The group moved cautiously through the wreckage of New York. Every step they took was punctuated by the crackling of glass beneath their feet and the distant sounds of creatures prowling in the shadows.

  Ethan's instincts were on high alert, his eyes constantly scanning their surroundings. There was something in the air, something wrong. He could feel it—a tremor in the ground beneath them, subtle but unsettling. He stopped for a moment, raising a hand to signal the others to halt.

  “I don’t like this,” he muttered, his voice low and tense.

  “Something’s off,” Alex added, his grip tightening around his spear.

  “We need to keep moving,” Ethan said, his voice commanding. “Stay sharp.”

  They pressed forward, navigating the ruined streets with caution. The air had grown heavier, thick with the smell of decay and the remnants of destruction. Suddenly, the ground beneath them shook violently, sending a shockwave through the area. The sound of snapping concrete echoed around them, and the earth split open with a deafening crack.

  A massive shape surged from the earth, rising like a nightmare given flesh—a hulking, wolf-like creature, its eyes glowing a menacing green. Its fur was matted and black, covered in patches of red, as though it had been stained by blood. The creature’s jaws snapped open, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth that dripped with venom.

  “Fuck”

  The ground trembled as the wolf let out a bone-rattling howl, shaking the very air around them.

  “Boss monster,” Ethan growled, eyes narrowing. “Get ready.”

  Alex reacted first, lunging with his spear, aiming for the beast's side. The spear dug into its thick fur, but the wolf barely flinched, its glowing eyes locked onto him with unrelenting fury. With a deafening snarl, the creature swiped at Alex, sending him crashing into a nearby pile of rubble.

  “ALEX!” Mia screamed, rushing to his side.

  “Stay back!” Ethan barked, already in motion.

  Mia barely registered his warning before the wolf turned its attention to her. It lunged forward, its claws slashing through the air. Mia dodged the first swipe, but the second connected, leaving a deep gash across her side. She cried out, staggering back, but she refused to fall.

  “Keep it together!” Cameron shouted, positioning himself in front of her with his polearm. “We can’t let it tear us apart!”

  The wolf, enraged, charged once more, but Ava was there. With surprising speed, she ducked low and sliced at the beast’s legs with her blade, cutting deep into its muscle. The wolf yelped in pain, momentarily staggering back.

  “It’s strong, but we can do this!” Ava called out, her face grim.

  Then, the wolf’s massive tail lashed out, hitting Cameron square in the chest. The sound of bone cracking echoed through the area, and Cameron was sent flying across the debris-strewn street.

  “No!” Mia screamed, rushing to his side.

  “Cameron!” Alex yelled, his voice full of panic.

  But Cameron didn’t move. His body lay limp, blood pooling around him. His chest rose weakly, but it was clear—it was too late. The beast had struck with fatal precision.

  “No…” Ava whispered, her face pale, her eyes wide with disbelief.

  Ethan’s jaw clenched, but he didn’t say a word. He couldn’t afford to. Not now. They didn’t have time to mourn. The wolf was still there, still a threat, still hunting them down like prey.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  Mia knelt beside Cameron’s body, her hands trembling as she checked his pulse. Her eyes were filled with anguish, but she didn’t cry. There was no time for that. Not now. Not in this world.

  “We… We need to finish this,” Ethan said flatly, his voice cold and calm despite the obvious pain that flitted through his eyes.

  Ethan wasn’t waiting. He was already on the move, his axe held high. The wolf's attention shifted back to him, and with a growl, it lunged at him with jaws wide, aiming for his throat.

  Ethan’s movements were a blur. He sidestepped, avoiding the deadly bite, and swung his axe with all his strength. The blade crashed into the wolf's side with a sickening thud. The beast howled, staggering backward, but it wasn’t enough to stop it. It was relentless.

  “I’m not done yet!” Ethan roared, swinging again.

  But the wolf retaliated, its massive tail sweeping through the air and knocking Ethan off his feet. He hit the ground hard, but he didn’t hesitate. Rolling to the side, he quickly regained his footing, rage fueling his every movement.

  “We have to work together!” Ethan shouted, his voice sharp with urgency.

  But the others were too shaken, too weak, too lost in their grief to continue the fight with any hope of winning. The wolf charged again, its claws flashing in the air as it moved with terrifying speed.

  Mia scrambled to her feet, but she was slow. The wolf was too fast. It swiped at her, and she barely managed to dodge, her knife slicing through the air, but missing its mark.

  Ava and Alex weren’t much better. They fought valiantly, but their strikes were weak, their movements sluggish from exhaustion and grief. The wolf’s attacks seemed to get stronger with every blow they dealt, and it was only a matter of time before they were all overwhelmed.

  Ethan’s gaze hardened. He couldn’t allow this to go on. Not when he still had the strength to fight. His eyes flicked to the others, his voice cutting through the chaos.

  “Stay back. I’ve got this.”

  The others hesitated for a moment, but they saw the resolve in his eyes. They knew what he was capable of. And they knew they couldn’t keep up.

  Ethan gritted his teeth, his grip tightening around his axe. He charged forward, his eyes locking onto the wolf as it turned its attention back to him.

  He was alone now, and it was his responsibility to finish this.

  With a roar, Ethan swung his axe in a wide arc, cleaving into the beast’s side with brutal force. The wolf staggered, but it didn’t go down. It retaliated immediately, its claws flashing as it swiped at him with deadly intent. Ethan dodged, just barely, but the attack left a deep gash across his side.

  He gritted his teeth against the pain, pulling a potion from his belt and downing it quickly. His wounds closed up instantly, but the monster didn’t stop. It kept coming, relentless, powerful.

  Ethan’s mind raced. He couldn’t afford to stop. He couldn’t afford to let up. If he did, they would all die. He attacked again and again, each strike draining the wolf’s health a little more. But it wasn’t enough. He needed to end it—now.

  Ethan didn’t hesitate. With a scream of fury, he charged once more, his axe raised high. As the wolf lunged to bite him, he ducked and twisted, driving the blade into the creature’s throat.

  The wolf staggered back, blood pouring from its wound, but it wasn’t enough. With one last burst of energy, Ethan shoved his axe in deeper, twisting it as the wolf crumpled, its glowing eyes dimming.

  The beast let out a final, anguished howl before collapsing to the ground with a sickening thud.

  [You have leveled up!]

  [You have leveled up!]

  [You have leveled up!]

  Ethan stood over it, his chest heaving, his body covered in sweat and blood. His breath came in ragged gasps as he stared down at the fallen monster. He had done it. He had won.

  But the victory felt hollow. Cameron’s lifeless body was still behind him, and the others were too shaken to move.

  The silence that followed was deafening.

  Mia dropped to her knees beside Cameron’s body, tears streaming down her face. Alex was still in shock, his eyes wide, unable to comprehend what had just happened. Ava stood motionless, her face blank, as if the weight of everything had finally caught up with her.

  Ethan didn’t say anything. He couldn’t. There were no words that could fill the space left by Cameron’s death.

  [Ethan Walker]

  Age: 22

  Level: 19

  Strength: 34

  Dexterity: 34

  Vitality: 34

  Wisdom: 22

  Intelligence: 22

  Stat Points: 0

  Skills:

  Perfect Replication [Lvl. Max]

  Skill Points: 0