NOVEL NEXT Chapter 150: The First Wave
The coliseum was a battlefield.
The growls of the wolves blended into a sinister chorus as the pack encircled the trainees, cutting off all potential escape routes. Their glowing green eyes pulsed in unison, bodies shifting into a coordinated formation. The beasts' instinctive strategy was clear: break the formation, isolate the weak, and devour them one by one.
Fear spread like poison through the trainees.
The wolves moved in synchronized bursts, lunging toward the edges where the inexperienced trainees clustered together. Their attacks were swift, relentless, probing for weaknesses in the hastily formed defenses.
Steel clashed against claw.
Swords cut through fur and flesh, turning wolves into wisps of smoke that left crimson crystals behind. But the beasts' numbers and cunning tactics slowly chipped away at the cohesion of the trainees' ranks.
Klaus stood at the center, sword gleaming. His breathing was steady, his mind sharp as he tracked the wolves' behavior. They're pack hunters, he reminded himself. They isolate and overwhelm.
A scream split the air.
A wolf had lunged through a gap in the defenses, tackling a boy to the ground. Its fangs tore toward his throat—
Klaus moved.
In a blur of motion, he crossed the distance and severed the beast's neck with one clean stroke. The wolf vanished in a plume of smoke.
Ding!
[A portion of the target's stats has been absorbed.]
[Agility stat increased by 0.2.]
The notification echoed in his mind, but Klaus pushed it aside. The boy he had saved scrambled to his feet, face pale with terror.
"Get back in line," Klaus ordered, voice sharp. "Stay close to the others."
The boy nodded frantically and stumbled toward the group.
Klaus exhaled slowly. His body felt lighter after the notification—his agility sharper, his reflexes quicker. But there was no time to ponder the implications.
The wolves were adapting.
The creatures attacked in waves, focusing on specific weak points along the formation's outer edges. They didn't charge blindly—they harassed the less-experienced trainees, forcing mistakes. The pack's collective intelligence was undeniable.
Klaus's eyes tracked the flow of battle.
Sarah Margot barked orders from the left flank, directing several trainees to reinforce the perimeter. Nicholas moved with eerie precision, dispatching wolves with clinical efficiency while glancing occasionally at Klaus as if waiting for his signal.
Everything seemed stable.
Until Klaus saw Alex move.
***
Alex Lionhart stood near the front line, sword gripped tightly in his hands. His breaths came faster than normal, his eyes fixed on the wolves lunging toward the rear. His heart raced—not from fear, but from exhilaration.
His mind replayed the system message:
Ding!
[First Kill Detected.]
[A portion of the target's stats has been absorbed.]
[Strength stat increased by 0.4.]
The power had been immediate, intoxicating. He had felt it ripple through his muscles with that single kill.
Stat absorption.
Strength, agility…
Everything can increase.
A cold realization settled in his chest. If I kill enough of them, I'll surpass Klaus. I just need more kills.
The wolves were targeting the weaker trainees—the perfect opportunity to farm stats.
He took a step back.
Nicholas noticed immediately. "Alex, where are you going?"
"To protect the rear," Alex said, voice tight. Without waiting for a response, he turned and sprinted toward the trainees at the back.
Find your next read at My Virtual Library Empire
Nicholas hesitated. From his perspective, Alex's move made sense. The wolves were attacking the weakest members—perhaps Alex was repositioning to cover them.
Sarah saw him retreat and shouted, "Finally! Someone's got the right idea!"
The spectators in the stands murmured approvingly.
"Look at that!" one captain said. "Young Lionhart's smart. He sees the enemy's plan and moves to intercept."
"Impressive tactical awareness," another agreed.
Melo's golden eyes narrowed behind his mask. That boy isn't thinking about tactics.
***
Klaus tracked Alex's movements with growing unease. He recognized the subtle gleam in Alex's eyes—the sharp, predatory focus. It wasn't the look of someone protecting his allies.
It was greed.
Klaus's pulse quickened. He knew that look. He had felt it himself when he first discovered his own system's secrets. The hunger for more power.
He's chasing the stat boosts.
The wolves responded immediately to Alex's movement. Two of the creatures peeled away from the main group and charged toward a girl struggling to lift her sword properly.
Alex intercepted them with ease.
His sword cleaved through the first wolf's neck.
Ding!
[A portion of the target's stats has been absorbed.]
[Agility stat increased by 0.3.]
The wolf disintegrated into smoke, leaving behind its red crystal core.
Alex didn't stop. He pivoted and drove his blade into the second wolf's chest.
Ding!
[A portion of the target's stats has been absorbed.]
[Strength stat increased by 0.2.]
The power surged through him like a drug. His sword felt lighter; his body responded with greater precision. He could feel the raw, incremental growth spreading through his muscles.
From the stands, the captains watched, impressed.
"He's protecting the weaker ones with perfect positioning," one said.
Melo's eyes flicked to Klaus.
Klaus hadn't moved. He stood like a statue, eyes locked on Alex. His grip on his sword tightened until his knuckles turned white.
Klaus knows the truth, Melo realized.
***
The wolf pack shifted tactics again.
Seeing Alex carving through the wolves near the rear, they regrouped into smaller hunting pods. The front lines remained engaged while several packs flanked from the sides, aiming to overwhelm the middle group.
"Don't let them break the line!" Sarah shouted.
A boy fell, his sword skittering across the dirt. A wolf lunged for his exposed throat—
Alex appeared, driving his blade downward through the creature's skull.
Ding!
[A portion of the target's stats has been absorbed.]
[Agility stat increased by 0.3.]
The watching crowd erupted into cheers.
"He's single-handedly defending the weak!"
"That boy's a natural leader!"
Alex grinned through his panting breaths. The rush was addictive. He could feel himself growing with every kill.
Another wolf attacked from his right. He sidestepped effortlessly and decapitated it with a flick of his wrist.
Ding!
[A portion of the target's stats has been absorbed.]
[Agility stat increased by 0.1.]
More wolves surged toward him.
He welcomed them.
***
Klaus watched Alex's movements carefully. The way Alex lingered near the weaker trainees wasn't protective positioning—it was opportunistic. He wasn't shielding the vulnerable; he was using them as bait to draw the wolves in.
He's chasing power without considering the cost.
Klaus shifted his stance and dashed toward the rear.
Nicholas saw him move. "Klaus, what are you—"
"Wolves are flanking," Klaus called back. It was true—but only partially. He was moving to stop Alex before things spiraled further.
As Klaus neared the rear, he noticed the pattern of the wolves' movements. They weren't simply reacting to Alex's kills—they were redirecting their efforts toward the trainees clustered closest to Alex.
They sensed weakness.
Alex didn't notice the shift. He was too engrossed in his new strength, too drunk on the system notifications to realize that the pack was baiting him into overextending.
A trio of wolves darted toward a boy with a torn uniform. Alex charged to intercept them.
Wait, Alex, no…
The ground beneath Alex shifted.
The wolves had led him into a trap—the dirt was thinner there, and runes embedded in the ground pulsed with latent energy.
The moment Alex passed over it—
The trap triggered.
The ground exploded upward in a cloud of dirt and smoke. A massive wolf leapt from the trap, twice the size of the others, its fur blacker than midnight, and its eyes glowing with deep crimson malice.
Alex skidded to a stop, eyes wide.
The creature landed with a thunderous impact, its gaze locked on him.
Its maw opened, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth dripping with black ichor.
From beneath the ground, more eyes appeared.