The first light of dawn filtered through the trees, casting long shadows over the campsite. Slowly, we began to stir—Aki, Rick, Zouno, and I—blinking sleep from our eyes and trying to process the chaos of the previous day.
Rick was the first to speak, his voice hoarse but laced with relief. "So... did we all survive?" he asked, scanning the camp with bleary eyes.
The girls, who had been standing watch, broke into relieved smiles. "Yes," one of them replied, her voice bright with pride, "and we're all much stronger now. We even got some coins and a treasure chest."
Curiosity quickly replaced exhaustion as we gathered around the mysterious chest. The air buzzed with excitement and a hint of caution. "Alright," I said, stepping up beside Rick. "Let's check it out—but stay alert."
Rick approached the chest cautiously, his fingers tracing the intricate carvings along its edge. After a moment, he pulled the lid open with a creak. His eyes widened, and he took a sharp breath. "It's... an egg."
A wave of surprise swept through the group. Gasps and whispers echoed around us. Sara, her brow furrowed in confusion, stepped closer. "But... it's huge. And those markings... they're not normal," she muttered, her eyes scanning the strange symbols etched into the shell.
I glanced over at Aki. "Check the system's monster info panels. Let's find out what we're dealing with."
Aki's fingers flew across the system interface, his expression growing more serious with each passing second. Finally, he stopped, his eyes wide with shock. "It's a... silver wolf egg," he whispered.
The group erupted in confusion. "But wolves don't lay eggs!" Rick exclaimed, disbelief clear in his voice.
"That's true," Aki agreed, his voice calm but tinged with excitement. "Normally, wolves give birth to live offspring. But this... it's a rare treasure drop. And not just any drop—monster eggs are incredibly rare."
The mood shifted as the realization sank in. We weren't just dealing with any treasure—this was something special, something valuable. I knelt beside the egg, studying it closely. That's when I noticed something odd.
"It's absorbing mana from the air," I muttered, mostly to myself. Then, turning to the group, I said more clearly, "What if the magic users release small amounts of mana around it? We might be able to speed up the hatching."
Aki's brows furrowed in concern. "Are you sure? It's risky. We don't know what could happen."
Sara nodded. "This could backfire on us. But... he's right. We don't have much time, and carrying this egg while fighting monsters could be dangerous."
A murmur of agreement passed through the group, and after a few moments of consideration, we decided to take the risk.
The magic users formed a circle around the egg, carefully releasing their mana in controlled waves. The egg began to glow, its shell shimmering as it absorbed the mana at an alarming rate. Aki's eyes widened. "It's absorbing the magic faster than I expected."
"Careful," I warned, my voice tense. "Just mana, no elemental magic. Rick, check the egg's status. Now."
Rick fumbled with the system, his eyes scanning the data quickly. "The race... it's changed! It's no longer a silver wolf. It's listed as an 'Ancient Great Wolf.'"
A stunned silence fell over us. The implications of that title hung in the air, heavy and ominous. For a moment, no one spoke. Then, one of the girls found her voice. "We should keep going. Pour in more magic."
With renewed determination, the magic users funneled even more mana into the egg, pushing their limits. Amaii, her hands trembling slightly, stepped forward. "Let me try my healing magic. It might help."
The egg glowed brighter, absorbing the healing magic along with everything else. "The timer's down to one day!" I shouted, excitement bubbling up. "Keep going!"
The girls pushed harder, beads of sweat forming on their brows as the egg continued to drink in the mana. Rick checked the timer again. "Five hours left!" he called out, a grin splitting his face.
With every second, the egg's glow intensified, its surface shimmering with a mix of colors. Finally, Rick's voice broke through the air once more. "One minute left! Everyone, step back!"
We all retreated, our eyes locked on the egg as cracks began to form along its surface. With a sharp crack, the egg split open, and a massive wave of mana washed over us, causing the air to hum with raw energy.
Emerging from the shattered shell was a majestic wolf, its fur as white as freshly fallen snow, and eyes glowing with an ethereal golden light. The Ancient Great Wolf stood before us, proud and powerful, radiating pure mana from every inch of its being.
We stood frozen, awestruck by the creature before us. The silence was broken by a soft chime from the system, congratulating us for hatching an Ancient Great Wolf and accelerating its birth. It rewarded us with 1,000 system coins.
"Yes!" I pumped my fist into the air, the relief washing over me. "We're set for a while now."
Aki, standing beside me, smiled. "No more worrying about hunting. We can just buy supplies from the system shop."
The wolf raised its head and howled, the sound reverberating through the camp. Another system notification popped up. The Ancient Great Wolf was offering to form a soul pact with one of us.
I turned to the others. "This isn't something we can decide. The wolf should choose."
Rick nodded in agreement. "You're right. Let the Ancient Great Wolf choose its partner."
The wolf's golden eyes scanned us, and suddenly, a pulse of mana shot out, testing each of us. The force was overwhelming. Some of the weaker members collapsed immediately, unable to withstand the pressure. Only Aki, Rick, Sara, and I remained standing, our bodies shaking from the strain.
My passive skill, Unshakeable Resolve, activated, dulling the impact of the mana, but it was still nearly unbearable. I could feel my legs giving out, but I forced myself to stay upright. One by one, Aki and Rick fell to their knees, leaving me standing alone.
Then, just as suddenly as it began, the pressure lifted. The Ancient Great Wolf padded towards me, its eyes piercing into mine before it gently bit my hand. A crest formed on the back of my hand, glowing with a faint light.
"It chose me," I said, my voice barely above a whisper, still in awe of what had just happened.
Aki, grinning from ear to ear, clapped me on the back. "Well earned, my friend. You passed its test."
The others nodded in agreement, relief spreading through the camp. "Check its stats!" Zouno and Rick urged in unison.
I pulled up the system window, my eyes widening as I read through the information. "It's... a female," I said. "Her starting level is 20."
A ripple of excitement passed through the group as I continued. "She's got a permanent buff—three times the usual experience gain!"
Everyone stared in disbelief. "She can use all types of magic," I added, "and her physical abilities are way above average."
Aki let out a breath of relief. "With her by our side, we can finally breathe a little easier. We've found an incredible ally."
I smiled, looking at the wolf's pure white fur. "How about we call her Snowy?"
The group quickly agreed, and Snowy wagged her tail as if she approved. We spent the next few moments enjoying our small victory, buying some supplies from the system and feeding Snowy as we settled in for the night.
As I watched Snowy gnaw on a piece of meat, I felt a renewed sense of purpose wash over me. My classmates were stronger now, and with Snowy by our side, I knew we had a fighting chance. I glanced around at the camp, watching my friends move about, their spirits lifted. No matter what came next, I was ready. I would protect them all, no matter what.
That night, the camp fell into a peaceful rhythm, two people keeping watch as always, rotating every few hours. But for the first time in a long while, I slept soundly, knowing we weren't alone in this fight.