Everyone had a unique class. For Mountain, it was Assassin. For Tam, it was Detector—a support-type that allowed him to sense movement, though it drained his MP quickly, leaving him more vulnerable than most in a fight.
"What's your class, An?"
"..."
"..."
An finally spoke, his voice calm but distant. "Healer."
"No, you're not."
Tam's reaction was immediate, blunt. His face scrunched up, eyes narrowing in disbelief. But just as quickly, he felt a sudden weight on his shoulders—like an invisible hand pressing him down, urging him to shut up.
Tam's body froze. His skin prickled under the pressure, and his breath hitched in his throat. Then he realized it wasn't just pressure—it was an actual hand. Thick, calloused fingers. A big palm, warm and firm, resting heavily on his back, as if pinning him in place.
His heart raced.
He turned slowly, mind struggling to process what was happening.
"M-Mountain?"
But no, it wasn't him.
Towering above him was a woman—taller than most men, with deeply tanned skin that seemed to glow under the sunlight. Her body was sculpted with muscles, each curve and angle defined, like she was carved from stone itself. She was the epitome of raw physical power. Her entire outfit was stitched from white fur, styled more like a prehistoric hunter than anyone from the modern day. Unlike the grey pelts of the normal wolves, hers was pure white—gleaming almost, an intimidating reminder of her connection to these creatures.
"Excuse me," the woman said in Hindi, her voice low but commanding. "Did you knock that guy out?" (Hindi)
"WAHHH—AGGHHJJEH—" Tam screamed incoherently, his words tumbling out in a flurry of panic. He stumbled backward, heart thundering in his chest, before landing heavily on his butt.
He didn't understand a single word of what she said, but the terror of being touched by a total stranger—especially one built like a freight train—was enough to send him spiraling.
"Who are you?" An asked in Vietnamese, his voice calm, even as his eyes narrowed at the imposing figure before him.
The two of them stared at each other, awkwardly trapped in a language barrier. The Tower's system translated only skill names, item effects, and monster classifications—not the spoken languages of its players. It was as if the world around them had turned into an incomprehensible blur of foreign sounds.
An felt something latch onto his leg—light, but insistent. He glanced down, ready to kick whatever had dared touch him—only to realize it was just Tam, clutching onto him like a lifeline. At times, An thought it might have been a better idea to kick him away anyway.
"S-She's... She's Shreya," Tam whispered, his voice trembling. He clutched An's leg, eyes wide with a mixture of fear and awe. "She awakened on the first day. Her class is God-Warrior. She's the highest-level player in the world."
An raised an eyebrow, skeptical but intrigued. "God-Warrior?"
His eyes trailed over her fur garments. The pelt didn't lie. There was no mistaking it.
"That's Mountain Wolf fur," he muttered, the words leaving his mouth almost automatically. His mind churned with the implications. "Those wolves are at least level 10... she's cleared a good chunk of them."
After ten days of the Obelisk's appearance, only a handful of people had managed to kill even one Mountain Wolf. The recommended level to fight them alone was 15—or 10, with a coordinated party of four. These creatures weren't just stronger; they were smarter, faster, and significantly more dangerous than the basic Grey Wolves.
Equipment: [Basic Wolf Garments]
Increase HP (Extremely Small)
Increase Damage to Wolves (Extremely Small)
"Uh... maybe we should leave..." Tam whispered nervously, his voice barely audible as his hands trembled. "An... you kinda did knock out her teammate, you know. That guy still lying over there."
"Is that what this is about?" An said flatly, his tone unbothered.
Just then, a low growl rumbled from the bushes nearby.
The sound sent a chill through Tam's spine. His body tensed, every muscle screaming for him to run.
Two wolves emerged, their eyes glowing with hunger. One lunged toward the two Vietnamese, and the other rushed straight at Shreya.
The animals didn't hesitate. There was no warning—just an immediate, deadly rush for fresh blood.
An's reaction was quick. He sidestepped with fluid grace, his movements calculated, and in a heartbeat, he was already in motion, his fist connecting with the first wolf in midair. The impact was brutal, a precise strike behind its eye socket, and the wolf crumpled instantly, its body dropping limply to the ground.
Shreya, meanwhile...
Skill:
[Elephant Fist]
Unleash a shockwave from the user's punch, extending damage beyond the point of contact.
She didn't even lift her arm fully. It was just a small motion—barely more than a shift of her body—but the result was devastating. She raised her fist slightly, from her thigh to her hip, and a shockwave burst forward, traveling through the air like an unstoppable force. The wolf stopped midair, as if it had run into an invisible wall, and then it dropped lifelessly to the grass, its body crumpling with a sickening thud.
An narrowed his eyes, his thoughts focused on the God-Warrior. "God-Warrior. HP and STR-based class... she has one of the strongest starting skills at this level."
Shreya turned toward him, calm and unphased by the battle she had just fought. Her expression remained serene, as though this were all just another day to her.
"Now, can we talk?" she asked, still in Hindi, her voice carrying an odd sense of finality.
An didn't answer right away. His mind was elsewhere, his focus now solely on her. He stepped forward, his body moving without hesitation. Without a word, he reached out and gently pressed his hand to her shoulder, his touch surprisingly tender.
Tam blinked in confusion, his mind struggling to catch up with the unexpected turn of events. He was already half-expecting another fight to break out.
But An's hands didn't stop there. They trailed further—down her biceps, past her forearm, until they wrapped around her palm. The gesture was bizarre, bordering on perverse, and Tam's jaw dropped in disbelief.
Tam sputtered. "W-What are you doing?!"
An ignored him completely, his attention still fixed on Shreya.
"How to take your chances against a God-Warrior," he muttered quietly, as if the thought were only for his own benefit. His voice was calm, but the undercurrent of something darker lingered.