The battlefield was silent.
Only the faint hiss of steam rose from the cracked, molten ground where the great wyvern had fallen.
Vulcarion Basal — once a living volcano — now lay motionless, its molten veins fading into a dull ember glow. The air still trembled from lingering heat, every breath thick and heavy. The hunters stood among the ruins of the beast's fury, their armor scorched and their movements slow.
Alder was the first to slump down, leaning his back against a stone. "Finally… it's over."
Kael sat beside him, bowgun across his lap, saying nothing — just letting his eyes close.
Seren knelt nearby, her lance tip buried in the ground as support. Her chest rose and fell slowly, exhaustion heavy in every breath.
Then came the soft, steady rhythm of snoring.
Hunnt blinked, glancing to the side. Kael had already dozed off with his hat tilted over his eyes, and Alder's head lolled to the side. Even Seren, still upright, had slipped into sleep sitting down.
Hunnt let out a quiet, amused breath. "Figures," he muttered. "They fought a volcano and now they're out cold."
He looked back toward the carcass of Vulcarion Basal, its immense frame still steaming in the heat. He stood and walked closer, drawn by instinct more than thought. The ground beneath him radiated warmth — enough to make the air shimmer.
Up close, the monster's scales still glowed faintly. Hunnt knelt down, pressing a hand to the shell. It was like touching hot metal — hard and unyielding. He pulled out his hunting knife and struck down.
Clang!
The blade bounced clean off. He tried slicing — nothing. Not even a scratch.
"The shell's still too hot," Hunnt murmured, eyes narrowing. "The heat's sealing it from the inside."
He felt sweat run down his neck. His Cool Drink's effect had already worn off, and his skin began to sting from the radiating heat. He reached into his satchel for another flask, but paused halfway.
His gaze fell back to the glowing scales. "…Wait."
He turned the flask in his hand, thinking aloud. "If this cools me, then what happens if it cools you?"
Uncorking it, Hunnt poured the liquid over the wyvern's shell.
The effect was immediate. The surface hissed violently — steam erupted in thick white clouds, cooling the red glow beneath. Hunnt stepped back, waiting for the reaction to settle, then pressed his knife again.
This time, the blade slid through the armor easily, cutting a clean line through the cooled shell.
Hunnt's lips curved slightly. "So that's it… To butcher you, I need to cool you down first."
He tried another cut. Smooth, effortless. But as soon as the liquid's effect faded, the next strike bounced again. He looked at his half-empty flask. "That's a problem. Cool Drinks take time and rare herbs to make."
He thought for a moment, gaze turning toward the smoldering cliffs. "Maybe water could work…"
With a flicker of motion — Soru — he vanished from the spot.
A heartbeat later, Hunnt appeared near a small ravine where water trickled faintly between blackened rocks. He crouched, scooped some into a hollow monster skull, and in another instant, reappeared beside Vulcarion's corpse.
He threw the water.
The droplets evaporated midair, turning to steam before touching the shell.
Hunnt frowned. "Too hot. Needs more volume or pressure." He crossed his arms, thinking out loud. "If I can strap a small bomb to a barrel of water… make it explode cold instead of fire. That could work — a water bomb. Maybe the market in Draconis sells small explosive caps."
He nodded slightly to himself. "I'll test it when we're back."
---
Behind him, movement stirred.
Kael rubbed his eyes and yawned. "What's Hunnt doing now?" he muttered, sitting up.
Alder stretched with a groan. "Probably figuring out how to butcher the beast. You know him."
Seren blinked, still groggy. "Butcher it? Why?"
Alder grinned faintly. "He's a blacksmith. Everything I'm wearing — my great sword, this armor — all his work."
Seren blinked again, eyes widening. "He's a blacksmith? And a hunter?"
Kael smirked, pushing himself to his feet. "You didn't know? He forges what he fights with. Makes sense, doesn't it?"
Seren turned her gaze toward Hunnt — standing beside the massive corpse, knife glinting faintly in the fading light. "A blacksmith who fights with his fists… and wins against monsters like this." She shook her head slowly, almost in awe. "That's… incredible."
Alder chuckled, brushing soot from his armor. "He's more than incredible. You should've seen him fight off those lesser monsters — solo. While we were getting pummeled, he cleared an entire swarm on his own."
Seren nodded. "I saw. He didn't even hesitate." Her tone softened. "He's like a monster among hunters."
Kael crossed his arms, half-smiling. "Yeah… but he's our monster."
They shared a quiet laugh.
Alder looked up at the dimming sky. "We should head back. Maerin's probably panicking by now."
Kael nodded. "Agreed. She'll want to see proof that we're still alive."
Alder cupped his hands. "Hunnt! We're heading back to the village!"
Hunnt didn't answer at first. He stood with his back to them, watching the fallen wyvern. The light from Vulcarion's body had dimmed to faint gray — the once-blazing furnace reduced to smoke and silence.
Then Hunnt turned, sheathing his knife. "Go ahead. I'll follow soon."
Kael raised an eyebrow. "Don't stay too long, or I'm telling Maerin you turned into stone with the beast."
Hunnt smirked faintly. "If I do, I'll be the best-looking statue you've ever seen."
Kael snorted, shaking his head as he started walking. "You wish."
Alder and Seren followed, their steps slow and heavy but lighter somehow — the kind of exhaustion that came after victory.
Hunnt watched them go for a moment, then turned back to the Vulcarion Basal. The last heat shimmered from the monster's cooling form, and for a brief second, the reflection of flame glowed in his eyes.
He whispered softly, "Even fire cools… eventually."
Then he turned and followed his companions down the ridge, the wind carrying the faint smell of ash, victory, and the dying breath of a furnace.