The moment we started moving again, the System materialized in front of me like a debt collector who'd just spotted a missed payment.
No greeting.
No warning.
Just—BAM.
Pay attention, mortal.
---
ASSISTED IN ELIMINATION OF 1 MONSTER.
CALCULATING EARNED EXP BASED ON POWER & YOUR CONTRIBUTION…
Level Up.
Level Up.
Level Up.
SKILLS RANKED UP:
Blade Mastery (D → C)
Pain Tolerance (D → C)
Shock Resistance (E → D)
WORLD CREDIT REWARDED: 2
---
"Well, that was nice," I muttered. "Time to check my stats."
System responded like a bored accountant.
---
NAME: Augustus Ironcreed (August)
LEVEL: 3
CLASS: Iron Warrior, A
SYSTEM STATUS(1):
1. Soul One's Edict:
• Soul Obscurity
• Amplified Soulforce
• Enhanced Intelligence
STATS:
Authority: 5
STR: 24
AGI: 19
INT: 34
Charm: 33
Luck: 8
World Credit: 2
CLASS SKILLS:
Iron Guard, A
Blade Mastery, C
SYSTEM SKILLS:
Soul's Fury, SSS {Forbidden}
Higher Appraisal, SS
Survival Instinct, A
ACQUIRED SKILLS:
Martial Arts, C
Pain Tolerance, C
Cold Resistance, D
Shock Resistance, D
Poison Resistance, E
Fire Resistance, F
BLOODLINE:
Iron Stallion, A (UNAWAKENED)
ELEMENTAL AFFINITY: Metal
EQUIPMENT(5/5):
1. Ironhowl Blade (Sword), A
2. Protection Talisman, A
3. Ironcreed Family Heir Token, B
4. Storage Pouch, D
5. Lightsteel Armour, D {BROKEN: 80%}
---
"Cool."
I glanced at the others—and my jaw nearly dropped.
Lenna: Level 9.
After a single kill, well the monster was strong but still, she only landed the final blow.
Arial: Still 67.
Alfred: Still 80.
Right. On High-levels EXP is basically an Unreasonable tax.
I downed a healing potion. My bruises downgraded to "lightly bullied."
Before I could complain—
Arial went stiff.
Then her pupils dilated.
"Seven life signatures," she whispered. "Fast. Six weak… one strong."
We froze.
Wind shifted—sharp enough to cut skin.
Lenna raised her sword. "Formation."
We moved automatically.
Arial pointed. "The pack is splitting. Six circling. One center."
A hunting pattern.
Lovely.
Rustling tore through the razor-leaf floor.
Six small shapes burst forward—lean, fast, fur rippling like the wind itself.
Air Hounds. Stage 0—Early.
They circled us, paws kicking up slicing gusts.
"One mid-stage behind," Arial said. "It's directing them!"
I activated Higher Appraisal.
Blue screens erupted like warning sirens.
---
MONSTER: Air Hound ×6
TYPE: Beast
STAGE: 0 (Early)
PATH: Wind Canine
STATS:
Authority: ~2
STR: ~50
AGI: ~70
INT: ~65
Charm: ~30
Luck: ~20
SKILLS:
Wind Walk, A
Wind Camouflage, ~B
Wind Casting, ~C
Intimidating Howl, C
Air Cannon, ~D
ELEMENTAL AFFINITY: Wind
---
These little bastards had double my stats & Triple my AGI.
"LISTEN UP!" I shouted. "Wind Walk: flight & fast movement. Air Cannon: ranged hit. Howl: stun—Arial stay beside me! Wind Casting: don't let them charge!"
Alfred inclined his head. "Understood."
Lenna didn't bother responding. "Don't get surrounded."
Then the seventh hound stepped out—
And my spine tried to leave my body.
---
MONSTER: Air Hound
TYPE: Beast
STAGE: 0 (Mid)
PATH: Wind Canine
STATS:
Authority - 6
STR - 159
AGI - 173
INT - 156
Luck - 20
Charm - 25
SKILLS:
Wind Walk, A
Wind Camouflage, A
Wind Casting, B
Intimidating Howl, B
Air Cannon, C
ELEMENTAL AFFINITY: Wind
---
"Oh, fantastic," I muttered. "Mid-stage and has Wind Camouflage, with alfred & Arial at low mana, it is going to be troublesome."
It howled.
Everything exploded.
Six early-stage hounds blurred into streaks of slicing wind.
"Iron Guard!"
My aura snapped tight—barely in time.
The first hound smashed into my side.
Second slammed into my legs.
Third leaped for my neck.
Arial's waterballs blasted two off-course.
Alfred moved like a quiet wildfire—
Blade flashing—
Winds splitting—
Two hounds died instantly.
Lenna ignored the pack completely.
She charged the mid-stage.
Of course she did.
The beast vanished.
But Lenna could still follow it.
Wind detonated in three directions as they clashed—white aura against razor sharp winds & claws.
Even she struggled—
Because the damn hound was five times her stats.
Meanwhile—
I had three hounds trying to make Augustus Tartare.
One lunged—I parried with Ironhowl.
The blade howled—metal on wind.
I kicked the beast, ribs cracking.
Another shredded the tree beside me.
Arial yelled, "Master, left!"
I spun—
A water jet smashed a leaping hound.
I swung upward.
Ironhowl pulse worked it's magic.
SHRING!
Head gone.
"Two!"
Alfred took one down with a clean fireball.
"Four."
Arial bonked one with her staff—actually bonked it—stunning it long enough for me to slice it.
"Five!"
The last one bolted—
Lenna skewered it mid-air without even turning.
Her eyes were locked on the mid-stage monster.
And "locked on" might be generous.
She was just surviving.
Trees imploded every time the hound missed.
Claws sparked against her blade whenever it didn't.
Alfred hissed, "She can handle it, but this will drag."
Arial nodded. "Its wind accumulation is rising. If it releases—"
I didn't wait.
I saw the beat.
I ran.
"Master?!" Arial cried.
"Trust me!"
I lifted Ironhowl—
Activated Reverberation Strike—
The blade screamed—
A shockwave rippled across the field.
The hound flinched.
Lenna moved.
Her aura surged—cold, white, lethal.
One step.
One cut.
One perfect kill.
Her blade pierced through the beast's skull.
Silence slammed down.
Wind scattered dust and fur.
Lenna flicked her sword once. "Eight."
I bent over, panting like a dying mule. "I… helped."
She actually looked at me.
And nodded.
"Correct."
Arial rushed to my side. "Master, you're trembling!"
"I'm fine," I said weakly. "Adrenaline with a little sprinkle of Panic."
Alfred sheathed his blade. "Good read."
Lenna didn't turn around.
"We continue."
And the wind answered with a long, hungry howl—
Like something in the depths had finally noticed us.