[Chapter 2]
Castiel remained silent, eyes locked with the young woman standing within the safe zone. Her aura wasn't violent, but it carried pressure—sharp, elegant, and refined. Like a sword unsheathed yet held by a master.
"Player?" she echoed. "Is that some kind of new sect?"
He hesitated. "Something like that."
The woman's brow furrowed slightly. Her gaze swept over him—his mismatched stance, his battle-worn boots, the unorthodox grip on his sword. Definitely not trained in any sect or clan she recognized.
Still, the way he moved earlier—the way he survived alone—couldn't be coincidence.
"My name is Mu Qinglan," she said finally. "Outer disciple of the Jade Frost Pavilion. And you… Castiel, was it? You're either foolish… or far more dangerous than you look."
"Honestly," he replied, lowering his blade a little, "I'm still figuring that out myself."
A flicker of amusement crossed her face—barely there—but enough to show she was human beneath the poised surface. Before anything else could be said, a thunderous boom cracked across the sky.
The world dimmed. The very ground seemed to pulse.
System Alert:
Blood Moon Rising – Event Triggered
World Effect: All demonic creatures empowered by 30%
Duration: 3 hours
Threat Level: High
Mu Qinglan's eyes sharpened immediately. "A Blood Moon? That's a tier-four event. What the hell is it doing here?"
"Not normal, I'm guessing?"
"Not even close," she replied, already moving to the edge of the safe zone, hand gripping her sword's hilt. "Blood Moons usually descend in corrupted lands or cursed provinces. This forest isn't supposed to be—"
Another roar cut her off. From the shadowed treeline, massive creatures began to emerge. Twice the size of the goblins from before. Their eyes glowed red, skin dark like oil, muscles bulging with unnatural power.
Elite Mob: Bloodbound Brute – Level 8
HP: 950
Status: Berserk
Elite Mob: Cursed Hound – Level 6
HP: 610
Status: Pack Hunting
Total Hostiles Detected: 12+
Castiel took a step back instinctively. "So uh… this safe zone—how long does it last?"
Mu Qinglan didn't answer. She pulled out a jade talisman and crushed it between her fingers. A ripple of defensive energy expanded, reinforcing the ward.
"An hour. Maybe less under this pressure. We have to reduce the threat count or it'll collapse."
Castiel swallowed. "Alright then." His hand tightened around his sword hilt. "Let's do this."
Without another word, Mu Qinglan dashed forward, passing through the barrier like mist.
Her blade sang—a gleam of pale blue as she moved like water. The first hound lunged, only for its head to split in a blur of motion.
Castiel didn't hesitate. He activated Quick Draw, his body flickering in speed. One of the brutes swiped at him with a massive club. Castiel ducked, feeling the wind rip past his cheek. He rolled beneath the brute's legs and sliced its tendon.
-92 HP (Critical)
Movement impaired
The beast roared. Mu Qinglan dashed in, using the opening to leap high and stab downward—right between its eyes.
Enemy Defeated!
+50 XP
Castiel grinned. "Nice teamwork."
"Don't flatter yourself," she said, but her lips twitched slightly.
They moved like a duo who had trained for years. Castiel's reflexes, honed from years of gaming, let him anticipate patterns and openings. Mu Qinglan's precision and speed danced between gaps he unknowingly created.
Another brute charged them both. Mu Qinglan muttered something under her breath.
"Frost Domain—Step Three."
The ground beneath the brute froze solid. Its foot stuck, halting its charge. Castiel ran straight up the frozen slope she'd formed and slashed down in midair.
-210 HP
Critical Hit!
Bleed Applied
The brute stumbled. Mu Qinglan spun and cleaved it cleanly across the chest. The creature collapsed, spraying corrupted blood.
They barely had time to breathe. From the shadows, more cursed hounds lunged. This time, Castiel met them head-on.
"Come on then!"
He ducked, parried, kicked one aside, and used Phantom Slash. His afterimage baited the pack; he appeared behind, slicing two from the flanks.
Combo Bonus Activated
+10% Evasion Boost (3 seconds)
+30 XP
But one hound slipped through, jaws snapping toward Mu Qinglan. Castiel's heart jumped.
Without thinking, he threw himself forward—taking the hit.
-73 HP
Status: Bleeding (Minor)
Mu Qinglan's eyes widened. "Idiot!"
She moved like lightning, slicing the beast in two. Then she knelt beside him, her hands glowing with icy blue light.
"Iceflow Qi: Restore Vein."
The pain dulled. His wounds closed slowly, the chill numbing the burn.
"You… risked yourself."
"Well," he said with a crooked smile, "we're teammates now, right?"
She blinked at him. For the first time, her cold demeanor cracked.
Then—BOOM.
A massive explosion rocked the far end of the forest. Trees splintered. The earth shook.
Something emerged.
Something far worse.
Mini-Boss Detected:
Name: Gorehowl, the Fanged Warlord
Level: 12
HP: 3200
Type: Demonic Commander
Status: Blood Moon Boosted (+30% stats)
Aura: Terror
The creature stood nearly three meters tall, a monstrous hybrid of ogre and beast, with blood-soaked armor and a massive cleaver in one hand. Its presence alone caused lesser beasts to flee.
Castiel's system flashed again.
Optional Quest Triggered
Title: "Fangs Beneath the Moonlight"
Defeat Gorehowl
Reward: Epic Weapon Chest (Random), +1 Level, Title: "Moon-Slayer"
Risk: 85% Lethality
Mu Qinglan's face turned grim. "We need to retreat—"
"No." Castiel stood, eyes locked on the monstrosity. "This is it. A boss battle."
She stared. "You can't be serious."
"I've fought worse. Not in real life… but I know how this works."
He raised his sword.
"Give me a shot."
She hesitated—then nodded. "Then let me tank. You flank. If you fall, I'll finish it."
"Heh. You're sweet when you care."
"I'll freeze your tongue off."
They charged together, one frost and one fire, into the jaws of something terrifying.
And Castiel smiled—because for the first time, he felt alive.
-----------------------------------------
The world seemed to hold its breath as Castiel and Mu Qinglan stood before the monstrous figure of Gorehowl.
The Blood Moon bathed the battlefield in a crimson glow, painting shadows with unnatural depth. The wind carried the stench of blood and sulfur, and the faint echo of distant howls filled the air like a war chant.
Gorehowl roared. A shockwave burst from his lungs, sending cracks through the earth.
Passive Skill Activated: Demonic Roar – Reduces enemy defense by 20% for 30 seconds.
"Go left!" Mu Qinglan shouted. She darted right, forcing the beast to split its focus.
Gorehowl's eyes flicked between them, but his cleaver moved first—swinging wide toward Castiel with devastating force. The blade carved through a tree, missing Castiel by inches as he rolled under the strike.
Too slow… he thought, gritting his teeth. I need more speed.
Skill Ready: Quick Draw (Cooldown reset via passive)
Skill Ready: Phantom Slash
Combo Option Available: Phantom Reversal
Castiel grinned. "Let's dance, ugly."
He dashed forward—Quick Draw slicing a clean line across Gorehowl's leg. The beast snarled and turned, only to face a sudden blur.
Phantom Slash struck from behind.
Then—
Combo Activated: Phantom Reversal
+50% Crit Chance
Enemy Confused (2 seconds)
Gorehowl stumbled, caught in a brief moment of disorientation.
Mu Qinglan seized it. "Frost Step!"
She moved like lightning, leaping into the air and activating her technique.
Skill Activated: Ice Lotus Bloom – Tier 2 Sword Art
Damage Multiplier: x1.8 (Due to enemy confusion)
Her blade split into three icy projections, all striking down on Gorehowl's shoulder. The cleaver arm faltered.
-480 HP
Frozen effect applied (Arm slowed)
The beast roared in pain and fury.
But it wasn't down yet.
Suddenly, its veins bulged, glowing with a burning red light.
Enrage Triggered: Gorehowl enters "Blood Madness" state.
All stats +20%. Attack speed increased. Defense reduced.
"Brace yourself!" Mu Qinglan warned.
Gorehowl let out a primal cry, then charged with explosive speed. His cleaver slammed toward Castiel with brutal strength.
I won't make it in time—
The blade connected.
-202 HP
Status: Wounded (Medium)
Internal bleeding applied
Blood sprayed as Castiel hit the ground hard, coughing. The pain wasn't just physical—it was crushing. His vision blurred. His body screamed at him to stop.
Mu Qinglan's eyes flared with panic. "CASTIEL!"
But then—
System Notification:
Unique Trait Activated – Player's Instinct
"When facing impossible odds, the Player calculates the optimal path."
Time slows by 20%.
Weakness Identified: Gorehowl's exposed left rib under berserk strain.
Castiel's body responded before his mind even caught up. He flipped back, regripped his sword with both hands, and leapt forward—aiming straight for that flashing weakness point.
Skill Chain Activated:
Pierce > Dash Cancel > Limit Break Slash
His blade glowed with silvery-blue energy—his first hint of Qi manifestation.
He roared with it.
"DIE!!!"
The strike hit—clean, deep, brutal.
-762 HP (Weakness Strike – Critical!)
Bleed: Heavy
Stun chance: 100% – Successful
Gorehowl dropped to one knee, cleaver buried in the soil.
Mu Qinglan didn't waste a second.
She launched her final technique.
Skill Activated: Jade Frost – Blooming Petal of Judgment
Qi Reservoir: Full
Sword Count: Nine
Nine ice swords materialized in the air above her—glowing with divine frost, spinning like a storm halo. With a command, they crashed down upon the stunned Gorehowl.
Each one exploded into icy shards upon contact, digging deeper with each layer of freezing destruction.
-960 HP
Gorehowl's core shattered.
Mini-boss defeated.
The beast's body trembled. Its eyes dimmed. Then it collapsed to the earth, shaking the entire glade.
A wave of silence followed.
The Blood Moon pulsed once… then began to fade.
Quest Complete: Fangs Beneath the Moonlight
Reward Claimed:
– Epic Weapon Chest: [Unopened]
– +1 Level
– Title Earned: Moon-Slayer
– Stat Boost: +3 STR, +2 AGI, +1 LCK
Level Up!
Current Level: 5
Castiel dropped to his knees, panting, blood still dripping from his side.
Mu Qinglan walked over, staring at him with unreadable eyes. She knelt, pulled out a healing pill, and pressed it to his lips.
"You… idiot," she muttered.
He swallowed it slowly, the bitter taste making him grimace. "You're welcome."
"You could've died."
"I won."
"…Barely."
He looked up at her. "You're not going to say thank you?"
She frowned. "…Thank you."
He chuckled. "You're so bad at that."
She looked away quickly, hiding a faint blush.
A system window popped again before him.
Bonus Quest Unlocked: The First Pact
A hidden force has taken interest in you.
Do you accept the Pact of the Moon's Eye?
[Yes] / [No]
Castiel hesitated.
"What is it?" she asked.
He turned toward the fading moonlight, the still-glowing system text in front of him.
"…A new quest. Something big."
Mu Qinglan stood slowly. "Then we move forward."
He looked up at her again. For a moment, in the fading frost and red haze, she looked like a goddess of war.
And then he smiled.
"Yeah. Let's level up."