Chapter 7: The Hunt Begins

Zam gazed at the colossal teleportation portal before him, taking a deep breath before stepping inside without hesitation.

In the blink of an eye, Zam's surroundings turned pitch black, only to find himself standing amidst a dense forest.

Confusion washed over him as he surveyed his unfamiliar surroundings.

"I'm still in the forest?" Suddenly, the sound of rustling leaves caught his attention from nearby.

Reacting swiftly, Zam sought refuge behind a tree. Shortly after, he witnessed a regular deer grazing peacefully on plants. However, before he could relax, a predator pounced on the unsuspecting deer. It was a first-layer body-tempering wolf, effortlessly breaking the deer's neck with a swift bite.

Zam remained concealed, his heart pounding relentlessly as he held his breath, fearful that the wolf would detect him through his breathing.

As the silence enveloped the area, Zam cautiously peeked out. Noticing the wolf had disappeared, he let out a sigh of relief.

"That was too close." Zam was certain it wasn't an ordinary wolf but a first-layer body-tempering wolf.

While their hunting grounds were generally confined to the forest's boundaries, they occasionally encountered wild first-layer body-tempering beasts. Hence, Zam was convinced it was a body-tempering wolf.

"Sigh, I can only wait for the captain and the others to arrive," he uttered helplessly. Despite his love for adventure, it didn't mean he had a death wish. Moreover, he couldn't even escape since there was no sign of a teleportation portal.

Five minutes later...

Finally succumbing to impatience, Zam rose to his feet.

"I can't wait any longer. I'll explore this place and take down a first-layer wolf." He had always yearned to defeat a first-layer monster single-handedly. Of course, he didn't intend to face it head-on but planned to utilize other means, such as traps.

Zam proceeded with his exploration of the dungeon, first focusing on constructing a wolf trap. Given the lack of tools, he opted for a simple spike pit trap, capitalizing on the resources abundant in the forest.

Next, he needed to locate a lone first-layer wolf. Aware that wolves typically hunted in packs, coming across a solitary one would require a stroke of luck.

Zam dedicated himself to building the trap and gathering the necessary resources, utilizing the bountiful forest surroundings. After a mere five minutes, a net trap was complete.

Now, his task was to find a lone wolf and lure it into the trap. Though it sounded straightforward, Zam understood the stakes were high, and a single misstep could lead to becoming the wolf's meal.

After tiptoeing through the forest for ten minutes, Zam finally stumbled upon a solitary first-layer wolf. He couldn't help but feel that the Goddess of Luck had favored him on this day.

Without wasting another moment, Zam aimed his bow at the wolf. He took a deep breath, steadying himself before releasing the arrow.

The wolf's ears perked up, sensing the presence of danger. It leaped backward instinctively, narrowly avoiding the arrow whizzing past.

Zam didn't lose heart; killing a first-layer wolf with a single arrow was no easy feat.

The wolf turned its gaze in his direction, growling menacingly. Meanwhile, Zam sprinted with all his might towards the trap, the enraged wolf hot on his heels.