(MC POV)

*A few moments before the attack*

"What do we know about this Elder Wendigo?" Sect Master Qing asked, directing the question to the rest of the room.

One of the Elders raised his hand, "I've tried to find records of Wendigos in our archives. They're supposedly an elusive race of monsters that reclused themselves within the caves of the Death Mountains. Not much is known other than a few descriptions of how they look like and their habit of eating people."

Sect Master Qing frowned, "The Death Mountains? And there's more than one of these things?"

The Elder nodded, "But it seems like the last sighting of such monsters were centuries ago, enough time for people to start dismissing them as a myth entirely. My theory is that these monsters are one of the contributors to the number of deaths in the Death Mountains which was already a hazardous place to begin with."

Sect Master Qing stroked his beard thoughtfully, "Since it isn't unheard of for people to die traversing the Death Mountains, nobody would bat an eye about such reports as well. It's their perfect hunting ground."

Indeed. When one can already die in a variety of ways on the road within Death Mountains, the reports of a party getting slaughtered by some unknown monster wouldn't have garnered much attention. Besides, it's not like those monsters are the only ones that you can meet while up there.

When there's already a thousand and one ways to die while you're up there, what is just one more way? 

And when you finally complete the treacherous journey, you'll be too occupied with the feeling of safety to even care about what you've heard or seen when going through that place.

But that drives the question of what made this Elder Wendigo leave its hunting ground? Was there a lack of food? Or was there something even more frightening hunting it?

Could it be that they've already made their way into our society without us knowing?

The Elder continued, "However, I've found no records of the mentioned 'Elder Wendigo'. It seems that they are either a new form of monster or this is the first time one has been sighted. "

"Or it's the first time someone has seen one, recognised it for what it is and lived to tell the tale," Sect Master Qing pointed out. "What do you think, Master Lin?"

"I would also assume that's the case," I agreed. "Before Sylphy had told me about it, I was not even aware that such a monster existed."

Sect Master Qing frowned, "Sylphy? Ah the girl in your class right? How does she know about such a monster when our own Master Lin does not?"

I shrugged, "Hey, never said I knew everything. But it is true that Sylphy has some… Well... Extraordinary circumstances about her."

"I see… I will inform our female Sect members to take extra care when dealing with her then. That is, if she passes the entrance test."

'Deal with her'? Well, it's not like she has special needs, just that her identity's a bit complicated. Oh well, not like our disciples will do anything bad to her, right?

"We also received reports that some of our students reported the monster disappearing into the forest beside our Sect," Elder Gong informed me. "Should we mount an expedition to hunt it down?"

I shook my head, "That will just be endangering the people we send. I suggest we tighten the perimeter security since Sylphy also said that it would return for a marked prey. That means the new students and I."

Sect Master Qing stroked his beard thoughtfully, "In that case, should we concentrate the security around you and the special class?"

"No, the monster might choose to go after other easier prey if it sees the increased security around us. I will take care of it if it comes to hunt us."

Elder Gong looked up, "Master Lin. Would the Wendigo be attacking the new students right now?"

"I left an alarm inscription in the room, so I'll know immediately when the monster breaches the room. As long as the students remain inside they should be--"

"HELP! THE WENDIGO IS IN THE GARDEN AND WE'RE BEING ATTACKED!" Brendan's scream in the distance cut off whatever I was about to say.

"Get over there now!" I ordered quickly, leaping up to my feet. I will not have any Sect members dying here tonight!

I immediately circulated the quarks I needed to teleport myself over to the Sect's peach tree, my vision blurring before shifting to the view of the aforementioned tree in front of me.

I immediately tried to search for them, expanding my senses throughout the entire garden.

Unfortunately, my search revealed nothing within this garden. In fact, it was absolutely empty and devoid of any people at all. Had I imagined Brendan's voice calling for help? He did say he was in the garden right?

Thinking that the Wendigo might have done something to hide itself and its victims from being sensed, I ran through the peach tree garden trying to search for any traces of them.

A good two minutes of me dashing through the entirety of the garden yielded nothing, now I'm half convinced that I had imagined the whole thing.

Just to be sure, I decided to check my own courtyard in case the Wendigo decided to hide there, since there's no one there right now.

What greeted me was the sight of my doors already busted down and its interior absolutely smashed.

My heart sank. It couldn't have come here for that right? Please tell me that I was mistaken…

I dug through the debris, finding the small pot that I was searching for broken to pieces.

It was a pot that I used to contain the candies I have been making for Cai Hong.

Yes, I handmade Cai Hong's candies. She may look like an innocent darling little girl, but she's still a growing Myriad Colours Dragon. I still need to feed her the Spirit and Energy Quarks in order to grow and since I don't want her to suddenly have a growth spurt, I resorted to creating these little candies using the needed Quarks.

This doesn't change the fact that it's Cai Hong's candies and that little bastard ate everything!

I have yet to send any to her tonight and she'll definitely be waiting for some. Now I need to make a new batch!

That damn thing thinks it can eat Cai Hong's candies and get away with it?!

Just as I was about to use a tracking Technique on the traces it left behind, a flash of white light lit up a corner of the Sect.

Ah.

When Brendan said he was in the garden, he probably meant that small yard beside our dorm building. Silly Brendan, that isn't a garden at all.

Oh, I better hurry.

Another quick teleportation showed me what I feared to see.

All but one of my fellow students were either dying or unconscious on the ground, the last one currently being strangled to death by the Wendigo.

Sylphy was collapsed near a tree where there was an obvious indentation in the bark, the steady rise and fall of her chest still clued me in on her state of being.

Chris was over by a pile of rubble, a collapsed tree just beside him. His twin was currently bleeding out a short distance away, a gaping hole at where his stomach should be.

The fact that both of them were still groaning and moaning told me all I needed to know if they could be saved.

Had I been a moment later, they might have been beyond saving. I have yet to tackle the resurrection of someone without a soul anchor after all.

I brought out three of the healing pills from within my storage ring, calling out to the Wendigo to get its attention.

It thinks I'll let it go after eating the candies I made for Cai Hong? Not on my damn watch.

"I think it's time to drop this damn farce."

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