Chapter 7: Endless nightmare

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Status:

- HP: 300/300

- Sta: 25/25

Wolves, there are six of them. In this cave, there is only one entrance, so the fences are holding the wolves back. This is not a good situation to fight if they break in. One lucky thing for them is that there is no rabies wolf among the six.

"How many spells can you cast?"

"One fireball max or two scatter fire flare max"

"That is bad news. We can't run away, nor can we fight directly"

"What level are those wolves?"

"There is no cub so the lowest should be 3 or 4. I can't do area damage. Unless we have some kind of poison or paralysis dart around"

"Bad news again, we only have two flares. One for signalling and other for emergency campfire"

"Blow the signal flare at their eyes. Then I will try to strangle one or two of them. Then when they are out of daze, shoot another one, then we kill two more. These wolves aren't rabies one so they still have intelligence and they will run if they witness other creatures killing their kind"

"I am ready" Vunson readies his flares in his left hand and the other hand holds the spear.

When the wolves break the fences, Vunson throws the first flare at the wolves. They are dazed by sudden light. Hivon takes the chance and slices a wolf's throat with his hook. The young alchemist readies his second flare. Then the senior garrotes another wolf and uses it as a body shield and an eye cover. Vunson throws the second one. When the second wolf dies, the duo takes the life of the third. In a greedy moment, the young one thrusts his spear on another wolf. The two wolves retreat

"Damn it! You crossed the line" Hivon clenches his fist while retrieving the rope.

"How so? We can kill the other two" Vunson cleans his spear

"Tomorrow, we move back at dawn. This quest is failed" The senior lays his back on his hammock

"Why?"

"When we are back at the town, after the report, I will explain all"

The next morning, The two get back to the town and bring back four pelts of the wolves. The receptionist hears the report and pays the money for the pelt. They split half among themselves.

"Listen here. What would you think if you send a group of scouts and then they are back?" Hivon points on the table

"I would think they are on normal strolling and patrolling"

"Good. When they come back with half of the group?"

"I think someone is slacking and being off duty"

"What happens if they are just a portion or one survivor?"

"..."

"That is the worst case we are going to face. The road will be filled with wolves. Once there are many wolves clump up on our road, the adventurers must clean them up. Once they are subjugated and killed, there are more problems to be dealt with. As you can see, there are other creatures they are at war with. Such as bears and serpents, once the wolves' numbers are down and their spawn rate can't keep up. Bears and serpents are the next bad things to happen. Be prepared to face your own action. Your only way to get out of this mess is to get stronger within a month. I expect a wolf-subjugate quest soon. A week or two after, you expect serpents and bears subjugation."

"I don't believe you."

"If you don't then, let's make a bet. You lose, you will have to give me 3 gold coins. You win, take my helmet then"

"Seems unfair."

"Fine, you can take one more thing then. This" Hivon puts on the table a mythril coin

"This is rare. How did you...?"

"I don't want to sell this. It is my insurance in case I can't do my work any more. I had this when I collected a deadman's belongings and they repaid me by doing this. A token of gratitude"

"Fine, I will take the bet"

People who have mythril coins are either very rich merchants or aristocrats. Hivon once retrieved someone's belongings back to his house. He did it out of kindness. The coin is meant for his reward to buy something better. He kept for a sake of reminder that is his courage to move forward. If he uses this coin, he won't be able to keep his will to work.

Three days later, a quest notice on board. Hivon takes three gold coins for winning the bet. Vunson now trusts his senior's experience.

Hivon goes to the receptionist, she hands out an extermination quest for him. He has no hesitation and takes it. On the way to the quest location, he buys some flash powder, 3 days worth of food, water and a pickaxe.

Flash powder is meant to distract monsters or blind them. It is usually a mixture between explosive and metallic powder. Once something is hot enough or sudden contact with a certain chemical, it explodes without harm but bright at close range.

It takes him three hours on foot to get there. It is a village which has been having troubles with wolves. He will stay there for three days, he leaves the food there to lessen his burden. He needs to set up a night time trap.

Wolves are those creatures with a great sense of smell. Once they get to know the fresh carcass, they will flood in a short time. Hivon uses this knowledge to set up some pitfall traps to make them at death's door. He makes all the traps alone without any villagers' help. Then he asks for a few recently dead hares. The village trapper gives him the blood of those dead hares. He spreads all the blood on top of those traps.

At night falls, all the villagers are at home and locking their homes. Hivon stands outside and waits for a howl.

**Howl Wooooooooooooo**

A group of ten wolves is coming. Hivon quickly finds a tree to climb on. The wolves are sniffing for blood

**Crack!**

One trap is triggered. Two down, eight to go. The other seems to hear it and warns the other by howling.

**Swoosh Swoosh Thump**

One gets hooked and bled out. The corpse is just dropped on the ground right after.

Seven

They seem to be aware of traps that have a fresh smell of blood.

In Hivon's hand, he readies to throw a handful of flash powder.