The four hunting teams finally left the God Gym, moving into the dense jungle filled with distant roars and shaking trees.

Rynar walked at the front of his group, hands in his pockets, a cocky smirk on his face.

Behind him followed several nervous disciples… and one tiny girl skipping lightly beside him, Mersha.

"Senior Brother Rynar," she said gently, "would you like some potion? I brought other prototypes."

Rynar froze mid-step.

He slowly turned toward her with a face full of caution.

"…Please don't."

Mersha blinked. "Why?"

Rynar pointed at her bag like it was a nest of angry snakes.

"From Master's reaction alone, I KNOW your potions are bad news."

Mersha only smiled sweetly.

"Don't worry, Senior Brother. The effects are amazing. And the side effects…"

She tapped her cheek. "…you won't die."

Rynar stopped walking.

The juniors almost bumped into him.

"… We're just beginning the hunt," he said, rubbing his temple. "There's no need for your potions. None. Zero."

Mersha nodded softly. "I see."

A moment passed before she tilted her head.

"Um… Senior Brother Rynar. What is a unique physique? Master said you, Senior Brother Rynor, and Senior Brother Arden have one."

Rynar snorted proudly.

"Let's just say... it's like a mana trait but better. And really hard to awaken."

Mersha's eyes lit up. "Can you show me?"

Rynar smirked, cracking his knuckles.

"Of course. But first…"

He lifted his chin toward the jungle.

"…we need a demonic beast."

As if the jungle heard him...

GRRRRRRROAAAAAR!!!

A massive creature burst through the trees.

It was a bear the size of a house, muscles bulging, eyes glowing red. Black mist curled around its body like smoke.

From the aura alone, the disciples clearly knew that this was a second-realm demonic beast.

The juniors immediately stepped back, shaking.

"I-It's huge…"

"That aura is insane…"

"Senior Brother, are we fighting THAT?!"

Rynar rolled his shoulders calmly.

"Tch. Just a second-realm demonic beast."

He pointed at the juniors without looking away from the beast.

"Listen up, juniors," he said, voice steady. "I'll show you the basic goal you need to reach if you want to survive here."

The juniors swallowed nervously.

Some tightened their fists, others shook, and Mersha's eyes sparkled with curiosity.

Rynar clenched his right fist.

FWOOOM!

Flames burst out instantly, wrapping around his arm in wild spirals.

The juniors gasped.

Rynar lifted his burning hand so they could all see.

"This..." he said proudly, "...is the goal you need to reach. A [Unique Physique]."

He curled his fingers, flames dancing with every motion.

"Unlike a mana trait that just gives you an effect on your mana," he explained. "A Unique Physique changes your actual body."

He smirked and lowered his stance slightly.

"That means controlling your mana becomes easier. Way easier. Easy enough to do this."

He snapped his right hand shut.

FWIP!

The flames disappeared instantly.

He lifted his left hand.

FLASH!

A fresh burst of fire bloomed along that arm instead.

The juniors' mouths fell open.

"You can swap sides that fast…?"

"Like turning a switch on and off…"

"That's insane control!"

Rynar shrugged casually.

"Yep. It's easy when the power is part of your body. That's the whole point of a Unique Physique."

He looked over his shoulder at them.

"And don't forget that every Unique Physique is different. There are thousands of types."

Mersha raised her hand shyly. "Does it hurt to awaken?"

Rynar smirked. "Oh yeah. It hurts like hell."

The juniors trembled.

"But that's good," Rynar added. "Pain means your body is changing."

He cracked his knuckles, flames swirling again.

"Now…"

He turned back to the massive demonic bear and grinned like a troublemaking delinquent finally allowed to play.

"…let me show you just how strong you'll become after awakening one."

The bear roared loudly, shaking the trees.

Rynar stepped forward and...

BOOM!

The ground cracked under his foot as he shot forward like a bullet.

The juniors barely saw him move.

He raised his fist, flames swirling rapidly.

"Fire Fist!"

BAAAAAAM!!

His fist smashed straight into the bear's face.

A massive shockwave blasted out, kicking up dirt and leaves everywhere.

The bear was launched backward like a ragdoll, slammed into a tree, and slid down the trunk in a smoking heap.

Its entire front was charred black.

Silence for a moment, and then...

"W-WHAT!!"

"He one-shot a SECOND REALM beast!!"

"That power… that's a Unique Physique?!"

Mersha clapped softly. "Senior Brother Rynar… so strong…"

Rynar dusted his hands off and turned around.

"See? That's the level I'm talking about."

He pointed at the stunned juniors.

"And all of you... if you work hard, survive the training, and don't die... you can also reach this level too."

The juniors gulped in fear and excitement.

Mersha nodded politely.

"I will try my best."

Rynar smirked.

"Good. Because this was just the warm-up."

Behind him, the jungle trembled again.

More beasts awakened.

---

On another side of the jungle, Arden's team moved carefully between massive roots and thick fog.

Screeches and roars echoed from deeper inside.

Ahead of him, several senior disciples were already engaged in battle with second-realm demonic beasts.

Valtor was there too.

He was wrestling a smaller second realm beast, a wolf-like creature covered in dark fur and bone spikes.

"COME ON! FIGHT ME!" Valtor shouted, laughing like a madman.

Arden watched calmly from behind, arms crossed, observing every movement.

The seniors moved smoothly, attacking with practiced precision.

Valtor, meanwhile, fought with reckless joy, but even he looked strained against a second realm beast.

Arden muttered to himself, eyes narrowing.

"So… it's true. The second realm beasts really are waking up."

He stepped to the side as a tree exploded nearby, courtesy of a senior disciple's punch.

Arden didn't even flinch.

He kept watching the weird demonic beasts.

"Before this, I thought Demon Gate Island only had first-realm demonic beasts," Arden murmured.

"Maybe with stronger mana and a bad temperament… but nothing like this."

He crouched down, examining claw marks in the ground.

Then he straightened, his expression thoughtful.

"But why are they hibernating in the first place?" he whispered.

"Second realm beasts elsewhere don't need seasonal sleep. They stay active all year. So why is Demon Gate Island different?"

A second realm beast lunged, but a senior disciple cut it down instantly.

Arden didn't move, only watching the corpse fall.

"…What is this island hiding?"

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