Lanayru
The sun leaned over the Lanayru plateau as a young boy raised his gaze and saw the silver Centaleon descending the mountainside like an avalanche of fur and steel.
The boy was the perfect build of a Hylian mixed with an ancient hero.
Yet, he was merely a child of about 14 years.
He had sharp, bulky muscles, like a warrior who had survived a thousand battles.
His tanned skin was dotted with extremely fine scars that resembled constellations.
Gray-green eyes with a golden ring that intensified when summoning light, his gaze conveyed the same calculating serenity as a stalking wolf.
His ash-blonde hair fell almost to his waist, tied in a warrior's braid down his back, interwoven with golden silk thread that shimmered when channeling his energy.
His face was rugged yet charming—strong jawline, high cheekbones.
Currently, a confident smile played across his lips, proof of the assurance he felt in this deadly environment, where even the slightest slip could mean instant death.
The monster sniffed the air, snorted, and struck the ground with its hooves, sending electric sparks skittering between the rocks. Its red eyes glowed like furious embers.
The boy slid a foot back, calculating the wind descending the ravine: eight knots from the southeast.
A beautiful bow rested on his back, exuding a sacred aura.
The Centaleon roared and charged.
The ground trembled; the roar was like thunder threatening to destroy everything in its path.
"Definitely crazy," Elrik muttered, leaping to the side, rolling on the ground, and straightening with the bow in his left hand and a glowing arrow nocked.
The Centaleon spun, its silver mane tracing a pale rainbow.
Elrik's first arrow whistled through the air.
The projectile traced a golden line, striking the monster's front left knee, making the joint creak.
The Centaleon wobbled, but its tail became a whip that shattered a nearby stone column with a sharp crack.
Elrik used the momentary imbalance to sprint diagonally, using loose stones as trampolines, and leapt onto a rocky crest.
The Centaleon responded with an electric discharge radiating outward like a star.
From above, Elrik fired three arrows in rapid succession.
Each projectile split into three points of light that fanned out: one pierced the Centaleon's right shoulder, another struck its shield, and the third lodged in its left horn.
The monster roared again, but this time it was pure rage.
It charged, trampling with a speed that made the wind howl like a storm.
Elrik calculated the distance: twenty-seven steps. He waited until the last second, then leaned forward and performed a somersault.
Midair, he drew the bow and released.
The arrow of light described a perfect arc and struck the Centaleon's left eye.
"ROARRR!!"
The monster roared and stopped abruptly, shaking its head as if to expel the pain.
However, the Centaleon was not an enemy to fall easily.
Its tail turned into an electric whip that lunged at Elrik.
He rolled across the ground, feeling the scorching heat graze his cheek.
But he quickly sprang to his feet with a growl and patted his belt: he pulled out a small resin orb and threw it to the ground.
The orb exploded into a cloud of white smoke that rose like a wall.
Through the mist, Elrik advanced silently.
The Centaleon sniffed, growled, and charged toward where it thought its foe was.
Elrik, however, had used the resin to create an illusion moving to the left while he slipped to the right.
When the Centaleon passed him, Elrik leapt.
He landed on the monster's back, grabbing its silver mane.
The Centaleon twisted, trying to shake off the intruder, but Elrik had already drawn one last standard arrow.
He struck three times: once at the nape, once at the base of the right horn, and once at the shoulder joint.
The Centaleon arched, throwing Elrik forward.
He rolled across the ground, feeling the impact against his ribs, but quickly rejoined the battle.
The monster staggered and roared again, its breath hissing with electricity.
Elrik noticed the beast was about to unleash its final attack: a charge that would surely shake the entire valley.
He took a deep breath.
This time he gently caressed his bow.
The bow responded to his call, glowing as if alive, mysterious engravings appearing along its limbs.
The monster roared and lifted its head, galloping toward Elrik.
Elrik didn't even have time to fear.
He drew the string as the arrow blazed like a second sun.
"For the goddess," he whispered, and released.
The arrow tore through the air like muted thunder.
It struck the Centaleon's chest, right over its heart.
Light poured over the monster like a golden waterfall, enveloping it in a burning embrace.
The Centaleon emitted one last snort, its legs buckled, and it collapsed sideways with a thundering crash that shook the mountain.
"At last!!"
Elrik knelt beside the corpse, raised his bow, and let the breeze carry the smoke of battle away.
He lay beside the fallen beast and looked at the sky.
A blue screen appeared in his eyes with a message:
[Congratulations on killing your first S-rank beast]