"I warned you Girk.. I told you we would come back."

  A sound hissed from afar.

  It was too faint.. but enough for Alvin to hear. Or at least to recognize.

  or maybe he imagined it. his nerves weren't exactly reliable tonight. but his hands were already moving.

  "w.. what.." Alvin stood up immediately, both hands on his spear.

  the dirt words he'd scratched into the ground were still there beside his feet. he almost stepped on them.

  His head turning too fast.. left to right.. scanning every hut.

  thank god no one is outside.. alvin thought

  then he looked at the huts. dark. quiet. thin walls. if the wolves reached them—

  "hero of the tribe huh.." Alvin said with a smile.. before turning back to the pack of wolves approaching.

  "what are you smiling for!!" The Leader of wolves shouted

  no answer came. his brain was too busy being terrified to explain itself.

  Alvin tightened his grip around his spear.

  that's him.. the scarred one. the tough one.

  the scar ran from his left eye down to his jaw. old and deep. someone had given him that and he'd kept going.

  Alvin breathed heavily.. then shouted.

  "come..

  "ALL OF YOU!"

  silence. half a second where the words just hung in the night air and nothing moved. the echo came back before the wolves did. his own voice, unfamiliar, bouncing off the dark trees.

  I will regret this later.. if I come back alive..

  but it's better than letting them reach the others..

  The goblins opened their windows..

  some of the broken ones fell off entirely.

  Alvin didn't look back. whatever expression the goblins were wearing , he didn't want it in his head right now.

  "come to you?.. heh.. you misunderstood the situation Girk.. I won't make the same mistake.."

  Wolfrex spat on the ground.

  Then hissed.

  "Separate!"

  the sound of paws splitting in every direction hit him before the word's meaning did.

  that's bad.. too bad..

  Alvin froze in place.. watching the wolves scatter toward every hut.

  "SYSTEM HELP ME!!"

  But nothing happened.

  just his own breathing. the fire behind him. the sound of wolves at doors.

  what do I do what do I do.. think Alvin..

  you played hundreds of visual novels.. what do you do in this situation..

  in games there was always something. an item. a hidden mechanic. a second playthrough. his brain cycled through all of it and came back empty.

  Alvin's fingers clawed at his face.

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

  Then he turned to Wolfrex.. who stood there smiling.

  Wolfrex hadn't moved. while his pack scattered across the village he just stood there. still. like he'd already seen the end of this.

  "you COWARD!! attacking the weak—"

  "tch.." Wolfrex turned aside with a frown.

  Alvin rushed toward the first wolf.. who had stopped attacking the hut.

  what a speed.. for a goblin..

  he hadn't decided to run. his legs had just gone. this body knew things he didn't.

  The wolf stepped back.

  so that's Girk's prestige.. Alvin thought, watching the wolf's trembling steps.

  the wolf wasn't afraid of the green body in front of it. it was afraid of whoever used to live in it.

  Alvin turned and shouted toward Wolfrex.

  "what will you gain by attacking those goblins huh?!"

  Even Alvin's voice alone made the other wolves hesitate for a moment.

  the hesitation rippled through them from front to back. then it was gone. but it had been there.

  Then Wolfrex smiled.. and let out a mad laugh.

  "what a naive question.. to gain time.."

  Wolfrex stepped slightly toward Alvin, clearing his throat.

  "what I really gain is.. more territory.."

  "domination!!!"

  Wolfrex said it like it meant everything. Alvin heard it like it meant nothing. the gap between those two things was enormous.

  what a stupid motive.. Alvin thought, resting his spear on his shoulder.. puzzled.

  this damned goblin.. getting on my nerves.. Wolfrex thought

  Wolfrex's legs pressed into the ground.

  Dust rose into the night air.

  well.. ending him first is the best option. I'll ignore my pride this time.. Wolfrex thought

  he rolled his neck once. slow. the way you do before something you've decided.

  "WOLVES.. ALL OF YOU.. ATTACK!"

  Wolfrex's voice echoed across the battlefield.

  A circle of tens of wolves closed in around Alvin.

  it's the end. Alvin thought.

  well.. at least I lived a li—

  the thought didn't get a last word. the wolves didn't wait for one.

  Every single one of them jumped.

  "NGAAAAAAH!!" Alvin's voice was swallowed by the wolves.

  The goblins watching from their windows began cheering.. fists raised , a gesture they always did.

  The small goblin's hand stretched out past the windowsill.. the only part of him visible.

  just the hand. small and green past the rotting wood. nothing else. Alvin saw it through the wolves and said nothing.

  I don't know how to fight.. I've never fought with a spear in my life.. or even a weapon..

  or even a kitchen knife!!

  what a joke!!!

  he was laughing when he thought it. actual laughing. something between losing his mind and accepting it. there were tears somewhere in there too. he couldn't tell anymore which was which.

  His tough body endured more than it should have.

  am I dying.. ahh.. I am dying.. haha.. it feels warm..

  Alvin let out a faint smile. Not one of the wolves noticed.

  Until something crashed into them.

  The giant goblin landed on the pack like he jumped into a bath of mud.

  Half the wolves were sent flying toward Wolfrex.

  three wolves hit the ground near Wolfrex's feet. he looked down at them. then back up.

  "WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU GIRK?! THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE SEEN YOU LOSING!" The Goblin giant shouted

  "y.. you!" Alvin said, pulling himself up.

  I didn't even ask for his name..

  wolves everywhere. village on the edge of burning. and that was the thought his brain chose.

  seriously.. what kind of body is this? Alvin muttered, wiping himself down. it's only bruises..

  "you saved me!!"

  "s.. saved you?" The giant goblin stared at Alvin with confusion.

  ha? Alvin thought.

  Both of them stood staring at each other.. helpless.

  the fires. the shouting. the wolves regrouping. all of it continued without them for exactly one second.

  SLASH.

  Wolfrex's jaws came down on the giant goblin's stomach.

  "DAMN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

  The ground thundered when he collapsed.

  Alvin felt it through his feet before he looked down. a tremor. like something load-bearing had just given way.

  "BWAHAHAHAHA!!!!!" Wolfrex laughed madly, watching Alvin step back.

  The other wolves began approaching again.. their eyes going red.

  the hesitation from before was completely gone. something different was looking out of those eyes now.

  "DO.. DO NOT APPROACH.. PLEASE!" Alvin said, covering his face.

  "S.. STAY BACK!!!!!!!!!!" A desperate shout torn from somewhere deep.

  "see who's losing now.." Wolfrex said with a smirk.. watching Alvin's hands tremble.

  Then the goblins poured out of their huts.. holding rocks.. and started throwing.

  they knew it wouldn't work. they did it anyway. that was the tribe in one image.

  "ignore them.. kill the hero." Wolfrex's voice was final.

  Tens of wolves closed in on Alvin.. ready to jump.

  Alvin caught a glimpse of the giant goblin on the ground.. smiling like someone having a good night's sleep.

  that face made Alvin angrier than the wolves did. he turned back around.

  Alvin staggered backwards.. hands reaching behind him.. until they found the campfire.

  "I TOLD YOU NOT TO APPROACH!!!!!!!!!!"

  He grabbed a piece of firewood.

  it was small. lighter than the spear.

  he held it for exactly one second. looked at the wolves. looked at the wood. threw it anyway.

  The wolves dodged it with ease.

  Wolfrex walked slowly toward the piece of wood.. smiling.

  "heh.. what a desp—"

  A massive wall of fire consumed every wolf like a storm.

  An almost glitched sound popped into Alvin's head.. the fire almost drowning it out.

  "Confirmed. Due to [Preserving chosen host], Unique Skill [IfritFire] has been acquired."

  the night air smelled different. the wolves were gone. the campfire behind him was the only sound left.

  Alvin stood there.. hollow-eyed.. breathing hard.. staring at the ash carried by the night wind in front of him.