Chapter 18: The First Letter (18)
Chapter 18: The First Letter (18)
The demonic beasts moved without a sound. Consequently, the forest was deathly silent.
Come to think of it, the lack of sound in a forest was unnatural. Forests are home to all sorts of wildlife, including birds. Under normal circumstances, there should have been some kind of noise.
The fact that the heart of the forest was this quiet meant a predator had appeared—one capable of making every living thing hold its breath.
As I ran, I came to a halt in a forest clearing. At the very least, there was enough space here to swing a sword. However, I had no intention of facing the demonic beasts in a fair fight.
In a battle against demonic beasts, there were no rules or etiquette. It was simply a struggle to kill or be killed.
I pulled a potion from my breast pocket. It was a liquid that gave off a faint gray glow.
It was the gift Emma had given me during our last meeting. Her father had adamantly refused it, so it had returned to my hands—Emma’s masterpiece.
When I popped the cap, a pungent aroma wafted out. Judging by the scent alone, it didn't seem like it would taste good. But I was far too old to be picky about my food.
Without hesitation, I poured the potion down my throat. A searing heat surged through me, as if I were swallowing high-proof liquor. That heat then traveled through my blood vessels, gradually spreading across my body.
My heart rate began to slow. My breath grew faint, like a corpse that had just met its end. I felt as if my very existence were drifting; I couldn't even be certain of my own presence.
In exchange, my movements became a bit sluggish, but it was a level of impairment I could easily endure. I recalled the last conversation I’d had with Emma around this time.
Emma had predicted that this potion would be useless because the ingredients she needed to gather had such unique scents. That meant the potion couldn't mask external odors.
My hands scooped up the damp earth. I scattered dirt over my uniform and crushed grass to smear the juice over my body.
It was strange. I, who used to shudder at the mere sensation of grass brushing against me, was now defiling my body without a second thought.
It was hardly the behavior of a noble young master. I felt a slight sense of cognitive dissonance, but for now, this was enough.
I thrust my sword into a tree and leaped up onto a branch in one fluid motion. Hidden by the leaves, I was invisible.
It was an ideal state of stealth—even my body odor, breathing, and heartbeat were undetectable.
My eyes grew cold and still, like a fisherman waiting for the tide. The world, where I couldn't even feel my own breath, was infinitely quiet—so quiet that even the smallest stir felt like a clap of thunder.
Rustle.
A minute sound echoed through the silent forest. My fingertips stiffened with tension.
Holding my breath, I observed the clearing through the gaps in the leaves. A massive form with gray fur was moving there.
It was a wolf. However, its size alone made it look larger than most adult men. And then there were those pitch-black eyes, which seemed incapable of reflecting light even in the deep darkness.
The only parts of its body that reflected any light were its grotesquely developed molars. In all my memory, I had never seen such a creature in any known biological group.
It was definitely a demonic beast.
The moment that realization flashed through my mind, my heart, which had lost its momentum, began to throb again. Heat returned to my breath. A pleasant tension pulled my muscles taut.
I gripped my sword in a reverse hold and waited for the right moment.
The gray wolf tilted its head and shoved its nose into the ground. My scent should still be lingering. It must have been frustrating for the beast, unable to figure out where I had vanished to.
The sound of sniffing reached directly below me. My heart pounded as if it were about to explode. And the moment I made my decision and took a step—
Rustle.
The sound of leaves brushing together rang out. The gray wolf’s pitch-black eyes immediately shot upward.
However, those eyes were already reflecting a falling silver streak.
Splat!
Brain matter splattered.
The blade, coated in mana, delivered the full force of the fall directly into the demonic beast's skull. It didn't have enough aura density to pierce through the bone entirely, but the blade, wedged in at an angle, succeeded in cracking the skull.
With a guttural howl, dark, fishy blood came gushing out. The massive body, its brain struck, began to thrash. It was a powerful, wave-like convulsion.
But the struggle was as brief as its death rattle. The spark of life gradually faded from the beast's eyes.
The twitching hunk of meat was the last trace of life the demonic beast left behind. I gritted my teeth and held the sword in place until the tremors subsided.
Only after all movement had ceased from the beast's body did I stand up with a long exhale. I pulled out the canteen hanging from my waist.
I was parched. I tried to shake every last drop out of the canteen to hydrate, but only a few drops fell.
If I had known this would happen, I should have been more frugal with my water. I muttered in a hollow voice.
"…This is fucking great."
It was a sensation I had never felt before—a life convulsing in my arms and gradually slipping away.
The hand holding the canteen trembled slightly. I almost dropped the cap several times while trying to close it.
But I didn't have the luxury to dwell on the feelings of my first hunt. I could already sense the presence of more demonic beasts.
They must have heard their companion’s howl. The forest was quiet enough for that death rattle to echo far and wide. And above all, there was this pungent scent of blood.
The soil, already damp with humidity, was now soaked with blood, making a squelching sound with every step. For me, this was a good thing.
My body was already drenched in the beast's blood. The wolves wouldn't be able to distinguish my scent anymore.
As of now, the choice with the highest probability of survival was to simply hide.
I didn't know how long the potion's effects would last, but it wouldn't take long for Professor Derek to notice something was wrong. A few hours at most.
However, if I did that, the wolves might give up the chase. The moment even one of them abandoned its revenge and went after Seria, her life would be in danger.
I couldn't let that happen. I rolled in the blood-soaked mud to further defile myself. Then, I dragged the demonic beast's corpse and tossed it into the nearby bushes.
I crouched down in the brush right next to it. Another brief period of patience.
In just a few minutes, a wolf appeared, prowling into view. This one wouldn't be the last. I could already feel the presence of several more beasts approaching.
There were at least five. Wolves are naturally pack animals. Even after becoming demonic beasts, their fundamental nature didn't change.
Since a high density of mana is required to become a demonic beast, it was unlikely that even a large pack would number in the dozens. However, I had to be prepared for about ten.
Fortunately, my heart calmed down again once the beast was before my eyes.
The shock of the first hunt hadn't even fully faded. Nevertheless, I now felt only the faint tension unique to a hunter before a kill.
There was no need to ask why.
My eyes mapped out a path. I had to take this one out before the others got closer.
The wolf that appeared in the clearing seemed a bit confused. That was understandable, given the amount of blood everywhere. Like its companion before it, it put its nose to the ground and began to sniff.
It slowly approached, following the trail of blood. As it drew nearer, my breathing became even shallower.
It didn't take long for the wolf to find its companion's corpse. I had thrown it into the tallest grass I could find, but the beast was so massive that it couldn't be fully hidden.
The wolf cautiously approached the carcass. Its movements were as wary as a careful scout.
It was an excellent posture, but its opponent was simply too much for it. No matter how alert it was, there was no way it could notice me after I had consumed that potion.
I gripped the sword handle with both hands. Since the beast's hide was tough, a thrust was more advantageous. It would allow me to deliver maximum force to a small area.
The wolf came right in front of me. The fishy stench characteristic of canines wafted over. It still hadn't noticed me.
Then, I lunged—a strike as fast as a flash of light.
Because I thrust from a crouched position, I couldn't put my full power behind it. However, it was enough force to pierce the wolf's defenseless flank.
A high-pitched yelp rang out. I gritted my teeth and used all my strength to slice through the beast's tough hide.
Rrip!
Blood and a bit of intestines spilled out. The foul smell of entrails hit my nose. I felt as if my sense of smell were being paralyzed.
And so, I failed to notice.
Crunch.
A sharp pain shot through my forearm.
"Ugh, kh…!"
I forced back a scream. It didn't matter if the wolves knew where I was, but I couldn't let them know what I was.
I had to remain an unknown enemy until the very end. Ignoring the crushing force of the wolf's jaw on my arm, I dragged the blade down to the end.
Slither.
As its intestines spilled out, the wolf's life came to an end. In the eyes of the beast that had bitten my arm while curled up in its final moments, there was a look of pure spite.
Seeing those eyes, I couldn't help but let out a hollow chuckle.
"Then why did you pick a fight first? You son of a bitch…"
Thwack!
I slammed the hilt of my sword into its nose, and the wolf's jaw went slack. Its pitch-black eyes had long since glazed over.
It was dead. Not a single breath remained in the wolf. Staggering, I clutched my bitten forearm.
It hurt. It felt as if those bizarre molars had pierced through the muscle and into the bone. I fumbled in my pocket for a piece of plain cloth and wrapped it around the wound to stop the bleeding.
If I didn't disinfect the wound properly, there was a risk of secondary infection. But right now, I didn't even have time for that.
Perhaps because I had already lost quite a bit of blood, my head felt light. Despite the dizzying sensation, the mana circulating through my body seemed to grow more vibrant.
It was inexplicable. Even though my mind wasn't working properly, I hid myself by instinct and waited for the wolves.
Like a seasoned hunter.
After repeating this several times, the clearing became so cluttered with wolf corpses that my range of movement was restricted.
My sword found another victim. The wolf, its throat pierced, stared at me with wide, disbelieving eyes.
Of course it didn't know. Who would have expected me to be hiding among the corpses of its fallen comrades?
Another massive body slumped powerlessly to the ground. At the same time, I had to gasp for air.
My body was stiff. I couldn't put much strength into my limbs. The bleeding in my arm had stopped, but injuries were accumulating from fighting the wolves.
Seria… where is Seria?
Has she reached Professor Derek by now? Surely she didn't miss any demonic beasts; no creature would pass this place up when it reeked so strongly of blood.
I prayed that was the case. This was the best I could do.
My ragged breath tasted like iron. I was reaching my limit. It was then that I heard the growling.
Two wolves were walking into the clearing. It was only natural, as they were pack animals. The problem, however, was that until now, I had been picking them off one by one.
There had been times when more than two came at once, but back then, I had been hidden.
Now, I couldn't hide, and my body had reached its breaking point.
Maybe I shouldn't have stepped forward. I thought, leaning on my sword like a cane as I panted. But regret, no matter how early, is always too late.
My golden eyes glared at the wolves with hostility. Blood-soaked hair obscured my vision, but it didn't matter.
The two wolves flinched when they met my gaze. They had no choice. There were no fewer than eight wolf corpses strewn across this clearing.
I had done this alone. Even as beasts, they could instinctively tell that I was no easy prey.
I took a deep breath. As my mind grew hazier, my senses became sharper. Mana pulsed, traveling to every corner of my body.
When my body had regained at least a little vitality—
"…Come on, you bastards."
Leveling my sword, I forced a defiant smirk.
Immediately, the two wolves charged like bolts of lightning. The battle was not yet over.
* * *
It was about an hour after she had set off that Seria, limping, finally reached Professor Derek.