[Divine Descent System - Godslayer]
Host: Kael Voss | In-Game ID: Zhu ShenPartner: Gareth | In-Game ID: ShadowCompanion: Lila Elias | In-Game ID: LunaLocation: Novice Village 4791 → Forsaken Thicket (Emberwood Forest Outer Zone)Current Level: Zhu Shen Lv.18 | Shadow Lv.18 | Luna Lv.8Core Objective: Complete blacksmith's quest → Unlock novice village ultimate hidden quest → Approach Lv.20 → Locate Abyss Wolf Lord's lair
The sun dipped below the treeline of Emberwood Forest, painting the sky in streaks of deep purple and orange. The air retained the lingering warmth of the day, but a faint chill began to creep in—foreshadowing the night that would soon blanket the novice zone. Kael (Zhu Shen) stood at the edge of Wolf's Cliff, his boots crunching on the gravel as he tucked the nine sharp wolf fangs from the Three-Star Elite Wolf Leader into his inventory. The Bronze-grade Wolfskin Boots he'd looted lay securely in his bag, a tangible reward for the grueling battle, though he'd have to wait until Lv.5 to equip them. His grip tightened around the Novice Short Sword, its iron blade still stained with the blood of the elite wolf—proof of his unbroken streak of 越级 kills (level-suppressing victories).
Gareth (Shadow) stood beside him, the Frostbite Dagger glinting faintly at his waist. His cold eyes scanned the surrounding forest, his body tense but relaxed, like a coiled serpent ready to strike. Lila (Luna) hovered a step behind them, her small hands clutching a pouch brimming with Moonbloom and Ember Grass. Her cheeks were flushed from the long day of travel and support, but her starry eyes remained bright—she'd leveled up twice just from assisting in the wolf battles, her Support Proficiency soaring to 50.
"We should return to the village to hand in the blacksmith's quest," Kael said, his voice low and steady. "The sooner we wrap up novice zone tasks, the sooner we can target the Abyss Wolf Lord." He glanced at his experience bar—89% of Lv.18. Another round of high-level monster kills would push him to Lv.19, and then Lv.20 would be within reach. The Abyss Wolf Lord, the Lv.20 Dark Gold-grade ultimate boss of Novice Village 4791, was their next target—the only way to unlock the novice village's final hidden reward, the Shura's Novice Emblem.
Gareth nodded once, his gaze never leaving the forest. "I'll take the lead. Luna, stay close to Kael."
Lila nodded eagerly, her small feet hurrying to keep up as they descended Wolf's Cliff. The journey back to Novice Village 4791 was quieter than their trip out—most players had retreated to the village as night fell, and the lower-level monsters (Goblin Grunts, Thorn Hares) had grown scarce. Kael used the downtime to review his stats, his strategist's mind cataloging every advantage:
[Character: Zhu Shen]Level: 18Class: Novice Warrior → Shura (Pending Advancement)Health: 320 (Base 180 + Crimson Fruit 100 + Equipment 40)Mana: 180Strength: 35 (Base 10 + Level-Ups 25) | Stamina: 5 | Agility: 5 | Spirit: 5Talent Stats: Luck 5 | Insight 5Attack: 85 (Base 70 + Weapon 15) | Defense: 30 (Base 10 + Equipment 20)Critical Rate: 7% (Base 5 + Frostbite Dagger 2) | Penetration Rate: 5%Skills:
[Detection Lv.1] (All-class): Consumes 5 Mana. Scans basic attributes of targets ≤10 levels above.[Heavy Strike Lv.3]: Consumes 5 Mana. Deals 130% physical damage. No cooldown.[Backstab Lv.1] (Shura Precursor Skill): Unlocked via Elite Wolf Leader kill. Consumes 15 Mana. Deals 200% damage to unaware targets. Cooldown: 5s.
The new [Backstab] skill was a game-changer—proof that the Shura class's latent power was awakening with every high-risk battle. Kael smiled faintly. With this, taking down the Abyss Wolf Lord would be far easier.
As they entered Novice Village 4791, the bustle of players faded into the background. Most were huddled around the village square, comparing loot or complaining about the difficulty of leveling, but a few cast 敬畏 glances at Kael and Gareth—word of their solo kills on elite monsters had spread through the village like wildfire. No one dared to approach, though; the cold aura radiating from the two men was enough to keep curious onlookers at bay.
They headed straight for the blacksmith's shop. The burly blacksmith, Ironbeard, looked up from his anvil as they entered, wiping sweat from his brow with a dirty cloth. His eyes widened when he saw Kael's inventory—100 ordinary wolf fangs and 9 sharp wolf fangs from the Wolf Leader.
"By the Moon Goddess!" Ironbeard exclaimed, stepping forward to examine the sharp fangs. "You actually killed the Wolf Leader? That beast has terrorized Wolf's Cliff for months—no player has dared to challenge it, let alone a Lv.18 novice!" He shook his head in awe, then grinned. "You've earned more than just the promised reward, young warrior."
[System Notification]
Ding! You have completed the quest "Ironbeard's Commission"!Ding! Reward: 1000 EXP, 3 Silver Coins, Lv.5 Steel Short Sword ×1.Ding! Bonus Reward (for defeating Wolf Leader): 5 Skill Points, [Wolf Tooth Dagger] (Bronze-grade) ×1.Ding! Your reputation with Novice Village 4791 has reached "Honored Hero"!
Kael's experience bar jumped to 98% of Lv.18, and he felt a surge of power as the Skill Points were added to his pool (now 20 total). He picked up the Wolf Tooth Dagger—its bronze blade etched with wolf patterns, its attributes far surpassing his current weapon:
[Wolf Tooth Dagger]Quality: BronzeType: One-Handed DaggerLevel Requirement: 18Attack: 35-42Attribute: SharpnessSpecial Effect: 10% chance to trigger "Bleed" (5 damage/sec for 3s)Exclusive: Zhu Shen
He equipped it immediately, replacing the Novice Short Sword. His attack power jumped to 105, a significant boost that would shave precious seconds off his boss fights.
Ironbeard leaned in, his voice dropping to a whisper. "There's a legend in this village—of a beast that lurks in the Forsaken Thicket, beyond the eastern edge of Emberwood Forest. It's called the Abyss Wolf Lord, a Lv.20 Dark Gold Elite. The village elder has been searching for someone brave enough to kill it… but no one has returned alive. If you can defeat it, you'll unlock the village's ultimate hidden reward—a relic that will aid you in your Shura advancement."
[System Notification]
Ding! You have unlocked the Novice Village Ultimate Hidden Quest: "Slay the Abyss Wolf Lord"!Quest Objective: Kill the Lv.20 Dark Gold Elite Abyss Wolf Lord in Forsaken Thicket.Quest Reward: Shura's Novice Emblem (Unique), 5000 EXP, 10 Gold Coins, Lv.20 Dark Gold Armor Piece (Random).Quest Warning: The Abyss Wolf Lord has high defense and AoE frost skills. Solo combat is extremely risky.
Kael's eyes lit up. This was exactly what he'd been waiting for. The Shura's Novice Emblem would be crucial for his class advancement, and the Gold Coins would bring him closer to covering Lila's medical bills.
"We'll take it," he said firmly.
Ironbeard nodded, handing him a tattered map. "This shows the path to Forsaken Thicket. The Wolf Lord's lair is in the center, guarded by its pack. Be careful—its frost breath can freeze you solid, and its howl summons additional wolves."
As they left the blacksmith's shop, Kael's in-game communicator buzzed—a message from Yun Feng (in-game ID: Phantom):
[Phantom]:The first installment of the funding is transferred to your account (100,000 USD). The hospital contacted me—Lila's condition fluctuated slightly, but it's stable for now. The doctor says the surgery needs to be scheduled within a month. Hurry up with the novice zone—we need the big rewards from the Abyss Wolf Lord.
Kael's jaw tightened. Lila's health was a ticking clock. He glanced at Luna, who was looking at him with concern, and forced a reassuring smile. "We need to move fast. The Abyss Wolf Lord won't wait."
Gareth nodded, his hand resting on the Frostbite Dagger. "I'll scout ahead. You and Luna follow—stay out of sight until I clear the perimeter."
They headed east, leaving the village behind and entering the denser part of Emberwood Forest. The trees grew taller, their branches blocking most of the remaining sunlight, and the air grew colder. The ground was covered in a thin layer of frost, a sign they were approaching Forsaken Thicket.
Suddenly, Gareth froze, holding up a hand. "Wolves. Lots of them."
Kael activated [Detection Lv.1], scanning the forest ahead. Dozens of red dots appeared on his mini-map—Lv.19 Abyss Wolf Pack, the Abyss Wolf Lord's minions.
[Abyss Wolf]Level: 19Health: 450Attack: 65Attribute: FrostSpecial Effect: Frost Bite (Slows movement by 20% for 2s)
A pack of 20+ wolves, each stronger than the Three-Star Elite Wolf Leader. Kael smiled coldly. This would be the perfect warm-up for the Lord himself.
"Shadow, take the left flank. Luna, stay behind this tree—use Moonbloom Pollen if we get slowed. I'll draw their aggro," he said, unsheathing the Wolf Tooth Dagger. The bronze blade glinted in the dim light, its sharp edge eager for blood.
Gareth vanished into the shadows, his figure blending with the trees. Kael took a deep breath, then let out a loud roar—drawing the attention of the entire pack. The wolves howled, turning toward him and charging at full speed, their frost-covered fangs glinting.
Kael didn't back down. He darted forward, his body moving like a blur, and activated [Backstab] on the nearest wolf.
89 DMG! (Critical Strike! Bleed Triggered!)
The wolf fell to the ground, whimpering as blood oozed from its neck. Kael didn't stop—he spun around, slashing at another wolf's legs, then leaped over its charge, stabbing it in the back.
76 DMG!92 DMG! (Weak Point Hit!)
Gareth struck from the shadows, his Frostbite Dagger piercing wolf after wolf, each strike a critical hit. The Frost Slow effect slowed the wolves down, making them easy targets for Kael's rapid strikes. Luna stood behind the tree, throwing Moonbloom Pollen whenever a wolf's frost bite hit them, neutralizing the slow effect instantly.
The battle was chaotic but controlled. Kael and Gareth moved in perfect sync, their attacks complementing each other—Kael drawing aggro and dealing AoE damage, Gareth picking off stragglers and finishing wounded wolves. The wolves fell one by one, their bodies piling up on the frost-covered ground.
After 15 minutes, the last wolf collapsed, its health drained by a final [Heavy Strike] from Kael.
[System Notification]
Ding! You have killed 24 Abyss Wolves!Ding! Zhu Shen gains 4800 EXP! Level Up! Lv.18 → Lv.19!Ding! Shadow gains 4800 EXP! Level Up! Lv.18 → Lv.19!Ding! Luna gains 2400 EXP! Level Up! Lv.8 → Lv.9!Ding! You have collected 24 Abyss Wolf Pelts (Crafting Material)!
Kael's experience bar was now 30% of Lv.19. One more push, and he'd reach Lv.20—perfect timing to face the Abyss Wolf Lord.
He glanced at the Forsaken Thicket ahead, its entrance blocked by a wall of ice. The Abyss Wolf Lord's lair was just beyond.
"Ready?" he asked Gareth and Luna.
Gareth nodded, his eyes cold and determined. Luna grinned, holding up her pouch of Moonbloom. "Let's go!"
They stepped toward the ice wall, the final challenge of Novice Village 4791 awaiting them. The Abyss Wolf Lord's howl echoed through the forest, a deep, resonant sound that sent chills down their spines—but Kael felt only excitement.
This was the moment he'd been working toward. For Lila, for the Shura's Novice Emblem, for the first step in dominating Divine Descent.
He drew his Wolf Tooth Dagger, the bronze blade glowing faintly. "Let's kill a lord."