Lord Of The Lost

But advancement wasn't just about acquiring more power, it was about mastery.

William had a growing sense that advancing to Sequence 8 required him to fully explore and integrate the six traits of his pathway. Each trait had to be developed, refined, and mastered to unlock its true potential.

In theory, this sounded straightforward. But in practice, exploring extraordinary pathways was grueling and unpredictable.

As William thought about it, he realized it was like becoming an elite athlete. Suppose [Athletics] was one of his traits, becoming an extraordinary person wouldn't necessarily mean being the best in the world, but it would require the fundamental identity of an athlete, along with proficiency in the skills and characteristics tied to that identity.

And it wouldn't stop there. A transcendent would also need to incorporate and balance all their other traits.

This realization gave William a newfound appreciation for those with only two or three traits.

"Those people are lucky," he thought with a hint of envy. "Sure, their potential is lower, but at least they're easier to manage. Balancing just two or three roles is manageable."

By comparison, William had six traits to master, each demanding attention and development. It felt like trying to hold down six different jobs at once. Even a time management expert would find it overwhelming.

Of course, this "ease of control" was only relative.

In the border town alone, there were dozens of extraordinary people, scattered across its villages. Most of them never advanced beyond Sequence 9 a milestone they reached only after years of effort.

Then there was Little Bob, a Sequence 8 hunter whose strength had set him apart as a rare exception. For many, Sequence 8 was the line between ordinary and elite, a barrier few would ever cross.

For William, Sequence 8 represented a fundamental shift.

It wasn't just about adding new abilities or increasing strength, it was about breaking through the limitations of his current traits. Fully developing a characteristic didn't just expand its applications; it could transform it into something entirely new.

Advancing to Sequence 8 required more than talent. It demanded deep understanding, discipline, and the ability to balance power without losing control. Each breakthrough wasn't just physical or mental, it was a transformation of nature itself.

William could see it clearly now. To reach Sequence 8, he wouldn't just unlock more power, he would have to redefine what power meant, evolving each of his traits into something greater than the sum of their parts.

William remembered the battle with the Mohawk-haired thief, a cunning opponent whose skill, [Thief's Fire], left a lasting impression.

This skill, likely derived from the characteristic [Murder], was no ordinary ability. The vivid red flames exuded a suffocating sense of danger, second only to Scarface's terrifying [Hand of a Maniac].

When the [Thief's Fire] ignited, it wasn't just a flashy display. The flames seeped into the ground, transforming an area of over ten square meters into a scorched wasteland. White smoke billowed as the heat devoured everything; stone, sand, and debris. Nothing remained intact.

This destructive display wasn't just for show; it was a sign of power. The Mohawk thief had likely climbed close to Sequence 8, placing him in the upper echelon of extraordinary individuals.

---

William, too, was exploring his power, though his method was more meticulous. With the characteristic of [Energy], he found it easy to generate skills. But true mastery lay in shaping those skills to align with his unique traits.

For this reason, William had even purchased additional skills like [Stealth] and [Hand of Darkness] to broaden his arsenal. These skills complemented his traits instead of conflicting with them, particularly [Secret], which worked seamlessly with [Stealth].

For example, by pouring his strength into [Stealth], William could vanish from sight; not just physically, but even his killing intent disappeared. To his enemies, his attacks seemed to dissolve mid-air, reappearing unpredictably at lethal moments. Without the ability to track him, defending against him became nearly impossible.

This made [Stealth] the quintessential assassin's skill, and William knew another master of it: Alex, whose [Miracle] talent gave him unparalleled success on the battlefield. Alex could slip in and out of chaos with ease, assassinating thieves and even extraordinary beings.

---

William decided to perfect his use of [Stealth], finding an open space to train. As someone on the Demon Wolf Path, he had a natural advantage in stealth-based skills. Entering the stealth state was effortless for him, a testament to the unique synergy between his pathway and the skill.

Reflecting on this, William thought, "The 'Assassin' path may also have an advantage in mastering [Stealth], but it pales in comparison to what the Demon Wolf Path offers."

This principle, where higher-tier pathways inherently dominate lower-tier ones, was at the core of extraordinary power dynamics. The strong leverage their superiority to overwhelm the weak.

---

William's mind wandered to the Assassin Path, which boasted three characteristic abilities:

- [Forbearance]: Calms the heart like still water, greatly enhancing control over one's body. It even allows for physical transformations.

- [Disguise]: Masks one's aura, enabling one to blend seamlessly with the surroundings.

- [Execution]: Empowers a strike that surpasses one's natural limits, dealing devastating damage.

Both [Forbearance] and [Disguise] naturally fed into the prerequisites for [Stealth], making it an intuitive skill for those on the Assassin Path. For them, mastering [Stealth] felt almost effortless; an exercise in efficiency where the pieces fit perfectly together.

But William's [Secret] was different.

His [Secret] trait wasn't designed as a prerequisite for [Stealth]. Instead, its passive effect was like a simplified version of the skill, a built-in stealth-like ability that laid the foundation. This unique synergy meant William could easily enter a stealth state without extra effort.

Yet entering stealth was only the first step. True mastery required more than activation. William needed to fully integrate [Stealth] with his Demon Wolf characteristics, aligning its applications with his unique traits.

Step by step, through practice and persistence, William began to adapt, tracing the subtle nuances of [Stealth] until it felt like an extension of himself.

---

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

[Your level has been raised to level 12.]

A surge of power flowed through him. Mastery wasn't just about growing stronger, it was about unlocking new ways to wield his abilities. William wasn't just a step closer to Sequence 8; he was forging his own path, one skill at a time.

William spent the day honing his skills and expanding his capabilities.

It's been half a month since he became a beta tester in the sequence game, and today is no ordinary day. Tonight marks the full moon, a time that has always held special significance. In the distant wild eras, full moons brought the peak of dark creatures' power and activity.

But times have changed, and today, the full moon represents the goddess of the moon.

---

As William logged into the sequence game, he descended into the magical world. Although it was still daytime, the faint outline of the moon loomed in the distant sky, a silent reminder of the significance of the day.

He made his way to Border Town, where the tension was palpable. Meeting with the town's captain, the Forum Master, and Metatron, William quickly realized the gravity of the situation.

"Werewolves may try to infiltrate Border Town through the old Shadow Castle road," the captain explained.

Initially, it was just a recruitment call from the captain that sparked murmurs among players. But now, it had evolved into something much bigger. The players recognized this wasn't just about individual survival, it was a collective fight for the safety of the town.

Yet, the harsh truth hung heavy in the air: most players weren't prepared to face such a battle. Fighting bandits was already a tough challenge with steep losses, but fighting werewolves? That felt like a death sentence.

"I'll head to Shadow Castle to scout," William volunteered.

The likelihood of the elite werewolf having left the town to reunite with its pack was high. If it led the pack to invade, the old Shadow Castle route would be their path of choice.

"We'll gather what manpower we can here," said the Forum Master. "See if there's any way to hold them off."

William turned to him. "What's Border Town's stance on all this?"

The Forum Master offered a bitter smile. "The mayor said he'd support us but doesn't believe it'll matter. He's convinced nothing can stop the werewolves, except maybe the legendary Knight of Blizzard."

The mayor's pessimism was understandable. Werewolves weren't just enemies, they were a catastrophe that preceded even the terror of the Black Forest. He believed that humans couldn't stop a force of nature. Only another unstoppable force; like the Knight of Blizzard, could turn the tide.

"The information we've gathered estimates the werewolf pack to be over a hundred strong," Metatron added grimly. "Our chances of survival… are slim."

Five werewolves alone could raze an entire village. Eighteen could destroy the strongest defense group in the town, the hunters. Against a pack of a hundred or more, let alone their elites? The odds felt hopeless.

Metatron frowned, thinking deeply. "I'll call in some allies. Maybe that will even things out."

But even with reinforcements, the numbers painted a bleak picture.

William crossed his arms and snorted, defiance burning in his eyes. "Let's try, then."

He knew better than anyone just how terrifying werewolves were. But he also knew he couldn't afford to back down. Living a life of fear, waiting to die, was far worse than facing the odds head-on.

"If I'm going to die," he thought, "I'll go out fighting. Every werewolf I kill is a victory, a little more stolen from their power."

The Forum Master and Metatron exchanged glances. They, too, were unwilling to simply surrender to fate. But the cost of failure was immense, half of Border Town could be destroyed, its people slaughtered.

Still, they couldn't sit idly by. The fight wasn't just about survival anymore. It was about standing up, no matter the odds, to protect what little they could.

The werewolves were coming, and William knew there was no turning back.