The Rise of the Winter Wolf - Book 5 - Chapter 71 - A Spider and a Progenitor (Patreon)

Aegis

Sapphire moves back and forth, feeling panicked. She can’t open the livestream because every time she tries, the screen just freezes solid and shatters. She can’t look for information on the System Forums because everyone there knows just about as much as she knows, possibly even less.

And she can’t ask her father because their bond hasn’t opened up enough for that again. It’ll still take another week before it naturally opens up again.

Damnit, Dad, why did you have to do that?!

The spider in human form continues pacing near endlessly as her ice continues spreading out from her freezing the girl’s surroundings. But out of nowhere, she stops pacing and turns to look behind her when she senses something appearing.

And right away, her eyes narrow and she lets out a hiss at the sight of that wolf pup.

Fenrir.

She can’t help herself. The moment she sees him, she rushes forwards to attack, only to hit a pure wall of eternal ice element.

“I’m sorry child,” Fenrir’s voice echoes through the clearing she’s in. “Know that if I didn’t do what I did, your father would be dead.”

Sapphire hisses at him as she shouts, “Would he have even been in that situation if it weren’t for you?!”

The Progenitor opens his mouth, hesitates a moment, and answers, “I don’t know.”

Sapphire feels her anger and hatred freezing in an instant. Both at the tone he used and at his words.

He seems… sorry? A progenitor? Apologizing?

She feels the two things together bizarre and something she previously thought wasn’t possible.

Silence fills the clearing before Fenrir eventually says, “Your father will be safe. He has survived the process and become a pseudo progenitor.”

Sapphire immediately feels herself straightening up as relief fills her. But at the same time, she can’t help but frown as she mutters, “Pseudo?”

Fenrir shakes his head, stating, “I’ll explain it to the both of you once he wakes up.”

That catches Sapphire’s attention.

“And when will that be?” she asks rather slowly, her eyes narrowing a little.

The progenitor doesn’t hesitate to answer as he says, “It could be anywhere between one week from now to a month. And until he wakes up, I will keep him protected from the devourer.”

Sapphire stares at him for a few seconds before eventually sighing.

She feels like it’s partially his fault, but at the same time, the things that led to this were also some of the things that let her and her dad survive in the dungeon. They were their sources of power.

The progenitor also seems regretful of what he’s done.

It doesn’t mean that Sapphire is particularly happy about what happened, but all she can think about right now is that her dad is okay.

He’s okay.

Sapphire finds herself smiling at that thought.

“You should be careful,” Fenrir suddenly says, making Sapphire snap out of the happy stupor she was in.

“Why?” she asks with a frown quickly replacing the smile on her face.

The progenitor floats closer to her as he answers, “Because while this will certainly protect you and your father from some of your mortal enemies, it will also leave you open to new enemies.” His eyes narrow slightly. “More powerful enemies.”

It doesn’t take long for Sapphire to understand what he means.

Progenitor enemies.

“Now that your father is no longer entirely mortal, some of the progenitors will view him as fair game,” Fenrir says, his voice and tone turning cold. “The Reaper’s game may be protecting him from them now, but that won’t last forever.” Then he frowns and mutters. “I wouldn’t be surprised if that void bastard decides to play around with Wolf himself since he’s in his territory. Increasing the difficulty of the later bosses to match his new status or possibly letting users within his System enter the Beta Dungeon to attack now that Wolf isn’t considered a mortal anymore.”

Sapphire scowls at the mention of the Progenitor of Void.

Well that’s just great. More trouble, even after we leave the dungeon.

The spider in human form begins pacing again, no longer caring much about Fenrir’s presence.

“Some of them may also target you now that Wolf might be losing his protection,” Fenrir adds, making Sapphire pause for a moment, only to continue.

“I wouldn’t mind that,” she says, not even looking at him. “It’d give me a chance to help Dad by clearing out some of the trash.”

Sapphire notices Fenrir raising a brow at that, but she doesn’t stop pacing.

Time passes in silence as the area around them continues freezing just from the mere presence of both Fenrir and Sapphire. Then, after several minutes pass, she finally stops pacing and asks Fenrir, “Can you show me Dad?”

He nods his head without a word and makes a screen made out of ice element appear in front of her. One showing wolf with the shell having shattered around him, leaving him floating in the center of a strange pocket of pale blue light, unconscious.

Sapphire doesn’t feel particularly surprised by the changes in his appearance since she knew he had changed species. Just the fact that he is now a pseudo progenitor is enough to prove that. But she is slightly surprised by that strange field around him.

“What about me?” Sapphire asks while glancing at Fenrir. “Normally our evolution is linked together. Is that different now?”

Fenrir shakes his head and answers, “You’ll evolve as well. Once your bond is reopened again.”

Thought so…

Sapphire turns her gaze back to the screen again, feeling a sense of relief just from being able to see him.

Then her anger returns from before. Her anger at her dad for sending her away and resigning himself to his death.

We’re going to be having a little chat about that when he gets rid of the devourer.

Her eyes narrow slightly at the screen.

And I’ll make sure he doesn’t enjoy this ‘chat.’

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