The ancient temple shook violently.
BOOM!
Another explosion echoed from outside.
Ryu looked toward the entrance.
Through the narrow gap between the closing stone doors, he could see countless red eyes moving through the darkness.
The Abyssals had arrived.
Ryu swallowed nervously.
—There are…
way too many of them.
The Shadow Wolf stood in front of him.
Dark energy surrounded its body.
The silver-haired girl remained completely calm.
—You cannot defeat them here.
Ryu looked at her.
—Then what are we supposed to do?
She turned toward the deepest part of the temple.
—Run.
Ryu froze.
—Run?
—Yes.
She pointed toward a long corridor behind them.
—There is another entrance beneath this temple.
We can escape through it.
Ryu quickly followed her.
The Shadow Wolf remained behind for a moment.
It looked toward the entrance.
A deep growl escaped its throat.
Then—
BOOM!
The enormous stone door cracked.
The Shadow Wolf’s eyes turned red.
The girl shouted—
—Wolf!
Come!
The Shadow Wolf finally turned around and followed them.
They rushed through the ancient corridor.
The walls were covered with strange paintings.
Ryu glanced at them while bouncing forward.
One painting showed a massive army of monsters.
Another showed a giant dragon fighting a black creature.
But one painting caught Ryu’s attention.
It showed a small blue slime.
Standing beside it was a giant black wolf.
Ryu stopped.
—Wait…
The Shadow Wolf also stopped.
Ryu stared at the painting.
The blue slime and the black wolf were standing together.
Just like them.
Ryu looked at the Shadow Wolf.
—Was that…
us?
The wolf stared at the painting.
It didn’t move.
The silver-haired girl continued walking.
—You two were together long before you remember.
Ryu quickly followed.
—How long?
The girl remained silent.
Ryu bounced beside her.
—A year?
No answer.
—Ten years?
Still nothing.
Ryu became annoyed.
—At least give me a hint!
The girl finally looked at him.
—Longer than you can imagine.
Ryu became quiet.
They continued deeper into the temple.
Suddenly—
BOOM!
A loud crash came from behind them.
The Abyssals had broken through the entrance.
The girl stopped.
Her expression became serious.
—They’re inside.
Ryu looked behind him.
The sound of footsteps echoed through the corridor.
Dozens of monsters were approaching.
The girl looked at Ryu.
—Keep moving.
—What about you?
—I will slow them down.
Ryu’s eyes widened.
—No!
The girl smiled.
—Don’t worry.
I am not as weak as I look.
She raised one hand.
A massive blue magical circle appeared behind her.
Ryu stared at it.
The Shadow Wolf suddenly moved beside her.
The girl looked at the wolf.
—You too?
The Shadow Wolf growled.
Ryu understood immediately.
It wasn’t going to leave her behind.
Ryu bounced forward.
—Then I’m staying too.
The girl frowned.
—You cannot fight them.
Ryu looked at his tiny body.
Then he looked at the monsters approaching from the darkness.
—Maybe.
He smiled.
—But I’m getting stronger.
The first Abyssal appeared.
It was enormous.
Its body was covered in black armor-like scales.
Two curved horns came out of its head.
[Species: Abyssal Hound]
[Level: 15]
Ryu’s eyes widened.
—Level 15?!
Another appeared behind it.
Then another.
Then another.
[Number: 23]
Ryu became nervous.
—Twenty-three?!
The girl looked at him.
—Stay behind me.
Ryu shook his body.
—No.
He moved beside the Shadow Wolf.
—I don’t want to always be protected.
The Shadow Wolf glanced at him.
Ryu looked forward.
—I want to become strong enough to protect someone too.
For a moment, the Shadow Wolf remained completely still.
Then—
Its eyes began glowing.
A strange black aura spread across its body.
Ryu felt the air becoming heavier.
The girl stared at the wolf in surprise.
—Impossible…
Ryu looked at her.
—What?
She whispered—
—Its seal is breaking.
The Shadow Wolf suddenly howled.
AWOOOOOO!
The entire temple shook.
Black energy exploded from its body.
The floor cracked beneath its paws.
Ryu was pushed backward by the force.
—Whoa!
The wolf’s body began changing.
Its black fur became darker.
Two enormous shadow-like wings appeared behind it.
Its claws became longer.
Its red eyes transformed into glowing crimson flames.
The Abyssal Hounds stopped.
For the first time—
They looked afraid.
Ryu stared at the Shadow Wolf.
—You…
The girl whispered—
—The Shadow Wolf isn’t an ordinary monster.
She looked at Ryu.
—It is one of the ancient guardians.
The Shadow Wolf lowered its head.
Then it disappeared.
SWOOSH!
One Abyssal Hound suddenly flew across the corridor.
BOOM!
It crashed into the wall.
Before the others could react—
SWOOSH!
Another fell.
Then another.
The Shadow Wolf moved faster than Ryu could see.
SLASH!
BOOM!
CRASH!
Within seconds, several Abyssal Hounds were lying on the ground.
Ryu’s mouth would have been open if he had one.
—That’s…
insane.
But then—
A massive Abyssal Hound stepped forward.
It was much larger than the others.
[Species: Abyssal Alpha]
[Level: 22]
The creature roared.
ROAAAAAR!
The Shadow Wolf stared at it.
The Alpha charged.
The two monsters collided.
BOOM!
The shockwave shook the entire corridor.
Ryu was thrown backward.
—Whoa!
The silver-haired girl caught him with magic.
—Be careful!
Ryu looked at the battle.
The Shadow Wolf was struggling.
The Abyssal Alpha was stronger than it looked.
It slammed the wolf against the floor.
BOOM!
Ryu’s body trembled.
—Shadow Wolf!
The wolf slowly stood up.
Blood dripped from its mouth.
Ryu became angry.
Something inside him suddenly awakened.
That strange energy from yesterday returned.
Blue light surrounded his body.
[Warning.]
[Unknown energy detected.]
[Shadow synchronization beginning.]
Ryu froze.
—Shadow…
synchronization?
The Shadow Wolf suddenly looked toward him.
Their eyes met.
For a brief moment—
Ryu felt something.
Not words.
Not sound.
A memory.
A promise.
A small blue slime standing beside a wounded black wolf.
The slime was crying.
And a voice echoed through the memory.
I won’t leave you.
Ryu’s body trembled.
—That’s…
Another memory appeared.
The same blue slime placed one tiny limb on the wolf’s head.
We’ll protect each other.
The vision disappeared.
Ryu looked at the Shadow Wolf.
Something inside his heart felt warm.
He smiled.
—I remember.
The Shadow Wolf stood up.
Ryu’s blue aura grew stronger.
[Shadow Synchronization: 3%]
[Ability unlocked.]
[Skill: Shadow Link]
[Description: Temporarily connects the user with a compatible shadow-type companion.]
Ryu’s eyes widened.
—Shadow Link…
The Abyssal Alpha charged again.
Ryu shouted—
—Let’s do it!
The Shadow Wolf growled.
Ryu activated the skill.
[Shadow Link activated.]
A black-and-blue energy connected Ryu and the Shadow Wolf.
Suddenly, Ryu could feel everything the wolf could feel.
Its strength.
Its speed.
Its anger.
Its pain.
And its determination.
Ryu smiled.
—Now I understand you.
The Shadow Wolf disappeared.
At the exact same moment, Ryu used Shadow Claw.
The two attacks struck the Abyssal Alpha from opposite sides.
SLASH!
BOOM!
The Alpha screamed.
The Shadow Wolf appeared behind it.
Ryu’s Shadow Claw struck its exposed neck.
CRACK!
The Abyssal Alpha fell.
Silence filled the corridor.
Ryu stared at the defeated monster.
Then the system appeared.
[Enemy defeated.]
[Experience acquired.]
[Level increased.]
[Current Level: 5]
Ryu bounced excitedly.
—Level 5!
The Shadow Wolf returned to its normal form.
Its wings disappeared.
The black aura faded.
Ryu rushed toward it.
—Are you okay?
The wolf looked at him.
Then it gently lowered its head.
Ryu touched its fur.
For the first time, he felt that the Shadow Wolf wasn’t simply his companion.
It was someone connected to his forgotten past.
Someone who had been waiting for him.
The silver-haired girl watched them silently.
Then she smiled.
—Your bond has awakened.
Ryu looked at her.
—Tell me the truth.
The girl became serious.
—About what?
Ryu stared into her blue eyes.
—Who was I?
The girl remained silent.
Then she slowly walked toward a massive stone door at the end of the corridor.
She placed her hand against it.
The door opened.
Beyond it was a gigantic underground chamber.
At the center stood a massive stone throne.
And behind the throne—
A mural covered the entire wall.
Ryu stared at it.
His body froze.
The mural showed a legendary creature.
A blue slime.
But it wasn’t small.
It was enormous.
It stood before armies of monsters and dragons.
And beside it stood the Shadow Wolf.
At the bottom of the mural were ancient words.
The girl read them aloud.
—”When the blue star returns…”
Ryu’s body began glowing.
The girl continued—
—”…the Shadow Wolf shall awaken.”
The Shadow Wolf suddenly growled.
The temple began shaking again.
But this time—
The shaking wasn’t coming from outside.
It was coming from beneath them.
BOOM!
A deep sound echoed from underneath the stone floor.
Ryu looked down.
—What was that?
The girl stepped backward.
Her face became pale.
—Something has awakened beneath the temple.
A second sound followed.
BOOM!
Then a third.
BOOM!
Ryu stared at the ground.
A crack slowly appeared beneath his body.
From deep below—
Two enormous red eyes opened.
A voice echoed through the chamber.
—So…
The entire temple went silent.
—The little slime has finally returned.
Ryu froze.
The Shadow Wolf stepped in front of him.
The silver-haired girl whispered—
—The Abyssal King…
The voice laughed.
—Welcome home, Ryu.
Ryu’s eyes widened.
He had never told the mysterious girl his name.
But the creature beneath the temple knew it.
And somehow—
It knew him.