Oliver stared at Kira in silence, waiting for the girl to come out of her temporary daze.
His shoulder still burned a little from when he'd been thrown aside as the spider thrashed, but the pain was slowly fading. In a few minutes, he would be as good as new.
For a moment, Kira just looked at him in silence, as if her mind were still trying to process what she had just heard. Then she blinked, coming out of her stupor, and frowned.
—"I've never met anyone who doesn't know that…" she said incredulously. "Everyone learns about monster classification when they're kids."
Oliver tilted his head, confused.
—"Well, I didn't. I've never heard of it."
Kira studied him carefully, searching for any hint that he might be lying, but found none. She sighed, and for the first time since meeting him, she seemed genuinely puzzled.
—"That makes no sense," she murmured, more to herself than to him. "Even children in the most remote villages learn that before they can walk. It's basic knowledge—like knowing fire burns or water wets."
Oliver shrugged.
—"I guess I didn't have a very normal childhood," he said, avoiding her gaze.
Kira stared at him for a few seconds, weighing whether it was worth saying anything at all. Shaking her head, she sat down on the snow and placed the two cores in front of them. Their faint glow contrasted beautifully with the pristine white surface.
—"Fine," she said at last. "I'll explain. But listen carefully—this is the kind of knowledge that can save your life."
Oliver nodded seriously.
Kira took a deep breath and began:
—"Monsters," she said slowly, "aren't just wild beasts. They're beings formed from the leftover magic that lingered in this world after the Great War."
Her voice grew low and solemn.
—"Thousands of years ago, gods and demons fought a war so destructive it wiped out entire continents. The power released by both sides was so immense it seeped into the earth, the air, even the oceans. When the war ended, that ownerless power wandered aimlessly, searching for a vessel… and it found one in the darkest places—in the echoes of death, in the forgotten corners of the world. Over time, that power took shape… and thus, monsters were born."
Oliver listened without interrupting, captivated by every word.
—"As monsters appeared," Kira continued, "the surviving humans adapted. The world's magic changed their bodies and souls. That's how soul cores were born—fragments of power within each person, capable of channeling magical energy. In other words, humanity evolved so it wouldn't be devoured by the world it inherited."
She paused. The wind outside howled, as if trying to slip into the cave and carry her words away.
Kira glanced at the glowing cores in her hand.
—"But even among monsters, there are levels—ranks that mark their strength and corruption. There are seven in total, from the weakest to those that shouldn't even exist."
Oliver swallowed hard.
—"Seven?"
—"Yes." She nodded calmly. "Listen well, because the difference between one and another is enormous."
Kira extended her hand, counting each rank with a finger as she spoke.
—"The first are Monsters. The most common type. Creatures born from scattered fragments of magic. They rarely possess intelligence—only instinct. Some can mimic animal behavior, but their main purpose is to devour."
She lowered one finger.
—"Nightmares: when a monster survives long enough or devours too much energy, it evolves. Its body mutates, and its mind grows sharper. Some even use hunting tactics or control fragments of magic."
Oliver swallowed again, recalling the spider's roar and the way it moved—almost aware.
Kira continued without pause:
—"Demons: a step higher. Demons are monsters that have stabilized their magic and can affect the environment. A single one can wipe out an entire village."
—"Devils: intelligent monsters capable of strategy and planning. They're far more dangerous than demons, since some possess unique abilities. A few can even control weaker monsters, forming small armies. They're terrifying beings—city destroyers."
Kira paused, letting her words sink in.
—"Above the devils are the Tyrants. They're leaders among monsters. Some are strong and have unique powers, but they're mostly known for commanding others, organizing attacks with terrifying precision."
—"Next come the Corrupted. Not much is known about them, except that they're extremely dangerous. A single Corrupted can erase an entire kingdom. Only the strongest warriors can face them."
—"And finally, the Titans. Catastrophic beasts, forces of nature that reshape everything in their path. Their bodies are immense, their power unimaginable. To defeat one, you'd need the best of the best."
Oliver took a few seconds to react.
—"So… that thing we killed was a Nightmare?" he asked, still in disbelief.
Kira nodded, looking down at the two softly glowing cores in her palm.
—"Yes. It wasn't just a monster. It was a Nightmare."
Oliver's eyes drifted toward the spider's corpse, still visible in the clearing.
—"If that was a Nightmare," he said quietly, "then it was stronger than the alligator you fought yesterday, right?"
—"Exactly," Kira replied without hesitation. "The alligator was just a monster—stronger than common beasts, sure, but still limited. Nightmares are a step above, and you can feel that difference even in their cores."
She lifted one of the crystals, turning it slowly between her fingers.
—"These cores contain a much higher concentration of magic. If you learn to use them, they can make you stronger… or kill you in the attempt."
Oliver frowned.
—"But you said that one was weak for a Nightmare. Why?"
—"Because its energy was unstable," she explained. "It had probably just evolved. When a monster absorbs too much magic, its body transforms. If it survives the process, it becomes a Nightmare—but for a while, it's vulnerable."
Kira fell silent, her eyes fixed on the core with a thoughtful expression.
—"If we'd arrived a few days later," she murmured, "we wouldn't have stood a chance. It would've devoured us before we even saw it."
Oliver swallowed. Her words felt like ice pressing against his chest.
He looked again at the glowing orbs in her hand. Those beautiful, tranquil spheres were fragments of a creature that had nearly killed them.
They were, quite literally, the heart of horror.
Kira closed her hand, extinguishing their glow.
—"Remember this, Oliver," she said gravely. "In this world, power is both a blessing and a curse. The closer you get to strength… the closer you are to becoming one of them."
—"I'll remember," Oliver said quietly.
Kira stood, slipping the two cores into her pocket.
—"We need to move. Sooner or later, something will smell the blood of that dead Nightmare."
---
Oliver and Kira continued their journey through the snow-covered forest.
The cold mist coiled between the trees like a ghostly veil, and their footprints vanished quickly under the wind. Along the way, they encountered several creatures—corrupted animals infused with the world's energy. Stronger than normal beasts, but without soul cores.
Kira dispatched them with precision, and although Oliver was still clumsy with his horn blade, he served as a distraction when needed—drawing attention, creating openings.
As the day wore on, the forest grew darker and quieter. The crunch of ice beneath their boots was the only sound that broke the silence. When the sun finally began to fade, they decided to stop and rest.
They ate some dried meat and hard bread Oliver still carried. Neither spoke much; in a place like that, words could cost your life.
The forest was treacherous. Every shadow could hide danger, every distant sound could signal a hunt. They stayed alert, listening, watching—ready to fight or flee. In that world, one mistake meant death.
Fortunately, that mistake never came.
Though Oliver wasn't as skilled as Kira, his reflexes and instincts were sharper now. He knew when to move, when to distract, when to create the moment she needed to strike. She noticed—even if she didn't say it.
When dusk finally fell, they found a cave at the foot of a hill. The metallic scent in the air and claw marks in the snow warned them it wasn't empty. Inside slept a bear with bluish fur, its thick hide glinting faintly in the dim light.
There was no time to plan. The roar came first; the fight was short and brutal. Kira dodged a swipe that could have split a tree, while Oliver lunged from the side, stabbing its leg with his horn knife. Kira seized the opening and drove her sword into the beast's neck.
The roar faded. The body fell. Silence returned.
Both were panting, steam rising with every breath.
They had won.
Oliver quickly gathered some wood and lit a fire. The yellow flames danced across the stone walls, filling the cave with soft warmth. Meanwhile, Kira skinned the bear and placed pieces of meat over the flames.
The smell of roasted meat mingled with smoke and melting snow.
As they waited, Kira took out the three soul cores they'd collected that day—two from the ice spider and one from the bear. She placed them by the fire. Their glow was faint, almost hypnotic.
Without a word, she picked up one, closed her hand around it, and crushed it. The core broke with a dull crack, and a blue energy seeped into her skin. For a moment, the fire bent toward her, as if the absorbed power distorted the very air.
Oliver watched closely. So that's how you use them, he thought. He grabbed one of his two cores and squeezed. A warm sensation coursed through his arm and chest, like a burning pulse.
He did the same with the second, exhaling as heat filled him. Something inside him shifted—growing, changing—but he couldn't tell what it was.
Kira opened her eyes and looked at him. After a moment of silence, Oliver spoke:
—"Kira," he said, breaking the calm. "It's clear you're stronger than me. So… I want to make a deal."
She raised an eyebrow, eyes fixed on the fire.
—"A deal?"
—"Yeah." Oliver met her gaze. "Teach me how to fight. In exchange, I'll use my ability to heal your wounds whenever you need it."
Kira didn't answer immediately. Her expression was unreadable.
The fire crackled between them, and the silence stretched until it was almost unbearable.
Oliver didn't look away. He knew he was weak, and he hated it. If he wanted to survive, he needed to learn—and she was the only one who could teach him.
Finally, Kira sighed and lowered her gaze toward the flames.
—"Alright," she said, in her usual dry tone.
The weight on Oliver's chest eased. A small smile tugged at his lips.
—"Then… it's a deal."
Kira nodded, turning her attention back to the meat browning over the fire.