The Frozen Armored Bear lunged forward, its massive paws aimed straight at Kyle's head.
Kyle sidestepped at the last second, his instincts sharp enough to avoid a direct hit.
But even though he dodged, the beast's enormous claws managed to graze the edge of his sword.
A sharp clang echoed through the icy forest.
Kyle's eyebrows lifted slightly in surprise.
"It's fast. And it has sharp claws as well. Looks like I will have to be a little more careful while handling this beast. Ugh, what a hassle."
For something so massive, the bear had impressive speed.
But Kyle's surprise didn't last long.
He watched carefully, analyzing its movement. Despite its speed and power, its attacks had no mana.
'Strange. A creature this strong should instinctively use mana to enhance its strikes. Is this world really this lacking? Or is this monster just that stupid?'
Kyle tightened his grip on his sword and swung at the Frozen Armored Bear's icy armor, using a small amount of mana.
The blade barely scratched the thick ice.
Kyle clicked his tongue and added more mana to his next strike.
Still, the result was the same.
The Frozen Armored Bear roared and swiped at him again, forcing Kyle to twist his body to dodge.
Kyle kept increasing the mana output bit by bit, carefully gauging the bear's defenses while effortlessly avoiding its attacks.
A dance of precision and patience.
The bear charged again, but this time, Kyle met it head-on.
With a sharp slash, his sword finally carved a deep gash into the icy armor.
Now that he had tested the creature's limits, there was no need to drag this out any further.
The bear roared in frustration, but Kyle was already moving in for the final strike.
In a single swift motion, Kyle disappeared from the bear's vision—and in the next instant, he was right beneath its chin.
His sword glowed faintly with mana, and with one clean, precise cut, he ended the battle.
The Frozen Armored Bear let out one final breath before its massive body collapsed onto the snowy ground.
A moment of silence followed.
Kyle glanced upward, just as Queen swooped down, landing neatly on his shoulder.
The hawk puffed out its chest, letting out another victorious chirp as if claiming credit for the hunt.
"You didn't do anything."
He said, giving Queen a light flick on its beak.
Queen squawked indignantly but quickly settled down as Kyle stepped toward the fallen beast.
He knelt beside it, inspecting it one last time.
Suddenly, a familiar notification appeared in his vision.
Swordsman Talent Level increased to 2
Mana Control increased to Level 3
New Skill Acquired: Intimidation
— The ability to dominate and suppress anyone weaker than you through sheer presence alone.]
Kyle narrowed his eyes at the last notification.
A skill that let him exert pressure over those weaker than him…
Kyle grinned to himself.
"About time it comes back to me."
Despite the satisfaction of gaining something new, Kyle felt a sudden wave of irritation.
"Is this really what I consider worth it now?"
A year ago, defeating a Frozen Armored Bear would have been something he would be able to do without even being aware of it. That was how powerful he had been in the past.
It took him careful consideration to check how much power he needed before making the finishing move.
Kyle sighed, shaking his head.
"I've really changed."
Still, there was no point in lingering here.
Bruce was probably having a meltdown by now.
Kyle could already picture him pacing around the inn, running his mouth about how reckless Kyle was and how he would give his lord a heart attack one day.
Kyle rolled his eyes.
"Might as well head back before I have to deal with another one of his lectures."
With one last glance at the fallen beast, Kyle turned around and began making his way back toward the village.
Queen chirped happily on his shoulder, as if already eager for the next hunt.
Kyle had barely taken a step toward the village when a voice called out to him from behind.
Kyle stopped in his tracks, turning slightly as Bruce came running through the snow, his face pale with worry.
Kyle raised an eyebrow.
"How did he find me this fast?"
Before he could ask, Bruce stumbled to a stop, catching his breath before blurting out.
"I tracked your aura all the way here!"
His voice was filled with genuine concern.
Kyle's expression didn't change, but his mind spun with thought.
'Did I underestimate him? Should I up Bruce's level of training and make him a tracker?'
He had never considered Bruce to be particularly skilled, but aura tracking was not an easy ability to develop.
For Bruce to follow his aura this precisely, it meant he had potential Kyle had overlooked.
Kyle was about to test him further when—
Queen suddenly spread its wings and let out a sharp cry, its small but fierce voice echoing through the forest.
Bruce flinched violently at the sound, his hands instinctively rising in defense.
His body tensed—and just like that, his concentration broke completely.
Kyle let out a long, exhausted sigh.
Even with potential, Bruce was still Bruce.
"If he loses focus this easily, he's useless in battle."
Kyle pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering under his breath.
"I need to fix his concentration before I even think about training him."
Bruce, still shaken, cleared his throat and quickly recovered, looking at Kyle with nervous determination.
"Young Master, we should hurry back! You keep running off , and one day I really will die from stress!"
Kyle rolled his eyes.
"And yet, you're still alive."
Without another word, Kyle turned back toward the village, his expression indifferent.
Bruce, still grumbling to himself, followed closely behind.
Queen, looking extremely pleased, let out a triumphant chirp and settled back onto Kyle's shoulder.