"How is Kanoru? Is he ready?" a woman asked as she sipped her tea, her sharp eyes narrowed in curiosity.
Across from her, Gu Mingzhu, elegantly holding her own cup, took a leisurely sip before replying,
"He said he's ready."
Her gaze remained on her tea, not bothering to meet the woman's eyes.
The woman's sharp gaze remained fixed on Gu Mingzhu as she pressed further,
"What are his chances of winning first place?"
Her tone was firm, demanding a direct answer.
Without looking up, Gu Mingzhu replied evenly,
"Mother, how could I possibly know that?"
She casually picked up a cookie, taking a delicate bite.
Her mother's brows furrowed slightly, her voice carrying a note of disapproval,
"You didn't ask him?"
Gu Mingzhu's lips curved into a faint smile as she shook her head.
"I did ask," she said, setting her cookie down.
"He told me he can't guarantee anything if the other participants are all like Lu Yue and Wen Yu."
She had asked Kanoru four days ago, shortly after he had emerged from his room following his one-day isolation.
At first, she had been worried—both Asuna and Kanoru had shut themselves away, not emerging for an entire day.
Her concern deepened when her uncle left to survey Kanoru's fief, leaving her with no one to consult.
Fortunately, Asuna had emerged first, roughly 12 hours before Kanoru, and revealed the reason for their seclusion:
She had consumed a snake fruit.
The fruit's powerful refining effects forced her into isolation as it transformed her body.
When Kanoru finally came out, they had shared breakfast at this very table.
It was during that meal that she questioned him about his chances at the royal hunt.
His calm, measured response was the same one she had just repeated to her mother.
Her mother's eyes narrowed slightly, her voice contemplative.
"I still can't fathom how they're able to comprehend the nature of an element at such a young age."
Her expression grew distant, her thoughts drifting to her own youth.
Sensing the nostalgia in her mother's voice, Gu Mingzhu turned her full attention to her.
"In your time, there weren't people under twenty who could grasp the nature of an element."
Her mother shook her head slowly, eyes distant with remembrance.
"No... there were."
She paused thoughtfully, her voice lowering.
"Just not in such large numbers."
In her youth, when she was her daughter's age, she had personally known only three people capable of understanding the nature of an element.
One of them had been her deceased husband.
She had heard of others, but even accounting for the Ming Empire, the Desert Kingdom, and the surrounding regions, there had been no more than five under twenty with such an achievement.
But now, in the Desert Kingdom alone, five individuals under twenty had mastered the nature of an element.
And that was without counting Kanoru or the prince and princess's spouses, who were also prodigies in their own right.
In the capital, she had learned of fourteen individuals who could wield the nature of an element.
This news had been hidden at first, but once Lu Yue displayed his comprehension during the competition, others—including Kanoru and Wen Yu—had followed suit.
More participants, eager to prove themselves, had revealed their own elemental mastery.
However, of the fourteen, only eight would participate in the royal hunt.
Gu Mingzhu set her teacup down, her eyes glimmering with curiosity and amusement.
"Maybe our generation is experiencing a blowout of talent."
Her mother nodded slowly, still deep in thought.
"Hmm…" she murmured absently, her fingers idly toying with her food as her mind drifted elsewhere.
Meanwhile, in the training field…
Outside, in the training field by the palace, Kanoru's sword clashed against an oncoming strike.
His blade trembled slightly under the force, but he held firm, deflecting the blow.
From a distance, no one would have guessed that the two figures exchanging strikes were Kanoru and Asuna.
And even fewer would believe that Kanoru was losing.
After consuming the snake fruit, Asuna advanced to the middle-rank samurai realm within two days.
Her strength and speed had increased drastically.
Now, as they sparred, Kanoru fought without opening his gates, while Asuna had opened all four.
Her strength and speed were roughly eight times his.
Despite the overwhelming disadvantage, Kanoru held his ground, relying on his superior swordsmanship.
His mastery of technique allowed him to predict Asuna's attacks through her body movements alone.
But the pressure was relentless.
Asuna's speed and power made it impossible for him to go on the offensive.
He was forced to defend, his blade working overtime to parry and block.
Cuts and nicks appeared on his body, but they were superficial.
They were using normal swords, and thanks to the snake fruit's refinement, Kanoru's skin was now as tough as rhinoceros hide.
Even when Asuna didn't hold back, the blade could barely break his skin.
Had she restrained herself, her sword wouldn't have been able to cut him at all.
Despite the one-sided battle, Kanoru remained focused.
He was enduring this pressure deliberately—fighting at a disadvantage to hone his skills.
Every time he mastered a new sword style, his combat strength increased, giving him an edge in the upcoming royal hunt.
Asuna's fierce strikes continued to rain down, and Kanoru's blade met them each time.
Though he knew where she would strike, her raw speed and strength made it nearly impossible to block them all.
Still, he fought with complete concentration, his eyes sharp, his body moving fluidly despite the cuts.
Even as Asuna's sword flashed relentlessly, he felt himself growing sharper, more precise with every exchange.
His focus was unshaken, his determination unwavering.
The next day, at dawn, the streets of Yulansar were already bustling with carriages and people, all moving in the same direction—toward the northwest, where the vast lake lay.
From one of the carriages, Kanoru stepped out, his eyes briefly scanning the crowd.
Behind him, Asuna and Gu Mingzhu emerged, both dressed in light, practical attire for the upcoming hunt.
From the carriage behind them, Gu Mingzhu's mother and Fu Qinzhu disembarked.
Without a word, the group walked together toward the lakeside, joining the gathering participants and nobles, all waiting for the royal hunt to commence.
A few minutes later, a large, ornate carriage rolled to a stop.
The crowd hushed as the King emerged, stepping out alone, his robes adorned with golden embroidery.
He waved warmly to his people, nodding politely to the nobles, and then made his way to a sleek boat docked by the lake.
Once the King boarded his vessel, the rest of the participants, their retinues, and several nobles began boarding their respective boats, preparing to sail toward the island at the lake's center.
The boat carrying Kanoru's group was large and elegant, with two floors.
They were seated on the upper deck, where the view of the lake was breathtaking.
Kanoru stood by the railing, gazing out at the scenery.
The lake's surface glimmered under the morning sun, reflecting the cloudless sky.
In the distance, he could see the faint outline of a hill, rising in the center of the lake—the island where the royal hunt would take place.
He had learned that the island was more than just a hill.
Beneath it lay a vast underground forest, hidden from view.
To reach it, they would need to enter a tunnel that cut through the hill and descend into the forest, which stretched far beneath the lake itself.
As he admired the landscape, he heard Gu Mingzhu's mother speaking from behind him, her voice gentle but firm.
"Kanoru, remember: do not enter any paths that lead down to the lower floor of the underground forest."
Kanoru turned slightly, meeting her eyes, and nodded obediently.
"Yes."
The underground forest had two floors—the upper floor where the royal hunt would take place, and the lower floor, which was strictly off-limits.
That lower floor was the domain of the Spirit Fox Clan, a reclusive and dangerous force.
Nearby, Fu Qinzhu added in his calm, instructive tone,
"Kanoru, don't focus solely on the Five-Elemental Spirit Herb.
Take every spiritual herb and fruit you come across.
Even if you fail to obtain the Five-Elemental Spirit Herb, you'll be able to keep 30% of whatever you collect during the hunt."
Kanoru nodded silently, absorbing their advice without speaking, his eyes returning to the lake.
He listened to their discussion quietly, only offering the occasional nod of acknowledgment.
When their boat finally docked at the island, Kanoru and the other participants disembarked.
After a brief round of introductions and a speech from the King, they were led toward the tunnel entrance.
Kanoru walked in silence as they descended into the tunnel, the air growing cooler with each step.
After several minutes, the tunnel opened up into the underground forest.
The scene before him was surreal.
The entire forest was illuminated by glowing white crystals embedded in the ceiling, casting a soft, ethereal light.
A thick white fog lingered over the ground, giving the forest a mystical, dreamlike quality.
Kanoru glanced at the other participants, gauging their reactions.
The eldest prince suddenly stepped forward, his voice booming with confidence,
"Everyone, let's enter and see who gets lucky in the end!"
The fourth princess smirked playfully, her eyes flashing with determination.
"Brother, I don't need luck.
I'm going to be the next queen."
With that, she vanished in a blur, dashing into the forest with incredible speed.
The other participants immediately rushed in after her, eager to claim their prize.
But Kanoru didn't run.
Instead, he walked calmly, his eyes scanning the surroundings carefully.
Unlike the others, he wasn't obsessed with the Five-Elemental Spirit Herb.
He knew the chances of obtaining it were slim, and he wasn't about to waste the opportunity by chasing after a single treasure.
Instead, he focused on his surroundings, keeping an eye out for other spiritual herbs that might be just as valuable.
Even if he failed to obtain the coveted herb, he was determined to leave the forest with something worthwhile.
Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks, his hand flashing to his sword.
Without turning, he swung his blade backward.
A sharp clang rang out as his sword clashed against claws, blocking the ambush.
Using the recoil from the collision, Kanoru spun around swiftly, his eyes landing on his attacker—a white-furred leopard with blue spots.
The beast's pupil-less eyes gleamed with malice.
Kanoru's gaze narrowed slightly.
From the force of the collision, he could immediately tell:
It was a middle-ranked demon beast.
The leopard lunged again, its claws swiping at his throat.
Without hesitation, Kanoru opened all his gates, his body surging with raw power.
As the leopard closed in, Kanoru swung his sword in a single, fluid motion.
His blade gleamed with elemental energy, slashing with impossible precision.
The strike cut clean through the beast's side, slicing from its breast to its flank in one seamless motion.
Kanoru exhaled slowly, lowering his sword.
He had used Nature-Cut in the attack—the essence of the blade slicing effortlessly through the demon's tough hide.
He hadn't wasted time with a prolonged battle.
The leopard was strong, but he was stronger.
Without delay, Kanoru knelt beside the carcass, his fingers swiftly extracting the demon core from the beast's chest.
He wiped the blood off his blade and stood.
But as he rose to his feet, his eyes narrowed in confusion.
The forest around him began to shift.
The trees, ground, and fog started to pixelate, as though the scenery were breaking apart.
In an instant, everything turned black.
When the light returned, Kanoru blinked, momentarily disoriented.
He was no longer in the underground forest.
He glanced around, his hand instinctively gripping his sword.
But the forest was gone.
Instead, he found himself standing in an unfamiliar place, his surroundings bathed in eerie light.
And he knew, without a doubt—
This was no longer the royal hunt.