A Trail of Shadows

Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months as I continued my grueling training with Garreth. Each day brought new challenges, pushing me to the limits of my physical and mental endurance. The spar with Sir Roderick had opened my eyes to just how weak I truly was, igniting a hunger within me to improve and surpass my own limitations.

The following weeks transformed into a relentless blur of intense training sessions. I focused on building my strength and conditioning, lifting the heaviest items Garreth could summon, enduring grueling resistance training, where I would stay underwater for extended periods and testing my lung capacity and fortifying myself in scorching hot rooms testing my tolerance for heat, earning myself third-degree burns and with a side of frequent drowning, but on the bright side, I could hold my breath for an hour and endure fire magic from a 5th Kosmos mage.

Other days were dedicated to relentless running and at the end of each exhausting day, I sparred with different palace knights. Each skilled in their own unique combat techniques. Though most of these sparring sessions ended in defeat for me, I did learn quite a lot of things.

The culmination of my training came in the form of swinging my sword 10,000 times. It was a test of endurance, discipline and unwavering focus. With each swing, I honed my technique, refining my movements until every strike became an exact replica of the previous one.

And just like that, six months had passed, marking a significant milestone in my training. I had ascended to the Transcendent stage of the Second Kosmos, a realm where my powers reached new heights. My perception had become even sharper, allowing me to sense anything within a 50-meter radius.

But I didn't stop there. In my pursuit of improvement, I found ways to further enhance my abilities. Through experimenting with my mana and knowledge of human anatomy, I discovered that I could inject mana into specific nerves to enhance my senses. My sight and hearing had become razor-sharp, enabling me to detect even the slightest movements and sounds.

It was in this heightened state of perception that Garreth presented me with my final training session—a mission to retrieve the claw of a Thornclaw Raptor. These Swift and deadly predators possessed claws as sharp as daggers capable of striking with lightning speed. I had never witnessed one personally, but through what I've read, they aren't easy opponents, even for 4th Kosmos mages.

'Does this guy want me to die that badly?' I thought as he told me about my mission.

"Barrett, I know you're just about to reach the mastery level," Garreth spoke, his voice carrying a mix of seriousness and anticipation.

"In actuality, I have nothing else to teach you. All that you have left to learn can only be taught by real-life battles and this mission will give you that. It won't be an easy task, but I have faith that you'll survive...probably."

"Such a wonderful way to encourage a person after giving them a mission that will most likely kill them," I muttered sarcastically.

"Hm, did you say something"

"No, Sir!" I yelled quickly, earning me a look of suspicion.

"That's what I thought. Get your things and bring whatever you need. We won't be leaving the forest until you bring me those claws." Garreth nonchalantly ordered.

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With my sword in hand and armor secured, we ventured into the dense woods.

The towering trees cast long shadows that danced on the forest floor, creating an eerie ambiance and the air was thick with the scent of damp earth and the distant calls of unseen creatures.

While navigating through the thick foliage, I relied on my heightened senses to guide us deeper into the forest. My perception was stretched to its limits, which allowed me to detect even the slightest rustle of leaves or the faintest hint of movement.

Taking in my surroundings, I couldn't help but notice that the forest was alive with the sounds of the distant calls of unseen creatures and the scampering caused by the harmless monsters searching for food.

As I focused my vision on a distant section of the forest, my ears picked up the sound of galloping against the snow-laced ground. Instinctively, my hand moved towards my shoulder, ready to draw my sword. The sound grew louder, overwhelming my hearing until it became a cacophony of thunderous steps.

I ceased supplying mana to my ears, my focus shifting entirely to the imminent threat.

Drawing my long claymore sword, I braced myself for battle. The ground beneath me trembled as a pack of 150 Southern Dire Wolves burst forth from the trees. Their snarls doing well to signal that they weren't here just to catch up.

Despite the overwhelming odds, fear did not grip me. Instead, a surge of adrenaline coursed through my veins. I welcomed this challenge, ready to prove my mettle against this pack of predators.

The wolves prowled. Their movements fluid and calculated. Their muscular bodies taut with anticipation. Their large, powerful jaws were lined with sharp, gleaming teeth, their breath visible in the cold air. With each trot, they left giant footprints on the ground. A stark reminder of their size and strength.

My grip tightened on my sword as I assessed the situation. A calm resolve replacing any trace of fear. I had faced many opponents in my training and now it was time to put my skills to the ultimate test.

With a sudden burst of agility, the pack lunged forward, a wave of snarling, ferocious predators charging at me from all directions. Their coordinated attack was a symphony of feral instinct, a testament to their primal nature.

I moved with precision and agility, my sword becoming an extension of my being. Each swing and thrust were executed with calculated grace, aimed at vital points on the wolves' bodies. I struck swiftly, targeting their limbs and throats, aiming to incapacitate them while minimizing their chances of counterattack.

Fire danced from my fingertips, creating a blazing wall of flames that formed a barrier between me and the advancing pack. The searing heat and scorching embers served as a deterrent, forcing the wolves to adjust their attack patterns, seeking alternative routes to reach me.

Wolves advanced and water surged from my fingertips, twisting and swirling into a powerful spear that crashed into the pack, knocking several wolves off balance and sending them sprawling into the snow. The icy coldness clung to their fur, hindering their movements and temporarily impeding their attacks.

As more wolves advanced to their deaths, the wind became my ally as I summoned gusts of air to disrupt their charge.

The forceful currents buffeted their bodies, causing them to stumble and lose their footing providing me with a precious moment to exploit their vulnerability, and my exploitation proved fruitful.

The tip of my sword explored the inside of their bodies, leaving carnage in its wake and forcing whimpers from the injured canines, but there was no mercy to give as I cleaved their heads from their bodies, angering those who could only stare and watch the members of their pack die.

The battle raged on, a fierce dance of predator and prey. Each swing of my sword separated limbs and rending flesh. The wolves were fierce and unwilling to capitulate, something I witnessed as I dealt with the last remnants.

I stood sword in hand and pointed at the five wolves who remained and I met their gaze waiting for them to make a move. The black-furred wolf furthest to my left took slow, deliberate steps toward me, I felt unwilling to prolong this battle.

I channeled the elements around me, calling upon the forces of earth and fire to aid me in this final confrontation.

"Gaia Ignis!" I invoked the spell with conviction, my voice commanding the fire and the earth to obey my will, and so said, so done.

The ground beneath the wolves trembled as the earth responded to my command. Flames erupted from the soil, licking at the air with a fiery hunger.

The spell manifested in a powerful and concentrated blast, a fusion of earth and fire magic. It surged towards the remaining wolves with an unstoppable force, engulfing them in a raging inferno. The intensity of the flames consumed them, their defiant howls turning into agonized shrieks. The air crackled with heat and the scent of singed fur filled my nostrils.

The combined power of earth and fire reduced the wolves to mere charred remnants, their life force extinguished in an instant. The ground around them was scorched and blackened, the once-pristine snow now stained with the remnants of their demise.

As their defeated forms created a grisly tableau on the snowy forest floor, a sudden and deafening scream shattered the post-battle silence. The sound reverberated through the trees, causing the snow to tremble and fall in cascades.

I turned my gaze toward the source of the piercing scream, my eyes meeting the fierce gaze of a colossal beast. Towering over the fallen bodies of its former pack, the monster radiated a malevolent aura. Its body, larger than any wolf I had ever seen, was covered in matted, dark fur. Its eyes glowed with an unholy light, filled with a mixture of rage and bloodlust.

With blood from its fallen kin smeared across my face, I met its eyes with an unrelenting gaze and in that moment, I felt a surge of adrenaline unlike any before. Gripping my sword tightly, I flashed its gleaming blade, readying myself for another battle.