Tutorial (9)–the night over.....
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"Everyone hold your ground—together!"
Gavin bellowed, his voice cutting through the chaos like steel through silk.
He sprinted forward, his boots thudding against the blood-slicked earth.
One of the shadow wolves lunged at him from the left—its glowing red eyes like embers in the night—but Gavin twisted his body mid-run, sidestepped, and swung his spear in a wide arc.
The wolf ducked low, narrowly avoiding the blow.
Thwip!
An arrow soared through the dark and struck the wolf in the shoulder.
It yelped, staggered back—just enough.
Gavin didn’t hesitate.
He stepped in and drove his spear clean through its chest, the force of the thrust lifting the beast slightly off the ground before it crashed down, lifeless.
But it was just the beginning.
Another wolf sprang from the shadows, slamming into a woman holding a shortsword.
She screamed, pinned beneath its bulk.
"Hold on!" Gavin roared, charging again.
He tackled the wolf mid-pounce, forcing his spear’s shaft between its snapping jaws.
The beast thrashed, snarling, trying to tear free.
With a grunt, Gavin shoved it back, then reversed the spear in one fluid motion and thrust upward through its jaw, the tip bursting out the back of its skull.
Blood sprayed across his face.
He wiped it with the back of his sleeve.
“Don’t be afraid! We have the advantage! Stay calm!”
Gavin shouted, trying to rally the group.
All around him, the clearing was chaos.
Dozens of players fought desperately under the weak flicker of dying campfires.
Shadows danced wildly across trees and faces, making it hard to tell friend from foe.
The wolves moved like smoke—fast, silent, deadly.
Someone screamed behind him.
Gavin turned to see a man swinging wildly with a longsword.
A wolf dodged once, twice—then leapt.
The man’s blade connected, but the wolf’s Shadow Fangs struck first—shattering the steel like glass.
Crunch!
The wolf latched onto the man’s throat and ripped it out in a single brutal bite.
Blood fountained as the man collapsed.
Gavin gritted his teeth.
He couldn’t save everyone.
Another wolf went down with a spear in its ribs, but more surged from the treeline.
The air was thick with growls, shouts, and the wet sound of steel hitting flesh.
And then the fires began to fade.
The protective circles they'd set up were dying down.
“Keep those campfires burning! Add more wood! Now!” Gavin barked.
A few players scrambled, tossing logs and dry branches into the flames, desperately trying to rekindle them.
Sparks flew—but many fires were too far gone.
"Awoooo!"
A long, deep howl rang out from deeper in the forest.
It echoed unnaturally, bouncing through the trees like a signal.
Suddenly… the wolves stopped.
They froze mid-attack, eyes still glowing, muscles tense.
And then, as one, they turned and sprinted into the darkness—toward the source of the howl.
“What... What’s happening?”
“Did we win?”
“Are they gone?”
Confused murmurs spread like wildfire.
The clearing fell eerily quiet.
Only the crackling of fire and the moans of the wounded remained.
Gavin didn't relax.
His grip tightened on the bloodied spear.
His eyes were fixed on the black forest ahead.
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The fire still flared violently, its flames crackling and spitting embers into the night sky like angry spirits.
Below us, the massacre had already begun—and now, another wave approached.
Fifty or so shadow wolves, their eyes glowing like cursed lanterns, slinked through the forest shadows.
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Their sleek, black bodies moved low to the ground, their claws slicing through leaves with quiet menace.
A low growl rumbled through their ranks—deep, guttural, hungry.
"Grrrhh..."
"Grhh!!"
Then a sharp bark rang out—Aarf!—followed by a chorus of snarls and whines, like a dark army answering the call.
I stood silently on a thick branch overlooking the chaos below.
Beside me, the six creatures I had brought along shivered uncontrollably.
They huddled closer, their eyes wide as they watched the carnage unfold below, their small bodies trembling at the primal dread that lingered in the air.
Floating a little above me was Bernet, the rookie guide, his arms crossed, face grim.
He turned to me, his voice laced with unease.
"What are you going to do?"
I didn’t even glance at him.
A smirk tugged at my lips.
"Wait and watch."
Short. Simple.
But there was something playful—almost sinister—in my tone.
I caught the way Bernet’s expression twitched.
His brows knit together, mouth slightly parted, as if questioning whether I was mad or simply enjoying the spectacle too much.
I scanned the forest floor.
The wolves had started to fan out, their movements deliberate, sniffing the air and circling the edges of the campfire’s dying light.
They didn’t dare step into the flames, but they were creeping closer with every breath, every heartbeat.
Some wolves let out low snarls.
"Grrrhh…"
Others whined softly, eager and impatient.
They were like predators leashed by instinct—seconds away from unleashing hell.
And that’s when I smiled wider.
'Shall we start?'
I pulled out my dagger, its edge gleaming under the fire’s flicker.
The metal hummed faintly—maybe in anticipation, maybe in delight.
Status Window.
I had reached Level 9 after burning, no, hunting so many shadow wolves.
The air still reeked of smoke and blood.
Among the spoils of the night: 25 status points.
Without a hint of hesitation, I poured them in.
7 to Agility, 6 to Strength, 6 to Dexterity, and 6 to Endurance.
As soon as I confirmed the allocation, a clear chime echoed in my head.
Ding—
My body responded immediately.
A strange warmth surged through my limbs, like invisible flames licking my muscles.
My legs grew lighter. Arms steadier.
Vision sharpened, colors deepening, movements slowing in detail.
Even the faint rustling of wind brushing through leaves now felt louder, clearer, more alive.
A grin crept across my face.
'Good. Let’s begin.'
Turning to the small creatures huddled on the tree branch, I pointed down.
"You all stay here!"
They didn’t need to be told twice—their wide eyes full of dread as they clung tighter to bark and branch.
Above me, a thick rope was tied across two trees—taut and ready.
I gripped it with both hands, swung my blade up—
Snip!
The rope snapped, and I leapt forward, using the tension to swing through the air.
The forest wind lashed against my face as I flew from one tree to the next.
Below, a wolf’s eyes locked onto mine—and it leapt upward with a vicious snarl.
"Raaagh!"
Its claws grazed the air.
But I twisted midair and drove my foot square into its snout—
Crack!
The wolf yelped, body tumbling back like a rag doll, crashing through the undergrowth.
Thud!
My feet landed on the next branch.
I didn’t stop.
The pack was coming.
They howled, furious and hungry—
"Awooooo!!"
"Rghhrhrh!!"
A cacophony of beastly rage.
From this tree, I had tied several thick ropes overhead, connected to heavier structures.
I sliced the first rope.
Snap—Thud!
Two massive logs, previously hoisted up, crashed down behind the wolves, sending up clouds of dust and leaves.
Another rope.
Snap—Crash!
Another set of tree trunks fell, slamming into place.
The wolves flinched, some retreating, others snapping at the debris in blind fury.
I moved again, tree to tree, cutting and dropping the traps I had spent hours preparing.
Finally, I reached the last anchor point.
One final cut.
Thuuuud!!
The last trunk slammed into place, enclosing the wolves in a square-shaped cage of fallen timber.
Trapped.
No escape.
They snarled, snapping their teeth toward me, some trying to chew on the wood.
One rammed his body against the trunk—
Bam!
But it didn’t budge.
The wolves turned their glowing eyes upward at me, dozens of them growling from below.
"Grrrhhh..."
"Rarghh!!"
They began slamming against the tree I stood on, attempting to shake me down.
The wood quivered—but not enough to matter.
I stared back down at them, calm, unmoving.
"Inventory."
The blue screen shimmered into existence before me—cold and glowing under the pale light of the moon.
The real hunt was about to begin.
But here was the problem.
I didn’t have much left—just two oil pouches, and a handful of bone spikes.
I glanced down at the snarling wolves trapped below, their eyes glowing with cold hunger.
They growled, clawed at the fallen logs, some even biting the wood in rage, teeth grinding.
‘Tch. Whatever. Let’s just do this!’
I pulled an oil pouch from my inventory and hurled it straight at a lone wolf pacing in circles.
Splash!
The pouch burst, drenching its back.
Fwoosh!!
Flames erupted instantly—searing orange tendrils licking up the wolf’s fur like wildfire.
The beast let out a shriek that didn’t sound canine anymore.
It was raw. Guttural. Like it was being peeled alive.
“RAAARRHHHHH!!”
It stumbled, rolling, smashing into another wolf in panic—spreading the flame.
I pulled another pouch.
Tossed. Ignite. Burn.
"AARGHHH—!!"
"GHRHRRR!!"
One by one, I didn’t throw at groups—I targeted individuals.
Each one became a torch.
Each one writhed, spinning in blind agony.
The square-shaped enclosure turned into a ring of fire, wolf bodies slamming into each other, igniting fresh coats of fur.
Their howls shook the trees.
“This crazy man…”
Bernet muttered under his breath, watching beside me.
He floated silently, perhaps unsure whether to feel awe or pity for the beasts.
I began throwing the last of the bone spikes.
They pierced through flaming pelts, sticking into skulls, ribs, backs.
[You’ve slain a Shadow Wolf!]
[You’ve slain a Shadow Wolf!]
[You’ve slain a Shadow Wolf!]
The messages popped up one after another.
But I barely had time to enjoy it.
Click. Click.
My hand came up empty.
I was out.
Oil—gone.
Spikes—gone.
“Haaa…” I sighed, rubbing my forehead with a scorched glove.
"Should I start throwing that?"
With a dry chuckle, I reached into my inventory and pulled out my final resort.
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[Item Description]
Name: Light Orb
Type: One-time use
Grade: Common
Description: A simple orb that casts the light spell [Shine].
Created by Mage Tower for common players.
Effect: Inject mana to activate spell [Shine]—one-time use.
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A golden orb, about the size of a child’s fist, gleamed faintly in my palm.
It wasn’t a weapon.
Just a light spell—a glorified flashlight.
But to Shadow Wolves, creatures born in gloom and fed by moonless dark, light was something else.
“Do you want me to tell you how to inject mana?”
Bernet floated beside me, skeptical.
I waved him off.
“No need. I know.”
In the Tower, injecting mana was simple—easier than drawing breath.
You just had to will it.
I focused.
The shard pulsed once—golden light rippling under the surface like liquid sun.
And then, with no ceremony, I hurled it down.
The orb spun in air, a faint hum beginning to echo—
Wmmmmm…
WMMMMMMMMMM…
Just before it struck the wolves, the shard erupted in a blinding bloom of gold.
Fwoom!!
It was as if daylight exploded inside the forest—an unnatural radiance that bathed the area in shimmering white-gold light.
The reaction was instant.
“YELP—!!”
“WHIMPER!!”
“GRAAAHHH!!”
Dozens of wolves screeched, claws raking their eyes.
They spun, slammed into each other, trying to escape from the light—but the logs held firm.
Their flesh hissed, steam rising as if the light itself was burning them from the inside.
But I wasn’t done.
One. Two. Three.
I pulled Light Shards from my inventory like candy and hurled them down—
Four… Five… Six…
A total of a dozen golden spheres rained across the burning enclosure.
FWOOM!!
FWOOM!!
FWOOM!!
Each orb exploded mid-air, releasing a radiant wave of light that washed over the battlefield.
The area once shrouded in shadows was now bathed in blinding day, unnatural and holy.
Golden beams spilled over the wolves, stripping their darkness away.
Even the ones that had ignored fire before now yelped, tails tucked between legs, whimpering like broken things.
But there was nowhere to run.
The flaming trunks had sealed their fates.
They clawed at each other, climbing, biting, desperate for escape.
Their panic echoed like a symphony of agony across the trees.
I swung from branch to branch, leaves snapping beneath my boots.
With every swing, I hurled another Light Shard.
"This is fun!!" I shouted, grinning like a madman.
Below, the wolves screamed, their fur melting under holy light, eyes bleeding shadows.
A few collapsed mid-run, convulsing in the flames, tails stiff, their bodies twitching until still.
But then—
[No more light orbs!]
The system message dropped like a slap of ice water on my spine.
"Damn it!" I cursed.
I looked down.
Eleven wolves still remained.
Their black fur was scorched, bodies trembling.
But they were alive.
Though weakened, and I could defeat them.
But I don't want to go down down.
And worse—the fires still raged below.
Jumping into that would ruin my clothes.
'Not acceptable.'
"What now?" Bernet asked, floating beside me, his voice unusually calm.
"Hmm…" I rubbed my chin. Then smirked.
"Sell me 15 spears and 10 axes."
"What? Why don’t you go down and fight them like a normal person?"
His voice was laced with disbelief.
I narrowed my eyes.
"Is there a problem?"
My tone was flat.
I didn’t like backtalk from glorified tutorial guides.
Were lackeys always this mouthy? I thought to myself.
Bernet froze in the air.
"N-No! No problem!" he stuttered.
[You have purchased: Spear x15]
[You have purchased: Axe x10]
[Items have been transferred to your inventory.]
"Good."
I reached into my inventory and pulled out a sleek iron-tipped spear.
"Let’s finish this."
With a grunt, I threw it with all my strength.
SWOOSH! THUNK!
It pierced straight through the ribs of a wolf trying to limp away.
[You’ve slain a Shadow Wolf.]
I didn’t pause.
Another spear—SWOOSH!
Another wolf—THUNK!
Some missed, clattering against logs or grazing fur.
But most found flesh.
They yelped, howled, then dropped.
And then the axes came out—heavy, brutal, spinning through the smoky air.
CRACK!
A jaw split open.
THUD!
One got lodged deep into a skull.
Blood mixed with ash.
One by one, the last wolves collapsed into silence.
And then—
[You’ve slain a Shadow Wolf!]
[You’ve slain a Shadow Wolf!]
[You’ve earned a lot of TP!]
I let out a slow breath, standing on the branch with soot on my face and satisfaction in my chest.
Below, the forest glowed faintly from dying flames and the shimmering aftermath of the Light Shards.
"You know what to do, right?" I asked Bernet.
He nodded wordlessly and raised a hand.
The dead wolves dissolved into black particles, fading like embers in wind.
[You’ve earned a lot of Tower Points!]
I didn’t even check the total.
Too tired.
I jumped down from the branch, landing lightly beside the smoldering ashes.
My eyes turned to the nearby tree.
The six small creatures waited, huddled together, their wide eyes reflecting firelight.
"Come down!" I called.
The Scatterfurs were the first to leap down, their tails twitching nervously.
The mole hesitated.
"Tch—come on."
He jumped—and I caught him mid-air, setting him down gently.
Next came the tree rabbits, fluffballs of panic, who also leapt.
I caught them too and ruffled their heads.
And then, I looked up.
The stars above were beginning to fade into soft purple.
Dawn was approaching.
The air was lighter now, no longer choking with ash and blood.
Just a few more hours... and this long night will be over.
I turned, leading the creatures through the trees.
Time to find a place to rest.
