The first wolf launched itself through the air, a blur of silver fur and snapping jaws. It was fast—Level 60, a veteran of the Frontier. But to Kael's [Primordial Sight], it moved in slow motion.
He didn't draw the Void Blade. He didn't need to.
Kael stepped into the beast's guard. The wolf's jaws snapped shut where Kael's neck had been a split second before. Kael pivoted, his body moving with the fluid, jagged grace of a predator. He slammed his elbow into the wolf's ribcage.
[GRAVITY PULSE]
CRACK.
The impact sounded like a gunshot. The wolf's ribcage imploded, the metal-like fur offering no resistance against the localized gravity spike. The beast flew backward, crashing into a tree with enough force to snap the trunk in two.
"One," Kael counted, his voice a low growl.
The pack hesitated. The ease with which their packmate had been dispatched sparked a primal fear in their eyes. But the Alpha snarled, a guttural sound that vibrated in Kael's chest.
"KILL HIM!"
Three wolves charged simultaneously from the flanks.
"Stay back," Kael commanded, not looking at Alaric or Morgan.
He clenched his fists. His skin turned obsidian black.
**[ADAMANTINE CARAPACE]**
The first wolf slammed into him, claws raking across his back. Sparks flew. The claws screeched against his diamond-hard skin, failing to draw even a drop of blood.
Kael didn't even turn. He reached back blindly, grabbed the wolf by its tail, and swung it like a flail. He smashed it into the second attacker, the collision of bone and metal fur creating a sickening crunch.
The third wolf went for his legs.
Kael jumped. He didn't just jump up; he used [Phantom Step] to blink instantly ten feet into the air, leaving a shadow clone behind.
The wolf bit into the shadow. The clone exploded in a burst of dark energy, blinding the beast.
Kael descended like a meteor. He drove his knee into the blinded wolf's spine.
SNAP.
"Four."
But the fight was far from over. The rest of the pack, a tide of grey and silver, surged forward. There were too many to count.
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
Quest Generated: [The Red Feast].
Objective: Eradicate the Iron-Fur Pack.
Current Count: 4/50.
Bonus Objective: Devour the Pack Alpha.
Time Limit: Until Sundown.
Warning: Dhampir Bloodlust Rising. Mana Coherence: 85%.
The scent of blood hit Kael's nose. His own blood pumped with a chaotic rhythm. The Dhampir bloodline wasn't just a passive trait; it was a demon living in his veins, and it was waking up.
His vision shifted. The world turned into a landscape of red arteries and pulsing hearts. He could hear the blood pumping in every wolf, a drumbeat inviting him to drink.
"More," Kael whispered.
He dropped into a martial stance, the [Infinite Blade Arts] adapting to unarmed combat.
A wolf lunged. Kael caught its snout in his palm. He squeezed. The jaw shattered.
Another snapped at his heel. Kael spun, delivering a roundhouse kick that decapitated the beast cleanly, the force of the blow severing the head from the metallic neck.
He moved through the pack like a whirlwind of black limbs and gravity. He wasn't using flashy spells. He was using efficiency. Every strike was designed to kill or maim. Every movement was a calculation of physics and force.
But the blood… the blood was calling to him.
He grabbed a wolf by the throat mid-leap. He slammed it into the ground.
[DEVOUR: BLOOD ROUTE]
He didn't bite it. He simply willed the essence out. The wolf withered instantly, turning into a dry husk. A rush of hot energy flooded Kael's veins.
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
Vitality Absorbed.
Dhampir Evolution Progress: 24%.
Berserk State: Activating.
Kael's eyes rolled back, the gold and blue irises glowing with a crimson hue.
He roared.
A shockwave of pure bloodlust erupted from his body, flattening the trees within a fifty-meter radius. The wolves stopped. The primal predators, creatures that ate monsters for breakfast, whined and stepped back.
Kael charged.
He wasn't fighting like a human anymore. He was fighting like a Dragon.
He moved with terrifying speed, [Swift Step] blurring his form. He tackled a wolf, pounding its head into paste with his bare fists. He grabbed another by the hind legs and swung it around, clearing a circle of space.
"IS THAT ALL?!" he screamed, his voice distorted, vibrating with a second layer of bass. "WHERE IS YOUR ALPHA?!"
The Iron-Fur Alpha stepped forward.
It was massive. Twice the size of the others. Its fur was not just metal; it was etched with natural runes, glowing with a faint blue light. It was on the verge of B-Rank.
It snarled, and the air pressure in the clearing dropped. It had an ability. [Intimidation Howl].
"HAAAAAAAA!"
The sonic boom hit Kael. Alaric, hiding behind the tree, clutched his ears, screaming silently. Morgan dropped to her knees, blood leaking from her nose.
Kael stood still. He took a step forward. Then another.
The Alpha's eyes widened. It pounced, moving faster than the eye could follow.
Its claws met Kael's crossed arms.
CLANG!
The ground beneath Kael's feet shattered from the impact. He skidded back three feet, trenches gouged into the earth by his heels.
Kael looked up. His face was inches from the beast's maw.
"Your heartbeat is loud," Kael growled.
He headbutted the wolf. The Alpha stumbled back, dazed.
Kael didn't let up. He unleashed a flurry of punches. One hundred punches in three seconds.
*BAM. BAM. BAM. BAM. BAM.*
Each punch was reinforced with [Gravity Manipulation], making Kael's fists hit with the weight of a falling building. The Alpha's metal fur began to crack. Dent. Shatter.
The beast roared, swiping desperately. Its claws caught Kael across the chest.
SHRED.
This time, the [Adamantine Carapace] gave way. Three deep gashes opened up on Kael's chest. Blood sprayed.
Kael stumbled back. He looked down at the wound. At his own blood.
He dipped a finger into the red liquid on his chest. He tasted it.
"Mmm," he hummed, a manic grin splitting his face. "Iron. Just like you."
The Dhampir bloodlust hit critical mass. The pain vanished, replaced by a euphoric, cold fire.
SYSTEM ALERT
State: [Berserk] - 50%.
Regeneration: Amplified.
The wound on his chest began to knit together visibly, the skin pulling closed with a sickening wet sound.
Kael launched himself at the Alpha. He didn't punch this time. He grappled.
He wrapped his arms around the Alpha's massive neck, locking his hands together. The Alpha thrashed, bucking, trying to throw him off. It slammed into trees, trying to crush him.
Kael held on. He squeezed.
"DIE!"
[GRAVITY CRUSH: CHOKEHOLD]
He funneled all his mana into his arms. The gravity around the Alpha's neck spiked.
*Gurgle.*
The Alpha's eyes bulged. It tried to howl, but no air could pass.
"BREAK!"
CRACK.
The Alpha's spine snapped with a sound like a thunderclap. The massive beast collapsed, twitching once before going still.
Kael released the body. He stood over it, panting heavily, his chest heaving, his body covered in a mixture of his own blood and the wolves' gore.
The remaining wolves fled. They scattered into the forest, tails between their legs.
The clearing fell silent.
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
Quest Completed: [The Red Feast].
Kills: 27. (Remaining fled).
Alpha Defeated.
Reward:
- 5,000 XP.
- Passive Skill: [Predator's Instinct] (Grade B).
- Item Drop: [Alpha's Core] (Rare).
Level Up!
Level 79 → Level 80.
LEVEL 80 REACHED.
Requirement for B-Rank Advancement Met.
1. Reach Level 80: COMPLETE.
2. Condense Mana Core: PENDING.
3. Survive Lightning Tribulation: PENDING.
Warning: Host is in a zone of high mana density. The Heavenly Tribulation will detect Host immediately upon Core Condensation.
Kael stood there, the red haze slowly fading from his vision. He felt the level up. He felt the barrier to B-Rank shatter.
He wiped the blood from his face.
"Alaric," he called out, his voice rough but back to normal.
From behind a splintered tree, Alaric peeked out. His glasses were askew. His face was pale.
"Y-yes?"
"I need a shower," Kael said. "And a map. We're moving to the next sector."
He looked at the sky. The clouds were gathering. Dark. Heavy.
"And find shelter," Kael muttered. "I have a feeling the weather is about to get worse."
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