The Beginning of Knife King's

The next morning, I trained with Uncle Gonzo as usual. However, when I was about to head to the Adventurer's Guild, Uncle Gonzo stopped me.

"Hold on. Today, I'll take on a quest too. Wait here while I prepare."

I waited for a while until Uncle Gonzo came, and then we headed to the Adventurer's Guild together. Upon arriving, I saw Lena waiting for me.

"You're here, Ren! Is Uncle Gonzo coming along today too?"

"Yes. Today, I plan to have Ren join my party to take on a B-rank quest."

"Can I join the party too?" Lena asked eagerly.

"You can, but I can't guarantee your safety," Uncle Gonzo replied with a worried expression.

"It's okay," Lena said confidently.

With that, Uncle Gonzo, Lena, and I approached the counter to submit a party request and take on a quest. It turned out to be a quest to eliminate a werewolf.

"Isn't that a bit dangerous?" I asked, concerned.

"Don't worry. If anything happens, I'll handle it," Uncle Gonzo reassured me.

We then set off in a carriage to the werewolf's territory. During the journey, I kept training to stabilize my core control.

Creak... Halt!

"We've arrived," Uncle Gonzo announced.

We carefully got off the carriage and moved cautiously into the forest. The atmosphere was eerily silent, with no sounds of other creatures, only the faint noise of our footsteps.

"This is strange. By now, they should have shown up," Uncle Gonzo said, his voice tinged with suspicion.

Suddenly, I sensed something rushing toward Lena from behind.

Rustle—Snarl!

A silver wolf leaped out of the bushes, aiming straight for Lena.

"Ahhhh!" she screamed.

Thud!

I threw my dagger at its neck just in time. Luckily, my ability to sense life forms around me had improved, or Lena would have been its victim.

"This feels off. We should retreat and regroup," Uncle Gonzo suggested.

We retreated, but I could feel something incredibly dangerous heading toward us.

"Everyone, something terrifying is coming!" I warned them.

Rustle, rustle, rustle—Growl!

A black wolf emerged, radiating an overwhelming aura that made us tremble in fear.

"That's... a Shadow Wolf! Why is a werewolf evolving now?! Everyone, run! We can't fight it!"

We bolted, running for our lives. But the Shadow Wolf began preparing to charge at us, its bloodlust palpable.

Thud, thud, thud!

Within seconds, it closed the distance to less than 10 meters. I hurled a dagger at its leg—not to injure it but to disrupt its rhythm.

"Just ahead is the forest exit. Shadow Wolves hate the light," Uncle Gonzo shouted.

We sprinted toward the light. Relief washed over us when we saw it, but as we emerged, we found ourselves not at the carriage, but at a bridge spanning a raging river. Beyond the bridge lay a lush grassland.

"Damn it! At least there's some light to keep the Shadow Wolf at bay," Uncle Gonzo said.

The Shadow Wolf stood in the shadows, glaring at us with murderous intent before doing something unexpected.

Awooo~!

Its howl echoed through the forest. I could sense countless Silver Wolves heading toward us. We decided to cross the bridge, but Lena had injured her ankle.

"Cross the bridge now. I have a plan," Uncle Gonzo said confidently.

I carried Lena on my back and dashed across the bridge with Uncle Gonzo. As we neared the other side, the Shadow Wolf began muttering something.

"Gravity!"

We froze in shock. A monster casting magic? And a mid-tier spell at that!

Our bodies felt unbearably heavy. The Silver Wolves had reached us, their bloodlust intensifying.

We were trapped, fear consuming us as death loomed closer. In that moment, I remembered the core explosion technique I had practiced with Uncle Gonzo. Though it might cost me my life, I was determined to save them.

Growl! Thud, thud, thud! Crash!

The wolves charged at me with murderous intent.

Bang! Thud, thud, thud! Smash!

I detonated my core, pushing Uncle Gonzo away while rushing forward and setting Lena down. With immense speed, I gathered aura into my fists and destroyed the bridge.

"Goodbye... everyone."

I and the pack of Silver Wolves plunged into the raging river below. As I fell, Lena shouted something, but I couldn't make it out.

I struggled to stay afloat, but the current was too strong. Ahead lay a massive waterfall. I searched desperately for something to grab onto but found nothing. The corpses of the Silver Wolves began falling alongside me.

I tried to swim against the current, but my strength waned from the core explosion. My vision blurred, fading into darkness. I could no longer stay conscious as I was swept over the edge of the thundering waterfall.

End of Chapter6