章 13: The first trial: Defiance in the Wilderness
As Adam's figure drew closer to the ground, he gathered his strength and suddenly jumped, landing two meters away from the trunk before immediately exploding into a mad dash in the carcass' direction.
The wolves instantly growled in anger, determined to avenge their leader. Dirt flew as their legs kicked the ground, and their bodies cut the wind like arrows.
Gritting his teeth after hearing the concerning sounds swiftly approaching, he hastily jumped over the bear and hid behind its body.
In this position, stuck between the carcass and the tree, the wolves could only attack from the front by jumping or the sides.
He lowered his body, planting his feet firmly on the ground and braced for the most dangerous and maybe last battle of his life; his mind focused on survival only as the first wolf reached the bear in the blink of an eye.
Carried by its terrifying speed, above fifty kilometers, it jumped, its maw wide open and its teeth glinting ominously amidst the pungent smell of blood towards Adam's neck, determined to shred it.
"That's exactly what I have been waiting for!" Adam screamed as the past few hours of planning and innumerable simulations he conducted raced through his mind.
His hips pivoted, increasing his body's momentum as he thrust his spear forward, aiming for the most dangerous weapon of the wolf but also the most vulnerable in its situation.
Carried by its momentum and midair, he knew the wolf couldn't use his natural advantage in speed to dodge the strike.
The pointed tip of his makeshift spear cut through the wind as his arms bent under the impact. However, his eyes glinted as he pierced the beast's mouth, lodging the spear deep into its inside.
Yet, before he could rejoice, alarms rang in his mind as the body's momentum carried over, forcing his back to collide with the trunk behind violently.
'Shit!' He thought, panic gripping his heart as he lost balance, anticipating the attack of his second adversary.
The second wolf, more cunning than the first, circled the body, cleverly avoiding the spikes its leader walked on and closed in, murder in its eyes.
Straining his muscles, he hastily threw the dead wolf to regain his freedom of movement. Alas, the second wolf wouldn't give him enough time, as it was already closing in.
Despite the dangerous situation, a sly smirk spread across his face.
"You've fallen right into my trap, fool!" He exclaimed, trembling in excitement as the wolf pierced all four of its paws on the hidden trap.
Chaos descended as it howled in pain and anger, its eyes ablaze with fury.
Despite the pain, it continued its charge, unrelenting in its objective to destroy the hateful man in front of it, no matter the cost.
As it pounced in, aiming to end things swiftly and return to his pack, Adam's eyes widened in shock. That wasn't part of his plan. His cognitive ability froze. Death was already upon him as the terrifying maw closed on his neck.
His right arm suddenly shot defensively in front of his vulnerable neck. Instinct compelled him to sacrifice it to save his life as the pain cleared his mind.
"ARGGGGG! It hurts, fucker!" He screamed, his eyes bloodshot after experiencing the bite of a wild beast for the first time in his life as he fell on his back.
Yet the wolf persisted, its jaws reopening to gnash down on his forearm, rending it into a mangled mess of blood. The bone cracked, blood oozing forth in a crimson cascade.
Confronted with a pain he had never experienced before and left with no time to think, He clamped his legs around the wolf's jaws, forcing them shut, as he swiftly reached into his pocket with his left arm.
Retrieving something pointy, his arm shot into action, piercing the wolf's neck in a rain of blood.
"You want my neck. I'll have yours first. No matter how you try to end me, I'll end you the same way before, hahahaha." He madly laughed as he pushed the bear's fang deeper, drawing strength from his desperation.
The beast's eyes glinted with fear as its life ebbed away with each drop of blood. Unable to open its maw, it bit down harder in a desperate, unwilling struggle.
As the minutes passed, its eyes lost their light as the strength of the bite diminished.
Feeling the change, Adam retrieved his arm and pried the maw open with difficulty, his mind a chaotic mess of joy, pain and madness as he noticed its state. His once perfectly healthy and muscled forearm was now dangling and filled with holes.
"Join the bear in hell, fucker," he said, gazing hatefully at the wolf before stomping on its mouth to knock its teeth and retrieve its fangs.
'I'll keep them as a trophy and a reminder. But also to brag, I mean, mainly to brag.' Adam thought while climbing the tree behind him with difficulties, using only his left arm and legs to carry his weight.
Once he reached a branch high enough to feel safe, he relaxed for a minute, exhaustion overwhelming him. Then, he shredded his t-shirt in several pieces and bandaged his wound as tightly as he could to stop the bleeding before using branches to create an arm sling.
"Interface," He muttered, doubts filling his thoughts.
Hp: 2/8
Remaining time: Thirty-five minutes.
Progress: 4/5
Note: Internal organs are slightly damaged. Soul is heavily damaged. Significant blood loss. You almost succeeded in killing yourself. Courage, you can do it!
Cough, cough, cough.
Adam swallowed his saliva the wrong way and ended in a fit of cough after reading the system's message.
"Who gave me this shitty system?! Take it back and give me a better one!" He yelled in exasperation, not knowing why his system added mocking notes each time.
With a sigh of frustration, he pondered his options. He was too wounded and tired to move from his place. He could only wait for a beast to be drawn by the rich scent of blood to ambush it if he wanted to reach the five-kill target.
Time drifted away as his hands trembled with impatience. Filled with anxiousness, he scrutinised the timer as it went down to ten minutes, then five, then two.
"Are things really going to end like that?" He muttered, his voice cracking with a mixture of despair and disbelief, his eyes brimming with unshed tears.
With only sixty seconds left, realisation struck him. He had failed. Despite his plans, his determination and the risks taken, he still failed.
However, as the timer reached ten seconds, the progress count changed from 4 to 5/5.
"Jackpot!" He exclaimed, his mood shifting instantly as a broad smile covered his face.
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