[ Wendigo Lvl. 8 ]

Then the second one entered.

[ Wendigo Lvl. 7 ]

Ah, shit.

The monsters seemed hesitant to fully enter the illuminated area, their movements becoming more cautious. I could see their pale, gaunt forms more clearly now, each detail of their grotesque appearance illuminated by the blue glow.

A low growl from the Level 8 Wendigo, which I'd nicknamed Octo, pushed the Level 7 one, Sevvy, forward. The smaller monster stumbled slightly before regaining its balance. Great, there's a hierarchy. Hopefully no one is above Octo.

Sevvy stepped into the light and its skeletal face twisted into a menacing grin, and it bared its rows of needle-like teeth. I tightened my grip on the sword, ready for the inevitable attack.

It lunged, its claws slashing through the air with deadly precision. I sidestepped just in time, feeling the rush of air as the claws barely missed me. I countered with a quick strike, my sword connecting with the creature's arm and drawing dark red blood.

The blade met with resistance, not able to hack through the dense bone. "Son of a—" I grimaced, feeling the vibration travel up my arm.

My muttered curse was lost in the darkness as Sevvy hissed in pain but didn't retreat, instead becoming more aggressive.

Octo took advantage of the distraction, attacking from my blind side. I spun around, bringing my sword up to block its strike. Its sharp claws clashed against my sword, producing a grating sound like nails on a chalkboard. The force of the blow reverberated through my arms, but I held my ground, pushing the creature back.

Octo's second claw grazed my arm, piercing through the fabric and leaving a sharp sting. I winced, feeling the warm trickle of blood. Great, double trouble. Just what I needed.

The monsters stopped for a moment, their pale, gaunt forms hesitating. I noticed them focusing intently on my wound, their eyes gleaming with a predatory hunger. The blue glow illuminated every grotesque detail as they shifted their attention.

What are they up to? I wondered, as they paused, their movements becoming more deliberate. I heard a creaking sound from their bodies, like ancient wood groaning under pressure. Whatever was happening, I wasn’t about to wait and find out. I charged, sword ready to strike.

But before I could take advantage, the monsters were already adjusting. Whatever transformation was happening, it was fast, and I was too late to capitalize on their pause. They brandished their claws sideways and slashed at me without moving from their spots.

What the... I thought, confused by their attack. My eyes widened in shock as I saw their joints disconnect, turning their arms into unpredictable lashing whips. The claws moved sideways, bending and changing directions with a fluid, terrifying grace.

Despite the chaos, my spatial perception kicked in. I could see the erratic movements, but being attacked by two at once was straining my focus to the limit. Each slash and whip of their arms was within my perception range, but dodging and countering both simultaneously was a challenge.

Suddenly, I felt a surge of clarity, a sharpening of my senses.

Spatial Perception Lvl 2 -> 3

Well, there's a silver lining to this nightmare, I thought, feeling a bit more confident. At least the dungeon is helping my skills level up.

With my newly improved spatial perception, I could map their erratic movements better. I ducked under one whip-like arm, feeling the air whistle past my ear, and parried another with my sword, the force of the blow reverberating up my arm. Okay, Octo and Sevvy, I see your game. Time to up mine.

The pair coordinated their attacks, forcing me to stay on the defensive. I dodged and parried, my movements becoming more fluid and precise as I adapted to their rhythm. Despite the darkness and the eerie surroundings, I found a certain clarity in the fight, my spatial perception guiding me with each step. Maybe when I understood the their attack pattern. It wasn’t like I didn’t have any tricks up my sleeve.

Spatial Perception Lvl 3 -> 4

Glancing at the level up, I sighed as I realized that in fact, I really don't have any hidden card.

But now, with a heightened sense of awareness, I could see their moves even more clearly. There was no change in the range of my spatial perception but the added details helped me coordinate more easily.

Suddenly Sevvy leaped in the air, opening its mouth widely. Its teeth covered the entire interior of its mouths, even down to the throat. I felt a shudder at the thought of being bitten by this accursed mouth. Rather than confronting the overzealous Sevvy, I stepped back.

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These two monsters were much higher leveled, but not as strong as the Hell Pig at Lvl 5. The pig was incredibly tough and strong but more like a beast. These Wendigos relied more on trickery and darkness. Maybe it's a factor of intelligence, I mused. The more beastly a monster is, the more it focuses on physical strength. Well, it's all conjecture. Not like I can prove anything.

However, that didn't mean the Wendigos were not a threat. I didn't feel much weight behind their blows, but their agility and sharp claws were a cause of concern, together with their flexible bodies and the dark surroundings. Perfect for my spatial perception, by targeting my weakness. I'd like to meet the professor who designed this. Just so I can punch them in the face.

Their hits may not be heavy, but those claws can still slice me to ribbons if I'm not careful. This is not going to work, fighting head-on is suicide. Think, damnit! I need a different approach.

I gripped the hilt of my sword, taking a deep breath as Vanya's teachings replayed in my mind. Precision and control—those were my guiding principles now. The Wendigos encircled me, their monstrous forms looming, claws poised to strike.

Darting forward, I targeted the Sevvy. Instead of a powerful, singular strike, I aimed for a quick, shallow cut across its thigh. The blade sliced through its flesh, drawing blood. The monster roared in pain, but I was already moving, my spatial perception alerting me to an incoming attack from another.

Twisting, I narrowly avoided a swipe of deadly claws and retaliated with another quick slash, this time to the creature’s arm. Blood spattered, and anothor howl reverberted.

With each cut, I adjusted my movements, adapting to their attacks. I struck with precision, placing each blow with care to maximize the bleeding. Vanya had emphasized putting all force on a single line of attack, but now I was learning to balance that with the need for rapid, repeated strikes.

My breathing grew heavy, sweat dripping down my face. The Wendigos were also getting more adept, their attacks more coordinated. I couldn’t rely solely on my spatial perception; my sword skills became crucial. It gave me the edge to strike in the right direction without wasting much strength.

Sevvy lunged at me, claws outstretched. I sidestepped, letting its momentum carry it past me, and slashed across its back. Spinning to face Octo, I ducked under a wild swing and cut deep into its side. The monsters’ blood painted the ground, their roars of pain filling the air. If I survive this, I'm demanding a pay raise. Or at least a vacation. Somewhere without monsters.

Suddenly, a familiar ding echoed in my mind, distracting me just enough to get caught by a glancing blow. I hissed in pain, cursing the timing. Really? Now?

ding

Would you like to learn the uncommon skill [ Sword Mastery ]?

Fuck yeah, I thought, glancing as the notification drew my full attention for a second. I smashed the mental link to accept it fast.

ding

Congratulations, uncommon skill [ Sword Mastery ] acquired.

This time, the skill effect was immediate. The difference was substantial. The strain I felt had lessened considerably—

ding

Congratulations! You have used the uncommon skill [ Sword Mastery ] for the first time.

Sword Mastery Lvl 0 -> Lvl 1

— And my strikes became marginally more fluid, each swing of my sword a fraction more precise. There was an instinctive sense if I was following the right angle to attack, and even though my body wasn’t fully adapted, this new skill enhanced the deadliness of my attack.

I ducked under Sevvy's next swipe, my blade flashing as I slashed across its chest. The Wendigo howled in pain, stumbling back.

Octo must have sensed the changes. For the first time, it roared, a guttural sound filled with fury and perhaps a hint of realization. It lunged at me from the side, but instead of stepping back, I was ready.

I sidestepped, parrying its claws and delivering a swift cut to its side. The monster roared, but I didn't let up. I kept moving, using my spatial perception to anticipate their attacks and my newfound sword mastery to counter effectively.

It wasn't much but at least I was not getting more cuts and blood.

My mind raced, considering different attack patterns. The only weakness I had read were torso and head but the monsters protected themselves against attacks on those area. Maybe I should connsider constructing a monster biology book as a whole. While there might be hundreds and thousands of them, hopefully I could categorize them with similar characteristics. While my mind wandered, I remember the Achilles tendon in humans. Maybe this monster had that too…

I feinted a high strike, then swiftly brought my blade low, slicing through the Achilles tendon of one Sevvy. It stumbled, falling to its knees, and I seized the moment to deliver a flurry of shallow cuts to its torso. Huh? That actually worked? Who knew 'Monster Anatomy 001: Amature' would be so useful?

I began to move, keeping my steps light and unpredictable, not giving them a chance to pincer me. I aimed for quick strikes, aiming to disable rather than outright kill. A cut to the tendon here, a slash near the eyes there. Anything to slow them down.

Sword Mastery Lvl 1 -> Lvl 2

I darted in and out of the Sevvys' reach, aiming for quick, shallow cuts that would weaken it over time. My spatial perception guided my movements, allowing me to anticipate their attacks and avoid their claws.

But Octo turned more aggressive, slowing down my finishing of Sevvy. I moved away from Sevvy and let Octo follow me. With a rapid lunge, I exchanged a claw strike to my ribs for a slash to Octo's tendon. Octo stumbled, and I placed my hand on my ribs, wincing at the sharp pain. It felt like my ribs were on fire, each breath a struggle. But I turned toward Sevvy to finish him off.

Spatial Perception Lvl 4 -> 5

Sevvy was trying to rise, its body trembling from the wounds. As I moved in to finish it off, it lashed out with its claws, desperate to fend me off. I swung my sword down in a swift arc with my full weight, targeting its extended arm. The blade bit into its wrist, severing tendons and bone. The clawed hand fell limp, unable to attack.

I quickly pivoted and brought my sword down on its other arm, aiming just below the elbow. The blade sliced through the flesh and bone, leaving Sevvy's remaining claw useless.

With both arms incapacitated, I seized the moment to deliver the final blow. I positioned myself and swung my sword horizontally at Sevvy's neck. The blade cut cleanly through the tough hide, muscle, and stopped at the spine. Blood spattered from the wounds, and its roar turned into a gurgling choke.

I turned to face a disabled Octo, but it was almost able to rise up. What attracted my attention, though, were the two new additions behind him.

[ Wendigo Lvl 7 ]

[ Wendigo Lvl 7 ]

Fuck, there are two more of Sevvy's brothers.