Monster's Encounter

Then day ends, and finally night comes out. 

The night fell heavy over the village, clouds veiling the moon. A biting wind swept through the broken houses as villagers locked their doors and shuttered their windows, praying in silence. The atmosphere was tense and fearful.

Then, it began.

From the edge of the forest, shrieks split the night. Long, piercing, insect-like cries echoed through the mountains. The ground shook as countless clawed feet tore through the frozen soil. Emerging from the shadows came the monsters-grotesque humanoid grasshopper creatures with sharp mandibles and green-black carapaces. Their red compound eyes glowed in the darkness, reflecting hunger and madness.

"Again," Isro said in calm expressions.

Shiori drew her crimson-scythe weapon, fire aura shimmering faintly along its edge. Her expression was calm, though her crimson eyes flickered with determination. "Hundreds this time. Seems they're not here to play.”

The first wave lunged. Dozens of monsters leapt high into the air, aiming to crush the two godly entities. 

Isro's wings unfurled from his back in a burst of shadowy energy. He swung his blade upward, releasing a crescent slash infused with dark mana. The strike ripped through the sky, cleaving half the creatures mid-leap. Their bodies fell like broken dolls, shattering into ash before hitting the ground.

Shiori didn't hesitate. She raised her weapon and invoked her spell. "Crimson Blaze!"

A roaring flame burst forward, engulfing the monsters that rushed along the ground. Their screeches echoed as the fire consumed them, reducing their armored shells to molten fragments.

But more kept coming. From the forest line, another hundred poured in, crawling along walls, climbing onto rooftops. Their claws scraped against stone, their mandibles snapping as they swarmed from every direction.

"They're surrounding us," Shiori warned.

"Good," Isro replied coldly. "We killed without wasting our energy.”

"Dragon Fang Slash!"

The ground cracked as his strike landed, releasing shockwaves that blew dozens of monsters apart. Ash and fragments scattered into the night air.

Shiori leapt onto a rooftop, her hands weaving symbols. Fire circles ignited beneath the creatures below. "Burn away-Inferno Burst!"

Explosions of fire lit up the entire street, turning night into day. The heat seared through the swarm, sending smoke spiraling upward.

The monsters remained unaffected by the destruction. This with endless hunger, they continued to creep over their fallen.

Hours dragged on. Wave after wave fell, but more appeared. The streets became a battlefield of ash and flame. Isro's blade never stopped moving, carving arcs of destruction through the swarm. Shiori's flames never dimmed, her voice hoarse but steady as she chanted spell after spell.

By the time the first rays of morning touched the horizon, silence finally settled. The village was littered with piles of gray ash where hundreds of monsters had once stood.

Isro lowered his weapon, breathing heavily, wings folding back. "That... should be all of them.”

Shiori dropped to the ground beside him, wiping sweat from her face. Her crimson eyes softened as she looked at him. "We made it... somehow."

The villagers slowly emerged from their homes, eyes wide in disbelief. They saw the two standing among the ashes, victorious after a night of endless battle.

Hope burned brighter than ever in their hearts.

The morning after the long battle felt almost unreal. For the first time in weeks, the villagers could step out of their houses without trembling in fear. Ashes of the slain monsters still covered the streets, but the air carried something new-relief. Children laughed, elders wept tears of gratitude, and neighbors hugged one another.

By noon, the village chief announced a celebration.

"Tonight, we honor our saviors! Without them, none of us would have survived!"

The people cheered, raising cups of water, wine, and ale. A large bonfire was lit in the center of the village square. Villagers brought out whatever food they had left-roasted meat, fresh bread, bowls of steaming soup. The sound of music and laughter filled the air as if the nightmare had finally ended.

Isro sat on a wooden bench, quietly sipping from a cup. He wasn't used to the noise, but for once, he didn't mind. Shiori, sitting beside him, looked strangely relaxed as the orange glow of the fire reflected in her crimson eyes.

"Feels different, doesn't it?" she asked softly.

Isro gave a faint smile. "Yeah. For them, this night might be the first real peace in a long time."

As they spoke, the three girls who Isro had saved during the trial approached. Their faces were full of gratitude, though still a little shy. Each held a wooden cup filled with fruit wine.

"Sir Isro, Lady Shiori," one of them said, bowing deeply. "Thank you for protecting our village again. Please, drink with us.”

Shiori accepted the drink with a gentle smile, though her face  flushed slightly. Isro smiled silently and raised his cup. The girls bowed once more and hurried off to join the dancing crowd, their laughter trailing behind them.

For a while, the celebration continued.

Children played around the bonfire, adults exchanged stories, and for the first time in many nights, no one was hiding behind locked doors.

But peace didn't last long.

As the evening grew darker, a sudden scream echoed from the village entrance.

“Monsters! Monsters again!”

The music stopped instantly. Panic spread as villagers dropped their cups and ran to hide in their homes. Shiori and Isro stood at once, their eyes narrowing as the familiar shrieks of insect-like creatures filled the night again.

"They're back already?" Shiori said,  summoning her crimson aura.

"They're smarter than I thought," Isro replied coldly. "Testing us when we're unprepared."

Together, they dashed toward the entrance.

A horrifying scene awaited them. A group of humanoid grasshopper monsters had broken through the wooden barricade. One lunged toward a small child who had frozen in terror. The sharp mandibles opened wide, ready to bite down.

Before it could strike, Shiori flashed forward, her scythe blazing crimson. With a swift slash, she cut the monster apart, her body shielding the child. She turned her head slightly, her voice soft but firm. "Run to your parents. Quickly."

The child nodded, tears streaming, and bolted away.

Meanwhile, Isro spread his wings and ascended into the air, glaring at the swarm. "You won't touch anyone else."

With one swing of his blade, a dark wave of energy tore through the monsters, splitting several in half. Shiori followed up, flames spiraling from her sword as she incinerated another cluster.

The battle was fierce but shorter than before. Their teamwork was sharper, faster. Within minutes, the monsters lay dead, their bodies turning into ash. But not all of them fell.

A handful of injured creatures retreated back into the forest, their screeches echoing as they fled.

Isro landed beside Shiori, watching the direction they escaped. His eyes narrowed. "Tch. They're running back to their nest.”

Shiori wiped sweat from her forehead, her breathing steady. "If they escape, they'll come back again. Maybe with more numbers.”

The villagers slowly emerged from their hiding places, trembling. But joy quickly turned into sorrow as they counted the dead. Several families had lost loved ones during the sudden attack. Mothers wept, men clenched their fists in helpless anger, and children cried into their parents' arms.

The village chief approached Isro and Shiori, his old face pale. "We... We lost many people tonight. Even after all you did, they still came. What should we do now? How much longer can we endure this?"

Shiori bit her lip, her hands tightening on her sword hilt. She hated this feeling of failure.

Isro, however, remained calm, though his tone carried a rare weight of determination.

"This isn't normal," he said, his voice cutting through the murmurs. "Monsters don't return this quickly unless something -or someone-is controlling them."

The villagers looked at him with fear and hope mixed together.

"They'll keep coming until their nest is completely destroyed," Isro continued. "As long as it exists, this village will never know peace."

The chief trembled. "Y-You mean... we must fight them at their nest?”

Isro smiled firmly. "Yes. Tomorrow, Shiori and I will track them down. We'll burn their nest to ashes. That's the only way to end this."

The villagers gasped, but their eyes lit with desperate hope.

Shiori looked at Isro, her expression softening. "You already have a plan, don't you?"

He glanced at her and gave a small nod. “ I have a good plan.”

Shiori smiled faintly, her earlier tension easing. "Then I'll follow you. Let's finish this.”

That night, as the bonfire smoldered and silence fell over the ruined village square, Isro stood at the edge, staring into the dark forest.

"Tomorrow," he said with calm and relaxed emotions. . "Tomorrow, this ends the problem."