Oliver struck first.
The wolves reacted too late, their predatory instincts dulled by their feast.
By the time they registered his presence, Oliver was already mid-lunge, his dagger sinking into the skull of the nearest Daggerfang Wolf.
The blade pierced through its eye socket, driving deep into its brain.
The beast dropped instantly, lifeless.
A notification flashed before his eyes.
+5 Meta Essence Acquired.
Oliver barely had time to register his shock before the remaining two wolves attacked.
A snarl to his left. He twisted, barely dodging a swipe of claws aimed at his ribs. The second wolf lunged from the right, fangs snapping toward his throat.
Oliver dropped low, rolling beneath its leap. As he rose, he drove his foot forward, planting a brutal kick into the gut of the first wolf.
The impact sent it skidding backward, its body colliding with a tree with a sharp yelp.
But the second wolf was relentless. It came at him again, lunging with its dagger-like fangs. Oliver sidestepped, feeling the rush of air as the creature's bite barely missed his shoulder.
With a sharp pivot, he slashed downward—his dagger cutting deep into its front leg.
The wolf howled in pain, its stance faltering.
Oliver pressed the advantage. He surged forward, feinting a stab toward its chest, but at the last moment, he shifted his aim—the dagger plunging into its eye.
The beast convulsed once before collapsing, its body twitching as it died.
The final wolf had regained its footing. Snarling, it circled him, cautious now.
Oliver exhaled, adjusting his grip on his weapon. His muscles burned from the fight, but his mind was sharp.
The wolf lunged.
Oliver was ready.
He stepped forward, meeting the attack head-on. As the beast's fangs snapped at him, he twisted his body, letting the momentum carry him past the strike.
In the same motion, he brought his dagger up and—with a precise thrust—buried it into the wolf's remaining eye.
A final whimper escaped its throat before it went limp.
Silence followed.
Oliver's chest rose and fell heavily, his pulse still thrumming from the adrenaline.
His hands were coated in warm blood, but all he could think about was the notification flashing before him.
+5 Meta Essence Acquired. +5 Meta Essence Acquired.
A familiar blue glow flickered in his vision.
[Status Updated]
Meta Essence: +15
His brows furrowed. Fifteen?
That didn't make sense.
The system only told them two methods to acquire Meta Essence—the breathing technique built into the system and the Trials.
The former was painfully slow, and the latter… well, they hadn't even properly started yet.
But here he was. Fifteen Meta Essence richer just from killing monsters.
Oliver's mind worked quickly, piecing together the only explanation that made sense.
"It has to be my class."
His SSS-rank class.
Even now, he didn't fully understand it or know its full extent.
And now, it was granting him Meta Essence through combat.
His fingers tightened around the dagger. If he could gain Meta Essence this way, then that meant—
He didn't need to wait.
He could hunt not just to complete the trial but to become stronger.
Oliver took a steady breath, then shook the thought away for now. There was no use overanalyzing it here. He'd figure it out in time.
For now, he had a trial to complete.
Without hesitation, he stepped over the fallen wolves and moved deeper into the forest, his dagger ready, his senses sharp.
The hunt continued.
***********
Oliver stepped through the village entrance, the scent of blood still clinging to his clothes.
His dagger hung loosely at his side, stained dark from the hunt. The night air was cool, a stark contrast to the adrenaline that still pulsed faintly in his veins.
As he made his way toward his cabin, something caught his eye.
A man was limping down the path, his face twisted in barely concealed pain. His right leg dragged slightly, and his arm cradled his side as if nursing a bruise.
Oliver slowed his pace, his gaze flicking ahead.
Not far from the injured man, a young boy stepped out of the very cabin they had argued over earlier.
His expression was unreadable, but his posture was relaxed, calm, and even.
Without sparing a glance at the injured man, the boy turned and walked away, likely heading toward the village exit to begin his trial.
Oliver didn't need to be a genius to figure out what had happened.
The world had changed.
Power was no longer bound by age, status, or experience. Even a ten-year-old—who, just yesterday, would have been seen as defenseless—could hold his own now.
Oliver's lips curled into a smirk. A short, amused chuckle escaped him.
"Well… That didn't take long."
He shook his head, stepping past the limping man without a word. Whatever had happened between them, it wasn't his problem.
Reaching his cabin, Oliver pulled out the key from his inventory, unlocked the door, and stepped inside.
With a quiet click, he locked the door behind him.
For now, it was time to rest.
********
The ground trembled beneath Oliver's feet as the Goreback Boar charged, its massive tusks gleaming under the sunlight.
The beast was a tower of muscle and scar tissue, its hide thickened from countless battles. Its crimson eyes locked onto Oliver, filled with primal fury.
Oliver barely had time to sidestep before the boar thundered past him, uprooting dirt and rocks in its wake.
Even without a direct hit, he could feel the sheer force behind its charge—if that had connected, it would have sent him flying.
"Fast for something that big," he muttered, gripping his dagger tightly.
The boar snorted, steam rising from its flared nostrils, before pivoting sharply and charging again. This time, Oliver didn't dodge completely.
Instead, he twisted his body at the last second, the boar's tusk grazing his arm. Pain flared, but he plunged his dagger into its side, using its own momentum to drive the blade deep.
The boar screeched in agony, thrashing wildly, forcing Oliver to release his grip on the dagger and leap back.
The beast stumbled but remained standing, blood dripping from its wound. Its breathing turned ragged, but its rage hadn't dimmed.
Oliver narrowed his eyes. A frontal assault wouldn't work. He needed to finish it in one decisive strike.
As the boar lowered its head for another charge, Oliver took a deep breath. His muscles tensed.
It lunged.
At the very last moment, Oliver vaulted over its back, twisting midair to avoid its tusks.
As he landed, his hand gripped the dagger still lodged in the beast's side, and with a powerful yank, he dragged the blade upward, slicing through flesh and muscle in a brutal arc.
The Goreback Boar collapsed mid-charge, its own weight sending it skidding across the ground. Blood pooled beneath its twitching form before it finally fell still.
+5 Meta-Essence.
A system notification appeared in front of Oliver's eyes.
[System Notification] 47/100 monsters slain. Trial completion progress: 47%
Oliver let out a slow breath, wiping the sweat from his brow.
"Still a long way to go," he muttered before stepping forward, ready to continue the hunt.