Chapter 20 – First Encounter with a Monster

The students’ footsteps grew heavier as they entered the denser part of the forest. Towering trees loomed overhead, their canopies letting only thin shafts of light filter through. The air felt damp and cold, with an unseen pressure that made the hair on the back of their necks stand on end.

Zareen’s team moved cautiously. He walked in the middle of the formation, Daren taking the lead with his bow drawn, while Yoran stayed at the rear to watch for attacks from behind. Mei clutched her bag of potions, and Riva—the usually talkative one—couldn’t hide her nerves.

“Why does it feel like the air is getting heavier?” Riva whispered, clutching her hands to her chest. “It’s like… something’s watching us.”

Zareen glanced back at her, his voice calm but firm. “That’s the negative aura. The deeper we go, the stronger it feels. Stay calm—we’re together.”

Yoran added quietly, “Be careful. This kind of aura usually means a monster is nearby.”

The group fell silent after that.

---

### A Sound Between the Trees

They pressed deeper into the forest.

Suddenly—*crack.*

Everyone froze. Daren immediately drew back his bowstring, an arrow glowing with magic already nocked.

“Who’s there?!” he called out sharply, his voice low but tense.

There was no answer. Only the whisper of wind through the trees, and then—*crack*—another branch snapping. Mei swallowed hard, her face pale.

“Don’t panic,” Zareen said, though his heart was pounding. He raised his staff, channeling energy into it.

Then, from behind the bushes, it appeared.

A creature emerged, its fur gray and matted, its body lean like that of a wolf, but its eyes glowed an eerie red. Its breath came out in ragged hisses, and a thick black aura coiled around it like smoke.

Riva let out a small scream. “T-that’s… a real monster…”

---

### The First Battle

The creature roared and lunged at them with terrifying speed.

Daren loosed his arrow on instinct, the glowing projectile streaking through the air and striking the beast’s shoulder. It staggered but did not stop.

“Yoran, earth wall!” Zareen commanded.

Yoran slammed his staff into the ground. A thin wall of stone erupted before them. The monster crashed against it with a deafening thud, cracking the barrier.

“It won’t hold long!” Yoran shouted.

Zareen took a step forward and lifted his staff. “Light magic—manifest!”

The familiar lavender glow of his magic appeared, but this time it shone brighter than usual. The light flared into the creature’s eyes, forcing it to halt for a brief moment.

“Now, Riva—water!”

Though still trembling, Riva managed to gather the moisture from the ground. A whip of water spiraled into shape and lashed against the monster’s side, sending it crashing to the ground.

The beast snarled and began to rise, but Daren had already nocked a second arrow. With a focused breath, he released it straight into the monster’s head.

The creature let out a final guttural sound before collapsing. Its body convulsed once and then dissolved into black mist that dissipated into the air.

---

### Silence After the Battle

The clearing fell silent except for the sound of their breathing.

Riva dropped to the ground, her hands shaking uncontrollably. “I… I actually helped kill a monster…?”

Mei rushed to check her. “You’re fine—just in shock.”

Yoran wiped sweat from his brow. “That was just one. If there are more…”

Zareen looked at the spot where the monster had vanished. There was no body, no blood—only a faint trace of dark aura lingering before it faded away.

“Do they all disappear like that?” Zareen asked quietly.

“Yes,” Yoran replied. “If they’re pure manifestations of dark energy, they leave nothing behind. But if you ever see a monster with a physical body…” he paused, his expression grim, “…that means it’s fused with a human.”

Zareen’s chest tightened. The thought pierced through him. He knew that one day, they would face something far worse than this.

---

### Gino’s Team

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the forest, Gino’s team was facing a similar creature.

“Leave it to me!” Gino shouted, his eyes blazing with excitement.

He leapt forward, chanting a short incantation that turned his staff into a blazing sword. With one sweeping strike, crimson fire roared, cleaving the monster in two. Black smoke billowed and the creature vanished.

His teammates stared—some impressed, others clearly irritated.

“You didn’t have to handle it alone, Gino,” one of the support mages said sharply. “We’re supposed to be a team.”

Gino simply smirked. “If you hesitate, the monster kills us first. Better I finish it quickly.”

Though they had survived, tension settled over the group. They felt like they were following Gino’s lead rather than fighting as equals.

---

### The First Night

Both teams eventually reached their designated campsite. Fires were lit, the smell of burning wood mixing with the lingering unease of the day’s events.

In Zareen’s group, the mood had lightened somewhat.

“I was so scared,” Riva admitted, her voice trembling but tinged with excitement. “But when Zareen yelled at me to use water magic, my body just… moved.”

Daren nodded. “Your quick thinking saved us, Zareen. If not, Yoran’s wall would’ve been broken.”

Zareen gave a shy smile. “I just acted on instinct. You all did the real work.”

Mei shook her head gently. “No—you kept us focused. That made the difference.”

Far away, Gino sat by his own campfire, his teammates whispering among themselves. He ignored them, staring into the flames. His thoughts were consumed by a single goal: **to become the strongest—to surpass Zareen.**

---

### A New Resolve

Late into the night, when the others were asleep, Zareen remained awake. He stared up at the sky filled with unfamiliar stars, his mind replaying the fight.

*I was terrified… but I knew I couldn’t stay frozen. If I hadn’t moved, my friends might have died.*

He gripped his staff tightly. *I may not be an attacker like Gino, but I need to find my own way to stand on this battlefield. Otherwise, I’ll just be a burden.*

From deep within the forest came a distant howl, a sound that echoed through the night and made their campfire seem suddenly smaller.

That night, every student understood one thing: this was just the beginning.

And for Zareen, it was the first step toward becoming a true adventurer—a supporter who was slowly discovering his own courage.