Chapter 23: It Would Be Perfect as a Cloak
Aiden planted his feet on the edge of the rooftop, the wind playing with his hair soaked in sweat.
In a fleeting instant… he launched himself.
He hurled his body forward with all the strength he had, the building trembling beneath his feet as if the ground itself had shaken before his might.
He shot forward like a bullet freed from its restraints, charging straight at the wolf leader without a single glance back; his summons would handle the rest.
There was no time for doubt… only combat.
Swhoooosh!
A thunderous roar exploded through the air:
Grrrraaa!
Its echo reverberated between the ruined walls.
The alpha wolf raised its massive claws, dark earthen light pulsing between them with raw power.
That attack… Aiden had seen it before through the Secret Revealer.
Skill [Earth Claw (Level 5)].
A lethal sense of danger surged through Aiden's body.
Every cell screamed a warning… yet his eyes burned with resolve.
No escape.
No retreat.
Only a head-on clash to the very end.
"[Power]!"
"[Will of the Masses]!"
"[Piercing Strike]!"
He roared hoarsely as he activated his skills one after another. The spear in his hand erupted with dazzling radiance—a fusion of raw force and murderous intent.
The very next moment, beastly claws met spear.
BOOOOM!
The impact shook the area like thunder, a colossal energy shockwave exploding outward, engulfing the battlefield in swirling dust and destruction.
The two figures were hurled in opposite directions, smashing through walls and leaving chaos and ruin in their wake.
Silence fell.
Eyes widened in shock and terror.
Then…
something moved.
From amid the rubble, a massive fur-covered body rose, roaring as if it had suffered no damage at all.
And on the other side… a human hand burst forth from the debris.
Aiden struggled to his feet, his face stiff, features carved with pain.
Blood streamed across his skin, and scratches covered his body from head to toe…
And yet… he did not bow.
His eyes still burned with the same light—
the light of one who knows no defeat.
He spat saliva mixed with fresh blood as he activated [Healing], tending to his wounds.
He looked at his enormous opponent, who appeared almost unharmed, and muttered irritably:
"Damn that puffed-up body… looks like I'm going to have a hard time with you."
The wolf's body was different from the rest of its kin—
larger, denser fur…
But upon closer inspection, Aiden noticed something else.
"What's that thing on its tail?"
He hadn't been able to see this detail from atop the building.
It looked like a strange ornament… a mark that symbolized something.
He paused for a few seconds, thinking, until pain twisted his stomach and he snapped irritably:
"Damn all this thinking… [Secret Revealer]!"
> [Earth Wolf]
Name: Arkan
Strength: Wall+
Speed: 300 m/s
Flexibility: 150
Skills: Earth Fangs (Lv.5), Sandstorm (Lv.3), Earth Claw (Lv.5)
Power Rating: D
[History]… [Strengths]… [Weaknesses]…
"Hmmm…"
"This is much better."
"So your name is Arkan…"
Aiden's eyes widened in realization.
This identity was anything but ordinary.
Arkan was a member of a royal sub-family, and that small ornament on his tail was proof of it.
His blood wasn't entirely pure, but his status was genuine.
Aiden thought calmly:
"If I kill him and his pack… will others come seeking revenge?"
He analyzed the situation coldly, as if death wasn't staring him in the face.
But—
Arkan lifted one foot slightly… then vanished.
Swish!
He reappeared right in front of Aiden, his massive body crashing down like a crushing hammer.
Aiden only realized what was happening when he saw the claw descending toward him.
He shouted in alarm and activated his speed skill at the very last instant, narrowly evading the blow.
"Whew! I almost got flattened… that's the price of thinking!"
He clenched his fist and moved again.
Swhoooosh!
He appeared beside Arkan and stabbed at him with the kitchen knife.
Crack!
Hearing the sound of shattering, he muttered bitterly:
"It was bound to break… what did I expect from a damn kitchen knife?"
Arkan spun around and opened his enormous jaws, packed with terrifying fangs.
His once-white teeth turned a sharp, rocky earthen color.
He snapped his jaws shut violently—
but Aiden slipped away at the last second.
"Damn it… your breath is disgusting! At least brush your teeth once in a while!"
Arkan flew into a rage, charging wildly as he roared:
Grrrraaa!
"Tsk… you're boring. A little provocation and you lose your mind."
Aiden darted away, using [Rabbit Leap] to climb atop a shattered wall.
"Anger really does ruin creatures."
He looked down at him with cold pity and said:
"No need to keep you around for long… your fur is thick and excellent. It would be perfect as a cloak."
He tossed aside the broken knife and gripped the fork in his left hand and the spear in his right.
He had a plan to kill Arkan without damaging the fur—targeting the eyes or mouth. The head was also possible, but having witnessed the beast's sheer toughness, he knew the odds of his weapons shattering before piercing its hide were extremely high.
So he chose not to gamble and instead aim directly for the weakest points—but only once the enemy closed the distance first.
Arkan searched for him, his eyes blazing with fury.
Then they locked onto Aiden, sitting atop the wall.
Aiden waved at him with a provocative smile.
Arkan snarled and lunged forward with all his might.
Aiden was ready for this. After all, he possessed the skill [Light-Speed], which had risen to Level 4 after repeated use—he could even feel it nearing Level 5.
Upon reaching Level 4, the speed multiplier increased from 200% to 300%. Aiden, who originally had a speed of 150 m/s, now moved at 450 m/s—nearly half a kilometer per second.
Arkan, on the other hand, had a speed of 300 m/s, clearly inferior.
Aiden vanished from Arkan's radar, leaving the wolf momentarily stunned by his speed.
He reappeared at Arkan's side, a cold look in his eyes.
Activating his only offensive skill, he threw a punch at the side of Arkan's face.
A violent collision rang out, like solid iron smashing into iron.
Both Aiden and Arkan let out muffled groans as they staggered back from each other, taking cautious steps apart.
Upon closer inspection, a clear mark could be seen on Arkan's left cheek—a distinct imprint of a fist pressed into the dense fur—while Aiden stood opposite him, clutching his reddened hand, pain coursing through it.
The difference in durability between them was obvious… clearer than ever.
Aiden's understanding of the battle deepened. Recklessness would only lead to his own body shattering before he could breach his opponent's defenses.
So he reined himself in, abandoning random assaults, choosing instead to wait—lying in ambush for the moment Arkan used his strange fang skill… or any opportunity that revealed a weakness.
The two exchanged cold stares, the air between them heavy with silence.
Then—
They both lunged at the exact same instant, with all the speed and power they possessed…