Maw's words were not without truth.
Zephyr understood that seeking help everytime at every turn would only result dependence—a weakness neither he nor Maw wished to happen.
Their earlier conversation had drawn a clear boundary: guidance would only be granted in moments of genuine peril. What he currently faced, though daunting, did not yet qualify. This was something within his capacity to overcome.
And so, Zephyr stood alone.
Still, he was not entirely helpless. He possessed power—albeit unrefined—and a weapon to wield. What remained was the courage to face what lay ahead.
The earlier rustling sound had proven to be nothing more than a fleeting
illusion.
No attack came, no danger revealed itself. For a brief moment, Zephyr allowed himself to believe it had merely been his imagination.
But such comfort was nothing more than a fool's delusion.
Without warning, a monstrous figure burst forth, a beast resembling a boar, yet far more grotesque in scale and presence. It stood nearly five feet tall and stretched twelve feet in length, its hulking body radiating raw,
unrestrained power. Its tusks, gleaming with lethal sharpness, were capable of snapping trees as though they were fragile twigs.
Zephyr barely evaded the sudden charge. The distance between life and death was no more than a breath, the tusks grazing past him with terrifying proximity.
'Damn it!!!… a mountain boar right from the start!' Zephyr cursed inwardly.
Fortunately, he was not entirely ignorant. Prior to arriving at the training camp, he had taken the initiative to study the types of beasts he might encounter. The mountain boar was among them—a creature infamous for its aggression and territorial nature. It attacked anything that dared to trespass within its domain. Its immense strength alone was enough to devastate the surroundings, but its true lethality lay in its tusks. No armor could reliably withstand their piercing force; combined with the boar's momentum, they became instruments of absolute destruction.
The beast snorted violently, its irritation evident. It had failed to kill its prey with a surprise attack—an outcome it clearly did not tolerate.
With a thunderous roar, it charged once more.
Zephyr's body protested as he forced himself to move. He was still recovering from the initial evasion, yet he could not afford hesitation. This was not merely a training exercise or a means to accumulate points. This was his proving ground—his chance to affirm his resolve.
To become strong enough to find his younger brother.
To one day exact vengeance upon those who had taken everything from him.
"Come!!!" Zephyr roared—not out of desperation, but with calculated intent.
He sidestepped the incoming assault, narrowly avoiding the second charge. Seizing the opportunity, he swung his katana with all the strength he could muster, aiming for the boar's neck.
The blade struck directly to the neck.
But the result was underwhelming.
A shallow scratch.
"The hide… it's far too tough!" he realized with frustration.
The boar's fury intensified, its eyes burning with primal rage. Not only had it failed again, but it had also been wounded—however slightly. For a creature driven by instinct and dominance, such defiance was unacceptable.
'Then let's test it… the power...,' Zephyr thought.
In his free hand, a small sphere began to form...an ominous, flickering orb of black flame. Its presence alone was unsettling, as though it defied the natural order of fire itself.
He did not fully understand it. Maw had offered no explanation, and Zephyr knew better than to expect one easily. Still, he held onto a sliver of hope,that this power would not betray him.
The boar sensed it.
For the first time, hesitation flickered within the beast's instincts. The black flame exuded a presence that triggered something deeper than fear—something primal.
But its fury overrode all caution.
With reckless abandon, it charged once more.
Zephyr did not hesitate.He released the orb.The moment it made contact, everything changed.
The black flame expanded unnaturally, swallowing the massive beast whole. Its enormous body was engulfed in an instant, consumed by a fire that emitted no ordinary heat, yet radiated an overwhelming sense of annihilation.
There was no scream.No struggle.No resistance.
The mountain boar simply ceased to exist.
It was as if its very essence—body and soul alike—had been devoured.
Silence followed.
Zephyr stood motionless, his gaze fixed upon the aftermath. The power he had unleashed was far beyond anything he had anticipated. This was no ordinary ability, nor something a typical Wisper should possess.
And yet, Maw remained silent, of course he would.
Zephyr suppressed his curiosity. Some answers would come in time. For now, survival and growth took priority.
But power always demanded a price,a sharp pain coursed through his arm.
Looking down, he saw that his hand had darkened unnaturally, as though scorched from within. Even the minimal use of that black flame had inflicted damage upon him.
'My body… it can't withstand it yet,' he concluded grimly.
This was not a power he could rely on recklessly. If anything, it was a double-edged sword—one that could harm him just as easily as it could destroy his enemies.
'I'll only use it when there's no other choice… when I'm truly at death's door.'
There were no shortcuts to strength.
Only effort, discipline, and experience would forge him into something greater.
As he gathered his thoughts,something stirred within him.
A talisman.
It moved subtly, as though awakened. Zephyr's brows furrowed in confusion. He had no recollection of receiving such an item. Whoever had given it to him—perhaps the man named Chris—must possess power far beyond his current comprehension.
A faint sound echoed.
"Ting!"
The talisman emitted a soft glow, and text began to materialize upon its surface, as though being inscribed by an unseen hand.
Zephyr narrowed his eyes, focusing on the shifting symbols. Though some characters eluded his understanding, certain portions were clear enough.
Name: Zephyr
Score: 5 points
Hunted Beast: Mountain Boar
Ranking: 92 / 105
It was simple, yet easy to understand.
Out of 105 Wispers, he ranked 92nd.
A low ranking.
This meant that many had already surpassed him—either by hunting more beasts or defeating stronger ones within the same span of time.
It was a sobering realization.
Even in these early stages, the gap between individuals was already becoming apparent.
And then there were the Fallens—entities far beyond ordinary beasts. Comparing them to creatures like the mountain boar was almost laughable. They existed on an entirely different level.
Zephyr exhaled softly.
'I guess I need to work harder,' he muttered inwardly, a hint of dry sarcasm in his tone.
With that, he began to walk once more.
There was nothing left of the boar not even remnants to salvage. It had been completely erased, as though it had never existed at all.
A chilling reminder of the power he wielded.
The dangers that came with it.For now, however, he would set it aside.Step by step, he would grow stronger through experience, through battle, and through sheer determination.
This was only the beginning.