Chapter 11 - Wolf Slayer

Did I fall over…I can't feel my legs anymore.

Uriel mentioned my mana being low, did using them to exhaustion do this? I never needed to worry about it before… damn it why now!

The warm breath of snarling beasts brushed against my cheek, they sounded ready to rip me to shreds. Then why didn't they?

My eyes flickered open on a last ounce of strength and noticed the Boss of the Dungeon standing over me. It rested its massive dark claws over my body and began to press down further.

My health bar dropped lower into the red and reached a small fraction until it was barely visible.

"You're…playing with me…?" The last of my voice escaped.

When I was younger the orphanage didn't watch over us too strictly, so I spent most of my time wandering through Istoria's streets. I learnt a whole bunch of things from it, especially one day when I snuck into a bar filled with men in huge armour, carrying expensive shiny weapons.

One of them was telling a story, the most recent tales of their adventures on the higher floors. He spoke of a monster so powerful that it wiped out his entire team in the blink of an eye but once it had them it simply laughed. The monster hesitated and at that moment, they were able to strike its heart and kill it.

I never thought much about it at the time but…I know now that he must have felt like this, that he must have been pushed down to his weakest while a monster played with him.

I could feel the cold pressure from its paws weighing over me, the sharp claws sinking into my skin as it presses further.

That guy who escaped death, he didn't have the skill to do so at that moment. It was the monster's error that let that guy kill it. Still…he managed to survive, didn't he!

My arm jerked up and pierced the Howler's belly, the warmth of its blood ran down my arm as I drove my blade deeper. The monster yelped and with a swift spring, it was out of sight.

Everything is still hazy, if I try fighting like this I won't get very far…

My head spun around as I stumbled across the floor, struggling to stand from where I was laying.

The Shadow Prowlers who were laying in wait rushed in with a bloodthirsty charge. A sharp cry pierced through the pack.

{300 Exp gained}

{Level Up}

I pulled my blade from the stabbed wolf and muttered, "Devour...."

{A small portion of mana has been replenished}

"Much better~" I smirked while stretching out my arm.

If I devour them I'll be able to get back small amounts of Mana…as long as I keep killing them I can keep going.

The wolves surrounding me weren't moving as recklessly as before, they suddenly became much more patient and went back to skulking around me with their heads lowered.

I can feel the difference in my body, it's kind of like a second source of energy. The more I use skills the more I deplete this energy.

"Rush!" I yelled while dashing off to the side.

There were only two wolves in my path but with the speed I was traveling, they didn't have time to react.

I flew right past them and reached out for the ground where my other Chakram was laying. In one swift motion, I rolled over it and snatched it up into my left hand.

The wolves suddenly pounced towards me now that I was cornered on the opposite end of the pit but I wasn't fazed.

Only enough for one more, but that's perfect.

{Rush activated}

White aura surrounded my legs and I burst across the grass-covered pit, cutting sizable chunks out of the three wolves pouncing toward me.

A smile cracked over my face as I heard the notifications appear one after the other.

{250 Exp gained}

{250 Exp gained}

{450 Exp gained}

{Level Up}

I slid up to the wall and reached out behind me to claim my prizes, devouring what was left of their shredded bodies.

A rejuvenating energy filled my body, my mana was close to full. It's a sensation unlike any other, the easiest way to describe it would be hunger, like taking a big bite from a juicy steak after hours of not eating.

My eyes focused on the monster busy slashing at the air and its Health bar appeared over its head. It was already in the yellow.

"It's a good thing I cut these guys short earlier…hya!" I charged forward with a swift speed and cut through its neck.

{200 Exp gained}

The Experience outcome is going down after that last level up, it's getting harder to farm off of them now.

Two more to my left and one approaching behind me, I can't rush in for this one.

I threw out my Chakram to the wolves at my side and both disappeared into a puff of smoke, then reappeared a few feet closer to me.

They're just like the Rush Rabbits, there's a pattern to them. If they sense danger they will use the skill but if they don't see it coming they will tank the hit. That's probably their biggest flaw, and what I'll be counting on!

The blade flew through the air and bounced off of the pillar lodged into the ground, after two more recoils the blade came spinning back towards me and wedged into the Prowler attacking behind me.

"Kyaaahh!" The monster cried out as blood burst from its stomach.

{300 Exp gained}

"Now with everything I have!"

White aura focused around my right foot as I turned towards the rushing Prowlers at my side.

{Strike Kick activated}

{300 Exp gained}

{400 Exp gained}

{Level Up}

…

"Huff…Huff…is that all you got?"

{The users Enemies have become intimidated} – {Effects of Leaders Howl have depleted}

"Oh ho~ Looks like I got a bit scary back there for you guys, don't worry it will be over soon." I said sarcastically while snickering to myself.

I managed to cut down their numbers quite a bit, at this pace I should be able to clear the dungeon pretty easily.

Swish

My eyes raced to the thin tail slashing through the air toward me. I dodged back and avoided it by the hairs on my head.

That attack was crazy fast, if I was any slower it would have taken my head off. Is he trying to take me out now that I've become a real threat?

The Shadow Howler emerged from the back of the group, its devilish tails wavered through the air.

Every few seconds its swift strikes would crack through the air where I stood. To avoid it I quickly dashed off toward the group of Prowlers surrounding it.

He's going on the attack from a distance but these guys are still behaving the same, I wonder if I can use that to my advantage?

I tossed out both Chakrams towards Prowlers ahead of me and as I expected they teleported away and appeared at my sides. Both sets of fangs came flying at me with rage but were ultimately torn apart.

{Shadow Claw activated}

I'm faster than these guys now, I can win this.

{200 Exp gained}

{300 Exp gained}

I continued pressing on and slashing through every Prowler that came my way, using the pillars and other stone wreckage as bouncing points for my Chakrams.

{User has levelled up}

I took care of the whole pack but this guy doesn't seem as easy.

Every time I caught my blades I tried hitting him from a distance but he would teleport away before I could get him, not even with surprise attacks.

I gripped my blades with a tight fist and grit my teeth, with a sudden sprint I raced across the pit.

Two large whips came barrelling towards me and snapped at my feet, I dodged the first but the second was a second too fast.

My feet fumbled and a burning pain rushed over my ankle as the whip struck my foot.

"Ugh- Damn it!" I cursed as my curled body rolled across the dirt.

Suddenly the Howler's eyes lit up with a crimson glow as it raised its head to the sky.

"Arooooooo!"

A mighty howl filled the arena and shook the ground from its fury. In response to the howl, the beast's shadow stretched out like a blackened pool.

One by one, sharp sets of crimson eyes began to emerge from the pool, until the Shadow Howler was surrounded by a new pack of spectral hounds.

I focused on one of them, displaying a new bar of health with the name,

{Houndling}

{Shadow Prowler has summoned Houndlings}

I killed all those other guys and it managed to regroup its army just like that? If I don't hurry then it will just overrun me-

I darted through the almost endless amount of ghostly figures with my blades extended out to the sides. I could feel just how light and empty their bodies were as I tore through them, could I even call it a body?

Swish

A dense object slammed into my back, folding my centre slightly as I launched across the pit. My senses blurred once my backside collided with the large stone pillar wedged into the ground.