[Realm: Álfheimr]

[Location: The Great Forest]

Grimm's eyes adjusted immediately.

The fog, the low light, the distortion of the forest—it all meant very little to him. The shapes rushing toward him resolved cleanly into two distinct forms. They came in fast, leaping through the air with snarls tearing from their throats. They were smaller than a human, hunched and powerful, built like overgrown monkeys with broad shoulders and long arms. Bright red fur bristled along their bodies, bright in the dead forest, and their emerald eyes burned with ferocity. Long, scaly black tails lashed behind them, sharp teeth bared as they closed the distance.

What struck Grimm as odd—briefly—was that both clutched crude weapons. Odd, bone-like implements, sharpened and stained, raised overhead as they screamed and stabbed downward in a reckless move.

"WRAAAH!"

The sound barely registered.

Grimm lifted a single gauntleted hand.

The movement was lazy in appearance—yet far too fast to follow. His arm cut through the air in a blur, the back of his gauntlet colliding squarely with the face of the nearest creature. There was a sharp, wet crack as teeth shattered and sank into flesh. The force carried through its skull and spine, launching its body sideways. It slammed hard into the second Deseruit Beast mid-leap, both forms tangling together before crashing violently into the trunk of a nearby tree.

"Gah!" A scream tore free from the one who remained conscious; it was as raw as it was panicked.

Grimm lowered his hand, already moving forward.

"Monkeys," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else. His gaze turned briefly over the crude weapon scattered in the dirt. "At least they're capable of using tools. That alone makes this marginally more interesting."

The conscious Deseruit Beast stirred, shaking violently as it pushed itself upright. It glanced once at its unmoving companion, then snarled and rose fully, still gripping the sharp bone with trembling fingers.

"Grrr—human not welcome here!" The voice that came from it was shrill and surprisingly clear.

Grimm stopped.

"So you can speak," he said evenly, tilting his head just slightly as he peered down at the creature. There was some curiosity in his tone. "Why is that? Explain."

The beast bristled, lips curling back as it pointed the bone at him. "Our most strongest lord will kill you dead!"

Grimm's sighed. "That," he replied calmly, "was not what I asked."

"You not stand chance against our bravest lord!" the creature shrieked, either unable or unwilling to answer properly. With a desperate snarl, it lunged forward, slashing wildly with the bone.

Grimm stepped aside with minimal effort. The attack rushed past him, stabbing into empty air.

"Hm," he said, watching it stumble. "You possess enough intelligence to form words, yet your thoughts remain narrow. Merely repetitive and singular." His tone flattened. "Disappointing."

His leg snapped out.

The kick was sharp and devastating. Grimm's sabaton struck the back of the creature's skull with a sickening crunch. Bone caved inward. The Deseruit Beast let out a gurgling cry as its body lifted off the ground and flew through the air like a discarded doll, crashing lifelessly into the undergrowth.

Silence reclaimed the clearing.

"I thought you wanted to talk to them more," Puck's voice drifted down as she hovered beside him, eyes fixed on the fallen bodies.

"That they could speak held brief interest," Grimm replied without looking at her. "But it was evident quickly that nothing of value would come from continued interaction."

"That's because you barely pressured it at all," Puck countered, floating closer and wagging a small finger at him. "You won't get anything worthwhile if you give up the moment it stops being convenient."

"Time is finite," Grimm said simply. "I will not squander it."

"You really do have a skewed way of thinking, huh?" Puck murmured, drifting a little closer as she folded her armored arms behind her back. Her tone wasn't accusatory so much as merely observant, as though she were still trying to sort him out piece by piece. "Still… that one mentioned a lord. That means they're really not acting alone. They're following something stronger and something they recognize as above them." She paused, eyes narrowing slightly. "I wonder if it could be a Deseruit Beast Progenitor."

"Hm?" Grimm responded, the sound thoughtful. He glanced ahead through the fog as he spoke. "If such Progenitors exist, then I assume they hold significance beyond the rest."

"Yeah," Puck nodded slowly. "They're the strongest of their kind. Most Deseruit Beasts trace their origin back to one, directly or indirectly. They're like the source." Her brow furrowed. "Still, I've never heard of a Progenitor settling within the Great Forest. That alone makes it unlikely." She exhaled softly. "So realistically, it's probably just a particularly powerful Deseruit Beast playing king. Nothing legendary."

"Less impressive than I'd hoped," Grimm said as he began walking again, his steps ilde on the brittle ground, "but it should be sufficient to occupy me for now."

Puck drifted after him, staring at his back with open incredulity. "Do you seriously need something to motivate you just to keep moving forward?" she asked. "Is existing, surviving and finishing what you start really not enough for you?"

"It is natural," Grimm answered without hesitation. "To expect persistence from someone without motivation is to expect nothing at all. Action without purpose is wasted effort."

Puck hummed quietly, turning that over in her mind. "I… guess that makes sense, in a very you kind of way." She tilted her head. "So what, then? You're like me? Curiosity is what actually drives you?"

"Only when there is something worth being curious about," Grimm said. "In my own realm, I exhausted most of what held my interest long ago. Here, however…" His gaze shifted, attentive to the forest. "There are unfamiliar things. Unknown structures. New threats. New truths. Enough to keep me engaged."

Puck watched him silently for several seconds, her expression unreadable. ("It sounds almost innocent,") she thought. ("But it isn't. He doesn't wonder the way I do. He just consumes interest and discards it.")

"But," Grimm continued, his tone changing just enough to signal a new line of thought, "there remains the question of why some Deseruit Beasts are capable of speech at all."

Puck hummed again, cupping her chin with armored fingers. "There's no clear answer. Some think it's natural evolution—intelligence developing over time. Others believe it depends on which Progenitor they came from." She smiled faintly. "Personally? I think the second idea is far more interesting."

"Evolution is the more compelling explanation," Grimm said.

Puck blinked, genuinely surprised, turning her head to look at him. "Seriously? But that's… boring. That strips away all the mystery."

"On the contrary," Grimm said. "Evolution implies potential. It means intelligence is not rare or special — it is inevitable."

She tilted her head. "I don't know… it just feels too simple. Progenitors are fascinating. They're pretty strong and unique. Isn't it more exciting to think all intelligent Deseruit Beasts descend from one singular origin?"

"Too restrictive," Grimm waved the idea aside. "Evolution means the entire race can advance. Change without a ceiling and growth without any dependency."

"Hm." Puck hummed softly. "I don't totally see it… but I get it. Sort of." She glanced at him sideways. "Still, it's nice that you can have a normal conversation."

Grimm paused half a step. "What does that mean?"

"Oh, nothing~" Puck replied quickly, whistling as she drifted ahead.

"No matter," Grimm dismissed quietly. His pace did not slow, yet there was a shift in his awareness. "I take it you've noticed as well? That presence that refuses to leave us."

"Yeah," Puck replied after a beat, drifting a little closer to his side without quite realizing she'd done so. Her eyes scanned the fog-laced trees. "We're still being watched. It hasn't stopped since the last fight. Whatever it is, it's careful."

"Seems you possess keen senses," Grimm noted, his tone neutral.

"But of course," Puck answered immediately, a brief, proud grin flashing across her face before she tempered it with a more thoughtful look. "I didn't get by in places like Elfame by being careless. Still…" Her gaze narrowed slightly. "I'm fairly certain it's just a scout. Something small, fast, and smart enough to know not to rush you head-on."

"I see," Grimm said, inclining his head just enough to show agreement. "Then it likely witnessed the Deseruit Beast I dispatched earlier. Enough to understand the threat."

Puck nodded. "Exactly. They're measuring you now. If we let this one slip away, it'll report back to whoever's in charge." She exhaled slowly. "And once that happens, most of the Deseruit Beasts in this section will probably start converging on you."

"It changes little," Grimm replied evenly. "If anything, it may provide something approaching stimulation. A sufficient number might dull the boredom I'm beginning to feel."

Puck let out a long, tired sigh. "I've known you for barely a day," she said dryly, shaking her head, "and somehow I still knew you were going to say something exactly like that. It's honestly impressive in the worst way." She glanced at him again. "But… you are strong. Ridiculously so. I suppose it doesn't really matter."

"What of you?" Grimm asked, turning his attention toward her at last. "Do you intend to continue abstaining from battle?"

Puck froze for half a second before looking faintly sheepish, scratching the back of her head. "Well… my magic tends to be a bit much. Too destructive for places like this. I usually try to avoid large-scale fights." She hesitated, then added more quietly, "That—and I'm curious. You still haven't shown much of that ability of yours. I want to see it."

"I see," Grimm replied, his tone dry. "So you would leave me to handle the situation alone purely out of personal curiosity."

"Wha—no!" Puck exclaimed quickly, flustered. "You can't just phrase it like that! You make me sound completely heartless." She sighed, regaining some composure. "And besides… you're more than capable of handling yourself. I wouldn't leave you otherwise."

"That," Grimm said after a brief pause, "is true."

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