Rian moved through the twilight forest with a predatory grace, leaping from one massive tree root to the next. The air was thick with a watchful silence. He signaled for Catty to halt, then closed his eyes. Drawing a slow, steady breath, he pushed his mana outward, imagining it spreading like a ripple across a still pond, a sonar pulse seeking any other life force in the vicinity.
He had never tried this before, but instinct guided him. The ripple expanded, and suddenly, his senses flared. It was not a sight, but a feeling—warm, yellow silhouettes blooming in his mind's eye, their positions startlingly clear against the cool backdrop of the forest.
"I know where they are," Rian whispered to Catty, his eyes snapping open.
"Now that you know their position, what will you do?" she whispered back, her form tense and ready.
"They've been following us for a while now, never making a move. It's unsettling," Rian said, his voice hard. "I'm going to pay them a visit. Stay here and stay alert. I'll be watching you from a distance as I approach them."
Positioning himself in their direction, Rian took a deep breath. He focused his mana into the soles of his feet, weaving in a thread of wind magic to serve as both a propellant and a stabilizer. He pictured his target, his landing zone, and the silence he needed to maintain.
With a single, explosive push, the world became a blur. "WOSHH!"
In the blink of an eye, he had crossed the distance, landing without a sound directly behind one of the figures who had been watching them. It was a person, their face completely covered by a hood and mask. Before they could react, Rian's arm was around their neck in a chokehold, his other hand gripping his dagger.
Instantly, the forest rustled to life. More than ten other figures emerged from the shadows, their bows drawn and arrows aimed squarely at Rian and, more importantly, at Catty in the distance.
A low growl rumbled in Rian's chest. "I will not hesitate to kill anyone who dares to harm the woman over there," he snarled, and a suffocating, dark purple aura exploded from his body. The air grew cold, the pressure immense. He would unleash every ounce of his mana if it meant protecting Catty.
The figure in his grasp—a woman, he now realized—frantically made a hand signal to her troops. Immediately, they lowered their weapons, placing their bows and arrows on the ground.
"No, sir, please! Don't harm us! We are only monitoring monster activity in this forest!" the woman pleaded, her voice muffled by his grip.
Rian loosened his hold. "Who are you? And why were you watching us?"
"I am Rizquna, daughter of the feline tribe's chief from Cikubangsari village. You can call me RQ," she said, pulling back her hood to reveal the distinct features of a lioness beast-kin. "That woman with you… she is of the Black Jaguar race, a melanistic variant. They are a solitary people. We are of the Lion tribe; our home is at the edge of this forest."
"Then why were you following us in silence?" Rian demanded, his suspicion still sharp.
"We weren't watching you," RQ explained urgently. "We were watching the horde of creatures that was watching you from a distance. We believe they intend to attack you, and then our village, once they receive the order from their leader. Every time you moved, they moved, so we drew closer to your position."
"Then why did your archers aim at Catty?" Rian asked, his voice laced with anger.
"Because you took me hostage," RQ stated simply. "I am the leader of this scouting party."
After listening to her explanation, Rian decided to test her words. He expanded his mana detection skill again, this time pushing it further, wider. A pale blue dome of energy spread out from him, and as the feedback rushed back, he gasped and immediately cut off the skill. The raw number of signatures was staggering.
"What is it, sir?" RQ asked.
"How many people were watching us before, besides your group?" Rian asked, his voice tight.
"Approximately thirty to fifty monsters, sir," RQ replied.
But his detection had painted a far grimmer picture. There were hundreds more, lurking behind that initial vanguard.
"No," Rian said, his face paling. "Not fifty. There are more than five hundred."
Without another word, he launched himself back toward Catty, landing beside her in a defensive stance. "Stay behind me. Do not leave my side for any reason, understand?"
"I understand," Catty replied, her ears twitching. "I sense about thirty more creatures behind those people."
"That's just the front line," Rian explained grimly. "There are five hundred more monsters behind them, ready to attack."
"What are we going to do, Rian?"
He quickly gathered RQ and her scouts behind a large tree to form a plan. RQ explained that the horde was a pack of ravenous beasts that had attacked their village before, pillaging, killing, and even devouring their victims. Her squad was tasked with monitoring them to anticipate another assault. She confirmed that if the number was truly over five hundred, her scouts stood no chance, and even the village guards combined with the villagers would be overwhelmed.
"So what is your plan now?" Rian asked her.
"We will return to the village and evacuate the citizens, if there is still time," RQ said, her voice filled with worry.
Just as the decision was made, Catty's body went rigid.
"Rian! Fifty monsters are charging this way! Fast! Everyone, get ready!" she yelled.
Rian drew the sword Kakek Bebegig had given him and tossed another blade from his Storage to Catty. "Don't stray from my side, Catty!" he commanded. "RQ, you and your squad fall back to the village now! Begin the evacuation!"
"Catty, can you sense what kind of monsters they are?" Rian asked, his eyes scanning the darkness.
"They are wolf monsters, sir. I am certain of it," she confirmed.
"Why were there no wolf monsters in Gramps' territory? Is this a stronger, evolved species?" Rian wondered, a sense of dread coiling in his stomach. But he couldn't retreat. He remembered his vow.
"No. I will not run. I will fulfill my promise, even if it costs me my life." His resolve hardened.
"Catty," he said, his voice low and serious. "If it looks like I can't hold them back, I need you to run as fast as you can. Or better yet, I'll handle this alone. You go and save yourself."
"No," Catty refused, her stance as firm as his. "You promised to protect me and my kin. That promise goes both ways. I will protect you and yours."
The howling grew louder, joined by guttural growls from all directions. The monsters were close. Rian knew he couldn't use his detection skill again; the mana cost was too high. He and Catty stood back-to-back, swords held ready, as the first shadows began to emerge from the trees.