Chapter 18: Chapter 18: Fight
Chapter 18: Fight
Ester was shocked. She hadn't expected Noah to have another affinity besides Ice.
She had never heard of such a thing. That meant...
'I am the only one who knows.'
And that knowledge filled her with a deep sense of pride and happiness.
For the first time, she felt like more than just a shadow. She wasn't just following him—she was his secret keeper. The one who would hide his truth from the world, who would bury it deep in the darkness, revealing it only when he willed it.
'Yes... I will be the shadow. The darkness that shrouds him from others and shows only what he wants to be seen.'
'Yes... This is it. My path. The one I've been searching for.'
BOOM!
It was as if lightning had struck her mind.
A surge of energy exploded within her, rippling through her veins, igniting something deep inside. A realization, a truth she had never grasped before. It wasn't just a conviction—it was power.
Ester had awakened her aura.
'This is my aura... the Aura of the Shrouded.'
BOOOOM!
{Ding!}
{Congratulations, Ester.}
{You have awakened your aura by yourself.}
{You have received a title.}
{Title received: The Self-Taught.}
Noah stopped abruptly. Something shifted in his shadow.
Ester stumbled out, her body trembling violently. He was at her side in an instant.
"What's wrong?" he demanded.
Through gritted teeth, barely able to speak through the pain, she rasped, "A... A-rank...!"
Noah's eyes widened.
A-rank? Did she just awaken her aura?
Now it made sense while she looks in so much pain.
Starting from A-rank, every advancement was accompanied by excruciating pain—because it wasn't just an increase in power. It was evolution. Her very being was changing, adapting to the new force within her.
And when aura evolved into intent... that was when one stepped into S-rank.
Noah's head snapped to the side.
A massive pack of wolves was charging toward them—at least a hundred.
'Shit. I got too excited with my lightning earlier.'
He turned back to Ester. She was still trembling, locked in the middle of her breakthrough. She wouldn't be able to fight.
Noah exhaled sharply. 'I'm not getting out of this unscathed.'
His mana had already replenished thanks to his bloodline, Child of Mana.
With a snap of his fingers, dozens of razor-sharp ice shards materialized around him.
He fired them at the incoming beasts, cutting through their ranks.
He turned again, looking at Ester. Without hesitation, he created an ice barrier around her before launching himself forward, intercepting the pack.
Lightning crackled around his body, amplifying his speed. One instant he was standing still—the next, he was in the midst of the wolves.
Noah smirked. 'Let's see if all the beatings I got from my mother were worth it.'
CLAP!
BOOOOM!
A shockwave of ice erupted outward. The nearest wolves were instantly frozen solid. Others were flung back, howling in pain.
Without missing a beat, Noah raised his right hand, summoning another barrage of ice shards. The wolves, enraged, howled and charged. Some went berserk, throwing themselves at him without regard for their own safety.
Noah instinctively stepped back—too slow.
Two wolves lunged—one sank its teeth into his right arm, the other into his left leg.
Pain flared through him.
"Argh...!"
Snarling, he forced his body to partially transform into ice, making the wolves release him. Without a moment's hesitation, jagged ice spikes erupted from the ground, impaling them.
Breathing heavily, he staggered back. Blood dripped from his wounds.
'Damn it.'
He stopped the bleeding by freezing the wounds shut.
The wolves regrouped. He had only taken down a dozen. There were still seventy left.
Noah cursed under his breath.
'If I keep killing them one by one, I'll run out of stamina before I run out of mana.'
His thoughts raced. He needed something bigger.
Exhaling, he steadied himself. His silver eyes gleamed like frozen steel, burning with resolve.
"You bastards... Let me show you."
His mana surged.
Huuuuuuuu...
He took a deep breath—then stomped the ground.
BOOOOM!
A wave of ice spread instantly, coating the battlefield. The wolves skidded, losing their footing.
That was all he needed.
Noah raised both hands skyward. Above, ice gathered—massive, swirling, condensing into colossal boulders. His vision blurred. His head felt light, his body unsteady.
He clenched his teeth, forcing himself to focus.
His control over ice and mana was still immature—he was pushing himself past his limits.
After a minute, just as the wolves scrambled back to their feet, three massive ice boulders hovered above them.
"Huff... huff..." Noah panted, drained. His entire body trembled with exhaustion.
"Three... is my limit, I guess."
He clenched his fist—
The boulders fell.
BOOOOM!
BOOOOM!
BOOOOM!
A blinding cloud of frost and dust billowed into the air.
Noah wavered, struggling to stay on his feet.
As the dust settled, he saw the aftermath—
The wolves were gone. Squashed. The battlefield was painted red.
Noah collapsed onto his back, gasping, staring at the sky.
Just as he was about to exhale in relief—
HOOOOOOWWWWWLLLLL!
A deep, furious howl echoed through the dungeon.
Noah's body tensed. He forced himself up, swaying.
In the distance, a massive black wolf with crimson eyes glared at him, its presence suffocating. Hatred and killing intent radiated from its body.
Noah's breath hitched.
The boss monster.
A B-rank beast.
"...For the love of hell."
—End of Chapter 18—