Ashfall Woods didn't thin out as Mina pressed deeper into its heart. If anything, the forest grew denser, as if it resented her presence and aimed to swallow her whole.

The twisted trees now stood closer together, their blackened trunks rising at odd angles, roots clawing through the ashen soil like exposed bones.

Sunlight barely filtered through the canopy above, leaving the ground bathed in a dim, gray half-light where shadows stretched long and uncertain.

Mina slowed her pace, moving carefully forward. Her mission was already complete; twenty First Order Low-level Beast hearts rested securely in her pack, intact and properly preserved.

By Guild standards, she could have turned back long ago, returned to Greyvale, submitted her proof, and collected her reward without issue.

But she didn't. This wasn't recklessness; it was opportunity. Ashfall Woods lay far from Greyvale City, distant enough that most Adventurers avoided it unless a mission explicitly demanded it.

The travel costs, time investment, and risk of encountering stronger beasts made casual hunting inefficient. For Mina, however, that distance was precisely what made this place valuable.

She wasn't sure when she would return here again. More importantly, she'd been lucky. The wolves and boars she had slain along the way had yielded more than just hearts: fangs, claws, hardened hides.

Magical beasts were fickle creatures; some had valuable parts while others were nothing more than meat and bone.

Today, fortune favored her. Mina adjusted the straps of her pack as its increasing weight pressed against her shoulders. Her muscles ached, not painfully but with the dull satisfaction of hard work well done. She welcomed it; pain meant progress and fatigue signaled growth.

A faint smile crossed her lips as she ventured deeper into the woods. The air changed subtly as she crossed an invisible boundary; the ash underfoot thickened, darker and more compact, disturbed far less by passing beasts.

Even the ambient sounds shifted, fewer distant calls and rustling movements filled the silence around her. Predators here did not announce themselves; they waited.

Mina slowed once more, stretching out her senses until she felt it,a faint pulse, not mana in an overt sense but something quieter and sharper, a concentrated presence that raised goosebumps on her arms.

Her gaze snapped toward a patch of ground where a faint silvery glow peeked through the roots of a fallen tree. Her breath caught in surprise.

Nestled within the ashen soil was a plant unlike any other around it: its leaves were thin and translucent with pale silver veins shimmering even in dim light. A soft metallic scent hung in the air around it, clean and crisp, cutting through the stale taste of ash.

A Silver Grade Herb.

Mina's heart raced. Silver Grade herbs were a rare find, reminiscent of the ones she had collected from Greyvale Forest when she first became an Adventurer. While they weren't legendary or priceless, their value was undeniable.

Alchemists paid handsomely for them.

Slowly and cautiously, Mina adjusted her stance. Instead of moving toward the herb, she scanned her surroundings.

The forest felt unnaturally quiet. Suddenly, a low growl reverberated through the air, deep and resonant.

Mina narrowed her eyes. From the shadows between the trees, something stirred, large and deliberate. Ash crumbled beneath heavy paws as a massive striped figure emerged, muscles rippling beneath soot-darkened fur marked with faint, glowing patterns like embers hidden under ash.

An Ashen Spotted Tiger—a 2nd Order Minor Beast.

Mina felt an immediate weight settle over her. This wasn't like facing wolves or boars; the tiger radiated a dense, predatory presence. Its dull amber eyes locked onto hers, intelligence flickering behind them. It didn't rush; it simply watched, guarding the herb.

She exhaled slowly to steady her breath. "So that's how it is," she murmured to herself.

The tiger crouched, its tail flicking once against the ground before it vanished in an instant.

Mina reacted just in time as the tiger reappeared in a blur of ash and motion, claws slicing through the space where she had stood moments before. She twisted aside, raising her shield just as its paw slammed into it.

BOOM!

The impact was staggering. Mina skidded backward several meters, her boots carving deep grooves into the ash-covered ground. Pain shot through her arm as shockwaves traveled down her shoulder and spine.

Heavy, it was too heavy. Before she could reset her stance, the tiger lunged again, jaws snapping shut with a sharp crack that echoed through the trees. Mina ducked beneath it and swung her shield upward in desperation.

BANG!

Metal met bone as the tiger recoiled more surprised than hurt, landing lightly on its paws while Mina staggered sideways, breathing heavily. Her chest tightened as reality set in: The beast was faster than she was and stronger in raw power.

Its movements were fluid and practiced—honed by countless hunts. For the first time since entering Ashfall Woods, Mina faced pressure that didn't buckle under her strength.

"This tiger is really strong, stronger than that snake I killed back in Greyvale Forest," she thought as she squared off against it.

The tiger circled around her silently on its padded paws, its muscles tensed then relaxed again as if testing her resolve while waiting for an opening to exploit.

Mina tightened her grip on her shield.

"You're smart," she muttered under her breath. "I don't like that."

The tiger lunged low, its claws slicing upward in a vicious arc. Mina jumped back just in time, but the tip of one claw grazed her thigh, sending a jolt of pain flaring hot and sharp through her body.

She hissed and twisted away as the tiger pursued her relentlessly, swiping again and again.

SWISH! SWISH!

Each strike tore through the air with lethal intent. Mina did her best to block what she could and dodged what she couldn't, but she felt herself being pushed back, forced onto the defensive.

A heavy paw slammed into her shield once more.

BOOM!

Mina was thrown backward, crashing through a dead bush and rolling hard across the ground. Ash filled her mouth as she skidded to a stop.

The tiger stalked toward her now, exuding confidence. Mina pushed herself up, legs trembling slightly. So that's how it wants to play. She wiped blood from the corner of her mouth and straightened herself.

The tiger charged.

Instead of retreating, Mina stepped forward. She drew her fist tight, muscles coiling beneath her skin, then drove it forward with everything she had.

"Level 2 Knight Skill — Iron Pulse Breaker." .

The air exploded around them.

BANG!

Her punch connected squarely with the tiger's shoulder, sending shockwaves rippling outward as bone cracked and fur flew apart with force. The beast was hurled sideways into a tree with a thunderous crash that shook ash loose from the canopy above.

Mina staggered for a moment, breathing heavily as pain radiated from her arm; nerves screamed in protest.

But the tiger rose again, slower now and even angrier than before.

It roared, its voice echoing through the forest as it lunged once more, desperation fueling its movements. Mina barely managed to raise her shield in time.

BOOM!

She was knocked off her feet yet again, rolling across the ground while claws raked across her side, tearing both fabric and skin. Pain flared bright and vicious within her.

The tiger pounced again.

Mina twisted desperately beneath its jaws as they snapped shut mere inches from her face. She came up on one knee; breath ragged and vision blurring at the edges.

Now! She thought. Planting her foot firmly on the ground, she drew back her leg as power surged upward through her core into every muscle fiber.

"Level 2 Knight Skill — Falling Mountain Kick."

She launched upward with all of her strength, heel driving into the tiger's jaw with a deafening crack.

BOOM!

The impact lifted the massive beast clean off its feet. Its body arced gracefully through the air before crashing down hard enough to make the earth tremble beneath it.

As it struggled to rise once more, Mina didn't give it an opportunity. She surged forward with shield raised high and brought it down with everything she had left in reserve.

BANG! CRASH!

The tiger lay there motionless. A hush enveloped the clearing, interrupted only by Mina's ragged breaths and the soft crackle of settling ash.

She lingered there for several seconds, her chest rising and falling, blood trickling from her wounds.

Then, unexpectedly, she laughed, a short, breathless sound bursting with unrestrained joy.

"I did it," she whispered, her eyes sparkling with triumph.

In an instant, adrenaline surged through her, propelling her past the fatigue. With practiced precision, she sprang into action.

The tiger's heart still pulsed faintly with residual energy, an invaluable find. Its blood essence shimmered as she carefully collected it. The skin remained pristine, untouched by her final strikes. Claws, fangs, muscle, every part held its own worth.

By the time she finished her task, her packs were heavy with spoils, her body battered yet invigorated by a smile that stretched wider than it had all day.

Mina glanced back at the Silver Grade Herb nestled in the soil and gently extracted it before securing it safely away.

Straightening up, she peered deeper into the woods. For a fleeting moment, temptation flickered within her.

But then she shook her head firmly. But she didn't leave right away. Instead, she settled down and took out a small healing potion, sipping it slowly. A heavy sigh of relief escaped her lips as she leaned back, feeling the tension ease.

"Uncle Sage really is something else," she remarked, a small smile creeping onto her face.

After a while after her wounds haves healed a little she stood up and patted her butt and looked around.

"Enough," she murmured softly to herself.

With one last look at the clearing behind her, Mina turned and began the long trek home, unaware that what weighed down her packs was about to transform more than just her earnings.

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