The girl strolled into the shelter, arms behind her head, grinning as if they weren't stranded in a cursed land.
"Mornin', handsome. How're those wounds?"
The young man sat up, still sore but far better than before.
"Y-yeah. They're… better."
"Great."
She clapped her hands together.
"Sooo… now that yer not half-dead, time to pull yer own weight. We need to catch dinner."
She turned toward the exit, not waiting for a response.
The young man hesitated before glancing at his mentor, whose expression was unreadable.
Then, he followed her into the forest.
They walked through the dense foliage, the screeching of unseen creatures resonating through the branches.
The girl suddenly extended her arm, stopping him in his tracks, then pointed toward something in the distance.
"Look!"
The young man squinted.
"I don't see anything."
"Can't you see? It's a snako! Those things are seriously delicious."
He raised an eyebrow.
"What's a snako?"
She gave him a deadpan look.
"Yer know… those long things with pointy teeth."
"...?"
She sighed.
"Never mind. Let's catch it."
In one swift motion, she drew her bow, her movements fluid yet wild—like a calm drizzle turning into a raging hurricane. She loosed an arrow toward a speck of green shifting in the trees.
A loud shriek cut through the air. Slithering sounds surrounded them.
Then, the creature emerged.
It was a towering, snake-like monstrosity—not particularly wide, but so long that the young man couldn't see where it ended. He gritted his teeth and slashed at it. His blade sliced clean through, severing its body.
But it didn't fall.
Where the wound should have been fatal, there were teeth—rows upon rows embedded in the mutilated flesh.
The remnants of its tail lunged at him. Jagged fangs sank into his arm just as he pierced it with his sword.
"You dum-dum, don't cut it up! It'll just multiply."
The girl's voice carried an exasperated edge.
"Yer need to pierce the skull to kill it."
She loosed another arrow, barely missing the monster's head.
It struck at her, but she weaved through the attacks with ease, her movements effortless.
The young man leaped in front of her, blocking another set of fangs.
"I'll protect you. Focus on hitting the head."
She nodded, drawing another arrow. She fired.
The shot should have missed.
But it didn't.
The arrow veered at the last second, curving unnaturally to strike true.
The monstrous body went limp.
The girl grinned.
"Nice. Some grilled snako for dinner! Trust me, I know a way to make it taste a-ma-zing."
The young man barely registered her words. His gaze was still fixed on the fallen creature.
"How did you do that? That curving arrow thing."
She tilted her head.
"Oh, that? I dunno. When I really want to hit something, it just… flows how I want."
He could see it clearly now—this was some form of aura.
They packed up as much meat as they could carry, then started heading back to camp.
As they walked, the young man glanced at her.
"So, uh… what's your name?"
The girl hesitated.
"Yer don't need to concern yerself about that…"
Her voice softened.
"Truth is… I kinda forgot."
He frowned.
"You forgot?"
She nodded.
"I know I had one before, but… it's just gone."
An awkward silence stretched between them. Then the young man asked,
"How did you end up here? In the Red Horizon, I mean."
She let out a small chuckle.
"Funny story… forgot that too."
His brows furrowed.
"You really don't know anything about yourself? It's like you're just here, surviving because… you exist."
She shrugged.
"That's pretty much it. But enough about me—how'd you end up here?"
The young man told her everything—his childhood in the village, his master's grueling training, the endless battles. She seemed particularly interested in his time in the human realm.
"Could yer tell me more 'bout the human realm? Seems like an interesting place."
A small smile crept onto his face.
"Sure. There are huge cities, filled with life. Vast plains, towering mountains… and the food—way better than here. God, I miss my mom's stew."
Her eyes lit up with curiosity.
"Wish I could see those things one day…"
He hesitated, then said,
"…You could come with us."
She flinched slightly.
"I-I don't think I should… This place… it's the only place I know."
"Come on, it'll be fun."
She narrowed her eyes.
"Why do you want me to come so badly?"
The young man shifted, suddenly feeling self-conscious.
"I… I don't know."
His voice was quieter now.
"You remind me of something I lost. When I'm with you, I feel like… like I can breathe again."
A faint blush crossed her face, but she quickly covered it up with a smirk.
"Yer really sayin' all that just 'cause I killed a snako for yer?"
He laughed awkwardly.
"That… and other things."
She paused for a moment, as if weighing something in her mind. Then she turned away.
"…We'll see."
Back at the camp, the girl got to work preparing the snako, a wide grin on her face. She gutted the creature, its flesh riddled with jagged teeth. Carefully, she removed each one, setting them aside before skewering the meat and roasting it over the open flames.
The young man glanced at his master, debating whether to speak. The swordsman had been distant all day—maybe because of their argument that morning, or perhaps because his aura was still locked away, leaving him feeling powerless. Either way, he wasn't in the mood for conversation.
The three of them sat in silence, eating their meal. The snako's flavor was an improvement over the last few nights—sweeter, with a spicier kick—but the texture was even worse. It took effort just to chew. The girl, however, had no trouble at all. With teeth more akin to fangs, she tore through the tough meat with ease.
And so, this routine continued for three more days. While the swordsman focused on recovering, the young man and the girl ventured out to hunt, the two of them growing closer with each passing day.
Near the end of the afternoon, the swordsman stepped out of the shelter, a wide grin on his face.
"I did it. I can finally use my aura again."
The young man looked up at him, his expression a mix of relief and sadness.
"We're leaving tomorrow at dawn,"
the swordsman added.
The young man didn't respond immediately. He just continued sharpening his sword, lost in thought.
"To go where?"
the young man asked, his voice distant.
"I need to take you somewhere. It's time you start learning the dimension-splitting sword."
The young man remained quiet for a moment, then muttered.
"Alright..."
Later that night, the fire crackled softly, casting flickering shadows across the camp. The girl hummed as she cleaned her equipment, but the young man was distant, a heaviness in his heart.
She caught his gaze for a moment and raised an eyebrow.
"What's on yer mind, pretty boy?"
He sighed, shifting his weight uneasily.
"I'll be leaving with my master tomorrow…"
A silence lingered, thick and awkward.
"Have you reconsidered coming with us?"
he asked, his voice quieter than usual.
The girl paused her movements, her eyes narrowing slightly as she turned to face him.
"I-I don't think I will..."
He stood up, the weight of what he needed to say pressing down on him. The firelight flickered in his eyes as he took a few steps toward her, heart pounding in his chest.
"What I said the other day…"
His voice trailed off, but he forced himself to meet her gaze.
"I think... I think I'm in love with you. And I don't want to lose you. Not like that."
The words hung between them, raw and vulnerable. A long silence stretched. His heart beat painfully loud in his chest, waiting for her response.
She blinked, eyes widening slightly. Her cheeks flushed, and she turned her gaze down, clearly embarrassed.
"M-me?! Why?"
"Like I said, when I'm with you, I can finally breathe. I feel like I have something more in my life."
She barely contained her confusion, but in her eyes, he could see a flicker of happiness, something soft and fleeting.
The girl let out an awkward chuckle, and without another word, she simply walked away.
The young man stood there, still as the night, his heart heavy with uncertainty. Had he said something wrong? Had he misread everything? The question lingered in his mind as he watched her disappear into the shadows of the camp.