Rise Online: Return of the Legendary Player



The wolf's howl of pain resounded through the air, a wild, primal sound that echoed in Klaus' mind as he rushed to attack the wolf again.

Frustration and excitement still boiled inside him, but he recognized the impressive agility of the wolf who, before Klaus could reach him, ripped the arrow out of his skin with his mouth and kept running.

The footsteps echoing in the trail of leaves and earth that the wolf left behind were only Klaus', who was hunting it, and his breathing was heavy, but his gaze remained focused on the creature in front of him. The wolf was wounded, there was no reason to let it escape now.

However, the wolf was fast, very fast, deftly dodging trees and obstacles as it advanced. Even though it was wounded, with each step it seemed to gain a little more distance from Klaus, making the hunt even more challenging.

The forest continued to pass them by, the trees forming a kind of green tunnel around them.

Klaus was determined not to give up, every beat of his heart pushing him forward. He knew this was his chance to win a significant amount of points, an opportunity he couldn't let slip away. The wolf, although wounded, seemed to be picking up speed, its black fur flowing like a swift shadow through the forest. Klaus felt his muscles burn a little, but he didn't slow down. Each time he came closer, the wolf managed to find a way to escape, its movements fluid and unpredictable.

As the chase continued, Klaus began to consider his options. He only had a few arrows left and knew he had to be precise in his attacks. The time limit said backstage was one hour and at least twenty minutes had already passed. In other words, if he didn't manage to weaken the wolf enough, he wouldn't be able to defeat it and if he didn't score points even by losing arrows, it could all be for nothing.

The wolf suddenly made a sharp turn, diving into a dense section of bushes and Klaus slowed down for a moment, assessing the situation. He knew he had to be careful; the wrong approach could allow the wolf to escape again.

With his mind clear, Klaus approached the bushes carefully. He raised his bow, preparing to shoot as soon as he saw the slightest glimpse of the wolf. The key was to hit it to slow it down, even if any mistakes would undermine his chances of being able to hunt other creatures if the wolf managed to escape. His muscles tensed, his senses sharpened as he advanced cautiously.

The seconds seemed to stretch as Klaus approached the bushes. And then, like a specter emerging from the shadows, the wolf emerged from behind a tree a few meters ahead, its back momentarily exposed. Klaus didn't hesitate. He released the arrow with the precision of a true master of the bow and watched it fly towards the wolf, merely being affected by the wind.

The impact was perfect. The arrow hit the wolf's back, penetrating it deeply. The wolf once again let out a high-pitched howl of pain, its forelegs stumbling momentarily as its body buckled in response to the blow. The wolf's speed slowed noticeably, and its running became more erratic. Then, as Klaus raised his bow once more to shoot another arrow, he noticed something surprising: the wolf's life bar had shrunk significantly.

Klaus was surprised, because he hadn't known that a hit to a certain region of the body could cause such great damage, nor had he imagined that the hologram's sensors detected this, which gave him a new perspective on the dynamics of the creatures in the circuit. It wasn't just the arrow, but where it hit the creature that determined the damage. This meant that he had a real chance of taking on stronger enemies, as long as he aimed for the weak spots.

The wolf was still running, but now it was clearly slower and more injured. Klaus wasted no time and continued the chase, trying to keep at a minimum distance so that he could observe and assess its movements and thus not be fooled by the wolf again.

The game was struggling to escape, but Klaus was determined.

However, as Klaus kept up his exhausting pursuit of the wounded wolf, focused on every step he took and the position of the creature in front of him, an unexpected sound cut through the air. A sharp whistle followed by the impact of an arrow made Klaus instinctively turn to look.

His eyes narrowed as he saw the arrow stick in the wolf, and a mixture of shock and bewilderment spread across his face as he ran. Turning his head, he followed the trail of the arrow back to the fountain and, to his surprise, Emma was right behind him, bow in hand and a concentrated look on her face. His heart leapt in surprise, and a complex mixture of emotions ran through him.

As the wounded wolf continued to limp ahead, Klaus looked at Emma, who was now staring at him with determination. The tension between them was clear, and there was a mixture of rivalry and shared history. There had been a time when they had been close friends, even more than that perhaps, but circumstances had changed and now they were direct competitors, fighting for the title in the individual archery tournament.

"Emma..." Klaus began, his voice reflecting the surprise he felt at that moment.

"Klaus." She said, flashing a slight smile as she ran with her red hair tied up in a neat braid.

"You look beautiful."

"Thank you, and you too."

"So, thanks for your help with the wolf, but you can leave it to me to hunt it down myself." Klaus said.

"Hmm... No, I think I want this wolf. I think he's worth a lot of points. So let's fight over him, shall we?"

"How about a bet? I'll bet myself that I can destroy him before you do."

"And I'll bet you a thousand bucks that I can steal it from you, of course!" She said, keeping pace with him in the race.