"System, analyze that wolf's stats."
[Wind Wolf (Rank 1)
Level 16
Stats:
Strength: 35
Speed: 52
Defense: 28
Agility: 48
Intelligence: 30
HP: 180/180
Skills: Wind Step, Wind Slash]
My eyes widened at those numbers. Its Speed and Agility were off the charts compared to mine.
The wolf's muscles bunched, and in a blur of silver-gray, it crossed the cave. I barely rolled left as its jaws snapped where my neck had been. The wind of its passage ruffled my fur.
I gathered mana for an Ice Spear, aiming where the wolf landed - but it was already gone. My spell hit empty air as the creature danced away, moving like smoke in a breeze.
"Hold still, damn it!" I launched another Ice Spear, this one faster, but the wolf simply stepped aside. It wasn't even running - just slight, efficient movements that made my attacks look clumsy.
Three more Ice Spears, three more misses. Each dodge seemed easier than the last, like the wolf was mocking me. My mana drained with each failed spell while it hadn't even used any of its skills yet.
The wolf's blue eyes tracked my movements, calculating, measuring. I recognized that look - it was the same way I'd watched those rabbits on my first day. But now I was the prey.
My regular casting speed was useless. By the time I gathered mana and shaped it into a spear, the wolf had already read my movements and positioned itself for an easy dodge. Traditional spellcasting wouldn't work against something this fast.
The wolf's mocking expression sparked something in my mind. All this time, I'd been forcing my mana into these big, showy Ice Spears - exactly what the System had warned me against. Like filling a teacup with a fire hose.
I drew a sharp breath, reaching for that cool stream of power. Instead of gathering it into one massive burst, I let it flow naturally, splitting into smaller currents. The mana responded instantly, crystallizing into a dozen tiny Ice Spikes.
The wolf's eyes widened as I released the volley. It twisted away from the first few spikes, but the spread was too wide to completely avoid. One shard caught its back leg, drawing a thin line of blood.
My heart leaped. Finally, a hit! The wolf's graceful movements hitched, its wounded leg throwing off its perfect rhythm. Its blue eyes narrowed, no longer holding that superior gleam.
"Not so easy to dodge when there's more than one target, is it?"
I formed another cluster of Ice Spikes, each one using a fraction of the mana my Spears had wasted. The wolf snarled, forced to actually run this time as I peppered the cave with crystalline projectiles.
Blood dripped from its injured leg, staining the stone floor. Its wind-quick movements had slowed just enough to matter. Now we'd see who the real predator was.
The wolf limped backward, searching for an escape route. Perfect. I channeled mana through my core, feeling that familiar cool stream split and reshape. An Ice Wall erupted from the ground behind it, blocking its retreat. The crystalline barrier gleamed in the dim cave light, trapping us both in this deadly dance.
Its eyes darted left and right, seeking another way out. But I wasn't giving it one. More mana flowed, easier now that I understood its patterns. Ice Spears materialized around me, hovering like frozen sentinels. Each one used barely a quarter of the mana I'd wasted before.
The wolf tried to dash sideways, but its injured leg betrayed it. My spears struck true this time, pinning its haunches to the ground. Blood stained its silver-gray fur as it thrashed and snarled, trying to break free. Its breath came in ragged gasps, misting in the cold air my ice magic had created.
I gathered my remaining mana, pulling every last drop into one final spear. This one I shaped carefully, making it longer, sharper, deadlier than the others. The wolf's blue eyes met mine one last time, and I saw something there - not fear, but recognition. One predator acknowledging another.
The spear flew straight and true, piercing its throat. A soft whimper escaped its lips as those calculating eyes dulled. Its body slumped forward, powerful muscles going slack.
I padded toward the fallen wolf, my breath coming in short gasps. My legs trembled - not from fear, but from the pure rush of victory. The cave floor sparkled with shards of ice, remnants of our deadly dance.
The wolf's silver-gray fur still held an ethereal beauty, even in death. I pressed my paw against its flank, feeling the last traces of warmth fade. Such a magnificent creature, brought down not by brute force, but by adaptation and control.
"System, how do I extract its Mana Core?"
[Place paw on chest. Channel remaining mana to locate core.]
I followed the instructions, sending a thin stream of power into the wolf's body. There - a pulse of energy answered mine. My claws sliced through fur and flesh until they touched something solid and warm. The core pulsed with a soft blue light as I pulled it free.
Without hesitation, I crushed it between my teeth. Sweetness flooded my mouth, followed by a surge of raw power that made my fur stand on end. Wind energy coursed through my veins, wild and untamed.
[Mana Core absorbed. +2 Stat Points. +10 Mana.]
I licked my lips, savoring the lingering sweetness. "That was different from the eagle's core."
[Higher rank creatures yield stronger cores.]
Looking at the ice-strewn battlefield, I realized how much I'd changed since my first clumsy attempts at spellcasting. Those wasteful Ice Spears could have gotten me killed. It took facing a superior opponent to truly understand what the System had been trying to teach me.
"Brute force is worthless if you can't hit your target," I muttered, studying the precise holes my smaller ice shards had made. Each tiny spike had used a fraction of the mana for twice the effectiveness.
I stretched, feeling the lingering power from the Wind Wolf's core coursing through me. A notification popped up, catching my attention.
[Quest Completed: Defeat a Superior Predator
Reward: 500 XP, 2 Skill Points and 1K store points]
[Level Up! Current Level: 13
XP: 100/800 needed for next level]
[Level Up! Current Level: 14
XP: 0/900 needed for next level]
"System, show my updated stats."
[Status Screen:
Level: 14
HP: 140/140
Mana: 115/115
Stats:
Strength: 32
Speed: 28
Defense: 25
Agility: 35
Intelligence: 40
skills
Claw 1
Bite 2
analyze 2
Dash 2
Ice Spike 1
Available Stat Points: 6
Available Skill Points: 4
store points: 2,400
My stats had jumped significantly after those two levels. The wolf's core had given me those extra stat points too. Not bad for a single fight. But I knew I couldn't rest on my laurels - there were definitely stronger creatures out there.
The cave floor was still littered with ice shards from our battle. Each one represented a lesson learned about mana control. If a Level 16 wolf had pushed me this hard, I needed to get stronger. Much stronger.
I'd have to find more powerful opponents, learn their patterns, and defeat them. Each victory would make me deadlier, more efficient. The forest held plenty of challenges - I just had to be smart about choosing my battles.
"System, what rank of creatures should I hunt next?"
[Based on current capabilities, recommend targeting Rank 1 creatures between levels 15-18. Caution advised.]
"Mark nearby Mana Beasts on my map." My whiskers twitched with anticipation. "It's time to do some serious training."