Narrator
The first hunt...
Is never about proving your strength.
It is about discovering...
Who you become...
When fear stands before you.
The forest fell silent.
Only the gentle rustling of leaves remained.
The gigantic beast slowly turned its head.
Its golden eyes...
Now rested upon V.
The little Beastfolk girl staggered backward, her breathing uneven. Blood continued to drip from the wound on her leg, staining the grass beneath her feet.
Her broken sword trembled in her hands.
Even so...
She refused to run.
V calmly stepped in front of her.
Without taking his eyes off the monster, he spoke in a quiet voice.
"Can you still move?"
The girl hesitated before giving a small nod.
"...A little."
"Good."
"When I tell you to run..."
"Don't look back."
She opened her mouth to object.
"But—"
V interrupted gently.
"I'll make an opening."
For a moment...
The girl stared at the boy standing before her.
He wasn't much older than she was.
His clothes were dusty from traveling.
His hands carried no sign of fear.
Only calm determination.
The monster suddenly inhaled deeply.
Its chest expanded.
Then—
ROOOOOOAR!!
The deafening roar exploded across the clearing.
Birds burst into the sky.
The ground trembled.
Leaves rained from the towering trees.
The shockwave rushed through the forest like a violent storm.
The Beastfolk girl instinctively covered her ears.
Even V felt the immense pressure pressing against his body.
"...What incredible strength..."
he whispered.
The creature slowly stood on its hind legs.
More than four meters tall...
Its enormous body towered above the surrounding bushes.
Its black fur resembled overlapping plates of steel.
Long silver claws reflected the sunlight like sharpened blades.
Every breath escaped as thick white vapor.
Its massive jaws slowly opened.
Rows of iron-colored fangs gleamed with terrifying sharpness.
The smell of blood...
Filled the air.
The girl whispered weakly,
"...Iron Fang Bear..."
"I couldn't escape..."
V understood immediately.
This wasn't an ordinary magical beast.
This predator stood near the top of the Death Forest's food chain.
The Iron Fang Bear lowered itself.
Its powerful muscles tightened.
Then—
BOOM!!
The ground exploded beneath its feet.
The gigantic beast charged forward with unbelievable speed.
Each step shattered the earth.
Its roar echoed between the ancient trees.
V instantly reached for Nethrakar.
SHIING!
Both katanas left their sheaths with a clear metallic whisper.
The crimson lines hidden beneath the steel shimmered softly beneath the sunlight.
V exhaled slowly.
His heartbeat settled.
The world around him seemed to slow.
Liza's voice echoed within his memories.
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"Fear isn't something to erase..."
"It is something to understand."
"A calm heart sees opportunities..."
"That panic can never find."
The bear's enormous claw descended.
V stepped forward instead of backward.
CLAAANG!!
Steel met claw.
A violent impact echoed through the clearing.
Dust burst upward.
The shock forced V backward several meters.
His boots carved deep lines across the ground before finally stopping.
His arms trembled from the impact.
"...Heavy..."
"So this is its true strength..."
The Iron Fang Bear gave him no time to recover.
Its second claw swept sideways.
The attack ripped through the air with frightening speed.
V bent his knees.
His body lowered instantly.
The gigantic claw passed only inches above his head.
Behind him—
BOOOOM!!
An ancient tree split apart.
Wood splinters scattered through the clearing.
The massive trunk crashed onto the forest floor.
The Beastfolk girl stared in disbelief.
"...He dodged..."
The bear turned immediately.
Its enormous tail swept across the ground.
V jumped backward.
The heavy tail smashed into a nearby boulder.
CRAAASH!!
The rock shattered into dozens of pieces.
Fragments flew through the air.
One sharp fragment grazed V's cheek.
A thin line of blood appeared.
The Iron Fang Bear growled deeply.
Its eyes became even more savage.
It had realized...
Its prey could fight back.
V tightened his grip.
He remembered Brald's training.
"Never fight the enemy's strength..."
"Fight their rhythm."
He carefully observed the monster.
Its breathing.
Its shoulders.
The shifting of its weight.
Every attack...
Began with the slightest movement.
The bear charged again.
This time...
V didn't block.
At the final instant...
He stepped sideways.
Its enormous claw missed completely.
The monster's momentum carried it forward.
For one brief moment...
Its shoulder was exposed.
V's eyes sharpened.
"Now!"
His body moved like flowing water.
Both swords crossed together.
SHHK!
A clean slash struck across the bear's shoulder.
Dark crimson blood splashed onto the grass.
The Iron Fang Bear stumbled.
Only one step.
Then it regained its balance.
The wound...
Was surprisingly shallow.
V frowned.
"...Only that much?"
His attack had landed perfectly.
Yet...
The creature barely seemed injured.
Its thick hide was stronger than he expected.
Instead of weakening...
The monster became furious.
It let out another earth-shaking roar.
Its breathing grew heavier.
Its muscles swelled.
The ground beneath its feet cracked.
The atmosphere itself seemed to become heavier.
The Beastfolk girl's face turned pale.
"...It's enraged..."
V slowly adjusted his stance.
Both katanas lowered naturally beside him.
His breathing became steady once more.
His eyes never left the beast.
He knew...
The real battle...
Was only beginning.
The Iron Fang Bear's heavy breathing echoed across the clearing.
GRRRRR...
Its golden eyes burned with fury.
Dark crimson blood slowly dripped from the shallow wound on its shoulder.
But instead of weakening...
The injury had only awakened its ferocity.
The enormous beast lowered its body.
Its powerful muscles tensed like a drawn bow.
The earth beneath its claws cracked.
Tiny stones rolled across the ground.
V tightened his grip on Nethrakar.
His breathing remained calm.
His eyes carefully followed every movement of the monster.
Liza's words echoed within his heart.
"A true swordsman..."
"Never lets anger guide his blade."
"Observe..."
"Wait..."
"Strike only when the moment is right."
Without warning...
The Iron Fang Bear charged again.
BOOM!
The ground shook violently.
Its enormous body rushed forward with unbelievable speed.
Dust exploded behind it.
Its massive claw tore through the air.
WHOOSH!!
V stepped to the side.
The claw barely missed his shoulder.
Before he could counter—
The bear suddenly twisted its body.
Its massive shoulder slammed toward him.
"...!"
There wasn't enough time to dodge.
BAAAAM!!
The impact sent V flying backward.
His body crashed into a thick ancient tree.
The trunk shook violently.
Leaves rained down around him.
A sharp pain spread across his back.
"...Gah..."
A small stream of blood escaped the corner of his mouth.
His breathing became uneven.
The Beastfolk girl cried out.
"No!"
"You have to run!"
"You can't beat it!"
V slowly wiped the blood from his lips.
Then...
He smiled.
A calm...
Gentle smile.
"If I run..."
"Who'll protect you?"
The girl froze.
No one...
Had ever said those words to her before.
The Iron Fang Bear let out another furious roar.
ROOOOOOAR!!
It raised both claws high into the air.
Then brought them crashing down.
V immediately rolled across the ground.
BOOOOM!!
The earth exploded where he had been standing only a heartbeat earlier.
Chunks of rock and dirt scattered in every direction.
The force of the impact sent a cloud of dust rising into the air.
V stood once again.
His clothes were torn.
His left arm continued to bleed.
His body ached with every breath.
Yet...
His eyes remained unwavering.
He slowly raised Nethrakar.
The twin blades reflected the sunlight filtering through the trees.
For a brief moment...
The forest became silent.
Even the wind seemed to stop.
Brald's voice echoed within his memories.
"A sword is not swung by your arms alone..."
"It is guided by your heart..."
"And supported by your mind."
V closed his eyes.
Mana quietly flowed through his body.
Like a gentle stream.
Like the whisper of the wind.
He could feel it clearly now.
The energy gathered around his feet.
A faint emerald glow appeared beneath him.
The surrounding leaves began circling slowly.
He whispered...
"Wind Magic..."
"...Flow."
A gentle breeze answered.
His body suddenly felt lighter.
Every movement...
Became effortless.
The Iron Fang Bear attacked once more.
Its gigantic claw descended from above.
This time...
V didn't retreat.
He moved.
One light step.
Then another.
His body slipped beneath the attack like a falling leaf carried by the wind.
The massive claw struck empty ground.
BOOOOOOM!!
The clearing trembled.
Before the beast could recover—
V appeared beside its shoulder.
His swords flashed.
SHHK!
Another slash.
This one...
Deeper.
The Iron Fang Bear roared in pain.
Dark blood splashed across the grass.
Still...
It refused to fall.
"...Its defense is unbelievable..."
V whispered.
The beast spun around violently.
Its enormous tail swept across the clearing.
V jumped backward just in time.
The tail smashed through two giant trees.
CRAAASH!!
The ancient trunks collapsed with thunderous force.
The forest floor shook beneath the impact.
The Iron Fang Bear charged one final time.
Its jaws opened wide.
Iron-colored fangs gleamed beneath the sunlight.
Its golden eyes reflected only one thing.
The boy standing before it.
V slowly lowered both swords.
His breathing became perfectly steady.
His heart grew calm.
Everything else...
Disappeared.
Only the bear remained.
Only one opening.
Only one chance.
Inside his heart...
Liza's gentle voice whispered.
"A true swordsman..."
"Doesn't seek the perfect strike."
"He waits..."
"For the perfect moment."
V opened his eyes.
A sharp determination shone within them.
He took one slow breath.
One step forward.
His body moved with complete precision.
The bear's claw passed just beside him.
For a single heartbeat...
Its chest was completely exposed.
V swung both blades together.
SHHHHK!!
A brilliant slash crossed the battlefield.
Silence.
The wind stopped.
Leaves hung motionless in the air.
V calmly walked past the monster.
Without looking back...
He slowly returned both katanas to their sheaths.
Click.
The Iron Fang Bear remained standing.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three...
Then...
A deep crimson line appeared across its chest.
The gigantic beast staggered.
Its enormous body collapsed onto the earth.
BOOOOOOM!!
The impact echoed throughout the Death Forest.
Birds flew from the trees.
Silence returned.
Just then...
An intense burning pain surged through V's chest.
"...Ah!"
He instinctively grabbed the crimson mark hidden beneath his clothes.
It glowed through the fabric.
Dark crimson veins spread around it like burning roots.
The pain grew stronger.
For a brief moment...
His vision blurred.
Then...
Just as suddenly...
The light faded.
The pain disappeared.
"...What..."
"...Was that...?"
There was no answer.
Only the whisper of the forest breeze.
The Beastfolk girl slowly approached him.
Her injured leg trembled with every step.
Tears filled her crimson eyes.
"...You..."
"You didn't even know my name..."
"So..."
"Why did you save me?"
V looked at her quietly.
Then smiled.
A warm...
Honest smile.
He placed Nethrakar back at his waist.
"You don't need a reason..."
"To save someone's life."
"A kind heart..."
"Is reason enough."
The girl lowered her head.
Tears rolled gently down her cheeks.
For the first time in years...
She smiled.
Not because her pain had disappeared.
But because...
Someone had reached out their hand...
Without expecting anything in return.
And deep within the Death Forest...
Where fear had ruled for so long...
A new bond quietly took its first breath.
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