Battle High
[The time of the wolves has come.]
The sudden status window came with a resounding wolf howl.
-Awoooooooo!
At the piercing howl, both the shepherd girl and I snapped our heads up.
This was a safe zone, so no worries about wolf attacks, but the atmosphere was anything but ordinary—it was downright menacing.
All wolf-type monsters' detection range has been maximized. This change lasts until dawn.
Come to think of it, the sun was already dipping low on the horizon.
I'd heard tales that wolves grew stronger at dusk, but maximized detection range? That meant something else entirely.
Wolf detection ranges were usually narrow, but they ignored distance for challengers in a bleeding state. And right now, every wolf-type monster in the field was tracking me. If their ranges expanded to ignore distance completely...
Every last wolf in this field would come charging straight at me. Including the field boss, the King of Wolves.
"Tch."
That meant no moving until sunrise. I couldn't protect an NPC while fending off hundreds of wolves on the go.
Good thing I'd sprinted straight here without breaks. The quest nearly failed.
How did the first-gen hunters who took this quest right after hitting Floor 2 clear it?
-Flutter.
I pulled a blanket from my inventory and spread it on the ground. A relic from Floor 1's labyrinth.
Back when I was grinding one-handed sword mastery, I'd eat and sleep in there to max hunting efficiency.
A real bed was best for proper rest, but a few blankets like this were plenty for a night of camping.
"Um, adventurer... what are you doing?"
As I set up camp, the shepherd girl approached.
Right, I'd been treating her like background scenery. I knew she was different from Floor 1 NPCs, but it was easy to forget.
"......Sun's down, so the wolves will be active. We'll wait till dawn."
Even as I spoke, I wondered if I was getting the words right. Should've practiced polite speech.
"Oh, camping. Flanders and I sometimes spend nights outside too."
-Woof!
"F-Flanders, don't say it like that—it sounds so pitiful. Think of it as a campout."
Since the shepherd girl understood even dog nonsense, I figured casual was fine.
**
The shepherd girl pulled simple rations from the pouch at her waist: jerky, cheese chunks, biscuit-like hardtack. Didn't look appetizing.
I chewed on a white roll from my inventory. Dusting off crumbs and popping it in, the signature sweetness filled my mouth.
I was sick of them after daily munching, but the Lv. 3 luck buff on consumption? Couldn't pass that up.
"Whoa......"
As I grimaced through the cloying sweetness, the shepherd girl on the blanket gazed at me with sparkling eyes.
She wants some, huh. Yeah, these tiresome white rolls were originally a luxury dessert.
"H-Here, have some."
No point letting them rot in inventory. I handed her a few more.
She drooled but politely refused at first, then took them after I insisted. Then, like a hamster, she devoured them at hyperspeed, eyes gleaming.
Damn, she enjoys it. Anyone'd think she'd starved for days.
I left her to it, force-fed myself another roll, and opened the open community.
I searched the community for Floor 2 field monsters, especially wolves—stuff I'd skimmed before.
Skipped recent guides and strategies, focusing on old posts from first-gen hunters.
Memorizing monster info, combat styles, patterns—one by one, etching them in.
Plenty of time till dawn. No way I'd waste it.
All wolf-type monsters' detection range has been maximized. This change lasts until dawn.
Why just block approaching wolves from the shepherd girl?
All of them were coming for me.
Wolves couldn't enter the safe zone anyway.
Park her here, go out, and fight. Slaughter every wolf in the field tonight, and respawn timers would keep it safe till then.
Mob pull on autopilot. Couldn't be easier.
**
Told the shepherd girl to stay put, grabbed sword and shield, and stepped out of the safe zone.
Wolves were aggroing even from inside—hundreds waited outside. Too many to count.
Maybe really a few hundred. Cocky exit, but could I solo them all?
Dunno. Even one-shotting, that's hundreds of swings.
Reminded me of that old internet meme: "McGregor vs 500 Grandmas.jpg". With caveats, granny horde won at 50:1 exchange.
Another: "100 Bat-Wielding Lee Dae-ho vs 1 African Elephant". Split opinions, but most bet on the Dae-ho squad.
Stamina issue. How long can one strong guy maintain peak against weak masses?
Status only showed strength, agility, endurance, intellect. No direct stamina/HP pool.
Levels improved it somehow, sure. But would my Lv. 50-ish stats hold for hundreds of wolves?
Won't know till I try.
**
-Crunch!
Swinging the Kingdom Knight's Straight Sword, I lopped off a wolf's head.
No skills needed—most went down in one hit.
But some didn't.
Not my damage—size issue.
-Grrrrr!
A massive black-furred wolf leaped at me.
Couldn't dodge—wolves everywhere. Thrust shield to block, stabbed throat with straight sword.
"Hup!"
Yanked it free, swung again, severed the neck I'd pierced.
Black wolf crumpled, dissolved in light.
These were the problem. Too bulky for one clean decap.
Perfect angle might work, but surrounded? No.
Needed bigger, stronger weapon. Kingdom Knight's Straight Sword wasn't cutting it.
-Thud!
Out came Graksar's Bone Axe, the one I'd deemed useless.
Unupgraded attack was meh, no mastery boost hurt overall, but sheer size and weight shredded big wolves better.
-Crunch!
Cleaved a huge black wolf's neck in one go.
Follow-up brown small fry? Straight sword stab.
Graksar's Bone Axe had low base durability, no spares like the sword.
Couldn't spam it—switch weapons, use axe only when needed.
"Hoo, hoo... f-fuck, hoo."
Breath ragged, stowed shield, dual-wielded weapons.
Wolves from all sides—no block-counter openings.
This was better.
-Kraang!
"Shit!"
No breather—stabbed another charging wolf.
Goddamn, exhausting. Bail?
Lungs shrinking, side cramping like a vise. Ketone breath, dry lips.
High defense meant no major wounds, but scratches on hands, face burned.
"Heh, heh."
But glancing at level-ups flipped the boiling elation back.
Still good. Can't miss power-leveling like this.
Swore never to stop.
"Come on, you fucks."
Whipped my tiring body, felled the endless wolf waves.
Passive Skill: Combat Persistence Lv. 2