The mist shifted.
Roman did not move.
His blade remained angled low beside his leg, the edge catching the faint gray light filtering through Kagetsu Forest's towering canopy. The forest had gone completely still. Even the damp earth seemed to be holding its breath.
Across the clearing, something enormous moved through the fog.
A branch snapped.
The sound echoed through the trees like distant thunder.
Roman watched the movement carefully, his eyes narrowing just slightly as the silhouette sharpened. The creature stepped forward another pace, heavy enough that the ground registered its weight before the shape fully revealed itself.
Large.
Much larger than the Grade Nine beast he had killed earlier.
Roman adjusted his stance, shifting his weight subtly onto his back foot.
Too heavy for a lesser predator.
Another step.
The mist thinned.
Now he could see more.
Dark hide stretched across thick muscle. A low, armored ridge ran along the creature's spine like jagged stone plates. Its shoulders were massive—broad enough that the surrounding branches cracked and bent aside when it passed between them.
Then the eyes appeared.
Cold.
Sharp.
Watching him with unmistakable awareness.
Roman felt a quiet realization settle into place.
Sentient.
That was worse.
Astra Beasts with intelligence were not common in outer territories. Those creatures normally ruled deeper regions of ancient forests, where mana ran stronger and prey was plentiful.
If something like this had moved outward…
Roman's gaze flicked briefly toward the direction of Aokiri Village.
The creature followed the movement instantly.
The low growl that came from its throat vibrated through the clearing.
Roman slowly brought the sword up.
"So you noticed that," he said calmly.
The creature stepped fully into view.
It stood taller than a horse at the shoulder, its body built like a monstrous wolf crossed with something far older. Thick black fur covered most of its frame, though several portions of its hide were protected by hardened plates that looked almost like stone.
Claws the length of daggers flexed against the soil.
Roman studied the spacing of its limbs, the subtle shift of muscle beneath its hide, the slow rhythm of its breathing.
Every detail mattered.
Peak Grade Six.
The realization settled without emotion.
That meant the power gap between them was significant.
The beast tilted its head slightly.
Then, to Roman's mild surprise, it spoke.
"Human."
The voice was rough, low, and distorted by a throat not built for speech. Still, the word was unmistakable.
Roman's eyebrow lifted a fraction.
"Interesting."
The creature's eyes narrowed.
"You are calm."
Roman shrugged slightly.
"Panicking rarely helps."
The beast studied him for several seconds.
Roman allowed the silence to stretch, using the time to continue his analysis.
The creature had approached cautiously. It had not charged immediately. That meant it had recognized him as a potential threat.
Smart.
The armor plates along its shoulders suggested it had survived multiple battles. Several faint scars crossed its muzzle.
Very experienced.
Most importantly—
It had spoken.
Astra Beasts capable of speech were rarely simple predators.
"You entered my territory," the beast said slowly.
Roman glanced briefly at the deep claw marks carved into the nearby tree trunk.
"I noticed."
"You killed my prey."
Roman considered the small corpse lying several meters behind him.
"That one attacked first."
The beast's lip curled slightly, revealing rows of thick teeth.
"That prey was fleeing."
Roman shrugged again.
"That explains the poor strategy."
The creature's growl deepened.
Roman watched the tension building through its body.
It's deciding whether to kill me immediately.
That was reasonable.
He had entered its territory.
Killed something it considered its prey.
And refused to behave like prey himself.
Roman's grip on the sword tightened slightly.
He could already feel the difference in pressure between them.
The beast's mana presence was heavy and oppressive, like standing too close to a storm cloud.
If it attacked seriously…
This would be difficult.
Roman exhaled slowly.
Mana moved around him, invisible currents responding instinctively to his breathing. The sensation was subtle, almost imperceptible.
But Roman felt it clearly.
The surrounding energy was listening.
That had always been the strange part.
Roman didn't manipulate mana the way most sorcerers did.
He simply… understood it.
The beast shifted forward.
Roman moved first.
His body blurred sideways just as the creature lunged.
The impact shattered the ground where he had been standing.
Roman landed lightly several meters away, sword already cutting toward the creature's exposed flank.
Steel struck fur—
—and bounced.
Roman slid back instantly.
Armor plates.
The creature turned with terrifying speed for something its size, massive claws tearing through the earth as it pivoted.
Roman's thoughts raced.
Too durable.
Too fast.
Too strong.
The beast charged again.
Roman moved with controlled precision, slipping between tree trunks as the creature smashed through them in pursuit.
Branches exploded.
Wood splintered.
The clearing rapidly transformed into a battlefield of broken bark and flying debris.
Roman leapt over a fallen trunk and pivoted sharply.
The beast lunged.
Roman swung.
This time his blade struck the softer area beneath the creature's jaw.
The cut landed clean.
Dark blood sprayed across the mist.
The beast recoiled with a roar.
Roman retreated immediately, putting distance between them.
The creature shook its head violently, eyes blazing with fury now.
"You cut me."
Roman wiped the blade lightly against his sleeve.
"That was the idea."
The beast snarled.
Then it charged again.
This time Roman didn't retreat.
Instead, he raised his hand.
Mana surged.
Not violently.
Not explosively.
Just… naturally.
The energy in the forest bent toward him like grass leaning in wind.
The creature sensed it instantly.
Its charge slowed.
Roman's eyes narrowed slightly.
He rarely used this openly.
People tended to ask questions afterward.
But right now, survival mattered more than secrecy.
Roman lifted his hand.
The air around the beast twisted.
Invisible pressure collapsed inward.
The creature staggered.
For the first time since the fight began—
It looked surprised.
Roman stepped forward.
His sword flashed.
The strike landed across the creature's shoulder, cutting between two armor plates.
The beast roared.
Roman retreated again immediately.
His breathing had changed now.
Just slightly.
The mana he had pulled into motion drifted around him like a silent current.
The creature lowered its head slowly.
"You are not ordinary."
Roman didn't answer.
The beast's eyes burned with a dangerous new focus.
"Human… what are you?"
Roman tilted his head slightly.
"That's a strange question."
The creature's claws dug into the ground.
Roman could feel its power gathering.
The next attack would be worse.
Much worse.
Roman exhaled slowly.
This is getting dangerous.
The beast's muscles tensed.
Roman tightened his grip on the sword.
And in the silence between them, Kagetsu Forest once again held its breath.
The next exchange would decide everything.