Infront of me was a wolf,
At first glance, it resembles a gaunt, starving wolf, its fur mottled black and rust-brown as though soaked in dried blood and iron filings.
Where muscle and bone should be, thin metallic chains wind around its limbs and torso, threading into its flesh like parasitic veins. They are not crafted by hand they look grown, like bone and tendon transmuted into chain.
Its jaw is torn wider than natural, the skin of its cheeks split and held together by small chain-links, giving it a perpetual snarl.
Its tail ends in a cluster of broken shackles, dragging and leaving grooves in the dirt.
I took a stance and sigils appeared on ground, And from them erupted chains.
My hands tightened around my longsword. The chain wound around my torso clinked faintly as I stepped forward.
It leapt.
Chains tightened along its legs, coiling like springs before it pounce.
I met it head on. My longsword clashed against snapping jaws, sparks flying as its teeth dragged chains from thin air to ensnare my blade. My weapon locked. The wolf's rancid breath burned against my face.
"Damn" I ripped my dagger from my side and drove it into its shoulder. Black ichor hissed, splattering across my hand. The wolf snarled, flinched, but did not let go.
Thread of Chains - Manifest.Iron links lashed from my arm, wrapping the wolf's foreleg before it could rake me. I pulled, dragging it down to the dirt.
It thrashed, snapping my sword free, nearly wrenching it from my grip.
Thread of Stillness. My will steadied- the world dulled. For two seconds, the wolf's claw froze mid swipe. Its ember eyes flickered with confusion.
Two seconds was all I needed.My sword flashed down, cutting across its ribs.
But the moment passed, and its limb moved again.
It leapt back, shaking violently.
It circled, growling, the rattling chorus in its body louder now.
I exhaled slowly. Calm. Clear. Tranquil Mind. My panic dulled into focus. My chains slithered at my side like living serpents.
The wolf lunged again, jaws gaping.
This time, I raised my hand. Thread of Glass- Flash.
Light burst from the links around my wrist, refracting the sun into a sharp blinding flare. The wolf reeled mid-air.
I stepped in, chain whipping around its throat. The dagger in my left hand drove upward, sinking into the soft flesh beneath its jaw.
The wolf convulsed, thrashing. I pulled the noose tighter, cutting off its howl until, at last, the rattling faded.
The beast slumped. Its corrupted chains fell slack and crumbled to rust.
And with that A name surfaced my brain
Chain Bound Wolf (Threads: Chain)
I remembered in the novel, Whenever a person kills any living being its name and it threads automatically surfaces the person.
After a while everyone gained enough confidence to kill layer 1 Beasts that is F rank beasts.
While teacher killed layer 2 or layer 3 beasts.
We also found Normal beasts which had different threads and even fought them.
I killed two, namely
Veil Serpent (Threads: Glass, Illusion)
A snake of woven mist, constantly shifting shape. Creates false images of itself.
And Silver Weeper (Threads: Sound, Hunger)
Eyeless, skeletal with silver membranes for skin. Emitting wails that rupture eardrums and stagger targets.
***
After half a day of Hiking we reached our destination.
The food wasn't anything special thick stew, dense bread, and lukewarm water but after half a day of hiking, it felt almost like a feast. The hall buzzed faintly with tired chatter, though most students were more focused on shoveling food into their mouths than talking.
I sat at one end of a bench with the usual group Nolan, Vivi, Lily, Lex, and Phoebe. Everyone looked spent, shoulders sagging, faces pale from the long climb. Everyone except Phoebe. She ate slowly, unbothered, her posture straight as if fatigue simply refused to touch her.
"Feels good to finally sit down," Nolan said with a soft chuckle, breaking his bread in half. Even now, there was warmth in his voice, the kind that lifted the weariness a little. "The trail nearly killed my legs, but the view… worth it, don't you think?"
"Speak for yourself," Lily muttered, cursing under her breath as she shifted. "My legs are on fire. If we climb another damn hill tomorrow, I'll strangle whoever planned this trip."
Lex smirked faintly over his spoon. "You complain too much, Lily."
She shot him a glare. "Shut it."
Vivi, ever the gentlest presence among us, smiled softly, her hands folded around her cup. "The air was beautiful though. Did you notice?"
"Did anyone felt a Pull, Like a calling from the Mountain" I chimed in.
The words silenced the table for a moment.
Nolan tilted his head, brow furrowing. "I didn't feel anything like that."
Lex raised an eyebrow. "Neither did I."
I lowered my eyes, breaking a piece of bread. I could still remember the wolf's snarls, the way its chains rattled in its flesh. The pull … I'd felt it since the path curved toward the mountain's heart.
Nolan laughed awkwardly, trying to cut the tension. "Well, attentive or not, I just know this bread's the best thing I've had all week."
"Idiot," Lily muttered, but there was no bite behind it.
Vivi smiled faintly. "At least you're easy to please, Nolan."
Am I being paranoid?
Phoebe said nothing, And we continued to eat.
After that the Teachers Instructed us to Build our own Tents and sleep within them.
And Thus Followed everyone.