Chapter 52: Hungry Wolves

Violina, Dukiel, Anerias, Nessa, and Rierdan rotated keeping watch while Zach slept and rested. They did it without needing to discuss it. To all of them, it was more than obvious that they would let Zach sleep.

None of them could be sure of what exactly had gone down. But Zach had been keeping watch while the rest of them slept. During that time, the tiger had ambushed them.

Dukiel and Anerias also had faint memories of hearing and seeing the tiger above them right before they woke up. A moment later when they had woken up enough to think, Yanael was wrestling the tiger in the air away from the cliff wall.

Whether it was partly Zach or all Yanael didn't matter. Zach and his familiar had saved their lives.

Anerias also couldn't forget what he overheard Zach and Violina discussing.

Like Violina, he was skeptical of Zach's theory that each level meant strength. But like Violina, he also had to accept the possibility since it meant that was what had saved their lives from the tiger.

If Zach had grown stronger by all the monsters that came for him, and that had led to him becoming strong enough to stand against the tiger, it was all thanks to Zach that all of them were still alive.

Anerias didn't like it. He didn't like owing Zach his life or even acknowledging the fact that Zach was right. It irked him.

But Anerias wasn't stupid.

He knew it didn't make sense to blame Zach.

Even retrospectively, was Zach even unlucky?

He had a reputation for being dragged into or dragging others into numerous troublesome incidents.

Not once had Anerias ever heard of or seen Zach get injured aside from when he and the other renegades rejoined the class after hiding in the mountain that Zach said was connected to the Underworld.

Anerias frowned.

There was no doubt Zach had been injured there. But he had recovered quickly and only first become injured again this night when the tiger broke through his barrier.

Even during the continuous onslaught of monsters on their way to the camp, Zach was the only student who avoided injuries.

Wasn't he more lucky than unlucky to pass through such circumstances completely untouched?

Anerias wouldn't apologize or take back his words. But he wouldn't call Zach unlucky again.

Minutes before dawn broke, Anerias and the others woke up Zach. He deserved his rest, but he could get more after they caught up and made sure the tiger was a goner. If the tiger somehow recovered and caught them unawares, they could give up ever resting again. Or they would enter eternal rest.

Zach didn't mind.

He was tired as shit, but he was itching to kill that tiger more than anything.

They set out as soon as everyone was awake and ready. They didn't even eat anything. The only thing they had an appetite for was the tiger's flesh and blood.

Rierdan led the way since he was the best at tracking. However, this time, the others didn't have any trouble following the tiger's bloody tracks, either.

They kept a fast pace to make up for the time they lost when waiting for the light of dawn to reach the forest. With how much blood the tiger had lost and the tracks it left behind, they also wanted to get to it before anything else in the forest did. Sёarch* The NôvelFire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

It would be great if it died. It would be better if it died to their hands.

The group moved through the forest like a pack of hungry wolves.

As if the forest could sense the imminent death of one of its great champions, it was both quiet and loud.

The birds and insects cried. The monsters cheered, roared, or stayed silent, but they all did so far away.

Even if this king of the jungle was on its last leg, it was still a fearsome beast. The other monsters were cautious.

The group didn't encounter anything even after several hours. They did, however, see one extra large puddle of blood and the signs of the tiger finally losing its leg that Yanael almost chopped off.

All the running the tiger had done when fleeing had been enough to tear the remaining tissue holding it in place.

However, there was no sign of its leg, only where it had dropped and splattered blood. It didn't matter. The tiger could have taken it. Another beast could have taken it.

Zach and the others continued pursuing the tiger without rest.

They were close now. They could feel it. The blood was getting fresher and fresher, no longer as dry or deep in the soil. It wouldn't be long until they could kill the tiger and get rid of it once and for all.

They were practically running through the forest.

Suddenly, the trail stopped. It forced Zach and the others to do the same.

They spread out and scoured the forest floor and the trees for any trace of the tiger.

But no matter how much or where they looked, they couldn't find anything. It was like the tiger had vanished into thin air.

Zach and the others were confused.

They were convinced they hadn't missed anything, but then again, they had been moving quickly. They backtracked and basically crawled on the ground as they looked for any signs of the tiger doubling back and tricking them.

But they didn't find anything even then.

The tiger had disappeared.

Zach had a bad feeling that he couldn't put into words.

The others were frustrated and confused.

Unwilling to give up just yet, they continued searching the forest. They even risked spreading out to cover more ground. With how much blood the tiger had lost, there was no way it could still be a threat.

Still, they spread out in groups of two for safety.

But even after several hours, they still hadn't found so much as a hair.

Eventually, they had to accept the possibility that something else got to the tiger first.

It was more concerning than frustrating since whatever monster had snagged the tiger had done so without leaving a single piece of evidence of doing so.

It also meant that there was another powerful monster in the forest that could threaten their lives.

Zach and the others exchanged looks before deciding to return to the camp.

The tiger was gone. The other monster didn't seem interested in them.

They should be somewhat safe for now.