Dave had entered the other cavern without hesitation, but his heart was racing.
Not a couple of minutes passed without him hiding again and again from the beasts that sniffed his scent in search of fresh meat. The relief he felt upon seeing the wolf leave disappeared as he found himself in an even worse environment now.
Unfortunately, he had to leave the book shortly before entering the cave because it would slow him down; but he would come back for it later. The important thing now was to retrieve the puppy.
At that moment, he was hiding behind a rock barely covering his size in height, with a five-horned deer passing behind him searching for any sign to find its prey. Dave was impressed by all the beasts he saw down there; it was like a completely different ecosystem than he was used to.
He was so focused on taking a step without being found that he didn't notice the noises coming from behind him. It was a pack of the fire-spitting wolves, but with dark fur compared to the grayish fur of the wolf that took the puppy.
Something that still puzzled him was how he could talk to him and understand him, but he could only hear growls and barks from the wolves nearby as they attacked the five-horned deer.
He looked cautiously around and snuck towards another rock wall with a gap where he could hide until the hunt was over.
The squirrel trembled, feeling weak again. He had gained incredible strength a short time ago, but now he felt terrible. It was clear that he couldn't have beaten a wolf; no one would think that a squirrel could defeat one.
But seeing the fear in the puppy's face filled him with frustration.
"Being so weak, I couldn't protect him!"
He thought angrily, punching the wall where he was hiding, breaking it into pieces. It would crumble, leaving the squirrel exposed to the beasts.
Now, in that field of rocks and plants in that cavern, only the wolves remained, carrying the bodies of the hunted deer.
His survival instinct kicked in, and he quickly left the scene, being chased at the same time by all the wolves. Dave ran as fast as he could, looking for a route to hide and take cover.
"I couldn't defeat one of them, let alone so many."
"But seriously, seriously... I don't want to be weaker anymore."
The squirrel began to slow down his pace, flattening his ears against his head.
"What am I thinking!"
He would pick up the pace again, turning his head from side to side.
"I must survive as long as possible to find the puppy. I'll have time later to think about improving my strength. Now just run!"
Dave would see a deserted rat burrow in front of him, perfect for him to hide in, and he would throw himself into it on his last steps.
But just before being caught by the fangs of one of the wolves, who would knock him to the ground with its paw like the previous wolf had done.
Seconds later, he was surrounded by the other wolves. He was trapped now.
"Is this the end for me...?"
"No, wait, this definitely is my end."
"I've escaped so many things, I can't believe I'm about to die now."
"It's like... I've died before."
About to be devoured by one of the wolves, he saw a huge rock ram into the bodies of all the wolves surrounding him, crashing into the nearest wall.
Instead, he, who was holding his paw to his neck to stop the bleeding from the bite, was trying to catch as much air as possible, feeling totally pale.
Dave was really confused, very confused. Huge rocks, as if they had been thrown by someone. To save him?
Of course not.
In front of him, as he walked by ignoring him, a hooded figure in black was heading towards the bodies of the wolves who had died with a single blow, spreading a lot of blood on the rocks.
He who had the power to defeat 5 of the wolves would encase each one in a pink bubble, making them float in the air and follow him as he returned the way he came.
"Who the hell... was that person...?"
Dave didn't know what to think. In his wild life, he knew how hunters acted. But in this case, that hooded person didn't act like a hunter.
Rather, like another beast.
***
Dave had found refuge in the rat burrow, checking his pulse as he made sure to catch his breath. He was an easy prey in that place; most likely, the puppy was having a much worse time.
He clenched his fist, but he didn't have the strength yet to get angry with himself. He kept breathing heavily until he let out a long sigh.
"The strength I have now... I didn't even achieve it myself. It was granted out of pity... because that sea beast thought I wouldn't be strong enough on my own. And the worst part... is that it was right."
He should find a way to level up as soon as possible. He knew about that system in his world, and from his experience in some fights in the forest where he lived, he had managed to level up a few times over the course of his life.
But now, if he wanted to level up again, he would have to kill other monsters to achieve it. To some of all those monsters that could easily kill him.
If he managed to kill one, then he could level up much faster. He could even level up two levels by killing just one. And if the spell he was given to enhance his current strength, then his strength would improve much in the same way.
Perhaps, if he attacked intelligently like that hooded person, he could have a chance.
"Yes... It's just a matter of that..."
"No! Wait, the puppy. The puppy is still at risk."
Dave would slap his head, refocusing himself.
He would think about how to level up on the way; the important thing was to prevent the wolves from killing his friend.
But he realized something.
"If I have to go rescue him... I have to be able to defeat at least one of them."
He felt much more confused now than before.
What should he do first?
rs of his guild knew him, lay sprawled in the adjacent room. He watched the scene in astonishment, partly unwilling to intervene.
But that call brought out an impulse in him.
"Shinma!"
"Woof!"
Leaping into action, Shinma ran out and bit Doris's leg. She jumped in fright, trying to shake off the puppy. However, he bit down with all his might, refusing to let go.
Melman approached Eva to tie her arms. Then, between him and Gorgon, they pinned her to the ground. The swordsman knelt to grab the girl's chin, but she spat at him.
"Disgusting! It got in my mouth!"
Tenma saw his owner fall to the ground, moaning in pain. It was a strange feeling, but he didn't want her to die.
"Get out of here, Shinma," Doris told him, grabbing him by the scruff and lifting him. "You don't need to see all this. Just go, and we'll come back for you later."
Tenma whined a little, disheartened by his weakness against someone who wasn't even using a weapon on him.
"Woof!"
"Shinma... you're going to make me kill you if you keep insisting—"
Suddenly, Melman drove his sword through Doris's back, leaving everyone stunned.
"You... what do you think you're doing?" Doris demanded, releasing Shinma to cover her mouth, ending up spitting blood. "Melman..."
Melman still held the sword firmly, seemingly unwilling to retract his attack.
Hysterical, Doris looked to Gorgon.
"Gorgon, stop Melman!"
Gorgon kicked his boss hard to prevent her from getting up, heading toward Melman.
But he changed direction and aimed his fist at Doris, punching her square in the face.
Doris, in pain, looked at her two comrades going against her. She began to stutter and tremble, not understanding a thing that was happening.
"The government... won't leave me alone, huh?"
Getting up carefully, Eva stood, adjusting the tie of her suit. Her face was bloody, and her suit dirty, but she kept the strength to look firmly at Doris.
"What's happening...? What is this?"
Eva picked up the knife Gorgon had left on the ground. Melman stepped back, drawing his sword, and Gorgon kept the girl held by the neck.
"How did you find me? Were all our adventures... fake?" the leader asked, pointing the knife at the girl.
In a desperate attempt, Doris raised her gun and shot at Eva, but she deflected it with her sword, causing it to ricochet and hit Melman. He fell to the floor.
"Answer. Was everything fake?!"
Doris began to cry, anguished by the pain and the betrayal of her comrades who were not responding to her calls. When she looked again at Eva, she exclaimed:
"We're just... bounty hunters. No one would join you. You are... the threat the government seeks to eliminate," the girl replied, spitting blood. "The assassin we sent to kill you... didn't do his job... and we paid him in advance. Why couldn't you die there?"
Eva stared at the traitor. She took the gun from her hands and pulled out the explosive material, throwing it to the ground.
Doris was stunned, trying to call out to her comrades to stop her. She screamed in alarm.
Tenma watched everything, scared. He was picked up by Eva and carried to the bar's exit.
"Melman! Gorgon! Why aren't you responding?!"
But both remained still. Doris tried to escape from the explosive material, getting up as best she could, leaving blood in her wake.
But Eva was already at the exit, with an explosive berry in her hand.
"Explosion... goodbye, friends."
With a flick of her thumb, she threw the berry at high speed, making it land on the explosive material.
Causing a massive explosion in the place, with the three guild members inside.
"Woof....! Woof..."
"Shinma...."
Eva hugged her pet in her arms, trying to calm him.
"Forget... everything you saw today. Okay?"
"Woof...!"
...
Eva kept walking, stroking her dog's head until dawn.
Leaving town before anyone could discover she was responsible for the disastrous fire.