Bye puppy

The white sphere floated a few meters above the ground, pulsing at regular intervals like an artificial heart. When Ethan approached, it emitted a soft hum and projected a translucent image into the air, a woman wearing the formal Guild mantle, her hair in a tight bun, round glasses, and a stern expression.

"Sylfie, Aeris, and Ethan," the projection began with a firm voice. "I see you're all still alive. The monitoring spell was activated after detecting your mana signatures."

Sylfie crossed her arms. "I should've guessed there'd be something like this down here."

Aeris, beside her, watched the sphere cautiously. "At least it means we're still being monitored. If something happens in here, they'll know."

Ethan took a step forward. "Not that anything bad will happen."

The projection flickered slightly as the woman adjusted her glasses. "The mana concentration in this location far exceeds what's considered healthy, and you've already been there for quite some time. Please confirm your physical condition."

"We're fine," Sylfie replied quickly. "No injuries."

The woman's eyes seemed to look past the projection at something, or someone, off-screen. "Very well. Monitoring will continue from a distance. Reinforcements will not be dispatched unless a formal rescue request is issued."

With that, the sphere slowly descended and hid again among the cracks in the ground.

Ethan let out a soft sigh. "They're more attentive than I expected."

"This place isn't just dangerous," said Sylfie. "A lot of reckless idiots come here to train or prove themselves to the world. The Guild doesn't like losing promising adventurers."

Aeris looked at Ethan, serious. "We should keep moving. The Guild is right, we shouldn't linger in a place with such dense mana."

"You worry too much," Ethan said, rolling his eyes.

They descended from the rocky plateau where they had camped. The air grew heavier, and even the sparse vegetation seemed to recoil from their presence.

As they advanced, rock formations that once looked ordinary began to reveal arcane symbols, carved so long ago they were barely visible. Some glowed faintly, others were broken, likely from old battles.

Sylfie ran her fingers over one of the marks. "I've never seen symbols like these. They look... ancient. Like our current runes, but more primitive."

Ethan knelt beside her. "They're not just symbols. They're, in fact, runes. Most of them are inactive... otherwise, there'd be way more monsters around."

"They're bringing the monsters here?" Aeris asked.

"Generating them," Ethan corrected. "The monsters are meant to keep out unwanted intruders... But unfortunately, that also kept away anyone who might've helped."

Sylfie sighed. "You always seem to know too much for someone who refuses to explain anything."

They continued, moving through a narrow natural corridor between two black stone walls. Sunlight barely reached there, but the symbols on the ground began to react to Ethan's presence, lighting up like living torches beneath his feet.

Then, in the distance, a structure partially swallowed by rocks and roots appeared: a gray obelisk, cracked and leaning, but still standing. Etched at its base was a symbol Ethan knew well, the symbol of Eldranor.

"We're close."

The obelisk seemed to breathe. Not literally, but the air around it pulsed with living, dense energy. The cracks on its surface glowed in a pattern, as if already familiar with those who touched it.

"This symbol..." Aeris stepped closer, tracing the carved rune with her fingertips. "Do you recognize it, my lord?"

"It's the emblem of a kingdom that was destroyed a long time ago," Ethan answered as he approached. "A time when many of today's gods were still considered lesser beings. Only the oldest entities in this world would recognize this symbol."

Aeris kept a respectful distance, her head bowed. "I wonder what could make a kingdom capable of creating a barrier like this vanish so completely."

"What a great time to find out you're an old man," Sylfie muttered under her breath.

Ethan stretched out his hand, placing his open palm on the obelisk.

Immediately, the cracks lit up fully. Lines of golden light spread from the base to the top. It seemed to be drawing mana straight from Ethan.

The ground trembled slightly.

"My lord..." Aeris called out, worried.

He stepped back and looked at the two. "It was a seal. It just reacted to the divine energy in my body."

"Does that mean the barrier's gone?" Sylfie asked.

"No," Ethan replied. "It means we're being watched."

The surrounding vegetation grew denser. Shrubs closed in, branches tangled together, and shadows began to move between the trees, even though there was no wind.

A creature leapt from the brush, a black-furred wolf, eyes glowing red like embers, and steaming saliva dripping from its fangs.

[Shadow Wolf — Level 50]

Then another.

And another.

"It's a pack," Sylfie noted, already nocking two arrows. "They're testing us."

Ethan looked around. At least ten wolves were circling the area. All of them massive and eerily silent. Intelligent. "This must be the final test."

Aeris raised her staff, already pulsing with mana. "We need to take them out. But we shouldn't waste mana carelessly, we don't know how many more might show up. My lord, what should we do?"

He smiled.

"Nexus."

A scythe formed in his hand, the curved blade emerging with a sharp metallic ring. Ethan spun the handle in his fingers and pointed forward.

"Just give it your all. The sooner we finish here, the sooner we can get back to the city."

Sylfie let out a low chuckle. "Of course. Because that makes it so much easier."

Aeris returned the smile, ready to support as needed.

The wolves charged.

So did Ethan.

The clearing turned into a battlefield in seconds.

The first wolf lunged, fangs bared, aiming for Ethan's neck. The scythe intercepted it mid-air, cleaving the creature cleanly in two with a single smooth motion. The blade's aura flared out, slicing the air with a sharp hum.

"Next," Ethan muttered, spinning the scythe as the others closed in.

Sylfie fired arrows with deadly precision. Each shot struck between the eyes or in the throat, dropping one wolf after another. Her face made it clear, she was a huntress in her element.

Aeris held the rear, staff raised in constant casting. Each time a wolf got too close, a Spear of Light pierced it. When two broke through the line and rushed her, she summoned a Barrier that knocked them back hard.

Still, the wolves didn't retreat. More and more poured in from all sides. Twenty... thirty... maybe more. All with the same intelligent eyes and coordinated movements. They weren't driven by instinct.

"This is off," Sylfie said between shots. "Wolves don't attack like this, not even at high levels. They're too organized."

"The monsters spawned by the barrier aren't normal," Ethan replied, slashing through three in a sweeping strike. "They're part of the barrier's defense."

The ground trembled. A deafening howl echoed from deep within the forest.

From the trees emerged a massive wolf, far larger than the others, with silvery fur and eyes that sparkled like crystals. Level 60. Its claws gleamed like polished steel, and the mana leaking from its body warped the air around it.

"That's the pack leader," Sylfie whispered, tightening her grip on the bow. "This is trouble. There are still too many wolves."

Ethan just smiled.

"No. This is fun."

The wolf charged.

So did Ethan.

The clash of scythe and claw echoed through the forest, blowing leaves, branches, and dust in all directions. Nexus morphed and hardened with each strike, matching the creature's absurd strength.

"It's too fast!" Aeris cried, casting a barrier to block a sudden lunge.

"Then I'll just break its legs," Ethan replied, slamming the scythe into the ground and pulling two scrolls from his Dimensional Ring.

"Stone Greaves" and "Root Chains."

He tore both open at once.

The ground beneath the wolf rose into stone pillars as thorny roots burst out and wrapped around its hind legs. The beast howled in fury, struggling to break free.

Sylfie seized the opening. Three arrows, infused with nature mana, shot from her bow, splitting midair and hitting its snout, thigh, and chest. The beast staggered.

Ethan was already in the air, Nexus reshaped into a spear.

"See you later, puppy."

The impact pierced the creature's skull and pinned it to the ground with enough force to crack the earth beneath it.

Ethan sighed. "That should be the last of the wolves."

Aeris and Sylfie approached, still cautious.

Just as he said, as soon as the pack leader died it was as if the other wolves around had fled. Or rather, disappeared.

But before anyone could speak… a laugh echoed through the forest.

Low.

Mocking.

"Well, would you look at that. You actually pulled it off."

All three turned, on high alert.

A man stepped out from the shadows. Alone. He wore a cloak with the Adventurers' Guild emblem, but it was stained with dried blood. His aura was dark, twisted.

Neither Sylfie nor Aeris had ever seen anything like him, but they instinctively knew that this being wasn't natural. Everything about him screamed cursed.

Ethan, however, knew exactly who stood before them. And he was more than pleased to finally meet the man who would become his first true master.