A deer-like creature grazed peacefully in the meadow. Its body resembled a stag, but its antlers glowed faintly with a soft blue hue—locals called it a Lunareth, a beast said to draw strength from the moonlight itself.
A faint breath.
The subtle strain of a bowstring being pulled tight.
Fwssh!
The arrow sliced through the air and pierced the Lunareth's skull cleanly. The beast crumpled to the ground.
"Hey, old man Garrick!" a young voice called from the trees.
Garrick Valemont—scarred, broad-shouldered, and with eyes that had seen too much—grinned through his rugged beard. Age had etched lines into his face, but his presence was still sharp. He was thirty-nine.
"Oh! Kaien," Garrick said warmly. "You're back—and with a big catch, huh?"
Before Kaien could answer, another voice chimed in, full of playful scolding.
"Old man! Don't tell me you made Kaien hunt again!"
Lyra, the Catalystless mage, stepped into view. Now twenty years old, her eyes still burned with that same spark of fiery determination.
Garrick chuckled, waving a hand dismissively.
"What do you mean, Lyra? He's free to do what he wants. I didn't force him."
Kaien, six years old, stood there with a bow slung across his shoulder—silent but smiling faintly. Hunting Lunareths wasn't just survival anymore. For him, it was proof he truly belonged in this strange new world.
"You! Kaien!" Lyra shouted, hands on her hips. "Do you remember the last time you went into the forest? You nearly got swallowed by that moving tree monster—the Gravelurk! That was in the Forest of Duskveil, full of ominous creatures! I warned you about that when you were little! And you're still a kid—don't forget that!"
Kaien rubbed the back of his neck, smirking as if her scolding rolled right off him.
"Yeah, yeah, Lyra-nee-san. I get it."
Still a kid, huh? In appearance, maybe. But in truth… I'm already fifty years old. If only they knew the weight I carry inside.
Kaien thought quietly.
He raised two fingers and muttered, his voice low but sharp with focus:
"Winds of the swift falcon, lend me your wings—Accelera!"
A shimmering gust wrapped around his legs. In the next heartbeat, his form blurred—gone in a flash of wind.
"Kaien!" Lyra shouted as dust scattered in his wake. "Where do you think you're going this time?!"
But he was already gone, laughter echoing faintly behind him.
---
[Forest of Duskveil]
Wind roared in Kaien's ears as he dashed deeper into the forest. Shadows flickered across his face, broken only by streaks of green light filtering through the canopy. His breathing was steady, but his thoughts ran sharp and restless.
Why do I keep coming back here?
He clenched his fists as his feet pounded over roots and moss.
First… because I don't want them to know what I'm really doing.
For years, I've trained in secret—piecing together everything I learned from Lyra and Garrick. Even as a baby, I watched them fight, cast, move… those memories never left me.
His lips curved faintly.
Second… because I want to explore this world. I can't just live in safety. I need to understand its dangers… its mysteries… its possibilities.
His eyes hardened.
And lastly… I need space. Whenever they saw how quickly I learned, they pushed me harder—training day and night until my bones nearly broke. Out here, I'm free… even if that freedom could kill me.
The underbrush rustled. Kaien halted, eyes narrowing.
A small creature hopped from behind a bush.
At first glance—it looked harmless. A rabbit-sized animal with round black eyes and fur so soft it begged to be touched. It twitched its nose innocently as it nibbled on a leaf.
But Kaien knew better.
This was a Nibblefang—a deceptively cute monster known for its lightning speed and fangs sharp enough to tear through flesh. It lured prey with its innocent look, then struck faster than sight. Dodge once, dodge twice… and it would retreat. Fail to notice it—and you'd already be dead.
Kaien drew a dagger from his belt. A bow was useless; Nibblefangs could sense killing intent long before the arrow flew. A dagger forced him close—close enough to bait it.
The Nibblefang's ears flicked.
A blur of fur—then it was gone.
Kaien barely saw it before it struck. He twisted, ducking under its lunge as the wind cracked from the force of its speed. His dagger flashed, cutting the air once—then again—each motion sharper, more precise.
Fast… but predictable.
The Nibblefang darted around him, snapping from all directions, its movements like streaks of white lightning. Each time it lunged, Kaien was already gone—sidestepping, deflecting, countering. Sparks burst where dagger met fang.
The creature hissed and leapt back—its fur ruffled, a thin red mark glinting across its flank.
"Hmph. Guess I'm not the only one who can move fast," Kaien muttered, steadying his stance.
But then he noticed the way the Nibblefang shifted its footing—its gaze no longer fixed on him, but past him. Downhill.
Kaien's eyes widened as realization struck.
It's changing targets… no—
"Tch." He gritted his teeth, lowering his stance. "This isn't the time for chanting."
The air around him surged—his magic bursting out raw and unrefined. Frost and wind collided in an instant as he propelled himself forward, faster than before, chasing the fleeing beast as it darted toward the settlement below.
The creature recoiled, fur bristling, eyes glowing faintly red.
Kaien steadied his breath, muscles tensed.
Lyra's words echoed in his mind—"Proper chanting stabilizes your mana. A rushed spell is wild and unstable… but it can still save your life if you know how to use it."
The Nibblefang suddenly darted sideways—its speed even greater now. Kaien's eyes widened as it broke past his reach, weaving between trees.
Wait—no. It's not running away. It's retreating… that direction—
His heart dropped.
Through the foliage below, he glimpsed faint rooftops—the settlement Lyra and Garrick had forbidden him to approach.
It's heading straight for the village.
Kaien's grip tightened on his dagger. His mana surged.
"This is not the time for chanting!"
He flung his hand forward, releasing raw mana—untamed, unspoken. A blade of freezing wind exploded from his arm, ripping through branches and scattering frost. The Nibblefang twisted midair, barely avoiding the attack, and shot down the slope like a living bolt.
Kaien cursed under his breath.
If that thing gets there… people will die.
He pushed harder, every muscle screaming as he drew on all his training—Lyra's magic, Garrick's combat drills, every ounce of instinct he'd honed in secret. His senses expanded, and faint voices reached him from afar—children's laughter… then a cry.
Kaien's blood ran cold.
Through his detection skill, he sensed it—children gathered around one boy, kicking him while he was down. And just beyond them, the Nibblefang closed in, its killing intent sharp and hungry.
Dammit… I won't make it in time.
But Kaien didn't stop.
If anything, he ran faster. His entire being burned with one truth: if he hesitated, people would die.
The Nibblefang launched.
Kaien dove forward—
---
—End of Chapter 12—