As the morning struck, two people, an elderly man and a young boy, were running, slipping through trees. The boy had a boar on his back.
"I can't do this anymore," his pace slowed.
"Don't be lazy, boy. A few steps left before we reach the cave."
The boy dragged his feet.
---
Another morning...
In a thick forest, an elderly man watched as the boy slaughtered two injured wolves chased from their pack.
---
Another morning...
A huge rabbit watched as the young boy slaughtered five hyenas.
---
Another morning...
Close to the fire pit, a knee‑sized square rock stood. At its top surface centre, a dagger shape was carved in.
"It's time, boy," Azazel instructed.
Edwin's hands were holding the handle of an iron tin with a red, boiling molten liquid. He pulled the tin out of the fire pit hole.
He lifted it toward the edges of the carved dagger on the square stone.
"Careful," Edwin poured the red hot molten iron into the carved dagger.
The molten iron slithered from the hilt.
After some moments, as the molten iron hardened, Azazel picked up tongs, gripping the hilt of the red hot dagger.
"Brat, watch." Azazel pulled the red hot dagger to the anvil close by. The tree logs were temporarily removed.
In his other hand he had a hammer; he drummed the red hot dagger into shape in a rhythmic pattern.
After he was done, he moved to another spot. He told Edwin to pedal a stone grinder.
---
Another morning...
An elderly man, a young boy, and a tiger with feathered ears were running over rocky grounds below the central area of the Dolwa Mountain Range. They collided with a healthy and strong pack of eleven wolves.
The tiger strategically worked with the elderly man. Together they coordinated, dividing the wolves into two. Eight wolves ran into the nearby forest. Three wolves, including the pack's leader, had fallen into a submerged rocky bed, dug by nature itself.
"Brat, it's time for your rematch, now with a bigger threat than those pathetic guys. These ones are young, healthy and strong."
"Old man, I hate speeches." To Edwin, speeches symbolized authority, nobility. He hated the social construct that he vowed to destroy. People with authority had plotted against him in both worlds: on Earth and in this world.
He jumped into the submerged rocky bed. The wolves could have jumped over and escaped, but the powerful tiger was roaming above. In the jungle, strength was authority, and authority was obeyed and worshipped.
With his bare hands, Edwin launched at the wolves. The alpha wolf was daring; it pounced, colliding with Edwin mid‑air, slamming him onto the huge vertical rocky walls. The other two wolves stood back, observing.
"Aah!" Edwin groaned in pain.
"Never underestimate your enemy," Azazel lectured.
"Can I have a spear?" Edwin asked.
"Did you lend me one?" Azazel replied.
"Curse you, old man!" Azazel's cold reply made Edwin burst into a volcano.
The wolf launched at Edwin; he twisted a little as the wolf slammed into the rock. Edwin quickly threw a punch at its neck.
"You're becoming smarter, boy!"
"I've always been smart!" As Edwin spoke, the wolf quickly shook itself up, sinking its dewclaws into Edwin's thighs. He screamed as he jumped back.
At that moment, the other wolves were already on him. One bit his upper animal fur as it threw past him. It pulled him to its side.
He ignored the wolf, his fist landing on the other wolf's open mouth. It screamed, scrambling for breath.
"Never become so overconfident with small wins before the real battle ends. Finish the damn job and celebrate later."
The alpha wolf roared, "Wohl!" slamming him down when he was busy with the other wolves. It moved its fangs, biting Edwin's cheek off. A chunk of his flesh spattered on the rocky bed. Blood covered his left cheek.
A blinding pain immobilized Edwin for a moment. He drummed his fists on the wolf's belly. The alpha wolf jumped back.
He gasped for air. The alpha wolf took a step forward, dodging Edwin's wild punches. The other two wolves descended on Edwin. He was punching them while he was down. They were biting his upper body, disregarding his punches and kicks.
The alpha saw an opening as Edwin was slamming punches on the other wolves. Its fangs sank into Edwin's left leg, and it ran backward, sliding Edwin's back on the rocky surface.
Sharp edges of rocks tore the animal fur covering his upper body. They tore his back. Blood left a trail as the strong alpha wolf dragged him back with the other wolves assisting.
"Brat, never forget your advantages in battle."
Edwin's eyes landed on the alpha wolf, ignoring the two wolves biting his upper body. He blinked. The alpha wolf's hind legs stumbled, forcing it to slip; it let go of Edwin's leg.
By now several months had passed. With everyday training, he was a step closer to attaining complete assimilation. He didn't need to close his eyes for a moment to focus on his target. Only by blinking could he make his target slip.
Edwin roared in pain as he leapt up. The two wolves instantly took their steps back. Edwin descended on the alpha wolf's back, pinning it down.
The wolf was powerful; after some trials it sent Edwin flying. He hit the rocky ground with his belly.
The wolf turned its eyes with killing intent on Edwin.
He gazed back. They stared at each other. A single step after it pounced forward, Edwin's eyes blinked; it slipped. Edwin catapulted himself off the ground as his leg slashed the wolf's face. It screamed.
The other wolves took a step further back. Seeing a wolf being hit harder scared them a little.
The alpha wolf quickly took its footing; it twisted a step back from Edwin. It roared, fury in its eyes.
It launched at Edwin. It was fast. It slammed Edwin with its shoulder, smashing him onto the rocks. It didn't give him an opportunity to rise; it moved its fangs to Edwin's neck.
"Brat, catch!" Azazel threw a dagger.
Edwin struggled to get hold of the dagger. As he did, he thrust it into the wolf's belly close to its left hind leg. The puncture was deep. Edwin slid the dagger from the wolf's left hind leg to its front leg. Bloody intestines fell on Edwin. The alpha wolf died, killed by a single dagger slide.
Edwin pulled the dagger out. He slammed the wolf's body off him, his hands clutching his throat.
"Filthy human, you're dying already? Pathetic!" Kelo in her tiger form teased Edwin.
"Fuck you!" Blood gushed out of the four holes drilled by the dead alpha wolf. Edwin stood to his feet with the dagger in his one hand.
He removed his other hand from his neck. He surged toward the remaining wolves. He ignored his throat.
The wolves had lost the will to fight; they scrambled away from each other. Edwin's body descended on one wolf. He pinned it down. The dagger rained on its back. It died within a few breaths. Its back was messy; Edwin's hands were washed with blood, blood covered his face.
"My boy, Edwin, stop!" Azazel slid, and Kelo slipped down the submerged rocky bed.
Edwin ignored them. He jumped on the other wolf. They chased each other in circles around the bed, passing Kelo and Azazel.
Edwin's skin was getting paler. He didn't stop. He spotted an opportunity: the wolf was in his eyes' range. He blinked; the wolf slipped. He threw himself onto the wolf's back. His dagger‑free palm slithered between the wolf's fangs; he grabbed its upper jaw as the whole upper teeth drilled into his left palm. He didn't care.
His right palm, coiling around the dagger's hilt, was slithering on the wolf's neck back and forth. The wolf shook, but Edwin pinned it down.
After some moments, he stood up. In his hand he carried the wolf's head; he had cut it off like a chicken.
He stood a step forth, then he dropped the dagger and the wolf's head. His body dropped. He had lost a lot of blood.