Vivienne Flint activated her C-Tier skill [Vigor], increasing the strength of her body and allowing her to keep up with Rey.
This made two of the wolves focus on Sydney who was the slower of them, with her low stamina. They had all ran in mostly different directions and she couldn't see where Fanwa and Alicia ran off too.
Rey glanced back at me.
"Why are you following me Baldy?" He yelled terrified eyes looking at one wolf still chasing them. It was only thanks to their system-stats that they were able to even attempt running away from them.
"We were supposed to split up right?"
Vivienne felt a flash of anger but swallowed it down. My chance would come soon enough.
I pointed at a tree to the front of us.
"We can climb that."
Rey nodded in agreement and went into a full sprint. He quickly climbed that tree and offered a hand to me.
My one-minute duration was about to end, leaving me unable to use the skill for ten minutes. I quickly grabbed his hand and hoisted myself up to one of the thicker branches, where Rey was already seated.
The trees in this forest had dark brown trunks with golden-green leaves. They were large and beautiful.
The lone wolf circled around the tree, hungry eyes staring up at us as it growled with irritation. It clawed at the tree with its muscular limbs.
"You know I didn't except normal animals back on earth to be a threat to us after we got the system. But here we are." Rey lamented.
I really didn't understand why Rey thought that way, it seemed natural enough to me. A lot of the E-Tier monsters were just carnivorous animals back home with a taste for human flesh.
What was truly weird was that withing a month some of their classmates could single-handedly take down even bears.
Bears!!!
"That was a close shave, sorry for calling you baldy there. I got a bit heated." Rey said looking genuinely apologetic.
It almost made me reconsider what I was going to do next, but not really…
I smirked, "Apology rejected"
"Huh?" Rey turned back to me confused, but it was too late. I pushed him off the branch, he tried to grasp my arm but missed.
He fell down with a yelp crashing down on the forest ground.
This is the only way I could make an even battlefield, with my negative status effects.
He groaned, his body lying on the ground with an awkward tangle.
"What the-" Rey rolled on the ground the wolf trying to pounce on him. He got up immediately and raised his club against the wolf.
"You rotten bitch, what the hell was that for?!?!" Rey yelled.
He raised his club threateningly, swinging it vigorously whenever the wolf came closer. They were circling around each other, taking the measure of each other.
I just watched in silence, letting the situation play out for itself. Cold eyes met wary ones as Rey moved away and swung his club again to keep the wolf away.
He gripped the intricate club tightly with both hands. His outfit which seemed uncomfortable to move in at first glance, surprisingly allowed him to move unrestricted. It was a testament to the skill of it's maker.
I couldn't let Rey die, the final blow had to be made by me. It was the act of killing someone she knew that would provide a forge for her class to awaken.
So, If as soon as the wolf wearied Rey enough I would snoop in and kill both the wolf and him.
But to my utter surprise Rey was holding well despite how disadvantaged he was. He was only level 4 and the only notable combat skill he used was [Basic Blunt Weapon Knowledge].
He awkwardly always managed to stay at the edge of the wolf's attack range and at the last second even got a few blows of his own.
'He must have a passive skill that he hasn't revealed yet, one related to avoiding hits…' Vivienne thought.
The wolf seemed like it had enough of the games though, it moved a bit backwards and pounced with all its might. Jaws unhinged wide enough that it seemed like it could fully devour someone.
Rey wasn't lucky enough to avoid it this time.
He screamed in agony as the ravenous wolf tore into his left shoulder, taking a good bit of it and tearing the flesh with his fang all the way to the bicep.
He clutched the heavily bleeding wound, gasping and grunting in pain.
I instinctively reached a hand to my thigh, remembering the wound I took from a wild bear, if May hadn't been there…
Rey threw a glace at me, a look of pure hatred in his eyes. I didn't flinch away from it.
The wolf gulped down the piece of flesh, its mouth salivating as it did so.
The wound was pink and raw, mangled with blood.
Rey despite his wounds, clutched his club tightly and charged at the wolf manically, swinging it wildly.
The wolf growled and backed away, avoiding most of the swings and flanked Rey from the side. He dodged in the nick of time just like he did before.
Vivienne looked on coldly, she braced herself. 'Well, I should probably make my mo-'
Rey in a fit of desperation threw the club at the wolf, causing it to flinch away in surprise and making its vision distort for a moment. The club scattered too far away to reach.
He didn't let that opportunity go to waste.
Using both his arms to latch on to the wolf's neck he vaulted himself over onto the wolf's back.
The grey wolf shook wildly trying to get Rey off of him. But, Rey held on with all his strength to the carnivore's dismay.
I watched in horror as Rey clawed at the thing's eyes with his fingers. He couldn't get a grip due to the resistance of the wolf but eventually he dug in and squashed.
Leaving the eye sockets a mangled bloody pulp.
The wolf howled in pain and managed to finally bit Rey's left hand, he screamed in pain as the wolf used its momentum to throw him off its body using its jaw.
Rey looked like a bloody mess, his body bloody and bruised all over. He looked wild.
"I'll kill you too Vivienne, I swear!" Rey yelled hoarsely.
It made me shudder, despite myself.
Rey's left arm was completely useless, hanging off of him listlessly. He must have been running on pure adrenaline for him to push through the pain.
The wolf sniffed the air around it, looking a bit confused.
Rey moved before it did. He clutched his club with his remaining arm smashed the wolf in its face. The wolf cried in misery, confused and kept biting at the air. It could smell the enemy in front of him, but it was too disoriented to land any more wounds.
Rey could have probably ended the battle much faster, if he carried a sword or something sharp to cause some proper wounds. But, all he had was his club.
So, he continuously smashed the wolf in its face, again and again and again. He was in a mad fit of rage and not paying attention to anything else. With a disgusting cracking sound the wolf's head caved in leaving it disfigured and grotesque.
But Rey continued to beat it down.
I slipped down, using the side of the trunk to slow down my fall. I could have waited longer for Rey to bleed a bit more, but it was too risky. There was a good chance he could have received a level up that would increase his HP and stabilize him.
Or even worse, receive a recovery skill.
I snuck up behind him, holding up my shield and sliding out my short sword. Activating my [Vigor] skill I felt my weakness dissipate and I was finally able to move without feeling like a walking corpse. My grip felt stronger, and my shield was steady compared to the shaking hand that held it before.
I only had one minute.
Rey still seemed to be in a mad frenzy, still beating up the dead corpse. His arm still bled continuously, and he looked overall… feral.
I moved silently but quickly; sword ready to be thrust in the back. A close and silent kill to end it once and for all.
Five steps, three steps and he was just withing my reach-
He suddenly spun around swinging his club at me.
I brought up my shield deflecting the blow and swung my short sword at him. The blade reached his collarbone, causing a shallow wound.
He ignored the pain and hit the tip of my elbow with his wooden club, hard. Causing me to almost drop my shield.
I brought it up as he hammered the front of my shield, making me slid backwards.
"Die, Die, Die" Muttered Rey continuously. Crazed eyes and disheveled hair moving with the wind.
I pushed forward and deflected his club to my side and slid my sword through his stomach, I then backed away immediately, still holding up my shield.
He clutched the wound, blood soaking his white gloves causing it to turn red. But, the bleeding seemed subdued almost slowed. His furious expression and ferocious eyes zeroing in on me.
"I don't know why you're trying so hard Vivienne. You should have already known you couldn't beat me with that trash status and debuffs." Rey said contemptuously.
'Fuck, he probably obtained the E-Tier [Recovery] skill'
It was the first skill I had received which she leveled up to the C-Tier[Healing Factor]. The E-Tier skill only speed up your natural recovery by a margin, but what made it useful was in combat was it slowing down bleeding and preventing deaths by bleeding out.
I was shocked at how well Rey was holding up. He didn't show any talent for combat previously and the few hunts he joined he merely stayed in the back. Or maybe it was my lack of experience fighting someone for real, rather than practice.
I myself was only able to take down a wolf own after many practice battles and leveling up some. Rey being able to achieve the same feat without a blade to penetrate the hide was remarkable.
38 seconds left for my skill; I moved faster.
He moved backwards, a bit far for the range of my sword. It looked like he was backing away, trying to dodge my skills rather than return any attacks.
'Did he realize I was relying on a skill to balance out my negative debuffs?' I thought as I gritted my teeth.
No, he couldn't have. I only used it around May during hunts in the forest with her. He must be wary of engaging in a fight when he's already so wounded and in the backfoot. Or he might be hoping for one of our classmates to come and find us.
Another 15 seconds passed as he continuously evaded my attacks I scored a nick on his right arm, but he seemed to have barely noticed it.
"Why don't you just roll over and die Baldy. Huh?" He spat out.
I clenched my fists in frustration.
'Fuck.' I hated this. He was a whole five levels below me - now 4 - but still his stats were either on par or greater than mine. Fuck my cancer, fuck the system, fuck this lazy asshole who's clinging onto his life like stupid cockroach.
I sold out the demon's location for what - to fail at a carefully planned ambush even after the little shit already battled a wolf and got life threatening wounds.
Exhaled deeply to calm myself, I dropped my shield and the deep thump sound causing Rey to flinch. I would need speed and explosive power.
I received a system notification.
You have obtained the D-Tier skill [Dash]
'Haahaa' A chuckle escaped out of my throat.
Rey looked perplexed. "What the hell is so funny?"
20 seconds left.
"You must be confused why I suddenly backstabbed you like this aren't you" I said, taking a step towards him.
He was silent, brown eyes that looked too soft to have that much anger in them.
17 seconds left.
"It's simple really, you're worthless scum that deserves to die. And I wanted to just clean up the trash." I said.
I would bet it all on one swing.
"What the hell did I even do??? I've never done anything to hurt you or something like that so why!?!?" Rey yelled.
12 seconds left.
He stepped forward, boots stomping the ground with barely veiled frustration.
"Stop yapping already, I judged you to be better off dead and now I'm gonna kill you. You don't have to think too much about it. I replied with a shrug.
8 seconds left.
I clenched my sword; this distance would do.
"You bit-"
I dashed forward suddenly, causing Rey to stumble backwards in surprise. He tried to raise the club in retaliation, but I sliced his wrist causing him to drop his club.
He grunted as he fell backwards, I pounced on him accelerating his fall. I used my legs to pin him down.
5 seconds left
I spit on his face for good measure, as he squirmed continuously.
'Annoying'
I smacked his head with the pommel of my blade, smashing his notice with the second hit.
I held the blade above his chest, as defeated eyes looked up at me.
The skill ended leaving me weakened and feeling a frail twig. But it didn't matter anymore, she had already won. She would end his life and finally end this curse she was born with, and May would eventually forgive her.
With my grip shaking I sunk the blade little by little into his chest. He let out a short gasp. Just a bit more and he would die.
I could just say he died to a random wolf, everything was perfect-
Suddenly, something blunt hit the side of my head. Causing me to go dizzy and stagger next to Rey. My head was bleeding and disoriented.
I looked around confused, seeing a bloody rock on the ground and even more surprising was two individuals staring at me with indescribable expressions - Alicia and Sydney.
'Oh' I thought.
They were running towards us.
My head blanked, I didn't know what I was supposed to do know. Alicia would definitely report this - No! I would finish what I started. After killing Rey I would awaken a S-Tier Class.
With the treatment Adonis was receiving, I was certain they would allow me to live.
I staggered around, my head felt slow. I reached my strap for - No, I already unsheathed it. Where was it??
I heard Alicia yell something, but I couldn't hear it since, my ears were ringing. Was it due to my [Frail] status? I shouldn't be this useless because of a rock.
She was looking at something behind.
I turned around.
My eyes widened in disbelief at what I saw.
A bloody madman.
Short sword clenched in between his teeth. He reeled back his head and swung it wildly, jerking his head with such intensity that it might have popped his head off.
And without anytime for me to react, he slit my throat.
I fell forwards, my throat gurgling as blood continuously flowed down my body. It wasn't enough to kill me but the stab that followed that pierced my back and the next one and the next was more than enough.
It was painful, so painful and my screams came out as mumbles of blood filled vomit.
I could feel my eyes clouding an eternal slumber calling out to me, or maybe something even greater.
There was only one regret I had, I thought with indescribable sadness before the light in my eyes went out.
'I should have pegged the shit out of May'