Life Threatening Battle

His eyes brimmed with wariness as he approached the wolf beast, carefully monitoring every inch of its body to predict its movements and compensate for his lack of speed.

If he didn't have his training from his previous world, his chances of victory would have been nearly nonexistent. But with his skills, he estimated his probability of surviving at about 40 percent-though this heavily depended on his first attack. Failure was not an option.

This situation reminded him of a time in his former life when he had to defend himself against a rabid dog using nothing but a piece of broken glass. While he had emerged victorious, he'd walked away with injuries, most of which were self-inflicted by his improvised weapon.

Now, he wielded a far superior blade, but his opponent was infinitely more dangerous.

Racheal stood at a distance, her heart pounding as she watched the tense standoff. The two closed in on each other cautiously until, at ten meters apart, both lunged forward.

Art anticipated the wolf's leap towards his upper body and slid beneath it just in time. The beast soared over him, exposing its vulnerable underbelly. Seizing the moment, he slashed his dagger toward where he guessed its heart would be. But his strength fell short, leaving only a deep, non-lethal cut.

They landed a short distance apart, both now bearing fresh wounds. The wolf, blood dripping from its chest, glared at him with ferocious intensity. Art, on the other hand, grimaced as he realized two of his fingers had broken from the force of his attack.

[-1 HP]

His pale face twisted in pain. 'My chances just got slimmer.'

The wolf charged again, its eyes wild with rage. Art, remaining calm, analyzed its movements. It adjusted its tactics, lowering its body to avoid his earlier evasion trick. Art had expected this. He spun aside, evading the lunge, and delivered a sharp knee strike to its face.

Capitalizing on the moment, he thrust his dagger at its neck. But the agile beast twisted its body midair, dodging the strike, and leaped back to safety.

Art failed to reposition in time. The wolf sprang forward, its jaws gaping. With no other option, he raised his right arm to block. The beast's teeth sank into his forearm, eliciting a horrifying crunch and a scream that echoed through the forest.

[-4 HP]

Desperately, he tried to fling the wolf off, but its powerful jaws held firm. Using its momentum, the wolf slammed him to the ground, sending him flying into a tree.

[-2 HP]

Blood trickled from his lips, though his weakened condition prevented excessive bleeding. His right arm, now mangled and useless, hung limp at his side.

"STOP!" he yelled as Racheal raised her hand to intervene. Tears streamed down her face, but she reluctantly obeyed, lowering her hand.

She hated this. Watching him endure so much pain felt unbearable. She didn't care if he resented her for saving him; she wouldn't let him die. Not like this.

Art could see the turmoil in her expression, and though he appreciated her concern, he needed to end this fight on his terms. He couldn't afford her interference.

His right arm was a lost cause. Picking up the dagger with his left hand, he placed it between his teeth, clenching it tightly.

The wolf, now sluggish from blood loss, charged again. Its movements were sloppy, but Art knew he had only one shot left. If he failed now, it would all be over.

He braced himself, remaining perfectly still as the beast approached. His body ached, his vision blurred, but his focus was razor-sharp. 'This has to work.'

The wolf feinted, leaping in one direction before quickly shifting and pouncing again. Art was ready. Time seemed to slow as the distance between them vanished.

Racheal stood frozen, arm outstretched, as the wolf's bloodied jaws came into view. Art let the dagger drop from his mouth, letting it fall toward his raised knee.

The blade's hilt struck his knee at just the right angle, propelling the dagger upward. The blade pierced through the wolf's lower jaw, traveled into its upper jaw, and finally protruded from the top of its skull.

A sickening crunch echoed as both his knee and the beast's skull shattered. Not willing to take any chances, Art plunged his second dagger into the wolf's eye.

The lifeless creature collapsed on top of him, its heavy body pinning him to the ground.

Racheal rushed forward, tears streaming down her face as she shoved the beast's body off him. She threw her arms around him, sobbing. "You did it! You did it!" she cried, her relief overwhelming her.

Art remained silent, a triumphant yet weary smile on his face. Despite his battered state, victory filled him with pride.

Notifications flooded his vision:

[You killed F-rank black wolf: +10 EXP]

[You killed your first beast: +200 EXP]

[You killed your first F-rank beast: +200 EXP]

[Instant quest completed: +300 EXP]

[You completed your first quest: +300 EXP]

[Host has leveled up!]

[Host has leveled up!]

[Host has leveled up!]

[+25 stat points to distribute]

[System remark: Good! Very good!]

But his joy was short-lived as another notification appeared, sending a chill down his spine:

[Due to the stress and injuries put on host's body, host's lifespan has reduced.]

[Time left]

[1:18:12:49]