Chapter 20: Chapter 18: A Hunt Well Done

When we talk about apex predators, we about large ground predators. Sometimes, we even go back in time and think about beasts like the mighty tyrannosaurus that will make today's monsters look like little puppies. But even amongst all that dangerous creatures, the one who stays at the top is a fragile creature.

 

This one isn't faster than any of them and is also not powerful or agile as the others. In fact, if they end up in a fight with nothing on their hands, this creature will lose against all of them at all times. But despite these odds, this creature is the only ultimate predator of its world. One that no creature except his kind can defeat.

 

Humans.

 

Unlike most animals, our kind is highly adaptable to all situations. Is it cold? Get yourself fur. Hot? Change your lifestyle to move at night, and map out all the water resources. Too much water? Build something to stay afloat. Too less water? Dig underground and pull it out. I can give countless examples and list different things for hours, so I will cut it short and jump to a conclusion. Our superior ability is our thumbs and brain. We use the brain to imagine and the thumb to build. So we can do our best. Change the situation in our favor.

 

That was always like that. Long as you had enough tools, no animals were an undefeatable threat. But I want to say this. Am I being tested for saying these words? I am pretty sure I am. I even have proof. This screen in front of me is not leaving. These blue boxes usually disappear after some time or when I wave my hand inside, but this one has no intention of leaving me alone.

 

[Hunt and kill the Great Alpha Graywolf.]

 

As if it was easy as getting yourself a carton of milk from the market. That beast, Voice, or whoever is in control wants me to hunt down, is much larger than an elephant and has a bite force so high that even metal armor cannot do anything. If size and attack power dwarfing anything I saw in this place weren't enough, he is agile. Too agile for his size, he can leap around like he's a regular-sized wolf.

 

But escaping from fights is not my way. No matter how impossible the odds may seem, I will find a way to neutralize the target. That's what my humanity gave me, an ability to adapt and kill.

 

Toothpicks and pebbles won't be enough to kill an elephant-sized apex predator. So, I had to improvise my methods. A big trap fitting my prey's size, two large walls decorated with spears dipped in goblin corpses. Why? If I cannot kill it on the point, then the poison will do it for me. But such a mechanism would have required more resources than I had, but if it's going to help me to get rid of this screen and go back to my world, I don't care about more work.

 

And I didn't. Using the wheelbarrow, I visited the skeletal dungeon and carried anything metal with a sharp tip that could pierce. I used most of the equipment I got on my masterpiece and put spares on other things that would help me put my prey on the killing spot. I am ready.

 

"Now, I only need you to arrive at this place again." For the last three days. I followed the wolf through the forest. I noted which paths he takes. His way of fighting, and most importantly, when the time comes, how can I drag him to the point where I need him to be? But I have nothing to worry about right now. I have my plan, and I am ready to take some risks to fix a few possible mistakes that might occur. After all, I see this not only as a battle for my future but as a duel for a title. The wolf, a title I used for most of my life, I wouldn't let it taken away from me by this beast, even though it is only in my hand.

 

And here he comes. Great Alpha Graywolf is moving through the forest. He is slow but careful. With his every step, a cracking noise echoes. Ice mixed with the mud on the ground causes this, I assume. "Take it slow. I have all time on the earth." Since I came to this place, I haven't had the chance to bathe, so I blend with the environment quite well. But after this one, I will try the small bath hole I made in my shelter.

 

He is almost here. I pulled out my greatsword and gripped it with both hands. I got a thin rope tangled to my leg. That is for a reason. I will land straight to this beast's head from here for a critical blow. Even though I doubt it will be enough to kill him on the spot, it will help me in my fight. And I have nothing to worry about since I didn't make my plans around a single lucky strike.

 

"Now." I leaped forward with the tip of my sword directed to the beast's head. When I landed on the beast's back, the rope stretched enough and opened a mechanism. Wooden fences with spikes on them closed the ways other than one I want this thing to go.

 

But not everything is sunshine and goodness. Despite that, I managed to land my strike. I missed the vital spot and landed on his back. Now my sword is stuck on this beast's fur and fat. Well, it is time for me to go for a ride.

 

With the fear of the ambush, the beast began panicking. The pain of my strike is irrelevant in his eyes. So, he did what an animal would do in such a situation, escaping from danger, no matter what. What a shame I modified the path to pull him to a final execution spot. "This will end today, you or me."

 

I strengthened my grip on the sword's handle. The only thing keeping me on top of the wolf while he runs through the forest like a mad greyhound is my sword, which is stuck deep inside his back.

 

Ours is a battle of stamina, and I have all the advantages I need to achieve victory. The whole area is my playground!

 

Great Graywolf stepped over a trigger and activated one of my traps. A spear hidden inside a bush launched itself at the wolf and got stuck on his side. Beast stopped itself while howling in pain. Nows the moment.

 

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I pulled out a poisoned dagger with a rope on its back from my bag and used the opening to stab the wolf's back. I gave all my power to push the weapon deep as I could, then bound the rope to myself. Now I have an extra safety tool, but it isn't over.

 

Beast is jumping around, trying to reach me with his mouth. Why not damage him more? I raised my hand and created an ice piece in front of my fingers. "Come one, bark one more." 

 

The second wolf turned his head towards me. I released the ice and hit him from inside his mouth, right to the cheek. Projectile ripped a part of the cheek and shrapnels from the impact scattered around its mouth. I can see thick, red blood flowing out.

 

I angered the beast, maybe more than I should.

 

Wolf began running fast as he could and slammed his back into a tree. The impact caused me to fall from my comfy position above the beast and land on the muddy ground.

 

Still, this move was a two-edged sword to him. In exchange for getting rid of the pest on top of himself, which is me, he allowed me to open a large cut on him, using the energy created by his move. How so? I gave all my strength to the sword, and as my body flew out, so did the sword. But the blade cut through the tissue and fat on its way out.

 

"These gauntlets are worth their weight in gold." I recovered myself and directed my sword to the wolf, now bleeding out from all of his body. "As I said before. One of us will go down, and it won't be me!" Keep acting mighty. My right shoulder got dislocated during the impact, and now I got only one hand to use my sword and lots of pain. I won fights in worse conditions. Keep it up.

 

Wolf gave a mighty roar that shook the forest. But scaring birds and small animals won't be enough to defeat me, even if I have only one hand to use my blade.

 

I charged at the wolf with the sword in one hand and a magic projectile ready to fire in the other. "Just like fighting against a tank. Immobilize or destroy its vital parts to defeat it." I leaped forward to the wolf and released the ice. I aimed it towards its eyes. "Fuck!" I shouted in pain. I shouldn't use this arm anymore, or I might damage it even further, but look at it from the bright side. It worked.

 

"Blind the enemy, so they cannot attack." The ice shattered on the wolf's head, and hundreds of pieces scattered around like shrapnel managed to blind one eye. "Next is tracks. If they cannot move, they cannot finish the job nor escape with their lives." I said as I landed next to the wolf. I raised the sword and slashed the back of his right front leg. I am not a master of canine anatomy, but I think I cut the right thing.

 

Beast whimpered in pain and lost his balance. He got a bit closer to the ground thanks to the wound, but this won't be enough to kill him. The second he recovers and lands a single attack on me, I am dead.

 

"So finish this fast." I stabbed the wolf from the side with my sword, just below the spear, and began running away, but my sword got left behind. I don't have the power to finish this fight, so I must act as live bait. "Just for a little more, run, run with everything you have. That thing cannot get up at least for five seconds."

 

To my last breath, I ran until I reached an open area with some suspiciously placed leaves and twigs on the ground. I had a head start, so I arrived at the designated point before the wolf managed to catch me, but he will reach here soon.

 

I smiled. "Good. Very good. Don't you dare slow down? I don't want to spend any more unnecessary time on you."

 

"One, two, three." He arrived. I smiled.

 

Beast took his first step toward my trap and activated the mechanism. Now do whatever you can to make sure he stays there. I dashed forward, ready to strike with my working hand. Wolf slashed his paw at me, I tried to avoid the attack, but I didn't manage to do it all that good. His claws passed through my clothes and ripped a chunk of flesh out of my chest. But I came far enough. "AH!" Even after giving a painful scream, I kept moving, using the sword and spear stuck on his side as stepping stools to jump into the air. Now, I can avoid the trap.

 

But the confused beast only watched as two spiked walls raised from the ground and stabbed the wolf from both sides. Hundreds of spears pierced through the giant monster's hide, and blood began flowing out from each hole.

I hit the ground hard. I can barely keep my eyes open, but. I won. "Even after all that power, it is still humanity who won. Even after you had so much power, I am still the wolf." I managed to drag myself next to the beast, calmly waiting for his end, and gave my back to his body. "Here, just let me rest for a bit."

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