Hunt Race

The heavy iron gate slowly rose.

A low growl echoed through the arena.

Kael's hand rested calmly on the hilt of his sword.

Moments later...

A massive Ironclaw Bear stepped into the light.

Its broad frame was covered in dense black fur.

Its claws dug into the stone floor, leaving deep grooves with every step.

The beast lifted its head.

Then roared.

The sound reverberated throughout the arena.

One of the Association officials looked up from his clipboard.

"Healthy."

"Fully grown."

"An ordinary Iron Rank Ironclaw Bear."

Cedric gave a slight nod.

"Good."

He looked at Kael.

"The Association doesn't expect a Bronze Rank hunter to defeat an Iron Rank beast."

Kael remained silent.

Cedric continued.

"That is the minimum."

"What we evaluate..."

"Is how efficiently you accomplish it."

He slowly raised three fingers.

"You have three exchanges."

"If the beast is still capable of fighting after the third..."

"You fail."

Kael nodded.

"I understand."

Cedric stepped aside.

"Begin."

...

The Ironclaw Bear lowered its body.

Its powerful muscles tensed.

Then...

It exploded forward.

The arena trembled beneath its charge.

Kael didn't rush to meet it.

He simply watched.

Every movement.

Every shift in its weight.

Every step.

The distance closed rapidly.

The bear raised its massive claw.

It came crashing down.

Boom!

Stone shattered beneath the impact.

Dust burst into the air.

Kael had already moved.

Not backward.

To the side.

His sword slipped from its sheath.

Shhk!

The blade sliced across the bear's foreleg.

A deep line of blood appeared instantly.

The beast growled.

Its balance shifted.

Without forcing the blade to stop...

Kael allowed the momentum to continue.

His wrist rotated.

The second slash followed naturally.

Shhk!

A longer wound opened along the beast's ribs.

Kael immediately retreated.

The Ironclaw Bear spun around with surprising speed.

Its injured leg dragged slightly.

But its strength remained terrifying.

One of the officials quietly wrote something down.

Cedric noticed.

"What did you see?"

The official answered without taking his eyes off the arena.

"He never lingered."

"He struck..."

"And immediately created distance."

Cedric nodded faintly.

"Continue watching."

...

The bear roared.

Pain had only made it more violent.

Its jaws snapped as it charged again.

This time...

It didn't swing its claws.

Instead...

It threw its entire body forward.

Kael's expression remained calm.

The distance shrank.

Ten steps.

Five.

Three.

The bear lunged.

Kael stepped inward.

Several officials widened their eyes.

Too close.

Far too close.

The bear's jaws snapped shut.

Nothing.

Kael had already slipped beneath its reach.

His feet planted firmly.

His body turned.

Ripple Slash.

Shhk!

The first slash forced the beast's head upward.

Its throat was exposed.

The second slash arrived before the first had completely finished.

Shhk!

Blood sprayed across the arena.

The Ironclaw Bear froze.

Its body staggered past Kael.

One step.

Two.

Then...

It collapsed with a thunderous crash.

Silence.

Complete silence.

Kael slowly exhaled.

He looked at the fallen beast before calmly wiping the blood from his blade.

Only after the sword was clean did he return it to its sheath.

Click.

The sound echoed through the arena.

Cedric looked at the beast.

Then at Kael.

His usually calm expression softened into a faint smile.

"Do you know why you passed?"

Kael shook his head.

"I'd like to hear your judgment."

Cedric nodded.

"You never chased the kill."

"The moment you created an opening..."

"You took it."

"You trusted your technique."

"But more importantly..."

"You trusted your judgment."

He walked toward the fallen beast.

Stopping beside its body.

"Many applicants become obsessed with displaying their technique."

"They continue attacking long after victory is certain."

"They waste movements."

"They create unnecessary risks."

He looked back at Kael.

"You didn't."

"You struck only when necessary."

"And every movement had purpose."

The Association officials quietly nodded in agreement.

Cedric turned toward them.

"The assessment is complete."

One by one...

They signed the evaluation sheet.

The final official handed the document to Cedric.

He glanced over it.

Then closed the folder.

"No objections."

He walked back to Kael.

From inside his robe...

He removed a small bronze-colored badge engraved with the Association's emblem.

"This badge represents more than rank."

"It represents the Association's trust."

He held it out.

"Kael."

"From this day onward..."

"You are officially recognized as a Bronze Rank hunter."

Kael accepted the badge with both hands.

For a brief moment...

He simply stared at it.

The weight wasn't much.

Yet...

It felt heavier than any weapon he had ever held.

Every hunt.

Every wound.

Every battle.

Every step had led to this moment.

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