"I'll set a trap."
I said that and began gathering the hairs that had been irritatingly falling out since earlier. Judging by how much hair was shedding, it seemed like some kind of mechanism designed to reveal the werewolf's position to the survivors.
'Still, I can make use of this.'
I gathered the hair into a bundle about the size of my own body. Anyone with normal vision could probably tell it was just a clump of hair, but in a game like this, there's always someone who'll react.
'There are always people who attack first and ask questions later.'
And this game had mobility skills. If someone rushed past while using a movement skill, they might mistake the hair bundle for a werewolf.
"I'd like to think that's what will happen."
―What's that?
―Could you not just think out loud and actually say it?
―Why are you streaming, Human?
―If you're a streamer, can you explain while you play?
As I muttered to myself, the viewers collectively chimed in. I laughed awkwardly and explained what I had been thinking.
―Would anyone really fall for that trap?
―If they do, they're really dumb.
―No way someone would fall for it lol.
―Someone who falls for that shouldn't even be playing the game.
"Right?"
I answered, continuing to work with my hands. With nothing to lose, I kept building the trap. Once I had formed the hair into an appropriately sized bundle, I attacked the wall.
"I have nothing to lose, so I'll at least try to lure them."
Each strike against the wall produced a howl, and soon, I could sense movement nearby.
'Has becoming a werewolf sharpened my senses?'
I could sense a presence from a distance I never could have in normal form. Feeling that presence, I continued making noise, stopping only when the figure got somewhat close.
"They should be starting to notice by now. I'll step back."
I said that and moved onto the roof. Becoming a werewolf had enhanced my physical abilities, and my jump height had noticeably increased.
―Hey, host.
―Hey? You're human too, right?
―Say something, host!
―Here we go again.
"Oh, my senses are sharper now, so I can detect movement."
I quickly explained the situation to the viewers. My enhanced senses didn't apply to them, so they might not have fully understood what was happening. I made sure to explain so I didn't lose their interest. Internally, I thought,
'Being a werewolf makes streaming harder than I expected.'
With heightened senses, I could immediately understand situations and act on them—a definite advantage in the game—but explaining everything aloud was difficult.
"One person is coming this way. You'll hear a howl, so judging by that, they probably intend to kill me."
―Wow, someone actually thinks like that?
―Do you think the werewolf looks scary?
―That's reckless.
―They're just charging at the werewolf.
The viewers typed in disbelief, probably because they understood the werewolf's stats.
"I'll watch the situation a bit longer."
I crouched as low as possible on the roof. I could still sense movement, but suddenly, it slowed down.
"This person seems to have lost track of me."
―Make another noise.
―It's a shame to let them slip by.
―Let's try again.
Encouraged by the viewers, I moved down and struck the wall again.
Bang!
The wall cracked further, almost on the verge of collapse. As the building neared destruction, the person started moving again.
"They're running straight for me."
Just as I expected, they intended to hunt me. I retreated to the roof and waited for them to approach. Finally, the figure neared and charged directly at the hair bundle I had set up.
"Huh?"
―Wait, seriously?
―They'll actually fall for that?
―No way.
―Unbelievable.
We all laughed at the absurdity of someone charging straight into a trap. Neither I nor the viewers had expected it to work so easily.
"They actually fell for it."
I prepared to move as the person swung at the hair bundle. The moment they attacked it, I jumped off the roof.
"Got you."
I swung my hands powerfully during the fall, adding extra force with my momentum.
Bang!
The impact sent the target crashing to the ground far more violently than my previous strike. A system message appeared immediately.
[One survivor has been hunted.]
[18 survivors remain.]
Other survivors likely saw this message, so they would be more cautious from now on. From this point, reckless players wouldn't exist.
"Well, the trap is no longer needed, so I'll start hunting people properly."
―Finally moving for real.
―The trap was so boring.
―Didn't you get enough fun from it?
―I didn't expect anyone to fall for it. Honestly, it felt like a waste of time.
"I thought it might be a waste since no one was falling for it either."
But someone had, so it wasn't entirely wasted. I continued moving across the rooftops.
"Since my base abilities are strong, I'll hunt everyone I see."
Smiling, I leapt from roof to roof, attacking every survivor I spotted.
"Argh!"
[One survivor has been hunted.]
[17 survivors remain.]
"Why is a werewolf even coming out here!"
[One survivor has been hunted.]
[16 survivors remain.]
"Die!"
[One survivor has been hunted.]
[15 survivors remain.]
The survivors kept falling—ambushes, frontal charges, unpredictable moves. I maximized the werewolf's advantages, taking them down methodically. As the numbers dwindled, only a few survivors remained.
"This is a balance break!"
One survivor shouted while swinging a scythe. They were the most challenging player I had faced so far.
'Still not a match for a werewolf.'
"Good work."
I dodged the scythe with agility and struck their back.
"All done."
―No mercy.
―The werewolf is broken. How do you dodge a scythe?
―It's really unfair, but…
―Now it really begins.
I noticed the viewers' chats, catching the last comment.
'What do they mean by "now it begins"?'
Before I could think further, the system message explained.
[One survivor has been hunted.]
[5 survivors remain.]
[Survivors are now designated as hunters.]
[Hunters' weapons are upgraded to silver.]
Now I understood why viewers said it was just beginning. Until now, I had hunted survivors unopposed. Now, everyone could hunt each other.
"So that's why they said it's really starting."
I felt slightly tense, but it wasn't overly threatening. Even if the weapons were silver, I could avoid them.
'I've gotten used to mobility and attack power, so I should be able to win.'
I prepared to move as I sensed survivors ahead.
"Oh? Five of them are together up ahead?"
―Huh?
―Looks like they're teaming up.
―Since the game mechanics changed, teaming isn't a problem.
―If they just hunt the werewolf, they don't need to fight each other.
"That seems wise. I would've done the same."
Team play is frowned upon in battle survival games, but this isn't that genre, so there's no reason to complain. The chat quieted down.
'Since I said it's fine, the viewers have no reason to get mad.'
I prepared to hunt, which mostly meant gathering information about the opponents.
From the rooftops, I surveyed their weapons.
"One spear, two swords, one scythe… and what's that?"
I could identify four weapons easily, but the fifth was unknown. They held nothing in their hands, nor was anything strapped to their back. Their knuckles weren't visible either, so it wasn't a fist weapon.
'What on earth is that?'
As I wondered, the viewers went wild.
―Hey, isn't that it?
―I think it is.
―Never thought I'd see that in person.
―So it actually exists.
"What's all the fuss about?" I asked. The explanation came.
['Explainer' donated 1,000 won!]
[What the viewers are talking about is probably a limited weapon.]
Thanks to Explainer, I learned that it was a limited weapon. In a battle survival-style game, limited weapons are a sensitive issue because of balance.
If a weapon is limited, only the people who acquired it at a certain time can use it. Others, including new players, might lose interest.
―That's probably a gun.
A viewer revealed that the limited weapon was a gun, though the explanation was confusing.
"A gun in a battlefield with swords, spears, and bows?"
A gun would obviously break the balance. Everyone else is using medieval-style weapons, so one person with a gun would have a huge advantage.
The fact it's limited makes sense as a beta tester reward, which explains some balance control.
"Why does a gun even exist here…?"
['Explainer' donated 1,000 won!]
[It's originally a beta tester-exclusive weapon. It can't be used in ranked matches, only in normal matches.]
The explanation made sense. A beta tester reward limited to normal matches is acceptable.
"The problem is, I ran into it."
―Yeah.
―What a situation.
―Looks like the slaughter ends here.
―Now, who's the prey?
The viewers tried to scare me, but I wasn't worried. Even if it's a gun, balance adjustments would exist.
It would be stronger than normal weapons but still beatable. Perhaps the damage is lowered, or it shoots semi-auto with lower damage per shot.
I doubted the user's skill would be high; otherwise, this would appear more often in normal matches.
'It's probably strong but manageable.'
―Wow, this is serious.
―How do you beat a gun?
―Even you might struggle now.
―Let's go!
The viewers were skeptical based on my past performances, but I ignored them.
'No need to explain. I'll just show them.'
I thought that as I moved.
"Argh!"
With a werewolf's howl, the hunt began.