Chapter 3 — The First Hunt*
Arin wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. His crimson aura flickered around his body.
The wolf stood several meters away. Its golden eyes remained fixed on him.
Neither moved.
The room was silent. Arin could hear his own breathing. He could hear the faint creaking of the old wooden floor beneath his feet. And he could hear the beast's low growl.
It wasn't the sound of an ordinary wolf. It was deeper. Heavier. It carried a primitive sense of danger that made every instinct in Arin's body scream at him to run.
But there was nowhere to run. The room was small. The doorway was behind the wolf. The windows were too narrow. And even if he somehow escaped the house, he had no idea what waited outside.
Arin tightened his fists. The wolf lowered its body. Its muscles contracted. Arin's pupils shrank.
_It's coming._
The next instant— The wolf exploded forward.
Arin's body reacted before his mind could fully process what was happening. He threw himself sideways.
WHOOSH! A claw swept past his chest. Arin felt the wind from it. He landed hard on the floor and rolled.
The wolf's claws slammed into the wall.
CRACK! Wood splintered.
Arin's heart jumped. _That was close. Too close._
He immediately pushed himself upright. The wolf had already turned. Its eyes locked onto him again.
Arin swallowed. _So fast..._ He hadn't even seen the attack properly.
The wolf charged once more. Arin grabbed the broken wooden plank beside him and raised it.
BANG! The wolf's paw smashed into the plank. The impact nearly tore it from Arin's hands. His arms went numb. He stumbled backward.
The wolf followed. Arin swung the plank. The beast ducked. Its head slipped beneath the attack. Then its body twisted.
Arin barely saw the next claw. He raised his arm.
SHRAK! Pain exploded through his forearm. Four lines of blood appeared across his skin.
Arin staggered backward. His eyes widened. The wound wasn't deep. But it was enough to remind him of the difference between them.
This wasn't a fight between equals. This was a predator fighting prey.
The wolf growled. Arin stared at it. His hand slowly tightened around the wooden plank. He couldn't beat it by strength. If he tried to overpower the creature, he'd die. He needed to think.
The wolf circled him. Arin moved with it. His back remained toward the wall.
He remembered the first attack. The wolf didn't simply charge blindly. It waited for an opening. It watched his movements. It adjusted. It hunted.
Arin's eyes narrowed. _Then I'll do the same._
The wolf suddenly lunged. Arin didn't dodge immediately. He waited. Closer. Closer. Closer—
_Now!_
Arin moved. He stepped to the side. The wolf's claws missed. At the same time, Arin swung the wooden plank toward its head.
BANG! The plank connected. The wolf's head jerked sideways.
Arin's eyes widened. He actually hit it.
The wolf staggered for half a second. Arin didn't waste the opportunity. He swung again.
BANG! The second strike landed against its ribs. The beast snarled.
Arin swung a third time. But this time— The wolf caught the plank. Its jaws closed around the wood.
CRACK! The plank shattered. Arin froze.
The wolf pulled. Arin was dragged forward. Its paw rose. Arin's instincts screamed. He released the broken plank and threw himself backward.
The claw missed his face by inches. He hit the floor. The wolf was already above him.
Arin's pupils contracted. The beast opened its jaws. Rows of sharp teeth descended toward his throat.
Arin pushed both hands against its neck. The wolf's jaws stopped. Barely. Its breath was hot against his face. Its saliva dripped onto his cheek.
Arin's arms trembled. The wolf was stronger. Far stronger. His elbows slowly bent. The creature's jaws moved closer.
Arin gritted his teeth. "Get…" His muscles screamed. "OFF ME!"
He twisted his body. The wolf's balance shifted. Arin kicked with both legs.
BANG! The wolf was thrown sideways.
Arin immediately rolled away. He scrambled to his feet. His chest rose and fell rapidly.
The wolf stood again. Blood dripped from the corner of its mouth. Arin stared. He had injured it. Not seriously. But it was bleeding. That was enough. It could be hurt. It wasn't invincible.
Arin looked around the room. His eyes moved rapidly. Broken wood. Old furniture. The bed. The table. Nothing.
Then he saw it. A metal rod lying beneath the damaged table.
Arin moved toward it. The wolf noticed. It charged. Arin dove. His fingers closed around the rod.
The wolf's claws slammed into the table. CRACK! The entire table shook.
Arin rolled away. He came back onto his feet with the metal rod in his hand. The wolf turned.
Arin tightened his grip. The wolf charged again. This time, Arin didn't retreat. He stepped forward.
The wolf raised its paw. Arin ducked underneath it. The claw passed over his head. He turned his body. Then swung the rod with everything he had.
BANG! The metal slammed into the wolf's ribs. The beast staggered.
Arin struck again. BANG! The wolf stumbled.
Arin raised the rod for another attack— The wolf suddenly twisted. Its tail slammed into Arin's legs. His feet left the ground. He crashed onto his back. The metal rod flew from his hand.
Before he could recover, the wolf pounced. Arin raised both arms. The creature's claws slammed down.
THUD! Pain shot through his shoulders. He was pinned.
The wolf opened its jaws. Arin stared into its mouth.
For a brief moment, everything seemed to slow. Not because time had stopped. Not because the world had changed. Because Arin finally understood something.
If he didn't kill this creature— He was going to die.
There was no second chance. No rescue. No miracle. Just him. And the beast.
Arin's eyes hardened. His hand slowly moved toward the metal rod lying beside him.
The wolf lowered its head. Its teeth came closer. Arin's fingers touched the rod. Almost there.
The wolf opened its jaws wider. Arin grabbed the rod. With everything he had left— He drove it upward.
CRACK! The metal slammed into the wolf's jaw. The beast recoiled.
Arin rolled away. He scrambled onto his knees. The wolf shook its head. Arin stood.
Both of them were covered in blood. The wolf growled. Arin's breathing was ragged. His arms were shaking. His entire body screamed for rest.
But the fight wasn't over.
The wolf charged. Arin raised the metal rod. The beast leapt. Arin waited. One moment. Then— He stepped aside.
The wolf flew past him. Arin turned. The creature landed awkwardly. That was his chance.
Arin rushed forward. He raised the metal rod above his head. Then brought it down.
BANG! The blow struck the wolf's skull. The creature collapsed.
Arin froze. The wolf twitched. He didn't move. He watched. Waiting.
The wolf tried to stand. Its front legs shook. It collapsed again.
Arin's breathing became quieter. He slowly approached. The beast's golden eyes were still open. They stared at him. There was anger in them. Hatred. But there was something else too. Life.
Arin raised the rod. His hand trembled. He didn't want to do it. But wanting something didn't matter anymore. If he hesitated— It could kill him.
Arin clenched his teeth. "I'm sorry."
He swung. The metal rod struck. The wolf's body went still.
Silence filled the room. Arin remained standing. His chest rose and fell. He stared at the dead beast. He had done it. His first kill in this world.
And strangely— He didn't feel victorious. He felt exhausted.
Arin slowly lowered the rod. Blood dripped from his injured arm. He looked at the enormous corpse lying before him.
Then something strange happened.
A faint sensation came from the necklace around his neck. Arin froze. He touched it. The damaged necklace felt different. Warm. Almost alive.
His eyes narrowed. "What...?"
Before he could understand what was happening, a strange force began to spread through the room. The blood within the wolf's corpse trembled.
Arin's expression changed. The blood slowly began to move. Not randomly. It was being drawn toward the necklace.
Arin stared in disbelief. The spiritual energy contained within the dead beast also began to dissipate. But instead of disappearing— It was being absorbed. Into the necklace.
The artifact pulsed. Once. Twice. Then again.
Arin stepped backward. "What is happening?" He had no answer. He could only watch.
The wolf's blood qi and spiritual qi from the beast core continued flowing into the damaged necklace. The faint glow surrounding the artifact became stronger.
For the first time since Arin had awakened in this strange world— The necklace seemed to be responding to something.
Then— A strange sensation entered his mind. It wasn't a voice. It wasn't a sound. It was more like a sudden awareness.
The necklace was searching. Searching for something.
Arin's eyes widened. The sensation became stronger. The artifact's power spread outward. Beyond the room. Beyond the physical space he could understand.
Something was being pinpointed. Something hidden. Something that shouldn't have been reachable through ordinary means.
Arin stared at the necklace. His heartbeat accelerated. He didn't understand what the artifact had found. But he could feel it. A connection. A distant space. A place separated from where he currently stood.
And as the necklace continued absorbing the remaining energy from the wolf— That connection became clearer.
Arin took a slow breath. He had no idea what waited on the other side. But one thing was certain. His life had just changed again.