Morning came quietly.
The mist that covered the forest was slowly disappearing beneath the rising sun.
Arix stood in the clearing.
His sword rested at his side.
Across from him stood Veyr.
The pale-white and black fur of the wolf moved slightly with the morning breeze, while his crimson eyes remained fixed on Arix.
Neither spoke.
For ten years, this clearing had been Arix’s training ground.
For ten years, Veyr had taught him how to fight.
How to survive.
How to observe.
How to control his power.
How to kill.
But there had always been one thing Arix had never experienced.
A serious battle against Veyr.
Arix slowly drew his sword.
The blade reflected the sunlight.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
“So we’re actually doing this.” Veyr lowered his stance.
“You asked for it.” “I know.” Arix’s smile widened.
“Just don’t hold back.” Veyr’s eyes narrowed.
“I won’t.” Arix’s expression immediately became serious.
Good.
That was all he wanted.
Veyr took one step forward.
Arix disappeared.
BOOM!
The ground beneath his feet cracked.
In an instant, he appeared directly in front of Veyr.
His sword came down.
CLANG!
Veyr blocked.
The impact sent a shockwave through the clearing.
Arix twisted his wrist.
His sword slid along Veyr’s weapon before suddenly changing direction.
Veyr moved his blade.
Arix’s sword passed beside him.
Arix immediately followed with a kick.
Veyr blocked it with his forearm.
Arix used the contact to push himself backward.
He landed.
His eyes remained locked on Veyr.
“Still impossible to surprise.” Veyr said nothing.
Arix rushed forward again.
This time, Aura surrounded his body.
The faint energy wrapped around his arms and legs.
His speed increased.
His sword flashed.
One strike.
Two.
Three.
Five.
Seven.
Veyr blocked them all.
Arix suddenly changed his rhythm.
He stopped attacking in a predictable pattern.
His next strike came from below.
Veyr moved.
Arix rotated his body and attacked from the opposite side.
Veyr blocked.
Arix stepped inside his guard.
Their weapons locked.
For a fraction of a second, their eyes met.
Arix smirked.
“Got you.” His free hand moved.
Aura concentrated around his fist.
Veyr released his weapon with one hand and caught Arix’s wrist.
The punch stopped inches from his face.
Arix’s eyes widened.
Veyr twisted.
Arix was thrown over his shoulder.
He landed on his feet.
The ground cracked beneath him.
He immediately rushed forward again.
This time, Veyr attacked first.
Arix barely reacted.
A fist stopped beside his face.
He ducked.
A second strike came.
He blocked.
The force pushed him backward.
Arix slid across the ground.
He stopped himself with his sword.
His eyes sharpened.
Veyr hadn’t even drawn his full strength.
And yet— Arix was struggling.
A grin slowly appeared on his face.
“This is amazing.” Veyr stared at him.
“You’re enjoying this.” “Obviously.” Arix tightened his grip.
“I’ve spent ten years trying to catch up to you.” He lowered his stance.
“Now I finally get to see how far away I actually am.” He disappeared.
The clearing exploded into movement.
The sound of steel echoed through the forest.
CLANG!
CLANG!
CLANG!
Arix’s sword struck from every possible angle.
Veyr blocked.
Arix moved around him.
Veyr turned.
Arix attacked again.
Veyr countered.
Arix dodged.
For several seconds, neither gave the other a clean opening.
Arix’s Aura grew stronger.
He pushed more power into his body.
His movements became faster.
His attacks became heavier.
The forest floor began breaking beneath their feet.
Trees shook from the pressure.
Then— Arix saw it.
A tiny opening.
He immediately took it.
His sword flashed toward Veyr.
Veyr moved his head.
The blade passed beside him.
Arix’s eyes widened.
He had expected him to dodge.
But Veyr had already predicted his attack.
Arix felt something strike his chest.
He flew backward.
He crashed into a tree.
The trunk cracked.
Arix dropped to one knee.
Silence.
Then he laughed.
“Heh.” He stood.
Veyr looked at him.
“You’re still predictable.” Arix wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
“Yeah.” He smiled.
“But I’m learning.” He charged again.
— The battle continued.
Minutes passed.
Then more.
Arix was pushed to his limits.
But something was different now.
He wasn’t simply trying to win.
He was understanding.
Every exchange taught him something.
Every strike showed him another weakness.
Every defeat forced him to think differently.
His swordsmanship had become something Veyr could no longer dismiss as that of a child.
His Aura control was even more impressive.
At seventeen, Arix’s Aura had reached B+.
That alone was absurd.
Most people his age were only just leaving their academies.
Those with affinities generally began around F or F+.
An E− affinity was already rare.
Arix had spent ten years being personally trained by a Grand Master.
The result was something almost impossible for someone his age.
But Arix knew that his Aura had reached a temporary ceiling.
He needed something different.
Something new.
Something he could develop from the beginning.
And that was when he felt it again.
A strange energy inside him.
He had felt it before.
But never properly understood it.
Arix suddenly stopped.
Veyr stopped as well.
“What is it?” Veyr asked.
Arix looked at his hand.
Something faint moved beneath his skin.
Different from Aura.
Different from anything he’d consciously used before.
He closed his eyes.
Reached inward.
And found it.
Mana.
A small amount gathered around his hand.
Weak.
Extremely weak.
But unmistakable.
Arix opened his eyes.
“So I really have Mana affinity.” Veyr nodded.
“Yes.” Arix stared at the faint energy.
“Why did it take this long?” “Your affinity for Aura is considerably stronger.” Arix nodded.
“So Mana was overshadowed.” “Essentially.” Arix studied the Mana.
It was weak.
At this stage, it was only F-rank.
Compared with his B+ Aura, the difference was enormous.
Yet Arix smiled.
“Perfect.” Veyr looked at him.
“Perfect?” “I’ve already developed my Aura.” Arix closed his hand.
The Mana disappeared.
“But this…” He smiled.
“I can start from the beginning.” Veyr understood.
“You intend to make Mana your primary affinity.” “Yes.” Arix looked at his own hand.
“Having two affinities is already abnormal.” He looked at Veyr.
“And having one of them at B+ at my age?” “Extremely abnormal.” “Exactly.” Arix’s eyes sharpened.
“If people discover that, they’ll immediately know I’m not normal.” Veyr said nothing.
“So I’ll hide it.” “Your Aura?” Arix nodded.
“Exactly.” His expression became calm.
“Mana is F.” He raised his hand.
A tiny amount of Mana appeared.
“That’s what they’ll see.” He closed his fist.
“And Aura stays hidden.” Veyr stared at him.
“You’re deliberately starting over.” “No.” Arix smiled.
“I’m choosing where to start.” — After the battle, the two returned to the house.
Arix dropped into a chair.
He looked exhausted.
But his eyes were alive.
“That was worth waiting ten years for.” Veyr sat across from him.
“You lost.” “I know.” Arix leaned back.
“But I learned more from that fight than I have in months.” “That was the purpose.” Arix nodded.
Then he looked down at his clothes.
He frowned.
“Wait.” Veyr looked at him.
“What?” Arix pointed at himself.
“My clothes.” Veyr stared.
“What about them?” “I’m going to use Mana as my primary affinity.” “Yes.” “But these clothes…” Arix looked down.
“They’re still basically hunter gear.” Veyr raised an eyebrow.
“You are a hunter.” “I know.” Arix leaned forward.
“But if Mana is going to be my main path, I need something that actually fits.” Veyr said nothing.
“And don’t forget…” Arix pointed at him.
“I want drip.” Silence.
“Drip?” “Yes.” Arix nodded seriously.
“I’m leaving this forest after ten years.
I’m not walking into civilization looking like I escaped from a hunting camp.” Veyr sighed.
“You’ve become troublesome.” “You trained me for ten years.” “That was my mistake.” Arix grinned.
“And there’s another thing.” “What?” “I don’t carry things on my back.” Veyr looked at him.
“I’m aware.” “So I need something to store my equipment.” Veyr stood.
Arix watched him.
A faint wave of power moved through the house.
Arix immediately recognized the sensation.
“You’re doing it again.” “What?” “Fixing the house.” A damaged section of the wall repaired itself.
The wood reconstructed almost instantly.
Arix shook his head.
“You’ve done that so many times.” Veyr ignored him.
Instead, he raised one paw.
A small object appeared.
A ring.
It was dark and elegant, matching Arix’s style perfectly.
The metal was black with subtle silver edges, and a small deep-purple crystal was embedded at its center.
Arix took it.
“What is this?” “Storage ring.” Arix examined it.
“How much?” “Approximately the size of a small house.” Arix froze.
He slowly looked up.
“…What?” Veyr repeated calmly.
“The storage space is approximately the size of a small house.” Arix stared at the ring.
Then at Veyr.
“Bro.” Veyr said nothing.
“This shit would cost hundreds of millions of gold bars.” “Probably.” “Probably?” Arix looked at the ring again.
“Do you know what you just gave me?” “Yes.” “This is insanely expensive.” Veyr shrugged.
“I can do better.” Arix stared at him.
“…You really are a Grand Master.” Veyr walked away.
Arix put the ring on.
The fit was perfect.
Of course it was.
He looked at his hand.
Then smiled.
“Yeah.” He stood.
“This works.” For a moment, the room fell quiet.
Arix continued staring at the ring, still trying to comprehend how casually Veyr had produced something worth more than most people could earn in a lifetime.
Then he looked up at the wolf.
“Wait.” Veyr stopped.
Arix narrowed his eyes.
“You really are a Grand Master.” Veyr glanced back at him.
“I know.” “No, I mean…” Arix pointed at the ring.
“You just created a storage ring with enough space to hold an entire house, repaired the wall without even looking at it, and you gave me clothes that are probably better than anything I’ve ever seen.” Veyr’s expression remained unchanged.
“Your point?” Arix’s smile faded slightly.
“Who told you that you were a Grand Master?” Veyr’s crimson eyes narrowed.
“What are you talking about?” “I never said you were one.” Arix blinked.
Veyr stared at him.
“You just did.” “No.” Veyr’s voice remained calm.
“I said you really are a Grand Master.” “And I never said you were one.” Arix froze.
For a second, neither of them moved.
Then Veyr slowly turned his head toward him.
Arix’s expression changed.
“Wait.” Veyr’s eyes narrowed further.
“You’ve been calling me that for years.” “I have not.” “You just called me one.” “That was different.” “How?” Arix opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
Veyr took one step toward him.
Arix immediately raised both hands.
“Hold on.” Veyr’s gaze sharpened.
“Who do you think you know?” Arix stared at him.
“I’m one.” Veyr’s ears twitched.
“I never said you were.” Arix’s eyes widened.
“You’re doing this on purpose.” “Doing what?” “Pretending you don’t understand.” Veyr said nothing.
Arix pointed at him again, his voice rising.
“I’ve trained under you for ten years!” The room seemed to grow quieter.
“You taught me every single thing I know!” His expression became more serious.
“My knowledge belongs to you!” Veyr’s eyes remained fixed on him.
“And even after all that, you expected me not to notice?” For the first time, Veyr’s expression shifted.
Only slightly.
But Arix saw it.
A faint pause.
A subtle tightening around his eyes.
That was enough.
Arix’s suspicion became certainty.
“You are a Grand Master.” Veyr looked away.
Arix stepped closer.
“You’ve been hiding it this entire time.” “It was unnecessary.” “Unnecessary?” Arix laughed in disbelief.
“You trained me for ten years, repaired an entire house with a wave of power, created a storage ring the size of a small house, and you expect me to believe you’re just some ordinary wolf?” Veyr remained silent.
Arix folded his arms.
“Say it.” “No.” “Say it.” “I have nothing to say.” Arix stared at him.
Then he grinned.
“Fine.” He slipped the ring onto his finger.
“But I’m counting that as a confession.” Veyr sighed.
“You are troublesome.” “You trained me for ten years.” “That was my mistake.” Arix grinned.
“And there’s another thing.” “What?” “I don’t carry things on my back.” Veyr looked at him.
“I’m aware.” “So I need something to store my equipment.” Veyr stood.
Arix watched him.
A faint wave of power moved through the house.
Arix immediately recognized the sensation.
“You’re doing it again.” “What?” “Fixing the house.” A damaged section of the wall repaired itself.
The wood reconstructed almost instantly.
Arix shook his head.
“You’ve done that so many times.” Veyr ignored him.
Instead, he raised one paw.
A small object appeared.
A ring.
It was dark and elegant, matching Arix’s style perfectly.
The metal was black with subtle silver edges, and a small deep-purple crystal was embedded at its center.
Arix took it.
“What is this?” “Storage ring.” Arix examined it.
“How much?” “Approximately the size of a small house.” Arix froze.
He slowly looked up.
“…What?” Veyr repeated calmly.
“The storage space is approximately the size of a small house.” Arix stared at the ring.
Then at Veyr.
“Bro.” Veyr said nothing.
“This shit would cost hundreds of millions of gold bars.” “Probably.” “Probably?” Arix looked at the ring again.
“Do you know what you just gave me?” “Yes.” “This is insanely expensive.” Veyr shrugged.
“I can do better.” Arix stared at him.
“…You really are a Grand Master.” Veyr walked away.
Arix put the ring on.
The fit was perfect.
Of course it was.
He looked at his hand.
Then smiled.
“Yeah.” He stood.
“This works.” — Later that day, Arix stood before the mirror.
His new clothes were finally finished.
A long dark coat fell around his body, elegant enough to resemble a mage’s attire but designed for movement.
Arcane patterns ran along the edges of the coat.
Subtle runes were embroidered across the fabric.
The collar was high and refined.
His gloves were reinforced.
His boots were made for movement.
Several belts and straps remained around his waist for his equipment.
His sword was still secured at his side.
There was no staff.
There didn’t need to be one.
Arix was not a traditional mage.
He was a hunter who intended to master Mana.
And the outfit reflected exactly that.
Magic and combat.
Refinement and practicality.
Arix adjusted his collar.
“Much better.” Veyr looked at him.
“You’re satisfied?” “Very.” Arix looked at the ring on his finger.
“And this is even better.” Veyr nodded.
Arix suddenly became quiet.
He stared at his reflection.
“There’s still something I don’t understand.” “What?” “My rank.” Veyr waited.
Arix looked at his hand.
“I’m B+ in Aura.” “Yes.” “But I’m not going to keep climbing through Aura alone.” “No.” “I’ve reached the limit of what my race can naturally give me.” Veyr nodded.
“Correct.” Arix’s expression became serious.
“So to reach A−…” “You’ll need more than training.” “A legendary item.” “And several other items.” Arix nodded.
“And S?” Veyr looked at him.
“A bloodline.” Arix immediately turned toward him.
“Yours.” “No.” Arix froze.
“Damn.” Veyr continued as though nothing had happened.
“I have something reserved for you.” Arix looked back.
“For S-rank?” “Yes.” “Your bloodline?” “No.” Arix sighed.
“Worth asking.” Veyr’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“The bloodline doesn’t have to be mine.” “Then what does it need?” “It needs to be sufficiently high-tier and compatible with you.” Arix listened carefully.
“A bloodline can help you develop what you already possess.” “Any aspect?” “Depending on the bloodline.” Arix nodded.
“And mythical items.” “Yes.” Veyr’s expression became serious.
“But remember this.” Arix looked at him.
“You cannot skip the ranks.” “Even if I somehow gain enough power?” “Especially then.” Veyr paused.
“Trying to force yourself from A+ directly into S will kill you.” Arix’s eyes narrowed.
“Even with Divine Protection?” “Yes.” Arix was silent for a moment.
Then he nodded.
“Understood.” He looked at his new ring.
Then his sword.
Then his hand.
Mana.
F-rank.
A completely new beginning.
Arix smiled.
“Then I’ll build myself from here.” — The evening came.
Arix stood outside the house.
His sword rested at his side.
His new ring glinted faintly beneath the setting sun.
His coat moved with the wind.
For ten years, this forest had been his entire world.
Now he was finally leaving it.
He took a step.
Then another.
“Arix.” He stopped.
Veyr stood behind him.
Arix looked back.
Veyr’s crimson eyes met his.
“If you ever need me…” Arix waited.
“Just remember me.” Veyr paused.
“And we’ll get connected.” Arix stared at him.
Then his expression became completely serious.
“No.” Veyr blinked.
Arix shook his head.
“That would be the worst-case scenario.” Veyr remained silent.
“For a student of a Grand Master…” Arix smirked.
“…it should never happen.” He turned around.
“I’ll never need to call my teacher.” And then— Arix walked away.
Veyr watched him disappear into the forest.
The sound of his footsteps slowly faded.
Silence returned.
Veyr remained where he was.
For a long moment.
Then his expression softened.
His crimson eyes followed the direction Arix had gone.
Ten years.
Ten years of watching that boy grow.
Ten years of correcting him.
Training him.
Watching him fail.
Watching him stand back up.
And now— he was finally leaving.
Veyr lowered his head slightly.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
“…You’ve grown.” The forest swallowed the last glimpse of Arix.
Veyr continued staring.
His smile became warmer.
Almost proud.
“…Good luck, Arix.” The evening wind passed through the trees.
And for the first time in ten years— the house felt quiet.