Dawn spilled softly through the tent fabric, warm gold bleeding across my face until sleep finally loosened its grip on me.
For a few quiet seconds, I just listened.
The forest was alive.
Bird calls echoed through distant trees. Water rushed gently from the nearby waterfall. Wind whispered through leaves overhead like the world itself was breathing.
Peaceful.
Too peaceful for my life, honestly.
I stretched slowly before slipping out of the tent, careful not to wake the others. Cool morning air brushed against my skin as I headed toward the waterfall to wash up.
The water shimmered beneath the rising sun, crystal clear and untouched.
Then voices drifted through the trees.
"So why team up with Shiro? He seems weak."
I stopped mid-step.
Hera.
Ouch.
I stayed quiet instinctively.
"It might look that way, but…" Yura's voice wavered slightly.
"But he has a strong sense of duty," Shina said firmly. "And honestly? He's probably the strongest person we've met."
Silence followed briefly.
Then—
"He hides it," Yura admitted quietly. "Sometimes when he fights… it feels like something inside him changes."
"He's reckless," Hera muttered. "But… he protected us without hesitation yesterday."
I could practically hear Yura and Shina blushing from here.
Meanwhile I was emotionally dying behind a waterfall.
"I seem weak to Hera, huh…" I muttered under my breath before retreating toward camp quietly.
Fine.
If I was weak, I'd simply become dramatically stronger out of spite.
Healthy motivation.
Absolutely healthy.
---
By the time the girls returned, breakfast was already cooking above the fire.
The smell of seasoned crab and toasted bread drifted through camp while Kyoko lazily slept beside the flames in her tiny dragon form.
"Morning, Yura. Shina… and Hera," I greeted casually.
Then I added:
"Hope you don't mind a weakling guarding camp alone."
Yura immediately choked.
Shina froze.
Hera looked away so fast it was practically a confession.
Excellent.
Psychological victory achieved.
"I said you looked weak," Hera muttered defensively. "Not that you were."
"Truly inspiring recovery."
"You're irritating."
"Yet here you are eating my breakfast."
Shina failed to suppress her laugh while Yura buried her face behind her cup.
The mood relaxed quickly afterward.
Honestly, mornings like this felt strangely normal.
Dangerously normal.
"Did you sleep well?" I asked while dismissing the summoned lizardman guarding camp.
"I guess," Hera answered while standing to clean her plate.
"Like a baby," Shina sighed happily.
Yura stretched beside the fire, her silver hair glowing beneath the morning sunlight while her tail swayed lazily behind her.
"I love how the sun warms my fur."
I blinked.
"…That honestly sounds amazing."
"It is."
"Jealous."
"You should be."
Unfair.
---
After breakfast, I headed back toward the waterfall alone.
Mostly because I actually wanted to wash peacefully this time.
Unfortunately, fate hated me personally.
The moment I relaxed beneath the rushing water—
rustle.
My eyes narrowed instantly.
"Someone spying on me?" I asked dryly. "That's not very subtle."
Without turning around, I flicked two tiny lightning bolts toward the bushes.
Two squeals immediately exploded from the undergrowth.
Yura and Shina stumbled out together red-faced and panicking.
Hera stood several feet behind them with her arms crossed.
"…I was not involved in this stupidity."
Traitor.
"This is unfair," I sighed dramatically. "If you're going to peep on me, at least let me get a chance first."
Shina nearly combusted from embarrassment.
Yura hid her face behind both hands.
"W-We were making sure you didn't drown!"
"In knee-deep water?"
"…Maybe."
I pointed accusingly.
"I will remember this betrayal."
Hera looked deeply disappointed in all of us.
Honestly fair.
---
Once I returned to camp fully dressed, I equipped Edith and Zenith at my waist.
The twin blades pulsed faintly beneath my touch.
Sometimes I could almost feel them responding emotionally.
Watching.
Learning.
Waiting.
"Ready for today's hunt?" I asked.
"Mind if I come along?" Hera questioned while slinging her bow over her shoulder.
I thought about it briefly before shaking my head.
"How about this instead? You girls stick together today. I'll handle gathering meat."
Yura frowned immediately.
"Alone?"
"I'll survive."
"That confidence worries me."
"It should."
Shina sighed softly.
"Please don't fight an entire forest by yourself."
"No promises."
Hera looked oddly amused.
"You really are insane."
"Correct."
With that, I fused Edith and Zenith together into a single dark longsword before vanishing into the trees.
Wind rushed past me as I leapt between massive branches, moving deeper into the forest rapidly.
Honestly?
This felt good.
No talking.
No politics.
No pretending.
Just instinct.
Movement.
Survival.
My Dragon Eyes activated slightly as I moved, the world sharpening around me instantly.
Mana signatures glowed faintly through the forest.
Monsters.
Animals.
Flowing water.
Even the wind itself carried traces of magical particles.
Then—
I found them.
Lathegins.
Massive herbivores nearly fifteen feet tall with thick bodies, three curved horns, and long necks built for reaching high branches. Their stubby legs looked ridiculous compared to the rest of their bodies.
According to Yura's guidebook, their meat was considered a luxury delicacy.
Meaning:
food.
I slammed one with earth magic immediately, trapping its legs beneath rising stone.
Unfortunately—
the thing screamed.
And suddenly four more burst from the surrounding trees.
I stared at them in disbelief.
"…Unfair. I literally only wanted one."
The largest snorted aggressively before wind magic exploded around its horns.
Right.
Magic dinosaurs.
Wonderful.
The first charged instantly.
I dashed sideways just before its horns demolished an entire tree behind me.
Fast.
Way too fast for something that large.
I enhanced my body with reinforcement magic and launched upward, sword flashing toward its neck.
CLANG.
Its hide blocked the strike almost entirely.
"Tough too?! Pick a struggle!"
Another Lathegin fired compressed wind blades toward me from the side.
I twisted midair narrowly avoiding decapitation before landing atop another creature's back.
Edith and Zenith vibrated faintly in my grip.
Excited.
I smirked despite myself.
"Fine then."
Dark purple magic pulsed through the blade.
I drove the sword downward.
This time it pierced cleanly.
The creature roared violently.
The others charged simultaneously.
The next several minutes became complete chaos.
Wind blades tore apart the forest while trees collapsed around me continuously. I moved constantly between attacks, enhancing my speed while striking at joints, necks, and eyes.
One clipped my shoulder hard enough to send me crashing through a boulder.
Another nearly trampled me entirely.
But slowly—
one by one—
they fell.
Eventually silence returned to the forest.
Breathing heavily, I stood surrounded by collapsed trees and exhausted beasts.
Three were still alive.
Barely.
I stared at them quietly for several long seconds.
Then sighed.
Golden healing magic spread softly from my hands.
Their wounds slowly closed.
"I'm sorry," I whispered quietly. "I know you were only protecting your territory."
The surviving Lathegins eventually staggered away slowly without attacking again.
I stored the remaining corpse carefully inside my inventory space afterward.
Enough food for days.
When I returned near camp, the girls still hadn't come back yet.
Kyoko landed beside me shortly afterward after checking their location.
"They're fine?" I asked.
The tiny dragon nodded before curling atop my shoulder comfortably.
Good.
Climbing onto a massive tree branch overlooking the waterfall, I pulled out my newest book:
Advanced Chanted Magic Theory.
Apparently most modern mages abandoned chanting entirely for speed.
But honestly?
I liked it.
There was something powerful about words carrying intent.
Something dangerous too.
I opened the first page slowly while sunlight filtered through the leaves overhead.
"Time to get stronger."