The System notification was still flashing in the air, ignoring physics and common sense. Kaito could feel Wulfrina, heavy and cold in his arms, but his fear was gone, replaced by the urgency of a Speedrun
"Alright, General, we don't have time for a freak-out" (Kaito spoke quickly, his voice firm, already planning the escape route). "If we've got an S-Rank mob after us, the first step is not to stay at the spawn point"
"I am not a 'mob' human! (Wulfrina growled, anger mixed with humiliation, struggling to break free from his arms). Let go of me. I am Wulfrina, General of the Ice. I can annihilate this hunter if you give me five minutes to heal my physical body"
"Your physical body is fine, the problem is your soul. And five minutes? You just took a magic bullet, lady. We're moving now," (Kaito countered, ignoring her wish and focusing on game logic). He looked around, searching for a way out without being seen.
"Okay, here's the deal. Either you turn back into a wolf and run faster, or you keep up with me, and we pretend we're coming back from a bad party"
Wulfrina looked at him with utter disdain, her white hair falling over her face
"Transform into a beast... here? (Wulfrina hissed, her voice low, full of disgust at the idea) I am a General! This is degrading! And you expect me to put up with these... disgusting clothes?"
Kaito looked at the torn ice armor and shrugged
"Not much choice, General," (He said, with a sarcastic tone, but keeping the determination in his voice)
"Either we get out of here now, or your S-Rank brother deletes you before I get my first Status point. Come on, focus on the main quest: Survive."
The word 'survive' hit Wulfrina like a slap. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and forced her body to change. In a quick flash, the armor disappeared, replaced by a simple tunic made of energy. She was still tall and imposing, but she looked less like a warrior and more like an extremely well-trained human
"Done. I will not turn into a wolf in the middle of the street," (Wulfrina said, her voice calmer, but the resentment was clear)
"Now, tell me, Master. What Skill do you possess to defeat a Shadow Lycan?"
Kaito gave a nervous laugh
"Me? My Skill is Data Analyst Level 28" (Kaito replied, giving a cynical smile as he pulled her by the hand out of the alley)
"And Fast Running to Avoid Paying Debts. And you? What cleans up the alley the fastest?"
As they left the alley, Kaito felt the air become heavy. He looked up. He couldn't see anything, but the feeling that something wrong was hovering in the air was real. He squeezed Wulfrina's hand
"I... I feel him"
(Wulfrina murmured, squeezing his hand back, fear in her voice something she would never admit in her clan)
"My brother... he is approaching fast. We need to hide Don't fight, Kaito! Don't fight! You are weak!"
"Easy, easy"
(Kaito said, slightly out of breath, forcing himself to calm down to stay focused)
"We're almost there. My apartment is just one more block Stay quiet and try to look... normal"
Reaching the building door, Kaito opened it with his key his apartment was basic: small, smelling of reheated pizza, and filled with a pile of comic books
Wulfrina stopped at the door and looked at the place Her amber eyes widened
"This... (She started to speak, her voice full of shame and hesitation, looking at the mess) Is this your Castle, Master? Where are your guards? Where is the Cultivation Hall?"
"It's not a Castle, Wulfrina, it's an apartment" (Kaito replied, shrugging as he locked the door with a thousand keys)
"And the Cultivation Hall... is this gaming chair. Come in and sit down. And don't touch anything."
He finally sat on the sofa. The System notification stopped flashing.
"Right. Now, focus," (Kaito mumbled, taking a deep breath, the desire to solve the puzzle taking over)
He mentally accessed her Status menu
[Status: Wulfrina – Severe Soul Wound]
[Heal: 0 /1000 Cultivation Points (CP)
Price: 10 CP per 1 Point of Damage healed ]
"A thousand Cultivation Points? To heal you?" (Kaito asked, his eyes wide with astonishment, his voice rising)
"I barely have one point! How do I get 1000 CP? Do I have to go out and farm mobs? Like, hit dogs?"
Wulfrina was in front of the fridge, looking at the door curiously
"Don't touch that! (Kaito yelled, evident frustration, jumping off the sofa) That's human food! Don't touch my fridge, Wulfrina!"
"What? (She hissed back, the anger returning, but she obeyed, backing away with shame) I am your servant! I need orders! I was only looking for something to... clean the Castle!"
"The order is: sit down and shut up," (Kaito commanded, his voice growing louder, feeling the Master's power for the first time)
"I need to read the manual. If you want to be healed, let me read how to level up this damn Status!"
The System's help panel suddenly expanded, showing a list of actions.
[Actions Generate Cultivation Points (CP):]
[High-Risk Conflict (Battle with S-Ranks): 1000 CP (Per Battle Won)]
[Resolve Crisis (Cook, Clean): 1 CP (Per Task)]
[General's Progress (Training): 5 CP (Per 1 Hour of Training)]
(Kaito read the list, his eyes narrowing, the desire to optimize growing)
"A thousand points... Only from the S-Rank. That won't work. But... 'Resolve Crisis: Cook, Clean'... 1 CP per Task? Wulfrina!"
He looked at the General, who was standing with a serious face, trying to absorb what a 40 square meter apartment was.
"Wulfrina, you said you'd clean, right? You offered," (Kaito asked, with a wicked smile, his voice low)
"How many Cultivation Points would I get if you cleaned the kitchen and the bathroom?"
The Lycan General looked at Kaito, confused, but realizing the human had switched to strategy mode.
"I... I would earn the healing? (She asked, her voice full of hesitation and hope) I would do it. My Master."
Kaito smiled, but the distant sound of a car alarm being smashed broke the peace. The S-Rank Lycan was close. He had to level up fast, and a Lycan General's cleaning was his only way. Kaito's life had turned into a CP farming race, and the General would have to be his forced cleaning maid