Chapter 9: The Dire Horde
The night air was thick with an unnatural stillness, broken only by the faint rustling of leaves. The Verdant Expanse, which had been eerily quiet moments ago, now pulsed with an unsettling energy.
Ezren tightened his grip on his dagger, his body tensed as his System Panel flickered into view.
---
[Status Panel]
[Name: Ezren Veydrion
Level: 3 (1200 EXP / 1500 EXP)
Class: Locked (Requires Level 10)
HP: 105/120
MP: 70/85
Strength: 14
Agility: 18
Endurance: 15
Intelligence: 12
Perception: 16]
[Skills:
(Short-range teleportation through shadows)
(Blend into surrounding darkness, reducing detection)
(Allows weapon to phase in and out, making attacks unpredictable)
(Enhances physical abilities with shadow energy)
(Increases lethality of ambush attacks and backstabs)]
---
Ezren exhaled slowly. His battle with the Dire Wolf had been a test, and now—judging by the distant howls growing louder—it was only the beginning.
Then, a System Notification appeared.
[Association Trial Quest: Prove Your Worth]
Objective: Survive an incoming horde assault.
Time Limit: 30 Minutes.
Ezren's brows furrowed. Horde assault? That meant he wasn't facing just one or two enemies—this was an orchestrated attack.
A guttural growl echoed through the trees. Then another.
From the shadows, figures emerged—low to the ground, their amber eyes gleaming in the dim moonlight. Dire Wolves.
Not just any pack. An Alpha-led hunting force.
Ezren counted at least ten in his immediate vicinity. Their black fur bristled, claws scraping against the forest floor. The largest among them, a Dire Alpha, loomed at the center. Its scarred frame and glowing red eyes marked it as a dominant predator.
The Alpha let out a low snarl. Instantly, the pack moved, forming a tight formation around Ezren.
Tactical. Coordinated. Intelligent.
Ezren clenched his jaw. "This isn't a random hunt… They're driving me into a corner."
But he refused to be caged.
The Alpha lunged first.
Ezren vanished—a blur of motion as
The Alpha, expecting the first trajectory, reacted too late.
Ezren's blade slid through its side, dark ichor seeping from the wound as the beast let out a distorted snarl.
Before it could retaliate, he twisted away, his agility allowing him to evade an incoming strike from another wolf.
His System Interface pinged.
[Skill Proficiency Increased: Shadow Step - Lv. 2 → Lv. 3]
Ezren barely had time to acknowledge the notification as two more wolves lunged. He dropped low, his blade sweeping out—a precise counter, forcing them to retreat momentarily.
The Alpha growled again.
The pack shifted tactics.
Two wolves feinted attacks while another darted in from the side, aiming for Ezren's blind spot.
But Ezren had already anticipated them.
A surge of energy flooded his limbs, his reflexes sharpening as he pivoted. His dagger blurred—flickering in and out of sight—before sinking into a wolf's flank.
The beast yelped and staggered.
[EXP Gained: +100]
Another wolf lunged.
Ezren stepped back, avoiding its strike—then countered with a rapid, precise thrust to its throat.
[EXP Gained: +100]
The pack hesitated for a fraction of a second.
It was all Ezren needed.
He surged forward.
His next strike was swift and merciless—his dagger flickering as he eliminated another wolf with a well-placed attack.
[EXP Gained: +100]
Level Up! Ezren Veydrion – Level 4
[EXP: 200/2000]
Only seven remained.
The Alpha snarled. Its eyes glowed brighter—a ripple of energy coursing through its form.
A mutation.
Ezren's instincts screamed. It was preparing something big.
Then—
The Alpha howled.
A shockwave rippled through the clearing, sending a pulse of raw energy into its remaining pack.
Their muscles bulged, their movements growing sharper.
Ezren grimaced.
"Buffed reinforcement… Great."
The pack attacked again. Faster. Stronger. More precise.
Ezren dodged narrowly, his dagger barely deflecting a clawed swipe aimed at his torso.
The Alpha charged.
Too fast.
Ezren barely had time to react before the beast was upon him.
A massive paw struck his side, sending him skidding across the ground.
[HP: 105 → 80]
Pain flared through his ribs, but Ezren gritted his teeth. No time for hesitation.
He twisted to his feet, his dagger flickering as he activated
The Alpha lunged.
Ezren sidestepped, his weapon phasing out—then instantly reappearing mid-strike.
The Alpha's charge overshot, its momentum carrying it straight into Ezren's counter.
His dagger sank deep, piercing just beneath its shoulder.
The beast let out a guttural snarl, stumbling as dark ichor oozed from the wound.
But it wasn't finished.
A final, desperate lunge.
Ezren reacted instantly.
His body moved on instinct.
A burst of movement—he blinked behind the Alpha, his dagger raised—
His blade struck true.
The Alpha shuddered, its massive form collapsing with finality.
[EXP Gained: +400]
[EXP: 600/2000]
Ezren exhaled sharply, stepping back as the last echoes of battle faded. His body ached, but he remained steady.
The remaining wolves, seeing their leader fall, hesitated. Then—without another sound—they retreated into the forest, vanishing into the shadows.
Silence returned.
A new System Notification appeared.
[New Skill Acquired:
(A predatory strike that amplifies damage against wounded enemies. Gains bonus lethality against creatures marked by darkness.)
Ezren stared at the skill's description. A predatory strike… fitting.
Then—
A whisper.
Not from the forest.
From within.
"Stronger… but still incomplete."
Ezren's breath hitched.
The Shadow's voice.
Watching. Waiting.
He clenched his fist. Not now.
A final notification flickered.
[Association Trial Quest: Completed.]
[Evaluation Pending: Return to the Awakener Association for assessment.]
Ezren let out a slow breath.
The test was over.
For now.
But something told him this was only the beginning.