Chapter 7: The Shadow Wolf
It was 2:30 in the night, and Zoruto was still in the park, relentlessly practicing, trying to unlock his wind element. The cool night breeze swirled around him, but nothing was happening the way he wanted it to. His body was drenched in sweat, his muscles sore, and his breath uneven from the hours of pushing himself.
"Huh… it's not working…" Zoruto muttered, his voice tinged with frustration and exhaustion. His eyes narrowed as he stretched out his hand, summoning a ball of wind once again. It flickered weakly, far smaller than he intended. With a tired expression, he hurled it towards a nearby tree.
"Rasengaaaaan!" he called out, trying to make the moment light, but deep down, it felt forced.
The wind ball hit the tree with a soft thud, barely moving the leaves.
Zoruto sighed heavily, running a hand through his damp hair. "How can I master this element if I can't even control it properly?"
His thoughts raced. He had been at it for hours, but it felt like no matter how hard he tried, he was stuck in the same place. The frustration built in his chest, a mix of anger and helplessness.
"Let's see what my stats are…" Zoruto grumbled, clicking on the air symbol on his hand. The glowing screen appeared before him, and he immediately opened the Skills tab. His eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the status.
Elemental Control - Air: Level 1 (1%)
Unlocked Skills: None.
"Huh?!" he exclaimed. "After all of this training... only 1%?" His face twisted into a look of exasperation. "Bruhhh... this is gonna take forever!"
His resolve faltered for a moment, but he quickly shook it off. "Alright, fine. So I've gotta train harder. I'll do it. There's no way I'm giving up."
Just as he was preparing to continue, an unsettling feeling washed over him. His body tensed. It was as if the very air around him shifted, becoming colder and heavier. He felt an unpleasant aura—something dark and malevolent—moving through the trees. It was fast, too fast for his eyes to follow.
"What the hell is that?" Zoruto muttered, his pulse quickening as his eyes scanned the shadows.
Suddenly, without warning, a massive creature leaped from the darkness. It moved like a blur—silent and swift. Zoruto's breath caught in his throat as he saw it fully for the first time: a wolf-like creature made entirely of shadow, its glowing red eyes locked onto him with predatory hunger. Its body was massive, sleek, and dangerous, exuding a dark energy that sent a chill down Zoruto's spine.
It charged at him in a split second, its speed unreal. If it hit him, Zoruto knew he wouldn't survive.
"Crap!" Zoruto yelled, his instincts kicking in. He threw himself to the side, narrowly dodging the shadow wolf's deadly swipe. The ground where he stood exploded as the creature's claws dug into the earth.
Zoruto scrambled to his feet, quickly using his wind ability to leap into the air, escaping behind a nearby tree. His heart was pounding in his chest as he pressed his back against the bark, his breaths rapid and shallow. "Phew… that was clo—"
But before he could even finish his sentence, the shadow wolf attacked again. This time, it was faster, more aggressive, appearing from the shadows like a vengeful ghost.
"How is it moving so fast?!" Zoruto gasped, barely dodging another swipe. He could feel the wind from its claws brushing past his skin. His body moved on pure instinct, but his mind was racing. "I can't keep up with this thing… If I take one hit, I'm dead!"
Zoruto sprinted across the park, desperately trying to create some distance between himself and the creature. But no matter how fast he moved, the wolf was faster. It was as if it was toying with him, appearing and disappearing from the shadows, always one step ahead.
He tried to summon the wind again, focusing hard, but his abilities weren't strong enough. He could barely lift himself off the ground, let alone fly. Every attempt to escape felt futile.
"I can't keep running… I've gotta fight back…" Zoruto thought, panic creeping into his chest.
The wolf lunged at him once more, and Zoruto reacted instinctively, summoning a ball of wind in his hand and throwing it at the creature with everything he had.
But the wind ball barely fazed the wolf. It dissipated against its shadowy form, doing nothing. The creature didn't even flinch. Zoruto's eyes widened in horror.
"Damn it! It's too strong! I'm not even making a dent…"
The wolf circled him, ready to strike again. Zoruto's heart pounded louder in his ears as he braced himself for the inevitable. He had nothing left. No more tricks, no more wind balls that would work. This was it.
But just as despair started to settle in, something unexpected happened. A screen appeared in front of him, glowing brightly.
Level Upgraded
Wind Level: 2
New Skill Unlocked: Wind Dash.
Zoruto blinked in disbelief. "New skill… unlocked?"