Dancing on the golden ashes

Blood splattered in every direction as the massive head burst like a pumpkin under immense pressure.

It's finally over.

My shoulders sagged, the tension draining from my body as a wave of relief washed over me. But it wasn't just relief—I felt good. This feeling of surviving a deathly battle was intoxicating, like a drug I couldn't resist. I craved more.

Something deep inside told me there would be even bloodier, deadlier fights in my future. And I welcomed it. The thrill of dominating my enemies, cutting them down with a single slash of my scythe—it was the best feeling in the world.

Haaah... Kim Ha-Joon, just you wait.

As I stood amidst the aftermath, a series of notifications rang out in my mind, marking my progress:

[Congratulations! You have acquired a new achievement!]

[Merciless]

[2 skill points have been granted]

[A new passive skill has been awarded!]

[Intimidation: Enemies are slightly intimidated by the user's aura]

Merciless...

Who in this world would even be considered as merciful? Mom and Dad abandoning me—was that supposed to be merciful? Don't make me laugh. What I did wasn't cruelty—it was pity. If I had let that yeti live, it would have suffered under my rule. Letting it die was the kinder choice.

"WOO!"

Malrang's bark echoed across the battlefield. I spotted her in the distance, her body bloodied but still standing strong. Her enemy didn't look much better. A massive hellfire ball materialized above Malrang's tails, radiating with such immense energy that even I felt a flicker of intimidation.

With a powerful swing, she hurled the blazing sphere at the white-furred fox. The fox responded instantly, conjuring a towering ice wall that swallowed it from view. For a moment, it seemed as though the fox had become one with the environment, blending into the icy backdrop before dashing out at incredible speed.

Then, BOOM!

The hellfire attack erupted into the sky, the explosion shaking the battlefield.

I wanted to help Malrang—every fiber of me screamed to jump in—but I held myself back. Helping her now would only hurt her pride. Unless it became absolutely necessary, this was her fight to win.

The white fox melded seamlessly into the snow, becoming one with the icy terrain. A massive wave of snow surged into the air, crashing down with tremendous force and burying everything in its path.

"WOO!" Malrang cried out, her body moving with incredible speed as she narrowly dodged the attack. But the white fox wasn't done. Icy spears materialized on its tail, firing in rapid succession at my companion. Malrang dodged gracefully, switching between her small and large forms, weaving through the relentless assault.

But one of the spears wasn't aimed directly—it burrowed underground, sneaking its way toward Malrang's stomach.

In the next instant, horror filled my eyes. I watched helplessly as the icy spear pierced straight through Malrang's belly, entering one side and exiting the other, leaving a gaping, nasty hole in her body.

Purple hellfire blazed around the wound, saturating it with flames and stopping the bleeding almost immediately, but Malrang staggered, her energy nearly depleted. My grip tightened around my scythe as rage coursed through me, and I aimed it at the white fox, ready to end this fight myself.

Don't!

Malrang's voice rang sharply in my mind.

If I can't win this fight, I don't want to live. How am I supposed to stay by your side if I can't even win my own battles?

Her voice burned with determination, her words laced with fire and unyielding pride.

No one understood her better than I did. This fox, once weak and helpless just a week ago, had become a tremendous force—an overlord with her own sense of honor. Who was I to interfere?

I knew that feeling better than anyone. The pain of losing, the desperation to fight on, the insatiable craving for victory even as the odds against survival grew darker.

I froze in place, my hands trembling as I forced myself to keep watching.

The white fox wasted no time, rushing at Malrang with lethal precision. Its fangs were aimed directly at her throat, moving like a feral predator ready to end its prey's life.

But the purple fox didn't falter. Malrang's body ignited with hellfire, the flames roaring to life even as her frame trembled from exhaustion. Refusing to yield, she willed herself forward, meeting the white fox head-on.

The two clashed violently, fire and ice colliding in a chaotic maelstrom. The elements mixed, creating a massive explosion that erupted across the battlefield, shrouding everything in a thick steam screen.

I stood frozen, nervous as I awaited the outcome. Seconds dragged on like hours—ten... thirty... a full minute passed.

Finally, the fog began to dissipate, revealing the battlefield.

Malrang stood tall, her jaws clenched around the bloodied neck of the white fox's lifeless body. Blood dripped steadily onto the ground beneath her.

But something was wrong. Malrang didn't move.

I rushed to her side, appearing in an instant. Her towering, four-meter-tall frame was frozen in place, her pupils rolled back into her sockets as if she had lost consciousness. And yet, she stood unwavering, her victory carved into the battlefield itself, a testament to her strength and pride.

[Congratulations! You have reached Level 20!]

Malrang's share of experience surged through me, pushing me pleasantly to the next level. The notification confirmed what I already knew—the white-furred fox was finally dead.
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"You did great, my friend. Now rest."

As if responding to my words, Malrang's bloodied body shimmered and shifted back into her tiny form before collapsing into my arms. I held her close, cradling her fragile frame against my chest. She was more than just a companion—she was a warrior, braver than I could ever hope to be.

In the distance, the wolf pack was rounding up the five bloodied boar monsters. Their shimmering silver fur made them stand out, but it didn't matter—they had no chance at victory.

Lykaon moved like a streak of golden lightning, his body a blur as he tore through the battlefield. Each strike ripped chunks of flesh from the boars, their agonized screams echoing across the land. Even from a kilometer away, I could hear their desperation.

Not to be outdone, Ravokar refused to lose in speed or ferocity. His pride shone through every move, bolts of lightning shooting automatically from his body, roasting the boars' skin. One unfortunate boar strayed too far from its group, only to fall victim to Vargrin's massive claws. He moved so fast he left an after-image behind, his fangs tearing out the beast's throat in a slow, agonizing kill.

Savryn, however, was different. She didn't act on instinct like the others. Circling the battlefield, her every movement was calculated and precise. In my eyes, she was the most dangerous of them all. She waited patiently, biding her time as Omenpaw charged into the fray, his massive body scattering the boars and breaking their defenses.

The moment the boars were distracted, Savryn struck. Her body blazed with a fusion of fire and lightning as she darted toward an unlucky boar, incinerating its throat in an instant. A second boar, caught behind her, was zapped to death by her blazing, lightning-infused tail.

The pack made quick work of the remaining two silver boars, their pitiful attempts to fight back ending in failure.

This battle was brutal—bloody for all of us. Well, all except for one.

Soo-Ah sat on her knees, clutching a wooden staff in trembling hands. She looked utterly shaken. I could tell she wanted to help, but the overwhelming power of the yeti had left her paralyzed. A strange puddle beneath her revealed just how much fear had taken hold.

But it was only the beginning of Soo-Ah's fears. What she witnessed next would have left me trembling as well, had this been my old world.

A wave of dark orbs surged into the sky, swirling chaotically. Some were large, others small, and all of them rushed toward me. As they entered my mouth, I tasted a strange mix of flavors—some sweet and delicious, others vile and disgusting. The sensation overwhelmed me, leaving me feeling impossibly full.

Then it hit me.

Thirty-four souls had just been consumed by me at once.

Wait a second...

I froze as the realization set in, dread coursing through me.

The system's voice echoed in my mind, booming so loudly it made my head spin:

[The requirement for Memento Vivere has been met. 108/100. Proceeding with the first evolution.]

Not good.

Panic gripped me. It's not the time for this. I completely messed up.

Perhaps it was the heat of battle that made me forget about this skill—or maybe it was my own naivety, my failure to understand that every action I took carried consequences. Either way, it didn't matter now.

The wolves noticed my state and rushed toward me, their faces filled with concern. Summoning the last of my strength, I mustered a command:

"Protect my body... I will revive in nine days."

As the words left my lips, I collapsed onto the snow. With trembling fingers, I drew the number 9 beside me, hoping Soo-Ah would understand. We had known each other for years—surely, she would figure it out.

Pain rippled through me as my body twisted and contorted unnaturally. It felt as though every fiber of my being was being torn apart, only to be reassembled, reshaped into something entirely new.

The last thing I saw was Ravokar's worried expression as he nudged my limp body with his nose, a quiet desperation in his movements.

And then... everything went dark.

[You have died]

[Time until revival: 9 days]