The rustling grew louder, the growls more menacing, as the twisted wolf pack emerged from the shadows. Yuuto's heart pounded in his chest as he took in the sight before him: five wolves, each one more twisted and corrupted than the last, their fur matted with blackened streaks of dark magic, their eyes glowing with a fierce hunger. The corruption that had overtaken the first beast was even more pronounced in these creatures. Their bodies moved with an unnatural fluidity, dark tendrils of magic swirling around their paws as they circled Yuuto, preparing to strike.
There was no time to hesitate. Yuuto gripped his staff, his mind racing as he quickly assessed the situation. Elemental magic won't be enough to simply overpower them, he thought. I'll need to use strategy, control, and precision.
The wolves weren't just mindless beasts—they were coordinated, moving as one, their movements swift and calculated. Yuuto knew that if he allowed them to surround him, it would be over. He needed to keep his distance and fight from a position of control.
With a deep breath, Yuuto called upon the elements.
"Wind, rise!" he shouted, thrusting his staff into the air. The wind responded to his call, swirling around him in a powerful gust, forming a protective barrier. The first wolf lunged forward, snarling as it attempted to break through the barrier, but the wind knocked it back with a forceful blast.
Yuuto didn't stop there. He quickly transitioned, calling upon the earth beneath his feet. "Earth, rise!" With a crackling sound, the ground beneath him rumbled, and thick earthen spikes shot up from the ground, creating a defensive circle around him. The wolves snarled in frustration, circling the spikes but unable to get through without risking injury.
For a moment, Yuuto allowed himself to breathe. He had bought himself some time, but the wolves were far from defeated. They paced just beyond the reach of the spikes, their glowing eyes fixed on him, waiting for an opening.
The leader of the pack—a massive wolf with a particularly sinister aura of dark magic—snarled and snapped its jaws, clearly agitated. It began to gather dark energy around its body, and Yuuto's eyes widened in realization. They're not just relying on physical attacks—they can use magic too.
The lead wolf charged forward, its body wreathed in dark magic as it smashed through the earthen spikes with sheer force. Yuuto barely had time to react as the wolf's corrupted claws slashed toward him. He jumped back, narrowly avoiding the attack, but the beast's speed was terrifying.
I need to disrupt the corruption, Yuuto thought, recalling how he had defeated the first beast. He focused his mana sense, trying to locate the core of dark magic within the lead wolf. But with the pack closing in, there was no time for subtlety.
Yuuto decided to go on the offensive. He thrust his staff forward and called upon the fire element. "Flames, ignite!" A roaring wall of fire erupted between him and the wolves, searing the air with intense heat. The flames forced the pack to retreat for a moment, but Yuuto knew the dark magic coursing through them would protect them from the worst of the heat.
The fire wouldn't last long. He needed to weaken the wolves before they overwhelmed him.
As the pack regrouped, Yuuto shifted his stance and quickly gathered his mana. He focused on the element of water, drawing upon the moisture in the air and the nearby trees. His goal was to combine water and wind to create a freezing attack—something that could slow down the wolves and give him the opening he needed.
"Water, gather! Freeze!" Yuuto shouted, releasing his spell. A blast of icy wind and water shot toward the wolves, freezing the ground beneath their paws. The wolves skidded and stumbled, the ice clinging to their fur and slowing their movements. It wasn't enough to stop them, but it gave Yuuto the time he needed to locate the dark magic core in the lead wolf.
With the wolves momentarily slowed, Yuuto closed his eyes and focused all his attention on the lead wolf. The dark energy was pulsing through the creature's body, but there—it was in the creature's chest, just like the corrupted beast he had fought before.
That's it, Yuuto thought, determination filling him. He had found the source of the corruption. Now he needed to strike.
The ice was beginning to crack under the wolves' claws, and the fire barrier had all but died down. Yuuto had only a few moments before the pack attacked again. He summoned the power of the earth element, focusing all his remaining mana into a single strike.
"Earth, pierce the darkness!" Yuuto commanded, driving his staff into the ground. From beneath the frozen earth, sharp stone spikes erupted, targeting the lead wolf. The earth magic surged forward with incredible force, aiming directly at the corrupted core in the wolf's chest.
The pack leader roared in pain as the spikes struck true, piercing through its body and striking the core of dark magic. The other wolves howled, their connection to the pack leader evident as they stumbled and faltered. Dark energy pulsed violently through the lead wolf, but this time, Yuuto didn't stop. He poured more mana into the earth, pushing the spike deeper into the core.
The dark magic twisted and writhed, but finally, with a shuddering cry, the corrupted core shattered. The lead wolf collapsed to the ground, its body convulsing as the corruption dissipated into the air. The remaining wolves, now disoriented and weakened without their leader, retreated into the shadows, their howls echoing through the forest.
Yuuto stood there, breathing heavily, his staff still crackling with residual mana. The battle had been intense, far more dangerous than he had expected. But he had won.
He had faced the darkness once again—and prevailed.
Yuuto took a moment to collect himself, his breath coming in ragged gasps as the adrenaline of battle slowly faded. His mind raced as he considered what had just happened. The wolves had been more organized, more strategic, and far more dangerous than any of the other corrupted beasts he had encountered before. The dark magic was evolving, growing stronger.
This was no random attack—something, or someone, was behind this growing corruption. And if these creatures were a sign of things to come, the danger was far greater than Yuuto had anticipated.
He knew he couldn't face this alone. He needed to prepare, to master his magic further if he was going to stand a chance against the spreading darkness. The power of elemental magic had served him well, but there were still many spells he hadn't mastered, techniques that could make the difference between life and death in the battles to come.
As Yuuto made his way back to Elandrial, his body sore but his spirit unbroken, the familiar chime of the Ascendant System echoed in his mind.
[Ascendant System]
New Quest Available: Mastering Spells.]
Objective: Unlock and master five advanced elemental spells.]
Reward: 100 EXP, 30 AP, Bonus: Unlock Advanced Elemental Manipulation.]
A smile tugged at the corners of Yuuto's lips. This was exactly what he needed—a new challenge, a way to push himself further. He had come far, but there was still so much more to learn. And with the darkness closing in, mastering his magic wasn't just a goal—it was a necessity.
The wolves had been the first real test of his power. But Yuuto knew that the true danger was still ahead.
And he would be ready.