Jin sprinted towards the source of the cry, his heart pounding against his ribs. He didn't know Yuna well yet, but she was one of the few people he could trust—maybe not as much as Zegion, but enough. The mere thought of her in danger spurred his legs forward, but the moment he reached the riverbank, his body froze.
Terror gripped him.
A Wildrush Boar.
It shouldn't be here. Not this close to the outskirts.
The hulking beast barreled forward, a blur of muscle and fury, its tusks gleaming in the dappled sunlight as it charged straight at Yuna. She barely had time to react. Raising her right hand, she cast a water ball, the size of a clenched fist, and hurled it at the boar's eyes. The liquid splashed against its vision, momentarily blinding it—but it wasn't enough.
Wildrush Boars never stop once they begin their charge.
The beast veered slightly, but its bulk still clipped Yuna's side. The force of impact sent her tumbling across the rocky riverbank, sharp stones cutting into her skin as she landed with a choked gasp. Jin could only stare, his body locked in fear. His mind screamed at him to move, to do something, but his limbs were stone.
Then he saw Yuna struggling to get up, her left arm hanging limp, blood dripping from her temple.
His paralysis shattered.
This wasn't the time to be afraid. He had seen too many suffer, too many die helplessly. He would not stand still and watch again.
His eyes burned with something new, something fierce, and without hesitation, he ran straight at the boar—barehanded.
The beast shook off its temporary disorientation and set its sights on Yuna once more. Its muscles tensed, preparing another rush. But Jin was already moving. His body felt lighter, stronger. Each step hit the ground with precision and power. He didn't understand what was happening, only that his instincts screamed at him to strike.
He punched.
His fist slammed into the boar's stomach, and for a fleeting moment, he thought he had done something. But then pain exploded in his chest as the boar's hind legs lashed out, sending him flying backward. He crashed onto the ground beside Yuna, the impact stealing the air from his lungs.
He gasped, coughing. His hands trembled. His arms ached. But there was no time for pain.
The boar was already preparing another charge.
Jin forced himself up, his body screaming in protest. Yuna was barely able to stand, but her eyes still burned with determination. She wouldn't give up. Neither would he.
The boar's presence here… it meant something had changed in Vichitra Vana. The balance of power had shifted, and whatever had driven this beast out of its usual habitat spelled trouble.
Jin clenched his fists. He felt… something coursing through him. His body glowed faintly, a dim white hue wrapping around his skin. He didn't know what it was, but he understood instinctively—it wasn't mana. It was something else.
For a brief second, he thought he could channel fire magic through this newfound strength. He focused, willed the flames to form in his palm.
Nothing happened.
The glow around him flickered and faded.
His breath hitched. Fear crawled back in. What is this? Why can't I use magic?
A deafening snort yanked him back to reality. The boar was charging again, its eyes burning with rage.
"Yuna, run!" Jin shouted.
But there was nowhere to run. And Yuna… she could barely move.
Jin gritted his teeth. If he ran, Yuna would die. If he stayed, they both might. But if he ran—if he abandoned her—he'd never be able to face Zegion again.
His resolve hardened.
The white glow surged around his body again, brighter this time. He didn't understand it, but he didn't need to. What mattered was that he fought.
The boar lunged, and Jin reacted. He dodged by a hair's breadth, but the sheer force of the beast's body sent him stumbling, knocking him against Yuna. They collapsed together, breathless and battered.
Jin pushed himself up, his vision swimming. The boar was relentless, its fury now fully locked onto them.
Then, a voice.
"Step aside, Jin."
His body moved before he could think, shifting out of the way just in time to see ten boiling water spheres materializing in Yuna's outstretched hand. Vapors curled from their surface, heat rippling through the air.
She released them all at once.
The boiling orbs struck true, splashing against the boar's face, its eyes. A shriek of pain tore through the forest as steam billowed from the impact. The monster flailed, its rampage turning desperate, blind fury fueling its next charge.
Jin stood his ground, refusing to look away.
The boar rushed. Yuna closed her eyes.
A deafening impact.
Then… silence.
Jin cracked his eyes open. The boar lay still.
A massive shadow loomed over it.
Jin's breath hitched as he looked up, his heart hammering against his ribs. A towering Titan Gaja stood before them, its presence overwhelming. The sheer size of the creature, its unyielding stone-like hide, made the very air around it feel heavier. This was no ordinary beast. This was a guardian of Vichitra Vana.
At least fifteen feet tall, this one was still young—an adolescent. But even so, its defense was legendary, its kind said to be able to withstand even the mightiest of spells.
The Titan Gaja had killed the boar with a single rock.
Jin swayed. The exhaustion, the pain, the sheer disbelief was too much.
His body collapsed before he could even process what he had just witnessed.