Dawn arrived too early and found Hunter already awake. Not by choice. His body had apparently decided that sleep was for people who weren’t responsible for keeping fifteen others alive. Anxiety was a terrible alarm clock.
He sat up carefully. His ribs protested less than yesterday. Foundation Realm healing doing its slow work. Two more days and he’d be mostly functional. Unfortunately, they needed food today.
The waystation was quiet. Everyone still sleeping. Conserving energy. Smart when you were slowly starving.
Hunter stood and walked to where his sword leaned against the wall. Drew it quietly. The blade caught morning light. He’d need this today. Needed to be good with it. Needed to not die stupidly.
No pressure.
[LUNA] GOOD MORNING! (◕‿◕✿)
[LUNA] BIG DAY TODAY
[LUNA] TRY NOT TO DIE ♥
"Thanks for the vote of confidence."
[LUNA] I BELIEVE IN YOU
[LUNA] MOSTLY
[LUNA] LIKE SIXTY PERCENT
"That’s not reassuring."
[LUNA] WOULD YOU PREFER I LIE?
"Sotis lies are nice."
[LUNA] OKAY! (ノ◕ヮ◕)ノ*:・゚✧
[LUNA] YOU’LL DEFINITELY SURVIVE
[LUNA] NOTHING BAD WILL HAPPEN
[LUNA] TODAY WILL BE PERFECT
Hunter almost laughed. Regretted it when his ribs reminded him they weren’t fully healed. "That was obviously sarcasm."
[LUNA] YOU ASKED FOR LIES
[LUNA] I PROVIDED LIES
[LUNA] YOU’RE VERY HARD TO PLEASE (◕‿◕✿)
Movent behind him. Han appeared from wherever he’d been doing his morning routine. The man looked alert, focused, ready. Like he hadn’t just spent four days slowly starving while doing manual labor.
"Ready?" Han asked.
"No. But we’re doing it anyway."
"Good answer." Han checked his spear with professional efficiency. "Disciples are waking up. We leave in thirty minutes. Light breakfast. Need energy for the hunt."
"How much can we spare?"
"Enough to not faint mid combat. Barely." Han’s tactical mind was always calculating. "Better to eat now and have strength than save food and die trying."
Not enough. Always not enough. Always terrible.
The Shadow Legion stirred to life. Tao, Xuan, and Lex erged looking nervous. The panic trio preparing for another near death experience. At least they were consistent.
"We’re going to die," Lex announced cheerfully.
"Probably," Xuan agreed.
"Definitely," Tao confird.
"You’re all very encouraging," Hunter muttered.
"We’re realistic," Tao corrected. "We almost died fighting Iron Wolves. Now we’re fighting spirit beasts while hungry and injured. The math says death."
"Math can shut up."
"Facts don’t care about feelings," Wei Lin interjected. The ten year old appeared with her usual clinical precision. "Statistical analysis suggests sixty three percent mortality risk for the disciples. Hunter’s Foundation Realm cultivation reduces his risk to twelve percent. Overall mission success probability is forty seven point three percent."
"Those are terrible odds," Lex said.
"That’s why I calculated them. Awareness promotes survival."
Little Sparrow bounded over. Gerald the rock clutched tight. The kid had energy despite hunger. Troublemaker energy never died. "Gerald says the wolves are sleeping in the north ravine. He can sense their geological positioning."
"Gerald is a rock," Wei Lin said flatly.
"A WISE rock with SPIRITUAL AWARENESS."
"Rocks don’t have spiritual awareness."
"GERALD DOES."
"That’s scientifically impossible."
"SCIENCE DOESN’T KNOW EVERYTHING."
"Science knows rocks don’t think."
"Gerald." Hunter interrupted before this beca a philosophical war. "Does Gerald actually know where the wolves are or are you guessing?"
Little Sparrow looked offended. "Gerald never guesses. He KNOWS."
"Fine. We’ll check the north ravine first." Couldn’t hurt. Maybe the troublemaker’s rock really did have wolf location powers. This world was weird enough.
i appeared with her doll tucked under one arm. His daughter looked tired but determined. "You’re leaving."
"Yeah. Hunting. Should be back by afternoon."
"You’ll be careful?"
"Very careful."
"Promise?"
Hunter knelt down. t her eyes. Seven and a half years old and too wise. "I promise I’ll try my absolute hardest not to die. That’s the best I can do."
She nodded. Seed to accept that. Then hugged him quickly. Fierce. "Co back."
"I will."
She stepped back. Clutched her doll. Watching him with those eyes that saw too much. His daughter. His responsibility. His reason for not dying today.
No pressure.
Breakfast was minimal. Quarter rations. Just enough to function. Everyone ate in silence. Conserving energy. Preparing ntally.
Then they moved out.
Hunter, Han, Tao, Xuan, and Lex. Five people. Six wolves. C rank spirit beasts with wind elent abilities and pack tactics. Totally manageable odds.
They were definitely going to die.
The north ravine was exactly where Little Sparrow’s rock had predicted. Either Gerald really did have mystical powers or the kid was very lucky. Either way, Hunter made ntal note to trust the rock more often.
Six Gale Wolves lounged in the ravine. Large. Sleek. Fur that rippled like wind made solid. C rank spirit beasts. Dangerous even alone. Lethal in packs.
"Formation Sigma," Han whispered. Tactical mode engaged. "Hunter fronts, draws aggro. Disciples flank, strike exposed targets. I support and finish wounded. Questions?"
"What’s aggro?" Lex whispered back.
"Attention. Hunter gets their attention."
"Oh. So Hunter dies first."
"Hunter is Foundation Realm. He won’t die first."
"Probably won’t die first," Hunter corrected. "Let’s not make promises we can’t keep."
"Confidence is important," Han said.
"Realism is important."
"Can we argue after we don’t die?" Tao suggested. Voice shaking slightly. Scared but moving anyway. That was bravery. Real bravery. Being terrified and doing it anyway.
Hunter drew his sword. Foundation Realm qi flooded his ridians. Power responding. Ready. His spiritual sense extended. Marking targets. Calculating distance.
Six wolves. Sleeping. Unaware. Perfect ambush opportunity.
He moved.
Shadow Step activated. Space folded. Distance beca aningless. Hunter appeared directly above the largest wolf. Sword already swinging. Foundation Realm strength behind the strike.
The blade bit deep. Not fatal but close. The alpha yelped. Rolled. Scrambled up. Blood streaming from its flank.
The pack exploded into motion.
Five more wolves. Instantly awake. Instantly hostile. Moving with pack coordination. Surrounding him. Wind elent qi activating. The air around them started moving. Circulating. Getting faster.
"NOW!" Han’s voice.
The disciples attacked from flanks. Three bodies. Six weapons. Screaming the entire ti but attacking. Tao’s sword caught one wolf’s leg. Xuan’s blade scraped ribs. Lex actually connected with sothing vital and looked shocked about it.
The wolves split attention. Pack tactics disrupted. So turning to face disciples. So staying on Hunter. Coordination breaking.
Han’s spear found gaps. Professional. Efficient. Every strike calculated. Wounding. Weakening. Setting up kills.
"This is working!" Tao shouted. Surprised. "We’re actually working together!"
"Don’t jinx it!" Xuan yelled back.
"Too late!" Lex added. "He jinxed it!"
One wolf broke from the pack. Fast. Desperate. Running for the ravine exit. Escaping.
Hunter saw it. Understood imdiately. It was getting reinforcents.
"Han! Runner!"
"Focused!" Han was already moving. Spear tracking. But three wolves between him and the target. Can’t reach in ti.
Hunter Shadow Stepped. Appeared in the runner’s path. Sword raised. Strike aid.
The wolf dodged. Wind elent speed. Faster than expected. Slipped past him. Gone.
"Shit."
[LUNA] THAT’S BAD (◕‿◕✿)
"I NOTICED."
[LUNA] REINFORCENTS INCOMING
[LUNA] PROBABLY
[LUNA] MAYBE DEFINITELY ♥
The fight continued. Five wolves now. Better odds. The disciples were actually holding their own. Tao blocked a strike. Xuan countered. Lex scread but stayed in formation. Han was everywhere. Coordinating. Supporting. Teaching through combat.
This was working. They were winning. Actually winning.
Two wolves down. Three remaining. Alpha wounded badly. Victory approaching.
Then Hunter’s spiritual sense detected movent. North. Multiple signatures. Moving fast.
The runner had found friends.
"MORE INCOMING!" Hunter shouted. "Three additional wolves! Thirty seconds!"
"We can’t fight nine!" Tao’s voice pitched up. Panic erging. "We’re barely surviving six!"
"Five," Xuan corrected. "We killed one."
"THAT DOESN’T HELP!"
Han’s tactical mind worked overti. "Kill these three fast. Before reinforcents arrive. Go aggressive. No defense. Just damage."
Terrible plan. Suicidal plan. Only plan.
They went aggressive.
Tao charged. Screaming. Sword swinging wildly. Actually connected. Drew blood. The wolf turned. Swiped back. Claws extended. C rank strength behind the strike.
The claws caught Tao’s shoulder. Tore through cloth. Through skin. Through muscle. Deep. Very deep.
Blood sprayed. Tao scread. Different scream. Pain scream. Fell backward. Clutching his shoulder. Blood pumping between fingers.
Everyone froze for that agonizing split second. Everyone except Tao and the hungry wolves.
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