The red centipede.

  A monster that Rowan had no hopes of facing when he first saw it, and those thoughts remained the same to this day. A master class monster that he had seen yesterday who had decided that the blood sucking tree was going to be its next meal for whatever reasons. As for what happened to the tree, Rowan had no idea, but it was clear that the centipede monster had not escaped unscathed. There were new scars along its body and several legs were missing. However that did not diminish the dangerous feeling that he felt from it. In fact, the new scars made the insect look even more fearsome.

  Especially when it was ripping apart other monsters with ease right in front of him. If its speed had decreased due to the missing legs, it was not noticeable.

  As far as Rowan could tell, monsters had to be at least intermediate class in order to survive in the depths of the Forest of Death.

  Key word on survive.

  Surviving was not thriving. Intermediate monsters were at the bottom of the food chain and the current scene only served as a reminder. Rowan suddenly remembered a saying he heard long ago. It takes at least a hundred intermediate warriors to face a warrior who achieved master class. Any less would be a massacre and there were no guarantee of victory or life for those intermediate warriors.

  The wolf pack only numbered in the twenties and was quickly diminishing.

  Even with missing legs, the centipede movement was a constant blur. The wolves were unable to catch the bug in their jaws as the centipede would whip itself out of the way and its pincers pierce through the canine's flesh like paper. In a blink of an eye, more than five wolves were either dead or fatally injured.

  As hopeless as it seems, the wolves did stand a chance of survival. Rowan had sensed that one of the wolves was on the verge of reaching master class, at least mana quality wise. This particular wolf was larger than the rest of the pack. Its beige pelt ran a bloody cut, but was still able to dodge the centipedes movement. Rowan deemed it the pack leader. While other wolves also had larger mana pool than most, the pack leader mana stood out the most.

  If the centipede knew the leader was the only possible threat, it showed no sign of this knowledge. Rather it went after all the other members instead. The wolf pack would scramble all around the centipede, trying to inflict injury upon this monster.

  Should I intervene?

  Rowan observed the situation and then shook his head. If he carelessly interferes, the centipede could easily wipe him out with a snap of its pincers. There was no gain in interfering as he held no relationship to the wolves either. For Rowan, the wolves were the most common monster that he hunted. He was no friend of the wolves and if the two monsters wiped each other out, then so much the better.

  The number of wolves soon reached the single digits as they tried to inflict wounds on the monstrous foe without much success. Even though they were slower than the insect, the wolves raced around the centipede with all their might. Speed was their weapon and their only tactic against the monster. Their claws would inflict minor scratches on the centipedes carapace, but nothing more. The centipede would leisurely chase after the wolves that threw themselves at .

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  The lucky ones made it out of the centipedes with minor injuries while the unlucky ones had given up their lives.

  As Rowan surveyed the ongoing battle, one question popped into his head.

  Why didn't the wolves flee?

  They obviously were no match for the centipede. A pack of that size could have easily escaped if they wished to. Not all the wolves would be able to escape alive, but a good number would have survived if they scattered.

  As Rowan milled about the question, the wolf's numbers soon dwindled down until it could be counted single handed.

  That was when Rowan heard it. He had thought his ears were playing tricks on him because it didn't match any of the wolves' appearances..

  A whimper.

  A sound so fragile, so full of fear and soft that Rowan had thought he imagined it. The surviving wolves froze at the sound before they renewed their onslaught on the giant insect with renewed vigor. Unable to locate where the sound came from, Rowan could only continue watching the fight in secret.

  4.

  3.

  2.

  1.

  Soon, it was only the pack leader left standing and they did not look like they last for long. The large wolf could only through its right eye while the left hind leg was injured. The wolf looked like it had no chance in living through this.

  And the centipede knew this

  SSSSKKKKKRRRREE!

  A hiss escaped from the centipede as it coiled back for one last final strike. Perhaps he imagined it, but Rowan could sense the mockery that emitted from the hiss. Mockery for the weak and pitiful last effort attempt of the wolves. The pack leader could only boldly stare back as it waited for the final blow.

  The centipede didn't disappoint and threw itself at the wolf for its final strike.

  However the wolf seemed to draw unknown strength as it suddenly dodged the centipede pincers at the last moment and then bit onto the head of the insect.

  The giant centipede had not been expecting this counter attack, and the sudden pain startled it.

  SSSKKKRRREEE!!

  The giant insect lifted its head and whipped it side to side, trying to dislodge the giant canine.

  With strength that could only seem to come from death, the pack leader refused to let go. This was the only effective attack against the centipede since the other wolfs had unable to do any damage. The pack leader was determined to make this final attack count. Painful screeches were released as the centipede tried to free itself, but the pack leader refused to give in. Green blood gushed out from the bitten wound as the wolf stubbornly remained clamped on.

  However the centipede could feel the grip on its head was loosening. The wolf was dying and soon it would have to let go. As a lower monster, how dare it harm it. Just as the centipede was thinking how to make the wolf leader suffer even more, something else caught its attention.

  An arrow.