Rael g his interface more before meeting Weyrn’s gaze. The elf’s golden eyes watched him with an unreadable calm, but the sheer presence he radiated sent a subtle chill down Rael’s spihe pressure wasn’t aggressive—just the weight of someone who’d survived tless hunts.

  "I'm ...Rael," he said, keeping his tone even. He wasn’t about to introduce himself as ezpz4040—his current username—unless he wanted an arrow lodged somewhere unpleasant.

  Weyrn simply nodded.

  "What were you doing here?" Rael asked, breaking the brief silence.

  Weyrn adjusted the leather bracer on his arm, his greatbow resting casually against his back. “Chasing something. Came across the otion in the cave and decided to take a look.”

  “...Thanks for the save,” Rael replied after a pause. He turo leave, but Weyrn’s voice stopped him mid-step.

  “You use a bow,” the elf stated, his tone carrying the finality of a clusion already reached.

  Rael gnced back. “Yeah?”

  The hunter’s gaze flicked briefly to Rael’s on, then ba. "I need help with something. Follow me."

  Before Rael could respond, a notification blinked into view:

  [New Quest: Rite of the Dragon Hunter]

  Objective: Follow Weyrn

  Reward: ???

  Rael eyed the quest notification, a knot tightening in his chest.

  ‘A dragon hunter chasing something... The quest’s called Rite of the Dragon Hunter...’

  It didn’t take a genius to figure out where this was going. Since Ast's unch, stories had spread like wildfire—pyers stumbling upons in dungeons or daring to hunt them in the wild. Without exception, the enters ended in disaster. Even the weakest dragons required hordes of pyers t down, and most still walked away with broken gear ay respawn timers.

  And now Weyrn wanted him to tag along. Alone.

  Rael swallowed, his gaze flig toward the elf’s back as he moved through the trees, his footsteps soundless against the forest floor. The bow slung across Weyrn’s back seemed to hum with restrained power, a silent reminder of the level gap between them.

  ‘...Is It time to get an EXP penalty?’

  The thought curled in his mind like a shadow. This wasn’t some low-level dungeon or a test of skill—if a dragon was involved, one wrong step meah. Yet despite the unease prig beh his skin, a spark of anticipation flickered somewhere deep inside.

  Rael stepped out of the cave, boots g against gravel as his eyes adjusted to the faint moonlight filtering through the trees. His gaze lifted—and immediately froze.

  A bird loomed just beyond the clearing, nearly five times the size of Weyrn. Its sleek feathers shimmered faintly with a bluish-silver sheen, and arcs of fairicity crackled along its wings. Sharp golden eyes locked onto Rael with a gaze that could’ve pierced stohough its expression held more boredom than menace.

  Without hesitation, Weyr onto the bird’s back with practiced ease. “e. Don’t worry—he won’t bite.”

  Rael didn’t mht away. His instincts screamed at him to stay cautious. The thunderbird’s eyes remained fixed on him, unblinking. Yet there was no mali its gaze—just disi, as if Rael were little more than a leaf drifting by. Still, experieaught him that the liween docile and dangerous was razor-thin.

  After a moment of hesitation, he exhaled and approached slowly. No flicker of hostility.

  Good enough.

  Rael grabbed hold of the bird’s thick plumage and hauled himself onto its back, settling in behind Weyrn.

  “This is Foren,” the elf said over his shoulder. “A thunderbird.”

  As if in response, faint sparks crackled along Foren’s wings, illuminating the night air with pale blue light. Then, without warning, the bird crouched low and uself skyward.

  The ground vanished in an instant, and the air roared past Rael’s ears as the forest shrank to a patchwork of distant shadows. Wind whipped through his hair, and the force of acceleration threateo tear him from the saddleless perch. g his legs tighter, he leaned forward to brace against the gale.

  Rael had riddeed mounts before—horses, Lizards, even the occasional hybrids—but they had always been nd-bound. Teleporters were faster, sure, but they offered none of the thrill of movement. Yet Foren... this was something else entirely. The air vibrated with raw power as the thunderbird shot through the night like a bolt of lightning, the world blurrih them.

  Subsonic speeds, maybe even faster.

  The thought flickered through Rael’s mind, unbidden: ‘Man... Having a mount like this wouldn’t be half bad.’

  But the fleeting envy vanished as quickly as it came, repced by a heavier realization.

  He was barely level 7.

  And now, somehow, he was running errands for an NPC who looked like he could solo a raid boss without breaking a sweat.

  Rael’s lips pressed into a thin line as the wind howled past his ears. ‘Sometimes, I really wonder if my luck’s good or bad...’

  * * *

  They soared past jagged peaks ed with snow, the wind whipping past Rael’s fa a near-deafening roar. The thunderbird’s wings cut through the air with effortless grace, each powerful beat propelling them forward at a speed that made nd-based mounts feel like crawling is in parison.

  Rael shifted slightly, adjusting his grip on Foren’s feathers. The view below stretched endlessly—sharp cliffs, dense forests ging to the slopes, and deep valleys carved into the earth like scars. Despite all his travels, this ndscape was unfamiliar.

  "Where are we?" he called over the wind.

  "The southwestern edge of the tral ti," Weyrn replied from ahead, seated with practiced ease atop the thunderbird's neck. His cloak barely stirred despite the wind. "Few e this far. Dangerous territory."

  Rael blinked, impressed. Southwest? The sheer distance from where they'd started hit him. No mount he’d ever used could cover so much ground so quickly.

  Weyrn tinued, eyes fixed ahead. "This mountain range is called the Saints Divide. It is said that Long ago, two demigods fought here—both revered as saints in their respective arts. Their battle scarred the nd, splitting the mountains apart. Ever sihis pce has been known as their divide."

  As they approached one of the smaller peaks led within the range, Weyrn spoke over the rush of wind. “We ’t fly too close. It’d sense us and flee again.”

  Foren tilted its wings, beginning a smooth dest toward the forest below. The wind whipped past Rael’s face, cold and sharp, as the thunderbird circled once before nding gracefully atop a rocky outcrop surrounded by trees. Its talons scraped against the stone, but the creature barely made a sound.

  Weyrn dismounted first, stepping lightly onto the ground befng over his shoulder. “e,” he said simply.

  Rael slid off Foren’s back, his boots hitting the stoh a faint thud. The air smelled of pine and damp earth, ced with the faint chill of mountain wind. Shafts of sunlight filtered through the opy of t trees below, their leaves rustling faintly in the breeze. Somewhere in the distance, a bird called out, but otherwise, the forest seemed to hold its breath.

  “It’s nearby. I pced a mark on it earlier,” Weyrn said as he adjusted his b with practiced ease. His gaze swept the terrain, sharp and focused. “I know you’re weak. Oershock would likely kill you.” The blunt statement held no cruelty—just fact. “But strength isn’t measured by power alone. Will and perseverance are what carry a huhrough the impossible.”

  Rael paused, tilting his head slightly. Why do so many NPCs sound like righteous knights giving motivational speeches? Thehought clicked. Right... the whole setting’s built around a God-Emperuess that mi rubs off on everyone.

  “Still… what exactly are we hunting?”

  “An infant dragon,” Weyrn replied casually, adjusting the strap of his quiver.

  Rael blinked. Infant? His expression remained ral, but internally, he questioned how that was supposed to be reassuring. Infant or not, dragons were still sidered raid bosses for a reason.

  “Listen carefully,” Weyrn said, his tone firm. “Do exactly as I say. Any mistake could cost you your life.”

  Rael nodded, keeping his focus sharp. As they started moving, Weyrn added, almost as an afterthought, “Besides… you're a Blessed.”

  Rael stiffened slightly at the term. Blessed. It was what the Order called pyers—immortals who could return from death as if nothing had happehe title exteo non-human races as well, though their existeen invited suspi and hostility. Uhey proved their worth, they were hunted as anomalies that didn’t belong.

  Still, "immortal" didn’t mean "invincible." Death in Ast carried harsh penalties, and the idea of respawning miles away from this remote location wasn’t appealing.

  “Right,” he muttered. “Lead the way.”

  They desded from the outcrop, weaving through dense clusters of trees as they moved deeper into the forest. Every step Rael took ched against fallen leaves and twigs, though Weyrn moved so silently that it seemed as if the ground itself refused to betray his presence.

  Rael felt the air grow heavier with anticipation as they pressed oually, the trees thinned out, revealing a peculiar clearing. It wasn’t natural—the ground dipped inward like a crater, the earth cracked and uneven, as if someone had drilled into the mountainside. Jagged rocks protruded from the soil, and faint cw marks scarred the surrounding trees.

  Weyrn crouched at the edge of the clearing, pressing both hands to the ground. His brow furrowed in tration before he whispered, “It’s goo hunt. We wait.”

  So much for an a-packed quest, Rael thought, dug behind a fallen log nearby. The minutes dragged on. One hour. Then two. His legs started to cramp from croug, and boredom threateo set in. Is this what being a hunter is? Sitting around waiting for something to show up?

  He opened his interface to pass the time when a distant roar rolled through the air like thunder. Every leaf seemed to tremble with the sound, and Rael’s pulse spiked as he peeked past the log. His breath caught.

  A dragon burst through the trees on the far end of the clearing. Its sleek, muscur frame gleamed with obsidian-bck scales that reflected faint purple hues in the light. Its wings folded close to its sides, each membrached with faint purplish veins. Twin horns curved back from its skull, and its violet eyes burned like moltehyst—alien, predatory, and far too intelligent. Despite being on all fours, the beast was nearly as rge as Foren, only slightly smaller. Every step it took cracked twigs and pressed deep into the soil.

  Rael had a wry smile. This is an infant?

  The ground trembled faintly beh the dragon’s weight as it approached the clearing’s ter, sniffing the air. It paused, cws digging into the dirt as if sensing something was off. Hidden behind the thick roots of a fallen tree, Rael clutched his bow tighter, pulse hammering in his ears.

  “I have a task for you,” Weyrn’s voice broke through the tension like a bde through taut rope.

  Rael tore his gaze away from the dragon’s hulking form, staring at the elf crouched beside him. The hunter’s expression was calm as ever, unshaken by the monster mere meters away. He extehree arrows toward Rael. Uandard ammunition, their shafts gleamed with faint silver ruched along their length.

  “Approach the dragon,” Weyrn instructed, his voice calm but firm. “Shoot one of these arrows directly into its eye.”

  Rael blinked, unsure if he’d heard correctly. “...Why ’t you do it yourself?”

  Weyrn simply looked at him.

  Rael stared back, his expression shifting from fusion to disbelief—the kind reserved for watg someone fidently attempt to open a locked door by pushing instead of pulling. Is this guy serious?

  “sider this a trial.” Weyrn’s golden gaze held no room fument.

  ...Right. Trial. Sure, Rael thought bitterly. His grip tightened on the bow as he exhaled through ched teeth. The dragon was still sniffing the air, its wings twitg slightly as it turs head in their dire.

  Rael took a step forward. Then another. Eae like a gamble with death as he crept through the underbrush, bow in hand and arrow nocked. Sweat dampehe back of his neck. The dragon’s breath rumbled softly in the air, vibrating through the grouh his boots.

  Just as he raised the b to full draw, a notification fshed before his eyes:

  [Debuff Applied: Dragon Might]

  Rael’s heart lurched. A pulse of fear shot through his veins, rarimal. His hands trembled slightly from the invisible pressure as sweat slipped down his brow. His instincts screamed at him to run—every fiber of his being recoiling from the predator before him.

  Focus… He gritted his teeth and forced himself to aim.

  He loosed the arrow.

  It veered past the dragon’s head, cttering against stone.

  The beast’s head soward the noise, violet eyes narrowing. Its chest swelled with a slow inhale, cws flexing against the dirt as faint purple wisps began curling from its maw.

  Rael cursed under his breath, already knog another arrow. His hands trembled more now, the pressure pressing harder against his nerves. … He drew, aimed, and fired.

  Another miss—this time skimming just past its horns.

  The dragon’s eyes locked onto him.

  Cold terror cwed down his spine as the pressure intensified. A deep growl reverberated through the clearing, shaking leaves from branches as violet fmes began flickeriween its jaws. The air crackled with heat and raw mana.

  Rael's mind raced. There was no time. No room for error. The shot had to nd— had to.

  RNG gods, don’t screw me now…

  He aimed, heart hammering against his ribs, and released the arrow.

  A sharp whistle cut through the air—then a wet, siing thunk as the arrow pierced the dragon’s left eye.

  The beast roared, staggering back. Its wings fred open, felling nearby branches with the sheer force of the wind. The violet fmes in its mouth flickered and sputtered out, repced by a furious snarl. Yet, the arrow barely embedded itself deep enough to blind the eye—it wasn’t enough to cripple it.

  The dragon’s head soward Rael, hatred bzing in its gaze as it tes muscles to lunge—

  Whistle!

  A single, pierg whistle of wind sliced through the cavern, swift and sharp as a bde. The instant, a silver streak embedded itself into the dragon’s skull—right between its eyes. The beast’s roar died in its throat. It colpsed with a heavy thud, wings twitg once before falling still.

  As Rael stood frozen, his pulse pounding in his ears, Weyrn nded beside him in a crouch. The elf straightened without a sound, brushing stray leaves from his cloak as if he’d merely stepped off a porch.

  “…That was you?” he asked, voice still shaky from the lingering pressure on Might.

  Weyrn stood beside him, calm and posed as if the dragon's presence had been nothing more than a passing breeze. “If I hadn’t, you’d be ashes by now.”

  Rael exhaled, tension seeping from his shoulders as the system notification popped into view:

  [You have sin: Abyssal Hatg (Infant)]tribution: 1%

  [You have leveled up!][You have leveled up!][You have leveled up!][You have leveled up!]

  “...1 pert and four level-ups…” Rael muttered, staring at the message with a mixture of disbelief and frustration.. “I barely scratched the thing.”

  “A you still earned your reward.” Weyrn stepped past him, approag the dragon’s corpse with measured strides. “The trial was not to sy it—only to strike true despite fear. Strength alone does not make a hunter. Willpower, discipline, and resolve separate the prey from the predator.”

  Rael remained silent, unsure whether to feel aplished or like the universe had just handed him free levels. His fingers still tingled slightly from the b’s pull, the pressure of the dragon’s gaze burned into his memory.

  “…So what now?” he asked, taking a tentative step toward the falle.

  Weyrn crouched beside the dragon and pced a hand against its scaled chest. Faint silver light pulsed from his palm as if drawing something unseen from within. “Now?” He gnced over his shoulder. “Now, we cim our prize.”

  Weyrn shifted his stahout warning, driving his hand straight through the dragon’s chest with a siing ch of bone and flesh. Rael’s eyes widened as the elf’s arm sank into the beast’s ribcage up to the elbow. Yet Weyrn’s expression never wavered—calm and focused, as if this act were no different from harvesting a pnt.

  A moment ter, he withdrew his hand, holding a massive, still-beati. Its surface pulsed with an eerie bck sheen, webbed with faint purple veins that glowed with a faint inner light. The thick an was rger than Rael’s head, and the air around it seemed to hum with a faint, uling pressure.

  Without ceremony, Weyrn tossed the heart toward him.

  "Catch."

  "What—!"

  Rael barely mao stumble forward and catch the heart, cradling it awkwardly against his chest like an oversized, grotesque teddy bear. Its faint warmth pulsed against his arms, the sensation unnervingly simir to holding something still alive.

  “What… what the hell am I supposed to do with this?” he asked, shifting the heart’s weight unfortably.

  Weyrn approached with slow, deliberate steps. His golden eyes locked onto Rael’s, their depth carrying an unspoken challenge. “Now you must make a choice,” he said simply.

  Rael blinked. “What choice?”

  The elf didn’t answer. Instead, he raised his hand and pced the tip of his pinky finger against Rael’s forehead.

  Ping!

  A notification fshed before his eyes:

  [Hidden Skill Awakening Avaible]Skill: DragonriteDescription: By ing the heart of a dragon, you may i a fragment of its power. Eaption grants a random ability tied to the dragon’s nature.Prerequisite: Must have no active subcss.Warning: Learning this skill have adverse effects on the users status.

  Rael’s breath hitched. He gnced down at the heart pressed against his chest, then back at Weyrn’s impassive gaze.

  “…You’re serious?”

  “Decide,” Weyrn replied. “Take its power—or let it slip away.”