Reon steadied himself, he felt a shift—a ess settle over him, an instinctual awareness kig in.

  The chaos around him seemed to slow as he focused entirely on the Direwolf, feeling the pulse of energy in the air, the rhythm of the wind, the subtle movements of the beast as it prepared its attack.

  In that instant, everything fell into pce.

  Reon's eyes narrowed with fierce determination. eling his Sword Aura to its fullest—drawing on every ounce of his strength and the borrowed might from Cloudia—he lunged forward in a blur of speed and precision.

  His bde cut through the air, catg the Direwolf off guard as he aimed directly for its exposed neck.

  Cloudia seized the moment, striking in perfect synization from behind, her cws swiping at its hio destabilize it.

  The Direwolf howled as Reon's sword met its target, sinking into the less-protected flesh of its neck, his Sword Aura cutting through its defenses with a fierce burst of dark fme energy.

  The beast staggered, its fierce winds beginning to dissipate as its strength ebbed.

  Blood streaked down its fur, a, with one final, defiant snarl, the Direwolf summohe st of its energy, raising a cwed paw high and swiping directly toward Reon's chest—a fatal blow, aimed straight for his heart.

  Reon's eyes widened, caught off guard. Exhausted and drained from the fight, his body simply couldn't move fast enough to evade it.

  In that heartbeat, he realized how close he was to death. The world slowed, and a sihought fshed through his mind: If that cw ects, it's over.

  Just as the wolf's eared his chest, Cloudia sprang forward with a snarl of her own, ung herself in a desperate, full-force strike against the Direwolf's paw.

  Her cw cshed with its own in a botling impact, sparks of energy friween them as their strengths collided.

  The force sent Cloudia stumbling backward several meters, her paws scraping across the stone floor as she struggled tain her footing.

  As the beast colpsed, its massive form y still, the winds dying around them as silence filled the chamber once more.

  "Hahh... hahh…" Reon exhaled shakily, his hand trembling as he touched his chest, feeling the thundering of his heart.

  The crushing realization that he'd been a split-sed away from death left him momentarily speechless. But he was alive.

  "That... that was close call to death." He murmured, a small, shaky smile f as he looked toward Cloudia, gratitude gleaming in his eyes. "Cloudia… thank you. You saved my life."

  Cloudia let out a soft rumble, her gaze steady and protective as she held his eyes, the boweerengthened in the quiet aftermath.

  For a moment, they simply breathed together, side by side, knowing that they had both risked everything in that moment.

  Suddenly, a familiar chime echoed through Reon's mind—a series of notifications from the system breaking through the stillness.

  [Ding! gratutions, Host! You have reached the Pinage of Sword Aura.]

  [Ding! The Host's sword proficy has increased. Host has advanced from Profit Sword User to Advanced Sword User.]

  [Ding! The Host has successfully pleted the selected option. Host has received Celestial Heart Breathing Teique (??).]

  [Ding! The reward has been stored in the System Iory. Check your Iory for further details.]

  Reon y on the cold stone floor, his chest rising and falling heavily, each breath deep and grounding.

  For a moment, he simply stared at the misty ceiling above, the shock of the notifications washing over him in waves.

  The Pinage... the very peak of his current mastery, something he had only glimpsed as a distant goal until now.

  Advanced Sword User.

  The title lingered like a melody, and with it came an undeniable truth: he had asded beyond the limitations of his former self.

  He closed his eyes briefly, sensing a deep shift within. His Sword Aura now flowed as smoothly and steadily as a river.

  The lingering imperfes he had felt during his training in the forest had vanished, smoothed into harmony after his harrowing battle with the Ironcw Direwolf. The trol he had sought was now plete.

  His Sword Aura no longer resisted him. It no longer aming or shaping. It was him—a seamless extension of his will, calm yet devastatingly potent.

  His entire body tingled with energy, the power within him settling into a refined, sharper form.

  Reon slowly sat up, feeling the weight of his own strength settle in.

  Beside him, Cloudia, her silver fur glistening faintly, lifted her gaze to meet his. Her blue eyes were filled with quiet pride, her ears twitg as though she could sehe subtle shift in his aura.

  Reon reached out, his hand finding its way to her head. He gently ruffled her fur, their bond deepening once more iermath of the intetle.

  "Thank you, Cloudia," he murmured, his voice filled with gratitude. With her by his side, he felt invincible, ready for whatever y ahead.

  The Celestial Heart Breathing Teique was now his to cim, waiting like a promise in his iory.

  Suddenly, Reo a surge of immense power radiating from behind him.

  Turning, he saw that the energy was emanating from the altar, its aura growing stronger with each passing sed, filling the air with a pulsing, almost ominous glow.