7 Vexation (1/2)

He watched from the roof as the wolves swarmed his abode. With the numbers surrounding him, he thought they resembled rats more than wolves. They were all weak, mammals, and inferior to him.

Atlas descended from the rooftop in a swift manner. In one hand he gripped the wooden sword he crafted and in the other, he had his first attempt at forging weaponry. The Wolf Horde charged at him. The second they did, the sky began to darken and it had taken on a crimson hue.

”Lian Xin, I never would have guessed that you were allied with the wolves. After all, you sounded genuine when you tried to warn me”, Atlas sneered.

At the very back of the horde, a silver-haired la.s.s stood next to a special wolf. Unlike the other wolves, it was the size of an elephant and had dark blue fur. It responded to Atlas' taunt by baring its teeth.

As the battle raged on, the horde had thinned out. The landscape was dotted in wolf viscera and crushed skulls. Atlas pulled his sword out of the wolf's head before looking towards Lian Xin.

To their astonishment, he had killed all four thousand wolves without breaking a sweat and remained uninjured.

”I thought you wanted to talk to the Fenghuang so what the h.e.l.l is this?”

”I need the Fenghuang's heart more than you do”, Lian Xin said despondently.

Atlas was about to respond but the giant wolf interjected, ”We have been watching you. You're definitely not a mortal that hasn't cultivated so you must be the Fenghuang”

It had been over a month since she had first arrived. She had only appeared five times and each time, she became more melancholic. A compa.s.sionate person might've sympathized with her plight but Atlas was indifferent. She might've reminded him of Riri but it was clear that she was no ally and did not trust him.

After all, the reason that the only animal he had ever seen was birds was because the Wolf Horde had surrounded him at a distance close enough to have an impact but far enough to not be seen. This instantly made him suspicious of Lian Xin as she got in despite the Wolf Horde blockade.

Through foraging, he had also realized that there were only 2 types of vegetation in this sector of the wilderness. They were either poisonous or bizarre. With Poison Immunity, he found out the hard way while with the bizarre plants, he thoroughly experimented. An example of a poisonous plant he found was a hallucinogen when consumed while an example of a bizarre plant he found was one that produced a substance that tasted similar to sea salt.

”My parents are ill and they can only be cured with your heart”, Lian Xin pleaded.

”And? So I should die for these strangers I don't know?”, Atlas scoffed in response.

”I know you're a good person so-”

”I know you're not one. Also I'm a phoenix not this Fenghuang”, Atlas refuted her plea completely and regarded her with contempt. Every time she met him, it was to ask him to do something for her. He had welcomed her company on the first visit as he hadn't seen another human in a while but it had become bothersome. This time, she not only asked him for something but also wanted to take his life.

The giant wolf next to her sighed and said, ”I told you. We can only take it by force” before charging at Atlas. Contrary to its immense size, it was faster than the other wolves. It rushed towards Atlas attempting to take a bite out of his abdomen. He swiftly dodged before striking the wolf in the stomach.

The strike was ineffective as the wolf seemed to have a golden aura protecting it. Atlas immediately stepped back and dodged the tail whip. It increased its speed to match Atlas' and charged. It attempted to chomp his arm off but he struck downwards and dislocated the wolf's jaw.

After a few strikes from Atlas, the Wolf Lord was downed and almost dead. Intending to land the finis.h.i.+ng blow, he lifted his leg up and prepared to crush its skull.

In that instant, a streak of lightning raced across the battlefield. The moment it reached them, Atlas collapsed.

”Good thing the Fenghuang doesn't know how to cultivate”, the newcomer said.

”Thank you Master. If only things didn't have to be this way”, Lian Xin said as she headed towards the scene of carnage.

Atlas lay there shocked. This world was not even remotely close to normal. It had exotic plants, talking wolves, and something that could effortlessly kill him. He had a.s.sumed the leader was the Wolf Lord but there was actually something stronger than even him.

He could revive but he decided not to as there was nothing in this world that really tied him down. The potential of becoming powerful could have but with the Wolf Emperor next to his corpse, he wouldn't waste another life even if he didn't value life itself.

As Lian Xin was about to take Atlas' heart, he imploded to her astonishment and grief.

What was not known to Atlas though was that he had left behind condensed phoenix essence which would cure the illness of Lian Xin's parents. It would then take on the form of a pendant which would become their family heirloom.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

[Previous Ident.i.ty:

Appellation: None

Age: 25 Gender: Male Death: Self Destruction Activities: Farming, Construction, Foraging, Smithing

Accomplishments: Wolf Reaper

Score: 7000]

Reward: *Randomizing*...Soul Fang