The air was so cold that his breath came out like a small cloud with every exhale and quickly dissolved in the frosty morning, just as the first rays of sun peeked through the trees. Marc was completely concentrated; his eyes showed determination. He knew exactly what he had to do; he had been practicing it for days.
"The reason I brought you to this world is because you have exactly the ambition necessary to be a King."
The words the God had spoken echoed in his head at that moment.
I feel motivated and determined, but a tranquility envelops my mind...
Six days earlier, he had learned a spell to launch ice in the shape of a spike that, according to the grimoire, with the proper power, could be hard enough to pierce a wild boar. His Magical Power had increased considerably. Fifteen days had passed since he arrived in this world, and his arduous daily training was starting to bear fruit: the range and accuracy of his magic were now much greater.
In the previous days, he dedicated himself to reading other grimoires. In them, he found other types of spells. He had managed to perform a few of gravity, magical barriers, and object enchantment, but these had turned out to be a bit more complex than he had imagined, and he still found it difficult to invoke them with the same ease as he did the elemental ones.
...I can feel the cold wrapping my palm, the flow of magic running through my entire body...
He not only focused all his time on learning spells, but he also followed Zylos's training, meditating and improving his resistance day by day. Since that collapse on his second day, he had not encountered any issues. And not only that: he could now perform several types of magic without having to utter a word, just as Zylos described in his book, although he was still limited to certain spells.
...The spell is of intermediate difficulty, but that's no problem. I can feel the power inside me; it has been increasing every day, and I'm sure I can do it...
The day before, he had gone to bed early, leaving everything prepared to leave first thing in the morning. He couldn't delay that day any longer; he had promised it to himself days ago.
Before leaving the cabin, he took the black, thick-woven cloak that hung on the rack. He threw it over his shoulders and pulled on the hood, which immediately concealed the upper half of his face and his new indigo eyes. With firm determination, he ventured into the forest without a fixed direction. He had no hunting experience; his only references were the few tactics learned from movies or video games.
...Ambition necessary to be a King? That's right, I have it. This is nothing more than a small test I have to overcome...
He had wandered deep into the forest for more than an hour, watching his steps, trying to make no noise, and constantly glancing around him. The "tactics" he had learned also mentioned that he should conceal his scent (something about going against or with the wind that he couldn't recall). Since he hadn't found a spell in the grimoires to hide his scent, he did the best he could. Finally, he found a prey: a deer about twenty-five meters away. The animal was quietly eating. The time had come to kill the first creature in this world.
...I don't need to recite the damn spell. I just need to know I'm capable of doing it. Distance is not a problem.
He closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again, they shone with strong intensity. He raised his hand with determination, and as he did so, a piece of ice the size of an arrow formed. At that moment, the deer raised its head and looked in his direction, but it was already too late.
"I'm sorry," Marc whispered, as the piece of ice shot out of his hand at great speed.
The ice projectile impacted the deer's neck with great precision, piercing it completely. The animal collapsed instantly onto the ground.
Marc slowly approached the deer's body. He knelt before it and observed it for a few moments. He felt pity for the animal. He was prepared to kill. He knew it would be necessary and inevitable since he arrived in this world, but for him, it was different to kill someone or something that intends to kill you than to kill a defenseless animal.
He placed one of his hands on the deer's head gently. "I promise I will make use of your meat and won't waste any part."
He took the pieces of rope he had brought with him. He tied the deer's feet, loaded the body, and put it on his right shoulder. With the mission complete, he took the path back to the cabin. This time, he noticed the absence of the euphoria he usually felt with his magical achievements.
In my old world, I never killed any animal; I never had the need, it was enough to go to the market to buy meat. I have to admit that my old world was more comfortable in that aspect. But here, hunting is a primordial part of survival. Since I arrived, I've had it easy, with a cabin with all the amenities, but that won't always be the case. When I embark toward the demon territory, I will have to survive by hunting and gathering all the food I can find along the way. I must get used to hunting and keep improving.
The sound of a dry branch snapping under a step immediately caught his attention. The bush where he had been hiding moments ago began to move. From behind it emerged a figure familiar to Marc, although he had never seen one in person, only in videos and images. It was a white-furred wolf, noticeably larger than a dog and imposing in appearance. It was clearly in offensive mode, letting out a snarl toward Marc.
Shit, that wolf looks really strong, but I can kill it the same way I killed the deer. I'll just raise my hand slowly and cast my ice spell. I just hope it doesn't lunge at me before I can kill it.
He began to raise his hand carefully, without looking away from the wolf. His hand was already almost at chest level when he heard more footsteps. Another white wolf, double the size of the one that had emerged from the bush, appeared and positioned itself in attack mode, this time to his right.
Shit, shit, shit, this is getting complicated.
Marc froze for a few seconds, unable to decide. If he attacked the smaller wolf first, the other would lunge at him before he could recite the ice spell again; but the result would be the same in reverse.
Maybe I should kill the biggest one first. If the small one attacks me, the damage won't be as bad as the bite or claws of that huge wolf.
A snarl that now came from his left side caught his attention. A third wolf, as large as the second, was even closer. He started moving his head in all directions, spotting four more wolves besides the ones he initially saw. It was a full pack.
This shit is getting too serious. Two was difficult, three maybe I could manage, but seven wolves? I think I should figure out how to run instead of how to beat them.
The snarls intensified, coming from all sides. Marc knew he had no time; standing still to think meant his death. He decided to act on instinct. Without stopping aiming at the smallest wolf in front of him, he raised his arm to chest height. A piece of ice, larger than the one he used against the deer, formed in his palm and he fired it with greater intensity: the adrenaline spurred his magic to have superior power.
As the ice impacted the wolf's chest, it let out a cry of pain. The projectile pierced it, just as it had happened with the deer, and Marc quickly started running with all his might toward the direction where that wolf was. It was the only wolf in front of him, and his instinct was to attack it and take the opportunity to escape through that breach, hoping to leave the other wolves behind. Such was the panic that he failed to realize he was still carrying the deer over his shoulder.
Damn deer! I have to let it go to run faster, and maybe they will get distracted with its body and stop chasing me. I promised to make use of its meat, and saving my life is an excellent way to do it.
A force shoved him from behind, making him fall to the ground. One of the wolves attacked and bit the deer. Had he not been carrying the prey, the bite would have gone straight to his neck. Marc was glad he hadn't let go of the body. With all his might, he pushed the body toward the wolf with his hands while the wolf fiercely continued biting it. At that moment, another wolf arrived and, like the first, bit the deer.
Marc aligned his hands with the muzzles of the two wolves and, letting out an inner scream, two large ice spikes formed in his palms (inside the deer's body). They shot out with great force, destroying both the deer's body and the heads of the two wolves.
Chunks of meat and blood splattered all over his body, but the threat was not yet over. As he tried to stand up, another wolf arrived and bit his right arm, causing a cry of pain in Marc, who lost his balance and hit the ground once more. He had never experienced such intense stabs of pain. Just moments after they bit his arm, another wolf arrived and began biting his right leg. The pain made him scream again. Instinctively, Marc brought his left hand to the side of the wolf, and flames of great intensity formed from his palm, burning the creature.
"Die, you bastard son of a bitch!" Marc yelled with all his might.
The creature let out a heart-wrenching howl of pain, stopped biting him, and backed away. The wolf that was biting his foot did the same. The flames scared the pack, making them move back a few meters. Marc felt a lot of pain, but his survival instinct was greater. He quickly stood up, raising his arms toward the wolves. They were no longer attacking; now they projected fear. The wolf the flames had reached shrieked in agony before falling dead. The other wolves began backing up further and further until one of them took the initiative to flee and the rest followed.
Rage overwhelmed Marc, and he began to invoke pieces of ice rapidly, shooting them at the wolves as they fled.
"You think you can attack me and just walk away! I won't let you leave here alive, you sons of bitches!" Rage consumed him. He did not yell; he bellowed. The sound was so harsh it tore his throat, and from his mouth, he couldn't stop spewing insults. His face was lividly red.
Skillfully, his projectiles hit two more wolves, piercing their bodies and killing them instantly. Only one of the wolves managed to slip deeper into the woods, escaping Marc's sight and his fury.
Marc was gasping uncontrollably; his heart was racing at maximum revolution. The rage and the glow in his eyes slowly dissipated, and the pain returned. The pain in his foot made it difficult for him to stand upright, and he squeezed the bite wound tightly with his left hand.
That was too intense! I don't know how the fuck I managed to survive.
A laugh escaped from inside him and turned into roaring laughter. Even with all the pain he was feeling, he was relieved to have escaped the situation alive. He had felt death very close, more than once. Marc relaxed a bit and began to look at the dead wolves and the destroyed body of the deer.
Damn it! The deer is totally screwed; I won't be able to salvage any of its body. I might have overdone it a bit, but those bastards wanted to devour me!
The first wolf he killed came to mind: its body was the most complete of all. Besides, it was the smallest and easiest to carry; in his current state, he couldn't afford to take one of the big ones.
How does wolf meat taste? I came to hunt; I can't return empty-handed, especially after what I just went through. It would be a waste.
Marc verbally recited the minor healing spell of Water magic that he had learned. This slightly stopped the bleeding and mildly reduced the pain, but he still felt too much. He approached the wolf's body and, with difficulty, lifted it with his left hand, placing it on the same-side shoulder. He resumed the journey back to his cabin, although this time in a worse state than before.
He walked for more than half an hour, but it became increasingly difficult. He couldn't stop bleeding, his head hurt, and his vision was starting to blur.
I can't pass out; I need to hold on. Another animal or creature could attack me at any moment, and in my current state, that would mean my death. I must hurry. I can't remember the healing magic spell; I'll probably need an intermediate or advanced level one. The good thing is that I'm also inclined to that magic, always demonstrating how special I am in this world thanks to the power the God Amir gave me.
A few minutes later, he had to stop to rest; he couldn't bear the pain any longer. He leaned against a tree, trying to slightly relieve the load on his injured foot. His vision began to cloud. A few meters away, he saw a blurred figure, with the shape and size of a human being, approaching him.
Shit, not again! Danger is approaching. I can't fade away now; I have to be strong.
"Don't come closer, I warn you. I can use magic," he pronounced the words almost as a fractured whisper.
His vision completely turned black.