Nathan turned six months old, and his progress was already becoming impossible to ignore, though Evelyn and Gideon attributed it to "a gift from the spirits."
He crawled so fast that sometimes it looked like he was running on all fours.
He could stand up on his own, hold small objects with precision, and even tried to walk by leaning against the wooden walls of the cabin.
Ember and Claw followed him like silent guardians: the fox inside the house, the wolf hidden at the forest's edge, waiting for his mental call.
Nathan trained them every day at dawn, when the village was still asleep.
He ordered them to patrol, hunt rabbits, and bring them back whole so he could practice controlling force without killing.
Each success raised their obedience levels and, along with them, his own.
[Night training completed x7]
[Ember: Level 5 (E+ → D)]
[Claw: Level 4 (D)]
[Host progress: Level 3 (178/300 EXP)]
[Passive bonus: +5% mana regeneration per active bond]
Nathan could feel mana flowing more smoothly through his tiny body.
It was as if every beast he bonded lent him a portion of its vitality.
He liked that sensation.
He didn't rely only on himself; he turned others into extensions of his will.
On a full moon night, when silvery light streamed through the window and painted everything gray, Nathan decided to try something riskier.
He sat on the floor with his legs crossed, closed his eyes, and focused his mana on the Shadow style he had chosen.
'System. Show me the next available skill.'
[Shadow Style – Level 1 unlocked]
[Secondary skill available for unlock (requires 50 EXP and 10 permanent mana):]
* Shadow Step (Level 1): Consumes 6 mana. Allows the user to partially merge with shadows for 5 seconds, moving faster and unseen. Cooldown: 30 seconds.
* Claw of Darkness (Level 1): Consumes 8 mana. Projects a shadow claw from the user's hand, dealing piercing damage at short range.
Nathan opened his eyes and looked at his small hands.
They were still too small for a claw, but Shadow Step… that was something he could use right now.
'Shadow Step,' he decided.
[Unlock confirmed]
[Skill learned: Shadow Step (Level 1)]
[EXP spent: 50]
[Current progress: Level 3 (128/300 EXP)]
He carefully stood up and moved toward the wall where the moon cast a long, deep shadow.
He took a deep breath, channeled his mana, and stepped forward.
His body blurred, as if dissolving into darkness.
For five seconds, he moved faster than any baby should be able to.
He crossed the room in a blink and appeared on the other side without making a sound.
Ember lifted his head, startled.
Claw, from the forest, sent a wave of mental alertness: 'Are you okay?'
Nathan smiled inwardly.
'Better than okay.'
But he didn't have time to celebrate.
The system rang with an alarm he had never heard before.
[Critical alert: External threat detected]
[Group of wild beasts approaching the village: 3 Ashen Wolves (Level D) + 1 Alpha Leader (Level C)]
[Cause: Hunger and territory disrupted by human hunters from a neighboring village]
[Estimated arrival time: 20 minutes]
[Emergency mission: Defend the village or eliminate the threat]
[Reward: +150 EXP, Possible Alpha taming, Title: Guardian of Stonefine]
[Failure penalty: Possible harm to family or partial destruction of the village]
Nathan stayed still for a second.
His heart beat a little faster, not from fear, but from anticipation.
'This is earlier than planned,' he thought.
'But it's also a perfect opportunity.'
He glanced at the crib, then at Ember.
Mentally, he ordered: 'Ember, stay with Evelyn and Gideon. Protect them if anything gets inside.'
The fox acknowledged with a small flick of his tail.
Then he called Claw.
'Come. Now.'
The wolf emerged from the forest shadows like a gray phantom.
He approached the cabin and waited by the back door.
Nathan crawled to the exit, opened the door just enough to slip through, and came face to face with Claw.
The wolf lowered himself so the baby could climb onto his back.
Nathan grabbed the thick fur and settled in as best he could.
'We're going to the forest edge. We won't let them enter.'
Claw ran silently between the trees, Nathan clinging to him like a tiny rider.
They reached a clearing where the main path entered the forest.
There they were: four wolves advancing in formation, the alpha in front, a massive specimen with scars across its muzzle and bright yellow eyes.
Nathan slid off Claw's back and stood on the ground, small and defenseless at first glance.
The wolves saw him and growled.
The alpha stepped forward, sniffing the air.
Nathan extended both hands.
He channeled all his remaining mana and activated Veil of Mist and Shadow Step at the same time.
Black fog spread rapidly through the clearing, wrapping the wolves in darkness.
At the same time, Nathan vanished into the shadows and reappeared behind the alpha in a blink.
He placed his small hand on the leader's back.
A thick thread of dark energy burst from him and plunged into the alpha.
The wolf roared, shook violently… but did not attack.
[Bonding in progress!]
[Probability increased due to Shadow Style and numerical superiority: 71%]
[Bond successful!]
[Tamed beast: Ashen Wolf Alpha – Suggested name: Vorak]
[Primordial Tamer rises to Rank C]
[+120 EXP]
[Level up: Level 4]
[All stats +3]
[Bonus: Remaining wolves recognize the new alpha and submit]
The three remaining wolves lowered their heads and approached submissively.
Nathan exhaled slowly, feeling his mana drained but his body filled with a new kind of energy.
He issued a mental order: 'Vorak, take your pack away. Hunt in the north. Return when I call you.'
The alpha let out a low growl, but obeyed.
The entire pack turned and vanished among the trees.
Nathan stood alone in the clearing, with Claw at his side.
He looked up at the sky.
The moon still shone high.
'Six months, and I already have a pack,' he thought.
He returned to the cabin the same way: on Claw's back, concealed by shadows.
He slipped in through the back door, climbed into the crib, and lay down as if nothing had happened.
Ember looked at him with bright eyes, as if he understood everything.
Minutes later, Gideon came in from a night patrol and muttered,
"I heard wolves… but they're gone."
Half asleep, Evelyn replied,
"They must've sensed we're not easy prey."
Nathan closed his eyes.
He didn't smile.
But inside, the satisfaction was cold and deep.
The system closed the mission.
[Emergency mission completed]
[Reward: +150 EXP, Title: Guardian of Stonefine (bonus +5% to all stats when defending allied territory)]
[Current progress: Level 4 (48/400 EXP)]
Nathan fell asleep with moonlight illuminating his small face.
Outside, in the forest, three shadows waited for his call: a fox, a wolf, and an alpha.
And inside him, the plan continued to grow.