As they approached the outskirts of the town, a shimmering barrier stood tall before them—the Safe Shield. It was a protective dome that surrounded the entire town, preventing beasts from entering.
Betty placed her hand on the glowing surface. "This thing has kept our town safe for centuries. Once we step outside, we're in beast territory. You ready?"
Louis exhaled. "Yeah."
The two passed through the shield effortlessly. The moment they stepped out, the dense forest ahead felt different—wild, untamed, and dangerous. The distant howls and rustling leaves made it clear that this was no place for the weak.
Betty unslung her bow. "Alright, let's start small. There should be some Horned Wolves around here. They're quick but not too tough."
Louis nodded, gripping his borrowed daggers tightly.
A low growl echoed from the shadows. Then, a pair of glowing yellow eyes emerged from the bushes.
"Here we go," Betty smirked as she drew an arrow. "Let's see what you've got, rookie."
---
The Hunt Begins
The Horned Wolf lunged at Louis. His instincts kicked in, and he sidestepped just in time. Slashing his dagger across the beast's side, he felt the blade sink in, though the cut wasn't deep enough.
"Not bad, but you need to aim for vital points!" Betty called out, loosing an arrow. It soared straight into the wolf's throat, ending the fight instantly.
Louis grumbled. "I was getting to that."
"Yeah, sure," Betty chuckled. "Come on, we need more than one kill to call this a hunt."
They spent the next hour taking down more beasts—wolves, Iron Boars, and even a couple of Winged Serpents. Louis started getting the hang of his movements, and Betty's arrows never missed their mark.
Everything was going smoothly.
Until it wasn't.
A Nightmare Appears.
A chilling roar shattered the silence. The ground trembled as something massive stomped through the trees.
Louis turned to Betty. "Uh… that didn't sound like a wolf."
Betty's face had gone pale. "No way… That's a Titan Bear."
Louis blinked. "A what now?"
Before she could answer, the beast emerged.
Towering over them at nearly four meters tall, the Titan Bear had thick, armored fur and claws that could tear through steel. Its crimson eyes locked onto them, filled with rage.
"That's an A-Rank monster! We are NOT ready for this!" Betty shouted, taking a step back.
The bear roared again and charged—straight at her.
Betty's hands trembled as she nocked an arrow, but before she could shoot, the bear was already too close.
"Betty, move!" Louis shouted, but she was frozen.
The bear swung its massive claw.
"Damn it!"
Louis dashed forward on pure instinct, throwing himself between Betty and the attack. He knew he couldn't block it—but something strange happened.
The moment the claw should have hit him, a burst of black energy erupted around his body.
The attack never reached him.
Instead, the bear was blasted backward, crashing into the trees.
Silence.
Louis stood there, panting, staring at his hands. Black energy flickered around them like flames before vanishing.
"What… was that?" he whispered.
Betty slowly got to her feet, eyes wide in shock. "Louis… what the hell was that?!"
Louis didn't know.
But whatever it was, it had just saved their lives.
The Titan Bear roared again, angrier than before.
And now, they had to finish what they started.
Betty carefully cut into the Titan Bear's thick hide, her hands steady despite the lingering shock of the battle. After a few moments, she reached its core and pulled out a glowing blue Magic Stone. The crystal pulsed faintly in her palm, radiating warmth and energy.
She held it out toward Louis. "Here. You should take it. Whatever you did back there… you finished it off."
Louis hesitated before accepting the stone. As soon as it touched his hand, he thought he saw a faint flicker of the same black energy from earlier—but it was gone in an instant. He frowned but said nothing.
Turning to Betty, he asked, "Are you okay?"
She let out a slow breath and rolled her shoulders. "Yeah… just a little shaken up. That thing almost had me." She gave him a small, uncertain smile. "Thanks for saving my life, I guess."
Louis nodded but remained silent. There were too many unanswered questions running through his mind.
Without another word, they both turned back toward the town, walking through the darkening forest. The weight of what had just happened hung between them, heavy with confusion and unease.
Neither of them knew what to say.
Neither of them knew what had just happened.
And neither of them knew what it meant for the future.
To be continued....