As I slowly advanced deeper into the cave, the darkness grew thicker, as if every step I took was swallowed by an ever more oppressive gloom. The air was damp and heavy, and the smell of moss and wet earth filled my nostrils. A rhythmic sound, like distant dripping, echoed off the cave walls, but aside from that, there was an unnatural silence, as if even the insects were too afraid to come near this place.
“I really hope there aren’t more WoWolves in here,” I muttered under my breath, trying to control my nerves.
“I hope so too,” Roy replied, his tone slightly tense. “But be ready for the worst. The shepherd might still be alive, but if they left him here, it means they’ve gone to assist the wolf we were fighting. And they might come back at any moment.”
After a few moments of walking through the gloom, I finally saw a faint light filtering from deeper within the cave. I quickened my pace, still keeping my caution. The blood trails on the ground were becoming more evident, a clear sign the shepherd must be somewhere nearby. I rounded a narrow bend and found myself in a small clearing within the cave, illuminated by a small opening in the ceiling, allowing a weak beam of natural light to filter through.
And there, leaning against the rocky wall, I saw the shepherd.
He was injured, his face pale and covered in sweat, and there was a deep cut along his side. Despite the blood, he appeared conscious. Lying beside him were two rams, one of which was licking a slight wound on its leg. They seemed to have collapsed there after being dragged into the cave by the wolves.
“Help me!!” the shepherd exclaimed, his voice weak but relieved as soon as he saw me enter. “I feared I wouldn’t make it.”
“We’re here to help,” I said, moving closer. “The wolves hurt you?” I asked, looking him over. “But you’ll be okay.”
The shepherd nodded, visibly exhausted. “I can’t move on my own. My leg…” he said, pointing to the deep gash running down his side and thigh. “And those cursed wolves... they left the den after they heard a howl from the forest. But they’ll be back, I can feel it.”
“Great,” I muttered sarcastically as I assessed the situation. “What do we do now? Do we have any way to heal him?”
“Neither you nor BuBull have healing abilities. We need to find another way to get him out of here fast,” Roy answered. “It’s probably some sort of timed challenge or something like that.”
The shepherd seemed to have already thought of a solution. He pointed to the two rams beside him. “These two are used to being ridden. If you can help me get onto one, we can use them to get out of here.”
“Alright, let’s get out of this mess,” I said, approaching the rams. With some effort and great care, I helped the shepherd onto one of the rams. The beasts seemed calm and used to having the man on their back.
Once I was also on the second ram, I took a moment to figure out how it worked. It wasn’t too different from riding a horse, but these animals were much more robust and heavy, with horns that looked like they could smash through a rock wall. Despite my inexperience, I felt I could manage guiding it without too much trouble.
“Okay, we’re ready,” I told the shepherd, trying to mask my nerves. “Let’s go.”
With a slight touch on the ram’s horns, we began to move toward the cave’s exit. The silence was oppressive, and the tension in the air was palpable. I knew the wolves were out there, and they wouldn’t wait long before making their move.
When we finally exited the cave, we were met with a sight that made my blood run cold.
Above the den’s exit, perched on a rocky outcrop that overlooked the surrounding forest, were the two WoWolves we had seen earlier. But beside them was a third figure. A massive wolf, its coat completely black like the night, and its eyes burning with a dark intensity. Its paws were enormous, and from its open jaws hung sharp, menacing fangs. The air around it seemed distorted, as if some malevolent energy had enveloped the environment.
The sky, which had been illuminated by a pale sun just minutes earlier, had suddenly darkened. Black clouds were gathering above us, and a cold wind blew through the trees, making the leaves tremble. It felt like the forest itself had decided to become hostile, responding to the presence of that creature.
“This is the boss, isn’t it, Roy?” I asked, trying to stay calm as my heart raced.
“I think so, and what a boss…” Roy replied, his tone filled with concern. “A dark-type WoWolf. That’s not a regular MonMonster like the ones we’ve seen so far. It’s an evolved WoWolf. Higher average stats and unique moves. I didn’t think we’d encounter evolved enemies already in the tutorial. It has abilities that could really hurt you. You need to get away. Now.”
I didn’t have time to process Roy’s words. The shepherd, as soon as he saw the wolves, yelled something and urged his ram to gallop toward the forest. The beast obeyed immediately, launching into the trees at full speed. Without thinking, my ram did the same, not even waiting for my command. I nearly fell off, but I held on tightly to its fur and somehow managed to stay balanced as we chased the shepherd.
Behind us, I could hear the furious growls of the wolves, followed by the sound of their paws pounding as they took off in pursuit. The ground beneath us was uneven, filled with roots and fallen branches, but the rams moved with surprising agility. They leaped over obstacles with incredible ease, though every jump made me feel like I was about to be thrown off.
“Now’s not a good time to find out I’m not good at riding!” I shouted, desperately gripping the ram’s horns.
“Hold on tight!” Roy yelled in my head. “It’s like those old timed levels in video games, where you have to keep running or you’ll get caught!”
Behind us, the wolves were gaining ground. I could hear their heavy breaths growing closer. Occasionally, a sudden leap brought them dangerously close to our rams, but thankfully the beasts managed to maintain their speed, avoiding being caught.
At first, I was nearly thrown off with every jump the ram made, but slowly, I began to get better control of the mount. I discovered that by pulling slightly on the horns to the right or left, I could steer the animal, and by lifting them, I could slow it down. I just had to focus on keeping my balance and staying on course.
“Okay, I think I’m getting the hang of this,” I said to Roy, trying to stay calm.
“Better late than never,” he replied. “But don’t get too relaxed! Those wolves won’t give up easily.”
The trees blurred by as we raced at full speed, the sound of leaves and branches snapping under the wolves’ and rams’ feet was deafening. Occasionally, one of the wolves would try to attack, leaping toward us with bared fangs, but fortunately, we managed to dodge them at the last second.
The shepherd in front of me didn’t slow down for a second, urging his ram forward, trying to reach safety. My ram followed closely, and despite the fatigue, it managed to keep up the pace.
But then, something unexpected happened.
The dark WoWolf, who had stayed back until now, let out a deep, haunting howl. The entire forest seemed to respond to its call, and in an instant, something changed. A swarm of oily bubbles, like tar, descended upon us, and I saw the ground beneath our feet begin to be covered in a thin, slick layer.
“This isn’t normal!” I shouted to Roy, struggling to keep the ram steady on the slippery ground.
“No, it’s one of its abilities,” Roy replied gravely. “It can alter the environment. If it keeps this up, it’ll slow down the rams, and we’ll be caught!”
The situation was becoming desperate. The slick made every movement more difficult, and the slippery ground threatened to topple us at any moment.
“We need to find a way out!” I exclaimed, trying to maintain control of the ram.
“There! To the right! There’s a path between the trees, maybe it will lead us out!” shouted Roy.
I yanked the ram’s horns to the right, and the beast responded instantly, veering off the main path and charging through a dense line of trees. The shepherd followed me, and for a moment, I heard the wolves slow behind us, caught off guard by our sudden change of direction.
The shepherd surged ahead again, doing his best to keep his ram at full speed, but the wolves weren’t going to let up.
“Ekla,” Roy shouted in my head, “we can’t keep this up for long. If we don’t find a way to stop or slow them down, this is going to end badly.”
He was right. My stamina was draining fast. I’d already taken a few scratches during the chase, and checking my Omnigron, I realized I’d already lost around 20% of my HP. BuBull was out of the question at the moment—if I summoned him, we’d have to stop and engage in a direct fight. That would be too risky with all the WoWolves, not to mention the dark-type boss.
“Roy, BuBull’s staying out, right?” I asked, confirming what I’d already figured out.
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“Absolutely. Now’s not the time for him to fight,” Roy replied, staying cool under pressure. “Keep running, but be ready to defend yourself.”
Suddenly, one of the WoWolves that had gained ground leaped forward, jaws wide open, aiming for the shepherd. Without thinking twice, I gripped my ram’s horns tightly and urged it forward with all my strength. I had to protect the shepherd—everything would be pointless otherwise.
“Go!” I shouted, spurring the ram. With a powerful strike, its horns slammed into the WoWolf’s side, sending it tumbling into the bushes and crashing against the trees. The wolf let out a surprised yelp from the impact.
“Nice hit!” Roy exclaimed, but there wasn’t time to celebrate. The dark WoWolf boss had seen everything, and its fury exploded in a chilling howl. Its red eyes blazed with fierce hatred, and I felt the air around me grow heavier, as if something dark was building up around it.
The dark energy was swirling around the boss. Things were escalating quickly.
“Oh no…” Roy muttered. “It’s activating another one of its dark abilities. Be careful!”
I didn’t even have time to respond before the dark WoWolf charged at me, its powerful paws tearing through the ground as its malevolent aura erupted in a focused strike. Suddenly, I saw a shadowy scythe rise from the ground and arc toward me. Instinctively, I steered the ram to the side, but part of the attack grazed my flank. The darkness wrapped around my body like an icy grip, and I watched my health bar rapidly deplete.
“Minus 30%…” Roy muttered in my head, worried. “You can’t afford to take any more hits like that, Ekla.”
There was no time to catch my breath. I dodged another attack, but it was clear the dark WoWolf was targeting me. Each move was followed by an even stronger assault, and my ram was struggling to stay balanced on the increasingly treacherous terrain.
Then, the worst happened. The two WoWolves that accompanied the boss, almost as if coordinated, lunged simultaneously at the sides of my ram. I tried to kick them away, but one latched onto the beast’s neck, sinking its teeth into it like a vice, while the other went for the hind legs. My ram let out a desperate cry, and I felt its body buckle under the ferocity of the two predators.
“You have to jump!” Roy shouted, knowing that if I stayed any longer, I’d be crushed along with the ram.
With a desperate leap, I launched myself off the saddle, rolling onto the ground to avoid being pinned. I scrambled to my feet and kept running. Glancing back for a moment, I saw a heartbreaking sight: the two WoWolves were savagely tearing into my ram, ripping flesh from its legs and mauling it mercilessly. The poor creature was trembling on the ground, unable to move, its cries of pain echoing toward me.
“Roy…” I whispered, a horrible sense of helplessness gripping me. There was nothing I could do to save it. The wolves were too vicious, too fast.
I didn’t have time to hear Roy’s response. From the bushes to my right, I saw the head of the dark WoWolf emerge, its eyes glowing with unstoppable fury as it locked onto me. Now, all I could rely on were my legs. I started sprinting toward the clearing, my heart pounding in my chest. Thankfully, the shepherd was already far ahead, riding his ram. At this point, the risk was that I wouldn’t make it to the end of the mission.
“Roy, any plans?” I asked, panting as I zigzagged through the trees, trying not to be an easy target. Every time I dodged, another wave of dark energy exploded into the ground, creating craters and surrounding me with an unnatural chill.
“I’m checking something in the back office. I’ll be gone for a few minutes,” Roy replied, his tone full of concern. Suddenly, he went silent.
“Roy? What do you mean by that?” I yelled. But there was no answer. This was not the time to leave me alone.
The dark WoWolf launched another attack, and I threw myself behind a tree, trying to find cover. The dark strike partially hit me, sending me rolling several meters down the hill. I had 20% of my HP left and was getting seriously worried. I needed to use my wits, not brute force.
As I struggled to get back on my feet, I spotted something that gave me a sliver of hope. The shepherd and his ram were far ahead now, almost out of the wolves' reach.
"Roy... we're almost there. If I can keep it distracted for a little longer, we can finish the mission!" Still no answer. Roy hadn't returned yet. My nerves were on edge.
I saw the two WoWolves that had attacked my ram earlier now returning to chase after me. Running away was becoming even more difficult.
"Roy! Tell me you’ve come up with a plan! Now or never!" I shouted, desperation creeping into my voice.
No response. The silence in my head was surreal, almost unbearable. The dark WoWolf let out a deep howl, shaking the air and clouding my thoughts even further. What was happening? Where was Roy?
Without warning, the wolf attacked. A flash of darkness erupted to my right, and with an infernal roar, the beast lunged at me. It missed me by mere inches. I dodged the bite thanks to pure, desperate instinct, throwing myself to the ground and rolling under the trunk of a massive, ancient tree. The wolf’s jaws snapped at the air, barely missing my neck. I could hear the sickening clatter of its teeth as they closed on nothing, so close I could feel the beast's rotten breath fill my lungs.
I crouched under the trunk for a moment, covered in mud, reminding myself that this was just a game, trying to slow my frantically beating heart. But I couldn't stay there— the wolf would find me in seconds. I had to keep moving.
With a groan, I got up and resumed running, using the steep downhill slope to pick up speed. Every step was a challenge as the ground crumbled beneath my feet. Rocks and roots jutted out everywhere, trying to trip me up, but they offered a strange advantage: the uneven terrain seemed to make the chase harder for the WoWolves on my tail.
I was about to shout for Roy again when his voice finally came back in my head, frantic and irritated.
"Ekla, you there? Sorry for the delay, but I did the math... they can't leave! We've got a chance! You just need to follow my instructions exactly."
"I can’t hold out any longer!" I mentally snapped as I stumbled from rock to rock. "Where have you been? What do you mean they can't leav—" My thoughts were jumbled, and Roy cut me off.
"Listen to me, Ekla! I’ve done the calculations, and... I have the solution. You need to trust me and follow everything I say. No questions. Blind trust."
I had no other options. I took a desperate breath, realizing my only hope was to put my faith in Roy.
"Okay, Roy," I said, exhausted. "I’m in your hands."
Roy cleared his throat and began. "Keep running toward the left-hand trail down the slope, but be alert. It’s steep, but if you handle it right, you can pick up speed."
I took a sharp turn, nearly falling as I tried not to brake too hard. The ground underfoot became even more treacherous, a natural trap of jagged stones and exposed roots. The thudding paws of the WoWolves still echoed behind me.
"Roy, there are too many wolves. What do I do?" I shouted telepathically, anxiety now hitting its peak.
"Listen to me! Stay calm and follow my instructions. Soon, you’ll see some boulders blocking the path. You’ll have to smash through them with Charge. You’ve got enough mana left for it."
"Charge?" It sounded crazy, but I didn’t have time to doubt. The boulders finally came into view—a natural barrier that looked impossible to overcome.
"No time, Ekla! Charge now!"
Focusing on my mana, I felt the magical energy surge inside me like an electric current ready to burst. I let the power flow through my body and, with a furious shout, I activated Charge, launching myself into the boulders. The impact was devastating—the rocks shattered into a thousand pieces, but I immediately felt the recoil. It was like being hit by an invisible fist. My HP dropped by 10%, and a sharp pain shot through my chest.
"Damn it, Roy! Now I’ve got less than 10% HP left," I snapped as my steps began to falter. "One bite and I’m done."
"I told you to trust me!" Roy retorted.
I had gained a few precious seconds on the wolves, but the dark WoWolf hadn’t given up. I could feel it. Every fiber of my being knew it wouldn’t stop until it had torn me to shreds.
Roy snapped me out of my thoughts. "You need to keep running towards that hollow tree. It's your only chance. I've checked: the shepherd is safe. But you need to reach the tree. When I say so, activate Sprint!"
"But if I use Sprint now, I'll run out of stamina," I replied, worried. Without stamina, I wouldn't be able to keep running.
"Activate Sprint now!" Roy shouted in my head, completely ignoring my concern.
The terrain grew steeper, but I activated Sprint without hesitation. Every muscle in my legs tensed violently, propelling me forward at high speed. The dark WoWolf lunged after me, its fury tangible, but the Sprint gave me just enough of an advantage to widen the gap.
When I reached the hollow tree, I saw a drop-off several meters below me.
"Jump down the slope! Now! To the left!" Roy commanded.
Without thinking, I threw myself into the void, veering left. The jump was dizzying, but my body reacted as if it had been jolted awake: I landed on a thick branch.
"Keep jumping!" Roy urged me again.
I leaped from branch to branch, using my enhanced agility. The wolves stumbled and slid on the rocks below, unable to follow me in the air, but still pursuing relentlessly just beneath.
For the first time since the chase began, I felt like I had the upper hand.
Each branch brought me closer to the clearing. My heart pounded not from fear, but from the adrenaline and the realization that I might actually make it. The last few seconds of Sprint carried me to the edge of the slope, where I finally saw the open clearing. The shepherd, still on his ram, waited below, his face tense but hopeful. I had made it. Safety was within reach.
A couple more jumps, and I landed in the clearing, sliding on the soft grass. The Sprint ended, and with it, my stamina. I couldn’t run anymore, and I was still far from the shepherd. Behind me, the final trees of the forest, and further back, the WoWolves in their relentless chase. They would catch up to me soon.
But then, something strange happened. The wolves seemed to slow down. I was sure it was over for me, but I could sense fear growing in them, inexplicably. The smallest of the wolves failed to stop in time and crossed into the clearing. As the sunlight hit its dark fur, now exposed beyond the forest, I saw its HP start to drop. With a panicked yelp, it retreated back into the shadows of the trees.
My eyes widened. "It really works! They can't leave the forest!" I exclaimed, astonished.
"Told you!" Roy cheered triumphantly.
The two smaller wolves timidly poked their snouts out from the forest, only to be immediately repelled by the sunlight. Their desperate howls echoed in the air as they retreated further into the trees.
The dark WoWolf, however, remained still. It lingered at the forest’s edge, hidden in the shadows, its fiery red eyes glaring at me with unbridled hatred. It couldn’t follow, but its presence was suffocating.
"Mission complete?" I asked, still gasping from the run.
"Yes, Ekla," Roy replied with a light laugh. "We can finally say it: we did it." He broke into a joyful laugh, and I joined him.
I collapsed onto the ground, exhausted but relieved.