Taking on the Alpha

Alex fixed his sights on the alpha of the Monster Wolf pack, standing apart from the rest.

This alpha, distinguished by a missing eye, loomed as the largest Monster Wolf Alex had encountered thus far, not that he had encountered many.

Focused on his target, Alex decided to overcharge <Dark Bullet>. As he poured more mana into it, the projectile swelled in size, doubling at the moment of release.

Alex aimed to eliminate the pack leader in one powerful shot, intending to weaken the overall strength of the pack.

However, the alpha was not passive, howling and glaring at Alex with its remaining eye. It struggled to break free from the ice, demonstrating a fierce desire to tear Alex apart and feast on him.

While the other three Monster Wolves were immobilized by the strengthened ice, Alex's increased magical power significantly amplified the impact of his spells.

With a resounding bang, <Dark Bullet> struck the Monster Wolf, causing it to crash backward and succumb to the impact.

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[The Host has killed an E rank Monster] 

[+100 XP and +5 SP]

==============================

Yet, before Alex could fully appreciate the spell's newfound potency, the initial target had already partially broken free, narrowly evading the attack. Another Monster Wolf fell victim to the attack meant for the alpha.

Although the alpha was still constrained by the ice on its front legs, its ferocity heightened.

Wary of the escalating danger, Alex swiftly dispatched the remaining two pack members immobilized by the ice, using <Dark Lightning> to paralyze them before delivering fatal blows with <Dark Bullet>.

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[The Host has killed an E rank Monster] X2

[+200 XP and +10 SP]

==============================

Now free from its restraints, the alpha charged toward Alex with the intent to bite.

Alex blocked the sharp teeth with his sword, and as the Monster Wolf clamped onto the blade, Alex had to use both hands to resist its strength.

The standoff prompted Alex to release his grip on the sword, taking advantage of the time of day to execute <Shadow Walk>.

As the sun began to set, casting long and prominent shadows, Alex utilized this perfect moment for the spell.

The Monster Wolf, puzzled by the sudden change in position, failed to notice Alex teleporting behind it, using his shadow as an anchor point.

Enraged and taken by surprise, the monster lamented the sudden disappearance of its enemy, the one who had slaughtered its entire pack right before its eyes.

However, its regrets were in vain, as Alex swiftly fired three rapid shots of <Black Bullet>, catching it off guard and leading to its demise as it rejoined its pack.

==============================

[The Host has killed an E rank Monster] 

[+100 XP and +5 SP]

==============================

"Haaahaaa, that was awesome," Alex cheered in joy after single-handedly taking down an entire group of E rank monsters.

"The overcharge spell did miss the intended target, but one can definitely see how powerful it is. With this, one-shot kill of E rank monsters is guaranteed." he said as he inspected the corpse of the Monster Wolf that took the Overcharged <Dark Bullet>.

There was an abrasion mark clearly visible at the place of impact, and it had flown a few meters before crashing into a nearby tree.

'It did cost me a lot of MP, though.' Alex sighed ruefully, as the overcharge spell had consumed nearly five times the usual amount of mana.

As darkness fell and he found himself in the red zone, not an ideal place to linger, Alex promptly harvested the monster cores from all the Monster Wolves present. Their bodies were of no use to him, but he could sell their pelts to the guild.

On his way back to the city, Alex attempted to find a few Horned Rabbits for his adventure's guild quest but only encountered two.

Along the way, he also faced some Kobolds, which he killed on the spot before returning to the city.

==============================

[The Host has killed an F rank Monster] X5

[+250 XP and +5 SP]

==============================

◆　◇　◆　◇　◆　◇　◆　◇　◆

After a long run, Alex entered the green zone, where he noticed a group of adventurers arriving at the city gates a little way off.

From a distance, he discerned three men, a bit older than him, who discovered his presence and looked in his direction with unfriendly expressions.

Curious about their hostile gazes, Alex refrained from approaching them, following Aurora's advice.

'Why are they looking at me like that? And now they're increasing their speed and running towards the city walls. What an odd bunch!'

The city walls became visible, and soon, Alex arrived there. As he was being checked before entering, he saw a familiar face—the guard who had earlier cautioned him about adventuring alone.

"Hey there, mister." Alex waved at the guard, who took a moment to remember him.

"So, it's you, kid. Despite being an F-rank adventurer and a newbie, you left for adventuring alone. How's it going?"

"I'm good, sir. I just wanted to ask why the adventurers who arrived just before me were acting strangely after seeing me out there?"

The guard scrutinized Alex before sighing, "As I thought, you're a sheltered rich kid who snuck out to go outside the city without knowing the harsh reality of the wilderness."

Alex was utterly bewildered by the guard's sudden rambling. The guard had mistaken him for a young master of a wealthy family.

The guard had initially harbored doubts upon seeing Alex's handsome face, but those doubts were dispelled by Alex's simple clothing and an ordinary-sounding surname.

Alex posed a rather naive question, one that only sheltered and consistently cared-for individuals might ask.

Despite the guard's earlier suspicions, he now found himself inclined to believe this to be true.

The guard continued, "Listen to me, kid. Out there in the wilderness, there's no law, and everyone is for themselves. You don't have your personal guards or servants to protect you. You were lucky earlier as you were in the green zone, and they were also wary of you."

The earlier group was exhausted, and one of their members was seriously injured. They ran away, thinking Alex might attack them.

From his vantage point near the gate, the guard had a clear view of the green zone and witnessed the whole situation.

Alex, still in confusion, finally began to understand Aurora's warning after hearing the guard's explanation.

◆　◇　◆　◇　◆　◇　◆　◇　◆

Alex visited the adventurer's guild to sell all the loot from today and find a hotel for the night. He planned to venture into the wilderness first thing tomorrow morning.

After selling the surplus monster materials and enjoying a satisfying dinner, Alex retired for the night.

However, the guard's words lingered in his mind, making it difficult for him to shake off the thoughts and eventually fall asleep.

It took a long time before he could find rest again.