Night had fully claimed the land.
The canyon gave way to open grassland, and the sky above was a vast, velvety black scattered with countless stars. The air was cool and still, carrying the gentle sound of the nearby river rushing over stones. Fireflies drifted lazily through the grass like tiny living lanterns, their soft golden lights blinking in and out. The winged beast lay where it had crashed, its chest rising and falling in deep, exhausted sleep.
Jin and Hanz lay sprawled on the soft grass a short distance away, both passed out from the ordeal.
Jin stirred first.
His eyes fluttered open — brown again, the silver glow faded with his fatigue. For a long moment he simply lay there, staring up at the night sky. The stars were brighter out here, far from any city light, twinkling like scattered diamonds against the dark canvas. The cool breeze brushed across his face, carrying the fresh scent of grass and distant water.
He let out a slow breath, a small, tired smile touching his lips.
This journey… it's barely begun and we nearly died already. Risky. But… there's something about it. The sky, the open land, the unknown ahead. For the first time in a long while, I don't feel completely alone in it.
He turned his head slightly, seeing Hanz still passed out beside him, breathing steadily. The beast was quiet too, its massive form a dark silhouette against the stars.
The night felt peaceful. Almost… right.
Jin slowly pushed himself up from the grass, his body aching with every movement. The cool night air felt good against his skin as he stood, brushing dirt and blades of grass from his clothes. He glanced back at Hanz, who was still out cold, then turned toward the sound of the river.
The water glistened under the starlight, flowing steadily over smooth stones. Jin walked to the edge, his footsteps quiet on the soft grass. He crouched down, looking at his reflection in the dark, rippling surface. The water was clear enough to show his face — tired eyes, a few fresh scrapes, hair messy from the wind and the crash. He stared at himself for a long moment, the river's gentle murmur filling the quiet night.
He wasn't satisfied with what he saw.
Not the bruises or the exhaustion — those were expected. It was the look in his own eyes. The same look he'd carried for years. The constant drive, the guarded distance, the weight of secrets he couldn't share. He sighed softly, dipping his hands into the cold water and splashing some on his face. The chill woke him up a little more. He drank deeply, the water refreshing and clean, then sat back on his heels, still gazing at his reflection.
Hanz stirred a short distance away. He let out a long groan as he stretched, his arms reaching up before he rolled over and pushed himself up. He rubbed his eyes, then stood, wincing slightly as he walked over to the river.
"Man… I feel like I got hit by a horse," Hanz muttered, crouching beside Jin. He plunged his head straight into the water, shaking it vigorously as he came back up, water dripping from his hair. He wiped his face with a sigh of relief.
"Better. A lot better."
Jin glanced at him, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
"You look like you just survived a war."
Hanz laughed softly, sitting down on the grass next to him.
"Feels like it. That was… something else. I still can't believe we actually rode one of those things. And lived."
Jin nodded, looking back at the river.
"Yeah. We got lucky. That could've gone very wrong."
Hanz leaned back on his hands, staring up at the stars.
"You know, I've done a lot of crazy stuff in my life. Dungeon runs, fighting monsters way bigger than me, taking risks that probably should've killed me. But that? That was on another level. Flying through the canyons like that, dodging those beasts… I thought we were done for a few times."
Jin took another drink from the river, then sat beside him.
"I thought the same."
Hanz grinned.
"I still don't know how you managed to control that beast though. I was just winging it — literally."
Jin chuckled quietly.
"Stubbornness mostly. It didn't want to cooperate at first. But once it realized I wasn't letting go, it gave in. Sort of."
Hanz shook his head, still smiling.
"You make it sound easy. I was screaming the whole time. I thought I was going to fall off a hundred times. The wind, the speed, the way the ground kept rushing up… it was terrifying. But also… kind of amazing. I've never felt anything like that before."
Jin looked at the water, watching the stars reflect on its surface.
"It was. The height, the open sky, the canyons stretching out below us. For a moment it felt… freeing. Like the whole world was ours to see. But yeah… terrifying too. One slip and we would've been done."
Hanz nodded, his expression turning thoughtful.
"I keep thinking about what Lady Phoenix said. About the west being dangerous. If today was just the beginning… I don't know. I'm still in. But it's starting to feel real now. Not just some adventure. We could actually die out here."
Jin was quiet for a moment.
"We could. That's why I tried to warn you. This isn't like the dungeons back home. The things we're heading toward… they're on a different level. And we're just two guys with some skills and a lot of luck."
Hanz smiled faintly.
"Yeah. But we made it this far. And we've got each other's backs. That counts for something, right?"
Jin looked at him, a small, genuine smile forming.
"It does."
They sat in comfortable silence for a while, the river flowing steadily beside them, fireflies drifting through the grass. The night felt peaceful after the chaos of the day.
Hanz eventually broke the quiet again.
"So… what now? We rest here tonight?"
Jin nodded.
"Yeah. We need the rest. Tomorrow we keep moving west. But for now… let's just breathe."
Hanz lay back on the grass, arms behind his head.
"Sounds good to me."
Jin stayed sitting, watching the stars, the weight of the journey ahead lingering in his mind. But for this moment, under the quiet night sky, it felt manageable.
The winged beast stirred a short distance away. It let out a low groan, stretching its massive wings slowly as it woke. Its dry tongue flicked out, tasting the cool night air. It shook its head, then its eyes settled on Jin and Hanz. For a moment it gave them that same wary, almost resentful look from earlier — as if remembering how it had been forced to carry them.
It took a few cautious steps backward, trying to sneak away into the grass.
Then it froze.
Its head snapped toward the dark forest beyond the river, ears twitching. Something was there.
Jin, still sitting by the river, felt the air change. The gentle breeze shifted, carrying a new scent — something earthy and wild, not quite right. The fireflies that had been drifting peacefully suddenly scattered in several places at once, their lights blinking out in panic. The night grew heavier, the sounds of the river seeming louder in the sudden tension.
He turned around fast.
The beast was standing perfectly still, staring into the forest, its body tense.
Jin's expression hardened as he scanned the treeline. He couldn't see anything clearly in the darkness, but he felt it — eyes watching them. His own eyes shifted, the brown fading as silver glowed faintly in the starlight. These eyes were different. They didn't just see the surface. They pierced through the unknown — reading faint flows of mana in the air, catching movements too subtle for normal sight, sensing intent and danger like threads in the dark. They were the eyes of someone who had learned to survive by seeing what others could not.
"Get ready," Jin said quietly, voice low and urgent.
Hanz pushed himself up, looking confused at first, but one glance at Jin's face told him everything. He grabbed his twin swords and axe, heart already beating faster.
Jin held up a hand.
"Don't move."
Hanz froze, gripping his weapons tightly.
The forest was too quiet now. The crickets had stopped. The river seemed louder, almost unnaturally so. Then… dark silhouettes began to emerge from the treeline.
They crept out slowly, moving with eerie silence. Their footsteps made no sound on the grass. Ten figures in total — tall, unnaturally skinny, with long, matted hair like dreads hanging down their backs. Their eyes glowed a faint, sickly yellow in the darkness. They carried crude spears and swords, the blades glinting faintly under the starlight. Their skin looked rough and dark, blending with the night.
The figures moved like predators, spreading out in a loose semicircle, their glowing eyes fixed on Jin and Hanz. The winged beast stepped back nervously, joining the two humans, its wings half-spread in warning.
Jin and Hanz tensed, breaths shallow. The air felt thick with danger. The silence was oppressive — only the river and their own heartbeats.
The figures stopped a short distance away, watching them with unblinking yellow eyes.
The winged beast gazed at the figures, its brown eyes bulging with wary, its body trembling. It was already far from home, dragged into whatever this mess was. For years it had lived as a predator of the sky, but tonight, it felt small in the presence of these unknown giants.
It finally had it. It screeched in fear, then spread its wings and leaped into the air.
Jin and Hanz were startled by the sudden reaction.
The beast had not made it far. One of the figures kept their eyes on it, then threw their spear with terrifying precision. The weapon tore a hole through the beast's wing. It screeched in pain as it crashed back to the ground.
One of the figures ran up to it, moving so fast for their height. They raised their sword, ready to finish off the beast.
Jin's eyes widened, and for a moment, he abandoned his safety. He cocked his staff back, flames swirling on its end, then thrust it forward with all his strength, sending a beam of fire.
The figure before the beast widened their eyes. The light from the beam revealed its appearance. Its skin was rough and dark gray, almost like bark. The spear it held was crude but sharp, tipped with what looked like bone.
The beam struck it dead center, tearing through its body and sending it crashing into the grass, covered in flames. The grass began to burn around it, the light revealing the others' appearances more clearly.
Hanz tensed up beside Jin, his voice shaky.
"I can't believe it… I've only heard of them from tales."
He turned to Jin, fear clear on his face despite the grin trying to hold.
"What you just killed is a Kharatan."
He swallowed hard.
"We must get out of here. These... things... hunt only one thing."
He admitted, shakily.
"…H-Humans."
The revelation hit like a thunderclap.
Jin's expression turned raw — shock, disbelief, and a flash of cold anger. His silver eyes narrowed as the weight of the words sank in. These weren't just monsters. They were hunters. And they saw them as prey.
The Kharatans gathered up, moving with eerie silence. Their yellow eyes glowed brighter in the firelight, fixed on Jin and Hanz with clear bloodlust. The air grew thick with it — a palpable, hungry intent that made the night feel even darker.
Jin and Hanz felt it clearly, their hearts pounding as the tall figures closed in slowly, spears and swords ready.
One of the Kharatans walked over to one of their burning comrades. It stopped, staring at the flames consuming the body. Its fingers slowly reached toward the burning corpse... only to recoil from the heat. It's jaw tightened. It's breath became ragged.
Then... a cry exploded from its chest that echoed throughout the grassland — raw, guttural, filled with pain and rage. Tears fell from its glowing yellow eyes as it dropped to its knees beside the burning figure.
The others joined in. Their cries rose together, a haunting chorus that cut through the night like knives. The sound was insane — deep, animalistic wails mixed with something almost human, echoing off into the forest, the sound echoing off the trees and filling the air with grief and fury. The forest itself seemed to hold its breath as the Kharatans mourned their fallen.
Hanz gritted his teeth, his grip tightening on his weapons.
"It's too late. We can't go back to the canyon. The beast is down…"
Jin's voice was steady but hard.
"Confrontation is the only option."
Hanz nodded, his face set.
"It's them or us."
Their mana surged from their bodies in a rush. Hanz's eyes turned green as wind mana swirled around him, intensifying until it formed a visible green aura. Jin's silver eyes glowed with power, his body covered in crackling flame mana. The two energies clashed and sparked against each other as they stood ready before the crying Kharatans.
Then… their mana receded back instantly.
Both of them looked confused. Jin noticed it first — one of the Kharatans was covered in faint blue mana, its hands glowing as it stared at them. It is then that he realized, that his magic had been nullified.
Hanz freaked out.
"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!... W-What the hell just happened?!"
Jin told him calmly but urgently.
"Calm down. We adapt."
In a rush, Jin told Hanz.
"Run. It's better to split them apart."
Hanz tried to say something, but Jin urged him.
"Go. I'll find you."
Hanz's expression was a mix of reluctance and determination. He bolted away, running toward the forest.
Three of the Kharatans immediately gave chase, moving with terrifying speed and silence.
Jin was furious. He saw only three chase Hanz, while six remained. He gritted his teeth, then took a deep breath.
Two of the Kharatans lunged.
They burst forward with terrifying speed, their long limbs blurring across the ground. One raised its crude sword overhead before bringing it down in a savage arc that split the air with a violent howl. Jin slipped aside at the last instant. The blade crashed into the earth where he'd stood, spraying dirt and grass blades. Before the creature could recover, he drove the end of his staff into its ribs with a heavy crack. The impact echoed through the clearing, but the Kharatan only staggered a single step before baring its fangs.
The second attacked from the opposite side.
Its spear shot toward him like lightning. Jin twisted sharply, the spearhead scraping across his arm and leaving a burning trail of blood. Pain flared through his shoulder, but he ignored it. His staff spun in a tight circle, knocking the spear aside before he slammed the other end into the creature's forearm. The collision rattled his hands, sending a sharp sting through his fingers, yet the Kharatan barely yielded.
He fought his way toward the forest.
The trees were close now. Once inside, their numbers would become far less dangerous. A Kharatan stepped into his path and seized his staff halfway through a swing, its grip clamping down like iron. Jin planted his feet and yanked with everything he had. The sudden pull dragged the creature off balance just enough. He released one hand from the staff and drove his boot square into its chest. The impact forced it backward, claws gouging trenches through the dirt as it stumbled away.
Another attacked from behind.
Jin sensed the change in the air before he heard the sword. He dropped low. Steel hissed above his head, missing him by a breath. Still crouched, he spun on one knee, sweeping his staff into the attacker's legs. The solid strike shattered its footing, sending the Kharatan crashing heavily into the ground.
It never stayed down.
Another was already charging.
They pressed him from every direction.
Jin ducked beneath a low branch as another sword carved through the space where his neck had been. He planted a foot against a nearby boulder and pushed off, twisting around another attacker before whipping his staff across its jaw. The creature reeled. A spear flashed toward his ribs. Jin slipped outside the thrust, cracked the staff across the attacker's wrist, and the weapon flew from its grasp. Before it could recover, he reversed his grip and drove the butt of his staff into its chest, forcing it backward several steps. Another Kharatan immediately filled the gap.
But they kept coming.
A blade sliced across his side, tearing cloth and drawing fresh blood. Before he could recover, a heavy fist crashed into his shoulder, nearly knocking him off his feet. Pain exploded through his arm, but he caught himself before falling. His breathing grew heavier. Sweat mixed with blood as his glowing silver eyes darted from one opponent to the next, reading every twitch of muscle, every shift of weight, searching for the next attack before it came.
Am I... this weak without mana?... No... I relied on it far too much.
He took down two.
One rushed him recklessly. Jin stepped aside, letting it overextend before spinning his staff in a full circle. The hardened staff slammed into the side of its skull with a sickening crack, sending it sprawling across the ground. Another lunged through the opening. Jin slipped beneath the descending sword and drove the sharpened end of his staff straight into its throat. The creature staggered backward, clutching at its neck before collapsing.
The remaining four closed in.
They spread out without a sound, circling him slowly, their glowing yellow eyes fixed upon their wounded prey.
Jin kept moving toward the forest.
Every breath burned in his lungs. Blood dripped steadily onto the earth beneath his feet. His muscles screamed from the constant strain, yet his grip never loosened around the staff. The trees were only a short distance away, but the Kharatans refused to give him a single moment to breathe. Every step toward safety had to be earned.
He refused to stop.
Because the moment he did... He would die.