The next seven days passed like a slow-burning storm.
While the others trained relentlessly within the domain—bodies pushed to their limits, minds submerged in mana-dense meditation—Daniel wandered the outer forests alone. Not idle. Never idle. He moved with purpose, observing the land, the flow of beasts, the subtle signs of demonic influence spreading like rot beneath the soil.
Silver carried him.
The wolf had grown at an astonishing pace.
What had once been a powerful pup was now a massive, majestic wolf-hound, its silver-gray fur streaked with faint runic patterns formed naturally by mana saturation. Its muscles rolled smoothly beneath its hide with every stride, strength compressed rather than bloated. When it moved, the ground seemed to respect it, roots parting and lesser creatures fleeing long before it came into sight.
Daniel rested easily against Silver's back, one hand buried in the thick fur as the wolf bounded across uneven terrain with effortless grace.
"It's unnatural," Daniel murmured inwardly. "Even by domain standards."
Lilith responded instantly, her voice calm, precise, threaded with quiet pride.
It is the result of compounded systems. The domain's mana density is sustained continuously by Vorrath. His absorption and refinement of demonic cores functions as a perpetual energy loop—effectively a mega-battery. Silver, as a bonded beast, receives prioritized distribution.
Daniel's gaze sharpened slightly.
"So Vorrath isn't just a weapon," he thought. "He's infrastructure."
Correct, Lilith replied. Vorrath is the heart that feeds the ecosystem. The stronger the enemies consumed, the richer the domain becomes. The richer the domain, the faster bonded entities evolve.
Daniel exhaled slowly.
They were no longer merely surviving.
They were compounding.
That was when the forest ahead shifted.
Silver slowed, hackles rising. A deep growl rolled from his chest, vibrating through Daniel's legs. The air carried a heavy scent—fur, aggression, territorial markings layered over one another in chaotic patterns.
A wolf pack.
No—multiple packs overlapping.
Daniel dismounted silently and stepped onto a fallen trunk, eyes scanning the terrain.
Nearly fifty wolves emerged from the trees.
Large. Lean. Scarred.
Several alpha males prowled at the forefront, each radiating dominance, their gazes locked on Silver with hostility and challenge. This was contested land—a convergence zone where weaker packs were absorbed or annihilated.
Daniel smiled faintly.
Before he could issue a command, Silver stepped forward on his own.
The wolf's fury exploded outward.
A deafening howl tore through the forest, saturated with raw dominance and refined mana. Leaves trembled. Smaller wolves faltered instantly, ears flattening, instincts screaming submission.
But the alphas surged forward.
Silver welcomed them.
Daniel leapt smoothly onto the branch of a towering tree, settling into a watchful crouch. He issued a single mental order—cold, deliberate.
No mercy. Kill them all. Rule through strength.
Silver obeyed.
The first alpha lunged.
Silver met it head-on.
Their bodies collided with a thunderous crack, jaws snapping, claws tearing fur and flesh. The enemy alpha was strong—experienced—but Silver was faster, heavier, and overflowing with mana. He clamped down on the alpha's throat and twisted violently.
Bone shattered.
The corpse fell limp before it even hit the ground.
The second alpha attacked from the flank.
Silver spun, tail lashing like a whip, staggering the wolf before leaping forward and crushing its skull beneath his jaws. Blood sprayed across the undergrowth.
Fear rippled through the pack.
But dominance had to be absolute.
One by one, alphas from neighboring packs challenged him—drawn by instinct, refusing to submit without proof.
Silver slaughtered them all.
Seven alpha males died that day.
Each kill was brutal, efficient, final.
With every victory, Silver's presence changed. His mana thickened, compressed, refined. The stench of dominance pouring from his body became overwhelming, a pressure that forced lesser wolves to their bellies without conscious thought.
By the end, the forest was silent.
One hundred and seventy wolves knelt.
Silver stood at the center of the carnage, bloodied but unbowed, eyes blazing with authority that could not be questioned. He lifted his head and howled again—not in challenge this time, but command.
Daniel descended from the tree, boots crunching softly against blood-soaked leaves.
"Well done," he said quietly.
Silver bowed his massive head.
Daniel opened the domain.
The air warped, folding inward like a living maw. Silver turned and released another howl—this one carrying a strange compulsion woven into it. One by one, the wolves rose and stepped forward, vanishing into the void without resistance.
Daniel placed them on the twelfth level of the domain.
The change was immediate.
Rich, refined mana flooded their bodies. Wounds closed. Fatigue vanished. Their instincts sharpened as the environment itself fed them. Inside the domain, hunger did not exist. Growth was constant.
Silver, now capable of maintaining his alpha form for an entire week, absorbed the mana most efficiently of all. His size increased subtly, density and pressure rising rather than bulk.
Lilith's voice returned.
Notification: Wolf Pack Integration Available.Would you like to add them to the Family System?
Daniel paused mid-step.
"Explain," he commanded.
If integrated, Lilith replied, the pack will become part of the domain's bonded ecosystem. The more enemies they kill, the stronger they become. This applies to Silver—and to you, as master.
Daniel's eyes narrowed.
"And death?"
A respawn protocol will activate. Wolves slain in the real world will reappear within the domain at a reduced power level—one rank lower. Through mana cultivation, they may regain and surpass their former strength.
Daniel felt something stir.
An army that learned through death… without being erased by it.
"This changes everything," he said quietly.
Yes, Lilith agreed. The family system creates exponential growth. Loyalty is absolute. Control is absolute.
Daniel nodded once.
"Add them."
Acknowledged.
The bond sealed.
Daniel felt it instantly—a subtle expansion of awareness, threads of connection weaving outward. He could sense the wolves as a unified presence, their strength feeding into a collective whole.
For the first time, he truly had an army.
Later that day, Daniel checked the rest of the domain.
"How is the armory?" he asked.
Finished, Lilith replied smoothly. We utilized metals salvaged from demonic beasts, refined through mana compression. Hides were processed into high-grade leather. Weapons and armor are optimized for durability, mana conduction, and mass production.
Daniel was impressed.
"And the whip?"
There was a brief pause—almost playful.
Completed. Reinforced core. Edge-threaded mana channels. It can now bisect a mid-tier beast with a single swing.
Daniel allowed himself a rare smile.
Maria would be unstoppable.
As he turned his gaze outward—toward the distant road, toward the capital, toward the war that loomed closer each day—his voice dropped to a decisive calm.
"It's time."
Time to move.Time to gather.Time to stop reacting—and start conquering.
Behind him, inside the domain, wolves howled in unison.
The war had just found its teeth.