Tutorial (12)–the hidden boss....

  -----

  In a realm far beyond time, where stars hadn’t yet dared to dream and reality thinned into silence, I stood with my brother before the Tower.

  It wasn’t finished—just bones of a god-machine reaching into the endless dark.

  But it hummed. Whispered. Hungered.

  Lucarux stood beside me, radiant as ever.

  He glowed with warmth—life coiled around his footsteps like loyal hounds.

  He always had that effect on creation.

  “I think dividing the tutorial into various zones would help in getting good players,” he said, voice bright like it was made of glass and sunrise.

  I gave a slow nod. “Yes, it is a good idea, Lucarux.”

  We didn’t talk like this often.

  Usually, he questioned.

  I answered.

  That was our rhythm.

  He tilted his head, thoughtful. “By the way, Abbys, do we really need to add pieces of other worlds into the tower? We can create new things.”

  Efficiency over purity.

  “I think it would be good. It would not waste much world energy or fragments,” I replied. The pieces were already floating in the void—forgotten dimensions, collapsed dreams, errors of the gods.

  Why not use them?

  Still, he hesitated. His frown disrupted the serenity of his glow.

  “But should we really add those hidden bosses? No one would be able to defeat them.”

  That was the point.

  “Yes,” I answered, firm and cold. “Because they are not meant to be defeated.”

  He looked at me like he didn’t understand.

  And maybe he didn’t.

  Lucarux still believed in balance.

  In fair challenges. In mercy.

  But I knew better.

  The Tower wasn’t for fairness.

  It was for survival.

  He gave a small nod, reluctant.

  “Okay, if you say so. But I don’t understand, father. Why are we creating such a tower as a backup? As long as both of us are here, even one worldline won’t be in danger.”

  I looked up at the Tower as it pulled itself together—thread by thread, floor by floor—built from the trash of infinity.

  The question lingered.

  Why a backup? Why a Tower?

  I didn’t answer right away.

  As I also didn't understand.

  So I echoed what we always said when answers were out of reach.

  “Well… let’s just do as father says. He must’ve seen the future.”

  And yet… something gnawed at me.

  A strange weight. A question left unspoken.

  Who would be the one to trigger the Tower’s integration, even in the presence of us?

  Well, I didn’t know back then.

  That it would be me.

  -----

  The bear was slain.

  Its massive form lay still, a hulking monument of raw strength finally silenced.

  But I had no intention of letting it go to waste.

  I stepped toward the body, the scent of iron and blood thick in the air.

  The hide—dense, layered like plated armor—was far tougher than the boar’s.

  My blade struggled at first, but I persisted, cutting deep and clean.

  It took a long time.

  Sweat clung to my brow, and blood soaked my gloves.

  I worked with precision, peeling back the armored layers with practiced effort.

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  This time, I wasn’t making pouches or bags.

  This time, I was making armor.

  If I had tools, or if I were inside the tower… I could’ve given this to a blacksmith.

  But I wasn’t.

  So I had to do it the old-fashioned way.

  I skinned the hide entirely, spreading it out to let the excess blood drain.

  The interior of the hide pulsed with the memory of the beast’s strength.

  It was thick, veined, and stank of old musk and iron.

  While that rested, I turned to the bear’s claws and fangs.

  With effort and the help of sharp Scatterfur teeth, I carved them down into small spike-like daggers—sharp, jagged, and ideal for up-close brutality.

  These would be perfect for my next weapon.

  The meat was salted and packed.

  Some I’d use as bait.

  The rest—food.

  The bones?

  Those would be sold.

  Now came the main task: crafting the armor.

  The hide’s stench was potent—almost unbearable.

  I mixed in local fragrant herbs, crushed leaves, and a few other ingredients from my pouch to dull the odor.

  I didn’t need it gone completely.

  After all, wolves hate bears.

  If I walked into their territory reeking of an Ironhide bear, they’d come charging.

  Useful for baiting.

  Weaker monsters, though—they’d scatter.

  That works too.

  Once the smell was manageable, I began cutting the hide into segments.

  Shoulder plates, chest guard, arm and elbow wraps, wrist coverings.

  Leg armor came next—light enough for mobility, strong enough for protection.

  I even made a crude helmet—slightly too big, but it would do.

  It had a thick brow, with a ridge like the bear’s own skull.

  And then, the final piece: the weapon.

  I fashioned a pair of thick gloves from leftover hide, reinforced at the knuckles and palms.

  Then, carefully, I mounted the spike-like bear claws across the knuckles—four on each hand.

  It wasn’t elegant, but it was savage.

  Perfect.

  I clenched my fists, testing the weight.

  Not too heavy.

  Good reach.

  Enough to rip through flesh if delivered right.

  I was almost ready to hunt.

  But first, one last thing.

  From my bag, I pulled out chunks of bear meat and approached the six creatures.

  Their eyes flicked toward me, cautious.

  Hungry.

  I dropped the meat in front of them.

  Without hesitation, they began to devour it.

  “Okay,” I muttered. “You all can go now.”

  I cut the ropes binding them.

  "Squee!!"

  "Chii!"

  "Krii!!"

  They froze at first, glancing between me and the forest beyond.

  Then, slowly, they began to move—some scurrying with their food in their mouths, others carrying more than they could chew.

  Whether they stored it or shared it with their families, I didn’t care.

  'Not that I care.'

  I thought before turning my back.

  And without another glance, I walked deeper into the woods—my new armor creaking with every step, the spike-gloves glinting faintly beneath the canopy.

  'Let’s start the hunt.'

  ----

  The forest was completely silent and quite.

  Not a single bird chirped.

  Not a single leaf rustled.

  It was the kind of silence that suffocated you.

  It was eerie… unnatural.

  The sunlight didn’t even reach this point.

  Thick layers of leaves and branches above formed a canopy so dense that it blocked even the strongest rays of light.

  Darkness clung to everything.

  Cold and heavy.

  The trees were so close together, their trunks wide and ancient, their roots tangled like veins through the ground.

  No more than two wolves could enter together at a time, maybe even less.

  And right in front of me were four wolves.

  Four wolves, their fur dark like obsidian, their eyes glowing faintly with a crimson hue.

  Their bodies were lean and muscular, their claws long and hooked, and every one of them had their lips curled back into vicious snarls.

  "Grrrrrrr..."

  "GRRRAAGHHH..."

  They didn’t growl at me directly.

  No, it was the smell—the stench of my armor.

  More accurately, the stench of what I had cobbled together as armor.

  Calling it ‘armor’ would be too generous, but still.

  It was crude, messy, and maybe even a bit ridiculous.

  If I had more time, maybe I would have completed a whole teddy bear-like armor.

  It might’ve even been fluffy.

  'Forget about it!'

  I mentally snapped.

  The moment of humor was instantly shattered as one of the wolves snarled loudly and charged forward.

  "RRAAAGGHH!!"

  Its paws barely made a sound as it sprinted at me, but its eyes were locked onto me with savage intent.

  I moved slightly backward, my boots scraping the ground softly.

  Movement in this armor was a little hard.

  The added weight and awkward positioning of the hide pieces slowed me just enough to notice.

  But thankfully, my Agility stat was high enough to still allow fluid motion.

  The wolf was just a few inches away from me, its jaws open, its breath hot and foul.

  And then—

  Smack!

  I swung my fist.

  THWACK!!

  The punch landed with bone-cracking impact, and the iron spikes I had carefully jammed into my glove tore into the wolf’s skull.

  The force of the blow drove the spikes deep, and I felt the brief resistance as they slid past fur, then flesh, then bone.

  Blood exploded from the wolf’s head as my fist exited.

  Chunks of fur and bits of skull clung to the metal spikes, and its face—its entire upper snout—was no longer intact.

  It dropped to the ground with a dull, final thud.

  'What...?'

  Even I hadn’t expected such performance.

  Was it the armor? The spikes?

  Or maybe… I had invested too much in Strength.

  Either way, I wasn’t about to let go of this opportunity.

  I dashed toward the now-staggered wolf and attacked again, slamming my gauntlet into its body.

  [You’ve slain a Shadow Wolf!]

  The system message confirmed it.

  The first one was dead.

  It was surprisingly easy.

  Too easy.

  The remaining three wolves growled, louder this time.

  "GRRRRRAAAH!!"

  "RAAAAHHHHH!!"

  "GRAAAARRGH!!"

  They weren’t going to hesitate now.

  "Come!"

  I barked at them, lowering myself into a boxer’s stance.

  Fists raised. Feet firm.

  I challenged them with a grin.

  The tension crackled like lightning between us.

  Two of them leaped forward almost at the same time, lunging from both sides.

  I blocked one with the rough hide attached to my elbow.

  Its teeth scraped and bit, but couldn’t get through.

  I felt the jolt, but not the pain.

  The armor held.

  The other wolf came from the left.

  I spun and delivered a solid kick to its side.

  "YELP!"

  It whimpered mid-air as it was sent sprawling across the ground.

  I didn’t let up.

  I turned back to the first wolf and swung my arm, slamming it with my gauntlet and sending it crashing against a nearby tree.

  Without pause, I jumped forward, closing the gap.

  The wolf struggled to stand—

  And—

  Tsssk!

  Tsssk!

  Tsssk!

  I drove the bear spikes into its body multiple times.

  Each thrust was fast and sharp.

  Each strike made the armor squelch with fresh blood.

  I only stopped once the message appeared again.

  [You’ve slain a Shadow Wolf!]

  I stepped back.

  Blood dripped from the metal spikes like ink.

  I immediately shifted back into the boxer pose.

  I didn’t have time to breathe.

  The third wolf came, baring its fangs.

  It lunged—

  But I ducked low and brought up my fist right into its face.

  CRUNCH!!

  Its head snapped sideways, and I followed with a rapid combo.

  Wham! Whack! Smash! Smash!

  My fists were a blur.

  The wolf tried to escape, but I pressed in with hit after hit.

  [You’ve slain a Shadow Wolf!]

  'Easy.'

  Now, the final wolf.

  I didn’t wait this time.

  I charged forward, both fists drawn back.

  The wolf stood its ground, snarling—

  And I unleashed both fists like twin hammers.

  BAM! BAM!

  The force of impact lifted the wolf slightly off the ground.

  Its body twisted and landed sideways.

  [You’ve slain a Shadow Wolf!]

  It was done. All four were down.

  Amazed, I stood there breathing heavily.

  The blood glistened on my spikes. My hands trembled slightly—not from fear, but adrenaline.

  The performance of this armor is amazing…

  Even with its shoddy design, it was deadly. Effective.

  More than I could’ve hoped.

  'Well… let’s do this!'

  With that resolve, I began to roam deeper into the forest, now carefree.

  I faced any monster that came my way head-on.

  If my HP dropped low, I drank a potion.

  I had five small potions stocked up—no need to worry.

  If I got tired, I rested a bit under a tree.

  Maybe sat by a rock.

  Then continued.

  Just like that, without even realizing it—

  I reached Level 16.

  ---

  While roaming here and there, I suddenly noticed something strange.

  A bright light glimmered over the ground a short distance ahead.

  'What’s that?'

  I cautiously approached.

  What I saw was unexpected.

  It was an open space.

  No trees grew in this circular patch of land.

  The grass here was lush and untouched.

  Above, a perfect beam of sunlight poured in—forming a wide arc of light across the earth.

  It was warm, golden, divine.

  But behind that light—

  There was only darkness.

  Pitch-black shadow began just beyond the reach of that arc.

  And right at the center of that shadow… was a cave.

  A dark maw in the earth, its entrance shrouded in the blackest shadow.

  It was as if the sunlight itself was deliberately holding something back.

  Blocking something inside.

  A prison made of light.

  I moved forward, slowly.

  I didn’t step into the cave.

  I didn’t even cross the line into the darkness.

  I just stood there, right at the edge.

  Then—

  "Grrrrrrrrr…"

  The low rumble echoed out from the cave.

  [Warning! Warning! Warning!]

  The blue screen turned red.

  [You're in the presence of a being much stronger than you!]

  And my body felt slightly weaker.

  [Your status have been reduced by 10%]

  The air turned colder.

  I prepared myself, stepping into stance again. Hands ready.

  And then it came.

  A large Shadow Wolf.

  No—calling it “large” would be wrong.

  It was massive.

  It crawled out of the darkness like a beast born from nightmares.

  Its body was covered in pitch-black fur, thicker and more sinister than the others.

  Shadows clung to it like armor.

  And easily more than my size.

  Its red eyes blazed with fury.

  Its claws tore into the earth with every step.

  "GRRRAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!"

  It snarled, louder and deeper than anything I’d heard before.

  Saliva dripped from its canines, long like daggers.

  Each breath puffed out mist like smoke from a furnace.

  My heart thudded in my chest.

  'Damn it… I screwed up!'

  I cursed inwardly.

  My grip tightened.

  The beast stood tall, its eyes locked onto me.

  Then it began to move.