First Wave

Reaching the tree I slithered behind it so that I am out of their sight. Making myself as flat as I could I waited for them to peek forth. Not even five seconds later a wolf head peeked past the thick glowing stem of the tree. Popping up so suddenly I panicked, and my fight or flight extinct kicked in.

But for just a second our gazes crossed as we stared into each other's eyes, I could see its hatred towards me and the panic and fear in mine. The wolf's eyes widened as it realized that it made a huge mistake.

Before it could even react, I lunged at the grey wolf and sunk my two deadly fangs deep inside its throat before pumping its body full with my toxin, paralyzing and killing it in seconds.

Letting out a low whimper it slumped down and died. Letting go of the dead body it slumped to the ground.

*Ding*

[You killed an adult Nebula Wolf!]

*Ding*

[136 Exp gained!]

*Ding*

[You leveled up!]

*Ding*

[Level 10 reached!]

Hearing a deep growl I turned my head for only a ton of blue screens to flood my sight and blocking my view from the enraged wolf. Being distracted and disturbed by the system notifications, a sharp pain ran across my body. The wolf managed to pierce my grey scales and ripped through my back like a hot knife through butter.

'AGH, AGAIN!!'

Experiencing excruciating pain again and again and again and again, I just couldn´t handle it anymore as something inside me flipped. For so long I endured all those unimaginable pain... and so I finally snapped for the first time in my new life.

All the fear and anxiety disappeared and are now replaced with rage and hatred. The same hatred as the wolves has shown me.

'YOU F*CKING MUTTS! I WILL SO SLAUGHTER YOU ALL!!!'

Facing the overgrown dog I let out a deep hiss. Just as I faced him the third wolf appeared and clawed my face with its razor-sharp claws wounding my emerald green eye and nearly completely blinding me. Half of my vision turned blood red and I couldn't even close the wounded eye.

My eyes burned in hatred as I had to endure another soul-wrenching pain from another paw swipe. I viciously hissed at him before rushing jumping him.

Being too slow to dodge, I flew straight into his face like an arrow and I bit into its right eye. I poured just enough venom into him that he will die a slow and agonizing death, but obviously, he didn´t stand still to let him get killed and swung its head desperately to get me off.

As I hung onto its eye it furiously shocks its head and slammed me against the tree, as I took its eye with me. Breathlessly landing to the ground I saw how it exploded a thick mist out of its body while slowly backing off. the dense fog blocked my vision, but thanks to my motion-sensing eyes I could still see him backing off, the venom clearly already taking effect on him. I knew for a fact that it could still see as clear as day in the fog. I looked at his retreating figure and slowly gulped down the wolf's eye while licking my lips afterward. To my delight, the eye tasted strangely similar to strawberry jelly.

Savoring the aftertaste I could see the angry and pained face of the one-eyed wolf. A crazy glint flashed through my eyes. Finishing eating its eye I leaned against the tree to get some rest. I heard the system notifying me about the wolf's death, but I couldn´t enjoy the moment for long, as the remaining wolf and a new one appeared, growling at me with pure hatred they prepared to shred me into pieces.

With my back against the tree, the two cut off my escape route. Well, I couldn´t escape anyway with a gaping wound on my back. Would have long bled to death before reaching a safe place. Seeing no other options left I did the only thing I could; Fight them to the death.

'Heh, I guess that´s it, but I will at least take one of them down with me if I die!'

"HISSSS!"

Raising my bleeding body I let out another deep hiss.

Still dazed and hurt from the hard slam against the tree I could only look at the sharp fangs closing in on me.

Just as the wolf lunged at me a familiar feeling washed over me, the world slowed down, and my vision turned grey again. The pain, hatred, anger, gone. My turmoil of emotions was replaced with a calm and tranquil mind. I could feel my eyes contract into even sharper slits and my already good vision getting even sharper. But there was something new this time. Something that wasn't there, something bizarre. A dozen of red lines are now suspended mid-air right in front of me.

Recognizing the feeling and changes an evil grin appeared on my face. 'My racial skill activated... Time to kill some mutts.'

Dodging a vicious paw strike I got in contact with one of the red strings. My mind blanked out for a second as I heard incoherent whispers from it, but despite not understanding it I knew exactly what it told me. Before I could even realize it my body was already moving on its own, following the red string, I avoided another stand-off with death by a hair length. I landed next to the wolf where I had a perfect line towards its neck. They immediately tried to kill me again, but it was too late as I am already deep inside its flesh.

'You damn dogs! Better start praying that I will die because I will make you go instinct if I survive this madness!'

After another round of struggling with the remaining wolf, I finally came out on top as I stand on its eyeless corps with my bloodied body raised high. Letting out a victorious hiss, all the energy left my body as my body had long been functioning solely on my willpower alone. Slumping down my tired mind began to shut down, I couldn´t even finish reading the last notification as I blacked out.

[System will choose for you as you are unable to choose from the following...]

...hope I won't wake up as a worm.

(Sahra's side)

Running ahead I sliced the wolves while dogging their long claws and jagged jaws. It was a lot harder fighting Nebula wolfs than the Ground Wolfs, but this was still only the second floor, where only peak tier 1 monsters reside. Nonetheless, I can´t get overconfident, as they have the number advantage, plus their teamwork is top-notch.

Four of them surrounded me and constantly tried to bite or claw me in succession, but due to my sand armor and nimble movements, they only managed to get a few light scratches.

While I'm busy with them I could spot three of them running past me directly towards the little snake. Seeing him being chased by a pack of wolves distracted me, and one of them managed to bite me in the arm leaving a shallow flesh wound. Throwing my dagger at one of the approaching wolves right between its eyes, I had now a free hand and packed the one biting me by its head and ripped it off of its head with my tier 2 strength, painting me and my surrounding in crimson red color.

Using the head to block another wolf I ran towards my dagger and pulled it out of the Nebula wolf, before continuing slicing.

But no matter how many I kill they keep coming out of the fog from behind the Alpha. I slice and slice, but every time I injure one it suicide charges me to injure me before dying.

This continued for 10 minutes as I am now surrounded by a pile of corpses and tens of enraged Nebula wolves. Even the second group that was charging towards my little hero turned around and surrounded me. Surviving the first onslaught some of them dragged their dead brethren away, clearing the battlefield. Tired and full of small injuries all over my body I used the chance to catch my breath before they started their second charge.

Seeing that they were ready to engage again I took a last deep breath and signaled them to come at me. Showing my sharp teeth I grinned at them. 'I can do this all day.'

To be honest, I was a little excited, it has been so long since I had a decent fight...