C6 It Turned out to be a Devil Beast!

"Awoo! Awoo!"

Wolf howls echoed across the grasslands.

The little snow wolf was rapidly tiring.

As its pace slowed, an adult wolf gained ground, baring its fangs and aiming for the youngster's neck.

"Awoo! Awoo!"

Sensing imminent death, the little snow wolf issued a desperate howl.

"Swoosh! Swoosh!"

Two sharp whistles cut through the air as palm-sized stones hurtled forward, one striking the adult snow wolf's neck, the other lodging in its throat!

"Awoo..."

The snow wolf collapsed in agony, blood spilling from its mouth, until it lay motionless on the ground.

This turn of events made the remaining four snow wolves hesitate, baring their teeth and fixing their bloodshot, murderous gaze on the human before them.

Meanwhile, the little snow wolf scampered over to Rinn, its short legs moving quickly.

"Awoo! Awoo!"

It whimpered childishly, nuzzling Rinn's ankle in a sincere show of thanks.

"Little Snow Wolf, you're adorable, but now's not the time for cuddles," Rinn murmured, glancing at the fallen wolf with a hint of relief.

Before his father's passing, his foolish old master used to skip stones in the river behind the town, honing his aim over time. Little did Rinn expect that this stone-throwing skill would come in handy today, taking down a vicious predator.

"Killing a snow wolf awards +5 experience points."

The system's voice rang in his mind, confirming the five-point increase.

"Five points per wolf? That means these four snow wolves are worth twenty points," Rinn mused, his eyes gleaming with avarice.

But then, catching sight of the snarling wolves, he snapped back to reality and scanned his surroundings.

"Damn it! No more stones. I can't exactly go bare-knuckle brawling with them, can I?"

Rinn's whole body jolted with a start.

This was no game.

What if he tried to trade blows and ended up bitten by the wolves?

The pain would be unbearable.

Rinn couldn't assure himself he'd be able to withstand it.

"And what if they gang up on me, all alone as I am?"

With that thought, Rinn nervously attempted to embrace the little snow wolf.

In Ghul's tales, wolves were depicted as cruel, cunning creatures, and extending a hand towards them was strictly forbidden.

But Rinn was beyond such concerns now.

He trusted that the little snow wolf before him wouldn't ambush him.

Its eyes were just too innocent.

"Awoo! Awoo!"

Sure enough, the little snow wolf showed no signs of aggression. Once in Rinn's arms, it wriggled about, occasionally glaring with its large eyes at the pursuers and letting out mocking howls.

"Awoo! Awoo! Awoo!"

Several adult snow wolves appeared to be enraged.

They bared their teeth, unleashing powerful howls that echoed piercingly through the air. Rinn winced, "This isn't good. Are they calling for backup?"

Rinn had already lost faith in his ability to handle these four snow wolves.

If more of their pack arrived, he feared his luck would run out.

Without hesitation, he scooped up the little snow wolf and bolted.

"Awoo!"

The roar of the pursuing snow wolves thundered behind him, their legs pounding as they gave chase!

The howling sent chills down Rinn's spine, his courage nearly deserting him.

If he had a weapon, maybe he'd stand a chance in a direct confrontation.

But unarmed against the sharp fangs of the snow wolves? No chance at all.

Oblivious to the peril, the little snow wolf in Rinn's arms seemed to find the situation amusing, continuing its playful howling.

Its cries only egged on the adult wolves, who responded with even louder calls and quickened their pace!

Rinn's agility had improved significantly after leveling up, but it was still just beyond that of an average adult.

Against the naturally swift snow wolves, his speed was hardly a match.

In no time at all, Rinn's back was slashed once more by the sharp claws of the snow wolf during another fierce attack.

His clothes ripped open, revealing a ghastly wound on his skin.

"Ouch! Maybe I should've boosted my Agility instead!"

Rinn was filled with regret for his rash allocation of points to Dexterity, and for his impulsive leap into the role of a hero.

The journey was long and arduous. Indeed, being a hero was no easy feat!

"Awoo! Awoo!"

The little snow wolf sensed Rinn's injury, its playful howls turning to sounds of concern. It leapt from Rinn's embrace to his shoulder, snarling at the four menacing hunters.

Sadly, its attempts at intimidation only seemed to provoke the wolves further.

"Awoo! Awoo!"

As the howls drew closer, Rinn felt tears welling up.

"Little wolf... please, don't make them angrier..."

Gasping for breath, Rinn spoke while the town gradually came into view.

"Hey! The town's right there! Once I make it back, someone will surely come to my rescue!"

A wave of relief washed over Rinn, but was quickly replaced by another sharp jolt of pain in his back.

"So painful!"

Rinn was certain he had been slashed again, his face contorting with agony.

"I can't go on like this; I won't make it to the town alive! I need a plan!"

His mind racing, Rinn's eyes inadvertently fell upon the rice fields lining the road, and an idea sparked.

"I've got it!"

Ignoring the throbbing pain in his back, Rinn dove into the rice field and made a beeline for its center.

The muddy terrain slowed him down, but the wolves were also hindered, their pace reduced.

Soon enough, Rinn heard the wolves' panting closing in behind him.

But there was good news: the scarecrow he had been hoping for was now right before his eyes!

"A scarecrow! My luck hasn't run out yet!"

Elated, Rinn set the little snow wolf down in the mud, grasped the scarecrow's pole, and yanked it out with all his might.

Thankfully, the pole wasn't planted too deeply, and Rinn managed to extract it, now armed and ready.

"Awoo! Awoo!"

The howl of the snow wolf pierced the air, sending a shiver down Rinn's spine. In a swift motion, he seized the scarecrow's pole and swung it behind him.

Bang!

By sheer chance, the pole struck the face of an oncoming snow wolf.

"Wuwu!"

The wolf tumbled into the mud, its cries of pain echoing around.

In that moment, the remaining three wolves, seeing their comrade injured, ceased their reckless assault. They circled Rinn, positioning themselves in three directions, their eyes filled with malice.

"Just like Teacher Ghul said, wolves excel in encirclement tactics!"

Rinn swallowed hard, his nerves on edge.

"Awoo!"

Simultaneously, the trio of snow wolves let out a chorus of howls, lunging at Rinn from all sides.

"I'm going all in!"

Rinn knew this was no time for fear. He swung the pole with all his might, striking a snow wolf squarely on the head.

Empowered by a strength attribute of 2.8, the blow was mighty and the wolf was knocked out cold, silent and motionless on the ground.

But this left Rinn vulnerable; his back and flank were viciously clamped by the jaws of another wolf.

"Ah!"

Pain surged through him, causing sweat to bead on his brow. He jerked his elbow back, jabbing it into the belly of the wolf.

"Awoo!"

The wolf yelped and released its grip. Rinn wasted no time, turning and bringing his pole down hard.

Bang!

Another wolf hit the dirt.

Yet, Rinn's relief was short-lived. As he spun around, he was met with the gaping maw of the last snow wolf, aiming for his throat.

Panic surged through him. He tried to react, to block, but he was a fraction too late.

"Not good! A neck bite means certain death!"

In the nick of time, a streak of green light flashed by, striking the wolf in the belly.

The wolf was sent hurtling through the air as if struck by a bull, landing with a gruesome thud, its insides spilled out in a grisly display.

"What... What just happened?"

Rinn stood there, dumbfounded, unable to comprehend the sudden turn of events.

He turned to the small snow wolf, panting with its tongue out, looking up at him with wide, innocent eyes. Puzzled, he asked, "Was that burst of light your doing?"

"Awoo!"

The little snow wolf wagged its tail and opened its jaws toward the straw pile not far away.

"Whoosh!"

A green wind blade shot from its mouth, slicing through the straw pile and neatly cleaving the massive bundle in two!

"It's really you!"

Rinn was astonished and quickly cast an exploration spell.

"Wind Spirit Wolf, a juvenile Devil Beast, Normal Level, Strength 0.5, Agility 1.7, Intelligence 2.0, Skill: Wind Blade Slash..."

"This little one isn't just a snow wolf; it's a Devil Beast Wind Spirit Wolf!"

Rinn was dumbfounded. In his past life, Divine Kingdom was merely in its testing phase.

Devil Beasts were only mentioned in expansion packs and had yet to make an official appearance.

From what the former owner knew, Devil Beasts were feared by all humanity across the continent.

They were a rare breed, with perhaps one evolving from every hundred wild beasts. Their power was far more formidable and dangerous than that of ordinary beasts, possessing a variety of magical abilities, making them the archenemies of knights.

Rinn was perplexed by one thing.

If this little one was a Devil Beast, why hadn't it fought back sooner?

Why endure such a harrowing ordeal?

As Rinn pondered, the Wind Spirit Wolf scampered over on its stubby legs, nuzzling his calf incessantly.

The dirt had darkened its fur, stripping away its former cuteness.

Yet, Rinn couldn't help but find the creature endearingly clumsy. He stroked its small head and smiled warmly.

"Regardless, I saved you, and you saved me. We're square now."