Congratulations Humanity.

  Due to your achievements, you have been required to face a combined challenge for the last wave of this test.

  We have chosen 2 champions from a different species as your opponents. Chief Toko Golden Claw and Raziel his Bloodsworn from the Golden Claw Tribe on the continent of Beastholme, shall be your new challengers

  The highest contribution of this Tutorial will have one wish granted, bound within the rules of System 1.

  This is your final battle.

  Good Luck.

  The familiar red glow from the scar in the sky rose and dissipated in faster heartbeats. When it slowed, two figures stood quietly staring at the last people of Earth. Large creatures with bulging muscles and hair covering their bodies smiled back at the humans.

  “Are those fuckin, giant Werewolves man?!” someone shouted in fear as an acidic stench that stung the nostrils filled the air.

  An oppressive mana slammed down upon everyone as they stared at the fearsome pair. They stood on two legs, disjointed at the knee like a beast’s. The largest stood roughly 9 feet tall with sun golden fur. On his side he sported a giant blade that rivalled Joshua’s. It looked jagged and used.

  Another terrifying sight, was the plate armor it wore. A moonlight glow on a carefully crafted piece of ivory that seemed to value both function and flexibility. The fingers on the greaves carved out to make way for the massive 3-inch talons peaking through each. It’s arm seeming the size of a massive tree trunk, poised to strike at any moment. The sections of plate on his arm tied with leather to allow movement of elbows and wrists while offering protection to other vital areas. Then there was its head; A golden snout with impossibly white teeth and a tongue that licked hungrily at the air. It's eyes seemed to hold too much intelligence for its muscular frame. The creature was excited for the hunt and its pupils dilated while staring unblinkingly at the nervous prey.

  While the largest gave off a menacing feeling of dread and danger, it was the 2nd that terrified everyone the most. It had long gangly arms with huge sharp razors at its fingertips. It wore leather equipment and seemed to be missing half of its face. You could see pieces of its skull making it look like a permanent grin adorning right side of the beast’s visage. It looked diseased and out of its mind as its eyes darted across the landscape in multiple directions. From the shape of its body, it was built for absolute speed and terrifying precision.

  “Is this it? Oh, this will be free experience. Ursus will be pleased Uncle.” boomed the large one.

  “My Chief, this enemy is only worth our primary boar hunting strategy. You handle the loud ones, I’ll pick off the stragglers.”

  “With pleasure, might as well play with the food first. Fear makes the meat taste better!” said Toko. The larger wolf exploded forward in a blur, while unsheathing his jagged blade. He ripped through the first couple of humans like a buzz saw.

  Most couldn’t comprehend what was happening until they had been already cleaved into. To say we had gotten hopeful and confident was an understatement. Though we had lost so many, the human spirit pushed forward to believe we could reclaim what we had lost. It wasn’t until this moment that we realized how low on the totem pole we humans were in power. It was a costly arrogance.

  Richard, with his mighty shield, stood firmly while bracing for the impact of the giant wolf. Toko paused his charge to point and laugh at the massively armored man; only to behead Richard instantly with the jagged blade. He stood holding Richard’s head in front of the terrified masses, and took a bite.

  Almost immediately some weapons were dropped, friends were abandoned, and chaos ensued.

  The creature howled with a thunderous sound in predatorial glee. Our hopes and our frontline had been broken. Our main force instantly sprang into action. Richard had been everyone’s friend. The silence after the bite seemed to kick everyone out of shock.

  Vladimir summoned hordes of skeletons that lumbered forward towards the predator, only for them to instantly crash into non use. Micah quickly turned to look at the necromancer as a slender hand appeared from inside of his chest; heart beating between its claws.

  “There will be no more wiggly fingers.” said Raze as he tossed the beating heart into his smiling maw, biting down. Vladimir ‘s existence had been snuffed out within moments. He then melted back into the shadows; that hideous half smile gleaming the entire time, like the Cheshire cat.

  Cries echoed from across the battlefield as the air filled with sprays of blood and the coppery scent of death.

  Joshua, Micah, and the wounded Morgan all ran to the front of the battlefield. The cry went out for every available person to stand and fight, as there was nowhere else to run.

  Morgan’s eyes flashed with flickering black fire as she attempted to rise into the air. Joshua pounded forward towards the large wolf cracking the ground with each powerful step. Micah ran to support his brother’s back when a sickening sound accompanied by a splash of liquid landed on his shoulder.

  “No!” Micah screamed as he turned and witnessed Morgan falling from the sky with skinny wolf's jaws clamped around her neck.

  He caught the wolf's grin as it snapped them closed with a Crunch. It's rabid eyes squinted in pleasure as they stared directly at Joshua; its upper bloody jaw stretched into a bloody smile.

  Joshua turned to a sight that would be seared into his brain until the end of time. Not many mattered to him in this world; before or after the fall, but she did. She had become an integral part of the brothers’ lives and the gangly wolf had ripped that away from them. He knew he didn’t treat her the way she deserved. Joshua kept telling himself that once he had the power, he would be able to treat her better. That day never seemed to arrive.

  “I’ll kill you motherfu...” he started to shout before the body of a headless warrior slammed into him from behind. He flew several feet into the side of a massive rock with a crash.

  “Perfect shot!” yelled Toko with his massive arm outstretched like a pitcher on the mound. He started towards the group, when the fur on his feet froze into a solid block of ice to the rocky ground.

  Zero stood behind them all sweating profusely with his hands outstretched. “Run!” he screamed.

  Raze appeared from his shadow, poised for another instant kill but Michael appeared with his blade extended, intercepting the blow and saving Zero from certain death.

  “Filthy mongrel!” spat Michael with drops of blood trickling from the corners of his mouth. He knew he wasn’t going to last against the strength of the large one, but if he could just keep up with the small one he could give Humanity the chance it needed to survive. He silently wished for help, as the encroaching wolf pressed harder and smiled wider.

  A contract is attempting to be established. Alexander Evans would like to offer you access to his mana pool. In return your memory and skills will be stored for future use.

  Do you accept?

  “Yes!” Michael spat out loudly, shocking the gangly wolf. He never broke eye contact as his wounds healed and strength flooded through his body. A status on his screen showed a mana buff across every attribute he possessed.

  Raze jumped back and stared wearily at the sack of meat in front of him. Something had changed. All around the camp the wounded flesh bags seemed to heal. As if understanding some greater plan, they all stared at the wolves simultaneously.

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  The guerilla warfare plan that had been set in motion against the strongest of these apes, seemed to slowly unravel at the appearance of this power. Raze slung his eyes left and right quickly, trying to surmise where the threat originated. He glanced over at the rock they had slung Joshua into and noticed it start to shift. He noticed Toko was being beset upon by the large man and his hammer. It was time to regroup.

  “I’ll see you meat bags very soon.” Raze declared as he started to step backwards into a shadow. He felt incredible bloodlust from behind; turning quickly to see Michael with his blade at his throat.

  “How is he moving so fast?” he thought, shifting onto his right foot to avoid a lethal blow. He ended up sacrificing his left arm to escape the Michael’s blade.

  Toko, while still fighting with Micah, noticed a purple hue surround a large part of the human army. Wounds healed, power flared, and focus sharpened. The plan to keep the weaklings off guard and implement a shock and awe approach seemed to crumble under this new power.

  The mountain of a man came barreling towards Toko with that ridiculous hammer and if he hadn’t instantly broken free his right leg from the ice, he would have taken serious damage. Luckily, it seemed the big man had eschewed strength over dexterity. Toko pushed the man’s head down, while sweeping Micah’s left overextended leg, sending him to the ground.

  He slammed his blade down into his left ice covered foot, slicing it free and bloody in one strike. He was done with the game, and he was done with the plans. It was time to show these monkeys the power of their people.

  With a bleeding stump, Toko jumped back a few feet and unclasped his armor. It cracked against the rocky ground where it fell, proving its considerable mass. The pressure that the large wolf constantly produced... doubled. It felt like a hungry beast just behind your ear breathing and waiting.

  Toko arched his back and let loose a blood curdling howl to the heavens. His torn leg healed itself regenerated as he increased in size and mass. His already menacing fangs and claws extended with explosive growth to razor sharp points. Toko fixed his eyes on Micah standing from the ground. This was the point of no return.

  “You meat bags are in for it now.” said Raze feeling Toko’s pressure increase from several feet away.

  The ear-splitting howl made every eye turn towards its source. The gangly wolf took that moment to slip into the shadow during the distraction of his packmate’s howl. Unfortunately for Raze however, the power boost made Michael’s reaction speed incrementally faster than usual. He knicked the small wolfs neck, just before he disappeared.

  The lanky wolf faded into shadow, while trailing blood and a hand on his neck. Michael couldn’t sense the wolf anymore, even with the boost. He stared at his hands and cursed that Toko’s howl had made him lose his chance. He yelled to form up ranks and started his search for the wolf. He knew his limits and wouldn’t be of any use to Joshua and Micah in the furious battle about to unfold.

  “I need to make sure the other won’t interfere, he’s incredibly dangerous.” he murmured before signaling Jason and Damion to silently stalk the hidden beast.

  Raze moved quickly through the shadows of the human’s camp. He clutched his right arm over the left that had be sliced clean. “It shouldn’t take 30 minutes to fully heal.” he thought while feeling the familiar itch of his people’s regeneration begin. He’d let Toko handle the rest, while he hunted the source of that strange power. It had turned the tide of battle instantaneously and that type of power could be the line between life and death for his people.

  'The System brought chaos and order in equal measure. It wouldn’t just drop two of an advanced race to deal with these monkeys, if they didn’t have a way to win.' Raze thought.

  Feeling a trickle roll down his neck, he moved his finger to the gash.

  “It’s not healing!” he thought angrily. “It must be that unknown power!” Raze darted through the front lines, behind the battlements, and into the camp. There were only a few left from their earlier rampage. His predator’s instincts begged him to kill every weakling left in the area, but he had a job to do.

  The human’s main classes seemed to be only damage and heavy classes. He had only witnessed a few supports. “I only had to kill about five or six healers” thought Raze. “Any other species wouldn’t be stupid enough to not have adequate backup in a fight. That power, however...” As the urge to kill rose in the back of his gut, he caught a glimpse of something that piqued his interest and calmed his blood lust.

  A tent, separated from the rest at the top of a small outcropping. As Raze focused his considerable senses on the it, something felt wrong. He took a whiff of the air coming from the location. “Nothing..” he whispered gruffly from the shadows.

  That wasn’t right. Everything had a scent or at least a presence of some kind. To fool his senses, the most famous stalker in the Golden Claw tribe, was a terrifying possibility. With his target in mind, Raze wearily crept closer to the tent in the center of the dead zone. As he moved closer, the wound on his neck and arm started to throb with a constant rhythm.

  “Aargh!” he yelped again, stumbling from the sharp resurgence of pain. He was definitely in the right place.

  He stalked closer, completely unseen to the quiet corner of the camp. Raze approached the tent and froze as he realized that it wasn’t just smell he lacked; He couldn’t hear anything either. The blood continued to flow from his wounds and his heart pounded louder in his chest. Reaching for the flap, a sound escaped his throat. He barely recognized the it, as he couldn't hear anything else around him. 'There was no way the great hunter Raziel had heard a whimper from himself!' Shutting down the fear and controlling his emotions, he opened the flap of the grey tent...but what greeted him was complete emptiness; complete darkness, further than the tent seemed long.

  Suddenly and without warning purple thread shot from the black of the void and wrapped themselves around the wolf’s appendages. As Raze struggled to free himself, clawing at the material; they tightened. He was reeled inside of the black, ever so slowly, as he struggled in their vice grip. Finally getting his right hand free, he swung towards the thread attached to his leg. The moment his fingers came into contact with the material, it became razor sharp, slicing them cleanly off.

  “What the hell is this?” screamed a panicked Raze. With both of his primary senses shut down, he felt completely isolated. Looking closer at the thin sticky thread binding him, it gave off a sinister, pulsing purple glow against the darkness.

  A terrifying memory of his time in the great forest as a young wolf with his pack resurfaced as the panic started to take hold. He had become stuck within The Great Matriarch’s web for days while on a hunt with his friends. He recalled witnessing his pack mates being eaten alive, stuck in a cocoon, praying and yelping for help. “Not like this! Not again, please not again!” begged Raze to the unseen threat. The sharpness of the Thread prevented him from thrashing, tearing into his flesh at the slightest movement.

  The thread gave off a slight pulsating purple glow as it tightly embraced the disfigured wolf. The more Raze struggled, the less strength he seemed to have at his disposal and Raze had suddenly, become very tired.

  Suddenly all around him, his long dead pack mates started to appear one by one. Even little Toko’s older brother Maza, smiled and told him they were proud of his accomplishments. They told him he had fought long and hard enough; that he was a great warrior of the tribe and in Ursus' Great Den, he would be praised as such.

  There was another fur behind Maza; one that shook Raze to his very core. The brown fur that moved with the gentle breeze brought a warmth to the old wolf’s heart that he forgot existed. Nala, who was to be his mate and mother of his child, reached out her hand with a warm smile and touched his wound. There was a slight prick at her touch, and then she spoke.

  “Let’s go Raziel, my beloved.” she said while caressing her hand over his neck wound. The pain vanished, shocking the veteran. All Raze could feel was that his love had returned and healed him. Thinking of Toko outside fighting, Raze lowered his head.

  “I’m sorry nephew. I miss my wife and I miss who I used to be...” he whispered. Turning to Nala, he smiled with his old face restored. “I’m ready, my love.” The pain had stopped and his heart felt warmth for the first time in fifty years.

  He left to join his wife and his pack.

  Enemies 1 of 2 slain.

  Your planet has drawn added attention.

  Rewards and contributions are being recalculated.

  Good Luck Humanity.

  In the search for the gangly wolf, Maeve headed back to the tent area. As she carefully stalked her way through the tents, she saw the wolf near her father’s tent. Sprinting as fast as she could and prepared to yell for help, something truly perplexing stopped her in her tracks.

  As the wolf got within two steps of the entrance to her father’s tent, it froze solidly in place. He seemed to converse with himself while flailing his arms around and eventually knelt; bursting into tears.

  Her father had always told her to take advantage of any opportunities, less you miss out on a golden chance to change your fortune. Maeve darted behind the wolf, took out one of the thicker iron needles William had crafted, and stabbed it in the wound Michael had left earlier on its neck.

  “I’m sorry. I missed my wife.” he said through garbled speech, tears falling from his eyes.

  It infuriated her as she thought of her families sacrifices. Maeve pierced the needle into the wound without hesitation in one swift motion. She pulled it out and plunged it in four more times until the body went limp; just to make sure. The wolf had welcomed death and she was happy to provide. Thinking of the atrocities committed upon her friends and family that night, she spit on its corpse and turned.

  “Dad, are you all right?!” she shouted stepping towards the tent flaps.

  “Stop! Don’t come in.” her father said with a low and gnarled voice that tugged on Maeve’s heart.

  She froze in place, trusting her father. She didn’t know what plans he had set into motion, but trusted his judgment completely. She still worried about his life. He’s her dad after all.

  “Head back to the front.” she heard from her father’s low and ragged voice; his pain evident. “I know you’re worried about me but we’re at the end game and I need you to do your part. No matter who falls, no matter who dies, and no matter who attacks; always wait for your opportunity. That’s always been your way of fighting, kiddo. I love you and I’m extremely proud of you. Now get back to work!”

  Maeve ran back to the front lines in a mad sprint, tears falling across the desert battlefield. "Please be ok daddy."