Alexander dashed forward, his sword glinting menacingly. As the first Direwolf closed in, he swung a sweeping strike, but the second Direwolf reacted quickly, intercepting his attack with a claw strike, blocking the blow and saving its companion.
Seeing this, Alexander was momentarily surprised before a smile formed on his lips.
Tightening his grip on the handle, he increased his strength, overpowering the Direwolf and sending it flying to the side.
The first Direwolf, now unprotected, took advantage of the opening and lashed out with a strike aimed at Alexander's exposed right side.
However, before the attack could land, Alexander countered by driving his right elbow into the beast’s snout, producing a loud crunching sound.
Blood sprayed from its nose like a broken fountain, but Alexander didn’t stop there. He swiftly turned his attention to the Direwolf that had been thrown into the air.
"Crescent Blade Arc," he muttered in a low voice, as his sword became enveloped in mana.
[-30 Mana]
[Mana: 175/205]
Whistle
The arc of blue energy hummed through the air, its power radiating ominously.
Seeing the incoming attack, the leader of the pack sprang into action, dashing forward to intercept it before it could strike its companion.
Opening its jaws wide, revealing its sharp white teeth, it bit down on Alexander’s attack. However, resistance pushed it back slightly, its paws digging into the ground.
Then, in an instant, the Direwolf's teeth glowed brilliantly as it exerted even more force, shattering the arc of energy in midair.
The beast shook its head before locking eyes with Alexander, its gaze filled with wariness. This human was different from the ones outside the forest.
He was strong, stronger than any it had faced before. The power behind that single strike was enough to make the Direwolf cautious.
Alexander was surprised to see his skill blocked for the first time. "Well, this is a first. That just proves how capable this Direwolf is," he grumbled.
Observing the beast’s glowing, razor-sharp bite from earlier, he realized it must be a special skill unique to this creature.
Spinning the sword in his hand, he exerted force into his foot, causing the ground beneath him to tremble. In just a matter of seconds, he had closed the distance between them.
The Direwolf, with its years of experience, was already prepared. The moment it saw the sword’s blade nearing, it instinctively wanted to retreat.
However, it hesitated. It knew that even if it backed away the human in front of it was far faster than any human it had ever encountered, and it could not retreat since the human can just easily chase him around.
Raising its paw, the Direwolf's claws gleamed brightly, showcasing their deadly sharpness as they clashed against Alexander's sword.
But to the Direwolf's horror, the blade sliced through effortlessly. Its thick, metal-like claws, once believed to be indestructible, were nothing before the sharp edge of the sword.
Half of its paw flew to the ground, blood dripping onto the blade. The Direwolf groaned in agony, its stance faltering as it instinctively recoiled in pain, leaving its flank wide open.
"You're a good opponent, my brotha," Alexander praised before unleashing a relentless flurry of attacks.
A rapid series of slashes, executed in a circular motion, tore into the Direwolf’s exposed flank. The beast wailed in agony, its massive frame staggering backward under the relentless assault.
Alexander’s attacks were not graceful, but they were deadly. Each strike was merciless and precise, carving through flesh with such force that even the Direwolf’s insides became visible.
The Direwolf coughed up a mouthful of blood, its body trembling from the relentless assault.
Alexander closed the distance once more, his movements swift and precise. His eyes remained calm, like the gentle waves of an undisturbed ocean, yet his intent was anything but that.
With one final strike at point-blank range, he muttered, "Crescent Blade Arc."
[-30 Mana]
[Mana: 148/205]
Shing!
Just like the sound of a blade being brandished, the arc of light energy struck the Direwolf’s chest.
However, due to its tough skin, the attack did not cut through completely. Instead, the energy slightly penetrated before sending the beast hurtling backward, crashing against the bark of a tree with a loud thud.
[System Notification: You have slain a Level 4 Direwolf! Rewards: 10 EXP | 15 Omnipoints]
The two Direwolves, witnessing their leader’s death, decided to flee. One darted to the right, while the other sprinted to Alexander’s left.
The moment they turned their backs, leaving themselves completely exposed, Alexander wasted no time.
He pointed his sword to the right, releasing a shot of blue energy, while simultaneously unleashing another skill toward the left.
[-30 Mana]
[-30 Mana]
[Mana: 88/205]
The two Direwolves, having just taken a step to escape, were suddenly swept up by the blue energy wave. A deep, gaping cut formed along their backs as they wailed in agony before collapsing to the ground.
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
They were dead!!!
[System Notification: You have slain a Level 3 Direwolf! Rewards: 8 EXP | 13 Omnipoints]
[System Notification: You have slain a Level 3 Direwolf! Rewards: 8 EXP | 13 Omnipoints]
Seeing the spoils of battle, Alexander didn’t waste any time. He quickly used his sword to cut open the Direwolf that had used a skill, eager to retrieve its beast core.
When he pulled it out, he noticed that the core was slightly larger than that of a regular Direwolf. Curious, he did the same with the two Level 3 Direwolves.
Their cores were smaller than their leader’s but still noticeably larger than those of Level 2 Direwolves.
As Alexander stood up and prepared to leave, a loud rustling sound echoed from the bushes. His ears perked up, and he immediately readied himself for an ambush.
"Another Direwolf?" he muttered under his breath, scanning his surroundings carefully.
The rustling grew louder before suddenly stopping near a bush just three meters away from him, positioned close to a tree.
He kneeled slightly and picked up a small rock, flicking it toward the source with a swift motion.
The rock shot forward like a bullet, its speed sharp and precise, striking the center of the bush.
The hidden beast, sensing the incoming attack, leaped out of its hiding spot, dodging to the side. Its yellow pupils locked onto Alexander, its sharp teeth bared as it snarled menacingly.
"What a cute little fella," Alexander muttered with a smirk as he observed the creature.
In front of him stood a feline-like creature with dark, misty fur. Unlike the massive Ground Hounds and Direwolves, it wasn’t particularly large—its size was more comparable to that of a big cat.
Hearing the word "cute," the beast hissed in fury, its yellow eyes burning with rage. Without hesitation, it suddenly pounced at him, its entire body shrouded in dark matter.
Alexander was momentarily surprised but quickly reacted, countering the attack with his skill, "Crescent Blade Arc."
"Spamming skills is really great" Alexander exclaimed with a smile.
[-30 Mana]
[Mana: 59/205]
It was yet another beast capable of using a skill. As the dark, shadowy matter enveloped its entire body, the feline-like creature, which had been just two meters away from him, suddenly sank into the ground.
In the blink of an eye, it vanished before his eyes.
Alexander's brows furrowed in confusion. Was this part of the beast’s skill? He remained alert, unsure of where it would strike next.
[-1 Mana]
All of a sudden, a shadowy creature emerged behind him, its body cloaked in dark mist. Its yellow eyes gleamed with killing intent as it slashed toward his exposed back.
[-1 Mana]
The feline-like beast grinned, its mouth stretching unnaturally wide as it anticipated its attack landing.
But just before its claws could reach their target, a powerful bluish arc of mana came hurtling toward its side.
[-1 Mana]
The beast shifted its gaze to the side, shock evident in its glowing yellow eyes. Wondering where did this attack come from?
Unbeknownst to it, Alexander had anticipated its movement. The moment the creature vanished, he decided to experiment—launching a Crescent Blade Arc at the exact spot where it had disappeared.
Too late to defend due to its momentum, the beast took the full force of the attack. The searing mana-infused slash tore through its body, burning like a blade of pure fire.
It let out a chilling cry of pain before the devastating strike cleaved it cleanly in two.
[-1 Mana]
The two halves of the beast, still suspended in midair, fell to the ground with a dull thud, its life extinguished in an instant.
Its pupils darted upward, fixing on the back of the human who had become the source of its misfortune.
Alexander, without sparing it a glance, brought his sword close and ran his fingers along the blade, as if confirming its sharpness.
[-1 Mana]
"So it can also be used like that?" Alexander murmured.
He had clearly sensed the beast appearing behind him, thanks to his heightened senses.
[Mana: 54/205]
Because he was in a state of heightened focus and full of wariness, even the slightest disturbance like a fly sneaking up behind him would not go unnoticed.
So, when he launched his skill at the beast, he attempted something new. Extending a thin string of mana from his fingers, he connected it to the arc of blue energy, acting as a controller.
To his surprise, he could actually manipulate its trajectory, just like a remotely controlling a plane. However, he quickly realized there was a limit to how far he could control the attack.
When the blue arc of mana reached about ten meters away from him, the "Mana String". A name he decided to give it, suddenly snapped. Losing his control over the energy, as the attack dissipated.
"When using this ability, it also consumes mana every seconds. So it’s better not to use it for now… even though my magical power—" Alexander paused mid-thought, processing something.
Closing his eyes to contemplate, a realization struck him. He immediately called out Razon, and a blue panel materialized before him.
"Razon, the attribute 'Magic Power' refers to my magical abilities, right? So does that mean using my skill 'Crescent Blade Arc' relies on my physical strength rather than magic power?" Alexander inquired.
[…]
[Yes]
Alexander narrowed his eyes. This response didn’t answer his question at all.
"Can you at least explain?" he asked, with a sigh.
[OK.] – The system replied in a mechanical voice.
Alexander let out a wry smile. His system seemed unusually lazy for the first time.
[Well, first things first. The arc of energy unleashed by your sword isn’t purely magical. It is a product of your raw strength, channeled through the blade and infused with a small amount of mana.]
"And?" Alexander asked, his curiosity fully piqued by the details of his skill.
[Second is the force of the swing. This determines the power of the attack, meaning your high strength stat makes this skill devastatingly effective.]
[Also, have you ever noticed that your attack patterns and the way you wield the sword don’t align with the nature of your skill?] – The system inquired.
Alexander furrowed his brows at the unexpected question. He had no idea what the system meant.
"I don’t know about that. Can you elaborate?" he asked, shaking his head.
[Even though you've reached over 50% mastery of the skill, your natural combat style remains unchanged. This skill embodies the grace of swiftness and refined swordsmanship. However, when you use it, your approach is purely brute force and destruction.]
"Huh?" Alexander spoke in confusion.
[…] – The system tried to run a test to make it simple.
[It's like this] - The system.
(A great illustration of how Razon explained it towards Alexander)
image [https://c10.patreonusercontent.com/4/patreon-media/p/post/121315788/26781bc5dca34f678a3eeebe0398cb63/eyJ3Ijo4MjB9/1.jpg?token-time=1740096000&token-hash=CBn0i7gdAYfu_OV5PHRb_exXbUsnuUeKrzGkIYFf9c0%3D]
[When you use brute strength in a skill that relies on swiftness and grace, it becomes ineffective and easily ruined. Why don’t you take a look at the sword you’re holding?] – The system pointed out.
Alexander glanced at his sword and immediately noticed the damage. The edges were dulled, and the once-sharp tip was chipped in several places.
Faint dents ran along the length of the blade, clear signs of wear.
[As you can see, the sword is in bad shape. If you think it’s because it’s just a normal sword, then you are mistaken. A weapon’s durability heavily depends on the user.]
Hearing Razon’s explanation, Alexander paused in thought. He had assumed the sword’s condition was due to its grade, but now he realized the real cause, its his own way of wielding it.
[Think of it like the waves of the sea. When they crash against a tough rock, they do not force themselves to cut through it. Instead, they flow around it, finding a path without sustaining damage.]
[In simple terms, if you face an opponent with rock-hard defenses and high strength stats, engaging head-on will only result in your sword breaking after a few exchanges. The best course of action is to divert the attack, reducing the impact and minimizing the damage your sword receives.]
[For example, if a punch is thrown at you, instead of blocking it head-on, you can deflect it with your palm, redirecting the force to the side. This prevents damage to yourself while neutralizing the attack’s full power.]
[It’s that simple. Or, if you prefer, you can spend points to instantly master the skill. Even though your combat nature leans toward raw dominance and power due to your bloodline, mastering 'Crescent Blade Arc' will engrave its movements into your muscle memory. Rather than struggling to adapt, spending points would be the most efficient option.]
Alexander considered the system's suggestion and nodded in agreement, but then quickly shook his head, dismissing the idea.
If he became too reliant on the system, it would only lead to his downfall. He needed to experience hardships, at least a little, to truly improve.
"Thanks for the explanation, Razon," he said inwardly.
[You're welcome, Host. Now, to continue my explanation…]