inspire-indiana Chapter 22 The Gale Wolf
Chapter 22 The Gale Wolf
I followed them into the dungeon, gesturing to the instructor supervising us. He nodded, but I could see a wry smile on his face.
Stepping through the gate, I found myself in a vast natural field, surrounded by tall trees that seemed to stretch endlessly towards the sky. The air was filled with the fragrance of earth and leaves, and the distant chirping of birds further enhanced the atmosphere.
This is my second time fighting a monster, but seeing it in this way in real life feels very strange to me.
The fields were bathed in warm sunlight, casting dappled shadows on the ground. It was a peaceful and serene environment, but I knew it was best not to let my guard down. This was still a dungeon; danger lurked behind the beauty of nature.
Although the monsters here were created by the Academy, that doesn't mean they are weak.
'Ding'
Just then, a ringtone reached my ears.
"It must be coordinates," I thought, glancing at my smartwatch to confirm.
“The coordinates are here,” Irina said, looking at her smartwatch.
“The monster we’re going to hunt is a level 3 creature called the Gale Wolf,” Irina announced, her voice brimming with excitement.
“Its coordinates are in the center of the forest, let’s go,” Irina continued, pointing in the direction we needed to go.
With a proud tone, she moved toward the coordinates.
'whoosh'
She immediately sprinted forward and started running, and the others followed her movements.
“George, you hold off the Gale Wolf. Nora will limit its movements. Gale Wolves are pack monsters, and they'll likely call for reinforcements. If it summons other wolves, it'll be more advantageous for us. I can handle the pack.”
They were talking as they walked toward the coordinates, but they were moving so fast that I could hardly keep up. Soon the distance between us widened, and I could no longer hear what they were saying.
"Wild Wind Wolf, huh?"
This is a monster I encountered in the game. It's a wolf that evolves and gains wind attributes as magic power is drawn to it. It's a level 3 monster.
Based on the monster's level, it shouldn't be difficult to deal with. A level 3 monster means that someone with an average level 3 constitution could theoretically defeat it in a one-on-one fight...
However, in most cases, it is not recommended to fight monsters of the same level one-on-one.
It's even more dangerous when the monsters are gregarious.
"In the game, they are called Little Wind Wolves, which are second-tier monsters."
I remember that in the game, these wolves were one of the most troublesome monster types. They were fast, agile, and came in packs, making them difficult to deal with unless you had crowd control skills.
Anyway, I should at least see how they fight. I might learn something from them. After all, I don't want to get disciplined.
With that in mind, I continued running at a steady pace.
As I ran through the vast woodland, I kept my eyes wide open, searching for their tracks and observing any small signs that might give me an idea of how many monsters there were.
The ground was covered with soft soil and fallen leaves, but I could still make out faint footprints leading in a specific direction. From the depth of the footprints and the subtle differences in the claws, I could tell there were at least ten wolves of different sizes and a Boss.
This is their territory. Before long, I came to a place full of trees, and there were some marks on the trees, indicating that this was the monster's lair.
Following the footprints, I quickened my pace, afraid of losing them. I maintained a keen sense of awareness, listening for any sound that might indicate their location. The forest was filled with birdsong and the rustling of leaves, but I focused intently on filtering out the noise.
As I continued following the footprints, the sounds of battle in the distance gradually reached my ears. The air was filled with the faint clanging of metal, the howling of wolves, and the whistling of the wind. As the pressure of battle enveloped me, I knew I was getting closer.
'bang bang bang'
I looked around at the traces of the fight, and the battle scenes replayed in my mind.
Nora was the first to attack; she must have used a dash ability. The deep crater beneath her feet proved that.
George was sure to follow closely behind. He blocked the wolves' subsequent attacks, and all of this happened while Irina was waiting for the wolves to call for help.
I focused my attention and activated the skill [Sharp Eyes], which made my vision much clearer. I could spot even the slightest traces from afar.
Through the dense foliage, I spotted a blurry head of red hair; I knew it was Irina. Her movement was astonishingly fast, her dodges and attacks incredibly precise.
"As expected... given her personality, she would assume the wolf couldn't sense her, so she attacked first," I thought to myself.
Since the trees showed signs of burning, Irina obviously couldn't hold back and launched an attack, which is in line with her character.
Nora was beside her, her swordsmanship elegant and powerful. George, on the other hand, held his ground, protecting the others with his giant axe.
In the midst of this chaotic battle, I caught a glimpse of the Gale Wolf. It looked like a formidable creature, but I knew quite a few formidable characters in the game. The Mist Ghost alone was ten times stronger than it, even though it was weak at the time.
Nevertheless, the wolf's silver fur shimmered in the sunlight, and it moved with agility. Its bright yellow eyes glared fiercely at the three of them.
The little wind wolves circled their leader, howling and pouncing at opportune moments. Irina, Nora, and George retaliated without mercy. Their teamwork was far from perfect, but they at least tried to coordinate their attacks and defenses.
'Whoosh whoosh'
Nora swung her longsword with incredible speed, deflecting the attacks of the two little wind wolves.
'call out'
Then, her sword swiftly pierced through the wolf pack, cleaving them in two.
Observing how she used the sword, I began to record how she infused magic into it.
Her physique shouldn't have been so vulnerable against the little wind wolf, yet the sword still managed to cut it swiftly. This was due to the way she channeled her magic while moving. It must be related to her swordsmanship.
I observed her actions, trying to understand the essence behind them.
"Hmm...this seems to be a better way to use magic," I thought to myself. It's a bit difficult to put into words, but thanks to my [Insightful Perception] trait, which allows me to understand the essence of things more quickly, I unconsciously figured out a way to improve the magic infusion on the dagger.
"As expected, it was a success."
Although it was effective, I'm still a beginner, so it didn't increase my progress much.
"Anyway, Nora and George will deal with the Little Wind Wolf, so I'll focus on the main battles." I thought to myself, turning my attention to Irina.
'Whoosh! Boom!'
Irina's battle with the Gale Wolves was fierce. She moved with astonishing speed, her fiery red hair billowing like wild hellfire as she dodged the wolves' attacks and countered with precise strikes.
She grinned from ear to ear as she unleashed fire attacks on the wolves. Thanks to her reinforced boots, she moved faster than a normal mage.
"Now take a look at this!"
She unleashed bursts of scorching magic, burning the air and leaving trails of flame. The wolf attempted to retaliate with wind-based abilities, but Irina's increased agility allowed her to easily dodge the attacks.
Her control over magic is also incredibly perfect, almost at the level of a professional hunter, and she's only a freshman. That alone shows how much potential she has.
Their battle intensified, and I could see the excitement in Irina's eyes as she faced the powerful monster. Despite its ferocity and strength, she showed no fear or hesitation.
'Whoosh! Boom!'
With lightning speed, she pounced, unleashing a series of precise punches, each infused with scorching magical power. The wolf attempted to retaliate, but Irina's speed was too fast and too unpredictable, leaving the monster frustrated and bewildered.
“You have to be faster!” she laughed, her eyes gleaming with excitement. The Gale Wolf roared in response, but it was no match for Irina’s relentless attacks.
But at that moment, a chill ran through me...