All mentioned features and skills will be listed below.
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He went to the wall where two rats had died and pulled the mangled rats aside. He had left gaps in the wall to make it easier to grip.
"I'll lift the wall a bit and wait for one to stick its head out... Then I'll crush it with the wall's weight. This way I can kill the rats without having to fight them."
He slowly lifted the wall, and all the rats rushed toward him. Since the gap he left was tiny, they tried crawling underneath. The moment one stuck its head down, he dropped the wall on it.
[+10 XP]
Right next to his makeshift wall stood a column, broken in the middle and barely stable. The column swayed more when he slammed the wall down.
"I hope it doesn't fall on me. I need to be careful."
While holding the wall with one hand—it wasn't too heavy for him—he dragged out the dead rat's body with his other hand.
"Twelve left to go. I feel like I'm cheating a bit, but that's for the system to worry about since it forced this class on me."
[+10 XP]
[+10 XP]
[+10 XP]
[+10 XP]
As he continued killing the rats, he heard a wolf's howl from behind the wall. He ignored it and kept working.
[+10 XP]
[+10 XP]
[+10 XP]
After killing three more rats, a message appeared before his eyes.
[Alpha Wolf has appeared for killing 100 creatures in the dungeon.]
"Alpha Wolf? But I haven't killed 100 creatures!"
About 10 meters away, a large wolf slowly materialized in blue lights from the ground.
"No, no! I only killed 15! The others who killed the rest have already left!"
The Alpha Wolf was twice the size of ordinary wolves. Its shoulder height exceeded one and a half meters, and its eyes glowed with an eerie blue light. Dark gray fur covered its body, and its teeth and claws were far larger and deadlier than a normal wolf's.
The wolf paused when it saw Boran. It tilted its head slightly as it examined him. There was intelligence in that gaze, an assessment. This wasn't an ordinary animal, but an experienced hunter.
As Boran strapped his shield to his right arm, the wolf began slowly circling around him. Each step was controlled and powerful, its claws making clicking sounds against the stone and dirt ground.
Suddenly the wolf stepped back and bristled its fur to appear more imposing. With a howl, it lunged at Boran. He prepared to meet the attack, raising his shield as cover.
[Optional Boss: Alpha Wolf]
[Level: 4]
[Status: Aggressive]
The Alpha Wolf struck Boran with its claws. His shoe slid back slightly in the dirt as he held his shield firm.
[You took 10 damage]
[Remaining health: 64]
"Damn it! Even with my shield, it still hurt! Skills! I can't forget my skills!"
The Alpha Wolf raised its claw again. Just as it was about to strike, Boran slid under its attack and shouted "Shield Bash!"
[You dealt 6 damage]
When his shield hit the Alpha Wolf, it turned as if unfazed and struck with another claw attack.
[You took 10 damage]
[Remaining health: 54]
"Each claw hits for 10 damage! Six more hits and I'm dead! Iron Stance could make me more durable, but I can barely dodge as it is—I'd be a sitting duck!"
The Alpha Wolf started circling Boran again.
"You're going to jump, I know it! I can dodge..."
It charged toward Boran.
"I can dodge..."
It raised its claw and just as it was about to strike, Boran stepped to the right.
"It'll attack once more!"
It raised its claw and swung again. Like before, he slid under its claw and shouted "Shield Bash!"
[You dealt 6 damage]
"You're going to strike again, I know it! I've figured out your moves!"
He slid under another claw attack and got behind the wolf. He shouted "Shield Bash!" but this time his shield didn't glow white.
[You dealt 4 damage]
"I forgot about the cooldown! But if I keep this up, I can kill it!"
Just then, the Alpha Wolf whirled around. While Boran watched for its next attack, the wolf rose up on its hind legs...
"What's it doing?!"
...its eyes glowed red for two seconds before it began swinging its massive claws in an inescapable barrage.
[You took 4 damage]
[You took 4 damage]
[You took 4 damage]
It kept attacking relentlessly.
[You took 4 damage]
[You took 4 damage]
[You took 4 damage]
Boran struggled to breathe as the Alpha Wolf's claws hammered against his wooden shield. He wanted to use Iron Stance but couldn't find even a moment to speak.
[You took 4 damage]
[You took 4 damage]
[You took 4 damage]
[Remaining health: 18]
The Alpha Wolf dropped back to all fours, panting heavily. Though his body trembled, Boran shouted "Shield Bash!" and struck.
[You dealt 6 damage]
Seeing the Alpha Wolf stunned, he continued his assault with his shield.
[You dealt 4 damage]
[You dealt 4 damage]
[You dealt 4 damage]
[You dealt 4 damage]
[You dealt 4 damage]
[You dealt 4 damage]
The Alpha Wolf took a deep breath and raised its head.
"That attack when its eyes glowed red must have been a special ability. What if it uses it again? How will I escape? That is, if I don't die before then..."
The Alpha Wolf took two steps back and lunged. Boran had learned its movements by now. He either blocked with his shield or dodged each claw strike. "Shield Bash!"
[You dealt 6 damage]
After dodging another claw attack, he struck with his shield. At that moment, the Alpha Wolf's eyes began to glow again—but this time they shone golden instead of red.
"Is something new coming?! Can I dodge it? What's it planning?"
The Alpha Wolf leaped backward. When it opened its mouth, its teeth gleamed menacingly.
"I can't risk taking full damage! Iron Stance!"
As he activated Iron Stance, his body became incredibly heavy, as if even a car couldn't budge him.
Boran braced himself. The wolf moved with blinding speed, suddenly appearing before him and clamping its jaws on his shield.
[10 damage taken]
Boran groaned in pain. The wolf's teeth nearly pierced through the wooden shield. But the real danger was just beginning—the wolf lifted both Boran and his shield into the air with its powerful jaws.
"Let go! Let go!"
The Alpha Wolf swung its head violently and hurled Boran toward the pillar by the wall. When his back slammed into it, the pillar swayed precariously. Though his shield remained strapped to his arm, the impact had knocked the wind from his lungs.
[Remaining HP: 8]
"This... this is really bad..." Boran gasped, struggling to breathe.
Sprawled at the pillar's base, fighting through the pain in his back, he heard the Alpha Wolf's approaching footsteps.
He lifted his head and realized he was beneath the unstable pillar. Acting on instinct, he began striking its weakened section with his shield.
The Alpha Wolf lunged at his throat. In a desperate move, Boran thrust his arm between its jaws and his neck.
[4 damage taken]
[Remaining HP: 4]
Though the wolf's teeth tore into his left arm, he kept hammering at the pillar with his right.
As the wolf began lifting him into the air, he continued striking the pillar with fierce determination.
[1 damage taken]
[Remaining HP: 3]
"Fall already!"
The Alpha Wolf's fangs sank deeper into his flesh.
[1 damage taken]
[Remaining HP: 2]
"I'm going to die! I'm going to die!" The words pounded through his mind like a frenzied drumbeat. Death's cold breath whispered at his neck. In his thoughts, he already saw his lifeless body returning to the earth. His spirit had raised the white flag, but his body—that stubborn vessel—fought on with every fiber. Dark spots danced across his vision as reality faded behind a misty veil.
[1 damage taken]
[Remaining HP: 1]
"EVEN IF I DIE, YOU'RE COMING WITH ME!" he roared, a cry unlike any he'd ever unleashed.
Time seemed to slow. The ancient pillar, standing perhaps for centuries, began its inexorable tilt forward. Each movement, every crack, stretched into an eternity for Boran. The pillar's surface split piece by piece as stone dust hung suspended in the air.
The wild gleam in the Alpha Wolf's eyes gave way to a flash of fear. As it noticed the massive stone mass falling toward it, it released its prey—the nearly unconscious Boran—from its jaws. Though it tried to leap away with its lightning reflexes, fate had already sealed its doom.
When the first fragment of the pillar struck the wolf's spine, the impact echoed through the forest depths. The following avalanche of stone blocks mercilessly buried what was once the forest's most feared predator. The Alpha Wolf's final howl reverberated through the trees before being silenced beneath the rubble.
Boran collapsed to the ground. Through blurring vision, he raised his head one last time. Seeing his vanquished enemy's motionless form, a faint smile crossed his lips. Victory was his, fought for until his final breath... As his eyelids grew heavy, he surrendered to the encroaching darkness, dying proudly like the warrior he had always dreamed of becoming...
Mentioned features and skills
───────────────" Active Abilities "───────────────
[Shield Bash]
Type: Active - Physical Attack
Mana: 1
Cooldown: 10 seconds
Damage: 120% of SAP + (Strength × 2) = (16 Physical Damage)
Additional Effect: Stuns target for 0.5 seconds
Description:
The user balances their weight and swings their shield to apply direct physical pressure. The strike both deals damage and disrupts the target's balance. Particularly useful in close combat to break an enemy's attack chain or create an opening for escape.
Warning:
Bosses are immune to this stun effect. However, damage is still applied.
[Iron Stance]
Type: Active - Damage Reduction
Mana: 3
Cooldown: 30 seconds
Effect Duration: 5 seconds
Damage Reduction: 40% + (Endurance × 0.5) = 50%
Movement Speed Reduction: 30%
Description:
The user takes a firm stance and enters a defensive position. By using their shield, armor, or body as cover, they significantly increase their resistance to incoming attacks. While this ability is active, physical damage from all directions is significantly reduced, but the cost of this protection is sacrificing mobility.