Ren Tianyu studied the glowing panel floating in front of him, "I guess this is only a small part of the system's authority," he muttered to himself, though the satisfaction in his eyes was unmistakable.
It wasn't just a screen—it was a window that let him finally see Xiao Hui's strength in an exact, measurable way. Before tonight, Silver Wolf had been mostly instinct and loyalty, a creature with no skills beyond its natural talent.
And now, it had crossed into black-iron level and even awakened its first real ability.
His gaze drifted back to the chicken coop. There were still many chickens left—far more than he and Xiao Hui were ever meant to handle in one night. But the idea of giving up felt smaller now, almost laughable.
As the night sky deepened, the moon shone brightly, and its pale light washed over Silver Wolf's fur. The silver coat rippled softly with each breath, catching the moonlight like waves on water. When the light hit its claws, a faint gleam reflected back, sharp and pure.
Ren Tianyu's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Silver Claws."
So the skill wasn't just words on a panel—it was real. Visible. Waiting.
He stepped closer. "Xiao Hui," he said, voice steady, "use Silver Claws."
The wolf blinked back at him, head tilted. Its ears twitched at the command, but its body didn't move. It looked confused, like someone who had learned a word but not its meaning.
Tianyu huffed softly and adjusted his approach. "Alright… attack normally."
This time, Xiao Hui reacted instantly. With a joyful howl, it burst forward, turning into a blur of silver that shot straight into the chicken coop. The moment its claws flashed out, the shed lit up with streaks of silver-white light.
"Cluck—! Cluck—!"
The chickens exploded into frantic screaming. Light arced across the darkness as Xiao Hui struck at the air and ground, each swipe sharp enough to slice through feathers, bone, and flesh as if they were paper.
Even though it didn't use much force, the effect was terrifying—the chickens simply tore apart under the enhanced claws.
The system's notifications chimed endlessly in Ren Tianyu's head.
[ Ding, killed one rooster. Experience +1. ]
[ Ding, hit target… ]
[ Ding… Ding… Ding… ]
Even with the reduced experience, the rate was overwhelming. Silver Wolf's speed outclassed anything Tianyu had seen from the other students. The tearing effect of Silver Claw was even more savage up close—no ordinary black-iron beast could match this efficiency.
Tianyu exhaled slowly, almost shaking. "This… this is already close to first-tier school level."
And this was only the first breakthrough.
He clenched his fists. "Xiao Hui, once we finish tonight, we're leaving this place. Tomorrow… we'll find somewhere better. No more suffering." His voice softened. "You've worked too hard."
Silver Wolf's ears perked up, and its tail wagged slightly—a rare sight for a creature known for its dignity. There was excitement in its eyes, but also something else: relief. As if it had been waiting years for this moment.
"Awoo!"
Xiao Hui dove back into the work with renewed vigor, claws flashing faster and brighter than before.
*
Hours Later
The moon had retreated behind the mountains, and the night deepened into cold silence. Ren Tianyu's eyelids grew heavy, the exhaustion of school and work finally hitting him all at once. Before long, he drifted into sleep beside the coop wall.
The system windows continued to flicker quietly in the background, their glow soft and unobtrusive.
He didn't know how long he slept—only that when he finally stirred, something felt different.
"Huh…?"
He blinked awake. The sky above was pale—dawn was coming. What he saw made him sit up instantly.
The entire chicken coop… was empty.
Bloodied feathers coated every corner like snow after a storm. Not a single chicken was left alive. Everything had been cleared.
Xiao Hui lay curled beside him, breathing calmly, keeping watch as if guarding him the whole night.
Then—
[ Ding, 100,000 roosters defeated. Awarded: 1 evolution point. ]
[ Experience maxed out. Evolve Silver Wolf? ]
Ren Tianyu's heart skipped.
Already?
He looked outside—the world glowed with morning light. He had slept the entire night.
The system popped up again.
[ Upgrade to Black Iron (Middle-grade)? ]
Tianyu didn't even hesitate.
"Yes!" he said aloud, voice firm and clear.
The moment Ren Tianyu confirmed the command, the air inside the slaughterhouse yard seemed to still. Silver Wolf let out a low rumble, then its entire body ignited with white radiance. The light surged outward violently, flooding the chicken coop in a tidal wave.
When the glow finally subsided, Ren Tianyu blinked hard… then stared upward.
A massive figure now stood before him—towering, powerful, and unmistakably his Xiao Hui.
[ Ding, Silver Wolf has leveled up. Current level: Black Iron (middle-grade). ]
[ Ding, skill generated: Silver Blade (black iron). ]
The creature that had once come up to his waist was now more than two meters tall. Ren Tianyu felt like a child beside it—stretching his arm barely to its chin. Its presence pressed down on the space around them, not threatening, but undeniably overwhelming.
And its appearance had transformed entirely.
Silver Wolf's once-soft fur bristled with rigidity, each strand sharpened like a tiny blade.
Even though dawn had barely broken, the creature's coat shimmered brilliantly. Its claws had thickened and lengthened. Even its breathing sounded stronger, deeper.
Ren Tianyu circled it slowly, awe growing in his chest. "So it did gain another skill…" he murmured, already pulling up the attribute panel.
Another new ability glowed in the list—Silver Blade.
If Silver Claw boosted raw force, Silver Blade turned that force into destructive energy. The description alone made his heart race.
He needed to test this.
There were no chickens left. Every one of them had fallen last night. But outside the coop stood three large rocks, each the size of a small table. Workers often placed them there to block runaway animals.
Perfect targets.
"Xiao Hui, come on," Tianyu said, excitement creeping into his tone.
They stepped out into the open yard. The early morning chill whipped across his face, carrying the last traces of night. Silver Wolf followed, its heavy footsteps shaking the dirt slightly with each movement.
Ren Tianyu pointed at the nearest rock. "Xiao Hui—attack!"
Immediately, Silver Wolf raised its claws. A sharp silver glow coursed through them, the light thickening until it looked like liquid metal dripping off the tips. With a single swipe—
CRACK—!
The rock split apart like brittle glass.
But the wolf didn't stop there. A thin arc of silvery-white energy trailed from its claws—two crescent-shaped slashes that shot forward like thrown blades.
BOOM—! BOOM—!
The remaining rocks shattered under the crescent blades, chunks flying in all directions before crashing onto the hard ground.
Ren Tianyu's heart hammered in his chest. He knew energy attacks were rare—usually the kind reserved for genetically superior or elite-grade beasts.
Something like this… something that could pulverize rocks with a wave—
This wasn't ordinary power anymore.
Then he remembered.
The evolution point.
The system had rewarded him with one evolution point for the 100,000 chickens. He opened his own simple stats panel:
Host: Ren Tianyu
Level: Black Iron (middle-grade)
Beast: Silver Wolf
Evolution Points: 1
Just one point—yet something that took a night of endless killing to earn.
He swallowed hard. What kind of transformation did this point hold?
"System," he said steadily, "evolve Silver Wolf."
[ Ding, one unallocated evolution point detected. Evolve Silver Wolf? ]
"Yes!"
The effect was immediate. Silver Wolf let out a pained, trembling howl. Its massive frame convulsed as cracks split across its silver coat. Radiance poured from it like steam from a furnace. Then, suddenly—
A mark.
A glowing crescent moon formed on its forehead, bright and sharp. The silver light flowing through its body surged toward the crescent, pulled as if by gravity.
Ren Tianyu staggered back, breath caught in his throat, as the release of power thickened the air like a storm about to break.
And then—
All at once, the crescent mark pulsed. The gathered light shot back into Silver Wolf's body, knitting the cracks shut, hardening its bones, sharpening its fangs until they looked capable of splitting metal. The wolf grew leaner, more defined—every limb pulsed with controlled strength, and its coat gleamed like moonlit water.
Finally, the system chimed again.
[ Ding, evolution successful. Grade: Rare — Silver Moon Wolf. ]
[ Ding, talent generated: Moon Agility (rare). ]
Ren Tianyu opened the new beast panel with trembling fingers.
Mirage Beast: Silver Moon Wolf
Level: Black Iron (middle-grade)
Grade: Rare
Talents:
Wolf Nature (Normal)
Moon Agility (Rare)
Skills:
Silver Claw (Black Iron)
Silver Blade (Black Iron)
Notes:
Silver Blade: Wolf claws emit energy blades that amplify physical damage.
Ren Tianyu lowered the panel slowly.
Beside him, the transformed Silver Wolf—Silver Moon Wolf—stretched its new frame, the moon-mark glowing faintly even under daylight. Its fur glittered like crushed silver stardust, each strand reflecting sparks of light.
Ren Tianyu reached out and ran his hand across its back. The fur felt cool, almost soothing, but beneath it, he sensed a terrifying coiled strength.
"So it was the Moon Agility talent," he breathed. "No wonder you changed so much."
Under a night sky… this beast would be unstoppable.
He looked at Xiao Hui—no, Silver Moon Wolf—and a fierce sense of hope bloomed inside his chest for the first time since arriving in this world.