The Wolf Etched in Flame
Sudden pain flared in my shoulder, and I bit down on the blanket to stifle my groan.
“Grrraaah—!!”
Even amid the agony, flames continued to scorch my shoulder. A closer look revealed they weren't ordinary fire—they were made of my own aura.
But why the hell were flames conjured from my aura burning me?
I got my answer by staring at the spot where the flames had settled. There, as if etched by a laser, a black image began slowly carving itself into my shoulder.
As details sharpened, it took the form of a wolf's profile.
Only after the shading was perfectly rendered did the red aura flames and the pain finally fade.
Character creation complete: 「Eugene Han Calione: Narrative Engraving」!
The torment I'd just endured felt like a dream—my shoulder was now completely pain-free.
“……Gonna lose my mind here, for real.”
The ways a character's Narrative Engraving manifested varied wildly. It might infuse power into a favored object, etch a pattern onto the body, or appear as a vision only the user could see.
Among the rarest forms were literal writing or images branded onto the flesh. Even those were usually abstract—symbols, lines, script with ritualistic meaning.
A straightforward picture like this? Practically unheard of.
And a wolf, no less…… I had no clue what others would think if they saw it.
“……Well, at least it's not some plain doodle.”
I pulled up my status window for the first time in ages to check my traits and skills.
👤 Name:Eugene Han Calione
♂ Gender:Male
💼 Occupation:Underworld Heir
🩸 Bloodline:Calione
- Monsters weaker than you have a high chance of gaining Fear.
- Abilities rise proportionally to the number of surrounding enemies.
- Abilities rise proportionally to combat duration.
- (N) Dominates and enhances the user's equipment and skills.
⭐ Traits:Underworld Heir, Bad Boy, Hitman, Enforcer, Immunity to All Poisons
🌀 Skills:Aura Sonar
📜 Narrative Engraving (1)
[1. An Offer They Can't Refuse – Negotiation skills slightly increase. Greatly increase against those who feel Fear toward you.]
[2. Baby Boss – Overall abilities slightly increase proportionally to living beings who fear or respect you.]
[3. Locked]
[Bad Boy – Your charm rises proportionally to your infamy.]
[1. Ruthless Killer – The organization's blade that executes foes. Hitmen maintain composure in any situation. Gun proficiency greatly increases.]
[2. Villain Hunter – You're a hitman highly accustomed to hunting villains. They will fear you, making them easier prey. Villains' fear toward you increases 1.5x. Aura utilization slightly increases against villains.]
[1. Enforcer – Those who confront the organization's enemies. Physical abilities increase 1.5x when fighting recognized foes of the organization.]
[1. Immunity to All Poisons – Gain immunity to most poisons. Poison resistance greatly increases.]
[1. Natural Healing (C) – Enhances the body's natural healing power.]
- Spreads aura to detect terrain features and lifeforms.
Each time the user achieves a feat, an image corresponding to that narrative etches onto their body, recreating the saga.
Wolf (Night Hunter): He is the wolf that hunts enemies beneath the moonlight. Unyielding even against vastly superior foes, he leads packs in the hunt.
“……The meaning and effects are right up my alley.”
Narrative Engraving effects weren't spelled out explicitly, so I could only speculate. From the description, it probably boosted physical abilities at night, enhanced power and charm against stronger foes—something like that.
“Gotta test it out sometime.”
Hey, if it meant handing out boosts like this, who cared about some ink on my skin? If anyone asked, I'd just say it was a skill effect. Done.
“Plus, tomorrow's the day I learn Aura Style…… Am I seriously on track to become ridiculously strong?”
At this point in the story, no amount of exploits could've unlocked a Narrative Engraving. The thing basically screamed deep immersion in the character's saga, tying directly to playtime.
Yet here I was, not even a month into in-game time after character creation, having soloed a Blanca-level villain—and unlocked the engraving to boot?
Post this on the forums, and I'd get branded a bug abuser or cheater, drowned in elaborate profanity.
And all this was thanks to this body's background and talents, no doubt.
“……Eugene Han Calione.”
CS's top-tier golden spoon, heir to Vito Calione's genius, blood, and power. And a total idiot who squandered it all.
The saga of the storied Calione name must've seeped into the character, amplifying everything.
One thing I'd realized living this life: If the original Eugene Han Calione had just thought straight, the entire City of Seoul worldview would've shifted dramatically.
“How the hell did he end up a low-tier villain with this body? Makes no sense.”
If this short span had yielded so much, how absurdly strong would I get moving forward……?
Excitement swelled as I slipped under the covers, eyes shut, to cool off. Nights for rest were fleeting.
“……So you're telling me to wear this thing right now?”
“Yep.”
“This toy?”
“It's no toy—it's the real deal for taking down villains.”
“……Still, it's pink. And doesn't have a teddy bear sticker slapped on it?”
“Hey, you punk! I went out of my way to borrow it from a buddy, and that's how you talk? It's the original owner's taste—what can ya do! And pink? That's a man's color!”
“……The owner’s a guy?”
“'Course not—a woman.”
“……Sigh. But 'man's color'? You know tossing that around these days is risky, right?”
“So, you saying no?”
I couldn't exactly complain after he'd gone through the hassle for me……
Here in Gangwon Province, I stared at the bracelet before me, deep in turmoil.
Everything had been fine up until we arrived and he announced custom Aura Style training was ready. I could feel his genuine intent to teach.
……Right up until he told me to strap on this godforsaken pink teddy bear bracelet.
Anti-Awakener Suppressor—it inhibited aura and mana use, standard gear for capturing or restraining villains. Nationally restricted, no question.
Yet this old man had procured a garish customized version from “a friend.”
Who the hell sticks teddy bear stickers on villain cuffs anyway? To humiliate them right up to arrest?
“At the very least, shouldn't you explain why I gotta wear this?”
“Huh? Didn't I tell ya?”
……Should I bolt now?
Still, I figured I'd hear the reason first.
“This bracelet works by clumping mana or aura inside the body, making it too viscous to wield freely. Like turning it to gel so it won't flow.”
“So even you couldn't use aura with one of these on, Elder?”
“Gah, you little shit!”
Gwak Chunsik barked at my words.
“Think a toy like this can seal my aura after all these years? At my level, I can manipulate it solid or liquid-thin—doesn't matter!”
“So we're slapping this on to gel up my aura and test it?”
“Bingo! Gettin' it now?”
He'd pinpointed my flaw: I couldn't shape aura outside my body. This bracelet was his fix—force it to coagulate.
Made sense, sort of……
But the issue was……
“I'm not you, Elder. Won't this just shut down my aura entirely? Then how do we train?”
“Nah, your blood'll handle it.”
“……Pardon?”
“That wild aura you showed—normies struggle to even spread theirs, but you do it like breathing. I'm betting the suppressor won't fully lock you out.”
So…… I might be immune to suppressors?
This cleared up a nagging doubt.
Vito Calione, national-level powerhouse. Rose to the top solo, no mentor. Before building his organization, why hadn't the state reined him in?
Probably his aura's nature. Couldn't block it without massive fallout.
“……Just slip it on my wrist?”
“Dunno. Someone always did it for me.”
“When you got nabbed causing chaos against villains?”
“Shut it, punk! Those bastards deserved it!”
“……I'll figure it out myself.”
Steeled my resolve, lifted the bracelet slowly. It's just a normal bracelet. Just a normal……
……
……Huh……?
……Wha……?
“Why the face?”
“It's…… weirder than expected. Kinda shocking.”
“Weird how?”
“Like, comfy fit? But my body's all tingly too.”
“……Felt nasty to me.”
Why the distrustful glare?
“Wanna try it on, Elder?”
“You think I'm nuts, cuffing myself with a suppressor?”
……Then what does that make me?
I nearly grabbed his collar but remembered he was an aura master and swallowed my anger.
Fine. He's stronger. Suck it up.
“So, how's the aura feel?”
At Gwak Chunsik's prompt, I checked inside.
“Definitely clumping a bit. Like…… liquid turning to jelly?”
“Jelly means it's still movable, eh?”
“Yeah.”
I drew aura slowly to my palm. Red haze rose—not spreading like usual, but flickering like contained flame.
Willing it to shift, I felt the form change bit by bit.
“Hmm…… Yeah, it's moving.”
“Good. Priority one: keep manipulating it to get the feel. Suppressor or not, easier than starting from scratch, right?”
Grinning smugly at his effective method, he eyed the wriggling aura on my palm.
“That's it for today?”
“As if. Wear it daily for the next few days. Aura control's essential for Aura Style—huge help.”
……Live with this on normally?
For real?