The howl split the sky.
Aiden's breath caught, his ears ringing from the sheer force of it. The sound wasn't just noise — it was command. A presence that demanded obedience, fear, submission. Every lesser creature in the forest went silent, as though the world itself bowed to that roar.
He gritted his teeth, his body swaying. He could barely stand, let alone fight. And yet, his instincts screamed at him what was coming.
This wasn't just another Dire Wolf.
This was the Alpha.
The leader of the pack.
A shadow moved between the trees, massive and deliberate. Leaves trembled as it passed, the earth quaking faintly beneath its padded steps. The setting sun barely pierced the canopy, but the beast's form became clearer with every stride — larger than the rest, its fur darker, its muscles corded with strength.
Its eyes glowed like molten gold in the darkness, intelligent, calculating.
Aiden's fingers tightened around his broken weapon. His body trembled not only from pain, but from instinct. Every nerve in him screamed that he was prey.
"…Rank… four." His voice cracked into the stillness.
The Alpha Dire Wolf was easily a whole rank stronger than its kin — and stronger than him.
---
The beast padded closer, nose flaring as it smelled the blood in the air, the corpses of its fallen pack. Its lips curled back, exposing fangs longer than Aiden's fingers, saliva dripping thickly onto the ground.
A growl rumbled from its chest, low and dangerous.
It wasn't just angry. It wasn't just hungry.
It was enraged.
Aiden's legs shook. His body screamed for rest, but retreat wasn't an option. Wolves never let prey escape. And this one, this Alpha, wouldn't stop until his bones were crushed beneath its jaws.
His lips curled into a bitter smile despite the blood dripping from them.
"Figures… I can't even breathe after the last fight, and now…" He exhaled, forcing the words through cracked lips. "Now you show up."
The Alpha growled again, louder, a sound that made the trees tremble.
---
Aiden steadied himself, his chest heaving, his vision swimming. His broken sword was little more than a jagged stick, but it was all he had. He gripped it tightly until his knuckles whitened.
If I fall here… then everything ends before it even begins.
The wolf lunged.
---
Time slowed.
The Alpha's body blurred into motion, claws tearing the earth as it launched forward, faster than its size should allow. Aiden tried to dodge, but his body screamed in protest, moving sluggishly.
The beast slammed into him.
The impact was like being hit by a boulder. His ribs screamed in agony as he was thrown through the air, crashing into the dirt with a sickening crack.
Blood filled his mouth. He coughed violently, his vision going white for a moment. His broken sword slipped from his grasp, skidding across the ground.
The Alpha landed heavily, turning with predatory grace. Its growl rumbled like thunder.
Aiden groaned, trying to push himself up, but his arms shook violently, barely supporting his weight.
The beast stalked forward, deliberate and slow now. It knew he was broken. It knew he was prey.
The golden eyes locked on him with a cold, merciless intelligence.
---
Aiden's vision blurred, tears mixing with blood. His body was failing. His lungs burned.
But somewhere deep inside, a fire refused to die.
Not like this.
He had clawed his way from weakness. He had fought tooth and nail against monsters far beyond his means. He had devoured their strength, rising step by step.
Was it all for nothing? To fall here, alone, before his journey truly began?
His chest burned — no, not just from pain. Something deeper stirred.
A heat pulsed from within, centered around his heart. The same strange flame that had flickered when he killed the first Dire Wolf now roared to life, stronger, hotter, demanding release.
His vision sharpened. The edges of the world seemed to blur, and for a fleeting second, he swore he could hear the echo of something ancient within his veins — a roar not unlike the Alpha's, but deeper, vaster.
The sealed dragon's heart inside him pulsed once. Twice.
And then his blood sang.
---
The Alpha lunged again, jaws gaping wide, fangs aimed to crush his skull.
But Aiden's hand shot out, grasping the broken sword again.
At the last second, he rolled to the side, every muscle screaming in agony. The beast's fangs slammed into the dirt, throwing up earth.
Aiden shoved upward with all his strength, jamming the jagged wood into the Alpha's eye.
The beast roared in agony, thrashing violently, its massive head slamming into him and sending him sprawling.
His vision darkened, his ribs cracked further, but the beast was wounded — one eye ruined, blood gushing down its muzzle.
Aiden spat blood, forcing his broken body to rise once more. His legs shook, his arms trembled, but his eyes burned with defiance.
"You're… not the only one with fangs."
---
The Alpha bared its teeth, its fury doubled. It circled, more cautious now, but no less deadly.
Aiden staggered, barely on his feet. His broken sword was splintered further, little more than a jagged spike now.
The forest held its breath.
Predator and prey locked eyes.
And for the first time… the Alpha hesitated.
It felt it. Something within the boy. Something ancient, buried, but awakening. The faint echo of a power that made even the monster's instincts scream with unease.
The beast growled, shaking its massive head, as though trying to throw off that primal fear.
And then — it turned.
With one final snarl, the Alpha retreated into the shadows, its massive body melting into the forest as quickly as it had come.
---
Aiden collapsed to his knees, gasping for breath. His body was battered, bloodied, broken. His vision swam, black at the edges.
But he was alive.
He had stared down a Rank 4 beast — and lived.
Not through strength. Not through luck. But because something within him had stirred, something that made even the Alpha hesitate.
As he fell to the dirt, barely clinging to consciousness, he whispered through cracked lips:
"…dragon…?"
And then the darkness claimed him.
---
Far away, in the depths of the forest, two figures watched from the shadows — cloaked, their auras carefully hidden.
One was tall, broad-shouldered, the aura of a seasoned warrior surrounding him. The other was slim, their presence quieter but sharper, like a drawn blade hidden beneath silk.
They had seen everything.
"…That boy," the slim one murmured, eyes narrowing. "He shouldn't have survived that."
The warrior grunted in agreement. "And yet, the Alpha retreated. You felt it too, didn't you? That… presence."
The silence between them was heavy.
"…We'll need to report this."
And with that, they melted back into the forest, leaving only the broken boy lying amidst the blood and corpses, unaware that his secret had already begun to draw dangerous eyes.
---