Chapter 187: Right Choice Part 2
{Race Crystal Successful}
{Potential Increased to B+ Rank}
Ethan’s eyes widened as the notification appeared before him, the faint glow of the system interface reflecting in his pupils.
For a split second, he just stared.
Then it hit him.
"YES!"
The shout burst out of him before he could stop it, his voice echoing faintly across the murky expanse of the Acidic Swampland. Relief flooded through his chest, quickly followed by a surge of excitement that made his heart pound.
"I knew you were the right choice, boy!"
It worked.
It had actually worked.
But just as that realisation settled in, another line appeared.
{Beast Metamorphosis Initiated...}
Ethan blinked.
"No way..."
His excitement twisted into disbelief.
’Another beast metamorphosis? Aren’t they supposed to be rare?!’
He let out a short, incredulous laugh, running a hand through his hair as he stared at Wolfy, who was still frozen in place within the fading glow of the system’s energy.
This was insane.
But he was not complaining.
Although it did feel almost too good to be true.
’This is how people die, you know. When things go too perfectly.’
Still, he couldn’t look away.
The air around Wolfy began to distort again. Light gathered once more, but this time it felt different. It was darker and heavier. The glow was no longer pure white but tinged with something deeper, a faint, oppressive weight that pressed subtly against Ethan’s senses.
Then there was another blinding and violent flash.
And within it, Wolfy began to change.
Ethan watched as the Ulfen’s body shifted in real time, the transformation unfolding before his eyes in a way that was both mesmerising and unsettling.
Its thick fur darkened rapidly, shifting from its original tone into a deep, almost unnatural black, as if it absorbed the surrounding light rather than reflected it.
Its frame changed next.
At first, Ethan thought it was shrinking.
But no, it was compressing and condensing.
The same mass, drawn tighter, denser, more refined.
Its muscles coiled beneath its skin, becoming more defined, more compact, yet radiating far greater power than before. Its limbs elongated slightly, its posture lowering, becoming more predatory, more precise.
Gone was the straightforward, wolf-like form.
In its place stood something else entirely.
Something... darker.
Its presence alone shifted the atmosphere; the air felt colder, heavier and more dangerous.
Then its eyes opened.
There wasn’t the familiar yellow-golden glow Ethan had grown used to, but now a deep, burning crimson.
It was like when he used the Predator’s Frenzy Skill, but permanent.
They gleamed with a faint inner light, like embers buried within a void, carrying an intelligence that sent a brief, instinctive chill down Ethan’s spine.
For just a moment, he hesitated.
"What the fuck did you turn into?"
The words slipped out under his breath, half in awe, half in disbelief.
As the last traces of light faded, the system answered him.
{New Race: Fenrir}
Ethan frowned slightly.
’Fenrir...? That rings a bell...’
The name lingered in his mind, familiar yet distant, like something he had heard in passing but never truly understood.
He scratched his cheek.
"Sounds powerful," he muttered.
’I wish I had been more of a nerd. I mean, I know what a griffin, dragon, and phoenix are, but that’s about as far as it goes in terms of mythical beasts.’
Then his eyes lit up slightly.
’Wait... Ul-fen. Fen-rir.’
His lips curled into a small grin.
’I should have realised that sooner.’
The connection felt obvious now.
"So Ulfen is to Fenrir what Griffling is hopefully to Griffin..."
He nodded slowly.
"That makes sense."
Then he paused.
"But isn’t B Rank a bit low for something that sounds that badass?"
Despite the question, there was no real concern in his tone.
Because more than anything, he was relieved.
A grin spread across his face as he exhaled deeply.
"Thank god it worked," he said aloud, the satisfaction clear in his voice.
The reality of it settled in, and with it came something else: a flicker of caution.
’I might have just used up all my luck.’
His expression shifted slightly, becoming more thoughtful.
As much as he hated relying on chance, there was no denying that it was exciting, and the reckless part of him loved it.
’But I really need to be careful now. Things have gone way too smoothly.’
Then another thought struck him.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
’What do you mean by B+ Potential?’
The system responded immediately.
{The Fenrir’s Potential has been increased to B Rank as only a B Rank Race Crystal was used, but it may surpass that without the need for an A Rank Race Crystal. It may even surpass A Rank entirely. The + signifies latent growth potential due to the awakening of a mythical Fenrir bloodline.}
Ethan’s mind raced.
’So you’re telling me... this thing can naturally grow beyond B Rank? Without needing another crystal?’
That was absurd and incredibly valuable.
He let out a breath, shaking his head slightly.
"And on Floor Zero... all those wolf bastards had this kind of bloodline?"
His lips twitched as he recalled being eaten by them.
"Feels like a setup."
The system, as usual, offered no response.
But Ethan did not care.
He was too busy grinning.
"I knew you had it in you, buddy," he said, stepping forward slowly. "Told you that you were the right choice."
That was a lie; he had not truly known for sure.
But right now, it felt like the best decision he had ever made since there was no guarantee the Race Crysal would have been successful on either of his other beasts.
Wolfy stood there, its crimson eyes locked onto him.
For a brief moment, Ethan hesitated.
The creature in front of him looked terrifying, and its presence alone was enough to make lesser beasts freeze in fear. So much so that even Ethan felt a faint instinct telling him to be cautious.
But beneath that, there was something familiar.
A deep connection between their very souls.
This was still the Wolfy he had raised, or at least he hoped so.
The next moment, the giant Fenrir suddenly moved fast, too fast.
Before Ethan could react, it lunged forward, slamming into him and knocking him onto his back.
"Whoa-!"
He barely had time to brace before a massive tongue dragged across his face.
Once.
Twice.
Relentlessly.
"Alright, alright! That’s enough!"
Ethan laughed, struggling to push the beast off him as it continued its enthusiastic assault.
"You’re still the same idiot, huh?"
Wolfy let out a low, pleased rumble, its tail flicking behind it, clearly pleased with its evolution.
Ethan finally managed to sit up, wiping his face with a grimace.
"I really should’ve thought harder about that name," he murmured.
He glanced at the massive, demonic-looking beast in front of him that befitted a much cooler name, before sighing.
"Too late now."
His expression softened slightly.
"You’ve always been Wolfy and always will be."
He stood up slowly, brushing himself off.
Then his gaze sharpened.
"And this is just the start for both of us, isn’t it, buddy?"
Wolfy tilted its head slightly.
Ethan smiled.
"It’s time for you to evolve to B Rank."
