Odds against the boy (part 3)

"Graugh...?"

The boy's presence was noticed immediately after the initial surprise from the closest monster.

And there was the leader. Not a rank E Stone fang wolf like Zorey expected, but an actual Iron fang wolf, although it didn't seem that it had been long since it went through the rank up and evolution.

Nonetheless, that thing had no right appearing so close to the city, wounded or not!

"GRAUUUUUUUU!"

The massive creature, almost three times larger than the mutts it ruled over, raised its bloodied head and howled, stirring its pack to bare its fangs at the human intruder.

*whoosh*

Was there even a need to hesitate? Of course not!

Zorey turned right around and began escaping with everything he got as the monsters charged after him, snarling!

Fight?

There was no option like that – if an encounter like that happened in a game with turn-based combat, that option would be replaced with a – Get eaten alive – prompt!

While trying to make his way out of the monster layer, the black-haired boy could swear that he had taken the right turn that should have led him outside, but then...

"WHAT THE...?!"

The boy let out a horrified shout when instead of the exit covered with roots, he found himself in front of a wall of soil as the path he picked turned out to be a dead end.

"!!!"

"GRAAAAAAH!"

The young priest of death could feel his heart beat so violently in his chest that it wouldn't be odd if it broke his ribs from the inside. He turned around and saw the gray-fangs-filled jaws of a Stone fang dog flying at him as the fastest of the monster was already jumping at him.

*WHAM* *whooo*

"Graugh...!"

"...!"

Zorey's body reacted before his mind did, and the end of the staff that had the lesser fire gem attached to it was slammed right into the beast's mouth, burying its throat and causing it to release a pitiful yelp.

"...ah...!"

Seeing the monster taking damage, stopped the flight response and caused Zorey to switch to the fighting one.

The situation was horrible – but looking at it from another perspective, ending with his back against the wall was better than having it exposed to a dozen of monsters faster than him in an open space.

"Bullet punch! Bullet punch! Bullet punch! Bullet punch! Bullet punch! BULLET PUNCH!"

*WHAM* x132

The fastest monster was still alive, and its yelps didn't stop its brethren – rather, it caused an opposite effect – which made the terrified boy spam his chain Skill with increasing desperation.

[You defeated Stone Fang dogs]

[EXP points granted]

*TA-DING*

[Multiple skills – level up]

The combination of the weapon with quite the reach with a technique that was close to being an area of effect Skill and a bottleneck-like tunnel that didn't allow all the monsters to get in altogether and instead formed a line brought off a miracle of letting Zorey not dying right away.

"Bullet...!"

"GRAAAAGH!"

The ping of the notification ended up being a distraction that caused the boy to hesitate with continuous activation of the Skill, and the bulkiest Stone fang dog that survived the spamming pushed forward...!

*CHOMP*

"AAAAAARGHH!"

Its gray teeth burrowed into the flesh of the boy's legs, causing Zorey to shout in pain as the third of his HP was gone just like that.

One attack from a single enemy that wasn't the strongest of the bunch.

"LET GO!"

*WHAM* *CRACK*

The young priest of death howled, aiming his staff at the monster's jaws and managing to break its teeth and pry it off his left.

"MEND!" *CRUNCH* *SHLUP* "OUGH...!"

Zorey used his healing Skill immediately, having the pain much worse than the actual wound price his body when flesh and blood were pulled together and forcefully welded back together with mana.

*CHOMP*

"GHAAAAAAARGH?!"

Before Zorey managed to get back to a proper stance or even think about finishing the wounded monster, another beast made its way toward him and helped itself to his left hand, biting through the thorny vines, and the young human howled just like an animal.

*thunk*

"LET! ME! GOOOOOO!"

*WHAM* *WHAM* *WHAM*

Zorey howled through tears, dropping the dark red staff, and started punching the Stone Fang dog with his other hand, wishing for it to get afflicted with the vicious ivy's lesser poison...

*CHOMP*

"AUUUGHHH...!"

But that one creature wasn't the only problem - having some of its teeth broken didn't stop the most defensive monster from biting the leg that Zorey barely healed, causing a cry of anguish and depression to burst out of Zorey's throat.

*CHOMP* *CHOMP*

"M... mend...!" *CRUNCH*

two more monsters joined the buffet and took a taste of the black-haired boy whose HP plummeted, not dropping to 0 only because he kept enough wits to activate his healing Skill in time.

"MEND! MEND! MEEEEEE-EEND!"

*CRUNCH* x3

Zorey howled while sobbing – his Skill activated, and his HP rose up, but the fangs of the canine-type beasts weren't removed, so his flesh continued to be torn apart.

The only good part of that torture was that the damage it caused was a lot less than if the Stone Fang dogs were biting him continuously...

...actually...

Why WEREN'T they biting him continuously...?

It was a question that didn't actually appear in Zorey's mind as the tormented boy struggled against the group of monsters...

*CRUNCH*

"GHHHHHH!" *THUMP*

The next beast clenched its jaw on Zorey's other leg, and its jaws oke through the boy's bone like it was a dry twig picked up by a child - resulting in Zorey slamming to the ground, splitting through his teeth, unable to even properly wail because of the agony.

"GRRRRR!"

*RIIIIP*

"AAAAAAAAAGH!"

All the monsters that ganged up on the young priest of death made the best of their opportunity and flailed wildly, deepening the wounds they inflicted while keeping the human pinned down.

"M-mend...!"

*CRUNCH*

*CHOMP*

Zorey used his healing skill again, but it was countered by the last remaining Stone Fang dog regaining its courage, edntering the tunnel, and joining its comrades in attempting to tear the black-haired human limb form limb.

Hopeless...

No matter what, the situation was hopeless.