I skipped the nineteenth ordeal — a battle against the Goblin Tamer. He commanded Direwolves, Shade Dires, and an Ironhide Bear under his control. It would've been good practice for crowd control, but I'd chosen to exchange it for a thousand essence. A shortcut, perhaps, but one I'd already begun to regret.
The twentieth ordeal was said to test not just strength, but instinct.
The moment I accepted, the world began to shift. The air turned thick and heavy, the soft sunlight of the forest dimming into twilight green. The once-gentle trees shuddered, their roots curling like serpents, their leaves whispering in tones that felt alive. The ground rippled with mana, as if the entire forest shared a single breath.
The fox beside me flicked its twin tails, silver fur bristling faintly. I could feel it — the tension rising through our link. Not words, but a pulse of alertness that brushed against my thoughts like a heartbeat. It was ready, but wary.
"Stay close," I muttered, even though I knew it already understood.
A low rumble echoed through the forest. The leaves quivered as a shadow moved across the treeline. From deep within the undergrowth, two silver eyes glinted — cold, unblinking, intelligent.
The Verdant Alpha emerged.
A black-furred beast towering over the forest floor, nearly twenty feet long. Every step it took stirred the vines beneath its paws, its presence commanding the forest itself to move. Its coat shimmered like oil in moonlight, and the silver of its eyes seemed to reflect every motion I made.
Roots began to rise from the soil, weaving into coiling whips. The vines shot toward me like arrows. I reacted instantly, activating Dash, barely slipping between their strikes. They tore the ground where I stood, soil scattering like sand.
The Alpha didn't stop. More vines came, moving as if guided by instinct rather than command. When they turned toward the fox, it vanished, sinking seamlessly into a shadow and I felt its presence in my shadow. I didn't need to tell it to return; it sensed my intent and responded, its presence pulsing faintly beneath me like a heartbeat in the dark.
I whispered, "Restriction."
[Target greatly exceeds your rank.]
[Restriction of Target Skill "Will of the Wild" will last 10 seconds.]
"Proceed" I thought
[Confirmed.]
The thrashing vines stopped anf the forest froze. The air was still, for a brief instant.
Then I charged forward, leaping onto the Alpha's back. Its muscles convulsed beneath me — dense and powerful. I drove my blade down, cutting through fur and skin, but it was like striking stone. I'd barely broken through before the restriction began to fade.
A flicker in the shadows — the fox reemerged, its intent brushing against mine. I felt its focus sharpen, its energy flaring. I gave a silent command — or maybe it was just a thought. Either way, it understood.
The fox darted across the clearing, its body splitting into two afterimages. Both rushed toward the Alpha's face as the restriction ended. In the same instant, a burst of light exploded — not fire, but radiance.
The forest blazed white.
The Alpha roared, staggering back, blind and enraged. I seized the chance, gathering mana into my blade.
[BloodBurst] × 6
(HP Cost: 48)
The weapon flared red as I slammed it down, driving it deep into the beast's skull. The blow landed true — and for a heartbeat, I thought it was over.
It wasn't.
The Alpha's roar shook the entire forest, and a notification appeared.
[Skill "Call of the Wild" activated.]
[Nearby Monsters Approaching.]
Dozens of eyes gleamed in the dark — wolves, horned boars, shadowed beasts rushing through the brush.
A pulse of emotion surged through the bond — resolve, fierce and bright. The fox's intent brushed my mind: leave this to me.
"Fine," I muttered, tightening my grip. "Don't die."
Its presence flared in reply — not fear, but defiance. Then it darted into the trees, its silver light vanishing into the dark.
The Alpha's body began to quiver. Its eyes burned crimson, muscles swelling. It was entering a frenzy. I steadied my breathing. The vines started again, sharper, faster — reacting to every noise, every shift in air.
"Restriction," I cast again.
[Target's rank greatly exceeds your own.]
[Sense of smell will be restricted for 10 seconds.]
The vines paused, twitching erratically. The Alpha turned its head, relying now only on sound. The rustle of my boots drew its attention — too late, I realized it had been baiting me.
Its jaws snapped toward me in a blur.
Arcane Echo triggered — a shimmer of residual mana rewound my last movement, flicking my body a meter to the left. Its fangs clamped shut on empty air, missing by a hair.
I drove my sword upward, straight through the wound I'd made earlier.
[BloodBurst] × 2
The blade pierced through bone. The Alpha convulsed once, then collapsed with a thud that shook the clearing. Its mana scattered like dust, dissolving into the air.
[+450 Essence]
The fox returned moments later, blood matted on its fur, but its presence felt steady — proud, even. Our bond pulsed faintly in the quiet. I could feel its satisfaction, its silent thrill at victory.
I exhaled, steadying my grip on the hilt. "We did it," I said softly.
Its tail flicked once, the motion slow — approval, acknowledgment, and maybe a touch of smugness.