As I opened my eyes, I’ve received a notification from the system, but quickly dismissed it. I reposition myself so I can observe the wolf’s corpse while staying hidden. Not even 10seconds after, I see a smaller wolf approaching. Well, smaller compared to the last one, it was still bigger than the wolves I knew.

I first thought that it was going to eat his bigger counterpart, but what it surprised me as it started to howl just as it got near. I didn’t have much time to decide my next move, as I heard other howls that seem to respond to the one it gave.

I don’t know why it howled, but it’s almost certain that other wolves are heading here. Running away is the dumbest idea, as wolves will surely catch my sent. Staying hidden seems safer, but if they find me, I would lose a lot of time until they disperse.

I want to practice what I’ve simulated and dealing one or two wolf shouldn’t be a problem. If I attack now and I manage to kill them as they come, it would be the best scenario as I will acquire fighting experience, progress my path, study their ability to produce lightning and get a lot of corpses to dismantle.

I jump down from the tree and immediately charge at the wolf. I expected it to be startled and give me a free hit, but it instantly turned and lunged to bite me. Well, it was slower than the previous one so I had time to dodge sideways and jab at his neck. This time it went as predicted and it collapsed on the ground, giving me the chance to end its life.

You have killed a Lightning Wolf! You have earned 2.9 stat points!

Your skill [Basic Martial Arts] has leveled up!

I don’t get to take even a breath as I already hear signs of other wolves approaching. According to A.I. chip, there are at least 3 of them. They are getting here faster than I anticipated, but 3 are still manageable. In the simulations I’ve reviewed 2 is the most I can safely handle, but I was using the dire wolf as reference. Considering the speed of the incoming ones, they are normal lightning wolves.

I take my guard and I see the first one approaching. It takes a quick look at the 2 corpses then it charges at me with hate in its eyes. I was a little surprised by its display of emotion, but quickly collected myself and dodged. I raised my right feet and gave it a downwards kick with all my strength.

I hear the sound of bones breaking, but I quickly jump backwards and take my guard as the other 2 wolves already arrived. Both of them jump at me at the same time so I kick one of them in front of the other’s bite. Just as I was about to finish them, I get a notification from the A.I. chip that 6 more are on their way here.

The two wolves don’t get take advantage of my surprise as one of them has his fangs buried in the other. Before they figure how to get out of their predicament, I step on its head, crushing his skull, then snapping the other’s neck. I look for the one I kicked a few moments ago, before being interrupted, but it was lying on the ground motionless, probably dead.

You have killed a Lightning Wolf! You have earned 2.6 stat points!

Your skill [Basic Martial Arts] has leveled up!

[You have killed a Lightning Wolf! You have earned 3.3 stat points! You have earned a skill point!]

[You have killed a Lightning Wolf! You have earned 2.9 stat points!]

Before I get to celebrate my victory, I spot the biggest wolf I’ve ever seen. It’s at least double than a normal one, even bigger than a dire one. I panic a bit as I see its incoming speed, but it stops 5 meters away from me. It looks around until its eyes land on me. From its gaze I can sense anger and caution. Instead of charging at me, it just stood there, waiting for its pack.

I consider my options as I see 2 more dire wolves approaching. Just as the biggest, instead of charging at me they stop a few meters away. Damn, this is not something I can fight safely. According to my simulations I stand only a 78% chance against 3 dire wolves, and considering the bigger one here it’s probably even less.

A few seconds later 3 more wolves arrive, and I’m informed that 4more are on their way here. With a howl from the big one, that appears to be their leader, all wolves present start to encircle me. My chances of winning this fight are already below 20%, and they will continue to drop with each wolf arriving.

I look around and try to pick out a target, as I need to quickly thin their number. Any direction I look there’s no easy picking, not even the small ones can be attacked without exposing myself to another’s attack. Fuck, they’re way too coordinated. I suddenly hear the sound of electricity, so I turn around to see the leader wolf surrounded by it.

Aaarrrgh! Out of the blue, I was stuck by what felt to be a thunderbolt. I don’t even have time to comprehend the sudden pain as the two dire wolves lunge at me from different directions. I do my best to suppress the pain and roll dodge under one of them with a speed that even surprised myself. Taking advantage of my position, I kick it upwards with everything I got.

Not even a second later, I jump back on my feet and focus. When I’ve installed this enhancement, I never imagined myself using it because of its dangerous side-effects. Even so a small possibility of burning some neurons heavily outweighs outright dying. The world around slows down, as my brain starts operating at 10 times its normal speed.

Ok, let’s use this time to analyze the situation. I’m surrounded by 9 wolves, 1of them being the leader and 3of them bigger than the rest. I can’t be sure this is the complete pack so I can expect to see more coming. It’s almost certain that I can’t win the fight so I can try and run away. No, that’s a sure way to die. Even if I can outrun them, my stamina won’t last for much longer.

Maybe if I kill the biggest one, the others would be disoriented and some may even run away. The problem it’s almost impossible to do so. It stays the farthest away and charging at it would give the rest a free shot at my back. That’s not to mention that I’m not confident of beating it in single combat. It’s at least twice as fast as dire wolf and possibly twice as strong as well

Fighting them all is also out of the question. I was able to dodge and counter now, but that was due to an unknown increase in my speed, probably generated by the leader’s electric attack. In normal circumstances I would have barely dodged, ending vulnerable to a third’s one attack.

I can’t fight and I can’t run away, think, what can I do? I’m currently damaged by the electric attack and I’m not sure I can survive their next attack. I can make a suicide charge after the big one, but killing it would have no meaning if I die soon after.

Any way I look at it, it’s a dead end. I should have stayed hidden in the tree, the time lost can’t compare to my life. Even if they somehow found me, they wouldn’t be able to reach me at that height…

Wait, that’s it! If I manage to get more than 10 meters off the ground I should be outside their range of attack. I can take advantage of their confusion, as they clearly didn’t expect me to move after the leader’s attack, let alone counterattack, and jump back up in the tree, then start climbing from there.

My view gets back to normal and I instantly jump on closest branch that can withstand me. The wolves are still dumfounded by seeing their comrade sent flying, so none of them reacted in time to stop me. I don’t lose a moment and continue my climb.

Argh, damn! Not again! I almost fell of due to the pain but I continue to climb. When I get near the top of the tree I choose a more solid branch and stop there. I look downwards at the wolves and thankfully all they can do is surround the tree. Even the leader glares at me with hostility, but that’s all it does. I’m outside the range of his electric attack, or he can’t use it anymore.

You have withstood a powerful lightning attack! Your lightning resistance increased by 2%.

You have killed a Dire Lightning Wolf! You have earned 5.3 stat points! You have earned a skill point!

Your skill [Lightning Conversion] has leveled up!

Your skill [Basic Martial Arts] has leveled up!

Your ‘Apprentice Martial Artist’ path has reached the 50% milestone! STR, CON and END base stats increased by 3 permanently. You have earned 3skill points!

Due to being used, pre-integration rare skill [Cognitive Overpower Lv.3] is now displayed in your status.

You have withstood a powerful lightning attack! Your lightning resistance increased by 1%.

As I let out a breath of relief, I’m greeted by the blue screen with 5notifications. I’m really thankful it waits until the end of combat to deliver them. My lightning resistance increased, but not even enough to reach 91%. Due to its increase in level I can deduce that [Lightning Conversion] was that saved me after being hit by that electric attack.

I should have paid more interest to these 3 skills I’ve received. Thankfully, I used one of them subconsciously, but I dread to think what would have happened if I didn’t. To avoid such a situation from happening again, I take a look at the 2 skills I know nothing about. [Fake Status] seems like it will be important when dealing with other people, but it’s useless right now.

As for [Appraisal], I kind of understand what’s supposed to do. I look at the big wolf and focus on getting more information about it.

‘Alpha’ Dire Lightning Wolf, unnamed, male, 127years old

Well, not exactly what I was looking for, but damn, you move well for your age, gramps. Ha-ha, great! Now I’m making bad jokes in an attempt to escape reality. I’m in another world, stuck up in a tree and surrounded by crazed mutant wolfs, that would kill a lion from Earth as an afternoon exercise. And on top of that I’ve taken two hits from an electric attack I know nothing about.

Now that I can properly think about it, I’ve asked the A.I. chip and learned that I was struck with almost 10 thousands Volts. I shouldn’t be able to withstand such an attack even with my enhancements, so I’m thankful for the Systems assistance. Even so, it’s not like the attack was completely negated, my whole body is hurting.

My entire skin is completely red and I don’t even want to talk about my hair. Going by the A.I. chip I should heal in less than one hour, but I will soon be out of energy. My body can regenerate, but it can’t do that only by using air. I need to find food, proteins, or I won’t be able to keep going for much longer.

I sigh and open my Status, pondering about how I can get out of this predicament.

Spoiler: Status

Identity

Stats

Active Paths

Name

Avitus Volten

STR

227

[249.7]

VIT

147

[161.7]

Human

1.2%

Race

Human

AGI

285

[313.5]

PER

367

[403.7]

Otherworlder 1

23.2%

Sex

Male

DEX

312

[343.2]

INT

348

[382.8]

Apprentice Martial Artist

73.8%

Age

47

CON

189

[207.9]

WIS

95

[104.5]

Beast Dismantler

0%

Title

Outsider

END

100

[110]

TLN

6

[6.6]

Affinities

Resistances

Titles Earned

Perks

Lightning

96%

Lightning

90%

Otherworlder

Lightningborn

A.I. Chip

Mental

82%

Pain

72%

Outsider

Shadow

53%

Mental

55%

Fire

38%

Poison

52%

Spatial

8%

Spatial

25%

Temporal

2%

Skills

Common

Rare

Personal

Basic Self-Regeneration Lv8

Fake Status Lv1

Quantum A.I. Processor Lv27

Basic Martial Arts Lv4

Basic Long-range Appraisal Lv1

Dismantle Lv1

Lightning Conversion Lv2

Meditation Lv1

Cognitive Overpower Lv3

You have 20.3 unspent stat points, 5 unspent skill points and 2 unspent path points.