...
Dashing within the field, a phantom wolf chased around a lone figure. He held daggers tightly in his hands as he ran amongst the trees, skillfully kiting the wolf in an attempt to evade its attacks.
===
Rookie: Phantom Wolf
Core rank:
-An evolved wolf, its bloodline carrying a mix of phantom snow fox. However, as one of the lower-ranking hostile animals in the forest, it occupied a place beneath higher predators. Despite its lower status, the wolf is still stronger than the average hostile creature prowling the woods. Its phantom heritage had endowed it with above-average speed, senses, and resilience - traits that allowed it to survive where other scavengers might fall prey to stronger forest denizens. While outmatched by top predators, the evolved wolf remained a formidable foe for those it could catch unaware or weakened.
---
Soul links : [ Quick Dash (Active) ]
[ Quick Dash (Active) ]: This active trait boosts the host's agility by 10% on the spot and allows the host to instantly charge forward at an unbelievable speed.
Upon activation, the target within range will be marked with "Predator". If the charge connects with a marked target, Atk% is increased by an extra 25% against that single target.
(The "Predator" mark can be negated if the target's Perception stat exceeds that of the host.)
---
Soul Bane :
(When dealing damage to its neck, it inflicts an additional 250% weakness damage)
===
Eldric used the dense trees to conceal his tracks from the pursuing wolf. He leaped nimbly from branch to branch, fluidly navigating the forest canopy.
At times, he would kick off trunks to boost his momentum, augmenting his speed through skillful utilization of the momentum from each deflection.
His agile movement through the trees served to both confuse the wolf's tracking and gradually put distance between himself and the predator.
Enraged at its inability to keep up with Eldric, the phantom wolf activated it's Soul link.
[ Quick Dash ]
Suddenly, a red targeting mark appeared above Eldric's head. With speed barely detectable to the naked eye, the wolf sprinted towards the mark.
Eldric noticed the phantom wolf's boosted speed. He led it in a specific direction, positioning himself to take the incoming attack head-on.
As intended, the wolf caught up to Eldric and lunged for his head with its fangs. Eldric blocked with both daggers, but the wolf's increased attack from [ Quick Dash ] easily overpowered the blades.
Though his weapons were overwhelmed, Eldric maintained a confident grin, his plan unfolding as hoped.
In a puff of smoke, Eldric vanished from sight. The wolf searched in confusion until sensing a towering killing intent emerge from a nearby bush. Before it could react, a gigantic great sword smashed into its flank
-Boom..
The impact sent the wolf barreling through the forest like a projectile. It destroyed trees along its path before crashing into the ground with an impact that carved a crater into the soil.
Aziza stabbed the great sword against the ground and glanced at the bushes near her, Robin, Lucian, and Eldric then came out.
"Uhh? Why do we need to bait the wolf?" Robin asked the three individuals since Aziza could easily kill a phantom wolf with one strike head-on.
"While Aziza possesses incredible attacking prowess, she lacks in speed and perception," Lucian explained.
Eldric nodded. "And phantom wolves inherently have great agility, and [ Quick Dash ] augments it's agility further. If the wolf knew Aziza could one-shot it, the wolf would simply flee using its speed."
"My role was to lower its guard by appearing as a high-speed threat with lower damage. As an assassin in the path of the trickster, I must deceive opponents into vulnerable positions," Eldric continued.
Robin rubbed his chin and nodded his head. "What was that skill you used anyway? The one where you puffed?"
"Ah, that was my Soul Link," Eldric replied. "It creates a clone of myself that has only half my strength, defense, agility, and perception."
"Hence why I could not prevent getting marked by the wolf, As the clone only possesses half my perception."
Eldric explained, and Robin nodded his head in return. the group continued their hunt within the forest.
...
Natalia, Scarlet, Aaron, and two figures sat around the war table as Natalia knocked on its surface, lost in thought. The others remained silent, awaiting her decision.
"Scarlet, did you find any trace of the missing scouts?" Natalia asked solemnly. Scarlet shook her head sadly. Natalia took a deep breath and rubbed her temples in frustration.
"It seems like they are starting, yet we don't know where is the descent," she sighed, gazing at the four figures in the room.
The four individuals looked at each other before they nodded their heads, finalizing their decision.
"Luvengton has seen more walker activity these past months. Their lord may be descending upon the city soon," one of the figures spoke.
"So, we'll be dispatching our squads to Luvengton to find out the destination," Aaron added.
Natalia glanced at the figures in the room with concern, "They are still children that haven't reached adulthood.."
Scarlet cut in before Natalia could object further. "They are already warriors, and I am sure that are already prepared after they took this path."
The room fell in silence, as some people within the room recalled an legendary being. He, a young teen just like the others, yet he became the strongest, in order to protect.
The first awakener of Soleria, the strongest awakener of Asylon, many titles held on this being.
He, alone in the same rank as the walkers, is able to compete with 10 of them at the same time. Just this feat alone, made him well known across the whole plane.
To this day, no one is able to reach this feat. However, as though someone intended to wipe out his existence, no one remembered him, who he was nor where he went. His legendary feats, some claim to fake while others think that they are just myths.
His true identity at end remained a big mystery, as though there is a big history gap that got suddenly wipe out.
"Alright," Natalia nodded her head and glanced at Scarlet.
"I remembered that you took in a new rookie within the squad as the strategist."
Scarlet nodded and replied, "Robin, will become a great strategist."
There was a glint of surprise in the eyes of Natalia, as she knew her best friend wouldn't praise an awakener, after all, she is one of the more genius awakeners within Asylon.
Although Scarlet couldn't compete with him, she is still one of the top awakeners that go toe to toe with Natalia, as Natalia is currently the strongest awakener within Asylon.
...
3 hours later.
Robin, Lucian, Aziza, and Eldric sat on the ground tallying the number of wolves they had hunted.
As the sun sank below the horizon and night began to bloom, they finished counting and set off back towards the academy.
-Zzz.. Zzz..
Lucian's communicator bracelet chimed with an incoming call. The group looked to him as he answered, with Scarlet's voice resonated through the device.
"Lucian, is Robin, Eldric and Aziza with you?" she asked.
"Yes, they are all here with me," Lucian replied.
"Leader, is there a new mission?" he inquired, knowing Scarlet would not contact him unless it was important.
"Yes, return to the meeting room immediately," Scarlet instructed before ending the transmission.
-Du.. Du..
The group glance at each other before they quickened their pace through the darkening forest. Although they didn't knew why Scarlet instructed them with urgency, they knew that it isn't a ordinary mission.
Looking at the three individuals, I rubbed my chin at the thought of their paths and classes.
Aziza has the Dreadnought class with the Path of Madness, her class is essentially that of a berserker, with her immense strength enabling her great sword to instantly slay the wolves.
The number she deals with is also quite high compared to my little 31 damage, which paled in comparison to her one or two-shot kills.
The good thing is that she isn't like a berserker who would go insane when she is fighting against an enemy, then again it still felt weird to me at the fact that she is using a gigantic great sword with a small body of hers.
It might be because of the help of her path that made her able to wield a very heavy great sword.
Lucian, Honestly, I haven't seen him in action as Eldric and Aziza could easily kill the wolves without any issue at all, but from the shield of his back, I could assume that he is a Tank, instead of a Knight.
I wonder what will be my class and path, as the performance of the trial would correspond to my path and class.
'Might be a Strategist'
To be honest, I don't like to be a strategist since It felt like boring, as staying at the rear while commanding the team just doesn't suit me.
'So, I would need to do something big.' I thought to myself.
We continued to move through the forest before I heard a small fox bark at my ears, I glanced around the surroundings yet there isn't a fox near us.
"Did you guys hear a fox bark?" I asked the three, which they shook their head in return.
"Why?" The three asked as we continued to move at high speed.
"Nothing.."
-Gau..
Once again, I looked around, attempting to find the direction of the sound, yet I still couldn't find it.
'Am I hallucinating?' is what I thought.
Halting my steps, I glance forward, realizing to my alarm that the group had mysteriously disappeared up ahead.
Suddenly, my vision distorted as I fell into a daze before a white fox appeared in front of me, it had two pairs of purple pupil with its left eye, having a white iris, while its right, had a black iris.
Middle on its forehead is a Sun and Moon symbol, other than that, the fox seemed to be that of an ordinary fox except for the extraordinary height it has.
The fox glanced at me with confusion, it walked towards me before a transparent panel appeared before me.
===
Rookie: Heaven's Fox
(Bloodline: Nine-Tailed Heaven's Fox)
Name: N/A
Core rank: ???
- ???
(Contractee : Robin ???)
---
Soul links : ???
---
Soul Bane : ???
===
"..."
I fell silent as I read the description, confused by the numerous question marks where details should be. Compared to black boxes I'd seen before, these question marks were even more frustrating as there was no information at all.
The fox smacked my face with its paw, as it giggled at me.
-Woauf..
I kept staring at it, baffled at the fact of the sudden intrusion of the fox in my vision.
'When had I contracted such a fox?' is what I am thinking right now, yet there was no answer to my question at all.
I could only shake my head and just deal with it.
'I'm tired of finding reasons.'
'I'll just go with the flow.'
Too many questions remained unanswered, with more arising each moment. I decided to focus on finding my companions for now.
"Little fox, where are my friends?"
The fox tilted its head and let out a howl. My vision once again, distorted as images overlapped.
"Robin?" Eldric spoke as he waved his hand onto my face.
"Uh?" I blinked, glancing around in confusion. Somehow we'd reached the academy gates.
"You alright?" Lucian asked with concern.
"Right," I nodded, still in a daze.
"You seemed out of it after the call," he remarked.
"Since when?" I queried, my memory hazy.
Lucian and Eldric exchanged glances while Aziza watched silently, as there was a glint of confusion in her eyes.
"Right after Scarlet contacted us," they replied together.
"Everyone, hurry!" a green-haired girl interrupted from afar.
"Come to the meeting room, we have a mission to complete." She continued before running her way towards the building we were heading forward.
Glancing around, I could see students running around the area, as they urgently ran towards the building as though there is something important was about to happen.
We quickened our pace and ran back to the building.