The wolf's skill propels him like a rocket, and I barely manage to attack him as he passes by me. While bracing myself and strengthening with mana, I ram into his side with my shoulder first, using enough force to push him to the side just in time to give Tess an opportunity to reposition.
She moves further back, and several spears start floating around her, ready for her to grab and throw.
I am once again pushed away by the monster's skill, and he dashes at her again.
Immediately, three spears come flying at him. While moving incredibly fast, he ducks under one, dodges the second, and activates his skill again to push away the third spear.
A light flashes on its teeth, and it opens its terrifying maw and propels himself again with a dust cloud trailing behind him.
Tess holds her position up until the last moment, and when he is about to reach her, she activates her [Psychokinesis] at full force.
For a second, two similar skills clash, creating a shockwave that hits me and causes the trees to creak under pressure as if a strong wind is hitting them. The ground beneath them cracks, and dust comes flying away from the place where their skills met.
The girl's face is focused, and she gives it her all, and her mana shines beautifully in my [Mana Perception], but in the end, she is thrown away by the Crimsonwolf's skill.
But I am there right after, with my sword back in hand and the blade coated in wildly oscillating mana.
My attack is about to hit the monster when it gets stopped, and then, as I am unable to hold it, the sword flies away from my hand with an insane push from the wolf.
Not wasting a second after losing the sword, I dodge under the monster's bite and stab at the wolf with my fingers while using [Oscillation].
Again, a strong push of mana throws me away, but this time I miss the tree and just roll on the ground to reduce the impact.
I hear a roar, and when I look up, there is a spear sticking out from the wolf's left hind leg.
Immediately, I rush back at the wolf while keeping my body as low as possible while still being able to run fast.
My heart pumps like crazy and sends wave after wave of mana through my body. I immediately take it and send it through my muscles.
More.
Faster.
Take it, use it, expend it.
My body starts heating up, and I jump to the side, feeling something with my [Mana Perception].
The force of the wolf's attack barely misses me and makes me stagger a bit, but I quickly regain my balance and continue.
The monster's eyes stay glued to me. They are still calm, wild, and dangerous.
Another spear flies at him, but he deflects it without even turning around and then propels himself towards me with his mouth wide open.
I duck and roll under the wolf, and behind me, I hear the terrifying noise of its mouth shutting down.
As I pass under the monster, I put more mana into my finger and make a deep wound on his belly with [Oscillation].
My body feels so hot. I feel my Mana Circuit working in overdrive. It's as if the blood is boiling in my veins, and I feel as if I am about to lose control of my mana.
So, I [Focus] more.
[Focus Lvl 4 > Focus Lvl 5]
While letting out a scary noise, a spear passes by me, and the wolf dodges it while turning back to me.
Even wounded, he still looks composed and charges at me again without any hesitation.
Another spear is passing by me, and I grab it right from the air. Immediately after, I point two fingers at the ground.
I lower my body to avoid getting pushed, and the repulsive force intended for the spear hits me, slightly pushing me away from the wolf.
When it's gone, I throw the spear at him while charging again.
The wolf dodges my spear and bites at me.
At the last moment, I duck my head to the side and the monster's shoulder hits my body, but the spear passes through where my head was and burrows deep into its mouth.
This time he roars with pain, and I grab his fur.
As he uses his skill, I continue to hold onto him with my left hand while my legs fly into the air. When the skill stops, I stab my fingers coated in oscillating mana as deep as I can into its neck.
Again and again.
I quickly stab four times before the force of his mana pushes me away.
"Sword," I hear from Tess and put my hand in the air.
With her [Psychokinesis], she sends the sword back into my hand, and I grab it.
The majestic monster's white fur is now covered in blood, as red as its eyes.
Yet, he still calmly tracks my movement with his eyes.
He pushes again, and this time even drops of his blood fly away from him at the epicenter.
After the skill stops, he attacks and immediately pauses as a shower of hundreds of small stones, twigs, and pieces of wood rush at him. Each piece is moving fast enough to kill a human back on Earth.
The shower gets reflected easily, and immediately after, a spear burrows deep into his neck.
There is no roar; he looks down at the spear and then back at us and jumps back to dodge my attack. A stone as big as my head rushes at him, and he tilts his head to dodge it, but then I cut off his front leg with a blade humming with mana.
He loses balance, and the stone that missed him comes flying back from behind and hits the back of his head.
The monster staggers even more, and I leave a deep cut in its neck, creating a bloody line on his beautiful white fur.
For the last time, my body is thrown away, I roll on the ground and jump back on my legs.
This time, the sword is still in my hand.
The Crimsonwolf forces his body back on his three legs and looks at us, majestically and proudly. The light slowly disappears from its eyes, and we get the message.
[You have defeated the CrimsonWolf - lvl 12]
[Lvl 10 > Lvl 11]
Only then does the monster fall to the ground.
I breathe out and slowly exit the deep state of my [Focus]. But I continue to strengthen my body a little bit to deal with the aftereffects of the fight.
Tess and I cautiously approach the fallen Crimsonwolf. Even being 99% sure that he is dead, my body tenses as we move closer, waiting for another wave of mana.
"His skill felt similar to Kim's," Tess starts. The spears are already back and flying around her, and she keeps looking around while we get closer to the corpse.
I quickly invest two points into constitution and one into mana.
"Not to yours?"
She shakes her head.
"It felt different from mine. He was much stronger, but he could only push."
I see. Well, it's not like it matters that much now.
Tess says what I'm thinking.
"I think the monsters with names such as Cinderbear or Crimsonwolf are much more dangerous than just a normal wolf or bear."
And I agree with her. Let's be a bit more careful, even if the monster is at a lower level.
Hmm, what now? I really don't feel like skinning the wolf.
The thought of skinning its corpse feels... not good.
Sure, I can do it, but I won't if I don't have to.
Let's leave it.
We don't lack animal hides right now, and the meat of wolves doesn't taste that good.
"Did you level up?" As we unanimously start walking back to camp, I ask Tess, and the answer is just a short nod.
Now I am curious.
Not only about what she will pick but also about the traits themselves. Just the description of the trait can be a hint as to what should be possible to do with mana. So we both impatiently rush back, and after drinking some water and eating some food, we go into the corner of the cave, and Tess tells me about her traits.
Unlike me, she got offered only seven traits:
Mana-Infused Musculature (Passive)
The user's muscles are imbued with mana, providing them with increased strength and endurance. This trait enables them to perform feats of physical prowess beyond the capabilities of ordinary individuals.
Accelerated Recovery (Passive)
The user's body is able to recover from injuries and fatigue more quickly than normal, thanks to an infusion of mana that accelerates their natural healing processes. This trait allows them to maintain peak performance during extended periods of physical exertion.
Farsight-Enhanced Reflexes (Passive)
The user's farsight ability is integrated with their reflexes, enabling them to respond to threats and react to changes in their environment with exceptional speed and precision. This trait grants them a significant advantage in both offensive and defensive situations.
Psychic Shielding (Passive)
The user's psychic abilities generate a protective aura that shields them from mental attacks and psychic intrusions. This trait grants them increased resistance to mind-altering effects and enhanced mental fortitude.
Kinetic Absorption (Passive)
The user's body is able to absorb and store kinetic energy from impacts, allowing them to reduce the damage taken from physical attacks. This stored energy can be released in a burst, enhancing their own attacks or movements.
Mana-Enhanced Agility (Passive)
The user's agility and dexterity are amplified by their connection to mana, allowing them to perform acrobatic feats and evade attacks with ease. This trait improves their overall mobility and responsiveness in combat.
Psychic Focus (Passive)
The user's ability to concentrate and maintain their psychic powers is significantly improved, allowing them to utilize their abilities more effectively and efficiently. This trait enhances their overall control and precision when using psychokinetic powers.
In the end, Tess decides on Psychic Focus and I leave her so she can get over the pain of acquiring the trait on her own.
The wolf's skill propels him like a rocket, and I barely manage to attack him as he passes by me. While bracing myself and strengthening with mana, I ram into his side with my shoulder first, using enough force to push him to the side just in time to give Tess an opportunity to reposition.
She moves further back, and several spears start floating around her, ready for her to grab and throw.
I am once again pushed away by the monster's skill, and he dashes at her again.
Immediately, three spears come flying at him. While moving incredibly fast, he ducks under one, dodges the second, and activates his skill again to push away the third spear.
A light flashes on its teeth, and it opens its terrifying maw and propels himself again with a dust cloud trailing behind him.
Tess holds her position up until the last moment, and when he is about to reach her, she activates her [Psychokinesis] at full force.
For a second, two similar skills clash, creating a shockwave that hits me and causes the trees to creak under pressure as if a strong wind is hitting them. The ground beneath them cracks, and dust comes flying away from the place where their skills met.
The girl's face is focused, and she gives it her all, and her mana shines beautifully in my [Mana Perception], but in the end, she is thrown away by the Crimsonwolf's skill.
But I am there right after, with my sword back in hand and the blade coated in wildly oscillating mana.
My attack is about to hit the monster when it gets stopped, and then, as I am unable to hold it, the sword flies away from my hand with an insane push from the wolf.
Not wasting a second after losing the sword, I dodge under the monster's bite and stab at the wolf with my fingers while using [Oscillation].
Again, a strong push of mana throws me away, but this time I miss the tree and just roll on the ground to reduce the impact.
I hear a roar, and when I look up, there is a spear sticking out from the wolf's left hind leg.
Immediately, I rush back at the wolf while keeping my body as low as possible while still being able to run fast.
My heart pumps like crazy and sends wave after wave of mana through my body. I immediately take it and send it through my muscles.
More.
Faster.
Take it, use it, expend it.
My body starts heating up, and I jump to the side, feeling something with my [Mana Perception].
The force of the wolf's attack barely misses me and makes me stagger a bit, but I quickly regain my balance and continue.
The monster's eyes stay glued to me. They are still calm, wild, and dangerous.
Another spear flies at him, but he deflects it without even turning around and then propels himself towards me with his mouth wide open.
I duck and roll under the wolf, and behind me, I hear the terrifying noise of its mouth shutting down.
As I pass under the monster, I put more mana into my finger and make a deep wound on his belly with [Oscillation].
My body feels so hot. I feel my Mana Circuit working in overdrive. It's as if the blood is boiling in my veins, and I feel as if I am about to lose control of my mana.
So, I [Focus] more.
[Focus Lvl 4 > Focus Lvl 5]
While letting out a scary noise, a spear passes by me, and the wolf dodges it while turning back to me.
Even wounded, he still looks composed and charges at me again without any hesitation.
Another spear is passing by me, and I grab it right from the air. Immediately after, I point two fingers at the ground.
I lower my body to avoid getting pushed, and the repulsive force intended for the spear hits me, slightly pushing me away from the wolf.
When it's gone, I throw the spear at him while charging again.
The wolf dodges my spear and bites at me.
At the last moment, I duck my head to the side and the monster's shoulder hits my body, but the spear passes through where my head was and burrows deep into its mouth.
This time he roars with pain, and I grab his fur.
As he uses his skill, I continue to hold onto him with my left hand while my legs fly into the air. When the skill stops, I stab my fingers coated in oscillating mana as deep as I can into its neck.
Again and again.
I quickly stab four times before the force of his mana pushes me away.
"Sword," I hear from Tess and put my hand in the air.
With her [Psychokinesis], she sends the sword back into my hand, and I grab it.
The majestic monster's white fur is now covered in blood, as red as its eyes.
Yet, he still calmly tracks my movement with his eyes.
He pushes again, and this time even drops of his blood fly away from him at the epicenter.
After the skill stops, he attacks and immediately pauses as a shower of hundreds of small stones, twigs, and pieces of wood rush at him. Each piece is moving fast enough to kill a human back on Earth.
The shower gets reflected easily, and immediately after, a spear burrows deep into his neck.
There is no roar; he looks down at the spear and then back at us and jumps back to dodge my attack. A stone as big as my head rushes at him, and he tilts his head to dodge it, but then I cut off his front leg with a blade humming with mana.
He loses balance, and the stone that missed him comes flying back from behind and hits the back of his head.
The monster staggers even more, and I leave a deep cut in its neck, creating a bloody line on his beautiful white fur.
For the last time, my body is thrown away, I roll on the ground and jump back on my legs.
This time, the sword is still in my hand.
The Crimsonwolf forces his body back on his three legs and looks at us, majestically and proudly. The light slowly disappears from its eyes, and we get the message.
[You have defeated the CrimsonWolf - lvl 12]
[Lvl 10 > Lvl 11]
Only then does the monster fall to the ground.
I breathe out and slowly exit the deep state of my [Focus]. But I continue to strengthen my body a little bit to deal with the aftereffects of the fight.
Tess and I cautiously approach the fallen Crimsonwolf. Even being 99% sure that he is dead, my body tenses as we move closer, waiting for another wave of mana.
"His skill felt similar to Kim's," Tess starts. The spears are already back and flying around her, and she keeps looking around while we get closer to the corpse.
I quickly invest two points into constitution and one into mana.
"Not to yours?"
She shakes her head.
"It felt different from mine. He was much stronger, but he could only push."
I see. Well, it's not like it matters that much now.
Tess says what I'm thinking.
"I think the monsters with names such as Cinderbear or Crimsonwolf are much more dangerous than just a normal wolf or bear."
And I agree with her. Let's be a bit more careful, even if the monster is at a lower level.
Hmm, what now? I really don't feel like skinning the wolf.
The thought of skinning its corpse feels... not good.
Sure, I can do it, but I won't if I don't have to.
Let's leave it.
We don't lack animal hides right now, and the meat of wolves doesn't taste that good.
"Did you level up?" As we unanimously start walking back to camp, I ask Tess, and the answer is just a short nod.
Now I am curious.
Not only about what she will pick but also about the traits themselves. Just the description of the trait can be a hint as to what should be possible to do with mana. So we both impatiently rush back, and after drinking some water and eating some food, we go into the corner of the cave, and Tess tells me about her traits.
Unlike me, she got offered only seven traits:
Mana-Infused Musculature (Passive)
The user's muscles are imbued with mana, providing them with increased strength and endurance. This trait enables them to perform feats of physical prowess beyond the capabilities of ordinary individuals.
Accelerated Recovery (Passive)
The user's body is able to recover from injuries and fatigue more quickly than normal, thanks to an infusion of mana that accelerates their natural healing processes. This trait allows them to maintain peak performance during extended periods of physical exertion.
Farsight-Enhanced Reflexes (Passive)
The user's farsight ability is integrated with their reflexes, enabling them to respond to threats and react to changes in their environment with exceptional speed and precision. This trait grants them a significant advantage in both offensive and defensive situations.
Psychic Shielding (Passive)
The user's psychic abilities generate a protective aura that shields them from mental attacks and psychic intrusions. This trait grants them increased resistance to mind-altering effects and enhanced mental fortitude.
Kinetic Absorption (Passive)
The user's body is able to absorb and store kinetic energy from impacts, allowing them to reduce the damage taken from physical attacks. This stored energy can be released in a burst, enhancing their own attacks or movements.
Mana-Enhanced Agility (Passive)
The user's agility and dexterity are amplified by their connection to mana, allowing them to perform acrobatic feats and evade attacks with ease. This trait improves their overall mobility and responsiveness in combat.
Psychic Focus (Passive)
The user's ability to concentrate and maintain their psychic powers is significantly improved, allowing them to utilize their abilities more effectively and efficiently. This trait enhances their overall control and precision when using psychokinetic powers.
In the end, Tess decides on Psychic Focus and I leave her so she can get over the pain of acquiring the trait on her own.
