Klaus spread his Woven Wings, soaring into the air with a celestial glow that lit up the clearing below. Flying low, he followed the echo of a scream until he saw its source — a young woman surrounded by five Level 35 Shadow Wolves and a Level 40 Living Vine.
Even amid fear and dirt, she was striking — long tangled brown hair, wide green eyes, and a slender frame clad in torn jeans and a ripped blouse. She held a broken knife, trembling, trying to keep the monsters at bay, but they had cornered her against a twisted tree.
Without hesitation, Klaus dove.
Using Dual Casting, he unleashed Voracious Web to bind the wolves — silver threads wrapped around their bodies, pinning them to the ground — while Golden Flame erupted forward, incinerating the vine in a wave of divine fire.
The wolves howled; Klaus landed and struck with Woven Strike, decapitating two at once.
Player Appraisal revealed their weak points — necks and spines — and Threads of Death drained 350 VE per second, ending the rest in a blur of light.
Within moments, silence fell, broken only by the woman's ragged breathing.
She dropped to her knees, the knife slipping from her shaking hands.
Klaus approached, deactivating his wings, and offered a hand.
"You're safe now," he said, his tone calm but firm.
The woman looked up, fear melting into awe and relief.
"Thank you... I thought I was dead," she whispered, taking his hand as he helped her stand.
Her name, she explained between breaths, was Mariana — a survivor who had fled a monster raid downtown.
She looked about twenty-five, her delicate features shadowed by exhaustion.
"I saw you flying earlier," she admitted softly. "You're... an angel?"
Klaus chuckled, shaking his head. "Something like that. Name's Klaus. I'm just trying to survive—like you. Come on, I've got a safe place."
Back at the cabin, Klaus used Magical Creation to strengthen the walls, lining them with Shadow Wolf pelts for insulation and reforging the door with spectral claws, consuming 40 Divine Power.
Mariana watched, mesmerized, as divine light molded the materials into form.
Inside, he handed her a bottle of water from his inventory and sat down across from her.
"How did you make it this far?" he asked.
She told him her story — how she'd escaped a collapsing office building, joined a small survivor group, only to be separated when monsters attacked.
"I can't fight like you," she said quietly, lowering her gaze. "But I want to learn. You saved my life... I swear loyalty to you, Klaus. If you'll teach me, I'll stay by your side."
Klaus hesitated. Loyalty was no small thing in a world where trust was scarce.
But the honesty in her eyes, mixed with her resolve, made his choice clear.
"Alright," he said at last. "But loyalty goes both ways. I'll protect and train you — you help however you can. Deal?"
Mariana nodded firmly, a timid smile forming. "Deal."
[New Companion: Mariana]
Status: Loyal
Level: 5
Base Attributes:
Strength: 10
Agility: 12
Vitality: 11
Intelligence: 14
Dexterity: 13
Innate Skill:Urban Survival (Rank F) — Increases the chance of finding resources in urban zones.
Klaus smiled. "We'll start with the basics. First lesson: how to hold a weapon."
He handed her the dagger he'd crafted through Magical Creation, showing her the proper stance and strike motion.
Though inexperienced, Mariana moved with natural agility, hitting an imaginary target against the wall with growing precision.
"You've got potential," he praised, planning to train her in basic combat as they explored new dungeons.
Her presence in the cabin shifted the air — warmth where there had been silence — and Klaus felt, perhaps for the first time, that his journey had gained purpose beyond survival.
Reflection and Preparation
As Mariana practiced, Klaus pondered her impact.
The Curse of Lust whispered faintly in his mind, but Curse Resistance and Mental Resistance kept him grounded.
Training her would be a welcome distraction — something productive, something human.
With 400 EP and 5,630 VE remaining, he decided to allocate resources to her protection.
At 9:00 PM, he spent 50 EP to forge light armor for her using Magical Creation — Rank C Wolfhide Gear (+10% Defense).
He stored the rest for emergencies.
Outside, the distant howls of monsters echoed across the night.
Klaus stood at the cabin doorway, watching the horizon as Mariana practiced behind him.
For the first time since the world fell, he wasn't just a warrior.
He was a leader in the making — and this was only the beginning.