About an hour had passed since Daeho reached home using his new super speed. The sun had already dipped beneath the city skyline, and golden evening light spilled into his room. He was still lying on the bed, replaying everything in his mind—his revival, his crimson interface, the Fire Wolf's ability—when he suddenly felt a gust of wind from his open window.
A soft thud echoed.
He sat up immediately.
The black-furred figure stepped into the room, graceful and silent. The summoned wolf—his clone—had finally arrived.
It stood tall, its crimson eyes glowing slightly under the dim ceiling light. Daeho stood up and walked toward it, the wolf meeting his gaze with sharp intelligence.
"Right on time," he smiled. "Let's make you stronger."
He opened his red panel and selected the Clone Management tab. The options were minimal now but incredibly powerful.
> [Transfer Skill to Clone?]
✅ Super Speed (A-Rank)
→ Target: Clone 001
> ✅ Skill Transfer Complete.
As soon as the ability transferred, the wolf's muscles tensed. Its body trembled for a moment—and then it began to grow.
Daeho stepped back in shock.
The summoned beast, which had previously reached only his chest, now stretched to his neck in height. For someone like Daeho—who stood 182 cm tall—that was huge.
Its limbs thickened, and its fur became glossier, sharper at the ends. But even more shocking was the interface prompt that followed:
> [Clone Enhancement Detected]
> Clone has gained form adaptation control.
Command or allow clone to shift form between previous and enhanced state freely.
Daeho blinked, then looked at the massive wolf. "You can... change your size at will now?"
As if understanding, the wolf shrank back to its previous size, then grew again.
He whistled low. "You're more versatile than I thought…"
He looked at the beast with a warm, contemplative gaze. It wasn't just a summon now. It was his first companion.
"You need a name, don't you?" He scratched his head. "What suits you…"
He thought for a while. Then a memory surfaced—one from a story his late father used to tell. A black guardian beast, feared yet loyal, named after the goddess of darkness and protection.
"Kali," he said aloud.
The wolf looked up, ears perked.
"Yeah... Kali. That's your name now."
Kali let out a low, approving growl, almost like it understood—and accepted.
---
Later that evening, just as the stars began to flicker into the sky, Daeho was seated on his bed, sketching out plans for the next day.
Copy another ability? Go into a safe E-rank dungeon? Try pairing abilities with Kali?
He was deep in thought when he heard a familiar, gentle voice echo through the hallway:
"Daeho! Dinner's ready!"
It was his stepmother—Sung EunJi.
He closed the interface and stood up. Kali silently shrank back to his smaller form and sat near the window.
"I'll be back," Daeho said, smiling at him.
He walked downstairs, the wooden steps creaking lightly under his feet.
In the small kitchen, the warm aroma of homemade food filled the air. At the modest dining table that barely fit four chairs, his stepsister—Sung EunHee—was already digging into her meal, a small smile on her face.
She looked up. "You're late."
"I had something to take care of," he said, taking his seat.
His mother smiled at him, gently serving rice and side dishes. "How was your day? You left early."
Daeho hesitated for a second, then decided to tell them part of the truth—enough to prepare them for what came next, without revealing the full extent of his EX-rank power.
"Well… something crazy happened. I can finally see my status interface now."
Both mother and sister looked up at him in surprise.
"Really?" EunHee asked, wide-eyed.
He nodded, smiling. "And my special ability turned out to be Super Speed. I awakened it late, I guess."
"That's… amazing!" she beamed, genuinely happy.
EunJi, on the other hand, was frozen in surprise. Her lips slowly curved into a relieved smile. "Finally… after all those years of doubt…"
Daeho continued, "Also, I found a beast today. A… wolf. Abandoned, I think. But from what I can tell, it's probably a high-tier summoned creature. Looks like the ones that cost billions."
"A billion?!" EunHee choked on her food.
"Well, technically, I didn't buy it. It kind of… accepted me."
"You're not joking, right?" EunJi asked, a mix of awe and concern in her voice.
"I'm not. Which is why…" Daeho's eyes met theirs. "I won't be a porter anymore. I'll go into dungeons as a proper hunter—with Kali beside me."
There was a moment of stunned silence.
EunHee slammed her hands on the table and grinned. "That's awesome! You're finally living your life!"
EunJi, however, looked down at her hands, the worry on her face growing. "I'm proud of you, Daeho… I really am. But dungeon hunting is dangerous. More than most people realize."
"I know," he said softly. "But this time… I can handle it."
He looked to the side. "Kali. Come."
A second later, the black wolf appeared at the doorway. Its presence was regal and intimidating.
EunHee gasped. "No way… That's like something out of a game…"
EunJi stood in shock. "It looks intelligent…"
"He is," Daeho said proudly. "He's not just a summon. He's my partner."
Kali stepped forward and, on cue, gave a respectful bow with its head, its fur shimmering in the kitchen light.
Even EunJi couldn't hide a smile. "Well… if it's like this, then maybe… you'll be alright."
They spent a few more minutes talking about the creature, its name, and Daeho's plans to apply as an independent hunter. It was the first peaceful dinner they'd had in a long time.
After the dishes were done and the lights dimmed, Daeho returned to his room. Kali followed and laid down silently near the bed.
Daeho stared at the ceiling, his red interface still glowing faintly in the corner of his vision.
Tomorrow… the world changes again.
He smiled, closed his eyes, and let sleep take him.
---