The Whip and the Blade
The dense foliage of the South Forest rose in front of them like an emerald sea. Towering trees towered above them, their heavy branches creating a natural canopy that filtered the morning light into golden strips. A refreshing breeze swished the undergrowth, whispering secrets known to beasts alone.
Orion led the way, his serene eyes scanning the thick cover. Elara walked beside him. The rest of the group—nobles, heirs, and elected sons and daughters—dispersed in the woods, each one of them taking a different path in search of renown.
But Orion and Elara were just beyond the edge of the woods, their horses snorting beneath them, restless but cautious.
Elara cocked her head, her Black hair glinting in the filtered light. "So. we're actually doing this. Just us. Brother and sister versus the wild," she said with a teasing smile.
Orion nodded almost imperceptibly with smile but his eyes scanning the path in front of him. "It's quieter without them around. Less distraction."
She smiled softly. "Right. Focused brother mode. You could at least pretend to have fun with me."
He glanced at her; his usual calm eyes slightly softer. "I wouldn't be here with anyone else."
Her smile widened as she flicked the reins. "Then let's make this count."
The two of them traveled deeper into the woods, the air thickening with mana and damp earth. Everywhere, the rest of the students were dispersing—some in twos and threes, others in ones. But Orion and Elara took a thinner, more concentrated path, where the canopy closed in and the real predators of the woods lived.
A rustling snap caught them by surprise. With no hesitation, Elara sent her whip whizzing toward the noise. The blue lash of energy flashed through the foliage, sending a group of birds flying—but not before something much larger emerged from the bushes.
It was the day's first magical creature.
A Velvine Razorclaw—a feline-like beast with bark-like fur and vines. Greenish energy throbbed beneath its surface, and its tail lashed like a living branch with claws at the tip. Rank: High 8-star Novice-class.
"Elara, keep an eye on its tail," Orion said matter-of-factly, already drawing his silver sword.
The creature leaped; claws out. Orion shifted to the side, his Splash Sword Technique igniting in a blur of flashing steel.
The swing of the blade and In one smooth motion, he split the beast neatly in two, the body thudding to the ground.
Elara blinked, then smiled. "Brother, that was awesome!"
Orion slid down silently, making his way to the body. He used a trained hand to produce a little hooked knife and excavated the creature's skull, taking pains to pull out two glowing green eyes and secreting them away in a leather pouch.
"They'll be our proof of hunt," he grunted.
Elara laughed, swinging off her horse and strolling alongside him. "Even so, you didn't even jump. That slash… it was like seeing water slice stone."
He cracked a roarer smile. "All wrist."
And then both ride off once more on their horses and rode deeper into the forest, following twisting paths and deep fog. Time dissolved between light speech and quiet going. Then a sharp whistling cry was heard from above.
A creature swooped down—wings spread as wide as tree trunks, beak sharp and serrated, feathers shining faintly with a blue glow.
"Azure Screech Raptor," Elara called out.
Elara stood, whip poised. "Four-star! Let me go, brother!"
Orion backed away, observing her with level interest. "Your turn."
Elara cracked her whip, the blue coil pulsing softly with mana. She sprang up onto a horse, whip cracking through the air and encircling the raptor's wing. With a swift yank, she brought it down, then plunged in, spinning in mid-air. Her heel crashed into its skull, and she sprang off its back, grinning triumphantly.
The raptor thrashed once… then froze.
Elara spun to Orion; cheeks rosy with excitement. "Did you see that?"
He nodded, a fleeting, faint smile on his lips. "Elegant. Efficient."
She glowed, crouching next to the beast and fumblingly attempting to dig its eyes out.
"Ugh… so slimy…"
Orion strolled over and handed her a clean cloth. "Squeeze at the base, then twist. They pop right out."
"You're uncharacteristically adept at this," she grumbled, able to release one of the shining cyan eyes.
Orion tiredly smiles at her remark.
With that, they pushed further into the forest. The monsters increased in ferocity, but no one reached over the 8-star threshold. However, with his improved foundation and innate ability, Orion—youngly emerging into the world of 5-star Novice—was able to wield the power of an 8-star now. Elara also, in spite of her 4-star status, stepped with unexpected ease and power, her fighting skills that of a 6-star warrior. And her sunny disposition never wavering even when her punches grew more lethal.
Another monster went down. Another set of eyes stuffed.
Hours went by. The sun filtered through the trees in faint beams. Forest start thickened. The creatures grew more moody, more clever. Then, as Orion wrested the eyes from a fallen Silverback Hornboar, a quiet rustling sounded from the left.
They both froze.
The bush to their right lurched violently. Elara sank into a low crouch, whip at the ready. Orion advanced; sword held calmly but firmly. The beat of hooves came—slow, deliberate.
Then, a figure stepped out of the underbrush—riding a shiny black horse.
Blonde hair, green eyes. Shining silver-green armor that caught the light of the forest like leaves rippling.
"Miss Voss," Orion said quietly, squinting.
The girl seemed surprised to find weapons pointed in her direction. She held up both hands awkwardly. "Ah… Lord Orion, Lady Elara. By any chance… you weren't going to hunt me, were you?"
Elara's hand eased, but her eyes did not lose their narrowness.
Orion sheathed his sword with a smooth action. "My apologies, Miss Voss. We mistakenly took you for a beast."
Elara contributed, "Yes, Miss Voss. You… surprised us."
Lysandra laughed and smoothed back her hair behind her ear. "No offense taken. I guess in these woods anything could be a threat."
Orion regarded her calmly. "You're hunting alone?"
"Mhm." She nodded. "I don't like groups. My classmates are too busy trying to impress me. If I join them, they try to do all the work and then offer me the kills like trophies. As a warrior… it disgusts me."
Orion nodded his head in agreement and he then said, "Warrior hearts."
She blinked, surprised. "You get it?"
He nodded. "Too well."
As he whirled back to remount, she hailed him again. "Lord Orion—may I join your contingent?"
He slowed, an eyebrow arching.
Elara's smile quivered.
Another bee attempting to overwhelm my flower.
She clicked in her heart.
He glanced again at Lysandra and queried why. "Why?"
She looked him directly in the eyes. "Because I want to hunt with somebody who employ your sword splash method like you do. Seeing your method… it's help me enhance my moments and you give tip to enhance."
Orion thought her words and think "if she simply want to enhance this method watching my moments, so it won't hurt me." Then nodded. "Okay. You may join."
Elara narrowed her eyes further.
Lysandra smiled brightly, leading her horse closer.
Elara walked beside Orion; requested her. "Brother, you will be instructing her in your style?"
Orion looked at her spoke with tranquility. "Few days ago, she requested me to instruct my style and you know our family rule never say no to guest if request is on borders, so I instruct her my style."
Elara clicked her tongue. They never leave a chance to get near him. I'm not leaving his side even for a second. She said in heart but outside she said with smile. "Oh, ok."
Their new trio went further into the forest. The next monster was a Duskhorn Lizard, a snake-like creature with scales of obsidian and a purplish horn crackling with dark mana. Rank: Peak 8-star Novice.
Orion leaped forward, employing Splash Sword to blind the creature with rapid light-rejective strikes.
"Now!" he bellowed.
Elara ensnared the horn with her whip, pulling the lizard's head down as Lysandra dismounted from her horse and stabbed the beast through the eye.
It flailed and dropped dead.
Elara blinked. "You're Sword play is strong, Miss Voss."
Lysandra mopped sweat from her forehead. "Thanks to Lord Orion… I hone my sword skill."
Orion knelt again, gathering the creature's radiant indigo eyes.
The pouch in his side was filling up—but so was the tension between the three.
Elara would not look away. Lysandra would not look away.
And Orion… was as cool as ever.