The burning bull seemed to tear through the darkness itself.
Blackish-red flames poured from the cracks in its split hide, carrying with them the stench of scorched flesh and sulfur. Its massive body and terrifyingly lifeless eyes were fixed on Oliver and Rion like a predator stalking its prey.
As if a cursed hell still lived within it.
Rion held his breath.
His chest tightened as he stared at the creature. He wanted to step back, but it felt as though his feet had been nailed to the ground.
Oliver slowly looked at the grotesque beast and said,
"These are Corrupted Beasts."
There was no surprise in his voice.
As though he had seen scenes like this a thousand times before.
Rion glanced at him.
Oliver continued,
"When a Demon is summoned from the Abyss or the Underworld into this world, it needs a vessel."
"It can be a human. An animal. Any living creature."
Rion frowned.
"And then?"
Oliver stood up.
"Even if the Demon leaves that body later..."
"The vessel never returns to normal."
"They remain corrupted for the rest of their lives."
Rion's eyes drifted back to the creature.
Now he understood.
The madness he had seen in its eyes...
It was no ordinary beast.
Oliver spoke again.
"And the physical transformation reflects the Demon's magic type. Since its body is burning with fire, we can assume the Demon that possessed it wielded fire magic."
Rion listened carefully to every word.
The more he learned about this world, the more he realized how little he truly knew.
Silence lingered for a moment.
Then the beast suddenly roared.
The ground trembled beneath the impact of its heavy hooves as it charged at them with desperate fury.
Oliver extended a hand.
"Give me your sword."
Without hesitation, Rion handed it over.
Taking the sword, Oliver smiled faintly.
There was no joy in that smile.
Only confidence.
"Now watch its true power."
The next moment, everything happened at once.
No chant.
No preparation.
Only—
A faint flash.
Rion hadn't even blinked.
Suddenly, the air trembled.
Fssshhh!
Oliver had already sheathed the sword.
At first, Rion didn't understand what had happened.
Then—
Thud.
The gigantic flaming bull split perfectly in half.
Vertically.
The cut was so clean that it looked as though an artist had sliced fruit with a knife.
A few seconds later, the two halves separated completely and crashed to the ground.
Rion's jaw dropped.
His heartbeat thundered in his ears.
"That...!"
The amazement in his voice was unmistakable.
"That was incredible!"
Oliver shrugged.
"The name of that move is Flashy Slash."
"The name is stupid, but it gets the job done."
Rion was still staring at the cut.
He had barely seen anything.
Only the result.
Was this what true power looked like?
Oliver said,
"Beasts like these are impossible to kill through ordinary means."
Rion looked at him.
"Why?"
"Because they have a Core."
"A Core?"
Oliver pointed toward the dead creature's head.
"A strangely luminous object. It can be inside or outside the body."
He continued,
"That sphere of molten lava you saw between its horns—that was the Core."
Rion remembered it immediately.
There really had been a strange glowing orb there.
"The Core is the source of their power. Unless it's destroyed, a Beast will never truly die."
"And if the Core is destroyed?"
"If the Beast is outside a Demon's direct control, then that's the end of it."
After thinking for a moment, Rion asked another question.
"And if the Demon is controlling it?"
For an instant, a cold glint flashed in Oliver's eyes.
"Then the vessel dies."
He paused.
"But the Demon doesn't."
The forest air suddenly felt colder to Rion.
"At that point, you'll have to fight the Demon itself."
Rion fell silent.
A question had been lingering in his mind for quite some time.
Finally, he asked,
"Who summons these Demons?"
Oliver remained quiet for a while.
Staring into the fire.
Then he answered,
"Humans."
Rion blinked in surprise.
"Humans?"
"People whose greed knows no limits."
There was a trace of disgust in Oliver's voice.
"They want power. Wealth. Influence."
He slowly shook his head.
"And in the end, everyone suffers. Even the ones who perform the summoning don't survive usually."
In a low voice, Rion said,
"I've never seen a Beast like this in our village."
Oliver's expression became strangely serious.
"That's normal."
"Why?"
"Because your village... and the Capital are still safe."
"Why are they safe?"
Oliver let out a long sigh.
"I don't know."
The darkness deepened around them.
Together, they set up a small tent.
They lit a fire.
The night grew older.
Somewhere deep in the forest, the cry of an unknown creature echoed through the darkness.
Firelight danced across Oliver's face.
Suddenly, he said,
"Your real training begins tomorrow."
Rion looked at him.
There was no humor in Oliver's eyes.
Only harsh reality.
"For the next two years..."
"You'll fight countless Beasts. Many of them far more terrifying than this one."
Excitement and fear twisted together inside Rion's chest.
His throat had gone dry.
Oliver asked,
"Are you ready?"
The night remained silent.
Rion answered firmly,
"I'm ready."
A faint smile appeared at the corner of Oliver's lips.
"Then tomorrow, the hard work begins."
---
Two Years Later
---
The afternoon sunlight was slowly fading.
Lior sat outside his house, smoking a cigarette.
The area was bordered by sparse woodland. With sunset approaching, orange-red light filtered through the leaves, painting the surroundings in warm hues. The scent of dry leaves and damp earth lingered in the air. Occasionally, the cry of an unfamiliar bird drifted through the forest.
A dirt road stretched past the front of the house.
Whenever the breeze stirred, cigarette smoke spiraled upward into the sky.
The place was peaceful, yet filled with a profound loneliness—a place where a person could sit alone with their thoughts and memories.
Beside him sat Althea.
Both of them were talking about the same person.
Rion.
Two years.
A very long time.
Looking down at the ground, Althea said,
"What do you think he's like now?"
Lior exhaled smoke and chuckled.
"I don't know, but I'm certain Rion is going to go very far."
Just then—
Althea's eyes fixed on something in the distance.
A faint silhouette could be seen far down the road.
Slowly approaching.
Lior looked as well.
The figure grew larger.
Clearer.
Closer.
Then—
Althea's eyes filled with tears of joy.
"Rion..."
It was him.
The boy had changed considerably over the past two years.
His shoulders had broadened.
His body had become stronger.
The childish innocence that once filled his eyes had been replaced by the marks of experience.
A faint mustache rested above his upper lip.
A beautifully crafted green sword hung at his waist.
Even the way he walked radiated confidence.
As though every step carried the memory of countless experiences.
A smile appeared on Lior's face.
Rion stopped in front of them.
For a few moments, nobody spoke.
Then Leo said,
"Looking at you now, I'd say you definitely didn't waste the last two years."
Rion smiled faintly.
"I tried."
Lowering his head, he added,
"Give me your blessing... so I can fulfill my dream."
Althea could no longer hold herself back.
Stepping forward, she said,
"You've worked so hard for so long. At least take a few days to rest."
Rion smiled awkwardly.
"I don't think that'll be possible right now."
"Why?"
"The Magic Knight Exam."
Lior raised an eyebrow.
"When is it?"
"In a few days. I have to leave the morning after tomorrow."
Silence fell for a moment.
Althea's expression darkened.
"So you're leaving again?"
Rion looked at her.
There was warmth in his eyes.
He smiled.
"You waited this long. Wait a little longer."
His voice was firm.
"This time, I'll return as a Magic Knight."
Lior stood up.
"Alright."
Then he smiled lightly.
"No more serious discussions today."
"Go get some rest."
That night passed quickly.
The following afternoon—
Lior sat alone behind his house, smoking a cigarette.
The smoke slowly vanished into the sky.
Hearing footsteps behind him, he turned around.
Rion.
He walked over and sat beside him.
For a while, neither spoke.
Then Lior asked,
"How did your training with Mr. Oliver go?"
Rion smiled faintly.
"It was tough."
"He taught me a lot. Not just about fighting... but about the world itself."
A trail of smoke drifted away with the wind.
This time, Lior looked directly at him.
"Are you ready?"
After a moment of thought, Rion answered,
"Yes."
Then he added quietly,
"At least, I think I am."
Lior remained silent for a few moments.
There was a searching look in his eyes.
As though he was trying to find something hidden inside Rion.
Finally, he asked,
"Tell me something..."
Rion looked at him.
"Why do you want to become a Magic Knight?"