Chapter 10

In WLO, to open up the route to the next town, one must clear the fields surrounding the town and the dungeons connected to them.

Naturally, there is a boss in the dungeon, obstructing the challenger’s passage.

While the term "dungeon" is used, it is not limited to caves.

For example, it could be a forest, a ruin, a swamp, or even a sea of trees.

At the very least, to reach the next town from the starting town, one must overcome the "Cave of Trials" located beyond the northern plains.

And this is something I learned later.

Just as there is invariably a boss in a dungeon, there are also powerful entities in the fields that can be considered boss monsters.

These are known as "Named Boss Monsters."

Commonly referred to as "Nameds."

Their existence is unique and unparalleled, with names given to them that are one of a kind.

From the beta test era to this day, there are almost no records of Nameds being defeated in each field.

Their appearance conditions, the state when encountered, and above all, their overwhelming strength that far exceeds the level of the field.

They are simply too strong and too rare to encounter, which is why there are almost no records of their defeat.

However, the benefits of defeating them are immense, and if it's the first defeat, there are additional bonuses.

Countless players continue to pursue Nameds to claim these benefits.

Incidentally, these Nameds, once defeated, will revive after a certain period. The first defeat yields slightly more luxurious rewards, but anyone who defeats them can claim the benefits.

In exchange for almost certain death upon encounter, they provide equal opportunities.

This seems to be the common understanding among frontline players regarding the existence of Named Boss Monsters.

For example, the lone red wolf, Aria, has ambiguous conditions for appearance and no record of defeat.

It is a monster about which we know almost nothing, with battles that rarely drag on.

The only known information is that it only appears before "Solo Players."

In other words, the red wolf's desire is for a searing one-on-one battle.

☆

Her eyes, which glitter with a clear will, unmistakably convey that she is not a mere illusion created by the system.

The pure fighting spirit and murderous intent transmitted through her beautiful moon-colored eyes are so sharp that they make my chest tremble, almost making me feel as if my neck could be cut by a moment's lapse in attention.

"Great, it's thrilling!"

I crouch slightly, ready to respond to any attack, feeling my cheeks relax uncontrollably. I have no intention of stopping.

Without holding back my excitement, I shout loudly.

"No holding back, right?"

"Growl!"

In the next instant, the golden club and claws clash, scattering sparks.

(Heavy!)

Even considering the level difference that gives her a double score, I didn't expect that a full-strength swing would barely deflect a simple claw strike.

When I try to dodge a bite with a backstep and create distance, she charges at me with bullet-like speed.

However, it's a predictable charge.

With such ease, I sidestep, and from a sudden stop, a large tail sweep comes flying at me.

I deflect it with my golden club, and we both take a significant step back.

"Haha, it's like a joke."

I am inferior in power, speed, and physique.

But I can maneuver more nimbly, and most importantly, this is a one-on-one battle. There's no worry of interference.

As a sense of sinking consciousness spreads, my field of vision expands.

Focus, focus, focus.

There's still more to delve into, deeper down.

The red wolf, having finished her reconnaissance, swings her front legs and leaps without any preparatory movements.

Her target is my neck. I aim a well-aimed "Smash" at the red wolf's jaw, which is sideways to bite my neck.

I rattle her brain.

Though I manage to startle the red wolf, I don't stop her momentum, so I dodge her lunge by rolling to the side with the momentum of the "Smash."

The skill's cooldown is painful, but the red wolf's momentum hasn't dissipated, and her shock hasn't cleared.

I recover from the cooldown slightly faster.

Given my inferior speed and lack of ranged attacks, maintaining distance in close combat is disadvantageous.

I close the distance and aim to strike the red wolf's side, but I dodge her tail, which swings at me like a surprise attack as I rotate my body.

Caught off guard, her thoughts pause for a few moments.

"Here it comes!"

I land a blow on her face, which is now turned towards me due to the rotation.

I follow up with a strike to her recoiling face, and after deflecting her right front leg's slash with my golden club, I deliver another blow with the momentum of the rotation.

Her half-hearted slash is deflected.

Realizing this, she charges with a serious slash, which I dodge with ease, and we lock eyes with her moon-colored gaze.

Four hits. All to the head, a critical point, yet her HP bar is only reduced by less than 10%.

Her toughness makes me smile involuntarily.

The lone red wolf. An opponent I should be unable to defeat with my current strength?

So what?

Isn't this the best?

My body trembles with excitement.

"It's a fight to the death, isn't it?"

As I see the muscles in the red wolf's limbs bulge, I grip the golden club in my hand tightly.

☆

How much time has passed? After a considerable amount of fighting, I have realized something.

In the battle against the overwhelming superior, the lone red wolf, the biggest handicap I bear is not the obvious disparity in physical stats.

The most critical issue between us is "SP."

My body, being that of a low-level player, requires essential management of SP, whether for attacks, dodges, or jumps.

However, the red wolf in front of me seems to continue acting without any concept of fatigue.

If I fight normally, my SP will run out in no time, and I will be torn apart when I can no longer move.

However, not attacking won't defeat her either.

The combat style I chose for this battle had to be extremely simple.

Thorough counter-attacks.

Seeing through all her movements and delivering minimal damage in the smallest openings.

Managing SP to avoid running out and ensuring attacks land.

This is the standard method for hunting superior opponents, with just that in mind.

"Heheh."

As I deflect the hard, sparking claw strike, I can't suppress the smile that escapes.

Thanks to the change in strategy, my SP is sufficient. Consumption and recovery are balanced, with recovery exceeding consumption.

This is due to the red wolf being forced into a hit-and-run strategy, a situation that works to my advantage.

Wolves, being quadrupeds, are not naturally suited for close combat.

Their true strength is realized by combining their unmatched speed with their fangs and claws.

Thus, the lone red wolf, Aria, cannot choose the worst option for me, which is close combat while stationary.

She must continue relentless attacks to drain my SP.

The close combat options available to the red wolf Aria are limited to front leg slashes, bites, tackles, and tail sweeps.

One reason I can continue to evade the attacks of this formidable opponent is this simple fact.

However, this does not make the red wolf Aria an easy opponent.

For example, a well-accelerated charge has the power to instantly kill, and the sudden stop from maximum speed, followed by consecutive charges and tail sweeps, is a significant threat.

While she doesn't use these moves frequently, they significantly drain my SP, and a lapse in concentration could mean instant death.

"Growl!"

A feigned charge followed by a two-hit bite.

"Close... call!"

I dodge the first hit by arching my body and the second by crouching.

I kick up her floating jaw with a forced summersault, using the golden club as an axis.

I straighten my stance while listening to the painful sound of her teeth clashing.

I deflect her recovering slash with my golden club, which I switch hands with.

"This is fun..."

The counter-attack strategy I employ has a significant drawback: it only works if the opponent plays along.

Of course, I can still attack, but as I mentioned earlier, the vast stamina gap between me and the red wolf Aria cannot be bridged.

Given that the initial reconnaissance and the attack-defense exchange, which consumed most of my SP, only reduced her HP by 10%, my attacks would likely only reduce her HP by 30% before I run out of strength and die.

If the red wolf chose to wait and not attack me, it would likely result in a stalemate.

However, that wouldn't be a fight. So she joined in.

Not to overwhelm me with the arrogance of a superior,

but to engage in an equal battle.

"Let's continue, shall we?"

I block the fiercely swung claws with a full-hearted strike and delve deeper into my consciousness.

My accelerated thoughts are clear, vividly capturing the colorless world.

"Ahahaha!"

The exchange of attacks feels like a thrilling, nerve-wracking duel.

The joy that leaks out unintentionally dominates my mind.

However, I remain calm. Don't misjudge the gap between us.

Suppressing the urge to unleash violent attacks, I continue to play defensively.

This thrilling battle, however, will not last much longer.

With her HP below half, the red wolf takes a significant step back.

Her body trembles, and her moon-colored eyes turn red.

Her glaring, glittering eyes lock onto me, and she takes a step forward.

"!"

A chill runs down my spine, and I reflexively raise my golden club to deflect her claw, which reaches me much faster than expected.

Even without an increase in strength, the increased speed likely enhances her power.

The claw that I couldn't fully deflect slashes my cheek, and I confirm a significant loss of HP, making my back shiver.

"Amazing, Aria!"

"Growl!"

In the heat of the moment, I swing my golden club, which is deflected by the red wolf's tail as she turns.

I swing the deflected club down with all my might as the red wolf charges like a bullet upon landing.

The club hits with a terrible sound, significantly reducing the red wolf's HP and causing a numbing sensation in my arm due to the recoil.

"Ow... ow!?"

I awkwardly dodge a bite aimed at my neck, which is tingling from the numbness.

"No time to hesitate!"

Her blood-red eyes glare at me.

The one-on-one battle is reaching its climax.