Chapter 7

The forest loomed ahead with twisting roots and towering trees that filtered the afternoon light into flickering patterns along the ground.

James stepped forward, his grip firm around his bow, his quiver secured at his side. The quiet hum of nature surrounded him–chirping insects, rustling leaves, the distant hoot of an unseen owl.

He moved carefully, mindful of each step as he scanned the area for signs of movement. The forest's edge was relatively safe, home to smaller creatures and common wildlife, but deeper in... that was where the real danger lay.

As he ventured farther, he spotted signs of disturbance–claw marks on a tree trunk, flattened grass where something had rested, the faint scent of musk carried on the wind. His pulse quickened. A monster had been through here.

James knelt, inspecting the markings. The gouges in the bark weren't deep, but they were sharp. A low-tier beast, maybe. Something swift. His mind raced through the possibilities–a Fang Hare? A Shade Wolf?maybe a Razor Beak Raptor?

Then, a sound–afaint rustling in the underbrush. James froze, his breath steadying as he slowly reached for an arrow.

Grom the underbrush, apair of glowing amber eyes locked onto him. The rustling stopped. Silence hung in the air, thick with tension. Then a low growl rumbled from the shadows.

The creature stepped forward, revealing its sleek, dark furred form–a Shade Wolf. Its body was lean, built for speed, and its claws gleamed faintly in the dim light filtering through the trees. A mid stage low rank beast, more dangerous than what he initially had hoped to encounter.

He steadied his breath, fingers tightening around the shaft of his arrow. Shade Wolves weren't just fast– they were cunning. They used the shadows to their advantage,dartind in and out of sight before striking with precision. A reckless shot wouldn't do. He had to wait, had to anticipate its movement.

The wolf lowered itself slightly, muscles tensing. It was watching him, reading his posture, readying its own attack. Neither moved. A moment stretched to eternity. Without warning the Shade Wolf lunged, its powerful limbs propelling it forward ina blur of motion.

He barely had time to react. His instincts kicked in, and he threw himself to the side just as the sharp claws slashed through the air where he had stood moments before. He hit the ground in a roll, dirt scattering around him as he quickly regained his footing.

The wolf landed, its muscles coiled, its amber eyes locked onto him once more. It was fast–but he had expected that. He reached for an arrow, his fingers moving with practiced speed, notching it against the bowstring.

The Shade Wolf growled, lowering its stance. It was preparing for another strike. James exhaled, focusing. He had one chance to make this shot count.

The instant the Shade Wolf lunged, he loosened his arrow, the rune–inscribed shaft cutting through the air with precision. The enhanced penetration enchantment flared to life upon release, its faint glow tracing the projectile's path.

The arrow struck true–embedding itself deep into the wolf's shoulder. A sharp snarl tore from the beast's throat as it staggered mid–lunge, the force of the impact disrupting its attack. It skidded slightly on the forest floor, claws scraping against the dirt as it fought to regain balance.

James didn't wait. He reached for another arrow, his heartbeat steady despite the rush of adrenaline. The Shade Wolf was wounded, but not defeated. If anything, its frustration had only made it more dangerous. The beast let out a guttural growl, its amber eyes narrowing as it prepared for its next move. It wasn't going to retreat. James pressed the attack. With the Shade Wolf wounded but still dangerous, he couldn't afford to hesitate. He loosened another rune–inscribed arrow, this time aiming for the beast's legs to disrupt its movement.

The arrow struck true, digging into the creature's hind leg. The wolf let out a sharp, pained yelp, its balance faltering. Its injured shoulder already slowed it, but now, with its leg wounded as well, its movements were no longer as precise.

He didn't let up. He pivoted, adjusting his stance as he rapidly notched another arrow. The Shade Wolf, despite its injuries, snarled defiantly–it wasn't ready to back down. It lunged again, though its movements were slightly off. James exhaled, steadying his aim. The next shot had to be decisive. His fingers tightened around the bowstring, the rune–inscribed arrow glowing faintly due to its enhanced penetration effect. The Shade Wolf injured but defiant, prepared to leap again, its amber eyes burning with survival instinct. But James was faster.

He released the arrow. It tore through the air, striking deep into the wolf's chest. A sharp, choked snarl escaped the beast as it staggered, its limbs faltering beneath it. The glow in its eyes dimmed, its breath coming in short gasps. It swayed slightly–one last attempt to resist before its body gave in to the inevitable. With one final tremor, the Shade Wolf collapsed, its form stilling against the forest floor. James went still for a moment, his heart hammering in his chest. This was his first true hunt. But he couldn't dwell on it for too long. Stepping forward, he knelt beside the body of the wolf, preparing to harvest the core. With his knife in hand, he swiftly sliced into the wolf's head, extracting a small, finger–sized glowing core. He didn't stop there. Knowing the value of monster materials, he quickly worked to collect the wolf's thick, dark fur and its razor–sharp claws, careful not to waste a single usable resource. His fingers trembled slightly as he packed them away in his bag.

But before he could dwell on the moment, a chilling realization struck him–Shade Wolves rarely hunted alone.

The sounds of battle, the scent of blood... it would have definitely drawn the attention of others.

His pulse quickened. He scanned the forest weighing his options. Fighting an entire pack out in the open would be sucide. He needed to find higher ground. Without hesitation, he rushed deeper into the forest, his eyes darting around for a tall, sturdy tree that could serve as a temporary refuge. He wove through thick foilage, adrenaline pushing him forward, ignoring the thorns scraping his arms.

Then–there. A massive tree stood ahead, its wide solid trunk, its branches thick and sprawling. Dense leaves clustered around the upper limbs, forming a natural cover that couls obscure him from sight.

Not wasting a second, hames gripped the rough bark and began climbing, pulling himself up with a speed fueled by urgency. Below faint movements stirred in the shadows.

He pressed his body close to the thick trunk, steadying his breath as he watched the scene unfold below. From the thick underbrush, two Shade Wolves emerged, their sleek forms moving with cautious precision. Their amber eyes flickered as they sniffed the air, their ears twitching as they picked up the lingering scent of blood. One of them stepped closer to the corpse of their fallen packmate, lowering its head to inspect the remains. The other raised its snout, scanning the treetops, sensing something–but not yet seeing him. He felt his pulse quicken as a thought crept into his mind–these wolves were scouts. The pack wouldn't send all its members blindly into unknown danger. These two were here to assess the situation, to determine what had killed their kin before the others arrived. If they didn't find anything soon they would call the rest. He acted swiftly, his movements precise and deliberate. From his elevated position, he loosened an arrow, the rune inscribed shaft cutting through the air and striking the first Shade Wolf squarely in the chest. The beast let out a sharp yelp before collapsing, its amber eyes dimming as the life drained from its body.

The second wolf barely had time to react before he released another arrow, which deeply embedded itself into its chest as well. The creature staggered letting out a guttural snarl before succumbing to the same fate as its companion. James didn't waste a moment. He descended from the tree with practiced speed, his knife already in hand. Working quickly, he harvested the glowing cores from each wolf, their faint energy pulsing against his fingertips. He packed them away alongside the materials from the first wolf, his heart pounding as he glanced around the forest.

The pack wouldn't take long to realize their scouts were gone. He had to move. Without hesitation, he turned and hurriedly made his way out of the forest, his steps quick but careful as he navigated the dense foilage. The weight of his spoils pressed against him, a reminder of both his success and the risks he had taken.