Standing across the damned Alpha as it prepared for another lunge, I felt the sudden tension in the air. Now, it all came down to this - a final showdown.

  Up close, the leader of the Death Stalkers looked even more imposing and domineering than from afar, and every bit of my sore, battered body was screaming at me to drop everything and run.

  I was perfectly aware that under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t stand any chance against this abomination in close combat. But now, with one of its eyes being nothing but a gaping, bloodied socket, I couldn’t help but smile.

  “Come at me, you ugly pup!” I touted while tightly gripping the handle of my machete, the metal cold and reassuring in my hand. My body ached everywhere, but adrenaline was my best buddy now, both numbing the pain and sharpening my senses.

  With a guttural snarl, the Alpha charged forward, its speed belying its size. I jumped to the side, feeling the rush of air as its menacing claws missed my face by mere centimeters.

  I panted, blinking rapidly to get the sweat out of my eyes as I jumped back to my feet. Despite my new Class not being a fighting one, it still gave me a certain degree of nimbleness, which was enough to dodge the wolf’s lunge, especially now that it was wounded.

  However, after seeing the deep grooves in the Domain’s floor the beast’s charge left behind, I gulped nervously, reminding myself not to let my guard down. One mistake, and I’m a goner.

  I quickly avoided another attack, making sure to always stay in the Alpha’s blind spot. Due to its sheer size, the beast struggled to keep up with my rapid movements, which only seemed to make it more and more angry.

  Still, maintaining this pace was not easy by any means. My stamina was waning, and I knew I would soon reach a breaking point. But that was okay because, by this point, I managed to maneuver the Alpha exactly where I needed him to be while ensuring his attention remained solely on me.

  Then I smirked. "Rocky, now!" I shouted. My faithful golem suddenly jumped from behind, his fist glowing, ready to deliver a decisive strike. Despite his damaged form, Rocky moved with surprising agility, swinging his sole remaining arm in a wide arc as he used [Shatter] to target the Alpha’s torso. In a blink, his fist connected with the abominable wolf’s fur, producing an ugly, distinctive crack.

  Its spine seemed to give way as the wolf’s hind legs dropped down uselessly. “Good job! Now finish him up!” I commanded, smiling from ear to ear.

  Losing his arm didn’t seem to take away any of Rocky’s lethality. Besides, to use his skill, one arm was more than enough. Previously, I was hoping to create an opportunity for him to sneak behind the lesser wolves and finish them one by one.

  That’s why I had Rocky disengage from defending the rift after the previous scuffle and made him circle back to the barricade. Of course, I didn’t expect the Alpha to abandon all reason and chase after me, but in the end, it all somehow worked out as the boss seemed to completely disregard the maimed golem. Which now turned out to be his doom.

  The Alpha howled, both in pain and anger. It was a deeply chilling sound that could make even the bravest of hearts waver. Nonetheless, I charged, the machete raised, and the wolf met me head-on with teeth and claws alike.

  Despite all I could do was amateurishly wave the weapon around, my blade somehow found purchase in its shoulder. But the beast was quick, its jaws snapping close to my arm. I rolled away, feeling the sting of a minor cut but nothing more.

  I sprung back to my feet, ready to go at him again. After all, I was not trying to finish him off. This honor was reserved for Rocky. All I needed was to distract him long enough for my golem to find an opening in its defense.

  However, now that he was aware of the tiny golem’s might, the Alpha kept his guard up, not letting him come anywhere near him without Rocky risking having his head chomped off.

  The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  Yet, having to deflect two unyielding opponents while at the same time suffering from a severed spine and being blinded in one eye was ultimately a losing battle. It was only a matter of time before our combined effort bore fruit.

  And then, such an opportunity finally presented itself. Making too wide a sweep with his paw, the wolf’s balance was briefly compromised, and the Alpha lost his balance. It was only for a mere second or so, but it was more than enough time for Rocky to jump up and drive his glowing fist through the monster’s skull.

  Its head exploded in a spray of blood and brain matter, and then its massive, now lifeless form collapsed to the ground.

  [You have slain an Alpha Death Stalker. You have gained +80 Soul Essence.]

  Wow! Twice as much of this mysterious energy as from the normal wolves. No wonder he was so tough.

  Breathing heavily, I allowed myself a brief reprieve. But I knew the battle was far from over. Despite slaying their leader, the other wolves didn’t seem to lose any of their murderous fury, as they were still locked in a deadly stalemate with my other golems by the rift.

  Nevertheless, with the Alpha gone, the remaining wolves seemed to lose all of their previous meticulous purpose and cohesion, now acting more like a disorganized mob trying to heedlessly chomp down anything they could get their teeth on.

  This, in turn, made their attacks much more uncoordinated and thus easier to avoid. But I didn’t dare drop my guard just yet, as this also made them all the more dangerous and unpredictable, like rats driven to a corner.

  Still, when Rocky and I joined the rest of my valiant minions, the scales were inevitably tipped in our favor. So it didn’t take long for my golems, though barely functional, to dispatch the remaining threats with me assisting whenever possible.

  [You have slain a Petty Death stalker. You have gained +40 Soul Essence.] [You have slain…]

  [Your body is brimming with strength. Your power has risen +1]

  With the immediate threat vanquished, the adrenaline I had depended on to keep me going evaporated, and I collapsed onto the cold, hard floor of the Domain, my lungs gasping for air as though each breath was a fight in itself.

  Around me, the remnants of my golems lay scattered like fallen soldiers, their once animate forms now just piles of rock and dust. The silence after the battle was almost deafening, a stark contrast to the cacophony of combat just moments before.

  A flurry of notices overwhelmed me for a brief moment, and I had to quickly shake my head to clear my vision. I paused for a moment, soaking in the reality of what had just happened.

  My body ached with every heartbeat, muscles screaming from the exertion. All I wanted was to simply lie there motionlessly and enjoy the well-earned rest, but I knew I couldn’t laze about just yet.

  There were still plenty of things I needed to do before that. Namely, check the rift, restore my defenses, and, most importantly, figure out a way how to deal with those damn spiders waiting for me in the real world. But first…

  [Name: Jayden] [Race: Human]

  [Level: 3 (Soul Essence: 100/300)]

  [Class: Scavenger (lvl.1)]

  [Skills: Synthesis (lvl.1), Portal (lvl.1)]

  I summoned my status, taking note of all the changes that had happened. I was now Level 3. However, I still didn’t feel any different than before, but I guess that was normal.

  The changes were small and subtle, so they were not immediately noticeable, yet they were undoubtedly there. And if I kept at this, I was sure that someday soon, I would be as strong as those boasting brutes that sometimes come down to the Outskirt’s pub to have some fun. Or, like that girl. I suddenly thought, remembering Sara’s powerful presence.

  Next, I checked the rift. I staggered to my feet, every movement a reminder of the battle's toll. The portal still loomed, its surface now a dull, lifeless grey, but I knew it wouldn't stay that way for long. After all, the countdown had already begun anew.

  [02:23:57:45]

  Yet, as I stared at the abominable clock, I couldn’t help but frown. Huh? Did the interval shrink? I couldn’t even begin to think about the grim implication of this discovery before I was promptly interrupted from my thoughts by the familiar high-pitched ringing sound. What’s this about? Another quest?

  [Quest: Strengthen Domain]

  [With each thwarted attempt, the enemy grows greedier and more desperate. Their time is running out, so they will throw everything into the next assault. Be prepared. Their champion longs for your blood.]

  [Build defensive structures: 2 / 3]

  [Recruit minions 5/10]

  [Strengthen the seed]