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Vitaliara nodded, her feline eyes gleaming with recognition. [Of course I do,] she replied. [As the Mythical Beast of Life, I know most creatures tied to my energy. Nyxaliths or whatever you call are well within my knowledge. At least I know the names of those two forks.]

She paused for a moment, her tail flicking lazily. [Though just because I know of them doesn\'t mean I care about them. Life is life—I oversee it as a force, but I don\'t discriminate or play favorites with the creatures tied to it.]

Lucavion\'s expression softened as he listened to her. "That sounds like something you\'d say."

[It\'s not my job to meddle in the lives of those creatures,] Vitaliara continued her tone light but firm. [I simply ensure the balance of life remains as it should be. Whether it\'s a small creature or a powerful Nyxalith, they\'re all the same in the grand scheme of things.]

Lucavion chuckled softly. "And yet, we\'re heading toward them now."

[That doesn\'t mean I won\'t take what I need,] she replied with a playful glint in her eyes. [If they hold the power we seek, I\'ll absorb it just the same.]

Lucavion smiled, nodding in agreement. "Then let\'s see what they have to offer."

Since they were monsters of his target, it meant it was just meant to be. Would there be any need to hold a grudge or anything anyway?

Isn\'t everyone in this world living for themselves?

With those thoughts in his head, Lucavion and Vitaliara ventured deeper and deeper into the forest.

And as they ventured deeper into Wraithshade Forest, the atmosphere grew denser, shadows twisting and flickering through the trees. The air seemed colder, filled with an eerie stillness that made each step feel heavier. Wraiths floated through the mist, their forms barely discernible, but their presence unmistakable.

This place had claimed many lives over the centuries, turning those who sought fortune into the very specters that haunted it.

The forest had always been like this—a place where ambition met its end, and the souls of the fallen lingered, waiting for the next fool to join them.

The deeper Lucavion went, the more wraiths gathered, drawn to his presence like moths to a flame.

He moved with precision, his estoc flashing as he cut down the wraiths that dared approach him. Each strike was quick and decisive, dissipating the specters into the cold mist. They came in waves, their numbers seemingly endless, but Lucavion\'s blade didn\'t falter.

\'This forest… it\'s alive with death,\' he thought as he pressed forward, his steps steady despite the growing danger. His stars spun within his core, their light guiding him through the darkness, while the eerie howls of the wraiths echoed around him.

One particularly large wraith lunged from the shadows, its hollow eyes glowing with malice. Lucavion sidestepped the attack with ease, his estoc slashing through its form before it could react. The wraith let out a keening wail before dissolving into the mist like all the others.

"They never stop coming," Lucavion muttered, wiping sweat from his brow. His eyes scanned the forest, the trees looming over him like silent watchers. More wraiths gathered ahead, drifting aimlessly but drawn to his presence like the others before them.

[It\'s no wonder this place is filled with wraiths,] Vitaliara remarked from her perch on his shoulder, her voice calm despite the chaos around them. [Most who come here seeking fortune don\'t leave.]

Lucavion nodded, his gaze fixed on the path ahead. "And they end up becoming part of the forest."

The deeper he went, the stronger the presence of the wraiths became. Each step felt like he was pushing through a wall of lingering souls, the very air thick with death and decay. But Lucavion pressed on, cutting down every wraith that crossed his path with ruthless efficiency. His blade was an extension of himself, each movement calculated, each strike precise.

Yet, despite the relentless onslaught, Lucavion remained focused. This forest was just a prelude to what lay ahead—Tiax and Laxa, the Nyxaliths, the true guardians of this forsaken place.

"The deeper we go," Lucavion said, his voice low and steady, "the closer we get to them."

Vitaliara\'s tail flicked slightly as she surveyed the darkened forest. [Indeed. The further we delve into the heart of this place, the stronger their presence are becoming. Be ready. Even though I am doing my best to mask our presence, at some point it will be impossible to hide.]

Lucavion\'s grip tightened on his estoc, and with a sharp breath, he continued forward, cutting down another wraith as it appeared from the mist. There was no room for hesitation here—not in a place like Wraithshade.

Then he continued deeper into Wraithshade Forest, his footsteps nearly silent as he pressed on. The mist seemed to thicken with each step, the eerie silence occasionally broken by the distant howls of wraiths. But as the wraiths faded into the background, replaced by the cold, heavy atmosphere of the forest, Lucavion felt a shift.

The deeper they ventured, the air itself seemed to ripple with the presence of more powerful entities. Vitaliara, perched on his shoulder, remained alert, her gaze flicking across the shadows as they moved.

Without warning, the trees ahead rustled unnaturally, and a low, guttural growl echoed through the dense fog. Lucavion stopped, his grip tightening around his estoc. The wraiths may have been relentless, but these were different.

Monsters.

A massive, wolf-like creature emerged from the shadows, its fur pitch black and its eyes glowing with a fierce crimson light. The beast\'s muscles rippled beneath its dark coat as it prowled toward Lucavion, its fangs bared and dripping with saliva.

Lucavion remained calm, his eyes narrowing as he analyzed the beast. \'Early 4-star,\' he assessed quickly. It was powerful, but not beyond his reach.

The wolf snarled and lunged at him, its claws tearing through the ground as it closed the distance in an instant. But Lucavion was faster. His estoc flashed, and in one smooth motion, he sidestepped the creature\'s attack and delivered a swift, precise strike to its side. The blade sliced through the beast\'s thick fur, and the wolf howled in pain, stumbling as blood spilled from the wound.

SWOOSH!

Lucavion didn\'t waste any time. He pressed forward, his estoc moving in rapid, controlled strikes. Each swing of his blade was infused with a subtle layer of his sword intent—an energy that vibrated through the air, sharpening his attacks and increasing their lethality.

After reaching 4-star, one would be able to use their weapon\'s \'intent,\' which, in the case of Lucavion, was a sword.

The wolf barely had time to recover before Lucavion\'s next strike severed its spine, sending the creature crashing to the ground, dead before it could retaliate.

He paused for a moment, scanning the surroundings. His recent breakthrough to the 4-star realm had given him access to his sword intent, and he could already feel the difference in his movements.

\'It is indeed much more effective.\'

His strikes were faster, more precise, and each one carried a weight behind it that made him even deadlier.

But the forest wasn\'t done testing him.

From the darkness, more creatures emerged—this time, a pair of snake-like beasts, their scales glistening with a metallic sheen. Their tongues flickered in and out, tasting the air as they slithered toward him, their bodies undulating through the mist.

Lucavion exhaled, his breath steady. \'Two of them, both early 4-star.\' His eyes sharpened as the snakes struck simultaneously, their bodies coiling around him in an attempt to crush him between them.

But Lucavion\'s movements were fluid, his estoc slicing through the air with a speed that seemed almost unnatural. He danced between the two beasts, his sword intent guiding each strike as the blade cut through their scales with ease. One of the serpents hissed in pain as Lucavion\'s estoc found its mark, slicing through its neck and sending its head tumbling to the ground.

The second snake reared back, its fangs bared as it prepared to strike. But Lucavion was already moving, his body a blur as he closed the distance. With a powerful thrust, he drove his estoc through the creature\'s open maw, the blade piercing its skull and silencing its attack in an instant.

The forest grew still once more as the two serpents collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

Vitaliara let out a soft purr of approval from his shoulder. [You\'re handling these creatures with ease now. The breakthrough has sharpened your skills.]

Lucavion wiped the blood from his blade, his expression calm but focused. "It feels different. My sword intent... it\'s almost like an extension of myself now."

He could feel it with every swing of his estoc—the clarity, the precision, the lethal efficiency. The monsters of this forest were powerful, but now that he had broken through to 4-star strength, they were nothing more than stepping stones in his path.

The further they ventured into the heart of Wraithshade Forest, the more the atmosphere seemed to shift. The air grew colder, and the very ground beneath his feet felt heavy with the weight of death. But Lucavion pressed on, cutting down more beasts as they emerged from the darkness.

Some were large, hulking creatures with thick hides and brutal strength, while others were swift and agile, using the shadows to their advantage.

Lucavion\'s estoc danced through the air with an elegance that belied the carnage it caused. Each creature that fell to his blade was a testament to the progress he had made—the refinement of his sword style, the mastery of his sword intent.

But as they ventured deeper, the presence of something far more powerful began to loom over them.

Vitaliara\'s tail flicked slightly, her voice tinged with caution. [The guardians are near. Tiax and Laxa.]

Lucavion nodded, his grip tightening around his estoc. He could feel it too—an ominous, oppressive energy that seemed to pulse from the very heart of the forest.

The Nyxaliths awaited.

And he was ready.