After absorbing the three cores, I adjusted my magic bag and continued walking deeper into the forest.
The air felt heavier now.
The trees were taller, their branches blocking most of the sunlight. The ground was uneven, covered with thick roots and fallen leaves. Every step I took made a faint crunching sound.
I slowed my breathing and sharpened my senses.
Now that my strength had increased again, everything felt clearer. I could hear insects moving in the bushes. I could smell damp earth and blood lingering somewhere far ahead.
I stopped.
There it was again.
A low growl.
Not close… but not far either.
I crouched and hid behind a thick tree trunk, peeking carefully. My hand slowly gathered poison energy again, the dark shimmer forming around my fingers.
Something large moved between the trees.
Much larger than the wolves from before.
The ground shook slightly with each step it took.
I swallowed.
"This one… feels different."
I didn't rush in.
Instead, I climbed quietly onto a thick branch above, hiding in the leaves to get a better view.
Through the gaps, I finally saw it.
A massive beast with dark gray fur, scars covering its body, and long fangs that curved outward from its mouth. Its eyes scanned the area cautiously, as if it could sense danger.
It wasn't hunting.
It was guarding something.
I tightened my grip on my sword.
If it was protecting something, then there might be a nest… or something valuable nearby.
I steadied my breathing.
This fight would require more than just rushing in.
I waited for the right moment.
And then—
The beast suddenly stopped moving.
Its head slowly turned.
Its glowing eyes locked directly onto me.
It had sensed me.
A deep, thunderous roar shook the entire forest.
And then it charged.
The moment it charged, the ground exploded beneath its paws.
I jumped down from the tree just in time, rolling across the dirt as its massive body smashed into the trunk I had been standing on. The tree cracked and fell with a loud crash.
"That was close…"
It didn't give me time to breathe.
The beast spun around and swiped its claw. I raised my sword to block. The impact sent a shock through my arms, forcing me back several steps.
Its strength was on a different level from the wolves.
I gathered poison in my left hand and shot it toward its face. The dark liquid splashed across its eye. It roared in pain and thrashed wildly.
I dashed forward and slashed its side.
My blade cut, but not deep enough. Its hide was thick.
The beast slammed its tail into me. I barely managed to guard, but the force threw me against a tree. Pain shot through my back.
I gritted my teeth and stood up. "I can't lose here."
Acid formed in my palm this time, brighter and more concentrated. When it lunged again, I slid under its body and pressed my hand against its wounded side.
The acid burned through its fur with a loud hiss.
It howled and jumped back, shaking violently.
Now there was an opening.
I poured everything into my legs and rushed forward, swinging my sword with all my strength. The blade struck the same wounded area again and again.
The beast staggered.
It tried one final desperate bite, but I stepped aside and drove my sword straight into its chest.
For a moment, everything went silent.
Then the massive body collapsed.
I stood there, breathing heavily, staring at it. My hands were shaking — not from fear, but from excitement.
"This… this is the strongest one I've fought so far."
I cut open its chest and pulled out its core.
It was larger than the others. Darker. Heavier.
The energy inside it pulsed violently against my palm.
I swallowed.
"If I absorb this…"
I sat down slowly, holding the core tightly.
And then I began absorbing it.
The moment I began absorbing the core, the energy inside it reacted violently.
It wasn't like the others.
This one resisted.
A burning sensation spread from my palm to my arm, then through my entire body. I clenched my teeth as dark energy forced its way inside me.
"Ghh—!"
My vision blurred. For a second, I saw flashes — the beast hunting, fighting, surviving countless battles in this forest. Its instincts, its aggression, its territorial dominance.
It wasn't just power.
It was will.
The core tried to overwhelm me.
My heart pounded wildly, but I refused to let go. "You're… mine now," I muttered.
I forced my own energy to push back. The poison, the acid, the strength I gained from the wolves — everything surged at once.
The two forces clashed inside me.
Then suddenly—
Silence.
The burning pain faded.
The energy settled.
I opened my eyes slowly. My breathing was heavy, but stable.
I stood up and gripped my sword.
It felt lighter again. No… not lighter. I was stronger.
I swung it once. The blade cut through the air with a sharp whistle. The power behind it felt far greater than before.
Then I noticed something else.
My senses had sharpened even more. I could feel movement deeper in the forest — faint but clear.
"…So this is the ability I gained."
Not just strength.
Dominance.
I smirked slightly.
"If that was only the guardian…"
Then whatever it was protecting must still be nearby.
I picked up my sword and walked toward the direction the beast had been guarding earlier.
The forest grew quieter with each step.
Something was waiting ahead.
I stepped deeper into the cave.
It was dark, but I could still see a little. The air smelled bad, like blood and wet fur.
I heard low growls.
Then I saw them.
Small wolves.
Not as big as the one outside… but there were many. Maybe eight or ten. Their eyes were glowing as they stared at me.
"So it really was a nest…"
One of them stepped forward and barked loudly.
The others followed.
They rushed at me all at once.
I jumped back and swung my sword. The first wolf tried to bite my leg, but I cut it before it could reach me.
Another one jumped from the side. I quickly raised my arm and shot poison at its face. It cried and rolled on the ground.
Three more attacked together.
I stepped to the side and slashed one across the neck. I kicked another away and shot acid at the third.
The cave was small, so I couldn't move too much.
One wolf bit my shoulder. I gritted my teeth and stabbed it with my sword. It fell down.
My breathing became heavy.
They were weaker than the big one… but because there were many, it was harder.
Two wolves circled behind me. I turned fast and swung my sword in a wide arc. One lost its head. The other stepped back in fear.
The remaining wolves hesitated.
I raised my hand again, poison forming around my fingers.
"Come."
They growled… but slowly stepped back.
Then suddenly, they ran deeper into the cave.
I stood there, breathing hard.
"…They're scared."
But why run instead of fight?
I looked toward the deeper part of the cave.
There must be something more inside.