The chaotic clash of makeshift weapons against snapping jaws and guttural snarls filled the air of the gorge. The Evergreen Tribe, though strained, was holding its ground against the relentless assault of the six Dark Wolves, their tighter formation providing crucial support.
Just as Ren roared, slamming his makeshift shield into the side of a lunging wolf, and Syka's arrow found its mark with a sickening thud, an unsettling stillness began to fall over the battlefield.
It wasn't a gradual quieting, but an abrupt cessation of all movement and sound. The remaining Dark Wolves froze mid-lunge, their snarls caught in their throats. The tribe members, weapons raised and braced for the next attack, stood motionless, their eyes wide with a sudden, primal fear they couldn't explain. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath.
Then, from the shadowed mouth of the gorge, it emerged. At first glance, it was easy to mistake it for just another member of the pack. It wasn't significantly larger than the wolves already engaged in the fight, and in fact, its frame appeared leaner, younger. But the air around it crackled with an undeniable and dangerous aura. It moved with a deliberate, almost regal gait, its dark fur, the color of the deepest night, rippling with each calculated step.
Its eyes, though belonging to a creature seemingly still in its youth, held a cruel and unnervingly experienced gaze, as if they had witnessed countless hunts and tasted the fear of countless prey. They scanned the silent battlefield, taking in the frozen forms of both wolves and humans with an unsettling intelligence.
A collective whimper escaped the lips of some of the younger members of the tribe – Kana among them – their legs trembling beneath them, threatening to buckle under the weight of an instinctive terror. Others, the more timid, simply froze, their breath caught in their chests, unable to look away from the mesmerizingly dangerous creature.
As if on cue, breaking the eerie silence, the six Dark Wolves that had been locked in battle suddenly threw back their heads and unleashed a series of powerful, resonant roars. It was a unified, primal sound that echoed through the gorge, a clear and unmistakable declaration: their king had arrived.
The moment the Alpha Wolf roared, the other six Dark Wolves moved with a newfound purpose, ready to follow their leader's command. But Usato had anticipated this. With a decisive step forward, he positioned himself directly between the Alpha Wolf and its pack, his eyes locked solely on the more dangerous creature.
"Alright everyone," he commanded, his voice firm and clear. "Focus on the six wolves! Don't let them coordinate. I'll handle this one!"
The tribesmen, though initially surprised by Usato's bold move, reacted quickly. Gorthok, hefting his nanobot shield and warhammer, turned his attention to the nearest Dark Wolf. Kael, with his nanobot bastard sword, moved to engage another. Vala, agile and alert, darted towards the side of the pack, her nanobot short sword ready. Syka, from her elevated position, began to rain down nanobot arrows on the six wolves. Ren, with his reinforced branch, joined the fray, supporting the others. The younger tribesmen, emboldened by Usato's confidence, also pressed their attack with their makeshift weapons.
At the very apex of this immediate confrontation stood Usato. Sky's nanobots shimmered around his arm, coalescing into a sleek, short sword that pulsed with a faint, internal light. He gripped it tightly, his stance low and ready, his entire focus on the Alpha Wolf.
The Alpha Wolf, its cruel eyes blazing with predatory intent, turned its full attention to Usato. It let out another thunderous roar, not as a command to its pack, but as a challenge to the lone human who dared to confront it. Without hesitation, it launched forward in a powerful charge, its movements fluid and terrifyingly fast, directly towards Usato.
"Brace yourselves!" Usato yelled to the tribe, though his gaze never wavered from the charging Alpha. "Don't let up!"
As the tribe surged forward to engage the six wolves, Usato met the Alpha's charge head-on. Moving with surprising agility, he darted to the side as the Alpha lunged, his nanobot blade aimed for a vital point. The Alpha Wolf snapped its jaws, its razor-sharp teeth missing Usato by a hair's breadth. Usato retaliated with a swift slash of his nanobot sword, aiming for the Alpha's flank. The wolf, with incredible speed, twisted its body, and the blade merely grazed its dark fur, drawing a thin line of crimson.
While dodging the Alpha's ferocious attacks and occasionally landing his own, Usato's mind was racing. He observed the Alpha's movements, its speed, its calculated ferocity. He also scanned the chaotic battlefield around him, noting the tribe's struggles and triumphs against the six wolves. This fight, he realized, was a crucial opportunity for him to develop his combat prowess. He began to recall the various character builds and playstyles from his favorite RPG, "Eternity Realm." He considered the resilient "Undying" style, the aggressive "Berserker" approach, the stalwart "Full Tank" defensive strategy, and his personal favorite – the incredibly versatile style of his past idol, a player renowned for their ability to seamlessly switch between weapons. A grin touched Usato's lips. Isn't this style tailor-made for me? With Sky's ability to create an endless array of nanobot-infused weapons, that dynamic, adaptable style, perfectly tailored to his own strengths, was now a tangible possibility. This wasn't just a battle; it was the proving ground for his unique fighting style, inspired by the legends of "Eternity Realm."
After realizing the potential of the versatile style inspired by his "Eternity Realm" idol, Usato began to put it into practice.
Though still risky, he started to grasp the core concept. Every time the Alpha Wolf attacked, Usato internally commanded Sky. Shield. Almost instantly, a shimmering nanobot shield materialized to intercept the blow. There were still near misses, moments where the timing was just off, and the Alpha's claws or teeth grazed his skin. But with each exchange, Usato's understanding grew.
Soon, the flow became more intuitive. If the Alpha created a slight arm's length of distance, Usato's thought would be, Spear. A sharp, elongated point of nanobots would extend from his hand, allowing him to attack at mid-range or even launch it as a projectile. When the fight closed into melee range, his internal command shifted: Sword or Dagger. A familiar short blade or a pair of wickedly sharp daggers would form, enabling him to parry or deliver quick strikes. If a 5 to 10 meter gap opened, his thought would be, Bow. A sleek nanobot bow would materialize, an arrow already forming, ready to be loosed.
Having gotten the basic rhythm down, Usato focused his internal communication with Sky. Sky, monitor the entire battlefield. Keep track of our tribe members and the remaining six wolves. Alert me to any critical situations. Then, focusing his voice outwards without breaking his gaze on the Alpha Wolf, Usato commanded, "Kael, Gorthok, Vala, Syka, Elara! Take charge! Use everything you have! I need to focus on this beast!"
With that, Usato renewed his solo dance with the Alpha Wolf, his movements becoming more fluid, his weapon shifts more precise, his mind solely focused on the dangerous predator before him. The fate of the tribe, for this moment, rested on his ability to keep the Alpha occupied while his core team led the defense against the pack.