Chapter 41 - Start of final test

As I predicted, one of the wolves began to approach slowly, perhaps the most eager of the group. Although I didn't show it, I already had him in my sights. As soon as he approached close enough, I vanished from where I stood and then reappeared behind him, while his head flew through the air.

You have defeated [Wolf - Lv - 27] Experience gained.

Impressively, this wolf had a higher level than the previous two. However, it's clear that level doesn't necessarily reflect intelligence, as it's quite obvious it wouldn't be a good idea to attack me alone, considering I killed two of the other wolves.

Anyway, now there were only four left. After witnessing another comrade being killed, the wolves finally seemed determined to act. They all started running towards me simultaneously, leaping from side to side, probably in an attempt to avoid an attack from my scythe.

But honestly, the fact that they were overly focused on my scythe made it even easier to defeat them. With [Kinetic Touch], I waited for the right moment when they all placed their paws on the ground. At the precise instant, I pulled my arm with all my strength, causing my skill to collide with their feet. This resulted in an effect where all the wolves began to fall to the ground.

After that, with [Etheric Pumping] activated, I swiftly moved between the wolves, cutting them down one by one. In the end, all that was left were the translucent screens, while the wolves' bodies dripped red blood.

You have defeated [Wolf - Lv - 26] Experience gained.

You have defeated [Wolf - Lv - 29] Experience gained.

You have defeated [Wolf - Lv - 21] Experience gained.

You have defeated [Wolf - Lv - 24] Experience gained.

Although it was something I already expected, killing these wolves didn't increase my level. Setting that aside, I turned towards the horned boar that Ellen and I had hunted.

"If we cut away the eaten parts, we can still eat this, right?"

For some reason, saying that out loud made me even sadder about the situation. Even if I took it back, I doubted anyone would really want to eat it. I mean, the boar was already practically torn apart by the wolves. If even I was losing the appetite to eat it, who else would?.

***

"Why the long face?" Ellen asked beside me.

After my battle with the wolves, I basically returned to camp without bringing back the Horned Boar. Honestly, I tried to picture myself eating its meat, but just the thought of it made me want to vomit. In the end, I had no choice but to leave it there, as it would be a waste of time to bring it with me.

"No specific reason. This is just my default expression" I replied, shrugging.

Upon hearing my words, Ellen raised an eyebrow, as if suspicious of something.

"You're giving off the vibe of someone who lost the last cookie to their older sibling" Ellen retorted, turning back to the front.

Her words made me look at her, unintended though it was, the resemblance was undeniable. In the end, just another frustrated sigh escaped my lips.

Speaking of which, the camp was finally taking shape. In the brief period I was absent, there were already some small walls erected around. Additionally, they were building some sort of ladder in case we needed to descend. In a way, everything was progressing relatively well. However, unfortunately, whoever put us here didn't seem willing to let us rest.

Completely unexpectedly, the air suddenly tinged with red. Both I and everyone else were notably confused by the situation, but as we looked up, all our doubts were answered: the sun was completely red. Our predictions that it would turn red only in a few hours were completely shattered.

"What's going on?" Ellen asked beside me.

Overall, everyone seemed to have the same question as Ellen written on their faces, but nobody here could answer that question. At least, that's what I thought until a translucent screen appeared in front of me.

Important Notice:

The number of participants has exceeded our initial expectations. We are now commencing the final phase before returning participants to their respective home plans.

"Noah, are you seeing this too?" Ellen asked beside me.

Her eyes, as she said this, were filled with total disbelief and even fear. I won't lie, instead of fear, I was still trying to process whether what the message said was true or not. I mean, though it seemed more subtle before, now they're telling us straight up that they want to kill us.

"If you're referring to the screen saying we're totally screwed, then yes, I'm seeing it" I replied.

Also, what the hell were they meaning by "exceeded"? Initially, we were nearly 50 people; now we're less than 20. We literally got massacred within less than a week since we got here, and they're saying we exceeded the number they speculated? How many people did they want to come out of here alive? 5? Honestly, even though I didn't know them, I already hated whoever brought us to this place.

Everyone seemed to have the same doubts as well. Anyway, if there's one thing I can assert in this situation, it's that we can't stand still. At this very moment, an insane army of monsters is coming straight towards us. If we don't act fast, I doubt we'll make it out of this alive. As these thoughts raced through my mind, Leo, who seemed to be thinking the same as me, spoke up loud and clear for everyone to hear.

"Guys, now's not the time to be doubtful or divided. Though this situation sucks, there's also a silver lining. Read the message carefully; it's saying that if we survive this, we can go back to our homes"

As soon as they heard Leo's words, everyone visibly perked up, despite the challenging situation. Everyone wanted to go back home, and most probably still had living relatives, including me. If I could go back home faster, I would do it without a second thought. After all, there's someone waiting for me.