Chapter 9
"You've got to be kidding me," Rowan muttered, his body shaking as he stared at the massive beast behind him. It was a giant white bear with furious red eyes and a blazing red mane. Steam escaped from its mouth with every breath, and the air around it felt heavy and suffocating. Without warning, the bear lifted its massive paw and struck toward Rowan at terrifying speed.
On instinct, Rowan crouched low and then leapt backward, barely creating distance between himself and the beast. His heart pounded violently in his chest as he grabbed his bow with trembling hands and aimed. He released an arrow. It shot straight toward the beast and struck its chest—only to bounce off harmlessly.
"Damn… damn… why this beast of all things?" he thought bitterly. "It could've been anything else but not this." His mind raced as he identified it. A Crimson Mane Frostfire Bear. It looked massive and slow, but that was its deception. It lacked high speed, yet compensated with overwhelming Atherion element manipulation. Only those who were fast and strong could fight it in close range and even then, survival was uncertain. "And now I'm facing it… Damn it."
With no other choice, he turned and ran. The beast remained still, simply watching him. Rowan ran as far as he could, thinking he had created enough distance, when a thunderous roar exploded behind him. The sound alone froze him in place. The power within that roar felt overwhelming, as if the beast stood only a single step away.
He slowly turned around.
The bear's red mane ignited into flames. Fire spiraled outward, circling both of them and forming a blazing arena that sealed every escape route.
"Shit… I froze… This can't be good."
The bear released another roar, this one creating a violent gust of wind that pushed Rowan's hair back. The heat stung his skin.
"Just how strong is it?" he thought through gritted teeth, his legs trembling.
He fired another arrow. It struck the chest and bounced off again. He kept shooting, one after another, but the bear did not move. It simply stood there, watching him exhaust himself. Soon his fingers reached back for another arrow—only to grasp empty air.
"…Damn it. They're finished."
As he slightly turned his head to confirm, his body suddenly began trembling uncontrollably. The air shifted. The ground vibrated.
The bear was already in front of him.
Before he could react, it lifted its paw and struck. Rowan jumped back on instinct, but he failed to escape completely. The claws tore across his abdomen and sent him flying several meters away. He crashed onto the stone.
"That was close…" he muttered weakly only to cough out blood.
He looked down. A deep wound marked his stomach.
"Damn."
Green light began glowing from his body as he activated his healing ability, slowly closing the wound. Strangely, the bear did not attack again. It waited.
"I see…" Rowan realized. "It's challenging me."
These beasts were known for their strange behavior. They would sneak attack those stronger than them, instantly kill the weak, and fight head-on against those they considered equal. Victories made them stronger.
"But I'm not equal…" Rowan's voice shook. "I'm just a weak healer. How am I supposed to win?"
The flames crackled around them.
With unsteady hands, he reached behind his back and pulled out his daggers. He took a deep breath and straightened his posture.
"If I'm your equal… then let's settle this!"
He charged forward.
The bear struck downward. Rowan slid beneath the attack, the claws slicing strands of his hair. The beast spun and attacked again. Rowan rolled to the side, barely avoiding it. Over and over, the bear attacked while Rowan evaded by mere fractions.
Then his ankle twisted.
Pain shot up his leg.
"Damn it…"
He raised his daggers in an X to block just as the paw crashed down. The impact sent him flying backward, skidding across the ground until he nearly touched the wall of fire. He fell to one knee, gasping for breath.
In the next instant, the bear stood before him again, another attack ready.
"Damn… it's fast…"
The world slowed.
The incoming strike felt almost frozen in time as Rowan's thoughts accelerated. In that split second, a flash of memory crossed his mind.
Back at the academy arena, Yohan and Ethan were still locked in combat. Ethan swung his golden sword at Yohan, who sidestepped and delivered a powerful punch to Ethan's face, sending him crashing into the arena wall. In a flash, Ethan recovered mid-air and delivered a kick so fast that it created a visible shockwave, pushing students backward and sending Yohan skidding into the opposite wall.
"What's the matter?" Ethan taunted with a cocky grin. "We've been at it for over an hour. Don't tell me you're giving up."
Yohan rose slowly, eyes closed. He released a quiet sigh. With a single step, he vanished from sight. Ethan and the spectators searched frantically.
"Ha! He ran awa—"
Before he could finish, a brutal punch struck his stomach, turning his eyes white. Yohan appeared in front of him and began delivering a barrage of punches—face, chest, stomach—each hit lifting Ethan slightly into the air.
"I think someone should stop him," a female spectator whispered.
"This is becoming one-sided," a male student added.
The cheers turned into uneasy silence.
Just as Yohan prepared to throw a final devastating blow, a flash step echoed through the arena. A third figure entered between them. The punch landed...but against this new arrival's hand instead. Dust exploded across the arena.
"Who's that?" someone whispered as the dust slowly began to settle.
A white and golden trail fluttered in the air, flowing with the wind.
Back in the cave, the bear's claw was inches from Rowan's face.
Time snapped back into motion.