Chereads / Strongest In the Apocalypse / Chapter 14 - Hunting I

Chapter 14 - Hunting I

Prince walked through the forest, taking his leisure time.

As soon as he had seen the devastation of his punch, he decided not to waste any time and immediately track down the roaming field boss known as the Whistling Wolf.

But Prince took his time, knowing that the wolf was so fast that it wouldn't show itself if Prince was disturbing the peace looking for it.

So he whistled as he walked.

I need to go get those Essence fruits and see if it'll help with my soul problem. Prince thought as he walked. Later.

A shriek split through the forest. Prince recognized that shriek.

Goblin. Now without their king and shaman, they're easy pickings.

Prince lightly jogged toward the source of the sound, the forest blurring around him as he made his way. He felt like the wind.

Soon, he arrived. The wolf held a goblin wrist in its jaw. It's a wonder it hadn't snapped it off already.

The goblin shrieked and hollered in hopes of its brethren to help, but any other goblins were long gone. The stupid thing was just shortening its death by shrieking so loud.

Prince casually stepped out from behind the trees, scanning the guy as he did.

Whistling Wolf (Dungeon Boss) - Level 23

"Oh?" Prince smirked. "Gone up by two?"

The wolf growled. Now past level 15, Prince emanated an aura of bloodlust now, that made him a competing predator in the wolf's eyes. 

Prince could feel the boost from The Odds Are Against Me.

"You good at boxing?" Prince, despite saying this, crouched down low to be equal with the wolf.

The wolf swiped a claw, sending three wind blade's at him. Prince leaped in between the horizontal blades and took off running on all fours, something easy for him to do, especially with his Dao.

The wolf let the goblin in its jaw go slack, just as Prince threw a wild punch. His fist hit nothing but air.

Prince slid to a halt, feeling breeze tickle the back of his neck.

He sprang up from the ground, simultaneously twirling in the air to build up momentum before he delivered an axe kick to the wolf's head.

The attack connected cleanly with a thump, leaving the wolf dazed. 

Prince continuously stomped on it. Its head is pretty hard.

Prince gripped the wolf by the fur, and threw it further in the forest- and higher up the mountain. "COME ON! IS THAT ALL YOU GOT?!"

A howl echoed from where he had thrown the wolf. Numerous wind blades exploded outward in that moment, slicing through trees and barely slowing down. Prince got the sense that the wolf was finally taking him seriously.

Prince dove through a hole in the makeshift wall and took off running on his two feet, though still low to the ground.

He got a glimpse of white fur. 

Prince moved his head to the side at the last moment, avoiding two jaws that snapped at where his head had been.

The wolf had appeared behind him in an instant.

Prince spun around punching the wolf in the snout while it was still midair. Prince's hand stung a bit, but the wolf was sent flying into a tree.

Prince rolled his right arm for a bit, a smile on his face. His body began to sting. Prince looked down, seeing his upper body littered with shallow cuts.

"Guess I didn't get away clean," Prince said. "Guess the [Odds Are Against Me], huh?"

Prince felt the slight power boost. He was now ten percent stronger. His feet sunk into the ground ever-so-slightly.

The wolf lunged toward him, accelerated by wind. Anyone else would've froze. Prince just gripped the wolf's wrist to pull it closer.

Prince pushed his fist forward, activating Thunderous Palm. He felt his Dao stretch, some energy other than Essence being used to power the blow. He felt complete understanding at that very instance.

A boom and a shockwave echoed out from that blow, sending the wolf slamming into a tree- and breaking through it.

Prince's hair fluttered from the force. Wisps of steam curled off his palm. "Geez..."

The strike had taken a lot of... Dao Energy, but the effect was more than worth it.

A menacing growl echoed from the crash site. 

Prince began to sweat. A heavy pressure descended on him, the face of a true predator.

Out of the wreckage, an 8-foot tall anthropomorphic casually walked toward him. Its white fur was pristine, not a speck of dirt on it. Prince got the feeling muscles were under that fur.

Hairs on the back of Prince's neck stood up as the wolf approached, sizing him up. 

"What?" Prince asked. He didn't back down. "You want another one-"

The slap hit him so hard he didn't even know it had hit him. Prince twirled in the air, flying upward through the foliage before finally landing on a branch. 

He sat there, dazed, wisps of steam curling up from his cheek. "Ugh..." He groaned. Then he realized that there were three red lines on his cheek as well.

Prince blinked, because surely he didn't see what he thought he saw.

The wolf was above him.

It descended, a giant, clawed hand wrapping around his face. The branch shattered from the added weight and Prince's head crashed into the ground.

Prince felt his ears ring. The wolf brought his head back up for another slam. 

Prince wasn't going for that. His hands gripped the wolf's wrist, then his legs wrapped around its forearm. Then Prince squeezed and twisted with all his might.

This, at most, took half a second. Maybe less.

What Prince had just preformed was a judo arm bar. The wolf immediately let Prince's face go.

Prince dropped to the ground and darted away, but he wasn't fast enough.

The wolf swiped a claw with full force, sending the full force of a wind claw straight at Prince, and his momentum wouldn't let him dodge this.

Shitshitshit!

Prince considered using Warrior's Will. But he decided to save that until he really needed it. 

Prince raised his hands to block. He pulled on his Essence desperately, drawing upon it...

It moseyed along.

Prince pushed it with his Dao.

Pain flared throughout him, but the job was done. His skin, muscles, and bones hardened like iron, stopping the worst of the wind blades.

It feels like I'm having a full-body cramp...

The wolf growled. 

Prince raised his hands in a martial stance.

The wolf copied him.

They both dashed toward each other, the wolf faster. They exchanged a quick flurry of blows, claw and fist clashing. 

Prince's punches were doing little to the energized thing. He was running low on fuel, as well.

"DIE!" Prince yelled. He pulled his fist back. At the last moment, he drew upon Warrior's Will and felt his own strength blaze into life.

"TITAN'S FIST!" Prince just felt like yelling it out. His fist connected with the wolf's face, resulting in a boom and a shockwave. 

The wolf's head jerked back. It released an audible sound of pain, in sync with Prince, whose arm was now shattered.

I didn't kill it. Prince thought, disappointed. The wolf now held its snout, which was now crushed. It looked angry, but also a little dizzy.

"Well..." Prince said, wobbling on his feet. "Round two, I guess."