Chapter 66
Chapter 66
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: Black Wolf Leader, Requiem
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[You have challenged the Black Wolf Leader <Requiem> to a duel.]
[Though his injuries from the duel with the White Wolf Leader have yet to fully heal, he has decided to accept your challenge.]
[Defeating Requiem will automatically complete the 'Lord's Request 2' quest.]
[The 1:1 duel ticket given as a quest reward will be consumed.]
I read the message floating before my eyes as I walked down the path cleared by the black wolves.
'Injured, huh...'
I had no idea how severe the injury was, but if it wasn't fully healed, some of his stats would be reduced. Yuda's gaze turned to Requiem. Just like during the duel with Kor'kan, the black wolves had cleared a space around Requiem. Standing in the center of the spacious clearing, Requiem looked so majestic it was hard to believe he was wounded. His usually expressionless eyes sparkled with interest, as if the duel challenge was quite amusing. What a bold guy. Yuda felt himself almost falling for Requiem's demeanor.
'Status window.'
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「Status Window」
[Name: Requiem]
[Title: Noble One]
[True Name: Leader of the Pack]
[Level: 38]
[Job: King]
[Race: Black Wolf]
[Strength: 61(-11) (C) / Potential A]
[Stamina: 53(-10) (C) / Potential B]
[Agility: 63(-12) (B) / Potential A]
[Mana: 44 (C) / Potential B]
[Mana Resistance: 53 (C) / Potential B]
[Charisma: 66 (B) / Potential A]
「Traits 3/5」
[Primal Instinct] - Rank: B
[Leader] - Rank: B
[Under the Moonlight.] - Rank: B
「Skills 5/5」
[Stealth] - Rank: C
[Ambush Attack] - Rank: C
[Howling] - Rank: B
[Mana Release] - Rank: C
[Weapon Destruction] - Rank: C
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The injuries were worse than expected—his strength, agility, and stamina were down by about 20%. Even so, his level and stats were higher than I'd imagined.
'I thought he was around level 30.'
He was a full 8 levels higher. In the game, they must have boosted his stats so he wouldn't go down instantly when tackled with a party, and now it was biting back. Still, the significant reductions in his stats put my mind somewhat at ease.
It wasn't like I was planning to run anyway, so that was a minor concern. As Yuda passed the bowing black wolves, he suddenly realized he was still holding a torch.
Whoosh!
It blazed fiercely, as if demanding attention. The oil-soaked cloth was burning longer than expected. Light was certainly helpful in this darkness, but it was a hindrance in a fight.
'Moonlight...'
Looking up, he saw the moon nearly full. Lucky break. Was the moonlit night a requirement to meet Requiem? Its bright light bathed the plains. In a forest, dense leaves would block it, but here on the open plain, the moonlight shone directly overhead, illuminating the darkness just fine.
Yuda kicked at the ground with the tip of his shoe. Soil with nameless grass roots tore away, revealing moist, fertile earth. He jammed the torch into it, stomped the flames trying to climb the handle, snapped the shaft, and buried it to extinguish the fire.
As the light died, the darkness closed in tighter. Vision blurred momentarily without the relative brightness, but it adjusted quickly. Deploying [Shadow Heresy 2nd Form - Demon Eye] made everything clear even under moonlight. Requiem waited patiently, sitting on his haunches until Yuda finished preparing. Yuda drew the dagger from his waist, gripped it reverse-handed, and took his stance with the bastard sword.
Seeing Yuda ready for the duel, Requiem finally rose and sauntered forward leisurely.
"Thanks for waiting."
......
Requiem remained silent as ever, simply smiling with his eyes as he advanced step by step. The predatory gaze sent a pleasant shiver through Yuda. Then, Requiem's form blurred into the background and vanished from sight in an instant.
'Stealth?'
A sound like a club cutting air distorted the space before him. Yuda ducked his upper body and lunged forward, feeling something whoosh over his head. He spun immediately, staring at empty air. Nothing was there, but the thick weeds were crushed as if trodden.
Thud!
Yuda saw his black wolf leather clothes torn by something sharp.
'Ah, damn.'
He slashed upward with the bastard sword at the torn flap, feeling it connect but not solidly. No blood on the blade—it had just nicked fur or hide. But the moment the sword touched, the attack registered, and Requiem's stealth broke, revealing him. His eyes seemed to say "Not bad" before he melted back into the air.
Frowning, Yuda retreated and activated [Shadow Sword 1st Form - Potential Release], a skill he rarely used. It consumed mana steadily once activated but granted bonuses to reaction speed and swordsmanship while wielding a blade.
The effect wasn't overwhelming, but with it active, his swings felt smoother and faster. Still, Requiem's attacks remained blurry. His massive size meant wide attack arcs, forcing Yuda to dodge broadly.
'Stealth is more effective than I thought.'
Even in the game, stealth outperformed basic buffs, boosting evasion and attack power while hiding the user. The same held here.
He'd thought Tia’s mastered B-rank stealth was threatening, but this C-rank was no slouch. The rank gap made presence detectable, and movement rippled the air, easing position guesses.
Stepping on spread shadows even marked him as a red dot on the . The issue was predicting attack patterns despite knowing position.
Yuda coped thanks to [War God] sharpening instincts and low-rank stealth dropping briefly on attack/defense. A mastered B-rank would eliminate that...
'Not for now, at least.'
Dodging Requiem's strikes, Yuda hurled the reverse-gripped dagger from his left hand. Requiem batted it away with a hind leg, breaking stealth. Instead of more daggers, Yuda opened his <Bag> and pulled three small vials of fluorescent material—leftovers from Tia, with plenty remaining. Deftly wedged between fingers, he flung them at Requiem.
...!
Requiem twisted, swatting what he mistook for daggers with a forepaw. Perfect! The claws shattered the vials with a crisp crack, coating the paw in glowing goo. He stealthed again post-defense, but the glowing paw shone brightly in the dark. Not just the paw—liquid glowed anywhere it touched. Requiem stared at his luminous forepaw in clear panic.
Normal blood or dye would vanish with stealth, but this alchemical mana-infused stuff wouldn't until it auto-ignited later. Stealth was useless meanwhile. Yuda grinned in satisfaction.
"Sorry. With our size difference, you'll overlook a little cheating, right?"
......
Yuda bantered casually as he charged the now-visible Requiem without hesitation. Unlike his prior caution, he was aggressive now. Requiem, deeming stealth pointless, fought purely with physical prowess.
"On this stage...!"
Ducking, razor claws on a brutal paw sliced overhead. Blocking with the sword might hold, but taking it bodily would shred flesh and snap bone. Chills raising sweat on palms and soles, Yuda locked eyes with Requiem and continued.
"Doesn't it feel like dancing? Us!"
Romantic night, though beasts and man swung weapons for throats instead of sweet whispers. Still, it felt like a dance on this plain-stage.
......
Stoic Requiem bared fangs in a gaping maw lunging for Yuda's throat. Yuda leaped back as jaws snapped empty air. He chuckled.
A gap. He seized it. Pulling the sword close, Yuda activated [Shadow Sword 3rd Form - Single Point]. Black mana particles gathered along the blade, forming a massive lance. He thrust with all his might.
Kheung!
Requiem's eyes flashed; mana surged from his body. Yuda's eyes widened, pupils contracting.
'Mana Release!'
Game skill to repel close foes. Radius about 2m; hitting caused brief stun. Matching the exact game motion and activation, Yuda burst laughing.
"Ha, hahahaha!"
Canceling Shadow Sword, he retreated swiftly. Mana erupted just as he cleared 2m.
Kwaaaaaa!
Intangible mana blasted outward, harmless to Yuda outside range. Brutal. Intense. Their fight transcended mere dance metaphor.
Past black wolf fights helped; he evaded adeptly. But Requiem didn't just take hits. Sword swings alone couldn't critically wound him. Shadow Sword was needed, but available forms were too telegraphed. He wouldn't patiently tank obvious threats and spammed Mana Release on cooldown to block openings.
'Duration's almost up.'
Fluorescent glow on Requiem's paw faded. As Yuda opened <Bag> for another vial—
"!"
Oops. Distracted by vials, Yuda thought he'd dodged the forepaw, but Requiem spun with the momentum, following with hind leg. Identical to Kor'kan's combo two years ago. Dodging that led to tail. Yuda raised his bagged bastard sword, bracing hand on flat.
─────!
Hind paw slammed blade; impact resounded. Wincing against the force threatening to launch him, Yuda gritted teeth, absorbing shock body-wide. Heaving deep breaths, stamina hit limit. Removing hand to re-raise sword, an impossible sound came from the bastard sword.
Crack!
"Huh?"
The blade snapped. Requiem's [Weapon Destruction] must've triggered. Backpedaling with broken sword, Yuda was hotly pursued. Requiem's eyes gleamed murderously—time to finish it.