Leon turned back sharply at the sound. And the moment he did, his breath caught.

A woman stood there silently beside the riverbank.

Silver hair cascaded down to her waist like flowing moonlight, swaying gently with the cold breeze. Her emerald-green eyes were deep and clear, carrying a strange mixture of innocence and danger that made it impossible to look away. She wore a graceful white dress that fluttered softly around her figure, elegant and pure, yet unable to completely hide the breathtaking curves beneath it.

Her beauty didn’t feel real. Leon felt he was hallucinating. For a brief moment, he genuinely wondered if some fairy had descended into the hidden realm. He couldn’t help but instinctively think of another woman. Emily.

She was already beautiful enough to leave people speechless. Her sharp blue eyes, brunette hair, and knightly aura gave her the charm of a proud and untouchable noble princess.

But this woman was different.

If Emily’s beauty resembled a blazing flame that naturally drew everyone’s attention, then the woman before him was like the calm moon reflected upon a silent lake — serene, mysterious, and dangerously enchanting.

The woman tilted her head slightly as her silver hair slipped over her shoulder. "Master..." she called softly once again, her voice gentle and melodious. "Is it really you?"

It finally brought Leon back from his daze.

"M-master? Who is your master? Do I even know you?"

The woman’s brows knitted slightly. "You don’t remember me?"

"Remember? Are you a famous hunter or knight? Even if you are, why are you calling me a master? I don’t remember ever teaching anything to anyone to be their master."

The woman didn’t speak. Instead, her eyes followed the sword Leon was still holding.

"That sword. It let you touch it. That sword only recognizes one person as its master. My master."

"I don’t understand what you are talking about, but I don’t remember being anyone’s master. Are you also trapped here?"

The woman didn’t say anything immediately and only looked at Leon with longing. "Maybe it’s still not time. I will wait for you to remember." She finally spoke and turned around.

"Wait!" Leon tried to stop her, but she didn’t even turn back.

Instead, she transformed. Transformed into a gigantic serpent. The same one that had almost sent Leon to his death’s door.

Then, the beast bolted into the distance, slithering in the snow.

Leon stood there, trembling in fear. "It’s... It’s a primal." Sweat beads formed on his forehead even in a place like this. "I almost died. Again."

He didn’t move. Didn’t speak. His heart was still pounding. He could remember the whole scene. Clearly... Vividly. He stood rooted to the spot for a very long time.

Then his fists clenched. "If I want to stay alive, I have to get stronger. Fast. Let’s try this sword and collect some cores first. I just hope I don’t face any more of those primals again before I am fully prepared for it."

Leon strode forward.

After walking for almost 30 minutes, he finally found a monster.

A raging rhino. A low-grade D-Class beast.

Leon shot forward. So did the rhino. The rhino moved its front horn dangerously.

Just when it was about to thrust its horn forward, Leon jumped and spun in the air, slashing his sword. ’I hope it works.’

The white blade cut through the air, a small stream of cold air brushing against the sword.

Schlk!

Leon landed at the back while the rhino stopped abruptly at the front.

At first, nothing.

Then a thin line appeared across its body as the rhino split in half.

When Leon looked back, he froze at first. But then a smirk spread across his face. "I did it. I killed a D-Class monster with one stroke.

The corpse faded next, leaving behind the monster core.

Leon tossed the core inside his mouth.

[You have absorbed Qi.

Qi: 900,000/20,480,000]

Leon walked forward, confidence brimming inside him.

He met a black gorilla next. Another D-class monster. Even stronger than the tyrant ice bear. But the moment his eyes landed on it, he shot forward like a battle maniac.

The gorilla swung its massive heavy arm. Leon jumped, landed on the arm and shot forward, using it like a stepping stone.

A white flash.

The next moment, the gorilla’s head toppled and thudded to the ground.

Leon collected the core and swallowed it.

[Qi: 2,300,000/20,480,000]

The journey continued as Leon slaughtered 4 more monsters. He didn’t stop and continued. Then, finally, he was standing before a horde of monsters.

A pack of razor wolves. All D-Class monsters.

"Yes. Finally, something to taste what my sword and this first form of sword art breathing can really do."

The horde of monsters sniffed something strange in the air and looked at him.

Grrhhhhhhh! Some of them growled as saliva dripped down.

They charged forward. Leon welcomed it. He weaved between them, dodging their bare claws that cut through the air.

And amidst that...

"First form... Sword dance." He whispered.

An upper slash. One down.

He dodged one attack by ducking under it. He spun on his heel in that position.

Two wolves were cleaved in half.

Another three came. Leon leapt, doing a side flip.

Another flash of white. Three wolf heads rolled on the ground.

Blood continued to spray, bodies kept collapsing.

Within 15 minutes, all the monsters were massacred. There were 29 of them. A horde of 29 D-class monsters. Yet, they failed to land even a single hit.

Leon sat on the ground, his breathing hard. The sword was embedded in the ground before him. And in his face...

A satisfied smile...

After some time, he got up.

"29 D-class monsters, huh? Finally, I can reach D-Class level.

Leon collected all the cores. He continued to swallow them one after another.

[Qi: 20,900,000/20,480,000.

You have absorbed enough Qi for a breakthrough.]

[You have reached the 5th level of Martial Apprentice Realm]

[You have absorbed Qi.]

[You have absorbed Qi.]

.....

....

[Qi: 12,005,000/40,960,000]

"System, show me the status." Leon chuckled with satisfaction.