For a brief moment, it was as if time itself had stopped. The wolves had already surrounded me.
It was one of those standoffs where everyone waits, tense and unmoving, for the other to make the first move.
And then, one of the wolves lunged at me.
Two others joined it almost immediately, while the remaining four stood back, ready to exploit any opening. They weren't just attacking—they were using the wind to throw off my balance, trying to make sure I couldn't block or counter properly.
The same strategy as before.
But this time, I was ready.
No matter how intelligent a beast might be, it's still just a beast.
As the first wolf came within range, my right arm erupted into dark blue flames. I didn't unsheath my sword just yet; instead, I tightened my grip on the hilt. The wolf aimed straight for my head, its jaws wide open.
The moment it got close enough, my hair ignited, blazing with the same blue flames, and my eyes began to glow with their eerie light.
One thing I'd learned about Ego Flames over the past two months was this: when the fire covers my face, my reaction time and mental processing speed increase dramatically.
With the enhanced strength coursing through my right arm and the sharpened reactions from the flames, I focused.
I thought the words, clear and steady in my mind:
Ego Style, Sword Form: First Slash.
As soon as the words formed in my mind, I unsheathed my sword in one fluid motion, faster than the wolf could react. The blade sliced clean through its neck, nearly severing it entirely.
The wolf's body collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud, skidding a short distance before coming to a stop.
The sharp, metallic scent of blood filled the air almost immediately. Crimson pooled around its lifeless form, soaking into the dirt as its final breath faded into silence.
.
.
.
(1 Month Ago)
"Boy, even though I'm no swordsman, I know plenty about swords," Miss Old said, waving a wooden sword like it was a mere toy.
"I've fought beside swordmasters... and against them, too."
Her voice carried the weight of experience, but her casual demeanor made it hard to take her seriously.
"But there was one swordmaster I even acknowledged." She paused for dramatic effect, her eyes narrowing slightly. "If swordsmanship had a pinnacle, he was the pinnacle."
I stood before her, watching as she got into one of her narrative moods.
With one foot propped on a small rock, she struck a pose, pointing the wooden sword skyward as though invoking the heavens.
Wait... where did that rock even come from?
"That man always told me a lot about swords," Miss Old began, her voice softening. "He used to say, 'If you want to swing a sword, make sure it's so fast that even you don't realize you've swung it.'"
...
I stared at her, my face twisted in confusion. "That doesn't make any sense."
"I know," Miss Old replied, dropping her narrative pose with a slight chuckle. "But I'm not a swordmaster, and neither are you."
Her expression shifted, a hint of melancholy in her warm smile. "Once you reach his level, though... maybe it'll make sense."
She extended the wooden sword toward me, the gesture clear. "Here. Take it."
.
.
.
(Present)
"Yep, it still doesn't make sense."
[That's because you're not fast enough.]
"Oh, shut up."
The wolves stand still for a moment, their eyes narrowing with anger as the tension thickens.
[Before you dive into your little life-and-death brawl, can we talk about renaming that move? It's so—]
I tune out Ego's voice as I focus, gripping my sword tighter and steadying my breath.
The wolves abandon their strategy, their patience worn thin. With a chorus of growls, they charge at me, their formation chaotic.
One of the wolves steps onto something flat, hidden beneath the dirt and leaves.
BOOM!
The explosion rings out, startling the other wolves. I'm already far from the blast zone, having moved away the moment I saw the trap trigger.
The explosion hit three of the wolves.
The wolf caught in the blast was unrecognizable—its upper body obliterated, leaving behind a gory, brutal mess.
The other two wolves didn't fare much better. One was impaled on a sharp, broken tree branch, its body limp and lifeless. The other was slammed against a large rock, its head bleeding heavily as it lay motionless on the forest floor.
Less than ten minutes had passed, and four wind wolves were already down.
[…]
The remaining wind wolves freeze at the sight of their fallen comrades. A wave of anger washes over them, their growls intensifying.
Then, the nine-tailed fox begins to sing.
The eerie melody echoes through the forest, and the wolves' bodies start to contort unnaturally. Their howls of pain pierce the air as their forms begin to deform.
Their legs elongate into grotesque, twisted shapes, barely resembling anything natural.
Their jaws unhinge, gaping unnaturally wide, revealing rows of jagged teeth.
Their eyes turn completely white, streaming blood as if crying tears of rage and agony.
The once-pristine white fur of the wolves darkens, soaked and matted with their own blood, transforming them into horrifying abominations.
[THE FUCK IS HAPPENING TO THOSE WOLVES!?]
"I don't know," I reply, keeping my focus on the grotesque creatures. "But it's probably that nine-tailed fox messing with them through its creepy singing."
The deformed wolves charge at me, their speed far greater than before.
Fear briefly grips me. These monsters were already dangerous—now they're something out of a nightmare. And after this, I still have the fox to deal with.
But I push the fear aside. There's no room for hesitation.
Dark blue flames erupt around me, wrapping my body like a second skin. They don't burn with heat but surge with power, enhancing my strength and reflexes. My grip tightens on my sword, and my body feels lighter, faster, sharper.
My hair flares into a blaze of dark blue, and my glowing eyes cut through the shadows.
Ego Style, Sword Form: First Slash.
I repeat the phrase in my mind, steadying my nerves as the first deformed wolf lunges at me. Its twisted body barrels forward, jaws wide open, but I step in, my blade moving faster than I can even think—
And the battle begins.