Lord Of The Lost

Sophia pursed her lips, staring at William for a moment before abruptly hurling the lantern in her hand toward him.

'Bang!'

William caught it instinctively, though the force behind the throw was enough to floor an ordinary person.

"You trying to kill me?" he asked, eyebrows raised.

Sophia didn't reply, instead turning her head away in a huff. The wind tugged at the brim of her hat and her golden hair, revealing just a sliver of her delicate profile. Her voice came out sharp, though tinged with something softer. "Take care of it, or I won't forgive you."

---

[Name: Brilliant Lantern]

[Quality: Rare]

[Description]: "This lantern, once only capable of dispelling darkness, now shines with the power of a golden soul. In its light, the monster hunter reclaimed their soul, dignity, and humanity. From this moment on, its brilliance will never fade."

[Ability: Glorious Fire]: "The light of this lantern reveals what others cannot see, illuminating both hidden truths and the path forward. Follow the lantern, follow the hunter, and you will never lose your way."

---

The Brilliant Lantern wasn't just any item. It had once been an already exceptional developing lantern, but Little Bob, in an act of sacrifice, had used his own soul as fuel to elevate it. Now, it was a true rare-grade item, imbued with extraordinary power.

Even with ordinary fuel, the lantern provided protection and unparalleled utility.

William knew how extraordinary objects could arise:

1. A high-level extraordinary being influences the objects around them, slowly infecting them with their power.

2. Extraordinary characteristics within a person can serve as raw materials for crafting items with special properties.

3. Items polluted by negative traits become cursed objects.

4. The effectiveness of extraordinary props depends on the characteristics they inherit.

---

William's instincts told him there was more to this lantern than met the eye. But now wasn't the time for testing its limits.

He glanced at Sophia, a teasing smile playing on his lips. "Can I borrow your invisibility cloak?"

Sophia narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Where are you going?"

"The Lost Labyrinth."

"…I'm coming too," she said without hesitation.

William blinked, caught off guard. "What are you going to do there?"

"That's none of your business," Sophia snapped, arms crossed.

William chuckled, shaking his head. "Then I won't let you go."

Sophia's face lit up with indignation. "Why not?"

"It's too dangerous," he said firmly.

The Lost Labyrinth was a complete unknown, a forbidden zone full of peril. For players, death was just an inconvenient penalty, but Sophia only had one life. He couldn't risk her safety.

Sophia's nose scrunched in frustration, her voice rising. "'You' said it's dangerous, so it's dangerous? You arrogant, stinky human! Straighten up! I'm the ancestor of werewolves and witches!"

Her declaration was full of pride, but her pouting face betrayed her frustration.

William smirked, unfazed. "If I say no, then no."

Sophia glared at him, her voice sharp. "You really want to be punched, don't you? Say that again!"

"Try me," William said with a grin.

That was it; Sophia exploded. Her fury was palpable, her golden hair practically bristling like a lioness ready to pounce.

"If a tiger doesn't bare its fangs, you think she's a sick cat, huh?!" she snapped, stepping forward.

William held his ground, chuckling softly, fully prepared for the storm to come.

---

William and Sophia, who had once teamed up to take down werewolves, were now locked in a heated brawl, fists flying and feet striking in a chaotic clash.

When the dust settled, the result was… a draw.

William frowned, surprised.

He had always felt confident against Sequence 9 transcendents from other paths. His constitution alone, exceeding 20 points, placed him at the high end of Sequence 9. Combined with his extraordinary characteristics and high overall attributes, he was no pushover.

His [Desperate Situation] ability, fully upgraded, gave him a massive boost to all attributes when triggered, allowing him to briefly contend with Sequence 8 Beyonders. But during the fight with Sophia, there was no danger, so the feature didn't activate.

Even so, his base stats alone were more than enough to tear through ordinary werewolves. Yet Sophia, defying all expectations, had held her ground.

Her agility was remarkable, her strength devastating; she could crush boulders with her bare hands. But it wasn't just her physical prowess. Sophia also wielded magic, a reminder that she was a dual-path transcendent.

Realizing there was no clear winner, William dropped his stance and stepped back.

"Forget it," he said, relaxing. "Fighting little girls isn't exactly my style anyway."

"Hmph!" Sophia huffed, clearly displeased. She clenched her fists and glared at him. Half a month ago, she could've crushed him like a bug, yet now they were evenly matched.

"How could this happen?" she muttered to herself. "Who's the real extraordinary race here?"

She knew William had walked the path of the magic wolf. Though he appeared human now, she understood he was, at his core, a young demon wolf. But what about before his transformation?

William broke her train of thought with a sly smile. "You didn't beat me, and I didn't beat you, so that means you have to listen to me."

Sophia's face turned red with frustration. "Shut up! I don't have to listen to you!"

William raised an eyebrow at her stubbornness. "Then give me a reason why not."

Sophia hesitated, her gaze drifting to the side. Finally, she huffed, "The witch lost two treasures in the Lost Labyrinth."

William's eyes widened. Sophia noticed his surprise and smirked, feeling a small surge of pride.

"Werewolves and witches gave up everything to create the cornerstone of inheritance, that cornerstone is me," she said, her tone growing serious.

The cost of that creation had been immense, far beyond what most could comprehend.

There were nine werewolf heroes, countless Wolf Lords, and an entire ancient race with access to untold extraordinary materials. Yet now, all that remained was Mutu's Wolf Claw a pitiful remnant of what they once had.

"Mutu," Sophia continued, "died in the Witch Night ten years ago. And they've been after me ever since. Imagine betting everything you have on one roll of the dice, only for the jackpot to run away."

William couldn't help but laugh at her haughty expression. "So what's this treasure you lost? Maybe I can help you get it back."

Sophia scoffed. "You? Don't make me laugh. There's no way you could do it."

"How do you know if I don't try?" William countered.

Her smirk faltered. "Only a witch can awaken those two treasures. Are you a witch?"

That shut him up, and Sophia's mood darkened slightly. "Grandma told me to retrieve the treasure from the Lost Labyrinth," she said quietly.

"But Sophia, it's dangerous out there," William said, his tone serious.

"Are you always this annoying?" she snapped. "That's why I want to go with you!"

Without warning, she raised her small boot and kicked him hard in the shin.

"Argh!" William staggered, holding his leg and grimacing in pain.

Sophia hesitated for a moment, her tone softening slightly. "One of the treasures is called the Holy Grail. It can hold divine blood and store extraordinary properties. Do you understand?"

But halfway through her explanation, her frustration returned. "Ugh, why am I even explaining this to you?"

William, still rubbing his shin, simply smiled. "You'll have to explain eventually; especially if you want me to help."

Sophia crossed her arms and turned away, but not before muttering under her breath, "Stupid human."

William froze for a moment, the mention of the Holy Grail immediately bringing "Rashomon" to mind.

Rashomon, a relic capable of storing the extraordinary properties of five different paths, had served him well after the full moon night. It had absorbed so much energy that its wear was now visible, though its durability was still holding at an estimated 80%.

However, William knew that if he ever found himself in a life-or-death situation, he would need to find another way to suppress the overwhelming influence of his [Killing to Prove the Way] talent.

He smiled wryly and said, "So that's how it is. Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

Sophia wrinkled her nose, clearly annoyed. "Why should I tell you? This is the witch clan's secret!"

"How does the Holy Grail compare to Rashomon?" William asked curiously.

Sophia scoffed, her disdain palpable. "Rashomon? It's just a tool created by a full-grown witch. It's nothing compared to the Holy Grail!"

Her golden eyes narrowed with mockery as she tilted her head upward, looking down on him despite her petite stature. "You're supposed to be a demon wolf, yet you're this ignorant? Aren't you embarrassed?"

Sophia's delicate appearance didn't match her fiery personality. She was small and undeniably cute, but her attitude was sharp, arrogant, and brimming with sass. She always managed to look down on others with her chin raised, her sharp tongue cutting deep.

Most people found her unbearable.

But William? He didn't mind.

He'd endured worse in his past life, hardships that would break most. This was nothing but a minor annoyance. With a patient smile, he replied, "I'm not very familiar with these things. If you explain it to me, I'll learn."

After all, he had only been a transcendent for three or four days. His understanding of this magical world was shallow at best, and he had no shame in admitting it.

Sophia, on the other hand, was no ordinary ten-year-old. Raised by Elise and Little Bob, she had absorbed extraordinary knowledge as easily as children absorbed fairy tales. To her, things that were top-secret to most were as familiar as bedtime stories.

If William didn't know, he would simply ask. There was no shame in learning.

Sophia smirked. "Then beg me."

"Please, Lady Sophia," William said instantly, bowing his head.

Sophia froze, stunned by his quick surrender. She had expected resistance, some form of pride, but his easygoing demeanor felt like punching a pillow, there was no resistance to push against.

Still, seeing him "submit" gave her a smug sense of victory. "Hmph," she said, trying to maintain her composure. "I'm going to the Lost Labyrinth."

William nodded enthusiastically. "Of course, of course. I'll take you in a few days. But Lady Sophia, while we wait, could you share a few little secrets no one else knows?"

Sophia's lips curved into a pleased smile. She crossed her arms and shook her head in mock frustration. "You're hopeless. Fine, fine, I'll tell you."

William smiled inwardly. So this is how she works.

For all her bravado and stubbornness, she was surprisingly easy to manage. Flatter her a little, and she softened up instantly.