As we continued toward the ruined village, the sensation of being followed never faded. The presences were still there. Distant but yet persistent. I glanced sideways at Krent, keeping my voice casual. "Do you know how to use magic?"
He scoffed. "No. Just Aura. I don't have affinity to use magic"
"Oh?" I raised a brow. "What level?"
"Mid-level Aura Controller." His tone carried a hint of pride, though it was subdued. "Not bad," I remarked, nodding. Despite the conversation, my mind remained alert. Something, or someone, was trailing us. I cast a glance over my shoulder. There was no one except Krent who was following me. The tree around us was still. The wind barely stirred the branches, and yet… the weight of unseen eyes pressed against my back.
Krent caught my shift in posture. "What is it?" Lowering my voice, I murmured, "We're being followed." He frowned. "That's not possible. No one else is foolish enough to walk into the mouth of death like us."
"Maybe," I said. "But the presence is there. Not just one, but there are multiple presence. They are faint, but I can feel it. Whoever they are, they're keeping their distance." Krent hesitated, then turned to scan the path behind us. His sharp eyes searched the surroundings. "I don't see anything nor feel any presence," he said.
I nodded. "They're staying far enough to avoid detection. But they're there." Krent exhaled slowly. "Yeah… that could be." We let the matter rest for now and pressed forward.
…...
...
The moment we stepped into the last village which was near the Syler forest, a suffocating silence enveloped us. Every house had been reduced to rubble. Splintered wood, broken beams, shattered stone — what was once a house was now nothing but debris. The streets were painted with dried blood, the dark stains soaked deep into the earth. The village wasn't just destroyed. It was torn apart, completly.
The stench of decay, of death, lingered in the air. And yet… There were no bodies. Not a single one. Krent's face hardened as he surveyed the carnage. I turned to him. "So, the villagers died when you started running?" His throat bobbed as he swallowed. "Yeah." His voice was quieter now, probably because of tiredness.
"Many of us tried to escape. But the moment we left, the beasts came back. They tore through the people like they were nothing." His hands clenched into fists. "But…" He hesitated. "There's something off." I followed his gaze. No bodies, just blood, too much dried blood on the snapped woods and ground. "The flesh," he muttered. "There's no flesh anywhere." I didn't need to think hard for an answer. "They ate them."
He exhaled sharply. "Yeah, I also think they ate them."
I shifted my focus. "You mentioned S-rank beasts. Are they named S-rank beasts?"
Krent's expression darkened. "Yeah, The beasts that led the slaughter were called Myster." S-rank beasts were already on a different level, but for one to have a name meant it was something even more dangerous. I narrowed my eyes. "Tell me everything you know about Myster."
Krent's fingers twitched near his greatsword. His breath came slower, controlled. Krent's voice was grim. "Myster isn't just a beast. It's something else entirely." I inhaled sharply, absorbing his words before continuing.
"Myster… I've heard of them. Rare creatures that only found in the wastelands. They've never been seen in Syler Forest before." I met his gaze. "This is the first time, isn't it?"
Krent nodded. "Yeah. And as you know, every low-rank beast has a name, but for S-rank and above, only the strongest are named."
A cold realization settled in my chest. "Which means Myster isn't just any S-rank beast; it's one of the most powerful beasts among S-rank beasts."
"Exactly." His said which a faint hint of sadness in his voice.
"What else do you know?" I pressed.
Krent slowly exhaled. "Myster beasts can wield fire magic. The strength of their spells depends on how powerful the individual beast is. Even the weakest among them can cast Tier-2 fire magic." I frowned. "And their appearance?" His fingers twitched near his sword hilt. "They walk on two legs, like humans. But their upper limbs… they have long, razor-sharp claws. One strike is enough to tear a man apart."
The weight of his words pressed down on us. The village stood lifeless—a silent testament to the terror these creatures had unleashed. And yet… we were not alone. The presence I had felt before still lingered a little far away, watching both of us, and waiting for something.
Then—
A rustling in the forest. A snap of a branch. Two figures emerged from the treeline, stepping into the ruined village. They matched Krent's description exactly. Tall as an average adult, walking upright. Their humanoid bodies were lean yet powerful, their skin rough and darkened like charred wood with furs all over their body. Each of their hands ended in long, curved claws, razor-sharp, glinting under the faint light. Their eyes burned like embers. A low, guttural growl rumbled from one of them. "kaaaa"
Krent stiffened. "They're here." The moment the beasts appeared, every presence I had sensed before vanished as if they had never been there. I said, looking at Krent, "Now the presence which were following us have disappeared."
He said, "Let's first kill the beasts. After that, let's find those who were following us." I nodded in agreement. With guttural growls, both beasts lunged forward, their claws gleaming. Without hesitation, Krent drew his greatsword. I took my sword from storage mark and unsheathed it, the one my father had given me. The master took the goddess' sword from me when I was in the capital. No words were needed to speak. We just moved our hand. Blades met claws in a violent clash.
Clang!
Sparks flew as steel struck hardened nails, their sharp tips inches away from piercing through flesh. I twisted my wrist, parrying a downward slash before stepping to the side. The beast's claw sliced through the air where my head had been just moments before.
Krent roared, swinging his greatsword in a powerful arc. The second beast leaped back, narrowly dodging the strike, its eyes gleaming with something more than just primal instinct. It was analyzing and calculating our moves. These things weren't just strong, they were intelligent as well.