Chapter 6: The First Hunt
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Adam moved deeper into the forest, the dense canopy above casting shifting patterns of light and shadow on the ground.
The air was thick with the earthy scent of moss and damp soil. As he walked, his eyes wandered, taking in the sheer beauty of his surroundings.
Towering trees stretched endlessly into the sky, their leaves swaying gently in the breeze.
"This forest feels like a second home now," Adam thought, a faint smile playing on his lips. The struggles of his previous life had left him with an intimate understanding of this place, its dangers, and its secrets.
As he continued, a faint growling noise reached his ears. Adam froze for a moment, his muscles tensing instinctively. The sound grew louder, coming from up ahead.
His lips curled into a smirk. "Here we go," he murmured, his hand brushing against the dark fabric of his stealth-enhanced outfit.
The special properties of his attire activated automatically, cloaking him in a subtle aura that made him nearly undetectable.
With a quick glance around, Adam moved silently, blending seamlessly into the shadows.
He approached a massive tree and crouched behind its wide trunk.
Peeking out cautiously, Adam's sharp eyes spotted the source of the growling—a pack of five Fang Wolves.
At the front of the group stood a striking female wolf, her piercing yellow eyes scanning the surroundings as if she were leading her pack.
The rest of the wolves followed her, their sleek, muscular forms moving in perfect unison.
Adam's gaze lingered on the female wolf. "So, that's the leader," he thought. "I'll have to take her out first."
He recalled from his past life that Fang Wolves always traveled in groups, with the strongest or most experienced wolf leading the pack.
This knowledge gave him a slight advantage—he knew exactly how to approach the situation.
Adam exhaled slowly, steadying his nerves. His hand reached for the knife hanging from his belt. Its blade glinted faintly in the dappled sunlight filtering through the trees.
"Mark," Adam whispered, his voice low but deliberate.
A faint glow appeared around the female wolf, signaling that the Mark and Attack skill had been activated.
Adam clenched the knife tightly, his eyes narrowing as he focused on his target. "One shot," he thought. "I only have one knife, so I need to make it count."
With a smooth, practiced motion, Adam pulled his arm back and launched the knife toward the wolf.
The blade cut through the air, its speed a testament to Adam's precision and strength.
The knife struck the female wolf squarely on the head, embedding itself deep into her skull.
Blood spurted from the wound, the crimson droplets splattering the forest floor. The wolf let out a sharp, guttural cry before collapsing lifelessly onto the ground.
Adam watched intently, his heart pounding in his chest.
A glowing window appeared before him, the system's familiar blue interface displaying his success:
[Critical Hit! 100 Damage]
[Level 5 Fang Wolf defeated]
Adam felt a surge of satisfaction as the window disappeared, replaced by another notification:
[Congratulations! AlphaBoss
As a Level 1 player, you have defeated a Level 5 monster.
Reward: 500 Experience Points]
The corners of Adam's mouth twitched into a smile. "Perfect," he muttered.
A new prompt appeared on the screen:
[Your required experience points have been met.
Do you wish to level up?]
[Yes / No]
Adam chuckled softly, shaking his head. "This trick is going to be my secret weapon," he said to himself. "If everyone had access to this kind of advantage, they'd have exploited it to no end. And in this game, experience points aren't just a resource—they're power, both here and in the real world."
Without hesitation, Adam clicked No on the prompt.
He opened his status window to review his progress:
______________________
- Name: AlphaBoss
- Species: Human
- Class: Administrator
- Level: 1
- Experience: 500/100
- HP: 100/100
- MP: 100/100
- Physical Stats:
- Stamina: 5
- Endurance: 5
- Intelligence: 5
- Strength: 5
- Agility: 5
- Luck: 3
- Skills:
- Reality Manipulation (Level 1)
- Mark and Attack
Adam's eyes lingered on the glowing interface, satisfaction evident in his expression. "It's all going according to plan," he said, his voice calm but confident.
He stood up, brushing dirt from his black outfit. The fabric clung to him like a second skin, its stealth properties shielding him from detection.
With a final glance at the fallen wolf, Adam turned his gaze deeper into the forest. "Now, it's time to collect more experience points," he declared, his tone resolute.
The chapter ended with Adam stepping forward, his figure vanishing into the shadows as he prepared to take on the challenges ahead.
Adam crouched low in the bushes, watching the remaining Fang Wolves as they sniffed the air and growled in confusion.
One of the wolves was inspecting the fallen female, nudging her motionless body with its snout.
Silently, Adam moved to reposition himself. He crept carefully from behind the tree to a nearby thicket, his movements deliberate and quiet.
Reaching down, he picked up a jagged stone from the ground.
From his concealed position, Adam focused on another wolf. "Mark," he whispered.
The faint glow of a red symbol appeared above the wolf's head. The rest of the wolves were too distracted to notice, some barking at shadows and others pacing in agitation.
Adam spotted one of the wolves sniffing at the knife embedded in the female's head. He smirked. "This one's next," he thought.
He steadied his hand, pulled back, and hurled the stone with precision. "Attack!" he commanded.
The stone sliced through the air, striking the marked wolf squarely on the head. Blood spattered across the ground as the wolf stumbled, letting out a pained howl.
A glowing window appeared in front of Adam:
[Critical Damage: 50 HP]
Adam frowned slightly as he observed the wolf struggling back to its feet, blood dripping from its head. "Not enough to kill it," he muttered under his breath.
The other wolves grew more frantic, barking and darting in all directions. Their confusion was palpable, their tight formation now completely broken.
Realizing the stone hadn't finished the job, Adam quickly grabbed another sharp rock from the ground. "I could use more knives," he thought briefly but dismissed the idea. Survival was about adapting, and this would have to do.
He threw the second stone with all his strength, shouting, "Attack!"
The stone's speed increased dramatically, tearing through the air with deadly precision. It struck the injured wolf again, this time in the skull, killing it instantly.
Another notification appeared:
[Critical Damage: 75 HP]
A new window followed:
[Congratulations!
AlphaBoss has defeated a Level 5 Fang Wolf.
Reward: 500 Experience Points]
Adam allowed himself a small grin, but his focus remained razor-sharp.
He moved swiftly to a new location, gathering more stones as he went. "Better to be prepared," he thought, crouching low in the shadows.
The remaining wolves were now fully panicked. Their howls echoed through the forest as they ran in erratic directions, their coordination completely shattered.
Adam tracked one wolf that had broken away from the group and was now heading in his direction. "Mark," he whispered again, his voice steady.
The red symbol appeared above the wolf's head. Without hesitation, Adam hurled another stone, his voice firm as he commanded, "Attack!"
The stone sped through the air, striking the wolf directly in its eye. The impact caused the creature to stagger, collapsing to the ground with a whimper.
Before it could recover, Adam was ready with another stone. He threw it with precision, commanding once more, "Attack!"
The stone pierced the wolf's other eye, ending its struggle.
A glowing window appeared before him:
[Congratulations!
AlphaBoss has defeated a Level 5 Fang Wolf.
Reward: 500 Experience Points]
Adam exhaled slowly, satisfaction evident in his expression. "That's another one down," he thought, his eyes scanning the forest for the remaining wolves.
The chapter concluded with Adam crouched in the shadows, his mind focused and his hands steady.
The thrill of the hunt and the precision of his strategy left him feeling confident and prepared for the challenges ahead.