Derek froze, his heart hammering as his eyes locked on the creature before him. It was at least a C-class magical beast.

'Impossible,' he thought, tightening his grip on his sword. 'There shouldn't be anything above D-class here. What the hell is this thing doing in this forest?'

But there was no time to wonder. The girl would die within seconds if he hesitated.

The bear roared — a thunderous, earth-shaking sound that rattled Derek's bones. He lunged forward, feet skimming across the dirt, sword raised high. His blade whistled through the air and struck the beast's arm with full force...

Clang!

The sword bounced off like it had hit solid steel.

The bear barely flinched. Its clawed paw swung sideways in a blur, forcing Derek to roll away, narrowly avoiding being bisected. He came up breathing hard, dust streaking his face.

He wasn't surprised. A C-class beast was at least two full levels above him. His E-class body couldn't hope to pierce its hide. But retreat wasn't an option. He had to buy time — just enough for Henry and Art to return with help.

The bear charged again, the ground trembling under its colossal weight. Derek sprinted to the side, using the trees as cover. Its claws carved through trunks like paper, sending splinters flying.

Boom!

The beast smashed into a boulder; shards of stone exploded outward. Derek used the opening, darting in and slashing at its leg joints — not to injure, but to slow it down. The blade screeched uselessly, leaving a faint white mark before the monster swiped again.

Whoosh!

A paw tore through the air just inches from his face. The wind pressure alone nearly knocked him off balance. Derek slid under another swing, spinning on his heel and driving his sword into the creature's side with a grunt. Sparks flew, but still.... no damage.

"Dammit!" he hissed under his breath, leaping back as the bear's jaws snapped where he had been standing a heartbeat ago.

The beast was slow, but every blow it threw carried monstrous power. Even a glancing hit would crush bones. Derek's body moved on instinct — sidestep, duck, slash, retreat — each motion precise, fluid, almost mechanical.

The injured girl watched from behind a rock, eyes wide. She could barely comprehend what she was seeing. The boy fighting the bear wasn't winning, but his movements were terrifyingly sharp. There was no hesitation, no wasted motion. Each step and swing flowed with perfect rhythm.

'How.... How is he so strong! He seems to be only a cultivator.'

As Derek was busy fighting the creature, something happened.

The bear's growl deepened, its movements suddenly quicker. Much quicker.

Derek barely reacted in time as a claw sliced past his ribs, cutting the fiber of his uniform open. He staggered back, eyes wide.

'What the hell? It suddenly got faster somehow!'

The next moment, the creature lunged again, and this time Derek couldn't dodge completely. Its paw grazed his shoulder, sending a shockwave through his body. Pain shot down his arm as he tumbled across the ground.

He pushed himself up, panting heavily, muscles trembling.

The bear let out another roar that rippled through the air like a physical force. Derek grit his teeth, channeling every ounce of internal energy into his limbs.

And then.....

He dashed forward, swinging his sword.

The sword struck at the eyes — the only weak point he could aim for. The blade sliced close, but the beast jerked its head, and the sword barely scratched its eyelid. The counterattack came instantly.

WHAM!

A paw slammed into Derek's chest, sending him flying backward. He crashed through a tree — it splintered in half with a deafening crack. His back hit the ground hard, and he coughed a mouthful of blood, the metallic taste filling his mouth.

The girl screamed, tears blurring her vision. "Run while you can! You'll die like us!"

She knew Derek was only here to help. And she didn't want someone else to die because of her.

Derek wiped the blood from his lips and pushed himself up with a shaky smile. "Don't worry. We're all getting out of here alive."

He charged again, even though his legs trembled. Backing down wasn't in his blood.

The bear swung its claws again and again. Derek's figure blurred between the strikes, dodging by a hair's breadth. He slashed, stabbed, rolled, and pivoted — his every move screamed defiance.

But the gap between them continued to grow.

The beast's speed continued to increase unnaturally. Derek could barely keep up now. His breathing grew ragged, and the sword in his hand felt heavier with each swing.

Finally — a paw connected squarely with his head.

CRACK!

His body shot through the air like a rag doll, smashing into another tree. The trunk shattered, leaves raining down as he slid to the ground.

"No!" the girl cried, voice cracking.

He barely heard her. His vision swam, everything spinning. Blood poured from a gash on his forehead. His limbs refused to move.

'So… this is it?' he thought hazily. 'No… not yet… I have to buy more time. Henry and Art will be here to help any minute now.'

He tried to rise again, using his sword as a crutch....

But then, suddenly, his body stopped mid-motion.

He wasn't falling anymore. He wasn't standing either.

It felt like an invisible force was pressing down on him, shackling his limbs.

His body began to hover a few inches above the ground, trapped in mid-air.

'What the....?'

Suddenly, he noticed something.

A figure standing a few meters behind the bear.

An instructor.

Smiling.

The man's expression wasn't one of shock or concern. It was amusement — dark, satisfied amusement.

He lifted his hand slightly, and the invisible force around Derek tightened like a vice. Derek gasped, pain shooting through his ribs. His sword slipped from his hand and clattered to the ground.

The instructor's voice came, calm and mocking. "You really shouldn't have interfered, boy. But since you're here… It's good actually. I got another body to test the core with."

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