Chapter 46 Going in Circles

Suzuka had been preparing for her journey for weeks, gathering supplies and studying maps of the forest she mapped so far. She had heard Clive's story of a path that led to the city, and she was hoping to find it.

On the morning of her departure, Suzuka woke up to an overcast sky and thick mist that enveloped the forest. The mist was so thick that it was difficult to see more than a few feet in front of her. Despite the gloomy weather, Suzuka was ready to set out on her journey. She said goodbye to Bill, who had sheltered her for so long. Bill wished her good luck and told her to be careful as she set out into the forest.

"Well, this is it, Bill. I will push further this time. Wish me luck. If I don't come back in a few days, you can think that I reached the city."

"Sure, good luck. If you don't come back in 2 days, I will consider you dead," Bill said with a chuckle.

"Hey! That's not funny," Suzuka answered as she was walking off.

Suzuka was a skilled warrior now and she had been training with Bill in the art of swords since she got here. She carried her trusty sword at the ready, the blade glinting in the dull light of the misty morning. Her bag was full of supplies, including food, and water. She also carried her map of the forest, which she had drawn in great detail before setting out.

As she walked, Suzuka scanned the forest for any signs of danger. She knew that the forest was home to many dangerous creatures and she was prepared to defend herself if necessary. The mist made it difficult to see more than a few feet ahead, but Suzuka's keen senses and training helped her navigate the forest with ease. She moved quietly, trying not to disturb the monsters that lived in the forest.

As she walked deeper into the forest, the mist began to clear and the sun started to peek through the clouds. Suzuka knew that this was a good sign, and she felt her spirits lift. She was determined to complete her journey and eventually return home but first, she needs to find civilization. She pushed on, her sword at the ready and her bag full of supplies, ready for whatever the forest had in store for her.

She walked for hours, following the faint trails and signs that she had found in her research. But as the day wore on, the forest grew denser, and the mist grew thicker. Suzuka realized that the corrupted magic in the air was making it impossible for her to navigate.

Despite her best efforts, Suzuka was unable to find the path to the city. She was lost in the forest, with no idea of how to get back to her campsite. She sat down on a fallen tree, feeling defeated, thinking about what to do now.

"Oh no, I am lost. What do I do now? It was a bad idea to go this far and in this mist. Stupid, what were you thinking." She started to panic, but suddenly, she heard a faint shout in the far distance, she regained her composure and started to move again.

"Wait! Is that a voice I hear? People! Adventurers, perhaps!" She jumped off the fallen tree she was sitting on and rushed toward the sound.   

 As Suzuka wandered through the dense forest, she came across a group of five young adventurers. At the first glance, it was clear, they were all rookies. They were huddled together, looking scared and exhausted. Suzuka could see that they were trembling, and their faces were etched with fear. Someone or something scared them senseless.

As Suzuka approached them, they were initially scared and thought she was the beast coming to finish them off, but they soon realized that she was a human, not a monster that stalked them.

"Damn monster! Leave us alone!" The man shouted while randomly swinging his sword, as Suzuka walked out of the bushes. 

"Hey, hey... calm down, I am not a monster, I am a human, just like you." Suzuka tried to calm down the man.

The other two men grabbed their scared companion and held him in place to prevent him from doing something crazy, he was too scared to think straight.

"Whow! Jack! Calm down! It's not a monster, It's a woman! Stop swinging that sword," one of his companions started to talk, "Get it together, Jack! We are all scared here, don't make it harder than it is," another companion said.

It took a few seconds to calm him, but eventually, he let his sword down and said.

"Ow, ma Gowd! I... I sorry... I, I just didn't think to see... to see another person. This forest... we... we need to get out... get out of here! We need to move! We can't stay here!" Jack started to panic again as he was struggling to make a sentence.

"Jack! Take a seat, take a minute to rest! We will move soon! Just, take a minute, okay?" One of his companions said as he was looking over at Suzuka.

Jack's heart was pounding in his chest as he backed off against a tree, gripping his sword tight with both hands. He couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. He knew that the beast was out there, somewhere. 

Jack's eyes darted around frantically as he searched for any sign of the beast. The forest was eerily quiet, and the only sound he could hear was his own ragged breathing. He knew that he had to stay alert, but he was exhausted from days of walking and fear. He sat down on the ground and tried to catch his breath, but he couldn't rest. He was too scared.      

The man who told Jack to rest walked slowly toward Suzuka.

"Hah! Hello there, I'm... I... I don't know even where to begin with... hah!" The man tried to make a sentence, but after a short pause he continues, "My name is Ryan... just Ryan... the adventurer's name that is, yes, Ryan. My apologies, if I make little to no sense, we are... in trouble and scared."

"Hi, my name is Suzuka but you can call me Suzu for short, so, long story short, I am lost in the forest and looking for the closest town. Also, I am a capable warrior, I can be of use in a fight." Suzuka tried to sound cheerful and reassuring, trying to make them feel better. While Suzuka was saying her introduction another companion of Jack come and said after she was done.

"Greetings fair lady, my name is Luke. I am the leader of this party. Let me introduce us properly, This man you already know, Ryan, our vanguard." He gracefully pointed his hand at the man standing beside him and continue speaking," that man by the tree is Jack, he is our damage dealer, along with the other man that stands over there next to that woman, his name is Dylan."

As Suzuka listened to Luke, she looked at Jack first. He was sitting on the ground, leaning his back against the tree, as he was nervously taping his feet and constantly looking around. Then, her gaze turned to a man called Dylan. Dylan is not particularly tall or muscular, but he is in good shape and looks quite agile. He wears a standard adventurer's attire, a combination of leather armor, and a sturdy pair of boots. He carries a sword on his hip and a backpack.

Suzuka listened patiently as Luke spoke, she could see the fear and exhaustion in their eyes. She knew that she had to act quickly if she was to help them.

"The woman is our healer, she is a two-star magic box power user. Her name is Emma." Luke pointed at the woman as he was speaking, "And the last member of our party is Gavin, he is our pathfinder." Luke finished his introduction and looked back at Suzuka.

"Nice to finally meet people, I was lost in this forest for so long. But my story can wait, tell me what is going on. Do you know the way to town?" Suzuka asked as she was checking them out.

The group explained to Suzuka that they had been stalked and hunted by a monster known as "The Beast" for days. The monster was incredibly powerful and had abilities beyond their imagination. They had been running and hiding, trying to survive, but they were tired, both physically and mentally. They were on the brink of giving up hope of ever getting out of the forest alive. They already lost 2 members to these beasts.

Suzuka could see the trauma in their eyes, and she knew that this party needed help. She listened attentively as Luke recounted his terrifying experience, and she could see that they were genuinely scared. Luke and his party had been through a traumatic experience, and they were struggling to cope.

Suzuka reassured them that she was ready to help them and that together, they could defend against the Beast. 

"Have some faith, I may not look the part but I am strong and good with my sword." As she spoke she could see the relief in their eyes and she could see that they were starting to regain their confidence. They were no longer alone, but it was the best opportunity for this world to remind them how cruel it was. 

The beast emerged out of the tall bushes with a roar, lunging at Suzuka as she was facing away. Suzuka was fast and nimble, and she quickly ducked out of the way. But the beast wasn't aiming at her. It had set its sights on Luke and Ryan. As Suzuka looked up, she saw the beast lunging toward them with deadly intent.

Luke and Ryan were caught off guard and in shock. They didn't have time to react. The beast's massive jaws clamped down on Luke's neck, and it ripped his head clean off in one swift motion. With a massive claw, he decapitated Ryan's head next. Blood sprayed everywhere as the bodies of Luke and Ryan collapsed to the ground, headless.

 Jack's heart sank as he saw the horror unfold before her eyes. Without a second doubt, he stood up and bolted as fast as he could. He was terrified, screaming in fear, he completely lost it.

"Oh mah GOD! Their back! I can't take it anymore!"

Two more beasts emerged from the thick forest depths. One went after Jack, and another one grabbed dead bodies and quickly retreated back into the forest.  

The beast let out another roar, its eyes locked on Suzuka and the rest of them. She drew her sword and stepped forward, ready to face the beast. Emma fell to her knees and burst into tears as Gavin tried to cover for her.     

The beast charged at Suzuka, its massive claws outstretched. Suzuka sidestepped the attack and delivered a swift blow to the beast's side. The beast howled in pain, but it didn't stop. It swung its massive tail, trying to knock Suzuka off her feet. Suzuka was quick, and she grabbed it, stopping the attack with ease. Using her enhanced body she overpowered the beast in terms of strength. With a brutal, deadly attack, she counterattacks, landing the final blow, and the beast let out one last roar before collapsing to the ground.

This beast was no match for her, not after training with Bill, trading blows with a minotaur was much harder. When she bested the beast, she turned around just to see another beast feasting on Gavin and Emma's bodies.