Pandora’s heart contracted violently.

  She slowly, deliberately cut off Aurora’s words, one by one:

  “Aurora.”

  “That fetid black bear you spoke of…”

  Her voice was calm, without a single ripple, but it instantly snapped Aurora out of her reverie of fear.

  “It couldn’t be… this one, could it?”

  Aurora looked up, dazed, and followed Pandora’s gaze.

  There, not far in front of them, under a patch of twisted shadows, a pair of scarlet eyes, filled with brutality and hunger, were already locked onto them.

  It was a behemoth, far larger than a normal black bear.

  It just stood there silently, like a statue carved from pure malice and darkness.

  Thick, foul-smelling drool dripped from its gaping, ferocious maw, falling drop by drop onto the leaves with a soft pat, pat, pat.

  An indescribable stench, as if it were a mix of rotting flesh and swamp muck, washed over them, instantly filling their nostrils.

  The smell was identical to the one from Aurora’s memory.

  It was the one, the one from her childhood that had cast an endless shadow over her… the Foul Black Beast.

  The air seemed to freeze.

  The color drained from Aurora’s face, her pupils constricting with primal terror. The fear carved into her bones was reawakened, like cold poison flooding her limbs, making her want to turn and run, to flee without a second thought.

  But… she couldn’t.

  Behind her was the lady she had sworn allegiance to, the one she would protect with her life.

  “My Lady! Get back!!”

  Aurora let out a suppressed, guttural roar. The sound was hoarse and resolute, as if she were using every ounce of her strength to force the bone-deep fear from her throat.

  She didn’t retreat. Instead, she gritted her teeth, dug her feet into the ground, and shot forward. Instead of retreating, she advanced, her body like an arrow loosed from a bow, charging recklessly toward the behemoth!

  “I will protect you!”

  This was her vow as a knight. The final, and the first.

  In the blink of an eye, Aurora had closed the distance with the black bear.

  She roared, channeling all her strength into her arms, raising the heavy broadsword high. Using the full momentum of her charge, she brought it down viciously, aiming for the beast’s massive head!

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  This strike was sharp and heavy, the most powerful blow she could deliver!

  However, faced with a blow capable of splitting a boulder, the Foul Black Beast didn’t even bat an eye.

  It didn’t dodge or evade.

  The instant the blade was about to touch its head, it actually raised its own paw, a giant, paddle-like appendage covered in coarse, black fur.

  CLANG—!

  A dull, teeth-jarring metallic clang rang out!

  The edge of the broadsword failed to cleave its skull. It was actually caught, stopped by the beast’s very flesh and blood paw!

  SPLAT—

  Foul, black blood spurted from the wound on the paw where the blade had cut it.

  The stench, so thick it was nearly suffocating, was like a physical poison gas, instantly invading Aurora’s nostrils.

  Aurora felt a buzzing in her head. A wave of intense dizziness washed over her, her vision darkening, her movements faltering.

  And at that moment, the corners of the black bear’s ferocious mouth twisted into a mocking, cruel grin.

  Not good!

  Aurora’s mind screamed.

  She realized she had been played by the monster’s cunning!

  At some point, the black bear had drawn back its other, free paw.

  With a speed Aurora could never have anticipated, shockingly fast, it swiped viciously at her face!

  The palm came with a whistling sound, tearing through the air, a foul wind blasting against her!

  Aurora’s pupils shrank to pinpricks.

  In that instant, she made the most painful, and most correct, decision of her life.

  She abandoned the broadsword, still embedded in the beast’s paw, throwing her body backward in a desperate retreat!

  BOOM!!

  The heavy paw swiped just past the tip of her nose, smashing squarely against the armor on her chest.

  “Ugh!”

  The immense force was too great for even the heavy armor to completely absorb.

  Aurora felt her very core churn, as if she’d been struck head-on by a battering ram.

  Her body stumbled backward uncontrollably, each step leaving a deep imprint in the ground.

  But the black bear, having landed a blow, didn’t let up its assault.

  With a powerful thrust of its thick hind legs, its massive body surged forward like a black mountain.

  Its gaping maw, large enough to swallow an adult human’s head whole, came rushing toward her neck, trailing foul drool and an aura of death!

  It’s too strong!

  The strength of this black beast was completely beyond what the species “bear” should possess!

  And its hide was tough, its flesh thick; ordinary swords could barely harm it!

  The inexperienced Aurora, having lost her weapon on the first strike, was now completely at a disadvantage, trapped in a perilous situation.

  She knew this couldn’t go on. She would be worn down, torn to shreds by this monster!

  A look of grim determination flashed in Aurora’s eyes.

  She mustered all her strength, twisting her body with a desperate, awkward lunge, narrowly dodging the lethal bite.

  At the same time, her gaze locked onto the paw that still held her broadsword!

  She had to get her weapon back!

  “Heh!”

  Aurora roared, using the inertia of her dodge to lunge forward.

  Her hand closed precisely around the cold, familiar hilt!

  The broadsword was back in her hands!

  However, she didn’t even have a moment to feel joy at her recovered weapon.

  “ROAR—!”

  The Foul Black Beast let out an ear-shattering roar.

  Its other, free paw, slick with black blood, shot out like lightning, and grabbed Aurora’s shoulder!

  “Gyaaah—!”

  An immense force hit her. Aurora felt her shoulder blade was about to be crushed.

  She struggled with all her might, but it was useless. It was as if she were caught in an iron clamp, unable to move an inch!

  It’s over…

  The thought flashed through Aurora’s mind.

  She watched as the black beast slowly lowered its head, its gaping maw growing larger and larger in her vision.

  The stench of rot and the warmth of its breath washed over her.

  She could even see the mucus deep in its throat and the sharp fangs capable of easily crushing steel.

  The beast’s mouth gaped open to its absolute limit, then, with irresistible force, it lunged for her head, and bit down!

  I’m going to die…

  The thought, like a cold tide, submerged her last vestige of consciousness.

  She even gave up struggling, closing her eyes.