"Come and get me, you bunch of beasts!"
With my loud shout, the gray wolves who had already completed their pack formation took it as the signal to attack and began charging toward me one by one.
The moment I saw them rushing at me, I quickly turned around and sprinted away. However, it wasn't because I was fleeing in fear as there was something else I needed to do, something crucial for a hunter during a hunt.
'I need to gain some distance. I can't fight them head-on when there are this many.'
A hunter must always have a way to deal with beasts from a distance, as getting too close only increases the risk of being in danger. One might think that after killing the first gray wolf with little difficulty, I would feel confident enough to take on an entire pack and not resort to such tactics.
But when I saw the full pack clearly, I immediately realized that this wasn't a normal group of gray wolves. There were more than twenty of them present, far more than the usual nine or twelve that made up an average pack.
'To think there's such a large pack in this area… no wonder there aren't any wild animals around. They must have all been eaten or driven away.'
The entire pack had already begun chasing after me as I tried to widen the distance between us. However, their speed was far faster than I had imagined. As we ran through the forest, they gradually closed in, getting closer and closer.
Still, that didn't mean I wasn't successful in creating some distance. I made multiple sharp turns and intentional misdirections, weaving through the trees and terrain. This slowed their pursuit somewhat, but if I continued running like this, they would eventually catch up as their pace continued to increase.
'I can't keep running. I need to stop and fight before I lose the little distance I've gained.'
Having decided to fight instead of wasting my energy running fruitlessly, I abruptly stopped and quickly turned around. One of my wooden spears was already raised and positioned to be thrown at the approaching pack.
When I turned, I saw that the first gray wolf chasing me which was the second one I had encountered was already closing in. But it didn't matter anymore.
It was already over.
'Oh no you don't!'
Swoosh!
Stab!
Splurt!
In an instant, I hurled my wooden spear. It pierced straight through the gray wolf's chest and slammed it into the ground, pinning it there and rendering it unable to move or free itself perhaps even killing it outright.
It might not have died immediately, but that still meant one less gray wolf to worry about. With the spear plunged through its body and anchoring it to the ground, I doubted it would ever have the strength to get back up.
'Focus. Things aren't over yet—there are still plenty coming.'
I wanted to make sure it was dead and retrieve my spear from its corpse so it wouldn't go to waste. However, I couldn't forget that an entire pack was still chasing me, intent on tearing me apart.
The closest gray wolf, upon seeing what I had done, chose to ignore its fallen brethren and continued charging toward me. I wasn't too worried at first until I noticed a crucial detail.
Swoosh!
'Sh#t—one got too close!'
I tried to reposition myself with the spear in my other hand, but I immediately realized the gray wolf had already closed the distance too much. Throwing the spear now would be pointless, so I quickly adjusted my stance and prepared for close-range combat.
This was the advantage of using spears. They offered far more versatility than other weapons, allowing both long-range and close-range combat. That was precisely why I chose to hunt with spears instead of more traditional weapons like bows.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
'!!!'
I thrust my spear forward, but the gray wolf suddenly changed direction mid-charge and leapt to the side. However, as a hunter, I had already anticipated that move and responded instantly.
Stab!
Splurt!
I swiftly changed my grip, swinging the spear sideways and driving it into the side of the gray wolf's head as it continued its charge. It died instantly.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
"!!!"
After pulling my spear free from the wolf's skull, another gray wolf lunged at me. I immediately jammed my spear into its mouth, stopping its bite and forcing it back.
Only then did I truly remember how terrifying it was to face an entire pack of wolves alone and why it was strongly advised against for any hunter, skilled or not. Their attacks were coordinated, relentless, and deadly, making being hunted by them a nightmare.
'Damn it… I underestimated how difficult this would be, even with my training.'
I had grown far too confident in my newfound strength, believing I could handle an entire pack of wolves on my own. That thought was delusional as it couldn't have been further from the truth.
This situation was already extremely bad. I had lost one spear permanently, and the one in my hand was already showing signs of damage, covered in bite marks from earlier clashes.
'I'll reflect on this later. Right now, I need to focus on surviving this.'
The gray wolf I had pushed back recovered quickly, but instead of charging again on its own, it hesitated. After failing once, it waited for several of its companions to arrive before charging together.
As they did, I reached behind my back and grabbed another wooden spear from the spare bundle tied there. Gripping it tightly, I prepared myself to clash with the group charging straight at me.
'No matter what, I'll survive. There's no way I'm dying to measly beasts like you!'
****
"Huff… huff… huff…"
After a long, brutal struggle fending off and killing the gray wolves one by one through thrusts and thrown spears. I had managed to reduce their numbers by half. But it came at a heavy cost.
I was covered head to toe in blood from the wolves I had killed, my body riddled with bite marks and bleeding from multiple wounds. Around me lay numerous wolf corpses, some skewered by broken wooden spears, others twisted unnaturally where they had fallen.
"Huff… huff… huff…"
'This is far worse than I thought. I've only taken down half of them, and I'm have already lost all my spare spears and is in this state.'
After enduring such grueling, constant combat just to stay alive, I was completely exhausted. My breathing was heavy and uneven, and I could feel just how dire my situation had become. At this rate, there was a real chance I would collapse before killing the rest.
Regret crept into my mind. Maybe I had made the wrong decision staying to fight the first gray wolf. Maybe I should've let the deer go to their stomachs instead of mine and hunted something else.
'I should've run the moment I saw that gray wolf… then maybe I wouldn't be in this mess… No. There was no point thinking like that.'
I knew myself. I knew I would've made the same choice regardless as I was filled with the arrogance of a child who was confident I something so insignificant in a adult's eyes. And even if I had run earlier, with their speed, they would have caught up to me in no time.
Realizing that I only had one option to fight and survive no matter what so I steadied myself and raised my first and last wooden spear, pointing it at the remaining gray wolves who had regrouped and were now standing still, watching my every move.
'…What's going on? Why aren't they attacking?'
For some time now, the gray wolves had stopped their coordinated assaults. Instead, they remained at a distance, allowing me to catch my breath.
It was unsettling.
This strange behavior wasn't something I had seen before, and it made me extremely wary. A creeping sense of dread settled deep within me.
"What are you waiting for? Come at me!"
"…"
I tried provoking them, continuing to circulate qi for body recovery while keeping my guard up. Still, they remained silent, staring at me as if they were waiting for something.
That's when I noticed it.
Their ears were flattened.
Their tails were lowered.
Their eyes… shaken.
They looked afraid. Perhaps afraid of me, after I had killed half their pack but I doubted that was the reason.
'What are they doing? Are they waiting for other members? If so, why are they acting like this?'
"What are you waiting for?! Attack!"
"…"
Despite my shouts, they didn't move. I knew it was foolish to provoke a group when I was already at a disadvantage, but something inside me pushed me to do it.
The sense of dread grew stronger, practically screaming that something terrible was about to happen. Then—
"??!!"
Suddenly, the gray wolves began to move.I immediately raised my spear, expecting another coordinated assault but instead, they stepped aside.
They parted, forming a clear passage directly in front of me. This sudden action made me confused and the sight was outright unsettling as I never once saw this happen.
'What… are they doing? Are they letting me go?'
That thought immediately crossed my mind with the little hope of escaping this situation and being granted mercy by these beast but what came next i immediately disproven and crushed my hopes.
Step.
Step.
Step.
Heavy footsteps echoed from deep within the passage, sending my sense of danger skyrocketing with each step as the atmosphere of the entire place began to feel heavy for some unknown reason.
'What kind of beast makes footsteps like that…?'
I quickly realized the truth. The wolves hadn't moved for me.
They had moved to make way for something else, something they seems to fear and consider more important than tearing me to shreds.
A silhouette emerged, with it's appearance growing clearer with every step as it approaches. But as it got closer I could almost made out it's size which immediately made me disbelief.
Step.
Step.
Step.
With each step, my fear intensified. I finally understood why the remaining wolves had stopped attacking. They weren't afraid of me. They were afraid of this.
"T-that's…!"
When it came fully into view, my body froze in terror. It was massive, larger than any gray wolf I had ever seen. Taller than me, with a hulking frame that radiated dominance.
But it wasn't just its size. A ferocious, dreadful crimson aura enveloped its body make it's appearance even more intimidating and fear inducing than it already was before.
"AAAAAAWWWWOOOOO!!"
'A Tainted Beast!!'
The beast's howl shook the air itself making a gush of wind all through out the place, snapping me out of my paralysis. Without hesitation or a moment to waste, I turned and ran in the opposite direction.
The massive gray wolf immediately gave chase, accompanied by several smaller ones. I tried everything from using sharp turns, using trees as obstacles but it barely slowed them down.
Step! Step! Step!
'Sh#t! Sh#t! Why is something like this even here?!'
The blood soaking my body betrayed my position completely, making all my efforts useless.
The tainted gray wolf accelerated, its snout nearly brushing my clothes. At the last moment, I made a sharp turn, causing it to crash headfirst into a tree, snapping it in half and buying me precious time.
'Of all things… why a Tainted Beast?'
A Tainted Beast was a creature far stronger than normal beasts. It began when an animal consumed a Qi herb and became an Elevated Beast a stage higher than a normal beast as the energy of the qi herb enhance the beast constitution.
But if that elevated beast was killed by another predator, the absorbed energy would be tainted by agony and resentment, causing the predator to evolve into something far worse. A Tainted Beast.
'The worst part is that they're unbelievably ferocious. No normal hunter no matter how skilled could stand a chance.'
I forced my exhausted body forward, pushing it to its absolute limit. I couldn't die now, not after just beginning to change my life.
With how bad the situation has become I had no choice but to resort to asking for help. Reaching beneath my clothes, I grasped a small horn hanging from a necklace.
'I can't outrun them much longer. I need Geonu's help.'
Geonu had given me this horn for emergencies, telling me to blow it so that whenever I was in danger or in need of assistance he can be alerted and goes straight to my location.
I doubted that a sound from such a small horn no matter how hard you blow it could produce a sound that can be heard from miles away but now wasn't the time for doubt.
Step! Step! Step!
"What the—?!"
Crash! Snap! Crash!
Before I could begin to blow the horn I noticed that the tainted gray wolf was already behind me so I turned around but it was already lunged at me. I barely raised my spear in time in order to block the attack.
CRACK!
The spear shattered, and the impact sent me flying into a tree. Pain exploded through my body, nearly knocking me unconscious. Before I could recover, the beast lunged again, aiming to tear me in half. I jammed one half of the broken spear between its jaws.
'What do you think you're doing?! No way I'll let you!'
Grabbing the other shard, I stabbed repeatedly but i soon realized that its hide was too tough. With no other choice, I aimed for its eye stabbing it till it bleed.
Stab!
Splurt!
The beast recoiled, screaming in pain, blood spraying across its face. The moment it retreated I took the chance to stand up and escape as soon as possible while it was still distracted.
but I soon realized I was already surrounded by the gray wolves before. There was nowhere left for me to even run as they made sure I stay here in this location leaving me with one impossible option.
'If I have to fight and win to survive… then I'll fight. I'll win. No matter what.'
The tainted gray wolf recovered, ignoring its bleeding eye using it's fury to the one who inflicted it as a way too ignore the pain while glaring at me with pure murderous intent.
Despite my visible injuries and exhaustion I glared back with resolute and determined to survive this ordeal no matter the cost for my future.