The forest was alive with sound.
One wolf was dead, its body cooling in the dirt, but the chorus of howls that followed made the air feel heavier, pressing against Aiden's chest like a physical weight.
He stood frozen for a moment, blood dripping from his shoulder, the broken remains of his wooden sword clutched tightly in one hand. His body was trembling — not from fear alone, but from the sheer toll the battle had taken.
"…More are coming."
The Dire Wolf he had slain was no ordinary beast. Its fangs could pierce steel, its speed left even trained hunters breathless. And yet, the howls in the distance told him the truth: this had only been a scout, a lead hunter of the pack.
He pressed a hand to his wound, feeling the sticky warmth of blood. His body screamed at him to run, but instinct whispered another truth.
If he fled blindly, they would chase. Wolves never allowed prey to escape once marked.
He had to fight. Or at least, fight smart.
---
The underbrush shook.
From the shadows emerged three more wolves — each massive, their eyes glowing faintly under the dimming sunlight. They spread out, circling him the way predators always did, cutting off his escape routes with fluid precision.
Their growls blended into a low rumble, vibrating through the earth beneath his feet.
Aiden grit his teeth, forcing his body to stay upright. He could feel his pulse racing, his blood pounding in his ears.
"Three… and all of them Dire Wolves." His voice was hoarse, barely more than a mutter.
Rank 3 monsters. For a full-grown hunter, fighting one alone was a death match. For him… facing three was insanity.
And yet, in his chest, a flame flickered.
If I survive this… I'll grow. I have to.
---
The first wolf lunged without warning, a blur of fangs and muscle. Aiden dove to the side, pain exploding in his shoulder as his wounded body protested. He rolled clumsily, snapping a stick off the ground as he rose.
The wolf slammed into the space where he'd been, tearing dirt and moss with its claws.
The second came next. Aiden barely swung in time, the jagged wood of his broken sword scraping across its snout. Blood sprayed, and the beast howled, momentarily staggered.
But the third — the third was faster. It leapt high, its claws arcing toward his chest.
Aiden had no time to dodge. He braced, driving the broken sword upward with both hands.
The wolf's weight crashed into him, nearly crushing him, but the jagged wood pierced deep into its throat. Hot blood gushed over his arms. The beast convulsed, then collapsed.
The pack leader snarled, rage flashing in its eyes.
Aiden lay beneath the dead wolf for a moment, chest heaving, his vision spinning. His arms burned, his body was screaming. He could feel his strength draining — but also, faintly, the pulse of power seeping into him again.
Devour.
Every kill fed him. Every battle tempered him.
He shoved the corpse aside and staggered back to his feet, eyes sharp despite the blood trickling down his face.
Two remained.
---
The wolves paced, growling low, their hackles raised. They had seen one of their own fall. Aiden could sense their hesitation, their confusion. But hunger and pack instinct were stronger.
The larger of the two snapped its jaws, signaling the other.
They came at him together.
---
Time blurred.
Aiden ducked under the first swipe, the claws grazing his hair. He rolled again, pain lancing through his ribs. The second wolf was already on him, fangs snapping at his neck.
He twisted, jamming a rock into its mouth, buying precious seconds before slamming his fist into its eye. The wolf recoiled, howling, but the first was back again, its claws raking across his side.
Blood sprayed. His vision dimmed for a moment.
He staggered, nearly falling. His body screamed at him to give up, to collapse into the dirt.
But something deeper than pain burned within him.
The memory of his past life. The weakness that had chained him. The helplessness of being crushed by forces he couldn't fight.
Never again.
His eyes blazed, and with a roar that shook his small frame, he hurled himself forward.
The broken sword plunged into the wounded wolf's throat, driving deep with all his weight. Blood sprayed hot against his face. The beast convulsed, then fell silent.
Only one remained.
---
The last Dire Wolf circled warily now, growling deep, saliva dripping from its fangs. Its eyes were locked on him, weighing him.
Aiden's knees buckled. His chest heaved. His vision blurred. He could barely stand.
And yet — he raised the broken sword one last time.
The wolf lunged.
Aiden sidestepped, barely, his body screaming in protest. The claws grazed his cheek, tearing flesh, but he moved with desperate precision, twisting and slamming the jagged wood into the wolf's ribs.
The beast howled, thrashing violently. Aiden was thrown to the ground, the wind knocked from his lungs.
The wolf staggered, blood pouring from its side. It turned, snarling, ready for another lunge.
But then its legs buckled. The wound was deep enough. Its body collapsed with a final whimper.
Silence.
---
Aiden lay sprawled on the dirt, chest heaving, his body a broken mess. His arms were coated in blood, his vision hazy, his ears ringing.
But even as he drifted near unconsciousness, he felt it.
The surge. The flood of strength pouring into him. His muscles screamed, his bones ached, but beneath it all, his body hardened, his senses sharpened.
When he finally forced himself to sit up, he whispered, voice hoarse:
"…Rank… three."
The words tasted like fire on his tongue. He had crossed the threshold.
The boy who once struggled to lift a wooden sword now sat among the corpses of three Dire Wolves — monsters that could slaughter seasoned hunters.
And deep inside, he knew this was only the beginning.
---
But just as he tried to rise, a sound froze him again.
A howl.
Deeper. Louder. Heavier.
Not like the others.
The very air seemed to vibrate with the force of it. Birds scattered from the treetops. The ground trembled faintly beneath his hands.
Aiden's breath caught. His blood ran cold.
"…Rank… four?"
No. Stronger.
The pack's true leader was near.
And Aiden, battered and bleeding, had nothing left.
---