Nyxia felt a deep sense of satisfaction as she absorbed the last of the spirit herbs into Vyāpti. She couldn't believe her luck—an entire spirit pool and a treasure trove of herbs were now hers.
Just as she and Miko turned to leave, Miko suddenly screamed.
"Wait! There's something under the ground over there!" His small golden body flickered with excitement as he pointed toward a specific spot near the pond.
Nyxia's eyes narrowed as she quickly approached. "Are you sure?"
Miko bobbed his head. "I can sense something faint, buried beneath the soil. It's giving off a strange energy!"
Without hesitation, Nyxia grabbed a sturdy piece of wood lying nearby and began digging. The soil was slightly damp from the moisture in the cave, making it easier to shift, but it still required effort. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead as she worked, her breathing steady but determined.
After a few minutes, the tip of something cold and metallic glinted under the dim cave light.
Clang!
Her wooden tool hit solid metal. Nyxia's heartbeat quickened as she cleared away more dirt and pulled out a heavy, iron box. It was old, covered in rust and dirt, but still intact. A sturdy lock secured it tightly.
She wiped some of the dirt off the surface and tried to pry it open, but no matter how much force she used, the lock wouldn't budge.
Nyxia frowned. "It won't open."
Miko hovered closer, his golden eyes gleaming with curiosity. "This is interesting! A locked box hidden near a spirit pool? There's definitely something valuable inside!"
Nyxia exhaled sharply, her mind racing. This wasn't the time to waste energy on opening it.
Without hesitation, she tossed the box into Vyāpti. "We'll deal with it later. Let's get out of here before anything else happens."
Miko nodded. "Good idea. We've already pushed our luck enough."
With that, they swiftly made their way out of the cave.
Meanwhile, at the far end of the middle forest…
The once-serene forest was now a battlefield.
Towering ancient trees swayed violently, their leaves trembling from the sheer force of the battle unfolding below. The air was thick with the scent of blood, mixing with the earthy aroma of damp soil and crushed foliage. The distant cries of smaller beasts had long faded, as if nature itself had fallen silent in fear.
At the heart of the chaos stood a massive black bear, its fur matted with blood, its deep-set eyes burning with fury. The beast was nearly five meters tall, its muscles rippling with raw power. It was the guardian of the cave—unbeknownst to Nyxia and Miko.
Opposing the bear was a mysterious man clad in dark purple robes, his face hidden behind a sinister mask. His breath was heavy, his posture tense. Blood trickled from a deep gash on his arm, staining his robes, but his grip on his weapon remained steady.
The battle had raged for what felt like hours, and neither side had gained the upper hand.
The bear let out a thunderous roar, shaking the trees and sending leaves fluttering to the ground. Its piercing gaze locked onto the masked man, filled with hatred and rage.
The man, however, remained eerily calm. His sharp eyes flickered with calculation, waiting for the right moment.
The bear charged.
Its massive paws tore through the ground, uprooting plants and sending dirt flying. With a speed unnatural for its size, the beast lunged forward, aiming to rip the man apart.
The masked man vanished in a blur.
Reappearing in midair, he twisted his body and drove his blade into the bear's left eye.
A deafening, pain-filled roar echoed through the forest. The bear staggered backward, blood pouring from its wounded eye.
But it wasn't defeated yet.
Fueled by rage, it lashed out with terrifying force.
BOOM!
A massive paw slammed into a nearby tree, shattering it into splinters. The masked man barely dodged in time, his body flickering like a shadow.
The bear's breathing grew erratic, but its rage didn't subside. It turned its head sharply—its remaining eye suddenly fixated on a direction deep within the forest.
It had sensed something.
Its spirit pool… the treasures… they were gone.
The bear's fury exploded. It roared so loudly that the ground beneath it trembled.
The masked man took advantage of the distraction.
In a flash, he dashed forward—swift and ruthless.
His blade pierced the bear's second eye.
The bear let out an earth-shattering cry, its massive body convulsing in agony. It swiped blindly, trying to grasp anything in its reach, but the world around it had gone dark.
Seizing his final opportunity, the masked man soared above the beast and struck directly at the top of its skull.
CRACK!
The massive body of the bear froze.
A long silence followed before the beast collapsed onto the ground with a heavy thud, its final breath escaping in a low, defeated growl.
The guardian of the spirit pool was dead.
The masked man remained motionless, his chest rising and falling with exhaustion. His body was covered in blood—some his own, some the beast's. His grip on his weapon loosened slightly, his hands trembling.
He had won. But barely.
And yet, as he stood in the midst of the blood-soaked battlefield, his gaze slowly turned toward the cave's direction.
Something wasn't right.
The spirit pool… the herbs… everything was gone.
A cold, dangerous glint flickered in his eyes. Someone had taken them.
With a slow, deliberate movement, he wiped the blood from his blade. "Interesting…" he muttered under his breath.
Whoever had stolen his spoils—he would find them.