Kael gave a short nod.
He wasn't brave. Quite the opposite..
But the system notification floating before him told a different story:
[Mission: First Hunt]
[Slay the Rank 1 Beast – Reward: ??? ]
'What if it gives me some super OP spell or something? '
Kael thought, eyes flicking back to the translucent system prompt still floating in front of him.
He could practically hear the dramatic spell chants already.
He glanced at the beast again—still pacing, watching, waiting. Then at Selene, who stood just behind him, arms folded, one brow slightly raised.
She didn't look concerned.
That helped.
'If things go wrong', Kael thought, 'she's here. Rank 2 magician. She could probably vaporize this thing before it takes a full bite out of me.'
It wasn't bravery.
It was calculated risk. Backed by magical insurance.
He rolled his shoulders and stepped forward.
"All right then," he murmured under his breath.
The beast leapt—silent, sudden, a flash of white death arcing through the falling snow.
Kael didn't wait to think. Instinct took the reins. He hurled himself sideways, boots slipping against frost-slick stone.
The beast shot past him, a blur of muscle and menace, landing hard where he'd been standing half a breath ago.
Snow scattered. The ground shook.
Kael rolled to his feet, heart punching his ribs, and found himself behind the creature. His fingers moved without hesitation—
Moonblade
He carved the air with a sharp motion, the gesture graceful in a way he absolutely wasn't. Mana bloomed from his palm, a pale arc of silver-blue light slicing forward, silent and deadly as moonlight.
The crescent of energy soared—
And missed.
The beast twisted mid-motion, its body moving with a grace that mocked physics, slipping the edge of Kael's spell like it had seen it a hundred times before.
The spell hissed into a tree and cut a deep glowing line across its bark before fading into cold air.
Kael stared.
Then muttered, "Of course."
The beast turned its head slowly toward him. It looked mildly insulted.
Kael stepped back. "I'm new," he said aloud, to no one in particular.
"In case that wasn't obvious."
Selene's eyes narrowed with concern as she watched Kael circle the beast.
"I told you—it's more dangerous than a normal Rank 1. Let me finish it," she said firmly.
Kael shook his head, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"Nope. I'm just getting started."
Selene blinked, surprise flickering in her gaze.
'I want my reward, idiot,' Kael thought sharply, steeling himself.
The battle resumed with brutal rhythm—punches thrown and dodged, moonblade arcs cutting through the cold air, each strike testing limits.
The beast grew visibly irritated, muscles twitching beneath frosted fur.
Then it stopped—snarled—and opened its jaws wide. A ball of shimmering mana began to coalesce between its teeth, swirling with fierce energy.
Selene's voice cut through the tension, sharp and urgent:
"It's using a spell!"
Kael's eyes locked on the glowing orb, voice steady:
"I can see that too."
Selene's fingers already flickered through the air, weaving the threads of a defensive spell—ready to react in case the beast's mana ball came hurtling toward him.
But then Kael moved.
With surprising speed, he dodged the swirling sphere, sliding sideways as the glowing orb sailed past him with a crackling hiss.
In midair—without missing a beat—Kael thrust his hand forward, casting Moonblade directly at the beast's open mouth.
The crescent of pale azure energy sliced through the air, striking true.
For the first time, the beast bled.
A sharp, unnatural hiss escaped its jaws as a thin line of dark crimson stained the frosted fur.
Kael landed hard on the ground, breath ragged but steady.
Selene's spell dissolved instantly.
She stared, eyes wide.
'His mana control... his casting,' she thought,' it's growing terrifyingly fast.'
Kael, still catching his breath, looked over his shoulder and called out—dry, a little smug:
"So… how was that?"
Selene didn't answer. The beast did.
It let out a guttural snarl—louder than before, full of rage. The wound had done more than harm its body. It had bruised its pride. Now it was no longer hunting.
It was angry.
And that was exactly what Kael wanted.
The creature charged, white fur bristling, muscles rippling with raw aggression. Snow scattered under its weight.
Kael's fingers shifted subtly, brushing the hidden dagger strapped near his boot. At the same time, he began the motion for another Moonblade, weaving the mana through the air like muscle memory.
Now, he thought.
They collided.
The beast slashed with its claw—fast, brutal. Pain tore across Kael's side, hot and immediate, but he didn't flinch. His spell lashed out again, forcing the beast to veer, a growl rattling its throat as it dodged.
But Kael was already moving.
The dagger moved fast—faster than the beast could react. In one sharp, practiced motion, Kael shoved it upward, straight into the creature's eye.
There was a sickening sound—a wet, dull crack—as steel met brain.
The beast jerked, twitched. A low groan escaped its throat. Then silence.
Even Selene, who had seen more battles than she cared to count, looked surprised.
Kael landed hard on one knee, breath ragged, blood seeping slowly from the wound across his side. The cold bit into him, but he barely noticed.
Selene moved, stepping to his side, hands steady as she reached to support him.
Together, they looked at the creature now lying still in the snow, its massive body spasming once… then falling still.
Dead.
She glanced at Kael—really looked at him.
He had killed it.
Alone.