Lord Of The Lost

William's energy was running dangerously low, his reserves nearly depleted. But pushing his body to its limits during combat was part of his strategy.

This relentless method wasn't just about survival; it was about adaptation. By challenging himself in battle, William quickly mastered the extraordinary characteristics of his new path.

The [Devouring] trait activated, pulling natural energy from his surroundings. Yet, despite its effect, it barely scratched the surface of what he needed.

---

[You have developed the ability characteristics of the Demon Wolf Path.]

[Your level has been raised to Level 11.]

---

[ID: Breeze Blowing Over the Hills]

[Level: 11]

[Constitution: 19.6]

[Spirit: 15.2]

[Energy: 15.3]

---

For William, leveling up after switching to the Demon Wolf Path was far easier than before. As long as he continued to master his abilities and traits, his progress would remain steady. And combat? It was the fastest and most efficient way to grow stronger.

But for someone like the Forum Master, watching William's slaughter wasn't just shocking, it was almost incomprehensible.

It wasn't just a fight. It was a massacre.

The Forum Master stood frozen, his expression a mix of awe and confusion. "Why can't I identify your attribute values?" he asked, his voice filled with disbelief.

William calmly pulled out a bottle of energy potion and downed it. The energy surged through his body, replenished quickly thanks to the synergy between [Devouring] and his natural metabolism.

"Maybe it's just my ability's characteristic," William replied nonchalantly.

---

[Secret]: Hides user attributes and abilities. Activates passively even when not in use.

---

The Forum Master clenched his fists, realizing the implications. Neither his [Identification of All Things] nor Metatron's [God's Perspective] could pierce through William's shroud of secrecy. The interference from William's abilities rendered their supernatural tools ineffective.

Even rare and powerful items required significant effort to identify under William's concealment. It was clear: William's [Secret] trait was a direct counter to the Forum Master's talent.

"What kind of career did you switch to?" the Forum Master finally blurted out. He couldn't hold it in anymore.

After all, this man hadn't just killed low-level thieves; he had obliterated extraordinary opponents. And yet, it seemed he hadn't even reached his limit.

"You've definitely unlocked some hidden powers, haven't you?" the Forum Master pressed.

William smirked faintly. "I'll tell you once I fully understand my abilities."

The truth was, the Demon Wolf Path was complex and layered. William felt he had barely scratched the surface of its potential.

The Forum Master let out a defeated sigh. He had no choice but to accept it, though his thoughts swirled in disbelief.

Up until now, he had always believed that, with effort, he could eventually catch up to William. His [Identification of All Things] had shown him William's high stats before, and while impressive, they weren't unattainable.

But now? He couldn't even see William's stats. He had no idea how to close the gap, no idea if it was even possible anymore.

"After this battle," William said calmly, "the thieves will no longer threaten Border Town."

The Forum Master nodded, feeling the weight of his responsibility as commander. Losing this fight would have meant catastrophe. But thanks to William, they had not just won; they had annihilated the enemy.

And yet, William wasn't finished. He had pushed through exhaustion, broken armor, and devastating attacks. His presence on the battlefield was a reminder of his unmatched strength and resolve.

As the fight wound down, the Forum Master couldn't help but think: William wasn't just far ahead.

He was untouchable.

William descended from the sky like a force of nature, obliterating the enemy in one swift, decisive strike. He single-handedly dismantled an entire line of thieves, leaving nothing but devastation in his wake.

The remaining thieves scattered, no longer posing any threat.

Victory came so abruptly that the Forum Master barely had time to process what had happened.

William glanced at him, his expression calm and confident. "I told you, these thieves are no big deal."

To William, even before his job change, thieves were nothing more than an annoyance. Now, they were barely worth his attention.

The Forum Master could only stand speechless. He'd always known William was strong; but this strong? He hadn't imagined it.

William continued, his tone turning serious. "But the forces behind these thieves… those are worth paying attention to."

The Forum Master nodded. "I've done some digging. Among extraordinary thieves, those we encountered today are considered leaders. Stronger ones are commanders. And at the very top, commanding all the thieves, is the thief lord."

William listened intently as the Forum Master broke it down further: leaders, commanders, lords. While the hierarchy seemed straightforward, the inner workings of the thieves' organization were undoubtedly complex.

"The thief lord recently struck a deal at Skull Valley," the Forum Master explained. "They negotiated with a black magician and secured a promise to use a passage from Shadow Castle. But even with this, the thieves struggle to invade border towns in large numbers. Blizzard Fortress has always blocked their way, preventing them from launching any large-scale operations."

The Forum Master paused, adding, "Unlike werewolves, thieves are plentiful but disorganized. Werewolves, on the other hand, are few in number but all elite warriors."

William's expression darkened at the mention of werewolves. "What about news of the werewolves?" he asked.

The Forum Master shook his head. "No leads so far."

William frowned. "The full moon is the day after tomorrow," he murmured.

The timing unsettled him. Werewolves, the shadowy race with their violent tendencies, wouldn't simply vanish without reason. They wouldn't abandon their goal, especially not Sophia.

After dealing with Little Bob, the elite werewolf who had pursued her, things had gone quiet. Sophia was now safe, reunited with her grandmother, under the protection of the Wolf Lord. Even the elite werewolf hadn't dared act recklessly in front of such power.

But William couldn't shake his unease. The Scarecrow had once warned him about full moon nights being a time of significance. As someone who had embraced the Demon Wolf Path, William felt a faint, inexplicable premonition.

"The full moon often marks turning points," he thought.

If the werewolves acted, would it involve the Black Forest? And if so, what would the Wolf Lord do?

The thieves might be defeated, but the brewing storm of a greater crisis loomed ominously.

No matter what, William resolved to go to the Black Forest and stand against whatever was to come.

As he gazed at the sky, the tension in his heart reflected in his words. "A storm is coming."

The Forum Master broke the moment of silence. "I need to tell you something," he said, his voice heavy with concern.

William turned, curiosity flashing in his eyes.

"The number of players… it's wrong," the Forum Master said grimly.

William's eyes narrowed. Something wasn't adding up, and he knew this was only the beginning of a much larger threat.

William's frown deepened.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked.

The Forum Master's tone was serious. "Exactly what it sounds like. I ran a comprehensive count of all the players in Border Town. The total comes to around 900."

William blinked, momentarily surprised. "So there's fewer than I thought. I assumed there were more."

Beta test players had three-digit serial numbers, which suggested a larger population. But fewer players meant fewer complications. A larger number could easily spiral into chaos.

"This makes sense, though," William continued. "Players start in different locations. It's normal."

The Forum Master nodded. "Xiaomei thinks the same. Some players likely started outside the border town."

Or worse, some may have spawned in the wilderness.

Like the infamous "cat car" incident, where players appeared in the wild, got lost, and never managed to find their way to a settlement. Stranded, cut off from other players, their survival was left to luck.

"I just hope they're not too far from the border town," the Forum Master said with concern. "The main quest affects every player's survival. Even if they didn't start here, they can't ignore this place."

William nodded thoughtfully.

Just then, a strange sensation crept over him, and he looked up sharply.

A white-faced owl soared down from the sky, its wings flapping with urgency.

"Dark magician spotted!"

At first, William's brow furrowed. But as the owl delivered its message, his expression shifted to alarm.

In an instant, his body transformed into a sleek black crow, and he shot into the air, following the owl toward a desolate wilderness.

The scene below was barren, lifeless, and eerily quiet; except for the figure of a crazed black magician, muttering incessantly.

"The path to becoming a god… the path to becoming a god…"

The magician's voice was frenzied, his words looping like a broken record. He resembled a mathematician lost in a haze of obsession, scribbling a formula that would never resolve.

William hovered above, his expression grim, studying the figure intently.

"Why aren't you in the knight's fiefdom?" William called down.

The black magician answered instinctively, as if on autopilot. "He was shot… shot to death…"

William's eyes widened in shock. Shot to death? Resurrected? Could this person truly be immortal?

He stared harder, his memories flickering. Shadow Castle… He'd seen someone like this before.

But something was off.

As he compared his memories, the realization struck him like a bolt of lightning. These weren't the same person, they were two entirely different individuals.

"Two black magicians?" William muttered, his confusion deepening. "How is that possible?"

His instincts, sharpened by his demon wolf transformation, screamed at him to pay attention. But his thoughts were interrupted by the magician's sudden outburst.

"No… no, I wasn't shot. That wasn't me! The one who died wasn't me!" the magician cried, his voice cracking. "I saw it… following the child… leaving the Black Forest…"

William's eyes narrowed, his shock giving way to suspicion. "What child?"

The magician's state grew more unstable with every word, as if the act of remembering was tearing him apart.

"He's dead… and I came out… to find the child… to put the pieces… together…"

The words barely escaped his lips before the black magician's body twisted violently. The memories, whatever they were, seemed to trigger something far deeper; something monstrous.

Finally, he let out a bone-chilling scream.

"Bring that child back! He has part of the fragment!"

The cloak covering his body ripped apart, and dozens of slimy, writhing tentacles burst forth. His form swelled grotesquely, transforming into a massive, octopus-like creature.

William's breath caught as he watched the monster fully emerge.

It was no longer a man. It had lost all semblance of control, consumed by madness and dark power.

The situation had spiraled far beyond what he expected. The black magician wasn't just a threat. He was a nightmare unleashed.