Only the Demon Wolf was left now. This fucker, so much pain and misery because of this rabid little shit.

It was backed into a corner and surrounded by all of us, the rest of the wolves were either dead or bound up with vines.

‘You’re finished!’ I told it as I swung my sword at him.

*slash*

A bloody gash opened on its muzzle. Those red eyes glared at me uncompromising. The front of its body was covered in the dried blood of the wolves it had eaten just to heal.

I was being careful, so I had sent the rest of the troop back a few paces in case it tried to attack them. I didn’t know if its healing ability worked if it ate other species apart from wolves but I wasn’t going to risk it.

I went in low, sword gripped in both arms, my injured arm was still hurting me so my movements were slower than I would have liked. That didn’t matter though, this wolf pack leader wasn’t doing too hot either.

With a sharp cut, I lopped off an ear as it tried to dodge away from me. It growled at me, while still glaring malevolently.

The air started to feel thicker, a dark fog seemed to start to rise from the Demon Wolf. It seemed like it was finally going to use everything it had left. This meant it was going to finish soon.

The dark fog surrounded the wolf leader, blurring its features. I was on guard, sword straight and aimed at the Demon Wolf. I didn’t know what skill or ability it had saved for its last moments but it wasn’t going down without a fight.

As the fog cleared, some of the non-fighter squirrels let out gasps.

‘All non-fighter squirrels back behind the walls!’

Before us stood a monstrosity. The disappearing fog revealed the Demon Wolf… but with large spikes coming from its back, its fur looking more sleek. Its eyes were now shining a dark red, the colour of the blood that covered its muzzle and dripped from its jaws. It was slightly taller and the musculature seemed larger, yet more condensed.

I had a grim smile as I edged closer to meet it.

Its first attack came as a charge and as it got close to me, it reared up and tried to claw at me. I tried to parry with my sword which turned out to be a terrible idea.

*Whoosh*

The air left my body as its clawed leg hit my sword. I didn’t lose my sword but the force of the blow lifted me to my feet and sent me flying a couple meters away. It seems with its transformation, although its speed was the same if not a little slower, its strength had increased.

Picking myself up, I charge, ducking under another swiping set of claws and jab into the wolf’s chest. The blade tip sank in only partway before I had to retreat to avoid the snapping jaws.

I wasn’t able to complete a big blow to the wolf but likewise it wasn’t agile enough to get me… except all it would take is one big bite for a pretty nasty wound. But he was slower in such close combat. The madness in its eyes… it seemed possessed.

As it lunged and bit down again, I was already at its side chopping down onto its side. This time I opened a long cut along its ribs that started bleeding heavily. I had this.

As it whipped its head around, it took a swipe at me which I had to jump backwards to avoid. Seeing me jump back, it ran forward in a charge then went low trying to surprise me with a different angle of attack. I had to jump over its head. I stepped down on its head and pointing my sword point down and prepared to ram it into the back of its head.

Sensing the crisis, it rolled over onto the ground, throwing me away from it. I clattered to the floor in an undignified heap but quickly rolled and got up facing the wolf again.

Man this was getting tiring!

The wolf was panting while looking at me.

Suddenly there was a commotion among the squirrels and hares further back. I didn’t want to get distracted but I wondered what it was. I heard footsteps that started to approach me. I was startled, which squirrel or hare was coming out? That was suicide!

Suddenly laughter… then a voice I usually heard only in my head sounded out…

‘Max, you still aren’t done with this guy? Haha, why don’t I give you a hand?’

Shit! Holy shit! It was Alex! How is he here? Is he healed?

‘Max bro, party up with me, I don’t wanna kill steal.’

‘Kill steal my ass! How are you up? Fuck, I’m in the middle of killing this wolf and it’s not a joke you know!’

Then in front of me.

Contract Summoner and Dungeon Master Alexander wishes to form a party with you.

Do you wish to accept?

Of course I said yes, this wolf was tricky and I would take all the help I could get but… this dude, didn’t he lose an arm and a leg? The fuck is he doing?

‘Max, don’t worry about me. I was last human on earth, I travelled through the void, I made pacts with gods. A tiny wolf like this is no problem.’

Finally I turned to him. He was taller than me, with darkish hair and a pale complexion. He didn’t look like a warrior, heck he hardly looked healthy as his one arm and leg were trembling slightly as he stood there. He moved closer to me and took the sword from my hands.

‘Watch and learn bud.’

‘Watch and learn bud.’

‘I invoke the power of the contract, all contractees, lend me your power.’

The secret to my power, my strength didn’t lie in me, no my strength lay in those around me. I could never lose surrounded by my allies and here, well, didn’t I have just hundreds of allies?

The power of [Contract] has been invoked.

The power flows between contractor and contractee.

374 current contractees can be found

Calculating stats

Your agility has increased by 28

Your strength has increased by 11

Your intelligence has increased by 14

Your magic power has increased by 8

Your stamina has increased by 6

This effect will last for 24 hours or until this skill is cancelled

Cooldown will be for 72 hours

I sighed, the contracts I had with everyone back on Earth didn’t activate. I guess it would only work when I finally unlocked them… I clenched my teeth, I’ll do it, just wait for me.

But a 67 point stats increase! This was the power of a Rank A skill. Contract! The power to make contracts that benefits both contracter and contractee.

I looked at my status screen with the changes.

Name: Alexander

Race

Human

Titles

Void Traveller (Rank ???, ???)

Class

Contract Summoner

Last Human Survivor (Rank???, ???)

Dungeon Master

Stats

Strength

27 (13 + 11 + 3)

Agility

43(15 + 28)

Intelligence

42 (23 + 5 + 14)

Stamina

23 (17 + 6)

Magic power

28 (20 + 8)

Total Power/Potential

161/500

State

In recovery from a huge injury but mostly healed. The healing occurred in a high mana environment which helped to increase magic power.

Skills

Contract (Rank A, Active and Passive); Dungeon Master (Rank Unique, Active and Passive); Observe(Rank D, Active); Troll’s Blood (Rank D, Passive); Aura (Aura of Knowledge, Rank A, Passive)

Skills and Equipment

Steel Sword (Rank D, Strength +3); Crystal of Knowledge (Very Rare – Unique, Intelligence +5)

That was a little better. I was very much agility and intelligence driven but after all, the dungeon was filled with squirrel and hare folk who are known for their agility above all else. The intelligence was there too but I guess it was my aura’s effect coming through. I needed to grow my personal stats beyond the power of the contracts this time round. The important thing was that my total stat points went above 100.

I looked at the wolf.

‘Observe’

Name: (Demon Wolf)

Race

Demon Wolf

Rank

D - Demonic Beast

Description

A mutation of the normal forest wolf, this wolf in a rage of madness ate the flesh of its own kin. It fell into its rage that summoned a Demon of Rage that infused its demonic power into it raising its rank by 2 whole levels when it blessed it with a special ability.

This wolf possesses an unparalleled healing ability, by eating the flesh of those it personally kills, it can heal its wounds. Due to the nature of how it gained its powers, it gains bonus healing if it kills and eats another wolf.

Even its description was foul. Now that I was outside the crystal, I could use observe on everything my eyes fell upon.

The wolf didn’t see it coming. My speed was double that of the wolf. With a quick run, I used the blade to slice through its front leg… the leg went flying into the air as the wolf crashed to the floor.

Max just stared in shock.

‘You see Max, there are stages of growth when it comes to stats. You cannot keep fighting limited by what you already are, you need to strive to become stronger.’

With those words I cut off the hind leg of the wolf as it howled at me.

‘When your total stats are greater than 100, that is what we refer to as the first step. It is a qualitative change in your power across the board. This wolf here is classed as a rank D beast. But is it strong enough to rank this high? The answer is no. The system grades its players and beasts and monsters with two criteria.’

By now I had placed my foot on top of the wolf’s back as I looked down at it. The air left its body in a whoosh as I pressed down on it.

The anger in its eyes was being replaced by a look of abject horror. It lay there petrified as it felt a sense of inevitable doom.

‘You’re not strong enough to play with the big boys, you fucker,’ then I plunged the sword deep into its skull, the sound of the bone cracking open loud in the silence of the dungeon.

‘This wolf isn’t strong. When a beast, monster or person has a very powerful skill, the system counts them as a higher rank due to that skill. But that doesn’t make them powerful if it is a high-ranked skill that can’t be used properly, or if it’s not combat oriented, or even if they simple can’t use it.’

I wiped the sword on the wolf’s fur.

The Demon ‘Demon Wolf has now been unlocked.

A remarkable achievement!

The first demonic monster has been slain in your dungeon

5 Achievement points have been awarded

10 Dungeon points have been awarded

Message after message was displayed in front of me. I was about to call Rox so we could sit down and go through it when Max finally said something.

‘Sir, I got a strange message… sir I think I can choose a class…?’

Max shared his messages with me. By this time Rox had also managed to make her way to us.

An amazing achievement!

Using your cunning and intelligence, relying on the power of your allies and using your skill, you have defeated a monster that was stronger than you by 2 ranks

The ability to choose a path has been granted to you.

Paths available:

Path of Asura

The killing path

Choosing this path will allow for mutation depending on those who you have killed

Strong in Strength

Path of the Soul

The path of enlightenment

Choosing this path will allow for you to grow into an aptitude which will manifest as a class

Versatile

Path of the Demon

The demonic path

Choosing this path allows you to evolve to become more intuned with your inner demons

Current possible: Rage

Strong in Vitality

The path! Max had opened up the first step! That means his stat totals must have reached over 100.

‘Max, this is on you. These three paths show how you will grow in the future, through mutation, evolution or by class advancement. So you get to choose.’

Rox was looking intently at Max then said, ‘Max, I know this is presumptious, but choose the Path of the Soul. It allows you to get a class and get stronger through training.’

Max looked troubled and asked me, ‘Sir… what did you pick?’

Hearing his question, I remembered when I first saw this. The very first time I used my power I had taken the first step and that consolidated my power and became my class ‘Contract Summoner’… and then I went on to become one of three of the last humans on earth… and then eventually the very last human on earth.

‘I chose the Path of the Soul.’

That’s right, our group chose the Path of the Soul. Those fuckers from the military chose the Path of the Demon, while those militant bastards chose the Path of Asura. Just remembering it made me angry. Leaving behind their humanity, and for what? I didn’t want Max to choose those paths because I remember the ones who choose that path and they turned into worse monsters than those that rained down from the sky.

Max smiled, then bright light shone from his eyes like rays of the sun, this was the Path of Soul, it was destroying all traces of other influences within him.

‘I can choose a job now! Help me pick one!’

Max had reached the point where he could pick a job. I grinned, this was perfect! I had a good surprise in store for Alex and Max that I wanted to share.

With this our dungeon was finally cleared of enemies… fuck how many days has it been since we’ve had some bloody peace and quiet?

Max went to check up on Levine and the fire squirrel then finally rest as well. He wasn’t going to pick a job yet which suited me perfectly fine.

‘Hey Rox, check it out.’

Alex showed me all the different messages that he was still busy with.

I smiled even brighter. Our dungeon was doing really well, we could expand like nobody’s business!

And yes, we had levelled up, oh boy did we ever!