1 Master's Reputation
In a storming blizzard stands a pretty and fragile-looking figure wearing long pure white battle robes.
The figure moves in the tight robes that attempt to hide their fragility as they engage in a fight with a pack of fierce-looking wolves. Whilst the fight looks easy for the figure as the ancient sword in their hands cuts through the wolves like butter the figure it's a race against time as the figure struggles to preserve their stamina.
They lean their back and ankles backward and then forward building momentum and launching themselves closer to the wolves. They draw their blade back horizontally launching attacks horizontally like raging waves the waves devastating the wolves' ranks.
The pack leader sneaks around the figure attacking the figure with a lunge into a bite, this doesn't go unnoticed by the figure. They kick the ground with their left foot going diagonally aligning with the wolf's side torso. They realign their feet and body into a specific stance to gather strength and do a heavy diagonal slash collapsing down with unstoppable momentum like an avalanche.
The Wolf pack leader is aware of the attack but it's too late to stop its momentum as the sword cuts through the flesh of his torso disembowelling the wolf and ending his life.
The figure almost collapses on the ground in exhaustion but relents as they need to finish the remnant wolves. Most of the wolves run but the figure has to finish off the foolish ones who hope to avenge their pack leader and comrades.
With lazy or rather efficient motions, they slash the sword in an unbridled manner the sword being perfectly qualified for the task. They easily finish off the disorganized pack slashing one last time, felling the last wolf who had foolish courage and loyalty.
They collapse on the snowy ground in exhaustion.
The figure puts on an expression of lament as they wiggle around to be laying on their back and stare at the sky enjoying the chilling winds.
Basking and blending into the snow and cold air as if they belong there; The only thing showing a bit of discord with the snow being their medium-length brown hair which is tied into a ponytail as it leans into the layers of snow.
"Sigh..." after 30 minutes of basking in the cold a forlorn sigh escapes their mouth as the storm calms. "And it's gone, I'll never be able to reach the coldest depths, not with my stagnating strength".
The figure then begins to do a collection of proof of the kills which whilst small weigh them down as they leave the blood-soaked battlefield and head towards home.
As the cold starts to lessen and warmth radiates in the air unnaturally the figure scrunches their face scrunched in discomfort nearing a small ugly door.
"Young Miss, can I see your ID?" A guard asks straightening his posture, putting on a warm smile, and acting as politely as possible.
The figure tips their head slightly, they take out their ID, a personal ID issued from a young age to prevent monsters and other humans from infiltrating settlements.
'An ineffective stop measure' is most people's opinion on it as the effort needed to maintain it doesn't produce enough results whether that be by design or incompetence.
"Everything seems to be in order Wren Musashi...sir?" the realization hits the guard like he's eaten shit, Wren rolls his eyes at him before walking into the gate.
The guard starts chanting a famous modern mantra for situations like this "it's a trap, it's a trap".
The place is surrounded by huge thick walls made out of a material he doesn't even know the name of. With sources of warmth ranging from small fireplaces to nuclear-powered generators; the temperature increases the fancier or bigger the buildings are.
Wren starts to feel weaker as his stamina gets drained and the temperature rises. He heads straight to the missions hub building (one of the fanciest and biggest buildings and thus one of Wren's most hated).
A hub of activity filled with people from all walks of life. The building's main uses being the posting and receiving of missions and tasks whilst it's also a bar on the side.
'Why do other people like it so warm I'll never understand, especially this place with people huddled together around the best heaters in the district'. Wren inwardly grumbles subconsciously deleting the image of people wearing heavy winter wear and slight shivering from his mind to not feel more miserable and out of place.
A group of three takes notice of Wren's almost hostile gaze and their attention redirects to Wren not so subtly taking in his bearing and looks but Wren takes no heed of it.
Wren heads to the counter without much fanfare as he tosses out his bag of kill proofs.
"I'm here to submit the wolf pack mission located at 1km depth" Wren hands the bag of spoils from the Wolf pack; a few miscellaneous items like ears, fangs and his ID.
The female clerk puts her on attention on the "large pack of ordinary Arctic wolves," she says handing Wren the reward with disdain written on her face.
"Hey they're pretty and weak, shouldn't we…?" A young thug says with a look of intoxication and desire.
He receives a slap on the back of his head "you fool, you don't know who that is?" The older thug pauses. "They may be weak but the master of that person is an existence that could kill us in seconds".
This makes the young thug gulp in terror imagining a variety of instant deaths ranging from dismemberment to a snap turning him into dust.
"Wait, I recall that she and many other powerful masters reportedly started picking fights. Similarly, terrifying entities on the beast and human side being their opponents fighting as if their life depended on it," says another thug with a rat-like face and scheming look on his face.
The older and the younger thug's fear visibly lessens.
"So the master of this beauty should be busy fighting experts completely out of our league so her pupil is easy prey for us especially with your 2nd level KI boss" flatters the young thug.
The older thug smiles enjoying the flattery before the rat-like thug chimes in "just to be safe we should make sure to skip town after we're done".
The older thug's expression freezes "I guess we should, I've heard that Aoi Musashi is extremely protective of that beauty".
Wren walks home to the colder part of the settlement unaware of his upcoming cliche encounter with thugs. His Master's reputation usually being a huge protective who only the most ignorant and lustful are bold enough to cross.
"Hey little beauty how would you like to have some fun with me," says the younger thug even more intoxicated as he sees Wren up-close.
"And me," says the rat-faced thug with the look of an appraiser looking at a piece of art.
"Be sure to save the best for me will you?" says the older thug radiating the power of his KI in an attempt to give Wren despair.
Wren is surprised and takes a few seconds to process what is happening; he blinks a few times flinching and subtly changing expressions as if an invisible loading icon appeared above his head as multiple emotions load at once and it explodes into a long plan of attack.
Wren smiles a cheeky smile "so boys am I supposed to take you on all at once or one a time?"
The thugs look at each other surprised then they subtly communicate with each other then nod "we prefer one at a time, thank you" they say in unison "but me first" the youngest thug cuts in as if he can barely contain himself.
"Hooooophh" Wren releases a long sigh drawing his sword from his sheath breaking the thugs' momentum and trains of thoughts.
"I must look weak and helpless to you; my body fragile and my power lacking; you must've seen me hand in the mission to receive disdain. Bah! I can't carry the weight of the stronger and bigger distance kills I hunted, it's too taxing for me to lug around even a small proof of kills".
The old thug shows disbelief on his face "you expect me to believe the bullshit that someone as fragile as you can hunt bigger game than those normal wolves?"
"Is my reputation so bad? I went on hunting trips with my master returning with stronger kills like Early level Ice Bears and Early level Ice Apes" Wren says with a saddened tone.
Wren quickly observes the thugs' expressions and can see they still don't believe him.
"Haahh!" Wren screams an extremely loud battle cry shocking the thugs.
"You think I am easy pickings still EY!?" The thugs' expression says yes.
"I can easily deal with trash like you! Especially you, you horny bastard inching closer to me as I speak!" The younger thug flinches but doesn't stop inching closer to Wren the other two thugs doing the same.
"The only reason I didn't just cut you down is I was nostalgic about encountering a group of dumbasses that aren't scared off by my Master's reputation!"Wren raises the ancient sword in an aggressive stance.
