The Wolf's Price
The special ability of the Silver Mane Wristguard has been activated.
The spirit of an ancient wolf possesses the owner.
The wolf spirit that possesses the owner changes depending on the weapon equipped.
Summoning too many wolf spirits in a short period may result in being attacked instead.
The Force Wolf manifests when a greatsword is equipped.
The Silver Mane Wristguard, the treasure obtained from the Ultika Ruins, now revealed its magic in Kang Yoonsoo's hands.
A faint glow flowed from the wristguard and took shape. It was a massive red wolf, larger than Lavian.
［Grrrrrr!］
Everyone was stunned. White especially looked as if the world had collapsed.
“Karuk? Lironomok!”
The red wolf howled savagely.
［Awooooo-!］
The wolf's spirit rushed forward and flowed into Kang Yoonsoo's body. A crimson aura wrapped around him.
The Force Wolf Auron has possessed the owner's body.
Strength has greatly increased.
Muscle mass has surged.
Endurance has improved.
Burns and frostbite will not significantly hinder movement.
Two-handed weapons can now be wielded with one hand.
Violent movements like a storm are now possible.
However, after a set time, the user will suffer muscle pain comparable to death.
Kang Yoonsoo's body changed. Though already tall, his lean frame filled out with balanced muscle. He became a towering figure. Vitality surged through him.
Yet inside, he sighed.
‘Ancient Wolf Possession is powerful, but the backlash is severe. I need to finish this quickly.’
“You…… I'll kill you……!”
Lavian swung his sword. Dozens of lightning bolts rained down on Kang Yoonsoo.
Crackle-!
Kang Yoonsoo did not dodge. Instead, he took the lightning head-on. Agonizing pain coursed through him, but his expression remained blank.
Because he absorbed the lightning with his body, the people behind him were safe.
“Kang Yoonsoo!”
Shanette cried out desperately. Until now, she had never seen him injured despite his bizarre actions. Yet here he was, enduring countless wounds to fight the monster.
Her grip on the scabbard tightened.
Kang Yoonsoo endured the lightning. Black smoke rose from his body, but he gripped the greatsword tightly. Veins bulged along his forearms.
He charged and swung the greatsword with tremendous force.
Thud-!
Lavian, who had withstood even White's attacks, was hurled backward. The homunculus let out a low scream, his chest deeply slashed.
“Krrraaagh……!”
Kang Yoonsoo's strike was not only powerful but too fast to avoid. Greatswords normally traded speed for destructive power, yet his blade traced an agile, curving arc.
Reeling from the blow, Lavian refused to fall. He thrust his longsword with all his remaining strength.
“Turn to ash……!”
Crackle-!
A barrage of lightning and sword strikes poured forth. Kang Yoonsoo parried every attack without missing a single one. His greatsword moved in a relentless flurry that defied its size.
Each clash burned his palms, but he swung on without expression.
Under the relentless assault, cracks began to spread along his machete.
“Shanette. Sally. White. Help me.”
The three, still dazed by the sudden turn of events, snapped back to their senses. Sally imbued everyone's weapons with flame and transformed into a lizard to unleash her fiery wrath. White growled and entered the fight with a completely different demeanor than before. Where he had fought out of rage earlier, he now fought to aid Kang Yoonsoo.
Shanette possessed no special techniques, but she charged forward with nothing but the desire to help.
Though gradual, damage began to accumulate on Lavian.
“Sh-shouldn't we help too?”
Lee Kang-hyun turned to Shin Han-yul. But Shin Han-yul was lost in despair, realizing his magic had only strengthened Lavian. As he hesitated, Lee Kang-hyun bit his lip and shouted to the others.
“Let's go! We have to help Kang Yoonsoo!”
“Aaaagh!”
The swordsmen swung their blades with everything they had. Whenever Lavian swung his sword and lightning rained down, Kang Yoonsoo stepped in to take the hits. Even with enhanced endurance, such a feat required superhuman willpower.
Each time Kang Yoonsoo swung his greatsword, Lavian gritted his teeth and blocked. Though Kang Yoonsoo held the advantage in strength, the machete continued to crack toward the tip. Once the blade splintered, its attack power plummeted.
“Shanette.”
Kang Yoonsoo spoke calmly and quietly. Shanette understood immediately and hurled her scabbard with all her might. Kang Yoonsoo caught it in his left hand while gripping the greatsword in his right, then crossed both flame-wrapped weapons and brought them down in a powerful slash.
Slash-!
The homunculus's chest split open. Lavian finally drew his last breath.
“Minerva…… exact your bloody revenge on all alchemists……!”
The homunculus's pitch-black body crumbled into dust and vanished. Only a red heart and a long sword remained.
Kang Yoonsoo collected the spoils and collapsed on the spot. His swollen muscles rapidly returned to normal. He tossed the broken machete aside.
You have defeated the Mixed Magic Lifeform Homunculus Lavian (Boss, Level 132).
Your level has increased by 16.
“W-we won!”
“We're alive! We're finally alive!”
Lee Kang-hyun's group embraced one another. At that moment—
Crack-crack-crack-!
“The space is collapsing!”
“The Chimera Dimension is breaking down because the boss is dead!”
“We can get out now!”
A rift in space appeared in the distance. White and Sally quickly returned to their summoning realms as everyone sprinted toward the exit.
Shanette turned to Kang Yoonsoo in panic.
“Kang Yoonsoo, we have to leave now or it'll be dangerous!”
But Kang Yoonsoo did not rise. Instead, he fell backward.
Shanette's eyes widened. His entire body trembled slightly. As his swollen muscles returned to their original state, excruciating pain set in. The damage from the lightning had also accumulated severely.
‘I'm going to die.’
He could not move his body by his own will. As she stood frozen in panic, Kang Yoonsoo spoke quietly.
“Shanette.”
“Yes?”
He spoke with complete seriousness.
“Carry me.”
Shanette hoisted him onto her back with all her strength. Together, they ran with everything they had toward the exit as the Chimera Dimension crumbled around them.