A Journey of Adventure and Battle (Pt. II)

The evening breeze blew softly, carrying the scent of damp earth after the battle that had just ended. In the middle of a quiet, rocky path, Ikuro stood atop the corpse of a fallen Ubas, a thick-scaled monster that had attacked them moments earlier. Dark blood pooled around its body, slowly seeping into the dry soil.

With a fluid motion, Ikuro flicked his sword, shaking off the blood before sliding it back into its sheath.

"Phew... We made it out alive," Garel sighed, wiping the sweat from his forehead. His face was still a bit pale from the ordeal.

Ikuro just gave a small smile.
"That was nothing. I've had worse," he said lightly, though his breathing was still a little uneven.

The horses, which had been startled earlier, were finally calming down, though their ears twitched nervously from time to time. Garel, finally regaining his composure, climbed back onto the driver’s seat and motioned to Ikuro.

"Let's move. If nothing else gets in our way, we should reach Tem Village in about two hours," he said, trying to hide the lingering tremble in his voice.

Ikuro nodded and jumped onto the cart. The sun was dipping low on the horizon, painting the sky in hues of gold and crimson. They continued their journey along the quiet rocky road, moving farther and farther away from the reaches of civilization.

A little earlier, before the monster fell...

Hot blood trickled down Ikuro’s arm, but he ignored it. His gaze remained locked onto the beast before him, an Ubas, towering and monstrous, its thick black scales glinting menacingly under the fading sunlight. The creature’s breath came out in deep, rumbling growls, and poisonous saliva dripped from its razor-sharp fangs.

Without warning, the Ubas lunged.

"Argh!" Ikuro twisted his body just in time, narrowly dodging a swipe that could have torn him apart in a single blow. The earth where he had just been standing was ripped open, leaving deep claw marks across the ground.

"Mister Adventurer, watch out!" Garel shouted from the cart, panic clear in his voice.

But Ikuro had no time to respond. The Ubas spun, its massive tail sweeping through the air toward him.

Ikuro leapt back, but even the wind pressure from the attack was enough to shove him backward a few steps.

‘Its scales are too tough,’ Ikuro thought, gritting his teeth. A normal attack wouldn’t do. If he wanted to bring it down, he had to strike its weak point, the softer underbelly.

Quickly gathering mana in his hand, Ikuro muttered,
"Explosion."

A small blast erupted on the ground several meters behind the monster, kicking up dirt and smoke. As expected, the Ubas jerked its head toward the explosion, distracted by the sudden noise.

A chance.

Ikuro didn’t hesitate. With full speed, he dashed forward, lowering his body as he slid under the beast’s belly. In one swift movement, his sword flashed under the setting sun.

Slash!

A clean, precise strike pierced the vulnerable spot where no scales protected. Hot blood burst out, splattering the ground. The Ubas roared in agony, its massive body shaking violently before finally collapsing with a thunderous crash that echoed through the forest.

Ikuro exhaled heavily, wiping his blade clean before sheathing it again.

Garel hurried over, still pale and trembling.
"I really thought... we were done for," he muttered, trying to force a laugh.

Ikuro simply turned to him with a small smirk.
"If you panic that easily, this journey’s gonna feel a whole lot longer," he said casually.

Garel sighed, shaking his head, then climbed back onto the cart.
"Alright, let’s move. Tem Village isn’t far now."

Ikuro hopped back up, and they set off again, leaving the rotting corpse of the monster behind them.

Two hours later, the wooden gates of Tem Village came into view. The sun had nearly disappeared, leaving only a deep purple afterglow across the horizon. But there was no sign of life in the village.

Ikuro already knew what awaited him here. Before accepting the mission, he had read the reports, how the villagers mysteriously vanished about a month ago. No witnesses. No clues. Only rumors of strange sounds in the night and shadowy figures lurking at the edge of the forest.

As they passed through the gates, a chilling air enveloped them. It wasn’t the kind of cold one felt on the skin. It was deeper, sinking straight into their bones. The atmosphere was heavy, almost suffocating.

"Ikuro... this is Tem Village, right?" Garel asked nervously, scanning the empty houses around them.

"Yeah," Ikuro replied quietly, his gaze sweeping across the deserted homes. Some doors hung open as if the owners had fled in a panic. Tables were still set, chairs knocked over, and shattered windows stared back like empty eyes.

The cart came to a halt in the center of the village. Garel swallowed hard.
"I’ll, uh... stay with the horses, okay? Hahaha..." he laughed awkwardly, clearly trying to cover his fear.

Ikuro jumped down from the cart, his footsteps echoing on the stone path. Though the village looked abandoned, his instincts told him otherwise.
Something was still here.

And he didn’t have to wait long to feel it.

From one of the houses on the right, a faint sound reached his ears. Not the wind. Not an animal. But the soft, careful steps of someone or something moving inside.

Ikuro closed his eyes for a brief moment, then walked toward the source of the noise. The door of the house was slightly ajar, its wood rotting and creaking under his touch.

Inside, the room was dark, lit only by the dim remnants of twilight. But one thing stood out clearly footprints in the dust covering the floor.

And they were fresh.

Ikuro’s hand gripped the hilt of his sword.
"Whoever’s in there," he called out in a low, steady voice.
"Come out."

Silence.

Then…

Something lunged out from the darkness!

Ikuro instantly raised his sword, ready to face whatever had been lying in wait behind the shadows.