The moment Ren and Lyra stepped through the natural arch into the Hollowroot Domain, the world did not change dramatically.
The air was only slightly heavier. The light was a little dimmer. For the first few minutes they simply walked deeper along a narrow path covered in thick moss, weapons ready but not yet raised. Nothing felt immediately dangerous.
Then the fog arrived.
It did not rush in like a storm. It crept. Thin at first, then steadily thicker, until the trees beyond thirty meters became vague grey shapes. Visibility for long distances disappeared. Sound itself felt muffled, as if the fog swallowed noise.
Ren slowed his steps.
"Visibility is bad."
Lyra's ears twitched. "Something is moving."
The attack did not come as a wild charge.
A single brown wolf stepped out of the fog on the left, low to the ground, a small grey stone embedded in the centre of its forehead. It did not rush. It simply stared at them, growling softly, holding their attention.
A second wolf appeared on the right. Then a third behind them.
They were measuring distance, testing reactions, cutting off escape routes the way a real pack would.
More shapes emerged from the mist. Within moments, twelve wolves had formed a loose circle around Ren and Lyra. Most were Level 7 or 8. One slightly larger individual near the rear of the circle was Level 9.
And further back, half-hidden by the fog, stood the true leader.
The Granitehowl Alpha.
It was nearly twice the size of the others. Its fur was a darker, almost black-brown, and the stone on its forehead pulsed with a deeper light. It did not move forward. It simply watched, directing the pack with small shifts of its head and low, controlled growls.
The pack began to tighten the circle.
Two wolves suddenly darted in from the left — not to kill, but to force a reaction. Ren fired twice. Both wolves dropped. The moment the gunshots cracked through the fog, the rest of the pack surged.
They attacked in waves.
While some lunged from the front, others circled wide and tried to come from behind. A few stayed low, waiting for an opening. It was coordinated, patient, and dangerous.
Lyra spun, wand already raised.
"Wind Blade!"
A sharp crescent of air cut through two wolves attempting to flank her. Lightning followed immediately.
"Chain Spark!"
Blue electricity jumped between three more, dropping them in a crackling chain.
Ren moved with cold efficiency. He never stayed in one place for more than a second. Every shot was deliberate. He prioritized the wolves that tried to get behind Lyra, dropping them with clean headshots before they could close the distance.
The pack adjusted.
The remaining wolves stopped charging blindly. Instead they began feinting — rushing forward just enough to force a reaction, then pulling back, trying to drain stamina and create an opening.
From the rear, the Granitehowl Alpha finally moved.
It did not charge like the others. It advanced at a controlled pace, using the fog and the remaining pack members as cover. When it finally exploded forward, it was sudden and heavy.
Ren only managed to put two bullets into its shoulder before the Alpha closed the gap. The creature's weight and power were on a completely different level. Its claws scraped across Lyra's Ogre Armor with a harsh metallic screech as she twisted away at the last moment.
Ren stepped in without hesitation, jammed the barrel of the Beretta up under the Alpha's jaw, and fired three times in rapid succession.
The Alpha staggered, blood pouring from its neck, but still tried to bite.
Lyra's eyes flashed.
"Lightning Spear!"
A concentrated bolt of lightning struck the glowing stone on the Alpha's forehead. The stone cracked with a sharp sound. The massive wolf let out one final, broken howl and collapsed heavily onto the moss.
The remaining few wolves hesitated. Without their leader, the coordination broke. Ren and Lyra finished them quickly.
Silence returned, broken only by the soft hiss of the fog and their own breathing.
[Monster Kill Count: 52 / 300]
They collected the drops. Ordinary Wolf Magic Stones, Wolf Claws, and low-grade fangs. From the Granitehowl Alpha's body, however, something different appeared.
A long, dense bone that still radiated faint power.
[Special Drop Acquired]
Wolf Leader Bone
Material suitable for special ammunition production
(Effect and name currently restricted)
Ren stored the bone carefully.
"Useful. We should hunt more of these Alphas if we find them."
Lyra nodded, still catching her breath.
They continued deeper into the dungeon.
By the time the fog began to thin again, the kill count had climbed to 99. Ren's system showed he was already halfway to Level 10. Yet they had still seen no sign of the Tyrant Tree.
The afternoon light was fading. Both of them were starting to feel the weight of continuous combat.
"We should rest for a short time," Ren said, pointing toward a large, ordinary-looking tree with thick roots.
Lyra's ears suddenly flattened.
"Wait."
Ren stopped.
"Tree Tyrants attack when adventurers grow tired and decide to rest," she said in a low voice. "They wait until their prey lowers their guard."
Ren immediately activated Divine Appraisal and swept the area.
Most trees showed nothing.
One, however — the very tree he had been about to rest under — returned a different result.
[Tyrant Tree – Juvenile]
Level 14
Status: Dormant (Ambush Form)
To the naked eye it looked completely normal. Just another tall tree with green leaves and thick bark.
Ren's expression hardened.
"It's right there."
Lyra's eyes widened slightly. "You can see it?"
"Appraisal."
They stepped back several meters and quickly discussed strategy. Distance was their advantage. Lyra would strike first with long-range magic. Ren would follow with focused gunfire. The moment the Tyrant revealed its true form, they would keep moving and never let it close.
Lyra raised her wand.
"Wind Lance!"
A thick spear of compressed air slammed into the trunk.
For a second nothing happened.
Then the bark split open with a wet, tearing sound. The tree began to move. Roots ripped free from the ground like giant legs. The trunk twisted, revealing a gaping maw filled with wooden fangs. Glowing green eyes opened along the upper branches.
The Tyrant Tree let out a deep, creaking roar and began crawling toward them with surprising speed.
Ren opened fire.
PFFT. PFFT. PFFT. PFFT.
Bullets chewed into the wooden body but barely slowed it. Lyra's lightning bolts scorched the surface and cracked some of the smaller branches, yet the core remained intact.
The fight dragged on.
They circled constantly, never staying in one place. Lyra's mana began to run low. Ren's ammunition count dropped steadily. Half an hour passed in a blur of wind, lightning, gunfire, and the heavy crashing of wooden limbs.
Finally, Lyra poured the last of her mana into one powerful spell.
"Storm Piercer!"
A concentrated spiral of wind and lightning punched straight through the centre of the trunk. At the same moment Ren emptied the rest of his magazine into the same wound.
The Tyrant Tree shuddered violently, then collapsed with a long, dying groan. The green light in its eyes faded.
Silence.
Blue windows exploded in front of Ren's eyes.
[LEVEL UP]
Level 9 → Level 10
[Level 10 Rewards Granted]
• New System Features Unlocked
• Arsenal Shop – Partial Access
• Manufacture Expansion
• Additional Storage Capacity
[System Notice]
System requires reset.
Offline duration: 10 hours
Beginning in 10 minutes…
Ren stared at the notifications, breathing hard.
"We need to leave. The system is going offline."
They quickly collected the drops.
[Tyrant Tree Loot]
• Special Hardwood ×2
• High-Grade Mana Stone ×1
Because the inventory might become inaccessible, Ren immediately transferred everything into physical bags. One bag held all the monster materials, magic stones, mana stones, and the Special Hardwood. Lyra carried it. The second bag held extra ammunition, the two radios, a torch, spare clothes, rations, and other necessities. Ren carried that one himself.
As they hurried back through the forest toward the exit, another notification appeared.
[System Offline in 1 minute]
Ren glanced at Lyra while they walked.
"What is the difference between a Mana Stone and a Magic Stone?"
Lyra adjusted the bag on her shoulder.
"Mana Stones are obtained from killing monsters. They store mana and can slowly recharge by absorbing it from the environment. People use them in weapons, carriages, houses, summoning circles… anything that needs a mana supply. They act as a power source."
"And Magic Stones?"
"Magic Stones come from dungeons or special mines. They are used to process and shape mana — to actually create magic effects, strengthen spells, or enchant items. Without Mana Stones, there is no energy. Without Magic Stones, that energy cannot be controlled or turned into real magic. Both are necessary."
Ren nodded slowly, thinking in terms of his old world.
(So Mana Stone is like a battery… and Magic Stone is like the processing unit.)
He kept the comparison to himself. Lyra would not understand those words.
She looked at him curiously.
"How much mana capacity and magic capacity do you have?"
Ren shook his head. "I have no idea. The system never showed me anything like that."
Lyra's expression turned thoughtful.
"A person's potential is measured by the balance of both. Too much magic capacity and too little mana means you can never cast high-level spells — you simply run out of energy. Too much mana and too little magic capacity means you can only use low-level spells, but you can cast them for a very long time. The best mages have both in high amounts and in balance."
She continued walking as she explained further.
"Common people can have their mana and magic capacity measured at larger Adventurer Guilds or at churches. It is a normal service. Nobles, however, have their own private devices. They never share their own results with anyone. But they often measure other people's capacities in secret… especially talented commoners or beastfolk. If the numbers are high, they try to hire them as servants, guards, or soldiers before anyone else can."
Ren listened carefully.
"So talent can become a chain," he said quietly.
Lyra's ears lowered slightly. "Yes. That is how many talented people disappear into noble households and never leave."
They continued talking as the trees thinned and the fog disappeared. By the time the system finally went offline with a quiet chime, the lights of the town were already visible in the distance.
They headed straight for the Adventurer Guild to sell the materials.
At the same time, far along the main road leading toward the town, two horses galloped at full speed.
One rider was the same spy who had reported to Princess Seraphina that morning. Beside him rode a young woman with sharp eyes and a dark cloak, her expression calm and focused.
Neither of them spoke.
They only rode faster.