I was completely frozen, overwhelmed by the terrifying and oppressive aura of the Elder Shadow Wolf. My body wouldn't respond, not even a twitch. Its fearsome appearance, set against the backdrop of a beautiful full moon, left me torn between terror and awe. According to the status window, a unique boss like this only spawns once every 50 years. The power of these creatures isn't something to be underestimated, as they are anomalies of this world, and only a few survive encounters with them.
"HEY, NAO! YOU IDIOT! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! RUN!" Envi kept shouting at me, desperately trying to snap me out of it.
"I can't move, Envi…" I confessed, struggling to speak.
Just then, a notification flashed before me:
"Naoki's Status: Affected by Fear Condition."
This status was the result of the overwhelming aura pressure from an enemy whose strength far exceeded my character's level.
"Ugh, idiot! If that's the case, there's only one thing left to do—"
Before Envi could finish his sentence, the Elder Shadow Wolf lunged forward, closing the gap in an instant. Its massive claw swung horizontally at me with terrifying speed.
"Ugh, it's so fast… I won't make it in time—"
CLANG!
I was stunned. I had somehow managed to block the attack, even though just a few moments ago, I couldn't move at all.
"CALM DOWN, YOU IDIOT! Get a grip already! I'm forced to take over for now…" Envi's voice came from my mouth, but I felt as if I was watching this unfold from outside my own body.
"What the…? Envi, how are you controlling my body?!" I exclaimed, bewildered by the situation.
"Because you're useless right now, so I forcefully took over! Hurry up and recover your mental state. I can only maintain this for a short while, then you'll have to take back control!" Envi's commanding voice brought me back to my senses. He was fighting to protect me because I couldn't.
"Ugh, alright. Hang in there until I'm ready!" I urged Envi to keep holding on.
CLANG! CLANG! THWACK!
In a surprising display of skill, Envi deflected each of the unique boss's attacks. When he found an opening, he immediately counterattacked.
"Blackmore Swordsmanship: KAZEKIRI!"
Naoki-von-Blackmore-VS-Elder-Shadow-Wolf [https://i.imgur.com/I8U8L3d.jpeg]
The attack landed, but Elder Shadow Wolf's body turned into a dark purple shadow, evading the air slash. It reappeared behind Envi, poised for a counterattack.
"WHAT THE HELL?! It's like attacking a phantom or mist…"
Elder Shadow Wolf unleashed a flurry of claw strikes from all directions at blinding speed, catching Envi off guard.
"Damn you, stupid mutt!" Envi struggled to fend off the relentless combo. He retaliated with his own series of skills.
"Blackmore Swordsmanship: KAZEKIRI x5!"
He swung his blade five times in rapid succession, sending a barrage of air slashes. The attacks clashed violently, but the wolf's assault continued, breaking through Envi's defenses and tearing through his armor, leaving deep wounds.
"Gah…!! Cough… Cough…" Envi was thrown back. Blood spilled from his mouth as he struggled to get up, his body trembling from the injuries. There was no way he could hold on much longer.
"Envi, that's enough… Drink a health potion and let me take over." I steadied my resolve to fight.
"Finally snapping out of it, huh? You're such a pain… But… Don't lose, Nao!" Envi chugged a potion, restoring our HP to near full. My wounds closed up.
"Leave it to me, partner!" I shouted confidently. We switched places, and I readied myself for battle once more.
"Round two, you damn old wolf!" I assumed an Iaido stance, sheathing my sword and preparing for a lightning-fast strike.
"Go get him, Nao!" Envi cheered me on.
The Elder Shadow Wolf seemed to sense what I was about to do. It darted towards me, zigzagging erratically to throw off my aim. Then it lunged with both claws poised to strike.
I dashed forward, closing the distance in an instant, and released my attack.
"Iaido Style Technique: Inazuma!"
A vertical slash as fast as lightning. But… it only grazed the Elder Shadow Wolf's right paw. My attack had managed to disrupt its strike, but…
"What…?! Even my strongest move only caused a scratch?!" I couldn't believe it.
The Elder Shadow Wolf retaliated with another combo. I struggled to block its strikes.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
I had deflected its attacks ten times now, but I was getting pushed back. At this rate, I would be overwhelmed. Then, I recalled a counter technique I'd seen in samurai mangas. I decided to give it a try.
Taking a deep breath, I focused on reading the trajectory of Elder Shadow Wolf's claws. Slowly, I began to anticipate its movements. I prepared for a counterstrike.
"Katana Technique: Yanagi-Uke."
This technique allowed me to parry attacks gracefully and launch a quick counterattack. I raised my katana, directing its blade to my side, and used it to deflect the Elder Shadow Wolf's claws away from me. I swiftly swung the blade vertically towards its head. The wolf's body turned into a shadow again, nullifying my strike. But only part of its body transformed. There was a slight delay in activating that annoying skill.
Seizing the opportunity, I put all my strength into one strike.
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"Blackmore Swordsmanship: KAZEKIRI!!!" My attack sliced through its belly, creating a huge opening in its defense.
"Don't stop, Nao! Keep attacking! This is our chance!" Envi shouted.
"KAZEKIRI x5!" I unleashed a flurry of attacks on Elder Shadow Wolf's wounded belly. My stamina was almost drained, and I staggered with each swing. But every slash connected, leaving the unique boss drenched in blood as its belly was torn open.
"GGRRHHHH!" The Elder Shadow Wolf howled in agony.
"We can win this, Nao! Just a little more!" Envi's voice was filled with hope.
But suddenly, the Elder Shadow Wolf distanced itself and let out a fierce howl.
"AUUUUUNG!"
The entire forest was engulfed in a dark, purplish shadow. It had activated its area skill. Within this shadowy realm, I felt its oppressive aura piercing through my bones. Elder Shadow Wolf entered a shadow mode, its entire body turning into darkness. What was worse, all the wounds I inflicted earlier had fully healed. A notification appeared, explaining the situation:
"Status of Elder Shadow Wolf: Activated Skill – Shadow World (Immune to physical and magical attacks)."
"No way… This is insane. A monster with a cheat-like ability like this… Damn it!" I was starting to lose hope.
"NAO! DON'T GIVE UP! YOU NEED TO SAVE YOUR MOTHER, RIGHT?!!" Envi's words shook me to my core. Right, I couldn't give up. I had to fight till the end and win this battle.
I stabbed my own left thigh with my katana. The pain snapped me out of the fear condition. I readied myself to parry the Elder Shadow Wolf's attacks.
Seeing me move again, the Elder Shadow Wolf charged. It melded with the shadows in this space, surrounding me, attacking with its claws from every direction.
CLANG! CLANG! SLASH!
I struggled to predict its movements and block the onslaught. I could only deflect some of the strikes. The rest tore into me, dropping my HP drastically from 2000 to 1900, 1800...
When I could barely stand, the Elder Shadow Wolf went in for the kill. Its face appeared right in front of mine, glaring fiercely. It opened its massive jaws and bit down hard on my left shoulder.
"UUGGHHHH!!" I screamed in excruciating pain. I watched in horror as its bite inflicted a critical hit, dropping my HP from 1800 to 600, a whopping 1200 damage.
"Oh no, Nao!" Envi shouted in panic.
Its fangs didn't let go, and it continued to rip into me.
My HP kept falling… 500, 400, 300… 250… 200…
Just then…
"Mom… I'm sorry…" My past flashed before my eyes.
In that moment, on the verge of death, a sudden thought flashed through my mind.
"Mom… I'm so sorry…" I recalled memories of my past...
----------------------------------------
Mom always put the needs of me and my siblings first. She didn't hesitate to take out loans from the bank, doing everything she could to support our family. Our father had abandoned us and never sent any money for our living expenses. Mom kept increasing her debts, and even when she reached retirement, the loans still weren't paid off.
Her mounting debt wasn't just due to necessity—one of her so-called "friends" tricked her by saying the bank's interest rate was low. But in reality, she got caught in a web of high interest. What could she do in that situation? Even after she retired, she continued to work, selling food and snacks on the street to make ends meet.
She sold all her jewelry—even her wedding ring, the only precious item she ever owned and cherished. It was a simple 5-gram gold ring, but she sold it to pay off her debt and feed us. Back then, when we were still young, my siblings and I were oblivious to her sacrifices.
When my eldest brother, Takahiro Nana, graduated from high school and wanted to go to college, Mom sold our house and moved us into a rented apartment. My second brother, Takahiro Naki, decided not to continue his education due to being a hikikomori, but Mom still supported him, taking on even more jobs to provide for him. When it was finally my turn to go to college, she sold off our grandfather's land—our only remaining asset—to cover my tuition fees until I graduated.
In the end, Mom couldn't work anymore because of her illness. I told her to rest and stop working. I took up part-time jobs while still in college, and my brother Nana had already graduated and started working—though he had to quit later due to his mental health issues and trauma. That's when I decided to take on the responsibility of supporting our family…
Mom, you're the most amazing woman I know. I love you so much...
...
...
Out of nowhere, a notification appeared in front of me.
"Goddess Vision activated."
I saw Mom grieving over my loss. She couldn't sleep and cried every night. My brothers tried to comfort her, but it only ended with the three of them weeping together.
Mom then tried to work again, selling homemade food around the neighborhood. My brothers also made an effort to find jobs. Surprisingly, Nana began working at a private company—the same office I used to work at—despite suffering from panic attacks now and then. Naki, our hikikomori brother, started going out, carrying his CV with him as he wandered from place to place. He began to lose some weight from all the walking, and by chance, he landed a job at the same convenience store I used to work at.
My family was starting to recover from the depths of despair. But then… Mom suddenly fell into a coma while selling her food. My brothers rushed her to the ER. The doctor said her condition had worsened, and after further tests, they discovered she had terminal cancer.
Terminal stage… That meant the likelihood of her surviving was extremely low, with almost no chance of recovery. My brothers sat by her side, crying endlessly. All I could do was watch helplessly through the Goddess Vision, unable to reach out or comfort them as we waited for the inevitable.
"Goddess Vision ended. Returning to consciousness."
----------------------------------------
"I… I must save you…"
"Lend me that incredible power…"
"Because I… MUST WIN!!!!" I roared, a surge of strength bursting through me.
A notification appeared.
"Your hidden skill (???) has been unsealed. You have awakened the skill 'Power of Incarnation.'"
A brilliant light erupted from my body, illuminating the dark space. The Elder Shadow Wolf released its grip, and my HP stopped decreasing, even though I was severely injured.
"Nao… what's wrong with you? With this skill, we can definitely win!" shouted Envi, her voice tinged with urgency.
I glanced at the new skill that appeared before me. Power of Incarnation—a skill that brings to life the wielder's hopes, desires, and imagination. The stronger the user's resolve, the more powerful the skill becomes.
I couldn't afford to waste this opportunity. Power of Incarnation allows me to create any skill I desire. Without hesitation, I focused on devising a way to take down the Elder Shadow Wolf.
"Combine Blackmore Swordsmanship and Katana Swordsmanship, creating an attack that can slash through anything."
"Successfully created a new technique: Blackmore Katana Style." I visualized merging the powerful slashes of Blackmore with the swift strikes of a katana, imbuing it with an energy capable of severing even shadows themselves.
"Blackmore Katana Style: YAMI NO KIRI!!!!!!" I gathered all my power into the katana and unleashed a devastating slash, its glowing aura slicing through the air toward the Elder Shadow Wolf. The slash was so thin, quick, and overwhelming that it shattered the Elder Shadow Wolf's spatial skill and tore through dimensions, reaching high into the sky.
My strike hit the Elder Shadow Wolf head-on, splitting its body in two. The beast couldn't evade in time, and its shadowy form was absorbed into my attack, making regeneration impossible. The creature disintegrated completely, leaving no trace behind except the remnants of my slash, which decimated the forest in front of me. The power of the attack was so immense that my katana shattered into countless fragments, leaving nothing behind.
Naoki-von-Blackmore-VS-Elder-Shadow-Wolf [https://i.imgur.com/MCVBcuH.jpeg]
"You have successfully defeated the Unique Boss: The One Who Conquers the Shadows, Elder Shadow Wolf (Level 50)."
Ding!
"CONGRATULATIONS! YOU'VE LEVELED UP!"
"CONGRATULATIONS! YOU'VE LEVELED UP!"
"CONGRATULATIONS! YOU'VE LEVELED UP!"
"CONGRATULATIONS! YOU'VE LEVELED UP!"
"CONGRATULATIONS! YOU'VE LEVELED UP!"
"You have obtained the Trait: Shadow Conquers. This trait increases AGI stat by 50% when in darkness."
"Your Blackmore Katana Style has reached Level 3."
"Congratulations, you have acquired a Unique-tier weapon: **Kagegiri.** (A katana dropped from the Elder Shadow Wolf. The blade has a black design, and the handle is adorned with black and purple fur.)"
"Whoa! I leveled up five times and now I'm Level 35! Plus, I got a new trait and weapon. This is amazing!!!" I shouted in excitement.
"Y-YOU DID IT, YOU IDIOT! Err, I mean… you did it, damn you!" Envi muttered, trying to hide her excitement behind a tsundere act.
"Haha, you silly tsundere system… We should head back home. I'm exhausted after that fight," I teased Envi as I stumbled through the forest, still reeling from the injuries and fatigue.
…
…
Finally, I spotted the house. Just a few more steps to the door… and then—
THUD!
I collapsed right in front of the Blackmore family's doorstep…
When I came to, I found myself in bed… a whole week later.
…
…
----To Be Continued in the Next Chapter----