Chapter 36: The Lonely Warrior and Mystical Wolf Cub
In the dense forest, a young man practiced with a spear. Each strike flowed into the next—long thrusts merged seamlessly with short jabs, chaining together in a fluid, rhythmic dance. His movements had begun to be more instinctive than effort.
Alex had finally progressed from foundational training to technique integration in the spear. After years of relentless effort, it was his recent breakthrough to the 2nd stage of "Mind Space" that allowed this leap. With heightened mental clarity and refined control, he now moved as if his body were an extension of his will.
A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Finally."
He wiped the sweat from his brow and glanced northward. "Let's move on. I'm still a long way from that tree."
Fifteen days had passed since Alex left the camp. He had journeyed northward, training and hunting monsters as he went. Fortune had favored him so far—he had yet to encounter a truly dangerous beast.
He traveled lightly, his presence concealed by the dark element, weaving through the undergrowth like a ghost. After a while, something caught his eye—a group of adult wolves encircling a smaller one near a crooked tree. They beat the cub with their heavy paws, their snarls filled with disdain.
The cub was different. Light gray fur adorned its back, blending into a striking purple hue that stretched from its lower jaw, down its belly, and to its rump. Its tails mirrored that split—gray at the base, purple at the ends. But its most startling feature was its eyes: one gray, one purple, both wide with pain and confusion.
Despite its cries, the adults showed no mercy. After the beating, the pack began to retreat into the woods. The cub stumbled after them, only to be met with growls from two adult wolves. It whimpered, backing down in defeat as the pack vanished, leaving it alone.
The cub curled into a ball, shivering and softly whimpering.
Alex, who had watched in silence, stepped forward. The cub immediately stood, growling weakly. It was no larger than 24 centimeters in length and weighed barely 2 kilograms. Alex crouched slowly, retrieving a small piece of meat from his spatial ring and placing it gently on the ground.
He said nothing and simply sat, watching.