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A new morning dawned, but Selion's mind was still filled with the warm memories of the previous evening. Selion's birthday... cake, laughter, and a fleeting moment of peace. But reality was much heavier. He had to return to his training. He had to grow stronger.
It was the weekend. The perfect time to get away from home.
"Mom," he said, standing at the doorway. "Alice and I are going camping in the forest. I'll be back tomorrow evening."
Zenith spoke, unable to hide her concern:"Be careful. The forest... isn't always safe."
Selion just nodded. There was determination in his eyes, but a hint of sorrow in his heart… He had to lie to his mother. A faint ache lingered inside him. But he knew — no one would let an eleven-year-old get involved in dangerous matters. If he wanted power, lies were inevitable.
He ventured deep into the forest. Amid the silence and birdsong, he moved forward. Finally, he stopped before a thick-trunked, sky-reaching plane tree. This was... the right place.
He climbed the tree, set up his belongings, and began to observe the area. The sun was still high in the sky.
It was hunting time.
He leaped through the branches with the agility of a monkey, subduing every monster he encountered and absorbing their mana. This improved both his physical strength and mana control. Every creature he defeated brought him a little closer to Tariki.
Hours passed like this. But there was something he hadn't noticed:In the city, bounty hunters were filing complaints one after another."There are no monsters left at the job site.""Someone beat us to it.""This is impossible!"
The guild, faced with the rising complaints, formed an investigation team. Someone was hunting illegally. And this wouldn't stay hidden for long.
As night fell, Selion returned to his camp. The mana he channeled now reached all the way through his lower body. He could feel the energy flow within. New ideas, new techniques... all swirled in his mind. But he wouldn't rush. First, he had to spread mana throughout his entire body.
His eyelids grew heavy. Lying atop the tree's branches, he gazed at the stars and drifted off while meditating on mana circulation.
In his dreams, fragments of his past life appeared. His former life.A man: his father.Rage on his face, ambition in his eyes."Failed again? Another hour of training — now!"Screams, pain, loneliness...The burden of being the child of a man obsessed with power…
A groan snapped him awake.
He opened his eyes. The sound was real. In the silence of the night, a deep, pained groan echoed.
"Quick Steps!" he muttered, leaping from branch to branch.
As he neared the source, a second groan followed — weaker, softer. Finally, he reached a clearing.
Blood... was everywhere.
A massive Horned Wild Boar had been brutally slain with knife wounds. Its body was still warm. Selion approached cautiously. The mana... was intense and powerful.
"This amount... If I absorb it, it'll cover the lower half of my body," he thought.
He looked around. No one.
He knelt, placed his hand on the beast, and began to absorb. Mana coursed through his veins.
But halfway through the absorption, a voice came from behind:
"So, you had your eyes on my prey, little boy…"
Selion sprang up and took a battle stance.
The voice's owner stepped out from the darkness. Orange hair, a white fox mask, a black cloak. The hilt at his waist was striking, though it was unclear whether it belonged to a dagger... or a sword.
Seeing Selion's stance, the man smirked:
"Relax, kid. I'm just here for my kill. If you act this rough, you'll never make any friends."His tone was mocking. His eyes, sharp and observant.
Selion's mind was racing with questions.Did he take down this enormous beast alone?How did he get so strong?Who was this man?
Still, a stranger stood before him. He couldn't lower his guard.
The man vanished.
Before Selion could process what had happened, a whisper echoed in his ear:
"I'm not here to hurt you. So don't make any foolish moves. I've been watching you... since morning. I know exactly what you're capable of."
Selion's skin crawled."He's been watching me since morning? How didn't I notice?"
He slowly raised his hands. (In his mind, he muttered, "Nah, I'd win." But of course, he didn't dare say it out loud.)
"I surrender," he said quietly.
The man appeared again. Silently, he knelt beside the boar and began skinning it.
As Selion watched him, only one thought echoed in his mind:
"Who is this man...?"