Darkness.
Arix slowly opened his eyes.
For several seconds, he didn’t move.
He stared at the stone ceiling above him.
Something felt different.
He couldn’t explain what.
His body felt heavy, but not weak.
His head was clearer than before.
He moved his fingers.
Then his arm.
Slowly, he pushed himself upright.
The room.
The table.
The fireplace.
The shelves.
The strange crystals.
He remembered.
His eyes moved toward the doorway.
“Veyr?” No answer.
Arix looked around.
“Veyr?” Footsteps approached.
The blackish-white wolf entered the room.
His crimson eyes immediately settled on Arix.
“You’re awake.” Arix stared at him.
Then— “How long?” Veyr stopped.
“Forty-seven days.” Arix blinked.
“…What?” “Forty-seven days.” Arix looked toward the window.
The light outside was unfamiliar.
He looked back at Veyr.
“That’s…” He counted silently.
“More than a month.” “Yes.” “Almost two months.” “Yes.” Arix stared at him.
“You could’ve told me.” “You were unconscious.” “That doesn’t make it better.” Veyr said nothing.
Arix slowly stood.
His legs shook.
He immediately caught the edge of the table.
Veyr watched.
“Don’t force yourself.” “I can stand.” “You’re still recovering.” Arix straightened himself.
After a few seconds, the shaking stopped.
He looked down at his hands.
“I’m fine.” “You’re functional.” Arix frowned.
“That’s basically the same thing.” “No.” Arix sighed.
Then his expression became serious.
He remembered the conversation before he fainted.
The questions.
The answers.
The warnings.
But there was something else.
He couldn’t remember everything clearly.
Not because he had forgotten it.
It simply felt distant.
Like trying to remember a dream.
Arix looked at Veyr.
“Did you really mean all of that?” “Yes.” Arix remained silent.
He didn’t ask for more.
Not yet.
Veyr noticed.
“Good.” Arix frowned.
“What’s good?” “You’ve learned when not to ask.” Arix crossed his arms.
“I’ll ask when I want.” Veyr turned toward the door.
“Then ask later.” Arix followed him outside.
The forest greeted him with silence.
Arix stopped.
He hadn’t seen it for forty-seven days.
The enormous trees.
The pale light between their branches.
The cold air.
Everything looked almost the same.
Yet somehow— it felt unfamiliar.
Arix looked at his hands again.
“How long until I’m completely recovered?” “Your body?” “Yes.” “A little longer.” “And my head?” Veyr looked at him.
“That depends on you.” Arix didn’t like that answer.
“Of course.” They continued walking.
After several minutes, Veyr stopped.
Arix looked ahead.
A wide patch of ground lay between the trees.
There was no structure.
No path.
Nothing unusual.
Arix looked at Veyr.
“What are we doing?” “Your first lesson.” Arix’s eyes sharpened.
“Training?” “Yes.” “Finally.” Veyr looked toward the forest.
“You’re going to fight.” Arix’s expression changed.
“Against you?” “No.” “Then who?” Veyr didn’t answer.
Arix waited.
The forest remained silent.
Then— Rustle.
Arix turned.
Something moved between the trees.
His expression hardened.
Two yellow eyes appeared in the darkness.
A creature slowly stepped out.
It looked vaguely like a wolf.
But it was smaller than the one Arix remembered from the invasion.
Its body was lean.
Its claws were sharp.
Its movements were cautious.
Arix stared at it.
The creature stared back.
Arix looked at Veyr.
“What is that?” “Your opponent.” Arix frowned.
“It doesn’t look that strong.” Veyr said nothing.
Arix looked back at the creature.
Something about it bothered him.
Not its strength.
Its movements.
It was waiting.
So was he.
The creature suddenly lowered its body.
Arix tightened his fists.
Then— it charged.
Arix stepped sideways.
The creature passed him.
Arix turned.
It was already turning around.
Fast.
It charged again.
Arix moved backward.
A claw passed close to his shirt.
Arix stumbled.
The creature didn’t stop.
Another attack.
Arix ducked.
Another.
He stepped back.
Another.
He moved sideways.
Arix’s breathing became heavier.
He wasn’t being overpowered.
He was being pressured.
The creature attacked again.
Arix jumped backward.
His foot landed badly.
He fell.
The creature immediately lunged.
Arix rolled.
The claws struck the ground beside his head.
He scrambled away.
Arix stared at it.
The creature wasn’t stronger than him.
He could feel that.
Its attacks hurt.
Its speed was troublesome.
But it wasn’t beyond him.
Then why— Why can’t I hit it?
The creature charged again.
Arix ran.
Not because he was afraid.
Because he was thinking.
He glanced behind him.
The creature followed.
Arix changed direction.
It followed.
He changed direction again.
It followed again.
Arix’s eyes narrowed.
It keeps committing to the direction I choose.
He looked around.
Trees.
Roots.
Rocks.
A fallen branch.
Arix’s eyes stopped on something.
A narrow gap between two trees.
Too narrow for the creature to pass through at full speed.
Arix smiled.
He ran toward it.
The creature followed.
Closer.
Closer.
Arix could hear its footsteps behind him.
He waited.
Three steps.
Two.
One— Arix suddenly jumped sideways.
The creature tried to change direction.
Too late.
It slammed into one of the trees.
Arix didn’t hesitate.
He grabbed the fallen branch beside him and swung.
CRACK!
The branch struck the creature.
It stumbled.
Arix raised the branch again.
Then stopped.
The creature was already recovering.
Arix looked at it.
Then at the forest behind him.
Then at Veyr.
Veyr hadn’t moved.
Arix understood.
This wasn’t about killing it.
He threw the branch aside.
The creature growled.
Arix backed away.
It charged.
Arix turned and ran.
The creature followed.
But this time— Arix wasn’t running randomly.
He was leading it.
He moved between trees.
Changed direction.
Jumped over roots.
Forced the creature to follow.
Until he reached a steep slope.
Arix stopped.
The creature charged.
At the last moment, Arix moved sideways.
The creature couldn’t stop.
It slid down the slope.
Arix immediately climbed in the opposite direction.
By the time the creature recovered— Arix was already gone.
He kept running.
He didn’t stop until he reached the edge of the training ground.
Arix bent forward, breathing heavily.
He looked back.
Nothing.
He had escaped.
Not defeated it.
Not killed it.
Escaped.
Arix slowly smiled.
“I won.” Veyr appeared behind him.
“No.” Arix turned.
“What?” “You survived.” Arix looked toward the forest.
“Isn’t that enough?” “For today.” Arix’s smile returned.
“Then I won.” Veyr didn’t correct him.
Arix looked at his hands.
He had been stronger than the creature.
Yet he had struggled.
That irritated him.
But it also taught him something.
Strength alone wasn’t enough.
He needed to know how to use it.
Arix looked at Veyr.
“That thing was weaker than me.” “Yes.” Arix’s eyes narrowed.
“Then why couldn’t I beat it?” “Because being stronger doesn’t mean knowing how to fight.” Arix went silent.
Veyr continued.
“You have strength.” “You have instincts.” “But you have almost no combat experience.” Arix looked toward the forest.
“Then teach me.” Veyr looked at him.
“That is why you’re here.” Arix’s expression hardened.
“Then I’ll learn.” He looked back at the trees.
“And next time…” His grip tightened.
“I won’t run.” Veyr remained silent.
Arix turned toward him.
“If something gets in my way…” His expression became cold.
“…I’ll kill it.” Veyr’s crimson eyes narrowed slightly.
“Then first…” He turned toward the stone house.
“…learn how.” Arix followed.
The creature was weaker than him.
That fact hadn’t changed.
But neither had another fact.
Arix had survived because he had refused to fight on its terms.
For someone who had only just begun— that was enough.
Tomorrow would be different.
Tomorrow, the real training would begin.