"Good luck, Grandmaster." The gate attendant bowed as Shu disappeared down the mountain path.
Shu waved without looking back. His lips curled into a thin smile, but his eyes were heavy.
"Hope he's still alive," he muttered.
Among all his disciples, Shen had always been the weakest. While others could take down at least a water-type beast, Shen struggled against even the lowest mortal creatures. And yet…
"He has something they don't," Shu whispered to himself. "Resilience. A fire in his eyes that never goes out."
That was what Shu respected most — he saw himself in Shen, a boy desperate to prove the world wrong.
"Just stay alive a little longer," Shu said, voice tight with grief. "Please, Shen."
---
Wolves in the Dark
Shen froze at the low snarl behind him. The hairs on his neck stood on end.
[Enemies inbound.]
"Yeah, no sh*t!" Shen barked, whipping around.
Three wolves emerged from the shadows — the same beasts from yesterday. They circled, each one cutting off his escape.
"Guess you bastards didn't forget me…" Shen muttered.
With a grunt, he tossed the boar carcass aside. Two wolves lunged after it, distracted by the scent of fresh blood. But the leader — taller, meaner, eyes glowing with killing intent — stayed locked on Shen.
"Figures." Shen spat into the dirt and bolted into the trees. The leader gave chase.
---
Shu's Descent
Shu stepped into the forest at the mountain's base, inhaling the scent of pine and damp earth. It had been years since he walked this path. His eyes scanned for signs of Shen, but none appeared.
He chuckled softly to himself. "That boy… always in trouble. Bullies, angry brothers, even a bear when he poked her cub…" Shu shook his head, smiling despite himself.
"Doesn't matter if it's beast or human, he pisses everyone off," Shu muttered. But the smile faded. "…Even so, he's like a little brother to me."
His pace quickened. "Don't worry, Shen. I'm coming."
---
Fang and Fury
Branches whipped Shen's face as he ran. No matter how many twists or turns he took, the wolf was always there, gaining on him.
"F*ck!" he cursed, lungs burning. I just got stronger, I just found my path — and I'm gonna die like this?!
The wolf lunged, claws swiping with feral speed. Shen barely ducked aside, but pain exploded across his arm as the claws tore a deep gash. Blood streamed down his sleeve.
He staggered back, heart hammering. "Sh*t—!"
[Combat stance initiated.]
Shen's body shifted before he realized it, dropping low, balanced, ready. The wolf snarled and leapt. Shen moved instinctively, ducking under its arc and slamming his fist into its ribs. The beast crashed to the ground, stunned.
Shen's eyes widened. "Did I… just do that?"
Everything seemed slower now. He could read its movements, anticipate its angles.
"System… can I beat it?"
[Affirmative. External instrument required.]
"External… oh, you mean a weapon."
His gaze darted across the forest floor. A heavy log caught his eye. Shen snatched it up, baited the wolf with a feint, then dodged aside as it lunged. He swung hard.
CRACK. The log splintered, snapping in half, but the wolf reeled, dazed.
Shen's breath came ragged, eyes searching wildly until they landed on a jagged rock. He grabbed it, adrenaline surging, and brought it down.
THWACK! Blood spattered. The wolf yelped.
THWACK! The blood ran into a steady flow.
THWACK! The beast twitched, legs thrashing weakly.
Shen roared, raising the stone high and smashing again and again.
THWACK. THWACK. THWACK.
By the time he stopped, the wolf's skull was pulp, its body limp beneath him.
Shen dropped the stone, panting hard, hands trembling. His chest rose and fell with a mixture of terror… and triumph.
The System's voice echoed coldly:
[Congratulations. Target neutralized: Lower Mortal Wolf Behemoth.]
Shen staggered back, stunned. "…I did it."
All his life, he had never once defeated a mortal beast. No matter how hard he trained, he was always left behind. And now—now he had killed one.
Laughter bubbled from his lips, half-crazed, half-elated. "Hah… ha ha! I did it!"
But his stomach growled, twisting painfully. The System interrupted his celebration:
[To gain its skill and power, consume the target. Assimilation will upgrade you to Lower Mortal rank.]
Shen froze. "…Wait, what?"
[Consumption required.]
Disgust twisted his face. "You've gotta be f*cking kidding me…"
He looked at the corpse. He looked at his trembling hands.
But then he remembered Shu's words, the humiliation of being weak, the promise of glory.
He pinched his arm hard, winced, and sighed. "Of course it hurts. Which means this isn't a dream."
Shen's lip curled in a bitter grin. "…Fine. Glory tastes like sh*t, doesn't it?"
And with that, he knelt over the wolf and began to eat.