034

As the man’s body lost its strength and he breathed his last, my eyes couldn’t move away from him. I stared at his lifeless body and at my deepest levels, I felt disgust.

I felt disgusted that I had to kill him to survive. I felt disgust at the way I fought. I felt disgusted of the things around me and of myself. It is like a feeling where all you want to do is run away, I’ve felt like this before, it wasn’t to this extent, but this is a feeling that, sadly, I’m way too familiar with.

But I can’t dwell on it. I don’t have that luxury.

I look down at my remaining HP.

HP: 75/465

Damn it.

Looks like I’ll keep losing health if I don’t do something about it.

I look towards the pack of wolves who had now significantly slowed down now that they didn’t have the proper direction of the rune to guide them.

Of course, it would’ve been just too much to ask them to leave, but even though I was a little hopeful. I slowly moved myself back and in between the trees, I wanted to stay out of their view for as long as possible.

But that wasn’t going to happen as the Silver Wolf and I had already seen each other as its gaze was still locked here.

After the effect of the rune softened and then eventually left, they must’ve lost their motivation to run towards here as there was nothing agitating them.

But the Silver Wolf was a different story, its eyes were still focused on me, even as his pack dispersed behind its back, it didn’t lose sight of me.

If I wanted to I could try to run, but seeing as how badly I was hurt the last time I used [Quick Dash] while injured, I will die if I try it here. There is no doubt about it.

It would be for the best if it left, but I highly doubt something convenient like that is going to happen.

I didn’t have to wait long for the worst possible scenario came into fruition. The wolf, which had maybe finally thought through this situation came running towards me.

You know what made the situation even worse? The few wolves that hadn’t dispersed away came rushing behind its back.

“Goddammit!”

I can’t fight like this!

My eyes moved towards the man and there, hanging on his waist was a small bag. I immediately jumped to the bag, with my already damaged body, if it weren’t for [Pain Resistance], I wouldn’t be able to even do this kind of motion without collapsing.

I grabbed hold of his bag and then, while giving my back to the wolves who were running towards me, I ran towards the place the old man had flown towards.

If that guy came from East Green, then that is the direction where the town is.

[Weight Control]

I reduced my weight by 50kg and then using the most minimal amount of Qi, I powered my legs and I made a dash for it.

Reducing my weight was a very good choice as I could run faster than normal, but this still wasn’t as fast as [Sprint] but it will have to do.

As I ran, I also moved my hand through the bag, while trying to look for something that I could use right now.

Soon my hand touched something, I immediately pulled it out, revealing a small ceremonial knife. The knife had a small emblem on its hilt. I didn’t have time to see what it was properly, but I still kept it in my pocket.

Then moving around once more, I found something again. But before I could see what it was, my vision was immediately blocked by a new screen.

[Skill: Weight Control is now level 3.]

[Qi increased by 20.]

[1 Qi => +/- 3Kg]

The moment that message came, I immediately felt lighter. Too light in fact.

My body which had adjusted itself to the current reduced weight of around 30kg wasn’t ready so my small careful push by my right leg sent me a little farther than expected and I lost my footing, planting my face in the snowy ground.

HP: 46/465

With the impact itself, I lost too much HP, damn it!

In the intense pain and almost depleted HP, I eventually lost the strength to move my limbs. They just wouldn’t respond. At this rate, even if the wolf doesn’t kill me, I’ll die just by laying here.

Immediately as I thought that.

[Skill: A Mortal’s Tenacity, has been activated. Max HP and Current HP being increased by 46.5 => 47]

What immediately followed this message was a very weird feeling. It was as if the world around me had slowed down. The silver wolf in the distance, which I was having a lot of difficulty staying away from, almost looked like it had suspended itself in space. Above the ground. With its ferocious looking eyes and hungry look on its face.

Looking behind it, fortunately for me, the other wolves had yet to catch up to the silver wolf’s speed. It looks like it is too fast for its own good. That good feeling didn’t last as it began.

The pain.

Like hot needles being inserted all around my body, I felt an indescribable amount of pain as if molten lava was being pulsed through my veins instead of blood.

This pain continued as a counter appeared in front of my face.

[HP +1]

[HP +1]

[HP +1]

This will go on for another 44 times before it finishes. This pain will also pulse through each time, making me want to scream out, but sadly, I won’t be able to as even my body is frozen in time. I can’t even move a muscle while this is happening.

I can just endure.

As each wave passed, I remembered. This pain, I’ve felt this before. It is the same pain, the exact same one that came when my Qi increased by a lot and my body had to make “adjustments”.

I don’t know why but even that adjustment felt kind of off at this moment. Why did I need adjustment anyway? What is Qi that it needs a strong enough body to hold it? What is the purpose of it? If it is just something that can strengthen the body, how can it be used to increase or decrease the weight of someone? There is so much more to Qi that I don’t understand…

If that wasn’t enough, I have another stat to worry about now…

Sigh…

Too many questions.

I thought about keeping my HP and Qi as close to each other as possible, but there’s nothing I can do as I don’t even know the conditions on which a skill levels up. I could make adjustments to the usage of the skills but that’s about it.

If I could know just that, I could probably make some progress towards understanding my power.

It would be nice if someone just told me but that’s probably not going to happen.

[HP +1]

HP: 94/512

[Condition 4. Cultivation of Body has been satisfied.]

[Fatigue resistance granted for 1 hour(s)]

[A Mortal’s Tenacity cannot be used for 24 Hour(s)]

With the final count over, a new wave of energy, although miniscule passed through me. This must be the newly increased HP, my body also feels sturdy, but that could just be the 47+ HP that I just received back.

I pushed it aside the messages of me completing one of the conditions as well as the cool down. I was really thankful for the fatigue resistance though.

Sadly all that pain didn’t increase my [Pain Resistance] level, but I don’t have the time to dwell on it as the wolf had caught up and tried to claw me with its front paws.

Thankfully my body’s weight was still light so I moved to the side with just a little push and avoided that attack.

It also came into my attention right now that the cut below my chest also didn’t bleed that much. It still hurt like a bitch but at least I wasn’t losing as much blood now.

Using this time, I pulled out the knife and brandishing it towards the wolf, I got on the offensive and slashed towards it.

Since I don’t know any fighting techniques or anything like that, it was a very lousy slash, but it still scared the wolf into moving backwards.

With a small glow in its eyes, my body went all alert as I recalled the ice spike back then, but thankfully the wolf wasn’t going for that attack.

A strong gale pushed me towards the back, and since I was too light, I actually flew back, surprising even myself, but I took advantage of this.

Since it itself is pushing me away, I don’t have any intention of fighting it in this condition anyways, so turned my back towards it again and the let the strong gale guide me.

I decreased my weight until it was just 2kgs. Just as the final push of the wind had gone, I was far ahead of the dumbfounded wolf.

Although I feel bad for leaving behind Silvia’s group, but with Miss Rosalie with them, I don’t think I’m needed there.

If I can just reach the town’s gates, I can use the help of the guards to get rid of the wolf, who is most certainly still following me.

“Come at me you bastard, this time, we’ll settle this once and for all!”