READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 9: Week later
/Stab/
/Thud/
I stabbed the wolf on its side, the sharp edge of my dagger cutting deep. The creature let out a final, pitiful whimper before collapsing at my feet. Its life extinguished, leaving the forest eerily quiet. I stood there, breathing heavily, sweat dripping down my brow, my armor now barely holding together. Cuts and scrapes adorned my body like a grim tally of my battles. The toll of fighting without proper technique was starting to weigh on me. Each encounter left me more battered, and each victory felt increasingly hollow.
One week has passed since the day i was transmigrated here and every day i was just hunting and training.
I grimaced at the state of my weapon. The dagger, though functional, felt wrong in my grip—a poor match for my style. "I need to replace this," I muttered under my breath, tossing the dagger back into its sheath.
Pulling out a health potion from my inventory, I uncorked it and downed the contents in one gulp. The familiar warm sensation enveloped me, healing my wounds and washing away the pain. The potion worked quickly, mending torn skin and soothing aching muscles. I exhaled deeply and said, "Status."
In response, the translucent screen appeared before me.
[Status]
[Name: Zephyx / Edgar Neal]
Age: 15
[Affinity: Ice, Fire, Water, Earth, Wind]
[Stats:
(Str): 20
(Agi): 25
(Sta): 23
(Int): 25]
Bloodline: ??? (Locked)
Trait(s): [Psycho], [Prodigy]
I noted the slight increase in my stats. My efforts were paying off, but at what cost? The wounds, the exhaustion, the frustration of using brute force—it wasn't sustainable. I sighed, closing the screen, and focused on the task at hand. One by one, I stored the bodies of the four wolves in my storage ring, their lifeless forms vanishing into the magical space. Without lingering any longer, I made my way back toward the city.
The city gates loomed in the distance, the familiar sights and sounds of civilization offering a sense of comfort. Once inside, I headed straight for the Adventurer's Guild, eager to turn in my spoils. Entering the guild hall, I made my way to the reception counter, where the staff greeted me with practiced efficiency.
I placed the wolves' bodies on the submission table, their fur matted with blood, alongside the goblins and frobits from earlier hunts. The receptionist quickly tallied my haul, her hands moving with practiced precision. "Twenty goblins, fifteen frobits, and four wolves," she said, her voice brisk. "Wolves are fifty silver each, so your total comes to four gold and fifty silver."
She handed me a pouch of coins, and I tucked it into my storage ring without a second thought. "Thank you," I said, turning toward the training area.
On my way, I noticed her again—Drusilly, the no-nonsense woman who had been observing me during my training sessions. When our eyes met, a flicker of something I couldn't quite place passed across her face. Her crimson eyes lit up slightly, and she greeted me as I approached.
"Hello, Zephyx," she said, her gaze drifting briefly over my tattered armor. There was curiosity in her eyes, and something darker that sent a chill down my spine. "Rough day?"
"You could say that," I replied.
"Here to train again?" she asked, her tone calm but with a hint of something unreadable.
"Yeah, Drusilly," I said, the name rolling off my tongue. It was the name she had given me when we first spoke, but now I knew better. The name wasn't random—it was the same alias used by Drusilla Crimsonvale in the game when she first met the heroine. The pieces were falling into place, confirming my suspicions.
She smiled, a faint curve of her lips that carried both amusement and something far more enigmatic. "One hour, then," she said.
I nodded and entered the training area, once again immersing myself in the practice of my affinities. Today, I focused on creating new combinations, pushing the limits of what I could do with fire and ice. I combined the elements, shaping them into spiraling bursts of energy.
An hour later, drenched in sweat and mentally drained, I exited the training room. Drusilly was waiting for me at the entrance, her eyes lingering on me for a moment longer than usual. She didn't speak, but her gaze said enough. There was an intrigue there, curiosity.
I returned the key and made my way back to the inn. By the time I reached my room, exhaustion had settled into my bones. Collapsing onto the bed, I let sleep take me.
---
A knock on the window jolted me awake. Blinking into the darkness, I turned toward the source of the sound. The moonlight streaming through the glass illuminated a figure outside. Before I could react, the window slid open, and someone slipped inside.
The intruder stepped into the light, and my breath caught in my throat. It was Drusilly—or rather, Drusilla Crimsonvale. Her presence filled the room, commanding and unsettling
'Is now she will take me as her disciple' I thought.
"Drusilly," I stammered, my voice heavy with fake confusion. "What are you doing here? Why did you come in through the window?"
She smiled, but it wasn't a warm or reassuring smile. It was dark, predatory. With a wave of her hand, her appearance shifted. The above-average face she'd shown before melted away, revealing an ethereal beauty that was otherworldly. Her raven-black hair shimmered, her blood-red eyes gleamed, and her figure seemed almost sculpted, with curves that could disarm even the most stoic.
Seeing my reaction, she smirked "I am making you my Disciple...."
With a shocked face outside, internally I screamed 'yesss' but that happiness didn't last long.
Her smile widened, the darkness in her aura intensifying. ".... and my slave," she said, her tone calm yet final.
And now I'm really shocked I said "wait , what??"