FWOOOOSH

The blow delivered by Helial relentlessly cut the air.

…

The first time I lend my own power to the Shithead so he would pass the test, but this time it seems like he was able to forcibly extract a part of my demon energy… mpf, is he trying to become a Devil?

If I hadn’t allowed him to access it, he would have never been able to deliver that blow. However… it seems like his body could barely bear the weight of all that energy. He still doesn’t have the right constitution to utilize this power.

But what’s odd is that he was able to sense it… Did he maybe remember the feeling during his second test? But that was just an illusory realm and he could not feel the damage. Now everything is real. The wings have not appeared yet, otherwise he could have risked to die… This brat is too eager; he should wait for me, instead of rushing it.

Lame Dragon, if this boy today can evoke demon energy without the body of a demon, it is only thanks to you! A creature of Life that lends his body to a monster!

Kyeheheheheh

…

Time had gone back to its usual speed. The world did not look frozen anymore.

Lumia was still watching Helial with that trusting smile on her face, but she now realized that something was wrong.

Her brother suddenly fell to the ground and immediately after that, the Silvery Lone Wolf exploded into a million pieces.

…

Couldn’t get clean shot, could you?

…

Lumia was showered with blood, while Snowflake ran towards her.

The cat immediately turned towards Helial and saw him lying on the floor.

“It was him…” Snowflake had faintly felt the air blade, but everything had happened so fast while he was running to save the girl, and the Boss had exploded out of the blue.

“That shot… not even I could follow it. I think that no one below the Third Phase could have received such a blow! That brat, mpf mpf, has some nice tricks up his sleeve. But I think that creating a blow like that cost him quite a lot.”

Ignoring the white cat and the exploding Boss, Lumia let out a scream and ran to her brother.

Snowflake slowed down and followed her, checking the area for other wolves.

Dungeon Boss Fight: Silvery Lone Wolf.

Special Quest Concluded

You earn the title of Wolf Hunter.

Whoever contributed most to the killing of the Boss receives a special object. The object can be found in the Inventory; in case of insufficient space, it will fall on the ground.

Snowflake had not earned experience, but he had received a title for his participation.

They had completed the Dungeon. Him and the brat had received the quest and now it had been accomplished.

Snowflake curled his whiskers, licked his lips, then whispered: “Little monster, who the fuck are you?”

Lumia had run at Helial’s. There were two lines of blood trickling from the corners of his mouth, but he seemed to be still alive. The girl sighed in relief, then bent over his chest, sobbing.

Her long silvery hair cascaded on Helial, like a waterfall of stars.

She was aware to be the reason why her brother ended up that way. She should have listened to him and stay hidden below the cloth he had given her.

Snowflake watched the scene from a distance.

“Uhm, that monster is really terrifying… but this little human could make for a perfect pet! Uhm, I should find her a name…”

Snowflake had a sudden thought and addressed Lumia: “Hey, little girl!”

Sniff sniff. Lumia turned around, sniffing, and saw an enormous white cat looking her up and down.

“Uhm, yes, yes. Perfect. Listen, kid, I am the Supreme Cat, also known as Snowflake. The little brat is still alive, so no need to cry. What do you say of becoming my personal pet-”

“A cat?”

“Yes, exactly: this Supreme Cat is in need of a personal pe-”

“What happened to Helial?”

“Uhm, well. He clearly employed more energy than his body could withstand all at once. But look, he’s regaining color. Now, let’s talk about serious matters. What do you say of becoming my house pe-”

“Ah. What can we do to help him?”

The girl was not letting him finish. Snowflake squinted at her. The girl however seemed unimpressed by his mean look, being too worried about her brother to care, so Snowflake resolved for a cold helpless stare. He approached the boy, glanced at him and felt aghast. This little monster is healing already… What kind of terrifying creature has such regeneration powers? Help him? He seems alright to me! How can it be possible…

Body of the Qilin! An almost legendary Skill. Even among the Blood Legacies, there were not many creatures that could rival with the body of a Qilin. Without a doubt, no one could hold a candle to a Qilin, in terms of physical strength. Not even a Dragon would have dared to face head-on a direct descendant of Kirin.

Probably, only the Black Turtle could boast higher Defensive Skills than a Qilin, but no one could rival their physical powers.

“That wolf was in the First Phase Late stage while this sucker here is not even in the First Phase and he managed to make it explode…”

Lumia was clearly puzzled by Snowfalke’s muttering.

Helial was simply a monster. At his age, how many people could have done the same? Snowflake had already understood that Helial was in possession of some amazing Blood Legacy. However, he himself was a descendent of the Heavenly Star Tigers, how could he not understand that that blow went clearly beyond a stupid Blood Legacy?

…

It shouldn’t take him too long to come to. But I don’t want to get bored, it won’t make a big difference if I give him just a little push.

…

Lumia and Snowflake were talking and did not notice the translucent black light that enveloped Helial’s body for a moment.

“Mmn.”

Helial moaned and his screwed up and pained expression relaxed all of a sudden.

Now it looked like he was resting. The wounds on his body had healed, leaving only white scars.

Lumia put her tiny hands on Helial’s chest and looked at him intently…

***

Some years earlier

Helial was lying on the ground in a poll of blood. Beside him lay the carcass of a giant wolf with the skull split open.

The boy was completely drenched in blood.

He looked at his health bar. There was only 10% left. He scrambled to his knees, vomiting blood on the grass.

“HELI!” Lumia threw herself down the tree and ran towards her brother.

“Stop…” panted Helial. He opened a status window.

Malus Received:

Bleeding

You lose 8HP/sec until the bleeding stops.

He took out some bandages from the Inventory and began to slowly dress his wounds. While he was trying to stop the bleeding, the world started spinning and Helial went limp.

Am I dead?

He had fought against the mother of the wolf cub he had previously killed. The fight had been a tough one. The beast was savage, but Helial had embodied the highest expression of violence. Lumia had never seen her brother like that. Every blow he threw seemed to be meant to rip the life out of the wolf’s chest. Who was the real beast in that fight: the wolf or Helial?

One thing was certain: they had both fought for the life of the one they loved the most.

Despite the physical supremacy of the beast, Helial had slowly gained the upper hand. Then, after the fight, he had fainted.

When he came to, he found his body had been bandaged. Lumia had stopped the bleeding. Helial reached for his chest and clutched at his wounds, while looking at the health bar that was slowly replenishing itself.

The ground where he was lying drank the warm tears that kept pouring from the boy’s eyes.

He turned on his side, but a stabbing pain at his ribs almost made him faint again. DAMN IT!

He gritted his teeth and sat up, blood beginning to stain his bandages.

Lumia was sleeping at his side, while a pale dawn was appearing on the horizon.

He had almost died; he had risked Lumia’s life. They had been lucky that no other wolf had attacked them in their sleep.

But that had not been enough. No, not at all. Lumia had to save his life. Such a little girl had to dress his wounds to keep him from dying. Helial could only imagine how much willpower that had required.

Maybe one day you will choose to fight by my side. But not like this, forced into it…

Helial grabbed his head, but then jumped to his feet, as if trying to distance himself from an unpleasant thought. He looked at the sky with eyes full of tears. The pain he felt in his heart made him forget the pain from his wounds.

Why? Why?!

He clenched his fists and spat a lump of blood on the ground, feeling deep contempt for himself.

He had to become stronger. Vidio should have helped him, but as long as he stayed in the village, his chances of becoming stronger were going to be almost inexistent.

What will he have to give, what will he have to sacrifice to become stronger?

***

In the present

“Mpf, mpf, little girl, come here. This Supreme Cat wants to make you an offer”, said Snowflake proudly, holding his head high and showing himself in all his magnificence.

“Shush, kitty, Helial’s sleeping.”

Snowflake was about to vomit blood. Kitty? Did she just call the Supreme Cat “kitty”?! “Girl, are you aware that I could reduce you to bits before you even noticed?” retorted the candid cat, threateningly swinging a paw with soft pink pads in front of Lumia.

“Be a good kitty, later I’ll come play with you. But now don’t bother Helial. He looks better…”

Snowflake felt a couple of veins pop in his head. It was the first time in his entire life that someone showed him such a lack of respect. But what could he do?

“When Helial wakes up, we’ll flee to the mountains… Hehe, only him and me, alone in an awesome adventure”, Lumia’s irises turned into two beating hearts.

Snowflake looked at her, puzzled. Incest…?, thought the cat.

…

Incest?

…

***

Meanwhile, in the forest

“For fuck’s sake, don’t these Goblins have something better to do?”

Vidio was running his heart out. He had already killed around 50 Goblins in the way. Thanks to the potions and elixirs he carried with him, he had regained all his Mana and Health. Unfortunately, the objects he had used were extremely rare, almost unique, and that made his heart bleed. Those green monsters had forced him to run through all his fortune.

Thump Thump Thump

There still were large troops of Goblins swarming the forest like a tsunami. Wherever they stepped, the vegetation was corroded by their killing Auras.

“Fuck it. I’m out of here, fuckers”, muttered Vidio, while arrows whistled all around him.

Vidio did not possess any Blood Legacy; even if an arrow shot by a Goblin in the First Phase would not have killed him, it would have cause serious damage all the same. So, if a hundred Goblins had hit him with their arrows, they would have turned him into a sieve.

“Uhm.”

Vidio looked in the distance and saw a nameless mountain range. Beyond those peaks he could have reached a safe haven. Heading directly towards the Capital in the East would not be the wisest choice.

Deal. I’ll go through the forest and then up the mountains. There should be only low-level monsters there, after all, thought Vidio.

While he was running, he did not notice that the tabbed hanging from his neck was shining brighter than ever.