It's menacing figure stood before Arthur.–blood red eyes and thick black fur and sharp jagged teeth. Normally, any adventurer below it's level would be shaking from fright. But Arthur wasn't your average normal adventurer.–He was just anyone , he was a Sage.
"Come on Bingo, let's do this." He taunted with a smile.
"Graaar!!!" It kicked the ground hard, raising dust as it flew towards Arthur with incredible speed, it's imposing frame going in for a claw attack at his chest, but Just like earlier, Arthur managed to dodge it's attack by a hair's breath.
'That was close.'
Although he was just dodging, his attempts to counter proved futile as his opponent was just that fast.
'My stamina won't be able to keep up at this rate.'
Just as he was contemplating his plan of action, right before his eyes, his adversary vanished into thin air in a puff of smoke, almost like ash.
"What the? Where'd it go?"
He asked unsure if whether it ran away or was something else entirely. His answer came sooner than he expected as a sharp pain erupted from his back.
"A... Sneak attack?! I knew it could use magic, but this is just insane!" Snapped Arthur as his adversary delivered a claw mark to his back.
"Damn you!" He cursed as the Ash wolf launched itself at him again while going in for a headbutt this time that connected with his side and sent Arthur crashing into a nearby tree.
"Arrrgh!"
He felt a few of his bones break on impact as he slid down the tree trunk, staining it's bark with blood.
"I guess this is it for me huh?
'NO!'
"In the end I still wasn't strong enough.
"YOU'RE WRONG!!"
"I'm not a hero... I had no chance of winning from the start...
"THAT'S A LIE!!!
"Maybe I should just let it end me h-"
"GET UP AND FIGHT ARTHUR!!!!!"
It was faint, subtle and serene, and yet the voice in his head sounded daring and commanding telling to not give up.
A little flash of his memories caused Arthur to jerk a bit as he still lay on the ground.
"How could I ever forget... Tch" he clicked his tongue. "Nah... This isn't my burial ground." He muttered. "I'm not gonna die here," be added. "I won't..." He declared, staring daggers at his st his adversary.
'But how do I win?' He asked himself. 'wait there was that one skill I haven't tested yet.' he thought with a smirk.
"Now,... Unique skill,... Eyes of Divinity."
•••
"Arthur leaned under the tree, as he continued losing to his injuries. Apparently, the goddess' blessing he received didn't work on his bleeding. Causing his injuries to worsen by the second.
"Now... Unique skill... Eyes of Divinity."
He spoke aloud as he activated his unique skill. Even Arthur was oblivious to what it could do as he never got the chance to test it out.
Then in an instant, Arthurs ruby Irises glowed a bit brighter than before, while swirling with bright radiant energy. If one looked into his eyes, it wouldn't be hard to resist the majestic and otherworldly eyes—eyes possessed by divine beings—eyes of divinity.
He could feel it, it was as if his e6were now somehow opened. He couldn't tell what it it did, but right now he was about to find out.
The Ash wolf already had its mouth ajar to tear him into shreds. It's horrific jagged teeth carrying stench of death.
His ruby irises shimmered to life, pulsing with radiant energy. The world around him slowed, or at least it felt that way. Every detail sharpened—he could see the shift in the wolf's shoulders, the subtle twitch of its hind legs, the way its breathing changed just before it attacked.
I see it... the path it's about to take.
An afterimage formed faintly in his vision, a ghostly projection of the wolf lunging toward him. A second later, the real beast followed the exact same trajectory. Eyes of Divinity didn't just let him predict—it let him see.
Arthur smirked despite the pain. "You're fast… but now you're see-through."
The Ash Wolf pounced, claws extended and fangs wide, aiming for his throat. But Arthur spun low under the leap with a burst of mana-enhanced reflexes. Dust exploded around him as he dragged his blade along the ground, catching the creature mid-air with a sweeping slash across its flank.
"Graaargh!!" the wolf snarled, twisting in pain, but recovered quickly and countered with a slash of its own. Arthur raised his sword just in time to block it, the force of the impact jolting through his already-wounded arms. Sparks flew. They clashed again, then again—Arthur's sword ringing out each time it met claw or fang.
He staggered back, gritting his teeth. Still too strong... I need to end this now.
The Ash Wolf came again, this time with a feint—left paw, then jaws—but Arthur's divine sight caught it. His eyes widened with certainty. He sidestepped at the perfect angle, letting the wolf's momentum carry it past him.
He raised his blade high, now pulsing with mana. "Let's finish this!"
He brought it down with a roar,
"Mana Slash!!"
The blade glowed white-blue and carved through the wolf's side with explosive force, splitting it cleanly in half. As he was finally notified of its kill.
___________
> Congratulations, you have slain an Ash Wolf.
Congratulations, you have defeated an enemy 7 levels above you.
+40 XP
___________
"Fi..naly"
Arthur whispered, as his vision faded and darkness crept in. But deep down he knew he couldn't afford to drop here—He has to leave.
He glanced at his HP that was now already below half due to his bleeding
"Adventurer's Guild... Here I come."