Now, night had fallen, meaning one full day had passed since Jyu first set foot in the Spirit Realm. Two days remained before he could return alive to the Human Realm.
Jyu refused to waste any more time. The night became his chosen moment to move faster. His confidence grew when he saw the neckless monsters leaving the place where they had devoured Surcy's body.
"So mystical creatures need rest too," he muttered as he continued walking north across the land of Darkent, searching for his demonic power—the Bear Demon. Truly, Jyu could hardly wait to obtain it!
Still, he remained cautious. All his senses worked harder than ever to detect any approaching threat. His eyes sharpened to catch every movement, his ears throbbed to hear even the faintest sound, and his hands were ready to swing his sword with all his strength.
When he felt the area was safe, Jyu quickly dashed toward the nearest cone-shaped rocks. He hid there, observing his surroundings. Only when he was certain it was clear would he move again to the next set of rocks. He repeated this method over and over, yet the massive stone formations he had seen during his meditation were nowhere in sight. They still seemed far away.
The realm of Darkent still held countless mysteries for the Surcy. Many of them were killed even before they could begin their adventure. Their bodies became food for hungry mystical creatures.
There was also the matter of the dimensional gates—appearing and vanishing without warning. The gate appeared again, and Jyu could see it clearly. It stood wide open, with many mystical beings entering and exiting. Some of them returned to Darkent in dreadful condition—arms severed, chests slashed by swords, bluish blood dripping continuously onto the ground.
Darkent lay directly beside the Human Realm. That meant those creatures had just returned from the world of humans. Then who had beaten them so severely?
Jyu watched in confusion. All his life, he had known nothing about mystical beings, nor about similar entities living in the Human Realm. Yet the sight before him was proof that there were other beings besides humans dwelling in that world.
Staring too long would only waste time. Jyu began running again, as the area around him was empty of mystical creatures. But it did not last long. His steps halted when he saw a mystical being asleep—apparently in a deep slumber.
"That's a neckless monster," he joked quietly.
Without realizing it, drool slipped from his lips. Somehow, his hunger suddenly intensified, painfully twisting his stomach. He had not eaten for an entire day, and now he was tempted to taste the flesh of that mystical creature.
In truth, Jyu was already accustomed to eating disgusting creatures. Rats, squirrels, even lizards had once filled his stomach. When desperate, he would capture stray dogs or cats, cook them, and eat them. If not, he would rummage through trash bins in search of rotten meat.
He had done all this for years because he could not afford proper food. He had no money. Poverty had tormented him for years—living as a homeless man, enduring constant suffering. Working might have been an option, but he never received money, only nearly spoiled leftovers as wages.
Now it all made sense why he felt no disgust toward eating the flesh of this mystical creature. He would do it!
Carefully, he stepped closer. His footsteps were light, almost floating, making no sound against the sand. The mystical creature slept soundly, unaware of Jyu's approach.
"If it had a neck, my job would be easier," Jyu grumbled, annoyed at the creature's physical form. His eyes searched for a weakness. Without a neck, which part could he strike?
Jyu made his decision. With one powerful thrust, his sword pierced perfectly into the monster's eye. Bluish blood burst out, and the creature's scream of pain rang loudly. Yet it still possessed enough strength; if left alone, it might escape.
Of course, Jyu would not allow that. With all his might, he pushed his sword deeper into the monster's body. Its scream grew louder, then gradually weakened… and stopped. It died.
"Are you dead?"
To be sure, Jyu kicked the body several times. Death had truly claimed it. There was no movement.
With a satisfied smile, Jyu pulled out his sword and flicked it to remove the blood. He wiped his face and clothes, stained by the splatter.
"Like it or not, I'm in survival mode now," Jyu whispered, strengthening his resolve to eat the monster's flesh. He even intended to drink some of its blood to soothe his burning, parched throat.
With trembling hands, he cupped the blood flowing from the monster's eye. The smell was awful, but he forced his mouth open and drank. One gulp—that was all he could manage.
It tasted terrible. Nausea struck instantly, and he nearly vomited. But at least it relieved his dry throat.
Now, only one thing remained—eating the meat.
The arm was the only part that excited him. It was muscular, thick with flesh. The rest, especially the belly, looked like a disgusting mass of fat.
Jyu was skilled at cutting meat. Quickly, he severed the monster's arm and sliced it into smaller pieces, ready to eat. He also prepared provisions for tomorrow and the following day.
Eating raw meat—especially from a grotesque monster—was undeniably unpleasant. The taste was indescribable, perhaps somewhat like beef, but tougher and more fibrous. The smell was sharper, inducing nausea. Jyu could only endure it.
His stomach was finally full, and drowsiness crept over him. The night was deep—perhaps even past midnight. In the Human Realm, it might have been one or two in the morning.
Jyu wanted to sleep for three or four hours—but not here. A mystical corpse lay nearby. By morning, it might attract other monsters. They were cannibals.
So he resumed walking through Darkent, searching for a safe shelter. He hurried, even running slightly, as most monsters were asleep.
He always paused near cone-shaped rocks. Eventually, he found a suitable place—two sturdy cone rocks standing tall with an open space between them. Perfect for sleeping and shielding himself from the cold night air.
And Jyu decided to rest.
---
Morning arrived. Sunlight shone beautifully, warming the realm of Darkent. But strange noises rang out loudly, waking Jyu from his sleep.
"What? What's happening?" Jyu rose quickly and peeked through the gap between the rocks. Mystical creatures were running south, in the direction from which Jyu had come.
They were all hungry. That was Jyu's most logical assumption. The monsters ran with ravenous expressions, perhaps drawn by the scent of blood from the monster he had killed last night. Or maybe they were heading toward the place where Surcy had fallen. Surely, new Surcy had appeared and died.
But this was his chance to continue.
Like yesterday, his strategy remained the same: run swiftly when safe, hide behind rocks when necessary, and seek opportunities to move north.
It sounded easy—but reality was different. Darkent was a lawless realm. The monsters had no reason. Their actions were driven by instinct and desire. Chaos was everywhere. It was truly a wild world.
Two hundred meters away, mystical creatures were fighting. This time, two types clashed—a neckless monster and a two-headed wolf. And that was not all. Battles erupted nearly everywhere. Snakes, lions, and other bizarre creatures tore at one another.
It was morning. It seemed all mystical beings were hunting to fill their empty stomachs. So what was Jyu's next move?
"No place is safe," Jyu cursed in frustration.
Plans raced through his mind. Morning might be the time of slaughter—losers becoming food for winners. Continuing now could mean death.
Perhaps midday would be calmer once the monsters were full. But waiting too long could cost him precious time. The distance to his demonic power remained uncertain.
"Damn it!"
Like it or not, staying hidden until noon was the most reasonable strategy. Stepping out now would be suicide.
Jyu waited, bored, growing sleepy again. Slowly, he opened his provisions. The monster meat was wrapped in cloth torn from his own robe. He took a piece and began to eat.
It was a fatal mistake.
Though he had cleaned the blood from the meat, it still attracted nearby creatures.
Suddenly, a hissing sound echoed. The sand beneath him began to shift—slowly at first, then faster. Jyu stood and stepped back.
A second later, a snake's head burst from the sand. At first, it faced away from him, searching for its meal. Then it turned—and locked eyes with Jyu.
Panic gripped him. There was nothing left but to fight.
The snake stared sharply, ready to prey. It opened its mouth wide, releasing a piercing hiss.
Jyu pointed his sword forward. The blade gleamed under the sunlight—sharp and deadly.
"Come at me, wretched creature!" he shouted, eyes blazing with unrestrained fury. There was no longer any reason to conceal his strength or intentions. All hesitation vanished in that instant. His voice rang with defiance, echoing through the air. This was not merely a challenge—it was an open declaration of war.