Thud.
Another wolf lunged at me from the side.
Step.
I jumped back to create distance.
But—
Thud.
Not even a moment passed, and they had already circled me again.
My gaze shifted from left to right, observing all three wolves.
The numbness slowly spread from my side toward my stomach.
I channeled my mana, but it didn't stop it and only slowed it.
If it continued like this...
I would die.
Either they landed a few more hits, giving me another frostbite. Or the coldness would simply spread until I couldn't move anymore.
Defending wasn't an option.
I couldn't stay passive in this situation.
Time was running out.
Step.
I pushed even more mana into my legs and—
Step.
Dashed toward the wolf on my left.
It took only a moment before I was in front of the beast with my sword raised, ready to attack. But the wolf didn't just stand there. He reacted the moment I dashed toward it and jumped back.
Thud.
I heard the sound of the other wolves coming closer from behind me at the same time.
Just as the wolf retreated—
Step.
I placed all my weight on my left leg and used the dash's momentum to turn—then kicked myself off the ground with my right leg, shooting myself forward toward the wolf behind me.
For a breath, I saw its eyes widen as my sword inched closer. Crimson mana surged out of my hand, enveloping the blade as I stabbed forward.
Shuk.
Straight into its throat.
Sllrt.
Blood splashed out of the wound as I pulled my sword out, staining its white fur red.
AWOO!
A sharp cry came from my left.
Step.
I evaded backward—
Skrtch.
But its sharp claws still reached me, digging into my thigh.
Cold spread from the wound immediately, making my leg go numb.
Step.
With trembling legs, I stepped back and lifted my sword into stance again, tip pointed forward, ready to stab. The crimson glow had already faded from my sword.
My eyes jumped from one wolf to the next.
The one I stabbed didn't move anymore and lay on the ground. The remaining two growled and re-formed, creating a new encirclement—this time like a 'V' shape.
Grrr.
They growled as they stepped closer.
I thought that they would slow down after losing one from their pack.
But—
That thought didn't stay long as their gazes seemed to shift down to my injured leg.
The coldness spread further, and dashing like before wasn't possible anymore.
The longer this dragged on—
The lower were my chances.
I knew that.
And—
My eyes locked with theirs.
They knew it too.
They pressed forward with slow steps. Widening the formation and closing the distance at the same time.
But before they could lunge at me—
Step.
I lunged first.
I put all my remaining strength into my legs and jumped forward, toward the smaller wolf.
Thud.
The beast reacted at once, halting before jumping back.
Step.
And that was when I abruptly halted. Then, after reversing my grip, I drove my sword backward, behind my back.
Swoosh.
Crimson flared as I forced mana into the strike. I didn't even look to see if the other wolf lunged at me. I hadn't even turned my head toward it.
But—
Shuk.
I felt it.
The resistance of flesh. My blade drove deeper. Then, just as I was about to turn my head to confirm the kill—
AWOO!
Thud.
Lunged the remaining wolf at me, jaw wide, claws reaching out.
Slrrt.
I pulled my sword back, blood followed the motion, spraying around. My feet moved, shifting through the sand as I was about to evade and create distance.
But—
Step.
I stumbled, my numb leg swaying rather than stepping. The coldness had seeped further, weakening my leg.
Swoosh.
The wolf swiped its claws at me.
Shing.
I could barely swing my sword.
But—
Clung.
It was enough.
A dull sound rang as claws met metal.
The wolf's strength pushed me back, feet sliding through the sand before—
Awoo!
My sword didn't block its claws cleanly, but partly struck its foot as well, enough to make it retreat.
Drops of blood fell to the ground, and the wolf jumped back in pain.
Step.
My body swayed as I forced myself backward.
Step.
The mana engulfing my sword had already vanished as I couldn't sustain it any longer.
My gaze snapped for a moment to the other wolf.
A sigh left me as I saw it lying on the ground, fur soaked crimson near its neck.
Then I turned back toward the last wolf.
It had already circled around me, making my back face the other wolves' corpses. Maybe to hinder my retreat.
There was a silent standoff as neither of us moved.
A few breaths passed like that before—
Grrr!
The wolf dashed toward me.
Thud.
Its paws dug into the sand as it leaped, fangs aimed for my neck.
I had no strength left in my legs to dodge or reposition myself.
The cold had crept too far.
So—
Step.
It wasn't even a step.
It was more like falling forward.
My knees bent until one touched the ground, while my free hand shifted to my sword before I raised it, tip pointed forward.
Shuk.
The wolf didn't expect that and jumped right into my blade, impaling itself mid-leap before crashing into me.
Thud.
My body couldn't hold its weight, and I fell with the wolf's corpse half across my body.
Haah.
Haah.
I lay there, trying to regain my strength with deep breaths while channeling mana to fight against the spreading coldness.
I don't know how much time passed.
Only that it was long enough for my legs to move again.
Slowly, I shoved the corpse off me.
Thud.
Then stabbed my sword into the ground as I forced myself upright, legs trembling.
My whole body was in pain, but I clenched my jaw and kept going until I stood.
Haah.
I took another deep breath as I finally stood.
My body beaten and broken.
At least it was over.
Haa—
My eyes widened mid-breath as I sensed something. A shudder ran down my spine before I turned.
"Ah—!"
A sharp pain flared up in my shoulder, and my vision blurred. All I saw was white fur before I fell to the floor after weight slammed into me.
Thud.
My head hit the ground hard as something sharp dug into my shoulder.
Crack.
The sound echoed across the arena as if something broke, pain accompanied it. Cold flooded into my shoulder and spread toward my chest. The sword had already slipped out of my hand during the fall.
Skrtch.
Claws dug into my legs, pinning me down. My legs felt cold for a moment before turning numb, all feeling vanishing from them.
Realization came at once.
One of the wolves hadn't died.
No.
It just acted that way.
The cold spread further toward my lungs and throat.
I couldn't breathe.
I couldn't move.
My left hand clawed uselessly at the sand.
´It's over.´
My right side was completely numb.
My legs felt like they weren't there anymore.
´This is it.´
My body felt like a half-frozen statue.
The pain faded, and I only felt a dull pressure against my skin.
But—
I was calm.
My eyes closed.
I welcomed the darkness.
Then—
In that darkness.
My left hand brushed against something hard.
I grabbed it, fingers moving on their own.
Something sharp cut my hand.
It felt cold.
My eyes snapped open.
Right beside me—
Lay the corpse of another wolf.
Its jaw hung open.
Its fangs—
My hand grabbed one of them, fingers closing around it.
Blood ran down my wrist, fingers slowly turning blue.
It was cold.
My hand went numb.
But I tightened my grip and pulled.
My muscles screamed.
But—
Crack.
The fang cracked loose with a sharp snap.
The wolf on top of me growled, digging deeper into my shoulder.
Flesh tore and bones broke.
I pushed mana into my left arm.
Everything I had left.
A red glow spread from my arm, wrapping around the broken fang, warming the cold that devoured my hand.
My arm lifted—
Shuk.
I drove the fang right into its neck.
Shuk.
Twice.
Shuk.
Thrice.
Blood sprayed across my face.
Again.
Shuk.
And again.
Shuk.
I stabbed.
And stabbed.
And stabbed.
Until my arm wouldn't move.
Until the world narrowed to only that motion.
The wolf had long gone limp. Its weight pressing onto my body.
Haah.
But I didn't care.
Shuk.
Haah.
Shuk.
I stabbed until I couldn't.
At last—
Shuk.
The wolf's body tilted.
Thud.
And fell off me.