The creature moved first.
No warning. No pause.
Just speed.
Bran's body reacted instantly, Ventus flowing through his legs as he shifted off-line—
The ground shattered where he had been.
Too much force.
His eyes sharpened.
Paragon-Tier.
Not the same.
The Ironhide Fang turned immediately and lunged again, faster this time, its weight driving forward with crushing intent.
Bran didn't retreat.
He stepped in.
Ventus tightened through his legs, his body pivoting sharply—
A kick—
Wind snapped outward.
The blade struck the creature's shoulder.
Not deep.
The hide held.
Bran clicked his tongue lightly.
"…Figures."
The beast pressed forward.
No hesitation.
No fear.
Bran moved again, cutting angles instead of distance, his steps tightening as Ventus flowed cleaner through his legs. He twisted—
"Ventus Secare."
A sharper blade cut from his hand.
It landed across the creature's side.
Shallow.
Not enough.
The beast accelerated.
Claws tore forward.
Bran slipped inside the attack at the last second, but the pressure dragged him—
Too close.
He adjusted instantly.
Ignis flickered into his palm.
Unstable.
Weaker than it should have been.
"Ignis Fracta."
The flame burst forward.
The beast stepped through it.
Bran moved with it.
Ventus surged—
He slipped past its line—
And struck.
"Ventus Secare."
A thin cut traced beneath its jaw.
Not clean.
But closer.
The beast roared.
Low.
Heavy.
It lunged again.
Faster.
Bran moved—
Late.
Claws grazed his side.
Pain flared.
Then—
Impact.
The follow-through caught him fully this time.
His body lifted and slammed across the ground, stone tearing beneath him as he skidded before stopping hard.
A breath.
Then—
Movement.
The beast was already coming again.
Bran pushed himself up, one hand briefly pressing against his side before dropping.
"…Paragon."
Not unreachable.
But not equal.
His stance shifted.
Then he moved again.
Ventus gathered—not just in his legs, not just in his hands, but through his entire motion.
Continuous.
The beast lunged.
Bran stepped left—
Blade.
Right—
Blade.
A pivot—
A kick—
Another arc of compressed wind snapped outward.
Layered.
Structured.
The creature pushed through—
But slower now.
Each strike disrupted its movement just enough.
Bran adjusted his path.
Toward unstable ground.
Loose stone.
Broken terrain.
The beast followed.
Committed.
Its weight came down—
The ground shifted.
Just enough.
Bran took it.
Ventus compressed.
Harder.
Denser.
He stepped in.
"Ventus Tormentum."
The air collapsed—then detonated.
The blast slammed into the beast at close range, breaking its footing completely.
Bran moved instantly.
Wind gathered—
Sharper.
Focused.
Ignis flickered—
Wrapped thinly over the forming edge.
"Ignis Ventus."
The flame surged forward.
The beast stepped through—
And the wind struck.
"Ventus Secare."
The blade cut deep beneath its jaw.
Clean.
Enough.
The beast froze.
Then collapsed.
Still.
Silence returned.
Then—
Runic System Notification
Target Eliminated: Paragon-Tier Beast
+2 Runic Points
Bran stood there, breathing heavier now, his body steady despite the strain.
A crystal formed.
Larger.
Denser.
He stepped forward and picked it up.
No hesitation.
It dissolved in his grasp.
+6 Runic Points
A stronger pulse spread through him.
Bran exhaled slowly.
"…Worth it."
Then—
His wrist pulsed again.
He didn't move this time.
He checked.
STATUS WINDOW
Name: Bran
Level: 7
Tier: High Breaker
Health: 72 / 100
Stamina: 61 / 100
Mana: 58 / 100
Strength: 34
Speed: 42
Stamina Stat: 38
Mana Stat: 41
Runic Points: 94
Skills:
• Ventus
• Ventus Secare
• Ventus Gradus
• Ventus Tormentum
• Ignis Fracta
• Ignis Ventus
Bran studied it in silence.
Health—reduced.
Stamina—lower than he liked.
Mana—holding, but not comfortably.
His gaze lingered on one line.
Tier: High Breaker.
A faint exhale left him.
"…Still there."
Not Paragon.
Not yet.
But close enough to touch it.
He dismissed the window.
Then rolled his shoulder once, testing the strain.
The damage was manageable.
The fatigue—
Not ideal.
But workable.
Bran looked ahead.
The forest hadn't changed.
But the stakes had.
He moved.