*BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM*

The thunder of the artillery was especially deafening on the roof of the barracks.

Normally, the rooftop was empty since it was out of bounds for most of the Sloth soldiers so there was no one there to be bothered by the noise

The barracks as well as other military facilities of the third line of defense were built in such a way so that the noise from the outside couldn't be transferred to the inside.

That's why, no soldier would be caught outside of the facilities - not to mention on the rooftop of one - in the middle of the artillery fire, as long as they didn't absolutely have to be there.

But that was the case only for the soldiers...

The two silhouettes sitting by the northern edge of the barracks rooftop were looking at the horizon, seemingly unperturbed by the constant volleys of fire.

Even though the unnatural mist has thinned out quite a bit, the first defense line - a place where the shells should be raining down on - was completely engulfed in the milky fog because of the distance.

"Raor...! (I'm starving...!)"

The large but terribly skinny black wolf with an orange glint to his fur barked impatiently while salivating, scratching the roof with its front paws.

"I know, I know. Try to bear with it for a bit longer, just until Blueberry returns."

A short, busty, brown-haired girl burrowed her face in the wolf's fur while stroking his head.

"Raor... (Mary... It hurst...!) Raor...! (My stomach hurts...!)"

The wolf growled, scratching onto the roof more and more.

His large body shook with a sudden spasm.

"Arion! Think about something else! Blueberry should be back in less than an hour - it will be okay."

The brown-haired girl was stroking the wolf's head, locking him in a tight embrace.

*GHOOOAAAAAGGHH*

She was so close yet she didn't even flinch when an ungodly noise, sounding like a howling of some hellspawn, came out of the wolf's stomach.

"We've learned the meditation skill together, remember? Let's try using it. It should calm you down."

Mary proposed in a gentle voice.

"Raor... (I don't want to meditate...) RAOR! (I WANT TO EAT SOMETHING!)"

Arion bared his massive fangs and roared.

His body begun trembling uncontrollably and the orange glint of his fur changed into an almost blinding orange light.

But that resulted in Mary hugging him tighter.

"Arion. Arion, listen to me. Focus on my voice. You are not some wild beast. The hunger doesn't control you."

The brown-haired girl rubbed her forehead against the wolf's neck and said with confidence, in a calm manner.

"...raor... (...y-you're right, Ma-Mary, I'm not...)"

Arion clenched his jaws so hard that his teeth made a dangerous sound, and he dug his short claws into the roof.

"Raor... (But... those fools...!) Raor...! (They could kill a dragon, but they let it go...!)"

The wolf trembled and cried.

"Raor...! (Such feast...!) Roar...! (A beast like that would satiate my appetite for a while...!) Roar...! (Not like those ridiculous rations...!)"

Arion snarled furiously.

"It's not their fault. They are just following orders. they don't know about your situation."

Mary explained with a kind smile.

"Raor! (I don't care!) Raor! (I just want to eat something!) Raor! (Anything!) Raor! (I will eat them if I have to!)"

*GHOOOAAAAAGGHH*

The wolf howled, but even his own voice was muffled by the growl of his stomach.

"You know it's not true. Arion. You are not a monster. You're a kind, well-behaved boy. You don't eat good people, and you don't let some measly curse turn you into a beast."

Mary pulled back a bit and smiled at the wolf after a confident speech.

"...raor... (...Mary, you...)"

Arion yelped.

/Quest update

*push back the 2nd monster wave (00:00:00) (completed)

Reward:

Calculating the reward...

(3/11 completion - random title upgrade)

Reward granted

Player's title upgrade:

Kindhearted +2 »»» Heart of gold

/Reward granted

Player's title upgrade:

...

/Warning

/Curse of gluttony detected

/Calculating...

/Adjusting the reward...

/Reward granted

/Proficiency level reached

Player's skill level upgrade

Starvation (level 11)

/Warning

/All base stats increased by 1100% until the player's status will change to satiated.

"RAOR!"

"Ughah...!"

A message popped up and Arion's body flashed with orange light that could rival the sun.

Within the same heartbeat, the wolf had pushed the brown-haired girl on her back and pressed her shoulders down with his strong paws - pushing the air right out of her lungs.

"Raor...! (You don't know who I am...!) Raor...! (My curse...!) Raor...! (Those cursed skills...!) Roar...! (You have no idea what I'm going through...!)"

Arion roared, clamping his fangs right in front of Mary's face.

"Raor... (You always repeat the same things...) Raor... (I'm a good boy...) Raor... (I'm not a monster...) RAOR!? (WELL, WHAT IF I AM EXACTLY WHAT I LOOK LIKE!?) RAOR! (JUST A MINDLESS STARVED BEAST!) RAOR?! (WHAT DOES THAT HEART OF GOLD OF YOURS HAS TO SAY ABOUT THAT?!)"

Arion growled, putting more and more pressure on the girl's shoulders.

"But you're not a mindless beast. The curse is trying to break your will, but it won't. You are too strong. And you know it just as well as I do."

Even though Mary was wearing a standard armor, issued to all recruits in the Sloths' territory, Arion's claws, which should be nowhere near strong enough, pierced through it and pushed against her soft skin.

"Raor... (You know nothing...!) Raor... (You speak like that only because of your titles...) ...raor... (...don't make me laugh...) RAOR, RAOR?! (WHY DON'T I RIP OUT THAT HEART OF GOLD OF YOURS AND TRY HOW IT TASTES LIKE?!)"

"Kyaah!"

Arion roared, ripping off mary's armor and turning her undershirt into shreds, making the brown-haired girl scream in shock.

*GHOOOAAAAAGGHH*

The wolf's saliva was dripping from his mouth and splashing against the girl's body as Arion's stomach growled horribly for the third time.

"Raor... (There's plenty of meat and fat on you...) Raor...! (All it would need is a single bite...) Raor, raor...! (A single bite, and you would be killed and devoured by the very monster you foolishly thought was on your side...!)"

"If that will ease your suffering even a bit... I don't mind."

The brown-haired girl closed her eyes and presented her throat in silent acceptance.

"RAOR!"

Arion spread his jaws, and bite at Mary's neck with a mad snarl.

*CHOMP*

*RIIIIP*