Chapter 26 — A forest With The Worst Atmosphere

With a gasp, Yasu appears outside the wall, surrounded by dense forest. But the moment he emerges, the air is oppressive, heavy with dark energy. It's suffocating, as if the very air itself is charged with ill intent.
His hand instinctively moves to his mouth, shielding himself from the malevolent energy. A sense of paranoia takes hold as he scans the shadows, feeling eyes on him from every direction.
"What the hell is this place...?" he whispers, eyes darting nervously around.
Yasu whirls around, his breath hitching in alarm, where the towering wall once stood, there is nothing but space. The air shimmers faintly where it had been moments ago, as if reality itself refuses to acknowledge its existence here.
His fingers clutch at nothingness before dropping back to his sides with a slow exhale.  
"...Guess there’s no going back now," he mutters under his breath, but despite the unease prickling along spine like cold fingers tracing down vertebrae... he doesn't regret stepping forward.
With his sword drawn, Yasu cautiously steps deeper into the forest. Each step forward is measured, his eyes darting between the shadows, watching, waiting for any sign of movement. As he walks, an unsettling feeling gnaws at him, a primal instinct that whispers danger in every rustling leaf and snapping twig.
The aura in the forest seems to thicken around Yasu, oppressive and choking. The very air feels alive, malicious. Alive and watching with eyes he can't quite see.
As the bush suddenly shifts and moves, Yasu jumps back, heart pounding in his chest. He grips his sword handle tight, bracing himself for an unseen threat. Yet, as the leaves settle, it's revealed to be a simple squirrel foraging for fallen acorns.
A low breath escapes Yasu's lips, a mixture of shock and relief washing over him. "Just a squirrel..." he mutters, some of the tension in his shoulders easing slightly.
With a shaky sigh, he lowers his sword, the sudden adrenaline rushing from his limbs. "Scared the hell out of me..." 
His gaze drifts back to the squirrel, its little paws working swiftly to gather acorns, entirely oblivious to the mini heart attack it caused.
Not even a minute later after he took his eyes off it, the sight before him is nightmarish: a dark wolf mauling a squirrel, its teeth sharp and cruel. But it's not the violence that alarms Yasu the most, it's the aura surrounding the wolf. Dark, twisted energy, pulsing menacingly like a heartbeat that promises only terror.
"What the..." he gasps, eyes wide in shock.
The wolf abruptly halts, blood staining its muzzle. It lifts its head, fixing its gaze directly on Yasu, pinning him in place.
Yasu slowly backs away as he speaks. "Easy there...you've had your meal. Surely you must've been full by now!"
The wolf's menacing growl intensifies as it advances toward Yasu.
With a deep breath, Yasu steels himself, adrenaline surging through him. The wolf stands mere yards away, its dark aura pulsing like a living darkness. Its gaze locks onto Yasu, sizing him up.
"You asked for it!" he growls under his breath.
And within the blink of an eye, Yasu dashes forward, his sword held ready. The wolf barely has time to react when Yasu's blade finds purchase, driving deep into its side.
The wolf howls in pain, its dark aura faltering for a single moment. Yasu steps back, eyes narrowed, his body tense with anticipation. The wolf shakes off the injury, snarling in defiance. It circles him, its gaze fixed on Yasu like a predator toying with its prey.
"You won't make it easy, huh?" he grits out, sword raised, ready for another attack.
The wolf lunges, its teeth bared. But Yasu's reflexes are faster. He dodges, the wolf's teeth just missing his arm. He counters with a swift slice of his sword, catching the wolf on its side. 
But the beast is resilient. It doesn't falter. It circles again. Its aura pulses, a chilling reminder of the power lurking beneath its dark form.
Yasu holds his ground, eyes locked on his adversary. His breath is steady, but inside he's tense, the thrill of battle mixing with a growing sense of unease.
With every ounce of his strength, he thrusts his sword straight into the wolf's heart. The energy around it falters, its dark aura flickering out of existence. The wolf falls, finally slain.
Yasu stands over the fallen beast, chest rising and falling as he catches his breath. The silence that follows is sudden, almost deafening. He looks down at the lifeless form, adrenaline still coursing through his veins.
"That was... close," he murmurs to the quiet forest, his hand tight around the sword hilt.
Yasu's gaze falls upon the slaughtered squirrel, its once-vibrant life now a silent echo. He kneels, a heavy sigh escaping his lips.
"Poor soul..." he murmurs, a strange weight settling in the pit of his stomach. "To have been taken so violently..."
With a deep breath, he closes his eyes, offering a silent prayer for the life cut far too short. 
After he's finished, Yasu stood up and looked up at the surrounding forest, the trees now seeming less dense, less menacing. But the unease, he understands, hasn't gone away. This place, this forest... there's something deeper, something darker hiding in the shadows.
"Gotta keep moving," he mutters to himself, looking over his shoulder before proceeding further into the woods.
As he sets off, Yasu keeps his guard up, every sense alert. The aura around him still feels heavy, the air thick with tension. But he presses onward, each step taking him deeper into the heart of this strange place.
The forest grows more dense around him. Shadows seem to shift and move in the corner of his eye, dancing around like dark entities. The silence of the woods is only broken by the sound of his steps and the occasional rustle of leaves. But something feels off...
Yasu pauses mid-step, his hand instinctively pressing against the growling emptiness of his stomach. He fumbles with the strap of his bag and peers inside—only to find the essential resources, but insufficient food.
"Of course," he mutters dryly, "Should’ve packed more than just enough for half a day."
His eyes scan the surrounding trees warily, not exactly ideal foraging territory when every shadow feels like it's staring back at him with teeth bared but hunger is an insistent master.
"...Hope whatever’s lurking here doesn’t mind sharing its snacks."
Yasu freezes in place, heart pounding in his chest. A massive bear stands not far off, its hulking form outlined against the deepening shadows. The sight alone would be unsettling enough, but it's the uncanny details that set his nerves on edge: glowing red stripes tracing across its body, the same dark aura surrounding it... like the wolf.
He ducks behind a bush, his breathing shallow. "What the hell is that?" he murmurs, peering cautiously through the foliage.
The bear's head snaps up, nostrils flared as if drawn to his presence. It takes a step forward, its heavy paws thumping against the forest floor. Yasu swallows hard, trying to hold back a rising wave of unease. 
The bear's gaze feels like a physical weight, pinning him in place. It lets out a low, rumbling growl, the aura around it pulsing more intensely now. "Stay calm," he whispers to himself. "Stay real damn calm…"