Midway through the Green Forest, the morning mist had finally lifted, replaced by the warmth of the afternoon sun.
Light streamed through layers of overlapping leaves, casting shifting dappled patterns on the ground, while the air carried the sunbaked fragrance of grass and wood.
Kiriya leaned against the trunk of an ancient tree, his fingers unconsciously tapping the hilt of his sword.
After completing "Investigate the Shadow Wolves' Anomaly"! His level had reached 9 (980/1000 EXP)—just one step away from level 10.
The past few days had been far more productive than expected. Using the tactic of "Clone draws aggro + Main body circles behind for a critical strike", he had managed to level at the pace of a full party despite playing solo.
His pouch now held over 500 copper coins and a silver coin, enough to trade for a solid set of fine-quality gear back in the novice village.
"Just 20 more experience."
His gaze shifted toward a jumble of rocks not far away, where several level-10 Fang Wolves prowled.
These beasts were larger than the ordinary forest variety, their jutting fangs glinting coldly, their pelts marked with dark stripes, and their aggression several notches higher.
Kiriya didn't rush in. Instead, he first summoned two clones.
A pale-blue light shimmered, and two translucent copies of himself materialized at his sides, each holding a bronze sword—his newly acquired fine-grade weapon from a days ago, its blade sharp enough to gleam in the sunlight (+20 ATK).
"Left flank, draw their attention. Right flank, harass."
He issued the mental command, his main body slipping silently back into the shadows beneath the trees.
The clones moved instantly. The left one charged toward the nearest Fang Wolf, deliberately striking its scabbard against a rock with a sharp clang. The right clone arced wide, keeping its distance while staying poised to strike.
"Grrr—!"
Alerted, the Fang Wolf let out a low, guttural growl. Its eerie green eyes locked onto the left clone, and with a kick of its legs, it surged forward—nearly thirty percent faster than a normal forest wolf—its fangs slicing the air as it lunged for the clone's neck.
"Now."
From behind the tree, Kiriya's eyes narrowed. He sprang forward like an arrow loosed from a bow, bronze sword gripped tight in his right hand. Channeling the momentum of his dash, he unleashed—
"Phantom Thrust!"
The blade whistled through the air, driving straight for the wolf's exposed flank—its weakest point.
-316! (120% physical damage × bronze sword bonus)
The wolf howled in pain, wheeling around and abandoning the clone to lunge at Kiriya. But the right clone was already in position, slashing at the joint of its hind leg.
-158! (Clone 50% ATK bonus)
Two quick strikes left the wolf momentarily staggered. Kiriya seized the opening, raining blows down like a sudden storm.
On the sixth strike, his passive skill Phantom Blade triggered—a faint white gleam running the length of his sword.
Critical Hit! -288!
With a final, agonized cry, the Fang Wolf collapsed and dissolved into a wisp of white light.
[EXP Gained: 120]
[Current Level: 10 (100/1500) ]
A soft golden glow enveloped Kiriya as the level-up chime echoed in his mind. At the same time, a new skill icon lit up on his skill panel, accompanied by the system prompt:
[Congratulations — You've reached Level 10! New Skill Unlocked: Phantom Slash]
[Phantom Slash]
MP Cost: 50
Effect: Swing your sword in a wide arc, dealing 150% physical damage to all enemies within 3
meters in front of you.
Special: Clones can use this skill simultaneously.
Cooldown: 12 seconds
"An AoE skill, huh?"
Excitement flickered in Kiriya's eyes. Up until now, farming monsters had been limited by the single-target nature of Phantom Thrust, forcing him to split his attention between clones whenever he faced multiple enemies—significantly slowing his pace. But Phantom Slash? That was a game-changer.
More importantly, "Clones can simultaneously release it."
This meant he could coordinate two clones and his main body to unleash three Phantom Slashes at once, creating a fan-shaped death zone large enough to handle most small- and mid-sized mob packs with ease.
"I have to try this immediately."
Scanning the area, he spotted three Fang Wolves clustered behind the rocks, hunched over some unknown prey. They were close enough together to make perfect test subjects.
Instead of summoning clones right away, Kiriya crept along the rocks to their flank, positioning himself so the three wolves were within his arc of attack—while also ensuring he had an escape route if things went south.
Drawing in a steadying breath, he channeled mana into his bronze sword until it glimmered faintly under the sunlight. Planting his feet, he twisted at the waist and swung hard—
"Phantom Slash!"
Whoom—
A half-moon of sword energy erupted from the blade, tearing across the ground with a cutting wind that kicked up dust in its wake. It struck the lead wolf squarely, the force radiating outward to slice into the two behind it.
-324! (150% physical damage × bronze sword bonus)
-288! (Splash damage)
-288! (Splash damage)
All three wolves yelped in pain, their HP bars dropping by nearly half.
"So powerful."
Satisfied, Kiriya stepped back and summoned two clones.
"Synchronize—fire!"
At his command, three identical figures raised their swords in unison. Three crescent arcs of energy burst forth almost simultaneously, blooming outward like the petals of a lethal flower.
-324! -324! -324!
-162! -162! -162! (Clone damage)
Before the wolves could even close the distance, they were swallowed in white light, their bodies dissolving into nothing.
[EXP Gained: 360]
[Current Level: 10 (460/1500)]
"Too efficient," Kiriya breathed. With Phantom Slash and clone synergy, his mob-clearing speed had doubled, easily rivaling a full five-player party.
His mind buzzed with ideas for testing the skill's limits. Spotting a lone Fang Wolf pacing about four meters away—just outside the listed three-meter range—he aimed.
"Phantom Slash!"
The arc screamed past, grazing the wolf's fur before striking a boulder behind it in a spray of sparks.
"Yep… range is strict." He nodded to himself, readying to finish it off—when a faint, pained sound came from behind him.
He spun around.
Standing about five meters back was a white-haired girl, brows faintly drawn, holding her left arm.
She wore silver-white light armor, a longsword with a blue gem in her grip, and a shield slung across her back. Another player fresh out of the novice village. Her ID read: Lina.
At her feet lay several leaves, sliced clean through by the stray edges of his sword energy—proof that his earlier attack had brushed her.
"Sorry." Kiriya immediately sheathed his weapon and strode over. "Did I hurt you?"
Lina lowered her hand and shook her head. A faint scratch marked her left-arm armor, but her HP remained untouched (the system had flagged the incident as "non-hostile splash," dealing no damage).
"I'm fine." Her voice was cool, tinged with caution, her gaze fixed not on his face but on the spot where his clones had been moments earlier—where faint traces of mana still lingered. "That skill you used… was it an area attack?"
"Yeah, just unlocked Phantom Slash." Kiriya pointed toward the still-dazed Fang Wolf in the clearing. "I was testing range—didn't realize someone was behind me."
Her eyes flicked to the wolf, then to the rocks and trees carved by his strike, surprise flashing briefly across them. "The range is impressive. And… I think I saw more than one arc of energy?"
Kiriya raised an eyebrow. Sharp girl—she'd noticed the clones. He didn't outright confirm it, simply murmured, "Might've been some spread."
Lina didn't press. Instead, she glanced at his name tag. "You're… Kiriya?"
"Yeah."
"I'm Lina." A pause. "Thanks for the warning just now. I shouldn't have approached from the rear of a battle zone."
Her tone was steady, neither resentful about the near-hit nor swayed by his apology. That composure earned her a measure of respect from Kiriya.
"I should be the one apologizing." He smiled faintly, nodding toward the still-prowling wolf. "How about we take it down together—as an apology gift?"
She studied him for a moment, gauging his strength, then nodded. "Alright."
It was the first time since logging into EAO that Kiriya had offered to team up with a stranger.
Even he was surprised by himself. But looking into Lina's clear, ice-blue eyes, he had the odd feeling that fighting alongside her… might not be such a bad idea.