Chapter 15
"Here," the man said, handing Jared two items.
One was a bottle of water. Jared took it without hesitation and downed it in seconds, wiping his mouth with his sleeve.
The second item, however, made him pause.
Resting at his feet was a glowing white stone—the beast core of the winged rabbit.
Jared stared at it, stunned. "Why?" he asked quietly, looking up at the man.
The man simply shrugged. "It's yours. Sorry about your rabbit meat too… I'll pay you back someday," he added with a sheepish grin.
Jared gave a short nod, silently appreciating the gesture, even if it didn't erase the crime of the stolen meat.
"My name's Harren," the man continued. "Care to tell me yours?"
Jared hesitated for a heartbeat, then said, "Jared."
Harren nodded thoughtfully. "Well, Jared, your fighting skills are terrible. If you still plan to finish the Sweden Trial, I can teach you a few things."
Jared said nothing—just gave another nod. Despite Harren's kindness, something about him felt off. Too friendly. Too helpful. It made him uncomfortable. Without another word, he turned and walked off.
Harren watched him leave, lips curling into a small smile. "Strange kid," he muttered. "I wonder if he'll dare to come back here again… after nearly dying."
---
A Few Days Later…
"Yhaaaah!" a youthful voice echoed through the forest, followed by the clashing of metal and a stifled groan of pain.
The view cleared, revealing a boy with long, raven-black hair. His dark eyes were fierce, full of raw determination as he gripped the handle of his emerald dagger tightly.
Three winged rabbits circled him, their wings fluttering with rapid precision. Around his feet lay the corpses of three others—proof of the progress he'd made.
Jared wasn't unscathed. Cuts littered his arms and sides, blood trickling freely. Each wound stung like fire, but he had avoided anything fatal. That alone was a victory.
Just days ago, a single winged rabbit had nearly ended his life. But that fight had taught him invaluable lessons—lessons he now put to use. The creatures were fast, yes, but fragile. And more importantly, their movements, while chaotic, followed patterns. He had devised a strategy: trade shallow wounds for fatal strikes. A dangerous gamble—but one that had worked.
At least at first.
Now, the remaining rabbits had adapted. Their attack patterns became unpredictable, and within moments, Jared found himself drenched in blood.
Jared exhaled sharply, steadying his breath.
"I can still do this," he told himself—then he bolted forward like a man possessed.
A few minutes later…
Jared was sprinting through the forest, heart pounding like war drums. He was moving faster than he thought possible, every muscle screaming, every step fueled by sheer desperation.
Behind him, a blur of fur and fury raced in pursuit—a winged rabbit beast, faster and more relentless than the others.
"Can't this damn rabbit give up already?!" Jared shouted over his shoulder, pushing himself even harder.
He must've crossed some invisible line because the beast let out a screech of rage and doubled its pace. Jared barely had time to react before his foot struck a rock buried beneath the leaves.
He tripped.
His body skidded across the dirt with a pained grunt. He looked up—mud on his face, panic in his eyes—as the beast launched itself toward him.
And then… Jared grinned.
With a quick motion, he drew his emerald dagger and slashed a thick vine next to him.
Snap.
The rabbit tensed, instincts flaring—but it was too late.
A cluster of wooden spears shot up from the underbrush with brutal force. Jared's trap had been triggered.
The beast barely had time to twitch before a sharpened stake pierced its skull. Two more rabbits behind it met the same fate—dead in an instant.
Silence returned to the woods.
Jared lay still for a moment, catching his breath. Cuts and bruises marked his skin, but he was far better off than he'd been after his first encounter with these creatures.
Three winged rabbit beasts—gone.
He pushed himself up and walked over to the bodies, retrieving his dagger. One by one, he carved out their beast cores—pulsing with faint energy.
Then, on the ground, he drew a circular array. He placed the beast cores at precise points along the formation.
Once done, Jared unrolled a weathered diagram—given to him by the Fashion Rat—and compared it to his work.
Everything matched.
He smiled. "Perfect."
According to the rat, all he needed to do now was meditate at the array's center and wait for the universe to respond.
Jared sat at the center, legs crossed, eyes closed. He cleared his thoughts—emptied his mind.
Minutes passed.
Nothing.
His breathing grew uneven. Doubt crept in. Did I mess it up? Did that rat trick me?
Then—he felt it.
The cores began to glow softly. Their energy drained into the array, causing the runes to light up with a gentle pulse.
Suddenly, Jared felt something stir within him. A heat, followed by an icy surge, began forming at his chest.
It grew stronger—strange and yet familiar, like a missing part of himself returning.
Then, just as he reached the brink of awareness, a voice—calm, ethereal, and absolute—whispered into his mind:
"Aura Core has been created."
Jared's eyes snapped open.
With a single breath, he focused—and like magic, a translucent screen appeared before him, revealing his new status.
---
Name: Jared
Race: Earthling
Tier: 1
Power Level: 15
Equipment: None
Guardian: None
---
A smile spread across his face. His hands trembled—not from fear, but from the overwhelming joy boiling inside.
Blood still clung to his skin. Wounds still marked his flesh.
But he felt no pain.
He had done it.
He had finally become a warrior.
To be continued…
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