Tutorial (13)–the black wolf....

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  [Fiona room]

  In the luxurious guide chamber, draped with rich velvet curtains and shimmering crystal ornaments, Fiona lounged comfortably on a plush couch, sipping lazily from a glass of bright red juice.

  The monitoring screen buzzed quietly on one side of the room, displaying various players’ progress through the zone, but Fiona’s eyes barely glanced at it.

  "So, how’s the report coming along?" she asked without looking, her tone casual and expectant.

  "Yes, my lady. Everything is progressing smoothly," Bernet replied, standing straight like the diligent assistant he was.

  "Good. Very good, Bernet." Fiona smiled, swirling her drink.

  "With this, I’ll be one step closer to that promotion. I can already see it—Senior Guide Fiona."

  She flashed a dramatic grin.

  "Yes, my lady. I’m sure you’ll rise quickly. But, uh, please remember your humble and lowly assistant when you do."

  Bernet gave a hopeful smile.

  "Of course, Bernet. I’ll take you with me to the top." Fiona chuckled.

  "And once I’m there, I’ll work that arrogant bastard Gilbert to the bone."

  Her cheerful tone darkened as she spoke the name.

  Bernet blinked. "Still thinking about him, my lady?"

  "Oh, I think about him every time I have to drag my ass to work. That rude, smug little punk," Fiona muttered, taking another long sip.

  "Everyone treats him like a model guide just because he’s slightly competent."

  "To be fair, my lady," Bernet hesitated, "he is a very active and capable guide."

  "Capable my ass. He just yells a lot and throws around fancy stats. If you put a scarecrow in his coat, it could probably pass as him."

  Bernet stifled a laugh. "That would explain his personality."

  "Exactly!" Fiona exclaimed, triumphant.

  "But once I’m promoted, he’ll come crawling back, begging for favors. And you know what I’ll say?"

  She leaned back dramatically.

  "Lick my boots, Gilbert." That’s what I’ll say.

  A smooth, calm voice cut in from behind them.

  "Is that so?"

  Fiona choked on her juice.

  She turned around slowly—like a horror movie protagonist realizing the killer was in the room the whole time.

  Standing in the doorway, arms crossed, was none other than him—Gilbert.

  Blue-skinned, lean and smug, with curly black hair and a single sharp horn, he wore half a uniform as if clothing rules were optional.

  Two fang-like teeth peeked from under his smirk.

  "You!" Fiona shouted, leaping up like a cat caught off guard.

  "What the hell are you doing here?"

  "Now, now," Gilbert said smoothly, feigning innocence.

  "Is that any way to talk to a fellow guide? I was just... worried about you. Thought I’d check in."

  "Cut the crap. What do you really want?" Fiona snapped, crossing her arms.

  Gilbert dropped the pretense, grinning like a fox in a henhouse.

  "Fine. I heard rumors. A surprising number of players survived in your zone this time. So I thought, maybe, just maybe... you got lucky. Or maybe you’ve got a little secret."

  Fiona straightened up and flipped her hair.

  "Oh, it’s no secret. It’s called talent. Hard work. Strategy. Something your donkey brain wouldn’t understand."

  Gilbert chuckled.

  "If you'd told me a donkey could fly, I’d believe it before I believed you worked hard."

  Bernet, ever loyal, betrayed her slightly by nodding in agreement.

  "But unicorns fly, don’t they?" Fiona argued.

  "Unicorns are horses, not donkeys, you genius."

  "Same thing! Four legs, tails, weird obsession with sparkles!"

  Gilbert sighed. "Anyway, I just want to take a quick peek at your players."

  "No way!"

  But he had already brushed past her, approaching the screen with practiced ease.

  "Stop—! Don’t touch my—!"

  Too late.

  Gilbert’s eyes locked onto a lone figure moving across a dark forest zone on the screen.

  "Oh? Interesting. Is he your little secret?"

  Fiona stiffened.

  "Ugh…" She couldn’t think of a good comeback.

  The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  Gilbert leaned in closer.

  He looked for a moment with interest.

  "Well, too bad. He’s about to die."

  "What?! What do you mean?"

  Gilbert pointed at the screen.

  "Look where he’s standing."

  Fiona’s eyes widened. Her jaw dropped.

  "Wait—no, no, no! Why is he there?!"

  "Ahem," Gilbert said, smug as ever.

  "Well, I should be off. Good luck with your promotion... and your soon-to-be-dead player."

  He waved mockingly as he turned and strolled away.

  Fiona stared at the screen in horror.

  "No… my promotion…"

  "My lady?" Bernet asked cautiously. "What happened?"

  "He’s… inside the hidden boss chamber," she whispered, her voice flat with despair.

  "Oh! That’s fine, right? He just has to run away. His agility stats are pretty good."

  Fiona shook her head slowly.

  "This isn’t any hidden boss... It’s Hati."

  Bernet froze.

  "Wait. Hati? As in—?"

  "Yes, it's him. Hati Hróevitnisson," Fiona confirmed grimly, "One of the two children of Fenrir and—"

  Bernet’s eyes went wide.

  "The one who devours the moon…"

  ----

  As dark as night.

  Majestic and monstrous.

  The creature stood at the edge of the battlefield, cloaked in writhing shadows.

  More than my size, its body was lean but powerful—like a predator carved from black steel and living midnight.

  Every step it took was accompanied by a low hum in the air, as if the very shadows were singing to it.

  Its fur shimmered, not with light, but with an eerie, rippling texture—alive and breathing, like a sea of smoke flowing over muscle.

  Two long ears twitched sharply, catching every sound.

  Its eyes—red, gleaming, ancient.

  Not of this world.

  Its maw opened, revealing rows of jagged, wet fangs, some stained black as ink, some silver with old blood.

  From each breath it exhaled, black mist curled, sinking into the ground.

  A strange mark burned on its forehead, glowing faintly crimson—a symbol.

  Sharp and curved, like some forgotten rune of the old world.

  'That symbol… I’ve seen something like it… '

  Where? What was it?

  I tried to recall, but the moment didn’t give me the luxury of thought.

  “Grrrrrrr…”

  The massive Shadow Wolf growled, low and bone-deep.

  His hunger-filled gaze locked onto me, and the shadows around him stirred—eager, almost sentient.

  His stride was slow, but it screamed death.

  'A hidden boss… So my brother did listen to me!'

  But I didn’t have time to celebrate.

  The creature took one step forward and the shadows responded.

  They wrapped around his legs, rippling along his spine, then spread outward like ink in water.

  Shadow Dash.

  Suddenly, the wolf disappeared into the black mist, the forest flickering as if light itself was bending.

  "Tch—!"

  I barely registered the shift before a blast of wind slammed into me.

  In a blink, he was right in front of me—reformed out of shadow.

  His jaws opened, wide enough to clamp around my entire torso.

  I dropped low, sliding past him just in time and punched upward with my bone-covered fist.

  The bone spikes dug into his side.

  'Good!'

  But he didn’t flinch.

  Not even a snarl.

  Instead—

  Swoosh!

  His claws came around, coated in black fire and twisting shadows.

  Shadow Claw.

  I felt the impact before I saw it—ripped through the air, raking across my side.

  “Urghhh!!”

  My body flew back, tossed like a sack of grain.

  Dust and gravel exploded around me.

  I pulled my sword from my belt mid-flight and stabbed it into the ground, grinding against stone and dirt, finally halting my momentum.

  Panting, I looked down—my chest armor, the one I crafted from bear leather and bone—shredded.

  My white shirt was torn, blood seeping through long gashes on my ribs.

  “Damn it, my shirt!"

  I raised my head, dazed and panting—my ears ringing, vision blurred.

  And then I saw him coming straight at me.

  Shadows were dancing around him like loyal hounds, twisting and curling, hungry and alive.

  "Take this!"

  I quickly pulled out the few remaining light orbs from inventory.

  Their edges glimmered faintly under the moonlight.

  Injecting mana into them with a burst of focus,

  I hurled them toward the incoming beast.

  The moment they left my hand, the light burst forward—bright, radiant, pure.

  I expected the wolf to flinch, to reel back.

  But instead—

  A shadow surged upward, as if the beast himself had summoned it.

  Gulp.

  The shadow opened like a mouth and devoured the light in one swift motion.

  The large Shadow Wolf closed his jaw. Shadows still flickered along his bloodstained fangs.

  That eerie grin never left his face. He wasn't even slightly affected.

  Shadows continued to whirl around him, tighter now, more intense.

  They gathered over his body, wrapping him in thick, black tendrils.

  Shadow Dash.

  He disappeared with a dark blur, moving faster than the eye could track.

  I tried to dodge—no, I intended to dodge.

  ‘Shit!’

  But before my body could even respond, the large wolf’s shadows slammed into me like a wave.

  [You’ve received enormous damage!]

  [You’ve lost 50% of your HP!]

  My ribs felt like they cracked.

  I was flung away, crashing hard onto the ground.

  Dirt flew, and pain erupted along my right side.

  My side had been slashed clean through.

  My shirt was soaked red.

  Blood dripped heavily.

  I struggled to stand.

  My knees shook. My hands trembled.

  But I forced myself up, staggering.

  My balance wavered. Vision blurred.

  "Grrr!"

  I raised my head and saw him—still calm, still composed—turning his head toward me. The beast was already preparing to charge again.

  Shadows danced more fiercely now, surging around him like a storm, like he was death incarnate.

  ‘Damn it! Is this it? Do I need to use it?’

  I grabbed my side tighter and forced myself to focus.

  The wolf dashed again, his steps silent, his body flickering with shadow.

  [Glimmering Eyes shows the way!]

  My left eye began to glow, a bright golden light emerging and forming sharp shapes.

  And I clenched my teeth.

  ‘Alright then.’

  The wolf jumped again, shadow tendrils wriggling violently across his body.

  His entire form became a blur of darkness mid-air.

  I readied my fist.

  ‘Let’s do it.’

  [Glimmering Eyes shows the path!]

  I saw the moment, the briefest instant where I could strike.

  I prepared to take it—

  But then—

  Thud.

  Something hit me from the side.

  My body was thrown off balance, not from an enemy strike—but something else.

  I stumbled to the side, caught off-guard.

  I turned my head, and for just a moment—

  I saw them.

  The six creatures.

  Crunch.

  In just one devastating bite, the large Shadow Wolf devoured them all.

  Gone. No resistance. Just blood and silence.

  ‘Why?’

  I couldn’t understand.

  Why would they sacrifice themselves to save me?

  I hadn't treated them kindly.

  I hadn’t bonded with them.

  I fed them, used them, let them follow.

  Now, they were gone.

  One rabbit remained.

  Or… half of him.

  His legs had already been eaten away, mangled beyond repair.

  The beast's teeth hovered over him, ready to finish the job.

  But even then, the rabbit—

  He lifted one trembling paw and motioned toward me.

  Telling me to run.

  ‘Damn it! Should I just screw it all?’

  For a moment, my mind was chaos.

  Should I use it?

  Should I—

  No.

  No.

  Upon watching him in such a way.

  No—upon seeing someone as weak as him saving me, telling me to run, something inside me boiled.

  But not grief.

  Not despair.

  Rage.

  A cold, sharp rage.

  A calculated fury.

  I wanted to scream at them.

  You’re weak.

  What’s the point of dying for someone stronger?

  It was meaningless.

  But I knew.

  Now wasn’t the time.

  ‘Calm down.’

  I swallowed it all down.

  The rage. The pain. The blood.

  And I focused.

  Running. Escaping.

  That was important.

  My body was filled with injuries—cuts, bruises, torn flesh.

  My right side throbbed with every breath.

  But I ignored it all.

  Pain didn’t matter.

  Not now.

  I began to move, limping, dragging my bloodied legs across the dirt and roots.

  Each step was an effort, each breath shallow and sharp.

  But I had nearly reached it—

  The arc of golden sunlight.

  A radiant sliver cutting through the dense canopy, shining like a divine wall between life and death.

  But then—

  Whoosh!

  The Shadow Wolf dashed forward, shadows trailing him like capes in the wind.

  Slash!

  His claw tore through my legs—burning pain lanced up as blood sprayed into the air.

  "Tch!"

  I grit my teeth and threw myself forward.

  I crashed into a tree, bark and splinters biting into my back. The impact rattled my bones—but I had made it.

  I was on the other side.

  Past the arc.

  "Ha..Haa.."

  Panting, I twisted my body over, groaning as I flipped onto my back.

  But he was there.

  The wolf.

  Already in front of me.

  Despite the golden light falling directly onto his massive, shadow-wreathed form.

  He didn’t flinch.

  The shadows sizzled against the sunlight, but they refused to fade.

  We locked eyes.

  My breath caught.

  Those red gleaming eyes stared into mine—hungry, vengeful, ancient.

  And then, slowly, almost deliberately—

  He opened his mouth wide.

  Rows of jagged, glistening fangs emerged.

  'Damn it.'

  I instinctively reached into my inventory and pulled out a dagger.

  The blade was dull, chipped.

  But it was all I had.

  I tightened my grip.

  Then—

  Clank! Clink! Clang!

  Out of nowhere, golden chains burst out from the ground, from the air itself—shimmering like beams of divine energy.

  They wrapped around the wolf’s legs.

  Then his torso.

  Then his neck.

  "Grrrr!!"

  He growled and thrashed, the ground trembling under his strength.

  But the chains pulled harder.

  Merciless. Divine. Unrelenting.

  They tightened around him, forcing him back toward the arc of sunlight.

  The golden light intensified where the chains touched. Sparks and motes of holy brilliance scattered like fireflies.

  He fought—howled—his shadows writhing like a storm around him.

  "Awooooo!!"

  The chains dragged him back inside the light, his claws gouging the earth as he resisted every inch.

  Then, just as suddenly—

  Snap!

  The chains vanished into golden mist.

  The wolf was gone, pushed back.

  But the rage remained.

  [Warning! Warning! Warning!]

  The air vibrated with his fury.

  "AWOOOOOO!!"

  His howl pierced the forest.

  A terrible, guttural sound that echoed like thunder between the trees.

  It wasn’t just a call—it was a command.

  'I don’t have a good feeling about this.'

  The hairs on the back of my neck stood up.

  Then—

  "AWOOOOO!!"

  "GRRRRRRRR!!"

  "Grrrrrr!!!"

  The entire forest responded.

  Dozens—no, hundreds—of howls filled the air.

  Distant. Near. All around me.

  From every direction.

  The sound of paws scraping against wood.

  Heavy breathing. Low growls. Branches snapping.

  The forest began to change.

  The light dimmed.

  The trees creaked.

  Shadows deepened, stretching unnaturally long and thick.

  I looked up, heart pounding.

  The sky…

  A disk of darkness was slowly crawling over the sun.

  The light that had once protected me—the arc—was shrinking.

  'Eclipse?'

  The realization struck me like a blow.

  The golden rays weakened.

  The warmth on my skin began to fade, replaced by cold.

  Darkness was swallowing the sky.

  'But how?'

  "Grrr..."

  I looked back down toward the place where the Shadow Wolf had been forced.

  He stood there once again.

  Unchained.

  Still.

  And watching me.

  His massive form outlined by the dying sunlight.

  His red eyes gleamed, brighter and more terrifying in the eclipse’s twilight.