The cold wind howled as Aurel sprinted across the tundra, his breath coming in sharp, ragged gasps. Every step was a struggle against the biting cold, the snow crunching beneath his boots as he pushed himself harder than he ever had before. The landscape around him blurred—a seemingly endless sea of white stretching out in all directions, jagged ice formations cutting through the sky like frozen daggers. But none of that mattered.
He could feel it. Yujiro Lang had caught his scent.
His heart pounded in his chest, the adrenaline surging through his veins as his mind raced. Yujiro was strong—far stronger than anyone Aurel had faced before. The fact that he had sniffed Aurel out so easily was proof enough of that. Divine Beast Transformation wasn't just a title. It made Yujiro a predator, his senses heightened, his instincts sharper, his aggression unchecked.
Aurel's only chance was to keep running. To get as far away as possible before Yujiro could track him down. He didn't stand a chance in a direct confrontation—not yet.
The cold was relentless, each breath burning in his lungs as he ran, the wind biting at his face and seeping through his clothes. His vision narrowed, focused only on the horizon, his feet moving on pure instinct. His body screamed for rest, for warmth, but he couldn't stop. Not now. Not with Yujiro on his trail.
He pressed on, ignoring the growing ache in his muscles, the way his legs felt like lead with every step. He had no idea how long he'd been running—it could've been minutes, or it could've been hours. Time had lost all meaning in this frozen wasteland. The only thing that mattered was distance.
Suddenly, his legs gave out. His knees buckled, and he stumbled forward, barely managing to catch himself before collapsing into the snow. His vision blurred, the world tilting dangerously as exhaustion hit him like a sledgehammer. He had pushed himself too far.
Through his fading vision, Aurel spotted a small cave nestled between two massive ice formations, its mouth hidden by a ridge of snow. Without thinking, he forced himself to his feet, staggering toward the cave. He had to get out of the open. Had to hide.
The cave was small, barely large enough to fit him, but it would do. He collapsed inside, the stone floor rough beneath him as he leaned against the icy wall, his chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath.
He couldn't go any further.
His body screamed in protest, the fatigue overwhelming him as he slumped against the wall. His muscles burned, his vision darkening at the edges. Every part of him ached with exhaustion, his limbs heavy and unresponsive. He had never felt so drained, so completely out of energy.
As the world faded around him, a small notification blinked into view, the faint glow of his ability tracker the only light in the darkness.
New Trait Acquired: Enhanced Endurance
Aurel barely registered the words before his eyes slid shut, his body finally succumbing to the overwhelming fatigue.
Yujiro Lang stood atop a ridge of snow, his massive frame still as he stared out over the frozen expanse of the Frostbound Expanse. The wind howled around him, the icy air swirling through his long, dark hair, but he didn't seem to notice. His eyes, glowing with an almost unnatural intensity, were narrowed in concentration.
He could smell it. The scent was faint now, barely a trace in the cold wind, but it was unmistakable. Aurel.
Yujiro's lips curled into a snarl, his teeth bared in frustration. His nostrils flared, the scent pulling at his senses, making the beast within him stir. Aurel. That weakling who had humiliated him in front of everyone on the day of the Mana Vaccine. The memory of that day still burned in Yujiro's mind, a deep wound to his pride that had yet to heal.
His fists clenched, the muscles in his arms bulging with raw power. He had vowed to make Aurel pay for that humiliation, to crush him beneath his heel and show him what true strength was. But now… Now wasn't the time.
Yujiro's eyes flicked to the horizon, the faint scent of Aurel drifting away in the wind. As much as he wanted to chase him down, to hunt him like the prey he was, he had a mission here. The Ice Flower—the rare, mana-rich resource that only bloomed in the heart of this frozen Realm. It was his primary goal. His father had made it clear: acquiring the flower was more important than any personal vendetta.
He let out a low growl, his muscles twitching with barely restrained aggression. The beast within him wanted the chase, wanted to tear through the snow and sink its claws into Aurel's flesh. But Yujiro was not an idiot. The flower had to come first. He could always deal with Aurel later. The kid wouldn't last long in this Realm anyway. The cold would finish him off, or the creatures would.
But that didn't mean he would let Aurel slip away unnoticed.
Yujiro turned, his gaze locking onto the group of cultivators following him. They were bundled in thick furs, their expressions wary, but they followed him without question. They knew who he was. They knew better than to cross him.
"If any of you spot someone short with black hair, black eyes, and looks like a weakling," Yujiro growled, his voice carrying the weight of command, "report it to me immediately. His name is Aurel, and I've got unfinished business with him."
The group nodded quickly, none of them daring to question him. Yujiro's reputation was enough to ensure that. His aggressive nature, combined with his overwhelming power, made him a force few were willing to challenge.
Satisfied, Yujiro turned back toward the path ahead, his eyes narrowing as he focused on the task at hand. The Ice Flower was close—he could feel it. And once he had it, then he could deal with Aurel. Slowly. Painfully.
But for now, he would let the tundra have its way with the boy.
Aurel's breath was shallow, his body slumped against the cold, hard rock of the cave. His consciousness teetered on the edge, the darkness of sleep pulling him deeper into its grasp. But as he lay there, half-awake, he could feel something changing.
The cold still gnawed at him, but it no longer felt like a threat. It was as if his body had adjusted, his muscles no longer shivering, the biting chill in the air becoming… manageable. The exhaustion was still there, but somewhere deep within him, something had shifted.
Adaptability, working its magic again.
He had gained another trait. He could feel it, the faint echo of power stirring within him, pushing him to the edge of awareness. Enhanced Endurance. It wasn't just stamina—it was the ability to push further, to endure more. To survive.
Even through the haze of fatigue, Aurel couldn't help but feel a flicker of hope. He was changing. Growing. Becoming something more.
But for now, he had to rest.
His eyes fluttered closed, and Aurel let the darkness take him.