The dense forest loomed ahead, a wall of shadow and tangled branches. Benji adjusted his grip on the axe, its familiar weight both a comfort and a reminder of the danger ahead. Behind him, Greenhollow faded into silence, leaving only the faint rustle of leaves and the crunch of boots on the forest floor.


    The tracks were easy to follow at first, fresh pawprints pressed into the soft earth. But as the trail wound deeper into the woods, the air grew colder, and the light dimmed, as if the forest itself resented his intrusion. Drag marks soon joined the pawprints, sending a chill through Benji. They’ve taken more people.


    It wasn’t long before a low growl broke the uneasy quiet. Benji froze, eyes scanning the shadows. At the edge of the clearing, a lone wolf stepped into view, its fur matted and eyes glowing faintly with an unnatural light. It didn’t attack. Instead, it howled—a mournful, echoing cry.


    The underbrush exploded with movement. Three more wolves emerged, fanning out around Benji. He barely raised his axe in time to deflect the first lunging beast.


    <hr>


    [System Notification: Combat Engaged! Defeat the Void-Touched Wolves.]


    <hr>


    The fight was brutal. Teeth snapped inches from his face as he swung his axe in wide, desperate arcs. One wolf leapt at his side, claws raking his arm. Pain flared, but he slammed the axe handle into its ribs, knocking it back. He pressed the advantage, splitting the wolf’s skull with a downward blow.


    <hr>


    [System Notification: Enemy Defeated. +20 XP.]


    <hr>


    Benji turned just in time to dodge another attack, but the third wolf caught his leg. He roared, slamming the axe into its flank and sending it yelping into the trees. Bloodied and breathing hard, he turned on the last wolf. This one hesitated, then backed away, snarling before disappearing into the shadows.


    He leaned on his axe, chest heaving, as the final wolf’s howls faded. A soft chime sounded in his mind.


    <hr>


    [System Notification: Level Up! You have reached Level 3.]


    +3 Attribute Points Available.


    <hr>


    Benji let out a breathless laugh. He was bleeding, exhausted, and alone in a haunted forest—and the System chose now to reward him. Opening his interface, he quickly assigned his new points: +1 Strength, +1 Endurance, +1 Agility. Energy surged through him, dulling his pain and sharpening his focus.


    He ripped a strip of cloth from his shirt to bandage his arm, wincing as he tied it off. The drag marks led deeper into the woods, and he pressed on, determined to find the villagers.


    <hr>


    The trail ended at a steep ravine. Below, nestled among jagged rocks, lay an ancient ruin. Moss-covered stone walls rose like jagged teeth, faintly glowing crystals embedded in their cracks. At its heart, a flickering light pulsed like a heartbeat.


    Benji crept down the slope, each step deliberate. The air grew colder, and the oppressive silence deepened. At the ruin’s entrance, he paused. A low growl rumbled from the shadows.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Inside, he found himself in a cavernous chamber, the walls aglow with eerie, pulsating light. Three villagers were here:


    <ul>


    <li>A man lay unconscious against the far wall, his breathing shallow.</li>


    <li>A woman crouched near the center, holding a child tightly, her face streaked with tears.</li>


    <li>Surrounding them, wolves—too many to count—watched Benji with glowing eyes.</li>


    </ul>


    In the center of the room, one wolf towered above the rest. Its fur was bristling with dark energy, and its glowing eyes burned like twin suns.


    <hr>


    [System Notification: Boss Encounter! Alpha Void-Touched Wolf. Recommended Party Size: 3-5.]


    Benji’s breath came in ragged gasps as the remaining wolves melted into the shadows, leaving him and the Alpha Void-Touched Wolf alone in the cavern. The beast’s glowing eyes burned with malice, and its growl rumbled like distant thunder. It stepped forward, muscles rippling under its matted fur, each movement radiating unnatural power.


    Benji tightened his grip on his axe, forcing himself to stand tall despite the tremor in his legs. He glanced at the unconscious villagers and the frightened mother clutching her child. I can’t let this thing get to them.


    The Alpha moved first, a blur of dark energy streaking toward Benji. He barely had time to react, throwing himself to the side as the wolf’s claws raked the ground where he had been standing. Shards of stone exploded outward, one slicing across his cheek.


    Benji rolled to his feet and swung his axe in a wide arc, aiming for the Alpha’s exposed flank. The beast twisted, faster than he thought possible, its jaws snapping shut on the axe’s handle. With a powerful jerk, it ripped the weapon from his hands and sent it clattering across the cavern.


    Too strong. Panic flared in Benji’s chest, but he forced it down. As the Alpha lunged again, he ducked and grabbed a jagged piece of glowing crystal from the floor. The sharp edges bit into his palm as he swung it upward, burying it in the beast’s side.


    The Alpha howled, a deafening sound that shook the air and sent ripples of dark energy cascading through the room. Benji was thrown backward, slamming into the wall hard enough to knock the breath from his lungs.


    <hr>


    [System Notification: Status Effect: Staggered. Movement and Reflexes Reduced by 20% for 10 Seconds.]


    <hr>


    Not now, dammit. Benji clawed his way to his feet, his vision swimming. The Alpha circled him, the crystal shard still embedded in its side, its dark energy seeping out like thick smoke.


    It lunged again, and this time Benji was ready. He sidestepped, ignoring the screaming protest of his muscles, and grabbed his fallen axe. Spinning, he brought the weapon down with all his strength, aiming for the wolf’s hind leg.


    The blade connected, sinking deep into muscle and bone. The Alpha stumbled, its roar of pain echoing through the cavern. Benji didn’t hesitate, yanking the axe free and striking again. This time, the blade grazed its shoulder, but the beast retaliated, its claws raking across his chest.


    Pain flared, and Benji staggered back, his breath hitching. Blood dripped from the gashes, staining his shirt, but the wolf was limping now, its movements less precise.


    The two circled each other, both bloodied and exhausted. Benji’s mind raced. He couldn’t keep this up much longer, not against something so powerful. His eyes darted to the embedded crystal still glowing faintly in the Alpha’s side.


    <hr>


    [System Notification: Weak Point Detected. Target: Void-Touched Crystal Embedded in Alpha’s Core.]


    <hr>


    The beast charged again, and Benji feigned weakness, stumbling backward. As the Alpha lunged, jaws wide, he pivoted, letting its momentum carry it forward. He brought the axe down one last time, aiming for the shard of crystal.


    The blade struck true, driving the shard deeper into the wolf’s body. The effect was immediate. The Alpha let out an earsplitting howl, its body convulsing as the dark energy within it exploded outward.


    Benji threw himself to the ground, covering his head as the cavern was consumed in a blinding flash of light and smoke.


    When the air cleared, the Alpha was gone. In its place was a single, glowing fragment of dark energy, suspended in midair.


    <hr>


    [System Notification: Boss Defeated. +150 XP.]


    [Loot Acquired: Void-Touched Core.]


    <hr>