Come to think of it…

This might be the first time I've ever told anyone about my goal.

The first time I'd said it out loud.

Maybe that was why the campfire suddenly felt warmer.

Maybe that was why sitting beside her didn't feel as awkward anymore.

"It sounds fun. I really like that kind of thing too. Stories about adventurers traveling the world, discovering hidden places, fighting monsters…"

Elena's eyes sparkled as she spoke, her excitement bubbling over like a child talking about her favorite tale.

It was the first time I'd ever heard her talk like this.

Always sheltered, always watched, always guarded by her family's thick walls—maybe she had been longing for something beyond all that.

A different sky, a different road.

The kind of freedom only adventurers truly tasted.

Her voice continued cheerfully beside me as I stared into the crackling campfire.

The flames swayed softly, painting warm orange lines across the trees.

The night air was cool, the wind gentle, and Elena's voice… oddly soothing.

A quiet rhythm that seeped under my skin and eased the tension from my shoulders.

Little by little, my eyes began to grow heavy.

Maybe it was all the training earlier.

Maybe it was the warmth.

Maybe it was the fact that for once, everything felt peaceful.

I let my body relax, eyelids gradually drooping—

"GROOOOOOARRR!!!"

"?!"

The roar ripped through the night like thunder exploding right beside my ear.

We both jolted upright, instincts kicking in instantly.

A massive shadow loomed at the edge of the clearing, blocking the moonlight as it stepped forward.

Its heavy breaths fogged the air.

Thick brown fur, broad shoulders, arms raised high as if ready to crush us—

A wild bear.

No—bigger.

Stronger.

This was no ordinary creature.

"Why… why is a wild bear here?!" Elena whispered, voice trembling.

I didn't answer.

My hand was already gripping my sword.

The peaceful night had shattered in an instant.

Now, only the sound of leaves trembling in fear surrounded us.

And the bear's glaring eyes, reflecting the firelight like burning embers, locked onto us without mercy.

----

The bear towered over us, massive arms raised high as if ready to rip me in half. Anyone else would've frozen on the spot.

But me?

I didn't feel a hint of fear.

Not after what I'd just been through underground.

Compared to a chimera that was part-bear, part–walking metal factory, this thing… was just a normal bear.

Big, angry, sure—but ordinary.

"GROOOAAAAR!!"

Its roar shook the branches overhead, and I felt Elena flinch behind me.

I heard her sharp inhale, the rustle of her clothes as she instinctively took a step back.

Yeah.

A sudden bear ambush would terrify most people.

But I stepped forward.

The ground trembled under its weight as it lumbered closer.

Even from a distance, I could tell this thing was far larger than any bear I'd ever seen.

Probably swollen from the dense magical energy saturating this forest.

Its red, gleaming eyes locked onto me, lips curling back to reveal long, wet fangs.

Thick strands of saliva dripped down and sizzled softly when they hit the mana-rich soil.

Everything about it screamed danger.

And yet my heartbeat stayed steady.

Kill or be killed.

The forest ran on that law.

Monsters ran on that law.

So did I.

I inhaled deeply, pulling magic up from my core.

Warm energy flowed into my dantian, surged through it, and then—

Zzztt…

Wrapped around my sword like a thin, golden flame.

Only once the aura settled along the blade did I raise it.

The bear stomped, cracking the earth beneath its weight, muscles bulging as it prepared to charge.

Elena's voice trembled behind me.

"Louis—be careful!"

I didn't take my eyes off the bear.

"Don't worry," I said quietly, steadying my stance. "This is nothing."

The bear roared again and lunged.

And I moved to meet it.

"GROOOOAAAR!!!"

The massive bear barreled toward me, roaring loud enough to shake the trees.

No hesitation. No overthinking.

I tightened my grip, aura flaring to life along the edge of my sword.

And I swung.

Slash.

"KUOOOOO!!"

A wet, heavy sound tore through the night as the bear's thick arm flew off, spiraling through the air.

Blood sprayed in a bright arc, painting the ground beneath it.

The creature staggered, screaming in agony, its body trembling from shock.

I steadied my stance, aura humming loudly in my ears as I readied a second strike.

My first attack had been slightly off—expected, considering it was my first time using aura in a real fight.

But this time…

This time I would aim true.

I shifted my weight, prepared to step forward—

—but the bear's eyes widened in pure instinctive terror.

Realizing it had charged into the jaws of something far stronger than itself, the beast spun around with surprising speed and bolted into the forest, crashing through branches and undergrowth as it fled for its life.

I watched silently as its massive silhouette disappeared into the darkness.

When it was gone, I let out a slow breath and allowed my aura to fade, the glow sliding off my blade like mist dissolving into the night.

I didn't chase it.

Not because I felt mercy—but because the forest at night was suicide.

An injured animal running into the wilderness only had one ending anyway.

I lowered my sword and stared down at my palm.

The lingering vibration from cutting through flesh, bone, and muscle remained in my hand—raw, electric, unforgettable.

It was the first time I'd ever cut something so cleanly.

The sword slid through the flesh without meeting the slightest resistance.

A clean cut—smooth, effortless.

And the feeling that traveled up the blade, straight into my hand, was…

'…Insane.'

I almost exhaled a quiet laugh.

It felt phenomenal.

The sensation was unreal—like slicing through water, or silk soaked in oil.

No grinding, no jarring impact. Just pure, fluid motion.

It was gruesome to watch, yes… blood, tissue, the raw inside of a monster.

But the sensation itself—

It was undeniably intoxicating.

Was this what Lycan meant when he spoke about "the taste of aura"?

That subtle, electric thrill that lingered in your hand long after the blade finished its arc?

I'd thought Thunder Slash was the peak of satisfaction—the explosive sound, the surge of power, the shockwave shooting down my arm.

But this…

This was different.

Sharper.

Cleaner.

Almost… elegant.

An entirely different kind of pleasure.

My fingers curled unconsciously around the hilt, remembering the feeling.

Then I forced them to relax.

Forced myself to breathe out the thrill and clear my head.

No.

This wasn't something I should get used to.

A sword exists to harm.

A sword is a tool that cuts, injures, and—at its core—kills.

That sensation I enjoyed just now…

Was the feeling of slicing through flesh.

Through something that once lived.

And I liked it.

The realization made something cold settle at the bottom of my stomach.

Was that really pleasure?

Or was it the thrill of destruction masquerading as something beautiful?

I shook my hand once, as if trying to fling off the lingering feeling crawling across my nerves.

Get a grip.

If I wasn't careful, that thin line between a warrior and a monster…

I could cross it without even noticing.

And that scared me more than anything I'd cut today.

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