Scott stood still.
The faint crackle of electricity lingered in the air.
The corpse of the wolf he had just killed lay at his feet.
This time—
It didn't disappear.
Dark blood seeped slowly into the ground.
The smell was sharp.
Real.
Scott's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…So these ones are real."
He exhaled.
That confirmed it.
No illusions.
No clones.
Just beasts.
He lifted his head.
Scanning the forest ahead.
The air felt heavier now.
Charged.
Then—
A low growl echoed.
Scott's body tensed instantly.
"…There."
The vegetation ahead trembled.
Then parted.
And something stepped out.
A massive wolf.
It dwarfed the previous one.
Easily four times larger.
Its body was thick with muscle, every step causing the ground to tremble slightly beneath its weight.
Electricity surged violently across its fur—far denser and more unstable than the others.
Its eyes burned a deep crimson.
Focused.
Intelligent.
Behind it—
More wolves emerged.
Dozens.
Then hundreds.
Jami's breath hitched.
"…Scott…"
Scott didn't respond.
Because the moment the large wolf stepped forward—
The entire pack followed.
They attacked.
"Spread out!" Scott snapped.
Jami immediately leapt to the side, barely avoiding a lunging wolf.
Scott stepped forward instead of retreating.
The alpha wolf moved.
It blurred forward—
Faster than anything before.
Scott reacted instantly.
He shifted his stance—
Lowering his center—
CRASH!
The wolf's claw slammed down.
Scott raised his forearm—
Blocking just enough—
The force pushed him back several meters.
His feet scraped against the ground.
"…Heavy," Scott muttered.
No pause.
The wolf attacked again.
A sweeping strike—
Scott stepped inward.
Not away.
He slipped under the arc of the claw—
Twisted his body—
And struck.
"Infiltration."
His palm drove into the wolf's side.
THUD.
The force penetrated inward.
The wolf flinched—
But did not fall.
Scott's eyes sharpened.
"…Tough."
Before he could follow up—
The smaller wolves arrived.
Three lunged from the left.
Two from the right.
Scott pivoted.
Step—
Turn—
Slip—
Their claws passed inches from his body.
He grabbed one mid-lunge—
Using its momentum—
And slammed it into another.
BOOM!
They crashed together.
Scott moved through them.
Fast.
Efficient.
A wolf leapt from behind—
Scott ducked—
Then struck upward—
"Infiltration."
The beast dropped instantly.
But more kept coming.
Jami was already in combat.
He fought aggressively—
Meeting attacks head-on.
"HAHA! There's too many!" he shouted.
Scott didn't reply.
His focus remained on the alpha.
End the leader. End the fight.
The large wolf charged again.
Scott stepped forward to meet it.
Their movements collided—
BOOM!
The impact shook the ground.
The wolf snapped its jaws toward Scott's neck—
Scott raised his arm—
Blocking just enough—
Then drove his knee upward into its chest.
THUD!
The wolf staggered.
Scott didn't give it space.
He pressed forward.
Strike—
Pivot—
Step—
Strike again—
Each movement flowed perfectly.
But the wolf adapted.
Its claws moved faster now.
Sharper.
More precise.
One grazed Scott's shoulder.
CRACK!
Electricity surged through him.
His muscles tensed—
But he held control.
"Heal."
The damage faded quickly.
Scott narrowed his eyes.
"…Let's finish this."
The wolf lunged again—
Scott didn't dodge this time.
He stepped in.
At the last second—
He shifted slightly to the side—
Letting the claw pass—
Then—
He struck.
"Infiltration."
This time—
Full force.
His palm drove into the wolf's chest.
The energy surged inward—
Violent.
Precise.
The wolf froze.
Its body trembled.
Scott stepped back.
A second passed.
Then—
The wolf let out a low, broken growl.
And collapsed.
The moment it hit the ground—
Silence.
The remaining wolves froze.
Then—
They turned.
And fled.
All at once.
Jami blinked.
"…They ran?"
Scott exhaled slowly.
"…Pack behavior."
He glanced down at the fallen beast.
Its massive body lay still.
No movement.
No life.
Then—
A voice echoed in his mind.
Clear.
Cold.
Mechanical.
"Thunder Death Wolf killed."
Scott's eyes widened slightly.
The voice continued.
"Celestial Relic gained: Red Teeth Knife."
A faint glow appeared above the wolf's body.
Then—
Something materialized.
A blade.
Small.
Sleek.
Crimson.
Its edge shimmered faintly, as though it had been forged from blood itself.
The handle was dark, wrapped tightly for grip.
And along the blade—
Sharp, jagged patterns resembling teeth.
Scott reached out.
The moment his hand touched it—
A faint pulse ran through his body.
"…A relic," he murmured.
Jami walked over, staring.
"…You're lucky."
Scott said nothing.
But his grip tightened slightly around the blade.