Sword Art Online: Moonlight Swordman.

Grrrr

The wolf attacked.

It twisted its body fluidly like a serpent, instantly circling behind the group.

A massive maw lined with razor-sharp fangs snapped forward.

"Behind us!" Klein shouted.

A curved blade flashed out of its sheath.

Clang!

The clash of metal rang out.

The wolf's jaws were blocked.

Issin seized the moment and slashed at its neck.

A strike precise to the centimeter yet it only left a faint red mark on its skin.

The Elite Dire Wolf recoiled, its massive head shaking, golden eyes drilling into them.

Step by step…

It moved in slow, deliberate circles around the group.

The Elite Dire Wolf was watching its prey.

Klein and the others didn't stand still either. They closed ranks, forming a tight defensive circle.

The Elite Dire Wolf tilted its head, thick fur bristling like a row of spines.

Its hind legs tensed, claws scraping against the soft mud.

It wasn't rushing to attack, it was waiting, playing with its prey before finishing them off.

Klein tightened his grip on his sword, palms slick with sweat.

Ren swallowed dryly. His instincts screamed that this wolf was different from any monster he had faced before.

The air froze in an eerie silence.

For a moment… they couldn't afford to stay frozen like this.

"Tsk, I'll go first." Dynamm clicked his tongue, gripping his round iron shield and charging forward.

Whoosh.

The beast twisted its body slightly.

The round shield missed, but that wasn't all.

A longsword suddenly thrust upward from below, Dynamm's steel blade.

He had anticipated this.

His steel sword pierced the wolf's neck, red pixelated fragments spurting out.

Its HP dropped.

Just a little… but it was a sign.

Whoosh!

A sharp, cutting slash tore through the air.

A silver blade carved a straight line across the wolf's side.

The one who struck was Ren.

His black hair swayed slightly, turquoise eyes reflecting the glint of his sword.

There was no fear in them anymore.

Only calm precision.

The Elite Dire Wolf's HP fell another notch.

The beast tilted its head, its glowing golden eyes flashing with fury.

In an instant.

Snap!

It lunged, snapping its razor-sharp jaws at Ren.

A lightning-fast bite.

But Ren was faster.

He twisted his body, stepping back like a dancer, dodging by a hair's breadth.

A single movement....flawless.

The Elite Dire Wolf recoiled, claws digging deep into the ground.

Then, in the blink of an eye, it sprang forward again.

Like a streak of gray lightning, it lunged at Ren, faster than before.

He barely had time to shift his stance.

CLANG!

Another sword intercepted the attack.

Klein.

His face was tense, arms trembling from the force of the wolf's bite.

"I won't let it touch you," Klein growled, then shoved his sword forward with force.

The Elite Dire Wolf leapt back, but this time, its gaze never left Ren.

As if it had chosen its prey.

Step by step…

The beast stalked, circling slowly.

The tension in the air thickened.

"Issin, go for its legs when you see an opening," Klein ordered, his voice low but firm.

Issin gave a slight nod, shifting to the side, gripping his sword tightly.

In an instant.

The Elite Dire Wolf lunged.

But this time, it wasn't aiming for Ren.

Its target.....was Issin!

"Damn it!"

Klein turned, but it was too late.

Fangs flashed, about to sink into flesh.

BAM!

A powerful impact stopped the attack cold.

Dynamm!

He had slammed his shield straight onto the wolf's head, knocking it back.

"Don't forget about me." Dynamm smirked, raising his sword.

This was the moment!

Ren tightened his grip on his hilt, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

"Flank right!"

A short but clear command.

At the same time, Klein, Issin, and Ren moved as one.

A slash from the front.

A sweeping strike from the side.

A piercing thrust from behind.

Whoosh!

Thud!

BAM!

The Elite Dire Wolf howled, red pixels scattering in all directions.

Its HP plummeted!

It roared in fury...but now…

The hunters had become the rulers of the battle. 

"Keep going... at this rate, it'll go down soon." 

Klein narrowed his eyes at the faint HP bar above the wolf's head. His sword strikes were sharp, but they only cut through the thick fur, leaving behind shallow wounds. 

The group had been fighting for nearly two minutes. 

A short amount of time yet it felt like an eternity. 

The air in the forest seemed to have frozen still. 

Their breaths were heavy. 

Eyes locked onto the monster's every movement, muscles tensed, ready to react the moment it lunged. 

The Elite Dire Wolf sensed it too. 

It didn't attack immediately. 

Unlike ordinary wild wolves, this creature possessed intelligence. 

It no longer acted purely on instinct, it had entered a state of caution. 

It moved slowly around the group, claws scratching lightly against the ground, its golden eyes glowing in the darkness. 

It was observing. 

The entire forest seemed to hold its breath, leaving only the pounding of hearts echoing in their chests. 

Then, in a split second… 

Whoosh! 

The Elite Dire Wolf shot forward. 

It coiled its body like a spring before launching itself with terrifying speed. 

Its target… Klein. 

"Shit!" 

He barely managed to tilt his head, but he couldn't avoid it completely. 

Smack! 

Razor-sharp claws grazed past, leaving a deep scratch across his upper arm. 

A scorching pain flared up instantly. 

Klein gritted his teeth but didn't slow down. 

Counterattack! 

His sword spun in his grip, slashing across. 

Slash! 

No good. 

The blade barely left a faint mark on the thick fur. 

The Elite Dire Wolf barely reacted. 

Its eyes gleamed with disdain, as if Klein's strike wasn't even worth acknowledging. 

Clang! 

Sparks flew. 

It felt like his sword had struck metal instead of flesh. 

Klein shuddered. 

It was tougher than he thought. 

Like a beast forged from steel. 

But before he could process it further.

Bam! 

A massive force suddenly struck. 

Dale had made his move. 

The towering warrior seized the opportunity. 

His greatsword swung upward. 

The massive steel blade gleamed as it carved a perfect arc through the air. 

And then....

Boom!!! 

The Elite Dire Wolf was sent flying. 

Its enormous body was hurled through the air like a cannonball, spinning before crashing into a massive tree. 

The ground shook. 

Leaves trembled, a few branches snapping and falling to the earth. 

Bright red damage numbers flashed.

Bigger than any previous attack. 

Its HP had dropped into the red zone… just a few more precise hits. 

A painful growl rumbled. 

The Elite Dire Wolf shook its head, clearly dazed from the impact. 

But before they could breathe a sigh of relief.

Grrrrr… 

From the bushes behind them, another growl echoed. 

A second Elite Dire Wolf. 

The group froze. 

Ren, Klein, Dale, Issin, Dynamm… all of them stiffened. 

Their breaths caught in their throats. 

In that instant— 

A chilling sensation crawled down their spines. 

So… it wasn't alone. 

… 

"Goddamn it… Who… who the hell said… this thing always hunts alone?" Dynamm cursed as he watched the second wolf approach. 

For a moment, the entire group was paralyzed. 

Klein gripped his sword tighter, but his throat was dry. 

Ren could hear the thundering beat of his own heart, a suffocating tightness gripping his chest like an invisible hand. 

One was already hard enough. 

Now there were two. 

Damn it… 

Can we even win this? 

Grrrr… 

The two Elite Dire Wolves moved closer. 

They didn't strike right away. 

They knew. 

They knew their prey was desperate. 

They were savoring the fear. 

The air felt frozen. 

But then....

Whoosh! 

The second Elite Dire Wolf attacked first. 

It shot forward like a lightning bolt—straight at Issin. 

He raised his sword to block. 

Clanggg! 

The brutal impact sent a numbing shock through his arms, but he managed to stop the blow. 

Smack! 

But unexpectedly, the first wolf lunged from behind. 

A tremendous force sent Issin flying like a ragdoll. 

His tall, lean body slammed into the ground, skidding several meters before stopping. 

"Cough… cough…" 

Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth. 

His HP had nearly halved from a single hit. 

"Issin!" Dynamm shouted, but before he could run to help.

The first Elite Dire Wolf charged at him too. 

Bam! 

"Arghh!!" 

Dynamm was sent flying backward, crashing against a tree. His sword and iron shield clattered to the ground. 

Blood oozed from a deep bite wound on his shoulder. 

His HP bar flashed a dangerous red. 

[Danger Warning!] 

"Get up!" Klein gritted his teeth, rushing over. 

But at that moment.

Whoosh! 

The first wolf switched targets. 

It lunged at Klein. 

Too fast! 

Bam!!! 

Klein was slammed to the ground. 

He dropped to one knee, planting his sword into the dirt, panting heavily. 

His HP had fallen below 40%. 

We can't win this… 

If we keep fighting, we'll die! 

Klein clenched his teeth. 

"Retreat!" 

He shouted. 

Dale grabbed Dynamm, pulling him up. 

Ren rushed to Issin, seizing his arm. 

"Let's go!" 

Whoosh! 

The Elite Dire Wolf lunged again. 

Ren reacted instantly! 

His sword swung up. 

Clanggg! 

The sheer force of the wolf's attack numbed his entire arm. 

Damn it… 

But he didn't stop. 

He leapt back, keeping distance so the others could escape. 

Klein hurled a Smoke Bomb to the ground. 

Boommm! 

A thick white smoke exploded, engulfing the area. 

'This is our chance!' 

"Run!!" 

The group bolted. 

Feet pounded against the earth. 

Breaths came in ragged gasps. 

They sprinted through the dark forest, not daring to look back. 

Grrrrrr!! 

The growls still echoed behind them. 

But then… 

The wolves didn't chase. 

The Elite Dire Wolves never left their territory. 

Once outside the danger zone, the group collapsed, drenched in sweat. 

Heavy breaths. 

Chests rising and falling as if about to burst. 

They had survived. 

But it wasn't a victory. 

It was a complete defeat.