"Hello, there," Theo said in a soft voice, making sure to appear friendly before the beast. He offered it some of his uneaten meat. "Want some deer meat? I think its pretty good, edible at least."
The wolf hesitated, taking a deliberate step forward, ears twitching at attention, nose sniffing the air and the meat Theo was offering. When the wolf didn't detect anything suspicious, it reluctantly used its massive maw to grab the cooked carcass from Theo's grip, walking a few paces away, it began swallowing chucks of the meat at a time.
As it ate, Theo used [Inquire] on it out of curiosity.
[Species]: Direwolf
[Bloodline]: (Mystic Aenocyontic-Godbeast Fenrir Variant)
[Gender]: Male
[Class]: Alpha
[Beast Power Tier]: S Rank
[Affinity]: Ash, Fire
[Attributes]:
Health: 103
Agility: 162
Strength: 98
Durability: 108
Stamina: 118
Intelligence: 115
[Skills]:
[Flame Skin]: (Active)(Offensive/Defensive) :Envelops the user's body in a searing layer of flames and ash, burning anything that comes into contact while enhancing physical attacks.
Effect 1: Burns enemies on contact, causing continuous fire damage.
Effect: 2: Leaves behind smoldering ash that may obscure vision and create a choking hazard for opponents.
[Flame Claws]:(Active)(Offensive): The user's claws ignite with intense, searing flames, slashing through enemies with burning strikes that leave lingering fire damage.
Bonus Effect:: Increases physical attack power by coating claws and fangs with molten heat.
[Destructive Flame Wave]: (Active)(Offensive): Unleashes a massive wave of scorching flames in a sweeping arc, incinerating everything in its path with explosive force.
Effect 1: Deals devastating fire damage over a wide area.
Effect 2: Generates a shockwave of superheated air, knocking back weaker enemies.
[Ashen Cover]: (Active)(Stealth): The user's body disintegrates into a cloud of ash, blending into the environment and becoming nearly invisible. Can disperse and reform within a short range to evade attacks or reposition. Ends if the user attacks or takes damage.
Effect 1: Grants enhanced stealth and silent movement.
Effect 2: Reduces detectability by scent and sound.
{Ashen Armor]: (Active)(Defensive): Hardens dense layers of ash around the user's body, forming a protective shell that resists damage and absorbs impact.
Effect 1:Reduces incoming physical damage significantly.
Effect 2: Can shatter violently when struck by a powerful blow, causing ash shrapnel to harm nearby foes.
[Obscuring Ashen Mist]: (Active)(Mass Stealth): Summons a vast cloud of thick ash and smoke that blankets the battlefield, concealing allies and disorienting enemies.
Effect 1: Greatly reduces visibility within the affected area.
Effect 2: Allies gain stealth and muffled movements while inside.
Bonus Effect: Enemies suffer from reduced accuracy and are more prone to ambushes.
[Ashen-Flame Regeneration]: (Passive)(Utility):The user's body constantly regenerates wounds by harnessing flame and ash, burning away damaged tissue and replacing it with scorched but reinforced flesh. Gradually restores health over time, with faster regeneration when surrounded by fire or ash.
Bonus Effect: Enhanced regeneration rate when in proximity to intense heat or within ash-laden environments.
Drawback: Continuous regeneration can cause exhaustion if sustained for too long.
[Thermal Resistance]: (Passive)(Utility): The user's body has adapted to extreme temperatures, allowing them to withstand intense heat and searing flames without harm. Can endure harsh volcanic or molten environments without discomfort.
Effect 1: Grants immunity to fire damage and greatly reduces heat-based damage.
Effect 2: Negates burning effects from most sources.
Bonus Effect: Slight resistance to frost damage due to thermal adaptation.
[Volcanic Burst]: (Active)(Ultimate/Offensive): The user releases a cataclysmic eruption of molten flames and scorching ash, creating a violent explosion that devastates the surroundings. It creates a blazing shockwave that incinerates enemies and hurls debris and leaves behind a field of molten lava and smoldering ash, causing lingering burn damage to those who remain within.
Bonus Effect: Deals massive fire and impact damage over a wide area.
Drawback : Long cooldown due to the immense power and energy consumption. Will be vulnerable after use for 24 hrs.
[Lesser Fenrir's Rampage]: (Active)(Transformative/Ultimate): This Ultimate Transformation is a last resort, releasing overwhelmingly great power at great personal costs. The user taps into the primal fury of Fenrir, transforming into a massive, ash-wreathed direwolf engulfed in seething flames and raw destructive power. While active, Regeneration rate surges to near immortality during transformation.
Effect 1: Gains a drastic boost to physical attributes (strength, speed, durability) and fire/ash-based attacks.
Effect 2: Claws and fangs ignite with molten heat, leaving scorching wounds.
Effect 3: Roars unleash waves of chaotic flame, and movements distort the ground with burning paw prints.
Drawback 1: After transformation ends, the user enters a 48-hour vulnerability period, where all stats are drastically reduced and regeneration ceases.
Drawback 2: Severe mental fatigue and disorientation make combat nearly impossible.
[Beast Taming Condition]: Earn 100% Beast's Trust.
[Current Condition Progress]: 18% Beast's Trust.
[Beast Current Activity]: Eating, Calm, Vigilant.
Theo couldn't believe his eyes. These stats were insane. Their lowest were 98 while Theo's highest was only 5, and that was only for [Intelligence].
'And what is this "Godbeast Variant" thing?' Theo thought to himself. 'Is it because he's a descendant of Fenrir? Those skills are fire, too. Will I unlock similar skills, as Fenrir's son? I hope so – they're way too OP! They should just call this wolf a cheater and be done already.'
Then something dawned on Theo. He looked at the wolf, curious. 'Is that why I felt kinship to this wolf?' he thought. 'Because he's a descendant of Fenrir?'
This realization only made Theo find himself liking this beast more and more.
As it finished its meal, Theo gave it another of his cooked carcasses — The mother deer, this time. He wasn't too stingy with his food, as he could always hunt another if necessary. The wolf was pleased by the gesture — So much so, in fact, that its Trust in Theo increased.
[Current Condition Progress]: 22% Trust
Theo was curious how this Beast Taming ability of his worked. It looks like he's found out. 'So, by completing the Beast Taming Condition, I can tame beasts? This is pretty dope.'
Then, looking at the late afternoon sky, Theo guessed the time of day. 'I've got about 12 hours left to run my 25 miles…,' he thought, getting up. 'I've got to complete my Daily Quest, anyway, so I better not delay too much longer.'
[Ding! Daily Quest: 'Get Stronger! (Forest Edition)']
[Progress:
Climb the Tallest Tree Within a 5 Miles Radius 20 Times![Completed]Successfully Hunt & Kill Prey x5![Completed]Do 100 Push Ups![Completed]Do 100 Sit-Ups![Completed]Run for 25 Miles in the Forest![Incomplete][System Remark]: "You've had your break. Get back to work, worm!"
Theo made a face at the System's remark. 'Worm? What a sassy system,' he thought. 'Still, it's not wrong, though. I need to get back to work.'
With a final glance towards the amber-eyed wolf, who seemed to be watching Theo inquisitively, Theo took off running in the forest. He ran for the next 9 hours, with at least a 1½ to spar as he completed his quest. As he arrived before his hidden spot in the forest, he noticed the wolf was still where he left it. It didn't really react to seeing Theo approach the area, aside from a brief swish from its tail and lifting its lazy head from the comfort of its paws.
[Ding! Daily Quest Completed!]
[Issuing Rewards… Generating… Rewards Generated!]
[Rewards]: +1 Class, +1 Job, +1 Core Skill, +1 Bloodline Skill, +1 Random Skill, +1 Agility, +1 Strength, +1 Stamina, +2 Blessings(Unlocked), +2 Skill Points, +2 Attribute Points.
[Rewards Ready for Integration. Integrate?]
[Yes/No?]
Theo looked at the wolf, then back at the gold and black prompt on his screen. Then, looking back at the wolf, Theo asked "Can you protect my body while I do this?"
The wolf, head on paws, merely let out a gruff sigh, as if taxed, the breath of air releasing from his nostrils. But Theo understood the barely distinguished "affirmative" in its gesture.
"Awesome," Theo nodded, taking off his rag of a shirt, putting it in his mouth and lying flat on his back. He tapped 'Yes' to the screen.
And, as he tapped 'yes,' the pain, though not as intense as the day prior, still assaulted him, eventually knocking him unconscious with a deadly predator watching his every move beside him…
[Command Acknowledged! Beginning Integration!]
[Time Until Completion: 8 hours!]
[Lady Dawson]:
Lady Dawson held a village-wide funeral for her babies all day that day. As the mother of three(formerly) and the current Lady of the Village, she was a Rank 2 Mage at only 29, which, given the rarity of talent in the western parts of the countryside, was an achievement of itself. Not only was she talented, but she was also blessed, having both a rare Class and a rare Job. It was no wonder she caught the attention of Chief Jacky when he first became the village chieftain, as ordained by the king of the Aris Kingdom.
But now her babies are dead, murdered by beasts. And she was left here, angry and wrathful. She wanted someone to blame and beat. She will have someone to blame and beat. Lady Ovisia Dawson was nothing if not vindictive and petty, and, if she couldn't go after the beasts responsible for her childrens' demise, she'd go after someone she'd accuse of being responsible. After all, a mother's love is just as important as a mother's wraith, and, without her children to express her motherly love to, she'd have to express her motherly scorn somehow.
And that's when she heard about the blue haired boy…
"Did you hear? The blue-haired boy was running in the forest, with the beasts!" one of the villagers said to another as Lady Dawson passed on her way to her house.
"With the beasts?" another asked.
"Yeah, I was out picking berries when I saw him talking to a giant wolf as if they were friends," a lady said. "I'm not too certain what was said, but I am certain they knew one another. I had to run back to the village, I was so scared."
"I've told ya once and I'll tell yee again, that boy is trouble," an old man said, sounding very displeased. "With beasts at the helm, its double to trouble."
"He's devil possessed! I told you he was!" another villager said, sounding panicked.
"Cursed, the both of them," said a fifth villager. "Cursed, I tell ya."
'Devil-possessed? Talking with beasts? Cursed?' Lady Dawson thought, as hse passed by, before smiling maliciously. 'I can work with this. Boy With the Blue Hair, I'll have you brought to your knees before me by the end of the night. I promise you this.'
And with that, Lady Dawson made her way to her abode, intending to get her husband in on this.