The battle had shifted from a struggle for survival into a cold, calculated hunt. Su Han’s eyes were locked on the writhing mass of black fur and snapping jaws.
?Every breath he took was heavy with the metallic tang of blood and the damp, earthy rot of the forest. He didn't just want to survive; he wanted to devour every single Experience Point these beasts held within their veins.
?"Just a little more..." he hissed, his voice raw. "The higher I climb, the faster I can tear that Level 8 Leader apart."
?He knew the stakes. These Black Wolves were Middle-Grade beasts, their raw power rivaling a Level 5 human cultivator. To a normal warrior, this was a death trap.
?But Su Han wasn't normal.
?Whoosh!
?His silhouette blurred as he activated the first stage of Shadow-Step Flicker. He moved like a ghost through the pack, his feet barely touching the blood-soaked grass.
?"Nine-Times Slash!"
?Slash! Slash!
?His blade whistled through the air, carving through thick hide and bone.
?Squelch!
?Fresh, hot blood sprayed across his face, but he didn't blink. The sounds of the forest were a chaotic symphony of screams, growls, and the rhythmic Clang! of steel hitting claws.
?[DING! CONGRATULATIONS! HOST HAS KILLED A YELLOW-GRADE MIDDLE-GRADE BLACK WOLF.]
?[REWARDS: 100 XP, 1000 SILVER COINS, 1x BLACK WOLF PELT, 1x BLACK WOLF BONES.]
?[DING! NINE-TIMES SLASH MASTERY: 35%... 39%... 42%...]
?With every kill, the technique felt more natural, the blade becoming an extension of his own arm. The madness of the fight was feeding his soul.
?He was wounded. Claw marks raked across his shoulders, and his muscles screamed in protest.
?Tsk. Su Han reached into his inventory, pulling out a handful of Yellow-Grade Low-Tier Healing Pills. He didn't stop. He shoved them into his mouth, swallowing the bitter medicine while dodging a lunging beast.
?Gulp.
?The healing energy surged through him, stitching his wounds just enough to keep him moving.
?Nearby, the remaining members of the Iron-Fist Mercenary Group watched him in stunned silence. They were elite fighters, but seeing a kid fight with such savage intensity sent shivers down their spines.
?"He's a monster..." one mercenary muttered, his eyes wide.
?But their gaze quickly shifted to the shadow lurking behind them. Wang Pen. The man was cowering, his face pale and sweaty. He was barely holding on, his movements clumsy and fueled by pure, pathetic terror.
?The mercenaries didn't hide their disgust. After seeing him sacrifice their brother, the air around him was thick with hatred. They were only near him because they had to protect the two clients.
?"Wait until this is over," a mercenary hissed, his grip tightening on his sword. "You’re dead meat, Wang Pen."
?Wang Pen felt their murderous glares. He knew he was a dead man walking if things didn't change. His eyes, cold and filled with a coward’s malice, landed on Su Han.
?"How?!" Wang Pen screamed internally. "This brat was only at the 3rd Level of Body Refining! How the hell is he slaughtering Level 5-strength beasts like they’re nothing?!"
?He watched Su Han’s back, his heart boiling with envy and fear.
?Su Han didn't give him a single thought. He didn't care about the maggot's confusion. He was waiting for the one sound that mattered.
?[DING! CONGRATULATIONS! HOST HAS KILLED A YELLOW-GRADE MIDDLE-GRADE BLACK WOLF.]
?[REWARDS: 100 XP, 1000 SILVER COINS, 1x BLACK WOLF PELT, 1x BLACK WOLF BLOOD.]
?[DING! CONGRATULATIONS! HOST HAS SUCCESSFULLY REACHED LEVEL 6 BODY REFINING REALM!]
?[CURRENT XP: 2040 / 5000]
?BOOM!
?The moment the notification echoed in his mind, Su Han felt a violent surge of power. His blood began to circulate at a dizzying speed.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
?He gasped as the energy flooded his meridians, rushing into his Dantian like a tidal wave. It was a sensation of pure, unadulterated relief.
?Huff... huff...
?His strength tripled. His vision became sharper, the movements of the wolves appearing slightly slower in his eyes. He wasn't fully healed—the pills were still working on his scars—but the raw power of Level 6 made him feel invincible.
?"Next!" Su Han roared, his voice booming through the clearing.
?He dived back in, his speed reaching a new peak. But his momentary surge of joy made him overextend.
?Two wolves lunged from the left.
?"Tiger's Claw!" Su Han shouted, his hand striking out like a predator, crushing the skull of the first wolf.
?"Nine-Times Slash!"
?He spun, his blade cutting the second wolf nearly in half.
?But he missed the third one.
?A massive Black Wolf had circled behind him, hiding in the chaos. It lunged, its weight slamming into Su Han’s back with the force of a falling boulder.
?"ARGH!"
?Su Han screamed as he was sent skidding across the dirt.
?CRACK!
?A sickening sound rang out. The Blue-Steel Armor—already weakened and cracked from previous hits—finally gave way.
?The metal shattered like cheap glass, shards of blue steel flying into the mud.
?Su Han rolled to his stop, his chest exposed, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He looked down at the ruined armor, then back at the snarling wolves.
?"You bastards..." he spat, a drop of blood trickling from his llip
The sound of the armor shattering echoed in Su Han’s chest like a physical blow. His first real piece of gear—gone. He turned his head, his eyes burning with a cold, jagged fury at the wolf that had struck him from behind.
?Grinding his teeth, he tightened his grip on the dagger until his knuckles turned white. "You little son of a bitch..." he hissed under his breath. "I’m going to end you."
?He didn't care that he was calling a wolf a "dog." In his mind, anything that tried to kill him was just a filthy animal waiting to be slaughtered.
?The fight flared up again, deadlier than before. Su Han was now at Level 6 of the Body Refining Realm, and his movements were faster, his strikes heavier. But without the armor, every mistake carried a lethal price.
?Slash! A wolf’s claw raked across his ribs, followed by a sharp bite to his leg. "ARGH!" Su Han roared, the pain only feeding his madness. His eyes turned bloodshot as he stared down the pack.
?"Stay right there! Not a single one of you is leaving this forest alive!"
?He lunged forward like a wild beast himself, his Nine-Times Slash carving through fur and bone.
?Squelch! Crack!
?The Iron-Fist Mercenaries watched him, cold sweat breaking out on their foreheads. They were elite warriors, but the sight of this boy fighting with such raw, suicidal intensity made their blood run cold.
?"Is he even human?" one whispered. "It’s like his power is growing with every drop of blood he spills."
?Nearby, Captain Zhao was locked in her own nightmare. Even at Level 8, fighting the Black Wolf Leader was like trading blows with a mountain. She was only 17 or 18, a prodigy in her own right, dodging and striking with lethal grace.
?She stole a glance at Su Han, her eyes flashing with curiosity. She remembered him as a Level 3 weakling when he joined. Now? He was a monster in the making.
?Su Han didn't give a damn who was watching. He was deaf to everything but the mechanical chime in his head.
?[DING! HOST HAS KILLED A YELLOW-GRADE MIDDLE-GRADE BLACK WOLF.]
[REWARDS: 100 XP, 1000 SILVER COINS, PELT, AND BLOOD.]
?[DING! NINE-TIMES SLASH MASTERY: 50%... 53%... 58%...]
?He was a whirlwind of slaughter, but his progress had slowed. To hit Level 7, he needed 5,000 XP—another 3,000 to go. That meant thirty more wolves.
?After an hour of relentless butchery, the clearing grew eerily quiet. Su Han stood amidst a carpet of carcasses, his chest heaving as he checked his interface.
?[CURRENT XP: 3640 / 5000]
[NINE-TIMES SLASH MASTERY: 76%]
?He could now unleash six slashes in a single breath. Six times the power. He wiped the blood from his brow and turned toward the remaining fight.
?"You! Boy! Get over here and help me!"
?Su Han’s eyebrows shot up as he turned toward the voice. It was Wang Pen. The coward was covered in filth and blood, barely holding off a single wolf.
?Su Han let out a dry, mocking laugh. "Help you? Do I look like I have the strength to assist someone as 'great' as you?"
?"Shut up and do what I say!" Wang Pen screamed, his voice cracking with desperation.
?Su Han’s face turned into a mask of ice. "You maggot. You tried to kill me, and now you’re shameless enough to beg for help? You should be thanking whatever god you pray to that I haven't cut your throat yet."
?"We're on the same team!" Wang Pen blurted out.
?"Team?" Su Han spat the word like poison. "Where was the 'team' when you pushed me into the pack? Where was your 'justice' when you threw that mercenary to his death? You talk about humanity? It doesn't suit you, Wang Pen."
?Su Han’s voice dropped to a lethal, freezing whisper. "Even if you survive these wolves, you won't survive me."
?He made a slow, deliberate cutting motion across his neck with his dagger. "Pray the wolves eat you, Wang Pen. Because if you fall into my hands, it’ll be much worse."
?Ignoring the coward's frantic pleas, Su Han turned to help the Iron-Fist mercenaries. With his added strength, they made quick work of the remaining small fry. Su Han snatched the last four kills, gaining another 400 XP.
?Just as they were catching their breath, Wang Pen—in a final act of treachery—lured the last surviving wolf toward the two clients.
?"You bastard!" Su Han roared. He intercepted the beast, gutting it in a single motion, and then sent a brutal kick into Wang Pen’s chest, sending the coward tumbling into the dirt.
?Before he could finish Wang Pen, a bone-chilling scream echoed through the trees.
?Aaaaaargh!
?It was the mercenary fighting the Leader’s guardians. A Level 7 High-Grade wolf had clamped its jaws onto his shoulder, tearing through flesh until the bone was visible.
?Su Han abandoned Wang Pen and lunged at the massive beast. "I'll deal with you later," he growled.
?Clang! Squelch!
?With Su Han’s help, the pressure on the wounded mercenary vanished. They fought back-to-back, their blades carving into the wolf’s hide. With a final, desperate lunge, Su Han buried his dagger into the beast's throat.
?[DING! HOST HAS KILLED A YELLOW-GRADE HIGH-GRADE BLACK WOLF.]
[REWARDS: 200 XP, 2000 SILVER COINS, PELT, AND BLOOD.]
?The minor threats were gone. Su Han stood in the center of the carnage, his eyes shifting toward the main event.
?There it was. The Level 8 Black Wolf Leader. The beast that stood between him and his mission.
?Su Han gripped his dagger, a wild, hungry light dancing in his eyes. The "maggot" could wait. The real hunt was just beginning.
