Chapter 5: First Level Ups
POV: Narrator
The wolf lunged at him again, its metallic jaws snapping as it tried to tear him apart.
Akira dodged easily — his enhanced reflexes made everything around him seem to move in slow motion.
In a single swift motion, he raised his katana and brought it down with force.
The blade sliced cleanly through the wolf's body, cutting it in half without effort. The creature's corpse hit the ground with a wet thud, dark blood spreading beneath it. Akira stared at the scene in surprise — he hadn't expected his strength to increase this much from the Physical Restriction.
"…Okay, this is better than I thought," he muttered with a faint grin, shaking his katana to flick off the blood.
Akira looked back, noticing more and more wolves emerging from the shadows, slowly surrounding him.
A fierce smile spread across his face as he readied his weapon, adrenaline starting to surge through his veins.
Without hesitation, he dashed forward at incredible speed, switching his grip on the blade to a reverse hold.
He knew he couldn't let the wolves bite the katana — his only weapon. If they managed that, it would shatter in an instant.
He narrowly dodged a swipe that nearly tore his clothes. With a sharp kick, he sent one of the wolves crashing into the nearby wall. Akira kept dodging and countering, cutting down wolves as they came, feeling the tension of their claws and fangs striking against the steel.
Then, a much larger and faster wolf emerged from the darkness — its eyes gleaming with ferocity.
It was so fast that Akira couldn't react in time; one of its fangs grazed the right side of his mouth, leaving a shallow cut. Blood trickled down his lip, but he quickly retaliated, kicking the beast hard enough to send it stumbling backward.
Akira wiped the blood from his face, his eyes now burning with anger.
"I'm going to kill you, bastard."
With a low growl, Akira charged again.
The wolf did the same, their attacks clashing in the middle of the corridor — claws and fangs ready to rip each other apart.
Dodging another strike, Akira grabbed the wolf by the tail in a quick spin, using his momentum to hurl it violently against the wall. The beast slammed into it with a roar, and Akira didn't waste the chance — in one smooth motion, he followed up and drove his katana straight through the wolf's skull, making sure it would never get up again.
The creature fell lifeless, dark blood spreading across the floor. Akira looked down calmly, wiping his hands on his clothes. There was no doubt left — the Physical Restriction had made him something beyond human.
"This is only getting more interesting…"
The sound of more wolves approaching echoed through the corridor — the fight wasn't over.
But now, Akira was ready for them.
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Akira exhaled, thinking about the lesson he had just learned.
He had let his guard down simply because he felt stronger after gaining his new ability — and that mistake had earned him a wound.
"Lesson learned. Even if I've gained more power with the Physical Restriction, I can't get cocky."
Just then, a system alert appeared before his eyes:
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[Alert: You've leveled up]
[Alert: You've leveled up]
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A small smile appeared on Akira's lips as he realized he had leveled up.
He turned and saw an even larger pack of Ironfang Wolves emerging from the darkness.
He smiled again — the thrill of battle coursing through him. Gripping his katana tightly, he prepared himself. This time, he wouldn't let his guard down. He was going all in.
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Several long minutes passed.
Now, Akira stood surrounded by the aftermath of the fight — his hands were covered in blood, but his eyes remained sharp. His katana gleamed in his grip as he wiped the blood off his cheek.
The wolves had started coordinating their attacks, becoming more strategic.
They had realized they weren't fighting a mere target — they were fighting an enemy who could adapt.
They grew smarter than Akira had anticipated, but despite their tactics, he managed to deal with them all. His enhanced body — faster, stronger, sharper — responded perfectly to every movement.
Fatigue began to build up, but Akira didn't stop. He knew the instance dungeon wouldn't end until he had reached his limit.
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[Notification]
[Congratulations! You've eliminated all Ironfang Wolves in this area.]
[Reward: Title – Wolf Slayer]
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[Title: Wolf Slayer]
A title granted only to the most skilled wolf hunters.
Increases damage by 40% when facing beast-type creatures.
[Additional Reward: Beast Katana Style]
[Beast Style]
This style mimics the movements, attacks, and instincts of wild animals, channeling them through the user's techniques and skills. Most, if not all, known techniques of this style are simple and direct — yet feral and unpredictable.
One such technique utilizes the practitioner's heightened sense of touch, replicating an animal's primal instincts.
Users of this style often envision themselves manifesting the fangs and claws of a beast as they unleash their attacks.
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Akira read the description with interest, letting out a faint sigh.
"'Beast Style'… sounds familiar," he murmured thoughtfully as he dropped to the ground to catch his breath.
He opened his interface and noticed his fatigue level at 29.
He knew that if it didn't drop to 0, he'd be at a disadvantage if more enemies appeared.
Closing his eyes, he steadied his breathing.
"Let's see… thirty-four wolf fangs, two worn-out daggers, and a traveler's cloak…" He paused as he noticed something missing. "But… no teleportation stone. That means I can't leave until I defeat the boss."
He opened his eyes, glancing around the dungeon. The place was still shrouded in darkness, the stench of blood thick in the air.
He had no choice.
If he wanted to escape, he had to keep moving forward.
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End of Chapter