Chapter 14 - Nowhere to Run

Tave immediately sharpened his focus.

Because the creature standing before him was a freaking wolf!

It was massive, far bigger than any normal wolf from his original world. Standing nearly as tall as his waist. A predator through and through.

Judging by the faint shadowy aura surrounding its body and the intensity of its glowing eyes, Tave estimated it to be Tier 2, somewhere in the teen-level range. Which meant, physically, it was far stronger than him.

His instincts screamed at him to scan the area again as the wolf slowly prowled closer.

Wolves hunted in packs.

But he only saw one.

Were the others nearby? Watching? Waiting?

In this situation, he had two choices.

One, run. If its pack was close, staying here meant certain death.

Two, fight and subdue the monster as quickly as possible… then get out.

And yes, subdue, not kill.

Because this wolf had a pure Dark Element affinity. The perfect target for his Bloodline Override.

And honestly? Inheriting some traits from this wolf would be an incredible match for his Sigil, his Element, and his fighting style.

This was the best choice he could possibly find in this place.

Without hesitation, he performed a series of hand seals.

[ Shadow Veil activated. ]

[ Your movement speed has increased. Your instincts sharpen under the cover of shadow. ]

Tave felt his body lighten, the night around him seeming to bend to his presence.

Not enough. He needed more.

He executed another set of hand seals.

[ Night Hunter's Instinct activated. ]

[ Heightens senses in low-light environments, improving reaction speed, vision, and perception of movement. ]

The wolf, despite having clearly marked Tave as its target, moved slowly and silently, exuding absolute confidence. Like it saw him as nothing more than an easy kill.

And that was seriously annoying.

The longer he waited, the higher the chance its pack would arrive.

Tave wasn't about to let that happen.

He would strike first.

Let's go!

If he could handle Lily, then this wolf shouldn't be any harder.

With a burst of speed, Tave lunged forward.

The wolf reacted instantly.

A deep growl rumbled from its throat as it charged straight at him, its massive body surging forward with terrifying speed.

They clashed, almost.

At the last moment, Tave dodged left. But the wolf was just as fast, pivoting on its paws and twisting mid-air to redirect its attack toward him.

Damn. It's fast.

Tave swung his sword, aiming straight for its side.

The wolf jerked away just in time, avoiding the full force of the strike, but Tave pressed on, shifting his weight to keep up.

The wolf pounced.

Tave barely had time to react.

Sharp fangs flashed under the dim moonlight as the beast lunged for his throat.

In an instant, Tave threw himself backward, landing into a roll as the wolf's claws sliced through the air inches from his face.

As soon as his feet touched the ground, he kicked off again, circling the wolf, sword ready.

The wolf's glowing red eyes locked onto him, its muscles tensed, its stance low and aggressive.

But Tave wouldn't give it a chance.

Another flash of hand seals.

[ Phantom Step activated. ]

[ Your speed momentarily increases, allowing unpredictable movement patterns. ]

Tave vanished.

In a split second, he reappeared at the wolf's blind spot, his sword already slashing downward.

This time, it connected.

The blade tore through the wolf's side, dark blood spraying against the forest floor.

The beast howled in pain. But it didn't fall.

Instead, it spun, lashing out with its claws.

Tave raised his sword just in time, blocking the strike, but the impact sent a shockwave through his arms.

Strong!

Before he could fully recover, the wolf lowered its body, and lunged again.

Tave needed to end this.

As the wolf closed in, he gathered all his strength, his mind racing.

Then, he made his move.

The wolf lunged, its massive jaws snapping toward his throat.

Instead of retreating, Tave stepped in.

Closer.

He lowered his stance, twisting his body at the last second, feeling the rush of air as the wolf's fangs barely missed his neck.

With a sharp pivot, he drove his elbow into the beast's ribs, forcing it off balance for a split second. Just enough time to act.

His sword flashed.

He slammed the hilt against the side of the wolf's skull, aiming to disorient rather than kill.

THUD!

The wolf staggered, its head snapping to the side, claws scraping against the dirt as it tried to steady itself.

Now!

Tave dropped his sword. He wouldn't need it for this part.

His hand shot toward his belt, fingers grabbing onto a thick wire rope he had prepared earlier.

The wolf shook its head, trying to regain focus. But Tave was already moving.

With a swift motion, he looped the rope around its neck and pulled tight!

The beast thrashed.

Its powerful muscles jerked violently, trying to break free, but Tave dug his heels into the ground, using all his strength to wrestle it down.

The wolf kicked and clawed, snapping its jaws, but Tave moved with it, adjusting his grip, expertly maneuvering his body to avoid its lethal strikes.

With one powerful yank, he twisted the rope around its front legs, forcing it down. But the wolf fought back. Hard.

Its muscles surged against the restraint, nearly jerking Tave off balance. His grip burned as the rough fibers dug into his skin, sweat stinging his eyes.

The beast bucked, claws tearing into the dirt, but Tave clenched his jaw and pulled tighter.

He wrapped the rope further around its body, locking its legs and neck in place.

Finally, with one last pull, the beast collapsed, fully restrained.

Tave exhaled sharply, sweat trickling down his forehead.

He had it.

The perfect monster for his Bloodline Override.

Tave was still panting, his breaths coming out in short, uneven gasps as he fought to keep the monster's mouth shut. His grip was tight, fingers digging into the coarse fur as he worked to further weaken its movements. He focused on its legs, keeping them restrained, knowing that the less it could struggle, the better his chances of getting out of here alive.

He needed to leave, now. There was no way he could perform the sacrificial ceremony here, not in the middle of this forest, not when any second more monsters could appear. Damn it! He had no choice but to move fast.

Grabbing the bound wolf, he started dragging it across the forest floor, only to realize just how much of a struggle that actually was. The creature was heavy, its body dense with muscle, and his own limbs were already burning from exertion. 

He gritted his teeth, pushing through the strain as his muscles screamed in protest. Every step forward felt like wading through thick mud, but he had to keep going.

It wasn't a quiet escape, not even close. The undergrowth rustled beneath them, the sharp sound of shifting dirt and broken twigs filling the air as he forced himself forward. With his current physical strength, carrying the wolf was impossible, so dragging it was the only option. 

Argh… move, damn it!

His heartbeat pounded violently in his chest, his lungs burned, and sweat poured down his back. Every breath felt heavier, his vision slightly blurring from exhaustion, but he had no choice except to keep running. Faster. Just a little faster. The farther he got from this place, the safer he would be.

And then, just as he thought he was gaining distance, his worst nightmare unfolded before his eyes.

Hell. 

No.

His entire body went rigid. His grip on the wolf loosened, then completely slipped away. He didn't even need to turn his head to know what had happened.

Because now, surrounding him, staring at him from the darkness beyond the trees… were more of them.

Pairs of glowing red eyes peered from the shadows, silent and unmoving, yet filled with unmistakable intent. The air grew thick with tension, the night suddenly feeling colder against his skin.

Damn it. The pack had arrived.