Monsters in this world were special. They were extremely sensitive to mana. Especially the elite ones. Even the slightest fluctuation could startle them.
Grrr...?
And as soon as Gawain channeled his mana through his swords, the monster immediately felt it. It slowly opened its eyes and stood up, growling and began making his way towards the human that has invaded it's space.
Gawain's heart raced as he looked at the silhouette walking towards him from the shadows. This was it—the hunt he had meticulously planned for had begun. And Gawain could barely contain his excitement.
Grrr...
Slowly, a massive figure emerged. It was a staggering seven-foot-tall wolf with thick grey fur. A deep scar marred its face, over its missing eye and covering half it's face. This beast sure had seen battles, but it was heavily injured from them too.
The wolf growled, a mix of anger and fear, taking a defensive position that made Gawain grin even wider. One thing was sure, he had felt Gawain's intentions towards it, and let's just say that it didn't appreciate them.
GROWL!
Without wasting a moment, it pushed mana into its legs and with a powerful thrust of its foot, the wolf closed the distance between them, slashing its massive claws downward.
Gawain barely saw the claw descend, but adrenaline surged through him. He pumped mana into his legs, immediately dodging to the side just in time.
There was a reason he picked the Thief Class. Without the bonus points in agility stats increasing his speed, and enhanced focus, allowing him higher control of his body and mana, he would have met his end with that first strike.
The wolf growled again, frustrated and wounded. Its claws landed on the hard ground, its injuries causing it more harm than the human it was battling.
"Is that all you've got, big guy?" Gawain taunted, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "You're more bark than bite, aren't you?"
Without wasting a moment of time, and with fierce determination, he capitalized on the wolf's disorientation. He leaped into action, launching his swords at the wolf's paw, pinning it down for a crucial moment.
The wolf let out a furious howl as Gawain seized the opportunity. He pulled out his daggers and dashed forward, closing the distance between himself and the monster.
"Backstab!" Gawain immediately activated the skill, and slashed at the wolf's back legs.
[-1% HP]
[Bleed (Stage 1) effect has been inflicted. 0.01% health will be lost per second.]
[Bleed effect has been intensified. 0.5% health will be lost per second.]
[Poison (Stage 1) effect has been inflicted. 0.01% health will be lost per second.]
Awoooo!
The wolf screamed in agony, thrashing around in pain as it finally freed itself from Gawain's swords. It glared at the human menacingly, its remaining eye filled with fury.
Gawain took a step back, getting some distance between the monster and himself and watched as the wolf regained its footing, blood dripping from its wounds. "Come on! You've got to be faster than that! I thought you were an elite predator!"
With a primal roar, the wolf charged at Gawain, claws outstretched, ready to retaliate. Gawain barely had time to react. He raised his daggers just in time to block the strike, but the force of the impact sent him staggering back.
He felt a sharp pain slice through him as the wolf's claw connected, tearing through his defenses. Gawain gasped, stumbling and clutching his side.
"Ugh... Damn it! Shouldn't have taunted it so much..." Gawain wheezed, panting loudly.
[Health: 100% → 24%]
Gawain's eyes widened in shock as he looked at his health bar. One strike. That's all it took to take away three quarters of his health. 'Sure enough, there is no way to defeat this thing with any other class at level 1.' Gawain thought with a frown.
As he bled, Gawain watched, as the wolf's body began to glow with a faint green light, healing from the blood that Gawain just lost.
Gawain clicked his tongue in frustration, wincing as he nursed his wound, as he glared at the wolf. There was a reason he even dared to fight this creature.
The wolf raid and the First Task didn't happen by chance. These wolves weren't just aggressive; they were desperate. The pack was not composed of mindless beasts; they were driven by an instinctual need to survive, to protect their own, and their leader was the heart of that fight. And right now, that leader was injured.
In his last life, when Gawain and the others fought this thing, the number of lives they lost was staggering.
And what set this wolf apart was its life-steal ability. Each time it tasted blood, it healed itself, drawing strength from the life force of others. The pack, aware of their leader's dire condition, had launched the raid in a frantic bid to save it. They believed that if they could spill enough blood, their alpha would regain its strength and rise again.
Gawain slowly got up, twirling his daggers in a defiant stance. "God damn it! You think you can just take my blood and heal? Well, I mean you can, but not anymore. Not today, furball. I'm not going down that easily!"
The wolf snarled, clearly infuriated. Gawain kept his distance, baiting it. He knew he had to stall for time. This thing was nearly done for.
"C'mon, buddy! I thought wolves were supposed to be tough! Is that the best you've got?"
With each taunt, the wolf lunged at him again, its desperation driving it forward. Gawain dodged to the side, using his agility to stay out of reach, his heart racing with the thrill of battle.
But soon, the wolf stumbled and its movements became erratic, Gawain seized the moment.
"Now's my chance!" he shouted, adrenaline surging through him. He launched himself forward, leaping high into the air.
With a massive grin, he plunged his daggers down into the wolf's skull, aiming straight for its brain.
"Goodnight, mutt!" he yelled as the blades pierced through.
The wolf's body went limp, its growl silencing into a final whimper. Gawain pulled his daggers free, panting heavily, feeling a surge of triumph.
"Hah! Hah! Fuck it! I almost died." Gawain panted, as he took deep breaths and calmed himself down. "Now that I think about it, I shouldn't have tried to trash talk a wolf. Now I feel stupid..." Gawain muttered in an embarrassed tone. Thankfully, a notification rang through, taking his mind off of his embarrassing actions.
[Level 10 Boss Monster, Vargar defeated!]
[Level up!]
.
.
.
[Level up!]
Gawain immediately leveled up 5 times and felt the surge of power course through him. His wounds began healing in an instant, and he grinned while standing over the massive carcass of the wolf. The battle had been fucking brutal, but now victory was his.
As he soaked in the sensation of leveling up... and tried to forget the faint stinging sensation from the wound the wolf inflicted on him, a new notification appeared before his eyes. As soon as he saw it, his grin widened, eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Finally! I have you, baby!" he whispered in delight.
The notification confirmed it.
[Title: Elite Hunter acquired]
[Elite Hunter: Awarded to those who claim their first kill against an elite monster, this title marks the individual as a formidable predator, feared by even the mightiest of beasts.]
[Effects:
Strength and Agility: +20% increase in strength and agility, granting superior physical prowess and speed in combat.
Predator's Aura: Instills fear in all non-elite monsters within a certain radius, applying a Fear Debuff that causes them to hesitate, reducing their combat effectiveness and making them more likely to flee or avoid engagement.]
Gawain chuckled to himself, his mind racing with possibilities. "Damn! This is amazing. I need to find more titles with these passive bonuses," he muttered, practically drooling at the thought of stacking passive boosts.
Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to focus. The excitement had to wait. There was still work to be done. Crouching down next to the wolf, he pulled out his daggers and got to work, cutting into its thick hide. The wolf's skin was like armor, far tougher than any normal creature. His blades struggled to pierce through the layers of muscle, and each slice was a slow, frustrating effort.
Sweat dripped down Gawain's forehead as he carved deeper. The muscles were dense, and the sinew seemed like iron beneath his blade. Every inch felt like a battle in itself... and that seemed to piss Gawain's petty self off even more. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he reached the heart of the beast.
"There you are," he said with a smirk, as he pried out the glowing, golf ball sized mana core.
Gawain's eyes narrowed as he examined it closely. "It's a 2nd circle core? I thought this thing was supposed to be a 3rd circle monster," he frowned, his earlier excitement dimming. "Maybe it hadn't fully healed? Tch, forget it. This will do."
With a sigh, he stood up, pocketing the core. He glanced deeper into the cave, knowing there was something else he had come for. Something even more valuable. His gaze lingered for a moment before he muttered, "I just hope the others don't die before I get back."
Without wasting any more time, Gawain set off, disappearing into the shadows of the cave. The thing in there was worth more than anything on this planet. And he'd be damned if he didn't get it. The other's can wait.
_____