As Hiroto continued through the forest, weaving between the trees and keeping his senses sharp for more Shadow Wolves, he decided to check his progress. With a quick flick of his hand, the glowing interface appeared before him, displaying his character stats.
[Shadowfang - Level 5]
HP: 220/220
MP: 100/100
Stats:
Strength: 7
Agility: 20
Intelligence: 5
Vitality: 8
Dexterity: 12
Luck: 9
Skill Unlocked: [Shadow Step]
Description: Instantly teleport a short distance to a target location within 5 meters. Grants a temporary 20% boost to evasion for 3 seconds.
Cooldown: 20 seconds
Hiroto's eyes lit up as he read the skill description. "Shadow Step, huh? Sounds like it's gonna come in handy." He could already imagine the possibilities—dodging attacks, closing gaps between enemies, or getting into an advantageous position for a critical strike. The boost to evasion would make him even harder to hit, which suited his playstyle perfectly.
Testing the skill seemed like the natural next step. He spotted a clearing ahead and jogged toward it. Once there, he scanned the area for a suitable target. A rustling bush to his left caught his attention, and sure enough, another Shadow Wolf prowled out, its glowing yellow eyes locked on him.
"Perfect timing," Hiroto muttered with a grin, unsheathing his daggers. He readied himself as the wolf crouched, preparing to pounce.
The wolf lunged, closing the distance in an instant. Hiroto activated Shadow Step, his body dissolving into a blur of black mist as he reappeared five meters to the wolf's side. The creature skidded to a halt, momentarily confused.
"Not bad," Hiroto remarked, feeling the burst of agility from the evasion buff. He darted forward, landing a clean strike across the wolf's back before it could recover. The creature snarled, spinning to counter, but Hiroto's enhanced speed allowed him to weave out of the way effortlessly.
He made quick work of the wolf, slashing at its legs to cripple its movement before delivering a decisive blow to its neck. The wolf let out a final growl before disintegrating into shards of light, its loot and experience added to Hiroto's tally.
[Quest Progress: 4/10 Shadow Wolves Defeated]
Hiroto flicked his daggers to shake off the phantom blood and smirked. "Yeah, this skill's gonna be a game-changer."
With renewed confidence, he ventured deeper into the forest, his mind already running through strategies to use Shadow Step in more creative ways. The wolves didn't stand a chance now.
As Hiroto continued to hunt down the Shadow Wolves, his confidence grew with every clean strike. The forest was quiet aside from the sounds of his daggers cutting through the air and the occasional growl from a defeated enemy. Each kill brought him closer to completing the quest, and his stats felt stronger with each level gained.
Suddenly, as he was about to land another hit on a Shadow Wolf, a loud clink echoed in his ears. A thick bar appeared above his head, glowing a menacing red with the words:
[Boss Encounter: Shadow Alpha - Level 10]
HP: 1000/1000
The appearance of the boss bar startled him for a moment. Hiroto froze, eyes wide, as his heart skipped a beat. The woods fell unnervingly silent, and the air around him seemed to grow colder.
"So that's the big guy..." Hiroto muttered under his breath, his eyes narrowing. He hadn't expected a boss to appear so soon, especially not one at level 10. But the thrill of a challenge was exactly what he was looking for, and a boss meant a massive reward if he could pull it off.
He glanced around for any sign of the Shadow Alpha but saw nothing at first. The tension in the air was palpable, and the trees swayed as if anticipating the fight. His mind raced as he thought about his options. This wasn't a regular monster—it would be stronger, faster, and probably more cunning than the other wolves he had faced.
"Alright, I've got health potions, the Shadow Step skill, and enough agility to dodge. Let's do this."
Just as he spoke, the ground beneath him began to tremble. The bushes nearby rustled, and from the shadows of the trees, a hulking figure emerged.
The Shadow Alpha was massive, at least twice the size of a regular wolf. Its fur was a deep, inky black, blending seamlessly with the darkness of the forest, and its eyes burned with an ominous red glow. Its fangs were longer than any of the other wolves'—sharp and gleaming in the faint light. The creature's presence alone radiated an aura of power, and Hiroto felt his pulse quicken.
[Shadow Alpha - Level 10]
HP: 1000/1000
Special Abilities: Shadow Roar (Knocks back and weakens enemies), Alpha's Wrath (Increases attack speed and damage for a short duration after taking damage)]
Hiroto took a deep breath, his hand hovering over his daggers. "Let's dance, big guy."
The Shadow Alpha lunged forward with terrifying speed, its claws extended to swipe at him. Hiroto reacted instantly, activating Shadow Step and teleporting behind the Alpha in a flash. He struck with both daggers, landing a solid blow to its flank. The creature howled in pain, but its health barely budged.
"Guess I'll need to work harder than that," Hiroto muttered, quickly backing up to gain some distance. The Alpha swung its massive tail, slamming it into the ground where Hiroto had been standing, sending debris flying. He barely managed to leap out of the way, his heart racing.
Before he could recover, the Shadow Alpha threw its head back and released a deafening Shadow Roar that echoed through the forest. Hiroto felt a wave of pressure hit him, and his vision blurred for a moment. His stamina dropped, and he stumbled back, momentarily disoriented.
[Status Effect: Weakened (50% damage reduction for 10 seconds)]
Hiroto gritted his teeth. "This is gonna be tougher than I thought."
But he wasn't backing down. He quickly popped a health potion, the healing liquid revitalizing him as he prepared for the next wave of attacks. The Shadow Alpha, now enraged, charged again, its claws slashing wildly in every direction. Hiroto dodged one swipe but wasn't quick enough to avoid the second, taking a glancing hit that knocked him off balance.
[HP: 160/220]
"Damn, I can't take too many of those," Hiroto muttered, his fingers tapping on his wrist to check his cooldowns. Shadow Step was still on cooldown, but he had another idea.
As the Alpha reared back for another attack, Hiroto made his move. He dashed forward, dodging its claws as he closed the distance, then activated Shadow Step again to teleport directly behind the creature. This time, he aimed for its neck, landing a series of quick, precise slashes. The Alpha howled again, but this time, its health bar dropped significantly.
The boss's eyes flared with even more fury. It let out a roar that shook the forest, and its body began to glow with an ominous aura, signaling the activation of Alpha's Wrath. Its attack speed doubled, and its damage output was now terrifying.
Hiroto grinned despite the danger. "This is what I've been waiting for." He danced around the Alpha's frenzied attacks, his agility allowing him to dodge the rapid slashes and bites. Each time he struck, he could see the health bar inching lower.
With one final Shadow Step, Hiroto appeared in front of the Alpha, delivering a devastating strike straight to its chest. The creature let out a final, guttural growl before its health bar hit zero, and it collapsed into a pile of glowing data.
[Shadow Alpha Defeated]
+1000 Experience
+500 Gold
Unique Item Dropped: Alpha's Fang
Quest Progress: 10/10 Shadow Wolves Defeated
Hiroto stood there, panting, heart pounding. His hands shook slightly as he looked at the loot that materialized before him: a fang twice the size of his daggers, radiating a faint dark energy.
"That… was way too close," he muttered, wiping sweat from his brow. "But it was worth it."
The notification of the completed quest popped up, and a sense of accomplishment washed over him. He'd leveled up again, unlocked a new skill, and defeated a powerful boss. This was just the beginning, and Hiroto couldn't wait to see what else Kingdoms of Legend had in store.
Hiroto let out a deep breath as the adrenaline from the battle slowly faded. He looked down at his interface to check the results of the intense fight. His heart was still racing, but the satisfaction of defeating the Shadow Alpha made it all worth it. The screen flickered, and his level update appeared before him.
[Shadowfang - Level 10]
HP: 300/300
MP: 120/120
Stats:
Strength: 10
Agility: 25
Intelligence: 7
Vitality: 12
Dexterity: 14
Luck: 12
Skill Unlocked: [Shadow Cloak]
Description: Surround yourself with a cloak of shadows that grants invisibility for up to 5 seconds. Attacking or using skills will break the invisibility.Cooldown: 30 seconds
New Title Unlocked: [Alpha Slayer]
Bonus: +10% damage dealt to bosses and rare monsters. +5% health regeneration after defeating a boss.
"Level 10 already... and a new skill too?" Hiroto grinned widely, examining his new abilities. Shadow Cloak sounded like it would be invaluable—being able to disappear for a short period would give him the edge in many situations, whether it was to escape danger or set up a devastating attack. The cooldown wasn't too bad either, making it a useful tool in both combat and exploration.
The Alpha Slayer title was another pleasant surprise. The bonus to damage against bosses would be incredibly useful, especially if he faced more powerful foes like the Shadow Alpha in the future. The bonus health regeneration after defeating a boss was just as enticing. Hiroto had never been one to back down from a challenge, and now he felt like he was becoming even more suited for it.
"Not bad at all," he muttered to himself, feeling a surge of excitement. "This game's definitely living up to the hype."
He carefully stowed away the Alpha's Fang, a rare item that dropped from the boss, and then checked his quest progress. The completion of the Shadow Wolf quest had given him a large chunk of experience, but Hiroto wasn't done yet.
"Alright, I've hit level 10. Time to head back to Orenshade, pick up my rewards, and then figure out what's next. I've got a feeling this game is about to get a whole lot more interesting."
With the Shadow Alpha defeated and his new skills at the ready, Hiroto set off toward the village, eager for the next phase of his journey.