Arvion meditated for nearly 6 minutes before waking to a refreshing sensation covering his body. His mana had been replenished and so had Axels. But mag still rested for some unknown reason, a frown obvious across his face.

"Why hasn't he awakened?" Arvion asked Axel who was cautiously peering out into the darkness.

"I'm not sure... It would seem as if he has to deal with a greater drain than previously expected." Axel said in a sad tone.

"Arvion?"

"Yes, Axel?"

"Are we going to die here tonight?" Axel asked, his tone obviously scared.

Arvion remained silent as he stared at the morning sky, the sun just creeping over the horizon.

"I don't... know," Arvion answered uncertainly.

'This can't possibly be the end right?'

'I've fought so hard. For it to end tonight would be such a waste.'

Arvion let out a large sigh of weariness.

'This curse... It's pure poison. Not meant to be lived through. It feels as if I'm drowning in dread. There is no ship in sight. All there is... is despair.' Arvion thought to himself as fear gripped his being.

A howl awoke him from his self-pity. The wolves had decided it was time to strike.

5 wolves stalked forward at a slow rate. Carefully watching their surroundings for unknown attackers.

'Why only 5? Don't they know that sending more would just result in their death? And why are they being so careful? They can't possibly be afraid, could they?'

Axel looked towards arvion and nodded slightly.

'It's time to fight.'

Arvion nodded in reply as he quickly entered stealth with his newly regenerated stamina point.

Though fear gripped his being he still moved forward. He moved forward against the odds. He must survive! No matter what! He had killed a level 20 Beaver. Something that was almost tier 2 and all he had to fight was these lowly wolves. He would slaughter them.

Arvion stalked through the grass as he approached his prey. Walking slowly not to disturb the tall grass or make any noticeable movements. He approached a single wolf that seemed to be an iron-pawed wolf as it was covered in silver fur and had steel-like claws. It moved forward slowly, taking in the details around its surroundings being careful not to step in any unseen beartraps.

But for some unknown reason, it didn't seem to see the lurking mouse that was steadily making its way closer and closer to it.

Like a stalking death, Arvion reached the point in which he was only a few feet away from the wolf and yet the wolf still did not see him.

It was then that he sent forth a shadow dagger towards the wolf. In the blink of an eye, the dagger went soaring through the air with deadly precision. It went through one eye and out the next as Arvion controlled it with what felt like months of practice underneath his belt.

He then quickly maneuvered it through the air heading towards the other four wolves as a sudden water wall appeared beneath one of the wolves sending it flying upward. The other wolves became distracted for one moment and in that one moment, it spelled their death.

The dagger gracefully flew through the air as it went in and out of each of the wolves' heads in a matter of seconds. He had killed 5 wolves in a little under 20 seconds.

"How the hell did I do that!?" Arvion thought to himself as he had killed 5 wolves of most likely equal level in mere seconds.

There were so many questions without answers and Arvion was sick of it. Not only was he stronger than those of his level by a landslide but he also seems to struggle to level at almost every second. It felt as if he had some sort of handicap that acted as a power-up at the same time.

The system seemed to speak up to his thoughts for the first time ever. Arvion felt perturbed.

'I'm the grandest of them all? It doesn't feel like that!'

'And these penalties are bullshit. At every turn, there seems to be something worse that happens to me. First, the stupid beaver, and no penalties have been imposed on my growth! What the hell even are these penalties?!' Arvion asked with anger overtaking his mind.

An old man's voice seemed to echo out into his mind.

"What the hell is going on!" Arvion said as anger filled his tiny being.

The old man's voice echoed in a playful tone

Arvion remained silent at the light goading the old man was doing.

Arvion seemed to have calmed down quite a bit as the old man seemed to actually want to give him some answers.

"YOU SEE THAT'S BULL SHIT. THAT'S WHY I LOST THE FIRST CHALLENGE AND AM IN THIS CRAPPY SITUATION!" Arvion screamed as the anger seemed to fill his body once more.

Arvion gritted his teeth in silence as he was slapped in the face by the facts.

After that, the system went blank once more. He was alone with a timer and that was it. But he knew he was more powerful than those ten levels higher than him at least. So this 'Alpha' Shouldn't be a problem as long as he isn't as strong as the beaver.

The moonlight in the air glinted slightly as the form of a ten-foot-tall beast slowly appeared in the glade. He gave a single howl and as he did so a cacophony of howls echoed behind him.

"Little mouse. I have determined you worthy of a one on one fight. You have earned my respect and as such I will treat you to my might." The thick voice echoed from the large wolf.

But without the wolf taking notice Arvion seemed to have disappeared.

The wolf narrowed its eyes and eyed his surroundings looking for the small mouse before he felt a massive stabbing sensation echo throughout his body as Arvion had nimbly maneuvered around the wolf and struck its neck.

"It seems as if it is time to fight then little mouse." The wolf laughed as it shrugged off Arvions sneak attack.

The wolf seemed to realize where he was at that moment and in a blink of an eye disappeared from the view of Arvions view.

"This little skill I like to call 'Blink'" said a voice from behind Arvion.

Arvion struggled with all his might to turn around only to be faced with the massive jaws of the wolf bearing down on him. It seemed like this was the last time Arvion would ever see the light of day again.