"Your mission is to eliminate a pack of Wind Wolves that are ruling over the outer layer of the Beast Zone," Miss Old says.
"Wind Wolves? If I'm correct, they're Tier 5 beasts, and the pack leader is usually Tier 4," I reply.
"Mhm. But don't underestimate them," Miss Old warns, her gaze locking onto me. "Remember, you're entering a Beast Zone. Anything can happen in there."
"You've got one month to finish the job," she adds.
"One month? That long?" I say, surprised by the generous time frame.
"Boy! What did I just tell you? Don't underestimate the beasts—especially the ones tough enough to survive in a Beast Zone!" Miss Old scolds me, her voice sharp with authority.
"Yeah, yeah, I got it," I say quickly, nodding in agreement.
Miss Old lets out a sigh. "Anyway, there's something else you need to do…"
"I've taught you the basics of swordsmanship. Now it's time for you to create your own sword style," Miss Old says, her tone firm. "A style that matches perfectly with your Unique."
"A sword style of my own, huh..." I murmur, the idea intriguing but also daunting.
"So, what have you learned about your Unique so far?" Miss Old asks, watching me closely.
"Uh, well..." I trail off, gathering my thoughts. "So far, I've figured out that the dark blue flames that come from my body aren't actual fire—they're more like an aura."
I pause, then continue. "The aura boosts my strength, speed, and defense, but it damages my body in the process. It also drains a lot of stamina."
Miss Old nods, encouraging me to go on.
"But it's not all bad. Because ego also speeds up my regeneration process," I add. "However, the more I use, the more damage I take. If I overdo it, I could end up crippled."
"So, nothing new so far?" Miss Old asks, raising an eyebrow.
"Yep," I reply with a sigh.
"Well, there's definitely something you haven't discovered about your ability yet. Otherwise, you would've already unlocked the second stage," she says, her eyes narrowing in thought.
"But... how will I know when I've unlocked it?" I ask, confusion lacing my voice.
"You'll know. It'll feel like something inside you just... clicks," Miss Old explains.
"Anyway, enough of that for now. Prepare yourself," she continues, a smile creeping onto her face. "I brought you a present."
"A present?" I ask, curious.
Without another word, she pulls out a sword, the metal gleaming in the light.
"It's just a normal sword, but you won't find craftsmanship like this easily," she says, handing it to me.
I take the sword, my eyes fixed on the blade, just staring at its flawless design.
It looked like just a normal sword, but something about it seemed perfect—flawless in its simplicity.
"Isn't it your birthday today?" Miss Old asks with a knowing smile.
"My... birthday?" I murmur.
I can't even remember the last time someone celebrated it.
"Anyway," she continues, "I wanted to bring you a cake, but some problems came up, and I completely forgot."
"THANK YOU, MASTER!" I shout, dropping to a bow, overwhelmed with gratitude and respect.
Even though I've only known Miss Old for two months, she's treated me like family, offering the warmth my own family never gave.
Miss Old chuckles.
"Boy, no need to act so dramatic. It's just a sword," she says, walking away. "Now, go and gather what you need. Your mission starts now."
I glance down at the sword, admiring it.
"Finally, some action", Ego's voice echoes in my mind.
I guess so, I reply internally.
…
As I enter the forest, I make sure each step is silent, my senses sharp.
"WHERE ARE YOU, WOLVES?!" Ego shouts in my head, excited.
Can you shut up? I respond mentally, annoyed. I can't focus with your screaming.
Carefully, I observe the area, searching for any signs of life.
We're almost at the Beast Zone, I remind myself.
Suddenly, I spot a white wolf prowling nearby.
Jackpot, Ego murmurs eagerly.
White fur... it's a wind wolf, I confirm to myself, heart beginning to race.
I silently followed the wolf, a strange feeling creeping up my spine.
Why is it alone? Wolves always roam in packs, yet this one wanders by itself.
I trailed behind it, making sure nothing seemed out of place, moving from one tree to the next, silently observing.
Something felt off. The wolf wasn't hunting or doing anything a typical wolf would do—it was just roaming.
"JUST KILL IT!" Ego screams in my mind, impatient.
"Stop being such a coward!" Ego keeps pushing, urging me to act.
Despite the uneasy feeling in my gut, my patience was wearing thin. I drew my sword, the weight of it grounding me.
I climbed up a nearby tree without a sound, waiting for the wolf to come closer. As soon as it was beneath me, I activated Ego's Flame. Strength surged through my body, tinged with the familiar pain of overexertion.
I leaped from the tree, gripping the sword's hilt tightly, aiming to finish this in one strike.
But then... the wolf looked up at me like it had been expecting my attack.
Before I could react, a powerful gust of wind blasted me mid-air, sending me crashing into a tree nearby. Pain shot through my back, but I forced myself to get up, quickly deactivating the aura.
It wasn't alone anymore. Dozens of wind wolves surrounded me, their eyes glowing in the dark.
And then, in the distance, I saw it—the pack leader. A massive grey wolf, watching me with cold eyes.
But beside it... there was something worse.
A nine-tailed fox—a third-tier beast.
Shit.
Before I could even think, dozens of wolves rushed toward me, their movements a blur of speed and precision.
I braced myself, preparing to fight, but before I could make a move, a powerful gust of wind slammed into me, throwing me off balance.
"Fuck!" I cursed, stumbling backward.
Pain shot through my left arm as one wolf's claws raked across it, the sting sharp and immediate. Before I could even process it, another wolf sank its teeth into my right leg.
They're not giving me a chance to react.
I gritted my teeth, trying to shake them off, but they were relentless, attacking from every direction. My muscles screamed in protest, my mind racing to find a way out, but it felt like I was drowning in the chaos.
I grit my teeth, pain shooting through every nerve as I activate Ego's Aura. The dark blue flames roar to life, surrounding me and sending a shockwave that throws the wolves off my body.
No time to think. I feel the surge of power flow through me as I launch myself at the nearest wolf, aiming to take it down in a single strike. But it's too fast, a gust of wind blasting from its paws, pushing it out of range.
"The fuck…?" I mutter, frustration boiling inside me. This is all wrong.
Before I can recover, the pack charges again. They come at me from every angle, faster than I expected, more coordinated than they should be. This isn't how wind wolves fight.
Then it clicks. It's not the wolves—it's that damn nine-tailed fox. My eyes dart toward the grey wolf in the distance, standing beside the fox. A chill runs down my spine. Even though it's the weakest tier 3 beast, its Charm ability is boosting the wolves, making them faster, stronger… deadlier.
I can feel my strength draining. My body screams in agony, blood soaking my clothes, my skin torn open from all the attacks. Every time I try to strike, I get hit by another wind blast, throwing me off balance. And if I try to defend, they're already on me, tearing at me from every direction.
I'm on my last legs. I can barely stand. The Ego's flame flickers weakly around me, its strength fading. Five seconds… that's all I've got left.
My breath is ragged, my vision blurring. I can't die here. Not like this. Not after everything.
Five seconds of Ego's Flame.
It's now or never.
Suddenly, Ego's flame surged, burning brighter and fiercer than ever before. I didn't have time to question it. I pushed every ounce of strength I had left into one final dash.
The ground quaked beneath me, a shockwave rippling out as I shot forward, faster than I'd ever moved before. For a moment, it felt like I was flying, soaring far away from the wolves.
I couldn't feel my legs.
The impact of my landing hit hard, sending me crashing into the earth. I skidded to a stop, pain exploding through my body. My left leg was broken. I could barely move.
Everything started to blur, darkness creeping in around the edges of my vision. I was slipping away.
Just before everything went black, I saw someone standing over me.
"Master…" I whispered, barely getting the word out before the world disappeared.