Chapter 21 – The First Loss

The forest grew darker even though the sun had only just tilted westward. Thick clouds rolled in, blocking the last light of dusk. The wind carried with it a faint metallic stench that made Zareen’s stomach churn. He knew this smell—it meant the presence of negative aura was getting closer.

His team moved in tight formation. Daren remained at the front, bow drawn and ready. Riva kept a thin stream of water swirling in her palms. Mei clutched her satchel of potions so tightly her knuckles turned white, while Yoran knelt every few steps to press his hand to the ground, sensing vibrations.

“There’s movement underground… not far from here,” Yoran murmured.

A shiver crawled down Zareen’s spine. “Everyone stay alert. No mistakes.”

The others nodded silently. Not one of them dared to make a joke this time.

---

### A Cry from Another Team

Suddenly, a scream split the silence—raw and desperate—followed by shouts of panic and a bloodcurdling wail.

“That’s Arvel’s team!” Riva gasped, her face pale. “They’re under attack!”

Zareen spun around. “We have to help them!”

Daren grabbed his arm. “It’s dangerous. If we run in blind—”

“If we stay here, they’ll die,” Zareen cut him off, his tone firm. “Yoran, raise a front barrier. Riva, prep long-range water attacks. Mei, get your healing potions ready. I’ll add another shield layer.”

For a moment, the team hesitated. Daren was usually the one giving orders—but this time, all of them looked to Zareen.

And then, one by one, they nodded.

“Alright. Let’s go!”

---

### The Physical Monster

When they reached the scene, Zareen’s chest tightened at the sight before him.

One of the students lay on the ground, shrouded in a swirling black haze. Two of his teammates were desperately trying to drag him back, but the corruption had already spread through his body. Black veins bulged beneath his skin, his eyes glowed an unnatural red.

“No—stop! Don’t let it take him!” one of them cried in desperation.

But it was too late.

The boy’s body arched violently before erupting in a thick cloud of dark mist. From within emerged a new creature—its form humanoid but twisted, with elongated claws and glowing red cracks running down its body. The tattered remains of the academy uniform still clung to its limbs, a cruel reminder of who it once was.

“That was… that was a person!” Mei screamed, covering her mouth.

Zareen felt his stomach twist. Yoran’s warning rang in his mind: *When a native is corrupted, they fuse with the monster. There is no way back.*

---

### The Fierce Battle

The monster let out an ear-splitting roar and lunged at the nearest students.

Zareen ran forward, his staff trembling in his hands. “Light shield!”

A glowing lavender barrier appeared just in time, intercepting the creature’s claws. The impact made his knees buckle, but he gritted his teeth and held on.

“Now, Daren!”

Daren released a volley of magical arrows. Three struck true, embedding deep into the monster’s torso, but the beast only roared louder.

Riva shouted and cracked her water whip, wrapping it around the monster’s neck and yanking it to the side. “Now! Hit it!”

Yoran slammed his staff into the earth. “Stone wall—close!”

The ground shook as two slabs of rock rose from either side, pinning the monster in place.

“Mei, paralyzing potion—now!”

Hands shaking, Mei hurled a small vial filled with glowing green liquid. It smashed against the monster’s face, releasing corrosive smoke. The creature howled in agony.

Zareen raised his staff high. *If I don’t fight now, they could all die.*

He drew on every ounce of energy he had. “Small fire—ignite!”

A small ball of fire shot forward, striking the monster in the chest and leaving a charred mark. Daren seized the opening and released one final arrow, this one piercing straight through its core.

The monster let out a final, guttural scream before collapsing. Its body shuddered violently before dissolving into a cloud of black mist that dispersed into the air.

---

### Aftermath

The forest fell eerily silent.

Arvel’s remaining teammates sank to their knees, tears streaming down their faces as they stared at the spot where their friend had vanished.

“He’s… he’s gone,” one of them whispered.

Riva covered her face with both hands, her voice breaking. “He was just talking to us yesterday… and now…”

Mei crouched down, hugging her knees, shoulders trembling. “There was nothing we could do to save him…”

Daren clenched his fists so hard his knuckles turned white. “This is the reality of this world. We can’t let our guard down for even a moment.”

Zareen looked at each of them, feeling the weight pressing down on his chest. But he knew he had to speak.

“We… can’t blame ourselves. If we give up now, his death means nothing. We have to keep moving—so that no one else suffers the same fate.”

Yoran stepped up and placed a hand on Zareen’s shoulder. His usually stoic gaze softened. “You’re right. We have to stay standing.”

One by one, the others nodded. For the first time, they truly felt like a single unit—not just random classmates thrown together, but comrades who would face life and death side by side.

---

### The Quiet Night

That night, the campfire seemed dimmer than usual. No one spoke. The only sounds were the crackling of wood and the restless wind rustling through the trees.

Riva sat with her back against a log, staring into the fire. “I’m scared, Zareen. If I ever get touched by that aura… will I turn into one of those monsters too?”

Zareen looked at her, his expression grave. “I don’t know. But I promise… as long as I’m here, I won’t let that happen to you.”

Riva stared at him for a moment, then gave him a faint, weary smile. “You’re strange… but thank you.”

Mei sat down beside him. “You always say we’re the strong ones, but the truth is—you’re the reason we’re still standing. If it weren’t for you, I’d have run from this forest already.”

Zareen smiled faintly, saying nothing, his eyes fixed on the fire.

Daren, normally harsh and commanding, finally spoke in a quiet voice. “From now on, you’re the leader of this team, Zareen. Like it or not, we’ll follow you.”

Zareen blinked, startled. “Me? I—”

“No excuses,” Daren interrupted. “You’ve already proven yourself.”

Yoran nodded. “You give us direction. We provide the strength. That’s enough.”

---

### A Promise in the Night

When the others had finally drifted off to sleep, Zareen stayed awake, gazing up at the stars glittering faintly beyond the forest canopy.

*The first loss… and it won’t be the last.*

He gripped his staff tightly. *If I just stand by and watch, it will all be meaningless. I have to get stronger—not just for me, but for all of them. For this team.*

That night, silently and without ceremony, Zareen made a vow: he would never allow another member of his team to be taken by the darkness.

And somewhere between fear and grief, a new bond was forged—one that would tie them together, no matter how far their paths might someday drift apart.

---

✅ **Bab 21 selesai diterjemahkan** – suasana mencekam, rasa kehilangan, dan momen Zareen mengambil peran sebagai pemimpin telah dipertahankan dan diperhalus.

Mau saya lanjutkan ke **Bab 22**, agar kita bisa melihat konsekuensi psikologis dari kejadian ini? (Misalnya, tim menghadapi serangan yang lebih besar dan Zareen mulai menguji batas kekuatannya.)