Garen took another step.
Elias tightened his grip on the wooden sword.
Something was wrong.
He could feel it.
The way Garen was looking at him wasn't the way an instructor looked at his student.
It was the way a hunter looked at prey.
"Elias."
Garen's voice was calm.
"Put down your weapon."
Elias didn't move.
"Why?"
Garen's eyes narrowed.
"Because I'm giving you one last chance."
"Last chance for what?"
Silence.
Then Garen disappeared.
BOOM!
Elias barely raised his sword.
CRACK!
The impact sent him flying.
He crashed into the ground and rolled several meters.
His arms went numb.
He looked up.
Garen was already coming.
Elias's eyes widened.
He rolled sideways.
BOOM!
Garen's fist smashed into the ground where his head had been.
The earth cracked.
Elias scrambled backward.
"What are you doing?!"
Garen didn't answer.
He attacked again.
Elias raised his sword.
CLANG!
He parried.
But the force behind the attack still sent pain through his arms.
His fingers nearly lost their grip.
Garen followed immediately.
A kick.
Elias blocked with his arm.
THUD!
Pain exploded through his body.
He was thrown backward.
Blood appeared at the corner of his mouth.
Too strong.
Garen charged again.
Elias moved.
A fist passed beside his face.
He ducked.
Another attack.
He parried.
But even when he blocked...
He was still hurt.
His arms shook.
His ribs burned.
His legs felt heavier with every passing second.
Garen wasn't holding back anymore.
This wasn't training.
This wasn't a lesson.
He was trying to kill him.
"Elias!"
The boy stumbled backward.
"Why?!"
Garen remained silent.
"Why are you attacking me?!"
Garen lunged.
Elias twisted away.
The attack grazed his side.
A sharp pain tore through him.
He stumbled.
Garen appeared in front of him.
Elias raised his sword.
CRACK!
The wooden weapon snapped in half.
Elias stared at the broken blade.
Garen grabbed his shirt.
And slammed him into a tree.
BOOM!
Elias gasped.
Garen's forearm pressed against his chest.
"You're still asking why?"
Elias struggled.
"You're my instructor!"
Garen stared at him.
"Exactly."
He released him.
Elias dropped to the ground.
He coughed.
Garen stood over him.
"You should have changed."
Elias slowly looked up.
"What...?"
Garen's expression was cold.
"You should have chosen another race."
Elias stared at him.
Garen continued.
"Don't forget."
His voice hardened.
"Whatever reason you decided to remain human..."
He pointed toward Elias.
"Humans failed."
Elias clenched his fists.
"That's why we changed our race."
Garen stepped closer.
"Don't think you're going to get some amazing power just because you stayed human."
Elias's eyes widened.
Garen continued.
"You know nothing about this world."
Elias tried to stand.
Garen kicked him back down.
"You don't know what humans were."
"You don't know what they became."
"And you certainly don't know what you're dealing with."
Elias wiped the blood from his mouth.
"Then tell me."
Garen stopped.
Elias stared directly at him.
"If humans failed..."
His voice trembled, but he continued.
"Why are you afraid of me?"
For the first time...
Garen's expression changed.
Only slightly.
But Elias saw it.
His instincts noticed.
Garen stepped backward.
He straightened his body.
"Enough."
Something changed.
The air around him became heavy.
Elias felt it immediately.
Garen's body began to transform.
Dark scales spread across his arms.
His pupils narrowed.
His muscles expanded.
Sharp claws emerged from his fingers.
A faint heat radiated from his body.
Elias stared.
"Drake..."
Garen had never shown this form before.
Not once.
He had always hidden it.
Because there had never been a reason to reveal it.
Until now.
Garen lowered his body.
The ground beneath his feet cracked.
A skill activated.
[RACIAL SKILL ACTIVATED]
DRAKE — OVERDRIVE
A violent pressure erupted from Garen.
The surrounding trees shook.
Elias couldn't breathe properly.
His body screamed at him to run.
Garen looked at him.
"This ends now."
Elias tried to stand.
His legs trembled.
Garen prepared to attack.
Then he spoke.
"You're not the first to choose to remain human."
Elias froze.
"What?"
Garen's eyes remained fixed on him.
"You're not even the first one I've watched."
Elias's heart stopped.
Garen lowered his body.
His claws dug into the earth.
"And none of them survived."
BOOM!
Garen launched himself forward.
And Elias realized—
The man he had trusted...
Had never been his teacher.
He had been his watcher.
And now...
He had come to kill him.