Karsu's death....

The Next Morning

The next morning, Karsu went out hunting, searching for something to eat. But suddenly, a raging wind howled through the air, rushing toward him at terrifying speed.

Karsu (alert): "What is that sound?!"

In an instant, he heard a violent tearing noise followed by a massive impact, filling the area with dust. Karsu swiftly stepped back with calculated movements, avoiding turning around to keep his eyes on the scene. His eyes darted rapidly, scanning the surroundings, but before he could comprehend the situation, he realized something horrifying—his left hand, which he usually used to unleash Qaz, was unresponsive. No flames, no energy, nothing.

Karsu (shocked): "What... what's happening?!"

He looked at his hand, and his eyes widened in horror—it was completely twisted, the bone crushed, blood gushing out, and the skin torn down to the nerve.

Karsu (stunned): "What the...?!"

Footsteps pierced through the thick fog, revealing a mysterious figure walking confidently as if the scene was nothing unusual.

Mysterious Person (smirking, amused): "Wow, you're impressive! I was aiming to cut you in half, but you managed to dodge and only lost a hand? That's truly remarkable."

Karsu (furious, thinking to himself): "What the hell is this bastard saying?!"

With a cold voice, Karsu shouted, "Who are you?!"

Mysterious Person (lazily): "Ah? Pardon me, I forgot to introduce myself. But shouldn't you introduce yourself first before asking others?"

Karsu (sharply): "Shut up and answer me."

Mysterious Person (laughing): "Hahaha! A mere Fani dares to insult me?! Looks like I found someone truly interesting!"

Karsu (suspicious, alarmed): "Fani?! Don't joke... Is he from the Empire?!"

Karsu quickly attempted to activate Shadow Qaz to escape, but...

Mysterious Person (calm, arrogant): "What do you think you're doing? You haven't answered me yet, and you're already trying to run? That's not allowed."

Suddenly, the man released an overwhelming aura, flooding the area with a terrifying force. Even the beasts of the forest fled in fear. His aura spread across half the forest, suffocatingly dense.

Karsu (internally, tense): "This power... He must be one of the high-ranked ones."

In a blink, the man appeared directly in front of Karsu, pressing two fingers against his neck, forming his aura into a sharp blade, injecting an immense amount of energy into it.

Karsu (shocked): "Damn... Aura shaping?!"

Mysterious Person (surprised): "Wait... can you see the aura?"

Karsu didn't waste time—he immediately released his enhancement aura at full strength, as all types of Qaz (except for Qarnous) were unable to function in the presence of this overwhelming aura.

Mysterious Person (intrigued): "This is truly fascinating! A Fani who can see aura, no, even use it! Hahaha! What else can you show me?"

Karsu didn't reply, instead retreating swiftly, his mind racing for a strategy. He couldn't defeat him directly... but if he could lure the King of the Forest, even a ranked individual wouldn't handle it easily.

Mysterious Person (mocking): "What now? Trying to run?"

He paused briefly, then sneered, "Heh... You...!"

Suddenly, his eyes narrowed as he grasped Karsu's intent. Even though Karsu had distanced himself by dozens of meters, the ground beneath the mysterious man exploded from the force of his movement, propelling him at an insane speed. In an instant, he reappeared in front of Karsu, cutting off his escape with brutal precision.

Karsu (frustrated): "Damn it!"

There was no time to react. A sudden, vicious kick struck Karsu's face directly, shattering his teeth. If not for his full-body aura reinforcement at that moment, his skull would have been crushed, and his insides would have burst. His body was sent flying, crashing through trees before slamming into a massive trunk, leaving him bloodied and broken—every bone in his body barely intact.

Karsu (vision blurred): "No... way..."

He had no time to catch his breath. Through his hazy vision, he saw the aura blade approaching his neck, ready to end him completely.

Mysterious Person (observing his body): "Tch, that bastard actually tried to lure that three-skulled beast... Or was it two and a half? Doesn't matter. The important thing now... Let's see what this Fani has."

He crouched beside Karsu, inspecting his shattered body.

Mysterious Person (curious): "I don't usually care about Fani corpses, but you're a special case. A Fani who can use aura, not just see it, but enhance his body with it! Maybe you'll be useful for research. The Emperor's dogs will love examining you."

He lifted Karsu's body and slung it over his shoulder, but the relentless flow of blood annoyed him.

Mysterious Person (grumbling): "Damn, even in death, this damn Fani is troublesome. I'll wrap him in my clothes for now, so his scent doesn't attract beasts."

Without wasting another moment, he dashed at full speed toward the Empire, carrying Karsu's corpse... or rather, what remained of hi