The forest was breathing.
Not just swaying or whispering like it usually did—tonight, it breathed. Every branch gave a tired groan, every leaf flinched like it knew something worse was coming. The metallic scent of blood still lingered in the air, sharp and bitter... but now, something else had joined it.
A scent of change. Of finality.
We ran.
Zaine was at the front, carving a path through the underbrush like it offended him. Not a single word came from him. Not a glance back. Just steady movement, as if his body had accepted the cost of this journey long before we did.
And still—we followed.
Because at this point, what else was there?
The howls in the distance weren't warnings anymore. They were declarations.
The Alpha Wolf was here.
The Howling Rats had already engaged it. Maybe they thought they could outnumber it. Maybe they thought teamwork could compensate for cowardice.
They were wrong.
We slowed as we neared the battlefield. The ground had turned to a mess of moss and soaked soil that drank our footsteps like it wanted to keep us hidden. The trees grew sparse, framing a clearing that had clearly been carved by chaos.
Two bodies.
Limp. Unmoving.
The Howling Rats had tried to tame the Alpha. Eight against one. The result was written all over the scene.
Blackened bark where fire had burst.
Weapons bent like wire.
A deep claw trail etched into stone.
Then we saw it.
The Alpha.
Massive. Thick muscle curled beneath gray fur that rippled like water under stress. Its eyes—dead, patient, cruel—locked onto us without blinking. Blood clung to its snout, dripping slowly like it wasn't done yet. One of the Rats was still alive, barely. He crawled on elbows, muttering something to a god that never answered this deep in the Tower.
The Alpha took a step forward.
And paused.
It saw us.
Understood.
New challengers.
New pieces on the board.
Zaine didn't wait. He stepped ahead, sword out, as if the clearing had been drawn just for this moment. The rest of us spread out, our boots scraping against dirt and fallen ash. A wide arc formed—our only chance to divide its focus.
The wolf lowered its head.
No flashy skill this time.
No glowing eyes or psychic dread.
Just raw, primal intent.
It pounced.
Steel kissed fang. Flesh met fury.
The forest held its breath.
The wolf didn't charge straight. It stalked sideways first—intelligent, cold. Zaine moved in. His blade came low, aiming for the leg.
The wolf swiped—faster than it had any right to. Zaine rolled, just barely missing the hit. His sword grazed fur, not skin.
I lunged from the side—steel meeting teeth. Sparks flared as I was thrown back by sheer force. My arms went numb. Couldn't even feel the hilt for a moment.
Two of ours hurled spears. One hit square in the shoulder.
The wolf didn't flinch.
It twisted midair, slamming one of them down so hard the ground cracked beneath the body.
Zaine shouted, "Circle it! Don't stand still!"
But the beast wasn't listening. It moved with precision. Like it had done this before. Like it had fought humans long enough to know our rhythms.
Zaine dove again. This time his blade sank deeper—behind the leg. The Alpha screamed. A horrifying, guttural sound.
It twisted violently—its fangs raked across Zaine's ribs.
He flew.
Rolled twice.
Blood sprayed as he hit the ground. He didn't rise.
We froze.
The Alpha didn't finish him.
Instead... it turned toward me.
Maybe because I was next closest.
Maybe because I looked tired. Weak. Breakable.
Maybe I was.
Its eyes found mine. No warning. Just movement.
A blur.
I raised my blade—flat against its claws.
Pain exploded down my arms. Something cracked. I flew backward. Hit the earth hard. My vision blinked white.
It didn't let up.
The wolf followed, jaws wide, crashing down like an avalanche.
I rolled. Dirt filled my mouth. My ribs screamed. Couldn't breathe.
But I rose.
Barely.
Sword trembling. Knees ready to quit.
It lunged again—I sidestepped, slashed its leg. A wound opened. Blood spilled. It snarled.
Didn't stop.
I wouldn't last much longer.
Then—no sound, no warning—
A shadow behind it.
Zaine.
Back on his feet. Cloak gone. His breathing sharp, controlled. One hand clutching a healing herb—the rare one he found before. The other: his sword.
And he struck.
Blade to spine.
Clean.
The Alpha reeled, its roar shaking the clearing—but its legs gave out. It stumbled.
That was my chance.
One final cut—deep across the throat.
It dropped.
Didn't move again.
Zaine looked at me, nodded once. "That one's yours."
I didn't speak. Didn't need to.
But the silence didn't last.
From the trees—movement.
Figures.
The rest of the Howling Rats. They had waited—watching us bleed, hoping we'd finish the job for them.
Some were limping.
Some were untouched.
All of them were wrong.
"They still want the reward…" Zaine muttered, eyes narrowing. "Idiots."
They saw blood and thought it meant weakness.
They didn't know it meant resolve.
"End it," he said.
We moved.
I took the left flank.
One lunged at me—too slow. I twisted, slid beneath his strike, blade rising—cutting him across the ribs. He dropped, choking.
Two of ours cornered another. Hammer. Spear. Bone.
One tried to flee—Zaine's dagger found his spine. He didn't even get to scream.
Another tripped. I stepped forward. Quick. Clean.
No words.
No mercy.
They broke.
We didn't chase.
We ended.
Leaves drank the blood. The forest returned to silence.
Seven of us stood upright.
One leaned against a tree, barely breathing.
[SYSTEM NOTICE – Skill Unlocked]
User: Zaine
New Skill Acquired: Sword Slash Enhancement [Grade: E+]
[– Your dedication and technique under pressure have evolved. Your basic sword strikes now carry increased force and precision.– Passive activation. Scales with weapon mastery.
– Your slashes now release condensed energy arcs that extend beyond the blade, capable of striking enemies at short range (3–5 meters).]
Zaine glanced at it once.
Didn't even smile.
He just sheathed his sword like the reward was expected, not earned.
Then mine appeared:
[SYSTEM NOTICE – Skill Unlocked]
User: Arthur
New Skill Acquired: Direct Stab [Grade: E]
[– A fast, targeted thrust aimed at vital points. Ignores a portion of enemy defense.– Usable with short blades or swords.]
Zaine didn't even look back at them. He stepped over the corpse of the Alpha, kneeling beside a shattered spear—what was left of the first group that had tried to tame the beast.
"I hope they're watching," he muttered under his breath. "All of them. The Tower. The gods. The ones hiding up there in silence."
God knows how will he react if he knows the Tower is behind him...
[SYSTEM REWARD – Contribution Recognized]
EXP Gained: +720
Bonus: Group Survival +200 EXP
Current Active Players: 14
One of the younger players whispered, "It actually gave us something…"
Another nodded, too tired to speak.
[CONSTELLATION INTERVENTION DETECTED]
Kome, God of War, has marked Zaine.
A second panel shimmered, golden-edged.
[REWARD GRANTED – Divine Favor]
Constellation: Kome, The God of War
Martial Art Acquired: Flowing Iron Stance
[Grade: E++]
[– A foundational combat style refined by ancient battlefield champions.Combines precise footwork with explosive forward bursts and deflection parries.Boosts endurance under pressure and heightens counterattack timing.– Usable with swords, spears, or bare fists. Compatible with HEMA techniques.]
[Kome smiles upon your clarity. He watches what you do next.]
No one else saw that.Maybe it wasn't meant for them.
Zaine lowered his sword.
"We move in ten," he said, like nothing had happened. "Patch up. Keep quiet. Enemies won't wait for us to finish crying."