The place Dio chose for shelter looked calm at first glance. A fallen tree trunk formed a natural wall, and the large root of the tree behind him created a shadow dense enough to hide them from a distance. There was only one narrow entrance, just wide enough for one person to pass through.
He lowered the unconscious figure carefully. The person's chest still rose and fell, but with a poor rhythm—often losing sync, sometimes stopping briefly before struggling to continue. The wound on their side looked worse under the morning light. The torn edges were uneven. Not a sword slash. Not a stab.
"No animal I know makes wounds like this," Dio thought.
His own breath felt rough after carrying the body this far. His protection ensured he wouldn't collapse from exhaustion, but fatigue still existed… gnawing at muscle and mind.
He sat for a moment, leaning against the fallen trunk.
The surrounding silence felt different from last night.
Not merely quiet—
but empty.
The forest had lost many of its sounds.
No birds.
No insects.
No leaves stirred by wind.
Dio touched the ground beside him. The soil was dry, but not naturally dry. There were no worms or small insects, as if something had recently disturbed the earth, driving the small creatures away.
"The forest's pattern is changing," he thought. "Something passed close to here."
He stood slowly.
Picked up his sword.
Walked to the narrow entrance and peeked outside.
Sunlight crept between the branches. But it didn't reach the ground directly, as if blocked by uneven fog. The fog did not move as usual. It didn't follow the wind. It didn't rise with the warmth of the sun.
A chill went down his spine.
The forest felt like it was holding its breath.
---
The first sound came from the northwest—soft, almost swallowed by distance. Not the heavy thump of the large creature he encountered on the last day of his previous travel. This sound was quicker. Lighter. Like something stomping once, stopping, then stomping again.
Not a large animal.
Not a human.
Not rhythmic… but very deliberate.
Dio held his breath.
He didn't move.
He only listened.
The sound stopped.
Silence filled everything.
The forest fell quiet again.
But this silence felt heavy, like a massive hill hanging above him, waiting to collapse without warning.
Dio glanced at the unconscious figure.
Their breath still existed… but faint.
"If something comes," he thought, "they won't be able to run. And I can't carry two bodies while defending."
He moved closer to the entrance.
Held his sword at his side.
Did not raise it.
Did not show aggression.
Just guarded.
The air slowly shifted.
Something approached.
Not like the large creature from last night.
Not from the river.
Not a heavy sound crushing the earth.
This was more…
fast.
Its movement cut through the air.
Leaves shifted in patterns unrelated to wind.
The ground responded with faint vibrations—as if whatever it was moved not with strength, but with speed.
Dio sharpened his hearing.
There was a short breath.
Fast.
Controlled.
Almost like a restrained snort.
Then the sound vanished.
Dio lifted his shield halfway. His body tensed without conscious effort. He felt an urge to retreat… but this was the only shelter he had. If he stepped into the open, he would be easier to spot. If he stayed here, he only had to guard one direction.
He waited.
Time stretched.
Maybe a minute.
Maybe five.
Then a small branch at the left side of the entrance bent slowly, as if pressed by something that did not want to make a sound.
Dio's breath caught.
There was a small shadow behind the bush.
Not large.
Not as tall as he was.
Lower, but long… and moving very smoothly.
Not big enough to be the giant creature.
But its movement was nothing like a wild animal.
More… deliberate.
Searching.
Sniffing.
Observing.
Dio adjusted his stance.
"This isn't the same creature," he thought. "This is different."
Silence shattered when a thin twig snapped.
The small crack was enough to break the fragile tension.
The forest reacted.
A bird in the far distance let out a single short call.
Then silence returned.
The shadow behind the bush moved forward a few centimeters.
Then stopped.
Dio's eyes narrowed.
He saw something there—not clear, but enough to make his heartbeat rise.
Two small points…
reflecting light.
Eyes.
Set low.
But the body line behind them was too long for an ordinary animal.
Dio didn't move.
Didn't breathe.
Didn't want to reveal he noticed.
The creature shifted, and a tiny scatter of soil fell from its feet.
And in that moment Dio knew:
The creature wasn't observing.
The creature…
was preparing.
For what?
He didn't know yet.
But one thing was certain:
The forest had stopped hiding.
Whatever lurked behind that bush…
would show itself today.
And he couldn't avoid it.
Not with the burden he was protecting.
Not with the forest changing its pattern.
Not with the threat coming closer.
Dio lowered his center of gravity, bracing for whatever came next.
The second—or third—day had just turned into the first true day of battle.