The crisp air around Nerulia Haven shimmered faintly with spirit particles. Ever since the battle against Vel'Drath and the birth of their expanding city, the entire region pulsed with rising mana. Even the sky seemed brighter, as if something ancient stirred.
Yuto stood at the very edge of the wilderness, mantle fluttering. His silver-blue eyes sharpened as he inhaled the cold morning wind.
Today was not for building.
Today was for becoming stronger.
[Advisor: "Just to confirm, we're actually training instead of you getting dragged into random chaos?"]
"Shut up. For once, let me do the responsible thing."
[Advisor: "I'll believe it when you survive."]
Yuto smirked faintly.
Behind him, Seraphina adjusted her armor straps, eyes soft but focused.
"Are you sure you want to start immediately? Yesterday you nearly collapsed."
Yuto rolled his shoulders. "Overlords won't wait for me to nap."
Elira stepped forward, clutching her staff. "Still… be careful. The corrupted aura has been rising. Even the ground feels sick."
Mimi nodded fast, tail puffed. "Yeah! Like, like...like the ground is angry!"
Zarek cracked his knuckles. "Angry ground or not, let's smash something."
Yuto raised a hand. "No. This round, I go alone."
Everyone froze.
Seraphina frowned. "Alone? Yuto.."
He turned, spirit aura rising.
"I don't need to win. I need to hate losing."
There it was, the spark. The fire. The stubborn, indestructible determination.
Seraphina bit her lip.
Elira looked down, worried.
Mimi saluted half-heartedly.
Zarek laughed. "Fine. Just don't die. Bad for morale."
[Advisor: "If he dies, I'm rebooting into a toaster."]
Yuto waved and stepped into the thickening forest where corrupted mana churned.
The training arc had begun.
---
Within minutes, the trees grew blackened, one side alive, one side dissolving into dust. The entire environment echoed with faint screams, echoes of corrupted beasts.
Yuto tightened his fists.
Spirit particles hummed around him.
"Let's start."
The first beast lunged from the shadows, a Corrupted Ironhide Boar, twice the size of a carriage, tusks dripping with acidic mana.
Its roar shook the ground.
THOOM!
It charged, tearing a trench in the earth.
Yuto vanished.
The boar slammed into a boulder, cracking it.
Behind it...
Yuto's kick struck its ribs, sending it airborne.
Spirit Step.
Acceleration Burst.
Yuto flickered in again, moving so fast the boar's corrupt mist twisted in its wake.
"Mana Shaping: Spiral Impact."
His palm hit the boar's spine.
A spiraling shockwave of pure mana drilled through the beast, shattering corruption.
BOOM!
The boar exploded into purified smoke.
[Advisor: "One down. 993 to go."]
"I'm not fighting a thousand."
[Advisor: "You agreed to the plan earlier."]
.....
"What plan?!"
[Advisor: "My plan."]
Yuto groaned. "I hate you."
[Advisor: "Mutual."]
---
Soon enough...
The forest shook harder.
This time, three corrupted wolves emerged, their fur matted with dark sludge, jaws distorting unnaturally.
They moved in perfect sync.
Yuto tensed.
"Good."
The left wolf vanished in a blur.
The center wolf lunged.
The right wolf howled, boosting their speed.
Yuto shifted.
Spirit Instinct ,Active.
His perception expanded.
Their movements slowed.
His heart beat steady.
He slid low, ducking a bite, grabbed the wolf's skull, twisted..
CRACK.
He kicked upward, launching the body into the air.
Acceleration Burst.
He appeared above the falling corpse.
Mana Shaping: Arc Divide.
A crescent slash tore it apart.
He flipped backward, landing lightly as the final wolf lunged.
It met his fist mid-air.
BAM!!
Its ribcage crushed inward.
[Advisor: "I detect two mid-tier corrupted bears approaching."]
"I'm warmed up. Send them."
[Advisor: "…You do realize I don't control them, right?"]
"You sure? You act like you do."
[ Advisor: "…Fair enough."]
---
Once again..
The ground trembled.
Trees snapped.
Two hulking shapes stepped forward Corrupted Mountain Bears. Twice Yuto's height. Their veins glowed crimson, eyes void-like.
They roared in unison.
Yuto cracked his neck.
"Perfect."
The first bear rushed in, both arms descending like twin meteor strikes.
Yuto crossed his arms..
BAM!!!
The impact shook the ground..
But Yuto slid back smoothly, dust spiraling around him.
His muscles bulged slightly.
Spirit Reinforcement = 30%.
He deflected the bear's arm and delivered a knee strike to its abdomen.
The bear doubled over..
Yuto grabbed its jaw, leaped, and flipped.
SLAM!!
He smashed it into the other bear.
Both roared in pain.
He blasted forward.
Mana shaping surged around his fist.
"Overflow Strike!"
A sphere of spirit-sharpened mana erupted..
BOOOOOM!!
Both bears collapsed, purified.
Yuto stood in the center of the smoke cloud, sweat dripping, spirit aura pulsing violently.
A Sudden Stillness
The forest fell silent.
Then..
A shadow larger than any creature so far appeared in the distance.
Even from here, the corrupted aura was suffocating.
Yuto swallowed.
"That… isn't a normal corrupted beast."
[Advisor: "…Correct. That is a Lesser Corrupted Dragonkin."]
"Dragonkin…?"
[ Advisor:
"A pre-evolved species related to dragons themselves ."
"If you defeat this one… your chances against a true dragon increase by 3%."
"…Three?"
[Advisor: "Hey, 3% is a lot for you."]
Yuto sighed deeply.
"That thing is a warm-up?"
[Advisor: "For the real dragon? Yes."]
Yuto clenched his fists.
Spirit energy surged.
His evolution meter faintly pulsed...
59%… → 64%
He felt pressure behind his heart, like something ancient waking up.
"Fine… bring it on."
He took one step forward..
The dragonkin roared, spreading its monstrous wings, corrupted flames dripping from its jaw.
The real training had begun.
---