The wolf snarled at the silhouette standing before it. Its opponent stood tall, motionless. A chain dangled from each of his arms, trailing into the snow.
He stepped forward. The heavy links slithered over the frozen ground.
The wolf tensed, claws unsheathed, jaws unhinged, saliva dripping from its fangs.
With a sudden flick of his right hand, Remedy's chain zigzagged toward the beast like a viper. The tip cracked through the air like a whip. The wolf arched backward; the end of the chain whipped inches from its eye.
Instantly, his other chain was already coiling toward its front leg. The beast lunged to the side—the chain snapped shut on empty air.
The wolf observed its opponent for a fraction of a second, then launched itself into a lightning-fast assault.
Too fast. The wolf was nothing but a dark, blurry streak.
Remedy spun on his heels. The chains whirled around him like helicopter blades, creating a zone of absolute danger that was nearly impossible to breach. But the wolf didn't stop. It penetrated the zone with doubled agility, dodging every heavy link by jumping, weaving, and vaulting to the side—before leaping straight for its opponent's throat on his final rotation.
But during that very spin, the chains coiled tight around Remedy's forearms. They shortened instantly.
His first forearm intercepted the wolf's claw-strike. The claws scraped against the metallic links; sparks showered the snow. The other chain, which hadn't coiled completely, saw its tip overshoot. With a quick snap of the wrist, it lashed around the wolf's neck.
The initial impact tilted Remedy backward. He utilized that backward momentum to heave the wolf—its neck still snagged—straight into a thick tree.
The wolf's body flew, slamming violently against the trunk. The chain uncoiled. The beast fell to the ground, dazed. It scrambled to its feet, shaking its head to regain its senses.
Its opponent was already there.
A heavy kick exploded into its ribcage, sending it crashing back into the tree. The trunk snapped and collapsed under the force.
The wolf lay on the ground, trembling, on the brink of death. Remedy approached, his dagger drawn. He crouched down.
One clean motion—the finishing blow.
He stood up without a word.
[LEVEL 10 MONSTER DEVOURING COMPLETE. + 1,000 EXP, + 1,000 MP.]
***
Somewhere else in the Outer Zone.
Jett, flanked by his sidekicks Leo and Marcus, faced a pack of seven wolves surrounding them.
Jett opened his hand. An azure glow condensed in his palm, stretching to form a translucent bow made of pure energy. He drew the non-existent string—and a shaft of light flared to life at the nocking point.
Swish!
The projectile shot toward the three wolves in front of him. Agile, they dodged it. The arrow sailed past them...
A snap of his fingers.
Pshiiit!
The arrow of light suddenly fractured into a dozen smaller projectiles. In a sharp, physics-defying turn, they looped back around and slammed into the wolves from behind, hitting their blind spots.
The bodies collapsed. The energy arrows evaporated into the air.
Jett:
═══ CLASS ═══
• Initial Path: Aether Archer
(An archer who materializes bows and arrows from pure energy.)
═══ SKILLS ═══
• Split (Arrows can fracture into multiple projectiles.) • Tether (Allows the user to modify and guide trajectories in real-time.)
---
To the right, Marcus stepped toward the two remaining wolves on his side. His right hand reached out, palm flat toward the earth.
Then, in a fluid sweep, he slashed the air with a diagonal backhand.
Shiiing!
An invisible, razor-sharp blade of air erupted in the wake of his motion. It tore through the space in a blinding diagonal, cleanly bisecting the wolves caught in its path—and slicing through the trees behind them.
Marcus:
═══ CLASS ═══
• Initial Path: Elemental Mage – Wind
═══ SKILLS ═══
• Wind Blade (Condenses air into a silent, razor-sharp edge.)
---
On the other side, Leo—his forearms to his shoulders wreathed in roaring, vivid flames—held the last two wolves by their throats.
Charred black.
He released them. Their scorched bodies slumped onto the white snow.
Leo:
═══ CLASS ═══
• Initial Path: Elemental Mage – Fire
═══ SKILLS ═══
• Pyre Shroud (Envelopes limbs in offensive and defensive flames.)
---
***
Elsewhere in the Outer Zone.
"What do you want?"
The voice was flat, devoid of any intonation. It came from a girl wearing thick glasses, her long black hair hanging loose, staring at the group without blinking.
"Didn't you listen? I told you to come with us," said the leader, a tall, brawny guy whose smile was anything but reassuring.
Around him, his four companions formed a crescent.
"It's not safe for a girl to be alone in this forest. So come with us. We'll protect you."
He dragged out the last word like an unwanted caress.
"No need."
She answered without looking at him. Her features didn't shift a single millimeter.
A tense silence settled. The leader's smile stiffened, then curdled into annoyance.
"Then don't blame us for what happens next. We're taking your points."
He took a step forward. It was then that one of his lackeys, a sharp-eyed kid, grabbed his arm.
"Wait! Look at her closely... Isn't that the... you know, that weird girl from Class 3?"
"Huh? You mean that girl?"
"Yeah. Look at her style—those clothes—and the way she answers us. That indifference. It's her, I'm telling you."
Five pairs of eyes locked onto her.
"Now that you mention it... yeah, it looks like her."
The leader pulled himself together, his grin returning wide, but now laced with raw greed.
"If it's her... that's even better."
They exchanged glances. The next step they took toward her felt different—predatory.
"You're Serene, right? The mysterious girl from Class 3?"
Nothing. She didn't reply, didn't move a muscle.
"In that case, you should definitely come with us. You're a support, and we're fighters. It's an opportunity for you, you know?"
They shared another look. Their grins widened in unison. They stepped toward her, brimming with confidence. She didn't flinch. Behind her glasses, her face remained a blank mask.
Suddenly, a terrifying mental image materialized. A gigantic shadow loomed behind the five boys.
The shadow held a massive, oversized scythe, suspended right at the level of their throats. With every step they took toward her, they were walking deeper into the blade. Slowly. Inescapably.
Then a rustle—grass parting—and:
"Serene?!"
A familiar voice shattered the tension.
The mental image dissolved instantly.
She turned her head. Remedy emerged from the tall grass.
End of chapter 14
═══ STATUS WINDOW ═══
Name: Remedy
Lineage: Human
Tier: 1 — Optimized Human
Level: 10
EXP: 60%
MP: 33,460
Health: 90%
Energies:
• Mana: 100%
═══ CLASS ═══
• Primary Path: Sealed
• Secondary Path: Scourge of Reality
═══ SKILLS ═══
• Secondary Path: Steal, Manifest, Bind, Devour
═══ INNATE TALENTS ═══
• ???
═══════════════════════════
Stolen Law Structures Available:
* Law of the Weight of a Feather: Level 5
* Law of the Sharpness of a Vibrating Blade: Level 1