The next morning, as the first rays of sunlight pierced through the dawn, Aethereis slowly opened his eyelids, feeling rejuvenated after a night of rest. Performing some stretches, he felt the satisfying stretch and flex of his muscles.
Descending from the tree, Aethereis retrieved some utensils from his storage ring, including a frying pan and knives, searching for dry branches to set up an improvised cooking area. With practiced movements, he cut the branches and built a small fire with the thicker ones at the bottom, using flint and tinder to produce sparks and ignite the flames. Soon, the fire crackled to life.
*Chik-chik-chik*
Taking out various ingredients from his ring: fresh vegetables, cured meat, and some spices, Aethereis used the board to chop the meat and vegetables. Placing the pan on the heat, he poured in the vegetables and meat.
*Sizzle* *Sizzle* *Sizzle*
As he cooked, Aethereis reminisced about the days when he had to hunt and cook his own food. During his training as an assassin, children were abandoned on an island with nothing but basic tools. Most didn't survive. Aethereis quickly learned that the ability to hunt and cook his own food was crucial for survival in such a hostile environment.
After a while, the food was ready. Aethereis removed the pan from the fire and placed the cooked food on a plate. Sitting near the fire, Aethereis began to eat, savoring the taste of the meat.
Ensuring the fire was completely extinguished, Aethereis headed east. As he ran through the forest, his figure blurred, moving with impressive speed. His movements were silent, his breathing steady.
After an hour of running, Aethereis reached a clearing in the forest. He paused for a moment, evaluating his surroundings with his keen senses. Sensing something watching him, he became alert, his eyes quickly scanning every corner of the clearing.
Suddenly, a sharp whistle pierced the silence. Aethereis, with his quick reflexes, swiftly turned towards the source of the sound. A snake with purple scales and bright black eyes launched itself towards him from the upper branches of a nearby tree.
Time seemed to slow down as Aethereis watched in slow motion as the snake opened its jaws in an attempt to bite his neck with its sharp fangs.
*Ssssss*
Reacting instinctively, he summoned his shield, blocking the bite, while the snake was thrown back after the collision.
*Thwack!*
Writhing in pain, the snake tried to flee. Without giving it time to escape, Aethereis appeared in front of it. With a quick and fluid movement, his daggers pierced the snake's skull. Without hesitation, the daggers penetrated the skin, splitting the snake in half.
*Crack! Ssssss!*
[You have killed a Mirage Serpent, ranked F-, and gained 100 experience points!]
[Level up >7]
Aethereis approached the split body and carefully collected the parts he deemed important. He extracted the snake's fangs, storing them in a leather bag. Meticulously examining it, he cut sections of the skin and rolled them up; unfortunately, the gland located in its head was rendered useless.
Once he considered he had gathered everything he could make use of from the snake's body, Aethereis stored everything in his ring and continued on his way through the forest.
***********
Hours after the confrontation with the snake, Aethereis continued to advance through the forest. As he ventured deeper into the endless woods, he noticed a series of tracks marked on the ground. Their size was similar to that of a wolf's footprint, though slightly larger. Crouching down, he observed that they were fresh.
'They passed through this area not long ago, maybe half an hour. With the number of tracks, I estimate there are at least five wind wolves,' thought Aethereis after examining the tracks.
As he followed the wolf tracks, Aethereis ventured further into the forest, reaching the outskirts of the mid-stage. With his silent movements, he avoided most predators. Fortunately, no monsters had abilities that could detect him, making full use of all his assassin skills.
The tracks became more evident as he progressed, indicating that the pack was not far. Aethereis momentarily stopped and surveyed his surroundings, searching for signs of movement among the trees.
Seeking better cover, he climbed a tree, carefully ensuring there were no hidden predators. Looking around, he located the pack of wind wolves, lying around a tree. There were a total of fifteen wind wolves.
Moving several meters away as he maneuvered between the trees, Aethereis descended from a tree and searched for a suitable spot to dig a pit. With the help of his daggers, he began to dig into the ground, working quickly to create a deep enough hole.
After repeating the process three more times, Aethereis placed sharpened wooden spikes at the bottom and covered everything with leaves and branches. Then, he climbed back up the trees heading towards where the wolves were.
Jumping from the tree, Aethereis drew the attention of the wolves. With a masterful throw, his daggers whistled through the air towards two of the wolves. They quickly dodged the daggers, rising from the ground and growling menacingly.
"Grrrrrrr..."
Calling the daggers to him in his mind, Aethereis said 'come to me'. With that, the daggers turned into black smoke and appeared in his hands as he ran towards the traps.
The wolves, now alerted by Aethereis's attack, began to chase him ferociously, roaring and baring their sharp teeth as they ran after him through the forest. Aethereis, however, moved fast enough to keep the wolves in sight as he headed towards the trap he had prepared.
Approaching the trap, Aethereis increased his speed, treading with extreme precision and delicacy on the leaves covering it.
The wolves, however, didn't stop and continued chasing. One of the wolves stepped into the trap, falling into the pit, letting out a pained howl.
"Auuuuh..."
As he ran towards the next locations, Aethereis attempted to employ the same strategy, but this time the wolves, not falling for it, ceased chasing him, forcing him into a direct confrontation.
Keeping calm, Aethereis summoned his scythe and walked calmly towards the wolves, who growled threateningly.
"Grrrrrrr..."
Adopting a stance that allowed him to defend and attack, Aethereis waited for the wolves to make the first move. When one of them lunged towards him with the intent to slash him with its claws, he made a skillful move, blocking the attack with the top of the scythe. He stepped back two steps, positioning himself defensively.
*Whoosh!*
*Clang! Clang!*
At that moment, two more wolves lunged at him, while the remaining ones formed a circle. The first wolf made a leap, trying to bite his face, while the second approached from behind.
*Whoosh!*
*Grrrkk!*
Aethereis leaned back, bending his knees to let the wolf pass over him. With a quick and lethal movement, the scythe turned into a pair of daggers, and Aethereis swiftly stabbed the wolf in the stomach, causing it to lose balance as it crashed into a tree.
*Chk!* "Auuu!"
[You have killed a wind wolf, ranked F, and gained 150 experience points!]
Without time to react to the attack from the second wolf, Aethereis received a powerful blow from its claws to his back.
*Thud!*
The force of the attack sent him flying through the air until he finally collided with a nearby tree with a dull thud. The impact left him momentarily stunned, his breathing labored as he struggled to catch his breath.
*Whoosh!*
As Aethereis struggled to recover from the impact, another wolf pounced on him. Aethereis managed to roll to the side just in time, narrowly avoiding the wolf's sharp claws. The wolf, in an attempt to bite him, leaped onto Aethereis, holding onto his head. Preventing it from biting him, Aethereis kicked it in the belly, making it howl in pain. Recoiling, he threw one of his daggers into the wolf's eye, piercing its skull in the process.
*Rrrrrr!*
[You have killed a wind wolf, ranked F-, and gained 100 experience points!]
[You have killed a wind wolf, ranked F-, and gained 100 experience points!]
In that moment, his instincts sounded alarms in his head. Without a second thought, he moved sideways. As he did so, the daggers transformed into his scythe. Spinning his hips at a one-hundred-eighty-degree angle, he severed the wolf's head in a swift motion. Then, he returned to a defensive position, using the blade of his weapon to shield his back from an incoming attack.
*Sssschhhk!*
*Thud!*
[You have killed a wind wolf, ranked F-, and gained 100 experience points!]
********************************
I think this has been the best chapter I've written so far. I honestly wanted to make the fight scene with the wolves longer, but I was undecided whether making it longer would make it boring. However, I would like feedback on what you think of the fight scenes.