3. Danger incoming

Kael's breath came fast and ragged as he took a step back, his eyes locked onto the growing number of red glows piercing through the mist. One Bloodthorn Wolf had been a challenge. Three more? That was a death sentence.

Azrael, ever the observer, hovered beside him, arms crossed. "Looks like you're popular. I wonder why."

Kael wiped the blood from his arms, his wounds still stinging. He didn't have time to fully recover—he needed a plan. The wolves circled him, their low growls reverberating in the silence. They weren't rushing in blindly. They were learning.

His gaze flicked to the fallen wolf at his feet. He had a new skill—Blood Scent. It allowed him to sense wounded creatures, but could he use it against them?

Closing his eyes for a brief moment, he focused. The new ability pulsed through him like an unseen force, heightening his awareness. A faint trail of life essence radiated from the corpse before him, and when he focused further, he caught something else—subtle weaknesses in the wolves before him. One had a slight hitch in its movement. The others were fresh, uninjured.

Kael exhaled. "I can't fight them all at once."

Azrael smirked. "That would be the reasonable conclusion. And?"

Kael grabbed a broken branch from the ground, its jagged end sharp enough to be used as a crude weapon. "I split them up."

Without hesitation, he kicked dirt into the eyes of the closest wolf and bolted into the forest. The creatures snarled and lunged after him, their movements swift, but Kael had the advantage of terrain. Trees blurred past as he sprinted, his lungs burning.

The wolves were faster, but Kael wasn't just running. He was leading them.

He slid down a small incline, forcing one wolf to misstep. It tumbled, crashing into thick underbrush. Two remained. He didn't slow. He couldn't afford to.

Up ahead, he spotted a large tree with sprawling roots forming a small crevice. An idea sparked.

Kael leaped onto the nearest branch, using his momentum to flip himself over. As the wolves lunged, he twisted mid-air and kicked the branch, snapping it clean off. The broken wood fell directly into their path, forcing them to stumble.

Kael landed hard, rolling with the impact. He ignored the pain, turning just in time to see one wolf recovering faster than the other.

Now.

He rushed the slower one, shoving the sharpened branch into its exposed throat. The creature let out a gurgled snarl before collapsing. Blood pooled beneath it as another notification flashed.

[+2 Strength, +1 Agility obtained] [Skill Acquired: Lesser Beast Instinct - Briefly heighten reaction speed in moments of danger.]

The second wolf, having regained its footing, snarled in fury and lunged at him. But Kael's new ability kicked in.

Time seemed to slow just enough for him to move. He ducked low, his body reacting faster than his mind could process. The wolf's claws barely grazed his shoulder as he twisted to the side, bringing his makeshift weapon down onto its exposed ribcage.

The impact wasn't fatal, but it staggered the beast. Kael didn't let up. With a fierce growl of his own, he drove the broken wood into its throat.

[Enemy Defeated - Bloodthorn Wolf] [+2 Strength, +1 Agility obtained]

Kael gasped for breath, his arms shaking from the exertion. His body was changing rapidly, adapting in ways he had never imagined. His strength had already grown noticeably, his movements sharper. But there was no time to revel in his progress.

The last wolf had finally freed itself from the underbrush.

Kael turned to face it, weapon at the ready, but before he could act, the beast suddenly froze. Its ears twitched. Then, without warning, it bolted into the shadows.

Azrael, still floating nearby, raised an eyebrow. "Well, that's not a good sign."

Kael frowned. "Why did it run?"

Azrael's smirk faded. "Something worse is coming."

A deep, guttural roar shattered the air, sending a cold chill down Kael's spine. The very ground beneath him trembled as something massive approached through the mist.

The survival challenge wasn't over yet.

And whatever was coming next would make the wolves seem like mere warm-ups.