No time to react.
Ren felt his right shoulder go numb, an icy chill spreading down his arm and across his entire body.
Lost balance.
He staggered, his legs faltering before he collapsed forward.
His vision blurred for a brief moment.
What…?
A crimson light flared amidst the dark field.
The atmosphere turned eerie, the cold no longer coming from the night wind but from something else entirely.
Klein moved.
A sharp sound rang out as his blade sliced through the air.
The glint of metal flashed, cutting through the darkness.
"...Damn it," Klein gritted his teeth, his eyes darkening. "No way…"
Ren tried to lift his head, but the numbness weighed him down.
That crimson light.
It didn't vanish.
It was getting closer.
A second Elite Dire Wolf?
No.
It was bigger.
A massive wolf, its gray fur swaying in the cold wind.
Glowing red eyes flickered through the distant mist.
The air thickened, turning suffocatingly cold, as if crushed by an invisible force.
Ren struggled to move, but the numbness in his right shoulder spread, like a thousand needles piercing his skin.
Not good...
The crimson light shimmered in the darkness, reflecting in the giant wolf's eyes.
This wasn't just an Elite monster.
Boss Field?
Klein shifted his stance, sword held horizontally, his expression tense.
"...That thing," Klein inhaled sharply, his voice low, "maybe we should run."
Run?
Ren blinked, his breathing still unsteady.
But.
Rustle…
The giant wolf moved.
Its gray fur rippled as it stepped forward, massive claws pressing into the ground, leaving deep imprints.
Ren could feel it.
The cold creeping through the night air.
The faint scent of blood lingering.
It was hunting.
And its prey… was them.
At that moment, Ren finally understood.
The Elite Dire Wolves.
They hadn't changed hunting grounds.
They had been driven out of the sunken stone area.
By this.
Giant Elite Dire Wolf.
Three long HP bars appeared above its head.
A Mini Boss.
Stronger.
Far more terrifying than an Elite Dire Wolf.
—
"Run."
Dragging their battle-worn bodies, both Ren and Klein turned and bolted.
The wind howled, carrying a bitter, bone-chilling cold.
Ren surged forward, his legs growing heavier with every step, pain surging through his wound.
But he didn't stop. He couldn't stop.
Beside him, Klein ran as well, his breath labored but his steps unwavering.
He didn't look back.
Run. That was the only thing they could do now.
Rustle!
Boom!
A thunderous impact shook the ground behind them.
Ren clenched his teeth, not daring to turn. Just one glance, and his legs would freeze in sheer terror.
He didn't need to look.
He could feel it right behind them.
The pressure crashing down on them was like a living nightmare, so suffocating that even breathing became difficult.
The air thickened. The darkness itself was crushing them.
Whoosh!
A shadow streaked across his vision.
Ren's heart skipped a beat.
A chill brushed against the back of his neck.
Like Death's scythe had just grazed past.
Thud!
His entire body jolted.
For a moment, Ren didn't understand what had happened, only that an immense force had slammed into him, sending him flying sideways.
And then.
Slash!
A razor-sharp sound tore through the air.
A massive claw swung.
Blood burst in pixelated fragments into the night.
Ren hit the cold ground, eyes widening.
His vision spun from the impact, but the sight before him remained crystal clear.
A vivid red.
Pixel shards, deep crimson, scattered across the air.
"KLEIN!!"
His voice was strangled in his throat, as if he himself had been torn apart.
Klein's HP plummeted straight into the red zone.
Blood stained his armor, glistening under the moonlight.
He staggered.
But he didn't fall.
Ren's breath came in ragged gasps. His chest tightened, his hands trembling.
Klein…
For him.
He took that hit…
He had to do something.
No.
No time to think!
BOOM!
A terrifying force crashed down behind them!
Ren clenched his fists and gritted his teeth as he forced himself up.
No hesitation.
Keep running!
Ahead.
Light.
The familiar blue light…
The gates of the Starting Town!
If they could just reach it.
Ren shoved away all thoughts and sprinted with everything he had.
Klein, though staggering from the attack, gritted his teeth and followed.
Right behind them.
A deafening howl shook the very earth!
The monstrous shadow loomed closer!
Darkness swallowed everything!
Just a little more
Just one more step!
WHOOSH!
The giant shadow lunged forward.
It twisted, moving like a serpent, cutting off their path from the front.
Ren skidded to a halt.
Just as a massive claw came crashing down.
Boom.
The air split apart.
A deep claw mark was etched into the ground, severed strands of yellow grass carried away by the cold wind.
The situation worsened as the monster blocked their escape.
Ren faced the giant wolf's glowing red eyes, every hair on his nape standing on end.
Instinct screamed that he had no chance of winning.
But if he stood still… both of them would die.
He tightened his grip on the sword hilt. His hands trembled, but his gaze remained steady.
"Klein… go."
A light statement, but like a stone cast into a still lake.
Klein froze.
"What?"
"I'll buy time." Ren took a deep breath, stepping back slightly to brace himself. "You're injured. If you don't leave now, neither of us will make it out."
Silence.
No immediate answer. Only the sound of the cold wind lashing at their skin and the sharp gaze of the monster locked onto them.
Klein didn't move.
Ren waited… waited for Klein to turn, to run.
Waited for what should have happened.
But…
Klein laughed.
A weary smile, but within his eyes shone an unshakable resolve.
"What kind of person do you think I am?"
He tightened his grip on the curved sword hilt, the steel glinting in the darkness.
"Abandoning a comrade and running away? Don't joke."
Ren was stunned.
"Klein…!"
"Shut up. We live together, or we die together. Choose."
The wind howled louder.
The monster crouched lower, preparing to pounce.
Ren's breathing grew heavier.
Finally, he clenched his teeth and raised his sword to eye level.
"…Alright."
"That's more like it."
Klein chuckled, then took a step forward.
A step into death, without hesitation.
And in that instant…
The monster lunged.
But just before its razor-sharp fangs could sink in, a sudden attack struck its flank.
The blow was so powerful that the massive beast, nearly two meters tall was knocked back.
It rolled to the side but quickly got back on its feet, its bloodthirsty eyes locking onto the attacker.
Dale stood in front of them, gripping his greatsword.
"Hey… don't forget about us." Dynamm's voice rang out as he rushed in from the distance.
"Don't let your guard down at a time like this," Issin added, his eyes serious as he stared at the wolf.
The sudden arrival of the three left Ren momentarily frozen.
"Dale, Dynamm, Issin… Where did they come from?"
Ren's hands still trembled from the frantic chase, but his gaze quickly shifted to the monster.
It showed no fear.
The cold wind swept through, making the thick gray fur on its body ripple slightly. Its four claws scraped against the ground, carving deep grooves.
The wolf's glowing red eyes contracted. It didn't snarl or charge immediately but lowered itself further, its sharp claws grinding into the earth. A shiver ran through its body, as if gathering strength for a lethal strike.
Ren gripped his sword tighter, his throat dry.
"…An Elite Dire Wolf?" Dale muttered, narrowing his eyes. "No wonder you two were running for your lives."
Unlike Dale, Issin couldn't hide his tension. He clenched his sword hilt, his gaze flicking between the wolf's tensed muscles and the HP bar hovering above it. His voice dropped low. "Not just any Elite Dire Wolf. It's a Boss-level."
Dynamm squinted. "Then… we just have to take it down?"
A casual remark, as if defeating this monstrous beast was a mere inconvenience.
Ren stared at them. Unlike him and Klein, these players were more experienced, more confident.
They were ready for battle.
Klein let out a breath, his wounds still stinging painfully, but he chuckled. "Well… you saved us from getting wiped out."
Ren pressed his lips together.
Dale rotated his wrist slightly, the weighty greatsword in his grip gleaming faintly under the night sky.
"Tactics?" Issin asked curtly, his eyes never leaving the monster.
Dale narrowed his gaze at the Boss-level Elite Dire Wolf before them. It still hadn't attacked. Like a seasoned predator, it observed, assessing its opponents.
"Frontline...me and you," Dale responded. "Dynamm supports from the back. Klein and Ren…"
He turned his head slightly to glance at them.
Ren stiffened.
He could feel the assessing gaze.
Klein was heavily injured, his HP nearly depleted, yet he still held his sword steady. And Ren… he tightened his grip on the steel blade, his breathing still uneven.
Dale hesitated for a moment.
"Stay back," he said. "Jump in if you find an opening."
Ren pressed his lips together. A part of him felt… relieved that he wasn't being thrown directly into the fight. But another part… hated this feeling.
Being left behind.
Being judged as not strong enough.
But… he was still too weak.
"Then let's get started." Dynamm smirked, popping open a potion bottle and downing it in one gulp. "I'll cover from the rear."
Dale didn't hesitate.
"Go!"
BOOM!
The ground trembled as Dale charged straight at the massive wolf.
The Boss-level Elite Dire Wolf roared, its crimson eyes glowing like two fiery rubies in the night. It shot forward, its speed terrifying, but not faster than the greatsword swinging down!
CLANG!!
The deafening clash of metal rang out.
The wolf's enormous claws met Dale's sword head-on, generating a shockwave that flattened the surrounding grass.
"Gh…! Damn, it's strong!" Dale gritted his teeth, his arms numb from the sheer force.
"Fall back!" Issin dashed in immediately after, his sword skill igniting beneath his feet. In the blink of an eye, he appeared at the wolf's flank!
Slash!
The blade cut through the air, slicing cleanly across the monster's side!