SLASH!
Kyle's dagger tore through the throat of the creature before him, killing it instantly.
The monster resembled a deer, but far larger. And instead of a normal deer's head, it had a helmet-like skull.
It had two giant horns protruding from its head and long, slender fingers on its arms instead of normal hooves.
There was a faint green light in the eye sockets of the skull, which had already gone out when it died.
"Finally found you," Kyle exhaled in relief. "You hid well."
He had spent several hours searching for this beast in this misty forest. If he hadn't found it quickly before sunrise, it would have vanished.
Suddenly, the system screen appeared before him.
But it was strange, instead of the usual clear blue color, it was a transparent black that swallowed the light.
[You have slain a Wendigo.]
[Unused Stat Points: +1 | Shop Points: +10]
Kyle frowned the moment he saw the screen.
"Damn! It barely gives me any points anymore!"
He dismissed the screen and turned his gaze back to the massive corpse. Then, with a wave of his wrist, the mark on his hand vanished—and sparks of light gathered, forming a massive, terrifying bird.
It was Nightmare.
But it looked completely different now.
Much larger. The black feathers along its wings had become sharper, more jagged. And there were far more eyes embedded within them.
It now resembled exactly the creature Kyle had once seen in his dream.
"Come on, Nightmare. Carry it and let's head back." Kyle climbed onto its back.
Nightmare tilted its head slightly, casting him a look that seemed to say: You summoned me just for this? Really?
"What? How do you expect me to carry this thing on my own?"
The bird stared at him for a moment, then turned away and spread its wings, lifting itself slightly into the air.
It grabbed the corpse with its talons and soared high above the misty forest.
Kyle lay back on the soft black feathers, staring up at the night sky.
`Ah... the three moons look beautiful tonight.`
A faint smile touched his lips.
The sky was dark, completely devoid of stars. But what made it unique were the three moons hanging close together instead of a single one.
They were small—together barely equal to the size of a normal moon—but their combined glow was brighter.
Kyle remained relaxed as Nightmare flew over the vast, shadowy forest filled with thin trees and thick mist.
Gradually, the density of the trees lessened, the forest thinning as they approached their destination.
When Nightmare slowed down, Kyle knew they had arrived. He turned his head as the creature descended.
Before him stood a large mansion in the middle of the forest. Candlelight flickered through some of its windows, hinting at people inside.
Kyle dismounted once they landed, but before he could do anything, someone rushed out of the mansion toward him.
"Brother Kyle!"
A small boy, no older than nine, leapt toward him, laughing.
"Why are you so late? Did you find the Wendigo?"
Kyle looked down at him.
The boy wore a white night robe—clearly, he hadn't slept and had been waiting for Kyle all night.
His golden hair shimmered even in the dark, but what stood out the most were his eyes. They were Golden, with a faint lion symbol within.
Kyle smiled and jerked a thumb over his shoulder, toward the corpse.
"Yeah, little Leo. It hid well... but as you know, no monster can escape from me."
Leo turned to look behind Kyle and spotted the corpse lying there alone—Nightmare had already returned to its mark the moment they landed.
"Amazing! I have never seen it before!!" the boy said, his eyes already sparkling.
Despite being a child, he showed no fear—not of the corpse, nor of the creature's scary appearance.
Kyle's expression dimmed slightly.
The thought that such a young child had seen enough to no longer fear monsters or death unsettled him.
But he quickly pushed it aside and smiled again.
"Go back to sleep now. This thing is going to be tomorrow's meal. Look forward to it."
Leo nodded eagerly, practically drooling already, before running back inside the mansion.
Kyle watched his back until he disappeared, then turned toward the massive corpse.
Grabbing one of its legs, he dragged it toward a nearby storage shed.
Inside, Kyle butchered the creature, separating the usable parts and storing them in a special magical container that preserved food from spoiling.
Once finished, he left the storage room and headed toward the mansion's entrance—only to spot someone sitting on the steps.
`Didn't little Leo go to sleep yet?` Kyle frowned slightly.
But as he approached, he realized he was mistaken.
A young girl sat there, appearing around eleven years old. Her bright blonde hair was long and beautiful, tied into a small braid.
But what stood out the most were her eyes. They were yellow with a faint symbol of a maiden within.
When she saw Kyle, she stood and approached him with a calm smile.
"Little Virgo?" Kyle asked.
She nodded. "Kyle, Mother wants to see you."
Kyle raised an eyebrow in surprise, though a faint smile soon spread across his face.
"Oh, little Virgo... I just came back from fighting a dangerous monster, and that's the first thing you say? Not even a single kind word?"
His face looked really sad now, he was on the verge of crying.
The moment she heard that, her calm demeanor shattered, replaced with visible panic.
"Ah—no... I didn't mean—I mean..."
A suppressed laugh cut her off. Kyle could barely hold it in anymore.
Realizing she had been tricked, Virgo immediately puffed her cheeks in a small pout. She marched up to him and kicked his leg.
Then she stormed inside, still pouting—despite clearly hurting her foot from the kick.
"Mother is in the library! Don't keep her waiting!"
"Alright, alright." Kyle finally stopped laughing and went inside.
The mansion was luxurious, befitting the nobles. But Kyle barely paid it any attention—he had seen it too many times during his stay here.
He walked through the dim corridors, climbed the stairs, and made his way to a specific room.
Knock. Knock.
"It's me, Kyle."
A brief silence followed, then a soft, gentle voice came from within.
"Come in."
Kyle opened the door and stepped inside.
He lifted his gaze—and saw her sitting on a couch, holding a book.
His cock hardened slightly the moment his eyes fell on her.
`Damn... She's still as hot as ever.`