Virtual Space.
Four wolves glimmered into reality across from Amir. Their eyes glowed red, studying him with unnerving awareness.
Bloodstains streaked across the dirt arena—old remnants from previous rounds.
Round 6 began with two wolves. Round 7 brought three. Amir figured the game was giving players a breather after the boar mini-boss.
Round 8 was different.
Each wolf was a step above the last—larger, quicker, and clearly smarter than the boars that came before. Their black fur shimmered faintly in the fake sunlight, and their breath puffed like vapor in the cool virtual air.
They began their charge in a diamond formation—tight and efficient.
Amir's grip tightened on his training shield and spear.
As they closed the distance, the two wolves on the flanks peeled outward—a split maneuver to flank him.
The lead wolf lunged.
Amir dropped his stance, ready to deflect the blow with his shield—but the attack never came.
The wolf planted its forelegs on the shield and vaulted, flipping gracefully over him.
'That's not good,' Amir thought.
Now, Amir stood in a loose ring of predators. They stalked in slow arcs, red eyes narrowing. Snarling, drooling, tails low—they moved with the eerie coordination of a pack.
Amir pivoted with them, never letting his back face any one wolf for more than a second. His shield swayed with his motion, tracking the closest threat.
One wolf lunged.
Amir spun, angling his shield to intercept the strike—but it was a feint.
He caught the bluff too late.
Two wolves darted in from behind. Amir twisted, sweeping his spear in a wide arc, but the wolves scattered before the blade could connect.
Then, the first wolf came again—this time for real.
It slipped past his guard, a blur of gray fur, and raked a claw across his upper arm.
[HP: 152 / 170]
Amir hissed through clenched teeth. The pain was sharp—but also a reminder. This wasn't just a game to him.
He batted the wolf aside with the rim of his shield, forcing it to retreat a few paces.
The rest of the pack resumed their circling, slow and deliberate.
He couldn't let them close in again. He needed to break this formation—fast.
'I'll attack then.'
Amir kicked off the ground and lunged at the wolf to his left. His sudden aggression caught it off-guard.
It sprang to meet him, jaws wide, but Amir twisted, using his shield to slam into its side, knocking it off-balance.
Before the wolf could recover its footing, Amir raised his spear and jabbed it into its neck. Blood spurted—then the wolf burst into light.
Amir rushed through the gap in the formation and reset the battlefield, placing all three remaining wolves in front of him.
They snarled and regrouped quickly, forming a tight triangle. Two in the front, the third positioned just behind.
Amir shifted his stance, shield forward, spear steady. His breathing was controlled, measured. He knew better than to let them surround him again.
The front-left wolf twitched—then pounced.
Amir didn't flinch; he knew it was a feint.
Instead, he took half a step toward the right, baiting a reaction. The wolf on that side committed, bounding in with teeth bared.
Amir met it with a short, clean thrust to the snout. The wolf jerked back, but the tip of his spear sliced across its muzzle, drawing blood.
The moment it staggered, Amir charged, using his shield to bash it.
The wolf hit the ground hard.
One stab into its exposed neck, and another flash of light followed.
The remaining two wolves circled tighter now, fangs bared. Amir kept them in his sights, feet shifting, never static.
As he expected, they came at him together—synchronized, one from each side.
Amir braced and twisted his shield to catch the left wolf mid-lunge, absorbing the impact at an angle. It stumbled, disoriented.
The second wolf came low for his spear arm—fast.
Amir pivoted, drove his shield into the left wolf's face to shove it back, then swept his spear in a wide arc. The tip grazed the right wolf's neck—a shallow cut, but enough to make it hesitate and retreat.
The left wolf whimpered, still dazed. The right one landed cleanly, circling again, eyes locked on him.
They regrouped.
"You think it'll be different this time?" Amir muttered.
They lunged again—together, but sloppier.
He sidestepped the first wolf, angling his shield to deflect it with a sharp thud. The second lunged in from the opposite side—too high, too eager.
Amir ducked under the snap of its jaws and drove his spear upward, straight into its chest.
The wolf shrieked, twisting violently—but he stayed with it, rotating the spear and slamming it down, pinning the beast to the dirt. A burst of white light marked its end.
One left.
Amir turned.
The final wolf lingered just out of reach, growling low, pacing in a wide arc. Its eyes flicked between him and the bloodstains on the ground.
Amir stepped forward and feinted low, sweeping his spear just above the ground.
The wolf snapped upward—instinct, not strategy.
Bad call.
A heartbeat later, Amir's spear punched through its throat.
It burst into light before it hit the ground.
[Round 8: Complete]
Amir exhaled, slow and even. He rolled his shoulders, adjusted his grip. His forearms ached—not from damage, but from tension, the effort of restraint and control.
[Round 9: Enemies Incoming]
Across the arena, light shimmered again.
There were five of them this time.
They came fast, a line of snarling muscle and fur closing the distance in seconds.
Amir couldn't let them establish any formations.
He rushed the center-left wolf before they could fully spread out. It was better to hit first and cause chaos.
The wolves adjusted instinctively, fanning wider. Good.
As he closed the distance, Amir dipped low at the last second and scraped his shield hard across the ground, flinging a thick spray of dirt into the air.
The dry soil exploded into a cloud, catching the forward wolves in the eyes. They staggered, growling in surprise.
One wolf leapt blindly through the dust, jaws wide.
Amir angled his shield up and to the right, catching it midair with a loud thud. The creature dropped awkwardly—and Amir drove his spear straight into its chest.
Light burst. Four left.
The others were on him immediately, dust gone.
One lunged from his flank and managed to rake a claw across his thigh before he pivoted. It stung, but it wasn't deep. His armor caught most of it.
Amir twisted into the next strike, swinging his shield outward to knock a wolf off-balance. It yelped, stumbled, and Amir lunged, spear piercing deeply in its ribs.
It exploded in light.
The three remaining wolves circled again, snapping and feinting. Amir kept turning, shield always between him and the closest muzzle.
The instant Amir steadied his stance, they attacked—together.
The one on the left led the charge, jaws wide, baiting his reaction. Amir pivoted to meet it with his shield, angling low.
The real threat came from the right.
Claws raked across his ribs before he could fully turn. His leather armor absorbed the worst of it, but the impact knocked him a step back.
[HP: 130 / 170]
Gritting his teeth, Amir caught the third wolf—leaping from behind—with a quick thrust of his spear. The tip punched through fur and muscle.
It yelped and twisted away, landing hard, limping.
Amir pressed his advantage, shield up as he charged the wounded wolf. It tried to scramble back, but he swept its legs with the bottom edge of his shield, then pinned it to the dirt with a clean strike to the throat.
It burst into light. Two left.
The remaining wolves came fast, one high, one low.
Amir raised his shield just in time to block the upper bite—but the second clamped down on his shin.
Pain shot up his leg—but life had taught him how to fight through worse.
[HP: 111 / 170]
He grunted and twisted, jamming the butt of his spear into the attacking wolf's side. It released with a yelp.
He shoved forward with his shield, knocking the high wolf off balance, then spun into a slash that forced both back, buying himself space.
Amir exhaled through grit teeth. Blood trickled down his torso and leg, but his grip was steady.
'Gotta keep them in front.'
He advanced this time, one step, then another. The wolves paced with him, hesitant now.
One lunged; Amir met it halfway.
His spear struck mid-leap, sliding into its chest before the beast could twist away. It vanished in a flare of white light.
One left. It hesitated.
Amir didn't. He stepped in, feinted high with his spear, then hammered his shield straight into the wolf's jaw. It crashed to the dirt, stunned.
One final jab ended the fight. The wolf shattered in a flash of light.
Amir stood alone, bloodied but upright, breathing hard.
[Round 9: Complete]
He checked his status.
[Ashfall - Warrior
Rank 0, Level 0
Health: 111 / 170
Mana: Locked
Stamina: 93 / 210]
He could do this.
[Round 10: Enemy Incoming]
The arena grew quiet—eerily still.
No snarls, no padding paws. Just the whisper of wind and the lingering burn in Amir's body.
Then, the light shimmered again, forming a single shape.
[Tutorial Boss 'Fang' has appeared.]
It emerged with slow, deliberate steps—like a predator savoring the kill. Taller than the others by half a head, this wolf was a monster in more than name. Jet-black fur covered its hulking frame, and its eyes burned with a dull crimson glow—not the wild red of its kin, but something colder.
[Tutorial Hint: Enemy skill 'Shadow Clone' detected – Cooldown: 60 seconds]
It didn't charge. It stared. Then, it howled.
The sound rolled across the arena like thunder, rattling Amir's chest.
From the shadows under the boss, a second wolf stepped into view—identical in every way.
Amir's eyes narrowed. "Shadow Clone, huh?" he muttered.
'Is it real? Or is it an illusion?' He didn't know.
His grip tightened on his spear.
They began to move—one at a time, flanking wide. No snarl. No rush. Just smooth, confident steps as they circled him, matching his pivot perfectly.
He watched their motions—looking for a difference in weight, in stride, in shadow.
Nothing.
Both wolves lunged.
Amir dodged left, raising his shield to deflect the first—but the second hit him square in the ribs.
Claws ripped into leather and flesh. But he didn't feel any impact from the first.
[HP: 85 / 170]
Amir rolled away, gasping, his side burning. His vision shimmered for a second before steadying.
The wolves circled again, splitting wide. They were trying to force another double attack.
Amir kept still. He needed more info.
The wolves rushed in again, this time from opposite angles—one high, one low.
Amir didn't defend. He attacked.
With a sudden spin, Amir slashed his spear in a wide arc toward the low wolf.
It passed clean through—no resistance. An illusion.
The second wolf collided with his chest before he could fully recover.
[HP: 67 / 170]
He slammed to the ground, air knocked from his lungs. The real wolf snarled, looming above him.
Amir twisted and rammed his shield upward, catching it under the jaw. It reeled, just enough for him to roll to his feet.
Blood stained his armor now. But he wasn't done.
'Now I know,' he thought. He couldn't afford another mistake. 'Focus.'
The two wolves began to move again.
This time, Amir didn't retreat. He advanced.
The clone tried to intercept him with a snap of its jaws. Amir ignored it.
He charged at the real one, his spear ready to thrust.
It moved to dodge, but Amir anticipated the sidestep. His spear lashed out—not in a stab, but a sudden hook, catching the wolf behind the leg.
The wolf's hind leg buckled under the force, but its massive weight jerked Amir's spear from his grasp. It skittered across the dirt floor, out of reach and useless.
A split-second later, the beast was airborne, leaping straight at him, crimson eyes bright.
Amir charged.
He surged forward and smashed his shield into its snout, halting the charge mid-air with a sickening crunch. Blood splattered across his chestplate.
He saw the clone disappear in the corner of his eye.
The real wolf hit the ground in a tangle of limbs, but it wasn't down.
It lunged again.
Amir met it head-on.
Another shield bash—right into its skull. Then another. And another. The shield's rim was denting, the impact vibrating up his arm like hammer blows against an anvil.
The wolf thrashed, dazed.
Amir stepped on its foreleg, pinning it.
He raised his heater shield high—not to block, but to kill.
With a grunt, he jammed the rim into its neck. Bone cracked.
The wolf jerked violently. Blood poured out.
Amir struck again. And again. And again.
Until the body below him stopped moving. Until it disappeared into light.
Amir staggered back, chest heaving. His arm trembled. His shield dripped.
He looked at the notifications he had received.
[Round 10: Complete. Player Condition Restored.]
[Tutorial Finished. Rewards are being analyzed.]
Without a word, Amir turned, walked to his discarded spear, and picked it up.
Then he crossed the arena—past the blood, past the silence—and sat down against the wall of the coliseum.
He let the weapon rest across his lap. He closed his eyes. He let himself breathe.