Free Web NovelChapter 24: Step 24 to Greatness: Even Primitive Women Suffer From Puppy Fever
[Spear mastery +1]
[Spear mastery +1]
[Spear mastery +1]
Adrian panted as the notifications flashed before him. He was on his knees, his weight supported by the spear.
After three hours of nonstop swinging the spear, he had finally learned two of the basic moves, stab and sweep. However, the progress felt pitifully slow.
[Spear mastery: 8/100]
Just eight after all that? Fuck me.
He looked up to see the sun was right above, meaning it was nearly noon, if not past it. With a sigh, Adrian put the spear back in the inventory and got up.
There was no way he would master the spear before the next settlement. But he still needed to get more points, thankfully, he had more cards to unlock things.
"Let’s get you out first, wolfy," he mumbled, retrieving the green card.
As usual, the card shone and disappeared, leaving behind a pup... at least it was supposed to be a pup.
"What the...? It’s this big and is called a puppy?"
The ’puppy’ was half the size of the wolf Adrian had killed last night, and even then it was an old wolf. The one before him was just a puppy!
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Name: —
Type: Canine companion
Level: 3
Exp: 0/600
Bond: Stage 1 (Imprinted) [10/100]
Grade: Uncommon (Green)
Gender: Male
Current Size: Juvenile (roughly the size of a large dog)
Class: Guardian
Base Stats:
HP: 110/110
Attack: 22 (+30% of the owner’s strength stat)
Movement Speed: 25 (+120% of the owner’s agility stat) km/h
Carry capacity: 4 kg
Weight: 29 kg
Passive Skills:
⬩ Blood Bond: Upon activation of the pet card, the direwolf immediately adapts to the owner’s current level rather than spawning as a newborn and will continue to grow alongside the owner.
⬩ Guardian: The direwolf guards the owner’s residence and will actively deter small and medium predators from approaching. Large predators are not deterred at current size but would get attacked regardless. freewebnσvel.cѳm
Active Skills:
⬩ Lunge: On command, the direwolf charges a single target at full sprint and strikes with its full body weight. Deals 39-46 HP damage and applies the [Staggered] debuff for 2–4 seconds. Cooldown: 25 seconds.
⬩ Hold: On command, the direwolf clamps its jaws onto a target’s limb and locks. The target is [Immobilized] for up to 6 seconds. Cooldown: 90 seconds.
Note: Improving the bond will unlock new skills.
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"...no wonder the puppy suddenly turned into a juvenile! It adapted to my level... tsk, I should have waited before using the card. That way it would have been even stronger!"
The blood bond passive was the reason it was an uncommon pet, unlike Raven, who just refused to level up.
While Adrian was looking at the wolf’s stats, Raven landed between them. The young direwolf’s ears perked up immediately. He tilted his fluffy head to the side, staring at the bird curiously as his tail wagged behind.
"Caw-caw!" Raven cawed, hopping closer to the wolf.
"Woof!" the direwolf barked and gently pawed at the bird, trying to play.
But Raven was fast, and the wolf’s paw landed on empty grass. Raven hopped back and fluttered around the wolf’s head, almost like she was teasing him.
The direwolf spun around in a circle, trying to follow the bird. His tongue stuck out, and his tail wagged even faster. Raven landed on the wolf’s head for a second, then quickly flew up to Adrian’s shoulder and cawed again.
The cawing brought Adrian’s attention back to his pets, and the next moment, a new screen appeared before him.
[Pet Synergy (easter egg) unlocked!]
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Synergy Name: Odin’s Watch
Synergy Effect: As companions of a former god, Raven and Direwolf work together in tandem. While both pets are stationed at home, the two enter a synergy state in which they share senses.
Raven marks invaders from above, informing the Direwolf about their exact number, positions, and even their state (i.e enraged, hurt, etc).
The Direwolf gains stat bonuses when engaging marked targets. Any exp gained from a successful hunt/territory defense is shared between the two pets.
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"Dang... so that’s how you’ll level up?" Adrian smiled, scratching Raven’s beak. "So that’s what you were dancing for, huh?"
"Caw!"
"Woof!"
[You know you can name them, right?]
"Both of them?"
[No, just name yourself. Of course, you’ll name both!]
This time, a strange ancestor’s voice echoed in his head. Given how frustrated the voice seemed, Adrian didn’t have to guess whose voice it was.
Tsk, I get something new, and this Scholar ancestor of mine immediately loses his mind over it.
[Name the direwolf as ’Freki’ and the raven as ’Huginn’?]
"Yes."
[Pets have been named successfully.]
[Freki’s Bond +50.]
[Huginn’s Bond +60.]
Adrian nodded. Since their synergy was named after Odin, he thought it was only right to name them after his pets too.
Adrian was still smiling as he walked back toward the longhouse with Freki trotting happily beside him. Raven flew above them, occasionally diving to tease the wolf pup, letting him chase her for a while before flying back to Adrian’s side.
As they got closer to the longhouse, Sera, holding a couple of eggs, looked up and was the first to spot them.
"Wolf!" she shouted, thinking another wolf had come to avenge the one Adrian killed last night.
The others saw him too and dropped what they were doing. Amika, Nixa, and Rixxa grabbed their new spears and rushed forward. Even Mika, with her injured arm, picked up a spear with her good hand and ran alongside the rest.
"Look behind, male!" Nixa yelled, thinking Adrian was unaware of the wolf walking behind. "It’s a direwolf!"
Seeing the hostile humans ahead, Freki lowered his head and let out a low growl at them.
"Wait! Stop!" Adrian shouted, stepping quickly in front of the wolf. "Don’t attack! He’s my pet, like the bird!"
"Caw!"
Huginn cawed as if confirming his claim, then sat on top of Freki’s head and beaked him. Freki shook his head before coming out of his attacking stance and wagging his tail playfully.
The women saw it and once again were taken aback by Adrian. Not only had he tamed a raven and a bunch of chickens, but now he had even tamed a young direwolf!?
"This wolf... is yours?" Amika asked, still holding her spear.
"Yes," Adrian said with a smile. "His name is Freki, and he won’t harm you."
As if to prove his point, Adrian patted Freki’s head as he nuzzled into his hands while barking happily. Only after seeing that sight did the women lower their spears.
"He’s big and strong," Adrian continued. "While we are all out gathering food or hunting, Freki can stay here and protect the longhouse and the chickens. With him around, no wild animals will dare come close to us."
"Can... I touch him?" Amika asked.
Since she was Adrian’s pet, naturally, she wanted to touch a ’friendly’ wolf as it was the first time she had encountered one, especially a white-furred one at that.
Adrian nodded, but instead of them coming over, he told Freki to go over to them instead. He had already seen that the others wanted to pet him as well but didn’t know how to ask.
With Amika in the lead, the women soon descended upon Freki, and even he was enjoying the attention as he flopped on his back for belly rubs.
"I guess even the primitive beings suffer from puppy fever."
