A Journey of Adventure and Battle (Pt. I)

The breeze of the grassy plains blew gently, carrying the scent of wet earth and dew-kissed leaves. The sky was still tinged with orange as the wheels of the horse-drawn cart creaked softly over the rocky road, marking the beginning of Ikuro’s second day of travel toward Tem Village.

Just a day before, he had left behind the bustling festival in the City of Philin. Once he passed through the city's gates, all that excitement felt like a fleeting dream. Now, only the long, quiet road, the whispering wind, and the challenges ahead remained.

The journey to the village was expected to take two days by cart. On foot, it would have been much longer. But this trip wasn’t as simple as sitting back and enjoying the scenery. Danger lurked unseen, and Ikuro, seasoned as he was, knew that when the world seemed too peaceful, that was when it hid its sharpest fangs.

The forest they passed through appeared calm on the surface. But if one paid closer attention, something felt off. Bushes rustled even though there was no wind, and faint sounds echoed from the distance, something was watching from the shadows between the trees.

Garel, the old coachman with white hair, bit down nervously on his wooden pipe.
"This place feels worse the longer we stay," he muttered, tightening his grip on the reins.

Ikuro, sitting beside him, raised an eyebrow. "Why?" he asked casually, though deep down, he already had a hunch.

Garel spat to the side, his eyes scanning the road ahead.
"Two weeks ago, some merchant caravans went missing around here. They say a shadow monster's been attacking travelers at night."

Ikuro gave a slight nod. He had read the reports before taking on this mission. Most likely, the monster he was tasked to hunt was the one behind all this.

"But they don’t attack during the day, right?" he asked, his eyes sweeping the narrowing forest path.

Garel sighed heavily.
"That's what we thought... until last week. People started disappearing even in broad daylight."

Screk…

Suddenly, the sound of snapping twigs echoed from the forest.

Again. Screk…

The horses pulling the cart raised their heads, ears twitching in alarm. Garel gripped the reins tighter.

"...Mister Adventurer, hope your sword's ready," Garel said grimly.

Ikuro said nothing. He simply hopped down from the cart, walking slowly toward the source of the noise, every step light but alert.

The bushes shifted gently. Ikuro narrowed his eyes, bracing himself for the worst, bandits? Wolves? Or perhaps the monster he was hunting?

But when he peeked through the leaves...

He found a young deer.

The small creature had gotten tangled in the underbrush, its leg caught by a fallen branch. Ikuro sighed in relief. So it was just this.

Carefully, he bent down and freed the fawn's leg from the branches. The little deer stared at him with wide, frightened eyes for a moment before darting back into the forest.

Garel, watching from the cart, chuckled.
"Hah... and here I thought it’d be something more exciting."

Ikuro shook his head and gave a small laugh.
"Sometimes suspicious things are just coincidence."

Yet even after that harmless encounter, the air still felt... wrong.
This forest was too quiet.

"Keep moving, Garel. Don't linger," Ikuro ordered more firmly.

"Understood," Garel replied, urging the horses onward.

The journey continued, but the road grew rougher. The cart jolted over uneven stones, and towering trees loomed overhead, their branches intertwining and blocking out the sunlight.

The deeper they went, the darker it became. And in the darkness, more things could hide.

Soon, they arrived at an old wooden bridge, likely a relic from the era of the first kingdoms. The planks looked weathered, some sagging dangerously.

"We’re crossing that?" Ikuro asked, inspecting the bridge with a frown.

Garel sighed.
"It's the fastest way to the village."

Ikuro let out a small breath. If the bridge collapsed while they were crossing, they'd be trapped in the forest.

"I'll check it first."

He stepped onto the bridge, feeling the wood groan under his weight. It wobbled, but with caution, it would hold.

"Alright. Cross slowly," he instructed after inspecting it.

Garel straightened up and gently guided the horses forward. The creaking of the old bridge echoed through the quiet forest.

But then…

BOOM!

A loud rumble shook the trees. The horses reared up, their eyes wide in fear.

"Mister Adventurer!" Garel cried out in panic.

Ikuro snapped his head toward the noise. From between the trees, something massive lunged out.

A shadowy figure with gleaming black scales and burning red eyes stared at them hungrily. It snorted heavily, steam rising from its nostrils like smoke from a beast ready to strike.

Ubas, an A-Tier Monster.

Garel stared at it, face pale as a sheet.
"...We're doomed."

But Ikuro only smiled faintly.

"So, you finally showed up."

Without hesitation, he leapt from the cart, his sword already drawn. The wind howled, carrying with it the heavy scent of an impending battle.

"Let's fight."