Insomniac Player

The first trap was a success; the second was even better. The goblins never seemed to learn.

One patrol stumbled into a concealed pit, screaming as sharpened stakes pierced their legs.

Another group rushed toward the cries, only to trip over vines stretched between two trees.

John had called it "The world’s most disrespectful string."

Damien preferred "effective."

John preferred his version. "It has personality."

"It’s just a string."

"It’s disrespectful rope."

Rahul burst into laughter. "I’ve never met anyone who could insult a vine."

John puffed out his chest. "I have many talents."

For some reason, it became extremely easy to hunt goblins; they began to enjoy it and joked all the time- stupid jokes.

By evening, Damien finally allowed himself to relax.

Not because they were safe; nobody in the Tutorial was safe.

Rather, it was because each person had set aside any pretensions of heroism and begun to confront their fears and limitations honestly, focusing instead on collaboration and survival.

Players moved in pairs; nobody wandered alone.

Water was collected before anyone complained of thirst.

Weapons were sharpened before they became useless.

Even meals had become organised; if one person gathered food, another kept watch.

The cave no longer felt like a random group of frightened strangers.

It felt almost like a camp.

Damien crouched beside the dirt map again.

John leaned over his shoulder. "So... Any more bad news?"

"There usually is," Damien mumbled as he planned

"I appreciate the optimism," John muttered.

Damien ignored him; he looked at yesterday’s patrol routes.

Then today’s; his brows slowly furrowed. "That’s strange."

Rahul noticed immediately. "What is?"

"They changed." Damien looked a little bewildered.

Everyone gathered around. Damien tapped one of the trails. "Yesterday... This patrol passed here every fifteen minutes."

He tapped another. "Today... they only came twice."

Imran folded his arms. "They found another path?"

"No." Damien slowly shook his head. "They’re avoiding us."

Silence; the cave suddenly felt colder.

The rescued office worker laughed nervously. "Goblins don’t think that much."

"No, they don’t." Damien looked toward the forest. "But somebody does."

Almost on cue, a long howl echoed through the woods.

Unlike the wolves they’d heard before... this one was deeper and longer. It carried authority.

Every wolf in the surrounding forest answered, one after another.

Soon dozens of distant howls merged into one haunting chorus.

The teenage girl hugged herself. "...I am afraid; I have a bad feeling."

So had Damien.

John tightened his grip on his mace. "Wolves?"

Damien nodded slowly. "They’re gathering."

The attack came just before sunset without any warning, no screaming goblins, only silence, too much silence.

Damien immediately stood. "Everyone. Weapons."

No one questioned him anymore; the cave entrance filled within seconds.

John took the front. Rahul and Imran stood beside him.

The others formed a second line with spears.

They stepped outside a little; there were traps near the caves as well. If they were inside, the traps would be rendered useless.

Then... two glowing amber eyes appeared between the bushes

Another pair, then another. Seven wolves stepped into the clearing.

Unlike goblins... the wolves moved in utter silence. Their piercing eyes glinted in the fading light as they observed every movement, muscles tensed and bodies still. The faint scent of earth and fur drifted on the cool air while they watched, studied, and waited with the focused intensity of untamed predators.

John whispered, "...They’re not so many"

Damien nodded. "They’re deciding."

"Deciding what?" Rahul asked.

Damien answered. "Whether we’re worth dying for."

John frowned. "I don’t like that sentence."

Damien huffed as his heartbeat rose. "I don’t either."

One wolf stepped forward, larger than the rest.

Its left ear had been torn nearly in half; old scars covered its muzzle. On its head, System showed its level.

[Night Blood Wolf Lv.7]

Everyone gulped; none of them was at level 7 yet; John himself was at level 5.

It was the Alpha, an experienced one; it sniffed the air.

Its eyes drifted across the cave entrance. Across the spears, across John. Finally, they settled on Damien.

For a brief second, Damien felt as though something intelligent was looking back at him.

Then the wolf growled. Low and quiet.

The others spread out. Damien’s eyes widened. "They’re flanking.

John blinked. "They can do that?"

"They’re wolves, not goblins."

The first wolf charged, not toward John.

Toward the frightened office worker standing near the edge.

Damien reacted first. "Left!"

The office worker jumped aside just in time.

The wolf crashed into a sharpened stake instead; it yelped.

Before it could recover.

BOOM!

John’s mace ended his life; the remaining wolves didn’t panic; they retreated.

Exactly five steps, then began circling again.

Rahul swallowed. "...They’re testing us."

Damien nodded. "They’re looking for mistakes."

The teenage girl whispered, "What if we make one?"

John smiled. "Then you will respawn with some minus experience points; what else?"

The second attack came from both sides; two wolves lunged simultaneously.

One at John, one at Imran. John blocked his with the shaft of his mace.

Imran wasn’t as fortunate; the wolf knocked him backwards.

Its jaws snapped inches from his throat.

Before anyone else could move, Rahul stabbed it, but it didn’t flinch; he then tackled the beast sideways.

The wolf rolled; Imran seized the opportunity. His axe came down with both hands.

The wolf collapsed as its head rolled down; black blood came out of its body.

Rahul rolled onto his back, panting. "You owe me dinner."

Imran pulled him to his feet. "If we survive... I’ll buy you two."

John laughed loudly. "Make it three."

Rahul pointed toward him. "You’ve done nothing."

"I’ve provided emotional support."

"You only killed your wolf."

John narrowed his eyes. "Very emotional."

Damien slapped John’s big arms. "Stop messing around, Mr John. Focus on those mutts.

Even as they wiped blood from their hands and eyed the tree line, John still cracked jokes, and Imran still grumbled about what counted as dinner.

The wolves hesitated, three dead, four remaining.

The scarred leader paced slowly, its yellow eyes fixed on the corpses.

Then, it looked toward the forest. Another howl echoed. Far away and different.

The scarred wolf immediately backed away; the remaining pack followed.

Within seconds, they disappeared into the trees.

Nobody moved, nobody celebrated.

John scratched his moustache. "...Did we win?"

Damien slowly lowered his dagger. "No, we survived for now. There’s a difference."

He stared into the dark forest where the wolves had vanished. "They weren’t trying to kill us."

Rahul frowned. "Then what were they doing?"

Damien answered quietly. "They’re learning from us.. adapting, just as we must, if we hope to survive."

A chill swept through the cave; the goblins hadn’t adapted.

The wolves had, and somewhere beyond the trees. Whatever had called that final howl was still out there, watching and waiting.