Squire has become a level 10 Paladin (rank 2)!

Strength is now 42! (+3 point(s)!)

Endurance is now 52! (+4 point(s)!)

Agility is now 52! (+4 point(s)!)

Intelligence is now 19! (+1 point(s)!)

Faith is now 112! (+8 point(s)!)

Charisma is now 98! (+7 point(s)!)

Squire has gained 8 maximum HP!

Hunting is going fairly well. Even on the trek from my home town, the creatures didn't give a huge amount of experience, individually, but collectively, it really added up. I surmised that there must be something strong around here that both the humans and wolves hunted for food, as well. Once I started actively seeking out stronger creatures, they proved to be easy enough to find.

My healing ability really is amazing. Level grinding would go so much more slowly if I were forced to rest and recuperate after every battle, but as it stands, I can essentially go straight from one fight to the next, even when facing somewhat threatening opponents. There are red slimes in the area as well, which are similar to the green ones, only a little bit stronger, with a few extra eyes and somewhat larger bodies. Sadly, the slime isn't quite as tasty, but it's still very much edible. Beyond that, there are strangely aggressive deer, and large, round ground based birds which have surprisingly sturdy feathers. None of these creatures constitute a proper threat, however, and my divine strike ability makes short work of all of them.

My body feels sturdier, my sword swings stronger, and all of this combat has honed both my body and spirit. I'm not the same dog that I was before. This time, I'll settle things!

This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.

AbyssalWood Alpha attacks!

Critical hit! Squire suffers 131 point(s) of damage!

Squire has been defeated!

That wasn't the entire battle, of course, but it might as well have been. Whether through bad luck, or the wolf putting just a little bit more effort into it, the fight ended up even shorter than the first one. Sure, I hit him a little harder, could I move a little more quickly, and endure a little bit more damage, but it wasn't enough. Not even close to enough. Worse, once again, I didn't die. Obviously, dying is far from ideal, but there's a certain honor to be had in falling to a superior foe. I honestly thought that I was going to, when he walked right over to my broken body. I expected at any moment to feel the sensation of strong fangs against something vital, but no. The dishonorable wolf couldn't offer me that dignity. Instead he raised on leg, leaving me coughing and sputtering as I felt the strong scent of urine splash against my face. The other wolves just laughed.

I wasn't ready to give up. I couldn't give up. Over the next two days, I practically painted the forest with the blood of its denizens. I rushed from one battle to the next, barely stopping to eat, sleep and especially not stopping to think. I didn't bother to heal after every fight, as time spent healing was time spent which I could be getting stronger. Even those few seconds could potentially make the difference, and realistically, it wasn't a few seconds. Add up a few seconds for each battle, and eventually you'll get hours.

I similarly didn't stop to bury or pray for my fallen foes, I didn't have time to. My master needs me, and that dumb beast is standing in my way! I was determined to make him pay!

Squire has become a level 13 Paladin (rank 2)!

Experience gains have started to dramatically slow by this point. I guess the difference between my strength and that of the monsters here is too dramatic. Maybe that's a good sign, though. If leveling up is difficult for me, it must be difficult for the wolves as well. It must be a sign that I'm clearing the power gap, and that our levels must be getting much closer.

Between that fact, and the fact that I'm not a simple dog, I have overpowered paladin abilities, I know that I'll win for sure this time. I have to.

---

AbyssalWood Alpha: These post chapter sections have gotten a lot more engaging now that there are more characters in them."

Squire: "You're not a character! You don't even have a name!"

AbyssalWood Alpha: "Of course I don't. I'm a wolf. Wolves don't need names."

Squire: "Well, I still think that you're not a character."

AbyssalWood Alpha: "And I think that nobody likes a sore loser."