Chapter 7: The Wolf That Waited
The night bled into silence.The dungeon's gate had long closed behind Aiden, leaving only the thin crescent moon spilling light through the shattered roof of the old ruins. He stood before the frozen carcass of the Frostfang Alpha—blood steaming, the air thick with cold mana.
His breathing was shallow. Every swing, every dodge, every risk had pushed him closer to death. And yet, he'd done it. Alone.
A message pulsed before him, its glow soft and cold.
[You have slain: Frostfang Alpha (Rank B)][Experience Gained: 64,400][Drop Maker activated.]
A new menu flickered into existence, smoother, cleaner than before—almost alive.
[Drop Selection – 2 available items can be chosen]
Frostfang Core (Rare Material)
Alpha's Will (Skill Fragment)
Frozen Hide (Armor Material)
Alpha's Descendant Egg (???)
Aiden's tired eyes locked onto the last one.
"…An egg?"
He frowned. It pulsed faintly with mana, like a heartbeat. The rest were valuable, sure, but something about that egg—it resonated.
[Choice Confirmed: Alpha's Descendant Egg][Second Drop: Frostfang Core (Rare Material)]
The items shimmered into reality—a deep blue crystal and a small, frost-covered egg about the size of his palm.
He held the egg carefully. Beneath the icy shell, he could feel something stir.
It wasn't just alive—it was aware.
A small text followed:
[Alpha's Descendant (Dormant)]A being of ancient lineage, carrying the instinct and memory of its bloodline. Will hatch when bonded with the essence of the killer.
"…My essence?" he muttered. "You mean blood, don't you?"
His thumb brushed the shell, and the egg responded with a soft vibration, a hum of mana syncing with his heartbeat. Without thinking, he cut his finger with a shard of the broken dagger and let a drop of blood fall onto the shell.
The moment it touched—light erupted.
Cold air whipped around him, ice crackled, and his vision blurred under a blinding white flare. When it cleared, a small wolf pup lay before him—its fur pure white with silver lines glowing faintly beneath. Its eyes opened—deep blue, intelligent, and old.
Aiden froze. The air was still. Then—
"…You're not supposed to exist, are you?"
The pup tilted its head, studying him. Then, it moved closer, resting its head on his boot as if acknowledging something deeper.
[Bond Formed: Alpha's Descendant – 'Shade'][Status Synced: Partial Link Established]
He blinked as another notification followed.
[Drop Maker Evolution Requirement Met: 10 Successful Kills (Elite or Above)][Upgrading Ability… Please Wait.]
The world seemed to glitch for a heartbeat. Static filled his vision, and text scrolled too fast to read. Then it all stabilized.
[Drop Maker – Rank Up: Basic → Intermediate][New Feature Unlocked: Drop Refinement]You may now enhance or merge dropped items to form unique results.
"…Refinement?"
He reached for the Frostfang Core in his inventory and thought of the pup beside him. The system immediately reacted.
[Refine Frostfang Core with Alpha's Descendant?][Result: Enhancement to Companion – Bloodline Strength +10%, Mana Resistance +50%]
Aiden hesitated only a second before confirming.The core dissolved into blue smoke, absorbed by the pup. Its fur shimmered, a faint trace of frost rising from its breath.
The pup—Shade—lifted its gaze. There was gratitude there. Then hunger.
Aiden sighed softly. "You and me both, huh?"
He pulled out a small ration cube and tossed it aside for the wolf. Shade sniffed it, turned away in disgust, then looked at him again.
"Yeah, fine," he muttered. "Guess we'll find you something better later."
He looked up toward the horizon where the gates flickered faintly in the distance. Beyond them were towers—mysterious constructs that reached into the skies, where universes met and bled together.
It was said that those who climbed far enough could speak with gods—or kill them.
But Aiden wasn't interested in gods. Not yet.He just wanted power—enough to make sure no one could leave him behind again.
Shade growled softly, sensing his resolve.
Aiden stood, wiped the blood from his cheek, and glanced at the system window.
[Name: Aiden Cross][Level: 23][Class: None][Ability: Drop Maker (Intermediate)][Strength: 31 | Agility: 28 | Endurance: 30 | Intelligence: 22 | Perception: 25][Titles: The Abandoned | The Drop Maker][Bond: Shade – Frostfang Descendant]
He stared at the numbers. Real power—earned, not given.
The road ahead was infinite, and he could feel it: leveling up would only get harder. Every kill demanded more. Every stat point felt like grinding against a mountain.
But he wasn't afraid of hard. He was afraid of stopping.
"Let's go," he said quietly.
Shade padded beside him, matching his steps as the dungeon faded into mist behind them.
They didn't look back.
Because from that night onward, Aiden Cross—the Drop Maker—was no longer a survivor.He was the start of something new.And the worlds beyond the towers were about to learn what true evolution looked like.