《The Familia Head Was Reborn As A Wolf In Another World》 Chapter 1 - Prologue I¡¯ve always been a believer of the saying the end justifies the means, that was the very reason I created an organization that people liked to call a Crime Syndicate. But to be perfectly honest, I hated it every time people refer to our group as such, after all, it was an organization born from our blood and sweat. That was why instead of accepting being referred to as a Crime Syndicate, at some point we started calling ourselves a Familia. Born from a poor family and orphaned at a tender age, I was forced to grow up in an environment where the strong rules and the weak die, in essence, it was the very definition of ¡°Survival of the fittest.¡± For a child at the age of 10, it was a brutal environment to live in, but even though humanity has reached the modern era, the brutal and ugly side of humanity still persevered and was only pushed into the dark corners of society. To survive that cruel setting, I did and endured things that any ordinary child shouldn¡¯t experience. Trying to keep my sanity while living like that was difficult, nevertheless, I still managed to keep humanity intact thus giving birth to a twisted man living only by his code. For a while, I managed to survive with just my strength alone, but there will always come a point where one would realize that there was just so much a single person can do. Using the human¡¯s natural d.e.s.i.r.e to survive, I gather a ragtag group of outcasts. Fueled by our d.e.s.i.r.e, we built connections expanding our influence as much as possible, and before we knew it, our little group became a full-fledged organization and ended up at the top of the city¡¯s food chain. Of course, before we became the Biggest and Mightiest Familia, we had experienced some setbacks. One of such is the ever-growing number of people that expressed their d.e.s.i.r.e to join us. To keep things under control, me and the original members decided to make an organizational hierarchy system. The original members which were later called executives became the pillar of the Familia, while I was nominated and became the Familia¡¯s Head or leader who held the highest authority within the Familia Things went well for a couple of years, and following the success of our Familia, different organizations also calling themselves as a Familia also started appearing within the city. With so many organizations calling themselves a Familia within the city, it naturally jump-started violent incidents because of territorial disputes and conflicting interests between multiple Familia. But if there was one truth in this world, that was everything eventually comes to an end¡­.. *** The sound of guns and battle echoed all around, the previously quiet and peaceful mansion was now surrounded by panicked and angry shouts. As for me, I was sitting quite comfortably in the head seat of our meeting room surrounded by my original and trusted companions. ¡°Everyone¡¯s panicking. Is it okay for you guys to be here sitting comfortably while drinking tea?¡± I asked sarcastically. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear that from you, boss.¡± One of them said jokingly. ¡°Right, right. Besides, we already gave those guys instructions. We even go as far as telling them that they can leave if they want to.¡± Another explained. ¡°Man, you guys sure are cruel,¡± I said with a smile. ¡°¡°Like you are any better.¡±¡± They retorted simultaneously. ¡°HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! CAN¡¯T SAY ANYTHING TO THAT!¡± I said cheerfully. ¡°That traitor is under your department, right? Maybe it''s because you have poor leadership skills.¡± The executive seated parallel to him replied with a smug smile. ¡°WHAT DID YOU SAY?! DO YOU WANT A FIGHT?!¡± The previous one shouted while slamming the table and standing up from his chair. ¡°FINE BY ME!! LET¡¯S TAKE THIS OUTSIDE!!¡± The other one replied while also standing from his chair. Seeing the two executives¡¯ lively action, I sighed. ¡°Calm down guys, no one¡¯s at fault here. Sooner or later this Familia would be destroyed, that¡¯s just how the world works.¡± Hearing what I said, the two of them sat back on their chairs. Well, that was just business as usual with those two. I¡¯m sure they don¡¯t really hate each other¡­ I hope¡­ ¡°But man, as if planting a traitor wasn¡¯t enough, those guys also made a temporary alliance just so they can destroy our Familia huh? That¡¯s cute.¡± Said the executive seated on my left side. ¡°That just goes to show how scared they are of us. Really, they are all so pathetic.¡± The executive on my right side explained. ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan? Are we really just gonna let them destroy us without any resistance?¡± One of them asked. ¡°Of course not,¡± I said with a laugh. ¡°Since those guys want to destroy us so badly, we''re gonna grant them their wish.¡± I smiled. ¡°In exchange, we''re gonna drag them down to hell along with us.¡± I proclaimed with a deep voice and then gazed at my right side where my first and most trusted companion was sitting. ¡°I see. But how can you be so sure that everything¡¯s going according to plan? Besides, those bastards might be able to escape during the confusion.¡± The executive on my left side asked. ¡°Well, I know since I¡¯ve sent my most trusted and skilled guys to each of their hideouts. Furthermore, they are tasked with the job of slaughtering every executive and Familia head that would try to escape.¡± My right-hand man explained with a cruel smile. Hearing my right-hand man¡¯s explanation, the executives voiced their reaction. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Scary.¡± ¡°Terrifying.¡± ¡°Brilliant!¡± Well, with this I¡¯m sure that every Familia in this city will be wiped out. That should be enough as a payment for all the trouble we made by causing the rise of a lot of Organized Crime Syndicates within the city. ¡°So, I think it¡¯s about time we join those guys outside and have some fun,¡± I said while standing up from my seat. ¡°Fair enough.¡± ¡°Okay, let¡¯s end this!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pain but since this is the last, guess it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°This is the perfect opportunity to settle our score isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Good idea. Let¡¯s see who can drag more people to hell.¡± Hearing their lively response, I took a weapon from the meeting room¡¯s emergency weaponry. But as I was about to head outside, silence took over. Confused, I gazed around only to find my companions sprawled around the meeting room. ¡°?!!¡± I tried waking up my right-hand man who was lying near my feet, but before I managed to, I was assaulted by unbearable dizziness and fell on my knees. ¡°What is this? Poison gas?¡± I murmured while holding my head in pain. ¡°Damn¡­. It¡­¡± I weakly muttered as my vision started to get hazy. The world became pitch black, there was no light, no sound, no temperature. Even my emotions became numb, it was just null, an abyss of nothingness, a void. Then suddenly, within that dark world, I heard a voice. [Memories deep within the soul have resurfaced¡­] [As a result, the individual¡¯s species potential has been unlocked¡­] [Maximum evolutionary paths have increased¡­] [Congratulations, individual {Unnamed} has awakened.] Chapter 2 - 1 ''WHAT THE?! AM I DREAMING?'' I exclaimed as I glanced at my reflection in what seemed to be a lake. Reflected on the water is an image of a creature with red blood beastly eyes and a face covered by ash-colored fur. Despite its clearly inhumane appearance, it looked incredibly cute and adorable. Maybe because it was incredibly young and innocent. If my guess was right, the creature is a wolf''s cub. But that wasn''t the most important and urgent fact. Unbelievable as it was, I was looking at my own reflection. To be precise, I was describing what I looked like. Yes, for some unknown reason, I was currently inside the body of a wolf cub. ''Ha ha ha ha¡­ What kind of sick joke is this?'' I asked with a powerless laugh. Well, saying that I''m actually talking wasn''t accurate by any means. After all, the wolf''s cub mouth, or in this case MY MOUTH wasn''t moving at all. Even though I really wanted to scream, I couldn''t utter a single word. Maybe it was because my thoughts and language couldn''t synchronize with what my vocal cords could do. ''Aaaaahh¡­ What should I do?'' Feeling powerless on my legs, I sat. But even just that act alone irritated me. ''GOD DAMN IT!!'' After cursing the heavens to my heart''s content, I tried to catch my breath. ''Okay, calm down. What do I remember? '' I started focusing my mind trying to search for any clues as to why I am in such a situation, but no matter how hard I try, the only thing I could recall was my last moments as a human. ''No good, I can''t recall anything that would give me any solid clue. The only thing that came close is that suspicious way of how I died.'' Giving up on trying to find a clue from my memories, I started looking around. The area was illuminated by dim lights; those dim lights reflected on the clear water of the lake making it glitter and shine like the stars in the night. Peeling my eyes away from that mesmerizing view, I gazed at the area around the lake. The area around the lake was covered in grass, but despite being covered in green, there were no trees to be found. Realizing that I couldn''t gather any more clues from the ground, I looked up. But for some reason, I could clearly see that there was a ceiling up above. It was not flat and even but instead looked like a hard and rocky field, there were huge chunks of unknown hard minerals jutting out from it which made me worried if those things would start raining down on me. There were also a lot of what looked like crystals plastered all over it, those crystals were the only source of light of this place and from my perspective, it was like a starry sky. ''Where am I really?'' I couldn''t help but ask. ''Besides, from the way MY BODY looked. I am clearly a wolf''s cub. If that''s the case, where are my wolf parents? It couldn''t be that they abandoned me here to survive for myself, right? I heard that wild animals taught their child to survive by pushing them off the cliff, but it couldn''t be, right? I''m not gonna go and try to survive by myself, again right?'' As all kinds of negative thoughts flashed through my mind, my survival instinct honed from years of life and death struggles warned me from incoming danger. Following my trusted instinct, I leaped away from where I was seated. A moment later, a whip-like object slammed to that same location. ''?!'' Probably realizing that it didn''t hit anything, the whip-like object was pulled back with a frightening speed. While standing on my four legs, I gazed at the location where the whip-like object was pulled. Because of the dim light on the area, I could only see the attacker''s silhouette. But even so, it was oddly familiar. The silhouette instead of walking or dashing towards me was taking its time, jumping forward. ''It couldn''t be right?'' I thought, denying my own guess. Honestly, just from its silhouette and behavior, I''m pretty sure my guess was right on the mark. The only thing that made me doubt my guess was the creature''s size, and from what I know, that thing shouldn''t be that huge. While keeping alert for another attack, I waited for the creature to be illuminated by the dim light. After another couple of leaps, the creature was finally illuminated by the dim light revealing its full form and slapping the unbelievable reality to my face. ''Y-you''re kidding right?'' I asked with my mouth wide open. And when I said, open, I mean it literally. To describe what the creature was in simple terms, it was a frog. Yes, it was a huge freakin'' frog. The likes that could probably swallow an a.d.u.l.t man in one gulp. If this thing was let loose from the city I was from, the city would probably fall in a state of panic. As I was imagining what would happen if I let this thing loose in my hometown, my sense of danger once again went off. I jumped sideways successfully dodging the attack then ran around the giant frog in panic. ''WHY IS THERE A GIANT FROG HERE?! WHERE AM I REALLY?! AND THIS SITUATION IS WRONG IN ALL SORTS OF WAYS!! WHY IS A FREAKING FROG TRYING TO EAT A WOLF!! YES, I AM STILL A CUB, BUT I AM STILL A WOLF FOR GOODNESS SAKE!! AND YOU''RE TELLING ME THAT THE THING THAT I DODGED EARLIER ISN''T A WHIP BUT ITS TONGUE?!'' Probably irritated by my speed, the frog sped up its attack. Making full use of my sharp instinct, I ran and leaped around avoiding every attack from the giant frog. And then I noticed. ''For a cub, I am pretty agile, ain''t I? Maybe I can turn the tables against this frog!'' With renewed confidence, I stopped running around and instead ran towards the frog whilst dodging all of its attacks. Honestly, the frog was so huge that I couldn''t even hope to attack its head. But since it was huge, then all I needed to do was bring it down to the ground. ''Wolves and other species related to it have their very own weapon. And ironically, the same as you, it is also a part of my mouth!!'' I thought as I launched to bite the frog on its right leg. As I opened my mouth to bite the frog''s leg with all my might, I felt a weird strength coming out from deep within me as if trying to aid me on my attack. Yosh! I can do this! Such thoughts flashed through my mind. And then¡­ *SQUISH* As I bit the frog''s leg, an odd sound entered my ears. "?" The frog weirdly tilted its head. ''Eh?'' I thought dumbfounded by what happened. When I looked up front, I noticed that only the tip of my little fangs had managed to sink in the frog''s leg. I bet from the frog''s perspective. It only felt like a mosquito bite. While I was panicking, I felt a floating sensation. The frog then flung its leg, and I was sent flying and rolling to the ground. I let out a whimper as I tried to stand and endure the pain. Honestly, I still felt a little dizzy, but I couldn''t possibly lie down obediently and let that thing eat me. That said¡­ ''If my only weapon doesn''t work¡­ Then I guess the only choice is to run. Since I can''t even damage it, continuing this fight is nothing but suicide. It''s best to run now while I still have the strength to spare.'' When I finally decided what action to take, I turned around and ran with all my might. I could still feel the presence of the frog chasing behind me, but since I was unbelievably fast, that thing had no hope of ever catching up. ''This is just a tactical retreat!! As long as I survive, we will meet again, and next time I will win!!'' I exclaimed to no one in particular. While I was running for my life, I felt multiple hostile presences in the surrounding area. My survival instinct rang non-stop as if trying to warn me of the impending danger. Without stopping, I look around cautiously. And as if confirming my fears, I noticed multiple silhouettes hopping around the area. ''ARE YOU JOKING?!'' I screamed internally. ''I still have no idea what the heck happened to me!! That''s why I can''t die yet!!'' I thought as I continued to run. To increase my chance of survival, I stopped scanning my surroundings and desperately pushed my battered and tired body to run faster. While listening only to my survival instinct, I ran and ran without paying any heed to anything around me. As I ran, there was only one thought on my mind. ''There is always next time if I survive!!'' Chapter 3 - 2 *Pant¡­ Pant¡­ Pant¡­* After running for god knows how long, I finally managed to escape from those things. Finally realizing that my life wasn''t in danger anymore, relief washed over me. This caused the rush of tension to leave my body, and I felt my strength slowly slipping away. Because of that, my body felt heavy and was assaulted by a wave of unbelievable exhaustion. Surely, it was the effect of all that fighting and running. Seriously, tired as I am, I even considered sleeping right then and there. ''Aaahh¡­ Looks like I overdid it this time. But it''s weird, even though I have just recently awakened from this body, I feel comfortable moving it around. It''s almost as if this body has always been my own from the very beginning¡­'' While still feeling utterly confused, I gazed around searching for a possible place to hide and rest my tired body. At first, I thought that this was just a huge grassy field. But looking at it again, I''ve come to realize that this area wasn''t just covered in grass. The most striking feature of the area was its moist soil, then from what I have seen so far, it was also dotted by numerous small lakes. In simple terms, it was a huge wetland area. In normal circ.u.mstances, finding a place to hide in a wetland area should be impossible because it was normally flat with nowhere to hide. But for some unknown reason, this place had large rocks erected all over it. I forced my shaky legs to walk around for a little longer. And not too long, I found the biggest rock in the immediate vicinity. With unsteady feet, I walked towards it and hid behind its shadow. As I lied down, I felt the moisture of the soil beneath me sipping on my fur. Honestly, trying to have a peaceful rest in such conditions was tough, but my body really needs rest to regain its strength. ''Well, it''s not like I''m a stranger to such harsh conditions.'' As my eyelids felt so heavy, I followed my instinct and closed my eyes. While I was tethering between the bounds of a dream and reality, I remembered all the bizarre events that happened to me. ''I can''t believe that a freakin frog would threaten my life like that. What in the world were those things anyway? And¡­ where in the world am I? This enclosed area, it''s almost as if¡­ like a¡­ dungeon¡­'' It was not as if I was ignorant about fantasy settings. After all, during the time that our Familia''s affair finally stabilized, I gathered and read books and I was also kind of a sucker for fantasy stories. There was also that one time when one of my executives invited me to play an MMORPG, it also kind of became a big deal within our Familia since after hearing the news that I played an MMORPG, a lot of members also followed suit and it spread like a wildfire in our Familia. Remembering the old times, I smiled unconsciously. ''I have seriously lived quite a fulfilling life huh? The beginning might be full of suffering and hardsh.i.p.s, but I still managed to find good friends and live an arguably decent life at the very end¡­ Honestly, even if I''d die right then, I would have no complaints¡­ But now, I''m back to square one... I know more than anyone that life is precious, but I really don''t know how I should feel about this¡­ Is it merely a coincidence that I am here? Or maybe it was deliberate and was done on purpose? If so, for what? And why me? Also, is this truly a fantasy world? Damn it¡­ I have¡­ so many¡­ questions¡­'' *** In a place surrounded by the greenery of trees and grass, there was a young wolf. The young wolf has quite a huge family. In that place where the only source of light was that shining things up above, he was living a peaceful life with his father, mother, three siblings, and his father''s pack. Being that the young wolf was the youngest of the three brothers, he always looked up to his father and two older brothers who were respected by the rest of the pack. Together with his younger sister, the young wolf was trained to hunt for prey at a very young age. Of course, being that they were still weak and young, the two young wolves'' older brothers always came to their rescue whenever they were in mortal danger. The young wolf was always happy whenever he got the chance to hunt together with his younger sister, in fact, it eventually became their way to bond. Because of this, the young wolf''s sister became attached to him. Of course, the young wolf was also quite fond of his sister, and he actually doted on her whenever he had a chance. Unfortunately, this peaceful life doesn''t last too long¡­ One day, during the usual hunt of the pack, the young wolf''s hunting group was ambushed by another hostile pack. For the veteran hunting members of their pack, this was not a particularly rare incident. In fact, every time the pack went hunting for food. There was always the possibility that they would clash with another hostile pack. It was because the area was actually ruled by four huge packs headed by four exceptionally powerful alphas. One of the alphas being the young wolf''s father who was a Frost Wolf, while the other three rival packs were led by a Flame Wolf, Lightning Wolf, and a Tempest Wolf respectively. Among these three rival packs, the pack led by the Tempest Wolf was the most hostile to the young wolf''s pack. Since being ambushed was not that rare of an occurrence, the young wolf''s group wasn''t even fazed when they were attacked. The young wolf''s group despite being on the receiving end of the surprise attack wasn''t at a disadvantage in the slightest, and one particular great wolf was the reason for that. The said Great Wolf was running around the battlefield killing any enemy wolf or Great Wolf alike in his path, and that wolf was the young wolf''s eldest brother. Being that the young wolf was still a Dire Wolf Cub and the weakest of the group, he was being protected by four Dire Wolves on the back and was watching that scene unfold before his eyes. In actuality, the young wolf wanted to join and contribute to the fight. But since they were being attacked by a group of Great Wolves and Dire Wolves, he would just be a burden if he attempted to join the fray. And so, the young wolf watched his brother slaughter their enemies. One particular Great wolf died in a gruesome way. After being tackled by the young wolf''s brother, the enemy wolf flew and rolled to the ground and was bitten by the neck. The wolf tried to resist, but while still biting the wolf on the neck, the young wolf''s brother lifted the pitiful wolf. Seeing that their comrade was in a pinch, the other enemy wolves charged in to help. But as if mocking the enemy wolves charging towards him, the young wolf''s brother threw the pitiful wolf toward their comrade. And in a show of the young wolf''s brother''s abnormal strength, the pitiful wolf''s head was separated from its body. The pitiful wolf''s body slammed to its comrades causing them to recoil in shock while its head flew to the side. While the young wolf''s brother was fighting multiple enemies at once, the other members of the young wolf''s group were also showing their strength by killing the other enemy wolves one by one. Of course, that doesn''t mean that the young wolf on the back didn''t suffer from any attack. Since it was an ambush, some enemy wolves managed to reach their position. But unfortunately for them, the four guards of the young wolf weren''t weak by any means. Even though the four guards were all still a Dire Wolf, they still managed to defeat the two Great Wolf who attacked them. As an individual, the four Dire Wolves were no match against a single Great wolf. But by fighting as a team while using hit and run tactics, they managed to defeat them. In the eyes of the young wolf, the four Dire Wolves were moving with so much coordination that it was hard to believe that they were different individuals. After fighting for a while, it was clear which had the upper hand. The enemy wolves suffered multiple casualties, and some of the surviving ones were also wounded, this means that it wouldn''t take too long before the enemy wolves turned tail and ran. In the young wolf''s mind, he was sure of their victory, that was until something unbelievable happened. As the young wolf''s group became certain of victory, they sensed an overwhelming presence. Following their innate instinct, the young wolf''s group band together including his brother, and look in the direction where the presence was coming from. The young wolf''s body trembled in fear, and not only him, everyone in their group trembled including his seemingly invincible brother. The reason was standing before their eyes. It was the Tempest Wolf, one of the most powerful monsters in the area. As the young wolf stared in disbelief and horror, the Tempest Wolf raised its head and let out an ear-piercing howl. As despair gripped the young wolf''s heart, the realization dawned on him¡­ HE WAS STARING AT AN ALPHA. Chapter 4 - 3 To survive in a hostile environment, one needed strength. This was especially true in the world of monsters where the strong preyed on the weak. This was the reason why in a pack of wolves, the one who was hailed as the alpha was always the strongest and most powerful within the pack. Naturally, this also meant that the survival of a pack was fully dependent on the strength of their alpha. The more powerful their alpha was, the highest chance that they would be able to survive. Of course, if a wolf was hailed as alpha, that naturally meant that their strength was incomparable with a normal wolf. And for the young wolf, that reality was now being thrust into his face¡­ Accompanied by a suffocating presence, the Tempest Wolf descended into the battlefield. With a mighty howl, the Tempest Wolf made everyone in his immediate vicinity shudder including the member of his own pack. Probably desperate to find a ray of hope, the young wolf gazed at his brother''s profile. Because of the exceptional strength that his brother has shown earlier, the young wolf hoped that maybe everything would be fine. After all, they have his mighty brother by their side. Unfortunately, even that small glimmer of hope was instantly crushed¡­ Standing at the front most of the formation was the young wolf''s brother. At first glance, he looked like he was bravely standing up against the enemy alpha. But the young wolf could tell, even his mighty brother was afraid. So afraid in fact that the young wolf could see him shaking ever so slightly. When the young wolf saw that, he was overcome by despair. While the young wolf was standing there in a daze, his brother suddenly grabbed him by the neck. The next thing the young wolf knew, he was lying on the ground and his body was aching all over. Confused, the young wolf looked around. Standing in front of him was his brother covered in mud and bruises. For the young wolf, the sight of his brother injured and in pain was so shocking that he unconsciously let out a whimper. Probably hearing that, the young wolf''s brother looked back. When the young wolf''s eyes met with those of his brother''s, the young wolf understood. His brother was telling him to run and escape. Despite the pain all over his body, the young wolf forced his body to stand. He then gazed at his brother''s eyes with strong defiance. The young wolf''s intention was clear, he refused to run. When the young wolf''s brother saw that, he made a gesture telling the young wolf to look ahead. As the young wolf followed his brother''s instruction, a horrifying scene greeted him. Up ahead was the enemy alpha. That very same alpha was walking slowly towards the young wolf''s group. On the alpha''s back, the mangled body of the young wolf''s companions was sprawled all over the place. A little distance ahead, the remaining members of the young wolf''s group were lined up in front of his brother clearly trying to protect him. And as if trying to buy as much time as possible for his brother to recover, an ally wolf would charge every so often towards the alpha only to be turned into a mangled corpse afterward. Simply put, the wolves were willingly jumping towards their death. Calling it a noble sacrifice was an understatement. It was just plain and simple mass suicide. The young wolf watched as the enemy alpha slaughtered his companions one after the other without so much as a flinch. It didn''t even matter if a wolf was fast or skilled in combat, the overwhelming power of the enemy alpha rendered all of it useless. With a seemingly absolute command of the wind, the alpha would produce a gale that shreds any wolf who dared to come near him. The scene would not even pass as a fight, it was just a one-sided massacre. Witnessing such a scene, the young wolf lost his will to fight. With eyes clouded with despair, the young wolf gazed at his brother. As their eyes met, the young wolf saw anger and frustration welling up in his brother''s eyes. From the looks of it, his brother knew that he could not win. Despite that, the young wolf''s brother was still pressuring the young wolf to flee. At that, the young wolf became certain. His brother doesn''t have any intention to flee. That brave brother would stay along with his companions and fight the enemy alpha to death. That brother''s only wish was for the young wolf to flee and continue to live. When the young wolf saw his brother''s resolve, he finally gave in to his brother''s wish. *** With a heavy heart, I opened my eyes. And because of the intense feelings welling up within my c.h.e.s.t, I let out a groan. ''What was that...? A dream...? No... For some reason¡­ it felt so¡­ real¡­ Don''t tell me¡­ that was this body''s memories?'' Confused, I unconsciously stood up. But despite my confusion, I was certain that the dream I had was real. The biggest reason why I think so was because of how much detail it has. Honestly, it felt so real to the point that I thought I was actually reliving that tale. And it wasn''t only the freakishly realistic details of the dream, there were also those emotions. That''s right, every emotion I felt at that dream was real. In fact, even after waking up, I could still feel the effect of all the raw emotions I had experienced inside that dream. ''If that was really the memories of this body... Does that mean that I wasn''t simply transferred into this body but was instead reincarnated as an actual wolf¡­? If that''s the case, that would explain why I could freely move around this body. If I am reincarnated, that means that I had enough practice in moving with this body to the point of it being subconscious... But that would also mean that I have been living as a wolf for quite some time now without being aware of it¡­ Then¡­ for how long have I been living in this world? And why do my memories suddenly emerge?'' In all honesty, I could probably do without my memories from the past. I even think that living in ignorance like that would actually be better. With these memories of two different lives, I only became much more confused. There was a saying that "memories and personal experiences made a person," and now that I am in this situation, I fully understand what that meant. Having memories of two different lives made me question who I really am. Am I the twisted Familia head, or am I the na?ve young wolf? Which of those am I really? ''Damn it... Why do I have to go all through this? Just let live a single life at a time man¡­'' While complaining internally, I noticed something blinking from the edge of my vision. When I tried focusing to know what it is, a detailed notification popped up. Confused by the sudden appearance of familiar texts, I looked around. But no matter where I looked, the text followed. Realizing that it won''t go away, I closed my eyes only to find it still there. ''Seriously? Don''t tell me this was projected directly in my mind?'' I thought as I opened my eyes. ''Well, since it won''t go away either way. I''m just gonna read it.'' ''What the?! So, I was out for 3 whole hours?! Are you kidding me?!'' While I was thankful that the notification so generously gave the exact detail on how long I was out cold, I just couldn''t accept the fact that I sleep so soundly in this dangerous place. The biggest concern I had was what if those gigantic frogs happened to find me while I was sleeping comfortably? Honestly, just imagining what could have happened gave me chills. ''That was close!! I almost died without even being aware of it!!'' While swearing in my heart to never, ever let this incident happen again, I continue to read the notification. [Name: (Unnamed)] [Race: Dire Wolf Cub] [Level: 7] [Status: Healthy] [Titles: (No Title)] After reading through the notification, I couldn''t help but be shocked. ''What in the world?! Is this what I think it is?!'' I read the notification once again. After reading it about three times just to make sure if I was seeing it right, I finally consented. ''Ha. Ha. Ha. I can''t believe it¡­ This is... a status screen¡­'' Of course, since I was able to play some MMORPG games from my past life, I knew a status screen when I saw one. Even if I didn''t play it so often, I still took my time to learn its mechanics. So of course, after seeing what was written in the notification, I would think that it awfully resembled those status screens from MMORPG games. ''So, I didn''t just simply reincarnate as a wolf in a fantasy world filled with monsters¡­ The world I reincarnated in also resembles that of a game¡­ HA. HA. HA. HA.'' Chapter 5 - 4 I couldn''t believe that I was reincarnated into an actual game-like world. I mean seriously, a fantasy world was a big enough shock. But an actual world with levels and Status Screen like this? ''This is like a clich¨¦ from those novels where the protagonist was reincarnated to become a hero¡­ I hope I don''t end up like that¡­ Seriously, that role doesn''t suit me¡­ And besides¡­'' I looked at my two front legs. ''Right, I''m pretty sure I''m a monster¡­ Sigh... Now, what to do?'' I once again gazed at the notification still displayed in front of me. ''Well, I guess the logical thing to do in this kind of situation is gathering as much information as possible. Knowledge is another form of a weapon after all.'' After deciding my course of action, I focused my mind on one particular piece of information displayed on my Status Screen. ''Based on the novels and that MMORPG game I played, this information should have more to it¡­'' And just like what I had thought, it expanded and showed much more detailed information. [Race: Dire Wolf Cub] [A Rank D monster and the weakest race from the Wolf Species. This monster''s level ranges from 1 (which is the default level of any species from birth) And 10 which is the highest level for this race. After reaching level 10, the individual would be able to evolve into a full-fledged Dire Wolf] ''I see, since I''m currently at level 7, I will be able to evolve after 3 more level-ups. So far that has lined up from what I discovered from that dream¡­ I wonder what level is my father and that enemy alpha¡­? Ah! What am I thinking? That''s not what''s important right now¡­ But Rank D monster huh? From what I can see, even my skills have ranks?'' After realizing that I could not gather any more information from the Race Tab, I looked at the other tabs displayed on my vision. But then I quickly realized that aside from the skills tab, the other tabs were all pretty much empty. ''The four other tabs except for the Titles Tab were all self-explanatory. I''m quite curious about that Titles Tab but being that there''s nothing in it, looking at it now serves no purpose¡­ Guess, I''ll look at my skills huh? This might become crucial for my survival, so I need to look and analyze each of them in-depth.'' After much deliberation, I focused and analyzed each of my skills. The details were as follows¡­ [Enhance Small Fangs (Rank A)] [Inherent Skill] [Strengthen and sharpen the fangs by a little when biting an enemy, though the damage done by this attack is really weak which make this skill unreliable when dealing with tough objects] ''Wow! What a skill! What the heck is even the point of having this! And it is even a so-called Inherent Skill!! Are you kidding me?! I bet this is the skill I unconsciously activated during that fight with the frog!! Wow!! This skill almost got me killed!!'' I complained internally. ''Sigh¡­ Guess I''ll move on¡­ I just hope that the others are not as trashy as this one¡­'' [Call of The Moon (Rank D)] [Passive] [Species Exclusive Skill] [Increase the overall stats during a full moon] [Recovery (Rank B)] [Inherent Skill] [Speed up the recovery of stamina, mana, and health through a rest. This effect does not include recovery from fatal injuries and certain status ailments] [Detect Malice (Rank C)] [Passive] [Detect hostile intentions and presence from the immediate vicinity] After reading all my skills'' effects, I fell into deep thought. ''Aside from Night Vision, Enhance Smell and Enhance Hearing, which was all pretty self-explanatory, Call of The Moon, Recovery and Detect Malice are all useful skills. Although Call of The Moon could only be activated during a full moon, depending on how I use it, it could become a trump card¡­ Recovery and Detect Malice, on the other hand, were surely skills acquired and developed because this body was raised to hunt. If my guess is right, the skills ranking will rise the more it is used. The proof being that trashy skill was at rank A despite being seemingly useless. From that dream, I remembered that I used this skill quite often to kill some small and weak monsters and sometimes even to eat slightly tough meat. If I''m lucky, maybe the effect even improves as it rises on the rank¡­ Though I have no idea what is the highest rank and what would happen once a skill had reached it.'' After analyzing all the information provided by my Status Screen, I heard my stomach rumbling. Aaaahh¡­ ''I haven''t noticed because I was preoccupied, but I''m really starving¡­'' I looked around lazily. ''Damn, there''s nothing to eat here¡­'' While I was thinking what to do, my Detect Malice warned me of a hostile presence. With a quick response, I stood up and looked around. When I peeked behind the boulder, I saw a familiar monster looking around as if searching for something. ''So, you followed me all the way here huh?'' I thought as I glared at the familiar monster in front of my eyes. Standing just a little distance away from the rock I was hiding was the frog I fought before. I honestly have no idea how I knew that the same frog in front of my eyes was the one I fought. I just¡­ knew it¡­ And well, the thought that I could recognize the difference between each frog monster disgust me. ''Well, that''s beside the point. The important thing right now is if¡­ I can¡­ eat it¡­'' That''s right, the only question I have on my mind was if I can eat that disgusting-looking creature. Under normal circ.u.mstances, I wouldn''t even think of eating it. But right now, with how hungry I am, it doesn''t even matter. After all, beggars couldn''t afford to be choosy. And of course, it was also necessary for my survival. ''I really need to eat right now while I still have some strength to spare. Before long, I will lose all of it¡­ If I even lose my ability to move, then I wouldn''t be able to hunt. If I''m unable to hunt, then I will starve to death. That''s why while I still can move, I need to find something to eat. And that thing is the nearest source of food right now. The only problem is¡­ How do I kill it¡­?'' Based on what happened when I fought that creature before, I couldn''t even hope to damage it using my trashy offensive skill. There was just one problem. ''I don''t have any other offensive skill besides that trashy one¡­'' While I was trying to think of a way to kill the Giant Frog for my own nutrition, I heard a whipping sound slicing through the air. Fl.u.s.tered, I leaped away dodging the Giant''s Frog tongue by a hair''s breadth. As my feet landed on the ground, my eyes met with that of the Giant Frog. And with just one look at that creature''s eyes, I could tell. ''This bastard is dead set on eating me!!'' Seeing the look on the creature''s eyes infuriated me. It was not just because the creature was trying to eat me, it was also because I could tell that it was looking down on me. ''That''s right. I almost forgot. The world was always and will always be controlled by those who are with power. How could I forget the fact that in face of great power, ideals, morals, belief, and justice were all insignificant? And unfortunately, looks like that truth is even truer in this world¡­'' Then, I glared at the Giant Frog. ''If that''s the case, then I will show you. I will show you that looking down on me was a mistake. I will make you regret the fact that you even think about it.'' I swore, letting out a growl in the process. Probably seeing my reaction, the Giant Frog narrowed its eyes. After a moment of suffocating silence, the Giant Frog was the first to make a move. With a speed faster than that of the last time we fought, the Giant Frog whipped its tongue towards me letting out a barrage of whip-like attacks. To dodge all of the Giant Frog''s attack, I cleared my mind from every unnecessary thought and focused every fiber of my being on the battle alone. I leaped, ran, and dodged every attack by just an inch. In my mind, there were only two existences in the world, myself and my enemy. Unfortunately, probably because I haven''t been able to eat for quite some time now, my body started to feel heavy just a few minutes after the battle began. ''I wouldn''t be able to last for long at this rate¡­ I need to find a surefire way to kill this thing immediately.'' While dodging and running around, I noticed a huge boulder in the corner of my eyes. Seeing that, an idea flashed through my mind. Fueled by these sudden flashes of inspiration, I immediately leaped into action. While desperately avoiding being hit by the Giant''s Frog tongue, I slowly moved towards, then away from the huge boulder. The Giant Frog sensing the desperation in my movements increased the intensity of its attacks. As a result, I was slowly pushed back towards the huge boulder until I was cornered. With the boulder on my back and nowhere to escape, the giant frog let out a joyful screech. Then with saliva dripping from its mouth, the frog whipped its tongue towards me. Time seemed to slow as the Giant Frog''s tongue sliced into the air with a terrifying speed. As the tongue covered by disgusting saliva neared my face, I ducked. With its target gone from its path, the tongue hit the giant boulder with such a force that the saliva covering it splattered all over the place. Because of the pain from hitting the huge hard boulder with its tongue, the Giant Frog was momentarily stunned while letting out a painful groan. Taking advantage of that moment, I leaped and bit the Giant Frog''s tongue. And then, I felt a soft and satisfying sensation in my fangs as it pierced the softened flesh of the Giant''s Frog tongue. But probably because its tongue was still numb, the Giant Frog didn''t even flinch at my attack. Then when the Giant Frog recovered from being stunned, it hastily wrapped its tongue around my body. While being wrapped by the powerful grip of the Giant Frog''s tongue, I was pulled towards its mouth and was swallowed as a whole. *** Inside the dark and slimy stomach of the Giant Frog, I sneered. ''You thought you won, didn''t you? I asked with a sarcastic tone in my mind. Too bad cause you have just made a mistake. Now, you looked down on me, didn''t you? That was probably the reason why you swallowed me whole even though I''m still alive. Ah¡­ Such a bad decision. You know, you should have killed me first before swallowing me.'' Then, I opened my mouth to its utmost limit. In that dark place without any light, the little fangs on my mouth shined as it rapidly closed in on the mass of flesh surrounding my body. When my mouth shut closed, the soft sensation of the flesh entered my mouth. I slowly savored the soft sensation until finally, I tore it apart. Like a madman, or in this case, a MAD WOLF, I BIT AND BIT AND BIT AND BIT AND BIT AND BIT. I TORE AND TORE AND TORE AND TORE AND TORE AND TORE AND TORE. ''I told you I would make you regret looking down on me, right? Now, how does it feel to be eaten from the inside of your own stomach? OH! HOW IRONIC IS THAT?!'' I rampaged to my heart''s content. Because of that, blood flowed everywhere dyeing my ash-colored fur in crimson. But I simply didn''t care. Why? Because I was joyfully savoring my first meal ever since coming into this world. Or maybe it would be more accurate to say since I awakened the memories of my past life? ''Nah, it doesn''t matter¡­'' Chapter 6 - 5 ''Aaah¡­ This is refreshing¡­'' I thought as I washed my bloody fur using the water from a small lake. Safe to say, this was probably my first bath. Especially since even in that dream, I couldn''t remember ever taking a one. ''But well, I really went overboard huh?'' Looking at the carcass of what was previously a Giant Frog, I couldn''t help but smile wryly. I didn''t know if it was because of the intense hunger and my natural instinct as a wolf, but when I felt that soft sensation of flesh inside my mouth, I was overcome by an intense d.e.s.i.r.e to devour the entire thing. It was as if my Animal Instinct completely took over my mind. ''That was dangerous¡­ I should make sure to prevent that from ever happening again¡­ I may be a Wolf now, but I''ll be damned if I completely give in to my instinct and become a mindless monster.'' As I promised myself to never give in to my instinct, I gazed at my Status Screen. I didn''t notice it that time, but when I detected the hostile presence of the Giant Frog, my Status Screen completely vanished from my sight. Then after my stomach had become satisfied, I noticed a new notification on the corner of my vision saying that I just leveled up. ''Maybe I can summon this thing if I focus enough?'' I asked internally while drying my newly washed fur. With that thought in mind, I experimented trying to turn the notification on and off. ''Oh! I did it!'' It was a success. By focusing my mind, I was able to summon or make the status screen disappear. ''Nice!'' I thought while gazing at the level tab. [Level: 7 ¨C 8] ''Two more levels before evolution huh? Man, this is hard. If I need two more levels, then that means that I need to kill more of that thing¡­ Killing one is hard enough and now I need to kill more¡­ Ah, what a pain¡­'' While complaining to myself, I started moving towards the nearest boulder. Of course, after that fierce battle against the frog, my body was tired as hell. I may not be hungry now, but that doesn''t mean that my stamina was replenished. ''I wonder how many Giant Frogs I need to kill to reach level 10? I hope it isn''t that much, especially since killing just one of those was this taxing¡­'' Feeling drowsy, I laid down in the shadow of the boulder. ''Aaaahh¡­ I wish I could just evolve quickly¡­'' The young wolf ran and ran and ran. Turning his back to the anguished howl of his comrades, the young wolf followed the wish of his brother and ran for his life. Following the path that he and his comrades have traversed. The young wolf ran straight towards their hideout. On his way, the young stumbled countless times. But no matter how many times he fell, the young wolf always stood back up. Fueled by the burning d.e.s.i.r.e to fulfill his brother''s wish and inform their father of his brother''s bravery, the young wolf managed to temporarily surpass his limits. And by the time the young wolf reached their hideout, his body had become badly battered and was covered in mud. The next thing the young wolf knew, he was woken up by the sound of battle. Raising his still tired body, the young wolf looked around. The first thing he noticed was that he was inside his home. It was under the roots of a tree which was shaped like a dome. On that dome was a large hole which serves as both an entrance and exit, and outside that hole, the young wolf could clearly hear the sound of battle. Curious, the young wolf walked outside. As the young wolf went out of the roots shaped dome, he saw that the wolves of his father''s pack were running around in panic. Near the roots shaped like a dome where he came from, was the other young wolves huddled together looking anxious and terrified. When the young wolf saw that scene, he had a bad premonition. And so, the young wolf ran towards where the other a.d.u.l.t wolves were running to. Probably because of all the commotion, the other a.d.u.l.t wolves didn''t notice that the young wolf was following them. And then, the young wolf realized. The direction in which the a.d.u.l.t wolves were running was their hideout''s entrance. When the young wolf and the a.d.u.l.t wolves reached the entrance, they were all greeted by the scene of battle. It was a total chaos. The usual peaceful scene that the young wolf was used to was now replaced by the scene of Dire Wolves and Great Wolves trying to kill each other. It was a brutal and bloody battlefield. The corpse of wolves whether an enemy or ally was littered all over the place. Every minute and every second, a wolf would fall to the ground and die accompanied by a dying howl. Watching that scene just a little distance away, was the utterly confused young wolf. Even though he was watching that scene with his own eyes, he still couldn''t process it. And who could blame him? Just a little while ago, he was living a peaceful life. But just because of that sudden ambush, he was forced to leave behind his brother and run until he blacked out. Then after waking up, here he was, watching his home being invaded by an enemy pack. While standing there in a daze, the young wolf noticed a familiar presence descending on the battlefield. As the young wolf shook in terror, the other wolves who were in the midst of mortal combat also noticed that presence and stopped in their tracks. And then he appeared. The enemy alpha. The Tempest Wolf. The Tempest Wolf walked on the bloody field as if he was just having a casual tour. But with each step, the Tempest Wolf excluded a suffocating aura that made his comrades gaze at him with awe and his enemy tremble in fear. After taking a few steps, the Tempest Wolf stopped and let out a deafening howl. The young wolf''s comrade unconsciously took a step back after hearing that. But As if reassuring them, another alpha appeared. In contrast to the black and white fur of the Tempest Wolf, the other alpha has a fur with a color combination of blue and white. That wolf was the young wolf''s father. The alpha of their pack. The Frost Wolf. With the two alphas were facing each other on the center of the battlefield, every member of the two alpha''s pack rallied behind them. And like a calm before the storm, silence took over as the Frost Wolf and Tempest Wolf stared at each other. Amidst that deafening silence, the air shook. Then, a freezing wave and a raging wave of air clashed. Following that show of power, all the wolves behind the two alphas charged and collided at the center of that chaotic field. Howls of anger, anguish and desperation echoed. Accompanying all of that was the sound of the crackling and whirling wind. And then, multiple explosions resounded. It was produced by the sharp spears of ice colliding with the raging blades of wind. When one wolf died, another followed. It was a vicious cycle of death. It was as if the Grim Reaper itself had descended and was dancing on that field. While listening to the song of battle and symphony of war, the young wolf burned that scene of carnage into his soul. In front of his eyes, the young wolf saw the two-alpha gathering some kind of energy on their mouth. After a few seconds, the two alphas released that energy in the form of a raging and freezing blast of wind. The air shook as the two blasts traveled at terrifying speed. When the two blasts collided, it produced a huge explosion that blew away every single wolf fighting on the battlefield. Bracing himself from the explosion, the young wolf duck to the ground. Finally, after the resulting gale died down, the young wolf sneaked a peek at the battlefield. Standing on the two sides of a crater were the two alphas which were both obviously exhausted. From the looks of it, the two alphas were just equal in power. But then, the Tempest Wolf made a weird gesture. And without any warning, a lone great wolf appeared in the shadows of the forest. That Great Wolf was carrying the head of another Great Wolf on his mouth, and that head belonged to the Frost Wolf''s son. Still standing a little distance away from the battle, was the young wolf. And that same young wolf watched that scene unfold before his eyes. With rounded eyes, the young wolf stared at the Great Wolf''s decapitated head. That head belonged to his brother, the very same brother that the young wolf left behind. In truth, the young wolf also had a suspicion that his brother might have already passed. But despite that, he still hoped that maybe. Just maybe. His brother was still alive. And now, the reality was thrust before his eyes. Because of that scene, the young wolf''s mind went blank and he started running mindlessly towards the decapitated head. The next thing the young wolf knew, a raging blade of wind was flying towards him. As death loomed before his eyes, the young wolf froze. Time seemed to slow as the Scythe of Death flew towards his neck. But just before his life was snuffed out, a blur of white and blue jumped in front of him. Blood splattered on his face. And as the blur of white and blue fell, the young wolf saw a sinister smile plastered across the Tempest Wolf''s face. Chapter 7 - 6 In the world of monsters, reaching the stage of evolution was a huge achievement. This was especially true in an environment of survival of the fittest wherein weak monsters have a lower life expectancy. Of course, this fact also meant that only those who were lucky, strong, and clever enough to survive would be able to eventually evolve. That was why in the case of monsters who were by nature live in groups, the leader was always the one in the highest evolution stage. For normal monsters, experiencing an evolution once meant that it was already an a.d.u.l.t. Evolving the second time signified that they were tough enough to hold a rank within their group, and being able to evolve a third time was a show of their capabilities to lead a group of their own. But, for monsters of the same species, every path of the Third Evolutionary State was equal in terms of raw power. The only exception to this rule was the Special Evolutions, but that was another topic entirely. Tempest Wolf, Frost Wolf, Flame Wolf, then Lightning Wolf. These four wolf monsters were all the possible evolution for the Dire Wolf Cub if it managed to reach the Third Evolutionary State. This also meant that these four monsters should be equal in raw power alone without any exceptions¡­ The young wolf gazed down at the wolf who protected him. In there, in front of his eyes was his father, the alpha of their pack. That father, who the young wolf always looked at with a mixture of awe and respect was lying in a pool of blood. While looking at his bleeding father, one thought entered into the young wolf''s mind. ''It was his fault. His brother''s death, the invasion of their home, and now, his father being on the verge of death. All of it. It was all his fault.'' While guilt and despair gripped the young wolf''s heart, his father, their alpha, stood with unsteady feet. For a moment, the young wolf felt relief, but when he saw the blood flowing from his father''s side, he once again lost all hope. Seeing the weakened state of the Frost Wolf, the Tempest Wolf smiled from ear to ear and summoned a raging wave of wind. The Frost Wolf tried to counter it by summoning his own freezing wave but when the two magic collided, the raging wave overpowered the freezing wave. With the freezing wave out of the way, the raging wind pushed toward the weakened Frost Wolf and the young wolf. Luckily, before the raging wind reached the two wolves, a Great Wolf had tackled the two of them out of the way. Of course, saving the two wolves doesn''t come without a cost. After being hit by the raging wave, the Great wolf''s body became littered with cuts and bruises. When the young wolf gazed at the Great Wolf, he realized that it was his mother. The battered Great Wolf forced her body to stand and then walked towards the Frost Wolf. As the Frost Wolf and Great Wolf huddled together, another Dire Wolf Cub ran toward the young wolf. That Dire Wolf Cub was the young wolf''s little sister, and when the young wolf gazed at his little sister, the young wolf saw a mixture of anxiety and fear in her face. Then at the corner of the young wolf''s eyes, his second brother appeared. And like the young wolf''s father and mother, his second Brother was also injured all over probably from fighting against the members of the Tempest Wolf''s pack. But despite being near his limit, the young wolf''s brother still stood against the Tempest Wolf together with their mother and father. It was now two battered Great Wolves and one Weakened Frost Wolf against a Tempest Wolf. Seeing that, the young wolf felt a little hopeful that maybe, those three would be able to defeat the Tempest Wolf. But when his mother looked and gestured at him to run and take his sister, the young wolf''s heart sank. And then without any warning, the Frost Wolf launched a barrage of ice spear towards the Tempest Wolf. Using a barrage of raging blades of wind, the Tempest Wolf shot down all of the ice spears. While the two alphas were having that exchange, the two Great Wolf ran into different directions and attacked the Tempest Wolf at both sides. Pincered at both sides and locked in magic battle upfront, the Tempest Wolf had nowhere to run. At that moment, the young wolf rejoiced. But then, a wave of raging wind materialized at the opposing sides of the Tempest Wolf sending the two Great Wolf flying. From that exchange, the young wolf realized that adding two wounded wolves to the fight wasn''t going to improve their situation, the only thing they managed to do was delay the inevitable. While the two Great Wolves forced their battered body to stand, the young wolf''s father looked at him. For the young wolf, that gesture only meant one thing; ''his father was telling him to run.'' With eyes full of despair, the young wolf looked around. Surrounding them was the wolves from their pack desperately fighting the members of the Tempest Wolf''s pack. And clearly, it was a losing battle. It was just a matter of time. Witnessing all of that, the young wolf was once again forced to make a heart-rending decision. The young wolf grabbed his little sister by the neck and ran away at full speed. At his back, the young wolf heard the weakened howl of his father wishing him good luck. Of course, the young wolf felt an urge to look back but he ultimately decided against it. The reason was very simple. ''He didn''t want to witness his father fighting a losing battle. The image of his father that he wanted to burn in his mind was his father''s majesty and unfathomable strength.'' And so, for the second time in his life, the young wolf ran away from the battle. Dragging his terrified little sister by the neck, the young wolf ran and ran and ran and ran. Honestly, the young wolf had no idea where to go, but despite that, he still ran. He didn''t look back. He didn''t think. He just¡­ ran¡­ But¡­ As if mocking all of his efforts, he felt two hostile presence following him. Even without looking back, he knew what those two presences were. It was two hostile Great Wolves out for blood¡­ While desperately running away from the approaching enemies, the young wolf tried to think of a way to save his and his little sister''s life. But when the young wolf heard the terrified whimper of his little sister, the realization dawned on him. ''It was impossible for both of them to survive.'' That''s right, only one of them could survive¡­ Because while one of them was running away, the other one had to stay and be the decoy. After realizing that, the young wolf resolved his heart. The young wolf stopped running. He then lowered his little sister to the ground. After being freed, the young wolf''s little sister gazed at him with anxious eyes. But with eyes full of resolve, the young wolf looked his sister in the eyes and gestured at her to run away. As the two Great Wolves neared them, his sister still insisted on staying. And so, the young wolf hardened his heart and pushed his little sister away then growled at her. Of course, the young wolf''s little sister knew that his brother was just acting for her sake. She even tried to resist despite their situation. But when the young wolf''s sister saw the resolve burning in his brother''s eyes, she reluctantly ran away¡­ Watching his sister''s back as she ran away, the young wolf felt incredibly happy. With this, the young wolf finally repaid his father, mother, and two brothers. ''He could now die in peace.'' As that thought flashed into his mind, the two hostile Great Wolf finally caught up. Two huge wolves appeared from the darkness of the trees. As the young wolf glared at the two wolves with hatred in his eyes, the two wolves sneered. Seeing that mocking smile, the young wolf growled and lowered his center of gravity. Then after mustering all his remaining strength, the young wolf ran forward intending to bite the nearest wolf. But with just a single flick of the Great Wolf''s front foot, the young wolf flew back and hit a tree. Incredible pain assaulted the young wolf''s body and his vision spun around. But the Great Wolf''s wasn''t done yet¡­ Just before the young wolf managed to stand, he was once again kicked, and again, and again, and again. That cycle was repeated so many times that the young wolf lost track of how many times he was hit. And when it finally stopped, he looked up. Towering before him was the Great Wolf. In that dimly lighted place, the Great Wolf''s eyes shined ominously, and its fangs glowed viciously. For the young wolf, it was the first time he experienced being preyed upon. What flashed on the young wolf''s mind at that time was all the times he hunted down monsters weaker than him. ''Maybe this was what those weak monsters felt.'' He thought. At that moment, the young wolf felt incredible fear. But despite that, the young wolf forced his body to stand and face his enemy. It was the pride of a wolf. The pride he inherited from his great father. But then, he noticed. ''The other wolf was gone¡­'' A chill ran through the young wolf''s spine. He looked at the Great Wolf in front of him, and he saw it sneering at him. Full of desperation, the young looked to where his sister ran and tried to chase after her. But with incredible strength, the Great Wolf stepped on the young wolf pinning him down to the ground. Unable to move, the young could only let out a howl full of resentment, regret, and anguish. And as the fangs of death neared him, the young wolf closed his eyes. The young wolf awaited his death. But no matter how long he waited, those fangs didn''t come. Not only that, because for some reason, the pressure on the young wolf''s back was also gone. Confused, the young wolf opened his eyes. And what he saw was the Great Wolf''s dead body lying in front of his eyes. Seeing that baffling sight, the young wolf looked around. And then, just a little distance away from the Great Wolf''s dead body, he saw someone standing. It was a human. To be exact, there were three humans. The three were wielding a spear, a staff, and a two-handed sword respectively. The most eye-catching among the three was the one wielding a two-handed sword donned by steel armor with a face covered by matching steel headgear. On the right c.h.e.s.t part of the steel c.h.e.s.t armor of the masked individual, was an insignia of a winged sword stuck on a rock. And the most important part. The masked individual was holding the young wolf''s little sister in its arms. At first, the young wolf felt relieved that his sister was safe. But then he felt the unusual aura that the masked individual was emitting. There was definitely no malice coming from the three. But the young wolf felt strangely repulsed by the aura being emitted by the masked individual. It was as if his very existence was rejecting it. The young wolf felt as if that masked individual was his natural enemy. Driven by that mysterious urge, the young wolf growled menacingly at the three humans. Fl.u.s.tered by the sudden outburst of the young wolf, the three humans pointed their weapons at the young wolf. Seeing the three dangerous weapons being pointed at him, the young wolf took a few steps back. But then, the young wolf heard a high-pitched sound coming from below his feet. When the young wolf looked down, he saw light coming out from a strange pattern drawn into the solid ground. Instinctively, the young wolf looked at his sister being carried by the masked individual. He saw the confused and scared expression on his little sister''s face, but then the surrounding suddenly distorted. After that, the young wolf felt a floating sensation followed by a sudden free fall. As the young wolf flailed around, he saw an expansive area covered by grass. And then, accompanied by a sudden jolt of pain, everything turned black¡­ Chapter 8 - 7 Once again, I was inside the void. With my sense of self-gone, I stared into that endless nothingness as two different memories flashed before my eyes. After what seemed to be an eternity, the memories of my past two lives merged. At that moment, my sense of self returned and I felt like¡­ I was finally¡­ free¡­ An intense feeling of freedom welled up within me¡­ It was as if¡­ I was finally liberated from the constraints that have been binding me forever¡­ It felt surreal. And now that I have both the memories of being human and a wolf, I could say with certainty that I am an entirely new being. I am not that twisted Familia Head, nor that na?ve young wolf. I am¡­ me¡­ A new existence that just happened to have the memories of two different lives¡­ I am¡­ an entirely new life¡­ As all that realization dawned on me, I heard a voice coming from the void. [Awakening process complete] [Individual (Unnamed) Fully Awakened] [Received Title: Awakened One] [Acquired Skills: Potential Boost, Assess, Presence of Mind] [All conditions satisfied] [Received Title: The RunAway] [Acquired Skill: Swiftness, Haste] [Individual (Unnamed) Leveled up to 9] [Individual (Unnamed) Leveled up to 10] [Required level reached] [Evolution is now possible] [Evolution Path Available: Dire Wolf] [Processing Evolution to Dire Wolf¡­] [Effect of the skill Potential Boost was invoked] [Evolution was altered] [Evolution Race was changed from Dire Wolf to Dire Wolf Variant] [Starting Evolution¡­] [¡­] [¡­] [¡­] *** [Evolution Complete] That mechanical voice woke me up from my slumber but compared to the other times I slept, this felt different. It was as if together with my consciousness, all of my other senses have also shut down. I could even feel all my senses starting to become active as my drowsiness subsides. Then when I became fully awake, I heard the mechanical voice once again. [Congratulations. Individual (Unnamed) has now evolved from Dire Wolf Cub to Dire Wolf Variant] ''Oh yeah. Apparently, I am now fully awakened. And looks like instead of evolving into Dire Wolf, I''ve evolved into a Dire Wolf Variant. Maybe that awakening thing has something to do with me getting BOTH my memories back?'' As I tried to remember all that happened after I fell asleep, another announcement resounds directly in my head. ''Oh sweet! Looks like that useless skill evolved along with me! I hope it isn''t useless now.'' [Additionally, Inherent Skill Scratching Claws was also acquired] ''What the heck is with that weak-sounding name?! Did I just gain another useless skill?! Come on, man! I thought evolution was supposed to make me stronger!!'' [All basic traits of the individual (Unnamed) were also increased. And with the effect of Potential Boost, the increase on basic traits was doubled resulting in the alteration of the race from Dire Wolf to Dire Wolf Variant] ''Wait, did I just hear something amazing?!'' [As another effect of Potential Boost, all on hand skills before evolution have all ranked up] ''Woah!! I think I just gained an amazing skill! Hooray for awakening!! Hooray for evolution!!'' As I rejoiced internally, I hastily summoned my status screen and gazed at all the new information that was displayed. [Name: (Unnamed)] [Race: Dire Wolf Variant] [Status: Healthy] [Titles: Awakened One, The RunAway] [Skills: Rabid Fangs (Rank D), Call of The Moon (Rank C), Night Vision (Rank A), Enhance Smell (Rank A), Enhance Hearing (Rank S), Recovery (Rank A), Detect Malice (Rank B), Scratching Claws (Rank D), Potential Boost (Rank D), Assess (Rank D), Presence of Mind (Rank D), Swiftness (Rank D), Haste (Rank D)] ''Now we''re talking! This is nice, I got a new bunch of skills along with two titles! Looks like by gaining a title, I would also get some skills along with it. Well, that''s neat. Anyway, I need to dig deeper into this. Especially the effects of these new skills.'' And so, I began looking at the effects and details of all the newly displayed information. [Race: Dire Wolf Variant] [A rare rank D monster and is the First Evolutionary State of the Wolf Species. Compared to a Dire Wolf, Dire Wolf Variant has higher basic traits. And like a Dire Wolf, its level ranges from 10 to 20 which upon reaching level 20 would be able to evolve into a Great Wolf Variant.] ''So basically, I am more powerful compared to my fellow Dire Wolves peers. Not bad. Looks like being a rare monster is not just for show¡­ Okay, now time to look at this Title thing.'' [Awakened One] ''So, this title has got nothing to do with my memories¡­? And what''s up with that recognized by the world thing? That''s too vague!'' [The RunAway] [Only individuals who have managed to successfully escape from enemies who were more powerful than them would be able to gain this title. Upon gaining this title, the individual would acquire the skills Swiftness, and Haste.] ''Uhm¡­ Is this title mocking me¡­? It''s definitely mocking me, isn''t it¡­? Okay, just to be clear. Escaping from foes that are stronger than me is not easy. If anything, I should be praised for pulling it off since, under normal circ.u.mstances, that encounter would mean certain death¡­ And it isn''t called escape, it''s called TACTICAL RETREAT okay!!'' It was definitely childish, but I complained to the title to my heart''s content. Well, I wouldn''t be able to calm down if I didn''t so¡­ Anyway, after I calmed down, I continue reading the skill''s effects next. [Rabid Fangs (Rank D)] [Passive] [Racial Skill] [Every injury done by the fangs inflicts small Mental Damage that could be stocked up and cause Madness. If Madness wasn''t cleansed, it would eventually lead to death] ''Woah! I can''t believe it. This skill will definitely be my main offensive skill now. It only does small Mental Damage, but if used properly it could be really deadly. Also, that active effect of enhancing my fangs is now gone probably because my fangs are now sharp and strong enough to inflict injuries. Nice!'' [Scratching Claws (Rank D)] [Inherent Skill] [Passive] [Claws can inflict shallow wounds on soft objects and scratches on tough objects] ''Okay. So, it''s basically the same as that trashy skill I had before but only a passive one. Got it, got it¡­ Now time to see the effects of those three skills I acquired through the Awakened One title.'' [Potential Boost (Rank D)] [Rare] [Passive] [Gain an additional bonus when reaching every 10 levels. For monsters, this skill had a chance to alter the evolutionary process which could result in the birth of a rare monster. Additionally, this skill could unlock the Special Evolution Path for monsters] [Assess (Rank D)] [Display the information of the target object or individual, but the displayed information can be affected by other factors. The factors being: Difference in power, magic items/artifacts, and spells] [Presence of Mind (Rank D)] [Passive] [Gain a little bit of resistance against mental attacks and statuses] ''Wow! These three are all pretty useful skills! Especially that Potential Boost. Looks like I would also be able to access that Special Evolution Path or something. Presence of Mind is also a handy skill to have since I can fight on even grounds against an enemy that uses mental attacks or inflicts mental status. And that Assess, I''m pretty sure that is somehow the same as the Status Screen, the only difference is that I can use it to others other than myself. But I wonder why Assess and Presence of Mind are not considered a Rare Skill? Maybe because there are other ways to acquire them besides gaining the Awakened One title¡­? Still, all of it was good stuff so let''s not worry about that for now.'' Honestly, I was so excited to try that Assess skill, but I resist that urge and continue to check my other skills. The last two skills are both from that loathsome title¡­ ''Sigh, just please be useful as an atonement for mocking me¡­'' [Swiftness (Rank D)] [Passive] [Increase all basic traits related to agility] [Haste (Rank D)] [Slightly increase the movement speed at a constant rate as long as the skill is active] ''So basically, it was all about speed. Well, not bad. The only complaint I have is that it looks like these skills were both pretty common given that not one of these was rare. I bet anyone who acquired these skills through the title RunAway was mocked as cowards. Seriously, I think it wasn''t worth it.'' After looking through all my skills, I thought back to my dream. Well, maybe it was more accurate to say my memories. ''So, that was how I ended up here huh? It really doesn''t make it clear why I suddenly remembered my past life as a human, but maybe I hit my head during the fall and that caused my memory to resurface¡­? It''s not too far-fetched, but I couldn''t be so sure¡­ There''s also that thing with my little sister that was taken by those three humans¡­'' From what I could remember, those three have no intention to harm us. The only problem was¡­ ''I wonder what is up with that armored human? I am certain that I haven''t felt any malicious intent coming from him that time, but why did I feel so repulsed by that aura? It was as if my entire being was rejecting his existence.'' While I was falling deeper and deeper in my sea of thoughts, I was suddenly brought back up to reality when my Detect Malice informed me of multiple hostile presences. After waking up from my daze, I stood up and looked towards where those presences were coming from. And in there, I saw five Giant Frogs near the carcass of the Giant Frog I killed before. Clearly, those five noticed the dead body of their kin because they were all looking around cautiously. ''Well, I''m really itching to test out my newfound strength and skills, so I guess this would be a good practice. Besides, I''m really hungry, and frogs would be a really good breakfast.'' With that thought in mind, I charged at the nearest frog. Chapter 9 - 8 Who was it again that thought fighting five Giant Frogs simultaneously was a good idea? Well, that was me. And I freaking regret that decision¡­ ''Shit! Shit! SHIT!!'' Now, four Giant Frogs were chasing after me. ''I''m a freaking idiot!! Just because I evolved and gained some new skills, I thought I could fight those things en masse?! That''s just ridiculous!! Damn, I hate my past self!!'' Honestly, at first, it was going well. I even managed to kill one of them because of my surprise attack, but it only goes downhill after that. After killing the first frog, I rapidly charged towards the second nearest one and bit one of its legs. And because of my new and stronger fangs, I managed to pierce its skin and break its bone. Unfortunately, before I managed to finish the job, another Giant Frog had launched an attack. Of course, I managed to dodge. But then, the three goddamn frogs launched a barrage of tongue attacks simultaneously. If it was me before evolution, I''m sure I would already be dead meat by now. But probably thanks to my newly found strength through evolution and some assistance of my new skill Swiftness, I managed to dodge those barrages of whip-like tongues. Well, that was until the fourth frog recovered and joined the fray. And now, here I am once again running for my life¡­ ''Maybe I really deserve that title¡­'' Fortunately, I am way faster than before, so it didn''t take too long before I lost them. While I was trying to catch my breath, I saw a new notification. [Skill Swiftness has ranked up] [Skill Swiftness is now at Rank C] ''Well, at least I got something good out of it. But still¡­'' My stomach growled. That''s right, ever since I woke up in this newly evolved form, I felt really starved. It was just my guess, but most likely, during the evolution process, one needed enough nutrition to sustain the process. ''This is important info. I''m not sure what will happen if the body''s nutrition isn''t enough, but I guess my body will automatically search for nutrition while I am asleep. In short, I will sleep eat. And if I didn''t find any food¡­ I would probably¡­ die¡­'' Of course, all of that was just merely my speculations. But I had a feeling that I was right. ''Looks like evolution is not all good things. I need to prepare for it next time. After all, I don''t want to die in the middle of an evolution.'' While I was thinking about such things, I saw a new monster that I haven''t seen before just a little distance away. ''Now that''s new. Looks like Giant Frogs is not the only monster dwelling in this area.'' I thought as I gazed at the clueless monster drinking on the lake. ''Oh yeah, I haven''t been able to use it earlier against those Giant Frogs but I have the Assess skill. Alright, let''s test it¡­'' And so, I used Assess for the first time¡­ But¡­ Huh? I tilted my head in confusion because of the result. From what I could remember from my time playing MMORPG''s, it was possible to look at the details of players and important in-game objects and items. That was why when I first saw the effect of my skill Assess, I thought that I would be able to do the same. Unfortunately, the reality wasn''t that convenient because the only information I saw was¡­ [Lizard] And that was it¡­ ''Hey, are you kidding me? I didn''t even need to use a skill to see that.'' It was seriously such a letdown. I mean, I was even excited to use it at first because it might help me get more information about this place. ''Oh well, it is still at Rank D after all. And from what I can tell, that was the lowest rank. This means that if I managed to raise its rank high enough, it might turn out to be actually useful. Besides, it isn''t a rare skill, which means there are a lot of people who also have this skill. Of course, there''s also a chance that it was just a trashy skill that is easy to acquire, but let''s just be positive for now.'' With a sudden burst of incredible speed, I rushed at the lizard. Because of my surprise attack, the lizard wasn''t able to react in time and I easily bit it in the neck. But even then, the lizard didn''t just die instantly and was in fact still stubbornly resisting. I tried to hold it down by stepping and putting my weight on its back. But since it was about the same size as me, holding it down turned out harder than expected. Unfortunately, I was more stubborn and I increased the strength of my bite until its neck snapped and it finally stopped moving. ''Well, this thing is incredibly tenacious.'' As I pay my respect to the lizard''s tenacity, I looked around to check if there was any other enemy nearby. Once I made sure that there wasn''t any, I started to drag the dead body of the lizard behind a huge boulder. ''Okay time to eat. Thank you for the meal!!'' *** It has been a few days now since I awaken to both my memories. Well, I couldn''t really tell the difference between night and day in this area, but I have that convenient thing on my Status Screen that would always tell me how long I have slept so I used it to estimate how much time had passed. Of course, to survive, I always hunt for prey to eat on my way to God knows where. Well, it was not that I didn''t have a goal. In fact, now that I remembered what happened, my ultimate goal was to get out of this dungeon and search for my little sister. Based on what happened before I was allegedly teleported into this place, I''m pretty sure that my little sister was taken by those three humans. But that would also mean that my little sister was currently in a human country somewhere so searching for her meant that I need to venture into a human-populated country eventually. The problem was, I am a monster. And judging by the behavior of those three humans before, I am quite sure that the relationship between monsters and humans wasn''t that friendly. The only reason I could think why those three didn''t immediately kill us was that we were still a Dire Wolf Cub at that time. Probably, humans could tame monsters as long as they raise them from childhood and that''s why they took my sister. So, for now, I could only hope that my sister was still alive and safe. And so, being that the problem was I am a monster. Then I just needed to look like a human even though I wasn''t one. How would I pull that off? Well, it was through evolution. Huh, you didn''t understand? Okay. You see, since there was such a thing as evolution in this world, and being that I am also a member of the so-called Wolf Species. I started to think that maybe the race of Werewolves also existed in this world. And probably, I could become a member of that race since technically, Werewolves were also part of the wolf species. I mean, it was even in the name of the race itself! It may just be my speculation, but being this is a game-like fantasy world, that may actually be a thing. My only problem was how many evolutions would I need to undergo before I reached that point. That was why in the past few days, I hunted not only to eat but also to gain some levels. By going on a hunt every single day, I managed to reach level 14. It was still a long way before evolution but it was still a form of progress. During these past few days, I hunted and ate a lot of those lizards and also some frogs. But to kill and eat a Giant Frog, I needed to find one that was separated from the others and ambush it. It was actually going well, and I was actually starting to get used to it. Of course, being that I hunt and move around every day, I also saw some new monsters. One was also a lizard (Courtesy of my skill Assess), though it was probably the next evolution of the lizard since it was larger and looked more powerful. The other was clearly the next evolution of the Giant Frogs. That frog monster has four eyes, and it was bigger compared to a normal Giant Frog. And yes, I''m not kidding when I said it was bigger. I mean, even I thought that those Giant Frogs were big enough, I called it giant after all. But imagine my surprise when I saw something bigger than that. Yeah, I almost went nuts. And of course, I am not crazy enough to fight that thing as I am now. The same goes for the evolution of the lizard monster because I was still having a hard time killing a normal one. Anyway, today I caught and killed three lizard monsters. Yes, I said three, and I would definitely eat all of them. Seriously though, I couldn''t believe I could eat this much. This was actually one thing I have noticed. Apparently, now that I have evolved, my appetite also increased. ''I wonder if it is because I am a rare monster? Or maybe for Dire Wolves, this much is normal?'' While I was eating and thinking such useless things simultaneously, I once again heard the Mechanical voice. [Received Title: Predator] ''Oh, I got a new title!'' Chapter 10 - 9 [Predator] [A title acquired by individuals that greedily hunt for prey and eat them en masse. Through this title, the individual would be able to acquire the skills Devour and Hunt] [Devour] [Convert any ingested food into pure energy. The converted energy could then be used to recover mana, health, and stamina] [Hunt] [Able to mark a target within the user''s perception. As long as the mark remains, the user would be able to sense the location of the target. But the larger the distance between the user and the target is, the lower the accuracy of the skill would become] So, yeah. Apparently, because of hunting and eating so much, I received a title and two new skills to go along with it. Although I really wanted to argue that I just did what was necessary to survive, the great skills that I received made me think twice. Seriously, they were both really convenient especially that Hunt. Being able to locate a target anywhere within the user''s perception range was not only a huge advantage in the wild but would also be a trump card against humans if used properly. And then there was that devour, which I could use to optimize and increase my hunting time. Of course, it was not as if I could go and hunt without sleeping. And that was one of my discoveries upon trying it out. For some unknown reason, even if my body wasn''t exhausted, I still needed to sleep for at least a few hours. Maybe it has something to do with being mentally drained. Well, my hunting time still increased despite that limitation. And because of that, I leveled up. Some of my skills including the new ones have also ranked up. And so, my current status was as follows. [Name: (Unnamed)] [Race: Dire Wolf Variant] [Level: 17] [Status: Healthy] [Skills: Rabid Fangs (Rank B), Call of The Moon (Rank C), Night Vision (Rank A), Enhance Smell (Rank A), Enhance Hearing (Rank S), Recovery (Rank A), Detect Malice (Rank A), Scratching Claws (Rank D), Potential Boost (Rank D), Assess (Rank C), Presence of Mind (Rank D), Swiftness (Rank C), Haste (Rank C), Devour (Rank C), Hunt (Rank C)] Well, there was one problem I have noticed. This was just my guess. But maybe, because of the effect of my Devour skill, my Recovery skill wasn''t moving an inch. I also noticed that whenever I sleep, the usual notification that displayed the exact time of my rest wasn''t popping up. Because of that, now I have no idea how much time I had spent in this place. And seriously, not knowing how many days have passed was scary. So as usual, I just moved forward while hoping to find a way out of this place. There was one good news though. For quite some time now, I started to see the walls enclosing this place. And every time I resumed my stroll, I noticed that the space surrounding this wetland area was starting to become smaller and smaller. So, if my eyes weren''t playing tricks on me, I''m sure that it won''t be long and I would find an exit. Seriously though, this place was just like a huge cave. Still, I needed to replenish my strength. And so, I am currently stalking a Giant Frog who I have marked using Hunt. The Giant Frog was alone and just like me, it was also searching for some prey to eat. Normally, these Giant Frog monsters would prey on some huge Bee-like monsters that were popping up from time to time on these parts. But if they couldn''t find any Bees, they would ambush or fight a lizard to kill and eat it. Though there were times that I have seen some lizards turn the table on the frogs. Of course, I would then ambush whoever it was that won the fight thus killing two birds in one stone. What, that was nasty? Well, I needed to be at least that crafty to survive in such a harsh environment. After all, in this kind of environment, the only rule is to eat or to be eaten. Anyway, now the frog has stopped moving and was carefully eyeing a lone Bee-like monster flying clueless nearby. In these kinds of situations, it was better to wait for the frog to successfully capture and eat the bee before launching an attack. After all, those Giant Frogs were most vulnerable the moment they successfully captured a prey. That was what I noticed after observing these monsters for quite some time. I carefully hid behind the nearest boulder and made sure to conceal my presence as much as possible. And just like me, the frog was not moving. This was the typical behavior that these monsters would show when they were trying to catch a monster bee. For me, I personally called this behavior Playing Dumb. Why? Because that was technically what these frogs were trying to do. Whenever they hunt a bee, they would act as if they haven''t noticed the bee and then suddenly capture it using their tongue. Yes, it was vastly different from how they acted when they were after me. After quite some time, the dumb bee finally lowered its altitude and was captured by the whip-like tongue of the Giant Frog. As the Giant Frog pulled its tongue and swallowed the bee, I dashed out of my hiding place and leaped towards the frog''s back. While letting out a growl, I bit the Giant frog''s nape. As my fangs pierced the Giant Frog''s flesh, I felt something hard hit the tip of my fangs. That hard object beyond the flesh was the Giant Frog''s spinal cord. In all honesty, I could just break it using the immense strength of my jaw and my sturdy fangs. But these Giant Frogs were incredibly tenacious that just breaking their spinal cord would not be able to kill it. That was why instead of simply breaking the spinal cord, I developed a tactic in which I will grab ahold of it and then pull it out with all my might. Probably because of pain, the Giant Frog screeched and thrashed around violently. But it was too late. Because I already successfully ripped out its spinal cord and leaped away from its back. As the frog showed its last bit of resistance, I quietly watched as it slowly lost its remaining strength. After quite some time, the frog finally fell face down on the ground and breathed its last. Once again, it was a successful hunt. With this, I could now replenish my strength and continue my journey. On top of that. [Individual (Unnamed) is now Level 18] ''Nice. Two more level-ups and I would be able to evolve.'' I thought as I walked towards the dead frog. ''I still could go on for now so I better eat this fast. Though, is it just my imagination or the monsters here made leveling up quite easy?'' Seriously, I didn''t know if it was because of my Potential Boost or the monsters here, but I am gaining levels at an incredible speed. From what I could remember from that time when I was just a normal wolf, reaching the second stage of evolution takes some time. In the pack of my late wolf father, Great Wolves were the minority. That was why being a Great Wolf is of great importance and reaching such form meant that a wolf would hold a commanding position on the pack. That could only mean that leveling up was no easy feat and that was why there were only a few Great Wolves. ''If so, what was the reason I am leveling up this fast? Is it because the monsters here are all high levels?'' While I was trying to solve this mystery, I am also munching on the frog as fast as I could. But in the midst of eating, my Detect Malice warned me of incoming danger. Trusting my skill, I activated Haste and leaped out from my position at a breakneck speed. And that decision definitely saved my life. Because while I was still midair, I saw a long black blur dive into where I was before. Probably pissed that its surprise attack had failed, a huge black snake was hissing at me with murderous intent. It was the true identity of that long black blur. And looks like while I was stalking the frog from behind, this thing was also cleverly sneaking behind me. ''This monster is dangerous!! My Detect Malice only managed to pick it up during the last second!'' In hindsight, the snake probably had a skill that can counter detection type skills. Moreover, If I didn''t have Haste, I would probably be dead right now. It was a stroke of incredible dumb luck, and for the first time since I received it, I gave thanks to that loathsome title. Because this was my first time seeing such a monster, I used Assess on the snake. And just like before, the information it displayed was the obvious [Snake]. ''Well, at least it will rise in rank if I keep on using it.'' As I was thinking such things, I felt a sudden wave of fear. But for some unknown reason, it only lasted for a moment, and it disappeared rather quickly. I didn''t know if it was connected to that momentary fear, but the snake became more pissed after that. Then with terrifying speed, the snake launched itself towards me. I hastily activated Haste and got away from the snake. But the next thing I knew, the snake had already closed the gap between us. Honestly, the snake was incredibly fast. It was to the point that I needed to keep Haste active just to keep up with its speed. To make matters worse, I couldn''t find any opening to attack. It was a problem with physiology. If I tried to strike it with my fangs, the snake would surely coil around me and crush me to death. Of course, I''m sure it also has an incredibly deadly poison. ''Damn it! What should I do?!'' I ran and the snake would follow, it was a deadly game of tag. A game in which the loser would become the nutrition for the winner. And During that game of tag, I also considered simply running away like I always do. But with the snake''s speed, turning my back to it would mean certain death. ''Shit, I''m starting to feel tired. Looks like keeping Haste active for too long isn''t a good idea!'' I desperately tried to keep Haste active even though my body was getting heavier by the second. Yet despite my best efforts, I slipped up. For just a split second, I lost control of the skill, and it deactivated. But I knew. For the snake, that split second was enough. And just like what I had thought, the snake caught up and it bit me near the neck. Of course, before the snake managed to coil around my body, I reactivated Haste and moved away fast. But unlike before, the snake didn''t try to chase after me. It just stopped a few distances away from me as if assured of its victory. And the snake was right on the money. Because it didn''t take too long for my body to feel numb. As I desperately tried to stand on my shaky legs, I saw a notification blinking on the corner of my vision. And it read as follows. [Status: Poisoned] Chapter 11 - 10 ''The snake injected poison on my system.'' As that realization dawned on me, my vision starts to get hazy. I tried to keep my calm by breathing in but even that started to feel painful. It was as if there were a bunch of blades stocked inside my lungs. Every time I took in even just a small amount of air, those blades would stir around inside and shred my lungs in the process. In a word, it was incredibly painful. I even coughed up blood whenever I exhaled. ''Damn¡­ it¡­'' As time passed, even my vision was dyed in blood. Still, I endured all that pain and stubbornly stood my ground. But simple willpower could only take a person so far. When faced with death, simply being headstrong wasn''t enough. And that was a fact and undeniable truth. And so, I eventually fell to the ground. I tried to stand back up, but my legs were simply too weak. While violently coughing up blood, I felt the snake crawl near me. Then, I felt it as it slowly coiled around my body. Looks like for the snake, the poison was just a means to weaken me so that he could easily crush me to death. Honestly, I already had a hunch after the snake made that surprise attack. But this action just proved it. Unlike those opponents I had fought before, this snake was definitely a lot more cautious. The proof was that despite having the chance and capability to just swallow me whole, it would rather take the long route and crush me first to die. It was the first time since coming here that I directly fought a monster this cautious. Despite being on the verge of being a meal, I still felt respect for this cautious snake. It was because this monster understands the fact that simply being strong wasn''t enough of a guarantee to survive. This fact was also something I had to learn the hard way not only from my life as a human but also from my time as a simple wolf. But of course, I wasn''t going to go down without a fight. Out of respect for this worthy enemy, I would stake my life on a gamble. And being coiled around by the snake just presented the perfect opportunity for that¡­ As the snake slowly tightened its grip around my body, I mustered all my remaining strength and bit the snake''s body over and over again. In my current state, ripping off the snake''s flesh until it dies would take too much time and effort. And I simply didn''t have the strength and energy to keep it up until the snake died. That was why my plan was quite simple. It was to stock up the effects of my skill Rabid Fangs. If you forgot, my Rabid Fangs'' effect was to stock up mental damage that could result in the opponent being inflicted by the status called Madness. And if that Madness was not removed, would result in eventual death. I knew that it was an incredibly rash and risky strategy. But I had no other choice. To survive this encounter, I had to gamble my life on my skills. And besides, if I emerged victorious against this worthy opponent, there would still eventually come a time that I would have to once again gamble my life on a similarly risky move such as this. It was just like the saying, ''Desperate times, called for desperate measures.'' And so, the battle of endurance began. The snake continued to crush me with all its might while I bit its body over and over again. Some of my bones even broke in the process, but I managed to endure that pain. Probably because of desperation, the snake bit me once again causing more poison to enter my system. But despite all that torture, I continued to bite the snake repeatedly. Until finally, my efforts bore fruit. It took some time and effort but the snake finally went mad. I could tell because instead of continuing to inject my body with poison, it just thrashed around wildly resulting in the loosening of its grip on me. But despite that, I knew for sure that it would take some time for the snake to die if I just let it be. That was why I continued to bite its body even after I was finally free. I bit and bit and bit. And before I knew it, the snake was already dead along with the notification that said I leveled up. Normally, this was the time when I should be feeling relieved and then celebrate my level up. But with this situation, I didn''t even have time to do that. And it was not simply because I was still poisoned. It was because when I looked at what was displayed in my notification, what I saw was¡­ [Status: Poisoned, Dying] Yes. Now I was not only poisoned, I was also dying. And my ever so kind and reliable notification screen was shoving that fact in front of my face. ''Well, this was also within my expectation.'' Since I knew that this would happen, I have another plan. And it involved my new skill Devour. It was my second trump card. ''If my guess is right, that skill will be able to help me survive this crisis.'' I planned to use the effect of my Devour skill that let me convert any food that I ingest into energy and then use that energy to recover my health. Of course, even I knew that doing that was just like putting a band-aid on a fatal wound. The Devour skill might be able to help me recover my health, but it wouldn''t help me cure the poison. And that was when my second gamble came in. In this world, there was one thing I noticed. And that was by doing a task over and over again, anyone would be able to acquire a skill that was somewhat related to that task. Based on that fact, I guessed that maybe if I managed to survive long enough with poison coursing through me, I would eventually acquire a skill that would somehow help me cure or resist the poison. Maybe it was called Poison Resist or maybe Cure Poison but it really didn''t matter. As long as I acquire any skills that would help me survive this situation, that would be enough. Of course, there was always the possibility that my deduction was wrong. But for now, this was the best bet I got. And so, I pushed myself up and tried to walk towards my half-finished meal. Namely, the frog''s dead body. Unfortunately, it seemed like my body was too weak to even stand and I just fell halfway through standing. ''Well, shit!'' Honestly, I still have another option to eat besides the frog''s body. But if given the choice, I really didn''t want to resort to this. And well, you had probably guessed already. My other choice was to eat the snake''s carcass. The problem with that was¡­ ''I''m pretty sure that this snake''s flesh is incredibly poisonous too.'' This was the reason I didn''t want to resort to eating the snake. Hell, I wouldn''t even dare eat one if I didn''t have to. And to make matters worse, eating this one would definitely reduce my chance of survival. But what choice do I have? ''Damn. It was as if this snake was telling me to gamble everything I have if I want to survive. What a nasty opponent.'' At that, I couldn''t help but smile wryly. ''Fine then, I would gamble everything and survive this!'' And so, I dined on the meal from hell. I stopped thinking and focused my entire being on literally eating for survival. At first, it seemed like the Devour was incompatible with the snake''s meat. Luckily, the skill chose that exact time to rank up. After ranking up, the skill managed to convert the snake''s meat into pure energy and I felt as my body regained some strength. The process of conversion was slow, but at least it helped in extending my life. For me, it was the longest and most stressful meal of my entire life. Even with my past two lives combined, I could safely say that this was the first time I experienced being this stressed because of eating. And every time I saw a part of the snake disappear into my stomach, I felt as if I was running out of time. It was truly a countdown to my death. If I finished eating this snake before acquiring any skill that would help me remove the poison, this would literally be my last supper. Time flowed at a snail pace and the snake was slowly dwindling along with it. As I watched the snake''s body be reduced into nothing, my anxiety and paranoia were reversely increasing. Fortunately, before the snake''s corpse completely disappeared, I saw a notification popup at the corner of my eyes. [Skill gained: Poison Conversion] [Poison Conversion effect was evoked¡­] [Poison Conversion is now at Rank C] ''Thank the heavens I made it in time. And the skill also immediately ranked up. That''s a huge help.'' I thought, feeling relieved. But once again, everything surpassed my expectations¡­ [Skill Poison Conversion has ranked up] [Poison Conversion is now at Rank B] [Skill Poison Conversion has ranked up] [Poison Conversion is now at Rank A] [Skill Poison Conversion has ranked up] [Poison Conversion is now at Rank S] [All conditions were satisfied] ''WAIT, WHAT?!'' I was left speechless and wide-eyed looking at the notifications that flooded my vision. But before I even managed to question it, I was assaulted by incredible drowsiness. Probably due to all the punishment I had received today, I became unable to resist and just doze off right then and there. Chapter 12 - 11 It was a really close call. Seriously, that snake nearly killed me. It would not even be an exaggeration to say that I only managed to survive because of pure luck. And I wasn''t only able to survive because I won all those gambles, it was also because I have those versatile skills at hand. In essence, I survived because of the culmination of luck and coincidences. Honestly, leaving my life in the hand of pure dumb luck wasn''t my style at all. In fact, I hated it. But in this case, I really owed a big one to lady luck. Well, I might have used up all my luck because of this so I better be careful from now on. After all, good luck and bad luck were just two sides of the same coin. This meant that every time I leave my fate to luck, it was like tossing a coin of life and the result would determine whether I live or not. In short, it was a 50/50 chance of success (life) and failure (death). That was why in my humble opinion. Anyone who relied solely on luck was either hopeless or dumb. ''Well, at least I got a new title and some new skills¡­'' After I woke up from my FIVE HOURS SLEEP, I saw a notification saying that I received a new title and gained some new skills. The one skill that stood out to me was the skill Antibodies which was apparently the evolved version of Poison Conversion. From what I could remember before I lost consciousness, I saw a flood of notifications that ultimately ended with this skills evolution. And if I was remembering it correctly, the highest rank of the skill was S and it would then evolve if some unknown conditions were satisfied. There was just an ominous thing revolving around the evolution of the skill, though¡­ ''If everything I know up to this point is right. That means that there was so much poison inside my body that time to the point that the skill even evolved because of how much it was used.'' This theory sent a chill down my spine. The worst part of it was I was pretty sure it was correct. That meant that the snake was a really dangerous and deadly monster, and if I fought another one of those on my current level of strength, I wasn''t even sure if I would win the second time. To top it all off, it was not only strong but was also unbelievably cunning. ''Okay, let''s be careful and avoid any kind of confrontation against that thing for now.'' I swore to my heart. Call me a coward all you want, but for me, this was necessary for my survival. And trust me, I knew what I was talking about. Anyway, did I mention that I gained a new title and new skills? Yes? Oh well, that would make this easy. So, to start with, the new title I received was called Survivor. And just like what its name suggests, it was apparently a title gained by individuals who have managed to survive a supposedly certain death situation. In short, it was a title gained by idiots who have a bit of dumb high luck. As for my new skills, I acquired three. Those were Antibodies, Toughness, and Pain Endurance. The last two I acquired through Survivor. As for their effects and details¡­ [Antibodies (Rank D)] [Rare] [Allow the body of the user to combat any foreign elements that can harm the body. When the skill is activated, the user would be forced to enter a state of slumber as a side effect. And on a case that the user was on the verge of death while being afflicted by a fast-acting deadly toxin, the skill would be automatically triggered] [Toughness (Rank D)] [Passive] [Slightly increase the vitality of the user allowing their body to withstand more damage than usual] [Pain Endurance (Rank D)] [Passive] [Assist the user in moving the body while in pain] So, yeah. I got another new rare skill. Although there was a side effect in using it, the skill was certainly still really powerful. And being that this skill was rare, I could safely assume that there were just a few individuals who have managed to survive being poisoned long enough to gain this skill. It wasn''t surprising though, I mean, I only managed to survive that crisis because of my skill Devour. And even if they have the Devour skill, I doubt there would be anyone insane enough who would try and forcefully acquire an anti-poison skill instead of simply curing it with an antidote. Who knows, maybe there were even healing spells that could remove any kind of poison in this world. The only problem with this skill was I had to avoid being infected by a fast-acting deadly toxin in the middle of a fight. If that happened and I suddenly fell asleep in the middle of a battle, that would be the end of me. As for my two other skills, well, they were both certainly survival skills. My only concern was despite the level of difficulty of the conditions for receiving the title Survivor, the skills I acquired through it were somehow not considered as rare. ''Does that mean that there are numerous individuals who have survived a supposedly certain death situation? If that is so, that just speaks volumes of how dangerous this world is¡­ Well, that should be obvious considering that there are real literal monsters in this world.'' That said, even after acquiring these new skills, I was still in a pinch. Why? Well, it was because when I woke up, I found myself physically injured. To be more specific, I broke multiple bones during the fight with the snake, and among those broken ones was the bone on my right back leg. Fortunately, it was still possible to use that leg to walk, albeit slowly. Yes, SLOWLY. And then, this was the problem. ''I am starving¡­'' Honestly, I didn''t know if this was the result of exerting myself too much in the fight against the snake, I mean, it probably was, but the only thing I knew was when I woke up, I was both tired and hungry. The problem was, I am in no condition to hunt. And it was not only as simple as feeling tired, because if that was only the case, then I could still hunt. But since one of my legs was broken, hunting for food, I wouldn''t even be able to run. I couldn''t even stand straight in my condition, so how was I supposed to ambush or fight an enemy in this state? If this was a forest with a lot of places where I could set an ambush or hide, it might be possible, but in this flat wetland with only some boulders to hide, pulling off a successful ambush without being able to run was impossible. Besides, the monsters here were all incredibly tenacious. And to kill such tenacious enemies, I would need to put some pressure on them using my weight. And guess what? Doing that with a broken leg was difficult as hell. Oh? What about the remaining carcass of the frog? Of course, I already ate that. Actually, thanks to that I was able to gain some energy to walk. Of course, being that I was injured, I was walking slowly while trying to hide my presence as much as possible. I wouldn''t want to run into any kind of monster in this condition after all. And so, I moved forward while trying to conserve as much energy as possible. What was my plan? Well, I am searching for a frog or maybe a lizard''s nest. Why? Of course, it was for the eggs. Okay, here was my reasoning. As I said, I desperately needed food. But at the same time, I was in no condition to hunt. That was why I zeroed in on those monster''s eggs. And since they were still eggs, I only needed to steal some from the nest and then eat it to regain some of my strength. So far, I still haven''t found any nest. But I''m quite certain that there was one or two somewhere around here¡­ I hope at least¡­ With my eyes fixed in search for any nest nearby, I strode forward. On my way, I encountered some familiar monsters such as lizards, frogs, and some bees. Of course, whenever I saw one, I immediately tried to hide before they noticed me. I also made extra sure that there was no monster sneaking behind me. Fortunately, it looked like there were no other snake-like creatures in this area. That or they were just that good in concealing themselves. But since no snakes have ambushed me so far, I think it was safe for me to assume that there really wasn''t any. After all, I doubt those cunning creatures would let go of a walking meal like me. After walking for a while, I also noticed that not only the walls but also the ceiling of the area were rapidly closing in. From the looks of it, I was really nearing the end of this cave. Along with all of that, I also saw a cliff on the left side of the cave. For now, though, I''ve yet to check the cliff for fear that a monster might see me on my way. Additionally, from what I could tell, those bee-like monsters were all coming from that cliff. Though, I still couldn''t be sure for now since my eyes couldn''t see that far ahead. Finally, just before I completely lost my strength, I saw a nest. From what I could tell, it was a frog''s nest. And like the frogs in my old world, this one was also made inside a lake. Compared to the other lakes surrounding it, this particular one was relatively large. Beside it was a huge boulder with some kind of sticky substance clinging to it. Normally, that sticky substance was what should have been holding the eggs. But it looked like I was already too late, that was because when I focused my eyes on the water of the lake, I saw some black things swimming and squirming about on the water. ''Those things for sure are tadpoles.'' I concluded. Honestly, I already considered this possibility ever since I became aware of evolution in this world. Well, it looked like I was right. And as a bonus, it seemed like those frogs also behave the same as the frog from my world. What I meant was, no mother frog was hanging around the nest. In short, those tadpoles were alone and helpless. ''It''s a free meal!!'' I thought. Of course, that was only until I saw what was happening inside the lake. Chapter 13 - 12 ''What the heck is this?!'' I was shocked. I know I should''ve expected this, but once again, this world went beyond my expectations. Maybe you''re curious as to why I was so shocked. Well, you see, I was currently looking into the lake. And I am not looking at it from afar, I''ve actually moved closer towards it and then gazed into the water. My initial plan was simple; to grab and eat some innocent and helpless tadpoles on the lake. But then, I saw what was actually happening on the lake. If I have to describe it in simple terms, it was a bloodbath. And when I said bloodbath, I meant that literally. The lake''s water was tinged in blood. And on the blood-red water, there were lots of black things moving about. Every time those black things squirmed; a cloud of blood would mix into the water. Then it would happen again, and again and again. To be perfectly honest, if those black things were just simply swimming on the lake peacefully, I wouldn''t be this disgusted and shocked. But apparently, that wasn''t enough. Why? Because the tadpoles were eating each other up. Simply put, it was cannibalism. There were a lot of tadpoles on the lake. If I have to estimate how many, I would say probably around a thousand give or take. And not only that, those tadpoles were all pretty big too. The smallest one I saw was about the size of a 1-year old human, while the largest one so far was about the size of a six-year-old. To top it all off, it looked like every single one was carnivorous too. I didn''t know if it was actually part of their nature or maybe because there were no other things to eat on the lake, but for now, those monster tadpoles were trying to devour each other up. ''Man¡­ I came here for an easy meal, but it looks like it wouldn''t be that easy after all.'' Since the tadpoles were carnivorous, I wouldn''t dare test what would happen if I dive into the lake. I mean, just by looking at some left-over bones of dead monsters around the lake told me the whole story. Of course, that doesn''t mean that I would give up on my meal. Because as it stands, these guys were my best bet if I wanted to eat. That said, I couldn''t use my usual method of simply charging and biting the prey to death. If I did that, I would be the one who would be turned into a meal instead. And so, after taking all of that into consideration, I started to strategize. Simply by looking at the tadpoles, I concluded that they were like those piranhas in my old world. That meant that these guys were pretty helpless if they were out of the water. ''So, my priority is to pick up one out of the water, kill it and then repeat. The problem is¡­ How do I go about doing that?'' Aside from being huge, these tadpoles were also incredibly fast swimmers. That was why I could tell, trying to catch them using my paws was a really bad idea. If I attempted that, a broken leg would be the least of my problems, because I would most certainly also lose a leg on that process. So, in conclusion. ''Using any parts of my body to capture a tadpole is a no, no.'' For quite some time, I stood there on the side of the lake trying to come up with a plan. Normally, standing in an open space like this for a long time was a bad idea considering the strength of the monsters wandering around here. Fortunately, it looked like most monsters were avoiding this nest. I couldn''t blame them, though. These things might look like an easy meal from afar, but trying to actually capture one using the usual monster''s way was just suicide. Seriously, I doubt even that snake would dare to try. If that was the case, I could guess these bones around the area of the lake all belonged to dumb monsters that dove in this nest thinking it was an easy meal. ''Good thing I checked first.'' While I was thinking such things, my eyes once again happened upon the bones scattered around the lake. Because of that, a brilliant idea came to my mind. ''That''s right. If using my paws is impossible, then I just need to use some other things that aren''t part of my body.'' Using that brilliant idea as my basis, I began putting it into action. The first thing I did was to search for any suitable bone to use. What I needed was something that has a pointed end, at least straight, has just about enough reach, and thin but sturdy enough not to break. All of these characteristics were necessary to pull off my plan. After all, my body right now was that of a wolf and not of a human. That meant that I had to find a bone that was suitable for my body as a wolf to use. Huh? What was my plan? Well, it should be obvious. I planned to use a bone to stab and capture a tadpole out of the water. Not something a monster would normally do I''m sure. In fact, I''m quite certain that no monster in this area has thought about using this kind of method. But that was just normal since I was only able to think of such a way because I''m carrying the memories of my past life as a human. Actually, it would be quite scary if a normal monster was able to think of such an option. ''I wouldn''t want to fight a monster like that.'' It took me quite some time but finally found a suitable bone to use. The bone I found has a rounded tip and a pointed tip on the other side. It was not quite straight but among the other bones that I found; this one was the most suitable for me. With this, I could finally start fishing for tadpoles. To start with, I bit the bone on its rounded tip. Using my fangs, I grabbed a hold of the bone and then lifted it with its pointed tip pointing in away of me. With a pointed bone jutting out from my mouth, I''m sure that I looked like some kind of a mixture between a wolf and a mosquito. ''Well let''s get to work.'' I thought. With a pointed bone on my mouth, I moved towards the edge of the lake. Once I judged that my position was safe enough, I pointed the tip of my quasi bone spear on the lake. While making sure not to topple over, I thrust the quasi-bone spear into the lake, and it made some blobbing sounds. Without wasting any second, I hurriedly lift the quasi bone spear from the lake and throw the captured tadpole into the land. It was a success. I managed to capture a monster tadpole out of the water and throw it into the ground. I turned my gaze into the newly captured prey and from the looks of it, it was still alive despite being pierced by my quasi-bone spear. Like a fish out of the water, the tadpole was wildly flapping about on the ground confused. Normally, using a spear to capture a fish was hard even while using a human hand. But because of the sheer size and number of the tadpoles, all I needed to do was randomly stab the spear into the water and I would surely capture a tadpole. Seriously, there were so many of them that the lake looked like a mass of squirming black and red substance. After I had successfully captured a tadpole, I dropped my quasi-bone spear near the edge of the lake and walked towards the tadpole still flailing about. Looking at it closely, the tadpole looked like a black of mass just with a mouth. Honestly, it wasn''t appetizing at all. Well, you can also argue that every monster that I ate in this place was all unappetizing. But trust me, this one, in particular, looked a lot more disgusting than the rest. If given a choice, I definitely wouldn''t eat this thing. ''Since I have no other choice, let''s just get this over with.'' With tears in my eyes, I bit the squirming thing to death, tore its flesh, and forced myself to swallow its meat. ''BLEGH!! THIS THING IS DISGUSTING AS HECK!!'' And just like I thought, it was disgusting. Seriously, its meat doesn''t taste like meat at all. It was wet and rubbery, then when I swallowed it, it felt like a goo slithering through my throat. But despite all of that, I still forced myself to finish the thing since I knew that it was necessary for my survival. After finishing the disgusting meal, I regained some of my strength. Of course, it wasn''t to the point that I could finally move normally, but with this, I could probably survive until my fractured and broken bones healed on their own. It was actually one of the effects of Devour. Apparently, unlike my skill Recover, Devour could also heal broken bones with its effect. That meant that as long as there was something to eat, I could recover and be able to hunt normally again. The only problem was the on-hand meal I found was so disgusting that I almost puke after eating it. And to make matters worse, based on my estimation, I needed to stay here for a couple of days before I fully recovered. ''AARRRGGG!! I HATE THIS PLAACE!!'' Chapter 14 - 13 It took a while, but I''m finally back at full strength. Seriously though, I''d like to avoid doing that ever again as much as possible. Anyway, when I left that place, the number of tadpoles had decreased significantly. But don''t misunderstand. It was not entirely my fault, only part of it. Well, it was inevitable, though. I mean, those guys ate each other ceaselessly while I was there. I would even bet that they were still up to it even after I had left. If I had to guess, that cycle would only end after only one was left and then it would proceed to evolve into a full-fledged Giant Frog. ''I was so lucky I didn''t get reborn as a tadpole.'' After I had left that place, I continued moving forward while hunting monsters to eat along the way. Of course, this time, I proceeded with a lot more caution. I wouldn''t want a repeat of what happened with that snake after all. Luckily enough, I still haven''t seen nor encountered any other monsters similar to that snake. From the looks of it, that was a stray and I was just unlucky enough to encounter it. Because of continuously hunting and killing monsters, I gained another level and I was now just one level short before I evolved once again. Some of my skills have also ranked up. The most striking one was my Assess skill. After using it continuously, it was now rank B. Because of that, now I could see a monster''s race whenever I used it on them. Another thing was, I now know where I am and the name of this place. It happened when I used Assess on a boulder. The information it displayed was [Great Vicious Caverns'' Rock]. So, yeah. Apparently, this place was called the "Great Vicious Caverns." For now, I still didn''t know the full details of what that meant, but it was still better than knowing nothing at all. And as for my current status¡­ [Name: (Unnamed)] [Race: Dire Wolf Variant] [Level: 19] [Status: Healthy] [Titles: Awakened One, The RunAway, Predator, Survivor] [Skills: Rabid Fangs (Rank A), Call of The Moon (Rank C), Night Vision (Rank A), Enhance Smell (Rank S), Enhance Hearing (Rank S), Recovery (Rank A), Detect Malice (Rank A), Scratching Claws (Rank D), Potential Boost (Rank D), Assess (Rank B), Presence of Mind (Rank D), Swiftness (Rank C), Haste (Rank C), Devour (Rank B), Hunt (Rank C), Antibodies (Rank D), Toughness (Rank D), Pain Endurance (Rank D)] As you could see, the number of my skills was steadily increasing. I didn''t know if having a lot of skills was a normal thing in this world, but I wouldn''t complain. Also, remember that cliff I mentioned earlier? Well, after I had regained my full strength, I cautiously checked it out. And as it turned out, I was right, the monster bees were all coming up from there. Honestly, I couldn''t see the bottom of the cliff, and even using Assess yielded no result. Probably, the cliff was too deep even for the current range of my vision. But most likely thanks to my Enhance Hearing skill, I could still hear the relentless buzzing of numerous bees beyond the darkness of the cliff. If my guess was right, the nest of those bees would be somewhere on that cliff. As for those stray bees that appeared from time to time, well, according to Mr. Assess, they were apparently called [Bee Scouts]. ''Man, the number of these boulders and small lakes sure are increasing.'' I thought as I continued to trek my way through the wetland area. Actually, it has been bothering me for quite some time now. Compared to the number of boulders and lakes scattered all over on this area before, it seemed as if the more I neared the exit (At least I assumed so) the more their numbers were increasing. And the thing was, contrary to that, the number of monsters seemed to be decreasing. ''I got a seriously bad feeling about this.'' While I was wallowing on my ever-growing anxiety, my eyes happened across an enormous lake. This lake, compared to all the other lakes I have seen before was on a completely different scale. Even that nest where all those tadpoles were killing each other couldn''t compare to the sheer size of this lake. To describe how huge it was, well, let''s just say that the lake was so big that it encompassed the whole area from the edge of the cliff all across to the other end of the wall. It was honestly so big that the only way I could think to cross it was to either swim or hop on top of all that boulders jutting out from its water. But even with all of that, the most important thing I saw was the hole on the wall beyond it. ''Looks like I finally found the exit!!'' I thought. Overcome by the thoughts of finally discovering the out, I excitedly ran towards the lake. But just when I was about a few meters away from the lake, I froze. To clarify, it wasn''t simply because of shock. The reason why I froze was tremendous fear. And it wasn''t just a simple fear either. Because the fear I felt was so powerful that every fiber of my being was screaming at me to run. My mind went black. My furs stood on end. My Detect Malice was going off like crazy. And most of all, my survival instinct was telling me that if I even moved just an inch forward, I would certainly die. Pressed by that overwhelming pressure, I took a step back. After all, there was nothing I could do. No amount of courage nor willpower would overcome that presence, especially not in my current state. In the future, if I continuously seek strength, it might be possible for me to reach a level in which I could face that power. But for now, all I could do was take a step back and do everything I could to avoid angering the source of that presence. Of course, I immediately decided not to defy that presence for now. The problem was that the hole which was probably the exit was positioned far beyond the lake. ''Are you telling me that I cannot get out of this place unless I beat or escape from that thing¡­? Are you kidding me?!'' Honestly, it might be possible for me to eventually gain enough power to beat that thing given all the perks that the skill Potential Boost was giving me. But I was sure that it wouldn''t be that easy, not to mention it would surely take years. And with my current goal of searching for my little sister, I couldn''t possibly stay here for a couple of years working my a.s.s off until I managed to beat that thing. That would simply take too long, and who knows what would happen to my sister during that time. Not to mention I didn''t even have any guarantee that I could certainly reach that level. ''Damn it. What do I do?'' I wracked my brain and tried hard to find a way out of this predicament. And after a while of intense brainstorming, a sudden thought came to me¡­ ''Wait. What guarantee do I have that proves that hole to be the only exit of this place?'' That was right. Up until now, I have been working on the assumption that that hole was the exit of this place. But at the end of the day, that was still merely an assumption with no basis at all. In fact, the only thing I did was moved forward on the assumption that the exit lies somewhere up ahead. So, what if my assumption from the very beginning was wrong? ''Besides, it is also possible that there are multiple exits on this place.'' With that conclusion in mind, I raised my head. ''No matter how I look at it now, it doesn''t seem like the exit. It may actually just lead me deeper into this place.'' Looking at the huge lake up front, I couldn''t help but vaguely remember the scene on the MMORPG I played wherein you needed to defeat the floor boss first before going onto the next stage. I may have only played it because my executive wouldn''t stop pestering me about it, but the knowledge I gained through that may actually help me in this world. While I was gazing intently at that flower, it suddenly shined so brightly that it illuminated the whole area around it with pure white light. It only lasted for a second but when that dazzling light subsided, it revealed a beautiful fully bloomed white flower that was covered by small twinkling lights. I looked at that scene without blinking. Seriously, I couldn''t peel my eyes away from that flower because of how much awe I felt when looking at it. As I stood there in silence, a relentless sound of buzzing entered my ears, and that noise was coming from the left side of the cave. Curious, I looked to where the cliff was. And what I saw was an army of bee monsters emerging from that cliff slowly rallying up above. Witnessing that scene, I unconsciously ran behind a huge boulder and desperately hid my presence. While hiding behind the boulder, I thought to myself that whatever it was that those bees were after, I couldn''t possibly fight an army of them. I mean, even one of them already has an advantage against me because they were able to fly, so what did that say about my chances of defeating an army of them? The answer was, NONE. ZERO. NADA. If I tried to fight those things, I would only be skewered and turned into Swiss cheese by those sharp needles jutting out from their b.u.t.t. As I watched the bees behind the boulder, a strong-looking bee emerged from the cliff and positioned itself at the front of the other bees. When I used my Assess skill on it, the result it showed was [Bee General]. ''Wait. So that thing was a high-ranking monster from their hive?! What the heck are those bees planning anyway?!'' As I was staring at the army of bees in shock, the army of bees consisted of probably thousands of monsters charged towards the huge lake. Wait, no. Looking at it again, they weren''t charging towards the lake, but to that glowing flower from before. But before the army bees managed to break past the lake, a huge shadow emerged from the bottom of the lake. A powerful shockwave erupted because of that accompanied by heavy rain. While I was ducked on the ground trying to protect myself, I heard multiple sounds of something solid falling all over the place. Probably, those sounds came from the monster bees that had failed to dodge that shadow. Finally, after the shockwave subsided, I looked towards the lake and witnessed a gigantic monster standing in its center. The monster was about three-story-tall. It has four eyes, peeking on its mouth was a bunch of huge sharp-looking teeth, and its body was covered by numerous emerald scales from head to toe. [Swamp Drake] Chapter 15 - 14 ''Seriously?!'' I unconsciously yelp. Well, I really didn''t yelp since it was physically impossible for me. But regardless, I was still able to make a pathetic whimper because of sheer shock. And don''t blame me okay. I mean, come on! I knew that the thing lurking under the lake was ridiculously powerful, but I didn''t expect it to be an actual DRAKE!! Seriously man, this thing was supposed to appear only when the character''s level was already high (that was what normally happened in games and novels at least). But what about me? I was still a weak a.s.s wolf!! A newbie!! An undeveloped MC!! So, why was that thing here even though I am still playing the tutorial!! While I was there complaining behind the boulder. I saw the army of bees begin to make their move. Led by the Bee General, the army of bees began to fly around the Swamp Drake. It was unbelievable but probably because of the presence of that Bee General, the bees were moving with incredible coordination. They were moving like a single entity circling the Drake around. Looking at their movements, I couldn''t help but be reminded of that snake I have fought against before. But that was not the most surprising thing. Inconceivable as it was, those swarms of bees moving around the Swamp Drake were all just a distraction. Why? Well, it was because as the swarm of bees was encircling the Swamp Drake, some bees were moving independently towards the white flower. Witnessing that scene, I couldn''t believe that those same bees were of the same species as those dumb bees I have encountered before. ''Those bees were actually using tactics to fight the Drake¡­ Unreal¡­'' It was a sight to behold. With this, I could now certainly say that monsters who have managed to evolve were not simply powerful. Most likely, they were all quite intelligent as well to some degree. ''I wonder if the snake I have fought before was an evolved species as well¡­?'' But of course, the Swamp Drake would not let the bees have their way just like that¡­ Before the stray bees managed to reach the flower, something fast and sharp cut through the air. And that thing did not stop at just killing the numerous bees flying around the Drake, it also managed to slice past those swarm of bees and kill all the strays which were trying to steal the white flower. After killing all those stray bees, the Swamp Drake then proceeded to go on a rampage and slice apart the formation of the bees. Whatever it was that the Drake was doing, it was sharp and swift enough to shred those unfortunate bees into tiny pieces upon contact. Bits and pieces of shredded bees flew in every direction. In a word, it was a massacre. Those bees didn''t even have any chance to strike back using their needles, because when they tried, they were mercilessly sliced apart before they even managed to reach the Swamp Drake. But amidst all of that, one particular bee was dancing in the air dodging all of the Swamp Drake''s attack. And that bee was the Bee General. Despite facing an enormous and incredibly powerful opponent, the Bee General was flawlessly evading all the attacks that the Swamp Drake was throwing at it. As a matter of fact, the Bee General was even slowly trying to move towards the Swamp Drake. But as the distance between the Bee General and the Swamp Drake decreased, the Bee General began to struggle in avoiding every attack. Clearly, the Bee General was at a disadvantage since it couldn''t even afford to be hit even once. Honestly, I personally thought that even just a simple graze would be enough to end the match. The Swamp Drake''s power was just that far ahead compared to the Bee General. Probably realizing the same thing as me, the Bee General slowly moved away from the Swamp Drake while gesturing to the other bees to do the same. But of course, the bees'' escape came at a price. And that price was the life of their comrades because by the time the bees managed to get out of the Swamp Drake''s range, about half of their forces were already dead. Unfortunately, the Swamp Drake wasn''t done yet. As if adding salt to the monster bees'' wounds, the Swamp Drake started shooting bullets of water. Every single water bullet was fast. In fact, I even found myself having a hard time following the trajectory of each bullet. The bullets also carried incredible power within them. It was actually to the point that when a bee was hit, it would explode leaving nothing but a green liquid behind. Probably to counter that, the bees spread around on the command of the Bee General. Because of that, the Swamp Drake sprayed a barrage of water bullets around like a freaking machine gun. Of course, it also meant that staying on a single spot for too long would result in certain death. ''Shit, shit, shit, shit!!'' I cursed while jumping and running around for my dear life. At this time, I stopped observing the battle between the bees and the Swamp Drake and focused entirely on trying to preserve my well-being. ''Not good! If I get hit even once, I will be turned into mincemeat!!'' A cold chill ran through my whole body every time a water bullet grazed past my fur. And that fear only got worse when I saw a water bullet hit the ground and essentially dig deep enough to form a small lake. I ran and dodged, ran and dodged, ran and dodged for god knows how long. I even tried hiding behind a huge boulder only to be left speechless when I saw a water bullet destroy one in front of my eyes. Fortunately, before I became completely out of breath, the barrage of water bullets stopped. And that''s when I noticed that I was already just a few meters away from the cliff. Finally having time to breathe, I tried to steady my breathing and looked up. To my surprise, it looked like the bees had managed to fare better than I was since it seemed like they only sustained a few casualties on their ranks. Though unlike before when they chose to clump together, the bees were now flying while maintaining quite a distance between one another. Well, I was pretty sure that the reason why the bees managed to minimize the casualties was because of that strategy. ''Seriously, that Bee General is a really good leader for a monster. Guess for now I''ll avoid fighting a group of bees if they are being led by that thing as much as possible.'' Thanks to that clever strategy probably made by that Bee General, the battle between the bees and the Swamp Drake was now at a stalemate. Although even after losing more than half of their forces, the bees seemed to be still determined to steal the white flower. ''Just what is with that white flower that those bees are so determined to get even at the cost of their life?'' I couldn''t help but ask. Unfortunately, I didn''t get enough time to try and deduce the answer. Without any warning, the Swamp Drake let out a mighty roar. Hearing that, I Instinctively ducked to the ground. Thankfully, that decision proved to be the right choice because a powerful shockwave erupted just a split second after that roar resounded. The air raged and the earth shook. And unlike the howls of the two alphas from my memories, this particular roar was so unbelievably loud that I even had to cover my ears using my paws just to prevent my eardrums from shattering to pieces. But that was not the end of it, because when the loud sound finally subsided, a fear of mine became reality¡­ Remember that time when I first woke up in this place and found myself anxious about those huge boulders up above? Well, that fear of mine came true. Because now, a multitude of those boulders up above was falling like some goddamn meteorites. The worst thing was, one of those things was falling directly towards me. ''HOLY CRAP!!'' Panicking, I immediately moved out of that place. But honestly, I didn''t know where I should run because there were too many boulders falling that evading them all seemed like an impossible task. Fortunately, I managed to evade the boulder falling on me just at the right time. But in exchange, I was thrown off by the shockwave produced by its impact and the next thing I knew was hearing the sound of whistling air in my ears. To explain it in simple terms, I was falling down the cliff. ''Not good, not good, NOT GOOD!!'' While I was falling at a terrifying speed, I desperately tried to balance myself in the air to at least avoid falling headfirst to the ground. Fortunately, it looked like the cliff was so high to the point that I even had time to fix my posture. And just right on time when I finally fixed my position midair, I saw some crystals below jutting out from the walls of the cliff. After I saw that, I gritted my fangs and grabbed one of the crystals with all my might. When I searched around with my eyes, I saw a squad of bees inching towards me. I tried flailing my legs randomly to shoo them away but it only served to agitate the bees more than before. Right after that, I felt a piercing pain on my back, and it was also accompanied by a notification saying that I was poisoned. ''Goddamn bee!! That hurt!!'' Once again, I was in a pinch. Fortunately, I have the skill antibodies now, so I didn''t have to worry so much about the poison. The problem was I was still literally hanging in the air bleeding on my back. And to make matters worse, I could also see the other bees preparing to attack any moment from now. ''Damn it! I can only think of one way out of this situation. And once again, I have to rely on my goddamn luck for this!!'' Just like that time with the snake, it looked like I once again needed the help of lady luck. But this time, it was more of pure dumb luck than relying on my skills. And if you''re curious about the solution that I was saying. Well, it had something to do with the sheer number of bees flying around on this cliff. In short, I would have to let myself free fall and hope to fall directly above an innocent bee. Of course, I could only come up with this idea because I could hear a deafening sound of buzzing which signifies that numerous bees were dwelling on this cliff. I know, I know, even with that reasoning, it was still a really crazy idea. Unfortunately, the only two choices this time was to either bet on that probability or be skewered to death by this group of bees. That was why I naturally chose the former. ''Here goes nothing!!'' It was a really long fall. And as the wind brushed past my furs, I also passed by a lot of bees flying around the cliff. Fortunately, it seemed like those things had no interest in chasing after me so I wouldn''t have to worry about being swarmed and skewered by bees in midair. The problem was I was free-falling with nothing to hold onto. As my time in free fall increased, and so was my anxiety. During that time, I even started thinking that maybe this was the end of the line for me. But just when I was about to lose all hope, I saw a silhouette of an unsuspecting bee hovering directly below me. The moment I saw that I desperately tried to hide my presence and fall with as much silence as possible. Luckily, the bee didn''t notice me until the end, and I managed to fall directly on its back. At the same time that I hit the bee, I immediately grabbed onto its back with my mouth. Of course, I also made sure to be careful enough not to kill the bee with it. But probably because of the sudden pain and impact, the bee''s flight wavered and we zigzagged down the air. The bee desperately flapped its wings and tried to throw me out from its back. But I was stubborn and I kept holding on despite the bee''s desperate attempts and efforts. Because of that, the bee and I went from a zigzag flight to spinning around in the air. Honestly, I completely lost track of time because of how long the bee and I spun around the air. But for better or for worse, all of that ended when I felt a sudden jolt of pain all over my body. Chapter 16 - 15 ''Arrrghh¡­ That¡­ hurt¡­'' My whole body was in pain. Though, I guess feeling pain was a heck of a lot better than dying from that fall. Well, it was actually thanks to that bee that I was still alive because that bee managed to kill a lot of momentum by desperately flapping its wings. And since I was also riding on the back of the bee during the fall, that bee''s body also served as a cushion for my body during the impact. Although because of that, the bee was now in tatters. I honestly didn''t know if it was for better or for worse, but despite receiving most of the impact, the bee was still alive. And as of now, all it could do was squirm like a worm because the bee lost not only its wings but also all of its limbs. It was truly in a pitiful state. Of course, it was not as if I was any better. The worst of my injuries was probably on my back. It was that same injury that the bee from before has given me. Fortunately, it had already stopped bleeding, and it also didn''t hit my spinal cord. Though, it was still nasty since it seemed like the damage had reached the joint connecting my body to my back leg. Seriously, it looked like I won''t even be able to use this leg to walk. And as if just to make it a lot worse, my front right leg was also broken. Although it was not to the same extent as my back leg since I could probably still use it to support my weight when walking. After checking my overall condition, I looked around the area I was in. Unfortunately, the range of my vision in this place seemed more limited than ever before because there was not a single light in this place. The only possible reason I could think why I was still able to see was because of my Night Vision skill. Well, it wasn''t to the point that it could hinder my movements so it wasn''t that bad. When I finally made sure that there were no enemies nearby, I tried standing up and then moved towards the dying bee. ''Damn it¡­ I''m in this situation once again¡­'' No matter how I looked at it, this situation was a repeat of what had happened after I fought that snake. But this time, I didn''t win and survive a battle and was instead a part of the collateral damage. Fortunately, it would be possible for me to recover a little if I ate this dying bee. I know it was cruel even for me especially since it was thanks to this bee that I was still alive, but it was survival of the fittest man. That was how this world works. Besides, it was already half dead. Even if I let it be, it would die eventually. So, the best thing that I could do for the bee was to end its misery and give meaning to its death. With that justification in mind, I bit the dying bee''s head and rip it apart from its body. Because of that, the bee died instantly. And right just after the bee died, a notification popped up in my vision¡­ [Level up] [Individual (Unnamed) can now evolve] [Would you like to begin the evolution now?] [Yes/No] ''Oh, nice!'' I didn''t expect it, but it looked like killing the bee was the last push I needed to reach level twenty. It was actually really nice timing. And if my guess was right, all my current injuries would disappear once I finished the evolution process. In short, it might just be possible to use the evolution process as a way to instantly recover from injuries. And the proof of that was in my memories living as the young wolf. In that memory, I recalled that one of the Dire Wolf I know lost a single eye during one of their hunts. But after he evolved into a Great wolf, even that missing eye came back like it was a miracle. So, based on that, I deduced that maybe the evolution process could also remove any injuries that a monster had sustained before the evolution. If that was the case, then I only needed to evolve to heal all these injuries. The only problem with that was¡­ ''I''m also pretty sure that to complete the evolution, one needed enough nutrition to sustain the process. In short, I needed food.'' It was actually a problem I noticed after evolving once. That time, I felt so hungry when I woke up despite eating my fill before I slept. And that could only mean that the evolution process has consumed all of the nutrition I have stocked up before I sleep. Of course, it was not as if I didn''t have any food on hand. After all, I have this dead bee here, and it could serve as my food. The problem was, I doubt this much would be enough. And with all of that reasoning in mind, I ultimately decided to temporarily postpone my evolution. ''Guess, for now, I''ll search for a place to rest.'' And so, I started dragging the dead bee along while surveying the area. The first thing I noticed was that the walls of the cliff were riddled with cave-like holes. For now, I couldn''t see any monsters around. But I wasn''t about to let my guard down. Especially since I was injured and couldn''t properly put up a fight. Carefully, I moved towards the nearest hole while dragging the bee as silent as possible. And right just when I was near it, I heard two hostile growls coming inside that hole. When I heard that, I immediately let go of the bee and hastily hide behind a nearby rock. After a few seconds, I saw two monster dogs run out of the cave while fighting each other. Instinctively, I used Assess on the two monsters and the details it displayed as [Hellhound]. Curious as to why those two monsters of the same race were fighting, I observed their behavior as they fought. Of course, since I carry the memories of my time as a wolf, I knew that the monster of the same species as me would sometimes fight for supremacy. Because of that, I thought that maybe those two monsters (who were technically related to my species), may have been fighting over territorial control or a higher position in a pack. Unfortunately, that hypothesis was so far off from the truth. As I silently watched those two monsters fight, I noticed that the two monsters seemed too feral even by a monster''s standard. It was as if those two were out of their minds. And that suspicion was confirmed when one of the monsters managed to bite the other one on the ear. Of course, since those two were in the middle of the deathmatch, doing that was only normal. But when one of them tore the other one''s ear and ate it, that was when I realized the reason why they were fighting. ''Holy crap!! Those two are trying to eat each other!!'' That was right, those two monsters were not fighting over a territorial dispute or for a higher pack position, but instead, they were trying to eat each other. Honestly, those monster''s behavior shocked me. Because even combining my two memories, I was sure that dogs or wolves didn''t showcase any kind of behavior related to cannibalism. In fact, in both worlds, I thought that my current species was supposed to live in packs. ''Wow, this world really knows how to bend the rules.'' While I was wallowing in my shock, the two Hellhounds continued to fight. And that fight was not only intense, it was also incredibly bloody. Because not only were those two trying to eat each other, they were also tearing each other''s flesh apart and then swallowing it afterward. In essence, they were like two berserkers trying to eat each other alive. The two Hellhounds kept at it until they were all bloodied up. And by the time one of the two became weak, their blood had already stained the whole area they were fighting in. Personally, I thought that the winner was already decided with that. But contrary to my expectation, it seemed like the spectacle wasn''t over yet. Upon witnessing that, I instinctively froze and desperately hid my presence. I was so desperate in fact that I even stopped breathing in hopes that the monster wouldn''t notice me. But all of that wasn''t just simply because of the scene I saw. It was also because of the form of the monster I was gazing at right now. Munching on the two Hellhounds in front of me was a three-headed dog. That three-headed dog was about two-story-tall and had thick purple fur. Surrounding its body was a dark purple aura that was fluctuating violently every time it moved. When I raised my head to get a look at its head, I saw three pairs of pure red eyes. And lurking in those eyes was a deep-seething madness that sent shivers down my spine. Fortunately, it seemed like that monster hadn''t noticed my presence because it turned around right after it was done eating the two Hellhounds. Normally, that thing should be able to smell the blood on my wounds. But probably because of all the blood scattered around by the two Hellhounds, the smell of my blood was masked and the monster was tricked into thinking that it was the smell of that same blood smeared on the ground. When I saw that, I sighed in relief. And when the monster was far enough, I noticed a notification saying that I acquired a new skill. But for now, I didn''t pay it any attention and I instead used Hunt and Assess on the Three-headed monster. And with that, I learned the race of that monster¡­ [Cerberus], that was what the monster was called. Chapter 17 - 16 ''What a rough day¡­'' I thought when the Cerberus was finally out of my sight. But seriously, meeting a Dragon and a Cerberus in just one day? Talk about incredible bad luck!! Of course, I didn''t forget that I owed lady luck my life two times now, but I think it was safe to assume that it was already evened out because of meeting those two powerful monsters. Besides, when I looked at it more carefully. The reason my life was endangered in the first place was because of those unlucky encounters. It was the same with the snake and even more so with that Dragon and Cerberus. ''Seriously, this life has been so freaking dangerous and eventful ever since my memories had resurfaced¡­ Well, I guess that I can also say the same about my past two lives huh?'' When that thought crossed my mind, I honestly felt depressed. Because when I carefully looked at it, I started to realize that I had experienced some pretty terrible stuff in both of my memories. It was as if I was cursed by the heavens to always experience some setbacks in every turn of my life. And although it was true that because of those experiences I have become a much more mentally strong individual, I would gladly take a mediocre but stable life if I was given a choice. ''Well, at least in my life as a human, I met some trusted companions and even had experienced a good life before I died¡­ Although I cannot say the same thing with my life as a normal wolf, at the very least I can make some difference now since I had two memories within me.'' Of course, I knew that standing here wallowing in my insecurities wasn''t a good idea. That was why after I returned to my senses, I carefully and silently dragged the dead bee towards the cave where the two Hellhounds came from. Now, some of you must have been thinking that it was a really bad idea. But I disagree and the reasoning for that was quite simple¡­ First reason. Since it was pretty much already established that the Hellhounds were not only carnivorous but also cannibalistic, then it goes to show that those things couldn''t possibly live in packs. Most likely, those things live alone and hunt for their food on their own. (Although because of this, the process of how those things reproduce became a complete mystery.) Anyway, because of that fact, I could confidently conclude that the cave must have been the lair of one of those Hellhounds, and since both of them were dead, then that lair was now surely empty. Second reason. When I first found the two Hellhounds, the two of them were both inside a cave which was, by all means, goes against my first conclusion. So, if that was the case, why would two Hellhounds stay inside a single lair and then try to consume each other? And for that question, there were two possibilities. One was that those two may have been a couple of Hellhounds who were living inside a single lair together. But of course, given their basic nature of being cannibalistic, that was highly unlikely to be the case. And so, that would only leave the other possibility in which one of those Hellhounds must have been on a hunt only to be followed by the other when it tried to return to its lair. Probably, I only came at just the right time when one of the Hellhounds confronted the owner of the lair. Of course, it was also possible that one of them just happened to wander inside the lair, and it just got caught by its owner while searching the place. But given the behavior of those things, I doubt they have the habit of leaving some stocked-up food behind. Meaning, there was no reason for the other Hellhound to search the lair of the other to find some stocked-up food. Now, there may have been some arguments along the lines of; ''but is it possible for a beast as feral as that to have any intelligence to follow a prey unto its nest?'' Okay, listen here. That was only the impression I got when I saw them fighting. And that also meant that I had not the slightest idea of how clever those things were when it comes to hunting for prey. For all I know, those things might be the same as those savage and crazy killers I encountered in my past life as a human. Seriously, those guys were definitely barbaric, but they were all still incredibly crafty when it came to hunting for their targets. Anyway, now that I was quite sure that there were no threats within that cave, I could now use it as a temporary base until I have completely recovered. Furthermore, If I was lucky, it was possible that the original owner may have left a newly killed prey untouched given that it was ambushed just right after it came out to hunt for food. But regardless if that was the case or not, having a place to recover was still a lot better than nothing at all. ''Lucky!! Now, with this lizard and bee, I can finally be sure that the evolution process will be safe!!'' Originally, as long as I found a safe place to hide, I was planning to proceed with evolution using only the bee as the sole source of nutrition. Of course, it was incredibly risky, but given my current condition, I doubt that using devour on the bee would be enough to heal my injuries. That was why I thought that instead of using my skill, I would rather bet on the full recovery effect of evolution. But now, with the size of this lizard monster, I was pretty sure that I could evolve safely now. Normally, if we were talking about the size of the lizard monsters that I had fought previously, I was sure that it wouldn''t be enough even if I combined it with the bee. But given the size of this particular lizard, that wouldn''t be a problem. Actually, I have already seen one of these lizard monsters before. To be specific, it was the evolution of those lizard monsters from before. And apparently, this lizard monster was called a [Horned Umbrazard]. ''Okay, now let''s start preparing for a safe evolution!!'' After deciding my course of action, I started dragging the lizard and bee into the corner of the cave. Of course, I couldn''t just start the evolution process without taking proper measures first. It may sound paranoid, but I couldn''t risk sleeping here knowing that the former owner of this place has been ambushed inside. Fortunately, there were a lot of bones scattered around this cave that I could use to make a temporary fence and trap. First, I gathered the bones that were long enough, sturdy, and also sharp enough to pierce a tough hide. After gathering all the bones that fitted that criteria, I started stabbing all of it on a diagonal position pointing its sharp edges at the entrance of the cave. Essentially, I was creating an anti-cavalry spike. Normally, using bones to make an anti-cavalry spike was a bad idea because of how brittle a bone could be. But in this case, these monster bones were so sturdy that they could probably rival a wood or metal in that department. Actually, I have already noticed this when I used a bone to catch those tadpoles one time. But now I was sure. These things were abnormally sturdy compared to normal bones. Not only that, but it also seemed like if a monster was powerful, they would naturally have some sturdy bones inside them. Fortunately, that feature has been working in my favor so far. After pushing my battered body to finish that menial task, I gazed at my work from deep within the cave. ''With this, huge monsters will not be able to enter this cave.'' Honestly, there were probably a lot of monsters in this place that could easily enter this cave, despite all of those traps. And when I said that, I am not only talking about snake-like monsters that could just crawl around those spikes. I was talking about monsters who could just destroy those traps without even breaking a sweat. I know that it sounds pessimistic, but based on what I have seen so far, I was certain that monsters like that exist. ''Well, at least this was better than sleeping here without any defensive measures¡­ Besides, this is all I can do right now.'' Probably because of my encounter with the Dragon and Cerberus, I felt more anxious than usual. It was actually a really unpleasant feeling, especially since I knew that I had already done everything I could to secure my safety. Seriously, after seeing those powerful beings with my own eyes, I felt so terribly insecure and weak. ''Ugh¡­ I hate this feeling¡­ I guess this just goes to show how weak I am currently¡­ But I will not die here. After all, I still need to find my sister, and I have yet to know why I was brought into this world. So, I''m gonna survive here. And to do that, I will do whatever is necessary.'' After renewing my resolve, I began gobbling up the two dead monsters. Of course, since nutrition was necessary for the evolutionary process, I haven''t invoked the effect of Devour during that. And because of that, I was already full before I even managed to finish eating the Horned Umbrazard. At first, I actually thought that I could finish eating the two monsters leaving only their bones behind. But for some unknown reason, the Horned Umbrazard was incredibly heavy on the stomach. ''Seriously, I cannot believe that I am unable to finish this thing¡­ Wait, don''t tell me that the nutritional value of the meat is also dependent on the monster''s level and race¡­? Well, for now, it doesn''t matter. In fact, this is actually a good thing for me¡­ Now, let us begin the evolution!!'' Chapter 18 - 17 [Evolution Complete] The familiar mechanical voice announced. When I heard that, I instinctively opened my eyes. Then as I felt my senses slowly coming back to life, the mechanical voice spoke once again. [As a result of evolution, Racial Skill Rabid Fangs has evolved into Racial Skill Blood-Soaked Fangs] [As a result of evolution, Inherent Skill Scratching Claws has evolved into Racial Skill Sharp Claws] [Potential Boost''s effect has been invoked, all basic traits of the individual (Unnamed) have all been doubled. And all on hand skills before evolution have also ranked up] [Congratulations. Individual (Unnamed) have successfully evolved from Dire Wolf Variant into Great Wolf Variant] ''Finally, my second evolution.'' I thought as I started checking my newly evolved body. First, I checked if all of my injuries were truly healed just like what I had theorized. Luckily, it looked like it was all truly gone without even leaving any scars behind. And not only that, but it also felt like I was way stronger than ever before. It was a completely different feeling compared to my first evolution, because this time, I could clearly tell the difference in power. But of course, I have already learned my lesson and I was not gonna let this power go over my head. Unlike last time, now I had personally experienced how cruel this world could be. Moreover, I had already seen two truly powerful creatures with my own two eyes. And clearly, I was still just a small fry compared to them even after evolving. After I had made sure that I have no other lingering injuries, I proceeded to check what was new with my body, and the first thing I noticed was how much my body had increased in size. Of course, it was not a huge increase, but it was still significant enough that it would probably take some time before I get fully accustomed to it. To top it all off, there was also the change on my paws and fangs. As for my paws, they now looked like the paws of a tiger. Because of that, these paws of mine now looked stronger than ever before. It even has sharp and pointed claws attached to it. And if my guess was right, I was pretty sure that these new claws of mine could now inflict some serious damage. Probably, these changes in my fangs and claws were due to my newly evolved skills. When I was finally done checking the changes on my body, I then decided that it was finally time to check my new skills. And so, I summoned my status screen. [Name: (Unnamed)] [Race: Great Wolf Variant] [Level: 20] [Status: Healthy] [Titles: Awakened One, The RunAway, Predator, Survivor] [Skills: Blood Soaked Fangs (Rank D), Call of The Moon (Rank A), Night Vision (Rank S), Enhance Smell (Rank S), Enhance Hearing (Rank S), Recovery (Rank S), Detect Malice (Rank S), Sharp Claws (Rank D), Potential Boost (Rank C), Assess (Rank A), Presence of Mind (Rank C), Swiftness (Rank B), Haste (Rank B), Devour (Rank A), Hunt (Rank B), Antibodies (Rank C), Toughness (Rank C), Pain Endurance (Rank C), Conceal Presence (Rank C)] ''Wait a minute... If I am remembering it correctly, skills will evolve the moment they reach rank S. But if that is really the case, why do these skills remain at rank S without showing any signs of evolving at all?'' Actually, I have already noticed it for quite some time now. But for some unknown reason, some of my skills didn''t show any kind of signs to evolve even after reaching rank S. I haven''t paid any attention that time, but now that I have five rank S skills, I was starting to suspect that just simply reaching rank S wasn''t enough for a skill to evolve. Of course, there was still the possibility that the skills weren''t evolving because that was their maximum limit. But even if that was the case, I still couldn''t get rid of the feeling that maybe there were some hidden conditions for a skill to evolve. ''Well, I guess there''s no use in thinking about it now since I am really lacking in information¡­ Okay, let''s just check the effect of my two newly evolved skills. Oh! I almost forgot about it because of everything that had happened, but there is another skill called Conceal Presence in my skill tab. Guess, I''ll also check it out.'' [Blood Soaked Fangs (Rank D)] [Passive] [Racial Skill] [Every injury inflicted by this skill can cause intensive bleeding. Additionally, this skill also has the same effect as the skill Rabid Fangs] [Sharp Claws (Rank D)] [Passive] [Racial Skill] [Claws can inflict shallow wounds on tough objects and scratches on hard objects] [A skill that gives the ability to hide the user''s presence as long as the user isn''t moving] ''These are some nice skills!!'' All the skills I acquired were actually really useful. Furthermore, because of that Sharp Claw skill, now I had two offensive options for combat purposes. And seriously, that Blood-Soaked Fangs skill was incredibly powerful. Honestly, just being able to inflict madness was already great, but now it was also powerful enough to cause bleeding along with madness. Unfortunately, the Conceal Presence skill''s effect was quite mediocre. Though, I guess I could probably use it when during a hunt and when trying to avoid a battle against opponents that were out of my league. ''Not bad.'' While I was celebrating internally because I acquired another powerful skill, I noticed the leftover carcass of the Horned Umbrazard was already gone. Because of that, I stood up immediately then cautiously looked around if there was any sign of the monster who had stolen it. But no matter how hard I searched around the area, there wasn''t any sign that a monster had entered the cave. Even the anti-cavalry spike I have put around the area wasn''t showing any signs of being disturbed. And another thing was; ''if a monster really has entered while I am fast asleep, then why am I still alive?'' It was really a puzzling question. I mean seriously, I was pretty sure that I would die if a monster truly has entered while I was in the middle of an evolution. Even I wouldn''t pass off a chance like that. And given the behavioral patterns of all the monsters so far, I highly doubt that any monster in this area would ignore a free meal like that. ''But if that is the case, then it can only mean one thing.'' Since it was pretty much impossible for a monster to just go and ignore a free snack, then that could only mean that the left-over carcass wasn''t stolen. But if it wasn''t stolen, then where did it go? Does that thing just magically resurrect on its own and run off to who knows where? Of course, not! That was absolutely outrageous! Well, who knows, maybe resurrection was actually a thing in this world. But I was pretty sure that wasn''t what had happened. So, what actually happened, you asked? For that, I have the answer. Remember my theory about evolution needing enough nutrition to be completed? Well, I was pretty sure that this incident had something to do with that. Most likely, the nutrition inside my body during the evolution wasn''t enough to complete the process. So, to complete the evolution process, my body must have moved on its own to find a portion of food and eat it. In short, I may have eaten the left-over carcass unknowingly while I was asleep. ''So, it is really possible to sleep eat during an evolution huh? Man, that is a lot more terrifying than sleep-walking¡­'' But because my theory was correct, another problem arose along with it. For one, now that I was aware that evolution would force my body to find a source of nutrition even while I was asleep, then I couldn''t possibly risk starting evolution again if there wasn''t any stocked-up food nearby. Seriously, I didn''t even want to imagine what could have happened if there wasn''t any left-over carcass this time. Of course, it was also possible that I only sleep eat this time because I was so injured that to complete the evolution, I was forced to search for additional nutrition to completely heal my injuries. But even if that was actually the case, I couldn''t be so sure next time. After all, it might be possible that as the higher the evolution stage, the required nutrition for the body also increases. And then there was also the problem of me not knowing what would happen if I didn''t manage to find a source of nutrition during that time. ''Man, I really need to be careful next time.'' Unfortunately, all I could do for now was consider the verification of my theory as a blessing. And while it was true that there were still a lot of things that I have yet to understand about evolution, at the very least, I was now aware that evolution carried along with it some risk. ''Well, there was little to no use in dwelling with this issue at this time. For now, I guess I need to get used to moving with this body first. But before that¡­'' I gazed at the anti-cavalry spikes I had set up before starting the evolution process. ''Yep, I really need to remove these things firsts¡­'' Chapter 19 - 18 After I had finished removing the anti-cavalry spikes scattered inside the cave, I began to test my newly evolved body. At first, it was kind of a hassle. And it wasn''t simply because of how much my body size has increased, it was also because this new body of mine was far stronger and way more agile than ever before. Seriously, it felt like I was given an exceptionally powerful weapon despite not having the slightest idea of how to use it. Honestly, it was vastly different from my first evolution. That time, when I tested moving my body after evolution, I didn''t feel any huge difference compared to my Dire Wolf Cub form. Yes, my body had also increased in size and I also felt a little weird moving because of the newfound strength within my body, but at least, I didn''t feel like I was losing control every time I made some huge movements. And when I said that I felt like I was losing control, you better believe that was really the case. I mean seriously, I couldn''t even properly regulate how high or how long the distance was when I jumped. ''Man, this is such a hassle¡­'' I sighed. Fortunately, unlike the last time I had evolved, I was not starving this time around. From the looks of it, the food that I had eaten before was enough to bring out the full capacity of this body even after the evolution was completed. Most likely, the evolution process hasn''t consumed all the nutrition provided by that food, and that was why there was still enough leftover nutrition within me to help me keep going even if I don''t eat for a while. ''If that is the case, then I''m gonna use this opportunity to train and get used to this body first before I explore and start hunting around this area!!'' *** It took me quite some time, but I was finally more comfortable in moving my body now. Of course, it wasn''t to the point of complete mastery like I had over my body before. But at least, the weird feeling in my movements has subsided to the point that it was now possible for me to hunt for food. Well, it was more like I had already begun to feel a little hungry so I had no choice but to hunt for food, despite my reservations. And so, I had left the cave and now I was strolling around searching for prey with extreme caution. Looking at the walls of the cliff, I reckon that it might be possible for me to climb up using the jutting rocks and holes scattered all over it. Unfortunately, the relentless buzzing I was hearing up above prevented me from taking that option. Well, if it was just climbing, I have no problem with that. But fighting off those bees while climbing on an uneven foothold? Nope, not gonna do it. So, of course, if I could not climb the cliff, then I just needed to find some other way to climb back up. At first glance, those holes on the wall of the cliff might have looked just like a cave with a dead end, but I doubt every single hole was like that. Probably, some of those holes might actually be a path leading inside the holes. My guess was maybe this place was made up of a lot of interconnected caves. Of course, I was not making this deduction based on just my guess. The biggest clue for me was the name of this place. If you could remember, this place was called "Great Vicious Caverns." And based on the name "Caverns," this place was certainly made up of multiple caves. And so, I was currently carefully looking at every cave I encountered to check if it was a dead-end or not. Unfortunately, I still haven''t found any cave that I could use to explore the interior of the walls. Another problem was I still hadn''t encountered any other monster. Normally, that would be a good thing. But given that my hunger was steadily getting worse, I really needed to find something to eat. Actually, I could guess why there seemed to be no monsters around this area. Most likely, it has something to do with that Cerberus from before. Although I couldn''t feel its presence right now, I got a feeling that the monsters around this area had either run away or were already inside the Cerberus'' stomach. Honestly, that thing was a walking disaster. ''Seriously, that Swamp Drake and Cerberus were both freaking huge. I wonder if it was also possible for me to be that intimidating and huge? Though, if I factor in my goal, I guess being a huge a.s.s monster like that will not help me in the slightest. Well, I have already decided that I will try to become a werewolf, so there''s no use imagining being one¡­'' While I was wallowing in my delusions, I finally found the cave I was looking for. This cave, as I thought, was connected to the other caves. The biggest proof of that was the multiple paths I found deep inside. And because I didn''t have enough information to go on, I just chose a path at random. Normally, I would eventually get lost if I kept this up. That was why the solution I came up with was to follow a path that was seemingly inclined upwards. By doing this, I could increase my chance of going back to that wetland area and it might be even possible for me to run into an exit. Besides, even if I happened to hit a dead end, I could just trace back my scent using my Enhance Smell. So, yeah. I highly doubt I would get lost. After a while of walking through all the twists and turns of this seemingly endless labyrinth, I finally found a new monster. Actually, this was the first time I had seen this type of monster. In a sense, this monster was some sort of insect-type monster. The biggest takeaway for this monster was its arms that were shaped like a scythe. For the most part, it looked like a praying mantis. The only difference was that this monster had three pairs of eyes. So, of course, being that this was the first time I had seen this monster, I used Assess on it. But then, I was surprised by the result. [Name: (Unnamed)] [Race: Hackclaw] [Status: Healthy] ''Wha¡ª'' For the first time, my skill Assess showed a lot of information than usual. Shocked by the unexpected upgrade of Mr. Assess, I unconsciously blinked my eyes wondering if I was seeing it right. But no matter how much I opened and closed my eyes, the displayed information didn''t change. ''No way¡­ Mr. Assess has actually acquired some huge freaking upgrades¡­'' Fortunately, even though I just stood in my position dazed for a few seconds, the Hackclaw just gazed at me cautiously without showing any signs of attacking. Most likely, the Hackclaw thought that I was just acting to set up a trap. Of course, it wasn''t acting in the slightest. I was just genuinely surprised by my Mr. Assess'' new upgrade. Though, it didn''t really matter since that doubt actually worked in my favor. ''Okay, let''s forget about Mister''s Assess upgrade for now. First, let''s just focus on killing this monster.'' Of course, I wasn''t about to let the Hackclaw go even if it didn''t attack me during my dazed. After all, my stomach was pretty much empty now and I was in desperate need of food for quite some time. ''Sorry, Mr. Hackclaw but you''re gonna be my snack!!'' I thought as I charged towards the monster. I know I have already said this before, but let me just say it again, I wasn''t in full control of my body just yet. And that''s why when I charged towards the Hackclaw, it almost managed to cut me in half. Fortunately, I managed to dodge the Hackclaw''s scythe only just by a hair''s breadth. ''Crap, I almost died in there!!'' Probably realizing that it had no chance of winning against me in close-quarters combat, the Hackclaw retreated immediately after missing its attack. To be perfectly honest, the Hackclaw was fast. I could even say that this thing was probably as fast as that snake I had fought before. And besides that, those scythe-like arms were also incredibly sharp. Seriously, those things could probably slice even a stone. As I fixed my stance and lowered my center of gravity, the Hackclaw just stood and kept its distance without showing any intention of charging towards me. And surprisingly, despite clearly knowing that I was a huge threat to its life, it didn''t even try to run. Well, to be fair, the Hackclaw also probably realized that I was fast enough to kill it the moment it turned its back. Besides, the only reason I was having a hard time killing it was that I couldn''t properly dodge those scythes because my control over my body was all over the place. ''Well, this battle won''t end if none of us take a risk.'' Based on the way the Hackclaw behaved, it wouldn''t take the initiative to attack no matter how much I wait. If that was the case, then I needed to be the one to break this stalemate and risk being cut to shred. Of course, I also had the option of using the skill Haste to do a surprise attack. Unfortunately, I had noticed that the Hackclaw''s reflexes were incredibly fast based on our exchange earlier. So, technically, using haste in this battle was just simply suicide. Not to mention that I already had a hard time controlling my speed on my base form so I was pretty sure I wouldn''t be able to handle it if I added the effect of Haste over it. ''Guess I''ll need to win this fight without using Haste.'' I haven''t noticed it up until now, but it seemed like I was starting to get dependent on my Haste skill. Of course, using skills to survive wasn''t bad in the slightest. But despite that, I still needed to improve my own combat abilities lest I would be overly reliant on my skills. And once I became like that, I would certainly lose if the time ever came where I would be forced to fight without using skills. That was why I decided to take this chance to not only master the control of my body but also to train in fighting while minimizing the use of skills. ''Well, you are technically risking your life in this fight. So, as a show of respect, I will also risk my life by beating you head-on. All right Mr. Hackclaw, let''s do this!!'' And so, I charged head-on towards the deadly scythes of my prey. Chapter 20 - 19 Probably determined to prevent me from moving any closer, the Hackclaw swung its arms around with much ferocity. And being on the receiving end of that attack, I could personally feel the combination of power, speed, and precision in each of those swings. That was why to keep up and not die, I completely immersed myself in the fight devoting all my concentration to every single movement and decision I made. I desperately dodged every single one of those deadly swipes only by an inch. Because of that, I didn''t even have time to breathe. But as ridiculous as it sounded, I didn''t feel the slightest tired no matter how long we continued that exchange. And based on the movements of the Hackclaw, we were probably in the same situation. In short, we were once again in a stalemate. Noticing that, I tried changing the tide of battle by slowly moving forward while avoiding every attack. And to my surprise, I was able to push forward despite the relentless attack of the Hackclaw. Of course, it wasn''t as if the Hackclaw had become slower. I could easily tell because the Hackclaw wasn''t showing any signs of fatigue and was also clearly surprised by the sudden turn of events. Then to top it all off, the tension I was feeling within my body was also beginning to subside. It was as if I was learning in the middle of this combat like that certain battle maniac character which I couldn''t remember the name. ''Wait a goddamn minute, what am I thinking in the middle of a deathmatch?! I need to stay focused. STAY FOCUSED!!'' I swore to my heart. But despite my mind drifting away from the battle, I was still able to dodge every attack. And this time around, I was actually pulling it off with ease. ''What the heck?'' Of course, I wasn''t the only one who was surprised by what was happening. Clearly, the Hackclaw was more shaken than I was because it actually retreated a few distances away after witnessing the change in my movements. Normally, I would follow the Hackclaw and would not let it rest. But this time, I didn''t follow it because I know for sure that it wouldn''t attempt to run and escape. Well, maybe it would be more accurate to say that it simply couldn''t. And since it couldn''t possibly escape anyway, I judge that it would be more beneficial for me to take a deep breath and take some time to analyze what was really happening to me. It was only then when I finally had time to ease my mind that I finally noticed. ''Hmmm. Strange, I am pretty sure that I am fighting, in the same way, that I did before I evolve¡­ In that sense, I am not actually learning anything new¡­ But if so¡­'' While I was faking caution against the Hackclaw, I slowly came to realize that I was not actually learning, but was in fact starting to get used to the new strength of my body. Probably, it was the result of experiencing an actual death match. And by continuously moving my body to avoid the Hackclaw''s attacks, my mind was becoming more aligned to my body like some gears finally meshing up perfectly. ''If that is the case, then fighting this monster without relying on my active skills is definitely the right choice!'' At first, the idea of fighting without using any skill was just a simple necessity. After all, using skills would only result in my movements being hindered. And if I messed it up, I would most certainly die. But after realizing the fact that I was getting used to my new body because of this idea, I became much more motivated to continue this fight. Honestly, depending on the situation, I might even deliberately prolong this battle. Of course, I was pretty much aware that underestimating an opponent oftentimes didn''t end well. That was why I ultimately decided that I would only do what was necessary to avoid making an irreversible mistake. Besides¡­ ''Playing with food is bad manners.'' After deciding what to do, I began my preparation to attack. Probably sensing my intention, the Hackclaw lowered its center of gravity clearly preparing itself for the upcoming confrontation. ''Okay, mister Hackclaw. Let''s dance!!'' At that same moment, I charged towards the Hackclaw. And just like before, the Hackclaw desperately swung its arms around to prevent me from coming near. But unfortunately for the Hackclaw, I was not the same wolf that it had fought before. Because this time around, I was dodging all of the Hackclaw''s attack with ease. Unlike our first and second confrontations, I could now clearly see the trajectory of every swing that the Hackclaw does. It was as if the Hackclaw have gotten slower. No, clearly, I was just faster than the Hackclaw from the very beginning and it was only becoming much more apparent now. Then, as I was steadily pushing forward, a sudden flash of inspiration came to my mind. ''Hmmm. How about this!'' While dodging the barrage of slashes, I tried using my new and sharper claws to fling the scythe-like arm of the Hackclaw to the side. Unfortunately, it didn''t go well for my first few tries, and it even caused me some light injuries. But of course, it would take much more than that to make me give up. Paying no heed to my injuries, I carefully observed and studied the trajectory of each strike. And because of that, I slowly began to understand that the best way to defend against this kind of attack was to use my claws to divert its direction away from me. But of course, it was easier said than done. After all, my claws were extremely shorter in length compared to the scythe-like arms of the Hackclaw. This fact not only made defending much harder, but it also made the timing trickier. Fortunately, I still eventually managed to successfully pull it off. Sparks flew every time my claw met those scythe-like arms. For me, it was a good sign, but for the Hackclaw, it signaled the countdown of its impending death. Well, it wasn''t that far off from the truth because my advance had become much faster than before. And probably due to that same reason, the Hackclaw decided to change its tactics. Just right when I was about to reach the Hackclaw, it suddenly started to retreat. Of course, being that I was an advantage, I followed suit. But when I did that, the Hackclaw swung its arms towards me while moving backward. Unfortunately, for the monster, that strategy had not the slightest chance of working against me. And well, the reason for that was quite obvious. ''Idiot, I''m much faster than you!'' Honestly, it was a really bad move. Because not only that I was faster than the Hackclaw, the precision of its attacks was also sacrificed by multitasking like this. And as a result, it became a piece of cake for me to fling away all of its attacks. Upon reaching the monster, I hastily bit one of its legs and then completely tore it off. With that, the Hackclaw''s mobility was effectively lost, and it fell on the ground. But as if showing its last bit of resistance, the monster thrashed around while swinging its scythe-like arms at random. Clearly, the monster was doing that to make it hard for me to parry its attacks. ''Well, I can at least respect your tenacious d.e.s.i.r.e to live. Unfortunately, it is the end of the line for you.'' After paying my respect to the tenacious monster, I slowly moved closer to the Hackclaw while easily swatting off all the attacks that came towards me. Of course, it wasn''t as if the monster''s strategy of swinging at random was bad. It was just that I already became used to parrying its scythe after doing it for a while. Well, my experience in hand-to-hand combat during my time as a human in the past also helped. And though it was true that there was some difference now in bodily structure, in essence, all I needed to do was to learn the trick using this body. ''Because of you, I am now already used to moving this body. And more than that, you are also the reason why I can now use this trick. So, as thanks, I will kill you fast, and I will also make sure that your death will be meaningful¡­'' I thought while respectfully looking my prey in the eye. I didn''t know why, but the Hackclaw became much more desperate after meeting up my gaze. Unfortunately, even after pouring all of its remaining strength in its attack, I still managed to fling away all of it without even breaking a sweat. A metallic clang resounded as I diverted the last of the monster''s attack away from me. Then as I slowly bear down my fangs towards the monster''s head, it stopped resisting entirely as if finally accepting its fate. ''Thank you and good night¡­'' I sincerely thought before opening my mouth wide and proceeding to crush its head. Chapter 21 - 20 After defeating and eating the Hackclaw, my mind had become completely in sync with my body. Because of that, it became much easier for me to move around and hunt some new monsters. Of course, despite getting used to my newfound power, I still didn''t forget to proceed with caution. And naturally, this also applied whenever I fought a monster. Speaking of fighting some monsters. I have actually defeated quite a number now. And those monsters could be split into three categories. First was the first monster I have defeated after evolving into this form, the mantis-type monster called the Hackclaw. The second one was the lizard-type monster called Horned Umbrazard which was the very same monster I had eaten to evolve. Then there was the ant-type monster called Anties Scout that was popping up from time to time. Though, as I continuously pushed forward, I had noticed that my chance of encountering an Anties Scout was somehow decreasing. But that fact was not the one I was most confused about. ''Are there really no Hellhounds around this place?'' To be perfectly honest, I was just fine not meeting one. After all, who in the world would be crazy enough to actively seek those crazy monsters out? I mean seriously, it was not as if those monsters were scary, it was just that they were repulsive. And when I said repulsive, I didn''t mean it physically. What I meant was those things were just simply incompatible with life. Hmm? What was with that last statement you asked? Well, it just simply means that those things couldn''t possibly exist without causing any destruction. At least, that was my overall impression of those Hellhounds. And seriously, the madness I felt on those Hellhounds was quite similar to the feeling I got from that Cerberus. In short, those things were chaos incarnate. Oh right, if we''re talking about a repulsive aura, that armored human from my memory gave me that same vibe. But strangely enough, the repulsive feeling I got from that armored human felt a little different compared to those mad monsters. From what I could tell, the armored human''s presence felt more like a direct threat to my existence. On the other hand, I felt as if those mad monsters were an absolute enemy of all living things. And based on the behavior that the Cerberus and those two Hellhounds have shown, those monsters would surely destroy and devour any unfortunate lifeforms that they happen to encounter on their path. ''Seriously, I wonder why those monsters are behaving like that.'' Really, those monster''s behavior was really a mystery. Because as strange as it was, I couldn''t feel that same intent coming from the other monsters I had encountered. Of course, that didn''t mean that the other monsters weren''t dangerous. But unlike the Cerberus and Hellhounds, the other monsters were killing other living beings in order to survive. In other words, the other monsters were doing it out of necessity and not just for the sake of doing it. ''Man, I really don''t want to end up like that.'' While I was thinking of such things, I finally reached the exit of the narrow path I was traversing and once again found myself in a small dome-like area. And just like the other ones I had passed by before, the walls of this dome-like area were also littered with holes that seemed like a pathway leading to god knows where. ''Sigh¡­ Another one of these huh?'' I thought, feeling a little tired. Honestly, it was really hard to tell the difference between this area and the other ones from before. Fortunately, I have my Enhance Smell skill that was why it was easy for me to know that this was my first time being in this area. If I didn''t have that skill, I wouldn''t even be able to tell if I was just going around in circles or if I was actually making any progress. Seriously, I wouldn''t want to be stuck in this place without any way to mark an area. That was how confusing this place was. Since I''ve been feeling a little tired, I decided to rest my body for a while. But before I even managed to lie down, my Detect Malice went off and a huge black blur slid down from one of the holes on the wall. While keeping my senses on high alert, I kept my eyes fixed on the place where the black blur landed. And after waiting for a while, the cloud of dust finally subsided revealing the form of the monster. While I was preparing myself for the incoming battle, I noticed that the Hellhound hadn''t even noticed me because it was too busy growling at the hole it slid down from. More than that, there were also some wounds all over the Hellhound''s body. Curious, I also looked towards the hole where the Hellhound came from. ''Don''t tell me another Hellhound is coming?'' Based on how the Hellhound was acting, it was pretty much confirmed that it was fighting something before reaching this area. But no matter how much I waited, no other monster appeared from that hole. Because of that, I concluded that maybe the monster that the Hellhound was fighting before wasn''t even interested in following the Hellhound into this place. ''That means I''m stuck in this area with this monster.'' Because the monster that the Hellhound was waiting for wasn''t showing up, I knew for sure that I would eventually need to fight the Hellhound. Fortunately, the Hellhound had yet to notice my presence which made launching a surprise attack a lot easier. That was why I decided not to waste the opportunity and charged towards the clueless Hellhound. Unfortunately, the Hellhound had noticed my presence before I managed to reach it. While I was still midair, the Hellhound also leaped towards me without any hesitation. As a result, we grappled and tried to bite each other midair while letting out incoherent growls. And once I felt the ground beneath my feet, I hastily moved a few distances away from the Hellhound. At first, I thought that I would at least be able to catch my breath given the distance between the Hellhound and me. But the moment I looked up; the Hellhound was already there launching itself towards me. Instinctively, I activated Haste and dodge that Hellhounds attack. After activating my skill, everything seemed to slow down. ''Now, no monster has been able to keep up with this speed after my evolution. So, let''s see how much you will fare Mr. Hellhound.'' But right just when that thought flashed through my mind, a black blur suddenly appeared in front of me. ''What?!'' Fortunately, just before the Hellhound managed to successfully bite me, our momentum was stopped when the Hellhound slammed into a boulder. Of course, I gratefully took that chance and bit the Hellhound before moving away. ''Yikes, that was close.'' I thought after scuttling away. Honestly, I still felt a little dizzy after rolling around like that. Luckily, the Hellhound was in a much worse condition being that I personally injured it on top of being slammed into the boulder. Because of that, I had enough time to completely recover my bearing. But right just when I was about to launch another attack, I heard the sound of something sliding into the ground coming from holes in the wall. Right after that, Detect Malice picked up multiple hostile presences. A bad premonition flashed through my mind. My first instinct right then was to quickly run away, but before I even managed to, sounds of solid objects hitting up the ground filled my ears. Probably as a result of that, clouds of dust covered the entire area I was in. Confused, I hurriedly surveyed my surroundings and saw multiple humanoid silhouettes beyond the cloud of dust. ''Shit, are all those monsters!'' Was my immediate conclusion. While I was trying to calm myself down, I noticed that some of the silhouettes surrounding me were carrying some sort of weapon. Of course, being that the cloud of dust has yet to subside, I still couldn''t see what weapons those were exactly. And from the looks of it, the humanoid monsters seemed like they were dancing joyfully. Some of them were raising their weapons, while the others who were not carrying anything were raising both their hands into the air. Along with all of that, I could also hear the monster chanting gyah, gyoh over and over again drowning the sound of the Hellhound''s growl. Upon witnessing the numerous monsters surrounding me, I took a careful step backward and tried to make my escape. Unfortunately, I suddenly heard a painful whimper from somewhere along with a jolt of pain at the side of my head. My vision blurred and my body went numb. The next thing I knew, I was lying down on the ground with a hazy vision and relentless ringing in my ears. But despite all of that, I still gritted my fangs and forced my body to stand. My legs felt weak, and even though I managed to stand back up, I was sure my legs would give out if I moved carelessly. As I was trying to fix my stance, I sensed an attack coming from behind and managed to dodge it by the last second. Unfortunately, I wasn''t fighting against a single monster. I felt a powerful impact hit the left side of my body. For a moment my vision turned black, and when I came to, I was lying sideways on the cold hard ground. I tried moving even just an inch, but despite all my pleas, my body didn''t listen. The only thing I could move was my eyeballs but it was pretty much useless since my vision was hazier than before. Then when I tried looking up, there was a humanoid silhouette looking down on me. Its eyes were glowing red, and from what I could tell, it was looking at me with curiosity. But despite looking straight to the face of my would-be killer, I felt strangely calm. For a moment, I asked myself if it was because I had already experienced death, but before I even managed to come up with a clear answer, an excruciating pain assaulted my head and everything was dyed in black. Chapter 22 - 21 In the pitch-black world, I heard some unintelligible noises echoing from afar. Curious, I tried focusing on it only to find that the sound has now spread into every direction. Honestly, I had no idea how long I¡¯ve been listening, but I could swear that the sound was slowly becoming louder and louder until it was finally directly ringing in my head. And It was then that I finally opened my eyes. When I woke up, the scene of what had happened before I lost consciousness immediately flashed on my mind. In that instant, my instinct kicked in and I immediately stood up. But probably because of all the damage I had received in my previous battle, I instantly felt a dizzying pain in my head and I fell back down on the ground. ''Damn¡­ it¡­'' I cursed internally. It was only then that I realized that the battle was already over. But the moment my head finally became clear, my confusion only increased. Well, who wouldn¡¯t be? I mean, seriously. The last thing I remembered was fighting and losing to a monster, but this situation didn¡¯t seem to be a work of a monster. First, my feet were bound in pairs by some rope-like vines. Then, probably to prevent me from biting off the vines on my feet, my captors also did the same to my mouth. And finally, there were a couple of tall lumbers that was stabbed on the ground. From what I could tell, all these lumbers were supposed to function as a sort of cage. Of course, the reason why I came to that conclusion was that there were some monsters around in the same situation as me. ''What the heck¡­?'' was all, I could think. Clearly, this situation wasn¡¯t normal by any means. Because if I was really defeated by a monster, then I should already be inside a monster stomach being digested by now. After all, that was how a fight between monsters always ends. Like I always said, the only rule on this place was to eat or to be eaten. But for some reason, that rule didn¡¯t seem to be applicable in this situation. Unless¡­ ''Don¡¯t tell me, humans are living in this place?'' Honestly, the cage and the bounds were still quite crude. Despite that, the only being I know that had enough intelligence to bound and cage the monsters was a human. Of course, even that came with a lot of questions. For one, I was certain that the being I fought before was a monster. But if so, it wouldn¡¯t make sense why I was now captured by a human. Well, there was the possibility that a human came in to save me before I was completely killed. Unfortunately, the problem with that was there was no reason for a human to save me. Besides, there were a lot of monsters in the area at that time and all of them were certainly no pushovers. So, unless my human captors were incredibly strong, there was no way they could have saved me in time. That was why the more I think about it, that possibility became less and less true. ''Wait, are you seriously telling me that all these things are the handiwork of a monster?!'' It was truly a scary thought. Because if all of these were really done by a monster, then that was one heck of an intelligent monster. And from what I could remember before I passed out, there were a whole bunch of them which made it much more terrifying. Of course, there was also the possibility that those monsters were simply following the order of their leader. But even so, if that leader managed to teach its underlings to make these things, then it was safe to say that the leader was approaching the intelligence of a human. ''The intelligence of a human¡­ Hmm¡­ Oi, oi, oi!! Is it possible that there is another reincarnation just like me?'' If we were talking about a monster with a human level of intelligence, then I only needed to look at my own reflection. Although if I was being honest, that thought didn¡¯t cross my mind before. Looking at it now, maybe I was being too narcissistic in thinking that I was somewhat special. Well, I could also argue that I have been simply too busy ever since I regained my memories as a human. But it wouldn¡¯t change the fact that I just irresponsibly tossed that possibility away. ''But, if that is the case, then it might just be possible to negotiate with that monster. Besides, it might be possible that it is one of them¡­'' ''This means that the monster who made all these things may be one of them.'' For now, it was surely a shot in the dark. But the chance was 50/50 which meant that the chance wasn¡¯t zero. It may be just simple wishful thinking on my part, but if I was reunited with those guys, we could surely accomplish a lot more things compared to when I was alone. ''Man, is this what feeling homesick felt like?'' I asked myself with a sigh. Somehow, when I thought of that possibility, my body finally relaxed. Of course, it wasn¡¯t as if I could do something about my current situation. Because from what I could tell, I couldn¡¯t possibly break free from these vines alone. And it was the same for the other captured monsters in this place. ''What in the world are these vines made of anyway?'' I complained internally. Looking carefully at the vines, it was clear that these things were already like this from the very beginning. Meaning, it wasn¡¯t artificially created by those monsters and I even doubt that those monsters could create these things anyway. So, if that was the case, then those monsters must have harvested it from a plant somewhere. But¡­ ''What kind of plant can create a vine as sturdy as this?'' While I was thinking of such useless things, I noticed that the monsters around me were starting to get agitated. But because the monsters were all bound just like me, all they could do was screech and writhe around in anger. Of course, I knew why, but I still didn¡¯t join the bunch. I was a civilized perso¡ª I mean, monster after all. A few moments after that, the reason for the monsters¡¯ agitation appeared. And just like what I had deduced, our captors were also monsters just like us. [Name: (Unnamed)] [Status: Healthy] That was the result of Assess. And from what I could tell, these monsters were some kind of an Ape Type monster. Though for some reason, the monsters¡¯ limbs were strangely long and thin. Of course, it didn¡¯t mean that their limbs looked weak because despite being thin, the limbs still looked quite muscular. Maybe, those limbs were more focused on flexibility rather than raw strength. Upon seeing their captors casually walking past their cages, the monsters¡¯ anger flared up and louder screech echoed all over the place. But the Banonos didn¡¯t pay any attention to that. Instead, the Banobos started hopping over the lumber cages landing directly in front of the angrily screeching monsters one by one. Right after that, the Banobos started hauling the monsters on their shoulders and when a monster resisted, they would shut it up by hitting them with their fist. The monsters let out a cry of pain. But despite seeing that, some monsters still tried to resist only to end up being dragged out anyway. One by one, I watched as my fellow monster prisoners were dragged away to somewhere. Until finally, a Banobo hopped over my cage and landed in front of me. For a moment, I was conflicted about whether I should resist or not. After all, there was a chance that these monsters were treating us as stocked-up food and they only kept us alive because they wanted to eat something fresh. But ultimately, I decided against it since I didn¡¯t stand a chance while being bound anyway. Besides, even if they were planning to eat us, I could probably still get a chance to escape once these monsters were about to eat me. I hope¡­ And so, I didn¡¯t show even the slightest bit of resistance. At first, the Banobo was visibly stunned at my behavior. Surprisingly, the Banobo showed no signs of hurting me once I showed no signs of trying to resist. It looked like the Banonos were not a sadistic monster after all. ''Now, where are you taking me?'' I asked internally. Luckily, my worst guess that the Banobos was going to eat me didn¡¯t come true. In fact, it was also the same for the other monsters. But the moment I realized what was about to happen, I became so astonished that my eyes almost popped out. Chapter 23 - 22 In front of me, tall lumbers were stabbed on the ground forming a crude circular-shaped cage. Inside that cage, two Banobos were both holding down a monster while seemingly trying to untie the two monsters'' bounds. When I looked outside that cage, I saw a lot of ape-type monsters which for some reason were cheering from excitement. And though it was clear that all the monsters spectating outside were ape-type monsters, they all seemed to vary in size. According to mister Assess, those ape monsters that looked like a monkey were called a [Chimp], and the monster that seemed to be a small gorilla was called [Lesser Banobo]. But while that information may be somewhat important, the conclusion I came up with after seeing the set-up of the area was what surprised me the most. ''What the heck?! Is this¡­ some sort of a fight club?'' Was my immediate conclusion. Back in my old world, there were a lot of popular fighting sports. And for me, I mainly categorized them based on whether it was official or an underground one. Though in my opinion, the term underground was simply a fancy term for illegal. Anyway, because a Familia was technically a group that mainly thrives on underground businesses, I had seen my fair share of fight clubs before. More than that, there was also a time when I fought in one. Well, enough about my past. My point was that I knew a fight club when I saw one. And based on how this place was set up, without a doubt, this was strikingly similar to a fight club. ''Well, well, well. Looks like my theory that there is another reincarnation in this place is getting truer by the second.'' While feeling impressed by the unexpected culture of these ape-type monsters, it seemed like the Banonos inside the fighting ring was almost finished in preparing the two monsters they were holding down. Then the moment that only a single vine was left, the ape monsters surrounding the fighting ring finally quiet down. Right after that, the Banobos untied the last vines bounding the monsters then immediately hopped over the fighting ring. When the monsters were finally free, the two monsters charged towards the edge of the ring. Clearly, the two monsters intended to destroy it then escape. Unfortunately, the Banobos guarding the ring swiftly stopped the monsters by swinging huge lumber towards the charging monsters. Normally, because the two monsters were both Hackclaw, they should be able to cut those lumbers using their scythe-like arms. But in this case, the two Hackclaw weren''t able to do that because the Banobos were swinging the huge lumbers with unbelievable speed and power. And coupled with the natural flexibility of their arms, the Banobos were able to swing that solid lumber like a goddamn whip. Honestly, even I was terrified by those powerful swings. After witnessing that spectacle, the two Hackclaws cowered in fear and stopped on their tracks. In the end, the Hackclaws were pushed back to the center of the ring. At first, the two Hackclaws didn''t want to fight. I didn''t know if it was because they felt sympathy for their kin, but regardless, the two guard Banobos forced the two Hackclaws to kill each other by threatening to smash them using the huge lumber. And without any way out, the two monsters finally gave in. Along with the cheers of the spectating ape-type monsters, the two Hackclaws clashed at the center of the ring. Sparks flew as the two Hackclaws relentlessly slashed and parried each other''s attack. In the beginning, the two monsters fought at mid-range. But while the two were in the middle of that high-speed battle, they were also slowly trying to push forward. As a result, the intensity of the battle was increasing by the second. A few moments later, the two Hackclaws finally reached the range in which they would have to fight in close quarters. Because of that, the two monsters grew more desperate, and it didn''t take long before the two became littered with cuts. Along with the sparks created by their attacks, green liquid which seemed to be their blood flew from time to time. Probably thrilled by that spectacle, the cheers of the spectating ape monsters grew louder. And it was then that one of the Hackclaws managed to overpower the other. The scythe-like arms of one of the Hackclaw were flung away. Following that, the other Hackclaw mercilessly severed the arm of its kind. With one of its only weapons gone, the one-armed Hackclaw was now at a clear disadvantage. But despite that, the one-armed Hackclaw still desperately fought for its survival. Unfortunately, defending against two scythe-like arms using only one proved to be an impossible task. As a result, one of the legs of the one-armed Hackclaws was also separated from its body. The pitiful Hackclaw helplessly fell to the ground. To be perfectly honest, even if the one-armed Hackclaw was left on its own, it would still surely die from excessive bleeding. But of course, the battle would only end after one of the monsters was already dead. That was why without showing any hesitation, the other Hackclaw ended its kin''s suffering by a fast and swift decapitation. Cheers of gyah, gyoh reverberated through the whole area when the spectating apes saw what had happened. But despite successfully surviving for another day, the winning Hackclaw just stood at the center of the crude ring while looking at the dead body of its kind. Most likely, the winning Hackclaw was paying its respect on its skin. As the cheers finally died down, a Banobo hopped over the fence of the ring and then proceeded to restrain the winning Hackclaw. Surprisingly, unlike before, the winning Hackclaw didn''t show any slight bit of resistance. Though, based on the Hackclaw''s condition, it was probably just too tired to even resist. Well, it was clear that the two Hackclaws had given it they''re all on that fight so I guess that was an inevitable result. ''Besides, there is no use in resisting. Doing so is like asking for a beating so it is a stupid act in the first place.'' I concluded. Of course, the other captured monsters were also put in that same situation right after that first fight ended. Among the monsters that have fought were; the spider type monster [Lesser Tarantal], the boar type monster [Chargar], the bison type monster [Winset], the lizard type monster [Horned Umbrazard], and the most powerful monster among them, the bear type monster [Savaga]. Honestly, I thought that the apes may have been pushing it the moment I saw two of those bear-type monsters. I mean, seriously, those bears were so powerful that multiple Banobos were needed just to restrain one. And the moment that they removed the bounds of the bears, they had a hard time trying to make the two fight each other to the point that even the spectating apes were terrified that the bears might escape. Well, it somehow still worked out in the end, so I guess that was that. ''Now, when is my turn I wonder?'' Since I was brought into this place, I know very well myself that I would be fighting inside that ring eventually. After all, there would be no sense if these Banobos had taken me here just to watch all those monsters fight. And well, I had no problem if it was a fight in the wild or inside a ring because it was still pretty much the same rule of to eat or to be eaten. Initially, I was quite worried that I might be forced to put up a fight against an opponent that I had no chance of winning. To put it in perspective. Take that bear-type monster [Savaga] for example. Upon witnessing that monster for the first time, I instantly knew that I had no chance of winning in a straight-up fight. Honestly, even if I ambushed that thing, I still couldn''t certainly say that I would win. And upon witnessing the fight between those Savaga, my guess was only proven to be true. Fortunately, I noticed something important about the match-ups of this event. When the second match began (which was a match between the two Lesser Tarantal), I had already noticed that the match-ups seemed to be between two monsters of the same species. But since it was still just the second match, I decided to not become too hopeful and still prepared myself for the worst. And then the match between the two Savagas happened followed by the match between two Winsets. At that point, I had become sure that the match was indeed set up to be between monsters of the same species. Unfortunately, the Wolfs, or to be more accurate, my species, didn''t live in this place. Of course, it was also possible that I was wrong or maybe our home was located near this area. But I had a hunch that this Banobos most likely wasn''t keeping any other Wolfs besides me in this place. For now, that was just a simple claim without any proof. The problem was¡­ ''What kind of monster would I be fighting if these guys didn''t have any other wolves in this place?'' I couldn''t help but be anxious. Well, it wasn''t like I couldn''t kill one of my kind. In fact, if I was put inside the ring to fight against a monster of the same species as me, I would do it without any hesitation. After all, even back at the forest where the wolves live, killing a wolf from an enemy pack was just a normal occurrence. That was why I could confidently say that there was little to no difference between fighting inside that ring, and fighting in the wild. Besides, even back when I was still a human, my hand was already stained in blood. It was mysterious honestly, because for some reason¡­ ''It doesn''t really matter how civilized they are. At the end of the day, when push comes to shove and it becomes a matter of life and death, humans will eventually turn to their instinct of self-preservation. At that point, the strong and cunning are the ones who are likely to survive. That''s how natural selection seems to work. And in the face of that force of nature, ethics, justice, and ideals don''t mean anything. In short, just like everything else on the planet, the truth of "Survival of the fittest" will always be ingrained in every human''s basic instinct'' While my thoughts were taking an unexpected turn, it seemed like it was finally my turn to fight and I was brought back to reality when a Banobo hauled me unto its shoulder. Then, after the Banobo hopped inside the ring, I finally saw what was supposed to be my opponent. Chapter 24 - 23 In front of me, a Banobo was removing the bounds of a monster that looked like an armadillo. Upon using Assess on it, I discovered that it was a monster that was called a [Glydon]. From the looks of it, this [Glydon] was the opponent I would be fighting for this match. ''So, it''s true. I am the only wolf type monster here.'' I thought while waiting for the Banobo to completely remove my bounds. Honestly, I still couldn''t believe that these ape-type monsters had this kind of culture. Yes, it might still be primitive and barbaric, but it was still a clear culture, nonetheless. Looking at these monsters, I couldn''t help but be reminded of prehistoric humans. And if my memory was right, there was a knowledge in my old world that apes were a close relative of humans. So, I guess it kind of made sense that these monsters have this level of intelligence? Well, I also noticed that monsters that live in packs tend to have some kind of culture and it was also mostly accompanied by some sort of high-level intelligence. Besides, I also saw that same trait from those monster bees, so maybe, it has something to do with creatures who were socially dependent just like humans. ''I really need to meet this monsters'' leader to determine whether it is a reincarnation or not.'' As of now, it was clear that these ape monsters'' leader wasn''t anywhere near this place, because if that monster was here, it would be impossible to not notice its presence. After all, given how strong those Banobos were, it would be impossible to make them obey if the leader was a mediocre monster. Though to be honest, I was kind of hoping that these ape monsters'' leader wasn''t as powerful as that Cerberus and Swamp Drake because I still wasn''t prepared to fight a monster as powerful as that. ''Well, I might end up meeting their leader if I survive long enough. So, let''s stop worrying about that for now.'' A few moments later, the Banobos were finally ready to release us. Then as the two Banobos were getting ready to remove our final bind, the spectating apes once again erupted in cheers. Finally, the last bind was released, and the two Banobos leaped out of the ring which heralded the beginning of the match. Just like before, the guards at the edge of the ring prepared themselves to stop us from destroying the ring to escape. Of course, I didn''t intend to do that in the first place since I already know that doing so would simply be pointless and a waste of energy. But as surprising as it was, it seemed like the Glydon also understood that fact. Because instead of charging towards the edge of the ring, the Glydon was simply looking at me cautiously while clearly preparing itself for the fight. ''Interesting.'' I thought feeling impressed. Seeing our behavior, the Banobos that were guarding the ring were all clearly bewildered. Well, I guess their reaction was quite normal considering the fact that every match before this always began with them fending off the monsters inside the ring. ''Good for you guys.'' I commented internally. While I was thinking things like that, the Glydon suddenly retreated on its shell turning itself into a ball. A split second after that, bullet size spikes jutted out from its formerly smooth-surfaced shell. Then, that ball of spikes spun around with such a speed as if it was being powered by a motor. A screeching sound reverberated as the ball of spikes rolled towards me. Probably because of those spikes and the speed of its rotation, the Glydon was flinging away clumps of dirt on its back. I hastily activated Haste and dodge the ball of spikes by a hair''s breadth. But as if I was somehow marked by the ball of spikes; it instantly made a sharp turn following me from behind. Honestly, the ball of spikes was fast. It was actually to the point that even with haste, the ball of spikes still managed to keep up with me. Fortunately, the ball of spikes'' speed was only the same as mine so it still wasn''t able to catch up. I also tried making a sharp turn while running around the ring. At this stage, the battle had already become a high-speed game of tag. But no matter how much I turned and ran around, the ball of spikes still managed to somehow chase after me. It was as if the ball of spikes was like a missile embedded with a homing device. ''I''m pretty sure that the Glydon isn''t able to see while in that form. If that is so, then that means that it was using a skill to track me down. Probably, it was Hunt or a skill similar to that¡­'' I concluded. Currently, the only skill in my possession that could probably counter that was Conceal Presence. Unfortunately, I needed to stop moving to activate that skill. And in this situation, the ball of spikes would surely hit me if I tried to stop. ''Tsk! What to do?'' It was then that the ball of spikes suddenly launched into the air. ''Wha¡ª'' Surprised, I momentarily stopped. But then, my survival instinct warned me from incoming danger. Following that, I immediately leaped away from my position. Right after that, the spikes that were jutting out from the Glydon''s shell shot out like a bullet. Multiple bullet-like spikes grazed past my fur. Unfortunately, even though I leaped away with the aid of Haste, a single spike pierced my side. As a result, I reeled in from pain and unconsciously let out a whimper. ''Damn it!!'' Fortunately, the spike bullet didn''t pierce deep enough to leave any fatal wound. Probably, the spike bullet wasn''t capable of piercing the muscles of a Great Wolf. Though, if I was still a Dire Wolf, even a single hit from those spike bullets would surely be fatal. Of course, that didn''t mean that I could just tank those attacks. Surely, even for this body, being hit by multiple shots would eventually kill me. ''Man, I''m really glad I didn''t encounter a monster like this before I evolve.'' While trying to catch my breath, I carefully eyed the Glydon that has now returned to its original form. Looking at it, it seemed like the Glydon was also exhausted after that high-speed game of tag. Because of that fact, I could easily guess that the Glydon''s ability to turn into a ball and rotate at that speed was also a skill similar to Haste. More likely than not, that skill was also continuously consuming the user''s stamina as long as it was active. Probably finally recovering from fatigue, the Glydon once again turned into a ball and charged towards me. But unlike before, there were no spikes jutting out from the Glydon''s shell. And maybe as a result of that, the Glydon''s speed increased. As I was dodging the Glydon''s attack, I was also carefully analyzing the Glydon''s ability. ''So, are the spikes on cooldown or maybe this thing just sacrificed its overall damage output in exchange for gaining more speed.'' Well, no matter the reason, I still couldn''t carelessly attack the Glydon with my fangs. After all, its high-speed rotation would probably mess up with my jaw. Of course, it was also impossible to damage it using my claws given how hard the Glydon''s shell was. But I had a plan¡­ In the middle of the high-speed pursuit, I forced my body to instantly stop my momentum and face the incoming ball. And right just when the ball was about to hit me in the face, I used my right paw to hit it on the side like a spiker on the game called volleyball. For a moment, sparks flew as my claws made contact with the spinning ball. As a result, the ball''s trajectory shifted slightly to the left and the ball just grazed past me. Of course, my right paw was burned and injured because of the friction from hitting a high-speed rotating ball. But I would say that it was worth it, after all, the Glydon flew in the direction where I wanted it to be. Probably realizing what was about to happen, the Glydon tried to stop its momentum by changing the direction of its rotation. Unfortunately, it was already too late because the Glydon was already within the swigging range of the Banobo. My plan was actually quite simple, it was to lure the Glydon into attacking the fence of the ring. That way, the Banobos would be forced to stop the rotating Glydon and hit it like a batter from the sport called baseball. And though it was a really underhanded plan, I didn''t mind since it was actually a success. Before the Glydon managed to hit the fence of the ring, a Banobo immediately took action and hit the flying Glydon using the huge lumber it was carrying. As a result, the Glydon returned to its normal form and instantly flew back to the center of the ring. ''Thanks for the assist mister Banobo!!'' I exclaimed internally. Even while thanking the Banobo, I still didn''t waste that chance and charge at the Glydon that was still trying to stand up at the center of the ring. Upon reaching it, I immediately bit the Glydon''s body so hard that my fangs effortlessly pierced its shell. The Glydon body spasmed uncontrollably probably because of immense pain. But as I was about to finish it off, I felt something wrong going on with the Glydon''s shell so I hastily let go of it. A split second after that, spikes once again jutted out from its shell. Only this time, the spikes continued to fly in every direction. Clearly, it was an attack aimed to finish me off right away. After all, I was at point-blank range so it was pretty much impossible to dodge the spike bullets. Unfortunately, the Glydon made a fatal mistake of showing me that move a little too early. Time seemed to slow down. And just like what I did before against the Hackclaw, I used my claws to fend off every single spike bullet that flew towards me. Shock filled the Glydon''s eyes after witnessing my high-speed defensive maneuver. Right after that, the Glydon hastily transformed itself into its ball form and tried to roll away. But before it even managed to, I bit the Glydon hard to not let it get away. At first, I was worried that the Glydon might release another barrage of spike bullets. Fortunately, it seemed like the spike bullet was still on cool down. And so, I steadily increased the grip on my mouth until I felt something break inside the shell. Immediately after that, a notification popped up¡­ [Level up] Chapter 25 - 24 After I won the match, I was immediately restrained and brought back to my cell. And even though this time I won without putting my life at too much risk, that Glydon still managed to inflict some nasty injuries on me. Especially this spike bullet that was still embedded in my wound. Seriously, that spike bullet would surely prevent the wound from closing up. To make matters worse. My body also felt incredibly heavy after abusing the use of Haste on that match. Of course, I knew it was necessary. After all, I was only able to keep up with the Glydon''s speed because of the skill that was consistently on throughout the whole match. But there was one problem with that¡­ ''Looks like I am slowly becoming too dependent on that skill¡­ And to think that I complained when I got that title¡­ How ironic¡­'' Honestly, I never thought that I would end up this reliant on this seemingly mediocre skill. But as it turned out, this skill had now become an integral part of fighting style. More than that, this had also saved my a.s.s multiple times. Well, this skill would surely be more powerful once it evolves. Though, I still had no idea how the evolution of skills works. Anyway, this injury of mine wouldn''t be healed unless I remove the spike bullet embedded inside. And since there was no hospital or any doctor in here, I needed to remove this spike bullet myself. Fortunately, I had already experienced something similar when I was still a human. It was actually during that time when I was still alone and had no one else to turn to but myself. That time, because I had no money or connection, I was forced to treat myself whenever I was wounded. Because of that, I became quite used to the pain of treating up a wound without using any anesthetics. For now, I had no other way to remove the spike bullet besides my claws. Luckily, I was still able to reach my wound even though my legs were bound by some vines. And so, to remove the spike bullet, I reached out to my wound and tucked two of my sharp claws inside it. While being careful not to worsen the wound, I slowly moved my two claws inside to search for the spike bullet. Because of that, a pained whimper came out of my mouth. But that was only natural, after all, being used to pain was completely different from not feeling it at all. Well, if you were a m.a.s.o.c.h.i.s.t or a completely broken person, your reaction would probably differ from normal. When I finally felt the spike bullet on the tip of my claws, I meticulously pulled it out. Once the spike was finally removed, I let out a sigh and tossed it away. But because of the excruciating pain from manually pulling the spike bullet, my ears were ringing and I was completely out of breath after the procedure. Normally, I still needed to stitch the wound after removing the spike bullet. Because unless I did that, the wound would just continue to bleed. Luckily, this world has skills. And among those skills, there was one called Recovery which I also have. That was why instead of stitching the wound to close it up, I only needed to rest and the wound would close on its own since it wasn''t a fatal injury in the first place. Besides, the thick muscles of this body were also preventing the wound from completely bleeding out. Most likely, it was the effect of my skill Toughness. ''What a really convenient world.'' Though I was thinking things like that, I also knew how cruel this supposedly convenient world could be. ''Well, I guess this isn''t much different from that world. Especially because in exchange for those convenient skills, dangerous and powerful monsters freely roamed around.'' While I was being all philosophical on my mind, I noticed someone entering the prison-like area. ''Oi, oi, oi! Don''t tell it isn''t over yet?'' Cold sweat ran through my whole body as I started to imagine the worst possible situation. But who could blame me? I mean, seriously. With my current condition, never mind fighting at full strength; I wouldn''t even be able to put up much of a fight. Yes, it might still be possible to activate Haste for a full minute, but I doubt a minute would be enough to kill a monster living in this area. And to make matters worse, I wouldn''t be able to move when that full minute ran out. ''This is seriously bad!'' While I was panicking inside, a Banobo entered my vision and stopped directly in front of my cell. Probably because my thought was in disarray, my vision became much narrower than usual and all I could see was the Banobo''s face looking down in my direction. But then, the Banobo suddenly threw something inside and it landed in front of my face. Shocked by the sudden turn of events, I curiously gazed at the thing that was lying in front of me. ''Wait¡­ This is¡­'' And what I saw in front was a dead monster. It was only then that I realized that the Banobo didn''t come here to pick me up for a match. Instead, it was probably here to give me something to eat. And that should only be natural, after all, all the monsters that were imprisoned here would die if they didn''t eat. After that, the Banobo proceeded to remove the vine that was bounding my mouth. And probably to make sure that I wouldn''t try to escape, the Banobo pointed the huge lumber on my face while gesturing to me to start eating already. Of course, being that eating would help me recover, I started munching on the corpse without any complaints while the Banobo was watching me upfront. ''Man¡­ What a big misunderstanding¡­'' I thought while letting out a sigh. *** Intermission: Rise of the Apes In a jungle-type area full of tall trees and vicious plants, there was a gigantic tree. Compared to the other trees growing in that place, this particular tree was so massive to the point that it was towering above that place as a whole. But that wasn''t the only strange thing about that tree. Because for some reason, the monsters living in that place seemed to be avoiding going near that gigantic tree. Of course, it wasn''t as if those monsters were afraid of that gigantic tree in particular. In fact, the monsters weren''t afraid of the tree but the monsters living on those three. To be more specific, the monsters were afraid of the whole species of ape-type monsters that had taken residence on that gigantic tree. At that point in time, those ape-type monsters had completely taken over the whole place. And though the ape-type monster''s strength played a large role in it, that wasn''t the only reason why they managed to turn the whole place into their domain. To be exact, it has something to do with the reigning leader of those monsters and the fact that a single monster was now ruling all of the ape-type monsters in the area. In the past, there existed multiple packs of ape-type monsters competing for supremacy in the jungle-type area. And because those packs always clashed with one another, the apes'' forces were spread too thin and wide. This fact not only diminished the ape-type monsters'' forces but also made their life expectancy low which meant that there were only a few who reached a higher evolution stage. But for better or for worse, all of that changed after the appearance of a single monster. The monster in question was also an ape. But the catch was, not even the original apes living in the area knew where it came from. All that they knew was out of nowhere, a powerful ape appeared and then proceeded to defeat an alpha that was leading one of the packs. Following that, the powerful monster fought and defeated every single alpha in the area one by one. And at the very end, after all the other alphas were finally defeated, the powerful monster became the sole ruler of all the packs left behind by the defeated alphas. After that, the ape-type monsters made the gigantic tree at the center of the jungle-type area. Once the monsters were done taking that gigantic three for themselves, they finally made a move and started spreading their influence slowly but surely at their immediate surroundings. At first, the ape-type monsters hunt around in groups in the surrounding area near the gigantic tree. But unlike before, the apes were now coordinating with the other members of their group. Sometime after that, the monsters also somehow learned to coordinate between multiple groups. Then, as if to put the nail in the coffin, the evolved forms of ape-type monsters started appearing one after the other. Finally, it didn''t take too long and every hunting group of apes became spearheaded by an evolved species of their kind. As a result, the ape monsters'' influence rapidly expanded, until at last, the whole area was completely taken over by them. Chapter 26 - 25 Maybe a few days had already passed since I was captured. And now, the number of captured monsters had drastically decreased. Though I guess that should be normal considering the fact that we were forced to fight every single day. The only silver lining here was that the ape-type monsters never forgot to give us food after surviving a match. Well, you could also say that they were also benefiting here because of the entertainment(?) we were providing for them. But for me, I highly doubt that entertainment was their only goal. For now, I still had no idea why, but surely, there was a catch. Anyway, on the second day of that match, the fights became more intense since the match has turned into a battle between two monsters of different species. From the looks of it, the first day was just the elimination round. Probably, these Banobos always forced two monsters of the same species to fight in the first match in order to make the most of that species'' potential. Though, for me, I fought another Glydon on the second day. But since I already fought one, it has become much easier to defeat it. Well, it wasn''t as if I didn''t get anything from all that fighting. After all, because of that, I had now reached level 24. And if I keep this up, maybe I will be able to evolve before I meet the leader of these ape-type monsters. For now, though, the Hackclaw from before was fighting the bison-type monster called Winset. And yes, surprisingly, the Hackclaw managed to survive this long and it was in fact doing great. But unlike the Hackclaw I defeated before, there was something different about this one. Yes, sure. This monster was certainly a lot stronger than the one I fought before. In particular, I noticed that the monster instinct seemed to be a lot sharper now. Honestly, I didn''t know how or why, but from what I could tell, this change began after the monster killed its own kind. And then, as the monster continued to fight, it was becoming much more savage and crueler. It was as if something possessed the monster. Seriously, I was even starting to feel some pity for the monster that the Hackclaw was fighting now. Inside the ring, the Winset was desperately fighting the Hackclaw. But to be perfectly honest, it seemed to me that the Hackclaw was just playing around with the Winset. And even though it was honestly a bad match-up, the Hackclaw was still certainly overdoing it. ''Dude. Just kill the poor thing already.'' I complained internally. At the center of the ring, the bloodied Winset was standing still while gazing furiously at the Hackclaw who wasn''t even taking a battle stance. Basically, the Hackclaw was saying that the Winset wasn''t even worth being cautious about. Finally looking like it had run out of patience, the Winset pointed its huge horn forward and charged straight into the Hackclaw. But as if mocking the efforts of the Winset, the Hackclaw easily avoided that attack while simultaneously hacking away at the Winset''s flesh. Actually, this scene had already repeated itself a couple of times now. And every single time, it played out in the same way. The Winset would charge towards the Hackclaw. The Hackclaw would dodge with elegance, proceed to slash the Winset''s flesh, and then without even trying to inflict a fatal wound, it would retreat. That process repeated itself over and over again, and as a result, the Winset was now a walking pile of a bloody mess. Of course, you could say that the Winset''s fighting style was just dumb. But if you asked me, the Winset''s charge attack wasn''t a pushover either. After all, that charge attack was fast and precise. In fact, that charge attack was so fast I could probably compare it to the speed of the Glydon that I defeated. And that wasn''t all. Because for some unknown reason, the Winset was also somehow capable of completely ignoring its momentum and just stop its charge if it needed to. Unfortunately, even with all of that ability and power at its disposal, the Hackclaw still managed to outmatch the Winset in battle. If I had to guess the reason why the Winset couldn''t touch the Hackclaw, I would say it probably had something to do with the combined instinct and reaction time of the Hackclaw. Most likely, the Hackclaw''s instinct was so sharp to the point that it could predict an incoming attack a second earlier before it was released. Combine that with its already fast and now enhanced reaction time, then you got a monster that seemed impossible to touch. ''Hmm¡­ If I am put in that same situation¡­ Well, I can probably use a counter against that.'' While I was trying to come up with a strategy to use against the Hackclaw, my thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the cheers of the spectating apes. Curious, I look into the ring only to see an unexpected development. Inside the ring, the Winset and the Hackclaw were somehow battling it out using their brute strength. To put it simply, the Hackclaw''s scythe-like arms were locked into the Winset''s horn and the two monsters were trying to push back the other. Looking at the two monsters, I couldn''t help but be reminded of the sport Sumo Wrestling because that was what those two were technically doing. Honestly, I had no idea how their fight ended up like this. Besides, based on how the battle played out earlier, I was quite certain that it was pretty much impossible for the Winset to land a blow against the Hackclaw. But seeing this situation, it was clear that the Winset somehow managed to catch up with the Hackclaw. Unless¡­ ''Wait¡­ Don''t tell me, the Hackclaw deliberately let the Winset land a blow?'' It was the most logical explanation for this situation. Most likely, the Hackclaw did it to completely crush the Winset''s spirit¡­ Or not. Well, looking at the behavior of the Hackclaw, the monster was only doing this to further humiliate the Winset. ''What a nasty opponent¡­'' I sighed. Based on the look in the Winset''s eyes, it seemed like it also understood the intention of the Hackclaw. Seriously, the Winset''s eyes were burning with rage. Though, I couldn''t really blame the Winset for being that enraged. I mean, seriously, that Hackclaw had been toying with the Winset since the very beginning of the match. So, by all means, it would be weird if the Winset didn''t even feel any anger from all that humiliation. ''Like I said¡­ Just kill the poor thing already¡­'' I sincerely asked. A few seconds later, the Winset was starting to get pushed back by the Hackclaw. Normally, that should be impossible because the Winset specialized in bulldozing its opponent with brute strength. But in this case, all the damage that had acc.u.mulated on the body of the Winset played a big role in weakening it. Not to mention, the Winset''s wounds also bled nonstop from the get-go so it probably lost a lot of blood by now. Seriously though, if this was the intention of the Hackclaw from the very beginning, then that was one heck of a nasty strategy. Finally, the Hackclaw completely pushed back the weakened Winset. With its strength gone, the Winset''s only way of fighting back vanished and it fell on its knees. From the looks of it, the Winset''s had already lost all of its fighting spirits. The way it was now, the Winset was only waiting for the Hackclaw to end its wretched life. As if it was just having a casual stroll, the Hackclaw walked towards the kneeling Winset and moved around it. And while the Hackclaw was doing that, it also tilted its head slightly as if taunting the poor and wounded monster. From the way it moves, it was as if the Hackclaw was appraising a mysterious object it had just found. Then, as if it was experimenting on something, the Hackclaw slash the flesh of the kneeling Winset. After that, it proceeded to move around the Winset stopping only from time to time to hack at the Winset''s flesh. The Hackclaw repeated that process over and over again while also increasing the speed at which it encircled the Winset. Worse of all, the Hackclaw was also increasing the speed of its slash attack along with it. As a result, the area in which the Winset was kneeling eventually became drenched in blood. And just like that, the Winset breathed its last. Honestly, even I was repulsed by how the Hackclaw ended the Winset''s life. Of course, it wasn''t as if I would go out of my way to avenge the Winset. After all, in this place, the strong always preyed on the weak and there were even times when I killed monsters that weren''t even able to put up a fight. But for me, I always did that for the sake of survival. And of course, I also didn''t go out of my way to torture a monster until it dies. That was why seeing how the Hackclaw did things like that; I couldn''t help but be disgusted by how cruel it was. At this rate, I felt as if it was the same feeling that I got from the Cerberus and the Hellhounds. ''I wonder if there is some connection there?'' It was then that my thoughts were interrupted by a Banobo that nabbed me up and placed me inside the ring. Chapter 27 - 26 In front of me, there was a spider-type monster called Lesser Tarantal looking at me cautiously. Apparently, this was the monster I would need to overcome to survive in this match. Though to be honest, this was one of the monsters that I really didn''t want to end up fighting. Of course, it wasn''t as if I was scared of this monster. Because if push comes to shove, I won''t hesitate to fight it like in this situation for one. It was just that¡­ ''I am clearly at a disadvantage¡­'' After watching my fellow prisoners fight for quite some time, I now had a slight grasp on their fighting styles and capabilities. And based on what I had seen so far, two monsters had stood out. One was that Bear type monster called Savaga and the second one was this Lesser Tarantal. Of course, in terms of pure brute strength and power, the Savaga undoubtedly has outmatched the other monsters so far. But what I found the most problematic with this Lesser Tarantal wasn''t its strength and power, instead it was the monster''s incredible versatility in a fight that I was cautious about. For one, the Lesser Tarantal also mainly used its speed when fighting just like me. And that speed wasn''t something to sneeze at either. Because if my estimation was correct, this thing should be as fast or maybe even faster than that Glydon. On top of that, it also had the same ability as that Winset to completely ignore its momentum which made it incredibly agile. Then, as if having all of that wasn''t enough already, the annoying thing also had three weapons at its disposal. First, there was the clearly obvious one which was its poisonous fangs. Of course, because I had the skill Antibodies, I had little to worry about that poison. Still, I wouldn''t want to be bitten by those sharp-looking fangs because that would surely inflict some heavy injuries on me. Besides, if the Lesser Tarantal''s poison was a fast-acting one, the side effect of my skill Antibodies would surely fire back at me. Secondly, for some reason, all of the Lesser Taratal''s legs were also weaponized. And when I said weaponized, I meant literally because all of its eight legs were incredibly sharp. Seriously, those things were so sharp to the point that even just a light step from the Lesser Tarantal was enough to dig a small hole into the ground. And finally, the most dangerous and vicious weapon at the Lesser Tarantal''s disposal; the Lesser Tarantal''s web. To be perfectly honest, that web was the main reason why I didn''t want to deal with the Lesser Tarantal. If it was just those fangs and sharp arms, I could probably deal with it. But it was another story when it came to those webs. For one, those webs were incredibly sturdy. And even though it might be possible for me to cut one using my fangs, doing that would only increase the risk of being caught in it. Because based on what I had seen so far, aside from being sturdy, those webs were also awfully sticky to the point that it was pretty much impossible for me to break free once I got caught. Fortunately, the Banobos that were guarding the ring would destroy some of the webs before it was thoroughly scattered all over the ring. Probably, even those Banobos would have a hard time capturing the Lesser Tarantal once it managed to completely scatter its webs. ''Seriously, why am I so unlucky?'' I sighed. ''Wha¡ª'' Surprised by the monster''s speed, I immediately activated haste and bailed out from that position. Unfortunately, without even landing on the ground, the Lesser Tarantal managed to chase after me while seemingly gliding into the air. Seeing that, I continued to run away in panic while screaming inside. ''What the heck is that?! A flying spider!!'' In truth, I already expected the Lesser Tarantal to be fast. The problem was I didn''t expect it to be that fast and not to mention have an ability to seemingly fly into the air. Of course, upon calming down, I instantly realized that the Lesser Tarantal wasn''t flying but was instead using its web to glide into the air. It was actually kind of similar to that fictional heroic character who was a spider person. Though, in this case, it was as if the monster''s web had a will on its own which made it seem like the Lesser Tarantal was just riding on its flow. Actually, it was also kind of annoying because the webs were coming after me so I had to dodge every single one. ''This is completely different from how you fought before!! And if you can do this all along, why are you only using it now against me damn it!!'' Based on how the Lesser Tarantal had fought before, I had been under the impression that it had the habit of overwhelming its opponents using its raw speed. Essentially, the monster''s fighting style was supposed to be somewhat similar to mine. And honestly, with all that weapons under their disposal, I actually thought that it was better than me when it came to using that tactic. But now, for some reason, the monster had chosen to fight at long range using its webs. Though most likely, this monster had probably decided to employ this tactic against me after seeing my fighting style. ''Looks like I am not the only one watching the fights¡­ But damn, this thing is quite intelligent.'' I thought while feeling truly impressed. Of course, the Lesser Tarantal didn''t let me off and kept on firing its webs towards me. But with the assistance of haste, I managed to swiftly avoid all of those attacks. Unfortunately, I was also slowly losing some grounds because the webs were starting to get scattered all over the place. Well, the Banobos would surely interfere if the webs got out of hand, but still, I couldn''t just simply hope for that. That was why I began to change my approach. After deciding my course of action, I stopped running momentarily while acting all exhausted. Taking advantage of that, the Lesser Tarantal shot some webs towards my direction without any hesitation. But when the web hit me, I activated Haste and dodge the web only by an inch while also making sure to catch the web using one of my paws. Then, a split second after the web completely stuck into my leg, I pulled the web with all my might. Because the web was still connected to the Lesser Tarantal, the monster was instantly pulled back towards me. Of course, even then, the Lesser Tarantal wasn''t shaken. In fact, it even pointed its claws in my direction while flying towards me. Unfortunately, it had been long since I noticed the weakness of those pointed legs. Time seemed to slow down as I carefully dodge and parried some of those pointed legs. When I finally found an opening, I immediately bit one of the Lesser Taratal''s defenseless legs on the side effectively avoiding its pointed end. Once I made sure that my grip on the leg was tight enough, I quickly reactivated Haste and ran away before the monster managed to bite me. As a result, one of the Lesser Tarantal''s legs was ripped off from its body and was now sitting on my mouth. Of course, I didn''t get away without any injuries either. Because in the middle of our short exchange, the Lesser Tarantal actually managed to pierce one of its legs in my body. Seriously, the injury wasn''t something to sneeze at because it was actually quite a heavy one and it was continuously bleeding. Well, it was also the same for the injury of the Lesser Tarantal. Though, unfortunately for the monster, my plan worked out perfectly. I smiled. ''Watch this!'' At that, I started munching on the Lesser Tarantal''s severed leg. A few moments later, the wound on my body completely stopped bleeding as if the wounds finally closed on their own. ''How do you like that huh?!'' I grinned triumphantly. Of course, as you had probably guessed, it was the effect of my skill Devour. Though, to be perfectly honest, this was actually the first time that I used Devour in this way. Yes, I had it in the back of my mind for quite some time now that I could probably use the Devour skill in this way, but still, that was just a simple theory. And even though there was actually quite a large chance that this strategy would work, I still tried my best to avoid resorting to this. After all, it was a really savage strategy that involved letting myself be injured in exchange for eating an opponent''s flesh. Then, there was also this problem that it only managed to stop the bleeding of the wound instead of completely healing it. Besides¡­ ''Man, this is basically the same fighting style as those crazy Hellhounds.'' That was right, much as I''d like to deny it. I was basically doing the same thing as those Hellhounds. Well, I actually had no choice in this situation, so I had to resort to this. But even then, the simple thought of being placed in the same category as those monsters really disgusted me. Though probably, those monsters must have been using this tactic because they also had the Devour skill. After all, based on those monster''s behavior, it wouldn''t be a big surprise if they received the Predator title. Unfortunately, that possibility only made my apprehension much worse. After swallowing the last bits of the Lesser Tarantal''s legs, I grinned with self-deprecation. For some reason though, the Lesser Tarantal''s expression turned from sheer shock into that of anger. But without caring the least bit about it, I gazed straight into the monster''s eyes. ''Looks like the table has turned?!'' I asked with a growl. Chapter 28 - 27 After our previous exchange, the Lesser Tarantal decided to change its tactics and fought me in the same manner as it did on its other opponents. Though now that it was missing one of its legs, the Lesser Tarantal''s movements had become much slower than before. Of course, when I said that it was slower, that was only by my standards of speed. In truth, the Lesser Tarantal was still fast enough to keep up with my speed despite losing one of its legs. And honestly, that was truly terrifying in its own right. After all, if the monster was still this fast even after losing a leg, then it was surely a lot faster than this if it was in peak condition. ''You really made a bad choice of using that tactic at the beginning my guy¡­'' I internally sighed in relief. Surely, if the Lesser Tarantal had fought like this from the very beginning, then it might have already completely overwhelmed me by now. Fortunately, the monster decided for some reason to fight me in range. And as you could probably already tell from the result. That decision backfired on the monster. ''I really ought not to follow from this example and avoid fighting using a tactic that I still haven''t tested.'' I concluded while searching for an opening to strike. Of course, just because I managed to injure the monster, that didn''t mean that I suddenly gained a huge advantage. In fact, I would even say that I was still at a slight disadvantage because of all the weapons at the monster''s disposal. Honestly, it was actually quite fascinating how the Lesser Tarantal was using its web in high-speed combat like this. There were times when the monster launched a barrage of webs before charging for an attack. Probably, that move was supposed to distract me from avoiding its fangs and leg strikes. Unfortunately, I was far from being a normal monster so that move has no chance of working on me. Aside from that, there was also that tactic wherein the monster would sneakily create a ball-like web, hide it on one of its back legs, and then throw that thing at me when we were clashing at close range. But what was amazing with that technique was that the ball of webs would suddenly transform into a net-like shape when it was thrown. Most likely, that technique involved using a skill. Though, the way the Lesser Tarantal was incorporating that skill with its fighting style was what interested me the most. ''What a troublesome opponent.'' I complained. Well, it wasn''t as if I was new to fighting intelligent monsters. I had already seen my fair share of strong and clever monsters after all. But this one, in particular, stood out the most. And though the number of its abilities played a huge part in it, the skillful use of those said abilities was what made this monster terrifying. I didn''t know if it was a normal trait for spider-type monsters, but I suspect that this monster was most likely a pretty old one that was why it had so many battle tactics. Clearly, it was its experience that made the monster this strong. ''Well, with age comes wisdom I supposed? Though in a monster''s case, literal power also comes along as a package¡­'' I thought while dodging the leg attack of the Lesser Tarantal. At this point, I had already become used to the techniques and habits of the Lesser Tarantal. As a result, engaging the monster in close-quarter combat had become relatively easy. Besides, the Lesser Tarantal was still a monster that was why its fighting style wasn''t quite as intricate as a human. Once again, the Lesser Tarantal tried to stab me using its seven remaining legs. But knowing the weakness of those pointed legs, I easily flung it all away by hitting it on the side using the back of my paws. Then, as the monster was trying to bite me with its poisonous fangs, I swooped my claws towards the monster''s eyes. Three of the Lesser Tarantal''s eyeballs were instantly crushed. But as if the monster didn''t find that the least bit painful, one of its pointed legs actually managed to pierce me to the side. ''As if!!'' I screamed internally while gritting my fangs. Taking advantage of the monster''s momentary pause after that attack, I proceeded to rip off another one of the Lesser Tarantal''s legs. Finally, the monster faltered while letting out a screech of pain. Because of that, I gained enough time to separate from the monster and swallow another one of its legs. Immediately after that, I activated Devour and my wound completely stopped bleeding. Of course, even though the bleeding has stopped, the pain and most of the damage remained. But compared to the Lesser Tarantal who didn''t have Devour, my condition was slightly better. Though as a result, I earned the absolute hatred of the monster probably from the fact that I was literally eating it alive. ''Come on man, don''t look at me like I am some kind of a savage creature. I simply had no choice!!'' I complained, using my eyes. But for some reason, that only made the monster angrier. It was then while I was complaining that I saw a notification popped up in my vision. [Skill gained: Recuperate] But because I was in the middle of combat, I didn''t have enough time to check its effects. Though for some reason, the pain in my wounds slightly receded. As a result, it became a lot easier for me to move. While on the other hand, the Lesser Tarantal had weakened considerably after that last confrontation. The Lesser Tarantal desperately tried to capture me by firing off its webs. Unfortunately, the accuracy of those webs also dropped after I had crushed three of its eyes. Most likely, this monster didn''t have any tracking-type skills similar to my skill Hunt. Well, there were also those detection-type skills which the monster surely has. Unfortunately, those skills only provided vague information so it was pretty much impossible to accurately determine an enemy''s exact location using only that. With swift and precise movements, I easily dodge all of those webs. And as I had expected, the Lesser Tarantal charged at me right after that. But since I knew it was coming, I deflected the monster''s attack without even breaking a sweat. Following that, I slightly moved sideways and bit the Lesser Tarantal on its stomach which was probably the monster''s weak point. And guess what, it seemed like I was right on the money because the Lesser Tarantal immediately retreated after I had bitten its stomach. But even then, the latest wound that I had inflicted upon the monster was bleeding nonstop. Of course, I wouldn''t let that kind of chance slip by. I charge towards the Lesser Tarantal. And unlike before, instead of engaging me in melee combat, the Lesser Tarantal just ran away while shooting webs in my direction. ''Too bad. I will not let you escape!!'' I swore while dodging the webs. And so, I chased after the Lesser Tarantal while avoiding the webs attacks here and there. Clearly, at this point, I had the advantage. But even then, I still made sure to proceed with caution. After all, only when an animal was backed into the corner that it was sure to bite back. And for me, I wouldn''t want to be caught off guard by a last-minute desperate strike because I knew full well how dangerous that could be. And well, it looks like my caution paid off because I noticed some thin and almost invisible webs scattered around the area where the Lesser Tarantal was fleeing. Seriously, if I didn''t move with caution, I wouldn''t be able to detect these webs and I would be surely captured in this trap. But now that I had uncovered the trap, it would be a piece of cake for me to dismantle it. ''Sorry, I already expect you to do this.'' I thought while cutting off the thin webs using my fangs. From the moment I recognized the Lesser Tarantal as a spider-type monster, I already knew that the monster would eventually use this trick. In fact, it would be even weirder if a spider monster didn''t use a trick like this. It was just normal, after all, spiders tend to always lay a trap using their webs so it wasn''t hard to imagine the Lesser Tarantal doing the same thing. ''Okay, let''s end this!!'' I decided after cutting off the webs. After that, it all became too easy. With the Lesser Tarantal losing two of its legs and a large amount of blood, catching up to it became relatively easy. And by the time I caught up with it, it was already too weak to even put up a fight. So, just like that, my match against the Lesser Tarantal finally came to its inevitable conclusion. Chapter 29 - 28 After I won the match, I was once again brought back to my cell and was given some food to eat. Of course, given all my injuries, I happily consumed the food that was given to me to quickly recover for the next match. Though because of a certain skill that I acquired during the match, recovering from my injuries had become a lot easier compared to before. And as you may have already known, the skill in question was the one called Recuperate. [Recuperate (Rank D)] [Rare] [Passive] [Allow slight healing of health and injuries at all times.] Based on the description alone, it was easy to tell that the skill was somewhat similar to my other skill Recovery. Though in this skill''s case, it was completely focused on the health and injury department which was probably why it had the effect of constant healing. To make it better, the skill''s description seemed to indicate that the skill had the same effect on fatal and heavy injuries. Honestly, even if the description said that the skill has only a slight healing effect, being able to heal any injuries at all times was still a very powerful effect. And if you include the fact that I had Devour and Recovery which both had a similar effect on top of that, of course, I would be able to heal my injuries faster. Though, I had a feeling that I was only able to acquire this skill because of how I used Devour on the match. Which by all means made the acquisition of this skill a dangerous task. ''Well, it''s no surprise that the skill is rare.'' I concluded. Anyway, because of the combination of my three skills, I had almost completely recovered by the time I woke up. Of course, I said almost because there were still some lingering effects from the injuries that I had sustained. But even then, if I didn''t have the skill Recuperate, then I wouldn''t be able to recover this much with just a single night of rest. And given the fact that I would be fighting once again the next day, being heavily burdened by the effects of my injuries would surely put me at a disadvantage. ''Man, I am so thankful that I acquired this skill.'' I thought while sighing in relief. For now, though, I was currently waiting for the Banobos to come and fetch me for the next match. But for some reason, the Banobos had still not come. In fact, I wasn''t even hearing the usual hustle-bustle noise from outside. It was really confusing, and for some reason, I couldn''t help but feel that there was something different this time. Because of the ominous aura surrounding the entire area, I couldn''t help but wish for the better. ''Please don''t tell me that another dangerous event is about to unfold.'' Because of all the fighting that we, the captured monsters had done, the entire prison-like area was now covered in silence. Well, maybe it would be more accurate to say that a lot of captured monsters had already passed. As a result, there were now only three bound and imprisoned monsters residing in this place. The first one was, of course, me, and then there was the Savaga and the Hackclaw respectively. Though knowing the fact that there were only three of us left, I couldn''t help but wonder¡­ ''Who''s gonna fight who? Or maybe we will be having a three-way battle?'' was what I had been wondering about. It was then the Banobos finally arrived. But for some reason, there was something different about the aura they were excluding. To be more specific, the festive aura that they always excluded whenever they came to fetch us was gone. In its place, a seemingly tensed aura was hanging in the air. Though for me, I knew all too well what this tensed aura meant. Actually, I had experienced it myself in the past when I was still a human. And what I was talking about was the aura of someone that was about to head out into battle. In short, it was the mixture of uncertainty, fear, and resolve to die. ''Oh boy, here we go again¡­'' I couldn''t help but complain. Completely ignorant about my inner thoughts, a Banobo lifted me unto its shoulder then proceeded to take me outside. And just like what I had thought, it looked like there would be no match for today. Because instead of bringing the three of us into the usual place, we were brought into an area where a battalion of ape type monsters had gathered which judging by their numbers and formations, the Battalion was made up of at least nine squads and each of those squads were being headed by a single Banobo. As for the composition of each squad, they were made up of about five to six Lesser Banobos each. Wait, are these guys preparing for some kind of a raid?! Was my immediate conclusion. Of course, being a former leader of a familia, I was familiar with these kinds of operations. After all, there were a lot of instances in my past life that I even personally led one. But clearly, what was fascinating about this one, in particular, was that all the participants were monsters. For now, though, I still haven''t seen any ape-type monster that resembled a commander from the group. And since this raid group was still completely made up of monsters, the would-be commander of this group would surely be an exceptionally powerful monster. There was even a chance that the commander was actually the leader of this whole society of ape-type monsters. ''Now, this turn of events is getting more and more interesting. And if my guess is right, this raid operation had something to do with all that stuff about forcing some monsters to fight inside a ring.'' Looking around, the other two monster prisoners were also in the same situation as mine. From the way it looked, these Banobos were going to bring us right into the middle of the battle. Though to be perfectly honest, I really didn''t want my theory of what our role would be for this operation to be true. The monster in question was of course also an ape-type monster. Though unlike the gray and white color scheme of the Banobos'' fur, this ape-type monster''s fur had some black tattoo-like stripes all over its body. And on top of being taller than the other Banobos, this particular monster also has some boulder-like muscles which made the other Banobo''s toned body pale in comparison. Immediately after that, I unconsciously used Assess on the monster. [Name: (Unnamed)] [Race: Tronobo] [Status: Healthy] Honestly, just one look at the monster, and anyone would instantly conclude that the monster was a pure strength type one. And if I was asked if I think I could defeat the monster, I would only say that I didn''t know. Well, maybe it would be possible for me to use my speed against it and employ a hit and run tactics. But even then, I doubt I could inflict a fatal wound on the monster given the fact that it has those boulder-like muscles all over its body. Of course, you could probably argue that all I had to do was attack the monster in those parts that weren''t protected by those muscles like its neck and head for example. Well, yeah, I could probably deal a fatal wound with that; the problem was; ''given the exceptional intelligence that these ape type monsters have shown so far, I am pretty sure that this monster also knows about its weak points. And if so, the monster probably has some countermeasures against those kinds of attacks.'' If I ever fought this monster, the only way I could probably win would be if I managed to inflict it with the status effect of madness. Though I truly doubt I would be able to injure it that much or if I could even survive long enough until my fangs effect had kicked in. And what was more terrifying about this situation was the fact that this monster didn''t seem to be the ruler of these ape-type monsters. Actually, the monster seemed more like a general rather than a ruler. Yet, the monster has already been this strong. ''If this thing is just the general. Then how freakishly strong is that monster who managed to turn this thing into its subordinate?!'' Well, there was still a high chance that the ruler of these ape-type monsters was also a reincarnation just like me. The problem with that was I still didn''t know if it was an enemy or an ally. And in the case that it was the former, then all I could do was try to negotiate my release (though I had no idea how) or if possible, to escape. But then there was the worst-case scenario where the ruler wasn''t a reincarnation and was simply just an exceptionally intelligent monster through and, though. If that was the case, then all I could do was hope that the ruler wouldn''t suddenly turn hostile and kill me on the spot. I didn''t know if it was just my imagination, but I felt a cold and chilling sensation on my spine when I realized the predicament, I was in. ''This is seriously bad!!'' Suddenly, my thoughts were interrupted when the Battalion of ape-type monsters finally moved out. And for some reason, we (the three monster prisoners), were at the very front of the formation just right after the commander which was the Tronobo. ''Looks like I have no time to think about that stuff right now. Okay, first, let''s focus on trying to survive and worry about that later.'' I told myself while being dragged by the Banobos to who knows where. Chapter 30 - 29 The battalion of ape-type monsters traveled through a long and winding path. From the looks of it, it seemed like the area where we (the monster prisoners) were being held was located underneath the actual base of operation of these ape-type monsters. And when we finally made it to the surface, I was surprised by the sheer height and width of the monsters'' base of operation. Looking around, I noticed that the area seemed to be shaped like a rough cylinder. In its central hollow part, some lumber-sized branches seemed to function as both a bridge and support for the whole hollow portion of the place. And on the wooden walls that were enclosing the hollow portion of the area, I saw some human-sized holes that probably served as both an entrance and an exit for this place. ''This place surely resembled a tower or maybe a lighthouse.'' was my first impression. From my current position at the very bottom of the area, I couldn''t seem to see the ceiling of the place. And even though the absence of light was also a factor to consider as a reason, most likely, this tower-like place was just that high to the point that I couldn''t see the top even with that aid of my Night Vision skill. While still looking up, I mentally asked. ''Just how high is this area really?'' And it was then that our group finally exited the place. When our group finally made it outside, the true identity of the tower-like base all became clear. Towering in front of us was a gigantic tree. And that tree, as you may have guessed, was the true form of that tower-like base. Surrounding that gigantic tree was an area full of greenery of plants. And just like my home forest and that swamp-like area, this place also had a ceiling from which the only dim source of light was coming from. Though because of this ginormous tree, the whole jungle-type area was being covered by the shades and shadows of those giant leaves and branches. Of course, that didn''t mean that the jungle-type area was small by any means. In fact, this area was probably as expansive as my home forest and that swamp-like area. It was just that the tree was enormous enough to cover that much of a space. ''So, this is why I can''t seem to see the ceiling inside¡­'' I concluded while gazing at the giant tree in awe. It was then the battalion of ape-type monsters had split into three groups. Each of the groups consisted of three squads and for some reason, the three squads that were carrying us (the three monster prisoners), were all in a single group being led by the supreme commander of the raid which was the Tronobo. After splitting into three groups, the ape-type monsters proceeded to leap into action by the signal of the Tronobo. Following that, the monster made full use of their agility and jumped from tree to tree just like some ninjas. Upon seeing the outstanding ability of the apes to move in this dense forest, I couldn''t help but shudder at the thought of fighting them in a place like this. Most likely, even with my enhanced agility when Haste was active, I would only be able to barely keep up if I fought them in an area like this. Seriously, I think that even those Lesser Banobos would be a huge threat for me. What was most terrifying about all of these was the Banobos. For one, even though these three Banobos were literally carrying us on their shoulders, the monsters didn''t seem handicapped at all. In fact, the three Banobos were moving with even more grace compared to their Lesser Banobo subordinates. And then, there was also that Tronobo, which despite having a boulder-like body, was still able to move with the same agility and grace as the three Banobos. ''So, how come those trees weren''t even shaking or even yet, weren''t even making a noise when that boulder-like Tronobo lands on them?! That''s just ridiculous!!'' I internally screamed. Honestly, the way the Tranobo moves seemed to completely defy the laws of physics. It was truly bizarre. Especially because the monster was seemingly moving without being burdened by its size and weight. It was as if despite its size, the monster was as light as a feather. ''Wait, something that defies the laws of physics? Don''t tell me¡­ is it a skill?'' If we were talking about something that could defy the laws of physics. Then, in this world, that could only be a skill. And judging by the movements of these apes, it seemed like it was a skill that every ape-type monster has. If that was the case, only one skill category that I had seen so far would fulfill all of those conditions. And that was¡­ ''A Species Exclusive Skill¡­'' I surmised. For now, I still had no idea what skill these apes have. But for us, the wolves, we were born with the Species Exclusive Skill called Call of The Moon. Which even now, I still couldn''t use, because of the location of this area. And as for these ape-type monsters, it looked like their Species Exclusive Skill was somehow related to moving between the trees like this. Of course, if you think that the effect was just that, then it would look like a pretty mediocre skill. The problem was, when it came to skills, there was some huge difference between simply understanding its effects, to seeing it in action. I knew that because I experienced it firsthand with some of my skills. In fact, I even grew too dependent on one of them. ''As I thought. Though its uses are limited, its effects are really powerful in exchange.'' While I was thinking things like that, I was also observing and analyzing the formation of our group. And for some reason, the three Banobos which were carrying us (the three monster prisoners), were at the center of the formation. Directly ahead of us was the Tronobo. While surrounding us from both sides and the back was the Lesser Banobos. From the way it looked, it was as if the ape-type monsters were protecting the three Banobos. No, it seemed as if they were protecting us (the three monster prisoners), from something. Honestly, the formation was strikingly similar to a high-profile escort guard. ''We are already moving fast on top of being at this height. Yet these monsters are still being cautious about something? Is it really possible for other monsters to attack us at this point?'' To be perfectly honest, the speed and height in which we were traveling were pretty ridiculous. On top of that, our group was also being led around by a really powerful monster. That was why I highly doubt that there were that many monsters that could or had the guts to attack a group such as this. But just a few moments later, I finally understood why these ape-type monsters were being this cautious. Out of nowhere, something sharp and fast flew in every direction. Fortunately, the ape-type monsters reacted so quickly as if they were already expecting something like this to happen from the very beginning. But because of all those things flying around in a way that was clearly trying to prevent our march, our group wasn''t able to continue moving forward. Of course, because of the ape-type monsters'' mobility, not a single one of those attacks had yet to land. Though at this rate, our group would be stuck in perpetual evasion and dodging maneuvers. It was then that the Tronobo let out a roar that seemed to function as a command or a signal for the ape-type monsters. Following that, all the Lesser Banobo dispersed and took a small branch or stick from the trees that were near them. Then after acquiring such questionable weapons, all the Lesser Banobo disappeared inside the dense trees. A few moments after that, the rain of sharp and fast objects finally stopped. Without even waiting for the Lesser Banobos to come back, our group consisting of three Banobos and one Tronobo continued moving forward. Of course, being that I was an outsider, I certainly had no right to question the decision of the leader Tronobo. But even then, I still couldn''t help but wonder why we didn''t wait for the Lesser Banobos (which were technically our bodyguards) to come back. The trip proceeded without any more trouble after that. And when we were finally about to reach the end of the dense forestry, the Tronobo and the Banobos stopped just a few distances away from the last line of trees. Looking around, I noticed that the other groups had also positioned themselves a little further away from us while cautiously looking up ahead. Curious as I was, I also looked up front only to see a huge mass of piled-up dirt beyond the last line of trees. And for some reason, it was positioned near a hole on the wall that seemed to be the entrance and the exit of this place. But that wasn''t all, because there was also an enormous number of ant-type monsters crawling back and forth from that hole all through the mass pile of dirt. ''Wait, is that thing an ant hive?!'' Was my immediate conclusion. But then, all my thoughts came to a halt when I noticed the return of the Lesser Banobos which were helping each other out to carry a whole cut-upped tree. And without even any consideration with my confusion, all three of us (the monster prisoners) were instantly tied into the tree. Though for some reason, I felt like we were tied in a way that we could easily escape. ''Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Don''t tell me this is what I think it is?!'' I mentally asked in a panic. Oblivious to the situation, the Savaga and the Hackclaw immediately tried to break free probably because they noticed that it was possible now. But before they even managed to break free from being bound, the Tronobo lifted the tree that we were all tied in and made a javelin throwing stance. A split second later, we were already flying towards the huge pile of dirt along with the tree we were tied in at a terrifying speed. At that moment, I desperately tried to break free of my bounds. Because clearly, judging from the way that the events had proceeded, our role for this operation could only be one thing¡­ ''Damn it!! We really are the freakin SUICIDE SQUAD!!'' Chapter 31 - 30 While in midair, I hastily activated Haste and did my absolute best to break free from my bounds. Luckily, before we hit the huge pile of dirt, I actually managed to break free and landed safely on the ground. But at the same time, my paws had touched the ground, a huge explosion of dirt erupted from my back. The resulting shockwave sent me rolling a few meters forward. And when the explosion finally subsided, I looked around and saw the whole mess that the explosion had made. First, half of the huge cut-upped three had actually managed to pierce the huge pile of dirt. As a result, there was now a huge hole on that huge pile of dirt and a cloud of dust was coming out of it. Furthermore, some dead ant monsters and debris that were probably the collateral damage from when that hole was made were now scattered around the area. ''Okay. Now they are really pissed¡­'' I thought while gazing cautiously at the numerous pairs of eyes staring down at me. And when I turned my head to the side, I saw the Savaga and the Hackclaw that were in the same situation as me. Surrounding us was a whole swarm of ant-type monsters. And upon using Assess on them, I noticed that there were actually four varieties of ant-type monsters on that crowd. Most of them were either an Anties Worker or an Anties Soldier, it was then followed by several Anties Scouts, and lastly, there was also a small bunch of Anties Captain mixed in among them. Honestly, judging by the sheer number of the ant-type monsters surrounding us, there was no mistaking that we were currently in a bad spot. Because of how bad my situation was, I couldn''t help but curse at the monster that had put me in this dire spot. ''That goddamn Tronobo!!'' It was at that moment that the swamp of ant monsters rushed towards us. Fortunately, it looked like I could easily deal with the Anties Worker and Anties Scout. As for the Anties Soldiers, though I could certainly beat them in a fight, dealing with those things would take some time so I did my best to limit my confrontation against them. But in the case of those Anties Captains, just their presence alone was enough to tell me that my chance at beating them was only about 50/50 so I desperately avoided engaging them in combat. Making full use of my agility, I gracefully dodged every Anties Scout and Anties Worker''s attack. And whenever I found an opportunity, I would also launch a counterattack using my fangs and claws. Of course, the only reason I was able to pull off such a stunt was that I was a level above the ant-type monsters when it came to speed and agility. Coupled with the fact that I also had Haste on top of that, then it was just inevitable that the weaker ant-type monsters couldn''t even hope to touch me. Probably noticing that their comrades were having a hard time against me, two Anties Soldiers rushed in my direction. But since I knew that dealing with them would slow me down, I immediately ran away from them. The problem was when I turned around to run, an Anties Captain was waiting for me on the back. ''Well, shit.'' was all I could think. Probably recognizing that I had nowhere to go, the two Anties Soldiers and Anties Captain charge towards me. To make matters worse, there was also a swarm of other ant-type monsters following behind them. But then, I noticed something¡­ ''Wait, these guys are all moving at the same speed!'' For the record, the Anties Captain was certainly strong. In fact, any attack from the monster had the capability of inflicting a fatal injury. Well, only when it actually connected. Though it was taking quite a toll on my body, I still managed to dodge every attack that was coming right at me. And to avoid being cornered, I always moved towards any gap I saw between the swarm of ants. Luckily, it seemed like the ant-type monster''s coordination was all over the place. As a result, instead of cornering me using their numbers, the monsters'' movements were actually being hindered because there were too many of them. Of course, while swiftly evading every deadly blow from the ant-type monsters, I was also taking advantage of every opening I could find to launch a counterattack. Unfortunately, because of how desperate the situation was, every counter that I made wasn''t deadly at all. And since Haste had also been active from the very beginning, I was also starting to feel its effects which was why my movements were getting duller by the second. ''Crap, I''m approaching my limit!!'' But as I was about to reach my limit, a huge stone fell and crushed the Anties Soldier that I was fighting. And probably because of its impact, a green liquid which was most likely the Anties Soldier''s blood splattered everywhere. Confused, both the swarm of ants and I stopped in our tracks. But before I even managed to process what had happened, a rain of stone assaulted the whole area around the ant''s nest. Along with that, the blood and body parts of the ants flew everywhere accompanied by the screeches of pain that were now echoing all over the battlefield. ''Give it a rest already, goddamn apes!!'' I cursed while trying my best to avoid being hit. At this point, there was no mistake that this was the work of those ape-type monsters. Most likely, those monsters were the ones throwing these stones from a safe distance. And based on their actions so far, I would even bet that this was the plan of those accursed apes from the very beginning. In short, they intended to use the three of us as both bait and a sacrificial pawn. Making full use of my agility, I dodged all the large-sized stones while at times using my claws to divert the direction of the smaller ones away from me. Though to be honest, surprising as it was, I actually found this task much easier to accomplish compared to fighting a huge swarm of ant-type monsters. Unfortunately, since the ant-type monsters didn''t have as much agility as I had, they were being hit or crushed by the rain of stones rather easily. Of course, it wasn''t as if the ants were completely defenseless against the rain of stones. After all, they also had those seemingly armor-like shells protecting their body. The problem was, even those armor-like shells had their limit and it seemed like it couldn''t withstand being hit multiple times by those unbelievably hard rocks. In fact, all the dead ant-type monsters I had seen so far had some cracks or dents on their armor-like shell where green liquid was oozing out. And as a result of that, the monsters had no other choice but to desperately run towards their nest to take cover from the sudden rain of stone. Though obviously, the apes weren''t about to let the ants do what they want. Just before some ant-type monsters managed to enter their nest, a huge boulder came flying towards that nest. Inevitably, it caused an explosion and a powerful shockwave that easily took away the lives of the ant-type monsters that were near the zone of the blast. And as if that wasn''t nearly enough, another series of boulders came flying along with the rain of stones. ''Are you freakin kidding me!!'' Was my reaction while running for my dear life. Following that, the deafening sound of multiple explosions reverberated inside my ears. At this point, my whole vision had completely become covered by the cloud of dust which made it harder for me to see what was really happening. On top of that, the ground was also shaking violently probably because of all that boulder that was falling like some goddamn meteor shower. I didn''t know for how long that situation had persisted, but when all the explosions finally stopped, my body was still miraculously intact. ''...I''m still alive¡­?'' Was my honest question. Still half-dazed, I carefully looked around and the first thing I noticed was that the cloud of dust was already starting to subside. Beyond that cloud of dust, I also noticed the figure of the Savaga and the Hackclaw which were both still somehow alive. And then surrounding us were the mangled corpses and body parts of the unfortunate ants that were all probably caught by all that explosion. Though naturally, there were still some ants around that had luckily managed to survive just like me. But then, it seemed like the lives of the surviving ant-type monsters were forfeited after all. It happened just before the ants managed to get up on their feet. Taking advantage of the monsters'' weakened state, the Battalion of apes swooped in and killed any surviving ant-type monsters on sight. What followed after that was just a one-sided massacre. And without any strength or means to fight back, the remaining ants were annihilated by the apes who were clearly inferior when it came to their numbers alone. Seeing that, I couldn''t help but think. ''These guys sure play dirty.'' Chapter 32 - 31 After the ants were annihilated, the apes didn¡¯t waste any time to once again subdue and capture me along with the Savaga and the Hackclaw. Normally, I should be able to at least fight back and use my wit to escape especially since my bounds had been completely removed. But because of the fatigue after fighting back against those swarms, I surmised that resisting would simply be a waste of energy and time. And when I looked around, it seemed like the Savaga and the Hackclaw were also completely exhausted just like me and that was why the apes easily captured us once again. While two Banobos and a couple of Lesser Banobos were making sure that we wouldn¡¯t be able to escape, the rest of the apes were being led by the Tronobo to completely demolish the former nest of the ants. And probably also by the order of the Tronobo, a single squad of apes ran and disappeared inside the passageway near the nest. Most likely, that squad was tasked with the job of disposing of the remnants and strays who had managed to escape during the attack. Judging by the actions of the apes so far, it was clear to me that these monsters were simply defending their turf against those ants. Furthermore, I also had this feeling that those ants were an invasive species that didn¡¯t originally belong in this area. The proof of that was the surrounding area of their nest which had turned into completely barren land. Of course, it was also possible that the area wherein the ants had built their nest was already like this from the very beginning. But given the unusual way in which the barren land had formed surrounded by the greenery of the jungle, the possibility of this being the result of the invasion of those creatures was seriously high. Of course, even if that was really the case, I wouldn¡¯t suddenly become sympathetic to these apes and join their cause. After all, I saw no merit in helping them and it wasn¡¯t as if I would be particularly bothered if this area was completely turned into a wretched barren land. Besides, these monsters were technically forcing me to fight for them, and they also had no qualms about using me as bait and a sacrificial pawn. Worst of all, I also had this feeling that this wouldn¡¯t be the last time that these monsters would do something like this. Most likely, as long as we (the three monster prisoners) were still breathing, these apes would surely continue using us as the sacrificial pawns. And beyond all of that, there was also the problem with their ruler. Fortunately, probably as a result of fighting those swarms, I actually gained two levels effectively making me a level 26 monster. With this, I only needed to level up four more times, and I would reach the Third Evolutionary State of my species. Which meant that I would essentially become an alpha-class monster and would probably be as strong if not stronger than my late father. Though one thing to note was that I had a feeling that this Tronobo was about as strong as an alpha-class wolf. And if that was really the case, then that just put into perspective how strong their ruler was. In short; ''the leader of these guys is in the Fourth Evolutionary State or maybe even higher.'' Of course, if we were only talking about insanely powerful monsters, I was sure that the Drake and the Cerberus were currently at the very top spot. But after seeing them up-close, I had a feeling that evolving into the Fourth Evolutionary State wouldn¡¯t be enough to reach that level of power. Most likely, those monsters were at a level higher than that or maybe even beyond that. Though, because of all that fact, the best possible scenario would be if the ruler of these monsters was only in the Fourth Evolutionary State. ''Well, it will be to my advantage if the monster turns out to be an ally. But that is too much of wishful thinking even for me.'' It was then that the apes finally finished demolishing the nest. Following that, the monsters started gathering some ant carcasses that were still in good condition. And obviously, all of those were gonna end up as their food. Then, most likely, I would be eating the leftovers of those things as well. I sighed. ''You guys better give me lots to eat after this. I earned it after all.'' *** Intermission: Expansion and Conflict Out of nowhere, a new alpha class monster had appeared from the ape-type monster species. And though this particular alpha class monster was relatively new and was of unknown origins, it still managed to accomplish a feat that could put its peers and predecessors into shame. The feat in question was that the monster had managed to unite all the existing packs of apes living in the area under its rule. Not only that, because beyond its power and status as a unique kind of monster, the alpha-class ape in question also seemed to have an exceptionally high level of intelligence. Then, as if that wasn¡¯t nearly enough, the alpha class monster also had no qualms about sharing its knowledge towards its kins and subjects. As a result, their forces had become unrivaled and they eventually succeeded in completely taking over the whole jungle-type area. Of course, it wasn¡¯t as if the culture of the apes suddenly became as advanced as those of the humans. In fact, as time passed, it had become painfully obvious that the knowledge which originated from their ruler was still crude and primitive at best. Still, that didn¡¯t change the fact that the knowledge provided by the alpha-class ape was the reason why these monsters had become the ruler of this jungle-type area. In other words, the alpha class monster had essentially built a primitive kingdom of apes inside the hostile environment of the Great Vicious Caverns. Naturally, after the apes had managed to completely take over the jungle-type area, they then set their sights on what was beyond the borders of their domain. Truly, this greed and thought process was reminiscent of those of a human. Maybe this was the reason why in this world, there was a belief that humans were a close relative of the apes. In fact, there were even some members of the high races that used this as an insult to what they called a race of hairless apes. And just like those human nations and kingdoms, this decision eventually led to a whole new conflict and bloodshed to the newly born Kingdom of apes. And so, the exploration to the deeper ends of the Great Vicious Caverns proceeded. Because of that, the apes discovered how vast and confusing the interconnected caverns were. Furthermore, during their exploration, they also discovered a bunch of new creatures, some of which were powerful even enough to contend against their whole squad. As a result, a couple of new squads were formed, and that greatly expanded and accelerated the process of exploration. But then, that was when the apes met the group of monsters that would threaten the existence of their primitive kingdom. At first, the apes simply dismissed the existence of those ants as something negligible and trivial. Unfortunately, all of that changed after an exploration squad found the area wherein the monsters had built their nest. Normally, the apes should be able to overwhelm a group of ants using their well-coordinated attacks. The problem was, the area in which the monsters had built their nest was as expansive as the jungle-type area. Furthermore, there were also numerous ants crawling in that place. In short, those monsters could easily annihilate the apes using their numbers alone. Then, to make matters worse, among those numerous ants, there also exist several beings who actually reached the Second and Third Evolutionary State. When the apes realized that, they ultimately decided to avoid any confrontation against the ants. But alas, the Great Vicious Caverns stayed true to its name and finally bared its fangs against the apes. Because just right after they have decided not to mess with those monsters, one Anties Scout had managed to discover the location of the jungle-type area. Following that, the monsters finally began their invasion of the primitive kingdom of apes. Chapter 33 - 32 Probably because the apes were also tired after that battle, our journey going back was actually slower compared to when the group had rushed towards the nest. One factor that most likely affected our speed the most was the fact that our group had traveled on land instead of jumping from tree to tree. Of course, it wasn''t as if the monsters had any choice. After all, they were also carrying some additional luggage in the form of ant carcasses which obviously made it hard to travel in the same way as before. As a result of traveling on land, our group naturally encountered some monsters which also contributed to hindering our speed. But personally, what I found most fascinating about all of it were the monsters that had attacked us. For one, the monsters weren''t humanoid or animalistic in nature. In fact, I wouldn''t be too far off to say that it was as if the jungle itself had attacked us. And I meant that literally because as far as I knew, all the monsters that got on our way resembled that of plants. In other words, there were numerous plant-type monsters scattered through the jungle and they were the ones that attacked us. Actually, on our journey going back, I saw three varieties of those plant-type monsters. One was probably the very same monster who attacked us on our way to the nest. Apparently, the monster was called a Pikalet and it was a monster that shot bullet-like pikes using its tube-like branches. Though honestly, I really had no idea how the monster was keeping track of its surroundings given the fact that the monster has seemingly no eyes. For the second plant type monster, I would say that it was probably one of the most connected and integral parts of the society of the ape type monsters, and the reason was because of its main means of attack which was those remarkably sturdy vines. In truth, those sturdy vines that the apes were using to bind us actually came from those very same plants, and apparently, all those monsters who produced such vines were called Vinip. But the surprising thing was, it seemed like even for the Tronobo, using pure brute force to break free from being bind by those things was an impossible task. And it was actually proven true, after all, I saw with my own two eyes how the Tronobo was unable to break free from the Vinip''s vines after the Vinip caught the Tronobo by the arm. Anyway, the third plant monster was actually a common monster from almost every fantasy story I had read before. The best description to give was probably the fact that the monster was shaped like a tree. In short, it was the monster that was often called a Treant. Though in this case, there were actually two categories of Treant monster. The first one was called the Dry Treant and based on what I had seen so far, the monster was remarkably weak and dumb. And if you were wondering why I said dumb, well, it was because despite being unbelievably weak, the Dry Treant would always charge towards our group like some sort of mindless monster. Honestly, I couldn''t even call it an ambush because it always made those creepy deep scream sounds whenever it attacked us. Probably, the best way to describe the monster''s action was simply a reckless charge. Going back on topic, the second category was called the Forest Treant. Now, this one was a little bit tricky to handle. For one, unlike the Dry Treant, the Forest Treant would not attack our group recklessly but instead always pretended as an innocent and harmless tree. What was most terrifying was the fact that the monster could also completely hide its presence and hostility while doing so. Most likely, the monster also has the skill called Conceal Presence, or maybe it was using a skill that has a similar effect to that one. To make matters worse, the monster also had the ability to control the normal trees in its immediate vicinity and use them to launch a surprise attack. Fortunately, the Tronobo was with our group, so the Forest Treant stood no chance of beating us no kind of trick was used. ''Man, that was exhausting.'' I thought while looking at the exhausted ape-type monsters in my surroundings. For now, our group had stopped directly in front of the giant tree which also serves as the dwelling of the monsters. And based on how the monsters were behaving, the apes chose to wait for someone or something here in this place. Though honestly, I found it odd that the apes didn''t immediately throw us into prison but instead decided to include us in whatever it was these monsters were planning. Truth to be told, after everything that had happened in which these apes were always involved, I couldn''t shake off the feeling that something bad was about to happen once again. To make matters worse, I still hadn''t completely recovered my strength after fighting against those swarms of ants. After all, I was quite certain that only a few hours had passed since that battle ended. That was why, if it just so happened that we were about to head out into another such fight, it would seriously be bad for me. Well, surely, all these apes must also be feeling tired after that battle and forced march so it was unlikely that they would dare fight once again¡­ I hoped at least¡­ ''Please, guys let''s just rest.'' I thought wistfully. It was then that another battalion of apes emerged from the forest. And judging by the exhausted and haggard look of its members, it seemed like this battalion had also fought a battle somewhere in this jungle-type area. Though personally, what I found most curious about this group was the fact that I didn''t see any monster prisoners like us in their midst. Of course, it was also possible that this group''s monster prisoners were just simply wiped out from the battle. But after seeing the state of the new battalion''s members, I had this feeling that most likely, this new battalion had fought directly against their enemies without using any other monsters as bait. The problem was; in contrast with this new battalion which clearly wasn''t in any shape to fight, our own looked as if it could handle another large-scale battle probably because it has us (the monster prisoners) working as bait. ''Seriously, this is bad!'' I internally screamed. While I was carefully eyeing the members of the newly arrived battalion, the last apes had finally emerged from the jungle. And the moment I caught sight of this new ape, I instantly knew that this particular monster was the leader of the newly arrived battalion. Immediately I used Assess on the monster and based on the result, the new ape was apparently called a Pronobo. And just like the other leader who was the Tronobo, I could say with certainty that this new ape was on the same level as the Tronobo in terms of raw power and rank. The only difference I could see was the fact that the Pronobo wasn''t as huge and as muscular as the Tronobo. In fact, in contrast with the boulder-like muscles and the huge towering body of the Tronobo, the Pronobo''s muscles were firm and sturdy which made its body look thinner yet flexible in comparison to the Tronobo''s. Of course, having a thinner body like that didn''t make it a lot less dangerous. The truth was, I could easily guess the fighting style of this monster called Pronobo. ''Judging by its body build, I''m pretty sure that this monster is insanely fast. That means that just like me, this monster also capitalizes on its speed to outmaneuver and defeat its enemies in combat.'' Was my immediate theory. Realizing that fact, I couldn''t help but think that it would be a lot more dangerous to antagonize the Pronobo compared to the Tronobo. Because one thing I had noticed after constantly fighting in this hell of a place, it was that I always had a hard time fighting against opponents that were fast compared to those who rely solely on brute strength. And though it was also true that getting hit by a strength-type monster could instantly put me on the verge of death, that fact would be rendered useless against the combination of speed, instinct, and reflexes. That fact was simply proven to be true again and again after constantly battling and defeating different kinds of monsters up until now. That was why personally, I would rather fight an opponent that was way ahead of me in terms of strength than that of speed. Because truth to be told, I had not the slightest idea on how I would beat an opponent who was way faster than me. ''I have to avoid any confrontation against that thing as much as possible.'' I swore to my heart while gazing at the Pronobo. Probably as a way to greet each other, the leaders of the two battalions moved towards one another until they were finally standing face to face. But what happened after that confused me even more because the two monsters suddenly roared at each other''s faces. And honestly, the effect it produced wasn''t something to laugh at either, because loud as it was, the sound was also powerful enough to cause a small shockwave of air. Not only that, the fascinating thing was, the roar of the two monsters were actually blending creating an oddly harmonious tone. But then, as if sensing the presence of a superior monster. The two monsters instantly stopped their song (?) and straightened their backs when a new group of apes emerged from the jungle. Looking around, the other monster also did the same as their two leaders as if on cue. It was then that I also sensed the oppressing presence of a powerful monster mixed among the apes that had emerged from the jungle. And when I turned my head in the same direction to where the apes were looking, I was shocked beyond words by what I saw. Chapter 34 - 33 To be clear, my shock wasn''t simply due to the obviously powerful monster that was leading that group. Because even though the monster was certainly powerful, I had already expected such a thing so I didn''t find it that shocking. Furthermore, rude as it was, I could tell that the monster wasn''t on the same level as the Cerberus and Swamp Drake. And though I was still curious as to whether the monster was a reincarnation just like me, that curiosity was simply overwhelmed by the sheer shock I received upon seeing the composition of the group that the monster was leading. For one, every single member of the group that the monster was leading was a Banobo. Additionally, every single Banobo from that group was also equipped with a wooden weapon that either resembled a battle staff or shaped like a mace. But the most shocking thing was the fact that each of those Banobos was actually riding a canine monster as if they were cavalry. Of course, those canine monsters that the Banobos were riding weren''t a pushover either. I know that for a fact because I already fought one of those before. In fact, it would not even be a stretch to say that I only got captured because of that monster. And yes, the monster in question was without a doubt the Hellhounds. ''What the heck?!'' Probably to prevent the Hellhounds from escaping or turning their fangs against their riders, a vine was coiled around in each of the monsters'' mouths. And more than serving as a way to subdue the monsters, the vines also functioned as a way for the riders to control the movements of the monsters. Though honestly, I certainly wouldn''t call such an idea a clever one. In fact, I personally thought that such an act was crazy. Why? Well, it was because taming those mad monsters was just impossible, and naturally, riding such a thing into battle was incredibly dangerous and the height of folly. I stared at the de facto cavalier apes with narrowed eyes. But contrary to my expectations, it seemed like the cavalier apes had the mad monster under their control. And though it was clear that it wasn''t perfect because the mad monsters were still showing some slight resistance, the cavalier apes were still somehow able to maneuver the mad monsters as if they were handling some normal horse. ''That''s just ridiculous! How in the heck are they doing that!'' I internally exclaimed. It was then that it hit me. ''Wait, they may be using a skill!'' That''s right, in this world, there were those convenient things called skills. And if there was something in this world that could make it possible for the Banobos to ride those mad and untamable monsters, then that could only be the answer. The only hurdle I could see with that was the fact that in order to acquire a skill, an individual needed to keep training and repeating a task related to the skill over and over again until the skill manifested itself. Of course, it wasn''t easy either. After all, doing so would take some time and effort. Besides that, I also had an inkling that it might also be dependent on compatibility so there wasn''t really any guarantee that the sought skill would actually manifest. Given that fact, it could only mean that the apes had trained and were also compatible with the skill and that was why it manifested for them. ''Seriously. A distant cousin of humans indeed.'' I thought as I recalled a certain theory I heard in my past life as a human. Suddenly, my thoughts were interrupted when a Banobo lifted me and brought me directly in front of their leader. And along with the Savaga and the Hackclaw, the Banobos lined us up in a way as if they were offering a gift. Then after making sure that we wouldn''t be able to break free from our bounds, the Banobos retreated to their group while carefully keeping their heads down. Seeing the Banobos'' action, it all became clear that I was right in thinking that the monster up ahead was the apes'' supreme leader. And to ascertain whether the monster was truly a reincarnation or not, I gazed up ahead to get a better view of the monster. Undoubtedly, the monster standing tall and proud in front of me was the supreme leader of the apes. And as if acting as the guard for the monster, the Tronobo and Pronobo were positioned on the monster''s left and right sides. Honestly, it looked quite poetic in my eyes because the way I saw it, the Tronobo was acting as the shield, while the Pronobo was acting as the spear. But after reminding myself that it was not the time to think of such things, I forcefully peeled my eyes away from that poetic scene and immediately used Assess on the supreme leader of the apes. [Name: (Unnamed)] [Race: Gigarillon] [Status: Healthy] True to its name, the Gigarillon was a large category monster. On the scale of a building, it was probably around one and a half stories tall. Though, unlike the Tronobo and Pronobo who were clearly a master of either speed or strength, based from their body build, for the Gigarillon, it was hard to tell because its body was neither too muscular nor too light. In fact, there was even a chance that the Gigarillon''s stats were balanced instead of focusing or mastering a single trait. Probably noticing my gaze, the Gigarillon also looked me in the eye as if trying to gauge my intention. But a split second later, the monster turned its eyes towards the direction of the Hackclaw and Savaga in a way as if finding my very existence to be insignificant. Of course, I would be lying if I said that the monster''s behavior didn''t bother me. Because truth to be told, I found that action to be really irritating especially since it was basically a direct attack on my pride. And though some people might say that someone like me who always ran or hid in the face of overwhelming power had no right to feel this way, I would simply argue back that my decisions were always based on a long-term chance to strike back and win after some preparations. Essentially, every choice and action that I made were for the sake of safe-keeping both my pride and life. That was why for me, the most unforgivable and biggest mistake an individual could do was stepping and spitting on that pride. Because once that was done, there was no going back and I would do everything in my power to find a way to put such an individual back in their rightful place. Probably as a result of being too worked up, I unconsciously let out a deep growl. And immediately sensing my hostility, the Gigarillon looked at me while the Tronobo and Pronobo stepped in front of their master as if trying to protect him. But clearly, it was simply impossible for me to break free from my bounds, in fact, the vines were tied more tightly than before most likely because the Banobo from before wanted to make sure that I wouldn''t be able to suddenly launch a surprise attack on their supreme leader. That was why quite frankly, the reaction of the Tronobo and Pronobo was just too excessive. Contrary to the reaction of the Tronobo and Pronobo, the Gigarillon was just looking at me with a calm expression. And without a doubt, I could clearly see some traces of intelligence in those beastly gold eyes of the monster. Unfortunately, the intelligence and will that I saw in those eyes wasn''t that of a former human just like me. If I had to describe it, it was the same as what I saw from the eyes of my Father-wolf, the Tempest Wolf, and the Swamp Drake. In short, the Gigarillon was a highly intelligent monster that may have been a possessor of an even greater will than that of any other intelligent monster I knew. Without backing down, I stared at the Gigarillon while letting my hostility flow like an open dam. But as if finding my reckless action to be amusing, the Gigarillon''s mouth curved into a smile. Though for some reason, the smile I saw wasn''t a smile of someone looking down on others, in fact, it instead resembled a fierce smile of a battle-hardened warrior that finally found a worthy opponent to contend against. Immediately after that, the Gigarillon moved past the Tronobo and Pronobo stopping only once he was directly in front of my face. Then while looking directly in my eye, the Gigarillon made a gesture towards the Tronobo and Pronobo that were standing on his back. At first, it was as if the Tronobo and Pronobo were against the decision of their supreme leader. But when the Gigarillon looked back at them, both the Tronobo and Pronobo scuttled into their feet to follow their supreme leader''s command. A short while after that, all the apes in the area including the Tronobo and Pronobo surrounded us in a rough circle-like formation. Following that, three Banobos hastily began removing our bounds while still being careful not to look their supreme leader in the eye. And if you were wondering. Yes, I was not alone. Because funnily enough, I actually managed to drag both the Hackclaw and Savaga into this reckless fight. Chapter 35 - 34 Our bounds removed, me, the Hackclaw, and the Savaga were now facing the Gigarillon in a three versus one combat. And even though some might say that it was excessive for three monsters to gang up against the lone Gigarillon, just simply being able to turn both the Tronobo and Pronobo (which were both a level ahead of us in terms of power) into mere subordinates spoke clearly of the Gigarillon¡¯s ability. In fact, the three of us might not even be enough to defeat the monster. Though of course, that didn¡¯t mean that I would not try to win. At first, I was quite worried if the Savaga and the Hackclaw would be willing to cooperate in fighting together against the Gigarillon. Fortunately, it seemed like the two monsters also found the Gigarillon to be the biggest threat so they seemed willing to at least not get in each other¡¯s way. In short, the three of us unofficially agreed on a temporary alliance and ceasefire. Though because the two were both still a monster, I had to be careful because I had no idea when the two would turn their claws and fangs against me. And among the two, the Hackclaw was the most worrying given its track record so far of being incredibly brutal and vicious. I gazed at the Gigarillon while searching for any possible opening to attack. Similarly, both the Hackclaw and Savaga were doing the same thing as me while also clearly being cautious against the Gigarillon. On the other hand, the Gigarillon¡¯s attitude was the exact opposite of us. In fact, the Gigarillon wasn¡¯t even showing the slightest bit of worry and was instead smiling fiercely towards us. Though obviously, I could easily guess that the Gigarillon¡¯s attitude was a clear invitation towards us to come and bring it on. Answering the Gigarillon¡¯s challenge, I immediately activated haste and charged using my top speed towards the monster. Probably also sensing the Gigarillon¡¯s challenge, the Hackclaw and Savaga also charged at the same time as me. Though for some reason, even though the three of us hadn¡¯t strategized on how to attack, it seemed as if the three of us instinctively knew how to position ourselves to best corner the Gigarillon. While I charged at the left side of the Gigarillon, the Hackclaw positioned itself and charged on the monster''s right side, all the while the Savaga charged head-on upfront. And clearly, coincidence or not, this attack formation was a systematic approach that maximized both the fighting style and individual strengths of each of us. Of course, given my speed, it was inevitable that I would be the first one to reach the Gigarillon. Unfortunately, just before I managed to get close, the Gigarillon hit the ground with such force that it created a mini-earthquake while also spreading numerous cracks in its immediate vicinity. And being the one closest to the monster in that instant, the momentum I had built worked against me and I was inevitably sent tumbling pathetically on the ground. Following that, I felt someone grabbing me by the tail along with a floating sensation. The next thing I knew, the Hackclaw was already upfront slashing its scythe-like arm towards me. Instinctively, I used my claws to swiftly fling away the Hackclaw¡¯s arm with a very practiced movement. But then, my vision suddenly blurred and the next thing I saw was the rapidly approaching Savaga and its arm that was seemingly on the verge of brushing me aside. After that, I felt a jolt of pain on the left side of my body, and I was sent rolling into the ground. My vision spun around. But even still, I gritted my fangs and forced my wobbling body to stand. ''Damn¡­ that bastard waved me around like some mere rag doll¡­'' I thought while looking towards the Gigarillon. Upon looking forward, I saw the Hackclaw and Savaga in the same pathetic state as me. Then as if showing off the difference in our power, the Gigarillon was just standing there in the same position as before while looking totally unfazed. And though I truly didn¡¯t want to admit it, that first exchange (if you could even call it that) showed that the Gigarillon was without a doubt league above us in all aspects of combat. Honestly, I even had a feeling that the Gigarillon was most definitely capable of killing us in that mere instant but just chose not to. The most frustrating thing was; the Gigarillon was now looking at us with a clear disappointment plastered on its face. ''Tsk! I¡¯m not done yet!!'' Of course, I knew very well that I sounded like a sore loser. But believe it or not, I genuinely think that we still had a chance. In fact, it was even truer because the Gigarillon seemed to be holding back. Probably, from the very beginning, the Gigarillon had no intention of ever killing us. And though there was still the possibility that the Gigarillon would change its mind, just knowing that it had no intention of killing us changes everything because we could take advantage of that. The first one to reengage was the Savaga. And using all its might, the Savaga grappled against the Gigarillon while letting out a war cry. Taking advantage of that, the Hackclaw aimed at the Gigarillon¡¯s back. Though the Gigarillon didn¡¯t look back, I knew for a fact that it had already noticed the Hackclaw¡¯s approach. But before the Hackclaw even noticed it, the Gigarillon suddenly lifted the Savaga and threw it into the air. Then as the Hackclaw swung its arm towards the Gigarillon¡¯s back, the Gigarillon¡¯s image suddenly blurred while for some unknown reason, the Hackclaw flew backward as if it was hit by a truck. Of course, it wasn¡¯t as if I was just standing there doing nothing. In fact, I even timed my attack at the same moment that the Hackclaw swung its arms. Though unlike the Hackclaw, I didn¡¯t suddenly fly backward but instead, I passed by the blurred image of the Gigarillon. And to be perfectly honest, it felt as if I had attacked a ghost. But because my perception of time was slightly enhanced when haste was on, I could easily guess what had happened. In simple terms, what the Hackclaw and I had attacked was an after image. In short, the Gigarillon had moved so fast that it actually left an afterimage behind. The terrifying thing was, the Gigarillon only moved ever so slightly but even that was enough to leave an afterimage behind. And honestly, even though I only saw some glimpse of what had transpired, I could swear that the movements of the Gigarillon were so precise it was downright like an art. In that mere instant, I felt an overwhelming shock, fear, and awe towards the Gigarillon. And while haste was still active, I unconsciously looked up and saw the Gigarillon flashing an amused smile at me. Time moved slowly as the Gigarillon¡¯s leg rushed towards my face. Normally, an attack moving at such speed would be enough to leave me with a fatal concussion. That was why in a logical sense, the best thing to do was to either dodge it altogether or to at least avoid being hit head-on. And given the effect of haste, it would be at least possible for me to minimize the damage if I went by the second scenario. Unfortunately, given the Gigarillon¡¯s speed, I could easily tell that this was my only chance to get in contact with the Gigarillon. So instead of picking one between the two scenarios, I chose the third approach and simply accepted the Gigarillon¡¯s attack head-on. Luckily, even though my vision was blurred and dyed in red, I still managed to keep holding on to the Gigarillon¡¯s leg. And while still tethering between the boundaries of both dream and reality, I couldn¡¯t stop myself from forming a victorious smile. A split second later, I blindly bit the Gigarillon¡¯s leg. My sharp fangs immediately sank into the flesh of the Gigarillon¡¯s leg. And though the leg¡¯s compact muscles gave some slight resistance, my sharp and durable fangs still successfully pierced the layers of flesh and muscles on the Gigarillon¡¯s leg. In fact, I think that my fangs even reached some blood vessels because I could feel the Gigarillon¡¯s blood flowing inside my mouth. Immediately, I swallowed the Gigarillon¡¯s blood and activated Devour. Then by combining the healing effect of that skill and Recuperate, I managed to slightly recover from the damage I received. As a result, I gained enough strength to further sink my fangs into the Gigarillon¡¯s leg. It was then that from somewhere, even though my ears were still ringing, I could swear that I heard a cry of pain coming from the Gigarillon¡¯s mouth. And probably in an effort to separate me from its leg, I felt the Gigarillon¡¯s hands forcefully pulling me away. Unfortunately, that shaking only further worsened its wounds which caused much more intense bleeding than before. Then as if finally realizing that its action was only worsening the situation, the Gigarillon stopped pulling my body and instead proceeded to hit me probably with its fist. Without any pause, multiple impacts hit my battered body as if trying to completely flatten me. At first, it felt so incredibly painful to the point that my mind went blank numerous times. As a matter of fact, I couldn¡¯t even see because my vision had long since completely turned bloody scarlet most likely as a result of all the punishments my body had received. But despite that, I still stubbornly kept on holding on. Unfortunately, despite my best efforts, my body eventually went completely numb. Following that, my vision switched from red to white, to black. Then as if on cue, the ringing on my ears came to a halt accompanied by the sensation of sinking in a sea of a cold dark abyss. I tried to move and resist but it was all in vain. Until finally, even my consciousness that I desperately tried to hold onto completely slipped away. Chapter 36 - 35 EX Story: The Ape King¡¯s Origin Among the many professions of the High Races, there was this particular one which was called Monster Tamer. And just like what the title obviously hinted at; this particular job made it possible for an individual to tame a monster into submission. Though of course, it wasn¡¯t as if a Monster Tamer could easily make any monsters obey his command. After all, since having the ability to tame a monster was truly convenient, it was only natural that there were conditions in doing so. One of the conditions in taming a monster was that the target monster needed to be young and have yet to evolve. And though it was still possible to tame a fully grown monster, the chance of pulling it off successfully was overwhelmingly lower compared to taming a younger one. Another thing to factor in was the fact that the bond between the monster and the tamer was stronger if the monster had willingly acknowledged the tamer and their pact. Most of all, by being acknowledged by a monster, it was possible for any individual to acquire the title Monster Tamer. That was why naturally, it was deemed more efficient and safer to tame a young na?ve monster compared to a fully grown but hostile one. Because of these reasons, being a Monster Tamer became quite a huge thing for the members of the High Races. This fact was especially true for those who were in power. In fact, it even came to the point that some Countries treated the taming of powerful monsters as a prerequisite for being a monarch. And among the countries being governed by High Races, this practice was most common to the Kingdoms ruled by humans. There were even numerous cases wherein both the nobility and wealthy commoners actively sought young monsters with the highest possible potential. Obviously, all that fact increased the demand for young monsters. As a matter of fact, it was even possible to obtain a fortune by capturing and selling a young monster that has a high potential. Though of course, that didn¡¯t change the fact that capturing a monster was a dangerous job. After all, most of the time, searching and capturing a young monster meant facing and defeating its angered parents first. Basically, that was the same as facing the wrath of a fully grown monster. And if an individual was after a young monster with high potential, he would naturally need to defeat or steal the cub of a powerful monster which obviously wasn¡¯t an easy task per se. Naturally, because capturing a young monster wasn''t easy, almost anyone would readily jump on the chance to easily capture a young monster. And though it only happened on rare occasions, there were a few encounters of young monsters that had been lost or abandoned by their parents. In this scenario, it would be relatively easy even for a civilian to capture a young monster since there wasn¡¯t any parent to protect it. One of the best examples of this was the case of the future Ape King. In all honesty, the Ape King¡¯s memory from before he got lost and captured was a little bit hazy. And for some unknown reason, the last thing that the Ape King could remember was being surrounded by the flame of a burning forest. Along with that, there were also some thundering sounds of explosions accompanied by the dying howl of pain and anguish echoing all around. In that hellfire and thick black smoke, the Ape King could vividly remember the pain and desperation he felt while running for his life. The scorching heat of the flame brushed past the young Ape King¡¯s fur. And probably as a result of all the ash and smoke he inhaled, even breathing had become painfully hard for the young Ape King. Naturally, this eventually caused an oxygen deficiency which resulted in young Ape King losing all his strength. Luckily, it still looked like luck was still on the young Ape King¡¯s side. Because miraculously, when the young Ape King opened his eyes, the forest fire was gone and he obviously survived. The young Ape King¡¯s body was littered with burned wounds, but despite all his injury, the young Ape King still immediately got up on his feet only to fall back down on his b.u.t.t. It was then that the young Ape King noticed that he was sitting in the middle of a burned-down forest. Looking around, he saw the still smoldering trees and the jet-black ground. And whenever the wind blows, the ashes scattered on the ground would dance around the air as if in tune with the rhythm of the whistling gale. Looking at that pitying condition of the forest, the young Ape King felt a jolt of pain in his heart. Honestly, the young Ape King didn¡¯t know why. But for some unknown reason, even though the only thing he could remember was running through the burning forest, witnessing the scene gave him an indescribable feeling of loneliness and isolation. It was as if he could feel all the leftover sorrow and regret lingering on that ruined forest. And though his heart really felt incredibly heavy, no matter how much he tried, his mind refused to give him a clue as to why he was feeling that way. Unfortunately, before he even sorted out his feelings and processed what had happened, the young Ape King heard the sound of multiple footsteps. And when he looked around curious to the source of the sound, he saw a bunch of elves moving through that burned-down forest. But for some reason, even though the forest was undoubtedly still dangerous, there wasn¡¯t even a single one carrying a weapon within that group of elves. In fact, even though the young Ape King couldn¡¯t differentiate each elf from their faces, he was still pretty sure that the elves looked haggard and exhausted. Furthermore, the clothes that the elves were wearing also looked incredibly ragged and dirty. Without even moving an inch, the young Ape King just innocently stared at those elves with a curious glint in its eyes. Not long after that, an elf from the group finally noticed him and informed other their other members. And upon seeing him, the group of elves stopped on their track and cautiously moved towards him. Though for some reason, the elves maintained some distance from the young Ape King despite showing some clear interest and d.e.s.i.r.e to take him away. Of course, the behavior of the elves naturally terrified the young Ape King. But despite his best efforts, his legs always gave in every time he tried to stand. To make matters worse, it seemed like the elves caught on to his d.e.s.i.r.e to escape so they encircled him while still maintaining some distance. And while the young Ape King was sitting there unsure what to do, the elves encircling him seemed to be discussing some things. Evidently, the young Ape King had no idea what the elves were talking about. But despite being completely ignorant of the elves¡¯ means of communication, the young Ape King knew for sure he was the center of their discussion. Specifically, the young Ape King could feel the overwhelming d.e.s.i.r.e of the elves to take him away. And though he didn¡¯t know why, the young Ape King could clearly sense the desperation in each of their voices and eyes. The elves'' discussion took some time. Though in the end, it seemed like their desperation won over them and they decided to capture the young Ape King. And being completely exhausted and weak, the young Ape King was too powerless to resist and he was captured rather easily. Surprisingly, the young Ape King¡¯s treatment wasn¡¯t rough by any means. In fact, despite showing some clear ulterior motives, the young Ape King was treated with care. Though of course, being that their group was trekking a burned-down forest, there was naturally a lack of food and water. As a result, their journey had been unbelievably challenging and arduous to the point that they even left behind some elves who had become too weak to stay on their feet. Chapter 37 - 36 EX Story: The Ape King¡¯s Origin Part II The young Ape King had no idea what happened after that, and probably due to his piled-up exhaustion from their arduous journey, the young Ape King immediately fainted right after the armored humans found them. The next thing he knew, the young Ape King found himself inside a cage, and for some reason, the remaining three elves were standing together outside along with a fancy-dressed man who was looking at the young Ape King curiously. Then after talking it out for a while, the fancy-dressed man nodded at the three elves and they proceeded to walk away from the cage. And though it might just be the young Ape King¡¯s imagination, he could vaguely remember one of the elves looking back with a pained look expression on his face. That was the last time that the young Ape King had seen those three elves. Luckily, the young Ape King¡¯s life had been peaceful after that. And though he was living inside a cage, the young Ape King had no shortage of food because the fancy-dressed man never missed a day in giving him what was necessary to stay alive. In fact, the young Ape King didn''t even mind that he was inside a cage. After all, in this place, at least he didn''t have to worry about how he would survive. Naturally, the young Ape King had no idea for how long he lived like that. But little by little, probably because of the kindness that the fancy-dressed man had shown him, the young Ape King gradually grew fond of the man. Then one day, a notification suddenly appeared in the young Ape King¡¯s line of sight. A few moments after that, the man came running towards the cage. Though for some reason, the young Ape King could clearly tell that the man was excited about something. Much to the young Ape King¡¯s surprise, the fancy-dressed man immediately opened the cage and let him out. Of course, being that the young Ape King was actually very docile in the first place, now that he finally grew fond of the man, it was only natural that the young Ape King didn¡¯t try to attack him. Instead, the young Ape King slowly moved towards the man and gazed at him curiously. Unexpectedly, that action seemed to trigger something inside the man because the young Ape King was suddenly lifted like a child. And then for reasons unknown, the man rubbed his cheeks into the furry cheeks of the young Ape King with a blissful look on his face. Although, the young Ape King found the expression of the man a little bit annoying and disgusting. It was honestly kind of a turn-off for him. Following that event, the young Ape King lived in the mansion of the fancy-dressed man. And as it turned out, the young Ape King had noticed that the fancy-dressed man was some kind of a leader and an important figure. One of the proofs of that was the fact that the fancy dressed man seemed to have a decent number of subordinates, and though the young Ape King still didn¡¯t understand the sounds that humans way of communication, at the very least he understood that those people were treating the fancy dressed man as their Master. Furthermore, the young Ape King could also tell that everyone seemed to adore the man. Probably that''s why before he knew it, the young Ape King also started to adore and regard the man as his master. For a couple of years, the young Ape King served as the personal bodyguard of the man. And being the leader and all, whenever a monster was running wild on his territory, it was naturally the man¡¯s responsibility to subjugate the monster as a way to protect his people. Of course, the man could just simply deploy some of his subordinates to do the job. But instead of doing that, the man would always personally lead his subordinates into the battle. Because of that, the young Ape King was always dragged along whenever there was a report of a dangerous monster running wild. Of course, it wasn¡¯t as if the young Ape King hated his master¡¯s behavior. In fact, the young Ape King actually found it quite fascinating that his master always chose to protect his people using his own strength. And though it was also true that the man needed some help from his subordinates and the young Ape King to do the job, the young Ape King still admired his master for personally leading the charge against those monsters. Furthermore, the young Ape King always found himself captivated by his master¡¯s leadership skill doing the actual combat. The way that the young Ape King¡¯s master lured their enemy into a trap, the masterful way of coordinating every single unit during the attack, and then the craftiness in using the terrain and everything within it as a weapon to grab a hold of victory. Adding the fact that his master was also a very kind and compassionate man, then it was only inevitable that the young Ape King regarded such a man with both respect and awe. As a result of constantly battling together with his master, the young Ape King who was previously a chimp actually became a Banobo which was the Second Evolutionary State of their species. By humans¡¯ standards, a Banobo was a dangerous monster that could single-handedly wipe out a whole party of novice adventurers. That was why when the young Ape King evolved into a Banobo, there were naturally some people who showed some interest and fear towards him. And though the young Ape King had no idea about the actual situation, in a normal setting, owning such a dangerous monster needed some approval from the state. Unfortunately, unbeknownst to both the young Ape King and his master, this whole ordeal had already sparked the fire of a whole new conflict that would eat away at their peaceful daily life. It happened one time right after the young Ape King, his master, and his master¡¯s subordinates had just finished subjugating a monster that was running rampant on the young Ape King¡¯s master territory. At that time, just a few minutes after entering his master¡¯s house, one of the house servants immediately came running towards the young Ape King¡¯s master with a grave expression on his face. And though the young Ape King couldn¡¯t understand what the servant said, just one look at the dark expression on his master¡¯s face upon hearing it was enough for the young Ape King to understand that it was a serious situation. Unfortunately, for reasons unknown, the young Ape King¡¯s master prevented the young Ape King from going out of the house and then hastily went to who knows where. Naturally, this behavior confused the young Ape King. Because not only that his master was clearly fl.u.s.tered, the young Ape King could also tell that everyone inside the house was on edge whilst his master¡¯s subordinates were clearly preparing for battle. To top it all off, before his master went somewhere, the young Ape King also saw his master sending some of his subordinates to a separate mission on their own. Two days went by in a flash, and within those two days that his master was gone, the oppressive atmosphere within the house has only gotten worse. Then finally, early in the morning of the third day, the young Ape King¡¯s master along with his aides has returned. But unlike the triumphant return they had last time, this time, everyone on the returning party including his master was excluding a very tensed aura as if they had just seen death itself. Seeing that, the young Ape King felt had a bad premonition. And though he didn¡¯t know why, the young Ape King couldn¡¯t help but compare his master and everyone else to those elves he met in the burned-down forest. Maybe it was their atmosphere, or maybe it was the look in their eyes. Honestly, the young Ape King himself wasn¡¯t so sure. But despite that, the young Ape King was certain of only one thing, and that was the fact that his master and everyone else has that same look of someone prepared to die. After that, everything went by so fast that the young Ape King didn¡¯t even have time to process what was happening. And before he knew it, the young Ape King was already accompanying his master in march together with an army of about a couple hundred armored humans. Chapter 38 - 37 EX Story: The Ape King¡¯s Origin Part III The young Ape King along with his master and the army of armored humans passed by the town, but unlike the buzzling and busy streets they knew before, the town was now only a shadow of its former glory. To put it simply, the town was simply devoid of life. Probably because of that, the air was eerily strange and still. The citizens of the town weren¡¯t even there to cheer and properly send their warriors off, the only thing that was relatively close to that was the ominous sound of howling wind, and rhythmic footsteps of the soldiers marching off to war. Each soldier looked at that scene with various emotions, some gazed at it with a painful expression, others frowned and stared at it in pity, while a handful of them burned with more resolve upon witnessing that sight. But for the young Ape King, he couldn¡¯t help but compare it to the scenery he saw upon waking up on that burned-down forest. Because for some reason, even though there were no ashes and smokes lingering around, the young Ape King could clearly sense the presence of death looming in the air. In other words, for the young Ape King, the eerie scene of the town was awfully familiar. Just like that, the army of marching soldiers passed by the town. Then after a few more minutes of marching under the blazing rays of the sun, the army finally reached their destination. The place that the army found themselves in was the plain leading directly towards the town. And when the army arrived at that place, it was already midday and the sun was shining brightly in the sky as if bearing witness to what was about to unfold. Naturally, the army immediately set up their camp the moment they arrived. Fortunately, it seemed like their enemy had yet to arrive so they still had some time to prepare. While waiting for their enemy to arrive, the soldiers busied themselves on either helping with the preparations or checking up on their equipment. But clearly, those soldiers were simply doing that to not succ.u.mb to the suffocating tension in their surroundings. As for the young Ape King, he was guarding his master who was busy leading the army for the preparations for the battle. In truth, the young Ape King¡¯s master had attempted to break their master and servant pact on their way. And in that action, the young Ape King could clearly sense his master¡¯s intention of letting him go probably so that he could flee. But despite his master¡¯s plea, the young Ape King stubbornly refused and chose to stay and fight till the end at his master¡¯s side. In the end, because of his yielding resolve, the young Ape King¡¯s master decided to fulfill his partner¡¯s wish. Finally, after waiting for hours, the enemy had arrived. And unlike the meager hundreds of soldiers on their side, the enemy''s number reached about a thousand. Then immediately upon spotting each other¡¯s location, both armies lined up in formation facing each other down. Because the area was a plain field, both armies had no other options but to face each other¡¯s head-on. And based on their numbers alone, the young Ape King¡¯s side was clearly at an overwhelming disadvantage. It may be a bit different if they chose to fight inside the town and employ guerilla warfare, but due to various circ.u.mstances, the young Ape King''s side was forced to confront their enemy like this. Another thing to factor in was the fact that every soldier on the young Ape King¡¯s side was living in that town, so for them, sacrificing the town was the same as destroying their family¡¯s livelihood which they couldn¡¯t possibly do. Normally, an army facing such overwhelming odds would certainly lose its morale. But strangely enough, after the young Ape King¡¯s master stood in front of his soldiers and made his speech, their morale rose to the sky. And along their commander¡¯s vigorous war cry, the soldiers stomped the ground and raised a deafening roar. Along with all of that, even though he clearly didn¡¯t understand his master¡¯s speech, the young Ape King also raised a battle cry that resonated along with the soldiers. Of course, the leaders of the enemy camp didn¡¯t let their soldiers fall into disarray. That was why before the confusion spread even further, the enemy leaders immediately dismissed their soldiers¡¯ worry by reminding them of their superior numbers. Naturally, it was effective. After all, even if the other side¡¯s morale was high, that simply didn¡¯t matter if they were greatly outnumbered. Furthermore, it was pretty much impossible to pull off a surprise attack in this terrain so the other side had no other choice but to face them in a frontal confrontation. After their leaders had pointed all that out, the enemy¡¯s soldiers finally came at ease. Immediately after that, the enemy finally made their move. Upon their leaders¡¯ command, the enemy archers lined up and fired a volley of arrows. Seeing that, the young Ape King¡¯s master calmly ordered his soldiers to raise their shields and to prepare for impact. While being protected by the shield of his master, the young Ape King watched as hundreds of arrows flew in their direction. A split second after that, the clattering sounds of metals echoed all around as the arrows fell from the sky. Of course, the rain of arrows didn¡¯t just stop at a single wave. In fact, it actually lasted for quite some time that the soldiers even started to wonder if their enemy had an infinite supply of arrows. Though obviously, the enemy didn¡¯t have an infinite supply so the storm of arrows eventually stopped. Fortunately, despite being on the receiving end of that preemptive attack, it seemed like there were no casualties on the young Ape King¡¯s side. It was then that the sound of war horn echoed through the battlefield. Immediately upon hearing that, the young Ape King¡¯s master hastily commanded his soldiers to ready their battle formation. On the other side of the plains, the enemy soldiers obediently lined up in battle formation. And when the soldiers finished lining up, the leaders of each squad started stomping on the ground while chanting vigorously like some madmen. Infected by their leaders¡¯ vigor, the soldiers also started chanting and stomping on the ground. As a result, it didn¡¯t take too long for the whole thousand armies to do the same, effectively engulfing the whole battlefield with thunderous chants. Then, as the sound of the war horn echoed once again, all the soldiers who had lined up earlier started charging forward with their leaders upfront. And probably to drown all their fears, every soldier raised a battle cry whilst madly dashing forward. The young Ape King watched in fear as an avalanche of armored humans threatened to swallow them. But being as decisive as always, the young Ape King¡¯s master didn¡¯t even show any fear nor hesitation and just calmly ordered his mages to prepare their long-range offensive spells. Though of course, compared to the average range of an arrow, the range of a normal magic attack paled in comparison, in exchange for that flaw, the individual destructive power of each offensive spell was greater than that of a single arrow. That was why in war, spells were mostly used to counter infantry charges. Standing calmly at the forefront of their formation, the young Ape King¡¯s master waited for the mages to finish their chant. Then just at the right time when the first wave of enemies entered the magic¡¯s range of fire, the mages finished their chants while the young Ape King¡¯s master simultaneously commanded them to attack. Upon witnessing that scene, the enemy soldiers who once charged without any hesitation came to a sudden halt. But as if feigning ignorance of their plea, the war horn resounded once again clearly telling them to move and sacrifice their lives. Probably in a desperate attempt to survive, some of the leaders and soldiers slowly looked back. Unfortunately, before they even managed to, the sound of the war horn resounded on their ears once again. And this time, the sound it produced was even louder than before signifying the final decisions of their superiors. Left with no other choice, the soldiers could only grit their teeth while looking at the mages up ahead who were all clearly prepared to shower them with those deadly spells once again. Then as if finally surrendering to their fates, the soldiers charged forward while letting out a war cry that was louder than before. Though unlike last time, the soldiers¡¯ eyes weren¡¯t burning with resolve, instead, the soldiers were now clearly consumed by a deep seething madness. Chapter 39 - 38 EX Story: The Ape King¡¯s Origin Part IV Thunderous explosions echoed on the battlefield, amidst all of that, the mixture of crazed and anguished screams could also be heard all around. It was truly a tragic scene, and that was probably why even though those soldiers were undoubtedly their enemies, the mages who were responsible for their suffering still couldn¡¯t help but feel some ounce of pity towards them. In fact, even the young Ape King and his master felt the same. Unfortunately, they simply couldn¡¯t stop. After all, if they let those soldiers be, they were the ones who would be slaughtered. Such was the essence of war, because in truth, once all the justifications and propaganda were removed, war was just a simple act of killing and violence. Despite their misgivings, the mage continued to bombard the enemy soldiers with their spells. Of course, this scene shocked the commanders of the enemy army. After all, enlisting that many mages in a private army weren¡¯t normal by any means. And given the fact the army was made up only of the land lord¡¯s subordinates and residents, it would inevitably raise a question regarding the dangers of having a single lord possessing that much military might. Though of course, it wasn¡¯t as if the commanders were only sending their troops mindlessly. Because even though it was true that the mages were a threat, it wasn¡¯t as if those mages had an infinite supply of magic power. In short, the enemy commander¡¯s plan was clearly to deplete the magic power reserves of those mages before swooping in for the kill. Probably to reduce the damage to their army, the commanders were only sending small squads of cannon fodders to be bombarded with magic. And in truth, the equipment of some cannon fodders wouldn¡¯t even pass as a soldier. For one thing, most of them were only wearing rags and were equipped with rusty swords. In fact, even the equipment of the handful who were left was only at an acceptable condition at best. So clearly, it was safe to say that the true identity of those cannon fodders was a mixture of commoners and slaves. Noticing that, the young Ape King¡¯s master grimaced from disgust. And even though he personally had no idea about the plight of their enemy, even the young Ape King felt some pity towards those cannon fodders. Maybe it was the effect of serving a benevolent master, or it might just be that the very nature of the young Ape King itself was changed after forming a pact. Honestly, even the young Ape King himself had no idea. But regardless of the reason, it was clear that something had changed inside the young Ape King after living in a human¡¯s society for years. Truth to be told, even the young Ape King¡¯s master had noticed this change. That was why despite the warning and apprehension of some of his subordinates, the young Ape King¡¯s master allowed his partner to freely roam inside the vicinity of the mansion. While the young Ape King¡¯s master and his subordinates were having some internal conflict, the magic bombardment continued. And probably because of the relentless wave of cannon fodders, the three units of mages were now showing some slight hint of fatigue. Normally, the mages should already be completely depleted after casting consecutive spells like that. But despite being on the verge of reaching their limit, the mages continued weaving and releasing some spells using their very own lifeforce in exchange. Though of course, the young Ape King¡¯s master instantly noticed what the mages were doing, and upon seeing that, he immediately commanded the mages to stop. At first, the mages didn¡¯t stop probably because they were all on the same mind that it was a necessary sacrifice. But after the young Ape King¡¯s master talked to them, the mages did eventually stop. Witnessing that the mages were finally depleted, the commanders of the enemy army began their preparation for an all-out attack. And this time, now that they didn¡¯t have to worry about being bombarded with spells, the commanders could now freely deploy their troops without holding back. Seeing the movements of their enemy, the young Ape King¡¯s master commanded his soldiers to raise their shields and spears. And after making sure that the vanguards were ready, the young Ape King¡¯s master hastily rode his horse and commanded his archers to line up. Then, just right when the archers had finally lined up, the sound of the enemy¡¯s war horn resounded on the battlefield. Following that sound, swarms of enemy soldiers charged towards their position. And with just a single glance, even the young Ape King could tell that the number of soldiers this time far surpassed the first wave of attack. But even though he was looking at the tide of soldiers threatening to swallow them whole, the young Ape King¡¯s master calmly commanded his archers to draw their arrows and fire. Waves upon waves of arrows rained down on the charging soldiers. Naturally, the soldiers who were hit were either killed or injured effectively causing some casualties on the enemy¡¯s side. And ironic as it was, the sheer number of the soldiers actually made them an ideal target. After all, enlisting that many mages in a private army weren¡¯t normal by any means. It happened right after the rain of arrows stopped. With movements that were unbelievably swift and well-coordinated, the soldiers of the young Ape King¡¯s master suddenly opened up a path. Then with a speed of raging gale, three units of cavalries emerged and trampled down the nearest infantry unit that they found. Following that, the cavalry unit which was headed by the young Ape King¡¯s master rampaged on that battlefield by killing enemies left and right. Just like a raging tornado, the cavalry units pinballed on the battlefield effectively wreaking havoc on any infantry units that were unfortunate enough to be their target. Then probably to avoid being pincered by the enemy, the cavalry units didn¡¯t even try to annihilate their targets. Instead, the cavalry units always made sure to change their target after a single charge. And by repeating this process, the cavalry units managed to maintain their speed and momentum while also inflicting an acceptable amount of damage to every infantry unit they encountered. Furthermore, this tactic also lessened the burden of the spear infantry units who were protecting the exhausted mages in their backs. In truth, such a feat was only possible because the entire three units of cavalries were moving like a single organism. And clearly, this was the biggest proof of how talented the young Ape King¡¯s master was when it came to coordinating his subordinates in battle. Additionally, this also showed the absolute trust and respect that the subordinates have towards their master. Though to be fair, even that was amazing in its own right. Seeing the chaos that the cavalry units were causing, the enemy commanders decided to deploy their own cavalry unit to deal with the situation. And probably to increase their chance of success, the enemy commanders deployed five units of cavalries. Based on their movements alone, it was clear to see that the coordination of the enemy¡¯s cavalries was way inferior when compared to the one being led by the young Ape King¡¯s master. In fact, one could even say that the difference was like heaven and earth. But despite that, the enemy cavalries were still a threat because of their numbers alone. As a result, after a long game of tag, the cavalry units which were led by the young Ape King¡¯s master were finally on the verge of being backed into a corner. Unfortunately, before the enemy¡¯s cavalries managed to catch up, a single cavalry unit swooped into their side. Bizarre as it was, the cavalry unit in question was actually being led by the young Ape King. And in truth, this was actually their plan from the very beginning. After all, before they even head out to rampage on the battlefield, the young Ape King¡¯s master had already anticipated that the enemy commanders would deploy a larger cavalry unit to deal with them. With that in mind, the young Ape King¡¯s master left the cavalry unit being led by his partner hidden on the back of their spear infantry units. Then when the enemy¡¯s cavalry units were deployed, the cavalry unit headed by the young Ape King sneakily went around the chaotic battlefield while waiting for the right time to strike. Naturally, the enemy commanders actually noticed the presence of that lone and aberrant cavalry unit. But given that they had already deployed their own, the enemy commanders had no means of warning their cavalry from the incoming danger in the midst of that chaotic battlefield. On top of that, the enemy¡¯s cavalry units were too focused on chasing after the slippery target, so they didn¡¯t even notice the approaching danger. As a result, the enemy¡¯s cavalry was successfully hit by a surprise attack on their right flank. The cavalry headed by the young Ape King swooped in and completely pierced the whole formation of the enemy¡¯s cavalry. Because of that, the formation of the enemy¡¯s cavalry became chaotic and all five units became momentarily stunned. Taking advantage of that, the cavalry units led by the young Ape King¡¯s master rushed in and took out about seventy percent of the enemy¡¯s cavalry. Then to deal the finishing blow, the cavalry unit headed by the young Ape King turned around and once again charged in. And with just that brief exchange, the enemy cavalry was annihilated without even having a chance to fight back. Chapter 40 - 39 EX Story: The Ape King¡¯s Origin Part V The enemy commanders watched in terror as their cavalry unit was annihilated in the blink of an eye. And for those commanders, they simply couldn¡¯t believe that their cavalry units were destroyed without even being able to put up a fight. Furthermore, they were also still in shock after witnessing those unbelievable maneuvers with their very own eyes. Then, to top it all off, there was also the existence of that aberrant cavalry unit that was somehow being led by a monster. In truth, the commanders¡¯ reaction was actually a normal one. After all, even though the maneuvers of those cavalry units were truly outlandish, it was still possible to achieve that albeit with a lot of effort and training. And even though it was certainly a rare occurrence, the enemy commanders still know of some monsters that could actually ride in battle. Unfortunately, even for those battle-hardened commanders, witnessing a monster leading a cavalry unit made of humans shook them to their core. Because no matter how much they tried, the enemy commanders simply couldn¡¯t comprehend how the monster was pulling that off. More than that, the enemy commanders also couldn¡¯t believe that there were actually humans who were insane enough to follow the lead of a monster. If they had to guess, it must have been the work of that lord. But even then, that fact would only mean that they wouldn¡¯t be able to fully understand that lord¡¯s way of thinking, because for the enemy commanders, it was just too bizarre and out of the norm. But much to the enemy commander¡¯s ignorance, the young Ape King¡¯s ability to lead a cavalry unit was simply a byproduct of fighting together with his master for years. Because in truth, the idea of having the young Ape King ride in battle only came up when they noticed his weakness. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean that the young Ape King was weak in battle. In fact, their species was actually pretty strong when they were fighting inside a forest. Unfortunately, that fact also made their species vulnerable when they were fighting in plains. In short, the idea was only a means to counter that weakness. And as for how the young Ape King was leading a cavalry unit, well, it was only possible because of the connection between the master and his monster. Using that connection, the monster could easily synchronize his movements with his master. As a result, the only thing that the members of the young Ape King¡¯s cavalry needed to do was to follow the monster¡¯s movements without question. Though obviously, this use of the master and servant connection was strange so it was no wonder that the enemy commanders couldn¡¯t wrap their heads around it. After watching the destruction of their own cavalry units, the enemy commanders just stood there in complete silence. And even though they truly wanted to do something about that rampaging cavalry units, the enemy commanders simply couldn¡¯t risk the chance of losing their two remaining cavalry units. Because on top of being outnumbered, their cavalry was also undeniably inferior when it comes to battlefield maneuvers and coordinated attacks. Naturally, because there was no left to hinder their movements, the cavalry units led by the young Ape King and his master freely wreaked the enemy lines. And though he could now freely join his master¡¯s cavalry units, the young Ape King still decided to have his cavalry units move independently. But even then, it was still clear to see that the young Ape King was synchronizing his unit¡¯s movements with that of his master¡¯s. Of course, at first glance, it looked as if the young Ape King¡¯s master had managed to turn the tide of battle into their favor. But in truth, that wasn¡¯t actually the case because the enemy still had some reserved infantry troops. And while it was true, the enemy had no means to stop the rampaging cavalry units; it wasn¡¯t as if those cavalries had an infinite supply of stamina. To make matters worse, the horses that they were riding in were also the same. That was why even though their army had received some major damage, the enemy commanders were still pretty confident about their victory. Then, as if confirming the enemy commanders¡¯ conclusion, both the cavalry units led by the young Ape King and his master started to retreat behind their spear infantry units. Naturally, the enemy soldiers took that chance to reorganize their formation. And as if sensing their inevitable defeat, the soldiers under the young Ape King¡¯s master had begun to withdraw. Seeing that action, the enemy soldiers recovered their morale and they vigorously chased after the soldiers who were trying to pullback. As a result, the enemy soldiers who were previously in a spread-out formation had slowly begun clumping up. But contrary to their enthusiastic soldiers, the enemy commanders who were in the back line felt a bad premonition upon seeing that. Unfortunately, before they managed to find the reason why, the sound of an unfamiliar war horn echoed on the battlefield. And as if trying to resonate with that sound, thunderous explosions suddenly erupted shaking the land itself. Unconsciously, the enemy commanders turned their gaze on the front lines, and in there, they saw the raging hellfire along with the thick black smoke rising up from the area where their soldiers were supposed to be. Then, as if that wasn¡¯t nearly enough, a new enemy army had also appeared to flank their army on the left. And based on the flag of the newly arrived army, it was undoubtedly from the landlord who was in a friendly relationship with this area¡¯s landlord. With all of this turn of events, it had become painfully clear to the enemy commanders that the battle was turning against their favor. More than that, now that their army was flanked on two fronts, the deployment and formation of their troops would be surely thinned out. And even though their army was still superior in number, at the rate the battle was unfolding, their army would certainly take some heavy losses. Then of course, they also had to worry about the reinforcements that would come directly from the enemy¡¯s nation would inevitably deploy. Upon realizing the predicament that they were in, the enemy commanders seriously considered to fall back. After all, even though their superiors had given them some pretext and justification for invading the enemy¡¯s territory, they still couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that there was some kind hidden agenda and conspiracy lurking behind the scenes. Besides, no matter how they thought about it, it was truly rather strange that their nation would sanction the deployment of an army in a simple dispute between neighboring land lords. And even though it was true that the landlords in question were members of two opposing countries, normally, a nation wouldn¡¯t interfere like this and would only let the two landlords settle their dispute themselves. Because of all this suspicion, the notion of retreat became more and more prevalent on the enemy commanders¡¯ mind. But before they managed to finalize their decision, the two armies that were opposing them simultaneously rushed in. Left with no other choice, the enemy commanders were forced to order their soldiers to engage the two armies in battle. But because their orders came a little too late, the two armies easily broke through the unfinished formation of the enemy commander¡¯s soldiers. As a result, the battlefield was plunged into a chaotic free for all combat. And in that instant, before the enemy commanders completely fell into panic, someone briskly appeared and talked them down. Amidst all that chaos, the young Ape King¡¯s cavalry unit rampaged on the battlefield. And because everything had turned into an absolute mess, the young Ape King cavalry was moving to target the enemy soldiers who were attempting to reform their line just like his master. But then, out of nowhere, three units of cavalries appeared and charged towards his direction. Of course, that was normal and all, but what was confusing about it was the unit leading the group. Because no matter how he looked at it, even the young Ape King could tell that the armor of that unit was vastly different from the other two. For one, immediately upon laying eyes on the young Ape King, the human smiled. Following that, the human carelessly stood on the still running horse. And in the next instant, that very same human vanished only to reappear directly in front of the young Ape King. The young Ape King¡¯s eyes shot wide open, but before he even managed to react, the human punched the young Ape King so hard that he actually flew a few meters back. Then as if that wasn¡¯t nearly enough, the human also kicked the ground creating a shockwave powerful enough to the whole cavalry unit flying in different directions. Still in pain and a little bit dizzy, the young Ape King forced his body to stand. But upon looking up, the first thing he saw was two scarlet eyes staring him down. Then, before he knew it, the young Ape King was suddenly pummeled into the ground. In that moment, the young Ape King saw his life flashing before his eyes. But before he completely succ.u.mbed to the nothingness that was pulling him in, the series of strikes came to a halt. Then upon f.o.r.c.i.b.l.y opening his eyes, the young Ape King saw his master desperately fighting against someone. Unfortunately, probably owing to the fact that the young Ape King was on the verge of death, everything after that became too hazy. Though, even then, one thing was for sure. That day, the young Ape King lost everything once again. And tragic as it was, this time, his beloved master was among them. Chapter 41 - 40 By the time I woke up, my body was aching all over. Of course, given that the Gigarillon literally pummeled my consciousness out, it came as no surprise that I would receive some serious injuries because of that. Well, I knew for sure that the Gigarillon wouldn¡¯t kill me. Because based on that monster¡¯s behavior, that thing was intelligent enough to find my existence amusing instead of a threat. Probably, that thing had sensed that I am no ordinary monster and that was what piqued its interest. But unfortunately for the Gigarillon, that fight gave some necessary info to at least gauge its overall strength. And based on what I could tell, I was right into thinking that the Gigarillon wasn¡¯t as powerful as the Drake and the Hellhound, which in essence also means that it wasn¡¯t impossible to escape and come up with a countermeasure against it. Though to be honest, that monster was truly bizarre as I expected. ''Seriously, I am a reincarnation, so it is only natural that I¡¯m as intelligent as a human. But that Gigarillon is different. In fact, I¡¯m pretty sure that it isn¡¯t even a reincarnation. If that is so, then how? Does that mean that there are monsters that are as intelligent as a human in this world? Like in those RPGs and fantasy stories from my memories? Isn''t that a little too convenient?'' As I had said, monsters like that also existed in some fantasy stories I read in the past. But as far as I knew, that fact only applied to legendary and extremely powerful monsters. One of the best examples of that was Dragons. And in fantasy stories, there were even times when Dragons were more intelligent than humans. Sometimes, they were even described as creatures with a vast amount of knowledge. With that being said, the only monster I had seen so far that closely resembled a Dragon was that Drake from before. Though if I combined that knowledge with what I currently know about this world, that would simply mean that the Drake had only reached that height because of its age. The problem was, even though I could sense that the Drake was indeed intelligent, I actually had a feeling that the Gigarillon was about on the same level or maybe higher than that Drake. ''If that is true, then how does the Gigarillon reach that level of intelligence even though it isn¡¯t as powerful as the Drake? Does that mean that the Gigarillon is as old as that Drake? But if so, then how come it still hasn¡¯t reached that level of power?'' Of course, being the King and all, there was a high possibility that it was because the Gigarillon hadn''t fought as much. If that was the case, it would explain why the Gigiarillon wasn¡¯t as powerful because it was virtually impossible to improve without having to fight first hand. Unfortunately, based on our first encounter, it was clear to see that the Gigarillon was fighting on the frontline himself. Because of that, it had become even more mysterious why the Gigarillon¡¯s intelligence didn¡¯t match its level of power. ''Does it have something to do with evolution? Maybe the Gigarillon had already reached its limits and was just unable to evolve any further? Upon realizing that, I immediately connected it to another important fact. Wait, if that Gigarillon indeed reached his limit before becoming as strong as that Drake, then that would mean that it might also happen to me. And because of this, there is now a possibility that I might reach my limit even before I successfully evolve into a Werewolf¡­ Seriously, this might be bad¡­'' While I was thinking things like that, I suddenly sensed some monster entering the prison-like area. Though upon recognizing the monster in question, my eyes shot wide open. And who could blame me? Up until now, every time those ape-type monsters have needed something from us, they would always just send a Banobo or two to fetch us out. But now, for some unknown reason, two powerful apes were standing directly in front of my cell. On top of that, the two monsters weren¡¯t even trying to hide their hostility towards me. ''Seriously, what are you guys doing here?'' I couldn¡¯t help but ask. As you could probably tell, the two apes in question were the Tronobo and Pronobo. And based on how the two monsters were looking at me, I could only hope that they didn¡¯t come here in order to execute me. ''Oh boy, these guys are still clearly pissed¡­ But man, can you guys please at least try to conceal your hostility? You¡¯re really wracking my nerves here¡­'' With a sharp gaze as if they were looking at their arch enemy, the two monsters stared directly into my eyes. But while looking at the two monsters, the only thought that crossed my mind was how uncomfortable my position was. And to be fair, looking up while still bounded and lying sideways on the floor was truly hard. ''Guys, please just do what you gotta do. Because honestly, it¡¯s hard staying still in this position.'' I pleaded with my eyes. But for some reason, the two monsters became even more enraged upon seeing that. Then while still seething in anger, the two monsters hauled me violently as if deliberately trying to hurt my injuries. ''Woah, Woah. Careful now, I¡¯m still hurting all over after all.'' I internally complained. Immediately after that, the two monsters haughtily dragged me away. Though to be honest, given that these two high-ranking monsters personally came to fetch me, it was all but certain that they were acting upon the Gigarillon¡¯s orders. That was probably why the two monsters were retraining themselves from killing me, most likely, my guess was right and the Gigarillon really wanted me alive. The problem was, it would now be harder to escape given that the Gigarillon had set its eyes on me. To make matters worse, that didn¡¯t even include the threat posed by both the Tronobo and Pronobo. Whilst was worrying about my situation, the two monsters carried me through the upper floors of the giant tree. But probably because of their superior agility, the climbing speed of the Tronobo and Pronobo couldn¡¯t even be compared to other apes around. Honestly, the Tronobo was actually moving even faster than that time when we were traveling through the jungle. Most likely, the Tronobo at that time had simply slowed down in order to match the speed of his subordinates. ''Ha, ha, ha. Seriously?!'' I thought while looking at the Tronobo. Naturally, I already had a feeling from the very beginning that the Tronobo at that time was holding back. After all, it wouldn¡¯t make much sense if the speed of a higher race monster would only be at the same level as the inferior ones. And though that might be possible for monsters of different species, it was simply impossible to apply that fact to the ape monster species. Because clearly, these guys were inherently skilled in maneuvering themselves on and in-between trees. So surely, being that such a skill was basically their species specialty, it would only be natural that the skill would also improve every time an ape evolves. In essence, it was just the same with my fangs-based inherent skills. Anyway, after observing the actions of the Tronobo and Pronobo, it was all but certain that the Gigarollon was staying at the top of this gigantic tree. But personally, I think that was a little too clich¨¦. Of course, being literally at the top, it should only be normal given that he was the King and all. However, was it really necessary to flaunt his title like that and be this grandiose about it? I mean seriously, for an intelligent monster like that, I expected something better. Because to be brutally honest, this was just simply too inefficient. After all, besides the additional effort of going down, whenever he needed to fight, he also had to climb back up after a tiring battle. ''Man, I am starting to doubt that monster¡¯s intelligence.'' I thought with a little chuckle. Though of course, being that I was a wolf and all, it only came out as a silent growl. It was at that time that we finally reached the top of the tree. Then upon entering a seemingly spacious balcony, I saw a group of apes gathered in there. Obviously, the Gigarillon was among those monsters; the only difference was that he was sitting near the edge of the Balcony-like area. But upon closer inspection, I immediately recognize the true identity of the apes standing near the Gigarillon. Though to be perfectly honest, I only managed to recognize them because those very same apes had piqued my curiosity before. And as for the event in question, well, it was that time when I fought the Gigarillon along with the Savaga and Hackclaw. In short, those apes surrounding the Gigarillon were actually the Banobo cavalry from before. Seeing that, I could only come up with a single conclusion. ''Oi, oi, oi! This isn¡¯t funny at all. Don¡¯t tell me these guys are planning on turning me into their new steed?!'' I exclaimed internally. Then, as if answering my mental question, I could swear that I saw the Gigarillon immediately smirking upon seeing my face dumbfounded. Chapter 42 - 41 ''This guy¡¯s seriously trying to piss me off!!'' I instantly concluded upon seeing the Gigarillon¡¯s smile. Of course, for the other apes, they were all probably thinking that this was just something normal. After all, it was clear to see that these guys were now quite used to it which means that this practice had already been ingrained into their primitive culture. Unfortunately, it was different for me. Because obviously, being a former human and all, there was no way I could ever accept being reduced into a mere steed. The problem was, it seemed like the Gigarillon had also taken notice of that and was deliberately using that to set me off. ''Fine, if you think you can make me obey, you can go ahead try!!'' I swore internally while letting out a growl. After noticing our presence, the apes began lining up to the side probably to make way for the two high-ranking monsters. Then, after all the monsters had properly lined up, the Tronobo and Pronobo brought me in front of the Gigarillon before bowing down. With a smug smile plastered on its face, the Gigarillon stared straight at my eyes with a mixture of amus.e.m.e.nt and curiosity. And seeing that, even I was forced to admit that the monster standing in front of me was indeed someone special. In fact, I would even dare say that this guy had some vast amount of experience. Though of course, this only made my situation even more precarious. For a while, the Gigarillon and I stared each other down. But upon sensing that I wouldn¡¯t back down, the Gigarillon gestured to the apes to start the preparation. Following the Gigarillon¡¯s command, the Tronobo brought me to the center of the balcony-like area. Then as if trying to imitate the fighting ring from before, the apes surrounded us with a rough circular-like position. Though this time, the monsters used their very own body in replacement for the logs. And because there were only a few of them here, they only managed to make a single line. Honestly, even I was surprised by the dedication of the apes. I mean, seriously, they were even willing to use themselves as the replacement for the ring without any fear nor hesitation. Though I guess these guys were just that confident about their ability, after all, every single one of them was a Banobo and they were all probably handpicked by the Gigarillon himself. While the Tronobo was still busy removing my bounds, I cautiously gazed around. ''Well, looks like there really is no escaping from here.'' Was my conclusion. Clearly, with all these strong monsters surrounding me, it was pretty much impossible to make a successful escape. And even if I somehow managed to, I still needed to go down this gigantic tree, which was swarming with apes. Besides that, since the Gigarillon was here, that option has been pretty much doomed to fail. ''But seriously, making this area as the arena to force monsters into submission is truly clever. Most likely, this is the idea of that Gigarillon.'' Logically speaking, this place was probably chosen as a way to make it hard for any monster to escape. After all, there wasn¡¯t any option besides going through the swarm of apes living in this tree. And because the location was also high up in the tree, jumping off the balcony would only lead to certain death. Besides, pretty much every ape would have the advantage if they fought up in a tree. Furthermore, being that the monsters could freely move at this height, that would mean that their fighters could easily respond in case of emergency. More than that, they could also evacuate the non-combatants if they wanted to. So clearly, this was an amazingly clever idea for a monster. ''Seriously, what is up with this monster.'' I couldn¡¯t help but wonder. It was then that the Tronobo had finished removing my bounds. Immediately after that, a Banobo stepped in at the center of the ring. But from what I could tell, unlike the other Banobo¡¯s around, this one was way weaker than them. Probably, this guy was just a candidate and this event was a ritual to prove his capabilities as a rider. And based on the vines that the Banobo was holding, it was painfully obvious that he would try to make me submit using that. Most likely, just like the Hellhounds, I saw that day, this Banobo would attempt to bound my mouth then control my movements using that. Though, for now¡­ ''Hey, hey, hey. What¡¯s this huh? Why that newbie? Are you guys underestimating me?'' Obviously, it didn¡¯t sit well with me that the Gigarillon sent this newbie to fight me. And even though this might just be how they usually did this; I simply didn¡¯t really care. After all, I even managed to injure their King in a fight, so I at least expect that they would have acknowledged my strength. But sending this newbie? Really? ''Since you guys send this newbie here, then I assume I am free to kill him, right? After all, this is still a battle between monsters.'' I internally asked while looking at Gigarillon¡¯s direction. Though naturally, the Gigarillon simply stared at me curiously which means my question failed to come across. Well, it didn¡¯t really matter to me if the Gigarillon understood or not. After all, all I had to do was win against this Banobo and show these monsters that they wouldn¡¯t be able to make me submit. But don¡¯t get me wrong, even though this Banobo was truly weaker than the others, it wasn¡¯t as if I was underestimating the monster. Because in truth, based on my observations, a single Banobo was about at the same level of power as my current race; a Great Wolf. So, in a sense, beating even just one of them would take some time and effort on my part. And of course, that very same logic also could also be applied to this Banobo. That was why obviously, I fully intended to give it my all and I also wouldn¡¯t let my guard down. With that in mind, I began feeling my body up to check on my overall condition. Unfortunately, it seemed like my body hadn''t fully recovered yet and I estimated that at best, I could only fight in full strength within five minutes. So, naturally, I would have to win this fight fast and swiftly. Upon gazing upfront, I saw the Banobo standing there looking calm and collected. Though of course, I could easily tell that it was just a front. Because unfortunately for him, my senses were now in sync more than ever before. Particularly my sense of smell. Before, because of how s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e my sense of smell was, I always felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of odors it could detect all at once. Furthermore, my memories as a normal wolf weren¡¯t even helping because it was just too short to completely master it. Of course, I could still isolate some odors I recognized, and that was how I went on up until now. But now, after fighting different monsters and living through all of it, I slowly gained enough experience to recognize those unknown odors. To be more specific, it seemed like those unknown odors that I hadn¡¯t recognized before were actually the intense emotions being produced by the living beings near my vicinity. And from what I could smell, these Banobo in front of me were most definitely nervous. For now, it still hadn¡¯t evolved into fear yet, but I could at least capitalize on that. Being that I needed to conserve my strength, I cautiously waited for the Banobo to attack. Probably sensing that, the Banobo decided to make the first move. Using the range of the vine in its hands, the Banobo lashed out. But because the vines weren¡¯t long enough, all I had to do to dodge the attack was to move around the Banobo while keeping a certain distance. Though of course, being that I only had a limited time to use my full strength, I avoided keeping Haste on. Instead, I only activated it once in a while using it as a means to have a sudden boost of speed. And to hide my top speed, I accelerated at random rates which in turn confused the Banobo even more. Of course, in a logical sense, that decision wasn¡¯t actually a bad one. After all, I wouldn¡¯t be able to run away from the Banobo using my current tactic. But unfortunately for the Banobo, this was in fact my aim from the very beginning. Without moving an inch, I silently activated Haste. Then when I was almost within the Banobo¡¯s reach, I suddenly charged forward in full speed. And in that same moment, an intense scent of shock entered my nose. Immediately upon sensing the Banobo¡¯s hesitation, I released all my bloodl.u.s.t without holding back. And as a result of receiving the full brunt of my killing intent, the Banobo momentarily recoiled giving me enough time to topple the monster down. Chapter 43 - 42 Taking advantage of the shocked Banobo, I bit the monster¡¯s right leg in a flash. And as I intended, the Banobo¡¯s bone broke from that attack and the monster easily lost its balance. Though of course, I didn¡¯t let go of the monster¡¯s leg, and instead I forcefully pulled it in the opposite direction. As a result, the monster wasn¡¯t able to soften its fall and it crashed heavily into the ground. Probably because the whole area was made out of wood, a loud bang reverberated when the monster fell at such speed. But despite pathetically tumbling face-first in the ground, the Banobo still immediately tried to get up with gritted teeth. Though naturally, I wasn¡¯t about to let the monster recover so easily just like that. Without wasting any second, I immediately leaped above the defenseless Banobo. My goal was simple; it was to immediately end the match by breaking the monster¡¯s neck. But before I managed to sink my fangs into the monster¡¯s neck, the Banobo managed to force its arm into my mouth. But as a result of that choice, the Banobo¡¯s arm was broken. Seeing that, I internally cursed because of the wasted opportunity. ''Lucky bastard!!'' But upon realizing that the situation also provided another opportunity, I instantly took action and attempted to rip the flesh on Banobo¡¯s arm. It was then that heightened senses started tingling. Recognizing that it was a warning from an incoming attack, I hastily let go of the monster¡¯s arm and bent my body backward. And as if confirming my prediction, the Banobo¡¯s other arm brushed past my nose with a terrifying speed ''Yikes! That was close!!'' In hindsight, it looked like the Banobo had made full use of that opportunity to land a critical blow on my head. Fortunately, my senses had become a lot sharper than before probably as another result of the synchronization of my mind and body. On top of that, it was further enhanced by skills so as long as it wasn¡¯t too fast, I could probably evade any attack. Then, after dodging the Banobo¡¯s punch, I once again bared my fangs towards the monster. Unfortunately, before I managed to injure the monster even further, the Banobo kicked away. As a result, I flew away backward and the Banobo used that chance to stand back up. Though because the Banobo¡¯s leg was broken, the monster was only standing on its shaky legs. Looking at the bloody monster, I could easily tell that the Banobo was just barely hanging on. But despite all its injuries, some fighting spirit was still burning in the monster¡¯s eyes. Clearly, the Banobo still hasn¡¯t given up. The way I saw it, this battle wouldn¡¯t end unless one of us died. Even more so because the apers around us weren''t showing any intent to stop this battle. ''Fine, let''s end this!!'' In the middle of that storm of attacks, I leaped, slid, and dodged every single attack that had come my way. And probably because of newly sharpened senses, I easily figured out the timing of the monster¡¯s attack. Furthermore, it also seemed like the Banobo was getting weaker each time it swung its arms. Most likely, it was the effect of losing too much blood while also forcing its injured body. Though of course, even though I fully respect the monster¡¯s action, I wasn¡¯t about to hold back just because of that. In order to find the best opening to strike, I focused all my senses on the incoming attack. Then, just before the Banobo¡¯s fist hit my face, I leaped above the monster¡¯s arm. And with precise movements, I used that very same arm as a foothold to dash towards the Banobo¡¯s head. Probably fl.u.s.tered by my sudden movements, the Banobo tried to block me using its injured arm. Honestly, it was a pretty fast reaction. Especially because in just a mere instant, the Banobo managed to actually manage to cover both its neck and face. Unfortunately, I had already anticipated that reaction. And so, instead of sinking my fangs into its already injured arm, I just simply swiped my claw towards the monster¡¯s left eye. Blood gushed out of the monster¡¯s eye. And as my feet landed on the ground, the Banobo let out a cry full of pain. But without paying heed to its cry, I proceeded to dash towards the Banobo¡¯s back. As a result, the combination of my momentum and weight, the Banobo fell face down on the ground. And probably recognizing the danger it was in, the monster desperately trashed its body around. Unfortunately, it was already too late. Fully determined to end the Banobo¡¯s suffering in an instant, I bared my fangs towards the monster¡¯s nape. But right as I was about to sink my fangs in the Banobo¡¯s neck, a wave of suffocating blood l.u.s.t assaulted me. Then, at that same moment, all my instinct and detection skills warned me of incoming danger. Shocked by the sudden intervention, I instinctively leaped out from Banobo¡¯s back. But at the same moment that I broke away from the Banobo, the intense and suffocating killing intent vanished into thin air. It was as if it wasn¡¯t even there to begin with, as if it was all just a lie. Filled with a sense of urgency, I looked around to find the source. But then, it didn¡¯t take too long for me to figure out the culprit. After all, the moment our eyes met, the culprit just simply flashed a smug smile. And of course, the culprit in question was without a doubt the Gigarillon. While its eyes were fixed on me, the Gigarillon made a gesture towards the Pronobo. Then probably following the command of its king, the Pronobo picked the defeated Banobo up and went somewhere. Following that, the Tronobo cautiously moved towards me. ''Looks like it''s finished.'' I concluded instantly. And just like what I had expected, the Tronobo picked me up and brought me in front of the Gigarillon. But because I was too exhausted and was already nearing my limit, I didn¡¯t dare to resist nor attack the still smiling Gigarillon. After all, I could clearly tell that the Gigarillon had no further intention to bring me harm. More than that, based on its actions, I could easily guess why the Gigarillon intervened in the fight. ''You really cared for your subjects huh?'' Most likely, the Gigarillon stopped the fight to save the life of that Banobo. And probably, this Gigarillon must have never intended to let the Banobo die in the first place. Though honestly, I think that was only fair given the fact that the Banobo only intended to make me obey his command. Well, at the last part of the battle, it seemed like the Banobo had forgotten his original purpose, probably out of desperation to survive. But of course, I knew for a fact that I was partly to blame for that. ''But seriously, it is wrong with this monster?'' To be perfectly honest, it was weird that the monster was acting like a benevolent ruler like this. I mean, I get it that this Gigarillon was strangely intelligent for a monster, but even then, a monster should still be a monster at its core. Meaning that no matter how intelligent he might be, the value of "survival of the fittest" should be still ingrained deep within its instinct. And normally, for a monster that had lived its life like that, there was no way that it would show some mercy and sympathy towards someone weak. That was why no matter how I looked at it, the Gigarillon¡¯s decision to save Banobo was without a doubt strange. Because ironically, this Gigarillon¡¯s behavior was more of a human than that of a monster. ''And despite behaving like this, it is still capable of releasing a terrifying blood l.u.s.t like that.'' Of course, given how strong this Gigarillon was, it was only normal that the monster could exert a killing intent like that. After all, there was no way that anyone could reach that level of power without going through some deadly and bloody battles. And at least in my memories from the other world, that fact was also true even for humans. But unlike the other monsters that I fought, what I felt earlier wasn¡¯t the feral bloodl.u.s.t of a beast, instead, it was sharp and precise just like a spear. In simple terms, that was the same bloodl.u.s.t that I felt from the battle-hardened humans I fought back in the other world. And from what I could tell, this Gigarillon was also capable of controlling that just like me and those battle-hardened humans I knew. Then, as if the monster had read my mind, the Gigarillon directed its killing intent towards me. But being that this time I knew it was coming from the monster, I simply answered back using my own bloodl.u.s.t. Probably feeling that, the Tronobo tried to subdue only to be stopped by the Gigarillon himself. For a full minute, the Gigarillon and I made a standoff. But for some reason, after showing a satisfied smile, the Gigarillon backed down. As for me, of course, I wasn¡¯t foolish enough to continue with it given that I was also exhausted. After that, the Gigarillon gestured towards the Banobo and I was brought back into my cell. Though for some reason, I couldn¡¯t help but feel that I would once again meet that monster on the very next day. Chapter 44 - 43 Just like what I had expected, the Tronobo and Pronobo once again came to fetch me the very next day. Though this time, the two monsters brought two Banobos with them and let the two Banobos carry the Hackclaw and Savaga. And based on how the Tronobo and Pronobo chose to carry me themselves, it was all but certain that these monsters were being extra cautious towards me. Of course, it was also possible that these two were just acting out the Gigarillon¡¯s orders, but based on the Gigarillon¡¯s behavior so far, I highly doubt that the Gigarillon would go out of his way to be this extra careful against me. If anything, I could confidently guarantee that the Gigarillon would actually find it more amusing if I had a little freedom to escape. After all, that monster only found me interesting because of my intellect. So, in reality, the Banobo must have been curious as to what I would do in order to escape. Upon looking at it like that, I couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ''Well, that fact only makes that monster even more annoying.'' Anyway, unlike yesterday, the Banobo and Pronobo didn¡¯t bring us up in that Gigantic tree. Instead, it seemed like our destination today was outside. And of course, since they brought that Savaga and Hackclaw this time, I could easily guess what was about to happen. After all, this situation was awfully the same as what had happened last time. ''Another raid huh?'' Upon remembering what happened that time, I couldn¡¯t help but feel tired be discouraged because of what was about to happen. And who could blame me? Last time, these apes used us as bait. To make matters worse, they even threw some stones and boulders while we were busy fighting those ants for them. Honestly, I thought I was a goner at that time. It was a huge mess. That¡¯s why if I was given a choice, I didn¡¯t want to do that ever again. The problem was¡­ ''Tsk! I have no choice.'' I thought while grinding my fangs. Of course, it wasn¡¯t as if there was nothing to gain from it. After all, by continuously fighting like this, I would gain more strength through experience and leveling up. Unfortunately, fighting in such conditions was dangerous even for me. And though it was true that it was also the same when I was fighting by myself, at least at such instance, there was an option to escape whenever the situation called for it. But now, because the apes would be watching from behind, I would have no other choice but to push through and survive. Furthermore, based on the monster¡¯s behavior, I could certainly tell that they were only using us to take the attention of the enemy while they were cutting off their escape routes. Which if not for the fact that I was being used as the bait, was a truly brilliant strategy for a monster. ''Damn it! That Gigarillon is such a pain in the ass!!'' *** On that day and the following days after that, the apes continued to raid the nests of the ant-type monsters. Naturally, during those consecutive raids, the apes worked us to the bone without hesitating to use us as their bait. Fortunately, I actually managed to survive all through that hell. As a result, I became a level twenty-nine monster and I only needed one more level up before evolving once again. [Name: (Unnamed)] [Race: Great Wolf Variant] [Level: 29] [Status: Healthy] [Skills: Blood Soaked Fangs (Rank S), Call of The Moon (Rank A), Night Vision (Rank S), Enhance Smell (Rank S), Enhance Hearing (Rank S), Recovery (Rank S), Detect Malice (Rank S), Sharp Claws (Rank S), Potential Boost (Rank A), Assess (Rank A), Presence of Mind (Rank A), Accelerate (Rank C), Devour (Rank S), Hunt (Rank A), Antibodies (Rank A), Toughness (Rank A), Pain Endurance (Rank A), Stealth (Rank B), Recuperate (Rank A), Detect Life (Rank B), Intimidate (Rank C)] As another result of all those battles, I also acquired some new skills and even managed to evolve some of my old ones. Well, maybe saying that skills had ¡°evolved¡± wasn¡¯t an accurate description. Probably, the right term to use in this case was ¡°combined¡± instead of ¡°evolved,¡± and of course, the skill in question was the one called Accelerate. Obviously, the said skill was the result of the combination of Swiftness and Haste. And upon looking into the effects of Accelerate, I discovered that it inherited the effects of both of those skills. More than that, this new skill also had some additional effects besides the ones that it inherited. To be more specific, there were two additional effects. One of them was the ability to accelerate while midair and the other one was an ability to temporarily speed up beyond the physiological limitation. Naturally, I felt a bit skeptical when I saw the first additional effect because no matter how much I think about it, the effects seemed too plain. But when I finally tested it, I immediately knew that this effect was what I would use the most. To explain the effect, well, it was something like having the ability to maneuver in the air without using any foothold. Of course, it wasn¡¯t to the extent of freely maneuvering into the air. Because based on my test results, I could only change or shift my direction once. In simple terms, it was somewhat similar to having the ability to double jump. And though at first glance this ability sounded so simple, in reality, it was actually extremely useful because it gave me some edge in terms of aerial battle. Unfortunately, unlike the first effect, the skill¡¯s second effect was a little bit tricky to handle. And while it was true that it was possible to use this effect as an ace in the hole, it was still painfully obvious that speeding up beyond one¡¯s physical limitations would have some adverse effects on the body. Most likely, just using this ability once could render me unable to move or even worse. Because of that, I couldn¡¯t use it as often as the first effect so I would instead reserve it in case I had no other choice. Luckily, just like the first effect, it was possible to separate the activation of the skill from the second effect so I didn¡¯t have to worry about suddenly self-destructing. Then, aside from Accelerate, I also awaken a new skill called Stealth, but this time, this skill was simply an evolved version of my skill Conceal Presence. Though in the case of Stealth, the restriction of staying still to hide one¡¯s presence was removed. As a result, I could now freely hide my presence while still moving or even running. But well, it wasn¡¯t as if the skill had no limitation at all. Because even though I could now hide my presence while moving around, that skill would still instantly lose its effects once I activate a buff or an offensive skill. This would also happen once I launched an attack or if I was inflicted by any mental or physical type damage and status conditions so I still had to be careful when using it. Lastly, the other skills that I acquired were called Detect Life and Intimidate respectively. Though, unlike Accelerate and Stealth, these skills weren¡¯t a result of either combination or evolution, instead, these skills had manifested naturally after I satisfied the requirements set by this world. And as for their effects; Detect Life was a passive skill that enabled me to detect any living beings within my immediate vicinity, while Intimidate, on the other hand, was a skill that gave me the ability to inflict fear under certain conditions. Because of all of this, I could confidently say that I was a lot stronger now than when I first came here. And if I managed to reach level 30 and evolve on top of that, then I would finally be an Alpha Class Monster just like my father and his rival the Tempest Wolf. Although for now, I still had no idea what kind of class of alpha monster I would evolve into. Of course, there was a huge chance that I would evolve into a Frost Wolf being that my father was one in the past. But even though that wouldn¡¯t be so bad, I would still prefer if I would be given a choice. After all, my goal was to find my sister, and for that, I needed to somehow evolve into a Werewolf, and frankly, I doubt that being a Frost Wolf would help me with that. ''Well, life is really unpredictable, so I will just have to adjust depending on the situation. It¡¯s just the same as ever. Natural Selection. And in such cases, only those who can adapt will survive.'' ''Looks like these monsters are planning to launch a counter-invasion.'' Chapter 45 - 44 In reality, I actually already noticed that the apes had had some goals in mind since some time ago. It was because, during those raids that we were forced to participate in, it seemed to me that the monsters had two aims in mind. One was to eradicate and destroy all the ant nests that were scattered deep inside this jungle-type area, while the other was to seal and block the pathways that the ants had used to invade this place. At that time, I simply thought that the apes were trying to completely isolate this place to prevent the invasion of the ants. But looking at it now, it was clear to see that all of those actions were simply in preparation to launch this all-out counter-invasion. Most likely, these apes had done all of that to ensure the safety of their home. After all, if those nests and pathways weren¡¯t sealed or destroyed, there would be no way that the monsters could send their full force because of the worry that their own home would be attacked while their best fighters were away. So, given the fact that the apes were now preparing to march for a counter-invasion, then it was safe to say that the monsters were now confident that the ants wouldn¡¯t be able to invade their home territory. Though probably as another safety measure, I still could see a few guards that would likely be left behind in order to protect this place. Upon realizing all of that, I couldn¡¯t help but curse. ''Damn it!! It seems like I got captured in a really bad time!'' Of course, given the sheer scale of this counter-invasion, it was all but certain that these apes had been preparing and planning this for quite a long time. After all, every monster that had gathered here looked strong and had a lot of experience in battle. But because these apes normally hunted in groups, their individual growth rate must have been relatively slow. And while it was true that this was simply my assumption based on my memories while living with a pack, I still didn¡¯t doubt it because I personally experienced a sudden growth spurt when I was forced to fight and hunt by myself. Then there was also the case of my fellow monster prisoners who all seemed to be pretty strong as well. Most likely, all of them had also gone through the same experience as I had in the hands of these apes. So, naturally, given the time and effort that it took for me, it was pretty obvious that this fact was also the same for those other monster prisoners as well. In essence, this operation must have been a long time coming, and it just so happened that I was captured during the final phase of their preparation, which in the grand scheme of things, honestly s.u.c.k.e.d. ''I¡¯m so incredibly unlucky¡­'' I couldn¡¯t help but sigh. But while I was wallowing on my bad luck, I also began to realize the purpose of pitting us (the monster prisoners) against each other. ''So, that¡¯s it huh? That fight club was just a means to both choose and prepare the candidates for this counter-invasion¡­ In short, beyond providing the regular apes with entertainment, that fight club is just a means to an end just like us. But given our number, how are they planning to keep us all in check?'' Being that this was a counter-invasion, these apes would have to fight inside the enemy territory. Because of that, it would be pretty much impossible to pull the same strategy as before and use us as the bait. And while it was true that it was possible to do that at the beginning of the battle, the apes would still be eventually forced to fight those ants head-on. In such cases, it would only be detrimental for them to let us fight with them because there was a huge possibility that we would betray them. In short, bringing us into battle would be the same as carrying a ticking bomb that could explode in their faces at any given moment. Of course, it would be a little bit different if they have something to threaten us into obedience. But as far as I know, they didn¡¯t have anything like that nor they could pull it off during a desperate fight. In fact, I even doubt if the Gigarillon¡¯s threat would work in the middle of chaotic combat. ''If so, what is their plan for us? It can¡¯t be that they are going to offer us as a gift for a ceasefire, right? I mean, from what I saw thus far, there was no way that those ants would accept something like that. Because no matter how much I think about it, those ants operate like some sort of plague or parasites. And of course, that Gigarillon surely knows that and that monster isn¡¯t someone dumb to try.'' While I was busy trying to understand the Gigarillon¡¯s plan, the army of the apes began to march forward. And unlike the raids before, no monsters in the forest dared to attack or hinder us. Most likely, the sheer number of apes scared the heck out of them so all of them just run away on sight. Though to be fair, the mere fact that this army was being led by the Tronobo, Pronobo, and obviously the Gagirallon might just be the biggest reason for their fear. I mean, seriously, even I would do the same if I was put in their position. ''Yep, this is definitely a terrifying scene¡­'' From that moment onwards, the apes easily plowed through the jungle without any interference. And strangely enough, it seemed like even those plant monsters felt some ounce of fear because they simply let the army peacefully pass by. Though, I guess it would be more accurate to say that they simply couldn¡¯t do anything. After all, if a plant monster happened to be on the army¡¯s way, they were all mercilessly cut down without being able to resist. But if I was asked which of them was the most pitiful in this slaughter, I would say that it was those Vinip monsters. Why? Well, it was because the apes seemed to be actively hunting them down in order to gather more vines along the way. Most likely, some of these monsters would use those vines as weapons during the battle. In essence, it was an effective way to gather some materials along the way. Because the march remained uninterrupted throughout the journey, it didn¡¯t take too long for the army to finally reach the boundary of the jungle-type area. And of course, because this jungle-type area was also shaped like a dome just like that swamp-type area from back then, the entrance and exit of this place were also reminiscent of that pathway I saw beyond the lake where the Swamp Drake resides. The only difference this time was that the pathway was bigger and wider compared to the one I saw before. From the way it looked, it seemed like this pathway could accommodate this army of apes. ''As far as I know, this is the biggest pathway in this place so far. And from the looks of it, these monsters must have intentionally left this path open and chose to seal the other smaller ones. Pretty clever if I say so myself.'' From a strategic standpoint, it would be incredibly inefficient if a huge army like this was forced to march inside a small space. Because given the normal size of the pathway I had seen so far, it would simply be too cramped for this huge army to use. And given that they were also carrying us (the monster prisoners) with them, a small space like that would simply be disadvantageous for them. Not to mention there was also the possibility that they would be attacked by the ants during their march. If that scenario happened while they were inside a small space, the army wouldn¡¯t be able to properly fight back, and in the end, their huge numbers would end up as a liability instead. Though, of course, there was also the option of moving the army little by little. But in that case, it would hamper the speed of the operation and there would be an exponential chance that their army would be discovered before they could even launch their surprise attack. Honestly, I didn¡¯t know if this was simply a coincidence or if the Gigarillon really thought this out. After all, this was an incredibly complex and well-calculated move even for that intelligent monster. And to be frank, I really think that it was just a coincidence because it was just too unbelievable that the Gigarillon could come up with this plan. Though in the case that this was really planned, then that was just downright unbelievable and terrifying. After that, the army of apes began to change their marching formation probably to travel easier inside the pathway. Then with the Gigarillon on the lead, the army cautiously moved inside. Luckily, the army didn¡¯t encounter any ants, so the journey had been peaceful and uneventful thus far. Of course, despite that, I couldn''t help but be curious as to why the pathway seemed so lifeless and abandoned. Because it wasn¡¯t just the fact that there were no ants inside, in truth, there were literally no living things inside. Honestly, it was more like the cave had been completely swept instead of left behind. It was as if someone had intentionally made it that way so that the apes wouldn''t encounter any problem during their march. Just beyond the small temporary base that the ape guards had made, there were three split paths. And for some reason, some apes had brought us (the monster prisoners) in one of those paths. Behind them, the Tronobo, Pronobo, and Gigarillon were following as if they were trying to guard their subordinates against us. Then, finally, after traveling for about a minute, the apes began to untie us. But because the three powerful monsters were guarding our movements, we couldn''t even dare to fight back because it was painfully obvious that the three wouldn¡¯t hesitate to kill if we tried. ''What is it this time?'' I couldn¡¯t help but wonder. But, as if reading my mind, I saw the Gigarillon flashed an ominous smile. Seeing that, I instantly knew that something bad was about to happen. Unfortunately, before I even managed to take action, the Gigarillon had suddenly punched the wall. A deafening rumbling sound filled my ears. And as if resonating with that sound, the whole area also began to shake. Looking around, I saw multiple cracks spreading on the ceiling and the wall. Witnessing that, immediately knew that the area was about to cave in. And without losing any minute, I tried to chase after the apes who were running away. Unfortunately, the ceiling near upfront began to fall apart effectively separating us from them. But in the midst of all of that, I could swear that I saw the Gigarillon smile before turning away. At that moment, I finally realized. ''This is the plan of that guy from the very beginning!!'' Chapter 46 - 45 The whole pathway was crumbling down, but because our only way back was now completely blocked by rocks, we had no other choice but to run in the opposite direction of the path. Fortunately, I knew for sure that the Gigarillon wouldn¡¯t leave us here without any purpose. And given the fact that those monsters went out of their way to bring us here, then there was no way that those monsters wanted us to be simply buried here alive. Most likely, there was another exit forward, and that was where the apes wanted us to be. In short, this path should be leading up to somewhere else. Though being that this was definitely a part of that Gigarillon¡¯s plan, then I could easily guess what was beyond this path. ''Damn it!!'' I cursed while desperately running forward. Fortunately, my skill Accelerate came in handy in times like this. Because of that, I could easily dodge all the falling rocks without compromising the speed of my scape. Though obviously, this fact wasn¡¯t the same for the other monsters so some of them had already been crushed to death. In such a situation, it had become painfully obvious that the agile monsters were the ones who had the highest chance of survival. Well, except for a few exceptions¡­ Curious as to what had happened to the power-type monsters behind, I momentarily looked back. But upon seeing what the Savaga was doing, I couldn¡¯t help but be shocked. ''What the heck?!'' Just a little farther behind, the Savaga was leading the charge of the power-type monsters. But in contrast to the speed-type monsters like us, the Savaga and the other monsters with him weren¡¯t dodging the falling rocks. Instead, they were bulldozing through those rocks without slowing down. Though of course, that action didn¡¯t leave the monsters unscathed even though most of them were incredibly tough. In fact, the monsters¡¯ wounds continuously piled up and the majority of them fell one by one. Naturally, even my fellow speed-type monsters suffered some casualties. Mostly, the monsters that were crushed were those that weren¡¯t fast or agile enough to dodge without slowing down. And because those monsters weren¡¯t as sturdy and tough as the power-type monsters, just a single hit from those rocks was enough to inflict a fatal wound on them. As a result, even if the monsters didn¡¯t immediately die, the injury that they had received was still enough to render them unable to move or slow down. Which of course, in this particular scenario was the same as death. ''Seriously, I never thought that my experience of being forced to fight would come in handy like this!!'' While internally screaming at the irony of the situation, I suddenly caught a glimpse of a small dim light at the very far end of the crumbling tunnel. Obviously, immediately upon seeing that, I instantly concluded that the light was actually the exit of this place. ''Finally!!'' I internally screamed. Following that, I desperately pushed myself forward without looking back. And honestly, probably as a result of my desperation, it even came to the point that I was tempted to activate the second effect of Accelerate. Fortunately, I managed to hold back my d.e.s.i.r.e and avoid using that self-destructing effect. Until finally, I successfully escaped that crumbling tunnel along with the rest of the surviving monsters. To be perfectly honest, we just barely escaped from that crumbling tunnel. In fact, at the same moment that the last of the power-type monsters got out, the exit of the tunnel came crumbling down. As a result, the ground we were standing on shook from the impact, and the deafening sound of the explosion rang all around. Though to be fair, that explosion actually caused another problem to arise. ''Yep. Here we go again.'' I thought while cautiously scanning my surroundings. Directly in front of us, there was a vast barren land filled with towering hills of dirt. The problem was, at the surface of those towering hills that were nearby the tunnel that we just escaped in, there were numerous swarms of ants looking down at us. And unfortunately, it seemed like those swarms of ants wasn¡¯t here to give us a warm welcome. Instead, based on their gazes and scent, I could clearly tell that they wanted to kill and rip us apart. I couldn''t blame them though, after all, we just basically intruded in their domain in a very flashy way. Then, as if in courtesy with the warm welcome we received, the surviving monsters behind also began to release to their killing intent. And even though they were wounded and few in numbers, the blood l.u.s.t of the surviving monsters didn¡¯t lose to that of the swarm of ants. As a result, the swarm of ants became even more enraged and let out a chorus of thunderous screech. But as if trying not to lose against those ants, all the surviving monsters also let out their own war cry. With that as the signal, the swarm of ants began rushing towards us. And although I personally didn¡¯t want to get involved in this mess, now that the ants were surrounding us, I had no other choice but to fight alongside the surviving monsters. The problem was, even in this situation, it was still highly questionable whether this ragtag group of monsters could function as a temporary team. After all, even though we all came here together, that didn¡¯t change the fact that we were all supposed to be enemies as well. In fact, it was actually safe to say that the only reason we weren¡¯t killing each other was because of these swarms of ants. ''Oh boy, things are about to get ugly!'' Making full use of newfound speed, I ran around the battlefield and killed as many ant monsters as I could. While doing so, I also saw some of my fellow monster survivors being killed and torn apart by the ants. Most of the time, those who had died were either too weak or too wounded to keep on fighting such a large number of enemies. Though of course, being that my "paws" were already full just by trying to survive myself, I didn¡¯t have any time to worry about them and not that I planned to in the first place. As the battle grew more and more intense, the roar, cry, and screech of multiple monsters echoed on the battlefield. Fortunately, even though we were fewer in numbers compared to the swarm of ants, our ragtag group still somehow managed to push back the ants. Though because of all the fighting and killing that I had done, my fur was now drenched by lime green-colored blood of the ants. Moreover, I couldn¡¯t properly use my sense of smell because of the strong scent of blood and grime that was covering the entire battlefield. ¡°Grahhh!!¡± I growled while dodging the attack of an ant before sinking my fangs in its head. Then, without wasting any second, I immediately moved away. But at that moment, I suddenly happened to see a new swarm of ants charging towards the battlefield. Seeing that, I couldn¡¯t help but curse. ''Shit!! At this rate, this battle will never end!!'' Obviously, being that this was the ant¡¯s territory, it would only be natural that they could send swarms upon swarms of ants until we were annihilated. And based on the geography of this area, it was all but certain that this whole place was swarming with ants. In essence, it was a lot different from the apes'' area wherein different types of monsters were living alongside them. In short, in terms of the overall population alone, there was no way that the apes could compete against the ants. ''And yet those crazy bastards are going to launch a counter-invasion?! Are you kidding me?!!'' I asked while ripping off an ant¡¯s leg. And after acquiring what I need, I moved to another location right away. In order to recover some stamina and strength, I instantly used Devour on that leg. And by repeating that process over and over again, I successfully managed to preserve some of my strength and keep on fighting. Of course, the first effect of my skill Accelerate also came in handy. After all, without that double jump effect, I would be easily cornered given the fact these huge swarms were incomparable to the ones I faced before. The only problem was¡­ ''There is no way that we can win this battle.'' I concluded while striking an ant using my claws. Then, as my claws crushed the ant¡¯s left eye, it suddenly screeched in pain. Taking advantage of that, I ripped its head apart without any hesitation. With its head still on my mouth, I leaped away from the corpse. ''If that is so, then I guess the only option is to run away and hide.'' I thought while chewing the ant¡¯s head. ''Okay, let¡¯s do it!! It¡¯s time to ditch these guys!!'' I finally decided after swallowing the ant¡¯s head. But as I was about to activate one of my new skills, a notification suddenly popped up in front of my eyes. [Level up] [Level cap reached] [Individual (Unnamed) can now evolve] [Would you like to begin the evolution now?] [Yes/No] Chapter 47 - 46 For an instant, I froze on my spot upon seeing those notifications popped up. ''Oh¡­'' Then in order to make sure that I wasn¡¯t just seeing things, I focused my eyes on it and read those notifications over and over again. And when the realization that I wasn¡¯t seeing things finally hit me, I felt the boiling heat of excitement welling up inside my c.h.e.s.t. ''YES!!! I finally made it!!!'' I celebrated inside. But while I was bathing in joy of finally reaching the heights that any normal wolf wouldn¡¯t ever reach in their lifetime, I was then interrupted by a sudden attack from an ant. Fortunately, I still managed to sense that attack on the last possible second prompting me to dodge it only by a hair¡¯s breadth. Pissed by that uninvited interruption, I bit the monster on its hind part as it passed through my face. Then, using the full force of my body, I threw the ant back to its companions who were also preparing to launch themselves forward. As a result, the group of ants toppled over by the impact before coming to a stop. And probably because their sharp protruding fangs were pointed forward, the monster that I threw died in an instant after being pierced by his very own kind. ''Yikes.'' Using that as the diversion, I activated Stealth and sneaked away from that spot. And with all that finally out of the way, I once again glanced at the notification still displayed on my vision. Looking at the notification up front, I could feel my mouth curving into a smile. Though because of how dangerous this place was, I obviously couldn¡¯t afford to be hasty in my decisions. Especially because I knew from experience that evolution itself could be dangerous if I didn¡¯t prepare myself enough. And since this evolution, in particular, would put me on the same level as the alpha-class monsters, then I couldn¡¯t possibly leave it in a gamble just like what I did on the instances before. That was why after staring at it for a while, I ultimately chose no for an answer and temporarily put it at the back of my mind. While maintaining my stealth and sneaking through the battlefield, I couldn¡¯t help but remember what had happened on my last evolution. ''That was a really close call. If I didn¡¯t have that excess food lying about that time, I might have gone into a mindless rampage in search of food¡­'' Truth to be told, just thinking about what might have happened if I had gone into a mindless rampage at that place sent shivers down my spine. After all, it was there in that very same area where I met that three-headed monstrosity; the Cerberus. And to be brutally honest, if I had gone on a rampage right there, there was a huge chance that I would happen upon that monster that could eat me in an instant. ''Yep. There is no way I can beat that thing even with this much improvement and progress. So, that time, if I had fought that monster in a contest for food, I would most definitely die. This was especially true since I wouldn''t be in the right state of mind to even think of how to escape at that time.'' I concluded. Luckily, for this area, in particular, I had yet to see nor feel the presence of any overwhelmingly powerful monster such as the Cerberus or the Swamp Drake. But as usual, I couldn¡¯t be much too sure about that. Because even though all the ants in this battlefield thus far were all the familiar ones that I had fought during those raids, this place was still undoubtedly their territory so a powerful monster might just be roaming around. And given that it looked like the monsters had absolute control over this area, then it would be safe to say that there was a monster ruling above all these ants much like that Gigarillon for the apes. The problem was¡­ ''The sheer number of the ants living in this place far surpassed the number of the apes living in that jungle-type area. Furthermore, these guys are also somehow completely dominating this area, so I cannot afford to be optimistic and think that their ruler is only at the same level as the Gigarillon¡­ Tsk!! Seriously, what the heck is that Gigarillon even thinking?!'' Of course, I just had no idea whether the Gigarillon was simply incapable of realizing this or if they actually had intel that the ruler of these monsters wasn¡¯t "that" strong. Despite that, it was still insane that they were actually going to invade this den of ants without batting an eye. And it wasn¡¯t as if the Gigarillon was completely unaware of their numbers either. After all, based on their behavior before, it was clear to see that they had planned this attack, so they should have at least an idea about the population of the ants. In fact, being that they sent us here, it was only obvious that those monsters were going to use the commotion that we would make to somehow divide the ants¡¯ forces and lower their defense. ''But even then, that simply will not be enough to diminish their overwhelming disadvantage in numbers¡­'' It was then that I finally managed to escape the chaotic battlefield. Then, while hiding a little distance away from there, I watched as the swarm of ants continued to charge towards those rampaging monsters I was with before. Looking at that, I couldn¡¯t help but be relieved because my decision to run away seemed right. ''Yep. That choice diffidently saved my life¡­'' I thought while turning away from that scene. ''Well, I guess I should prioritize my evolution for now. In which case, I should first find a safe place to hide then begin my preparation.'' With that in mind, I began walking around while still keeping Stealth on. *** Intermission: The Preparation ''The time has finally come!!'' Those were the collective thoughts of all the apes that were participating in the counter-invasion. Ever since the ants discovered the jungle-type area, the apes had endured countless battles and invasions against the ants. But because the apes knew that they had no chance of winning against the ants given their opponent¡¯s overwhelming advantage in number, the apes had been forced to simply defend their territory without ever striking back. As a result, despite finally having a taste of the most prosperous era under the Gigarillon¡¯s rule, the monsters living in the jungle-type area were once again thrown in the middle of another bloody conflict. Though this time, it was very likely that the conflict wouldn¡¯t only determine the fate of their new kingdom, and instead would also affect the survival of their very species or at least every ape living in the said area. Because every single ape had felt these waves of changes, every single one of them made sure to follow every command of their new ruler in their hope to survive. After all, every living ape monster had seen the capabilities of their new ruler firsthand during that time when he was going around conquering all the separated packs. That was why in the minds of the apes, the only one capable of leading their species into certain victory against the turbulent times was without a doubt the Gigarillon. And so, the apes completely devoted themselves to serving the Gigarillon and following each of his commands. In turn, it also seemed like the Gigarillon was doing everything he could to ensure the survival of their species. Every ape under his rule had witnessed it. More so those that were directly under his command. And even though the apes couldn¡¯t understand the reasoning behind some of the Gigarillon¡¯s commands, they still followed and executed them ultimately leading to advantageous results. As time went on, the positive effects of the Gigarillon¡¯s commands became more and more obvious. One such thing was the fact that despite constantly battling against the ants, the casualties on the apes¡¯ side were somehow decreasing. Furthermore, also because of these constant battles, the strength of the ape warriors was increasing at a rapid pace. And it wasn¡¯t simply the individual strengths of each warrior either. Because beyond that, the battle tactics and group coordination that the Gigarillon had taught to his direct subordinates were also paying off. As a result, not only did the apes manage to acquire some individual strength, but each of those strong fighters had also become capable of fighting as an army. Fortunately, the ants didn¡¯t launch any large-scale invasions during these times. As a result, the preparations of the monsters proceeded without any hitch nor interruption in between. In fact, the small-scale invasions that the ants had launched ended up as training for tactics and group fights. And with the existence of the monster prisoners that could be used as bait on top of that, the defense against the ants¡¯ invasion became so easy to the point that they didn¡¯t even have to worry about casualties. Until at last, after their long wait and preparation, the time had finally come. And following the lead of their ruler; the Gigarillon, the apes had begun to march towards the ants'' territory. Of course, every single ape knew. Warrior, or not. Whether part of the invasion army or those that would be left behind to protect their home, they were all aware. Because the simple truth was; the battle wasn¡¯t only their first counter-attack. Instead, it was the first and last stand of their species, which essentially means that; "whoever won the battle, would effectively win the war." Chapter 48 - 47 Just like what I had expected, this whole area was completely dominated by the ant type monsters. Though contrary to my initial impression, it wasn¡¯t as if the ant type monsters were crawling in every nook and cranny of this place. Instead, it seemed to me that these ants were actually living with clear division between their groups. Because from what I had seen, it looked like there were only certain spots where a certain group and number of ants¡¯ lived. In simple terms, it was something like the town and cities of humans. And of course, between those cities and towns were uninhabited and unclaimed lands. The only difference was, unlike in human lands where forest thrives whenever the humans¡¯ population were small, in the ant type monsters territory, there were no forest and the uninhabited lands were instead completely devoid of life. In essence, you could probably say that the whole area was like a "sunless desert." In all honesty though, that very same landscape worked in my favor. After all, that moment when I successfully escaped that battlefield, I had been worried if I would ever find a safe place to hide from those ant type monsters. But after sneaking around for a while and finally noticing the landscape of this area, I had come to realize that it might not be that hard to escape the detection of these ant type monsters. In fact, I even kind of regretted that I escaped from that battlefield. Because all things considered, the ant type monsters swarming in that place were all on the weak side of things. Mostly, the ant type monsters back there were only Anties Workers and some occasional Anties Soldier. And despite their large number, it might not be impossible to annihilate those ants if I teamed up with my fellow monster survivors. ''Hmmm, those guys might actually pull it off. Though, it will be a hard-fought battle for sure¡­ And well, the real problem will surely come after that¡­'' Truth to be told, it was possible to come back to that battlefield and assist those guys in annihilating those ants. But given that this form had now reached its maximum level, doing so would simply be a waste of time and energy. And while it was true that fighting an actual battle would help me hone my "skills" and "practical skills," it just wasn¡¯t worth it. Besides, I am most definitely sure that those guys would start fighting among themselves the moment the ant type monsters were gone. Seriously, fighting for supremacy was just basically ingrained into their instinct so I had no doubt about that and also had no d.e.s.i.r.e to be wrapped up in the aftermath. While wishing the best for my fellow monster survivors, I focused my senses and began scanning my surroundings. ''Yep. There¡¯s literally nothing in here¡­'' I concluded while letting out a sigh. As I had expected, all traces of life had been erased in these uninhabited lands. And even though it was favorable for me that there were no ants living in this place, the fact that there were no other monsters here was still a problem in itself. Because for one, having virtually no other monsters around also meant that there was a lack of food. Though now that I think about it, maybe that was the reason why these ants were trying to invade the jungle type area. Most likely, given the size of their population, the ants must have been in a desperate need of resources and food. ''But because these guys always turn a fertile land into a barren land of nothingness, then I am pretty sure that this situation will simply repeat itself¡­'' Based on what I have seen so far, once these creatures had successfully created a hive in fertile land, the immediate surrounding of that spot would without fail lose its fertility. And possibly, as the ants continued to expand their territory and control over the land, any vegetation and forestry along the way would also die in return. Then, as both the result of losing the forest and being continuously hunted by swarms of ants, every monster species that were originally living in that area would also fall into extinction one by one. Until eventually, the land itself would die turning it into this same barren land. Of course, I hadn¡¯t seen it happen myself, so it was still all a conjecture on my part. But given how desperate those ape type monsters were even going as far as launching a "reckless" counter invasion, then it was highly likely that my conjectures were correct. In short, those ape type monsters had no other choice but to fight for survival. After all, even if they tried to abandon their land, once the ant type monsters were done consuming all of its resources, they would inevitably clash once again for the same exact reason. And well, sealing all of the possible pathways and completely isolating the jungle type area wasn¡¯t a good option either, because considering the big population of those ants, there was a high chance that a powerful ant type monster that could unseal those passages exist. In other words, the only options left for the ape type monsters were to either run and prolong the inevitable, or to fight back and risk all that they have. ''Talk about being stuck in a rock and a hard place¡­'' I thought while shaking my head in exasperation. Well, given the ant type monsters¡¯ nature, someone had to deal with them eventually. After all, if those guys were left into their own devices, it wouldn¡¯t be impossible for them to completely take over this whole cavern and then venture outside in search for more resources. Though, given the presence of the Swamp Drake and that Cerberus, doing so would surely prove difficult and it could very well take years or even decades even if they succeed. ''Still, these ants are pretty nasty. They are kind of like a parasite honestly.'' In the midst of all my mumbling, I saw a small settlement full of ants in the far-off distance. From the looks of it, it seemed like this particular settlement was smaller compared to the one from before. In fact, there was only one hive in the center where the ants seemed to be working on. And when I moved closer to get a better look, I noticed that the ant type monsters in this settlement were all just an Anties Worker; which judging from my experiences was the weakest among the ant type monsters species. Not only that, there weren¡¯t that many of them either. Though of course, my reference point when I said that was that huge settlement from before, so I guess by normal standards that would still be a lot. In order to avoid getting caught, I activated stealth and kept it active all the while observing the ant type monsters working on the settlement. ''Hmmm¡­ This might just be the perfect opportunity to secure a safe evolution¡­'' Up until now, I had postponed my evolution with the reasoning that it would be too risky to proceed with that in this place. After all, I still haven¡¯t found any safe place to hide and rest. And even if I did find one, it would still be dangerous to proceed if I didn¡¯t have any food on hand. But now with this settlement, it might just be possible. ''Okay, I can use this settlement as a temporary shelter while in the middle of evolution¡­ As for those ants¡­ One, two, three, four, five¡­ Maybe around thirty-plus I think...?'' I thought while carefully circling around the settlement. ''Well, well, well¡­ Isn¡¯t this just perfect!!'' *** Intermission: A Sudden Attack For the ant type monsters, it was just in their nature to consume and devour any resources that they got their hands on. It just couldn¡¯t be helped, after all, their species was built to serve their "Queen" that had the ability to continuously produce offspring after offspring which in turn leave the ant type monsters in constant need of resources and food. As a result, whenever a Queen was born in a tribe, all the ant type monster tribes in the surrounding area would unite and move to expand their territory in search of more resources and food. And of course, because of this behavior, every land and area that the ant type monsters had conquered would inevitably turn into a barren land. Naturally, after the Queen was born, the population of the ant type monsters would just continue to increase. Because of that, it was often unthinkable and hard to completely annihilate them once their population reached a certain size. In such cases, the best course of action was to run away as far as possible and wait for the "army of humans" or "some powerful monster" to kill and subjugate the "Anties Queen." Well, that was supposedly how normal humans and monsters handle such situations. At the chamber of the "Anties King," the "Anties Guardians" had received an unusual news. Apparently, an exceptionally powerful group of monsters appeared out of nowhere and had attacked one of the settlements near the border. Based on the recounts of the few surviving scouts, it seemed like the group of monsters had successfully taken over the said settlement. Obviously, the Anties Guardians had no other choice but to send a subjugation team. But before they even managed to give the order, another news came in. And just like the first news, it seemed like their territory was under another attack. Though this time, it looked like the attack went undetected for quite some time because it was now near the center of their territory which they were now residing in. Furthermore, it was even reported that the attack was done by none other than the ape type monsters army. In short, there was a high chance that multiple settlements had already fallen, and most likely, the ape type monsters were heading towards the center to kill the Queen. In that instant, there was only one collective thought in the minds of the Anties Guardians. ''Crazy bastards!!'' Chapter 49 - Author’s note Hello guys! I¡¯ve been quite busy this past two weeks so I¡¯d like to apologize for the delay in the chapter upload. Regardless of that, I will be posting the latest chapter tomorrow so look forward to it. Again guys, sorry for the delay and thank you guys for all your support, I really appreciate it. That is all I have to say and see you guys tomorrow!! Chapter 50 - 48 ''Ah¡­ Finally, it''s done¡­'' I sighed while dragging away the last of the ant working outside of the nest. It¡¯s been truly a lot of work. After all, I needed to attack those creatures and make sure that I wouldn''t be detected whilst doing so. Luckily, it''s times like those that my new skill Stealth came into play. Though I still needed to avoid being spotted since Stealth only hid my presence and mask my odor but didn¡¯t make my body invisible. Because of that, I always made a point to attack the isolated ones and annihilated them instantly so that they wouldn¡¯t be able to call for a backup. Then, at the very end of it, I launched a surprise attack on those that were left and killed them all before they could even react. ''Well, it will not hurt to be a little bit cautious.'' I thought while looking at the small single nest. Of course, even though the ants that were working outside the nest were gone, there were probably still some ants left inside that nest. That was the reason why I decided to drag away the bodies of the ants that I killed to avoid tipping off the left-over ants inside the nest by accident. And well, the bodies of the dead ants could also be used to recover some of the stamina that I had lost. Though fortunately, I hadn¡¯t received any physical damage so I was still technically in peak condition. For now, I had piled up the ants¡¯ carcasses a little distance away from the nest just to be sure. ''Okay, here we go.'' With that, I threw the last of the ant''s carcass that I had personally killed, and from what I knew, there were at least thirty-two ant carcasses piled up in here. ''Time to eat!!'' Naturally, I couldn¡¯t afford to use Devour on all of that. After all, I had no idea how many more ants were left inside that nest. And if it just so happened that there were only less than five remaining inside, then my plan to finally start my evolution would be completely ruined and I would have to postpone it once again. Obviously, I wouldn¡¯t want that to happen so I only ate about ten of the ant¡¯s carcasses. ''This is enough for now.'' After I was done replenishing my stamina, I once again activated stealth and began walking towards the nest. And while moving as cautious as I could possibly be, I entered the little ant¡¯s nest. Mostly because there weren¡¯t any shiny crystals inside the nest, the whole interior part was covered in darkness. But thanks to my Night Vision skill, I had no problem navigating inside that dark nest. Though for some reason, it seemed like the maximum range of my vision had still decreased even though my skill had already reached Rank S. ''Well, there¡¯s still clearly a limit to it, but at very least there is some clear improvement.'' While thinking things like that, I was thoroughly scanning my surroundings to lessen the possibility of being caught in a surprise attack. ''Hmm¡­ Detect Life really came in handy in times like this.'' Honestly, it seemed to me that my skill set was slowly leaning towards the assassin or scout-type skills. I mean, there was the obvious Stealth. Then, I also had a lot of Detection type skills on top of my senses enhancing skills. And let¡¯s also not forget about Accelerate that could technically be used as both a way to escape and to perform a swift and fast ambush. ''Though I guess considering that I am a part of the wolf species, then that should not be surprising at all. But man, I also like to experience using magic like my father wolf and that other alpha¡­'' In the midst of all of that, my Detect Life caught the presence of three ants in the nearby room probably at the very center of the nest. But just to make sure, I didn¡¯t move directly towards that room and I instead checked every single nook and cranny of the small nest first. And once I was confident that there weren¡¯t any other ants inside the nest, I proceeded towards the room at the center where I detected the presence of the three living ants. But as I moved closer and closer towards that place, I detected the presence of multiple lives scattered all around the room. And if I wasn¡¯t mistaken, it seemed as if the three ants that I detected first were standing on guard outside in a separate room. ''Wait¡­ huh?'' At first, I honestly found it confusing especially because the presences inside the separate room were all weak and small. But then, I realized. ''Oh! I see. Those are probably the eggs. Specifically, some ant¡¯s eggs. As for those three ants standing in the room up front, they are probably the guards tasked to protect those eggs. But given their job description, I am pretty sure that those guards aren¡¯t simple workers. Most likely, they must at least be an Anties Soldier or even an Anties Captain at most.'' With that in mind, I proceeded with a lot more caution than before. After all, an Anties Worker is incomparable to an Anties Soldier when it comes to battle. If I had to describe it, I would say that it was just simply the difference in their job designation. Of course, it wasn¡¯t as if an Anties Worker couldn¡¯t fight at all, it¡¯s just that the Anties Soldiers were more suitable for combat compared to the Anties Workers. Given that fact, it was only natural that the Anties Captains would be stronger. And if my guess was right, those Anties Captains were probably the next step of evolution for the Anties Soldiers. Truth be told, I could still win even if I fought three Anties Soldiers head-on all at once. But doing that would not be as easy as before and there was a chance that I would get injured in the process. More than that, if there was an Anties Captain among them, it would be a hard-fought battle. Though even with that, I still think that I wouldn¡¯t lose. And it wasn¡¯t simply overconfidence on my part, it was just that the ants were incredibly inferior in terms of speed. Adding that fact that my fangs were also highly effective on them, then I could confidently say that I wouldn¡¯t lose to just three ants. ''Even though that is the case, it will still be a lot easier for me to just launch an ambush and kill those three in one fell swoop. I mean, it is pretty meaningless to risk being injured if I could just annihilate them efficiently¡­'' It was then that I finally reached the entrance of the room at the center. Then with swift and sneaky movements, I peeked inside the room. Standing there at the center of the cave-like room were the three ants I detected earlier. But contrary to my expectations, all three monsters inside the room were all just Anties Soldiers. Which was honestly really surprising given the importance of the room that they were tasked to protect. ''I suppose it is just normal given the size of this nest¡­'' I concluded. ''Well, that works for me.'' And with that, I activated Accelerate and dash towards the nearest ant. For the three ants, it probably seemed like it all happened in a flash. But for me, the three monsters were just too slow to the point that I even saw my unfortunate target stiffening up before I sank my fangs in its head. A crunching sound echoed in the room as I crushed the head of the ant using my fangs. Then before the other two managed properly processed what just happened, I quickly ran towards the next nearest ant. And using that momentum, I slammed my claws in-between the ants¡¯ head and body which in turn killed the second ant in an instant. As the loud boom reverberates inside the room, I felt the presence of the last ant rapidly approaching me in the back. But before the third and last ant reached my position, I gracefully dodge its attack by leaping vertically into the air. In the next instant, some green liquid spurted out of the last ant¡¯s head as about a fourth of my right leg sank in its head. And without even being able to let out a dying screech, the last ant collapsed on the spot and died. *** Immediately after making sure that all three ants were dead, I proceeded to check the room they were guarding. And just like what I had expected, the room was full of ant¡¯s unhatched eggs. ''Okay, this should work.'' I thought while looking at the numerous eggs inside the room. Then after dragging the three guards¡¯ carcasses inside that room, I proceeded to make sure that there were no left-over threats on the nest. And once I made sure of that, I began dragging all the Anties Workers carcasses I left outside to that very same room. Though naturally, since I could only drag those bodies one by one using my mouth, the process took some time. But even though it was a little bit tiring, when I was finally done with all of that labor, I still couldn¡¯t help but feel excited about what was about to come. ''At long last!! I can now begin my evolution!! I rejoiced inside. Now, time to fill my belly with the meat of these ants!!'' And with that thought in mind, I began the buffet. First, I started with the eggs inside the room. And though it was a little bit disgusting and slimy, I endured it and swallowed it down. But surprisingly, the ant eggs seemed to be light in the stomach so I easily made work of all of them. Once they were all gone, I proceeded to eat some of the actual ant¡¯s corpses because I still wasn¡¯t feeling full. In the end, about twenty ants'' carcasses were left including the bodies of the three ant guards. ''Hmmm¡­That was surprising. I really didn¡¯t expect that I could eat this much. Though maybe using Devour on the first bunch of eggs is probably the reason for that.'' I concluded while checking my Status Screen. ''Well, no use in wasting time, let¡¯s begin.'' [Level cap reached] [Individual (Unnamed) can now evolve] [Yes/No] And with that, I finally chose Yes. Chapter 51 - 49 Because of my memory when I was living as a normal wolf, I knew for a fact that there was something special about the Third Evolutionary State of the monsters. And while it was true that reaching that state would give an explosive growth in terms of raw power, I actually had a hunch that it wasn¡¯t simply about that. Though at that time, I couldn¡¯t properly point out what was that exactly. Well, that was until I reached that point myself. [Individual (Unnamed) had reached the maximum level of its current Species¡¯ Class.] [Individual (Unnamed) is now able to ascend from Common Class to Ruling Class.] [Four paths of the Inferior Wolf Species are now available: Tempest Wolf Frost Wolf Flame Wolf Lightning Wolf¡­] While staring at the notifications displayed in front of me, I couldn¡¯t help but tilt my head. ''So, I can choose huh¡­? But well¡­ More than that, there is just so much information to unpack in these notifications¡­'' Obviously, the fact that I was able to choose which path I want to take was without a doubt important, but to some degree, I somewhat already expected something like this to happen so it didn¡¯t come as much of a shock. Instead, what caught my attention the most among these notifications were the terms "Common Class, Ruling Class, and Inferior Wolf Species." ''Common Class and Ruling Class huh¡­? I see¡­ So, this is why the Third Evolutionary State is special¡­'' Truth to be told, sometime later after I recovered my memories as a normal wolf, I had actually been kind of curious as to why the four-alpha wolf in that forest seemed to be so antagonistic towards each other to the point that they would gladly kill a rival any given chance. Well, this was at least my impression based on their behavior. Though at first, I thought that it was only normal, especially because of the "survival of the fittest" way of living of the monsters. But after I saw the hierarchy of those apes, I realized that it was actually possible for the powerful and seemingly prideful monsters to work together as an equal. The biggest example of this was the relationship between the Tronobo and Pronobo, both of which were probably alpha-class monsters that have the same level of raw power. Of course, there was also no denying the fact that it was only possible due to the existence of the overwhelming existence of the Gigarillon. But thinking about it more carefully, those two were still alpha-class monsters. Given that fact, it should only be normal if the two of them suddenly attacked the Gigarillon in the moments of its weakness to gain its power and position. But from what I could tell, neither one of those two was planning of ever doing that. In fact, it was actually as if the two were faithfully serving the Gigarillon without any hidden intentions. Which in short was totally in contrast with the action of the alpha wolves on my home forest. ''So, it really has something to do with their ranks, huh¡­? Or maybe it will be more accurate to call it Class Division¡­'' In all likelihood, there were probably some subdivisions even between the Common Class and Ruling Class itself. And most likely among the subdivisions of the Ruling Class monsters, there might be something that prevents them from working together. Because of that, even though there were variations between the overall powers of the Ruling Class monsters, it would be virtually impossible for a Ruling Class monster to subjugate one of its kind that was in the same Ruling Class subdivision as him. ''Well, I guess that makes sense¡­ Though, what is this Inferior Wolf Species thing? If my memory is right, this is my first time knowing about it¡­'' With that, I searched my memories for any possible clues that could aid me in formulating a theory about the new term. But then, my train of thought was suddenly interrupted by a new notification that had popped up in front of my eyes. [Effect of the skill Potential Boost was invoked.] [Alteration was a success.] [A special evolution path has been unlocked.] [Five paths of the Inferior Wolf Species are now available: Tempest Wolf Frost Wolf Flame Wolf Lightning Wolf Darkness Wolf] Surprised, all thoughts about the new term flew out of my mind and I just stared at the new evolution path in awe. ''Wait, seriously?!'' ''Furthermore, I never even knew that there was such a thing as a Darkness Wolf.'' That¡¯s right, even my memories as a normal wolf didn¡¯t help because there was never even a single piece of information regarding that Darkness Wolf. Of course, it may only be just due to the collective ignorance of the pack. But even then, that forest in my memories was undoubtedly being ruled by the wolf species. The very existence of the four wolf-type alpha class monsters in that forest proved that point. And yet, for some reason, there wasn¡¯t even a trace nor knowledge that a Darkness Wolf had existed in that place. ''Okay, let¡¯s try if we can get more information out of this.'' And so, I examined the evolution paths one by one. Luckily, my efforts weren¡¯t in vain because some new information popped up. [Tempest Wolf: A Ruling Class wolf-type monster that is incredibly proficient when it came to magic battles. That said, the monster is mostly specialized in using Wind Magic and is unable to cast any other elemental spell. In exchange, the monster¡¯s Wind Magic spells were more powerful in comparison to a normal Wind Magic spell of the same level.] [Frost Wolf: A Ruling Class wolf-type monster that is incredibly proficient when it came to magic battles. That said, the monster is mostly specialized in using Ice Magic and is unable to cast any other elemental spell. In exchange, the monster¡¯s Ice Magic spells were more powerful in comparison to a normal Ice Magic spell of the same level.] [Flame Wolf: A Ruling Class wolf-type monster that is incredibly proficient when it came to magic battles. That said, the monster is mostly specialized in using Fire Magic and is unable to cast any other elemental spell. In exchange, the monster¡¯s Fire Magic spells were more powerful in comparison to a normal Fire Magic spell of the same level.] A Ruling Class wolf-type monster that is incredibly proficient when it came to magic battles. That said, the monster is mostly specialized in using Electric Magic and is unable to cast any other elemental spell. In exchange, the monster¡¯s Electric Magic spells were more powerful in comparison to a normal Electric Magic spell of the same level.] [Darkness Wolf: A part of the Ruling Class wolf-type monsters, but unlike its counterparts, this one, in particular, is considered as a Special Monster since it can only be unlocked through the skill Potential Boost. Because of this, it is only available to the wolf-type monsters that had the title Awakened One. Due to its signature skills, the monster is mostly proficient in close-quarter combat rather than magical battles. Another feature of the monster is its proficiency in handling pure Mana and its high resistance against magical spells. Furthermore, the monster also had the ability to tap into Chaos Energy to further enhance its combat capabilities.] ''I see¡­ So, in short. The other four evolution paths are pretty much the default ones, while the last remaining one is a special case that can be considered as a result of acquiring the title Awakened One.'' I easily concluded while reading the information on the Darkness Wolf for the second time. Once I was done, I began organizing my thoughts. ''Seriously, it is more than clear that this Darkness Wolf is superior compared to the other ones so my choice is already pretty much decided. The problem is the Chaos Energy thing¡­'' While repositioning myself, I squint my eyes at the word Chaos Energy which was currently displayed in front of me. Honestly, I would like to have at least some more information regarding that Chaos Energy thing. Unfortunately, it didn¡¯t seem like my Status Screen would display any more information regarding it so I had no other choice but to give up. ''Ha¡­ No matter how I look at it, this thing seemed incredibly fishy¡­'' Giving up on it, I closed the information window. ''Well, though I feel as if I was being lured by the devil, it would still be a waste if I let this opportunity pass¡­ Okay, I guess there''s nothing new and I had no other choice but to deal with it once the time comes¡­'' After deciding that, I hype myself up then chose the Darkness Wolf path without any hesitation. ''Let¡¯s do this!!'' [Starting Evolution¡­] Chapter 52 - 50 EX Story: The Ape King¡¯s Ascension In a certain country ruled by humans, there existed a practice of pitting individuals against one another and having them fight death. Most of the time, this practice was used as a spectacle and a way to entertain the people¡¯s boredom. After all, in a harsh world full of monsters and dangers, both the common people and those ruling above them had little to no entertainment at all. And while it was true that music, plays, and stories exist, the target audience of those things was mostly the rich and powerful. As a result of this, the common folks often spent their lives only working to survive or desperately extending their meager and wretched lives. For a long time, this fact remained the same. Obviously, living in this kind of lifestyle would leave some dissatisfactions in the hearts of the people. This was especially true because humans by nature were restless creatures that always seek some kind of p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e in their lives. That was why to pacify their people¡¯s ever-growing impatience and d.e.s.i.r.e, those who were in power somehow came up with a scheme that could quench the people¡¯s thirst for entertainment. And of course, that was how the Gladiatorial Tournament came to be. During the early days of this Gladiatorial Tournament, warrior slaves of various High Races were pitted against each other with the condition of granting freedom to whoever was left standing as the victor in the end. Naturally, the spectacle of watching people fight was a huge hit to both the commoners and nobles alike. After all, there was no way that the people would pick hearing or reading a questionable story over witnessing a real epic battle with their very own eyes. Because of this, the Gladiatorial Tournament became so popular to the point that even the travelers and some nobles of neighboring countries specifically came to visit just to watch one of these shows. As time passed by, the Gladiatorial Tournament slowly evolved until eventually, even monster battles became a part of the spectacle. Of course, monsters were still dangerous creatures so involving them in the Gladiatorial Tournament came with its own risks and dangers. One of which was the handling of the captured monsters before, during, and after the fight. Because for one, it was truly inefficient to always buy or search for some monsters every time a tournament took place. Not to mention, they also had to take care of the monster that would win the fight. And obviously, it was a huge waste if they just dispose of the winning monster once the tournament ends. That was why after a long discussion, it was ultimately decided that some cage specifically designed to imprison as powerful monsters as possible would be created directly under the colosseum where the Gladiatorial Tournament was always held. In that way, the organizers wouldn¡¯t have to dispose of the victorious monsters, and that way, they could also stock up some monsters as much as what the cage could hold. *** Bound and lying unconscious in one of the many underground cages was the Future Ape King. But even though he was bound and unconscious, for some unknown reason, it was pretty clear to see that the Future Ape King¡¯s injuries were somehow patched up. It was truly bizarre especially because it was as if someone had deliberately gone out of their way to make sure that the Future Ape King wouldn¡¯t die. And even though it was obvious that they only did the b.a.r.e minimum to keep him alive, that way of patching up the wounds was still without a doubt made by someone who knew what they were doing. In short, there was a high chance that it was done by someone professional. Finally waking up from his slumber, the Future Ape King raised his head and looked around as if searching for something. And little by little, as he slowly recalled what had happened to him, the Future Ape King¡¯s face crumpled into a frown and a dark shadow was cast upon his eyes. But as if forcing him back into the cruel reality, the Future Ape King heard a voice coming from the outside of his cage. Truth to be told, for the Future Ape King, it was an unfamiliar voice. More than that, the Future Ape King also didn¡¯t understand the language of humans. Even so, from the tone of the voice alone, it was pretty clear to him that he was being directly asked by the voice. That was why even though he couldn¡¯t comprehend what was being said, the Future Ape King still turned his head to where the voice had come from. But the moment that he saw the figure sitting comfortably outside of the cage, the Future Ape King¡¯s eyes snapped open in surprise. In that very next instant, memories of what had happened before flashed in the Future Ape King¡¯s mind. Because of that, the Future Ape King grit his fangs. Then, the shock reflected in his eyes was replaced by an intense flame of hatred. And as his mind finally snapped, the Future Ape King roared at the top of his lungs as he dashed towards the human with the full intention to kill. From an outsider¡¯s perspective, the Future Ape King¡¯s action must have only looked like a rampage of a simple mad beast. But in his own mind, the Future Ape King had every right and reason to kill the human outside. After all, he couldn¡¯t possibly mistake that human for someone else. He was certain of it, that human was without a doubt the very same one that knocked him out and killed his master that day¡­ ¡°GRAAAAHHHH!!¡± The Future Ape King let out a deafening roar. Accompanying that was an intense killing intent that could make any normal man freeze and shake in terror. Along with that, the creaking sound of the chains could also be heard probably because the Future Ape King was forcing his bounded limbs forward. But despite being on the receiving end of that bloodl.u.s.t, the human sitting still outside was totally unfazed and it was as if he was only bathing on a gentle breeze. The Future Ape King kept on acting up using all his strength. But even with that, the chains that were bounding his limbs showed no signs of damage or even breaking at all. And as if expecting all of that to happen, the human simply sat still outside without showing any signs of being bothered by the rampaging monster upfront. Until finally, the Future Ape King¡¯s stamina ran out. Probably catching onto that, the human finally moved. First, the human slowly stood up. Then, without showing any ounce of fear nor hesitation, the human opened the door of the Future Ape King¡¯s cage. As the metal door made a creaking sound, the human moved inside the cage and then calmly walked towards the Future Ape King until the two of them were finally standing face to face. With hatred in his eyes, the Future Ape King stared directly at the scarlet eyes of the human in front of him. During that time, he could tell that the human was saying something and it was all directed towards him. Unfortunately, without the master-servant pact connection, communication between them was completely impossible so the human¡¯s language was just some incomprehensible sound for him. More than that, there was just no way that the Future Ape King would calmly sit down and listen to the human¡¯s intentions given the fact that the individual before him was directly responsible for his master¡¯s death. And though the human wasn¡¯t showing any hostility at the moment, there was still no telling when the situation would change. In short, peaceful communication was already impossible from the very beginning. Of course, the human was also certainly aware of that fact. So, more than trying to communicate with Future Ape King, the human probably simply didn¡¯t care. After all, based on the look in the human¡¯s eyes, it was pretty clear that the human was only doing it out of pure curiosity. And looking at it from a different angle, the human might not even be considering the Future Ape King as a threat. After depleting all his stamina, the Future Ape King could only growl at the human who was acting like that. Without being fazed by that, the human continued to satisfy his curiosity by carefully examining the Future Ape King while also talking from time to time. The human kept on doing that for a while only to be stopped by the persuasion of some guards that had come specifically to stop the situation. Then, after the guards and the hateful human were gone, the Future Ape King was overcome by an indescribable feeling of emptiness and he collapsed on the spot. Throughout that night, the Future Ape King wallowed through his anger, loneliness, and despair. Even when the guards had come to fetch him the very next day, the emptiness in the Future Ape King¡¯s heart didn¡¯t subside. In that state, without any motivation and sense of purpose, the Future Ape King was thrown inside the arena to fight for his life. Chapter 53 - 51 EX Story: The Ape King¡¯s Ascension Part II ''Their connection was gone¡­'' That was the first thing that the Future Ape King had noticed after waking up. And because he also remembered what had happened before, he blacked out, the Future Ape King couldn¡¯t possibly deny the fact that his master died at that time. But after meeting face to face with that human and realizing how powerless he currently was, even his d.e.s.i.r.e for revenge was snuffed out and he fell into the pits of despair. After all, he came to the realization that even if he somehow succeeded to escape and kill that human, there was just no way that he could bring back all of those that he lost. ''All of it was gone. Forever out of his reach. Never again would he feel that same warmth. Never again would he return to that time.'' All these thoughts ate away at his mind. Honestly, the Future Ape King didn¡¯t even know how much time had passed. And while all those thoughts were swirling into his head, some human guards had come into his cage and forcefully brought him out. But because he was lacking any form of d.e.s.i.r.e, he didn¡¯t try to resist nor fight back. The next thing he knew, his ears were ringing with the sounds of enthusiastic cheers from the crowd. As light slowly returned into the Future Ape King¡¯s eyes, he saw something solid flying towards the right side of his head. In that instant, danger signals rang into his head and his right arm automatically moved to protect his head. But probably because he moved out of pure instinct without any real intent behind, the blow wasn¡¯t fully blocked and the Future Ape King was sent rolling into the ground. Then, with a high-pitched sound still ringing into his ears, the Future Ape King tried to stand. Unfortunately, his arm was severely damaged from that attack, and so it failed to support the weight of his body causing him to fall back down. Taking advantage of that chance, a human rushed towards the Future Ape King. And while holding a mace with both of his hands, the human raised it up above his head and swung it down with all his might. Confused at his own actions, the Future Ape King gazed at his hands while repeatedly asking the question why. And strangely enough, every single time he was attacked, the Future Ape King¡¯s body never failed to react. Sometimes he would dodge, and when it was impossible to avoid an attack, he would instead block. Though obviously, each and every single one of his movements were sluggish. This was probably due to the fact that there was no clear intent behind those movements. As a result, the injuries in the Future Ape King¡¯s body were slowly piling up. But even then, it was still clear to see that it was only thanks to those movements that the Future Ape King was still alive. In fact, it almost seemed like each and every movement was done with that exact purpose in mind. No, that might actually be the case. It was then that from the very depths of his consciousness, the Future Ape King heard his master¡¯s words. ''Live¡­ At the very least, you need to survive¡­'' Upon hearing that, the Future Ape King¡¯s eyes lit up. And for the very first time during the match, the Future Ape King launched a counter-attack. *BOOM!!* A dull sound reverberated through the colosseum as Future Ape King¡¯s fist landed on his opponent¡¯s weapon. Surprisingly, the human managed to react in time and successfully block that attack using his mace. Despite that, the human was still sent flying backwards after receiving the full brunt impact of that punch. Then, while the human was still trying to recover, the Future Ape King focused his mind and once again searched for the missing connection. But no matter how much he tried, the Future Ape King didn¡¯t find what he was looking for. Instead, what he found was a trace. No, it wasn¡¯t a trace; it was a remnant. And within that remnant was his master¡¯s final message. In short, it was his master¡¯s last will. ¡°Hello partner, looks like you are alive and well! Now, I am pretty sure that you¡¯re quite confused with this turn of events, but don¡¯t worry, I will now explain so, listen carefu¡ª¡± In the midst of listening to that message, the Future Ape King¡¯s concentration was suddenly interrupted when the human launched a surprise attack. Being in the point-blank range when that wave of bloodl.u.s.t was unleashed, the human who was in the midst making his follow-up attack faltered. As a result, his form became feeble and sluggish effectively diminishing both the power and speed of his swing. And in that instant, without even breaking a sweat, the Future Ape King caught that attack. With a small creaking sound, the Future Ape King tightened his grip into the mace then forcefully pulled it close. Naturally, the human who didn¡¯t want to let go was also pulled along only to receive a kick straight into his stomach. Because of that, the human crumbled into his knees and unconsciously let go his weapon. Then, while looking down at his opponent, the Future Ape King swiftly adjusted the mace in his hand and made a fast and sharp horizontal swing. *CRASH!!* Accompanied by the sounds of breaking bones, the human was sent flying and tumbling into the ground. Though surprisingly enough, the human actually managed to barely block that attack though he broke both of his arms in the process. While letting out a weak groan, the human forced his body to stand. But in that moment, before he even managed to move his legs, the human felt a cold and chilling sensation crawling down his spine. As a result, he became unable to move as if something had frozen his body stiff. ¡°Guh¡­¡± It was only then that humans sensed the source of that dreadful aura. To be more specific, the source was currently standing right in front of him. Probably as a result of his terror and confusion, the human unconsciously lifted his head up. And in there, he saw a monster with an ominous glowing-eyes looking down at his small and insignificant figure. Then while growling like an angry beast, the monster bared its grinding fangs as if showing off its deep seething rage. At that moment, the human was completely taken over by fear. As a result, even during that time when the monster was slowly raising up its mace, the human could only watch while shivering in absolute horror. Of course, the human was completely aware that it would be the end of him once that mace was brought down. But because he somehow viewed the monster before him as the physical manifestation of death, his mind in its entirety had long since given up. And well, he wasn¡¯t wrong in thinking things like that. After all, even if he resisted, he would only be delaying the inevitable. Then, as he watched the reaper¡¯s hand inching towards his soul, the human saw his face being reflected in the monster¡¯s eyes. And in that instant, as his life was flashing before his eyes, a single regretful thought surfaced in his mind. ''Ahh¡­ Freedom is out of my reach after a¡ª'' Unfortunately, without ever finishing that thought, the mace of death was brought down from up above. And as a plethora of blood was spilled all over the place, the wretched human fell and died with a splat. *** After witnessing the brutal end of that battle, the whole colosseum was briefly covered in complete silence. But after a single clap resounded, it slowly began to spread all around until the entire place was finally filled with cheers of celebration and praise. Despite that, the Future Ape King didn¡¯t show any kind of response. And the reason for that was actually simple; ''now that the pest was gone, he could finally focus on listening to his master¡¯s message.'' But since the battle was finally over, the Future Ape King failed to realize that it was about time for him to be sent back into his cell. That was why before he even managed to start searching for the message once again, the collar in the Future Ape King¡¯s neck suddenly shined and his entire body was assaulted by a powerful shock. ¡°GRAAAAAAHHHH!!!¡± As the Future Ape King roared, the shining collar released an electric current and it crawled all over the Future Ape King body. And when it was finally done, the Future Ape King collapsed on the ground with smoke coming out from his body. ¡°Grr¡­¡± While letting out a weak growl, the Future Ape King used the last bit of his strength and tried to move his body. Unfortunately, all his efforts were in vain because the electric shock had completely numbed and immobilized his body by that point. But, before his consciousness faded, the Future Ape King saw something at the end of his vision. [Congratulations, individual {Unnamed} has awakened.] Chapter 54 - 52 EX Story: The Ape King¡¯s Ascension Part III During his deep slumber, a bunch of notifications and announcements flooded into the Future Ape King¡¯s mind¡­ [Awakening process complete] [Individual (Unnamed) Fully Awakened] [Title Received: Awakened One] [Acquired Skills: Potential Boost, Assess, Presence of Mind] [Title Received: Survivor] [Acquired Skills: Toughness, Pain Endurance] [As a bonus for awakening, individual (Unnamed) gained additional Experience] [Level cap reached] [Evolution is now possible] [Individual (Unnamed) had reached the maximum level of its current Species¡¯ Class.] [Individual (Unnamed) is now able to ascend from Common Class to Ruling Class.] [Two paths of the Inferior Ape Species are now available: Tronobo Pronobo¡­] When all that announcements were finally done, the Future Ape King felt his consciousness and senses slowly starting up. But before he was fully awakened, a new bunch of announcements and notifications suddenly popped up. [Effect of the skill Potential Boost was invoked.] [Alteration was a success.] [A special evolution path has been unlocked.] [Three paths of the Inferior Ape Species are now available: Tronobo Pronobo Gorillon] [Due to the individual¡¯s lack of self-awareness, evolution would proceed automatically.] [Choosing the optimal evolution path¡­] [The Race Gorillon was chosen...] After that, his consciousness faded once again. *** [Evolution Complete] With that announcement as the catalyst, the Future Ape King woke up, then with bloodshot eyes, he immediately stood up. ¡°GRAAAHHH!!¡± Accompanied by a vicious roar, the Future Ape King took his fighting stance. But contrary to his expectations, he wasn¡¯t standing in the middle of the battlefield. Instead, he was now back inside his cage with bounds restraining all his limbs once again. In truth, there were still some announcements resounding inside his head. On top of that, a flood of notifications was also popping up in his field of vision. But without paying attention to any of that, the Future Ape King instead began to scan his immediate surroundings, and it was because he could still smell some traces of blood within his cell. Furthermore, it seemed like the traces came from a third party which means that it all didn¡¯t simply come from his injuries alone. Looking around, the Future Ape King noticed that he was surrounded by a pile of bones. And from the looks of it, all of these bones were just a leftover of what was supposed to be some monster¡¯s corpses and remains. More than that, all the bones were also scattered haphazardly as if someone had gone on a rampage not too long ago. In fact, that was probably why the scent of blood could be found in almost every corner of the cell. Most likely, it was the result of that said rampage. At least, that¡¯s what the Future Ape King thought. But then, he finally noticed. ''Huh? What¡¯s this?'' Strangely enough, the Future Ape King felt as if his mind was clearer than before. Furthermore, he could also clearly feel as if his sense of self and understanding had become much deeper and profound. For him, it was like the life he had lived before was nothing but a dream or illusion. No, it wasn¡¯t only a dream. Without a doubt, all of it was real. It¡¯s just that, it all felt surreal. As if he was just there doing nothing but watch all of it unfold. Like he was just nothing but a mere bystander and spectator. But at the same time, he couldn¡¯t deny the fact that all of those actions and choices were done by him alone. In short, he wasn¡¯t a different entity. In fact, they were the same. In a human analogy, it was like the "two sides of a single coin." The Future Ape King was surprised by his own thought process. After all, he couldn¡¯t remember or even imagine himself thinking in this way in the past. That was why for him, this experience was something fresh and indescribable. Of course, it would be a lie if he said that it didn¡¯t bother him at all. But despite his confusion and surprise, the feeling of euphoria after experiencing such sensations still won over. And more than that, the very fact that he could now acknowledge such things showed that he had reached the point of no return. So instead of worrying about "what to do with it," it would be much more efficient to ask; "how would he make use of it?" Naturally, even though his state of mind was the biggest and most important change of all, it didn¡¯t simply end there. In fact, from an outsider¡¯s perspective, it wouldn¡¯t be too hard to point out what had exactly changed. Because for one, the Future Ape King was much bigger than before. And well, that wasn¡¯t even the most noticeable change in him. To be more specific, what had changed the most were probably his presence and the overall aura. As a matter of fact, just his aura alone would probably be enough to bring terror to the hearts of any normal human. Of course, that would also mean that a face-to-face confrontation could make them faint and wet themselves. Though of course, all these only happened in an instant. Because for some reason, probably also as a result of gaining a sense of self-awareness, it didn¡¯t take too long for the Future Ape King to calm down. And naturally, after he regained his composure, the Future Ape King immediately recalled the reason why he had fought back before. In other words, it was the message that his master had left for him. Upon remembering that, the Future Ape King sat down and once again searched for his master¡¯s message. But unlike last time, the Future Ape King didn¡¯t blindly search for it. Instead, he made use of his experience and memories and searched based on that. And from what he knew, the message should be within the remnant of a skill that connected him to his master in the past. Fortunately, his guess was right. Then, after opening his eyes and checking his surroundings, the Future Ape King activated the skill ¡°Hello partner, looks like you are alive and well! Now, I am pretty sure that you¡¯re quite confused with this turn of events, but don¡¯t worry, I will now explain, so listen carefully¡­¡± After opening with that cheerful tone, the voice then began to explain what had happened at that time. From what the Future Ape King could understand, after he had passed out, the battle took a sudden turn at that time. And unbelievable as it was, all of that happened just because of the presence of a single human. Furthermore, it also seemed like that human alone actually managed to defeat his master and annihilate all of his subordinates. As a result, his master got captured by the enemy and that put the war to an abrupt end. But more than that, what shocked the Future Ape King the most was the next following words. ¡°After we were defeated, the enemy commanders were dead set on killing you on the spot. But after striking a deal with that woman, I managed to make her swear to keep you alive. In exchange, you would be forced to fight in their Gladiatorial Tournament as a Gladiatorial Tournament.¡± Shocked by these words, the Future Ape King opened his eyes. But without giving him a chance to process that, the voice continued. Hearing that, the Future Ape King felt a pang of pain in his heart. More than that, he also felt incredibly angry at that human that his master had mentioned. But for better or for worse, before he even managed to think about revenge, the next words from the message woke him up. ¡°Listen, partner. I know you are angry at that vixen after what she¡¯d done. I¡¯m sure of it because I feel the same. But even with that, I am warning you now¡­ Don¡¯t ever try to fight her¡­ I¡¯m sure it''s hard. But since you had already fought her, you might have already noticed. That woman is incredibly strong. So strong in fact that she was considered one of the special existences in this world¡­ That is why please, don¡¯t fight her. Because no matter what, I need you to live¡­ This might just be my selfish request, but please¡­ Live¡­ At the very least, you need to survive¡­¡± With that, the message ended. Then, as if it had finally completed its final task, the remnant of the skill vanished. And for a long while after that, the Future Ape King sat there in silence with his master¡¯s last will still echoing into his mind. That day, not only did he gain wisdom, the Future Ape King also gained a reason to live and survive. Chapter 55 - Author’s Note Hello guys. Sorry for not uploading any chapters this week. My schedule is kinda packed right now so I¡¯m quite busy. Anyway, I¡¯ll surely upload next week so don¡¯t worry too much. Once again, sorry and see you guys next week!! Chapter 56 - 53 [Evolution in Progress¡­] [Report: An anomaly in the soul has been detected.] [Warning: In response to the anomaly, abrupt changes have been made.] [Adjustment in Progress...] [Report: Gifts have been altered for the sake of compatibility.] [Resuming evolution now¡­] [Evolution Complete.] [Congratulations. Individual (Unnamed) has successfully Ascended.] [Congratulations. Individual (Unnamed) has successfully evolved from a Great Wolf Variant, into a Darkness Wolf.] [Racial Skill Blood-Soaked Fangs has evolved into the Unique Skill Fangs of Void.] [Racial Skill Sharp Claws has evolved into the Unique Skill Dismantling Claws.] [Skills; Night Vision, Enhance Smell, Enhanced Hearing, Detect Malice, Detect Life, and Hunt has merged and created the Advance Skill Sixth Sense.] [Acquired Skills: Rare Skill Magical Resistance, Rare Skill Berserk, Advance Skill Rally, Advance Skill Authority, Unique Skill Shadow Manipulation.] [Notice, all on-hand Skills have also ranked up.] *** After that flood of notifications stopped ringing inside my head, I opened up my eyes. And out of pure habit, I looked around the cave wary of any possible dangers nearby. Only when I was certain that there were no enemies around that I let myself relax and check the changes in my body. The first change I noticed was the color of my fur. For one, the color had changed from that ashy-white hue, into this deep dark blue. Of course, since it was pretty much impossible for me to see my body as a whole, I couldn¡¯t be certain if it was the same for the fur that was covering my entire body. And well, it wasn¡¯t as if I was bothered by this color change either. After all, this color would compliment my fighting style a lot better compared to my previous one. The next thing I noticed was the change in my physique. And strangely enough, this new form of mine seemed to be much smaller compared to my form when I was a Great Wolf Variant. Well, my new one was still a little bigger compared to my Dire Wolf Variant form. But even then, I still find it kind of surprising that I actually shrank in size as a result of evolution. Especially since I know that pretty much every powerful monster inside this cave was some kind of gigantic monstrosity. ''I guess there¡¯s always an exception, huh?'' I thought to myself. ''Well, my battle efficiency might have increased with this, so I¡¯ve got no complaints.'' And then, there was the improvement with my claws. Which for some odd reason has not only become a lot sharper and deadlier but also became somewhat extendable¡­? While looking at my claws in shock, I couldn¡¯t help but think; ''this is¡­ certainly one hell of an upgrade¡­'' To be honest, it was by far the most shocking of all the changes in my body. After all, not only was it now as sharp as a blade, the length in which I could extend it was also insane. And based on my rough estimations, its maximum length was about five to six inches in total. A length in which of course was impossible to conceal inside my paws judging from its size. ''¡­It looks like I am extending it from inside my paw at first glance, but in truth, my skill is simply adding more length to it out of thin air¡­ Strange¡­'' After that, I began to move around to get a feel for my new form. First, I tried jogging and sprinting around. ''Hmmm¡­ seems like my base speed and agility have improved once again¡­'' Though of course, having gone through the same thing for the third time now, I already knew for a fact that the best possible way to get used to my new form was experiencing live combat. But before doing that, there was something important that I had to do. ''Okay, time to check my skills.'' *** Just a little distance away from where my evolution had taken place, I found a huge nest. Or at least, what was left of it¡­ ''This is¡­'' Looking around at the ruined nest, I saw bodies of dead ants lying around pretty much everywhere. And based on the condition of the nest and the dead bodies, I could make a rough guess on what had happened. ''A surprise attack¡­ And judging from the way that these ants were killed; they were probably caught completely off guard.'' But more than that, the most striking thing in all of it was the fact that the offenders seemed to be in a hurry. The proof of that was the fact that they didn¡¯t even bother to cover their tracks. And by combining all of the evidence with what I knew, there was only one group of monsters that could have possibly done this. ''Those Apes again, huh¡­?'' Truth be told, it wasn¡¯t even surprising that those monsters were capable of this much. After all, I had accompanied them in their ambush before. Adding the fact that the one leading their army was the Gigarillon, of course, they could pull something like this as if it was a piece of cake. ''I see, so we were really used as bait¡­ And since they are making a beeline to the center of it all, their goal was probably to finish this as fast as possible. But looking at it in another way, I could instead use this chance to my benefit.'' Since those apes were charging straight into the center, then they would inevitably come across some nest along the way. And of course, they would have no other choice but to destroy any nest that they would encounter if they want to continue moving forward. ''In short, if I follow their trail, I won''t have to worry about being ganged up by those ants. At most, all I need to do is clean up the survivors if there are even any.'' And so, I followed the trail of the apes. Along the way, I also encountered some survivors from time to time. Of course, those unlucky survivors weren¡¯t even a threat to me especially since most of them were either wounded or tired. As a result, my kill count continued to increase which in effect helped me stacked-up one of my skills. [Name: (Unnamed)] [Race: Darkness Wolf] [Level: 30] [Status: Healthy] [Titles: Awakened One, The RunAway, Predator, Survivor] [Skills: Fangs of Void (Rank D), Call of The Moon (Rank S), Sixth Sense (Rank D), Recovery (Rank S), Dismantling Claws (Rank D), Potential Boost (Rank S), Assess (Rank S), Presence of Mind (Rank S), Accelerate (Rank B), Gorge (Rank D), Antibodies (Rank S), Toughness (Rank S), Pain Endurance (Rank S), Stealth (Rank C), Recuperate (Rank S), Intimidate (Rank B), Magical Resistance (Rank D), Berserk (Rank D), Rally (Rank D), Authority (Rank D), Shadow Manipulation (Rank D)] After opening my Status Screen, I then opened the tab for my skill Shadow Manipulation. The ability to dominate and utilize the shadow of the dead. - Shadow Collection (20/50): Absorb and stack the shadows of any living thing that you kill. Additionally, the quality may vary depending on the source. - Shadow Release: Weaponize or unleash the stacked-up shadow in the form of an attack. - Available Releases: Shadow Augment (Cost: 2)] As a result of testing the skill in the field, I have learned quite a few things about this Shadow Manipulation. The first thing was that I couldn¡¯t absorb the shadow of anything that I didn¡¯t personally kill. Of course, given the current limitation of my testing, I still think that there was more to it than that. But setting that aside, for now, I also discovered an unexpected effect upon absorbing the shadow of a corpse. To be specific; the corpse would always turn into dust when its shadow was absorbed. And while at first glance such an effect may not look problematic, the simple fact that it whisks away a potential food could also mean that I might end up dying due to starvation. Fortunately, I could choose when and where to use it so it all comes down to wise decision-making. The second thing that I learned was about the Shadow Release; the additional feature which for now only has one available release. But knowing how this world works, I¡¯m sure that the options would further expand as the skill ranks up. Anyway, I already tested Shadow Augment in combat, and so far, I discovered that I could apply its effect to any part of my body and anything that had direct contact with me. As for the effects, well, once the shadow has covered the designated part, it acts just like an enhancement. For example; when I used it in my claws, the shadow made it sharper and more durable. Then when I applied it to my leg, I felt my muscles tightened and my fur became harder. ''In short, I could use it to either attack or defend depending on the situation. I thought while whacking the head of an ant using my leg.'' A short while after that, the shadow covering my legs dissipated. ''So, it lasts for about a minute, huh?'' I concluded while looking at my leg. Of course, to replenish my stack of shadows, I absorbed the shadow of the ant causing its corpse to crumble into dust. ''Hmm. Just a single stack again¡­'' While checking my shadow stacks, I heard the sound of battle far into the distance. ''Huh, did I already catch up? That was fast¡­'' I asked, confused. ''Well, there¡¯s no use standing here making an assumption, let¡¯s just check.'' Chapter 57 - An Apology Greetings everyone, I would like to apologize to you all for suddenly taking a month long hiatus. It¡¯s just that I felt mentally exhausted that time so I took the opportunity. Now, I know that I made you guys wait for so long but if you still like my story, I hope to continue on with this journey with you. And I promise, next time that I will take a hiatus, I promised to make an announcement to inform you of my plans. Anyway, now that I have slightly recovered, I will be back on my weekly uploads. And more than that, I would like to thank everyone who stayed despite my sudden absence. Seriously, I can¡¯t even express how grateful I Am. That¡¯s all I wanted to say and sorry once again. Well, see you guys tomorrow!! Chapter 58 - 54 I activated Stealth and followed the direction of the sound. ''As I thought, the sound and these trails lead in that same direction.'' But knowing that those apes might be in a hurry to finish this battle, I assumed that it would take more time before I could catch up. ''Is something preventing them from going any further?'' To be honest, the only possible explanation why those apes were hindered was if they were ganged up by waves upon waves of ants. After all, if they fought those ants in this place head-on, those apes would be fighting an almost endless sea of ants just like us from before. And even if they had that Gigarillon leading their army in this battle, given their numbers alone, those ants would still be able to overwhelm them in the end. ''It really all comes down to quantity. Because no matter how powerful those apes are, they still have a mortal body in the end. And naturally, that body has its own physical limitations, so once they¡¯ve reached that limit, even some inferior ant could actually kill them.'' If so, I had no business joining that fray. In fact, I would rather choose to find a different path than risk being ganged up by thousands upon thousands of ants. Especially since my skills were more compatible in ambushes rather than a frontal confrontation. While the sound of battle was becoming much clearer, the scent of fresh blood was also getting thicker and stronger. And of course, all of that only meant one thing. ''I¡¯m close.'' Noticing that, I proceeded with much more caution. But it was then that a chill ran down my spine. ''?!!'' Confused by that sudden feeling, I stopped. Then as if on cue, the earth began to tremble. ''What the¡ª?!'' I thought while looking around. At first, the earthquake wasn¡¯t that strong. But as seconds passed, its intensity increased to the point that I began to have a hard time standing still. And to make matters worse, I also noticed an overwhelming presence rising from underground. ''Crap, what the heck is that?!'' A moment after that, there was a deafening explosion up ahead accompanied by a thunderous screech. And upon looking up, I saw a gigantic ant flying in the air. [Name: (Unnamed) Race: Anties Queen Status: Healthy] ''Is that the ruler of these ants?!'' I internally exclaimed. ''Are you kidding me?! Those apes are seriously planning on killing that?!'' In my personal opinion, that thing far outmatched those apes. Because not only was it big, that gigantic ant could also somehow fly! And as far as I know, even that Gigarillon couldn¡¯t even do that. In fact, even if that ant didn¡¯t have that ability, I still think that the Gigarillon would lose if they fought one on one. ''Seriously, how crazy and desperate are those apes to try and fight that thing. Or maybe¡­ they simply had no idea?'' While I was there standing still and doing my best to keep myself hidden from that gigantic ant, a loud sound of rumbling suddenly echoed in every direction. ''Huh?'' Looking around, I also began to hear the screech of multiple ants. And from what I could tell, it didn¡¯t only come from one or two. In fact, I¡¯m quite certain that the sound was a result of at least hundreds if not thousands of ants screeching their hearts out. ''O-oy, are you serious?!!'' Far into the distance, I saw the silhouette of waves upon waves of ants marching towards their Queen. And the worst thing was, that immeasurable number had me surrounded on the back. In short, the only clear path was upfront to where that gigantic ant was. Upon realizing that fact, I couldn¡¯t help but curse at my incredibly bad luck. ''Damn it!! So that screech was a command to gather her kin!!'' Then, after recognizing that her kin was starting to gather, the gigantic ant screeched once again and flew off to somewhere. ''What?! Where is that thing going?! Is she running away from the apes?!'' I unconsciously asked. But not too long after that, my question was answered. Upon looking to where the apes were supposed to be, I saw a group of familiar monsters chasing after that gigantic ant. Or at least, that¡¯s what I initially thought. ''So, it¡¯s not those apes who are fighting! It¡¯s them, the monster survivors! But why are they chasing after that gigantic ant? Are those monsters really out of their mind?'' Not long after that thought crossed my mind, I saw an exceptional-looking ant leading what seemed to be a small and elite group of its kind. Seeing that, the realization of what was happening dawned on me. ''D-don''t tell me¡­?'' At that, I looked behind. And what came into view was the sea of ants making a mad charge to where their Queen flew. ''Shit!'' I cursed as I ran to chase after the Queen. ''That screech was a command to follow and charge!! This is nuts!!'' Fortunately, there was still quite some distance between the army of ants and me. And since my base speed had also improved, it was pretty much impossible for those ants to catch up. In fact, the distance between the ant army and me was slowly increasing even though I didn¡¯t use any speed-enhancing skills. The only problem was¡­ ''Damn it, they noticed me.'' Up ahead, the small group of elite ants that were chasing the monster survivors earlier had stopped and then looked at me. And judging from their reactions, their intent was clear. ''Planning to stop me eh?'' [Name: (Unnamed) Race: Anties Commander Level: 23 Status: Healthy] [Name: (Unnamed) Race: Anties Commander Status: Healthy] [Name: (Unnamed) Race: Anties Commander Level: 24 Status: Healthy] [Name: (Unnamed) Race: Anties Commander Level: 22 Status: Healthy] At that moment, four ants from that group rushed towards me. Reacting to that, I used Shadow augment to all of my limbs. As a result, my speed and agility increased even further. ''Now, let¡¯s see what you can do!!'' With that in mind, I activated Accelerate and charge towards the nearest ant. Using my claws, I decapitated the nearest ant in the blink of an eye. And probably because of my recent evolution, it only took me one swipe to lop off the head of that strong-looking ant. Seeing that, the other three froze. But, without wasting any second, I began to annihilate the rest who were still in shock. After making a quick work of those four, I absorbed their shadows and continued to run. ''That¡¯s easier than I expected¡­'' I thought while using Assess on the eight remaining ants ahead. [Name: (Unnamed) Race: Anties Commander Level: 25 Status: Healthy] [Name: (Unnamed) Race: Anties Commander Level: 28 [Name: (Unnamed) Race: Anties Commander Level: 26 Status: Healthy] [Name: (Unnamed) Race: Anties General Level: 35 Status: Healthy] [Name: (Unnamed) Level: 33 Status: Healthy] [Name: (Unnamed) Race: Anties General Level: 38 Status: Healthy] [Name: (Unnamed) Race: Anties General Level: 34 Status: Healthy] [Name: (Unnamed) Race: Anties General Level: 36 Status: Healthy] ''So, three Anties Commanders and five Anties General.'' Since the Anties Commanders were only in the level twenties, it wouldn¡¯t be too hard for me to kill them. Unfortunately, that same thing couldn¡¯t be said about those Anties Generals who were in the level thirties. And more than that, there were five of them. ''It will be nothing short of a suicide if I attempt to fight those five along with that three Anties Commander.'' I concluded. ''I guess my only choice is to either keep my distance or lure those three away. Well, in this situation, I can only respond in kind to their actions anyway.'' Being that those ants were sandwiched between the monster survivors and me, it was only natural that their actions would have a direct effect on my movements. In that sense, as long as they don¡¯t take any actions against me, my best option was to just keep my distance and avoid any confrontation. That, of course, depends on what their leader would decide. [Name: (Unnamed) Race: Anties King Level: 47 Status: Healthy] ''Seriously, level forty-seven? Heck, that¡¯s strong!'' I gaped upon using Assess on the supposed leader of the ants. ''Yep, if they all decided to stop and fight me, I¡¯m dead for sure.'' I shivered at the thought. But before my assumption even came to fruition, another huge explosion rang far ahead. And to be honest, I didn¡¯t even know if I should consider it a good fortune or bad. It happened when the flying gigantic ant ahead made a sudden stop. As if waiting for something, it just hovered in the air all the while looking at the cave¡¯s wall without moving an inch. ''Huh?'' Truth to be told, I didn¡¯t even notice that we were already so far back to the point that we were already near the boundary of this area. ''I¡¯ve got a really bad feeling about this¡­'' And as if confirming that premonition, that familiar monster appeared. Accompanied by a loud bang, another gigantic monster emerged from the wall. And of course, the resulting debris from the destroyed wall flew off everywhere causing further mayhem and explosions. Then as if to announce its appearance on the battlefield, the gigantic three-headed hound roared in chorus. But unlike the screech of the Anties Queen, that roar was both deafening and powerful. It was so powerful in fact that it created this air pressure that shook almost the entire area. [Name: (Unnamed) Race: Cerberus Level: 58 Status: Healthy] ''F.u.c.k,'' was all I could think. Chapter 59 - 55 Noticing the presence of one another, the two gigantic monsters stared down at each other. And to be honest, the sheer eeriness of this meeting made me feel as if time itself had stopped. During that standoff, the two monsters unleashed their bloodl.u.s.t and aura without holding back. As a result, a torrent of incredible malice spread out making the entirety of the cave a giant pot full of malevolence. Upon receiving that wave of malice head-on, I flinched. ''D-damn it¡­'' As the veil of spite grew thicker, it also became harder and harder to breathe. ''¡­What the heck is that monster even doing here?!'' I couldn¡¯t help but ask. And as if answering that question, I saw the leader of the apes a little distance away. Of course, the monster was together with his army. But in contrast to the majority of his soldiers who only have few light injuries, the Gigarillon who was supposed to be their leader somehow has wounds all over his body. More than that, the monster also seemed more exhausted than his soldiers which were not only weird but also didn¡¯t make sense. Especially considering the fact his two confidants weren¡¯t that tired either. ''Don¡¯t tell me¡­ he¡¯s the one who lured that monster here?!'' To be perfectly honest, that was the only possible explanation why the Gigarillon was more injured than his soldiers. After all, I couldn¡¯t even imagine his two most trusted confidants letting him get hurt. Because for what it¡¯s worth, those two had always been overprotective when it comes to the Gigarillon¡¯s safety. While I was staring at the Gigarillon in shock, I didn¡¯t even notice that the malice shrouding the entire area was already gone. In fact, I only came back into my senses when I heard the roar and screech of the two monsters followed by the Cerberus¡¯ thunderous steps. When I looked back, a loud bang rang into my ears and my vision was hindered by a cloud of dust. Following my instinct, I used my speed to move away in a flash all the while gazing upfront with the utmost caution. Continuous deafening sounds of explosions erupted up ahead. Along with that, the thick cloud of dust also showed no signs of ever beginning to subside. But in the midst of that, I still saw the silhouette of the two gigantic monsters going at it in close combat. Sometimes, the other one would try to move away only to be caught by its enemy. There were also times when there was a sudden flash of light accompanied by a raging gust of wind. ''I will most definitely die if I get caught in that¡­'' I thought with a jest. Then without hesitation, I decided on my next course of action. ''Okay, let¡¯s just run away from here.'' With that in mind, I turned and ran in the opposite direction. On my way, I came across the army of ants who were charging straight into the center of this cloud of dust. Fortunately, it seemed like their senses were also being dulled by the cloud of dust and thunderous sounds, so my stealth became even more effective and they didn¡¯t notice my presence. Though of course, there were still some exceptional ants that could sense me from time to time. But well, they were no big deal so I just made quick work out of them before adding them to my shadow stacks. After a while of moving against the unceasing wave of ants, I noticed that the cloud of dust was already starting to subside. And as I continued, the cloud became thinner and thinner until it was almost entirely gone. As the visibility of the surroundings became much clearer, I also realized that the effect of my stealth would also decrease. And so, I didn¡¯t hold anything back and activated Haste and applied Shadow Augment to my limbs. Using that speed and agility, I dashed around to every possible space while keeping the confrontations against the ants at the b.a.r.e minimum. ''This will be tough!!'' I thought while cutting away at the nearest ant. And just as I expected, numerous ants always swarmed on me wherever I went which of course hindered my pace. ''Tsk! I will get tired and be surrounded at this rate!!'' It was then at the height of my desperation when I saw another group going against the flow of ants. ''So, after luring that monster here, they were now dipping out huh?!'' I exclaimed inside. Of course, the group of monsters in question was the army of apes. And with the Gigarillon and his two confidants at the lead, they were also trying to pierce through the sea of ants. But what was even more shocking was that Gigarillon. Because even though he was hurt and bleeding all over, the guy was still upfront and bravely hacking at those ants in order to create a path for his subjects. And despite struggling like that, the expressions on their faces said only one thing. ''Those apes are enjoying this moment, together¡­'' ¡°Their expressions remind you of old times, isn¡¯t it?¡± Said a voice inside my head. ''Shut up!'' I snapped back. After shaking those thoughts away, I began to move in their direction. ''This is my best bet if I want to survive.'' I thought to myself. My plan was actually quite simple. I would follow behind those apes and use their group as both a shield and a spear. That way, I could decrease the number of ants that I would be fighting and preserve my strength in the process. Though of course, this plan would only succeed if they didn¡¯t mind me and let me do my thing. ''Well, given our desperate situation, they probably will not mind. After all, it¡¯s a win-win scenario since I would be technically defending their backs.'' And as I had expected, the ape soldiers on the far back of their formation didn¡¯t fail to notice my presence. Narrowing my eyes on them, I asked with a frown. ''Now, what will you do?'' After that, the ape who had spotted me passed the message to the others. Because of that, it didn''t take too long for the Gigarillon to make eye contact with me. ''You don¡¯t mind, do you?'' I signaled with my eyes. And upon seeing that, the Gigarillon¡¯s mouth curved into a fierce wide smile before turning back. Following their leader¡¯s decision, the ape-type monsters began to focus their attention on defending themselves. Furthermore, the apes also altered their formation in a way that seemed to put more emphasis on covering their sides. ''Good call.'' I quipped. ''Now that I don¡¯t have to worry about those apes, I can finally focus on killing these pesky ants!'' With a mighty roar, I slashed the three ants that jumped me. Then while doing my best to keep up with the group of apes, I finished off the ants that the apes have left in their wake. Because the apes were clearing the way up ahead, there was a significant drop in the number of ants that I had to fight. And taking advantage of that situation, I stopped the continued activation of Accelerate to lessen the burden on my body. Instead, I timed its activation with my movements just like what I did before. ''Yep, this is more efficient!'' I thought while biting an ant on its legs before throwing it back to its comrades. As a result, the ants tumbled on their legs and were left behind in the dust. ''I don¡¯t really need to kill these guys. All I need to do is slow them down and that should do the job.'' Probably because they were worried about their Queen, most of the ants simply turned back when they were left behind. And in truth, that might also be the reason why they weren¡¯t swarming us. ''In short, the concentration of their attacks was focused mostly upfront. But as long as those apes are properly doing their job, we should all be fine.'' I confidently concluded. But as I was thinking that, there was a sudden change on the battlefield. It happened just when our group was about to reach an exit. At that moment, I noticed a disturbance in the swarm of ants far on the right side of the apes¡¯ formation. At first glance, it looked as if there was another group of monsters plowing through the sea of ants. But as it got closer and closer, I began to realize that that wasn¡¯t the case at all. Because unlike us, these monsters weren¡¯t being swarmed by the ants. In fact, those ants were opening up a path for them to pass through. ''The Anties King and his minions!!'' Seeing that, I tried to warn the group of apes. But before I even managed to do that, the Anties King charged and crashed at the group of apes. And because the apes on the right side weren¡¯t able to react in time, that solid formation that has brought us this far was shattered in the blink of an eye. What was even worse was that they were also hit by the follow-up attack of three Anties General. ''Damn it!! What now?!'' I could only curse. Chapter 60 - 56 In just one attack, the Anties King and his minions managed to kill a bunch of ape-type monsters. Seeing those dead soldiers, the Tronobo and Pronobo flew in rage and charged straight into the Anties King. But as a result of their action, the apes'' frontmost defensive formation was further weakened causing more havoc and loss of lives. More than that, it also seemed like the two ape monsters were no match against the Anties King. As proof of that, the Tronobo and Pronobo were getting trashed by their enemy without being able to do a thing. And the worst thing was, the three Anties General were also left unchecked so they rampaged without holding back. ''Tsk!! This isn¡¯t looking good!!'' Because of all that chaos up front, the number of ants coming into my way was also increasing as time went by. ''Goddamn pesky ants!!'' In that instant, I activated all my speed and body-enhancing skills to make sure that I wouldn''t be pushed back. ¡°GRAAAAAAHHHH!!¡± Starting with a roar, I began to slaughter all the ants in my immediate vicinity. After that was done, I took advantage of that open space and ran forward. ¡°So, what would it be? Will you follow our code and pay your debt, or will you listen to that?¡± Asked the voice. ¡°We have to run and survive! That is their wish! Remember?!¡± Another one pleaded. ''Shut up!!'' I raged. ''This isn¡¯t a matter of survival or code! Because for one, this decision is mine! And this is just me, being me, living by my pride! The pride of standing by what I started! It¡¯s actually quite simple, I¡¯m the one who asked for their cooperation so I am going to see through that!!'' I pledge to myself. Following that burning resolve, I charged straight to the center of the chaos. Once I was in, I began to kill the ants who were swarming the group of apes. This, of course, surprised not only the ape soldiers but also the Gigarillon who was still defending their frontmost formation. But since we were all in a desperate position, even just a glance was enough for us to understand what needed to be done. ''Fine, I¡¯m in!!'' With that thought in mind, I sprinted to where the Gigarillon was. At that same time, the Gigarillon also left his position and ran towards me. Then as we passed by each other, I signaled with my eyes. ''Don¡¯t die until we settle our score!!'' In truth, our plan was actually quite simple. The Gigarillon and his two confidants would keep the powerful ants in check, while I would replace their position upfront and carve our way forward. In short, we swapped our roles. But more than that, I also did not doubt that this was our best option for now. And upon using Assess on the Gigarillon and seeing his level, that hypothesis has further solidified in my mind. [Name: (Unnamed) Race: Gigarillon Level: 45 Status: Wounded] ''With that level, there is no doubt that he will be able to keep that Anties King in check while also running away,'' was my conclusion on the matter. Though it was true that the Gigarillon was wounded, he was still the only one among us that has a level close enough to contend against the Anties King. Furthermore, our goal was just to get out of here. This, of course, meant that the Gigarillon doesn¡¯t need to fight the Anties King in a death match. At most, all he needed to do was to slow down the monster while also running away. ''Now, let¡¯s just hope that the Tronobo and Pronobo would be able to handle those three Anties General.'' [Name: (Unnamed) Level: 35 Status: Exhausted] [Name: (Unnamed) Race: Pronobo Level: 34 Status: Exhausted] ''Those statuses are a little bit concerning but they should be able to do it given their level.'' I concluded after getting a glimpse of their level. ''Well, it¡¯s not as if those ants are in peak condition either.'' After making sure that everyone was in the best possible position, I imbued all my limbs and claws with Shadow Augment. Then with the assistance of Accelerate, I began to rampage on the battlefield. ¡°RAAAAAAWWWRRR!!¡± I roared while crushing and cutting up the ants. ¡°Huff¡­ Huff¡­ Huff¡­¡± As time went on, my injuries and continued use of skill have begun to take their toll. But when I caught a glimpse of the land free of any ants near the exit, I felt as if I saw the light at the end of the tunnel. ''Just a little bit more!!'' I signaled to the apes. In all honesty, I only saw it for a moment, so I couldn¡¯t be certain if that was just a product of my desperation and wishful thoughts. Adding to the fact that I was also on the brink of reaching my limit, then there was also a chance that I might just be hallucinating due to extreme exhaustion. But regardless of all that self-doubt, that didn¡¯t really change my course of action. That was why instead of drowning myself with my own hesitations, I decided to shove it all aside and continue pushing forward. ¡°RAAAAHHHHH!!¡± Using that roar to wash all those negative thoughts away, I began to increase my pace and charge straight forward. ¡°KRAAAAAHHHH!!¡± Probably inspired by my action, all the ape-type monsters I had been fighting with released their own mighty roar before following from behind. ¡°RAAAAAHHHHH!!¡± ¡°KRAAAAHHHHH!!¡± As my war cry resonated with those of the apes, we carved our way through that sea of ants without ever slowing down. And while scattering their blood and guts, I destroyed every single ant that dared to block my path. ''Move aside!!'' I screamed inside. ¡°RAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!¡± After putting everything into that one attack, the last hindrance on my path was split apart. And at that moment, I finally managed to break free from that sea of ants. ''Yosh!!'' I celebrated inside. But what I didn¡¯t expect after that was the fact that my body had already reached its breaking point. As a result, I was late to notice that my legs have given out, all the while my skill Accelerate deactivated itself. ''F.u.c.k¡­'' I cursed while falling. Because of all the momentum that I have built during my rampage, I crashed and tumbled hard on the ground. ¡°Guh¡­¡± Whilst letting out that painful sound, I felt as if my world was spinning around. At that time, I couldn¡¯t even differentiate between above and below. And even when that resulting force was gone, my vision was still blurry and all I could hear was a high-pitched sound. While I was still in that condition, I saw the murky silhouettes of apes running around. A moment after that, a huge figure emerged from that sea of moving shadows, followed by another two from behind. But after those three got out, they all made a sudden stop and instead looked back. Seeing that, I somehow already knew by instinct what would happen next. And so, even though I felt a little bit lightheaded, I still forced my tired and battered body to stand up. ¡°Gaaaahhhh¡­¡± Accompanied by that pathetic whimper, I tried to stabilize my erratic breath. And in exchange for creating such pitiful sound, my dim vision began to clear up and my headache had somewhat subsided. ¡°Huff¡­ Huff¡­ Huff¡­¡± After I had managed to somehow recover my bearing, I pushed my shaking legs to move towards the three fighting apes. ''This is not the time to be lying around!! The fight isn¡¯t over yet!!'' I chastise myself. ¡°Ha! What foolish pride and d.e.s.i.r.e! But at least you have the resolve to see this through!¡± Said a very amused voice. ¡°¡­Aaaahhh¡­ We are sure gonna die¡­¡± The other one despaired. Without paying any attention to that, I looked around. ''So, they are keeping those monsters in check while their soldiers are running away, huh?'' I observed. Then upon gazing forward, I saw the Gigarillon and his two confidants fighting the Anties King and its two Anties General. ''Hmmm? They actually managed to kill one of them?'' I tilted my head in confusion. From what I could tell, it seemed like the Tronobo and Pronobo were hurt pretty bad. This of course resulted in their movements being dull and slower compared to the two ants. ''Looks like fighting those three Anties General at the same time is too much for them. Well, at least they managed to kill one, despite the odds.'' To be perfectly honest, I couldn¡¯t see those two apes winning against their enemy in that condition. And because we would probably be chased by those ants no matter where we go, the only choice we have was to kill those ants. Peeling my eyes away from that fight, I stared at the deathmatch happening far into the distance. ''So, he lured that Anties King away¡­'' In there, I saw the bloody Gigarillon battling the Anties King one on one. But probably because of his physical condition, it was clear that Gigarillon was losing ground. ''Tsk!! Both are a losing battle, huh?'' I couldn¡¯t help but curse. ''Since you acted so c.o.c.ky in our battle before, you should be able to at least survive for a while. So, for now, try your best to survive and hold that thing back!! Meanwhile, I will kill those two ants first since your subordinate seems to be having a hard time.'' I pledged before sprinting forward. Chapter 61 - 57 After reapplying Shadow Augment on my legs, I leaped at one of the Anties General and bit one of its legs off. As a result, a fountain of green liquid spurted out from that spot as the monster cried out in pain. ¡°KREEEEEE!!¡± Along with that screech, the ant set its murderous eyes on me and tried to strike me down. But as of announcing that he hasn¡¯t lost yet, the Tronobo chose that moment to tackle the ant. This, of course, caused the ant to be pushed back, giving me another opportunity to strike. ¡°RAAAAHHHH!!¡± While screaming out that battle cry, I sprung towards the ant and smashed my claws on its face. But probably because of its hard-looking shell, I felt some slight resistance in my claws when it made its contact. ''Too hard, huh?'' I thought while landing on the ground. But despite how hard that shell was, my claws still managed to inflict some damage on that ant. In particular, the ant¡¯s left eye was crushed along with the shallow cuts on the left side of its face. ¡°KRAAAAHHH!!¡± Taking advantage of that blind spot, the Tronobo rushed into the ant while making sure that he was positioned on the left side of the monster. Though of course, the Anties General wasn¡¯t fighting us alone. And as if trying to remind us of that fact, another ant jumped in front of the Tronobo to block its attack. *BANG!!* A dull sound rang as the second Anties General block the Tronobo¡¯s punch using four of its limbs. ¡°KREEEEE!!¡± Then while screeching out like that, the other ant leaped above its comrades to strike the Tronobo in the head. But in that same instant, the Pronobo appeared and kicked that ant on its side sending it flying into the distance. Seeing that, the second one tried to back away from the Tronobo but I wasn¡¯t about to let that happen. ''Don¡¯t forget about me!!'' With that thought in mind, I charged towards the escaping ant and hacked away into the joint of its backmost leg breaking it in the process. Because of that, the ant¡¯s movements had slowed down, and it also lost its balance. Noticing that, I activated Accelerate whilst mid-air to propel myself back. And in just a blink of an eye, I was back in front of the falling ant and was about to swing my claws towards its neck. *Clang* As that sound reverberated inside my ears, I watched the ant stop my claws using its snippers. ''What?!'' I asked with eyes wide open. In the very next instant, I felt a mighty pull, and I was thrown to the ground. Because of the impact of that, I was forced to spit all the oxygen inside my lungs. ¡°Guh!!¡± But knowing that a follow-up attack was coming, I didn¡¯t even have time to recover nor think about my next move. And so, trusting up my instinct, I activated an effect of Accelerate while still lying down. *Fwooossh!!* That sound echoed as I propel myself away. A split second after that, two of the ant¡¯s legs smashed into that spot where I was lying down before. ''Thank goodness it worked.'' I thought while standing up in haste. ¡°Huff¡­ Huff¡­ Huff¡­¡± Truth be told, that was the first time I used that effect this way. After all, there wasn¡¯t any situation up to now where I needed to use that move like that. That was why, in all honesty, I never really thought that it could work like that. In short, it was nothing but a desperate gamble on my part. ''So, I can use it like that huh?'' I concluded with relief. ''Anyway, I need to wrap this up, fast.'' I thought while glancing at the fight of the Gigarillon. And from what I could see, the guy was in a worse condition than before. ''At this rate, that guy will get himself killed and we will follow after that.'' While I was trying to recover and come up with a solution, I noticed a notification displayed in front of me. [Level up] [Level up] [Level up] [Shadow Manipulation has ranked up.] ''Hmm?! Four times! Seriously?!'' I gasped. From the looks of it, it seemed like I was too focused on the battle that I didn¡¯t even notice that I leveled up. But more than that¡­ ''I just got this skill and now it has already ranked up¡­? Though I guess that makes sense considering I am indeed using it a little bit too much ever since.'' [Shadow Manipulation: The ability to dominate and utilize the shadow of the dead. - Shadow Collection (42/100): Absorb and stack the shadows of any living thing that you kill. Additionally, the quality may vary depending on the source. - Shadow Release: Weaponize or unleash the stacked-up shadow in the form of an attack. - Available Releases: Shadow Augment (Cost: 2), Shadow Bullet (Cost: 1)] ''Shadow Bullet, huh?'' I wondered. ''Well, I can definitely make use of a new technique in this situation.'' I jested while looking at the Anties General. In order to align my body with my mind, I closed my eyes then started to breathe in a slow and tranquil fashion. ''Alright, let¡¯s see what you can do.'' With that flash of thought, I opened my eyes in a snap and charged straight into the ant. Probably noticing my presence, the ant tried to move away but was stopped by the Tronobo. Taking advantage of that slight opening, I fired a shot of Shadow Bullet into the ant¡¯s c.h.e.s.t. Because of that, the ant was pushed back, and the Tronobo used the opportunity to land a punch. But even after taking some hits from those attacks, the Anties General still didn¡¯t fall to the ground. ''What a tough guy! But how about this!!'' Accompanied by a thunderous roar, I launched a barrage of Shadow Bullets towards the ant. ¡°RAAAAAHHHHH!!¡± While I was showering that ant with a hail of Shadow Bullets, I didn¡¯t fail to notice those cracks that have started to appear in the shell every time a Shadow Bullet hits. ''It¡¯s working!'' By the time that I stopped that attack, the Anties General¡¯s shell was already covered in cracks and there were even some parts where some green liquid was oozing out. ¡°Kreee¡­¡± With that pathetic screech, the Anties General staggered on its feet. And without wasting any seconds, the Tronobo appeared punching the lights out of the ant-type monster. Then to make sure that the ant was really dead, I rushed towards its falling body and decapitated the monster. As both its body and head finally hit the ground, a placid thud was heard and the ant fell into an everlasting slumber. ''One down!'' When that was done, I charged straight into the other ant and shot five Shadow Bullets in its defenseless back. Then before the ant could even see my figure, I activated Stealth and moved on its blind spot. And as I had expected, the ant looked back and tried to find the source of the attack, but because of the Pronobo¡¯s relentless assault, the last Anties General didn¡¯t have any time to search for my location. On top of that, the Tronobo also appeared. ¡°KRAH!!¡± ''These two are near their limit.'' To be perfectly honest, the condition of the two apes was so bad that I wouldn¡¯t even be surprised if they fell on their spot. And from what I could tell, their burning d.e.s.i.r.e to not be a burden to their leader was the only reason why they were still able to fight. Though of course, even that willpower wouldn¡¯t be able to stop their bodies from falling apart. ''I can respect that. But for now, you guys need to act as my decoy.'' While it might sound a little cruel to ask the exhausted monsters to do that, I would still help the Gigarillon after this so I needed to preserve my strength as much as I could. And since those two understand that fact, they were more than willing to act as my bait even if I didn¡¯t ask. ''Well, looks like they were doing just fine.'' While I was running around waiting for an opportunity to strike, the Pronobo and Tronobo were trying to get the attention of the ant. But because the ant¡¯s speed was greater than those two combined, the two apes were both having a hard time. ''Come on guys, you need to corner him and pin his movements down!'' I cheered. Since using Accelerate drained a lot of stamina, I decided to save its use for later, and that was also true for Shadow Augment since I only have about twenty-five shadows left in my stack. Because of these reasons, I couldn¡¯t maneuver in battle very well while my base speed was just not enough to keep up against that ant. After all, these ants for some reason seemed to have my skill Haste as well. The proof of that was that dead ant¡¯s unusual speed when it caught my claws using its snippers earlier. ''A little bit more¡­'' I thought while creeping behind the ant. A second later, the Tronobo used the last bit of his strength to smash the ground causing a mini earthquake in their immediate vicinity. Because of this, the Anties General stumbled on its feet and the Pronobo used that opportunity to trip the monster down. ''Perfect!!'' Seeing that, I didn¡¯t waste another second and leaped on the monster¡¯s back. Using my claws, I pinned the struggling ant to the ground and fired five consecutive Shadow Bullet at point-blank range. And to make sure of the kill, I focused all that shot at the back of the monster¡¯s head. ''Die!!'' Multiple splattering sounds echoed in my ears while my face was being showered with some green liquid droplets. And by the time that I was finished, my face was already soaked in green whilst the head of the ant had been crushed beyond recognition. ¡°Huff¡­ Huff¡­ Huff¡­¡± While trying to calm my rough breathing, I gazed into the distance to where the Gigarillon was fighting. ''Looks like he managed to survive.'' I jested. ''Well, it¡¯s about time to end this farce.'' Chapter 62 - 58 With the death of the two Anties Generals, the only enemy left that we have to worry about was that Anties King. Of course, all of this success wouldn¡¯t be possible if not for the effort of the Gigarillon who had stalled the Anties King until we defeated those two ants. And since it looked like the Gigarillon was still able to fight, it would be for the best if we could all gang up to fight against that monster. In this ideal scenario, I, the Gigarillon, the Tronobo, and the Pronobo would fight the Anties King together to further increase our chance of victory. The problem was¡­ ''Yeah, with these guys¡¯ condition, that¡¯s not gonna happen.'' I thought while looking at the two exhausted apes. Well, it¡¯s not like the two apes weren¡¯t able to move. In fact, I¡¯d even say that these guys would still be able to put up a good fight. But with how tired and injured they were, I doubt these two would be able to keep up against that ant. In short, they would only be a burden if they joined the fight in their state. And probably because they also realized that fact, the two apes entrusted the job of helping their leader to me instead. Though judging by the sour look on their faces, it was obvious that the two monsters were quite bitter about it. After giving the two monsters a nod of acceptance, I began to absorb the shadow of the dead ants. ''Good, my stacks are back at twenty-five.'' Probably because the two were superior and had a higher level compared to the other ants, their corpses gave me five shadow stacks each. And while twenty-five stacks weren¡¯t much compared to what I had before, it was still a lot better compared to having only fifteen stacks. With all of that done, I bid farewell to the two apes who went away towards the exit following the trail of their soldiers. ''Yeah, that¡¯s a really wise decision. Especially since an army without a leader is dangerous and is prone to make mistakes.'' Peeling my eyes away from that exit, I started to jog towards the still ongoing battle between the Anties King and Gigarillon. ''Okay, I have twenty-five shadow stacks, which means that if imbue my legs with Shadow Augment, only seventeen will be left. In short, seventeen shots of Shadow Bullet.'' Since the effect of Shadow Augment could last for about a minute after it was cast, that would also mean that I could only use my top speed for that limited amount of time. And judging by the speed that the Anties King was showcasing¡­ ''Accelerate alone will not be enough. That guy is different from those Anties Generals. If I fight using only one of my speed enhancement skills, I will not be able to keep up even with that Gigarillon¡¯s aide.'' I observed. ''So, in theory, I will only have about two to three minutes at most to finish the fight.'' Of course, that time limit of two to three minutes was just the ideal timeline. After all, my Shadow Bullet consumes one shadow stack per shot and there was no telling when or how many I would need to use in battle. So, all in all, it would still be better if we could kill the monster within just a minute. But to be perfectly honest, that scenario was too idealistic and almost seemed impossible to pull off. ¡°Now, I wonder how far you can go?¡± Wondered an amused voice. Ignoring that, I began to sprint as I approached the two-battling monster. During that time, I saw the sand near the Anties King¡¯s feet swirled around. A split second after that, a tidal wave of sand emerged from the monster¡¯s feet threatening to swallow the Gigarillon as a whole. ''What the heck was that?!'' I couldn¡¯t help but ask. In just the nick of time, the Gigarillon managed to move away from that as if he was expecting it to happen in the first place. But as if he had known from the start that the Gigarillon wouldn¡¯t be caught by that, the Anties King used that wave of sand as a cover to move into the Gigarillon¡¯s blind spot. Noticing it a little bit late, the Anties King managed to bind the Gigarillon¡¯s limbs using that sand preventing the ape¡¯s escape. Upon seeing that, I activated Accelerate and imbued my legs with Shadow Augment. But even with all of that, I knew for a fact that I wouldn¡¯t make it there in time. And so, left with no other choice, I shot two Shadow Bullets at the Anties King. ¡°KREE?!¡± But before my Shadow Bullets hit, the Anties King noticed my incoming attack and covered itself using four of its limbs. As two booming sounds rang, the Anties King was pushed back while the sand that was binding the Gigarillon¡¯s limbs fell apart. Because of that, the Gigarillon escaped his certain demise and was able to move away from the ant. ''You can thank me later.'' I signaled at the Gigarillon who was at the other side of the ant. In a normal fight, there was no way that I would stop after just one attack. And with the opening that my Shadow Bullet has created on the Anties King¡¯s defense, my common response should be launching a follow-up strike. But because the number of my shadow stacks was limited, I couldn¡¯t just bombard the ant just like I did before. Furthermore, there was also that strange ability¡­ ''With that sand manipulation thing, it is dangerous to recklessly charge and engage this monster in close-quarters combat. If I mess up, I will end up in the same situation as that ape.'' I observed in a flash. Unlike its aggressive behavior when it was fighting the Gigarillon alone, the Anties King seemed to be acting a lot more cautious, now that another threat had appeared. As proof of that, the ant was not moving an inch from its position and instead has taken a defensive stance whilst letting the sand swirl around its feet. ''Tsk! As if fighting with a time limit isn¡¯t tricky enough, now I also have to deal with that strange ability.'' While complaining inside, I glanced at the Gigarillon who was now prepared to continue the fight. ''Okay, now show me what you¡¯ve got!'' With that challenge in mind, I rushed towards the ant and so was the ape. For better or for worse, it seemed like the Gigarillon¡¯s speed was about the same as mine. Because of that, we were able to synchronize our movements even though it was our first time fighting together. And using that rhythm as the basis, we both timed our attacks at the same moment. ¡°RAAAAAHHHH!!¡± ¡°KRAAAAHHHH!!¡± As I had expected, the Anties King created that same wave of sand to block my path. With that sand threatening to swallow me inside, I made a swift and sharp turn to the side. In that instant, I heard a dull sound coming from the opposite end. And upon dodging in a snap, I saw the ant hacking away at the Gigarillon upfront. But with such nimble movements, the Gigarillon was weaving through all that attack while also fighting back with counters from time to time. ''Don¡¯t forget about me!'' Using that chance, I activated Stealth and charged at the monster¡¯s blind spot. But as if sensing my approach, a tower of sand emerged from under the Gigarillon¡¯s feet, sending the ape flying away into the distance. Now free from the ape¡¯s relentless assault, the Anties King turned around and swung its arms towards me. When I saw that incoming attack, I forced my body to duck down in a rush. ¡°Kuh!¡± Then using that momentum, I pushed my body up like a spring and swiped my claws in a counter. But without missing a beat, the Anties King blocked it with an arm before striking back. ''Wha¡ª'' Then, as if saying that I have no time to be surprised, the Anties King continued its onslaught against me. ''Tsk!'' With no other choice but to fight back, I pounced into the ant in an attempt to overwhelm the monster using my speed. ¡°RAAAAAHHHH!!¡± ¡°KREEEEEEEEE!!¡± While the two of us were lashing out at each other, we created a violent storm every time we slash and bash. And in the middle of that slugfest, a never-ending torrent of clanging sounds could also be heard together with our war cry. ''This thing¡¯s shell is tougher than those two from before!!'' I noticed in the midst of our exchange. ''And more than that, he¡¯s fast! Probably even faster than me!'' I concluded. Because of its advantage in speed and number of limbs, the ant¡¯s assault was beginning to push me back. But despite being in that desperate situation, I smiled. ''It¡¯s true, I can¡¯t win against you in a duel. But don¡¯t forget, you¡¯re not fighting me alone!'' At that moment, the Gigarillon appeared and delivered a full-powered punch straight into the ant¡¯s cheek. Chapter 63 - 59 The Gigarillon¡¯s punch was so powerful that it sent the ant flying back. In fact, it was so strong that the ant flipped and bounced multiple times on the ground before it managed to stop its momentum. And more than that, the ape¡¯s attack was also proven to be quite effective since with a closer look, I saw some cracks on the right side of the ant¡¯s face. ''Oh no, we¡¯re not done yet!!'' Together with the Gigarillon, I followed the trajectory of the ant and managed to get close to it at the same time that it stopped its momentum. And upon getting in range, the two of us showered the monster with a barrage of punch and slash before the monster could even recover his balance. ¡°RAAAAAAHHHH!!¡± ¡°KRAAAAAHHHH!!¡± For some reason, my movements seemed to be in complete sync with that of the Gigarillon. Because of that, we were able to pull off some fast-paced hit-and-run tactics while switching places around the ant. ''You¡¯re not going anywhere!!'' And with the two of us running around and attacking from all possible angles, the Anties King was unable to escape and its movements were pinned down. As a result, the ant has become too focused on defending itself to even fight back. But even with all of that, the fight had still come into a stalemate. ''This guy is unbelievably tough!!'' Despite all our efforts, we were still unable to land another blow to the ant. Because no matter how much we tried, the ant has always managed to somehow find a way to block our attack. That was why for at least a couple of seconds, the three of us were locked in that state of perpetual impasse. ''Not good!! This is wasting a lot of my precious time.'' Just with the feeling on my legs alone, I could tell with ease that my Shadow Augment was about to ran-out. And to make things worse, ''this guy is getting used to our movements!'' The instant that we both kicked the ground, the two of us moved so fast that we even left some cloud of dust in our wake. But as if he was waiting for that moment to arrive, the Anties King made a swift and rapid turn, and for the first time in this deadlocked battle, the Anties King chose to dodge our attack instead of defending against it head-on. ''Wha¡ª'' Since we missed our target, the two of us were carried away by the momentum that we created ourselves. Because of that, there had been a split-second gap before we managed to collect ourselves, turn around, and initiate a follow-up rush. But before we even managed to strike back, the Anties King conjured a small sand-twister at the same time that we got in range. With a sudden wham, I was hit by a mighty pushing force. Not long after that, I felt a piercing pain on my back and my whole world spun around. ¡°Grah!¡± While I was there, lying helpless on the ground, I sensed a hostile presence approaching me at a terrifying speed. Following my instinct, I activated the effect of Accelerate to push my body away. And as the skill took effect, I felt the tremor from the explosion upfront to where I was lying down before. ¡°KREEEEE!!¡± Along with that screech, the hostile presence once again tried to chase after me. Fortunately, a neutral presence intervened and stopped the movements of the hostile one. ¡°KRAAAAAHHH!!¡± As the two-presence clashed, I forced my aching body to stand up without even knowing why. ''Huh? What¡¯s happening? Why am I here?'' I wondered but failed to find the answer. ¡°Yeah, I wonder why?¡± A sarcastic voice asked. ¡°¡­ Nooo¡­¡± A wimpy voice wailed. Upon hearing those voices, everything that happened up until this moment flashed into my mind. Because of that, I snapped back to my senses and the first thing I saw was the desperate Gigarillon trying his best to fight back against the Anties King. Seeing that, I reaffirmed my resolve. ''That¡¯s right. I came here to see this through. And since I am still alive, I have to push forward.'' Once that resolution crossed my mind, I could swear that I felt the amused gaze of someone coming from somewhere inside. It was as if it came from the very depths of my soul. ''This isn¡¯t the time to be bothered about that!'' I chastised myself and shook those thoughts away. At that moment, the Gigarillon was pushed away by a wave of sand and the Anties King turned its attention to me. Whilst activating Accelerate, I recalled the details of the battle before. ''From what I could remember, this guy for some reason didn¡¯t use that sand ability even when he was cornered and we were attacking him non-stop.'' That time, I really found it odd that the monster wasn¡¯t using his sand ability to push us back. And even while he was forced on that defensive state, he still didn¡¯t use it until that last minute when we were about to speed it up. ''That means that he probably needs to concentrate solely on that technique during its activation phase. The proof of that was that he only managed to activate it when he was given that split-second gap.'' I concluded in a flash. ''This is my last chance. I have to make it count!!'' Left with no other choice, I decided to use Shadow Augment on my legs, one last time. ''After this, only six stacks will be left so I cannot use it like this again.'' With that in mind, I was about to activate my skill when something unexpected happened. ''Huh?!'' I asked with my eyes practically turning into dots. As unbelievable as it was, the Anties King made a forceful stop, turned to the side, and ran away without even looking back. ''What the heck?'' While I was there trying my best to process what had happened, I then noticed that the place I was standing in was now covered in darkness. ''?!!'' Realizing that something was amiss, I moved my head and looked back. But before I even managed to see anything, the Gigarillon swooped in and hauled me away from that spot. A heartbeat after that, I saw a gigantic silhouette crashing into the wall followed by a deafening sound of an explosion. And because the two of us were still near the epicenter of that blast, the powerful gust of wind it created swept away both of us. At that moment, my body was thrown into the air like some ragdoll and I flipped around countless times. When it finally stopped, I felt a jolt of pain all over my body and I blacked out for an instant. But probably because my brain recognized that my life was still in danger, my survival instinct cranked up forcing all the nerves on my body into hyperdrive. With my nerves more s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e than ever before, I was assaulted by such excruciating pain that I was forced to wake up from my slumber. ¡°GRRAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!¡± I screamed at the top of my lungs. And because of all the pain that my body was experiencing, I trashed around on that spot just like a fish out of water. Losing all my sense of time, I continued to howl and flail around for who knows how long. And when that pain began to subside, my muddled thoughts also started to clear up along with my vision that has been covered in blood. When I finally calmed down, I tried to control my erratic breath and then pumped my exhausted body with as much oxygen as I could. ''Thank goodness I survived that¡­'' I couldn¡¯t help but think. But even though I survived that explosion, there was still no denying the fact that this place wasn¡¯t safe by any means. After all, I could hear the distinct sound of battle all around accompanied by some slight tremors on the ground. ''Time to move!!'' Gritting my fangs in pain, I forced my aching body up. ¡°Grah!¡± Then while standing on my wobbly legs, I began to scan my surroundings. The first thing I noticed was the Gigarillon. And just like me, it seemed like the ape had also received some serious injuries yet somewhat still alive. But what had caught my attention the most was the ape¡¯s line of sight. Because for some unknown reason, the ape was gazing forward with a savage smirk plastered on its face. Curious as to what the ape was looking at, I traced his line of sight. And in there, occupying a large spot from the ground up to the wall was the Anties Queen. But unlike its mighty form when I last saw it, that same Anties Queen was now littered with wounds and was leaning its body to the wall. [Name: (Unnamed) Race: Anties Queen Level: 51 Status: Dying] That¡¯s what the status said. Chapter 64 - 60 ''Is it dying?! Seriously?!'' was my response upon seeing the Anties Queen¡¯s status. And when I looked into the distance, I saw the Cerberus slaughtering thousands of those pitiful ants. ''So, he¡¯s that powerful¡­'' At first glance, there was no denying the fact that the Cerberus was also wounded from their fight. So, from a third person¡¯s perspective, it was clear that the Anties Queen had put up quite a good fight. In fact, using Assess on the monster had revealed that she was indeed wounded. But that was all. Wounded. Nothing more, nothing less. And to make matters worse for the Anties Queen¡­ ''That guy is probably using Devour or something similar.'' Even from this distance, I could hear the loud crunching sounds as the Cerberus chewed a mouthful of ants. And after swallowing them in one go, I saw some wounds on the gigantic monster¡¯s body healing on their own. ''Yep. That healing factor far surpassed the capabilities of Devour.'' In a sense, the skill that the Cerberus was using might be the same as the skill that I had recently acquired. ''Gorge, huh?'' But not only that, because from what I could tell, the Cerberus was also using another familiar skill. ''There is no mistaking it. That is without a doubt, Shadow Augment.'' I observed in a flash. By focusing my eyes on the Cerberus¡¯ legs, I noticed in an instant that it was covered by a pitch-black cloud. And from what I knew, that pitch-black cloud was the resulting phenomenon whenever Shadow Augment was applied. In short, just like me, the Cerberus also possessed that Shadow Manipulation skill. But in comparison to what I have, the monster¡¯s skill probably far surpassed mine in terms of rank. And this hypothesis was further proven by the fact that the Cerberus was somehow capable of conjuring some black spikes in its immediate vicinity. With this, it was pretty much confirmed that the Cerberus control and mastery over the skill was far beyond mine. While I was gazing at the Cerberus in awe, I was then interrupted by an ear-piercing cry coming from the Anties Queen. To my surprise, I jumped back in haste only to be failed by my legs and tumbled on the ground. ''Damn it!'' Whilst cursing myself for my carelessness, I pushed my body up in a snap. And upon looking at the Anties Queen, I saw a multitude of ants crawling towards their leader¡¯s mouth. ''What the heck?! Is she planning to recover by using her people as the supplement?!'' I asked in disgust. Looking at it logically, what the Anties Queen was doing made a lot of sense. After all, the monster was just doing what she needed to do in order to survive. But in my personal opinion, there was just something wrong with sacrificing your own people for the sake of achieving your goal. That belief just didn¡¯t sit well with me. As if feeling that same disgust, I heard someone clicked their tongue. ¡°Tsk!¡± A second after that, I noticed the Gigarillon standing on my right side while looking at the Anties Queen with squinted eyes. ''So, you knew from the very beginning that the Anties Queen doesn¡¯t stand a chance, huh?'' ''But seriously, how will we escape this place now?'' I asked while shifting my gaze towards the exit. Or at least, what was supposed to be one. From what I could see, it seemed like the opening towards the exit had completely collapsed. And since the Anties Queen crashed directly above that opening, all the crushed boulders both big and small were now piled up in that place. Furthermore, the Anties Queen¡¯s body was also lying on that spot and it was being guarded by none other than the Anties King himself. ''In other words, it is now impossible to use that to escape¡­ But man, that Anties King is really like a c.o.c.kroach, isn¡¯t he? Like, when in the heck did you even get there?'' While I was there complaining about the absurdity of the Anties King, I noticed some change in the Anties Queen¡¯s condition. First and foremost was its aura. Because unlike its weak and fragile presence from before, the monster was now able to release her fear-inducing malice. ''Okay, she¡¯s pissed. Incredibly pissed.'' Of course, using Assess on the monster told me that the Anties Queen was still fatally wounded. And probably because of that, the malice the monster was released wasn¡¯t as overbearing as when it was still in full health. But in a sense, even such a desperate struggle could pose a different kind of threat. After all, a wounded and cornered beast has a huge tendency to charge at its enemy in reckless abandon. Realizing that the Anties Queen was about to go on a rampage, I decided that it would be best to put some more distance between us. Though to be honest, it was kind of debatable whether it would be really possible to do so. ''Yeah, it will be much preferable to get the heck out of this place.'' Unfortunately, as I was about to turn around, the damnable Anties King chose that moment to turn towards us. ''Oh, boy.'' Then with a screech, the Anties King called out to the other ants nearby before charging straight to us. And on its back, the remnants of the Anties Queen¡¯s meal were following behind in a haphazard rush. ''You¡¯ve got to be kidding me. Did they just give up on their Queen?!'' But as if answering that question, the Anties Queen that has been resting up to now flapped her wings in a flurry and flew towards the Cerberus. ''Oh, so that guy simply recognized the fact that he can¡¯t do anything against the Cerberus. Wait, this is not the time for that!!'' After chastising myself for overanalyzing the ant¡¯s actions, I turned towards the Gigarillon whilst thinking to myself; ''I will leave this guy behind if he doesn''t agree to run.'' But as if reading my thoughts from afar, I saw the Gigarillon making a run for it before I could even start. ''Huh?!'' I yelped in surprise. ''Oy!! Wait a damn minute you traitorous son of an ape!!'' Seeing that the ape had beaten me to the punch, I moved my legs and tried to follow behind. But since my body hasn¡¯t fully recovered yet, the most I could do was only to jog and even that was proving to be quite a difficult task. ¡°Huff... Huff¡­ Huff¡­¡± While trying my best to supply my veins with oxygen, I continued to force my heavy legs in an attempt to catch up. ''D-damn it!'' But try as I might, it seemed like the muscles on my legs were already at their limit, so I couldn''t keep up. And to make matters worse, I was also starting to slow down. ''At this rate, those ants will catch up.'' In truth, I could probably push through this situation by using Shadow Augment on my legs. But since my condition has already reached this stage, further using enhancement would most likely have some detrimental effects. And more than that, I was also certain that I would need to fight later on. The problem was; ''it¡¯s either I use that now or face these ants to death.'' Faced with such desperate choices, I couldn¡¯t help but curse at my luck. ''Shit!'' And so, left with no other option, I once again applied Shadow Augment, on my legs. At that moment, I felt a painful sensation on my legs as the skill forced my muscles to tense and contract. ¡°Grah!!¡± But in exchange for that pain, the strength on my legs had begun to come back, which of course helped me in further increasing my speed. Because of that, I managed to keep up with the Gigarillon while also keeping my distance from that gang of ants. Of course, it wasn¡¯t as if the pain in my legs was gone. In fact, it just kept on getting worse. ¡°Guh!¡± But instead of letting that pain hinder me, I chose to swallow it down and followed behind the Gigarillon. To my surprise, it seemed like the Gigarillon had a destination in mind. And not long after I had realized that fact, my eyes caught a glimpse of another exit in the far-off distance. ''So, that¡¯s it!!'' Upon seeing that, the two of us ran straight to that exit without even looking back. Unfortunately, the Anties King was as stubborn as I had expected him to be so the monster didn¡¯t even hesitate to follow us inside. ''This guy!'' Peeling my attention away from that ant, I continued to follow the Gigarillon in every twist and turn of that path. After all, I couldn¡¯t afford to be caught isolated in my state. ''Damn! It¡¯s about to run out!'' I cursed upon noticing the fading effects of Shadow Augment. Accompanied by a banging sound, the entire area shook every time the ape slammed his fist into the wall. ''D-don¡¯t tell me?'' At that moment, I finally understood. ''This ape wants to collapse this path!!'' Chapter 65 - 61 A rumbling sound echoed all around as I watched the cracks spread from the wall up until the ceiling. ''You¡¯ve got to be kidding me¡­'' Not long after that, small rocks and dust began to fall from above as if giving me a signal that the path was about to collapse. ''Oh, boy¡­'' Upon realizing that, my whole body tensed up and I broke into a mad dash. ¡°KREEEEEEEEEE!!¡± Probably sensing the danger that it was in, the Anties King let out a screech full of rage before increasing its speed. ''What?!'' Catching a glimpse of that, I couldn¡¯t stop myself from wondering why the monster hadn¡¯t done that from the very beginning. After all, it wouldn¡¯t make much sense to hold back if he could use that speed from the start. ''Wait, hold back?'' At that, I finally realized what was happening. ''I see. That guy is trying to conserve his strength. In short, that fight from earlier took a heavy toll on his body to the point that he had to resort to doing that!'' At the same time that I caught on to that, the light coming from the exit up ahead entered my line of sight as if trying to give me further motivation to push through. ''That said, all of that would end up for nothing if I got buried here along with those ants.'' With that in mind, I gritted my fangs and forced my legs to their absolute limit whilst ignoring the excruciating pain that my action had resulted in. ¡°RAAAAAAHHHHHH!!¡± Using that roar as a way to ease the pain, I sprinted towards the exit in a desperate attempt to survive. Seconds after that, the Gigarillon finally reached the end of the tunnel but made a sudden stop at its edge. As the Gigarillon turned around, I leaped past that ape just a brief moment before my Shadow Augment ran out. While being carried away by my momentum, I turned my head back around and activated Accelerate to increase my perception of time. But then, as I looked back, my eyes caught a glimpse of the Anties King that still hadn¡¯t given up. ''Damn it! That ant will actually make it in time!'' Seeing that, I made a split-second decision and shot four Shadow Bullets towards the ceiling of the path. When those bullets hit the ceiling, I heard four small explosions and watched as the cracks spread even further at a snail-like pace. But for some unknown reason, even with all of that damage, the opening of the cave didn¡¯t collapse as I had intended. ''I missed it?!'' I asked in a panic. But after that question flashed into my mind, I saw a big black blur pouncing up into the ceiling like some hungry hawk diving into its prey. And before my body hit the ground, a loud and devastating bang had erupted from above followed by the sound of boulders crashing down. ¡°Guh!¡± As I crashed into the ground, the impact from that fall made me spit all the oxygen inside my lungs along with a mixture of my saliva and blood. And at that very same instance, all my thoughts came to a sudden halt as my vision began to fade away in black. *** After tethering between the boundaries of dreams and reality, I somehow managed to wake up in a snap. ¡°Huff¡­ Huff¡­ Huff¡­¡± But upon opening my eyes, I found myself gasping in a desperate need of air all the while coughing out the blood and saliva that was stuck inside my throat. Furthermore, all the pain from both external and self-inflicted injuries assaulted me all at once to the point that my mind went blank for who knows how long. For me, it really felt like hell. It was as if I was subjected to unceasing torture and punishment for what seemed like an eternity. And without a doubt, the only reason why I managed to retain my sanity was because of my skills Pain Endurance and Presence of Mind. If I didn¡¯t have those, then that excruciating pain would probably feel far worse and all of that might even break my mind. ¡°Wheeze¡­ Wheeze¡­ Wheeze¡­¡± When all that torturous pain finally started to subside, I heard myself making such weak and pathetic whimpers from afar. Along with that, my muddled thoughts also began to clear up together with all my hazy senses that had previously come to a stop. ''Damn it¡­ How long was I out?'' was my first thought upon coming back. Fearing that there might still be some enemies nearby, I tried to move my legs and pick myself up. ¡°Guh!¡± Unfortunately, my legs failed to do as my command and they gave out on me halfway through standing up. ''Tsk! Forget it¡­ I can¡¯t¡­'' After failing at my attempt multiple times, I had no other choice but to give up in disdain and scan my surroundings while lying down on that cold hard ground. Probably noticing that I was finally awake, the bloody Gigarillon appeared out of nowhere and sat down near my spot with a thump. ''So, you also survived, huh?'' I signaled with eyes, upon which the ape responded by curving his mouth into a smirk before letting his huge body fall flat on the ground. Because of his mass, the fall made the ground that we were lying in tremble while also creating a cloud of dust. ''Careful now you bastard! I¡¯m trying to have a peaceful rest here!'' I complained inside while coughing up outside. Realizing that the presence of the ants was really gone, I finally let myself relax and stared at the ape who was lying flat on the ground with his limbs spread out. ''Seriously, this guy is one tough nut to crack.'' Upon carefully analyzing all the Gigarillon¡¯s injuries with narrowed eyes, I came to a natural conclusion that the monster had far worse wounds than mine. And because the ape was already injured when all of that chaos went down, it was nothing short of impressive that he even managed to come this far to survive. Furthermore, the bastard was even able to remain conscious and had enough strength left to pick himself up. ''What a goddamn monstrosity.'' I cursed with a sigh. But just as I was about to entertain the thought of taking a nap, I sensed the presence of multiple monsters coming from deep inside the forest moving at an incredible speed towards us. ''You¡¯ve got to be kidding me, what is it now?!'' Fortunately, those presences did not seem to be hostile, so they probably still haven¡¯t noticed us. But that was only temporary, after all, I had no idea how those monsters would react once they saw two weak, wounded, and vulnerable monsters free of charge. Basically, we were like a couple of deluxe buffet ingredients that were ready to be served at any given time. ''Damn it, we are not in any condition to fight, we need to move and hide!!'' In my panic, I once again pushed my body up in haste but was stopped halfway through when the Gigarillon nabbed me away from my spot and began running away. ''Wha¡ª'' To my surprise, the Gigarillon didn¡¯t even seem to hesitate in trying to save my life even though he didn¡¯t have any responsibility to do so. In fact, I would even dare say that there was no merit in taking such huge baggage like me especially with the wretched condition that my body was in. ''What the heck, a monster saving another monster for no reason?'' But before I could even process what was happening, the Gigarillon leaped forward and climb up on a tree. ''Wait, this place seems familiar¡­'' With wide-open eyes, a wave of nostalgia surged through my body as I got a better view of the area that we were currently in. ''These trees, those landscapes, and this scent¡­ There is no mistake, this is the place in my memories¡­'' And while trying to separate myself from those feelings and thoughts that were trying to take over my mind, I made a dry summary of the place to calm myself down. ''This is the forest that I once called home¡­'' Intermission, Epilogue and Prologue The Vicious Forest. It was the name of the forest area within the Vicious Caverns which was being dominated by wolf-type monsters. In that area, there exist four alpha class wolf-type monsters; the Lighting Wolf, Flame Wolf, Frost Wolf, And Tempest Wolf. Or at least, that was how it was in the past. In a certain spot in that forest-type area, there was a group of wolves moving around in places as if they were searching for something. Among them was an exceptional-looking wolf covered with fur so white it seemed to sparkle even in the dim lighting of the forest. And that wolf, without a doubt, was one of the alphas that were ruling a portion of this forest, the Lighting Wolf. As for what the wolves were doing, the answer was quite simple; they were investigating the sudden disappearance of a group of hunters from their pack. In truth, the situation in the forest has taken a turn for the worst ever since the death of the Frost Wolf and the annihilation of his pack. This was because the incident did not only destroy the power balance within the forest but also heralded the beginning of a bloodier and more brutal conflict between the three remaining packs. In fact, the situation was so bad that it had gotten to the point where the three remaining packs had created some hunting groups that specialize in both tracking and ambushing the groups from another pack. And then, there was also the issue of the territorial invasions that had become more rampant after that incident. Plagued with these problems, the powerful alphas that up until that point had been staying clear from any confrontation were forced to take some action. That was why in the current time, the alphas were not only performing routine territorial patrols, instead, they were also now taking part in some hunts outside their territory. Of course, this action increased the chance of two or even three alphas clashing all at once. As a result, the atmosphere of the forest had become tense and suffocating for both the wolf-type monsters and other monster species living in the forest. And as if to make matters worse, it seemed like there was another disturbance in the forest causing the mysterious disappearance of some food hunting groups in recent times. This was, of course, the reason why the Lighting Wolf was here; out of his territory searching for the traces of the missing members of his pack. Unfortunately, all they ever found was some traces of blood and battle but there weren¡¯t even any corpses left behind. Realizing that he had been out of his territory for far too long already, the Lighting Wolf was about to give the command to gather and return when his senses picked up a commotion happening at the edge of the forest. Noticing that the drops of blood were still fresh, the Lighting Wolf commanded his wolves to search the area for clues. But it was only later on that they would find the traces of a monster and chase after it. Though of course, this incident was a story for another time. Chapter 66 - 62 While doing our best to conceal our presence, the ape who was carrying me moved from tree to tree with such nimble movements that it was hard to believe that his body was in fact riddled with injuries. ''Seriously, how tough is this guy?'' I couldn¡¯t help but ask. Fortunately, it seemed like our pursuers didn¡¯t expect that we would travel from above trees so they didn¡¯t even bother looking up. ''But man, what the heck is that Lightning Wolf doing here anyway? From what I can remember, this area isn¡¯t a part of his territory¡­'' I wondered while looking down. According to my memories, it seemed like there was an unwritten agreement between the alphas to remain inside their territory. Of course, I didn¡¯t know the full details of it, but if my guess was right, the agreement was done to minimize the confrontation between the four alphas. After all, when two or more alphas clashed, their powers would inevitably cause some damage to their surroundings, and the forest wasn¡¯t an exemption into that. Furthermore, it was not only unfair but also devastating for the hunting groups of other packs if they met an enemy alpha during a hunt. That, I could testify in person because of my bitter memories inside. ''It might have something to do with the reason why the Tempest Wolf launched a full-blown assault that time.'' Under normal circ.u.mstances, there shouldn¡¯t be any reason for the Tempest Wolf to leave his territory and launch an all-out war. And even though it was true that our pack and the Tempest Wolf were hostile against one another, I still couldn¡¯t see the logical reason as to why the Tempest Wolf had done such drastic action at that time. Because in truth, when I set aside those emotions and gazed at it from an objective standpoint, a plan that involved leaving his territory unprotected just to set an ambush was full of holes and risk. The most obvious one was, of course, the risk of letting his territory be attacked while he was gone fighting in a war. ''From what I have seen so far, every single alpha class monster that I encountered in this place has a high degree of intelligence and self-awareness.'' With that in mind, I glanced at the Gigarillon who now seemed to be searching for something. ''Of course, that includes the apes¡¯ subordinates; the Tronobo and Pronobo. So, given all of that, the Tempest Wolf at that time should also be aware of all that risk.'' In the midst of trying to figure out the intentions and motives behind the Tempest Wolf¡¯s action in the past, the Gigarillon who was carrying me like a bag decided to jump down. And upon making a swift and silent landing on the ground, the ape moved deeper into the woods until we reached some ruins hidden behind some tall grass and trees. ''This is¡­'' With my eyes open wide, I stared at the ruins while feeling a wide array of emotions from deep inside my heart. And probably because I was being taken over by those powerful sentiments, all the memories and thoughts that were hidden within my soul had begun to surface once again. ''¡­ So, all of them are really dead, huh¡­?'' Before I even knew it, I just found myself howling out in anguish without holding back. ¡°RAAAAAAAHHHH!!¡± Fueled by those emotions, I twist my body around in an attempt to escape from the grasp of the ape. Then with bloodshot eyes, I even tried to bite the monster¡¯s arm when it refused to let me go. But before I could sink my fangs, I felt a jolt of pain on my head and everything turned black. *** ¡°What a disaster.¡± A voice said in an exasperated tone. ¡°Seriously, with all of that thing about being different, you still let yourself be taken over like that?¡± Then with a hint of disappointment, exhaustion, and uncertainty, the voice continued. ¡°Like, what is even the point of your existence if you can¡¯t serve your purpose? Sigh, what a weird way of fixing things¡­¡± Inside that void, there were two dominating thoughts and emotions. One was coming from that voice; and well, it felt both cold and indifferent, while at the same time excluding an impregnable vibe. In contrast to that, the other one that had been silent up to now felt fiery and passionate, but for some unknown reason, it had this soft and delicate aura. ¡°¡­¡± After that, the abyss turned completely silent. But as confusing as it was, there was still this ripple effect splashing on that sea of darkness, and from what I could tell, it seemed like it originated from those two in the same way that a rock could produce one when it was thrown into a lake. And while I was drowning in that, my consciousness was also being flooded by the memories of my two past lives. It was as if those waves were downloading all of that information directly into my cognizance. Losing my sense of time, I found myself lost and alone in that plane of existence. And in that dimension, I stopped feeling pain, p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e, joy, misery, hope, despair, fear, terror, everything; they were all gone. Snuffed out. Or even erased. It was, in a word, surreal¡­ Fortunately, before I was able to submerge myself deeper into that void, my consciousness was hit by a surge of powerful thunder, shaking my whole existence up until its core. At the same time, all the forgotten emotions that I had burst within my soul, giving my consciousness just enough jolt to pull myself out of that abyss. *** ¡°Guh!¡± I woke up with a gasp. And upon opening my eyes, the first sensation I felt was a desperate need for air. ¡°Huff¡­ Huff¡­ Huff¡­¡± More than that, I also noticed that my body felt incredibly heavy even though I had already taken a rest. While moving my eyes around and trying to get a feel of my body, I couldn¡¯t help but think; ''good thing I did not wake up in pain just like last time¡­'' I felt relieved with all my heart. ''But seriously, how long was I out?'' With that question in mind, I gazed at my notifications. [Level up.] [Level up.] [Level up.] [Level up.] [After resting for 4 hours, you have slightly recovered.] ''Four hours, huh?'' From the way things looked, it seemed like reaching a full recovery would take more than just rest. And if my guess was right, this might have been the result of all the acc.u.mulated injuries and beatings that my body had gone through. But setting that aside from now, there was at least some good news being displayed in my notification. ''I leveled up five times in a row?'' At that, I recalled all my battles inside the ants¡¯ domain, and that was when I realized the reason for these level-ups. ''Oh! That Anties King!!'' If I remembered it right, the Anties King was around level forty-seven during the last time that I used Assess on the monster. And since I made some contributions to the fight as well as with the monster¡¯s defeat, of course, it would be natural to level up in succession given the gap between the monster¡¯s level and mine. I mean, my level was only around thirty-four at that time. Upon coming to that conclusion, I opened up my Status Screen. [Level: 39] [Status:] [Titles: Awakened One, The RunAway, Predator, Survivor] [Skills: Fangs of Void (Rank D), Call of The Moon (Rank S), Sixth Sense (Rank D), Recovery (Rank S), Dismantling Claws (Rank D), Potential Boost (Rank S), Assess (Rank S), Presence of Mind (Rank S), Accelerate (Rank B), Gorge (Rank D), Antibodies (Rank S), Toughness (Rank S), Pain Endurance (Rank S), Stealth (Rank C), Recuperate (Rank S), Intimidate (Rank B), Magical Resistance (Rank D), Berserk (Rank D), Rally (Rank D), Authority (Rank D), Shadow Manipulation (Rank C)] ''Level thirty-nine¡­'' Based on my experiences so far, it has been pretty clear that I should be able to evolve every time my level hits a multiple of ten. But then, all of it was based on the knowledge that I gathered before my accession into a Ruling Class monster. And the truth was, I still had no idea what that really entailed. So, of course, I could only make some rough assumptions but that might just lead me into an inevitable disaster. After all, there were too many unknown truths and variables in this world and I had not the slightest clue on how it all would affect my progress in the future. ''¡­ I should probably put this in the back of my mind for now¡­'' I decided with a sigh. It was only then; when I let go of all my questions, that I noticed the missing presence of the Gigarillon. ''Hmmm? Where¡¯d that ape go?'' I tilted my head in wonder. Chapter 67 - 63 Upon realizing that the Gigarillon was gone, I pushed my body up to try and search for the missing monster. And while I¡¯m at it, I could also look around in this place to pacify these still raging emotions of mine. ''It¡¯s been a while, huh?'' Though I didn¡¯t know exactly how much time had passed, it was still pretty clear from the state of these ruins that I had been gone for quite some time. And unlike the last images of this place that was stored within my memory, this former wolf lair was now in tatters to the point that it was almost beyond recognition compared to its former glory. In fact, the only reason why I managed to recognize it at first glance was because of my vivid memories of the layout and location of this lair. If not for that, I probably wouldn¡¯t even realize that this was ¡°the home¡± from my memories inside. ''Seriously, those bastard wolves from that accursed Tempest wolf¡¯s pack really wrecked this place into pieces¡­'' When that thought flashed into my mind, I felt a seething rage rising from my c.h.e.s.t as if trying to devour every reason and sense of self that I had. ''Damn it!'' Realizing that my consciousness was being encroached by those malevolent thoughts, I decided to close my eyes whilst calming down my heart. In the midst of doing that, I also slowed my breathing down in an attempt to cool those fiery emotions that were trying to take over my mind. And after doing that for a while, those powerful emotions and thoughts started to fade away, as I began to regain some of my focus and control at the same time. When I opened up my eyes, I was already back to my calm and rational self. And probably because of those quick-witted actions and decisions that I made, it seemed like I somehow managed to put on a leash on those raging emotions of mine. Because of that, I now felt reinvigorated more than ever before as if some huge baggage was just released from my heart. Though, of course, I still could feel some traces of it from deep within me, so it wasn¡¯t as if those emotions were completely gone. That only difference was that I had more resistance now, which decreased the chance of me being taken over by that. ''Sorry, that¡¯s not gonna happen.'' With that passing thought, I continued my search for the missing ape all the while exploring the ruins that I once called home. While moving around in that place, I couldn¡¯t stop myself from reminiscing about the past. ''This is a really strange feeling¡­'' With every twist and turn that I made, my vision would always overlap with a scene from my memory. Sometimes, I would even feel some emotions as if I had been the one experiencing those things. The joy when I was running around and playing together with my siblings. The sadness that I felt every time my sister and I were left behind. The comfortable warmth of living together with my family and the wolves that I cared about. I felt like I really lived through all that. It was as if I was caught up between an illusion and a dream. And the strange thing was, my heart longed for all of that despite knowing the fact that it wasn¡¯t me who had experienced all that warmth and love. ''Good thing I managed to get some control¡­'' To be perfectly honest, I couldn¡¯t help but feel relieved that I managed to acquire some resistance against those emotions. Because if not for that, I wouldn¡¯t even be surprised if I was already taken over by now. After all, despite being held back by that metaphorical leash, I still felt a bit overwhelmed whenever those emotions would lash out. ''¡­'' At first, I didn¡¯t pay any attention to that voice and simply continued my exploration and search for the ape. But after probing the entirety of that lair and coming up with no result, I started to feel a little bit frustrated and bored so I began talking to the voice. ''Hey. Yes, I¡¯m talking to you. I have some questions to ask.'' I called out. With a hint of shock and annoyance, the voice replied. ¡°Ha! Really? Now you want to talk?¡± ''Just answer, damn it! And don¡¯t worry, I also find you to be a nuisance.'' I quipped. ¡°Well, I guess a part of you really does resemble mine.¡± An amused voice replied. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s just be done with it, so start talking.¡± The bastard ordered. ''Tsk!'' Hearing that I couldn¡¯t help but berate myself, for trying to start this conversation. But then, my curiosity won over my frustrations so I decided to just be done with it and ask my question. ''Tell me. Why is it that I feel so affected by these memories even though those experiences aren¡¯t mine?'' ¡°Hahahahahahaha! You really chose to ask ME that question?¡± ''Well, it¡¯s not like I have any other people here to ask. Besides, the other one is still moping around so that doesn¡¯t count.'' After hearing that final remark, I immediately poked back. ''You really do have a bad personality.'' ¡°And you inherited that.¡± The voice snapped back. Then, after a brief pause, the voice continued. ¡°Anyway, before I answer your question. Let me just ask. You already know the answer, don¡¯t you?" ''This is getting tiresome¡­ Can¡¯t you just give your own opinion already?'' I complained, with a sigh. ¡°Fine. Fine. Whatever.¡± A bored voice replied. ¡°Well, it¡¯s simple really. It¡¯s just that even if you are a different being, you are still someone who is carrying both of our essence and memories. Because of that, it is only natural that you will get affected by our personalities from time to time. In fact, that is the very reason why you are here, and we are in this situation.¡± ''The reason for my existence, huh?'' With that in mind, I stopped in my tracks and looked up. ¡°Exactly.¡± The emotionless voice continued. ¡°Since you are the one who holds our collective memories, I¡¯m pretty sure that you have a better grasp on this topic than me. But just to clarify, just like what you have probably concluded. The moment that YOU had woken up, the being that was the wolf had already ceased to exist. And based on what I can vaguely remember, the YOU from that time was still somewhat incomplete.¡± The voice explained. Once the voice was done explaining his own opinion, I finally found the right time to ask the question that I had been carrying this whole time. ''But I only have your memories at first, right? So, does that mean that the one in control at that time was you and not me?'' I asked in confusion. ¡°I see. So that¡¯s it, huh?¡± For a moment, the voice paused. ¡°Well, just to make it clear. If we are talking about my memories before your ascension and this world¡¯s system started to interfere, then all I could say was that all of it was hazy.¡± Following that sudden reveal, the voice added. ¡°Seriously, it will not even be an understatement to say that I am only carrying my OWN original memories. In fact, I will also bet that the other one is just like me. So, rest assured, all of that was YOU, albeit a very unstable one.¡± ¡°Well, yeah. What else would I mean by that?¡± The voice answered with a flat but confused tone. ''But that doesn¡¯t make any sense. After all, isn¡¯t it to your belief that our memories and life experiences are what defines us as our own person?'' I argued back. ¡°Of course, that is true and I still stand by that belief. But remember, we are dealing with soul reincarnation stuff here. And it isn¡¯t a normal reincarnation either because of all these shenanigans about jumbled-up memories and parallel dimensions. So, if you ask me, all I can give are guesses and theories based on what I know.¡± The voice answered with a very defensive tone. Noticing the incoherence in his speech, my mouth curved into a grin. ''Heh¡­ It¡¯s so obvious that you''re getting riled up. Looks like you can¡¯t hide behind your facade in your current form¡­'' I teased. ¡°I currently have NO form, you imbecile.¡± A cold voice replied. I see. Discerning that I couldn¡¯t crack up the voice any further than that, I decided to return to the topic at hand. ''So, what¡¯s your theory?'' Immediately after hearing that, the voice responded in a very straightforward tone. ¡°It¡¯s obvious. That you are only half awake at that time.¡± ''Huh?'' Upon hearing that ambiguous answer, I could only tilt my head in confusion. But before I could even ask for any further clarification, I sensed the presence of multiple monsters that had already surrounded this place. ''Tsk! Great timing.'' I complained, out of spite. Chapter 68 - 64 From what I could tell, there were at least about twenty monsters surrounding the lair. And among them, I could sense this one powerful presence that made the others with him look like some weakling. ''An alpha-class monster.'' I concluded. Looking at my current condition, I couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ''This is really bad, huh?'' According to what was displayed on my Status Screen, it seemed like I was still in a weakened state for now. And to be perfectly honest, even without checking that, I already knew that by just the feeling of my body alone. So, in all honesty, forget about fighting that alpha-class monster, I wouldn¡¯t even be able to win against those nineteen monsters that were with him. ''This is all that ape¡¯s fault once again!'' In hindsight, I really just wasted my time searching for the location of that ape. Because in truth, I could probably have done some more productive things using all of that time. Like, hunting for food for example. ''Damn it!'' I couldn¡¯t help but curse. But knowing the fact that I wouldn¡¯t accomplish anything by just blaming someone else, I immediately turned the gears of my mind. ''There is no use in finding the fault in the past. I just need to find a way at this moment, right now.'' With that thought in mind, I activated stealth and jogged to the opposite side of the powerful presence. ''If I can¡¯t fight, I just need to escape.'' While making sure that the monsters wouldn¡¯t be able to detect my movements, I focused and united my exceptional senses to get a read of the monsters¡¯ movements and locations. Thanks to my Sixth Sense skill, I managed to get an easy grasp of the monsters¡¯ positions and formation. ''This is a really handy skill.'' More than that, it also seemed like I could mark all the monsters within a certain range of my immediate vicinity. In my head, it worked kind of like a radar, and wherever I go, the radar would also follow with me at its center point. Because of that skill, I managed to formulate a somehow probable and doable plan. ''Yes, they have an alpha-class monster with them. But even then, it isn¡¯t as if that monster can exist at all places, at the same time.'' I surmised. ''So, in conclusion, as long as I avoid going near that monster, then it will be hard even for that thing to catch up.'' At that moment, I prepared myself to activate Accelerate at any given time. ''Besides, I¡¯m quite confident that I can easily beat those weaker ones if it came to a contest of speed.'' Of course, it wasn¡¯t as if I was planning to just use my speed and run past those monsters. After all, my speed wasn¡¯t the only advantage I have over them. To be more specific, I also have this Stealth. And well, it just so happened that the stage was now this dim forest area. Which if you really think about it¡ª was the perfect environment to use the skill. ''Okay, let¡¯s see how it goes.'' With my Sixth Sense skill keeping track of the monsters¡¯ movements, I somehow managed to leave the vicinity of the lair without getting caught. And upon reentering the forest, I finally identified the monsters that were chasing after me. ''If I¡¯m not mistaken, these are the wolves from before.'' For some unknown reason, even though it was clear to see that the wolves were after me, I still couldn¡¯t detect any kind of hostility coming from the monsters. In fact, they were all registered as a neutral party in my Sixth Sense skill. And of course, it was also the same for that alpha-class monster nearby. To be honest, the only reason why I was acting this cautious was because of the possibility that the wolves came from the pack of the Tempest Wolf. And naturally, I also did consider that the alpha-class monster might just be the Tempest Wolf himself. If that happened, then I wouldn¡¯t have any problems in slaughtering the weaker wolves on my way to escape. But since my guess was wrong, that also meant that I had to change my approach to the situation. Whilst hiding in the shadow of a tree, I observed the behavior of the wolves. ''There really are no benefits in antagonizing that Lightning Wolf. That means that killing these guys is now out of the window.'' Truth be told, it was a very tricky situation. After all, if I made the mistake of killing even just one of these wolves, then I would be an instant enemy of that Lightning Wolf. And well, I also couldn¡¯t come out and reveal myself since there was no telling what these monsters'' reactions would be. ''I cannot afford to have this alpha out for my blood. Especially not when I have a bigger fish to fry.'' After making sure that wolves hadn''t noticed my presence, I began moving on the shadows of the trees and behind some tall grass. ''As I thought. This skill really does shine in these kinds of areas.'' In the midst of doing that, I also noticed that the Lightning Wolf had now entered the lair. ''Unfortunately, you will find nothing in there.'' I murmured inside. As I was waiting for a wolf to pass, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder. ''But seriously, where did that ape go?'' From what I could tell, it was pretty obvious that these wolves weren¡¯t just looking for me. Especially since these were the very same monsters that had chased us from that time. ''Is that guy searching for food or something?'' Considering the ape¡¯s speed and abilities, then I do not doubt that he would be able to hunt for food without getting noticed. The problem was¡­ ''It will be really bad if that guy recovers and makes some move against an alpha. Like, seriously, that guy is nothing but a walking time bomb in this place.'' In the grand scheme of things, there was no doubt that the Gigarillon was still a lot stronger compared to the alphas that were ruling this area. But because of that very same power difference, the scale of the trouble that it might cause was also bigger than normal. And while it was true that it was possible to use such disturbance to my advantage, it would still be a headache if that caused a temporary ceasefire and unification between the alpha-class monsters. After all, if my memories were right, those alpha-class monsters put the survival of the species above anything else. In short, if a major threat appeared within this forest, then those three might actually decide to work together. ''I need to prevent that from ever happening.'' While keeping that in mind, I once again checked the position of the Lightning Wolf. ''Wait, huh?'' Unfortunately, that was when I finally noticed. ''He¡¯s gone?!'' To be precise, it was more so that I couldn¡¯t sense its presence, instead of actually vanishing into thin air. ''This is bad!'' But as if he was also waiting for that moment, the Lightning Wolf¡¯s presence rushed towards me. ''Wha¡ª'' Because of that, I decided to abandon Stealth, and just run away. ''Damn it! He¡¯s already too close!'' Knowing that the wolf was heading towards my location, I activated Accelerate and ran away from there. ''How?!'' Though, of course, that action also alerted the nearby wolves, so they also began chasing after me. The only stroke of fortune was that the wolves weren¡¯t able to keep up with my speed, so I didn¡¯t have to worry about them that much. ''Does that wolf also have the Sixth Sense skill?!'' Based on the behavior that the Lightning Wolf had shown, it was pretty clear that the monster found me at the same time that I also found him. ''But if that was really the case, then that was one hell of a trap!'' At that very same instant, I felt the oppressive gaze of the Lightning Wolf, zooming in from behind. ¡°Guh!¡± Because of that, I lost some control over my skill, which resulted in Accelerate shutting down. ''Crap!'' For a moment, I was stunned. But luckily, that triggered something with me, and it produced a calming effect on my mind. ''Is that some type of mental attack?'' I wondered while reactivating Accelerate. Unfortunately, that was when the alarm bells started ringing in my mind. Following my instinct, I jump away to the side. And when I did just that, a lightning bolt passed by, and it followed by the sound of a raging thunder. ¡°Guh!¡± Grazed by whatever it was, I felt a jolt of pain running through my body. ''Damn it! What was that?'' As I landed on the ground, I gazed at the burned-down trajectory of the lightning bolt. And in there, I found the Lightning Wolf looking at me, with some traces of sparks still coming off of his body. ''You¡¯ve gotta be freaking kidding me.'' Chapter 69 - 65 The Lightning Wolf was now standing upfront as if blocking my path. ''Wait, that lightning bolt was actually him?!'' Based on the sparks that were dancing around the Lightning Wolf, I could only conclude that the monster had some kind of ability to infuse his body with electricity. Most likely, it was a skill similar to my Shadow Augment or maybe even a higher version of it. ''That is pretty damn powerful.'' If my guess was right, then I couldn¡¯t possibly outrun this monster no matter how hard I try. After all, this wolf could probably move near the speed of light in that state. And well, even the combination of Shadow Augment and Acceleration wouldn¡¯t be enough to reach that ridiculous velocity. ''So, I finally meet a monster that I cannot possibly keep up with.'' Fortunately, the Lightning Wolf wasn¡¯t showing any signs of hostility against me. In fact, the monster was still registered as a neutral party in my Sixth Sense skill. If I was not mistaken, that attack from earlier was just his way of saying to stop running away. Whilst making sure not to provoke the Lightning Wolf, I observed every movement of the monster with the utmost caution. After all, there was no telling what the monster would do if I let my guard down. And more than that, I wouldn¡¯t be able to dodge a preemptive strike from this monster if I didn¡¯t do this much. For quite some time, the two of us just stared at each other. And for some unknown reason, I got this weird impression that the monster seemed to be trying to gauge out my intentions. It was as if the monster was stuck in a dilemma, and that rendered him unable to make any decisive choice. Because of that, the other wolves that had been chasing after us managed to catch up. ''Great. Now I¡¯m surrounded.'' Upon seeing that none of us had yet to make a move, the wolves that have just caught up decided not to interfere and just sealed off my paths. With that, I was effectively stuck on my spot and was forced to face the Lightning Wolf. Though, of course, I continued with my wait-and-see approach. Not long after that, the Lightning Wolf walked towards me with some clear caution in his steps. And upon coming to a stop just a little distance away, a sudden unfamiliar voice rang inside my head. ¡°Can¡­ you understand¡­?¡± A choppy voice asked. ''Huh?!'' Confused, I looked around. But realizing that there was no one near our immediate vicinity, my head turned and gravitated towards the Lightning Wolf. Then, with a very careful tone, I inquired. ''Was that you?'' Probably because of that, I saw a mixture of surprise and relief flashed on the Lightning Wolf¡¯s face. ¡°Yes¡­¡± He answered thereafter. Upon confirming my suspicion, I couldn¡¯t help but exclaim. ''Seriously?! How are you doing that?!'' At that, the Lightning Wolf tilted his head and replied. ¡°What¡­ do you¡­ mean...?¡± ''Uhm¡­ How do I say this?'' Following that, I proceeded to question the Lightning Wolf about how he was communicating with me. And from what I could gather on his replies, it seemed like it was possible to make a simple conversation if the alpha-class monsters were from the same species. Well, that was at least my interpretation based on his choppy sentences. ''Now that I think about it, I saw those apes doing the same.'' During my time as a prisoner of the apes, I was pretty sure that I had seen the Gigarillon giving some kind commands to his most trusted servants; the Pronobo and Tronobo. ''Coincidentally, they are both alpha-class monsters as well.'' Of course, without this information, I wouldn¡¯t even guess this kind of possibility. Because to be honest, I really thought that the actions of those monsters didn¡¯t mean that much. And considering that most of us could understand each other through body language alone, then it was only natural that I wouldn¡¯t assume such a ridiculous conclusion. After all, the means of doing so leaned more towards the telepathic side of things instead of the common verbal route. While I was being hit by all that realization, the Lightning Wolf asked. ¡°So¡­ who¡¯re you¡­? And after much effort, he continued. ¡°And why¡¯re¡­ you here¡­? Hearing that, I made an excuse on the spot. ''I came from another area and just happened to pass by.'' I replied with a fake sigh. When I answered like that, the Lightning Wolf narrowed his eyes. ¡°Then what¡­ of the¡­ other one¡­? He inquired whilst raising his guard. Noticing that, I responded in haste. ''You mean that ape? Well, we came here after escaping from another area. Hmm¡­ How should I explain this?'' Acting as if I was trying my best to summarize my thoughts, I continued. ''To be more specific, a bunch of monsters chased us out.'' ¡°Monsters¡­?¡± ''Yeah. A whole bunch of Anties species.'' I pointed it out with certainty. For about a split second, I saw some change in the Lightning Wolf¡¯s expression. But as if trying to hide that fact, the monster brushed that aside before interrogating me once more. ¡°Then¡­ where¡¯s he¡­?¡± He asked in a forceful tone. This time, I didn¡¯t have to hide anything, so I decided to tell the whole truth. ''The ape? I don¡¯t know. When I wake up, he¡¯s already gone.'' I said in a snap. Based on the context of his question, I immediately realized that he was talking about the two instances of me running away. ''Who wouldn¡¯t? I mean, you and your wolves suddenly appeared.'' I explained without backing down. With a look of understanding, the Lightning Wolf gave up. ¡°True¡­¡± He said and then added. ¡°What of¡­ that cave¡­?¡± ''You mean that cave from before?'' I asked in confirmation. When the Lighting Wolf nodded, I told him what happened. ''As I said, we were chased by a bunch of Anties species. So, to prevent them from following, we collapsed the cave.'' After hearing my answer, the monster¡¯s nose twitched and the Lightning Wolf scrutinized my face. From what I could tell, the monster was trying to determine if I was telling the truth. So, in order to lessen the monster¡¯s suspicion, I made sure to act with confidence while keeping my calm. The Lightning Wolf did that for a couple of seconds. But probably because he didn¡¯t detect any lies, the monster finally relaxed his tense posture. As a result, I noticed that his expression had softened when he looked at me again. ¡°I see¡­¡± The Lighting Wolf started. ¡°Then, what¡¯s¡­ your plan¡­?¡± Mustering up my most troubled expression, I began. ''To be honest, I don¡¯t know. But this forest is big, so it might not be bad to stay here for a while.'' I said whilst faking nonchalance. ¡°No good¡­¡± The monster replied in an instant. ''Why?'' Following that, the Lightning Wolf went on to explain that there were three alpha wolves in this forest. Though, of course, that was something that I already knew. But what caught my attention the most was what he said afterward. According to him, the other alphas might not like our presence here so there was a possibility that we would end up fighting them. Furthermore, he also explained in passing that there was something unknown that was causing some disturbance in this forest. When I inquired about that, the monster said that he even assumed that we were somehow related to those incidents. ''So, you believed me?'' ¡°It all¡­ lined up¡­¡± The Lightning Wolf clarified. Basically, it seemed like his conclusion was based on the fact that we have just arrived in this place. Most likely, multiple incidents had already happened, before we even chance upon this forest and that led him to believe that we weren¡¯t related to it at all. In other words, the Lightning Wolf had already seen all the evidence for himself, and everything else was just him trying to confirm those facts. ''If I can¡¯t stay here, then, are you telling me to leave as soon as possible?'' ¡°No¡­you¡¯re not¡­ leaving¡­¡± He answered with conviction. When I heard him, I tilted my head and asked back. ''I¡¯m sorry, what?'' ¡°I said¡­ you¡¯re not¡­ leaving¡­¡± The Lighting Wolf repeated in confirmation. Probably noticing the sudden shift in my atmosphere, the wolves that had been watching us from the shadows immediately revealed themselves. ''That¡¯s what it is, huh?'' Seeing that, I gazed at Lightning Wolf in caution while preparing to activate my skills. But in an unexpected turn of events, the Lightning Wolf signaled at his minion and they all stopped moving from their spot. ¡°Not that¡­¡± The monster began. ¡°What I¡­ meant was¡­¡± After a brief pause, the monster continued. ¡°You can¡¯t¡­ leave this¡­ forest¡­so stay¡­ with my¡­ pack for¡­ a while¡­¡± He said with an amicable smile. Chapter 70 - 66 ''He really led me here¡­'' I thought while looking around. Together with the wolves that were working under him, the Lightning Wolf led me to their lair. And for some unknown reason, the monster was treating me as a guest, instead of a prisoner. More than that, upon arriving at his place, the monster also told his subordinates to prepare a temporary shelter and provide me some food. It was, for a lack of better words, bizarre. In one of the memories of my past life, I remembered a scene in which a certain tribe led a group of explorers into their hidden village. There, they fed the unsuspecting explorers until they were full and then gave them a place to sleep and rest. But when the explorers woke up, they were all already tied up and were displayed in the center of the village. Following that, the people of the tribe proceeded to butcher the explorers one by one before ultimately cooking and eating their flesh. Because of that, I imagined a scene in which a bunch of wolves was feasting on their kind. It was a very horrid scene in which I visualized myself in the shoes of the one being feast upon. ''I-it can¡¯t be, right? T-that¡¯s too much of a clich¨¦.'' I murmured as a chilling sensation ran up my back. Fortunately, the Lightning Wolf¡¯s reason for leading me here was at least a little bit logical. According to him, now that we have collapsed that path, the only exit that was left on this place was the one that led up to the surface. But from what I could understand, it seemed like there was an unknown and powerful entity that had taken residence outside. And if I wasn¡¯t mistaken, it looked like these guys didn¡¯t want to antagonize nor disturb that being no matter what the circ.u.mstances were. In short, the Lightning Wolf was probably doing this to ensure that I wouldn¡¯t cause any further trouble for him by angering that mysterious individual. ''But then, that means that we were quite literally stuck here.'' To be honest, I would be lying if I said that I didn¡¯t try to lead that conversation to this very same conclusion. After all, I still hadn¡¯t given up on my goal of killing that Tempest Wolf and slaughtering his pack. And for me, the best and easiest way of doing that was to cause a divide between the three remaining alphas. Once the conflict started, I could simply jump on the bandwagon or act as if I was just caught up in the incident. More than that, I would also have the perk of being on friendly terms with the Lighting Wolf and that would save me the trouble of possibly fighting them in succession. In essence, it was basically an infiltration mission and I somehow managed to successfully pull it off. That said, the whole motive of the Lightning Wolf remained a mystery. Because in truth, if all he really wanted was to prevent me from making any troubles, then it would be a lot more efficient if he just killed me right then and there. ''Well, it¡¯s not as if I will just let him kill me without fighting back. But even so¡­'' Frankly speaking, given my current condition, the Lightning Wolf and his minions could probably pull it off. ''Is he trying to preserve the overall strength of his forces?'' was my immediate assumption on his actions. ''If so¡­'' At that moment, the Lighting Wolf and his entourage came back. And on his back, I saw the monster¡¯s minions carrying some sort of meat on their mouths. ''Is that what I think it is?'' Seeing that meat, my animalistic instinct kicked in causing me to gulp with an audible sound. Without even bothering to comment on my behavior, the Lightning Wolf opened up. ¡°We found¡­ a place¡­ for you¡­¡± He said in a choppy but amused tone. When I noticed that, I shook my head in a snap and clear those thoughts away. ''I-I see¡­'' I replied in a fl.u.s.ter. Following that, the Lightning Wolf and his entourage guided me towards the supposed guest room. In just about a minute, we finally reached that place and then entered inside. Once we were there, the Lighting Wolf gestured at his minions to go and leave the meat behind. The two of us watched in silence as the other wolves left. Then, upon making sure that we were finally alone, the Lightning Wolf began. ¡°So¡­ here¡¯s the¡­ deal¡­¡± In the very next instance, the monster explained the terms of our agreement in shocking detail. First; the food that they had given me was only for today, so from tomorrow onwards, I needed to hunt and search for food on my own. According to the Lightning Wolf, this was done to avoid any problems down the line. Third; in exchange for letting me stay in their lair, I had to join and help the weaker wolves during their daily hunt for food. But as an additional perk, they would give me a cut after the hunt was done, and that would also solve my problem in food as a bonus. Fourth; trying to influence or interfere with the decision-making of the pack was prohibited by any means. This was in line with the fact that I was just an honorary guest so I had to respect the Lightning Wolf¡¯s authority. In short, I was free to do whatever I wanted as long as it wouldn¡¯t cause any harm or problems for the Lightning Wolf¡¯s pack. ''Well, that was pretty detailed¡­'' I muttered in a daze. ¡°Of course¡­ you¡¯re an¡­ alpha-class¡­ after all¡­¡± The Lightning Wolf replied. To be perfectly honest, I found myself blown away during his long and choppy explanation. Because no matter how I think about it, I just couldn¡¯t wrap my head around the fact that a monster created such a detailed agreement. In fact, if someone took it out of context, I would even think that it was created by an actual a.d.u.l.t human. More than that, he also said something about being an alpha-class. This, of course, led me to believe that the other two alphas could also do the same. ''I understand.'' I agreed with respect. And then, before the monster could respond, I looked him in the eye. ''But what if, for just as an example, I violated one of those?'' I said, half-jest. Upon hearing that nasty joke, I saw a flash of conviction on the monster¡¯s shining silver eyes. ¡°Then¡­ I will¡­ hunt you¡­ down¡­¡± He declared and showed a ferocious smile. Seeing that, I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ''I see.'' After that, the Lightning Wolf left my place in silence. ''What an amusing guy.'' Once he was out of sight, I sat there on my spot and then scanned the area around. In my mind, I expanded my radar-like senses near my place without holding back. If what they were doing was an instruction from their alpha, then this was already a confirmation that he really was aware of my powerful sensory skill. And if my guess was right, there was also a high chance that he was in the possession of the very same skill. After all, that was the only possible explanation why he had such a good understanding of the details of the skill. In other words, that alpha could very well be a master of using the skill. Which, of course, meant that I wouldn¡¯t be able to fool him using that skill. ''So, this is your way of telling me that you¡¯re watching, huh? Quite flashy, I must say.'' Since the Lightning Wolf had gone out of his way to prepare all of this, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what his motives might be. Because as far as I was concerned, an intelligent monster like that wouldn¡¯t go all through this trouble without any kind of goal in mind. ''In short, he¡¯s hiding and planning something. But then, what could it possibly be?'' While thinking things like that, I walked towards the meat that Lightning Wolf gave. And the moment that I stopped in front of it, a familiar voice rang inside my head. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s just trying to lull you in a false sense of security.¡± The voice stated in confidence. ''And what? Kill me when my guard is down? That¡¯s ridiculous. As if I would fall for that.'' I quipped back. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not too far-fetched. After all, I¡¯m pretty sure that you also inherited the naivete of the other one.¡± The voice pointed out and then continued with a mocking tone. ¡°I mean, don¡¯t get me wrong, but you can be overly emotional at times. In fact, your d.e.s.i.r.e to pursue that Tempest Wolf is the proof of that.¡± ''Tsk! I have my own reasons so just watch.'' I snapped back. ¡°Fine, fine. Whatever you say.¡± Chapter 71 - 67 That night, I dreamed about the wolf¡¯s life in this forest before the Tempest Wolf destroyed the Frost Wolf and his pack. It was a very long and detailed dream. There, I watched all those memories play out as if I was just watching a movie. The only difference was that all of the wolf¡¯s emotions and sensations were being transferred directly to me in real-time. When I woke up, I felt a little light-headed and a bit lethargic probably because of that dream. But knowing that I had to help with the hunt of the wolves for today, I forced myself up and shake all those feelings away. ''Goodness, I really need to resolve this before I move on.'' I couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ''That said, the way of life of the monsters inside these caverns is actually pretty impressive.'' I thought while walking towards the leftover meat from yesterday. ''I mean, I¡¯m quite certain that a normal human being will not be able to live here without acquiring some serious psychological problems.'' Given that there was no way to differentiate between the night and day inside these caverns, any normal human would undoubtedly find it hard to sleep and rest in this place. After all, it was just wired within a human¡¯s instinct to find a natural comfort in sleeping in the darkness of the night. The same could be said for the light of the day. Because for some unknown reason, there was just something with the sunlight that gave the humans some energy to persevere until dusk. In essence, you could even argue that humans were the natural creatures of the dawn. ''Well, it is possible to change and adjust given enough time. However, even those kinds of people will encounter some problems if they continue with that lifestyle.'' After swallowing the last piece of meat, I prepared to head out. ''And for someone like me that has the memories of a human, that scenario should also be the same. But besides the slight discomfort that I felt in the very beginning, I have yet to encounter some problems regarding that. In that case, does that mean that it was the effect of my memories as a wolf? Or maybe it is due to the physiological difference between a monster and a human? If so, then what does that even make me?'' In the midst of contemplating all of that, I once again checked my surroundings using my skill. ''Hmm. They are all still here.'' Ignoring all those presences that were observing my movements, I poked my head outside and walked out of the room. ''First, I need to learn about the current situation of this forest. And since the Lightning Wolf presented me with the opportunity to do so, I will gladly use it for my own benefit.'' When I looked around, I saw a bunch of Great Wolves following me with their eyes. ''But since there is a high chance that this might be a part of that monster¡¯s plan, I need to be extremely cautious to avoid provoking that monster''s suspicion.'' And so, under the watchful gaze of Lightning Wolf¡¯s minions, I strolled towards the center of the lair. *** At the very center of the lair, I found Lightning Wolf waiting for me outside the entrance of his shelter. ¡°You¡¯ve come¡­¡± He greeted as a start. Hearing that, I nodded and replied. ''As we¡¯ve agreed.'' ¡°Good¡­¡± Upon saying that, the Lighting Wolf stood up and shook some dust off his body. ¡°Follow me¡­ they¡¯re waiting¡­¡± If I remembered it right, the Lighting Wolf would be leading me towards the entrance of the lair. Most likely, his wolves were already outside, waiting for their alpha to show up. Though, of course, what we were doing right now was probably a lot more different compared to how they usually do things. Because if I was not mistaken, the permission of the alpha wasn''t needed when starting a hunt. In my memory, once a task was delegated to a wolf, they would be put under the supervision of a leader, which would then be the ones responsible for the actions of those that were under him. The only time, when an alpha would intervene, was either during an exchange of personnel or if there was an urgent matter involving the entirety of the pack. In other words, it was basically a crude version of the humans¡¯ organizational structure. While I was using my memories as a reference point, the Lightning Wolf walked away so I decided to follow from behind. ¡°I¡¯ll explain¡­ what you¡¯ll¡­ do¡­¡± The monster started as I caught up. Unlike before, the Lighting Wolf didn¡¯t have an entourage of wolves guarding him on all sides. But besides the occasional guard wolves that were patrolling the lair, I could still feel the presence of some exceptional Great Wolves watching us from afar. And if my guess was right, they might be the very same wolves that were stationed near my room. Only this time, the wolves were trying their best to hide their presence as if they were gauging the limits of my ability. Seeing that, I felt a little dejected and frustrated in my heart. But knowing that I was still connected with the monster through some sort of mysterious telepathy, I also acted as if nothing had happened whilst preventing those thoughts from surfacing up. Because of this, I managed to confirm that this telepathic communication could only transfer the outer thoughts, but not the inner thoughts of those who were involved. Of course, even while I was thinking about all of that, it wasn¡¯t as if I didn¡¯t listen to the Lightning Wolf¡¯s explanation. In fact, though my mind seemed distracted by a lot of different things, I could still gather and absorb a lot of information depending on the level of my concentration. In short, I could multitask using my body and mind. That was why after I was done figuring all of those out, I began to think about what the Lightning Wolf had said. According to him, I didn¡¯t have to follow nor obey the orders of any leaders from a hunting squad. The only thing that I had to do was to either save or assist them if they happened to encounter some danger in the middle of the hunt. And if by chance they were all attacked at once, it was up to me to decide who to save and prioritize during that time. More than that, the monster also said that I should move by myself while hiding my presence and location. This way, if some potential threat appeared, it would be easy for me to launch an ambush or respond to an emergency in time. After the Lightning Wolf was done with his explanation, I began to ask. ''If I encounter a monster on the way, is it agreeable to take it for myself?'' For a couple of seconds, the Lightning Wolf remained silent as if trying to come up with an answer. ¡°You can¡­ But half¡­ will be¡­ taken¡± And then, he continued with a frown. ¡°Though¡­ I advise¡­ not to¡­¡± Tilting my head to that, I asked. ''Hmm? Why?'' ¡°Because it¡­ will be¡­ a burden¡­¡± He replied while glancing back. ''A burden, huh?'' I started with a pause. ''Fair enough.'' At that moment, we finally arrived at the entrance of the lair. A couple of steps later, we were already outside. And there, I saw a bunch of wolves that I would have to babysit later on. Upon seeing their alpha, the wolves lined up in attention with a snap. At the very front of their formation, the four Great Wolves stood separated from each other whilst the remaining Dire Wolves positioned themselves on the back. From that, they accentuated the four-hunting squad, each of which has three subordinates and one leader as a guide. The Lighting Wolf made a signal of acknowledgment when he saw the formation of his wolves. Following that, he stood in front of his hunters and made a gesture of introduction for me. According to his body language, the Lightning Wolf was informing his subordinates that I would be the one helping them in the hunt for now. And after his wolves nodded in understanding, the Lightning Wolf turned his and looked me in the eye. Raising his leg as the signal, the Lightning Wolf declared. ¡°It¡¯s time¡­¡± At that moment, the wolves ran towards the forest, and I followed behind. Chapter 72 - 68 Using my radar-like ability as a guide, I followed the wolves from the back as they ran straight deeper into the forest. And after two whole minutes of plowing through the woods and vegetation, we finally reached the boundary of the Lighting Wolf¡¯s territory. Once they were out of their alpha¡¯s territory, the platoon of wolves separated into two groups and then formed the standard formation for a hunt. In this setup, a single hunting group was made up of two joint squads, each of which has its roles and jobs to fulfill. First, the squads of the hunting group would be placed in a vertical position; one at the front as the vanguard, while the other would be in the back as the rear guard. In this arrangement, the vanguard would be the one responsible for scouting, hunting, and killing the prey. Once that was done, they would proceed to move forward and let the rear guard collect their catch. Because of this, the vanguard would be able to exert its full capabilities without being bothered by an additional burden and luggage on the way. Of course, this didn¡¯t mean that the rear guards¡¯ job was to collect the spoils alone. Because besides collecting the spoils, they were also responsible for cleaning up the scene and making sure that their group wouldn¡¯t be tracked. And in the case that the vanguard fell into a predicament or was ambushed by an enemy, the rear guard would then function as both the backup and the defender of their comrades¡¯ back. As for my overall role for the platoon, well, I was placed in a position in which I could respond with ease in case of an emergency. To be more specific, I was on the very back line of the formation looking over the two groups that were advancing parallel to each other. Normally, this position should be occupied by a small and elite group of hunter wolves. Most of the time, it consisted of three Great Wolves that were both a master of combat and had some exceptional senses than the rest. And if I was not mistaken, there should also be some rare cases in which this position was occupied by none other than the alpha wolves themselves. In short, the basic requirements for this role were power and outstanding tracking skill. After all, it was clear from this experience that it would be difficult to fulfill this role without this radar-like ability of mine. That was also probably one of the reasons why it was only Great Wolves who were chosen to fill this role. ''Seriously, this hunting formation isn¡¯t easy to pull off.'' Since the Frost Wolf¡¯s pack was destroyed before my past self could grow up, I had no actual memory and experience of formally joining a hunt. And even though I knew what my past self has been taught, there was still a huge difference between feeling it firsthand and doing it while minimizing the risks involved. ''These guys must be working together for quite some time to be able to sync their movements like this.'' Because of my skill and position at the back most line, I could see the entirety of what the wolves were doing to not break the formation. And from what I could tell, it seemed like the most crucial role, in this case, was played by the leader of the squads. If my guess was right, the leaders must be using their exceptional senses to keep track of the movements of the other squads. Because of this, they managed to remove the need to make any obvious signals that could alert any monsters nearby. ''This is a clever way of making full use of their advantage.'' I thought while observing the wolves with my skill. ''But man, there is really something wrong with this forest.'' With the aid of my radar-like ability, I was able to sense not only the movements of the wolves but also the location of other monsters once they¡¯re in range. Because of that, I noticed that the monsters living in this place were all much weaker in comparison to the monsters that I encountered before. More than that, it was also obvious that the population of the creatures here was much smaller compared to the other areas I¡¯ve been in. ''I don¡¯t know if those wolves know this, but this isn¡¯t looking good.'' If that Lightning Wolf¡¯s explanation was true, then I have every reason to believe that this area was now isolated ever since I collapsed that path with the ape. But if that was the case, then that also means that wolves wouldn¡¯t be able to hunt for food outside of this zone. So, unlike those apes from the jungle-type area, the livelihood of these wolves was completely dependent on the monsters of this place. ''All those alphas must have been aware.'' Using the population of the Lightning Wolf¡¯s pack as the basis, I made a rough guess of the collective number of the living wolves in this forest. And according to my estimation, the other species in this place would go extinct if the wolves continued hunting them at this pace. The problem was, these guys had no other choice but to continue doing so, or they would be the ones to perish first. In other words, unless those alphas have some sort of plan, these wolves were pretty much trapped, and their fate was already sealed. ''Hmm. I wonder if this situation is somehow connected to the Tempest Wolf¡¯s action at that time?'' Whilst checking if there was something wrong with the formation of the platoon, I noticed that the two vanguard squads were both engaged in fierce combat. But upon focusing more on it, I discovered that they were just having the usual skirmish against their target, but they weren¡¯t even losing ground. Since that was the case, I decided to follow their alpha¡¯s instructions and watched them for now. ''No. That cannot be the case. After all, it was only recently when that path collapsed. Most likely, at that time, the situation hasn¡¯t gone this far¡­ Wait, it only recently collapsed?'' At that moment, I came to a sudden realization. ''S-so, basically, I-I¡¯m one of the reasons why everything has taken a turn for the worse!'' Probably because of that, I felt a chilling sensation running through my back. ''I-if so, then there was no way that the Lightning Wolf wasn¡¯t aware of that!'' Judging the Lightning Wolf¡¯s action so far, it was clear that the monster was still cautious because of my presence. But for some unknown reason, despite being wary of my actions, the monster¡¯s suspicion towards me was only to that extent. And even though I was under constant surveillance during my stay in his lair, that action was still considered normal especially because he was letting a stranger stay on his turf. More than that, it was even more confusing why the monster assigned me to do this task. Because truth to be told, it wouldn¡¯t be hard for me to wipe out this entire platoon, to weaken the forces of his pack. ''He should know that! So, what the heck is that guy even thinking?!'' I couldn¡¯t help but wonder. A little while later, I noticed that the two rear guards were now collecting the harvest, but when I turned my attention to the vanguards, I realized that one of them had come to a sudden halt. And on the opposite end of the formation, it also seemed like the other vanguard was moving towards the other side to meet up. ''What¡¯s happening? Did they encounter something?'' Based on the behavior of the two squads, I could tell from my position that they were both moving with more caution than before. And for the vanguard squad that had stopped, I could feel that all of its members were trying to hide their presence as much as possible. ''For now, a fight has yet to break out. But given how wary they are, they must have found or encountered something that made them act like that.'' Since it looked like they discovered something serious, I ultimately decided to back them up. And so, whilst keeping my Stealth on, I ran towards the location of the motionless vanguard. Luckily, this forest wasn¡¯t lacking in some tall grass and weirdly shaped trees that I could use as a cover. But knowing that most of the hollowed trees were a habitat of some monsters, I made sure to keep away from them to avoid compromising my Stealth. Looking at that, I made an immediate conclusion. ''A monster¡¯s den.'' On my way here, I noticed that the air was carrying a faint smell of blood. And the moment that I reached this place, that scent had become much more pungent, to the point that it already felt repulsive for my nose. More than that, there were also a huge number of bones scattered not only in its immediate vicinity but also up until its entrance. But what was even more shocking was the fact that there seemed to be some skulls of wolves, mixed among those numerous piles of bones. ''A monster that hunts and eats the ruling species of this forest? Well, that¡¯s new.'' Chapter 73 - 69 As far as I know, the monsters here shouldn¡¯t have enough strength to beat a wolf in direct combat. And even though the feat wasn¡¯t completely impossible, pulling it off would still be hard especially since the wolves¡¯ hunts in groups. Furthermore, even when they were ambushed or isolated, the wolves had some keen senses so they wouldn¡¯t necessarily go down without a fight. More than that, once they survived the ambush, they could just howl and call for their comrades putting time pressure on their enemies. ''If I¡¯m in their position, I will make sure to damage the wolf¡¯s throat in the ambush, thus making sure that he will not be able to call for a backup. But even then, there is no guarantee that the other wolves will not notice such disturbance.'' The problem with this thought process was that it was doubtful whether a low-level monster could come up with that solution. And even if they did, putting that plan into practice still required some ability and strength to back it up. ''In other words, a normal monster from this forest cannot pull it off.'' With these facts in mind, I came up with two possibilities. ''So, it¡¯s either an outsider monster that has somehow entered this forest or this monster is an abnormal existence that has managed to avoid the detection of the wolves until now. Well, I¡¯m more inclined to believe that it is the latter.'' I concluded in a flash. Judging by the bones and skulls that were scattered all over, I estimated that some of these remains had already been here for quite a while. Because of that, I excluded the Gigarillon from my possible suspects since both of us had only been here for about two days. ''At least this will not complicate my relationship with Lightning Wolf, so it should not affect my plan.'' I sighed in relief. ''Regardless, it seems like this is related to the disturbance that the Lightning Wolf has mentioned before.'' Based on the behavior that these wolves were showcasing; it was pretty clear that they immediately realized this fact when they stumbled upon this place. But what I didn¡¯t expect was the depth of their connection with this particular disturbance. I mean, I sure didn¡¯t expect it to involve the death and murder of the wolves that were supposed to be the ruling species of this forest. ''So, that is why we encountered the Lightning Wolf at that time, huh?'' At some point, the other vanguard squad appeared to join us in this abrupt investigation. And according to my ability, it also seemed like the two rearguard squads had merged and were now hiding not too far from behind. With this, even if there was an emergency, we could at least expect a backup to aid us. ''Well, my ability isn¡¯t sensing any presence inside, and even if there is something there, this den can only shelter three monsters at most so we should all be fine. Unless, of course, if there is a monster as strong as that Cerberus inside. But that is unlikely to happen since if there really is one, then there is no reason for him to hide and avoid being detected by those alphas.'' Once everyone was ready, the leaders of the two vanguard squads gestured to their subordinates to move and spread out. Seeing that, the wolves jumped out from their hiding spot and immediately surrounded the monster den. At the same time, I also noticed the rear guards spreading around the area whilst keeping a low profile. After the formation had been complete, I emerged from my hiding spot and walked towards the entrance of the den. Following my lead, the two leaders walked on my left and right side as if trying to guard me against any possible attacks. And using this standard scouting formation, the three of us entered the monster den. Besides remaining cautious against any possible attacks from the owner of the den, I also didn¡¯t forget to keep my guard up against the two wolves on my side. After all, even though we have a cooperative relationship right now, I still wouldn¡¯t consider them as comrades to whom I could entrust my back. And surely, these guys were probably thinking the same. While maintaining a state of high alert, I swept my eyes around and scanned the interior of the monster den. And the moment that we were a few meters inside, we made a sudden stop to check if there was any monster inside. In that same instant, I compressed the radius of my radar-like ability to enhance its detection capability. In the internal area of that monster den, there were piles upon piles of monster bones scattered all over. By my estimate, I assumed that the sheer volume of the bones far exceeded those that we found outside. And to be honest, I found the darkness of the area uncomfortably cold and eerie. It was a complete contrast to the shelter that the wolves were using. Because in those shelters, I felt as if the darkness was comfortable and peaceful. But for this den, the impression I got was that of an abandoned haunted house. Of course, it might be possible that my judgment was simply influenced by those monster remains, and the thick scent of blood. But because of my rich experience and encounters up to now, I couldn¡¯t help but compare the atmosphere of this den to some monsters that I encountered in other areas. ''This reminds me of the feeling that I got from that Cerberus and those Hellhounds.'' Because of that possibility, multiple questions flashed in my mind. ''Is there some sort of connection? Or maybe there is a hellhound lurking in this forest? If so, how many?'' Amidst all of that, the three of us once again began moving farther inside. But for better or for worse, we didn¡¯t find the owner of the den no matter how we searched inside. And judging by the state of the remains, I assumed that it had already been at least two days since the monster had abandoned this place. As for how long that monster stayed in this den, I guessed that it was only for about three to five days. So in conclusion, it could be said that the monster first used this den about five to seven days ago. ''That monster only stayed here for that long and yet he managed to hunt this much monster? More than that, its action also seemed like it had an actual motive for staying here. If not, then there should be no reason for that monster to abandon this place. In short, the monster left this den because it must have already completed its purpose.'' ''In that case, that monster must have used the gap between his arrival and departure to hunt and stockpile some food.'' With that thought in mind, I glanced at the remains scattered all around. ''So, that¡¯s it, huh?'' To be honest, the behavior of the monster was quite familiar to me. In fact, I¡¯ve even experienced all of it myself. ''There¡¯s no doubt about it. That monster used this place to hide during its evolution.'' Since we didn¡¯t find the monster inside, the three of us ultimately decided to come out. Once outside, the two leaders proceeded to command their subordinates to spread out and search the surrounding vicinity. But because the den had already been abandoned for days, the wolves didn¡¯t find any traces of the monster. And so, the platoon decided to end the hunt and report what had happened to their alpha. We reformed our hunting formation on our way back. Though, this time, the position of the vanguard and rear-guard squads had been reversed. If my guess was right, this probably was a common practice to lessen the load of the previews vanguard squads. This way, even if we were ambushed along the way, every member of the platoon would have sufficient energy to fight back. But unlike when we were on an active hunt, the priority when going back was to avoid engaging in combat. After all, unlike before, the rear guards were now carrying some additional language, and that could hinder their ability to fight. And while there was a choice of temporarily leaving the harvest to fight back, there was still a huge chance that such action was actually what the enemy was aiming for. In fact, I would even bet that there were many cases like that. Fortunately, we didn¡¯t encounter any dangerous enemies on our way back. ''It¡¯s finally done.'' I sighed in relief as I stepped inside the Lightning Wolf¡¯s lair, but at the same time, I couldn¡¯t help but think about that newly evolved monster that was probably roaming this forest right at this moment. ''With that amount of consumption, I think that the monster must have also ascended into a ruling class. In other words, there are now six alpha class monsters in this forest, including that missing Gigarillon.'' Chapter 74 - 70 When we got back to the Lightning Wolf¡¯s lair, the four squad leaders went straight to report to their alpha. And because this task was technically an agreement between the Lightning Wolf and me, I decided to give my own impression on the matter, so I followed the wolves from behind. Besides, I got this feeling that the Lightning Wolf would visit to ask for my opinion regardless if I took the initiative or not. After all, to have a better understanding of the situation, it was only natural to seek the opinion of those who were present on the scene. Once we reached the treehouse in the center of the lair, we found out that the Lighting Wolf had also just returned. And from what I could tell, it seemed like the Lightning Wolf had gone out on a patrol. ''That¡¯s strange, as far I know, the alphas were mostly in charge of protecting the hidden lair. Because of this, it is pretty much common knowledge that the alphas won¡¯t leave their lair unless there is a huge incident.'' I wondered as I observed from the back. ''Maybe this is just the difference between the behavior of this alpha and the Frost Wolf from my memory? But now that I think about it, it is also strange that the Lightning Wolf went out of his way to personally investigate the disturbance back then.'' In my personal opinion, it was weird that the Lightning Wolf was troubling himself with all of this menial task. After all, I could see that there was no shortage of elite wolves in his pack, so it was quite baffling that he didn¡¯t just assign those wolves to complete those tasks. That way, he could also remove the risk of his lair being attacked while he was away. ''Is he really that worried about his subordinates, or maybe he just doesn¡¯t trust them at all? No. That can¡¯t be it. I think there is a much deeper reason for his actions.'' At that, I remembered the declining population of monsters that I discovered earlier during the hunt. ''Wait, is it connected to that?'' With that perspective in mind, I realized that the Lightning Wolf¡¯s action might just be because of that. For example; the reason why he had joined the patrol was probably because of multiple cases of invasion from the wolves of other packs. As for why such incidents happened, it could be explained that it was the result of the shortage in food resources. Because of this, the relationship between the three remaining packs had become much more volatile to the point that the alphas had to take some actions themselves. ''But then, when does all of it start? Is this already a problem long before I even awakened? If so, then does that mean that the Tempest Wolf¡¯s seemingly rash actions at that time were the result of all this trouble?'' Then, I remembered the Lightning Wolf¡¯s explanation when I asked him why he wanted me to stay with his pack. ''Wait, he said that because we collapsed that path, the only exit that was left on this place was the one that led up to the surface. But from that wording, it seemed as if someone had intentionally blocked the other paths, but left that one alone for some unknown reason.'' Because of that realization, I couldn¡¯t help but be suspicious of everything that transpired. ''Is this all the result of some monster or entity scheming from the shadows? But regardless of that, why didn¡¯t the wolves use that single path to hunt for food resources outside this area?'' The longer that I thought about it, the more that I suspect that there might be something hidden going on behind the scenes. While I was thinking about all of that, I watched the four squad leaders give a simple report to the Lightning Wolf. And because of my current standing as a guess as well as the agreement we had before, I didn¡¯t dare interrupt the wolves and simply observed them from the sidelines. It took a couple of minutes for the wolves to finish their report. Despite that, I could tell that the wolves weren¡¯t able to give much detail to the Lightning Wolf. Mostly, this was because of their limited means of communication. After all, there were just some things that were impossible to express using body language alone. And for normal wolves that had no other way of exchanging information, it was only natural that this would be the result. After the four squad leaders were done with their report, the Lightning Wolf reminded them about my share from the harvest of the hunt. With that, the Lightning Wolf dismissed his subordinates before looking towards me. At the same time, he made a gesture to tell me to follow him inside. Fully anticipating such a question, I replied in an instant. ''Those guys were right, the monster used that den to hide during its evolution.'' ¡°I see¡­¡± The Lightning Wolf paused for an instant. ¡°What else¡­?¡± He added. From that interaction alone, I immediately confirmed that my hunch was correct. Most likely, this was one of the reasons why the Lightning Wolf asked me to join their hunts. And to be honest, I had to agree that this was a very effective method especially because I could communicate with him through this mysterious telepathy. In other words, he was not only using this chance to have me protect his subordinates, but he was also making me act as his eyes to get much more detailed information outside. Since I had a feeling that it would be for me to tell the truth, I ultimately decided to give my full opinion on that matter and explained my reasons for assuming all of that. What I told the alpha included my estimations based on the remains inside that den, my guesses on the possible race of the monster that they¡¯re chasing, as well as my theory on the monsters¡¯ current class. ¡°An alpha¡­¡± The Lightning Wolf replied with a sigh. To be honest, I really wanted to ask the Lightning Wolf about my conjectures on the problem that I discovered in this forest. But since I wasn¡¯t sure if I could put my trust in this alpha, I decided to hold myself back for now and seek out more details regarding the problem. This was because up until this point, I still had yet to grasp the motives behind the Lightning Wolf decisions over me. And who knows, it might even be possible that all of it was just a huge scheme created by the Lightning Wolf. ''Anything else?'' I asked back. ¡°That ape¡­ Any sign¡­?¡± ''None, unfortunately. I didn¡¯t even find any traces of him.'' I answered frankly. As I stood up from that spot in preparation to leave, the Lightning Wolf added that my share for the hunt would be delivered in my room by his subordinates. Because of that, he said I should go straight into my room since it might result in trouble if I collected that share myself. Clearly, it was an indication that his pack had some split opinions regarding my presence here. ''That¡¯s to be expected.'' I thought as I stepped outside of the Lightning Wolf¡¯s room. On my way to return, I couldn¡¯t help but think about all the things that I observe throughout this day. First, I learned that this forest was on the verge of mass famine. Because of this, the conflict between the three packs intensified to the point that it was volatile enough to explode at any given moment. Second, there was that matter about that mysterious monster, that had somehow evolved into an alpha-class thus further throwing the power balance between the active alphas out of whack. And at last, the most unpredictable factor of them all, the supposed mysterious entity that was scheming the destruction and fall of the wolves. ''This is too damn many. And that¡¯s not even including the sudden disappearance of that ape as well as the motives of Lightning Wolf that might be connected to it all.'' Of course, it was also possible that the mysterious scheming entity was the same as that mysterious monster that the wolves were chasing. The only problem with that was the fact that a low-level monster couldn¡¯t possibly collapse a path using his latent powers alone. ''Judging by my estimated time frame of that monster¡¯s evolution, it is pretty much impossible for him to collapse all that path during that short amount of time. Well, unless my estimations are wrong or he was just that fast and powerful.'' At some point, I found myself standing at the entrance of the room. ''I just don¡¯t have enough information for now.'' With that, I put all my questions and conjecture at the back of my mind and entered my room. Inside, I found a huge slab of meat placed at the corner of the room. ''Yeah. I should just rest for now in preparation for the hunt tomorrow. But seriously, this huge slab of meat is like nothing for a growing wolf like me.'' I complained inside. Chapter 75 - Authors Note Hello guys, I''m sorry to say that there will be no update this week. I encountered some problem IRL, so I felt stressed out and this is the reason why I''m unable to write. Nevertheless, I will try my best to produce new chapters next week, and I''m also hoping that my problems will eventually come to pass. Sorry once again and I hope you guys understand. Chapter 76 - 71 About five days had passed since I decided to stay with Lightning Wolf¡¯s pack. During this time, I fulfilled my agreement with the Lighting Wolf and assisted his subordinates every time they hunt outside. Every day, the Lightning Wolf would rotate the hunting team that I would join as if trying to help me get acquainted with the wolves from his pack. As of now, I got to join at least four elite hunting teams and it seemed like these elites were the only ones allowed to hunt outside of the Lightning Wolf¡¯s territory. But if I remembered it right, this was different from how it was supposed to be in the past. Back then, as long as there were at least two experienced wolves in a group, they could proceed to hunt outside. This was in contrast to what they were doing right now in which every member of the hunting group was either an undisputed elite or handpicked hunter by the alpha. Though of course, I still couldn¡¯t rule out the possibility that this pack¡¯s way of doing things was just that different compared to the one in my memories. Luckily, I have yet to encounter any huge problems during a hunt. So far, we haven¡¯t clashed against another hunting group from a different pack nor have seen any of them from afar. To be honest, it was quite confusing for me especially since I thought that my whole purpose was to guard these wolves against an ambush from an enemy pack. The way I see it, it was as if the wolves were deliberately avoiding any confrontations against their own kind. To summarize the atmosphere in a few words; it was like ¡°the calm before a storm.¡± While observing the skirmish between the wolves and their prey in silence, I began to summarize the situation in my head. ''If it is true that these guys really had changed in order to adapt to the change of times, then the relationship of the three remaining packs might be worse than I initially imagined. Because in this case, it might mean that the alphas were trying to preserve their forces as much as they can. In essence, these guys were probably preparing for a battle. One that will involve the three remaining packs!'' For now, it was still questionable whether the three packs would fight amongst themselves. Because all things considered, it might be possible that these wolves were gearing to fight against that unknown entity outside. After all, mass migration was one good option if they want to solve their problem regarding the scarcity of food resources. Basically, it was invasion; the same solution that the ancient human kingdoms had thought of in order to fill in on what they lack. It might be brutal and barbaric, but these guys were monsters so it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if they had such an idea. In fact, those ants from before were actually doing the same. ''It will explain why that Lightning Wolf seems to be trying to recruit me. But at the end of the day, it is just one of the possibilities. Besides, that would lead to the question of why they didn¡¯t try to migrate using that collapsed path when it was still usable¡­ Wait¡ª'' At that moment, I sensed some trouble brewing up ahead. To be specific, one of the vanguard squads that was chasing prey happens to encounter a wolf from another pack. But what surprised me was the wolf seemed to be alone and was separated from his unit. Furthermore, based on the reading of my ability, the aura of that wolf was weak as if it was fatally wounded or something. ''A trap?'' Since I was only using my ability to monitor the situation upfront, I couldn¡¯t visually check if the stray wolf was just faking it, or if it was actually real. Fortunately, all the members of the hunting group were elites, so they didn¡¯t forget to be cautious and alert for any possible ambush. For now, they were simply observing the stray wolf from a distance. Of course, the instant that I noticed the problem, I immediately rushed towards that spot whilst keeping a low profile. ''Looks like the other squads have also noticed it so they were all in their way.'' Using my radar-like ability, I checked if there were any hostile presence nearby. But except for the presence of the stray wolf and our platoon, I realized that there was no other presence nearby. ''What the¡ª'' An ominous feeling ran up my back. Sensing that something was wrong, I stopped in my tracks and cautiously looked around. It was only then that I finally perceived the odd and eerie silence all around. And because the huge trees were blocking the dim lights from above, the area was also blanketed in the darkness of the night. More than that, my senses were also jumbled up. It felt as if everything was a mess making it seem like the spot was isolated from reality. In a snap, I followed my instinct and leaped out of my spot. At the same time, I heard a sharp whistling sound tearing through the air as I felt something grazed past my fur. When I looked back, I saw a dark and blurry silhouette moving amidst the shadow of the trees. But before I even managed to get a better look at my enemy, my surroundings had become chaotic once again. Fortunately, that sensation was resolved a lot faster than before, and the moment that the muddled world shattered into a million pieces, I saw a thin-black object arching towards my neck. ''?!'' In that split second, my survival instinct kicked in and went into overdrive. To save my meager life, I activated the last bit of my Shadow Augment and used it to cover the surface of my neck. Then, upon the activation of Accelerate, I weave my head to safety and let the sharp object brush past my face. ¡°Guh!¡± With a grunt, I hopped away from that follow-up slash that came after that. Amidst all of that, there was a chaotic world and a soothing sensation once again. And as I turned my head towards the assailant, I realized that it was already gone from that spot. Even after looking around, I still failed to catch a glimpse as if the assailant somehow appeared and vanished into thin air. Realizing that I couldn¡¯t rely on my visual perception, I instead focused on my other senses and made use of my radar-like ability. By canceling its wide-area effect and focusing the search on my immediate vicinity, I managed to enhance its tracing and sensory capabilities to the highest extent for now. And as long as it was on, I could sense even the slightest movement of dust as long as it was within the range of my ability. The only drawback of this ability was the resulting mental burden when deciphering the much-needed details among that vast amount of information that it was gathering in real-time. Coupled with Accelerate, I felt the fluctuations of the air moving in what seemed to be slow motion. In the next instant, I perceived a chaotic interference coming from my right blind spot. On its way, that particular interference distorted my ability as it threatened to swallow me up. But before it even managed to reach my position, my mind released a force of resistance that easily broke that interference apart. From what I could tell, it seemed like it happened even faster than the second one from before. Once it was taken care of, I immediately detected the assailant that was hiding beneath that chaotic interference. Though this time, I pretended to be still affected by the enemy¡¯s ability until the very last second of its attack. Seizing that opportunity, the assailant lounges itself with all its might. And using my powerful perception ability, I waited till the monster arch its back, in preparation to launch a full swing on my neck. Before the monster realized what was happening, I charged forward in a flash. And using the speed and time perception that was granted by my skill, I swiped my claws towards the enemy. Upon landing a little distance away, I finally caught a glimpse of the enemy. ''I see.'' I thought as I prepared myself to battle the monster to death. But to my surprise, the monster seemed to sense an incoming danger and didn¡¯t hesitate to dip out. ''Wha¡ª'' In my stupor, the monster got away and disappeared into the thick forest all because I was late in chasing after it. The only saving grace was that I managed to use Assess on the monster, so it was at least possible to verify its race. [Name: (Unnamed) Race: Underclaw Level: 31 Status: Healthy] Chapter 77 - 72 ''A thin body covered by a pitch-black shell, four blood-red eyes, and four sinister scythe-like arms. There is no mistaking it, that monster is part of the mantis-type species¡­ More than that, based on its level and abilities, it is highly likely that it is the same monster that the Lightning Wolf is looking for.'' I concluded as gazed in the direction wherein the monster had disappeared. Now that the identity of the mysterious alpha-class monster was revealed, I couldn¡¯t help but suspect that the Underclaw was just the evolved Hackclaw that I met before. Because no matter how much I think about it, every clue and evidence was pointing towards that particular possibility. That path, that we collapsed, the traces of sudden evolution and the supposed timeline of its first appearance in this area, all of it lined up. ''Right, I haven¡¯t seen that guy with the monster survivors from back then.'' At that time, because of the situation on that ant¡¯s territory, I didn¡¯t put much thought into the disappearance of that Hackclaw. After all, before I saw them again, I left those monsters to battle a whole swarm of ants so it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if one or two of them had perished right there. Furthermore, the impression that I got from that Hackclaw was that of a borderline crazy monster; one that wouldn¡¯t cooperate with others no matter how dire the situation was. ''Looks like I underestimate that monster¡¯s persistence to live. Moreover, he is even lucky enough to stumble on that path and escape before all the chaos began.'' As I was about to turn back to meet the platoon of wolves, I sensed the presence of a monster traveling from above. Not long after that, something huge fell from the sky and it landed directly upfront. Oddly enough, the said object didn¡¯t even make a sound nor created a disturbance, despite its size. And though the monster was excluding an oppressive aura, it wasn¡¯t like the Underclaw who was completely hostile towards me. Well, it wasn¡¯t exactly friendly either. But just to make it clear, the feeling was definitely mutual. Looking at the familiar humanoid monster, I couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ''So that¡¯s the reason, huh? But why are you doing with that heroic landing pose and smug attitude? You¡¯re freaking late! The monster has already escaped!'' I complained inside. Without being bothered by my criticizing gaze, the Gigarillon began to wipe the dust away from his fur. And from time to time, the monster would even give me a sidelong glance as if giving me an implication that I should be grateful for the save. It was, in every sense of the word, extremely irritating. ''You¡¯ve got to be kidding me. You didn¡¯t do shit! With my level, I¡¯m confident that I can beat the heck out of that monster! In fact, all you did was scare it away thus wasting the freaking opportunity!'' I turned away in a brisk. Given the timing of the Gigarillon¡¯s appearance, there was no denying the fact that the ape had been tracking and chasing that mantis all this time. I didn¡¯t know if it was because he was trying to take responsibility for freeing such a monster, or if there were other motives behind it. Either way, I didn¡¯t care nor I got anything to do with it so I just left the ape to do his own thing. Besides, it would benefit me if I kept the two of them busy since it would lessen the unpredictable factors when I started hunting that Tempest Wolf. So, all in all, it should be a win-win situation for me. When I came back to the spot where I battled against the Underclaw, I found the platoon of wolves searching the surrounding area. From the looks of it, they probably noticed the disturbance on my end, so they all rushed in to check my situation. Despite that, it seemed like their sensory abilities weren¡¯t that high so they didn¡¯t notice the presence of the Gigarillon. In fact, I could tell from their behavior that it hadn¡¯t been long since they arrived. This, of course, also means that they had sensed that disturbance far too late. Upon seeing that I came back, one of the squad leaders nodded at me signaling that he understood the situation. Following that, he informed the other leaders, and they began their preparations to come back. After all, it seemed like the rear squads didn¡¯t lose the harvest and it all should be enough. Furthermore, they were probably thinking that it would be quite risky to push through especially since they didn¡¯t know if the monster would come back to attack. Of course, I know for a fact that their worries wouldn¡¯t happen since the Gigarillon seemed to be chasing after that monster. But without giving any suggestion, I just went on with the flow and agreed on their plan. As for the weakened stray wolf from before, it seemed like it had already died but they were planning on bringing it back probably to let their alpha examine the corpse. ''I hope they aren¡¯t planning on eating it or giving its meat to me.'' I couldn¡¯t help but worry. *** Once we came back, the squad leaders and I went straight to the shelter of the wolf. And as usual, the leaders tried their best to explain what happened to their alpha. But since they weren¡¯t present when I was attacked by the monster, all they did was report their findings and guesses based on what they saw on the scene. To be honest, it was also clear that the wolves were mixing in their own biases on their guesses and theories. In fact, they were even suspecting and criticizing me especially because the monster had escaped from me. In other words, the leaders were implying that I might be colluding with that bloodthirsty and semi-crazy monster. ''Sigh. Looks like there were quite convinced.'' Of course, I fully understand where the wolves were coming from. After all, my position in this matter was basically a stranger who was intruding on their lives. Because of this, it wasn¡¯t that surprising that they would think as such. And truth be told, I would probably think the same if I was put in their position. But even then, I still found the notion of colluding with that monster to be incredibly ridiculous. I mean, based on that monster¡¯s behavior, was cooperation even possible? The only saving grace, for now, was that the Lightning Wolf was quite sharp. So, even though the leaders have a unanimous opinion on that speculation, I believed that this alpha wouldn¡¯t make a rash decision even if he was suspecting the same. In this case, I had no doubt that he would first listen to my side of the story which was the very reason why I chose to come back to this place. And while I still couldn¡¯t understand the motives and motivations behind the Lightning Wolf¡¯s action, I was at least certain that he was quite meticulous when it came to such small details. For a leader, this was a really good quality because I know for a fact that most truths hide inside those small and almost negligible details. In contrast to the reports that I witnessed these past few days, this one, in particular, took quite some time. Mostly, it was because of the passionate explanations of the leaders about the possible dangers that I might pose. In all honesty, I found it oddly entertaining especially because the leaders were showing their desperation in trying to convince their ever-stoic alpha. Seriously, I even had an urge to cheer for them in the background. In addition to that, I also had an epiphany on why some people couldn¡¯t resist their d.e.s.i.r.e to pamper their furball of a pet. Though in this case, I could also be considered as one of those furballs to spoil. ''Most likely, my current appearance will be quite a hit for those people who prefer cool-looking pets rather than cute and cuddly ones.'' I imagined as I watched that scene. At some point in time, the leaders had finished their report before my thoughts further descended in that strange direction. Upon coming back to reality, I noticed the dejected moods of the leaders as they passed by and walked away. Once they were gone, the alpha beckoned me to follow inside his shelter. Then after entering and taking a seat in front of the Lightning Wolf, I didn¡¯t hesitate and went straight to the point. ''To clarify, I got nothing to do with that thing.'' I stated with conviction. ''And even if I want to collude with that thing, doing so is pretty much impossible given how vicious and crazy it is.'' I further explained. ¡°I know¡­ I¡¯ve sensed¡­its aura¡­ before¡­¡± The Lightning Wolf replied. I see¡­ I said with a pause. ''By before, you mean after it evolved?'' I inquired right after. ¡°Yes¡­ it was¡­ two days¡­ before you¡­ arrived¡­¡± ''¡­ And it managed to escape?'' I asked in surprise. ¡°It¡¯s quite¡­ a handful¡­¡± The Lightning Wolf answered without giving a confirmation. From the way it looked, this alpha was quite frustrated about the incident. After all, given how powerful he was, there weren¡¯t that many monsters that could escape from him. More than that, he might have also commanded his subordinates to search and hunt the monster at that time. But given the strange ability of the mantis, enlisting the help of some non-alpha wolves wouldn¡¯t be of much help. ''As expected, it might be because of that ability.'' I sighed in exasperation. Well, about that¡­ Chapter 78 - 73 Judging by the Lightning Wolf¡¯s question, it seemed like he didn¡¯t even come close to the monster during his hunt. After all, if he did manage to do that, then I had no doubt that the mantis would use that skill on him in an attempt to escape or lay an ambush. ''¡­ It is an ability that somehow interfered with the target¡¯s senses.'' I summarized for the Lightning Wolf. ¡°How about¡­ your ability¡­?¡± By my ability, the Lightning Wolf probably meant my perception skill. ''Unfortunately, it can even affect that.'' I affirmed with certainty. ¡°That is¡­ indeed troublesome¡­¡± The Lightning Wolf paused in thought. ¡°But in¡­ that case¡­ how¡¯d you¡­ fight back¡­?¡± To be honest, I was quite reluctant to reveal the truth to the Lightning Wolf. Especially because this time, it involved the effect of my skill which I could use as my hidden trump card if I was cornered and desperate. The problem was, I couldn¡¯t just spout some outright lie since that would only further increase their suspicion. If that happened, the Lightning Wolf would without a doubt tighten their already strict surveillance on me, thus limiting the freedom of my movements. And in the worst-case scenario, this guy might attack me right then and there if by chance he somehow sees through my lie. Adding the fact that I was basically in the middle of his territory, then that would surely spell the end of my me. After much deliberation, I had a sudden flash of inspiration. ''It may have something to do with my ability or state of mind. Maybe, it is a combination of both.'' I answered in a casual tone. With such a vague answer, the Lightning Wolf would at least be uncertain whether it was an effect of a skill, or if it only happened by chance. Furthermore, even if he thought that it was a skill, he still didn¡¯t have enough details and information to make a solid guess. I mean, from his point of view, it could either be a targeted effect or a generalized one. In short, what I gave him was a rough idea that still needs some test and confirmation. More than that, he also couldn¡¯t blame me for answering as such because he also did the same earlier when I asked if the mantis had escaped from him before. ¡°¡­ I see¡­¡± The Lightning Wolf said without probing any further. ¡°Anyway¡­ about that¡­¡± He gestured towards the corpse of the stray wolf. ¡°What do¡­ you think¡­?¡± By the lead of the Lightning Wolf, I stood up and moved closer to examine the corpse. And in just a single glance, I noticed that the dead wolf only has one fatal injury. That said injury was a deep stab wound at the right side of its stomach, near its ribs. From how it looked, I could confirm that one of the causes of death was due to blood loss. But upon closer inspection, I realized that there was something odd about the corpse¡¯s injury. ''What the¡ª'' I couldn¡¯t help but gasp. I found myself at a loss for words upon scrutinizing the wound using my eyes. Because for one, the wound was giving off an extremely pungent smell. Moreover, the flesh around the wound also seemed to be rotting even though it had only been a few hours since the wolf¡¯s death. And it wasn¡¯t that simple either, because besides the flesh looking like it had been rotting for weeks, that decay was also spreading around little by little, it was as if the corpse had been contaminated by some kind of infectious disease. Seeing such a scene, I didn¡¯t even dare to touch that disgusting wound. After all, I had not the slightest idea how contagious it was. In my mind, I reminded myself that it was better to be careful now than to suffer in misery later. ''This is dangerous. In fact, I highly suggest using your lightning power to burn this corpse. As for how it became like this, it is probably the result of ability.'' I explained and warned while taking a step back. ¡°¡­ As expected¡­¡± The Lightning Wolf said before adding with a heavy tone, ¡°that thing¡­ is really¡­ a handful¡­¡± Agreed¡­ My conversation with the Lightning Wolf took about fifteen to thirty minutes. And on my way back to my temporary shelter, I found myself feeling a mixture of relief and confusion. Relief because the Lightning Wolf didn¡¯t tighten my surveillance and confusion because of his still unknown motives. To be honest, I even felt a little bit of fear especially because I know that there was nothing more horrific than the unknown. Inside my temporary shelter, I lied down on my usual spot acting as if I was trying to rest my exhausted body and mind. Then, after making sure that no one was watching, I decided to confirm my one thing. To do that, I gazed at my left front paw before releasing my claws. *Shing* Accompanied by that fast and sharp sound, my claws revealed themselves in front of my eyes. ''Tsk! Looks like my hunch is right.'' Without the need for any additional effort, I immediately saw the problem in just a single glance. To be more specific, the claws in my right front paw had also been affected by that nasty decay-like effect. ''As I thought, that mantis¡¯ claws are laced with that decay-like effect. Most likely, it is a contact-based effect.'' Luckily, it seemed like my claws had long since negated that decay. Because of that, I didn¡¯t have to worry about it spreading throughout my body although it still left some damage on my claws. ''That additional effect of this Dismantling Claws really came in handy. Besides the effects that the Dismantling Claw had inherited from its predecessor skills, this claw of mine had once again gained an additional effect after my ascension. According to the description, it now has the ability to resist or negate any magic-based or effect augmented spells and abilities. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean that it could fully dispel such powers. From what I understood, both its speed and effect were inversely proportional to the size and potency of the spells or abilities that it was trying to dissolve. ''Since that decay-like effect still left some damage to my claws, despite its negating effect, it is pretty clear that the mantis¡¯ ability is terrifyingly potent. But on the other hand, this also suggested that I at least have the means to defend against those scythe-like arms.'' I concluded before deactivating my claws. ''The only problem now is that mental attack¡­'' Based on what I observed, I already made rough speculation about the possible limitations of that supposed skill. Mainly, it all has something to do with its continued uses and activation. One of my theories was that the skill lost its effectiveness when it was used in succession without that any time intervals in-between. The other one was that it became less and less potent the more it was cast against the same individual. Although both of these theories were based on my personal experience, there was still another factor that I couldn¡¯t neglect. ''That¡¯s right, it¡¯s also possible that the said effect was only the result of the influence of my skill¡ªPresence of Mind.'' ''That mantis probably used that skill to bypass the Lightning Wolf¡¯s subordinates during their search. Of course, it may have turned out differently if the Lightning Wolf at least got close to the mantis. But judging by what I heard from that alpha, it is obvious that the mantis deliberately avoided a confrontation, and it may be because of its weakened state due to its recent evolution at that time. Though regardless of its reason, it shows that the mantis isn¡¯t just a vicious beast that would easily fall for a simple trap. Instead, it is quite a cunning monster that I need to be wary about.'' At some point during my analysis, a wolf had come to deliver my portion for today¡¯s hunt. After receiving my share and watching the delivery wolf leave, I immediately began to eat to replenish some of my lost strength. Besides that, I also used Gorge in some of that meat in order to repair the damage on my claws. This was because I have this impression that despite it being the result of my skill, my claws were still technically a part of my body. So, in essence, it should be possible to mend the damage just like how I could heal the wounds on my body by using this skill. And just like what I expected, the damage on my claws had vanished without even leaving a trace behind. I couldn¡¯t help but smile upon seeing that almost magical scene. ''Nice.'' I thought as I finished my meal. And probably because of my good mood, I somehow had a peaceful sleep that night. Chapter 79 - 74 It was a bright and lively morning! And upon noticing the buzzing sounds of the residents that were all seemed busy preparing for something, I couldn¡¯t help but smile. ''What a lovely day! Seriously, I missed having such a peaceful sleep!'' Amidst all my joy, I could even hear the vigorous sounds of explosions from afar. Honestly, it was probably an alarm that was telling the residents to start preparing for the day! More than that, there was also this faint smoky scent in the air as if someone was trying to burn something down¡­ ''Wait¡­ Huh?'' Waking up from my stupor, I immediately realized that something was amiss. ''Ugh! What the heck? My head hurts!'' For some unknown reason, I started to feel a little bit dizzy the moment that I came to my senses. If I wasn¡¯t mistaken, this feeling should be somewhat similar to having a hangover. ''Damn it! Did they put something on that meat?!'' I couldn¡¯t help but suspect. ''That said, something wrong is definitely going on outside. Is this lair under attack or something?'' To check what was happening in the vicinity of my shelter, I activated and enlarged the radius of my radar-like ability. I chose to do this instead of going out because it would be too dangerous to do so in case this lair was indeed under some assault. After all, in the worst-case scenario, I could just run away whenever things went south. With the aid of my perception skill, I discovered the restless movements of the wolves all around. But from how it looked, it didn¡¯t seem like the lair was under attack. From what I could tell, it was more like them preparing for the worse because of that unknown commotion from afar. In other words, they were all just confused just like me. The problem was, I still had no idea what had happened to me just now. For all I know, these wolves and their alpha might have colluded in trying to poison me, so I was quite reluctant in going outside. ''Seriously, I didn¡¯t even detect anything wrong with that meat. If they indeed put something in it, then that is even more worrying because I couldn¡¯t even detect the substance.'' In a bid to calm down, I took a long deep breath. ''Now that I think about it, why would the wolves choose such time to assassinate me? Is it because of what happened yesterday? But if so, wouldn¡¯t that be too much of an overreaction especially since my actions didn¡¯t really put any of them in harm? Besides, judging by the personality of the Lightning Wolf, it is hard to believe that he would plan such a sloppy assassination.'' Since the Lightning Wolf didn¡¯t know anything about my other abilities, he should have at least been cautious about any skills that negate the effect of poisons. It was even more so because he was aware that I came from a different area. In short, if it was really an assassination attempt, the chance of Lightning Wolf''s involvement was very low. ''Well, even if the chance is low, there is still a chance regardless. But one thing is for certain¡ªI didn¡¯t wake up normally today. Most likely, someone from this lair had tried to kill me, but it failed due to my skill. And the prime suspect is that delivery wolf from last night.'' About two minutes had passed, and I finally made up my mind. With utmost confidence, I strolled out of my shelter acting as if I didn''t notice the abnormality last night. The goal for this act was to sound out every suspicious wolf hiding nearby. Using this, I should be able to get some reaction from the culprit especially since I came out unscathed despite all his efforts to assassinate me. Though of course, the prerequisite for success was to notice any subtle hints from every wolf around. To do this, I had to remain focused and alert whilst analyzing the reaction of everyone who was looking at me. So far, I hadn''t seen anyone making such suspicious reactions. From what I observed, it seemed like everyone here was either curious or worried about that commotion in the forest. In fact, most of them didn¡¯t even bother looking at me, and this was they were busy staring at that black smoke coming from the forest. And though the uproar wasn¡¯t happening near the lair, it still wasn¡¯t that far that they could just ignore it either. As for my destination, my initial plan was to go straight to the Lightning Wolf¡¯s place. But upon seeing the commotion in the forest, I instead decided to head to the lair¡¯s entrance. Because judging by the impact of this disturbance, I had a nagging feeling that the Lightning Wolf would check on the situation himself. In that case, there was a higher chance of finding him on the entrance rather than his shelter. And given that it was still too early, I was certain that he still hasn¡¯t left. Furthermore, there was also a chance that this was just a diversion so he couldn¡¯t just leave like that. ''There he is.'' Just like what I expected, the Lightning Wolf was still on standby at the entrance of the lair. And around the alpha, his subordinates were standing there on guard as if they were always ready for a fight. ''They¡¯re really quite prepared.'' I thought as I gazed at the wolves one by one. ''Seems like that delivery wolf isn¡¯t present here.'' For now, I decided not to talk about that possible assassination attempt and simply gauged out the reaction of the Lightning Wolf and wolves around first. But as far as I could tell, all the wolves that had noticed my presence didn¡¯t seem to react in any suspicious way. Though probably because of that incident yesterday, most of them were acting a lot more cautious than before. ''Well, at least they aren¡¯t openly being hostile. Though this is just probably them trying their best to control themselves because of the presence of their alpha.'' The Lightning Wolf, on the other hand, remained in character as the ever-stoic leader. As a matter of fact, he didn¡¯t even show any reaction even though he was the first one to notice my presence. ''Yep. I almost forgot. As a matter of fact, he didn¡¯t even show any reaction even though he was the first one to notice my presence. Even if he is the culprit, I got a feeling that he would react the same.'' I couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Ignoring the annoyed and cautious gazes of the wolves, I stood in parallel to the Lightning Wolf. And while looking in the direction where the smoke is coming from, I asked in a casual tone. ''So, what¡¯s the situation?'' ''I see.'' I said while stealing a glimpse to the side. ''Any idea who''s he fighting against?'' I followed up. ¡°None¡­¡± He apathetically answered. ''In that case, I will head there to check the situation.'' I stated with a firm tone. Of course, in this case, I wouldn¡¯t take a no for an answer. This was because my relationship with the Lightning Wolf was still that of an equal so I technically didn¡¯t need his permission. The only reason why I said this to him was so that he wouldn¡¯t further suspect me of anything. More than that, I also wouldn¡¯t let this chance passed by because this was a good opportunity to gauge the strength of another alpha. As for who he was battling against, I actually have a rough idea. Upon hearing what I said, the Lightning Wolf glanced in my direction. And after pausing for a bit, he said in response, ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll also¡­ come¡­ Wait for¡­ a bit¡­¡± Following that, the Lightning Wolf turned to look at his subordinates. Then, he made an announcement to gather every wolf that could fight and told his subordinates to work with everyone in tightening the security of the lair. In addition to that, he also said that they shouldn¡¯t allow anyone to leave or enter the lair until he comes back. This command sparked a whole lot of reactions from the wolves. Although most of them were in sync that the Lightning Wolf needs to take some guards with him. According to them, this was a precaution in case he was ambushed along the way. Though of course, the implication was that I might pull some trick against their alpha. Unfortunately, for them, both the Lightning Wolf and I knew that they would just be an additional burden. And even if I did try to pull something off, even a few couples of Great Wolves wouldn¡¯t be much of a threat to me. As I expected, the Lightning Wolf denied their proposal and insisted that he could fend for himself. And before his subordinates could even argue back, we were already on the way towards the source of the disturbance. Unlike the hunting expeditions, the Lightning Wolf and I didn¡¯t even bother to conceal ourselves. Instead, we chose to prioritized reaching the epicenter of the commotion using our speed. Along the way, the two of us passed by some fallen or burnt trees. And as the sound of battle became louder and louder, so was the damage dealt on our immediate surroundings. From what I could tell, it seemed like the two combatants were moving through the forest whilst throwing off their skills. By following that trail, the two of us managed to catch up to the battling monster. Unsurprisingly, we saw a wolf covered in fiery-red fur running around emitting flames from his body. Not too far from him, there was a huge humanoid monster covered in pitch-black fur. ''Yep. It really is that Ape.'' I jested inside. Chapter 80 - 75 For some unknown reason, the Gigarillon wore an amused smile on his face. This was despite the fact that the Flame Wolf was showering him with a barrage of fire-based attacks. And from what I could tell, it seemed as if the ape was just testing the strength of his opponent. ''This guy¡­'' At first, I felt annoyed at the ape and sympathetic towards the Flame Wolf. But upon sweeping my gaze towards the wolf, I realized that the said alpha was also wearing the same look on his face. It was as if he didn¡¯t really mind even though his attacks didn¡¯t seem to affect his foe. ''What¡¯s this? Is this their way of playing around? If so, then this isn¡¯t funny¡­'' ¡°Agreed¡­¡± The Lightning Wolf interrupted. Only then that I once again realized that I was still close enough to the Lightning Wolf that he could hear my surface thoughts. Upon coming to that realization, I immediately adjusted my thought process in order to hide my important secrets. And just to be safe, I conditioned my mind to avoid thinking about anything that was related to it. More than that, I tried to act as normal as possible in order to prevent the Lightning Wolf from noticing my blunder. ''So, what now?'' I asked in response. ¡°Stop them¡­ I guess¡­?¡± Without taking his eyes off that battle, the Lightning Wolf gave such an uncertain reply. Hearing that, I couldn¡¯t help but lampoon. ''That¡¯s easier said than done¡­'' Looking at the battle that was happening up front, I couldn¡¯t stop myself from being a little bit pessimistic about the premise of interfering and putting an end to their fight. After all, it was clear to see from the two monsters¡¯ behavior that they couldn¡¯t be stopped just by words alone. In fact, if by chance we made the mistake of charging in without any plan, I had no doubt that we would instead be forced to join that battle thus further escalating the situation. ''If we¡¯re doing this, then we should do it right. And to do so, we need to wait for the perfect timing and opportunity to interfere.'' I explained whilst observing the fight. ¡°I know¡­¡± ''And since it seems like you personally know that Flame Wolf, I will leave that one to you.'' I suggested while sneaking a glance to the side. But without showing any change in his expression, the Lightning Wolf just nodded in response. From what I had observed, I was certain that the Lightning Wolf had some deeper connection with Flame Wolf than what I initially imagined. This was because back when the Lightning Wolf agreed to my surface thoughts, I had sensed something different from his tone. If I wasn¡¯t mistaken, there was a hint of exasperation in the Lightning Wolf¡¯s words at that time. And as far as I could tell, there wasn¡¯t even a hint of hostility in that. It was as if he was looking past the fact that the Flame Wolf was the leader of an enemy pack. Furthermore, it was the first time since I came here that the Lightning Wolf showed some signs of fluctuating emotions. Clearly, there was something going on with that to the point that it even affected the stoic Lightning Wolf. Despite being confused by the Lightning Wolf¡¯s behavior, I decided to put all my questions and speculations at the back of my mind. Instead, I focused my awareness on the fight in an attempt to find any possible opening to exploit. But during my observation, I noticed the presence of another monster nearby. ''?!'' When I turned my head to look in the direction wherein the presence was coming from, I saw these three wolves watching the battle just like us. But what caught my attention the most was the one is standing in the middle whilst being guarded by the other two. And though the three of them were hiding in the shadows, I still could see that the one in the middle has this familiar black and white fur. In that instant, I heard the Lightning Wolf mutter to himself, ¡°Tempest¡­¡± It was then that a flood of emotions burst within my mind. Fear, despair, regret, and rage. All of it rampaged within me as if trying to gobble me up. And truth be told, if not for the good condition of both my body and mind, I would have probably lost control by now. Another thing that I was thankful about was the placating effect of my skill¡ªPresence of Mind. Because through this effect, I was able to maintain my calm facade outside. As a result, I managed to keep my cover as an ignorant outsider, despite the fact that the mere presence of the Tempest Wolf had shaken me to my core. Though of course, I knew for a fact that some slight reaction had slipped out the moment that I laid my eyes on the Tempest Wolf. Luckily, such a reaction could also be interpreted as the result of curiosity or caution. And since this was my supposed first meeting with Tempest Wolf, it would in fact be more suspicious if I didn¡¯t show interest at all. ''Another alpha?'' I asked in a casual tone. Before I knew it, the Flame Wolf and Gigarillon had already stopped. The most curious thing was that the Flame Wolf was staring at the Tempest Wolf with a palpable hostility in his eyes. It was even more strange because he didn¡¯t even show any signs of that when he fighting against the Gigarillon. Furthermore, despite noticing our presence, his malice was directed to the Tempest Wolf alone. To be honest, his reaction was probably comparable to what I was feeling right now. ''Looks like those two have some delicate history.'' I probingly asked. ¡°Something like¡­ that¡­¡± The Lightning Wolf replied before plowing through the burning battleground. Following that example, I approached the Gigarillon on the other side just as we had agreed earlier. Whilst all of these were happening, the Tempest Wolf didn¡¯t move from his spot and simply watched us from afar. And instead of paying attention to the Flame Wolf¡¯s ¡°warm welcome,¡± the Tempest Wolf set his curious gaze towards me and the Gigarillon. Of course, being the gentleman¡ªI mean "gentlewolf" I was, I returned the favor and stared straight into the Tempest Wolf¡¯s eyes. Furthermore, I also took that chance to check the level of my target using Assess. But upon doing so, something unexpected happened. [Name: (Unnamed) Race: Tempest Wolf Level: 43 St¡ª] ''What?!'' Seeing that, I became so overcome by shock to the point that my eyes almost popped out. ''That¡¯s possible?!'' Then, as if he had sensed what I was trying to do, the Tempest Wolf narrowed his eyes. ''He noticed?!'' I thought as I prepared to be attacked. But to my surprise, the Tempest Wolf didn¡¯t make any move against me. Furthermore, it also seemed like he was giving the Gigarillon the same look. Noticing that, I turned my head to the side. And just like what happened when I used Assess on the Tempest Wolf, I saw the same notification in front of my eyes. [Assess blocked] ''You¡¯ve got to be kidding me¡­'' As far as I could remember, I was sure that I had already used Assess on the Gigarillon before. More than that, the result was also different at that time. Why isn¡¯t it working?! In essence, it could be said that it was probable the Gigarillon had deliberately let me use my skill on him before. And thinking about it, the ape was in the middle of a desperate battle when I used this improved version of Assess on him. In other words, it may just be that the Gigarillon was too busy dealing with the ants at that time. As a result, he wasn¡¯t able to block my skill in time even though he had noticed that I was using it on him. It took a couple of seconds before the Tempest Wolf retracted his gaze. During that time, I saw the Lightning Wolf blocking the path of the Flame Wolf as if he was preventing the two alphas to clash. But much to his efforts, the Lightning Wolf still couldn¡¯t convince the Flame Wolf to back down. Amidst all of that, the Tempest Wolf was about to leave when the Flame Wolf let out an ear-piercing howl. ¡°AWOOOOOOOOO!!¡± A moment after the howl erupted, I sensed multiple presences nearby. And before the Tempest Wolf and his minions could leave the area, a bunch of Great Wolves surrounded them and blocked their path. But as if in response to that, another group of wolves appeared behind the first batch. Because of that, the first batch of wolves was sandwiched between Tempest Wolf and his minions on their back. Chapter 81 - 76 ¡°¡°GRRRRRR!¡±¡± An intense standoff ensued as the opposing forces of the two alphas stared each other down. Taking advantage of that situation, the Flame Wolf ran past the Lightning Wolf and joined the fray of wolves. In the next instant, the Flame Wolf jumped into the air and landed directly in front of the Tempest Wolf. Now standing a few meters away from the Tempest Wolf, the Flame Wolf unleashed a burst of a heatwave, and it expanded away from his body. In response to that, the Tempest Wolf released a raging gust of wind that seemed to be powerful enough to swallow everything in its path. *SWOOOOSSSHHH!!* What followed after that was a violent clash of abilities that sent all the wolves near its epicenter flying back. But without paying any heed to their surroundings, the two alphas further increased the intensity of their attack. And every time that one of them would get the upper hand, the other would reply by amplifying the potency of his attack. As a result of this back and forth, a vicious cycle of a ferocious storm was created, and its shockwaves continued to damage the forest. ''Well, that escalated quickly¡­'' I quipped inside. To be honest, I would have probably aided the Flame Wolf in his efforts to kill that Tempest Wolf if not for the fact that Lightning Wolf was still watching nearby. Although regardless of that, I really didn¡¯t expect that these two alphas would clash, right here, right now. Like seriously, I never even thought that the enmity between them would be this bad. In fact, it wouldn¡¯t be a stretch to say that it had far exceeded my imagination. Looking at my left, I saw the Gigarillon standing there with his arms crossed on his c.h.e.s.t. In his eyes, I could see that there was a glimmer of amus.e.m.e.nt and curiosity as he watched the two alpha wolves duked it out. And based on his posture, I could tell in a glance that he had not the slightest intention of interfering nor stopping the fight. Turning my gaze back, I realized that the subordinates of the two alphas had returned. But because of the intensity of the battle, the subordinate wolves didn¡¯t even have the chance to help their respective alphas. In my eyes, I was all but certain that those wolves were too weak to make any notable contribution in that clash. Probably knowing the reality that they were in; the subordinate wolves had no other choice but watched the battle from afar. And to my surprise, it seemed like they didn¡¯t even have any intentions to fight their opposing party. I didn¡¯t know if this was their way of showing their trust, but it looked like they were going to wait until their alpha emerges as the victor. *BOOM!! BOOM!! BOOM!!* It was at that time when the two alphas began a magic shootout. Accompanied by multiple explosions, the two alphas ran around the forest, thus turning their surroundings into a ragged and chaotic battleground. And before I knew it, I found myself surrounded by trees that were either burned or cut, a ground that was riddled with craters and cracks, and an air that was filled with soot and ash. ''This is madness¡­'' I thought with a sigh. While the battle between the two alphas was not as destructive as that one between the Cerberus and Anties Queen, it still could be said that this battle was on a league of its own. And though it was clear that the two monsters were both physically capable, it was still an undeniable fact that their devastating firepower was a result of that elemental power that they have. It was, in all sense of the word, both flashy and deadly at the same time. As the battle of the alphas reached its peak, I saw the Lightning Wolf approaching me in the corner of my eyes. ¡°I have¡­ a request¡­¡± When I turned my head to look at him, the Lightning Wolf continued, ¡°Help me¡­ stop them¡­¡± I stared at Lightning Wolf¡¯s face in silence upon hearing that. In my mind, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder why the Lightning Wolf was saying things like that. ''Are you serious?'' I finally let out. And with a serious look in his eyes, the Lightning Wolf nodded in response. ''¡­ Why?'' I couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll explain¡­ later so¡­ help me¡­ first¡­¡± The Lightning Wolf said without batting an eye. Given what I know about the situation of this forest, it seemed like these wolves were really planning on migrating out. But since there was something powerful guarding the only exit of this area, the safest way to go about doing that was to temporarily band together in case that they were attacked. This way, the wolves would have a higher chance of survival especially since they would have the backing of the three powerful alphas. Unfortunately, it looked like the Flame Wolf wasn¡¯t really fond of such an idea. ''You know that stopping them is not so simple, right?'' ¡°Yes¡­ I know¡­¡± ''And yet, you¡¯re still asking me to basically put my life on the line?'' The Lightning Wolf nodded without backing down. Seeing that, I began. ''First and foremost, I am not your subordinate, so I will not blindly obey your command. Secondly, this problem is yours bear, and not mine. Lastly, my life isn¡¯t so cheap, that I would willing to bet it for free just like that. Now, considering all these facts, then it is safe to say that I have no reason to take such a risk.'' After a brief pause, I continued as if stating an obvious fact. ''But since you said that it is a request, then I assume that you have something to offer me in exchange, isn¡¯t that right?'' In the midst of the raging battle in the background, the Lightning Wolf attentively listened to my rant. And upon hearing my question at the very end, he finally showed his hand. ¡°If you¡­ assist me¡­ until we¡­ get out¡­ I will¡­ help you¡­ set a¡­ deathmatch against¡­ the Tempest¡­¡± The Lightning Wolf uttered to my surprise. Deep inside my mind, I kept asking myself when and where I made such an obvious mistake. But no matter how much I tried, I couldn¡¯t find a clear answer to these questions of mine. More than that, I also started to worry if the Lightning Wolf had secretly informed the other alphas about this fact. Despite all my turmoil inside, I somehow managed to reign it in and feign my ignorance. ''What made you think that I would agree to that?'' I asked whilst acting confused. The Lightning Wolf took the lead in our conversation after that. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ know¡­ I just¡­ thought that¡­ maybe you¡­ would be¡­ interested¡­¡± Looking back to the ongoing battle, he continued, ¡°So¡­ are you¡­ in¡­ or not?¡± Based on the Lightning Wolf¡¯s behavior, I could tell that he really knew something but was deliberately keeping it to himself. I had no idea why, but at least it was a hint that he hadn¡¯t shared this fact with the other alphas. Furthermore, just the fact that he knew that I want the Lightning Wolf dead didn¡¯t mean that he knew the full extent of my secret. In other words, he might still be in the process of trying to find out why. ''So, you''re telling me that you can do that?'' I asked after calming down. ¡°Yes¡­¡± The Lightning Wolf answered with certainty. ''I see¡­'' With that, I decided to accept his offer. ''You better stay true to your words.'' ¡°Of course¡­¡± The Lighting Wolf replied in assurance. *** After days of continued chaos and combat, the battle between the Cerberus and the Anties Queen was finally reaching its climax. And as a testament to the fierce battle between the two gigantic monsters, that barren land was now littered with lots of huge craters, as well as deep and wide cracks. Furthermore, that damage wasn¡¯t only limited to the ground, because both in the walls and the ceiling, the same battle scars could be found. At the very center of that disastrous scene, the Cerberus and the Anties Queen clashed. Around them, huge debris could be seen flying away, every time they collide. At first glance, it looked as if the two monsters were fighting on equal footing. But upon closer inspection, it was easy to tell that the Cerberus was pushing the Anties Queen back. And even though both monsters were littered with wounds, it was clear to see that the Cerberus has the upper hand. Since most of the minions of the Anties Queen were gone, the poor monster wasn¡¯t able to use her skill to recover from her wounds. And because her wings were also in taters, the Anties Queen had no other choice but to fight an uphill battle on the ground. With his opponent unable to fly, the Cerberus unleashed his pitch-black spikes, thus pinning the Anties Queen on her spot. Following that, the three-headed monster shot a powerful long-range attack that opened a hole in the Anties Queen''s stomach. Then, whilst the Queen was about to fall down, the Cerberus showered her with a barrage of a long-range attack. Once everything died down, the Cerberus approached his opponent that had fallen to the ground. But for better or for worse, the Anties Queen was still alive and still has a defiant look in her eyes. Looking at her from above, the Cerberus smiled. And in the next instant, several pitch-black spikes jutted from the ground. ¡°KREEEEEEEEEEEEE!!¡± Each and every one of those spikes pierced the Anties Queen causing her to let out such pitiful screech. And as her blood scattered all around, her subjects watched in horror as the Cerberus slaughter their sovereign in front of their eyes. But as if that scene wasn¡¯t nearly enough, the Cerberus also began to devour the Anties Queen alive. ¡°KKKREEEEEEEEEEEE!!¡± A terrifying screech of death and despair echoed in that area. During all that time, the remaining ants could only stand there in a daze, as their worst nightmare come to life. And as the horrific screech of their Queen died down, they all looked up only to see the bloodied Cerberus standing above the mangled corpse of a gigantic ant. Chapter 82 - 77 The battle between the Flame Wolf and Tempest Wolf continued to rage on. To be honest, the sheer scale and duration of their battle had long since surpassed that battle between the Frost Wolf and Tempest Wolf in my memories. Despite that, the two alphas had still yet to show any signs of fatigue as if both of them have some boundless stamina and energy. And since their subordinates hadn¡¯t joined the fight, the two alphas didn¡¯t have to worry about accidentally committing a friendly fire. As a result, the two of them were able to unleased the full extent of their elemental powers without holding back. ''Well, the circ.u.mstances of the battle back then were quite different so I guess that¡¯s why¡­'' After accepting the offer of the Lightning Wolf, the two of us decided to split up whilst waiting for an opportunity to strike. According to our agreement, I would be in charge of Tempest Wolf, while the Lightning Wolf would handle the other one. The reason for this arrangement was that the Tempest Wolf was all the more likely to listen to me than the Flame Wolf. At such, in an ironic turn of events, I became in charge of stopping the violent rampage of the monster that I had been planning on hunting down. ''What a ridiculous story¡­'' I lampooned inside. Of course, in order to avoid tipping off the two alphas as well as their subordinates, both Lightning Wolf and I hid our presence before we start our operation. Because of that, no one except the Gigarillon knew that the two of us were lurking near the epicenter of the fight. And since the ape chose to remain impartial and just watch all of these unfold from the sidelines, we didn¡¯t have to worry about him interfering with our plan. Since the two alphas were too focused on their battle on hand, they didn¡¯t even notice me as I crept up from behind. And though, I had no idea where the Lightning Wolf was, I was still quite certain that he was on standby somewhere nearby. ''Seriously though, I can¡¯t even find him unless I compress the range of my skill. But I guess I should have expected no less from a long-time alpha of a species that specialize in hunting.'' Although I had already seen some bits of what these alphas were capable of, I still found it quite concerning that they could pretty much rival me when it comes to my own fighting style. After all, this style was what brought me this far, so I consider it to be a specialty of mine. To make matters worse, my Shadow Manipulation skill also couldn¡¯t measure up to these guys'' elemental powers when it comes to a drawn-out fight. With all that thought in mind, I could only let out a sigh. ''And then, I also can¡¯t use it now because of the lack of stack. Worse, it is pretty much impossible to stack up in this place unless I want to stave¡­ What a pain¡­'' I complained inside. In the midst of my lampooning, the Tempest Wolf and Flame Wolf spread apart. And after creating such a distance between themselves, both of them made a sudden stop. But in the next instant, I sensed a huge acc.u.mulation of energy converging on their spots. ''This¡­'' Once I saw that a single scene from my memory played out in my mind. ''Now¡¯s my chance!'' I concluded in a flash. Taking advantage of that opportunity, I immediately activated Accelerate and dashed forward. In the corner of my eyes, I saw a sudden flash of light coming from the other side. At that same moment, the two alphas released all the energy that they gathered into a powerful blast¡ªeach of which corresponds to the respective element that they command. *BOOOOOOM!!* A thunderous explosion ensued when that two blasts collide. What followed after that was a massive shockwave that swept everything in its path. But amidst all that chaos, I used the additional effect of Accelerate to combat that force and push myself forward. In the next instant, I swooped through that cloud of dust towards the silhouette still standing nearby. When everything subsides, I was already standing beside the Tempest Wolf, with my claws pointed at his neck. ''That''s enough. Stand-down.'' I commanded, ready to pounce on him anytime. But despite my threat, the Tempest Wolf remained collected and calm. ¡°Who are you?¡± He asked, looking straight into my eyes. ''A humble passerby.'' I replied. Switching his gaze upfront, the Tempest Wolf further inquired, ¡°The Lightning sent you?¡± For some reason, I got the impression that the Tempest Wolf was asking about our mutual acquaintance. ''No. I¡¯m here as per agreement. I¡¯m not working for him.'' I clarified. ¡°I see.¡± At that, the Lightning Wolf stand-down. But even after doing so, he still kept his guard up. The proof of that was the wind swirling around his neck. And from what I could tell, that wind was capable of repelling my claws, thus effectively acting as some kind of pseudo-barrier to protect his neck. Noticing that, I couldn¡¯t help but admire the guy for his precision in controlling his elemental powers. After all, one wrong move and that wind could end up backfiring on him, decapitating himself in the process. Furthermore, his ability to deploy that thing in just a mere split-second was also quite troublesome. Because of that, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what could have happened if I decided to seriously push through with my attack. Would I be able to decapitate him first, or would he be able to protect himself in time? Burying those questions deep inside, I turned my head to the side and stared straight forward. In that direction, I saw the Lightning Wolf pointing his claws on the Flame Wolf¡¯s neck. But unlike me, the tip of the Lightning Wolf¡¯s claws was so close to the Flame Wolf¡¯s neck that I could even see a drop of blood flowing down. Furthermore, the said claws were also covered in this erratic crackling light, it flowed through those sharp claws, towards the small wound on the Flame Wolf¡¯s neck. If my guess was right, this would be the result once the Lightning Wolf augments his claws with his lightning powers. And since I could see some traces of sparks coming from the Lightning Wolf¡¯s body, it should be safe to assume that he had done the same to his body before he rushed in. From what I could tell, the effect of this technique or skill was a drastic increase in both speed and agility, which based on my experience far surpass the capabilities of the combination of Shadow Augment and Accelerate. Most likely, this was the reason why the Flame Wolf wasn¡¯t able to react on time. Despite being cornered, the Flame Wolf still had the stubbornness to growl in rage and indignation. But what interests me the most was the fact that the Flame Wolf was now looking at the Lightning Wolf as if he had been betrayed. And though I wasn¡¯t in range to hear what they were talking about; I was almost certain that he was demanding the Lightning Wolf answer his question. It was, in a glance, obvious from his expression alone. Seeing that, I couldn¡¯t help but be more confused about the relationship between these alphas. After all, the memories within me clearly portrayed these guys as mutual enemies fighting for the ultimate supremacy in this forest. This was even further backed up by the fact that their subordinates would inevitably clash every time they stumble upon a group from another pack during a hunt. Such incidents not only happen on neutral grounds but also when a hunting group invaded another pack¡¯s territorial grounds. But now that I saw the interaction between these three alphas, I couldn¡¯t help but suspect that there might be something more to it than that. In all likelihood, the Frost Wolf might even be involved in whatever it was. Just as that thought flashed into my mind, I sensed the Flame Wolf¡¯s intent to pounce forward. But before he succeeded in doing so, the Lightning Wolf increased the intensity of the lightning in his claws and let it flow through. In a blink of an eye, I saw the Flame Wolf tensed up as he got electrocuted by that attack. *CRSSHHHHH!!* Despite being hit by the full brunt of that attack, the Flame somehow managed to withstand it using only his grit. Moreover, he even had the strength to release the heatwave that pushed the Lightning Wolf a few meters back. But as he was about to dash forward, the Lightning Wolf shot a thunderbolt to block the Flame Wolf¡¯s path. That attack made the Flame Wolf stopped in his tracks. And during that split-second time-lag, there was another flash of light that made a beeline on that same spot. When the cloud of dust subsides, I saw the Lightning Wolf standing there surrounded by these crackling and flashing lights. ''Tsk! Looks like negotiations broke down.'' At that moment, I seriously considered killing the Tempest Wolf right then and there. After all, the said bastard was still exhausted from his previous fight, whilst the Lightning Wolf would be busy dealing with that other one. But for better or for worse, before I could make my decision, something happened and it caused all of us to freeze on our spot. *FWOOOSSSSHH!!* A wave of dark and sinister aura swept me up sending shivers down my spine. And in that brief moment, that inexplicable sensation spread around, filling the air with this chilling and ominous pressure. And while I stood there in a daze trying to figure what had happened, a bunch of notifications appeared in front of my eyes. [A superior Authority had influenced this domain.] [Notice: Activating Authority¡¯s resisting effect.] [Notice: Authority¡¯s resisting effect wasn¡¯t fully activated.] [Status: Weakened.] Chapter 83 - 78 ''What the¡ª'' I exclaimed in surprise. I found myself unable to think any more than that upon bearing witness to such a mysterious phenomenon. And when I looked around, I realized that I wasn¡¯t the only one in shock because everyone around me seemed to have been rooted in their spot. In fact, even the Flame Wolf, who just a moment ago was about to start a fight, was now standing there in a daze, frozen like a statue. Then, as if that wasn¡¯t nearly enough, a large-scale earthquake followed and shook the entire area. Accompanying that earthquake was a thunderous rumbling sound that seemed to be coming from afar. And as seconds passed, the earthquake intensified, as well as the volume of that thunderous sound. As far as I was concerned, it seemed to be heading towards us. ''What is that?!'' I couldn¡¯t help but ask. At that same moment, I heard an earsplitting blast and saw a streak of pitch-black energy passing from above. And when it hit the ceiling, it caused another small explosion. *BOOOOOOOM!! BOOOM!!* Large chunks of debris and broken crystal shards fell with a bang. And on the far western wall of the area, huge boulders and rocks were crashing down on the ground. While watching that, I couldn¡¯t help but feel relieved that we were far away from the epicenter of those explosions. Because if not, some of us would have probably died from that pitch-black energy, while the remaining ones would be busy running for their lives. ''That place¡­'' Looking at the direction from where that pitch-black energy had come from, I realized that it came from the location of that path that the Gigarillon and I had collapsed. ''I thought so¡­'' A thick cloud of dust could be seen rising from that spot. But as it slowly subsides, I saw a huge round tunnel that seemed to lead far back down. ''You¡¯ve got to be kidding me¡­'' As the three alpha wolves gaped at that sight, I turned to look at the Gigarillon only to see him looking back. At that moment, I became one hundred percent certain that we were on the same page. After all, I recognized that pitch-black energy from earlier, and as far as I know, there was only one monster in these caverns that could use that kind of attack. ''Tsk! This might be bad!'' I warned as I prepared to either fight or run. At some point, the Lightning Wolf and Flame Wolf were already standing nearby. Because of that, all three alphas heard my sudden warning and they all turned their heads to the side. But since I was still worried about what would happen next, I wasn¡¯t really in the mood to entertain their questions so I just brushed their suspecting gaze aside. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t take long, and the three alphas understood the severity of the situation so they didn¡¯t ask any further clarification despite how suspicious it was. On the other hand, the Gigarillon had also gotten serious and was now ready for a fight. Although given that this Ape had deliberately lured that monster in the past, then he should have a far deeper understanding of how terrorizing that three-headed monster was. More than that, he even got severely injured because of that stunt so I suppose it was normal that he would act in a more cautious manner this time. With the all-star line-up of five alpha-class monsters, we should be able to at least put up a fight against that three-headed monster. But what worried me the most about our current situation was the possibility that these guys might not really in the best condition to fight. After all, I could both feel and see that I had been weakened by this strange phenomenon, so who¡¯s to say that these guys weren¡¯t in the same condition? Furthermore, two particular wolves in this line-up had already spent some of their energy in an unrelated fight. Worse, one of these two had just fought two and a half times. As I lamented about all these facts, the five of us waited in silence without moving from our spot. And though this course of action was in direct contrast to these alphas¡¯ normal response, the three alphas still chose to follow the example, our example, no questions asked. Minutes passed, and everything seemed to have calmed down. Despite this, the eeriness in the air had still yet to subside. To be honest, it even felt as if time itself had slowed down. But no matter how long we waited for that thing to arrive, nothing came out from that dug-out path. When I look in that direction, I saw the three alphas staring at me in doubt. ''I¡¯m not sure¡­'' I honestly replied. ¡°Yev¡¯got to be kiddin¡¯ me! Ye made it sound like a big deal and yet yer¡¯ sayin¡¯ yer¡¯ not sure?!¡± From how he behaves, it seemed like the Flame Wolf was already reaching the limit of his patience. Although I should have expected no less from that one who in command of the element of fire. ''You have seen it right? That destructive power? Yet, you still want to risk it?'' I quipped back. ¡°But nothin¡¯s comin¡¯ out, right?¡± ''As I said, I¡¯m not sure. Which means that something may or may not come out.'' I explained, as calmly as possible. ¡°Pssshhhh! Yer just scared, aren¡¯t ye? What, did ye get yer a.s.s kicked by those ants or somethin¡¯ else down there?¡± Upon hearing that, something inside me snapped. ''Oh, I see! So, you¡¯re one of those types, huh?!'' ¡°Hmm? Types? What do ye mean?¡± ''Oh, you know, those BRAVE and DUMB types! The BRAINLESS ones who always rushed in and die young!'' ''What do you think? Why not try to use that LITTLE BRAIN of yours! That is IF YOU EVEN HAVE ONE!'' ¡°SO, YER REALLY MOCKIN ME, HUH?!¡± The Dumb Wolf exclaimed with a growl. Seeing that my argument with Dumb Wolf was about to escalate, the Lightning Wolf decided to interfere. ¡°Okay¡­ That¡¯s enough¡­¡± He stated after standing in between us. ¡°This is¡­ not the¡­ time¡­¡± ¡°Coward.¡± The Flame Wolf gibed before backing down. ''Dumb bastard.'' I shot back. To be honest, I kind of started to regret that I even thought of assisting this Dumb Wolf during his battle against the Tempest Wolf. Like seriously, I didn''t expect that he would annoy me this much. And it wasn¡¯t even as if I had something against these kinds of archetypes. Because as much as I thought myself to be rational, I knew for a fact that even I had some moments like that. So, of course, even though it was exhausting to associate with someone like that, I wouldn¡¯t even think about personally holding those traits against them. But as for this one, he wasn¡¯t only dumb and rash, the most annoying thing about him was that he¡¯s ins.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e and crass. ¡°Anyway¡­ can you¡­ at least¡­ explain what¡­ exactly was¡­ that¡­?¡± The Lightning Wolf inquired after seeing both of us back down. ''Do you mean that black thing earlier?'' I asked to clarify. ¡°Yes¡­¡± Pulling my gaze away from that Dumb Wolf, I began. ''Well, in the short version. That black thing is an attack. In essence, it might be similar to that blast that those two had used earlier in their fight.'' I explained before pointing my head at the Tempest Wolf and Dumb Wolf. ''Only this time, it is powerful enough to open up a path as you have seen thus far.'' I added. ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re saying¡­ that a¡­ monster that¡­ powerful might¡­ appear¡­?¡± ''Exactly.'' ¡°I see¡­¡± Once the Lightning Wolf had nothing else to ask, the Tempest Wolf who had stayed quiet up to now joined our conversation. ¡°Can you describe what the monster looked like?¡± He asked. Despite my mixed feeling about this bastard, I still decided to comply. ''It was a gigantic, three-headed, canine creature.'' This time, I specifically avoided mentioning the exact race of the monster. After all, I was talking to my future target, so I didn¡¯t want him to know that I have the ability to check another individual¡¯s race. More than that, this was also the monster that somehow managed to block my Assess so it''s best to be careful around him. For some reason, all the three alpha wolves froze upon hearing my description of the Cerberus. But before I even managed to voice out my confusion, I heard the echo of multiple howls coming from that hole. And unlike the howls of these wolves, those particular howls didn¡¯t seem to have any underlying message nor meaning underneath. Instead, the howls sounded incomprehensible and erratic, as if the ones letting them out were enrage or mad. ''Damn it! What is it this time?!'' Chapter 84 - 79 Besides those numerous erratic howls, I also heard some growls, roars, and screech mixed in amongst that chaotic sound. And based on its sheer intensity and volume, it seemed as if a ragtag army of monsters were marching towards us. Luckily enough, I didn¡¯t feel the presence of the Cerberus with them so at least we didn¡¯t have to worry about that thing for now. Though to be honest, this turn of events wasn¡¯t in any way better than if the Cerberus had appeared. But considering that it could get much worse, I guess I should be thankful that the monster army wasn¡¯t accompanied by that Cerberus for now. ¡°Hey! Ye¡¯ said that it was a three-headed canine monster, right?! If so, then what the heck is this sound?! Its sure sounds like a monster parade to me!!¡± The Flame Wolf asked in a fl.u.s.ter. ''Monster parade? Well, that does sounds fitting for this one, isn¡¯t it? Hehehe¡­'' I laughed dryly. ¡°Oi! I¡¯m asking ye¡¯ a damn question! Answer me!¡± ''Tsk! You just can¡¯t get a clue, huh?! And if it isn¡¯t already obvious, I also have no idea, okay?! I didn¡¯t expect this to happen! So, do you get it now?!'' ¡°If that¡¯s that case, then what are ye¡¯ even here for?! Ye'' useless coward!¡± ''Well, forgive me for not being a damn prophet, dumb bastard!'' ¡°What prophet?! How is that even related to any of this?!¡± The Flame Wolf inquired. But this time, there was a clear glint of both suspicion and hostility in his eyes. ''Tsk!'' I could only curse at myself for making such an obvious mistake. Like seriously, how could I forget that these wolves didn¡¯t know the concept of a prophet? ¡°So, what¡¯s yer¡¯ excuse this time?¡± From his body language, I could tell that the Dumb Wolf was seriously considering how best to attack and dispose of me. But since his thought process was too obvious to read, I even started to doubt if all of it was just an act. I mean, his behavior was just too straightforward and not very fitting for an alpha of a hunter species. Although considering that I just made an obvious mistake myself, then I guess I couldn¡¯t fault the Dumb Wolf for that. Fortunately, I had another trick up my sleeve, and it¡¯s called transferring the burden of responsibility! ''Excuse? Don¡¯t make me laugh. Why do I have to take responsibility for something that you are ignorant about? Blame yourself for not knowing enough, not me!'' Since they all somewhat knew that I came here from another area, then I could just claim that I have some knowledge that they don¡¯t know anything about. In essence, you could say that this was another perk of my cover as an outsider. As I expected, my dirty tactic worked against the dumbass wolf like a charm. ¡°YOU!! USELESS COWARD!!¡± The Dumb Wolf raged. But before he could even get the jump on me, the Lightning Wolf and Tempest Wolf stood to block his path. ¡°Don¡¯t stop me! That one is dangerous! We must put him down now while we still can!¡± The Dumb Wolf argued. ¡°Shut up! I¡¯m not talking to ye¡¯, backstabbing bastard!¡± My ears perked up when I heard the Dumb Wolf said that. In my mind, all sorts of questions and speculations popped up. Among them, one particular question stood up. To be exact, I was curious what sort of circ.u.mstance led the Dumb Wolf to call the Tempest Wolf with that. I mean, as straightforward as he was, it wasn¡¯t like the Dumb Wolf would just go around calling anyone by that specific nickname. In short, there should be some kind of history behind that. ¡°Calm down¡­ Tempest is¡­ right¡­¡± The Lightning Wolf followed up. ¡°So, yer¡¯ really siding with him now, huh?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not¡­ like that¡­¡± ¡°Then what is the meaning of this?!¡± With a heavy sigh as a start, the Lightning Wolf calmly clarified. ¡°I¡¯m doing¡­ this for¡­ our survival¡­¡± He sincerely proclaimed. Faced with such overwhelming resolve, even the short-tempered Dumb Wolf could only back down. But since even I felt a little moved by the Lightning Wolf¡¯s resolve, I really couldn¡¯t blame the Dumb Wolf for reacting like that. After all, it was clear from the Lightning Wolf¡¯s action that he would be willing to die for that cause. And to be honest, it was an attitude that I couldn¡¯t help but respect and admire. At the same moment that the Dumb Wolf backed down, I heard a rumbling sound created by numerous monsters¡¯ footsteps. Along with that, I heard the roars and war cries of what seemed to be an assortment of monsters as they entered the forest from the west. And when the local monsters of the forest felt the threat of that disturbance, they all didn¡¯t hesitate to scurry away for their lives. As a result, chaos and mayhem started to spread around like a wildfire. In response to that, the Lightning Wolf added, ¡°Looks like¡­ we have¡­ to proceed¡­ earlier than¡­ planned¡­¡± ¡°¡­ I really don¡¯t like where this is going¡­¡± The Dumb Wolf said with a defeated sigh. *** After bearing witness to the situation on hand, the three alpha wolves finally agreed on a temporary truce and ceasefire. Furthermore, the alphas also managed to convince the Gigarillon to join our ranks. But considering that pretty much every living creature in this forest would be caught up in the battle that was about to come, it was more like the Gigarillon had no other choice but to fight. The problem was, even in between monsters, the language barrier was a thing. And because the Gigarillon had no relation to the wolf species, that means that we could only communicate with him through gestures and body language, in the same way, that the alphas did so with their subordinates. Once we found a much more suited spot, all five of us began discussing our course of action and plan. But since the Gigarillon wouldn¡¯t really be able to add much, he could only watch our discussion from the sidelines. And much to my dismay, the Lightning Wolf informed me that I should be the one to explain the important parts to the ape once everything was done. Of course, I wanted to decline. But upon looking around, I realized that I was the only candidate for the job. After all, unlike me who had some history with the ape, these alphas had only met the Gigarillon for the first time today. And though it looked like the Ape and Dumb Wolf had some mutual respect, they still barely knew one another to be able to communicate as required. That was why even though I was quite reluctant to accept such a role, I had no other choice but to nod in response. ¡°So, are we really going to leave? Wouldn¡¯t it be better if we just make use of our Authority and defend our territory?¡± The Flame Wolf started after we had settled down. ¡°That won¡¯t¡­ work¡­¡± The Lightning Wolf replied in a snap. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± That Lightning Wolf concurred. ¡°You should have already noticed it. Something is blocking our access to its effects.¡± Without batting an eye, the Tempest Wolf denied. ¡°I already told you. This is beyond even my expectations.¡± ¡°How can we make sure that yer¡¯ telling the truth? For all I know, ye'' might be working together with that Useless Coward.¡± After saying that, the Flame Wolf shot an accusatory glance in my direction. Clearly, he still saw me as an enemy and possible collaborator of the Tempest Wolf at that. ''We wouldn''t get anywhere if you kept on doing that¡­'' I said with an exasperated sigh. ¡°Anyway¡­¡± The Lightning Wolf interjected. ¡°Can you¡­ explain your¡­ plan¡­?¡± He continued before shooting the Tempest Wolf a glance. ¡°Well, the general plan is to lead our respective packs past the spot full of those things.¡± At that, the Tempest Wolf turned his head and looked to the northmost side of the forest. ¡°Using those, we should be able to slightly hinder the advance of the monster parade.¡± When I heard his explanation, I found myself utterly confused. ''Wait. What do you mean by ¡®those things?¡¯'' Hearing my question, the Lightning Wolf¡¯s ears perked up. ¡°Oh¡­ that¡¯s right¡­ you still¡­ don¡¯t know¡­ about that¡­¡± At that same moment, the Tempest Wolf glanced in my direction. ¡°Essentially, that area was full of things that can transfer anyone to a particular place upon contact.¡± He calmly explained. Upon processing that information, I immediately realized what it was. ''Oh, you mean like a teleportation trap?'' I blurted out. At the same time, a scene from my memory played out in my mind. And in that memory, a certain young wolf had mistakenly stepped on that trap. As a result, he was teleported to an unknown place, and that was how all of these began. Chapter 85 - 80 Without a doubt, the Tempest Wolf was talking about that thing that sent a certain Young Wolf falling into that swamp-themed area. And based on how the Tempest Wolf describes that said spot, it seemed like there were quite a number of those things spread around that place. ''So, there¡¯s something like that here, huh? But in that case, why don¡¯t we just make use of those things to escape from here?'' ¡°Because it¡¯s¡­ dangerous¡­¡± The Lightning Wolf immediately answered. Nodding at that, the Tempest Wolf added, ¡°Although it can transport creatures to just one particular area, that doesn¡¯t necessarily mean that everyone who uses it will get transported to a single spot. And considering all the dangers that are present on its targeted destination, being transported in random spots on that place can even determine one¡¯s life or death. In short, using those things carries a huge risk and that is something that we can¡¯t afford to deal with now.¡± Then, to my surprise, the irritable Dumb Wolf backed the Tempest Wolf¡¯s statement. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure that all five of us here can somehow deal with that. But I can¡¯t really say the same for the others that we will be bringing with us.¡± ''I see.'' I said in acknowledgment, but internally, I was quite shaken and surprised. After all, if everything that they just said was true, then I had been pretty damn lucky to be able to make it this far. Like seriously, if that thing worked in random, then I could have been teleported above, or worse, directly on that lake where that Drake resides. And with the way I was back then, I wouldn¡¯t even have any means to escape nor fight back. Additionally, now that I know such a fact, some weird things about that place had now made sense in my mind. An example of that was that lake full of tadpoles. That time, I just thought that some monsters were just simply dumb enough to approach or jump on that lake and that was how those skeletons and bones came to be. But since that teleportation trap could transport anyone into a random spot on that swamp area, then it could just have been that the monsters were teleported directly into that lake, and now all that was left of them were those scattered remains. In other words, some poor monsters had been unlucky enough to be devoured alive just mere moments after they were teleported into that area. And the most terrifying thing was, I could have met the same fate at that time. ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s the general gist of the plan.¡± The Tempest Wolf announced, snapping me out of my daze. ¡°As for the what¡¯s to come after that, I will leave the particulars for when we successfully traversed that area.¡± ¡°Ha! As expected, yer¡¯ once again being privy about yer¡¯ plan. Why not spat everything now? Or maybe yer planning to turn on us at very last second?¡± The Dumb Wolf voiced out, laying b.a.r.e his doubt. Without showing any change in his expression, the Tempest Wolf stared straight into the Dumb Wolf¡¯s eyes. ¡°Because we¡¯re short on time.¡± He reasoned, curtly. ¡°Tsk! Ye¡¯ and yer¡¯ damn excuse! I bet ye'' will get along with that Useless Coward! The two of ye'' are one of a damn kind!¡± The Dumb Wolf replied in disgust. As for me, I couldn¡¯t even begin to express how much I loathed him for even trying to compare me to such a shady bastard. ¡°Wait¡­ are we¡­ supposed to¡­ traverse that¡­ place separately¡­?¡± The Lightning Wolf asked, just right in time. ¡°No. We will meet up somewhere in front of that spot before traversing it together.¡± ¡°And let me guess. Ye'' will be the one to designate the meeting spot. Ha! What a clever way to set up an ambush!¡± The Dumb Wolf sarcastically exclaimed. Although to be perfectly honest, I had been thinking the same. ¡°I thought you¡¯d say that. That¡¯s why I decided to ask our new friends here to do that task for us.¡± The Tempest Wolf declared to my surprise. Friends. Despite knowing the fact that the Gigarillon was included in that, I still found myself cringing when such a word left the Tempest Wolf¡¯s mouth. Like seriously, out of these three alphas, why did it have to Tempest Wolf! I mean, sure, if the Dumb Wolf called me that, of course, I would be irritated and annoyed, but at least, I wouldn¡¯t cringe in freaking disgust! ¡°So, yer¡¯ leaving it in the hands of yer¡¯ collaborator, I see.¡± The Dumb Wolf concluded by himself. But after hearing the Tempest Wolf¡¯s words, I wasn¡¯t really in the mood to pay attention to his gibes. Noticing that I had no intention to reply, the Lightning Wolf took it upon himself to ask for more details. ¡°Can you¡­ elaborate¡­?¡± After glancing at the ape and me, the Tempest Wolf explained, ¡°To be specific, I want them to go there in advance, check the area, and designate a safe meeting spot. With this, we all should be able to save some time, while the three of us will be able to focus on guiding and defending our packs.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± The Lightning Wolf said in thought while the Dumb Wolf snorted in response. Unfortunately, I might only incur more suspicion if I reject it outright. At the very least, I needed to give some logical and arguments and reasons if I wanted to decline. But because the Tempest Wolf¡¯s proposal suited the needs of our current situation, I couldn''t find a good excuse to turn him down. More than that, we were also in rush to wrap it up, so I had no other choice but to give in to his plan. ''¡­ Fine. I get it.'' I said, almost swallowing those words. Completely unaware of my bitter feelings inside, the Tempest Wolf voiced out his gratitude in response, ¡°I appreciate your help. Thank you, both of you.¡± A wave of conflicting emotions washed over me when I heard my supposed nemesis say that word. ''No problem. I¡¯m doing this for myself, so there¡¯s no need.'' I replied in an effort to deny his gratitude. In the corner of my eyes, I also saw the Lightning Wolf watching our interaction from the sidelines. But for some unknown reason, he has this mysterious conflicted look in his eyes. ¡°So, is that all?¡± As expected, it was the Dumb Wolf who broke my awkward feelings deep inside. Looking back, the Tempest Wolf nodded and replied, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Good. It¡¯s just about time.¡± At that, the Dumb Wolf stood up and suddenly unleashed an intense heat. In the next instant, raging scarlet flames had covered his entire body, as if the Dumb Wolf himself had turned into a fire. ¡°I¡¯ll see ye¡¯ all later. If ye¡¯ all survive that is.¡± Leaving those words behind, the Dumb Wolf blitz through the forest like some kind of a missile. Because of that, I was once left wondering how such a dumbass survive this long and even managed to reach that level. Following that, the Tempest Wolf walked forward creating some space between all of us. ¡°I¡¯ll also be taking my leave.¡± After that, he gave the Lightning Wolf a cursory glance before saying, ¡°Don¡¯t die.¡± And with that, the Tempest Wolf created a small tornado around him before using it to fly into the distance. ''What the¡ª He can fly?!'' I exclaimed in shock. ''Y-yeah. Somehow¡­'' I replied whilst still looking in the direction where the Tempest Wolf disappeared. Just then, the Lightning Wolf gave a shocking and unexpected reminder. ¡°Remember¡­ that¡¯s who¡­ your gonna¡­ fight against¡­ You better¡­ be prepared¡­¡± He warned in a weird and friendly manner. ''So, you remember?'' ¡°Of course¡­¡± ''Our agreement. Is it still on the table?'' ¡°Yes¡­¡± ''Good. You better not go back on your words.'' ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡­ I won¡¯t¡­¡± Once we said everything that needed to be said, the Lightning Wolf released a burst of electricity and vanished in a flash. With the alphas now gone, I turned around to check on the ape only to see the guy snoring away beside a nearby tree. ''What a carefree fellow¡­'' I could only let out a sigh. Chapter 86 - 81 After waking him up and doing my best to explain the plan to the ape, the two of us traveled to the north side of the forest following the direction that the Tempest Wolf had left behind. On our way, we came across some native monsters who seemed to be trying to run away from the monster parade that was approaching from behind. ''Poor things¡­'' In my perspective, I realized that the appearance of the monster parade didn¡¯t really change anything for these guys. After all, even if this incident didn¡¯t happen, these guys would just end up as food for the wolves instead of dying at the hands of the invaders. Of course, it would be a different story if the wolves leave this forest before that happened. But judging from how the Tempest Wolf described his original plan, it was clear that he had intended to take his time so these guys would then be sacrificed during all of that. In short, it was just a question of when for these guys because their fate has already been sealed from the very start. ''Survival of the fittest, huh? Their predicament really mirrors that phrase oh so well¡­'' Making full use of the ape¡¯s ability to travel from tree to tree, I had him scout the path from above whilst I followed his directions from behind. With this, we wouldn¡¯t mistakenly enter our target spot thus avoiding the possibility of being whisked away by those teleportation traps. Furthermore, this should also increase our chance of detecting any ambush and prepare for it in advance. On top of that, I also had my sensory skill active all the while so we had both basically covered our blind spots. With all of that preparation in place, the two of us raced through the forest without holding back. And since we prioritized speed more than anything else, we didn¡¯t even bother to hide our presence as we traveled northward. As a result, our unsuppressed aura freely leaked out, and it effectively acted as a deterrent that prevents the native monsters from hindering our path. Although because they were already too busy running for their lives, I¡¯d say that only a true and utter imbecile would be dumb enough to do that. ¡°The strong rules and survives, while the weak were either subjugated or preyed upon.¡± A voice inside my head proclaimed as I watched the native monster making way for us. ¡°Looks like that phrase is true not only in both worlds but also for both monsters and humans.¡± ''Heh. I get what you mean, but I bet a lot of people will disagree. You should know that, right?'' I snorted in response. ¡°Well, as you have already known, I don¡¯t blame anyone for believing that. It¡¯s not that obvious after all.¡± The voice calmly replied. ''Strength was just replaced with authority, influence, and riches. Ain¡¯t that, right?'' ¡°Exactly. And based on what I had seen so far, this world shouldn¡¯t be any better. In fact, it might be even worse.¡± The voice expressed with a sigh. ''I wouldn¡¯t be so sure. We have yet to see the way of life of the people of this world after all.'' I said in self-assurance. At that, an amused voice replied. ¡°I see, so despite knowing the truth, you¡¯re still trying to cling into hope and denial. Is this the influence of that other personality? I must say, this is quite fascinating. Especially considering what that personality was.¡± Upon hearing that voice¡¯s speculation, I found myself unable to respond. Because as much as I didn¡¯t want to admit it, I would just be lying to myself if I refute any of that. As a matter of fact, this was the very reason why I wanted to affirm myself and find my own path. It wasn¡¯t so much as honoring the wish and regret of that other one, but more so to retrace and find an answer through all of that. Though of course, I couldn¡¯t exactly escape their influence so I have to keep my thoughts and emotions in check all the time. ''Well, I don¡¯t expect anyone to understand in the first place.'' I finally replied. ¡°Heh¡­ Understanding through personal experience, huh? That¡¯s quite a clever way to put it.¡± As the conversation inside my head came to an end, I noticed that something was amiss in my surroundings. At the same time, I also saw the ape coming to an abrupt halt as if he had sensed the same thing. Because of this, my suspicion had turned into certainty, and I also stopped in my tracks. To be more specific, I realized through my sensory skill that¡¯s some native monsters nearby had started vanishing seemingly into thin air. ''That¡¯s weird¡­'' In retrospect, this scenario wouldn¡¯t be that odd if the native monsters had just moved away far from the range of my skill. The problem was, their presence had somehow vanished without even moving from their spot. Furthermore, the position of those who had vanished was coincidentally near the trajectory of our path. ''Monsters don¡¯t just die in groups like that. So, considering the position that they were in before they die, this is most likely a setup for a surprise attack.'' I concluded as I prepare for a fight. No sooner than that, I felt as if I had been engulfed in the darkness of the night. When I looked around, I noticed that everything and anything around me had turned into a jumbled mess. The solid ground, for example, had some erratic surge just like a raging sea. Then, the already weird-shaped trees that should have been rooted on the ground were now dancing around as if they were in some sort of party. And lastly, the supposedly numerous crystals from above had somehow turned into countless disgusting eyeballs that were all chaotically looking around. At that moment, I couldn¡¯t even react. And it wasn¡¯t as if all my senses had been dulled. In fact, I actually felt the opposite because my senses were all in overdrive. The problem was, I couldn¡¯t differentiate between every piece of information, as if I hadn¡¯t known how to do that from the start. Fortunately, I was saved when a mysterious soothing sensation calmed my mind. In the next instant, the incomprehensible reality around me shattered like a glass, as both my intelligence and senses came back. But just a split second after that, I saw something huge and black swooping down on my left, and it landed with a bang. *BOOOM!* That thing¡¯s fist created an implosion as it slammed into the ground. Amidst all of that, I also saw another black but thin silhouette leaping away to dodge. But without wasting any time, the huge black thing followed suit and launched another attack. ''Damn it! I knew it was that Underclaw again!'' For some reason, it seemed like the effect of its skill really got me this time. ''Looks like it has become powerful enough to delay the effects of Presence of Mind.'' To be honest, if that ape didn¡¯t interfere at the right time; I would probably be dead right now. It was in complete contrast to our first encounter where his skill had been ineffective against mine. ''Is this the result of being weakened?'' I wondered as I watched the ape and the Underclaw exchange a flurry of blows and dodge around. And though I hadn¡¯t yet informed him about the rotting effect of the Underclaw¡¯s scythe, it seemed like the ape had already noticed it because he was avoiding any contact. ''That¡¯s some sharp instinct right there.'' I couldn¡¯t help but utter in praise. But as I said that inside, I noticed something very wrong with their fight. ''Wait, why is he having a hard time?'' If I wasn¡¯t mistaken, last time I saw that Underclaw, its level was still lower than mine. So, of course, by that logic alone, I concluded that the ape would far outclass the Underclaw when they fight. Because as much as I hated to admit it, I still haven¡¯t reached that rank. And it was not only in terms of pure power alone but was also in sheer experience in combat. In other words, this was supposed to be an easy match for that ape given that I almost won on my encounter against the Underclaw last time. But as it was now, the Underclaw had not only proven me wrong, but its growth had also turned all my knowledge and speculations around. ''How is this possible? Is that ape also weakened or something?'' I thought as I watched the Underclaw danced his way out of every attack. ''Beside me, the ape, and three alphas. There shouldn¡¯t be any other monsters here that he could kill to raise his level that far.'' Even if I factored in the fact that the ape had been weakened, it still wouldn¡¯t make sense how the Underclaw was able to fight him like that. After all, I had seen the ape been wounded and weakened before, and yet he was still able to fight the Anties King at that time. And as far as I could tell, the Underclaw¡¯s level and strength back then weren¡¯t even comparable to that ant. In short, even after he was weakened, the ape should still be able to take care of that Underclaw by himself. At least that was how it was supposed to play out. ''Looks like I have to join the fight.'' At first, I had planned to sit back, relax, and watch as the ape demolished that monster. But now, it seemed like I had to fight despite all these damn restrictions in my skill, as well as this accursed debuff. ''But before that¡­'' At that, I used Assess on the Underclaw out of sheer curiosity. But then, a notification popped up. [Assess blocked] ''¡­ Seriously?'' Chapter 87 - 82 ''This is the third time¡­'' The first time I saw this happen was when I used Assess on the Tempest Wolf. Then, out of sheer shock, I unconsciously turned and used it on the ape only to be met by the same result for the second time. And now, such a thing happened for the third time as if foreshadowing that such incident would be now considered normal. ''If I remember correctly, it had worked just fine the last time¡­'' At the end of my first encounter with the Underclaw, I was able to use Assess on the monster when it turned to run away. But just like what happened with the ape, the skill didn¡¯t work when it was used on the Underclaw for the second time. Although considering all that had happened so far, I noticed one obvious similarity between all three. ''All of them are alpha-class monsters. So, maybe it has something to do with that? But that begs the question. Why did it work on the Drake, Cerberus, Anties Queen, as well as the Tronobo and Pronobo? Are you telling me that those monsters allowed me to do as I please? No, maybe they simply didn¡¯t care?'' Considering the strength of those powerhouses, the likelihood that the latter was true was very high. After all, from those monsters¡¯ perspective, I was nothing but a mere bug that they could crush anytime they want. In short, they must have thought that I wasn¡¯t even worth the effort. ''Now that I think about it, maybe these monsters thought the same?'' When that thought crossed my mind, I stared at the ape and Underclaw without hiding my contempt. And though he was in the middle of a desperate struggle, I noticed the ape glancing in my direction with a confused look on his face. Funnily enough, I almost could hear him ask, ¡°what now?¡± just from his expression alone. ''Okay, maybe he had such thoughts back when I was still a prisoner in his place, but when I met him on that ant territory, I had already completed my ascension. So, maybe, just maybe, he allowed me to see his status that time because he knew that I could provide some help.'' Of course, the thought of being used and manipulated like that was still kind of aggravating. But in my opinion, being acknowledged like that was a heck of a lot better from being looked down upon. So, for that, I would be willing to let it slide. ''You¡¯re damn lucky I have such a big heart!'' I exclaimed as I jumped into the fight. Seeing my approach, the Underclaw stopped his attacks, before leaping back. ''Oh, no, you won¡¯t!'' Taking advantage of that small opening, I activated the additional effect of Accelerate¡ªAir-Drive¡ªto propel myself forward. *Clang! * To my surprise, the Underclaw used the armor-like shell on his c.h.e.s.t to block my attack. And as my claws bounced back, I saw it swung two of its scythe-like arms with a speed that I couldn¡¯t hope to dodge. But at that moment, I noticed a huge black blur on the monster¡¯s blind spot, and in the next instant, it slammed its fist into the Underclaw¡¯s right side. *BANG! * A dull sound echoed as the Underclaw was pushed back. At the same time, the impact from that punch created a firework-like explosion that carried bits and pieces of the Underclaw¡¯s shell as it spread around. Then, using that opportunity, I dashed forward at full speed before the monster could react. This time, I aimed at the gap between the Underclaw¡¯s shell¡ªin the same way, that I did with that ant. And as I had expected, I heard a wet swishing sound as I felt my claws tearing apart the flesh inside. But knowing what the monster was capable of, I didn¡¯t dare linger on that spot and leaped back. As a result, the Underclaw¡¯s vengeful counter was met with nothing but air for I was already gone from that spot. It was then that I heard a high-pitched violent sound. In that instant, what flashed into my mind was the sound that a bullet creates whenever one passed by. A split second after that, I saw something incredibly fast hit the Underclaw and witness two of its arms be ripped apart by the resulting impact. But as if that wasn¡¯t nearly enough, that thing continued forward and pierced about three to four trees before coming to a stop. ''Eh.'' I gaped in surprise. All of these happened so fast that the Underclaw could only stand there in a daze, frozen on his spot. And when I turned my head to where that thing had stopped, I saw three mangled and fallen trees, and a fourth that had this weird cylindrical object pinned on its trunk. ''What the heck is that?!'' I exclaimed, both in confusion and shock. Because not only was that thing had been able to penetrate the Underclaw¡¯s shell, but it was also sturdy enough to demolish three more trees and still be left intact after all of that. Of course, the power and strength in which that thing was launched was the main cause for its destructive effect, but without enough durability, such a result would be pretty much impossible to achieve. Still filled with curiosity and awe, I looked back to the Underclaw only to see the ape dashing in for an attack. But what caught my attention the most was the supposed weapon on the ape¡¯s hand. And just like that thing that had almost kill the Underclaw in one shot, that weapon that the ape had pulled out from somewhere has the same exact shape as if it was a clone of the other one. ''Is that supposed to be a staff?'' Now that I had better look, I noticed that the cylindrical weapon was reminiscent of a staff. But what I was most curious about was when and where in the world had that ape acquired not only one, but two of that staff. Because as far as I could remember, the ape didn¡¯t have anything on him before this fight. Furthermore, we were also in the middle of a monster-infested forest, so there shouldn¡¯t be anyone around who could make such precise measurements to create a weapon like that. Besides, if something like that had been laying around this forest, then I should have at least seen it once. Judging by how the ape has been spinning that thing like it was a part of his body, I could easily tell that he was quite experienced in using that kind of weapon. More than that, his movements and attacks weren¡¯t something to scoff at because they were all precise, calculated, complex, and terrifyingly fast. In my opinion, those movements weren¡¯t just something that anyone could copy or reproduce. Because as far as could tell, those were the movements of someone who had spent years in training their techniques and polishing them using actual live combat. In other words, the ape was like an old martial artist who had already perfected his craft. With his newfound weapon on hand, the ape danced around the Underclaw and used his staff to file away at the monster¡¯s armor-like shell¡ªsometimes he would poke, while other times he would outright smash it like a whip. And since the Underclaw had lost two of its scythe-like arms; the monster wasn¡¯t able to keep up with the ape''s relentless attack. At this point, the battle had stopped being a contest of power and instead had turned into a one ma¡ª I mean, a monster show of technique. ''This guy is really full of surprises¡­'' I sincerely praised inside. To be honest, there wasn¡¯t even a point in having me rejoin that fight. Because as much as I didn¡¯t wasn¡¯t to admit it, the combination of the ape¡¯s latent abilities and combat techniques were so overwhelming to the point that I would only be a hindrance if I butted in at such a time. And considering that I was still in a weakened state, I would be nothing but a fool if I attempted to do that. ''The difference between them is really clear to see¡­'' All things considered; it wasn¡¯t as if the ape had acquired a sudden boost in his strength. In fact, I would even dare say that the Underclaw was still far superior in terms of raw power and latent stats. The problem was, the Underclaw couldn¡¯t really use his power to its fullest extent simply because he lacked the necessary experience and technique to do that. To put in simple terms, it was like giving a high caliber gun or extremely sharp sword to an untrained and inexperienced civilian¡ªyes, it would boost their combat potential, but they still would lose against someone who had both the training and experience in actual real combat. At which point, the Underclaw was already too banged up. Even in my position, I could see a multitude of cracks and some large gaps in his armor-like shell. And in proof of the power in each one of the ape¡¯s attacks, some yellow-green liquid was leaking out of those cracks and gaps which of course was most definitely the Underclaw¡¯s blood. ''Looks like it¡¯s about time¡­'' As if in sync with that thought, the ape lowered his center of gravity in preparation to finish off the fight. But just before he lounges forward, I realized that something seemed odd about how the Underclaw had reacted. ''Wait, why didn¡¯t he tried to run away?'' On our first encounter, the Underclaw immediately ran away the moment he sensed that he couldn¡¯t win. But during this fight, not once had I sensed such intent coming from the monster. And though it could be interpreted as a result of the monster¡¯s overconfidence, the very fact that he didn¡¯t try even after losing two of his arms seemed incredibly suspicious for me. Unfortunately, the ape was too focused on his fight to even notice this fact. So, before I could even bark in warning, he had already dashed forward. And out of nowhere, I felt the presence of another on my back. Following my instinct, I leaped out of the way and saw a large figure passed by. In the corner of my eyes, I also realized that the ape had looked back in surprise. But before he could even react, the huge figure tackled him headfirst and created this wet smacking sound. As that sound reverberated into my ears, I watched as the two huge monsters slammed into the ground. Chapter 88 - 83 With an ear-splitting roar, the ape kicked the other monster away the moment they hit the ground. Because of that, the said monster crashed into a nearby tree thereby creating another thunderous bang. But in the same instant that the ape flung the other monster away, I saw the Underclaw dashing in for a follow-up attack At that brief period of time, I launched myself in the middle of the two monsters to stop the Underclaw¡¯s charge. But probably due to being weakened as well as the sheer difference between our stats, the Underclaw easily flung me away the moment the two of us collide. ¡°Guh!¡± Fortunately, I used the claws in my two front paws to block that attack. As a result, I was able to stop the Underclaw¡¯s momentum, albeit for an instant. Of course, that moment was more than enough for the ape to roll away to safety before the Underclaw could catch up. Just as the Underclaw and its backup recovered their bearing, I managed to stop my momentum by flipping into the air, and at the same time that I landed to the ground, the ape had already staggered back up to his feet, all the while clutching his left arm. Whilst sandwiched in-between the Underclaw and its backup, I noticed blood trickling down from the ape¡¯s left arm. From what I could see, not only were there three puncture wounds on his arm but his shoulder was also dislocated and banged up. But without any shred of hesitation, the ape held his shoulder up, then forcefully pushed it back in place with a grunt. Despite that, I thought that there was nothing much that he could do about the bleeding on his arm. But to my surprise, the ape subverted my expectations by tensing his muscles to the point that the bleeding almost stops. And though it didn¡¯t necessarily close the wound, it was at least enough so he could continue to fight. ''I doubt it will work in the same way as before, but that¡¯s still very clever¡­'' I praised with the utmost respect and sincerity. And much as I hated to admit it, this guy has been really growing in on me after all this time. ''Though, he¡¯s still annoying most of the time. Well, at least not as much as that Dumb Wolf.'' Following that, the ape grabbed his weapon from the ground, before turning back to face the other side. And with that, the two of us stood back to back, with me facing off against the Underclaw in place of the ape and him dealing with the other one. ''That monster¡­'' I thought as I stole a glance at the Underclaw¡¯s backup. ''He looks a lot like that Savaga from before¡­'' Since Assess seemed to have worked against the other monster, I had already seen the monster¡¯s race, level, and status. And if it wasn¡¯t just some kind of illusion or ability to fool my skill, then the monster¡¯s race was supposed to be called ¡®Chaos Beast.¡¯ Now, while I had a really bad feeling about that specific ¡®chaos¡¯ in its race, it wasn¡¯t necessarily surprising given how varied and weird the races¡¯ naming in this world was. But given that the monster almost looked exactly like the Savaga¡ªexcept for the three different-sized horns on its forehead¡ªI couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that this monster might be related to that one. In fact, it was even possible that this monster was actually that Savaga, only that it had evolved just like the Underclaw. The problem was¡­ ''It excludes the same aura as the Underclaw¡­'' From what I could remember, the Underclaw already has that aura before it even evolved. In fact, I even witness how the monster came to be that way. But for the Savaga, it was completely different since I never once felt this eerie and sinister aura from the monster before. Even when I saw it once again struggling for survival on the ant¡¯s territory, that fact never changed. ''Is it the same as the Underclaw? Something happened, and it caused a drastic change? But then, why does Assess work on this one but not the Underclaw?'' I thought as I squared off against the said monster. ''This is both concerning and also quite fascinating¡­'' Before my thoughts further drift away, I shook my head and focused my mind on the issue at hand¡ªnamely, how to beat the Underclaw. Luckily, the Underclaw had already lost two of its arms and was already banged up so all of that should be somehow enough to compensate for the difference in our stats. Though given how our midair clash earlier had turned out, I was certain that it wouldn¡¯t be as easy as that. ''First off, I need to confirm if that weird mental attack still works on me¡­'' If at least one of my theories were right, that skill¡¯s effect should weaken the more the Underclaw uses it. And while I didn¡¯t know the specifics of how that works, being aware of the general gist of it should still prove as an advantage for me. After all, such facts meant that the Underclaw wouldn¡¯t be able to repeat that deadly ambush that it did earlier. ''This means that the biggest threat is the rot effect on its arms.'' As that thought flashed into my mind, the Underclaw charged forward, with such fervor that it was hard to believe that he was already banged up. At the same time, I felt the ape at my back lowering his center of gravity, before rushing in accompanied by an earsplitting roar. But unlike the two monsters, I chose to take a defensive position and plant my feet firmly into the ground. *Swoosh! * Before its scythe-like arms could reach me, I tilted my body slightly to the side without taking a single step away from my spot. And before the Underclaw could even defend or react, I thrust my right claws into the monster¡¯s c.h.e.s.t, poking the most cracked part of that shell. *Thudclack! * It seemed like that attack was more effective than what I expected because I saw the monster¡¯s eyes twist in anger in pain. Furthermore, I also didn¡¯t feel that much resistance on my claws¡ªthis confirmed that aiming for the damaged part of its shell was really the way to go. ¡°SCREEEE!!¡± Probably in an attempt to enact its revenge, the Underclaw unleashed a barrage of slashes using its two remaining arms. But because both of its left arms were already gone, the monster attacks only seemed simple and monotonous in my eyes. Furthermore, the loss of its arms had also messed with the monster¡¯s balance, so its movements had lost their edge and had become sluggish enough to even hinder with monster¡¯s speed. Still rooted on my spot, I weaved through all the Underclaw¡¯s slash all the while thrusting and poking all the visible weak points of its shell. At this point, my strategy had become to focus on the speed of my attacks, thus all the thrusting instead of a slash. Though of course, I was only able to pull off this tactic because the Underclaw was already banged up. If not for that, I doubt I would be able to pull it off considering the monster¡¯s shell and stats. In other words, all of this was only possible because of what the ape had done. Before I knew it, the Underclaw was already bleeding all over and its movements were further slowing down. At which point, I even noticed its increasing desperation through each one of its attacks. Clearly, the monster knew he was about to lose, so he was trying to find a way out. But for better or for worse, it seemed like the monster had noticed my plan. That was why instead of trying to turn back and run, the monster devoted his all to the fight, in an attempt to break my momentum and survive. ''I knew you would notice.'' I praised as my mouth curved into a smile. ''Now, try your best to survive!'' Just as I had planned, the monster had fallen into my trap so he had no other choice but to defeat me in this deathmatch. ''Too bad your weird mental attack isn¡¯t working anymore.'' I quipped. After all, I had sensed that the monster had been trying to use his ability, only to be met by failure due to the effect of Presence of Mind. ''Seems like my theory is correct!'' With that confirmed, I decided that it was about time to put an end to this fight. ''I¡¯m short on time so try to keep up!'' At that, I mustered all speed that I had, before weaving through and unleashing a barrage of thrusts. Chapter 89 - 84 Because I was weakened by some unknown debuff, my top speed at my current state was only about the same as before I had ascended into an alpha. Nevertheless, it seemed like that speed was just about enough if I focused it all on some speed-centered attack. Like, for example, a barrage of thrusts. ¡°SCREEEEEEE!!¡± The Underclaw cried out as it staggered down on its knees. On its body and limbs, numerous punctured wounds could be seen, and it all ran across the cracks and gaps in-between its damaged shell. And though the monster was still alive and had managed to endure all that punishment, it still had continued to weaken due to all the blood that has oozed out from its multitude of wounds. ''Looks like it¡¯s your loss.'' I muttered whilst trying to catch my breath. Despite being on the verge of death, the monster still hadn¡¯t toned down its hostility in the slightest. In fact, it even seemed like the intensity had increased instead. And based on the rebellious look in its eyes, it was clear that the monster still hadn¡¯t given up. I didn¡¯t know if it was the effect of the madness within the monster, or if its spirit and will were just that tough. Nonetheless, I knew that such mad fervor was dangerous, so I had to end it swift and fast. ''You really did a number on my claws¡­'' I thought after glancing at my badly damaged claws. At the last moment of our deathmatch, both of us had given our all to the point that I even had to resort to using my claws to defend against the Underclaw¡¯s attacks. And since the Underclaw¡¯s scythe-like arms were augmented by some kind of rot-like effect, deflecting the monster¡¯s attacks also meant that my claws would be afflicted by the rot-like effect. As a result, my claws hadn¡¯t gotten out unscathed and some of them had even completely broken down. A sigh escaped my mouth after I had realized how bad the damage was. ''These things will be unusable for a while¡­ Well, I guess this is a lot better than being gravely wounded by that.'' Because of how desperate I defended against those attacks, all I received were just small cuts, as well as some light bruises here and there in some parts of my body. And since those wounds weren''t that serious, I was certain that the rot-like effects they carried wouldn¡¯t pose much of a threat to me. This was even proven by the fact that Recuperate had already kicked in and had even successfully stopped my wounds from bleeding out. Furthermore, Antibodies also seemed to work against that rot effect so I wasn¡¯t really worried about any lingering effects that might not even come. Looking at the Underclaw who had been desperately trying to crawl away, I wondered. ''Now, how should I deal with you?'' Unfortunately, the damage in my claws was so bad that even the combination of Recuperate and Antibodies wasn¡¯t enough to fix it back to normal. And since they were already way past the breaking point, I even received a notification saying that Dismantling Claws were now ineffective due to breaking down. As a result, I needed to come up with a way to kill the monster, and it must not in any way involved the use of my claws. With that in mind, I approached the dying Underclaw. ''I really respect your stubbornness to survive.'' I pounced at the monster, thus pinning it to the ground. But just as my feet landed on its back, the monster forced its body to twist beyond its physical limitation, and then swung its arms at a speed that was even faster than before. ''Unfortunately, it is now your time!'' To the monster¡¯s surprise, I dodge the first of his scythes by leaning my head backward. And before the second one could even reach my neck; I plunged my head into the scythe¡¯s trajectory, then shattered its blade by biting it with my fangs. *CRASH!! * As the fragments scattered into the air, I used that opportunity to tear the last of the monster¡¯s arms. ¡°SCREEEEEEEEE!!¡± Now that the monster had lost its only means to resist and fight back, it could only screech in pain and stared at me with fear and resentment in his eyes. I didn¡¯t know why, but it seemed like moments before its inevitable death, the monster had regained enough sanity to be able to feel some horror and pain. At this point, even its eerie and sinister aura had disappeared, as if it had given up and abandoned the monster who was on the verge of death. ''What a pitiful beast.'' With that thought, I sank my fangs at the monster¡¯s head, crushed it in-between my jaws, and ripped it apart from its body thus creating a fountain of yellowish-green blood. *** Intermission: The Ape vs The Chaos Beast After entrusting the Annoying Insect to that Weird Wolf, the ape had decided to play around with the Disrespectful Beast. But for some unknown reason, the ape found the appearance of the said beast to be oddly familiar. He couldn¡¯t quite point out where and when exactly he had met the beast, but the ape was at least certain that he had seen or fought against this same beast before. And if the beast really had left some kind of impression on the ape, then that could only mean that it was either unique or interesting enough to deserve being acknowledged as such. With a fierce smile plastered on his face, the ape charged forward with his weapon in one hand. And accompanied by a thunderous war cry, the two huge monsters clashed, and it created a powerful shockwave that was enough to gauge the ground. As the two monsters ran around and slug it out, what was left in their wake was either fallen trees or new craters on the ground. And since the two monsters were abnormally fast for their size, the damage to their surroundings just kept on getting worse as more seconds passed. Before they knew it, the two monsters had already traveled so far that both the Weird Wolf and Annoying Insect were now out of their sight. But as their battle raged on, it had slowly become obvious who actually has the upper hand. Despite not being able to use his left arm, the ape didn¡¯t seem to be having a hard time maneuvering his staff-like weapon with only one hand. And though his strikes weren¡¯t as sharp and fast as before, the ape¡¯s technique was still somehow enough to compensate for all this loss. Because of this, the Disrespectful Beast had been slowly getting pushed back, and his injuries had also started to pile up. ¡°GRAAAAAAH!!¡± Pain and frustration could be heard from the monster¡¯s roar. This was because no matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t land even a single attack, nor he could defend from the ape¡¯s weird strikes. The monster didn¡¯t understand how it worked, but it was certain that the ape¡¯s stick seemed able to twist and turn like some kind of serpent. Unfortunately, what the monster wasn¡¯t aware of was the fact that it was actually an effect of one of the ape¡¯s main combat skills. In truth, the ape knew from the start that the Disrespectful Beast wasn¡¯t a match for him. The only reason why he chose the monster as his opponent was due to both his curiosity and understanding that fighting the Annoying Insect in his condition would put him in a pickle. To be more specific, the ape was really on guard against that insect¡¯s scythe. And though he didn¡¯t know what it was, his instinct had told him that it was something that he shouldn¡¯t touch. That was why when the Weird Wolf intervened with their fight, the ape took that opportunity to conjure some weapon and boost his chance. But for the Disrespectful Beast, there wasn¡¯t even a trace that such an unknown and unpredictable trump card exist. And while it was true that the beast was indeed physically capable of fighting toe to toe against the ape, that just wouldn¡¯t be enough to close the gap especially since the ape had one of his trump cards in his hand. More than that, the Disrespectful Beast also seemed to be one step weaker than the insect so it was simply impossible for him to win even if the ape was handicapped. Filled with madness and rage, the Disrespectful Beast pounced forward in a desperate attempt to turn the tide around. But every time he swung or thrust his arms, the ape would just deflect it with ease, before spinning his stick to whip the monster¡¯s joints as a form of counter-attack. *Thudclack! Thudclack! Thudclack! * Seeing that, the monster¡¯s eyes opened wide in surprise. But before the monster could even cry in shock, the towering beast leaned back and swung the stick in his hand. A split second after a dull sound rang, there was a loud thud as the Chaos Beast fall flat into the ground. Chapter 90 - 85 I silently watched as the Underclaw¡¯s body continued to squirm around even after losing its head as well as all of its arms. And accompanied by some loud crunching sounds, I gnawed the monster¡¯s head into pieces before swallowing it down in a snap. At the same time, I used Gorge to boost the recovery of both my wounds and stamina. Unfortunately, even that didn¡¯t seem to be enough to fix the damage that has been done on my claws. ''As I thought¡­'' Although the condition of my claws had improved after using Gorge, it still hasn¡¯t been quite sufficient to restore it all into a usable state. And while I could fix that by eating and using the same skill on the Underclaw¡¯s main body, I just didn¡¯t have that much on time on my hands right now. ''They¡¯re almost here¡­'' By expanding the range of my sensory skill to its absolute limit, I was able to sense the incoming monster parade. And because they had already entered the range of my skill, it certainly wouldn¡¯t be that long before they reach this place. ''Tsk! Such a waste¡­'' Having no other choice, I extracted the shadow of the corpse¡ªafter all, it would be a bigger waste of resources if I just left it here to rot. But to my surprise, I only got two stacks of shadows from the supposed powerful monster¡ªwhich was to say only about the same as what I could get if I extracted the shadow of an ant. ''This is less than that of an Anties Captain! What, is it because of its missing head and limbs?'' To my surprise, I turned to look at the Underclaw¡¯s detached arm only to realize that it had also turned into dust. ''Wait, so separating a body part from its main body will not change that part¡¯s outcome? If so, then is the reason because I ate and used Gorge on its head?'' Whilst I found myself wondering how exactly my shadow extraction works, I heard some rustling sounds on the nearby trees before sensing something silently landing on the ground. And of course, it was none other than the ape. ''Looks like you¡¯ve also won. Though I guess I shouldn¡¯t be surprised.'' After giving the ape a cursory glance, I decided to temporarily put the issue of shadow extraction aside. Because for me, it was already a good thing that I could at least use my Shadow Augment once. At first, the ape looked around the area probably in search of the Underclaw¡¯s remains. But after noticing the pile of dust near my feet, I saw him nod in understanding as a glint of interest flashed into his eyes. ''Right, despite seeing my Shadow Augment and Shadow Bullet in action, this guy still hasn¡¯t seen me extracting a shadow from a corpse¡­'' With that in mind, I chose to act nonchalant about what had happened and just beckoned the ape to continue with our business. ''There¡¯s no time for that. Let¡¯s just continue with what we came here to do.'' And so, with the ape on the lead as it was before, the two of us left the place and traveled straight north. *** ''So, this is the place, huh?'' I thought as I gazed at the scenery upfront. ''The difference is really quite obvious.'' According to both the Tempest Wolf and Lightning Wolf, it would be easy to tell the difference between the trap littered spot, and the overall forest as a whole¡ªthis was apparently because almost no native monster of this forest dares to enter that spot. As a result, most plants and vegetation on that spot had remained untouched, thus making the forestry of the said part a lot denser than the rest. ''Well, seems like things are different now¡­'' Although the two alphas said that pretty much, every native monster in this forest knew about the traps, that knowledge still didn¡¯t stop the said monsters from rushing in inside. But considering how bad the situation had become, I could somewhat understand why. ''I suppose it¡¯s better to take such a risk than just giving up and die.'' Using my radar-like skill, I confirmed that monsters had really started to disappear inside. And though it was possible to argue that they could have just died, the rate and randomness in which their presence had vanished were simply too abnormal. After all, if a large group of monsters had just ambushed them inside, then those presences would either disappear in mass or wouldn¡¯t be able to pass a certain line. But as far as I could tell, the presences had been disappearing in a rather sporadic way to the point that it was hard to keep track. ''Hmm¡­ Those tall grass and dense vegetation really made it a lot worse¡­'' I wondered inside. But at that moment, the ape smacked me on my back before making a gesture that we should start doing our job. ''Yeah, yeah. I get it.'' I quipped as I turned around. And just as we had planned, the two of us moved along the boundary of the trapped littered spot. On our way, we saw monsters after monsters rushing inside and all of them didn¡¯t pay us any mind. And while it seemed to be a good thing at first glance, the truth of the matter was far more complicated than that. ''They¡¯re almost here¡­'' From what I could tell, it seemed like the monster parade had now caught up. Because of that, the desperation of the native monsters had reached its peak, so now they didn¡¯t even seem to care about anything other than running away with all their might. Naturally, this also meant that the situation had become even more chaotic, and the worst part was that it just continued to further escalate. Not long after that, we finally found a good spot to gather and meet up. The said spot was a medium-sized plain, surrounded by tall trees on all sides. ''This is exactly what we need considering those three are bringing in all the members of their packs.'' ''Okay, I suppose it¡¯s time to chase those monsters out!'' Even though the native monsters were just passing by on that plain, I deemed that such a simple act would still be quite unfavorable for us. After all, the sole purpose of this land was to organize our ranks, so we couldn¡¯t afford to have some random monsters ensuing some chaos in the midst of that. Furthermore, those random monsters could very well lead some enemies inside. So, for all that reason, we had to prevent any native monsters from going in, and what better way to do that than to unleased our hostility to scare them out. More than that, our hostility and aura could also serve as the guide for the alphas that were about to come. Well, that was at least what the Tempest Wolf had told us. ''Seriously, that Tempest Wolf really came up with quite a clever idea¡­'' I sighed as I began to enact my supposed enemy¡¯s plan. *** Intermission: The Burden of the Strong The day had been full of some unfortunate and unexpected development. Such thought was on the Tempest Wolf¡¯s mind as he rushed into his lair, and this was after he left the supposed ¡®outsider¡¯ in the Lightning Wolf care. To be honest, he never even dreamed that it would turn out like this. After all, who would expect that they would be forced to move out in just a span of a day? And while it was true that he had been making some preparations behind the scenes, he still thought that it would take some time considering how stubborn that Flame Wolf could be. But to his surprise, all hell broke loose, to the point that even that stubborn Flame Wolf was forced to agree and participate with his plan. With all of that weighing down on his mind, the Tempest Wolf could only release a regretful sigh. ''If only this had happened earlier¡­'' At the same moment that such thoughts flashed into his mind, the Tempest Wolf finally arrived. Immediately after arriving at his lair, the Tempest Wolf saw that everyone had already gathered near the entrance. This was because before the meeting with the other alphas began, he had already ordered all his subordinates to return and gather up everyone. And since his closest and most loyal subordinates were all aware of his goal, all of them obeyed and followed their leader''s command. That was why at this point, the entirety of his pack was all but prepared to move out. While standing in front of his pack, the Tempest Wolf turned his head and look to the south. ''Seems like we will have to defend and fight our way through.'' Since the monster parade was already too near, the Tempest Wolf was certain that they would eventually catch up, so they inevitably needed to fight. ''Now, it all depends on that wolf.'' Though he didn¡¯t let it show, the Tempest Wolf actually had some speculations about the true identity of that said ¡®outsider.¡¯ And in retrospect, the Lightning Wolf and even the Tempest Wolf might be the same. After all, all three of them knew that there were no other wolf-type species left in the caverns beside them. Well, that was at least true for ¡®normal¡¯ wolves like them. ''Based on his fixation, there is no mistaking it. And while his evolutionary path is quite worrying, the child nevertheless reached that point by himself.'' If the Tempest Wolf¡¯s speculations were right, then that ¡®outsider¡¯ would surely come for his life one these days. At that point, as long as his role was done, then he wouldn¡¯t mind fighting that ¡®outsider,¡¯ and was even prepared to lay down his life. Because no matter what, all of it was just simply the result of the choices that he had made. Although of course, he didn¡¯t have any intention of letting himself be killed without fighting back. ''If you want my life, then you should prove to me that you have surpassed all four of us. This is ¡®the burden¡¯ of the strong that all of us¡ªeven your father faithfully abides.'' As the Tempest Wolf reminisced about the past, he beckoned his pack to march straight forward. Chapter 91 - Authors Notice Hello guys, Author here. I would like to inform you that there will be an upload delay since there seems to be a problem with the host website I am contracted with. Also, there will only be one chapter for this week since there was a flood in our area last Thursday (July 29) and we are still dealing with its aftermath. As for chapter 85, it should appear once the problem with our host website is fixed. Thank you for all your patience and understanding and see guys next week! Chapter 92 - 86 EX Story: The Four Alphas and The Tempest Wolf¡¯s Dilemma There exists a time when the Lightning Wolf, Tempest Wolf, Flame Wolf, and Frost Wolf had worked hand in hand to guide their species to survive. At that time the entire wolf species as a whole was just starting anew so their overall population wasn¡¯t as big as the other species in the area, but because the wolves were inherently stronger and more resilient compared to the native monsters of the forest, their species survived and even thrived despite being outnumbered by the others. Although it took quite some time, the four alphas managed to lead their species out of this era of dawn, and as the situation of their species began to stabilize, the population of their species also grew at the same time. Adding the fact that their survival rate was also at an all-time high, it didn¡¯t take too long before the wolves asserted their dominance and became the ruler of that area. Before long, their population had become too large that it began to threaten the existence of the native monsters of the area, and since the wolves were carnivorous by nature, the fact the native monsters were on brink of extinction also meant that they were on the risk losing their only food resource. To combat this, the four alphas decided to let the hunting groups venture out of the area, but as time went on, it only became clear that what they were doing was only a temporary solution, because as their population continued to grow, their food consumption also spiraled out of control. When the alphas noticed this fact, they began to conjure a plan. In essence, the plan was actually simple¡ª First, the four alphas would break apart their pack, then they would separate it into four and lead each one on their own. But after that was the cruelest part of it all, because, in order to control their ever-growing population, the four alphas would have to pretend that they had a falling out, and then send their subordinates to fight for this fake cause. In short, the four alphas would pretend as if they were mortal enemies and let their subordinates kill one another for the sake of population control. It was, for the lack of better words, brutal but necessary for their survival and preservation, nevertheless. Though their logic seemed backward for their goal, this plan still proved to be effective, nonetheless. This was mostly because the wolves were built to live in such a harsh environment in the first place. In other words, the wolves had just gone back to what they were supposed to be, and since the wolves had been keeping each other in check without even realizing it, the balance of the forest had returned once more. Well, that was until they faced an unexpected problem. ¡°So, how was it?¡± The Frost Wolf asked. Hearing that, the newly arrived Flame Wolf sat before he opened his mouth and sighed. ¡°It¡¯s bad. I found multiple traces of scouts.¡± Following that, the Tempest Wolf turned to the other wolf who also just arrived. ¡°How about the other side?¡± Taking a seat right next to the Flame Wolf, the Lightning Wolf replied, ¡°Same¡­¡± ¡°I see. It¡¯s that bad, huh?¡± The Frost wolf then gazed outside. A look of utter exhaustion flashed on the Flame Wolf¡¯s face as he looked up. ¡°Just right when things are starting to stabilize and now this happened. It¡¯s like death is chasing us or something¡± A heavy silence descended on that place after the Flame Wolf whispered that. And though the Tempest Wolf wanted to rebuke such unwarranted behavior, he could only swallow his words because there was a part of him that somehow felt the same. That was why instead of starting an argument with the Flame Wolf, the Tempest Wolf instead decided to focus on their next course of action. After all, even though the alphas were supposed to be enemies on the surface, they still would gather in secret like this from time to time whenever there was an urgent problem that involves the entirety of their species. ¡°So, what are we gonna do? Leave this place?¡± The Tempest Wolf asked. For a while, no one answered this question. Because while the wolves could just leave the forest area, finding a new place to settle in wouldn¡¯t be such an easy task. On top of that, they also had to worry about food supplies all the while traveling with no clear destination in mind. It would be ideal if they could just hunt for food on their way, but doing so wasn¡¯t as simple as it sounds. The Tempest Wolf, Lightning Wolf, and Flame Wolf all turned to him in surprise. Though of course, it wasn¡¯t as if the three alphas had no say on this matter entirely. But now that one of them had made their stance clear and didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of backing down for that matter, the four alphas had only two options left¡ªone was to go along with the Frost Wolf¡¯s plan or fight to it out until one side submitted to the other one. Well, that was at least how the worst-case scenario would play out. Among the three, the Flame Wolf was the first one to speak his mind. ¡°Well, I kinda get yer¡¯ sentiment. But what¡¯s yer¡¯s plan?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple. We''re gonna gather everyone and defend this place if ever they attack. If need be, the four of us could also band together and try to kill their Queen.¡± The Frost Wolf explained. Upon hearing that, the Lightning Wolf frowned. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ reckless¡­¡± The Tempest Wolf nodded. ¡°Agreed. And not only that, it¡¯s basically suicide.¡± In contrast to the Lightning Wolf and Tempest Wolf¡¯s reactions, the Flame Wolf smiled. ¡°Nah. I like the idea. It¡¯s plain and straight to the point.¡± Completely ignoring the Flame Wolf¡¯s comment, the Tempest Wolf turned towards the Frost Wolf and look him in the eye. ¡°Are you serious about this? You know that those insects greatly outnumbered us, right? Furthermore, attacking that Queen isn¡¯t an option either because we will be overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of those insects before we even reached her. And even if we somehow succeed, we also had to deal with the Queen¡¯s authority in our already exhausted state.¡± Without batting an eye, the Frost Wolf looked back. ¡°That¡¯s why we will instead stay in our domains and use our authority to fight off the insects.¡± ¡°So, you''re saying that we should gamble in this do-or-die situation? In that case, isn¡¯t leaving this place a much better option? Yes, I¡¯m sure there will be sacrifices on the way, but at least we wouldn¡¯t risk losing everything we have worked so far.¡± ¡°But what if we lose? If we follow your plan, then we would not only risk losing our home and some of our kin but everything we have including ours and everyone¡¯s lives.¡± At that, a look of understanding flashed upon the Frost Wolf¡¯s face. ¡°I see. Then why not take your pack and leave?¡± The Tempest Wolf¡¯s face warped in rage the moment that question came out from the Frost Wolf¡¯s mouth. ¡°Is that what you think of me? Am I really so cheap in your eyes that you think I would make such a selfish decision? Self-preservation, really?¡± ¡°If so, then take a stand with me.¡± ¡°Because what you want is madness. Like you¡¯ve said, we had already sacrificed so much. But that is the very reason why I can¡¯t afford to further drag our kind along to the grave with us. And for that same reason, I wouldn¡¯t abandon them either.¡± The Tempest Wolf declared, his tone burning with conviction. ¡°I see. Then I guess we had no other choice but to settle this ourselves.¡± The Frost Wolf said all the while looking at the two other alphas. Recognizing what that meant, both the Flame Wolf and Lightning Wolf nodded in concession. For now, the two of them would only be a witness and neutral third party. As for the other Tempest Wolf and Frost Wolf, they would have to make the other party submit by force. In the worst-case scenario, one would even have to finish off the other party in case he continued to refuse after he lost. And so, the battle between the Frost Wolf and Tempest Wolf began. But because the four alphas were equal not only in raw power but also combat prowess, the battle between these two alphas always ends in a draw. In fact, no matter how many times they repeat it the result remains the same. As a result, time passed by, and the invasion of ants neared but the wolves made no progress in their decision. That was why at some point, the Tempest Wolf began to think that their situation might be what the Frost Wolf was aiming for. After all, the basic premise of his goal was to stay in the forest and wait for the attack. So, in essence, all he had to do was buy some time. Once the Tempest Wolf noticed this, he felt as if had no other choice but to step up. For days, he wracked his brain to find a better solution in counter to the Frost Wolf¡¯s scheme. But no matter how long he pondered, he could only reach a single answer, and the worst part was, it required some blood and life as a sacrifice. Unfortunately, among other things, it was the only way that he could succeed. Perhaps, the Frost Wolf was also aware of this, and it might be his way of questioning the Tempest Wolf''s resolve. Regardless, once the Tempest Wolf stepped on this path, there was no turning back, and whoever emerged victorious in this fight would have to carry this burden until the end of the line. ''I see.'' The Tempest Wolf sighed. ''Then, I guess I have to do it.'' And with that newfound resolve, he decided to walk on that thorny path. Chapter 93 - 87 ''Here we go¡­'' Along with the erratic howls and war cries, the monster parade charged forward creating a thunderous sound as they marched, and like a tidal wave, the monster parade surged in and devoured everything in its path. In the next instant, cries of death and pain were mixed in with those erratic howls and war cries, and as that ominous melody played in the background, more and more presences disappeared after being swallowed by the tide. ''Found them!'' A little over beyond the tide of monsters, I noticed three distinct groups cutting across the monster parade. According to my Sixth Sense, the respective leaders of those three groups seemed to be leading their subordinates straight towards this place. ''Yeah¡­ This will be messy.'' In our original plan, the three packs were supposed to rush in here before the monster parade arrives. This way, we would be able to organize our escape and minimize the possibility of any internal conflict down the line. After all, there was a lot of bad blood between these three packs, and that would inevitably lead to a conflict that we couldn¡¯t afford to have. ''Looks like something went wrong.'' Unfortunately, things didn¡¯t seem to have gone well on their end. And to make matters worse, the situation left the ape and me with no other choice but to wait and stand our ground, because if we didn¡¯t, we had no hope of ever regrouping with the wolves due to all the chaos that was about to come. ''Okay, let¡¯s do this.'' At first, what appeared was a small number of ants¡ªor at least, that was what they looked like. ''What the heck?'' In just one glance, I realized that the ants were completely different from the ones that I had fought before. To be more specific, it was the presence and the feeling that they gave off. Because as unbelievable as it was, even though they gave off the vibes of a hungry and insatiable beast, these guys at least showed some semblance of order and intelligence beneath their violent front. But now, from what I could tell, all of that was gone as if the monsters had completely sunk into the darkest depths of insanity. If I had to compare it to something, I¡¯d say that it was the same as what I saw from the Underclaw. Although considering that appearance-wise nothing much had changed, maybe it was closer to the changes that the Hackclaw had to undergo before its supposed evolution. What came after the ants were a bunch of Hellhounds and an assortment of different monsters that had an equally crazed look on their eyes. To be honest, there were so many varieties of monsters to the point that I couldn¡¯t even recognize most of them. I didn¡¯t know how or why all these monsters have gathered like this, but I would bet that they could rival or even surpass the threat level of the ant army. Whilst I grit my teeth and prepared myself for the clash, the ape, on the other hand, approached a nearby tree and placed his hand on its trunk. When I saw that, I felt both intrigued and confused at the same time. After all, I was still curious about the staff-like weapon that he had somehow conjured during the fight against that Beast and Underclaw. But before my doubt could even take form, I noticed some movements on the trunk of the tree. It was, if I wasn¡¯t mistaken, moving as if it was in liquid form. ''Huh?'' For a moment, I thought that there was something wrong with my eyes, but as if to prove that all of it was real, the ape then plunged his arm inside and it just sunk in as if the trunk had always been a liquid all along. Then, in response to that, the surface of the trunk rippled violently whilst the entirety of the three trembled as if it was in pain. After a few seconds, the ape pulled out his arm and along with it was a familiar staff-like weapon on his hand. To my surprise, the tree began to wither and die the moment that staff was pulled out. It was as if that staff itself was what keeping that tree alive. The bizarre thing was, that tree dried up and died in just a split second. And though the tree didn¡¯t turn into dust much like the effect of my Shadow Collection, I still couldn¡¯t deny the fact that there were some similarities between the two. ''I see¡­ So, that¡¯s it, huh?'' At this point, the monster parade was almost before us, so I decided to focus my attention upfront. But before a lone monster could even reach us, the ground trembled as a multitude of vines jutted out from its resulting cracks. The next thing I knew, a wall of thorny and rampaging vines had appeared in between the monster parade and me. ''What the heck?!'' Surprised, I turned to the side only to see that the ape was already beside me, his staff stabbed on the earth near his feet, and for some reason, there were some glowing streaks of light on both of his arms and it all flowed through the staff all the way down. Furthermore, I also noticed some vines coming out from the bottom section of his staff¡ªspecifically, on the part that was impaled on the ground. From what I could tell, it seemed like the ape had created an arc-shaped wall that stretched from one side of the plain, all the way to the other. When I turned back and looked to the other side of the wall, I saw the monster parade trying to brute-force their way inside. But try as they might, they still weren¡¯t able to get past the wall of rampaging thorns and vines. As if they were conscious and alive, the vines either smacked the monsters away or even pierced multiple of them like some kind of barbeque. And even if some vines were chopped or separated from its roots, another one or even two would immediately take its place to continue its job. From the monster¡¯s perspective, it probably felt incredibly annoying because it seemed as if there was an infinite supply of vines. Obviously, all of us would have a harder time without this wall of vines. So, of course, I wanted the wolves to somehow get here and gather together before the ape reaches his limit, and the wall came crumbling down. Ideally, it would be even better if the wall fell apart, only after we had finished organizing our ranks. With greeted teeth, I couldn¡¯t help but exclaim inside. ''Damn it! Move faster, you bastards!'' And as if the heavens had granted that wish, I noticed that all the three groups of wolves had started to pick up the pace. Although in retrospect, it was most likely the decision of the three alphas after they had seen this strange wall of vines. After a long minute of waiting, the first group had finally arrived so the ape opened a part of the wall. Using that entrance, the Lightning Wolf¡¯s pack passed through all the while disposing of every enemy that would try to slip during all the chaos. Though of course, it was inevitable that some would somehow succeed so I had no other choice but to personally dispose of them. Surprisingly enough, the stray monsters were all easy to kill mostly because they all seemed to be only following their instinct. It was as if they were possessed by something and that drove them mad to the point that the only thing they knew was to charge forward and attack. As a result, it was easy to read their movements and bait them into a trap. And while it was true that they had the raw power to back it up, all of it was just being offset because of their reckless behavior and crazed mind. ''This is completely different from that Chaos Beast and Underclaw¡­'' I observed as I activate Shadow Collection and turned all the dead bodies around me into dust. Then after I gave the Lightning Wolf a cursory glance, I checked how many stacks I¡¯ve got. Six, huh?'' In that instant, two new openings appeared on the wall so the Lightning Wolf and I decided to take care of each one. I took the one on the left, while the Lightning wolf took the one on the right. But in a rather strange twist of fate, the pack who entered on the left opening was the pack of my secret enemy, the Tempest Wolf. What¡¯s more, I even somehow came to recognize some members of his pack. Specifically, they were the ones who were with the Tempest Wolf when he attacked and destroyed my father¡¯s¡ªthe Frost Wolf¡¯s pack. ''You¡¯ve got to be freaking kidding me. Like, really, what are the chances of this?'' But as if that wasn¡¯t nearly enough, the Tempest Wolf chose that timing to look my way and flashed a friendly smile. ''Good work.'' The Tempest Wolf greeted with a tone that only seemed to be sarcastic despite his sincere smile. Chapter 94 - 88 The moment that all three alphas and their respective packs gathered together, a cold and suffocating tension immediately filled the air. Clearly, even in the face of such disaster, the wolves from the three packs still couldn¡¯t fully trust each other. Of course, it wasn¡¯t as if I couldn¡¯t understand their sentiments. After all, just a few hours ago, these three packs were on each other¡¯s throats so it wasn¡¯t really surprising that they would act as such. Unfortunately, I believe that the situation on our hands took precedence over their petty grudges, so I just wished that they could just set it all aside for now. From what I could tell, this wall of vines wouldn¡¯t be able to hold back the monster parade for even a minute. Once it fell, a flood of crazed and bloodthirsty monsters would surge in and would bring further chaos among our ranks. Naturally, that would mean that we wouldn¡¯t be able to regroup, which would defeat the purpose of everything that we had done. ?? ''Damn it! We don¡¯t have any time for this crap!'' I cursed as my gaze fell upon the Lightning Wolf. Probably because all three of them are of the same mind, the three alphas howled in unison and all the wolves in the vicinity could do nothing but stand down. As far as I could tell, that howl served as both a command and a warning to anyone that would dare to start a fight, and much to the alphas credit, the wolves began organizing their formation in an orderly manner as if all that hostility from before was just a lie. It was, in my humble opinion, an amazing show of both leadership and dominance. Since no one dared to question nor disobey their alpha, it only took about ten seconds before we finished organizing our ranks. Though of course, in order for this work, it was essential to assign the right personnel in the right place. So, as planned, the most capable and elite hunters were positioned at the rear along with the Dumb Wolf and me. This was because, in our prediction, the most intense struggle would happen on the rear given that the monster parade would be persistent in chasing us down. On the other hand, the Tempest Wolf and Lightning Wolf were at the very front because they would serve as the guide all the while keeping track of everyone. Of course, we also didn¡¯t forget to position guards on the side although they weren¡¯t as strong as those who were on the back. Then, at the very center of our formation were the weak, old, and young. Essentially, most wolves on the center were non-combatants but it would also function as a haven for the combatants that would be wounded down the line. As for the ape, well, we had a hard time debating about his role back then. After all, as much as each of us hated to admit it, we were all aware that the ape was more powerful than any one of us. That was why at first, we thought of putting him in the rear to maximize his combat potential. But upon further deliberation, we ultimately concluded that it would be better to make him our scout. There were three reasons for this. One, the ape couldn¡¯t possibly replace either the Lightning Wolf or Tempest Wolf as a guide given that he was not only a stranger but also an entirely different species. More than that, unlike the Tempest Wolf and Lightning Wolf who were both known and feared by all the wolves, the ape was technically an unknown and suspicious individual so placing him in such a position might cause some problems down the line. Two, the alphas for some reason still haven¡¯t fully trusted the ape so they were quite hesitant in letting him run rampant on the rear where the battle would be most intense. And lastly, because of the ape¡¯s ability to travel from tree to tree, he was the best candidate to act as a scout given that his ability enables him to move in a high vantage point. Furthermore, because he would travel from tree to tree, the ape wouldn¡¯t have to worry about being caught in any teleportation traps. In a way, he could even spot some traps from above and warn us ahead of time. ''It¡¯s just kind of weird that they assigned me on the rear despite being on the same boat as the ape.'' To be honest, I found the three alphas'' decision to be quite suspicious. It was as if they had colluded onto something, and I was at the very center of it. ''They can¡¯t possibly know about my real identity, right? I mean, if they did, then they should be aware that I¡¯m too dangerous to be left alive just like what that Dumb Wolf said.'' After about thirty seconds, our formation was finally complete and we were ready to set out. When the ape saw that, he tightened his grip on the staff before letting out an ear-piercing cry. ¡°GRRAAAAAHHHH!!¡± Along with that mighty roar, a bunch of new streaks of lights appeared on the monster¡¯s arms. At the same time, the muscles in his arms expanded, as if giving way to those new streaks of lights. Before I knew it, those numerous streaks of lights flowed through the staff making it glitter with a bright golden light. In the next instant, the light was s.u.c.k.e.d into the ground, and it created a thunderous impact that sent even the ape tumbling on his back. *KABOOM!!* With that sound as the start, a plethora of vines shot up from the ground and it further reinforced the wall of vines. But instead of going on a rampage and skewering the monsters on the other side, the vines continued to move upward all the while thickening the wall of vines. Once it all stopped, the vines began to harden from the ground up until the wall transformed into what seemed to be a hardened wall of entangled thorns and roots. ''It turned into dust, huh?'' It was the simplest way to summarize what had happened to the staff. ''Does that mean that it couldn¡¯t handle the sheer power of the ape to the point of breaking down, or maybe it was the source of the power and it all had just been used up? Either way, that is a really powerful and convenient ability.'' Even though the ability has some glaring limitations, the fact that it has a very wide area of effect was still nothing to scoff at. After all, I would even bet that the ape alone could put up a decent fight against the monster parade if he used that ability right. It was even more terrifying because it seemed like the ape could control those vines at will and make them appear wherever he liked. In other words, as long as his enemy couldn¡¯t fly, the ape would always have some advantage on the ground. ''Seriously, the ability of that Anties King pales in comparison to this one. Although just like that one, this ability might have some pretty strict restrictions too.'' If the Anties King was unable to use his ability without any sand, then it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if the ape¡¯s ability also needed such conditions. For example, he probably wouldn¡¯t be able to use it in an area full of sand, or some solid paved ground. Another thing was that he needed to create a staff, and creating one most likely needed a tree as a material. ''Hmm. Now that I think about it, I wonder why he didn¡¯t carry any staff when they invaded the ant territory? I mean, even though he couldn¡¯t use it to summon some vines, the staff could still function as a weapon¡­'' It was then when my thoughts were halted by the alphas¡¯ signal to march. At some point, it seemed like the ape had already started his job. On my back, the crazed monsters were banging on the wall, all the while some of them had taken a detour on the side. Furthermore, it seemed like the crazed monster¡¯s efforts were starting to pay off, given that the wall was shaking so hard as if it was about to fall apart. Probably sensing that, the alphas commanded the wolves to pick up the pace. But since the wolves were already exhausted after pushing their way into this place, some of the weaker ones in the center weren¡¯t able to keep up. And since we couldn¡¯t afford to break our formation, we had no other choice but to match their pace, despite knowing that the enemies were closing in from behind. Upon seeing that, I couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ''Guess we have no choice but to engage these guys in combat¡­'' Chapter 95 - 89 *Creak Creak Creak* *CRASH!!* ?? Along with that loud ominous sound, I heard the celebratory roars and howls of the monsters as they continue chasing us down. And at that same moment, our group had entered the boundary of the trap-littered spot. ¡°¡°AWOOOOOOOO!!¡±¡± Following the signal of our guides, the wolves spread into groups of three to five. ''Now, will it work?'' I thought as I look behind. As if in concert with the movements of our ranks, the monsters who were chasing us down also spread apart. ''I see, they¡¯re really weirdly attracted to any signs of life.'' According to the three alphas, those crazed monsters tended to chase anything alive. Furthermore, the bigger the group of living things was, the more captivated they become. Though of course, it didn¡¯t necessarily mean that the monsters had the same mind, and because of that they weren¡¯t capable of any coordinated movements or attacks. Instead of spreading apart in groups, each monster moved in the direction that they liked. Because of this, the chaos started to spread among their ranks, and it wasn¡¯t long before a stampede began. It was then that the fallen monsters let out their dying cries, but without any regard to the fallen ones, the remaining monsters didn¡¯t stop and trampled on the bodies that were on their path. As a result, we managed to reduce their numbers without any fight, but because of that very same ruthless behavior, we failed to slow them down. Fortunately, that wasn¡¯t all that we had. A few seconds after the monsters step foot on this spot, the forest was alighted with numerous flashes of light. Every time one appeared; a monster also disappears in its place, but what made these traps more effective was the fact that the monsters were too mad to even think about avoiding the spot where the other monsters had vanished. As a result, the crazed monsters continued to be whisked away one after the other without so much as a fight. Of course, it wasn¡¯t as if the traps were designed to only work on those crazed monsters. In fact, according to my sensory skills, some members of our ranks had also fallen for the same traps and had already been teleported away. The only difference was that our members had the presence of mind to avoid those dangerous spots thus resulting in lesser casualties on our part. Furthermore, our scout had left some branches on the ground all of which acts as a makeshift mark for the dangerous spots. Then together with the guidance of the two alphas upfront, we were able to minimize our losses and avoid some traps¡ªor at least the most obvious ones. ¡°KWRAAAAAAAA!!¡± Whilst letting out such unintelligible war cry, an amphibian-like monster tried to leap on my back. In response to that, I slowed down my momentum and ducked slightly to the side. As a result, the monster¡¯s fangs were met with nothing but air as it fell headfirst into the ground. *Thud!* There was a flash of light, but without paying it any mind, I just dashed forward without looking back. At this point, numerous crazed monsters had already caught up. On my back, I could even feel a legion of ominous presences closing in like a tide. So, instead of trying to kill every monster that would come by, I decided to focus on running away all the while hindering their advance. After all, my claws were still unusable, whilst using my fangs in this situation was inefficient because it wasn¡¯t suited for this type of combat. ''Damn it! Those guys at the center really need to pick up the pace!'' As I cursed, I slide to the side and dodge the attack of an ant. But when I look to my other side, I was greeted by a charging Hellhound, its sinister fangs laid b_a_r_e before my eyes. In that split-second, I used my momentum like a spring to launched myself up. Then, before the Hellhound could even sink his fangs on my t_h_i_g_h, I flipped in a counterclockwise direction before using my skill to propel myself forward. With its target gone, the Hellhound crashed into the ant and they both tumbled into the ground. Unfortunately, that single mistake also spelled their doom because the other monsters ruthlessly trampled them to death before they could even stand. As I land, the last thing that I heard from them was their woeful screech and howl. When I look around, I noticed that the other wolves on the rear were also having a tough time. But by working together as a team and defending each other¡¯s backs, they were able to compensate for each of their weaknesses and barely fulfill their jobs. ''I guess I should have expected no less from the elites.'' At first, I was quite worried about the composition of these teams because they were basically put together at the very last minute. But considering how well they were doing despite their first time working together, I could only admit that I may have been worried for nothing. ''Well, if things don¡¯t go sideways at least.'' ''A Glydon?'' Upon seeing the monster¡¯s appearance, I was immediately reminded of the monster that I had fought before. ''No, it¡¯s probably related but not quite similar.'' Unlike the Glydon from my memory, this particular monster was bigger, faster, and stronger. More than that, its shell was also pitch-black in color, and its body was covered with small sinister spikes. ''This is bad, those guys are seriously outclassed.'' It wasn¡¯t only the fact that the monster was fast, the main problem was the monster¡¯s defense that could probably shrug off any of the wolves'' attacks. In other words, those guys have no means of fighting back, whilst their enemy could very well harm if they were ever hit by an attack. At that moment, a wolf swung its claws for an attack. *Crack!* But much to the wolf¡¯s surprise, its claws exploded like a firework upon contact, whilst the monster had gotten away unscathed. Then, just as the wolf was about to continue running forward, the monster made a sharp and sudden turn, before it crashed into the wolf with a bloody crunching sound. A scarlet mist was created as the wolf was sent flying backward. And as its body rolled around the ground, it left some red stains on its wake before coming to a halt. For about a split second, I saw the wolf¡¯s desperate struggle to lift its head and stand, but probably due to the severity of its injury, it was swallowed by a charging horde of monsters and was utterly crushed on the spot. With one of their members gone, the wolves tried to reposition themselves to fill in the missing spot. Unfortunately, that was when the monster decided to launch a follow-up attack ultimately disrupting the wolves'' attempt to reform their ranks. ''Tsk! It will be a problem if those guys got wiped out.'' For this triangle formation that we had designed, the four of us decided to put multiple lines of defenses on each of its three sides. To be specific, there were two lines of defenses on the sides, whilst there were three lines of defenses on the base where the battle would be most intense. Then, to prevent the monsters from reaching the center, we positioned the lines to cover the gaps of the one before them thus successfully dividing the load that each line would handle. That was why in the case of the baseline, once a team in the outermost was wiped out, the load that they were supposed to carry would directly be passed on the third or innermost line. And considering that some monsters had still managed to reach them, despite the efforts of the first and second line, letting those guys be wiped out would certainly double the burden of some unlucky team on the third line. ''Welp, I guess it¡¯s time to move.'' Since the Dumb Wolf and I were positioned at both ends of the baseline, there wouldn¡¯t be many complications even if we left our post. Or to be exact, we deliberately designed it this way so that we would be able to move freely and provide some support to anyone who was in trouble. *Thud!* At the very last second, I managed to tackle the wolf away from the trajectory of the monster¡¯s attack although in exchange I suffered a grazed on my left side. Fortunately, the wound wasn¡¯t anything serious and could be easily taken care of by the combination of my skills. ''I see, so those spikes are sharp despite their size. And from the looks of it, those things might be even sharper than a Glydon¡¯s spikes.'' As I continued to run, I noticed that more hostile monsters had appeared nearby. ''Yeah, looks like I need to bury that pesky monster fast.''