"I'll make sure to explore my inventory more later," he added, wiping the tear with a dramatic sniff. "I need to know what goodies I've got."
Just then—
SSSSH! SSSSH!
A rustling sound came from the bushes nearby. Leaves twitched. A twig snapped.
Drake turned, eyes narrowing. "Hello? Who's there?" he called out, already flexing his fingers to call forth his pistols.
Suddenly, five wolves burst out of the underbrush.
They were lean, wild, and brown-furred, their coats matted with dried mud and bits of grass. Each one had glowing amber eyes and jaws lined with teeth that looked like they could chew through bone like popcorn.
GRAAH! GRRR! GRAAH!
GRRR! GRRR!
Their growls were low and hungry, vibrating in the air like the bass in a villain's theme music. One of them licked its lips, and Drake swore it winked at him. Probably didn't. But still.
"Hey, System," Drake said, still tracking them, "uh... what kind of wolves are these? They're huge. And look way too organized. Like... they could be in a boy band."
DING!
[SHADOW ARSENAL SYSTEM]
Processing info…
Analyzing target…
The system screen popped up beside Drake with a quiet whirrr, followed by a deep chime as the info loaded in flashy, dramatic fashion—like a fantasy anime stat dump.
[FERAL NIGHTFANG WOLVES]
Species: Feral Nightfang
Rank: D-Class Beast
Known Habitat: Celestial Woods
Type: Pack Hunter / Shadow Element Affinity
Average Height: 4 ft at the shoulder
Average Length: 7 ft nose to tail
Aura Color: Dark Amber
Disposition: Hungry. Like, "I will eat your face" hungry.
Common Behavior: Circle prey, scare them with synchronized growling, attack from blind spots. Rude.
STATS:
• HP: 450
• Mana: 100
• Strength: 120
• Speed: 140
• Agility: 100
• Bite Force: Breaks bone like breadsticks
• Special Attack: Shadow Lunge – Vanishes in a puff of dark mist and leaps at target with 2x speed. Cooldown: 20s
• Weakness: Light magic, loud noises, and ego bruises (they hate missing a lunge)
• Drop Items: Shadow Fang, Wolf Hide, Raw Beast Meat (Do Not Eat Uncooked… trust me)
• Popularity: One of the most common but dangerous monsters roaming the Celestial Woods. Beginners beware. Wolves don't do tutorials.
"PHEEEW!"
Drake whistled low. "Okay, yeah... so y'all aren't your average strays."
The moment the system finished, glowing text floated above each wolf's head in bright red font, RPG-style:
[Feral Nightfang – HP: 450 | Mana: 100]
GRRR! GRRR!
CRACK!
They growled louder, one snapping its jaws with a juicy CRACK that sent a small bird flying off in panic.
Drake took a step back and tilted his head. "Man, this world's so extra… I love it."
"Hey, System, quick question. In its stats, you mentioned the wolves having an affinity for shadow magic... what does that exactly mean?" Drake asked, eyes narrowing suspiciously at the glowing green HP bars hovering over the growling pack.
DING!
[SHADOW ARSENAL SYSTEM]
Processing info…
Shadow affinity means these doggies were basically born in the dark—they snack on shadow energy for breakfast and probably use it as toothpaste. In short: they resist shadow magic. Your shadow bullets won't bounce off, but let's just say they'll feel like getting smacked with a sock instead of a hammer.
Drake's jaw dropped. "So my shadow bullets are useless?!"
"Not completely. Just… less useful. Like trying to fight a dragon with a frying pan—it might work, but it'll take a while. For full impact, I recommend aiming shadow magic at creatures with light affinity or overly dramatic glowing wings. Fire-aligned enemies, beings of purity, or basically anything that looks like it belongs in a heavenly choir? Yeah. Melt'em."
Huh!
"Just wonderful."
Drake groaned with a sigh. "Great. I show up all cool, guns blazing, and it turns out I'm throwing soft punches at shadow puppies. Thanks, System. Real confidence booster."
"You're welcome," the system said, vanishing into thin air.
"Let's get this over with."
"Twin Pistols of Midnight Howl, come to me!" Drake shouted.
WSSSSH!
Drake reached into the air and the twin guns materialized into his hands with a flicker of dark energy. A cold aura surrounded him as the pistols hummed with shadow energy, dark smoke coiling lazily from the barrels.
GRRR! GRRRR! GRRRR!
GRRR!
The Feral Nightfang Wolves growled in a synchronized rhythm, closing in on Drake.
"Hah!"
"Since you've got an affinity for shadow magic, I can already tell this is gonna be a tough fight. But hey, the tougher it is…" he spun his pistols smoothly, shadows coiling around them like smoke, "…the more thrill I'll feel when I blow your brains out."
The wolves growled in protest.
Drake leveled his guns at the snarling wolves, eyes glinting with excitement.
"Let's dance, furballs."
[SHADOW ARSENAL SYSTEM]
Class: Shadow Gunslinger [Lvl: 1]
Name: Drake Lorenzo Race: Human
Height: 6'6"
Status:
• Health: 100 / 100
• Mana: 2,000 / 10,000
• Endurance: 80 / 100
Attributes:
• Strength: 1,000 • Agility: 80
• Intelligence: 10,000 • Speed: 100
• Stamina: 100 • Precision: 100
• Charm: 100 • Adaptability: 100
Abilities:
• Shadow Step – Ready
• Phantom Shots – Ready
• Stealth – 20s Duration
• Eclipse – Cooldown: 30s
• Black Vortex – Cooldown: 10s
• Skill Craft – Ready
Two wolves darted in from opposite sides—one flanking Drake's right, the other his left—while the remaining Three watched with hungry eyes.
"You puppies want a pat on the head?" Drake said, tracking their movement with calm precision, his twin pistols spinning casually in his hands.
GRRRR! GRAAAH!
The feral pair lunged, mouths wide, baring razor-sharp fangs like they were ready to take his arms off.
"They're fast," Drake muttered, smirking, "but I'm faster... and smarter."
"SHADOW STEP"
WSSSH!
The air rippled—and Drake vanished in an instant.
The wolves snapped at empty space, jaws chomping down on air like toddlers who just woke up on Christmas and realized Santa skipped their house.
WSSSH!
"I'm up here, boys!" Drake called out, now standing upside-down on the branch above them—emerging from their own shadows like a magician's encore.
GRAAAH...!
The wolves growled in frustration at his silly magic tricks.
"Awww, I missed you too," Drake said, landing right between them. "Come here, let me give you that pat you were begging for."
With a sudden grip, he grabbed both their heads—his fingers tightening like steel clamps.
THUUUD!
CRAAACK!
He smashed their skulls together. The impact echoed like bowling pins getting KO'd by a wrecking ball. The wolves collapsed, stunned.
Drake didn't stop. He shot up again, energy swirling around his foot.
"I'm not done yet... I'm coming in HOT! TSUNADE STYLE!"
"HEVAN AND EARTH KICK!"
BOOOOM!
CRAAACK! DOOOOM!
He descended like divine fury, his leg glowing with compressed mana. The impact split the earth—shockwaves exploded outward, creating a small crater. The wolves were buried in dust, their bones shattered, their fate sealed.
As the dust settled, glowing text hovered in the air:
[Feral Nightfang – HP: 0 | Mana: 0]
PUUUFF!
The wolves burst into shimmering particles, fading into dust.
THUD!
Loot dropped at his feet with a satisfying clunk.
[SHADOW ARSENAL SHADOW]
Combat Log
• 2x Feral Nightfang Wolves – Eliminated
Loot Acquired:
• 2x Shadow Fangs
• 2x Wolf Hides
• 2x Raw Beast Meat
Status Update...
New Skill Acquired: [Weakness Perception]
[Weakness Perception]
• Mana Cost: 200 per 30s
• Duration: 1 min
• Cooldown: 2 min
Effect: Highlights red dots on enemy weak points
Tip: Use strategically during high-stakes combat.
Level Up!
Class: Shadow Gunslinger [Lvl: 2]
Drake clenched his fist, grinning wide. "Wooow. I leveled up and unlocked a new skill? Weakness Perception? That's sick!"
He stepped over the loot. "These puppies ain't so bad... I mean, check out those drops. Shadow Fangs? I smell upgrades coming."
He looked down at his fist, flexing. "With 1,000 strength... I'm not just strong. I'm Tsunade strong. No—Sakura strong. No even—better... Saitama strong."
He turned with a dramatic anime pose. "I am the reincarnation of One Punch Man!"
Then he casually walked over to collect his items.
GRRR! GRRR! GRRR!
Three more wolves growled from the shadows, clearly not thrilled with his little show.
Drake slowly turned his head toward them, raising his twin pistols with a cocky smirk.
"Don't be in a hurry, doggies," he said. "You'll be joining your friends soon."
CRAAACK!
He cracked his neck, eyes glowing with shadow energy.
"It's snack time, boys. Come. Get. Me."