Amidst the dense foliage and thick vegetation, two men sprinted through the undergrowth, moving so fast that even the birds barely had time to react before they could take flight. Each step so fast that dirt and sand flying in the air.
"Henry, do you know what you're going to do?" asked a middle-aged hunter named Hamok. He wore a rawhide outfit made from the pelt of an unknown beast, a bow and quiver of arrows slung over his back, and a spear firmly gripped in his left hand.
"Yeah, I already know," Henry replied between gasps, struggling to keep up. Like Hamok, he wore the same rugged hunting gear.
"Then let's finish this quickly," Henry urged. "The sooner we wrap this up, the sooner I can deal with other matters."
"Don't rush," Hamok warned, his tone firm. "You're close to becoming a true hunter, Henry. But a real hunter is always cautious."
Henry rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I get it," he muttered. Of all the trainees, why did it have to be him? His earlier excitement from toying with that beast had been completely ruined. Now, he could only hope that nothing else would go wrong—otherwise, his favorite pastime would be taken away from him.
The mere thought of his interrupted "game" filled him with impatience. He just wanted to finish this mission as quickly as possible so he could get back to what truly entertained him. After half of hours running.
"Wait," Hamok suddenly whispered. He veered off the trail, darting into a thick patch of vegetation and crouching low. His ears perked up as the wind blew through the trees, rustling the branches slightly. But something felt… off.
Henry halted his run, confused by Hamok’s sudden seriousness. Following his lead, he hid behind some plants, scanning the surroundings for any sign of danger.
"What is it?" Henry asked in a hushed voice.
"Do you hear it?" Hamok whispered, his voice tight.
"Hear what?"
"Shhhh. Just listen."
Henry fell silent, his senses sharpening as he focused on his surroundings. Yet all he could hear was the faint whisper of the wind and his own ragged breathing.
Then it hit him.
The silence.
It was too quiet—an eerie, almost suffocating stillness that sent a shiver down his spine.
The usual sounds of the forest—the rustling leaves, the distant calls of birds and insects—were gone. Nothing but an unnatural, deafening quiet remained.
A heavy sense of unease settled over them. No bird chirping,no fly buzzing or even some kind animal. Only whispered wind blew.
"I don’t like this," Hamok muttered, his grip tightening on his weapon. "I have a bad feeling… Something bad is about to happen."
The two men moved forward with heightened caution, their footsteps slow and deliberate. Each step felt heavier than the last, as if the forest itself was warning them to turn back.
Then Henry spotted it.
A smear of blood on the leaves.
Their eyes met, and without a word, they both followed the crimson trail.
What they found made their blood run cold.
A few meters ahead, a female hunter lay sprawled on the ground, her body twisted unnaturally. Blood was splattered across the dirt, and her ribs were shattered, her insides torn apart as if something had feasted on her.
Henry took a shaky step forward, but before he could reach her, Hamok grabbed his arm.
"Henry, don’t," Hamok whispered. "We can’t do anything for her now. We need to complete our mission." His voice was firm, resolute.
Henry clenched his fists but nodded. He knew Hamok was right. Time was not on their side.
They pressed forward, their pace quickening until they finally spotted movement up ahead. A lone trainee stood in a clearing, looking around anxiously.
"The hunt has been canceled," Hamok called out. "You need to leave now!"
The trainee turned to them, confusion evident on his face. "Why? What happened?"
"Where is your group?" Hamok demanded.
"We split up to hunt faster," the trainee replied.
Hamok’s heart dropped. "You… split up?" he repeated, his voice laced with disbelief.
"Who told you to separate?"
"Our leader did," the trainee admitted.
"Who is your leader?" Hamok’s tone grew sharper.
A heavy silence followed before Henry finally spoke.
"Me," he said quietly, his voice filled with regret.
Hamok’s eyes widened in shock. "You… Henry?" He couldn’t believe it. Of all people, he hadn’t expected Henry to come up with such a reckless plan.
Hamok let out a deep sigh, disappointment and frustration washing over him.
"Do you even know your way around the forest?" he asked, his voice tight with anger.
Henry lowered his head. "No…"
"Then why the hell did you think splitting up was a good idea?" Hamok snapped.
"I didn’t think this would happen," Henry admitted, guilt weighing heavy in his chest.
Hamok took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm. Anger wouldn’t solve anything now. He needed to think of a way to fix this.
"You," he said, turning to the trainee. "What’s your name?"
"Trainee Leron, sir."
"Leron, did you see any of the others?"
"I didn’t see them, but I know where they were heading," Leron replied.
"Where?"
"Deeper into the forest."
Hamok cursed under his breath. What should have been a simple mission had now turned into something far more dangerous. Finding and ensuring the trainees' safety was no longer just difficult—it was nearly impossible.
He turned to Henry, his expression dark. "After this mission, report to Chief Elder Oxor."
Henry swallowed hard and nodded. "Yes, I understand," he replied helplessly.
Hamok then faced the trembling trainee, Leron. "Go back to camp. If you see any other trainees along the way, inform them about what I just told you. Do you understand?"
"Y-yes, sir," Leron stammered, his voice unsteady.
"Be careful on your way," Hamok added firmly.
Leron gave a quick nod before hurrying off.
Hamok then shifted his gaze to Henry. "You're coming with me."
"Understood," Henry said, following closely.
The two ventured deeper into the forest, their steps cautious yet swift. Along the way, they encountered several other trainees—much to Henry's relief, he wasn’t the only one who had suggested splitting up. Other groups had made the same mistake. At least now, he wouldn't be the only one facing punishment.
As they pressed forward, they came across another team in the midst of hunting a Three-Eyed Toad. The group had been working together, surrounding the creature with practiced coordination.
Upon seeing Hamok, they paused, sensing something was wrong.
"The hunt has been canceled," Hamok announced firmly.
A wave of murmurs swept through the crowd. Some looked frustrated, others confused.
"But we’ve barely caught anything!" one of the trainees protested.
"It doesn’t matter anymore," Hamok said, his tone brooking no argument. "Everyone needs to return to camp immediately. Something unexpected has happened."
Though disappointment was evident on their faces, the hunters ultimately obeyed. One by one, they began packing up their gear, preparing to head back.
Hamok exhaled, knowing full well that this was just the beginning of their troubles.
As they continued searching for trainees along the way, a sudden cry for help pierced the air, followed by a deep, guttural growl echoing through the dense forest.
"Help!"
Their heads snapped in the direction of the voice, their bodies tensing.
"There! Look over there!" Henry pointed toward the left, where the desperate plea had come from.
Without hesitation, the two dashed through the thick undergrowth, their hearts pounding with urgency. When they finally reached the clearing, what they saw made their blood run cold.
A monstrous beast stood in the middle of the carnage—a creature with the hulking body of a gorilla and the elongated, twisted head of a deer. Its powerful arms thrashed wildly, gripping the limp body of a trainee, slamming it against the ground like a ragdoll. The sickening crunch of bones breaking echoed through the forest.
A few meters away, another trainee lay sprawled on the ground, bloodied but still breathing. His chest heaved with shallow, ragged breaths as he weakly turned his head toward them.
"Shit," Hamok muttered, his voice tense. "That's an Antellia—a high-level Enchanted Beast."
Henry’s stomach twisted. "What?!"
The injured trainee heard their voices. His eyes, filled with desperation and terror, locked onto them.
"Help…" he choked out, his voice a strained gurgle.
Henry turned to Hamok, panic rising in his chest. "Sir, what do we do?"
Hamok’s jaw clenched. "We run," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "We don’t stand a chance—not against that thing. We can’t even save them." This was his first time encountering a high-grade Enchanted Beast. Even as an elite hunter, he wasn’t sure if he could put up a fight against a monster of that caliber. His instincts screamed at him—this was not a battle they could win.
Henry's breath caught in his throat. "What?!"
Before he could protest, another sickening thud filled the air. The Antellia had raised its massive fist and brought it crashing down onto the trainee’s head. The body went still instantly, the skull shattering like a crushed watermelon. Blood and flesh splattered across the forest floor.
The sight sent a jolt of fear straight into Henry’s core.
"RUN!" Hamok shouted manuvered himself to fled.
Without a second thought, they turned and bolted.
Behind them, the Antellia let out an enraged roar, the ground shaking as it began to move.