Dawn came too quickly.
We gathered at the edge of Elshire Forest, equipped for combat. Arthur had a real sword now, not a training one, forged of elven steel. Tessia carried a short bow and arrows, plus a backup knife. I had a wooden staff reinforced with mana, useful for channeling spells.
Virion studied each of us, nodding in approval.
"The rules are simple," he said. "We're going to enter the forest. We'll hunt A-class beasts. If you find anything AA-class, call me immediately. Don't be heroes. Don't separate. And above all, take care of one another."
"Yes, sir," the three of us replied in unison.
Sylvie flew in circles above our heads, clearly excited. She had grown enough to fly long distances now, her wings beating with strength and grace.
"Ready, little one?" Virion asked her.
"Ready! Let's hunt!"
And so, we ventured into the forest.
The first few kilometers were calm. Virion taught us to read the signs: footprints in the mud, claw marks on trees, disturbances in the ambient mana. Arthur already knew most of these things, but for Tessia and me, it was valuable hands-on education.
Then Sylvie, flying ahead on scouting duty, alerted us telepathically.
"I found something! Big. Very big. It smells like earth and rock."
We moved silently toward the location Sylvie transmitted. Through the trees, we saw it.
A Stone Bear. High A-class, almost AA. It was massive, the size of a small house, with skin that looked like solid rock and eyes that glowed with a furious red.
"Perfect," Virion murmured. "This will be your first prey. Arthur, Kael, front line. Tessia, support from the rear. Sylvie, stay airborne and watch for other dangers."
"Aren't you going to help?" Tessia asked nervously.
"Only if you're about to die," Virion said with a smile. "Now, show me what you've learned."
First Battle
Arthur moved first, like a released spring.
His body glowed with mana reinforcement as he ran toward the Stone Bear, his sword already coated in ice. The bear roared when it saw the attack, raising a massive paw to crush Arthur.
But Arthur was faster. He rolled under the blow and slashed at the bear's exposed belly. The sword bounced off the rocky skin, leaving barely a scratch.
"Its hide is too tough!" Arthur shouted, jumping back to avoid another strike.
"Kael, weaken its defense!" Tessia shouted from behind, noticing two arrows that had uselessly rebounded off the bear's armor.
This was my moment.
I closed my eyes briefly, feeling the mana flow. Earth and fire, combined. I would create lava, something that could melt the bear's rocky armor.
The spell formed in my palm, a sphere of blazing molten rock.
"Arthur, get back!"
Arthur obeyed instinctively, leaping to the side. I hurled the sphere of lava directly at the bear's chest.
The impact was spectacular. The lava clung to the rocky hide, melting it, creating fissures in the natural armor. The bear roared in pain and fury.
"Now!" I shouted.
Arthur didn't need to be told twice. He lunged again, this time aiming for the cracks in the armor. His ice-coated sword pierced through, the extreme cold causing the rock—already weakened by the heat—to fracture.
Hot, dark blood burst from the wound.
The bear went berserk.
It turned with a speed that shouldn't have been possible for something so large, its paw striking Arthur and sending him flying into a tree. I heard the crack of the impact, saw Arthur collapse.
"ARTHUR!" Tessia screamed.
The bear turned toward me now, seeing the one who had hurt it. It charged, the ground trembling under its weight.
Fear paralyzed me. This was real. This wasn't training. If that blow hit me, I would die.
Move. MOVE.
But my legs wouldn't respond.
The bear was meters away. I could see its fangs, its eyes filled with fury.
And then Sylvie descended from the sky like a silver bolt.
"DON'T HURT MY BROTHER!"
Her small body slammed into the bear's head, her claws scratching at its eyes. It didn't do much damage, but it was enough of a distraction.
And it broke my paralysis.
Mana exploded from my core, more violent than anything I had ever used. Earth, wind, and lightning, all three fused into a single spell.
A spear of rock charged with electricity, propelled by compressed wind.
I threw it with all my strength.
The spear pierced the bear's chest right where Arthur had created the fissure, passing completely through it. The electricity spread through its body, convulsing it.
The bear staggered, roared one last time, and collapsed.
Silence.
Except for my ragged breathing and the ringing in my ears.
"Impressive," Virion said, suddenly at my side. "Combination of three elements under pressure. Well done."
But I barely heard him. I was staring at the dead bear, at the blood pooling beneath it, at the smell of burnt flesh.
I had killed something. Really killed.
"Kael," Tessia's voice pulled me out of the shock. "Arthur is hurt!"
I ran to where Arthur was leaning against the tree, holding his ribs. His face was pale with pain.
"I'm fine," he said through clenched teeth. "Just… bruised."
"Let me see," Tessia was already beside him, her hands glowing with green healing light.
As she worked, Sylvie landed on my shoulder, trembling slightly.
"Kael is okay. Kael is safe," she murmured, more to herself than to me.
"Thank you, Sylvie," I whispered, stroking her head. "You saved me."
"Brothers protect each other."
Virion walked around the dead bear, examining the wounds.
"Decent teamwork," he evaluated. "Arthur, you were too impulsive. You attacked without a clear plan. Kael, you had good strategic thinking, but you froze under pressure. Tessia, you have solid support, but your attacks need to be stronger to penetrate armor."
He looked at each of us.
"But you survived. And you learned. That's what matters."