughock… cough! Cough!”
Blood splurted from my mouth as my body was mangled left and right.
BOOF!
With every strike, every hit, every bite, pain surged through me, magnified by the burning sensation of the golden lightning surging within the wolf’s jaws.
Each shockwave of agony tore through my facade, exposing the raw, hidden pain beneath.
‘Is this how I die?’
Thoughts of death loomed deep inside my heart. No matter how much I tried to find a way out, there was no escape from this situation, right?
Right now, I couldn’t even see properly; the red blood dripping into my eyes blocked my already blurry vision.
[WARNING!]
[WARNING!]
I didn’t even know the exact situation I was in.
The momentary sensations of relief were quickly mangled by the rough ground beneath me and the relentless impacts from the wolf.
Even my knowledge of the game couldn’t save me from this dire predicament.
My muscles had reached their limit, and the amount of damage I had taken was far beyond my threshold.
I was quite surprised I was still conscious.
I already knew that making a mistake could cost me my life, but it seems that knowing this wasn’t enough to escape the consequences.
Each breath was a struggle, each movement a battle against the overwhelming pain.
The wolf’s relentless assault left me with no time to think, no time to strategize. The reality of my situation pressed heavily on me, a constant reminder of my mortality.
The golden lightning flickered within the wolf’s jaws, sending searing jolts of pain through my mangled limbs.
My body became a canvas of agony, painted with bruises, cuts, and the deep wounds inflicted by the beast.
I could feel my strength waning, my resolve slipping with each passing second.
‘Haha… did I grew to cocky perhaps….?’
“RAAAGHACCKC!”
With a bite on my leg,
I held back the scream and the blood in my mouth.
Not long after, I could feel my body being swung left and right like a ragdoll.
The wolf treated me as a mere toy, shaking me violently before hurling me through the air with unimaginable force.
Boom!
“Agh!”
I couldn’t hold back my scream any longer.
My breath escaped in a spray of blood as my body slammed into a large rock.
The impact was so severe that I lost consciousness for a split second before regaining it, my vision swimming back into focus.
I couldn’t feel my back now—the blow was too hard. A crippling sensation coursed through my spine and rib cage, bones cracking and breaking as I tried to adjust myself.
Haha… fuck me… I thought bitterly.
My death seemed inevitable now, a certainty etched into the ledger of fate. There was no escape here, no hope…
So why?
‘Why the hell do I keep resisting?’
[FATE: A DRAGON’S SACRIFICE IS SHAKING!!!!!]
[WARNING!]
[Note: HP and MP levels are below normal thresholds!]
[Note: Escape area immediately!]
Growl!
Facing forward as my body slumped down from the impact against the rock, I heard the wolf snarling in the background. The sound was mocking, a cruel relish in my suffering.
Though I couldn’t see it, I had a vivid image in my mind of its twisted pleasure.
The wolf’s growl was like a twisted melody, underscoring the symphony of my pain.
Blood trickled down my face, mixing with the dirt and sweat, blurring my vision even further.
I could barely make out the shadowy form of the beast, its eyes gleaming with a malevolent light.
Every breath was a struggle, each inhale sending sharp stabs of pain through my shattered ribs. My legs felt like they were on fire, the bite wound throbbing with a relentless agony.
Despite it all, I forced myself to move, to shift my position ever so slightly, seeking some semblance of comfort in the midst of the torment.
The wolf circled me slowly, its growl growing louder, more insistent. It was toying with me, savoring my helplessness.
I could almost hear its thoughts, mocking my futile resistance. But even in the face of this overwhelming power, I couldn’t let go of that small, stubborn spark within me.
Gritting my teeth against the pain, I tried to push myself up, my muscles screaming in protest. The wolf’s eyes followed my every movement, its lips curling back in a snarl. It was ready to strike again, to finish what it had started.
Using the rock behind me as leverage, I managed to push myself up, leaning heavily against it for support.
I felt my legs trembling beneath me, the visible flesh and bone inside my black slacks a gruesome reminder of the brutality I endured.
Feeling the numbness creeping into my hand, I was grateful that I hadn’t let go of my sword.
It remained firmly gripped in my right arm, though it was now nothing more than mangled flesh.
With my left hand, I struggled to pry it free from my strong grip, biting down on the fabric of my shirt collar to try and distract myself from the searing pain.
I held the sword in position despite my trembling hands, raising it defiantly in front of me.
[WARNING!]
[WARNING!]
System messages kept flashing before me, but blinded by the red haze of blood, I couldn’t make out what they were saying. If I had to guess, it was probably warning me of something dire… or perhaps futile.
Haha, how ironic it would be if the system actually provided assistance right now, instead of just warning me of impending doom, urging me to survive only to fulfill some predetermined fate.
“How stupid…”
I muttered through gritted teeth. If I was bound to die in the first place, why did it matter how or when? Why did it need me to die in that specific scenario?
[Note: Emergency measures applying!]
RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
The thunderous sound of lightning rippled through the air, electrifying the wind and atmosphere as it pricked upon my skin. I knew the wolf was intending to end it now.
Though my vision was blurry and tinged with blood, I could sense the surge of golden lightning around its body was more potent than ever before.
It was preparing to unleash its strongest skill, [Lightning Jaws].
A high-level physical attack imbued with the power of lightning; it was rumored to be in the same category as high-ranking spells.
A one-hit skill, the Tempest Wolf could only use it once a day—its ultimate attack, capable of turning me to dust with a single strike.
‘Hooh….’
Calming my breath and the dwindling hope inside of me, I still held my sword firm, pointing it towards the approaching beast. If I was going to die anyway, I might as well do it on my own terms, right?
Flash!
BOOM!
With a blinding light that momentarily robbed me of sight, the wolf disappeared from its position, accompanied by the deafening clap of thunder.
Facing the inevitable, I closed my eyes, bracing for the impact of the wolf’s devastating attack. But as seconds passed and no pain came, confusion gnawed at my mind.
‘Did it miss?’
No… opening my eyes once more, I scanned the field through the blurry haze of red, my eyes widening in surprise.
The wolf’s jaws were mere inches away from my face, frozen in mid-air…..
Why was it not finishing the job? Was it mocking me?
Standing there, as if suspended in time, the vague shape of its jaws seemed to taunt me with their proximity.
[Note: Conditions have been met!]
And why did the world suddenly become darker than ever?
It was as if I was thrust into a black-and-white monochromatic world, where only stark contrasts of light and dark existed.
Everything fell silent, enveloped in this strange yet familiar sensation.
And in this moment It felt like I was the ‘KING’
[Note:]
{[Skill: Monarch’s Will (Unique)] [Unlocked!]}
[Effects Applying]
[Effects: Absolute Command] [Active]
[Effects: 90% Stat Reduction] [Active]
[Note: All enemies in the user’s presence will now have their stats reduced!]
[Note: All enemies in the user’s presence will now have their wills subjugated!]
[Note: Emergency measures applied!]
[Note: May you survive and fulfill your fate, good luck!]
