The night remained tranquil, the air thick with the scent of damp earth and fresh foliage. Only the soft chirping of insects and the occasional call of nocturnal birds disturbed the silence. A patrolman trudged through the village, his torch casting flickering shadows along the narrow dirt paths. He gripped a machete in his other hand, its blade dull from lack of use.
With a heavy yawn, he stretched his shoulders, exhaustion creeping through his bones after hours of uneventful patrolling. His eyes darted between the darkened huts and the surrounding trees, searching for any sign of movement. Yet, nothing stirred.
"Maybe the beast has already left," he mused. "Perhaps it was just passing through. Elder Gido might be worrying over nothing."
Despite his respect for the elder, a part of him couldn’t shake the feeling that their vigilance was wasted.
Just as he was about to dismiss his unease, something caught his eye—a wooden cage in one corner of the village, its door swinging open with a slow, eerie creak. The sight sent a cold shiver down his spine.
"Why is the cage open?" he muttered, his grip tightening on his machete. "Did Tino forget to close it?"
Curiosity warred with caution, but eventually, he stepped forward to investigate.
As he approached the cage, the smell hit him first—metallic, thick, unmistakable. Blood.
His torchlight illuminated the gruesome scene inside, and his breath caught in his throat. Hens lay lifeless on the ground, their bodies torn open as if something had feasted upon them. Feathers, smeared with blood, clung to the wooden bars of the cage.
And at the center of it all, sprawled among the carnage, was Tino.
The patrolman’s heart pounded as he rushed forward. Tino’s face was pale, his body limp, but his chest rose and fell in slow, shallow breaths.
"Tino!" he cried, dropping to his knees beside him. He shook the man’s shoulder, his hands trembling. Tino remained unresponsive.
The patrolman swallowed hard before turning his head toward the village. He inhaled deeply, then shouted with all his might.
"Help! Help!"
His desperate cries shattered the quiet night, echoing across the village. Doors creaked open, torches were lit, and soon, figures emerged from their homes, roused from sleep by the urgency in his voice. The hunter patrols, already on alert, arrived moments later, their weapons drawn. Elder Gido and Joba pushed through the gathering crowd, their expressions darkening as they took in the bloodied scene before them.
"Over here!" the patrolman called, waving them toward Tino’s unconscious form.
The villagers exchanged uneasy glances, murmuring among themselves. Fear hung heavy in the air, a silent question unspoken but understood by all.
Had the beast finally revealed itself?
Elder Gido's eyes darkened as he studied Tino’s unmoving form. The man’s breath was faint but steady, his limbs limp as if drained of all strength.
"A venomous attack? But from what?" Elder Gido thought grimly.
"With some rest, the effects of the venom might wear off," he said aloud, though uncertainty lingered in his voice.
Elder Hiro, who had been watching in silence, straightened. "Quick, take him to the medicine hall!" he ordered.
At once, members of the hunter patrol moved forward, carefully lifting Tino’s limp body. With torches lighting their path, they carried him away, disappearing into the night.
Elder Gido turned back to the gathered villagers, his gaze sharp. "Did anyone hear or see what happened?"
The villagers exchanged uncertain glances, murmuring among themselves. Finally, one of them stepped forward.
"We didn't hear anything, nor did we see anything—except for the man calling for help."
The others nodded in agreement. Even those whose homes were closest to the cage had noticed nothing out of the ordinary.
"No witnesses," Elder Gido muttered under his breath, pinching the bridge of his nose. A deep exhaustion settled over him. The village had faced hardships before, but this—this was something else entirely.
The beast had struck again, yet not a single person had seen it.
A creeping sense of unease coiled in his gut. We’re fighting something we don’t understand.
His thoughts turned to the casters. He had hesitated to seek their aid before, wary of their power and the cost of their involvement. But now…
His conscience whispered the inevitable conclusion.
It was time to call upon them?.
News of what happened to Tino spread quickly among the villagers, and they grew increasingly anxious. They feared that a beast had attacked Tino, and if such a creature could enter the village unnoticed, their safety was at risk. What if it had already slipped into their homes without them realizing? One by one, some of them complained to the hunter hall, accusing them of not doing their job well. Some even wanted to leave the village. The murmurs and complaints of the people buzzed in Elder Gido's ears.
"Silence!" Elder Gido bellowed at the villagers. "I understand your concerns for your safety, but you have nothing to worry about. Starting tonight, we will patrol the village every night."
"But we also need your help. If we work together, we can overcome this challenge."
The crowd fell silent, though some villagers still harbored doubts. While their fears were somewhat eased, the thought of the beast's danger lingered in their minds.
Some mocked Elder Gido in their thoughts, questioning how ordinary villagers could protect themselves if even the hunter patrol couldn't find the culprit.
"Everyone, go home now," Tino said weakly. One by one, the villagers began to disperse.
"Elder Gido, we can't let this continue. We need to take action," said Joba.
"I know. The only solution I can think of for now is to continue patrolling while simultaneously hunting for traces of the beast."
"But... but..." Joba hesitated.
"We don't have enough resources to seek outside help," Elder Gido said firmly.
Joba fell silent, then added, "If only Jerome were here..."
"But he's not here," Elder Gido said.
A moment later, a middle-aged woman approached Elder Hiro and Joba. She was a nurse from the medical hall.
"Is Tino conscious yet?" she asked.
"Yes, but his entire body is still paralyzed. It will take time before he can speak," the nurse replied.
"I see," Elder Gido said, turning to Joba. "Keep up the patrols."
"Yes, Elder. It will be done."
---
Meanwhile, in the muddy area near the swamp, surrounded by tall grass, Fang Mu was sound asleep. He had no intention of returning to the village until the chaos he had caused among the people had subsided. After devouring the chicks, a satisfied smile spread across his face.
A pair of blue eyes glinted from the bushes, and slowly, a snake-like beast with two horns on its nose emerged. It slithered closer to Fang Mu, moving silently toward his back. Like an arrow, it struck, sinking its fangs into Fang Mu's back. The sudden attack caught him completely off guard, and he had no time to react. The creature quickly coiled itself around him.
"What the fuck!" Fang Mu cursed, trembling as he saw the massive snake that had ambushed him. Its body was as thick as the thigh of a fully grown man.
He hadn't expected to be ambushed in the middle of his sleep. The snake tightened its grip, squeezing him relentlessly. Fang Mu thrashed violently, twisting his body left and right, trying to break free. The snake, however, held firm, its fangs poised to strike again.
"Fuck! Fuck! Get out of me!" Fang Mu cursed, struggling desperately. "Get off of me!"
His heart raced as he rolled on the ground, trying to escape. He knew he had to act quickly. If the snake managed to bite him again, he might not survive—especially if it was venomous, like a cobra or a reticulated python. If it was the former, he would be dead for sure. Slowly, Fang Mu felt the air being squeezed out of him as the snake's coils grew tighter and tighter.
When part of the snake's body came close to his mouth, Fang Mu seized the opportunity. He bit down hard on the snake's flesh with his small teeth, his tongue lashing out to paralyze the creature. The snake writhed in pain, loosening its grip. Fang Mu struck again, his sticky tongue delivering another paralyzing blow, rendering the snake immobile.
The snake's coils gradually loosened, allowing Fang Mu to break free.
"My venom never fails me," Fang Mu said with a satisfied triumph, gasping for breath.
The snake felt dizzy, and half of its body was paralyzed. But what scared Fang Mu the most was the bite mark left by the huge snake. He feared that if the snake was venomous, he might not survive.
"I'm gonna die here," he thought, but after a few minutes, nothing happened. "So it means the snake was a non poisonous, it's possible this was python, similar to those in my world," he realized, peering at the snake. The snake no longer moved, fully paralyzed by Fang Mu's venom.
"This place is truly dangerous. One careless mistake, and your life is on the line," Fang Mu thought. He turned to snake.
"So, what should I do with you?" Fang Mu pondered, his cold eyes fixed on the motionless snake.