Lone Wolf(Part-1)

Pain and exhaustion clung to his body like a second skin. Every muscle burned, twitched, and throbbed—as if trying to flee from the agony.

Still, River ran.

He pressed forward toward the Smokey Wolves' territory, his breathing ragged, chest heaving with each step. Sweat poured down his face in streams, stinging his eyes and soaking through his clothes.

The forest began to change. The trees around him, once dense and overwhelming, grew sparse. They were still massive—ancient guardians of the land—but fewer in number.

A blanket of fog settled in the distance. Cold wind snaked through the trees, wrapping around his limbs and making him shiver—not out of fear, but from the welcome relief it brought. The chill cooled his burning muscles, dulled the sharp edge of his exhaustion.

The terrain evened out, but jagged boulders and crooked roots littered the area like nature's own minefield. Towering rocks jutted from the ground, giving the place a haunting, broken look.

Then came the howls.

Long, low, bone-deep. Smokey Wolves.

River stopped.

Without hesitation, he ducked behind one of the larger rocks, half-sheltered by a gnarled tree, and collapsed into the space between them.

His body hit the ground hard.

"D*mn... I'm too tired," he groaned, his voice barely a whisper.

He tried to sit up—his muscles refused.

Every part of him screamed in protest. After running for his life, vaulting over Silverback Antelopes, and using Mana Gathering to its limits, his body had passed beyond exhaustion. His mind still burned, alert and calculating, but his limbs were done.

He had pushed himself past his limits... and now he was paying the price.

He just wanted to sleep—to drift away from the pain—but he couldn't. Not here. Not now.

Closing his eyes in this place could mean never opening them again.

He would die.

Meeting the Sun God Mage had been a twist of fate River never asked for—and crossing him? That was a death sentence. If not for the antelopes, he'd be a broken toy right now, beaten and laughed at by those five bloodthirsty women.

He drew in a few deep breaths, forcing the pain down. Little by little, strength returned—just enough to sit up and lean against the rock.

"Ah… this is annoying," he muttered through gritted teeth. "I'm too weak."

He had accepted that fact in the original timeline, but living through it still stung.

River didn't know if they would pursue him… but knowing Helio—knowing Nolan—meant there was a high chance they would. The Sun God Mage didn't forget. He lingered on things—out of amusement, obsession, boredom.

That man was chaos wrapped in golden fire.

"I need to Level Up…" River muttered, his eyes flaring with great resolve.

His body ached. His lungs burned. But his will? Unshaken.

This was just one bump in the road. A detour. An annoying distraction compared to the true calamity sleeping in the abyss.

If he failed now—just because some self-obsessed lunatic found him amusing—then he had no right to be called one of the Last Hunter.

No right to carry the legacy of those who fell before him.

He waited a few more minutes until he was sure his limbs could support him again, then forced himself to his feet. Wincing, he peeked out from behind the rock.

Nothing.

No golden flames. No flirtatious cackling. No scent of arrogance in the air.

He sighed, shoulders relaxing just a bit.

Safe… for now.

He slumped back down and pulled out his bag. After checking over his gear—making sure nothing broke during his sprint or tumble—he stood once more and turned toward the depths of Smokey Wolves' territory.

Time to find a lone wolf.

He didn't want to wait around. Not here. If Nolan decided to take him seriously, River knew there'd be nowhere to run.

That man was the kind who made enemies of countries. The kind who challenged the Government and the Hunter Association just because he felt like it.

He didn't follow rules.

He was the rule—at least in his own mind.

And someone like that?

Would never just let things go.

River glanced at the fading fog behind him, then pressed onward.

Please... waste a little more time, Nolan, he thought, lips curling into a bitter smile. Give me just enough to Level Up.

River couldn't afford to rest.

He needed to Level Up—now. He had to end the Awakening Ceremony and unlock access to his Bubblecraft Skill and Status Points. Only then would he stand a real chance at escaping Nolan if they crossed paths again.

Defeating the future Sun God Mage?

Impossible.

Not with his current Stats. Not even close.

And it wasn't just Nolan that worried him. There was still the hidden Quest lurking somewhere in this F-Rank Awakening Ceremony dungeon. River hadn't forgotten it. If he wanted to maximize his growth, he needed to take risks. And among all the monsters in this dungeon, only the Smokey Wolves offered the highest Experience Points.

Even now, his body screamed in pain. His legs were like lead. But he pushed forward.

Eventually, he found one—a lone Smokey Wolf.

It was young, not yet fully matured, but it was still a predator. River didn't immediately engage. Instead, he crouched low behind a boulder, half-hidden in the mist, silently observing.

He needed to recover. Even a little strength could make a difference.

Faint explosions echoed in the distance. He could hear them—bursts of power, followed by shouts and laughter. Other Candidates. No doubt drawn to this place for the same reason he was: the Experience Points.

That made sense. Anyone ambitious enough to climb higher would naturally head to the most dangerous part of the dungeon.

...

Golden flames engulfed the ground like a flood of molten light, turning soil into black glass, reducing foliage to ash, and splitting trees like matchsticks.

The towering giants of the forest groaned as fire ate through their trunks. One by one, they collapsed, sending gusts of hot wind in every direction. The golden flames rejoiced, hungrily consuming everything that fell.

Black earth. Charred roots. The land itself had become a furnace.

Standing amidst the destruction, Nolan watched in silence, eyes glinting with pleasure as he admired his work. With a lazy wave of his hand, the flames twisted and retreated—returning to him as if answering a master's call.

The golden fire wrapped around his body like a lover's embrace. He let out a satisfied sigh as the last embers disappeared into his skin.

Then he opened his eyes.

The forest was gone. In its place, a scorched clearing. Not a single tree remained standing. Not a single antelope left breathing.

"At least those antelopes helped us get used to our Skills," one of the women said, twirling her short sword as she admired the glowing edge.

"Yeah. My Bronze Spikes worked better than I expected," another added.

"My strength enhancement's insane. I could break their bones with a punch!"

The five women gathered around Nolan, voices light, smiles wide. This was their first real battle using their new Skills—and the thrill of it still danced in the air around them.

But the mood soured with the next comment.

"It's a pity that guy got away," said the blonde with brown eyes. Her voice was soft, but the killing intent behind it was cold and sharp. "I wanted to test my Skill on a human."

Nolan turned to her, his gaze unreadable—cold yet gentle. "It's not a pity," he said slowly. "You Leveled Up, didn't you?"

She nodded, pouting. "Yes… but the Experience Points dropped. It was way more exciting when we were still normal humans."

"That's how it works," Nolan said, wrapping his arm around her waist. "You're not here to become full-time Hunters. Just strong enough to walk over anyone beneath you. To feel what it's like to be above everyone else. That's enough, isn't it?"

The blonde smirked, resting her head on his shoulder. "Yeah… you're right."

The others giggled and pressed in, eager to share his warmth. It was like watching predators cuddle before the hunt.

Then one of them—brown-haired, eyes burning with curiosity—leaned in closer.

"So… are we really just letting that guy go?"

Nolan's smile faded.

"No," he said, voice dropping, turning colder. "We're going to find him. And this time, I won't hold back."

A glint of heat shimmered in his eyes as he licked his lips.

"But first… let's find a place to have some fun."

The moment he said it, the five women flushed red. They giggled, squirmed, pressing closer as Nolan let out a deep, rumbling laugh.