Kyle and the pack of wolves charged toward each other at high speed until only three meters separated them. At that moment, Kyle leapt into the air, both hands gripping the hilt of his sword. The blade was on his left side—he swung it with force, aiming to cleave through.
In the blink of an eye, Kyle landed on the lead wolf, and the sound of flesh tearing echoed loud and clear. Hot blood burst from the wolf's body as it collapsed to the ground. His sword was drenched in crimson, and Kyle's own body was stained with the thick, sticky liquid.
"This is disgusting... I'm covered in blood," Kyle muttered quietly, eyes fixed on the blade.
The wolves that had been attacking him froze in place, paralyzed by fear. It wasn't just the decapitation of one of them that terrified them—it was the aura surrounding Kyle.
Flames danced behind his back, his face swallowed in shadows. But to the wolves, it was a nightmarish scene—blood-dripping face, eyes glowing red like fresh blood, cold as death, and an evil aura coiling around him and his sword.
Their legs went numb with terror. But Kyle didn't care. To him, these were just beasts. Even if they understood his words, their intelligence was limited.
"Talking too much during a fight makes you a third-rate villain… which means your death will be quick."
As he spoke, he swung his sword horizontally, reinforced with aura, slicing two wolves cleanly in a single motion.
At that moment, the remaining wolves began to step back. But suddenly, a powerful howl echoed:
"Awooooooo...!"
Kyle quickly spotted a much larger wolf—more imposing, with piercing eyes. "That must be the alpha," he muttered.
With its howl, the wolves changed. Their fear turned into frenzy. They all joined in the howl, then charged toward Kyle again, full of renewed energy.
"Oh… looks like your leader pumped chicken blood into your veins."
A faint smile formed on his face as he advanced steadily, his sword now engulfed in Hellfire aura.
As Kyle fought the wolves, the air was thick with the scent of blood, and the sound of tearing flesh filled the surroundings.
No matter how many he killed, more came. Known for their teamwork in hunting, the wolves posed a real threat when attacking four at once. Kyle's body was covered in small and medium wounds, blood pouring down his skin and clothes.
His body trembled, eyes locked onto the remaining ten wolves—including their leader. The fiery aura he had unleashed earlier was fading, like a forgotten soul after death.
"Damn… this is exhausting," Kyle muttered, sensing his aura nearing depletion. Despite having the "Natural Body" trait that helped with healing and recovery, the wounds and fatigue were too much for even his enhanced body to bear.
But it was the spiritual fatigue that was worse. Facing predators like wolves—trained to go for vital areas—wore him down mentally and emotionally.
Kyle gripped his sword with his right hand, a dagger in his left, eyes fixed on the enemies before him. No matter the pain or fatigue, he knew—any sign of weakness would mean death.
Suddenly, six wolves lunged at him like arrows. He gathered the last of his aura into his sword and dagger. With one slash, he beheaded a wolf, and with a precise thrust, he drove the dagger into another's eye, piercing its brain.
But there was no time to rest. The remaining four wolves leapt on him, biting into his limbs. Fangs tore into his flesh. Blood erupted.
Even with traits like "Cold Mind & Heart" and "Resistance," Kyle couldn't suppress his scream:
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"
The wolves didn't stop until Kyle went limp and closed his eyes, his breath shallow.
The alpha wolf saw this and let out a victorious howl, head lifted toward the sky. The rest of the pack joined the celebration.
Then, their attention shifted to the cave entrance, blocked by a large stone, from which the scent of human flesh wafted temptingly.
Meanwhile, Kyle lay motionless, blood soaking into the grass beneath him, painting it a deep crimson. He was barely conscious.
"Is this… the end?" he muttered.
"It's only been two months since I arrived in this world… and now I'm dying in a forest, forgotten, unknown."
Inside, he refused death—but his body had reached its limits.
As darkness crept in, his mind stirred.
"I wanted to live differently… not like before—hiding in a room, avoiding the world."
As his awareness slipped, he wondered:
"Will I reincarnate again?"
"Will I meet the Goddess of Life? Or go to Hell? But… I'm not even a believer…"
Suddenly, he remembered his father's words from his previous life:
> "Jack, never bow to anyone. And never give up. Trust only yourself. No one helps you for free. Never wait for rescue."
"Yeah… If I'm going to die, I'll take these pests with me."
With sheer willpower, Kyle slowly moved his hand toward his trembling face.
As his palm aligned with his face, he directed his faint aura toward his storage ring and pulled out a small vial of highly concentrated holy water. He bit into it, opened the cap, and drank the sacred liquid—meant to be poured on wounds, not swallowed.
Then he pulled out a black berry—not just any fruit, but a rare magic berry.
Within seconds, he felt a fire rising from within. And thanks to his "Natural Body" trait, his recovery was rapid. The pain was nothing compared to his injuries, but the burning inside was intense.
His wounds began to close, and his energy surged—until he returned to his peak.
At that moment, the wolves had already moved past him, heading for the cave, intent on removing the stone and devouring the "appetizers" before returning to the "main course."
Suddenly… they froze.
A terrifying aura crashed down on them, like a weight crushing their very souls. A whisper—like a demon's breath—echoed in their ears:
"Where do you think you're going…?"
The wolves turned back—and saw Kyle, slowly rising.
His eyes glowed. Flames danced around them.
Before any wolf could react, Kyle shot forward like an arrow. With a swing of his sword—now blazing with dense, intense aura—he cleaved a wolf in two. Blood sprayed everywhere, the metallic scent thick in the air.
Kyle didn't stop. He moved like lightning, slaying the second, then the third, with graceful, deadly strikes.
Within minutes, the wolves lay dead, their bodies strewn across the ground—except for the alpha, who stood frozen, retreating step by step.
He had just exited the aura's range—but it didn't stop his trembling.
Kyle spoke in a calm tone—not cold or harsh, but casual, like he was chatting with an old friend:
"What's wrong? Scared?... Isn't that strange? Didn't you consider that someone stronger might come along… and kill you?"
His eyes glinted coldly as he continued:
"You should know… this is the first law of this world. The Law of the Jungle: only the strong survive. If I wasn't strong… and lucky… I'd be your meal by now."
Kyle shook the blood off his sword—warm drops splattered on the dry earth—as he approached the black-furred alpha, its coat shining under the blood-stained moonlight.
The alpha tried to back away, but fear rooted it in place.
Kyle stopped in front of it, then raised his hand—and gently patted its head.
"You know… this reminds me of fish. One eats another, and the weak die. Do you get what that means?"
To Kyle's surprise, the wolf nodded.
He smiled faintly… but to the alpha, it was a terrifying smile—especially as a flaming lion's silhouette formed behind Kyle, shaped from his aura, while his hand still rested on the wolf's head.
"Your fur's soft… It would be a shame not to use it."
The wolf tried to move—but Kyle's dagger was faster. One clean strike. The head dropped.
"A beast… is still a beast."
Kyle muttered to himself, feeling a new strength coursing through his veins—his energy boiling, overflowing from within.
"Looks like I'm about to break through to Mid-Bronze Rank."
And to not waste that energy, Kyle sat down in a crouch, closed his eyes, and began practicing the Flame Lion Meditation Technique.
As for any beasts foolish enough to attack him now—so be it.
He was in peak condition.
It wouldn't take him long to ascend.