The next morning came cloaked in mist.

A pale light filtered through the trees, the air thick with dew. The embers of last night's fire still smoked faintly, sending thin trails of grey upward.

The camp was already stirring. Knights moved efficiently, packing tents and loading supplies onto the wagons. The smell of roasted grains and dried meat hung in the air — breakfast, quick and simple.

Oliver stretched, rolling his shoulders with a faint groan. Despite only a few hours of rest, he felt strangely refreshed. The Rune of Vigor was doing its work — no stiffness, no fatigue. If anything, his body felt lighter than ever.

Ariana, on the other hand, looked half-dead, yawning into her palm as she double-checked her staff and pouch of herbs.

"You look like you could use another three hours," Oliver said, smirking.

"I'd take ten," she muttered, rubbing her eyes. "Didn't sleep a wink with all the snoring."

"That wasn't me."

"Wasn't Isolde either," Ariana replied flatly. "So unless the trees learned to snore—"

Oliver held up his hands, laughing. "Alright, alright. Point taken."

Isolde approached then, looking completely unbothered — her hair perfect, her expression calm, her posture somehow elegant even in armor.

"Ready?" she asked, glancing between them.

"As we'll ever be," Oliver replied.

Ahead, Ronald was giving orders to the knights, his tone sharp and composed as always. Elara's tent was already gone; she was seated inside the first carriage, hood drawn and mask in place, her posture straight as a blade.

By the time the caravan rolled out, the mist had thickened, clinging to the trees like ghostly tendrils. The wheels crunched over damp leaves, the rhythmic sound of horses' hooves echoing in the still air.

For a while, everything seemed calm. Birds chirped distantly. Shafts of sunlight pierced through the canopy, dappling the road with gold.

But as they pushed deeper into the forest, the air changed.

The birds went silent.

Even the horses began to grow restless — ears twitching, nostrils flaring. A few knights tightened their grips on their reins, eyes scanning the treeline.

Oliver noticed it too — that unnatural stillness. It wasn't the kind that came from peace. It was the kind that came before something happened.

He leaned slightly forward in his saddle. "Anyone else feel that?"

Ariana frowned, glancing around. "The air feels heavy…"

"It's mana," Isolde said quietly from the carriage beside them. Her eyes were half-closed, sensing. "There's residual mana in the air — thick, stagnant. Like something large passed through here recently."

"Monster?" Oliver asked.

"Most likely."

Ronald had already noticed. His hand rested on his sword, his sharp gaze scanning the forest. "Form up. Tighten the line."

The knights reacted instantly, their formation shifting — two ahead, four flanking the carriages, the rest covering the rear. The easy chatter from earlier had vanished.

Oliver could feel it too now — that subtle, oppressive pulse. Something in the distance was watching them.

A few minutes later, they passed a broken tree trunk. The bark had been shredded — not cut — torn apart by something massive. The gash marks ran deep, and the surrounding leaves were coated in dark, dried sap.

Ariana swallowed. "What kind of thing could do that?"

Ronald's voice was grim. "Something big. And territorial."

They pressed on.

The mist refused to thin, and soon visibility dropped to barely a few dozen meters. Every now and then, the horses would neigh nervously, forcing the caravan to slow.

Oliver's hand drifted toward his sword, resting lightly on the hilt. His instincts screamed danger.

The knights up front raised torches. The orange glow cast long, trembling shadows across the undergrowth — shadows that didn't always seem to match their owners' movements.

"Something's wrong," Isolde murmured.

Then came the sound.

A low, distant rumble. Almost like a growl — deep, resonant, and far too large to belong to any ordinary creature.

It rolled through the fog, making the horses rear and the knights freeze mid-step.

Ronald's voice cut through the tension. "Defensive formation! Protect the lady's carriage!"

Swords were drawn. Shields lifted. The caravan ground to a halt, the wheels sinking slightly into the damp soil.

Oliver's pulse quickened, adrenaline sparking to life. He turned to Ariana. "Stay close. If things go south, focus on barrier spells first."

Ariana nodded quickly, gripping her staff tight.

And just as the mist began to stir—

A heavy thud shook the ground. Then another.

Leaves trembled. Branches snapped.

Whatever it was, it was moving closer.

Oliver drew his sword in one smooth motion, runes along the blade flaring faintly to life.

He glanced at Isolde, who stood calmly beside him, her lips curling into a dangerous smile.

"Looks like you're getting another test," she said.

Oliver smirked back. "Guess the forest isn't done with us yet."

The mist swirled violently—

And from its depths, two glowing crimson eyes blinked open.

The mist exploded outward as something massive crashed through the trees.

Splintered trunks flew like javelins, slamming into the dirt around the caravan. Horses reared and screamed.

The creature stepped into view.

A colossal beast — standing nearly four meters tall, its body covered in thick, dark scales that shimmered faintly with green iridescence. Its front limbs were thick like pillars, claws hooked and wet. Its head resembled that of a wolf twisted by nightmare — long snout, jagged fangs, and six glowing crimson eyes glaring from beneath a bone-plated forehead.

When it exhaled, the air warped with mana pressure.

"By the gods…" one of the knights breathed. "That's not just a monster—"

"It's a mana beast!" Isolde finished sharply.

The next moment, the creature roared. The sound tore through the air like a thunderclap, throwing several knights off their feet.

"DEFENSIVE FORMATION!" Ronald barked, already drawing his sword.

The line of shields snapped into place in front of the first carriage, while the rear guards raised crossbows, aiming for its face.

"Hold steady!"

The first volley of bolts fired, slicing through the mist.

They hit — and shattered uselessly against the beast's scales.

"Shit! It's too tough!" a knight shouted.

The monster lunged.

Its claw came down like a falling tree — smashing through two shields and sending men flying.

Oliver was already moving. "Ariana! Barrier!"

The girl reacted instantly, slamming her staff into the ground. A dome of translucent blue light shimmered into existence around the carriages just as the creature's tail whipped across the clearing, striking the barrier and making it ripple like water.

Isolde stepped forward, her hand raised. Her voice was calm, cutting through the chaos.

"Ronald, get your knights back. You'll only get in the way."

He hesitated for half a second, then saw the look in her eyes — and nodded.

"Fall back!"

Oliver grinned, gripping his sword. "Guess it's our turn again."

"You take point," Isolde said, summoning a small sphere of light that began to spin beside her. "I'll provide ranged support."

"Got it."

He dashed forward, feet pounding against the wet earth. The Rune of Vigor pulsed faintly under his skin, strength surging through his veins. The sword in his hand thrummed with faint light — fire runes flickering to life.

The monster turned toward him, snarling.

Its claw lashed out — fast, faster than its size should allow.

Oliver ducked under it, sliding along the ground before slashing upward. The runes ignited, flame trailing behind the blade as it bit into the creature's forearm.

A burst of black blood sprayed, hissing where it hit the dirt.

The monster howled, spinning — its tail sweeping like a whip. Oliver barely blocked with his sword, the impact sending him skidding several meters back.

"Oliver!" Ariana cried.

"I'm fine!" he shouted back, shaking off the numbness in his arm.

Behind him, Isolde raised her hand. The air around her shimmered, symbols forming in rapid succession.

"[Flame Spear]."

A pillar of fire twisted into a spear above her palm and shot forward with a deafening crack. It struck the beast in the chest — exploding into a burst of molten flame that forced it backward. The ground beneath it charred black.

But it didn't go down.

The monster roared again, the scales along its spine flaring with green light. Mana surged outward in a wave, cracking the earth.

"Back!" Ronald shouted, dragging his knights away as the mana pulse hit. A few too slow were thrown to the ground, groaning.

Oliver pushed forward again, using the opening.

His movements were sharper now — every muscle responding perfectly, no hesitation. His body felt alive.

He darted left, feinted a slash, then kicked off a rock and vaulted upward — stabbing his sword down into the creature's shoulder.

The fire runes flared, bursting into a stream of heat that burned through flesh. The monster shrieked, twisting violently.

"Oliver!" Ariana yelled again, raising her staff.

"[Acceleration]! [Strength Boost]!"

A faint light wrapped around Oliver's body. His vision sharpened — his balance corrected mid-air. He landed, rolled, and sprinted again without losing a beat.

Isolde's voice cut through the din. "It's channeling mana to its core!"

She was right. The green glow beneath its chest was growing brighter — pulsating. The creature inhaled sharply, its throat swelling.

"MOVE!" she snapped.

The monster opened its jaws and unleashed a torrent of acid-like energy.

The blast hit the ground where Oliver had been a heartbeat ago, melting through soil and stone alike.

"Holy shit!" he shouted, diving behind a fallen trunk. "That thing breathes poison now?"

"Mana Venom," Isolde said grimly. "Stay away from its mouth!"

"Noted!"

Ronald and his knights, back on their feet, began attacking the flanks again — swords glowing faintly as they hacked at its legs, trying to slow it down.

Oliver saw the opening. He charged, vaulting over one of the knights and stabbing his blade into the wound on its shoulder again. The fire runes pulsed — ignite.

A fresh explosion of flame erupted, blowing scales apart.

The monster reeled backward, shrieking. Its legs buckled, crashing into a nearby tree and bringing it down.

"NOW!" Isolde's voice rang. "Ariana — restraining field!"

Ariana slammed her staff down again. Lines of glowing blue spread out in a circle beneath the beast, symbols locking into place. Chains of light burst from the earth, wrapping around its limbs.

"Oliver! Finish it!"

He didn't need to be told twice.

He dashed forward, both hands gripping his sword, flame coiling around the blade like a living thing.

He leapt — bringing the sword down in a two-handed arc.

"Burn!"

The blade hit dead center in the monster's chest.

A surge of fire exploded outward, consuming it from within. The creature screamed, its body convulsing violently before collapsing — its six eyes dimming one by one.

Silence.

The air still shimmered faintly with heat. The forest, moments ago drowned in chaos, was quiet once more.

Ariana exhaled shakily, lowering her staff. The knights who had survived slumped where they stood, catching their breath.

Oliver stood in the middle of the scorched clearing, breathing hard — his sword buried in the monster's corpse. Slowly, he pulled it free, the runes flickering faintly before dimming out.

Ronald approached, his armor scorched and dented. "...That was impressive," he said quietly. "I see now why the guild trusted you."

Oliver grinned faintly, rolling his shoulder. "Glad I could be useful."

Isolde walked up beside him, her tone almost teasing. "Not bad, hero. Looks like that new body's paying off."

Oliver looked at the smoking corpse, then at her, smirking. "Yeah. Guess it's holding up just fine."

The knights began clearing the field, cutting down smaller creatures still twitching. The smell of burnt flesh hung thick in the air.

Above them, the forest was quiet again — but it didn't feel safe.

Something about the stillness seemed wrong.

Isolde felt it too. Her eyes narrowed slightly. "That wasn't just some wandering beast," she murmured. "It was waiting."

Oliver frowned, glancing back at her. "Waiting for what?"

She didn't answer. She just stared into the dark line of trees ahead — where the fog seemed even thicker than before.

"Let's move," Ronald said after a pause. "We can't stay here."

And as the caravan began moving again, Oliver cast one last look at the beast's corpse — a faint unease gnawing at his chest.

Because even as they left, somewhere deep in that forest, another set of crimson eyes blinked open.

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