Inside an inn's cafeteria, Vanor sat, digging into his light omelette and bread for breakfast. The cafeteria was made from dark logs, specifically Nile wood, while the floors were made of a light grey, smooth stone.
The scent of greasy eggs and sausages filled the cafeteria while groups of Hunters sat, conversing without care while digging in.
The sounds of the Hunters conversing overlapped with one another, making it hard to decipher what one might have heard; however, Vanor managed to catch a curious rumor from one of the Hunters.
"Hey! Have you heard about the Wolf Lord?" The Hunter spoke, shaking his friend, who had fallen asleep right after finishing his meal.
A Wolf Lord, huh? A fight sounds fun, but I barely know enough to defeat it. Sigh, no matter how entertaining it may be, there still lies an underlying risk to hunting. In that case, I might as well scout the area and make backup plans. Vanor smirked, quickly finishing his meal and leaving the inn.
Once he stepped outside, the cold morning breeze brushed past him, irritating him but reminding him of the time.
He bit his lip, closing his eyes and visualizing his mind into a pond. He flew above it before diving down and transforming his thoughts into a great wall, dividing the pond in half.
And just as he did, half his mind was sucked into the White Palace. Inside, he observed his surroundings before regaining his composure.
In the physical world, He let out a sigh right before taking advantage of his Body Enhancements to take a leap forward, grabbing onto one of the nearby roofs.
He lifted himself, being flung mid-air, right before landing safely on the roof. He scanned his surroundings, noticing the fastest route to Mount Lorebale.
Without a moment's notice, he dashed ahead, jumping from one roof to another with practiced confidence. A sliver of light flashed in his eyes upon taking in the sight of Mount Lorebale's trees.
He smirked, taking one last leap, landing on his feet. Across him was the foot of the mountain, or as the scholars from the Academy call it, "The First Layer."
It is said that every mountain can be summed up into three core layers.
First was the Foot of the mountain, also known as the First Layer. This area can be described as the most hospitable area for most mountains. In essence, Daisal stands at the foot of Mount Lorebale; however, it's far enough not be completely linked with it.
The Second Layer was the most explored but also the most dangerous because this is the layer where monsters are born. Those pests that keep on living lie not far from civilization. On the contrary, individuals who choose to live in this layer are called Mountain Dwellers; a prime example would be Hope and her family. At this point, since Zixin is living with her, he could also be called a Mountain Dweller.
And lastly was the Third Layer, the Peak of a mountain or, in this case, Mount Lorebale. This layer is said to contain the grandest scenery of any mountain; however, due to Mount Lorebale's harsh conditions and with more monsters crawling the further you climb, no Hunter–no, no human has ever managed to reach its Peak.
"Hope most certainly knows a way, but that's a problem for another day." Vanor cracks his knuckles, preparing his body.
He placed his attention on his legs before concentrating most of his strength into them. While wearing his huge grin, he jumped, his body shooting upwards into the sky. Seconds later, he began to fall but safely managed to catch himself on a tree branch.
He swung himself around, moving from one tree to another. After half an hour, he noticed a small pack of wolves. And with a smirk on his lips, he swung towards his prey.
A few moments later, he released his grip, landing straight to the ground with a delightful smile.
Once the wolves noticed him, they ran, rushing back from where they came from,m but Vanor wouldn't let a single one escape.
Inside the White Palace, he grabbed his Heart–a wooden sword and lunged forward. Blue sparks erupted from his right hand, melding together and shaping a claw–the Thunder Claw!
Whilst his body was in mid-air, he raised his arm before diving straight downwards and plunging the wolf into the ground.
He huffed up some air, right before shooting the remaining wolves a grin.
"Letting off some steam doesn't sound so bad." He muttered, curling his fingers into a fist.
The remaining five wolves howled, their voices echoing throughout the nearby area. He scoffed, lunging forward without mercy, and so did the wolves.
Once one entered his range, he licked his lips, drawing back his fist before sending a ferocious uppercut. The wolf was sent flying, only coming to a halt once its back hit a tree.
The wolves stopped for a moment, right before lunging once more. Vanor laughed, having already predicted their moves. He curled both his hands into two fists and sent them a barrage of punches. Blood gushed out from the wolves' orifices, knocking them unconscious.
The last wolf's fur rose in fear, its instincts telling it to run, and so it did, but not before Vanor caught its tail. A shiver rushed through its spine, its eyes dyed by fear.
Sensing the wolf's fear, Vanor laughed, pulling its tail and sending its body flying backwards. A scarlet light flashed in his eyes right before he stomped the wolf to the ground, sending it to its deathbed.
He sighed, taking in the sight before him. Wolf corpses were scattered like broken vases with their blood seeping into the ground. Vanor smirked, ready to harvest the fruits of his labor, but then he felt an ominous presence lurking behind him.
Before he could even think, his body jumped back on its own, and his eyes landed on the figure before him. Its bloodshot eyes watched his every move with an ice-cold composure; it was calm–almost too calm. Its silver fur reflected the little light that managed to peak through the clouds, creating a grand yet dim atmosphere.
Vanor's heart raced, and yet he couldn't explain why.
Was it fear?
Was it excitement?
Whatever it may be, it began to take over.
So those ridiculous rumors were true? That's good, but I just fell into a predicament. Vanor's thoughts raced, his eyes taking in every little detail of the Wolf Lord's physique.
This is rather annoying. I can't create a decent assessment of my foe because I still lack information. This is bad, but this is an opportunity nonetheless. For now, escape is the only viable option; after all, it has the home-ground advantage. With one last thought, Vanor concentrated his strength into his legs.
He smirked, launching himself up, shooting high above the clouds before inevitably falling. He reached his arm out, grabbing a lone branch.
He swung himself around, never removing his attention from the ground below, but after half an hour, he heaved a deep sigh of relief.
After some slight hesitation, he released his grip, falling straight to the ground. Thankfully, he managed to land safely.
With one last check, he swept his gaze behind but found nothing noteworthy. However, once he returned his gaze in front, all he saw was silver fur reflecting the sun's warmth.
Inactively, he jumped backwards as the Wolf Lord went for a bite, opening its maws and rushing forward.
Silver lights were reflected from the Wolf Lord's humongous white teeth. Vanor's heart skipped a beat once he saw this. Biting his lip, he reached out, grabbing the Wolf Lord's fangs, taking a grip on them.
Noticing this, the Wolf Lord tried to crush Vanor on its maw,s but unfortunately, Vanor had long predicted this. With a smirk, blue sparks erupted from his right hand, forming into the Thunder Claw. And without a moment's hesitation, he formed a fist and sent an uppercut, stunning the Wolf Lord.
Having found an opportunity, Vanor launched himself, swinging around in a hurry.
…
A few hours later, he sat at the edges of Daisal, thinking: That monster is dangerous… Sigh, now I feel worried for Hope. Love is indeed a puzzle that I fail to solve.
Weren't the Hunters gathering a squad to take on the Wolf Lord? Hmm, I suppose joining wouldn't be a bad idea. After all, that monster is a walking fortune! Vanor laughed dryly, standing back up and slowly heading to the market.