Julian stood tense, eyes locked on the beast that had emerged from the dense treeline. Its massive frame radiated heat with every breath, fur streaked with fire, eyes glowing with a nightmare's hunger. It was less an animal, more a living inferno wrapped in muscle and flame.
He whispered to himself, lips curling faintly:
"Now… the fun begins."
His grip tightened around the hilt of his blade, raising it slowly as mana coursed through his body. Air swirled toward the sword's edge, answering his silent call.
The beast roared, the sound shaking the earth beneath them. It raised a claw the size of a boulder, swiping down with lethal force—only to have its palm torn open by the wind blades Julian had prepared in advance.
Still, the monster pressed on. The claw came crashing down, wreathed in blistering heat. Julian leapt aside, wind stripping the weight from his body, but not without cost—the scorching air grazed his arm, leaving a searing sting behind.
He retaliated instantly. A violent gale burst from his hand, staggering the beast for a moment before it regained its stance. Then it reared back, maw opening wide, and unleashed a blazing fireball that roared across the battlefield.
Julian planted his feet, gripping the sword in both hands. Mana surged down his legs, spinning into a furious cyclone around him.
"Wind Vortex!"
The storm rose like a barrier, colliding with the fireball. The clash erupted into a fiery tempest that devoured the clearing, smoke and sparks swallowing the world in chaos.
For a heartbeat, nothing could be seen.
Julian seized the moment. Using concentrated air spheres at his feet, he propelled himself high into the air, blade angled down. He crashed onto the beast's back, driving the sword deep into its flesh. Mana surged into the blade, exploding outward in a violent burst of wind from within.
The beast bellowed one last, agonized roar before its massive body collapsed, flames guttering out as smoke drifted from its corpse.
Julian staggered forward, chest heaving, sweat and blood slicking the blade. Pressing his hand against the creature's charred chest, he closed his eyes and drew the core forth.
A crimson glow pulsed in his palm—a fiery nucleus, radiating raw heat. He stared at it with detached calm, then muttered:
"The first one."
Caution prickled at him. That final roar might have been more than pain—it could have been a summons. Without delay, he moved on, vanishing into the forest shadows.
Fifteen minutes later, after tending to the burn on his arm, Julian sat quietly, the core still radiating in his hand. He absorbed it slowly, mana threading through his veins. The process was grueling, and when it finally ended, he felt only a modest increase in his mana reserves.
The element clashed with his nature. A fire core, wasted in the hands of one attuned to wind. For someone like Harris, or Noel, or even Noah—it would have been far more valuable.
He exhaled, glancing at the horizon, where the sun bled into the mountains.
Under his breath, he whispered a name—
"Nua…"
Then he rose, blade in hand, and continued the hunt.