The alpha wolf's jaws clamped down on Sanji's shield with terrifying force. He could feel the wood splintering, see cracks spreading across its surface. His arms screamed in protest as he struggled to hold the creature back.
Shield Durability: 12/30
One or two more hits like that and his shield would break entirely.
Behind him, Yuki was chanting rapidly. "Ice Bolt! Ice Bolt!" Two consecutive spears of ice shot past Sanji, both striking one of the level-four wolves. -41 HP, -43 HP. The creature staggered, its health dropping below half.
The ranger girl Sanji could see her name tag now, Akane - Level 2 was firing arrows as fast as she could nock them. Her hands were steadier now that she wasn't alone. One arrow struck the same wounded wolf. -22 HP.
The second level-four wolf tried to flank around Sanji to reach Yuki. Sanji kicked out, catching it in the snout. -8 HP from his boot, but more importantly, it disrupted the attack. The wolf stumbled back, snarling.
The alpha released his shield and tried a different approach, swiping with its massive clawed paw. Sanji couldn't block in time. The claws raked across his chest armor. -38 HP.
His health dropped to 57/140. Less than half. Dangerous territory.
"Sanji!" Yuki's voice was tight with concern.
"I'm fine! Keep attacking!"
He wasn't fine. The pain was intense not just the damage numbers but actual, visceral pain across his ribs. The realism of this world was a double-edged sword. But he couldn't afford to falter now.
Using his Game Master's Eye, Sanji analyzed the alpha's attack pattern. He saw it now the creature telegraphed its moves slightly. Before each lunge, its haunches tensed. Before each swipe, its shoulder muscles bunched. Tiny tells, but enough.
The alpha's shoulder bunched.
Sanji dodged left. The massive paw swept through empty air where he'd been standing. He countered with a slash to the creature's foreleg. Critical Hit! -52 HP.
The alpha's health bar appeared: 298/350. They'd barely scratched it.
Meanwhile, the first level-four wolf finally fell under the combined assault from Yuki and Akane. It dissolved into light particles, and a level-up notification flashed for Akane. The golden light of leveling washed over her, restoring some of her health and confidence.
"One down!" Yuki called. She immediately shifted targets to the second level-four wolf. "Frost Nova!"
The ice caught both the remaining level-four wolf and the alpha, slowing them. Sanji used the opportunity to drink his second health potion. +50 HP. His health climbed back to 107/140. Much better.
"Akane, focus fire with Yuki on the level four!" Sanji commanded. "I'll keep the alpha busy!"
"O-okay!" The girl's voice trembled, but she obeyed.
The second level-four wolf became the focus of concentrated fire. Yuki's ice magic and Akane's arrows whittled down its health rapidly. Without the pressure from two wolves, Sanji could focus entirely on defense against the alpha.
He activated his Basic Swordsmanship skill for the first time, feeling knowledge flow into his muscles proper footwork, optimal angles for parrying, efficient movement patterns. It was like suddenly having years of training downloaded directly into his body.
The alpha lunged. Sanji sidestepped and slashed in one fluid motion. -31 HP.
It swiped. He ducked and stabbed upward into its chest. -34 HP.
It tried to bite. He deflected with his shield, then scored a hit on its nose. -29 HP.
They were in a deadly dance, and Sanji was learning the steps as he went. Each exchange brought him closer to understanding the creature's rhythm. His Game Master's Eye showed him the patterns, and his growing skill let him exploit them.
The second level-four wolf fell. Another notification Akane had reached level three.
"Now the alpha!" Sanji shouted. "All together!"
Three against one. The tide had turned.
Yuki unleashed a barrage of Ice Bolts, each one costing 10 MP but dealing solid damage. -39 HP, -41 HP, -38 HP. Akane's arrows, now empowered by her level-up stats, hit for more damage. -28 HP, -31 HP.
Sanji pressed the attack, his sword finding weak points between the alpha's flower petals. -35 HP, -42 HP, -37 HP.
The alpha's health dropped below 100. It howled again, but there were no other wolves to buff. The sound was one of fury and desperation now.
In its rage, the alpha became reckless. It charged Sanji with pure brute force, abandoning strategy. He braced himself, shield raised, and at the last second stepped aside like a matador. The creature's momentum carried it past him.
"Now!" he yelled.
All three of them attacked its exposed back simultaneously. Yuki's ice magic, Akane's arrows, Sanji's blade all striking within seconds of each other.
The alpha's health hit zero.
The massive creature collapsed, its body dissolving into a cascade of light particles more brilliant than the smaller wolves.
+120 EXP
Level Up!
Level 5 achieved
Alpha Wolf Pelt x1 obtained
Rare: Flower Crown Accessory obtained
Wolf Fang (Large) x2 obtained
The golden light of leveling enveloped both Sanji and Yuki. The exhaustion, the pain, the MP depletion all of it washed away in that moment of growth. Sanji's health refilled to his new maximum of 160 HP. The wounds on his chest simply ceased to exist.
For a moment, the three of them just stood there, breathing hard, processing the fact that they'd survived.
Then Akane collapsed to her knees, sobbing.
"Thank you," she gasped between tears. "Thank you, thank you, thank you. I thought I was going to die. I thought it was over."
Yuki walked over and helped her up, her expression softening. "You're okay now. What happened? Why were you out here alone fighting wolves above your level?"
Akane wiped her eyes, her voice shaking. "I was with a party. Three other people. We were hunting the level-two wolves together, and it was going well. Then we found the alpha, and they... they ran. They just left me there as bait and ran away."
Sanji's jaw clenched. So it had already begun players sacrificing others to save themselves.
"They said someone had to slow it down," Akane continued. "The guy who was leading us, he said he was sorry, but that's just how it had to be. Better one person dies than four." Fresh tears streamed down her face. "I trusted them. We'd been working together since yesterday, and they just..."
"They're cowards," Yuki said flatly. "What were their names?"
"I don't want revenge," Akane said quickly. "I just... I just don't want to be alone out here. I can't do this by myself. I'm not strong enough."
Sanji and Yuki exchanged glances. They'd agreed to work as a duo, to keep their party small and efficient. Adding a third member, especially someone lower level and traumatized, would slow them down.
The practical choice was obvious.
But Sanji thought about how close Akane had come to dying. How she'd be dead right now if they hadn't intervened. How she'd been betrayed by people she trusted.
"You can join us," he said before he could overthink it.
Yuki's eyes widened slightly. "Sanji"
"I know what we agreed," he said quietly. "But we can't just leave her. Not after what she's been through."
Yuki studied his face for a long moment, then sighed. "You really are too soft for this world." But there was no real criticism in her voice. "Fine. But Akane, you need to understand something. We take survival seriously. We fight smart, we retreat when necessary, and we don't take stupid risks. Can you follow those rules?"
Akane nodded vigorously. "Yes! Absolutely! I'll do whatever you say. I promise I won't be a burden."
"You won't be a burden," Sanji said. "You're a ranger, right? We need ranged DPS. With proper coordination, we'll be stronger as a three-person party than we were as two."
He opened his status window and sent a party invitation to Akane. She accepted immediately, and her health and MP bars appeared in his vision alongside Yuki's.
Party Formed:
Sanji (Adventurer) - Level 5
Yuki (Ice Mage) - Level 5
Akane (Ranger) - Level 3
"First priority," Yuki said, taking charge, "we get back to the village. We all need to repair equipment, restock potions, and eat. Sanji, your shield is nearly broken. Akane, you're almost out of arrows."
They were right. Sanji's shield was at 8/30 durability, and his sword wasn't much better. Akane's quiver showed only 12/50 arrows remaining.
The three of them made their way back through Shinrin Forest toward Hajimari Village. Along the way, Sanji distributed his new stat points this time spreading them more evenly, putting one point each into Strength, Agility, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Luck. As an Adventurer, he needed to maintain balance.
They encountered a few slimes on the path, but at level five, the creatures were trivial. Sanji killed them in single hits, barely breaking stride. It was a stark reminder of how much stronger they'd become in just one day.
When they reached the village gates, the scene that greeted them was sobering.
The streets were less crowded than this morning. Noticeably less crowded. Sanji estimated maybe a third fewer players than he'd seen at breakfast. Which meant...
"How many do you think died?" Akane asked quietly, voicing what they were all thinking.
"Too many," Yuki said. "And it'll get worse before it gets better. Most players have no idea how to actually survive combat. They're treating this like a normal game where death is just a minor setback."
They passed a group of players sitting in a circle, heads bowed. One was crying. Sanji caught fragments of conversation: "...just got overconfident..." "...pulled too many goblins..." "...she was only level two..."
Memorial services for the fallen.
It was a harsh reminder that this wasn't a game anymore. Every decision had weight. Every fight was life or death.
They reached the blacksmith's shop, where an NPC named Genji offered repair services. Fixing Sanji's shield and sword cost 30 bronze coins. Akane needed arrows, which cost another 25 coins for a full quiver. They pooled their resources, using the coins they'd earned from selling wolf materials.
Next stop was the general store for health potions. At 20 bronze coins each, they could only afford six potions to split between them. They'd need to hunt more efficiently to maintain their supplies.
As they walked toward the inn for a late lunch, Sanji noticed a commotion near the village square. A crowd had gathered around someone standing on a platform.
It was Ryota, the silver-haired warrior they'd seen yesterday. He'd reached level six already, his equipment noticeably upgraded. He was addressing the crowd with the confidence of a natural leader.
"...need to work together!" Ryota was saying. "Forming a large guild will keep us safe. We can establish organized hunting parties, share resources, and protect the weaker players. Join the Silver Fang guild, and you'll have the support you need to survive!"
Some players were nodding, clearly drawn to the promise of safety in numbers. Others looked skeptical.
"What do you think?" Akane asked. "Should we join a guild?"
"No," Yuki said immediately. "Large guilds mean politics, obligations, and having to share everything you earn. We're better off independent."
Sanji agreed. "Besides, something about him feels off. He's probably genuine about wanting to help, but he also likes being in charge. That's a dangerous combination."
They gave the crowd a wide berth and headed to the inn. Inside, they found a quiet table and ordered food. The NPC waitress served them efficiently, as if mass entrapment and daily deaths were just normal occurrences.
As they ate, they discussed their plans.
"We're level five now," Sanji said. "That puts us in the top percentage of players. We should take advantage of that and push into higher-level areas before they get crowded."
"Agreed," Yuki said. "But we also need to be smart about it. Akane is level three. We can't go anywhere too dangerous or she'll get one-shot."
"I'll catch up quickly," Akane insisted. "I learn fast, I promise."
Sanji believed her. She'd held her own against those wolves despite being terrified. With proper support and training, she could become a real asset.
"Tomorrow," he said, "we explore deeper into Shinrin Forest. There should be a mid-level area with better monsters and better rewards. We gear up, we level up, and we stay ahead of the curve."
Both Yuki and Akane nodded in agreement.
As the sun began to set on their second day in Alkhali World, Sanji felt something he hadn't expected: hope. Yes, they were trapped. Yes, death was permanent. Yes, the situation was nightmarish.
But they were alive. They were growing stronger. They had each other.
To be continued...