The Final Strike

The forest was eerily silent, the only sounds being Tanuj's heavy breathing and the faint crackle of electricity from the Lightning Mouse. The Shadow Wolf lay before him, weakened but still dangerous, its red eyes locked onto Tanuj with a mix of anger and desperation.

Tanuj could feel the tension in the air, every muscle in his body coiled like a spring, ready to react to the slightest movement. He knew this wasn't over. The Shadow Wolf was down, but not out, and it would take everything he had to finish the fight.

The wolf's low growl rumbled through the clearing as it struggled to its feet, blood dripping from the wounds Tanuj had inflicted. Its once powerful body now seemed sluggish, the earlier grace replaced by a desperate, feral energy. But despite the wolf's weakened state, Tanuj could see that it was far from giving up.

"I can't let this drag on," Tanuj thought, his mind racing as he tried to anticipate the wolf's next move. "One mistake, and it could all be over."

The Shadow Wolf's eyes narrowed, its muscles tensing as it prepared to make its move. Tanuj could feel the energy building up within the beast, the primal instinct to survive driving it forward. He knew that this was it—the final push.

Tanuj tightened his grip on the Horned Bunny's horn, his newly acquired Swordsman Skill guiding his movements. He had to strike first, before the wolf could recover enough to launch a counterattack. This had to end now.

"Lightning Mouse, get ready!" Tanuj shouted, his voice steady despite the pounding of his heart.

The Lightning Mouse squeaked in response, its fur bristling with electricity as it prepared for the final strike.

The Shadow Wolf lunged, its jaws snapping as it closed the distance between them in an instant. But this time, Tanuj was ready. With his enhanced speed from the Haste Skill, he sidestepped the wolf's attack, the beast's powerful jaws missing him by mere inches.

In the same fluid motion, Tanuj spun around, bringing the horn down with all his strength, aiming for the wolf's exposed flank. The horn struck true, driving deep into the wolf's side. The beast howled in agony, its body convulsing as it tried to shake off the attack.

"Lightning Mouse, now!" Tanuj commanded.

The Lightning Mouse unleashed a powerful Thunderbolt, the bright arc of electricity crackling through the air and striking the Shadow Wolf at the same time as Tanuj's attack. The combined force of the electric shock and the piercing strike overwhelmed the wolf, its body seizing up as the energy coursed through it.

But Tanuj didn't let up. He knew this was his chance, and he couldn't afford to hold back. Drawing on the Swordsman Skill, he delivered a series of rapid strikes, each one precise and powerful, targeting the wolf's vital areas.

The wolf's howls grew weaker with each strike, its resistance fading as its strength drained away. Tanuj could feel the beast's life slipping away, the fierce determination in its eyes slowly dimming.

Finally, with one last, desperate effort, Tanuj drove the horn deep into the wolf's chest, the impact sending a shockwave through the beast's body. The Shadow Wolf let out a final, mournful howl before collapsing to the ground, its massive body going limp.

For a moment, Tanuj stood there, panting heavily, his body trembling from the exertion. The forest was silent once more, the echoes of the wolf's howl fading into the distance. It was over.

Tanuj took a step back, his legs feeling like jelly as the adrenaline began to wear off. He couldn't believe it—he had actually done it. He had defeated the Shadow Wolf.

The Lightning Mouse scurried over to him, nuzzling against his leg in a gesture of comfort. Tanuj smiled weakly, reaching down to pat his companion on the head.

"Good job, buddy," Tanuj said, his voice barely above a whisper. "We… we actually did it."

Before he could catch his breath, a sudden jolt ran through his body, causing his hair to stand on end. He jumped back, letting out an involuntary yelp.

"Ow! What the—was that you, Lightning Mouse?!" Tanuj rubbed his arm where the small shock had hit him.

The Lightning Mouse looked up at him innocently, sparks still crackling around its tiny form.

"Seriously? I'm out here risking my life, and you're zapping me for fun? What is this, your idea of a victory dance?" Tanuj groaned, shaking his head with a mix of exhaustion and amusement.

*DING*

The system's familiar chime echoed in his mind, bringing up the notifications that confirmed his victory.

**[Congratulations! You have defeated a Level 8 Shadow Wolf.]**

**[Experience Gained: 500 EXP.]**

**[World Points Earned: +50 | Reason: Successful Defeat of a High-Level Monster]**

Another notification popped up immediately after.

**[Congratulations! You have earned 5000 World Points for defeating your first real monster in this world.]**

Tanuj blinked, staring at the message. "First real monster? What's that supposed to mean? What about those other monsters I've been fighting? Were they just practice runs?"

He shook his head, deciding not to dwell on it for now. He had bigger things to focus on, like the fact that he was now sitting on a decent pile of World Points—around 5551, to be exact.

The surge of experience hit Tanuj like a wave, filling him with a renewed sense of energy. He could feel his level increase, the power coursing through his body as he leveled up once more. His status screen flickered before him, showing that he had reached Level 7.

But the victory came with a price. As the adrenaline wore off, Tanuj became acutely aware of the pain radiating through his body. His muscles ached from the exertion, and several shallow cuts on his arms and legs stung sharply. But despite the pain, there was a deep satisfaction in knowing that he had overcome such a formidable opponent.

He glanced down at the fallen wolf, its once terrifying presence now reduced to a lifeless form. The Shadow Wolf had been a fierce adversary, but it had also provided him with the challenge he needed to grow stronger.

"Let's see what you've left behind," Tanuj muttered, opening his inventory and preparing to use the Dismantling Function.

The system quickly processed the materials, and new notifications appeared.

**[Dismantling complete. Items acquired: Shadow Wolf Pelt * 1, Shadow Claw * 3, Mid Rank Power Stone * 1, Low Rank Power Stone * 20]**

Tanuj raised an eyebrow as he checked the loot. "Mid Rank Power Stone, huh? That's new. And Low Rank Stones… wait, I've been getting these all along? I thought these were the bottom tier. What else is out there?"

Tanuj's eyes widened as he remembered that he had never fully understood the ranking system for Power Stones. "System, explain the Power Stone ranks."

**[Lowest Rank → Low Rank → Mid Rank → High Rank → Highest Rank. Each rank is exponentially more valuable. 10 Lowest Rank Stones equal 1 Low Rank Stone. 100 Low Rank Stones equal 1 Mid Rank Stone, 1000 Mid Rank Stones equal 1 High Rank Stone, and 10,000 High Rank Stones equal 1 Highest Rank Stone.]**

Tanuj stared at the Mid Rank Power Stone in his inventory, feeling both impressed and a bit humbled. "So, this Mid Rank Stone is worth 100 Low Rank ones… and I've been scraping by with the lower stuff all this time."

**[Reminder: A Mid Rank Power Stone represents the average annual income of a typical family in this world. The Host is advised to use it wisely.]**

Tanuj's eyes widened. "Wait, you're telling me that this one stone is worth that much? No wonder everyone here seems so rich! No wonder I'm stuck living on the streets... all this time, I've been dealing with chump change!"

But before he could process this revelation further, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in the back of his head, as if something—or someone—had smacked him. Hard.

"Ow! What the heck?!" Tanuj spun around, ready to face whatever had hit him.

His eyes widened in shock as he came face to face with… something. It was large, muscular, and definitely not human. The creature had a dark, armored hide, sharp claws, and glowing red eyes that looked eerily similar to the Shadow Wolf's.

Tanuj's heart skipped a beat. "Did I summon… this?"