*
Ashen and his teammates cut through the forest's outer edge with ease.
With plenty of practice using the DDD, and this not being their first redo, everything was going smoothly.
Well, almost.
The only problem? There were a lot more beasts in their way than usual.
It wasn't uncommon to get swarmed on a bad day, and today just happened to be one of those days.
Or maybe it had less to do with luck and more to do with their decision to push deeper into the forest.
After all, they had agreed to take on a more challenging mission today.
No more playing it safe.
They needed to push past their comfort zones and prepare for the worst.
Because next time?
They might not get a redo.
Their mission was straightforward: to hunt down a sheep-like creature renowned for its exquisite meat.
A delicacy.
And judging by the hefty reward, the request likely came from someone walking the Gluttony pathway.
Ashen had no complaints. Good money, manageable risk… or so he thought.
*
Swish. Thud.
Another beast fell, joining the dozen others littering the ground.
Ashen barely spared them a glance. "Good job. Keep moving."
No objections. They pressed forward.
The deeper they ventured, the quieter they became, as one mistake could mean death.
Ashen, however, felt more secure than ever. His mana sensitivity had improved drastically thanks to his constant training.
By keeping his mana circulating at all times, he'd sharpened his ability to sense it, even when it wasn't his own.
That meant one thing:
Ambushes? Not happening.
He could feel the beasts long before they struck.
It wasn't surprising that monsters carried mana within them, as they also breathed the same air. It fueled their strength, their survival. Even without intellect, their instinct alone drove them to wield it.
Hunger, Fear, Survival…
A beast's will to live was all it needed to tap into mana, even if crudely.
Of course, that's why they weren't out here throwing fireballs.
*
"Hey… this is getting out of hand," Seraphine muttered, unease creeping into her voice as they cut down another beast.
This one resembled a twisted version of a gazelle, Vilegrazers, if Ashen recalled correctly.
Braun nodded grimly. "Yeah… they keep coming. It's like they're tracking us."
Ashen, who was also confused by the high amount of monsters, stiffened. Tracking…?
His hand shot to his waist.
The scent pouch.
Unfastening it in one swift motion, he hurled it as far as he could.
'Curse that guy.'
Seraphine and Braun exchanged confused glances, but Ashen wasn't in the mood for explanations.
His expression darkened, his voice dropping to a razor-sharp edge.
"We've been set up."
His grip tightened around his spear.
"We go back. NOW."
Recognizing the gravity of the situation, both Braun and Seraphine discarded their so-called "scent repellents"—or rather, scent attractors, without hesitation.
Not even a second later, a Vilegrazer emerged from behind the trees, lunging straight for one of the discarded pouches. Sniffing it greedily, the beast let out a series of strange, almost ecstatic noises.
Grrrrr.
Ashen's expression darkened. That was all the proof they needed; this was a set-up.
But that wasn't his biggest concern right now.
From his heightened senses, he felt a dozen more mana signatures, all the same size, all closing in fast.
"Incoming!"
He barely got the warning out before the creatures burst from the underbrush.
Ashen wanted to avoid a prolonged fight. The longer they lingered, the more likely it was that something worse would show up.
Unfortunately, the gazelle-like beasts had other plans.
"Braun! Take the front!"
"On it!"
"Sera! Stay close!"
"Yes!"
Ashen seamlessly shifted into command mode, his team instinctively falling into place. In life-and-death moments like these, there was no need for second-guessing.
BAM!
The inevitable collision—Braun's shield slammed against the thick antlers of the first Vilegrazer.
Some of the creatures attempted to slip past him, eyeing the softer targets.
Braun wasn't having it.
"I'm right here, you bastards!" he bellowed.
Most of the Vilegrazers immediately snapped their heads toward him, their red eyes darkening further before they lunged.
This was Braun's Taunt, a skill born from his Custodia Thema that set him on the path of defense and protection, amplified further by his Pride Sin.
And just like that, the battlefield was set.
Ashen wasted no time.
Swish—Grrk.
Swish—Gaaahk.
Thrust—Giii Hhkk.
His spear danced, slicing throats and gouging eyes with lethal efficiency as he weaved between the frenzied beasts.
Seraphine focused on Braun's blind spots, her whip cracking like thunder as it coiled around necks and limbs. With each precise flick of her wrist, she sent them stumbling straight into Ashen's reach.
Together, they cut a bloody path toward the forest's edge.
But when it rains, it pours.
Their carnage had attracted the wrong kind of attention.
A howl cut through the air.
Awoo!
Then another.
And another.
With gaping maws that never seemed to close and flared nostrils that sniffed out their misfortune, a pack of monstrous hyenas slinked into view.
The Vilegrazers weren't their enemies, nor were they their allies…
They were the main course.
But Ashen didn't have any illusion that they would be satisfied with just the gazelles… especially with how sadistic they tend to be.
"Fuck!" Ashen swore. Just our luck.
The hyenas wasted no time, lunging at the distracted Vilegrazers with crackling, bone-chilling barks.
"Braun! Now's our chance—move!"
Ashen didn't wait for a reply. He and Seraphine dashed toward their shield-bearer, hacking and lashing at anything that got in their way.
The moment Braun was free of the swarm, they bolted toward the forest's outer edges at full speed.
For a second, it looked like they might actually make it.
Then Ashen felt it.
Lying in wait, hidden just ahead—more mana signatures.
'Hyenas. Waiting for an ambush.'
And to make matters worse, some of the beasts that had pretended to tangle with the Vilegrazers had changed their minds.
Why settle for dead meat when chasing down live prey was so much more fun?