But even if Kai had known about Zora’s interference, there was nothing he could have done about it.Not now. Not in this situation and not against that woman.Normally, Carnolions were terrifying for very simple reasons. Explosive speed. Brutal strength. Inhuman agility packed into a predator’s body. They hunted by overwhelming their prey, crushing resistance through sheer physical dominance. They didn’t need strategy. They didn’t need tricks. They were built to end fights fast.This one was different.After Zora caught it, she hadn’t just restrained it or tamed it.She had forcefully evolved it.She had pushed its mind forward, tearing through natural limits, dragging its intelligence up until it rivaled that of a fully grown adult. Not the dull kind either. The kind that could calculate, adapt, and learn mid-battle. The kind that could recognize patterns, exploit habits, and bait reactions.And that was what made it truly horrifying.Yet despite that unnatural intelligence, the Carn

Back on Emily’s side, things were… oddly peaceful.Too peaceful actually. She had already started walking deeper into the forest, boots crunching softly against fallen leaves while towering trees swallowed the light above her. Sunbeams filtered through the canopy in broken strands, painting the ground in shifting gold and shadow. Birds chirped somewhere far off. Insects buzzed lazily. If someone didn’t know better, they might have thought this was a scenic trail meant for a relaxing stroll.Emily absolutely did not trust it.“Yeah… this is how horror stories start,” she muttered under her breath, eyes darting left and right.Behind her, the beast padded along with absolutely zero sense of urgency. It didn’t even pretend to be obedient. One moment it was sniffing the ground, the next it was charging into bushes, scaring small animals half to death and sending birds exploding into the sky like startled fireworks. It chased a squirrel for three whole seconds, got bored, then tried to po

Without any other choice left to her, Emily forced herself to commit.Right here.Right now.She tightened her grip on the whip, shoulders tense but grounded, and made a silent vow, not to move forward, not to advance deeper into the forest, not to pretend she was ready until she had learned the other techniques Zora had given her. The defensive ones. The ones she had foolishly pushed aside.She was scared. Terrified, even.Her legs felt a little weak, and her palms were slick with sweat. Fear buzzed through her nerves like static, sharp and insistent. But fear didn’t mean she could stop. Fear didn’t mean she could run. It only meant she had to act despite it.The beast didn’t give her time to reconsider.With a snarl that shook the nearby trees, the massive wolf-like creature lunged and in that instant...Trouble moved.The beast that had been wandering around like an idiot moments ago suddenly transformed. Its playful demeanor vanished, replaced by raw ferocity. With a sharp growl, i

On Abigail’s side, the world felt different.She stood at the edge of the valley, staring down into its depths, and sighed softly. The air here was heavier, carrying a faint metallic scent mixed with dust and something ancient that made her instincts prickle. She wasn’t sure if this place was truly a death valley in the literal sense, but one thing was undeniable .. this was not a good place.Not for the weak and not for the careless.The moment she took her first step forward, the scenery shifted.With a low, grinding sound, a massive gate materialized before her eyes as if it had always been there, simply hidden from unworthy sight. It was tall, old, and scarred by countless battles, its surface etched with faded sword marks that spoke of challengers who had come before her. Some likely walked out stronger. Others… perhaps not at all.Standing before the gate was a man.He looked filthy, almost laughably so. His clothes were tattered, his hair unkempt, his beard wild and uneven. Dus

Three hours passed in what felt like a single breath.Abigail remained seated, unmoving, her posture straight and steady, her breathing slow and even. Sweat rolled down her temples, soaking into the ground beneath her, yet she didn’t stir. Her mind was locked inward, repeating the same truth again and again, not loudly, not desperately, but with calm certainty.I am a sword.At first, nothing happened.Then something shifted.A faint pressure stirred around her, subtle enough to be missed by anyone less sensitive. The air around her body tightened, as though invisible lines were being drawn and sharpened. Her presence changed, no longer soft, no longer merely human. There was an edge to her now, restrained but unmistakable.Suddenly... Hummm...The sword resting across her lap trembled.It wasn’t violent and it wasn’t chaotic. It was a gentle vibration, like a blade waking from sleep. The sound was low and steady, carrying a resonance that spread outward in ripples.The guardian’s eye