The flying ship hovered in the distance, its shadow gliding slowly over the forest below. Not far from it, a narrow river sliced through the uneven terrain, winding through patches of stone before feeding into a still pond hidden among thick trees. The water reflected sunlight in scattered fragments, rippling softly whenever the wind brushed over its surface.
For reasons none of them understood, only a handful of Rock Eagles had gathered there.
The hunt ended almost as soon as it began.
Darius moved first, thunder gathering around his blade with sharp crackling bursts. The smell of scorched air spread immediately as blue arcs snapped outward. One eagle shrieked, its body locking mid-flight before crashing into the earth.
Oliver followed close behind.
His spear flashed.
Clean.
Precise.
The tip pierced through another eagle's throat before twisting and pulling free in one fluid movement. Blood scattered across stone and grass.
The remaining beasts barely had time to react.
Within moments, silence returned.
Darius rolled his shoulder and let out a breath. "That was easier than expected."
Oliver wiped his spear against a patch of grass before glancing around. "Strange though."
The pond remained still.
Too still.
Then, around midday—
Wind exploded outward.
Leaves tore from branches. Dust rose from the ground in spiralling currents.
Ronan's eyes opened immediately.
Lightning crackled violently across Orin's skin, racing over his arms like living serpents. His body trembled as waves of Aether surged outward in pulses, stirring the surrounding energy into visible ripples.
"He's breaking through," Darius muttered.
Orin sat rigidly where he was, jaw clenched tight. Sweat gathered along his forehead despite the cool wind.
The surrounding Aether rushed toward him.
Faster.
Faster.
Then—
A pressure burst outward.
The energy around him settled almost instantly.
Adept Tier Six.
No one spoke.
Orin remained seated, eyes still closed, as he carefully guided the newly strengthened power through his body. Minutes stretched into an hour, then another half hour.
The forest around them gradually shifted beneath the sinking sun.
When Orin finally opened his eyes, orange light had begun spilling through the trees.
He slowly stood and flexed his fingers.
Darius grinned immediately.
"About time."
Oliver walked over and lightly punched his shoulder.
"Congratulations."
Orin blinked before laughing. "Thanks."
The tension from his breakthrough faded quickly.
Only two monster cores remained.
Ronan sat quietly nearby, one of the moth cores resting in his palm. Bluish essence streamed from it in threads of light, flowing steadily into his chest.
Orin watched for a moment.
"Does Ronan need more cores to advance?"
Before anyone answered—
Tiny flames drifted out.
Oliver's eyes narrowed.
One flame was deep purple.
Then another emerged.
Bluish-white.
Its cold, pale glow carried a strange stillness.
Then—
A crimson flame wisp floated out lazily.
Oliver froze.
His chest tightened instantly.
His own flame reacted before his thoughts did.
It recoiled.
Actually recoiled.
His hand moved instinctively, pressing against his chest as if trying to calm something beneath his skin.
His pupils shrank.
What...
The crimson flame danced slowly around Ronan, moving with harmless curiosity.
But Oliver felt cold.
What is that?
His breathing became shallow.
Isn't that crimson flame his Innate Flame? Everyone awakens with one... so why... why does mine feel afraid?
His fingers tightened unconsciously.
I thought the bluish-white flame was dangerous... but this...
Questions slammed into his mind one after another.
No answers came.
The crimson flame circled Ronan quietly while soft crackling sounds filled the air. As the final traces of essence drained from the core, every flame suddenly expanded.
Purple.
Blue-white.
Crimson.
For an instant, they flared violently, their presence pressing against the surrounding air.
Then—
One by one—
They sank back beneath Ronan's skin.
A pulse of energy spread outward.
Ronan had advanced.
Adept Tier Five.
He let out a long breath before stretching both arms overhead, joints cracking softly.
"Time to continue the actual hunt."
He casually gathered the now-empty cores and tossed them into the flying ship's storage box.
Then he turned.
And paused.
Three people were staring at him.
Ronan blinked.
"...What?"
Silence.
"...Is there something on my face?"
Orin slowly shook his head.
A small smile pulled at the corner of his lips.
"Your flames..." he said quietly, "...they looked beautiful."
Ronan blinked again.
For a second, surprise crossed his face.
Then a faint smile appeared.
"Thanks."
His gaze shifted toward Orin.
"And congratulations on the breakthrough."
Orin grinned.
"Thanks. But I think we'll need more than just a tier increase if we're planning to keep up with you."
Darius snorted.
Oliver forced a smile.
The mood lightened.
Laughter rose briefly.
But beneath it—
Something remained.
Oliver kept stealing glances toward Ronan.
Toward his chest.
Toward where those flames had disappeared.
The flames Ronan carried weren't simply beautiful.
There had been something hidden beneath them.
Something his instincts had recognised before his mind could.
And Oliver couldn't shake the feeling that the deeper he looked into Ronan...
The more terrifying he would become.
The flying ship drifted silently through the evening sky. Twilight painted its metallic hull in shades of gold and crimson while endless forest stretched beneath them like a dark green sea. A clearing occasionally appeared below, and one wide pond reflected the thin crescent moon hanging overhead.
Morning arrived beneath cool mist and pale sunlight.
The ship hovered above another forest clearing.
Everyone was already prepared.
Weapons sharpened.
Armour adjusted.
Spirits high.
Well—
Almost everyone.
Rai sat cross-legged near the centre of the deck, entirely unconcerned with the excitement around him as monster core after monster core rested around him.
Ronan adjusted the strap of his blade.
"We already fought Rank Three Moonveil Moths and Rank Four Silkmind Moths."
He looked toward the forest below.
"Speed's the key to handling them."
His gaze shifted toward everyone.
"Next target—Silvershade Moth. Rank Five."
Darius rolled his neck.
Oliver twirled his spear once.
Orin tightened his grip.
Then they moved.
Thunder exploded.
Light flashed.
Steel cut through the air.
Ronan moved like a shadow slipping through cracks. Before monsters could react, his blade had already passed. Darius's thunder locked prey in place while Oliver's spear struck with practised precision.
Though he still struggled to keep pace with the others—
He kept going.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Three days.
Two nights.
Thirteen out of twenty locations cleared.
By the end, Oliver's clothes were stained with blood and dirt, while bruises covered his arms beneath his sleeves.
He sat heavily on the deck that night, breathing hard.
Exhaustion pressed into every bone.
But as he stared toward the dark forest below, a small smile surfaced.
He had kept up.
Not perfectly.
But he had.
The flying ship floated above the treeline beneath countless stars when Ronan finally spoke.
"We've hunted nonstop."
He sat near the edge of the deck.
"Let's rest tonight."
He glanced toward everyone.
"If anyone wants to absorb essence, do it now."
Oliver looked over immediately.
"You and Orin are still Adept Tier. You two should absorb the Rank Three and Rank Four cores."
Without saying anything, Orin immediately sat down.
Ronan simply shook his head.
"I've been giving my share to Rai."
Oliver stared.
"...What?"
Ronan lay down on the open deck and folded both hands beneath his head.
"He hasn't fought."
His voice remained calm.
"So naturally, he won't receive loot from kills."
A brief pause.
"I'm giving him my share. That's all."
Oliver frowned.
"You're giving up power? Just like that?"
Ronan stared upward at the endless stars.
"Power hoarded at the wrong time is useless."
His eyes slowly closed.
"He needs it more than I do."
The night wind brushed across the deck.
Above them, stars remained distant and cold.
Morning arrived with a sudden wave of Aether.
Everyone turned immediately.
Rai stood at the centre of the deck.
A faint glow surrounded him.
Orin's eyes widened.
"Ade—Adept Tier Five?!"
Darius burst into laughter and slapped Rai's shoulder.
"Congratulations!"
Rai looked mildly annoyed.
But Ronan narrowed his eyes.
He stared.
Longer than necessary.
Something felt wrong.
Not wrong—
different.
"You feel stronger than me."
Rai's eyes shifted toward him.
"What happened?"
For a moment, silence stretched.
Wind passed over the deck.
Then Rai looked away.
His expression remained completely unchanged.
"You're imagining things."
Ronan kept staring.
Because, despite the cold answer—
something in Rai's presence felt... heavier.
Subtly.
Quietly.
Different.
And that feeling refused to leave him.
They reached their next destination a little past noon. The dense canopy beneath the flying ship gradually broke apart, the sea of green thinning into a mist-laced glade that looked strangely untouched by the rest of the forest. Pale streams of light filtered through drifting silver fog, painting the clearing in soft radiance. It felt almost dreamlike.
Then they saw them.
Creatures that looked less like beasts and more like stories dragged from forgotten legends.
Their silky white fur shimmered beneath the light like liquid moonlight, every movement sending soft ripples across their coats. Faint glowing lines spread over their backs, forming intricate patterns that resembled constellations scattered across a night sky. Long, elegant horns rose from their heads, glowing with gentle starlight, while pale golden eyes stared toward the intruders with unsettling awareness.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Ronan felt the hairs on his neck rise.
Those eyes...
They weren't animal eyes.
They were watching them.
Studying them.
Ronan's voice lowered instinctively, barely more than a breath.
"Auracrest Fawn..."
Beside him, Darius narrowed his eyes. The usual easygoing look had disappeared from his face.
"Beautiful things are usually trouble."
His gaze swept over the clearing.
"Soulhorn Deer. Dawnmane Stag. Auracrest Fawn." His voice remained low and serious. "They eat souls. Not because they need food." His jaw tightened. "They kill prey, trap the souls inside their horns, then consume them later."
Silence settled briefly.
Even Oliver stopped grinning.
A cold breeze swept through the glade, carrying with it the scent of wet earth and flowers neither of them recognised.
Ronan slowly exhaled.
"Positions."
Everyone moved immediately.
"Darius, open with thunder. Rai and I follow with blades. Orin, stay on my left. Oliver, flank right with the spear."
No one argued.
The next instant—
CRACK!
Thunder exploded through the glade.
Blinding arcs of electricity burst from Darius's body and spread outward like a tangled web of serpents. The smell of scorched air instantly filled the clearing as three deer-like creatures convulsed under the strike, their limbs locking from the surge.
"Move!"
Ronan and Orin shot forward.
Leaves exploded beneath their feet.
Steel flashed.
Ronan felt resistance travel through his arm as his blade tore across soft flesh. Warm blood sprayed through the air, droplets scattering across his cheek as a Rank Four beast collapsed beside him.
Nearby, Orin spun smoothly, robes fluttering as his sword traced a silver arc through another creature's neck.
Oliver let out a rough yell and charged.
His spear drove forward.
Thud.
The impact nearly tore his shoulder apart.
The Dawnmane Stag staggered as the spear pierced through its chest.
Oliver's face twisted.
Then—
"Cough!"
Blood spilt from the corner of his mouth.
His knees almost buckled, but when he looked at the fallen creature, a grin slowly stretched across his face.
He had done it.
He was keeping up.
Then everything changed.
One Auracrest Fawn suddenly leapt backwards.
Its movements felt strangely graceful, almost unreal.
The horn atop its head began glowing.
Silver-blue light pulsed across its surface.
Ronan's pupils shrank.
"...Move!"
Too late.
A ripple spread outward.
No sound.
No explosion.
Only an invisible wave passes through the battlefield.
Then—
Ronan's body froze.
His fingers stopped moving.
His breathing caught.
It felt like icy chains had suddenly wrapped around his soul itself.
Darius dropped to one knee with a strained grunt.
Orin's eyes rolled back as his body swayed.
Oliver's spear slipped from his hand and struck the ground.
Clang.
No one could move.
Panic crawled up Ronan's spine.
His body was listening.
But his soul wasn't.
The battlefield fell into unnatural silence.
Then—
Crackle.
A sound like ice splitting beneath frozen water echoed through the clearing.
Bluish-white flames exploded around Rai.
Not hot flames.
Cold.
So cold that Ronan felt it brush against his skin and instinctively shivered.
The flames looked wrong.
Like something that shouldn't exist.
Soul-chilling fire wrapped around Rai's body as glowing chains around the others shattered apart like glass.
Crack.
Crack.
Crack.
Dozens of tiny flame wisps slowly floated beside him, dancing through the air like drifting spirits.
Will-o'-the-wisps.
Frozen fire.
Rai raised his hand.
The wisps shot forward.
Whoosh—
The Auracrest Fawn reacted instantly.
Its body blurred through the forest as it twisted and leapt between the attacks, narrowly avoiding one after another.
Fast.
Far too fast.
Then Rai disappeared.
Ronan blinked.
No—
Not disappeared.
One instant, he stood there.
The next—
He was directly in front of the Fawn.
The creature's eyes widened.
Rai's dagger burned with bluish-white flames.
Then he drove it forward.
Straight into its chest.
The Auracrest Fawn released a high-pitched cry.
Not angry.
Not savage.
It sounded almost mournful.
Light erupted from its horn as its body convulsed violently.
Then it collapsed.
Silence returned.
The forest became still again.
Even the wind seemed to stop moving.
Ronan stared.
Around him, everyone slowly regained movement, breathing heavily as though surfacing from deep water.
Oliver swallowed.
"...What the hell was that?"
No one answered.
Because no one knew.
The battle had taken far more from them than anyone wanted to admit.
Bodies ached.
Muscles trembled.
Aether cores felt dry and hollow.
Six days.
Six brutal days of fighting through endless beasts and danger.
They had managed to clear more territory than the previous marked location, but the cost sat heavily on everyone's shoulders.
Everyone slumped across the flying ship's deck as evening settled around them.
Everyone except Rai and Darius.
Rai leaned quietly against the side of the ship with his usual unreadable expression while Darius sat with his arms folded, somehow looking irritatingly refreshed.
Ronan stared at him.
"...Do you ever get tired?"
Darius glanced over.
"No."
"..."
"...You're joking, right?"
Darius smiled.
"No."
Oliver groaned loudly.
"I hate talented people."
Golden sunlight spilt across the horizon as the sun slowly dipped below distant mountains.
The quiet lasted a while before Oliver suddenly spoke.
"We should move if you don't want to miss your competition."
Ronan lifted his head slightly.
"We still have four or five days."
"Four," Orin said while adjusting his robes. "Maybe five if nothing goes wrong."
Rai spoke without opening his eyes.
"Then we hit the Cinderspire Nest tonight."
Silence.
Oliver slowly turned.
"...What?"
Rai looked toward him.
"The Cinderspire Nest."
Oliver stared.
Then stared harder.
"Are you trying to get yourself killed?" he barked. "Do you even understand what that place is? It's called a monster nest for a reason!"
A map suddenly materialised in Rai's hand.
He placed it on the deck floor.
Everyone immediately leaned toward it.
Oliver looked around in disbelief.
"...Are you all seriously ignoring me?"
Without lifting his eyes from the map, Rai replied calmly,
"Yes."
"..."
"We hear you."
Oliver's face twitched.
Rai continued casually,
"And you can leave if you want."
Oliver looked like someone had just stabbed him.
Rai didn't even pause.
"We have one Master Tier, two Adept Tier, and one Rank Four." He pointed across the map. "Difficult, but manageable."
Oliver's eyes widened.
Wait.
One Rank Four?
That bastard already removed him from the calculation.
Rai tapped a marked area.
"There's a Flame Hound den here. Only one in the area."
His finger moved slightly.
"And it's probably Rank Five."
Silence.
Oliver blinked.
"...Probably Rank Five?"
Rai nodded.
"No chance of killing it."
"..."
Oliver stared at him.
Then at everyone else.
Then back at Rai.
"...Continue."
"The plan is simple," Rai said. "Ronan, Darius, and Orin keep the Flame Hound occupied. I enter the den and retrieve the item."
His finger shifted toward another route.
"I'll pass the item to the boss."
Ronan glanced at him.
Boss.
Still weird hearing that.
"I can buy a few seconds while all of you retreat to the flying ship."
Oliver looked horrified.
"This is suicide."
Rai looked up.
"Yes."
The answer came so fast, Oliver nearly choked.
Before he could explode again, four jade tokens appeared in Ronan's hand.
He placed them on the map.
"They're teleportation tokens." Ronan pushed them forward. "Low-grade ones. Short distance only."
Everyone stared at the jade pieces.
Ronan looked toward Orin.
"Rai takes the item while we hold the Flame Hound."
Then at Orin.
"The moment Rai gets the last item, you come out and summon the flying ship."
Orin nodded silently.
"We retreat immediately."
Ronan tapped the teleportation tokens.
"If things get ugly, we use these."
Silence followed.
Everyone slowly turned toward Oliver.
Oliver rubbed his face.
"...Why are you all looking at me?"
No answer.
He sighed.
Long and deeply.
Then slumped backwards.
"...Fine."
His shoulders dropped.
"I'll go."
Rai immediately tossed one teleportation token toward him.
Oliver caught it automatically.
"I don't need one."
Oliver frowned.
"...Why?"
Rai looked at him.
"I'm a clone."
The words landed strangely.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
The flying ship surged forward through the darkening sky.
Wind whipped across their faces, carrying the cold scent of distant mountains.
Roughly two hours later, the ship slowed.
Jagged cliffs rose below them like black teeth cutting through the earth.
Rai reached into his sleeve and pulled out a thin silver bracelet.
Click.
The moment Aether flowed into it—
He vanished.
Orin stared for a moment before exhaling.
"An invisibility device."
His mouth twitched slightly.
"Fancy."
They descended onto the cliffside.
As soon as everyone stepped off, Orin raised a hand.
The flying ship gradually shrank before disappearing into his storage ring.
The night air felt cold.
The wind carried a faint burnt smell from somewhere ahead.
Ronan looked toward the darkness in the distance.
His fingers tightened around his blade.
"Time to move."