The Fangcub stood firm, its body heaving with exertion, yet its spirit remained unbroken. Around its tail, a spectral projection flickered—a ghostly appendage of raw Aether, mirroring its presence in the world. The translucent energy twisted and coiled, crackling with latent power, a testament to the force now awakening within it.
Opposite, the Zephyr Monkey crouched low, its glowing blue fur shifting in waves, moving like a living storm. Its fist cut through the air, whipping with such force that the very space around it distorted, rippled—bent under its sheer command of the wind.
A visceral growl rumbled from both creatures—two beings standing at the precipice of battle, neither willing to break, neither willing to yield.
They moved.
They clashed.
Aether met wind.
A violent shockwave erupted outward, the impact splitting the earth beneath them, scattering leaves, dust, and shattered bark in a chaotic storm. The very air howled, bending to the Zephyr Monkey’s will, surging like a hurricane around its body.
But the Fangcub didn’t falter.
It refused to be swept away.
It fought against the force with sheer, unrelenting will.
The wind pushed.
The Fangcub pushed back.
The battlefield trembled.
The rippling water mirrored their fight, each ripple echoing their struggle—two forces of nature, each trying to overcome the other.
Then—
The Fangcub’s ethereal tail flared.
The Aether surged, roaring like a wildfire.
And for the first time—
The wind hesitated.
As if forgotten by the two, Kei lay to the side, consuming two basic health potions in his inventory and placing the empty vials back into his storage.
[Kei Yuichi: Level 0]
[HP: 15/15] (Status: Bleeding)
Tearing what remained of his once-white sweatshirt, he bandaged his bleeding wound, applying enough pressure to stem the bleeding for the moment. The fabric soaked through almost immediately, but it was enough to slow the blood loss.
Beep
Beep
Beep
“I guess I’ve been ignoring this long enough.”
Opening his quest log, he read the message that appeared.
[Emergency Quest: Galeborn Calamity]
One of the five apex bosses of the Expanse has been enraged.
The Zephyr Chitter Monkey, guardian of the winds, has entered a berserker state after losing its treasured 10,000-Year Zephyr Blessed Ginger. It will not stop until the thief is dead. The winds rage alongside it, warping the battlefield into a death trap.
Objective:
- Defeat the Zephyr Chitter Monkey
Conditions:
- Escape is impossible; the area is locked.
- The Zephyr Monkey’s wind control is enhanced.
Failure Penalty:
- Aether circuits damaged, disabling Force Alignment for 48 hours.
- Breeze Force progression severely hindered.
- The Expanse destabilizes as uncontrolled winds spread chaos.
Rewards:
- Survive: +10% Force Progression, improved Aether control.
- Defeat the Zephyr Monkey: Unique Title [Stormbreaker], unlock Zephyr Force Affinity.
- Perfect Completion: [Tempest Step] (wind-based movement skill), rare relic drop, +2 Agility, +2 Will.
The winds have chosen their battlefield. Fight, or be erased.
Quest Start.
Watching the Fangcub and Zephyr Monkey dart across the battlefield, clashing repeatedly, Kei took his time to carefully observe the Zephyr Monkey.
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A title hung above its head.
[Expanse Boss: Zephyr Monkey King]
“Makes sense,” Kei quipped.
His mind processed the situation rapidly, his fingers tightening slightly around his makeshift bandage.
“So we had no choice but to confront this boss, huh?” Kei relented. “Maybe if we didn't steal its treasure, we could’ve avoided this.”
His gaze flickered back to the quest description.
“One of five? That means there are four more of these creatures we have to defeat. I’m just hoping this monkey ranks as the strongest of them, or else we’re gonna be in trouble.”
Grunting as he got back up to his feet, he mapped out the Fangcub and Zephyr Monkey’s movements, taking a moment to adjust his senses and assess the state of their fight. His Breeze Force whispered through the wind, feeding him subtle details—each gust carrying with it the impact of their attacks, the shifts in pressure, the strain in their bodies.
"Even though it’s obviously weaker, the Fangcub has been doing really well against the monkey." Kei observed, his eyes narrowing as he watched their battle unfold. "But what’s with those ghastly-looking astral projections over its tail and claws? That’s new. Seems to be filled with Aether… if anything, it might just be purely Aether."
He analyzed the strange energy flickering around the Fangcub’s limbs. It wasn’t simply reinforcement—it was projection. An extension of itself, formed by sheer will and Aether concentration.
Kei’s grip tightened.
The Fangcub rebounded off a tree, using it as a springboard to launch itself forward. Its claws slashed outward, and in perfect unison, the astral projection of its Aether-infused claw mirrored the motion, cutting through the air with lethal precision.
The Zephyr Monkey moved to dodge—
But it was met with an astral-projected tail, whipping around in a devastating arc and slamming it straight into the ground.
BOOM.
The earth cracked beneath the force of impact, dust and debris scattering into the air. A deep crater formed where the Zephyr Monkey had been driven down. Its glowing eyes snapped upward, already surging to counterattack—
Bang!
Its head violently lurched to the side.
For a moment, the Zephyr Monkey froze, eyes flickering in confusion before sharply turning toward the source of the attack.
Standing a few meters away, Kei grinned—his bloodied lips parting in a sharp, defiant smile, a few missing teeth leaving gaps in his expression.
Both his hands were held out before him, fingers spread wide.
Between them—ten glowing projectiles.
Pebbles.
Each one shimmered with an orange glow, infused with Aether, radiating a heat-like distortion around them.
Kei’s voice rang out, smooth and almost mocking.
“Ten.”
The Fangcub landed gracefully on the opposite side of the Zephyr Monkey. Upon first seeing Kei standing again—alive, grinning, and seemingly stronger—it felt immense relief. Its body nearly trembled with emotion.
But then—
It saw the ten glowing orbs between Kei’s fingers.
And the moment he uttered that number—
A bad premonition settled deep within its gut.
For the first time, the Fangcub felt bad for the Zephyr Monkey.
It didn’t know exactly what was about to happen—
But it knew it wouldn’t be pretty.
The Zephyr Monkey, entirely over this nonsense, shrieked in raw fury. It attempted to command the winds to its will, but—as it expected—Kei was interfering.
Its control was slipping.
Enough.
With a violent step forward, it charged, its fists clenched so tightly that Kei could hear the joints cracking.
Kei exhaled, eyes narrowing.
"Help me out, buddy."
The Fangcub didn't hesitate.
Lunging Rend—activated.
It barreled forward with all the force it could muster, its claws gleaming with aether-backed power.
Sensing the Fangcub’s rapid approach from behind, the Zephyr Monkey reacted instantly. Its body twisted sharply, its weight shifting seamlessly as it pivoted on one foot.
With terrifying precision, it launched a spinning back kick—
The air howled as the kick tore through it, aimed directly at the Fangcub’s ribs, carrying enough force to send it flying.
But just before impact—
“Seven.”
Kei whispered the number under his breath as he flicked his wrist.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Three Aether-infused pebbles tore through the air.
The first struck the Zephyr Monkey’s ankle, still grounded from its charge—momentarily disrupting its footing.
The second slammed into the back of its head, aiming precisely where Kei suspected its brainstem should be.
The third pelted its elbow, just as it moved to swing.
KREEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!
The Zephyr Monkey shrieked in agony.
It had been pelted before—dozens of times—by Kei’s annoying, relentless pebbles.
But these were different.
These were dangerous.
It felt the damage.
Through its thick fur, through the layers of natural defense, it felt pain.
Kei grinned wider—his status screen flickering to the side, revealing a new surprise.
[Skill Name]: Advanced Projectile Mastery
[Description]: Through extensive experience and refined control, you have developed an advanced understanding of thrown weapons. By integrating Aether, you can now manipulate projectile speed, trajectory, and impact force, adapting seamlessly to environmental factors and exploiting enemy weaknesses.
[Effects]:
- +10% base accuracy when throwing small and medium-sized projectiles.
- Trajectory Manipulation: Allows subtle mid-air adjustments, enabling curved throws and precision ricochets.
- Wind Adaptation: Automatically compensates for air resistance, gravity, and environmental interference.
- Ricochet Awareness: Predict impact angles to bounce projectiles off surfaces for indirect attacks.
- Aether Infusion: Projectiles gain increased damage and speed proportional to the Aether infused, enhancing penetration, impact force, and potential secondary effects.
[Additional Notes]:
- The strength of Aether Infusion directly influences projectile properties, increasing impact force, speed, and kinetic energy.
- Force-based projectiles can develop minor homing properties and increased kinetic damage with refined control.
- Overuse of Aether may lead to rapid depletion, requiring careful resource management.
- Further upgrades may unlock additional traits, such as multi-target tracking, piercing effects, or explosive properties.
Kei chuckled, voice hoarse but filled with amusement.
"Unfortunately for you…"
**He raised his hand again—**five glowing pebbles remaining.
“…this Aether stuff seems to really like me.”
His grin widened.
"The next five pebbles? Yeah. They're gonna really hurt."
Before the Zephyr Monkey could react—
Bang! Bang!
The first pebble struck its knee, disrupting its stance.
The second pebble slammed into its throat.
KREEEEEEEEEEE!!!
The Zephyr Monkey screeched, staggering back, rage filling its glowing eyes. It whipped its head toward Kei, intent on ripping him apart—
But Kei was already gone.
In its moment of confusion, the Fangcub seized the opening.
Aether surged.
It lunged, claws stretched forward.
Its target—
The Zephyr Monkey’s ankle.
Connected.
The Zephyr Monkey shrieked in pain, staggering as its balance crumbled beneath it.
And in that moment—
Kei prepared the next attack.
Five pebbles left.
And each one was going to count.