'My king, I believe you have never met a fae. Even the worst of them have a higher mana affinity than even the best archmage that we humans have, and ever since I've visitted their kingdom, I've been glad that they have the dedication of a child, the attention of a bird and the size of a bug.'

- Lord Terius II, the cowardly court mage

Author's note: First time writing a battle scene, folks! Also...decided to stick with the name 'Aqua' for Inas from now on, since she can't speak to correct Amiita. XD You guys don't mind that, right?

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Amiita POV

After we had calmed down from our little 'incident', I couldn't help but sigh and look at Aqua. She looks so innocent, so defenceless...and yet, one wrong hug is enough to get yourself eaten alive by her. Well... maybe it is like that for all races, since I could also crush a person's neck in a single strike too.

But no other race can end somebody in a way as disturbing as her.

Oh well. Not my issue, I suppose! Besides I gain some extra experience from letting her eat, so it is all good! But yet, it wasn't enough.

"Well, that was just an appetizer, time for the main meal." I declared cheerfully, grabbing Aqua's hand, while keeping the rest of my body away from her, so I could flee in case she decided to eat me as well. I-it is not that I don't trust her...its just that it was so unnerving!

One interesting feature about the forest, though, is that the deeper you go inside...the darker it becomes, mainly due to the trees blocking the sunlight. I bet that in the deepest parts of it, it would be impossible to notice whether it was day, or night. Creepy, but I don't plan to go over there just yet!

As we got deeper inside of the forest, the monsters also changed. It wasn't squirrels, foxes and other cuddly things, but rather, wolves, boars, bears among others. Luckily, it wasn't enough to flee from reality but yet... it was harder to deal with, especially the wolves, who are feared since they always attack in an ambush, in packs of 4 or more even though just 2 are as hard to deal with as a bear.

When I've searched for the dangers of the forest, by asking the village, I also heard of myths. Myths of a great wolf who lives in the depths of the forest, who no animal dares to enter in his territory, except for the wolves which are under his protection.

AROOOOOO!

In the moment I heard that, I already got in a battle stance. "Be careful, Aqua, these wolves are no joke." I said, receiving another nod. I couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for the slime, and her lack of speech... but right now that wasn't the best time for it.

Third person POV

It was already the time for the wolves' breakfast, as they wandered around in search for prey...and soon, they found the prey they wanted. An odd, green human girl, right besides a draconian. Draconians were somewhat tough to hunt, and so, they decided to attack her, with the full pack to avoid casualties. A full pack of 7 wolves.

The wolves surrounded their prey, circling around it while hidden in the bushes. Aqua, sensing their presence, hugged her partner Amiita tightly.

"What is wrong?" Was all that Amiita said, before the battle actually began. The wolves walked out of the bushes, circling the two girls. "Be careful...a wolf pack appeared." She said, remembering Aqua's disability.

Seconds later, the 'first wave', composed of 4 out of the 7 wolves attacked, while the rest watched them. Two attacked the draconian in a pincer formation, while the remaining one tried to go for Aqua's neck.

Amiita managed to catch the wolf which pounced in front of her, hugging it tightly to restrain its movements, although the one on her back managed to climb on top of her back, already aiming to bite her neck.

It wasn't an unusual tactic, since most of the wolf packs usually did that, and it worked...but not for Amiita. She had a countermeasure for it, which she was only able to do due to her strenghtened body.

The draconian did a german supplex, to hit the wolf that she was holding onto the ground, and slam the one behind her down to the ground as well. It was a simple, yet effective tactic. One that should not be done with a normal human body, under any circunstances. Things were going well for her, as she managed to get a stun effect on both wolves at once. The rest, was somewhat simple.

falling down on the first wolf on her back, to pin it down under her weight. Afterwards, Amiita followed up with an open-hand thrust into the wolf on top of her, piercing its neck with her claws and afterwards threw the corpse away. Lastly, she moved her hands behind her back, to simply crush neck of the wolf that was pinned down. "Phew...easier than last time..." She mumbled, noticing how she didn't get a bite this time, only losing a total of 5 HP due to the wolf claws.

Aqua POV

Well... it is time for another, easy and quick XP! Or so I thought, at the beginning of the battle. The wolves were much smarter than they looked, as instead of giving me a simple, quick pounce to the neck so I could capture them, they did something different.

The two wolves who attacked me in a pincer formation, didn't go for a direct, quick fight. Instead, they took quick bites of my body, to constantly damage me. It...hurts. Less than I would expect from losing a hand, but it was still bad. I tried to jump on the wolf in front of me, only for him to quickly back away, going around my body to bite at my legs, making sure to run away when I got up.

You received a (lot of) bite(s)!-5 HP

-8 HP

-5 HP

-7 HP

I grinned slightly, finally realizing how they wanted to fight. They were somewhat smart, to be able to utilize hit-and-run tactics...but I knew how to best them even when they used such lowly tricks. I waited for them to make a move again, to lunge towards my hand...instead of doing what a normal person would do, dodge the hand, I simply jumped in the way of the attack, engulfing the wolf inside of me as I fell down to the ground.

The other wolf, though, froze in fear after I engulfed his partner. That was a bad move to say the least, since now I could take advantage of it, and grab the wolf's leg and pulled him inside, engulfing him as well.

It would be fine...if not for one single thing.

The wolves are strong enough to struggle, even after being engulfed! It was less damage than from outside...but yet I couldn't help but be afraid.

Your meal is trying to escape!-5 HP

-8 HP

-50 HP CRITICAL!

Suddenly I froze in pain. The game was supposed to lessen pain...yet just the slight graze on my core, was enough to nearly knock me unconscious. I quickly used the shapeshifting skill, not to fight back, or take any other form, but simply to move the core away from the wolves...s-so painful...I could feel my health already being in red. Thankfully, the wolves have stopped struggling, due to lack of air...but still, that...that was too close.

Now I know, the drawbacks of trying to eat things without being prepared.

I could hear more steps. Not from my ally, but from the rest of the wolves...but thankfully, they were running away, after noticing they lost more than half of their group in this skirmish.

You won the battle![47.5% remaining for next level up]

I killed only two wolves...yet it was close to bringing me to a level up. No wonder the wolves were considered an apex predator of the forest. It nearly killed me, and yet, just a quick fight with them gave me half the experience I needed for a level up...

Amiita POV

I couldn't help but be shocked. The battle between Aqua and the wolves was going extremely smoothly, until the end...which then, Aqua lost her form, and was seemingly stunned.

What...what just happened? Why she nearly died out of nowhere? I sighed, deciding to carry her over, back to the safer parts of the woods, rather than letting her die here.

But as soon as I turned back, I heard a sound. One that could only be described as 'frightening'.

AROOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

It was a wolf's howl. And yet, it was enough for me to nearly lose my balance...and the window that came up with it made my face go pale in fear.

The corrupted woodback wolf(lv.20) has awakened!

T-that...isn't that the forest's boss?! I was just level 10 from all the grinding, yet that thing has the double of my level! And who was the fool who awakened it anyways?!

PKer POV

After I recovered from the loss of my sandwich, I ran down into the forest. Rumours spoke of a wolf. A big wolf, whose might could match the small village in the forest's edge. I was simply stumped, on how to beat him, as I tried to fight him a few times before...yet he finished me, in the matter of a few bites, and yet shrugged my own attacks off, as if my knife was made out of wood.

But today, it would be different...I'll bring it down. And together with him, I'll bring the people who wronged me in the game down as well. Stepping inside of the wolf's territory, I whistled. Whistled as loud as I could, in hopes to attract him.

The corrupted woodback wolf(lv.20) has awakened!

That was the message that popped up....

and yet I couldn't help but shake. The last time I fought him, he was just a silverback wolf, of level 15...what...just what happened for him to grow like that?!

As I pondered on the circunstances, I saw a shadow coming from the wolf's lair...a black wolf, almost twice as big as he was last time, easily dwarfing me in height.

"Eh.....uh......I got to go I left the tap open over there in my house BYE!" I politely excused myself, before running away for my life.

It was plan to aggro him, and then run away...

but yet, at first it was out of malice, to make the wolf and the offenders kill each other and let me steal the loots.

Now it was survival instinct.

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Author's note: This was my first attempt on doing an actual cliffhanger! BWAHAHA!