Lucas kept his eyes locked on the monstrous wolf hovering above them, his pulse quickening.
He instinctively took a few steps back, giving Aislyra as much space as possible to fight without interference.
Above them, the winged beast's mouth began to glow with an eerie brown light—
Just like the Over Wolf before it.
However, this time, the boulder forming in front of its jaws was twice as large and launched at twice the speed.
Lucas barely had time to react before—
CRACK!
In a single instant, the massive projectile was cleaved clean in half—
Effortlessly.
Aislyra hadn't moved until the last possible second—
And yet, her massive broadsword had cut through the boulder like paper, not even leaving a scratch on her.
Her lips curled into a radiant, taunting grin.
"Is that all you've got, little dog?"
The winged wolf's eyes burned with rage.
It threw its head back and let out a deafening howl.
The ground shuddered beneath them, and suddenly—
Glowing brown magic circles materialized on the ground, surrounding Aislyra on all sides.
From them dozens of jagged earth pillars erupted, all hurtling straight toward her.
However, Aislyra's expression didn't change in the slightest.
With a single fluid motion, she spun her sword in a wide arc—
SHING!
The pillars were sliced clean through, their edges instantly freezing over.
Then, with one final swing, she shattered them into glittering shards, making them vanish into the wind like stardust.
"I guess it's my turn now." Aislyra cracked her knuckles, grinning confidently.
"Ice Sword!"
A brilliant blue magic circle flared to life beside her, and from it—
A gleaming blade of ice materialized.
She snatched it out of the air.
Then hurled it like a spear.
It ripped through the sky at an unbelievable speed, faster than anything Lucas had ever seen before.
PIERCE!
The ice sword buried itself deep into one of the beast's massive wings.
With a pained cry, the Over Wolf spiraled downward crashing violently into the ground.
Despite the injury, the beast wasn't done yet.
It scrambled back to its feet, its enormous claws digging into the dirt.
Then—
WHAM!
It lashed out with a powerful swipe, aiming straight for Aislyra.
But—
Aislyra stood her ground, raising her sword in defense.
CLANG!
The impact sent her skidding backward several meters, but she didn't even flinch.
Instead, she grinned.
"Finally, things are getting a little interesting."
This time, Aislyra took the initiative.
With a powerful leap, she closed the distance in the blink of an eye.
In one swift motion, she swung her broadsword straight for the beast's neck—
Going for the kill.
But—
The Over Wolf howled once more, summoning a thick wall of earth in front of itself.
Aislyra's blade cut through it with ease, but—
That split-second delay was enough.
The beast summoned a massive pillar of rock, striking Aislyra square in the stomach and sending her flying backward.
THUD!
She landed hard, a thin trickle of blood running down her lip.
But—
Before Lucas could even think about checking on her.
Aislyra wiped the blood away with her arm, her expression unchanged.
If anything—
Her grin widened.
"You're starting to get annoying."
Her voice darkened.
"I think it's time to end this."
Aislyra raised her massive broadsword to the sky.
A chilling wind surged around her.
Her eyes glowed with fierce determination, and then—
She shouted with all her strength:
"ICEBERG SWORD—ENHANCEMENT!!!"
Instantly—
An enormous mass of ice engulfed her weapon, rapidly expanding in size.
Lucas's jaw dropped.
Within seconds, her broadsword had grown to nearly seven meters in height and two meters in width, its entire surface shimmering with frost.
Then—
She swung.
And with a single, devastating strike, the Over Wolf was cleaved clean in half.
The impact carved a massive, seven-meter-long gash into the ground, a trail of icy destruction stretching out in front of her.
Aislyra exhaled sharply, resting her sword against her shoulder.
Then she turned to Lucas, flashing a victorious smirk.
"Fantastic, isn't it?" Aislyra said, satisfaction clear in her voice.
Lucas, buzzing with curiosity and excitement, immediately fired off a barrage of questions:
"Yes! But what was that beast? Why did it have wings? And that spell you used at the end—what was it? That was amazing!"
Aislyra, caught off guard by the flood of questions, raised a hand to calm him down.
"I'll answer everything, but one question at a time! So please, take a breath!"
Lucas, realizing he had gotten a bit carried away, looked down, his cheeks heating up slightly.
"Sorry… I overreacted. But your fight against that Over Beast was seriously incredible."
Aislyra's face turned slightly red, but she quickly brushed it off.
"Don't worry, I'm glad you enjoyed my hunt. How about I answer your questions while we eat? Katerina packed us lunch, after all."
Lucas perked up at the idea. "Yeah, that sounds great."
"Good. But before that, let's head back inside the barrier."
Lucas nodded, and the two walked back toward the protective zone, passing through its invisible threshold.
Inside the picnic basket, Katerina had even packed a classic checkered blanket.
Not wanting to eat on the scorched earth, they found a comfortable patch of grass within the forest, spread out the blanket, and sat down.
The meal consisted of neatly prepared sandwiches, filled with fresh ingredients Lucas couldn't quite recognize but smelled delicious.
As they unwrapped their food, Aislyra turned to him.
"So, your first question was about the beast that attacked us, right?"
Lucas nodded eagerly. "Yeah."
Aislyra nodded. "As you probably guessed, that was another type of Over Beast—similar to the one you defeated."
Lucas's eyes widened slightly. "Wait… so they were the same species?"
"Exactly. Both were wolf-type Over Beasts, and both had an affinity for earth magic."
Lucas blinked in realization. "Wait… so animals have different magical affinities too? Just like people?"
"Exactly. But normally, their mana levels are so low that they can't actually use magic."
Aislyra took a small bite of her sandwich before elaborating.
"However, if an animal absorbs too much mana, it becomes an Over Beast. And that's when its magical affinity starts influencing its physical appearance."
Lucas thought back to the wolf he had fought.
"Ah… so that's why the one I faced had those giant earth crystals growing on its back."
"Precisely," Aislyra confirmed. "And as you saw, they don't just look different. They also gain the ability to use the magic they're aligned with."
Then her expression turned more serious.
"But if an Over Beast survives long enough, it can even learn Derivative Magic."
Lucas froze mid-bite.
"We call these creatures 'Superior Over Beasts.' They're vastly more powerful than what you or I fought today."
Lucas swallowed hard, suddenly much less enthusiastic about meeting one of those.
"But even though that flying wolf wasn't a Superior Over Beast, it was still far stronger than a normal one."
Her fist clenched slightly.
"That's because it was an irregularity—caused by Artema's corrupted mana leaking from the seal in the ground."
Lucas's expression darkened. "So… even now, Artema is still a problem."
"Exactly," Aislyra confirmed, wiping her mouth with a cloth.
"Every so often, a creature absorbs some of that mana. It rarely happens, but when it does, the results are… unnatural."
Her gaze sharpened.
"That Over Beast grew wings because its body mutated after being exposed to Artema's mana. These kinds of mutants are always far stronger than normal Over Beasts, making them much harder to deal with."
Lucas exhaled slowly, finishing off his sandwich.
"…So that's just another reason why we need to eliminate Artema."
Aislyra nodded firmly. "Exactly."
Then, her expression lightened.
"Now, onto your second question."
The stars returned to Lucas's eyes as he nodded way too enthusiastically.
Aislyra blinked in mild shock at the intensity of his interest, but then—
She smirked proudly.
"What I used to finish off that mutant Over Wolf was one of my strongest spells. But I can only use it with this."
She reached for her broadsword—
And held it out for Lucas to see.
"This is my partner in battle—'Ice Burn.'"
Lucas's eyes darted over the weapon. It looked like a standard broadsword at first glance, but upon closer inspection—
The faint shimmer of residual ice magic still lingered on its surface.
"I don't think Katerina's told you about magical artifacts yet, so I'll explain."
Aislyra placed the sword across her lap and continued, "Magical artifacts are weapons or items that, after being used repeatedly with magic, gain abilities related to that magic. They aren't created overnight—it takes years, sometimes decades, for a weapon to absorb enough mana to evolve."
Lucas's curiosity deepened. "So Ice Burn became a magic artifact because you kept using ice magic with it?"
"Exactly." Aislyra nodded. "This blade grew into what it is today. Every cut I've made with it, every fight I've fought, it absorbed my magic over time. Now, every slash automatically freezes what it touches."
Lucas stared at the weapon in awe.
Aislyra then added,
"And that spell I used earlier? The reason I can only cast it with Ice Burn is because no normal sword can withstand the extreme temperatures it creates."
Aislyra let out a deep sigh before saying, "Well, that should cover all your questions about Over Beasts and my magic. Anything else you'd like to ask?"
Lucas, feeling satisfied with the knowledge he had gained, shook his head. "No, that's enough for now. Thanks for explaining everything."
Aislyra placed a hand over her chest and smiled. "Don't mention it, Your Majesty. Answering your questions is just one of the responsibilities my sister left to me."
Lucas returned her smile, appreciating her dedication.
After finishing their meal, the two spent another couple of hours patrolling the forest in search of more Over Beasts. To Lucas' immense relief, they didn't encounter any.
"Ugh, we've been out here too long. If we stay any longer, we risk running into some Rangers on patrol," Aislyra muttered.
"Come on, Your Majesty, it's time to head back."
Lucas barely held back a sigh of relief. He had no desire to fight another Over Beast—one was more than enough for today.
However, not wanting to seem too eager, he simply replied, "Okay."
With that, they returned to the teleportation circle and were instantly transported back to the palace.
When they arrived at Lucas' chamber, Katerina was already waiting for them at the door.
"Good evening, Mr. Lucas, Lady Aislyra," she greeted in her usual composed tone.
"How did the hunt go?"
"Pretty well," Aislyra said, crossing her arms.
"Her Majesty managed to take down a Earth Over Wolf by himself—at least tree meter long. Not bad for a first hunt. Then we ran into a mutant version with wings, so I had to step in and take care of that one." She sighed. "Unfortunately, we didn't run into any other Over Beasts."
Katerina's ears twitched slightly, and she gave a small nod before replying, "Don't be discouraged, Lady Aislyra. There will be plenty of opportunities for Her Majesty to face more Over Beasts in the future. Besides, if only two were found today, it means the Rangers are doing their job well."
Then, turning to Lucas, she added with an approving smile, "You did well, Mr. Lucas. Normally, it would take a team of at least five well-trained Rangers to bring down an Over Wolf of that size. Defeating one alone is an impressive feat."
Lucas rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, feeling a little embarrassed. "Thanks… I guess my training really is paying off."
With that, Lucas and Katerina began to enter the chamber, while Aislyra lingered outside to take her position as night guard.
However, Katerina stopped in the doorway and turned to her. "Lady Aislyra, I think it would be best if you retired to your own room for the night."
Aislyra's brows furrowed. "What? No, I—"
Katerina cut her off smoothly, her voice calm but firm. "You haven't slept in two whole days, Lady Aislyra. With Her Majesty's public appearances beginning tomorrow, there is a high chance that the Silent Gate assassin will attempt another attack. Her official bodyguard should be in peak condition when that happens. Leave the night watch to me."
Aislyra opened her mouth to argue, but the moment she looked into Katerina's half-lidded eyes, she knew—there was no room for debate.
With a reluctant sigh, she muttered, "Fine… but if anything happens, wake me immediately."
"Of course," Katerina replied with a slight bow.
With that, Aislyra headed toward her personal chamber, leaving only Lucas and Katerina in the room.
The first to break the silence was Katerina.
"Mr. Lucas, I assume you must be exhausted after today's lessons."
Lucas let out a tired chuckle. "You assume correctly."
"Then I will stand guard outside your door tonight. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."
Lucas sighed in relief. "Thanks, Katerina. To be honest, I could really use some time alone to unwind."
Katerina nodded, but as she turned to leave, she suddenly leaned in close—too close—and whispered into his ear,
"And if you want to… explore your new body, I suggest you take advantage of this evening. I'm not as strict as Lady Aislyra."
Then, without another word, she gracefully exited the room, leaving Lucas' face as red as a pepper.
For a moment, he just stood there, frozen.
Then, slowly, he turned to the mirror across the room.
Had the time finally come… to fully explore the body he would be living in for the rest of his life?