[Storm Sword Technique – Storm Slash]
Roland gripped the greatsword tightly, his eyes narrowing with focus. In one fluid motion, he swung it down with tremendous force, the blade slicing through the air with a deafening—
SWOOSH!
A second later, the atmosphere shifted.
The calm silence shattered as the air churned violently. A heavy gust, like the breath of a cyclone, erupted around him.
Then came the storm.
Dozens of crescent-shaped, blue sword energies tore forward, howling through the air like a furious tempest. The whirling blades raced toward the crown of a giant tree in the right rear, screaming as they cut through the sky.
Everyone froze.Roland had shouted a warning but none of them had seen a threat.
Brows furrowed, eyes scanned the empty treeline in confusion.
And then—BOOM!
A massive cloud of dust exploded in the air.
The ground trembled.
From the haze, a monstrous figure appeared, previously hidden within the treetop canopy. Leaves and broken branches fell like rain as a shadow leaped forth.
A five-meter-long Saber Tiger burst into view.
It had a coat of dark red fur, gleaming like hot metal under the sun. A thick, wild mane framed its head, and fiery wisps burned beneath its paws.
It was both majestic and terrifying.The Flaming Saber Tiger.
The beast Roland had targeted.
"ROAR!"
The Tiger bellowed in rage, the sound reverberating through the air like a drumbeat of war.
The sword energy hadn't just been for show. Each crescent blade slashed into the beast's body, leaving behind fresh, deep gashes. Blood misted in the air as the tiger howled in pain.
Caught off guard, it writhed under the attack.
Its eyes, filled with shock and fury, stared directly at Roland.
It had thought itself unseen, hidden beyond detection.
But it had been found—and hurt.
However, a single strike wasn't enough to bring it down.
Still reeling, the Flaming Saber Tiger growled and began gathering energy. The wind howled again—but this time, it was not from Roland.
The tiger summoned its own magic.
Wind coiled around it in spirals, snuffing out the flames beneath its feet. Its enormous body blurred, becoming translucent.
And then—
It vanished.
Disappeared into thin air.
Only whirling dust and a faint gust of wind remained.
The entire exchange had taken mere seconds.
No one moved. No one breathed.
The terror sank in like ice.
It had been too close. Far too close.
What if Roland hadn't acted?
A cold chill crept up everyone's spine.
A Flaming Saber Tiger with wind attribute invisibility magic? That was unheard of. As a flame-type beast, it should've left behind obvious traces—embers, charred bark, burnt grass…
But there had been nothing.
Nothing.
Adonis, the grizzled hunter of the adventure squad, finally spoke, his voice tight with disbelief.
"How... how could a Flaming Saber Tiger use wind-based invisibility magic?" he muttered, his eyes wide.
By all known logic, it shouldn't have been possible. Fire and wind were compatible, yes but invisibility?
It didn't make sense.
The beast should've been easy to track. Flame monsters were destructive by nature—noisy, conspicuous.
This one had waited and planned while hiding in an ambush.
Like a predator.
Freya, the half-elf archer, felt her hands tremble.
If Roland hadn't acted…
She didn't want to think about it.
"That thing…" someone whispered, "…was waiting to strike from behind."
"It must've consumed some kind of wind-attribute transcendent plant and mutated," Roland answered coolly, his gaze still scanning the treetops, the edge of his blade glinting in the scattered light.
"It's become a Wind and Fire Magic Saber Tiger."
Everyone sucked in a breath.
Mutated beasts were rare.
Dual-attribute ones? Practically unheard of in the wild.
Roland's voice stayed calm, but grim.
"Its strength... is far above a normal Flaming Saber Tiger now."
Freya's face turned pale.
"T-Thank you… for saving me," she said softly, cheeks flushed as she bowed her head.
She had misjudged him.They thought he was just dead weight.But if it hadn't been for Roland…
As a mage, she would have stood no chance if the beast had pounced on her from behind.
She'd be dead.
"It's nothing," Roland replied with a shrug.
But then—
"Um… um, can you... let go of me?" Freya stammered, her voice barely above a whisper, her pointed ears turning bright red.
Only now did Roland realize he was still holding her.
And his arm was… pressing against a rather sensitive area.
An awkward silence settled over them.
"Ah! Sorry!" Roland blurted out, quickly pulling away.
He looked flustered, for the first time.
"I didn't realize—"
"It's okay!" Freya said quickly, stepping back, face flushed but relieved.
The atmosphere between them became awkward—tense—but before the discomfort could grow, someone else spoke.
"Lord Roland!" the team's healer called. "How did you spot it? That thing vanished again! Do you have a special tracking skill? Can you do it again?"
The desperation in their voice was unmistakable.
None of them could sense it. Not even a hint.
They were being hunted in the dark.
"No special skill," Roland replied, shaking his head. "I just… sensed it."
He looked around warily, his grip tightening on the hilt.
"My perception is naturally sharp. I could feel it preparing to strike—the shift in the wind… the pressure in the air. But now…" he sighed, "it's not approaching me anymore. I can't sense it."
Being on the battlefield for long, people usually develop strong senses.
Disappointment flashed in everyone's eyes.
"You mean…" one of the warriors asked, voice strained, "…you can't locate it unless it comes close again?"
"Exactly."
Roland's mastery of the Storm Sword Technique gave him sensitivity to airflow disturbances—but only within a limited range.
Ten meters. No more.
And now, the beast was wary. It had been injured. It wouldn't make the same mistake again.
Which meant…
They were blind.
"What now…?"
No one wanted to ask that aloud—but the fear on their faces said enough.
The predator was out there.
Watching.
Waiting.