The sky was just beginning to pale when Ren opened his eyes.
A thin gray-blue light seeped through the cracks of the cave entrance, brushing against the stone floor. The night was retreating—not gone, but weakened. Perfect.
5:00 a.m.
Ren rose quietly, muscles tight but responsive. The rest had helped, though his body still carried the memory of pain—faint burns in his limbs, stiffness in his shoulders, the dull ache of old wounds not yet fully healed.
He flexed his fingers.
"Good enough."
The bear stirred as Ren stepped past it, lifting its massive head slightly before settling again. Ren gave it a brief glance but said nothing. This fight was his.
For now.
He stepped out of the cave and into the cool morning air.
The jungle breathed.
Mist clung low to the ground as the first light of dawn filtered through layers of leaves, painting the forest in pale blue and gray. The air was cold, damp, and heavy—thick with the scent of soil, blood, and beasts.
Ren stopped.
His instincts screamed.
He crouched behind a thick tree trunk and slowly parted the leaves with two fingers.
There.
The Alpha wolf stood in the clearing.
It was massive—larger than the one he had faced before. Its fur was dark, streaked with silver scars that spoke of countless battles. Its posture was calm, almost lazy, but Ren felt the pressure radiating from it like an invisible wall.
And around it—
Five wolves.
They didn't pace.
They didn't snarl.
They waited.
Ren's breath slowed.
"…So this is your territory."
Behind him, the ground trembled faintly.
The bear stepped out of the shadows.
Its massive frame blocked part of the weak sunlight, breath coming out in slow clouds. Its wounds from before hadn't fully healed, but its eyes were sharp, alert.
Ren didn't look back.
"You're my shield," he said quietly. "Hold them as long as you can."
The Alpha's ears twitched.
It had sensed them.
The moment stretched.
Then—
The Alpha lowered its head.
And the pack moved.
The Circle Tightens
The wolves didn't rush blindly.
They spread out.
Two drifted left.
Two right.
One remained close to the Alpha.
A hunter's formation.
Ren's jaw tightened.
Smart.
The bear roared and charged first, slamming into the left flank. One wolf barely dodged, claws scraping fur as it leapt away. Another was clipped and sent tumbling, but it rolled and rose again, snarling.
No deaths.
Just chaos.
Ren moved.
He sprinted forward, dagger low, body coiled.
A wolf lunged.
Ren ducked, twisting his body as claws skimmed past his back. He slashed upward, cutting a shallow line across its chest. The wolf yelped and retreated—but didn't fall.
Pain slowed it.
Not stopped it.
Ren barely had time to breathe before another wolf slammed into his side.
He hit the ground hard.
Teeth snapped inches from his throat.
Ren jammed his forearm against its jaw, muscles screaming as he held it back. Claws tore into his ribs. Blood soaked his shirt.
"Ghh—!"
He kicked upward, smashing his knee into the wolf's chest. It recoiled just enough for Ren to roll away.
He sprang up, chest heaving.
Outnumbered… not weak.
The Alpha Enters
The Alpha moved.
Not with speed—
With certainty.
It crossed the distance in a blink.
Ren barely raised his dagger before claws slammed into his chest, launching him backward like a rag doll. He crashed into a tree, bark exploding behind him.
Pain detonated through his body.
He slid down, gasping.
The Alpha didn't follow immediately.
It circled.
Watching.
Testing.
Ren forced himself upright, vision blurred.
"…So you're the real problem."
The Alpha snarled.
The bear roared and charged again, crashing into the Alpha's side.
For a moment—
Hope flared.
Then the Alpha bit down.
Fangs sank deep into the bear's shoulder. Muscle tore. Blood sprayed across the clearing.
The bear howled, staggering.
Ren's heart clenched.
"Damn it—!"
Attrition
The wolves pressed harder.
Ren fought like a cornered animal.
He slashed, dodged, twisted—martial arts flowing instinctively through his body. He struck joints, eyes, tendons. Wolves fell back wounded, bleeding, but none died.
Every second cost him.
A claw raked across his thigh.
Another tore his shoulder.
A bite grazed his arm, teeth puncturing flesh.
Ren staggered, breathing ragged.
Then the bear fell.
Its legs buckled, tendons shredded by the Alpha's relentless assault. The massive body crashed to the ground with a thunderous thud.
Immobile.
The Alpha stepped away, blood dripping from its maw.
The wolves turned.
All eyes on Ren.
Near Death
They lunged together.
Ren rolled, barely avoiding one bite, but another wolf slammed into his back. He hit the ground face-first. A third wolf pinned his leg.
Teeth closed in.
I'm going to die.
Ren's hand shot into his inventory.
He yanked out a healing potion and crushed the bottle against his teeth.
The liquid burned down his throat.
Heat exploded through his body.
Wounds sealed partially. Strength surged back.
Not enough to win—
Enough to stand.
Ren roared and shoved the wolf off him, scrambling upright.
Blood dripped from his chin.
"You want me?"
He charged the Alpha.
King vs Survivor
The Alpha met him head-on.
Claw.
Dagger.
Impact.
Ren took a slash across his torso but plunged his dagger into the Alpha's shoulder—not deep enough to kill.
The Alpha bit down, teeth piercing Ren's arm.
Ren screamed.
But he didn't let go.
He wrapped his free arm around the Alpha's neck, locking it in place.
"Submit…!"
The Alpha thrashed violently, slamming Ren into the ground again and again.
Ren's vision went dark.
But he held on.
Seconds stretched.
The Alpha's struggles weakened.
Its legs buckled.
Finally—
It collapsed.
[Subjugation Successful]
Alpha Wolf has been subdued
The remaining wolves froze.
One collapsed from blood loss.
Another limped away into the jungle.
Silence fell.
Aftermath
Ren released the Alpha and fell onto his back, chest heaving.
"…Still alive."
The system pulsed.
[Pact Inventory Unlocked]
Ren stared weakly at the wolves.
"One… two… three…"
He stored them.
Only one healthy wolf remained.
Ren dragged himself onto its back.
"Take me home."
The wolf obeyed.
The End of the Bear
Back at the cave, Ren slid down and approached the bear.
It was dying.
He knelt.
"…You did enough."
One clean strike.
Silence.
Rest
Ren collapsed inside the cave.
Two hours passed.
When he woke, he bought three healing potions.
He drank two.
His body stabilized.
But his eyes were sharp.
The hunt had changed him.