Something burst out from deep within the bushes.

  For an instant, I thought it was a wolf.

  But—no.

  It wasn’t a wolf anymore.

  Its skin was torn. Its eyes were bloodshot.

  Dark stains of mana, like black blotches, spread across its body.

  「Whoa—what is that thing!?」

  Nael’s shout echoed through the fog.

  He moved instantly.

  Snatching a staff from Nael’s hands, he leapt between us and the creature.

  「Get back!」

  I stepped back on reflex and began gathering mana in both hands.

  There was a large rock nearby.

  Without a catalyst, I couldn’t use proper magic.

  But—

  I could still pour mana into something and give it physical force.

  He was already charging toward the first beast.

  The raised staff slammed deep into the creature’s twisted torso.

  A dull impact.

  Then its body crumpled, collapsing in on itself.

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  The first one melted into the ground, dissolving into a mass of blackened mana.

  —And in that same instant, another shadow leapt.

  Another beast.

  And this one—

  it charged straight toward me.

  As I focused mana into the rock, I caught sight of him turning back, running toward me.

  He tried desperately to get between us.

  But—he didn’t make it.

  His body intercepted the beast’s charge right in front of me.

  At that moment, the flow of mana inside me stopped.

  I felt nothing.

  The mana… was gone.

  No.

  Not here.

  It was him.

  His presence was blocking my mana.

  The next instant—impact.

  His body took the full force of the attack and was thrown back toward me.

  I was knocked over, slammed into the ground.

  I couldn’t breathe.

  I couldn’t think.

  I shoved him away with everything I had.

  Not because I wanted to.

  —but because we had to survive.

  I forced myself up and ran.

  To put distance between us.

  To feel the mana again.

  The beast chased after me.

  Run.

  Just run.

  At last, I escaped his “blank.”

  I turned around.

  At my feet lay a thick, broken branch.

  It wasn’t elegant.

  But—it was enough.

  I poured mana into it.

  The branch trembled.

  The beast leapt.

  I threw it with all my strength.

  Impact.

  With a thunderous crash, the beast was smashed into the ground.

  A shriek.

  Then it dissolved, melting away into blackened mana.

  I stood there, frozen.

  My hands were shaking.

  The sensation of throwing the branch—

  of defeating the beast—

  all of it felt distant.

  The only thing that felt real was the sound of my own heartbeat, loud in my ears.

  Through the fog, I heard someone running.

  It was Nael.

  He—Ren—was down on one knee, one hand pressed against his side.

  He stayed upright, breathing heavily, forcing himself to stand.

  I took one step toward them.

  Then another.

  Clenching my trembling hands tight.

  —He’s alive.

  At least that much was certain.

  But it wasn’t only that.

  From that moment—

  from this morning—

  Something in the world had begun to change.

  Quietly.

  But unmistakably.

  I didn’t know yet what that “something” was.

  But deep in my chest,

  I could feel it clearly.