The giant claw slammed into Ares's sword-shield, smashing into his bone, shaking his body. The sound of metal clashing echoed, but the pain that radiated from his arm made him gasp.
"Aaahh!" Ares screamed, nearly dropping his sword. The pain was real. Not like a typical VR simulation. It was as if the beast's claw had actually struck him.
Lyra screamed, ducking and raising her staff shakily. "W-what happened? Why… why are you screaming?"
Ares took a few steps back, holding his left arm, which felt like it was breaking.
"It hurts… damn, I can really feel it!"
The giant wolf growled, saliva dripping to the ground. Its gaze was full of ferocity, not just a programmed AI. It was like a real predator hunting its prey.
A system message appeared before them.
[Warning: Pain Synchronization active at 40%]
[Adjustable in system menu.]
Ares's eyes widened. So they did this on purpose? If 40% was already this intense, what about 100%?
Lyra paled. "We… we could die like this!"
"Calm down!" Ares swallowed, trying to hold back his panic. "It might just be a painful sensation… but if we run out of HP, we'll automatically log out!" He tried to reassure himself, though his heart was filled with doubt.
The wolf roared again, then pounced forward. Ares ducked, sliding to the side. His breath hitched. Grass was uprooted by the beast's claws, the ground shaking with each impact of its giant feet.
Ares activated his old instincts. The reflexes he'd honed in the e-sports arena began to awaken. His eyes sharpened, focusing on assessing his opponent's movement patterns.
"Lyra! Can you heal?" he shouted.
"I-I don't know how!" Lyra panicked. She opened the system panel, her fingers trembling as she searched for skills. "There—there's one! Minor Heal!"
"Then get ready!" Ares dashed forward, enduring the pain in his arm. He swung his sword, slashing the wolf across its side.
Metal clashed with hard fur. A spark of light erupted. The HP bar above the Beast of Dawn's head decreased only slightly, almost negligibly.
"Seriously…?" Ares gritted his teeth. This monster was a real boss, even in the tutorial.
The wolf turned nimbly. Its sharp fangs lashed out. Ares staggered, barely able to dodge. The enemy's claws sliced into his shoulder, and blood spurted out—not pixelated digital blood, but deep red, all too real.
"Arghhh!" Ares fell to his knees, pain searing through his shoulder.
His HP bar plummeted.
Lyra screamed, then instinctively raised her staff. "Light, heal him!" A soft light descended, enveloping Ares's body. The wound on his shoulder closed slightly, the pain subsiding, though not completely gone.
Ares lifted his head, staring at Lyra with eyes filled with shock. "You did it…"
"I… I don't know if I can keep doing this," Lyra admitted, her voice still trembling.
The wolf spun around, preparing to attack again. Its roar sent the leaves trembling, digital birds flying in panic from the trees.
Ares struggled to his feet. If this was a tutorial, then there was a way to win. He forced his brain to work. In every game, there was a pattern. There had to be an opening.
His eyes sharpened. He began to pay attention. The wolf's paw movements, the swing of its tail, the roar before it pounced. There was a pause. There was a small pattern.
"We can do this…" he muttered.
"What?" Lyra turned.
"He has a pattern. After attacking with his right claw, he always swings his tail. If we can dodge in time, there's an opening to attack."
Lyra nodded, though still pale. "Okay… I believe you."
The wolf leaped again. Its right claw struck forward. Ares dodged, rolling to the side. Sure enough, the giant tail swept through the air a moment later.
"Now!" Ares shouted, leaping forward, plunging his sword into the enemy's hind leg.
The boss's HP bar dropped slightly. An angry roar shook the air. The wolf turned toward him, its red eyes filled with hatred.
"Run!" Ares shouted to Lyra.
The two of them split apart. The wolf chose to chase Ares. His breathing was heavy, his body covered in wounds, but his old spirit was starting to rise. That feeling—the adrenaline of battle—was burning again.
"If this is what you call a game…" Ares raised his sword, "then I will win as always!"
The wolf attacked again. Ares parried, his body sent flying, pain shooting through his bones. But he held his ground, taking a half step back, then charging forward again with a furious roar.
Lyra cast a small spell from a distance. A thin beam of light struck the wolf, causing its HP bar to drop a little further. "I'll help as best I can!"
The fight was fierce. Ares nearly felled several times. Each time Lyra cast a healing spell, the pain subsided enough for him to stand again. But their stamina was draining rapidly.
The Beast of Dawn's HP was still more than half. Ares's breathing was getting heavier. Sweat dripped even though this was a virtual world.
"Too strong…" he hissed.
The wolf raised its head, red light gathering in its mouth. Ares's eyes widened. "It can't be…"
A blast of black and red energy shot out, hitting the ground. The explosion shattered the ground, uprooted trees, and sent Ares flying far away. His HP bar instantly turned red.
Lyra screamed hysterically. "ARES!"
Ares's body lay there, barely able to move. Pain coursed through his entire body.
A system message appeared.
[Critical State. Low HP. Immediate recovery required.]
Ares tried to get up. His hands trembled. But in his mind, the old voices returned: cheers, jeers, insults.
Cheater… loser…
No. Not again.
Ares gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stand. "I won't fall here!"
The wolf prepared to attack again. Lyra stood in front of Ares, though her body was trembling. "If he attacks… I'll be the one hit first."
"Fool!" Ares shouted. "Move! I'm not finished yet!"
Suddenly, a faint light appeared in his hand. His sword gleamed, as if responding to his resolve. A system window opened.
[Hidden Skill Unlocked: Will of the Fallen]
[Effect: When HP is critical, the next attack deals double damage.]
Ares's eyes widened. He gripped his sword tightly.
"This… is our chance!"
The wolf pounced. Ares dashed forward, despite his crushed body. For an instant, time seemed to slow. His gaze focused, just like it had in the arena.
"Aaaaahhhhhh!" he screamed, slashing at the wolf's neck.
The gleaming blade pierced flesh. The boss's HP bar plummeted. The wolf howled in pain, its body swaying.
Lyra quickly cast a final heal spell, keeping Ares standing.
With a final scream, Ares plunged his sword deeper. Light exploded, the Beast of Dawn's body disintegrating into glowing particles.
They gasped. Silence fell. Only the sound of the wind could be heard.
A system message appeared.
[Congratulations. Tutorial Boss defeated.]
[Reward: 100 EXP, Basic Equipment Chest.]
Ares fell to his knees, gasping for breath. Lyra collapsed beside him, her face pale but relieved.
"We… really did it…" she said weakly.
Ares stared at his still-shaking hands. The wounds on his body were slowly fading, but the pain was still faintly palpable. He stared up at the blue sky, his breathing heavy.
"If this is just a tutorial…" he said quietly, "I can't imagine what awaits us ahead."