Eldrin's veil:Arcanist Awakening

Chapter 22: The Hunt Begins

Aeron staggered.

His vision blurred. His breathing was ragged. The last remnants of his awakened power faded, leaving his body aching and drained.

The battlefield was silent.

Sylva was the first to speak. "Holy… you actually won."

Hobbles, still lying on the ground, slowly peeked up. "Did we die? Are we ghosts?"

Aeron chuckled weakly. "No, but I might wish I was."

His body felt like it had been hit by a mountain. The aftereffects of using that uncontrolled power were worse than expected. He checked his status screen.

—[System Alert!]—

Status Condition: Severe Fatigue (-50% stats for 24 hours).

Mana Overload: Locked from using skills for 2 hours.

"Well… that's inconvenient."

Before he could catch his breath, another notification appeared.

—[Quest Reward Unlocked!]—

New Title: Knight-Slayer

Enemies of the Kingdom will now fear you.

Your presence pressures lower-ranked NPCs.

Fame increased in all major cities.

Aeron froze.

Sylva noticed his expression. "Uh… what's wrong?"

Hobbles squinted. "You didn't just get a bounty on your head, did you?"

Aeron didn't answer immediately. Instead, he scrolled down to see the last reward.

And that's when his heart skipped a beat.

—[World Boss Fragment Obtained: Echo of the First Knight.]—

His mind went blank.

A World Boss Fragment? That was beyond rare.

Sylva leaned over. "Hey, what's with that weird face? Did you get something good?"

Aeron slowly turned to them.

"Let's just say… we need to get out of here. Now."

Sylva blinked. "Wait, why?"

Aeron opened his mouth to explain—

Then the ground trembled.

The air grew heavy.

Something ancient stirred.

Hobbles paled. "Oh, come on… I just started liking life again!"

—[System Alert!]—

WARNING! A presence has detected the World Boss Fragment!

Incoming danger level: ???

Recommended action: RUN.

Aeron did not need to be told twice.

"RUN!"

Sylva and Hobbles bolted. Aeron pushed his aching body forward, ignoring the pain. Surviving was more important than pride.

From behind them—something monstrous awakened.

And the hunt began.

The ground shook violently. Cracks snaked across the battlefield, and the very air felt heavier, suffocating.

Aeron didn't dare look back.

His legs burned, his breath came in ragged gasps, but he forced himself forward. Running was the only option.

—[System Alert!]—

WARNING! An unknown entity has locked onto your presence.

Threat Level: Catastrophic.

Recommended Action: Escape immediately.

Sylva's voice was high-pitched with panic. "WHY is the system using words like 'catastrophic'?! Shouldn't it give us like, you know, a fighting chance?!"

Hobbles wheezed. "I—wasn't—built—for—this!"

Aeron gritted his teeth. His body was already weakened from the battle with Aldric. His movement speed was slower, his reflexes dulled. But none of that mattered.

Because the thing chasing them wasn't stopping.

A deep, guttural growl echoed behind them, sending a violent chill down his spine.

—[??? has activated Predator's Gaze.]—

Your presence has been marked.

Aeron's heart dropped.

"This thing has tracking skills?!"

They needed to get out of its range fast.

But how?

They were in the middle of a ruined battlefield, with no cover—no structures to hide in.

He scanned the area. His mind worked fast, calculating escape routes—until he spotted it.

A cave entrance, partially hidden behind collapsed stone walls.

—[New Plan: Desperate Gamble]—

Step 1: Lure the beast into unfamiliar terrain.

Step 2: Hope it loses interest.

"Follow me!" Aeron shouted.

Sylva didn't hesitate, but Hobbles whined. "Into a dark, ominous cave? Seriously?! That's our plan?"

Aeron didn't slow down. "Do you want a better one?"

"…Point taken!"

They dove into the cave just as a massive, clawed shadow loomed over the battlefield.

Aeron barely had time to register its shape, but what he saw made his blood run cold.

A monstrous wolf, twice the size of an ox, with burning crimson eyes and black mist curling around its body.

It sniffed the air once. Then, its lips curled back in a snarl.

And it charged.

Aeron barely had time to react—

—[Emergency Skill Activation: Phantom Step]—

His body blurred forward, dragging Sylva and Hobbles with him.

The beast's claws tore through the entrance, collapsing the stone behind them.

For a brief moment—silence.

Then—a deafening roar.

The ground shook again. Dust and debris rained down from the cavern ceiling.

But the entrance was blocked.

For now… they were safe.

Aeron let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

Sylva collapsed onto the stone floor. "NEVER. AGAIN."

Hobbles just laid on his back, staring at the ceiling. "I'm retiring."

Aeron smirked, but he didn't relax. His gaze turned deeper into the cave.

Because something about this place felt off.

And the system wasn't saying anything.

Which was never a good sign.