Desolate World

*Huff huff huff*

He ran and ran. Troy didn't care anymore if his action would attract more monsters to attack him. He just knew that if he let him be caught up by the boar, it would be the end of him. In fact, he could already feel it was nearer and nearer to him.

He then saw a tree in front of him, then he turned to the right, dodging it.

*Bam*

Then he heard a crash behind him. He then took a look, and was surprised that the boar had hit the tree. It was wobbling on its feet, which showed that it had become dizzy after hitting the tree.

However, he didn't stop running. He felt it would be angrier after experiencing a crash. So it would be more determined to kill him. 

*Oik Oik*

The fact was like he had expected. He felt his presence once again. He didn't dare to look back. But he was sure it was behind him. 

However, he was not stupid. He knew that running in a straight line would only make him caught up in an instant. So every time he passed a tree, he would change his direction. This method wasn't always successful in slowing the boar down, but at least, he could survive by doing it for the last 3 minutes. 

Yes, 3 minutes. Something that was impossible for him to do in reality. But, somehow, he could continue to run. However, he had already felt that he would reach the limit soon. However, he could only continue. Then he avoided a tree once again.

*bam* 

The boar once again hit the tree.

*Oik oik*

Troy could feel the anger in its roar. However, he couldn't stop. He knew he had to make a distance from it, if he wanted to survive.

Another minute had passed, and he was already almost out of breath. He also had started to get dizzy. Of course, he would be able to run longer if he did it with a speed that wouldn't burden his body. But, as he was running for his life, he was almost running at his full speed. 

Then he saw a bush. So he just ran through it. Then he saw a scene that made him stunned.

'I'm done!' He said in his heart. 

What he saw was a pack of wolves behind the bush. They also saw him strangely. Troy thought maybe his presence also shocked the monsters. As it would be strange for a prey to come directly to the predators, like what he had done.

Then he heard something also went out of the bush. He knew that it was the boar. He knew that he wouldn't die alone. The boar would accompany him to die. 

However, what happened next made him confused. The wolves didn't attack him. As he passed them, they just glanced at him without attacking him. But, as the boar came out of the bush, a wolf immediately pounced on it. It attacked the pig right away, not giving it a chance to counter-attack. 

And a result, the boar was finished. With just a few bites, the wolf killed it. 

Troy, who had already given up on running, could only stare at the scene blankly. As he knew he couldn't outrun the pack of wolves, he flopped to the ground and then gasped for oxygen. So, he saw it all. How the wolf effortlessly killed the boar in less than 20 seconds. 

At first, he was confused, as to how the fight was so one-sided. He then checked the wolf's information.

[Horned Wolf, level 19]

It surprised him how a monster with such a high level was loitering near the settlement. It was not like what he knew. As his position was only a few kilometers from the settlement, there should be only low-level monsters around the place. 

Then he realized that one of the wolves was different from the rest. It was a wolf with a bigger physique than the rest of the wolf. It had silvery fur, and looked very domineering. It just looked at him with indifference. As if it didn't have any idea of killing him. The way it looked at him made him feel he was being looked down at.

He then checked its information. 

[Silver]

Race: horned wolf (alpha)

Level: 28

What surprised him more was the color of its name was yellow. It meant it was a neutral creature.

"A pet?" He couldn't help but blurt out. As he was afraid his words would offend the wolf, he closed his mouth with his hands immediately.

But, it seemed, the wolf didn't mind it, even if it had understood his meaning. Yes, it sounded weird, but he felt the wolf had understood his meaning as it nodded after he said that.

"Can you understand me?" He couldn't help but ask. He was being curious if what he guessed was true. But, it then ignored him.

It then howled loudly. It surprised Troy. 

'Have I annoyed it?' He asked in his heart.

After howling a few times, it appeared to be indifferent once again. It even lied down without taking care of him. Some wolves also followed along. However, the rest decided to have their meal, as one of them started to eat the boar, while the others approaching it.

Its behavior confused him. He then felt that it was useless for him to try to understand the wolves' behavior, as he wasn't a monster tamer. As they were 'friendly' to him, he felt it was okay if he left to go to the settlement.

"So, I will go to the village. Thank you for saving me," Troy said while getting up.

However, the silver wolf shook its head. It then patted the ground several times.

He tried to understand what it meant by doing so. Then he asked, "Do you want me to sit down?"

The silvery wolf nodded.

"But, you know. I'm a little bit busy right now. I have something to do in the village," He said. He knew it looked weird for him to try to reason with a monster. But he really needed to leave.

The wolf then patted the ground a few times more. Its eyes told him that it was serious.

Didn't want to annoy it, Troy chose to sit down once again. He said, "O-oh… okay. You don't want me to leave, right? So I will stay here."

***