Chapter 2:

Liam padded deeper into the forest, his massive form weaving silently between the trees. He needed a better place—somewhere hidden, somewhere defensible. The frost his presence left behind shimmered faintly, a trail he did not realize he carved into the earth.

Moments after he departed, a group of adventurers broke into the clearing he had just vacated. Weapons ready, eyes sharp, they fanned out to assess the place. But what they found was only emptiness.

"Too late," Captain Alise Lovell murmured, her green eyes narrowing. She crouched low, brushing her gloved hand against the ground. Beneath her fingertips, a delicate film of ice spread across the dirt. Thin, but unnatural—no ordinary weather had caused it.

A figure stepped quietly to her side. She was tall, with long golden-blonde hair that gleamed in the sunlight and calm sky-blue eyes that rarely betrayed emotion.

Ryuu Lion. Barely a year into her time with Astraea Familia, and already she stood as a level two adventurer—a prodigy by any measure.

"Captain," Ryuu reported softly, her voice even, "I scouted ahead. There are no signs of any creature resembling the one Lady Astraea described."

Alise rose smoothly to her feet, dusting her palms. "I see. Then there's no need to be so stiff, Ryuu. Remember, Astraea-sama did not send us to clash with this being… only to find it."

Ryuu gave the faintest nod. "Understood."

Their exchange was interrupted by a boisterous voice.

"I felt it! That presence—it's close! I want to see it!"

The cry came from Neze Rankett, a gray-haired werewolf whose tail swished eagerly behind her. Her instincts clamored, pulling her toward the trail of power that lingered in the air. Were it not for her companions restraining her earlier, she would have bolted headlong into the woods.

"Quiet down, Neze," came a sharper voice. A small-framed girl with cropped dark-brown hair crossed her arms. Noin Unic, ever the realist, frowned at her companion. "Can't you see the captain is still focused?"

Neze blinked, then flushed red. She glanced at Alise, who regarded her with a helpless little smile. "Ah! Forgive me, Captain!" she stammered, ears pressed flat.

Alise only lifted her hand lightly, signaling it was fine.

Before Neze could say more, another presence joined them. A woman of serene bearing stepped forward. Her long walnut-brown hair was bound neatly at her back, her deep indigo eyes calm yet vast—like a starlit sea. Her simple kirtle and flowing skirt swayed with her every step as she crossed to the center of the clearing.

Astraea. Their goddess.

"Lady Astraea!" Alise hurried to her side, bowing her head with reverence. "I thought you would remain at camp."

But Astraea did not answer immediately. She knelt gracefully, closing her eyes as if to listen to something beyond mortal perception. For a moment, silence reigned, save for the rustling of leaves. Then her lips curved faintly.

"As I suspected," she said softly, "it was a spirit."

The words rippled through the group.

Alise stiffened. "Spirit? Lady Astraea you mean… a spirit from the old myths?"

Astraea opened her eyes, her gaze gentle yet unwavering. "Yes, my dear Alise. The one who let out that cry was not beast nor monster—it was a spirit."

Gasps broke among the younger adventurers. From behind, another girl approached, carrying a staff. Her light brown hair was tied into twin braids that framed her face, and her eyes shone with excitement.

"A spirit? Truly?" she breathed, almost unable to contain herself.

Spirits—legendary magical beings, closet being to gods. Their existence was little more than rumor, for none had been seen for a thousand years. To encounter one here was nothing short of miraculous.

Astraea only smiled, serene as ever, and gave a quiet nod.

Yet in her heart, thoughts churned. It had been centuries since she last heard whispers of spirits walking the mortal plane. To find one now… fate itself must be at work.

And if the being truly was a spirit, then perhaps—perhaps she could invite it into her Familia. To protect her children, to guard their justice. Because justice always drew enemies, and enemies demanded strength.

Her deep indigo eyes lingered on the fading ice in the soil.

Yes. If it was truly a spirit… it must be approached.

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Liam's four legs carried him across the forest floor with astonishing speed. Despite the sheer weight and size of his lupine body, not a sound followed him, as though he were no more than a phantom gliding across the earth. His massive head tilted toward the sky, where the horizon had already begun to bleed into shades of amber and gold.

He froze for a moment, realization dawning. He had been so intoxicated by the exhilaration of running that he had lost all sense of time.

And yet… it was worth it.

For the first time, Liam felt something he had never truly known before—freedom.

Freedom was a word that carried a thousand different meanings. For some, it was the escape from shackles. For others, it was the ability to act without judgment. To Liam, in this moment, it was the unshakable joy of running—of feeling the wind claw past his fur as the earth seemed to bend beneath his paws.

But eventually, he slowed, his attention caught by a structure looming in the distance. A ruin.

Liam padded closer, curiosity tugging at him. The ruins were old—long abandoned. Weeds pushed between cracked tiles, and fractured pillars leaned precariously, their glory swallowed by time. Yet amidst the decay, there was shelter. A half-collapsed building, still offering an intact entrance. With some effort, he thought, it could even be restored.

That realization stirred something hopeful in him. If ruins like this existed, perhaps intelligent beings had once lived here. Perhaps others still did. And if he ventured far enough, perhaps he might even find humans.

The thought had barely settled when the system that silent ever since his transformation into Andrius flared back to life.

[Quest Unlocked]

[Mission: Place the Greatsword of Wolf's Gravestone at the center of the ruin. Create the Trial.]

[Reward: Unlocking 2/3 – Lupus Boreas, Dominator of Wolves]

Before Liam could even process the words, a greatsword materialized in front of him. Its crimson blade shimmered in the dying light of the sun. Then, without warning, it plummeted.

Thud.

The blade struck the earth, embedding itself deep into the stone floor.

Liam blinked. His mind lagged behind the sequence of events, unable to keep pace. The quest, the sword—it all happened so abruptly. He stared at the weapon where it lay, unmoving, silent, yet carrying an undeniable presence.

After scanning the ruins to ensure no other life stirred nearby, he shifted back into his human form. Fur receded, claws dulled, and once again a black-haired man stood in the quiet ruins. Liam steadied himself, taking a few breaths to adjust to his human posture before exhaling sharply.

"Fuh…"

He approached the greatsword with deliberate steps. Recognition flickered in his eyes—it was unmistakable. The Wolf's Gravestone. The same weapon he once handed to Diluc, and the same that appeared near Andrius's trial. Back then, Barbara was his main healer he hadn't been lucky enough to pull a five-star character so early like Jean. So he bring her to fight the wolf as his healer..... and it was bad decision he keep freeze what ever he got hit by the attack because of her E skill. The memory brought a wry smile to his lips.

Shaking his head to clear the nostalgia, Liam wrapped one hand around the hilt of the greatsword. He tightened his grip, then pulled.

Nothing.

He tried again, muscles straining, but the blade remained unyielding.

"Tch… guess one hand won't cut it."

Bracing himself, he planted both hands on the hilt.

"Haaaah!" His shout echoed off the ruin walls as he heaved with all his might, veins standing out across his forehead. But the sword refused to budge. His face flushed crimson with the effort, and eventually he collapsed into a crouch, gasping for breath.

In this frail human body, he realized, he was powerless against the weapon's weight.

Or perhaps this weapon is way too heavy for his modern self.

Wiping the sweat from his brow, Liam stared at the crimson blade, its silent defiance mocking his weakness.

If his human body couldn’t manage it, then there was always another option.

“Work hard, not smart—wait… no, it’s the other way around. Work smart, not hard.” Liam nodded firmly to himself.

His frame shifted once more, bones stretching and fur spilling outward until the majestic form of Andrius the great wolf stood where the man had been. Now, compared to this towering body, the Wolf’s Gravestone looked far less daunting. Almost small.

Almost.

He stretched out one massive paw toward the sword but stopped, ears flicking in mild irritation. A paw was no hand there was no proper grip, no way to hold the hilt. What was he supposed to do, carry the legendary greatsword in his mouth like some stick?

Then the thought struck him. Wait… can’t Andrius take a human form?

Most of the ancient beings could, after all adepti, elemental spirits, even those bound by legend. And if the tales were true, the original Knight of Boreas the wielder of this greatsword had been none other than Andrius himself. That meant this form, too, should be capable of shifting.

“Well then,” Liam muttered, grinning at the absurdity. “Let’s give it a try.”

A ripple of light cascaded over his lupine body. Moments later, the wolf was gone, and standing before the greatsword was a woman. Long silver hair tumbled freely down her back, her white sleeveless dress swaying lightly in the ruined air. She brushed a lock of hair aside with deliberate grace, revealing golden eyes slit-pupiled and gleaming faintly.

This, too, was Liam. Or rather… the version of Andrius he had chosen to become.

Why a woman? The reasons were complicated—or perhaps, embarrassingly simple. He told himself it was because elemental beings had no fixed gender, so it hardly mattered. He told himself it was practical—smaller form, smaller hitbox. But the truth… well, when given the choice between playing as a man or a woman in a game, he had always leaned toward the latter. Cute avatars made for better company, and at least this way he wasn’t stuck staring at a man’s backside for hours on end.

He sighed. Fine, the real reason… He already have his original body. No need for another handsome male form that might outshine it.

Shaking off the thought, Liam no, Merilda, as he decided this form should be called stepped forward. Her slender hand wrapped around the sword’s hilt, and with effortless grace she pulled it free. No strain, no stubborn resistance—just a smooth, decisive motion.

Resting the blade across her shoulder, Merilda scanned the ruin. The quest demanded the sword be placed at the center, and there it was: a broad, open space marked by worn stone. She strode toward it, raising the weapon high before driving it down.

The system’s panel flickered into existence.

[Would you like to set up the Trial here?]

Merilda’s golden eyes narrowed. “Yes.”

The blade plunged into the earth with a resonant clang. At once, the greatsword glowed crimson, a pillar of light searing into the night sky. The ruins trembled as the world reshaped itself. Jagged cliffs rose around the perimeter, stone spires clawing upward. Withered trees sprouted in twisted silence, and on the encircling walls, ancient carvings came alive. Symbols sprawled across the surface, but at the very heart of it all was a wolf’s visage the face of Andrius, etched deep into the stone.

The ruin had transformed into an arena, a trial ground Liam recognized all too well from Genshin Impact.

Merilda flexed her arm—the one now holding the sword with casual ease—and smirked faintly. “Not bad.”

Another system panel chimed:

[Quest Complete]

[Reward: Unlock 2/3 – Lupus Boreas, Dominator of Wolves]

Then suddenly surge of energy rippled through her body. Her veins sang with vitality. She felt the wind more keenly than before the whisper of the trees, the howl of distant beasts and the cold purity of Cryo answered her call with newfound ease.

Merilda exhaled, golden eyes gleaming in the dim light.

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p.s mc merilda appearance is from the extra academy survival guide