The rustling grew louder, snapping me out of my bath-induced reverie. I barely had time to stand before the bushes parted, revealing two small figures stumbling through, both bruised and battered.
I blinked. Not monsters. Kids.
The first was a boy, his messy brown hair sticking to his forehead with sweat. He wore rough, simple clothes—brown pants and a shirt with frayed edges. The girl behind him looked younger, dressed in a frilly white and blue dress now stained with dirt and torn at the hem. Their hands were clasped tightly together, their faces pale with fear.
The boy's wide eyes locked onto mine, and before I could say a word, he grabbed the girl and bolted. They leapt straight into the creek, splashing frantically as they scrambled to hide behind me.
"Uh," I began, glancing over my shoulder at their shivering forms. They huddled together, trembling, their gazes darting wildly toward the bushes.
I didn't have time to register what was happening. My instincts flared, and I snapped my attention back to the thicket.
The underbrush shuddered, and a low growl rumbled from the shadows.
My body moved on autopilot, muscles tensing as I dropped into a combat stance. [Combat Mode] kicked in, sharpening my senses and heightening my focus.
The leaves parted, and a blur of fur lunged toward me.
I sidestepped, narrowly avoiding its snapping jaws, and countered with an upward strike. My fist connected with its throat in a satisfying crunch.
The creature let out a high-pitched whine, collapsing in a heap before splashing into the water.
"Appraisal!" I barked, my Mystic Eyes locking onto the downed figure.
[Wood Wolf]
Difficulty: FFF
Grade: [Red]
Skills: Bite, Vines, Lunge
"Wood Wolf," I muttered. "Figures."
The wolf's limp body twitched once before going still, its dark green fur blending almost perfectly with the foliage. But I couldn't afford to relax. My senses were still screaming at me, warning of more presences in the area.
Wolves always traveled in packs.
I turned to the kids, keeping my voice firm but calm. "What happened? Where are you from?"
The girl whimpered, clinging to the boy's arm, but he spoke up, his voice shaky. "My name's Leonard. This is my sister, June. We were playing tag in the forest when—when these monsters showed up! We ran, but they followed us!" His eyes brimmed with tears. "Please save us, big sister!"
I swallowed hard. Big sister? The term caught me off guard, but the fear in his voice overrode everything else.
Quest: [Protect The Children!]
Difficulty: E - EE Rank [Mortal]
Objective 1: Kill either 15 Wood Wolves or 1 Alpha Wood Wolf.
Objective 2 (Alternative): Exterminate both.
Rewards:
Objective 1: 15 Medical Salves, 15 Magical Cores (FFF Rank), Wood Wolf's Fur (15), Wood Wolf's Meat (15), Alpha Wood Wolf's MeatObjective 2 (Alternative): 1 Pure Emblem Core (FFF Rank)
I absorbed the notification quickly, my mind already running through the odds. Fifteen to twenty wolves, maybe more. That would be manageable alone, but protecting two kids complicated things.
I glanced back at Leonard and June, my jaw tightening. "Stay behind me," I ordered. "Don't move a muscle."
Their heads bobbed in unison as they crouched low, clutching each other tightly.
Another growl sounded from the bushes, deeper this time. My Mystic Eyes activated automatically, scanning the area.
[Wood Wolf x7 Detected]
[Alpha Wood Wolf Detected: Rank EE]
My heart skipped a beat. An Alpha. That explained the strength of the pack and why these wolves had chased the children so relentlessly.
The rewards flashed in my mind. A Pure Emblem Core—even at FFF Rank—was too good to pass up. Its raw energy would be enough to propel me to Iron X without question.
I clenched my fists, my resolve hardening. This is it. No turning back.
I flexed my fingers, testing my grip on the air as my telekinesis flared to life. I'd trained hard for a month to build myself to this point. Copper I wasn't impressive, but it was enough to face FFF Rank monsters with confidence.
The real challenge was the Alpha. Strong enough to one-shot me if I wasn't careful, but not so overwhelmingly powerful that it was unbeatable.
"Alright," I muttered, my eyes scanning the clearing for any advantage. "Let's do this."
+
Alice exhaled slowly, letting her consciousness expand into the world around her. Her focus sharpened as she reached out, taunting the wolves. Let them come. She knew the Alpha wouldn't make a move unless provoked—its kind's arrogance and pride were infuriating.
Her instincts flared as the first wolf lunged from the bushes. Alice ducked fluidly, her body moving as if guided by the fight itself. Her fist shot upward in a precise uppercut, aiming directly for its throat. The impact was immediate, the crunch of bones shattering under her strength echoing in the clearing.
The wolf crumpled, lifeless, the tag over its body fading to [Black]. Alice smirked.
One down. Fifteen to go.
She barely had time to breathe before three more wolves burst from the shadows. They coordinated their attack: one from the north, the others flanking her on the east and west.
"Smart," Alice muttered.
She planted her hands on the ground, flipping into a handstand as she spun her legs in a wide arc. Her heels connected with their jaws in quick succession, each strike delivering a sickening crunch. The force of her kicks sent the wolves hurtling into nearby trees, their bodies slumping motionless to the ground.
Four down. Twelve to go.
Alice dropped to her feet, prepared for the next wave. But something snared her mid-motion. Her world spun as vines erupted from the ground, wrapping around her legs and hoisting her into the air.
"Damn it!" she hissed, twisting against the bonds.
Two wolves lunged simultaneously, their jaws snapping—one aiming for her neck, the other hurtling toward the children.
Alice twisted her body, using her momentum to align herself with the wolf closest to her. Her leg snapped out in a side-kick, her heel slamming into its temple with a forceful crack. The kick freed her from the vines, and she landed gracefully, immediately following through with a downward kick that shattered the wolf's skull.
Six down. Ten to go.
Her head snapped toward the kids. "You two okay?"
Leonard clutched his sister protectively. "Y-Yeah!" he stammered, his voice trembling. June nodded, tears brimming in her wide eyes.
Alice noticed one of the wolves stalking closer to the children. Her jaw tightened. Wolves weren't intelligent enough for coordinated strategies, which meant the Alpha had to be nearby.
She needed to end this quickly.