The overconfidence that came with leveling up was a swift and brutal teacher. I had walked through the forest for three days already, my new strength making the trek easier, but doing nothing to fill the gnawing emptiness in my stomach.
And only now did my stomach start to ache with a familiar, dreadful pang.
Shit.. not this again..
I held my stomach, doubling over in pain.
But then I heard a growl somewhere close. And not just one, three of them. Before I could even react, three mud wolves erupted from the fog, leaping at me from different angles. Their coordinated attack was perfect fangs tore straight through me before I could even raise my stick. I was overwhelmed, collapsing to the ground in a heap of shredded flesh and searing pain.
I blinked my eyes open in the void once more, the phantom sensation of fangs still lodged in my neck and ribs.
You died.. you where not ready.. getting the power over your head are you?
The System spoke with almost a sarcastic tone.
No.. there where 3 of them what could i do?..
I spoke, grumbling annoyingly.
You could been ready as simple as that.. but you deserve it, remeber your still nothing..
And with that, I blinked open and appeared back in the forest, right beside the dead wolf's body from my first victory.
Godamit!! Why did i get careless.. tch..
I yelled at myself in disappointment, the sting of failure sharp in my mind.
Then I remembered the hunger that had crippled me. I looked down at the wolf's carcass. I tried to lift the entire thing onto my shoulder, but my skinny frame, even enhanced, couldn't handle the dead weight. I let it drop back into the mud with a wet thud. Crouching down, I used my hands to rip out parts of the haunch that looked the least rotten, stuffing the raw, cold meat into my pockets with a grimace.
I started to once more trek the forest, and like last time, after three days, the wolves appeared. But this time, my stomach hurt even more, a sharp, twisting agony. I had eaten the raw, infected meat.
Fuck, my stomachs killing me! Was it a bad idea to eat that wolf.. fuck..
I clutched my stomach as the wolves slowly surrounded me, their yellow eyes gleaming in the gloom.
And in an instant, they all leaped in to bite me to shreds. I managed to thrust at the wolf in front of me, my stick pulverizing its eye and cheek into mush. I quickly weaved away from the wolf at my side, but the one behind me was able to rake its claws down my back.
Aght! I stumbled forward but instantly turned, thrusting at the wolf behind me. It weaved my attack, and the other one sank its teeth deep into my leg. I looked down at the wolf savaging my leg and thrust down at its head with all my might, instantly killing it. But then the wolf with the ruined eye bit into my ribs, and as I tried to thrust into it, the final one lunged and clamped its jaws around my neck..
I fell to the muddy ground, the dead wolf's body beside me, as the other two started to eat me alive.
And just like that, I was once again in the void. The System was congratulating me for defeating a wolf, and I got a few extra XP and points for that, but less than I did before.
I clutched the parts of my body that had been being eaten, a cold sweat running all through my body.
Shit.. how am i supposed to defeat 3 at once with a just a stick?! Even if my stats increase drasticaly thanks to that title and skill i can't do anything with a stick!
Not my problem figure something out you have 3 days before they appear find something that could help you..
Then I once again appeared in the forest.
Haaa.. figure something out, like that's eazy i can barely see in this foggy forest.
I once again ripped out some raw wolf meat from the dead wolf, stuffing it into my pockets with a sigh of resignation.
I walked through the forest, my eyes scanning the oppressive grey for anything useful, just like the System said. And then I saw it—something large and unnatural in the distance. I trudged closer and closer, my heart thumping with a faint hope, until I could see it was a destroyed wagon, overturned and picked clean by time, surrounded by the bones of dead animals.
I continued to rummage through it, my hands sifting through rotten wood and rusted metal, until I accidentally cut my hand on something wickedly sharp. I pulled it out and saw it was the skull of a humanoid creature, but with two long, viciously sharp horns.
Shit.. there's actual demons in this world or something?
But then I looked around the wagon. There was rope, metal rods, and some other junk.
Weit.. i could make a wepon out of these's horns.
I ripped the horns from the demon's skull, cleaning off the grime with a scrap of cloth I found, and started trying to build a weapon. I used rope and a sturdy wooden pole, trying and trying to lash the horn to it securely. But having lived my previous life in peaceful times, I couldn't figure out how to tie the rope strong enough so it didn't all fall apart.
I worked and worked for hours, my fingers growing raw, until finally, probably by luck, I managed a series of knots that felt sturdy enough to hold.
Trying it out, the horn was amazing. The sharpness was crazy; I pierced straight through a tree with ease, the horn sinking deep into the wood. It took me another hour of wrestling to get it out. I had made a spear from a demon's horn. But I had an extra horn. Thinking about all my fights with the wolves, they always got in close, where a spear would be useless.
And with that, I made a dagger in the same way I did the spear.
With some extra rope, I fashioned a makeshift sheath on my back for the spear and a sheath for my dagger on my waist.
Hehe~ now i feel like a actual warrior.. this is how being isekaid should be.. well plus having friends..
(Expept for wearing some ragged, destoryed and dirty office clothes.)
I looked around the dense, foggy, and depressing forest and just sighed.
I wana get out of here as soon as possible..
I started to traverse the forest, heading through, and for some reason, still forcing down that shitty wolf meat.
And as the time came, the growls of the 3 wolves appeared.
I immediately pulled out my spear; I had trained a little with it to at least strike correctly.
The wolves slowly stepped closer to me, their growls echoing through the silent forest.
But in a quick leap, I dashed forward and instantly pierced the head of the wolf in the middle.
But the other ones didn't even wait as they leaped up at me.
I immediately weaved one of them and pulled out my dagger, slashing the other wolf's stomach open.
My attacks were a little sloppy, but they were enough for the wolves.
The wolf that I slashed hid behind the other one.
I quickly pulled out my spear from the dead wolf, sheathing my dagger.
Come at me fuckers!
I grinned at them, my spear ready.
Then the wolf dashed at me, aiming for my leg.
I tried to thrust at it, but it weaved my attack and dashed once again, but I leaped back.
Yet out of nowhere, the injured wolf appeared, aiming for my ribs, but I barely blocked it with the shaft of my spear.
And the other one didn't wait, leaping up at me.
But I immediately pulled out my dagger, slashing the wolf's mouth open.
It squealed in pain.
Both of the wolves were standing there, growling, but you could clearly see they were terrified.
I glanced at them, my grin calming down a little as I saw their frightened state. I took in their bodies; they were starving, their ribs clearly visible through their matted fur. Both of them were bleeding; one couldn't even eat anymore, the other would die of blood loss.
Shit.. you both are just starving, just like me.. sorry but i can't really help you..
My voice was soft, a little sad and troubled.
I'm starving myself,i destroyed their change of living compeltey, should i just end their misery?
Fuck..
Then I dropped both of my weapons into the mud. And slowly approached them, my hands raised. Both of them stepped back immediately, but as they saw my weapons gone, they stopped.
I slowly approached them and reached out, petting their messy, muddy fur. They flinched but didn't pull away. I looked at their wounded bodies and then at my own ragged state.
Then I started to rip apart the remains of my office shirt. I tore it into strips, using one to tie a crude bandage around the wounded wolf's stomach. Then I ripped more and carefully tied it around the other wolf's muzzle, tight enough so his jaw couldn't open wide, but loose enough that he could still pant and, hopefully, lap up water.
Alright, i fixed your injuries as much as i could.. hmm, i'll call you..
I glanced at the one with the sliced stomach.
Rex
And you..
I looked at the other one with the broken mouth.
Rux
But as I named them, a wave of exhaustion, hunger, and the emotional toll of it all crashed over me, and I passed out. I didn't die; I just passed out..
When I awoke, I was still, somehow, alive. My entire face was covered in mud. The wolves were gone.
I stood up, rubbing the caked mud from my face.
What the hell happend? Why did i pass out randomly.
But then the same achievement sound rang in my ears as a window popped up.
Congrats! You tamed two wild mud wolfs! You got the title "beast tamer"
You tamed two low level beasts!
You gained +2 mana for taming two low level beasts!
you have gained 100 XP for taming two low level beasts!
Then I looked at my stats..
STATUS
Level:2 (130/200)
Titles:The Mercury's Mark, Wolf Hunter, Beast Tamer
ATTRIBUTES
Strength:14.56+ 0.56= 15.1
Endurance:13.0+ 1.4 = 14.4
Agility:12.7+ 1.3 = 14
Luck:37
Mana:1+ 2 = 3
Magic:0
What the hell? Why did i get so much stuff for just helping some wolfs?
Well i couln't care less~ getting free rewards is great.
My stomach once again grumbled, the pain was grousume.
Shit i need to find actual food to eat.. i can't even make a campfire here it's all wet and foggy.. tch
I clutched my stomach as I started to trek through the forest once more.
Yet walking through it, there was no sight of any wolf again. I wasn't complaining. And then, I saw it a break in the endless trees. The end of this forest. The light shining in was so bright it hurt. Stepping out of the forest's oppressive canopy, the sunlight blinded me I hadn't seen actual, unfiltered sunlight in days, maybe weeks.
I blinked, my eyes watering, trying to see. And as my vision finally adjusted to the sun, I saw it. A village. For the first time in what could have been months, I saw a village.
I smiled, a small, disbelieving tear tracing a clean path through the grime on my cheek.
Finnaly, i finnaly found a village.
My voice was soft, grateful, and utterly happy.