The Blood Wolf King's roar was still echoing, a physical pressure trying to pin Tony in place, when he moved. He became a flash of black and silver, appearing directly in front of the monstrous lord, not in retreat, but in challenge.
There was no time for hesitation. His blades, Humming and Jade, erupted in a crosshatch of energy. "[Double Slash]!" Four arcs of light—two black, two white—screamed through the air, converging on the beast's massive torso with the intent to shred and confine.
"Zhi! Zhi! Zhi!"
The Wolf King's blood-red eyes narrowed with intelligent contempt. It didn't dodge. Instead, it let out a low, guttural howl that radiated pure intimidation, took a single step back for leverage, and its right paw, large enough to crush a boulder, punched forward with shocking accuracy, aimed directly at the nexus of the converging blades.
PENG!
The four blades of light shattered into a thousand motes of dissipating energy. The counter-shockwave barely made the beast flinch. In the same fluid motion, it stepped forward, its left paw now swathed in a bloody aura, swinging in a devastating arc meant to pulp Tony's head.
The entire sequence lasted less than two seconds, a display of speed and precision that would shame most expert players.
But as the empowered claw passed through where Tony's head should have been, it met no resistance. It tore through nothing but air and a fading afterimage.
Tony had already vanished. Using the visual and auditory cover of his own shattered skill, he had activated [Ghost Step], his form blurring as he reappeared behind the colossal wolf. He didn't waste the opening. The Humming Blade rose, crackling with nascent energy.
"[Lightning Strike]!"
Bolts of blue-white electricity slammed into the Wolf King's back. The fainting effect, which could stun common monsters for four seconds, lasted barely one against the dungeon lord. But one second was all Tony needed to complete his next incantation.
"[Flame Wave]!"
A torrent of fire erupted from his free hand, washing over the beast's electrified form. Damage numbers erupted in a violent cascade: -400 from the lightning, -1000 from the flames.
Then, the true synergy struck. The elemental forces, fire and lightning, reacted violently with each other upon the wolf's hide.
BOOOM!
A secondary explosion tore through the air, a concussive blast of superheated air that threw up a cloud of dirt and blood. A colossal -2000 floated up, a testament to the destructive combo. The Blood Wolf King howled, a sound of genuine pain and rage, its fur scorched and smoking.
In Ancient Myth, HP was a reference, but it wasn't the whole story. A player with 10 HP could fight unimpeded, while another who lost a limb, even with half their health remaining, could be crippled. Tony could feel the shift in the beast. The explosion had done more than reduce a number; it had wounded its pride and ignited a feral, unlimited rage. A killing intent so thick it felt like syrup in the air pressed down on him, a mental assault that would leave a lesser expert paralyzed.
But Tony had stood in the presence of a Devil. This was merely the snarl of a hound. His own gaze, cold and focused, met the Wolf King's hellish red eyes. An invisible clash of wills sparked between them, a battle before the battle.
They moved simultaneously.
The Wolf King, its attributes a clear 30% higher, closed the distance with terrifying speed. It rose onto its hind legs, abandoning bestial form for a horrifyingly humanoid combat stance. Its paws became blurs, unleashing [Claw Tempest]—a storm of seven razor-sharp strikes per second aimed to overwhelm and dismember.
Tony stood his ground. This was the crucible. His twin swords wove the newly-born [Sword Barrier] around him, a shimmering, defensive sphere of precise parries and deflections. The clang of claw on steel became a continuous, deafening ring. For one full minute, it was a perfect stalemate. Not a single attack landed. Tony, operating on pure instinct and refined perception, was in his element, his control over his body sharpening under the immense pressure. He reduced wasted motion, optimized his footwork, and expanded his defensive coverage from protecting six angles to eight.
But the Wolf King was a lord for a reason. After three relentless minutes, it began to adapt. Its strikes came from more unpredictable angles, its raw power starting to break through Tony's perfected defense. A claw slipped past, gouging his shoulder. -310! Another ripped across his thigh. -280!
"Damn, trading blows with this thing head-on is pushing it," Tony thought, a bitter taste in his mouth as he saw the beast grow more confident, more fearless.
His hand flickered to his belt. An [Advanced Health Potion] was in his hand and down his throat in an instant. +1000 HP! The immediate surge of vitality, coupled with a steady regeneration, flooded him with renewed confidence. This dungeon had proven it: real martial arts could be integrated, so long as they followed the system's logic. His [Sword Barrier] wasn't just swinging fast; it was a predictive algorithm of motion and intent. Now, it was time to unveil the techniques that had forged his reputation in the Abyss.
Sensing the shift, the Blood Wolf King activated [Blood Rage]. Its body swelled slightly, becoming immune to control effects as its Strength and Agility surged. It unleashed a renewed [Claw Tempest], but this time, eleven blood-red claws filled Tony's vision, a web of certain death.
Facing seven had been a struggle. Eleven was an execution.
Yet, as the claws swept through the space he occupied, they found nothing. The Wolf King, confused, saw Tony's form dissipate like smoke.
Its opponent was already beside it, strolling past as if on a casual walk. Fresh, deep gashes appeared on the Wolf King's flank, blood spraying into the air. -450, -510!
AOOOOOOOOOOO!
This howl was different—laced with pain, but also with a dawning, primal fear. Its instincts, honed over countless hunts, were screaming that this was no ordinary prey.
The Wolf King redoubled its efforts, using [Claw Tempest] with frantic frequency, each time trying to cage Tony. But Tony flowed through the storm. He became a phantom, the moon's reflection on water—visible but untouchable. He was using [Mirage Step], a secret footwork that piled afterimages upon his real body by manipulating momentum and counter-force to achieve near-instantaneous directional changes at full speed. It created a disorienting blur of potential targets.
It was a technique that demanded absolute mastery over every muscle, every breath, and an immense, draining focus.
For ten minutes, he toyed with the lord-class monster, a dance of death that steadily whittled down its massive health pool. But the cost was catastrophic. Tony's face was pale, his vision spotting. The [Mirage Step] was burning through his mental strength like a wildfire through dry tinder.
When the Wolf King's HP hit the two-thirds mark, Tony was running on fumes, sustained only by his indomitable will.
Then, the boss entered its final phase. Its body shuddered violently, its form compressing and turning a deeper, more violent crimson. Its paws transformed, becoming sheathed in a pitch-black aura of death, the patterns on them glowing ominously. [Blood Sacrifice]. It had sacrificed 70% of its defense to gain 120% more Strength and 100% more Speed. For one minute, it was a pure, unbridled engine of destruction.
This was the endgame. Tony knew he had one chance. Pushing his screaming mind beyond its limits, he did the impossible: he activated both the mentally exhaustive [Mirage Step] and the intensely focused [Sword Barrier] simultaneously. The strain was astronomical. He had ten seconds before his consciousness shattered.
There was no other choice.
"[Bloodlust]!"
A crimson aura exploded from him. His Strength, Constitution, and Agility doubled. The world sharpened into a single, lethal purpose.
He executed [Mirage Step] twice in rapid succession. Two perfect afterimages split off to the left and right. The enraged Wolf King, seeing triple, lashed out at the decoys.
It was the oldest trick in the book, and it worked. As its claws tore through the illusions, the real Tony materialized from the briefest of blind spots, directly behind it.
He unleashed his entire arsenal in a single, cataclysmic volley.
[Traceless Sword]! -5000
[Lightning Strike]! -700
[Flame Wave]! -1200, -2500 (Elemental Synergy)
[Double Slash]! -450
The barrage of light, sound, and fire was devastating. The Wolf King's HP plummeted, leaving it with a mere 150 points. But Tony had crossed his limit. The world swam, his legs buckled, and he collapsed to one knee, utterly spent. The [Bloodlust] backlash and mental exhaustion hit him like a tidal wave. He was a helpless spectator, watching the crippled, but still moving, Wolf King begin to crawl towards him, its remaining eye burning with a final, desperate hatred.
Three yards. Two.
As the beast gathered the last of its strength for a final, killing lunge, the impossible happened.
The Humming Blade, lying on the ground where Tony had dropped it, vibrated. Without being touched, it flew through the air. It wasn't thrown; it moved with a purpose and speed that defied physics, a black streak of perfect intent.
It teleported the last foot, for all intents and purposes, plunging itself to the hilt directly into the Blood Wolf King's heart.
The beast froze, its single eye wide with incomprehension. It died not understanding the nature of the weapon that had slain it. It simply collapsed, its form beginning to dissolve into light.
Tony stared, his mind too exhausted to process the miracle. Then, the system chimes, clear and profound, echoed in the silence of his soul.
Ding! System Notification: Congratulations! You have been acknowledged by the Humming Blade. Affinity with Swords has increased by 30%.
Ding! System Notification: Congratulations for being the first player to be acknowledged by a sentient item! Rewards: Class-related Skill, Unique Title, +3000 Gold.