Two new skills unlock.
Skill 1 — Life Sense
You can now see the HP of allies and enemies.
Skill 2 — Inventory
You have gained access to an inventory system with 20 slots.
Slots used: 1/20. 19 slots remaining.
Mike Tyl — Stats:
• Level: 4
• Free Stat Points: 0 (all distributed)
• Health (HP): 110
• Strength: 40
• Stamina: 40
• Magic: 10 (no points invested)
I grin. Stronger. Good. Time to move.
I head to the assembly with Giel and Kad. Entering the cafeteria I spot Julius across the room. Our eyes lock for a second. He looks away fast.
Suddenly: SILENCE!
A voice booms. "My name is Commander Glus. Starting today I will be your instructor. For the next three years I will train you, test you, and push you past your limits—until you either fail or become real Sals."
He lays out the week's plan: a full tour today, precise ability measurements tomorrow, training on day three, a three-day mission across days four to six, and a friendly tournament on day seven. He introduces the commandants, the medical team, the chefs—Master Healer Ilius included—and finishes with, "Remember, Sals fight for good. That is our mission and our honor."
Tour begins. Commander Glus leads us past the cafeteria, up to the observation balcony, down the long corridors to the training hall. He points out restrooms, the medical bay, the armory. Voices ripple through the group.
A girl laughs, "Aww, the girls' bathrooms are so cute!"
A boy from the other side shouts, "What? Why don't we get something like that?" Then, without thinking, he ducks into the girls' area and grabs one of the girls by the arm.
"Hey, we have to help her!" Kad says, alarmed.
I freeze.
Lasa.
What is she doing here? Why did she apply? My head spins.
"Lasa!" I call.
"Mike! Help me!" she cries.
I step forward, trying to keep my voice steady. "Don't touch her. Let go and walk away."
The guy releases her, then swings at me.
I don't dodge. I can't show everything. If I react too fast or too strong I might reveal what I am. So I take the hit.
Life Sense flashes across my vision. HP readout: me 130, enemy 100. Wolf Strike deals exactly 100 HP damage. My mouth tastes like pennies.
The attacker keeps kicking me. Giel explodes into action, furious. He uses his magic, hurling the attacker across the hallway like a ragdoll.
"Mike! Are you alright?" Lasa rushes over.
"Yeah," I say, forcing my voice steady.
Later, with the day moving on, I decide to finish my daily tasks. They're tougher now: 50 push-ups and ten minutes of moon observation. The moon isn't visible—morning—so I focus on push-ups. Fifty done.
I step outside for a walk. Cool air. The system opens when I call it.
[ System Opened ]
Level: 4
A new message pops in.
[ 1 New Message ]
[ Quest Received ]
Bite a Human
Note: If not completed by tomorrow, 00:00, a penalty will be issued to Player Wolf.
I freeze when I read it. Bite a human? My fingers clench.
What kind of quest is this?
Reward 1: Two level ups
Reward 2: 20 stat points
No. I won't do it.
I join Giel and Kad but I can't shake the message. Giel grins, "Excited to finally get ranked today?" I force an answer. "Yeah…"
Commander Glus's voice rings down the hall. "Everyone, get ready. Measurements start shortly. In fifteen minutes report to the cafeteria."
Before I can think more, three bullies grab me in an empty corridor. One sneers, "We're gonna knock you out and turn you in, mutt."
My system blinks again.
1 New Message
Quest!
Eliminate the bullies permanently — 0/3
Note: This quest is mandatory. If Player Wolf fails, consequences will follow.
Mandatory. Kill. Three of them stand there, knives and malice. My heart hammers. I don't want to do this, but the system doesn't bluff.
I whisper, "I'm sorry," and something inside snaps awake. My vision flares red. My canines sharpen. The animal inside me answers.
I see Julius standing behind the others with a knife. One of the bullies lunges.
I step back. I strike his hand. Clang—the knife clatters to the floor. He goes to fight, but I'm faster. A punch to the face, then Wolf Strike to the head. I barely feel it, just the motion. The man collapses.
A system ping, cold in my ear. Mobber eliminated: 1/3. Well done, Wolf.
The second attacker slashes my back. Blood. HP drops. 100. I react, kick the knife away, grab him and throw him against the wall. The wall crumbles; the man is dead.
2/3 mobbers defeated.
Julius screams, "What the hell is wrong with you? What are you??"
Lightning-fast, I close the distance and bite. First the arm, then the neck. He goes down. Silence. Three bodies on the floor.
A voice in my head, clinical and placid: Bullys killed. 3/3. Well done, Wolf. You have grown stronger.
I run from the hall and lock myself in the bathroom. Five minutes until we must report to the cafeteria. My hands shake, sticky with blood. I've just committed triple murder.
Still, I press yes on the reward screen.
You have leveled up to Level 6 and thus become a Pup.
Note: Transformation begins in 3 minutes.
I stare. A pup? My head buzzes. I open my stats and there are twenty points waiting. I dump them all into strength.
Strength +20 assigned.
Inventory check: 1/20. Portal Opening Key of Grade A in slot one. Use? No. Not yet.
Three minutes. The system warns: Transformation begins.
Pain like knives tears through every muscle. I black out.
When I come to, I'm in a forest. The system greets me.
Hello, Pup.
This is your safe place. Using it costs 50 HP and 10 Magic, and you can stay here for 10 minutes.
Another message appears.
Hey pup, you look pretty worn out. The shop unlocks at level 10.
I stand in the clearing, blood still on my hands in memory. A portal shimmers nearby—probably the way back. I haven't stepped through it yet. The system interface opens again, patient and indifferent.
I step through the portal and land back in the bathroom. Nothing has changed; no time passed. Time in that forest must stand still.
I change quickly, then run to the assembly. The hall is already full. Ten crates sit at the front, each with a crystal inside.
Glus nods and says, "Hello and welcome to your ranking. Good luck. I will walk around now."
Before he can finish, Master Healer Ilius steps forward and announces, "A triple murder has occurred." Glus's face hardens. "Whoever did it, we will find them," he says.
I stand beside Lasa and try to act normal even though my stomach is all knots. "Hey," I whisper. "What rank are you?"
She laughs, "I'm Rank B."
"Rank B?" I repeat, surprised and relieved. She's so happy she nearly jumps on me, and I can't help but grin. For a moment the panic eases.
Now it's my turn. I take a crystal, fit it into the machine, and press the button. The usual system window appears.
1 New Message
Someone is trying to measure your powers.
Measurement blocked.
Do you want to fake it and appear as Sal-1?
So the system can fake my reading. I have no choice. "Yes," I tell it.
The machine hums. The screen flickers.
Rank measurement in progress…
Rank: Sal-1
A wave of relief hits me. It hides my real rank. Giel and Kad will be suspicious, but what else can I do?
Kad leans over, frowning. "Sal-1? That's not what I expected. You're way stronger than that. I saw you fight."
Giel steps forward, worried. "The machine must be broken. You can't be that weak. You're a fighter. This doesn't add up." He looks at me like he wants to argue the result.
Before I can answer, the screen glitches.
System has detected Sal-1 is unnecessary. Recalculating…
Error. Measurement restarting…
Rank: Sal-2
Congratulations.