The monster was a simple grey wolf. An animal that I could find back on my own world, and a beast that wasn't as threatening as anything else I could find in this forest.

In fact, wolves were the weakest of all the mobs that one could fight in this world. A single one could be easily taken down by the protagonist just when the game started, and they were easy kills for free EXP.

This shouldn't be a challenge at all. Rather, this should be a curbstomp on my side, with a possible ally to help me fight this beast.

Yet... I couldn't move. No matter how much I tried, I couldn't muster up the willpower to make a single step right now.

My feet were stuck to the ground, as though they had melted and solidified to keep me from moving. I couldn't breathe normally, and I was gasping for air as the scarlet eyes of the wolf glared into my soul.

The creature growled, revealing its sharp, terrifying fangs that had a bit of blood coated on them. The wolf began to circle us slowly and silently, trying its best to get the best angle for a possible flanking maneuver.

The animal moved in a makeshift crouching position, set up so that it could pounce any of us at any given moment.

The claws of the lone wolf scratched the ground, pushing back foliage and dirt with every step it took. The movement was mesmerizing, almost as though I was watching an ice-skater do circles around an ice rink.

The monster's eyes were staring right at us, looking for any weaknesses. At this point, I could tell that the beast wasn't seeing humans that could fight back, enemies that would be dangerous to approach, or even some random environmental foliage it could ignore.

I could see the deep, dark killing intent behind its eyes. The wolf had designated the two of us as prey to be killed and eaten, the sacrificial lambs that would feed its undying hunger.

I turned to Sally, wondering how she was holding up. The answer was that she was panicking big time.

Her body was shaking as though she was stuck in an earthquake, and was giving off hiccups rapidly like an assault rifle firing on automatic. She had floods of tears falling down her eyes, and she turned to me, almost as if she was expecting me to do something.

Actually, why was I just standing there? I could fight! Days of constant practice in martial arts and makeshift swordplay, all for this single battle! I could do this! I could beat this wolf down and win!

All I needed to do was take a step forward, and prove my worth as a fighter. Use all the experience that I had garnered and beat this weak mongrel down!

Move, damn it! Move and kick that wolf right in the chin! Make this beast regret the moment it attempted to fight Yokoyama Kamiko!

However, no matter how hard I tried, no matter what positive thoughts I gave myself... my body refused to listen. I could not move a single bit, and I could only shake and cry on the spot, dreading the future to come.

It was as if this animal was the messenger of Death, coming to reap the souls he was sent to collect. The dark and terrifying aura that this wolf emitted was enough to turn false bravado into cold, harsh realization.

All my horrible planning, overblown expectations, and useless ego has led me to this encounter, and I could do nothing but swallow and be a sniveling coward at this very moment.

I had been deluding myself this entire time. I wasn't a hero, a strong person, or even someone worthy of becoming strong.

I was nothing more than a girl over her head. A sniveling, shaking mess that couldn't even react to the littlest of threats that I had to face.

Then, I smelled something unpleasant in the air, a smell that reminded me of Japanese bathrooms. I didn't even have to turn around to know what had just happened to Sally.

"F-f-f-f-Feliza..." She said in utter cold terror, staring at me while standing in a puddle of her own urine. "He-he-he-help..."

You want me to help?! What the fuck do you want me to do, throw myself on top of the wolf and ride it like some kind of heroic barbarian?

Get real! I'm only two years old, I couldn't do something like this! I can't fight when I'm in this sta-

I froze. The atmosphere had gotten chiller, and my vision began to go dark once more.

I turned towards the wolf, and noticed immediately who the target had become. After all, with Sally obviously being the most terrified of the two... it was only natural that the beast would go for the mentally weakest one.

This was a chance I had. A chance to run away and save myself.

An opportunity has risen miraculously in the midst of this horrible scenario. I had gotten the spark of light at the end of a dark tunnel. The salvation to my worries and my terrified situation.

All I had to do was just start getting away and let Sally die to this wolf. That was all I needed to do to survive, and it would be really easy to do exactly that.

Except... that wasn't my plan, was it? If I did just that, what would happen?

I would get banned from the forest, which is happening either way. I'd get Sally dead, and then what?

Right. I'd just be terrified of dealing with wolves the rest of my life. I would deteriorate and start thinking horrible ideas. I would believe in trying to live peacefully in this new world, trying to ignore a tragedy and attempting to just move on with my life.

I'd be a pathetic wretch who would just be unable to conquer their fears and let everything bad rule over their life. I'd be like my old self all over again: an utterly useless bitch that's only worth was being a punching bag.

I'd go down that destructive cycle again. My self-delusions would continue, with no escape this time. I would be the horrible daughter once more, and there would be no way to recover from the impact of running.

Well. Fuck. That.

At this point in time, at this place... I knew. I had to save Sally and kill the bastard in front of me. I needed to move, grab whatever was in my inventory, an-

I froze. Oh no. I had forgotten completely.

My inventory didn't have anything within its confines. I hadn't bothered to get a new weapon within the past fifteen days. Hell, there wasn't even a rock or any kind of blunt object I could pull out, simply because I believed I could find something better later on.

Idiot! Retard! Brainless moron!

How could I be such a fucking dumbass?! I knew I was going to the forest, why did I not grab a weapon of some kind to help me in this situation?

Shit! If only I hadn't gotten rid of my knife back at the marketplace those days ago! I could have used that weapon now to possibly kill this beast, and save me this trouble!

I needed to find something, some kind of object I could possibly use as some kind of basic weapon. I scanned my surroundings quickly, searching desperately for the key that would solve this heavy puzzle.

Sally was busy being absolutely terrified and the wolf was inching its way closer and closer. The beast was coming so close that I could smell the blood off of its breath.

I began to search faster, turning my head and frantically trying to find the weapon that would lead me to victory. If I didn't hurry, then things were going to get worse for the both of us!

When suddenly, I found it! There it is! The chance to take down this wolf!

A large rock laid right next to me, almost three feet away from my current position. Large enough to fit within the palm of my hand and easily suitable to bash this bastard's head in.

I tried to move over to the pebble, but my body refused to listen. My entire body felt stiff and hard, almost as if I had just been encased into concrete for all eternity.

At the same time, my thoughts were filled with terror and hesitation. I wanted nothing to do with this situation, with all of my survival instincts screaming from the top of their lungs for me to run far away and get lost.

My teeth began to chatter as I forced my body to make a small step forward to the rock. I felt myself creak, as though my legs were completely rusty and breaking up with each move. All the nerves in my body screamed at me in anger, almost like I was doing something that was forbidden completely.

At this point? I did not care for a single second. I had to get over this petty fear and conquer this despair. I needed to succeed, I had to win!

As I got closer and closer to my goal, I could see the wolf beginning to lean backwards, with it bending its back legs and pushing up its back. This beast was planning to pounce, and if I didn't hurry up, then all my efforts would be in vain!

I desperately started to try to move faster, but my body put up a large riot again. Instead of just screaming at me and telling me to fuck off, they decided to take an active approach to sabotage all my efforts.

My knees started to waver before I fell down onto the ground, landing hard on the mud and getting dirt on my face and eyes. My vision got blurry as bits of the wet ground got in my eyes, and I couldn't help but grit my teeth in response.

Thankfully, my right hand landed right on top of the rock. I instantly grabbed it, successfully succeeding in one of the tasks at hand. Now, all I had to do was get back up and pounce at the wolf first, and victory would be mine.

However, this time, no matter how much I forced myself to move, my body did not react. Rather, it refused to listen to me at all, and kept me lying down on the mud, facing Sally and the wolf.

By now, Sally's knees have failed her, as she was currently sitting on the ground, staring at the big bad wolf. The beast's face was one of cruel and sadistic joy, as it began to pounce. It's expression reminded me too much of that fucking God's mask and I could feel the freezing fear overcome my veins.

Time seemed to have slowed down for me completely. I could see all the muscles move within the wolf's legs as they began to push off the ground, allowing the monster to make a leap towards Sally. The mouth slowly opened up wide, threatening to bite down hard on her neck.

Sally's mouth was wide open, screaming loudly for Buan to come and save her. She had both of her hands over her head as she ducked down, desperately trying to keep her vision away from the wolf. Her clothes were completely stained and dirty, and she seemed to be in complete distress and panic.

I couldn't let this happen. I needed to do something, anything to stop her from dying! Fuck! If only my goddamn body would listen to me and get up!

But even then, I wouldn't be able to help! There was no way I could react in time!

No matter how strong I was, I wasn't clearly powerful enough to leap forward and slam the wolf mid-air! There was nothing I could do but watch! I was a bastard, an idiot for thinking I could succeed, a-

Wait a minute. There was something I could do. There was a way I could salvage this situation.

Suddenly, all the despair and fear in my head started to clear up, and I could start thinking clearly again. My head began ringing one idea, one solid strategy that would solve this issue and save the day.

If I couldn't get there in time, then there was something else that could. All I needed was the cooperation of my own body.

Instead of fighting back, my body relaxed its tense and hardened state, almost as if it was curious on what I was about to do. Within that single opportunity in that small time-frame, I immediately acted and struck, achieving the goal I had set out to do.

I reared my right arm back, before rushing quickly and swinging hard, so hard that my arm felt immediate pain throughout the tendons and muscles from the rapid throw. I let go of the rock mid-swing, and watched it fly graciously through the air, almost as though it was a bird flying up in the sky.

Then, impact was made. The rock slammed hard and true right on the wolf's head causing it to change direction mid-leap and crash land on the ground next to Sally, successfully saving her from the danger.

The girl in question did not bother to look up to see if she had been saved or even in danger. Rather, she stayed in her current position, shaking and screaming for a savior to come for her.

I began to pick myself up. I was rather proud of myself. After all, I had finally gotten over my fear and had just been able to land a devastating blow against this creature. Why shouldn't I be so happy?

The beast started to pick itself up, before turning right towards me and began to growl. That wasn't good. That wolf recovered way too quickly and showed zero signs of having any fatal injuries.

Fuck. I needed to run away now, while the monster's attention was focused on me. I had to start running into the forest and back track to where Buan was, and get he-

Before I knew it, the wolf had already pounced right at me, with small streaks of blood dripping from the side of its mouth.

What? How?! I didn't even see it get into position, when did it pounce? Fuck! I needed to duck, I had to get away-

Before I could do anything, I felt something sharp puncture my left shoulder brutally and I was forced on the ground, with blood oozing from the wounds I had just received.

Then, my world burst into debilitating pain and I could only scream in response.