Eris stood in His room. The dim morning light filtered through narrow windows, casting pale beams across the floor. Dust danced in the air, undisturbed save for the faint movements of his fingers.
In his hand sat a crystalline shard—no bigger than his palm, but pulsing with quiet intensity. It glowed with an ethereal blue light, the translucent surface refracting the light like a gemstone half-asleep. ,.It was A High-Grade Mana Crystal, refined and pure, A token of his victory.
"This… this isn't just high-grade," he thought, breath catching slightly. "I did ask for a High-Grade, but it's beyond what I expected."
The crystal pulsed softly in his palm, radiating an energy so pure, so dense, it made the air around him hum. His fingers tingled as he turned it slowly between them, watching the shimmering veins of light coursing through its flawless core.
"It's not just brimming with mana… It's refined. Perfect. Almost alive," he muttered under his breath, eyes narrowing with awe. The warmth it exuded wasn't scorching or volatile—it was steady, deep, and ancient.
Like holding the heartbeat of a god.
He tightened his grip slightly, feeling a rush of strength bloom through his veins.
"Feels like I robbed a dragon's tooth," he whispered with a dry grin.
Charlotte stood nearby, arms crossed, her polished silver breastplate catching the ambient light with a soft gleam. She was silent for a moment, eyes steady, voice cool when she finally spoke.
"It was part of the duel's terms. Her Highness… isn't like the others."
A pause.
Just long enough to carry weight.
"She doesn't go back on her word. That's why she arranged the highest-quality mana crystal available for you. If it doesn't meet your standards, we can make arrangements."
Eris looked up from the crystal in his palm, eyes glinting faintly beneath the dim light.
"No," he said, his voice low but firm. "It's more than enough."
Charlotte didn't smile—but something in her expression shifted, the faintest softening in her features. Her tone, too, lost a sliver of its usual formality.
Without another word, she turned on her heel and exited the chamber, leaving Eris alone in the silence.
For a few lingering moments, the quiet pressed in like a blanket.
Then—with a long exhale—Eris lowered himself to the cold stone floor, sitting cross-legged as the glow of the crystal danced faintly across his face.
"Alright," he murmured, letting the mana thrum in his hand. "Let's see what this thing can do."
He pressed the crystal to his chest. It hummed low at first, then grew with a steady rhythm. A sudden jolt of heat surged through his arms, wrapping around his spine, burrowing deep into his core. His eyes clenched shut.
Mana. Dense. Alive. Testing him.
"Steady..." he whispered, jaw clenched, sweat already beginning to bead along his brow. His body trembled as the magic forced its way inward, like molten energy clawing into his bloodstream.
This wasn't just some raw power boost. It was refinement—condensed energy, designed to merge with his aura.
His four core flared in response, answering the challenge. It began absorbing the magic, slowly—painfully—like drawing air through lungs filled with ash. Each second dragged like an eternity.
Five minutes passed. Ten.
Then—stillness.
Eris opened his eyes. The crystal in his hand had vanished completely, crumbling into specks of fading light. He took a deep breath. His body felt lighter. Tighter. Sharper.
"Hah..." He stretched his arms behind his head and rolled his shoulders with a crack. "That felt... better than expected."
Charlotte remained silent, though the faint twitch at the corner of her mouth suggested approval.
Eris stood, brushing the dust from his palms as he turned toward the corridor. His expression was calm, but a flicker of excitement danced behind his eyes.
"I should test how strong I've become," he muttered to himself.
But just as he reached the hallway, the echo of footsteps halted him—quick, firm, and familiar.
"Hey! Are you going somewhere?"
The voice rang out confidently, but he didn't need to turn to know who it was. He turned anyway.
There she was—Ariel. Dressed in her casual training uniform, her sword rested at her hip, and her arms were crossed just beneath her chest. Her long blonde hair was pulled into a loose braid that draped over one shoulder. She looked composed, even proud—but the faint paleness under her eyes betrayed the wear of recent training.
Eris raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing here?"
She scoffed, not missing a beat. "I asked first."
He sighed, then turned halfway. "I'm heading into the forest for Hunting."
Ariel blinked. "Hunting…? Why?"
"To get real-time experience," he replied, voice flat. "Simple as that."
She took a step forward. "Then I'm coming with you."
Eris blinked. "No."
Her brow twitched. "Excuse me?"
"I said no. You're impulsive, reckless, and honestly... you'll hold me back."
Her nostrils flared. "I will not!" she snapped, stepping closer. "And you don't get to make that decision for me!"
"I do," he said with a smirk. "You pledged yourself to me, remember?"
Ariel's face ignited with color. "That was—! That wasn't! You said you wouldn't use that against me!"
"I said I wouldn't enslave you," he replied coolly. "I never promised I'd ignore your selfish requests."
And then, she had a tantrum.
With a frustrated huff, Ariel stomped the floor like an indignant noble and, in one swift motion, spun around and dropped to the ground. She crossed her arms and legs dramatically, sitting in the hallway with the grace of a sulking child.
Eris stared. "…You're seriously going to sit there?"
Silence.
His eye twitched. "You do know this is utterly ridiculous, right?"
Nothing.
He stepped closer, peering down at her like she was a foreign creature. "…You're not moving?"
Still not a word.
He exhaled slowly, muttering under his breath. "Unbelievable."
A long beat passed.
Then another.
Finally, he groaned and ran a hand through his hair. "
fine. You can come."
Ariel shot to her feet instantly, grin wide and smug. "Knew you'd come to your senses."
"I'm already regretting it."
She tossed him a wink over her shoulder as she strode ahead. "You'll regret it more when I leave you in the dust."
The forest outside the castle gates was alive with color and sound. Sunlight filtered down in golden beams, cutting through the high canopy and turning the moss-covered ground into a patchwork of light and shadow. Birds chirped, insects buzzed, and the occasional rustle hinted at small animals darting through the underbrush.
Eris pulled his cloak tighter and adjusted the strap across his chest, eyes scanning the treeline.
"Grade-1 beasts out here," he muttered. "Goblins, lesser wolves, maybe a forest bear if we're lucky."
"Lucky?" Ariel said, unsheathing her blade. "I'm hoping for two bears."
Eris didn't respond. She turned toward the left path, flashing him a grin.
"I'll take the left. Try to keep up."
He opened his mouth to object, then sighed and waved her off. "Just don't go—"
Too late.
She vanished into the brush, darting over a fallen log, her braid flicking behind her like a banner. Steel flashed as she cleaved through a small goblin that had leapt from the shadows. It screeched once, then dropped.
Eris shook his head. "Every damn time…"
He followed her trail, faint irritation masking the small smile tugging at his lips.
—
By the time he caught up, the sounds of combat had already begun echoing deeper into the woods.
And Ariel—Ariel was already dancing through them.
A blur of red and silver.
Reckless. Loud.
But dazzling all the same.
And for a moment, Eris didn't mind chasing her.
Not one bit.
The forest grew darker as Ariel pressed deeper, the trees closing in above like twisted ribs in a dying beast. The sunlight thinned into silvery strands, swallowed by the dense canopy. Roots snaked across the dirt path like warning signs, but she barely noticed—her boots catching and sliding, arms swatting away, clawing branches.
Her breathing was steady but wild.
He still thinks I'm some spoiled noble after one duel.
She gritted her teeth, eyes scanning ahead for signs of movement. The occasional rustle, the distant cry of a bird, the flash of silver steel as she cut down another goblin—it all fueled the fire inside her.
I'll show him. I'll wipe out every creature in this forest if that's what it takes to prove it.
But then—
A shift.
A wrongness.
The air stopped moving.
It wasn't just the absence of wind—it was silence, heavy and unnatural.
Her boots slid to a stop on a patch of dirt littered with broken branches. Her sword lowered just slightly.
Then she heard it.
Not a growl. Not a goblin's screech.
A deep, rumbling grunt—guttural, wet, and ancient. Followed by the unmistakable thump of something massive crushing its way through the trees.
She barely had time to brace before the forest exploded.
Trees cracked and splintered, and bushes flew in every direction. A towering creature burst into the clearing, each step shaking the ground like a drumbeat of death.
An ogre.
Nearly three meters tall, with cracked gray skin like old stone and tusks that curled upward from its gnarled mouth. It dragged a crude iron axe behind it, rusted and stained, gouging a deep trench in the dirt.
Ariel's eyes widened.
"That's… that's not a Grade-1…"
It wasn't.
It was above Grade 1 and maybe worse. And it was hungry.
The ogre's eyes locked onto her.
Then it charged.
Her instincts screamed.
She raised her sword. "Radiant Aura—Unleash!"
A surge of golden light erupted from her blade as she poured her aura outward. It wrapped around her like flame, lighting up the twilight-tinged forest. Her muscles strained. Her breath caught. But she didn't hesitate.
She spun once, then again—each motion fluid, focused—and brought her sword down with a wide horizontal arc.
The slash collided with the ogre's chest in a burst of golden energy.
The ground shook from the impact, cracking beneath its feet. Smoke rose from the point of contact. The ogre let out a choking roar and stumbled back, its skin scorched and bleeding.
Ariel dropped to one knee, panting. Her sword trembled in her grip. That attack had drained almost everything she had left.
Still, she forced herself to stand. Her leg trembled beneath her.
"Stay down, you ugly bastard…" she whispered, more to herself than anything.
But then—
The dust cleared.
And she saw it.
Still standing.
The ogre's chest torn open and bleeding freely—but it was alive.
And now, furious.
"…No," Ariel whispered.
The beast let out a guttural roar and lunged.
She barely managed to raise her sword before the monster's axe smashed down. It struck the ground beside her, shattering stone and earth alike. Her blade was knocked from her grasp and clattered somewhere behind her.
Pain.
A sharp bolt tore through her right leg. She collapsed instantly, gasping.
Her ankle—no, her shin—felt wrong. Like something had snapped.
"No… no…!"
She scrambled backward, dragging herself with her hands, her good leg kicking at the dirt uselessly. The ogre lumbered forward, shadow engulfing her like a death shroud.
Her breath caught in her throat.
"Am I Going to die?"
"No, Not like this."
"Not here."
To prove myself, I've trained harder than anyone—even harder than she ever did — and yet...
Tears welled at the corners of her eyes, unbidden.
"Someone… anyone… please…"
The ogre raised its axe for the final blow.
And then—
CLANG.
A burst of wind.
A blur of black and crimson.
The forest held its breath.
Leaves stilled mid-rustle. Even the ogre froze, its instinct screaming—danger.
In a heartbeat, the ogret recoiled, stepping back with a guttural snarl, its eyes darting.
Ariel stood frozen—eyes wide, breath caught in her throat, heart thundering like a war drum.
The blur began to take shape, the cloak settling like mist in the fire.
Boots touching the earth without a sound.
A figure emerged—slowly, deliberately.
A blade hung at his side, its edge pulsing with a chilling cerulean glow, like frost condensed into steel.
The aura hummed—low and menacing, whispering of storms yet to break.
His cloak rippled behind him, black as midnight, trailing like smoke torn from the abyss.
And then she saw it—
black hair, wild and unbound, catching moonlight like threads of starlight.
Eyes—sharp, calm, unreadable.
Presence—undeniable. Unshakable. Unnatural.
It was Eris.
No words. No dramatic entrance.
Just a silence more profound than death… and a pressure that crushed the night.
A shadow carved from judgment.
A storm veiled in crimson flame.
A savior cloaked in myth.
To Be Continued…