At the northern gate of the town, the team set out toward those towering mountains, hoping to find any clue that would lead them to their long-awaited goal. As they advanced north for a short while, they soon found themselves before a massive mountain range. They began climbing, trying to push forward.
Before long, they reached the peak of the mountain they had been attempting to cross. Stunning sights unfolded before them: a series of aligned mountains blanketed with layers of trees. They pressed deeper and deeper into the mountains, and as they advanced further, troubles began to surface. They had unknowingly entered goblin territory. Dozens of goblins surrounded the team.
Ryan grumbled and said:
"I'm sick of these weak goblins! Isn't there a single dragon or giant around here?"
Til replied:
"Don't complain too much. The first and last time we fought a dragon, it was because of you! You barged into its territory and almost got yourself killed fighting it. If it weren't for Carlos's help, you'd be dead."
Then Tala mocked Ryan with a smirk:
"And the funny thing is, that dragon was only ninth rank. Even among dragons, that's considered weak—and yet it almost killed you."
Ryan retorted:
"That was six months ago! Back then, I had barely reached the second stage of transformation, and Carlos had already entered the third. If I fought that dragon now, I'm certain I'd win."
Carlos then addressed the team:
"Hey, how about we leave the dragons alone for now and focus on these goblins?"
At that moment, Ryan turned toward the goblins. He cracked his knuckles and smirked.
"Alright, alright, come at me, goblins."
As the goblins began their assault, Ryan charged at them with full force, tearing apart any who dared touch him. His hands were covered in crimson scales, hard as steel. Ryan carved his way through the goblins, annihilating all who stood before him.
On the other side, Til stood in his place, the gloomy-looking boy with an ever-irritated expression. The dark circles under his eyes never disappeared, as if he hadn't slept in days. His sharp eyes, hawk-like, pierced through the goblins like arrows. Suddenly, gray feathers sprouted from his palm. With a single wave of his hand, those feathers hardened into steel-like blades and shot forward, tearing through goblins in a barrage like bullets.
Within less than a minute, Ryan and Til had turned the goblin tribe into a pile of corpses. Carlos and Tala hadn't even needed to fight. These goblins were nothing but warm-ups for the two of them. Both were mutants at the peak of the second stage of transformation, racing each other to catch up with Carlos and reach the third stage first. Tala, however, ignored their antics completely—she wasn't a combat-type mutant in the first place.
Returning to the team, Carlos pulled out the map he had obtained from the old man in the tavern the day before. Tala immediately began analyzing the map, focusing on the marked points that mentioned the presence of ghosts or similar phenomena. She identified three locations pointed out in the notes where unnatural occurrences had been reported. Rumors claimed that monsters behaved oddly in those areas, and some even said that strange, vicious trees grew there.
Tala addressed the team:
"Alright, we need to split into two groups. Each will investigate one of these areas, and then we'll regroup at the third point marked on the map. Ryan and Til, you two head to that spot. Carlos and I will take the other one."
As she finished speaking, Ryan gave her a sharp look and said:
"I wonder why you always choose to pair up with Carlos. Why not me or Til?"
Annoyance flashed across Tala's face as she replied:
"So you're saying you can protect me from monsters without acting recklessly?"
Ryan scratched his head awkwardly.
"Alright, alright, I'll agree with you."
Then he grabbed Til's hand and said:
"Come on, we need to finish before they do, Til. Let's go!"
Til sighed.
"Fine, fine, I'm coming."
The team split as planned. Til held a copy of the original map that Tala had and unfolded it, trying to figure out the exact direction they were supposed to head. But it was complicated for him. Ryan mocked him, snatching the map away.
"Seriously? You can't do something Tala does so easily? You're pathetic, Til. Hand it over."
Ryan gave the map a quick glance before tossing it aside as well.
Til scolded him:
"Why did you throw the map? Don't tell me Captain Ryan can't even read one?"
Ryan flustered.
"No, no, that's not it. But I thought about it—wouldn't it be more fun to find the place without relying on a map?"
The two exchanged glances, then simultaneously spoke the same words:
"Let's compete to see who kills more monsters!"
Both dashed forward at full speed. Ryan's sprint was like a dragon charging with overwhelming force, leaving a crimson aura trailing behind him. Til, on the other hand, darted like a hawk chasing prey, gray feathers scattering in his wake.
As they raced, Ryan shouted:
"Hey Til, is this your limit? You're really slow!"
Ryan sped up and overtook Til, but Til pushed harder and caught up again. Running side by side, Til smirked:
"If this is your best, Ryan, don't bother challenging me again."
He burst forward with even greater speed, leaving Ryan far behind, proving he was faster.
Meanwhile, Carlos and Tala advanced more slowly than Ryan and Til, but their progress was far more organized, following the map's guidance carefully. In contrast, Ryan and Til had rushed recklessly into the area.
Carlos muttered quietly, asking Tala to stay behind him. Suddenly, a strange creature appeared before them—unlike anything he had ever seen or heard of. It had the body of a ghoul but with the wings of a feral bird, and its twisted face radiated a sinister aura that sent chills down the spine.
Carlos drew his sword, a medium-sized blade, just as the beast lunged with incredible speed. But Carlos was strong enough to suppress it. He matched the monster's every move. As it tried to grab him, Carlos extended his hand, unleashing a gust of wind that pushed it back instantly.
The monster then spread its wings and took flight, trying to gain the advantage. But what it didn't know was that Carlos could do the same. A powerful gust lifted Carlos off the ground, propelling him skyward to meet the beast.
The monster tried to keep up, but it was no use—Carlos was much faster. Gripping his sword tightly, Carlos soared toward it. Suddenly, without warning, he unleashed a flurry of strikes, like a storm descending upon the creature.
When his assault ended, the monster crashed lifelessly to the ground before Tala, its mutilated body horrifying to behold.
Carlos landed and said:
"This monster isn't natural. No matter how I look at it, I've never heard of such a creature. It's as if someone tried to create a hybrid—stitching multiple beasts together into one."
At this point, part of the truth dawned on Tala. The monsters bore traces of black magic; they were failed experiments of fusing creatures into hybrids. There was no doubt that these mountains hid many secrets, and the remnants of the Erebus organization had a hand in it. Tala's conclusion was that the black aura from dark magic was what made people believe in ghosts. Combined with the monsters' grotesque, terrifying appearance, it was no wonder people mistook them for specters.
Tala said:
"Let's keep moving. Looks like we're in the right place this time."
Carlos replied:
"Wouldn't it be wiser to look for Ryan and Til now? According to the Hunters' Guild, that creature was rank B. If a monster that strong appears this early, there will definitely be stronger ones ahead. Ryan and Til haven't even reached the third stage of transformation yet. Isn't it dangerous for them to move on alone?"
Tala pushed up her glasses slightly and waved her hand dismissively.
"No, no, there's no need to look for them. It's too late anyway. I'm sure they've already started competing. I doubt they even followed the map in the first place. Just leave them be. Let's go on. I'm confident they'll show up at the designated spot when the time comes."
End of Chapter.