In a blur of motion, Alastor reacted, his honed instincts taking over. He spun, his hand darting to the dagger sheathed at his waist, ready to meet the attack head-on.
Rip!
A sharp ripping sound echoed as a clawed paw connected with his back, tearing through cloth and flesh. A jolt of pain shot through him, but Alastor gritted his teeth, ignoring the searing sensation. He whirled around, his drawn dagger flashing in the soft light of the glowing tree. He could just make out the shadowy form of a massive wolf, its fur a void against the dim illumination.
With a swift, practiced motion, Alastor slashed at the beast. The dagger found its mark, biting deep into the wolf's neck. A pained yelp escaped the creature as it scrambled back, disappearing into the darkness beyond the reach of the glowing tree.
Alastor didn't dare pursue. He carefully surveyed his surroundings, his eyes scanning the shadows. What he saw sent a chill down his spine. Four pairs of predatory eyes, glowing with a malevolent yellow light, stared back at him from the edge of the illuminated circle. He was surrounded.
The wolves moved like phantoms, their shadowy forms circling him relentlessly. Alastor maintained his grip on the dagger, the silver blade gleaming faintly in the ethereal glow of the tree. He braced himself, ready to face the inevitable onslaught.
A low growl, guttural and menacing, shattered the silence. Three of the wolves charged.
The largest of the three lunged, jaws snapping shut inches from Alastor's throat. He could feel the wind of its passage, smell the musky scent of its fur. There was no time to strike back. Two more blurs of movement caught his eye.
The flanking wolves, sensing an opening, rushed in low to the ground. Their jaws snapped shut where Alastor's legs had been a moment before. He had anticipated their move, springing upwards just in time. He landed gracefully at the very edge of the illuminated circle, the tri-leaf flowers swaying gently around him.
"Damn beasts," Alastor muttered under his breath, watching as they melted back into the shadows, preparing their next attack. He knew he couldn't keep this up forever. His back throbbed, the wound a constant reminder of the danger he was in. He needed to change the odds, and fast.
An opportunity presented itself. One of the wolves, emboldened by its earlier near success, darted forward, a grey blur aimed directly at Alastor. This was what he had been waiting for.
As the beast entered the circle of light, Alastor moved. He was a whirlwind, a blur of motion too swift for the eye to follow. The silver dagger flashed, and a strangled yelp split the night. The wolf stumbled back, a deep gash across its shoulder. It whimpered, trying to retreat into the safety of the shadows, but Alastor was relentless.
He pressed his attack, his blade a silver streak in the dim light. Four swift strikes found their mark, each blow drawing blood. The wolf collapsed, its lifeblood staining the ground crimson.
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[You have killed a Deathstalker wolf (evolved). 200 Exp points granted.]
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'One down, three left,' Alastor thought grimly.
The death of their packmate seemed to enrage the remaining wolves. They circled tighter now, their growls deeper, their eyes burning with primal fury. Alastor knew his time was running out.
Suddenly, the two wolves charged, bursting from the shadows with renewed ferocity.
Alastor met their attack head-on. He let out a roar, a defiant battle cry, and sprinted towards the oncoming beasts. The wolves hesitated for a moment, caught off guard by his sudden aggression.
Alastor seized the opportunity, his dagger aimed at the larger of the two. The element of surprise was his, but it was fleeting. The lead wolf reacted with surprising speed, leaping aside as Alastor's blade whistled past. Sharp teeth grazed Alastor's arm, tearing through fabric.
Ignoring the searing pain, Alastor pressed his attack. In a blur of motion, his dagger found its mark, plunging deep into the wolf's neck.
Alastor barely had time to register his victory before danger struck again. From the corner of his eye, he saw the second wolf lunging at him, jaws agape, aiming for his throat.
He spun away, narrowly avoiding the attack, and in one fluid motion, drove his dagger deep into the wolf's chest. The beast crumpled to the ground, lifeless.
"Two down, one more," Alastor muttered, his gaze snapping away from the dead wolf to the edge of the illuminated circle.
The last wolf stood there, watching him with smoldering fury. Even in the dim light, Alastor could see the gash on its neck – the same wolf he had injured earlier. It growled, a low rumble of pure menace, and for a moment, Alastor thought it would charge. But it didn't.
Instead of fear, a strange sense of confidence filled Alastor. This wasn't blind courage; it stemmed from his newfound understanding of his enemy. When he had killed the other wolves, the system had identified them. Now he knew exactly what kind of creature he was dealing with.
Deathstalker wolves, as their name suggested, were apex predators, renowned for their hunting prowess and pack tactics. Their speed was unmatched, making them a force to be reckoned with. But there was another, more insidious reason they were feared: their cunning hunting tactics.
Deathstalker wolves usually hunted in large packs, but sometimes, smaller groups would split off in search of prey. If these smaller groups encountered something they couldn't overpower—like right now—they would retreat.
However, their retreat was rarely a sign of defeat. It was a tactical maneuver. They would melt back into the shadows, only to reappear later with reinforcements, their numbers bolstered, ready to overwhelm their prey. Their sense of smell was exceptional, allowing them to track their target over vast distances. Once marked, escape was nearly impossible.
With a final, frustrated snarl, the wolf turned and vanished into the darkness, just as Alastor had anticipated.
He let out a sigh. If it were up to him, he wouldn't allow the beast to escape. He had no desire to be hunted by a pack of vengeful wolves, but pursuing it into the darkness was impossible. He couldn't see in the dark after all.
"What now?" he wondered aloud, watching the shadows creep closer to the edge of the illuminated circle.
Was he just going to stand here and wait for the wolf and its pack to return? And what other dangers lurked out there in the darkness, hidden from view?
As if on cue, a familiar blue screen materialized before him.
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[NEW MISSION UNLOCKED - APEX PREDATOR]
Objective: Prove your dominance in this unfamiliar territory. You have been designated the Apex Predator. Survive for the next 8 hours and eliminate at least 20 hostile creatures.
Time Remaining: 07:54:32
Kill Count: 0 / 20
Rewards: 500 Experience Points
Failure Penalty: Permanent stat decrease.
System Message: Let the hunt begin.
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Alastor frowned. The situation had just gotten a whole lot more complicated.
As if sensing his thoughts, another message flashed on the screen.
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[You have received a new package. Would you like to open it?]
[Yes] / [No]
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Without hesitation, Alastor selected "Yes." The message changed once more.
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[CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE SUCCESSFULLY OPENED A PACKAGE.]
[YOU HAVE RECEIVED TWO NEW SKILLS. PROCEED TO THE SKILL TAB TO CHECK YOUR NEW SKILLS.]
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"About time," he muttered, his frown dissolving into a grin. He immediately opened his skill tab.
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[Skills]
*Passive:*
> Shadow Walk (Lvl 1): Reduces sound of footsteps and increases movement speed in shadows.
> Poison Resistance (Lvl 1): Grants minor resistance to common poisons.
> Anatomy Knowledge (Lvl 1): Increased critical hit chance on vital points.
> Regeneration(Max): Allows the user to heal from almost every physical injury.
*Active:*
> Disguise (Lvl 1): Assume a simple disguise for a short period.
> Flow Acceleration(Max): Allows the user to change direction instantly while sprinting without losing any speed.
> Flow Control(Max): Allows the user to execute precise movements and contortions while sprinting, enabling agile dodges without sacrificing speed.
> Shadowsight (Lvl 1): Grants the user supernatural vision in darkness.
> Analytical Glance (Lvl 1): Allows the user to instantly analyze objects and creatures within their field of vision.
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