During the following days, Arthur and Morgan made several discoveries about the changes he had undergone. His body felt lighter than ever, and all his physical abilities were enhanced. Even his senses had become sharper. There were cosmetic changes, too—moles on his body shrank, his skin became smoother than after any spa treatment back on Earth, and most of the freckles around his nose and eyes disappeared. Arthur noted all these changes but couldn't care less about the beautifying effects. Freckles or no freckles, he still saw himself as a crude hillbilly.
If his mother had passed down anything of her beauty or grace, Arthur didn't see it. Unlike his sisters, who inherited her elegance, he shared none of her refined features. He had his father's deep-set eyes, high forehead, and a nose slightly too large for his face. He wasn't ugly, but certainly not cute—a solid six out of ten, at best. His only hope for improvement lay in the teenage growth spurt that might rid him of his thin, scrawny build.
More intriguing than his outward appearance, however, was the transformation in his mana core. Arthur discovered that his mana had grown purer and denser, allowing him to cast stronger spells with increased speed. His range with spirit magic expanded, and with the Accumulation technique, he could feel the tar-like impurities in his body fragment and shrink as they were slowly absorbed into his core. Buoyed by these newfound abilities, he ventured deeper into the Thrawn woods, hunting larger prey to provide his family with warm fur clothing for the harsh winter.
Arthur's approach to hunting had changed as well. No longer afraid of predators, he sought them out instead, relying on his Life Vision spell to track his quarry. His range with spirit magic now exceeded 30 meters, allowing him to easily snatch birds mid-flight or track animals that climbed trees. On one such outing, he came across a burrow where three fat rabbits hid just below the surface.
Using earth magic, he collapsed the tunnels and forced the rabbits to surface. They scattered in panic, but with a snap of his fingers, Arthur twisted their necks cleanly. "Lucky!" he exclaimed, inspecting their pristine fur. "Two white ones to trade and the brown one for me. Not a bad haul."
Satisfied, Arthur tied the rabbits to his belt and began heading toward Selia's house. His march was interrupted by an unfamiliar sound—a pair of galloping horses. Arthur tensed, activating Life Vision. The riders were human: one strong enough to pose a minor threat, the other little more than a boy.
Arthur smirked. Humans are the same everywhere. Arrogant and stupid.
The horses stopped a few meters away, and the first rider—a middle-aged servant with a rough face and angry eyes—addressed him rudely. "Hey, kid! What was that noise?"
Arthur put on an innocent smile. "Good day, sir. Just me hunting rabbits. Sorry if I startled you."
The servant ignored his apology, pointing at the rabbits. "Hand them over. They'll make a fine muff for the lady of the house."
Arthur's smile faltered. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me," the servant barked. "Show some respect. You're speaking to the son of Baron Rath."
Arthur turned his gaze to the second rider—a boy of about sixteen, handsome and dressed in fine leather. He regarded Arthur with contempt, his lips curling into a mocking smile. "Even a commoner like you should know the basics of decency. Hand over the rabbits, and I might forget your disrespect."
Arthur's smile disappeared entirely. "Robbing a kid in broad daylight? Pathetic. What's next? Stealing candy?"
The noble boy's eyes narrowed. "Korth, teach this peasant some manners."
Korth dismounted, but before he could reach for his weapon, Arthur raised his hand. The man froze mid-step, his body immobilized by spirit magic. The noble, alarmed, nocked an arrow and fired. With a casual wave, Arthur deflected the arrow with a gust of wind, sending it spinning harmlessly to the ground.
Arthur chuckled. "You think you're hunters, but you're just prey."
The noble screamed in frustration, drawing another arrow, but Arthur didn't give him the chance to fire. With a flick of his wrist, the arrow flew backward, burying itself in the boy's eye. He fell from his horse, clutching his face and screaming.
Korth begged for mercy. "Wait! Please! If you kill him, the Baron will come for you and your family!"
Arthur sneered. "How will anyone find out? These woods are vast, and no one knows you're here."
Korth's eyes widened in horror as his own hand, guided by Arthur's magic, unsheathed the knife at his belt. "No! Don't—please!"
Arthur's expression was cold. "You had no problem taking from the weak. Why should I spare you?" He made Korth slice his own throat, watching dispassionately as the man crumpled to the ground.
Turning to the noble, Arthur loomed over him, his face a mask of fury. "You. You had everything—wealth, privilege, power. And all you use it for is to crush those beneath you." The boy whimpered, blood streaming from his ruined eye.
Arthur gripped him with spirit magic, suspending him mid-air. "You'll make a perfect subject for my experiments," he said, his voice ice-cold.
The Thrawn woods echoed with the boy's screams long into the night.