Time slipped by, and in the blink of eye two days had passed. During this time, Mina had been on the road, making her way toward Ashfall Woods.

Though the Ashfall Woods were quite a distance from Greyvale City, it was still within a manageable range, and the journey posed little danger.

With her ridiculous strength, it was more likely that any potential threats would be wary of her, unless someone stronger crossed her path, which was highly unlikely.

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As she entered Ashfall Woods, the place lived up to its name. Grey bark rose like charred pillars from the scorched earth below, their twisted branches interlocking high above and filtering sunlight into thin beams that barely reached the ground.

The air was thick with ash, not enough to sting her lungs but enough to coat each breath with a taste of something long gone.

The forest was quiet, not the serene quiet of safety but an eerie stillness that suggested predators lurked nearby, waiting for any sign of weakness.

Mina moved through the woods as if she belonged there. Her small boots barely disturbed the ground as she navigated between trees, her shield strapped securely to her back and one hand resting casually near her weapon's hilt.

She didn't rush or hesitate; each step was deliberate and every breath controlled as she extended her senses outward in practiced awareness.

She recalled her sister's sharp voice echoing from countless training sessions: "If the forest goes quiet, it's because you've already been seen."

Mina paused, tilting her head slightly while scanning the underbrush ahead. There, movement, subtle yet unmistakable: a ripple in the ash-covered bushes that seemed low and deliberate.

1st Order Low-level Beasts: Ash Wolves. These magical beasts were among the most populous magical beasts in Ashfall Woods; their fur blended seamlessly with their surroundings, making them nearly invisible until they attacked.

Their presence remained concealed unless one possessed greater strength or awareness than they did.

Taking a slow breath to steady herself, Mina shifted her weight just as one wolf lunged at her without warning, a grey blur erupting from the brush with a snarl that shattered the silence. Its jaws snapped shut where Mina had been only a heartbeat earlier.

With fluid ease, she ducked beneath it and twisted sideways while driving her fist upward.

The impact was brutal: bone cracked and flesh caved as she sent the beast hurtling sideways into a tree hard enough to shake loose a shower of ash. It didn't rise again.

The forest erupted around her as two more wolves charged from opposite directions, claws tearing through the air toward her. Mina pivoted just in time; one slammed into her shield with full force, a blow that should have sent anyone else flying.

But not Mina. Her feet dug into the ground as ash scattered outward when she absorbed the hit. Her arm tensed, not straining or shaking, and then she surged forward instead, ramming her shield into the wolf's skull with a wet finality.

The second creature lunged from behind. Mina spun around, ducking low as claws sliced through the air where her head had just been. With a swift motion, her heel arced sharply, smashing into the creature's jaw.

The impact snapped its head sideways, and before it could recover, Mina seized it by the scruff and slammed it face-first into the ground.

Once. Twice. On the third strike, the beast lay still.

Mina straightened up, her breathing steady as her eyes scanned for the next threat. Five heartbeats passed. Then seven, more movement this time, deeper in the woods. A pack.

Her lips pressed into a thin line. "So it's like that," she murmured to herself.

Rolling her shoulders to loosen them up, she reached back and pulled her shield free from its harness. The oversized slab of reinforced metal settled comfortably in her grip as if it were weightless.

Her sister's voice echoed in her mind: "Don't dance with packs. Break them."

This time, the beasts charged together, four at first, then six more shapes moving behind them. But Mina didn't retreat; instead, she stepped forward to meet them head-on.

The first beast hit her shield and dropped instantly, its neck snapping under the force of her counterstrike.

The second leapt higher and smarter, aiming for her face. Mina raised the shield just in time to absorb its impact before rotating her wrist and smashing it downward, crushing it against the ground.

Claws raked across her side, too shallow to break skin but sharp enough to draw blood.

Mina didn't flinch. She grabbed the wolf mid-lunge and hurled it into its companions like a ragdoll, scattering them like broken toys.

Before they could regroup, she surged after them with explosive speed; every movement was efficient, no wasted motion or hesitation.

Punch.

Shield bash.

Kick.

Crack.

Beasts fell one after another until bodies piled amid broken brush and disturbed ash. When the last attempted to flee, Mina crossed the distance in three quick steps and brought down her shield like an executioner's block.

Silence returned as she stood among the fallen creatures, chest rising and falling steadily despite blood splattered across her clothes.

She counted instinctively: "Twelve," she muttered under her breath.

Crouching down with practiced precision, she began extracting their hearts with clean movements that reflected years of experience. There was no rush; damaged goods meant reduced pay, a lesson Sage had made very clear.

Carefully processing each body, she secured their hearts in one sack while gathering other valuable parts into another pouch for later sale.

Straightening up with both sacks secured, she moved deeper into the woods, the sun beginning to set behind thickening trees that loomed closer together as roots twisted across the ground like skeletal fingers.

There were eight more to go.

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Time passed by and one day has already gone by, Mina walked deeper into the forest. The further she went, the denser the woods became.

During this time, she had already collected all twenty hearts and even taken down a few extra beasts. Along the way, she gathered valuable parts from various creatures that could fetch a good price.

Ashfall Woods was thick with age; the trees grew closer together, their roots twisting across the ground like skeletal fingers. The air felt heavier here, charged with the presence of stronger beasts, still First Order but older, smarter, and hardened by survival.

This time, Mina faced a 1st Order Low-Level Beast: the Black Boar. This boar was surprisingly intelligent and launched an ambush without a sound.

Suddenly, something massive crashed through the underbrush, dwarfing the wolves she'd fought earlier. The Black Boar charged at her, its hide plated with hardened muscle and bone, tusks resembling curved blades glistening with saliva.

Mina didn't dodge; instead, she planted her feet firmly and raised her shield. The impact was thunderous, the ground cracked beneath her as the beast slammed into her. Force rippled through her arms and down her spine.

Ash exploded outward in a wide circle; for a brief moment, it felt like even the forest recoiled.

Then Mina pushed back. Her muscles tightened beneath her small frame as she lifted herself against the weight of the beast. The boar's charge faltered when its hooves lost purchase on the ground.

With a twist of her body and a grunt of effort, she hurled it sideways. The massive creature crashed through two trees before collapsing in a heap.

It roared in frustration as it struggled to rise. But Mina was already there, she leapt into action with her shield raised overhead and brought it down with all her strength.

The blow shattered bones and sent shockwaves through the air that kicked up ash in a violent plume. Just like that, the beast lay still.

For a moment, Mina stood there catching her breath when suddenly she noticed movement around her. The forest erupted again as more beasts emerged,wolves, boars, magical beasts in various sizes.

A convergence was happening.

Mina grinned softly to herself. "Good," she murmured.

The next few minutes descended into chaos as she became a whirlwind of compact violence; her shield transformed into an extension of her will while each strike landed precisely and devastatingly. Beasts tried to overwhelm her with sheer numbers but failed miserably.

Those who attacked together were torn apart; those who hesitated were crushed.

Blood soaked into the ash-strewn ground as broken bodies littered everywhere around her.

When it finally calmed down, Mina stood alone, her chest heaving and arms trembling slightly from exertion, but there was fire in her eyes: bright, focused and alive.

She sank to one knee, her hands working diligently despite the fatigue that weighed on her. With careful precision, she extracted the last of the hearts and valuable parts and secured them in two sacks.

Once finished, she leaned back against a sturdy tree, gazing up through the tangled canopy above.

Mina let out a faint chuckle and muttered under her breath. "Might as well go deeper into see if I can get something good."

After taking a moment to catch her breath and regain her composure, she pushed herself up and continued deeper into the forest.

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A/N: Merry Christmas guys.Hope you're all enjoying the holidays. Thanks for the support as always, you're the real ones.

Also, just saying… a magic castle would look great under my Christmas tree.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.