The sun barely kissed the edge of the horizon when Ace's eyes cracked open. Pale morning light filtered through the dorm window, washing the room in cold, faded gold.
He stretched, bones popping satisfyingly, and muttered, *"Man… today's monster hunting day. Gonna need that money."*
His morning routine was as sharp as ever — quick wash, gear check, and down to the Academy refectory. Breakfast? Same old disappointment: stale bread, watery stew, and an overcooked egg pretending to be food. Another three silver crowns drained from his already struggling wallet.
Two classes followed — Arcane Theory and Elemental Control — but they rolled by like background noise. Ace's mind moved faster than the lessons, his Intelligence (S) cutting through the content like a hot blade through paper.
Lunch? Cheap, bland, three more crowns gone.
But Ace wasn't thinking about the food. His eyes were already set on the Lower District, on the commission board, on the one thing his bank account and battle instincts both needed.
**Money.**
The Academy's polished marble faded to cracked stone and muddy streets as he entered the Lower District. The air thickened — rougher voices, the tang of smoke and sweat, the grit of real life coating the walls.
The Adventurer's Guild stood tucked in a shadowed alley, its warped wooden sign barely swinging in the breeze. Inside, the air buzzed with voices — mercenaries, freelancers, hunters of all stripes.
The clerk behind the desk — a broad-shouldered man missing half his left ear — gave Ace a slow nod of recognition.
Ace skimmed the posted commissions, eyes sliding past the low-tier pest jobs.
Then he found it:
**Aster Wolf Pack Extermination** *Target: 5 minimum fangs* *Reward: 100 Silver Crowns*
Ace's lips curled into a grin. *"Nice money… good for training too."*
He signed the sheet, grabbing a small supply pouch — dried jerky, water skin, basic salve. Another four silver crowns spent, but worth it.
**Whispering Woods — Dusk**
The forest lived up to its name. Moss-draped trees leaned in close, ancient trunks whispering secrets in the wind. Shafts of fading sunlight barely sliced through the dense canopy, bathing the ground in perpetual twilight.
Ace moved like a ghost, years of wilderness survival from his family manor guiding his steps. His dark, durable hunting clothes blended with the shadows.
The scent hit first — sharp, electric, faintly metallic — ozone and predator musk.
*"Aster Wolves,"* Ace thought, eyes narrowing.
The first pack found him. Silver-gray fur shimmered faintly, their bodies lean, fast, pulsing with low-grade arcane energy.
But Ace was faster.
Fire sparked along his fingers, lightning crackled up his arms as he drew his cheap knife. Controlled aggression, sharp reflexes, Basic Self-Defense (C) in play.
The fight was brutal but clean — flames scorched fur, arcs of electricity stunned limbs, his blade flashing in quick strikes. Within minutes, four wolves lay still, their fangs in his pouch.
*"Most of 'em finished,"* Ace muttered, wiping sweat from his brow, singed clothes clinging to his frame. Minor cuts dotted his arms, but nothing worth panicking over. *"One or two stragglers left…"*
That's when the growl ripped through the trees.
Low. Deep. Wrong.
A shadow detached itself from the dense underbrush — massive, obsidian-black fur rippling like liquid darkness. Its crimson eyes burned with a malevolence that pulsed across the clearing.
The abnormal Aster Wolf stood nearly twice the size of its kin — its muscles coiled, claws sharper than steel, hunger radiating off it like heat.
*"Whoa, whoa… Wolves supposed to be that cool? Didn't know,"* Ace whispered, an excited grin twisting his face despite the danger.
The beast charged — a blur of raw muscle and razor teeth. Ace sidestepped, lightning flickering along his arms, blade ready.
The fight turned vicious — the wolf's attacks unnaturally precise, eyes locked onto Ace with calculating hatred.
Ace retaliated with bursts of flame, searing across fur, lightning lancing toward joints — but the wolf shrugged it off, relentless.
*"Time for the ace in the hole,"* Ace thought.
His right hand shimmered, molecules fragmenting apart — the hand, still gripping his cheap knife, detached, hovering behind the wolf unseen.
Simultaneously, Ace blasted fire to the left, mixing Air affinity — the flames roared brighter, hotter, the wolf snarling as its vision blurred.
*"Take it, fucker!"* he barked, mentally commanding his severed hand.
The knife plunged deep into the wolf's exposed flank, twisting hard.
The beast howled, staggering — Ace's hand zipping back and reattaching with a faint shimmer of molecular threads.
No hesitation — Ace pressed in, fire roaring across his limbs as he drove his blade clean through the wolf's heart.
The monster collapsed, crimson eyes dimming, breath rasping once… then still.
*"Finally killed the big bad wolf,"* Ace muttered, breathing hard, adrenaline still pounding through his veins.
But something unusual pulsed beneath the wolf's remains — a faintly glowing, crystalline orb hovering just above the ground.
Curious, Ace crouched, activating his system window.
**[System Notification]**
*Item Acquired: Enchantment Orb (Minor)* *Effect: Permanently increases Strength, Agility, and Endurance by one grade upon consumption.*
Ace blinked, jaw tightening in disbelief. *"How the hell…? Wolf dropping something that rare?"*
He chuckled, shaking his head. *"I'm not questioning it. Thanks, big good wolf."*
Without hesitation, he crushed the orb — warmth spreading through his limbs, strength coiling beneath his skin, his body feeling lighter, sharper, stronger.
*Status updated *
* Strength: D -> C
* Agility: D -> C
* Endurance: C -> B
Grinning, Ace gathered the abnormal wolf's fangs alongside the others and headed back to the Guild.
The burly guild master whistled low at the oversized fangs, eyes flicking to Ace with newfound respect.
*"Kid's got guts… bagged an Alpha, too. That's worth a bonus."*
Total reward? 100 silver crowns for the standard kills, plus 50 extra for the abnormal variant.
Ace pocketed the jingling pouch, satisfied. *"Nice, nice… money, money."*
**Dorm Room 393 — Late Night**
Hot water sluiced the dirt and blood from his body — muscles aching but charged with new power.
His upgraded status flickered across his mind as sleep pulled him under:
Ace Dragnell — Current Status
• Strength: C
• Agility: C
• Endurance: B
• Intelligence: S
• Willpower: A
• Charisma: D
• Arcane Power: C+
Abilities:
• Unique Ability — Molecular Disassembly & Regeneration
• Control improved — faster reassembly, can detach and reattach limbs mid-combat with greater precision.
Elemental Affinities: Fire, Air, Lightning
Skills:
• Basic Self-Defense (C)
• Survival (Wilderness) (D)
• Weapon Forging (B-)
Reputation: Rising — quiet respect from professors, academic threat in class, whispered rumors from nobles, rivalry building with Elara Flavosky.
Silver Crowns: 437
Dorm Room: 393
"Big bad wolf down, stats up, coin bag full… Not a bad day."