Chapter 87: Pride and Unlikely Friendship

Fenrir, who had been observing her from the shadows the entire time, followed as she walked away to validate her quest.

As always, he had appeared without a sound.

Or perhaps he had never truly left.

The enormous wolf moved behind her with that silent, fluid gait that felt deeply unsettling for a creature of his size. Dawn spilled across his dark fur in silver streaks while his eyes remained fixed on her with that almost oppressive, animal intensity.

Blanche didn't turn around immediately.

She was used to his presence.

Or rather... "used to it" wasn't quite the right phrase. One didn't truly get used to Fenrir. One simply learned to keep moving despite the constant awareness that a mythological predator was watching from the dark.

And strangely...

...she wasn't even sure she was afraid anymore.

"At first," he said, making her flinch, "I knew Drainage would benefit you greatly. Then, when you chose the dark mage class, I understood why you survived."

She stopped and looked at him. As majestic as ever, one emerald eye less intimidating than before, the gold one filled with fatigue.

"I didn't know what you had gone through to become such a prodigious queen. But seeing you eliminate five hundred goblins without hesitation, faster than Aaron himself... I understand how you beat me. You do everything to survive. No human has ever had such willpower. And I've been alive for millennia."

He transformed back into his human form with the ease of someone long accustomed to it.

Blanche stood there, stunned. For the first time, he wasn't wearing his mask of cruelty. He looked... melancholic. Sad. Roberto's words came back to her.

It wasn't only Kiyan it seemed to apply to...

She stepped closer, reaching toward his face. Instantly, the terrifying smile returned, along with the cold yellow eye. She froze mid-motion.

"I made you a promise, Blanche. Don't make me break it," he growled.

She nodded, even though she had no idea what promise he was referring to. She was trying to trust herself—like Argy had told her. But seeing the god's murderous mood, her desire to understand evaporated.

Not now.

She preferred to look at the blue window occupying half her field of vision.

\---

Stats Acquired:

Strength +798

Agility +793

Speed +803

Wisdom +754

Intelligence +794

Drainage — Level 5

Flight — Level 5

Carnage — Level 5

Rest — Level 5

Swimming — Level 3

Aura — Level 5

Fear — Level 4

Next page...

Objective achieved!

Reward selection:

Lie — Level 1

Poison — Level 4

Legion — Level 1

\---

"Well! Your stats are far above average! Usually, you need to be level ten to exceed five hundred," Fenrir commented at her ear.

As always, he had leaned over her shoulder.

"As for your skills... it's beyond all expectations. You fully deserve your place as number one."

Phoenix had taken advantage of her distraction to slip away. She found herself alone with "the giant wolf." Not exactly comforting. She pretended to study the last skill option, rereading the same line several times: she was on edge.

Erase your presence from space-time for one minute.

"What is it useful for?" she murmured.

"To hide from those who can track you: mages, sorcerers, subjects... Very useful for striking from the shadows."

Blanche thought about it. Good skill, but for the immediate situation...

"I have an evening this weekend, full of people with supernatural powers... Which would be most useful?"

Fenrir grabbed her and turned her toward him, his green eye narrowing, his gaze judging her from above.

"You're going to the Gala."

Not a question. An obvious fact. Of course he knew. He looked at her, waiting for something. She simply raised an eyebrow. The deity sighed.

"You know the rules. Come on. Think. I can't help you if you don't ask me."

Blanche stood there, stunned. Again.

Damn, he was exhausting. She searched through her memories, gathering all their conversations. Easy, with her photographic memory. Then she smiled.

"What skill do you recommend I take?"

Fenrir gave a satisfied smile.

Or rather the lupine equivalent—an unsettling, strangely human smile.

His fangs briefly showed as a flicker of amusement crossed his enormous gaze. It wasn't mocking, nor cruel this time. Just... satisfied. As if he had finally gotten the reaction he had been waiting for.

Blanche stared at him in silence.

And suddenly, a strange realization settled in.

For the first time, they were on the same wavelength.

No obvious manipulation.

No immediate tension.

No constant feeling of being watched by a creature capable of devouring her as easily as she breathed.

Just a fleeting, almost instinctive mutual understanding stretching between them with disarming simplicity.

It warmed her heart.

The feeling surprised even her.

Because she would never have expected to feel comfort in Fenrir's presence of all beings. He embodied everything she should have feared: savagery, raw power, predatory instinct pushed to its extreme.

And yet...

...he had been there.

Constantly.

Watching her progress.

Following her in the shadows.

Sometimes intervening.

In a twisted, unsettling, deeply Fenrir-like way... he genuinely seemed to be looking after her.

Maybe they were... actually friends?

The thought crossed her mind with almost ridiculous caution.

Friends.

The word felt absurd next to a giant mythological wolf capable of causing nightmares just by holding eye contact too long.

And yet, the more she thought about it, the less impossible it seemed.

Strangely, she didn't dislike the idea.

On the contrary.

There was something reassuring in that monstrous presence walking beside her without trying to hide what it was. Fenrir did not lie about his nature. He did not pretend to be gentle, moral, or civilized.

He was a predator.

Ancient.

Terrifying.

And yet, with her, he still chose to remain.

The dawn wind lifted her hair slightly as she continued walking beside him in the frozen silence of the plains.

"I mainly advise you to become queen of the players before this weekend. With that status and the Lie skill, even at level 1, you'll have a considerable advantage."

She opened the skill description.

Allows you to detect lies from those whose status is lower than or equal to yours. The higher the level, the greater the status gap it can detect.

Interesting.

She nodded, selected Lie, and vanished instantly, leaving behind a very satisfied divine shapeshifter.