As Tyler and Grone stood in the forest, Grone heard the telltale sounds of growls, rushing footsteps, and things brushing against the bushes. "Grone, you should get ready to fight," Tyler said, already adopting a fighting stance. "They're coming from all around us." Grone unsheathed his sword; its polished surface gleamed in the sunlight. He moved to stand behind Tyler, also assuming a fighting stance, his sword raised.
Tyler saw a system panel appear: Slime (Lvl 17) has used skill: Bash
Suddenly, two Hexhorns appeared charging towards Grone from his direction. Grone met their attack head-on. He swung his sword in a powerful upward then downward arc, unleashing two slashing attacks. The first Hexhorn took the brunt of the attack, its face sliced open from nose to eye. It shrieked, stopping mid-charge, allowing the second Hexhorn to pass by. Grone saw the second Hexhorn was smaller, indicating a lower level. He increased his speed, and when he was only a few feet away, he activated his Piercing skill. Extending his sword hand, he drove the blade through the Hexhorn's nose. The force of the skill shattered the creature's nose, pushing its body backward until it fell to the ground, dead.
Grone ran toward the stopped Hexhorn. Gritting his teeth, he swung his sword with both hands, a powerful rightward slash that severed the creature's neck before it could react. Just as he turned to check on Tyler, a growl erupted from the bushes—a Crimson Wolf. Grone immediately assumed a fighting stance, ready for the wolf's attack.
Meanwhile, a Gloomfang launched itself at Tyler from the bushes. Tyler ducked, dropping to his knees, narrowly avoiding the attack. The Gloomfang landed behind him. Tyler quickly rose, turning as he swung his axe. The Crimson Wolf attempted a surprise attack from behind, but the axe's sharp edge met the level 21 Gloomfang's jaw, tearing its mouth open and killing it instantly.
A system panel appeared: Level Up!
Suddenly, a Crimson Wolf and three Gloomfangs burst from the bushes. Before Tyler could react, a Brolin appeared beside him, using its Bash skill to strike his axe-holding shoulder. The impact sent Tyler sprawling, his axe flying from his grasp. Mid-fall, Tyler reacted swiftly. He unequipped his Shine Armor and equipped his Gloom Armor. Using his hand to brace his fall, he propelled himself upward, spinning to land on his feet.
Tyler activated his Rush skill as the creatures, seeing he was weaponless, attacked. The Brolin curled into a ball, launching itself at Tyler. Tyler's eyes flashed blue for a moment as he met the level 14 Brolin with a powerful fist, shattering the creature instantly. As the other creatures attacked, Tyler's discarded axe reappeared in his hands. With a roar, he swung the axe with both hands, using all his strength. The axe-head cleaved through the heads of all four creatures simultaneously.
Three system messages appeared: Level Up! Level Up! Level Up!
Tyler looked for Grone, spotting two dead Hexhorns and a Crimson Wolf in the distance. Grone was currently battling a Gloomfang. Just as Tyler started to move to help, a Gloomfang launched itself from behind, sinking its teeth into his shoulder. A sharp pain shot through Tyler as he groaned, grabbing the Gloomfang by the neck and throwing it away. He saw blood welling up from the wound in his shoulder.
Tyler looked at the level 32 Gloomfang, his knees slightly bent, his axe held firmly in both hands. The Gloomfang's eyes turned red, then it began bleeding profusely, looking disoriented. It stumbled, howled in pain, coughed blood, and finally collapsed, dead. Tyler was surprised. A system panel appeared: Achievement Unlocked: Use Poison Blood. +5 HP.
He heard more sounds and turned to see a level 24 Slither emerging from the bushes, slithering rapidly toward Tyler's foot. Tyler jumped back, and with a swift swing of his axe, he severed the Slither's head.
He turned to help Grone. As he ran towards Grone, he suddenly felt an invisible force, like a gust of wind, strike his chest, sending him stumbling backward. He used his hands to break his fall, quickly sitting up and rising to his feet. Looking up, he saw three Elin Birds circling high above.
*Seriously? Why the hell is this happening?* he thought, recalling his use of the Radiant Burst skill. *Did that light attract all these creatures?* he wondered. *They're too high up; I can't reach them…*
A system panel appeared: Armor has taken too much damage. Durability drastically decreased.
Tyler looked up, thinking, *This means if I take one more hit, I won't be able to use Rush. But wait, what am I thinking? I just killed a bunch of Gloomfangs. I can craft another armor.* He muttered, "System, craft Gloom Armor."
The system responded: Crafting…
Tyler arrived behind Grone. "These creatures are probably coming because of the skill you used earlier," Grone said.
"Yeah, I just noticed," Tyler replied.
Grone looked up at the Elin circling above. "How the hell are we going to beat that?" Tyler asked.
Grone roared, swinging his sword upward, unleashing his Slash skill. The Elin, sensing the invisible attack, scattered, dodging the blow. "Just as i thought," Grone said. "These creatures can see my attacks. There's only one thing we can do."
As Grone spoke, a system message appeared for Tyler: Crafting Successful.
"We'll have to go into a denser part of the forest," Grone said, already running toward the denser part of the forest. "Let's go!"
Tyler followed as the Elin began using their skills. The first Elin produced a Cyclone Wing, a powerful gust of wind. Tyler jumped to the left as the skill slammed into the ground, ruffling his hair. The second Elin unleashed another Cyclone Wing, aimed at Grone. Grone jumped forward, rolling as the wind swept past him and toward Tyler, forcing Tyler to abruptly halt and then resume his run.
They plunged into the dense forest, the trees now blocking out the sky and concealing them from the Elin. Suddenly, Grone stopped, and Tyler stopped beside him. They were met with the sight of numerous Gloomfangs, more than ten, their blue fur gleaming, growling menacingly. Levels appeared above each creature's head, and Tyler's heart pounded in his chest.
Grone stepped back, whispering, "Okay, on my signal, we run. Back to the open area." Tyler nodded, his eyes fixed on the creatures.
A high-pitched chirp, like a hawk's cry, came from above. Grone said, "Now!"
Both Tyler and Grone turned and ran, the fourteen Gloomfangs hot on their heels.
As Tyler and Grone left the dense forest, Tyler mentally commanded, "Equip new Gloom Armor." His damaged armor was instantly replaced with a fresh, undamaged set. Seeing Grone a few steps ahead, Tyler activated his Rush skill. In an instant, he caught up, running beside Grone. Grone was surprised; Tyler was now matching his speed.
They burst into the open, the pursuing Gloomfangs clearly visible behind them. The Elin, spotting them, unleashed another Cyclone Wing attack. Tyler glanced back; the formless but visible wind slammed into the ground, knocking over several Gloomfangs but failing to kill them. He continued running alongside Grone.
Grone looked up at the Elin, then swung his sword upward, activating his Slash skill. The attack struck one of the Elin, severing its wing and sending it plummeting to the ground.
"Let's stop here," Grone said. "You can still fight, right?"
"Yes," Tyler replied, gripping his axe with both hands. "I still have plenty of stamina left."
"That's good," Grone said. "But remember, you'll be fighting and dodging the Elin's skills simultaneously. Can you handle that?"
"Of course," Tyler said confidently. He and Grone charged toward the Gloomfangs.
With most of the Gloomfangs being over level 30, and with his Rush skill and Poison Blood active, Tyler stopped. Grone swung his sword, unleashing another Slash attack aimed at the Gloomfangs in front of them. One Gloomfang dodged to the left, but the Slash struck a smaller one, severing its leg. The injured Gloomfang howled in pain.
Grone, while running, yelled to Tyler, "Don't stop, keep moving!"
Before Tyler could respond, a wing Cyclone slammed down beside him, sending him sprawling. He rolled, quickly getting to his feet, only to find the Gloomfangs closing in. He swung his axe, but missed. As the Gloomfangs jumped back, Tyler stood his ground, axe held high, watching the growling creatures. He glanced at Grone, who was skillfully dodging the Elin's wing Cyclone attacks. The wind from the skill wasn't damaging the ground, but it was dispersing, pushing things out of its way.
A whooshing sound alerted Tyler to another incoming wing Cyclone , aimed directly at him. He roared, charging into the pack of Gloomfangs. A powerful swing of his axe to the left missed some, but decapitated a level 35 Gloomfang.
Tyler yelled, "Extract!" as he ran, swinging his axe to the right. Four Gloomfangs in his path leaped back. *Their reactions are so fast,* he thought. *Did they all activate Rush?*
Before he could answer his own question, a Gloomfang bit his leg from behind. He groaned, spun around, and swung his axe, narrowly missing the Gloomfang; the axe's edge grazed its nose as it retreated. As he turned to face that Gloomfang, more attacked from behind—one biting his waist, another biting the back of his knee.
Grone saw Tyler's predicament and tried to reach him, but five Gloomfangs blocked his path. *I could use Slash on these Gloomfangs attacking Tyler,* he thought, *but I need to save my mana for those Elin.*
A Gloomfang lunged at Grone. He deflected it with a downward slash to the left, severing its jaw. Before he could recover, another Gloomfang bit his wrist, its teeth sinking deep. Grone pulled back his sword and thrust it through the Gloomfang's abdomen. The creature howled and fell.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
Tyler quickly turned, swinging his axe, throwing off the Gloomfangs biting him. The one that had bitten his leg began bleeding from its eyes and mouth; the others that had bitten him also started bleeding. All three died instantly, dropping silently. A system message appeared: Level Up! Level Up!
Looking toward Grone, Tyler was suddenly hit hard in the back, falling to his knees. He braced his fall with his hands, realizing it was a Wing Cyclone from an Elin. The Elin, seeing Tyler vulnerable and the Gloomfangs closing in, dived toward him.
Grone saw his chance. A Gloomfang lunged at him, but Grone swung his sword to the left, cutting it down. Another Gloomfang tried a low attack, but Grone swung his sword vertically, splitting its head. He immediately raised his sword, using Slash, striking the Elin in midair.
The Elin shrieked, a high-pitched cry that cut through the sounds of the battle, as it plummeted from the sky. The creature impacted with bone-jarring force against a Gloomfang, momentarily stunning it before the beast collapsed. Tyler, seizing the fleeting opportunity, sprang to his feet, only to feel the searing pain of another Gloomfang's teeth sinking into his hand. A low growl vibrated through the creature's jaws as it relentlessly tugged.
With a guttural roar, Tyler reacted instantly. He twisted, using the momentum of the attack to hurl the Gloomfang into another charging from behind. The impact sent both creatures sprawling, momentarily disoriented. A third Gloomfang, sensing an opening, launched itself from Tyler's left flank. But Tyler was ready. A lightning-fast right hook, a blur of motion, connected with the creature's jaw with a sickening crunch. Blood sprayed from the Gloomfang's nose as it collapsed, its body convulsing before falling still.
The Gloomfang that had been biting Tyler's hand convulsed, its eyes rolling back in its head as a fresh wave of blood welled from its wounds. With a final shudder, it released its grip, falling limp to the ground. Tyler felt the sting of the wounds, but the adrenaline surging through him masked the pain. He registered the silent fall of the level 19 Gloomfang he'd struck, a testament to the raw power of his blow.
Grone, sensing the shift in the tide, charged forward, his movements a deadly ballet of precision and power. Two Gloomfangs remained, their eyes wide with fear as they attempted a desperate retreat. But Grone was relentless. As he prepared to unleash his devastating Slash, a Wing Cyclone slammed into him, sending him reeling. He staggered, but his gaze locked onto the remaining Elin, its wings still beating furiously. Tyler turned and saw the Elin brought down by Grone wasn't dead yet he ran to it and brought his axe down in a brutal arc, striking the creature's head.
The system alerted Tyler: Level Up
Grone approached. "There's one more left," he said, gesturing towards the Elin hovering in the air, seemingly motionless. "It must have run out of mana," Grone added.
"So these creatures can run out of mana too, huh?" Tyler asked.
"Yeah," Grone replied, "every living thing can." He paused. "Well, it's not going to attack us. Let's go."
They continued deeper into the forest. Grone looked at Tyler. "I don't think you should ever use that skill of yours again," he said.
"Yeah," Tyler agreed, "it really shouldn't be used if it attracts this many monsters." He paused, a thought striking him. "Oh, I almost forgot. It's about this necklace," he said, holding up the pendant.
"I wanted to ask about that before we got attacked. What does it do exactly?" Grone said.
Tyler smiled. "Well, I just leveled up a lot recently. Actually, I leveled up seven times in that fight."
"Seven times, huh?" Grone said, surprised.
"Yeah," Tyler confirmed. He noticed Grone's level had changed to 62. "You leveled up… thrice?" he asked, a little disappointed.
Grone smiled. "I leveled up three times, huh? And you said you leveled up… what… seven times?"
Tyler interrupted, "Yeah, it's because of this necklace. You see, every time I kill a monster, I get experience, right? That allows me to level up. But this necklace has an effect that gives me an additional 30% of the monster's XP. That's why I leveled up so fast."
Grone considered this. "An additional 30%," he mused. "That would explain it." Tyler continued, "And I just thought about this. What if I make one for you?"
"Making one for me, huh?" Grone said, intrigued but cautious. "Well, I don't know. Would it work?"
"Well, I'm not really sure," Tyler admitted. "I haven't seen anyone try on my accessory." He touched the back of his necklace, unclipped it, placed it in his palm, and extended his hand to Grone. "Try it on."
Grone hesitated. "I don't think this is going to work, kid," he said, starting to walk away.
"What do you mean?" Tyler persisted. "What if it does work? You could never know. I know you've tried a lot of things, Grone, but if this works, this might change everything."
Grone sighed. "I don't want to raise my hopes up for nothing, alright?"
"Raise your hopes for nothing?" Tyler countered. "This thing worked for me, and it could work for you too. I mean, you haven't even tried it on."
"You said you've tried some things and they didn't work. You've tried a lot of things. Well, this is just going to be one of them, okay? I mean, shouldn't you try every option there is?"
Grone turned around, cutting Tyler off. "All right," he said. Tyler smiled, relieved. "Okay, take it." He extended his hand. Grone took the necklace and put it on, the pendant resting behind his neck.
A system panel instantly appeared before Tyler: A non-user has equipped user's accessory. Permission is needed for accessory to take effect.
"Yes," Tyler replied. The panel vanished.
Grone felt a slight sting in his chest, then touched the pendant dangling there. "What's happening?" he muttered.
The system panel reappeared: Azeroth's Curse decreased by 30 percent.
Tyler's eyes widened. "Azeroth's curse?," he muttered.
Grone stood straighter, feeling better. "What was that?" he asked.
"Grone, I think you're cursed," Tyler said.
"Why do you say that? And what was that just now? I feel… different," Grone said, a hint of wonder in his voice.
Tyler smiled. "Looks like the necklace is working on you."
"Does that mean…" Grone began, but Tyler interrupted. "Um, no, I just said you're cursed."
"I told you earlier that I'm not cursed," Grone said. "We've never known what it is."
"The system told me so," Tyler replied. "It said something about Azeroth's curse. Do you know anything about that?"
Grone was taken aback. "Azeroth?" he murmured, looking down. "I don't know about *his* curse, but everyone knows about Azeroth. Azeroth was a demon my father fought fifty years ago when the Kingdom of Payne tried to invade the southern kingdoms."
"The Kingdom of Payne?" Tyler asked.
"Yes," Grone confirmed. "It's in the east. Back then, fifty years ago, Payne's great mages managed to transform one of their followers into the demon lord Azeroth. My father was the one who defeated him—that's how his name became known throughout the land, as the hero who defeated the demon lord Azeroth. But what you say doesn't make sense. You say I have Azeroth's curse, but I shouldn't. If Azeroth cursed my father, the curse should have ended with him. He should have died with it. The curse shouldn't have ended up with me. What is this curse?"
Tyler stroked his chin. "I'm not sure," he admitted, "but it probably has something to do with XP. Since this necklace gives an additional 30% XP from killing monsters, when I gave it to you, it said it reduced Azeroth's curse by 30%."
"So this Azeroth's curse must be the one holding me back from leveling up," Grone said, thoughtfully.
"Yeah, it seems so," Tyler agreed. "You know when I told you that every time I kill a monster, 25% of my XP is cut? Well, when I wore this, that handicap was removed, and I actually gained 5%—25 minus 30 is 5%. So I wonder how much of your XP was being cut. And now that I think about it, you said even training was hard. So it's not only about killing monsters, it's also about training. In every way you gained XP, it was reduced."
"Yeah, that makes a lot of sense," Grone said, removing the necklace.
"What are you doing?" Tyler asked.
"Well, I'm giving this back to you," Grone replied.
"But you can have it," Tyler protested. "It can help you level up more."
"What level are you?" Grone asked.
"I'm currently level 47," Tyler answered.
Grone was slightly surprised but didn't show it much. "You're three levels away from becoming C-rank. I'm not going to take this away from you now. You should wear this until you're C-rank, and then you'll give it to me, all right?"
Tyler looked at Grone, a little skeptical. He felt like Grone was being less than truthful. "All right," he said slowly, taking the necklace back. He put it on, and they continued walking.
"Wait a minute," Tyler said, stopping Grone.
"What is it?" Grone asked.
"I think I just found my mission's target," Tyler replied.
Grone looked ahead. A large green tail, covered in scales, disappeared into the bushes. "Really?" he murmured.
"I think I have to go a little closer to see its level," Tyler said.
He and Grone cautiously approached. A system message appeared above the hidden creature: *Level 59 Draco*. Tyler stopped, his heart pounding. *That thing is like thirteen levels above me,* he thought.
"What level is it?" Grone asked.
"It's a level 59," Tyler replied.
"C-rank," Grone stated. "And you were supposed to hand in a D-rank, weren't you?"
"Yes," Tyler said, "but I don't think we can let this go, right?"
"Of course not," Grone agreed, taking a step forward. He unsheathed his sword, drawing it back before swinging it in a wide arc to the right, unleashing his Slash skill. The invisible, curved blade of wind sliced through the bushes, striking the Draco in its flank.
The Draco shrieked, turning swiftly. It extended its forked tongue, tasting the air, its black eyes fixed on Tyler and Grone.
Tyler's axe materialized, and he stood ready. Activating Rush, he charged as the Draco lunged. Grone unleashed Slash, but the Draco rolled aside, evading the attack. This surprised Tyler.
Tyler charged, swinging his axe horizontally. The Draco caught the axe's head in its jaws, yanking it from Tyler's grip and spitting it away. It lunged low at Tyler's foot, but Tyler leaped back, his axe reappearing in his hand.
The Draco turned its attention to Grone. *I don't have any more mana for Slash or Piercing,* Grone thought. He parried the Draco's attacks, forcing it backward with a series of precise sword strikes.
Seeing his chance, Tyler ran to Grone's back. He planted his axe's head in the ground, using the momentum of his run to propel himself upward, leaping over Grone and landing behind the Draco. Before the creature could react, he swung his axe downwards, catching its long tail.
The Draco shrieked in pain, turning it's attention towards Tyler. Grone, seizing the moment, sliced into the Draco's jaw with his sword.
Tyler quickly rammed his axe into the Draco's back; it shrieked. He swiftly withdrew the axe and brought it down in a final blow. The Draco shrieked once more before falling still. Tyler breathed heavily, standing behind the fallen beast.
"It wasn't a match for the both of us," Grone said.
"Yeah," Tyler agreed. A system message appeared before Tyler. Level up!
"We need to keep moving," Grone said. "It's probably to the left. Let's go."
Tyler commanded, "Extract!" The Draco's hide vanished into his inventory, leaving behind the bleeding carcass.
"How do you know where it is?" Tyler asked.
"Hunters share information with each other," Grone explained. "If you don't know this information, you might run into a Gloomfang or Crimson Wolf den without knowing it. So we tell each other where they are to be cautious."
"So you know the direction even amongst all these trees?" Tyler asked.
"Yes, of course," Grone replied. "They really explained it in detail. It's past the river; if you keep going straight, you'll see a clearing. The clearing we were in—remember that, where we fought all those monsters?"
"Yeah, I do," Tyler said. "When you get into the dense part of the forest, you'll see a lot of bushes close together. That's where we just fought the Draco."
"Yeah, but this was my first time seeing those bushes," Tyler added.
"Well, it's probably because we haven't come this way before," Grone said. "Anyways, after the bushes, you go left. After that, we'll probably run into some tall trees, and then we'll need to keep going straight."
They entered a less dense area, more open with tall, slender trees, letting in more sunlight. "We'll be close," Grone said.
"You have to prepare yourself," Grone instructed.
"Oh, hold on," Tyler said, stopping Grone. A potion materialized in his hand. "We never got to use these." He handed one to Grone. "Here."
Grone took the potion. "Drink it," Tyler said. "I'm sure it will heal you."
Grone didn't hesitate. He drank the potion, and felt a strange, unfamiliar taste. It wasn't unpleasant, but odd. A wave of relief washed over him as his skin glowed green for a moment before dimming. He looked at his wrist; the wound was completely healed.
Tyler smiled. "Huh, so it works."
Grone stared at Tyler, surprised. "Wait, you didn't know it would work?"
"Um, well, I've never tested it on anyone else before, so…" Tyler admitted.
As Grone examined his healed scar, they heard a growl. A Crimson Wolf appeared in the distance.
Grone glanced at Tyler. "We're close," he said, his voice low and steady.
Tyler's axe materialized in his hands, the polished steel gleaming in the dappled sunlight. He looked at the lone Crimson Wolf—a level 42—its fur the color of dried blood, its eyes burning with predatory intensity. The unexpected solitude of the beast was unsettling. It launched itself at them with a ferocious snarl. Tyler met the charge head-on, his movements a blur of controlled aggression. With a brutal, precise swing, his axe cleaved through the wolf's neck, severing its head in a single, clean stroke. He instantly commanded, "Extract!" and the crimson hide vanished into his inventory.
They took a few more steps, and then they entered the clearing. The ground was uneven, pitted with holes and crevices, the earth churned and scarred from past battles. Tyler's heart hammered against his ribs. More than twenty Crimson Wolves—a sea of crimson fur and bared fangs—stood before them, their eyes burning with a cold, predatory light. In the distance, a colossal Crimson Wolf, easily the size of a cow, sat observing the scene, its massive frame radiating an aura of raw power. A stark red system message blazed across Tyler's vision: WARNING: Boss Level Monster—Crimson Alpha, Level 70. The alpha let out a guttural growl that vibrated through the clearing, a sound that spoke of ancient savagery and untamed power.
Tyler's grip tightened on his axe, his knuckles white. The axe trembled slightly in his hand. Grone, sensing Tyler's apprehension, reached out and covered Tyler's hand, his touch firm and reassuring. Tyler looked at Grone; his friend's face was calm, his eyes steady and unwavering. The sight steadied Tyler's nerves. He took a deep breath, the tension slowly ebbing away, and activated his Rush skill. The pack of Crimson Wolves, sensing the challenge, let out a chorus of enraged growls, and they charged, a wave of crimson fury unleashed upon their unsuspecting prey. The alpha, a silent observer, watched from its vantage point, its massive form a monument to the danger that lay ahead.
The first Crimson Wolf launched itself at Tyler. He met the attack with a horizontal swing of his axe, cleaving the wolf's jaw. Another wolf lunged at Grone from the side. He twisted, his sword flashing, severing the wolf's leg and slicing deep into its abdomen. Two more wolves attacked Tyler simultaneously. His eyes flashed blue as he swung his axe, striking both creatures at once. Another wolf bit his leg, then recoiled, as if tasting something unpleasant. A system message appeared: *Level Up!* His heart pounded; the wolf that bit him was level 52.
He glanced at Grone, who was a whirlwind of motion, his sword a blur as he parried and countered the wolves' attacks. They were relentless, but Grone's skill kept them at bay. Every time a wolf managed to sink its teeth into his clothing, he'd throw it off with a swift, powerful strike. Tyler, however, found himself increasingly distracted by the alpha. It simply watched, seemingly unconcerned as its pack was decimated. *What is it doing?* Tyler wondered. *Isn't that thing supposed to lead its pack?*
Another Crimson Wolf attacked from behind, its teeth sinking into Tyler's shoulder.
Tyler seized the wolf clamped to his shoulder, his muscles bulging with the effort. With a guttural roar, he gripped the creature's neck and slammed it forward with brutal force. The wolf's body slammed into the ground with a sickening thud, rebounding into the air, a high-pitched howl escaping its throat. In a blur of motion, Tyler swung his axe, the steel gleaming, and brought it down in a brutal, vertical arc. The axe sliced through the air, meeting its target with a sickening *schwing* as the wolf was cleaved in two, its body parts falling to the ground.
A grim satisfaction settled over him as he thought, *These Crimson Wolves are fast, but with Rush activated, they're noticeably slower. They lack a speed-enhancing skill, it seems.*
He became a blurring whirlwind of motion, a deadly dance of steel and fury. Running at full speed, he unleashed a swift, horizontal swing of his axe, sending one wolf's head flying. With a lightning-fast leftward swing, he dispatched another. He twisted and turned mid-run, his feet a whirlwind, his body a symphony of controlled power and lethal grace. The axe rotated between his hands, a deadly dance of steel, before a final, devastating downward swing cleaved another wolf's head from its body.
Two system messages appeared, stark and clear against his vision: Level Up! User has obtained a new skill: Chamber
SPECIESHuman
NAME: Tyler Evans
RANK: C
LVL: 50
CLASS: Craftsman
HP: 240/240 MP: 178/178
STR: 168 AGI: 166
DEF: 236 STM: 173
STATUS: Healthy
Skills: Armour Craft Lv2, Weapon Craft Lv2, Weapon Mastery, Alchemy, Accessory Craft, Poison Blood, Chamber
Equipped Skills: Rush