The silence of the forest was shattered by two bone-chilling howls. Two massive Black Wolves, eyes burning with a primal hunger, lunged simultaneously toward Su Han.
?These beasts weren't just predators; they were the nightmares of this mountain range. Their strength lay in their terrifying numbers, their cold-blooded cunning, and a complete lack of mercy.
?Su Han was battered and bleeding, his body screaming in protest with every move. Yet, as the wolves closed in, a strange, electric energy surged through his veins.
?His new mastery over the Shadow-Step Flicker flickered to life. He didn't just move; he blurred, his speed effectively doubled in a desperate bid for survival.
?As the first wolf snapped its jaws where his throat had been a second ago, Su Han executed a perfect feint. With a precise, lethal motion, he drove his dagger deep into the beast's eye.
?The wolf let out a guttural scream of agony. It swung a massive, clawed paw in a blind rage, nearly catching Su Han’s chest as he twisted away.
?He felt the rush of wind as the claws whistled past, neatly clipping a few strands of hair from behind his ear. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead as he realized how close he had come to death.
?Without missing a beat, he slammed his Tiger’s Claw technique into the wounded wolf's flank. The force of the strike sent the beast skidding across the dirt, giving him a moment of breathing room.
?But the second wolf was already upon him, sensing its companion's distress. Su Han gritted his teeth and decided it was time to test his newest skill—the Nine-Times Slash.
?His movements were still unpolished, his mastery over the technique barely at its infancy, but the desperation of the moment lent him a temporary, jagged brilliance.
?He aimed for the wolf’s throat, but his low cultivation hindered the strike. The dagger bit into the fur, drawing a shallow line of red, but the beast barely flinched through its rage.
?"Dammit," Su Han hissed internally, his mind racing through tactical possibilities. "I can't take them head-on with my current strength. I have to be smarter. I have to be lethal."
?He realized that brute force wouldn't win this fight. He needed to exploit their weaknesses while maintaining his superior mobility.
?Quickly, he accessed his system storage. He retrieved two Low-Grade Yellow Healing Pills he had purchased at the market and swallowed them in one desperate gulp.
?As the medicinal warmth began to spread, he tightened his grip on the Venom-Tooth Dagger. His eyes were narrowed, tracking every twitch of the predators' muscles.
?The opportunity arrived when the first wolf overextended its lunge. As it stumbled past, the second wolf lunged with its maw wide open, aiming to crush Su Han's skull.
?He didn't retreat. Instead, he dropped low, letting the beast’s momentum carry it over him. Just as the wolf’s head passed, Su Han thrust his dagger upward, directly into its open mouth.
?The blade of the Nine-Times Slash pierced through the soft palate and deep into the brain. A fountain of hot, metallic blood erupted, drenching Su Han’s arm.
?The wolf didn't even have time to howl. Su Han twisted the blade, stabbing repeatedly into the beast's throat until its eyes lost their predatory luster and turned dull.
?But the fight wasn't over. The first wolf, though half-blind, lunged again. Su Han met it with a devastating Tiger's Claw to the snout, staggering the beast.
?Before it could recover, he blurred forward, driving his dagger into its remaining good eye. The wolf’s pained shriek echoed through the ravine, a sound of pure, unadulterated suffering.
?Su Han showed no mercy. He moved like a shadow, striking again and again at the beast’s throat until the massive predator finally collapsed into the crimson-stained dirt.
?The mechanical, cold chime of the system finally rang in his mind, sounding like a victory hymn.
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?[DING! CONGRATULATIONS! HOST HAS DEFEATED A LEVEL 1 MIDDLE-GRADE BLACK WOLF.]
?[REWARDS: 100 EXPERIENCE POINTS, 1000 SILVER COINS, WOLF FANGS, AND BONES ADDED TO INVENTORY.]
?A cold, triumphant smile touched Su Han’s lips. He didn't stop to celebrate. He turned his gaze toward the first wolf, which was still twitching in its final death throes.
?He walked over calmly and delivered a final, merciful strike to its jugular. The system chimed once more, doubling his rewards and adding a fresh wolf pelt to his stash.
?Su Han glanced at his interface, his heart thumping against his ribs. "Just a few more points... and I'll break through to Level 4 Body Refining."
?He looked around the chaotic battlefield. He had already taken down four wolves—two by scavenging from the mercenaries and two through this brutal, direct confrontation.
?Only six more kills remained to fulfill his mission.
?Nearby, the core members of the Iron-Fist Mercenaries stood frozen for a split second, their faces masks of utter disbelief. Even Wang Pen looked as if he had seen a ghost.
?They had all expected the boy to be torn to shreds. Yet, there he stood—bloodied, battered, but very much alive amidst the corpses of two superior beasts.
?Captain Zhao’s icy eyes flickered with a rare sense of relief. However, Wang Pen’s expression quickly shifted from shock to a murderous, teeth-grinding fury.
?His distraction cost him. A nearby wolf lunged, its claws tearing into Wang Pen’s shoulder. He let out a pathetic scream, scrambling back toward the defensive circle.
?He was terrified, forced to rely on the very men he had just jeopardized, while Su Han stood tall, a lone wolf emerging from the shadows of death.
?Su Han took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. He noticed something interesting about how the system worked. When he fought alongside the mercenaries, he only got 50 experience points, like a small bonus for helping out.
?But when he took those two wolves down all by himself, the system gave him 100 points for each. A cold smile appeared on his face. He already had 140 points, and with these new kills, his total jumped to 440.
?He looked at the blue screen in his mind. "Just two more wolves," he thought. "If I stay with the group, I'll level up soon. But if I hunt on my own, I'll get there much faster."
?But the sharp pain in his broken shoulder reminded him of the danger. Sweat was dripping down his face. He knew that staying out in the open while being this hurt was a huge risk.
?He quickly moved back toward the safety of the mercenary circle—the same place where Wang Pen had pushed him out. When his eyes met Wang Pen’s, Su Han felt a wave of pure anger.
?He bit his lip so hard it almost bled. "I’m going to pay this guy back for what he did," Su Han promised himself. "But not right now. I'm injured, there are wolves everywhere, and I have a mission to finish first."
?To stay safe from another backstab, Su Han moved to the other side of the group. He went back to his smart tactic. Whenever a mercenary badly hurt a wolf, Su Han would use his 'Shadow-Step Flicker' to finish it off.
?His Venom-Tooth Dagger was moving fast, cutting through the air. He was focused on his new skill, the 'Nine-Times Slash.' He wasn't an expert yet, but he knew this skill was the only way to beat stronger enemies.
?"The more I use it, the better I'll get," Su Han thought. If he could reach 20% mastery, his power would double. And if he reached 100%, he could land nine deadly hits in just one second.
?He was only 2% away from doubling his power now. Since his other skills were already at max level, he put all his focus into this dagger. As he cut the throat of another wolf, the system's voice rang out.
?[DING! HOST HAS DEFEATED A LEVEL 1 MIDDLE-GRADE BLACK WOLF.]
[REWARDS: 50 XP, 1000 SILVER COINS, WOLF BLOOD, AND PELT.]
?[DING! HOST HAS DEFEATED ANOTHER BLACK WOLF. REWARDS: 50 XP, 1000 SILVER COINS, BONES, AND PELT.]
?Suddenly, a warm feeling rushed through his body. It felt like his blood was getting cleaner, and the pain in his bones started to disappear as a fresh wave of energy filled him up.
?[DING! CONGRATULATIONS! HOST HAS REACHED LEVEL 4 BODY REFINING REALM.]
[CURRENT EXPERIENCE: 540/1000.]
?[DING! HOST HAS SUCCESSFULLY UNLOCKED THE SYSTEM STORE. YOU CAN NOW USE SYSTEM POINTS TO BUY SPECIAL ITEMS.]
?Su Han’s eyes lit up. "The System Store!" he thought. Reaching Level 4 and opening the shop felt like a big win. He moved even faster now, feeling stronger than before.
?"Just four more," he said to himself. "Once I finish the mission, I’ll check what I can buy with my 10 system points. I need something that will make people like Wang Pen regret crossing me."
?At Level 4, he was much faster and stronger. The wolves didn't seem so scary anymore. He moved like a shadow among them, leaving only dead bodies behind as he finished his quota.
?[DING! BLACK WOLF DEFEATED. 50 XP, 1000 SILVER COINS.]
[DING! BLACK WOLF DEFEATED. MISSION COMPLETED!]
?[DING! CONGRATULATIONS! FIRST MISSION SUCCESSFUL. REWARDS: 1000 SILVER COINS, 100 EXPERIENCE POINTS, AND 10 SYSTEM POINTS.]
?Su Han took a quick breath, but the air suddenly felt heavy. A massive roar came from the woods, making the ground shake. The wolf pack, which had been attacking like crazy, suddenly stopped and moved back.
?Three huge shadows stepped out from the trees. They were much bigger and looked way more dangerous than the others. Su Han checked their stats, and his heart skipped a beat.
?These were three High-Grade Black Wolves. Two of them were as strong as a Level 7 warrior, but the leader was a total monster—a Level 8 beast that looked like death itself.
?"Get back! Group up now!" Captain Zhao shouted, her voice sounding worried for the first time. She pulled out her sword and ran toward the leader. Her two best fighters also moved to block the other big wolves.
?There were still 50 wolves left, but the strongest mercenaries were now busy with the leaders. Wang Pen’s face was white, and his legs were shaking. Su Han grabbed his dagger tight. The real fight was just beginning.
