The Hunt Begins

  The forest floor trembled beneath their feet as Vanheir's voice cut through the gathering gloom of the inner woods.

  "Here's how this works," he said, each word sharp as a blade. "We scout. We clear the Minotaurs. We take down the Calden. Simple."

  The A-rankers stood in a semicircle around him. Even the trees seemed to lean inward to listen.

  "Each Minotaur dies individually. Whoever has spatial magic—besides Yuki—grabs the bodies immediately." Vanheir's scar deepened as his jaw tightened. "But listen carefully."

  He paused. The weight of that pause was a physical thing.

  "The Calden is the goal. If it gets risky, ignore the Minotaurs. Let other parties steal them if they can. The points don't matter." His eyes swept across each face. "What matters is coming out alive. Understood?"

  Heads nodded. Except Kairen.

  The high-elf stepped forward, pride burning behind his eyes. "Sir, what if I handle one Minotaur alone? That way the others can—"

  "No."

  Just that. No elaboration. No mercy.

  Kairen's mouth went dry.

  "I don't care how confident you are, kid. This festival isn't about individual glory." Vanheir's voice had dropped to something almost gentle—which was somehow more terrifying. "It's about not getting anyone killed. You follow my orders, or you don't hunt. Simple choice."

  "Y-yes, sir." Kairen's hand dropped to his side.

  "Four of you. Two teams. Each pair confirms the Minotaur is dead. Confirms it. Don't assume. Don't rush. Make sure." Vanheir's stare pinned them like insects. "Your greed gets someone torn apart. That blood is on you."

  "Yes, sir!" The four A-rankers answered in unison, but Yuki caught the tremor in Fanya's voice.

  "Duran." Vanheir turned to the veteran. "Scout. Watch the perimeter. Help where you can, but your real job is keeping them breathing. Use your judgment—perimeter or people. You decide in the moment. Make it count."

  Duran scratched the back of his head, the weight of the dual responsibility settling on his shoulders like a stone. "Understood, sir."

  "And final order—from the Guild Master directly." Vanheir's eyes found Yuki. "Yuki and I move independently if needed. If anomalies occur, we break formation. Duran, that means command falls to you. Everyone's survival becomes your responsibility."

  The old scout's face went pale. "Sir... that's..."

  "I know it's contradictory," Vanheir said, not unkindly. "But that's how it is."

  Ludor's hand rose tentatively. "S-sir, may I ask why Yuki gets that privilege?"

  "Guild Master's call. Ask him when we're done." Vanheir's tone closed the conversation like a door. "Now prep your gear. Bring only what you know. One mistake costs your life here."

  They scrambled to check their equipment—sword grips tested, spell components verified, breathing steadied through sheer force of will.

  Yuki remained still, his gear already organized in his mind.

  "Boy," Vanheir said, approaching. "You got everything?"

  "Yes, oldman. Prepared this morning when I asked Mrs. Rinne for details."

  "Details?" Vanheir's eye twitched slightly. "Details about what? Cowfering? From an innkeeper?"

  "She's participated several times. Has good instincts."

  Vanheir made a sound like a broken wheel. "I don't know if that's smart or stupid. Just promise me you'll stay sharp out there. No risks. You help yourself stay alive, you understand?"

  "Right, oldman." Yuki met his gaze. "That's your third warning."

  "Grrr..." Vanheir turned away, muttering something that might have been laughter or might have been a curse.

  The forest changed.

  It wasn't subtle. The birds stopped singing. The insects went silent. Even the wind held its breath.

  Then the roars came.

  MWOOOOO!!!

  The sound wasn't made by any throat Yuki had ever heard. It resonated through the earth, up through his bones, vibrating in his skull.

  MOOO!! GUUOOO!!!

  Three of them. Maybe more in the distance.

  The Caldens were waking.

  The sound reached all the way to Spawnhall City—Yuki could sense people looking up from their afternoon tasks, hearing that ancient, terrible cry echo across the land. Some would smile. Some would pray. Some would simply accept that this was the price of living here.

  "They've appeared," Duran said quietly.

  "Indeed they have," Vanheir replied.

  The War trumpet answered—a bronze wail that tore through the forest canopy like a declaration of war.

  BWOOONG!!!

  It was the sound of permission. The sound of the hunt officially beginning.

  "Alright, people. Move out." Vanheir's voice had transformed. Where there had been instruction, now there was only command. "Go."

  "YES SIR!" they roared back.

  Yuki led them through the forest, following the same route that had first brought him to this world weeks ago.

  Duran walked beside him, and something in the old man's expression softened. "You know, we met around here. Didn't expect to be back on this path so soon."

  "No," Yuki agreed.

  "Keep your guard up, both of you. We're close to spawn territory now." Vanheir's voice cut through, sharp as a blade.

  Duran winced. "Ah, sorry sir. I wasn't thinking."

  "No need to apologize." Yuki's detection was already spreading outward like invisible threads, tasting the forest. "I'm running full perception now. It's fine."

  Vanheir slowed. "How far?"

  "Three kilometers. Far enough to prevent immediate ambush."

  There was a pause so profound it felt like the world had stopped.

  "What?" Vanheir's eyes actually widened. "The heck?"

  "Three kilometers, sir," Yuki repeated, as if the distance wasn't absurdly impossible.

  Ludor let out a low whistle. "I... I can't be surprised anymore."

  "Yuuukiii~!" Cleo's voice shot ahead like an arrow, bright and reckless. "Can I be your girlfriend??"

  Her eyes sparkled with genuine excitement—the kind that made Fanya grab her arm.

  "Wait, Cleo! We made a promise!" Fanya's voice pitched high with complaint. "Don't steal the start like this!"

  "But Fanya, he keeps getting more amazing the more I know him!" Cleo was already half-dragging the dwarf-blood woman forward. "How am I supposed to stay professional?"

  "Geez, brats!" Vanheir's roar could strip bark from trees. "We're in a demonic forest! Are you trying to get everyone killed?!"

  The girls immediately clamped down, their cheerfulness evaporating into fearful whispers. "Y-yes sir! S-sorry sir!"

  But the damage was done. The energy had shifted. The hunt had truly begun.

  "Yuki, you're point." Vanheir pointed forward. "Tell us when it's time. Everyone else, get ready. We're in the inner zone. Other parties should already be moving."

  BOOOOM!!

  The ground rippled.

  Far in the distance, another party had made contact. Yuki sensed it like ripples spreading outward through water—the clash of human and creature, the desperate magic flaring in response.

  "That was fast," Vanheir muttered.

  "Accurate prediction, sir." Duran's respect was evident.

  Vanheir nodded sharply. "Alright, people. Double time. Let's not let other squads claim all the glory. Move!"

  "Yes, sir!!"

  Yuki accelerated into the forest, his movement liquid and impossible. The others immediately tried to keep pace, but he was already pulling ahead—ten meters, twenty, the space between them growing like a chasm.

  "Do you see him?" Kairen's voice cracked slightly.

  "He's ahead," Vanheir said, voice calm but his detection following the boy like a thread. "Right path. Keep moving."

  But doubt crept in. The forest was thick. The shadows were deep.

  "I can't see him either though," Cleo whispered, her confidence shaken.

  Duran's voice steadied them. "Sir Vanheir's detection is sharp. If he says Yuki's there, he's there. We're only seconds behind. Stay focused."

  "My advice?" Vanheir's tone carried the weight of experience. "Don't trust praise. This job is full of surprises. The longer you work it, the stranger things get."

  They pushed forward, the forest blurring past.

  Then Duran's hand came up. "He's stopped ahead, sir."

  "Slow down." Vanheir's voice had changed. A predator's awareness settling in. "Walk quiet."

  The A-rankers immediately fell silent, matching their steps to whispers.

  Kairen's eyes searched the shadows ahead, desperate to understand what the S-ranker was sensing. He'd never seen Vanheir make that face before. Never seen an S-ranker look... cautious.

  "How many?" Vanheir's whisper barely disturbed the air.

  Yuki appeared like he'd been standing there the whole time, though none of them had seen him arrive.

  "Seven. One Calden. Six Minotaurs." He paused. "And there's a lone Calden approximately three hundred meters southwest."

  Duran's face went white. Even Vanheir's scar seemed to deepen.

  A lone Calden.

  That wasn't supposed to happen.

  "Three hundred meters?" Vanheir's jaw clenched. "That's..." He didn't finish the thought. Everyone knew the Calden's speed—one hundred twenty-four kilometers per hour, achieved in minutes. And they could scent prey from half a kilometer away.

  If that creature caught their scent...

  "That's abnormal," Duran said quietly.

  "W-we already have this many..." Fanya's voice trembled.

  Cleo's cheerfulness had evaporated completely. "What do we do, sir?"

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  Vanheir took a breath. It was the breath of someone making a terrible choice and living with it anyway. "Are there other parties nearby?"

  "The nearest is about a kilometer east."

  "Damn it." Vanheir's fist clenched. "Worst possible luck. We're on our own."

  Kairen straightened, pride flickering back to life. "Then it's an opportunity, sir. We won't have to worry about other parties stealing our kills."

  Vanheir's glare was pure ice. "So you're confident you can take on two Caldens by yourself?"

  "I... I..." Kairen's confidence shattered like glass.

  "I didn't think so." Vanheir's voice was quiet now. Dangerous. "When I give orders, you follow them. No questions. No suggestions. Do you understand?"

  "Yes, sir," they all whispered.

  "From now on, you four focus on the Minotaurs. Girls, ranged attacks only. Single target, maximum power—no area spells. When they get close, boys, you finish them." Vanheir was already planning, his mind working through the nightmare scenario. "Duran, if you can, send word to other parties. But your priority is them. Keep them alive. Keep the hunt moving."

  "Sir, those are contradictory orders," Duran said carefully.

  "I know," Vanheir replied. He didn't apologize. "Make it work."

  "And the Caldens?" Ludor asked carefully.

  "Leave them to us."

  The words hung in the air like a curse.

  "You and Yuki, sir?" Kairen couldn't keep the doubt from his voice.

  "Who else? The Guild Master gave his orders. You think I'm questioning him?" Vanheir's expression was grim. "If Yuki fails—and that's a big if—we retreat and regroup. But I'm banking on the Guild Master knowing something I don't. And if I'm wrong..." He didn't finish that thought.

  They all felt the weight of it anyway.

  "Alright. That's everything." Vanheir's hand came up in a sharp gesture. "Move out. Now."

  The A-rankers took their positions with the precision of people who understood their lives depended on it.

  Fanya's voice rose in a chant, and the forest trembled in response.

  "Never miss the heart of my foe, Never miss the voice of mine, Grant only my wish and Carve it to the flesh of my foe!"

  Her magic erupted—ten fiery bolts, each one a streak of crimson death.

  WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH!

  The bolts impacted two Minotaurs in the chest, legs, and arms. Fire bloomed across their bodies.

  GYOOO! GROOOAA!

  The creatures bellowed, their pain turning to rage as they thrashed on the ground, muscles spasming.

  "Nice, Fanya! Perfect hit!" Cleo shouted, already nocking her bow.

  "Hehee~" Fanya's confidence returned for just a moment.

  But Kairen was already moving. "Damn it, girls, stealth! Do you want to alert every creature in this forest?"

  "Our turn then!" Ludor said, bracing himself.

  Cleo didn't hesitate. Her next chant was quick, fluid—the work of someone who'd practiced this a thousand times.

  "Feel my presence, unite the breeze with mine!"

  Wind coat!

  The arrows began to glow, whirlwinds wrapping around each one like a serpent.

  "YAAHHH!"

  She released a volley—multishot, arrows spreading like a fan. The two disabled Minotaurs didn't even get to scream before the arrows found their hearts.

  STAB STAB STAB!

  Both creatures went limp.

  "Yaay! Your technique is as cool as always, Cleo!" Fanya pumped her fist, and for a moment they looked young again—like they weren't in the deadliest hunt in Aerium.

  But celebration was a luxury they couldn't afford.

  The remaining four Minotaurs charged, their massive forms crashing through undergrowth like boulders. The ground shook with each impact.

  "Damn girls!" Kairen was already chanting, his voice layered with power. "Our turn came faster than expected!"

  "Come forth the blade of wanderer, cripple my enemies!"

  Wind blade!

  Invisible blades of compressed air shot from his position, cutting deep into the Minotaurs' legs. The creatures stumbled, their forward momentum broken by sudden agony.

  Ludor hesitated for just a moment—watching those hulking forms advance—before forcing himself forward.

  "What are you waiting for, Ludor?!" Kairen's voice was almost desperate. "They're getting closer!"

  "Y-you already started? You sure about this, Kairen?"

  "Of course! While we're talking, the girls are stealing all the kills! Do you want to stand there doing nothing?"

  "YAAHHH!"

  Another Minotaur fell, arrows through its neck.

  Ludor finally found his courage. His hands moved through the casting motions with the desperation of someone with nothing left to lose.

  "Let me embrace the despair of yours, and clear my path!"

  Earth spike!

  The spell channeled through his shield—the Ladon artifact glowing with terrible power. He charged forward, and the earth exploded in spikes beneath the remaining Minotaurs, sending them flying.

  GRRAAAHH! GUUUOOO!

  The cries echoed across the forest.

  High in the branches above, Vanheir and Duran watched.

  "These new A-rankers have real potential," Duran observed.

  "Of course they do. The guild's future depends on them." Vanheir's eyes were distant, calculating.

  "So where's Yuki, sir?"

  Vanheir was about to answer when—

  BAAAAMM!!!

  The sound of two objects colliding at impossible speeds. It rang out like a bell, so loud the Minotaurs actually paused, confused.

  "W-what was that?!" Fanya's voice pitched high.

  "Look! Someone's engaging the Calden!" Cleo pointed.

  Duran's expression shifted—amusement flickering across his weathered face. "That boy sure is interesting. The Guild Master was right about him."

  "Ggghhh..." Vanheir's hand covered his face. "Stop. He's giving me a headache."

  GROAARR!!!

  The first Calden's fury was building. And in that moment of distraction, one of the remaining Minotaurs saw its opening.

  It raised its massive sledgehammer—a piece of iron the size of a grown man—and charged straight at Fanya.

  "WOOAAH! WATCH OUT, MISS FANYA!!"

  Ludor didn't think. He just moved.

  His full-power charge intercepted the Minotaur's attack. The sledgehammer came down and missed, striking earth instead. The ground cratered inward, and the concussive force snapped a nearby tree clean in half.

  WHAAAAMM!

  "Huff... huff... thank you, Mr. Ludor." Fanya steadied herself, her hands shaking.

  "We need to focus," Ludor said, breathing hard. "Just focus."

  Pshooo! Whoosshh!

  Cleo and Kairen's attacks finished the creature.

  "This cattle doesn't give us a moment," Kairen said, irritation creeping into his voice.

  Cleo's eyes narrowed at the elf. "Did you just criticize me?"

  "Brats!" Vanheir's shout came down like thunder. "What did I order?! FOCUS ON THE MINOTAURS!"

  The fear was instant. Primal. The A-rankers went rigid.

  "R-right, sir!!" they screamed back.

  "Honestly," Cleo muttered, forcing her expression back to neutral, "I'm more scared of him than the monsters."

  "Yeah, let's just reset," Fanya said quietly. "Guys?"

  "OOSS!!" they agreed in perfect unison.

  Duran stayed with the A-rankers as Vanheir took off toward the sound of combat.

  He wasn't running—he was moving, eating ground with each stride, his S-ranker physique making distance meaningless.

  What he found stopped him dead.

  Yuki was engaged in what could only be described as an armwrestling match with the first Calden. Their bodies were pressed together, muscles locked, neither able to overcome the other's raw strength.

  "HEEEEIII! WHAT IN THE NINE HELLS ARE YOU DOING, BRAAATT?!!"

  Yuki didn't even turn his head. "Your order, oldman. This one woke up because of the noise. Before she could charge at them, I engaged her swiftly."

  "Now you can focus on me!" Vanheir was already in motion, rage burning off him like heat.

  "MOOO?" The Calden made a sound of confusion.

  Yuki made the same sound. Even he seemed puzzled by Vanheir's explosion.

  "GAAAHH! You're wrecking my nerve, damn brat!!"

  Vanheir unleashed his fury—a vicious kick aimed at the Calden's side.

  It connected.

  It barely scratched the creature's hide.

  MOOOO!!!

  The Calden released Yuki and spun toward Vanheir, its massive horns lowering for a charge.

  "Gguuh..." Vanheir braced himself, muscles coiling, ready to accept the inevitable impact.

  Then Yuki was there.

  Just there, between them, one hand pressing gently against the Calden's forehead. The creature's charge dissolved like mist. Its massive body settled, and then—impossibly—it leaned into Yuki like a spoiled child seeking comfort.

  MOOO~

  "What the heck is this different treatment?!" Vanheir's voice cracked with frustration. "It attacked me too, right?!"

  "But this creature is more civilized than you, oldman." Yuki's flatness made it somehow worse. "You should ask her consent before you dump your frustrations on her."

  MOOO~ The Calden's eyes actually sparkled as it looked at Vanheir.

  Vanheir stood there, processing. Where have I heard that annoying, truth-telling mouth before?

  But how... how is he controlling this thing? His mind spiraled. There's no history of a Calden ever cooperating willingly. Never. And yet...

  Yuki's hand moved to gently rub the bruise Vanheir's kick had left. The Calden nuzzled against him, completely docile.

  "So, milady," Yuki said softly, "could you offer yourself to us? I promise your meat will go to a good purpose. It won't be wasted."

  MOO... MOOOO!

  The creature's eyes dimmed slightly—acceptance. Understanding.

  "Thank you, sweet lady."

  Yuki's hand moved to his sword. Magic poured into the blade, making it glow with terrible power. The sharpness increased until the edge seemed to cut through reality itself.

  Eeeehh??? He can COMMUNICATE with monsters??? Vanheir's thoughts scattered like panicked birds.

  Then Yuki moved.

  There was no hesitation. No cruelty. Just absolute certainty.

  The blade came down in a single, perfect arc.

  WHAAAMM!!

  The Calden's head separated from its body cleanly. One stroke. No suffering. Instantaneous and—

  —merciful.

  The creature fell, and Yuki knelt beside the body. He placed his hand gently on the fur.

  "Thank you once more, oh sweet lady."

  Vanheir's mouth had gone dry. He couldn't find the words to express the absolute wrongness of what he'd just witnessed. "Wh-what?! How?! Didn't you say to be gentle with it?! And how in the seven hells did one slash—just one—cut through that neck?! What is your sword made of?!!"

  "You ordered us not to bring them alive, oldman." Yuki stood, wiping the blade clean on grass. "Didn't you?"

  "But you killed it like it was—like you just—" Vanheir's voice spiraled. "That was cold-blooded!"

  "No." Yuki's eyes met his with absolute certainty. "I gave it my respect. A quick death. No suffering. That's mercy, not coldness."

  Vanheir opened his mouth. Closed it. Opened it again. Is that... pity? Empathy? Or something else entirely?

  The other team members came crashing through the undergrowth before he could process his confusion.

  "Yuuukiii~!! How did it go on your end?!" Cleo's voice was bright with anticipation.

  She stopped when she saw the body.

  "W-whaa?! G-GROSS!!" Her face went pale, then green.

  "What is it, Cleo?!" Fanya rushed forward—then immediately regretted it.

  "KYAAAHH! Don't look, Fanya! Don't look!" Cleo immediately pushed her friend away.

  "Uueeegghh..." Fanya doubled over, her breakfast making a sudden reappearance.

  "I've killed many monsters," Ludor said quietly, "but I've never seen it done like this."

  Kairen's lip curled. "So barbaric. Could you kill more... elegantly?"

  Yuki's expression didn't change. "You have a giant knife and expert dismantling skills, feel free."

  Kairen's teeth clicked together as his bite landed on his own tongue. The shame was instant and absolute.

  But Duran was already laughing—genuinely laughing—and the sound carried across the clearing like warm sunlight.

  "You kids are still green, huh?" The veteran chuckled. "It's the same as butchering regular monsters. Just bigger. And let me tell you—this is considered a clean cut."

  "H-how so, sir?" Ludor asked carefully.

  "Ah, right. First Cowfering for you four." Duran scratched his beard. "Most S-rankers have to chop the Calden bit by bit. The meat and hide are too thick. You usually see... messier results."

  "E-eeh?! Really?!" Cleo gasped, forgetting her nausea. "So this is actually elegant?!"

  "Uugghh..." Fanya heaved again.

  "S-sorry, Yuki. Everyone," Fanya managed. "We'll wait over there, okay?"

  Yuki just raised his hand in acknowledgment.

  Vanheir and Duran exchanged glances.

  "It's quite often that even A-rankers can't bring a Calden back intact," Vanheir said slowly, his eyes never leaving Yuki. "A clean cut like this is..." He trailed off.

  "Furthermore?" Ludor prompted nervously.

  Vanheir's voice dropped to something almost reverent.

  "This boy did it in one cut."

  The silence that followed was absolute.

  "W-whaatt?!" Duran's jaw dropped. "Is that even possible, sir?"

  "Looks like Calden is nothing special then," Kairen said, trying to recover his pride.

  Vanheir's glare could have melted steel. "You. Brat."

  "Y-yes sir!!"

  "Try it. Hack at that Calden's neck. Go all out. I want to see how 'nothing special' it really is."

  Kairen's entire body went rigid. This was a test. Not of his strength, but of his understanding. In his mind, it transformed into something life-or-death—a moment that could redefine his entire career.

  He chanted his most powerful spells. Wind-armor wrapped around his body. Gallance—a technique that sharpened his senses to razor-point. His fencing skill flowered to maximum potential. Hurricane Halo, his signature technique, began to build around his weapon.

  All of it. Every spell. Every technique. Every stat he could push into a single, devastating blow.

  "GRAAAHH!!"

  He brought the strike down with the force capable of razing city gates and obliterating B-rank bosses to dust.

  BOOOMM!!!

  Dust exploded outward in a choking cloud.

  When it cleared—when the three of them could finally see the result—

  Nothing.

  The Calden's neck was unmarked.

  Kairen staggered backward, his hands shaking. "W-what? Why didn't it—"

  "It's not strong enough," he whispered.

  "What?" Ludor's voice cracked.

  "It's not strong enough," Kairen repeated, and this time his voice carried real anguish. "That was my best."

  The high-elf stared at the dead creature's neck, and Yuki watched understanding bloom across his face—understanding and something that looked dangerously like despair.

  "But it's dead," Ludor said weakly. "Dead monsters should be softer. Less durable. The magic should be decayed by now. How is it still this hard?"

  Duran's brow furrowed. "Yeah, the sturdiness should decrease significantly. So how..."

  Vanheir moved to examine the flesh, his scarred fingers tracing the cut Yuki had made. When he looked up, there was something like awe in his expression.

  "Most veteran S-rankers know this," he said quietly. "A Calden's flesh remains hard for roughly half a day after death. The corpse is almost as resilient as the living creature." He glanced at Kairen. "We usually use the dead one to test our techniques before the meat softens."

  Ludor's eyes widened. "Then that means..."

  "Yes," Vanheir said. "Yuki cut through that with the same difficulty as if it were alive. In one stroke."

  Kairen said nothing. He simply stared at the Calden, at the perfectly clean cut, and felt his identity shift beneath his feet.

  "Everyone! Watch out!!"

  Cleo's scream split the air.

  MOOOOO!!!!!

  The lone Calden erupted from the forest like a meteor, its charge eating distance in heartbeats. The second horn in the trap had been sprung.

  "Sir, please take the others," Yuki said, already moving into stance.

  Vanheir didn't hesitate. Couldn't hesitate. He grabbed the nearest A-ranker and moved, his S-ranker strength hauling multiple people away from the impact zone like they weighed nothing.

  "Siirr?!! What about Yuki?!!" Ludor screamed, struggling in Vanheir's grip.

  "He can't possibly stop that charge!" Kairen fought against the old man's strength. "That's suicide!"

  "Shut up and stop struggling! You're making this harder!" Vanheir leaped upward, using a nearby tree trunk to launch himself higher. They crashed onto a thick branch just as the Calden's charge thundered past below.

  MOOOO!!!

  The roar shook loose leaves from the canopy.

  "Is everyone alright?!" Cleo rushed forward, Fanya close behind.

  "W-where is Yu—"

  "Sir! Let's go rescue that boy!!" Duran was already preparing to jump.

  "Duran, calm down!" Vanheir's voice cut through the panic.

  "B-but sir, what about—"

  "I appointed you as leader to them, remember?!" Vanheir's tone was sharp. "That makes their safety your responsibility!"

  "S-sorry, sir, but how can I just—"

  "Use your detection."

  Duran's eyes widened. He took a breath and extended his senses outward like ripples in water.

  [Presence detection!!]

  His shock was immediate and profound. "This... how is he...?!"

  "You see it?" Vanheir asked.

  "What is it, sir?" Ludor pressed. "What about Yuki?"

  "He's safe," Duran said, voice trembling slightly. "And the Calden... it's changing direction."

  "Any other information?" Vanheir's tone suggested he already knew the answer.

  "The Calden has a minor injury," Duran said slowly, "on its front left leg."

  A small injury. Caused by impact.

  Vanheir's scarred face cracked into something between a smile and disbelief. "He's sure an interesting boy."

  "Sir, you don't mean..." Ludor's voice wavered.

  "Yuki," Cleo whispered.

  "Alright, Duran. Take them to the Harvest Area as planned. I'm going after that boy." Vanheir was already moving toward the edge of the branch.

  "Yes, sir," Duran answered, saluting with a hand that was only slightly shaking.

  "You four, listen to him. No arguments."

  Then Vanheir was gone, moving back toward the chaos with the grace of an S-ranker moving to war.

  The remaining team stood on the branch in stunned silence.

  "Y-yes... be careful, sir!" Cleo called after him, but her voice was small now.

  "So what do we do now, sir?" Kairen asked numbly.

  "We move to the Harvest Area," Duran said, gathering them together. "And we try very hard not to think about what's happening out there."

  The A-rankers nodded, but in their eyes, all Yuki's impossible feats replayed like a nightmare they couldn't quite wake from.

  In the distance, another roar echoed.

  And then another.

  - Special Event: On Progress -