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## Chapter 5: Blood in the Alley
The VR session ended with a hiss of decompression as the zoom pod slowly opened. Sylvan pulled off the rings and bracelet, his body still pulsing with adrenaline. His mind lingered on the battles he had just faced—ten elemental beasts, each stronger than the last—but his body craved movement in the real world.
He left the gaming room, strolled through the house, and stepped into the afternoon light. The streets buzzed with life, as always. But Sylvan wasn't heading anywhere in particular—he just needed the air, the clarity of motion.
He walked past shops and chatter, his black hoodie flapping lightly in the breeze. Turning down a quieter road, he entered a narrow alley between buildings. That was when he heard it—a low cry. A scuffle.
Sylvan's eyes narrowed.
Ahead, a grown man had a boy pinned to the wall, a blade glinting in his hand. The boy's eyes were wide with terror.
Without thinking, Sylvan's instincts kicked in.
**"Flame Dash!"**
Blue flames engulfed his legs, launching him forward like a rocket. In a blink, he was at the boy's side, scooping him into his arms and disappearing to the far end of the alley.
He placed the boy down gently. "Run home. Now."
The man turned, a sinister grin spreading across his face. "Poking your nose where it doesn't belong, kid? You'll regret that."
Then his body began to shift. Muscles bulged. His nails elongated into claws. Hair sprouted across his arms and face, turning white. His irises burned silver.
"I carry the bloodline of the **Silver Moon Wolf**," he growled. "Let's see if you're still brave."
He charged.
Sylvan's eyes flashed.
**"Eyes of Chaos."**
The world sharpened. He saw every muscle twitch, every breath pattern. When the blow came, Sylvan sidestepped, barely missing a punch that cratered the wall behind him.
He countered with a high kick toward the head.
The man ducked and landed a heavy punch in Sylvan's ribs. Pain exploded through his side.
**\[Dragonic Regeneration Activated – Rib Fracture Healing: 65%... 100%]**
Sylvan backflipped away and summoned his katana, fire dancing across its edge.
The man lunged again. They clashed.
Steel met claws. Sparks flew.
Their battle spilled out of the alley into the adjacent street. Cars swerved. Pedestrians screamed.
The man swiped at Sylvan's chest, but Sylvan ducked and retaliated with **Fiery Sword Art – First Form: Fiery Inferno.**
The blade arced in flames, but the werewolf dodged and landed a savage elbow to Sylvan's back. He flew across the street, crashing through a fruit vendor's stall.
He rolled to his feet, blood trailing from his lip.
"System," he grunted. "Status?"
**\[Opponent: Silver Moon Wolf Hybrid – Estimated Rank: High D]**
**\[Objective: Defeat Opponent – Reward: +10 Attribute Points]**
Sylvan smirked. "Was already planning on it."
The man lunged again.
They clashed across the block. Brick walls shattered. A light pole bent in half. Sylvan was hurled through a café window, then exploded out with a spinning Flame Vortex, forcing the man back.
**"Fiery Sword Art – Second Form: Flame Vortex!"**
He pressed forward, a blur of slashes and fire.
The man grabbed a parked bike and flung it at him. Sylvan sliced it in half mid-air, rolling under a car to avoid a claw swipe.
**"Third Form: Flame Serpent!"**
A dragon of fire curled around his blade and shot out. It slammed into the enemy, burning off part of his shirt and skin.
But he wasn't done. The werewolf howled, energy spiking.
Sylvan panted. He was getting tired.
The final clash came in a blur—flame and claw, steel and muscle. Just when the man thought Sylvan had slowed, he overcommitted to a blow.
Sylvan stepped aside.
**"Fourth Form: Flame Tornado."**
He spun and slashed—wind and fire erupting around him. The final strike hit the man squarely in the chest.
He dropped, unconscious.
Breathing hard, Sylvan approached.
**\[Target: Unconscious | Bloodline Available for Extraction]**
**\[Do you wish to extract: Silver Moon Wolf Bloodline? Y/N]**
"Yes."
**\[Acquisition Beginning: 0%... 12%... 40%... 73%... 100%]**
**\[Bloodline Acquired – Silver Moon Wolf Transformation]**
**\[Updated Bloodlines – Current Transformations:**
**1. Dragon Bloodline (Locked)**
**2. Silver Moon Wolf Transformation]**
**\[Reward Granted: +10 Attribute Points]**
"Allocate evenly," Sylvan whispered.
**\[+1 to each attribute, +2 to Luck]**
**\[Updated Stats – All Attributes at 33 | EXP: 78/100 | Energy Points: 20,000 | Luck: 5]**
He heard sirens. People shouting.
"Time to go."
Sylvan shot into the air, webs of blue metal launching from a bracelet on his wrist. He landed on a rooftop and vanished into the skyline.
Minutes later, he slipped through his bedroom window, collapsing to his knees.
"System... Skill: Energy Control. Activate."
**\[Energy Control – Activated | +1 EP per 30 minutes while in meditation]**
He sat, cross-legged.
The moon rose.
And Sylvan meditated.
Through the night, his energy flowed like a river.
Tomorrow would come.
But tonight, he grew stronger.