Seun-mi Ho crouched behind a thick tree trunk, carefully observing the wolves. There were more of them than he had initially expected. It wasn't three, but five wolves prowling in the clearing. Their dark fur blended into the shadows of the trees, their aggressive posture revealing their wild and untamable nature. At the slightest wrong move, they would be on him.
_"Five wolves… This is going to be harder than I thought."_ He took a deep breath, keeping calm. _"At least I have the traps."_
With almost instinctive precision, he placed two wolf traps while staying hidden. He set them in strategic locations, where the wolves would likely pass if they charged at him. His movements were quick and silent, as if he had always known how to set these devices. The cold metal of the traps blended into the grass, practically invisible.
_"That should slow them down,"_ he murmured, slowly backing away. He still had another trap to place.
Just as he set his third trap, a branch snapped behind him. Seun-mi froze. One of the pack members had spotted him. The wolf, larger and more imposing than the others, had isolated itself from the group and now stood a few meters away, its eyes piercing the darkness, staring at Seun-mi with terrifying intensity. It growled, baring sharp fangs.
_"Damn it…"_ Seun-mi knew his cover was blown.
The lone wolf's growl immediately alerted the other pack members. Within seconds, the five wolves regrouped, forming a semi-circle around him. Their paws clawed at the ground, ready to pounce.
_"Five against one. Even better."_ Seun-mi gripped his dagger, his mind quickly searching for a solution.
Then, suddenly, he felt a strange pressure bearing down on him, as if an invisible force was trying to crush his will. The wolves had begun using their **Intimidation** ability. He could feel fear creeping into his mind, like a cold wave seeking to overwhelm him. His hands began to tremble, his breathing quickened. The sensation of terror caused by the wolves' intimidation was very real.
_"No… I can't give in…"_ Seun-mi shook his head, focusing. He knew he had to keep his cool. _"It's just an illusion. I'm not going to fall for this."_
He forced himself to breathe more deeply, to calm his mind. He had faced tough situations in his past life, and he knew fear was just an emotion. Nothing more. Nothing less. By focusing on this thought, he felt the pressure ease slightly. He was resisting. Slowly but surely, the terror left his mind.
_"I can do this. They're just wolves."_
At that moment, a holographic screen appeared before him:
[**Intimidation Resistance Successful**]
**New Skill Unlocked: Intimidation**
Seun-mi blinked, surprised. _"Intimidation? Wait... I can use their own ability against them?!"_
He didn't hesitate for a second longer. He focused on the new skill that had just unlocked and felt a strange energy rising within him. It was a raw, wild force, manifesting in his mind and spreading outward. The same pressure he had felt moments earlier, but this time, he was the one directing it.
_"Let's see how this works,"_ he muttered, activating the skill.
[**Skill Activated: Intimidation (Level 1)**]
Instantly, an invisible wave of terror emanated from Seun-mi, spreading toward the wolves. The creatures, who had seemed ready to pounce on him, stopped abruptly. Their growls quieted, their ears flattened back, and their tails lowered slightly. They hesitated, their movements becoming slower and more uncertain.
_"It's working!"_
Seun-mi wasted no time. Taking advantage of the wolves' state of confusion, he rushed forward, his dagger firmly gripped in his hand. The first wolf he reached was the one that had spotted him first. Disoriented by the intimidation, it didn't react quickly enough when Seun-mi plunged his blade into its side.
The wolf let out a howl of pain before collapsing.
[**Wolf Eliminated: 1/5**]
The other four wolves seemed to regain their senses, but it was too late. One of them leaped toward Seun-mi, but landed directly on one of the traps he had carefully placed. The metallic snap of the trap closing around the wolf's paw echoed through the clearing. The creature screamed in pain, desperately trying to free itself.
_"Second wolf, immobilized."_ Seun-mi rushed toward it and finished the job with his dagger, ending its suffering.
[**Wolf Eliminated: 2/5**]
The three remaining wolves, now enraged, lunged at Seun-mi all at once. But thanks to his instincts and the residual effect of the intimidation, he managed to dodge their attacks. One of the wolves slipped on the damp ground, while another ran into a tree trying to bite him. The third, however, was quicker.
Seun-mi felt its claws graze his arm, tearing his uniform and leaving a slight cut. _"Damn it!"_ He backed away but didn't let the pain distract him.
Taking advantage of the momentary confusion, he activated his **Intimidation** again. The wolves hesitated once more, their movements becoming clumsier. Their hunting instincts were disrupted by this force they didn't understand.
_"It's over for you,"_ Seun-mi muttered.
He rushed toward the nearest wolf and, with a swift motion, slit its throat. Blood spilled onto the ground as the wolf collapsed.
[**Wolf Eliminated: 3/5**]
The last two wolves tried to flee, but one of them fell into another trap Seun-mi had placed earlier. The trap snapped shut with a violent clank, immobilizing the creature. Seun-mi approached and swiftly ended it with a precise strike.
[**Wolf Eliminated: 4/5**]
The final wolf, seeing its companions dead or immobilized, tried to escape. But Seun-mi, still riding the adrenaline, didn't give it the chance. He threw his last trap directly in the wolf's path. The creature stumbled, and Seun-mi took the opportunity to jump on it, dagger ready.
One final strike, and it was all over.
[**Wolf Eliminated: 5/5**]
A heavy silence fell over the clearing. Seun-mi stood up, breathless, his heart pounding in his chest. He wiped the blood off his dagger with a cloth, feeling the tension slowly leave his body.
_"That was… intense."_ He looked at the five wolf corpses around him, realizing the magnitude of what he had just accomplished. For a first quest, it had been more grueling than expected.
Suddenly, the Interface appeared in front of him, displaying a new message:
[**Quest Completed: Protect the Herds**]
Reward: 500 gold coins, +50 XP
Level: 1 (Current Experience: 50/100)
_"Not bad,"_ he murmured, seeing the rewards. _"But it's not over yet."
Another message appeared:
[**Wolves have been added to your summoning system**]
**New Summon Unlocked: Wolf Pack**
Description: Summon a pack of five wolves to assist the player in combat. The wolves share the *Intimidation* ability with their summoner.
Seun-mi blinked. _"I now have a pack to summon?"_ He smirked. _"That's a surprise."_
He felt a strange connection forming in his mind, as if he could sense the presence of the wolves he had just fought. They were now his allies, ready to be called upon at any moment.
_"This will come in handy later."_ Seun-mi sheathed his dagger and turned away from the corpses. _"Alright, back to the village. I think I've earned some rest."_
End of chapter 5.