After running for what felt like an eternity, Alaric finally slowed down.
He stopped near a patch of dry shrubs and lowered Iris to the ground.
She stumbled slightly, but he caught her elbow, steadying her.
Then exhaled.
Sweat clung to his skin, breath burning his lungs.
He wiped his brow, then summoned his status panel.
[STATUS WINDOW]
Name: Brandon (Past Life: Alaric Noir)
Race: Human
Age: 19
Title: Slave, Model Servant, (The Fallen King)
Essence Path: None
Rank: Unawakened
EXP: 100/100 (525)
Stats:
STR: 15
AGI: 14
END: 14
WIL: 21
CHA: 25
INT: 13 (??)
Domination Points: 100
Main Quest: Subjugate Selene Gilmore (49% Progressed)
System Level: 2 (Requires 3000 Domination Points to Upgrade)
Skill Tree: ___
Shop: Basic Tier Items
Obedience Meter: Target Not Found!
Loyalty Meter: Target not found!
Harem Tracker: 0
DP Exchange: Available
??? (Locked – Requires System Level 3)
----
His gaze flickered to the EXP bar.
He blinked, Full.
But there was something else beside it.
What’s with that?
Alaric narrowed his eyes.
System. Why isn’t the EXP being used?
[EXP is used for ranking up. The host has yet to awaken. And hadn’t been granted a rank. Until awakening, all gained EXP will continue stacking. Upon successful awakening, accumulated EXP will be applied toward rank advancement.]
He sighed.
Behind him, Iris was watching.
Still catching her breath, but her eyes weren’t blank anymore.
They were focused and cautious.
Then, she spoke, hesitantly
"H-How... how did you do that, Alaric?"
He blinked.
Turned his head to her.
"Hm?"
"I mean... those guards, how did you...?"
Kai opened her mouth to say something.
To lie? Create a story...
But before the words could form—
Grrrhh!
A low growl echoed in their surroundings.
Then another.
Both of them froze.
Alaric turned his head.
And from the trees, few shadows moved.
Eyes glinted in the dim light. Shapes slithered through the underbrush.
Six.
No.
Eight.
Dreadhounds.
Their fur was like scorched leather, blacker than night. Yellow eyes shimmered with hunger.
They came into view, circling them.
And began coming closer.
Iris stiffened.
"Stay behind me," Alaric said quietly.
Then he drew the sword.
He reached into his inventory and popped the final adrenaline pill into his mouth and bit down.
Whoosh!
Warmth burst through his veins.
Like fire lashing through his blood.
His vision sharpened.
Muscles tensed. Every heartbeat louder than the last.
Name: Brandon
(Past Life: Alaric Noir)
Race: Human
Age: 19
Title: Slave, Model Servant, (The Fallen King)
Essence Path: None
Rank: Unawakened
EXP: 100/100 (525)
Stats:
STR: 15 —> 45
AGI: 14 —> 45
END: 14 —> 42
WIL: 21 —> 63
CHA: 25 —> 75
INT: 13 (??) —> 39
Domination Points: 100
Main Quest: Subjugate Selene Gilmore (49% Progressed)
System Level: 2 (Requires 3000 Domination Points to Upgrade)
Skill Tree: ___
Shop: Basic Tier Items
Obedience Meter: Target Not Found!
Loyalty Meter: Target not found!
Harem Tracker: 0
DP Exchange: Available
??? (Locked – Requires System Level 3)
[Warning: Host’s vitals unstable. Consuming another pill may lead to body collapse or internal rupture.]
The system again flashed the warning.
But it was already too late.
The first hound lunged.
Alaric shifted, rising his blade.
Clang!
He parried the bite, twisted his body, then—
Thud!
Kicked it square in the ribs, sending it tumbling sideways.
Another beast jumped from his left.
He ducked under its fangs, pivoted, and slashed upward.
Spurt!
Blood sprayed, the creature yelped and crashed into the ground.
Snarls erupted all around them.
No time to breathe. No space to fall back.
Alaric exhaled once.
"Come on then."
They came from all sides.
Fangs flashing. Claws tearing the earth.
Alaric moved.
Clang!
Steel met flesh.
Grunts. Snarls. The scrape of claws on stone, all echoed in the forest.
A beast lunged at him again.
He ducked beneath it, slashed its stomach open, spun, and kicked another in the snout.
"Aaaaah!"
Iris screamed.
A hound broke through the edge and lunged for her.
Alaric turned mid-motion, drove his shoulder into it, and they both slammed against a tree.
The impact rattled his bones, but the hound crumpled.
He pushed himself up, blood on his lips, vision flickering, but his grip on the sword never loosened.
Three more circled.
Iris was behind him, pressed against a tree, pale as ash, hands trembling.
"I said stay behind me!" he shouted.
Another lunged.
Alaric sidestepped, drove his blade into its spine, yanked it free.
One more came from the right, he parried, but the beast’s weight forced him to skid back, boots scraping against roots.
He couldn’t hold like this.
Then—
He looked past the hounds.
There was a ridge, tall grass and slopes.
He needed a way out.
He grabbed a nearby stone and hurled it into the trees behind the pack.
Crash!
A few of the beasts flinched. Heads turned. Ears twitched.
But it was enough.
Then grabbing Iris’s hand and pulling her.
They ran.
Branches tore at their clothes. Mud slipped beneath their feet.
Alaric didn’t stop.
He picked Iris and dashed.
Then, he spotted a large cave.
They both slipped inside, the air was damp and cold.
Iris dropped to her knees, breathing hard.
Her hands were still shaking.
Alaric leaned against the wall, chest heaving, sword still in hand.
He let out a slow exhale, eyes adjusting to the stillness of the cave.
Then—
"So here you are, peasants."
That amused, mocking voice.
Alaric froze.
Iris flinched.
They both turned.
And there he stood.
Renard.
Smirking like a man who’d already won.
Behind him, three of his personal guards fanned out in the cave’s mouth, and two Glimor estate guards followed close, panting slightly, likely the ones left behind.
"Thought you could run away?" Renard chuckled, shaking his head. "Admirable. Really. I even started to wonder if you had some brains hiding under all that dirt."
Alaric didn’t answer.
Didn’t move.
He stood there, sword still in hand, though the tremble in his wrist betrayed the strain building in his muscles now that the pill’s adrenaline was gone.
Renard’s gaze slid to Iris.