Ren’s heartbeat quickened, but he kept his face neutral. Freya was a few steps away, scanning the area and listening for any movement. He did not want her to notice he was becoming excited. If she noticed, she would know something was up with his status.

  This…

  This is huge.

  He forced himself to breathe evenly.

  Heir of Demonic Magic. The name was strange. But the effect was absurd.

  Absorb Lifespan upon killing. Gain ten times the normal EXP. And use Lifespan to replace Mana.

  All Mages had what was called a [Gate] inside their heart, a metaphysical opening that connected them to the [Domain of Mana]. Every Mage in the Land of Origin drew Mana from the same Domain of Mana. They refined the mana, stored it inside their bodies, and then used it to fuel spells.

  Fifty years ago, that Domain had been poisoned. No one knew how. Some said it was an accident during a forbidden ritual. Others claimed it was sabotage by an unknown universal faction. What mattered was the result. Anyone who drew Mana from the Domain became corrupted. It did not matter if they stopped before the Domain was poisoned. Even the Mana already stored inside them twisted their flesh and mind.

  The age of Mages ended overnight.

  No mage could now use Mana without becoming what people called [Corrupted Ones].

  Ren had awakened as a Mage in an era where being a Mage was almost a death sentence. His Mana stat was sealed for a reason.

  But…

  I can use my lifespan for spells.

  I can fight. I can level up. I can fight monsters like every other awakener!

  A warmth spread through his chest, and for a moment he felt lightheaded. It was like finding water after wandering in a desert for days.

  The hopelessness he had suppressed since awakening loosened its grip.

  He had a chance.

  A real one.

  He could grow stronger. He could survive the Land of Origin. He could meet his father again. He could return to Planet Gamora.

  But just as quickly, he forced himself to calm down.

  I need to test it first.

  The description said he could absorb a portion of Lifespan upon killing a target. It did not specify how much. If the absorbed Lifespan was less than what he spent on casting spells, this was useless.

  He glanced again at the number.

  83 years, 123 days.

  That was his total lifespan remaining. If he burned it recklessly, he would simply die faster. He had no intention of dying in such a stupid way.

  Moreover, even without the lifespan aspect, the tenfold EXP alone was monstrous. That bonus would make him level far faster than anyone else. Combined with spell usage, if sustainable, it was an almost unfair Talent.

  A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips before he suppressed it.

  Heir of Demonic Magic.

  The name suggested something dark. But he decided to ignore it for now, having no idea what it meant.

  “Ren,” Freya called quietly. “Are you ready?”

  “Yes. I’m done,” he replied.

  “Good. Follow my instructions carefully.”

  She pulled two small stones from her pocket and weighed them briefly in her palm.

  “What are you doing?” Ren asked in a low voice.

  “Creating a distraction,” she replied.

  Without further explanation, she threw one stone to the left. Almost instantly, she threw the second to the right. The first stone rose above the protective ridge and entered the giant decapitated woman’s line of sight.

  Ren felt something shift.

  The stone began turning white midair. It transformed into salt grain by grain, giving chills to Ren and Freya. At the same time, Ren felt the oppressive gaze that had been staring at him disappear. He realized something.

  “It can only look at one thing at once,” he whispered.

  Freya nodded once. “Watch.”

  The second stone, thrown to the right, remained unchanged for a moment. One and a half seconds passed. The left stone completed its transformation into salt and fell uselessly to the ground. Then the second stone began to whiten.

  “Now,” Freya said sharply.

  She bolted left. Ren followed.

  The moment he stepped out from behind the ridge, his heart slammed against his ribs. For a fraction of a second, he felt completely exposed, as though standing naked in front of a predator.

  They crossed behind another salt mountain.

  The gaze returned. But he was safe.

  Ren staggered slightly as chills ran down his spine. His skin prickled. Sweat formed at his temples.

  “…The gaze returned,” he murmured.

  Freya’s breathing was steady but heavier than before. “It tracks objects through sight and sound. I think it locks onto the most recent disturbance.”

  Ren swallowed. The sensation was distinct. It was not imagination. The cold creeping along his nerves told him “she” was staring at them. It was as if “she” was waiting for him to make one mistake, to appear in an open area once, and “she” would turn him into salt.

  “As long as we stay shielded, we’re safe?” he asked quietly.

  “I hope so,” Freya replied.

  They moved again, keeping low.

  “Where are we going?” Ren asked.

  “Speak quietly,” she said immediately, glancing back at him. “There are monsters in this area. They’re sensitive to sound.”

  He nodded.

  “We’re leaving this Salt Sea region,” she answered his question. “Today is the day new awakeners come. I came here to find them. You’re the only one I found. I wanted to search for more awakeners, but the night is approaching, and we need to leave.”

  Ren instantly became alert.

  This region was far too deadly. Just the presence of the giant decapitated woman was making him nauseous. One wrong mistake would turn him into salt. Who knew what dangers would appear here at night?

  Yet Freya came into such a dangerous area to help newly summoned awakeners?

  She must’ve known that rescuing another person was dangerous. If a new awakener panicked, ran into open ground, or made noise, both of them could die.

  Why would she take that risk?

  "..."

  Ren’s expression remained neutral, but his mind sharpened.

  Was she genuinely helping? Or was there another reason? Perhaps she needed bait. Or a companion to increase her survival odds elsewhere. Or someone expendable.

  Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

  Trusting strangers in the Land of Origin was foolish. But she had information. She knew the terrain. She understood the giant’s behavior. For now, he needed her. Still, he raised his guard internally.

  Freya suddenly stopped. Her hand moved slowly toward the hilt of her sword.

  Ren’s muscles tightened instantly. For a brief moment, he thought she had sensed his suspicion.

  “Don’t move,” she whispered. “There is a monster here.”

  Ren looked around without turning his head too obviously. All he saw were uneven salt ridges and pale ground. There was no monster. His guard rose even higher. Was she trying to make him lower his guard before attacking? If he was looking for monsters, his guard would be lower against her, his teammate.

  He prepared to use his spells. If she made a hostile move, he would not hesitate to fight back.

  “Look at the ground eight meters ahead of us. Don’t make it obvious. Just glance at it from the corner of your eye. The ground there has a slight depression,” Freya whispered.

  Ren followed her instructions. His eyes narrowed, and he noticed four indentations arranged like hooves.

  The depressions were shallow but distinct, pressing into the brittle salt surface. The spacing suggested something large and heavy.

  “The depression means it’s heavy. It’s an adult Hushclaw, probably around Level 5. They’ve adapted to this area. They don’t make any sound, and they’re completely invisible,” Freya explained grimly

  “…What?” Ren muttered, unable to hide the surprise in his voice.

  “Yeah. They can’t be turned into salt while they’re invisible either. I tested it before,” she said.

  Ren felt another chill that had nothing to do with the giant’s gaze.

  Invisible. Silent. Immune to the saltification effect while hidden.

  They were apex predators for this region.

  “And it’s just standing there?” he asked.

  “It’s waiting for an opening. Let’s sit. It won’t approach us until our guard is low,” Freya replied.

  She lowered her hand from her weapon and sat down slowly on the salt ground, stretching her legs as if resting after a long walk.

  Ren understood her choice immediately. They could not attack it at this distance. If they moved toward it, they would enter the exposed area between the salt mounds. That open region would be visible to the giant decapitated woman. One wrong step, and they would be turned into salt before even touching the monster.

  The Hushclaw was standing deliberately in that open zone. It was a veteran hunter.

  Ren sat down beside Freya, keeping his posture loose but his senses alert.

  “Can there be more Hushclaws around us?” he whispered.

  “I don’t know,” Freya said.

  Her eyes were still fixed subtly on the depression marks.

  “We can only track the adult ones due to their weight. That’s why I want to leave this region before nightfall. When visibility drops, it becomes almost impossible to track even the adult monsters through the ground signs,” she said.

  Ren’s eyes narrowed slightly.

  If she truly had no reliable way to detect invisible monsters, then coming here to search for new awakeners was more dangerous than he initially thought.

  If she can’t even locate these monsters properly, why would she risk coming here? he wondered.

  Was she reckless? Or did she have some hidden method she wasn’t revealing? Or perhaps she needed allies badly enough to gamble.

  He did not voice those thoughts.

  Another set of hoof depressions appeared in the salt, slightly closer this time.

  Ren’s heart skipped.

  There really is an invisible monster.

  He scanned the surrounding ground carefully, searching for additional marks. If one could approach silently, more could be lurking. He found none for now, but that did not reassure him.

  The creature moved again.

  Four meters.

  Three and a half.

  Freya shifted slightly, stretching her arms behind her as though easing stiffness.

  The invisible monster froze. New depressions stopped forming.

  She yawned lightly, then leaned forward as if preparing to stand, and took a running stance. Her fingers brushed the sword hilt. In the next instant, she exploded forward.

  Blue lightning sparked around her right hand and surged into the greatsword as she pulled it free. The blade was massive, with saw-like teeth lining its edge. The moment she swung, the serrated teeth began spinning, emitting a sharp mechanical whine.

  Ren’s eyes widened.

  That blue lightning… That’s Mechanic Force.

  Wait, she’s a Mechanic?

  But her strength, and speed are closer to a Martial Artist.

  Did she dump her stats into physical attributes?

  His thoughts tangled. She had presented herself as a close-combat fighter. She moved like one. Yet she openly used Mechanic Force now. It did not look like she was hiding her true Class either.

  Is she cosplaying as a Martial Artist? Or is she just a Mechanic who trained physically?

  There were hybrid builds, but they were inefficient early on. Spreading stats too thin usually got people killed.

  Freya’s sword struck empty air. A burst of blood erupted, splashing outward in a wide arc. At the same time, a harsh grinding screech filled the air, like metal tearing against metal. The invisible creature shrieked. The sound was distorted and grating.

  Freya ripped the blade free and spun it again. The saw teeth bit into something unseen, and a second fountain of blood sprayed across the salt. A large crab-like claw suddenly materialized mid-fall and landed on the ground with a heavy thud.

  So that was part of its true form, Ren observed.

  Freya stepped forward to finish it.

  Ren noticed something strange.

  The blood from the creature was splashing against empty air a few meters to Freya’s left, as though striking an unseen surface before dripping down.

  His eyes sharpened.

  There’s a second invisible monster.

  Both monsters’ attention was locked on Freya. She had only noticed the first one.

  The second monster was about to ambush her!

  Ren raised his hand.

  This was his chance.

  A sphere of water formed above his palm.

  The moment the spell activated, he felt something being drawn from deep within him. It was not Mana. It felt… different. As if a thin thread of time was being peeled away.

  The gas that came out from his hand was invisible, odorless, and formless. It transformed into a water ball.

  He focused on the position where he predicted the second monster’s body would be, judging by the blood splashes. The water bullet shot forward. It struck with a solid impact, like a heavy object slamming into a wall. Water splashed outward, and some of it stayed on the shape of the monster.

  An outline formed.

  A large body with multiple limbs and jagged edges.

  Freya’s head snapped toward the sound of Water Bullet Spell hitting the monster. She saw the water suspended unnaturally in space, revealing the second Hushclaw.

  “Thanks!” she shouted without hesitation.

  She finished the first monster in a single brutal swing, then pivoted and charged the second. With its invisibility partially compromised, it tried to retreat. But wasting time on trying to escape was the wrong decision.

  Freya’s blade carved through it. The shrill grinding noise echoed briefly before cutting off.

  Blue notifications appeared in front of Ren.

  [Level 3 Hushclaw killed.]

  [345 days lifespan gained.]

  [300 EXP gained.]

  He had gained both EXP and lifespan from the second monster. The system determined he had contributed to its death.

  I used seven days of lifespan for the spell and got three hundred forty-five days in return.

  That’s almost 50x profit.

  Five days had been consumed to create and fire the Water Bullet. Two more days were spent maintaining the water on the creature’s body so it would not evaporate immediately.

  The water was formed from a spell, and it would normally disappear after impact unless sustained. To keep a spell’s aftereffects active required Mana. In his case, it required lifespan.

  The EXP I got is just as good as the lifespan, he thought.

  He had clearly shared the kill with Freya. Even so, his Talent multiplied the gained EXP by ten. He had ended up with far more than her.

  She probably got around thirty EXP from the second monster, even less if her level was higher, which it definitely is.

  So, she got 5~30 EXP while I got 300 EXP.

  The Talent was overwhelmingly powerful. It allowed him to reap more rewards for the same amounts of efforts compared to other awakeners.

  “Thank you. You saved me there. The second Hushclaw could’ve injured me badly,” Freya said, her voice more relaxed now.

  She crouched and dragged both corpses closer. Now that they were dead, they were fully visible.

  Ren stepped nearer and studied them.

  They were strange creatures. Their lower bodies resembled that of a horse. From the neck area extended four crab-like claws, jointed and serrated. Their entire bodies were encased in a dense exoskeleton, layered and ridged like overlapping armor. The head was little more than a stump. Two small slits served as eyes, and a wide opening beneath functioned as a mouth.

  “I’ve never seen anything like this,” Ren said honestly.

  “They only appear in this region,” Freya replied.

  She stood and tapped her sword lightly.

  “Were you surprised by the noise my sword made?” she asked with a faint smile.

  Ren nodded. “It was loud.”

  “It’s intentional,” she explained. “The noise causes them to panic and freeze for a moment. I think it’s an evolutionary trait. Loud noises attract the giant decapitated woman’s attention. Even if they’re invisible, they can still feel her gaze. Everything here feels it.”

  “So when they hear something loud, they associate it with danger?” he asked.

  “Yes. They get stunned for a second. That’s my opening,” Freya nodded.

  She pointed to the blood soaking into the salt.

  “And the saw teeth help too. It makes them bleed a lot. If there’s another invisible one nearby, the blood splashes onto it.”

  Ren considered that. It was efficient. Still, he recalled she had forgotten about the second monster. Why?

  He observed her carefully.

  Though she tried to hide, her breathing was heavy and uneven, as if even standing took effort. She got tired too easily, and dark circles shadowed her eyes, making it obvious she hadn’t rested in a long time. Maybe exhaustion had dulled her senses. Maybe she had simply been too tired to notice the monster.

  If Ren hadn’t interfered, she would’ve likely died.

  Of course, it could’ve all been an act. He kept himself open to every possibility.

  “I get that loud noises cause them to panic, but won’t that attract more monsters?” he questioned.

  “Yes. That’s why we need to move. But first…”

  She knelt again and worked quickly. With a thin, flexible tool, she cut sections of the exoskeleton from both Hushclaws. The plates were tough but slightly elastic. She removed the Cores from their bodies, which were small crystalline spheres embedded deep inside the chest cavity.

  The Cores could be sold at a Base. These things could be used as fuel, or in artificing, weapons, formations, or alchemy.

  She placed the Cores in a pouch at her waist, then bundled the exoskeleton pieces along with some meat into a compact sack she had folded inside her jacket. She handed the sack to Ren.

  “The exoskeleton will make good armor for you, and we can eat the meat later”

  “…You’re giving the exoskeleton pieces to me?”

  He had assisted in the battle, yes, but Freya had done most of the work.

  “Take them. I fight using speed. Heavy armor slows me down. I left my own armor outside this region before coming here due to that. But for you, it’s useful. That water ball you used… was that a beast skill?” she asked.

  Ren kept his expression neutral.

  “Yes. It’s a skill from my beast,” he said.

  “That’s good,” she nodded. “Then armor will help you. You can stay at a distance while your beast handles close combat.”

  Ren nodded again.

  He had no intention of revealing that he was a Mage. If anyone discovered that he could use magic in this era, it would cause chaos. Worse, people might see him as a threat. The history of the poisoned Domain of Mana was still fresh in collective memory.

  It was safer to pretend he was a Beast Master. Beast Masters could channel the abilities of their contracted beasts. A ranged water attack would not seem strange under that classification.

  “What kind of beast do you have?” Freya asked casually as they started moving again.