As suddenly as the foul wolf appeared, it lunged at Hiro, its massive body hurtling toward him. He barely managed to dive out of the way, the wind from the creature's strike brushing against his skin. His heart pounded, and he quickly realized one thing: if it closed the distance, he was as good as dead.
Hiro bolted, his training paying off as his legs carried him swiftly through the dense forest. His mind raced.
'I can't fight it up close—I'll need to keep my distance.'
He reached for his bow, fumbling slightly as he drew an arrow. He had never shot while running before, but there was no time to dwell on that now.
The wolf, with its burning yellow eyes, turned its gaze on him. The malice in its glare sent a chill down his spine.
Hiro drew the bowstring back and fired, the arrow cutting through the air. But it missed, striking a tree with a dull thud.The wolf, sensing its prey's vulnerability, lunged again.
Hiro leaped to the side, narrowly avoiding its claws, and drew another arrow. This time, he steadied himself as much as he could before releasing it. The arrow hit its mark, embedding itself in the wolf's thick hide, but it barely pierced the beast.
The wolf let out a low growl, a sound that seemed to rumble through the forest. Hiro pushed himself harder, darting between trees, hoping to use the dense foliage to his advantage. The wolf's sheer size made it harder for it to maneuver, but its persistence was terrifying.
As he ran, Hiro glanced back. The wolf's glowing eyes tracked him, and its teeth were bared in what almost looked like a menacing grin. Its massive fangs glinted, a reminder of how easily it could tear him apart. He dodged another swipe of its claws and loosed another arrow. This one grazed the wolf's flank but did little more than enrage it further.
Hiro's lungs burned as he sprinted. It had been a long time since he'd felt this exhausted—a sensation he hadn't experienced since his earliest training days. But he couldn't afford to slow down.
He fired again, but in his haste, he didn't watch his footing. His foot caught on a branch, sending him sprawling to the ground. His head hit the dirt with a sharp thud, and the impact reverberated through his entire body.
Dazed, Hiro struggled to gather his bearings. The wolf, sensing its prey's vulnerability, loomed closer, its massive frame blotting out the sunlight filtering through the trees.
Hiro quickly drew his bow and, without much thought, released another arrow. To his astonishment, the arrow struck the wolf directly in its eye. The beast howled in agony, its roar echoing through the forest as it staggered backward. The brief reprieve gave Hiro just enough time to scramble to his feet, his heart pounding like a drum.
He muttered a silent thanks to the gods for his lucky shot, but the danger was far from over. His mind raced as he assessed his situation.
Seven arrows left. I can't keep this up forever. Maybe I should run back to the cabin... Zenith could kill this thing... but no, I'd never make it. It's too fast.
His thoughts were cut short as the wolf lunged again, its massive maw snapping inches from his face. Shaking off his panic, Hiro resumed his frantic escape. The dangerous game of cat and mouse continued as the wolf pursued him relentlessly.
Every step was agony. The pain from his fall lingered, slowing him down. His lips were parched, his muscles burned, and every fiber of his being screamed at him to stop. Yet the wolf showed no signs of exhaustion, its snarls growing louder as it closed the gap between them.
Suddenly, something changed. A rush of energy surged through Hiro's body, washing away his fatigue. His muscles tensed, his focus sharpened, and all fear evaporated, replaced by a singular, primal urge: Kill the wolf.
He skidded to a halt, spinning to face the looming beast. His breathing steadied, his grip tightened on his knife, and his eyes locked onto the wolf's remaining good eye.
'I've lost it. I've officially gone crazy.'
Without hesitation, he sprinted toward the wolf, his grin matching the beast's snarling maw. The wolf responded with a furious roar, charging at him.
As they closed the distance, Hiro narrowly dodged a series of swipes from the wolf's claws, each one coming closer than the last. Then, a claw grazed his cheek, leaving a shallow but stinging wound. He stumbled back, the near-miss serving as a grim reminder of the stakes. If he miscalculated even once, it would be the end.
Despite the odds, Hiro's resolve only hardened. Knife in hand, he braced himself for the next clash.
Blood poured from the gash on his cheek, but Hiro didn't let the pain slow him down.
His focus was singular—survival. He fired another arrow as the wolf advanced, each shot landing with increasing accuracy despite his movement. The wolf's large, menacing figure continued to close the distance, but Hiro wasn't about to back down.
Every time the beast came too close, Hiro slashed with his knife, expertly dodging its retaliatory strikes.
For the first time in the fight, the mouse was fighting back, and the wolf was faltering. It had shallow cuts all over its body, arrows embedded in its thick hide.
But Hiro wasn't without his own damage. Blood stained his clothes, his body marred with a multitude of cuts and scratches, each one reminding him of just how close he had come to dying.
He drew his bow again, releasing a final shot that hit the wolf in its paw. The beast yelped in pain, but Hiro didn't stop. His quiver was empty—he had no more arrows. But strangely, this didn't faze him. His mind, detached from the pain, focused only on the task at hand. He gripped his knife tighter and ran toward the beast.
He weaved and dodged, each slash of his knife drawing more blood from the wolf's massive form. He hadn't been hit for a while, and the adrenaline surged within him. He was faster now, more reckless. It felt like he was winning.
But that very overconfidence led to his mistake. As he closed in on the wolf's neck, his focus wavered for just a moment. The wolf, with a sudden, brutal swipe, raked its claws through the air. Hiro didn't see it coming.
The wolf's claws connected with his side, sending a searing pain through his body as they pierced his flesh. He was flung through the air, crashing into a tree with a sickening thud. Pain exploded through his chest and head, his vision blurred as he slid down the trunk. His limbs felt heavy, and for a moment, everything seemed to slow.