Arrow after arrow vanished, disappearing in a dark blurr.

Dante's rotation dominated the wolf pack. If one got too close, a fireball was there to keep them in check, its blast radius and damage having grown with the increased levels. Mixed with the speed of his movement skill, he dashed around the field.

Willpower and Focus worked to keep his mind moving, the clarity a gift against the ferocity of the Red Saber Wolf. With ease it tanked three of his arrows, it's speed and agility refusing to slow down. It was the pack leader, though Dante couldn't focus his attention solely on it alone. He had to micromanage the situation.

Death's Corona activated, as a steel claw blurred, tearing through the fire.

Steel Claw, Lvl 12

HP: 1145/1202

Alignment: Metal

Weakness: Fire

Wolves enhanced by Beast and Metallic properties of mana. They inhabit mines, eating minerals that incorporate half their diet, infusing the mana into their physical bodies.

Dante pushed, manipulating the sphere to blanket the steel wolf. It backed off, giving him a chance to regroup.

Ever so slightly Dante whittled down their combined health points. The North Seekers stacking bleed, after puncturing a few livers and lungs.

Mentally connecting to his inventory, Dante took stock of his remaining arrows.

North Seeker 6/17

Loosing another arrow, Dante flipped to safety, dodging an incoming attack, then continued to dart around the field.

The first use of the Flame Burst skill came into play only a minute later. It was when he reversed his momentum and charged towards a Black Dire Wolf, catching it off guard. Storing his bow, Dante summoned his spear out of thin air, thrusting into the beast's neck. A second passed before he could remove two arrows from inside of the wolf's back, but that was more than the Red Saber Wolf needed.

Collecting his arrows, Dante flipped backwards. Before he could land, the red bulk of fur continued it's attack. And as Dante's foot touched the ground, a wall of condensed fire drummed the air. A loud whoosh of flame pushed the wild beast back. Half its fur alight with cinders, giving off an ominous glow under the pale moonlight.

Dante continued his retreat, eyes locked on the Red Saber Wolf.

In return Crystal gaze activated, it was the first time the ability activated on it's own. Before Dante could question it, a notification appeared.

Sword aura: A condensed form of Force mana. Honed to an edge with an intent to increase slashing power.

"Holy f– that's so cooooooool!"

The power of the Alpha stilled the other members of the pack, as the spinning blade that flew towards Dante, silenced the battlefield.

Dante licked his cracked lips, a slight pain caused by the huge smile on his face. Frighteningly, this was a battle to the death. With odds unlike those he had ever faced before. He didn't have the time to set up a trap, at least that wouldn't be so easily done while he drew all the aggro. As annoying as the bog frogs were, they had their uses.

With a belly flop, Dante dodged the first twisting death. The next blade completely slicing through Death's Corona. The shield remained in place, yet now, as he stood, the top of his torso and head were fully exposed.

Staring back at the Red Saber Wolf, Dante started to sing the Pokemon theme song.

"Gotta… gotta catch them all!! It's you and me–eee. I know you're my destinyyyy!!"

Before the Sword aura began to form again, Dante had lifted his Iron Compass, his chest rose with the North Seeker pendant. And once his fingers graced his cheek, an arrow appeared then disappeared faster than Houdini.

The Saber Wolf was hit in the throat, having it's spell canceled.

With that, the battle restarted and the immobilized wolves jumped at the chance to be the first to tear Dante's throat out.

He conjured a fireball, casting Waning Fire. Dante then realized the bonuses applied, taking his fireball spell into account. That was it, he realized, if there was an active version of meditation, this was the path towards it. Unfortunately he couldn't shoot his arrows and hold a spell at the same time.

Biting his lip, Dante felt the cold metal on his chest. Then he blasted a line of fire onto the battlefield.

From there he stood, regenerating. The line in the sand was drawn, and if the wolves were to pass it–

"Control the battlefield to your advantage."

Dante's eyes steeled, and his highest level skill activated.

The bonus from Waning Fire counteracted the mana drain of the manipulation skill.

The fire moved across the terrain like pen on paper. The illustrator caged the wolves in. 

Waning Fire has reached level 5

For a second Dante took a look over at the aliens. They were slaughtered, he would take their revenge.

Dante stood alone, conjuring a fireball. He looked to his other hand, there was another glowing orb much smaller than the other.

Skill unlocked: Dual casting

Dante heard the sound of a click, as if a door was unlocked.

Congratulations! You have completed a Legacy test!

Arcane Blessings, now grants double the damage for Dual casted spells.

Dante didn't stop there, he increased the size until both orbs were spiraling basketballs with flaming tongues that danced in the wind.

They flew through the air, smashing into the wolf pack.

Waning Fire has reached level 6

The comets rained down on the field, a bonfire of howls and squeals erupted. 

You have slain Steel Claw Lvl 12, 416 EP absorbed!

Iron Wolf pelt added to inventory.

Steel Claw × 10 added to inventory.

Dante continued the bombardment, causing the wolves to break their cage and flee from the raining terror. But with the burn damage, he had already claimed their lives.

You have slain Black Dire Wolf Lvl 10, 340 EP absorbed!

Black Dire Wolf pelt added to inventory.

Black Dire Wolf core added to inventory.

North Seeker arrow × 3

…

As the corpses dissolved into particles and evaporated in the wind, a torrent of energy rushed into Dante. A storm of iridescent light, cold as ice, yet warm and welcoming now rested in the pit of his stomach.

Unbeknownst to him, the essence radiated out of his eyes. Twin stars, shining into another realm.

Dante suppressed the fire, the blaze dying down with a reluctance. As he expected the Red Sabertooth Wolf was all that remained. It's brethren having floated away into the ether.

"No RNG bullshit here baby! I want your mana shard!"

~

The battle intensified. Dante expected the Saber wolf's pack mindset had fled. Instead of coordinated maneuvers, now the beast sought to devour, tear and destroy.

The first engagement after Dante's meteor shower, had him dodge over half a dozen Sword aura strikes.

On the fly, Dante doubled his aura shields, reinforcing them both with mana. He wasn't stupid enough to take a direct hit, but he was stupid enough to test a hypothesis in an open battle to the death. Fortunately his hypothesis had been proven true.

Now Dante knew he had more wiggle room to play with. With all of the damage he had done, the wolf was simply too high of a level for his stats and skills. Naturally, it would follow he would need a bigger attack. One to end the wolf for good. 

Having earlier replenished his stock of arrows with his loot ability, Dante currently had three left. He wasn't sure if he should save them or shoot. Either way, as much time passed, the better.

Currently all of his other arrows were lodged in the red wolf's side. It's wound leaking a stream of blood that mixed with the ashen field.

Dante recalled the encounter with the boar. The more blood it lost, the more health points it lost, and therefore the mechanism that aided damage reduction was also reduced.

He was unable to see it's current HP, but this was the path he knew he had to go with. If he blasted it with fire, the wound would cauterize.

For twenty minutes Dante barely managed to escape with the skin of his teeth. Unfortunately he couldn't hold out much longer, as the red wolf's sword aura strikes had become more frequent. It was now or never.

Conjuring two grand Fireballs, Dante combined them. Waning Fire and Fire Manipulation working in tandem. The first blast intercepted with the wolf's sword aura. A combustion exploded between them both. They flew back a ways, with Dante struggling to get on his feet.

When his eyes found his opponent, Dante grimaced, palming Iron Compass.

The first of the last three North Seekers took the red wolf in the neck, canceling the wolf's spell.

Dante's mana pumped, working over time. He forced more mana into the skill. The burning orbs doubled, tripled, quadrupled in size. Then he condensed the fire mana, spending all of his remaining energy.

A lock, clicked.

Fire Manipulation has reached level 10

The fire blast impacted like a bomb. When the debris cleared notifications entered his vision.

You have slain Red Saber Wolf Lvl 12, 604 EP absorbed!

Red Saber Wolf pelt added to inventory.

Red Saber Wolf fang × 2 added to inventory.

Core of a Red Saber Wolf added to inventory.

Force Shard added to inventory.

Conditions met!

Congratulations! You have unlocked a new Mark!

Mark of the–

Dante dismissed the prompts, opening his inventory to absorb the Force Shard.

Force mana charges 1306/7000

When Dante withdrew the wolf core, he hesitated. There was something to the idea of imprinting another's skill onto your own soul. He cursed himself for jumping the gun. Because of that foolishness he had a damned Kickflip skill. Which although was useful to disengage from his opponent, seemed mighty lackluster when compared to whatever the Red Saber Wolf's core held.

Core of a Red Saber Wolf

Core of a beast containing the active skills Wolf's Edge, Alpha's Might, and Bite. Do you wish to imprint either skill onto your soul? Yes / No

"I'll take Wolf's Edge and Alpha's Might."

Wolf's Edge…….Imprinted

Alpha's Might...Failed

Once the skill transfer failed, the red core cracked, and with a flash of light dissolved into dust.

Wolf's Edge: A crescent blade of spinning force mana.

• Penalty: Spell incompatible. Mana cost doubled.

Shrugging at the penalty, Dante wiped his brow for a job well done, then turned to the clearing where the aliens were slaughtered.