The morning sunlight pierced through the dense canopy of trees, casting golden rays across the forest floor. The air was fresh, filled with the scent of dew, damp earth, and wild foliage. The chirping of crickets and the occasional flapping of birds’ wings broke the silence.
However, the farther Kael and Lizzy ventured into the dense forest vegetation, the more the peaceful atmosphere began to fade. The presence of forest wildlife, such as wild boars, deer, and rabbits, which usually roamed the forest’s depths, seemed to have vanished without a trace.
"Why is it so difficult to find any animals?" Kael muttered, stopping in his tracks and sweeping his gaze across his surroundings. His brows furrowed. "The deeper we go, the more kinds of animals we should be seeing. But it’s the exact opposite... This forest feels far too quiet."
"You’re right. There’s no sound of wild boars snorting or deer splashing through the water," Lizzy replied as she walked beside him.
The farther they went, the more frequently they encountered mysterious footprints and claw marks on the trunks of ancient trees.
Lizzy approached a gigantic oak tree and pointed at several deep gashes that had peeled away its bark. "One, two, three... There are more than ten claw marks on this tree alone. And there seem to be plenty more up ahead. Now I’m curious. What kind of animal has claws this big?"
Even stranger, despite the ferocity of the claw marks, there were no traces of blood or remains from a hunt anywhere nearby. It was as though the creature was exceptionally clean and skilled at dispatching its prey.
Their footsteps eventually came to a halt at a relatively open clearing in the forest. The trees in this area were not particularly dense, allowing the sunlight to beat down on the green grass below.
In this quiet, sun-drenched place, the silence felt all the more ominous. Kael’s battle-honed instincts, sharpened through hundreds of fights, suddenly began to tingle. He could sense a pair of eyes in the distance, watching them coldly.
"That creature is following us again... But why hasn’t it attacked us once since yesterday?" Kael wondered inwardly.
While Kael was busy examining the surrounding area, Lizzy’s attention was drawn to a beautiful blue butterfly flying low to the ground. However, as her eyes followed the insect’s fluttering wings, she accidentally caught sight of a patch of thick white fur behind a large tree about fifty meters away.
The tuft of white fur looked thick and beautiful. It moved slowly before disappearing from view.
"What’s that?!" Lizzy thought, her eyes widening with excitement. "Could it be a wild sheep?! Judging by its shape and the thickness of its wool, it looks just like the wild sheep I saw back then!"
Lizzy briefly glanced at Kael, who was crouching with his back turned to her.
"If I manage to catch it myself without Kael’s help, he’ll be absolutely astonished! He’ll definitely praise me, kiss me, and hold me all day long!" Lizzy imagined. Her face flushed red, accompanied by a sweet yet cunning little smile.
Without making even the slightest sound, Lizzy stealthily circled around and disappeared into the dense bushes, heading toward her target.
Meanwhile, Kael, who had been carefully examining the ground, had just picked up a tuft of thick fur caught on a tree root.
"It seems a battle really did take place here, enough to leave this creature shedding fur... But what kind of animal has fur this white? Wild sheep don’t fight with sharp claws, do they?"
Kael stood up and turned around to show her the fur. "Lizzy, take a look at—"
His words came to an abrupt halt. The area behind him was empty.
"Lizzy?" Kael called, narrowing his eyes as he scanned his surroundings. "Where did she go? She isn’t planning to play another prank on me, is she?"
Kael searched the surrounding area more thoroughly, but his wife was nowhere to be seen. Although he knew Lizzy was an exceptionally formidable assassin, his concern as a husband still welled up in his chest.
Rustle!
"Lizzy?! Is that you?"
There was no one there. Only the bushes swayed gently in the breeze.
Kael’s expression turned extremely wary. His mind raced.
"This creature is clever... It’s deliberately waiting for the right moment, moving in when I’m separated from Lizzy and alone!"
Suddenly, a shadow darted around the clearing at lightning speed. At first glance, it appeared to be covered in pure white fur, but within seconds, its color changed to pitch black, resembling the shadows cast by the trees!
Kael jolted in surprise. He looked down at the tuft of white fur in his hand. It was now slowly shedding its pale color, turning completely black!
"What the hell... Could this creature camouflage itself and disguise its appearance?!"
Shing!
Kael drew his sword from its sheath and gripped the hilt tightly with both hands. He planted his feet firmly against the ground.
The sensation of movement circling around him suddenly came to a complete stop. Kael’s eyes widened as his instincts screamed a warning! He spun around a hundred and eighty degrees!
ROAAARRR!!
A gigantic creature, even larger than a fully grown elephant, was leaping through the air from a tree branch, plunging toward him with its claws outstretched, ready to crush Kael’s body!
Its fur was a disheveled black, and from its wide-open jaws, rows of pointed teeth as long as an adult’s forearm looked ready to shatter bones into pieces.
CLAAANG!!
Kael blocked the impact of the enormous claws with his sword blade. The tremendous collision unleashed a powerful gust of wind that sent dry leaves flying in every direction. Kael’s body was forced three steps backward, his feet scraping against the hard earth.
"Kh...!" Kael clenched his teeth.
When the creature landed on the ground, Kael finally got a full look at its appearance. It resembled a gigantic prehistoric wolf, but its proportions were far more terrifying, and its eyes glowed a wild red.
"Grrrrrww...!!" The enormous wolf growled ferociously, staring at Kael with deep-seated hatred.
"What’s wrong with this thing? Have I done something to offend it?" Kael muttered in confusion.
The wolf lunged at him again, moving at a speed that seemed impossible for a creature of its size. Bang! Bang! Its claws slammed into the ground, sending rocks flying.
Kael was forced to focus entirely on defending himself. This monster’s physical strength was truly nothing to scoff at. If not for the Valerius family’s swordsmanship that the late Luis had taught him, Kael was certain his arms would have been broken by the very first clash.
Swoosh!
Seeing the opening, the wolf bared its teeth in a vicious grin before leaping straight toward Kael’s chest!
In a fraction of a second, Kael dropped low and rolled swiftly to the right.
BOOOM!!
The gigantic fir tree was smashed to pieces by the monster’s charge and sweeping claws, collapsing onto the ground with a deafening crash.
"Huff... huff... I almost ended up like that tree," Kael panted. Cold sweat trickled down his forehead and ran along his jaw. "This is the first time I’ve seen a monster like this... but why does it feel so familiar?"
As he continued dodging with precise movements, Kael began to read the wolf’s attack patterns. Its speed and strength were extraordinary, but every time it launched a powerful attack, there was a brief moment when the muscles in its shoulders tensed.
And finally, the opening he’d been waiting for appeared.
When the giant wolf raised its right claw high to slash at him, Kael didn’t retreat. Instead, he stepped forward, charging straight into its range!
Kael leaped low to the side, allowing the enormous claw to strike nothing but empty air. And just as the wolf was about to use its other claw to counter—
Kael twisted his body, channeled all his strength into his arm, and executed a slash toward the monster’s exposed neck!
"Got you!"
However, the wolf possessed extraordinary defensive reflexes. Sensing the mortal danger threatening its neck, it abruptly lifted the front half of its body!
CRAAASH!!
Kael’s sword missed the wolf’s neck, but it managed to carve a deep gash into the side of its chest, cutting through its thick hide. Thick, black blood sprayed out, staining the grass.
"AWOOOOOO!!"
The monster howled in pain. It leaped backward several meters, glaring at Kael with glowing red eyes filled with fury and fear before finally turning around and speeding away into the depths of the wild forest.
Kael took a deep breath and wiped the monster’s blood from his sword. Just as he was about to follow the trail of blood.
"Kael! Help me!!"
Lizzy’s piercing scream shattered the silence of the forest from the western direction! Her voice sounded panicked and filled with fear.
Kael’s heart seemed to stop beating for an instant.
"Lizzy?!"
Without a second thought, Kael spun around and sprinted as fast as he could through the dense undergrowth toward the source of the voice.