The attack didn’t stop there, the crimson arc continued its trajectory unabated, heading straight for the Direwolf. It was still recoiling from the loss of its kin when the piercing glow of the crimson arc arrived. It had no time to react as the arc made contact with its flesh. One of the Direwolf’s eyes, previously full of malicious intent, went dull and lifeless as it was bisected by the fatal strike, leaving the beast with a horrific, gaping wound. But the arc didn’t dissipate, sinking into the DireWolf, splitting open one of its heads as if it were nothing more than a ripe melon. A grotesque mix of blood, bone, and brain matter erupted from the wound in a gory fountain, splattering onto the surrounding vegetation as the scent of fresh blood filled the air.
Awooo!
Immediately, an anguished roar echoed through the forest, the Direwolf’s pain and rage reverberating through the dense foliage.
“Damn it! That Direwolf’s totally pissed!” Alfred couldn’t hide the anxiety in his voice as he watched the Direwolf recover from the surprise attack. Its red eyes now focused solely on Val with an intensified murderous intent.
“Val, that Direwolf will rally the pack against you!” Alfred called out, his voice edged with concern. He was aware of the pack dynamics among wolves. The strongest led, and the others followed. He knew that the entire pack made up of forest wolves would target Val since he was being targeted by the Direwolf!
“That’s precisely the plan,” Val replied, his voice as cold as ever. His eyes glinted with a chilling light, never leaving the injured Direwolf and the pack behind it. “It’s more efficient to have them come to me.”
His response left Alfred momentarily speechless. Val’s fearlessness was almost unnerving. He was calmly strategizing in the face of a deadly beast, seeing opportunity where others would see only danger.
“Val, do not be reckless!” Alfred cried out, watching as Val charged at the Direwolf head-on.
“I don’t plan on dying today, Alfred.” Val’s voice was as cold as ice. It held a determination that made Alfred’s heart shudder.
And then, it was too late. Val was already dashing towards the enraged Direwolf at full speed!
Seeing its enemy daring to approach, the Direwolf let out a mighty howl, rallying the forest wolves to its side. With one swift command, the wolves were sent hurtling towards Val. Meanwhile, the DireWolf itself trampled over the earth beneath it with mighty force as it charged headlong towards Val.
It was a terrifying spectacle – an enraged beast, its eyes glowing red with murderous intent, its monstrous body tearing through the landscape like a tornado.
‘What can I do in this situation?’
Alfred, however shocked he was at Val’s bold move, didn’t lose his nerve. His body started glowing a vibrant green and a forest of vines erupted from the ground in the path between Val and the wolves. It tripped several wolves over, their necks snapping with a sickening crack as they landed awkwardly. A few agile wolves managed to leap over the obstruction and continued their charge. For the Direwolf, the vines were nothing more than weak reeds, easily crushed under its massive paws.
The sight of the rampaging Direwolf was terrifying. It was like a mountain in motion, causing small tremors with every thunderous step. Its crimson eyes were locked on Val, exuding a deadly intent that could chill the heart of any observer.
In the face of the impending threat, Val didn’t back down. He surged ahead, closing the distance to his enemies. As the distance between them closed rapidly, Val started throwing punch after punch into the thin air. His fists ignited with an eerie grey fire, the flames twisting and turning into the form of fireballs before being propelled forward.
It seemed as if a hail of fiery meteors had descended upon the advancing wolves and the Direwolf.
Not to mention, the swift convergence made evading the attacks near impossible for the charging wolves. As for the colossal Direwolf, the sudden attack, combined with its momentum, colossal size, and proximity, left it with no room to dodge.
BOOM! 𝑂𝓋𝐥xt.𝑐𝗈𝑚
A resounding reverberation rang out as the fireballs exploded upon impact, turning the area into a chaotic inferno. The wolves caught within the blast howled in pain, their bodies instantly charred by the hellish flames. The Direwolf, although its sturdy body withstood the attack, roared in fury as the flames scorched its massive body.
The field had turned into a battlefield of fire and fury in mere moments.
Alfred watched in awe as the forest wolves succumbed to the hellish flames, their bodies dropping lifeless onto the scorched ground. However, his eyes were fixated on the Direwolf whose massive body was set ablaze, yet it relentlessly charged towards Val. Alfred’s heart pounded in his chest as he stretched out his hand, commanding the vines to shoot up from the ground, creating a dome-like wall around Val.
But the enraged Direwolf shredded through the protective wall with ease, its claws tearing through the vines as if they were mere paper. Alfred’s heart sank. He had overestimated his capabilities. But to his shock, Val was no longer within the protective dome.
“Where did he go?” Alfred gasped.
Even the Direwolf seemed confused, its one remaining head swinging around in an attempt to locate Val.
Then, in the blink of an eye, Val appeared above the Direwolf, seemingly out of nowhere.
Alfred couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise. “What in the world?”
Val swung his sword. His sword moved in a swift, unforgiving arc, the keen edge of the blade cutting through the Direwolf’s neck like a hot knife through butter. There was a sickening sound, something between a crunch and a squelch as bone and flesh were parted with lethal precision.
Blood, dark and viscous, erupted from the wound in a gruesome fountain, splattering onto the charred ground below. It soaked into the ash-blackened earth, creating a stark contrast of dark red against the grey landscape. The smell of blood mingled with the acrid scent of burning flesh in the air, adding a raw, primal element to the aftereffects of Val’s hellfire.
The Direwolf, a nightmare of the second region of the forest, was dead!
No sooner had the last forest wolf met its end than a system notification rang in Val’s mind:
[Ding! Congratulations, Host! You have killed a Level 30 Direwolf. You’ve gained 600 EXP.]
And then, the follow-up message:
[System Notification: Bonus EXP earned due to level difference: 900 EXP.]