Battle with the Alpha
I locked eyes with the alpha werewolf standing before me, our standoff stretching taut as a drawn bowstring.
Grrr.
…This thing's aura was seriously off the charts.
It reminded me of that ogre from the colosseum days—at least high-grade, maybe even top-tier among them.
“Hoo…”
From the start, the way it had unified and commanded the pack screamed trouble.
And now here I was, facing another powerhouse.
I gripped my sword, channeling Aura into my eyes.
Back when it first appeared, if not for my instincts, that initial lunge would have shredded me outright—it was that fast.
So I readied Track, glaring it down.
But the beast just held its ground, refusing to strike first.
Puzzled, I scrutinized it closely and spotted the white fur on its belly stained crimson.
…Injured, huh?
That made it more manageable, at least.
Still, this was no ordinary monster—stronger than I'd gauged—so I circulated my Aura, tension coiling in every muscle.
And so the deadlock between me and the alpha dragged on, the air electric with imminent violence.
Tick.
Then, in a move unnervingly human for a beast, it raised a claw and pointed right at me.
The next instant—
Kraaang!! Kaak!!
the surrounding werewolves surged toward me in a frenzy.
…Trying to wear me down before committing itself?
Smarter than it looked.
Shwick.
I cleaved the head from the lead werewolf while keeping the alpha in my peripheral, ever vigilant.
Fast as it was, I couldn't afford to get caught flat-footed.
Yet—
Shwick—thunk!
Kyeeng!
—even as I dropped its minions one by one, the alpha didn't budge.
Hmm, still just watching?
Maybe the wound was worse than it seemed.
If so…
I toyed with the remaining werewolves a bit longer, gathering my Aura.
Fine—if it wouldn't come to me, I'd go to it.
I infused my blade with Aura.
‘Rush.’
Boom!
A casual swing unleashed an explosive burst, staggering the werewolves mid-charge.
Seizing the opening—
Swish.
I mimed sheathing my sword, funneling every ounce of Aura into focus.
In that fleeting retreat, I honed my concentration to a razor's edge.
When I opened my eyes again—
the werewolves' slowed lunges filled my Track-enhanced vision, with the alpha looming solitary beyond them.
Then—
Shiiiick—
a hazy red afterimage trailed between me and the alpha.
The moment my blade cleared the sheath—
my body rocketed forward.
Even with Track active, the world blurred past in a rush of speed.
I fixed on the alpha, rearing up on hind legs, arms cocking for a swing—reacting even at this velocity.
But—
alas, it wasn't my Esoteric Fleet.
Splatter—!!
Blood sprayed from my grazing blade.
…Too shallow?
I'd aimed for the throat, but it twisted away at the last second.
It shouldn't have been possible…
Pure instinct, like a predator's sixth sense.
Grrr…!
No time to dwell—the enraged howl erupted from behind me.
Bam!!!
I spun, intercepting the strike with my sword.
“Huff…”
Its massive claw hammered down; I barely raised my blade in time.
Up close, the damn thing was enormous.
Twice my size, easy.
With that weight crashing from above, it felt like a building collapsing on me.
And…
Grrr.
some inexplicable energy pulsed from it too.
At first I thought Aura, but rawer—more primal.
Similar vein, though.
That's why even with my full Aura, it was overpowering me through sheer force.
“Nngh.”
Teeth gritted, I shoved against the claw, but it wouldn't yield.
As I scrambled for an escape from the crush—
Whoosh—
it lifted its other paw, whipping toward my exposed flank.
A bipedal beast—it wielded both forelimbs like arms!
Kaboom!!
I slammed max Guard into the impact zone, but the shockwave rattled my ribs.
“Kuhak!”
My body lifted off, vision spinning.
Roll—tumble—
I somersaulted down the hillside multiple times before—
Thud!
“Guh!”
slamming into a tree trunk.
“Cough! Hack!”
The internal damage was brutal.
Without that buff coat from earlier, my side would've been pulp.
What kind of monstrous freak was this?
Hell, I'd take two ogres over this.
Kraaaar!!
Pain throbbed through my battered frame, blood trickling down my throat nonstop.
But I whipped my head toward the alpha, prepping its follow-up.
It was charging this way, murder in its eyes.
As it closed in—
Fling!
I hurled a fistful of pre-gathered dirt into its face.
Kraaar!!
It whipped its head aside effortlessly, then gaped its maw wide—big enough to swallow my head whole.
I surged forward, channeling max Aura into my legs.
Crack!
My knee rocketed up into its jaw.
Grak!
Aura user's full power—even a rotting fish has bite.
The head snap stunned it momentarily.
I scanned for my sword—dropped mid-flight… there, in the corner.
Whew, need that to fight properly.
No way my bare hands pierce that hide.
I kicked off, staggering slightly from the prior hit but snatching the blade anyway.
Right then—
Zing—
crisis instinct screamed through my skull—my entire body.
I dove sideways.
Kaboom!!
Its claw gouged exactly where I'd rolled from.
…Look at the size of those talons.
Would shred me to ribbons.
Proof: my side's armor hung in tatters already.
Damn, tore that quick? Heard it was pricey—hope repairs are feasible.
Whatever—
Whoosh—boom!!
First things first: survive to worry about fixes.
Small mercy, though—
Plip, plop.
blood dripping steadily from its earlier wound.
I knew that vibe all too well.
Guess it was the "burn it all" type, like me.
Feeling a twisted kinship, I sprang up from the dirt.
And now—
with Fleet recharged, I gathered Aura.
As its massive forepaw arced toward me—
Whoosh!
I unleashed the now-familiar Esoteric Fleet.
Gazing down at its back as it pulverized my afterimage, I drove my full weight through the blade to finish it.
Squelch—
It sank beside the heart—barely missed.
Twisted at the last?
Its bulk saved it, but a human-sized foe would've dodged clean—that agile.
…Been sensing it awhile.
Dodged my trump card Esoteric Fleet, too.
This thing had senses.
Zing.
Yeah—like my instincts blaring nonstop.
Bam!
Fleet spent, its hind claw connected, sending me flying again.
Luckily, the embedded sword sapped its force—not too bad.
Skid, tumble.
A bit of ground-rolling, but I stuck the landing, posture solid.
But…
Haaah… haaah…
By the time I recovered, it just sat there panting, unmoving.
Yeah, blade buried deep.
Heavy sword means devastating penetration.
Plus its prior gash—this was the killing blow.
Time to end it?
Mission was capture, but…
How the hell do you net that?
Too risky—could backfire hard.
Wasn't my gig anyway. Mercs would eat the failure over deaths.
So—
gathering Aura for a clean kill, I approached.
Thud!
It slammed the ground, lurching upright.
Still had fight left?
Damn—if I yanked that sword, victory's mine.
No Fleet, but Rush might buy an opening.
Tense, closing in—
Thud! Tatter!
—it bolted toward the forest instead.
“Hey! You bastard!”
Shocked, I gave chase.
Screw the prey escaping—my sword's in there! Lose it and I'm screwed!
But the wolf vanished into the woods with impossible speed.
“Ha… unbelievable.”
Maddening.
I scanned around.
Werewolves cowered, too spooked to approach.
Mercs sounded like they had the edge back there.
So…
Chase before full dark? Smart.
Haa.
Me doing this again.
Battle over, I clutched my throbbing side and followed the alpha's trail.
No sight of it now, but—
with a sword in its back, staggering away—
obviously…
Rustle.
blood spatters and massive prints marked the path clear.
Big beast, big mess—impossible to miss.
Even fainter traces, I'd track it.
Had let the mercs shine earlier, but pursuit was my old specialty, pre-rebirth.
Anyway—
eyes on the trail, I hurried after.
Through brush, over rocky slopes, ascending deeper into the mountains.
Blood flow thickening—end was near.
Probably collapse soon.
Already excessive hemorrhage.
Thus—
chasing till traces faded in the gloom—
Rustle.
—I spotted a cave bathed in moonlight.
Huge one, and…
“Hm.”
reeked of blood.
From the monster corpses piled around the entrance.
What a heap.
Mid-grades, even high-grades—from midlands to highlands, dragged indiscriminately.
Wait, could it be…
Blood trailed inside, so I checked the bodies first.
Cave wallside—
among larger corpses, a gray-skinned monster slumped.
“There it is.”
First sight, but matched the description perfectly.
Massive as the alpha, rocky-cracked hide.
Thick limbs, broad hands and feet.
And…
its clamped maw jutted with huge fangs.
Lucky break.
I clambered atop the troll, yanking two fangs free.
Fresh kill—should be prime.
Pocketed them, then entered the cave.
Pitch black, moonlight scarce.
Alpha might ambush, so Track pierced the dark.
Surprisingly tidy inside.
Blood drops formed a clear path.
Tough bastard—held out this long.
Step, step.
I advanced slowly, wired for attack.
But—
“What.”
—tension deflated absurdly.
Deep in the vast cavern, the alpha lay curled, utterly still.
…Dead?
Closer check: no breath.
Chose its den for the end, huh.
Shink—
I wrenched the sword from its back.
This thing caused all the hassle.
No embed, no chase.
Whatever—good spar.
Turning to leave—
still in Track, I caught a faint rise-fall in its curled form.
What?
Something inside?
I parted the blood-matted fur.
Revealing…
Chirp—chirp—
nestled against the cooling corpse—
a tiny white-furred wolf pup, eyes barely open.
“Fuck.”
Should've left it alone.