Chapter 28: Alpha's Arrival
The howls echoed through the forest, growing louder with each passing second. Kazuki's heart pounded as he scanned the trees, his grip on the sword tightening. The fallen Dire Wolves lay still at his feet, their blood soaking into the ground.
"This doesn't feel right," Elara said, her eyes darting around. "Those howls... they're different."
"Different?" Kazuki asked, swallowing hard.
"Stronger," Tara muttered, her jaw clenched. "Bigger."
Before they could react, a massive shape emerged from the shadows, towering over them. It was a Dire Wolf — but not just any Dire Wolf. This one was nearly twice the size of the others, its fur pitch black and its eyes burning with a crimson glow. Scars lined its body, a testament to countless battles.
"An Alpha," Elara said, her voice tight. "Kazuki, stay back."
Kazuki shook his head, stepping forward. "No. I can do this."
Tara raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that, newbie? This one's not like the others."
Kazuki took a deep breath, feeling the Wolf Agility and Beast Resilience skills coursing through him. "I can handle it."
The Alpha Wolf let out a deafening roar, shaking the trees as it charged forward. Kazuki braced himself, his eyes locked onto the beast as it lunged, claws extended.
Kazuki sidestepped, moving faster than he ever had before. The Wolf Agility skill made his movements fluid, almost instinctive. He slashed at the Alpha's leg, his sword biting into muscle. The beast roared, spinning around and snapping its jaws at Kazuki's face.
Kazuki ducked, narrowly avoiding the massive fangs. His heart hammered as he rolled away, coming to his feet just as the Alpha lunged again. This time, it was too fast — its claws raked across Kazuki's chest, sending him sprawling to the ground.
"Kazuki!" Elara shouted, rushing forward. She swung her blade, striking the Alpha across its back. The beast howled, turning to face her with murder in its eyes.
"Over here!" Tara yelled, hurling a dagger at the Alpha's face. The blade grazed its eye, making it flinch back. Tara smirked. "Yeah, that's right. Come get me."
Kazuki pushed himself up, blood dripping from the claw marks across his chest. The pain was intense, but the Beast Resilience skill dulled it, allowing him to stand.
"Kazuki!" Elara called, her eyes desperate. "Can you keep going?"
Kazuki nodded, his jaw clenched. "I can."
He took a deep breath, the Wolf Pack Coordination skill buzzing through him. He could feel Elara and Tara's movements, sense their positions, almost as if they were part of him.
"Tara! On its left!" Kazuki shouted, charging forward. "Elara, hit its leg!"
The three of them moved as one. Tara darted in, slashing at the Alpha's side. Elara swung her sword, striking its leg. The beast roared, staggering as Kazuki closed in from behind, raising his sword high.
With a fierce cry, Kazuki drove the blade down, the sword plunging into the Alpha's back. The beast howled, thrashing as blood sprayed from the wound. Kazuki held firm, gritting his teeth as the Alpha's struggles weakened.
Finally, with one last shuddering breath, the Alpha collapsed to the ground, its crimson eyes fading to a dull, lifeless gray.
[You have defeated Alpha Dire Wolf. Skill Copy activated. New skill acquired: Alpha Command.]
Kazuki gasped as the new skill coursed through him, a powerful, commanding presence surging through his veins. His vision blurred for a moment, then cleared as he staggered back, catching his breath.
Elara rushed to his side, her eyes wide with concern. "Kazuki! Are you okay?"
Kazuki nodded, wiping sweat from his brow. "Yeah... I'm fine."
But as he looked down at the fallen Alpha, a shiver ran down his spine. The power he felt from the new skill was intense, almost overwhelming. And he couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning.