The large wolf stood in front of the pups.
Its single glowing eye locked on me.
It didn't rush this time.
It was calm.
Then it opened its mouth and let out a deep howl.
The sound shook the cave.
My ears rang.
Suddenly, wind pressure burst from its body and pushed me back.
"What—?!"
Before I could steady myself, it vanished from where it stood.
Fast.
Too fast.
Pain exploded in my side.
It had already struck me and moved past.
I turned quickly, but it was already circling me.
So this is its real speed.
It attacked again.
I barely blocked the bite, but its claws scraped my shoulder. Blood dripped down my arm.
I jumped back and threw poison at it.
It dodged.
It dodged mid-air.
This wasn't like the others.
It lunged again, this time aiming straight for my throat.
I rolled under it and slashed its stomach.
This time I cut deeper.
Blood spilled on the cave floor.
But instead of falling back, it growled louder.
Its muscles swelled slightly.
It got faster.
It charged again.
I raised my sword—
Too slow.
It slammed into me and sent me crashing into the cave wall.
My vision blurred.
My chest hurt.
I tried to stand, but my legs felt heavy.
The wolf slowly walked toward me.
It wasn't rushing.
It was finishing me.
"…Not yet," I muttered.
With shaking hands, I pulled one of the green bottles from my bag.
I drank it.
Warmth spread through my body instantly.
The pain in my chest eased.
The bleeding slowed.
"So this is how it feels to use my own potion…"
The wolf lunged again.
This time, I was ready.
I stepped to the side at the last second.
As it passed, I grabbed its fur and pressed my hand against its neck.
"Acid."
The green liquid burned into its skin.
It howled and twisted.
I added poison immediately.
The two powers mixed.
It screamed louder than before.
I jumped back and raised my sword.
It charged blindly, furious.
I waited.
Closer.
Closer.
At the last moment, I stepped forward instead of back.
I put all my strength into one swing.
The blade cut through its neck halfway.
It staggered.
I didn't stop.
I swung again.
This time, the head fell.
The massive body collapsed with a heavy thud.
Silence filled the cave.
I stood there, breathing hard.
My hands were shaking again.
"That… was close."
If I didn't have the potion, I might have died.
I walked slowly toward the body.
From its chest, I pulled out a core.
It was larger than the others.
Darker.
Heavier.
The energy inside it felt wild.
This wasn't just a normal core.
It felt rare.
I stared at it.
"…If I absorb this, I'll grow even stronger."
I held the large core in my hands.
It throbbed with power, hotter than anything I'd absorbed before.
I took a deep breath and let it flow into me.
The energy rushed through my body.
It wasn't just strength this time. It felt alive… like the wolf itself was inside me.
My muscles tensed, my heart raced, and suddenly I felt lighter, faster.
I moved my leg without thinking and… I was already several steps ahead of where I started.
"What…?" I whispered.
I tried again. Step, step, step — each movement faster than the last.
It wasn't just speed. My body moved with precision, reacting before I even thought.
I clenched my fists. My arms felt stronger. My reflexes sharper.
A smile spread across my face.
"So this is what real strength feels like…"
I looked at the fallen alpha wolf. Its energy had merged with mine, and now I could feel it in my body — not as a voice or command, just a natural instinct.
I took a few careful steps forward, testing the feeling.
Everything I had learned from the previous monsters… everything I had gained… it all clicked together.
"Alright, time to head back now," I said.
I began walking toward town.
A few other adventurers were on the road too. Some looked tired. Some were laughing. They must've finished hunting for the day as well.
The sun was starting to go down when I reached the town gates.
I went straight to the Adventurers Guild to sell the magic stones.
"Oh, you're early today, Renji," Cera said when she saw me.
"Ah, yes. The truth is… my friend asked me to sell these potions," I said, placing the small box with ten bottles on the counter.
She opened it and looked at them carefully.
Her eyes widened slightly.
"T-these are medium grade potions," she said.
I stayed quiet.
"Your friend must be incredible. These potions are really something else," she added, lifting one bottle to the light. The green liquid inside looked pure and steady.
She began calculating the total.
After a moment, she nodded.
"Here are two gold coins for the potions," she said, placing the gold on the table. "And here are twenty silver coins for the monster cores."
"T-two gold coins?" I asked in surprise.
That was much more than I expected.
I carefully picked up the coins one by one and placed them into my bag. The weight felt satisfying.
"Thank you, Ms. Cera. I'll get going now," I said.
"Alright. Good work again today," she replied with a smile.
I stepped away from the counter, my heart still beating fast.
Two gold coins…
Making potions might be even better than just hunting.
As I headed toward my room, I couldn't help but smile.
Today was a good day.
When I entered my room, I closed the door and placed my sword and magic bag on the table.
I sat on the bed and poured the coins out in front of me.
Two gold coins. Twenty silver coins.
"…That's a lot," I muttered.
Then a thought crossed my mind.
Should I buy some clothes?
I looked down at what I was wearing.
The robe the Seven gave me was strong. It didn't tear easily. It even cleaned itself and my body automatically. I never had to worry about dirt or blood staying on it.
But…
It was still just one set of clothes.
If something happened to it, I'd have nothing else to wear.
And I couldn't keep walking around town in the same outfit every single day. People might start noticing.
"…Yeah. I should buy at least two more sets," I said quietly.
Not just normal clothes. Something simple for town. And maybe something light for hunting.
I picked up one of the gold coins and turned it in my fingers.
I had enough now.
A small smile appeared on my face.
"Tomorrow morning, I'll visit the clothing shop."
For now, though…
I lay down on the bed, staring at the ceiling.
Slowly, my eyes closed as I drifted to sleep, already thinking about what tomorrow might bring.