Chapter 14: Holy Light Strike

Chapter 14: Chapter 14: Holy Light Strike

The days of training were monotonous, and six days passed by in a flash.

The afterglow of the sunset dyed the sky at the edge of the Woodland an orange-red.

Just like the past few days, Hesia, Bruce, and Isha stopped at their usual parting spot.

"Hesia, I... I’m leaving tomorrow." Isha’s voice was softer than usual. She kicked at a pebble by her feet, her gaze fixed on the tips of her boots. "It’s a shame that in the end, I still couldn’t teach Thun..."

As an Earth Bear, Thun’s talent was unquestionable. Isha had taught with all her heart, and Thun had studied with incredible diligence.

But cross-species Profession training was clearly not a miracle that could be accomplished in just a few days.

Every time Thun gathered his Power, he could only summon a faint, earthy-yellow glow in his palm, always falling just short of that condensed white light.

"It’s alright, Isha." Hesia’s tone was sincere. "You’ve already helped me immensely. You’ve worked so hard these past few days, and during your rare vacation, no less."

Isha looked up and shook her head. A lock of golden hair, tousled by the wind, brushed against her cheek.

"No, these past few days... have been really interesting."

She felt that the short six days had been very fulfilling.

"Who would have thought I’d end up being a Knight instructor for an Earth Bear?" A hint of a smile appeared in her eyes. "Besides, Thun is really adorable."

She paused, her tone turning serious again. "Although he hasn’t learned Holy Light Strike yet, I can feel that the Power within him is being guided by his conviction. I think... it’s just a matter of time. He will definitely succeed."

A silence fell between them.

Isha understood that this might be their final farewell.

After tomorrow, the bells of Saint Vinnica would replace the birdsong of Print.

"So... in that case, will we... in the future..."

His heart suddenly thumped.

Looking into Isha’s eyes, which were filled with both unease and expectation, Hesia interrupted her hesitation almost without thinking.

"See you in Saint Vinnica."

Isha snapped her head up, her beautiful eyes instantly widening.

’A promise...’

Compared to an empty "take care," or a sorrowful "safe travels"...

...this was perhaps what could truly warm the heart of a young woman about to travel far away.

A blush quietly crept onto her cheeks, but this time, Isha didn’t shy away from Hesia’s gaze.

A brilliant smile blossomed on her face.

"Mhm!" She nodded emphatically, a smile touching the corners of her eyes. "It’s a deal, then. See you in Saint Vinnica!"

"It’s a promise."

"Well then... I’m going."

Isha turned, her steps much lighter than before.

She took a few steps, then turned back and waved at Bruce. "Almost forgot! Goodbye, Bruce~ You be good, okay!"

Hesia stood where he was, watching her figure disappear at the end of the path.

"WOOF!"

Bruce wagged his tail in response to Isha.

"Hesia, I think that Isha girl is really nice. She even said hi to me. Let’s go find her soon."

"When are we going to find her?"

"Hesia?"

However, Hesia didn’t respond to Bruce. His gaze was fixed on the line of faint golden system text at the edge of his vision, and he was slightly dazed.

[Blushing Trait]: You seem to blush more easily than the average person. When feeling shy, nervous, or embarrassed, your face heats up faster, making you more prone to flushing.

Hesia was speechless.

He hadn’t really been able to help much these past few days. In order to win the favor of Isha and Thun, and also to create a relatively quiet training environment for them, he and Bruce, one man and his dog, had worked themselves to the bone chasing away those damned Blood Mosquitoes in the woods.

And after toiling away for a full six days, all he managed to extract from Isha was this weird trait.

In addition, by killing an especially large Blood Mosquito, he had obtained his first-ever trait from a kill.

It was just that he had even less of an idea what to make of this trait.

[Mosquito Swarm Leader]: Pay a little "Blood Tax," and you’re the boss of the mosquitoes! Make them bite who you want, make them fly where you want!

Hesia looked at the two traits and felt like he’d chased away all those mosquitoes for nothing.

"Hesia? Hesia? What are you spacing out for?"

Seeing Hesia staring blankly into the air, Bruce was about to jump up to get his attention.

Suddenly, he froze, his nose twitched sharply, and a threatening growl rumbled in his throat. The fur on his back stood on end instantly.

He had caught a strange scent.

Hesia immediately snapped out of it, instantly on alert.

Seeing Bruce’s reaction, he immediately understood that danger was approaching.

From the shadows of a nearby thicket, a figure that seemed to blend into the night emerged silently.

As an Infiltrator, Jared had plenty of patience. He had been waiting here for a while, and only after confirming that the powerful Female Knight was long gone did he slowly approach his prey.

’This kid is still alive? Did he not drink that vial of Dream-Weaving Spider extract?’

He had to kill this kid—the culprit who had caused the separation between him and the mistress he was obsessed with!

Just as he was steadying his breath, preparing to launch a fatal strike...

...he saw Hesia before him... whose face suddenly flushed bright red.

The blush spread across his cheeks, even tingeing the tips of his ears pink.

Jared’s movements faltered, and a trace of hesitation appeared.

’What’s going on?’ Alarm bells screamed in Jared’s mind. ’A Professional?! Some kind of unknown burst skill?!’

In that split second, Hesia issued a command to Bruce:

"Hellhound, Flame Breath."

Jared: "???"

Hellhound?

That’s clearly just a mutt!

Jared was stunned by the sudden command.

Bruce understood immediately and said in a deep voice, "Yes, Master."

He reared up on his hind legs, a "RUMBLE RUMBLE" roar that mimicked the blast of a flamethrower erupting from his throat, while simultaneously whipping his head dramatically in Jared’s direction.

"WOOF! ROAR—!"

To his horror, Jared realized the dog had actually spoken. Only high-level Demons could master Spiritual Resonance.

Fear seized Jared in an instant!

He retreated backward almost instinctively.

By the time he steadied himself, his heart still pounding, and took a closer look—

—there was no Hellhound! There was no flame!

The man and his dog had already used that precious moment to dash headlong into the depths of the Woodland, leaving behind only two blurry, retreating figures.

Jared instantly realized it—he’d been tricked!

"Dammit!"

He cursed under his breath, his figure blurring into an afterimage as he gave chase.

As an experienced Infiltrator, Jared’s speed far surpassed Hesia’s. The distance between them was closing rapidly!

Hesia felt like his lungs were about to explode. The murderous gust of wind at his back was getting closer and closer.

Suddenly, all the hairs on Hesia’s body stood on end.

The footsteps behind him had vanished!

’Shadow Step?’

Almost instinctively, he turned his head, and a dagger glinting with cold light stabbed toward his neck.

’I’m going to die!’

"THUD—!"

A dull, heavy thud.

An earthen wall appeared out of thin air, blocking the dagger’s strike.

The dagger sank into the earthen wall with a harsh, scraping sound.

Shattered rocks and dirt scraped painfully against Hesia’s cheek.

He hadn’t even had time to register what had happened.

An earthy-yellow figure charged in front of him, shielding him protectively.

It was Thun!

It roared in fury, its enormous bear paw raised high.

This time, the light gathering in its palm was no longer a faint, earthy-yellow glow.

But a condensed ball of white light.

Holy Light Strike!

"Don’t! Hurt! Hesia!!!"