Chapter 33: Lone Diver
Firmly holding his axe, Leonard intercepted the werewolf’s claw.
The sheer force of the shockwave made his bones groan and his muscles strain from the pressure, yet he managed to parry the strike.
This was the first time he and the werewolf had met in a frontal confrontation, exchanging blows.
Although Leonard had faced higher-level threats in the Haunted Catacombs before, at the time he had relied on a food buff along with the help of Winston and Arabella, both proficient fighters in their own right.
However, this time he was utterly alone, with his mana completely drained, robbing him of the ability to summon Joker or Valor to assist.
To make things worse, he was both exhausted and wounded while facing a True Boss that was several levels above him.
Even the smallest mistake would lead to his doom.
Leonard’s mind raced in rapid succession. Holding Titanic Oath by both ends, he used the weapon’s shaft to parry the werewolf’s strikes. He was forced to slowly back away.
The werewolf’s limbs slashed in sync with each other, so fast that the monster didn’t grant him even a second of respite.
It took everything Leonard had to avoid being disemboweled on the spot.
Accelerated Manaflow passively absorbed mana, yet with only 1 mana recovered every 8 seconds, it meant Leonard would have to endure the endless barrage of the werewolf for longer than a minute just to recover enough mana to use Lightning Strike a single time.
Gradually, the mouth of the werewolf curled upward in a mocking grin, convinced that soon enough it would emerge victorious.
Leonard gritted his teeth. He came to realize that the monster was deliberately forcing him back toward the den it called home.
If he were forced to enter the burrow, the abyssal darkness inside would rob him of vision.
"Think! How do I turn the tables?" Leonard muttered to himself. His limbs felt heavier with each passing moment, his lungs burning under exertion.
The only vulnerability he spotted was that Valor’s earlier attack hadn’t just wounded the werewolf’s face but had blinded one of its eyes.
If he could exploit that weakness, he would survive.
However, the battle was currently under the werewolf’s control, and Leonard was unable to capitalize on the opportunity.
Just as things appeared hopeless, a voice echoed from behind.
"Bad monster!"
Daisy had noticed Leonard was on the brink of being overwhelmed. Mustering all the courage she carried in her tiny heart, she entered the wolf’s den before them and took hold of a rock with her small palm.
"Leave big bro and me alone!"
Taking a deep breath, she hurled the stone straight into the werewolf’s only working eye. One of her favorite hobbies was skipping stones whenever possible, which made her throws surprisingly accurate.
Although the projectile lacked speed since she had yet to awaken her bloodline, it didn’t matter because she had targeted the monster’s weak point. Even though the werewolf was high-level, its eyes were still vulnerable to thrown objects.
The monster had been too lost in its battle with Leonard to see the incoming rock. By the time it took notice, it was already too late to dodge. The stone collided, momentarily blinding it.
AWOOOO!
Howling in pain, the werewolf slashed, trying to maintain the momentum of its attack, even though it could no longer see.
But Leonard had predicted the monster’s desperation ahead of time. Ducking low, he dodged the strike and swung at the werewolf’s left leg.
Titanic Oath buried itself deep into the flesh, the chilling force of the axe spreading across the monster’s body. Yet its bulky muscles halted the momentum, preventing the limb from being outright severed.
Enraged, the werewolf forced its eye wide open, its yellow iris now stained with a crimson hue.
Leonard didn’t allow the monster to regain the advantage. Prying his axe free, he targeted its torso.
Frost started to build up, slowing the beast’s movements. The Bloodthirsty Werewolf couldn’t believe it. As things stood, Leonard was going to win!
[Mana: 10/200]
[Lightning Strike activated!]
Finally, the battle had dragged on long enough for Leonard to recover just enough mana to use his skill.
Lightning crackled over Titanic Oath, the deadly blade of the axe aimed at the monster’s throat.
The beast’s eye narrowed. It couldn’t allow Leonard to live after slaughtering its entire pack. At the very least, the werewolf was going to claim the life of its adversary, even at the cost of its own!
Lashing out with its left arm, it sacrificed the limb. By allowing it to be severed, it diverted the strike of the axe.
Simultaneously, it swept out with its other limb.
Leonard recoiled backward in an attempt to avoid the strike. He escaped death, but the slash still left a gash across his torso. The pain forced him to let go of his axe. One of his arms was flung upwards.
The werewolf didn’t linger and closed in. Its jaws parted wide, ready to devour Leonard’s head in a single bite.
Albeit deadly, the maneuver left the monster exposed.
[Dimensional Storage activated!]
Suddenly, the silver axe reappeared in Leonard’s raised hand.
Not anticipating that Leonard could summon his second weapon on a whim, the beast was unable to react in time.
The axe fell.
The silver weapon split open the werewolf’s head, killing it on the spot.
[You have defeated a Level 10 Bloodthirsty Werewolf, the True Boss of the Wolf’s Den!]
[You have gained 500 Experience!]
[In recognition of your exceptional achievement, you have been granted 800 Evolution Points!]
Leonard barely managed to remain on his feet. His whole body screamed in pain. Even the sharp breath he drew hurt severely.
Nevertheless, he still made sure to store the monster’s remains by using Dimensional Storage to sell it later.
"That was really scary... Big bro, can we go home now?" Daisy immediately ran to his side, her eyes tearing.
"Yes, we can." He nodded, his gaze dropping low. "Are you hurt?"
Daisy shook her head. "N—Nevermind me, you are the one who is hurt! We need to get you treated!"
Leonard chuckled weakly. "Yeah... getting healed sounds nice."
After a moment he noticed that she was carrying a white fur ball.
"What is that?"
Daisy blinked slowly, then glanced at her palm. Her anxiety softened.
"While you were fighting the bad monster, I found this cute puppy deep inside the cave. It looked really shaken and harmless, so I picked it up. Can I keep it? Do you think my parents will let me?"
To make sure it wasn’t dangerous, Leonard examined the fur ball closer.
[Familiar: Alpha Werewolf (Newborn) (Bound to Daisy)]
He was rendered speechless. Based on the information provided by the system, he deduced that the powerless creature Daisy had casually picked up was an Alpha Werewolf. A familiar that had bonded with her upon contact.
"The fur ball is actually an Alpha Werewolf familiar, and it has bonded to you." Leonard explained. "From what I have heard, a familiar’s bond lasts for life. All things considered, you are incredibly lucky for a kid that got dragged into a dungeon against her will."
"Is that so..." Daisy whispered in astonishment. "Then I will make sure to treasure it, so it grows big and kind like you, big bro!"
The dungeon started to tremble. The ground beneath their feet shook as though they were in the middle of an earthquake.
"W—What is happening?" She clung to Leonard’s leg in search of safety.
"The dungeon is sealed. We are about to be teleported back." He replied.
Daisy hesitated for a moment and reached out with her free hand.
"Can you hold my hand?"
Leonard let out a sigh.
"Alright."
[You have gained the following title: Lone Diver]
[The Wolf’s Den has been sealed. Initiating a dungeon-wide teleportation...]
Comments