Just as Selene raised her hand to cast the spell—calm, precise, already calculating how many seconds it would take to kill the thing—Kael stepped forward.
"Wait," he said, voice steady in that I'm-about-to-do-something-stupid-but-mean-it way.
"I'm going to kill it."
She blinked.
Raised an eyebrow.
Wait… is he actually brave?
Then Kael added,
"If things get out of control, kill it immediately.
No hesitation. That's an order.
I absolutely must not die."
Selene stared at him.
Flatly.
Right. Not brave.
Just very concerned with continued existence.
She deadpanned,
"Understood, Master.
Heroic self-sacrifice—strictly off the table."
He nodded, serious.
"Exactly."
She tried again.
"It's stronger than most Rank 1 beasts.
You could start with something weaker.
A rabbit, perhaps. A mildly upset raccoon."
"No," Kael insisted.
Behind them, the Frostmane shifted.
Still waiting.
Still watching.
Its ears twitched.
Its cold blue eyes narrowed.
The two humans continued arguing.
"I'll handle it in ten seconds," Selene offered. "Five, if you stop talking."
"I said no," Kael replied. "This is my first hunt. It's important."
The beast exhaled loudly, a puff of frozen mist rising like a warning flare.
Still, no one acknowledged it.
Selene sighed.
"Important to whom? Your pride? Your imaginary fanbase?"
Kael didn't answer.
He was too busy squaring his shoulders like someone about to challenge a tax collector to a duel.
The Frostmane had had enough.
With the long-suffering patience of a creature deeply offended by being ignored, it let out a thunderous, icy roar.
WHHRRAAAHHHHH!
Snow burst around its paws.
Selene exhaled slowly, the way one might before watching a child attempt fire juggling.
"Alright, Master. Try your luck."
Kael gave a short nod.
He wasn't brave.
Quite the opposite..
But the system notification floating before him told a different story:
[Mission: First Hunt]
[Slay the Rank 1 Beast – Reward: ??? ]
'What if it gives me some super OP spell or something? '
The Frostmane didn't need a second invitation.
It charged at Kael.
Kael dodged—barely—and exhaled, trying to center himself.
Focus.
He quickly cast Amplification, mana surging into his arms and legs.
The beast charged again.
This time, it was easier to dodge.
His movements felt lighter, sharper.
The Frostmane, now irritated, lunged in a wild, reckless burst of speed.
Kael grinned.
Then raised his hand and cast MoonBlade, aiming straight for the creature's eye.
A clean strike—
Missed.
The beast dodged, barely.
Now they were circling each other, tense and low.
Predator and… well, a very enthusiastic beginner.
Without warning, the Frostmane sprang.
It landed atop Kael, snarling.
Selene tensed.
But Kael managed to push the beast off with a grunt, rolling back to his feet.
Then the creature opened its jaws.
A faint blue glow began to pulse inside its mouth—mana gathering, spell forming.
"Master!" Selene shouted. "It's casting something!"
Kael was already bleeding, already moving.
He didn't stop to answer.
Instead, he raised both hands—
And cast Moon Blade.
Then did it again.
And again.
Three glowing blades, all at once, sliced through the air.
Selene's eyes widened.
What?!
The beast, caught mid-cast, didn't move fast enough.
The blades struck true.
A sickening thud.
Mana fizzled out of its mouth as the spell collapsed.
The Frostmane fell.
Still.
Dead.
Selene stared, speechless.
Did he just… multi-cast?
That was supposed to be near-impossible.
Kael turned slowly toward her, blood dripping down his brow.
He gave a shaky thumbs up—
Then promptly collapsed.
Face-first into the snow.
Selene rushed over.
"Master!"
She checked his pulse.
Then sighed.
"Mana exhaustion," she muttered.
Her gaze shifted to the beast's corpse.
Killed it.
On his first try.
She exhaled, long and slow.
"…Show-off."