Kai POV
I was heading home, moving cautiously, nose low, ears raised. After seeing an Ice Lion yesterday, I wasn't taking risks. Every shadow looked like a predator.
Then—
A scream.
A child's scream.
I froze.
I should go home. I needed to go home.
But the scream came again—desperate, terrified.
My paws turned toward it before my mind could argue.
I found a broken wagon. Four men, one woman, and two children. The woman was shielding the kids while one bandit grabbed her hair, ripping her backward. Two more held down a man—her husband, from the look of it.
The girl, maybe seven years old, grabbed a stick and charged toward the bandit attacking her mother.
He slapped her so hard she spun and collapsed.
Something inside me snapped.
I charged.
No hesitation. No fear.
I sank my teeth into the bandit's throat.
---
Bernard POV
They ambushed us when I was fixing the wagon—three of the Redtail Bandits. Monsters in human skin.
My wife was screaming, the children crying, and I was pinned down. I couldn't help them.
When my little girl tried to fight back with a stick, she was knocked away like trash.
Gods… help us… anyone…
And then—
A wolf came out of nowhere, biting into the throat of the man attacking my wife. A strange wolf… small but fierce. It hung on with a death grip.
The bandit holding me loosened his grip in shock, and I used that moment to fight back.
---
Kai POV
I didn't let go, even as the man choked and thrashed. His blood filled my mouth, warm and metallic.
Then the second bandit turned toward me, kneeling for a clean shot.
His bow bent—
He fired—
The arrow slammed into my left front leg.
Fire exploded through me. I growled, weak, dizzy.
The woman scooped up a fallen sword and stood between me, her kids, and the last bandit.
I released the bleeding man and staggered back, pretending to retreat, limping away—
—but I hid in the bushes nearby.
The bowman rushed toward his friend, sword drawn, ready to "help" him by killing me next.
He fell for it.
I climbed the nearest tree—still clumsy, but fueled by rage—and when he passed beneath me, I leapt.
My jaws closed on his neck.
He crashed onto his dying friend.
This time, I didn't hesitate.
I snapped his neck.
At the same time, the woman plunged her sword into the third bandit, the one wrestling her husband.
When it was over, only one enemy remained—the first one I had bitten. He was still alive, still clutching his bleeding throat.
I approached him slowly.
He didn't deserve mercy.
I broke his legs.
His arm.
His shoulder.
Then I watched him bleed out.
Only once he died did I pull the arrow from my leg—agonizing—and throw it to the ground.
---
Mary POV
Redtail Bandits.
We were so unlucky to meet three of them.
But even stranger was the wolf.
A lesser wolf, yet it killed two bandits with terrifying efficiency… then just sat there, injured, not eating them, not attacking us.
Just watching.
Almost… thinking.
---
Bernard POV
"We should leave. Even if it helped us, it's still a wild animal," I whispered, pulling my wife close.
---
Mary POV
"Wait. We should at least offer something. Food, maybe. It saved us."
---
While they argued, their young son—no more than four years old—slipped away.
He waddled straight toward the blood-soaked wolf.
Toward Kai.
Kai POV
I lay down to rest when a notification appeared:
[Killed two bandits — +15 points]
So that was it… the stronger the enemy, the higher the points.
But before I could plan my next move, I noticed the small boy standing right in front of me.
He wasn't afraid.
He stared at me… then spoke in human words I couldn't understand—
and wrapped his tiny arms around my neck.
He hugged me.
I froze, confused, shocked… but strangely warm inside.
Behind him, his parents watched with pale faces, unable to believe what they were seeing.
So this was the "thank you" I'd been waiting for.
The boy ran back, and the mother approached next, trembling violently, carrying a medical box. She knelt, hands shaking, and treated my arrow wound. The ointment stung, but I stayed still. She bandaged me tightly, whispering prayers under her breath.
Three hours later, the father finished repairing the wagon.
Before leaving, he bowed to me.
His daughter came forward shyly, offering something wrapped in cloth.
Cooked meat.
They left soon after.
Once they were far away, I turned to the dead bandits.
I wasn't going to waste resources.
I took a bite from each body—enough to gain power, not enough to mimic a monster.
Notifications flooded in. My body tingled with new strength.
I howled, signaling my pack. Just so they knew where I was.
Then I climbed a tree to check my stats.
---
[STATUS — Lesser Wolf: Kai]
Body
Strength: 55 / 100
Speed: 45 / 100
Stamina: 60 / 100
Intelligence: 300 / 500
Agility: 40 / 100
HP: 75 / 100
MP: 40 / 100
Abilities
Tree Climber
Enhanced Eyes
Shadow Feat
Marker
Slash
My stats had indeed grown.
Now the question was: where should I put my points?
I decided to wait. First, I needed to understand my abilities:
Buff strengthened my muscles temporarily
Slash dealt deep cutting damage
Enhanced Eyes improved my long-range sight
Shadow Feat let me move without sound
Marker let me track a target even outside my vision
Useful. Very useful.
It was time to leave the pack soon…
I needed to find an elemental seed.
I jumped down from the tree—
And froze.
On a branch directly across from me sat a tiger.
A massive one.
Striped, muscled, yellow eyes glowing with intelligence.
How… how didn't I sense it?
When it saw me notice it, the tiger smirked.
Then it leapt.
---
The Tiger
I jumped off the branch instantly, landing hard—but the tiger was faster.
Much faster.
I panicked and shoved my 15 points into stats:
+10 Speed
+5 Strength
And activated Buff.
The tiger's grin widened.
---
Dialogue
Kai:
"What do you want? There's meat. Take it."
Tiger:
"Foolish pup. If I wanted food, I would've slaughtered the humans myself."
"But you… you are interesting. A lesser wolf killing grown men? Intriguing."
"You even buffed yourself for me. Good. Entertain me more."
He saw me as a toy.
Just a plaything.
My blood boiled.
Fine.
If he wanted entertainment—I'd give him something to remember.
I activated Marker on him, then used Slash twice.
I dashed forward, claws ready—
But he casually raised a single paw and blocked both slashes.
Then—
He struck me.
A single hit.
I flew, crashed into something solid, and tasted blood.
My HP plummeted:
75 → 20
He approached slowly, savoring the moment.
I stood up, trembling, MP at 25.
He lifted one massive paw—
Time slowed.
---
Kai's Last Gamble
I pretended to dash at him.
He lunged—
Expecting a direct attack.
But instead—
I scooped up sand with my paw
and threw it into his eyes.
His roar shook the trees.
I slashed him once more across the face—not deep, but painful enough—
and activated Shadow Feat.
My body went silent.
Invisible in sound.
And I ran.
Ran like hell.
Behind me, his rage echoed through the forest:
"I WILL FIND YOU, WOLF!
EVEN IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO!"